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[juniperpublishers-crdoj]

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Metabolic Syndrome and Diabetes Mellitus

Authored by Victoria Serhiyenko

Abstract

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) are increasingly being used to prevent cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and cardiac societies recommend the intake of 1g/day of the two ω-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid for primary and secondary prevention of CVD. Clinical trials clearly suggest beneficial effects of ω-PUFAs consumption on lipid metabolism profile, their anti-inflammatory actions; on endothelial activation, which are likely to improve vascular function; antithrombotic and antiatherosclerotic properties. Experimental studies demonstrate direct antiarrhythmic effects, which have been challenging to document in humans. By targeting arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction administration of ω-3 PUFAs may prevent atherosclerosis and CVD development. A synergistic interplay showed by ω-3 PUFAs prescription suggest the potential to beneficially impact on fundamental steps involved in the development of preclinical atherosclerosis. We reviewed available evidence of the benefits of ω-PUFAs administration, especially to patients with CVD, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus, including their effects on potential molecular pathways, effects on glucose and lipids metabolism parameters, thrombocyte aggregation parameters and haemostasis, endothelial function, antioxidant/anti-inflammation and antiarrhythmic properties.

Keywords: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; Coronary heart disease, atherosclerosis; Diabetes mellitus; Glucose, lipids; Inflammation; Platelets; Haemostasis; Endothelium; Heart rate variability; Arrhythmias; Arterial stiffness

Abbrevations: ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs: Ω-3 and ω-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids; MetS: Metabolic Syndrome; T2DM: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; CVD: Cardiovascular Diseases; DLP: Dyslipoproteinemia; OS: Oxidative Stress

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Introduction

Numerous studies report salutary effects of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-PUFAs), i.e. eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk factors. These effects include lowering of serum triglyceride (TG) by reducing of hepatic TG production; lowering of blood pressure (BP) by improving of endothelial cell functution; decreasing of platelet aggregation by reducing of prothrombotic prostanoids; decreasing inflammation via reduction in 4-series leukotrienes (LT) production; protection from arrhythmias by modulation of electrophysiological properties of cardiac myocytes. Systematic meta analysis suggests that high doses of ω-3 PUFAs (~3g/day) produce a small, but significant decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) in older and hypertensive subjects [1,2]. The aim of this study was to review the latest evidence about the ω-PUFAs, metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

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Discussion

Ω-3 and ω-6 PUFAs are essential fatty acids, as they cannot be synthesized de novo in humans. There are limited data available regarding the exact amount of dietary ω-3 PUFAs consumed by the general population. It is reported that the total daily intake of dietary ω-3 PUFAs in the US is approximately 1.6g. Of this α-linolenic acid (α-LLA) accounts for approximately 1.4g/q.d, and only 0.1–0.2g/q.d. comes from EPA and DHA. The conversion rate from α-LLA to EPA and DHA is variable (0.2-15%). Therefore, in general, the total amount of EPA and DHA available to the body from current dietary patterns is well below the recommended amounts. EPA and DHA didn’t show a significant negative effect on glucose metabolism [3].

Several experimental studies have shown that long-chain ω-PUFAs inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the intestine and its synthesis in the liver, lead to increased clearance of lipoproteins in the blood, prevent the development of insulin resistance (IR) in experimental diabetes, increase the level of glucose transporter 4 in skeletal muscles, have a positive effect on age related decrease of blood flow in the brain and improve glucose utilization under stress; there isn’t any influence on the development of hypertension (HT) and MetS. Ω-3 PUFAs decrease level of BP, dose-dependent prevent the development of T2DM, IR, contribute to positive changes of blood coagulation parameters; enhance endothelial cell migration and inhibits the proliferation of smooth muscle cells [4]. A meta-analysis of 18 studies found a significant effect of fish oil to lower TG concentrations and increase high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) in the blood; while there were no statistically significant changes in preprandial glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, low density-lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Ω-3 PUFAs may affect the IR and glucose homeostasis by inhibition of IR in the muscle tissue >adipose tissue >>liver, inhibition of insulin secretion, which defer the development of T2DM; and on the state of lipid metabolism (in particular, reduce the concentration of TG, very low density-lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), increase of HDL-C, improve lipid profile by mixed hyperlipidaemia (HLP), slightly decrease BP, improve endothelial function, have an positive impact on the antioxidant status and inflammatory reactions [5]. Ω-3 PUFAs decrease VLDL assembly and secretion, resulting in diminished TG production, through a decreased sterol receptor element binding protein-1c activity [6,5].

The highly concentrated pharmaceutical preparation Omacor™ (Pronova Biocare, Lysaker, Norway), known as Lovaza™ (Glaxo Smith Kline, St Petersberg, FL, US) in North America is approved by the FDA as an adjunct to diet to reduce very high TG levels (≥500 mg•dL-1) in adults. Each 1-g capsule of ω-3-acid ethyl esters contains ethyl esters of EPA (0.465 g) and DHA (0.375g). Patients take a q.d. dose of 4-g or two 2-g doses (two capsules b.i.d.) [7]. Clinical trials have shown that administration of 4 g•day-1 of Lovaza™ results in a decrease in TG levels of 30-50%; does not affect the efficacy of statins [8,5]. In patients with combined HLP, co-administration of Lovaza™ with statins was a safe and effective means of lowering serum TG, despite the persistent high TG levels when the patients received statins alone [9,5].

The anti-inflammatory actions of marine ω-3 PUFAs are [10]: reduced leucocyte chemotaxis (via decreased production of some chemoattractants (e.g. leukotriene B4 down-regulated expression of receptors for chemoatttactants); reduced adhesion molecule expression and decreased leucocyte-endothelium interaction (via down-regulated expression of adhesion molecule genes [via the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) (i.e. peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-ɣ (PPAR-ɣ) etc.); decreased production of eicosanoids from arachidonic acid (AA) (via lowered membrane content of AA; inhibition of AA metabolism); decreased production of AA containing endocannabinoids (via lowered membrane content of AA); increased production of ‘weak’ eicosanoids from EPA (via increased membrane content of EPA); increased production of anti-inflammatory EPA and DHA containing endocannabinoids (via increased membrane content of EPA and DHA); increased production of pro-resolution resolvins and protectins (via increased membrane content of EPA and DHA); decreased production of inflammatory cytokines (via down-regulated expression of inflammatory cytokine genes (via NF-kB, i.e. PPAR-ɣ etc.); decreased T cell reactivity (via disruption of membrane rafts (via increased content of EPA and DHA in specific membrane regions).

Ω-3 PUFAs may decrease the risk of atherothrombosis by affecting platelet aggregation and haemostasis. The antithrombotic properties of EPA and DHA have been attributed to the incorporation into platelet phospholipids at the expense of the ω-6 PUFAs, such as AA. An important set of pathways clearly influenced by changes in the ω-3/ω-6 ratio are those for synthesis of eicosanoids. These include the cyclooxygenase (COX), lipoxygenase and cytochrome P450 epoxygenase pathways, for which EPA and DHA compete with AA as a substrate, inhibiting the production of the proaggregatory thromboxane A2 (TXA2) originating from AA. Indeed, the production of TXA2 from platelets stimulated by a variety of agonists decreased by between 60% and 80% after fatty acid supplementation both in vitro and in vivo [11,5]. The mechanism by which ω-3 PUFAs influence endothelial function is mediated by their incorporation into biological membrane phospholipids; this allows modulation of membrane composition and fluidity. The reason lies in the fact that endothelial cell membrane houses caveolae and lipid rafts where several receptors and signaling molecules crucial for cell function are concentrated [12]. Caveolae-associated receptormediated cellular signal transduction includes important pathways such as the, the nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate signaling pathway, the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase and tumor necrosis factor-α/ NF-kB induced COX-2 and prostaglandin E2 activation pathway. By modulating the composition of caveolae, as described for other classes of lipids ω-3 PUFAs may exert their beneficial effects, which include increased NO production and reduced production of proinflammatory mediators [13,12]. In addition to increasing NO production, ω-3 PUFAs decrease oxidative stress.

The incorporation of ω-3 PUFAs in synaptic membranes could potentially influence the autonomic control of the heart. Both nervous tissue and heart tissue have a high content of ω-3 PUFAs (especially DHA) and this may be consistent with the finding that this marine ω-3 PUFAs may modulate cardiac autonomic function as assessed by heart rate variability (HRV) [14]. Thus, ω-3 PUFAs may modulate HRV both at the level of the autonomic nervous system and the heart. Most of the data support that ω-3 PUFAs beneficially modulates cardiac autonomic control thereby possibly reducing the risk of arrhythmias. Accumulating evidence from in vivo and in vitro experiments has demonstrated that ω-3 PUFAs exert antiarrhythmic effects through modulation of myocyte electrophysiology. Ω-3 PUFAs reduce the activity of membrane Na+ channels in cardiomyocytes, thus increasing the threshold for membrane potential depolarization. EPA and DHA also modulate the activity of L-type Ca2+ channels, leading to a reduction in free cytosolic Ca2+ ion, which stabilizes myocyte electrical excitability to prevent fatal arrhythmia. EPA blocks the Na+/Ca2+ channel; however, a single amino-acid point mutation in this channel attenuated the inhibitory effect of EPA. These findings suggested that the cardioprotective effect of ω-3 PUFAs is mediated by direct interaction with membrane ion channels [15].

Ω-3 PUFAs intake has shown to reduce BP especially in HT by interacting with several mechanisms of BP regulation: reduction of stroke volume and heart rate; improvement of left ventricular (LV) diastolic filling; reduction of peripheral vascular resistances; improvement of endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vasodilation (stimulation of NO production; reduction of the asymmetric di-methyl-arginine; reduction of endothelin-1; relaxation of vascular smooth muscle cells; metabolic effects on perivascular adipocytes; endothelial regeneration. Mechanisms of HT-related organ damage protection: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antithrombotic effects; reduction of arterial stiffness; experimental effects on LV hypertrophy and abnormal gene expression; effects on atherosclerotic plaque progression and stability [7]. Ω-3 PUFAs offer a scientifically supported means of reducing arterial stiffness and this may account for some of the purported cardioprotective effects of ω-3 PUFAs [16,17].

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Conclusion

The antiarrhythmic effects of ω-3 PUFAs, which occur by blocking various ion channels, are encouraging. So, cardiovascular benefits of ω-3 PUFAs [7,18] are: antidysrhythmic effects (reduced sudden death; possible prevention of atrial fibrillation; possible protection against pathologic ventricular arrhythmias; improvement in HRV; antiatherogenic effects (reduction in non- HDL-C levels; reduction in TG and VLDL-C levels; reduction in chylomicrons; reduction in VLDL and chylomicron remnants; increase in HDL-C levels; plaque stabilization; antithrombotic effects (decreased platelet aggregation; improved blood rheologic flow); anti-inflammatory and endothelial protective effects (reduced endothelial adhesion molecules and decreased leukocyte adhesion receptor expression; reduction in proinflammatory eicosanoids and LT’s; vasodilation); decreased SBP and diastolic BP. Thus, further research to understand the mechanism of action and confirm the beneficially effect of ω-3 PUFAs on BP profile, artery stiffness and HRV parameters in patiens with MetS, T2DM is needed.

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[juniperpublishersoceanography]

Enhanced Awareness to Coastal Ecology: Protecting Endangered Species of the Bay of Bengal

Authored by:  Md Rony Golder

Abstract

This document outlines the importance of the coastal ecosystem, coastal resources, causes of species extinction, techniques to save the endangered species, governmental acts and policies, conservation trends and challenges in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has an extensive maritime boundary blessed with rich coastal and marine ecosystems. Coastal ecosystems have supported human communities for centuries by providing excellent services and influencing human well-being. As the human population of Bangladesh continues to grow, more fish, marine resources and other wildlife species have been put at risk by the loss and fragmentation of critical habitats, climate change, the introduction of non-native species and other environmental factors. Population increases the acceleration of the process of extinction of various marine resources. Out of 57 marine animals, 15 bony fish, 34 cartilaginous fish, five reptiles and three mammals (dolphin and porpoise) are found in the Bay of Bengal under different threatened categories prescribed by IUCN. The government of Bangladesh is aware of the species extinction and has adopted several laws and acts to conserve coastal and marine biodiversity. The success of conservation actions is highly dependent on various stakeholders such as governments, communities, the private sector, and academics. Differences in the interest of these stakeholders often lead to the failure of conservation programs. However, existing comprehensive actions, legislation and improved coordination among government, community, private sector, and academics will be improved significantly to overcome the upcoming conservation challenge.

Keywords: Coastal Ecosystem; Conservation; Endangered species; Extinction; Bay of Bengal

Abbreviations: DD: Data Deficient; NT: Near Threatened; VU: Vulnerable; EN: Endangered; CR: Critically Endangered; CITES: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; CMS: Convention on Migratory Species; MoUs: Memorandums of Understanding; IOSEA: Indian Ocean-South-East Asia; MPAs: Marine Protected Areas

Introduction

Concept of coastal ecology and ecosystem

Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment; it seeks to understand the vital relationships between plants and animals and the world around them [1]. According to the definition provided by Margalef [2], ‘Ecology is the study of systems at the level in which individuals or whole organisms can be considered as elements of interaction, either among themselves or with a loosely organized environmental matrix. Systems at this level are called ecosystems, and ecology is the biology of ecosystems’. In general, ecology is the study of the relation of organisms or groups to each other and their environment [3]. Coastal ecology is a branch of ecology that deals with the diversity of life and the organization of various forms of habitats, from terrestrial (middle) to aquatic ecosystems. It provides information about the benefits of ecosystems and how we can use these diverse resources in ways that leave the environment healthy for future generations.

Coastal ecosystems services and human well-being

Coastal ecosystems have supported human communities for decades, and the performance of coastal services depends on the interrelation between human social and ecological systems [4]. Conservation planners and policymakers use the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment frame to conceptualize ecosystem services to assess the benefit. Ecosystem Services are the benefits that people obtain from the ecosystems. These include

a) provisioning services such as fish, shellfish and seaweed for food, mangroves timber, algae, minerals, and health products

b) regulating services such as coastal protection, prevention of erosion, water purification and carbon storage

c) cultural services such as recreation, beauty, as well as spiritual, intellectual, and cultural benefits.

d) support services such as habitat provision, nutrient cycling, primary productivity, soil formation etc. [5,6].

Changes in ecosystem services influence human well-being in a variety of ways. Normally, human well-being is supposed to have multiple constituents. These include

a) basic materials for good life, such as secure and adequate livelihoods, sufficient nutritious food, shelter, clothing, and access to goods

b) health, including feeling well and having a healthy physical environment, such as clean air and access to clean water

c) good social relations, including social cohesion, mutual respect, and the ability to help others

d) security, including secure access to natural and other resources, personal safety, and security from natural and humanmade disasters

e) freedom of choice and action, including the opportunity to be able to achieve what individual values being and doing (Figure 1) [5].

 Coastal Zone of the Bay of Bengal (BoB)

Coastal zone of Bangladesh is dominated by the Ganges Brahmaputra Meghna (GBM) river system and the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh has a vast coastal zone covering an area of 47,201 km2, 32% of the country, being the landmass of 19 districts [7]. Over 35 million people of Bangladesh, representing 30% of the population, live in the coastal zone [7]. Depending on geographic features, the coastal zone of Bangladesh has been divided into three parts

a) The eastern zone

b) The central zone

c) The Western zone

The coastline is approximately 714 km long, composed of the interface of various ecological and economic systems. This includes mangroves (the world’s largest mangrove forest covering 6,017 km2), tidal flat, estuaries, seagrass, about 70 islands, accreted land, beaches, a peninsula, and rural areas settlements, urban and industrial areas, and ports [8].

Living and non-living resources in Bangladesh coast

The Bay of Bengal is enriched with rich coastal and marine ecosystems, hosting a wide range of biodiversity, such as fishes, shrimps, molluscs, crabs, mammals, seaweeds, etc. (Table 1). Around 511 marine species, together with shrimps, exist within Bangladeshi waters [9]. The non-living resources in the Bay of Bengal include hydrocarbon deposits in the offshore areas such as gas fields – 26, heavy mineral – 17, and alternative power sources e.g., wind, wave and tidal force [10]. The potential of the coastal fisheries sector has not been rationally harvested. But the resources were overexploited, and as a result, fish stocks decreased [11].

Deterioration of coastal ecosystem – global perspective

Coastal ecosystems are some of the most globally used and endangered native systems. Human activities deteriorate this system at an increasing rate of 50% of salt marshes, 35% of mangroves, 30% of coral reefs, and 29% of seagrasses, leading to affecting at least three critical ecosystem services: the number of viable (non-collapsed) fisheries (33% decline); the provision of nursery habitats such as oyster reefs, seagrass beds, and wetlands (69% decline); and filtering and purification services provided by suspension feeders, submerged vegetation, and wetlands (63% decline) [12].

    IUCN Red List Categories

In 1994, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) illustrated the most well-known approaches to declining species. The approach contains explicit criteria and categories to categorize the conservation status of individual species based on their probability of extinction. This science-based species classification with assessment is published as the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, more commonly introduced as the IUCN Red List (Figure 2). Three of the categories are Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), and Vulnerable (VU) marked as “threatened.” IUCN defines the CR species as those with an extremely high risk of extinction due to the rapid population declines of 80 to more than 90 percent over the previous 10 years (or three generations) [13]. EN species that retain a severe risk of extinction due to high population declines of 50 to more than 70 percent over the previous 10 years (or three generations). And the VU contains those species that possess a very high risk of extinction as a result of rapid population declines of 30 to more than 50 percent over the previous 10 years (or three generations), a current population size of fewer than 1,000 individuals, or other factors [13].

Endangered species in the BoB

According to IUCN RedList, a total of 57 marine animals of which 15 bony fish (mainly grouper, tuna and seahorse), 34 cartilaginous fish (sharks, rays, guitarfish and sawfish), 5 reptiles (turtle) and 3 mammals (dolphin and porpoise) are found in the Bay of Bengal under different threatened categories. Among the bony fishes, three are data deficient (DD), one is near threatened (NT), eight are vulnerable (VU) and three are endangered (EN). Among the sharks and rays, nineteen are vulnerable (VU), nine are endangered (EN) and six are critically endangered (CR). Three vulnerable (VU), one endangered (EN) and one critically endangered (CR) turtle are found in the Bay of Bengal along with two vulnerable (VU) and one endangered (EN) mammal (Table 2) [14].

Recently, another finding was reported on the conservation status of major marine megafauna in the Bay of Bengel by Begum et al. [15]. They considered 78 megafauna species belonging to different groups, 4 species of whales, 8 species of dolphins, 28 species of sharks, 31 species of skates and rays, and 7 species of marine turtles in the Bay of Bengal. The findings are summarized in the following Table 3.

*Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), Vulnerable (VU), Near Threatened (NT), Least Concern (LC), Data Deficient (DD), Not Evaluated (NE), Lower Risk (LR).

    Causes of Endangerment

The extinction of an organism is influenced by two factors, namely internal and external factors [16].

Internal factors

High trophic level/size of the animals

Larger species typically have lower population densities and are more visible to predators, including humans [17]. The predator will receive a higher reward for the same amount of work. Because of this, these larger animals are more vulnerable than smaller ones, which could result in greater future losses than estimated [18].

Reproduction

The population size of an organism depends on its rate of reproduction. Low reproduction rates and the capacity for fewer offspring will make a species more susceptible to extinction. On the other hand, if the population size is small, there is a greater chance that organisms will perish [18].

Endemic species/ small geographical range size

Endemic organisms exist only in one geographic area. These species are easy prey to predators with limited range area and have a higher vulnerability of extinction [19].

Migratory species

Long-distance migrants are known to have severe population reductions because they are frequently exposed to a variety of challenges throughout their range. In the world, 21% of maritime migratory species are considered to be either critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable [20].

External factors

Climate change and habiat loss

Climate change caused by global warming change the distribution and abundance of organisms. For example, high temperature reduces the physiological tolerance activity that is the cause of extinction related to climate change. Study predicted that approximately 15–37% of terrestrial species will be ‘committed to extinction’ due to climate-warming scenarios for 2050 [21]. Besides, habitat loss is important cause for organism extinction [22]. For example, it has been reported declining of reptile species in global scale due to several factors including habitat loss [23].

Exploitation, bycatch, invasive species and poaching

Over exploitation accelerates the loss of the entire population, causing the extermination [18]. Bycatch death caused by illgall fishing nets poses a serious threat to the preservation of endangered species [24]. It harms around 5% of total population size of ceatcean species per year. On the other hand, invasive species expand quickly, multiply, and damage the ecology. Invasive species pose a concern because they increase competition for resources like food and space, making organisms more vulnerable to critically endangered (Clavero and García-Berthou, 2005).

Human population density

Increased population immediately increases food needs, and those needs are heavily reliant on natural resources. Fish species may become extinct more likely as a result of the increased demand for natural resources brought on by population growth (population pressure) [25].

Other threats (pollution, and disease, wildlife trade)

Water contamination will have a huge negative impact on the population, eventually causing extinction [26]. Wildlife trade of live animals, meat, bones, or another part of the organisms have high economic value [27]. Trading in marine organisms has increased with people’s interest in ornamental organisms and will increase the vulnerability to extinction.

    Techniques to Save Endangered Species

Community awareness & media coverage

Increasing community awareness of the strategy’s national, regional and global importance needs to be started early on to save endangered species. These include media coverage, campaigning, handbill for saving the endangered species etc.

Conserve habitats

Wild animals must have a place to find food and shelter to raise themselves. Consumption of trees, oil and gas, overfeeding and development are causing damage to the environment. The habitat of endangered species should be secured and these impacts should be reduced.

Make space for wildlife

Creating wilderness areas to host wildlife adds an extra element of nature to the landscape and helps support the environment by providing a safe place for animals to visit.

Recycle, reduce and reuse

Recycling and purchasing eco-friendly goods can greatly benefit our aquatic ecosystem’s animal inhabitants. We should be aware of the effects of every product and refrain from buying anything that uses resources or items derived from threatened species.

Collaboration with organizations

Many different organizations, such as IUCN, WCS etc., are working to protect and conserve endangered species and their habitats. It is time to join any organization that suits your interests voluntarily, find a local chapter, and be the change we want to see in the world.

Development of relevant science

Researchers play a major role in determining environmental policy for the govt and other responsible bodies. In this regard, scientists have to conduct much more research on finding the gap in conserving the species by mentioning their threats and challenges by developing new science such as conservation science and biology [16].

Acts Rules and Policies

Bangladesh has adopted several laws and acts to protect the coastal, estuarine and marine biodiversity. The Constitution of Bangladesh inserted a new article 18A stated that guarantees to safeguard the natural habitats, biodiversity, wetlands, and wildlife in the fifteenth amendment in 2011 [28]. The existing acts include The Bangladesh Biodiversity Act 2017 (Act No. II) regulates biodiversity assessment and conservation through management committees [29]. Protection and Conservation of Fish Act (1950) and has provision for the establishment of sanctuaries, The Marine Fisheries Act 2020 also has a reassuring provision for establishing a marine reserve in the water body in Bangladesh. Some other acts such as The Wildlife (Conservation and Security) Act (2012), and Bangladesh Biodiversity Act (2017) also provide obligations for coastal and marine conservation, especially to protect endangered species [30].

Rules conserving marine fishes in Bangladesh

Several conservation strategies have already been developed in Bangladesh to save marine fishes in the BoB under different rules and acts. For example, five sanctuaries have been established to protect the single largest hilsha fishery from recruitment overfishing and growth overfishing [31]. Besides, the Department of Fisheries declared a 65-days ban period (20th May to 23rd July) on fishing for trawl fishing and shrimp harvest in the Bay of Bengal. To provide a safe breeding ground for these fish species, the marine reserve has been declared at four different areas covering 204 square nautical miles of the fishing ground of the south patches and the middle ground [32]. The department of Fisheries introduced a countrywide ban on catching, carrying, and selling juvenile hilsha (<25cm) from November to June every year. During the peak breeding season of hilsha in October, a ban of 22 days on the catching of brood hilsha exists [33]. However, these regulatory options mostly concern fisheries control [34]. Being a host to a major cetacean habitat, Bangladesh declared its first marine protected area (Swatch-of-No-Ground MPA covering an area of 1738 km2), for the conservation of some species of dolphins, porpoises, whales and sharks. In 2019, the government declared another 3188 km2 area around the Nijuhm Dwip Island as the second MPA of the country [30].

Turtle conservation strategy in Bangladesh

Bay of Bengal has become a death trap for sea turtles because around 5,000 mother turtles have died in the last year because of these illegal nets [35] They are Mostly available in St. Martin’s, Sonadia, Maheskhali island and Sundarbans. The existing Wildlife (preservation and safety) Act 2012 ban turtle collection in St Martins and Shahporir island. To restore turtle species, different conservation programmes on sea turtles (including establishing a beach hatchery) on St.Martin’s Island in the Bay of Bengal [36]. During the last several months, over 30,000 olive ridley sea turtle hatchlings have been released into the wild from safe beach enclosures and natural nesting sites on the entire Cox’s Bazaar coast, from St Martin’s to Kutubdia islands [37]. Three turtles of Bangladesh have significant nesting grounds within the beaches (Table 4). Although Bangladesh is a signatory of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the turtles are still accidentally and randomly being killed. Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), there are 3 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) targeting marine species: Marine Turtles, Dugong, and Marine Sharks Indian Ocean-South-East Asia Marine Turtle Memorandum of Understanding (IOSEA) Marine Turtle Site Network is awaiting the nomination of sites [38].

Dolphin conservation strategy in Bangladesh

To conserve dolphins, the Govt of Bangladesh has a dolphin conservation action plan for 2020-2030. This action plan includes two major threats to dolphins and their habitats (e.g., Reducing dolphin killing in rivers and coastal waters of Bangladesh and Ensuring the protection of existing dolphin habitats of Bangladesh). All actions identified under these threat categories evolved around four major themes

a) research on the population, ecology and habitats of dolphins

b) investigations on social dimensions of aquatic resource harvest and illegal killing of dolphins by local communities

c) engagement of local communities with the management of dolphins and their habitats

d) enforcement and advocacy for the protection of dolphins at local and regional levels [39]

The GoB has declared six sanctuaries to protect dolphins. Among them, three wildlife sanctuaries (WS) within the Bangladesh Sundarbans (Chandpai, 560 ha; Dudhmukhi, 170 ha; Dhangmari, 340 ha) were established in 2012 for the protection of freshwater dolphins [40] and the rest three WS established outside of the Bangladesh Sundarbans include the Silonda- Nagderma WS at Boral River (24.17 ha), Nagarbari-Mohonganj WS at Jamuna River (408.11 ha) and Nazirgonj WS at Padma River (146 ha) [39].

Sharks & Rays conservation in Bangladesh

Bangladesh signed the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1981 and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) in 2005 to protect shark and ray fishes. According to this, the government must monitor legal trade and combat the criminal traffic in wildlife, including sharks and rays, even though the country still exports 2000 tons of dried shark fins yearly. To protect shark and ray fish, the GoB updated the list of species and species groups under the “Wild Life Conservation Act 2012” in October 2021, which ensures that eight genera and 23 species of shark and ray fish are strictly protected, while one genus and 29 species are permitted to be sustainably exploited, consumed, and traded [41]. The Ministry of the Environment, Forests, and Climate Change is working assiduously to implement our country’s strong commitment to international accords for wildlife conservation [42].

Challenges on Conserving of Endangered Species

Data scarcity and difficulty in collecting data

In 2015, approximately 17% of the evaluated species were assessed as Data Deficient reported by the national committee of updating Redlist of Bangladesh because there aren’t enough supporting materials, books, or field reports [43]. This deficiency of data is a major concern since the data are needed for species threat assessments [44]. Besides, there is a lack of coordination in data sharing and a lack of tracking and investigating equipment in the data collection for the conservation of endangered species. There is also a shortage of sustainable funding for the preservation of red-listed species in Bangladesh.

Conservation Vs livelihood

Conservation and livelihood are two potentially conflicting ideas that must be reconciled in practice to ensure conservation success [45]. Bangladesh’s population is increasing daily with increasing economic activity evidenced by rising standards of living [46]. Rapid human activity has led to widespread conversion of natural habitats, the spread of exotic invasive species, pollution, climate change, and overharvesting of the resources. The combined effect of these impacts and economic expansion will further increase the risks to biodiversity [47]. So, resolving the conflicts between livelihood and conservation is a great challenge.

Rapid development of the private sector with various activities

Rapid expansion of the private sector with different activities has led to changes or habitat destruction at an alarming rate [48]. For example, huge illegal private infrastructure (buildings and hotels), unplanned tourism development, etc., cause coastal area reclamation in Cox’s Bazar and Saint Martin Island [49]. Now, it is time to take action to increase global awareness and global policy and strategy to reduce pressure on the environment and the habitat of endangered species.

Law enforcement

The government of Bangladesh has provided various regulations related to the environment, but enforcement of these laws is very poor. Poachers and illegal wildlife traders are connected with political persons and frequently violate these laws. On the other hand, the DG of the Department of Environment has been given a wide range of power without any liability and scrutiny [50]. As a result, the court has no power to take action without prior written permission from DoE or the concerned authority. In addition, most people don’t have full knowledge of these laws and so why they are violating them continuously. The interrelationship between the various concerned authorities is not so strong. As a result, it creates a haphazard situation.

Quality of Marine Protected Area (MPA)

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) play a significant role in preserving marine organisms [51]. Effective MPAs can protect species diversity by restoring degraded habitats and bringing economic benefits [30]. Therefore, developing a lot of MPA with an area sufficient to function optimally is crucial. But it should be kept in mind that, MPA in large numbers become meaningless if the MPA lacks good quality. For example, Bangladesh declared two MPAs in the Bay of Bengal and the area around Nijuhm Dwip Island covering only 2.8% of its EEZ [30]. However, the Southeast coastal zone of Bangladesh needs to be declared a new MPA due to its wide range of species diversity from primary producers to top predators. Therefore, it needs skillful human resources, facilities and funding, and suitable regulations that are yet to be seen by The Department of Forest [52].

Genetic biodiversity of endangered species

Understanding endangered species’ diversity and genetic structure are fundamental to engaging in effective environmental conservation and management actions [53]. The most important genetic challenge in managing threatened species is conservation biology’s genetic issues [54]. Many species in Bangladesh are currently experiencing serious genetic destruction (inbreeding and loss of genetic diversity). Unfortunately, complete inventories and information about these species are typically inadequate

[55,56]. Optimistically, the Bangladeshi government is well aware of this and has been preparing to deal with this situation for many years [43].

To Know More About Oceanography & Fisheries Open Access Journal Please click on: https://juniperpublishers.com/ofoaj/index.php

For more Open Access Journals in Juniper Publishers please click on: https://juniperpublishers.com/index.php

#Juniper Publishers #Open access Journals #peer review journals #Juniper publisher reviews #Fisheries journals

[casestudies-crimson]

External Jugular Vein Terminates in Cephalic Vein, an Anatomical Variation During Neck Dissection & its Clinical Impact_Crimson Publishers

Abstract

Background: Measles remains one of the leading causes of death among children around the world. Encephalitis is the most serious complication of measles virus infection.

Case presentation: We report two measles-induced encephalitis who was admitted to to Kyiv City Pediatric Infectious Clinical Hospital. One patient had postinfectious variant of measles encephalitis that occurred 6 days after primary measles infection onset. Disease had benign course with substantial improvement during hospital stay. Another patient presented with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Neurological symptoms started 10 years after measles infection. Disease characterized by progredient course and unfavorable outcome.

Conclusion: Measles encephalitis is rare but serious and often deadliest complication. It should be considered in differential diagnostic of CNS infection among pediatric patients. Keywords: Measles, Encephalitis, Children

Read More About this Article: https://crimsonpublishers.com/aics/fulltext/AICS.000534.php

Read More Crimson Publishers Google Scholar Articles: https://crimsonpublishers.com/aics/

#AICS #advancements in case studies #Peer Reviewed Journal of AICS #open access journals case studies #peer review journals #Crimson Publishers Google Scholar #crimson publishers

[probablyasocialecologist]

More than 40 leading scientists have resigned en masse from the editorial board of a top science journal in protest at what they describe as the “greed” of publishing giant Elsevier.

The entire academic board of the journal Neuroimage, including professors from Oxford University, King’s College London and Cardiff University resigned after Elsevier refused to reduce publication charges.

Academics around the world have applauded what many hope is the start of a rebellion against the huge profit margins in academic publishing, which outstrip those made by Apple, Google and Amazon.

Neuroimage, the leading publication globally for brain-imaging research, is one of many journals that are now “open access” rather than sitting behind a subscription paywall. But its charges to authors reflect its prestige, and academics now pay over £2,700 for a research paper to be published. The former editors say this is “unethical” and bears no relation to the costs involved.

Professor Chris Chambers, head of brain stimulation at Cardiff University and one of the resigning team, said: “Elsevier preys on the academic community, claiming huge profits while adding little value to science.”

He has urged fellow scientists to turn their backs on the Elsevier journal and submit papers to a nonprofit open-access journal which the team is setting up instead.

He told the Observer: “All Elsevier cares about is money and this will cost them a lot of money. They just got too greedy. The academic community can withdraw our consent to be exploited at any time. That time is now.”

Elsevier, a Dutch company that claims to publish 25% of the world’s scientific papers, reported a 10% increase in its revenue to £2.9bn last year. But it’s the profit margins, nearing 40%, according to its 2019 accounts, which anger academics most. The big scientific publishers keep costs low because academics write up their research – typically funded by charities and the public purse – for free. They “peer review” each other’s work to verify it is worth publishing for free, and academic editors collate it for free or for a small stipend. Academics are then often charged thousands of pounds to have their work published in open-access journals, or universities will pay very high subscription charges.

#science #peer review #Elsevier #science journal #information

[marthashlyn]

An Electromagnetic field of glitter comes with my presence. That is how we all will really sense The Almighty’s presence around our bodies & feel the animation of the room we are in together.

✨💚⛑✨

#mindbodyspirit #www #positivity #holistic health wellness #awareness #habd #hrrr #self love #loveyourself #JourneywithFlipJG #peer review journals #New Genesis #VHTBFLChic✨

[spacecowboycunt]

yall gotta start qualifying your thoughts with some sort of admission of subjectivity, i feel like every post i see is some declaration of subjective opinion stated like its a fact and its making me deranged

#maybe its just my education #but teachers often told us not to say I Feel or I Think #but you know what? its totally okay to say that cos its a quick way to qualify that the following statement is opinion not Universal Truth #personalig #girlies hit 2k on here or youtube and present their OPeds like investigative journalism or peer reviewed research

[etchif]

Interesting things are going on in the paleoanthropology community

#being able to publish papers in a journal BEFORE they've been peer reviewed is crazy

[squareallworthy]

🔥 cooking

It took me a while to answer this, because I have pretty conventional opinions about cooking, but here's what I've got: you sometimes hear people say that cooking is an art, but baking is a science. Meaning that with cooking, you can just wing it, double the amount of ginger or substitute a different kind of stock, and everything will be fine, but for baking you have to follow the recipe exactly as written.

But I think this is wrong. Because baking is a science, you have to change things. You have to alter the recipe, because conditions in your kitchen will not be exactly like conditions in someone else's kitchen. Your oven will heat and circulate air differently, your flour will have a different moisture content, your pans will have a different size and shape. These things will affect how your baked goods turn out, and you absolutely have to tweak recipes and techniques to make things work.

So if your bread does not turn out just like the bread in the cookbook, don't think that you are a failure because you tried to do things exactly as written and it didn't work. Look at what you've got, think about to move it in the direction you want, and try out an adjustment. Document what you're doing, and if it looks good, keep doing that. If not, try something else. In science, you're supposed to experiment.

#and then publish your results in a peer-reviewed journal #gotta get that citation count up

[shameboree]

“ive never had a hyperfixation ever in my life” i say having been neurotically obsessed w prions and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies since i was actually for real 6 years old. i think about protein misfolding once a day at MINIMUM. blorbos come and go but prions are Literally forever

#if you havent been fixated on a misfolded protein that misfolds other proteins Unstoppably and can only be destroyed at 900 fahrenheit DNI #ITS JUST A FUCKED LITTLE PROTEIN!! THAT ONE LITTLE GUY CAN RUIN ALL THE OTHER NORMAL GUYS!! THEN YOU DIE!!!!!!!!!! #i have one(1) passion and its prions. sometimes ppl are foolish enough to trigger my Special Interest and then listen to me talk about it #stuck there for 45min as i soapbox on the UK government+capitalism being Directly Responsibly for scrapie jumping multiple species barriers #creating multiple completely new Invariably Fatal diseases in several animals and then humans that shouldve never existed #had a pt recently w a metabolic protein misfolding disorder and its tse adjacent so its ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT #i think i trapped my Entire Family for like 2hrs one xmas talking abt this before they had enough of me #how passionate about a thing are u if you havent missed your bus stop by 15min reading studies in peer reviewed scientific journals #just checked my hr its jacked up to the 110s I LOVE PRIONS!! SCARIEST SHIT ON THIS PLANET!!!!!! #kels talks #a special look into my brain i hope you have all enjoyed

[frevandrest]

do you know any resources for queer studies of frev?

Unfortunately, no. (As in, a specific queer approach to frev/full studies, not just mentions). There was supposed to be a study years back from Unspeakable Vice, but I don't think it ever materialized (?)

There are some articles/book chapters that I found over the years. I wouldn't call many (most?) of them specifically queer studies approach, but there is a talk about same-sex relationships during frev/late 18th century France. Some talk about legal stuff, like the penal code of 1791 that legitimized same-sex stuff on a technicality. Things like that. There is also some stuff about Marie Antoinette (slander pamphlets), but it's more about propaganda and not queer studies.

For example:

Sodomy Laws in France: How The 1791 French Penal Code Decriminalized Sodomy Without The Will of The People Homosexuality in Modern France

Please note that I mainly know of these articles; I didn't go through them all so I can't say how they speak about the subject or what the stance they take.

Also, I mainly know English-language sources, which are generally not the best for frev. But I am not sure what was written about it in French.

@sieclesetcieux will know more about this topic!

#ask #frev #queer history #and yes in the interest of transparency i must say that one of the articles is by olivier blanc himself #published in a legit journal though #it's the one where he talks about hérault taking male lovers #based on a slander book where they talked about hérault's antiphysical passions #but i assume the text passed at least some peer review #i wouldn't call it a queer studies approach tho - he simply lists who was slandered for sodomy etc.

[altarwaiting]

sorry for not having perfect options for a tumblr dot com poll I wrote in like 30 seconds it will absolutely happen again

#personal #like this isn't a peer reviewed journal pls let me LIVEm

[juniperpublishers-crdoj]

Anti-hyperglycemic Effect and Regulation of Carbohydrate Metabolism by Phenolic Antioxidants of Medicinal Plants against Diabetes

Authored by HP Gajera

Introduction

Background

Diabetes mellitus is a carbohydrate metabolism disorder of endocrine system due to an absolute or relative deficiency of insulin secretion, action, or both [1]. The disorder affects more than 100 million people worldwide and it is predicted to reach 366 million by 2030. The non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM, type 2) is the most prevalent form globally which is associated with elevated postprandial hyperglycemia. The occurrence of NIDDM 2 has been shown an alarming increase during the last decade (http//www.who.Int/diabetes/en/).

Plant derivatives with reported hypoglycaemic properties have been used in folk medicine and traditional healing systems. Very few of these traditional antidiabetic plants have received proper scientific or medical scrutiny despite recommendations by WHO. Ayurveda and other Indian traditional approaches have described more than 800 plants in the Indian subcontinent, known to possess antidiabetic potentials. These require to be effectively studied and in fact only few of them have been characterized for their mechanistic action [2,3]. Pancreatic α-amylase, is a key enzyme in the digestive system and catalyses the initial step in hydrolysis of starch to maltose and finally to glucose. Degradation of this dietary starch proceeds rapidly and leads to elevated post prandial hyperglycemia. It has been shown that activity of HPA in the small intestine correlates to an increase in post-prandial glucose levels, the control of an important aspect in treatment of diabetes [4]. Hence, retardation of starch digestion by inhibition of enzymes such as α- amylase would play a key role in the control of diabetes.

The discovery of specific high-affinity inhibitors of pancreatic α-amylase for the development of therapeutics has remained elusive. Inhibitors currently in clinical, use for example, acarbose, miglitol, and voglibose, are known to inhibit a wide range of glycosidases such as α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Because of their non specificity in targeting different glycosidases, these hypoglycemic agents have their limitations and are known to produce serious side effects. Therefore, the search for more safer, specific, and effective hypoglycemic agents has continued to be an important area of investigation with natural extracts from readily available traditional medicinal plants offering great potential for discovery of new antidiabetic drugs [5]. Ponnusamy et al. [6] studied on antidiabetic medicinal plants for human pancreatic amylase inhibitory effect in vitro and found that pancreatic α-amylase lower the levels of post perandial hyperglycemia via control of starch breakdown. The probable mechanism of action of the above fractions is due to their inhibitory action on HPA, thereby reducing the rate of starch hydrolysis leading to lowered glucose levels. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, proteins, tannins, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, saponins and steroids as probable inhibitory compounds.

Anti-hyperglycemic effect of natural phenolic antioxidants

Advanced molecular studies showed that methanol extract of black jamun plant modulate the expression of glucose transporter (Glut-4), peroxisome proliferator activator receptor gamma (PPARγ) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3 kinase) comparable with insulin and rosiglitazone [7]. Evaluation of black jamun containing antidiabetic poly herbal formulation in alloxan induced diabetic rats also showed significant hypoglycemic activity, positive glucose tolerance activity and reduced lipid peroxidation in various organs compared to that of the diabetic control animals [8]. Meshram et al. [9] studied on hypoglycaemic action of black jamun seeds. The possible mechanism by which extracts bring about its may be by affecting the activity of glucoamylase or by increasing the glycogen biosynthesis. Thus, the significant inhibition of glucoamylase suggests that the active hypoglycaemic compound present in methanolic extracts of jamun seeds does not necessarily require the presence of functioning of β-cells for its favourable action seen in type-I. It means the methanol extracts of black jamun seeds may act in a variety of diabetic conditions with or without functioning of pancreatic β-cells.

Hasan et al. [10] studied DPPH radical scavenging activity of black jamun seed extracted in methanol. It has been determined that the antioxidant effect of plant products is mainly due to radical scavenging activity of phenolic compounds such as flavonoids, polyphenols, tannins, and phenolic terpenes [11]. Liang & Yi [12] identified hydrolysable tannins (ellagitannins) extracted from black jamun fruit showed a very good DPPH radical scavenging activity and ferric reducing/antioxidant power. The results are promising and indicating the utilization of the fruit of black jamun as a significant source of natural antioxidants.

Stanely et al. [13] evaluated the protective effects of gallic acid on brain lipid peroxidation products, antioxidant system, and lipids in streptozotocin induced type II diabetes mellitus. The results showed the beneficial effects of gallic acid on brain metabolism in streptozotocin induced type II diabetic rats. A diet containing gallic acid may be beneficial to type II diabetic patients. Meguro et al. [14] investigated the effects of continuous ingestion of a catechin rich beverage in patients with type 2 diabetes. The significant increase in insulin level was observed to patients fed with green tea containing the catechin. Rizvi et al. [15] evaluated the effect of tea catechins (epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epicatechin (EC)) on markers of oxidative stress in erythrocytes from type 2 diabetics. The relative effectiveness of individual catechins are in the order of EGCG>ECG>EGC>EC. Higher intake of catechin rich food by diabetic patients may provide some protection against the development of long term complications of diabetes. Chlorogenic acid is a major component of coffee that may provide more of an explanation for coffee’s effect on risk for type 2 diabetes. Chlorogenic acid proposed beneficial effects on glucose metabolism. The chlorogenic acid may delay glucose absorption in the intestine through inhibition of glucose-6-phosphate translocase 1 and reduction of the sodium gradient driven apical glucose transport. In vitro studies and animal studies showed that chlorogenic acid derivates can be decreased hepatic glucose output through inhibition of glucose- 6-phospatase [16].

Jung et al. [17] investigated the blood glucose lowering effect and antioxidant capacity of caffeic acid in mice. Caffeic acid induced a significant reduction of the blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels than the control group. Increased plasma insulin by caffeic acid was attributable to an antidegenerative effect on the islets. Caffeic acid also markedly increased glucokinase activity and its mRNA expression and glycogen content and simultaneously lowered glucose-6- phosphatase and phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase activities and their respective mRNA expressions, accompanied by a reduction in the glucose transporter 2 expression in the liver. Zhi et al. [18] investigated the antioxidant activity of black jamun leaf extracts. Leaf extracts contained phenolic compounds, such as ferulic acid and catechin, responsible for their antioxidant activity.

Diabetes, when uncontrolled, causes dyslipidemia often followed by atherogenic abnormalities. Balasubashini [19] examined role of ferulic acid (flavonoid) in diabetes induced dyslipidemia. Study demonstrates that ferulic acid lowers the lipid levels in diabetic rats and hence prevents further complications. It has been documented that ferulic acid may lower blood sugar level of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic mice by enhancing insulin secretion [20]. Diabetic mice was given rice derived ferulic acid for 17 days and results showed that plasma insulin level increased while blood sugar level decreased significantly compared with control [21]. Ferulic acid may be beneficial in Type 2 diabetic and for the management of diabetic complications. Hussain et al. [22] indicated that quercetin can decrease postprandial glucose level after disaccharides loading, which may be mainly attributed to inhibition of α-glucosidase as one of the expected mechanisms for the reduction of plasma glucose. This effect subsequently leads to suppression of postprandial hyperglycemia. Thus, quercetin can be considered as a potential candidate for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Medicines that reduce postprandial hyperglycemia by suppressing the absorption of carbohydrates are shown to be effective for prevention and treatment of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [23]. Quercetin inhibited in vitro the intestinal α-glucosidase activity [24]. It has been also assumed that quercetin activates tyrosine kinase. Phosphorylation of the specific region of the subunit in insulin receptor (including Tyr- 1158, Tyr-1161 and Tyr-1162) correlates with receptor tyrosine kinase activation and the propagation of the biological actions of the hormone [25].

Correlations between antidiabetic, antiradical and phenolic compounds

Our previous study Gajera et al. [26,27] suggested that antidiabetic activity of fruit parts of black jamun landraces was positively correlated with free radical scavenging activity, nutraceuticals profile and individual phenolic constituents. Total phenols and individual phenolics are positively correlated with antidiabetic and antiradical activities but vary with different level of significances. Individual phenolics - gallic, catechin, ellagic and ferulic acids are highly positively correlated (P0.001) with antidiabetic and free radical scavenging activity. The positive correlation (P0.01) was established for caffeic and chlorogenic acids to scavenge free radicals and α amylase inhibitory activity (antidiabetic) for methanolic extract of black jamun fruit parts. The quercetin was found only in seed and its part kernel fraction of BJLR-6 (very small size fruits) and found to be positively correlated (P0.05) with antidiabetic activity. Among the fruit parts of black jamun land races, seed exhibited maximum seven individual phenolics and total phenols, particularly in their kernel parts. Among the individual phenolics, gallic acid was most diverse phenolic constituents which significantly positively correlated (P0.001) with inhibition of α amylase activity and DPPH radical scavengers followed by catechin, ellagic and ferulic acids in different fruit parts of black jamun land races. The study explained correlation of individual phenolics including flavonoids (ferulic) with α amylase inhibition and free radical scavenging activities in fruit parts of indigenous black jamun landraces.

Muniappan et al. [28] reviewed the black jamun as an antidiabetic plant which contained ellagic acid, glycosides, anthocynine, kampferol, marcein and isoquarcetine; and halt the diastolic conversation of starch into sugar. The phenolic constituents may be contributed directly to the antioxidative action. Consequently, the antioxidant activities of plant/ herb extracts are often explained by their total phenolics and flavonoid contents with good correlation.

To Know More About Current Research in Diabetes & Obesity Journal  Please click on: https://juniperpublishers.com/crdoj/index.php

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#Juniper Publishers #open access journals #peer review journals #Diabetes #obesity

[crowley1990]

Having now watched hbomberguy and Todd in the shadows videos about Somerton I think the conclusion we can draw is for audiences to stop treating YouTube video essays like they’re documentaries and more like they’re undergraduate essays in video format! Some are good and well researched but most are so so bad and lazy and filled with errors, plagiarism and written by people who don’t know what they’re doing. And even when they’re mostly correct and are a fairly account synthesis of other people’s research, they almost never have any primary research or original analysis as part of it. So you know, stop treating them like they’re a well written factual documentary.

#I don’t even have a lot of respect for documentaries either because they can be misleading too #There’s very few realms where there is a strong culture of creating accurate and informed content #Like books can be decent but it still depends on the writer/editor/publisher. I know some historical non fiction books that are lies. #Academic journals and papers are probably the last bastion? Even some of that stuff is bullshit but still. It’s a peer reviewed system #And has a strong culture of being accurate and not plagiarising

[qqueenofhades]

I have academic database access again 🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌

#hilary for ts #school stuff #listen i realize this is Extremely nerdy but #i have been Suffering without an active university credential #and have gotten very creative #but yes praise glory and mercy be i can READ STUFF AGAIN #and might also lose my entire mind and submit another journal article for peer review #why would i do that when i am grumbling and mumbling over having to do the last one? #who knows #but yes academic database access my beloved

[corkisms]

jimmy looks over duke's notes sometimes

#its like peer reviewing a scientific journal but the 'journal' is about aliens and the 'peer' cant draw an owl from memory for fuckall #original jimmy may be a super smart cyborg clone corpse reanimating mad scientist but this is party jimmy we're talking about. romania! #had this ding into my head in the middle of a physics project and blacked out and this was sitting on a new ibispaint layer when i came to #payday 2 #payday 2dles

[upagainstthesunset]

Metron's Shirt: An Evolutionary Tree

So this is it. This is what I've spent way too many hours on. My most recent magnum opus, if you will. Without further ado, I am pleased to present... 130 thumbnails of Metron's costume across all appearances in comics!

Click here for a full size version of the image from archive.org

[Image: A tree diagram of 130 cropped images of the DC comics character Metron's costume. Each one depicts the design on his chest from a different comic issue. All images branch at some level from a single one, which is from Metron's first appearance. /End]

Keep reading to learn more about the process and findings...

But Why?

When I started going through Metron's reading list, I noticed that artists often took liberties with the design on his chest. Some made minor adjustments, while others really went off the deep end. But for each one it was still recognizable for the character. So I thought hmm, it'd be interesting to try to map this out and see if I can spot how these changes have evolved over the years. And that is precisely what I set out to do.

The Process

I first took screenshots from every single appearance using my reading list, which I like to tout as the MOST complete and comprehensive Metron reading list in existence (suck it fandom wiki). It took a long time, but eventually I had 202 thumbnails. Now, I should mention that he's been in more comics than that, but sometimes his chest is not shown, or he's depicted so small and far away that the design was not discernable. Of those that I captured, I removed any from the same run that were incredibly similar, leaving only significantly different designs.

Then I went oldest to newest, starting with Kirby's first published depiction, and for each tried to find which images seemed like the closest matches. This means a given image is only ever inspired by those that chronologically came before it. For runs that had multiple images, I tried to make the first occurrence the parent of the others. This wasn't a hard and fast rule I followed, but did help model some of the evolution.

When matching, I limited it so that a single image would have no more than two parents. Of course, it is incredibly likely that some of these depictions really have a large swath of influences, but I really didn't want to make a jumbled web, so for my own sanity we're sticking to only the two most prevalent influences. That said, there is no limit on number of children, so a single image may have inspired many others.

The Criteria

While matching, I did my best and went purely off of visuals after satisfying these other limitations. Here are the points on which I made these evaluations:

Neck lines - Presence, number

Horizontal bar (line crossing the big circle): Position

Vertical bar (line going through big circle and/or chest): Presence

Dongle (little circle in the big circle): Presence, position, thickness, orientation

Tab (little inverted T shape under the big circle): Present, shape

Tentacles (wavy lines from the bottom of the big circle to the bottom of the design): Presence, thickness, angle/shape, length

Vestigial tentacles (subcategory of tentacles but more like tiny claws): Presence, shape, orientation

Bulge (curved shape at the bottom of the design that meets the tentacles): Presence, shape

Side dots - Presence, number, size, orientation relative to the edge of the background, circle vs rectangle

Background (outer shape the design sits in): Presence, shape relative to the big circle, shape near the waist or hips, border lines

Overall line look: Thickness, business/extra designs, glowing effects

Various colors: lines, big circle background, little circles, chest background, etc.

Findings!

These are just a few interesting points I wanted to share, but there are many more connections to be made as you follow some of these evolutions.

It's no surprise that Kirby's original run inspired many other artists, but a surprising amount branched off of Metron's Hunger Dogs appearance specifically.

A surprising number of depictions don't have the bulge shape, creating sort of a family of designs.

Another family of designs has very angular tentacles, which to me seem to have been inspired by Kirby's Mister Miracle run.

I was very unsure where to put New Gods 1998 #1, but it really spawned a whole set of overly complicated designs.

My favorite discovery is the origins of the "vestigial tentacles" from my criteria list. They can be trace backed to two vertical lines coming off the big circle in Who's Who in the DC Universe 1992!

Naming Conventions

There is a file name under each thumbnail, which starts with the word "shirt", followed by the comic title, the year the run originated if needed for disambiguation, the issue number, and finally the page number. This was done to make referencing these easier, which I'm so glad I did.

And the reason I started each one with "shirt" is because guess what, his chest design was not the only thing I recorded. I just so happen to have a folder of 199 thumbnails of the Mobius Chair waiting to be processed.

Some Caveats

I admit there were some I still feel iffy about, so I'd be surprised if you don't find a few you disagree with. Part of the fun is trying to determine what might've actually inspired what, versus artists who by chance came to the same conclusion with the design. All of this is guess work, and without asking the artists directly, I don't think we will have definitive answers. But if you take a close look, I think there are definitely some we can feel fairly confident about!

Apologies that there's a lot more to see here than I'm going to be able to describe in the image description. If you have any questions about the details, feel free to ask.

#metron #new gods #fourth world #dc comics #metronmeta #katetakes #metron if i fits i sits #i am so normal about this character #i feel like i just wrote an article for a scientific peer reviewed journal