TY  - JOUR
A1  - Michels, Meta
A1  - Japtok, Lukasz
A1  - Alisjahbana, Bachti
A1  - Wisaksana, Rudi
A1  - Sumardi, Uun
A1  - Puspita, Mita
A1  - Kleuser, Burkhard
A1  - de Mast, Quirijn
A1  - van der Ven, Andre J. A. M.
T1  - Decreased plasma levels of the endothelial protective sphingosine-1-phosphate are associated with dengue-induced plasma leakage
JF  - Journal of infection
N2  - Background: A transient endothelial hyperpermeability is a hallmark of severe dengue infections. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) maintains vascular integrity and protects against plasma leakage. We related plasma S1P levels to dengue-induced plasma leakage and studied mechanisms that may underlie the decrease in S1P levels in dengue.
 Methods: We determined circulating levels of S1P in 44 Indonesian adults with acute dengue and related levels to plasma leakage, as determined by daily ultrasonography, and to levels of its chaperone apolipoprotein M, other lipoproteins and platelets.
 Results: Plasma S1P levels were decreased during dengue and patients with plasma leakage had lower median levels compared to those without (638 vs. 745 nM; p < 0.01). ApoM and other lipoprotein levels were also decreased during dengue, but did not correlate to S1P levels. Platelet counts correlated positively with S1P levels, but S1P levels were not higher in frozen-thawed platelet rich plasma, arguing against platelets as an important cellular source of S1P in dengue.
 Conclusions: Decreased plasma S1P levels during dengue are associated with plasma leakage. We speculate that decreased levels of ApoM underlies the lower S1P levels. Modulation of S1P levels and its receptors may be a novel therapeutic intervention to prevent plasma leakage in dengue. (C) 2015 The British Infection Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
KW  - Sphingosine 1phosphate
KW  - Dengue
KW  - APOM protein
KW  - Human
KW  - Blood platelets
Y1  - 2015
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinf.2015.06.014
SN  - 0163-4453
SN  - 1532-2742
VL  - 71
IS  - 4
SP  - 480
EP  - 487
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - London
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Mossbrucker, Alexander Markus
A1  - Apriyana, Isabella
A1  - Fickel, Jörns
A1  - Imron, Muhammad Ali
A1  - Pudyatmoko, Satyawan
A1  - Sumardi, 
A1  - Suryadi, Helena
T1  - Non-invasive genotyping of Sumatran elephants: implications for conservation
JF  - Tropical conservation science
N2  - Reliable baseline information necessary for the monitoring and conservation of Sumatran elephants is scarce. We here combine non-invasive molecular genetics methods and capture-recapture modeling to estimate elephant population size, distribution, sex ratio, and age structure for the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape in Sumatra, Indonesia. Two separate subpopulations were found, for which we estimated a population size of 99 (95% CI = [86, 125], PCCL = 38.59%) and 44 elephants (95% CI = [37, 56], PCCL = 43.18%), respectively. Low elephant densities are likely the result of patchy habitat usage and anthropogenically increased mortality, the latter assumption being supported by strong skews in both sex ratio and age structure as well as direct evidence of elephant killing. Still, the Bukit Tigapuluh landscape currently holds the largest known population of elephants in central Sumatra, representing one of the most important areas for their conservation in Indonesia. Conservation of both the elephant population and their habitat in this region should thus be of high priority. We identified several threats to the population, including (i) the risk of inbreeding and subsequent loss of genetic diversity, (ii) illegal elephant killing, and (iii) the lack of protected habitat. In order to overcome these challenges we suggest: (i) the implementation of a meta-population management program, (ii) monitoring and safeguarding elephants and improving law enforcement, and (iii) providing sufficient safe habitat to mitigate human-elephant-conflict (HEC) and ensure elephant survival.
KW  - Elephas maximus sumatranus
KW  - capture-recapture modeling
KW  - abundance estimation
KW  - sex ratio
KW  - age structure
KW  - Bukit Tigapuluh Landscape
Y1  - 2015
SN  - 1940-0829
VL  - 8
IS  - 3
SP  - 745
EP  - 759
PB  - Mongabay.com
CY  - Menlo Park
ER  -