A Qualitative Assessment of Healthy Food Access in Navajo Nation

Background: The Navajo population experiences high rates of food insecurity, contributing to high rates of chronic disease. We conducted in-depth interviews with Navajo tribal members in order to understand food insecurity in this community and inform the design of an intervention to improve access to healthy foods. Methods: Thirty individuals were interviewed over a three-month period, including Chapter House officials, Community Health Representatives and heads of households living in the Crownpoint Service Unit in Navajo Nation. Data was coded, grouped into analytical categories and integrated into a thematic framework. Results: Food insecurity in Navajo Nation demonstrates variability at the structural, community, and individual and household levels. Income, transportation, vendors, Chapter Houses, social support and health literacy were the main factors contributing to participants’ access to healthy foods. Responses to food insecurity were explored through coping strategies as well as through food purchasing strategies such as price, proximity, shelf life, family preferences, and ease of preparation. Lastly, participants discussed their endorsement for a proposed intervention to increase access to healthy foods. Conclusion: Food insecurity in Navajo Nation is a complex issue, influenced by the dynamic relationship between determinants of individual behavior and the broader environmental context in which they are embedded. A community-based multi-level intervention is necessary in order to achieve sustainable improvement in access to healthy foods

Impact of threats on avifaunal communities in diversely urbanized landscapes of the Bengaluru city, south India

Identification of threats contributing to occurrence and range distribution of avifaunal communities is poorly known in diversely urbanized landscapes of the Bengaluru city, south India. For the first time, we investigated the disturbance scores along the low (LDS) to high disturbance sites (HDS) with respect to various parameters, i.e. canopy cover, vegetation structure and its composition. We examined their habitat associations and the potential effects on them corresponding to various threats including human development pressure and other habitat suitability indices in urban landscapes of the Bengaluru region. HDS with a lower number of bird species harbour more threat scores than the LDS with the highest number of bird species. Habitat alteration, practice of monoculture plantations, improper waste management and grass cutting were more commonly observed threats in landscapes of the Bengaluru region. The maximum number of perching plant species was characteristic of low disturbance sites with a greater fraction of moist deciduous species. Canopy coverage of plants/trees and the structure of canopy cover were the highest in LDS with the highest strata of the vegetation cover. Human development pressure was the highest in HDS. Management further includes several approaches for the maintenance of urban landscapes for avian communities to minimize bird problems and promote management options that favour bird diversity. © 2017 Nature Research Centre

Community Composition of Aquatic Birds in Lakes of Bangalore, India

Observations were made on the occurrence, abundance, richness, and diversity of waterbirds in 15 major lakes in Bangalore city during 2008 - 2009. During the study period 35 species of aquatic birds were recorded. The number of aquatic bird species recorded at various lakes ranged from 23 to 35. The percent abundance of waterbirds recorded in the study lakes ranged from 2.46 to 21.49 and it was significantly different (p<0.05). The diversity and species evenness of waterbirds in the lakes ranged from 2.07 to 3.16 and 0.32 to 0.76, respectively. There was a significant difference (p0.05). There was a variation in number of waterbird species recorded during summer, monsoon and winter seasons. Of the 35 waterbird species, Bubulcus ibis showed cent percent frequency, whereas less frequently (4.44%) observed species was Anas platyrhynchos. Among various waterbird species, Bubulcus ibis, Fulica atra, Tringa hypoleucos, Motacilla maderaspatensis, Phalacrocorax niger, Egretta garzetta, Charadrius dubius, Ardeola grayji, Halcyon smyrnensis and Motacilla alba were frequently encountered in most of the study lakes

Temporal and spatial avian community composition in urban landscapes of the Bengaluru region, India

A study was undertaken to know the abundance, diversity and species richness of bird communities in urban landscapes of Bengaluru region, India. One hundred and eighteen species of birds belonging to 43 families under 78 genera was documented. Of them, Gyps indicus, Neophron percnopterus and Parus nuchalis were critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable species. Among 19 landscapes, the mean population density (number of birds seen/km2) was highest at Bannerghatta National Park and lowest at Kempegowda Bus Station. Species diversity, species evenness and richness of bird communities were significantly different between landscapes. Seasonal occurrence of bird species was not significantly different. The mean population density of birds was positively correlated with tree density and negatively correlated with canopy coverage, human population density and buildings

Additions to the Birds of Bangalore University Campus (BUC) , India

The present study was designed to note the birds occurring in the microhabitats of Bangalore University Campus, India. Birds were monitored and surveyed using line transect methods that were laid in different spots of the campus. Twenty-eight species were newly added to this campus premises, out of which 20 are waterbirds. Conservation methods needed for habitat improvement through restoration of ponds and water check-dams including vegetation

Abundance of Indian Grey Mongoose Herpestes Edwardsii (É. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1818) (Carnivora: Herpestidae) in the Bengaluru Region

Indian Grey Mongoose, Herpestes edwardsii is common throughout the Indian subcontinent. To investigate the abundance of this species, a study was conducted in different urban locations of the Bengaluru, Karnataka State of South India. A significant difference was found among the relative percentage abundance of mongooses in various study locations. The highest abundance of mongoose was recorded from prohibited places, mostly in the rural and suburban regions, and the least in the urban region depending upon the availability of food and protected shelter in the reed beds and thickets of aquatic vegetation, particularly during the breeding season. They usually breed on the ground and need shelter from direct sunrays as well as potential predators during this period. This mongoose species also prefers shelter in the reed beds and thickets of aquatic vegetation and the suburban and rural region for diurnal activities

Eco-Spatial and Temporal Variation in Waterbirds Composition and their Relationship with Habitat Characteristics of Urban Lakes of Bengaluru City, India

Eco - spatial and temporal variation in the occurrence, abundance, density, diversity and community composition of aquatic birds in relation to the characteristics of lakes was studied from February 2008 to January 2010 in Bengaluru city. The species diversity, evenness, and richness of waterbird species were varied among different lakes. Also, the indices of various waterbird popul ations at different lakes between two years were significantly different (paired Student’s t - test at P0.05). The decrease in an anthropogenic disturbances and an increasing water depth of lakes show positive impact on the aquatic avian density in the urban lakes. The present study clearly brought out the need for preparing and implementing the specif ic conservation plans for urban lake ecosystem

SPECIAL LIBRARY PROFESSIONALS SATISFACTION ON ORGANIZATIONAL TRAINING FACILITIES: AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

The fast changing technological developments made the existing knowledge of special library professionals ineffective, which they had at the time of entering into the organization. Hence, professionals have to be trained to operate new techniques and equipments, to handle the Present as well as new jobs more effectively. Training is useful not only for the organizations, but also for the employees as it develops knowledge, problem-solving ability and skill of the newly recruited employees on the one hand and serves as a refresher course in updating old employees on the other hand. It aims at improving the organization’s performance through the enhanced performance of its employees. Because of these reasons training has become an integral part of human resource development in special libraries. Knowing this fact following study has been carried out to know the special library professional’s level of satisfaction on training and development provided in organization

Polyphosphate and associated enzymes as global regulators of stress response and virulence in Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni), a Gram-negative microaerophilic bacterium, is a predominant cause of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis in humans worldwide. Despite its importance as a major foodborne pathogen, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying C. jejuni stress survival and pathogenesis is limited. Inorganic polyphosphate (poly P) has been shown to play significant roles in bacterial resistance to stress and virulence in many pathogenic bacteria. C. jejuni contains the complete repertoire of enzymes required for poly P metabolism. Recent work in our laboratory and others have demonstrated that poly P controls a plethora of C. jejuni properties that impact its ability to survive in the environment as well as to colonize/infect mammalian hosts. This review article summarizes the current literature on the role of poly P in C. jejuni stress survival and virulence and discusses on how poly P-related enzymes can be exploited for therapeutic/prevention purposes. Additionally, the review article identifies potential areas for future investigation that would enhance our understanding of the role of poly P in C. jejuni and other bacteria, which ultimately would facilitate design of effective therapeutic/preventive strategies to reduce not only the burden of C. jejuni-caused foodborne infections but also of other bacterial infections in humans