The impact of land use and climate change on surface runoff and groundwater in Cimanuk watershed,Indonesia

Limnology - The Cimanuk River with a total watershed area of 4010.8 km2 flowing from the Garut Regency to Indramayu Delta is the longest in West Java Province. However, the cumulative...     

The Effect of Three-Monthly Albendazole Treatment on Malarial Parasitemia and Allergy: A Household-Based Cluster-Randomized,Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background

Helminth infections are proposed to have immunomodulatory activities affecting health outcomes either detrimentally or beneficially. We evaluated the effects of albendazole treatment, every three months for 21 months, on STH, malarial parasitemia and allergy.

Methods and Findings

A household-based cluster-randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in an area in Indonesia endemic for STH. Using computer-aided block randomization, 481 households (2022 subjects) and 473 households (1982 subjects) were assigned to receive placebo and albendazole, respectively, every three months. The treatment code was concealed from trial investigators and participants. Malarial parasitemia and malaria-like symptoms were assessed in participants older than four years of age while skin prick test (SPT) to allergens as well as reported symptoms of allergy in children aged 5–15 years. The general impact of treatment on STH prevalence and body mass index (BMI) was evaluated. Primary outcomes were prevalence of malarial parasitemia and SPT to any allergen. Analysis was by intention to treat. At 9 and 21 months post-treatment 80.8% and 80.1% of the study subjects were retained, respectively. The intensive treatment regiment resulted in a reduction in the prevalence of STH by 48% in albendazole and 9% in placebo group. Albendazole treatment led to a transient increase in malarial parasitemia at 6 months post treatment (OR 4.16(1.35–12.80)) and no statistically significant increase in SPT reactivity (OR 1.18(0.74–1.86) at 9 months or 1.37 (0.93–2.01) 21 months). No effect of anthelminthic treatment was found on BMI, reported malaria-like- and allergy symptoms. No adverse effects were reported.

Conclusions

The study indicates that intensive community treatment of 3 monthly albendazole administration for 21 months over two years leads to a reduction in STH. This degree of reduction appears safe without any increased risk of malaria or allergies.

Trial Registration

Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN83830814     

Dispersal and dormancy strategies among insect species competing for a pulsed resource

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Towards an Understanding of DNA Recognition by the Methyl-CpG Binding Domain 1

Abstract

CpG methylation determines a variety of biological functions of DNA. The methylation signal is interpreted by proteins containing a methyl-CpG binding domain (MBDs). Based on the NMR structure of MBD1 complexed with methylated DNA we analysed the recognition mode by means of molecular dynamics simulations.

As the protein is monomeric and recognizes a symmetrically methylated CpG step, the recognition mode is an asymmetric one. We find that the two methyl groups do not contribute equally to the binding energy. One methyl group is associated with the major part of the binding energy and the other one nearly does not contribute at all. The contribution of the two cytosine methyl groups to binding energy is calculated to be ?3.6 kcal/mol. This implies a contribution of greater than two orders of magnitude to the binding constant. The conserved amino acid Asp32 is known to be essential for DNA binding by MBD1, but so far no direct contact with DNA has been observed. We detected a direct DNA base contact to Asp32. This could be the main reason for the importance of this amino acid. MBD contacts DNA exclusively in the major groove, the minor groove is reserved for histone contacts. We found a deformation of the minor groove shape due to complexation by MBD1, which indicates an information transfer between the major and the minor groove.     

Peribacteroid space acidification: a marker of mature bacteroid functioning in Medicago truncatula nodules

Legumes form a symbiotic interaction with Rhizobiaceae bacteria, which differentiate into nitrogen‐fixing bacteroids within nodules. Here, we investigated in vivo the pH of the peribacteroid space (PBS) surrounding the bacteroid and pH variation throughout symbiosis. In vivo confocal microscopy investigations, using acidotropic probes, demonstrated the acidic state of the PBS. In planta analysis of nodule senescence induced by distinct biological processes drastically increased PBS pH in the N₂‐fixing zone (zone III). Therefore, the PBS acidification observed in mature bacteroids can be considered as a marker of bacteroid N₂ fixation. Using a pH‐sensitive ratiometric probe, PBS pH was measured in vivo during the whole symbiotic process. We showed a progressive acidification of the PBS from the bacteroid release up to the onset of N₂ fixation. Genetic and pharmacological approaches were conducted and led to disruption of the PBS acidification. Altogether, our findings shed light on the role of PBS pH of mature bacteroids in nodule functioning, providing new tools to monitor in vivo bacteroid physiology.     

Phenacoscorpius longicaudalis,a new species of scorpionfish (Teleostei: Scorpaenidae) from Western Australia,with first records of Phenacoscorpius adenensis from the southeastern Indian Ocean

Ichthyological Research - Phenacoscorpius longicaudalis sp. nov. is described from 19 specimens collected in depths of 228–990 m off Western Australia, eastern Indian Ocean. The new...     

Cold‐induced expression of diapause in Praon volucre: fitness cost and morpho‐physiological characterization

Cold exposure (2°C for 7 days) in constant darkness at mummy stage induces diapause expression in 9% of the Praon volucre Haliday population. Diapausing parasitoids show a significant delay in emergence time compared with nondiapausing counterparts. A diapause‐mediated polyphenism is observed in mummy colour, with diapausing mummies being clearly darker than nondiapausing ones. The diapause status of dark mummies is confirmed by a significant reduction in metabolic rate. Diapausing parasitoids also display specific morphological characteristics: they are heavier (fresh and dry mass) and accumulate larger fat reserves than nondiapausing counterparts. The diapause status is associated with a fitness cost in terms of adult longevity. There is no evidence of diapause‐related change in supercooling ability.     

One hundred years of instability in ensiferan relationships

Although Ensifera is a major insect model group, its phylogenetic relationships have been understudied so far. Few phylogenetic hypotheses have been proposed, either with morphological or molecular data. The largest dataset ever used for phylogeny reconstruction on this group is molecular (16S rRNA, 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA sequences for 51 ensiferan species), which has been used twice with different resultant topologies. However, only one of these hypotheses has been adopted commonly as a reference classification. Here we re‐analyse this molecular dataset with different methods and parameters to test the robustness and the stability of the adopted phylogeny. Our study reveals the instability of phylogenetic relationships derived from this dataset, especially for the deepest nodes of the group, and suggests some guidelines for future studies. The comparison between the different classifications proposed in the past 70 years for Ensifera and our results allows the identification of potential monophyletic clades (katydids, mole crickets, scaly crickets + Malgasia, true crickets, leaf roller crickets, cave crickets) and the remaining unresolved clades (wetas, Jerusalem crickets and most of the highest rank clades) in Ensifera phylogeny.