Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 362 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Carta MG, Scano A, Lindert J, Bonanno S, Rinaldi L, Fais S, et al.
    Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci, 2020 08;24(15):8226-8231.
    PMID: 32767354 DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202008_22512
    OBJECTIVE: To explore whether the climate has played a role in the COVID-19 outbreak, we compared virus lethality in countries closer to the Equator with others. Lethality in European territories and in territories of some nations with a non-temperate climate was also compared.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Lethality was calculated as the rate of deaths in a determinate moment from the outbreak of the pandemic out of the total of identified positives for COVID-19 in a given area/nation, based on the COVID-John Hopkins University website. Lethality of countries located within the 5th parallels North/South on 6 April and 6 May 2020, was compared with that of all the other countries. Lethality in the European areas of The Netherlands, France and the United Kingdom was also compared to the territories of the same nations in areas with a non-temperate climate.

    RESULTS: A lower lethality rate of COVID-19 was found in Equatorial countries both on April 6 (OR=0.72 CI 95% 0.66-0.80) and on May 6 (OR=0.48, CI 95% 0.47-0.51), with a strengthening over time of the protective effect. A trend of higher risk in European vs. non-temperate areas was found on April 6, but a clear difference was evident one month later: France (OR=0.13, CI 95% 0.10-0.18), The Netherlands (OR=0.5, CI 95% 0.3-0.9) and the UK (OR=0.2, CI 95% 0.01-0.51). This result does not seem to be totally related to the differences in age distribution of different sites.

    CONCLUSIONS: The study does not seem to exclude that the lethality of COVID-19 may be climate sensitive. Future studies will have to confirm these clues, due to potential confounding factors, such as pollution, population age, and exposure to malaria.

    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  2. Shakeri M, Zulkifli I, Soleimani AF, O'Reilly EL, Eckersall PD, Anna AA, et al.
    Poult Sci, 2014 Nov;93(11):2700-8.
    PMID: 25143595 DOI: 10.3382/ps.2014-03910
    A study was conducted to determine whether supplementing AminoGut (a commercial dietary supplement containing a mixture of l-glutamine and l-glutamic acid) to broiler chickens stocked at 2 different densities affected performance, physiological stress responses, foot pad dermatitis incidence, and intestinal morphology and microflora. A randomized design in a factorial arrangement with 4 diets [basal diet, basal diet + 0.5% AminoGut from d 1 to 21, basal diet + 0.5% AminoGut from d 1 to 42, and basal diet + virginiamycin (0.02%) for d 1 to 42] and 2 stocking densities [0.100 m(2)/bird (23 birds/pen; LD) or 0.067 m(2)/bird (35 birds/pen; HD)]. Results showed that villi length and crypt depth were not changed by different dietary treatments. However, birds in the HD group had smaller villi (P = 0.03) compared with those of the LD group. Regardless of diet, HD consistently increased the serum concentrations of ceruloplasmin, α-1 acid glycoprotein, ovotransferin, and corticosterone (P = 0.0007), and elevated heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (0.0005). Neither AminoGut supplementation nor stocking density affected cecal microflora counts. In conclusion, under the conditions of this study, dietary supplementation of AminoGut, irrespective of stocking density, had no beneficial effect on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and physiological adaptive responses of broiler chickens raised under hot and humid tropical conditions. However, AminoGut supplementation from d 1 to 42 was beneficial in reducing mortality rate. Also, the increased serum concentrations of a wide range of acute phase proteins together with elevated corticosterone and heterophil to lymphocyte ratio suggested that high stocking density induced an acute phase response either indirectly as a result of increased incidence of inflammatory diseases such as foot pad dermatitis or possibly as a direct physiological response to the stress of high stocking density.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  3. Ahmad A, Dada AC, Usup G, Heng LY
    Mar Pollut Bull, 2014 May 15;82(1-2):26-38.
    PMID: 24725825 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.03.028
    Median enterococci counts of beach water samples gradually increased at statistically significant levels (χ2: 26.53, df: 4; p<0.0001) with increasing proximity to river influx. The difference in proportion of antibiotic resistant enterococci in beach water and river water samples was statistically significant (p<0.05) for the tested antibiotics with river isolates generally presenting higher resistance frequencies. Virulence genes cyl, esp, gelE and asa were detected at varying frequencies (7.32%, 21.95%, 100% and 63.41% respectively) among river isolates. On the other hand, the prevalence of these genes was lower (0%, 20%, 67.27% and 41.82% respectively) among beach water isolates. Multi-Locus-Sequence-Typing analysis of Enterococcus faecalis presented four sequence types (ST) one of which shared six out of seven tested loci with ST6, a member of the clonal complex of multi-drug resistant strains associated with hospital outbreaks.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  4. Bukar MM, Yusoff R, Haron AW, Dhaliwal GK, Khan MA, Omar MA
    Trop Anim Health Prod, 2012 Oct;44(7):1505-11.
    PMID: 22461200 DOI: 10.1007/s11250-012-0095-3
    The effects of different estrus synchronization techniques on follicular development and estrus response were studied in 81 nulliparous Boer does. The does were divided into nine groups. Eight of the nine groups were synchronized with prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF(2α)) or flugestone acetate (FGA) or their combinations, and the ninth group was a control group. In addition to the above combinations, four of the eight synchronized groups were given 5 mg follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and the remaining four groups were administered 300 IU equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG). Posttreatment follicular development was monitored until ovulation occurred using a real-time B-mode ultrasound scanner (Aloka, 500 SSD, Japan), with a 7.5-MHz transrectal linear probe. All the does from the synchronized groups that were given eCG exhibited oestrus while only 88.9% of the does synchronized with FSH showed estrus. The estrus response was observed to be the least among the does synchronized with PGF(2α) + FSH (33.3%) combination followed closely by the FGA + FSH (42.9%) combinations. It was observed that the combinations of FGA + PGF(2α) + FSH resulted in increased percentage of estrus response, duration of estrus, and ovulation. The number of follicles was higher (P < 0.05) in FSH-synchronized groups than the eCG-synchronized groups. It was concluded that the best estrus synchronization protocol in goats is the FGA + eCG with or without PGF(2α). However, the PGF(2α) + FGA + FSH method of estrus synchronization is the most promising combination for further development as a better alternative to estrus synchronization with eCG in does.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  5. Pyle JA, Warwick NJ, Harris NR, Abas MR, Archibald AT, Ashfold MJ, et al.
    Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 2011 Nov 27;366(1582):3210-24.
    PMID: 22006963 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0060
    We present results from the OP3 campaign in Sabah during 2008 that allow us to study the impact of local emission changes over Borneo on atmospheric composition at the regional and wider scale. OP3 constituent data provide an important constraint on model performance. Treatment of boundary layer processes is highlighted as an important area of model uncertainty. Model studies of land-use change confirm earlier work, indicating that further changes to intensive oil palm agriculture in South East Asia, and the tropics in general, could have important impacts on air quality, with the biggest factor being the concomitant changes in NO(x) emissions. With the model scenarios used here, local increases in ozone of around 50 per cent could occur. We also report measurements of short-lived brominated compounds around Sabah suggesting that oceanic (and, especially, coastal) emission sources dominate locally. The concentration of bromine in short-lived halocarbons measured at the surface during OP3 amounted to about 7 ppt, setting an upper limit on the amount of these species that can reach the lower stratosphere.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  6. Loader NJ, Walsh RP, Robertson I, Bidin K, Ong RC, Reynolds G, et al.
    Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci, 2011 Nov 27;366(1582):3330-9.
    PMID: 22006972 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0037
    Stable carbon isotope (δ(13)C) series were developed from analysis of sequential radial wood increments from AD 1850 to AD 2009 for four mature primary rainforest trees from the Danum and Imbak areas of Sabah, Malaysia. The aseasonal equatorial climate meant that conventional dendrochronology was not possible as the tree species investigated do not exhibit clear annual rings or dateable growth bands. Chronology was established using radiocarbon dating to model age-growth relationships and date the carbon isotopic series from which the intrinsic water-use efficiency (IWUE) was calculated. The two Eusideroxylon zwageri trees from Imbak yielded ages of their pith/central wood (±1 sigma) of 670 ± 40 and 759 ± 40 years old; the less dense Shorea johorensis and Shorea superba trees at Danum yielded ages of 240 ± 40 and 330 ± 40 years, respectively. All trees studied exhibit an increase in the IWUE since AD 1960. This reflects, in part, a response of the forest to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Unlike studies of some northern European trees, no clear plateau in this response was observed. A change in the IWUE implies an associated modification of the local carbon and/or hydrological cycles. To resolve these uncertainties, a shift in emphasis away from high-resolution studies towards long, well-replicated time series is proposed to develop the environmental data essential for model evaluation. Identification of old (greater than 700 years) ringless trees demonstrates their potential in assessing the impacts of climatic and atmospheric change. It also shows the scientific and applied value of a conservation policy that ensures the survival of primary forest containing particularly old trees (as in Imbak Canyon and Danum).
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  7. Sudthongkong C, Miyata M, Miyazaki T
    Dis Aquat Organ, 2002 Apr 5;48(3):163-73.
    PMID: 12033703
    Many species of ornamental freshwater fishes are imported into Japan from all over the world. We found African lampeye Aplocheilichthys normani and dwarf gourami Colisa lalia suffering from an iridovirus infection just after being imported by tropical fish wholesalers from Singapore. African lampeye were cultured on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra and dwarf gourami were cultured in Malaysia before export. Diseased fishes displayed distinct histopathological signs of iridovirus infection: systemic appearance of inclusion body-bearing cells, and necrosis of splenocytes and hematopoietic cells. Electron microscopy revealed viral particles (African lampeye:180 to 200 nm in edge to edge diameter; dwarf gourami: 140 to 150 nm in diameter) in an inclusion body within the cytoplasm of inclusion body-bearing cells as well as in the cytoplasm of necrotized cells. Experimental infection with an iridovirus isolate from African lampeye (ALIV) revealed pathogenicity of ALIV to African lampeye and pearl gourami Trichogaster leeri. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products from ALIV and an iridovirus isolate from dwarf gourami (DGIV) using iridovirus-specific primers were indistinguishable. The nucleotide sequence of PCR products derived from ALIV (696 base pairs) and DGIV (701 base pairs) had 95.3% identity. These results indicate that ALIV and DGIV have a single origin.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  8. How YF, Lee CY
    Pest Manag Sci, 2011 Jun;67(6):734-40.
    PMID: 21370390 DOI: 10.1002/ps.2123
    Five formulated insecticides (lambda-cyhalothrin at 10 mg m⁻², bifenthrin at 50 mg m⁻², fipronil at 10 mg m⁻², fenitrothion at 50 mg m⁻², imidacloprid at 5 mg m⁻²) and one active ingredient (DDT at 500 mg m⁻²) were evaluated using a surface contact method against early and late instars and adults of two strains of the tropical bed bug, Cimex hemipterus (F.). Synergism of lambda-cyhalothrin and fipronil using piperonyl butoxide (PBO) was also assessed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  9. Lee WS, Puthucheary SD
    Singapore Med J, 2001 Feb;42(2):057-60.
    PMID: 11358191
    To describe the patterns of isolation of Aeromonas spp. and the resulting spectrum of infection, intestinal and extra-intestinal,from infants and children in an urban area in a hot and humid country from SoutheastAsia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  10. Matanjun P, Mohamed S, Muhammad K, Mustapha NM
    J Med Food, 2010 Aug;13(4):792-800.
    PMID: 20482284 DOI: 10.1089/jmf.2008.1212
    This study was designed to investigate the comparative in vivo cardiovascular protective effects of red, green, and brown tropical seaweeds, namely, Kappaphycus alvarezii (or Eucheuma cottonii), Caulerpa lentillifera, and Sargassum polycystum, in rats fed on high-cholesterol/high-fat (HCF) diets. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (weighing 260-300 g) on the HCF diet had significantly increased body weight, plasma total cholesterol (TC), plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), plasma triglycerides (TG), lipid peroxidation, and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase levels after 16 weeks. Supplementing 5% seaweeds to HCF diet significantly reduced plasma TC (-11.4% to -18.5%), LDL-C (-22% to -49.3%), and TG (-33.7% to -36.1%) levels and significantly increased HDL-C levels (16.3-55%). Among the seaweeds, S. polycystum showed the best anti-obesity and blood GSH-Px properties, K. alvarezii showed the best antihyperlipemic and in vivo antioxidation effects, and C. lentillifera was most effective at reducing plasma TC. All seaweeds significantly reduced body weight gain, erythrocyte GSH-Px, and plasma lipid peroxidation of HCF diet rats towards the values of normal rats.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  11. Wan Md Adnan WA, Zaharan NL, Wong MH, Lim SK
    PLoS One, 2014;9(12):e114262.
    PMID: 25546434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0114262
    Chronic kidney disease is an emerging problem in the majority Muslim countries. Despite the uncertainties of the risks involved, some Muslim patients undergoing chronic haemodialysis choose to observe intermittent fasting during the month of Ramadan. This study aims to investigate the effect of Ramadan fasting in haemodialysis patients residing in a tropical climate country.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  12. Ramly M, Ming MF, Chinna K, Suboh S, Pendek R
    PLoS One, 2014;9(10):e110476.
    PMID: 25350669 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110476
    Many observational studies linked vitamin D to cardiometabolic risks besides its pivotal role in musculoskeletal diseases, but evidence from trials is lacking and inconsistent.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  13. Stephenson NL, Das AJ, Condit R, Russo SE, Baker PJ, Beckman NG, et al.
    Nature, 2014 Mar 6;507(7490):90-3.
    PMID: 24429523 DOI: 10.1038/nature12914
    Forests are major components of the global carbon cycle, providing substantial feedback to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. Our ability to understand and predict changes in the forest carbon cycle--particularly net primary productivity and carbon storage--increasingly relies on models that represent biological processes across several scales of biological organization, from tree leaves to forest stands. Yet, despite advances in our understanding of productivity at the scales of leaves and stands, no consensus exists about the nature of productivity at the scale of the individual tree, in part because we lack a broad empirical assessment of whether rates of absolute tree mass growth (and thus carbon accumulation) decrease, remain constant, or increase as trees increase in size and age. Here we present a global analysis of 403 tropical and temperate tree species, showing that for most species mass growth rate increases continuously with tree size. Thus, large, old trees do not act simply as senescent carbon reservoirs but actively fix large amounts of carbon compared to smaller trees; at the extreme, a single big tree can add the same amount of carbon to the forest within a year as is contained in an entire mid-sized tree. The apparent paradoxes of individual tree growth increasing with tree size despite declining leaf-level and stand-level productivity can be explained, respectively, by increases in a tree's total leaf area that outpace declines in productivity per unit of leaf area and, among other factors, age-related reductions in population density. Our results resolve conflicting assumptions about the nature of tree growth, inform efforts to undertand and model forest carbon dynamics, and have additional implications for theories of resource allocation and plant senescence.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  14. Shimizu A, Takada H, Koike T, Takeshita A, Saha M, Rinawati, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2013 May 1;452-453:108-15.
    PMID: 23500404 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.02.027
    Seven sulfonamides, trimethoprim, five macrolides, lincomycin and three tetracyclines were measured in 150 water samples of sewage, livestock and aquaculture wastewater, and river and coastal waters, in five tropical Asian countries. The sum of the concentrations of the target antibiotics in sewage and heavily sewage-impacted waters were at sub- to low-ppb levels. The most abundant antibiotic was sulfamethoxazole (SMX), followed by lincomycin and sulfathiazole. The average concentration of SMX in sewage or heavily sewage-impacted waters was 1720 ng/L in Vietnam (Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Can Tho; n=15), 802ng/L in the Philippines (Manila; n=4), 538 ng/L in India (Kolkata; n=4), 282 ng/L in Indonesia (Jakarta; n=10), and 76 ng/L in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur; n=6). These concentrations were higher than those in Japan, China, Europe, the US and Canada. A predominance of sulfonamides, especially SMX, is notable in these tropical countries. The higher average concentrations, and the predominance of SMX, can be ascribed to the lower cost of the antibiotics. Both the concentration and composition of antibiotics in livestock and aquaculture wastewater varied widely. In many cases, sulfamethazine (SMT), oxytetracycline (OTC), lincomycin, and SMX were predominant in livestock and aquaculture wastewater. Both human and animal antibiotics were widely distributed in the respective receiving waters (i.e., the Mekong River and Manila Bay). SMT/SMX ratios indicate a significant contribution from livestock wastewater to the Mekong River and nearby canals, with an estimated ~10% of river water SMX derived from such wastewater. Mass flow calculations estimate that 12 tons of SMX is discharged annually from the Mekong River into the South China Sea. Riverine inputs of antibiotics may significantly increase the concentration of such antibiotics in the coastal waters.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  15. Othman M, Genapathy S, Liew PS, Ch'ng QT, Loh HS, Khoo TJ, et al.
    Nat Prod Res, 2011 Nov;25(19):1857-64.
    PMID: 21838540 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2010.537274
    The world's rainforests hold untold potential for drug discovery. Rainforest plants are thought to contain evolved defensive active metabolites of greater diversity compared to plants from temperate regions. In recent years, the interest and overall output from pharmaceutical companies on novel antibacterial agents has diminished at a time when there is a critical need for them to fight the threat of resistance. In this study, we have investigated the antimicrobial properties of 21 flowering plants from 16 different families against six bacterial strains consisting of two Gram negative and four Gram positive. Using the pour plate disc diffusion technique, almost all extracts from these plants were found to be active against some of the bacterial strains tested. The most interesting and active plants with broad spectrum activities include Duabanga grandiflora, Acalypha wilkesiana and Pseuduvaria macrophylla where the minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration and phytochemical analysis were carried out. This is the first report describing the antimicrobial and phytochemical properties of D. grandiflora and P. macrophylla. Our findings support the utilisation of higher plant species in the search for new antimicrobial molecules to combat new emerging infective diseases and the problem of drug resistant pathogens.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  16. Larsen M
    J Anim Sci, 2006 Apr;84 Suppl:E133-9.
    PMID: 16582084
    In a world in which sheep producers are facing increasing problems due to the rapid spread of anthelmintic resistance, the battle against gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes is a difficult one. One of the potential new tools for integrated control strategies is biological control by means of the nematode-destroying microfungus Duddingtonia flagrans. This fungus forms sticky traps that catch developing larval stages of parasitic nematodes in the fecal environment. When resting spores (chlamydospores) of this fungus are fed daily to grazing animals for a period of time, the pasture infectivity and thus, the worm burden of grazing animals are lowered, especially in young lambs. Research has been conducted throughout the world covering many different climates and management systems. An Australian parasite model showed that if the fungus performs efficiently (> or =90% reduction in worm burden) for 2 or 3 mo, it should contribute significantly to a reduction in the number of dead lambs otherwise occurring when managed only by anthelmintic treatment and grazing management. Feeding or field trials have clearly demonstrated that dosing with a few hundred thousand spores per kilogram of live BW not only reduced the number of infective larvae but also increased the BW of the lambs compared with controls not given fungus. Initial Australian work with feeding spores by means of a block formulation or a slow-release device has shown some promise, but further work is needed to fully develop these delivery systems. In tropical Malaysia, small paddock trials and field studies resulted in significant improvements, in terms of lower worm burdens and increased live BW, when feeding half a million spores daily to grazing lambs. Additional benefits have been observed when the fungus is employed in combination with a fast rotational grazing system. Research has also demonstrated that spores can be delivered in slightly moist feed block material, but only if such blocks are consumed rapidly, because of their very short shelf life. In the northern, temperate Danish climate it has been demonstrated that daily feeding of half a million spores per kilogram of live BW can lead to significant production benefits, with increased live BW gain in fungus-exposed animals. Biological control of parasitic nematodes in sheep seems to hold promise for the future, but to be able to assist producers, the optimal delivery system needs to be refined and further developed. In addition, more work will be needed to define the best use of this technology in different geographic regions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  17. Benacer D, Thong KL, Min NC, Bin Verasahib K, Galloway RL, Hartskeerl RA, et al.
    Acta Trop, 2016 May;157:162-8.
    PMID: 26844370 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2016.01.031
    Leptospirosis is an emerging disease, especially in countries with a tropical climate such as Malaysia. A dramatic increase in the number of cases has been reported over the last decade; however, information on the epidemiological trends of this disease is lacking. The objective of this study is to provide an epidemiological description of human leptospirosis cases over a 9-year period (2004-2012) and disease relationship with meteorological, geographical, and demographical information. A retrospective study was undertaken to describe the patterns of human leptospirosis cases and their association with intrinsic (sex, age, and ethnicity) and extrinsic (location, rainfall, and temperature) factors. Data was grouped according to age, sex, ethnicity, seasonality and geographical distribution, and analyzed using statistical tools to understand the influence of all the different factors on disease incidence. A total of 12,325 cases of leptospirosis were reported between 2004 and 2012 with an upward trend in disease incidence, with the highest in 2012. Three hundred thirty-eight deaths were reported with an overall case fatality rate of 2.74%, with higher incidence in males (9696; 78.7%) compared with female patients (2629; 21.3%), and overall male to female ratio of 3.69:1. Patients aged cohorts between 30-39 years old (16.22 per 100,000 population) had the highest disease incidence while the lowest incidence occurred between <1 to 9 years old (3.44 per 100,000 population). The average incidence was highest amongst Malays (10.97 per 100,000 population), followed by Indians (7.95 per 100,000 population). Stratification according to geographical distribution showed that the state of Malacca had the highest average disease incidence (11.12 per 100,000 population) followed by Pahang (10.08 per 100,000 population). The states of Terengganu, Kelantan, and Perak recorded similar rates of incidence (≈8.00 per 100,000 population), while Johor with the least number of reported cases (1.80 per 100,000 population). Positive relationships were recorded between the number of reported cases with the number of raining days per month and monthly average temperature (p-value<0.05). However, no significant association was noted between rainfall volume and number of reported Leptospirosis cases. This collaborative efforts between medical, academic and governmental institutions has enabled the construction of this comprehensive database that is essential to understand the disease trends in Malaysia and add insights into the prevention and control of this disease.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  18. Ewers RM, Boyle MJ, Gleave RA, Plowman NS, Benedick S, Bernard H, et al.
    Nat Commun, 2015 Apr 13;6:6836.
    PMID: 25865801 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7836
    Invertebrates are dominant species in primary tropical rainforests, where their abundance and diversity contributes to the functioning and resilience of these globally important ecosystems. However, more than one-third of tropical forests have been logged, with dramatic impacts on rainforest biodiversity that may disrupt key ecosystem processes. We find that the contribution of invertebrates to three ecosystem processes operating at three trophic levels (litter decomposition, seed predation and removal, and invertebrate predation) is reduced by up to one-half following logging. These changes are associated with decreased abundance of key functional groups of termites, ants, beetles and earthworms, and an increase in the abundance of small mammals, amphibians and insectivorous birds in logged relative to primary forest. Our results suggest that ecosystem processes themselves have considerable resilience to logging, but the consistent decline of invertebrate functional importance is indicative of a human-induced shift in how these ecological processes operate in tropical rainforests.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  19. Ho YH, Gan SN, Tan IK
    Appl Biochem Biotechnol, 2002 10 25;102-103(1-6):337-47.
    PMID: 12396135
    The medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA(MCL)) produced by Pseudomonas putida PGA1 using saponified palm kernel oil as the carbon source could degrade readily in water taken from Kayu Ara River in Selangor, Malaysia. A weight loss of 71.3% of the PHA film occurred in 86 d. The pH of the river water medium fell from 7.5 (at d 0) to 4.7 (at d 86), and there was a net release of CO2. In sterilized river water, the PHA film also lost weight and the pH of the water fell, but to lesser extents. The C8 monomer of the PHA was completely removed after 6 d of immersion in the river water, while the proportions of the other monomers (C10, C12, and C14) were reversed from that of the undegraded PHA. By contrast, the monomer composition of the PHA immersed in sterilized river water did not change significantly from that of the undegraded PHA. Scanning electron microscopy showed physical signs of degradation on the PHA film immersed in the river water, but the film immersed in sterilized river water was relatively unblemished. The results thus indicate that the PHA(MCL) was degraded in tropical river water by biologic as well as nonbiologic means. A significant finding is that shorter-chain monomers were selectively removed throughout the entire PHA molecule, and this suggests enzymatic action.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
  20. Moravec F, Wolter J, Körting W
    Folia Parasitol., 1999;46(4):296-310.
    PMID: 10730202
    Five species of adult nematodes, unidentifiable nematode larvae, and three species of acanthocephalans, were found in freshwater ornamental fishes newly imported into Germany from Brazil, Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Peru, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The following species were identified: Adult Nematoda: Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, Capillariidae gen. sp., Dichelyne hartwichi sp. n., Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) pintoi and Spinitectus allaeri; Acanthocephala: Pseudogorgorhynchus arii gen. et sp. n., Neoechinorhynchus sp. and Pallisentis sp. The nematode Dichelyne hartwichi sp. n. (male only) from the intestine of Chelonodon fluviatilis (Hamilton) from Thailand is characterised mainly by the presence of minute cuticular spines on the tail tip, length of spicules (510 microns) and arrangement of caudal papillae. The acanthocephalan Pseudogorgorhynchus arii sp. n. from the intestine of Ariopsis seemanni (Günther) from Colombia represents a new genus Pseudogorgorhynchus gen. n., differing from other genera of the Rhadinorhynchidae mainly in possessing a small proboscis armed with markedly few (18) hooks arranged in six spiral rows. Spinitectus macheirus Boomker et Puylaert, 1994 and Spinitectus moraveci Boomker et Puylaert, 1994 are considered junior synonyms of Spinitectus allaeri Campana-Rouget, 1961.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tropical Climate
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links