Elephants versus butterflies: the ecological role of large herbivores in the evolutionary history of two tropical worlds

Aim Large herbivores have important effects upon Paleotropical ecosystems, but attain much lower biomass densities in the Neotropics. We assess how this difference in herbivore activity has generated different ecological and evolutionary trajectories in the New and Old World tropics. We also propose an explanation for how the greater biomass density in the Old World came about. Location Data were compiled primarily from moist tropical forests, although more of the relevant information to address most of our hypotheses was available from the mainland areas of Africa, Asia, and South America than elsewhere. Methods We gleaned data from published information and personal communication. We compared body masses and a variety of other types of information for the New- and Old-World tropics. We proposed that interhemispheric differences exist in a variety of processes, including herbivory, frugivory, and flower visitation. We erected hypotheses and evaluated them qualitatively, and, when information was available, tested them using simple ratios of species in various taxonomic and trophic categories. To make the comparisons more meaningful, we specified appropriate data selection criteria. Results A general pattern of differences emerges from this review. Compared with Neotropical forests, the much greater biomass densities of large herbivores in Paleotropical forests are associated with a lesser diversity of small herbivores, different hunting methods used by indigenous humans, larger arboreal vertebrates, larger fruits, different patterns of fruit and flower dispersion in space and time, a lesser abundance of most types of reproductive plant parts, and other features. The existence of a species-rich fauna of large herbivores in the pre-Holocene Neotropical rain forest was not supported. Main conclusions The potential for large herbivores to cause functional differences between the New and Old World tropical forests has been virtually unexplored, despite the well-known importance of large herbivores in the Old World tropics. The evaluations of our hypotheses suggest that the abundance of large herbivores in the Old World tropics has launched it onto a different evolutionary trajectory than that of the NewWorld tropics. The relevant evidence, although scanty, suggests that the interhemispheric ecological differences are not an artefact of recent megafaunal extinctions in the New World. Recent human activities have, however, reduced population sizes of large wild herbivores in the Old World, and increased population sizes of livestock. This has likely created a rather homogeneous, anthropogenic selection pressure that tends to erase the evolutionary differences between the two tropical worlds

Conceptual design of an amphibious e-tricycle

The lack of sustainable public transport, heavy traffic, and floods are some of the major problems that the Philippines are experiencing throughout the years. Fossil fuel is a limited source of energy and it contributes to the destruction of the ecosystem, which is why more sustainable alternatives are needed. In addition, heavy traffic makes it difficult for people to travel around the metro that eventually affects productivity, efficiency and causes unnecessary stress and sickness. Flooding has also claimed the lives of many people; some have died because they have drowned or because of the strong current of the flood, while some died due to slow response of rescuers because of extremely inaccessible paths. The research revolves around conceptualizing a three-wheeled electric vehicle with amphibious characteristics (waterproof electric motor, sealed body) to tackle the problems discussed earlier. A vehicle that will not be heavy on the budget which will make it accessible to most people; the problem with most amphibious or electric vehicles that exists today is that the features or specifications, or simply the build, is extremely high-tech and thus expensive and scarce. It will serve as a multi-purpose vehicle for public utility/transportation, recreation, and or for emergency and rescue operations. The group believes that electricity is a better alternative than fossil fuels n consideration to climate change mitigation and adaptation. In addition, focusing on public transport that will carry multiple passengers would hopefully reduce current traffic and emissions. © 2015 IEEE

Conceptual design of an amphibious e-tricycle

The lack of sustainable public transport, heavy traffic, and floods are some of the major problems that the Philippines are experiencing throughout the years. Fossil fuel is a limited source of energy and it contributes to the destruction of the ecosystem, which is why more sustainable alternatives are needed. In addition, heavy traffic makes it difficult for people to travel around the metro that eventually affects productivity, efficiency and causes unnecessary stress and sickness. Flooding has also claimed the lives of many people; some have died because they have drowned or because of the strong current of the flood, while some died due to slow response of rescuers because of extremely inaccessible paths. The research revolves around conceptualizing a three-wheeled electric vehicle with amphibious characteristics (waterproof electric motor, sealed body) to tackle the problems discussed earlier. A vehicle that will not be heavy on the budget which will make it accessible to most people; the problem with most amphibious or electric vehicles that exists today is that the features or specifications, or simply the build, is extremely high-tech and thus expensive and scarce. It will serve as a multipurpose vehicle for public utility/transportation, recreation, and or for emergency and rescue operations. The group believes that electricity is a better alternative than fossil fuels n consideration to climate change mitigation and adaptation. In addition, focusing on public transport that will carry multiple passengers would hopefully reduce current traffic and emissions

Level of readiness of physical therapy instruction of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences for outcome-based education

The purpose of the study is to determine the overall level of readiness of physical therapy instruction of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences for an outcome-based education as to the teaching and learning activities, teaching and learning resources and evaluative strategies. A descriptive qualitative design using survey was utilized to gather data among all faculty members teaching in the Department of Physical Therapy and Basic Science and Medical Unit of De La Salle Health Sciences College of Rehabilitation Sciences who are tasked to organize the basic and medical sciences and PT application subjects. The study also aimed to determine the profile of the respondents as to age, gender, years of teaching experience, subject handled, and department/unit. Total enumeration was utilized to obtain the total population of 20 faculty members. A set of close ended, self-made questionnaires was utilized. For teaching and learning activities, the indicators of APTA and WCPT were used for formulating questions; for teaching and learning resources, CAPTE and CHED were used; for evaluative strategies, the study by Ngidi (2006) was adapted. Data was analyzed through frequency, mean and arbitrary scale. Results showed that the overall mean of the three (3) areas of instruction is 3.05, which is a moderate indicator of the level of readiness of the Physical Therapy instruction of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences for an outcome-based education. Literature supports this outcome because the instruction, facilities and many other components of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences are not aligned. If these were aligned, learning outcomes set by professors should have been achieved because this is when outcome-based education can be gained. Otherwise, if the learning outcomes are not achieved although the components are ready for an OBE, it cannot be considered as OBE since the main goal of OBE is for the students to achieve the learning outcomes. Time mismanagement, expensiveness and lack of education of the instructors regarding outcome-based education are considered as other barriers. In conclusion, outcome-based education can still be implemented albeit difficulty because of the barriers. The faculty of the College of Rehabilitation Sciences in De La Salle Health Sciences Institute should be taught to be more prepared about outcome-based education and its implementation so that the outcomes of the learners could be more positive or productive

A very luminous jet from the disruption of a star by a massive black hole

Tidal disruption events (TDEs) are bursts of electromagnetic energy that are released when supermassive black holes at the centres of galaxies violently disrupt a star that passes too close1. TDEs provide a window through which to study accretion onto supermassive black holes; in some rare cases, this accretion leads to launching of a relativistic jet2–9, but the necessary conditions are not fully understood. The best-studied jetted TDE so far is Swift J1644+57, which was discovered in γ-rays, but was too obscured by dust to be seen at optical wavelengths. Here we report the optical detection of AT2022cmc, a rapidly fading source at cosmological distance (redshift z = 1.19325) the unique light curve of which transitioned into a luminous plateau within days. Observations of a bright counterpart at other wavelengths, including X-ray, submillimetre and radio, supports the interpretation of AT2022cmc as a jetted TDE containing a synchrotron ‘afterglow’, probably launched by a supermassive black hole with spin greater than approximately 0.3. Using four years of Zwicky Transient Facility10 survey data, we calculate a rate of 0.02−0.01+0.04 per gigapascals cubed per year for on-axis jetted TDEs on the basis of the luminous, fast-fading red component, thus providing a measurement complementary to the rates derived from X-ray and radio observations11. Correcting for the beaming angle effects, this rate confirms that approximately 1 per cent of TDEs have relativistic jets. Optical surveys can use AT2022cmc as a prototype to unveil a population of jetted TDEs