Replanting of first‐cycle oil palm results in a second wave of biodiversity loss

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Diversity and occupancy of small carnivores within oil palm plantations in central Sumatra,Indonesia

In Southeast Asia, the conversion of native forests to oil palm plantations threatens tropical biodiversity, but very little is known about the impacts of oil palm cultivation on small carnivore species. To determine the diversity and occupancy of small carnivores within oil palm plantations and to investigate possible factors that might affect their presence within oil palm, we used camera-traps within two oil palm plantations in central Sumatra, analysed the data using occupancy modelling and tested whether two covariates (distance to the edge of the oil palm habitat and distance from extensive areas of lowland forest) affected the model parameters for each small carnivore species. From 3164 camera-trap days, we detected only three small carnivores: leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), common palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus) and Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga), which indicates that there was a low diversity of small carnivores within the oil palm plantations. Both the leopard cat and common palm civet were found deep within the oil palm, whereas the Malay civet was only detected near the edge in one of the plantations. The leopard cat and common palm civet had very high occupancy values, whereas the Malay civet had low values for both occupancy and detection probability. Neither covariate affected occupancy of the leopard cat and common palm civet, but distance from the edge of the oil palm habitat did influence their detection probabilities. Malay civet occupancy decreased with distance from the oil palm edge, and detection probability was affected by distance from extensive areas of lowland forest. Forests and rest/den site availability are suggested to be important features for small carnivores with oil palm-dominated landscapes.     

The RADAR Study: Week 48 Safety and Efficacy of RAltegravir Combined with Boosted DARunavir Compared to Tenofovir/Emtricitabine Combined with Boosted Darunavir in Antiretroviral-Naive Patients. Impact on Bone Health

Background

NRTI-sparing regimens may avoid long-term mitochondrial, bone and renal toxicities and maintain viral suppression.

Methods

In the RADAR study, 85 antiretroviral-naïve HIV-infected patients were randomized to receive either raltegravir (RAL) (n = 42) or tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) (n = 43), each with ritonavir-boosted darunavir (DRV/r). Virologic efficacy was assessed at weeks 24 and 48. Bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan at baseline and week 48, and bone turnover markers (BTM) assessed at weeks 0, 16 and 48.

Results

Using an intention-to-treat analysis, 62.5% of RAL subjects and 83.7% of TDF/FTC subjects were responders (VL<48 copies/mL) at week 48 (p = 0.045; chi-square test). The proportions of patients achieving VL<200 copies/mL were similar: 72.5% and 86.0% (p = 0.175). Premature treatment discontinuation was the main cause for failure. No treatment-emergent resistance was observed. Changes from baseline in RAL vs. TDF/FTC for CD4⁺ (+199 vs. +216 cells/µL, p = 0.63), total cholesterol/HDL (−0.25 vs. −0.71 mg/dL (p = 0.270), and eGFR (−4.4 vs. −7.9 ml/min, p = 0.44) were comparable between groups. Changes in subtotal BMD to week 48 were: +9.2 with RAL vs. −7 g/cm² with TDF/FTC (p = 0.002). Mean CTX changes were +0.04 vs. +0.24 ng/mL (p = 0.001), and mean P1NP changes were +3.59 vs. +30.09 ng/mL (p = 0.023). BTM changes at week 16 predicted change in BMD by week 48 (R = −0.394, p = 0.003 for CTX; and R = −0.477, p<0.001 for P1NP).

Conclusion

The NRTI-sparing regimen RAL+DRV/r did not achieve similar week 48 virologic efficacy compared with TDF/FTC+DRV/r, but was better with regard to markers of bone health.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT 00677300","term_id":"NCT00677300"}}NCT 00677300     

Hydrophobic‐hydrophilic forces in protein folding

The process of protein folding is obviously driven by forces exerted on the atoms of the amino‐acid chain. These forces arise from interactions with other parts of the protein itself (direct forces), as well as from interactions with the solvent (solvent‐induced forces). We present a statistical–mechanical formalism that describes both these direct and indirect, solvent‐induced thermodynamic forces on groups of the protein. We focus on 2 kinds of protein groups, commonly referred to as hydrophobic and hydrophilic. Analysis of this result leads to the conclusion that the forces on hydrophilic groups are in general stronger than on hydrophobic groups. This is then tested and verified by a series of molecular dynamics simulations, examining both hydrophobic alkanes of different sizes and hydrophilic moieties represented by polar‐neutral hydroxyl groups. The magnitude of the force on assemblies of hydrophilic groups is dependent on their relative orientation: with 2 to 4 times larger forces on groups that are able to form one or more direct hydrogen bonds.     

Postprocessing In Vitro Digestion Challenge To Evaluate Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Fermented Dry Sausages

Fermented dry sausages, inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 during batter preparation, were submitted to an in vitro digestion challenge to evaluate the extent to which passage through the human gastrointestinal tract could inactivate the pathogenic cells, previously stressed by the manufacturing process. The numbers of surviving E. coli O157:H7 cells remained constant after a 1-min exposure of the finely chopped sausage to synthetic saliva or during the following 120-min exposure to synthetic gastric juice at an initial pH of 2.0. However, significant (P ≤ 0.05) growth of the pathogen (1.03 to 2.16 log₁₀ CFU/g) was observed in a subsequent 250-min exposure to a synthetic pancreatic juice at pH 8.0. In a different set of experiments, fractions from the gastric suspension were transferred into the synthetic pancreatic juice at 30-min intervals to mimic the dynamics of gastric emptying. Concurrently, the pH of the remaining gastric fluid was reduced to 3.0, 2.5, and 2.0 to simulate the gradual reacidification of the stomach contents after the initial buffering effect resulting from meal ingestion. Under these new conditions, pathogen growth during pancreatic challenge was observed for the first few fractions released from the stomach (90 min of exposure [pH 2.5]), but growth was no longer possible in the fractions submitted to the most severe gastric challenge (120 min of exposure [pH < 2.2]).     

Characterization of Nocardia amarae as a Potent Biological Coalescing Agent of Water-Oil Emulsions

Nocardia amarae grown in a liquid medium induced coalescence of emulsions which differed in type, composition of the organic phase, and structure of stabilizing emulsifiers. De-emulsifying activity varied with the type of growth medium, culture age, and postharvest treatment. Based on extraction and degradation studies, it was concluded that de-emulsifying properties are due to the bacterial cell surface. Thus, bacteria may provide a new source of de-emulsifying agents.     

Biosynthesis and maturation of lactase-phlorizin hydrolase in the human small intestinal epithelial cells.

The biosynthesis and maturation of the human intestinal lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH; EC 3.2.1.23-3.2.1.62) has been studied in cultured intestinal biopsies and mucosal explants. Short time pulse labelling revealed on high mannose intermediate of Mr 215,000 which was converted upon endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H (endo-H) digestion to a polypeptide of Mr 200,000. The brush border form of LPH was revealed after longer pulse periods and has Mr 160,000. It possesses mainly complex oligosaccharide chains and, owing to its partial endo-H sensitivity, at least one chain of the high mannose type. Leupeptin partially inhibited the appearance of the Mr-160,000 polypeptide. Monensin treatment of biopsies resulted in the modification of the Mr-160,000 species to the Mr-140,000 molecule, which was endo-H sensitive. Pulse-chase analysis indicated a slow post-translational processing of the high mannose precursor (Mr 215,000) to yield the mature brush-border form (Mr 160,000) of LPH. Our results further indicate that LPH is synthesized as a single polypeptide precursor which is intracellularly cleaved to yield the mature brush border of LPH. The data presented suggest that this cleavage occurs during the translocation of the molecule across the Golgi complex.