Small island developing states, sustainability and the Caribbean Sea

Merged with duplicate record 10026.1/2217 on 10.04.2017 by CS (TIS)This study encompasses twenty-seven SIDS and the Caribbean Sea. In order to detennine the pressure on the sea from anthropogenic activities both terrestrial and marine, four major components were investigated. These are (a) how land use activities on the islands are affecting the Sea (b) the effects of coastal and marine based activities on this marine area (c) the influences of natural events on the Caribbean Sea and the SIDS (d) how the region is responding to minimise the pressures on the sea via policies and programmes. In the first component, the DPSIR in combination with GIS was applied to three islands to demonstrate the causal links between economic activities and its effects on the Caribbean Sea. The activities on these islands have resulted in loss of reef covers, reduction and loss of commercial fish species and reduction in water quality. The second component was investigated by using spatial analysis to compose a vulnerability assessment of the Caribbean Sea. This was derived from mapping anthropogenic activities and habitats within the sea. The assessment demonstrated varying levels of vulnerability throughout the sea. This finding reinforces the need to manage the sea as a large marine ecosystem. The third component demonstrated that events such as hurricanes, tsunamis and effects of climate change are affecting the quality of the ecosystems in the Caribbean Sea and increasing the vulnerability of island communities. Data analysed for a 44 year period show that the highest number of successive hurricanes that made landfall in the Caribbean SIDS was in the 1990s. The fourth component was an analysis of the existing legal and institutional mechanisms that are being used in the region to respond to the issues in the marine environment. The analysis revealed that most of the current responses are within geo- political borders which have been less effective in dealing with the issues

Phytotoxic effect of chrome liquor on growth and chlorophyll content of Spirodela polyrrhiza L. Schleid

The present study assessed the tolerance of Spirodela polyrrhiza (L.) Schleid (giant duckweed) exposed to different concentrations (5% -100%) of chrome liquor for 7 days. Physiological conditions of S.polyrrhizaplants were monitored daily by measuring fresh weight and chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b. Fresh biomass of Spirodela plant showed concentration and duration dependent reduction with minimum value (5.71 g) reported on 7 d at 100% tannery effluent concentration. Likewise, significant reduction in chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b content wasobserved in concentration-duration dependent manner with maximum reduction reported to be 99.8% and 99.6% respectively on 7 d at 100% effluent concentration in comparison to control

Changing Notions of “Ideal” Monkhood: A Case Study from a Satra of Majuli

All religions were initially founded with the aim of purifying men and women and helping them to lead ethical lives through prayers. However, unfortunately religion evolved to be a force reinforcing discrimination diverted from the original motive of religion. The Vaishnavite faith initiated by the 15th century Guru, Mahapurush Srimanta Shankardeva, in the region of Assam was also based on egalitarian and humanitarian values. The ideal monkhood in a Satra is to lead a life devoid of material pleasures and offer oneself to God by taking his name all the time. The various sects that have emerged after the demise of the Guru are the proofs that the main objective of an egalitarian society has collapsed. The social hierarchy is still maintained even if the Satras claim to have removed it. The unique culture of the Satra is its liturgical training, which includes dance, drama, music and poetry. The performing art forms were specifically for the monks to be performed only within the premises of the Satra, which are now staged and have become the sources of income for many monks. The monks are more known as performing artists than religious beings or leaders. The media is a socializing agent in itself, which has changed the concept of monkhood. Ideal monkhood is still a question, and this article is an academic effort to throw light on this question. It would try to bring forth the different ways as to how the ideologies of Neo-Vaishnavism has changed with time and how the monks have adjusted to the transformation. The findings are based on both primary and secondary data using ethnographic approach

Aqueous Bark Extract of Terminalia Arjuna Protects Against Cigarette Smoke-induced Alterations in Serum Lipid Profile of Albino Rats

The present study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of aqueous bark extract of Terminalia arjuna against cigarette smoke-induced changes in serum lipid profile of albino rats. The rats were divided into three groups. One control group (I) and two experimental groups (II and III), all three groups consisting of five rats each. The control group (I) was unexposed to cigarette smoke. Experimental group (II) was exposed to cigarette smoke (6 cigarettes) for one hour/day for 30 days and experimental group (III) was exposed to cigarette smoke along with oral administration of aqueous bark extract of Terminalia arjuna (5mg/rat/day) for 30 days. The findings showed a significant (P<0.01) increase in serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) with significant (P<0.01) decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level in cigarette smoke-exposed albino rats in comparison to control rats while a significant (P<0.01) decrease in serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) with significant (P<0.01) increase in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) after oral administration of aqueous bark extract of Terminalia arjuna in comparison to cigarette smoke-exposed albino rat

A review on regulatory control of chromium stress in plants

Chromium (Cr) is a non-biodegradable heavy metal that persists long in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and enters the food chain. It is cytotoxic even at low concentrations and reduces the yield of plants. Plants also have cellular mechanisms to manage the accumulation of metal ions inside the cell to diminish the possible injury from non-essential metal ions. This paper reviews current information on plant response to Cr, a key environmental pollutant. The harmful effects together with absorption, transfer, and aggregation of Cr are discussed. The roles of the cell wall, plasma membrane, and plant microbes as the primary hindrances for Cr ingression into the cell, along with sequestration and compartmentalization process, have also been discussed. Cr-generated oxidative injury is also regarded as the main deliberated effect of Cr toxicity.  It interferes with NADPH oxidases (plasma membrane) and the electron transport chains, which develop electron leakage. Some genes related to Cr stress in plants get expressed, and suppression produces protective effects by activating the signal transduction pathways. The expression of genes like BnaCnng69940D and BnaC08g49360D is increased, which is involved in protein kinase activity, signal transduction, and oxidoreductase activity. The increased mRNA levels of Cr stress response proteins, including HSP90-1 and MT-1, have been reported in the Brassica napus plant. The stressed environment around the plants may stimulate the biosynthesis of phytochelatins and metal-binding proteins, which have a protective role in plant’s growth and development.

An enzyme immunoassay for detection of Japanese encephalitis virus-induced chemotactic cytokine

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) induces human peripheral blood monocytes to secrete a chemotactic cytokine [human macrophage-derived factor (hMDF)] which causes chemotaxis of neutrophils. The only known assay for hMDF cannot quantify its level in samples, so an enzyme immunoassay has been standardized for detection of hMDF and hMDF-specific antibodies in test samples. The reported enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was found to be sensitive (89%), specific (91%), accurate (92.2%) and reproducible and was able to detect a minimum concentration of 23 ng hMDF/ml in test samples. The chemotactic factor could be detected in JEV inoculated mouse sera and JEV infected culture fluids. Significant finding of the test was the detection of hMDF in sera of human cases of JE