Groundwater is a hidden global keystone ecosystem.

Groundwater is a vital ecosystem of the global water cycle, hosting unique biodiversity and providing essential services to societies. Despite being the largest unfrozen freshwater resource, in a period of depletion by extraction and pollution, groundwater environments have been repeatedly overlooked in global biodiversity conservation agendas. Disregarding the importance of groundwater as an ecosystem ignores its critical role in preserving surface biomes. To foster timely global conservation of groundwater, we propose elevating the concept of keystone species into the realm of ecosystems, claiming groundwater as a keystone ecosystem that influences the integrity of many dependent ecosystems. Our global analysis shows that over half of land surface areas (52.6%) has a medium-to-high interaction with groundwater, reaching up to 74.9% when deserts and high mountains are excluded. We postulate that the intrinsic transboundary features of groundwater are critical for shifting perspectives towards more holistic approaches in aquatic ecology and beyond. Furthermore, we propose eight key themes to develop a science-policy integrated groundwater conservation agenda. Given ecosystems above and below the ground intersect at many levels, considering groundwater as an essential component of planetary health is pivotal to reduce biodiversity loss and buffer against climate change.

Resolving fusilier puzzles: The identity of Squamosicaesio marri and Pterocaesio flavifasciata, and a new record of Flavicaesio suevica from the Western Indian Ocean.

A phylogenetic analysis incorporating mitochondrial cox1 gene sequences of members of the family Caesionidae revealed the conspecificity of Pterocaesio flavifasciata and Squamosicaesio marri, which was also supported by the absence of any clear morphological diagnostic characters and meristic counts to separate the two species. Additionally, we provide the first record of the Suez fusilier, Flavicaesio suevica, from outside the Red Sea, based on specimens collected from the Laccadive archipelago, Western Indian Ocean. Together, these results show that the taxonomy, diversity, and distribution of members of the family Caesionidae continue to be poorly known, necessitating a comprehensive range-wide study.

Fish community structure and functional guild composition in an anthropogenically impacted, temporarily closed sandbar estuary.

This study investigates the fish assemblage in a temporarily-closed sandbar estuary along India's west coast, across different zones and seasons. Moderate species diversity (54 species), low species abundance, varying fish diversity from lower to upper estuarine gradient (higher counts in lower zones, and decreasing from middle to upper zones), and higher prevalence of marine migrants (estuarine use) and piscivorous species (feeding mode) were the significant characteristics of the estuary. Distinct spatial, seasonal, and estuarine mouth state-based variations were recorded in the estuary, based on diversity indices and count of taxa. Peak diversity and abundance were noted during the pre-monsoon, and during the open mouth state of the estuary. The entire estuarine gradient is anthropogenically impacted by a multitude of stressors, except at the estuarine mouth region, which is favored by marine connectivity. The fish assemblage structure in Poonthura estuary (PE) has thus far remained unaffected by anthropogenic disturbances. Nevertheless, growth and nursery function of the estuary have been significantly compromised. The predominance of juvenile fish in the ecosystem, and prevailing anthropogenic stressors from point and non-point sources underscore the necessity for long-term maintenance of the population of coastal species, as well as a need for developing and implementing urgent management strategies for this fragile ecosystem.

A new species of spiny eel of the genus Notacanthus Bloch 1788 (Notacanthiformes: Notacanthidae) from the Indian Ocean.

The deep-sea spiny eels of the genus Notacanthus Bloch 1788 are currently represented by six valid species, of which only one, Notacanthus indicus, has been described so far from the Arabian Sea, part of the Western Indian Ocean. This paper reports the discovery of a new species, described herein as Notacanthus laccadiviensis, from the outer reef drop-off, off the Kavaratti Island, Lakshadweep Archipelago, Arabian Sea. The new species differs from its congeners in the shape of the head; morphology of dorsal, pectoral and anal fins; number of gill rakers; number of vertebrae; and body colour, and specifically from N. indicus (the only known congener from the Indian Ocean) in the unusual morphology of the dorsal fin, and number of rays in the dorsal and pectoral fins.

Mitochondrial phylogeny of fusilier fishes (family Caesionidae) from the Laccadive archipelago reveals a new species and two new records from the Central Indian Ocean.

Fusiliers of the family Caesionidae comprise a group of Indo-Pacific reef fishes important in the live bait and artisanal fisheries in many parts of its range, particularly in the Indian Ocean region. Using newly generated mitochondrial COI sequences of 10 species of caesionid fishes from the Laccadive archipelago, we carried out a molecular phylogenetic analysis, which has helped improve our understanding of the diversity, distribution, and systematics of this poorly known group of fishes. The two speciose genera within Caesionidae, Caesio and Pterocaesio, were revealed to be paraphyletic, and as a result, four names earlier considered as subgenera within Caesionidae (Flavicaesio, Odontonectes, Pisinnicaesio, and Squamosicaesio) were elevated to the status of distinct genera. We also discovered the presence of a new lineage in the Central Indian Ocean, sister to Caesio caerulaurea and Caesio xanthalytos, but distinct from both in several morphological characters and a genetic distance of between 2% and 3% in the mitochondrial COI gene. We describe this lineage as Caesio idreesi, a new species, with a distribution spanning the Laccadive Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Our genetic data also helped confirm the first confirmed records of two species, Pisinnicaesio digramma and Squamosicaesio randalli, from the Central Indian Ocean, and a new distribution record for C. xanthalytos in the Laccadive Sea. Combined, these results have helped bridge key biodiversity knowledge gaps of the family Caesionidae and form an excellent baseline for further investigations on their taxonomy, systematics, and life history.

DNA barcodes for the pipefish genus Corythoichthys (Actinopterygii: Syngnathiformes) from the Indian Ocean provide insights into cryptic diversity.

The syngnathiform genus Corythoichthys comprises a group of taxonomically complex, tail-brooding (Syngnathinae) pipefishes widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific region. Due to the presence of overlapping interspecific morphological characters, reliable taxonomic information on Corythoichthys is still lacking. Using 52 CO1 sequences, including seven newly generated, a phylogenetic analysis was carried out to understand the genetic diversity, distribution and 'species groups' within the genus Corythoichthys. Species delimitation using Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) analysis confirmed the presence of 13 species which include 'species-complexes' previously considered as a single taxon. Our results revealed the presence of three species groups, 'C. amplexus', 'C. conspicillatus' and 'C. haematopterus' and four unidentified/undescribed species in the wider Indo-Pacific realm. Interestingly, 60 sequences and a mitogenome identified as Corythoichthys in GenBank are misidentified at the genus level. Based on our findings, we suggest that the taxonomy and systematics of Corythoichthys need to be re-examined and validated using integrative methods, and care should be taken while selecting specimens for genetic studies.

The identity and distribution of striped bagrid catfish, Mystus tengara (Hamilton 1822) revealed through integrative taxonomy.

BACKGROUND: The taxonomic status and geographical distribution of M. tengara are vague. No genetic diversity and phylogenetic study have been done till now to resolve its identity and distribution. In the present study, an integrated taxonomic approach has been applied to clarify the taxonomic status, identity, and distribution of bagrid catfish, Mystus tengara. METHODS AND RESULTS: Comparative morphometric evaluation of M. tengara identified in the present study from distant geographical locations revealed variations of the traits in response to body length and environment, without significant genetic distance. The observed morphometric traits of M. tengara were found to be overlapping with available morphometric traits of M. tengara, M. carcio and M. vittatus. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COI) gene also could not resolve their identity, and five paraphyletic clades comprising of M. tengara, M. vittatus, and M. carcio from India, Nepal, and Bangladesh were observed. Morphological and genetic evidence along with comparative evaluation of M. tengara, from its type locality, we consider M. tengara identified in the present study to be true, with its distribution extending from North East India to West Bengal, North India, Central India, Northern peninsular India, and Bangladesh. CONCLUSION: The observation of paraphyletic subclades and evaluation of genetic distance between subclades reveals the presence of four cryptic species. Further confirmation on the identity of M. vittatus and M. carcio, by an integrated taxonomic approach based on fresh specimens collected from the type locality, is required.

Mesozoic origin and 'out-of-India' radiation of ricefishes (Adrianichthyidae).

The Indian subcontinent has an origin geologically different from Eurasia, but many terrestrial animal and plant species on it have congeneric or sister species in other parts of Asia, especially in the Southeast. This faunal and floral similarity between India and Southeast Asia is explained by either of the two biogeographic scenarios, 'into-India' or 'out-of-India'. Phylogenies based on complete mitochondrial genomes and five nuclear genes were undertaken for ricefishes (Adrianichthyidae) to examine which of these two biogeographic scenarios fits better. We found that Oryzias setnai, the only adrianichthyid distributed in and endemic to the Western Ghats, a mountain range running parallel to the western coast of the Indian subcontinent, is sister to all other adrianichthyids from eastern India and Southeast-East Asia. Divergence time estimates and ancestral area reconstructions reveal that this western Indian species diverged in the late Mesozoic during the northward drift of the Indian subcontinent. These findings indicate that adrianichthyids dispersed eastward 'out-of-India' after the collision of the Indian subcontinent with Eurasia, and subsequently diversified in Southeast-East Asia. A review of geographic distributions of 'out-of-India' taxa reveals that they may have largely fuelled or modified the biodiversity of Eurasia.

Insights on COVID-19 impacts, challenges and opportunities for India's biodiversity research: From complexity to building adaptations.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every sphere of human society. The paradigm shift of focus to COVID-related research and management has significantly affected various scientific domains, including biodiversity conservation. We assessed the perceptions of early-career researchers working for biodiversity conservation across India, to understand the impacts of the ongoing pandemic on their research. We administered an online questionnaire survey to 565 respondents, who identified four key areas that are affected by the pandemic: (1) research, (2) conservation (3) education, and (4) communication and networking. Respondents (89.2%) perceived that their fieldwork, followed by travel for meetings and funding were the most affected due to COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown. Nonetheless, responses on the impact varied between different professional categories and were disproportionate. Our study highlights that majority of the respondents (80%) advocate for stakeholder-driven policies and management practices as the most effective strategy to promote biodiversity conservation, in the post-COVID-19 world. To this end, as a post-pandemic response, we propose holistic solutions such as optimising research funding and collaborations, and supporting and strengthening them by citizen science and big data analytics. Our findings and recommendations will also serve as a paradigm for post-COVID-19 biodiversity policy, advocacy and implementation of the post 2020 biodiversity action plan that supports eco civilization.

Estimating the prevalence of undocumented immigrants with end-stage renal disease in the United States.

In the current political environment, the plight of undocumented immigrants in the United States (U.S.) remains perilous and uncertain, and this precarious situation is magnified for undocumented immigrants with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). For this population, access to hemodialysis varies dramatically from standard-of-care thrice-weekly hemodialysis, to the other extreme of emergency-only hemodialysis which is the practice of offering hemodialysis only after a patient meets "critically ill criteria." Due to the exclusion from Medicare, undocumented immigrants are not included in the United States Renal Data System (USRDS), and therefore the prevalence of undocumented immigrants with ESRD in the U.S. remains unknown. In this review, we assemble the published literature, press reports, and other data sources to arrive at an estimated crude prevalence of undocumented immigrants with ESRD. In 2015, USRDS data reported an adjusted ESRD prevalence of 2,988 per million population (PMP) among documented U.S. Hispanics and 1,902 PMP among documented U.S. non-Hispanics, adjusted for age, sex, and race. Although 77.8% of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. are from Latin America, simply applying USRDS-adjusted prevalence estimates for U.S. Hispanics with Medicare to undocumented immigrants would likely overestimate the undocumented immigrant population with ESRD given the younger age of the immigrant population. Applying the estimates from the states with the largest population of undocumented immigrants, the range for California and Texas is 500 - 798 PMP which results in an estimate of 5,500 - 8,857 undocumented immigrants with ESRD living in the U.S.

Amazonian invaders in an Asian biodiversity hotspot: Understanding demographics for the management of the armoured sailfin catfish, Pterygoplichthys pardalis in Kerala, India.

Invasion of armoured catfish, Pterygoplichthys spp., is a major threat to global aquatic biodiversity, and developing effective strategies for their control and eradication is both a concern and a research priority. A length-based population assessment of invasive Pterygoplichthys pardalis in southern India, a hotspot for endemic aquatic biodiversity, indicated that rapid growth, high growth performance index and continuous recruitment have aided their successful invasion. Increasing fishing pressure on the adults is not adequate for population management, and only targeting young individuals (<30 cm) will result in overexploitation and population collapse.

Clinicians' Perspectives on Providing Emergency-Only Hemodialysis to Undocumented Immigrants: A Qualitative Study.

Background: In the United States, nearly half of undocumented immigrants with end-stage kidney disease receive hemodialysis only when they are evaluated in an emergency department and are found to have life-threatening renal failure ("emergency-only hemodialysis" [EOHD]). These patients experience psychosocial distress and much higher mortality than patients receiving regularly scheduled hemodialysis, but little is known about how providing EOHD affects the clinicians involved. Objective: To understand clinicians' experiences providing EOHD. Design: Qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Setting: A safety-net hospital in Denver, Colorado, and a safety-net system in Houston, Texas. Participants: Fifty interdisciplinary clinicians experienced in providing EOHD. Measurements: Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Outcomes included themes and subthemes. Results: Four themes and 13 subthemes (in parentheses) were identified: 1) drivers of professional burnout (emotional exhaustion from witnessing needless suffering and high mortality, jeopardizing patient trust, detaching from patients, perceived lack of control over EOHD criteria, and physical exhaustion from overextending to bridge care), 2) moral distress from propagating injustice (altered care based on nonmedical factors, focus on volume at the expense of quality, and need to game the system), 3) confusing and perverse financial incentives (wasting resources, confusing financial incentives, and concerns about sustainability), and 4) inspiration toward advocacy (deriving inspiration from patients and strengthened altruism). Limitation: Whether the findings apply to other settings is unknown, and social desirability response bias might have reduced reporting of negative perceptions and experiences. Conclusion: Clinicians in safety-net settings who provide EOHD to undocumented patients describe experiencing moral distress and being driven toward professional burnout. The burden of EOHD on clinicians should inform discussions of systemic approaches to support provision of adequate care based on medical need. Primary Funding Source: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Demographics of Lagocephalus inermis in the Arabian Sea unveils complex conservation challenges.

The first assessment of the demographics of Lagocephalus inermis, a species associated with pufferfish bites and fishing down the food web in the Arabian Sea, south-west coast of India, was performed based on length structured population dynamics of 1601 individuals caught in commercial fisheries. Analysis revealed that the current level of exploitation is 90% of the predicted exploitation producing maximum relative yield per recruit (Emax ), suggesting high levels of exploitation with potential for significant negative consequences for trophic cascades.

Caring for Undocumented Immigrants With Kidney Disease.

The care of dialysis-dependent undocumented immigrants exemplifies a problem at the crux of 2 US national agendas: immigration and health care reform. Undocumented immigrants represent 3% of the US population and 27% of the uninsured, and an estimated 6,500 individuals are dialysis dependent. With no uniform national policy, an estimated 30% to 50% of these individuals receive treatment only in life-threatening situations (emergent dialysis). Since 2005, about 400 undocumented immigrants have received a kidney transplant (>70% living). Although the Affordable Care Act specifically excluded noncitizens, its policies have indirectly allowed more than 200 individuals to purchase insurance from a health insurance exchange and transition from emergent to thrice-weekly hemodialysis. Under the Trump administration, uncertainties with health care plans, threats of deportation, and rescinding of policies such as sanctuary city status are bound to result in unforeseen challenges for this vulnerable population. Global variation in the care accessible to migrants, refugees, undocumented immigrants, and asylum seekers argues for the need for a framework to transform advocacy into public policy to improve the lives of patients with kidney disease worldwide. Access to nonemergent dialysis is humane and cost-effective; it deserves to be espoused and advocated by leading medical organizations.

Phylogeny of the hillstream loach genus Mesonoemacheilus reveals widespread diversification through ancient drainage connections in the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot.

Rivers draining the Western Ghats (WG) mountain ranges in peninsular India harbor an exceptionally diverse, unique and evolutionarily distinct assemblage of lower vertebrates with high levels of endemism, attributed to their evolution and potentially long history of isolation during the Late Cretaceous or Early Tertiary. A molecular phylogeny of hillstream loaches of the genus Mesonoemacheilus endemic to the WG revealed the presence of four clades which we designate as 'species groups'. A consensus of various species delimitation methods indicates the likelihood of 'at least' seven more undescribed species within Mesonoemacheilus. Molecular clock analysis dates the basal clade around 38 mya in the Paleogene, and subsequent diversification in the Neogene and Quaternary periods resulting in the current genetic diversity. Biogeographic analysis suggests that vicariance events which separated the rivers on either side of the two geological barriers/gaps, the Palghat and Shencottah, in the Neogene, as well as range contractions and cladogenetic events contributed to the current patterns of diversity and distribution of this genus. Our results also provide preliminary indications on the interconnections and faunal exchange between historical river drainages in the WG region.

Uremia: A historical reappraisal of what happened
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Urea was identified as a urinary salt in 1662 and was the first organic bodily product to be synthesized in vitro in 1828. This heralded the end of an era that defined disease as an imbalance between vital life forces, and catalyzed the merging of organic chemical sciences into clinical medicine. The term urée (urea) was introduced in 1803, its accumulation in blood was dubbed urémie (uremia) in 1847, and the procedure for its removal from urine across semi-permeable membranes designated dialysis in 1861. The advent of modern dialysis in the 20th century provided lifesaving replacement therapy for the universally fatal disease that progressive uremia had been theretofore. Today, the clearance of urea is no longer used as a marker to identify patients with kidney disease; rather it has been adopted as a measure of the adequacy of dialysis, and the "urea toxicity" of yesteryears has been replaced by that of dialyzable "uremic toxins". As a result, the use of the term uremia has become non-uniform and is now applied to variable scenarios ranging from "azotemia" to "kidney failure" and to the symptoms persisting in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis. In the process, the quest for variably dialyzed uremic toxins has overshadowed the consideration that dialysis is an invasive non-physiologic process that operates counter to normal homeostasis and itself may be toxic.
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Population dynamics of a poorly known serranid, the duskytail grouper Epinephelus bleekeri in the Arabian Sea.

A demographic study on Epinephelus bleekeri based on a sample of 1,003 individuals caught in commercial fisheries along the Arabian Sea coast of southern India considerably extends the maximum recorded standard length for this species to 870 mm, indicates a high natural mortality rate and an exploitation level (E) greater than the Emax .

Pregnancy outcomes in advanced kidney disease.

Maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnant women with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD stage 4 and 5) are not well chronicled. Since 1980, we could locate only five published case series'studying this population. This study examines nine pregnant women with severe CKD (defined as estimated GFR < 30 mL/min) and compares their materno-fetal outcomes with a cohort of women with an eGFR 45 - 100 mL/min and pre-pregnancy proteinuria (mild CKD). This is a retrospective, single-center study nd statistical analyses include Fisher' exact test, nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum, and exact logistic regression. Compared to women with mild CKD, women with severe CKD have higher rates of pre-term delivery (89% vs. 41%, p = 0.02) and a higher average eGFR reduction during pregnancy (26.1% vs. 0%, p = 0.04). Both groups had similar rate of caesarean section, pre-eclampsia, and adverse fetal outcomes including perinatal death, oligohydramnios, and intrauterine growth retardation. Compared to published outcomes of pregnant women receiving hemodialysis, our cohort of women with severe CKD and not on dialysis had a higher incidence of pre-eclampsia and premature birth. In conclusion, the incidence of preterm delivery, small for gestational age, and decline of maternal renal function increased with a reduction in eGFR. Women with severe CKD (eGFR < 30 mL/min) may experience a reduced rate of pre-eclampsia and longer gestation with earlier initiation of dialysis.

The identity of Hamilton's Ticto Barb, Pethia ticto (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).

While describing the fishes of Ganges, Hamilton described Cyprinus ticto (now allocated to Pethia) from south-eastern parts of Bengal. The unavailability of type material and insufficient diagnostic characters in the original description resulted in ambiguities in the identity of this species. In this paper, we clarify the identity of P. ticto through an integrative-taxonomic approach. Pethia ticto can be distinguished from all other known species of the genus by a combination of characters that includes an abbreviated lateral line with 6-12 pored scales; 23-26 scales in lateral-scale row; 9 predorsal scales; ½4/1/3½-4 scales in transverse series; and a pigmentation pattern that includes a small black humeral spot covering the third and fourth lateral-line scales, a prominent spot on the caudal peduncle on the 16th-19th scales of the lateral-line scale row, and two rows of black spots scattered on the dorsal fin.