Species-specific effect of forest cover on the occupancy of tropical forest mammals of Southeast Asia

Tropical forests harbour more than half of the world’s biodiversity and 63% of the world’s terrestrial mammals. Today this biodiversity is under threat due to habitat loss and degradation by human activities. This makes tropical mammals vulnerable as mammals are very sensitive to changes in their habitat. In this regard, protected areas are critical for the conservation of tropical biodiversity including mammals because they are the core refuge and the best remaining habitats for many threatened mammals. Protected areas, however, are not unaffected by human activities and the forest cover within them is not uniform. How does forest cover relate to the occupancy of mammals in tropical protected areas? Do these relationships vary among species and/or groups of species? In this study, I analysed mammal occurrence and forest cover relations in tropical protected areas of Southeast Asia, and how these responses are modulated by species-specific functional traits. I used systematic camera trap data of 2013/2014 from the TEAM (Tropical Ecology Assessment and Monitoring) Network. I analysed a total of 45,182 photographs of 37 mammal species captured through 4,178 trap days. First, I fitted single-season single-species occupancy models to assess the relationship between occupancy and forest cover. Second, I used the parameter estimates for forest cover and species’ functional traits to understand how the occupancy-forest cover relations are governed by the species’ functional traits. The occupancy analysis resulted in 12 species whose results can be interpreted. I found a positive association between forest cover and occupancy. Although insignificant, there were variations in these associations across species and species groups and were defined by forest specialisation and the feeding guild of the species. Forest specialists and carnivores/omnivores had stronger and more positive associations than non-specialists and herbivores/insectivores. Because these forests are tropical protected areas, the lack of pronounced and clear effects suggests that there may not be enough variation in forest cover to observe differences in response. Furthermore, efforts to conserve biodiversity in these areas may still be effective. Using multiple years’ data and following alternate statistical approaches of occupancy modelling and parameter estimation is recommended for future studies, to overcome the issues with sparse data.submittedVersionM-ECO

Syntheses and spectral studies of novel ciprofloxacin derivatives

Reaction of 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-7-(piperazin-1-yl)-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (ciprofloxacin) with thiazole/benzothiazole diazonium chloride afforded piperazine substituted ciprofloxacin derivative. The acid part of these derivatives was further condensed with various β-diketones to get 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-7-(4-(thiazol-2-yldiazenyl)piperazin-1-yl)-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid derivatives (5a-e) and 7-(4-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yldiazenyl)piperazin-1-yl)-1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-1,4-dihydroquinoline-3-carboxylic acid derivatives (5f-j). Structures of these compounds were established on the basis of spectral studies. KEY WORDS: Ciprofloxacin, Thiazole, Benzothiazole, β-Diketone  Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2008, 22(3), 459-464. 

Intertwined Functions of Separase and Caspase in Cell Division and Programmed Cell Death.

Timely sister chromatid separation, promoted by separase, is essential for faithful chromosome segregation. Separase is a member of the CD clan of cysteine proteases, which also includes the pro-apoptotic enzymes known as caspases. We report a role for the C. elegans separase SEP-1, primarily known for its essential activity in cell division and cortical granule exocytosis, in developmentally programmed cell death when the predominant pro-apoptotic caspase CED-3 is compromised. Loss of SEP-1 results in extra surviving cells in a weak ced-3(-) mutant, and suppresses the embryonic lethality of a mutant defective for the apoptotic suppressor ced-9/Bcl-2 implicating SEP-1 in execution of apoptosis. We also report apparent non-apoptotic roles for CED-3 in promoting germ cell proliferation, meiotic chromosome disjunction, egg shell formation, and the normal rate of embryonic development. Moreover, loss of the soma-specific (CSP-3) and germline-specific (CSP-2) caspase inhibitors result in CED-3-dependent suppression of embryonic lethality and meiotic chromosome non-disjunction respectively, when separase function is compromised. Thus, while caspases and separases have evolved different substrate specificities associated with their specialized functions in apoptosis and cell division respectively, they appear to have retained the residual ability to participate in both processes, supporting the view that co-option of components in cell division may have led to the innovation of programmed cell suicide early in metazoan evolution

Clinical, MRI and arthroscopic correlation in anterior and posterior shoulder instability

Background:The peculiar anatomy of shoulder puts the glenohumeral joint at a great risk of instability, which poses a challenge for management. Clinical examination is not always accurate. MRI and arthroscopy are hence used to aid the diagnosis. The study aimed to compare and correlate clinical and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in cases of anterior and posterior shoulder instability against the arthroscopic confirmation of the diagnosis, which is considered gold standard.  Methods:A prospective study of 30 patients of shoulder instability (either anterior or posterior) was carried out, including both sexes and all age groups. The patients were first examined clinically, followed by 1.5 tesla MRI scan and finally arthroscopically. The findings of diagnostic arthroscopy were correlated with clinical & MRI findings. A definitive procedure to treat the pathology was then performed as per requirements. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and overall accuracy of clinical and MRI findings was calculated to correlate with arthroscopic findings.Results:Clinical diagnostic tests and MRI had a significant statistic correlation (P <0.05) with various lesions responsible for instability. Diagnostic accuracy of MRI was considerably higher in comparison to clinical examination for both anterior (90% vs. 86.67%) and posterior (96.67% vs. 93.33%) shoulder instability.Conclusion:By obtaining correlation between clinical examination, MRI scan and arthroscopy for anterior and posterior shoulder instability, we conclude that MRI can give a better diagnosis of the pathology in comparison to clinical examination.

NEGotiating Cell Identity through Regulated Cytoplasmic Polyadenylation

In this issue of Developmental Cell, Elewa et al. (2015) show that combinatorial action of RNA binding proteins modulates poly(A) tail length of maternal mRNAs, leading to asymmetric expression of a cell fate determinant in early C. elegans embryos. Genome-wide profiling suggests this mechanism may be widely used to establish cell identities

ROLE OF KANA KAJJALI IN THE MANAGEMENT OF AJEERNA (INDIGESTION): AN OPEN CLINICAL STUDY

Ajeerna (Indigestion) is the state of unfinished process of digestion of ingested food. Kana Kajjali is a classical formulation indicated in the treatment of Ajeerna. It is prepared by Kana (Piper longum)- a herbal drug and herbomineral preparation Kajjali (Black sulphide of mercury). In the present study, an effort has been made to assess the effect of herbomineral formulation Samaguna (Hg:S=1:1) Kana Kajjali and Shadadguna (Hg:S=1:6) Kana Kajjali (Black sulphide of Mercury with Piper longum)on indigestion. Materials and methods: The study was carried out on 83 patients of indigestion. Patients were divided into three groups with simple random sampling method: Group A was treated with Samaguna Kana Kajjali tablet at the dose of 125 mg; Group B was treated with Kana tablet 250 mg; while group C was treated Shadaguna Kana Kajjali tablet at the dose of 125 mg; twice a day after meal. Duration of the treatment was 10 days. Assessment was done on the basis grading of classical signs and symptoms of the disease with application of paired t- test. Results: Highly significant (p&lt;0.001) effect was seen in Samaguna Kana Kajjali group on symptoms like Angamarda, Tiktoamlodgara and Shadguna Kana Kajjali on one Vataja symptom viz. Pravahanam and three Kaphaja symptom viz. Utlesha, Arochaka and Avipaka with best result with Shadguna Kana Kajjali especially on Kaphaja symptoms. Conclusion: Above study confirms that an increase in the concentration of Gandhaka in Parada enhances the therapeutic efficacy of the later drug

Information and communication technology in agribusiness: A study of mobile applications in perspective of India

Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry in one of its finding in 2019 stated that about 58%  Indians are dependent on agriculture and agriculture sector make about 15.96 % of India’s GDP. To get the best agriculture inputs and best harvest price is the big question for Indian farmers; thus, we can say that “Agriculture is the foundation of the Indian economy”. With the origin of Mobile Applications (m-apps) for agriculture and a huge dependency on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in agribusiness, the scenario in rural India has been changing rapidly. Since India’s economy depends mainly on agriculture, there is a lot of potential for Information and Communication Technology and mobile applications for agribusiness and its marketing. With growing smartphones with m-apps penetration in rural India, the agribusiness in rural belts of India is set for extension and further digitalization to revolutionize the agriculture sector. In recent years, nearly all Indian farmers possess a mobile, and 50%are smartphones with internet connections. With Government's new legislative policy changes as the Digital India programme, mobile applications in India's rural belt cannot remain isolated. Digital India will connect rural Indians farmers worldwide through the internet and mobile applications and provide them with all necessary upliftment in agribusiness in India. This study has focused on the ICT and m-applications used in farming today and how they have changed agribusiness by providing a digital platform and with their impact on agribusiness

Serum antibody response against periodontal bacteria and risk of coronary heart disease : systematic review and meta-analysis

Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank Dr Neil Scott from the Medical Statistics Team, Division of Applied Health Sciences, the University of Aberdeen for providing statistical support and advice in conducting meta-analyses. Disclosures and funding note: There are no financial disclosures or conflicts of interest to declare for any of the authors. This project received no external fundingPeer reviewedPostprin