Elements of disease in a changing world: modelling feedbacks between infectious disease and ecosystems

An overlooked effect of ecosystem eutrophication is the potential to alter disease dynamics in primary producers, inducing disease‐mediated feedbacks that alter net primary productivity and elemental recycling. Models in disease ecology rarely track organisms past death, yet death from infection can alter important ecosystem processes including elemental recycling rates and nutrient supply to living hosts. In contrast, models in ecosystem ecology rarely track disease dynamics, yet elemental nutrient pools (e.g. nitrogen, phosphorus) can regulate important disease processes including pathogen reproduction and transmission. Thus, both disease and ecosystem ecology stand to grow as fields by exploring questions that arise at their intersection. However, we currently lack a framework explicitly linking these disciplines. We developed a stoichiometric model using elemental currencies to track primary producer biomass (carbon) in vegetation and soil pools, and to track prevalence and the basic reproduction number (R₀) of a directly transmitted pathogen. This model, parameterised for a deciduous forest, demonstrates that anthropogenic nutrient supply can interact with disease to qualitatively alter both ecosystem and disease dynamics. Using this element‐focused approach, we identify knowledge gaps and generate predictions about the impact of anthropogenic nutrient supply rates on infectious disease and feedbacks to ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling.     

Effect of worker number and diapause duration on colony parameters of the bumblebee,Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Bumblebee, Bombus terrestris queens undergo winter diapause and show a great difference in diapause duration in natural conditions. Queens emerged from diapause initiate colonies by producing a batch of diploid (fertilised) eggs that develop into workers. In this study we investigated the effects of both the duration of queen diapause (2, 3, 4, or 5 months) and colony size (artificially limited to 50, 100, 150, and 200 workers) on the number of sexuals (males or new queens — gynes) produced, when gynes are produced and the longevity of both the foundress queen and the colony. Both worker population and diapause duration showed significant effect on sexual gyne production, foundress queen longevity and colony longevity but their interaction effect was insignificant. The worker number and diapause duration, respectively showed significant effect on sexual male production and gyne emergence period, but their interaction effects were insignificant.     

A new Gephyromantis (Phylacomantis) frog species from the pinnacle karst of Bemaraha, western Madagascar

We describe a new mantellid frog of the subfamily Mantellinae from the karstic Bemaraha Plateau, western Madagascar. The new species belongs to the genus Gephyromantis, subgenus Phylacomantis, which previously included Gephyromantis azzurrae, Gephyromantis corvus and Gephyromantis pseudoasper. Gephyromantis atsingysp. n. has a snout-vent length of 35-43 mm and is a scansorial frog living among the Tsingy de Bemaraha pinnacles and inside the caves present in the area. A morphological analysis and biomolecular comparison revealed the degree of differentiation between these four species of the Phylacomantis subgenus.The new species seems to be endemic to Tsingy de Bemaraha.     

Autoantigen discovery with a synthetic human peptidome

Immune responses targeting self-proteins (autoantigens) can lead to a variety of autoimmune diseases. Identification of these antigens is important for both diagnostic and therapeutic reasons. However, current approaches to characterize autoantigens have, in most cases, met only with limited success. Here we present a synthetic representation of the complete human proteome, the T7 peptidome phage display library (T7-Pep), and demonstrate its application to autoantigen discovery. T7-Pep is composed of >413,000 36-residue, overlapping peptides that cover all open reading frames in the human genome, and can be analyzed using high-throughput DNA sequencing. We developed a phage immunoprecipitation sequencing (PhIP-Seq) methodology to identify known and previously unreported autoantibodies contained in the spinal fluid of three individuals with paraneoplastic neurological syndromes. We also show how T7-Pep can be used more generally to identify peptide-protein interactions, suggesting the broader utility of our approach for proteomic research.     

Are Autistic Traits in the General Population Stable across Development?

There is accumulating evidence that autistic traits (AT) are on a continuum in the general population, with clinical autism representing the extreme end of a quantitative distribution. While the nature and severity of symptoms in clinical autism are known to persist over time, no study has examined the long-term stability of AT among typically developing toddlers. The current investigation measured AT in 360 males and 400 males from the general population close to two decades apart, using the Pervasive Developmental Disorder subscale of the Child Behavior Checklist in early childhood (M = 2.14 years; SD = 0.15), and the Autism-Spectrum Quotient in early adulthood (M = 19.50 years; SD = 0.70). Items from each scale were further divided into social (difficulties with social interaction and communication) and non-social (restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests) AT. The association between child and adult measurements of AT as well the influence of potentially confounding sociodemographic, antenatal and obstetric variables were assessed using Pearson's correlations and linear regression. For males, Total AT in early childhood were positively correlated with total AT (r = .16, p = .002) and social AT (r = .16, p = .002) in adulthood. There was also a positive correlation for males between social AT measured in early childhood and Total (r = .17, p = .001) and social AT (r = .16, p = .002) measured in adulthood. Correlations for non-social AT did not achieve significance in males. Furthermore, there was no significant longitudinal association in AT observed for males or females. Despite the constraints of using different measures and different raters at the two ages, this study found modest developmental stability of social AT from early childhood to adulthood in boys.     

What is the Conservation Value of a Plant in a Botanic Garden? Using Indicators to Improve Management of Ex Situ Collections

Living botanic garden plant collections are a fundamental and underutilized worldwide resource for plant conservation. A common goal in managing a botanical living collection is to maintain the greatest biodiversity at the greatest economic and logistic efficiency. However to date there is no unified strategy for managing living plants within and among botanic gardens. We propose a strategy that combines three indicators of the management priority of a collection: information on species imperilment, genetic representation, and the operational costs associated to maintaining genetic representation. In combination or alone, these indicators can be used to assay effectiveness and efficiency of living collections, and to assign a numeric conservation value to an accession. We illustrate this approach using endangered palms that have been studied to varying degrees. Management decisions can be readily extended to other species based on our indicators. Thus, the conservation value of a species can be shared through existing databases with other botanic gardens and provide a list of recommendations toward a combined management strategy for living collections. Our approach is easily implemented and well suited for decision-making by gardens and organizations interested in plant conservation.     

The Potential Influence of a Companion-Animal's Presence on Aspects of the Therapeutic Alliance

ABSTRACT

Seventy-one college students participated in an experiment exploring the impact of a companion-animal's presence (viz., a dog) on several aspects of the participants' experience during an interview. Specifically, the study examined how the presence of a companion animal impacts participants' perception of the interviewer, including perceived levels of empathy and participants' willingness to self-disclose. Participants were prescreened with questions regarding past experience with animals. The researcher then conducted interviews with each participant, simulating a process comparable to that of an abridged initial psychotherapy intake session. Participants completed measures on their experience at the completion of the interview. Primary findings of the study determined that the presence of a companion animal did not influence participants' overall perceptions of the interviewer, willingness to self-disclose to the interviewer, and perceptions of the interviewer's level of empathic understanding. Participants' level of exposure to animals (current and past) also had no impact on these dependent measures. When participants' attitudes toward pets were examined, negative attitudes toward pets were associated with a diminished willingness to self-disclose in this study. This study represents an initial attempt at using more rigorous methodical controls to study the effect of companion animals in therapy-like situations. Contrary to previous research, the results imply that the presence of a companion animal during an interview analogous to the initial psychotherapy intake session may not influence aspects of the therapeutic alliance examined in this study. Future research is needed to determine if the same findings will be found with actual psychotherapy cases.     

Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC): Cause or consequence of inflammation,dysbiosis, and rupture of cellular joints in patients with IBD?

There are many factors contributing to the development of gastrointestinal diseases, grouped into genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. In recent years attention has fallen on pathogens; in particular, Bacteroides fragilis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Helicobacter pylori have been studied. Several points remain to be clarified, and above all, as regards the adherent-invasive E. coli strains of E. coli, one wonders if they are a cause or a consequence of the disease. In this review, we have tried to clarify some points by examining a series of recent publications regarding the involvement of the bacterium in the pathology, even if other studies are necessary.     

Increased Level of Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells,Programmed Death Receptor Ligand 1/Programmed Death Receptor 1, and Soluble CD25 in Sokal High Risk Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Immunotherapy (eg interferon α) in combination with tyrosine kinase inhibitors is currently in clinical trials for treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Cancer patients commonly have problems with so called immune escape mechanisms that may hamper immunotherapy. Hence, to study the function of the immune system in CML is of interest. In the present paper we have identified immune escape mechanisms in CML with focus on those that directly hamper T cells since these cells are important to control tumor progression. CML patient samples were investigated for the presence of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), expression of programmed death receptor ligand 1/programmed death receptor 1 (PD-L1/PD-1), arginase 1 and soluble CD25. MDSC levels were increased in samples from Sokal high risk patients (p<0,05) and the cells were present on both CD34 negative and CD34 positive cell populations. Furthermore, expression of the MDSC-associated molecule arginase 1, known to inhibit T cells, was increased in the patients (p = 0,0079). Myeloid cells upregulated PD-L1 (p<0,05) and the receptor PD-1 was present on T cells. However, PD-L1 blockade did not increase T cell proliferation but upregulated IL-2 secretion. Finally, soluble CD25 was increased in high risk patients (p<0,0001). In conclusion T cells in CML patients may be under the control of different immune escape mechanisms that could hamper the use of immunotherapy in these patients. These escape mechanisms should be monitored in trials to understand their importance and how to overcome the immune suppression.     

Anti-neuroinflammatory diarylheptanoids from the rhizomes of Dioscorea nipponica

In a continuing search for bioactive constituents from Dioscoreaceae medicinal plants, two new cyclic diarylheptanoids, diosniponol A (1) and B (2), together with 10 known compounds (3–12) were isolated from the rhizomes of Dioscorea nipponica. The structures of these new compounds were determined by spectroscopic analyses, including extensive two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and optical rotation. All isolated compounds 1–12 were evaluated for their effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in murine microglia cell line BV-2. Compounds 8 and 11 showed potent inhibitory activities on NO production (IC₅₀ 13.36 and 14.36 μM, respectively) without cell toxicity in lipopolysaccharide-activated BV-2 cells.