Monday, August 10, 2026

Landmark review confirms 227 mammal species in Honduras, the country's most comprehensive assessment in nearly three decades

Pensoft Publishers

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Howler monkey
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Credit: Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras. An eight-year international research effort has produced the most comprehensive review of Honduras' mammals since 1998, verifying 227 native species across 146 genera and 42 families, along with three introduced rodent species. The study, published in the open-access journal ZooKeys, also forecasts that as many as 28 further species could eventually be confirmed in the country, bringing the potential total to 258.

The research was led by Manfredo A. Turcios-Casco of the Asociación para la Sostenibilidad e Investigación Científica en Honduras (ASICH) and the Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz in Brazil, together with 14 co-authors from institutions across Honduras, the United States, Brazil, Guatemala and Costa Rica, including Panthera Honduras, the Smithsonian Institution and the Wildlife Conservation Society. The resulting work spans nearly 200 pages of species accounts, distribution data and conservation summaries.

The project began when Turcios-Casco was a master's student researching the conservation status of Honduran xenarthrans. “At that time, I realised something surprising: despite Honduras being one of the most biodiverse countries in Central America, its mammal fauna had not been comprehensively reviewed since 1998,” he said. What began with a team of four researchers grew into a collaboration spanning museum curators, taxonomists, field biologists and conservation practitioners across multiple countries.

Compiling the review meant verifying more than 300,000 records drawn from museum collections, scientific publications, technical reports and previously unpublished field observations dating back to the 1960s. “The greatest challenge was undoubtedly the verification process. Every record (and there were more than 300,000) had to be evaluated critically,” Turcios-Casco said, noting that shifting taxonomy meant the team was still updating species accounts just days before the manuscript's final submission.

Among the review's more unexpected findings was how little is known about some of Honduras’ most familiar mammals. “For some mammals, including squirrels, raccoons, and several small rodents, there were no modern distribution maps available,” Turcios-Casco noted. Even regionally widespread species, such as opossums and skunks, remain poorly documented within the country.

Alongside the species accounts, the review provides conservation summaries intended to guide research priorities and policy decisions. “Because conservation begins with knowledge,” Turcios-Casco said. “One of the biggest challenges in biodiversity conservation is that we often want to protect species before we fully understand them.”

The work also draws on cultural knowledge, incorporating common names used by Indigenous peoples and local communities alongside the scientific record. “Rather than simply compiling species records, we tried to tell the story of Honduras' mammals,” Turcios-Casco added.

Looking ahead, the authors hope the review will serve as a foundation for the next generation of Honduran biologists. “In that sense, the review is both a summary of what we know and a reminder of how much there is left to learn about the natural heritage of Honduras,” Turcios-Casco concluded.

Original source:

Turcios-Casco MA, Castañeda F, Wilson DE, Miller B, Gonzalez-Socoloske D, Ramos EA, King TW, LaVal RK, Ordóñez-Garza N, Ordoñez D, Graciolli G, Thornton D, Martínez M, Estrada-Andino NM, Ávila-Palma HD (2026) Taxonomy, natural history, and conservation of the mammals of Honduras. ZooKeys 1288: 1–193. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1288.129555

Journal

ZooKeys

DOI

10.3897/zookeys.1288.129555

Article Title

Taxonomy, natural history, and conservation of the mammals of Honduras

Article Publication Date

7-Aug-2026

Puma

Credit

Camera traps photos by Panthera-Honduras

Manatee

Credit

Camera traps photos by Panthera-Honduras

Caluromys derbianus

Credit

Manfredo A. Turcios-Casco

Glaucomys volans.

Credit

Manfredo A. Turcios-Casco

Spilogale angustifrons.

Credit

Manfredo A. Turcios-Casco

First jaguar record at Cusuco National Park.

Credit

Panthera-Honduras

Protein-enriched ketchup gets a boost from algae extracts

A dash of algae protein increases nutritional value while maintaining the popular condiment’s familiar flavor

American Chemical Society

Protein-enriched ketchup gets its boost from algae extracts — image:
Tomato ketchup recipes that contain 3% (left) or 5% (right) algal protein extracts balanced enhanced nutritional value and consumer acceptability compared to commercial ketchup.
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Credit: Adapted from ACS Food Science & Technology 2026, DOI: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.6c00450

Added protein is showing up in foods from breakfast cereal to pasta, but not many condiments … yet. Researchers reporting in ACS Food Science & Technology have now developed an enriched tomato ketchup by incorporating protein extracted from algae. A panel of taste testers preferred the recipes containing up to 3% added algal extract, saying the samples maintained the sweet, tangy taste and reddish appearance expected of the condiment.

“Ketchup is familiar, shelf-stable, and suitable for incorporating functional ingredients.” — Parise Adadi

“We wanted to improve the nutritional value of a widely consumed condiment using a sustainable protein source,” says Parise Adadi, the corresponding author of the study. “Ketchup is familiar, shelf-stable, and suitable for incorporating functional ingredients.”

Although many protein-added foods get the enrichment from whey, pea, or soy sources, Adadi and colleagues wanted to try a potentially more sustainable alternative: microalgae that are rich in protein. “Chlorella vulgaris can be cultivated rapidly throughout the year using comparatively little land and freshwater, making it a potentially more resource-efficient protein source than many terrestrial crops,” says Adadi.

Previously, another research team incorporated algae proteins into vegan seafood mimics, where the microalgae’s fishy taste complimented the squid-ring analogues that they 3D-printed and deep-fried. For ketchup, the challenge was adding algal protein in a way that wouldn’t change the condiment’s distinct flavor.

The researchers accomplished this by extracting the proteins from C. vulgaris. Then they developed ketchup recipes containing 1% to 13% algal protein along with typical ingredients such as plum tomatoes, sugar, salt, vinegar, spices, and citric acid. After they bottled and pasteurized the ketchup samples, including a plain ketchup with no added algae, a panel of 15 people tasted them. The panelists shared that:

Samples with 1% and 3% added protein retained the familiar sweet, tangy, and mildly spiced flavor, and had only a subtle algal note.
At 5% and 13% added protein, the algal taste and greenish color became more noticeable, reducing the samples’ acceptability despite the higher protein content.

In addition, compared to the plain ketchup, the samples with 3% and 5% algal extracts contained two to three times more protein, as well as higher amounts of essential amino acids, minerals — particularly sodium and iron — and antioxidants.

These results suggest that a moderate addition of algal protein could appeal to consumers and enhance nutritional value. The researchers’ future work will include larger consumer studies, shelf-life tests, and product development at commercial scales.

The authors acknowledge funding from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation via the Ural Federal University Program of Development within the Priority 2030 Program.

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The American Chemical Society (ACS) is one of the world's largest scientific organizations and a global leader in advancing scientific knowledge. Founded in 1876, ACS' mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community, and champion scientific integrity. Guided by its vision of a world built on science, ACS brings together people, ideas, and resources to drive discovery and innovation, support the professional growth of scientists and students, and advance scientific discussion. Through its trusted publications, scientific meetings, community networks, education and career resources, and scientific information solutions, ACS helps scientists, educators, and students make a lasting impact on their communities and the world at large. Together, these efforts support ACS' commitment to improve all lives through the transforming power of chemistry.

Registered journalists can subscribe to the ACS journalist news portal on EurekAlert! to access embargoed and public science press releases. For media inquiries, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Note: ACS does not conduct research but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.

Journal

ACS Food Science & Technology

DOI

10.1021/acsfoodscitech.6c00450

SPAGYRIC HERBALISM

Natural insecticide made by nanoemulsification of compounds found in garlic and spearmint found to be effective on adzuki bean beetles with low non-target impacts

Researchers develop a new environmentally friendly insecticide against the adzuki bean beetle—a known legume pest—from nanoemulsions of diallyl disulfide and carvone

Kyushu University

Graphical abstract of the research — image:
Diallyl disulfide (DDS) is an organosulfur compound derived from garlic and (R)-carvone (Car) is a monoterpenoid derived from spearmint. These compounds were processed into oil-in-water nanoemulsions via ultrasonication. The nanoemulsions exhibited high toxicity and improved insecticidal efficacy against the adzuki bean beetle. Additionally, the nanoemulsions of both only DDS and its mixture with Car exhibited relatively low toxicity against the *Anisopteromalus calandrae*, a parasitic wasp that is the natural enemy of adzuki bean beetle.
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Credit: Midori Tuda/Kyushu University

Fukuoka, Japan—In an effort to develop more environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides, researchers from Kyushu University have developed and tested a new insecticide made from compounds derived from garlic and spearmint.

In their paper published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, the research team processed diallyl disulfide, an organosulfur compound derived from garlic, and R-carvone, a monoterpenoid from spearmint, into an emulsion of nanometer-sized droplets of oil-in-water. These nanoemulsions were then tested on a known legume pest called the adzuki bean beetle. They found that the insecticidal efficacy of the individual compounds was enhanced, and mixing the two compounds together added to their toxicity towards the pest.

“When people hear the term “insecticide,” they often think of synthetic chemicals that could be damaging to people and the environment. However, plants have evolved to produce compounds with potent insecticidal activity as a means of defending themselves from insect attack,” explains Urvashi Sahu, a JSPS postdoctoral fellow at Kyushu University’s Faculty of Agriculture and first author of the study. “In our research, we aim to develop ways to enhance the effect of natural insecticides.”

The team decided to utilize nanotechnology to develop a natural insecticide against the adzuki bean beetle Callosobruchus chinensis, a legume pest that causes significant postharvest losses. The compounds they turned to were diallyl disulfide (DDS) and R-carvone (Car), the active compounds found in garlic and spearmint, respectively. These are the compounds that give the plants their distinct odors.

Ultrasonication was used to emulsify both DDS and Car into oil-in-water droplets about 50-60 nm in diameter. These nanoemulsions were then placed in a container with adzuki bean beetles to test their insecticidal efficacy.

“We found that processing the compounds into nanoemulsions greatly enhanced their toxicity against the beetles. DDS showed a 30.5% increase in toxicity and Car toxicity increased by 8.2%,” continues Sahu.

Furthermore, the nanoemulsions had relatively low toxicity to Anisopteromalus calandrae, a known parasitic wasp that infects adzuki bean beetle larvae. Specifically, when half of the adzuki bean beetles die from the pesticide, only up to 22% of the wasps perished. This means that using both the nanoemulsions and parasitoid wasps can potentially enhance the effectiveness of pest control. The nanoemulsions were also safe on adzuki seeds and enhanced their root growth. No residual compounds were detected on the seeds themselves.

The next step for the team is to verify the efficacy of their new nanoemulsion under real-world environmental conditions and at large-scale grain and legume storage facilities. They also hope to elucidate the mechanism of how these nanoemulsions work to control the lifespan of the adzuki bean beetle.

“We will be looking into whether our insecticide can be effective on other pests. Our goal is to commercialize this technology as a sustainable, environmentally friendly alternative to pest control and management,” concludes Professor Midori Tuda, who led the research team. “Applying new technologies to compounds already found in nature holds massive potential for the future of science, agriculture, and humanity.”

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For more information about this research, see "Enhanced toxicity of diallyl disulfide and carvone nanoemulsions against a stored bean pest and their nontarget effects on its parasitoid and seed viability," Urvashi Sahu, Eman Ahmed Mohamed Helmy, Midori Tuda, Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120374

About Kyushu University
Founded in 1911, Kyushu University is one of Japan's leading research-oriented institutions of higher education, consistently ranking as one of the top ten Japanese universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the QS World Rankings. Located in Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu—the most southwestern of Japan’s four main islands—Kyushu U sits in a coastal metropolis frequently ranked among the world’s most livable cities and historically known as Japan’s gateway to Asia. Its multiple campuses are home to around 19,000 students and 8,000 faculty and staff. Through its VISION 2030, Kyushu U will “drive social change with integrative knowledge.” By fusing the spectrum of knowledge, from the humanities and arts to engineering and medical sciences, Kyushu U will strengthen its research in the key areas of decarbonization, medicine and health, and environment and food, to tackle society’s most pressing issues.

Journal

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

DOI

10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120374

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Animals

Article Title

Enhanced toxicity of diallyl disulfide and carvone nanoemulsions against a stored bean pest and their nontarget effects on its parasitoid and seed viability,

Drug-induced nephrotoxicity of aminoglycosides and the role of medicinal plants as nephroprotective agents

When life-saving antibiotics become a threat to the kidneys

Bentham Science Publishers

The study, "Drug-Induced Nephrotoxicity of Aminoglycosides and the Role of Medicinal Plants as Nephroprotective Agents," was carried out by Astha Chaudhary, Monika Singh, Moumita Barman, and S. Sadish Kumar in the Journal of Current Indian Science.

A new review article examines how a widely used class of antibiotics damages the kidneys, how that damage is detected and measured clinically, and how a range of medicinal plants—backed by documented bioactive compounds—may offer a safer, side-effect-free means of protecting kidney tissue in patients who cannot avoid these drugs.

When Life-Saving Antibiotics Become a Threat to the Kidneys

Aminoglycosides are among the most effective antibiotics available for treating serious bacterial infections, including those caused by organisms that have developed resistance to other drug classes. They are routinely used in hospital settings for infections of the lungs, bloodstream, and urinary tract. Among all aminoglycosides, amikacin (AK) is notable for having the broadest spectrum of activity and the least susceptibility to bacterial resistance mechanisms—properties that make it particularly valuable when other options have failed. It works by binding to a specific site on the bacterial ribosome, the 30S subunit, disrupting protein synthesis and ultimately killing the bacterial cell. The problem is that aminoglycosides do not confine their effects to bacteria. Once in the body, they are preferentially taken up by the cells lining the proximal tubules of the kidney—the section of the nephron responsible for filtering waste and reabsorbing essential molecules—through a receptor called megalin, which actively pulls the drug into the cell. Once inside, the accumulated drug triggers a cascade of damaging cellular events that ends in tubular cell death. The clinical result is nephrotoxicity: kidney function declines, waste products that the kidneys should be clearing begin to accumulate in the blood, and in severe cases, acute kidney injury follows. Drugs as a class account for approximately 20% of all nephrotoxicity cases, but among elderly patients—who are more likely to need powerful antibiotics and whose kidneys are already less resilient—that figure rises to as high as 66%, making drug-induced kidney damage a pressing and growing clinical concern.

How Kidney Damage Is Detected — and Which Plants May Help Prevent It

Clinicians assess kidney function and detect nephrotoxicity primarily through blood and urine tests that measure four markers: Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine concentration, Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR), and creatinine clearance. A rise in serum creatinine of 50% or more, or a fall in creatinine clearance of equivalent magnitude, is the accepted diagnostic threshold for nephrotoxicity. These markers reflect how effectively the kidneys are filtering waste from the blood, and their deterioration signals that tubular damage is already underway. The review then turns to the central question it sets out to address: whether medicinal plants can intervene in this process and protect kidney tissue without introducing the additional side effects that synthetic nephroprotective agents often carry. The authors survey a range of plants with documented nephroprotective properties—including Aegle marmelos, Bauhinia purpurea, Cassia auriculata, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Orthosiphon stamineus, Pistacia atlantica, Vernonia cinerea, Costus afer, Euphorbia paralias, Descurainia sophia, and Trema guineensis—and examine the bioactive molecules responsible for their protective effects. Across these plants, three broad mechanisms of protection are identified: anti-inflammatory activity, which reduces the inflammatory response triggered by drug-induced tubular injury; antioxidant activity, which neutralises the reactive oxygen species that aminoglycosides generate inside kidney cells and that drive much of the cellular damage; and cytoprotective activity, which stabilises cell membranes and supports the survival of tubular epithelial cells under chemical stress. Together, these properties position plant-derived compounds as agents capable of interrupting the cellular damage cascade at multiple points simultaneously—an advantage over single-mechanism synthetic drugs.

A Case for Plant-Based Kidney Protection — and the Research Still Needed

The practical implication of this review is that herbal medicine may have a meaningful and underexplored role in protecting patients who require aminoglycoside therapy from its most serious side effect. Because these plant compounds act through biological pathways that are distinct from the drug's antibacterial mechanism, there is no inherent reason why nephroprotective plant extracts could not be administered alongside aminoglycosides without compromising the antibiotic's therapeutic effect — though this remains to be demonstrated rigorously in clinical trials. The authors note that herbal remedies, by their nature, are generally free of the adverse effects associated with synthetic drugs, making them particularly attractive as adjunct therapies in patients who are already carrying a high medication burden. However, the review is grounded in existing preclinical and pharmacological literature rather than in new experimental data, and the authors implicitly acknowledge that the transition from documented bioactive properties to validated clinical nephroprotection requires further structured investigation — including standardised extraction protocols, dose-response studies, and ultimately controlled trials in patients receiving aminoglycoside therapy. The research was led by corresponding author Dr. Monika Singh, alongside co-authors Astha Chaudhary, Moumita Barman, and S. Sadish Kumar.

Article title: Drug-Induced Nephrotoxicity of Aminoglycosides and the Role of Medicinal Plants as Nephroprotective Agents

DOI: 10.2174/012210299X475179260612063500

Read the published article here: https://bit.ly/3RoiPAQ

DOI

10.2174/012210299X475179260612063500

Article Title

Drug-induced Nephrotoxicity of Aminoglycosides and the Role of Medicinal Plants as Nephroprotective Agents

Mandatory value-based payment programs and hospital administrative costs

JAMA Health Forum

About the Study:

In this cohort study, participation in mandatory value-based payment programs was associated with increased hospital administrative costs. These findings suggest that policymakers should consider administrative burden when designing and evaluating payment reforms to ensure that anticipated improvements in cost, quality, and access are not offset by increased complexity.

Corresponding Author: Zehui Zhou, MPH, Department of Health Services, Policy, and Practice, Brown University School of Public Health, 121 S Main St, Providence, RI 02903 (zehui_zhou@brown.edu).

10.1001/jamahealthforum.2026.2503

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Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including full author list, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

Journal

JAMA Health Forum

Type 1 diabetes incidence and prevalence in the US

JAMA Network Open

About the Study:

This cross-sectional study examines state-level type 1 diabetes burden and the distribution of pediatric endocrinology resources in the US.

Corresponding Author: Fei Wang, Breakthrough T1DTM, 4/80 Chandos St, St Leonards, NSW 2065, Australia (fwang@breakthrought1d.org).

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.27732

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https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.27732?guestAccessKey=193ab7b7-861f-4f29-8c47-a7a5e8e1f1f9&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=080726

Journal

JAMA Network Open

Health and health care access among Afghan refugee women in the United States

JAMA Network Open

About the Study:

In this qualitative study, Afghan women described multilayered health care barriers, including displacement-related trauma, sociocultural norms, and structural deficiencies. Study findings suggest that culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate public health interventions and structural changes are needed to improve health care access for Afghan women in the US.

Corresponding Author: Nazineen Kandahari, MD, MS, Department of Otolaryngology-Head nazineenkandahari@gmail.com).

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.27727

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https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.27727?guestAccessKey=90b466e4-5553-4d7e-908f-e3ccfe1e94b1&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=080726

Journal

JAMA Network Open

Premarket clinical evidence strength and recalls of high-risk therapeutic medical devices

JAMA Health Forum

About the Study:

In this cross-sectional study, more than one-third of high-risk therapeutic medical devices were subject to serious recalls. Because device, premarket clinical evidence, and regulatory characteristics were not consistently associated with serious recalls, robust postmarket surveillance is needed to ensure patient safety.

Corresponding Author: Maryam Mooghali, MD, MSc, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, 330 Cedar St, New Haven, CT 06510 (maryam.mooghali@yale.edu).

10.1001/jamahealthforum.2026.2626

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https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/10.1001/jamahealthforum.2026.2626?guestAccessKey=0809ea7a-d9c4-44c3-b758-f5703f67bccd&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=080726

Journal

JAMA Health Forum

Lancet definition vs other criteria for obesity diagnosis in adults

JAMA Network Open

About the Study: This diagnostic study compares the diagnostic accuracy of the Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology Commission on Obesity definition of obesity with that of other definitions.

Corresponding Author: Aayush Visaria, MD, MPH, Department of Medicine, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 112 Paterson St, New Brunswick, NJ 08901 (aayush.visaria@rutgers.edu).

10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.27738

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https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.27738?guestAccessKey=d3ba8c87-8059-4332-8be8-23aac3057ef7&utm_source=for_the_media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=080726

Journal

JAMA Network Open

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment

Monday, August 10, 2026

Journal

DOI

Article Title

Article Publication Date

Puma

Credit

Credit

Caluromys derbianus

Credit

Glaucomys volans.

Credit

Spilogale angustifrons.

Credit

First jaguar record at Cusuco National Park.

Credit

Protein-enriched ketchup gets a boost from algae extracts

Journal

DOI

Natural insecticide made by nanoemulsification of compounds found in garlic and spearmint found to be effective on adzuki bean beetles with low non-target impacts

Journal

DOI

Method of Research

Subject of Research

Article Title

Drug-induced nephrotoxicity of aminoglycosides and the role of medicinal plants as nephroprotective agents

DOI

Article Title

Mandatory value-based payment programs and hospital administrative costs

Journal

Type 1 diabetes incidence and prevalence in the US

Journal

Health and health care access among Afghan refugee women in the United States

Journal

Premarket clinical evidence strength and recalls of high-risk therapeutic medical devices

Journal

Lancet definition vs other criteria for obesity diagnosis in adults

Journal

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