A new nematode, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pongobius hugoti</Emphasis> gen. et sp. n. from the orangutan <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pongo abelii</Emphasis> (Primates: Hominidae)

Summary Light and scanning electron microscopical examination and molecular analysis of pinworm samples collected from the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) from Sumatra (Indonesia) revealed the presence of a new taxon, Pongobius hugoti gen. et sp. n. (Oxyuridae: Enterobiinae). The monotypic genus Pongobius is characterised by the presence of a triangular mouth, three rounded teeth and three chisel-like inner teeth in the buccal cavity, an oesophagus with a long pharyngeal part, corpus posteriorly slightly enlarged and continuing as a pyriform bulb, isthmus absent. These features differentiate P. hugoti from all members of the subfamily Enterobiinae. The male has a long caudal appendix (> 50% of total tail length). Molecular analysis of the new taxon is presented for more precise identification.     

Two remarkable pinworms (Nematoda: Enterobiinae) parasitizing orangutan (Pongo abelii) in the Sumatra (Indonesia) including Lemuricola (Protenterobius) pongoi n.sp.

Summary  Two species of pinworms (Enterobiinae) were collected from fresh faeces of semi-wild orangutans Pongo abelii Lesson living in northern Sumatra (Indonesia). The female of Enterobius (Enterobius) buckleyi Sandosham, 1950 is redescribed. Lemuricola (Protenterobius) pongoi n. sp. is described on the basis of females (no males are available) and distinguished from L. (P.) nycticebi (Baylis, 1928) by cephalic and mouth morphology (head and teeth superstructures), body (9.85–15.46 mm) and tail (2.34–2.95 mm) length, smaller eggs (48–56 x 22–28 μm), longer vulva distance from anterior extremity (2.05–3.09 mm) and other features. Characteristic is the total body length/oesophagus length ratio (1: 15.3–22.0). Both nematode species were studied using scanning electron microscopy for the first time.     

Iron oxide nanoparticles supported on biogenic silica derived from bamboo leaf ash for rhodamine B photodegradation

This research demonstrates the use of biogenic silica derived from bamboo leaf ash as a support for iron oxide nanoparticles. The preparation includes silica extraction from bamboo leaf ash and iron oxide nanoparticle impregnation into the silica gel under hydrothermal conditions, which is followed by calcination at 400 °C for 2 h. The physicochemical characterization includes X-ray diffraction analysis, gas sorption analysis, scanning electron microscopic analysis and transmission electron microscopic analysis. The light absorption capability and the band gap energy of the materials were determined by diffuse-reflectance UV–visible spectrophotometry. The materials obtained by varying the Fe content to 5 and 10% wt. were evaluated in rhodamine B photocatalytic degradation and photooxidation systems. It was found that the materials have a combined hematite and magnetite nanostructure, with the ratio of 9:10, and the particle sizes range from 10 to 40 nm. With a band gap energy of 2.27 eV, the prepared materials produce the successive photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B. It was clarified that the formation of composite enhances stability and reusability of photocatalyst as shown by the stable initial rate at wide pH range and reuse for 5 cycles. Degradation mechanism is enhanced by the addition of H₂O₂ as an oxidant, and the investigation of the effect of scavengers shows that the degradation rate not only depends on radical formation but also on other species related to the formation of oxidizing agent.     

The physical and mental health of elderly in a Balinese village

This was a study of the physical and mental health and lifestyle of elderly Balinese. Persons over 65 years of age (N = 45) in the village of Batur Utara were studied by structured interviews and quantitative psychological/psychiatric instruments. Prevalences of physical illness and mental disorders were obtained and compared with data available from other countries. The proportion of elderly in the total population was relatively low (4.1%). A high proportion (95.7%) were still working. We found relatively high prevalences of depression (14%) and anxiety (18%) and relatively low prevalences of dementia (7%) and obesity (0%).     

Phylogenetic relationships between pinworms (Nematoda: Enterobiinae) parasitising the critically endangered orang-utan,according to the characterisation of molecular genomic and mitochondrial markers

Pinworms (Nematoda: Enterobiinae) include 52 species parasitising primates throughout the world. In the present study, we performed the first ever molecular analysis to investigate the phylogenetic position of recently described pinworms parasitising the Sumatran orang-utan. The phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial CO1 and chromosomal 18S rDNA and ITS1 regions could support the independent status of several Nematoda species. Our molecular data clearly suggest that Enterobius (Colobenterobius) buckleyi and Lemuricola (Protenterobius) pongoi together with Pongobius hugoti form separate clades among other studied species, which significantly supports the hypothesis of recently described new species parasitising the orang-utan (Pongo abelii and Pongo pygmaeus). The phylogenetic tree based on cytochrome oxidase 1 (CO1) gene variability showed possible close relationships between L. (Protenterobius) pongoi and P. hugoti; thus, we can assume that these species could have initially diverged in sympatry from a common ancestor.     

Redescription and resurrection of Bertiella satyri (Cestoda, Anoplocephalidae) parasitizing the orangutan (Pongo abelii) in Indonesia

The tapeworm species Bertiella satyri from a semi-wild Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii: Ponginae) is redescribed and the sequence of its 18S rDNA is presented. The tapeworms parasitizing the genera Pan, Pongo, Homo and Hylobates from Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris and from Muséum d′Histoire Naturelle, Genève are also presented. The validity of B. satyri is confirmed. B. satyri (BSA) differs from the most similar species Bertiella studeri (BSTU) in the following characteristics: (1) testes number, BSTU 300–400; BSA 116–124, (2) genital opening, BSTU regularly alternate; BSA irregularly alternate, (3) Cirrus-sac, BSTU short, 0.250–0.320, does not reach excretory ducts; BSA long, 0.630 × 0.495, reaches excretory ducts, (4) egg size, BSTU 0.053–0.060; BSA 0.030–0.051, (5) host BSTU Pan troglodytes, Africa; BSA Pongo pygmaeus, P. abelii, Indonesia (Borneo, Sumatra). Both species differ according to our material and the name B. satyri (Blanchard, 1891) is resurrected.     

A Comparison of Erectile Dysfunction Improvement Between Patients With Regular Hemodialysis and Patients With Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis

BackgroundErectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the sexual dysfunctions that are often encountered as a complication of male patients with stage 5 chronic kidney disease (stage 5 CKD). ED can be caused by psychological factors in patients with regular dialysis therapy. Currently, Hemodialysis (HD) therapy is the first choice in dialysis therapy and only 2% of stage 5 CKD patients are using Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) as a dialysis therapy. ED in stage 5 CKD patients should become a part of the treatment of patients with dialysis, which hopefully will improve the quality of life of patients. This study aims to compare the improvement in ED degree in patients with HD and CAPD.MethodThis study is an observational analytic comparative study involving 44 male patients with stage 5 CKD; 22 of whom underwent HD and the remaining 22 patients underwent CAPD. The differences evaluated were changes in the ED degree before and after dialysis, which were assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5).ResultThere were significant differences in the improvement in ED degree and IIEF-5 scores in CAPD group. In the HD group, no significant difference was obtained in the improvement in ED degree and IIEF-5 score. A significant difference was obtained in the improvement in ED degree between the HD and CAPD groups by comparing the improvement in IIEF-5 score.ConclusionPatients with CAPD have a better improvement in ED degree than patients with HD. Duarsa GWK, Kandarini Y, Winarta GK, et al. A Comparison of Erectile Dysfunction Improvement Between Patients With Regular Hemodialysis and Patients With Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis. J Sex Med Rev 2021;18:920–925.     

Green conversion of citral and citronellal using tris(bipyridine)ruthenium(II)-supported saponite catalyst under microwave irradiation

Citral and citronellal are important chemicals in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, since they can be converted into other more valuable chemicals that are needed in many pathways. From the perspective of green catalysis, the present investigation examines the preparation of a recyclable heterogeneous catalyst of ruthenium-supported saponite clay for microwave assisted catalytic hydrogen transfer. Catalysts were prepared by supporting ruthenium bipyridine cations within saponite interlayers at various ruthenium contents, and the catalysts were then characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), gas sorption measurements, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (SEMEDX) analyses. The catalytic activity was determined using microwave-assisted conversion of citral and citronellal. The prepared catalysts exhibited significant activity in the microwave-assisted catalytic hydrogen transfer of citral and citronellal. The catalytic activity was related to the content of the supported ruthenium in the catalysts, which also contributed to the increased specific surface area and external surface area of the materials.     

The Effect of P-Glycoprotein (P-gp), Nuclear Factor-Kappa B (Nf-κb), and Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-1 (ALDH-1) Expression on Metastases,Recurrence and Survival in Advanced Breast Cancer Patients

Objective: To investigate the level of three drug resistance proteins; P-glycoprotein 1 (P-gp), nuclear factorkappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and aldehyde dehydrogenase isoform 1 (ALDH1) expressionand their relationship to metastasis, recurrence and survival in advanced breast cancer patients that received neoadjuvantchemotherapy. Methods: This study is a combination of prospective and retrospective cohort study involving onehundred and thirty one cases of advanced stage invasive breast cancer that have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Initial biopsy specimens (incisional biopsy or core biopsy) were taken from paraffin blocks. Immunohistochemistry(IHC) was used to detect P-gp, NF-κB, and ALDH1 expression. Prospectively analysed patients were followed for fiveyears and evaluated for recurrence and death. Results: The expression of P-gp has no significant statistical correlationto metastases (p = 0.659), recurrence (p = 0.862) and survival (p = 0.835) in advanced stage breast cancer patientswho received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Similarly, ALDH1 was not correlated to metastases (p=0.120), recurrence(p = 0.186) and survival (p = 0.254) statistically. We found that NF-κB expression showed a significant correlation tometastases (p=0.004), recurrence (p = 0.016) and overall survival (p = 0.041) in advanced stage breast cancer patientsafter neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Conclusion: NF-κB expression is a potential marker that can be used to assess orto predict increasing risk of metastases, recurrence and survival in advanced stage breast cancer patients who receiveneoadjuvant chemotherapy.