A survey of indigenous knowledge of stingless bees (Apidae: meliponini) in the central region of Ghana

The indigenous knowledge on stingless bees was assessed using questionnaires and semi-directive methods from five farming communities around the Kakum National Park in the Central Region ofGhana. Stingless bees are very good pollinators of both wild and cultivated crops and also produce honey and propolis that are medicinal. Even though these bees are of African origin, unlike Southand Central America as well as Australia where the bees have been studied extensively for pollination services and hive products, studies on these bees are almost non existent in Africa. Strangelyhowever, the local people showed great wealth of knowledge about the different species of stingless bees, their nesting behaviour, their forage resources and the uses of their honey especially as medicine.They are aware that the bees collect nectar and pollen and also know that the presence of the bees on their crops improve the quality and quantity of their crop yields. They however do not knowthe role of stingless bees in the pollination of their crops. Even though the indigenous people recognize stingless bee honey as highly medicinal, no attempt has been made to manage the bees for theirbenefits. Harvesting of honey has been mainly destructive and this research is opening up an opportunity for meliponiculture in Ghan

Hippocampal GFAP-positive astrocyte responses to amyloid and tau pathologies

Introduction: In Alzheimer's disease clinical research, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) released/leaked into the cerebrospinal fluid and blood is widely measured and perceived as a biomarker of reactive astrogliosis. However, it was demonstrated that GFAP levels differ in individuals presenting with amyloid-β (Aβ) or tau pathologies. The molecular underpinnings behind this specificity are little explored. Here we investigated biomarker and transcriptomic associations of hippocampal GFAP-positive astrocytes with Aβ and tau pathologies in humans and mouse models. / Methods: We studied 90 individuals with plasma GFAP, Aβ- and Tau-PET to investigate the association between biomarkers. Then, transcriptomic analysis in hippocampal GFAP-positive astrocytes isolated from mouse models presenting Aβ (PS2APP) or tau (P301S) pathologies was conducted to explore differentially expressed genes (DEGs), Gene Ontology terms, and protein–protein interaction networks associated with each phenotype. / Results: In humans, we found that plasma GFAP associates with Aβ but not tau pathology. Unveiling the unique nature of hippocampal GFAP-positive astrocytic responses to Aβ or tau pathologies, mouse transcriptomics showed scarce overlap of DEGs between the Aβ. and tau mouse models. While Aβ GFAP-positive astrocytes were overrepresented with DEGs associated with proteostasis and exocytosis-related processes, tau hippocampal GFAP-positive astrocytes presented greater abnormalities in functions related to DNA/RNA processing and cytoskeleton dynamics. / Conclusion: Our results offer insights into Aβ- and tau-driven specific signatures in hippocampal GFAP-positive astrocytes. Characterizing how different underlying pathologies distinctly influence astrocyte responses is critical for the biological interpretation of astrocyte biomarkers and suggests the need to develop context-specific astrocyte targets to study AD. / Funding: This study was supported by Instituto Serrapilheira, Alzheimer's Association, CAPES, CNPq and FAPERGS

Influence of vacuum on the formation of porous polymer films via water droplets templating

10.1007/s00396-008-1954-3Colloid and Polymer Science287129-3