Energy transition and environmental stability prospects for OECD economies: The prominence role of environmental governance, and economic complexity: Does the geopolitical risk matter?

The global increase in temperature and climate change signals the need for humanity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to adopt eco-friendly lifestyles. The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in the UAE emphasized this, urging nations to commit to the Paris Agreement and pursue a greener, carbon-free future. In recent decades, climate change has become a critical issue, primarily because of the extensive use of fossil fuels and conventional energy resources. Economic growth has led to an increase in energy consumption and widespread environmental damage. The present study empirically explores whether any changes in environmental governance, economic complexity, geopolitical risk, and the interaction term influence energy transition and environmental stability in OECD economies over the period 1990-2021. Novel econometric methods, including Westerlund co-integration and the Method of Moments Quantile Regression (MMQR), are employed to address complexities such as cross-sectional dependency and panel causality. The key findings from the MMQR technique showed a positive link between environmental governance and economic complexity in driving sustainable energy transitions, thus bolstering environmental resilience in OECD countries. However, economic complexity counterbalances environmental stability. Significantly, geopolitical risk acts as a moderating variable, enhancing the effects of governance and complexity on sustainable energy practices and environmental stability. Based on these insights, this study recommends strategic initiatives, including investment in eco-friendly technologies, to fast-track the shift to clean energy and strengthen environmental resilience in OECD countries. These strategies align with the broader objectives of global sustainable development, offering a path towards a greener and more sustainable future.

Molecular cloning, heterologous expression and functional characterization of gamma tocopherol methyl transferase (γ-TMT) from Glycine max.

γ-Tocopherol methyltransferase (γ-TMT) (EC 2.1.1.95) is the last enzyme in the tocopherol biosynthetic pathway and it catalyzes the conversion of γ-tocopherol into α-tocopherol, the nutritionally significant and most bioactive form of vitamin E. Although the γ-TMT gene has been successfully overexpressed in many crops to enhance their α-tocopherol content but still only few attempts have been made to uncover its structural, functional and regulation aspects at protein level. In this study, we have cloned the complete 909bp coding sequence of Glycine max γ-TMT (Gm γ-TMT) gene that encodes the corresponding protein comprising of 302 amino acid residues. The deduced Gm γ-TMT protein showed 74-87% sequence identity with other characterized plant γ-TMTs. Gm γ-TMT belongs to Class I Methyl Transferases that have a Rossmann-like fold which consists of a seven-stranded ß sheet joined by α helices. Heterologous expression of Gm γ-TMT in pET29a expression vector under the control of bacteriophage T7 promoter produced a 37.9 kDa recombinant Gm γ-TMT protein with histidine hexamer tag at its C-terminus. The expression of recombinant Gm γ-TMT protein was confirmed by western blotting using anti-His antibody. The recombinant protein was purified by Ni2+-NTA column chromatography. The purified protein showed SAM dependent methyltransferase activity. The α-tocopherol produced in the in-vitro reaction catalyzed by the purified enzyme was detected using reverse phase HPLC. This study has laid the foundation to unveil the biochemical understanding of Gm γ-TMT enzyme which can be further explored by studying its kinetic behaviour, substrate specificity and its interaction with other biomolecules.

Classification and ordination of understory vegetation using multivariate techniques in the Pinus wallichiana forests of Swat Valley, northern Pakistan.

An understory vegetation survey of the Pinus wallichiana-dominated temperate forests of Swat District was carried out to inspect the structure, composition and ecological associations of the forest vegetation. A quadrat method of sampling was used to record the floristic and phytosociological data necessary for the analysis using 300 quadrats of 10 × 10 m each. Some vegetation parameters viz. frequency and density for trees (overstory vegetation) as well as for the understory vegetation were recorded. The results revealed that in total, 92 species belonging to 77 different genera and 45 families existed in the area. The largest families were Asteraceae, Rosaceae and Lamiaceae with 12, ten and nine species, respectively. Ward's agglomerative cluster analysis for tree species resulted in three floristically and ecologically distinct community types along different topographic and soil variables. Importance value indices (IVI) were also calculated for understory vegetation and were subjected to ordination techniques, i.e. canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) and detrended correspondence analysis (DCA). DCA bi-plots for stands show that most of the stands were scattered around the centre of the DCA bi-plot, identified by two slightly scattered clusters. DCA for species bi-plot clearly identified three clusters of species revealing three types of understory communities in the study area. Results of the CCA were somewhat different from the DCA showing the impact of environmental variables on the understory species. CCA results reveal that three environmental variables, i.e. altitude, slope and P (mg/kg), have a strong influence on distribution of stands and species. Impact of tree species on the understory vegetation was also tested by CCA which showed that four tree species, i.e. P. wallichiana A.B. Jackson, Juglans regia Linn., Quercus dilatata Lindl. ex Royle and Cedrus deodara (Roxb. ex Lamb.) G. Don, have strong influences on associated understory vegetation. It is therefore concluded that Swat District has various microclimatic zones with suitable environmental variables to support distinct flora.

Cloning and characterization of a water deficit stress responsive transcription factor gene from Oryza sativa L.

Understanding the biochemical and molecular basis of drought mechanism in rice is important as drought is one of the major causes affecting rice crop adversely. A 1017 bp gene sequence encoding AP2/ERF family TF was isolated from Oryza sativa sp. Indica cv N22 encoding a protein of 338 amino acid residues, with a molecular weight of 36.58 kDa, and no intron in the ORF. The gene was named as AP2/ERF-N22(2) different from the drought responsive gene AP2/ERF-N22 that we reported earlier. AP2/ERF-N22(2) has entirely different characteristics from that of AP2/ERF-N22. It has a single AP2 domain of 55 amino acid residues and a cluster of acidic amino acid residues at the C-terminal region, which could function as a trans-activation domain. Presence of NLS indicates that it is a nuclear localized transcription factor encoding gene. It falls in group VI L, sharing characteristic similarities. Arabidopsis members of group VI L have been shown to be involved in response to cytokinin under drought stress.

Expression analysis of bZIP transcription factor encoding genes in response to water deficit stress in rice.

In plants, basic region/leucine zipper motif (bZIP) transcription factors regulate several developmental processes and activate genes in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Role of stress responsive bZIP transcription factors was studied in paddy in relation to different stages of development and water deficit stress (WDS) in a drought tolerant cultivar N22 and susceptible IR 64. Further, relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI) and abscisic acid (ABA) content were measured as indices of WDS at different stages of development and levels of stress. Expression of stress responsive bZIP transcription factors was directly correlated to developmental stage and WDS and indirectly to RWC, MSI and ABA content.

AN UNUSUAL CAUSE OF UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL BLEEDING.

Gastrointestinal haemorrhage (GI) is a serious condition that presents both diagnostic as well as therapeutic challenges. Resuscitation of the patient is the first and most important step in its management followed by measures to localize and treat the exact source and site of bleeding. These modalities are upper and lower GI endoscopies, radionuclide imaging and angiography. Surgery is the last resort to handle the situation, if the patient does not respond to resuscitative measures and the various interventional procedures fail to locate and stop the bleeding. We present a case of upper GI bleeding which presented with massive per rectal bleeding and the patient was not responding to resuscitation with multiple blood transfusions. Ultimately an exploratory laparotomy was done which revealed an extra-intestinal source of bleeding into the lumen of duodenum, presenting as upper GI bleeding.

FREQUENCY OF WOUND INFECTION IN NON-PERFORATED APPENDICITIS WITH USE OF SINGLE DOSE PREOPERATIVE ANTIBIOTICS.

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics are used both pre and post-operatively in acute appendicitis for preventing wound infection. It has been observed that the routine use of post-operative antibiotics is not necessary in cases of non-perforated appendicitis as only prophylactic antibiotics are sufficient to prevent wound infection. The aim of this study was to see the frequency of wound infection in non-perforated appendicitis with single dose preoperative antibiotics only. METHOD: This observational study was conducted at the Department of Surgery, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad from May to November 2014. A total of 121 patients with non-perforated appendicitis were included in the study. Only single dose preoperative antibiotics were used. The patients were followed for wound infection till 8th post-operative day. RESULTS: 121 patients, 56 (46.28%) male and 65 (53.72%) female were included in the study. The mean age of patients was 27.41 +/- 7.12 years with an age range of 18 to 45 years. In the entire series, 7 (5.78%) patients developed wound infection. The infection was minor which settled with conservative therapy. Prophylactic antibiotics were found efficacious in 114 (94.21%) patients. There was no significant association between wound infection and age and gender. CONCLUSION: Single dose preoperative antibiotics were found effective in controlling post-operative wound infection without the need of extending the antibiotics to post-operative period in cases of non-perforated appendicitis.

FREQUENCY AND SEVERITY OF STEATOSIS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS-C.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis-C viral infection is a global health problem. It has been estimated that approximately 170 million individuals are infected with hepatitis-C virus. Hepatic steatosis is a frequent histological feature in patients with chronic hepatitis-C infection. Histological examinations show that up to 50% of these patients have variable degrees of hepatic steatosis, even in the absence of other possible steatogenic factors like alcohol, drugs or metabolic syndromes. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and severity of steatosis in patients with Chronic Hepatitis-C. METHODS: This cross sectional study was carried out from 1st January 2010 to 1st July 2010 at the department of Gastroenterology PIMS, Islamabad. A total of 127 patients of chronic hepatitis-C were enrolled in the study after taking informed written consent. Frequency and severity (mild, moderate and severe) of steatosis was assessed on the basis of liver biopsy. RESULTS: A total of 127 patients were included in the study. Mean age of the patients was 36.24 years. Out of 127 patients, 48 (38%) were male and 79 (62%) were female. Steatosis was present in 50(39%) patients with chronic hepatitis-C infection. whereas steatosis was absent in 77 (61%) patients. CONCLUSION: The presence of steatosis on liver biopsy in patients with chronic hepatitis-C is common (39% patients) and female patients had slightly more severe degree of steatosis as compared to male patients.

NON-LIGATION OF INDIRECT HERNIAL SAC IN CHILDREN.

BACKGROUND: It is still a matter of debate whether to ligate the indirect hernial sac during herniotomy or leave it open. We designed this study to find out the complications associated with leaving the sac open. METHODS: This observational study was carried out at Surgical Unit C, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad from January 2007 to December 2012. The hernial sacs of some children, aged 5 months to 12 years, undergoing herniotomies were left open, and these children were closely followed for development of complications especially early recurrence, due to this non-ligation of hernial sac. RESULTS: A total of 23 male children who underwent herniotomies for indirect inguinal hernia and undescended testes were included in the study. No early or late hernia recurrence was observed in these children although minor complications like wound infection and seroma were noted in 2 children. CONCLUSION: Excision of the hernia sac and leaving the stump open is safe and effective with no early recurrence.

OUTCOME OF OPEN CARPAL TUNNEL RELEASE SURGERY.

BACKGROUND: Carpel tunnel syndrome is a common compression neuropathy of the median nerve causing pain, numbness and functional dysfunction of the hand. Among the available treatments, surgical release of the nerve is the most effective and acceptable treatment option. The aim of this study was to see the outcomes of surgical release of carpel tunnel using open technique. METHODS: This descriptive case series was conducted at the Department of neurosurgery, Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad from April 2013 to March 2014. One hundred consecutive patients with carpel tunnel syndrome were included who underwent open carpel tunnel release surgery. They were followed up at 1, 3 and 6 months. Residual pain, numbness and functional improvement of the hand were the main outcome measures. RESULTS: Out of 100 patients, 19 were males. The age ranged from 32 to 50 years with a mean of 39.29±3.99 years. The duration of symptoms was from 5 to 24 months. In the entire series patient functional outcome and satisfaction was 82% at 1 month, 94% at 3 months and 97% at 6 months. 18% patient had residual pain at 1 month post-operative follow-up, 6% at 3 months and 3% at 6 month follow-up. CONCLUSION: Open carpel tunnel release surgery is an effective procedure for compression neuropathy of the median nerve. It should be offered to all patients with moderate to severe pain and functional disability related to carpel tunnel syndrome.

Comparison of primary wound closure with delayed primary closure in perforated appendicitis.

BACKGROUND: Delayed primary closure in cases of acute appendicitis is debated among the surgeons as to whether it decreases the rate of wound infection in comparison to primary closure. The aim of this study was to find out the optimal method of wound closure in cases of perforated appendicitis. METHODS: This randomized control trial was conducted at the surgical units of Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad from May to November 2012. A total of 158 patients having perforated appendicitis were included in the study. They were randomly divided two groups. The wounds were primarily closed in one group and left open with daily saline soaked dressing, to be closed on postoperative day 4 in case of the other group. The main outcome measure was wound infection. A wound was considered infected if it was discharging pus, was red and swollen on postoperative day 8th. The method of wound closure was considered efficacious if there was no wound infection till 8th postoperative day. RESULTS: A total of 158 patients, 56 (35.4%) male and 102 (64.6%) female were included in the study. Primary closure group had a total number of 79 patients with 26 (32.9%) male and 53 (67.1%) female. Delayed primary group had also a total number of 79 patients with 30 (38%) male and 49 (62%) female. The mean age of patients in the primary closure group was 26.67 ± 7.32 years while in the delayed primary group was 28.15 ± 6.88 years. In the entire series, 36 (22.8%) patients developed wound infection. There was a significant association between wound infection and type of skin closure (Delayed Primary Closure 6.3% vs. Primary Closure 39.2%, p < 0.000). CONCLUSION: Delayed Primary closure is the optimal management strategy in case of perforated appendicitis as it decreases the incidence of wound infection.

Endoscopic findings in patients presenting with oesophageal dysphagia.

BACKGROUND: Dysphagia is the difficulty in swallowing and is often described by the patients as a 'perception' that there is an impediment to the normal passage of the swallowed material. It is frequently observed that there is an association of dysphagia with serious underlying disorders and warrants early evaluation. The current study aimed to determine the frequency of common endoscopic findings in patients presenting with oesophageal dysphagia. METHODS: This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in the department of Gastroenterology, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad, from October 2012 to April 2013. Consecutive patients with dysphagia were included in the study and were subjected to endoscopy. RESULTS: A total of 139 patients presenting with dysphagia were studied, 81 (58.3%) were males and 58 (41.7%) were females. The mean age was 52.41 ± 16.42. Malignant oesophageal stricture was the most common finding noted in 38 (27.3%) patients with 28 (73.7%) males and 23 (60.5%) patients among them were above the age of 50 years. It was followed by normal upper Gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy in 29 (20.9%) patients and reflux esophagitis in 25 (18.0%) patients. Schatzki's ring was present in 14 (10.1%) patients; benign oesophageal strictures in 12 (8.6%) patients while achalasia was noted in 7 (5.0%) patients. 14(10.1%) patients had findings other than the ones mentioned above. CONCLUSION: Malignancies are a more common cause of dysphagia in our population and early diagnosis can result in proper treatment of many of these cases.

Occurrence of fungal microbial contamination in drinking water of megacity of Karachi (Pakistan) and their physico-chemical control.

The water quality in Karachi (Pakistan) is uncertain due to the occurrence of fungi and other microorganisms. A total of twenty-five water samples were collected from public places, educational institutes, hospitals, water supply systems and surface water of the canal of Karachi (Pakistan). The different fungal species including Acremonium sp., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. sulphureus, Cladosporium sp., Fusarium sp., Clonostachys (Gliocladium) sp., Macrophomina phaseolina, Mucor racemosus, Paecilomyces sp. Penicillium chrysogenum, P. citrinum, P. commune, P. expansum, Rhizoctonia sp. and Stachybotrys sp. were isolated from these drinking water samples. However, the bacteria, microalgae and some other microorganisms were present in low concentrations. The reason for fungi infection and production of mycotoxicity depends upon various factors and the availability of their nutrients in filtration plants. The major threats to human health are fungal mycotoxicity which is responsible for carcinogenic and other lethal diseases. Mostly, the genus Aspergillus was dominated and isolated with a maximum of 88-98% of occurrence in the different samples of drinking water by the direct plate-spread method. For the control of fungi, various Physico-chemical coagulation treatments were used, but Potassium alum, clay pot, and hot water treatment disinfected effectively 69-70% removal of the fungi and its spore or mycelia from the water. In addition, it is concluded that drinking water purifications such as chlorination, filtration and lime did not eliminate thermophilic fungal spores or mycelia including Penicillium, Paecilomyces and Mucor from the water.

Do green logistics and green finance matter for achieving the carbon neutrality goal?

Global warming, a persistent issue, needs comprehensive solutions. Shifting to sustainable resources and promoting green initiatives like green logistics, green investments, and environmental policies (such as environmental technology and environmental tax) are potential ways to address this challenge. The current study explores relationships between these factors and transportation emissions in China, with a focus on achieving the 2060 carbon neutrality goal. To investigate the research gap, the study employs the novel econometric, method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) for benchmark estimation and the bootstrap quantile regression (BSQR) technique for sensitivity estimations from 2000/Q1 to 2019/Q4, and the study confirms the hypothesis of "carbon neutrality." The results reveal that green logistics and green finance have a negative impact on transportation emissions across all quantiles. Environmental technology, environmental tax, and renewable energy also help reduce transportation emissions. On the contrary, economic growth increases transportation emissions, with a greater effect in the early quantile stages but a diminishing impact in later stages. Based on the study's findings, policymakers should prioritize sustainable development strategies to achieve the goal of "carbon neutrality." Implementing green logistics and promoting green investments are essential steps in this direction. Additionally, greater support should be given to the renewable energy sector, green technologies, and sustainable growth to achieve the carbon neutrality goal in China by 2060.

Species distribution modelling of Monotheca buxifolia (Falc.) A. DC.: Present distribution and impacts of potential climate change.

Species distribution modelling (SDM) is an important tool to examine the possible change in the population range and/or niche-shift under current environment and predicted climate change. Monotheca buxifolia is an economically and ecologically important tree species inhabiting Pakistan and Afghanistan in dense patches, and species range is contracting rapidly. This study hypothesize that predicted climate change might remarkably influence the existing distribution pattern of M. buxifolia in the study area. A total of 75 occurrence locations were identified comprising M. buxifolia as a dominant tree species. The Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) algorithm was utilized to perform the SDM under current (the 1970s-2000s) and two future climate change scenarios (shared socioeconomic pathways: SSPs 245 and 585) of two time periods (the 2050s and 2070s). The optimal model settings were assessed, and simulation precision was assessed by examining the partial area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (pAUC-ROC). The results showed that out of 39 considered bio-climatic, topographic, edaphic, and remote sensing variables which were utilized in the preliminary model, 6 variables including precipitation of warmest quarter, topographic diversity, global human modification of terrestrial land, normalized difference vegetation index, isothermality, and elevation (in order) were the most influential drivers, and utilized in all reduced SDMs. A high predictive performance (pAUC-ROC; >0.9) of all the considered SDMs was recorded. A total of about 67,684 km2 of geographical area was predicted as suitable habitat (p > 0.8) for M. buxifolia, and Pakistan is the leading country (with about 54,975 km2 of suitable land area) under the current climate scenario. Overall, the existing distribution of the tree species in the study area might face considerable loss (i.e. rate of change %; -27 to -107) in future, and simultaneously a northward (high elevation) niche shift is predicted for all the considered future climate change scenarios. Hence, development and implementation of a coordinated conservation program is required on priority basis to save the tree species in its native geographic range.

Do environmental taxes, environmental innovation, and energy resources matter for environmental sustainability: Evidence of five sustainable economies.

This study explores the relationship between environmental taxation, environmental technologies, energy resources, and consumption-based carbon emissions in five leading green economies from 2000 to 2019. The study applied the Cross-Sectional Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) model to derive benchmark results, with Augmented Mean Group (AMG) and Common Correlated Effect Mean Group (CCEMG) techniques being utilized for conducting robustness analyses. The empirical findings suggest that environmental taxation, environmental innovations, and the consumption of renewable energy are associated with a reduction in consumption-based carbon emissions, thereby contributing to enhanced environmental sustainability. Conversely, the utilization of non-renewable energy is linked to an increase in consumption-based carbon emissions. These results align with the objectives outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals' 2030 agenda, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 13 (Climate Action), offering valuable policy implications.

Effect of transcranial magnetic stimulation on postural control of individuals with major depressive disorder: A case report.

Accidental falls and major depressive disorder (MDD) are two common conditions associated with aging. Initial treatment of MDD often starts with administering antidepressants, followed by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) for treatment-resistant individuals. The purpose of this case study was to determine the effect of repetitive TMS (rTMS) on postural control of an individual with MDD. A 44-year-old male with recurrent severe MDD was assessed for postural balance during eyes closed and eyes open conditions, pre and post three consecutive sessions receiving high-frequency rTMS (NeuroStar). Total excursion and velocity of sway significantly decreased following rTMS treatment when eyes were closed (p < 0.05). Power of the sway changed, but the changes were not statistically significant. The fractal dimension confidence circle area decreased significantly in eyes closed trials (p < 0.05). It appears that rTMS application can potentially impact postural steadiness in individuals with MDD. Our results warrant further studies with larger study samples.

Endorsing sustainable development in BRICS: The role of technological innovation, renewable energy consumption, and natural resources in limiting carbon emission.

This research aimed to examine the complex interaction between technological innovation, renewable energy consumption, natural resources, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of BRICS (i.e., Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) countries from 1990 to 2019, to accomplish the Paris Climate Conference (COP-21) objective of reducing CO2 emissions to promote environmental sustainability. The long-run empirical estimations derived from the CS-ARDL technique, which considered other estimation issues like cross-sectional dependency and slope heterogeneity, indicated that technological innovation, renewable energy consumption, and natural resources increase environmental sustainability by limiting CO2 emissions, in the short-run and long-run. The technological innovation-related activities have a CO2 mitigating effect as shown by the negative coefficients which ranges between -0.05 and -0.14. This shows that they increase environmental sustainability and aid in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 13. Similarly, renewable energy and natural resources decrease CO2 emissions as shown by the coefficient of renewable energy (-0.31 to -0.81) and natural resources (-0.01 to 0.95); thereby increasing ecological quality by limiting CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the interaction of technological innovation with natural resource rent and renewable energy consumption also aids in mitigating CO2 emissions and increases environmental health. Finally, panel causality analysis revealed a significant causality from all explanatory variables to CO2 emissions. Based on the results, significant policy suggestions are provided, such as improving energy effectiveness, investing in energy technologies, and increasing renewable energy consumption to stimulate technological innovation to achieve the target of a net-zero­carbon economy.

Assessment of variability in nutritional quality of wild edible fruit of Monotheca buxifolia (Falc.) A. DC. Along the altitudinal gradient in Pakistan.

The fruit of Monotheca buxifolia is among the underutilized wild edible fruits that grows in Hindukush and Suleiman range mountains of Pakistan. Mountain communities consume this wild fruit as a food, medicine and it provides an important source of income. In this study, we aimed to investigate the total yield and the effect that altitude plays on its proximate composition and mineral contents as determined through phytochemical screening of this economically important wild fruit. Our results indicate a significant increase in the total fruit yield with increasing trunk diameter (R2 = 0.98), height (R2 = 0.95) and cover (R2 = 0.92). The proximate composition shows that the crude fat and carbohydrate contents of Monotheca fruit significantly varies (P < 0.05) along the altitudinal gradient. Similarly, ANOVA followed by post hoc Tukey HSD, further confirms the variation (P < 0.01) in moisture contents of the fruit. Dry matter ranged from 95.28 ± 4.64 to 108 ± 3.70 g kg- 1 of the fruit's edible portion, while protein contents varied between 17.16 % and 20.44 %. The fruits were found to be rich in minerals containing sizeable amounts of potassium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, nitrogen, magnesium, and copper. Significant difference was observed in the nitrogen (P < 0.01), potassium (P < 0.05) and sodium (P < 0.05) contents of the fruit along the altitudinal gradient. Similarly, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, reducing sugars, terpenoids, anthraquinones, and cardiac glycosides, were the most prominent chemicals found in Monotheca fruit. It was concluded that Monotheca fruit is a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, macro and micro-nutrients which fluctuated along the altitudinal gradient.

A cross-cultural study of high-altitude botanical resources among diverse ethnic groups in Kashmir Himalaya, India.

BACKGROUND: In the Himalayas, traditional knowledge and biodiversity are strongly linked due to the symbiotic interaction between plant and cultural diversity, as well as the support provided by cultural memories, ecological awareness, and social norms. Our study was focused on documenting the vanishing knowledge in the Kashmir Himalaya with the following main objectives: 1) to document the ethnomedical and cultural knowledge of the local flora, 2) to evaluate the cross-cultural use of the flora in the region, and, finally, 3) to identify the key indicator species utilized by each ethnic group using multivariate statistical analysis. METHODS: We used semi-structured questionnaires to conduct interviews with people of different ethnicity, gender, age, and occupational categories. The intercultural relationships of species utilization among ethnic groups were examined using a Venn diagram. The overall trends between the indicator values and the plant species used by diverse ethnic groups were illustrated using the linear regression model. RESULTS: We recorded 46 species belonging to 25 different families used by the local people of the Kashmir Valley belonging to four ethnic groups (Gujjar, Bakarwal, Pahari, and Kashmiri). The dominant families recorded were Asteraceae and Ranunculaceae followed by Caprifoliaceae. Rhizomes were the most utilized plant part, followed by leaves. A total of 33 ailments were treated with plants, and gastrointestinal disorders were treated with most species followed by musculoskeletal diseases and dermatological problems. Across cultural relationships, the Gujjar and Pahari showed greater similarity (17%). This may be due to the fact that both ethnic groups share a common geographical landscape and are exogamous to each other. We identified key indicator species used by different ethnic groups with significant (p ≤ 0.05) values. For instance, in the Gujjar ethnic group, Aconitum heterophyllum and Phytolacca acinosa had significant indicator value, which was due to the fact that these plants were easily accessible and also had a wide range of uses. In contrast, the Bakarwal ethnic group showed different indicator species, with Rheum spiciforme and Rhododendron campanulatum being highly significant (p ≤ 0.05), because this ethnic group spends the majority of their time in high-altitude pastures, using a particularly wide variety of plant species for medicine, food, and fuelwood. While indicator values and plant usage were positively correlated for the Gujjar, Kashmiri, and Pahari ethnic groups, they were negatively correlated for the Bakarwal. The positive correlation indicates cultural preferences for certain plant use and underlines the cultural significance of each species. The current study reported new uses for the following species: raw roots of Jurinea dolomiaea used for tooth cleaning, seeds of Verbascum thapsus applied for respiratory diseases, and flowers of Saussurea simpsoniana given to anyone as a good luck wish. CONCLUSION: The current study highlights historical ethnic group stratifications and cultural standing while comparing reported taxa across cultures. Each ethnic group made extensive ethnomedical use of plants, and knowledge, originally transmitted verbally, is now available in writing for reference. This could pave the way for providing incentives to local communities to showcase their talents, celebrate them, and gain from potential development initiatives.