Non-lethal effects of dragonfly predators on the interactions between the tadpoles of two Neotropical hylid frogs [poster]

Background/Question/Methods Prey frequently alter their phenotype in response to perceived predation risk in order to reduce vulnerability. Differences in the costs and benefits of such plastic responses to predators can lead to differences in non-consumptive predator effects. Such differences can occur between taxa or through ontogeny for a given species, and may alter interactions between prey and other species in the food web. Less vulnerable prey may respond less to predator cues compared to vulnerable prey and thus may have higher performance in risky environments. Here we build upon previous research on the tadpoles of two hylid treefrogs, Agalychnis callidryas and Dendropsophus ebraccatus, and predaceous dragonfly nymphs, Anax amazili. Agalychnis callidryas appears to be the more effective competitor, A. amazili consumes both species, but A. callidryas is more vulnerable. Here we examine whether there are differences between the two species in their responses to A. amazili cues, whether these responses change through ontogeny, and how their responses to predator cues alter interactions with each other and their resources. We conducted a 2 x 4 factorial experiment in 400 L mesocosms in which the presence or absence of a caged predator was crossed with no tadpoles, 25 tadpoles of each species alone, or 25 tadpoles of each species combined. Mesocosms were given standardized aliquots of filtered inoculate collected from a nearby pond and left for 3 weeks to allow the establishment of primary producers and microorganisms before tadpole additions. Tadpole growth, periphyton and phytoplankton were sampled at intervals though the experiment. Our study was conducted in October 2010 at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Gamboa, Panama. Results/Conclusions Tadpoles differed in their response to predator cues as A. callidryas reduced their growth, but D. ebraccatus did not. Furthermore, A. callidryas’ response changed through ontogeny, reducing early growth relative to no predator treatments, but increasing growth later in development such that their were no size difference between treatments at the end of the experiment. Consistent with previous studies, A. callidryas reduced D. ebraccatus final size, but only in the absence of predators. Both predators and tadpoles altered algal standing biomass, but these effects were independent of each other. Tadpoles decreased periphyton and increased phytoplankton, while predators increased both. Our results suggest that differences in early responses to predators may have altered competitive interactions between these species, but non-consumptive effects did not have strong cascading effects to resources

Network-aware Evaluation Environment for Reputation Systems

Parties of reputation systems rate each other and use ratings to compute reputation scores that drive their interactions. When deciding which reputation model to deploy in a network environment, it is important to find the most suitable model and to determine its right initial configuration. This calls for an engineering approach for describing, implementing and evaluating reputation systems while taking into account specific aspects of both the reputation systems and the networked environment where they will run. We present a software tool (NEVER) for network-aware evaluation of reputation systems and their rapid prototyping through experiments performed according to user-specified parameters. To demonstrate effectiveness of NEVER, we analyse reputation models based on the beta distribution and the maximum likelihood estimation

Влияние национального локдауна на эпидемиологию травм во время первой волны COVID-19 в Индии

Background. The pattern of hospital admissions and medical care changed during the COVID pandemic. The aim of the study to describe the nature of patients attending the orthopedic emergency department of a level 1 trauma center in terms of number and proportion based on demographic characteristics and the nature of the injury before the lockdown, during the lockdown, and during the unlocking period of the nationwide lockdown for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Methods. We conducted a longitudinal study from 01.01.2020 to 31.12.2020. Patients attending the orthopedic emergency were grouped based on cause, type, and site of injury. The median number observed each day with IQR. The distribution of the same was compared between the prelockdown with lockdown period and the lockdown period with a phased unlocking period. Results. A total of 10513 patients were included. There was a statistically significant reduction in the proportion of patients needing inpatient care between the prelockdown phase and lockdown phase (p = 0.008). However, this was not seen between lockdown and postlockdown periods (p = 0.47). The proportion of road traffic accidents dropped from 26% to 15% during this time (p0.001). The proportion of contusions was reduced and that of soft tissue injuries increased (p0.001). The proportion of lower limb injuries decreased from the prelockdown phase to the lockdown phase, and that of spinal injury patients increased (p = 0.007). The proportion of patients with contusions increased and soft tissue injuries decreased during this period (p0.001). Lower limb injuries and road traffic accidents increased, and spinal injuries were reduced (p0.001). Conclusion. The lockdown for controlling the spread of the pandemic affected the demographic and epidemiological aspects of injuries attending the orthopedic emergency department of a level 1 trauma center in a developing country. There was a decrease in the proportion of females and children attending the ED during the lockdown. The number of road traffic accedents s decreased during the lockdown. The number of patients with contusions attending the trauma center during the lockdown decreased, but there was an increase in the number of patients with spine injuries. We suggest that improvement in triage facilities, wider use of telemedicine, and increasing the stock of PPEs are essential for tackling such situations in the future.Введение. Во время пандемии COVID-19 изменилась структура госпитализаций и оказания медицинской помощи. Цель проанализировать эпидемиологию и тип травм, полученных пациентами, обратившимися в травмоцентр 1-го уровня во время пандемии и локдауна в Индии. Материал и методы. Мы провели лонгитюдное исследование с 01.01.2020 по 31.12.2020 Пациенты, обратившиеся за неотложной травматологической помощью, были сгруппированы в зависимости от причины, типа и места повреждения. Среднее число ежедненых обращений было расчитано с помощью IQR (интерквартильного размаха). Было проведено сравнение распределений среднего числа наблюдений между периодами до и во время локдауна, а также во время локдауна и после его снятия. Результаты. Всего в исследование было включено 10 513 пациентов. Наблюдалось статистически значимое снижение доли пациентов, нуждающихся в госпитализации, между периодами до и во время локдауна (p = 0,008). Однако этого не наблюдалось между периодами локдауна и постлокдауна (p = 0,47). Доля дорожно-транспортных происшествий снизилась с 26% до 15% между периодами до и во время локдауна (p0,001). Доля ушибов уменьшилась, а мягкотканных повреждений увеличилась (p0,001). Доля травм нижних конечностей уменьшилась между периодами до и во время локдауна, а доля травм позвоночника увеличилась (p = 0,007). Заключение. Национальный локдаун повлиял на демографические и эпидемиологические показатели травм в травмоцентре 1-го уровня в Индии. Наблюдалось снижение доли женщин и детей, обратившихся в отделение неотложной помощи. Количество ДТП сократилось во время локдауна. Количество пациентов с ушибами, обратившихся в травматологический центр во время локдауна уменьшилось, а количество пациентов с травмами позвоночника увеличилось. Мы рекомендуем улучшить медицинскую сортировку, расширить использование телемедицины и увеличить запасы средств индивидуальной защиты для борьбы с подобными ситуациями в будущем

Climate change and vulnerability of Coastal Villages in Tamil Nadu

Climate change is mainly the effect of human activities such as burning of fossil fuels, land conversion, deforestation, infrastructure development, industrial processes and from agriculture processes

An Experimental Study on Channel Estimation and Synchronization to Reduce Error Rate in OFDM Using GNU Radio

AbstractOrthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is a particular case of multicarrier transmission in which, higher data rates are achieved using carriers that are densely packed. In this paper, implementation of OFDM communication system with channel estimation and synchronization is carried out and the bit error rate (BER) of OFDM system with and without channel estimation is observed and correspondingly a plot is traced. The choice has been made because of the advantages that OFDM and SDR has shown in terms of channel capacity and cost. Implementation of the prototype has been in GNU Radio; an open source software

GIS based mapping of zoanthids along Saurashtra coast, Gujarat, India

Zooxanthellate zoanthids (or. Zoantharia) are the third largest order of Hexacorallia and are an integral part of the coral reef ecosystem. Worldwide coral reefs will continue to suffer under the synergistic effect of anthropogenic agent and climate change, thereby shifting towards more adaptive and resilient species. Zoanthids are looked upon as adaptive species under the current dynamics of climate change. Zoanthids are also studied for their biochemical properties like extraction of zoanthamine, Oxytoxic agent, Green Fluorensce Proteins (GFP). Hence understanding the ecology and spatial distribution patterns of zoanthids is important in formulating conservational and management policies pertaining to marine ecosystems. The present study encompasses the spatial distribution pattern of zoanthids along the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, India. Nineteen stations have been selected from Okha to Bhavnagar and spatial distribution patterns of eight zoanthid species have been studied using modified belt transact method, GIS and IDW interpolation technique. The results indicated Palythoa mutuki as the most common and abundant species along the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat followed by Zoanthus sansibaricus and Palythoa tuberculosa. While species such as Zoanthus gigantus and Palythoa heliodiscus, been the rarest species along this coast. The study is first of its kind and attempt has been made to incorporate the modern tools which overcome the constraints of spatial variation in the distribution over traditional methods of biodiversity studies. The study also forms baseline study to monitor zoanthid progression in the future and developing georeferenced database along the Saurashtra coast of India for long term permanent transect monitoring and policy framework development

Distribution pattern and community structure of zoanthids (Zoantharia) along the coast of Saurashtra, Gujarat, India

Coral reef environments support a great diversity of benthic organisms, of which zoanthids form an integral part. Studies have been carried out regarding the degradation of coral reefs and changes in community structure under the present dynamics of climatic change. Zoanthids are dominant among the observed fauna in these degrading reef ecosystems. Zoanthids are observed at mid and lower intertidal zones beyond 20 m from highest high tide level. In the present study, distribution patterns of zoanthid species along three coastal villages of Saurashtra coast, Gujarat were studied. Line intercept transect method was performed to assess the zoanthid coverage. A total of seven species of zoanthids were recorded during the survey. Palythoa mutuki formed the abundant species in the area with 45.99% coverage, followed by Zoanthus sansibaricus with 33.67% and Zoanthus cf. sansibaricus with 12.26% coverage. Abiotic parameters (sea surface temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH) and nutrient data (ammonia, phosphate, total suspended solids and nitrate) were also recorded during sampling to determine their influence on zoanthid colonies. Higher levels of DO were found to favour the growth of Palythoa mutuki and Isaurus tuberculatus, whereas increased SST was tolerated by Palythoa tuberculosa only. Ammonia and phosphate were negatively impacting the growth of Palythoa mutuki and Zoanthus spp. The study provides new information on quantitative zoanthid distribution and the dynamic changes exhibited by zoanthids in relation to various environmental parameters. Zoanthids could be looked upon as an adaptive species which may support reef resurgence in degraded reefs under stress from climate change effects

Vulnerability index and climate change: An analysis in Cuddalore District of Tamil Nadu, India

Erratic monsoon and extreme climatic events cause considerable damage to life and property of the fishers in the country. Cuddalore District has been the worst affected of all districts in Tamil Nadu, in the recent past with the tsunami in 2004, cyclone Thane in 2011 and cyclone Neelam in 2012 creating a detrimental impact on coastal communities and their activities, particularly fishing. This in turn has affected their livelihood to a great extent. This coastal zone is largely low-lying with gentle slope, thus making it highly vulnerable to climate related changes. The vulnerability of this region to climate change and its devastating effects necessitates identifying vulnerability indices to assist in developing proactive policies by local government bodies in better disaster management. The vulnerability index of ten coastal villages of Cuddalore District was computed using Parameter, Attribute, Resilient indicator and Score (PARS) method. The study showed that the Cuddalore coast is highly vulnerable to climate change and related sea level rise. The villages of Pettodai, Reddiarpettai and Sothikuppam of Cuddalore District were identifified as most vulnerable. The outcome of this study will be of use in the protection of coastal livelihoods and planning better adaptation policies and mitigation plans

चेन्नई मत्स्यन बंदरगाह से समुद्री मछली पकड़ने की कार्बन पदचिह्न्न

कृपया पूरा लेखा पढ

Nanomaterials for renewable energy storage: synthesis, characterization, and applications

1Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia 2Gas Processing Center, College of Engineering, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar 3Electrochemical Power Systems Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi 630006, India 4SABIC Chair in Catalysis, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 80204, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia 5Game Lab, Chenergy Group, Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Politecnico Di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Ital