Muhammad Sajid Nadeem

Food habits of the snow leopard Panthera uncia (Schreber, 1775) in Baltistan, Northern Pakistan

The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) inhabits the high, remote mountains of Pakistan from where very little information is available on prey use of this species. Our study describes the food habits of the snow leopard in the Himalayas and Karakoram mountain ranges in Baltistan, Pakistan. Ninety-five putrid snow leopard scats were collected from four sites in Baltistan. Of these, 49 scats were genetically confirmed to have originated from snow leopards. The consumed prey was identified on the basis of morphological characteristics of hairs recovered from the scats. It was found that most of the biomass consumed (70%) was due to domestic livestock viz. sheep (23%), goat (16%), cattle (10%), yak (7%), and cattle–yak hybrids (14%). Only 30% of the biomass was due to wild species, namely Siberian ibex (21%), markhor (7%), and birds (2%). Heavy predation on domestic livestock appeared to be the likely cause of conflict with the local inhabitants. Conservation initiatives should focus on mitigating this conflict by minimizing livestock losses.

A comparative study of the diets of barn owl (Tyto alba) and spotted owlet (Athene brama) inhabiting Ahmadpur East, Southern Punjab, Pakistan

The diets of the barn owl (Tyto alba) and the spotted owlet (Athene brama) inhabiting the periphery of the Cholistan Desert at Ahmedpur East, southern Punjab were compared. Pellets of the two owl species were analyzed to learn more about their diets. The barn owl mainly consumed Suncus murinus (60.2%), birds (24.1%) and rodents (12.7%), while the spotted owlet depended on Mus species (36.8%), Suncus murinus (20.1%), birds (14.1%), reptiles (8.9%) and insects (6.7%) for its food. There was a low degree of food overlap of the two owls among the seasons.

Antimicrobial activity of Syzygium aromaticum extracts against food spoilage bacteria

In this study, the emphasis was on extraction of aqueous and methanolic extract from whole clove (Syzygium aromaticum) that can be efficiently used as an antimicrobial agent with an ultimate objective of developing replacements for the synthetic chemical additives in food products. Antimicrobial activity of extract revealed that the solvent extract of clove has a great potential for the inhibition of microbial load. The value of antimicrobial activites of solvent extract ranged from 12 to 17 mm in the disc diffusion method as compared to aqueous extract i.e ranged from 12 to 16 mm. Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations were found from 17 to 23 mm for solvent extract and 13 to 17 mm for aqueous exract. The sensory characteristics of bread showed that the treatments had a highly significant effect on volume, color of crust, symmetry of form, evenness of bake, character of crust, grain, color of crumb, taste and texture and overall acceptability of bread. Significantly lower total scores for the bread were exhibited by the bread supplemented with 2 and 2.5% clove extract. The results revealed that bread containing up to 1% clove extract is acceptable.

Clinical features and types of von Willebrand disease in Karachi.

This study was conducted on patients with a history of congenital bleeding disorders or with suspected bleeding tendencies. Laboratory analysis revealed Von Willebrand disease (VWD) in 68 (21.3%) of 318 participants with male to female ratio of 0.8: 1 (31 to 37) and median age 17 years (range 2-45 years). Type 3 being the most frequent, 35 (51.4%) of 68, type 2, 20 (29.4%) of 68, and lastly type 1, 13 (19.1%) of 68. A total of 55.8% patients with VWD presented with mucocutaneous bleeding. Menorrhagia was the most common presentation of female patients. Von Willebrand disease (21.3%) was the second common bleeding disorder and the most common coagulation defect among females with menorrhagia. However, the frequency in the study was quite low when compared to the western world. Similarly, low frequency of VWD type 1 might be due to the fact that only symptomatic patients visited us. Further studies are needed as there is limited information on VWD in the developing countries. This will help in the development of expertise for the accurate diagnosis & proper management.

Distribution, abundance and diet of the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata)

Endangered species often inhabit specific habitats and are dependent on specific prey. The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) is an “endangered”, inimitable mammal currently in jeopardy in Pakistan. Very little data are available about its ecology that could serve as baseline for its conservation. In the current study, we investigated the Indian pangolin’s distribution, abundance and diet in four districts of Potohar Plateau. The species was found evenly distributed in two study districts, while it showed patchy distribution in the remaining two districts, and it occurred up to a maximum elevation of 862xa0m a.s.l. Population density showed a sharp and significant decline over a period of three years from 2010 to 2013. Faecal matter of the species was found to contain remains of ants (head, abdominal parts, legs) as the second-most voluminous component of the droppings, following soil or clay. Remains of other food sources, like termites, bugs, wood and grasses, were found in minor percentages. Our study reveals that the main prey items of Indian pangolins include two species of black ants (Camponotus confucii and Camponotus compressus), and one species of termite (Odontotermis obesus). The recorded population decline indicates that conservation measures may be needed.

An extralimital record of the Egyptian tomb bat Taphozous perforatus from Pakistan

No abstract available.

Breeding habits of the Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) in Potohar Plateau, Pakistan

Abstract The Indian pangolin (Manis crassicaudata) has been recently listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as an endangered species throughout its range, but in Pakistan it is categorized as vulnerable. Very little is known about the breeding habits of this nocturnal and fossorial animal in the wild. The present paper provides information on breeding ecology of its population in Potohar Plateau in Pakistan. A total of 13 specimens were trapped to record breeding condition of the captured animals. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was conducted in the study area to collect breeding data on the species. Our limited data show a male-to-female ratio of 1.6:1. The local population seems to breed once a year, usually from July to October, with a litter size of one to two. The juvenile pangolins were observed during the months of January, April and December.

Immunological appraisal of modified gluten to trim down celiac toxicity

The aim of the present research was to modify wheat gluten by binding methionine to gluten proteins to develop bread for celiac disease (CD) patients. The highest protein content, wet gluten content, dry gluten content and sodium dodecyl sulphate-sedimentation value were shown by the wheat variety AARI-11, therefore, it was selected for gluten modification. The bound methionine to gluten proteins was found increasing along the reaction time as the reaction proceeds and at a maximum near to 60 minutes and then it starts decreasing. The lowest immunoreactivity of the modified gluten was obtained near to 60 min of reaction at pH 10. The results for immunoglobulin A (IgA) index showed that the serum of each patient had positive IgA index to gliadins from unmodified gluten, but just sera of two patients had positive IgA index to gliadins from modified gluten and when these proteins were digested, the sera of no patients serum had positive IgA reactivity. Among physical characteristics of breads 2 hours after baking, the specific volume of the modified gluten containing bread (4.13 ± 0.14 cm3/g) was lower than the control bread (4.59 ± 0.21 cm3/g). However, bread made with modified gluten had higher specific volumes than other gluten-free breads. Texture of the modified gluten was also affected by modification. Finally, the gluten content in the modified gluten bread was 79 ppm which is under the limits set by the Codex Alimentarius for food with reduced gluten content should have from 20 to 100 ppm. The study concludes that the incorporation of steric immensity into gluten proteins in order to shun immune recognition is the most promising approach to acquire wheat-based products that are tolerated by CD patients.

Assessment of bias in morphological identification of carnivore scats confirmed with molecular scatology in north-eastern Himalayan region of Pakistan

Scats are often used to study ecological parameters of carnivore species. However, field identification of carnivore scats, based on their morphological characteristics, becomes difficult if many carnivore species are distributed in the same area. We assessed error rates in morphological identification of five sympatric carnivores’ scats in north-eastern Himalayan region of Pakistan during 2013–2017. A sample of 149 scats were subjected to molecular identification using fecal DNA. We used a confusion matrix to assess different types of errors associated with carnivore scat identification. We were able to amplify DNA from 96.6% (n = 144) of scats. Based on field identification of carnivore scats, we had predicted that out of 144 scats: 11 (7.6%) scats were from common leopard, 38 (26.4%) from red fox, 29 (20.1%) from Asiatic jackal, 37 (25.7%) from yellow throated martin, 14 (9.7%) from Asian palm civet and 15 (10.4%) from small Indian civet. However, molecular identification revealed and confirmed nine were scats (6.24%) from common leopard, 40 (27.8 %) from red fox, 21 (14.6%) from Asiatic jackal, 45 (31.25%) from Asian palm civet, 12 (8.3%) scats from small Indian civet, while 11 scats (7.6%) were found from Canis lupus Spp., three (2%) from dog, one (0.7 %) scat sample from porcupine, and two (1.4%) from rhesus monkey. Misidentification rate was highest for Asian palm civet (25.7%), followed by red fox (11.1%) and Asiatic jackal (9.7%) but least for common leopard scats (4.2%). The results specific to our study area concur with previous studies that have recommended that carnivore monitoring programs utilize molecular identification of predator scats. Using only morphological identification of scats can be misleading and may result in wrong management decisions.

Diversity and Nest Characteristics of Owl Species Inhabiting Margalla Hills National Park Islamabad, Pakistan

Kalinger N 33043.746 E 073001.149 Site A: 626 Main herbs and shurubs: Included jhamp, Kandiara (Echinopus echinatus) and Bhaikar (Justicia adhatoda etc. Main Trees: included keeker (Acacia nilotica), Phulai (Acacia modesta), Taman (Grewia tenax), Beri (Zizyphus mauritiana), and Sumbal (Bombax ceiba), Two pairs of owls recorded Spotted owlet and little owlet Site B: 615 One pair of owl recorded Spotted owlet