This paper presents a Catalogue of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) recorded from the Malay Archipelago covering 113 years from 1905 to the end of 2018. The Malay Archipelago comprises countries located in the maritime area of Southeast Asia between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, viz., Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, East Timor and the Philippines. Information compiled for each species includes references to the original description, subsequent re-combinations of specific name with other genera, and junior synonyms, if any, as well as the type locality, type habitat, later recorded habitats, and geographic distribution within and outside the Malay Archipelago. A historical review of explorations and taxonomic studies on oribatids in the various countries is also provided. A total of 1,030 valid species including subspecies and 6 doubtful species have been recorded from the Malay Archipelago from 1905 to 2018. The valid species belong to 323 genera, 98 families and 34 superfamilies in all of the five infraorders and two hyporders of the Suborder Oribatida. Among the component countries, the Philippines has the highest number of records at 513, followed by Indonesia including Kalimantan and excluding the Moluccas and Irian Barat on New Guinea Island (402), Malaysia including Sabah and Sarawak (250), Brunei (64), and Singapore (28), while not a single species is currently known from East Timor. Most of the species known from Malaysia come from its two provinces (Sabah and Sarawak) in Borneo Island with 190, or more than twice that on Peninsular or West Malaysia with 77 species. On the whole, Borneo Island which is home for three countries has 235 recorded species with Sabah and Sarawak having 190, Brunei 64, and Kalimantan only 18 species. Aside from Borneo, the better explored islands, in descending order of records, are Luzon (346), Java (261), Samar (182), Mindanao (178), Leyte (112), Polillo (105), Bali (99), and Sumatra (82), and the peninsular part of Malaysia (78), while the relatively large island of Sulawesi has only 13 species records. Endemism to the individual countries ranges from 36.1-60.7%, the highest of which are Singapore (60.7%) and Brunei (57.8%). The relatively better known and bigger countries have lower rates of endemism-47.4% for the Philippines, 46.8% for Malaysia, whereas Indonesia, with the largest land area and earliest records, has the lowest rate of 36.1%. Overall, 608 species or 59.0% of the total fauna of the Malay Archipelago are known so far only from this region.
Altered epididymal sperm count and morphology following leptin treatment has been reported recently. This study examined the effects of 42 days of leptin treatment on sperm count and morphology and their reversibility during a subsequent 56-day recovery period. Twelve-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomised into four leptin and four saline-treated control groups (n = 6). Intraperitoneal injections of leptin were given daily (60 μg Kg(-1) body weight) for 42 days. Controls received 0.1 ml of 0.9% saline. Leptin-treated animals and their respective age-matched controls were euthanised on either day 1, 21, 42 or 56 of recovery for collection of epididymal spermatozoa. Sperm concentration was determined using a Makler counting chamber. Spermatozoa were analysed for 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine and DNA fragmentation (Comet assay). Data were analysed using anova. Sperm concentration was significantly lower but fraction of abnormal spermatozoa, and levels of 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine were significantly higher in leptin-treated rats on day 1 of recovery. Comet assays revealed significant DNA fragmentation in leptin-treated rats. These differences were reduced by day 56 of recovery. It appears that 42 days of leptin treatment to Sprague-Dawley rats has significant adverse effects on sperm count and morphology that reverse following discontinuation of leptin treatment.
Inflammatory gastrointestinal (GI) diseases and malignancies are associated with growing morbidity and cancer-related mortality worldwide. GI tumor and inflammatory cells contain activated sphingolipid-metabolizing enzymes, including sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) and SphK2, that generate sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a highly bioactive compound. Many inflammatory responses, including lymphocyte trafficking, are directed by circulatory S1P, present in high concentrations in both the plasma and the lymph of cancer patients. High fat and sugar diet, disbalanced intestinal flora, and obesity have recently been linked to activation of inflammation and SphK/S1P/S1P receptor (S1PR) signaling in various GI pathologies, including cancer. SphK1 overexpression and activation facilitate and enhance the development and progression of esophageal, gastric, and colon cancers. SphK/S1P axis, a mediator of inflammation in the tumor microenvironment, has recently been defined as a target for the treatment of GI disease states, including inflammatory bowel disease and colitis. Several SphK1 inhibitors and S1PR antagonists have been developed as novel anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents. In this review, we analyze the mechanisms of SphK/S1P signaling in GI tissues and critically appraise recent studies on the role of SphK/S1P/S1PR in inflammatory GI disorders and cancers. The potential role of SphK/S1PR inhibitors in the prevention and treatment of inflammation-mediated GI diseases, including GI cancer, is also evaluated.