Biodiversity Analysis of Forest Litter Ant Assemblages in the Wayanad Region of Western Ghats Using Taxonomic and Conventional Diversity Measures

The diversity of litter ant assemblages in evergreen, deciduous and Shola evergreen (Shola) forest vegetation types of the Wayanad region of the Western Ghats was assessed employing conventional and taxonomic diversity indices. Non-dependence on quantitative data and the ability to relate the phylogenetic structure of assemblages with ecological conditions of the habitat, and to ascertain priorities for conservation of habitats, makes non-parametric taxonomic diversity measures, such as variation in taxonomic distinctness Λ+ and average taxonomic distinctness Δ+, highly useful tools for assessment of litter ant biodiversity

REGENERATION IN EUDRILUS EUGENIAE KINBERG 1867 (OLIGOCHAETA, ANNELIDA)

Earthworm EudriluseugeniaeKinberg 1867, commonly known as African night crawler is an efficient organic waste decomposer. As the dedifferentiation patterns of these invertebrates are like vertebrates, they are excellent candidates for regeneration studies. We made 12 amputations along the earthworm to demarcate anterior and posterior sections for regeneration studies. Regeneration events included wound healing, blastema formation, segmentation, pigmentation and functional clitellum formation. Clitellum formation was noted in the posterior segments after 28-30 days of amputation, whereas anterior segments without clitellum did not survive after 30days. In both anterior and posterior segments, number of segments remaining after amputation proved to be a significant factor in determining the survival rate. Earthworms with less than one fourth of the body length showed very low survival rates.But no significant correlation existed between the lengths of regenerating fragment and number of remaining segments in the amputated worms. Analysis of variance showed no significant difference between regeneration rates of different segments in anterior segments whereas the posterior segments showed significant difference in the regeneration rates

Seasonality of Litter Insects and Relationship with Rainfall in a Wet Evergreen Forest in South Western Ghats

The seasonality of litter insect abundance and its relationship with rainfall was analyzed in a wet evergreen forest on the windward side of south Western Ghats. Monthly litter samples were collected using Berlese funnels during 4 seasons of a year: southwest monsoon season June—August), northeast monsoon season (September—November), summer (March -May) and pre-summer season (December—February). Insect fauna as a whole showed no seasonal variation in abundance, however, some individual insect orders showed significant seasonal variation. Overall insect fauna and individual orders were distributed independently relative to rainfall. All insect orders with the exception of Psocoptera were present during all four seasons. Coleoptera (42%) was the dominant group in all seasons followed by Formicidae (12.3%), insect larvae (10.1%), Collembola (9.2%) and Thysanoptera (8.9%). Exceptionally high abundance of Ptiliidae contributed to the unprecedented abundance of litter Coleoptera. The aseasonality of litter insect fauna as a whole is attributed to year-round availability of rainfall and the absence of severe summer conditions

Effects of danicamtiv, a novel cardiac myosin activator, in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: experimental data and clinical results from a phase 2a trial

Aims: Both left ventricular (LV) and left atrial (LA) dysfunction and remodelling contribute to adverse outcomes in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Danicamtiv is a novel, cardiac myosin activator that enhances cardiomyocyte contraction. Methods and results: We studied the effects of danicamtiv on LV and LA function in non‐clinical studies (ex vivo : skinned muscle fibres and myofibrils; in vivo : dogs with heart failure) and in a randomized, double‐blind, single‐ and multiple‐dose phase 2a trial in patients with stable HFrEF (placebo, n = 10; danicamtiv, n = 30; 50–100 mg twice daily for 7 days). Danicamtiv increased ATPase activity and calcium sensitivity in LV and LA myofibrils/muscle fibres. In dogs with heart failure, danicamtiv improved LV stroke volume (+10.6 mL, P < 0.05) and LA emptying fraction (+10.7%, P < 0.05). In patients with HFrEF (mean age 60 years, 25% women, ischaemic heart disease 48%, mean LV ejection fraction 32%), treatment‐emergent adverse events, mostly mild, were reported in 17 patients (57%) receiving danicamtiv and 4 patients (40%) receiving placebo. Danicamtiv (at plasma concentrations ≥2000 ng/mL) increased stroke volume (up to +7.8 mL, P < 0.01), improved global longitudinal (up to −1.0%, P < 0.05) and circumferential strain (up to −3.3%, P < 0.01), decreased LA minimal volume index (up to −2.4 mL/m2, P < 0.01) and increased LA function index (up to 6.1, P < 0.01), when compared with placebo. Conclusions: Danicamtiv was well tolerated and improved LV systolic function in patients with HFrEF. A marked improvement in LA volume and function was also observed in patients with HFrEF, consistent with pre‐clinical findings of direct activation of LA contractility

A checklist of dung beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) associated with the Vypin-Kadamakkudy Barrier Island System, Kerala, India

Barrier islands are one of the most dynamic ecosystems that are constantly changing with waves, wind, tidal energies, and so on. These islands are placed parallel to the shore with gently sloping coastal plains and a moderate tidal range supported by estuaries and wetlands. They act as a natural barrier to protect the land from high tides and support diverse taxa. Dung beetles are ecologically important organisms that facilitate various services influencing the total stability of that ecosystem. They can be considered as a focal taxon, and their conservation and protection keep the ecosystem clean and healthy. The present study is a preliminary study on the dung beetles from a tropical barrier island system; the Vypin-Kadamakkudy Barrier Island System; located in the Kerala part of the south Indian coast. The study accounted for 29 dung beetle species of eight genera under three tribes. The heavily populated island system is marked by two new reports to Kerala, namely, Catharsius pithecius Fabricius, 1775 and Digitonthophagus bonasus (Fabricius, 1775). Four species reported are already categorized as rare in the South Western Ghats

Temporal resource partitioning of dung beetles (coleoptera: scarabaeidae: scarabaeinae) in the dung of two cow breeds in a tropical agroecosystem

Dung beetles are important taxon as they decompose the excreta of higher animals, especially vertebrates. These coprophagous coleopterans are considered as biological indicators of healthy and clean ecosystems. Present study was aimed to describe the dung beetle diversity of an agroecosystem in Manjapra village, Ernakulam district of Kerala, South India, which is adjacent to forest areas. The study focused on the assessment of scarabs collected by using two different types of dung which is represented by Vechur (VC) and crossbred Jersey (CB) breeds. This was a preliminary study on dung beetle diversity in Vechur cow, a native breed of Kerala which could become extinct due to the increased preference for crossbred varieties. Identification and cataloguing of indigenous dung beetles associated with this native dung type is done for the first time. Since the dung beetle taxon is characterised by greater adaptability, possible strategies were studied with emphasis on its functional and temporal guild patterns. The sampling was carried out using bait-surface-grid pitfall traps with the dung types mentioned. The study recorded of 22 species of dung beetles belonging to six genera (Onthophagus, Copris, Oniticellus, Paracopris, Tibiodrepanus, Caccobius) under three tribes (Onthophagini, Coprini, Oniticellini). Temporal resource partition analysis recorded diurnal dung beetle preference towards crossbreed dung and nocturnal ones towards Vechur dung but with no significant difference (P>0.05). Functional guild composition of beetles showed the dominance of tunneller with Onthophagus favrei as the most dominant one. This study gives a glimpse on the checklist of dung beetles of the selected area and stresses the need to protect such agricultural patches in residential areas as potent microhabitats for scarabs and the whole insect community

Comparing the Timbre of Different Musical Sounds used in Music Therapy and its Effect on the Quality of Sleep in Medical Students with Insomnia- A Prospective Interventional Study

Introduction: Stress and the pressure to perform in a competitive world has led to a rise in insomnia cases, especially in medical students. Music serves as a great alternative or additional therapy and hence, specifying the details of the type of music and creating a standard set of musical parameters, e.g., a specific value for tempo that sleep music should have. This will make it a more viable and clear option. One of these important but minimally explored aspects is timbre of music. Aim: To assess and compare the effect of timbre of different musical sounds on an individual’s quality of sleep, duration and day time sleepiness. Materials and Methods: This prospective interventional (community trial) study was done in the Department of Physiology, Velammal Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India for three weeks. Hundred medical students having insomnia were chosen and split into five groups: Group A-Sitar, B-violin, C-vocal, D-flute and E-control. Groups A-D had to listen to tracks with an assigned timbre for 20 minutes before going to sleep daily for three weeks. Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) were used to assess sleep quality, duration and day time sleepiness. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyse the results. Results: Sleep quality improved with sitar being the one that improved the quality the most, followed by violin, then flute and finally, vocal (p-value=0.001). Sleep duration improved with sitar being the one that showed the most improvement, followed by flute, then violin and finally, vocal (p-value=0.001). Daytime sleepiness decreased with sitar being the one that decreased it the most, followed by violin, then flute and lastly, vocal (p-value=0.021). Conclusion: The most effective timbre in improving sleep quality, duration and reducing day time sleepiness was Sitar and the least effective was vocal