Seasonal variation in functional composition and diversity of cladoceran zooplankton of a lotic eutrophic habitat from India

Author(s):  
Sameer M. Padhye

This study explores the seasonal variation in functional composition, diversity and redundancy of Cladocera from an Indian lotic eutrophic habitat using two-year sampling data. Two seasonal clusters distinguishable by faunal and functional diversity patterns were obtained. Cluster A comprised of four functional groups while the ctenopod filter feeders were absent in cluster B. Cluster A had more number of species, higher functional divergence and lower redundancy than cluster B. Relatively, higher divergence values observed during the cluster A time period could be associated with set of functionally varied species occurring throughout the season. Decline in redundancy values seen within cluster A might be explained by the loss of littoral and benthic species in the peak of summer due to disappearance of submerged macrophytes and an increased nutrient load. Peculiar occurrence of Moina species in the most polluted months needs further investigation as a potential local pollution indicator.

2021 ◽  
pp. 01-04
Author(s):  
Swathi Paleti ◽  
Zain A. Sobani ◽  
Tarun Rustagi

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to significantly impact healthcare with Joint Gastrointestinal Societies recommending rescheduling elective and non-urgent endoscopic procedures. The aim of our study was to evaluate the trend of acute cholangitis requiring emergent ERCP and overall ERCP practice in the setting of the COVID 19 pandemic. Methods: A retrospective review of all ERCPs performed at our institution was performed during the study period (3/16/2020 to 4/15/2020) along with the preceding 2 months (1/1/2020 to 2/29/2020) and similar time period from the last 2 years (3/16/2019 to 4/15/2019 and 3/16/2018 to 4/15/2018) for comparison to account for any seasonal variation. Results: A reduction was noted in absolute number and proportion of ERCPs performed for acute cholangitis during the study period compared to preceding months (2 [6.45%] vs. average 10.5 [15.05%] cases/month; 81% reduction). We also found reduction in overall number of both inpatient and outpatient ERCPs during the study period (31 ERCPs/month to average 70 ERCPs/month; 55% reduction in ERCP volume). Conclusions: There was a reduction in the overall ERCP volume and number of ERCPs performed for acute cholangitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further larger studies are needed to validate this data and investigate its causes. Keywords: ERCP; COVID-19; SARS-2-Cov; Pandemic; Acute cholangitis; Trend; Biliary


2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (11) ◽  
pp. 1644 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina S. Dalzochio ◽  
Renata Baldin ◽  
Cristina Stenert ◽  
Leonardo Maltchik

Changes to biodiversity have mainly been assessed using taxonomic diversity indices. Although these approaches contribute to our scientific understanding of species richness and composition patterns, trait-based metrics may be more useful for detecting responses to land-use change. We compared functional diversity of aquatic insect communities along a gradient of agricultural intensification. Our goal was to compare functional redundancy, functional richness, functional evenness and functional divergence among natural ponds, and organic and conventional rice fields. We recorded 15606 aquatic insects distributed across 61 genera. The highest functional redundancy and richness were observed in the natural ponds, followed by organic rice fields and conventional ones. The functional composition varied among natural ponds and rice fields, and differed between organic and conventional rice fields. Organic management favoured the establishment of some pond insect traits, such as predatory taxa, in rice agroecosystems. Our analysis suggests that the conversion of ponds to rice fields results in a shift to less specialised aquatic insect communities with altered functional composition groups. Nevertheless, this result should not be seen as a negative reflection on organic rice fields, because organic rice production affords a better compromise between agricultural production and ecosystem function than conventional agriculture.


2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (11) ◽  
pp. 1845-1857
Author(s):  
İbrahim Kaan Özgencil ◽  
Meryem Beklioğlu ◽  
Korhan Özkan ◽  
Çağatay Tavşanoğlu ◽  
Niccolò Fattorini

1997 ◽  
Vol 161 ◽  
pp. 419-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Lazcano

AbstractDifferent current ideas on the origin of life are critically examined. Comparison of the now fashionable FeS/H2S pyrite-based autotrophic theory of the origin of life with the heterotrophic viewpoint suggest that the later is still the most fertile explanation for the emergence of life. However, the theory of chemical evolution and heterotrophic origins of life requires major updating, which should include the abandonment of the idea that the appearance of life was a slow process involving billions of years. Stability of organic compounds and the genetics of bacteria suggest that the origin and early diversification of life took place in a time period of the order of 10 million years. Current evidence suggest that the abiotic synthesis of organic compounds may be a widespread phenomenon in the Galaxy and may have a deterministic nature. However, the history of the biosphere does not exhibits any obvious trend towards greater complexity or «higher» forms of life. Therefore, the role of contingency in biological evolution should not be understimated in the discussions of the possibilities of life in the Universe.


Author(s):  
Itaru Watanabe ◽  
Dante G. Scarpelli

Acute thiamine deficiency was produced in mice by the administration of oxythiamine, a thiamine analogue, superimposed upon a thiamine deficient diet. Adult male Swiss mice (30 gm. B.W.) were fed with a thiamine deficient diet ad libitumand were injected with oxythiamine (170 mg/Kg B.W.) subcutaneously on days 4 and 10. On day 11, severe lassitude and anorexia developed, followed by death within 48 hours. The animals treated daily with subcutaneous injections of thiamine (300 μg/Kg B.W.) from day 11 through 15 were kept alive. Similarly, feeding with a diet containing thiamine (600 μg/Kg B.W./day) from day 9 through 17 reversed the condition. During this time period, no fatal illness occurred in the controls which were pair-fed with a thiamine deficient diet.The oxythiamine-treated mice showed a significant enlargement of the liver, which weighed approximately 1.5 times as much as that of the pair-fed controls. By light and electron microscopy, the hepatocytes were markedly swollen due to severe fatty change and swelling of the mitochondria.


Author(s):  
Robert E. Ogilvie

The search for an empirical absorption equation begins with the work of Siegbahn (1) in 1914. At that time Siegbahn showed that the value of (μ/ρ) for a given element could be expressed as a function of the wavelength (λ) of the x-ray photon by the following equationwhere C is a constant for a given material, which will have sudden jumps in value at critial absorption limits. Siegbahn found that n varied from 2.66 to 2.71 for various solids, and from 2.66 to 2.94 for various gases.Bragg and Pierce (2) , at this same time period, showed that their results on materials ranging from Al(13) to Au(79) could be represented by the followingwhere μa is the atomic absorption coefficient, Z the atomic number. Today equation (2) is known as the “Bragg-Pierce” Law. The exponent of 5/2(n) was questioned by many investigators, and that n should be closer to 3. The work of Wingardh (3) showed that the exponent of Z should be much lower, p = 2.95, however, this is much lower than that found by most investigators.


1999 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 4-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Welch

Abstract Functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) have become an important component of disability evaluation during the past 10 years to assess an individual's ability to perform the essential or specific functions of a job, both preplacement and during rehabilitation. Evaluating both job performance and physical ability is a complex assessment, and some practitioners are not yet certain that an FCE can achieve these goals. An FCE is useful only if it predicts job performance, and factors that should be assessed include overall performance; consistency of performance across similar areas of the FCE; consistency between observed behaviors during the FCE and limitations or abilities reported by the worker; objective changes (eg, blood pressure and pulse) that are appropriate relative to performance; external factors (illness, lack of sleep, or medication); and a coefficient of variation that can be measured and assessed. FCEs can identify specific movement patterns or weaknesses; measure improvement during rehabilitation; identify a specific limitation that is amenable to accommodation; and identify a worker who appears to be providing a submaximal effort. FCEs are less reliable at predicting injury risk; they cannot tell us much about endurance over a time period longer than the time required for the FCE; and the FCE may measure simple muscular functions when the job requires more complex ones.


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