Cherimolacyclopeptide D, a novel cycloheptapeptide from the seeds of Annona cherimola

In a chemical investigation of the seeds of Annona cherimola, a natural cyclic heptapeptide, cherimolacyclopeptide D, were isolated and purified by HPLC with three known cyclic peptides, cherimolacyclopeptides A, B and C. The structure was established by various analyses including MS/MS fragmentation, spectroscopic and chemical evidences.     

Chemical Communication between the Endophytic Fungus Paraconiothyrium Variabile and the Phytopathogen Fusarium oxysporum

Paraconiothyrium variabile, one of the specific endophytic fungi isolated from the host plant Cephalotaxus harringtonia, possesses the faculty to inhibit the growth of common phytopathogens, thus suggesting a role in its host protection. A strong antagonism between the endophyte P. variabile and Fusarium oxysporum was observed and studied using optic and electronic microscopies. A disorganization of the mycelium of F. oxysporum was thus noticed. Interestingly, the biological effect of the main secondary metabolites isolated from P. variabile against F. oxysporum did not account for this strong antagonism. However, a metabolomic approach of pure fungal strains and confrontation zones using the data analysis tool XCMS were analyzed and pointed out a competition-induced metabolite production by the endophyte in the presence of the phytopathogen. Subsequent MS/MS fragmentations permitted to identify one of the induced metabolites as 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid and highlighted a negative modulation of the biosynthesis of beauvericin, one of the most potent mycotoxin of F. oxysporum, during the competition with the endophyte.     

Diversity,dynamic and ecology of freshwater snails related to environmental factors in urban and suburban streams in Douala–Cameroon (Central Africa)

Urban land use has increased dramatically over the past few decades, resulting in high variability in nutrients loading which is likely to alter the biological component of urban streams. Freshwater snails and environmental variables that might structure their diversity and distribution were studied from September 2012 to September 2013 in three contiguous watersheds in Douala. Twelve stations were monitored monthly, two of these are located in a suburban forest area, and the rest situated in urbanized and industrialized zones. Snails were collected using a long-handled net (30 × 30 cm side, 400-µm mesh). Meanwhile, measurements of the environmental variables were taken. Ten species were recorded which are as follows: Melanoides tuberculata (Thiaridae); Gabbiella africana (Bythiniidae); Physa acuta, Aplexa sp. (Physidae); Lymnaea natalensis, Lymnaea stagnalis, Lymnaea columella (Lymnaeidae); Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Bulinus forskalii (Planorbidae) and one undetermined taxon of Bythiniidae. All these snails were identified at nine of the ten urban stations; no species being found in suburban stations. These urban streams have very poor health status with highly polluted waters. Among the species found P. acuta (76.95 %), L. natalensis (19.46 %) and M. tuberculata (2.79 %) were the most abundant. Multiple stepwise regression analysis, Spearman correlation test and redundancy analysis showed that snail occurrences and abundances were probably influenced by water temperature, conductivity, suspended solids, alkalinity, nitrites, nitrates, ammonium, phosphates, oxydability, biochemical oxygen demand, rainfall, encumbrance rate of the riverbed and water width. Moreover, snail dynamics showed a seasonal pattern with peak population abundances and recruitment of young generations during rainy season. This malacological survey spotlighted the impacts of anthropogenic activities on snail’s diversity and distribution, with the proliferation of the invasive pulmonate P. acuta in Douala urban streams.     

Ecosystem properties of semiarid savanna grassland in West Africa and its relationship with environmental variability

The Dahra field site in Senegal, West Africa, was established in 2002 to monitor ecosystem properties of semiarid savanna grassland and their responses to climatic and environmental change. This article describes the environment and the ecosystem properties of the site using a unique set of in situ data. The studied variables include hydroclimatic variables, species composition, albedo, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), hyperspectral characteristics (350–1800 nm), surface reflectance anisotropy, brightness temperature, fraction of absorbed photosynthetic active radiation (FAPAR), biomass, vegetation water content, and land‐atmosphere exchanges of carbon (NEE) and energy. The Dahra field site experiences a typical Sahelian climate and is covered by coexisting trees (~3% canopy cover) and grass species, characterizing large parts of the Sahel. This makes the site suitable for investigating relationships between ecosystem properties and hydroclimatic variables for semiarid savanna ecosystems of the region. There were strong interannual, seasonal and diurnal dynamics in NEE, with high values of ~?7.5 g C m^?2 day^?1 during the peak of the growing season. We found neither browning nor greening NDVI trends from 2002 to 2012. Interannual variation in species composition was strongly related to rainfall distribution. NDVI and FAPAR were strongly related to species composition, especially for years dominated by the species Zornia glochidiata. This influence was not observed in interannual variation in biomass and vegetation productivity, thus challenging dryland productivity models based on remote sensing. Surface reflectance anisotropy (350–1800 nm) at the peak of the growing season varied strongly depending on wavelength and viewing angle thereby having implications for the design of remotely sensed spectral vegetation indices covering different wavelength regions. The presented time series of in situ data have great potential for dryland dynamics studies, global climate change related research and evaluation and parameterization of remote sensing products and dynamic vegetation models.     

Beyond Affymetrix arrays: expanding the set of known hybridization isotherms and observing pre-wash signal intensities

Microarray hybridization studies have attributed the nonlinearity of hybridization isotherms to probe saturation and post-hybridization washing. Both processes are thought to distort ‘true’ target abundance because immobilized probes are saturated with excess target and stringent washing removes loosely bound targets. Yet the paucity of studies aimed at understanding hybridization and dissociation makes it difficult to align physicochemical theory to microarray results. To fill the void, we first examined hybridization isotherms generated on different microarray platforms using a ribosomal RNA target and then investigated hybridization signals at equilibrium and after stringent wash. Hybridization signal at equilibrium was achieved by treating the microarray with isopropanol, which prevents nucleic acids from dissolving into solution. Our results suggest that (i) the shape of hybridization isotherms varied by microarray platform with some being hyperbolic or linear, and others following a power-law; (ii) at equilibrium, fluorescent signal of different probes hybridized to the same target were not similar even with excess of target and (iii) the amount of target removed by stringent washing depended upon the hybridization time, the probe sequence and the presence/absence of nonspecific targets. Possible physicochemical interpretations of the results and future studies are discussed.     

Health-Care-Seeking Patterns in the Emerging Private Sector in Burkina Faso: A Population-Based Study of Urban Adult Residents in Ouagadougou

Background

The private medical care sector is expanding in urban cities in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, people’s health-care-seeking behaviors in this new landscape remain poorly understood; furthermore, distinguishing between public and private providers and among various types of private providers is critical in this investigation. This study assessed, by type, the healthcare providers urban residents in Burkina Faso visit, and their choice determinants.

Method

We conducted a population-based survey of a representative sample of 1,600 households in Ouagadougou from July to November 2011, consisting of 5,820 adults. We assessed the types of providers people typically sought for severe and non-severe conditions. We applied generalized estimating equations in this study.

Results

Among those surveyed, 97.7% and 53.1% indicated that they seek a formal provider for treating severe and non-severe conditions, respectively. Among the formal provider seekers, 20.5% and 17.0% chose for-profit (FP) providers for treating severe and non-severe conditions, respectively. Insurance coverage was held by 2.0% of those surveyed. Possessing insurance was the strongest predictor for seeking FP, for both severe (odds ratio [OR] = 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04–1.28), and non-severe conditions (OR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.07–1.39). Other predictors included being a formal jobholder and holding a higher level education. By contrast, we observed no significant difference in predisposing, enabling, or need characteristics between not-for-profit (NFP) provider seekers and public provider seekers. Proximity was the primary reason for choosing a provider.

Conclusion

The results suggested that FP providers play a crucial role in the urban healthcare market in SSA. Socioeconomic status and insurance status are significant predictors of provider choice. The findings can serve as a crucial reference for policymakers in response to the emergence of FP providers in SSA.     

Schistosomiais and Soil-Transmitted Helminth Control in Niger: Cost Effectiveness of School Based and Community Distributed Mass Drug Administration

Background

In 2004 Niger established a large scale schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths control programme targeting children aged 5–14 years and adults. In two years 4.3 million treatments were delivered in 40 districts using school based and community distribution.

Method and Findings

Four districts were surveyed in 2006 to estimate the economic cost per district, per treatment and per schistosomiasis infection averted. The study compares the costs of treatment at start up and in a subsequent year, identifies the allocation of costs by activity, input and organisation, and assesses the cost of treatment. The cost of delivery provided by teachers is compared to cost of delivery by community distributers (CDD).The total economic cost of the programme including programmatic, national and local government costs and international support in four study districts, over two years, was US$ 456,718; an economic cost/treatment of $0.58. The full economic delivery cost of school based treatment in 2005/06 was $0.76, and for community distribution was $0.46. Including only the programme costs the figures are $0.47 and $0.41 respectively. Differences at sub-district are more marked. This is partly explained by the fact that a CDD treats 5.8 people for every one treated in school.The range in cost effectiveness for both direct and direct and indirect treatments is quantified and the need to develop and refine such estimates is emphasised.

Conclusions

The relative cost effectiveness of school and community delivery differs by country according to the composition of the population treated, the numbers targeted and treated at school and in the community, the cost and frequency of training teachers and CDDs. Options analysis of technical and implementation alternatives including a financial analysis should form part of the programme design process.     

Stability of Secondary and Tertiary Structures of Virus-Like Particles Representing Noroviruses: Effects of pH,Ionic Strength,and Temperature and Implications for Adhesion to Surfaces

Loss of ordered molecular structure in proteins is known to increase their adhesion to surfaces. The aim of this work was to study the stability of norovirus secondary and tertiary structures and its implications for viral adhesion to fresh foods and agrifood surfaces. The pH, ionic strength, and temperature conditions studied correspond to those prevalent in the principal vehicles of viral transmission (vomit and feces) and in the food processing and handling environment (pasteurization and refrigeration). The structures of virus-like particles representing GI.1, GII.4, and feline calicivirus (FCV) were studied using circular dichroism and intrinsic UV fluorescence. The particles were remarkably stable under most of the conditions. However, heating to 65°C caused losses of β-strand structure, notably in GI.1 and FCV, while at 75°C the α-helix content of GII.4 and FCV decreased and tertiary structures unfolded in all three cases. Combining temperature with pH or ionic strength caused variable losses of structure depending on the particle type. Regardless of pH, heating to pasteurization temperatures or higher would be required to increase GII.4 and FCV adhesion, while either low or high temperatures would favor GI.1 adhesion. Regardless of temperature, increased ionic strength would increase GII.4 adhesion but would decrease GI.1 adhesion. FCV adsorption would be greater at refrigeration, pasteurization, or high temperature combined with a low salt concentration or at a higher NaCl concentration regardless of temperature. Norovirus adhesion mediated by hydrophobic interaction may depend on hydrophobic residues normally exposed on the capsid surface at pH 3, pH 8, physiological ionic strength, and low temperature, while at pasteurization temperatures it may rely more on buried hydrophobic residues exposed upon structural rearrangement.