Antimicrobial and antiviral activities of an actinomycete (Streptomyces sp.) isolated from a Brazilian tropical forest soil

A promising producer of bioactive compounds isolated from a Brazilian tropical soil was tested for its range of antimicrobial activities. Strain 606, classified as Streptomyces sp., could not be identified up to species level, suggesting a possible new taxon. The supernatant and 10 extracts and fractions, obtained by extraction and chromatographic techniques, presented antimicrobial activity using antibiograms. The methanolic fraction was highly active against pathogenic bacteria, phytopathogenic fungi and the human pathogenic yeast Candida albicans. It also possessed high antiviral activity inhibiting the propagation of an acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 strain on HEp-2 cells at non-cytotoxic concentration. The strong cytotoxic effect suggests an antitumour action. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Na+/K+-ATPase Inhibition Partially Mimics the Ethanol-Induced Increase of the Golgi Cell-Dependent Component of the Tonic GABAergic Current in Rat Cerebellar Granule Cells

Cerebellar granule cells (CGNs) are one of many neurons that express phasic and tonic GABAergic conductances. Although it is well established that Golgi cells (GoCs) mediate phasic GABAergic currents in CGNs, their role in mediating tonic currents in CGNs (CGN-I_tonic) is controversial. Earlier studies suggested that GoCs mediate a component of CGN-I_tonic that is present only in preparations from immature rodents. However, more recent studies have detected a GoC-dependent component of CGN-I_tonic in preparations of mature rodents. In addition, acute exposure to ethanol was shown to potentiate the GoC component of CGN-I_tonic and to induce a parallel increase in spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic current frequency at CGNs. Here, we tested the hypothesis that these effects of ethanol on GABAergic transmission in CGNs are mediated by inhibition of the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase. We used whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology techniques in cerebellar slices of male rats (postnatal day 23–30). Under these conditions, we reliably detected a GoC-dependent component of CGN-I_tonic that could be blocked with tetrodotoxin. Further analysis revealed a positive correlation between basal sIPSC frequency and the magnitude of the GoC-dependent component of CGN-I_tonic. Inhibition of the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase with a submaximal concentration of ouabain partially mimicked the ethanol-induced potentiation of both phasic and tonic GABAergic currents in CGNs. Modeling studies suggest that selective inhibition of the Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase in GoCs can, in part, explain these effects of ethanol. These findings establish a novel mechanism of action of ethanol on GABAergic transmission in the central nervous system.     

A Statistical Approach to Provide Individualized Privacy for Surveys

In this paper we propose an instrument for collecting sensitive data that allows for each participant to customize the amount of information that she is comfortable revealing. Current methods adopt a uniform approach where all subjects are afforded the same privacy guarantees; however, privacy is a highly subjective property with intermediate points between total disclosure and non-disclosure: each respondent has a different criterion regarding the sensitivity of a particular topic. The method we propose empowers respondents in this respect while still allowing for the discovery of interesting findings through the application of well-known inferential procedures.     

The role of humans in the diversification of a threatened island raptor

Background  

Anthropogenic habitat modifications have led to the extinction of many species and have favoured the expansion of others. Nonetheless, the possible role of humans as a diversifying force in vertebrate evolution has rarely been considered, especially for species with long generation times. We examine the influence that humans have had on the colonization and phenotypic and genetic differentiation of an insular population of a long-lived raptor species, the Egyptian vulture (Neophron percnopterus).     

Colonization and extinction of land planarians (Platyhelminthes,Tricladida) in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest regrowth remnant

Long-term assessments of species assemblages are valuable tools for detecting species ecological preferences and their dispersal tracks, as well as for assessing the possible effects of alien species on native communities. Here we report a 50-year-long study on population dynamics of the four species of land flatworms (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Terricola) that have colonized or become extinct in a 70-year-old Atlantic Forest regrowth remnant through the period 1955–2006. On the one hand, the two initially most abundant species, which are native to the study site, Notogynaphallia ernesti and Geoplana multicolor have declined over decades and at present do not exist in the forest remnant. The extinction of these species is most likely related with their preference for open vegetation areas, which presently do not exist in the forest remnant. On the other hand, the neotropical Geoplaninae 1 and the exotic Endeavouria septemlineata were detected in the forest only very recently. The long-term study allowed us to conclude that Geoplaninae 1 was introduced into the study area, although it is only known from the study site. Endeavouria septemlineata, an active predator of the exotic giant African snail, is originally known from Hawaii. This land flatworm species was observed repeatedly in Brazilian anthropogenic areas, and this is the first report of the species in relatively well preserved native forest, which may be evidence of an ongoing adaptive process. Monitoring of its geographic spread and its ecological role would be a good practice for preventing potential damaging effects, since it also feeds on native mollusk fauna, as we observed in lab conditions. Júlio Pedroni: Granted by CNPQ–Brazil.     

Synthesis and in vitro anti Mycobacterium tuberculosis activity of a series of phthalimide derivatives

New phthalimide derivatives were easily prepared through condensation of phthalic anhydride and selected amines with variable yields (70–90%). All compounds (3a–l) were evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H₃₇Rv using Alamar Blue susceptibility. The compounds 3c, 3i, and 3l have the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 3.9, 7.8, and 5.0 μg/mL, respectively, and could be considered new lead compounds in the treatment of tuberculosis and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis.     

酸敏感离子通道与脑梗死

急性脑梗死约占全部脑卒中的70%,病死率和致残率高,且极易复发。但目前针对急性脑梗死在时间窗内溶栓、抗凝等治疗手段不能从根本上切实有效地修复受损脑组织,且伴有出血等风险。寻找脑梗死形成发展的原因并予以治疗迫在眉睫。酸中毒是引起缺血性脑损伤的重要机制。大量实验研究表明,酸中毒能加重神经元的缺血性损伤,且其梗死面积与酸中毒的程度直接相关。但缺血产生的酸中毒如何引起神经元损伤的确切机制尚不明确。最近研究发现酸中毒能激活一种在中枢及周围神经中广泛存在的膜通道,即酸敏感离子通道,它对Ca2+通透,能引起细胞内Ca2+超载,同时能激活胞内酶引起细胞内蛋白质、脂类及核酸的降解,加重缺血后脑损伤。本文就酸敏感离子通道1a与脑梗死做一综述。     

黑龙江省三江平原丹顶鹤的数量分布

在地面调查的基础上,我们使用Y-11轻型飞机对黑龙江省三江平原地区的丹顶鹤的数量分布近行了调查,调查时飞行高度80米,航速140公里/小时,续航里程共3748公里。调查结果表明,丹顶鹤在三江平原主要分布在8个地区,其中嘟噜河下游、洪河自然保护区、七星河流域和兴凯湖低地是主要繁殖地,总数量共309只。