Urbanization and prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Southern Asia:A systematic analysis

Diabetes mellitus is one of the diseases considered to be the main constituents of the global non–communicable disease (NCD) pandemic. Despite the large impact that NCDs are predicted to have, particularly in developing countries, estimates of disease burden are sparse and inconsistent. This systematic review transparently estimates prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Southern Asia, its association with urbanization and provides insight into the policy challenges facing the region

Phylogeny in Aid of the Present and Novel Microbial Lineages: Diversity in Bacillus

Bacillus represents microbes of high economic, medical and biodefense importance. Bacillus strain identification based on 16S rRNA sequence analyses is invariably limited to species level. Secondly, certain discrepancies exist in the segregation of Bacillus subtilis strains. In the RDP/NCBI databases, out of a total of 2611 individual 16S rDNA sequences belonging to the 175 different species of the genus Bacillus, only 1586 have been identified up to species level. 16S rRNA sequences of Bacillus anthracis (153 strains), B. cereus (211 strains), B. thuringiensis (108 strains), B. subtilis (271 strains), B. licheniformis (131 strains), B. pumilus (83 strains), B. megaterium (47 strains), B. sphaericus (42 strains), B. clausii (39 strains) and B. halodurans (36 strains) were considered for generating species-specific framework and probes as tools for their rapid identification. Phylogenetic segregation of 1121, 16S rDNA sequences of 10 different Bacillus species in to 89 clusters enabled us to develop a phylogenetic frame work of 34 representative sequences. Using this phylogenetic framework, 305 out of 1025, 16S rDNA sequences presently classified as Bacillus sp. could be identified up to species level. This identification was supported by 20 to 30 nucleotides long signature sequences and in silico restriction enzyme analysis specific to the 10 Bacillus species. This integrated approach resulted in identifying around 30% of Bacillus sp. up to species level and revealed that B. subtilis strains can be segregated into two phylogenetically distinct groups, such that one of them may be renamed

Methane and Carbon Dioxide Fluxes from a European Alpine Fen Over the Snow-Free Period

Wetlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle and are sources and sinks for the greenhouse gases methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). We provide an in situ study on variability of daytime CH4 emissions and net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) from a permanently submerged, Carex rostrata dominated Swiss alpine fen over the snow-free period (June-October). Flux chamber measurements were combined with analyses of above-ground biomass and physico-chemical pore water properties. The fen was a net daytime CH4 source throughout the snow-free period, and emissions varied significantly between the sampling dates, ranging from 3.1 ± 0.9mg CH4 m−2 h−1 in October to 8.0 ± 2.9mg CH4 m−2 h−1 in August. The fen was generally a daytime sink for CO2, and net CO2 emission was only observed in late October. Variations in NEE were more pronounced than variations in CH4 emissions, but both fluxes correlated with changes in green C. rostrata biomass and subsurface temperatures. Methane and CO2 pore water concentrations also varied significantly over the snow-free period, decreasing and increasing, respectively. These variations were linked to the development of biomass, but CH4 emissions and NEE were not correlated with the respective pore water concentrations

Methane and Carbon Dioxide Fluxes from a European Alpine Fen Over the Snow-Free Period

Wetlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle and are sources and sinks for the greenhouse gases methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). We provide an in situ study on variability of daytime CH4 emissions and net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) from a permanently submerged, Carex rostrata dominated Swiss alpine fen over the snow-free period (June–October). Flux chamber measurements were combined with analyses of above-ground biomass and physico-chemical pore water properties. The fen was a net daytime CH4 source throughout the snow-free period, and emissions varied significantly between the sampling dates, ranging from 3.1 ± 0.9 mg CH4 m−2 h−1 in October to 8.0 ± 2.9 mg CH4 m−2 h−1 in August. The fen was generally a daytime sink for CO2, and net CO2 emission was only observed in late October. Variations in NEE were more pronounced than variations in CH4 emissions, but both fluxes correlated with changes in green C. rostrata biomass and subsurface temperatures. Methane and CO2 pore water concentrations also varied significantly over the snow-free period, decreasing and increasing, respectively. These variations were linked to the development of biomass, but CH4 emissions and NEE were not correlated with the respective pore water concentrations.ISSN:0277-5212ISSN:1943-624

Gut microbial diversity in health and disease: experience of healthy Indian subjects, and colon carcinoma and inflammatory bowel disease patients

Background: The intestinal microbiota, through complex interactions with the gut mucosa, play a key role in the pathogenesis of colon carcinoma and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The disease condition and dietary habits both influence gut microbial diversity. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the gut microbial profile of healthy subjects and patients with colon carcinoma and IBD. Healthy subjects included ‘Indian vegetarians/lactovegetarians’, who eat plant produce, milk and milk products, and ‘Indian non-vegetarians’, who eat plant produce, milk and milk products, certain meats and fish, and the eggs of certain birds and fish. ‘Indian vegetarians’ are different from ‘vegans’, who do not eat any foods derived wholly or partly from animals, including milk products. Design: Stool samples were collected from healthy Indian vegetarians/lactovegetarians and non-vegetarians, and colon cancer and IBD patients. Clonal libraries of 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of bacteria were created from each sample. Clones were sequenced from one representative sample of each group. Approximately 500 white colonies were picked at random from each sample and 100 colonies were sequenced after amplified rDNA restriction analysis. Results: The dominant phylum from the healthy vegetarian was Firmicutes (34%), followed by Bacteroidetes (15%). The balance was reversed in the healthy non-vegetarian (Bacteroidetes 84%, Firmicutes 4%; ratio 21:1). The colon cancer and IBD patients had higher percentages of Bacteroidetes (55% in both) than Firmicutes (26% and 12%, respectively) but lower Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes ratios (3.8:1 and 2.4:1, respectively) than the healthy non-vegetarian. Bacterial phyla of Verrucomicrobiota and Actinobacteria were detected in 23% and 5% of IBD and colon patients, respectively. Conclusions: Ribosomal Database Project profiling of gut flora in this study population showed remarkable differences, with unique diversity attributed to different diets and disease conditions

Methane and Carbon Dioxide Fluxes from a European Alpine Fen Over the Snow-Free Period

ISSN:0277-5212ISSN:1943-624