A convenient synthesis of natural and synthetic pterocarpans was achieved in three steps. Optical resolution of the respective enantiomers was accomplished by analytical and semi-preparative HPLC on a chiral stationary phase. For medicarpin and its synthetic derivative 9-demethoxymedicarpin, the absolute configuration was confirmed by a combination of experimental LC-ECD coupling and quantum-chemical ECD calculations. (-)-Medicarpin and (-)-9-demethoxymedicarpin are both 6aR,11aR-configured, and consequently the corresponding enantiomers, (+)-medicarpin and (+)-9-demethoxymedicarpin, possess the 6aS,11aS-configuration. A comparative mechanism study for osteogenic (bone forming) activity of medicarpin (racemic versus enantiomerically pure material) revealed that (+)-(6aS,11aS)-medicarpin (6a) significantly increased the bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) expression and the level of the bone-specific transcription factor Runx-2 mRNA, while the effect was opposite for the other enantiomer, (-)-(6aR,11aR)-medicarpin (6a), and for the racemate, (±)-medicarpin, the combined effect of both the enantiomers on transcription levels was observed.

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Diurnal raptors show a wider distribution compared to other groups of birds including passerines, woodpeckers, and seriemas, but occur at lower-than-expected densities. Estimating the precise abundance is essential to achieve conservation goals but the methods used to estimate the populations of birds need to be appropriate to arrive at meaningful conclusions. We compared the two survey methods: roadside point count and strip transects, for estimating species richness and abundance of raptors in the arid landscape of Rajasthan. Roadside point counts and roadside strip transects were done on 50 transects between December 2019- February 2020 (with an average length of 20 km and a total distance of 3000 km) to assess the species richness and abundance of raptors. A total of 2954 observations of raptors belonging to 35 species were recorded using both methods. Mann Whitney U test result showed no significant difference in species richness and abundance estimates between both methods (p = 0.206). The point count method yielded a higher relative abundance of 2.79 individuals [10 km2]-1h-1 than the 1.90 individuals [10 km2]-1h-1 obtained during the strip transect. Also, the number of unidentified species were less for point counts. Extrapolation values indicated that both the methods do not differ much for the detection of unsampled species. The choice of survey method depends on the objectives of the study, but our results favor the use of point counts rather than strip transects to survey raptors in open habitats. The information generated from this study is expected to provide the most efficient method to study the abundance and distribution of raptors in similar landscapes.

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Wildlife tourism is gaining popularity day by day. With the increase in the number of tourist influx in Protected Areas (PA), new facilities to satisfy their needs are coming in the villages around the PA. Tourism has both negative and positive impacts in these rural areas. To know the impacts of tourism, a study was conducted in two villages namely Khatia and Mocha which are situated near Kanha National Park (KNP).  The main aim of study was to identify the change in the lives of those villagers who have sold their land to resort/lodge owners.  A survey was conducted of villagers who had sold their land in the last five years. Data was obtained regarding change in land use, use of income obtained from sale, reasons for selling the land, change in livelihood patterns etc. It was found out that the main reasons for selling the land included exasperation due to crop raiding by wild ungulates and the attractive price offered by the resort owners. The land use pattern changed drastically leading to a complete change in landscape from one dominated by agricultural fields to one choked by construction of posh resorts. The use of money realized from sale was majorly done to purchase land holdings in other villages or gypsies to be used for tourism purposes. Wilcoxon Signed Rank test shows that there is a significant increase in the income of villages after the sale although many marginal farmers are working as laborers on the same piece of land they once owned.