Urban Noise and Bird Diversity: COVID-19 Lockdown Impact | InformativeBD

 

Garima Tiwari and Fergus Mark Anthony, from the different institute of india wrote a research article about Urban Noise and Bird Diversity: COVID-19 Lockdown Impact, entitled, "Anthropogenic noise reduces bird species richness and diversity along a Rur-urban gradient: A case study from a city in central India during nationwide lockdown amid COVID-19". This research paper published by the  Journal Of Biodiversity and Environmental Science |JBES an open scholarly research journal on Biodiversity, under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Science |INNSpub. an open access multidiciplinary research publisher.

Abstract

Urbanization is increasing rapidly in all parts of the world to accommodate the increasing human population but it is having a drastic effect on native flora and fauna. The present study was carried out across a three stage urbanization gradient in and around the city of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. Observations were made from September 2019 to February 2021 at the selected three sites during COVID 19 pandemic. Point count method was used for bird surveys and Sound pressure (Noise) measurements were made across the three selected sites. The Avian diversity was measured by total species richness, Fisher’s alpha diversity index and Shannon-Wiener diversity index. The Urban centre recorded the highest sound pressure and lowest Avian species richness but as we moved away from the urban centre the noise levels reduced and the avain species richness increased towards the rural areas. This is mainly due to many avian species avoiding urban areas because of increasing noise levels. We also found that the urban bird community is dominated by a few species whereas the rural bird community was much more diverse.

Read more: Assessing Lead and Arsenic in Natural MosquitoRepellents | InformativeBD

Introduction

As the current world population keeps growing at a rapid rate, accompanied Parallelly by urbanisation more and more local biodiversity is being affected. A very few studies have been carried out to study the consequences of Urbanization on birds (Sengupta et al., 2014) Earlier studies showed a high bird abundance in Indian cities which could be because of the food availability, vegetative cover and the Indian virtue of generosity towards all living forms (Galushin 1971). The past studies on Urban birds across the Indian subcontinent have shown a rich species diversity where 125 bird species were recorded in the urbanized habitats of Pauri District, Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand State, 88 species on the Amravati University Campus and 76 species were recorded on a campus of the Punjabi University, Pakistan (Nathani et al., 2012; Wadatkar 2001). But the most recent study from Kolkata, however, recorded only 48 bird species across different urban habitats where the higher species richness was towards the rural areas and species richness went down as they approached the city centre (Sengupta et al., 2014).

Urban habitats are quite different from the natural areas, due to which the species dwelling in these areas face higher competition with exotic species, higher risk of predation and parasites, as well as stress due to chemical pollution and noise (Jokimäki 1999; Slabbekoorn 2008). Noise pollution in cities is a relatively recent phenomenon that birds now have to cope up with throughout much of the world. Whether a given avian species will be a “winner” (urban-adapted or urban-exploiter species) or “loser” (urban-avoiding species) is determined by an interaction between land use and life history traits of that particular species (McKinney et al., 1999). Noise induced changes on birds include stress, flight, changes in foraging, louder calls and other reactions based on physical observations. This can ultimately result in permanent hearing loss in avian populations (Niemiec et al., 1994). Loud sounds from urban sources like industries, vehicular traffic etc. damages sensory organs of birds as well as affect their reproductive success. Traffic noise had a negative effect on reproductive success on great tits (Parus major) with females laying smaller clutches in noisier areas (Halfwerk et al., 2011). The urban avian community is greatly influenced by the land use changes and the life history traits of selected species as to whether they will adapt to the urban scenario or end up avoiding the habitat (Blair 2001).

Vehicles contribute the majority towards urban noise (Zannin et al., 2002; Perillo et al., 2017). Vehicular noise affects bird distributions, reducing density, richness and abundance in sites where noise pollution is intense (Rheindt 2003; Arévalo et al., 2011; mc Clure et al., 2013). Increased Noise Pollution has resulted in birds having to make louder calls.

Vocalization in birds is governed by Energy costs and body size in order to increase their amplitude to rise above background noise (Brackenbury 1979; Brumm 2004; Oberweger et al., 2001). Sexual selection and social integration is birds is based on acoustic communication (Catchpole et al., 2003). If birds must change their vocalization it might affects many facets of their life causing immense stress on them.

The present study was carried out with an aim to study the impact of increasing sound pressure (Noise) in urban areas on birds. Noise pollution has become a major problem in today world as human population is increases. Birds being a visible part of the ecosystem help in providing information on the overall condition like quality and changes in the environment as well as community composition therefore they are called as ecosystem health indicators. Such studies can help to predict the effect of anthropogenic noise in the current scenario.

Reference

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Rheindt FE. 2003. The impact of roads on birds: does song frequency play a role in determining susceptibility to noise pollution. Journal für Ornithologie 144(3), 295-306.

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Vishwakarma A, Anthony FM, Tiwari S, Choubey S. 2021. Avifaunal Diversity of Winter Season in Kopra Reservoir of Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India. In Proceedings of the Zoological Society (Vol. 74, No. 1, pp. 118-126). Springer India.

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Source: Anthropogenic noise reduces bird species richness and diversity along a Rur-urban gradient: A case study from a city in central India during nationwide lockdown amid COVID-19 

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Assessing Lead and Arsenic in Natural Mosquito Repellents | InformativeBD

Godfred Yaw Boanyah, Ruth Brenyah, and Precious Bondzie-Quaye from the different institute of Ghana and China, wrote a research article about Assessing Lead and Arsenic in Natural Mosquito Repellents,entitled "Evaluation of lead and arsenic content of Azardirachta indica seed oil and Citrus sinensis peel oil creams as mosquito repellent ."this research paper published by the International Journal of Biomolecules and Biomedicine (IJBB). an open access scholarly research journal on Biomedicine, under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences|INNSpub, an open access multidiciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

There is an increase preference for plant-based repellents due to their effectiveness, environmentally friendliness and biodegradable nature. It is therefore necessary to ascertain the safety of these repellents by analysing their heavy metal content. This study has shown that lead and arsenic content of Azadirachta indica seed oil cream and Citrus sinensis peel oil cream as mosquito repellent is insignificant and therefore  very safe for use according to the Ghana Standard Authority specification. These results provide new insight into the safety of these natural mosquito repellents.

Read more: Mangrove Ecosystem Values in Day-asan, Surigao City | InformativeBD

Introduction

The use of repellent is an effective and reliable method used in breaking Human-vector transmission cycle of pathogens (Hazarika et al., 2012). Additionally, the application of repellent on clothing and bed nets have shown excellent results in Africa, thus, conferring protection to the individual using them (World Health Organization., 2017; Njumkeng et al., 2019). Moreover, topical repellent is one of the most dependable ways of controlling outdoor biting of mosquitoes especially in rural and farming communities (Wilson et al., 2014).

However, the heavy metal constituent of naturally manufactured repellent creams could be toxic and in turn defeat their overall safety purpose. Exposure of the skin to arsenic can cause a variety of benign skin lesions including hyperpigmentation and hyperkeratosis according to the findings of Bernstam et al. (2002). It was indicated in a recent research that developing countries have high environmental pollution of Lead which may be absorbed by plants from which these natural repellents are made from. Organic Lead may be absorbed directly through the skin and its effects are devastating. High levels of lead in repellents when inhaled can result in decreased performance in some tests of cognitive performance that measure functions of the nervous system (Wani, Ara and Usmani, 2015).

In the last two decades, an intensive effort has been made by several researchers to investigate the safety of diethyltoluamide (DEET), one of the most widely used and reliable insect repellents available(Goodyer and Behrens, 1998). However, many users of repellent are still concerned about the safety use of DEET (Shukla, Wijayapala and Vankar, 2018). Furthermore, the easily biodegradative nature of plant-based repellents and friendliness to the environment has added to their preference by customers in recent years (Ketkar and Ketkar, 2005; Tripathi et al., 2016) but the toxicity of some heavy metals in these natural topical repellents have not been given much attention. This study seeks to evaluate the Arsenic and lead content of Azadirachta indica seed oil Cream and Citrus sinensis peel oil cream as mosquito repellent and as as well compare them to the standard maximum allowable concentration requirement of these metals in topical repellents.

Reference:

Bernstam L. 2002. ‘Effects of arsenic on human keratinocytes: Morphological, physiological, and precursor incorporation studies’, Environmental Research. Academic Press 89(3), pp. 220-235.

Goodyer L, Behrens RH. 1998. The safety and toxicity of insect repellents. The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene 59(2), pp.323-324.

Hazarika S. 2012. ‘Repellent Activity of Some Essential Oils Against Simulium Species in India’, Journal of Insect Science. Oxford University Press (OUP) 12(5), pp. 1-9.

Ketkar CM, Ketkar MS. 2005. ‘Soap production from mixtures of neem oil with other non-edible or edible oils’, in The Neem Tree: Source of Unique Natural Products for Integrated Pest Management, Medicine, Industry and Other Purposes. Weinheim, FRG: Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA pp. 549-554.

Limonene  C,  Bunsen  G,  Receiver  C.  2009. ‘Extracting limonene from oranges by steam distillation’, Advancing the Chemical Science, (Vii) pp. 41-44.

Njumkeng C. 2019. ‘Coverage and usage of insecticide  treated  nets  (ITNs)  within  households: Associated factors and  effect  on  the prevalance  of malaria parasitemia in the Mount Cameroon area’, BMC Public Health 19(1), p. 1216.

Shukla DK, Wijayapala S,Vankar PS. 2018. ‘Effective mosquito repellent from plant based formulation’, Population dynamics of Aedes mosquito larvae from peridomestic water bodies 5(1), pp. 19-24.

Tripathi AK, Upadhyay S, Bhuiyan M, Bhattacharya PR. 2009. A review on prospects of essential oils as biopesticide in insect-pest management. Journal of Pharmacognosy and phytotherapy 1(5), pp.52-63.

Wani AL, Ara A, Usmani JA. 2015. ‘Lead toxicity: A review’, Interdisciplinary Toxicology 8(2), pp. 55-64.

Wilson AL. 2014. ‘Are topical insect repellents effective against malaria in endemic populations? A systematic review and meta-analysis’, Malaria Journal 13(1), p. 446.

World Health Organization. 2017. Report of the twentieth WHOPES working group meeting. Geneva. Available at: http://www.who.int/whopes/en  

Source: Evaluation of lead and arsenic content of Azardirachta indica seed oil and Citrus sinensis peel oil creams as mosquito repellent        

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Mount Kenya's Lewis Glacier Status and Microbial Threats | InformativeBD

Josiah Ochieng Kuja , Huxley Mae Makonde , Anne Thairu Muigai , Agnes Omire , Hamadi Iddi Boga, and, Jun Uetake from the different institute of the kenya and usa wrote a review article  about Mount Kenya's Lewis Glacier Status and Microbial Threats, entitled "The status of Lewis Glacier of Mount Kenya and the threat to Novel microbial communities"this review paper published by the International journal of Microbiology and Mycology (IJMM). an open access scholarly research journal on microbiology. under the affiliation of the International Network for Natural Sciences | INNSpub an open access multidiciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

The disappearance of African glaciers is of great concern. Most important is the status of Lewis glacier, the smallest glacier in Africa that is rapidly melting. Lewis glacier is a well-documented tropical glacier that experiences a rapid retreat establishing deglaciated foreland. The steep elevation and lack of accumulation layer for Lewis glacier is a possible factor to the rapid loss of its content. The greatest concern is the microbial communities that are lost through the flowing glacier material. The psychrophilic microbes of the glacier are lost in the supraglacial and subglacial to the glacier melting points. The glacier melt, however, creates a deglaciated terrestrial foreland that is recolonized by bacteria, fungi and vascular plants. Most of the foreland community structures are dynamic and differ from the glacier ecology due to various microbial activities including nutrient cycling and mineralization of the rocks. These geochemical process make the glacier foreland to be a chronological ecosystem with spatial biodiversity. The primary foreland is colonized by the bacteria, that prepare the habitat for the saprophytic and mycorrhizal associations. Most of the plants, especially the Senecio keniophytum form symbiotic association with some of the nitrogen fixing microorganisms. The ecological change from glacier ecosystem to foreland soil totally creates a new ecosystem with spatial biodiversity that need to be fully investigated for informative conclusions. 

Introduction

Glaciers and ice sheets are known to be biotic ecosystems (Hodson et al., 2008; Stibal et al., 2010) characterized with the complex cryoconite aggregates and diverse microbial community structures (De Smet and Van Rompu, 1994; Takeuchi et al., 2001; Simon et al., 2009; Hodson et al., 2010; Langford et al., 2010). Glacier ecosystems are habitable due to the available melt water, debris and aerosol deposits (Stibal and Tranter, 2007; Hodson et al., 2008) as a result of episodic atmospheric processes (Kühnel et al., 2011), external environment activities (Hodson et al., 2008) and the psychrophilic microbial activities on the glacier surfaces (Hodson et al., 2010; Langford et al., 2010; Stibal et al., 2012; Telling et al., 2012).

The diversity of the microbial communities and their activities on the surface snow, ice and glacier surfaces varies due to spatial biogeochemical processes within the cryoconite material (Stibal et al., 2012; Telling et al., 2012). The biology of cryoconite is known to consist of the organic and inorganic substances (Takeuchi et al., 2010). These substances are however, important in the glacier surface energy budget, slope avalanching and melt water runoff redistribution (Kustas et al., 1994; Hock and Holmgren, 2005).

A number of studies have focused on the diversity of microorganisms on the surface glacier and in the cryoconite aggregates of the polar and mid-polar ecosystems. Polar glaciers are known to harbor unique microbial ecosystems with significant contribution to cryoconite aggregation through the production of cohesive extracellular polymeric substances (Langford et al., 2010; Telling et al., 2010; Stibal et al., 2012). However, the information on microbial ecology, the accumulation of organic and regulation of inorganic substances is limited and no attempts have been made to study these processes on the tropical glaciers of Africa. This review addresses the critical ecological status of the surviving African glaciers, especially the fast disappearing Lewis glacier of Mount Kenya. These high altitude ecosystems are the most neglected sites with more research focusing on the low altitude terrestrial ecosystems in Africa. The ecological shift from the glacier area to the foreland soil of Lewis glacier indicates the development of an ecosystem of diverse organisms with the loss of novel psychrophilic microorganisms in the glacier.

The foreland chronosequence is a clear indication of this shift with the chronological occurrence of Lichens, Mosses, herbs and vascular trees along the foreland soil.

Source:The status of Lewis Glacier of Mount Kenya and the threat toNovel microbial communities

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Cloning and Expression of Human GAD65 Gene in E. coli | InformativeBD

Meghana Kolavalli Jayanth, Paramanahally Hanumanthe Gowda Ramanjini Gowda, Neha Guleria, and  Satish Kumar Kariyaiah  from the different institute of the india wrote a research  article about  Cloning and Expression of Human GAD65 Gene in E. coli, entitled  " Cloning and expression of Human glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD 65) gene in Escherichia coli " this research paper published by the International Journal of Biomolecules and Biomedicine (IJBB).  an open access scholarly research journal of Biomedicine under the affiliation of the International Network for Natural Sciences | INNSpub an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

Diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by the inability of body to produce or respond to insulin a hormone required by body to burn glucose for energy. Type I Diabetes mellitus, also known as Insulin Dependent Diabetes mellitus is a most frequent chronic disease of childhood, afflicts 0.2-0.3% of human individuals due to auto immune destruction of insulin secreting pancreatic β cells. GAD65 is the major auto antigen in Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (IIDM). Thus, this project is aimed at expression of GAD65 in E. coli. GAD65 gene was cloned into pET-28a bacterial expression vector and expression was studied in BL21 DE3 cells. Different parameters of induction like isopropyl-β-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG), temperature, time interval were standardized. The recombinant clones induced with 2 μM of IPTG at 30oC for 4 h at flask level produced the protein upto 537μg/ml. Furthermore, the specificity of the purified recombinant protein was confirmed by western blot analysis using monoclonal antibodies. This work establishes a strategy in E. coli for the expression of GAD65 with optimized parameters.

Introduction

Diabetes mellitus is a disease or disorder that is gaining importance and increasing at the alarming rate, which is also called as hyperglycemia where the blood glucose level is higher than the normal. According to World Health Organization, there are mainly two principle types of diabetes; Type 1 diabetes (juvenile or insulin dependent diabetes) and type 2 diabetes (insulin independent diabetes).Type 1diabetes an autoimmune form of diabetic disorder where the insulin producing β cells of the pancreatic islets are destroyed. It is commonly seen in children and the worldwide numbers of prevalent cases of T1D in children (<15 years) have increased and the estimates indicate that there are almost 500,000 children aged under 15 years with T1D worldwide (Patterson et al., 2014). In this type of diabetes, the autoimmune response occurs against self-antigens which include insulin, intracellular membrane proteins such as GAD, IA2, ZnT8 transporter protein (La Torre and Lernmark, 2010; Wenzlau et al., 2009). There is currently no cure for T1D and the only available treatment is insulin therapy. Insulin therapy can lead to hypoglycemia if the doses are not taken properly without monitoring blood glucose level and patients requires two or more injections of insulin daily which is painful. (Alvarez et al., 2013).In this regard, GAD65 a major auto antigen have much potential as an important marker for the prediction, diagnosis and in the prevention of T1D in humans. Autoantibodies to GAD65 are observed months to years before the clinical onset of diabetes and are present in the sera of 70–80% of patients with T1D and this anti-GAD 65 antibodies are now serving as an important marker for the prediction and diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (Jayakrishnan et al., 2011; Oak et al., 2011; Wang et al., 2012).

Glutamic acid decarboxylase is an enzyme which is involved in the production of Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) by the decarboxylation of glutamate is an inhibitory neurotransmitter in neurons and pancreatic beta cells. This GAD exists in two major protein isoforms.

One isoform has a molecular size of 65kDa and is termed GAD 65, while the second one, of 67kDa size, is termed GAD67 (Towns and Pietropaolo, 2011). The GAD65 enzyme isolation in large quantities from the human pancreatic (beta cells) tissue is unrealistic so the expression of GAD 65 enzyme as a recombinant protein in heterologous system is mandatory. The large scale production of GAD 65 enzyme currently involves the use of baculovirus infected Sf9 insect cells and methylo-trophic yeast (Mauch et al., 1993; Moody et al., 1995). However, these expression system are technically, economically demanding and highly vulnerable to contamination.

Number of heterologous biopharmaceutical proteins expressed in E. coli which are at commercial level are innumerable when compared to all other hosts system this is because of reasons like, it is inexpensive, offers rapid culture times and the ability to achieve high biomass and high protein yields (Assenberg et al., 2013). E. coli expression system remain to be the first choice for laboratory investigations, scaling up activities at commercial level and are useful benchmark for comparison among various expression platforms. The sufficient quantity of soluble and functional recombinant GAD 65 protein is required to carry out any molecular and immunological studies. Poor expression of protein because of cellular toxicity and formation of inclusion bodies are the major hindrance in recombinant protein expression. Therefore, this study was carried out for the optimization of different parameters to enhance GAD 65 protein expression and purification in E. coli.

Source: Cloning and expression of Human glutamic acid decarboxylase(GAD 65) gene in Escherichia coli           

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Anopheles stephensi: Malaria's New Threat in Djibouti | InformativeBD

Renaud Govoetchan, Mohamed Mousse Ibrahim, Arthur Sovi, Houssein Mouhamed Omar, Abdillahi Omar Boulhan, and Houssein Youssouf Darar from the different institute of the Benin an UK, wrote a research article about Anopheles stephensi: Malaria's New Threat in Djibouti, entitled "Anopheles stephensi: The emerging vector of malaria in the Republic of Djibouti, Horn of Africa." This research paper published by the International Journal of Biosciences | IJB an open access scholarly research journal on Biology, under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences | INNSpub, an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

The present study investigated mosquito species composition and phenotypic insecticide resistance profile to support decision-making in vector control in the Republic of Djibouti at the Horn of Africa. Adult mosquitoes were collected between December 2016 and December 2017 across 20 sentinel sites established in the 6 regions of the country using both Centers for Disease Control (CDC) miniature light traps and pyrethrum spray catches (PSC). Female mosquitoes were kept aside, for morphological identification to species by an expert entomologist using appropriate taxonomic keys by Gillies & Coetzee and Glick. Bioassays were also conducted in An. stephensi from Djibouti-ville against nine insecticides used in public health. A total number of 12,538 host-seeking mosquitoes belonging to four genera (Anopheles, Culex, Aedes, Uranotaenia) comprising 12 species were collected. Among these, A. gambiae S.L. and A. stephensi were the two major malaria vectors identified while secondary malaria vectors such as A. nili somalicus, A. dthali and A. azaniae were also collected. Culex quinquefasciatus was the most abundant mosquito species in the 6 regions. WHO susceptibility tests performed on A. stephensi population from Djibouti-ville showed resistance to pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates and DDT. The resistance intensity bioassays indicated low to moderate intensity of resistance with pyrethroid insecticides and the organophosphate pirimiphos methyl. Meanwhile pre-exposure to PBO suggested involvement of P450 detoxification enzymes in pyrethroid resistance. These findings revealed the urgent need to develop and implement a programme for monitoring and managing insecticide resistance in local vector populations with efficient control strategies in Djibouti.

Read more: Dengue Epidemiology: Seasonal Trends in Tangub City | InformativeBD

Introduction

Located in the Horn of Africa, the Republic of Djibouti shares borders with Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia and has just over 300 km of coastline along the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden (Hatem, 1996). With an area of 23,200km2 consisting mainly of plateau, plains and highlands, the Republic of Djibouti has a hot and humid climate, with a temperature that varies between 30°C in January and 43°C in July with an average humidity of 69% (Schulman, 2019).

Rainfall is rare (<130mm annually), however unusual rains may occur across the country causing heavy rainfall and flooding in residential areas of the capital Djibouti-ville (Schulman, 2019). In the Republic of Djibouti, mosquito-borne diseases are primarily transmitted by malaria vectors and secondarily dengue fever vectors, followed by other diseases with suspected cases such as West Nile virus and Leishmaniasis (Faulde et al., 2012; Rodier, 1995). While the Horn of Africa is known to be highly susceptible to mosquito-borne diseases, the Republic of Djibouti was historically thought to be a malaria meso to hypo-endemic country with intermittent epidemics (Rodier, 1995). However local populations have experienced only low and unstable malaria transmission and intermittent epidemics (Fox et al., 1991; Fox et al., 1989) with most of cases detected in people returning from neighbouring countries (Khaireh et al., 2013; Crowell et al., 2012).

The first case of malaria was reported at the very beginning of the 20th century, but it was not common until 1984 that malaria became a public health problem after a significant number of imported malaria cases were recorded. Since then, malaria cases have continued to increase, most importantly in Djibouti-ville. From 1988, there was an increase in malaria cases throughout the country, even in the regions of Tadjourah and Obock that were not affected in the past. In order to address the progression of the disease, the country implemented its first vector control programs based initially on larval control (Louis, 1988; Carteron et al., 1979) strengthened later with the introduction of insecticide-treated bed nets.

Unfortunately, investments and control efforts did not commensurate with the risks of disease, and major malaria outbreaks were reported. In 1991, a record of 7,338 microscopically confirmed malaria cases declining to 4,770 cases in 1993 (Rodier, 1995).

Contrastingly, an unusual increase of malaria cases was reported in 1999 in and around Djibouti-ville due to the emergence of chloroquine resistance (Rogier et al., 2011). The cases detected were mainly caused by Plasmodium falciparum but also P. vivax which was responsible of 3% of malaria burden (UNDP, 2013).The last uncommon urban outbreak of malaria was observed in 2013 with 1228 reported cases of which 83% were from Djibouti-ville alone (UNDP, 2013). 

The entomological surveillance in Republic of Djibouti was not a routine exercise and as such the monitoring programme at country level is very poor. Most of the existing data were generated as part of the international European Union Naval Force Somalia mission “Atalanta” (Faulde et al., 2012; Faulde & Ahmed, 2010) by the country's military partners that have troops based at various locations throughout the territory. The local malaria transmission was attributed to Anopheles arabiensis in all the 6 regions of the country (WHO, 2012). 

However, a larval survey has reported the presence of A. nili in Ali Sabieh, southern region of Djibouti. More recently, A. stephensi, the Asian malaria mosquito vector of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax was incriminated in the outbreak which occurred in 2013 (Faulde et al., 2014). 

The current study updates malaria entomological data mandatory for decision making on control strategies implementation. The data was generated over a recent entomological surveillance conducted between December 2016 and December 2017, in 20 sentinel sites located along the south-north transect of Djibouti Republic. Mosquito species compositions, as well as insecticide resistance status of the main malaria vector identified in the Djibouti-ville were assessed to support decision-making for the implementation of an efficient control program.

Reference

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Crowell VHD, Briët O, Chitnis N, Maire N, Smith T. 2012. Can we depend on case management to prevent re-establishment of P. falciparum malaria, after local interruption of transmission. Epidemics 4, 1-8.

de Santi VP. 2021. Role of Anopheles stephensi Mosquitoes in Malaria Outbreak, Djibouti, 2019. Emerg Infect Dis 27(6), 1697-1700.

Enayati A. 2020. Evolution of insecticide resistance and its mechanisms in Anopheles stephensi in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Malar J 19(1), 258.

Faulde MK, Rueda LM, Khaireh BA. 2014. First record of the Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi and its possible role in the resurgence of malaria in Djibouti, Horn of Africa. Acta Trop 139, 39-43.

Faulde MK, Spiesberger M, Abbas B. 2012. Sentinel-site-enhanced near-real time surveillance documenting West Nile virus circulation in two Culex mosquito species indicating different transmission characteristics, Djibouti City, Djibouti. J. Egypt. Soc. Parasitol 42, 281-294.

Faulde MK, Ahmed AA. 2010. Haematophageous vector monitoring in Djibouti city from 2008 to 2009: first records of Culex pipiens ssp. torridus (IGLISCH), and Anopheles sergentii (Theobald). J Egypt Soc Parasitol, 40(2), 281-94.

Fox E, Abbate EA, Leef M, Mikhail E, Said-Salah Y, Hassan A. 1989. Malaria in the Djibouti Republic: Results of a serologic survey in Ambouli. Med. Trop 51, 185-189.

Fox E, Bouloumie J, Olson JG, Tible D, Lluberas M, Shakib SO, Parra JP, Rodier G. 1991. Plasmodium falciparum voyage en train d’Éthiopie à Djibouti. Med. Trop 51, 185-189.

Ghosh SK. 2020. Anopheles (Cellia) stephensi Liston 1901: the vector of urban malaria- An imminent threat to malaria elimination in India. In: Vector Biology and Control, an update for malaria elimination initiative in India (Dev V, Editor), The National Academy of Sciences, India pp. 69-82.

Gorouhi MA. 2016. Current Susceptibility Status of Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae) to Different Imagicides in a Malarious Area, Southeastern of Iran. J. Arthropod Borne Dis 10(4), 493-500.

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Glick JI. 1992. Illustrated key to the female Anopheles of southwestern Asia and Egypt (Diptera: Culicidae). Mosq Syst 24, 125-153.

Hatemmm. 1996. Health development in Djibouti. World Health Forum 17(4), 390-1.

Hemingway J, Ranson H. 2020. Insecticide resistance in insect vectors of human disease. Annual review of entomology 45(1), 371-391.

Khaireh BA. 2013. Population genetics analysis during the elimination process of Plasmodium falciparum in Djibouti. Malar J 12, 201.

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Ngongang-Yipmo ES. 2022. Reduced performance of community bednets against pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae, major malaria vectors in Cameroon. Parasit Vectors 15(1), 230.

Nkemngo FN. 2020. Multiple insecticide resistance and Plasmodium infection in the principal malaria vectors Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae in a forested locality close to the Yaounde airport, Cameroon. Wellcome Open Res 5, 146.

Oliver SV, Lyons CL, Brooke BD. 2022. The effect of blood feeding on insecticide resistance intensity and adult longevity in the major malaria vector Anopheles funestus (Diptera: Culicidae). Sci Rep 12(1), 3877.

Pinda PG. 2020. Comparative assessment of insecticide resistance phenotypes in two major malaria vectors, Anopheles funestus and Anopheles arabiensis in south-eastern Tanzania. Malar J 19(1), 408.

Ranson H, Lissenden N. 2016. Insecticide resistance in African Anopheles mosquitoes: A worsening situation that needs urgent action to maintain malaria control. Trends in Parasitology 32(2), 187-196.

Rodier GR. 1995. Recurrence and emergence of infectious diseases in Djibouti city. Bull World Health Organ 73(6), 755-9.

Rogier C. 2005. Malaria epidemic and drug resistance, Djibouti. Emerg Infect Dis 11(2), 317-21.

Safi NH. 2017. Evidence of metabolic mechanisms playing a role in multiple insecticides resistance in Anopheles stephensi populations from Afghanistan. Malar J 16(1), 100.

Sanou A, Nelli L, Guelbéogo WM, Cissé F, Tapsoba M, Ouédraogo P, Ferguson HM. 2021. Insecticide resistance and behavioural adaptation as a response to long-lasting insecticidal net deployment in malaria vectors in the Cascades region of Burkina Faso. Scientific reports 11(1), 1-14.

Schulman S. 2019. Climate Change Challenges and Djibouti. The RUSI Journal 164(1), p. 62-75.

Seyfarth M. 2019. Five years following first detection of Anopheles stephensi (Diptera: Culicidae) in Djibouti, Horn of Africa: populations established malaria emerging. Parasitol Res 118(3), 725-732.

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Singh OPDC, Lather M, Agrawal OP, Adak T. 2011. Knockdown resistance (kdr)-like mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel of a malaria vector Anopheles stephensi and PCR assays for their detection. Malar Journal 10(59).

Takken W, Lindsay S. 2019. Increased Threat of Urban Malaria from Anopheles stephensi Mosquitoes, Africa. Emerg Infect Dis 25(7), 1431-1433.

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WHO. 2016. Test procedures for insecticide resistance monitoring in malaria vector mosquitoes.

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Source: Anopheles stephensi: The emerging vector of malaria in theRepublic of Djibouti, Horn of Africa

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Mangrove Ecosystem Values in Day-asan, Surigao City | InformativeBD

Jerry B. Acero and Dovelyn C. Resullar from the different institute of the Philippines wrote a research article about Mangrove Ecosystem Values in Day-asan, Surigao City, entitled "Indirect-use and option values of mangrove forest ecosystem in Day-asan, Surigao City, Philippines" This research paper published by the International Journalof Biosciences (IJB). an open access scholarly research journal on Biology. under the affiliation of the International Network for Natural  Sciences| INNSpub an open access multidiciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

Mangrove is a wetland type of forest referred also as the tidally influenced swamp ecosystem within intertidal zone of tropical and subtropical latitudes (Tomlinson, 1986). This forest provides numerous direct and indirect benefits to people and environment. However, most of the benefits appreciated are focused on direct-use or marketed benefits making mangrove forests as undervalued resources today. This study aimed to asses the Indirect-use and Option Values of mangroves in Barangay Day-asan, Surigao City as components of forest economic valuation. The Replacement Cost and Contingent Valuation Methods were used in value determination. Survey showed that as to socio-demographic profile of the participants, there is a total of 451 households in Barangay Day-asan. Most of the participants were female (68.89%), married (34.07%) and attained secondary level of education (42.22%). Fishing is the very source of income among the local residents. The total Indirect-use value of mangrove forest of the study area is approximated at Php6239.15/hectare/per year valuated by means of Coastal Protection and Carbon Sequestration Values. The study revealed that mangrove forests in this coastal community provide considerable economic and environmental benefits, particularly as a source of family income, provision of quality air to breath and in protecting local communities from disasters associated with the climate change. Most of the residents agree to take part in mangrove conservation programs and initiatives with an average Willingness To Pay of Php594,115.20 per year as conservation funds for the sustainable management of the mangrove resources in their community.

Introduction

The mangrove forest is a very important ecosystem that provides a variety of ecological and economic benefits. What composed of this marine tidal forest are trees, shrubs, palms, epiphytes and ferns (Tomlinson, 1986). Its existence as an ecosystem also offers coastlines protection and saves lives and property during natural hazards such as tsunamis, cyclones, storm surges and erosion. Mangroves provide also economic activities to the people aside from serving as the breeding, feeding and nursery grounds for many estuarine and marine organisms (Nagelkerken et al, 2008). Naturally, this type of vegetation is utilized for captive and culture of many fisheries products. The ecosystem also contains large deposits of some unexplored potentials for natural products that are essential for medicinal benefits, for salt production, apiculture, fuel and fodder, among others (Khairnar et al, 2019). In fact, many people in the Philippines generate income from mangrove resources. More than half of the Philippine’s 1,500 municipalities and 42,000 barangays are dependent on these marine habitats for food and other goods and services (Primavera, 2000).

Mangrove provides a multiple use and wide variety ecosystem services and benefits. It is a significant vegetation that serves as coastal bio-shield since it plays a critical role in reducing the impacts of cyclonic storms, hurricanes and tsunami on human lives and properties (Danielsen et al., 2005; Selvam, 2005). There are various ways that the regulating services of mangroves can mitigate the effects of climate change, particularly in serving as buffers against storms and flooding. Sea waves are attenuated by mangroves vegetation thereby reducing wave forces by an estimated 70-90% on the average (Macintosh, 2010). Undeniably, mangroves provide a wide range of vital ecosystem services, which have an equally wide range of value. Economists generally decompose the total economic value of ecosystems into direct-use, indirect-use and non-use values. Direct-use values refer to consumptive and non-consumptive uses that entail direct physical interaction with the mangroves and their services such as outputs of fish, fuel wood, recreation, and transport. Indirect-use values include regulatory ecological functions, which lead to indirect benefits such as flood control, storm protection, nutrient retention, nursery grounds for different species, and erosion control. Non-use values include existence and bequest values of mangroves (Bann, 1988). In Kosrae, Micronesia, an economic valuation study shows that mangroves on the island are worth between $666 thousand and $1 million per year (1996 prices) based on the net value of marketable products alone. Interestingly, the local people are willing to pay money which ranges from $1 million to $1.26 million per year just to protect and use mangrove swamps indefinitely (Naylor et al, 1998). Due to the many tangible and intangible benefits derived from mangroves, this ecosystem has been facing a lot of pressures and exploitation. In the Philippines, aaquaculture development, conversion of mangrove areas to ponds for production of shrimp, fish, and other aquatic resources, is a leading cause of mangrove loss (Garcia, K. B. et al., 1988). For instance, between 1968 and 1983, 237,000 ha of mangroves were lost for pond construction, almost half of the total national mangrove area (Fernandez, 1978) at that time. Jayagoda (2016) claimed that mangroves have degraded continuously and about 25% of the original mangrove areas have been converted into fishponds, with an average rate of 5,000 hectares per year in the 1970’s and early l980’s.

Similarly, Agaloos (1994) and Primavera (2000) estimated that around half of the 279,000 hectares of mangroves lost from 1951 to 1988 were developed into culture ponds. Aside from depleting the mangroves, aquaculture also pollutes the mangrove ecosystem with effluents that affect the services that a healthy mangrove ecosystem serves. Pollution and problems are often left behind when the operation of aquaculture ceased (De la Torre and Barnhizer, 2003). Sadly, once the operation is halted, aquaculture operators shift to new locations containing a healthy mangrove ecosystem and thereby do the same cycle of resources depletion (Ellison, 2008). If this trend continues, mangrove areas in the country will be in serious threat. Although greater conservation and rehabilitation efforts have been in placed (Samson and Rollon, 2008), still it is expected that the mangrove ecosystem in the country will continue to face degradation.

Notwithstanding the various benefits from mangroves, this type of ecosystem remains undervalued (Beitl et al, 2019; Salem and Mercer, 2012). There is a need to disseminate widely the salient role that mangroves play ecologically and economically particularly in the grassroots, policy makers and among key leaders in the community through highlighting the scientific studies on valuation of mangrove resources purposely to enhance awareness (Song et al, 2021; Khan et al, 2020) and elicit holistic conceptualization and implementation of coastal programs for the conservation of mangrove resources where local wisdom are purposely integrated (Hakim et al, 2017). Hence, this study was conducted with the primary view of assessing the Indirect-Use and Option Values of the mangrove forest in Barangay Day-asan, Surigao City, Philippines. The research output could contribute to the existing knowledge on ecosystem valuation, particularly on the ecosystem services provided by mangroves to people and communities. The information and result could serve also as a guide in assessing public support for conservation of the mangrove forest and as a supportive argument for the invaluable roles the mangrove forest play in maintaining biodiversity and environmental quality (Saka et al, 2015). 

Source: Indirect-use and option values of mangrove forest ecosystem in Day-asan, Surigao City, Philippines

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Dengue Epidemiology: Seasonal Trends in Tangub City | InformativeBD

Erlyn B. Ladesma  , Quineybel N. Mag-usara  , Lea Mae G. Matu-og  , and Monaliza Joy Zaragoza-Magsayo from the different institute of philippines wrote a research article about "Dengue Epidemiology: Seasonal Trends in Tangub City"entitled Seasonal variability on the epidemiology of Dengue in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines, this research paper published by the  International Journal of Biosciences (IJB). an open access scholarly research journal on Biology under the affiliation of the International Network For Natural Sciences |  INNSpub an open access multidisciplinary research journal publisher.

Abstract

Seasonal variability contributes to the abundance of dengue mosquito vector. In this study, the prevalence rate of dengue on different seasons, by population characteristics and geographical location in the City of Tangub were determined. Dengue cases and climatological information from 2016-2021 were obtained through secondary data gathering. Based on the data, dengue cases are highest on the year 2019. Specifically, dengue was more prevalent during rainy period. In terms of gender and age, males with ages of 10 to 19 were more prone to contracting dengue. Notably, for the last six-years dengue was predominant in built-up areas. The association between climatological factors and dengue incidence was further determined. On hot season, the heat index (-0.12) and precipitation (-0.04) is negatively correlated to dengue cases. While heat index and dengue cases on rainy season have no correlation, precipitation revealed a weak positive correlation (0.04) towards dengue infection. And on cool-dry season, heat index and precipitation showed a weak positive (0.4) and weak negative correlation (-0.10) to dengue cases, respectively. Generally, the climatological variables show no significant correlation (p>0.05) towards dengue cases. This paper revealed that dengue is highest during rainy days however, climatological factors are not reliably considered as effective predictors to dengue cases.

Introduction

Dengue  is  a  significant  health  challenge  that  is widespread  in  more  than  a  hundred  nations encompassing an estimation of three hundred ninety (390)  million  infected  individuals  annually  (Bhatt,2013).  Transmission  of  dengue  viral  infection  are carried  by  the  family  Flaviviridae  specifically  dengue vector Aedes  mosquito  (Edillo,  2012).  The  annual infection  rate  of  dengue  still  increases  due  to  factors such  as  population  growth,  urbanization,  inadequatepublic   health   infrastructure,   poor   solid   waste management,  and  inconsistent  preventive  practices (Aurelio et  al.,  2018).  According  to  World  Health Organization  (2014),  Philippines  rank  fourth  among the  ten  Southeast  Asian  Nations  at  higher  risk  of dengue infection. In fact, dengue had become endemic in different regions and results to a major public health problem in the Philippines (Herriman, 2017). 

Furthermore,  the  virus  disproportionately  affects children  and  young  people,  with  73%  of  recorded cases under the age of 19 (Muyot, 2019). In contrast, epidemiological  review  of  Bravo  (2011)  shows  that prevalence  rate  was  highest  among  children  ages between  5-14  years  old  and  over  80%  of  dengue-related  deaths  in  the  Philippines  occurred  among people under the ages of 20. For the prevalence rate of  dengue  cases  based  on  gender,  according  to  the data  reported  by  the  national  surveillance  systems adolescent and young adult males are found to be athigh risk of dengue (Arima, 2011). Gender differences in reported dengue surveillance data may be due to the exposure-associated  behaviors  or  activities,  such  as working-age  males  exposed  to  outdoor  environments during  the  day  when  dengue  virus-infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes  are  active  (Yew et  al.,  2009; Prasith,  2013).  The  difference  in  the  male  to  female morbidity  rates  was  associated  with  the  difference in the  proportion  of  working  males  and  females, indicating  that  the  risk  of  dengue  increased  with  the increasing time spent away from home (Ooi, 2006). 

Seasonal   variability   encompasses   climatological factors   such   as   temperature,   humidity,   and precipitation contribute to the abundance of denguevector  (Xu et  al.,  2017).  Southeast  Asian  countries potentially have a high risk of dengue transmission due to  its  subtropical  humid  monsoon  climate  (Halstead,2006).  In  the  Philippines,  dengue  is  considered  as seasonal occurring diseases as it is notifiable during the rainy and cool-dry season (June-February). According from the studies of Wai et al. (2012) and Tsuzuki et al. (2009),  rainy  and  dry  seasons  has  a  tendency  to increase  mosquitos'  activity  in  growth,  survival,  and transmission as both seasons serve as a good breeding site for their growth and development. 

The  warming  of  the  climate  increases  the  risk  of dengue transmission. Some areas in Tangub City havebeen  affected  by  changes  in  the  weather  patterns which result in extreme heat and heavy rains that lead to flooding incidents. This phenomenon significantly influences  the  dengue  mosquito  vectors’  replication, growth,  and  rapid  transmission.  Tangub  is  also considered  as  a  growing  city  due  to  its  increasing population and building of infrastructures like the on-going  project  of  Panguil  Bay  Bridge.  Similarly,  theanticipated  urbanization  may  lead  to  the  resident’spoor  solid  waste  management  practices.  These contributing factors are evident in the city, resulting to an adaptive habitat of dengue. At present, no study has been conducted related to seasonal occurrences of dengue  in  Tangub  City.  In  this  context,  this  study intends to interpret which season dengue is prevalent, determine  the  age  and  gender  that  are  more susceptible  to  dengue  infection  and  identify  the geographical  area  prone  to  dengue.  The  findings  of this study will serve as basis for the local governments to  enhance  formulated  preventive  measures  and create  strategic  plan  to  raise  community  awareness subsequently,  improving  both  preparedness  and response activities during dengue outbreaks. Check out more by following the link Seasonal variability on the epidemiology of Dengue in Tangub City, Misamis Occidental, Philippines

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What is Rapid Publication? Unleashing the Power of Timely Knowledge Sharing

What is Rapid Publication?

In today's fast-paced world, where information travels at the speed of light, the traditional model of scholarly publishing has faced criticism for being slow and cumbersome. However, as scientific and technological advancements continue to accelerate, the need for rapid dissemination of research findings has become more apparent than ever. This has given rise to the concept of rapid publication, a dynamic and agile approach to knowledge sharing. In this blog post, we will explore what rapid publication entails, its benefits, and its impact on the scientific community.

Defining Rapid Publication:

Rapid publication refers to the swift dissemination of research findings through scholarly journals or other platforms. Unlike the traditional publication process, which can take months or even years, rapid publication streamlines the review and publishing stages, minimizing delays and accelerating the availability of new research. This approach aims to meet the growing demand for timely information exchange among researchers, practitioners, and the public.

Characteristics and Workflow:

Rapid publication models differ from traditional publishing in several key aspects. Here are some common characteristics and workflow elements associated with rapid publication:

Accelerated Peer Review: Rapid publication journals often prioritize a streamlined and efficient peer-review process. This involves shorter review timelines, with reviewers typically asked to provide their feedback within a few weeks or even days. The focus is on identifying critical flaws and ensuring the research meets rigorous scientific standards, while expediting the review process.

Preprints: Many rapid publication platforms leverage preprints as a means of disseminating research before formal peer review. Preprints are preliminary versions of research papers that are openly shared online, enabling researchers to receive early feedback and establish priority of their findings. This allows for the immediate dissemination of new research and encourages collaboration and discussion.

Editorial Decisions: Rapid publication journals aim to make editorial decisions promptly. Once a paper has undergone the review process, the editorial team provides a decision quickly, often within a matter of days. This expedites the publishing timeline and ensures that valuable research reaches the scientific community without unnecessary delays.

Benefits of Rapid Publication:

Timely Dissemination: Rapid publication allows researchers to share their findings quickly, ensuring that valuable insights reach the scientific community and the public without significant delays. This is particularly crucial in fields where knowledge updates rapidly, such as medicine, public health, and technology.

Collaboration and Feedback: By embracing rapid publication models, researchers can receive feedback and engage in discussions with their peers at an earlier stage. This fosters collaboration, enables knowledge exchange, and encourages researchers to refine their work based on community input.

Addressing Urgent Issues: Rapid publication is especially valuable during emergencies or crises when urgent research findings can inform decision-making and public policy. By accelerating the publication process, researchers can contribute to the timely resolution of critical issues.

Keeping Pace with Advances: As scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs occur at an ever-increasing pace, rapid publication enables researchers to keep up with the latest advancements in their fields. By disseminating research in a timely manner, scientific knowledge can advance more quickly, leading to further breakthroughs and progress.

Conclusion:

Rapid publication represents a paradigm shift in the world of scholarly publishing. It offers a responsive and agile approach to knowledge dissemination, catering to the fast-paced nature of modern research and innovation. By accelerating the peer-review process, leveraging preprints, and making prompt editorial decisions, rapid publication models help researchers share their findings in a timely manner, fostering collaboration, and keeping the scientific community up to date with the latest developments. As we embrace the power of rapid publication, we unlock the potential for accelerated progress and collaboration across various disciplines, shaping a future where knowledge flows freely and swiftly.

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