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Fulltext Two decades of neuroscience publication trends in Africa

Maina MB, Ahmad U, Ibrahim HA, Hamidu SK, Nasr FE, Salihu AT, et al.

Nat Commun, 2021 Jun 08;12(1):3429.
PMID: 34103514 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23784-8

Neuroscience research in Africa remains sparse. Devising new policies to boost Africa's neuroscience landscape is imperative, but these must be based on accurate data on research outputs which is largely lacking. Such data must reflect the heterogeneity of research environments across the continent's 54 countries. Here, we analyse neuroscience publications affiliated with African institutions between 1996 and 2017. Of 12,326 PubMed indexed publications, 5,219 show clear evidence that the work was performed in Africa and led by African-based researchers - on average ~5 per country and year. From here, we extract information on journals and citations, funding, international coauthorships and techniques used. For reference, we also extract the same metrics from 220 randomly selected publications each from the UK, USA, Australia, Japan and Brazil. Our dataset provides insights into the current state of African neuroscience research in a global context.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa
Does globalization and financial sector development affect environmental quality? A panel data investigation for the Middle East and North African countries

Awan AM, Azam M, Saeed IU, Bakhtyar B

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2020 Dec;27(36):45405-45418.
PMID: 32789804 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10445-4

The broad purpose of this study is to empirically explore the impact of globalization and financial development on environmental pollution by carbon (CO2) emissions in the six Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries using balanced panel data from 1971 to 2015. We also aimed to test the legitimacy of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis for this region. The fixed-effects approach preferred by the Hausman specification test is used to estimate the empirical model, and the feasible generalized least squares (F.G.L.S.) estimator is employed to cope with any issue of heteroscedasticity and serial correlation. This study found that globalization and financial development have adverse and significant effects on environmental degradation and affirm the legitimacy of the EKC hypothesis for these countries. The finding of this study suggests that the governments of MENA countries should design and implement appropriate policies for strengthening the renewable sources of energy like wind, solar, bio-fuel, and thermal to decrease CO2 emissions and boost sustainable economic development. The policymakers should focus on the efficiency of institutions and enhancement of energy-saving projects in this region.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
Henipaviruses at the Interface Between Bats, Livestock and Human Population in Africa

Mbu'u CM, Mbacham WF, Gontao P, Sado Kamdem SL, Nlôga AMN, Groschup MH, et al.

Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis, 2019 07;19(7):455-465.
PMID: 30985268 DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2018.2365

Nipah virus (NiV) and Hendra virus (HeV) are closely related members within the genus Henipavirus, family Paramyxoviridae, for which fruit bats serve as the reservoir. The initial emergence of NiV infections in pigs and humans in Malaysia, and HeV infections in horses and humans in Australia, posed severe impacts on human and animal health, and continues threatening lives of humans and livestock within Southeast Asia and Australia. Recently, henipavirus-specific antibodies have also been detected in fruit bats in a number of sub-Saharan African countries and in Brazil, thereby considerably increasing the known geographic distribution of henipaviruses. Africa is progressively being recognized as a new high prevalence zone for henipaviruses, as deduced from serological and molecular evidence of past infections in Madagascar, Ghana, Republic of Congo, Gulf of Guinea, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon, and Nigeria lately. Serological data suggest henipavirus spillover from bats to livestock and human populations in Africa without reported clinical disease in any of these species. All virus isolation attempts have been abortive, highlighting the need for further investigations. The genome of the Ghanaian bat henipavirus designated Ghana virus (GhV), which was detected in a pteropid Eidolon helvum bat, is the only African henipavirus that has been completely sequenced limiting our current knowledge on the genetic diversity and pathogenesis of African henipaviruses. In this review, we summarize the available data on the circulation of henipaviruses in Africa, discuss potential sources for virus spillover, and highlight existing research gaps.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa/epidemiology
World Health Organization (WHO)'s Intersectoral Global Action Plan (IGAP); implications for Asian and African countries

Wasay M, Younis S, Charway-Felli A, Basri H

J Neurol Sci, 2023 Jan 15;444:120499.
PMID: 36450220 DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2022.120499
Matched MeSH terms: Africa/epidemiology
Genetic disorders in Southern Africa

Beighton P

S. Afr. Med. J., 1976 Jul 10;50(29):1125-8.
PMID: 959924

Certain uncommon genetic disorders occur relatively frequently in the various population groups of Southern Africa. Prominent among these are porphyria, colonic polyposis and sclerosteosis in the Afrikaner community, Huntington's chorea in the British, Gaucher's and Tay-Sachs diseases in the Jewish population, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G-6-PD deficiency) and thalassaemia in the Greek community, various skeletal dysplasias in the Black group, lipoid proteinosis and cleidocranial dysostosis in the Cape Coloured population, diabetes mellitus in the Indian community and retinitis pigmentosa in the Tristan da Cunha islanders. In addition, 'private' syndromes have been encountered in virtually every group. Awareness of the ethnic distribution of unusual genetic conditions is of considerable practical importance during the differential diagnosis of obscure disease.

Matched MeSH terms: South Africa
Comparative morphology of spermatozoa and reproductive systems of zorapteran species from different world regions (Insecta, Zoraptera)

Dallai R, Gottardo M, Mercati D, Machida R, Mashimo Y, Matsumura Y, et al.

Arthropod Struct Dev, 2014 Jul;43(4):371-83.
PMID: 24657729 DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2014.03.001

The male and female reproductive apparatus of Zorotypus magnicaudelli (Malaysia), Zorotypus huxleyi (Ecuador) and Zorotypus weidneri (Brazil) were examined and documented in detail. The genital apparatus and sperm of the three species show only minor differences. The testes are larger in Z. magnicaudelli. Z. huxleyi lacks the helical appendage in the accessory glands. A long cuticular flagellum is present in Z. magnicaudelli and in the previously studied Zorotypus caudelli like in several other species, whereas it is absent in Z. weidneri, Z. huxleyi, Zorotypus hubbardi, Zorotypus impolitus and Zorotypus guineensis. Characteristic features of the very similar sperm are the presence of: a) two dense arches above the axoneme; b) a 9 + 9+2 axoneme with detached subtubules A and B of doublets 1 and 6; c) the axonemal end degenerating with enlarging accessory tubules; d) accessory tubules with 17 protofilaments; e) three accessory bodies beneath the axoneme; and f) two mitochondrial derivatives of equal shape. The first characteristic (a) is unknown outside of Zoraptera and possibly autapomorphic. The sperm structure differs distinctly in Z. impolitus and Z. hubbardi, which produce giant sperm and possess a huge spermatheca. The presence of the same sperm type in species either provided with a sclerotized coiled flagellum in males or lacking this structure indicates that a different organization of the genital apparatus does not necessarily affect the sperm structure. The flagellum and its pouch has probably evolved within Zoraptera, but it cannot be excluded that it is a groundplan feature and was reduced several times. The fossil evidence and our findings suggest that distinct modifications in the genital apparatus occurred before the fragmentation of the Gondwanan landmass in the middle Cretaceous.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa
Fasting experience of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus on insulin therapy during Ramadan: VISION Ramadan substudy

Jabbar A, Wan Mohamed WMI, Spaepen E, Reed V, Tayeb K, Assaad Khalil SH, et al.

Diabetes Res Clin Pract, 2019 May;151:285-289.
PMID: 30822495 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2019.02.021

AIMS: To describe the characteristics and fasting experience of a subgroup of patients in the VISION study who initiated insulin therapy and chose to fast during Ramadan, and to discuss the VISION Ramadan substudy data in the context of previous Ramadan studies.
METHODS: The VISION study was a prospective, non-interventional, observational study of adult patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in 6 countries in the Western Pacific, Middle East and North Africa, receiving insulin injection therapy for the first time. In this VISION Ramadan substudy, fasting data was collected during Ramadan 2014 and 2015.
RESULTS: Of 1617 patients in the VISION study, data was collected for 357 patients who chose to fast during Ramadan. At baseline, mean HbA1c was 10.1%, duration of diabetes was 8.8 years, and mean BMI was 30 kg/m2. All patients with non-missing data (n = 169) received advice on fasting during Ramadan. The majority of patients fasted for the full month of Ramadan, and around one-third of patients fasted outside Ramadan.
CONCLUSIONS: Here we provide an update on the characteristics and Ramadan experience of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus who initiated insulin therapy and chose to fast during Ramadan. There is still a need to explore patient's experience during fasting, and identify and address methods to better help manage those patients.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
Tracing the origins of genotype VIIh Newcastle disease in southern Africa

Abolnik C, Mubamba C, Wandrag DBR, Horner R, Gummow B, Dautu G, et al.

Transbound Emerg Dis, 2018 Apr;65(2):e393-e403.
PMID: 29178267 DOI: 10.1111/tbed.12771

It is widely accepted that Newcastle disease is endemic in most African countries, but little attention has been afforded to establishing the sources and frequency of the introductions of exotic strains. Newcastle disease outbreaks have a high cost in Africa, particularly on rural livelihoods. Genotype VIIh emerged in South-East Asia and has since caused serious outbreaks in poultry in Malaysia, Indonesia, southern China, Vietnam and Cambodia. Genotype VIIh reached the African continent in 2011, with the first outbreaks reported in Mozambique. Here, we used a combination of phylogenetic evidence, molecular dating and epidemiological reports to trace the origins and spread of subgenotype VIIh Newcastle disease in southern Africa. We determined that the infection spread northwards through Mozambique, and then into the poultry of the north-eastern provinces of Zimbabwe. From Mozambique, it also reached neighbouring Malawi and Zambia. In Zimbabwe, the disease spread southward towards South Africa and Botswana, causing outbreaks in backyard chickens in early-to-mid 2013. In August 2013, the disease entered South Africa's large commercial industry, and the entire country was infected within a year, likely through fomites and the movements of cull chickens. Illegal poultry trading or infected waste from ships and not wild migratory birds was the likely source of the introduction to Mozambique in 2011.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Southern/epidemiology
Fulltext Modern approaches to the management of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia in the Middle East and North Africa

Al-Ashwal A, Alsagheir A, Al Dubayee M, Al-Khnifsawi M, Al-Sarraf A, Awan Z, et al.

J Clin Lipidol, 2024;18(2):e132-e141.
PMID: 38158247 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacl.2023.12.003

Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (HoFH) is a severe form of FH in which inheritance of two defective or null mutations in genes associated with metabolism of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) results in extremely high LDL-C, premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and mortality. Treatment of HoFH comprises a multi-modal approach of statins, ezetimibe, lipoprotein apheresis; and inhibitors of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type, angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein. These treatments are generally costly, and patients also often require treatment for ASCVD consequent to HoFH. Therefore, in the interests of both economics and preservation of life, disease prevention via genetic screening and counselling is rapidly becoming a key element in the overall management of HoFH. Guidelines are available to assist diagnosis and treatment of HoFH; however, while advancements have been made in the management of the disease, there has been little systematic attention paid to prevention. Additionally, the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region has a higher prevalence of HoFH than most other regions - chiefly due to consanguinity. This has led to the establishment of regional lipid clinics and awareness programs that have thrown education and awareness of HoFH into sharp focus. Incorporation of principles of prevention, education, awareness, and data from real-world use of existing therapeutics will significantly enhance the effectiveness of future guidelines for the management of HoFH, particularly in the MENA region.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern/epidemiology
Fulltext Lessons on integration from the developing world's experience

Bodeker G

BMJ, 2001 Jan 20;322(7279):164-7.
PMID: 11159579
Matched MeSH terms: Africa
Seroprevalence of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) in countries of Southeast Asia compared to the USA, the Caribbean and Africa

Ablashi D, Chatlynne L, Cooper H, Thomas D, Yadav M, Norhanom AW, et al.

Br. J. Cancer, 1999 Nov;81(5):893-7.
PMID: 10555764

Seroprevalence of HHV-8 has been studied in Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Trinidad, Jamaica and the USA, in both healthy individuals and those infected with HIV. Seroprevalence was found to be low in these countries in both the healthy and the HIV-infected populations. This correlates with the fact that hardly any AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma has been reported in these countries. In contrast, the African countries of Ghana, Uganda and Zambia showed high seroprevalences in both healthy and HIV-infected populations. This suggests that human herpes virus-8 (HHV-8) may be either a recently introduced virus or one that has extremely low infectivity. Nasopharyngeal and oral carcinoma patients from Malaysia, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka who have very high EBV titres show that only 3/82 (3.7%) have antibody to HHV-8, demonstrating that there is little, if any, cross-reactivity between antibodies to these two gamma viruses.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa/epidemiology
Anti-depressant activity of Erythrina variegata bark extract and regulation of monoamine oxidase activities in mice

Martins J, Brijesh S

J Ethnopharmacol, 2019 Oct 07.
PMID: 31600560 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112280

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Erythrina variegata, commonly referred to as 'tiger's claw' or 'Indian coral tree' and 'Parijata' in Sanskrit, belongs to the Fabaceae family. It is a plant native to the coast of India, China, Malaysia, East Africa, Northern Australia and distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. In traditional medicine, 'Paribhadra' an Indian preparation, makes use of the leaves and bark of E. variegata to destroy pathogenic parasites and relieve joint pains. E. variegata is known to exhibit anxiolytic and anti-convulsant activities. Folkore medicine also suggests that E. variegata barks act on the central nervous system. However, there is a lack of data demonstrating this. The anti-depressant activity of E. variegata bark has not been reported in literature.
AIM OF THE STUDY: Our study focuses on previously unreported anti-depressant activity of E. variegata bark ethanolic extract (EBE) and determination of its mechanism of action possibly through regulation of monoamine oxidase activity in mouse brain homogenates.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: EBE was characterized using standard protocols for phytochemical analysis, followed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Anti-depressant activity of EBE (50, 100, 200 and 500 mg/kg) was evaluated in Swiss white albino mice using acute and chronic forced swim test (FST) models. Furthermore, the potential use of the extract as an adjunct to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), escitalopram, was evaluated using the chronic unpredictable mild stress test model wherein inhibitory effects on monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B were assessed by spectrophotometric-chemical analysis in mouse whole brain homogenates.
RESULTS: The extract showed significant reduction in immobility time periods in both acute (200 mg/kg) and chronic (100, 200 and 500 mg/kg) FST models. When used as an adjunct with escitalopram (15 mg/kg), the extract (100, 200 and 500 mg/kg) showed significantly greater inhibition of MAO-A and B activities when compared to escitalopram alone (30 mg/kg). Phytochemical analysis of EBE revealed presence of sugars, steroids, glycosides, alkaloids and tannins. LC-MS and GC-MS analysis identified components such as 2-amino-3-methyl-1-butanol, phenylethylamine, eriodictyol, daidzein and pomiferin, N-ethyl arachidonoyl amine, inosine diphosphate, trimipramine, granisetron, 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid, ethyl ester, tri-TMS and dodecane, previously reported for their anti-depressant activity.
CONCLUSIONS: The study thus demonstrated potential for use of the E. variegata bark ethanolic extract as an adjunct to currently available SSRI treatment. The study also identified components present in E. variegata bark ethanolic extract that may be responsible for its anti-depressant activity. Furthermore, the study thus confirms the traditional use of E. variegata barks in improving CNS function through its anti-depressant like activity.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Eastern
Fuzzy inference optimization algorithms for enhancing the modelling accuracy of wastewater quality parameters

Abunama T, Ansari M, Awolusi OO, Gani KM, Kumari S, Bux F

J Environ Manage, 2021 Sep 01;293:112862.
PMID: 34049159 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112862

To ensure the safe discharge of treated wastewater to the environment, continuous efforts are vital to enhance the modelling accuracy of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) through utilizing state-of-art techniques and algorithms. The integration of metaheuristic modern optimization algorithms that are natlurally inspired with the Fussy Inference Systems (FIS) to improve the modelling performance is a promising and mathematically suitable approach. This study integrates four population-based algorithms, namely: Particle swarm optimization (PSO), Genetic algorithm (GA), Hybrid GA-PSO, and Mutating invasive weed optimization (M-IWO) with FIS system. A full-scale WWTP in South Africa (SA) was selected to assess the validity of the proposed algorithms, where six wastewater effluent parameters were modeled, i.e., Alkalinity (ALK), Sulphate (SLP), Phosphate (PHS), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD). The results from this study showed that the hybrid PSO-GA algorithm outperforms the PSO and GA algorithms when used individually, in modelling all wastewater effluent parameters. PSO performed better for SLP and TKN compared to GA, while the M-IWO algorithm failed to provide an acceptable modelling convergence for all the studied parameters. However, three out of four algorithms applied in this study proven beneficial to be optimized in enhancing the modelling accuracy of wastewater quality parameters.

Matched MeSH terms: South Africa
Fulltext Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Pathogenic Strain of Ehrlichia minasensis

Moura de Aguiar D, Pessoa Araújo Junior J, Nakazato L, Bard E, Aguilar-Bultet L, Vorimore F, et al.

Microorganisms, 2019 Nov 05;7(11).
PMID: 31694172 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms7110528

The genus Ehrlichia is composed of tick-borne obligate intracellular gram-negative alphaproteobacteria of the family Anaplasmataceae. Ehrlichia includes important pathogens affecting canids (E. canis, E. chaffeensis, and E. ewingii), rodents (E. muris), and ruminants (E. ruminantium). Ehrlichiaminasensis, an Ehrlichia closely related to E. canis, was initially reported in Canada and Brazil. This bacterium has now been reported in Pakistan, Malaysia, China, Ethiopia, South Africa, and the Mediterranean island of Corsica, suggesting that E. minasensis has a wide geographical distribution. Previously, E. minasensis was found to cause clinical ehrlichiosis in an experimentally infected calf. The type strain E. minasensis UFMG-EV was successfully isolated from Rhipicephalus microplus ticks and propagated in the tick embryonic cell line of Ixodes scapularis (IDE8). However, the isolation and propagation of E. minasensis strains from cattle has remained elusive. In this study, the E. minasensis strain Cuiabá was isolated from an eight-month-old male calf of Holstein breed that was naturally infected with the bacterium. The calf presented clinical signs and hematological parameters of bovine ehrlichiosis. The in vitro culture of the agent was established in the canine cell line DH82. Ehrlichial morulae were observed using light and electron microscopy within DH82 cells. Total DNA was extracted, and the full genome of the E. minasensis strain Cuiabá was sequenced. A core-genome-based phylogenetic tree of Ehrlichia spp. and Anaplasma spp. confirmed that E. minasensis is a sister taxa of E. canis. A comparison of functional categories among Ehrlichia showed that E. minasensis has significantly less genes in the 'clustering-based subsystems' category, which includes functionally coupled genes for which the functional attributes are not well understood. Results strongly suggest that E. minasensis is a novel pathogen infecting cattle. The epidemiology of this Ehrlichia deserves further attention because these bacteria could be an overlooked cause of tick-borne bovine ehrlichiosis, with a wide distribution.

Matched MeSH terms: South Africa
Healthcare professionals' experiences of delivering sexual and reproductive health services to adolescents: A literature review

Hamid SHA, Fallon D, Callery P

Enferm Clin, 2021 04;31 Suppl 2:S366-S371.
PMID: 33849201 DOI: 10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.12.040

This literature review was conducted systematically to identify the gap in knowledge and practice related to the provision of sexual health to adolescents worldwide. The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles published between 2002 and 2018. Thirty-two relevant articles were identified and reviewed for quality assessment by using the Hawker critical appraisal tool. The studies were conducted in Africa, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and the United States of America (USA). The review findings suggested that potential tensions exist between the desire to prevent unwanted pregnancies and the provision of adolescent-friendly sexual health services in societies which disapprove of adolescents' premarital sexual activity, contraception use and abortion services. Healthcare professionals should be aware of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services as their professional responsibility and the need to manage their own conflicts with regard to fulfilling their role.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa
A comparative review of the pharmacoeconomic guidelines in South Africa

Carapinha JL

J Med Econ, 2016 Aug 26.
PMID: 27564849

To compare the pharmacoeconomic guidelines in South Africa (SA) with other middle- and high-income countries.

Matched MeSH terms: South Africa
Clinical and chemotherapeutic study of hepatocellular carcinoma in Malaysia: a comparison with African and American patients

Joishy SK, Bennett JM, Balasegaram M, MacIntyre JM, Falkson G, Moertel C, et al.

Cancer, 1982 Sep 15;50(6):1065-9.
PMID: 6286085

Twenty Malaysian patients with unresectable primary liver cell cancer were prospectively studied at the General Hospital, Kuala Lampur, and were compared for clinical features with an equal number each of African and American patients being studied by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. The patients received intravenous 5-FU and oral MeCCNU which was used for the first time in an Asian country. Most of the Malaysian patients were Chinese, belonged to younger age groups, and presented with massive hepatomegaly, jaundice, and fever. Toxicity to MeCCNU invariably occurred in the form of leukopenia or thrombocytopenia, but none life threatening. Partial response was seen in 20% of Malaysians as compared to 16% in Americans and none in Africans. Malaysians achieved a median survival of 16 weeks compared to 28 weeks in Americans and only eight weeks in Africans. Malaysian Chinese patients were all HBc Ab + ve. Other factors which may have played an etiologic role in the induction of primary liver cancer included alcohol, Chinese herbal medicines, aflatoxin and habitual use of medicated rubbing oils.

Matched MeSH terms: South Africa
Mean reversion and convergence of ecological footprint in the MENA region: evidence from a fractional integration procedure

Bello MO, Gil-Alana LA, Ch'ng KS

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Mar;30(12):35384-35397.
PMID: 36534250 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-24678-y

This paper deals with the analysis of mean reversion and convergence of the ecological footprint (EF) in the MENA region. Using a long memory model based on fractional integration, we find that the results are very heterogeneous across countries depending on the assumptions made on the error term and the use of original versus logged data. Nevertheless, some conclusions can be obtained. Thus, mean reversion is decisively found in the case of Tunisia, and other countries showing some degree of reversion to the mean include Israel, Syria, Yemen, and Iran. Dealing with the issue of convergence within the MENA countries, similar conclusions hold and only Tunisia reports statistical evidence of convergence for the two types of errors. Additional evidence is found in the case of Syria, Yemen, and Jordan with uncorrelated errors and for Iran with autocorrelation. It is recommended that environmental policies targeted at stabilizing the trends in EF in the MENA region should not be indiscriminately applied in consideration of the heterogeneous nature of the series in the region.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
Fulltext Molecular Systematics of the Firefly Genus Luciola (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae) with the Description of a New Species from Singapore

Jusoh WFA, Ballantyne L, Chan SH, Wong TW, Yeo D, Nada B, et al.

Animals (Basel), 2021 Mar 04;11(3).
PMID: 33806564 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030687

The firefly genus Luciola sensu McDermott contains 282 species that are distributed across major parts of Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Pacific islands. Due to phenotypic similarities, species identification using external morphological characters can be unreliable for this group. Consequently, decades of piecemeal taxonomic treatments have resulted in numerous erroneous and contentious classifications. Furthermore, our understanding of the group's evolutionary history is limited due to the lack of a robust phylogenetic framework that has also impeded efforts to stabilize its taxonomy. Here, we constructed molecular phylogenies of Luciola and its allies based on combined mitogenomes and Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) sequences including a newly sequenced mitogenome of an unidentified taxon from Singapore. Our results showed that this taxon represents a distinct and hitherto undescribed evolutionary lineage that forms a clade with L. filiformis from Japan and L. curtithorax from China. Additionally, the Singaporean lineage can be differentiated from other congeners through several external and internal diagnostic morphological characters, and is thus described herein as a new species. Our phylogeny also strongly supported the paraphyly of Luciola with regard to L. cruciata and L. owadai, which were inferred to be more closely related to the genus Aquatica as opposed to other members of Luciola sensu stricto. The genus Hotaria was inferred as a derived clade within Luciola (sister to L. italica), supporting its status as a subgenus of Luciola instead of a distinct genus. This is the first time since 1909 that a new species of luminous firefly has been discovered in Singapore, highlighting the need for continued biodiversity research, even in small, well-studied and highly developed countries, such as Singapore.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa
[Emergence of new viruses in Asia: is climate change involved?]

Chastel C

Med Mal Infect, 2004 Nov;34(11):499-505.
PMID: 15620053

Tropical Africa is not the only area where deadly viruses have recently emerged. In South-East Asia severe epidemics of dengue hemorrhagic fever started in 1954 and flu pandemics have originated from China such as the Asian flu (H2N2) in 1957, the Hong-Kong flu (H3N2) in 1968, and the Russian flu (H1N1) in 1977. However, it is especially during the last ten years that very dangerous viruses for mankind have repeatedly developed in Asia, with the occurrence of Alkhurma hemorrhagic fever in Saudi Arabia (1995), avian flu (H5N1) in Hong-Kong (1997), Nipah virus encephalitis in Malaysia (1998,) and, above all, the SARS pandemic fever from Southern China (2002). The evolution of these viral diseases was probably not directly affected by climate change. In fact, their emergential success may be better explained by the development of large industry poultry flocks increasing the risks of epizootics, dietary habits, economic and demographic constraints, and negligence in the surveillance and reporting of the first cases.

Matched MeSH terms: Africa

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