Reproduction and metamorphosis in the Myristica Swamp tree frog, Mercurana myristicapalustris (Anura: Rhacophoridae)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.The reproductive biology of the Myristica Swamp tree frog (Mercurana myristicapalustris), a monotypic rhacophorid frog endemic to the foothills of the Western Ghats mountains of India, has remained unknown since the description of the genus and species. We monitored individuals from parental generation amplexus to the completion of offspring generation tadpole metamorphosis. Surprisingly, our observations revealed that this species exhibits many previously unknown characteristics, including the first ever record of the female, and a diverse call repertoire, consisting of five different call types (the functions of which remain incompletely known). We were also able to determine that reproductive activity peaked during the late pre-monsoon season, that males engaged in intraspecific aggressive encounters to occupy and to defend desirable territories, and that oviposition took place in terrestrial nests made by females. Embryonic development in the unattended nest was followed by tadpole development, which concluded within 40 days. The specific breeding mode employed by Mercurana, which restricts its range to the endangered Myristica swamp ecosystem, likely renders it susceptible to multiple threats, which should be considered jointly in future conservation planning

International Labor Standards, Soft Regulation, and National Government Roles

[Excerpt] In this article, we briefly describe the different approaches to the regulation of international labor standards, and then argue for a new role for national governments based on soft rather than hard regulation approaches. We argue that this new role shows potential for significantly enhancing progress in international labor standards, since it enables governments to articulate a position without having to deal with the enforcement issues that hard regulation mandates. We justify this new role for governments based on the increasing use of soft regulation in the international arena. Of course, this approach is not without its own problems, but given that existing approaches have all provided imperfect solutions to the problem of improving labor standards globally, re-visiting the role of national governments is in our view, highly important

Reproduction and metamorphosis in the Myristica Swamp tree frog, Mercurana myristicapalustris (Anura: Rhacophoridae)

The reproductive biology of the Myristica Swamp tree frog (Mercurana myristicapalustris), a monotypic rhacophorid frog endemic to the foothills of the Western Ghats mountains of India, has remained unknown since the description of the genus and species. We monitored individuals from parental generation amplexus to the completion of offspring generation tadpole metamorphosis. Surprisingly, our observations revealed that this species exhibits many previously unknown characteristics, including the first ever record of the female, and a diverse call repertoire, consisting of five different call types (the functions of which remain incompletely known). We were also able to determine that reproductive activity peaked during the late pre-monsoon season, that males engaged in intraspecific aggressive encounters to occupy and to defend desirable territories, and that oviposition took place in terrestrial nests made by females. Embryonic development in the unattended nest was followed by tadpole development, which concluded within 40 days. The specific breeding mode employed by Mercurana, which restricts its range to the endangered Myristica swamp ecosystem, likely renders it susceptible to multiple threats, which should be considered jointly in future conservation planning

Production of Pectinase from Bacillus sonorensis MPTD1

U radu je ispitanaproizvodnja pektinaze na podlozi s agarom s pomoću sedam sojeva bakterija izoliranih iz pokvarenog voća i povrća. Najučinkovitiji soj, MPTD1, identificiran je kao soj bakterije Bacillus sonorensis. Primjenom Plackett-Burman i Box-Behnken statističkih planova optimirani su različiti parametri, te je utvrđeno da udjeliekstrakta kvasca, K2HPO4,NaNO3i KCl te vrijeme inkubacije negativno utječu na proizvodnju pektinaze. Najveća postignuta aktivnost enzima bila je 2,43 (μM/mL)/min. U ovom je radu po prvi put opisana proizvodnja pektinaze s pomoću bakterije Bacillus sonorensis.Seven isolates from spoiled fruits and vegetables were screened for pectinase produc¬tion using pectin agar plates and the most efficient bacterial strain, MPTD1, was identified as Bacillus sonorensis. Optimisation of various process parameters was done using Plack¬ett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs and it was found that parameters like yeast extract, K2HPO4, incubation time, NaNO3 and KCl have a negative impact on pectinase production. Parameters like pH and MgSO4 and pectin mass fractions have a positive impact on pecti¬nase production. The maximum obtained enzyme activity was 2.43 (μM/mL)/min. This is the first report on pectinase production by Bacillus sonorensis

Applications of Microbial Enzymes in Food Industry

Uporaba enzima i mikroorganizama za pripremu hrane poznata je od davnina. S napretkom tehnologije razvijeni su novi enzimi specifičnih svojstava i širokog raspona primjene, te se neprestano traga za novim mogućnostima njihove uporabe. Bakterije, kvasci i gljivice te njihovi enzimi često se upotrebljavaju za pripremu hrane poboljšanog okusa i teksture, a ekonomski su isplativi. Mikrobni enzimi se koriste u većoj mjeri nego biljni i životinjski enzimi, i to zbog jednostavnije i jeftinije proizvodnje te njihove postojane kvalitete. U ovom se revijalnom prikazu raspravlja o najnovijim postignućima u tehnologiji proizvodnje enzima u prehrambenoj industriji. Naveden je opsežan popis enzima koji se koriste za obradu hrane, mikroorganizama iz kojih su proizvedeni, te je dan pregled njihove raznovrsne primjene.The use of enzymes or microorganisms in food preparations is an age-old process. With the advancement of technology, novel enzymes with wide range of applications and specificity have been developed and new application areas are still being explored. Microorganisms such as bacteria, yeast and fungi and their enzymes are widely used in several food preparations for improving the taste and texture and they offer huge economic benefits to industries. Microbial enzymes are the preferred source to plants or animals due to several advantages such as easy, cost-effective and consistent production. The present review discusses the recent advancement in enzyme technology for food industries. A comprehensive list of enzymes used in food processing, the microbial source of these enzymes and the wide range of their application are discussed

ADEQUACY OF THE CURRENT RECOMMENDED DOSAGE OF CIPROFLOXACIN IN PRETERM AND TERM NEONATES WITH SEPSIS

Objectives: To determine the percentage of neonates with sepsis, on treatment with standard recommended dose of intravenous  ciprofloxacin, who had the serum ciprofloxacin Peak concentration: Minimum inhibitory concentration (Cmax:MIC), within the acceptable range. Design: Observational study design Intervention : In the Neonatology ICU, ciprofloxacin was initiated at a dose of 10mg/kg, twice daily in 95 neonates diagnosed with sepsis. On day 3 of ciprofloxacin, blood specimens were collected to measure the trough and peak concentrations  of ciprofloxacin and was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. The MIC was measured if the blood culture was positive. When the blood culture was negative,the reference values for the MIC from ‘The Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute Guidelines’ were adopted. Main outcomes: Minimum inhibitory concentration and serum concentrations of ciprofloxacin Results: Blood culture was positive in 14 babies. The mean (±SD) trough concentration of ciprofloxacin in term, preterm and very preterm neonates was 3.21(±1.99), 2.54 (±1.26)  and  4.01(±1.80) μg/mL respectively. The mean (±SD) peak concentration of serum ciprofloxacinin term, preterm and very preterm neonates was, 12.55 (±4.945) 8.68(±3.61) and 12.07(±3.63) μg/mL, respectively.  The percentage of neonates who achieved the acceptable Cmax /MIC ratio was predicted to be 74.07% if the strain was sensitive, 7.41% if intermediate and zero for resistant strains. Conclusion: The current recommended dose of intravenous ciprofloxacin in neonates in India may be adequate for treating sepsis due to susceptible organisms. For the treatment of sepsis caused by organisms with intermediate susceptibility, higher dosing regimens may be needed

Globalization, logics of action, international labor standards, and national government roles

In an earlier article, (Frenkel and Kuruvilla, 2002) we argued that the interplay between three different logics of action, i.e., the logic of competition, the logic of industrial peace, and the logic of employment-income protection determines the employment relations pattern in any given nation. We demonstrated the operation of this logic of action framework in selected Asian countries. We also demonstrated that changes in one logic to another underlie changes and transformations in industrial relations systems, with evidence form Asian countries. In this article, we examine how the logics underlying industrial relations systems play out in terms of the international labor standards debate, in and of itself a force for convergence in industrial relations. We briefly describe the different approaches to the regulation of international labor standards, and then argue for a new role for national governments. We argue that this new role shows potential for significantly enhancing progress in international labor standards, since it enables governments to balance between the demands of two competing logics. Of course, this approach is not without its own problems, but in the context of numerous imperfect approaches to the international labor standards issue, we feel that it is appropriate to revisit the role of national governments