Occurence of barred knifejaw, Oplegnathus fasciatus (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Oplegnathidae), in Malta (Central Mediterranean) with a discussion on possible modes of entry

The barred knifejaw, Oplegnathus fasciatus (Temminck et Schlegel, 1844), a species native to the North Western and Eastern Central Pacific, is recorded from the central Mediterranean for the first time. Two individuals were photographed within a month of each other in Grand Harbour and in Marsamxett Harbour, Malta. It seems likely that the fish were introduced by shipping and different scenarios how this may have happened are discussed.peer-reviewe

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Ocimum labiatum extract and isolated labdane diterpenoid

BACKGROUND : Plants from the genus Ocimum are used as folk medicine for treating various diseases including inflammatory and immune-related diseases. Numerous reports have suggested plant extracts and their constituents as possible anti-inflammatory agents. Here, in vitro evidence of Ocimum labiatum’s immune-enhancing and antioxidant properties is presented for the first time. METHODS : The anti-inflammatory effect of O. labiatum ethanolic extract and an isolated diterpenoid was determined using a cytometric bead array (CBA) technique. The effect on phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was also assessed. A battery of antioxidant assays were used for detecting antioxidant activity while the anti-inflammatory mechanism was evaluated using an ELISA-based activator protein (AP-1) (c-Jun) assay. Cytotoxicity was determined on TZM-bl and PBMCs using a tetrazolium dye and confirmed by a novel label-free real-time assay. RESULTS : A 25 μg/mL non-cytotoxic concentration of O. labiatum extract significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines; IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-17A. Except for the dual acting pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6, which was upregulated, a non-cytotoxic 50 μM concentration of the isolated labdane diterpenoid compound significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the production of all the pro-inflammatory cytokines. In the anti-inflammatory pathway studies, the compound also inhibited AP-1 significantly (p < 0.05) at 50 μM. The extract demonstrated strong, dose dependent antioxidant activity with IC50 values ranging from 13 ± 0.8 to 54.86 ± 1.28 μg/mL while the terpene had no antioxidant property. The extract and diterpenoid decreased the production of the inflammatory mediator NO, at non-cytotoxic concentrations. The CC50 of the extract in TZM-bl and PBMCs was 62.6 ± 0.6 and 30.1 ± 0.4 μg/mL while that of the compound was 112.6 ± 0.2 and 70 ± 0.4 μM respectively. The real time studies confirmed tetrazolium dye assessed viability and also detected a unique growth pattern for the plant materials compared to untreated cells. CONCLUSIONS : O. labiatum extract demonstrated promising anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties while the terpenoid showed anti-inflammatory but no antioxidant activity. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of the terpene was a result of inhibition of AP-1. These data represents promising first steps towards the development of naturally derived anti-inflammation drugs.Southern African Biochemistry and Informatics for Natural Products (SABINA), the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA, South Africa), Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund (MMMF), the Namibian Ministry of Education and the University of Pretoria.http://www.journal-inflammation.comhb2016Biochemistr

Happiness on Tap: Piped Water Adoption in Urban Morocco

We study the demand for household water connections in urban Morocco, and the effect of such connections on household welfare. In the northern city of Tangiers, among homeowners without a private connection to the city’s water grid, a random subset was offered a simplified procedure to purchase a household connection on credit (at a zero percent interest rate). Take-up was high, at 69%. Because all households in our sample had access to the water grid through free public taps (often located fairly close to their homes), household connections did not lead to any improvement in the quality of the water households consumed; and despite significant increase in the quantity of water consumed, we find no change in the incidence of waterborne illnesses. Nevertheless, we find that households are willing to pay a substantial amount of money to have a private tap at home. Being connected generates important time gains, which are used for leisure and social activities, rather than productive activities. Because water is often a source of tension between households, household connections improve social integration and reduce conflict. Overall, within 6 months, self-reported well-being improved substantially among households in the treatment group, despite the financial cost of the connection. Our results suggest that facilitating access to credit for households to finance lump sum quality-of-life investments can significantly increase welfare, even if those investments do not result in income or health gains

Exogenous LRRK2G2019S induces parkinsonian-like pathology in a nonhuman primate

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease among the elderly. To understand pathogenesis and to test therapies, animal models that faithfully reproduce key pathological PD hallmarks are needed. As a prelude to developing a model of PD, we tested the tropism, efficacy, biodistribution, and transcriptional impact of canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2) vectors in the brain of Microcebus murinus, a nonhuman primate that naturally develops neurodegenerative lesions. We show that introducing helper-dependent (HD) CAV-2 vectors results in long-term, neuron-specific expression at the injection site and in afferent nuclei. Although HD CAV-2 vector injection induced a modest transcriptional response, no significant adaptive immune response was generated. We then generated and tested HD CAV-2 vectors expressing LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) and LRRK2 carrying a G2019S mutation (LRRK2G2019S), which is linked to sporadic and familial autosomal dominant forms of PD. We show that HD-LRRK2G2019S expression induced parkinsonian-like motor symptoms and histological features in less than 4 months

Editorial: The experience and benefits of game playing

Now that video games have permeated daily life across the globe on computers, consoles and pocket devices, they call for a more comprehensive—and accurate—understanding of their role in society. Psychological research into the impact of games upon players was initiated more than fifteen years ago, with researches devoted to uncovering the alleged negative impact of game playing in response to politically driven moral panics. The focus and dominance of experimental ‘effects’ research has given rise to a need for further research to balance what is sometimes seen as moral crusades associated with causation studies to articulate the more mundane, less contentious existence of games as a significant leisure activity for billions of individuals who repeatedly play them for entertainment and fun

How Ebola Impacts Genetics of Western Lowland Gorilla Populations

12 pagesInternational audienceBackground: Emerging infectious diseases in wildlife are major threats for both human health and biodiversity conservation. Infectious diseases can have serious consequences for the genetic diversity of populations, which could enhance the species' extinction probability. The Ebola epizootic in western and central Africa induced more than 90% mortality in Western lowland gorilla population. Although mortality rates are very high, the impacts of Ebola on genetic diversity of Western lowland gorilla have never been assessed. Methodology/Principal Findings: We carried out long term studies of three populations of Western lowland gorilla in the Republic of the Congo (Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Lossi gorilla sanctuary both affected by Ebola and Lossi's periphery not affected). Using 17 microsatellite loci, we compared genetic diversity and structure of the populations and estimate their effective size before and after Ebola outbreaks. Despite the effective size decline in both populations, we did not detect loss in genetic diversity after the epizootic. We revealed temporal changes in allele frequencies in the smallest population. Conclusions/Significance: Immigration and short time elapsed since outbreaks could explain the conservation of genetic diversity after the demographic crash. Temporal changes in allele frequencies could not be explained by genetic drift or random sampling. Immigration from genetically differentiated populations and a non random mortality induced by Ebola, i.e., selective pressure and cost of sociality, are alternative hypotheses. Understanding the influence of Ebola on gorilla genetic dynamics is of paramount importance for human health, primate evolution and conservation biology

Hypoglycaemia events with iGlarLixi versus premix biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) in people with type 2 diabetes advancing from basal insulin:An analysis of the SoliMix trial

Aims To explore details of the incidence and rates of daytime and nocturnal hypoglycaemia, levels of hypoglycaemia, and relationship to glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), when comparing iGlarLixi versus premixed biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) in the SoliMix randomized controlled trial. Materials and Methods This exploratory analysis of SoliMix used logistic regression and negative binomial regression analyses to assess between-treatment differences in the incidence and rates of hypoglycaemia by time of day. A negative binomial model was used to derive estimated annualized hypoglycaemia rates as a function of HbA1c. Results iGlarLixi was associated with lower incidence and rates of American Diabetes Association Level 2 (&lt;54 mg/dL [&lt;3.0 mmol/L]) hypoglycaemia during both night and day versus BIAsp 30. Incidence and rates of Level 1 (&lt;70 to &gt;= 54 mg/dL [&lt;3.9 to &gt;= 3.0 mmol/L]) hypoglycaemia were also mostly shown to be reduced with iGlarLixi versus BIAsp 30. Severe (Level 3) events were too few for analysis (n = 3). iGlarLixi was associated with lower modelled event rates of Level 2 and Level 1 hypoglycaemia over a wide range of HbA1c levels versus BIAsp 30. Conclusions These results show that the lower HbA1c levels and weight benefit seen with iGlarLixi versus premixed BIAsp 30 in people with type 2 diabetes advancing their basal insulin therapy in the SoliMix trial are also accompanied by a lower risk of hypoglycaemia at any time of day and across a broad range of HbA1c levels

Eosinophil granule proteins ECP and EPX as markers for a potential early-stage inflammatory lesion in female genital schistosomiasis (FGS)

Genital granulomas induced by Schistosoma haematobium eggs can manifest as different lesion types visible by colposcopy; rubbery papules (RP), homogenous sandy patches (HSP) and grainy sandy patches (GSP). Pronounced tissue eosinophilia is a candidate marker for active S. haematobium pathology, as viable schistosome egg granulomas often are eosinophil rich. Here it was investigated whether eosinophil granule proteins ECP (eosinophil cationic protein) and EPX (eosinophil protein-X) in urine and genital lavage can be used as markers for active FGS lesions.Uro-genital samples from 118 Malagasy women were analysed for ECP and EPX by standard sandwich avidin/biotin amplified ELISA.The women with RP lesions had significantly higher levels of ECP and EPX in both lavage and urine. Furthermore, women with RP lesions were significantly younger than those with GSP. This could indicate that RP lesions might be more recently established and thus represent an earlier inflammatory lesion stage.ECP in genital lavage might be a future tool aiding the identification of FGS pathology at a stage where reversibility remains a possibility following praziquantel treatment

Triterpenoids from ocimum labiatum activates latent HIV-1 expression in vitro : potential for use in adjuvant therapy

Abstract: Latent HIV reservoirs in infected individuals prevent current treatment from eradicating infection. Treatment strategies against latency involve adjuvants for viral reactivation which exposes viral particles to antiretroviral drugs. In this study, the effect of novel triterpenoids isolated from Ocimum labiatum on HIV-1 expression was measured through HIV-1 p24 antigen capture in the U1 latency model of HIV-1 infection and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of infected patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). The mechanism of viral reactivation was determined through the compound’s effect on cytokine production, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition, and protein kinase C (PKC) activation. Cytotoxicity of the triterpenoids was determined using a tetrazolium dye and flow cytometry. The isolated triterpene isomers, 3-hydroxy-4,6a,6b,11,12,14b-hexamethyl-1,2,3,4,6,6a,6b,7,8,8a,9,10,11,12,12a,14,14a,14b-octadecahydrop icene-4,8a-dicarboxylic acid (HHODC), significantly (p < 0.05) induced HIV-1 expression in a dose-dependent manner in U1 cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations. HHODC also induced viral expression in PBMCs of HIV-1 infected patients on cART. In addition, the compound up-regulated the production of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-_, and interferon (IFN)- but had no effect on HDAC and PKC activity, suggesting cytokine upregulation as being involved in latency activation. The observed in vitro reactivation of HIV-1 introduces the adjuvant potential of HHODC for the first time here

Impedance technology reveals correlations between cytotoxicity and lipophilicity of mono and bimetallic phosphine complexes

Label free impedance technology enables the monitoring of cell response patterns post treatment with drugs or other chemicals. Using this technology, a correlation between the lipophilicity of metal complexes and the degree of cytotoxicity was observed. Au(L1)Cl (1), AuPd(L1)(SC4H8)Cl3 (1a) and Au(L2)Cl (2) [L1 = diphenylphosphino-2-pyridine; L2 = 2-(2-(diphenylphosphino)ethyl)-pyridine] were synthesised, in silico drug-likeness and structure– activity relationship monitored using impedance technology. Dose dependent changes in cytotoxicity were observed for the metal complexes resulting in IC50s of 12.5 ± 2.5, 18.3 ± 8.3 and 16.9 ± 0.5 lM for 1, 1a and 2 respectively in an endpoint assay. When a real time impedance assay was used, dose-dependent responses depicting patterns that suggested slower uptake (at a toxic 20 lM) and faster recovery of the cells (at the less toxic 10 lM) of the bimetallic complex (1a) compared to the monometallic complexes (1 and 2) was observed. These data agreed with the ADMET findings of lower aqueous solubility of 1a and non-ideal lipophilicity (AlogP98 of 6.55) over more water soluble 1 and 2 with ideal lipophilicity (4.91 and 5.03 respectively) values. The additional coordination of a Pd atom to the nitrogen atom of a pyridine ring, the sulfur atom of a tetrahydrothiophene moiety and two chlorine atoms in 1a could be contributing to the observed differences when compared to the monometallic complexes. This report presents impedance technology as a means of correlating drug-likeness of lipophilic phosphine complexes containing similar backbone structures and could prove valuable in filtering drug-like compounds in a drug discovery project.Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), the University of Pretoria.Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) formerly Third World Organization for Women in Science (TWOWS) and University of Johannesburg.http://link.springer.com/journal/105342016-08-31hb201