Possible Application of the Medicinal Plant Hyoscyamus albus in Phytoremediation: Excess Copper Compensates for Iron Deficiency, Depending on the Light Conditions

Seedlings of the medicinal plant Hyoscyamus albus were supplied with an excess of Cu to examine the possible application in phytoremediation. The seedlings were cultured in B5 medium supplied with basal 0.1 μM Cu and 200 μM Cu under various light conditions: short day (SD); long day (LD); and continuous light (CL). In addition, the effect of supplying 200 μM Cu under Fe deficiency was determined, in order to elucidate the interaction between Cu and Fe. Interestingly, Fe-deficiency symptoms that developed in plants grown with basic levels of Cu under LD almost disappeared when excess Cu was supplied. Plant growth mainly depended on the photo irradiation period (SD < LD~CL); and 200 μM Cu did not inhibit growth at all when Fe was available, whereas in the absence of Fe, CL caused damage to growth. Analysis of the Cu and Fe contents of the plants revealed that Cu was distributed equally in both the aerial parts and roots, whereas most of the Fe was found in the roots; under Fe deficiency, Cu accumulation in the roots apparently increased. Cu was mainly distributed in the soluble fraction, which included vacuoles and the cell-wall fraction. These results provide evidence indicating that H. albus seedlings are tolerant of Cu present in excess. Furthermore, excess Cu was able to compensate for Fe deficiency, depending on the light conditions. Continuous light inhibited this effect, probably as a result of the induction of Mn deficiency. The possible applications of this newly discovered cuprophyte are discussed

Snakebite victim profles and treatment-seeking behaviors in two regions of Kenya: results from a health demographic surveillance system

Introduction: Snakebites are a major cause of permanent injury and death among poor, rural populations in developing countries, including those in East Africa. This research characterizes snakebite incidence, risk factors, and subsequent health-seeking behaviors in two regions of Kenya using a mixed methods approach.Methods: As a part of regular activities of a health demographic surveillance system, household-level survey on snakebite incidence was conducted in two areas of Kenya: Kwale along the Kenyan Coast and Mbita on Lake Victoria. If someone in the home was reported to have been bitten in the 5 years previous to the visit, a survey instrument was administered. The survey gathered contextual information on the bite, treatment-seeking behavior and clinical manifestations. To obtain deeper, contextual information, respondents were also asked to narrate the bite incident, subsequent behavior and outcomes.Results: 8775 and 9206 households were surveyed in Kwale and Mbita, respectively. Out of these, 453 (5.17%) and 92 (1.00%) households reported that at least one person had been bitten by a snake in the past 5 years. Deaths from snakebites were rare (4.04%), but patterns of treatment seeking varied. Treatment at formal care facilities were sought for 50.8% and at traditional healers for 53.3%. 18.4% sought treatment from both sources. Victims who delayed receiving treatment from a formal facility were more likely to have consulted a traditional healer (OR 8.8995% CI [3.83, 20.64]). Delays in treatment seeking were associated with signifcantly increased odds of having a severe outcome, including death, paralysis or loss of consciousness (OR 3.47 95% CI [1.56; 7.70]).Conclusion: Snakebite incidence and outcomes vary by region in Kenya, and treatment-seeking behaviors are complex. Work needs to be done to better characterize the spatial distribution of snakebite incidence in Kenya and eforts need to be made to ensure that victims have sufcient access to efective treatments to prevent death and serious injury

Protective effects of Olyset® Net on Plasmodium falciparum infection after three years of distribution in western Kenya

Background: Several types of insecticides, treating technologies and materials are available for long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs). The variations may result in different efficacies against mosquitoes and correspondingly infection risks for the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite. This cross-sectional study investigated whether infection risk varied among children who slept under different LLIN brands in rural villages of western Kenya. Methods: Children sleeping under various types of LLINs were tested for P. falciparum infection using a diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. Data were collected for other potential factors associated with infection risk: sleeping location (with bed/without bed), number of persons sharing the same net, dwelling wall material, gap of eaves (open/close), proportional hole index, socio-economic status, and density of indoor resting anophelines. Bed-net efficacy against the Anopheles gambiae susceptible strain was estimated using the WHO cone test and the tunnel test. The residual insecticide content on nets was measured. Results: Seven LLIN brands were identified, and deltamethrin-based DawaPlus (R) 2.0 was the most popular (48%) followed by permethrin-based Olyset (R) Net (28%). The former LLIN was distributed in the area about six months before the present study was conducted, and the latter net was distributed at least three years before. Of 254 children analysed, P. falciparum PCR-positive prevalence was 58% for DawaPlus (R) 2.0 users and 38% for Olyset (R) users. The multiple regression analysis revealed that the difference was statistically significant (adjusted OR: 0.67, 95% credible interval: 0.45-0.97), whereas the confounders were not statistically important. Among randomly selected net samples, all DawaPlus (R) 2.0 (n = 20) and 95% of Olyset (R) (n = 19) passed either the cone test or the tunnel test. Conclusions: Olyset (R) was more effective in reducing infection risk compared with DawaPlus (R) 2.0. Although the data from the present study were too limited to explain the mechanism clearly, the results suggest that the characteristics of the former brand are more suitable for the conditions, such as vector species composition, of the study area.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Snakebite victim profiles and treatment-seeking behaviors in two regions of Kenya: results from a health demographic surveillance system

Abstract Introduction Snakebites are a major cause of permanent injury and death among poor, rural populations in developing countries, including those in East Africa. This research characterizes snakebite incidence, risk factors, and subsequent health-seeking behaviors in two regions of Kenya using a mixed methods approach. Methods As a part of regular activities of a health demographic surveillance system, household-level survey on snakebite incidence was conducted in two areas of Kenya: Kwale along the Kenyan Coast and Mbita on Lake Victoria. If someone in the home was reported to have been bitten in the 5 years previous to the visit, a survey instrument was administered. The survey gathered contextual information on the bite, treatment-seeking behavior and clinical manifestations. To obtain deeper, contextual information, respondents were also asked to narrate the bite incident, subsequent behavior and outcomes. Results 8775 and 9206 households were surveyed in Kwale and Mbita, respectively. Out of these, 453 (5.17%) and 92 (1.00%) households reported that at least one person had been bitten by a snake in the past 5 years. Deaths from snakebites were rare (4.04%), but patterns of treatment seeking varied. Treatment at formal care facilities were sought for 50.8% and at traditional healers for 53.3%. 18.4% sought treatment from both sources. Victims who delayed receiving treatment from a formal facility were more likely to have consulted a traditional healer (OR 8.8995% CI [3.83, 20.64]). Delays in treatment seeking were associated with significantly increased odds of having a severe outcome, including death, paralysis or loss of consciousness (OR 3.47 95% CI [1.56; 7.70]). Conclusion Snakebite incidence and outcomes vary by region in Kenya, and treatment-seeking behaviors are complex. Work needs to be done to better characterize the spatial distribution of snakebite incidence in Kenya and efforts need to be made to ensure that victims have sufficient access to effective treatments to prevent death and serious injury.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/174052/1/41182_2022_Article_421.pd

Copper excess promotes propagation and induces proteomic change in root cultures of Hyoscyamus albus L.

Hyoscyamus albus L. seedlings respond positively to copper (Cu) excess. In the present study, to understand how roots cope with Cu excess, propagation and proteome composition in the presence of Cu were examined using a root culture system. When H. albus roots were cultured in a medium without Cu, root growth deteriorated. However, in the presence of Cu, root growth increased in a concentration-dependent manner, and vigorous lateral root development was observed at 200 μM Cu. Cu accumulation in the roots increased with the Cu supply. Subcellular fractionation revealed that the highest amount of Cu was present in the cell wall-containing fraction, followed by the soluble fraction. However, the highest specific incorporation of Cu, in terms of fresh weight, was in the mitochondria-rich fraction. High Cu levels enhanced respiration activity. Comparative proteomic analysis revealed that proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism, de novo protein synthesis, cell division, and ATP synthesis increased in abundance, whereas the proteasome decreased. These results indicate that Cu promotes propagation of H. albus roots through the activation of the energy supply and anabolism. Newly propagated root tissues and newly generated proteins that bind to Cu may provide space and reservoirs for deposition of additional Cu

Genome-wide association study identifies HLA-DP as a susceptibility gene for pediatric asthma in Asian populations.

Asthma is a complex phenotype influenced by genetic and environmental factors. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) with 938 Japanese pediatric asthma patients and 2,376 controls. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showing strong associations (P<1×10(-8)) in GWAS were further genotyped in an independent Japanese samples (818 cases and 1,032 controls) and in Korean samples (835 cases and 421 controls). SNP rs987870, located between HLA-DPA1 and HLA-DPB1, was consistently associated with pediatric asthma in 3 independent populations (P(combined) = 2.3×10(-10), odds ratio [OR] = 1.40). HLA-DP allele analysis showed that DPA1*0201 and DPB1*0901, which were in strong linkage disequilibrium, were strongly associated with pediatric asthma (DPA1*0201: P = 5.5×10(-10), OR = 1.52, and DPB1*0901: P = 2.0×10(-7), OR = 1.49). Our findings show that genetic variants in the HLA-DP locus are associated with the risk of pediatric asthma in Asian populations