Loeblites Franz, 1986 is a genus of Glandulariini with adults sharing a very similar body form and most taxonomically important structures with Syndicus Motschulsky, 1851. One of the most conspicuous differences between these genera is the antennal structure. In Syndicus, the antennomere XI is strongly reduced, much shorter than X and lacks the basal stalk, so that the two terminal antennomeres are compactly assembled. They either form one oval structure that appears as a single antennomere because the base of subconical antennomere XI is as broad as apex of X (Syndicus s. str.) or the antennomere XI forms a distinct small 'papilla' on top of X (subgen. Semisyndicus Jałoszyński, 2004) because the base of antennomere XI is much narrower than apex of X. Adults of Loeblites have unmodified antennae, with the antennomere XI strongly elongate and with a narrow basal stalk; additionally the antennae are strikingly slender, nearly filiform. Morphological structures of both genera were described and illustrated by Jałoszyński (2004, 2005). While Syndicus is species-rich, often abundant in leaf litter and under bark in subtropical forests (Jałoszyński 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014; Jałoszyński Nomura 2006; Yin Li 2015; Yin et al. 2014; Yin Zhou 2016; Zhou Yin 2017), and broadly distributed from southeastern Australia, through Southeast Asia, Yunnan (China) and Ryukyus (Japan), up to Sri Lanka, India and the Himalayas, Loeblites comprises merely four species known to occur in Malaysia, Thailand and China (Jałoszyński 2005; Zhou Li 2015). Loeblites mastigicornis Franz, 1986 is known to occur in Chiang Mai (northern Thailand), L. sabahensis Franz, 1992 and L. minor Jałoszyński, 2005 in Sabah (northern Borneo), and L. chinensis Zhou Li, 2015 in Yunnan (southwest China). Two females representing an undescribed species were also recorded from Yunnan by Zhou Li (2015). Specimens of this interesting genus are found rarely, in small numbers and they are typically sifted from leaf litter in subtropical forests.
We searched for evidence for the effectiveness of emergency obstetric care (EmOC) interventions in reducing maternal mortality primarily in developing countries.
"Urban concentration (or primacy) and inequality (in size distribution of income) are expected to follow bell shaped curves through the development process. Spatial convergence (through investments in transportation etc.) is expected to precede income convergence. Using longitudinal data from six Asian countries (Japan, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and India) this paper shows that (i) the bell shapes for urban concentration and income inequality generally hold, and (ii) the temporal relationship between the curve peaks is determined by geographical factors (for urban concentration); income inequality is seen to be more policy amenable."
Cashew nut trees are consistently ant-visited throughout the year, with the ants attracted to a large number of extrafloral nectaries on the leaves, inflorescences, flowers, and developing nuts. The commercial production of cashew nut, for example, in India, Brazil, and east Africa, consistently applies pesticides, especially insecticides, in large monoculture plantings. Each year prophylactic spraying begins with the first flush of new leaves, continues through flowering, ending at about mid-nut development. We surveyed for ant diversity in sprayed and unsprayed cashew monocultures of various sizes and ages in Sri Lanka, India, and Malaysia to document the ant-cashew relationship and to explore the potential of ants replacing chemical pesticides in insect control. Using for-profit, commercial-size plantations as examples, we present information that cashew has a strong potential for arthropod-dependent protection from pests and suggest important habitat considerations for encouraging ants within cashew plantings.
Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of the gene encoding the beta chain of the human T cell receptor (TcR) was studied in three ethnic groups in Singapore by Southern blotting. Polymorphism in the beta chain gene was identified in BglII-digested DNA samples using a 770-bp TcR beta cDNA clone containing the joining and constant region segments. The TcR beta/BglII polymorphism was studied in 136 Chinese, 93 Indian and 88 Malay samples. The frequency of the less frequent allele (TcR beta*2) in all the ethnic groups was significantly lower (0.15-0.29, p < 0.01) than that in the Caucasians (0.46). Indians had a significantly lower frequency of this allele (0.15) than the Chinese (0.29) and Malays (0.26).
The genera Odontacolus Kieffer and Cyphacolus Priesner are among the most distinctive platygastroid wasps because of their laterally compressed metasomal horn; however, their generic status has remained unclear. We present a morphological phylogenetic analysis comprising all 38 Old World and four Neotropical Odontacolus species and 13 Cyphacolus species, which demonstrates that the latter is monophyletic but nested within a somewhat poorly resolved Odontacolus. Based on these results Cyphacolus syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Odontacolus which is here redefined. The taxonomy of Old World Odontacolus s.str. is revised; the previously known species Odontacolus longiceps Kieffer (Seychelles), Odontacolus markadicus Veenakumari (India), Odontacolus spinosus (Dodd) (Australia) and Odontacolus hackeri (Dodd) (Australia) are re-described, and 32 new species are described: Odontacolus africanus Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Congo, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, Zimbabwe), Odontacolus aldrovandii Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Nepal), Odontacolus anningae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Cameroon), Odontacolus australiensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus baeri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus berryae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island), Odontacolus bosei Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka), Odontacolus cardaleae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus darwini Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus dayi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Indonesia), Odontacolus gallowayi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus gentingensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Malaysia), Odontacolus guineensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Guinea), Odontacolus harveyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), Odontacolus heratyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus heydoni Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Malaysia, Thailand), Odontacolus irwini Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus jacksonae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Cameroon, Guinea, Madagascar), Odontacolus kiau Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Papua New Guinea), Odontacolus lamarcki Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus madagascarensis Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Madagascar), Odontacolus mayri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Indonesia, Thailand), Odontacolus mot Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India), Odontacolus noyesi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (India, Indonesia), Odontacolus pintoi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, New Zealand, Norfolk Island), Odontacolus schlingeri Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus sharkeyi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Thailand), Odontacolus veroae Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Fiji), Odontacolus wallacei Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia, Indonesia, Malawi, Papua New Guinea), Odontacolus whitfieldi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (China, India, Indonesia, Sulawesi, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam), Odontacolus zborowskii Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Australia), and Odontacolus zimi Valerio & Austin sp. n. (Madagascar). In addition, all species of Cyphacolus are here transferred to Odontacolus: Odontacolus asheri (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Sri Lanka), Odontacolus axfordi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus bhowaliensis (Mani & Mukerjee) comb. n. (India), Odontacolus bouceki (Austin & Iqbal) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus copelandi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Thailand), Odontacolus diazae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Kenya), Odontacolus harteni (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Yemen, Ivory Coast, Paskistan), Odontacolus jenningsi (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus leblanci (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Guinea), Odontacolus lucianae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Ivory Coast, Madagascar, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe), Odontacolus normani (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (India, United Arab Emirates), Odontacolus sallyae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus tessae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus tullyae (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Australia), Odontacolus veniprivus (Priesner) comb. n. (Egypt), and Odontacolus watshami (Valerio, Masner & Austin) comb. n. (Africa, Madagascar). Two species of Odontacolus are transferred to the genus Idris Förster: Idris longispinosus (Girault) comb. n. and Idris amoenus (Kononova) comb. n., and Odontacolus doddi Austin syn. n. is placed as a junior synonym of Odontacolus spinosus (Dodd). Odontacolus markadicus, previously only known from India, is here recorded from Brunei, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam. The relationships, distribution and biology of Odontacolus are discussed, and a key is provided to identify all species.
The study investigated the extent of acute pesticide poisoning in selected agricultural communities in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, as well as the contributing factors, because it is believed that this type of poisoning is a major problem in developing countries, but not in the industrialized countries, despite their extensive use of pesticides. The study confirmed the existence of this problem, which was found to be due to inadequate knowledge of the safe practices in the use of pesticides among users and to the lack of suitable protective clothing for use by agricultural workers in hot and humid climates.
Supernumerary chromosomes have been examined in 352 black rats, covering three geographic variants, by use of conventional and C-band staining techniques. Metacentric supernumerary chromosomes, one to three in number, were found in Malayan black rats (Rattus rattus diardii), with 2n=42, in Indian black rats (R. rattus rufescens), with 2n=38, and in Ceylonese black rats (R. rattus kandianus), with 2n=40. The supernumeraries had similar morphology and stained heavily along their entire length by C-band staining. These findings suggested that the supernumeraries had originally developed in the Asian-type black rats and then were sequentially transmitted to the Ceylonese and Oceanian-type black rats, probably in southwestern Asia. A subtelocentric supernumerary chromosome found in one Japanese black rat seemed to have developed independently from the above metacentric supernumeraries.
This article describes the design, outcomes, challenges, and lessons learned from the ASian Collaboration for Excellence in Non-Communicable Disease (ASCEND) program, implemented between 2011 and 2015 in India, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. The program involved a blended-delivery model, incorporating online and face-to-face training, mentoring, and supervision of trainees' research projects. Evaluation data were collected at baseline, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Intended outcomes, lessons, and challenges were summarized using a logic model. During the program period, 48 participants were trained over 2 cohorts in June 2011 and 2012. The trainees published 83 peer-reviewed articles between 2011 and 2015. Additionally, 154 presentations were given by trainees at national and international conferences. Underutilization of the online learning management system was an important challenge. Utilizing a combination of intensive face-to-face and online learning and mentoring of early career researchers in low- and middle-income countries has great potential to enhance the research capacity, performance, and outputs.
Streblus asper Lour is a small tree found in tropical countries, such as India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. Various parts of this plant are used in Ayurveda and other folk medicines for the treatment of different ailments such as filariasis, leprosy, toothache, diarrhea, dysentery and cancer. Research carried out using different in vitro and in vivo techniques of biological evaluation support most of these claims. This review presents the botany, chemistry, traditional uses and pharmacology of this medicinal plant.