Estructura y Composicion Floristica del Bosque de la Llanura Aluvial en la Amazonia Peruana: I. El Bosque Alto

Three peruvian flood plain forests adjacent to the Ucayali river were sampled using nine one hectare permanent sample plots in which stems exceeding 10 cm DBH were identified and measured. These plots have been measured 4 times during 1993-1997, and provide the basis for the results reported here. Three plots were established in each of the three forest types high restinga, low restinga, and tahuampa, characterized in part by and annual inundation of 1, 2 and 4 months per year, respectively. Stem density varies from 446 to 601 per ha, and the basal area ranges between 20-29 m2/ha. A total of 321 species were recorded in the nine hectare sample, with 88-141 species in each one hectare plot. Species composition indicated a relatively low similarity between the forest types. Plots with the longest flooding contained the most species, expressed both as per unit area as well as per 1 000 stems. The flood plain forests contain fewer tree species than the non-flooded terra firme forest. In all three forests Legminosae, Euphorbiaceae, Annonaceae and Lauraceae, are important. The Moraceae family is conspicuous in both high restinga, as is Rubiaceae in low restinga. Lecythidaceae, Sapotaceae, and Chrysobalanaceae exhibit relatively high values in the tahuampa forest. High species importance values are obtained for Maquira coriacea, Guarea macrophylla, Terminalia oblonga, Spondias mombin, Ceiba pentandra, Hura crepitans, Schweilera spp., Campsiandra angustifolia, Pouteria spp., Licania micrantha, Parinari excelsa, and Calycophyllum spruceanum. Among the species of smaller stature, Drypetes amazonica, Leonia glycicarpa, Theobroma cacao, and Protium nodulosum attain high values

Comparison of the effects of vitamin D products in a psoriasis plaque test and a murine psoriasis xenograft model

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of Daivobet® and calcipotriol on clinical score and biomarker responses in a modified version of the Scholtz-Dumas psoriasis plaque assay. Furthermore, it was the aim to compare the effects of calcipotriol and betamethasone in the murine psoriasis xenograft model. Twenty four patients with psoriasis were treated topically once daily for three weeks, whereas the grafted mice were treated for four weeks. Clinical responses were scored twice weekly and biopsies were taken at the end of each study to analyse for skin biomarkers by histology and immunohistochemistry. The results clearly demonstrate effects on both clinical signs and biomarkers. In the patient study the total clinical score was reduced significantly with both Daivobet® and calcipotriol. Both treatments reduced epidermal thickness, Ki-67 and cytokeratin 16 expression. T cell infiltration was significantly reduced by Daivobet® but only marginally by calcipotriol. Both treatments showed strong effects on the epidermal psoriatic phenotype

Columnea caudata and columnea megafolia, two new species of gesneriaceae

Two new species of Columnea belonging to section Collandra (Gesneriaceae) from the “cordillera Occidental” in the Colombian Andes are described and illustrated. Columnea caudata is distributed along the Biogeographical Chocó in the Departments of Antioquia, Chocó, Risaralda, and Valle del Cauca, whereas Columnea megafolia is restricted to Antioquia, and probably is an endemic species of the National Natural Park Las Orquídeas

TWO NEW SPECIES AND TWO NEW VARIETIES OF COLUMNEA (GESNERIACEAE)

In this paper two new species of Gesneriaceae (genus Columnea) are described and illustrated. Columnea chocoensis is distributed in the Colombian departments of Chocó and Valle del Cauca, while its variety, C. chocoensis var. altaquerensis is restricted to the Department of Nariño, Colombia. Columnea stilesiana was found in La Serranía de Los Paraguas located in the Cordillera Occidental between the Chocó and Valle del Cauca Departments in Colombia. Further, Columnea archidonae is here considered a variety of C. ericae; Columnea ericae var. archidonae is distributed in Colombia and Ecuador, in forests at elevations higher than those in which the typical variety is found

Structure and Floristic Composition of Flood Plain Forests in the Peruvian Amazon I. Overstorey

Three Peruvian flood plain forests adjacent to the Ucayali river were sampled using nine 1 ha permanent sample plots in which stems exceeding 10 cm DBH were identified and measured. These plots were measured four times during 1993-1997. Three plots were established in each of the three forest types high restinga, low restinga, and tahuampa, characterised in part by an annual inundation of one, two and four months per year, respectively. Stem density varied from 446 to 601 per hectare, and the basal area ranged between 20 and 29 m2/ha. A total of 321 species were recorded in the nine hectare sample, with 88-141 species in each 1 ha plot. Species composition indicated a relatively low similarity between the forest types. Plots with the longest flooding contained the most species, expressed both as per unit area as well as per 1000 stems. The flood plain forests contained fewer tree species than adjacent non-flooded terra firme forest. Family importance values were calculated for each forest. In all three forests Leguminosae, Euphorbiaceae, Annonaceae and Lauraceae were important. The Moraceae family was conspicuous in both high restinga and low restinga. The Arecaceae and Meliaceae were notable in high restinga, as was Rubiaceae in low restinga. Lecythidaceae, Sapotaceae and Chrysobalanaceae exhibited relatively high values in the tahuampa forest. High species importance values were obtained for Maquira coriacea, Guarea macrophylla, Terminalia oblonga, Spondias mombin, Ceiba pentandra, Hura crepitans, Eschweilera spp., Canipsiandra angustifolia, Pouteria spp., Licania micrantha, Parinari excelsa and Calycophyllum spruceanum. Among the species of smaller stature, Drypetes amazonica, Leonia glycicarpa, Theobroma cacao and Protium nodulosum attained high values

Treatment with a Monoclonal Anti-IL-12p40 Antibody Induces Substantial Gut Microbiota Changes in an Experimental Colitis Model

Background and Aim. Crohn’s disease is associated with gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis. Treatment with the anti-IL-12p40 monoclonal antibody (12p40-mAb) has therapeutic effect in Crohn’s disease patients. This study addresses whether a 12p40-mAb treatment influences gut microbiota (GM) composition in mice with adoptive transfer colitis (AdTr-colitis). Methods. AdTr-colitis mice were treated with 12p40-mAb or rat-IgG2a or NaCl from days 21 to 47. Disease was monitored by changes in body weight, stool, endoscopic and histopathology scores, immunohistochemistry, and colonic cytokine/chemokine profiles. GM was characterized through DGGE and 16S rRNA gene-amplicon high-throughput sequencing. Results. Following 12p40-mAb treatment, most clinical and pathological parameters associated with colitis were either reduced or absent. GM was shifted towards a higher Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio compared to rat-IgG2a treated mice. Significant correlations between 17 bacterial genera and biological markers were found. The relative abundances of the RF32 order (Alphaproteobacteria) and Akkermansia muciniphila were positively correlated with damaged histopathology and colonic inflammation. Conclusions. Shifts in GM distribution were observed with clinical response to 12p40-mAb treatment, whereas specific GM members correlated with colitis symptoms. Our study implicates that specific changes in GM may be connected with positive clinical outcomes and suggests preventing or correcting GM dysbiosis as a treatment goal in inflammatory bowel disease