A new frog species from the central western Ghats of India, and its phylogenetic position

Tropical evergreen forests of Indian subcontinent, especially of the Western Ghats, are known hot spots of amphibian diversity, where many new anuran species await to be identified. Here we describe from the Sharavathi River basin of central Western Ghats a new shrub-frog taxon related to the anuran family Rhacophoridae. The new frog possesses the characteristic features of rhacophorids (dilated digit tips with differentiated pads circumscribed by a complete groove, intercalary cartilages on digits, T-shaped terminal phalanges and granular belly, the adaptive characters for arboreal life forms), but also a suite of unique features that distinguish it from all known congeners in the region. Morphogenetic analysis based on morphological characteristics and diversity in the mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes revealed it to be a new Philautus species that we named Philautus neelanethrus sp. nov. The phylogenetic analysis suggests the new frog to represent a relatively early Philautus species lineage recorded from the region. The distribution pattern of the species suggests its importance as a bioindicator of habitat health. In general, this relatively widespread species was found distributed only in non-overlapping small stretches, which indirectly indicates the fragmentation of the evergreen to moist deciduous forests that characterize the Western Ghats. Thus the discovery of the new rhacophorid species described here not only further reinforces the significance of the Western Ghats as a major hotspot of amphibian biodiversity, but also brings into focus the deterioration of forest habitats in the region and the need for prioritization of their conservation.     

Latent larval cuticular phenoloxidase in the coconut pest,Oryctes rhinoceros

Cuticular phenoloxidase (Tyrosinase) in the larval stage of the coconut pest Oryctes rhinoceros has been extracted in the stable proform using cane sugar saline/borate buffer. The extracted prophenol oxidase can be activated by the addition of proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, thermolysin, and subtilisin. Detergents such as SDS and Tween-80 also activated the enzyme. Electrophoretical analysis revealed dissociation of the enzyme into two molecular forms after its activation by proteolytic enzymes. The functional significance of the enzyme is suggested to involve the generation of quinone compounds in the wound healing process: most phenoloxidase inhibitors prevented melanization when applied topically to surgical wounds. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Differential ability to resist to complement lysis and invade host cells mediated by MBL in R4 and 860 strains of Trypanosoma cruzi

To produce an infection Trypanosoma cruzi must evade lysis by the complement system. During early stages of infection, the lectin pathway plays an important role in host defense and can be activated by binding of mannan-binding lectin (MBL) to carbohydrates on the surface of pathogens. We hypothesized that MBL has a dual role during parasite-host cell interaction as lectin complement pathway activator and as binding molecule to invade the host cell. We used two polarized strains of T. cruzi, R4 (susceptible) and 860 (resistant) strains, to investigate the role of MBL in complement-mediated lysis. Interestingly R4, but not 860 metacyclic strain, markedly increases the invasion of host cells, suggesting that MBL drives the invasion process while the parasite deactivates the Lectin complement pathway.     

Environmental analyses to inform transitions to sustainable diets in developing countries: case studies for Vietnam and Kenya

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - Sustainable diets are an environmental, economic, and public health imperative, but identifying clear intervention points is challenging....     

In-Vitro and In-Silico Anti-inflammatory Activity of Lupeol Isolated from Crateva adansonii and Its Hidden Molecular Mechanism

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - The aim of the present study is to reveal the possible mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity of Crateva adansonii leaf extract to...     

Lectin Complement Protein Collectin 11 (CL-K1) and Susceptibility to Urinary Schistosomiasis

BackgroundUrinary Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease endemic in many sub Saharan -African countries. Collectin Kidney 1 (CL-K1, encoded by COLEC11 on chromosome 2p25.3), a member of the vertebrate C-type lectin super family, has recently been identified as pattern-recognition molecule (PRR) of the lectin complement pathway. CL-K1 is preferentially expressed in the kidneys, but also in other organs and it is considered to play a role in host defense to some infectious agents. Schistosome teguments are fucosylated and CL-K1 has, through its collagen-like domain, a high binding affinity to fucose.ConclusionsIn agreement with findings from our earlier published study, our findings support the observation that CL-K1 and their functional variants may be host factors associated with protection in schistosomiasis and may be a useful marker for further investigations.     

Browsing impact of large herbivores on Acacia xanthophloea Benth in Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya

Significant differences ( P <0.05) were found in growth of plant height, canopy cover and stem diameter of Acacia xanthophloea trees in fenced plot as compared with unfenced plot both in the wet and in the dry seasons. Finding of this study showed that although heavy browsing reduced the height and canopy of trees, it did not kill any trees and seedling regeneration took place simultaneously. Despite the presence of large herbivores that impact some considerable browsing pressure results indicate that the A. xanthophloea habitat type would continue to remain in balance in the presence of recruitment of seedlings and saplings. The conditions at the time of study indicate that the browsing on A. xanthophloea was not significant and was not serious enough to warrant management intervention at present.