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Assessment of anthropogenic pressure on natural ecosystems is crucial for the formulation of appropriate policy measures for their conservation, sustainable utilization, and management. However, methodological and analytical issues arising due to the use of multiple variables with different frames of reference and units of measurement during such assessment may impede decision-making. We demonstrate a simple yet effective frequency-based protocol to assess anthropogenic pressure on natural ecosystems using the case study of a seasonal wetland in northeast India. For this purpose, we collected household and village-level data on the extraction of natural resources from 26 riparian villages of the wetland following standard survey and sampling methods. Using this protocol, we identified the wetland resources vulnerable to over-extraction by the riparian communities and prioritized them for adopting appropriate management actions. The proposed protocol would be useful for the researchers, stakeholders, and policymakers to assess and compare anthropogenic pressure on any natural ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical wetlands are amongst the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth and have immense socioecological value. However, tropical wetlands are considered exploitable resources and continue to be drained and converted to other "productive" uses. It is therefore urgent to identify and understand the interactions between various drivers of change triggering degradation of such wetlands. In the present study, we systematically reviewed and analyzed the existing literature on wetlands in two tropical countries namely India and Brazil with special reference to inland wetlands, and proposed a conceptual model illustrating the intricate linkages of such wetlands with different drivers of change. We also developed the Nature Futures' Framework to depict the diverse values of inland wetlands contributing to human wellbeing in the two tropical countries. Findings revealed similar drivers of change triggering the degradation of Indian and Brazilian wetlands. These include changes in climate & land use, population growth, poor land governance due to weak policies, besides other anthropogenic activities such as deforestation, and overexploitation of wetland resources. Among these, land-use change such as agriculture intensification and infrastructure development were the major direct drivers; whereas, institutional and governance factors such as the absence of concrete policy measures were the major indirect drivers threatening the inland wetlands in India and Brazil. Results also revealed some contrasting drivers of change such as illegal human settlements, and land grabbing by the brick industry for Indian wetlands; while, gold mining and intensification of bovine systems for Brazilian wetlands. Our paper also provides an insight into the status of wetland conservation in India and Brazil. We recommend the promotion of community-based conservation practices while adopting sustainable livelihood strategies by the local people for the conservation and wise use of inland wetlands in India and Brazil. The arguments raised in the paper have the potential to assist the stakeholders and/or decision-makers towards implementing sustainable management strategies for inland wetlands in the two countries, and tropical wetlands in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The rhizomes of Curcuma caesia have traditional applications for pain healing and are an imperiled species of India. A study on investigation of in vitro anti-oxidant and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory efficacy of essential oil from the rhizome part was carried out through extraction by hydrodistillation. Materials and Methods: The phyto components present in this volatile oil were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis and based on Spearman's correlation, the cooccurrence network of the 21 compounds were analyzed. In vitro anti-oxidant, anti-AChE activities were assessed with different concentrations of essential oil by spectrophotometric analysis, following the standard protocols. Results: The studies revealed that major compounds identified were Androsta-1,4-dien-3-one,17-(acetyloxy)-, (17.beta.)-Santanol acetate (16.11%), Eucalyptol (12.98%), Cycloprop[e]indene-1a,2(1H)-dicarboxaldehyde,3a,4,5,6,6a,6b-hexahydro-5,5,6b-trimethyl, (1a. alpha., 3a. beta., 6a. beta., 6b. alpha) (8.96%), methyl 7,12-octadecadienoate (6.75%), and (+)-2-Bornanone (6.60%). The major interactions of terpenoidal compounds with other compounds give a picture that terpenoids have a very significant role as anti-oxidants and cholinesterase inhibitors. The essential oil showed the total phenolic content of 26.72 ± 0.38 mg/g of gallic acid equivalent and total flavonoid content of 18.92 ± 0.27 mg/g of quercetin equivalent (QE). 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2, 2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid radical scavenging 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of the oil were 186.33 ± 0.46 μg/mL and 109.41 ± 0.43 μg/mL. The hydrogen peroxide and nitric oxide radical scavenging IC50swere 103.45 ± 0.58 μg/mL and 190.55 ± 0.75 μg/mL, respectively. The AChE inhibitory IC50value was 156.33 ± 0.44 μg/mL. Conclusion: The study demonstrated on essential oil extracted from rhizomes of C. caesia indigenous to Arunachal Pradesh, India, has moderate anti-oxidant property and would be a valuable non-toxic source for managing neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the most encouraging facts about forensic odontology is that it is looked upon today as a reliable methodology which is highly accurate when maintained correctly. Dental tissues are the strongest in the human body. They remain unchanged even after the long period of exposure to extreme conditions. In the field of criminal investigation and medicolegal cases, dental practitioners play a pivotal role. The maintenance of dental records is legally important in most of the European and American countries. Unfortunately, the law is not very clear in India and the awareness is very poor. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which a questionnaire was designed for the participating dentists to self-assess their awareness regarding forensic odontology and forensic value of the dental records maintained in routine practice. The Chi-square test was used for evaluating the results statistically, and the level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: Our study revealed that the dental practitioners of Madhya Pradesh, India, are not adequately prepared for any kind of forensic and medicolegal need if it arises at all. Conclusion: Our study reveals that there is an alarming call for rectification and improvisation in forensic odontology awareness among the practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The study aimed at investigating in vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract of propolis (EEP) and water extract of propolis against two main cariogenic oral pathogens: Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus.Material and Methodology: Propolis was obtained from beehives in the Jhabua region of India. Ethanolic and water extracts were prepared at concentrations of 5% and 20% weight/volume (w/v). To support the results, a positive control (chlorhexidine 0.2%) and a negative control (distilled water) were used. S. mutans was cultured on brain-heart infusion agar and L. acidophilus was cultured on De Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe agar.Results: The results showed that at concentrations of 5% and 20%, EEP was effective against S. mutans and L. acidophilus. However, at similar concentrations, water extract was effective only against L. acidophilus. The highest activity was shown by chlorhexidine (0.2%) with mean zones of inhibition of 13.9 mm and 15.1 mm against S. mutans and L. acidophilus, respectively.Conclusion: It can be concluded that the propolis extracted from tribal regions of Jhabua possesses antibacterial efficacy against S. mutans and L. acidophilus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs about Locusts plague, an emerging threat in the form of invasion by locusts might further jeopardize the food security and agricultural economy of the country. It mentions that the oldest global migratory pests, have been dreaded in the past and are devastating. It further informs about maturing populations of desert locusts along the southwestern coastal plains of Iran and Sistan Baluchistan region.

Hypothesis: Variation in species assemblages due to micro-topographic features and flow regime determine vegetation carbon stock in floodplain wetlands. Material and method: We tested this hypothesis in Chatla—a tropical floodplain wetland located in northeast India. Five sampling stations characterized by contrasting micro-topographic and flow parameters were selected in the wetland for study. Species composition, assemblage pattern, and vegetation carbon stock were studied in these stations during three flood phases, i.e., early, middle, and late flood phases following standard methods. Univariate and multivariate statistics were used to determine the relationship between the selected environmental parameters, plant species assemblages, and vegetation carbon stock of the wetland. Results: Thirty-one species of herbs and five species of shrubs were recorded from the five stations in Chatla floodplain wetland. Flow regime characterized by water flow velocity and discharge showed substantial variations across the stations. These parameters in turn are related to variations in the micro-topographic characteristics namely depth, width, and cross-sectional area of the stations. Plant species composition and abundance differed significantly with respect to micro-topography and flow regime as revealed by the cluster diagram. The canonical correspondence analysis revealed strong association of plant species assemblages with the micro-topography and flow regime within the wetland. Multiple regression analysis revealed a significant positive relationship of the vegetation carbon stock with the water discharge. Conclusions: Spatial variation in plant species diversity because of micro-topography and flow regime determines the vegetation carbon stock in floodplain wetlands. Modification of these parameters by anthropogenic activities such as mining and quarrying may potentially influence the carbon stocking potential of seasonal floodplain wetlands. Therefore, appropriate measures should be taken to maintain the integrity of the natural topographic features of such wetlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colonization of the gut by microbes depends on a number of factors including age, diet, genetic makeup, gender, geographic location, and health status of an individual. India is a megadiverse country and includes 4 biodiversity hot spots. These features, along with the transitioning Indian sociodemographic profile, make the gut microbiota of Indian subjects an interesting area to study. In this review, we critically discuss the present status of the gut microbiome in the Indian population and its difference from other populations. We also discuss the aberrations in the available study designs that could introduce heterogeneity. An ideal study to evaluate the core gut microbiota of healthy Indians should involve a large homogeneous population across the country and use the same technology and data analytics tools. The "Landscape of Gut Microbiome-Pan India Exploration" (LogMPIE) is such a study that confirmed the most predominant organisms in Indians to be Prevotella copri and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii.