Cooperative nest building and brood care by nestmates and non nestmates in Ropalidia marginata: implications for the evolution of eusociality

In the primitively eusocial wasp, Ropalidia marginata, low levels of intra-colony genetic relatedness, lack of intra-colony kin discrimination and acceptance of young wasps into alien colonies, prompted us to investigate whether or not there exists a cost of such high genetic variability. Freshly eclosed wasps were paired either with their nestmates or with their non nestmates and their performance in nest building and brood care were compared. There was no demonstrable difference between nestmate and non nestmate pairs in terms of success in raising adult offspring, time required for nest initiation, brood developmental period and productivity. There was also no difference in the efficiency of cooperation and division of labour between the nestmate pairs and non nestmate pairs. These results reinforce the idea that the haplodiploidy hypothesis is insufficient to explain the prevalence of worker behaviour in R. marginata and emphasize the importance of factors other than genetic relatedness in the evolution of eusociality

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF STARGARDTS MACULAR DEGENERATION- A CASE REPORT

Stargardts disease is a juvenile macular dystrophy which tends to appear between the ages of 10 to 20, although visual impairment may not be apparent until as late as ages 30 to 40.  Visual acuity including colour vision testing, visual field analysis, ERG, Fundus Fluorescein Angiography and Amsler grid charting are the useful diagnostic techniques for this disease. Even though significant research is taking place in this area, no treatment is available till date for this disease and general approach of macular degeneration is following now. In Ayurveda by considering the visual disturbance and field defect, this disease can be included under one the 12 types of Drishtigata rogas. Pitthavidagdhadrishti is one of the disease explained by Acharya Susrutha in Drishtirogas is more appropriate to define this clinical condition. As there is no common line of management following in these types of diseases in Ayurveda, an attempt has been made to explain a case treated as per the Ayurvedic principles. This article describes a30 year old male patient diagnosed as Stargardts macular degeneration and underwent Ayurvedic treatment protocol starting from the Snehapana and ending with Yogavasthi. By executing the Ayurvedic treatment, the quality of the vision mainly color perception including distant and near acuity is improved at least for a period of four years. The distant vision improved up to 6/24 and near vision N6 (P) in better eye.  The treatment methodology adopted in this case can be taken as a guideline to manage the macular degenerative diseases which need extensive management to tackle the pathology

EFFICACY OF CHEDANA AND LEKHANAKARMA IN PALPEBRAL FORM OF VERNAL KERATOCONJUNCTIVITIS (VKC) – A CASE STUDY

Ocular allergy is often under-diagnosed but has a significant impact on the quality of life and vision in all ages especially in childhood. Although its incidence varies by geographical location, the prevalence is difficult to gauge as allergies tend to be underreported compounded by the difficulty in classification. Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is one of the most commonly occurring types of allergic conjunctivitis. It usually appears in three forms i.e., palpebral, bulbar and mixed and predominantly occurs in younger age group between 4-20 years. This chronic disease is characterized by the formation of giant papillae which constantly irritates the cornea and predispose to ectatic corneal disorders like keratoconus and cause myopia and astigmatism. Topical corticosteroids relieve itching, redness and edema but should be used with caution as their constant use are known to cause glaucoma, cataracts, secondary bacterial; viral and fungal infections and delayed wound healing. In Ayurveda, the disease Vartmasharkara shows clinical features similar to this disease and Acharya Susruta has suggested Chedana followed by Lekhana to manage this condition. This article describes the case report of a 12 year old male child who had complaints of palpebral form of VKC. In the present study, it is observed that Ayurvedic management along with Chedana and Lekhanakarma has provided significant relief in all signs and symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis

Factors Influencing Purchase Decision of Jackfruit Products in Thiruvananthapuram District

Aim: Jackfruit is popularly known as a poor man's fruit in the eastern and southern parts of India. In India, Kerala is the largest jackfruit-producing state. Beyond its nutritional benefits, jackfruit has received attention for its significant environmental and economic benefits, which arise from its numerous culinary applications and potential as a sustainable food supply. Understanding the factors influencing consumer purchase decisions for jackfruit products is becoming increasingly important as the global perspective on food choices moves towards healthier and more sustainable options. Considering this, the study aimed to analyse different factors influencing the purchase decision of jackfruit products in the Thiruvananthapuram district. Methodology: Primary data were collected from the consumers residing in urban centres of Thiruvananthapuram district who had consumed at least one selected product. A purposive sampling method was employed to select 30 consumers for each product category, namely jackfruit chips, jackfruit ice cream, jackfruit flour, and jackfruit varatty. Secondary data were gathered from government reports publications, and journals. Statistical tools like the Index method, Kruskal Wallis, test and Mann-Whitney test were used for the analysis. The study was conducted from August to September 2023. Results: The taste and quality of the product emerged as common variables significantly influencing the four consumer groups in their purchase decisions. Factors like brand availability, quality certification, brand image, and social media were the factors not influencing consumers, except for jackfruit ice cream, which stands out due to additional promotional activities compared to other products. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney test highlight significant differences among consumer groups regarding variables such as taste, convenience to use, convenience to cook, and convenience to travel. Conclusion: The influence of each variable on selected products showed different levels of influence. The taste and quality of the product emerge as common variables significantly influencing consumers in their purchase decisions. The results of the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney test showed that the effects of these factors on each consumer group were not consistent

A Comprehensive Ayurvedic Approach to Multisystem Disease

Chronic liver disease is a progressive condition that may result from multiple etiologies including alcohol abuse, recurrent jaundice and metabolic disorders. Management is challenging in patients with multiple co-morbidities. Decompensated liver disease also knows as de-compensated cirrhosis when the liver damaged can no longer compensate for its impaired functions. This stage signifies a severe decline in liver functions and can be life threatening if not addressed often requires liver transplant. As a complication it leads to serious complications like hepatorenal syndrome. Conventional medicine primarily focuses on disease specific pharmacological control there by limiting the scope for holistic recovery. This case repost presents a 55yr old male parent with a complex history of decompensated liver disease chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes mellites, hypertension and cardio vascular disease, cerebro vascular accident. An integrated approach using classical Ayurvedic management and panchakarma procedures was adopted over 12 months of outpatient treatment, the patient showed marked improvement is liver function, glycemic control, renal markers and blood pressure regulations without hospitalization. This case highlights the potentials of Ayurvedic intervention is Chronic multi system condition where standard treatment plateau. In Ayurveda, CKD can be correlated with various forms of Mootraghata, a Tridoshaja condition where urine formation is impaired due to intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as suppression of natural urges, intake of Ruksha Padartha, Tikshna Aushadha, and obesity-related Medovaha Srotodushti. The pathology primarily involves Vata Prakopa in the Basti region. Considering the similarity in symptoms, Ayurvedic management of CKD emphasizes Sthoulyahara (anti-obesity), Mootrala, and Mootraghatahara approaches along with Shotha Vyadhi Chikitsa. This case study illustrates a safe and effective Ayurvedic alternative for CKD management

Corolla Morphology Facilitates Both Autogamy and Bumblebee Pollination in Mimulus guttatus

The showy corolla of Mimulus guttatus is generally considered an adaptation to attract pollinators. We use phenotypic manipulations to demonstrate that corolla morphology plays a critical mechanical role in both outcrossing and self‐fertilization. In the absence of pollinators, the lower portion of the corolla facilitates autogamy by retaining pollen released from the anthers. A substantial portion of self‐fertilization seems to occur late in the floral life span as the stigma contacts the corolla. When pollinators are present, the corolla facilitates outcrossing before, during, and after insect visitation. A large fraction of cross‐pollen is actually captured by the corolla and not by the stigma. This “indirect” pathway for pollen reception suggests that a large fraction of cross‐pollination in M. guttatus actually occurs long after a pollinator departs from a flower

Social organization in experimentally assembled colonies of Ropalidia marginata: comparison of introduced and natal wasps

In the primitively eusocial wasp, Ropalidia marginata worker behaviour cannot be explained satisfactorily by the haplodiploidy hypothesis due to the existence of polyandry, serial polygyny and movement of wasps between nests, which reduce intra-colony genetic relatedness to levels lower than the value expected between a solitary foundress and her offspring. We introduced wasps eclosing from one set of colonies into other colonies separated by a distance of 10 km or more, to examine the possibility of kin recognition and task specialization under conditions of low intracolony relatedness. Introduced wasps were readily accepted into unrelated foster colonies, where they performed most of the behaviours and tasks shown by the natal wasps. We found no evidence of kin recognition or task specialization among natal and introduced wasps. Introduced wasps sometimes became replacement queens in spite of the presence of natal wasps. Taken together with previous observations, these results lend support to the idea that factors other than genetic relatedness must play a prominent role in the evolution of worker behaviour in Ropalidia marginata

Factors affecting the acceptance of alien conspecifics on nests of the primitively eusocial wasp, Ropalidia marginata (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

In the primitively eusocial wasp, Ropalidia marginata,individual females are known to drift from one newly founded nest to another. In the laboratory, young (< 6- to 8-day-old) alien wasps are accepted onto unrelated colonies, while older (> 6- to 8-day-old) wasps are not. Here we have investigated the factors that could influence the acceptance of foreign conspecifics onto unrelated nests. Individually marked wasps of different ages, isolated immediately after eclosion from the natal nest and from each other, were introduced onto unrelated recipient nests. Considered separately, both age and ovarian condition seemed to influence the probability of acceptance as well as the levels of aggression and tolerance received by the introduced wasps. However, partial correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis indicated that only age had a direct influence and that the ovarian condition acts only through age, a variable with which it is highly correlated. The observed acceptance of young aliens and rejection of old aliens are less likely to be due to the perception of older wasps as a reproductive threat rather than some age-related factor, other than ovarian condition, for example, the relative ease with which younger wasps can be molded into desired roles

QoS Analysis For 5G Networks

Fifth generation (5G) is the wireless network technologies, which is designed to provide efficient quality of service in mind. The performance seen by the users of the network will primarily depend on QoS elements. Thus, by managing QoS – Bit rate, Throughput, Transmission delay, packet loss, and Jitter parameters can improve to manage the network resource efficiently. The 5G system is a combination of many different modulation techniques; this is done to ensure improvement in performance and further to result in greater-efficiency in the output. The author has made an attempt to analyze different modulation techniques with the coding scheme and compare the QoS performances between them. The performances have been analyzed for two schemes QPSK and QAM using Viterbi coding scheme. Thus for both the modulation technique with Viterbi coding scheme excellent performances were recorded, thereby providing an optimum solution to maintain QoS