Plant Inventory in Disturbed and Undisturbed Sites of Pachakumachi Hill (Highwavys Mountains), Cumbum Valley, Western Ghats, Theni District, Tamil Nadu, India

Disturbances play an important role in the determination of species diversity. As an exception, undisturbed areas (VS) possess lower number of species compared to disturbed areas (TS). The richness of family is not affected by disturbance. The number of individuals decreases from undisturbed to disturbed sholas. Lauraceae is the abundant family not respect to the disturbances

Evaluation of some selected haemorrheological profile during different phases of menstrual cycle: A study on apparently healthy females in Ekpoma, Edo - Nigeria

Various changes during pregnancy and lactation have been extensively documented. However, there is still a need for more extensive studies on menstruation -an important reproductive phenomenon. Considering the clinical relevance of hematological parameters, this study therefore, investigates some selected haemorrheological parameters at different phases of menstrual cycle. Involved in the study are 50 apparently healthy female subjects who met the inclusion criteria and resident in Ekpoma, Edo State- Nigeria. The parameters in focus were analysed using standard laboratory procedures and the data obtained, were subjected to statistical analysis. Results showed variations in the studied parameters before, during and after menses. Specifically, whole blood and plasma viscosity were significantly reduced during menses when compared to the values before and after menses. Erythrocytes sedimentation rate was significantly higher after menses than the values obtained before and during menses. Also, the changes observed for pack-cell volume remained statistically insignificant at the different phases of menstrual cycle with age having no significant influence on the parameters before, during and after menses. Thus, in reproductive females, there are fluctuations in haemorrheological parameters before, during and after menses and this is of clinical relevance to physicians and medical laboratory scientists.Keywords: Menstrual cycle, Reproductive life, Female, Haemorrheological parameters

Tree species association in Bagale Forest Reserve, Adamawa State, Nigeria

The relationship among indigenous trees ≥ 10cm girth at diameter at breast (dbh) height was assessed to determine their level of association in the Bagale Forest Reserve, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Fifteen sample plots each measuring 100m x 100m were laid in five fragments, at Tudun Wada (˂200m) Holin (200 – 300m), Modire (300 – 400m) Lugga (400 – 500m) and Wurodole (˃500m) above sea level. Trees in each quadrat were identified and inventoried and association among them subjected to statistical analysis using Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Microsoft Excel software was used. Results showed that positive and negative correlations at (ρ=0.1) and (ρ=0.5) were obtained among these trees in the study area. Studies in synecology of forest reserves is recommended across the country to aid in the study of distribution pattern of trees since such data generated from this exercise will aid in forest management, planning and policy formulation.Keywords: Relationship, correlation, Bagale Forest Reserve, fragment

Community dependence on non-timber forest products: A Household analysis and its implication for forest conservation

This study explores the factors determining the dependence of local people on protected area of forest based on household analysis of a Protected Area from Kerala. The findings confirm the hypothesis that alternative income source would greatly reduce the dependence and hence ease the conflict between local people interests and forest management in conservation activities. This study raised certain issues in the institutional mechanism of marketing and management of non-wood forest products. The price spread highlighted the large difference between sellers (gatherer's) price and final retail price. Ensuring a fair share to the local people in the final value added and bringing together traditional knowledge of the villager and the commercial ventures making the final product for efficient sharing of benefits would act as incentives for the gatherers to extract the product in a sustainable way and also to cooperate willingly in the conservation activities.forest products, sustainable management, community livelihood

Community Dependence on Non-timber Forest Products - A Household Analysis and its Implication for Forest Conservation

This study explores the factors determining the dependence of local people on protected area of forest based on household analysis of a Protected Area from Kerala. The findings confirm the hypothesis that alternative income source would greatly reduce the dependence and hence ease the conflict between local people interests and forest management in conservation activities. This study raised certain issues in the institutional mechanism of marketing and management of non-wood forest products. The price spread highlighted the large difference between sellers (gatherers) price and final retail price. Ensuring a fair share to the local people in the final value added and bringing together traditional knowledge of the villager and the commercial ventures making the final product for efficient sharing of benefits would act as incentives for the gatherers to extract the product in a sustainable way and also to cooperate willingly in the conservation activities.forest products, sustainable management, community livelihood

Microenterprise performance and microenterprise zones (MEZO) in China.

Purpose – The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine whether performance of microenterprises located in a microenterprise zone (MEZO) in China is positively related to key management practices, entrepreneurial orientation, marketing capability, and technology capability. The paper aims to introduce the concept of MEZOs as a supplemental tool for governments to strengthen microenterprise activity. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 150 randomly selected microenterprises located in a MEZO in Changchun, an industrial city in Northeast China, completed a survey consisting of a three-part measure of microenterprise performance developed by Zinger et al. and entrepreneurial orientation. Factor analysis was performed on 11 management issues and correlation analysis was performed. Findings – The study found that key management practices, marketing capability, and technology capability of microenterprises in MEZOs do have a positive impact on performance sales, net profit, and growth. Research limitations/implications – The study's results are limited by a sample in one city in one province of China collected in one month. The data are cross-sectional rather than longitudinal. Sample bias may exist. Practical implications – This study is valuable to government officials, policy makers, non-government organizations and consulting firms as they examine new measures to unleash the economic power of microenterprises. Social implications – MEZOs need to be explored as one solution to aide microenterprise development to improve the poverty level, create jobs, and stimulate economic activity. Originality/value – To the authors' knowledge, this is the first exploratory study of the performance of microenterprises located in a MEZO in China. Through research, the factors that contribute to microenterprise performance and success can be better understood and the impact that the MEZO model has on microenterprises can be better delineated

The vanishing bequest tax. The Comparative Evolution of Bequest Taxation in Historical Perspective

Bequest tax revenues have been constantly declining in all OECD countries for at least seventy years. We propose an explanation which is based on a dynamic politico-economic model where the evolution of bequest taxation is determined by wealth inequality. Since economic development induces a growing role of labor income and thus a reduction of wealth inequality, bequest taxation is reduced over time. Our model also explains cross-country differences in the level and speed of adjustment of the tax, by embedding structural reallocation from agriculture to manufacturing and a consequent shift of the tax base from easy-to-tax land to hard-to-tax capital. This implies a lower tax level, and a slower equalization-induced tax reduction, the higher is the tax avoidance rate and the less developed is the economy. Finally, the introduction of franchise restrictions which are gradually lifted over time allows the model to reproduce the humped-shaped long-term evolution of bequest taxation starting from the nineteenth century for those countries that are now modern industrial democracies, and also helps to explain the discrepancies currently observed between tax systems in developed and underdeveloped countries.Bequest Tax, Inequality, Structural Reallocation, Redistribution, Voting

Human APOBEC3 Variations and Viral Infection

Human APOBEC3 (apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing catalytic polypeptide-like 3) enzymes are capable of inhibiting a wide range of endogenous and exogenous viruses using deaminase and deaminase-independent mechanisms. These enzymes are essential components of our innate immune system, as evidenced by (a) their strong positive selection and expansion in primates, (b) the evolution of viral counter-defense mechanisms, such as proteasomal degradation mediated by HIV Vif, and (c) hypermutation and inactivation of a large number of integrated HIV-1 proviruses. Numerous APOBEC3 single nucleotide polymorphisms, haplotypes, and splice variants have been identified in humans. Several of these variants have been reported to be associated with differential antiviral immunity. This review focuses on the current knowledge in the field about these natural variations and their roles in infectious diseases