Habitat Characteristics of the Endangered Hoolock Gibbons of Bangladesh: The Role of Plant Species Richness

Hoolock gibbons ( Hoolock hoolock ) are endangered small apes occurring in Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and south China. All known populations have undergone declines primarily due to habitat destruction or alteration. We examined the influence of area of natural forests, area of plantations, area of agricultural land and edible plant species richness on the hoolock gibbon numbers from 22 sites in Bangladesh using multiple regression analysis. Area of natural forests and plantations were not linked to hoolock gibbon numbers, whereas area of agricultural land and edible plant species richness were both significantly linked. Higher edible plant species richness was directly related to hoolock gibbon numbers, while the area of agricultural land was inversely related. This is the first quantitative study illustrating the importance of these two variables with hoolock gibbon numbers. We also analyzed the existing habitat characteristics in two of the largest hoolock gibbon populations in Bangladesh: Lawachara (42 individuals) and Kaptai (84 individuals). Trees in Lawachara were generally smaller compared to those in Kaptai. Artocarpus , Tectona , and Dipterocarpus were the three most important genera in both sites, although Artocarpus was more important in Lawachara. Each site also had an abundant variety of tree species utilized by hoolock gibbons for food. We discuss the current context of primate conservation in Bangladesh and suggest that the current conservation priority for gibbons in the country should be protection and improvement of habitat.     

Proteome changes associated with hippocampal MRI abnormalities in the lithium pilocarpine-induced model of convulsive status epilepticus

Convulsive status epilepticus is associated with subsequent hippocampal damage and development of mesial temporal sclerosis in a subset of individuals. The lithium pilocarpine model of status epilepticus (SE) in the rat provides a model in which to investigate the molecular and pathogenic process leading to hippocampal damage. In this study, a 2-DE-based approach was used to detect proteome changes in the hippocampus, at an early stage (2 days) after SE, when increased T2 values were detectable by magnetic resonance imaging. Gel image analysis was followed by LC-MS/MS identification of protein species that differed in abundance between pilocarpine-treated and control rats. The most significantly up-regulated species in the experimental animals was identified as heat shock 27-kDa protein, in line with findings in humans and in other experimental models of epilepsy. Additional up-regulated species included dihydropyrimidinase-related protein-2, cytoskeletal proteins (alpha-tubulin and ezrin) and dihydropteridine reductase. In summary, the hippocampus of rats subject to pilocarpine-induced SE exhibits specific changes in protein abundance, which likely relate to pathogenic, neuroprotective and neurogenic responses.     

Prediction of cyclin-dependent kinase phosphorylation substrates

Protein phosphorylation, mediated by a family of enzymes called cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), plays a central role in the cell-division cycle of eukaryotes. Phosphorylation by Cdks directs the cell cycle by modifying the function of regulators of key processes such as DNA replication and mitotic progression. Here, we present a novel computational procedure to predict substrates of the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28 (Cdk1) in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Currently, most computational phosphorylation site prediction procedures focus solely on local sequence characteristics. In the present procedure, we model Cdk substrates based on both local and global characteristics of the substrates. Thus, we define the local sequence motifs that represent the Cdc28 phosphorylation sites and subsequently model clustering of these motifs within the protein sequences. This restraint reflects the observation that many known Cdk substrates contain multiple clustered phosphorylation sites. The present strategy defines a subset of the proteome that is highly enriched for Cdk substrates, as validated by comparing it to a set of bona fide, published, experimentally characterized Cdk substrates which was to our knowledge, comprehensive at the time of writing. To corroborate our model, we compared its predictions with three experimentally independent Cdk proteomic datasets and found significant overlap. Finally, we directly detected in vivo phosphorylation at Cdk motifs for selected putative substrates using mass spectrometry.     

IL-17-mediated regulation of innate and acquired immune response against pulmonary Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin infection

IL-17 is a cytokine that induces neutrophil-mediated inflammation, but its role in protective immunity against intracellular bacterial infection remains unclear. In the present study, we demonstrate that IL-17 is an important cytokine not only in the early neutrophil-mediated inflammatory response, but also in T cell-mediated IFN-gamma production and granuloma formation in response to pulmonary infection by Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). IL-17 expression in the BCG-infected lung was detected from the first day after infection and the expression depended on IL-23. Our observations indicated that gammadelta T cells are a primary source of IL-17. Lung-infiltrating T cells of IL-17-deficient mice produced less IFN-gamma in comparison to those from wild-type mice 4 wk after BCG infection. Impaired granuloma formation was also observed in the infected lungs of IL-17-deficient mice, which is consistent with the decreased delayed-type hypersensitivity response of the infected mice against mycobacterial Ag. These data suggest that IL-17 is an important cytokine in the induction of optimal Th1 response and protective immunity against mycobacterial infection.     

Acarbose rearrangement mechanism implied by the kinetic and structural analysis of human pancreatic alpha-amylase in complex with analogues and their elongated counterparts

A mechanistic study of the poorly understood pathway by which the inhibitor acarbose is enzymatically rearranged by human pancreatic alpha-amylase has been conducted by structurally examining the binding modes of the related inhibitors isoacarbose and acarviosine-glucose, and by novel kinetic measurements of all three inhibitors under conditions that demonstrate this rearrangement process. Unlike acarbose, isoacarbose has a unique terminal alpha-(1-6) linkage to glucose and is found to be resistant to enzymatic rearrangement. This terminal glucose unit is found to bind in the +3 subsite and for the first time reveals the interactions that occur in this part of the active site cleft with certainty. These results also suggest that the +3 binding subsite may be sufficiently flexible to bind the alpha-(1-6) branch points in polysaccharide substrates, and therefore may play a role in allowing efficient cleavage in the direct vicinity of such junctures. Also found to be resistant to enzymatic rearrangement was acarviosine-glucose, which has one fewer glucose unit than acarbose. Collectively, structural studies of all three inhibitors and the specific cleavage pattern of HPA make it possible to outline the simplest sequence of enzymatic reactions likely involved upon acarbose binding. Prominent features incorporated into the starting structure of acarbose to facilitate the synthesis of the final tightly bound pseudo-pentasaccharide product are the restricted availability of hydrolyzable bonds and the placement of the transition state-like acarviosine group. Additional "in situ" experiments designed to elongate and thereby optimize isoacarbose and acarviosine-glucose inhibition using the activated substrate alphaG3F demonstrate the feasibility of this approach and that the principles outlined for acarbose rearrangement can be used to predict the final products that were obtained.     

Evaluation of a Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial of a Package of Community-Based Maternal and Newborn Interventions in Mirzapur,Bangladesh

Background

To evaluate a delivery strategy for newborn interventions in rural Bangladesh.

Methods

A cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in Mirzapur, Bangladesh. Twelve unions were randomized to intervention or comparison arm. All women of reproductive age were eligible to participate. In the intervention arm, community health workers identified pregnant women; made two antenatal home visits to promote birth and newborn care preparedness; made four postnatal home visits to negotiate preventive care practices and to assess newborns for illness; and referred sick neonates to a hospital and facilitated compliance. Primary outcome measures were antenatal and immediate newborn care behaviours, knowledge of danger signs, care seeking for neonatal complications, and neonatal mortality.

Findings

A total of 4616 and 5241 live births were recorded from 9987 and 11153 participants in the intervention and comparison arm, respectively. High coverage of antenatal (91% visited twice) and postnatal (69% visited on days 0 or 1) home visitations was achieved. Indicators of care practices and knowledge of maternal and neonatal danger signs improved. Adjusted mortality hazard ratio in the intervention arm, compared to the comparison arm, was 1.02 (95% CI: 0.80–1.30) at baseline and 0.87 (95% CI: 0.68–1.12) at endline. Primary causes of death were birth asphyxia (49%) and prematurity (26%). No adverse events associated with interventions were reported.

Conclusion

Lack of evidence for mortality impact despite high program coverage and quality assurance of implementation, and improvements in targeted newborn care practices suggests the intervention did not adequately address risk factors for mortality. The level and cause-structure of neonatal mortality in the local population must be considered in developing interventions. Programs must ensure skilled care during childbirth, including management of birth asphyxia and prematurity, and curative postnatal care during the first two days of life, in addition to essential newborn care and infection prevention and management.

Trial Registration

Clinicaltrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00198627","term_id":"NCT00198627"}}NCT00198627     

Bacterial Diversity and Bioprospecting for Cold-Active Lipases,Amylases and Proteases,from Culturable Bacteria of Kongsfjorden and Ny-Ålesund,Svalbard, Arctic

Culturable bacterial diversity of seven marine sediment samples of Kongsfjorden and a sediment and a soil sample from Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Arctic was studied. The bacterial abundance in the marine sediments of Kongsfjorden varied marginally (0.5 × 10³–1.3 × 10⁴ cfu/g sediment) and the bacterial number in the two samples collected from the shore of Ny-Ålesund also was very similar (0.6 × 10⁴ and 3.4 × 10⁴, respectively). From the nine samples a total of 103 bacterial isolates were obtained and these isolates could be grouped in to 47 phylotypes based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence belonging to 4 phyla namely Actinobacteria, Bacilli, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. Representatives of the 47 phylotypes varied in their growth temperature range (4–37°C), in their tolerance to NaCl (0.3–2 M NaCl) and growth pH range (2–11). Representatives of 26 phylotypes exhibited amylase and lipase activity either at 5 or 20°C or at both the temperatures. A few of the representatives exhibited amylase and/or lipase activity only at 5°C. None of the phylotypes exhibited protease activity. Most of the phylotypes (38) were pigmented. Fatty acid profile studies indicated that short chain fatty acids, unsaturated fatty acids, branched fatty acids, the cyclic and the cis fatty acids are predominant in the psychrophilic bacteria.     

Fluoride Toxicity and Status of Serum Thyroid Hormones, Brain Histopathology, and Learning Memory in Rats: A Multigenerational Assessment

High-fluoride (100 and 200?ppm) water was administered to rats orally to study the fluoride-induced changes on the thyroid hormone status, the histopathology of discrete brain regions, the acetylcholine esterase activity, and the learning and memory abilities in multigeneration rats. Significant decrease in the serum-free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) levels and decrease in acetylcholine esterase activity in fluoride-treated group were observed. Presence of eosinophilic Purkinje cells, degenerating neurons, decreased granular cells, and vacuolations were noted in discrete brain regions of the fluoride-treated group. In the T-maze experiments, the fluoride-treated group showed poor acquisition and retention and higher latency when compared with the control. The alterations were more profound in the third generation when compared with the first- and second-generation fluoride-treated group. Changes in the thyroid hormone levels in the present study might have imbalanced the oxidant/antioxidant system, which further led to a reduction in learning memory ability. Hence, presence of generational or cumulative effects of fluoride on the development of the offspring when it is ingested continuously through multiple generations is evident from the present study.     

In vivo expression of the heat stable (estA) and heat labile (eltB) toxin genes of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) colonize the intestine and adhere to the epithelium by means of different host specific colonization factors (CFs). Colonizing ETEC produce one or both of two enterotoxins; the heat stable (ST) and heat labile (LT) toxins which are both able to cause diarrhoea. The regulation of virulence genes in ETEC during infection of the human intestine is mainly unknown. In this study we analysed the level of mRNA expression of estA, coding for ST, and eltB, coding for the B subunit of LT, during human infection. The expressions of the toxins in ETEC strains expressing both ST and LT were investigated in bacteria isolated directly from patient stool without sub-culturing, (in vivo) and compared to the expression pattern of the corresponding ST/LT strains grown in liquid broth (in vitro) by quantitative competitive RT-PCR using fluorescent primers. We found that estA and eltB are expressed in the in vivo samples but no significant up-or down regulation of the expression levels of either estA or eltB could be determined in vivo as compared to in vitro.