Assessment of Biomass and Carbon Stocks in Mangroves of Thalassery Estuarine Wetland of Kerala, South West Coast of India

The mangrove ecosystems render many goods and services ranging from coastal protection to climate regulation. These ecosystems are also reservoirs of carbon stocks, due to their ability to sequester and store carbon in their biomass and the underlying sediment, and therefore significant in view of the climate change mitigation. The present study attempted to assess the biomass and carbon stock of mangroves of Thalassery estuarine wetland of Kerala, south-west coast of India. We assessed the carbon stocks of three carbon pools viz., above-ground, below-ground (root) and sediment. A total of eight species of mangroves were recorded from the Thalassery estuarine wetland, and of these, Avicennia officinalis was the dominant species with an average tree density of 729.37 individuals ha-1 and contributed most (45.05±23.79 t ha-1) to the total carbon. The overall mean above-ground biomass was 189.26±97.80 t ha-1, while the overall mean root biomass was 83.06±40.48 t ha-1. The estimated mean above-ground carbon was 94.63±48.90 t C ha-1, while the mean carbon stock in root and sediment were 41.53±20.24 t C ha-1 and 17.48±7.30 t C ha-1, respectively. In the present study, the estimates of mean combined C-stocks in mangrove and sediment showed that the mangroves of Thalassery estuarine wetland stored 153.64 t C ha-1 which was equivalent to 563.86 t CO2 ha-1. The mangroves of Thalassery wetland cover an area of approximately 5.8 ha and thus it can be assumed that this wetland has the potential to sequester and store 891.11 t C, equivalent to an estimated amount of 3270.37 t CO2. The study reinforces the importance of mangrove forests as useful carbon sinks and the need for protection of these critical habitats in the light of climate change mitigation

The Catalytic Subunit of Protein Phosphatase 1 Gamma Regulates Thrombin-Induced Murine Platelet αIIbβ3 Function

BACKGROUND:Hemostasis and thrombosis are regulated by agonist-induced activation of platelet integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3). Integrin activation, in turn is mediated by cellular signaling via protein kinases and protein phosphatases. Although the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1c) interacts with alpha(IIb)beta(3), the role of PP1c in platelet reactivity is unclear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Using gamma isoform of PP1c deficient mice (PP1cgamma(-/-)), we show that the platelets have moderately decreased soluble fibrinogen binding and aggregation to low concentrations of thrombin or protease-activated receptor 4 (PAR4)-activating peptide but not to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), collagen or collagen-related peptide (CRP). Thrombin-stimulated PP1cgamma(-/-) platelets showed decreased alpha(IIb)beta(3) activation despite comparable levels of alpha(IIb)beta(3), PAR3, PAR4 expression and normal granule secretion. Functions regulated by outside-in integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) signaling like adhesion to immobilized fibrinogen and clot retraction were not altered in PP1cgamma(-/-) platelets. Thrombus formation induced by a light/dye injury in the cremaster muscle venules was significantly delayed in PP1cgamma(-/-) mice. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK3)beta-serine 9 that promotes platelet function, was reduced in thrombin-stimulated PP1cgamma(-/-) platelets by an AKT independent mechanism. Inhibition of GSK3beta partially abolished the difference in fibrinogen binding between thrombin-stimulated wild type and PP1cgamma(-/-) platelets. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:These studies illustrate a role for PP1cgamma in maintaining GSK3beta-serine9 phosphorylation downstream of thrombin signaling and promoting thrombus formation via fibrinogen binding and platelet aggregation

Biomass and carbon stocks in two mangrove patches of Chettuva Estuary, south-west coast of India

Mangroves support numerous ecosystem services, including fisheries production and nutrient cycling. The role of mangroves in mitigating climate change is also well known. In the present study, the biomass and carbon sequestration potential of two dense mangrove patches located in the Chettuva estuary, south-west coast of India were assessed

The Pl(A2) polymorphism of integrin beta(3) enhances outside-in signaling and adhesive functions.

Genetic factors are believed to influence the development of arterial thromboses. Because integrin alpha(IIb)beta(3) plays a crucial role in thrombus formation, we analyzed receptor adhesive properties using Chinese hamster ovary and human kidney embryonal 293 cells overexpressing the Pl(A1) or Pl(A2) polymorphic forms of alpha(IIb)beta(3). Soluble fibrinogen binding was no different between Pl(A1) and Pl(A2) cells, either in a resting state or when alpha(IIb)beta(3) was activated with anti-LIBS6. Pl(A1) and Pl(A2) cells bound equivalently to immobilized fibronectin. In contrast, significantly more Pl(A2) cells bound to immobilized fibrinogen in an alpha(IIb)beta(3)-dependent manner than did Pl(A1) cells. Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton by cytochalasin D abolished the increased binding of Pl(A2) cells. Compared with Pl(A1) cells, Pl(A2) cells exhibited a greater extent of polymerized actin and cell spreading, enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of pp125(FAK), and greater fibrin clot retraction. These adhesion differences appear to depend on a signaling mechanism sensitive to receptor occupancy. Thus, the Pl(A2) polymorphism altered integrin-mediated functions of adhesion, spreading, actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, and clot retraction

An integrated expression atlas of miRNAs and their promoters in human and mouse

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNAs with key roles in cellular regulation. As part of the fifth edition of the Functional Annotation of Mammalian Genome (FANTOM5) project, we created an integrated expression atlas of miRNAs and their promoters by deep-sequencing 492 short RNA (sRNA) libraries, with matching Cap Analysis Gene Expression (CAGE) data, from 396 human and 47 mouse RNA samples. Promoters were identified for 1,357 human and 804 mouse miRNAs and showed strong sequence conservation between species. We also found that primary and mature miRNA expression levels were correlated, allowing us to use the primary miRNA measurements as a proxy for mature miRNA levels in a total of 1,829 human and 1,029 mouse CAGE libraries. We thus provide a broad atlas of miRNA expression and promoters in primary mammalian cells, establishing a foundation for detailed analysis of miRNA expression patterns and transcriptional control regions

Prospective Observational Study on acute Appendicitis Worldwide (POSAW)

Background: Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical disease, and appendectomy is the treatment of choice in the majority of cases. A correct diagnosis is key for decreasing the negative appendectomy rate. The management can become difficult in case of complicated appendicitis. The aim of this study is to describe the worldwide clinical and diagnostic work-up and management of AA in surgical departments.Methods: This prospective multicenter observational study was performed in 116 worldwide surgical departments from 44 countries over a 6-month period (April 1, 2016-September 30, 2016). All consecutive patients admitted to surgical departments with a clinical diagnosis of AA were included in the study.Results: A total of 4282 patients were enrolled in the POSAW study, 1928 (45%) women and 2354 (55%) men, with a median age of 29 years. Nine hundred and seven (21.2%) patients underwent an abdominal CT scan, 1856 (43.3%) patients an US, and 285 (6.7%) patients both CT scan and US. A total of 4097 (95.7%) patients underwent surgery; 1809 (42.2%) underwent open appendectomy and 2215 (51.7%) had laparoscopic appendectomy. One hundred eighty-five (4.3%) patients were managed conservatively. Major complications occurred in 199 patients (4.6%). The overall mortality rate was 0.28%.Conclusions: The results of the present study confirm the clinical value of imaging techniques and prognostic scores. Appendectomy remains the most effective treatment of acute appendicitis. Mortality rate is low.</p

Prospective Observational Study on acute Appendicitis Worldwide (POSAW)

Acute appendicitis (AA) is the most common surgical disease, and appendectomy is the treatment of choice in the majority of cases. A correct diagnosis is key for decreasing the negative appendectomy rate. The management can become difficult in case of complicated appendicitis. The aim of this study is to describe the worldwide clinical and diagnostic work-up and management of AA in surgical departments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio