IUCN is a globally important organisation for the conservation of nature and its resources. It is well known for Red data book. the species of organisms around the globe is grouped into several categories according to their need for conservation.
International Union for Conservation of Nature
IUCN
United for Life and Livelihoods
Red List of Threatened Species
Red Data Book
global extinction risk status
Extinct (EX)
EXTINCT IN THE WILD (EW)
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)
ENDANGERED (EN)
VULNERABLE (VU)
NEAR THREATENED (NT)
LEAST CONCERN (LC)
DATA DEFICIENT (DD)
Protected areas are those in which human occupation or at least the exploitation of resources is limited.
The definition that has been widely accepted across regional and global frameworks has been provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its categorization guidelines for protected areas.
There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international organizations involved.
The term "protected area" also includes
Marine Protected Areas, the boundaries of which will include some area of ocean, and
Trans boundary Protected Areas that overlap multiple countries which remove the borders inside the area for conservation and economic purposes.
Wildlife management techniques and methods of wildlife conservationAnish Gawande
Wildlife Conservation is the practice of protecting wild plant and animal species and their habitat. Wildlife plays an important role in balancing the environment and provides stability to different natural processes of nature. The goal of wildlife conservation is to ensure that nature will be around for future generations to enjoy and also to recognize the importance of wildlife and wilderness for humans and other species alike. Many nations have government agencies and NGO's dedicated to wildlife conservation, which help to implement policies designed to protect wildlife. Numerous independent non-profit organizations also promote various wildlife conservation causes.
Wildlife conservation has become an increasingly important practice due to the negative effects of human activity on wildlife. An endangered species is defined as a population of a living species that is in the danger of becoming extinct because the species has a very low or falling population, or because they are threatened by the varying environmental or prepositional parameters.
International Union for Conservation of Nature
IUCN
United for Life and Livelihoods
Red List of Threatened Species
Red Data Book
global extinction risk status
Extinct (EX)
EXTINCT IN THE WILD (EW)
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR)
ENDANGERED (EN)
VULNERABLE (VU)
NEAR THREATENED (NT)
LEAST CONCERN (LC)
DATA DEFICIENT (DD)
Protected areas are those in which human occupation or at least the exploitation of resources is limited.
The definition that has been widely accepted across regional and global frameworks has been provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in its categorization guidelines for protected areas.
There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international organizations involved.
The term "protected area" also includes
Marine Protected Areas, the boundaries of which will include some area of ocean, and
Trans boundary Protected Areas that overlap multiple countries which remove the borders inside the area for conservation and economic purposes.
Wildlife management techniques and methods of wildlife conservationAnish Gawande
Wildlife Conservation is the practice of protecting wild plant and animal species and their habitat. Wildlife plays an important role in balancing the environment and provides stability to different natural processes of nature. The goal of wildlife conservation is to ensure that nature will be around for future generations to enjoy and also to recognize the importance of wildlife and wilderness for humans and other species alike. Many nations have government agencies and NGO's dedicated to wildlife conservation, which help to implement policies designed to protect wildlife. Numerous independent non-profit organizations also promote various wildlife conservation causes.
Wildlife conservation has become an increasingly important practice due to the negative effects of human activity on wildlife. An endangered species is defined as a population of a living species that is in the danger of becoming extinct because the species has a very low or falling population, or because they are threatened by the varying environmental or prepositional parameters.
Conservation of Biodiversity is the need of the hour. Awareness is a must for biodiversity conservation.Various strategies of conservation are included in the presentation.
IUCN: Assessment and Inventory based on the recommendation of IUCNVarsha Rani Jha
This PPT is for Students of Post Graduation Second semester. This Video contains Information about Assessment and Inventory based on the recommendation of IUCN. How IUCN made , What are the Agreement that IUCN Signed for Conservation of Biodiversity. The Conferenses organized in IUCN, About members of IUCN.
PRESENTATION ON Biosphere reserves of India
A Biosphere Reserve is an ecosystem with plants and animals of unusual scientific and natural interest. It is a title given by UNESCO to help protect the sites.
Conservation of Biodiversity is the need of the hour. Awareness is a must for biodiversity conservation.Various strategies of conservation are included in the presentation.
IUCN: Assessment and Inventory based on the recommendation of IUCNVarsha Rani Jha
This PPT is for Students of Post Graduation Second semester. This Video contains Information about Assessment and Inventory based on the recommendation of IUCN. How IUCN made , What are the Agreement that IUCN Signed for Conservation of Biodiversity. The Conferenses organized in IUCN, About members of IUCN.
PRESENTATION ON Biosphere reserves of India
A Biosphere Reserve is an ecosystem with plants and animals of unusual scientific and natural interest. It is a title given by UNESCO to help protect the sites.
The role of Indigenous way of natural resource conservationYoseph Maru
this paper is review article in exploring the role of traditional belief, indigenous practices and other social values in natural resource conservation. The paper was prepared for seminar that held in Dilla University, Ethiopa
here you can get a common knowledge about forests and wildlife about its depletion consequences and conservation a basic knowledge about India's wildlife and government programmes
incongruity is one of the mechanisms like incompatibility which prevent the intercrossing. the mechanisms prevent crossing between genetically dissimilar species
abiotic stress is imposing heavy loses in crop production. management practices cannot be a permanent solution for this problem. development of varieties with stress tolerance is an cost effective way to overcome abiotic stresses. for that studying the genetic basis is necessary
Due to varying climate change abiotic stresses play a major role in imparting crop loss. The understanding the mechanisms of complex abiotic stresses is a main constrain in the crop breeding. Wind is such a complex stress causing variable number of stresses including both mechanical and air flow. It can also cause direct and indirect effects causing severe crop losses.
heterosis is a mystery pheneomenon. although there are so many theories explaing the genetic mechanism behind heterosis, none of them will explain the phenomenon totally. exploring epigenetic mechanism behind heterosis can help in the better understanding.
the third world countries are having the issue of hidden hunger or micronutrient deficiency. harvest plus is a CGIAR initiative with a mission of eradication of hidden hunger by 2020. the biofortification programmes are gaining their pace due to this organization.
Utilisation of wild genetic resources for hprBhavya Sree
In most of the plants the valuable genes for the traits improvement, abiotic and biotic stress resistance are un available in the cultivated germplasm.Crop wild relatives (CWR) are wild plant species closely related to crops, including wild ancestors. They have an indirect use as gene donors for crop improvement due to their relatively close genetic relationship to crops. They are an important socio‐economic resource that offer novel genetic diversity required to maintain future food security.
Gramene is a resource for plant comparative genomics based on Ensembl technology. It includes exploration of genome features, functional ontologies, variation data and comparative phylogenomics. Two main frameworks are included in genomes (collaboration with Ensembl Plants) and pathways (The Plant Reactome and archival BioCyc databases).
Seed is the most important asset in the agriculture. seeds have to be stored for the next season. so it is important to study the seed storage physiology and gnetics
The eukaryotic genome contains introns and exons. the introns or the intervening sequences were considered to be junk of the genome. recently their roles are unrevealing.
crop wild relatives (cwr) are gaining so much importance in plant breeding as they are the sources for so many valuable alleles that are not available in cultivated germplasm. these alleles can be introgressed to cultivated species for crop improvemnt
Whole genome sequencing of arabidopsis thalianaBhavya Sree
arabidopsis is the representative of plant kingdom or the 'model plant'.it is the first plant genome sequenced. the sequences lead to the overall understanding of the plant kingdom, better understanding of various genes,the important metabolic pathways, evolution etc
chickpea is an important pulse crop in india. the quality seed production of every crop is based on several seed standards set by seed certification agencies. here this powerpoint slides discuss about the importance of chickpea and the minimum seed standards of chickpeea crop
this power point presentation is about seed production in maize regarding the sowing, planting ratio, isolation distance, seed standards, climate and soil requirements etc
various pathogens attack and get established in plats causing several diseases. the attack of the pathogen on the host is by using mechanical force or by secreting varoius chemicals.. this powerpoint presentation is about the role of enzymes in plant pathogen attack
seed is scientifically the mature embryo.
these powerpoint slides include the basic concepts of seed,its importance, parts of seed, composition,seed structure, seed development and embryogenesis.
The increased availability of biomedical data, particularly in the public domain, offers the opportunity to better understand human health and to develop effective therapeutics for a wide range of unmet medical needs. However, data scientists remain stymied by the fact that data remain hard to find and to productively reuse because data and their metadata i) are wholly inaccessible, ii) are in non-standard or incompatible representations, iii) do not conform to community standards, and iv) have unclear or highly restricted terms and conditions that preclude legitimate reuse. These limitations require a rethink on data can be made machine and AI-ready - the key motivation behind the FAIR Guiding Principles. Concurrently, while recent efforts have explored the use of deep learning to fuse disparate data into predictive models for a wide range of biomedical applications, these models often fail even when the correct answer is already known, and fail to explain individual predictions in terms that data scientists can appreciate. These limitations suggest that new methods to produce practical artificial intelligence are still needed.
In this talk, I will discuss our work in (1) building an integrative knowledge infrastructure to prepare FAIR and "AI-ready" data and services along with (2) neurosymbolic AI methods to improve the quality of predictions and to generate plausible explanations. Attention is given to standards, platforms, and methods to wrangle knowledge into simple, but effective semantic and latent representations, and to make these available into standards-compliant and discoverable interfaces that can be used in model building, validation, and explanation. Our work, and those of others in the field, creates a baseline for building trustworthy and easy to deploy AI models in biomedicine.
Bio
Dr. Michel Dumontier is the Distinguished Professor of Data Science at Maastricht University, founder and executive director of the Institute of Data Science, and co-founder of the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) data principles. His research explores socio-technological approaches for responsible discovery science, which includes collaborative multi-modal knowledge graphs, privacy-preserving distributed data mining, and AI methods for drug discovery and personalized medicine. His work is supported through the Dutch National Research Agenda, the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, Horizon Europe, the European Open Science Cloud, the US National Institutes of Health, and a Marie-Curie Innovative Training Network. He is the editor-in-chief for the journal Data Science and is internationally recognized for his contributions in bioinformatics, biomedical informatics, and semantic technologies including ontologies and linked data.
Introduction:
RNA interference (RNAi) or Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing (PTGS) is an important biological process for modulating eukaryotic gene expression.
It is highly conserved process of posttranscriptional gene silencing by which double stranded RNA (dsRNA) causes sequence-specific degradation of mRNA sequences.
dsRNA-induced gene silencing (RNAi) is reported in a wide range of eukaryotes ranging from worms, insects, mammals and plants.
This process mediates resistance to both endogenous parasitic and exogenous pathogenic nucleic acids, and regulates the expression of protein-coding genes.
What are small ncRNAs?
micro RNA (miRNA)
short interfering RNA (siRNA)
Properties of small non-coding RNA:
Involved in silencing mRNA transcripts.
Called “small” because they are usually only about 21-24 nucleotides long.
Synthesized by first cutting up longer precursor sequences (like the 61nt one that Lee discovered).
Silence an mRNA by base pairing with some sequence on the mRNA.
Discovery of siRNA?
The first small RNA:
In 1993 Rosalind Lee (Victor Ambros lab) was studying a non- coding gene in C. elegans, lin-4, that was involved in silencing of another gene, lin-14, at the appropriate time in the
development of the worm C. elegans.
Two small transcripts of lin-4 (22nt and 61nt) were found to be complementary to a sequence in the 3' UTR of lin-14.
Because lin-4 encoded no protein, she deduced that it must be these transcripts that are causing the silencing by RNA-RNA interactions.
Types of RNAi ( non coding RNA)
MiRNA
Length (23-25 nt)
Trans acting
Binds with target MRNA in mismatch
Translation inhibition
Si RNA
Length 21 nt.
Cis acting
Bind with target Mrna in perfect complementary sequence
Piwi-RNA
Length ; 25 to 36 nt.
Expressed in Germ Cells
Regulates trnasposomes activity
MECHANISM OF RNAI:
First the double-stranded RNA teams up with a protein complex named Dicer, which cuts the long RNA into short pieces.
Then another protein complex called RISC (RNA-induced silencing complex) discards one of the two RNA strands.
The RISC-docked, single-stranded RNA then pairs with the homologous mRNA and destroys it.
THE RISC COMPLEX:
RISC is large(>500kD) RNA multi- protein Binding complex which triggers MRNA degradation in response to MRNA
Unwinding of double stranded Si RNA by ATP independent Helicase
Active component of RISC is Ago proteins( ENDONUCLEASE) which cleave target MRNA.
DICER: endonuclease (RNase Family III)
Argonaute: Central Component of the RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC)
One strand of the dsRNA produced by Dicer is retained in the RISC complex in association with Argonaute
ARGONAUTE PROTEIN :
1.PAZ(PIWI/Argonaute/ Zwille)- Recognition of target MRNA
2.PIWI (p-element induced wimpy Testis)- breaks Phosphodiester bond of mRNA.)RNAse H activity.
MiRNA:
The Double-stranded RNAs are naturally produced in eukaryotic cells during development, and they have a key role in regulating gene expression .
Earliest Galaxies in the JADES Origins Field: Luminosity Function and Cosmic ...Sérgio Sacani
We characterize the earliest galaxy population in the JADES Origins Field (JOF), the deepest
imaging field observed with JWST. We make use of the ancillary Hubble optical images (5 filters
spanning 0.4−0.9µm) and novel JWST images with 14 filters spanning 0.8−5µm, including 7 mediumband filters, and reaching total exposure times of up to 46 hours per filter. We combine all our data
at > 2.3µm to construct an ultradeep image, reaching as deep as ≈ 31.4 AB mag in the stack and
30.3-31.0 AB mag (5σ, r = 0.1” circular aperture) in individual filters. We measure photometric
redshifts and use robust selection criteria to identify a sample of eight galaxy candidates at redshifts
z = 11.5 − 15. These objects show compact half-light radii of R1/2 ∼ 50 − 200pc, stellar masses of
M⋆ ∼ 107−108M⊙, and star-formation rates of SFR ∼ 0.1−1 M⊙ yr−1
. Our search finds no candidates
at 15 < z < 20, placing upper limits at these redshifts. We develop a forward modeling approach to
infer the properties of the evolving luminosity function without binning in redshift or luminosity that
marginalizes over the photometric redshift uncertainty of our candidate galaxies and incorporates the
impact of non-detections. We find a z = 12 luminosity function in good agreement with prior results,
and that the luminosity function normalization and UV luminosity density decline by a factor of ∼ 2.5
from z = 12 to z = 14. We discuss the possible implications of our results in the context of theoretical
models for evolution of the dark matter halo mass function.
Richard's entangled aventures in wonderlandRichard Gill
Since the loophole-free Bell experiments of 2020 and the Nobel prizes in physics of 2022, critics of Bell's work have retreated to the fortress of super-determinism. Now, super-determinism is a derogatory word - it just means "determinism". Palmer, Hance and Hossenfelder argue that quantum mechanics and determinism are not incompatible, using a sophisticated mathematical construction based on a subtle thinning of allowed states and measurements in quantum mechanics, such that what is left appears to make Bell's argument fail, without altering the empirical predictions of quantum mechanics. I think however that it is a smoke screen, and the slogan "lost in math" comes to my mind. I will discuss some other recent disproofs of Bell's theorem using the language of causality based on causal graphs. Causal thinking is also central to law and justice. I will mention surprising connections to my work on serial killer nurse cases, in particular the Dutch case of Lucia de Berk and the current UK case of Lucy Letby.
(May 29th, 2024) Advancements in Intravital Microscopy- Insights for Preclini...Scintica Instrumentation
Intravital microscopy (IVM) is a powerful tool utilized to study cellular behavior over time and space in vivo. Much of our understanding of cell biology has been accomplished using various in vitro and ex vivo methods; however, these studies do not necessarily reflect the natural dynamics of biological processes. Unlike traditional cell culture or fixed tissue imaging, IVM allows for the ultra-fast high-resolution imaging of cellular processes over time and space and were studied in its natural environment. Real-time visualization of biological processes in the context of an intact organism helps maintain physiological relevance and provide insights into the progression of disease, response to treatments or developmental processes.
In this webinar we give an overview of advanced applications of the IVM system in preclinical research. IVIM technology is a provider of all-in-one intravital microscopy systems and solutions optimized for in vivo imaging of live animal models at sub-micron resolution. The system’s unique features and user-friendly software enables researchers to probe fast dynamic biological processes such as immune cell tracking, cell-cell interaction as well as vascularization and tumor metastasis with exceptional detail. This webinar will also give an overview of IVM being utilized in drug development, offering a view into the intricate interaction between drugs/nanoparticles and tissues in vivo and allows for the evaluation of therapeutic intervention in a variety of tissues and organs. This interdisciplinary collaboration continues to drive the advancements of novel therapeutic strategies.
Slide 1: Title Slide
Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Slide 2: Introduction to Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Definition: Extrachromosomal inheritance refers to the transmission of genetic material that is not found within the nucleus.
Key Components: Involves genes located in mitochondria, chloroplasts, and plasmids.
Slide 3: Mitochondrial Inheritance
Mitochondria: Organelles responsible for energy production.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA): Circular DNA molecule found in mitochondria.
Inheritance Pattern: Maternally inherited, meaning it is passed from mothers to all their offspring.
Diseases: Examples include Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and mitochondrial myopathy.
Slide 4: Chloroplast Inheritance
Chloroplasts: Organelles responsible for photosynthesis in plants.
Chloroplast DNA (cpDNA): Circular DNA molecule found in chloroplasts.
Inheritance Pattern: Often maternally inherited in most plants, but can vary in some species.
Examples: Variegation in plants, where leaf color patterns are determined by chloroplast DNA.
Slide 5: Plasmid Inheritance
Plasmids: Small, circular DNA molecules found in bacteria and some eukaryotes.
Features: Can carry antibiotic resistance genes and can be transferred between cells through processes like conjugation.
Significance: Important in biotechnology for gene cloning and genetic engineering.
Slide 6: Mechanisms of Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Non-Mendelian Patterns: Do not follow Mendel’s laws of inheritance.
Cytoplasmic Segregation: During cell division, organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts are randomly distributed to daughter cells.
Heteroplasmy: Presence of more than one type of organellar genome within a cell, leading to variation in expression.
Slide 7: Examples of Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Four O’clock Plant (Mirabilis jalapa): Shows variegated leaves due to different cpDNA in leaf cells.
Petite Mutants in Yeast: Result from mutations in mitochondrial DNA affecting respiration.
Slide 8: Importance of Extrachromosomal Inheritance
Evolution: Provides insight into the evolution of eukaryotic cells.
Medicine: Understanding mitochondrial inheritance helps in diagnosing and treating mitochondrial diseases.
Agriculture: Chloroplast inheritance can be used in plant breeding and genetic modification.
Slide 9: Recent Research and Advances
Gene Editing: Techniques like CRISPR-Cas9 are being used to edit mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA.
Therapies: Development of mitochondrial replacement therapy (MRT) for preventing mitochondrial diseases.
Slide 10: Conclusion
Summary: Extrachromosomal inheritance involves the transmission of genetic material outside the nucleus and plays a crucial role in genetics, medicine, and biotechnology.
Future Directions: Continued research and technological advancements hold promise for new treatments and applications.
Slide 11: Questions and Discussion
Invite Audience: Open the floor for any questions or further discussion on the topic.
THE IMPORTANCE OF MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE SAMPLE RETURN.Sérgio Sacani
The return of a sample of near-surface atmosphere from Mars would facilitate answers to several first-order science questions surrounding the formation and evolution of the planet. One of the important aspects of terrestrial planet formation in general is the role that primary atmospheres played in influencing the chemistry and structure of the planets and their antecedents. Studies of the martian atmosphere can be used to investigate the role of a primary atmosphere in its history. Atmosphere samples would also inform our understanding of the near-surface chemistry of the planet, and ultimately the prospects for life. High-precision isotopic analyses of constituent gases are needed to address these questions, requiring that the analyses are made on returned samples rather than in situ.
2. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION OF
NATURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES (IUCN)
• Government and civil society organization- field of
nature conservation & sustainable use of natural
resources
• Best known for compiling and publishing red list :
accesses the conservation status of species
worldwide
• Mission :INFLUENCE, ENCOURAGE & ASSIST societies
throughout the world to conserve nature and to
ensure the use of natural resources is equitable and
ecologically sustainable
3. MILESTONES
1947
1948
1961
2012
1990
1964
1949
1956
2008
Took part in setting up World
wild life fund (now WWF)
IUPN (international Union for
protection of nature) formed
IUPN and UNESCO jointly
organized conference on
protection of nature
Changed the name to International
Union for conservation of nature
and natural resources
International conference on
protection of nature in
Brunnen
Red data book on the
conservation status of
species was first published
Began using World
conservation union as official
name
Reverted name back to
IUCN
IUCN publishes the list of
world’s 100 most threatened
species
4. Present status…
217 States and
Govt. agencies
1066 NGOs
16151 experts
in 6
commissions
161
countries
HEADQUARTERS:
Gland, Switzerland
5. IUCN- Management & Governing body
• Managed by IUCN global secretariat
led by Director general (Present-
Inger Andersen)
• General assembly of union’s
members: World Conservation
Congress
• IUCN council – Principal Governing
Body lead by the President
• President of 2012-16 council :ZHANG
Xinsheng (China)
8. IUCN THEMES- work across various themes
related to conservation, environmental
and ecological issues
• BUISNESS AND
BIODIVERSITY
• CLIMATE CHANGE
• ECONOMICS
• ECOSYSTEM
MANAGEMENT
• ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
• FORESTS
• GENDER
• GLOBAL POLICY
• MARINE AND POLAR
PROTECTED AREAS
• SCIENCE AND
KNOWLEDGE
• SOCIAL POLICY
• SPECIES
• WATER
• WORLD HERITAGE
9. Regions of Action
• Asia
• Central And West Africa
• Eastern And Southern
Africa
• Eastern Europe And
Central Asia
• Europe
• Mediterranean
• Mexico, Central
America And The
Caribbean
• Oceania
• South America
• Washington D.C. Office
• West Asia
10. IUCN INDIA
• India: a megadiverse country -accounts for 7-8% of all
recorded species,
• over 45,000 species of plants and 91,000 species of animals
• Four of 34 globally identified biodiversity hotspots: The
Himalayas, the Western Ghats, the North-East, and the
Nicobar Islands in India.
• India became a State Member of IUCN in 1969, through the
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
(MoEFCC).
• The IUCN India Country Office was established in 2007 in
New Delhi
11. IUCN RED LIST
• First published in 1964
• IUCN Global species programme working with
IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC)
• Access the conservation status of species,
subspecies, varieties and even selected sub
populations on global scale
• Highlight the taxa threatened with extinction
and thereby promote their conservation
13. • EXTINCT (EX)
– A taxon is Extinct when there is no reasonable
doubt that the last individual has died.
• EXTINCT IN THE WILD (EW)
– A taxon is Extinct in the Wild when it is known
only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a
naturalized population (or populations) well
outside the past range.
RED LIST CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA
Cont..
14. Cynometra beddomei Ilex gardneriana Madhuca insignis
EXTINCT
EXTINCT IN THE WILD
Corypha taliera
Euphorbia mayurnathanii
19. • NEAR THREATENED (NT)
– A taxon is NT when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does
not qualify for CR, EN or VU now, but is close to qualifying for or is
likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.
• LEAST CONCERN (LC)
– A taxon is LC when it has been evaluated against the criteria and does
not qualify for CR, EN, VU or NT. Widespread and abundant taxa are
included in this category
• DATA DEFICIENT (DD)
– A taxon is Data Deficient when there is inadequate information to
make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on
its distribution and/or population status.
• NOT EVALUATED (NE)
– A taxon is Not Evaluated when it has not yet been evaluated against
the criteria.
RED LIST CATEGORIES AND CRITERIA
Cont..