A Landscape Perspective on Bird Beak Deformity: An Epizootic of Unknown Etiology

Although birds with beak deformities have been documented throughout the literature, the recent spike in occurrences in certain regions has caused concern in the scientific community. A major concern relates to the role of contaminants and environmental degradation in causing or exacerbating this epizootic. This study used spatial and statistical analyses to examine the problem from a landscape perspective. The objectives of this study were to 1) locate and compile a database of known bird beak occurrences, 2) conduct a preliminary assessment of the environmental correlates of this epizootic in order to identify patterns, and 3) make recommendations that could guide future research and data collection. Logistic regression models were generated using known occurrences of bird beak deformity as well as randomly generated points compared with spatial data on relevant environmental variables. Generalized linear models predicted high probability (p(deformity)=0.88) of deformity occurring when all environmental variables were present. With more collaboration among researchers and data sharing, this method could provide insight into the currently unknown etiology of bird beak deformity

Deforestation in the Tropics: Reconciling Disparities in Estimates for India

Here we examine recent disparate estimates of deforestation obtained for India. We discuss the sources of disparity and the implications of inaccurate estimates and suggest ways in which future attempts at estimating deforestation might reconcile the disparity. Despite the importance of deforestation and its consequences, no attempt has been made to reconcile the different estimates obtained for India

Biodiversity Informatics – Big Data for Biodiversity Conservation and Ecological Forecasting

Biodiversity informatics is the creation, integration, analysis, and understanding of information about biological diversity. The emphasis is on primary data of historical and current species occurrence points, which serve as inputs for predictive modeling and ecological forecasting of the likely effects of local and global change. Applications have included predicting the spread of invasive species and disease agents, and changes in species distributions due to climate change. I will share sources of big data as it relates to biodiversity informatics and some examples of applications of these data

Various Sources and Mode of Burns: Descriptive Study

Background: The World Health Organization estimates that the lifetime incidence of severe burns is 1% and that more than 300,000 people die annually from fire-related burns worldwide.  Thermal injury is one of the major causes of morbidity & mortality in surgical patients & their successful management remains a challenge to modern medicine. Aim:  Study of various sources and mode of burn. Method: Total of 764 patients admitted to the surgical ward and burn unit were included in the study. On admission, preliminary inquiries were made regarding the demographic profile, cause, mode of burn injury, surface area, and depth of burns were noted. Result: In most of the burn patient, the cause of burn was flame (75.9%), followed by moist heat (17.27%) and electricity (6.67%). Maximum no. of burn cases the source of heat was chimney (42.28%), followed by the stove (15.18%), as the next most common source. In most of the patient were accidentally burnt (96.20%) among which the majority were females. Conclusion:   The most common cause of burn injury was flame. In most burn patients, the source of heat was a chimney, and most of the burn injuries were accidental. Keywords:  Burns; Source; Mode of injury

Threshold Concepts and Conceptual Change Processes

This paper reviews the idea of threshold concepts in the context of conceptual change processes students experience at the cognitive and social dimensions of learning.  Literature suggests the role of students’ ontological views in the development of their prior conceptions, which could be alternative to scientifically accepted ideas.  It is proposed that students may be able to negotiate such troublesome concepts in a productive way as they engage in the meaning-making process with peers.  Moreover, the social negotiation of knowledge can influence the conceptual change processes students experience in a discipline.  This paper will serve as a theoretical benchmark towards designing a study that will focus on exploring how peer to peer collaboration supports the understanding of chemistry threshold concepts. 

Knowledge attitude and practice of medical personnel on ecopharmacology

Background: Increasing disease incidence and prevalence has led to tremendous increase in the use of medications. The consumers are not able to use all the dispensed medications because of various reasons. The improper disposal of these unused medicines has led to environmental contamination to an alarming extent. The present study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of medical personnel about disposal of unused medicines.Methods: The study was conducted on post graduate medical students, MBBS and nursing students of a tertiary care hospital of North India. It was cross sectional, descriptive study based on a structured questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice about the disposition of left-over medications. Descriptive statistical analysis of the results was done.Results: Stockpiling was reported by 100% of the students. The most common reason for stockpiling was excess purchase of medicines (41%). The most commonly procured medicine was NSAID (55.9%). The most common method of disposal was with household waste (69%). Majority of the respondents answered that take back programmes and government interference is the solution to this problem.Conclusions: Majority of the people are having unused medicines at home and most commonly they dispose it by throwing along with rubbish. Lack of knowledge regarding proper disposal is the main reason behind this. Initiatives should be taken to spread awareness regarding proper disposal methods of unused medicines

Study for the identification of psychophysiological markers of healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment

The main aims of this doctoral study were to identify psychophysiological markers of healthy aging and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Event-related brain potentials (ERPs) associated with the automatic detection of unattended infrequent (deviant/novel) auditory stimuli (MMN), the orienting response to these stimuli (P3a) and the reorienting of attention (RON) to visual relevant stimuli were evaluated. Middle-aged and old adults, relative to young, showed a decline in processing of irrelevant stimuli and the posterior reorienting of attention to relevant stimuli. MMN and P3a components may be useful psychophysiological markers for the diagnosis of aMCI and for distinguishing between aMCI subtypes

Applications of geographic information systems, remote-sensing, and a landscape ecology approach to biodiversity conservation in the Western Ghats

The mountains along the west coast of peninsular India, the Western Ghats, constitute one of the unique biological regions of the world. Rapidly occurring land-cover and land-use change in the Western Ghats has serious implications for the biodiversity of the region. Both landscape changes as well as the distribution of biodiversity are phenomena with strong spatial correlates. Recent developments in remote-sensing technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) allow the use of a landscape ecology and spatial analysis approach to the problem of deforestation and biodiversity conservation in the Western Ghats. Applications of this approach include analyses of land-cover and landuse change; estimation of deforestation rates and rates of forest fragmentation; examination of the spatial correlates of forest loss and the socioeconomic drivers of land-use change; modelling of deforestation; analysis of the consequences of land-cover and land-use change in the form of climate change and change in distribution of biodiversity; biomass estimation;gap analysis of the effectiveness of the protected area network in conserving areas of importance for biodiversity conservation; and conservation planning. We present examples from our work in the Western Ghats, in general, and in the Agastyamalai region and Biligiri Rangan Hills, in particular, as well as that of other researchers in India on various aspects of applications of GIS, remote sensing, and 'a landscape ecology approach to biodiversity conservation

Various Sources and Mode of Burns: Descriptive Study

Background: The World Health Organization estimates that the lifetime incidence of severe burns is 1% and that more than 300,000 people die annually from fire-related burns worldwide.  Thermal injury is one of the major causes of morbidity & mortality in surgical patients & their successful management remains a challenge to modern medicine. Aim:  Study of various sources and mode of burn. Method: Total of 764 patients admitted to the surgical ward and burn unit were included in the study. On admission, preliminary inquiries were made regarding the demographic profile, cause, mode of burn injury, surface area, and depth of burns were noted. Result: In most of the burn patient, the cause of burn was flame (75.9%), followed by moist heat (17.27%) and electricity (6.67%). Maximum no. of burn cases the source of heat was chimney (42.28%), followed by the stove (15.18%), as the next most common source. In most of the patient were accidentally burnt (96.20%) among which the majority were females. Conclusion:   The most common cause of burn injury was flame. In most burn patients, the source of heat was a chimney, and most of the burn injuries were accidental. Keywords:  Burns; Source; Mode of injury