Human–Carnivore Conflicts in a Recently Established Pakistani National Park

Human–carnivore conflicts (HCCs) are increasing globally. These conflicts may encompass competition for food resources, crop and livestock depredations, and attacks on humans. Concerns over conflicts may result in retaliatory killings of carnivores and negative views of wildlife or landscape conservation. Yet, despite the economic and conservation implications of HCCs, data regarding the magnitude and severity of the conflicts may be lacking because many incidents are unreported. To better inform this issue, we compared HCC data for 2016 to 2018 obtained from official records of the Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department for a newly established national park in the Punjab Region of Pakistan to data we obtained regarding HCCs based on a survey of 200 households from 25 villages abutting the park. The households surveyed reported 250 incidents of livestock lost to leopards (Panthera pardus), jackals (Canis aureus), and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) during the study period. Most of the losses (83%) were attributed to leopards. In contrast, official data reported 42 animals lost for the villages studied, with most losses attributed to leopards. Thus, official agency records underreported depredation losses by \u3e80%. Because of HCC, 19% of households supported eliminating leopards from the park, and 25% of households supported fencing the park to prevent leopards from entering human settlements. However, 47% of the households also supported increasing programs focused on improving herding practices and enhanced livestock infrastructure that might prevent attacks. Our results suggested new opportunities for wildlife officials to help residents mitigate HCCs while enhancing local support of carnivore conservation

Growth and proximate composition of tropical marine Chaetoceros calcitrans and Nannochloropsis oculata cultured outdoors and under laboratory conditions

The growth and proximate composition of two marine microalgae, Chaetoceros calcitrans and Nannochloropsis oculata, cultured outdoors under shade (24 to 36°C, 140 μmol/m2/s) and laboratory conditions (environmental chamber, 23°C for C. calcitrans and 20°C for N. oculata, 150 μmol/m2/s) were compared. Outdoor cultures of both C. calcitrans and N. oculata had significantly higher (p < 0.05) biomass, cell count, optical density and specific growth rate compared to the cultures grown under laboratory conditions. Lipid content was significantly higher in C. calcitrans grown outdoors, whereas, protein and carbohydrate composition did not show any significant differences (p > 0.05) between the outdoor and laboratory cultures. In the case of N. oculata, no significant differences (p > 0.05) were found in protein and lipid composition, but carbohydrate was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the outdoor culture. In addition, the results showed that both C. calcitrans and N. oculata cultures grew faster outdoors, producing more biomass within a shorter period of time. This study illustrated that outdoor culture of microalgae was viable despite the fluctuating environmental conditions.Key words: Growth, proximate composition, Chaetoceros calcitrans, Nannochloropsis oculata, outdoor culture

Stumbling Blocks of Online Learning During COVID 19 Pandemic – Perspectives of Students of Selected Universities in London

COVID 19 Pandemic has led to mayhem across the Planet. Educational institutions are the worst affected arena. There is a paradigm shift from conventional classroom teaching to online methods. But it has its own obstructions. Thus, this research is undertaken to study the impediments of online learning faced by the students of selected universities of London. The questionnaire was administered among 200 students out of which 196 responded. The results of the Study reveal that the major obstructions which hindered online learning were lack of computer skills, internet connectivity issues, difficulty in operating the software, absence of social bonding between teachers and students, difficulty in recording lectures, difficulty in grasping practical courses such as mathematics, finance, accounting, engineering etc. To cope up with the Stumbling Blocks, the Study advocates some of the most innovative and creative ways such as application of Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy, VARK Model, 5/5/5 rule etc

Enhancement of Penaeus monodon shrimp postlarvae growth and survival without water exchange using marine Bacillus pumilus and periphytic microalgae.

We have investigated the possibility of using a consortium of marine bacterium and periphytic microalgae to improve the water quality and increase the growth and survival of the shrimp Penaeus monodon in a hatchery system. Three treatments were evaluated for their effect on P. monodon postlarvae (PL) when the culture water was not changed: Bacillus pumilus alone (B); periphytic microalgae alone (M); B. pumilus + periphytic microalgae (BM). P. monodon PL raised in a tank of unchanged water without bacterium and periphytic microalgae served as the control. The water in tanks of the M and BM treatments had significantly low levels of total ammonia-nitrogen (TAN) (0.03 and 0.01 mg l−1, respectively) and nitrite-nitrogen (NO2-N) (0.03, 0.01 mg l−1, respectively) than that in the B (TAN 0.80, NO2-N 0.68 mg l−1) and control (TAN 1.11, NO2-N 1.12 mg l−1) tanks. Moreover, PL cultured in tanks M and BM had significantly higher survival and specific growth rates and a significantly higher resistance to the reverse salinity stress test than those in the B and control tanks. Compared to the control PL, the PL cultured in the BM tanks had significantly higher levels of protein, lipid, polyunsaturated fatty acids, ecosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid. The culture water in tanks BM also contained significantly less Vibrio than the control water. Our results illustrate the beneficial effects of a B. pumilus and periphytic microalgae consortium on improving the water quality and the growth and survival of shrimp PL grown in a hatchery system

Lipid-based nanoparticles as drug delivery carriers for cancer therapy

Cancer is a severe disease that results in death in all countries of the world. A nano-based drug delivery approach is the best alternative, directly targeting cancer tumor cells with improved drug cellular uptake. Different types of nanoparticle-based drug carriers are advanced for the treatment of cancer, and to increase the therapeutic effectiveness and safety of cancer therapy, many substances have been looked into as drug carriers. Lipid-based nanoparticles (LBNPs) have significantly attracted interest recently. These natural biomolecules that alternate to other polymers are frequently recycled in medicine due to their amphipathic properties. Lipid nanoparticles typically provide a variety of benefits, including biocompatibility and biodegradability. This review covers different classes of LBNPs, including their characterization and different synthesis technologies. This review discusses the most significant advancements in lipid nanoparticle technology and their use in medicine administration. Moreover, the review also emphasized the applications of lipid nanoparticles that are used in different cancer treatment types

Approaches to improving breast screening uptake: evidence and experience from Tower Hamlets

This paper reports on an innovative whole-systems approach to improving uptake of breast screening in Tower Hamlets, a deprived borough in the East End of London with a large minority ethnic population. The approach, developed by the public health team at NHS Tower Hamlets, draws on analysis of needs and existing literature about effective interventions to promote breast screening. Social marketing research led to a campaign targeted at Bangladeshi women, together with a range of initiatives to promote breast screening through primary care services and community outreach through local well-known organisations. The breast screening service itself was upgraded and a new service specification is being introduced from April 2009

A Protein Phosphorylation Threshold for Functional Stacking of Plant Photosynthetic Membranes

Phosphorylation of photosystem II (PSII) proteins affects macroscopic structure of thylakoid photosynthetic membranes in chloroplasts of the model plant Arabidopsis. In this study, light-scattering spectroscopy revealed that stacking of thylakoids isolated from wild type Arabidopsis and the mutant lacking STN7 protein kinase was highly influenced by cation (Mg++) concentrations. The stacking of thylakoids from the stn8 and stn7stn8 mutants, deficient in STN8 kinase and consequently in light-dependent phosphorylation of PSII, was increased even in the absence of Mg++. Additional PSII protein phosphorylation in wild type plants exposed to high light enhanced Mg++-dependence of thylakoid stacking. Protein phosphorylation in the plant leaves was analyzed during day, night and prolonged darkness using three independent techniques: immunoblotting with anti-phosphothreonine antibodies; Diamond ProQ phosphoprotein staining; and quantitative mass spectrometry of peptides released from the thylakoid membranes by trypsin. All assays revealed dark/night-induced increase in phosphorylation of the 43 kDa chlorophyll-binding protein CP43, which compensated for decrease in phosphorylation of the other PSII proteins in wild type and stn7, but not in the stn8 and stn7stn8 mutants. Quantitative mass spectrometry determined that every PSII in wild type and stn7 contained on average 2.5±0.1 or 1.4±0.1 phosphoryl groups during day or night, correspondingly, while less than every second PSII had a phosphoryl group in stn8 and stn7stn8. It is postulated that functional cation-dependent stacking of plant thylakoid membranes requires at least one phosphoryl group per PSII, and increased phosphorylation of PSII in plants exposed to high light enhances stacking dynamics of the photosynthetic membranes