International collaboration between collections-based institutes for halting biodiversity loss and unlocking the useful properties of plants and fungi

The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 calls for “strong global partnerships and cooperation” to support the other SDGs. The collections-based science community offers many examples of conservation of plant and fungal biodiversity, sharing, repatriation and aggregation of data, access to new technologies, supply of plant and fungal material, strengthening capacity of practitioners, and benefit sharing with the providers of biodiversity and genetic resources. Collaboration framed by workable multilateral treaties will increase our understanding of plant and fungal diversity, help halt biodiversity loss, and accelerate our sustainable use of plants and fungi and the exploration of their useful traits. Summary: Collections-based institutes are at the forefront of generating knowledge and understanding of plant and fungal biodiversity. Through the analysis of occurrence data, the use of modern technologies to better understand the evolutionary relationships between species and documentation of their useful properties, the work of collections-based institutes provides good models for conservation; addressing species loss and improving sustainable use of plants and fungi. Nevertheless, the pressure on the planet's plant and fungal diversity is relentless. We argue that a massive increase in the accessibility of preserved and living collections of plants and fungi is required. An increased scale of responsible exploration to both conserve and unlock the useful properties of plants and fungi is needed to deliver solutions to the many global challenges facing humanity and the planet. This article explores the role of collaborations between collections-based institutes and their partners in preventing biodiversity loss and delivering sustainable development. Drawing on examples from herbaria, agricultural and wild species genebanks, mycological collections, an international NGO, and the botanic garden community, we demonstrate how collaboration improves efficiency and impact. Collaborations can be peer to peer, institutional, governmental, national, or international, they may involve work with local communities and are frequently a combination of these. We suggest the five key benefits to collaboration and show that with trust, understanding, and mutual respect, powerful and sustainable partnerships develop. Such trust and respect are hard won, but once established, sustain a high level of commitment, enable development of shared long-term visions of success, and attract diverse funding streams

Chromosome microarray analysis as first-line test in pregnancies with a priori low risk for detection of submicroscopic chromosomal abnormalities

n this study, we aimed to explore the utility of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in groups of pregnancies with a priori low risk for detection of submicroscopic chromosome abnormalities, usually not considered an indication for testing, in order to assess whether CMA improves the detection rate of prenatal chromosomal aberrations. A total of 3000 prenatal samples were processed in parallel using both whole-genome CMA and conventional karyotyping. The indications for prenatal testing included: advanced maternal age, maternal serum screening test abnormality, abnormal ultrasound findings, known abnormal fetal karyotype, parental anxiety, family history of a genetic condition and cell culture failure. The use of CMA resulted in an increased detection rate regardless of the indication for analysis. This was evident in high risk groups (abnormal ultrasound findings and abnormal fetal karyotype), in which the percentage of detection was 5.8% (7/120), and also in low risk groups, such as advanced maternal age (6/1118, 0.5%), and parental anxiety (11/1674, 0.7%). A total of 24 (0.8%) fetal conditions would have remained undiagnosed if only a standard karyotype had been performed. Importantly, 17 (0.6%) of such findings would have otherwise been overlooked if CMA was offered only to high risk pregnancies.The results of this study suggest that more widespread CMA testing of fetuses would result in a higher detection of clinically relevant chromosome abnormalities, even in low risk pregnancies. Our findings provide substantial evidence for the introduction of CMA as a first-line diagnostic test for all pregnant women undergoing invasive prenatal testing, regardless of risk factors

Altered Immune Responses in Rhesus Macaques Co-Infected with SIV and Plasmodium cynomolgi: An Animal Model for Coincident AIDS and Relapsing Malaria

BACKGROUND:Dual epidemics of the malaria parasite Plasmodium and HIV-1 in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia present a significant risk for co-infection in these overlapping endemic regions. Recent studies of HIV/Plasmodium falciparum co-infection have reported significant interactions of these pathogens, including more rapid CD4+ T cell loss, increased viral load, increased immunosuppression, and increased episodes of clinical malaria. Here, we describe a novel rhesus macaque model for co-infection that supports and expands upon findings in human co-infection studies and can be used to identify interactions between these two pathogens. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Five rhesus macaques were infected with P. cynomolgi and, following three parasite relapses, with SIV. Compared to macaques infected with SIV alone, co-infected animals had, as a group, decreased survival time and more rapid declines in markers for SIV progression, including peripheral CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios. The naïve CD4+ T cell pool of the co-infected animals was depleted more rapidly than animals infected with SIV alone. The co-infected animals also failed to generate proliferative responses to parasitemia by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells as well as B cells while also having a less robust anti-parasite and altered anti-SIV antibody response. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:These data suggest that infection with both SIV and Plasmodium enhances SIV-induced disease progression and impairs the anti-Plasmodium immune response. These data support findings in HIV/Plasmodium co-infection studies. This animal model can be used to further define impacts of lentivirus and Plasmodium co-infection and guide public health and therapeutic interventions

Emerging viral threats in Gabon: health capacities and response to the risk of emerging zoonotic diseases in Central Africa

Emerging infectious diseases (EID) are currently the major threat to public health worldwide and most EID events have involved zoonotic infectious agents. Central Africa in general and Gabon in particular are privileged areas for the emergence of zoonotic EIDs. Indeed, human incursions in Gabonese forests for exploitation purposes lead to intensified contacts between humans and wildlife thus generating an increased risk of emergence of zoonotic diseases. In Gabon, 51 endemic or potential endemic viral infectious diseases have been reported. Among them, 22 are of zoonotic origin and involve 12 families of viruses. The most notorious are dengue, yellow fever, ebola, marburg, Rift Valley fever and chikungunya viruses. Potential EID due to wildlife in Gabon are thereby plentiful and need to be inventoried. The Gabonese Public Health system covers geographically most of the country allowing a good access to sanitary information and efficient monitoring of emerging diseases. However, access to treatment and prevention is better in urban areas where medical structures are more developed and financial means are concentrated even though the population is equally distributed between urban and rural areas. In spite of this, Gabon could be a good field for investigating the emergence or re-emergence of zoonotic EID. Indeed Gabonese health research structures such as CIRMF, advantageously located, offer high quality researchers and facilities that study pathogens and wildlife ecology, aiming toward a better understanding of the contact and transmission mechanisms of new pathogens from wildlife to human, the emergence of zoonotic EID and the breaking of species barriers by pathogens

FLOW REGIMES, GAS HOLD-UP AND AXIAL GAS MIXING IN THE GAS-LIQUID MULTISTAGE AGITATED CONTACTOR

Experimental data are reported on Row regimes, gas hold-up and axial gas mixing of a gas-liquid Multi-stage Agitated Contactor (MAC), consisting of nine compartments [height, H, over diameter, D = 1; D = 0.09 m) separated by horizontal baffles with an opening of 0.04 m and with one centrally positioned impeller per compartment (12-bladed turbine disk; impeller diameter. d(1) = 0.03 m). For air-water and the liquid in batch, a homogeneous gas-liquid dispersion is realized with a stirring speed, N, above 15 s(-1) and a superficial gas velocity, u(G), below 0.12 ms(-1). These boundaries are affected unfavourably by either a cocurrent or a countercurrent liquid Row. For nine combinations of three gases (air, helium and dichloro-difluoro methane) and three liquids (water, n-octane and monoethylene glycol) the gas holds-up, epsilon(G), and the axial gas mixing were determined with the liquid in batch. Experimental conditions were varied as follows: u(G), 0.01-0.09 ms(-1); N, 10-36.7 s(-1); liquid viscosity, eta L, 0.00041-0.021 Pa s; surface tension, sigma, 0.02-0.073 Nm(-1); liquid density, rho(L), 684-1113 kgm(-3) and gas density, rho(G), 0.16-5.16 kgm(-3) For all experiments, the residence time distribution of the gas phase could be described excellently with a Cascade of ideally mixed Tanks in series with Alternating Backflow model (CTAB model). All 85 data epsilon(G) could be correlated with an average relative deviation of 11.0% by an extension of Van Dierendoncks' empirical gas hold-up relation. The relative gas backflow (ratio between gas backflow and net gas Row) data could be correlated by a novel relation with average relative deviations of 14.5, 17.7 and 19.5% For air-water(18 data points), helium-n-octane (19 data points) and air-monoethylene glycol (12 data points) systems, respectively

A KINETIC-MODEL FOR THE METHANOL HIGHER ALCOHOL SYNTHESIS FROM CO/CO2/H-2 OVER CU/ZNO-BASED CATALYSTS INCLUDING SIMULTANEOUS FORMATION OF METHYL-ESTERS AND HYDROCARBONS

The kinetics of the conversion of syngas (CO/CO2/H-2) to a methanol-higher alcohol mixture over a Cs-Cu/ZnO/Al2O3, catalyst were measured at a pressure of 5-100 bar, a temperature of 200-300 degrees C, a H-2/CO ratio in the feed of 0.66-4.37, a mole fraction of CO2 in the feed of 0-0.114 and a space velocity of 0.082 x 10(-3) - 2.56 x 10(-3) nm(3) s(-1) kg(cat)(-1),. Methanol was the major product and higher linear 1-alcohols (1 &lt;n less than or equal to 7), higher branched 2-methyl-1-alcohols (4 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 9), methyl esters (2 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 4), dimethyl ether, paraffins(1 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 8), 2-methyl-paraffins (4 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 8), CO2 and H2O were analysed as significantly present secondary products. The best model available from literature predicts the obtained alcohol product distributions reasonably accurately up to (2-methyl-)1-pentanol inclusive whereafter the predictions fail completely. The predictions of the methyl esters from this model are reasonable but could be verified up to methyl propionate inclusive only. A new model is presented in this study, which is significantly more accurate than all existing models and gives accurate predictions over the entire carbon number range for both the alcohols and the methyl esters with average relative deviations of 6.7% and 4.1%, respectively. In contrast to all models from the literature, this model also incorporated the simultaneous hydrocarbon formation accurately with an average relative deviation of 9.8%. A thorough residual analysis delivers further support for the model adequacy. Finally, the alcohol and methyl ester product distributions from the literature proved to be reasonably described by this new model with average relative deviations of 22.9% and 14.1%, respectively.</p

A KINETIC-MODEL FOR THE METHANOL HIGHER ALCOHOL SYNTHESIS FROM CO/CO2/H-2 OVER CU/ZNO-BASED CATALYSTS INCLUDING SIMULTANEOUS FORMATION OF METHYL-ESTERS AND HYDROCARBONS

The kinetics of the conversion of syngas (CO/CO2/H-2) to a methanol-higher alcohol mixture over a Cs-Cu/ZnO/Al2O3, catalyst were measured at a pressure of 5-100 bar, a temperature of 200-300 degrees C, a H-2/CO ratio in the feed of 0.66-4.37, a mole fraction of CO2 in the feed of 0-0.114 and a space velocity of 0.082 x 10(-3) - 2.56 x 10(-3) nm(3) s(-1) kg(cat)(-1),. Methanol was the major product and higher linear 1-alcohols (1 <n less than or equal to 7), higher branched 2-methyl-1-alcohols (4 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 9), methyl esters (2 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 4), dimethyl ether, paraffins(1 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 8), 2-methyl-paraffins (4 less than or equal to n less than or equal to 8), CO2 and H2O were analysed as significantly present secondary products. The best model available from literature predicts the obtained alcohol product distributions reasonably accurately up to (2-methyl-)1-pentanol inclusive whereafter the predictions fail completely. The predictions of the methyl esters from this model are reasonable but could be verified up to methyl propionate inclusive only. A new model is presented in this study, which is significantly more accurate than all existing models and gives accurate predictions over the entire carbon number range for both the alcohols and the methyl esters with average relative deviations of 6.7% and 4.1%, respectively. In contrast to all models from the literature, this model also incorporated the simultaneous hydrocarbon formation accurately with an average relative deviation of 9.8%. A thorough residual analysis delivers further support for the model adequacy. Finally, the alcohol and methyl ester product distributions from the literature proved to be reasonably described by this new model with average relative deviations of 22.9% and 14.1%, respectively

FLOW REGIMES, GAS HOLD-UP AND AXIAL GAS MIXING IN THE GAS-LIQUID MULTISTAGE AGITATED CONTACTOR

Experimental data are reported on Row regimes, gas hold-up and axial gas mixing of a gas-liquid Multi-stage Agitated Contactor (MAC), consisting of nine compartments [height, H, over diameter, D = 1; D = 0.09 m) separated by horizontal baffles with an opening of 0.04 m and with one centrally positioned impeller per compartment (12-bladed turbine disk; impeller diameter. d(1) = 0.03 m). For air-water and the liquid in batch, a homogeneous gas-liquid dispersion is realized with a stirring speed, N, above 15 s(-1) and a superficial gas velocity, u(G), below 0.12 ms(-1). These boundaries are affected unfavourably by either a cocurrent or a countercurrent liquid Row. For nine combinations of three gases (air, helium and dichloro-difluoro methane) and three liquids (water, n-octane and monoethylene glycol) the gas holds-up, epsilon(G), and the axial gas mixing were determined with the liquid in batch. Experimental conditions were varied as follows: u(G), 0.01-0.09 ms(-1); N, 10-36.7 s(-1); liquid viscosity, eta L, 0.00041-0.021 Pa s; surface tension, sigma, 0.02-0.073 Nm(-1); liquid density, rho(L), 684-1113 kgm(-3) and gas density, rho(G), 0.16-5.16 kgm(-3) For all experiments, the residence time distribution of the gas phase could be described excellently with a Cascade of ideally mixed Tanks in series with Alternating Backflow model (CTAB model). All 85 data epsilon(G) could be correlated with an average relative deviation of 11.0% by an extension of Van Dierendoncks' empirical gas hold-up relation. The relative gas backflow (ratio between gas backflow and net gas Row) data could be correlated by a novel relation with average relative deviations of 14.5, 17.7 and 19.5% For air-water(18 data points), helium-n-octane (19 data points) and air-monoethylene glycol (12 data points) systems, respectively