The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses

Sub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species’ population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate ‘intactness scores’: the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region’s major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/ taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems

The comparative effects of metformin and insulin on the kidney, lung and heart of streptozotocin-induced diabetic female Wistar rats

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder resulting in chronic hyperglycaemia. It is associated with long-term complications such as damage or dysfunction of organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart, and blood vessels. Despite significant achievements in treatment modalities and preventive measures, the prevalence of diabetes keeps rising.Objectives: The study assessed the effects of metformin and insulin in glycaemic control and on the kidney, lungs and heart of streptozotocin-induced diabetic female Wistar rats.Methods: Twenty Wistar rats weighing 100-160g were randomly divided into four groups of 5 animals each. Group1 was the non diabetic control group while diabetes was induced in groups 2-4 using streptozotocin. Group 2 was given water only, while groups 3 and 4 were treated with insulin (1 IU daily) and metformin (200 mg/kg) for 3 weeks respectively. Blood glucose and major organs (kidney, lung and heart) were studied.Results: Metformin and insulin produced statistically significant decreases in blood glucose levels of 40.7% and 33.1% respectively. Kidney histology showed normal glomeruli in all treated group, while mild haemorrhage was seen in diabetic group and tubular necrosis in the metformin group. Lung histology showed reduction in alveolar space and mild to moderate chronic inflammatory cells in tests groups, there was sparing of peripheral lung tissue in metformin group. The heart histology showed both diabetic and insulin groups having pericardial congestion and moderate myocardial fatty change, while the metformin-treated group showed no pathology.Conclusion: These findings suggest that insulin and metformin may prevent and reverse some of pathologies caused by diabetes in major organs.Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, metformin, kidney, lung, hear

Association of adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) polymorphisms with measures of obesity in Nigerian young adults

Background: The association of obesity with adiponectin gene has been reported in different populations with various inconsistencies. Data from Nigeria is very scanty on the association. Aim: We investigated possible associations of adiponectin gene (ADIPOQ) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2241766 (+45T>G in exon 2), rs266729 (−11377C>G in promoter) and rs1501299 (+276G>T in intron 2) with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and hip circumference (HC), in our cross-sectional study. Subjects and methods: SNPs in ADIPOQ were genotyped in 107 subjects (81 females, 26 males; mean age 22.2 years) by Sequenom MassARRAY. Notably, rs2241766 was removed for not reaching Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. BMI was calculated (kg/m2) while WC and HC were measured using standard procedures Results: Linear regression showed that variant rs1501299 was not associated with BMI, WC or HC but rs266729 was associated with increased measures of obesity involving BMI (recessive model; beta coefficient [β], 12.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.47, 19.24, codominant model; GG, β, 13.08; 95% CI, 6.71, 19.46, GC, β, 1.04; 95% CI, −0.60, 2.68 and log-additive model; β, 2.117; 95% CI, 0.55, 3.68), WC (recessive model; β, 22.17; 95% CI, 7.11, 37.23 and codominant model; GG, β, 21.857; 95% CI, 6.74, 36.98, GC, β, −1.459; 95% CI, −5.34, 2.43) and HC (recessive model; β, 33.56; 95% CI, 15.41, 51.70, codominant model; GG, β, 34.171; 95% CI, 16.04, 52.30, GC, β, 2.771; 95% CI, −1.79, 7.34 and log-additive model; β, 5.466; 95% CI, 1.14, 9.80). Conclusion: This study in young Nigerian adults confirmed previously reported association of SNP −11377C>G with obesity measures in other populations. Keywords: Obesity, rs2241766, rs1501299, rs266729, Nigeri

The bii4africa dataset of faunal and floral population intactness estimates across Africa’s major land uses

International audienceSub-Saharan Africa is under-represented in global biodiversity datasets, particularly regarding the impact of land use on species' population abundances. Drawing on recent advances in expert elicitation to ensure data consistency, 200 experts were convened using a modified-Delphi process to estimate 'intactness scores': the remaining proportion of an 'intact' reference population of a species group in a particular land use, on a scale from 0 (no remaining individuals) to 1 (same abundance as the reference) and, in rare cases, to 2 (populations that thrive in human-modified landscapes). The resulting bii4africa dataset contains intactness scores representing terrestrial vertebrates (tetrapods: ±5,400 amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals) and vascular plants (±45,000 forbs, graminoids, trees, shrubs) in sub-Saharan Africa across the region's major land uses (urban, cropland, rangeland, plantation, protected, etc.) and intensities (e.g., large-scale vs smallholder cropland). This dataset was co-produced as part of the Biodiversity Intactness Index for Africa Project. Additional uses include assessing ecosystem condition; rectifying geographic/ taxonomic biases in global biodiversity indicators and maps; and informing the Red List of Ecosystems

bii4africa dataset

The bii4africa dataset is presented in a multi-spreadsheet .xlsx file. The raw data spreadsheet (‘Scores_Raw’) includes 31,313 individual expert estimates of the impact of a sub-Saharan African land use on a species response group of terrestrial vertebrates or vascular plants. Estimates are reported as intactness scores - the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference (pre-industrial or contemporary wilderness area) population of a species response group in a land use, on a scale from 0 (no individuals remain) through 0.5 (half the individuals remain), to 1 (same as the reference population) and, in limited cases, to 2 (two or more times the reference population). For species that thrive in human-modified landscapes, scores could be greater than 1 but not exceeding 2 to avoid extremely large scores biasing aggregation exercises. Expert comments are included alongside respective estimates

bi4africa dataset - open source

The bii4africa dataset is presented in a multi-spreadsheet .ods file. The raw data spreadsheet (‘Scores_Raw’) includes 31,313 individual expert estimates of the impact of a sub-Saharan African land use on a species response group of terrestrial vertebrates or vascular plants. Estimates are reported as intactness scores - the remaining proportion of an ‘intact’ reference (pre-industrial or contemporary wilderness area) population of a species response group in a land use, on a scale from 0 (no individuals remain) through 0.5 (half the individuals remain), to 1 (same as the reference population) and, in limited cases, to 2 (two or more times the reference population). For species that thrive in human-modified landscapes, scores could be greater than 1 but not exceeding 2 to avoid extremely large scores biasing aggregation exercises. Expert comments are included alongside respective estimates