Tag: University of Queensland

Killing Remains a Threat to Bornean Orangutans

Newswise — PhD candidate Emily Massingham from UQ’s Faculty of Science managed a team of researchers which visited 79 villages across the Bornean orangutan range in Kalimantan, conducting face to face interviews with 431 people.

“Our study builds on previous research which indicated killing was one of the key reasons for orangutan population decline, alongside habitat loss,” Ms Massingham said.

“The aim of our project was to understand whether orangutans have been killed in recent times, to look at whether conservation projects are effectively preventing killing, and to gain insights into community perceptions and the motivations behind it.

“It has been almost 15 years since the previous study, and we did not find a clear decrease in killings despite Indonesia’s commendable efforts to reduce habitat loss.

“Thirty per cent of villages reported orangutans had been killed in the last 5 -10 years, despite the practice being both illegal and taboo – which also makes it hard to get an accurate picture of the true scale.”

Ms Massingham said Borneo’s orangutan population had decreased by 100,000 in recent decades, with current estimates suggesting fewer than 100,000 animals remain.

“Our findings did not indicate that conservation projects are reducing killing, highlighting an urgent need to improve the collective approach to orangutan conservation,” she said.

“Killing by humans needs to be addressed, as our findings suggest it may still be occurring and poses a real threat to the species.”

Ms Massingham said orangutans have long lifespans and breed slowly, so are particularly vulnerable to population declines driven by the death of adult apes.

“Our interviews revealed some of the situations which lead to the killing or displacement of individual orangutans,” she said.

“They include protecting crops and taking infant apes to keep as pets.”

The researchers outlined recommendations that could improve future conservation efforts.

“Working with communities and collaborating across disciplines and projects will be key,” Ms Massingham said.

“Conservationists need to work closely with individual villages to understand their needs and perspectives, identify the social drivers of killing of orangutans and implement solutions that reduce human-orangutan conflict.”

The research was conducted under a RISTEK permit, with the engagement of a local social development organisation to facilitate fieldwork.

This research is published in Conservation Science and Practice.

University of Queensland

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October 11, 2023
Surging Monkey & Pig Populations Threaten Disease Risk

Newswise — Exploding populations of wild pigs and macaque monkeys in Southeast Asia are threatening native forests and disease outbreaks in livestock and people, according to research led by The University of Queensland.

Dr Matthew Luskin, from UQ’s School of the Environment, and his team collated and analysed species population data from across the region, some of it collected with a network of cameras.

“Macaques and wild pigs are taking over Southeast Asia’s disturbed forests,” Dr Luskin said.

“Humans are largely to blame for this by altering forests with logging and establishing palm oil farms which provide food and ideal breeding conditions for these animals.

“We saw that wild boar and macaque numbers were 400 per cent higher in forests near the plantations than in untouched environments.

“These animals take full advantage of the farmland, raiding crops and thriving on calorie‐rich foods.”

Setting and monitoring the camera traps provided Dr Luskin with an up-close experience of the exploding numbers.

“I encountered huge troops of macaques in Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia – they were everywhere in the forest edges, following us and interfering with our equipment,” Dr Luskin said.

“At first it was frustrating but then was eerie as we became completely surrounded.”

Dr Luskin said there were significant human health risks in the rising pig and macaque populations.

“The wildlife origins of the COVID-19 pandemic show that mammals in human-modified ecosystems often host high pathogen loads and pose serious zoonotic disease risks,” he said.

“Both pigs and macaques are recognised as carriers of diseases that can be transmitted to people and they’re the most common species in a region considered to be the global zoonotic disease hotspot.”

Collaborator, Professor Carlos Peres from the University of East Anglia (UK), said abnormally high populations of wildlife species that are disease reservoirs often occur in human-modified tropical forests.

“This study again shows that densely settled rural areas in Southeast Asia may be a source of future human epidemics,” he said.

University of East Anglia and Southern University of Science and Technology (China) PhD candidate, Jonathan Moore, said the immediate effects of the population explosions could be seen on native flora in the affected regions.

“Both pigs and macaques trigger negative cascading impacts in these pristine ecosystems,” Mr Moore said.

“They kill the seeds and seedlings of native plants and eat bird and reptile eggs.

“The Malaysian pigs alone were found to reduce rainforest tree regeneration by 62 per cent.”

The researchers say action is needed to minimise population expansions of wild pigs and macaques.

“Efforts to manage the populations of these species have failed in the past because of their rapid reproductive capacity and public outcry,” Dr Luskin said.

“Nobody favours needless killing of wildlife but the negative social and ecological impacts from hyperabundant pest species does demand ethical and urgent management solutions.”

The research is published in Biological Reviews.

University of Queensland

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June 30, 2023
COVID-19 Linked to Brain Cell Fusion

Newswise — Scientists at The University of Queensland have unveiled that viruses like SARS-CoV-2 can induce fusion among brain cells, triggering dysfunctions that result in persistent neurological symptoms.

Professor Massimo Hilliard and Dr Ramon Martinez-Marmol, researchers at the Queensland Brain Institute, have delved into the mechanisms by which viruses disrupt the functioning of the nervous system.

SARS-CoV-2, the culprit behind COVID-19, has been identified in the brains of individuals experiencing persistent symptoms, commonly referred to as ‘long COVID,’several months after their initial infection.

“COVID-19 induces a novel cell fusion process in neurons, a phenomenon we have uncovered,” Professor Hilliard remarked.

“Following neuronal infection with SARS-CoV-2, the neuronal cells exhibit the presence of spike S protein, and remarkably, upon fusion, these neurons do not undergo cell death,” explained the researcher.

“They either start firing synchronously, or they stop functioning altogether.”

Drawing an analogy, Professor Hilliard compared the function of neurons to the wiring that connects switches to the lights in a kitchen and a bathroom.

“Once fusion occurs, each switch has the potential to either activate both the kitchen and bathroom lights simultaneously or leave them both unlit,” he elaborated.

“It’s bad news for the two independent circuits.”

The discovery offers a potential explanation for persistent neurological effects after a viral infection.

“In the prevailing understanding of viral entry into the brain, there are typically two outcomes: either cell death or inflammation,” noted Dr. Martinez-Marmol.

“But we’ve shown a third possible outcome, which is neuronal fusion.”

Dr. Martinez-Marmol highlighted that various viruses not only induce cell fusion in other tissues but also infect the nervous system, potentially leading to similar issues in that particular context.

“These viruses include HIV, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, measles, herpes simplex virus and Zika virus,” he said.

“Our research reveals a new mechanism for the neurological events that happen during a viral infection.

“This is potentially a major cause of neurological diseases and clinical symptoms that is still unexplored.”

The researchers gratefully acknowledge the collaborative contributions of Professor Lars Ittner and Associate Professor Yazi Ke from Macquarie University, Associate Professor Giuseppe Balistreri from the University of Helsinki, and Associate Professor Kirsty Short and Professor Frederic Meunier from The University of Queensland.

The research was published in Sciences Advances.

University of Queensland

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June 7, 2023
Myer threatens to pull out of Adelaide CBD just days after Brisbane closure announcement – Medical Marijuana Program Connection

Little more than a week after Myer announced it was leaving Brisbane’s CBD, the department store chain has now said it could ditch another city centre location.

Myer has dramatically threatened to close its Adelaide store within the Myer Centre on the busy Rundle Mall.

The Melbourne based company has claimed the CBD shopping centre which bears its name is “substantially empty” of other stores surrounding Myer and as such its lease has been breached.

The revelation didn’t come from Myer itself but from the shopping centre’s landlord. It has responded saying Myer’s claims are “ill founded” and it will challenge them.

The Myer Centre Adelaide opened in 1991 and has featured its namesake anchor retailer ever since. It’s reported more than 200,000 people – one fifth of Adelaide’s then population – visited the centre on opening day. It once featured a theme park called Dazzleland with a roller coaster that looped around the top floors.

It’s now a different story for the ageing centre.

While major retailers like Uniqlo inhabit the floors near street level, the upper levels have seen empty storefronts.

“Myer alleges that there has been a breach of the lease (which currently runs until June 2032), claims unspecified damages and seeks a declaration that Myer is entitled to terminate the lease,” the landlords, Singaporean firm YTL Starhill Global REIT Management, said in a statement.

“Myer alleges that the landlord has breached, and is continuing to…

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March 24, 2023
Mushrooms magnify memory by boosting nerve growth

Newswise — Researchers from The University of Queensland have discovered the active compound from an edible mushroom that boosts nerve growth and enhances memory.

Professor Frederic Meunier from the Queensland Brain Institute said the team had identified new active compounds from the mushroom, Hericium erinaceus.

Researchers have discovered lion’s mane mushrooms improve brain cell growth and memory in pre-clinical trials. Image UQ.

“Extracts from these so-called ‘lion’s mane’ mushrooms have been used in traditional medicine in Asian countries for centuries, but we wanted to scientifically determine their potential effect on brain cells,” Professor Meunier said.

“Pre-clinical testing found the lion’s mane mushroom had a significant impact on the growth of brain cells and improving memory.

“Laboratory tests measured the neurotrophic effects of compounds isolated from Hericium erinaceus on cultured brain cells, and surprisingly we found that the active compounds promote neuron projections, extending and connecting to other neurons.

“Using super-resolution microscopy, we found the mushroom extract and its active components largely increase the size of growth cones, which are particularly important for brain cells to sense their environment and establish new connections with other neurons in the brain.”

Co-author, UQ’s Dr Ramon Martinez-Marmol said the discovery had applications that could treat and protect against neurodegenerative cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease.

“Our idea was to identify bioactive compounds from natural sources that could reach the brain and regulate the growth of neurons, resulting in improved memory formation,” Dr Martinez-Marmol said.

Dr Dae Hee Lee from CNGBio Co, which has supported and collaborated on the research project, said the properties of lion’s mane mushrooms had been used to treat ailments and maintain health in traditional Chinese medicine since antiquity.

“This important research is unravelling the molecular mechanism of lion’s mane mushroom compounds and their effects on brain function, particularly memory,” Dr Lee said.

The study was published in the Journal of Neurochemistry.

UQ acknowledges the collaborative efforts of researchers from the Republic of Korea’s Gachon University and Chungbuk National University.

University of Queensland

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February 10, 2023
Farming more seaweed to be food, feed and fuel

Newswise — A University of Queensland-led study has shown that expanding global seaweed farming could go a long way to addressing the planet’s food security, biodiversity loss and climate change challenges.

PhD Candidate Scott Spillias, from UQ’s School of Earth and Environmental Science, said seaweed offered a sustainable alternative to land-based agricultural expansion to meet the world’s growing need for food and materials.

“Seaweed has great commercial and environmental potential as a nutritious food and a building block for commercial products including animal feed, plastics, fibres, diesel and ethanol,” Mr Spillias said.

“Our study found that expanding seaweed farming could help reduce demand for terrestrial crops and reduce global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by up to 2.6 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent per year.”

Researchers mapped the potential of farming more of the 34 commercially important seaweed species using the Global Biosphere Management Model.

They estimated the environmental benefits of a range of scenarios based on land-use changes, GHG emissions, water and fertiliser use, and projected changes in species presence by 2050.

“In one scenario where we substituted 10 per cent of human diets globally with seaweed products, the development of 110 million hectares of land for farming could be prevented,” Mr Spillias said.

“We also identified millions of available hectares of ocean within global exclusive economic zones* (EEZs), where farming could be developed.

“The largest share of suitable ocean was in the Indonesian EEZ, where up to 114 million hectares is estimated to be suitable for seaweed farming.

“The Australian EEZ also shows great potential and species diversity, with at least 22 commercially viable species and an estimated 75 million hectares of ocean being suitable.”

Mr Spillias said many native species of seaweed in Australian waters had not yet been studied from a commercial production perspective.

“The way I like to look at this is to think about ancestral versions of everyday crops – like corn and wheat – which were uninspiring, weedy things,” he said.

“Through thousands of years of breeding we have developed the staple crops that underpin modern societies and seaweed could very well hold similar potential in the future.”

UQ study collaborator Professor Eve McDonald-Madden said the seaweed solution would have to be carried out with care, to avoid displacing problems from the land to the ocean.

“Our study points out what could be done to address some of the mounting problems of global sustainability facing us, but it can’t be implemented without exercising extreme caution,” she said.

This research was published in Nature Sustainability.

UQ acknowledges the collaborative efforts of researchers from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, CSIRO and the University of Tasmania.

*An area of the sea in which a sovereign state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind.

University of Queensland

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January 26, 2023
Covid-19 activates same inflammation in the brain as Parkinson’s disease, finds study

There is a potential future risk of neurodegenerative conditions in people who have had Covid, according to a study conducted by scientists from the University of Queensland. The scientists involved in the research have said that Covid infection activates the same inflammatory response in the brain as Parkinson’s disease.

The research is published in Nature’s Molecular Psychiatry. Professor Trent Woodruff who led the research said: “We studied the effect of the virus on the brain’s immune cells, ‘microglia’ which are the key cells involved in the progression of brain diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.”

“Our team grew human microglia in the laboratory and infected the cells with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. We found the cells effectively became ‘angry’, activating the same pathway that Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s proteins can activate in disease, the inflammasomes,” said Woodruff.

The scientists said that triggering the inflammasome pathway sparked a ‘fire’ in the brain, which begins a chronic and sustained process of killing off neurons. “It’s kind of a silent killer because you don’t see any outward symptoms for many years,” said Dr Albornoz Balmaceda, another scientist from the University of Queensland.

“It may explain why some people who’ve had Covid are more vulnerable to developing neurological symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease,” Balmaceda said.

The researchers found the spike protein of the virus was enough to start the process and was further exacerbated when there were already proteins in the brain linked to Parkinson’s.

“So if someone is already pre-disposed to Parkinson’s, having Covid-19 could be like pouring more fuel on that ‘fire’ in the brain,” Professor Woodruff said, adding that the same would apply for a predisposition for Alzheimer’s and other dementias that have been linked to inflammasomes.

But the study also found a potential treatment. The researchers administered a class of inhibitory drugs developed at the university which are currently in clinical trials with Parkinson’s patients.

“We found it successfully blocked the inflammatory pathway activated by Covid-19, essentially putting out the fire,” Dr Albornoz Balmaceda said. He further said that the drug reduced inflammation in both Covid-19-infected mice and the microglia cells from humans, suggesting a possible treatment approach to prevent neurodegeneration in the future.

Scientists said while the similarity between how Covid-19 and dementia diseases affect the brain was concerning, it also meant a possible treatment was already in existence. “Further research is needed, but this is potentially a new approach to treating a virus that could otherwise have untold long-term health ramifications,” said Woodruff.

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November 1, 2022