Notes on some African hepatic genera 1–5

The present study deals with five genera of hepatics in Africa, Isotachis Mitt., Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph., Tritomaria Schiffn. ex Loeske, Gymnocoleopsis (Schust.) Schust. and Lophozia (Dum.) Dum. All African populations of the genus Isotachis Mitt. are considered to be one species, I. aubertii (Schwaegr.) Mitt. Four species of Anastrophyllum (Spruce) Steph. (s.l.), A. auritum (Lehm.) Steph., A. piligerum (Nees) Spruce, A. subcomplicatum (Lehm. et Lindenb.) Steph. and A. minutum (Schreb.) Schust., and two species of Tritomaria Schiffn. et Loeske, T. camerunensis S. Arnell and T. exsecta (Schrad.) Schiffn. ex Loeske occur in Africa. Gymmocoleopsis multiflora (Steph.) Schust. represents a genus and species hitherto unreported for the African flora. Finally, five Lophozia (Dum.) Dum. species, L. argentina (Steph.) Schust., L. capensis S. Arnell, L. decolorans (Limpr.) Steph., L. hedbergii S. Arnell and L. tristaniana (S. Arnell) Váňa, are reported from central and southern Africa; two of these (L. argentina (Steph.) Schust. and L. decolorans (Limpr.) Steph.) represent the first reports from Africa.     

Notes on Fissidens VII–IX

Abstract

Note VII: Fissidens ah-pengae and F. aristifer spp. nov. are described and figured. The first is known from La Réunion, the second from Madagascar and La Réunion. Both belong to subgenus Aloma.

Note VIII: Fifteen new synonyms are proposed: Fissidens bryoides Hedw. var. glaucus Brid. is subsumed under F. crassipes Wilson ex Bruch & Schimp., F. comorensis Müll.Hal. under F. crispulus Brid., F. sigmocarpoides P.de la Varde under Fissidens erosulus (Müll.Hal.) Paris, F. atroviridis Besch., and F. luridus Renauld & Cardot under F. flaccidus Mitt., Moenkemeyera rarotongae Dixon and Fissidens jonesii Bizot ex Pócs under F. lagenarius Mitt. var. lagenarius, F. onraedtii Bizot nom. nud. under F. madecassus Schimp. ex Müll.Hal., F. bryum var. terrestris P.de la Varde under F. metzgeria (Müll.Hal.) Broth., F. edamensis M. Fleisch. under F. pallidinervis Mitt., F. brunnthaleri var. filipes Dixon & P.de la Varde under F. ramulosus Mitt., F. desertorum (Müll.Hal.) Paris and F. bambariensis Broth. & P.de la Varde under F. reflexus Hampe, F. usambaricus var. acutifolius P.de la Varde under F. usambaricus Broth. and F. glauculus var. circinicaulis (Cardot) P.de la Varde under F. weirii Mitt. Fissidens gedehensis M. Fleisch. is re-instated as a good species.

Note IX: Fifty-five new country and state records including F. anguste-limbatus Mitt. new to Africa. Fissidens pocsii Bizot & Dury ex Pócs is the first record of an epiphyllous species of this genus. The African distributions of F. flaccidus and F. pallidinervis are amended.     

In vitro hepatic steatosis model based on gut–liver-on-a-chip

Hepatic steatosis, also known as fatty liver disease, occurs due to abnormal lipid accumulation in the liver. It has been known that gut absorption also plays an important role in the mechanism underlying hepatic steatosis. Conventional in vitro cell culture models have limitations in recapitulating the mechanisms of hepatic steatosis because it does not include the gut absorption process. Previously, we reported development of a microfluidic gut–liver chip that can recapitulate the gut absorption of fatty acids and subsequent lipid accumulation in liver cells. In this study, we performed a series of experiments to verify that our gut–liver chip reproduces various aspects of hepatic steatosis. The absorption of fatty acids was evaluated under various culture conditions. The anti-steatotic effect of turofexorate isopropyl (XL-335) and metformin was tested, and both drugs showed different action mechanisms. In addition, the oxidative stress induced by lipid absorption was evaluated. Our results demonstrate the potential of the gut–liver chip for use as a novel, physiologically realistic in vitro model to study fatty liver disease.     

Notes on fungi from north-east India — XXII some species of hypoxylon from Assam

Summary Hypoxylon stygium (Lév)Sacc.,H. archeri Berk.,H. bovei Speg. var.microspora Miller,H. truncatum (Schw.ex Fr.)Miller,H. nummularium Bull. ex Fr. var.merillii Miller (=Hypoxylon asarcodes (Theissen)Miller?) andH. deustum (Hoff. ex Fr.)Grev. (=Ustulina zonata (Lév.)Sacc.), occurring in the tea gardens of Assam are illustrated and described. In addition, the following species ofHypoxylon hitherto reported from this country are enlisted:H. multiforme Fr. (=H. atropurpureum Fr., =H. hookeri Berk.)H. fragiforme (Pers. ex Fr.)Kickx. (=H. coccineum Bull.),H. rubiginosum Pers. ex Fr. (=H. fusco-purpureum (Schw.)Berk. et Curt., =H. nectrioides Speg., =H. perforatum Schw. ex Fr.),H. hypomiltum Mont.,H. indicum (=H. haematostroma Mont.? =H. distillatum Berk. et Fr.),H. investiens (Schw.)Curt.,H. crocopeplum Berk. et Curt. (=H. ochraceo-flavum Berk. et Cooke),H. pistillare Pers. ex Fr.,H. haematostroma Mont. (=H. vividum Berk. et Br.).H. jecorium Berk. et Rav. (=Nummularia cinnabarina P. Henn.),H. suborbiculare (=Nummularia suborbicularis (Welw. et Currey() =H. sclerophaeum Berk. et Curt? Sacc.),H. truncatum (Schw. ex Fr.)Miller (=H. annulatum (Schw.)Mont.) andH. stygium (Lév.)Sacc.     

Notes on the Potentilleæ

Background: Various rare and endangered temperate ferns are being threatened by their recent population decline, but there is limited understanding of the causes behind it.

Aims: This study attempted to identify the possible drivers of regional population decline and extinction in the globally distributed woodland fern Polystichum braunii.

Methods: A comparison was undertaken of the climatic, edaphic and phytosociological characteristics of sites with increasing, decreasing or recently extinct populations in Germany.

Results: A significantly higher frequency of episodes of low relative air humidity (<60%) was found at sites with decreasing or extinct populations compared to habitats with population increases. Sites with decreasing or extinct populations were also characterised as having less summer precipitation (<500 mm year^?1) and a shorter duration of snow cover (<110 days year^?1) than sites with increasing populations. The latter had significantly higher moss cover (56% of the forest floor), but less cover by a tree litter layer (23%) compared to decreasing (36% and 38%) or recently extinct populations (22% and 52%). All increasing populations were located in intact Tilia – Acer ravine forests, while those suffering population decline were mostly located in Fagus-dominated forests.

Conclusions: It was concluded that the probable causes of the recent decline in German P. braunii populations are reduced air humidity levels, decreasing snow duration or a shift from moss-covered to tree litter-covered forest floors due to climate warming or altered forest management.     

Why do some African children develop severe malaria?

Malaria is still a major cause of death and severe illness among children in many parts of tropical Africa, but only a small proportion of children, perhaps 1-2%, who become ill with malaria develop severe disease. Why only, some children experience a severe or fatal attack is not understood clearly. In this article, Brian Greenwood, Kevin Marsh and Robert Snow review some of those characteristics of the parasite and the host that may influence the outcome of a malaria infection. Identification of the relative importance of the many factors likely to be involved is needed in order to develop rational strategies for the prevention of deaths from malaria among children in malaria-endemic areas.     

Phylogenetic analyses of some genera in Oedipodidae （Orthoptera： Acridoidea） based on 16S mitochondrial partial gene sequences

Basedonthe 16S mitochondrial partial gene sequences of 29 genera, containing 26 from Oedipodidae and one each from Tanaoceridae, Pyrgomorphidae and Tetrigidae （as outgroups）, the homologus sequences were compared and phylogenetic analyses were performed. A phylogenetic tree was inferred by neighbor-joining （N J）. The results of sequences compared show that： （i） in a total of 574 bp of Oedipodidae, the number of substituted nucleotides was 265 bp and the average percentages ofT, C, A and G were 38.3%, 11.4%, 31.8% and 18.5%, respectively, and the content of A＋T （70.1%） was distinctly richer than that of C＋G （29.9%）; and （ii） the average nucleotide divergence of 16S rDNA sequences among genera of Oedipodidae were 9.0%, among families of Acridoidea were 17.0%, and between superfamilies （Tetrigoidea and Acridoidea） were 23.9%, respectively. The phylogenetic tree indicated： （i） the Oedipodidae was a monophyletic group, which suggested that the taxonomic status of this family was confirmed; （ii） the genus Heteropternis separated from the other Oedipodids first and had another unique sound-producing structure in morphology, which is the type-genus of subfamily Heteropterninae; and （iii） the relative intergeneric relationship within the same continent was closer than that of different continents, and between the Eurasian genera and the African genera, was closer than that between Eurasians and Americans.     

Downregulation of hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase-α in patients with hepatic steatosis

Glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT) and microsomal glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6Pase-α) perform the terminal step in glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis. Deficiency of these proteins leads to glycogen storage diseases. Partial inhibition of G6Pase in rats results in increased hepatic triglyceride content and de novo lipogenesis leading to hepatic steatosis. Hepatic steatosis represents hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. We investigated molecular mechanisms that may explain the relationship between fatty liver and G6Pase-α in humans in detail. A total of 27 patients (11 men, 16 women) underwent liver biopsy. Histological diagnosis identified nonfatty liver in seven patients and nonalcoholic fatty liver in 20 patients. We quantified G6Pase-α and G6PT mRNA expression by real-time PCR. Anthropometric measurements and analysis of plasma lipids and liver enzymes were performed. Patients with fatty liver showed no significant differences in age, HOMA(IR) (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), BMI, liver enzymes or waist-to-hip ratio compared to those with nonfatty liver, but total plasma cholesterol levels and liver fat content were higher in patients with fatty liver (P < 0.05). G6Pase-α and G6PT mRNA expressions were significantly downregulated in fatty compared to histologically normal liver (P < 0.05). G6Pase-α and G6PT mRNA expressions correlated positively (R(2) = 0.406 P < 0.05). Both expressions did not correlate with age, BMI, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transferase, triglycerides or glucose levels. Our data suggest that expression of hepatic G6Pase-α and G6PT are closely interlinked. Downregulation of G6Pase-α in fatty liver might be associated with hepatic fat accumulation and pathogenesis of hepatic steatosis.     

Quantitative structure–activity relationship study on some benzodiazepine derivatives as anti-Alzheimer agents

A QSAR study was performed in an attempt to explore the pharmacophore of some benzodiazepine derivatives as anti-Alzheimer agents for the inhibition of -secretase. The study, which used the electrotopological state atom (ETSA) index, which encodes electronic and topological information, reveals the importance of two phenyl rings—one substituted and another unsubstituted, for the inhibition of the enzyme. Fluorine substitution on the substituted phenyl ring has an important contribution to the activity. R-configurations of the aliphatic chain substituents provide the exact conformation of the molecules to enter into the binding pockets of the receptor(s).Figure General structure of benzodiazepine containing -secretase inhibitors     

Notes on Chinese Brachytheciaceae (Ⅰ)

In 1929, V. F. Brotherus published eight species and one form of Chinese Brachytheciaceae based on Handel-Mazzetti's collections from Hunan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces of China during 1914～1918. The holotypes of all the taxa mentioned above were studied by the present authors. Three names are newly reduced to synonyms: Brachythecium subcurvatulum≡ Brachythecium velutinum ; Rhynchostegium gracilescens≡ Eu-rhynchium savatieri and Rhynchostegium obsoletinerve≡Herzogiella turfacea.     

Notes on Costeño cultural politics

The article fundamentally endorses Schroeder’s findings that Augusto Sandino failed to develop a significant base among the peoples of the Atlantic Coast. This article also places Schroeder’s argument in a comparative perspective, as it discusses the early 1930s rural mobilization in El Salvador, outlining how the Salvadoran left’s social egalitarian appeals compensated for a degree of cultural insensitivity and lack of knowledge regarding the indigenous peoples of the western part of the country. The article also questions the placement of the mining area as outside of the Atlantic Coast region. It suggests the historical connections of Miskitu Indians and the mining communities and in so doing modifies, to a degree, Schroeder’s argument about the desencuentro between Sandino and the indigenous people.     

Effects of Mineral Nitrogen Partitioning on Tree–Grass Coexistence in West African Savannas

Ecosystems - Coexistence between trees and grasses in savannas is generally assumed to be due to a combination of partial niche separation for water acquisition and disturbances impacting the...     

Studies on the cyanophytes of Cuba 4–6

The article comprises three subsequently published studies of the taxonomy of Cuban cyanophyte/cyanobacterial flora: (4)Lyngbyopsis willei: This oscillatorialean genus and species, described byGardner (1927) from mountain creeks in Puerto Rico, was found more than 50 years later in similar localities in Cuba. The morphological variability of the Cuban populations is described and similarity with the genusSchizothrix (sect.Inactis) discussed. —(5)Cylindrospermum-species: The morphological variability of twenty-oneCylindrospermum-populations collected in Cuba was studied, documented by graphical methods and compared with the published data. Four new taxa were recognized (C. minutissimum v.rinoi, C. zonatum, C. bourrellyi, andC. desikacharyi). The other populations belong to the variation ranges ofC. breve, C. minutissimum, C. michailovskoense, andC. muscicola v.kashmiriense.— (6)Gomphosphaerioideae-species: Fifty eight populations (9 species) of the subfamilyGomphosphaerioideae (Microcystaceae, Chroococcales) from freshwater biotopes of Cuba were evaluated: Four planktic species with a probable cosmopolitan distribution were found (Coelosphaerium kuetzinginianum, C. minutissimum, Snowella lacustris andCoelomoron pusillus), and from the genusCoelomoron Buell two new species,C. microcystoides andC. vestitus were described. The tropical planktic speciesWoronichinia fremyi forms occasionally water blooms in larger reservoirs. Two tropical species from the genusGomphosphaeria Kütz, were recognized,G. multiplex (Nyg.) c. n. andG. semen-vitis sp. n.     

Migration patterns of the Osprey Pandion haliaetus on the Eastern European–East African flyway

We analysed migration strategies of the Osprey Pandion haliaetus on the poorly studied Eastern European–East African flyway. Four adult birds were equipped with GPS-based satellite-transmitters or data-loggers in their breeding sites in Estonia (north-eastern Europe) and tracked to their wintering grounds in Africa and back, during up to six migration cycles. Departure times, migration routes, as well as wintering and stopover sites varied remarkably between individuals but not much between years. Stopovers (2–30 days) were made mostly in Europe and less in the Middle East (Turkey) and north-eastern Africa (Egypt). The Ospreys did not avoid flying long distances over the sea, and the sea was crossed four times during the night. The current study adds to current knowledge on Osprey migration and should help to concentrate actions on protecting important flyways and stopover locations.     

PEDIATRIC ENDOCRINOLOGY—Notes on Some Recent Advances

Until recently, congenital adrenocortical hyperplasia has defied most medical and surgical therapeutic efforts. However, in properly selected patients, cortisone will suppress the abnormal cortical hormone production. This, in turn, will lead to previously inhibited maturation and developmental progress.Adrenocortical insufficiency calls for much diagnostic alertness, as early recognition and immediate treatment are of paramount importance. The available therapeutic means are beneficial, although their limitations and potential dangers should be heeded.Among newly developed diagnostic techniques, thyrograms promise to be helpful in the study of thyroid hyperplasia and neoplasia. Thyroid cancer, occurring infrequently in childhood, should at the earliest possible time be treated surgically and with postoperative radiation therapy.     

The effect of sleep on motor skill learning in young badminton players aged 6–9 years

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of sleep on the acquisition of motor skills in young badminton players. Thirteen badminton players, aged 6–9 years (8.0 ± 0.3 years; mean ± SE), practiced the shuttle bouncing drill, and a skill none of the players had prior experience with. After practice sessions, shuttle bouncing performance was immediately tested and then retested 1 week later. We evaluated sleep parameters for 7 consecutive days using actigraphy. Using the median value of sleep efficiency, subjects were divided into two groups: good sleepers and poor sleepers. Good sleepers had shorter sleep latency (p < 0.05), longer wake after sleep onset (p < 0.001), longer total sleep time (p < 0.005), and higher sleep efficiency (p < 0.001) than the poor sleepers. Interestingly, improvement in shuttle bouncing performance was significantly greater in the good sleeper group than that in the poor sleeper group (p < 0.05). In addition, we found that changes in the shuttle bouncing performance positively correlated with sleep efficiency (β = 0.765, p < 0.01) and total sleep time (β = 0.588, p < 0.05) after adjusting for their badminton career. These data suggest that sleep may affect the acquisition of motor skills in young players.