Use In Aquatic Environment Research Articles

Swimming with a head-mounted display: dual-task costs

Head-up displays (HUDs) have the potential to change work in operation environments by providing hands-free information to wearers. However, these benefits may be accompanied by trade-offs, primarily by increasing cognitive load due to dividing attention. Previous studies have attempted to understand the trade-offs of HUD usage; however, all of which were focused on land-based tasks. A gap in understanding exists when examining HUD use in aquatic environments as immersion introduces unique environmental and physiological factors that could affect multitasking. In this study, we investigated multitasking performance associated with swimming with a HUD. Eighteen participants completed three tasks: swimming only, a HUD-administered word recall task, and a dual-task combining both tasks. Results revealed significant dual-task interference in both tasks, though possibly less pronounced than in land-based tasks. These findings enhance not only help characterise dual-task performance, but also offer valuable insights for HUD design for aquatic settings.

Young people's alcohol use in and around water: A scoping review of the literature.

The surrounding social and commercial context, including alcohol advertising, heavily influences alcohol consumption. Alcohol use is a major risk factor for both fatal and non-fatal drowning, particularly for young people. We conducted a scoping review to explore the peer-reviewed literature on the use of alcohol by young people (aged 15-34 years) in the context of aquatic environments. Five electronic academic databases were searched for English-language studies conducted in high-income countries and published in the last 15 years (since 2008). The MetaQAT framework was used to assess methodological quality of included studies. The review included a total of 24 studies, including those addressing the prevalence of and/or risk factors for alcohol use in aquatic environments among young people (n = 13); the epidemiology of alcohol-related unintentional drowning in young people (n = 9); and interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm around water (n = 3). Findings suggest that young people commonly consume alcohol around water, particularly young men. We found multiple influences on this behaviour, including the perception of risk, location of aquatic activity and presence of others, particularly peers. Understanding the literature addressing alcohol use around water among young people will assist in identifying and setting priorities for drowning prevention, including the need to mitigate the effects of alcohol advertising which promotes drinking in and around water. There is a clear imperative to address the use of alcohol by young people in aquatic environments. These findings have key implications for public health policy, advocacy and practice.

High prevalence of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli in retail aquatic products in China and the first report of mcr-1-positive extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing E. coli ST2705 and ST10 in fish

Contamination of food by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria is a potential threat to consumers. Aquatic products are increasingly consumed due to their high value and rich nutrient. Nevertheless, the prevalence of multi-drug resistant (MDR) E. coli in retail aquatic products has not been systematically investigated in China. In this study, we conducted a national investigation on the prevalence of E. coli and MDR E. coli in retail aquatic products and the characteristics of the MDR E. coli isolates. A total of 849 samples consisting of 680 fish, 143 shrimp, and 26 shellfish were purchased from markets in 39 cities in China and investigated for the presence of E. coli. Overall, 340 (40.0 %) and 169 (19.9 %) samples were contaminated with E. coli and MDR E. coli, indicating poor hygiene conditions of retail aquatic products. A total of 190 MDR E. coli were isolated, which were recovered from 38.5 % shellfish, 20.1 % shrimp, and 19.0 % fish. Thirty-two ESBL-producing E. coli were identified from 3.5 % fish, 3.5 % shrimp, and 3.8 % shellfish. The MDR E. coli isolates showed a high prevalence of resistance to tetracycline (93.7 %), trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (78.9 %), ampicillin (78.4 %), chloramphenicol (72.1 %), nalidixic acid (73.2 %), cephalothin (65.3 %), and streptomycin (65.8 %). Resistances to kanamycin (42.1 %), gentamicin (37.9 %), ciprofloxacin (42.6 %), and norfloxacin (45.8 %) were also common. Further, 15.3 % and 8.4 % of the isolates were resistant to cefotaxime and ceftazidime, respectively. Four isolates were resistant to colistin. More than 85.0 % of the isolates were resistant to 5–15 antibiotics. Of the antibiotic resistance genes, TEM-1, tetA, strA/B, sul2, aadA, floR, and qnrS were the most prevalent, followed by sul1, aac(6′)-Ib, oqxA/B, cmlA and aphA1. Six CTX-M-types were found, among which CTX-M-55 and CTX-M-14 were predominant. All 4 colistin-resistant isolates carried the mcr-1 gene, of which three were ESBL strains. WGS indicated that the mcr-1 gene was located on two types of plasmids (IncHI2 and IncX4). Conjugation experiments showed the mcr-1 gene could be transferred to E. coli C600. To our knowledge, this is the first report of mcr-1-positive ESBL E. coli (ST10 and ST2705) in retail aquatic products. The emergence of such strains poses a serious threat to consumers, with the potential to spread resistance genes to humans. Our results indicate that retail aquatic products are important reservoirs of MDR E. coli and facilitate the dissemination of the resistance genes. Continuous surveillance and interventions of restricting antibiotic use in aquatic environments should also be applied to reduce the prevalence of MDR bacteria.

Liquid Crystal Networks Meet Water: It's Complicated!

Soft robots are composed of compliant materials that facilitate high degrees of freedom, shape-change adaptability, and safer interaction with humans. An attractive choice of material for soft robotics is crosslinked networks of liquid crystal polymers (LCNs), as they are responsive to a wide variety of external stimuli and capable of undergoing fast, programmable, complex shape morphing, which allows for their use in a wide range of soft robotic applications. However, unlike hydrogels, another popular material in soft robotics, LCNs have limited applicability in flooded or aquatic environments. This can be attributed not only to the poor efficiency of common LCN actuation methods underwater but also to the complicated relationship between LCNs and water. In this review, the relationship between water and LCNs is elaborated and the existing body of literature is surveyed where LCNs, both hygroscopic and non-hygroscopic, are utilized in aquatic soft robotic applications. Then the challenges LCNs face in widespread adaptation to aquatic soft robotic applications are discussed and, finally, possible paths forward for their successful use in aquatic environments are envisaged.

Exploring the applicability of haptic actuators in aquatic environments

The use of high-tech wearable devices and real-time biomechanical feedback (RTBF) is widespread in modern sports and physical rehabilitation. While the use of kinematic sensors for RTBF is well established, the question of the most efficient and appropriate way to present feedback information to the user remains largely unanswered. The haptic modality has only been used in a limited number of relatively simple studies and applications, and it has never been studied in an aquatic environment. In this study, the main motivation was to design, develop, implement, and test an RTBF system for sports and physical rehabilitation with haptic actuators suitable for use in aquatic environments. The developed miniature remote-controlled device with vibration motors as actuators was tested to determine how people perceive the haptic modality in and out of water. The results of the exploratory study with 34 participants suggest that the feedback device can be further developed for future studies. The results show that both simple and complex haptic stimuli can be understood by athletes both outdoors and in water, as well as while standing and performing simple physical activities. This study tested the use of both head and waist mounted haptic actuators, with both showing similar and promising results. The results of this study provide evidence that haptic feedback can be perceived in water, highlighting the potential for real-time haptic interventions in aquatic environments. In summary, this study represents a significant contribution to the evolving field of RTBF in modern sport training and physical rehabilitation. The development of a haptic feedback device that can be worn during aquatic and other activities is a significant advance in the field of feedback actuators. This study provides a foundation for future usability studies and the development of haptic RTBF applications in both aquatic and outdoor environments.

A compact underwater stereo vision system for measuring fish

In the context of aquaculture, fish length is a key parameter to assess fish stocks, essential for feeding regime and contributes for decisions at several production levels. However, taking length measurements is a cumbersome task that, when applied to living individuals, can induce considerable stress, increasing the risk of damage or hindering their growth. Computer vision is one of the most used non-contact tools to overcome this issue, being fast, consistent and repeatable. However, its use in aquatic environments is limited by the high cost, the difficulty of calibrating the system in underwater conditions and the complexity of implementation. This paper proposes a low-cost easy-to-use vision system that can take measurements on live fish in aquatic conditions, without the need for a special calibration or a demanding in-water calibration service. The present work implemented a compact stereo vision system and developed a method that estimates the correct length of fish, based on the variation of the angle of incidence of the light rays in the water. Given some structural conditions such as a short baseline, the system is able to measure fish with an error of less than 1%. The short baseline allows to have a compact system and reduces the effect of water refraction on the 3D reconstruction. A set of experiments were performed with real fish, working robustly for a set of orientations of the fish (even when the caudal fin and snout are on different distances to the cameras).

Aquatic birds have middle ears adapted to amphibious lifestyles

Birds exhibit wide variation in their use of aquatic environments, on a spectrum from entirely terrestrial, through amphibious, to highly aquatic. Although there are limited empirical data on hearing sensitivity of birds underwater, mounting evidence indicates that diving birds detect and respond to sound underwater, suggesting that some modifications of the ear may assist foraging or other behaviors below the surface. In air, the tympanic middle ear acts as an impedance matcher that increases sound pressure and decreases sound vibration velocity between the outside air and the inner ear. Underwater, the impedance-matching task is reversed and the ear is exposed to high hydrostatic pressures. Using micro- and nano-CT (computerized tomography) scans of bird ears in 127 species across 26 taxonomic orders, we measured a suite of morphological traits of importance to aerial and aquatic hearing to test predictions relating to impedance-matching in birds with distinct aquatic lifestyles, while accounting for allometry and phylogeny. Birds that engage in underwater pursuit and deep diving showed the greatest differences in ear structure relative to terrestrial species. In these heavily modified ears, the size of the input areas of both the tympanic membrane and the columella footplate of the middle ear were reduced. Underwater pursuit and diving birds also typically had a shorter extrastapedius, a reduced cranial air volume and connectivity and several modifications in line with reversals of low-to-high impedance-matching. The results confirm adaptations of the middle ear to aquatic lifestyles in multiple independent bird lineages, likely facilitating hearing underwater and baroprotection, while potentially constraining the sensitivity of aerial hearing.

Isolation and Use of Bacillus thuringiensis for the Production of Bio-Insecticide in Control of Mosquito Larvae

Bacillus thuringiensis is a widely studied bacterium and it is known for its use in pest management. It is selectively active on pests and less likely to cause resistance; hence it is considered a suitable replacement to chemical pesticides. The study assessed the potential of Bacillus thuringiensis in controlling mosquito larvae. Bacillus thuringiensis isolates selected were tested against secondary stage larvae of mosquito. Thirty-six larvae (6 each) were transferred into each test tubes (7 x 9) cm with 30ml sterile distilled water. The stock suspension of cultures of Bacillus thuringiensis in broth was diluted to 107, 106, 10 5, 104, 103 and 102 in sterile water, following the McFarland standard method for microbial load count. The test tubes were kept at room temperature, larval mortality was observed over time within 24hrs. The results showed that all mosquito larvae died at the 107 and 106 dilutions but at dilutions 105, 104 and 103 though affecting mosquito larvae, it was highly dependent on time because there was a decrease in concentration. The study showed that B. thuringiensis is safe for use in aquatic environments, including drinking-water reservoirs, for the control of mosquito, black fly and nuisance insect larvae. The products should contain the ICPs and be free from other microorganisms and biologically active metabolites.

Repeated evolution of underwater rebreathing in diving Anolis lizards

Air-based respiration limits the use of aquatic environments by ancestrally terrestrial animals. To overcome this challenge, diving arthropods have evolved to respire without resurfacing using air held between their cuticle and surrounding water.1-4 Inspired by natural history observations in Haiti (unpublished data) and Costa Rica,5,6 we conducted experiments documenting routine air-based underwater respiration in several distantly related semi-aquatic Anolis lizard species. Semi-aquatic anoles live along neotropical streams and frequently dive for refuge or food,7-12 remaining underwater for up to 18min. While submerged, these lizards iteratively expire and re-inspire narial air bubbles-underwater "rebreathing." Rebreathed air is used in respiration, as the partial pressure of oxygen in the bubbles decreases with experimental submersion time in living anoles, but not in mechanical controls. Non-aquatic anoles occasionally rebreathe when submerged but exhibit more rudimentary rebreathing behaviors. Anole rebreathing is facilitated by a thin air layer (i.e., a "plastron," sensu Brocher13) supported by the animal's rugose skin upon submergence. We suggest that hydrophobic skin, which we observed in all sampled anoles,14,15 may have been exaptative, facilitating the repeated evolution of specialized rebreathing in species that regularly dive. Phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest that specialized rebreathing is adaptive for semi-aquatic habitat specialists. Air-based rebreathing may enhance dive performance by incorporating dead space air from the buccal cavity or plastron into the lungs, facilitating clearance of carbon dioxide, or allowing uptake of oxygen from surrounding water (i.e., a "physical gill" mechanism4,16).

Ecotoxicoproteomic assessment of microplastics and plastic additives in aquatic organisms: A review

Advances in proteomics have greatly improved chemical toxicity assessment and predictions of adverse outcomes in organisms. Ecotoxicoproteomics has been employed to elucidate biological pathways affected by chemicals and provide data that can be incorporated into adverse outcome pathways (AOP) to better define the ecological risk of emerging pollutants. Microplastics (MPs) and plastic additives have raised global concern due to their widespread use in aquatic environments, bioaccumulation in tissues, and toxic effects in aquatic organisms. Despite showing sublethal toxicity in many cases, mechanisms underlying these emerging pollutants are underexplored. In this review, adverse effects and recent ecotoxicoproteomic studies of MPs and typical additives (i.e. plasticizers, flame retardants, antioxidants, and UV stabilizers) in aquatic organisms are summarized. Proteomics data show that MPs adversely affect ingestion and reproduction via disrupting pathways related to energy metabolism, stress-related defense, and cytoskeletal dynamics. Biological processes including lipid metabolism, energy homeostasis, skeletal development, neurotransmitter signaling, and immune response are modulated by additives and induce developmental malformations in fish embryos/larvae. Furthermore, plastic additives also exert reproductive toxicity, hepatotoxicity, and neurotoxicity in invertebrates (e.g. mussel, abalone, and oyster) and fish by disrupting detoxification/oxidative stress, hormonal modulation, signal transduction, and apoptosis. Additional studies are needed to complement the omic knowledge of chemical additives that are not well documented (e.g. UV stabilizers) for improving understanding into toxic mechanisms and for characterizing ecological risk linked to plastic contaminants.

IoT sensors in sea water environment: Ahoy! Experiences from a short summer trial

IoT sensors for measuring various sea water parameters, are explored here, aiming towards an educational context, in order to lead to a deeper understanding of the use of aquatic environments as natural resources, and towards the adoption of environmentally friendly behaviors. Sea-water sensing via IoT has not been extensively explored, due to practical difficulties in deployment, and the same applies to devising appropriate scenaria for understanding aquatic parameters in STEM education. A short hands-on IoT sensing trial, that has been conducted in various location of the Aegean sea, is reported in this paper. This research set out to gain insight into real data sets on which to base observations for devising realistic educational scenaria pertaining aquatic parameters. The results of this experiment are meant to guide research further, by shedding light into the IoT sensing issues that are involved in an educational scientific context. The goal is conducting broader research in the area of IoT water sensing towards its further utilization in STEM education.

Environmental justice for the governance of aquatic environments

ABSTRACTEnvironmental justice sheds light on the distributive and procedural aspects of planning and decision-making. We examined the challenges arising from the perspective of environmental justice on multi-level and participatory environmental governance by exploring the governance of aquatic environments in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. We found three main challenges and potential responses to them. First, even though most of Helsinki’s shoreline is free and/or accessible by road and accordingly used actively by people for recreational purposes, many parts of the shoreline are perceived as inaccessible, reflecting a need to combine factual and perceived accessibility of aquatic environments in detail during the planning processes and to discuss reasons for possible discrepancies between these two. Second, there was a remarkable seasonal variation in the use of aquatic environments, so more attention should be paid to social-demographic factors explaining the distribution of the use of urban nature. Third, it seems to be difficult to capture the variety of perceptions of people and to integrate them into planning and decision-making processes even on a local scale, and this challenge is likely even more pronounced on higher levels of planning and governance. Thus, better integration of regional and local-scale planning procedures should be encouraged. Building on these observations, we conclude that integration of procedural and distributive environmental justice into the practices of the governance of aquatic environments could remarkably decrease unwanted trade-offs and potential conflicts in their use and management.

Autonomously eat, digest, move, repeat.

Robotics Truly autonomous robots require a robust and independent way to move and a means to harvest energy from the environment. Philamore et al. push toward these goals by devising a soft robotic mouth for use in aquatic environments that gathers organic biomass, which is processed in a microbial

Phytotherapy of chlorophyllin exposed Lymnaea acuminata: A new biotechnological tool for fasciolosis control

Phytotherapy of chlorophyllin formulations against Fasciola gigantica infected Lymnaea acuminata under sunlight exposure was highly toxic against redia and cercaria larvae. Binary combinations (1:1 ratio) of chlorophyllin (CHL)+freeze dried cow urine (FCU) were more toxic against cercariae (8h LC50: 9.6mgL−1) than single treatment with chlorophyllin (8h LC50: 12.6mgL−1) in sunlight. The larvicidal activity of sunlight exposed CHL against rediae (8h LC50: 13.5mgL−1) and cercariae (8h LC50: 12.6mgL−1) was more pronounced than laboratory conditions CHL treatment (rediae- 8h LC50: 305.9mgL−1; cercariae- 8h LC50: 765.4mgL−1). Larvicidal activity of FCU was less than CHL and CHL+FCU against both redia and cercaria. Chlorophyllin and its formulations were more toxic against redia and cercaria larvae in sunlight than laboratory conditions. CHL and its different formulations may be used as potent larvicides against Fasciola gigantica larvae. Chlorophyllin formulations will be economical, ecologically sounder and their use in aquatic environment will be safe.

The use of aquatic environments for Scientific Education purposes: the case of the Imboassica Lagoon, Macaé, RJ

AIM: The present work aims to discuss the potential use of aquatic environments for teaching purposes, taking the Imboassica Lagoon and its environmental problems as an example. METHODS: A case study method including a literature review focused on Limnology and Science Education fields (SE). The case study was developed by describing and evaluating activities performed in the Imboassica Lagoon, considering contemporary SE approaches. MAJOR RESULTS: We featured environmental problems in the Imboassica Lagoon and discussed questions related to facing the problems and the construction of educational processes that generate concepts able to change reality. The activities performed in the Imboassica Lagoon provided the opportunity to set a discussion among teachers and students about different themes related to coastal lagoons' ecology based on a politicized SE viewpoint. Among some of the key aspects related to the practices performed, we could identify: the partnership between universities and schools; the contribution to develop individuals aware of citizen senses, integrating aspects of science, technology and society in field activities. The following limits were identified: the need to develop an integrated action with the school curriculum and the need to develop a plan of action with the active participation of elementary school teachers. CONCLUSIONS: The current study presented challenges for the limnologists, in order to reflect upon the social implications of their research practice seeking interaction with other sectors of society and other knowledge fields, to enhance the horizons of scientific education.

Assessment of Trace Elements and Stable Isotopes of Three Ardeid Species at Birama Swamp, Cuba

The Birama Swamp is the second largest wetland in the Caribbean region and it is inhabited by large populations of waterbirds. Here we report, for the first time, the foraging ecology and pollutant levels of three Ardeidae species: Cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), Snowy egret (Egretta thula), and Tricolored heron (E. tricolor) breeding in this wetland using stable-isotope (δ (15)N and δ (13)C) and trace elements [mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se)] analysis of chick feathers. Our results showed that individuals from all species occupied similar trophic levels. However, we found significant differences for δ (13)C, with the highest values in cattle egret indicating its use of terrestrial habitats and a generalist and opportunist behavior. No significant differences were found for Pb among species. Yet, Hg levels were greater and similar in tricolored heron and snowy egret than in cattle egret, which was associated with their greater use of aquatic environments. Snowy egret had the lowest values of Se differing significantly with the other two species suggesting a different relative use of prey type. Modeling log-Hg concentration in relation to δ (15)N and δ (13)C showed an independent and significant relationship among species but without interaction with species level indicating that within a particular species, higher Hg levels were associated with higher δ (15)N values. There was no interaction between δ (15)N and δ (13)C in the general linear models for Se and Pb in all species. We found an association between δ (15)N and species in Pb for snowy egret. The foraging habitat use of these species and the low levels of pollutants, which are lower than in other similar habitats in other areas of the world, indicated that there is not risk of negative effects in juvenile birds of the Birama Swamp colony that may impair their survival. Our results can be used as a baseline to achieve management regulations.

Investigation of Acute Toxicity of Pirimiphos-Methyl (Actellic®, 25%EC) on Guppy (Poecilia reticulata, Peters, 1859)

Pirimiphos-methyl is a broad spectrum organophosphate insecticide and potential toxic pollutant in aquatic ecosystems. The acute toxicity of Pirimiphos-methyl (Actellic) was investigated using Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) in a 96 h static renewal laboratory bioassay. Based on probit analysis the LC50 was 0.026, 0.024, 0.022 and 0.019 ml L(-1) at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, respectively. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed that there was significant difference (p < 0.05) in the quantal response (mortality) of P. reticulata to different concentrations of Actellic at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of exposure. Actellic insecticide is toxic to fish; therefore its indiscriminate use in aquatic environment should be discouraged.

Water dispersal of Amphisbaena alba and Amphisbaena amazonica (Squamata: Amphisbaenia: Amphisbaenidae) in Brazilian Amazonia

Information on the use of aquatic environments by two species of amphisbaenids (Amphisbaena amazonica Vanzolini, 1951 and Amphisbaena alba Linnaeus, 1758) are presented. These findings suggest that aquatic environments are not a barrier to these animals, until now considered as strictly fossorial. New studies on amphisbaenians in natural conditions are needed in order to better understand which species may use water environment during dispersal events and the frequency of this behavior in the group.

Evaluation of Transparency and Light Attenuation by Aquashade™

ABSTRACT Aquashade™, a colorant and dye registered by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for use in aquatic environments to manage plant growth, does not reduce the visibility of water that otherwise would meet safe swimmming standards. This product was examined for its potential impact on underwater visibility in surface waters used for recreational swimming. Aquashade™ treatments of 0, 1, and 5 mg L−1 were evaluated in 3-m deep outdoor tanks containing reservoir water. Transparency and light attenuation were examined using a Secchi disk and an underwater photo synthetically active radiation (PAR) meter. In the first experiment, filtered lake water was used, while in the second, bentonite clay was added to provide a light transparency of approximately 1 m. In filtered lake water, Aquashade™ treatments (1 mg L−1 and 5 mg L−1) reduced light transparency by approximately 10% and 30%, respectively, but the transparency (272 and 194 cm, respectively) was well above typical international (100 cm) and state (33 cm) standards for safe swimming. In the trial with clay turbidity, the 1.0 mg L−1 Aquashade™ treatment was not significantly different in transparency when compared with the untreated reference, but the 5 mg L−1 treatment reduced transparency to 67 cm (31%). Aquashade™ absorbed light from 550 nm to 650 nm, with peak absorbance in the 630 nm range. Field measurements of Aquashade spectral attenuation matched that observed in the laboratory. While treatments at the allowable level of 1 mg L−1 will reduce transparency, the effect is small compared to inorganic or algal-induced turbidity that can occur in surface waters.

A Bed Sediment Sampler for Precise Depth Profiling of Contaminant Concentrations in Aquatic Environments

AbstractA bed sediment and detritus sampler has been developed for use in aquatic environments, such as in canals, rivers or lakes, for determining precise depth profiles of contaminants. The device is superior to currently available commercial push‐tube and piston samplers in its simplicity, ease of use and its ability to retrieve and extrude sample cores. The sampler has been used with success during the past 12 mo to determine a profile of bed sediment Se concentrations within an earth‐lined canal, alternatively used for conveyance of agricultural drainage and wetland water supply.