Nature’s contributions to people in the context of a changing traditional rice cultivation landscape in the Upper Baram, Malaysia

Traditional rice agroecosystems face socioeconomic, political, technical and environmental challenges that are resulting in changes in the traditional land use and management system and its contributions to indigenous farmers. This study explored the contributions made by swidden and wet rice agroecosystems in a traditional rice cultivation landscape and how this landscape has been influenced by recent changes in land use and management. Data were gathered from two villages in the Upper Baram, Malaysia, using semi-structured interviews with 43 farmers, and examined by qualitative content analysis. Farmers perceived different benefits from the rice agroecosystems over and above rice, such as non-rice food supply, habitat creation and support of their identity. The wet rice agroecosystem benefits farmers through higher rice yields, while the swidden rice agroecosystem provides a greater diversity of material contributions. Recent trends in land use and management towards the wet rice agroecosystem and plantations, driven by farmer preferences, land use policies and socioeconomic factors, are challenging the contributions available to farmers from the traditional rice cultivation landscape. Actors involved in decision-making in the traditional rice cultivation landscape should therefore consider the impact of land use and management changes on the diversity of contributions provided by rice agroecosystems

Indigenous farmers’ perceptions of problems in the rice field agroecosystems in the upper Baram, Malaysia

Background: Rice field agroecosystems produce food for more than half of the world’s population and deliver important services supporting farmers’ livelihoods. However, traditional rice field agroecosystems are facing a variety of problems, including pests or markets that are hard to access. This research explored indigenous farmers’ perceptions of the problems, their causes and consequences, and the solutions applied to address them in the rice field agroecosystem. Furthermore, the study investigated how indigenous farmers related these problems to the surrounding landscape elements and to microzones in the fields

Accumulation of mutations in antibody and CD8 T cell epitopes in a B cell depleted lymphoma patient with chronic SARS-CoV-2 infection

Antibodies against the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can drive adaptive evolution in immunocompromised patients with chronic infection. Here we longitudinally analyze SARS-CoV-2 sequences in a B cell-depleted, lymphoma patient with chronic, ultimately fatal infection, and identify three mutations in the spike protein that dampen convalescent plasma-mediated neutralization of SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, four mutations emerge in non-spike regions encoding three CD8 T cell epitopes, including one nucleoprotein epitope affected by two mutations. Recognition of each mutant peptide by CD8 T cells from convalescent donors is reduced compared to its ancestral peptide, with additive effects resulting from double mutations. Querying public SARS-CoV-2 sequences shows that these mutations have independently emerged as homoplasies in circulating lineages. Our data thus suggest that potential impacts of CD8 T cells on SARS-CoV-2 mutations, at least in those with humoral immunodeficiency, warrant further investigation to inform on vaccine design

Assessing agro-ecological practices using a combination of three sustainability assessment tools

This paper is based on results from the research project UNISECO, which is funded by European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 773901.We would like to thank all the farmers, farm organisations and stakeholders of the multi-actor platforms of the UNISECO project who contributed to the data collection. We also like to thank Andreas Basler whose corrections improved the comprehensibility of the paper.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The effect of reforestation on the carbon sequestration capacity of a degraded dryland in Binh Thuan, Vietnam

Landdegradierung in Trockengebieten, auch Desertifikation genannt, wird durch menschliche Aktivitäten und klimatische Faktoren verursacht und führt zu einem Rückgang der ökologischen Funktionalität und zu sozioökonomischen Problemen. Darüber hinaus wird durch die Landdegradierung Kohlenstoff (C) aus Boden und Vegetation in die Atmosphäre in Form von Kohlendioxid freigesetzt, wo es als Treibhausgas wirkt und die Klimaerwärmung verstärkt. Daher müssen Maßnahmen in den Trockengebieten getroffen werden, um die Auswirkungen der Degradierung auf den globalen Klimawandeln abzuschwächen. Eine Schlüsselmaßnahme für die Sequestrierung von C und die Wiederherstellung des Ökosystems ist die Wiederaufforstung. Es ist daher wesentlich ein Verständnis für die Zuverlässigkeit und das Potenzial dieser Schlüsselmaßnahme für die Speicherung von C in Vegetation und Boden zu entwickeln. Das Ziel dieser Masterarbeit ist es, diese Wechselwirkungen zwischen Wiederaufforstung und C-Sequestrierung bei der Restauration eines Trockengebiets in Binh Thuan, Vietnam, zu untersuchen. Das Untersuchungsgebiet, welches die Gemeinde Hoa Thang umfasst, ist wegen seines semiariden/sub-humiden Klimas und der Geologie anfällig für Landdegradierung. Vor allem die Küstenebenen werden von degradierten konsolidierten und unkonsolidierten sandigen Böden dominiert. Ein Vergleich zwischen dem C-Gehalt in Boden und Vegetation von degradierten Flächen und aufgeforsteten sowie natürlichen Waldgebieten soll die Speicherkapazität von C durch Wiederaufforstung zeigen. Im Untersuchungsgebiet wurden Bodenproben genommen und im Labor auf den Gesamt-C-Gehalt sowie andere Bodenmerkmale analysiert, um die Bodenfruchtbarkeit zu bestimmen. Zusätzlich wurde eine Fernerkundungsanalyse des Forschungsgebiets durchgeführt, um eine C-Sequestrierungskarte zu erstellen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen ein hohes C-Sequestrierungspotential in Acacia mangium Plantagen im Vergleich zu Azadirachta indica Plantagen und degradierten Flächen in den ersten 10 Jahren nach der Wiederaufforstung. Baumarten, die für die Wiederaufforstung verwendet werden, sind neben dem Alter des Waldes ein wichtiger Faktor in der C-Speicherkapazität. Die natürlichen Wälder speichern einen höheren Anteil an C im Boden und tragen zu einer höheren Biodiversität bei. Die Auswirkung der menschlichen Aktivitäten auf den C-Speicher in Plantagen und natürlichen Wäldern ist aufgrund der Holz- und Holzkohleproduktion sehr hoch, was zu einer Abnahme der Biomasse und des C-Gehalts im Boden führt. Zusammenfassend sieht man, dass die Wiederaufforstung im Forschungsgebiet dazu beitragen kann, die Degradierung von Trockengebieten zu verringern und die Sequestrierung von C zu verbessern, wenn die menschlichen Einwirkungen reduziert werden.Land degradation in drylands, also called desertification, caused by human impacts and climatic factors, results in a decline of ecological functionality as well as socioeconomic problems. Moreover, land degradation releases carbon (C) from soil and vegetation into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide where it acts as a greenhouse gas, contributing to global warming. Thus, action is required to reduce dryland degradation in order to mitigate climate change. A key measure used for C sequestration and ecosystem restoration is reforestation. Understanding the potential of reforestation for the storage of C in vegetation and soil is essential if this action is to be applied to combat desertification. The purpose of this Master’s thesis is to examine the interactions between reforestation and C sequestration during the restoration of a dryland area in Binh Thuan, Vietnam. The study area, Hoa Thang commune, is prone to land degradation because of its semiarid/sub-humid climate and geology. Especially the coastal plains are dominated by degraded consolidated and unconsolidated sandy soils. Thus, a comparison between the C content in the soil and vegetation of degraded, reforested as well as natural forest areas can show the sequestration potential of C through reforestation. Soil samples were taken in the study area and analyzed in the laboratory for total C content as well as other soil characteristics to determine soil fertility. Additionally, a remote sensing analysis of the research area was carried out to create a potential C sequestration map. The results indicate high C sequestration potential in Acacia mangium plantations compared to Azadirachta indica plantations and barren land during the first 10 years. Tree species used for plantations are, along with the age of the forest, a major factor determining the C storage capacity. Nonetheless, natural forests store a higher proportion of C in soil and contribute to higher biodiversity. Human impact on the C storage potential in plantations and natural forests is very high since logging for timber or charcoal production was observed to cause a decrease in biomass and soil C. In conclusion, reforestation in the research area could potentially help in sequestering C and mitigating dryland degradation, provided that human impact is reduced

Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC in µg/ml) of the isolates AA, BB, C, D and control.

<p>Isolates were tested against skin pathogens like <i>MRSA</i>, <i>Propionibacterium acnes</i> and <i>Staphylococcus epidermidis</i> in a classical MIC dilution assay to define the lowest concentration for <i>in vitro</i> inhibition. Therefore, the compounds or fractions were diluted between 250 and 0.48 µg/ml and overlaid with bacterial solution (10⁴ bacteria/ml). The table indicates that the isolated compound C shows the best activity against all tested bacteria.</p

Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC in µg/mL) of the <i>T. wortmannii</i> compound C in comparison with antibiotics used for acne treatment on different <i>P. acnes</i> strains.

<p>Compound C, minocycline, erythromycin and doxycycline were tested in a 96 well dilution assay under anaerobic conditions and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) defined 24–48 h later as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0097929#pone-0097929-t001" target="_blank">table 1</a>. Tests were done in triplicates and the table shows the average value of multiple MIC tests.</p

Screening for anti-inflammatory <i>T. wortmannii</i> components.

<p>(A) Flow cytometric analysis of ICAM-1 expression on the cell surface of HUVECs. Cells were stimulated with 10 ng/ml hTNF-α with or without 25 µg/ml crude extract or left untreated as negative control and stained with mouse anti-human ICAM-1 mAB. (B) Screening for anti-inflammatory substances, using a cell-based ELISA. Cells were treated for 1h in the absence or presence of 25 µg/ml substances AA, BB, C, D and crude extract, prior to being stimulated for 24 h with 10 ng/ml hTNF-α and stained with human ICAM-1 mAB (C) HEK293 cells were transiently transfected with NF-κB-Luciferase construct and EGFP construct. 24 h later, transfected cells were treated with 0, 40, 20 or 10 µg/ml substances or crude extract, prior to being stimulated with 10 ng/ml hTNF-α. Luciferase activities was determined 8 h later, normalized to the EFGP activities and expressed as fold increase over the control. (*, p<0.05; **, p<0.01, Students <i>t</i> test).</p

Cytotoxicity of <i>T. wormannii</i> extract and isolates.

<p>(A) HUVECs were plated at 10⁶ cells/ml on goldfilm electrods in 96 well plates and allowed to attach and form a monolayer for 24 h before cells were treated with 1, 10 or 100 µg/ml crude extract or 20% DMSO (control) or left untreated and cell toxicity measured every 5 min for 24 h. (B) HeLa, CaCo-2, HaCaT, HUVEC and HKER cells were plated at 2×10⁵ cells/ml in 96 well plates for 6 h and stimulated with 500 µg/ml–0.002 µg/ml crude extract for 24 h before Alamar blue was added (10%) and fluorescence intensity measured and the IC₅₀ determined. (C) HUVECs were treated with 20 µg/ml or 200 µg/ml crude extract, with staurosporine (positive control) or left untreated (neg. control) for 24 h and apoptotic and necrotic cells measured using AnnexinV and 7-AAD. HaCaT (D), HUVEC (E) and HKER (F) were plated as described in B and cells stimulated with AA, BB, C and D.</p