Patterns of diversity and conservation status of freshwater fishes in the tributaries of River Ramganga in the Shiwaliks of the Western Himalaya

A short study was undertaken from December 2004 to April 2005, to assess the species diversity and composition of freshwater fishes in three tributaries of Ramganga river in the foothills of Western Himalaya. One tributary was within a protected area (PA; Corbett National Park); the other two were outside the PA (Lansdowne Forest Division). Cast nets were used for fish sampling, which was done from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. In total, 43 species belonging to eight families and five orders were recorded which included 29 species belonging to the threatened category. Family Cyprinidae was represented by the maximum number of species. Species richness and diversity was high in the PA. Similarity in fish composition varied from 60% to 70% across the tributaries. Dynamiting, poisoning and diverting water flows to collect fish are the major threats. Creating awareness, controlling illegal fishing and protecting the breeding grounds of fishes are some of the measures recommended to counter these threats

Tigers of Sundarbans in India: Is the Population a Separate Conservation Unit?

The Sundarbans tiger inhabits a unique mangrove habitat and are morphologically distinct from the recognized tiger subspecies in terms of skull morphometrics and body size. Thus, there is an urgent need to assess their ecological and genetic distinctiveness and determine if Sundarbans tigers should be defined and managed as separate conservation unit. We utilized nine microsatellites and 3 kb from four mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genes to estimate genetic variability, population structure, demographic parameters and visualize historic and contemporary connectivity among tiger populations from Sundarbans and mainland India. We also evaluated the traits that determine exchangeability or adaptive differences among tiger populations. Data from both markers suggest that Sundarbans tiger is not a separate tiger subspecies and should be regarded as Bengal tiger (P. t. tigris) subspecies. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses of the mtDNA data revealed reciprocal monophyly. Genetic differentiation was found stronger for mtDNA than nuclear DNA. Microsatellite markers indicated low genetic variation in Sundarbans tigers (He= 0.58) as compared to other mainland populations, such as northern and Peninsular (Hebetween 0.67- 0.70). Molecular data supports migration between mainland and Sundarbans populations until very recent times. We attribute this reduction in gene flow to accelerated fragmentation and habitat alteration in the landscape over the past few centuries. Demographic analyses suggest that Sundarbans tigers have diverged recently from peninsular tiger population within last 2000 years. Sundarbans tigers are the most divergent group of Bengal tigers, and ecologically non-exchangeable with other tiger populations, and thus should be managed as a separate "evolutionarily significant unit" (ESU) following the adaptive evolutionary conservation (AEC) concept.Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun (India)

Unraveling a 146 Years Old Taxonomic Puzzle: Validation of Malabar Snakehead, Species-Status and Its Relevance for Channid Systematics and Evolution

The current distribution of C. diplogramma and C. micropeltes is best explained by vicariance. The significant variation in the key taxonomic characters and the results of the molecular marker analysis points towards an allopatric speciation event or vicariant divergence from a common ancestor, which molecular data suggests to have occurred as early as 21.76 million years ago. The resurrection of C. diplogramma from the synonymy of C. micropeltes has hence been confirmed 146 years after its initial description and 134 years after it was synonymised, establishing it is an endemic species of peninsular India and prioritizing its conservation value

Social Ecology and Behavior of Coyotes

Behavioral patterns are subject to natural selection and behavior like any other attributes of an animal, which contributes to individual survival. The chapter summarizes a long-term study of coyotes that was conducted in the Grand Teton National Park, in the northwest comer of Wyoming. There is remarkable agreement in the results stemming from a limited number of field projects concerned with the social behavior and behavioral ecology of coyotes, and some general principles concerning social ecology, scent marking, predatory behavior, time budgeting, and reproductive and care-giving patterns can be developed that are applicable not only to coyotes but to many other carnivores

The Role of Presenilin and its Interacting Proteins in the Biogenesis of Alzheimer’s Beta Amyloid

The biogenesis and accumulation of the beta amyloid protein (Aβ) is a key event in the cascade of oxidative and inflammatory processes that characterises Alzheimer’s disease. The presenilins and its interacting proteins play a pivotal role in the generation of Aβ from the amyloid precursor protein (APP). In particular, three proteins (nicastrin, aph-1 and pen-2) interact with presenilins to form a large multi-subunit enzymatic complex (γ-secretase) that cleaves APP to generate Aβ. Reconstitution studies in yeast and insect cells have provided strong evidence that these four proteins are the major components of the γ-secretase enzyme. Current research is directed at elucidating the roles that each of these protein play in the function of this enzyme. In addition, a number of presenilin interacting proteins that are not components of γ-secretase play important roles in modulating Aβ production. This review will discuss the components of the γ-secretase complex and the role of presenilin interacting proteins on γ-secretase activity

Using non-invasively collected genetic data to estimate density and population size of tigers in the Bangladesh Sundarbans

Population density is a key parameter to monitor endangered carnivores in the wild. The photographic capture-recapture method has been widely used for decades to monitor tigers, Panthera tigris, however the application of this method in the Sundarbans tiger landscape is challenging due to logistical difficulties. Therefore, we carried out molecular analyses of DNA contained in non-invasively collected genetic samples to assess the tiger population in the Bangladesh Sundarbans within a spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) framework. By surveying four representative sample areas totalling 1,994 km2 of the Bangladesh Sundarbans, we collected 440 suspected tiger scat and hair samples. Genetic screening of these samples provided 233 authenticated tiger samples, which we attempted to amplify at 10 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci. Of these, 105 samples were successfully amplified, representing 45 unique genotype profiles. The capture-recapture analyses of these unique genotypes within the SECR model provided a density estimate of 2.85 ± SE 0.44 tigers/100 km2 (95% CI: 1.99-3.71 tigers/100 km2) for the area sampled, and an estimate of 121 tigers (95% CI: 84-158 tigers) for the total area of the Bangladesh Sundarbans. We demonstrate that this non-invasive genetic surveillance can be an additional approach for monitoring tiger populations in a landscape where camera-trapping is challenging

Cukura kontroles salīdzinājums ar periopeartīvu brūču sadzīšanu ķirurģiskajās brūcēs

MedicīnaVeselības aprūpeMedicineHealth CareIevads: Brūču dzīšana ir process, kas cilvēka organismā sākas no brīža, kad tiek gūts ievainojums, līdz brūces aizvēršanās beigām. Šo procesu var kavēt un paildzināt vairākas slimības, no kurām viena no galvenajām ir cukura diabēts un tā sekas. Diskusija par šo slimību un tās ietekmi uz brūču dzīšanu ir svarīga, jo tā palīdz pašreizējā situācijā. Pasaulē pakāpeniski notiek pārmaiņas no nepietiekama uztura epidēmijas uz aptaukošanās epidēmiju, jo īpaši attīstītajās valstīs. Finansiālais slogs, kas rodas katrā slimnīcā un valstī cukura diabēta un brūču dzīšanas rezultātā, ir nogurdinošs un rada smagu slogu veselības aprūpes nozarei. Šis pārskats palīdz mums zināmā mērā izprast kritiskās aprūpes pasākumus, kas nepieciešami, lai mazinātu šo slogu un arī kopumā mazinātu diabēta slimnieku ciešanas. Mērķis: Apspriest glikēmijas kontroles salīdzinājumu ar perioperatīvo brūču dzīšanu ķirurģiskās brūcēs un brūču dzīšanas taktiku pacientiem ar cukura diabētu. Materiāls un metodes: Literatūras apskats galvenokārt tika veikts no žurnāliem, kas indeksēti ar Pubmed, Science Direct un Clinical Key, kā arī no ķirurģijas mācību grāmatām, piemēram, Bailey un Love 27. izdevuma un Sabiston ķirurģijas mācību grāmatas 20. izdevuma. Kopumā tika atlasīti 127 raksti, no kuriem 39 tika izmantoti šajā pārskatā. Pētnieciskie raksti, kas izmantoti šajā pārskatā, ir indeksēti, sākot no 2010. gada. Secinājumi: Pēc pārskata var secināt, ka pacientiem ar augstu glikozes līmeni asinīs pēc veiktas operācijas , monocītu pieplūdums ir mazāks un līdz ar to arī makrofāgu daudzums brūces vietā ir mazāks, tādējādi samazinot brūces angioģenēzi. Rezultātā pacientiem ar augstu cukura līmeni asinīs brūču dzīšana varētu būt lēnāka salīdzinājumā ar pacientiem ar normālu cukura līmeni asinīs.Introduction: Wound healing is a process that starts in the human body from the minute there is an injury till there is completion of wound closure. This process can be derailed and extended by multiple conditions, primarily diabetes mellitus and its various sequelae. Discussing the disease and its implications in wound healing is important because it helps with the current setting. The world is gradually changing from malnutrition to an epidemic of obesity, especially in the developed nations. The financial burden that results in each hospital and the country because of diabetes mellitus and wound healing is exhaustive and a severe strain to the health care industry. This review helps us understand the critical care steps to reduce this burden and reduce the suffering of the diabetic population in general. Aim: To compare sugar control with perioperative wound healing in surgical wounds and wound healing management in patients with diabetes mellitus. Material and Methods: The literature review was primarily made from journals indexed with Pubmed, Science Direct and Clinical Key, as well as from surgical textbooks such as the 27th edition of Bailey and Love, and the 20th edition of the surgical textbook of Sabiston. A total of 127 papers were persued, out of which 39 papers were used in this review. The research articles primarily used in this review are indexed from 2010 onwards. Conclusion: After reviewing, it can be concluded that, when patients with high blood sugar level undergo surgery, there is less influx of monocytes and thereby there is less macrophages at the site of the wound thus decreasing the wound angiogenesis. The availability of less macrophages at the wound site could eventually lead to slower wound healing in patients with high blood sugar levels compared to patients with normal blood sugar levels

Peacocks and Cobra

Volume: 73Start Page: 214End Page: 21