The Ottoman Gunpowder Empire and the Composite Bow

The Ottoman Empire is known today as a major Gunpowder Empire, famous for its prevalent use of this staple of modern warfare as early as the sixteenth century. However, when Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq visited Constantinople from 1554 to 1562, gunpowder was not used by the Sipahi cavalry who stubbornly, it seems, insisted on continuing to use the composite bow that the Turks had been using for centuries. This continued, despite their fear of European cavalry who used “small muskets” against them on raids. Was this a good idea? Was the composite bow a match or contemporary handheld firearms? Were Turkish tactics incompatible with firearms to the point that the Ottomans would have lost their effectiveness on the battlefield? Could the Ottoman Empire even be considered a Gunpowder Empire with such a refusal

A Review on Flavonoid Luteolin: Phytochemistry, Pharmacognosy and Pharmacological activities

Background: Natural products are secondary metabolites produced and used by organisms for defending or adapting purposes. Historically, plants and their components have been widely used since ancient times for the treatment of various ailments.  Objectives: This paper uses recent research findings with a broad range of study models to comprehensively summarize the phytochemistry, pharmacognosy and pharmacological activities of Luteolin (LTL) reported to date.  Methodology: Articles published in scientific journals by authors on LTL were analyzed for the study. Results:  LTL has been known to play a wide range of pharmacological functions such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral, hepato and neuroprotective properties. Conclusion: LTL plays several pharmacological processes. Although scientists have strongly reported the important functions of LTL, we conclude by emphasizing the further use of laboratory experiments to extend its application scope

TUBEIMOSIDE-1, A TRITERPENOID SAPONIN: AN UPDATE ON ITS PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECTS

It is known that humans have been using natural products for medicinal use for ages. Tubeimoside-1 (TBMS1) is a triterpenoid saponin first isolated in China from Bolbostemma paniculatum (Maxim) Franquet, Cucurbitaceae. This review provides a deep overview on TBMS1 and extensively summarizes its pharmacological functions. As result, TBMS1 has drawn great interest in medicinal field due to its multiple pharmacological functions such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antidiabetic, anti-human immunodeficiency viruses, and neuroprotective properties. Further, TBMS1 plays an important role in a wide range of pharmacological processes. Although possessing important functions, further experimentations are required to broaden the scope of its application

Morphological adaptations for gut microbiota partitioning in the ant Cephalotes rohweri

Dissertação de Mestrado em Ecologia, apresentada ao Departamento de Ciências da Vida da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra.O fogo é um componente importante em muitos ecossistemas terrestres, essencial para entender a ecologia e diversidade de comunidades em regiões propensas ao fogo. O fogo produz impactos na fauna directamente, através de mortalidade, ou indirectamente, por mudanças na estrutura do habitat e disponibilidade de recursos (ex., alimento). Nas últimas décadas o aquecimento global, o abandono das terras e mudanças nas actividades tradicionais como agricultura, pastoreio ou gestão das florestas estão a mudar a frequência e a extensão dos fogos. Neste contexto, entender/ conhecer a resposta de organismos ao fogo é uma prioridade para a sua conservação. Os répteis são um bom grupo modelo para examinar o fogo pois são ectotérmicos, sensíveis a modificações na estrutura da vegetação, têm baixa mobilidade e taxas de dispersão, e enfrentam grandes taxas de declínio de populações e extinção. O objectivo deste estudo é avaliar os efeitos do fogo nas comunidades de répteis a duas escalas geográficas: a uma escala global, onde examinei os padrões das respostas dos répteis ao fogo, considerando o efeito do tempo desde o último incêndio (Capítulo 1); a uma escala local, onde avaliei o efeito dos fogos naturais nas comunidades de répteis do Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela, na riqueza de espécies e abundância de indivíduos (Capítulo 2) e examinei como é que a ecologia trófica e as interacções intra específicas variam com o fogo, usando a lagartixa Psammodromus algirus como espécie modelo (Capítulo 3). Para isto usei um conjunto de metodologias de maneira a recolher e analisar todos os dados necessários para realizar este estudo (recolha de artigos científicos para a análise global; transectos para a visualização de répteis seguidos da caracterização da vegetação e do habitat; analise de conteúdo fecal e redes ecológicas para a dieta das lagartixas). Os principais resultados deste trabalho demonstram que, a uma escala global, a diversidade de répteis (riqueza) mas não a abundância, diminui imediatamente após o fogo (<1 ano),mas recupera rapidamente para níveis anteriores ao fogo, com aumento da abundância. Em relação às cobras, o número de espécies não é significativamente afectada pelo tempo desde o último incêndio, mas a abundância diminui nos estádios mais tardios da sucessão ecológica. No Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela, a abundância de répteis diminui nos primeiros 5 anos após o fogo mas recupera entre os 5 e os 20 anos de sucessão ecológica. Também concluí que a abundância de Psammodromus algirus (a espécie mais abundante) está positivamente relacionada com a cobertura arbórea, e negativamente relacionada com a herbácea. A diversidade de plantas é também um parâmetro relevante para os répteis, já que a sua presença está positivamente relacionada com a diversidade de espécies de plantas. Relativamente à dieta, as redes ecológicas para as lagartixas recolhidas nos habitats ardidos e não ardidos, demonstraram que P. algirus apresenta uma dieta mais selectiva nas zonas não ardidas do que as ardidas. Também encontrei diferenças na disponibilidade de presas entre zonas ardidas e não ardidas. Os meus resultados sugerem que imediatamente após o fogo há um decréscimo da riqueza de espécies, mas as comunidades recuperam rapidamente e a abundância aumenta em estádios iniciais de sucessão ecológica (tanto a nível global, como no Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela). Embora os répteis representem uma relação próxima com a estrutura do habitat, parecem estar bem adaptados a áreas com diferente tempo desde o último incêndio e apresentam abundância estáveis ao longo da sucessão ecológica. Mais ainda, possuem variação da dieta e estão acostumados a consumir uma grande variedade de presas quando as condições não são as adequadas.There is an increasing recognition that fire is an important component of many ecosystems in the world, essential to understand the ecology and diversity of communities in fire-prone regions. It impacts fauna directly, through mortality, or indirectly by changing habitat structure and resources availability. In recent decades global warming, land abandonment and changes in traditional agricultural activities are driving changes in the frequency and extent of fires. In this context, to know the response of organisms to fire regimes is a conservation priority. Reptiles are a good model group to examine their responses to fire as they are ectothermic, sensible to modifications in habitat attributes such as vegetation structure and canopy closure, have low mobility and dispersal rates, and experience high rates of population declines and extinction. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of fire on reptile assemblages at two geographic scales: at a worldwide scale, where I examined patterns of reptile responses to fire considering the time since fire effect with a meta-analysis methodology (Chapter 1); at a local scale, where I evaluated the effect of wildfires on the reptile communities of the Serra da Estrela Natural Park, namely on the population densities, species richness (Chapters 2) and examined how the trophic ecology and interspecific interactions varied with fire using the Psammodrome lizard as a model species (Chapter 3). For this, I used a set of proper methodologies in order to collect and analyze all the data needed to perform this study (search scientific data for a meta-analysis; transects for reptile surveys followed by vegetation and habitat structure characterization; fecal pellets analysis and network metrics for lizard‟s diet). At a worldwide scale, lizards‟ diversity (richness) but not abundance decreases immediately after fire (<1 year) but recovers quickly to pre-fire levels with increased abundance. Regarding snakes, diversity is not significantly affected by time-since-fire but abundance decreases in the latter stages of the post-fire succession. In Serra da Estrela Natural Park, reptile abundance decreases in the first 5 years of post-fire succession, but increases in the interval between 5-10 years. I also found that Psammodromus algirus is positively related with tree cover, and negatively related with herbaceous cover. Plant diversity is also a relevant parameter for reptiles, since its presence (abundance) is positively related with the diversity of plant species. Relatively to the diet, metrics of the bipartite network for lizards collected in unburned and burned habitats demonstrated that P. algirus presents more selective behaviors in unburned habitats, than in burned ones. I have also found differences between burned and unburned areas as regards availability of prey, being the burned area the one presenting the richest arthropod communities. My results suggest that immediately after fire there is a decrease in species richness but communities recover quickly and reptile abundance increases in early stages of post-fire succession (both globally, and also in Serra da Estrela Natural Park). Although reptiles present a close relation with habitat structure, they seem well adapted to areas with different time since fire and present stable abundances across the post-fire succession. Moreover, they have diet variation and are adapted to consume a large variety of preys when conditions are not suitable. In undisturbed areas, they may present a selective behavior

Asuhan Kebidanan Berkelanjutan Pada NY. V.L.B di Puskesmas Ile Boleng, Kecamatan Ile Boleng tanggal 23 April samapai 05 juni 2019

Latar belakang : Asuhan kebidanan berkelanjutan merupakan asuhan menyeluruh di berikan sejak kehamilan, persalinan, nifas dan bayi baru lahir. Data Puskesmas Ile Boleng di peroleh kematian ibu dalam 1 tahun terakhir tidak ada, kematian bayi 2 orang, kematian balita tidak ada. Ibu hamil yang melakukan pemeriksaan 6 bulan terakhir adalah 123 orang, persalinan sebanyak 62, kunjungan nifas sebanyak 70, bayi baru lahir 62 orang. Tujuan : Mampu memberikan asuhan kebidanan berkelanjutan sesuai pada Ny.V.L.B. di puskesmas Ile Boleng. Metode : Jenis studi kasus asuhan kebidanan komperhensif dengan manajemen varney dan metode SOAP, subyek pengumpulan data primer dan sekunder. Hasil : Ibu hamil, anak kedua usia kehamilannya 8-9 bulan. Berdasarkan HPHT 21-07-2018, Ibu mengatakan telah mendapat imunisasi TT, ibu mengatakan telah mendapat Fe. Selama melakukan asuhan kepada Ny. V.L.B ibu tidak mengalami keluhan. Ibu bersalin di puskesmas Ileboleng, ibu dan bayi sehat. Ibu sudah menggunakan Kontrasepsi Metode Amenorea Laktasi (MAL). Simpulan : Asuhan kebidanan komprehensif pada Ny. V.L.B Umur 34 Tahun, dilaksanakan menggunakan 7 langkah varney pada asuhan kehamilan menggunakan metode Varney pada catatan perkembangan tanpa adanya kesenjangan antara teori dan kasus

PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF A TRADITIONAL MEDICINE, RUTIN, AGAINST LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE-INDUCED ENDOTOXEMIA IN MICE

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a main causative agent of septic shock. In this study we investigated the possible effects of Rutin (RT) against LPS-induced endotoxemia model in vivo to determine whether RT could rescue mice from ensuing death after their exposure to LPS. To further understand the role of RT, the responses of cytokines were also assessed in serum isolated from blood collected at 0, 1.5, 3, 6, and 12h after LPS administration of the mice. In the study, RT showed suppressive effects on TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β production by LPS- challenged mice. Furthermore, RT protected mice by improving host survival against LPS challenge. The present ï¬ndings reinforce the potential of RT, a natural compound as drug candidate for prevention of sepsis progression. Keywords: Rutin, lipopolysaccharide, cytokine, sepsis, mic

Ecological consequences of colony structure in dynamic ant nest networks

Access to resources depends on an individual’s position within the environment. This is particularly important to animals that invest heavily in nest construction, such as social insects. Many ant species have a polydomous nesting strategy: a single colony inhabits several spatially separated nests, often exchanging resources between the nests. Different nests in a polydomous colony potentially have differential access to resources, but the ecological consequences of this are unclear. In this study, we investigate how nest survival and budding in polydomous wood ant (Formica lugubris) colonies are affected by being part of a multi-nest system. Using field data and novel analytical approaches combining survival models with dynamic network analysis, we show that the survival and budding of nests within a polydomous colony is affected by their position in the nest-network structure. Specifically, we find that the flow of resources through a nest, which is based on its position within the wider nest-network, determines a nest’s likelihood of surviving, and of founding new nests. Our results highlight how apparently disparate entities in a biological system can be integrated into a functional ecological unit. We also demonstrate how position within a dynamic network structure can have important ecological consequences

Bacterial communities associated with honeybee food stores are correlated with land use

Microbial communities, associated with almost all metazoans, can be inherited from the environment. Although the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) gut microbiome is well documented, studies of the gut focus on just a small component of the bee microbiome. Other key areas such as the comb, propolis, honey, and stored pollen (bee bread) are poorly understood. Furthermore, little is known about the relationship between the pollinator microbiome and its environment. Here we present a study of the bee bread microbiome and its relationship with land use. We estimated bacterial community composition using both Illumina MiSeq DNA sequencing and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Illumina was used to gain a deeper understanding of precise species diversity across samples. DGGE was used on a larger number of samples where the costs of MiSeq had become prohibitive and therefore allowed us to study a greater number of bee breads across broader geographical axes. The former demonstrates bee bread comprises, on average, 13 distinct bacterial phyla; Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Alpha‐proteobacteria, Beta‐proteobacteria, and Gamma‐proteobacteria were the five most abundant. The most common genera were Pseudomonas, Arsenophonus, Lactobacillus, Erwinia, and Acinetobacter. DGGE data show bacterial community composition and diversity varied spatially and temporally both within and between hives. Land use data were obtained from the 2007 Countryside Survey. Certain habitats, such as improved grasslands, are associated with low diversity bee breads, meaning that these environments may be poor sources of bee‐associated bacteria. Decreased bee bread bacterial diversity may result in reduced function within hives. Although the dispersal of microbes is ubiquitous, this study has demonstrated landscape‐level effects on microbial community composition