Taxonomic study of Bornean species of Utivarachna Kishida, 1940 (Araneae: Trachelidae), with the description of a new species.

The genus Utivarachna Kishida, 1940 currently comprises 23 species, with eight described from Borneo. We examined the type materials of the Bornean species, except for U. fukasawana Kishida, 1940, as well as newly collected specimens.

Anti-aging and antioxidant of four traditional malaysian plants using simplex centroid mixture design approach.

Aging is a naturally biological process with adverse effects. The continuous accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) trigger cellular and tissue damage by activating several aging enzymes. The antioxidant properties of traditional medicinal plants used by Jakun aborigine's community are a promising approach to alleviate aging process and prevent Alzheimer.

Phenolic Compounds as Promising Drug Candidates in Tuberculosis Therapy.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by (MTB) remains one of the deadliest, infectious diseases worldwide. The detrimental effects caused by the existing anti-TB drugs to TB patients and the emergence of resistance strains of has driven efforts from natural products researchers around the globe in discovering novel anti-TB drugs that are more efficacious and with less side effects. There were eleven main review publications that focused on natural products with anti-TB potentials.

Southeast Asian Medicinal Plants as a Potential Source of Antituberculosis Agent.

Despite all of the control strategies, tuberculosis (TB) is still a major cause of death globally and one-third of the world's population is infected with TB. The drugs used for TB treatment have drawbacks of causing adverse side effects and emergence of resistance strains. Plant-derived medicines have since been used in traditional medical system for the treatment of numerous ailments worldwide.

Ethnomedical Knowledge of Plants Used for the Treatment of Tuberculosis in Johor, Malaysia.

This study documented ethnomedical knowledge of plants used for the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) and its related symptoms as practiced by the Jakun community of Kampung Peta, situated in Endau Rompin Johor National Park, Johor, Malaysia. Eight key informants were selected by snowball sampling technique and data about medicinal plants were collected by semistructured interviews, participatory observations, and focus group. Qualitative analysis was undertaken using thematic analysis.

Cellular assessment of the extract of bambangan (Mangifera pajang) as a potential cytoprotective agent for the human hepatocellular HepG2 cell line.

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of bambangan (Mangifera pajang) fruit extracts in the protection against oxidative damage caused by tert-butyl hydroperoxide in the human hepatocellular HepG2 cell line. Proteins which might be involved in the cytoprotective mechanism were investigated using western blotting technique. Quercetin was used as a positive control.

Resurrection of Staurois parvus from S. tuberilinguis from Borneo (Amphibia, Ranidae).

Two forms of Staurois that are differentiated by body size occur parapatrically in the Crocker Range, Sabah, Borneo. Analyses of a total of 1,499 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome b, 12S rRNA, and 16S rRNA genes revealed that the two forms could be completely split genetically. The two forms could be also clearly differentiated morphologically, not only by snout-vent length but also by the relative sizes of snout, eye, and finger disk.

A chloroplast genealogy of myrmecophytic Macaranga species (Euphorbiaceae) in Southeast Asia reveals hybridization, vicariance and long-distance dispersals.

Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) includes about 280 species with a palaeotropic distribution. The genus not only comprises some of the most prominent pioneer tree species in Southeast Asian lowland dipterocarp forests, it also exhibits a substantial radiation of ant-plants (myrmecophytes). Obligate ant-plant mutualisms are formed by about 30 Macaranga species and 13 ant species of the genera Crematogaster or Camponotus.

Female transfer between one-male groups of proboscis monkey (Nasalis larvatus).

Successful or unsuccessful female transfers were observed seven times during a 32-month field study of proboscis monkeys (Nasalis larvatus) inhabiting a riverine forest along a tributary of the Kinabatangan River, Sabah, Malaysia. In all cases, the females voluntarily left their own groups and immediately joined with another one. When adult females tried to shift to other groups, adult males called them back to their own groups, but appeared to be indifferent to subadult females.

Phylogenetic relationships of Oriental torrent frogs in the genus Amolops and its allies (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae).

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships among 20 species of Oriental torrent frogs in the genus Amolops and its allies from China and Southeast Asia based on 1346-bp sequences of the mitochondrial 12S and 16S rRNA genes. Oriental species of the tribe Ranini form a monophyletic group containing 11 clades (Rana temporaria + Pseudoamolops, R. chalconota, four clades of Amolops, Meristogenys, three clades of Huia species, and Staurois) for which the phylogenetic relationships are unresolved.

A novel feature of structural variegation in leaves of the tropical plant Schismatoglottis calyptrata.

We report a novel feature of leaf variegation. As is often the case in tropical forest floor herbs, Schismatoglottis calyptrata leaves feature structural variegation. Examination of leaf anatomy in S.

Molecular phylogeny of Crematogaster subgenus Decacrema ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the colonization of Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) trees.

To elucidate the evolution of one of the most species-rich ant-plant symbiotic systems, the association between Crematogaster (Myrmicinae) and Macaranga (Euphorbiaceae) in South-East Asia, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis of the ant partners. For the phylogenetic analysis partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I and II were sequenced and Maximum Parsimony analysis was performed. The analyzed Crematogaster of the subgenus Decacrema fell into three distinct clades which are also characterized by specific morphological and ecological traits (queen morphology, host-plants, and colony structure).