Holothuria triterpene glycosides: a comprehensive guide for their structure elucidation and critical appraisal of reported compounds

Phytochemistry Reviews - Sea cucumbers or holothurians are marine invertebrates, belonging to the phylum Echinodermata (kingdom Animalia). In Asia, they are commonly used as food, while they are...     

Foraging ecology of a local wild bee community in an abandoned Satoyama system in Kanazawa, Central Japan

Satoyama is a traditional land management system in Japan that emphasizes the importance of a harmonious relationship between humans and their environment. It has been in a state of abandonment and destruction since the late 1960s. In 2000, the Japanese government initiated a new environment policy encouraging the use of Satoyama in biodiversity reservation areas. Before the initiation of active restoration works, an assessment of the potential of the Satoyama system is needed. To assess this potential, a study that focused on the foraging ecology of wild bees in a small abandoned Satoyama terraced paddy was carried out from June to October 2003. A total of 372 foraging bees belonging to 35 species in nine families was collected: two species of social bee ( Apis cerana and Bombus diversus ) and two of solitary bee ( Lasioglossum japonicum and Lasioglossum ohei ) dominated. The foraging activities of wild bees were highly influenced by the requirement of food for the colony and the active time of solitary bees. In the study, most wild bees showed a strong preference for abundant flowering plant species that produced a large number of flowers ( Achyranthes japonica and Polygonum thunbergii ). The results showed that an abandoned Satoyama system was an agricultural system that benefited pollinating bees. Careful and planned restoration practices to increase the diversity of foraging resources, microenvironment diversity and potential nesting areas for wild bees are needed to improve the ability of the Satoyama system to support more diverse and abundant wild bee populations.     

Impact of habitat disturbance in the wetland forests of East Usambara,Tanzania

We evaluated habitat characteristics of East Usambara wetland forests. The abundance and species composition in the tree, shrub and herbaceous layers were enumerated in two sets of nested plots, one set in a natural wetland forest and the second in a wetland forest that had been disturbed by small‐scale gold mining activities. Each set had thirty‐six 1 m × 1 m plots for herbs, inside nine 5 m × 5 m plots for shrubs, in three 20 m × 20 m plots for trees. The habitat profile of herbaceous – shrub – tree layers was found to be sharply different from one obtained in previous studies at the surrounding nonwetland forests as were species composition and abundance. Unlike in the nonwetland forests, the herbaceous layer was thick, the shrub layer very thin and the woody species density and richness much lower. Disturbance significantly reduced woody cover and changed species composition in the herbaceous layer. Recovery of the woody vegetation was low. Wetland forests in the East Usambaras form a small fraction of the total area, but they are a unique biodiversity repository, they appear to be an important carbon dioxide sink and to reserve and purify water. They are sensitive to disturbance and need protection.     

A lone male chimpanzee in the wild: The survivor of a disintegrated unit-group

K Group, originally one of the two major study groups of chimpanzees since 1965 in the Mahale Mountains National Park, western Tanzania, was almost extinct by 1983: at most seven individuals remained in the group at the beginning of 1983. K Group continued to exist for more than four years, but in 1987 a male was left alone at the age of 15 after all the other chimpanzees of the group emigrated or disappeared. Since then he has been observed sporadically for more than five years only within the former range of K Group, without having any contact with the many resident chimpanzees of the neighboring M Group, the other major study group. The present observations reconfirm the strong philopatric tendency of adult male chimpanzees.     

Bayesian Geostatistical Model-Based Estimates of Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infection in Nigeria,Including Annual Deworming Requirements

Background

The acceleration of the control of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections in Nigeria, emphasizing preventive chemotherapy, has become imperative in light of the global fight against neglected tropical diseases. Predictive risk maps are an important tool to guide and support control activities.

Methodology

STH infection prevalence data were obtained from surveys carried out in 2011 using standard protocols. Data were geo-referenced and collated in a nationwide, geographic information system database. Bayesian geostatistical models with remotely sensed environmental covariates and variable selection procedures were utilized to predict the spatial distribution of STH infections in Nigeria.

Principal Findings

We found that hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Trichuris trichiura infections are endemic in 482 (86.8%), 305 (55.0%), and 55 (9.9%) locations, respectively. Hookworm and A. lumbricoides infection co-exist in 16 states, while the three species are co-endemic in 12 states. Overall, STHs are endemic in 20 of the 36 states of Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. The observed prevalence at endemic locations ranged from 1.7% to 51.7% for hookworm, from 1.6% to 77.8% for A. lumbricoides, and from 1.0% to 25.5% for T. trichiura. Model-based predictions ranged from 0.7% to 51.0% for hookworm, from 0.1% to 82.6% for A. lumbricoides, and from 0.0% to 18.5% for T. trichiura. Our models suggest that day land surface temperature and dense vegetation are important predictors of the spatial distribution of STH infection in Nigeria. In 2011, a total of 5.7 million (13.8%) school-aged children were predicted to be infected with STHs in Nigeria. Mass treatment at the local government area level for annual or bi-annual treatment of the school-aged population in Nigeria in 2011, based on World Health Organization prevalence thresholds, were estimated at 10.2 million tablets.

Conclusions/Significance

The predictive risk maps and estimated deworming needs presented here will be helpful for escalating the control and spatial targeting of interventions against STH infections in Nigeria.     

Toll-like receptor signaling and SIGIRR in renal fibrosis upon unilateral ureteral obstruction

Innate immune activation via IL-1R or Toll-like receptors (TLR) contibutes to acute kidney injury but its role in tissue remodeling during chronic kidney disease is unclear. SIGIRR is an inhibitor of TLR-induced cytokine and chemokine expression in intrarenal immune cells, therefore, we hypothesized that Sigirr-deficiency would aggravate postobstructive renal fibrosis. The expression of TLRs as well as endogenous TLR agonists increased within six days after UUO in obstructed compared to unobstructed kidneys while SIGIRR itself was downregulated by day 10. However, lack of SIGIRR did not affect the intrarenal mRNA expression of proinflammatory and profibrotic mediators as well as the numbers of intrarenal macrophages and T cells or morphometric markers of tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis. Because SIGIRR is known to block TLR/IL-1R signaling at the level of the intracellular adaptor molecule MyD88 UUO experiments were also performed in mice deficient for either MyD88, TLR2 or TLR9. After UUO there was no significant change of tubular interstitial damage and interstitial fibrosis in neither of these mice compared to wildtype counterparts. Additional in-vitro studies with CD90+ renal fibroblasts revealed that TLR agonists induce the expression of IL-6 and MCP-1/CCL2 but not of TGF-β, collagen-1α or smooth muscle actin. Together, postobstructive renal interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy develop independent of SIGIRR, TLR2, TLR9, and MyD88. These data argue against a significant role of these molecules in renal fibrosis.     

Post-Operative Recurrent Trachomatous Trichiasis Is Associated with Increased Conjunctival Expression of S100A7 (Psoriasin)

Background

Surgery for trachomatous trichiasis (TT) is a key component of the SAFE Strategy for trachoma control. Unfortunately, recurrent TT following surgery is common, probably due to various surgical and disease factors. To develop strategies to reduce recurrence rates it is necessary to understand its pathological basis. In this study we investigated the relationship between recurrent trichiasis and the expression of various cytokines and fibrogenic genes during a two-year follow-up period.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Individuals undergoing surgery for TT were examined at baseline (pre-operative), 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Conjunctival swab samples were collected from the tarsal conjunctiva for RNA isolation on each occasion. Individuals who developed recurrent TT with at least 3 lashes touching the eye on one or more occasion were designated “cases” and an equal number of “controls” were randomly selected from those without recurrent TT, frequency matched for age and baseline TT severity. The expression of the following genes was measured by quantitative RT-PCR: S100A7, IL1B, CXCL5, TNFA, NOS2A, CTGF, MMP7, MMP9 and MMP12. Thirteen hundred individuals were enrolled and underwent surgery. By two years 122 had developed recurrent TT with at least 3 lashes touching the eye. Recurrent TT was consistently associated across multiple time points with about a 2-fold increase in S100A7 expression (p = 0.008). Clinically visible conjunctival inflammation was associated with increased S100A7, IL1B, CXCL5, MMP9 and MMP12 expression.

Conclusions/Significance

Increased S100A7 expression was associated with trachomatous conjunctival scarring and may be linked to the pathophysiology of recurrent TT. S100A7 expression could be a potential biomarker for this disease process. As part of the epithelial innate immune response S100A7 has multiple actions, potentially contributing to a chronic pro-inflammatory response, which may lead to ongoing tissue damage and increased scarring.     

Rattan,rubber, or oil palm: cultural and financial considerations for farmers in kalimantan

Forest-based farmers are faced with rapidly changing economic opportunities due to many factors. In response, farmers are changing their main economic activities and land uses. This study compares the financial costs and benefits of the principal land use options in two sub-districts of East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia. Financial benefits of oil palm plantation, traditional rattan gardens, intensive rubber plantation, and traditional rubber plantation are compared on a land unit basis. Oil palm is by far the most profitable, followed by rattan gardens. Rubber production, at current prices, is not profitable. Benefit-cost ratios and returns to labor, which better reflect the farmer perspective, reveal that rattan is more attractive, with oil palm in a strong second place. Non-financial considerations also help to explain the resilience of the rattan garden system. The conclusions summarize the findings and offer options to counter the strong negative impact of recent events on the rattan farmers.     

Do animal size,seasons and vegetation type influence detection probability and density estimates of Serengeti ungulates?

Accurate detection of individual animals and estimation of ungulate population density might be a function of vegetation cover, animal size, observation radius or season. We assessed the effect of these factors on estimates of detection probability and density using five ungulate species in Western Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Estimates were derived from information collected using ground surveys involving line transects targeting three resident species (impala, topi and buffalo) and two migrants (wildebeest and zebra) and analysed using DISTANCE, MANOVA, t‐test and Pearson correlation. Results showed that ground surveys that take observation radii of 100 m would appreciably estimate at least 80% of the available ungulates. Beyond 100 m radii, surveys would leave approximately 43% of individuals undetected, the reason being a substantial influence of animal size, vegetation cover and observation radius on the detection. Animal size and observation radius have interactive effects. On their own seasonal differences, they do not have any effect but in interaction with animal size have significant effects especially on the migrant species. As reliable estimates of detection and density are required for making reasonable inferences, we urge that surveys using DISTANCE approach should consider incorporating both ground and aerial survey methods and ensure adequate sample replication.