Near East/North Africa Report No. 2642.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-19

JPRS 82023 19 October 1982 Near East/North Africa Report No. 2642 0 0’- FBISl FOREIGN BROADCAST INFORMATION SERVICE NATIONAl TECHNICALINFORMATION...itI ’s Iz ioo. i ’ tI. xfr .1k3 r A V’ JPRS 82023. 19 October 1982 NEAR EAST/NORTH AFRICA REPORT No. 2642 CONTENTS OPEC AFFAIRS Arab Investment...and tri-.e-6~ve urzgrarme Uricer Pit lattef, Awl-Babta’i of Kjv.a’:. Ai Suda’ry. UALenk C’i-vee! %w te givqn "ho Chance Sliotokshyaond Siia-0a1y of

Railway tunnels in Europe and North America

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-05-01

This list of railway tunnels (longer than 1, 000 m) was compiled by the secretariat from various national and international sources. The list is intended to serve as a reference inventory for a long railway tunnels in Europe and North America. Tunnel...

Legal improvements brighten North Africa production outlook

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1997-05-12

North Africa`s three main oil producing countries soon will reap benefits of past moves by their governments to encourage investment by international companies. Production of crude oil and natural gas in Algeria, Egypt, and Libya is ready to increase from suppressed levels of the recent past, says International Energy Agency, Paris. The gains are possible despite political risks, total reserves accounting for only 4% of the world`s crude reserves, and oil prices well below levels of the 1980s, when the countries` flow rates peaked. The reason: producing oil in North Africa is profitable. In a recent study entitled North Africamore » Oil and Gas, IEA attributes the bright production outlook to improvements that the countries` governments have made in the past decade to hydrocarbon laws and the fiscal terms they offer international investors. According to announced plans, the three countries` combined capacity to produce crude oil will rise 18% by the year 2000 to 3.65 million b/d, and a further gain of 700,000 b/d is possible. IEA expects production capacity for natural gas to increase 50% from its 1995 level by 2000 to a combined 139.4 billion cu m/year. This paper discusses production capacities, Algeria`s record, improvements in Egypt, and Libya`s changes.« less

Translations on Near East and North Africa, Number 1647

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-04-28

Production capacity of the two plants is to amount to 220,000 tons of ammonia and 800,000 tons of uric acid . Improving operations efficiency at the...JPRS 69019 28 April 1977 TRANSLATIONS’ON NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA No, 1647 < 2 w ÜJCEE »- .Q-5 ^ Q. C «MM H— —• £2 a« ES.Q...3. Recipient’s Accession No. 4. Title and Subtitle TRANSLATIONS ON NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA , No. 164 7 5. Report Date 28 April 1977 6

On the transferability of RegCM4: Europe, Africa and Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belda, Michal; Halenka, Tomas

2013-04-01

Simulations driven by ERA-interim reanalysis for CORDEX domains covering Europe, Africa and Asia have been performed using RegCM4 at 50 km resolution. The same settings are used in basic simulations and preliminary evaluation of model performance for individual regions will be presented. Several settings of different options is tested and sensitivity of selected ones will be shown in individual regions. Secant Mercator projection is introduced for Africa providing more efficient model geometry setting, the impact of proper emissivity inclusion is compared especially for Africa and Asia desserts. CRU data are used for the validation.

76 FR 60006 - Joint Europe Africa Deployment & Distribution Conference 2011: “Adapting To Challenge and Change”

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-28

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Joint Europe Africa Deployment & Distribution Conference 2011: ``Adapting To Challenge and Change'' AGENCY: United States Africa Command, Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Notice of conference. SUMMARY: This document announces that U.S. Africa Command...

Downscaling Pest Risk Analyses: Identifying Current and Future Potentially Suitable Habitats for Parthenium hysterophorus with Particular Reference to Europe and North Africa

PubMed Central

Kriticos, Darren J.; Brunel, Sarah; Ota, Noboru; Fried, Guillaume; Oude Lansink, Alfons G. J. M.; Panetta, F. Dane; Prasad, T. V. Ramachandra; Shabbir, Asad; Yaacoby, Tuvia

2015-01-01

Pest Risk Assessments (PRAs) routinely employ climatic niche models to identify endangered areas. Typically, these models consider only climatic factors, ignoring the ‘Swiss Cheese’ nature of species ranges due to the interplay of climatic and habitat factors. As part of a PRA conducted for the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization, we developed a climatic niche model for Parthenium hysterophorus, explicitly including the effects of irrigation where it was known to be practiced. We then downscaled the climatic risk model using two different methods to identify the suitable habitat types: expert opinion (following the EPPO PRA guidelines) and inferred from the global spatial distribution. The PRA revealed a substantial risk to the EPPO region and Central and Western Africa, highlighting the desirability of avoiding an invasion by P. hysterophorus. We also consider the effects of climate change on the modelled risks. The climate change scenario indicated the risk of substantial further spread of P. hysterophorus in temperate northern hemisphere regions (North America, Europe and the northern Middle East), and also high elevation equatorial regions (Western Brazil, Central Africa, and South East Asia) if minimum temperatures increase substantially. Downscaling the climate model using habitat factors resulted in substantial (approximately 22–53%) reductions in the areas estimated to be endangered. Applying expert assessments as to suitable habitat classes resulted in the greatest reduction in the estimated endangered area, whereas inferring suitable habitats factors from distribution data identified more land use classes and a larger endangered area. Despite some scaling issues with using a globally conformal Land Use Systems dataset, the inferential downscaling method shows promise as a routine addition to the PRA toolkit, as either a direct model component, or simply as a means of better informing an expert assessment of the suitable habitat

Neo-deterministic seismic hazard assessment in North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mourabit, T.; Abou Elenean, K. M.; Ayadi, A.; Benouar, D.; Ben Suleman, A.; Bezzeghoud, M.; Cheddadi, A.; Chourak, M.; ElGabry, M. N.; Harbi, A.; Hfaiedh, M.; Hussein, H. M.; Kacem, J.; Ksentini, A.; Jabour, N.; Magrin, A.; Maouche, S.; Meghraoui, M.; Ousadou, F.; Panza, G. F.; Peresan, A.; Romdhane, N.; Vaccari, F.; Zuccolo, E.

2014-04-01

North Africa is one of the most earthquake-prone areas of the Mediterranean. Many devastating earthquakes, some of them tsunami-triggering, inflicted heavy loss of life and considerable economic damage to the region. In order to mitigate the destructive impact of the earthquakes, the regional seismic hazard in North Africa is assessed using the neo-deterministic, multi-scenario methodology (NDSHA) based on the computation of synthetic seismograms, using the modal summation technique, at a regular grid of 0.2 × 0.2°. This is the first study aimed at producing NDSHA maps of North Africa including five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. The key input data for the NDSHA algorithm are earthquake sources, seismotectonic zonation, and structural models. In the preparation of the input data, it has been really important to go beyond the national borders and to adopt a coherent strategy all over the area. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the teams involved, it has been possible to properly merge the earthquake catalogues available for each country to define with homogeneous criteria the seismogenic zones, the characteristic focal mechanism associated with each of them, and the structural models used to model wave propagation from the sources to the sites. As a result, reliable seismic hazard maps are produced in terms of maximum displacement ( D max), maximum velocity ( V max), and design ground acceleration.

Evaluating the Old World Drought Atlas in North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Touchan, Ramzi; Kherchouche, Dalila; Anchukaitis, Kevin; Slimani, Said; Krcmaric, Jordan A.; Meko, David M.

2016-04-01

Drought is a focal point in the assessment of hydroclimatic variability in the Mediterranean Basin. The Old World Drought Atlas (OWDA) by Cook et al. (2015) was the starting point for understanding several centuries of drought occurrence, duration, and severity over all of Europe including the Mediterranean Basin. Here, we investigate the extension of the OWDA to North Africa (NA), specifically Algeria, since droughts there can have drastic social and economic impacts. Pearson correlations were used to gauge strength of the relationship of gridded reconstructed series from OWDA (-0.25° W-34°.25N, 34°.75N, 35°.25N, and 35°.75N) with 27 tree-ring chronologies from various species from Algeria. Correlations range from 0.35 (p < 0.0001) to 0.025 (p >0.627), and suggest the OWDA does not fully reflect the regional drought patterns in parts of Algeria and nearby NA. Lower correlations between local tree-ring chronologies and OWDA grids are related to the lack of tree-ring chronologies from Algeria within the OWDA. Work is ongoing to blend existing chronologies from the Mediterranean region with newly developed chronologies from currently under-sampled parts of NA and generate a Mediterranean Basin Drought Atlas (MBDA) that chronicles spatiotemporal drought variability over the past few centuries to millennium. The MBDA will complement the OWDA, the existing 'North American Drought Atlas' (NADA), and the 'Monsoon Asia Drought Atlas' (MADA) in charting drought history of the Northern Hemisphere.

Determination of the 8° discontinuity beneath the major tectonic units of Central Europe from regional seismicity in Europe and northern Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nita, B.; Perchuc, E.; Thybo, H.; Maguire, P.; Denton, P.

2004-12-01

We evaluate the existence and the depth of the '8° discontinuity' beneath the Alpine orogen using the natural seismicity of Europe and northern Africa as well as events induced by mining activity. For this analysis, the regional events (1) must have epicenters further than 1000 km from the structure being imaged, and (2) the magnitude of body waves must be higher than 4.0 to obtain a favourable signal to noise ratio. The events satisfying the above conditions have epicentres in Algeria, Spain, Bulgaria, Greece and in the Lubin Copper Basin in Poland. The last region is characterised by high seismicity resulting from mining activity. We base our analysis on P-wave traveltime residuals compared to the general iasp91 model. The 8° discontinuity seems to be attributed to the observed P-wave traveltime delays at epicentral distances around 800 km. The analysis of events from the Lubin Coper Basin and the events from other regions mentioned above, gives P-wave delays of 3 s at the Alpine stations in comparison with stations in the Variscan areas to further north. We attribute this variation in travel time to the difference between 'fast' and 'slow' uppermost mantle structures in Europe.

Variability of cyclones over the North Atlantic and Europe since 1871

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Welker, C.; Martius, O.

2012-04-01

The scarce availability of long-term atmospheric data series has so far limited the analysis of low-frequency activity and intensity changes of cyclones over the North Atlantic and Europe. A novel reanalysis product, the Twentieth Century Reanalysis (20CR; Compo et al., 2011), spanning 1871 to present, offers potentially a very valuable resource for the analysis of the decadal-scale variability of cyclones over the North Atlantic sector and Europe. In the 20CR, only observations of synoptic surface pressure were assimilated. Monthly sea surface temperature and sea ice distributions served as boundary conditions. An Ensemble Kalman Filter assimilation technique was applied. "First guess" fields were obtained from an ensemble (with 56 members) of short-range numerical weather prediction forecasts. We apply the cyclone identification algorithm of Wernli and Schwierz (2006) to this data set, i.e. to each individual ensemble member. This enables us to give an uncertainty estimation of our findings. We find that 20CR shows a temporally relatively homogeneous representation of cyclone activity over Europe and great parts of the North Atlantic. Pronounced decadal-scale variability is found both in the frequency and intensity of cyclones over the North Atlantic and Europe. The low-frequency variability is consistently represented in all ensemble members. Our analyses indicate that in the past approximately 140 years the variability of cyclone activity and intensity over the North Atlantic and Europe can principally be associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation and secondary with a pattern similar to the East Atlantic pattern. Regionally however, the correlation between cyclone activity and these dominant modes of variability changes over time. Compo, G. P., J. S. Whitaker, P. D. Sardeshmukh, N. Matsui, R. J. Allan, X. Yin, B. E. Gleason, R. S. Vose, G. Rutledge, P. Bessemoulin, S. Brönnimann, M. Brunet, R. I. Crouthamel, A. N. Grant, P. Y. Groisman, P. D. Jones, M. C

Wall-papering Fog: How the United States’ Africa Command (AFRICOM) Can Counter the Threat of Radical Islamic Fundamentalism in North Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-22

of the primary issues that AFRICOM will have to address in North Africa such as governmental structure, finance reform, the disputed Western Sahara...will have to address in North Africa such as governmental structure, finance reform, the disputed Western Sahara region, the availability of equal...30 Finance Reform ......................................................................................................................... 32

Academic Talent Development in North America and Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarvin, Linda; Subotnik, Rena F.

2015-01-01

First we describe one particular model of talent development (Jarvin and Subotnik in The handbook of secondary gifted education. Prufrock Press, Waco, 2006) and situate it in perspective to other models developed in North America and Europe. We then discuss the implications of this view of giftedness on education and review related resources and…

Snakebites in Africa and Europe: a military perspective and update for contemporary operations.

PubMed

Wilkins, Daniel; Burns, D S; Wilson, D; Warrell, D A; Lamb, L E M

2018-04-05

Snakebite envenoming is rare among military patients, with few cases reported in recent years. Increasingly, however, military operations are taking place in remote parts of Africa, which are inhabited by numerous species of venomous snake, and in Europe, where dangerous species exist but are less common. Bites from a venomous snake may prove fatal, and therefore military medics must be adequately prepared to manage them. This paper reviews the most medically significant species of venomous snake present in Africa and Europe, before suggesting an evidence-based approach to snakebite prevention and management, including possible changes to the UK's Clinical Guidelines for Operations. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Additional evidence on the use of personal ornaments in the Middle Paleolithic of North Africa

PubMed Central

d'Errico, Francesco; Vanhaeren, Marian; Barton, Nick; Bouzouggar, Abdeljalil; Mienis, Henk; Richter, Daniel; Hublin, Jean-Jacques; McPherron, Shannon P.; Lozouet, Pierre

2009-01-01

Recent investigations into the origins of symbolism indicate that personal ornaments in the form of perforated marine shell beads were used in the Near East, North Africa, and SubSaharan Africa at least 35 ka earlier than any personal ornaments in Europe. Together with instances of pigment use, engravings, and formal bone tools, personal ornaments are used to support an early emergence of behavioral modernity in Africa, associated with the origin of our species and significantly predating the timing for its dispersal out of Africa. Criticisms have been leveled at the low numbers of recovered shells, the lack of secure dating evidence, and the fact that documented examples were not deliberately shaped. In this paper, we report on 25 additional shell beads from four Moroccan Middle Paleolithic sites. We review their stratigraphic and chronological contexts and address the issue of these shells having been deliberately modified and used. We detail the results of comparative analyses of modern, fossil, and archaeological assemblages and microscopic examinations of the Moroccan material. We conclude that Nassarius shells were consistently used for personal ornamentation in this region at the end of the last interglacial. Absence of ornaments at Middle Paleolithic sites postdating Marine Isotope Stage 5 raises the question of the possible role of climatic changes in the disappearance of this hallmark of symbolic behavior before its reinvention 40 ka ago. Our results suggest that further inquiry is necessary into the mechanisms of cultural transmission within early Homo sapiens populations. PMID:19717433

Oil and gas developments in North Africa in 1986

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Michel, R.C.

1987-10-01

Licensed oil acreage in the 6 North Africa countries (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia) totaled 1,500,000 km/sup 2/ at the end of 1986, down 290,000 km/sup 2/ from 1985. About 50% of the relinquishments were in Libya. Most oil and gas discoveries were made in Egypt (16 oil and 2 gas). Several oil finds were reported in onshore Libya, and 1 was reported in Algeria in the southeastern Sahara. According to available statistics, development drilling decreased from 1985 levels, except in Tunisia. A 6.3% decline in oil production took place in 1986, falling below the 3 million bblmore » level (2,912,000 b/d). Only sparse data are released on the gas output in North Africa. 6 figures, 27 tables.« less

Traditional consumption of and rearing edible insects in Africa, Asia and Europe.

PubMed

Raheem, Dele; Carrascosa, Conrado; Oluwole, Oluwatoyin Bolanle; Nieuwland, Maaike; Saraiva, Ariana; Millán, Rafael; Raposo, António

2018-02-15

The traditional consumption of edible insects is common in one third of the world's population, mostly in Latin America, Africa and Asia. There are over one thousand identified species of insects eaten in some stage of their life cycle; and they play important roles in ensuring food security. The most common way to collect insects are from the wild, which is seasonal with limited availability and has an increasing demand resulting in a disruption to the ecosystem. There is a growing interest shown in rearing insects for commercial purposes, and an industrial scale production will be required to ensure steady supplies. Industrial production will need to take into account the living environment of insects, the nutritional composition of their feed and the overall efficiency of the production system. We provide a short overview on the consumption of and rearing insects in Africa, Asia and Europe. For Africa, a snapshot is given for Nigeria, Ghana, Central African Republic, Kenya and Uganda, while the following countries are reported for Asia: China, Japan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Thailand and Vietnam. In addition, a list of insect species with the highest potential for food and feed in the European Union is provided with some reference to The Netherlands and Finland. The review concludes that there is need to better understand the rearing and farming procedures that will yield high quality edible insects in Africa, Asia and Europe.

Monthly Mean Pressure Reconstructions for Europe (1780-1980) and North America (1858-1980) (1987) (NDP-025)

DOE Data Explorer

Jones, P D. [University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom; Wigley, T. M. L. [University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom; Briffa, K. R. [University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom

2012-01-01

Real and reconstructed measurements of monthly mean pressure data have been constructed for Europe for 1780 through 1980 and North America for 1858 through 1980. The reconstructions use early pressure, temperature, and precipitation data from a variety of sources including World Weather Records, meteorological and national archives, circulation maps, and daily chart series. Each record contains the year, monthly mean pressure, quality code, and annual mean pressure. These reconstructed gridded monthly pressures provide a reliable historical record of mean sea-level pressures for Europe and North America. The data are in two files: pressure reconstructions for Europe (1.47 MB) and for North America (0.72 MB).

Observations and regional modeling of aerosol optical properties, speciation and size distribution over Northern Africa and western Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menut, Laurent; Siour, Guillaume; Mailler, Sylvain; Couvidat, Florian; Bessagnet, Bertrand

2016-10-01

The aerosol speciation and size distribution is modeled during the summer 2013 and over a large area encompassing Africa, Mediterranean and western Europe. The modeled aerosol is compared to available measurements such as the AERONET aerosol optical depth (AOD) and aerosol size distribution (ASD) and the EMEP network for surface concentrations of particulate matter PM2.5, PM10 and inorganic species (nitrate, sulfate and ammonium). The main goal of this study is to quantify the model ability to realistically model the speciation and size distribution of the aerosol. Results first showed that the long-range transport pathways are well reproduced and mainly constituted by mineral dust: spatial correlation is ≈ 0.9 for AOD and Ångström exponent, when temporal correlations show that the day-to-day variability is more difficult to reproduce. Over Europe, PM2.5 and PM10 have a mean temporal correlation of ≈ 0.4 but the lowest spatial correlation ( ≈ 0.25 and 0.62, respectively), showing that the fine particles are not well localized or transported. Being short-lived species, the uncertainties on meteorology and emissions induce these lowest scores. However, time series of PM2.5 with the speciation show a good agreement between model and measurements and are useful for discriminating the aerosol composition. Using a classification from the south (Africa) to the north (northern Europe), it is shown that mineral dust relative mass contribution decreases from 50 to 10 % when nitrate increases from 0 to 20 % and all other species, sulfate, sea salt, ammonium, elemental carbon, primary organic matter, are constant. The secondary organic aerosol contribution is between 10 and 20 % with a maximum at the latitude of the Mediterranean Sea (Spanish stations). For inorganic species, it is shown that nitrate, sulfate and ammonium have a mean temporal correlation of 0.25, 0.37 and 0.17, respectively. The spatial correlation is better (0.25, 0.5 and 0.87), showing that the mean

[Book review] The wildfowl of Britain and Europe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krapu, G.L.

1984-01-01

Of about 140 extant species of waterfowl in the world, 54 occur in the western Pale- arctic. In this, his most recent book, Ogilvie introduces the reader to the waterfowl of Europe including occasional visitors and introduced species. Although written primarily for laymen, ornithologists will find the book informative but should not expect a major treatise on European waterfowl. The text is drawn primarily from Volume I of "The hand-book of the birds of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East: the birds of the Western Palearctic," of which the author was an editor.

North Atlantic Surface Winds Examined as the Source of Warm Advection into Europe in Winter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.; Angell, J. K.; Ardizzone, J.; Atlas, Robert; Schubert, S.; Starr, D.; Wu, M.-L.

2002-01-01

When from the southwest, North Atlantic ocean surface winds are known to bring warm and moist airmasses into central Europe in winter. By tracing backward trajectories from western Europe, we establish that these airmasses originate in the southwestern North Atlantic, in the very warm regions of the Gulf Stream. Over the eastern North Atlantic, Lt the gateway to Europe, the ocean-surface winds changed directions in the second half of the XXth century, those from the northwest and from the southeast becoming so infrequent, that the direction from the southwest became even more dominant. For the January-to-March period, the strength of south-westerlies in this region, as well as in the source region, shows in the years 1948-1995 a significant increase, above 0.2 m/sec/ decade. Based on the sensitivity of the surface temperature in Europe, slightly more than 1 C for a 1m/sec increase in the southwesterly wind, found in the previous studies, the trend in the warm advection accounts for a large part of the warming in Europe established for this period in several reports. However, for the most recent years, 1996-2001, the positive trend in the southwesterly advection appears to be is broken, which is consistent with unseasonally cold events reported in Europe in those winters. This study had, some bearing on evaluating the respective roles of the North Atlantic Oscillation and the Greenhouse Gas Global warming, GGG, in the strong winter warming observed for about half a century over the northern-latitude continents. Changes in the ocean-surface temperatures induced by GGG may have produced the dominant southwesterly direction of the North Atlantic winds. However, this implies a monotonically (apart from inherent interannual variability) increasing advection, and if the break in the trend which we observe after 1995 persists, this mechanism is counter-indicated. The 1948-1995 trend in the south-westerlies could then be considered to a large degree attributable to the

A late Pleistocene refugium in Mediterranean North Africa? Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction from stable isotope analyses of land snail shells (Haua Fteah, Libya)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prendergast, A. L.; Stevens, R. E.; O'Connell, T. C.; Hill, E. A.; Hunt, C. O.; Barker, G. W.

2016-05-01

The late Pleistocene to Holocene archaeological record of North Africa is key to understanding the emergence of anatomically modern humans into West Asia and Europe, and the broadening of subsistence strategies in the shift from hunter-gatherer to pastoral-agricultural lifeways. Some contend that these developments were modulated by major shifts in climate and environment. Evaluation of this hypothesis requires the pairing of local and regional climate records with well-dated archaeological sequences. The Haua Fteah archaeological site in the Gebel Akhdar region of Libya provides a key site to test this hypothesis as the cave contains one of the longest and most complete sequences of human occupation in North Africa as well as abundant material for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. This study uses stable isotope analyses (δ18O and δ13C) of the terrestrial mollusc Helix melanostoma to construct a palaeoenvironmental framework for interpreting North African human-environment interactions from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Neolithic (∼30,000 to 5000 years ago). The land snail stable isotope records from Haua Fteah suggests that cool arid conditions in the cave peaked during marine isotope stage (MIS) 2. This stage was, however, only marginally drier than previous and subsequent stages and coincided with an increase in occupation density in the cave. This suggests that the Gebel Akhdar may have served as an environmental refugium from the more extreme aridity in the surrounding Sahara and arid coastal plains for Late Stone Age (LSA) populations in North Africa. Conditions became progressively wetter towards the Holocene. However, generally wetter conditions were interrupted by two arid episodes at c. 8.0 ka and 7.3 ka that appear to coincide with regional changes reflected elsewhere in the Mediterranean basin.

Regional trends in aquatic recovery from acidification in North America and Europe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoddard, J.L.; Jeffries, D.S.; Lukewille, A.; Clair, T.A.; Dillon, P.J.; Driscoll, C.T.; Forsius, M.; Johannessen, M.; Kahl, J.S.; Kellogg, J.H.; Kemp, A.; Mannlo, J.; Monteith, D.T.; Murdoch, Peter S.; Patrick, S.; Rebsdorl, A.; Skjelkvale, B.L.; Stainton, M.P.; Traaen, T.; Van Dam, H.; Webster, K.E.; Wleting, J.; Wllander, A.

1999-01-01

Rates of acidic deposition from the atmosphere ('acid rain') have decreased throughout the 1980s and 1990s across large portions of North America and Europe. Many recent studies have attributed observed reversals in surface-water acidification at national and regional scales to the declining deposition. To test whether emissions regulations have led to widespread recovery in surface-water chemistry, we analysed regional trends between 1980 and 1995 in indicators of acidification (sulphate, nitrate and base-cation concentrations, and measured (Gran) alkalinity) for 205 lakes and streams in eight regions of North America and Europe. Dramatic differences in trend direction and strength for the two decades are apparent. In concordance with general temporal trends in acidic deposition, lake and stream sulphate concentrations decreased in all regions with the exception of Great Britain all but one of these regions exhibited stronger downward trends in the 1990s than in the 1980s. In contrast, regional declines in lake and stream nitrate concentrations were rare and, when detected, were very small. Recovery in alkalinity, expected wherever strong regional declines in sulphate concentrations have occurred, was observed in all regions of Europe, especially in the 1990s, but in only one region (of five) in North America. We attribute the lack of recovery in three regions (south/central Ontario, the Adirondack/Catskill mountains and midwestern North America) to strong regional declines in base-cation concentrations that exceed the decreases in sulphate concentrations.

Retrieval of daily gross primary production over Europe and Africa from an ensemble of SEVIRI/MSG products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez, B.; Sanchez-Ruiz, S.; Gilabert, M. A.; Moreno, A.; Campos-Taberner, M.; García-Haro, F. J.; Trigo, I. F.; Aurela, M.; Brümmer, C.; Carrara, A.; De Ligne, A.; Gianelle, D.; Grünwald, T.; Limousin, J. M.; Lohila, A.; Mammarella, I.; Sottocornola, M.; Steinbrecher, R.; Tagesson, T.

2018-03-01

The main goal of this paper is to derive a method for a daily gross primary production (GPP) product over Europe and Africa taking the full advantage of the SEVIRI/MSG satellite products from the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) sensors delivered from the Satellite Application Facility for Land Surface Analysis (LSA SAF) system. Special attention is paid to model the daily GPP response from an optimized Montheith's light use efficiency model under dry conditions by controlling water shortage limitations from the actual evapotranspiration and the potential evapotranspiration (PET). The PET was parameterized using the mean daily air temperature at 2 m (Ta) from ERA-Interim data. The GPP product (MSG GPP) was produced for 2012 and assessed by direct site-level comparison with GPP from eddy covariance data (EC GPP). MSG GPP presents relative bias errors lower than 40% for the most forest vegetation types with a high agreement (r > 0.7) when compared with EC GPP. For drylands, MSG GPP reproduces the seasonal variations related to water limitation in a good agreement with site level GPP estimates (RMSE = 2.11 g m-2 day-1; MBE = -0.63 g m-2 day-1), especially for the dry season. A consistency analysis against other GPP satellite products (MOD17A2 and FLUXCOM) reveals a high consistency among products (RMSD < 1.5 g m-2 day-1) over Europe, North and South Africa. The major GPP disagreement arises over moist biomes in central Africa (RMSD > 3.0 g m-2 day-1) and over dry biomes with MSG GPP estimates lower than FLUXCOM (MBD up to -3.0 g m-2 day-1). This newly derived product has the potential for analysing spatial patterns and temporal dynamics of GPP at the MSG spatial resolutions on a daily basis allowing to better capture the GPP dynamics and magnitude.

Forgoing life sustaining treatments: differences and similarities between North America and Europe.

PubMed

Moselli, N M; Debernardi, F; Piovano, F

2006-11-01

As evidence exist that severe neurological damage or prolonged death after inappropriate CPR could occur, restraints and indications for CPR were perceived as necessary. The objective of this review is to examine policies and attitudes towards end-of-life decisions in Europe and North America and to outline differences and similarities. A bibliographic database search from 1990 to 2006 was performed using the following terms: do-not-resuscitate orders, end-of-life decisions, withholding/withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments, medical futility and advanced directives. Eighty-eight articles, out of 305 examined, were analyzed and their data systematically reported and compared where possible. They consisted of studies, questionnaires and surveys answering the following questions: percentage of deaths of critical patients preceded by do-not-resuscitate orders, factors affecting the decision for do-not-resuscitate orders, people involved in this decision (patient, surrogates and medical staff) and how it was performed. There is an evident gap between the North American use of standard and formal procedures compared with Europe. Second, they diverge in the role acknowledged to surrogates in the decisional process, as in Europe, restraints and reserves to accept surrogates as decision makers seem still strong and a paternalistic approach at the end-of-life is still present. Incidentally, despite the predictable differences between Europe and North America, concerns do exist about the actual extent of autonomy wished by patients and surrogates. It is important to highlight these findings, as the paternalistic attitude, too often negatively depicted, could be, according to the best medical practice, justified and more welcomed in some instances.

Dietary trends in the Middle East and North Africa: an ecological study (1961 to 2007).

PubMed

Golzarand, Mahdieh; Mirmiran, Parvin; Jessri, Mahsa; Toolabi, Karamollah; Mojarrad, Mehdi; Azizi, Fereidoun

2012-10-01

Middle Eastern and North African countries are undergoing nutrition transition, a transition which is associated with an increased burden of non-communicable diseases. This necessitates the evaluation of dietary patterns in these regions. The present study aimed to assess changes in dietary patterns in Middle Eastern and North African countries between 1961 and 2007. Availability of energy and fifteen main food items during 1961-2007 was examined using FAO food balance sheets from the FAOSTAT database. Fifteen countries including nine in the Middle East and six in North Africa were selected and the average availability of total energy and different food items in these regions were compared. Over the 47 years studied, energy and food availability (apart from animal fats and alcoholic beverages) has increased in the Middle East and North Africa. In both regions the proportion of energy derived from meat and vegetable oils has increased significantly while that from cereals decreased significantly. In addition, the proportion of energy from milk and dairy products and vegetables has shown an ascending trend in North Africa while the proportion of energy from fruits has shown a descending trend in the Middle East. The study results reveal an unfavourable trend towards a Westernized diet in the Middle East and, to a certain extent, in North Africa. Tailored nutritional education encouraging healthy eating for prevention of the burden of chronic diseases in these countries seems essential.

Hepatitis C Virus in North Africa: An Emerging Threat.

PubMed

Daw, Mohamed A; El-Bouzedi, Abdallah; Ahmed, Mohamed O; Dau, Aghnyia A; Agnan, Mohamed M

2016-01-01

Hepatitis C virus is a major public health threat associated with serious clinical consequences worldwide. North Africa is a unique region composed of seven countries that vary considerably in the predisposing factors to microbial diseases both historically and at the present time. The dynamics of HCV in the region are not well documented. The data are both limited and controversial in most of the countries in the region. In North Africa, the epidemiology of HCV is disparate and understanding it has been hampered by regional "epidemiological homogeneity" concepts. As the dynamics of HCV vary from country to country, context-specific research is needed. In this review, we assess studies performed in each country in the general populations as well as among blood donors and groups exposed to the HCV infection. The reported prevalence of HCV ranges from 0.6% to 8.4% in the Maghreb countries and is predominated by genotype 1. In the Nile valley region, it ranges from 2.2% to 18.9% and is dominated by genotype 4. In North African countries, HCV seems to be a serious problem that is driven by different vectors even in different geographical locations within the same country. Efforts should be combined at both the national and regional levels to implement efficient preventive and treatment strategies.

Climate change increases deoxynivalenol contamination of wheat in north-western Europe.

PubMed

van der Fels-Klerx, H J; Olesen, J E; Madsen, M S; Goedhart, P W

2012-01-01

Climate change will affect the development of cereal crops and the occurrence of mycotoxins in these crops, but so far little research has been done on quantifying the expected effects. The aim of this study was to assess climate change impacts on the occurrence of deoxynivalenol in wheat grown in north-western Europe by 2040, considering the combined effects of shifts in wheat phenology and climate. The study used climate model data for the future period of 2031-2050 relative to the baseline period of 1975-1994. A weather generator was used for generating synthetic series of daily weather data for both the baseline and the future periods. Available models for wheat phenology and prediction of deoxynivalenol concentrations in north-western Europe were used. Both models were run for winter wheat and spring wheat, separately. The results showed that both flowering and full maturation of wheat will be earlier in the season because of climate change effects, about 1 to 2 weeks. Deoxynivalenol contamination was found to increase in most of the study region, with an increase of the original concentrations by up to 3 times. The study results may inform governmental and industrial risk managers to underpin decision-making and planning processes in north-western Europe. On the local level, deoxynivalenol contamination should be closely monitored to pick out wheat batches with excess levels at the right time. Using predictive models on a more local scale could be helpful to assist other monitoring measures to safeguard food safety in the wheat supply chain.

Assessing existing drought monitoring and forecasting capacities, mitigation and adaptation practices in Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyabeze, W. R.; Dlamini, L.; Lahlou, O.; Imani, Y.; Alaoui, S. B.; Vermooten, J. S. A.

2012-04-01

Drought is one of the major natural hazards in many parts of the world, including Africa and some regions in Europe. Drought events have resulted in extensive damages to livelihoods, environment and economy. In 2011, a consortium consisting of 19 organisations from both Africa and Europe started a project (DEWFORA) aimed at developing a framework for the provision of early warning and response through drought impact mitigation for Africa. This framework covers the whole chain from monitoring and vulnerability assessment to forecasting, warning, response and knowledge dissemination. This paper presents the first results of the capacity assessment of drought monitoring and forecasting systems in Africa, the existing institutional frameworks and drought mitigation and adaptation practices. Its focus is particularly on the historical drought mitigation and adaptation actions identified in the North Africa - Maghreb Region (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) and in the Southern Africa - Limpopo Basin. This is based on an extensive review of historical drought experiences. From the 1920's to 2009, the study identified 37 drought seasons in the North African - Maghreb Region and 33 drought seasons in the Southern Africa - Limpopo Basin. Existing literature tends to capture the spatial extent of drought at national and administrative scale in great detail. This is driven by the need to map drought impacts (food shortage, communities affected) in order to inform drought relief efforts (short-term drought mitigation measures). However, the mapping of drought at catchment scale (hydrological unit), required for longer-term measures, is not well documented. At regional level, both in North Africa and Southern Africa, two organisations are involved in drought monitoring and forecasting, while at national level 22 organisations are involved in North Africa and 37 in Southern Africa. Regarding drought related mitigation actions, the inventory shows that the most common actions

Reduced to pole long-wavelength magnetic anomalies of Africa and Europe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olivier, R.; Hinze, W. J.; Vonfrese, R. R. B.

1985-01-01

To facilitate analysis of the tectonic framework for Africa, Europe and adjacent marine areas, MAGSAT scalar anomaly data are differentially reduced to the pole and compared to regional geologic information and geophysical data including surface free-air gravity anomaly data upward continued to satellite elevation (350 km) on a spherical Earth. Comparative analysis shows magnetic anomalies correspond with both ancient as well as more recent Cenozoic structural features. Anomalies associated with ancient structures are primarily caused by intra-crustal lithologic variations such as the crustal disturbance associated with the Bangui anomaly in west-central Africa. Anomalies correlative with Cenozoic tectonic elements appear to be related to Curie isotherm perturbations. A possible example of the latter is the well-defined trend of magnetic minima that characterize the Alphine orogenic belt from the Atlas mountains to Eurasia. In contrast, a well-defined magnetic satellite minimum extends across the stable craton from Finland to the Ural mountains. Prominent magnetic maxima characterize the Arabian plate, Iceland, the Kursk region of the central Russian uplift, and generally the Precambrian shields of Africa.

Reduced to Pole Long-wavelength Magnetic Anomalies of Africa and Europe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinze, W. J.; Vonfrese, R. R. B. (Principal Investigator); Olivier, R.

1984-01-01

To facilitate analysis of the tectonic framework for Africa, Europe and adjacent marine areas, MAGSAT scalar anomaly data are differentially reduced to the pole and compared to regional geologic information and geophysical data including surface free-air gravity anomaly data upward continued to satellite elevation (350 km) on a spherical Earth. Comparative analysis shows magnetic anomalies correspond with both ancient as well as more recent Cenozoic structural features. Anomalies associated with ancient structures are primarily caused by intra-crustal lithologic variations such as the crustal disturbance associated with the Bangui anomaly in west-central Africa. Anomalies correlative with Cenozoic tectonic elements appear to be related to Curie isotherm perturbations. A possible example of the latter is the well-defined trend of magnetic minima that characterize the Alpine orogenic belt from the Atlas mountains to Eurasia. In contrast, a well-defined magnetic satellite minimum extends across the stable craton from Finland to the Ural mountains. Prominent magnetic maxima characterize the Arabian plate, Iceland, the Kursk region of the central Russian uplift, and generally the Precambrian shields of Africa.

Hepatitis C Virus in North Africa: An Emerging Threat

PubMed Central

El-Bouzedi, Abdallah; Dau, Aghnyia A.; Agnan, Mohamed M.

2016-01-01

Hepatitis C virus is a major public health threat associated with serious clinical consequences worldwide. North Africa is a unique region composed of seven countries that vary considerably in the predisposing factors to microbial diseases both historically and at the present time. The dynamics of HCV in the region are not well documented. The data are both limited and controversial in most of the countries in the region. In North Africa, the epidemiology of HCV is disparate and understanding it has been hampered by regional “epidemiological homogeneity” concepts. As the dynamics of HCV vary from country to country, context-specific research is needed. In this review, we assess studies performed in each country in the general populations as well as among blood donors and groups exposed to the HCV infection. The reported prevalence of HCV ranges from 0.6% to 8.4% in the Maghreb countries and is predominated by genotype 1. In the Nile valley region, it ranges from 2.2% to 18.9% and is dominated by genotype 4. In North African countries, HCV seems to be a serious problem that is driven by different vectors even in different geographical locations within the same country. Efforts should be combined at both the national and regional levels to implement efficient preventive and treatment strategies. PMID:27610403

Women of the World: Near East and North Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chamie, Mary

The third in a series of five handbooks designed to present and analyze statistical data on women in various regions of the world, this handbook focuses on women in 14 countries in the Near East and North Africa. Beginning with an overview of population distribution and changes in the region, the analysis continues with a description of women's…

Prevalent emm Types among Invasive GAS in Europe and North America since Year 2000.

PubMed

Gherardi, Giovanni; Vitali, Luca Agostino; Creti, Roberta

2018-01-01

Streptococcus pyogenes or group A streptococcus (GAS) is an important human pathogen responsible for a broad range of infections, from uncomplicated to more severe and invasive diseases with high mortality and morbidity. Epidemiological surveillance has been crucial to detect changes in the geographical and temporal variation of the disease pattern; for this purpose the M protein gene ( emm) gene typing is the most widely used genotyping method, with more than 200 emm types recognized. Molecular epidemiological data have been also used for the development of GAS M protein-based vaccines. The aim of this paper was to provide an updated scenario of the most prevalent GAS emm types responsible for invasive infections in developed countries as Europe and North America (US and Canada), from 1st January 2000 to 31st May 2017. The search, performed in PubMed by the combined use of the terms (" emm ") and ("invasive") retrieved 264 articles, of which 38 articles (31 from Europe and 7 from North America) met the inclusion criteria and were selected for this study. Additional five papers cited in the European articles but not retrieved by the search were included. emm 1 represented the dominant type in both Europe and North America, replaced by other emm types in only few occasions. The seven major emm types identified ( emm 1, emm 28, emm 89, emm 3, emm 12, emm 4, and emm 6) accounted for approximately 50-70% of the total isolates; less common emm types accounted for the remaining 30-50% of the cases. Most of the common emm types are included in either one or both the 26-valent and 30-valent vaccines, though some well-represented emm types found in Europe are not. This study provided a picture of the prevalent emm types among invasive GAS (iGAS) in Europe and North America since the year 2000 onward. Continuous surveillance on the emm -type distribution among iGAS infections is strongly encouraged also to determine the potential coverage of the developing multivalent

Introducing the Algerian Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Profiles into the North African Landscape

PubMed Central

Bekada, Asmahan; Fregel, Rosa; Cabrera, Vicente M.; Larruga, José M.; Pestano, José; Benhamamouch, Soraya; González, Ana M.

2013-01-01

North Africa is considered a distinct geographic and ethnic entity within Africa. Although modern humans originated in this Continent, studies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome genealogical markers provide evidence that the North African gene pool has been shaped by the back-migration of several Eurasian lineages in Paleolithic and Neolithic times. More recent influences from sub-Saharan Africa and Mediterranean Europe are also evident. The presence of East-West and North-South haplogroup frequency gradients strongly reinforces the genetic complexity of this region. However, this genetic scenario is beset with a notable gap, which is the lack of consistent information for Algeria, the largest country in the Maghreb. To fill this gap, we analyzed a sample of 240 unrelated subjects from a northwest Algeria cosmopolitan population using mtDNA sequences and Y-chromosome biallelic polymorphisms, focusing on the fine dissection of haplogroups E and R, which are the most prevalent in North Africa and Europe respectively. The Eurasian component in Algeria reached 80% for mtDNA and 90% for Y-chromosome. However, within them, the North African genetic component for mtDNA (U6 and M1; 20%) is significantly smaller than the paternal (E-M81 and E-V65; 70%). The unexpected presence of the European-derived Y-chromosome lineages R-M412, R-S116, R-U152 and R-M529 in Algeria and the rest of the Maghreb could be the counterparts of the mtDNA H1, H3 and V subgroups, pointing to direct maritime contacts between the European and North African sides of the western Mediterranean. Female influx of sub-Saharan Africans into Algeria (20%) is also significantly greater than the male (10%). In spite of these sexual asymmetries, the Algerian uniparental profiles faithfully correlate between each other and with the geography. PMID:23431392

Particulate matter time-series and Köppen-Geiger climate classes in North America and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pražnikar, Jure

2017-02-01

Four years of time-series data on the particulate matter (PM) concentrations from 801 monitoring stations located in Europe and 234 stations in North America were analyzed. Using k-means clustering with distance correlation as a measure for similarity, 5 distinct PM clusters in Europe and 9 clusters across the United States of America (USA) were found. This study shows that meteorology has an important role in controlling PM concentrations, as comparison between Köppen-Geiger climate zones and identified PM clusters revealed very good spatial overlapping. Moreover, the Köppen-Geiger boundaries in Europe show a high similarity to the boundaries as defined by PM clusters. The western USA is much more diverse regarding climate zones; this characteristic was confirmed by cluster analysis, as 6 clusters were identified in the west, and only 3 were identified on the eastern side of the USA. The lowest similarity between PM time-series in Europe was observed between the Iberian Peninsula and the north Europe clusters. These two regions also show considerable differences, as the cold semi-arid climate has a long and hot summer period, while the cool continental climate has a short summertime and long and cold winters. Additionally, intra-continental examination of European clusters showed meteorologically driven phenomena in autumn 2011 encompassing a large European region from Bulgaria in the south, Germany in central Europe and Finland in the north with high PM concentrations in November and a decline in December 2011. Inter-continental comparison between Europe and the USA clusters revealed a remarkable difference between the PM time-series located in humid continental zone. It seems that because of higher shortwave downwelling radiation (≈210 W m-2) over the USA's continental zone, and consequently more intense production of secondary aerosols, a summer peak in PM concentration was observed. On the other hand, Europe's humid continental climate region experiences

Multiple introductions and onward transmission of non-pandemic HIV-1 subtype B strains in North America and Europe.

PubMed Central

Cabello, Marina; Romero, Hector; Bello, Gonzalo

2016-01-01

Most HIV-1 subtype B infections in North America and Europe seem to have resulted from the expansion of a single pandemic lineage (BPANDEMIC) disseminated from the United States (US). Some non-pandemic subtype B strains of Caribbean origin (BCAR) may have also reached North America and Europe, but their epidemiological relevance in those regions remains largely unknown. Here we analyze a total of 20,045 HIV-1 subtype B pol sequences from the US, Canada, and Europe, to estimate the prevalence and to reconstruct the spatiotemporal dynamics of dissemination of HIV-1 BCAR strains in those regions. We find that BCAR strains were probably disseminated from the Caribbean into North America and Europe at multiple times since the early 1970s onwards. The BCAR strains reached the US, Canada and at least 16 different European countries, where they account for a very low fraction (<5%) of subtype B infections, with exception of the Czech Republic (7.7%). We also find evidence of the onward transmission of BCAR clades in the US, Canada, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, as well as short-distance spreading of BCAR lineages between neighboring European countries from Central and Western Europe, and long-distance dissemination between the US and Europe. PMID:27653834

Perceptions and Images of North Africa: What American Schools Teach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, Victoria

2002-01-01

Examined descriptions of North Africa (particularly Tunisia) found in U.S. high school social studies textbooks, noting the resulting perceptions and images these descriptions created in the minds of teachers and students. Data from examination of textbooks and interviews with teachers indicated that few high school students were exposed to images…

Institutional Research in Emerging Countries of Southern Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa: Global Frameworks and Local Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, Lis; Saavedra, F. Mauricio; Romano, Jeanine

2013-01-01

This chapter presents a synthesis of the conceptualization and practice of institutional research (IR) in higher education (HE) in emerging countries across Southern Africa, Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions. The chapter contextualizes the growing need for IR in these regions, identifies problems and challenges…

The Current State of European Studies in North America and of Scholarly Publishing in Western Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hacken, Richard

1998-01-01

Relates how scholarly publishing in Western Europe feeds into North America. Discusses globalization, regionalism, and particularism; new models and research methodology; Biblio-Darwinism (survival of the fittest publishing languages) and the language of the imprint; differing academic infrastructures of Europe; booming scholarly-title production;…

TRENDS IN SURFACE WATER ACIDIFICATION IN EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA (1989-1998)

EPA Science Inventory

During the last 20 years, emission reductions in Europe and North America have resulted in decreased atmospheric Sulfur-deposition of up to 50%, while Nitrogen-deposition has stayed almost constant. Data from 98 ICP Waters sites were tested for trends in concentrations of major c...

Long-wavelength Magnetic and Gravity Anomaly Correlations of Africa and Europe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonfrese, R. R. B.; Hinze, W. J. (Principal Investigator); Olivier, R.

1984-01-01

Preliminary MAGSAT scalar magnetic anomaly data were compiled for comparison with long-wavelength-pass filtered free-air gravity anomalies and regional heat-flow and tectonic data. To facilitate the correlation analysis at satellite elevations over a spherical-Earth, equivalent point source inversion was used to differentially reduce the magnetic satellite anomalies to the radial pole at 350 km elevation, and to upward continue the first radial derivative of the free-air gravity anomalies. Correlation patterns between these regional geopotential anomaly fields are quantitatively established by moving window linear regression based on Poisson's theorem. Prominent correlations include direct correspondences for the Baltic Shield, where both anomalies are negative, and the central Mediterranean and Zaire Basin where both anomalies are positive. Inverse relationships are generally common over the Precambrian Shield in northwest Africa, the Basins and Shields in southern Africa, and the Alpine Orogenic Belt. Inverse correlations also presist over the North Sea Rifts, the Benue Rift, and more generally over the East African Rifts. The results of this quantitative correlation analysis support the general inverse relationships of gravity and magnetic anomalies observed for North American continental terrain which may be broadly related to magnetic crustal thickness variations.

Long-wavelength magnetic and gravity anomaly correlations on Africa and Europe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vonfrese, R. R. B.; Olivier, R.; Hinze, W. J.

1985-01-01

Preliminary MAGSAT scalar magnetic anomaly data were compiled for comparison with long-wavelength-pass filtered free-air gravity anomalies and regional heat-flow and tectonic data. To facilitate the correlation analysis at satellite elevations over a spherical-Earth, equivalent point source inversion was used to differentially reduce the magnetic satellite anomalies to the radial pole at 350 km elevation, and to upward continue the first radial derivative of the free-air gravity anomalies. Correlation patterns between these regional geopotential anomaly fields are quantitatively established by moving window linear regression based on Poisson's theorem. Prominent correlations include direct correspondences for the Baltic shield, where both anomalies are negative, and the central Mediterranean and Zaire Basin where both anomalies are positive. Inverse relationships are generally common over the Precambrian Shield in northwest Africa, the Basins and Shields in southern Africa, and the Alpine Orogenic Belt. Inverse correlations also presist over the North Sea Rifts, the Benue Rift, and more generally over the East African Rifts. The results of this quantitative correlation analysis support the general inverse relationships of gravity and magnetic anomalies observed for North American continental terrain which may be broadly related to magnetic crustal thickness variations.

Habrophlebia hassainae, a new mayfly species (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae) from North Africa.

PubMed

Benhadji, Nadhira; Hassaine, Karima Abdellaoui; Sartori, Michel

2018-04-05

We present here a new species of Habrophlebia, H. hassainae sp. nov., described at nymphal, imaginal and egg stages obtained by rearing from the Tafna watershed, North western Algeria. The new species was previously identified as H. cf. fusca by Gagneur Thomas (1988). H. hassainae is in fact more related to H. lauta McLachlan, 1884, but can be separated by different characters on the male imago and nymphs. This is the third species of Habrophlebia reported from North Africa.

Transmission of HIV in sexual networks in sub-Saharan Africa and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van de Vijver, David A. M. C.; Prosperi, Mattia C. F.; Ramasco, José J.

2013-09-01

We are reviewing the literature regarding sexual networks and HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. On Likoma Island in Malawi, a sexual network was reconstructed using a sociometric survey in which individuals named their sexual partners. The sexual network identified one giant component including half of all sexually active individuals. More than 25% of respondents were linked through independent chains of sexual relations. HIV was more common in the sparser regions of the network due to over-representation of groups with higher HIV prevalence. A study from KwaZulu-Natal in South-Africa collected egocentric data about sexual partners and found that new infections in women in a particular area was associated with the number of life-time partners in men. Data about sexual networks and HIV transmission are not reported in Europe. It is, however, found that the annual number of sexual partners follows a scale-free network. Phylogenetic studies that determine genetic relatedness between HIV isolates obtained from infected individuals, found that patients in the early stages of infections explain a high number of new infections. In conclusion, the limited information that is available suggest that sexual networks play a role in spread of HIV. Obtaining more information about sexual networks can be of benefit for modeling studies on HIV transmission and prevention.

Comparison of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins in Shigella between Europe-America and Asia-Africa from 1998 to 2012.

PubMed

Gu, B; Zhou, M; Ke, X; Pan, S; Cao, Y; Huang, Y; Zhuang, L; Liu, G; Tong, M

2015-10-01

We conducted a systematic review to compare resistance to third-generation cephalosporins (TGCs) in Shigella strains between Europe-America and Asia-Africa from 1998 to 2012 based on a literature search of computerized databases. In Asia-Africa, the prevalence of resistance of total and different subtypes to ceftriaxone, cefotaxime and ceftazidime increased markedly, with a total prevalence of resistance up to 14·2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 3·9-29·4], 22·6% (95% CI 4·8-48·6) and 6·2% (95% CI 3·8-9·1) during 2010-2012, respectively. By contrast, resistance rates to these TGCs in Europe-America remained relatively low--less than 1·0% during the 15 years. A noticeable finding was that certain countries both in Europe-America and Asia-Africa, had a rapid rising trend in the prevalence of resistance of S. sonnei, which even outnumbered S. flexneri in some periods. Moreover, comparison between countries showed that currently the most serious problem concerning resistance to these TGCs appeared in Vietnam, especially for ceftriaxone, China, especially for cefotaxime and Iran, especially for ceftazidime. These data suggest that monitoring of the drug resistance of Shigella strains should be strengthened and that rational use of antibiotics is required.

Impact of emergence of avian influenza in North America and preventative measures

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Since 1959, the world has experienced 39 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) epizootics with the largest beginning in 1996 in China that spread to affect 70 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa, and recently North America. Eurasian H5N8 and reassortant H5N2 HPAI viruses were identified in USA. ...

Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources of North Africa, 2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schenk, Christopher J.; Klett, Timothy R.; Whidden, Katherine J.; Kirschbaum, Mark A.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Cook, Troy A.; Brownfield, Michael E.; Pitman, Janet K.

2013-01-01

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 19 billion barrels of technically recoverable undiscovered conventional oil and 370 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered conventional natural gas resources in 8 geologic provinces of North Africa.

Migrations of European honey bee lineages into Africa, Asia, and North America during the Oligocene and Miocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotthoff, Ulrich; Wappler, Torsten; Engel, Michael

2013-04-01

Today honey bees, principally the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, represent a multi-billion dollar agricultural industry. Through the efforts of humans they have become established well outside of their modern native ranges, having been introduced multiple times into the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and many areas of Oceania. The native, i.e., non-human influenced, distribution and migration of honey bee species and populations has been a matter of serious and continued debate. Apicultural dogma informs us that the center of origin of honey bees (genus Apis) resides in Asia, with subsequent migration and diversification into Europe and Asia. Recent population genetic studies of the western honey bee, Apis mellifera, slightly modified this received wisdom by suggesting that this species originated in Africa and subsequently reinvaded Eurasia. Research into the historical biogeography of honey bees has ignored entirely the abundant fossil evidence distributed through a variety of Late Paleogene (Oligocene) and Early Neogene (Miocene) deposits, a diversity which is predominantly European in origin, particularly among the most basal species of the genus. We have examined the morphological disparity and affinities of the full living and fossil diversity of honey bees ranging from their earliest origins to the present day. This analysis indicates that honey bees exhibited a greater morphological disparity during the Oligocene and Miocene epochs, a time when the principal lineages were established, and that Apis apparently originated in Europe, spreading from there into Asia, Africa, and North America, with subsequent diversification in the former two regions and extinction in the latter. During the human migrations and colonization honey bees were once again introduced multiple times into the Americas, as well as into Australia and Asia.

Lower Silurian `hot shales' in North Africa and Arabia: regional distribution and depositional model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lüning, S.; Craig, J.; Loydell, D. K.; Štorch, P.; Fitches, B.

2000-03-01

Lowermost Silurian organic-rich (`hot') shales are the origin of 80-90% of Palaeozoic sourced hydrocarbons in North Africa and also played a major role in petroleum generation on the Arabian Peninsula. In most cases, the shales were deposited directly above upper Ordovician (peri-) glacial sandstones during the initial early Silurian transgression that was a result of the melting of the late Ordovician icecap. Deposition of the main organic-rich shale unit in the North African/Arabian region was restricted to the earliest Silurian Rhuddanian stage ( acuminatus, atavus and probably early cyphus graptolite biozones). During this short period (1-2 m.y.), a favourable combination of factors existed which led to the development of exceptionally strong oxygen-deficiency in the area. In most countries of the study area, the post-Rhuddanian Silurian shales are organically lean and have not contributed to petroleum generation. The distribution and thickness of the basal Silurian `hot' shales have been mapped in detail for the whole North African region, using logs from some 300 exploration wells in Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. In addition, all relevant, accessible published and unpublished surface and subsurface data of the lower Silurian shales in North Africa and Arabia have been reviewed, including sedimentological, biostratigraphic and organic geochemical data. The lowermost Silurian hot shales of northern Gondwana are laterally discontinuous and their distribution and thickness were controlled by the early Silurian palaeorelief which was shaped mainly by glacial processes of the late Ordovician ice age and by Pan-African and Infracambrian compressional and extensional tectonism. The thickest and areally most extensive basal Silurian organic-rich shales in North Africa occur in Algeria, Tunisia and western Libya, while on the Arabian Peninsula they are most prolific in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan and Iraq. The hot shales were not deposited in Egypt, which was a

The spread of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in Africa: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Manenzhe, Rendani I.; Zar, Heather J.; Nicol, Mark P.; Kaba, Mamadou

2015-01-01

Background Carbapenems are the last line of defence against ever more prevalent MDR Gram-negative bacteria, but their efficacy is threatened worldwide by bacteria that produce carbapenemase enzymes. The epidemiology of bacteria producing carbapenemases has been described in considerable detail in Europe, North America and Asia; however, little is known about their spread and clinical relevance in Africa. Methods We systematically searched in PubMed, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, Scopus, Elsevier Masson Consulte and African Journals Online, international conference proceedings, published theses and dissertations for studies reporting on carbapenemase-producing bacteria in Africa. We included articles published in English or French up to 28 February 2014. We calculated the prevalence of carbapenemase producers only including studies where the total number of isolates tested was at least 30. Results Eighty-three studies were included and analysed. Most studies were conducted in North Africa (74%, 61/83), followed by Southern Africa (12%, 10/83), especially South Africa (90%, 9/10), West Africa (8%, 7/83) and East Africa (6%, 6/83). Carbapenemase-producing bacteria were isolated from humans, the hospital environment and community environmental water samples, but not from animals. The prevalence of carbapenemase-producing isolates in hospital settings ranged from 2.3% to 67.7% in North Africa and from 9% to 60% in sub-Saharan Africa. Conclusions Carbapenemase-producing bacteria have been described in many African countries; however, their prevalence is poorly defined and has not been systematically studied. Antibiotic stewardship and surveillance systems, including molecular detection and genotyping of resistant isolates, should be implemented to monitor and reduce the spread of carbapenemase-producing bacteria. PMID:25261423

Aspects of Education in the Middle East and North Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brock, Colin, Ed.; Levers, Lila Zia

2007-01-01

The chapters in this volume do not represent the whole of the Middle East and North Africa, as such a collection would have been too large for one volume. Rather, the selection here is intended to present different perspectives on a range of educational issues, relevant to a particular focus or country, or common to a number of countries in the…

Near East and North Africa: A Selected Functional and Country Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foreign Service (Dept. of State), Washington, DC. Foreign Service Inst.

This selected bibliography focuses on the Near East and North Africa. Among the topics covered are: Documentary Collections, History, Politics, and International Relations, Islam and the Islamic World, the Arabs, Geography, Art, Literature, Education and Sociocultural Patterns, and Economics, Labor and Oil. An introduction to the series is in SO…

Serologic Evidence for Influenza C and D Virus among Ruminants and Camelids, Africa, 1991-2015.

PubMed

Salem, Elias; Cook, Elizabeth A J; Lbacha, Hicham Ait; Oliva, Justine; Awoume, Félix; Aplogan, Gilbert L; Hymann, Emmanuel Couacy; Muloi, Dishon; Deem, Sharon L; Alali, Said; Zouagui, Zaid; Fèvre, Eric M; Meyer, Gilles; Ducatez, Mariette F

2017-09-01

Influenza D virus has been identified in America, Europe, and Asia. We detected influenza D virus antibodies in cattle and small ruminants from North (Morocco) and West (Togo and Benin) Africa. Dromedary camels in Kenya harbored influenza C or D virus antibodies, indicating a potential new host for these viruses.

Teaching about Women and Islam in North Africa: Integrating Postcolonial Feminist Theory in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zayzafoon, Lamia Ben Youssef

2011-01-01

Using postcolonial feminist theory, the researcher attempts in this article to redefine the interpretive framework through which courses on Islam and North African women are being taught in American undergraduate classes. Several conceptual limitations have been identified: inadequate knowledge of the geography and history of North Africa; the…

Kaposi Sarcoma Risk in HIV-Infected Children and Adolescents on Combination Antiretroviral Therapy From Sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and Asia

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background. The burden of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected children and adolescents on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has not been compared globally. Methods. We analyzed cohort data from the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS and the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research in Europe. We included HIV-infected children aged <16 years at cART initiation from 1996 onward. We used Cox models to calculate hazard ratios (HRs), adjusted for region and origin, sex, cART start year, age, and HIV/AIDS stage at cART initiation. Results. We included 24 991 children from eastern Africa, southern Africa, Europe and Asia; 26 developed KS after starting cART. Incidence rates per 100 000 person-years (PYs) were 86 in eastern Africa (95% confidence interval [CI], 55–133), 11 in southern Africa (95% CI, 4–35), and 81 (95% CI, 26–252) in children of sub-Saharan African (SSA) origin in Europe. The KS incidence rates were 0/100 000 PYs in children of non-SSA origin in Europe (95% CI, 0–50) and in Asia (95% CI, 0–27). KS risk was lower in girls than in boys (adjusted HR [aHR], 0.3; 95% CI, .1–.9) and increased with age (10–15 vs 0–4 years; aHR, 3.4; 95% CI, 1.2–10.1) and advanced HIV/AIDS stage (CDC stage C vs A/B; aHR, 2.4; 95% CI, .8–7.3) at cART initiation. Conclusions. HIV-infected children from SSA but not those from other regions, have a high risk of developing KS after cART initiation. Early cART initiation in these children might reduce KS risk. PMID:27578823

Observational evidence of planetary wave influences on ozone enhancements over upper troposphere North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mengistu Tsidu, Gizaw; Ture, Kassahun; Sivakumar, V.

2013-07-01

MOZAIC instrument measured enhanced ozone on two occasions in February, 1996 and 1997 at cruise altitude over North Africa. The cause and source of ozone enhancements over the region are investigated using additional reanalysis data from ERA-Interim. The ERA-Interim reprocessed GOME ozone indicated existence of enhancement as well. Both observational data revealed that the increase in ozone has wider latitudinal coverage extending from North Europe upto North Africa. The geopotential heights and zonal wind from ERA-Interim have indicated existence of planetary-scale flow that allowed meridional airmass exchanges between subtropics and higher latitudes. The presence of troughs-ridge pattern are attributable to large amplitude waves of zonal wavenumber 1-5 propagating eastward in the winter hemisphere westerly current as determined from Hayashi spectra as well as local fractional variance spectra determined from Multitaper Method-Singular Value Decomposition (MTM-SVD) spectral method. MTM-SVD is also used to understand the role of these waves on ozone enhancement and variability during the observation period in a mechanistic approach. A joint analysis of driving field, such as wind and potential vorticity (PV) for which only signals of the dominant zonal wavenumbers of prevailing planetary waves are retained, has revealed strong linkage between wave activity and ozone enhancement over the region at a temporal cycle of 5.8 days. One of these features is the displacement of the polar vortex southward during the enhancements, allowing strong airmass, energy and momentum exchanges. Evidence of cutoff laws that are formed within the deep trough, characteristics of Rossby wave breaking, is also seen in the ozone horizontal distribution at different pressure levels during the events. The reconstruction of signals with the cycle of 5.8 days has shown that the time and strength of enhancement depend on the circulation patterns dictated by planetary-scale flow relative to the

Dust aerosol and optical properties over North Africa simulated with the ALADIN numerical prediction model from 2006 to 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mokhtari, M.; Tulet, P.; Fischer, C.; Bouteloup, Y.; Bouyssel, F.; Brachemi, O.

2015-02-01

The seasonal cycle and optical properties of mineral dust aerosols in North Africa were simulated for the period from 2006 to 2010 using the numerical atmospheric model ALADIN coupled to the surface scheme SURFEX. The particularity of the simulations is that the major physical processes responsible for dust emission and transport, as well as radiative effects, are taken into account at short timescales and mesoscale resolution. The aim of these simulations is to quantify the dust emission and deposition, locate the major areas of dust emission and establish a climatology of aerosol optical properties in North Africa. The mean monthly Aerosol Optical Thickness (AOT) simulated by ALADIN is compared with the AOTs derived from the standard Dark Target (DT) and Deep Blue (DB) algorithms of the Aqua-MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) products over North Africa, and with a set of sun photometer measurements located at Banizoumbou, Cinzana, Soroa, Mbour and Capo Verde. The vertical distribution of dust aerosol represented by extinction profiles is also analysed using CALIOP (Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization) observations. The annual dust emission simulated by ALADIN over North Africa is 878 Tg year-1. The Bodélé depression appears to be the main area of dust emission in North Africa, with an average estimate of about 21.6 Tg year-1. The simulated AOTs are in good agreement with satellite and sun photometer observations. The positions of the maxima of the modelled AOTs over North Africa match the observed positions, and the ALADIN simulations satisfactorily reproduce the various dust events over the 2006-2010 period. The AOT climatology proposed in this paper provides a solid database of optical properties and consolidates the existing climatology over this region derived from satellites, the AERONET network and Regional Climate Models. Moreover, the three-dimensional distribution of the simulated AOTs also provides information about the

SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION POLICY APPROACHES IN NORTH AMERICA, EUROPE, AND AUSTRALIA. (R825761)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

Soil and water conservation policies and programs in developed countries in North America, Europe, and Australia are examined in the context of their effectiveness for addressing environmental degradation associated with technology-intensive agricultural syste...

North American populations of Entoleuca mammata are genetically more variable than populations in Europe

Treesearch

Risto Kasanen; Jarkko Hantula; Michael Ostry; Jean Pinon; Timo Kurkela

2004-01-01

Entoleuca mammata (syn. Hypoxylon mammatum) is a damaging pathogen of Populus tremuloides and P. grandidentata in North America and P. tremula in Europe, where the fungus occurs only sporadically in alpine regions and Scandinavia. It has been hypothesized that E....

The spread of carbapenemase-producing bacteria in Africa: a systematic review.

PubMed

Manenzhe, Rendani I; Zar, Heather J; Nicol, Mark P; Kaba, Mamadou

2015-01-01

Carbapenems are the last line of defence against ever more prevalent MDR Gram-negative bacteria, but their efficacy is threatened worldwide by bacteria that produce carbapenemase enzymes. The epidemiology of bacteria producing carbapenemases has been described in considerable detail in Europe, North America and Asia; however, little is known about their spread and clinical relevance in Africa. We systematically searched in PubMed, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, Scopus, Elsevier Masson Consulte and African Journals Online, international conference proceedings, published theses and dissertations for studies reporting on carbapenemase-producing bacteria in Africa. We included articles published in English or French up to 28 February 2014. We calculated the prevalence of carbapenemase producers only including studies where the total number of isolates tested was at least 30. Eighty-three studies were included and analysed. Most studies were conducted in North Africa (74%, 61/83), followed by Southern Africa (12%, 10/83), especially South Africa (90%, 9/10), West Africa (8%, 7/83) and East Africa (6%, 6/83). Carbapenemase-producing bacteria were isolated from humans, the hospital environment and community environmental water samples, but not from animals. The prevalence of carbapenemase-producing isolates in hospital settings ranged from 2.3% to 67.7% in North Africa and from 9% to 60% in sub-Saharan Africa. Carbapenemase-producing bacteria have been described in many African countries; however, their prevalence is poorly defined and has not been systematically studied. Antibiotic stewardship and surveillance systems, including molecular detection and genotyping of resistant isolates, should be implemented to monitor and reduce the spread of carbapenemase-producing bacteria. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of operational online-coupled regional air quality models over Europe and North America in the context of AQMEII phase 2. Part 1: Ozone”

EPA Science Inventory

The second phase of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) brought together sixteen modeling groups from Europe and North America, running eight operational online-coupled air quality models over Europe and North America on common emissions and boundar...

Effects of the "New Climate" warmed in Northern Africa and Western Europe: the situation of meteorological drought and floods 2015-2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karrouk, M. S.

2016-12-01

"New Climate" subjected to North Africa, Western Europe and geoclimatic midlatitude space atmospheric effects of the new regime characterized by the supremacy of the Meridian Atmospheric Circulation (MAC), by alternating cool conditions (humidity) heat (drought) along the year, and imposes situation of anxiety and perplexity towards their socio-economic activities; shoved agricultural calendar, hesitant policymakers, uncertainty and waiting, ... etc.The recent example of the fall-winter 2015-2016 is indicative of the conditions that have left a deep psychological, economic and social footprint on the North African and West European people.During this period, the summer heat has extended to the end of autumn and even winter. And precipitation contracted by more than 51% of accumulated rainfall autumn in Morocco, compared with the same period a normal year. A slowdown in economic growth has been felt since last December and was extended until the rains return (and snow!) In mid February 2016.Weather conditions during this period were marked by the succession and persistence of very active planetary crests (Azores anticyclone), projected to the northern borders of Western Europe (Heat Christmas 2015!), rejecting the negative waves (polar Vortex) to the east: Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, the Balkans, Anatolia, and even the Middle East.These conditions are the consequences of the "New Climate" warmed, strengthened by the strong El Niño event in 2015.The identification of hemispheric and regional climate mechanisms of these atmospheric regime systems based on energy balance and atmospheric circulation will be defined, with links of cause and effect, in view of integrating these characters to extreme events in the New Climate Warmed.

COMPARISON OF SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS FROM MAJOR OZONE FIELD STUDIES IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE

EPA Science Inventory

During the past decade, nearly 600 million dollars were invested in more than 30 major field studies in North America and Europe examining tropospheric ozone chemistry, meteorology, precursor emissions, and modeling. Most of these studies were undertaken to provide new or refin...

Differences in Reliability of Reproductive History Recall among Women in North Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soliman, Amr; Allen, Katharine; Lo, An-Chi; Banerjee, Mousumi; Hablas, Ahmed; Benider, Abdellatif; Benchekroun, Nadya; Samir, Salwa; Omar, Hoda G.; Merajver, Sofia; Mullan, Patricia

2009-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in North Africa. Women in this region have unique reproductive profiles. It is essential to obtain reliable information on reproductive histories to help better understand the relationship between reductive health and breast cancer. We tested the reliability of a reproductive history-based…

Are Stronger North-Atlantic Southwesterlies the Forcing to the Late-Winter Warming in Europe?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.; Atlas, Robert; Chou, S.-H.; Jusem, J. C.; Pielke, R. A., Sr.; Chase, T. N.; Rogers, J.; Russell, G. L.; Schubert, S. D.; Sud, Y. C.

2001-01-01

We examine a possible mechanism leading to late-winter warming and thus to an early spring in Europe. From the NCEP Reanalysis, we extract for the years 1948-1999 ocean-surface winds over the eastern North Atlantic, and air temperatures at the surface, T(sub s), and at the 500 mb level, T(sub 500), in late-winter and spring. T(sub s) is extracted at six European locations, all at 50.5 N, ranging in longitude from 1.9 E (northeastern France) to 26.2 E (Ukraine). To quantify the advection of maritime air into Europe, we evaluate for 3-pentad groups the Index I(sub na) of the southwesterlies at 45 N; 20 W: I(sub na) is the average wind speed at this point if the direction is from the quadrant 180-270 deg (when the direction is different, the contribution counts as zero). In late winter correlations C(sub it) between the Index I(sub na) and the temperature T(sub s) are substantial, up to the 0.6 level, in western Europe (but weaker correlations for Poland and Ukraine). C(sub it) drops sharply by mid-March, taking occasionally negative values subsequently. This drop in C(sub it) indicates that maritime air advection is no longer associated closely with the surface-air warming, the role of immolation becomes important, and thus the drop in C(sub it) marks the arrival of spring. Correlations C(sub i delta) between I(sub na) and our lapse-rate parameter delta, the difference between T(sub s) and T(sub 500), indicate that the flow of warm maritime-air from the North Atlantic into this 'corridor' at 50.5 N is predominantly at low tropospheric level. By computing the best linear fit to I(sub na) and T(sub s), the trends for the period 1948-1999 are evaluated. The trends are appreciable in the second half of February and the first half of March. Our 3-pentad analysis points to the interval from mid-February to mid-March as the end-of-winter period in which the southwesterlies over the eastern North Atlantic become stronger and the surface-air temperatures in Europe rise

Posttraumatic stress in emergency settings outside North America and Europe: A review of the emic literature

PubMed Central

Rasmussen, Andrew; Keatley, Eva; Joscelyne, Amy

2014-01-01

Mental health professionals from North America and Europe have become common participants in postconflict and disaster relief efforts outside of North America and Europe. Consistent with their training, these practitioners focus primarily on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as their primary diagnostic concern. Most research that has accompanied humanitarian aid efforts has likewise originated in North America and Europe, has focused on PTSD, and in turn has reinforced practitioners’ assumptions about the universality of the diagnosis. In contrast, studies that have attempted to identify how local populations conceptualize posttrauma reactions portray a wide range of psychological states. We review this emic literature in order to examine differences and commonalities across local posttraumatic cultural concepts of distress (CCDs). We focus on symptoms to describe these constructs – i.e., using the dominant neo-Kraepelinian approach used in North American and European psychiatry – as opposed to focusing on explanatory models in order to examine whether positive comparisons of PTSD to CCDs meet criteria for face validity. Hierarchical clustering (Ward’s method) of symptoms within CCDs provides a portrait of the emic literature characterized by traumatic multifinality with several common themes. Global variety within the literature suggests that few disaster-affected populations have mental health nosologies that include PTSD-like syndromes. One reason for this seems to be the almost complete absence of avoidance as pathology. Many nosologies contain depression-like disorders. Relief efforts would benefit from mental health practitioners getting specific training in culture-bound posttrauma constructs when entering settings beyond the boundaries of the culture of their training and practice. PMID:24698712

A North American and global survey of perfluoroalkyl substances in surface soils: Distribution patterns and mode of occurrence

EPA Science Inventory

The distribution of 32 per/polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in surface soils was determined at 62 locations representing all continents (North America n = 33, Europe n = 10, Asia n = 6, Africa n = 5, Australia n = 4, South America n = 3 and Antarctica n = 1) using ultra perform...

Genetic comparison of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus isolates from North America and Europe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oshima, K.H.; Higman, K.H.; Arakawa, C.K.; de Kinkelin, P.; Jorgensen, P.E.V.; Meyers, T.R.; Winton, J.R.

1993-01-01

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is the cdusative agent of a serious rhabdoviral d~sease of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus myklss in Europe The first isolation of the vlrus in North Amenca occurred In the fall of 1988 when it was recovered from adult chinook 0 tshawytscha and coho 0 klsutch salmon returning to 2 hatcher~es in the state of Washington, USA The following year, VHSV was isolated from adult coho salmon at 2 other hatcher~es in northwestern Washington In 1990 and 1991, VHSV was recovered from Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus caught in Pnnce Willlam Sound, Alaska Genetic vanation among the 4 isolates from salmon and the 1990 ~solate from Pacific cod was determ~ned uslng T1 nbonuclease finqerprlnt~ng In addition, 4 d~verse isolates from Europe were lncluded for companson The North Amencan isolates of VHSV formed a slngle fingerprint group In which the 4 isolates from salmonids were h~ghly similar to each other and the isolate from Pacific cod was related but less s~milar The 4 European ~solates which included an isolate from Atlantic cod G morhua, formed a second fingerpnnt group The genetic d~vers~ty among the isolates within each fingerpnnt group was estimated to be less than 5 % whlle the North Amencan and European strains of the virus were judged to differ by more than 5% The results indicate that the North Amerlcan isolates of VHSV are not of European ongln and that the virus may be enzootic wlthin the manne environment.

Evaluation of operational online-coupled regional air quality models over Europe and North America in the context of AQMEII phase 2. Part II: Particulate Matter

EPA Science Inventory

The second phase of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) brought together seventeen modeling groups from Europe and North America, running eight operational online-coupled air quality models over Europe and North America on common emissions and bound...

POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT AND POLITICAL INTEGRATION IN THE ISLAMIC NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA.

DTIC Science & Technology

trends in these countries, about the constraints on their foreign policies and about their potential for achieving political stability . More...specifically, this research has been directed at the question of whether the countries of the Near East and North Africa can achieve political stability without

Translations on Near East and North Africa. Number 1593, New Valley Development Projects.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-12-17

People’s Demo- cratic Republic of Yemen _Persian Gulf Area Qatar _Saudi Arabia _Spanish North Africa Sudan _Sultanate of Oman _Syria...and organizing the drainage situation. We have acquired the use of the highest-quality pipe materials used in wells and a knowledge of aquifers . We

Telemedicine as a Tool for Europe-Africa Cooperation: A Practical Experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinis, Manuel; Santiago, Fernando; Silva, Luís; Ferreira, Ricardo; Machado, José; Castela, Eduardo

This paper presents the experience of an Europe-Africa telemedicine network, focused on the pediatric area, and involving hospitals located in Luanda (Angola), Benguela (Angola), Praia (Cape Verde) and Coimbra (Portugal). In the scope of this network, the cooperation between these hospitals goes beyond the teleconsultation sessions. Tele-training, clinical experience exchange, patient transfer agreements and health staff training to local development of new medical capabilities are some of the involved activities. It is therefore agreed that this kind of technical and knowledge network could also be expanded to other African countries with clear benefits to the local citizens, overcoming the digital-divide and improving the cooperation between developed and developing countries.

Evaluation of a regional mineral dust model over Northern Africa, Southern Europe and Middle East with AERONET data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basart, S.; Pérez, C.; Cuevas, E.; Baldasano, J. M.

2009-04-01

the model to reproduce AOD (at 550nm) associated to mineral dust 24, 48 and 72h ahead. A suit of discrete statistics as Mean Normalized Bias Error (MNBE), Mean Normalized Gross Error (MNGE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) has been used in order to evaluate the model behaviour. Categorical statistics or skill scores, as model accuracy, bias, probability of detection, false alarm rate and critical success index have been implemented to test the capability of the model to simulate AOD exceeding thresholds defined by the quartiles of each AERONET site. A previous aerosol characterization of AERONET data has been performed for our study region in order to discriminate desert dust contributions (Basart et al., 2008). The first results of the comparison reveal that the modelled dust field agrees in general reasonably well with sun photometer data. Since dust long-range transport is mainly driven by smaller dust particles, the results of this new 8-bins version (with increased number of dust size bins) is considerably better, since the small particle size range (<10µm effective radius) is well described. The best scores are found in North Africa and Middle East. In the Sahel region, an important sub-estimation is observed in wintertime, when the Atlantic outflow transport is important. This is partially due to the more complex processes associated to dust generation in this region (Warren et al., 2007), not well parameterized in dust models yet. Other causes, such as the correct simulation of regional winds or the threshold friction velocity are under research. Moreover, the interaction of mineral dust and biomass burning aerosols from Savannah fires is at its maximum over the region in this season. In southern Europe, the relative errors are higher than in the rest of our study domain mainly due to the presence of different types of aerosols (such as fine pollution aerosols) which appear well-mixed with desert dust. References: Basart, S., C. Pérez, E. Cuevas and J

North Atlantic Oscillation and pollutants variability in Europe: model analysis and measurements intercomparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pausata, F.; Pozzoli, L.; Van Dingenen, R.; Vignati, E.; Cavalli, F.; Dentener, F. J.

2013-12-01

Ozone pollution and particulate matter (PM) represent a serious health and environmental problem. While ozone pollution is mostly produced by photochemistry in summer, PM is of main concern during winter. Both pollutants can be influenced nt only by local scale processes but also by long range transport driven by the atmospheric circulation and stratospheric ozone intrusions. We analyze the role of large scale atmospheric circulation variability in the North Atlantic basin in determining surface ozone and PM concentrations over Europe. Here, we show, using ground station measurements and a coupled atmosphere-chemistry model simulation for the period 1980-2005, that with regard to ozone the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) does affect surface ozone concentrations - on a monthly timescale, over 10 ppbv in southwestern, central and northern Europe - during all seasons except fall. We find that the first Principal Component, computed from the time variation of the sea level pressure (SLP) field, detects the atmosphere circulation/ozone relationship not only in winter and spring but also during summer, when the atmospheric circulation weakens and regional photochemical processes peak. Given the NAO forecasting skill at intraseasonal time scale, the first Principal Component of the SLP field could be used as an indicator to identify areas more exposed to forthcoming ozone pollution events. Finally, our results suggest that the increasing baseline ozone in western and northern Europe during the 1990s could be related to the prevailing positive phase of the NAO in that period. With regard to PM, our study shows that in winter the NAO modulates surface PM concentrations accounting in average up to 30% of the total PM variability. During positive NAO phases, positive PM anomalies occur over southern Europe, and negative anomalies in central-northern Europe. A positve shift of the NAO mean states, hence, leads to an increase in cardiac and resipratory morbidity related to PM

Revolution and Journalism Higher Education in the Middle East/North Africa Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schafer, Shaun T.

2012-01-01

The disruptions brought by the Arab Spring revolutions in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region in 2010-2011 created a series of personal and professional challenges for those involved in higher education in journalism in the region. This research uses narrative inquiry to examine the impact revolution had on a group of educators in the MENA…

Out of Africa: the importance of rivers as human migration corridors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramirez, J. A.; Coulthard, T. J.; Rogerson, M.; Barton, N.; Bruecher, T.

2013-12-01

The route and timing of Homo sapiens exiting Africa remains uncertain. Corridors leading out of Africa through the Sahara, the Nile Valley, and the Red Sea coast have been proposed as migration routes for anatomically modern humans 80,000-130,000 years ago. During this time climate conditions in the Sahara were wetter than present day, and monsoon rainfall fed rivers that flowed across the desert landscape. The location and timing of these rivers may have supported human migration northward from central Africa to the Mediterranean coast, and onwards to Europe or Asia. Here, we use palaeoclimate rainfall and a hydrological model to spatially simulate and quantitatively test the existence of three major rivers crossing the Sahara from south to north during the time of human migration. We provide evidence that, given realistic underlying climatology, the well-known Sahabi and Kufrah rivers very likely flowed across modern day Libya and reached the coast. More unexpectedly an additional river crossed the core of the Sahara through Algeria (Irharhar river) and flowed into the Chotts basin. The Irharhar river is unique, because it links locations in central Africa experiencing monsoon climates with temperate coastal Mediterranean environments where food and resources were likely abundant. From an ecological perspective, this little-known corridor may prove to be the most parsimonious migration route. Support for the Irharar as a viable migration corridor is provided by its geographic proximity to middle Stone Age archaeological artefacts found in North Africa. Our new, highly novel approach provides the first quantitative analysis of the likelihood that rivers occurred during the critical period of human migration out of Africa. Simulated probability of surface water in North Africa during the last interglacial and the location of tools and ornaments from the Middle Stone Age.

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in Africa, Europe and the Middle East: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background This is the second in a series of three articles documenting the geographical distribution of 41 dominant vector species (DVS) of human malaria. The first paper addressed the DVS of the Americas and the third will consider those of the Asian Pacific Region. Here, the DVS of Africa, Europe and the Middle East are discussed. The continent of Africa experiences the bulk of the global malaria burden due in part to the presence of the An. gambiae complex. Anopheles gambiae is one of four DVS within the An. gambiae complex, the others being An. arabiensis and the coastal An. merus and An. melas. There are a further three, highly anthropophilic DVS in Africa, An. funestus, An. moucheti and An. nili. Conversely, across Europe and the Middle East, malaria transmission is low and frequently absent, despite the presence of six DVS. To help control malaria in Africa and the Middle East, or to identify the risk of its re-emergence in Europe, the contemporary distribution and bionomics of the relevant DVS are needed. Results A contemporary database of occurrence data, compiled from the formal literature and other relevant resources, resulted in the collation of information for seven DVS from 44 countries in Africa containing 4234 geo-referenced, independent sites. In Europe and the Middle East, six DVS were identified from 2784 geo-referenced sites across 49 countries. These occurrence data were combined with expert opinion ranges and a suite of environmental and climatic variables of relevance to anopheline ecology to produce predictive distribution maps using the Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) method. Conclusions The predicted geographic extent for the following DVS (or species/suspected species complex*) is provided for Africa: Anopheles (Cellia) arabiensis, An. (Cel.) funestus*, An. (Cel.) gambiae, An. (Cel.) melas, An. (Cel.) merus, An. (Cel.) moucheti and An. (Cel.) nili*, and in the European and Middle Eastern Region: An. (Anopheles) atroparvus, An. (Ano

Linking Climate to Incidence of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (L. major) in Pre-Saharan North Africa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bounoua, Lahouari; Kahime, Kholoud; Houti, Leila

Shifts in surface climate may have changed the dynamic of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ZCL) in the pre-Saharan zones of North Africa. Caused by Leishmania major, this form multiplies in the body of rodents serving as reservoirs of the disease. The parasite is then transmitted to human hosts by the bite of a Phlebotomine sand fly (Diptera: Psychodidae) that was previously fed by biting an infected reservoir. We examine the seasonal and interannual dynamics of the incidence of this ZCL as a function of surface climate indicators in two regions covering a large area of the semi-arid Pre-Saharan North Africa. Resultsmore » suggest that in this area, changes in climate may have initiated a trophic cascade that resulted in an increase in ZCL incidence.« less

Twentieth-century atmospheric river activity along the west coasts of Europe and North America: algorithm formulation, reanalysis uncertainty and links to atmospheric circulation patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brands, S.; Gutiérrez, J. M.; San-Martín, D.

2017-05-01

A new atmospheric-river detection and tracking scheme based on the magnitude and direction of integrated water vapour transport is presented and applied separately over 13 regions located along the west coasts of Europe (including North Africa) and North America. Four distinct reanalyses are considered, two of which cover the entire twentieth-century: NOAA-CIRES Twentieth Century Reanalysis v2 (NOAA-20C) and ECMWF ERA-20C. Calculations are done separately for the OND and JFM-season and, for comparison with previous studies, for the ONDJFM-season as a whole. Comparing the AR-counts from NOAA-20C and ERA-20C with a running 31-year window looping through 1900-2010 reveals differences in the climatological mean and inter-annual variability which, at the start of the twentieth-century, are much more pronounced in western North America than in Europe. Correlating European AR-counts with the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) reveals a pattern reminiscent of the well-know precipitation dipole which is stable throughout the entire century. A similar analysis linking western North American AR-counts to the North Pacific index (NPI) is hampered by the aforementioned poor reanalysis agreement at the start of the century. During the second half of the twentieth-century, the strength of the NPI-link considerably varies with time in British Columbia and the Gulf of Alaska. Considering the period 1950-2010, AR-counts are then associated with other relevant large-scale circulation indices such as the East Atlantic, Scandinavian, Pacific-North American and West Pacific patterns (EA, SCAND, PNA and WP). Along the Atlantic coastline of the Iberian Peninsula and France, the EA-link is stronger than the NAO-link if the OND season is considered and the SCAND-link found in northern Europe is significant during both seasons. Along the west coast of North America, teleconnections are generally stronger during JFM in which case the NPI-link is significant in any of the five considered

Epidemiology, causes, and treatment of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Ba-Diop, Awa; Marin, Benoît; Druet-Cabanac, Michel; Ngoungou, Edgard B; Newton, Charles R; Preux, Pierre-Marie

2014-10-01

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease in tropical countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Previous work on epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa has shown that many cases are severe, partly a result of some specific causes, that it carries a stigma, and that it is not adequately treated in many cases. Many studies on the epidemiology, aetiology, and management of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa have been reported in the past 10 years. The prevalence estimated from door-to-door studies is almost double that in Asia, Europe, and North America. The most commonly implicated risk factors are birth trauma, CNS infections, and traumatic brain injury. About 60% of patients with epilepsy receive no antiepileptic treatment, largely for economic and social reasons. Further epidemiological studies should be a priority to improve understanding of possible risk factors and thereby the prevention of epilepsy in Africa, and action should be taken to improve access to treatment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology, causes, and treatment of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Ba-Diop, Awa; Marin, Benoît; Druet-Cabanac, Michel; Ngoungou, Edgard B; Newton, Charles R; Preux, Pierre-Marie

2017-01-01

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease in tropical countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Previous work on epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa has shown that many cases are severe, partly a result of some specific causes, that it carries a stigma, and that it is not adequately treated in many cases. Many studies on the epidemiology, aetiology, and management of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa have been reported in the past 10 years. The prevalence estimated from door-to-door studies is almost double that in Asia, Europe, and North America. The most commonly implicated risk factors are birth trauma, CNS infections, and traumatic brain injury. About 60% of patients with epilepsy receive no antiepileptic treatment, largely for economic and social reasons. Further epidemiological studies should be a priority to improve understanding of possible risk factors and thereby the prevention of epilepsy in Africa, and action should be taken to improve access to treatment. PMID:25231525

Petroleum developments in North Africa in 1979

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nicod, M.A.

In the 6 countries covered by this report, the extent of valid petroleum rights, seismic work, and drilling was nearly the same as in 1978. The success rate of wildcat drilling decreased slightly, to 28% (33% in 1978), with 26 oil or gas discoveries. In southwestern Tunisia, the Amoco Sabrina Nord 1 tested 930 bbl of 39/sup 0/ APl oil from Cambrian-Ordovician sandstones - the first oil to come from lower Paleozoic rocks in Tunisia. First commercial oil from Cambrian-Ordovician rocks in western Libya was discovered by Agip A1-NC40 which flowed 1,400 b/d. Highlight of the year in North Africamore » was in the interior basin of Sudan where the Chevron Abu Gabra 1 tested 900 BOPD of 40/sup 0/ APl oil from Cretaceous rocks; 2 other wells, spudded in late 1979 in the same area, have tested 3,200 and 7,300 b/d, respectively, in early 1980. Discovery well of the interior basin was Chevron Unity 1 which tested small amounts of oil in 1978. Oil production in North Africa in 1979 averaged 3,939,500 b/d compared with 3,802,800 b/d in 1978, an increase of 3.6%.« less

Mineralogical maturity in dunefields of North America, Africa and Australia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, D.R.

2004-01-01

Studies of dunefields in central and western North America show that mineralogical maturity can provide new insights into the origin and evolution of aeolian sand bodies. Many of the world's great sand seas in Africa, Asia and Australia are quartz-dominated and thus can be considered to be mineralogically mature. The Algodones (California) and Parker (Arizona) dunes in the southwestern United States are also mature, but have inherited a high degree of mineralogical maturity from quartz-rich sedimentary rocks drained by the Colorado River. In Libya, sediments of the Zallaf sand sea, which are almost pure quartz, may have originated in a similar fashion. The Fort Morgan (Colorado) and Casper (Wyoming) dunefields in the central Great Plains of North America, and the Namib sand sea of southern Africa have an intermediate degree of mineralogical maturity because their sources are large rivers that drained both unweathered plutonic and metamorphic rocks and mature sedimentary rocks. Mojave Desert dunefields in the southwestern United States are quite immature because they are in basins adjacent to plutonic rocks that were their sources. Other dunefields in the Great Plains of North America (those in Nebraska and Texas) are more mature than any possible source sediments and therefore reflect mineralogical evolution over time. Such changes in composition can occur because of either of two opposing long-term states of the dunefield. In one state, dunes are stable for long periods of time and chemical weathering depletes feldspars and other weatherable minerals in the sediment body. In the other state, which is most likely for the Great Plains, abrasion and ballistic impacts deplete the carbonate minerals and feldspars because the dunes are active for longer periods than they are stable. ?? 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The history of the North African mitochondrial DNA haplogroup U6 gene flow into the African, Eurasian and American continents

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome analyses have greatly improved the phylogeny and phylogeography of human mtDNA. Human mitochondrial DNA haplogroup U6 has been considered as a molecular signal of a Paleolithic return to North Africa of modern humans from southwestern Asia. Results Using 230 complete sequences we have refined the U6 phylogeny, and improved the phylogeographic information by the analysis of 761 partial sequences. This approach provides chronological limits for its arrival to Africa, followed by its spreads there according to climatic fluctuations, and its secondary prehistoric and historic migrations out of Africa colonizing Europe, the Canary Islands and the American Continent. Conclusions The U6 expansions and contractions inside Africa faithfully reflect the climatic fluctuations that occurred in this Continent affecting also the Canary Islands. Mediterranean contacts drove these lineages to Europe, at least since the Neolithic. In turn, the European colonization brought different U6 lineages throughout the American Continent leaving the specific sign of the colonizers origin. PMID:24885141

Attraction of Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) haplotypes in North America and Europe to baited traps

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Halyomorpha halys is a global invasive species native to Southeast Asia that is threatening agriculture in invaded regions. While pheromone-based monitoring tools for H. halys have been validated in North America and South Korea, their efficacy has not been widely evaluated in Europe. Our goals were...

State-of-the-art practices in farmland biodiversity monitoring for North America and Europe.

PubMed

Herzog, Felix; Franklin, Janet

2016-12-01

Policy makers and farmers need to know the status of farmland biodiversity in order to meet conservation goals and evaluate management options. Based on a review of 11 monitoring programs in Europe and North America and on related literature, we identify the design choices or attributes of a program that balance monitoring costs and usefulness for stakeholders. A useful program monitors habitats, vascular plants, and possibly faunal groups (ecosystem service providers, charismatic species) using a stratified random sample of the agricultural landscape, including marginal and intensive regions. The size of landscape samples varies with the grain of the agricultural landscape; for example, samples are smaller in Europe and larger in North America. Raw data are collected in a rolling survey, which distributes sampling over several years. Sufficient practical experience is now available to implement broad monitoring schemes on both continents. Technological developments in remote sensing, metagenomics, and social media may offer new opportunities for affordable farmland biodiversity monitoring and help to lower the overall costs of monitoring programs.

New Planetary Energy Balance, Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction and their Effects on Extreme Events in North Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karrouk, Mohammed-Said

2016-04-01

Global warming has now reached the energetic phase of H2O's return to the ground after the saturation of the atmosphere in evaporation since the 80s and 90s of the last century, which were characterized by severe droughts, mainly in Africa. This phase is the result of the accumulation of thermal energy exchanges in the Earth-Ocean-Atmosphere system that resulted in the thrust reversal of the energy balance toward the poles. This situation is characterized by a new thermal distribution: above the ocean, the situation is more in surplus compared to the mainland, or even opposite when the balance is negative on the land, and in the atmosphere, warm thermal advection easily reach the North Pole (planetary crests), as well as cold advection push deep into North Africa and the Gulf of Mexico (planetary valleys). This "New Ground Energy Balance" establishes a "New Meridian Atmospheric Circulation (MAC)" with an undulating character throughout the year, including the winter characterized by intense latitudinal very active energy exchanges between the surplus areas (tropical) and the deficit (polar) on the one hand, and the atmosphere, the ocean and the continent on the other. The excess radiation balance increases the potential evaporation of the atmosphere and provides a new geographical distribution of H2O worldwide: the excess water vapor is easily converted by cold advection (polar vortex) to heavy rains that cause floods or snow storms that paralyze the normal functioning of human activities, which creates many difficulties for users and leaves damage and casualties, but ensures water availability missing since a long time in many parts of the world, in Africa, Europe and America. The new thermal distribution reorganizes the geography of atmospheric pressure: the ocean energy concentration is transmitted directly to the atmosphere, and the excess torque is pushed northward. The Azores anticyclone is strengthened and is a global lock by the Atlantic ridge at Greenland

Where Europe meets Africa

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-03-23

Data from a portion of the imagery acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft during 2000-2002 were combined to create this cloud-free natural-color mosaic of southwestern Europe and northwestern Morocco and Algeria.

a Heritage Inventory for Documenting Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheldrick, N.; Zerbini, A.

2017-08-01

The heritage of the Middle East and North Africa is under growing threat from a variety of factors, including agricultural expansion, urban development, looting, and conflict. Recording and documenting this heritage is therefore a key priority to aid heritage practitioners tasked with protecting sites and evaluating their condition on the ground. The Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (EAMENA) project has developed a methodology for the identification, documentation, analysis, and monitoring of sites across the region to aid heritage professionals in these efforts. The project uses remote sensing techniques along with traditional archaeological research and prospection methods to collect data, which are stored and managed in a custom-designed database adapted from open-source Arches v.3 software, using CIDOC CRM standards and controlled vocabularies. In addition to these activities, the EAMENA project has initiated an international conference series and training workshops to support and establish partnerships with heritage professionals and institutions across the region.

White-nose syndrome without borders: Pseudogymnoascus destructans infection tolerated in Europe and Palearctic Asia but not in North America.

PubMed

Zukal, Jan; Bandouchova, Hana; Brichta, Jiri; Cmokova, Adela; Jaron, Kamil S; Kolarik, Miroslav; Kovacova, Veronika; Kubátová, Alena; Nováková, Alena; Orlov, Oleg; Pikula, Jiri; Presetnik, Primož; Šuba, Jurģis; Zahradníková, Alexandra; Martínková, Natália

2016-01-29

A striking feature of white-nose syndrome, a fungal infection of hibernating bats, is the difference in infection outcome between North America and Europe. Here we show high WNS prevalence both in Europe and on the West Siberian Plain in Asia. Palearctic bat communities tolerate similar fungal loads of Pseudogymnoascus destructans infection as their Nearctic counterparts and histopathology indicates equal focal skin tissue invasiveness pathognomonic for WNS lesions. Fungal load positively correlates with disease intensity and it reaches highest values at intermediate latitudes. Prevalence and fungal load dynamics in Palearctic bats remained persistent and high between 2012 and 2014. Dominant haplotypes of five genes are widespread in North America, Europe and Asia, expanding the source region of white-nose syndrome to non-European hibernacula. Our data provides evidence for both endemicity and tolerance to this persistent virulent fungus in the Palearctic, suggesting that host-pathogen interaction equilibrium has been established.

HIV Surveillance and Epidemic Profile in the Middle East and North Africa

PubMed Central

Shawky, Sherine; Soliman, Cherif; Kassak, Kassem M.; Oraby, Doaa; El-Khoury, Danielle; Kabore, Inoussa

2011-01-01

Summary HIV infection is the most devastating infection that has emerged in the recent history. The risk of being infected can be associated with both individual’s knowledge and behavior and community vulnerability influenced by cultural norms, laws, politics, and social practices. Despite that the countries in the Middle East and North Africa have succeeded in keeping low the HIV epidemic rates, the number of identified infected cases are increasing. Since the appearance of the first AIDS cases, all the national authorities devoted their efforts to abort the epidemic in its early stages. The rate of new HIV infections across the Middle East and North Africa region are not at an alarming level, but the need for a concerted effort from nation-states and nongovernmental organizations to stem the spread of the virus across the region is vital. Most countries of the region have put in place better information systems to track the HIV epidemic, yet the passive HIV/AIDS reporting remains the cornerstone in the HIV surveillance systems. Several countries still believe that their current strategies are optimal to the HIV status within their territories and that their national strategies are appropriate to their low epidemic status that is not expected to grow. Additionally, these countries fear that establishing an HIV national program to survey risk behaviors may be perceived as an approval of these behaviors that are culturally and religiously unacceptable. This background article aims to summarize the HIV surveillance strategies and epidemic profile in 17 Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The article, also, displays the national surveillance system and the epidemic profile in Egypt and Lebanon as models for the region. This information aims to provide useful insights that may help the national authorities in finding out the best surveillance strategies that allow merging and collecting biological and risk data which is an integral part of their

Comparison of African and North American velvet ant mimicry complexes: Another example of Africa as the 'odd man out'.

PubMed

Wilson, Joseph S; Pan, Aaron D; Limb, Erica S; Williams, Kevin A

2018-01-01

Africa has the most tropical and subtropical land of any continent, yet has relatively low species richness in several taxa. This depauperate nature of the African tropical fauna and flora has led some to call Africa the "odd man out." One exception to this pattern is velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), wingless wasps that are known for Müllerian mimicry. While North American velvet ants form one of the world's largest mimicry complexes, mimicry in African species has not been investigated. Here we ask do African velvet ant Müllerian mimicry rings exist, and how do they compare to the North American complex. We then explore what factors might contribute to the differences in mimetic diversity between continents. To investigate this we compared the color patterns of 304 African velvet ant taxa using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). We then investigated distributions of each distinct mimicry ring. Finally, we compared lizard diversity and ecoregion diversity on the two continents. We found that African female velvet ants form four Müllerian rings, which is half the number of North American rings. This lower mimetic diversity could be related to the relatively lower diversity of insectivorous lizard species or to the lower number of distinct ecoregions in Africa compared to North America.

The role of cryptotephra in refining the chronology of Late Pleistocene human evolution and cultural change in North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barton, R. N. E.; Lane, C. S.; Albert, P. G.; White, D.; Collcutt, S. N.; Bouzouggar, A.; Ditchfield, P.; Farr, L.; Oh, A.; Ottolini, L.; Smith, V. C.; Van Peer, P.; Kindermann, K.

2015-06-01

Sites in North Africa hold key information for dating the presence of Homo sapiens and the distribution of Middle Stone Age (MSA), Middle Palaeolithic (MP) and Later Stone Age (LSA) cultural activity in the Late Pleistocene. Here we present new and review recently published tephrochronological evidence for five cave sites in North Africa with long MSA/MP and LSA cultural sequences. Four tephra horizons have been identified at the Haua Fteah (Cyrenaica, Libya). They include cryptotephra evidence for the Campanian Ignimbrite (CI) eruption dating to ˜39 ka that allows correlation with other Palaeolithic sequences in the eastern Mediterranean and as far north as Russia. Cryptotephra have also been recorded from the Moroccan sites of Taforalt, Rhafas and Dar es-Soltane 1. At Taforalt the geochemical composition suggests a provenance in the Azores, while examples from Sodmein (Egypt) appear to derive from central Anatolia and another unknown source. In these latter examples chemical compositional data from relevant proximal volcanic centres is currently lacking so the identification of tephra in layers of known age and cultural association provides the first reliable age determinations for distal volcanic events and their geographical extent. The future potential for tephrochronological research in North Africa is also discussed.

Confrontation or Cooperation? Africa's Role in the North-South Dialogue on Communication. Second Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keune, Reinhard, Ed.

A background paper sent to the participants of the Nairobi Conference inviting them to take part in a brainstorming on "Africa's Role in the North-South Dialogue on Communication" introduces this booklet. It is comprised of four articles, "Intensifying the Dialogue," which summarizes the proceedings and recommendations; "A…

Recent intensified impact of December Arctic Oscillation on subsequent January temperature in Eurasia and North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Shengping; Wang, Huijun; Gao, Yongqi; Li, Fei

2018-03-01

This study reveals an intensified influence of December Arctic Oscillation (AO) on the subsequent January surface air temperature (SAT) over Eurasia and North Africa in recent decades. The connection is statistically insignificant during 1957/58-1979/80 (P1), which becomes statistically significant during 1989/90-2011/12 (P2). The possible causes are further investigated. Associated with positive December AO during P2, significant anomalous anticyclone emerges over the central North Atlantic, which is accompanied with significant westerly and easterly anomalies along 45°-65°N and 20°-40°N, respectively. This favors the significant influence of December AO on the subsequent January SAT and atmospheric circulation over Eurasia and North Africa via triggering the North Atlantic tripole sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly that persists into the subsequent January. By contrast, the December AO-related anomalous anticyclone during P1 is weak and is characterized by two separate centers located in the eastern and western North Atlantic. Correspondingly, the westerly and easterly anomalies over the North Atlantic Ocean are weak and the-related tripole SST anomaly is not well formed, unfavorable for the persistent impact of the December AO into the subsequent January. Further analyses indicate that the different anomalous anticyclone associated with the December AO over the North Atlantic may be induced by the strengthened synoptic-scale eddy feedbacks over the North Atlantic, which may be related to the interdecadal intensification of the storm track activity. Additionally, the planetary stationary wave related to the December AO propagates from surface into upper stratosphere at mid-latitudes during P2, which further propagates downward to the troposphere and causes anomalous atmospheric circulation in the subsequent January.

North Atlantic storm track variability and its association to the North Atlantic oscillation and climate variability of northern Europe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rogers, J.C.

The primary mode of North Atlantic track variability is identified using rotated principal component analysis (RPCA) on monthly fields of root-mean-squares of daily high-pass filtered (2-8-day periods) sea level pressures (SLP) for winters (December-February) 1900-92. It is examined in terms of its association with (1) monthly mean SLP fields, (2) regional low-frequency teleconnections, and (3) the seesaw in winter temperatures between Greenland and northern Europe. 32 refs., 9 figs.

Climate-driven trends in the occurrence of major floods across North America and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodgkins, Glenn A.; Whitfield, Paul H.; Burn, Donald H.; Hannaford, Jamie; Renard, Benjamin; Stahl, Kerstin; Fleig, Anne K.; Madsen, Henrik; Mediero, Luis; Korhonen, Johanna; Murphy, Conor; Crochet, Philippe; Wilson, Donna

2016-04-01

Every year river floods cause enormous damage around the world. Recent major floods in North America and Europe, for example, have received much press, with some concluding that these floods are more frequent in recent years as a result of anthropogenic warming. There has been considerable scientific effort invested in establishing whether observed flood records show evidence of trends or variability in flood frequency, and to determine whether these patterns can be linked to climatic changes. However, the river catchments used in many published studies are influenced by direct human alteration such as reservoir regulation and urbanisation, which can confound the interpretation of climate-driven variability. Furthermore, a majority of previous studies have analysed changes in low magnitude floods, such as the annual peak flow, at a national scale. Few studies are known that have analysed changes in large floods (greater than 25-year floods) on a continental scale. To fill this research gap, we present a study analysing flood flows from reference hydrologic networks (RHNs) or RHN-like gauges across a large study domain embracing North America and much of Europe. RHNs comprise gauging stations with minimally disturbed catchment conditions, which have a near-natural flow regime and provide good quality data; RHN analyses thus allow hydro-climatic variability to be distinguished from direct artificial disturbances or data inhomogeneities. One of the key innovations in this study is the definition of an RHN-like network consisting of 1204 catchments on a continental scale. The network incorporates existing, well-established RHNs in Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland and Norway, alongside RHN-like catchments from Europe (France, Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Spain), which have been incorporated in the network following a major effort to ensure RHN-like status of candidate gauges through consultation with local experts. As the aim of the study is to examine

Infection of Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in North Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhioua, E.; Bouattour, A.; Hu, C.M.; Gharbi, M.; Aeschliman, A.; Ginsberg, H.S.; Gern, L.

1999-01-01

Free-living adult Ixodes ricinus L. were collected in Amdoun, situated in the Kroumiry mountains in northwestern Tunisia (North Africa). Using direct fluorescence antibody assay, the infection rate of field-collected I. ricinus by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was 30.5% (n = 72). No difference in infection rate was observed between male and female ticks. Spirochetes that had been isolated from I. ricinus from Ain Drahim (Kroumiry Mountains) in 1988 were identified as Borrelia lusitaniae (formerly genospecies PotiB2). This is the first identification of a genospecies of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato from the continent of Africa.

“Terror Birds” (Phorusrhacidae) from the Eocene of Europe Imply Trans-Tethys Dispersal

PubMed Central

Angst, Delphine; Buffetaut, Eric; Lécuyer, Christophe; Amiot, Romain

2013-01-01

Background Phorusrhacidae was a clade including middle-sized to giant terrestrial carnivorous birds, known mainly from the Cenozoic of South America, but also occurring in the Plio-Pleistocene of North America and the Eocene of Africa. Previous reports of small phorusrhacids in the Paleogene of Europe have been dismissed as based on non-phorusrhacid material. Methodology we have re-examined specimens of large terrestrial birds from the Eocene (late Lutetian) of France and Switzerland previously referred to gastornithids and ratites and have identified them as belonging to a phorusrhacid for which the name Eleutherornis cotei should be used. Conclusions/Significance The occurrence of a phorusrhacid in the late Lutetian of Europe indicates that these flightless birds had a wider geographical distribution than previously recognized. The likeliest interpretation is that they dispersed from Africa, where the group is known in the Eocene, which implies crossing the Tethys Sea. The Early Tertiary distribution of phorusrhacids can be best explained by transoceanic dispersal, across both the South Atlantic and the Tethys. PMID:24312212

Steep declines in atmospheric base cations in regions of Europe and North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hedin, Lars O.; Granat, Lennart; Likens, Gene E.; Adri Buishand, T.; Galloway, James N.; Butler, Thomas J.; Rodhe, Henning

1994-01-01

HUMAN activities have caused marked changes in atmospheric chemistry over large regions of Europe and North America. Although considerable attention has been paid to the effects of changes in the deposition of acid anions (such as sulphate and nitrate) on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems1-7, little is known about whether the concentrations of basic components of the atmosphere have changed over time8,9 and what the biogeochemical consequences of such potential changes might be. In particular, there has been some controversy8-12 as to whether declines in base-cation deposition have countered effects of recent reductions in SO2emission. Here we report evidence for steep declines in the atmospheric concentrations of base cations (sum of non-sea-salt Ca2+, Mg2+, K+ and Na+) over the past 10 to 26 years from high-quality precipitation chemistry records in Europe and North America. To varying but generally significant degrees, these base-cation trends have offset recent reductions in sulphate deposition in the regions examined. The observed trends seem to be ecologically important on decadal timescales, and support earlier contentions8-10 that declines in the deposition of base cations may have contributed to increased sensitivity of poorly buffered ecosystems.

White-nose syndrome without borders: Pseudogymnoascus destructans infection tolerated in Europe and Palearctic Asia but not in North America

PubMed Central

Zukal, Jan; Bandouchova, Hana; Brichta, Jiri; Cmokova, Adela; Jaron, Kamil S.; Kolarik, Miroslav; Kovacova, Veronika; Kubátová, Alena; Nováková, Alena; Orlov, Oleg; Pikula, Jiri; Presetnik, Primož; Šuba, Jurģis; Zahradníková Jr., Alexandra; Martínková, Natália

2016-01-01

A striking feature of white-nose syndrome, a fungal infection of hibernating bats, is the difference in infection outcome between North America and Europe. Here we show high WNS prevalence both in Europe and on the West Siberian Plain in Asia. Palearctic bat communities tolerate similar fungal loads of Pseudogymnoascus destructans infection as their Nearctic counterparts and histopathology indicates equal focal skin tissue invasiveness pathognomonic for WNS lesions. Fungal load positively correlates with disease intensity and it reaches highest values at intermediate latitudes. Prevalence and fungal load dynamics in Palearctic bats remained persistent and high between 2012 and 2014. Dominant haplotypes of five genes are widespread in North America, Europe and Asia, expanding the source region of white-nose syndrome to non-European hibernacula. Our data provides evidence for both endemicity and tolerance to this persistent virulent fungus in the Palearctic, suggesting that host-pathogen interaction equilibrium has been established. PMID:26821755

Comparing Emission Inventories and Model-Ready Emission Datasets between Europe and North America for the AQMEII Project

EPA Science Inventory

This paper highlights the similarities and differences in how emission inventories and datasets were developed and processed across North America and Europe for the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) project and then characterizes the emissions for the...

Mapping crustal heterogeneity using Lg propagation efficiency throughout the Middle East, Mediterranean, Southern Europe and Northern Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

McNamara, D.E.; Walter, W.R.

2001-01-01

In this paper we describe a technique for mapping the lateral variation of Lg characteristics such as Lg blockage, efficient Lg propagation, and regions of very high attenuation in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean regions. Lg is used in a variety of seismological applications from magnitude estimation to identification of nuclear explosions for monitoring compliance with the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). These applications can give significantly biased results if the Lg phase is reduced or blocked by discontinuous structure or thin crust. Mapping these structures using quantitative techniques for determining Lg amplitude attenuation can break down when the phase is below background noise. In such cases Lg blockage and inefficient propagation zones are often mapped out by hand. With our approach, we attempt to visually simplify this information by imaging crustal structure anomalies that significantly diminish the amplitude of Lg. The visualization of such anomalies is achieved by defining a grid of cells that covers the entire region of interest. We trace Lg rays for each event/ station pair, which is simply the great circle path, and attribute to each cell a value equal to the maximum value of the Lg/P-coda amplitude ratio for all paths traversing that particular cell. The resulting map, from this empirical approach, is easily interpreted in terms of crustal structure and can successfully image small blockage features often missed by analysis of raypaths alone. This map can then be used to screen out events with blocked Lg prior to performing Q tomography, and to avoid using Lg-based methods of event identification for the CTBT in regions where they cannot work. For this study we applied our technique to one of the most tectonically complex regions on the earth. Nearly 9000 earthquake/station raypaths, traversing the vast region comprised of the Middle East, Mediterranean, Southern Europe and Northern Africa, have been

Assessment of Internet-based tele-medicine in Africa (the RAFT project).

PubMed

Bagayoko, Cheick Oumar; Müller, Henning; Geissbuhler, Antoine

2006-01-01

The objectives of this paper on the Réseau Afrique Francophone de Télémédecine (RAFT) project are the evaluation of feasibility, potential, problems and risks of an Internet-based tele-medicine network in developing countries of Africa. The RAFT project was started in Western African countries 5 years ago and has now extended to other regions of Africa as well (i.e. Madagascar, Rwanda). A project for the development of a national tele-medicine network in Mali was initiated in 2001, extended to Mauritania in 2002 and to Morocco in 2003. By 2006, a total of nine countries are connected. The entire technical infrastructure is based on Internet technologies for medical distance learning and tele-consultations. The results are a tele-medicine network that has been in productive use for over 5 years and has enabled various collaboration channels, including North-to-South (from Europe to Africa), South-to-South (within Africa), and South-to-North (from Africa to Europe) distance learning and tele-consultations, plus many personal exchanges between the participating hospitals and Universities. It has also unveiled a set of potential problems: (a) the limited importance of North-to-South collaborations when there are major differences in the available resources or the socio-cultural contexts between the collaborating parties; (b) the risk of an induced digital divide if the periphery of the health system in developing countries is not involved in the development of the network; and (c) the need for the development of local medical content management skills. Particularly point (c) is improved through the collaboration between the various countries as professionals from the medical and the computer science field are sharing courses and resources. Personal exchanges between partners in the project are frequent, and several persons received an education at one of the partner Universities. As conclusion, we can say that the identified risks have to be taken into account when

Comparison of scientific findings from major ozone field studies in North America and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solomon, Paul; Cowling, Ellis; Hidy, George; Furiness, Cari

During the past decade, nearly 600 million dollars were invested in more than 30 major field studies in North America and Europe examining tropospheric ozone chemistry, meteorology, precursor emissions, and modeling. Most of these studies were undertaken to provide new or refined knowledge about ozone accumulation and to assist in the development of economical and effective emissions management practices for ozone. In this paper, we describe a selection of field research programs conducted under a wide range of geographical and climatological conditions in North America and Europe. The designs of these studies were generally similar, employing a combination of ground-based observation networks, upper-air sampling, and meteorological observations. Analysis and interpretation of the resulting data were combined with improved inventories of ozone precursor emissions and air quality modeling to develop new or enhanced knowledge about photochemical processes under various tropospheric conditions. The scientific results from these studies contained few surprises; in fact, they generally affirmed the conclusions in the review by the US National Research Council (NRC, 1999). Key findings include: (1) reaffirmation that tropospheric ozone is a multi-scale phenomenon extending to continental boundaries; (2) aerometric conditions aloft are important to ground-level ozone; (3) biogenic sources make important contributions to VOC and NO x emissions in parts of eastern North America and southern Europe; (4) emissions estimates are among the more uncertain components of predictive models for ozone; (5) recirculating flow over complex terrain and large water bodies are universally important factors affecting accumulation of ozone at the ground; (6) nonlinearities in ozone response to precursor changes create important degrees of freedom in management strategies - VOC and NO x sensitivities vary extensively in urban and rural areas, making decisions about emissions management

Messinian age and savannah environment of the possible hominin Graecopithecus from Europe.

PubMed

Böhme, Madelaine; Spassov, Nikolai; Ebner, Martin; Geraads, Denis; Hristova, Latinka; Kirscher, Uwe; Kötter, Sabine; Linnemann, Ulf; Prieto, Jérôme; Roussiakis, Socrates; Theodorou, George; Uhlig, Gregor; Winklhofer, Michael

2017-01-01

Dating fossil hominids and reconstructing their environments is critically important for understanding human evolution. Here we date the potentially oldest hominin, Graecopithecus freybergi from Europe and constrain the environmental conditions under which it thrived. For the Graecopithecus-bearing Pikermi Formation of Attica/Greece, a saline aeolian dust deposit of North African (Sahara) provenance, we obtain an age of 7.37-7.11 Ma, which is coeval with a dramatic cooling in the Mediterranean region at the Tortonian-Messinian transition. Palaeobotanic proxies demonstrate C4-grass dominated wooded grassland-to-woodland habitats of a savannah biome for the Pikermi Formation. Faunal turnover at the Tortonian-Messinian transition led to the spread of new mammalian taxa along with Graecopithecus into Europe. The type mandible of G. freybergi from Pyrgos (7.175 Ma) and the single tooth (7.24 Ma) from Azmaka (Bulgaria) represent the first hominids of Messinian age from continental Europe. Our results suggest that major splits in the hominid family occurred outside Africa.

Messinian age and savannah environment of the possible hominin Graecopithecus from Europe

PubMed Central

Spassov, Nikolai; Ebner, Martin; Geraads, Denis; Hristova, Latinka; Kirscher, Uwe; Kötter, Sabine; Linnemann, Ulf; Prieto, Jérôme; Roussiakis, Socrates; Theodorou, George; Uhlig, Gregor; Winklhofer, Michael

2017-01-01

Dating fossil hominids and reconstructing their environments is critically important for understanding human evolution. Here we date the potentially oldest hominin, Graecopithecus freybergi from Europe and constrain the environmental conditions under which it thrived. For the Graecopithecus-bearing Pikermi Formation of Attica/Greece, a saline aeolian dust deposit of North African (Sahara) provenance, we obtain an age of 7.37–7.11 Ma, which is coeval with a dramatic cooling in the Mediterranean region at the Tortonian-Messinian transition. Palaeobotanic proxies demonstrate C4-grass dominated wooded grassland-to-woodland habitats of a savannah biome for the Pikermi Formation. Faunal turnover at the Tortonian-Messinian transition led to the spread of new mammalian taxa along with Graecopithecus into Europe. The type mandible of G. freybergi from Pyrgos (7.175 Ma) and the single tooth (7.24 Ma) from Azmaka (Bulgaria) represent the first hominids of Messinian age from continental Europe. Our results suggest that major splits in the hominid family occurred outside Africa. PMID:28531204

Comparison of African and North American velvet ant mimicry complexes: Another example of Africa as the ‘odd man out’

PubMed Central

Limb, Erica S.; Williams, Kevin A.

2018-01-01

Africa has the most tropical and subtropical land of any continent, yet has relatively low species richness in several taxa. This depauperate nature of the African tropical fauna and flora has led some to call Africa the “odd man out.” One exception to this pattern is velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae), wingless wasps that are known for Müllerian mimicry. While North American velvet ants form one of the world’s largest mimicry complexes, mimicry in African species has not been investigated. Here we ask do African velvet ant Müllerian mimicry rings exist, and how do they compare to the North American complex. We then explore what factors might contribute to the differences in mimetic diversity between continents. To investigate this we compared the color patterns of 304 African velvet ant taxa using nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). We then investigated distributions of each distinct mimicry ring. Finally, we compared lizard diversity and ecoregion diversity on the two continents. We found that African female velvet ants form four Müllerian rings, which is half the number of North American rings. This lower mimetic diversity could be related to the relatively lower diversity of insectivorous lizard species or to the lower number of distinct ecoregions in Africa compared to North America. PMID:29298332

Cannabis, tobacco and domestic fumes intake are associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in North Africa.

PubMed

Feng, B-J; Khyatti, M; Ben-Ayoub, W; Dahmoul, S; Ayad, M; Maachi, F; Bedadra, W; Abdoun, M; Mesli, S; Bakkali, H; Jalbout, M; Hamdi-Cherif, M; Boualga, K; Bouaouina, N; Chouchane, L; Benider, A; Ben-Ayed, F; Goldgar, D E; Corbex, M

2009-10-06

The lifestyle risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in North Africa are not known. From 2002 to 2005, we interviewed 636 patients and 615 controls from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, frequency-matched by centre, age, sex, and childhood household type (urban/rural). Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of lifestyles with NPC risk, controlling for socioeconomic status and dietary risk factors. Cigarette smoking and snuff (tobacco powder with additives) intake were significantly associated with differentiated NPC but not with undifferentiated carcinoma (UCNT), which is the major histological type of NPC in these populations. As demonstrated by a stratified permutation test and by conditional logistic regression, marijuana smoking significantly elevated NPC risk independently of cigarette smoking, suggesting dissimilar carcinogenic mechanisms between cannabis and tobacco. Domestic cooking fumes intake by using kanoun (compact charcoal oven) during childhood increased NPC risk, whereas exposure during adulthood had less effect. Neither alcohol nor shisha (water pipe) was associated with risk. Tobacco, cannabis and domestic cooking fumes intake are risk factors for NPC in western North Africa.

Cannabis, tobacco and domestic fumes intake are associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in North Africa

PubMed Central

Feng, B-J; Khyatti, M; Ben-Ayoub, W; Dahmoul, S; Ayad, M; Maachi, F; Bedadra, W; Abdoun, M; Mesli, S; Bakkali, H; Jalbout, M; Hamdi-Cherif, M; Boualga, K; Bouaouina, N; Chouchane, L; Benider, A; Ben-Ayed, F; Goldgar, D E; Corbex, M

2009-01-01

Background: The lifestyle risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in North Africa are not known. Methods: From 2002 to 2005, we interviewed 636 patients and 615 controls from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, frequency-matched by centre, age, sex, and childhood household type (urban/rural). Conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of lifestyles with NPC risk, controlling for socioeconomic status and dietary risk factors. Results: Cigarette smoking and snuff (tobacco powder with additives) intake were significantly associated with differentiated NPC but not with undifferentiated carcinoma (UCNT), which is the major histological type of NPC in these populations. As demonstrated by a stratified permutation test and by conditional logistic regression, marijuana smoking significantly elevated NPC risk independently of cigarette smoking, suggesting dissimilar carcinogenic mechanisms between cannabis and tobacco. Domestic cooking fumes intake by using kanoun (compact charcoal oven) during childhood increased NPC risk, whereas exposure during adulthood had less effect. Neither alcohol nor shisha (water pipe) was associated with risk. Conclusion: Tobacco, cannabis and domestic cooking fumes intake are risk factors for NPC in western North Africa. PMID:19724280

Afrotarsius chatrathi, first tarsiiform primate (? Tarsiidae) from Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simons, E.L.; Bown, T.M.

1985-01-01

Tarsiiform primates have long been regarded as a Laurasian group, with an extensive fossil record in the Eocene of North America and Europe1-4 and two important but less well-known records from Asia5,6. The only living genus is Tarsius (Tarsiidae), whereas all of the fossil tarsier-like primates are usually placed in the extinct family Omomyidae3. We now report the discovery of Afrotarsius chatrathi from early Oligocene rocks of Fayum Province, Egypt. This is the first known tarsiiform primate from Africa. Compared with fossil primates, the molar tooth morphology of this diminutive prosimian is most similar to that of the European Eocene microchoerine Pseudoloris; however, the closest similarity is to the molars of Tarsius. Because the phylogenetic relationships among living Tarsius and the omomyids remain unclear7,8 and because of the fragmentary nature of the only known specimen of this new primate, allocation of Afrotarsius to either Omomyidae or Tarsiidae is necessarily provisional. As we believe that its molar teeth are more like those of Tarsius than of any omomyids (including Pseudoloris), we tentatively assign the new genus to the extant family Tarsiidae as its only known fossil representative. Recovery of a Tarsius-like primate from Africa suggests that it or its ancestors might have been immigrants from Europe, may have been derived from an unknown Asian stock related to the ancestry of Tarsius, or may have originated in Africa. ?? 1985 Nature Publishing Group.

Near East and North Africa: A Question Syllabus. Center for Area and Country Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard, Harry N.

This study syllabus on the Near East and North Africa is divided into twelve units. Designed to familiarize government personnel assigned to the area with the region and people, each unit consists of a statement of the main objectives to be studied, questions for consideration, and a list of suggested readings from books and periodicals. Units…

Trends in Surface Water Chemistry in Acidified Areas in Europe and North America from 1990 to 2008

EPA Science Inventory

Acidification of lakes and rivers is still an environmental concern despite reduced emissions of acidifying compounds. We analyzed trends in surface water chemistry of 173 acid-sensitive sites from 12 regions in Europe and North America. In 11 of 12 regions, non-marine sulphate (...

Decadal changes in the frequency of major floods in near-natural catchments across North America and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodgkins, Glenn A.; Hannaford, Jamie; Whitfield, Paul H.; Burn, Donald H.; Fleig, Anne; Stahl, Kerstin; Renard, Benjamin; Korhonen, Johanna; Murphy, Conor; Crochet, Philippe; Wilson, Donna; Madsen, Henrik

2013-04-01

Recent major floods in North America and Europe have received much press, with some concluding that these floods are more frequent in recent years as a result of anthropogenic warming. There has therefore been considerable scientific effort invested in establishing whether observed flood records show evidence of trends or variability in flood frequency, and to determine whether these patterns can be linked to climatic changes. However, the river catchments used in many published studies are influenced by direct human alteration such as reservoir regulation and urbanisation, which can confound the interpretation of climate-driven variability. Furthermore, a majority of previous studies have analysed changes in low magnitude floods, such as the annual peak flow, at a national scale. Few studies are known that have analysed changes in large floods (greater than 25-year floods) on a continental scale. To fill this research gap, the current study is analysing flood flows from reference hydrologic networks (RHNs) or RHN-like gauges across a large study domain embracing North America and much of Europe. RHNs comprise gauging stations with minimally disturbed catchment conditions, which have a near-natural flow regime and provide good quality data; RHN analyses thus allow hydro-climatic variability to be distinguished from direct artificial disturbances or data inhomogeneities. One of the key innovations in this study is the definition of an RHN-like network on a continental scale. The network incorporates existing, well-established RHNs in Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland and Norway, alongside RHN-like catchments from Europe (France, Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland), which have been incorporated in the network following a major effort to ensure RHN-like status of candidate gauges through consultation with local experts. As the aim of the study is to examine long-term variability in the number of major floods, annual exceedances of 25-, 50-, and 100-year

A cryptic mitochondrial DNA link between North European and West African dogs.

PubMed

Adeola, Adeniyi C; Ommeh, Sheila C; Song, Jiao-Jiao; Olaogun, S Charles; Sanke, Oscar J; Yin, Ting-Ting; Wang, Guo-Dong; Wu, Shi-Fang; Zhou, Zhong-Yin; Lichoti, Jacqueline K; Agwanda, Bernard R; Dawuda, Philip M; Murphy, Robert W; Peng, Min-Sheng; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2017-03-20

Domestic dogs have an ancient origin and a long history in Africa. Nevertheless, the timing and sources of their introduction into Africa remain enigmatic. Herein, we analyse variation in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop sequences from 345 Nigerian and 37 Kenyan village dogs plus 1530 published sequences of dogs from other parts of Africa, Europe and West Asia. All Kenyan dogs can be assigned to one of three haplogroups (matrilines; clades): A, B, and C, while Nigerian dogs can be assigned to one of four haplogroups A, B, C, and D. None of the African dogs exhibits a matrilineal contribution from the African wolf (Canis lupus lupaster). The genetic signal of a recent demographic expansion is detected in Nigerian dogs from West Africa. The analyses of mitochondrial genomes reveal a maternal genetic link between modern West African and North European dogs indicated by sub-haplogroup D1 (but not the entire haplogroup D) coalescing around 12,000 years ago. Incorporating molecular anthropological evidence, we propose that sub-haplogroup D1 in West African dogs could be traced back to the late-glacial dispersals, potentially associated with human hunter-gatherer migration from southwestern Europe. Copyright © 2016 Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Genetics Society of China. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative biology of zebra mussels in Europe and North America: an overview

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mackie, Gerald L.; Schloesser, Don W.

1996-01-01

SYNOPSIS. Since the discovery of the zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, in the Great Lakes in 1988 comparisons have been made with mussel populations in Europe and the former Soviet Union. These comparisons include: Population dynamics, growth and mortality rates, ecological tolerances and requirements, dispersal rates and patterns, and ecological impacts. North American studies, mostly on the zebra mussel and a few on a second introduced species, the quagga mussel, Dreissena bugensis, have revealed some similarities and some differences. To date it appears that North American populations of zebra mussels are similar to European populations in their basic biological characteristics, population growth and mortality rates, and dispersal mechanisms and rates. Relative to European populations differences have been demonstrated for: (1) individual growth rates; (2) life spans; (3) calcium and pH tolerances and requirements; (4) potential distribution limits; and (5) population densities of veligers and adults. In addition, studies on the occurrence of the two dreissenid species in the Great Lakes are showing differences in their modes of life, depth distributions, and growth rates. As both species spread throughout North America, comparisons between species and waterbodies will enhance our ability to more effectively control these troublesome species.

Early Spring in Europe: A Result of More Dominant North-Atlantic Southwesterlies?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.; Atlas, R.; Chase, T. N.; Chou, S.-H.; Jusem, J. C.; Pielke, R. A., Sr.; Rogers, J.; Russell, G. L.; Schubert, S. D.; Sud, Y. C.;

A General Survey of Religious Concepts and Art of North, East, South, and West Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Rohn

This paper, a summary of a multi-carousel slide presentation, reviews literature on the cultures, religions, and art of African people. Before focusing on West Africa, highlights of the lifestyles, religions, and icons of non-maskmaking cultures of North, West and South African people are presented. Clarification of West African religious concepts…

The mermithid species Isomermis lairdi (Nematoda, Mermithidae), previously only known in Africa, found in Europe

PubMed Central

Gradinarov, Denis

2014-01-01

Abstract The present work contributs to the knowledge on the aquatic mermithids (Nematoda, Mermithidae) occurring in black flies – an insufficiently studied group of parasitic nematodes. Isomermis lairdi Mondet, Poinar & Bernadou, 1977, described from larvae of Simulium damnosum Theobald, 1903 in Western Africa, is reported to occur in Bulgaria. The species was isolated from larvae of Simulium ornatum Meigen, 1818 in a local population of simuliids in a mountain stream near Jeleznitsa Village, Sofia district. Postparasitic juveniles of mermithids were obtained from the hosts and reared to the adult stage. The species was identified by morphological and morphometrical characters of postparasitic juveniles, and of male and female individuals. In the summer of 2012 a relatively high rate of mermithid infection in a local host population was detected (prevalence up to 44.1%). In August of the next year host abundance had considerably declined and other simuliid species, Simulium variegatum Meigen, 1818 and Simulium reptans (Linnaeus, 1758), predominated in the investigated locality. In West Africa, Isomermis lairdi is considered to be a potential biological agent for reducing the population density of the Simulium damnosum complex – the main vector of human onchocerciasis. In Europe, species of the Simulium ornatum complex are among the vectors of onchocerciasis of cattle and deer. The mermithids presumably play a certain role in the epidemiology of these diseases. A brief discussion on the taxonomy of the genus Isomermis Coman, 1953, and of the feasibility of molecular methods in mermithid taxonomy is provided. The species Isomermis lairdi is reported for the first time from Europe. PMID:25493063

Emergence of PPR and its threat to Europe.

PubMed

Parida, Satya; Muniraju, Murali; Altan, Eda; Baazizi, Ratiba; Raj, Gopal Dhinakar; Mahapatra, Mana

2016-09-01

PPR is an important infectious viral disease of domestic and wild small ruminants, that threatens the food security and sustainable livelihood of farmers across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. Europe is free of the disease except in Thrace (European part of Turkey) and Israel where outbreaks occur. Following the successful eradication of RPV, PPR has been targeted by the OIE and FAO as the next viral pathogen to be eradicated by 2030. However, the recent outbreaks in Northen Africa and Thrace (European part of Turkey) represent a significant threat to mainland Europe, as a source of disease spread. We have discussed here the emergence of PPR worldwide since its discovery with particular reference to the recent outbreaks in Northen Africa and Thrace, and the potential for spread of the disease into Europe.

Orientalism(s), World Geography Textbooks, and Temporal Paradox: Questioning Representations of Southwest Asia and North Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zagumny, Lisa; Richey, Amanda B.

2013-01-01

In this critical discourse analysis of six high-school world geography textbooks, we explore how constructions and representations of North Africa and Southwest Asia have served to reinforce Orientalist discourse in formal curriculum. Visual and written representations in these textbooks were overwhelmingly confounded by a traditional/modern…

The centipede genus Eupolybothrus Verhoeff, 1907 (Chilopoda: Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae) in North Africa, a cybertaxonomic revision, with a key to all species in the genus and the first use of DNA barcoding for the group

PubMed Central

Stoev, Pavel; Akkari, Nesrine; Zapparoli, Marzio; Porco, David; Enghoff, Henrik; Edgecombe, Gregory D.; Georgiev, Teodor; Penev, Lyubomir

2010-01-01

Abstract The centipede genus Eupolybothrus Verhoeff, 1907 in North Africa is revised. A new cavernicolous species, Eupolybothrus kahfi Stoev & Akkari, sp. n., is described from a cave in Jebel Zaghouan, northeast Tunisia. Morphologically, it is most closely related to Eupolybothrus nudicornis (Gervais, 1837) from North Africa and Southwest Europe but can be readily distinguished by the long antennae and leg-pair 15, a conical dorso-median protuberance emerging from the posterior part of prefemur 15, and the shape of the male first genital sternite. Molecular sequence data from the cytochrome c oxidase I gene (mtDNA–5’ COI-barcoding fragment) exhibit 19.19% divergence between Eupolybothrus kahfi and Eupolybothrus nudicornis, an interspecific value comparable to those observed among four other species of Eupolybothrus which, combined with a low intraspecific divergence (0.3–1.14%), supports the morphological diagnosis of Eupolybothrus kahfi as a separate species. This is the first troglomorphic myriapod to be found in Tunisia, and the second troglomorph lithobiomorph centipede known from North Africa. Eupolybothrus nudicornis is redescribed based on abundant material from Tunisia and its post-embryonic development, distribution and habitat preferences recorded. Eupolybothrus cloudsley-thompsoni Turk, 1955, a nominal species based on Tunisian type material, is placed in synonymy with Eupolybothrus nudicornis. To comply with the latest technological developments in publishing of biological information, the paper implements new approaches in cybertaxonomy, such as fine granularity XML tagging validated against the NLM DTD TaxPub for PubMedCentral and dissemination in XML to various aggregators (GBIF, EOL, Wikipedia), vizualisation of all taxa mentioned in the text via the dynamically created Pensoft Taxon Profile (PTP) page, data publishing, georeferencing of all localities via Google Earth, and ZooBank, GenBank and MorphBank registration of datasets. An

Marine Nematode Taxonomy in Africa: Promising Prospects Against Scarcity of Information

PubMed Central

Boufahja, Fehmi; Semprucci, Federica; Beyrem, Hamouda; Bhadury, Punyasloke

2015-01-01

From the late 19th century, Africa has faced heavy exploitation of its natural resources with increasing land/water pollution, and several described species have already become extinct or close to extinction. This could also be the case for marine nematodes, which are the most abundant and diverse benthic group in marine sediments, and play major roles in ecosystem functioning. Compared to Europe and North America, only a handful of investigations on marine nematodes have been conducted to date in Africa. This is due to the scarcity of experienced taxonomists, absence of identification guides, as well as local appropriate infrastructures. A pivotal project has started recently between nematologists from Africa (Tunisia), India, and Europe (Italy) to promote taxonomic study and biodiversity estimation of marine nematodes in the African continent. To do this, as a first step, collection of permanent slides of marine nematodes (235 nominal species and 14 new to science but not yet described) was recently established at the Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte (Tunisia). Capacity building of next generation of African taxonomists have been carried out at level of both traditional and molecular taxonomy (DNA barcoding and next-generation sequencing [NGS]), but they need to be implemented. Indeed, the integration of these two approaches appears crucial to overcome lack of information on the taxonomy, ecology, and biodiversity of marine nematodes from African coastal waters. PMID:26527841

U.S. Students Study Abroad in the Middle East/North Africa: Factors Influencing Growing Numbers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane-Toomey, Cara K.; Lane, Shannon R.

2013-01-01

The political events of the last decade and the Arab Spring have made it more important than ever for Americans to understand the language, culture, and history of the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region. Study abroad is one important method that can significantly increase American students' understanding of the Arabic language and the culture…

Trace gas measurements during aircraft flights in the tropopause region over Europe and North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, M.; Borchers, R.; Fabian, P.; Flentje, G.; Matthews, W. A.; Szabo, A.; Lal, S.

During aircraft flights in May 1981 from Munich (40 deg N) to north of the Spitsbergen Islands (82 deg N) and to Monrovia, Liberia (6 deg N), air samples were obtained in the altitude range of 8 to 11 km and during the ascents and descents near the airports. These samples have been analyzed for the trace gas mixing ratios of CH4, CO and N2O. The results of these analyses are presented and discussed. The results provide new evidence of tropospheric-stratospheric exchange events in the vicinity of the subpolar and subtropical tropopause foldings and possibly show a case of transport of CO-enriched air in the upper troposphere above the North Atlantic Ocean.

Rural Development in Africa: A Bibliography (Part II: North, South, West). Training & Methods Series, Number 17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Univ., Madison. Land Tenure Center.

Compiled in December 1971, this bibliography lists approximately 940 books, journals, periodicals, and unpublished mimeographs dealing with rural development in north, west, and southern Africa. All materials are dated between 1953 and 1971. Entries are listed by country under the following headings: agriculture, economic affairs, social affairs,…

Operational Model Evaluation for Particulate Matter in Europe and North America in the Context of the AQMEII Project

EPA Science Inventory

Ten state-of-the-science regional air quality (AQ) modeling systems have been applied to continental scale domains in North America and Europe for full-year simulations of 2006 in the context of Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII), whose main goals are ...

Analysis of MAIAC Dust Aerosol Retrievals from MODIS Over North Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyapustin, A.; Wang, Y.; Hsu, C.; Torres, O.; Leptoukh, G.; Kalashnikova, O.; Korkin, S.

2011-01-01

An initial comparison of aerosol optical thickness over North Africa for year 2007 was performed between the Deep Blue and Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC) algorithms complimented with MISR and OMI data. The new MAIAC algorithm has a better sensitivity to the small dust storms than the DB algorithm, but it also has biases in the brightest desert regions indicating the need for improvement. The quarterly averaged AOT values in the Bodele depression and western downwind transport region show a good agreement among MAIAC, MISR and OMI data, while the DB algorithm shows a somewhat different seasonality.

Melioidosis Imported from West Africa to Europe

PubMed Central

Cuadros, Juan; Gil, Horacio; Miguel, Julio De; Marabé, Graciela; Gómez-Herruz, Teresa Arroyo Peña; Lobo, Bruno; Marcos, Ruth; Anda, Pedro

2011-01-01

We report the first case of imported melioidosis in Spain from a diabetic immigrant who visited West Africa during the rainy season. Because of the unusual presentation of this disease in Africa, clinical and microbiological diagnosis of imported melioidosis from this continent can be very elusive. PMID:21813848

Continental fossil vertebrates from the mid-Cretaceous (Albian-Cenomanian) Alcântara Formation, Brazil, and their relationship with contemporaneous faunas from North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Candeiro, Carlos Roberto A.; Fanti, Federico; Therrien, François; Lamanna, Matthew C.

2011-05-01

The Albian-Cenomanian Alcântara Formation of northeastern Brazil preserves the most diverse continental vertebrate fauna of this age yet known from northern South America. The Alcântara vertebrate assemblage, consisting of elasmobranchs, actinopterygians, sarcopterygians, turtles, crocodyliforms, pterosaurs, and non-avian dinosaurs, displays close similarities to contemporaneous faunas from North Africa. The co-occurrence of as many as eight freshwater or estuarine fish taxa ( Onchopristis, Bartschichthys, Lepidotes, Stephanodus, Mawsonia, Arganodus, Ceratodus africanus, and possibly Ceratodus humei) and up to seven terrestrial archosaur taxa ( Sigilmassasaurus, Rebbachisauridae, Baryonychinae, Spinosaurinae, Carcharodontosauridae, possibly Pholidosauridae, and doubtfully Bahariasaurus) suggests that a land route connecting northeastern Brazil and North Africa existed at least until the Albian. Interestingly, most components of this mid-Cretaceous northern South American/North African assemblage are not shared with coeval southern South American faunas, which are themselves characterized by a number of distinct freshwater and terrestrial vertebrate taxa (e.g., chelid turtles, megaraptoran and unenlagiine theropods). These results suggest that, although mid-Cretaceous faunal interchange was probably possible between northern South America and North Africa, paleogeographic, paleoclimatic, and/or paleoenvironmental barriers may have hindered continental vertebrate dispersal between northern and southern South America during this time.

First dairying in green Saharan Africa in the fifth millennium BC.

PubMed

Dunne, Julie; Evershed, Richard P; Salque, Mélanie; Cramp, Lucy; Bruni, Silvia; Ryan, Kathleen; Biagetti, Stefano; di Lernia, Savino

2012-06-20

In the prehistoric green Sahara of Holocene North Africa-in contrast to the Neolithic of Europe and Eurasia-a reliance on cattle, sheep and goats emerged as a stable and widespread way of life, long before the first evidence for domesticated plants or settled village farming communities. The remarkable rock art found widely across the region depicts cattle herding among early Saharan pastoral groups, and includes rare scenes of milking; however, these images can rarely be reliably dated. Although the faunal evidence provides further confirmation of the importance of cattle and other domesticates, the scarcity of cattle bones makes it impossible to ascertain herd structures via kill-off patterns, thereby precluding interpretations of whether dairying was practiced. Because pottery production begins early in northern Africa the potential exists to investigate diet and subsistence practices using molecular and isotopic analyses of absorbed food residues. This approach has been successful in determining the chronology of dairying beginning in the 'Fertile Crescent' of the Near East and its spread across Europe. Here we report the first unequivocal chemical evidence, based on the δ(13)C and Δ(13)C values of the major alkanoic acids of milk fat, for the adoption of dairying practices by prehistoric Saharan African people in the fifth millennium bc. Interpretations are supported by a new database of modern ruminant animal fats collected from Africa. These findings confirm the importance of 'lifetime products', such as milk, in early Saharan pastoralism, and provide an evolutionary context for the emergence of lactase persistence in Africa.

Advection from the North Atlantic as the Forcing of Winter Greenhouse Effect Over Europe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, Jay; Angell, J.; Atlas, Robert; Bungato, D.; Schubert, S.; Starr, D.; Susskind, J.; Wu, M.-L. C.

2001-01-01

In winter, large interannual fluctuations in the surface skin temperature are observed over central Europe: we observe a difference of 9.8 K comparing warm February 1990 with cold February 1996 for the region 50-60 degrees N; 5-35 degrees E. Previous studies show that advection from the North Atlantic constitutes the forcing to such fluctuations. The advection is quantified by Index I(sub na), the average of the ocean-surface wind speed over the eastern North Atlantic when the direction is from the southwest (when the wind is from another direction, it counts as a zero speed to the average). Average Ina for February 1990 was 10.6 in s(exp -1), but for February 1996 I(sub na) was only 2.4 m s(exp -1). A large value of I(sub na) means a strong southwesterly flow which brings warm and moist air into Europe at low level, producing a steeper tropospheric lapse rate. Strong ascending motions result, which we observe in February 1990 at 700 mb. The near-surface moisture rises to higher (and cooler) levels, producing clouds and precipitation. Total preciptable water and cloud-cover fraction have larger values in February 1990 than in 1996. The difference in the greenhouse effect between these two scenarios can be translated into a virtual irradiating source of 2.6 W m(exp -2) above the February 1990 atmosphere, which, as an order of magnitude estimate, contributes to the warming of the surface by 2.6 K. If we accept this estimate as numerically pertinent, the direct effect stands as 7.2 K (9.8 K - 2.6 K), and therefore its greenhouse-effect reinforcement is by 36%. This constitutes a substantial positive feedback to the direct effect, which is the inflow of warm air to the low troposphere over Europe.

Impact of the North Atlantic Oscillation on the trans-Atlantic migrations of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kettle, A. James; Bakker, Dorothee C. E.; Haines, Keith

2008-09-01

Glass eel catches and FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) landings of the European freshwater eel (Anguilla anguilla) show a decrease over the past 20 years. The long-term trends in the time series mask an interannual fluctuation, which becomes apparent on the application of a high-pass filter and autocorrelation analysis. Both the FAO landings and the glass eel catches show interannual fluctuations with a repeat period of 6-8 years, similar to the period of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Most glass eel catch monitoring stations are in phase. The glass eel catches show a significant negative correlation with the NAO lagged by 0-2 years, consistent with the hypothesis that the positive NAO phase has an adverse impact on the larval survival in and migration from the Sargasso Sea spawning location, one year prior to the arrival of the glass eels in Europe and North Africa. The FAO landings can be divided into two groups of different phase that have an approximate correspondence to the NAO dipole in winter rainfall in Europe and North Africa. One group (P) comprises Denmark, Ireland, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Tunisia, and the United Kingdom, and the other group (N) comprises France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey. At least for the interannual fluctuations, the success of the glass eel fishery (and eel recruitment) may be coupled with the number of migrating silver eels from the N group of countries and uncoupled with the P group of countries.

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Sud Province, north-central Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brownfield, M.E.; Klett, T.R.; Schenk, C.J.; Charpentier, R.R.; Cook, T.A.; Pollastro, R.M.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.

2011-01-01

The Sud Province located in north-central Africa recently was assessed for undiscovered, technically recoverable oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids resources as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) World Oil and Gas Assessment. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS estimated mean volumes of 7.31 billion barrels of oil, 13.42 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 353 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

Intercontinental transport of pollution from North America to Europe: Airborne trace gas measurements over Central and Northern Europe during CONTRACE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huntrieser, H.; Schlager, H.; Heland, J.; Forster, C.; Stohl, A.; Lawrence, M.; Arnold, F.; Aufmhoff, H.; Cooper, O.

2003-04-01

The CONTRACE project investigates the uplift of pollution in frontal systems (warm conveyor belts) over North America and the transport of these air masses to Europe. The first airborne field experiment was carried out from Southern Germany in fall 2001. The DLR research aircraft Falcon was equipped with a complex instrumentation to measure NO, NOy, CO, CO2, O3, J(NO2), acetone, SO2, ions, H2O2, formaldehyde, NMHC, J(O1D) and particles. An extensive set of chemical and meteorological forecast products, including trajectory calculations, was developed and used in combination with satellite images to plan the flights. A passive tracer for surface emissions (CO) was included in the forecast models to separate the regional and intercontinental transport of polluted air masses. For the first time it succeeded to guide the Falcon aircraft into pollution plumes transported all the way from North America (NA). On 22nd November a complex chemical weather situation was predicted for Central Europe with lifting of European emissions into the lower troposphere ahead of an approaching cold front and simultaneously, the advection of a pollution plume from Eastern NA in mid tropospheric layers. Similar CO mixing ratios were observed in both plumes making it difficult to distinguish the two plumes without additional trace gas information. The European pollution plume was characterized by large enhancements in the CO (150 ppbv) and NOy (6 ppbv) mixing ratios. The NOy/CO ratio was 0.135 (typical value for fresh emissions). In comparison the estimated NOy/CO ratio for the NA pollution plume was 0.010 which indicate a tracer age of 4 days. The observed CO and NOy mixing ratios in this plume were 160 ppbv and 1 ppbv. The two plumes were also characterized by very different O3/CO relationships. In the plume from NA a positive O3/CO slope was observed indicating photochemical ozone production (O3 mixing ratios up to 50 ppbv were observed). Most likely O3 was produced photochemically in

Mapping the cancer patient information landscape: A comparative analysis of patient groups across Europe and North America.

PubMed

Lawler, Mark; Prue, Gillian; Banks, Ian; Law, Kate; Selby, Peter; McVie, Gordon; Sullivan, Richard

2018-03-01

Little is known about how patient groups provide information for patients. We invited 838 patient groups from Europe and North America to participate in an online survey. The survey covered: (i) availability, accessibility and quality of information provided; (ii) methods by which patient groups communicate; (iii) ways in which patient groups acquire information and confirm its veracity/accuracy; (iv) how people access information online. European patient groups were significantly less effective in providing medical-related information than their North American counterparts in: clinical trials, potential causes of cancer, medical research, diagnosis/screening, symptoms, treatments (all p < 0.0001); Recommendations of best practice/care (p < 0.03), healthcare services(p = 0.029) and complimentary medicine (p = 0.01). Clinical trials (p = 0.0006), medical research (p = 0.006) and diagnosis/screening (p = 0.0024) were also areas where North American patients were more likely to require medical-related information. Similar patterns emerged for non-medical information with nutrition (<0.0001), watchful waiting (p = 0.0003), self-management of care (p = 0.0003), prevention (p = 0.002) and emotional issues (p = 0.016) being less effectively communicated by European patient groups. Nutrition was also an area where North American patients were more likely to require non-medical-related information. The main barriers in accessing online information which showed differences between European and North American patients were: perceived lack of need, mainly due to faith in their doctors (p = 0.0001); limited access to the internet (p = 0.0005), limited computer skills (p = 0.02); and lower income (p = 0.027). These results emphasise the more mature nature of cancer patient engagement/information provision in North America, providing valuable insights and guidance to inform development of more robust and effective cancer patient information

Significantly Increased Extreme Precipitation Expected in Europe and North America from Extratropical Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawcroft, M.; Hodges, K.; Walsh, E.; Zappa, G.

2017-12-01

For the Northern Hemisphere extratropics, changes in circulation are key to determining the impacts of climate warming. The mechanisms governing these circulation changes are complex, leading to the well documented uncertainty in projections of the future location of the mid-latitude storm tracks simulated by climate models. These storms are the primary source of precipitation for North America and Europe and generate many of the large-scale precipitation extremes associated with flooding and severe economic loss. Here, we show that in spite of the uncertainty in circulation changes, by analysing the behaviour of the storms themselves, we find entirely consistent and robust projections across an ensemble of climate models. In particular, we find that projections of change in the most intensely precipitating storms (above the present day 99th percentile) in the Northern Hemisphere are substantial and consistent across models, with large increases in the frequency of both summer (June-August, +226±68%) and winter (December-February, +186±34%) extreme storms by the end of the century. Regionally, both North America (summer +202±129%, winter +232±135%) and Europe (summer +390±148%, winter +318±114%) are projected to experience large increases in the frequency of intensely precipitating storms. These changes are thermodynamic and driven by surface warming, rather than by changes in the dynamical behaviour of the storms. Such changes in storm behaviour have the potential to have major impacts on society given intensely precipitating storms are responsible for many large-scale flooding events.

Model Evaluation and Ensemble Modelling of Surface-Level Ozone in Europe and North America in the Context of AQMEII

EPA Science Inventory

More than ten state-of-the-art regional air quality models have been applied as part of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII). These models were run by twenty independent groups in Europe and North America. Standardised modelling outputs over a full y...

Job satisfaction among chairs of surgery from Europe and North America.

PubMed

Tschuor, Christoph; Raptis, Dimitri Aristotle; Morf, Manuela Christina; Staffelbach, Bruno; Manser, Tanja; Clavien, Pierre-Alain

2014-11-01

Strong evidence exists associating job satisfaction and risk of burnout with productivity, efficiency, and creativity in many organizations. However no data are available assessing chairs of surgery. This study assessed job satisfaction and risk for burnout of surgical chairs from Europe and North America and identified contributing factors. A survey among 650 chairs in surgery from 23 European and 2 North American countries was conducted in 2012. Satisfaction at work was analyzed using the validated Global Job Satisfaction (GJS) instrument and the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. Additional items targeting personal and environmental factors were included. The rate of chairs reached successfully was 86%, the overall response rate was 29% (188/650), with 1% female. Median age was 58 years. 11% of chairs were dissatisfied with work. Younger age and being fewer years in practice as a chair was associated with higher job satisfaction (P = .054 and P = .003). Surgical specialty with the greatest median GJS score was hepatopancreatobiliary, whereas vascular surgery scored lowest. Chairs desire to devote 20% more of their time on research. Clerical support as well as the ability to be innovative was suggested by 51% and 45%, respectively, to improve job satisfaction. Compared with Europeans, North American chairs were overall more satisfied and would recommend their job to their children. North American chairs seem to be more satisfied at work and at less risk for burnout than European chairs. The overall job satisfaction was greater among chairs compared with previously published reports of young, board-certified surgeons or residents (89% vs 87% and 66%, respectively). The superior satisfaction in chairs is strongest related to career achievements, innovation, and lifestyle. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Girls' Drop-Out from Primary Schooling in the Middle East and North Africa: Challenges and Alternatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mehrah, Golnar

The present situation in the Middle East and North Africa Region (MENA) regarding primary school drop-out and repetition, with special reference to the situation of the girl child, is examined in this study. The in-school as well as out-of-school causes of primary school drop-out are examined, and solutions that help reduce or eliminate the…

Where Europe meets Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

Data from a portion of the imagery acquired by the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer's vertical-viewing (nadir) camera during 2000-2002 were combined to create this cloud-free natural-color mosaic of southwestern Europe and northwestern Morocco and Algeria. The image extends from 48oN, 16oW in the northwest to 32oN, 8oE in the southeast. It is displayed in Albers conic equal-area projection (a projection which is frequently used for equal-area maps of regions that are predominantly east-west in extent).

From the northeast, the image traverses a portion of the Swiss Alps (partially snow-covered) and a small part of Italy's Po Valley. The northern portion of the image also includes the western coast of France and much of southern and southwestern France's undulating terrain, which continues until reaching the hills of the Pyrenees. The Pyrenees act as the natural frontier to the Iberian Peninsula -- a landmass comprised of Spain and Portugal. The Peninsular landscapes are extremely varied, with some almost desert-like, others green and fertile. About half of Spain is situated atop a high plain, known as the Central Plateau, and many mountain ranges, rivers, geological basement rock and vegetation types are found across this great plateau. The largest alluvial plain is Andalusia in the south, where the valley of the Guadalquivir River is shut in by mountain ranges on every side except the southwest, where the valley descends to the Atlantic. The islands of Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza are Spanish territories in the western Mediterranean. At the Strait of Gibralter, Spain and Morocco very nearly kiss, and Morocco appears relatively verdant along its northern coastal corner. The rugged Atlas Mountain ranges traverse northern Algeria and Morocco.

The Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer observes the daylit Earth continuously from pole to pole, and every 9 days views the entire globe between 82 degrees north and 82 degrees south latitude. This data

Integrative review of indigenous arthropod natural enemies of the invasive brown marmorated stink bug in North America and Europe

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Since the establishment of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in North America and Europe, there has been a large, multi-group effort to characterize the composition and impact of the indigenous community of arthropod natural enemies attacking this invas...

Societal trends, mobility behaviour and sustainable transport in Europe and North America: the European Union network STELLA.

PubMed

Rudinger, Georg; Donaghy, Kieran; Poppelreuter, Stefan

2004-12-01

This contribution introduces the work of the European Union network Sustainable Transport in Europe and Links and Liaisons to America (STELLA) in the first section and examines especially social and behavioural aspects of sustainable transport from a transatlantic perspective in the second section. One of the most significant societal trends, the ageing of societies, is surveyed and its implications for mobility behaviour are shown. The sustainability of this behaviour is considered along with constraints and drivers of this behaviour in Europe and North America. The contribution takes up relevant policy issues and concludes with a discussion of a transatlantic research agenda on social and behavioural aspects of sustainable transport especially concerning the elderly.

A New Southern North Atlantic Isochron Map: Insights Into the Drift of the Iberian Plate Since the Late Cretaceous

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macchiavelli, Chiara; Vergés, Jaume; Schettino, Antonio; Fernández, Manel; Turco, Eugenio; Casciello, Emilio; Torne, Montserrat; Pierantoni, Pietro Paolo; Tunini, Lavinia

2017-12-01

This paper presents a new southern North Atlantic plate model from Late Cretaceous to present, with the aim of constraining the kinematics of the Iberian plate during the last 83.5 Myr. This model is presented along with a detailed isochron map generated through the analysis of 3 aeromagnetic tracks and 400 ship tracks from the National Centers for Environmental Information database. We present a new technique to obtain well-constrained estimates of the Iberia-North America plate motions from magnetic anomalies, overcoming the scarcity of large-offset fracture zones and transform faults. We build an integrated kinematic model for NW Africa, Morocco, Iberia, Europe, and North America, which shows that the deformation is partitioned between Pyrenees and Betic-Rif orogenic domain during the Late Cretaceous-Oligocene time interval. In the Eastern Betics domain, the calculated amount of NW Africa-Iberia convergence is 80 km between 83.5 and 34 Ma, followed by 150 km since the Oligocene. The motion of Iberia relative to Europe in the Central Pyrenees is characterized by overall NE directed transpressional motion during the Campanian and the Paleocene, followed by NW directed transpressional movement until the Lutetian and overall NNW directed convergence from Bartonian to Chattian. This motion occurs along the axis of the Bay of Biscay from the Santonian-Campanian boundary to the middle Priabonian, subsequently jumping to King's Trough at Anomaly 17 (36.62 Ma).

Whole genome phylogenetic investigation of a West Nile virus strain isolated from a tick sampled from livestock in north eastern Kenya.

PubMed

Lwande, Olivia Wesula; Venter, Marietjie; Lutomiah, Joel; Michuki, George; Rumberia, Cecilia; Gakuya, Francis; Obanda, Vincent; Tigoi, Caroline; Odhiambo, Collins; Nindo, Fredrick; Symekher, Samwel; Sang, Rosemary

2014-11-28

West Nile virus (WNV) has a wide geographical distribution and has been associated to cause neurological disease in humans and horses. Mosquitoes are the traditional vectors for WNV; however, the virus has also been isolated from tick species in North Africa and Europe which could be a means of introduction and spread of the virus over long distances through migratory birds. Although WNV has been isolated in mosquitoes in Kenya, paucity of genetic and pathogenicity data exists. We previously reported the isolation of WNV from ticks collected from livestock and wildlife in Ijara District of Kenya, a hotspot for arbovirus activity. Here we report the full genome sequence and phylogenetic investigation of their origin and relation to strains from other regions. A total of 10,488 ticks were sampled from animal hosts, classified to species and processed in pools of up to eight ticks per pool. Virus screening was performed by cell culture, RT-PCR and sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out to determine the evolutionary relationships of our isolate. Among other viruses, WNV was isolated from a pool of Rhipicephalus pulchellus sampled from cattle, sequenced and submitted to GenBank (Accession number: KC243146). Comparative analysis with 27 different strains revealed that our isolate belongs to lineage 1 and clustered relatively closely to isolates from North Africa and Europe, Russia and the United States. Overall, Bayesian analysis based on nucleotide sequences showed that lineage 1 strains including the Kenyan strain had diverged 200 years ago from lineage 2 strains of southern Africa. Ijara strain collected from a tick sampled on livestock was closest to another Kenyan strain and had diverged 20 years ago from strains detected in Morocco and Europe and 30 years ago from strains identified in the USA. To our knowledge, this is the first characterized WNV strain isolated from R. pulchellus. The epidemiological role of this tick in WNV transmission and

The Earliest Colubroid-Dominated Snake Fauna from Africa: Perspectives from the Late Oligocene Nsungwe Formation of Southwestern Tanzania

PubMed Central

McCartney, Jacob A.; Stevens, Nancy J.; O’Connor, Patrick M.

2014-01-01

The extant snake fauna has its roots in faunal upheaval occurring across the Paleogene - Neogene transition. On northern continents, this turnover is well established by the late early Miocene. However, this transition is poorly documented on southern landmasses, particularly on continental Africa, where no late Paleogene terrestrial snake assemblages are documented south of the equator. Here we describe a newly discovered snake fauna from the Late Oligocene Nsungwe Formation in the Rukwa Rift Basin of Tanzania. The fauna is small but diverse with eight identifiable morphotypes, comprised of three booids and five colubroids. This fauna includes Rukwanyoka holmani gen. et sp. nov., the oldest boid known from mainland Africa. It also provides the oldest fossil evidence for the African colubroid clade Elapidae. Colubroids dominate the fauna, comprising more than 75% of the recovered material. This is likely tied to local aridification and/or seasonality and mirrors the pattern of overturn in later snake faunas inhabiting the emerging grassland environments of Europe and North America. The early emergence of colubroid dominance in the Rukwa Rift Basin relative to northern continents suggests that the pattern of overturn that resulted in extant faunas happened in a more complex fashion on continental Africa than was previously realized, with African colubroids becoming at least locally important in the late Paleogene, either ahead of or as a consequence of the invasion of colubrids. The early occurrence of elapid snakes in the latest Oligocene of Africa suggests the clade rapidly spread from Asia to Africa, or arose in Africa, before invading Europe. PMID:24646522

A database on downward shortwave radiation for Africa and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefevre, M.; Cros, S.; Albuisson, M.; Wald, L.

2003-04-01

Shortwave (SW) radiation is an element of the radiation budget, an essential component in climate studies. The network of stations measuring radiation is very scarce in the ocean and coastal areas.[1] and [2] demonstrate that a proper processing of satellite data provides better results than interpolation techniques. Several methods are available for the conversion of spaceborne observations made in the visible range by geostationnary satellites into SW radiation available at ocean level. Our concern is the series of Meteosat satellites that observe Africa, Europe and the Eastern Atlantic Ocean for several years. When operated on a routine basis, many of these methods exhibit several drawbacks, one of them being the poor accuracy in irradiance [3]. We designed a new method that is capable of processing long time-series of images acquired by the series of sensors aboard the Meteosat satellites. The method is using the same principle than several methods of proven quality: [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]. With respect to these methods, the new one, called Heliosat-II, offers several improvements in operation and accuracy. These improvements are due to several causes: (i) the Meteosat data are calibrated and converted into radiances [12]; (ii) we use a new database of monthly values of the atmospheric optical turbidity for clear skies available on cells of 5’ of arc angle in size (SoDa Web site: http://www.soda-is.com); (iii) we use terrain elevation TerrainBase database using the same cell size (useful for land / ocean separation); (iv) a better modelling of the irradiation under clear-skies and overcast skies was performed [13]; (v) more physical description of the optical processes was made possible by the calibration step; known proven models are implemented in the method; (vi) observations of [14] were used to model the spatial distribution of radiances of the very thick clouds; (vii) changes in ocean albedo due to sun glitter are taken into account. We made

Ancient glaciations and hydrocarbon accumulations in North Africa and the Middle East

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Heron, Daniel Paul; Craig, Jonathan; Etienne, James L.

2009-04-01

At least six glaciations are purported to have affected North Africa and the Middle East region over the last one billion years, including two in the Cryogenian (Neoproterozoic), Hirnantian (Late Ordovician), Silurian, Carboniferous and Early Permian events. The sedimentary record associated with these glaciations, together with the intensity to which each has been investigated, is highly variable. As hydrocarbon exploration proceeds aggressively across the North Africa and Middle East regions, we review the relationship between glaciation and hydrocarbon accumulations. With the exception of Oman, and locally Egypt, which were tectonically active both during the Neoproterozoic and Early Palaeozoic all glaciations took place along an essentially stable passive continental margin. During the Neoproterozoic, two glaciations are recognised, referred to as older and younger Cryogenian glaciations respectively. Both of these Cryogenian events are preserved in Oman; only the younger Cryogenian has been reported in North Africa in Mauritania and Mali at the flanks of the Taoudenni Basin. The process of initial deglaciation in younger Cryogenian glaciations resulted in incision, at least locally producing large-bedrock palaeovalleys in Oman, and the deposition of glacial diamictites, gravels, sandstones and mudstones. As deglaciation progressed "cap carbonates" were deposited, passing vertically into shale with evidence for deposition in an anoxic environment. Hence, younger Cryogenian deglaciation may be associated with hydrocarbon source rock deposits. Hirnantian (Late Ordovician) glaciation was short lived (< 0.5 Myr) and affected intracratonic basins of Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Libya, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The organisation of the glacial sedimentary record is considered to be controlled at the basin-scale by the location of fast-flowing ice streams active during glacial maxima, and by the processes of meltwater release during glacial recession. In these latter

Phylogeography of West Nile virus: from the cradle of evolution in Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas.

PubMed

May, Fiona J; Davis, C Todd; Tesh, Robert B; Barrett, Alan D T

2011-03-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is the most widely distributed of the encephalitic flaviviruses and is a major cause of encephalitis, with isolates obtained from all continents, apart from Antarctica. Subsequent to its divergence from the other members of the Japanese encephalitis virus complex, presumably in Africa, WNV has diverged into individual lineages that mostly correspond with geographic distribution. Here we elucidate the phylogeography and evolutionary history of isolates from lineage 1 of WNV. Interestingly, there are many examples of the same amino acid having evolved independently on multiple occasions. In Africa, WNV exists in an endemic cycle, whereas it is epidemic in Europe, being reintroduced regularly from Africa either directly (in western Europe) or via the Middle East (in eastern Europe). Significantly, introduction into other geographic areas has occurred on one occasion only in each region, leading to subsequent establishment and expansion of the virus in these areas. Only one endemic genotype each is present in India and Australia, suggesting that WNV was successfully introduced into these locations once only. Each introduction occurred many centuries ago, probably due to trade and exploration during the 19th century. Likewise, in the Americas, WNV was successfully introduced in 1999 and subsequently became endemic across most temperate regions of North America (NA). In contrast to previous suggestions, an isolate from the epidemic in Israel in 1998 was not the direct progenitor of the NA epidemic; rather, both epidemics originated from the same (unknown) location.

Advection from the North Atlantic as the Forcing of Winter Greenhouse Effect Over Europe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.; Angell, J.; Atlas, R.; Bungato, D.; Shubert, S.; Starr, David OC.; Susskind, J.; Wu, M.-L. C.

2002-01-01

In winter, large interannual fluctuations in the surface temperature are observed over central Europe. Comparing warm February 1990 with cold February 1996, a satellite-retrieved surface (skin) temperature difference of 9.8 K is observed for the region 50-60 degrees N; 5-35 degrees E. Previous studies show that advection from the North Atlantic constitutes the forcing to such fluctuations. The advection is quantified by Index I(sub na), the average of the ocean-surface wind speed over the eastern North Atlantic when the direction is from the southwest (when the wind is from another direction, it counts as a zero speed to the average). Average I(sub na) for February 1990 was 10.6 m/s, but for February 1996 I(sub na) was only 2.4 m/s. A large value of I(sub na) means a strong southwesterly flow which brings warm and moist air into central Europe at low level, producing a steeper tropospheric lapse rate. Strong ascending motions at 700 mb are observed in association with the occurrence of enhanced warm, moist advection from the ocean in February 1990 producing clouds and precipitation. Total precipitable water and cloud-cover fraction have larger values in February 1990 than in 1996. The difference in the greenhouse effect between these two scenarios, this reduction in heat loss to space, can be translated into a virtual radiative heating of 2.6 W/square m above the February 1990 surface/atmosphere system, which contributes to a warming of the surface on the order of 2.6 K. Accepting this estimate as quantitatively meaningful, we evaluate the direct effect, the rise in the surface temperature in Europe as a result of maritime-air inflow, as 7.2 K (9.8 K-2.6 K). Thus, fractional reinforcement by the greenhouse effect is 2.6/7.2, or 36%, a substantial positive feedback.

Böttger stoneware from North America and Europe; are they authentic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swann, Charles P.; Nelson, Christina H.

2000-03-01

In the early 18th century, Johann Friedrich Böttger, an alchemist recently arrived in Dresden, was assigned to ceramic experimentation under the orders of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland. The Elector and his advisors hoped to discover the secret of making hard paste porcelain like the wares imported into Europe from China and Japan. In 1706-1707, Böttger produced his first ceramic body, a red stoneware similar to the wares produced in Yixing, China. The first objects were made following the forms of chinese prototypes or European metalwork of the period. Recently, the authenticity of a number of `Böttger' objects in various museums and private collections in North America and Europe has been questioned. To aide in resolving these questions several non-destructive analytical techniques have been employed, the most important being PIXE. This report is on an initial study of 25 objects with 16 elements from Al to Zr and Pb being analysed. The results strongly suggest three different groupings, one of objects from the Meissen factory during the 20th century, one from the work of Böttger himself early in the 18th century and one from an as yet unknown time period and site. The first two groups were previously identified by one of the authors (C.N.).

Analysis of the summertime buildup of tropospheric ozone abundances over the Middle East and North Africa as observed by the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jane J.; Jones, Dylan B. A.; Worden, John R.; Noone, David; Parrington, Mark; Kar, Jay

2009-03-01

We use the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model to interpret observations of tropospheric ozone from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) satellite instrument in summer 2005. Observations from TES reveal elevated ozone in the middle troposphere (500-400 hPa) across North Africa and the Middle East. Observed ozone abundances in the middle troposphere are at a maximum in summer and a minimum in winter, consistent with the previously predicted summertime "Middle East ozone maximum." This summertime enhancement in ozone is associated with the Arabian and Sahara anticyclones, centered over the Zagros and Atlas Mountains, respectively. These anticyclones isolate the middle troposphere over northeast Africa and the Middle East, with westerlies to the north and easterlies to the south, facilitating the buildup of ozone. Over the Middle East, we find that in situ production and transport from Asia provides comparable contributions of 30-35% to the ozone buildup. Over North Africa, in situ production is dominant (at about 20%), with transport from Asia, North America, and equatorial Africa each contributing about 10-15% to the total ozone. We find that although the eastern Mediterranean is characterized by strong descent in the middle and upper troposphere in summer, transport from the boundary layer accounts for about 25% of the local Middle Eastern contribution to the ozone enhancement in the middle troposphere. This upward transport of boundary layer air is associated with orographic lifting along the Zagros Mountains in Iran and the Asir and Hijaz Mountain ranges in Saudi Arabia, and is consistent with TES observations of deuterated water.

A Comprehensive Review of the Status of Early Childhood Development in the Middle East and North Africa.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khattab, Mohammad Salih

This report reviews the status of early childhood education (ECE) programs in UNICEF's Middle East and North Africa region. The report compiles information about ECE programs in 18 countries based on a questionnaire sent to UNICEF country offices and other sources. The introduction sets out the economic and social rationales for investing in early…

Patterns of genetic diversity in Hepatozoon spp. infecting snakes from North Africa and the Mediterranean Basin.

PubMed

Tomé, Beatriz; Maia, João P; Salvi, Daniele; Brito, José C; Carretero, Miguel A; Perera, Ana; Meimberg, Harald; Harris, David James

2014-03-01

Species of Hepatozoon Miller, 1908 are blood parasites most commonly found in snakes but some have been described from all tetrapod groups and a wide variety of hematophagous invertebrates. Previous studies have suggested possible associations between Hepatozoon spp. found in predators and prey. Particularly, some saurophagous snakes from North Africa and the Mediterranean region have been found to be infected with Hepatozoon spp. similar to those of various sympatric lizard hosts. In this study, we have screened tissue samples of 111 North African and Mediterranean snakes, using specific primers for the 18S rRNA gene. In the phylogenetic analysis, the newly-generated Hepatozoon spp. sequences grouped separately into five main clusters. Three of these clusters were composed by Hepatozoon spp. also found in snakes and other reptiles from the Mediterranean Basin and North Africa. In the other two clusters, the new sequences were not closely related to geographically proximate known sequences. The phylogeny of Hepatozoon spp. inferred here was not associated with intermediate host taxonomy or geographical distribution. From the other factors that could explain these evolutionary patterns, the most likely seems series of intermediate hosts providing similar ribotypes of Hepatozoon and a high prevalence of host shifts for Hepatozoon spp. This is indicated by ribotypes of high similarity found in different reptile families, as well as by divergent ribotypes found in the same host species. This potentially low host specificity has profound implications for the systematics of Hepatozoon spp.

A European Mitochondrial Haplotype Identified in Ancient Phoenician Remains from Carthage, North Africa

PubMed Central

Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth A.; Gosling, Anna L.; Boocock, James; Kardailsky, Olga; Kurumilian, Yara; Roudesli-Chebbi, Sihem; Badre, Leila; Morel, Jean-Paul; Sebaï, Leïla Ladjimi; Zalloua, Pierre A.

2016-01-01

While Phoenician culture and trade networks had a significant impact on Western civilizations, we know little about the Phoenicians themselves. In 1994, a Punic burial crypt was discovered on Byrsa Hill, near the entry to the National Museum of Carthage in Tunisia. Inside this crypt were the remains of a young man along with a range of burial goods, all dating to the late 6th century BCE. Here we describe the complete mitochondrial genome recovered from the Young Man of Byrsa and identify that he carried a rare European haplogroup, likely linking his maternal ancestry to Phoenician influenced locations somewhere on the North Mediterranean coast, the islands of the Mediterranean or the Iberian Peninsula. This result not only provides the first direct ancient DNA evidence of a Phoenician individual but the earliest evidence of a European mitochondrial haplogroup, U5b2c1, in North Africa. PMID:27224451

JPRS Report East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-22

Latin America to West Europe. This has been made easier by the opening of our borders, the weakness of our customs and police ser- vices, Poland’s...past two years, two large drug shipments from Latin America were seized. They may have been the first attempts to open a route. UN experts who toured...Friday in eight volumes: China, East Europe, Central Eurasia, East Asia, Near East & South Asia, Sub- Saharan Africa, Latin America , and West

Clinical Application of Epilepsy Genetics in Africa: Is Now the Time?

PubMed Central

Esterhuizen, Alina I.; Carvill, Gemma L.; Ramesar, Rajkumar S.; Kariuki, Symon M.; Newton, Charles R.; Poduri, Annapurna; Wilmshurst, Jo M.

2018-01-01

Over 80% of people with epilepsy live in low- to middle-income countries where epilepsy is often undiagnosed and untreated due to limited resources and poor infrastructure. In Africa, the burden of epilepsy is exacerbated by increased risk factors such as central nervous system infections, perinatal insults, and traumatic brain injury. Despite the high incidence of these etiologies, the cause of epilepsy in over 60% of African children is unknown, suggesting a possible genetic origin. Large-scale genetic and genomic research in Europe and North America has revealed new genes and variants underlying disease in a range of epilepsy phenotypes. The relevance of this knowledge to patient care is especially evident among infants with early-onset epilepsies, where early genetic testing can confirm the diagnosis and direct treatment, potentially improving prognosis and quality of life. In Africa, however, genetic epilepsies are among the most under-investigated neurological disorders, and little knowledge currently exists on the genetics of epilepsy among African patients. The increased diversity on the continent may yield unique, important epilepsy-associated genotypes, currently absent from the North American or European diagnostic testing protocols. In this review, we propose that there is strong justification for developing the capacity to offer genetic testing for children with epilepsy in Africa, informed mostly by the existing counseling and interventional needs. Initial simple protocols involving well-recognized epilepsy genes will not only help patients but will give rise to further clinically relevant research, thus increasing knowledge and capacity. PMID:29770117

GMO foods and crops: Africa's choice.

PubMed

Paarlberg, Robert

2010-11-30

There is a scientific consensus, even in Europe, that the GMO foods and crops currently on the market have brought no documented new risks either to human health or to the environment. Europe has decided to stifle the use of this new technology, not because of the presence of risks, but because of the absence so far of direct benefits to most Europeans. Farmers in Europe are few in number, and they are highly productive even without GMOs. In Africa, by contrast, 60% of all citizens are still farmers and they are not yet highly productive. For Africa, the choice to stifle new technology with European-style regulations carries a much higher cost. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Population trends of grassland birds in North America are linked to the prevalence of an agricultural epizootic in Europe

PubMed Central

Nocera, Joseph J.; Koslowsky, Hannah M.

2011-01-01

Globalization of trade has dramatic socioeconomic effects, and, intuitively, significant ecological effects should follow. However, few quantitative examples exist of the interrelationship of globalization, socioeconomics, and ecological patterns. We present a striking illustration of a cascade in which bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE; “mad cow disease”) outbreaks in Europe exerted pressure on global beef markets, subsequently affecting North American hayfields and grassland bird populations. We examined competing models, which linked the prevalence of BSE in five focal countries, volume of beef exports to those countries from North America, and the amount of hayfield harvested and the abundance of grassland birds in North America. We found that (i) imports from North America increased 1 y after BSE outbreaks; (ii) probably because fewer cattle remained, the hay harvest in North America was reduced 2 y after the outbreak; (iii) the reduced hay harvest yielded a positive response in grassland bird populations 3 y after the outbreak. PMID:21383197

The invasive fish tapeworm Atractolytocestus huronensis (Cestoda), a parasite of carp, colonises Africa.

PubMed

Scholz, Tomáš; Tavakol, Sareh; Halajian, Ali; Luus-Powell, Wilmien J

2015-09-01

Biological invasions represent a serious threat for aquaculture because many of introduced parasites may negatively affect the health state of feral and cultured fish. In the present account, the invasive tapeworm Atractolytocestus huronensis Anthony, 1958 (Cestoda: Caryophyllidea), which was originally described from North America and has been introduced to Europe including the British Isles with its specific host, common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), is reported from Africa for the first time. Its recent introduction to South Africa, where it was found in four localities where common carp is cultured, is another evidence of insufficient prophylactic measures and inadequate veterinary control during transfers of cultured fish, especially common carp, between continents. Together with the Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi, A. huronensis is another fish tapeworm with ability to spread throughout the globe as a result of man-made introductions of its fish hosts.

Mountain uplift explains differences in Palaeogene patterns of mammalian evolution and extinction between North America and Europe

PubMed Central

Eronen, Jussi T.; Janis, Christine M.; Chamberlain, C. Page; Mulch, Andreas

2015-01-01

Patterns of late Palaeogene mammalian evolution appear to be very different between Eurasia and North America. Around the Eocene–Oligocene (EO) transition global temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere plummet: following this, European mammal faunas undergo a profound extinction event (the Grande Coupure), while in North America they appear to pass through this temperature event unscathed. Here, we investigate the role of surface uplift to environmental change and mammalian evolution through the Palaeogene (66–23 Ma). Palaeogene regional surface uplift in North America caused large-scale reorganization of precipitation patterns, particularly in the continental interior, in accord with our combined stable isotope and ecometric data. Changes in mammalian faunas reflect that these were dry and high-elevation palaeoenvironments. The scenario of Middle to Late Eocene (50–37 Ma) surface uplift, together with decreasing precipitation in higher-altitude regions of western North America, explains the enigma of the apparent lack of the large-scale mammal faunal change around the EO transition that characterized western Europe. We suggest that North American mammalian faunas were already pre-adapted to cooler and drier conditions preceding the EO boundary, resulting from the effects of a protracted history of surface uplift. PMID:26041349

A Climatology of Dust-Emission Events over North Africa Based on 27 Years of Surface Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowie, S.; Knippertz, P.; Schepanski, K.

2012-04-01

The huge quantity of mineral dust emitted annually from North Africa makes this area crucial to the global dust cycle. Once in the atmosphere, dust aerosols have a significant impact on the global radiation budget, clouds, the carbon cycle and can even act as a fertilizer to rain forests in South America. Current model estimates of dust production from North Africa are uncertain. At the heart of this problem is insufficient understanding of key dust emitting processes such as haboobs (cold pools generated through evaporation of convective precipitation), low-level jets (LLJs), and dry convection (dust devils and dust plumes). Scarce observations in this region, in particular in the Sahara, make model evaluation difficult. This work uses long-term surface observations from the MIDAS data set (~120 stations in the arid part of North Africa) to explore the diurnal, seasonal, decadal and geographical variations in dust emission events and their associated wind thresholds. The threshold values are determined from probability density functions of observed 10-minute anemomenter wind speeds. Emission events are defined using the present weather codes (WW) of SYNOP reports. These codes represent events of smaller intensity such as "Dust or sand raised by wind" to severe dust storms. During the 27-year study period (1984-2011) stations are required to have a minimum of 1000 dust observations to be included in the analysis. Dust emission frequency (DEF) is calculated for different time intervals (e.g. monthly, 3-hourly) taking into account the different number of measurements available at each station. North of 25°N a maximum during March-May is evident and relatively consistent over the whole North African region. Wind-speed thresholds for dust emission north of 25°N are higher than south of 25°N in the Sahel, where station-to-station variability is larger, and enhanced DEF activity during February-March is observed. The variability in this region is closely linked to the

Strategies for Female Education in the Middle East and North Africa. Learning for the 21st Century.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rihani, May; Prather, Cynthia J.

This paper is designed to assist education planners and policymakers in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to identify a range of strategic options to increase the access and retention of girls in the education system. It provides a review of materials relating to the status of female education in the MENA region, statistical data on…

Climate-driven variability in the occurrence of major floods across North America and Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodgkins, Glenn A.; Whitfield, Paul H.; Burn, Donald H.; Hannaford, Jamie; Renard, Benjamin; Stahl, Kerstin; Fleig, Anne K.; Madsen, Henrik; Mediero, Luis; Korhonen, Johanna; Murphy, Conor; Wilson, Donna

2017-09-01

Concern over the potential impact of anthropogenic climate change on flooding has led to a proliferation of studies examining past flood trends. Many studies have analysed annual-maximum flow trends but few have quantified changes in major (25-100 year return period) floods, i.e. those that have the greatest societal impacts. Existing major-flood studies used a limited number of very large catchments affected to varying degrees by alterations such as reservoirs and urbanisation. In the current study, trends in major-flood occurrence from 1961 to 2010 and from 1931 to 2010 were assessed using a very large dataset (>1200 gauges) of diverse catchments from North America and Europe; only minimally altered catchments were used, to focus on climate-driven changes rather than changes due to catchment alterations. Trend testing of major floods was based on counting the number of exceedances of a given flood threshold within a group of gauges. Evidence for significant trends varied between groups of gauges that were defined by catchment size, location, climate, flood threshold and period of record, indicating that generalizations about flood trends across large domains or a diversity of catchment types are ungrounded. Overall, the number of significant trends in major-flood occurrence across North America and Europe was approximately the number expected due to chance alone. Changes over time in the occurrence of major floods were dominated by multidecadal variability rather than by long-term trends. There were more than three times as many significant relationships between major-flood occurrence and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation than significant long-term trends.

Climate-driven variability in the occurrence of major floods across North America and Europe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hodgkins, Glenn A.; Whitfield, Paul H.; Burn, Donald H.; Hannaford, Jamie; Renard, Benjamin; Stahl, Kerstin; Fleig, Anne K.; Madsen, Henrik; Mediero, Luis; Korhonen, Johanna; Murphy, Conor; Wilson, Donna

2017-01-01

Concern over the potential impact of anthropogenic climate change on flooding has led to a proliferation of studies examining past flood trends. Many studies have analysed annual-maximum flow trends but few have quantified changes in major (25–100 year return period) floods, i.e. those that have the greatest societal impacts. Existing major-flood studies used a limited number of very large catchments affected to varying degrees by alterations such as reservoirs and urbanisation. In the current study, trends in major-flood occurrence from 1961 to 2010 and from 1931 to 2010 were assessed using a very large dataset (>1200 gauges) of diverse catchments from North America and Europe; only minimally altered catchments were used, to focus on climate-driven changes rather than changes due to catchment alterations. Trend testing of major floods was based on counting the number of exceedances of a given flood threshold within a group of gauges. Evidence for significant trends varied between groups of gauges that were defined by catchment size, location, climate, flood threshold and period of record, indicating that generalizations about flood trends across large domains or a diversity of catchment types are ungrounded. Overall, the number of significant trends in major-flood occurrence across North America and Europe was approximately the number expected due to chance alone. Changes over time in the occurrence of major floods were dominated by multidecadal variability rather than by long-term trends. There were more than three times as many significant relationships between major-flood occurrence and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation than significant long-term trends.

Assessment of undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Chad Basin Province, North-Central Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brownfield, Michael E.; Schenk, Christopher J.; Charpentier, Ronald R.; Klett, Timothy R.; Cook, Troy A.; Pollastro, Richard M.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.

2010-01-01

The Chad Basin Province located in north-central Africa recently was assessed for undiscovered, technically recoverable oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids resources as part of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) World Oil and Gas Assessment. Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the USGS estimated mean volumes of 2.32 billion barrels of oil, 14.65 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, and 391 million barrels of natural gas liquids.

Phylogeography of West Nile Virus: from the Cradle of Evolution in Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas▿ †

PubMed Central

May, Fiona J.; Davis, C. Todd; Tesh, Robert B.; Barrett, Alan D. T.

2011-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is the most widely distributed of the encephalitic flaviviruses and is a major cause of encephalitis, with isolates obtained from all continents, apart from Antarctica. Subsequent to its divergence from the other members of the Japanese encephalitis virus complex, presumably in Africa, WNV has diverged into individual lineages that mostly correspond with geographic distribution. Here we elucidate the phylogeography and evolutionary history of isolates from lineage 1 of WNV. Interestingly, there are many examples of the same amino acid having evolved independently on multiple occasions. In Africa, WNV exists in an endemic cycle, whereas it is epidemic in Europe, being reintroduced regularly from Africa either directly (in western Europe) or via the Middle East (in eastern Europe). Significantly, introduction into other geographic areas has occurred on one occasion only in each region, leading to subsequent establishment and expansion of the virus in these areas. Only one endemic genotype each is present in India and Australia, suggesting that WNV was successfully introduced into these locations once only. Each introduction occurred many centuries ago, probably due to trade and exploration during the 19th century. Likewise, in the Americas, WNV was successfully introduced in 1999 and subsequently became endemic across most temperate regions of North America (NA). In contrast to previous suggestions, an isolate from the epidemic in Israel in 1998 was not the direct progenitor of the NA epidemic; rather, both epidemics originated from the same (unknown) location. PMID:21159871

Flow cytometry, microsatellites and niche models reveal the origins and geographical structure of Alnus glutinosa populations in Europe

PubMed Central

Mandák, Bohumil; Vít, Petr; Krak, Karol; Trávníček, Pavel; Havrdová, Alena; Hadincová, Věroslava; Zákravský, Petr; Jarolímová, Vlasta; Bacles, Cecile Fanny Emilie; Douda, Jan

2016-01-01

Background and Aims Polyploidy in plants has been studied extensively. In many groups, two or more cytotypes represent separate biological entities with distinct distributions, histories and ecology. This study examines the distribution and origins of cytotypes of Alnus glutinosa in Europe, North Africa and western Asia. Methods A combined approach was used involving flow cytometry and microsatellite analysis of 12 loci in 2200 plants from 209 populations combined with species distribution modelling using MIROC and CCSM climatic models, in order to analyse (1) ploidy and genetic variation, (2) the origin of tetraploid A. glutinosa, considering A. incana as a putative parent, and (3) past distributions of the species. Key Results The occurrence of tetraploid populations of A. glutinosa in Europe is determined for the first time. The distribution of tetraploids is far from random, forming two geographically well-delimited clusters located in the Iberian Peninsula and the Dinaric Alps. Based on microsatellite analysis, both tetraploid clusters are probably of autopolyploid origin, with no indication that A. incana was involved in their evolutionary history. A projection of the MIROC distribution model into the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) showed that (1) populations occurring in the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa were probably interconnected during the LGM and (2) populations occurring in the Dinaric Alps did not exist throughout the last glacial periods, having retreated southwards into lowland areas of the Balkan Peninsula. Conclusions Newly discovered tetraploid populations are situated in the putative main glacial refugia, and neither of them was likely to have been involved in the colonization of central and northern Europe after glacial withdrawal. This could mean that neither the Iberian Peninsula nor the western part of the Balkan Peninsula served as effective refugial areas for northward post-glacial expansion of A. glutinosa. PMID:26467247

Paper and pulp output continues to climb in Europe and Russia, but falls in North America : markets for paper, paperboard and woodpulp, 2006-2007

Treesearch

Eduard Akim; Peter J. Ince; Bernard Lombard; Tomas Parik

2007-01-01

Overall in the UNECE region in 2006, paper and paperboard consumption, production and trade continued growing, with gains in Europe and the CIS, but a downturn in North America. North American pulp and paper production and consumption decreased slightly in 2006 and early 2007, in part due to the slowdown in United States housing construction and its subsequent economic...

Impact of climate change upon vector born diseases in Europe and Africa using ENSEMBLES Regional Climate Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caminade, Cyril; Morse, Andy

2010-05-01

Climate variability is an important component in determining the incidence of a number of diseases with significant human/animal health and socioeconomic impacts. The most important diseases affecting health are vector-borne, such as malaria, Rift Valley Fever and including those that are tick borne, with over 3 billion of the world population at risk. Malaria alone is responsible for at least one million deaths annually, with 80% of malaria deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa. The climate has a large impact upon the incidence of vector-borne diseases; directly via the development rates and survival of both the pathogen and the vector, and indirectly through changes in the environmental conditions. A large ensemble of regional climate model simulations has been produced within the ENSEMBLES project framework for both the European and African continent. This work will present recent progress in human and animal disease modelling, based on high resolution climate observations and regional climate simulations. Preliminary results will be given as an illustration, including the impact of climate change upon bluetongue (disease affecting the cattle) over Europe and upon malaria and Rift Valley Fever over Africa. Malaria scenarios based on RCM ensemble simulations have been produced for West Africa. These simulations have been carried out using the Liverpool Malaria Model. Future projections highlight that the malaria incidence decreases at the northern edge of the Sahel and that the epidemic belt is shifted southward in autumn. This could lead to significant public health problems in the future as the demography is expected to dramatically rise over Africa for the 21st century.

The role of carbonaceous aerosols on short-term variations of precipitation over North Africa

DOE PAGES

Yoon, Jin -Ho; Rasch, Philip J.; Wang, Hailong; ...

2016-06-16

Northern Africa has been subject to extensive droughts in the late 20th century, which are frequently linked to changes in the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. However, climate models forced by observed Sea Surface Temperatures have been unable to reproduce the magnitude of rainfall reduction over the last several decades. In this study, we propose that aerosol indirect effects (AIE) may be an important feedback mechanism to contribute this recent reduction. The climate model used here has a fully predictive aerosol life cycle. Results are presented for a set of sensitivity experiments designed tomore » distinguish the role of aerosol direct/semi-­direct and indirect effects on regional precipitation. Changes in cloud lifetime due to the presence of carbonaceous aerosols are proposed as a key mechanism to explain the reduced rainfall over the tropical and North Africa.« less

The role of carbonaceous aerosols on short-term variations of precipitation over North Africa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yoon, Jin -Ho; Rasch, Philip J.; Wang, Hailong

Northern Africa has been subject to extensive droughts in the late 20th century, which are frequently linked to changes in the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. However, climate models forced by observed Sea Surface Temperatures have been unable to reproduce the magnitude of rainfall reduction over the last several decades. In this study, we propose that aerosol indirect effects (AIE) may be an important feedback mechanism to contribute this recent reduction. The climate model used here has a fully predictive aerosol life cycle. Results are presented for a set of sensitivity experiments designed tomore » distinguish the role of aerosol direct/semi-­direct and indirect effects on regional precipitation. Changes in cloud lifetime due to the presence of carbonaceous aerosols are proposed as a key mechanism to explain the reduced rainfall over the tropical and North Africa.« less

Macaques at the margins: the biogeography and extinction of Macaca sylvanus in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elton, Sarah; O'Regan, Hannah J.

2014-07-01

The genus Macaca (Primates: Cercopithecidae) originated in Africa, dispersed into Europe in the Late Miocene and resided there until the Late Pleistocene. In this contribution, we provide an overview of the evolutionary history of Macaca in Europe, putting it into context with the wider late Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene European monkey fossil record (also comprising Mesopithecus, Paradolichopithecus, Dolichopithecus and Theropithecus). The Pliocene and Pleistocene European Macaca fossil material is largely regarded as Macaca sylvanus, the same species as the extant Barbary macaque in North Africa. The M. sylvanus specimens found at West Runton in Norfolk (53°N) during the Middle Pleistocene are among the most northerly euprimates ever discovered. Our simple time-budget model indicates that short winter day lengths would have imposed a significant constraint on activity at such relatively high latitudes, so macaque populations in Britain may have been at the limit of their ecological tolerance. Two basic models using climatic and topographic data for the Last Interglacial and the Last Glacial Maximum alongside Middle and Late Pleistocene fossil distributions indicate that much of Europe may have been suitable habitat for macaques. The models also indicate that areas of southern Europe in the present day have a climate that could support macaque populations. However, M. sylvanus became locally extinct in the Late Pleistocene, possibly at a similar time as the straight-tusked elephant, Palaeoloxodon antiquus, and narrow-nosed rhinoceros, Stephanorhinus hemitoechus. Its extinction may be related to vegetation change or increased predation from Homo, although other factors (such as stochastic factors occurring as a result of small population sizes) cannot be ruled out. Notwithstanding the cause of extinction, the European macaque may thus be a previously overlooked member of the Late Pleistocene faunal turnover.

Pharmacovigilance in Europe and North America: divergent approaches.

PubMed

Wiktorowicz, Mary; Lexchin, Joel; Moscou, Kathy

2012-07-01

Although international medicines regulators adopt a common system to assess the safety and efficacy of new drugs, pre-market evaluation is recognized as incomplete given the much larger post-market experience to follow. Adverse drug reactions contribute to more than 100,000 deaths in the United States annually and are among the top 10 leading causes of death. Regulators are developing active surveillance approaches to assess the risks of medicines in the post-market phase to enhance passive adverse drug reaction reporting systems that capture only one to ten percent of ADRs. The objective of this study is to compare international approaches to active surveillance and the manner in which regulatory agencies access and use post-market evidence in their decisions. A conceptual framework is used to guide the comparative analysis of pharmacovigilance governance and policy in the United Kingdom, France, the European Union, the United States and Canada using data gathered from key informant interviews and document review. While research networks are emerging internationally, we found a greater reliance on industry funding and oversight of post-market research in Europe compared to an emphasis on publicly funded programs in North America. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Epidemiology and Geographic Distribution of Relapsing Fever Borreliosis in West and North Africa, with a Review of the Ornithodoros erraticus Complex (Acari: Ixodida)

PubMed Central

Trape, Jean-François; Diatta, Georges; Arnathau, Céline; Bitam, Idir; Sarih, M’hammed; Belghyti, Driss; Bouattour, Ali; Elguero, Eric; Vial, Laurence; Mané, Youssouph; Baldé, Cellou; Pugnolle, Franck; Chauvancy, Gilles; Mahé, Gil; Granjon, Laurent; Duplantier, Jean-Marc

2013-01-01

Background Relapsing fever is the most frequent bacterial disease in Africa. Four main vector / pathogen complexes are classically recognized, with the louse Pediculus humanus acting as vector for B. recurrentis and the soft ticks Ornithodoros sonrai, O. erraticus and O. moubata acting as vectors for Borrelia crocidurae, B. hispanica and B. duttonii, respectively. Our aim was to investigate the epidemiology of the disease in West, North and Central Africa. Methods And Findings From 2002 to 2012, we conducted field surveys in 17 African countries and in Spain. We investigated the occurrence of Ornithodoros ticks in rodent burrows in 282 study sites. We collected 1,629 small mammals that may act as reservoir for Borrelia infections. Using molecular methods we studied genetic diversity among Ornithodoros ticks and Borrelia infections in ticks and small mammals. Of 9,870 burrows investigated, 1,196 (12.1%) were inhabited by Ornithodoros ticks. In West Africa, the southern and eastern limits of the vectors and Borrelia infections in ticks and small mammals were 13°N and 01°E, respectively. Molecular studies revealed the occurrence of nine different Ornithodoros species, including five species new for science, with six of them harboring Borrelia infections. Only B. crocidurae was found in West Africa and three Borrelia species were identified in North Africa: B. crocidurae, B. hispanica, and B. merionesi. Conclusions Borrelia Spirochetes responsible for relapsing fever in humans are highly prevalent both in Ornithodoros ticks and small mammals in North and West Africa but Ornithodoros ticks seem absent south of 13°N and small mammals are not infected in these regions. The number of Ornithodoros species acting as vector of relapsing fever is much higher than previously known. PMID:24223812

Ticks (Ixodidae) on birds migrating from Europe and Asia to Africa, 1959-61*

PubMed Central

Hoogstraal, Harry; Kaiser, Makram N.; Traylor, Melvin A.; Guindy, Ezzat; Gaber, Sobhy

1963-01-01

The need for imaginative thinking and research in the epidemiology of diseases transmitted by arthropods is made manifest by new views of the longevity and host ranges of arthropod-borne viruses, as well as by other biological and medical phenomena. Among these is the intercontinental transport of ticks by migrating birds. During the fall migration periods of 1959, 1960 and 1961, 32 086 birds (comprising 72 forms) were examined for ticks in Egypt while en route from Asia and eastern Europe to tropical Africa. Of these, 40 forms, represented by 31 434 birds, were tick-infested. The bird hosts, numbering 1040 (3.31% of the tick-infested bird forms examined), bore 1761 ticks, or 1.69 ticks per host. Common ticks taken were Hyalomma m. marginatum, Haemaphysalis punctata, and Ixodes ricinus. Ixodes frontalis and Hyalomma aegyptium were less common and Haemaphysalis sulcata, H. otophila, and H. pavlovskyi were rare. The common tick species are known to be reservoirs and vectors of pathogens causing a number of human and animal diseases in Europe and Asia. Several of the bird hosts have also been incriminated as reservoirs in their summer ranges. Over 20 strains of pathogenic viruses were isolated from these birds and their ticks in Egypt in the 1961 fall migration period. The most difficult problems in investigations such as this in many parts of the world are taxonomic ones: the correct identification of bird hosts, of immature stages of ticks and of viruses. PMID:13961632

The Influence of European Pollution on Ozone in the Near East and Northern Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, B. N.; West, J. J.; Yoshida, Y.; Fiore, A. M.; Ziemke, J. R.

2008-01-01

We present a modeling study of the long-range transport of pollution from Europe, showing that European emissions regularly elevate surface ozone by as much as 20 ppbv in summer in northern Africa and the Near East. European emissions cause 50-150 additional violations per year (i.e. above those that would occur without European pollution) of the European health standard for ozone (8-h average greater than 120 micrograms per cubic meters or approximately 60 ppbv) in northern Africa and the Near East. We estimate that European ozone pollution is responsible for 50 000 premature mortalities globally each year, of which the majority occurs outside of Europe itself, including 37% (19 000) in northern Africa and the Near East. Much of the pollution from Europe is exported southward at low altitudes in summer to the Mediterranean Sea, northern Africa and the Near East, regions with favorable photochemical environments for ozone production. Our results suggest that assessments of the human health benefits of reducing ozone precursor emissions in Europe should include effects outside of Europe, and that comprehensive planning to improve air quality in northern Africa and the Near East likely needs to address European emissions.

Performance Indicators and Rational Management Tools: A Comparative Assessment of Projects in North America and Europe. AIR 1993 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nedwek, Brian P.; Neal, John E.

This study developed a classification scheme to critically compare performance assessment projects at higher education universities in North America and Europe. Performance indicators and assessment initiatives were compared using nine basic dimensions: (1) locus of control, (2) degree of governmental involvement, (3) focus of performance…

Effects of air-sea coupling over the North Sea and the Baltic Sea on simulated summer precipitation over Central Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ho-Hagemann, Ha Thi Minh; Gröger, Matthias; Rockel, Burkhardt; Zahn, Matthias; Geyer, Beate; Meier, H. E. Markus

2017-12-01

This study introduces a new approach to investigate the potential effects of air-sea coupling on simulated precipitation inland over Central Europe. We present an inter-comparison of two regional climate models (RCMs), namely, the COSMO-CLM (hereafter CCLM) and RCA4 models, which are configured for the EURO-CORDEX domain in the coupled and atmosphere-only modes. Two versions of the CCLM model, namely, 4.8 and 5.0, join the inter-comparison being almost two different models while providing pronouncedly different summer precipitation simulations because of many changes in the dynamics and physics of CCLM in version 5.0. The coupling effect on the prominent summer dry bias over Central Europe is analysed using seasonal (JJA) mean statistics for the 30-year period from 1979 to 2009, with a focus on extreme precipitation under specific weather regimes. The weather regimes are compared between the coupled and uncoupled simulations to better understand the mechanism of the coupling effects. The comparisons of the coupled systems with the atmosphere-only models show that coupling clearly reduces the dry bias over Central Europe for CCLM 4.8, which has a large dry summer bias, but not for CCLM 5.0 and RCA4, which have smaller dry biases. This result implies that if the atmosphere-only model already yields reasonable summer precipitation over Central Europe, not much room for improvement exists that can be caused by the air-sea coupling over the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. However, if the atmosphere-only model shows a pronounced summer dry bias because of a lack of moisture transport from the seas into the region, the considered coupling may create an improved simulation of summer precipitation over Central Europe, such as for CCLM 4.8. For the latter, the benefit of coupling varies over the considered timescales. The precipitation simulations that are generated by the coupled system COSTRICE 4.8 and the atmosphere-only CCLM 4.8 are mostly identical for the summer mean

Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loh, Eudora I.

1994-01-01

Annotates 25 publications from 19 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Cape Verde, Chile, Dominican Republic, Hungary, India, Ireland, Jamaica, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Mozambique, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa, and Venezuela. Topics include the environment, women's role, and household consumption and expenditures. The publication of an…

Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loh, Eudora I.

1992-01-01

This annotated bibliography lists 30 government documents published between 1988 and 1991 by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Burundi, Chile, China, Columbia, Denmark, France, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Portugal, Rwanda, South Africa, and Thailand. Topics addressed include the environment,…

Challenges of diagnosis and management of axial spondyloarthritis in North Africa and the Middle East: An expert consensus.

PubMed

Hammoudeh, Mohammed; Abdulaziz, Sultana; Alosaimi, Hanan; Al-Rayes, Hanan; Aldeen Sarakbi, Hussam; Baamer, Matouqa; Baraliakos, Xenofon; Dahou Makhloufi, Chafia; Janoudi, Nahid; Shirazy, Khalid; Sieper, Joachim; Sukhbir, Uppal

2016-04-01

Axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a spectrum of inflammatory disease with stages characterized by both nonradiographic and radiographic sacroiliitis. Nonradiographic axial SpA is associated with health-related quality-of-life impairment and may progress to ankylosing spondylitis. Axial SpA has a low prevalence in some countries in North Africa and the Middle East, and pooling of data and resources is needed to increase understanding of the regional picture. Early diagnosis and effective treatment are required to reduce disease burden and prevent progression. Anti-TNF therapy is recommended for patients with persistently high disease activity despite conventional treatment, and has been shown to be effective in patients without radiographic damage. Diagnostic delays can be an obstacle to early treatment and appropriate referral strategies are needed. In some countries, restricted access to magnetic resonance imaging and anti-TNF agents presents a challenge. In this article, a group of experts from North Africa and the Middle East evaluated the diagnosis and management of axial SpA with particular reference to this region. © The Author(s) 2016.

Statistical and dynamical assessment of land-ocean-atmosphere interactions across North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yan

North Africa is highly vulnerable to hydrologic variability and extremes, including impacts of climate change. The current understanding of oceanic versus terrestrial drivers of North African droughts and pluvials is largely model-based, with vast disagreement among models in terms of the simulated oceanic impacts and vegetation feedbacks. Regarding oceanic impacts, the relative importance of the tropical Pacific, tropical Indian, and tropical Atlantic Oceans in regulating the North African rainfall variability, as well as the underlying mechanism, remains debated among different modeling studies. Classic theory of land-atmosphere interactions across the Sahel ecotone, largely based on climate modeling experiments, has promoted positive vegetation-rainfall feedbacks associated with a dominant surface albedo mechanism. However, neither the proposed positive vegetation-rainfall feedback with its underlying albedo mechanism, nor its relative importance compared with oceanic drivers, has been convincingly demonstrated up to now using observational data. Here, the multivariate Generalized Equilibrium Feedback Assessment (GEFA) is applied in order to identify the observed oceanic and terrestrial drivers of North African climate and quantify their impacts. The reliability of the statistical GEFA method is first evaluated against dynamical experiments within the Community Earth System Model (CESM). In order to reduce the sampling error caused by short data records, the traditional GEFA approach is refined through stepwise GEFA, in which unimportant forcings are dropped through stepwise selection. In order to evaluate GEFA's reliability in capturing oceanic impacts, the atmospheric response to a sea-surface temperature (SST) forcing across the tropical Pacific, tropical Indian, and tropical Atlantic Ocean is estimated independently through ensembles of dynamical experiments and compared with GEFA-based assessments. Furthermore, GEFA's performance in capturing terrestrial

Refugees in and out North Africa: a study of the Choucha refugee camp in Tunisia.

PubMed

Dourgnon, Paul; Kassar, Hassène

2014-08-01

In recent years, North African (NA) countries ceased to be emigration-only countries and are now on the verge of becoming immigration as well as transit countries for economic migrants and refugees. Contextual as well as structural long-term factors are driving these changes. The ongoing crises in Africa and the Middle East are prompting strong outflows of refugees, which are likely to induce NA countries to share some common public policy and public health concerns with European countries in a near future. This article highlights some aspects of these changes, from the study of the consequences of the 2011 Libyan crisis in Tunisia. It addresses individual trajectories and health concerns of refugees in and out North Africa from a study of the Choucha camp in Tunisia. The camp opened to immigrants from Libya during the 2011 crisis and accommodated the bulk of the refugees flow to Tunisia until July 2012. The study includes a monographic approach and a qualitative survey in the Choucha camp refugees. We describe the crisis history and the health response with a focus on the camp. We then address refugees' trajectories, and health needs and concerns from the interviews we collected in the camp in April 2012. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Seasat views North America, the Caribbean, and Western Europe with imaging radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ford, J. P.; Blom, R. G.; Bryan, M. L.; Daily, M.; Dixon, T. H.; Elachi, C.; Xenos, E. C.

1980-01-01

Forty-one digitally correlated Seasat synthetic-aperture radar images of land areas in North America, the Caribbean, and Western Europe are presented to demonstrate this microwave orbital imagery. The characteristics of the radar images, the types of information that can be extracted from them, and certain of their inherent distortions are briefly described. Each atlas scene covers an area of 90 X 90 kilometers, with the exception of the one that is the Nation's Capital. The scenes are grouped according to salient features of geology, hydrology and water resources, urban landcover, or agriculture. Each radar image is accompanied by a corresponding image in the optical or near-infrared range, or by a simple sketch map to illustrate features of interest. Characteristics of the Seasat radar imaging system are outlined.

Mountain uplift explains differences in Palaeogene patterns of mammalian evolution and extinction between North America and Europe.

PubMed

Eronen, Jussi T; Janis, Christine M; Chamberlain, C Page; Mulch, Andreas

2015-06-22

Patterns of late Palaeogene mammalian evolution appear to be very different between Eurasia and North America. Around the Eocene-Oligocene (EO) transition global temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere plummet: following this, European mammal faunas undergo a profound extinction event (the Grande Coupure), while in North America they appear to pass through this temperature event unscathed. Here, we investigate the role of surface uplift to environmental change and mammalian evolution through the Palaeogene (66-23 Ma). Palaeogene regional surface uplift in North America caused large-scale reorganization of precipitation patterns, particularly in the continental interior, in accord with our combined stable isotope and ecometric data. Changes in mammalian faunas reflect that these were dry and high-elevation palaeoenvironments. The scenario of Middle to Late Eocene (50-37 Ma) surface uplift, together with decreasing precipitation in higher-altitude regions of western North America, explains the enigma of the apparent lack of the large-scale mammal faunal change around the EO transition that characterized western Europe. We suggest that North American mammalian faunas were already pre-adapted to cooler and drier conditions preceding the EO boundary, resulting from the effects of a protracted history of surface uplift. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

In Vitro Activity of the Siderophore Cephalosporin, Cefiderocol, against a Recent Collection of Clinically Relevant Gram-Negative Bacilli from North America and Europe, Including Carbapenem-Nonsusceptible Isolates (SIDERO-WT-2014 Study).

PubMed

Hackel, Meredith A; Tsuji, Masakatsu; Yamano, Yoshinori; Echols, Roger; Karlowsky, James A; Sahm, Daniel F

2017-09-01

Cefiderocol (formerly S-649266) is an investigational siderophore cephalosporin. Iron-depleted cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth (ID-CAMHB) was prepared according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) protocol and used to perform broth microdilution testing of cefiderocol against a 2014-2015 collection of clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacilli from North America ( n = 4,239) and Europe ( n = 4,966). The concentrations of cefiderocol inhibiting 90% of isolates tested (MIC 90 s) were 0.5 μg/ml (North America; n = 3,007) and 1 μg/ml (Europe; n = 3,080) for all isolates of Enterobacteriaceae ; 1 μg/ml (North America; n = 30) and 4 μg/ml (Europe; n = 139) for meropenem-nonsusceptible (MIC ≥ 2 μg/ml) isolates of Enterobacteriaceae ; 0.5 μg/ml for both North American ( n = 765) and European ( n = 765) isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ; 0.5 μg/ml (North America; n = 151) and 1 μg/ml (Europe; n = 202) for meropenem-nonsusceptible (MIC ≥ 4 μg/ml) isolates of P. aeruginosa ; 1 μg/ml for both North American ( n = 309) and European ( n = 839) isolates of all Acinetobacter baumannii strains as well as for both North American ( n = 173) and European ( n = 595) isolates of meropenem-nonsusceptible A. baumannii ; and 0.5μg/ml (North America; n = 152) and 0.25 μg/ml (Europe; n = 276) for isolates of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia MICs of cefiderocol were ≤4 μg/ml for 99.9% (6,078/6,087) of all Enterobacteriaceae , 97.0% (164/169) of meropenem-nonsusceptible Enterobacteriaceae , 99.9% (1,529/1,530) of all P. aeruginosa isolates, 100% (353/353) of meropenem-nonsusceptible P. aeruginosa isolates, 97.6% (1,120/1,148) of all A. baumannii isolates, 96.9% (744/768) of meropenem-nonsusceptible A. baumannii isolates, 100% of isolates of S. maltophilia (428/428) and 93.8% of isolates of Burkholderia cepecia (11/12). We conclude that cefiderocol demonstrated potent in vitro activity against a recent collection of clinical isolates of commonly

Human Alu insertion polymorphisms in North African populations.

PubMed

Cherni, Loth; Frigi, Sabeh; Ennafaa, Hajer; Mtiraoui, Nabil; Mahjoub, Touhami; Benammar-Elgaaied, Amel

2011-10-01

Several features make Alu insertions a powerful tool used in population genetic studies: the polymorphic nature of many Alu insertions, the stability of an Alu insertion event and, furthermore, the ancestral state of an Alu insertion is known to be the absence of the Alu element at a particular locus and the presence of an Alu insertion at the site that forward mutational change. This study analyses seven Alu insertion polymorphisms in a sample of 297 individuals from the autochthonous population of Tunisia (Thala, Smar, Zarzis, and Bou Salem) and Libya with the aim of studying their genetic structure with respect to the populations of North Africa, Western, Eastern and Central Europe. The comparative analyses carried out using the MDS and AMOVA methods reveal the existence of spatial heterogeneity, and identify four population groups. Study populations (Libya, Smar, Zarzis, and Bou Salem) are closest to North African populations whereas Thala is isolated and is closest to Western European populations. In conclusion, Results of the present study support the important role that migratory movements have played in the North African gene pool, at least since the Neolithic period.

Acute Effects of Ambient Particulate Matter on Mortality in Europe and North America: Results from the APHENA Study

PubMed Central

Samoli, Evangelia; Peng, Roger; Ramsay, Tim; Pipikou, Marina; Touloumi, Giota; Dominici, Francesca; Burnett, Rick; Cohen, Aaron; Krewski, Daniel; Samet, Jon; Katsouyanni, Klea

2008-01-01

Background The APHENA (Air Pollution and Health: A Combined European and North American Approach) study is a collaborative analysis of multicity time-series data on the effect of air pollution on population health, bringing together data from the European APHEA (Air Pollution and Health: A European Approach) and U.S. NMMAPS (National Morbidity, Mortality and Air Pollution Study) projects, along with Canadian data. Objectives The main objective of APHENA was to assess the coherence of the findings of the multicity studies carried out in Europe and North America, when analyzed with a common protocol, and to explore sources of possible heterogeneity. We present APHENA results on the effects of particulate matter (PM) ≤ 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10) on the daily number of deaths for all ages and for those < 75 and ≥ 75 years of age. We explored the impact of potential environmental and socioeconomic factors that may modify this association. Methods In the first stage of a two-stage analysis, we used Poisson regression models, with natural and penalized splines, to adjust for seasonality, with various degrees of freedom. In the second stage, we used meta-regression approaches to combine time-series results across cites and to assess effect modification by selected ecologic covariates. Results Air pollution risk estimates were relatively robust to different modeling approaches. Risk estimates from Europe and United States were similar, but those from Canada were substantially higher. The combined effect of PM10 on all-cause mortality across all ages for cities with daily air pollution data ranged from 0.2% to 0.6% for a 10-μg/m3 increase in ambient PM10 concentration. Effect modification by other pollutants and climatic variables differed in Europe and the United States. In both of these regions, a higher proportion of older people and higher unemployment were associated with increased air pollution risk. Conclusions Estimates of the increased mortality

The use of pain relief during labor among migrant obstetric populations.

PubMed

Husarova, Viera; Macdarby, Laura; Dicker, Patrick; Malone, Fergal D; McCaul, Conan L

2016-11-01

To identify patterns in intrapartum analgesia use in the migrant obstetric population. A retrospective analysis included all deliveries with neonates above 500g in weight at a university hospital in Dublin, Ireland between 2009 and 2013. Analgesia was classified as neuraxial or non-neuraxial. Parturients were excluded owing to missing data, elective cesarean deliveries, and the use of analgesia during treatment for obstetric complications. There were 36 689 deliveries included in the present study. Increased odds of not using neuraxial analgesia during delivery were observed among migrant parturients from North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Far East, India, and Eastern Europe compared with western Europe (all P<0.05). Increased odds of not receiving any analgesia during delivery were demonstrated among parturients from North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Far East, North America, Eastern Europe, and India compared with western Europe (all P<0.05). Disparities exist in the use of intrapartum analgesia between migrant and western European populations in Ireland. Migrants from Africa were the least likely to use any analgesia. The reasons for this are speculative but could be influenced by expectations of care in the region of origin. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of the Emission Inventories and Model-Ready Emission Datasets of Europe and North America for Phase 2 of the AQMEII Project

EPA Science Inventory

This paper highlights the development of the emission inventories and emission processing for Europe (EU) and North America (NA) in the second phase of the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) project. The main purpose of the second phase of the AQMEII...

An Overview of Intercultural Training: Graduate-Level Preparation for Military Service Abroad

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-01

and to the people at centers for international business education and in professional associations. The information they shared and the materials they...North Africa; (5) Western Europe; (6) Eastern Europe; (7) South Asia; (8) Southeast Asia and Oceania; (9) East Asia; and (10) International Business . Graduate...Africa; 5. Western Europe; 6. Eastern Europe; 7. South Asia; 8. Southeast Asia and Oceania; 9. East Asia; and 0. International Business . Advanced

Clan and Islamic Identities in Somali Society

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

governmental and non-governmental contacts as far away as Australia, South Africa , Kenya, Israel, and all over Europe and North America. Government of...9] Africa Watch Committee (1990). Somalia – a government at war with its own people: Testimonies about the killings and conflict in the North . New...Nairobi/Brussels. [118] International Crisis Group (2005a). Understanding Islamism. Middle East/ North Africa Report no.37. Cairo/Brussels. [119

Usutu virus: an emerging flavivirus in Europe.

PubMed

Ashraf, Usama; Ye, Jing; Ruan, Xindi; Wan, Shengfeng; Zhu, Bibo; Cao, Shengbo

2015-01-19

Usutu virus (USUV) is an African mosquito-borne flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis virus serocomplex. USUV is closely related to Murray Valley encephalitis virus, Japanese encephalitis virus, and West Nile virus. USUV was discovered in South Africa in 1959. In Europe, the first true demonstration of circulation of USUV was reported in Austria in 2001 with a significant die-off of Eurasian blackbirds. In the subsequent years, USUV expanded to neighboring countries, including Italy, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Switzerland, Poland, England, Czech Republic, Greece, and Belgium, where it caused unusual mortality in birds. In 2009, the first two human cases of USUV infection in Europe have been reported in Italy, causing meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients. This review describes USUV in terms of its life cycle, USUV surveillance from Africa to Europe, human cases, its cellular tropism and pathogenesis, its genetic relationship with other flaviviruses, genetic diversity among USUV strains, its diagnosis, and a discussion of the potential future threat to Asian countries.

Early Tertiary mammals from North Africa reinforce the molecular Afrotheria clade

PubMed Central

Tabuce, Rodolphe; Marivaux, Laurent; Adaci, Mohammed; Bensalah, Mustapha; Hartenberger, Jean-Louis; Mahboubi, Mohammed; Mebrouk, Fateh; Tafforeau, Paul; Jaeger, Jean-Jacques

2007-01-01

The phylogenetic pattern and timing of the radiation of mammals, especially the geographical origins of major crown clades, are areas of controversy among molecular biologists, morphologists and palaeontologists. Molecular phylogeneticists have identified an Afrotheria clade, which includes several taxa as different as tenrecs (Tenrecidae), golden moles (Chrysochloridae), elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae), aardvarks (Tubulidentata) and paenungulates (elephants, sea cows and hyracoids). Molecular data also suggest a Cretaceous African origin for Afrotheria within Placentalia followed by a long period of endemic evolution on the Afro-Arabian continent after the mid-Cretaceous Gondwanan breakup (approx. 105–25 Myr ago). However, there was no morphological support for such a natural grouping so far. Here, we report new dental and postcranial evidence of Eocene stem hyrax and macroscelidid from North Africa that, for the first time, provides a congruent phylogenetic view with the molecular Afrotheria clade. These new fossils imply, however, substantial changes regarding the historical biogeography of afrotheres. Their long period of isolation in Africa, as assumed by molecular inferences, is now to be reconsidered inasmuch as Eocene paenungulates and elephant-shrews are here found to be related to some Early Tertiary Euramerican ‘hyopsodontid condylarths’ (archaic hoofed mammals). As a result, stem members of afrotherian clades are not strictly African but also include some Early Paleogene Holarctic mammals. PMID:17329227

A Strategic Independent Geodetic VLBI Network for Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dale, Denise; Combrinck, Ludwig; de Witt, Alet

2014-12-01

Irregularities of the rotation of the Earth in space are described by the Earth Orientation Parameters (EOPs). An independent EOP network, applying the Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) technique and using the Vienna VLBI Software (VieVS), are strategically essential for Europe to minimize its reliance on foreign global support in terms of required infrastructure for the realization of such a network. The generation of independent EOPs is already achievable by countries such as the USA, the People's Republic of China, and the Russian Federation due to their large extent of land mass that allows for long baselines in both the North-South and East-West directions and thus allows for accurate determination of all EOPs. These three countries need not rely on foreign partnerships to generate EOPs, as they all have independent geodetic VLBI networks capable of determining EOPs for precise positioning, navigation, and satellite launch/orbital purposes. They also have or are developing independent Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) constellations; so does the European Union (EU). Accurate EOPs are essential for long-term orbital maintenance of GNSS constellations, leaving the EU GALILEO GNSS vulnerable and reliant on the three superpowers. Generation of accurate EOPs by Europe is not possible due to its much smaller land mass and thus smaller achievable baselines. Even though there are many radio telescopes spread across Europe, these are separated by relatively short distances. The proposed stations that will be used to investigate this independent EOP network for Europe are the WETTZELL radio telescope in Germany, two German owned radio telescopes, TIGOCONC in Concepción, Chile, and OHIGGINS in Antarctica, as well as the HartRAO radio telescope in South Africa.

Decreases in adolescent weekly alcohol use in Europe and North America: evidence from 28 countries from 2002 to 2010

PubMed Central

Raaijmakers, Quinten; ter Bogt, Tom; Bendtsen, Pernille; Farhat, Tilda; Ferreira, Mafalda; Godeau, Emmanuelle; Kuntsche, Emmanuel; Molcho, Michal; Pförtner, Timo-Kolja; Simons-Morton, Bruce; Vieno, Alessio; Vollebergh, Wilma; Pickett, William

2015-01-01

Background: This study examined trends in adolescent weekly alcohol use between 2002 and 2010 in 28 European and North American countries. Methods: Analyses were based on data from 11-, 13- and 15-year-old adolescents who participated in the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) study in 2002, 2006 and 2010. Results: Weekly alcohol use declined in 20 of 28 countries and in all geographic regions, from 12.1 to 6.1% in Anglo-Saxon countries, 11.4 to 7.8% in Western Europe, 9.3 to 4.1% in Northern Europe and 16.3 to 9.9% in Southern Europe. Even in Eastern Europe, where a stable trend was observed between 2002 and 2006, weekly alcohol use declined between 2006 and 2010 from 12.3 to 10.1%. The decline was evident in all gender and age subgroups. Conclusions: These consistent trends may be attributable to increased awareness of the harmful effects of alcohol for adolescent development and the implementation of associated prevention efforts, or changes in social norms and conditions. Although the declining trend was remarkably similar across countries, prevalence rates still differed considerably across countries. PMID:25805792

Comparison of the post-Chernobyl [sup 137]Cs contamination of mushrooms from eastern Europe, Sweden, and North America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, M.L.; Taylor, H.W.; Sharma, H.D.

1993-01-01

A comparison was made of 134Cs and 137Cs contamination in fungi from eastern Europe and eastern North America. Mean activities of 25 Ukrainian, 6 Swedish, and 10 North American collections were 4,660, 9,750, and 205 Bq/kg (dry weight), respectively. Additional measurements were made on samples from the Moscow, southern Belarus, and Yugoslavia/Bulgaria regions. Activity values were found to vary by several orders of magnitude within all geographic areas, even for the same mushroom species. Significantly higher specific activities were observed in mycorrhizal species than in saprophytic and parasitic fungi. Unfortunately, many of the European mycorrhizal species considered as prized ediblesmore » contained unacceptably high levels of 137Cs (> 1,000 Bq/kg [dry weight]) and should be used sparingly as food. By contrast, no mushrooms collected in Ontario or northern Michigan exceeded 1,000 Bq of 137Cs per kg (dry weight). The excessive 137Cs contamination was evident in mushrooms from areas that had substantial fallout from the 1986 accident in reactor 4 at the Chernobyl nuclear power station. However, observations suggest that about 20% of the 137Cs in eastern Europe (Moscow area, Belarus, and Ukraine) is of non-Chernobyl origin.« less

A quantitative assessment of groundwater resources in the Middle East and North Africa region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lezzaik, Khalil; Milewski, Adam

2018-02-01

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the world's most water-stressed region, with its countries constituting 12 of the 15 most water-stressed countries globally. Because of data paucity, comprehensive regional-scale assessments of groundwater resources in the MENA region have been lacking. The presented study addresses this issue by using a distributed ArcGIS model, parametrized with gridded data sets, to estimate groundwater storage reserves in the region based on generated aquifer saturated thickness and effective porosity estimates. Furthermore, monthly gravimetric datasets (GRACE) and land surface parameters (GLDAS) were used to quantify changes in groundwater storage between 2003 and 2014. Total groundwater reserves in the region were estimated at 1.28 × 106 cubic kilometers (km3) with an uncertainty range between 816,000 and 1.93 × 106 km3. Most of the reserves are located within large sedimentary basins in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, with Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia accounting for approximately 75% of the region's total freshwater reserves. Alternatively, small groundwater reserves were found in fractured Precambrian basement exposures. As for groundwater changes between 2003 and 2014, all MENA countries except for Morocco exhibited declines in groundwater storage. However, given the region's large groundwater reserves, groundwater changes between 2003 and 2014 are minimal and represent no immediate short-term threat to the MENA region, with some exceptions. Notwithstanding this, the study recommends the development of sustainable and efficient groundwater management policies to optimally utilize the region's groundwater resources, especially in the face of climate change, demographic expansion, and socio-economic development.

The Quality of Secondary Education in the Middle East and North Africa: What Can We Learn from TIMSS' Results?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bouhlila, Donia Smaali

2011-01-01

Research on educational quality has been scarce in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, whereas the debates over educational quality date from 1966 in the USA with the Coleman Report. Fortunately TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) starts to fill this gap by providing data on students' achievement and for many…

[Hydatidosis in Africa in 1996: epidemiological aspects].

PubMed

Develoux, M

1996-01-01

Hydatidosis is hyperendemic in most north African countries and in several areas of East Africa. The cycle of infestation involves dogs, ruminants and man. While sheep and goats appear to be the most common domestic intermediate, camels appear to act as the intermediate in some parts of North and East Africa. Hydatidosis is considered to be essentially rural but urban cycles have been reported in North Africa. During the last decade, echotomographic, and serologic screening for human hydatidosis were carried out in Tunisia and in nomadic populations from East Africa. These surveys have provided reliable accurate prevalence data showing that hydatidosis is a major public health problem in these areas. The highest worldwide incidence in man is in the Turkana district of Kenya. This high incidence is related to promiscuity between humans and dogs in Turkana. A pilot program to control hydatid disease was started in Turkana over 10 years ago. For unknown reasons human infestation is rare in West and Southern Africa despite the presence of hydatidosis in cattle.

Identification of dust source regions and dust emission trends across North Africa and the Middle East using MISR satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Y.; Kalashnikova, O. V.; Garay, M. J.; Notaro, M.

2017-12-01

Global arid and semi-arid regions supply 1100 to 5000 Tg of Aeolian dust to the atmosphere each year, primarily from North Africa and secondarily from the Middle East. Previous dust source identification methods, based on either remotely-sensed aerosol optical depth (AOD) or dust activity, yield distinct dust source maps, largely due to the limitations in each method and remote-sensing product. Here we apply a novel motion-based method for dust source identification. Dust plume thickness and motion vectors from Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) Cloud Motion Vector Product (CMVP) are examined to identify the regions with high frequency of fast moving-dust plumes, by season. According to MISR CMVP, Bodele depression is the most important dust source across North Africa, consistent with previous studies. Seasonal variability of dust emission across the North Africa is largely driven by climatology of wind and precipitation, featuring the influence of Sharav Cyclone and western African monsoon. In the Middle East, Iraq, Kuwait, and eastern Saudi Arabia are identified as dust source regions, especially during summer months, when the Middle Eastern Shamal wind is active. Furthermore, dust emission trend at each dust source are diagnosed from the motion-based dust source dataset. Increase in dust emission from the Fertile Crescent, Sahel, and eastern African dust sources are identified from MISR CMVP, implying potential contribution from these dust sources to the upward trend in AOD and dust AOD over the Middle East in the 21st century. By comparing with various dust source identification studies, we conclude that the motion-based identification of dust sources is an encouraging alternative and compliment to the AOD-only source identification method.

Paléocontraintes et déformations syn- et post-collision Afrique Europe identifiées dans la couverture mésozoïque et cénozoïque du Haut Atlas occidental (Maroc)Syn- and post-collision Africa Europe palaeostresses and deformations identified in the West High-Atlas Mesozoic and Cenozoic cover (Morocco)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amrhar, Mostafa

Palaeostresses and deformation axis reconstruction related to the intracontinental High-Atlas uplift evidences two shortening phases from Upper Cretaceous to Quaternary. The first compression is oriented N20-30°E and is Maastrichtian to Oligocene age; the second one, oriented N120-160°E, is syn-Mio-Pliocene. Tectonic inversion of the lateral to compressive Jurassic regime is contemporaneous with the beginning of Africa and Europe collision. Rotation of the Mio-Pliocene shortening orientation could be linked to the change of the convergence direction between the Africa and Europe plates. To cite this article: M. Amrhar, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 279-285.

Evolution of the Arctic-North Atlantic and the Western Tethys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ziegler, P.A.

1988-01-01

This volume provides an overview of the late Paleozoic to recent geological evolution of the continents and shelves bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, the Norwegian-Greenland Sea, the Arctic Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea. The evolution of these seas has been the subject of many studies and compilations, which discuss the evolution of oceanic basins on the basis of their magnetic sea-floor anomalies. The volume presented combines this information with geological data from the adjacent shelf and onshore areas. It retraces the evolution of sedimentary basins developed during the rifting phases that preceded the opening of these oceans and highlights themore » scope of the associated intra-plate phenomena. The author presents a reconstruction of the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic development of Europe, northernmost Africa and northeastern North America-Greenland and discusses the different orogenic cycles that accompanied the stepwise assembly of Pangea and the early rifting phases heralding its break-up.« less

Peer-to-Peer Consultations: Ancillary Services Peer Exchange with India: Experience from South Africa, Europe & the United States (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

In support of national and subnational decision makers, the 21st Century Power Partnership regularly works with country partners to organize peer-to-peer consultations on critical issues. In March 2014, 21CPP collaborated with the Regulatory Assistance Project - India to host two peer-to-peer exchanges among experts from India, South Africa, Europe, and the United States to discuss the provision of ancillary services, particularly in the context of added variability and uncertainty from renewable energy. This factsheet provides a high level summary of the peer-to-peer consultation.

A Human Economy: A "Third Way" for the Future of Young People in the Middle East and North Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zaalouk, Malak

2014-01-01

This paper looks at the vulnerability of today's youth worldwide, with a particular focus on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), where the proportion of citizens aged 12-24 is particularly high at one-third of the total population. Cursed with poor education and few work opportunities, the youth unemployment rate has risen to 50 per cent in…

New constraints on Neogene counter-clockwise rotation of Adria relative to Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Breton, Eline; Handy, Mark R.; Molli, Giancarlo; Ustaszewski, Kamil

2017-04-01

The Adriatic microplate (Adria) is a key player in the geodynamics of Alpine-Mediterranean belts because of its location between two converging plates, Europe and Africa. Most of Adria has been subducted and is presently surrounded by deformed margins comprising the Alps, Apennines, Dinarides and the Calabrian Arc. The Alps-Apennines and Alps-Dinarides junctions are marked by switches in subduction polarity, with Adria being the indenting upper plate in the Alps and the lower plate in the Apennines and Dinarides. Reconstructing Neogene motion and rotation of Adria is therefore key to understanding how such contrasting orogenic styles develop within a similar convergent tectonic regime. We propose a new kinematic reconstruction that balances shortening and extension in the northern Apennines; it reveals that Adria rotated counter-clockwise as it subducted beneath the European Plate to the west and to the east, while indenting the Alps to the north. Syn-collisional back-arc extension in the Liguro-Provençal and northern Tyrrhenian basins exceeds collisional shortening in the northern Apennines, indicating that after 20 Ma Adria and Europe diverged. When combined with existing estimates of Neogene shortening in the Western and Eastern Alps, this overall divergence in the Apennines constrains Adria to have moved to the NW while rotating counter-clockwise relative to Europe. We furthermore consider the length of the present Adriatic slab (135 km) imaged by P-wave tomography in the southern Dinarides to represent the maximum convergence since late Paleogene slab-breakoff, constraining Adria to have rotated 6.5˚ counter-clockwise about an axis in northwestern Italy. Thus, the best fit of available structural data from the Apennines, Alps and Dinarides constrains Adria to have moved 113 km to the NW (azimuth 325˚ ) while rotating 6.5˚ counter-clockwise relative to Europe since 20 Ma. Our model predicts some 80-100 km of Neogene extension between Adria and Africa, most

Global transport of Fukushima-derived radionuclides from Japan to Asia, North America and Europe. Estimated doses and expected health effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Stohl, Andreas; Balkanski, Yves

2017-04-01

The earthquake and the subsequent tsunami that occurred offshore of Japan resulted in a serious accident at the nuclear facility of Fukushima. A large number of fission products were released and transported worldwide. We estimate that around 23% of the released 137Cs remained into Japan, while 76% deposited in the oceans. Around 163 TBq deposited over North America, among which 95 TBq over USA, 40 TBq over Canada and 5 TBq over Greenland). About 14 TBq deposited over Europe (mostly in the European part of Russia, Sweden and Norway) and 47 TBq over Asia (mostly in the Asian part of Russia, Philippines and South Korea), while traces were observed over Africa, Oceania and Antarctica. Since the radioactive plume followed a northward direction before its arrival to USA and then to Europe, a significant amount of about 69 TBq deposited in the Arctic, as well. An attempt to assess exposure of the population and the environment showed that the effective dose from gamma irradiation during the first 3 months was estimated between 1-5 mSv in Fukushima and the neighbouring prefectures. In the rest of Japan, the respective doses were found to be less than 0.5 mSv, whereas in the rest of the world it was less than 0.1 mSv. Such doses are equivalent with the obtained dose from a simple X-ray; for the highly contaminated regions, they are close to the dose limit for exposure due to radon inhalation (10 mSv). The calculated dose rates from radiocesium exposure on reference organisms ranged from 0.03 to 0.18 μGy h-1, which are 2 orders of magnitude below the screening dose limit (10 μGy h-1) that could result in obvious effects on the population. However, monitoring data have shown that much higher dose rates were committed to organisms raising ecological risk for small mammals and reptiles in terms of cytogenetic damage and reproduction.

White-nose syndrome fungus (Geomyces destructans) in bats, Europe

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wibbelt, G.; Kurth, A.; Hellmann, D.; Weishaar, M.; Barlow, A.; Veith, M.; Pruger, J.; Gorfol, T.; Grosche, T.; Bontadina, F.; Zophel, U.; Seidl, Hans-Peter; Cryan, P.M.; Blehert, D.S.

2010-01-01

White-nose syndrome is an emerging disease in North America that has caused substantial declines in hibernating bats. A recently identified fungus (Geomyces destructans) causes skin lesions that are characteristic of this disease. Typical signs of this infection were not observed in bats in North America before white-nose syndrome was detected. However, unconfirmed reports from Europe indicated white fungal growth on hibernating bats without associated deaths. To investigate these differences, hibernating bats were sampled in Germany, Switzerland, and Hungary to determine whether G. destructans is present in Europe. Microscopic observations, fungal culture, and genetic analyses of 43 samples from 23 bats indicated that 21 bats of 5 species in 3 countries were colonized by G. destructans. We hypothesize that G. destructans is present throughout Europe and that bats in Europe may be more immunologically or behaviorally resistant to G. destructans than their congeners in North America because they potentially coevolved with the fungus.

Circulation of two Enterovirus C105 (EV-C105) lineages in Europe and Africa.

PubMed

Piralla, A; Daleno, C; Girello, A; Esposito, S; Baldanti, F

2015-06-01

The coding sequences of five human enterovirus (HEV)-C genotype 105 strains recovered in Italy, Romania and Burundi from patients with upper and lower respiratory tract infections were analysed and phylogenetically compared with other circulating HEV-C strains. The EV-C105 was closely related to EV-C109 and EV-C118 strains. The European strains were similar to other circulating EV-C105 strains, while the two African EV-C105 clustered in separate bootstrap-supported (>0.90) branches of the P2 and P3 region trees. Minor inconsistencies in the clustering pattern of EV-C105 in the capsid region (P1) and non-capsid region (P3) suggest that recombination may have occurred in EV-C105 group B viruses. In conclusion, phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of two distinct EV-C105 lineages in Europe and Africa. A different pattern of evolution could be hypothesized for the two EV-C105 lineages. © 2015 The Authors.

Bibliometric trends of health economic evaluation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Hernandez-Villafuerte, Karla; Li, Ryan; Hofman, Karen J

2016-08-24

Collaboration between Sub-Saharan African researchers is important for the generation and transfer of health technology assessment (HTA) evidence, in order to support priority-setting in health. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate collaboration patterns between countries. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment that included a random sample of health economic evaluations carried out in 20 countries (Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda). We conducted bibliometric network analysis based on all first authors with a Sub-Saharan African academic affiliation and their co-authored publications ("network-articles"). Then we produced a connection map of collaboration patterns among Sub-Saharan African researchers, reflecting the number of network-articles and the country of affiliation of the main co-authors. The sample of 119 economic evaluations mostly related to treatments of communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS (42/119, 35.29 %) and malaria (26/119, 21.85 %). The 39 first authors from Sub-Saharan African institutions together co-authored 729 network-articles. The network analysis showed weak collaboration between health economic researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa, with researchers being more likely to collaborate with Europe and North America than with other African countries. South Africa stood out as producing the highest number of health economic evaluations and collaborations. The development and evaluation of HTA research networks in Sub-Saharan Africa should be supported, with South Africa central to any such efforts. Organizations and institutions from high income countries interested in supporting priority setting in Sub-Saharan Africa should include promoting collaboration as part of their agendas, in order to take advantage of the potential transferability of results and methods of the

Why Africa matters: evolution of Old World Salvia (Lamiaceae) in Africa

PubMed Central

Will, Maria; Claßen-Bockhoff, Regine

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Salvia is the largest genus in Lamiaceae and it has recently been found to be non-monophyletic. Molecular data on Old World Salvia are largely lacking. In this study, we present data concerning Salvia in Africa. The focus is on the colonization of the continent, character evolution and the switch of pollination systems in the genus. Methods Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference were used for phylogenetic reconstruction. Analyses were based on two nuclear markers [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS)] and one plastid marker (rpl32-trnL). Sequence data were generated for 41 of the 62 African taxa (66 %). Mesquite was used to reconstruct ancestral character states for distribution, life form, calyx shape, stamen type and pollination syndrome. Key Results Salvia in Africa is non-monophyletic. Each of the five major regions in Africa, except Madagascar, was colonized at least twice, and floristic links between North African, south-west Asian and European species are strongly supported. The large radiation in Sub-Saharan Africa (23 species) can be traced back to dispersal from North Africa via East Africa to the Cape Region. Adaptation to bird pollination in southern Africa and Madagascar reflects parallel evolution. Conclusions The phenotypic diversity in African Salvia is associated with repeated introductions to the continent. Many important evolutionary processes, such as colonization, adaptation, parallelism and character transformation, are reflected in this comparatively small group. The data presented in this study can help to understand the evolution of Salvia sensu lato and other large genera. PMID:24966353

Ancient DNA Reveals Prehistoric Gene-Flow from Siberia in the Complex Human Population History of North East Europe

PubMed Central

Der Sarkissian, Clio; Balanovsky, Oleg; Brandt, Guido; Khartanovich, Valery; Buzhilova, Alexandra; Koshel, Sergey; Zaporozhchenko, Valery; Gronenborn, Detlef; Moiseyev, Vyacheslav; Kolpakov, Eugen; Shumkin, Vladimir; Alt, Kurt W.; Balanovska, Elena; Cooper, Alan; Haak, Wolfgang

2013-01-01

North East Europe harbors a high diversity of cultures and languages, suggesting a complex genetic history. Archaeological, anthropological, and genetic research has revealed a series of influences from Western and Eastern Eurasia in the past. While genetic data from modern-day populations is commonly used to make inferences about their origins and past migrations, ancient DNA provides a powerful test of such hypotheses by giving a snapshot of the past genetic diversity. In order to better understand the dynamics that have shaped the gene pool of North East Europeans, we generated and analyzed 34 mitochondrial genotypes from the skeletal remains of three archaeological sites in northwest Russia. These sites were dated to the Mesolithic and the Early Metal Age (7,500 and 3,500 uncalibrated years Before Present). We applied a suite of population genetic analyses (principal component analysis, genetic distance mapping, haplotype sharing analyses) and compared past demographic models through coalescent simulations using Bayesian Serial SimCoal and Approximate Bayesian Computation. Comparisons of genetic data from ancient and modern-day populations revealed significant changes in the mitochondrial makeup of North East Europeans through time. Mesolithic foragers showed high frequencies and diversity of haplogroups U (U2e, U4, U5a), a pattern observed previously in European hunter-gatherers from Iberia to Scandinavia. In contrast, the presence of mitochondrial DNA haplogroups C, D, and Z in Early Metal Age individuals suggested discontinuity with Mesolithic hunter-gatherers and genetic influx from central/eastern Siberia. We identified remarkable genetic dissimilarities between prehistoric and modern-day North East Europeans/Saami, which suggests an important role of post-Mesolithic migrations from Western Europe and subsequent population replacement/extinctions. This work demonstrates how ancient DNA can improve our understanding of human population movements across

Why Do the Boreal Forest Ecosystems of Northwestern Europe Differ from Those of Western North America?

PubMed Central

Boonstra, Rudy; Andreassen, Harry P.; Boutin, Stan; Hušek, Jan; Ims, Rolf A.; Krebs, Charles J.; Skarpe, Christina; Wabakken, Petter

2016-01-01

Abstract The boreal forest is one of the largest terrestrial biomes on Earth. Conifers normally dominate the tree layer across the biome, but other aspects of ecosystem structure and dynamics vary geographically. The cause of the conspicuous differences in the understory vegetation and the herbivore–predator cycles between northwestern Europe and western North America presents an enigma. Ericaceous dwarf shrubs and 3– to 4-year vole–mustelid cycles characterize the European boreal forests, whereas tall deciduous shrubs and 10-year snowshoe hare–lynx cycles characterize the North American ones. We discuss plausible explanations for this difference and conclude that it is bottom-up: Winter climate is the key determinant of the dominant understory vegetation that then determines the herbivore–predator food-web interactions. The crucial unknown for the twenty-first century is how climate change and increasing instability will affect these forests, both with respect to the dynamics of individual plant and animal species and to their community interactions. PMID:28533563

Why Do the Boreal Forest Ecosystems of Northwestern Europe Differ from Those of Western North America?

PubMed

Boonstra, Rudy; Andreassen, Harry P; Boutin, Stan; Hušek, Jan; Ims, Rolf A; Krebs, Charles J; Skarpe, Christina; Wabakken, Petter

2016-09-01

The boreal forest is one of the largest terrestrial biomes on Earth. Conifers normally dominate the tree layer across the biome, but other aspects of ecosystem structure and dynamics vary geographically. The cause of the conspicuous differences in the understory vegetation and the herbivore-predator cycles between northwestern Europe and western North America presents an enigma. Ericaceous dwarf shrubs and 3- to 4-year vole-mustelid cycles characterize the European boreal forests, whereas tall deciduous shrubs and 10-year snowshoe hare-lynx cycles characterize the North American ones. We discuss plausible explanations for this difference and conclude that it is bottom-up: Winter climate is the key determinant of the dominant understory vegetation that then determines the herbivore-predator food-web interactions. The crucial unknown for the twenty-first century is how climate change and increasing instability will affect these forests, both with respect to the dynamics of individual plant and animal species and to their community interactions.

Biogeography and climatic change as a context to human dispersal out of Africa and within Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Made, Jan

2011-06-01

The dispersal of the genus Homo occurred against a background of continuous environmental change. Here, dispersals of large mammals through the Levantine Corridor and into Western Europe and Java are studied and compared to existing records of climatic change and dispersals of early humans and lithic industry. The first human dispersal (with Oldowan lithic industry) out of Africa, around or shortly before 1.8 Ma may have been triggered by biological evolution and increased social organisation, rather than environmental change. After that event, increasing aridity led to decreased faunal exchange between Africa and Eurasia and may have isolated the human populations of Africa and Africa. Southern (Java) and Eastern Asia (China) also seem to have been isolated. Human dispersal into Western Europe may have been limited by closed environments in Central Europe until about 1.2 Ma ago, when faunal dispersal into Europe suggests the cyclic spread of open environments to the west. Acheulean technology originated in Africa, some 1.6-1.5 Ma ago, but its dispersal into Eurasia may have been obstructed by an arid Southwest Asia, until broadly about 0.9 Ma ago, when faunal exchange suggests that the area became temporarily less dry. By 0.6-0.5 Ma ago it reached Europe.

Implications of Water Budget Deficits on Socio-Economic Stability and Food Security in the Arabian Peninsula and in North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzoni, A.; Heggy, E.; Scabbia, G.

2017-12-01

Water scarcity in the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa is accentuated by forecasted climatic variability, decreasing precipitation volumes and projected population growth, urbanization and economic development, increasing water demand. These factors impose uncertainties on food security and socio-economic stability in the region. We develop a water-budget model combining hydrologic, climatic and economic data to quantify water deficit volumes and groundwater depletion rates for the main aquifer systems in the area, taking into account three different climatic scenarios, and calculated from the precipitation forecast elaborated in the CSIRO, ECHAM4 and HADCM3 global circulation models from 2016 to 2050 over 1-year intervals. Water demand comprises water requirements for each economic sector, derived from data such as population, GDP, cropland cover and electricity production, and is based upon the five different SSPs. Conventional and non-conventional water resource supply data are retrieved from FAO Aquastat and institutional databases. Our results suggest that in the next 35 years, in North Africa, only Egypt and Libya will exhibit severe water deficits with respectively 44% and 89.7% of their current water budgets by 2050 (SSP2-AVG climatic scenario), while all the countries in the Arabian Peninsula will be subjected to water stress; the majority of small-size aquifers in the Arabian Peninsula will reach full depletion by 2050. In North Africa, the fossil aquifers' volume loss will be 1-15% by 2050, and total depletion within 200-300 years. Our study suggests that (1) anthropogenic drivers on water resources are harsher than projected climatic variability; (2) the estimated water deficit will induce substantial rise in domestic food production's costs, causing higher dependency on food imports; and (3) projected water deficits will most strongly impact the nations with the lowest GDPP, namely Egypt, Yemen and Libya.

Ambient seismic noise levels: A survey of the permanent and temporary seismographic networks in Morocco, North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Fellah, Y.; Khairy Abd Ed-Aal, A.; El Moudnib, L.; Mimoun, H.; Villasenor, A.; Gallart, J.; Thomas, C.; Elouai, D.; Mimoun, C.; Himmi, M.

2013-12-01

Abstract The results, of a conducted study carried out to analyze variations in ambient seismic noise levels at sites of the installed broadband stations in Morocco, North Africa, are obtained. The permanent and the temporary seismic stations installed in Morocco of the Scientific Institute ( IS, Rabat, Morocco), institute de Ciencias de la Tierra Jaume almera (ICTJA, Barcelona, Spain) and Institut für Geophysik (Munster, Germany) were used in this study. In this work, we used 23 broadband seismic stations installed in different structural domains covering all Morocco from south to north. The main purposes of the current study are: 1) to present a catalog of seismic background noise spectra for Morocco obtained from recently installed broadband stations, 2) to assess the effects of experimental temporary seismic vault construction, 3) to determine the time needed for noise at sites to stabilize, 4) to establish characteristics and origin of seismic noise at those sites. We calculated power spectral densities of background noise for each component of each broadband seismometer deployed in the different investigated sites and then compared them with the high-noise model and low-noise Model of Peterson (1993). All segments from day and night local time windows were included in the calculation without parsing out earthquakes. The obtained results of the current study could be used forthcoming to evaluate permanent station quality. Moreover, this study could be considered as a first step to develop new seismic noise models in North Africa not included in Peterson (1993). Keywords Background noise; Power spectral density; Model of Peterson; Scientific Institute; Institute de Ciencias de la Tierra Jaume almera; Institut für Geophysik

Regional co-variability of spatial and temporal soil moisture-precipitation coupling in North Africa: an observational perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrova, Irina Y.; van Heerwaarden, Chiel C.; Hohenegger, Cathy; Guichard, Françoise

2018-06-01

The magnitude and sign of soil moisture-precipitation coupling (SMPC) is investigated using a probability-based approach and 10 years of daily microwave satellite data across North Africa at a 1° horizontal scale. Specifically, the co-existence and co-variability of spatial (i.e. using soil moisture gradients) and temporal (i.e. using soil moisture anomaly) soil moisture effects on afternoon rainfall is explored. The analysis shows that in the semi-arid environment of the Sahel, the negative spatial and the negative temporal coupling relationships do not only co-exist, but are also dependent on one another. Hence, if afternoon rain falls over temporally drier soils, it is likely to be surrounded by a wetter environment. Two regions are identified as SMPC hot spots. These are the south-western part of the domain (7-15° N, 10° W-7° E), with the most robust negative SMPC signal, and the South Sudanese region (5-13° N, 24-34° E). The sign and significance of the coupling in the latter region is found to be largely modulated by the presence of wetlands and is susceptible to the number of long-lived propagating convective systems. The presence of wetlands and an irrigated land area is found to account for about 30 % of strong and significant spatial SMPC in the North African domain. This study provides the first insight into regional variability of SMPC in North Africa, and supports the potential relevance of mechanisms associated with enhanced sensible heat flux and mesoscale variability in surface soil moisture for deep convection development.

A climatological study of the associated weather events to Cut-off low systems in the Southwestern Europe and Northern Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nieto, R.; Gimeno, L.; de La Torre, L.; Tesouro, M.; Añel, J.; Ribera, P.

2003-04-01

Cut-off low-pressure systems-COLS- are usually closed circulations at middle and upper troposphere developed from a deep trough in the westerlies. As general rule troposphere below COLs is unstable and convective severe events can occur as a function of the surface conditions. COLs can bring moderate to heavy rainfall over large areas. In particular they are among the most important weather systems that affect Southern Europe and Northern Africa and responsible for some of the most catastrophic weather events in terms of precipitation rate. In this study we identify COLs systems in Southwestern Europe and Northern Africa for a 41-year period (1958 to 1998) using an approach based in imposing the three main physical characteristics of the conceptual model of COL (a. closed circulation and minimum of geopotential, minimum of equivalent thickness, and two two baroclinic zones, one in front of the low and the other behind the low). Data from NCAR-NCEP reanalysis were used. The objective was to check the expected weather events according to the conceptual model of COL in an area where precipitation due to COL is relevant. In general terms results confirm expected weather events: a frontal cloud band on the leading edge of an upper level low that is usually thick enough to produce precipitation. Over cold surface there is no convection, and therefore no showers occur. Over Sea, moderate to heavy showery precipitation is frequent. The heaviest precipitation occur when convective cells are observed in the centre and over warm ocean, fall flash flood is frequent.

Climatology of the African Easterly Jet and Subtropical Highs over North Africa and Arabian Peninsula and a Numerical Case Study of an Intense African Easterly Wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spinks, James D.

North African climate is analyzed between 1979 and 2010 with an emphasis on August using the European Center for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ECMWF) global dataset to investigate the effects of the subtropical anticyclones over North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula on the Africa easterly jet (AEJ). It was found that the AEJ encloses a core with a local wind maximum (LWM) in both West and East Africa, in which the west LWM core has a higher zonal wind speed. The strength of both cores is distinctly different by way of thermal wind balance. The variability of these synoptic weather features is higher in East Africa. The most noticeable variability of intensity occurred with easterly waves. Maintenance of easterly waves from the Arabian Peninsula into East Africa is dependent on strong zonal gradients from the AEJ. These zonal gradients were induced by the strengthening of the subtropical highs and the presence of a westerly jet in Central Africa and south of the Arabian Peninsula. During positive ENSO periods, these systems are generally weaker while in negative periods are stronger. The origins of an intense African easterly wave (AEW) and mesoscale convective system (MCS) in August 2004 (A04) were traced back to the southern Arabian Peninsula, Asir Mountains, and Ethiopian Highlands using gridded satellite (GridSat) data, ERA-I, and the WRF-ARW model. A vorticity budget was developed to investigate the dynamics and mechanisms that contribute to the formation of A04's vorticity perturbation.

Linking Climate to Incidence of Zoonotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (L. major) in Pre-Saharan North Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bounoua, Lahouari; Kahime, Kholoud; Houti, Leila; Blakey, Tara; Ebi, Kristie L.; Zhang, Ping; Imhoff, Marc L.; Thome, Kurtis J.; Dudek, Claire; Sahabi, Salah A.;

Climate Change Impacts on the Potential Distribution and Abundance of the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) With Special Reference to North America and Europe.

PubMed

Kistner, Erica Jean

2017-12-08

The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål; Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), has recently emerged as a harmful pest of horticultural crops in North America and Europe. Native to East Asia, this highly polyphagous insect is spreading rapidly worldwide. Climate change will add further complications to managing this species in terms of both geographic distribution and population growth. This study used CLIMEX to compare potential H. halys distribution under recent and future climate models using one emission scenario (A2) with two different global circulation models, CSIRO Mk3.0 and MIROC-H. Simulated changes in seasonal phenology and voltinism were examined. Under the possible future climate scenarios, suitable range in Europe expands northward. In North America, the suitable H. halys range shifts northward into Canada and contracts from its southern temperature range limits in the United States due to increased heat stress. Prolonged periods of warm temperatures resulted in longer H. halys growing seasons. However, future climate scenarios indicated that rising summer temperatures decrease H. halys growth potential compared to recent climatic conditions, which in turn, may reduce mid-summer crop damage. Climate change may increase the number of H. halys generations produced annually, thereby enabling the invasive insect to become multivoltine in the northern latitudes of North America and Europe where it is currently reported to be univoltine. These results indicate prime horticultural production areas in Europe, the northeastern United States, and southeastern Canada are at greatest risk from H. halys under both current and possible future climates. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Do School Incentives and Accountability Measures Improve Skills in the Middle East and North Africa? The Cases of Jordan and Tunisia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shafiq, M. Najeeb

2011-01-01

There is general agreement that skill-enhancing school reforms in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are necessary for economic, political and social reasons. Using student-level data from Jordan and Tunisia, this study assesses the relationship between skills and the following school incentive and accountability measures: pedagogical…

Languages of the Middle East and North Africa. A Survey of Materials for the Study of the Uncommonly Taught Languages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Dora E.; And Others

This is an annotated bibliography of basic tools of access for the study of the uncommonly taught languages of the Middle East and North Africa. It is one of eight fascicles which constitute a revision of "A Provisional Survey of Materials for the Study of the Neglected Languages" (CAL 1969). The emphasis is on materials for the adult…

Advancing decadal-scale climate prediction in the North Atlantic sector.

PubMed

Keenlyside, N S; Latif, M; Jungclaus, J; Kornblueh, L; Roeckner, E

2008-05-01

The climate of the North Atlantic region exhibits fluctuations on decadal timescales that have large societal consequences. Prominent examples include hurricane activity in the Atlantic, and surface-temperature and rainfall variations over North America, Europe and northern Africa. Although these multidecadal variations are potentially predictable if the current state of the ocean is known, the lack of subsurface ocean observations that constrain this state has been a limiting factor for realizing the full skill potential of such predictions. Here we apply a simple approach-that uses only sea surface temperature (SST) observations-to partly overcome this difficulty and perform retrospective decadal predictions with a climate model. Skill is improved significantly relative to predictions made with incomplete knowledge of the ocean state, particularly in the North Atlantic and tropical Pacific oceans. Thus these results point towards the possibility of routine decadal climate predictions. Using this method, and by considering both internal natural climate variations and projected future anthropogenic forcing, we make the following forecast: over the next decade, the current Atlantic meridional overturning circulation will weaken to its long-term mean; moreover, North Atlantic SST and European and North American surface temperatures will cool slightly, whereas tropical Pacific SST will remain almost unchanged. Our results suggest that global surface temperature may not increase over the next decade, as natural climate variations in the North Atlantic and tropical Pacific temporarily offset the projected anthropogenic warming.

Honor killings in the Middle East and North Africa: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Kulczycki, Andrzej; Windle, Sarah

2011-11-01

A systematic review of the research literature on honor killings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) indicates a paucity of studies relative to the presumed magnitude of the problem. Forty articles were reviewed and critically appraised, of which only 9 contained primary data and 11 presented original secondary analyses. Despite a recent increase in published studies, persistent methodological limitations restrict the generalizability of findings. Most studies focus on legal aspects, determinants, and characteristics of victims and perpetrators. Victims are mostly young females murdered by their male kin. Unambiguous evidence of a decline in tolerance of honor killings remains elusive.

Regional trend analysis of surface ozone observations from monitoring networks in eastern North America, Europe and East Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, K. L.; Petropavlovskikh, I. V.; Cooper, O. R.; Schultz, M.; Wang, T.

2017-12-01

Surface ozone is a greenhouse gas and pollutant detrimental to human health and crop and ecosystem productivity. The Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR) is designed to provide the research community with an up-to-date observation-based overview of tropospheric ozone's global distribution and trends. The TOAR Surface Ozone Database contains ozone metrics at thousands of monitoring sites around the world, densely clustered across mid-latitude North America, western Europe and East Asia. Calculating regional ozone trends across these locations is challenging due to the uneven spacing of the monitoring sites across urban and rural areas. To meet this challenge we conducted a spatial and temporal trend analysis of several TOAR ozone metrics across these three regions for summertime (April-September) 2000-2014, using the generalized additive mixed model (GAMM). Our analysis indicates that East Asia has the greatest human and plant exposure to ozone pollution among investigating regions, with increasing ozone levels through 2014. The results also show that ozone mixing ratios continue to decline significantly over eastern North America and Europe, however, there is less evidence for decreases of daytime average ozone at urban sites. The present-day spatial coverage of ozone monitors in East Asia (South Korea and Japan) and eastern North America is adequate for estimating regional trends by simply taking the average of the individual trends at each site. However the European network is more sparsely populated across its northern and eastern regions and therefore a simple average of the individual trends at each site does not yield an accurate regional trend. This analysis demonstrates that the GAMM technique can be used to assess the regional representativeness of existing monitoring networks, indicating those networks for which a regional trend can be obtained by simply averaging the trends of all individual sites and those networks that require a more

Why Africa matters: evolution of Old World Salvia (Lamiaceae) in Africa.

PubMed

Will, Maria; Claßen-Bockhoff, Regine

2014-07-01

Salvia is the largest genus in Lamiaceae and it has recently been found to be non-monophyletic. Molecular data on Old World Salvia are largely lacking. In this study, we present data concerning Salvia in Africa. The focus is on the colonization of the continent, character evolution and the switch of pollination systems in the genus. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference were used for phylogenetic reconstruction. Analyses were based on two nuclear markers [internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and external transcribed spacer (ETS)] and one plastid marker (rpl32-trnL). Sequence data were generated for 41 of the 62 African taxa (66 %). Mesquite was used to reconstruct ancestral character states for distribution, life form, calyx shape, stamen type and pollination syndrome. Salvia in Africa is non-monophyletic. Each of the five major regions in Africa, except Madagascar, was colonized at least twice, and floristic links between North African, south-west Asian and European species are strongly supported. The large radiation in Sub-Saharan Africa (23 species) can be traced back to dispersal from North Africa via East Africa to the Cape Region. Adaptation to bird pollination in southern Africa and Madagascar reflects parallel evolution. The phenotypic diversity in African Salvia is associated with repeated introductions to the continent. Many important evolutionary processes, such as colonization, adaptation, parallelism and character transformation, are reflected in this comparatively small group. The data presented in this study can help to understand the evolution of Salvia sensu lato and other large genera. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Survey of Materials for the Study of the Uncommonly Taught Languages: Supplement, 1976-1981.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatfield, Deborah H.; And Others

This annotated bibliography is a supplement to the previous survey published in 1976. It covers languages and language groups in the following divisions: (1) Western Europe/Pidgins and Creoles (European-based); (2) Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union; (3) the Middle East and North Africa; (4) South Asia; (5) Eastern Asia; (6) Sub-Saharan Africa;…

Whole World Handbook. A Student Guide to Work, Study and Travel Abroad. 1978-79 Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, Marjorie Adoff

This 1978-79 student guide to work, study, and travel abroad contains chapters on the following areas: Western Europe; the U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe; the Middle East and North Africa; Africa south of the Sahara; South Asia (India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan); East Asia; Southeast Asia; Australia and New Zealand; Latin America and…

Presence of undeclared peanut protein in chocolate bars imported from Europe.

PubMed

Vadas, Peter; Perelman, Boris

2003-10-01

Peanut allergens are both stable and potent and are capable of inducing anaphylactic reactions at low concentrations. Consequently, the consumption of peanuts remains the most common cause of food-induced anaphylactic death. Since accidental exposure to peanuts is a common cause of potentially fatal anaphylaxis in peanut-allergic individuals, we tested for the presence of peanut protein in chocolate bars produced in Europe and North America that did not list peanuts as an ingredient. Ninety-two chocolate bars, of which 32 were manufactured in North America and 60 were imported from Europe, were tested by the Veratox assay. None of the 32 North American chocolate products, including 19 with precautionary labeling, contained detectable peanut protein. In contrast, 30.8% of products from western Europe without precautionary labeling contained detectable levels of peanut protein. Sixty-two percent of products from eastern Europe without precautionary labeling contained detectable peanut protein at levels of up to 245 ppm. The absence of precautionary labeling and the absence of the declaration of "peanut" as an ingredient in chocolate bars made in eastern and central Europe were not found to guarantee that these products were actually free of contaminating peanut protein. In contrast, North American manufacturers have attained a consistent level of safety and reliability for peanut-allergic consumers.

Molecular Epidemiology of Rotavirus in Children under Five in Africa (2006-2016): A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Ouermi, D; Soubeiga, D; Nadembega, W M C; Sawadogo, P M; Zohoncon, T M; Obiri-Yeboah, D; Djigma, F W; Nordgren, J; Simpore, J

2017-01-01

Group A human rotaviruses (RVA) are the most common causes of severe viral gastroenteritis in infants and young children worldwide. The available vaccines, while effective in Europe and North America have shown a reduced efficacy in Africa. One issue raised is the genetic variability of RVA. The objective of this study was to perform a literature review of molecular epidemiology to determine the prevalence of RVA genotypes circulating in Africa so as to establish a mapping of reliable data on these various genotypes. The search for articles was done from the National Institutes of Health (PUBMED) using three set of keywords. Articles were selected with inclusion criteria such as the date of publication, the age of the children, the sample size and the diagnostic techniques (standardized laboratory techniques). The data were imported into STATA SE version 11 software. Specific prevalence was estimated with Confidence Intervals (CI) of 95%. A total of 326 published studies were initially retrieved, out of which 27 studies were finally selected for the systematic review. The selected studies cover 20 African countries. The most encountered genotypes in Africa during this period were G1 (32.72%), followed by G2 (17.17%), G3 (9.88%), G9 (8.61%) and G12 (7.56%) among the G-types. The most common P-types were P[8] (48.71%) followed by P[6] (22.60%) and P[4] (11.58%) and the G1P[8] combination (22.64%) was the most encountered followed by G2P[4] (8.29%), G9P[8] (6.95%) and G2P[6] (5.00%). North Africa presented the highest prevalence of the P[8] genotype (65.70%). This review provides a comprehensive view of the current circulating rotavirus strains in Africa, which can be important in light of the new rotavirus vaccinations. Indeed, in Africa, the pursuit of national and continental studies for epidemiological surveillance of circulating rotavirus strains is vital for the promotion of future successful vaccines.

MENA 1.1 - An Updated Geophysical Regionalization of the Middle East and North Africa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Walters, B.; Pasyanos, M.E.; Bhattacharyya, J.

2000-03-01

This short report provides an update to the earlier LLNL paper entitled ''Preliminary Definition of Geophysical Regions for the Middle East and North Africa'' (Sweeney and Walter, 1998). This report is designed to be used in combination with that earlier paper. The reader is referred to Sweeney and Walter (1998) for all details, including definitions, references, uses, shortcomings, etc., of the regionalization process. In this report we will discuss only those regions in which we have changed the boundaries or velocity structure from that given by the original paper. The paper by Sweeney and Walter (1998) drew on a varietymore » of sources to estimate a preliminary, first-order regionalization of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), providing regional boundaries and velocity models within each region. The model attempts to properly account for major structural discontinuities and significant crustal thickness and velocity variations on a gross scale. The model can be used to extrapolate sparse calibration data within a distinct geophysical region. This model can also serve as a background model in the process of forming station calibration maps using intelligent interpolation techniques such as kriging, extending the calibration into aseismic areas. Such station maps can greatly improve the ability to locate and identify seismic events, which in turn improves the ability to seismically monitor for underground nuclear testing. The original model from Sweeney and Walter (1998) was digitized to a 1{sup o} resolution, for simplicity we will hereafter refer to this model as MENA 1.0. The new model described here has also been digitized to a 1{sup o} resolution and will be referred to as MENA1.1 throughout this report.« less

HTA IN CENTRAL-EASTERN-SOUTHERN EUROPE: FINDING ITS WAY TO HEALTH POLICY.

PubMed

Zawada, Anna; Mäkelä, Marjukka

2017-01-01

The number of publications on health technology assessment (HTA) from Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe (CESE countries) is still low compared with the north and west of Europe. It is not surprising, as the idea of HTA originated from high-income Western economies and was afterward adopted by the south-eastern part of Europe, which mostly consists of middle-income countries. These CESE countries, with less capacity and experience with HTA processes, must deal with even tougher decisions on financing health technologies than north-western Europe. There may even be a lack of confidence to open discussions on their specific needs for HTA.

Evaluation of biomass burning across North West Europe and its impact on air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cordell, R. L.; Mazet, M.; Dechoux, C.; Hama, S. M. L.; Staelens, J.; Hofman, J.; Stroobants, C.; Roekens, E.; Kos, G. P. A.; Weijers, E. P.; Frumau, K. F. A.; Panteliadis, P.; Delaunay, T.; Wyche, K. P.; Monks, P. S.

2016-09-01

Atmospheric particulate pollution is a significant problem across the EU and there is concern that there may be an increasing contribution from biomass burning, driven by rising fuel prices and an increased interest in the use of renewable energy sources. This study was carried out to assess current levels of biomass burning and the contribution to total PM10 across five sites in North-West Europe; an area which is frequently affected by poor air quality. Biomass burning was quantified by the determination of levoglucosan concentrations from PM10 aerosol filters collected over a 14 month period in 2013/2014 and continued for a further 12 months at the UK site in Leicester. Levoglucosan levels indicated a distinct period of increased biomass combustion between November and March. Within this period monthly average concentrations ranged between 23 ± 9.7 and 283 ± 163 ng/m3, with Lille showing consistently higher levels than the sites in Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. The estimated contribution to PM10 was, as expected, highest in the winter season where the season average percentage contribution was lowest in Wijk aan Zee at 2.7 ± 1.4% and again highest in Lille at 11.6 ± 3.8%, with a PM10 mass concentration from biomass that ranged from 0.56 μg/m3 in Leicester to 2.08 μg/m3 in Lille. Overall there was poor correlation between the levoglucosan concentrations measured at the different sites indicating that normally biomass burning would only affect atmospheric particulate pollution in the local area; however, there was evidence that extreme burning events such as the Easter fires traditionally held in parts of North-West Europe can have far wider ranging effects on air quality. Network validation measurements were also taken using a mobile monitoring station which visited the fixed sites to carry out concurrent collections of aerosol filters; the result of which demonstrated the reliability of both PM10 and levoglucosan measurements.

Comparison of 17 genome types of adenovirus type 3 identified among strains recovered from six continents.

PubMed Central

Li, Q G; Wadell, G

1988-01-01

Restriction endonucleases BamHI, BclI, BglI, BglII, BstEII, EcoRI, HindIII, HpaI, SalI, SmalI, XbalI, and XholI were used to analyze 61 selected strains of adenovirus type 3 (Ad3) isolated from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America. It was noted that the use of BamHI, BclI, BglII, HpaI, SalI, and SmaI was sufficient to distinguish 17 genome types; 13 of them were newly identified. All 17 Ad3 genome types could be divided into three genomic clusters. Genome types of Ad3 cluster 1 occurred in Africa, Europe, South America, and North America. Genomic cluster 2 was identified in Africa; genomic cluster 3 was identified in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe (a few), and North America. This was of interest because 15 identified genome types of Ad7 could also be divided into three genomic clusters. The degree of genetic relatedness between the 17 Ad3 and the 15 Ad7 genome types was analyzed and was expressed in a three-dimensional model. Images PMID:2838500

Black Air: African American Contributions to Airpower before Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

those of North Africa : mosquito netting, elimination of standing waterholes, long-sleeved clothing, and preventive medications such as...like that of the 99th, which fought in North Africa before being added as a fifth squadron. No battle has been fought without casualties, and the...over Europe, the Mediterranean, and Africa . The study shows that racism in the United States did not prevent Blacks from entering the Army Air

Phase 1 Trials of rVSV Ebola Vaccine in Africa and Europe.

PubMed

Agnandji, Selidji T; Huttner, Angela; Zinser, Madeleine E; Njuguna, Patricia; Dahlke, Christine; Fernandes, José F; Yerly, Sabine; Dayer, Julie-Anne; Kraehling, Verena; Kasonta, Rahel; Adegnika, Akim A; Altfeld, Marcus; Auderset, Floriane; Bache, Emmanuel B; Biedenkopf, Nadine; Borregaard, Saskia; Brosnahan, Jessica S; Burrow, Rebekah; Combescure, Christophe; Desmeules, Jules; Eickmann, Markus; Fehling, Sarah K; Finckh, Axel; Goncalves, Ana Rita; Grobusch, Martin P; Hooper, Jay; Jambrecina, Alen; Kabwende, Anita L; Kaya, Gürkan; Kimani, Domtila; Lell, Bertrand; Lemaître, Barbara; Lohse, Ansgar W; Massinga-Loembe, Marguerite; Matthey, Alain; Mordmüller, Benjamin; Nolting, Anne; Ogwang, Caroline; Ramharter, Michael; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas; Schmiedel, Stefan; Silvera, Peter; Stahl, Felix R; Staines, Henry M; Strecker, Thomas; Stubbe, Hans C; Tsofa, Benjamin; Zaki, Sherif; Fast, Patricia; Moorthy, Vasee; Kaiser, Laurent; Krishna, Sanjeev; Becker, Stephan; Kieny, Marie-Paule; Bejon, Philip; Kremsner, Peter G; Addo, Marylyn M; Siegrist, Claire-Anne

2016-04-28

The replication-competent recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (rVSV)-based vaccine expressing a Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV) glycoprotein was selected for rapid safety and immunogenicity testing before its use in West Africa. We performed three open-label, dose-escalation phase 1 trials and one randomized, double-blind, controlled phase 1 trial to assess the safety, side-effect profile, and immunogenicity of rVSV-ZEBOV at various doses in 158 healthy adults in Europe and Africa. All participants were injected with doses of vaccine ranging from 300,000 to 50 million plaque-forming units (PFU) or placebo. No serious vaccine-related adverse events were reported. Mild-to-moderate early-onset reactogenicity was frequent but transient (median, 1 day). Fever was observed in up to 30% of vaccinees. Vaccine viremia was detected within 3 days in 123 of the 130 participants (95%) receiving 3 million PFU or more; rVSV was not detected in saliva or urine. In the second week after injection, arthritis affecting one to four joints developed in 11 of 51 participants (22%) in Geneva, with pain lasting a median of 8 days (interquartile range, 4 to 87); 2 self-limited cases occurred in 60 participants (3%) in Hamburg, Germany, and Kilifi, Kenya. The virus was identified in one synovial-fluid aspirate and in skin vesicles of 2 other vaccinees, showing peripheral viral replication in the second week after immunization. ZEBOV-glycoprotein-specific antibody responses were detected in all the participants, with similar glycoprotein-binding antibody titers but significantly higher neutralizing antibody titers at higher doses. Glycoprotein-binding antibody titers were sustained through 180 days in all participants. In these studies, rVSV-ZEBOV was reactogenic but immunogenic after a single dose and warrants further evaluation for safety and efficacy. (Funded by the Wellcome Trust and others; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT02283099, NCT02287480, and NCT02296983; Pan African Clinical Trials

HLA-C molecular characterization of a Lebanese population and genetic structure of 39 populations from Europe to India-Pakistan.

PubMed

Buhler, S; Megarbane, A; Lefranc, G; Tiercy, J-M; Sanchez-Mazas, A

2006-07-01

Lebanon is located at a continental crossroad between Europe, Africa, and Asia. This region has been the center of wide-scale movements of populations as well as the theater of genetic and cultural trade off among neighboring populations. In this study, HLA-C alleles were characterized by a PCR-SSOP (sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes) hybridization protocol in a sample of 97 Lebanese. A total of 23 alleles were identified with four predominant, Cw*0401, Cw*0602, Cw*0701/06, and Cw*1203, accounting for almost 60% of HLA-C allele frequencies. We included the Lebanese data into a broad analysis of the HLA-C genetic structure of a large set of populations located in Europe, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. Our results indicate that Lebanese exhibit an intermediate genetic profile among the populations from the Middle East, which constitute a rather homogeneous genetic group. In Europe, a high correlation coefficient is found between genetic and geographic distances. In this continent, we also identified a significant genetic frontier following a north-east to south-west axis. This frontier cuts through the Alps and the Pyrenees, thus separating the north-western European populations from those located in the eastern and Mediterranean areas. Finally, the populations from India - Pakistan are very heterogeneous, particularly the Dravidians. Their differentiation has probably been caused by rapid genetic drift under complex influences of cultural, linguistic, and/or religious barriers. Overall, the results show that the HLA-C genetic patterns of these three geographic regions, i.e., the Middle East, Europe, and India-Pakistan, have been shaped by very different genetic histories.

Treatment strategies for early presenting acetaminophen overdose: a survey of medical directors of poison centers in North America and Europe.

PubMed

Kozer, E; McGuigan, M

2002-03-01

Acetaminophen is frequently used in self-poisoning in Western countries. Although treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) reduces liver injury, no consensus exists on the preferred management of acetaminophen toxicity. To describe the approach taken by toxicologists in North America and Europe toward the management of acetaminophen toxicity. Medical directors of poison centers in the US, Canada, and Europe were surveyed by means of a questionnaire presenting two clinical scenarios of acetaminophen overdose: a healthy adolescent with no risk factors who had an acute ingestion of acetaminophen, and an adult with both acute ingestion and possible risk factors. For each case, several questions about the management of these patients were asked. Questionnaires were sent to medical directors of 76 poison centers in North America and 48 in Europe, with response rates of 62% and 44%, respectively. Forty percent of responders suggested using charcoal 4 hours after ingestion of a potential toxic dose of acetaminophen, and 90% recommended treatment with NAC when levels were above 150 microg/mL but below 200 microg/mL 4 hours after ingestion. Duration of treatment with oral NAC ranged from 24 to 96 hours; 38 responders suggested a duration of 72 hours. Of 49 centers recommending oral NAC, 18 (36.7%) said they might consider treatment for less than 72 hours. Eleven of 29 (37.9%) responders suggested treatment with intravenous NAC for more than 20 hours as their usual protocol or a protocol for specific circumstances. Our study showed large variability in the management of acetaminophen overdose. Variations in treatment protocols should be addressed in clinical trials to optimize the treatment for this common problem.

Systematic errors in regional climate model RegCM over Europe and sensitivity to variations in PBL parameterizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güttler, I.

2012-04-01

Systematic errors in near-surface temperature (T2m), total cloud cover (CLD), shortwave albedo (ALB) and surface net longwave (SNL) and shortwave energy flux (SNS) are detected in simulations of RegCM on 50 km resolution over the European CORDEX domain when forced with ERA-Interim reanalysis. Simulated T2m is compared to CRU 3.0 and other variables to GEWEX-SRB 3.0 dataset. Most of systematic errors found in SNL and SNS are consistent with errors in T2m, CLD and ALB: they include prevailing negative errors in T2m and positive errors in CLD present during most of the year. Errors in T2m and CLD can be associated with the overestimation of SNL and SNS in most simulations. Impact of errors in albedo are primarily confined to north Africa, where e.g. underestimation of albedo in JJA is consistent with associated surface heating and positive SNS and T2m errors. Sensitivity to the choice of the PBL scheme and various parameters in PBL schemes is examined from an ensemble of 20 simulations. The recently implemented prognostic PBL scheme performs over Europe with a mixed success when compared to standard diagnostic scheme with a general increase of errors in T2m and CLD over all of the domain. Nevertheless, the improvements in T2m can be found in e.g. north-eastern Europe during DJF and western Europe during JJA where substantial warm biases existed in simulations with the diagnostic scheme. The most detectable impact, in terms of the JJA T2m errors over western Europe, comes form the variation in the formulation of mixing length. In order to reduce the above errors an update of the RegCM albedo values and further work in customizing PBL scheme is suggested.

Waulsortian-type buildups in the lower carboniferous of the Bechar basin, northwestern Sahara of Algeria, North Africa

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Setra, A.

1994-03-01

The carboniferous strata in the Bechar basin can be subdivided into three major groups. The lower group is composed of bioclastic and perireefal carbonates. The middle group is exemplified by carbonate platform deposits that were eroded during episodes of emergence by channels of continental derived sediments. The upper group is represented by terrigenous deposits composed mainly of deltaic, fluvial, and lacustrine deposits, with the sporadic presence of coal seams. The carboniferous Waulsortian-type buildups within the Bechar basin occur in the lower group. They are exposed above the desert floor along a south to north-northwest-trending axis, with the younger buildups locatedmore » to the south and the older ones to the north. These bioherms are apparently younger than those recognized in Europe and North America. These Algerian bioherms were initiated and persisted during the time interval represented by the conodont gnathodus bilineatus zone (lower Visean-upper Visean boundary). Although they are younger than their European and North American counterparts that are of Tournaisian-lower Visean age, these mounds appear to have formed in similar environmental and tectono-sedimentary conditions. Their areal extent, geometry, and facies relationships suggest that they were limited to a shelf edge. Their deposition environments range from shallow marine to deep sea.« less

Global Status of Porcine circovirus Type 2 and Its Associated Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Iweriebor, Benson C.; Okoh, Anthony I.; Obi, Larry C.

2017-01-01

Globally, Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is a recognized viral pathogen of great economic value in pig farming. It is the major cause of ravaging postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and many other disease syndromes generally regarded as Porcine circovirus associated diseases (PCVAD) in Europe. PCV2 infections, specifically PMWS, had impacted huge economic loss on swine production at different regions of the world. It has been studied and reported at different parts of the globe including: North and South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, Middle East, and the Caribbean. However, till date, this virus and its associated diseases have been grossly understudied in sub-Sahara African region and the entire continent at large. Two out of forty-nine, representing just about 4% of countries that make up sub-Sahara Africa presently, have limited records on reported cases and occurrence of the viral pathogen despite the ubiquitous nature of the virus. This review presents an overview of the discovery of Porcine circovirus and its associated diseases in global pig herds and emphasizes the latest trends in PCV2 vaccines and antiviral drugs development and the information gaps that exist on the occurrence of this important viral pathogen in swine herds of sub-Saharan Africa countries. This will serve as wake-up call for immediate and relevant actions by stakeholders in the region. PMID:28386278

Psychology and modern life challenges: the 2nd Middle East and North Africa Regional Conference of Psychology, Amman, Jordan, 2007.

PubMed

Knowles, Michael; Sabourin, Michel

2008-04-01

The Second Middle East and North Africa Regional Conference of Psychology was held in Amman from 27 April - 1 May 2007 under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah and the auspices of the International Union of Psychological Science, the International Association of Applied Psychology, and the International Association of Cross-Cultural Psychology. It was hosted by the Jordanian Psychological Association whose President was Dr. Asaad Zuby. The President of the Conference and the Local Organizing Committee was Dr. Adnan Farah, the Chair of the Scientific Program Committee was Dr. Mohammad Rimawi, and the Chair of the Regional Advisory Committee was Dr. Marwan Dwairy. The Conference succeeded in attracting participants from 28 countries, including 15 from the Middle East and North Africa region. The Scientific Program explored ways and means to promote the role of psychology in meeting life challenges at regional and international levels. The Conference concluded with the signing of a formal Declaration which called upon governments, academic and professional institutions and organizations, non-governmental organization and other civil society groups, and the United Nations, to work together and to make every possible effort individually and collectively to achieve these goals.

The African Geospatial Sciences Institute (agsi): a New Approach to Geospatial Training in North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oeldenberger, S.; Khaled, K. B.

2012-07-01

The African Geospatial Sciences Institute (AGSI) is currently being established in Tunisia as a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO). Its objective is to accelerate the geospatial capacity development in North-Africa, providing the facilities for geospatial project and management training to regional government employees, university graduates, private individuals and companies. With typical course durations between one and six months, including part-time programs and long-term mentoring, its focus is on practical training, providing actual project execution experience. The AGSI will complement formal university education and will work closely with geospatial certification organizations and the geospatial industry. In the context of closer cooperation between neighboring North Africa and the European Community, the AGSI will be embedded in a network of several participating European and African universities, e. g. the ITC, and international organizations, such as the ISPRS, the ICA and the OGC. Through a close cooperation with African organizations, such as the AARSE, the RCMRD and RECTAS, the network and exchange of ideas, experiences, technology and capabilities will be extended to Saharan and sub-Saharan Africa. A board of trustees will be steering the AGSI operations and will ensure that practical training concepts and contents are certifiable and can be applied within a credit system to graduate and post-graduate education at European and African universities. The geospatial training activities of the AGSI are centered on a facility with approximately 30 part- and full-time general staff and lecturers in Tunis during the first year. The AGSI will operate a small aircraft with a medium-format aerial camera and compact LIDAR instrument for local, community-scale data capture. Surveying training, the photogrammetric processing of aerial images, GIS data capture and remote sensing training will be the main components of the practical training courses

The Impact of Cultural and Economic Globalization on the Planning and Function of Higher Education in North Africa and the Middle East.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabour, M'Hammed

1999-01-01

Discusses the impact of globalization on higher education in the Arab World, particularly North Africa and the Middle East. The influence has been positive regarding the university's openness to the world and involvement in global intellectual and scientific activity and culture. However, globalization is also seen in the academia as tantamount to…

Iberia versus Europe - Effects of continental break-up and round-up on hydrocarbon habitat

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bourrouilh, R.; Zolnai, G.

1988-08-01

Based on the continuity of foldbelts and the positions of intermountain continental nuclei and transcontinental megashears, a close Pangea fit is proposed for the central and north Atlantic borderlands. The Variscan arch segment missing between Brittany and Galicia in the Gulf of Gascony (Biscaye) can tentatively be identified with the Flemish Cap block off Newfoundland. At the same time the northwest African-Gondwana border (central Morocco) was located some 800 km farther to the west-northwest, as compared to its present position in southwestern Europe (Iberia). During the opening of the central and northern segments of the Atlantic Ocean (Jurassic and Cretaceous)more » and during the closure of the western Mediterranean basin, i.e., the thrust of Africa toward southern Europe (Tertiary), the European continental mass underwent deformation in the transtensive and transpressive modes, which reactivated parts of its inherited structural network. The trailing south European continental margin was partially dismembered into loosely bound continental blocks, to be assembled again during the subsequent Alpine orogenic cycle. These events can be compared with processes known in the northernmost and western segments of the North American continent. Mechanisms are proposed for the formation and deformation of inter- and intraplate basins by way of moderate shifts (wrenching) and slight rotations, the direction of which changed during the Mesozoic-Tertiary according to the global stress field. The above evolution and mechanisms had multiple and decisive effects on hydrocarbon generation, habitat, and accumulation.« less

Y-Chromosome and mtDNA Genetics Reveal Significant Contrasts in Affinities of Modern Middle Eastern Populations with European and African Populations

PubMed Central

Badro, Danielle A.; Youhanna, Sonia C.; Salloum, Angélique; Ghassibe-Sabbagh, Michella; Johnsrud, Brian; Khazen, Georges; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth; Soria-Hernanz, David F.; Wells, R. Spencer; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Platt, Daniel E.; Zalloua, Pierre A.

2013-01-01

The Middle East was a funnel of human expansion out of Africa, a staging area for the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution, and the home to some of the earliest world empires. Post LGM expansions into the region and subsequent population movements created a striking genetic mosaic with distinct sex-based genetic differentiation. While prior studies have examined the mtDNA and Y-chromosome contrast in focal populations in the Middle East, none have undertaken a broad-spectrum survey including North and sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and Middle Eastern populations. In this study 5,174 mtDNA and 4,658 Y-chromosome samples were investigated using PCA, MDS, mean-linkage clustering, AMOVA, and Fisher exact tests of FST's, RST's, and haplogroup frequencies. Geographic differentiation in affinities of Middle Eastern populations with Africa and Europe showed distinct contrasts between mtDNA and Y-chromosome data. Specifically, Lebanon's mtDNA shows a very strong association to Europe, while Yemen shows very strong affinity with Egypt and North and East Africa. Previous Y-chromosome results showed a Levantine coastal-inland contrast marked by J1 and J2, and a very strong North African component was evident throughout the Middle East. Neither of these patterns were observed in the mtDNA. While J2 has penetrated into Europe, the pattern of Y-chromosome diversity in Lebanon does not show the widespread affinities with Europe indicated by the mtDNA data. Lastly, while each population shows evidence of connections with expansions that now define the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, many of the populations in the Middle East show distinctive mtDNA and Y-haplogroup characteristics that indicate long standing settlement with relatively little impact from and movement into other populations. PMID:23382925

Y-chromosome and mtDNA genetics reveal significant contrasts in affinities of modern Middle Eastern populations with European and African populations.

PubMed

Badro, Danielle A; Douaihy, Bouchra; Haber, Marc; Youhanna, Sonia C; Salloum, Angélique; Ghassibe-Sabbagh, Michella; Johnsrud, Brian; Khazen, Georges; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth; Soria-Hernanz, David F; Wells, R Spencer; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Platt, Daniel E; Zalloua, Pierre A

2013-01-01

The Middle East was a funnel of human expansion out of Africa, a staging area for the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution, and the home to some of the earliest world empires. Post LGM expansions into the region and subsequent population movements created a striking genetic mosaic with distinct sex-based genetic differentiation. While prior studies have examined the mtDNA and Y-chromosome contrast in focal populations in the Middle East, none have undertaken a broad-spectrum survey including North and sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and Middle Eastern populations. In this study 5,174 mtDNA and 4,658 Y-chromosome samples were investigated using PCA, MDS, mean-linkage clustering, AMOVA, and Fisher exact tests of F(ST)'s, R(ST)'s, and haplogroup frequencies. Geographic differentiation in affinities of Middle Eastern populations with Africa and Europe showed distinct contrasts between mtDNA and Y-chromosome data. Specifically, Lebanon's mtDNA shows a very strong association to Europe, while Yemen shows very strong affinity with Egypt and North and East Africa. Previous Y-chromosome results showed a Levantine coastal-inland contrast marked by J1 and J2, and a very strong North African component was evident throughout the Middle East. Neither of these patterns were observed in the mtDNA. While J2 has penetrated into Europe, the pattern of Y-chromosome diversity in Lebanon does not show the widespread affinities with Europe indicated by the mtDNA data. Lastly, while each population shows evidence of connections with expansions that now define the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, many of the populations in the Middle East show distinctive mtDNA and Y-haplogroup characteristics that indicate long standing settlement with relatively little impact from and movement into other populations.

A dated phylogeny of the palm tribe Chamaedoreeae supports Eocene dispersal between Africa, North and South America.

PubMed

Cuenca, Argelia; Asmussen-Lange, Conny B; Borchsenius, Finn

2008-02-01

The palm tribe Chamaedoreeae reaches its higher diversity in Central America, however, its distribution ranges from the north eastern part of Mexico to Bolivia with a disjunction to the Mascarene Islands in the Indian Ocean. The disjunct distribution of Chamaedoreeae is generally considered a result of Gondwana vicariance and extinction from Africa and/or Madagascar. However, latitudinal migrations and their role in shaping the distribution of this tribe in the Americas have been largely overlooked. In this study we used seven plastid and two nuclear DNA regions to investigate the phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of the Chamaedoreeae. The resulting phylogeny fully resolved the generic relationships within the tribe. The exact area of origin of the tribe remains uncertain, but dating analyses indicated an initial diversification of the Chamaedoreeae during the Early Eocene, followed by long distance dispersion to the Mascarene Islands in the late Miocene. The radiation of Hyophorbe could have taking place on islands in the Indian Ocean now submerged, but its former presence in Africa or Madagascar cannot be ruled out. At least two independent migrations between North and South America predating the rise of the Panama isthmus need to be postulated to explain the distribution of Chamaedoreeae, one during the Middle Eocene and a second during the Miocene. Whereas the traditional interpretation of distribution of Chamaedoreeae species assumes a west Gondwana origin of the group, the findings presented in this paper make it equally possible to interpret the group as a primarily boreotropical element.

Heterogeneity in outcomes of treated HIV-positive patients in Europe and North America: relation with patient and cohort characteristics.

PubMed

May, Margaret T; Hogg, Robert S; Justice, Amy C; Shepherd, Bryan E; Costagliola, Dominique; Ledergerber, Bruno; Thiébaut, Rodolphe; Gill, M John; Kirk, Ole; van Sighem, Ard; Saag, Michael S; Navarro, Gemma; Sobrino-Vegas, Paz; Lampe, Fiona; Ingle, Suzanne; Guest, Jodie L; Crane, Heidi M; D'Arminio Monforte, Antonella; Vehreschild, Jörg J; Sterne, Jonathan A C

2012-12-01

HIV cohort collaborations, which pool data from diverse patient cohorts, have provided key insights into outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, the extent of, and reasons for, between-cohort heterogeneity in rates of AIDS and mortality are unclear. We obtained data on adult HIV-positive patients who started ART from 1998 without a previous AIDS diagnosis from 17 cohorts in North America and Europe. Patients were followed up from 1 month to 2 years after starting ART. We examined between-cohort heterogeneity in crude and adjusted (age, sex, HIV transmission risk, year, CD4 count and HIV-1 RNA at start of ART) rates of AIDS and mortality using random-effects meta-analysis and meta-regression. During 61 520 person-years, 754/38 706 (1.9%) patients died and 1890 (4.9%) progressed to AIDS. Between-cohort variance in mortality rates was reduced from 0.84 to 0.24 (0.73 to 0.28 for AIDS rates) after adjustment for patient characteristics. Adjusted mortality rates were inversely associated with cohorts' estimated completeness of death ascertainment [excellent: 96-100%, good: 90-95%, average: 75-89%; mortality rate ratio 0.66 (95% confidence interval 0.46-0.94) per category]. Mortality rate ratios comparing Europe with North America were 0.42 (0.31-0.57) before and 0.47 (0.30-0.73) after adjusting for completeness of ascertainment. Heterogeneity between settings in outcomes of HIV treatment has implications for collaborative analyses, policy and clinical care. Estimated mortality rates may require adjustment for completeness of ascertainment. Higher mortality rate in North American, compared with European, cohorts was not fully explained by completeness of ascertainment and may be because of the inclusion of more socially marginalized patients with higher mortality risk.

Walking, cycling, and obesity rates in Europe, North America, and Australia.

PubMed

Bassett, David R; Pucher, John; Buehler, Ralph; Thompson, Dixie L; Crouter, Scott E

2008-11-01

This study was designed to examine the relationship between active transportation (defined as the percentage of trips taken by walking, bicycling, and public transit) and obesity rates (BMI > or = 30 kg . m-2) in different countries. National surveys of travel behavior and health indicators in Europe, North America, and Australia were used in this study; the surveys were conducted in 1994 to 2006. In some cases raw data were obtained from national or federal agencies and then analyzed, and in other cases summary data were obtained from published reports. Countries with the highest levels of active transportation generally had the lowest obesity rates. Europeans walked more than United States residents (382 versus 140 km per person per year) and bicycled more (188 versus 40 km per person per year) in 2000. Walking and bicycling are far more common in European countries than in the United States, Australia, and Canada. Active transportation is inversely related to obesity in these countries. Although the results do not prove causality, they suggest that active transportation could be one of the factors that explain international differences in obesity rates.

Climate during the Roman and early-medieval periods in North-western Europe: a review of climate reconstructions from terrestrial archives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichelmann, Dana F. C.; Gouw-Bouman, Marjolein T. I. J.; Hoek, Wim Z.; van Lanen, Rowin J.; Stouthamer, Esther; Jansma, Esther

2016-04-01

High-resolution palaeoclimate reconstructions are essential to identify possible influences of climate variability on landscape evolution and landscape-related cultural changes (e.g., shifting settlement patterns and long-distance trade relations). North-western Europe is an ideal research area for comparison between climate variability and cultural transitions given its geomorphological diversity and the significant cultural changes that took place in this region during the last two millennia (e.g., the decline of the Roman Empire and the transition to medieval kingdoms). Compared to more global climate records, such as ice cores and marine sediments, terrestrial climate proxies have the advantage of representing a relatively short response time to regional climatic change. Furthermore for this region large quantity of climate reconstructions is available covering the last millennium, whereas for the first millennium AD only few high resolution climate reconstructions are available. We compiled climate reconstructions for sites in North-western Europe from the literature and its underlying data. All these reconstructions cover the time period of AD 1 to 1000. We only selected data with an annual to decadal resolution and a minimum resolution of 50 years. This resulted in 18 climate reconstructions from different archives such as chironomids (1), pollen (4), Sphagnum cellulose (1), stalagmites (6), testate amoebae (4), and tree-rings (2). The compilation of the different temperature reconstructions shows similar trends in most of the records. Colder conditions since AD 300 for a period of approximately 400 years and warmer conditions after AD 700 become apparent. A contradicting signal is found before AD 300 with warmer conditions indicated by most of the records but not all. This is likely the result of the use of different proxies, reflecting temperatures linked to different seasons. The compilation of the different precipitation reconstructions also show similar

Douglas-fir plantations in Europe: a retrospective test of assisted migration to address climate change.

PubMed

Isaac-Renton, Miriam G; Roberts, David R; Hamann, Andreas; Spiecker, Heinrich

2014-08-01

We evaluate genetic test plantations of North American Douglas-fir provenances in Europe to quantify how tree populations respond when subjected to climate regime shifts, and we examined whether bioclimate envelope models developed for North America to guide assisted migration under climate change can retrospectively predict the success of these provenance transfers to Europe. The meta-analysis is based on long-term growth data of 2800 provenances transferred to 120 European test sites. The model was generally well suited to predict the best performing provenances along north-south gradients in Western Europe, but failed to predict superior performance of coastal North American populations under continental climate conditions in Eastern Europe. However, model projections appear appropriate when considering additional information regarding adaptation of Douglas-fir provenances to withstand frost and drought, even though the model partially fails in a validation against growth traits alone. We conclude by applying the partially validated model to climate change scenarios for Europe, demonstrating that climate trends observed over the last three decades warrant changes to current use of Douglas-fir provenances in plantation forestry throughout Western and Central Europe. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Observed Oceanic and Terrestrial Drivers of North African Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Y.; Notaro, M.; Wang, F.; Mao, J.; Shi, X.; Wei, Y.

2015-12-01

Hydrologic variability can pose a serious threat to the poverty-stricken regions of North Africa. Yet, the current understanding of oceanic versus terrestrial drivers of North African droughts/pluvials is largely model-based, with vast disagreement among models. In order to identify the observed drivers of North African climate and develop a benchmark for model evaluations, the multivariate Generalized Equilibrium Feedback Assessment (GEFA) is applied to observations, remotely sensed data, and reanalysis products. The identified primary oceanic drivers of North African rainfall variability are the Atlantic, tropical Indian, and tropical Pacific Oceans and Mediterranean Sea. During the summer monsoon, positive tropical eastern Atlantic sea-surface temperature (SST) anomalies are associated with a southward shift of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone, enhanced ocean evaporation, and greater precipitable water across coastal West Africa, leading to increased West African monsoon (WAM) rainfall and decreased Sahel rainfall. During the short rains, positive SST anomalies in the western tropical Indian Ocean and negative anomalies in the eastern tropical Indian Ocean support greater easterly oceanic flow, evaporation over the western ocean, and moisture advection to East Africa, thereby enhancing rainfall. The sign, magnitude, and timing of observed vegetation forcing on rainfall vary across North Africa. The positive feedback of leaf area index (LAI) on rainfall is greatest during DJF for the Horn of Africa, while it peaks in autumn and is weakest during the summer monsoon for the Sahel. Across the WAM region, a positive LAI anomaly supports an earlier monsoon onset, increased rainfall during the pre-monsoon, and decreased rainfall during the wet season. Through unique mechanisms, positive LAI anomalies favor enhanced transpiration, precipitable water, and rainfall across the Sahel and Horn of Africa, and increased roughness, ascent, and rainfall across the WAM region

New comprehensive standard seismic noise models and 3D seismic noise variation for Morocco territory, North Africa, obtained using seismic broadband stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Fellah, Younes; El-Aal, Abd El-Aziz Khairy Abd; Harnafi, Mimoun; Villaseñor, Antonio

2017-05-01

In the current work, we constructed new comprehensive standard seismic noise models and 3D temporal-spatial seismic noise level cubes for Morocco in north-west Africa to be used for seismological and engineering purposes. Indeed, the original global standard seismic noise models published by Peterson (1993) and their following updates by Astiz and Creager (1995), Ekström (2001) and Berger et al. (2003) had no contributing seismic stations deployed in North Africa. Consequently, this preliminary study was conducted to shed light on seismic noise levels specific to north-west Africa. For this purpose, 23 broadband seismic stations recently installed in different structural domains throughout Morocco are used to study the nature and characteristics of seismic noise and to create seismic noise models for Morocco. Continuous data recorded during 2009, 2010 and 2011 were processed and analysed to construct these new noise models and 3D noise levels from all stations. We compared the Peterson new high-noise model (NHNM) and low-noise model (NLNM) with the Moroccan high-noise model (MHNM) and low-noise model (MLNM). These new noise models are comparable to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) models in the short period band; however, in the period range 1.2 s to 1000 s for MLNM and 10 s to 1000 s for MHNM display significant variations. This variation is attributed to differences in the nature of seismic noise sources that dominate Morocco in these period bands. The results of this study have a new perception about permanent seismic noise models for this spectacular region and can be considered a significant contribution because it supplements the Peterson models and can also be used to site future permanent seismic stations in Morocco.

Epidemiology of seasonal influenza in the Middle East and North Africa regions, 2010-2016: Circulating influenza A and B viruses and spatial timing of epidemics.

PubMed

Caini, Saverio; El-Guerche Séblain, Clotilde; Ciblak, Meral A; Paget, John

2018-05-01

There is a limited knowledge regarding the epidemiology of influenza in Middle East and North Africa. We described the patterns of influenza circulation and the timing of seasonal epidemics in countries of Middle East and North Africa. We used virological surveillance data for 2010-2016 from the WHO FluNet database. In each country, we calculated the median proportion of cases that were caused by each virus type and subtype; determined the timing and amplitude of the primary and secondary peaks; and used linear regression models to test for spatial trends in the timing of epidemics. We included 70 532 influenza cases from seventeen countries. Influenza A and B accounted for a median 76.5% and 23.5% of cases in a season and were the dominant type in 86.8% and 13.2% of seasons. The proportion of influenza A cases that were subtyped was 85.9%, while only 4.4% of influenza B cases were characterized. For most countries, influenza seasonality was similar to the Northern Hemisphere, with a single large peak between January and March; exceptions were the countries in the Arabian Peninsula and Jordan, all of which showed clear secondary peaks, and some countries had an earlier primary peak (in November-December in Bahrain and Qatar). The direction of the timing of influenza activity was east to west and south to north in 2012-2013 and 2015-2016, and west to east in 2014-2015. The epidemiology of influenza is generally uniform in countries of Middle East and North Africa, with influenza B playing an important role in the seasonal disease burden. © 2018 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Early childhood obesity: a survey of knowledge and practices of physicians from the Middle East and North Africa.

PubMed

Gies, Inge; AlSaleem, Bader; Olang, Beheshteh; Karima, Berkouk; Samy, Gamal; Husain, Khaled; Elhalik, Mahmoud; Miqdady, Mohamad; Rawashdeh, Mohamad; Salah, Mohamed; Mouane, Nezha; Rohani, Pejman; Singhal, Atul; Vandenplas, Yvan

2017-04-28

Childhood obesity is one of the most serious public health issues of the twenty-first century affecting even low- and middle-income countries. Overweight and obese children are more likely to stay obese into adulthood. Due to the paucity of data on local practices, our study aimed to assess the knowledge and practices of physicians from the Middle East and North Africa region with respect to early-onset obesity. A specific questionnaire investigating the perception and knowledge on early-onset obesity was circulated to healthcare providers (general physicians, pediatricians, pediatric gastroenterologist, neonatologists) practicing in 17 Middle East and North African countries. A total of 999/1051 completed forms (95% response) were evaluated. Of all respondents, 28.9% did not consistently use growth charts to monitor growth during every visit and only 25.2% and 46.6% of respondents were aware of the correct cut-off criterion for overweight and obesity, respectively. Of those surveyed, 22.3, 14.0, 36.1, 48.2, and 49.1% of respondents did not consider hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, fatty liver disease, and decreased life span, respectively, to be a long-term complication of early childhood obesity. Furthermore, only 0.7% of respondents correctly answered all survey questions pertaining to knowledge of early childhood overweight and obesity. The survey highlights the low use of growth charts in the evaluation of early childhood growth in Middle East and North Africa region, and demonstrated poor knowledge of healthcare providers on the short- and long-term complications of early-onset obesity. This suggests a need for both continued professional education and development, and implementation of guidelines for the prevention and management of early childhood overweight and obesity.

Phylogeographic history of grey wolves in Europe

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background While it is generally accepted that patterns of intra-specific genetic differentiation are substantially affected by glacial history, population genetic processes occurring during Pleistocene glaciations are still poorly understood. In this study, we address the question of the genetic consequences of Pleistocene glaciations for European grey wolves. Combining our data with data from published studies, we analysed phylogenetic relationships and geographic distribution of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes for 947 contemporary European wolves. We also compared the contemporary wolf sequences with published sequences of 24 ancient European wolves. Results We found that haplotypes representing two haplogroups, 1 and 2, overlap geographically, but substantially differ in frequency between populations from south-western and eastern Europe. A comparison between haplotypes from Europe and other continents showed that both haplogroups are spread throughout Eurasia, while only haplogroup 1 occurs in contemporary North American wolves. All ancient wolf samples from western Europe that dated from between 44,000 and 1,200 years B.P. belonged to haplogroup 2, suggesting the long-term predominance of this haplogroup in this region. Moreover, a comparison of current and past frequencies and distributions of the two haplogroups in Europe suggested that haplogroup 2 became outnumbered by haplogroup 1 during the last several thousand years. Conclusions Parallel haplogroup replacement, with haplogroup 2 being totally replaced by haplogroup 1, has been reported for North American grey wolves. Taking into account the similarity of diets reported for the late Pleistocene wolves from Europe and North America, the correspondence between these haplogroup frequency changes may suggest that they were associated with ecological changes occurring after the Last Glacial Maximum. PMID:20409299

Influence of boundary conditions to multi-model simulations of ozone and PM2.5 levels over Europe and North America in frame of AQMEII3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, Ulas; Hansen, Kaj M.; Geels, Camilla; Christensen, Jesper H.; Brandt, Jørgen; Hogrefe, Christian; Galmarini, Stefano

2016-04-01

AQMEII (Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative) promotes research on regional air quality model evaluation across the European and North American atmospheric modelling communities, providing the ideal platform for advancing the evaluation of air quality models at the regional scale. In frame of the AQMEII3 model evaluation exercise, thirteen regional chemistry and transport models have simulated the air pollutant levels over Europe and/or North America for the year 2010, along with various sensitivity simulations of reductions in anthropogenic emissions and boundary conditions. All participating groups have performed sensitivity simulation with 20% reductions in global (GLO) anthropogenic emissions. In addition, various groups simulated sensitivity scenarios of 20% reductions in anthropogenic emissions in different HTAP-defined regions such as North America (NAM), Europe (EUR) and East Asia (EAS). The boundary conditions for the base case and the perturbation scenarios were derived from the MOZART-IFS global chemical model. The present study will evaluate the impact of these emission perturbations on regional surface ozone and PM2.5 levels as well as over individual surface measurement stations over both continents and vertical profiles over the radiosonde stations from the World Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Data Centre (WOUDC) and the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) stations for ozone and for PM2.5, respectively.

Transmission patterns of smallpox: systematic review of natural outbreaks in Europe and North America since World War II.

PubMed

Bhatnagar, Vibha; Stoto, Michael A; Morton, Sally C; Boer, Rob; Bozzette, Samuel A

2006-05-05

Because smallpox (variola major) may be used as a biological weapon, we reviewed outbreaks in post-World War II Europe and North America in order to understand smallpox transmission patterns. A systematic review was used to identify papers from the National Library of Medicine, Embase, Biosis, Cochrane Library, Defense Technical Information Center, WorldCat, and reference lists of included publications. Two authors reviewed selected papers for smallpox outbreaks. 51 relevant outbreaks were identified from 1,389 publications. The median for the effective first generation reproduction rate (initial R) was 2 (range 0-38). The majority outbreaks were small (less than 5 cases) and contained within one generation. Outbreaks with few hospitalized patients had low initial R values (median of 1) and were prolonged if not initially recognized (median of 3 generations); outbreaks with mostly hospitalized patients had higher initial R values (median 12) and were shorter (median of 3 generations). Index cases with an atypical presentation of smallpox were less likely to have been diagnosed with smallpox; outbreaks in which the index case was not correctly diagnosed were larger (median of 27.5 cases) and longer (median of 3 generations) compared to outbreaks in which the index case was correctly diagnosed (median of 3 cases and 1 generation). Patterns of spread during Smallpox outbreaks varied with circumstances, but early detection and implementation of control measures is a most important influence on the magnitude of outbreaks. The majority of outbreaks studied in Europe and North America were controlled within a few generations if detected early.

Biosafety legislation and biotechnology development gains momentum in Africa.

PubMed

Wafula, David; Waithaka, Michael; Komen, John; Karembu, Margaret

2012-01-01

Opinion in Africa over the use of genetically modified crops for food has been divided, honed by more than a decade of arguments in Europe and elsewhere. Fortunately, the perceived image of a passive Africa in this game is changing rapidly with clear positions on how to harness modern biotechnology. This article examines the status of biosafety regulation across Africa, pertinent challenges and the extent to which regulation fosters or constrains the development of agricultural biotechnology.

Blood Trials: Transfusions, Injections, and Experiments in Africa, 1890–1920

PubMed Central

Sunseri, Thaddeus

2016-01-01

From about 1880 to 1920, a culture of medical experimentation promoted blood transfusion as a therapy for severe anemia in Europe, which was applied in German East Africa in 1892 for a case of blackwater fever, a complication of malaria afflicting mainly Europeans. This first case of blood transfusion in Africa, in which an African's blood was transfused into a German official, complicates the dominant narrative that blood transfusions in Africa came only after World War I. Medical researchers moreover experimented with blood serum therapies on human and animal subjects in Europe and Africa, injecting blood of different species, “races” and ethnicities into others to demonstrate parasite transmissibility and to discover vaccines for diseases such as malaria, sleeping sickness, and yellow fever. While research in German colonies is highlighted here, this was a transnational medical culture that crossed borders and oceans. This research is of interest as a possible early pathway for the epidemic spread of HIV and other zoonoses in Africa and the world, which biomedical researchers have identified as emerging in West-Central Africa sometime around the turn of the twentieth century. PMID:26514397

Active folding and thrusting in North Africa: A framework for a seismotectonic model of the Atlas Mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meghraoui, Mustapha; Maouche, Said; Timoulali, Youssef; Bouhadad, Youcef; Bouaziz, Samir

2013-04-01

Large earthquakes in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa are often generated on thrust or reverse faults. For inland faults, surface ruptures and long-term active tectonics appear as a thrust escarpment and fold-related faulting visible in the field and using remote sensing images, or measured using space-borne geodesy (GPS or INSAR). For coastal faults, major uplifts of late Quaternary marine terraces and folding with steplike morphology are exposed indicating the incremental development of coastal active deformation. We have investigated the similarities and differences between different active fault-related folding along the Africa - Eurasia convergent plate boundary. These active structures are seismogenic and the striking case studies are the 1960 Agadir (Mw 5.9), the 1954 Orleansville (Mw 6.7), the 1980 El Asnam (Mw 7.3), the 1992 Gafsa (Mw 5.3), the 1999 Ain Temouchent (Mw 6.0), and the 2003 Zemmouri (Mw 6.8) earthquakes. From paleoseismic investigations the El Asnam active fold shows 0.6 to 1.0 mm/yr uplift rate. West of Algiers on the Sahel anticline, the levelling of uplifted successive coastal benches and notches document the incremental folding uplift with ~ 0.84 - 1.2 mm/yr uplift rate in the last 120-140 ka. The relatively fast folding growth during late Pleistocene and Holocene in the Atlas Mountains attests for the significance of earthquake activity and the importance of convergent movements between Africa and Eurasia in the Western Mediterranean. This work is prepared in the framework of the UNESCO (SIDA) - IGCP Project 601 "Seismotectonics and Seismic Hazards in Africa".

'Health psychology' or 'psychology for health'? A history of psychologists' engagement with health in South Africa.

PubMed

Yen, Jeffery; Vaccarino, Oriana

2018-03-01

In contrast to the institutionalization of health psychology in North America and Europe, much psychological work on health issues in South Africa emerged as part of a critical revitalization of South African psychology as a whole, coinciding with the dismantling of Apartheid and global shifts in health discourse. The field's development reflects attempts to engage with urgent health problems in the context of rapid sociopolitical changes that followed democratic transition in the 1990s, and under new conditions of knowledge production. We provide an account of these issues, as well as reflections on the field's future, as inflected through the experiences of 12 South African psychologists whose careers span the emergence of health-related psychology to the present day.

Divorcing the Late Upper Palaeolithic demographic histories of mtDNA haplogroups M1 and U6 in Africa

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background A Southwest Asian origin and dispersal to North Africa in the Early Upper Palaeolithic era has been inferred in previous studies for mtDNA haplogroups M1 and U6. Both haplogroups have been proposed to show similar geographic patterns and shared demographic histories. Results We report here 24 M1 and 33 U6 new complete mtDNA sequences that allow us to refine the existing phylogeny of these haplogroups. The resulting phylogenetic information was used to genotype a further 131 M1 and 91 U6 samples to determine the geographic spread of their sub-clades. No southwest Asian specific clades for M1 or U6 were discovered. U6 and M1 frequencies in North Africa, the Middle East and Europe do not follow similar patterns, and their sub-clade divisions do not appear to be compatible with their shared history reaching back to the Early Upper Palaeolithic. The Bayesian Skyline Plots testify to non-overlapping phases of expansion, and the haplogroups’ phylogenies suggest that there are U6 sub-clades that expanded earlier than those in M1. Some M1 and U6 sub-clades could be linked with certain events. For example, U6a1 and M1b, with their coalescent ages of ~20,000–22,000 years ago and earliest inferred expansion in northwest Africa, could coincide with the flourishing of the Iberomaurusian industry, whilst U6b and M1b1 appeared at the time of the Capsian culture. Conclusions Our high-resolution phylogenetic dissection of both haplogroups and coalescent time assessments suggest that the extant main branching pattern of both haplogroups arose and diversified in the mid-later Upper Palaeolithic, with some sub-clades concomitantly with the expansion of the Iberomaurusian industry. Carriers of these maternal lineages have been later absorbed into and diversified further during the spread of Afro-Asiatic languages in North and East Africa. PMID:23206491

Parental involvement and bullying among middle-school students in North Africa.

PubMed

Abdirahman, H; Fleming, L C; Jacobsen, K H

2013-03-01

Bullying, especially in developing countries, has not been much examined, especially the influence of parents on the risk of being bullied. The aim of this study was to determine whether active parenting is associated with reduced peer victimization among middle-school students in North Africa. A secondary analysis of data from more than 13,000 middle-school students who participated in the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) in Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia between 2006 and 2008, was conducted using multiple logistic regression models. About 60% of students in Egypt and one-third of students in Libya, Morocco and Tunisia reported having been bullied in the past month. In all 4 countries, boys reported more peer victimization than girls. In Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia, students who reported that their parents checked their homework, were understanding, and knew how the student spent free time had a reduced likelihood of peer victimization but this association was not significant in Libya. Interventions for reducing bullying should consider the positive impact of involved parents.

Blood Trials: Transfusions, Injections, and Experiments in Africa, 1890-1920.

PubMed

Sunseri, Thaddeus

2016-07-01

From about 1880 to 1920, a culture of medical experimentation promoted blood transfusion as a therapy for severe anemia in Europe, which was applied in German East Africa in 1892 for a case of blackwater fever, a complication of malaria afflicting mainly Europeans. This first case of blood transfusion in Africa, in which an African's blood was transfused into a German official, complicates the dominant narrative that blood transfusions in Africa came only after World War I. Medical researchers moreover experimented with blood serum therapies on human and animal subjects in Europe and Africa, injecting blood of different species, "races" and ethnicities into others to demonstrate parasite transmissibility and to discover vaccines for diseases such as malaria, sleeping sickness, and yellow fever. While research in German colonies is highlighted here, this was a transnational medical culture that crossed borders and oceans. This research is of interest as a possible early pathway for the epidemic spread of HIV and other zoonoses in Africa and the world, which biomedical researchers have identified as emerging in West-Central Africa sometime around the turn of the twentieth century. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Modeling energy consumption in membrane bioreactors for wastewater treatment in north Africa.

PubMed

Skouterisl, George; Arnot, Tom C; Jraou, Mouna; Feki, Firas; Sayadi, Sami

2014-03-01

Two pilot-scale membrane bioreactors were operated alongside a full-sized activated sludge plant in Tunisia in order to compare specific energy demand and treated water quality. Energy consumption rates were measured for the complete membrane bioreactor systems and for their different components. Specific energy demand was measured for the systems and compared with the activated sludge plant, which operated at around 3 kWh m(-3). A model was developed for each membrane bioreactor based on both dynamic and steady-state mass balances, microbial kinetics and stoichiometry, and energy balance. Energy consumption was evaluated as a function of mixed-liquor suspended solids concentration, net permeate fluxes, and the resultant treated water quality. This work demonstrates the potential for using membrane bioreactors in decentralised domestic water treatment in North Africa, at energy consumption levels similar or lower than conventional activated sludge systems, with the added benefit of producing treated water suitable for unrestricted crop irrigation.

The genomic history of southeastern Europe.

PubMed

Mathieson, Iain; Alpaslan-Roodenberg, Songül; Posth, Cosimo; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Rohland, Nadin; Mallick, Swapan; Olalde, Iñigo; Broomandkhoshbacht, Nasreen; Candilio, Francesca; Cheronet, Olivia; Fernandes, Daniel; Ferry, Matthew; Gamarra, Beatriz; Fortes, Gloria González; Haak, Wolfgang; Harney, Eadaoin; Jones, Eppie; Keating, Denise; Krause-Kyora, Ben; Kucukkalipci, Isil; Michel, Megan; Mittnik, Alissa; Nägele, Kathrin; Novak, Mario; Oppenheimer, Jonas; Patterson, Nick; Pfrengle, Saskia; Sirak, Kendra; Stewardson, Kristin; Vai, Stefania; Alexandrov, Stefan; Alt, Kurt W; Andreescu, Radian; Antonović, Dragana; Ash, Abigail; Atanassova, Nadezhda; Bacvarov, Krum; Gusztáv, Mende Balázs; Bocherens, Hervé; Bolus, Michael; Boroneanţ, Adina; Boyadzhiev, Yavor; Budnik, Alicja; Burmaz, Josip; Chohadzhiev, Stefan; Conard, Nicholas J; Cottiaux, Richard; Čuka, Maja; Cupillard, Christophe; Drucker, Dorothée G; Elenski, Nedko; Francken, Michael; Galabova, Borislava; Ganetsovski, Georgi; Gély, Bernard; Hajdu, Tamás; Handzhyiska, Veneta; Harvati, Katerina; Higham, Thomas; Iliev, Stanislav; Janković, Ivor; Karavanić, Ivor; Kennett, Douglas J; Komšo, Darko; Kozak, Alexandra; Labuda, Damian; Lari, Martina; Lazar, Catalin; Leppek, Maleen; Leshtakov, Krassimir; Vetro, Domenico Lo; Los, Dženi; Lozanov, Ivaylo; Malina, Maria; Martini, Fabio; McSweeney, Kath; Meller, Harald; Menđušić, Marko; Mirea, Pavel; Moiseyev, Vyacheslav; Petrova, Vanya; Price, T Douglas; Simalcsik, Angela; Sineo, Luca; Šlaus, Mario; Slavchev, Vladimir; Stanev, Petar; Starović, Andrej; Szeniczey, Tamás; Talamo, Sahra; Teschler-Nicola, Maria; Thevenet, Corinne; Valchev, Ivan; Valentin, Frédérique; Vasilyev, Sergey; Veljanovska, Fanica; Venelinova, Svetlana; Veselovskaya, Elizaveta; Viola, Bence; Virag, Cristian; Zaninović, Joško; Zäuner, Steve; Stockhammer, Philipp W; Catalano, Giulio; Krauß, Raiko; Caramelli, David; Zariņa, Gunita; Gaydarska, Bisserka; Lillie, Malcolm; Nikitin, Alexey G; Potekhina, Inna; Papathanasiou, Anastasia; Borić, Dušan; Bonsall, Clive; Krause, Johannes; Pinhasi, Ron; Reich, David

2018-03-08

Farming was first introduced to Europe in the mid-seventh millennium bc, and was associated with migrants from Anatolia who settled in the southeast before spreading throughout Europe. Here, to understand the dynamics of this process, we analysed genome-wide ancient DNA data from 225 individuals who lived in southeastern Europe and surrounding regions between 12000 and 500 bc. We document a west-east cline of ancestry in indigenous hunter-gatherers and, in eastern Europe, the early stages in the formation of Bronze Age steppe ancestry. We show that the first farmers of northern and western Europe dispersed through southeastern Europe with limited hunter-gatherer admixture, but that some early groups in the southeast mixed extensively with hunter-gatherers without the sex-biased admixture that prevailed later in the north and west. We also show that southeastern Europe continued to be a nexus between east and west after the arrival of farmers, with intermittent genetic contact with steppe populations occurring up to 2,000 years earlier than the migrations from the steppe that ultimately replaced much of the population of northern Europe.

The Middle East and Eastern Europe rabies Expert Bureau (MEEREB) third meeting: Lyon-France (7-8 April, 2015).

PubMed

Picot, V; Rasuli, A; Abella-Rider, A; Saadatian-Elahi, M; Aikimbayev, A; Barkia, A; Benmaiz, S; Bouslama, Z; De Balogh, K; Dehove, A; Davlyatov, F; Farahtaj, F; Gongal, G; Gholami, A; Imnadze, P; Issad, M; Khoufi, S; Nedosekov, V; Rafila, A; Rich, H; Soufi, A; Tuychiev, J; Vranjes, N; Vodopija, R; Zaouia, I; Nel, L

MEEREB is an inter-regional network of countries from North Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia that work together with the aim of improving rabies control and prevention at local, regional and global level. MEEREB members met for the third time in 2015 in France (Lyon) to review the current rabies situation within the network and to discuss the way forward the prospect of a One Health approach against rabies. Dogs were the main vector of transmission in all MEEREB countries except for Croatia and Serbia where foxes represented the primary source. The number of rabies animal cases reported in 2014 varied substantially between countries with Ukraine reporting the highest number of animal cases. Human cases still occur in North Africa and all Middle East and Eurasian countries while no cases of human rabies were reported in Croatia, Serbia and Romania, although cases of rabies were identified in both dogs and foxes in 2014. Participants concluded that MEEREB can act as a think-tank where countries can share data, information, experiences and best practices to jointly address challenges in rabies control and prevention. They called for elimination of dog-transmitted rabies through vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin stockpiles and implementation of a One Health approach to achieve rabies's eradication. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Qatar chooses Snam to market LNG in Europe

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

This paper reports that Qatar has chosen Italy's Snam SpA as its European partner to sell liquefied natural gas to Europe from a $4.8 billion joint venture project involving supergiant North offshore gas field. State owned Qatar General petroleum Corp. (QGPC) and Snam signed an agreement in Doha to create a joint company owned 65% by QGPC and the remainder by Snam. Italy's state electricity monopoly, ENEL, which is seeking Qatari gas a fuel for its power plants, may later acquire part of Snam's interest in the project. The joint venture will transport and market North LNG to Europe. Exportsmore » to Europe by Snam via Italy, to begin in 1997, are expected to be 283 bcf/year at first and may climb to 459 bcf/year, depending upon demand.« less

Taenia solium in Europe: Still endemic?

PubMed

Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Allepuz, Alberto; Dermauw, Veronique; Johansen, Maria V; Laranjo-González, Minerva; Smit, G Suzanne A; Sotiraki, Smaragda; Trevisan, Chiara; Wardrop, Nicola A; Dorny, Pierre; Gabriël, Sarah

2017-01-01

The pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, causes an important economic and health burden, mainly in rural or marginalized communities of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin-America. Although improved pig rearing conditions seem to have eliminated the parasite in most Western European countries, little is known about the true endemicity status of T. solium throughout Europe. Three recent reviews indicate that autochthonous human T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis may be possible in Europe, but that current peer-reviewed literature is biased towards Western Europe. Officially reported data on porcine cysticercosis are highly insufficient. Favourable conditions for local T. solium transmission still exist in eastern parts of Europe, although the ongoing integration of the European Union is speeding up modernisation and intensification of the pig sector. Further evidence is urgently needed to fill the gaps on the European T. solium endemicity map. We urge to make human cysticercosis notifiable and to improve the reporting of porcine cysticercosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Incarceration or mandatory treatment: Drug use and the law in the Middle East and North Africa.

PubMed

Al-Shazly, Fattouh; Tinasti, Khalid

2016-05-01

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), drug policies are embedded in the prohibition paradigm. Laws and legislation criminalize all types of activities related to illicit drugs. This article gives a detailed assessment of the provisions of Arab national laws to control the use of illicit drugs across the areas of punishment of drug users, penalties for drug dependence, legislation on use and dependence treatment, and the right of the convicted people who use drugs to confidentiality. It reviews the national legislations on drug control of 16 Arab countries as amended in January 2011. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Variable-resolution Surface Wave Dispersion Study of Eurasia, North Africa, and Surrounding Regions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pasyanos, M E

This paper presents the results of a large-scale study of surface wave dispersion performed across Eurasia and North Africa. Improvements were made to previous surface wave work by enlarging the study region, increasing path density, improving spatial resolution, and expanding the period range. This study expands the coverage area northwards and eastwards relative to a previous dispersion analysis, which covered only North Africa and the Middle East. We have significantly increased the number of seismograms examined and group velocity measurements made. We have now made good quality dispersion measurements for about 30,000 Rayleigh wave and 20,000 Love wave paths, andmore » have incorporated measurements from several other researchers into the study. A conjugate gradient method was employed for the group velocity tomography, which improved the inversion from the previous study by adopting a variable smoothness. This technique allows us to go to higher resolution where the data allow without producing artifacts. The current results include both Love and Rayleigh wave inversions across the region for periods from 7 to 100 seconds at 1{sup o} resolution. Short period group velocities are sensitive to slow velocities associated with large sedimentary features such as the Caspian Sea, West Siberian Platform, Mediterranean Sea, Bay of Bengal, Tarim Basin, and Persian Gulf. Intermediate periods are sensitive to differences in crustal thickness, such as those between oceanic and continental crust or along orogenic zones and continental plateaus. At longer periods, fast velocities are consistently found beneath cratons while slow upper mantle velocities occur along rift systems, subduction zones, and collision zones such as the Tethys Belt. We have compared the group velocities at various periods with features such as sediment thickness, topographic height, crustal thickness, proximity to plate boundaries, lithospheric age and lithospheric thickness, and find significant

Effects of the "New Climate" warmed in North Africa and Western Mediterranean: the situation of recent meteorological droughts and floods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karrouk, Mohammed-Said

2017-04-01

"New Climate" subjected to North Africa, Western Mediterranean and geoclimatic midlatitude space atmospheric effects of the new regime characterized by the supremacy of the meridian circulation (MAC: Meridian Atmospheric Circulation), by alternating cool conditions (humidity) heat (drought) along the year, and imposes situation of anxiety and perplexity vis-a-vis their socio-economic activities; shoved agricultural calendar, hesitant policymakers, uncertainty and waiting, ... etc. The recent example of the fall-winter 2015-2016 is indicative of the conditions that have left a deep psychological imprint on economic and social Moroccans. During this period, the summer heat has extended to the end of autumn and even winter. And precipitation contracted by more than 51% of accumulated rainfall autumn, compared with the same period a normal year. A slowdown in economic growth has been felt since last December and was extended until the rains return (and snow!) In mid February 2016. Weather conditions during this period were marked by the succession and persistence of very active planetary peaks, projected to the northern borders of Western Europe (Heat Christmas 2015!), Rejecting the negative waves to the east: Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, the Balkans, Anatolia, and even the Middle East. These conditions are the consequences of the "New Climate" warmed, strengthened by the strong El Niño event in 2015 decennial. The identification of hemispheric and regional climate mechanisms of these atmospheric regime systems based on energy balance and atmospheric circulation will be defined, with links of cause and effect, in view of integrating these characters to extreme events in the New Climate Warmed.

Extreme Winter/Early-Spring Temperature Anomalies in Central Europe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, Joseph; Atlas, Robert; Ardizzone, Joseph; Brakke, Thomas; Chou, Shu-Hsien; Jusem, Juan Carlos; Glantz, Michael; Rogers, Jeff; Sud, Yogesh; Susskind, Joel

2000-01-01

Extreme seasonal fluctuations of the surface-air temperature characterize the climate of central Europe, 45-60 deg North Temperature difference between warm 1990 and cold 1996 in the January-March period, persisting for more than two weeks at a time, amounted to 18 C for extensive areas. These anomalies in the surface-air temperature stem in the first place from differences in the low level flow from the eastern North-Atlantic: the value of the Index 1na of southwesterlies over the eastern North-Atlantic was 8.0 m/s in February 1990, but only 2.6 m/ s in February 1996. The primary forcing by warm advection to positive anomalies in monthly mean surface temperature produced strong synoptic-scale uplift at the 700 mb level over some regions in Europe. The strong uplift contributed in 1990 to a much larger cloud-cover over central Europe, which reduced heat-loss to space (greenhouse effect). Thus, spring arrived earlier than usual in 1990, but later than usual in 1996.

Molecular Evidence of Bartonella Infection in Domestic Dogs from Algeria, North Africa, by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

PubMed Central

Kernif, Tahar; Aissi, Meriem; Doumandji, Salah-Eddine; Chomel, Bruno B.; Raoult, Didier; Bitam, Idir

2010-01-01

Bartonella species are being recognized as important bacterial human and canine pathogens, and are associated with multiple arthropod vectors. Bartonella DNA extracted from blood samples was obtained from domestic dogs in Algiers, Algeria. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequence analyses of the ftsZ gene and the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region (ITS) were performed. Three Bartonella species: Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, Bartonella clarridgeiae, and Bartonells elizabethae were detected infecting Algerian dogs. To our knowledge, this study is the first report of detection by PCR amplification of Bartonella in dogs in North Africa. PMID:20682871

North Atlantic forcing of moisture delivery to Europe throughout the Holocene

PubMed Central

Smith, Andrew C.; Wynn, Peter M.; Barker, Philip A.; Leng, Melanie J.; Noble, Stephen R.; Tych, Wlodek

2016-01-01

Century-to-millennial scale fluctuations in precipitation and temperature are an established feature of European Holocene climates. Changes in moisture delivery are driven by complex interactions between ocean moisture sources and atmospheric circulation modes, making it difficult to resolve the drivers behind millennial scale variability in European precipitation. Here, we present two overlapping decadal resolution speleothem oxygen isotope (δ18O) records from a cave on the Atlantic coastline of northern Iberia, covering the period 12.1–0 ka. Speleothem δ18O reveals nine quasi-cyclical events of relatively wet-to-dry climatic conditions during the Holocene. Dynamic Harmonic Regression modelling indicates that changes in precipitation occurred with a ~1500 year frequency during the late Holocene and at a shorter length during the early Holocene. The timing of these cycles coincides with changes in North Atlantic Ocean conditions, indicating a connectivity between ocean conditions and Holocene moisture delivery. Early Holocene climate is potentially dominated by freshwater outburst events, whilst ~1500 year cycles in the late Holocene are more likely driven by changes internal to the ocean system. This is the first continental record of its type that clearly demonstrates millennial scale connectivity between the pulse of the ocean and precipitation over Europe through the entirety of the Holocene. PMID:27109216

Sub-Saharan Africa Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-21

south of the Save River, In the .north, the MNR benefited in 1982 from-its absorption >of groups. of Africa Livre fighters operating out of Malawi (AC...Vol 23 Nos 15, 16). One of the Africa Livre leaders was businessman Gimo; ;Phiri, ’who became the MNR’s chief representative in Malawi, operating...Zambezia province for health reasons. The president of the republic has meanwhile appointed (Hermano Gildo Queda Gamito) as BPD chair- man, Antonio

The HLA-net GENE[RATE] pipeline for effective HLA data analysis and its application to 145 population samples from Europe and neighbouring areas.

PubMed

Nunes, J M; Buhler, S; Roessli, D; Sanchez-Mazas, A

2014-05-01

In this review, we present for the first time an integrated version of the Gene[rate] computer tools which have been developed during the last 5 years to analyse human leukocyte antigen (HLA) data in human populations, as well as the results of their application to a large dataset of 145 HLA-typed population samples from Europe and its two neighbouring areas, North Africa and West Asia, now forming part of the Gene[va] database. All these computer tools and genetic data are, from now, publicly available through a newly designed bioinformatics platform, HLA-net, here presented as a main achievement of the HLA-NET scientific programme. The Gene[rate] pipeline offers user-friendly computer tools to estimate allele and haplotype frequencies, to test Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), selective neutrality and linkage disequilibrium, to recode HLA data, to convert file formats, to display population frequencies of chosen alleles and haplotypes in selected geographic regions, and to perform genetic comparisons among chosen sets of population samples, including new data provided by the user. Both numerical and graphical outputs are generated, the latter being highly explicit and of publication quality. All these analyses can be performed on the pipeline after scrupulous validation of the population sample's characterisation and HLA typing reporting according to HLA-NET recommendations. The Gene[va] database offers direct access to the HLA-A, -B, -C, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DRB1 and -DPB1 frequencies and summary statistics of 145 population samples having successfully passed these HLA-NET 'filters', and representing three European subregions (South-East, North-East and Central-West Europe) and two neighbouring areas (North Africa, as far as Sudan, and West Asia, as far as South India). The analysis of these data, summarized in this review, shows a substantial genetic variation at the regional level in this continental area. These results have main implications for population genetics

West Africa [in "State of the Climate in 2014"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hagos, Samson M.; Ijampy, James A.; Sima, Fatou

This chapter provides summaries of the 2014 temperature and precipitation conditions across seven broad regions: North America, Central America and the Caribbean, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. In most cases, summaries of notable weather events are also included. Local scientists provided the annual summary for their respective regions and, unless otherwise noted, the source of the data used is typically the agency affiliated with the authors. Please note that different nations, even within the same section, may use unique periods to define their normals. Section introductions will typically define the prevailing practices for that section, and exceptions willmore » be noted within the text. In a similar way, many contributing authors use languages other than English as their primary professional language. To minimize additional loss of fidelity through re-interpretation after translation, editors have been conservative and careful to preserve the voice of the author. In some cases, this may result in abrupt transitions in style from section to section.« less

Temporal and spatial characterization of zenith total delay (ZTD) in North Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoew, B.; Elgered, G.

2003-04-01

The estimates of ZTD are often treated as realizations of random walk stochastic processes. We derive the corresponding process parameters for 34 different locations in North Europe using two measurement techniques - Global Positioning System (GPS) and Water Vapor Radiometer (WVR). GPS-estimated ZTD is an excellent candidate for data assimilation in numerical weather prediction (NWP) models in terms of both spatial and temporal resolution. We characterize the long term behavior of the ZTD as a function of site latitude and height. The spatial characteristics of the ZTD are studied as a function of site separation and season. We investigate the influence of the time-interpolated atmospheric pressure data used for the estimation of zenith wet delay (ZWD) from ZTD. Characterization of extreme atmospheric events can aid the development of an early warning system. We consider two types of extreme meteorological phenomena with regard to their spatial scales. The first type concerns larger regions (including several GPS sites); the extreme weather is characterized by intense precipitation which may result in a flood. The second type is related to local variations in the ZWD/ZTD and can be used for detection/monitoring of passing atmospheric fronts.

South Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

contained within South Africa's boundaries. In the upper righthand corner of the image is the Bay of Maputo, where sits Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. Fires are visible in the northeast corner of the image, near Maputo. Just north of Maputo is where the Limpopo River empties into the Indian Ocean. Tracing the Limpopo inland back toward the west, this river defines the northern boundary of South Africa with both Zimbabwe and Botswana. Johannesburg, the commercial capital of South Africa, can be seen as the greyish pixels in the northeastern region of the country. The country's legislative capital, Pretoria, is about 50 miles north of Johannesburg and 250 miles west of Maputo, in the heart of the Northern Province (formerly known as Transvaal). (Image courtesy Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Land Group, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center)

Climatology of nocturnal low-level jets over North Africa and implications for modeling mineral dust emission.

PubMed

Fiedler, S; Schepanski, K; Heinold, B; Knippertz, P; Tegen, I

2013-06-27

[1] This study presents the first climatology for the dust emission amount associated with Nocturnal Low-Level Jets (NLLJs) in North Africa. These wind speed maxima near the top of the nocturnal boundary layer can generate near-surface peak winds due to shear-driven turbulence in the course of the night and the NLLJ breakdown during the following morning. The associated increase in the near-surface wind speed is a driver for mineral dust emission. A new detection algorithm for NLLJs is presented and used for a statistical assessment of NLLJs in 32 years of ERA-Interim reanalysis from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. NLLJs occur in 29% of the nights in the annual and spatial mean. The NLLJ climatology shows a distinct annual cycle with marked regional differences. Maxima of up to 80% NLLJ frequency are found where low-level baroclinicity and orographic channels cause favorable conditions, e.g., over the Bodélé Depression, Chad, for November-February and along the West Saharan and Mauritanian coast for April-September. Downward mixing of NLLJ momentum to the surface causes 15% of mineral dust emission in the annual and spatial mean and can be associated with up to 60% of the total dust amount in specific areas, e.g., the Bodélé Depression and south of the Hoggar-Tibesti Channel. The sharp diurnal cycle underlines the importance of using wind speed information with high temporal resolution as driving fields for dust emission models. Citation: Fiedler, S., K. Schepanski, B. Heinold, P. Knippertz, and I. Tegen (2013), Climatology of nocturnal low-level jets over North Africa and implications for modeling mineral dust emission, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 6100-6121, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50394.

Climatology of nocturnal low-level jets over North Africa and implications for modeling mineral dust emission

PubMed Central

Fiedler, S; Schepanski, K; Heinold, B; Knippertz, P; Tegen, I

2013-01-01

[1] This study presents the first climatology for the dust emission amount associated with Nocturnal Low-Level Jets (NLLJs) in North Africa. These wind speed maxima near the top of the nocturnal boundary layer can generate near-surface peak winds due to shear-driven turbulence in the course of the night and the NLLJ breakdown during the following morning. The associated increase in the near-surface wind speed is a driver for mineral dust emission. A new detection algorithm for NLLJs is presented and used for a statistical assessment of NLLJs in 32 years of ERA-Interim reanalysis from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. NLLJs occur in 29% of the nights in the annual and spatial mean. The NLLJ climatology shows a distinct annual cycle with marked regional differences. Maxima of up to 80% NLLJ frequency are found where low-level baroclinicity and orographic channels cause favorable conditions, e.g., over the Bodélé Depression, Chad, for November–February and along the West Saharan and Mauritanian coast for April–September. Downward mixing of NLLJ momentum to the surface causes 15% of mineral dust emission in the annual and spatial mean and can be associated with up to 60% of the total dust amount in specific areas, e.g., the Bodélé Depression and south of the Hoggar-Tibesti Channel. The sharp diurnal cycle underlines the importance of using wind speed information with high temporal resolution as driving fields for dust emission models. Citation: Fiedler, S., K. Schepanski, B. Heinold, P. Knippertz, and I. Tegen (2013), Climatology of nocturnal low-level jets over North Africa and implications for modeling mineral dust emission, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 118, 6100-6121, doi:10.1002/jgrd.50394 PMID:25893154

A New Large Hyainailourine from the Bartonian of Europe and Its Bearings on the Evolution and Ecology of Massive Hyaenodonts (Mammalia)

PubMed Central

Solé, Floréal; Amson, Eli; Borths, Matthew; Vidalenc, Dominique; Morlo, Michael; Bastl, Katharina

2015-01-01

We describe a new large-sized species of hypercarnivorous hyainailourine–Kerberos langebadreae gen. & sp. nov.–from the Bartonian (MP16) locality of Montespieu (Tarn, France). These specimens consist of a skull, two hemimandibles and several hind limb elements (fibula, astragalus, calcaneum, metatarsals, and phalanges). Size estimates suggest K. langebadreae may have weighed up to 140 kg, revealing this species as the largest carnivorous mammal in Europe at that time. Besides its very large size, K. langebadreae possesses an interesting combination of primitive and derived features. The distinctive skull morphology of K. langebadreae reflects a powerful bite force. The postcranial elements, which are rarely associated with hyainailourine specimens, indicate an animal capable of a plantigrade stance and adapted for terrestrial locomotion. We performed the first phylogenetic analysis of hyainailourines to determine the systematic position of K. langebadreae and to understand the evolution of the group that includes other massive carnivores. The analysis demonstrates that Hemipsalodon, a North American taxon, is a hyainailourine and is closely related to European Paroxyaena. Based on this analysis we hypothesize the biogeographic history of the Hyainailourinae. The group appeared in Africa with a first migration to Europe during the Bartonian that likely included the ancestors of Kerberos, Paroxyaena and Hemipsalodon, which further dispersed into North America at this time. We propose that the hyainailourines dispersed into Europe also during the Priabonian. These migrants have no ecological equivalent in Europe during these intervals and likely did not conflict with the endemic hyaenodont proviverrines. The discovery of K. langebadreae shows that large body size appears early in the evolution of hyainailourines. Surprisingly, the late Miocene Hyainailouros shares a more recent common ancestor with small-bodied hyainailourines (below 15 kg). Finally, our study

East Europe Report, Political, Sociological and Military Affairs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-20

075056 JPRS-EPS-84-010 20 January 1984 East Europe Report POLITICAL , SOCIOLOGICAL AND MILITARY AFFAIRS Approved for ■&;+ tU...Service, 1000 North Glebe Road, Arlington, Virginia 22201. JPRS-EPS- 84-010 20 January 1984 EAST EUROPE REPORT POLITICAL ,, SOCIOLOGICAL AND MILITARY...Campaign at Konskie Need for Intraparty Introspection, Kazlmierz Morawski Interview Problem of Divorcing Economics From Politics Viewed at PZPR

Socioeconomic status and fertility decline: Insights from historical transitions in Europe and North America

PubMed Central

Dribe, Martin; Breschi, Marco; Gagnon, Alain; Gauvreau, Danielle; Hanson, Heidi A.; Maloney, Thomas N.; Mazzoni, Stanislao; Molitoris, Joseph; Pozzi, Lucia; Smith, Ken R.; Vézina, Hélène

2016-01-01

We have good knowledge of the timing of the historical fertility transitions in different regions, but we know much less regarding specific features and causes. In this study, we used longitudinal micro-level data for five local populations in Europe and North America to study the relationship between socioeconomic status and fertility during the transition. Using the same analytical model and identical class scheme, we examined the development of socioeconomic differences in marital fertility and related it to common theories on fertility behaviour. Our results do not provide support for the hypothesis of universally high fertility among the upper classes in pre-transitional society but support the idea that they acted as forerunners in the transition by reducing their fertility before other groups. Farmers and unskilled workers were latest to start to limit their fertility. Apart from this regularity, the patterns of class differences in fertility varied significantly among populations. PMID:27884093

Effect of Climate Change on Surface Ozone over North America, Europe, and East Asia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schnell, Jordan L.; Prather, Michael J.; Josse, Beatrice; Naik, Vaishali; Horowitz, Larry W.; Zeng, Guang; Shindell, Drew T.; Faluvegi, Greg

2016-01-01

The effect of future climate change on surface ozone over North America, Europe, and East Asia is evaluated using present-day (2000s) and future (2100s) hourly surface ozone simulated by four global models. Future climate follows RCP8.5, while methane and anthropogenic ozone precursors are fixed at year-2000 levels. Climate change shifts the seasonal surface ozone peak to earlier in the year and increases the amplitude of the annual cycle. Increases in mean summertime and high-percentile ozone are generally found in polluted environments, while decreases are found in clean environments. We propose climate change augments the efficiency of precursor emissions to generate surface ozone in polluted regions, thus reducing precursor export to neighboring downwind locations. Even with constant biogenic emissions, climate change causes the largest ozone increases at high percentiles. In most cases, air quality extreme episodes become larger and contain higher ozone levels relative to the rest of the distribution.

An Automated System to Quantify Convectively induced Aircraft encounters with Turbulence over Europe and North Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meneguz, Elena; Turp, Debi; Wells, Helen

2015-04-01

It is well known that encounters with moderate or severe turbulence can lead to passenger injuries and incur high costs for airlines from compensation and litigation. As one of two World Area Forecast Centres (WAFCs), the Met Office has responsibility for forecasting en-route weather hazards worldwide for aviation above a height of 10,000 ft. Observations from commercial aircraft provide a basis for gaining a better understanding of turbulence and for improving turbulence forecasts through verification. However there is currently a lack of information regarding the possible cause of the observed turbulence, or whether the turbulence occurred within cloud. Such information would be invaluable for the development of forecasting techniques for particular types of turbulence and for forecast verification. Of all the possible sources of turbulence, convective activity is believed to be a major cause of turbulence. Its relative importance over the Europe and North Atlantic area has not been yet quantified in a systematic way: in this study, a new approach is developed to automate identification of turbulent encounters in the proximity of convective clouds. Observations of convection are provided from two independent sources: a surface based lightning network and satellite imagery. Lightning observations are taken from the Met Office Arrival Time Detections network (ATDnet). ATDnet has been designed to identify cloud-to-ground flashes over Europe but also detects (a smaller fraction of) strikes over the North Atlantic. Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) satellite products are used to identify convective clouds by applying a brightness temperature filtering technique. The morphological features of cold cloud tops are also investigated. The system is run for all in situ turbulence reports received from airlines for a total of 12 months during summer 2013 and 2014 for the domain of interest. Results of this preliminary short term climatological study show significant intra

The association between mid-facial morphology and climate in northeast Europe differs from that in north Asia: Implications for understanding the morphology of Late Pleistocene Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Evteev, Andrej A; Movsesian, Alla A; Grosheva, Alexandra N

2017-06-01

The climate of northeastern Europe is likely to resemble in many ways Late Pleistocene periglacial conditions in Europe, but there have been relatively few studies exploring the association between climate and morphology in the mid-face of modern northeastern European populations. To fill this gap, we sampled 540 male skulls from 22 European and Near Eastern groups, including 314 skulls from 11 populations from northeastern Europe, to test for possible climate-morphology association at the continental scale. Our results found a moderate and highly significant association (R = 0.48, p = 0.0013, Mantel test) between sets of 23 mid-facial measurements and eight climatic variables. A partial least squares analysis revealed this association to be mostly driven by differences between groups from northeastern Europe and populations from the Mediterranean and the Caucasus. Matrices of between-group genetic distances based on Y-chromosome and mtDNA markers, as well as cranial non-metric and geographic distance matrices, were used to control for the possible influence of shared population history. Irrespective of which measure of neutral between-population distances is taken into account, the association between cranial variables and climate remains significant. The pattern of association between climate and morphology of the mid-face in western Eurasia was then compared to that in east and north Asia. Although differences between the two were found, there were also similarities that support existing functional interpretations of morphology for the bony parts of the upper airways. Last, in a preliminary analysis using a reduced set of measurements, mid-facial morphology of several Upper Paleolithic European Homo sapiens specimens was found to be more similar to groups from northern and northeastern Europe than to southern European populations. Thus, the population of northeastern Europe rather than east and north Asian groups should be used as a model when studying

Modification and implementation of NCCN guidelines on lymphomas in the Middle East and North Africa region.

PubMed

Bazarbachi, Ali; Azim, Hamdy A; Alizadeh, Hussain; Aljurf, Mahmoud; Barista, Ibrahim; Chaudhri, Naeem A; Fahed, Zahira; Fahmy, Omar A; Ghavamzadeh, Ardeshir; Khalaf, Mohamed H; Khatib, Sami; Kutoubi, Aghiad; Paydas, Semra; Elayoubi, Hanadi Rafii; Zaatari, Ghazi; Zawam, Hamdy M; Zelenetz, Andrew D

2010-07-01

In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, cancer has many epidemiologic and clinical features that are different from those in the rest of the world. Additionally, the region has a relatively young population and large disparities in the availability of resources at diagnostic and treatment levels. A critical need exists for regional guidelines on cancer care, including those for lymphoid malignancies. A panel of lymphoma experts from MENA reviewed the 2009 version of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) on Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Hodgkin Lymphoma and suggested modifications for the region that were discussed with the United States NCCN Lymphoma Panels. This article presents the consensus recommendations.

Joint estimation of CD4+ cell progression and survival in untreated individuals with HIV-1 infection.

PubMed

Mangal, Tara D

2017-05-15

We compiled the largest dataset of seroconverter cohorts to date from 25 countries across Africa, North America, Europe, and Southeast/East (SE/E) Asia to simultaneously estimate transition rates between CD4 cell stages and death, in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive HIV-1-infected individuals. A hidden Markov model incorporating a misclassification matrix was used to represent natural short-term fluctuations and measurement errors in CD4 cell counts. Covariates were included to estimate the transition rates and survival probabilities for each subgroup. The median follow-up time for 16 373 eligible individuals was 4.1 years (interquartile range 1.7-7.1), and the mean age at seroconversion was 31.1 years (SD 8.8). A total of 14 525 individuals had recorded CD4 cell counts pre-ART, 1885 died, and 6947 initiated ART. Median (interquartile range) survival for men aged 20 years at seroconversion was 13.0 (12.4-13.4), 11.6 (10.9-12.3), and 8.3 years (7.9-8.9) in Europe/North America, Africa, and SE/E Asia, respectively. Mortality rates increase with age (hazard ratio 2.22, 95% confidence interval 1.84-2.67 for >45 years compared with <25 years) and vary by region (hazard ratio 2.68, 1.75-4.12 for Africa and 1.88, 1.50-2.35 for Asia compared with Europe/North America). CD4 cell decline was significantly faster in Asian cohorts compared with Europe/North America (hazard ratio 1.45, 1.36-1.54). Mortality and CD4 cell progression rates exhibited regional and age-specific differences, with decreased survival in African and SE/E Asian cohorts compared with Europe/North America and in older age groups. This extensive dataset reveals heterogeneities between regions and ages, which should be incorporated into future HIV models.

Switching the poles in sexual and reproductive health research: implementing a research capacity-strengthening network in West and North Africa.

PubMed

Dossou, Jean-Paul; Assarag, Bouchra; Delamou, Alexandre; Van der Veken, Karen; Belaid, Loubna; Ouédraogo, Moctar; Khalfallah, Sonia; Aouras, Hayet; Diadhiou, Mohamed; Fassassi, Raïmi; Delvaux, Thérèse

2016-08-08

Health research capacities have been improved in Africa but still remain weak as compared to other regions of the World. To strengthen these research capacities, international collaboration and networking for knowledge and capacity transfer are needed. In this commentary, we present the Network for Scientific Support in the field of Sexual and Reproductive Health in West and North Africa, its priority research topics and discuss its implementation process. Established in January 2014, the Network aims at generating human rights and gender-based research fully carried out and driven by South based institutions. It is composed of 12 institutions including the Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp (Belgium) and 11 institutions from eight Francophone West and North African countries. The key areas of interest of this network are health policies analysis and health system research in family planning, HIV prevention among vulnerable groups, quality of care and breast cancers. Since it started, seventeen research proposals based on locally relevant research questions have been developed. Among the seventeen proposals, eleven have been implemented. Several research institutions enhanced linkages with local representations of international partners such as UNFPA. The network is committed to strengthening methodological research capacities and soft skills such as fundraising, advocacy and leadership. Such competencies are strongly needed for developing an effective South-based leadership in Sexual and Reproductive Health research, and for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The dependency analysis between energy consumption, sanitation, forest area, financial development, and greenhouse gas: a continent-wise comparison of lower middle-income countries.

PubMed

Khan, Muhammad Tariq Iqbal; Yaseen, Muhammad Rizwan; Ali, Qamar

2018-06-08

This study explored the long-run association among greenhouse gases (GHGs), financial development, forest area, improved sanitation, renewable energy, urbanization, and trade in 24 lower middle-income countries from Asia, Europe, Africa, and America (South and North) by using panel data from 1990 to 2015. Granger causality was tested by Toda and Yamamoto approach. The bi-directional causality was established among urbanization and GHGs (Asia), financial development and forest (Asia), energy use and renewable energy (Asia), renewable energy and forest (Asia), improved sanitation and forest (Asia, Africa, America), urbanization and forest (Asia), and improved sanitation and financial development (Europe). The GHG emission also shows one-way causality is running from financial development to GHG (America), energy to GHG (Asia), renewable energy to GHG (America), forest area to GHG (America), trade openness to GHG (Africa), urbanization to GHG (Europe), GHG to financial development (Europe), GHG to energy use (Europe, Africa, and America), and GHG to trade openness (Asia). On the basis of fully modified ordinary least square and generalized method of moment, the reciprocal relationship of GHGs was observed due to financial development in Asia and Africa; renewable energy in all panels; forest area in Asia, Europe, and America; improved sanitation in Asia, Africa, and America; trade openness in Africa; and urbanization in Europe and America. Policymakers should concentrate on these variables for the reduction in GHGs. The annual convergence towards long-run equilibrium was 50.5, 31.9, and 20.9% for America, Asia, and Africa, respectively.

Rape and HIV post-exposure prophylaxis: addressing the dual epidemics in South Africa.

PubMed

Kim, Julia C; Martin, Lorna J; Denny, Lynette

2003-11-01

In South Africa, a country notable for both a rapidly escalating AIDS epidemic and high levels of sexual violence, the issue of HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) following rape has recently come to the fore, and a policy supporting provision of PEP has been approved by the national government. This paper compares the conditions for providing PEP in Europe and North America with the conditions faced by two initiatives in South Africa, one serving a primarily rural base, and one urban. It is based on a review of the literature on sexual violence in South Africa and use of PEP following occupational and non-occupational exposure. It incorporates perspectives from in-depth interviews in 2000 with 18 key informants, including survivors of sexual violence, gender and HIV activists, domestic violence NGOs, rape crisis centres, physicians, lawyers, researchers and HIV/AIDS advisors in the Department of Health. The paper argues that given the scientific evidence for PEP, and the nature of the dual epidemics of HIV and sexual violence in South Africa, the public health and social justice rationale for implementing PEP equals and indeed exceeds that put forward in industrialised countries. However, delays in accessing PEP caused by the public justice system and lack of training for service providers constitute significant obstacles to effective implementation. In this respect, provision of PEP presents an opportunity to reform and strengthen existing services for post-rape care and to link attention to the epidemic of sexual violence to HIV/AIDS prevention.

'EPIC' View of Africa and Europe from a Million Miles Away

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-07-29

Africa is front and center in this image of Earth taken by a NASA camera on the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite. The image, taken July 6 from a vantage point one million miles from Earth, was one of the first taken by NASA’s Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC). Central Europe is toward the top of the image with the Sahara Desert to the south, showing the Nile River flowing to the Mediterranean Sea through Egypt. The photographic-quality color image was generated by combining three separate images of the entire Earth taken a few minutes apart. The camera takes a series of 10 images using different narrowband filters -- from ultraviolet to near infrared -- to produce a variety of science products. The red, green and blue channel images are used in these Earth images. The DSCOVR mission is a partnership between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Air Force, with the primary objective to maintain the nation’s real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities, which are critical to the accuracy and lead time of space weather alerts and forecasts from NOAA. DSCOVR was launched in February to its planned orbit at the first Lagrange point or L1, about one million miles from Earth toward the sun. It’s from that unique vantage point that the EPIC instrument is acquiring images of the entire sunlit face of Earth. Data from EPIC will be used to measure ozone and aerosol levels in Earth’s atmosphere, cloud height, vegetation properties and a variety of other features. Image Credit: NASA

Strategy for managing water in the Middle East and North Africa. Arabic edition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berkoff, J.

1995-03-21

Proposes a practical, step-by-step approach to managing water resources in a coordinated and sustainable manner. The people of the Middle East and North Africa have faced scarce water resources since time immemorial. Today, burgeoning populations dwarf the concerns of the past. New strategies for planning and managing water are urgently needed to avoid escalating conflicts and to reverse environmental degradation. This booklet details the implications of a new World Bank policy for the region, calling for a strong effort by governments and Bank staff to manage water resources in a coordinated and sustainable manner. A practical, step-by-step strategy is proposedmore » that could lead to new Bank-funded operations throughout the water sector. The issues involved are complex but must be addressed if water scarcity is not to hinder development projects. The strategy proposed in this booklet could help build a new partnership for sustainable water management between the World Bank and regional governments.« less

Black Marble - Africa, Europe, and the Middle East

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA image acquired April 18 - October 23, 2012 This new image of Europe, Africa, and the Middle East at night is a composite assembled from data acquired by the Suomi NPP satellite in April and October 2012. The new data was mapped over existing Blue Marble imagery of Earth to provide a realistic view of the planet. The nighttime view was made possible by the new satellite’s “day-night band” of the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite. VIIRS detects light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses filtering techniques to observe dim signals such as gas flares, auroras, wildfires, city lights, and reflected moonlight. In this case, auroras, fires, and other stray light have been removed to emphasize the city lights. “Night time imagery provides an intuitively graspable view of our planet,” says William Stefanov, senior remote sensing scientist for the International Space Station program office. “They provide a fairly straightforward means to map urban versus rural areas, and to show where the major population centers are and where they are not.” Named for satellite meteorology pioneer Verner Suomi, NPP flies over any given point on Earth's surface twice each day at roughly 1:30 a.m. and p.m. The polar-orbiting satellite flies 824 kilometers (512 miles) above the surface, sending its data once per orbit to a ground station in Svalbard, Norway, and continuously to local direct broadcast users distributed around the world. The mission is managed by NASA with operational support from NOAA and its Joint Polar Satellite System, which manages the satellite's ground system. NASA Earth Observatory image by Robert Simmon, using Suomi NPP VIIRS data provided courtesy of Chris Elvidge (NOAA National Geophysical Data Center). Suomi NPP is the result of a partnership between NASA, NOAA, and the Department of Defense. Caption by Mike Carlowicz. Instrument: Suomi NPP - VIIRS Credit: NASA Earth Observatory Click here to view all of the Earth

The oldest modern therian mammal from Europe and its bearing on stem marsupial paleobiogeography.

PubMed

Vullo, Romain; Gheerbrant, Emmanuel; de Muizon, Christian; Néraudeau, Didier

2009-11-24

We report the discovery of mammalian tribosphenic teeth from the basal Cenomanian of southwestern France that we refer to a new primitive marsupial-like form identified as a basal taxon of Marsupialiformes, a new clade recognized here to include the crown group Marsupialia and primitive stem lineages more closely related to Marsupialia than to Deltatheroida. Arcantiodelphys marchandi gen et sp nov. shares several significant marsupial-like features (s.l.) with marsupialiform taxa known from the North American Mid-Cretaceous. Among marsupialiforms, it shows a closer resemblance to Dakotadens. This resemblance, which is plesiomorphic within "tribotherians," makes Arcantiodelphys one of the most archaic known Marsupialiformes. Moreover, Arcantiodelphys is characterized by an original and precocious crushing specialization. Both the plesiomorphic and autapomorphic characteristics of Arcantiodelphys among Marsupialiformes might be explained by an Eastern origin from Asian stem metatherians, with some in situ European evolution. In addition, the presence of a mammal with North American affinities in western Europe during the early Late Cretaceous provides further evidence of a large Euramerican biogeographical province at this age or slightly before. Concerning the paleobiogeographical history of the first stem marsupialiforms during the Albian-Cenomanian interval, 2 possible dispersal routes from an Asian metatherian ancestry can be proposed: Asia to Europe via North America and Asia to North America via Europe. The main significance of the Archingeay-Les Nouillers mammal discovery is that it indicates that the beginning of the stem marsupialiforms history involved not only North America but also Europe, and that this early history in Europe remains virtually unknown.

The oldest modern therian mammal from Europe and its bearing on stem marsupial paleobiogeography

PubMed Central

Vullo, Romain; Gheerbrant, Emmanuel; de Muizon, Christian; Néraudeau, Didier

2009-01-01

We report the discovery of mammalian tribosphenic teeth from the basal Cenomanian of southwestern France that we refer to a new primitive marsupial-like form identified as a basal taxon of Marsupialiformes, a new clade recognized here to include the crown group Marsupialia and primitive stem lineages more closely related to Marsupialia than to Deltatheroida. Arcantiodelphys marchandi gen et sp nov. shares several significant marsupial-like features (s.l.) with marsupialiform taxa known from the North American Mid-Cretaceous. Among marsupialiforms, it shows a closer resemblance to Dakotadens. This resemblance, which is plesiomorphic within “tribotherians,” makes Arcantiodelphys one of the most archaic known Marsupialiformes. Moreover, Arcantiodelphys is characterized by an original and precocious crushing specialization. Both the plesiomorphic and autapomorphic characteristics of Arcantiodelphys among Marsupialiformes might be explained by an Eastern origin from Asian stem metatherians, with some in situ European evolution. In addition, the presence of a mammal with North American affinities in western Europe during the early Late Cretaceous provides further evidence of a large Euramerican biogeographical province at this age or slightly before. Concerning the paleobiogeographical history of the first stem marsupialiforms during the Albian–Cenomanian interval, 2 possible dispersal routes from an Asian metatherian ancestry can be proposed: Asia to Europe via North America and Asia to North America via Europe. The main significance of the Archingeay-Les Nouillers mammal discovery is that it indicates that the beginning of the stem marsupialiforms history involved not only North America but also Europe, and that this early history in Europe remains virtually unknown. PMID:19892730

UNESCO-UNEVOC Regional Forum Europe, CIS and North America: Advancing TVET for Youth Employability and Sustainable Development (Moscow, Russian Federation, October 28-30, 2013). Meeting Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

UNESCO-UNEVOC International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, 2013

2013-01-01

The UNESCO-UNEVOC Regional Forum for Europe and North America was co-hosted by Moscow-based CVETS National Observatory on Vocational Education/Centre for VET Studies, with the support of the Moscow Institute for the Development of Education. It was the fourth of five regional follow-ups to the Shanghai Consensus on developing and sharing policy…

Evaluation of the Distribution and Impacts of Parasites, Pathogens, and Pesticides on Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Populations in East Africa

PubMed Central

Frazier, James; Torto, Baldwyn; Baumgarten, Tracey; Kilonzo, Joseph; Kimani, James Ng'ang'a; Mumoki, Fiona; Masiga, Daniel; Tumlinson, James; Grozinger, Christina

2014-01-01

In East Africa, honey bees (Apis mellifera) provide critical pollination services and income for small-holder farmers and rural families. While honey bee populations in North America and Europe are in decline, little is known about the status of honey bee populations in Africa. We initiated a nationwide survey encompassing 24 locations across Kenya in 2010 to evaluate the numbers and sizes of honey bee colonies, assess the presence of parasites (Varroa mites and Nosema microsporidia) and viruses, identify and quantify pesticide contaminants in hives, and assay for levels of hygienic behavior. Varroa mites were present throughout Kenya, except in the remote north. Levels of Varroa were positively correlated with elevation, suggesting that environmental factors may play a role in honey bee host-parasite interactions. Levels of Varroa were negatively correlated with levels of hygienic behavior: however, while Varroa infestation dramatically reduces honey bee colony survival in the US and Europe, in Kenya Varroa presence alone does not appear to impact colony size. Nosema apis was found at three sites along the coast and one interior site. Only a small number of pesticides at low concentrations were found. Of the seven common US/European honey bee viruses, only three were identified but, like Varroa, were absent from northern Kenya. The number of viruses present was positively correlated with Varroa levels, but was not correlated with colony size or hygienic behavior. Our results suggest that Varroa, the three viruses, and Nosema have been relatively recently introduced into Kenya, but these factors do not yet appear to be impacting Kenyan bee populations. Thus chemical control for Varroa and Nosema are not necessary for Kenyan bees at this time. This study provides baseline data for future analyses of the possible mechanisms underlying resistance to and the long-term impacts of these factors on African bee populations. PMID:24740399

Evaluation of the distribution and impacts of parasites, pathogens, and pesticides on honey bee (Apis mellifera) populations in East Africa.

PubMed

Muli, Elliud; Patch, Harland; Frazier, Maryann; Frazier, James; Torto, Baldwyn; Baumgarten, Tracey; Kilonzo, Joseph; Kimani, James Ng'ang'a; Mumoki, Fiona; Masiga, Daniel; Tumlinson, James; Grozinger, Christina

2014-01-01

In East Africa, honey bees (Apis mellifera) provide critical pollination services and income for small-holder farmers and rural families. While honey bee populations in North America and Europe are in decline, little is known about the status of honey bee populations in Africa. We initiated a nationwide survey encompassing 24 locations across Kenya in 2010 to evaluate the numbers and sizes of honey bee colonies, assess the presence of parasites (Varroa mites and Nosema microsporidia) and viruses, identify and quantify pesticide contaminants in hives, and assay for levels of hygienic behavior. Varroa mites were present throughout Kenya, except in the remote north. Levels of Varroa were positively correlated with elevation, suggesting that environmental factors may play a role in honey bee host-parasite interactions. Levels of Varroa were negatively correlated with levels of hygienic behavior: however, while Varroa infestation dramatically reduces honey bee colony survival in the US and Europe, in Kenya Varroa presence alone does not appear to impact colony size. Nosema apis was found at three sites along the coast and one interior site. Only a small number of pesticides at low concentrations were found. Of the seven common US/European honey bee viruses, only three were identified but, like Varroa, were absent from northern Kenya. The number of viruses present was positively correlated with Varroa levels, but was not correlated with colony size or hygienic behavior. Our results suggest that Varroa, the three viruses, and Nosema have been relatively recently introduced into Kenya, but these factors do not yet appear to be impacting Kenyan bee populations. Thus chemical control for Varroa and Nosema are not necessary for Kenyan bees at this time. This study provides baseline data for future analyses of the possible mechanisms underlying resistance to and the long-term impacts of these factors on African bee populations.

28 CFR 42.402 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa... North America, and who maintain cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community... Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. Additional sub-categories based on national origin or primary...

28 CFR 42.402 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa... North America, and who maintain cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community... Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. Additional sub-categories based on national origin or primary...

28 CFR 42.402 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa... North America, and who maintain cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community... Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. Additional sub-categories based on national origin or primary...

28 CFR 42.402 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa... North America, and who maintain cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community... Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East. Additional sub-categories based on national origin or primary...

Correlation of the Late Pleistocene Usselo Horizon (Europe) and the Clovis Layer (North America)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kloosterman, J. B.

2007-05-01

In 1940, a dark charcoal-rich layer, 10 to 15cm thick, was found within the Late Pleistocene Coversands of the Netherlands, and named the Usselo Layer (de Laag van Usselo) by its discoverer, archaeologist CCJW Hijszeler (1902-1982). Usselo is a village near Enschedé, a few kilometres from the Dutch-German border. Research started after the war, and publications, both scientific and popular, came forth in the 1950s. By pollen content, the layer was dated to the Alleröd, the last interstadial of the Würm (Wisconsin) glaciation; radiocarbon dating indicated (pre-AMS) dates of about 11,200 14C BP. Identification of the layer at other localities was visual, and it was found in Belgium, France, Germany, Poland, and Belarus; it was also found in the UK and in Denmark, in which countries, however, no correlation was made with the other occurrences. Hijszeler had found the layer all over the Netherlands and abroad from Ostende to Hamburg, and he hypothesized the cause as a general wildfire provoked by the eruption of an Eiffel volcano. The European geologists and archaeologists, however, did not adopt his views and interpreted the layer as a paleosol, vitiating the chronology by representing the layer as the result of a long development, instead of as an eolian sediment laid down perhaps in a day or even less that provides us with a sharp marker horizon. The prehistoric Clovis culture of North America was found in the 1930s and dated to the Twocreekan, the last interstadial of the Wisconsin glaciation. The Clovis layer was especially investigated by archaeologist C.Vance Haynes Jr. Visually, the layer is easily identifiable with the Usselo Horizon of Europe. Its stratigraphic position is coincident with the end of the Clovis culture and with the disappearance of the Pleistocene megafauna. In Europe, there is a clear correlation with the sudden demise of the Magdalenian culture, best known for the Franco-Cantabrian cave paintings, and with megafaunal extinctions such as

Foreign Direct Investment and Energy Supply in the Middle East and North Africa: A Correlational Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elghali, Siddig

Middle East and North Africa countries have been criticized for failing to utilize foreign direct investment energy resources efficiently. The changing of energy resources environment of the past decades with its growing emphasis on the importance of imminent energy supply challenges require strategists to consider different types of energy resources investment to improve energy supply. One type of energy investment will show effectiveness and efficiency in utilizing foreign direct investment in exposing RE, fossil fuels, natural gas, and reducing CO2 emissions. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to utilize foreign direct investment to predict total primary energy supply in the Middle East and North Africa region between 1971 and 2013. The study was conducted using a sample size of 43 years of energy supply resources and foreign direct investment from 1971 to 2013, which includes all of the years for which FDI is available. RE potential may equip Middle East and North Africa countries with sustainable and clean electricity for centuries to come, as non-renewable energy resources may not meet the demands globally and domestically or environmentally. As demands for fossil fuels grow, carbon emissions will increase. RE may be a better option of CO 2 emissions sequestration and will increase electricity to rural areas without government subsidies and complex decision-making policies. RE infrastructure will reduce water desalinization costs, cooling systems, and be useful in heating. Establishing concentrated solar power may be useful for the region cooperation, negotiations, and integration to share this energy. The alternative sought to fossil fuels was nuclear power. However, nuclear power depends on depleting, non-renewable uranium resources. The cost of uranium will increase if widely used and the presence of a nuclear plant in an unstable region is unsafe. Thus, renewable energy as a long-term option is efficient. A nonlinear regression

[Matrimonial changes in Africa].

PubMed

Hertrich, V; Pilon, M

1997-01-01

A database of census and survey information on fertility and nuptiality in Africa being assembled by the French Center for Population and Development (CEPED) was the source for this analysis of changing marriage patterns. Early marriage for girls, nearly universal marriage for both sexes, rapid remarriage of reproductive-age widows and divorcees, polygamy, and a frequently large difference in the ages of the spouses are typical of African marriage. But a great variety of situations coexist. In the 1960s, the female age at first marriage was under 17.5 years on average in West Africa, while the male age was over 26. Nearly everyone married, and one-fourth to one-third of married men were polygamous. In South Africa, at the other extreme, the average age at first marriage was 20-23 for women and 26-30 for men, over 5% never married, and polygamy was rare. Nuptiality patterns were intermediate in North, Central, and East Africa. The most recent round of censuses and surveys show the geographic differences to be shrinking. Average age at first marriage for women is increasing everywhere and often exceeds 19 years. It remains lower than 17.5 in only two countries. The increase amounts to at least a half year for 30 countries and over 1 year for 15. Marriage remains nearly universal except in South Africa. Male age at marriage is rising more slowly than female age, causing the average age gap to decline. Economic difficulties and unemployment appear to play a significant role in the delay of marriage, with increased female school attendance also a factor, although secondary and higher education for females in sub-Saharan Africa is too uncommon to have perceptible effects on the national scale. In North Africa, the age at first birth has increased in tandem with increasing marriage age, but in sub-Saharan Africa the relationship has been less marked. In Lome, for example, the increasing age at first marriage for females has had no effect on age at first birth. The

Diet, Genetics, and Disease: A Focus on the Middle East and North Africa Region

PubMed Central

Fahed, Akl C.; El-Hage-Sleiman, Abdul-Karim M.; Farhat, Theresa I.; Nemer, Georges M.

2012-01-01

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region suffers a drastic change from a traditional diet to an industrialized diet. This has led to an unparalleled increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases. This review discusses the role of nutritional genomics, or the dietary signature, in these dietary and disease changes in the MENA. The diet-genetics-disease relation is discussed in detail. Selected disease categories in the MENA are discussed starting with a review of their epidemiology in the different MENA countries, followed by an examination of the known genetic factors that have been reported in the disease discussed, whether inside or outside the MENA. Several diet-genetics-disease relationships in the MENA may be contributing to the increased prevalence of civilization disorders of metabolism and micronutrient deficiencies. Future research in the field of nutritional genomics in the MENA is needed to better define these relationships. PMID:22536488

The management of ductal carcinoma in situ in North America and Europe. Results of a survey.

PubMed

Ceilley, Elizabeth; Jagsi, Reshma; Goldberg, Saveli; Kachnic, Lisa; Powell, Simon; Taghian, Alphonse

2004-11-01

The goal of the current study was to understand and document contemporary treatment approaches in the management of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). An original questionnaire was designed to assess radiation oncologists' management of breast carcinoma, including 26 questions specifically addressing DCIS. A postal survey was conducted of members of the American and European Societies of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology. The results of 702 responses from North America were compared with 435 responses from Europe, to determine treatment recommendations and variability by type of institution and geographic region. There were strong correlations between the grade of DCIS and/or the margin status and the use of radiotherapy (RT; P < 0.0001). For Grade 3 DCIS, RT was recommended regardless of the margin status. Opinions were split in the treatment of low-grade DCIS with 10-mm margins. North American respondents were more likely to recommend RT for low-grade DCIS than their European counterparts (P < 0.0001). Within the United States, there were significant regional variations in physician recommendations for tamoxifen (P < 0.001), but not in the tendency to recommend RT. North American academic physicians were less likely to recommend RT for favorable DCIS than nonacademic physicians (P < 0.01). There were marked differences in physician opinions regarding the management of DCIS, with significant international differences in patterns of care. The survey quantified and highlighted areas of agreement and controversy regarding the use of RT and tamoxifen in the management of DCIS. It provided support for large international trials to evaluate the optimal management of DCIS in the areas identified as most controversial.

The development of the continental margin of eastern North America-conjugate continental margin to West Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dillon, William P.; Schlee, J.S.; Klitgord, Kim D.

1988-01-01

The continental margin of eastern North America was initiated when West Africa and North America were rifted apart in Triassic-Early Jurassic time. Cooling of the crust and its thinning by rifting and extension caused subsidence. Variation in amounts of subsidence led to formation of five basins. These are listed from south to north. (1) The Blake Plateau Basin, the southernmost, is the widest basin and the one in which the rift-stage basement took longest to form. Carbonate platform deposition was active and persisted until the end of Early Cretaceous. In Late Cretaceous, deposition slowed while subsidence persisted, so a deep water platform was formed. Since the Paleocene the region has undergone erosion. (2) The Carolina Trough is narrow and has relatively thin basement, on the basis of gravity modeling. The two basins with thin basement, the Carolina Trough and Scotian Basin, also show many salt diapirs indicating considerable deposition of salt during their early evolution. In the Carolina Trough, subsidence of a large block of strata above the flowing salt has resulted in a major, active normal fault on the landward side of the basin. (3) The Baltimore Canyon Trough has an extremely thick sedimentary section; synrift and postrift sediments exceed 18 km in thickness. A Jurassic reef is well developed on the basin's seaward side, but post-Jurassic deposition was mainly non-carbonate. In general the conversion from carbonate to terrigenous deposition, characteristics of North American Basins, occurred progressively earlier toward the north. (4) The Georges Bank Basin has a complicated deep structure of sub-basins filled with thick synrift deposits. This may have resulted from some shearing that occurred at this offset of the continental margin. Postrift sediments apparently are thin compared to other basins-only about 8 km. (5) The Scotian Basin, off Canada, contains Jurassic carbonate rocks, sandstone, shale and coal covered by deltaic deposits and Upper

Population structure of Heterobasidion annosum from North America and Europe

Treesearch

W.J. Otrosina; T.E. Chase; F.W. Cobb; K. Korhonen

1993-01-01

Isolates of Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. representing North American S and P and European S, P, and F intersterility groups were subjected to isozyme analysis.European S, P, and F groups had more variability than the North American S and P groups in expected heterozygosity, number of alleles per locus, and percent polymorphic loci.In contrast with the North...

Observed rainfall trends and precipitation uncertainty in the vicinity of the Mediterranean, Middle East and North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zittis, G.

2017-11-01

The present study investigates the century-long and more recent rainfall trends over the greater region of Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Five up-to-date gridded observational datasets are employed. Besides mean annual values, trends of six indices of drought and extreme precipitation are also considered in the analysis. Most important findings include the significant negative trends over the Maghreb, Levant, Arabian Peninsula, and Sahel regions that are evident since the beginning of the twentieth century and are more or less extended to today. On the other hand, for some Mediterranean regions such as the Balkans and the Anatolian Plateau, precipitation records during the most recent decades indicate a significant increasing trend and a recovering from the dry conditions that occurred during the mid-1970s and mid-1980s. The fact that over parts of the study region the selected datasets were found to have substantial differences in terms of mean climate, trends, and interannual variability, motivated the more thorough investigation of the precipitation observational uncertainty. Several aspects, such as annual and monthly mean climatologies and also discrepancies in the monthly time-series distribution, are discussed using common methods in the field of climatology but also more sophisticated, nonparametric approaches such as the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn's tests. Results indicate that in the best case, the data sources are found to have statistically significant differences in the distribution of monthly precipitation for about 50% of the study region extent. This percentage is increased up to 70% when particular datasets are compared. Indicatively, the range between the tested rainfall datasets is found to be more than 20% of their mean annual values for most of the extent of MENA, while locally, for the hyper-arid regions, this percentage is increased up to 100%. Precipitation observational uncertainty is also profound for parts of southern Europe. Outlier

Trends and challenges in global arms control regimes: Implications for the Mediterranean, North Africa, and the Middle East

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lehman, R.F. II

In another sense, however, the nuclear age and ballistic missiles long ago created a much smaller world in which the distinctions between global and regional security have been lessened. In an age of weapons of mass destruction, any point on the earth can find itself suddenly at the center of world attention. This makes it all the more important that we understand all of the arms control tools available, including global approaches. In discussing global arms control regimes, I will focus primarily on those that are open to universal membership such as the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) or which havemore » global reach, such as certain export control and supplier regimes. It is important to remember, however, that certain regional, bilateral, and even unilateral arms control measures can have a global impact as well. One need only witness the impact of the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE). Despite its mere {open_quotes}Atlantic to the Urals{close_quotes} focus, the CFE treaty helped change the political and strategic calculations of the entire world. Likewise, the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), with its headquarters in Vienna, is centered on Europe but spreads from Vancouver to Vladivostok (or perhaps we should say from Amchitka to Kamchatka), circumnavigating much of the northern hemisphere when measured the long way around via North America. The political significance of its successes and failures outdistance CSCE`s geographical spread.« less

A statistical model for predicting the inter-annual variability of birch pollen abundance in Northern and North-Eastern Europe.

PubMed

Ritenberga, Olga; Sofiev, Mikhail; Siljamo, Pilvi; Saarto, Annika; Dahl, Aslog; Ekebom, Agneta; Sauliene, Ingrida; Shalaboda, Valentina; Severova, Elena; Hoebeke, Lucie; Ramfjord, Hallvard

2018-02-15

The paper suggests a methodology for predicting next-year seasonal pollen index (SPI, a sum of daily-mean pollen concentrations) over large regions and demonstrates its performance for birch in Northern and North-Eastern Europe. A statistical model is constructed using meteorological, geophysical and biological characteristics of the previous year). A cluster analysis of multi-annual data of European Aeroallergen Network (EAN) revealed several large regions in Europe, where the observed SPI exhibits similar patterns of the multi-annual variability. We built the model for the northern cluster of stations, which covers Finland, Sweden, Baltic States, part of Belarus, and, probably, Russia and Norway, where the lack of data did not allow for conclusive analysis. The constructed model was capable of predicting the SPI with correlation coefficient reaching up to 0.9 for some stations, odds ratio is infinitely high for 50% of sites inside the region and the fraction of prediction falling within factor of 2 from observations, stays within 40-70%. In particular, model successfully reproduced both the bi-annual cycle of the SPI and years when this cycle breaks down. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biogeography of worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) driven by end-Cretaceous mass extinction

PubMed Central

Longrich, Nicholas R.; Vinther, Jakob; Pyron, R. Alexander; Pisani, Davide; Gauthier, Jacques A.

2015-01-01

Worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) are burrowing squamates that live as subterranean predators. Their underground existence should limit dispersal, yet they are widespread throughout the Americas, Europe and Africa. This pattern was traditionally explained by continental drift, but molecular clocks suggest a Cenozoic diversification, long after the break-up of Pangaea, implying dispersal. Here, we describe primitive amphisbaenians from the North American Palaeocene, including the oldest known amphisbaenian, and provide new and older molecular divergence estimates for the clade, showing that worm lizards originated in North America, then radiated and dispersed in the Palaeogene following the Cretaceous-Palaeogene (K-Pg) extinction. This scenario implies at least three trans-oceanic dispersals: from North America to Europe, from North America to Africa and from Africa to South America. Amphisbaenians provide a striking case study in biogeography, suggesting that the role of continental drift in biogeography may be overstated. Instead, these patterns support Darwin and Wallace's hypothesis that the geographical ranges of modern clades result from dispersal, including oceanic rafting. Mass extinctions may facilitate dispersal events by eliminating competitors and predators that would otherwise hinder establishment of dispersing populations, removing biotic barriers to dispersal. PMID:25833855

Socio-economic effects of khat chewing in north eastern Kenya.

PubMed

Aden, A; Dimba, E A O; Ndolo, U M; Chindia, M L

2006-03-01

The khat habit is a widespread phenomenon which has in the past two decades spread to parts of Western Europe and North America from Eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Although khat has been identified as one of the most commonly abused substances in Kenya, restrictions on cultivation, trade and usage have been non-existent since its legalisation in 1977. To describe the socio-economic effects of khat chewing in Ijara District in the North Eastern Province of Kenya. Cross sectional study. Ijara District, North Eastern Kenya. Fifty respondents were interviewed. Eighty eight percent of the respondents were khat chewers, and the majority (80%) had family members who engaged in the khat habit. There was a general lack of education on the negative effects of khat chewing. Due to reported mood changes and withdrawal symptoms when not chewing khat, many respondents used more than half of their domestic budgets on khat, but few (28%) perceived this as a waste of resources. Fifty four percent of khat chewers typically started the habit during the day, implying a waste of time for productive work. However, only 40% of the persons interviewed admitted that the drug affected work performance negatively. The khat habit was associated with strain on family relationships, anti-social behaviour and health effects such as insomnia. In spite of the negative socio-economic impact of khat in Ijara District, khat consumption remains a widespread habit.

Operational model evaluation for particulate matter in Europe and North America in the context of AQMEII

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solazzo, Efisio; Bianconi, Roberto; Pirovano, Guido; Matthias, Volker; Vautard, Robert; Moran, Michael D.; Wyat Appel, K.; Bessagnet, Bertrand; Brandt, Jørgen; Christensen, Jesper H.; Chemel, Charles; Coll, Isabelle; Ferreira, Joana; Forkel, Renate; Francis, Xavier V.; Grell, Georg; Grossi, Paola; Hansen, Ayoe B.; Miranda, Ana Isabel; Nopmongcol, Uarporn; Prank, Marje; Sartelet, Karine N.; Schaap, Martijn; Silver, Jeremy D.; Sokhi, Ranjeet S.; Vira, Julius; Werhahn, Johannes; Wolke, Ralf; Yarwood, Greg; Zhang, Junhua; Rao, S. Trivikrama; Galmarini, Stefano

2012-06-01

Ten state-of-the-science regional air quality (AQ) modeling systems have been applied to continental-scale domains in North America and Europe for full-year simulations of 2006 in the context of Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII), whose main goals are model inter-comparison and evaluation. Standardised modeling outputs from each group have been shared on the web-distributed ENSEMBLE system, which allows statistical and ensemble analyses to be performed. In this study, the one-year model simulations are inter-compared and evaluated with a large set of observations for ground-level particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) and its chemical components. Modeled concentrations of gaseous PM precursors, SO2 and NO2, have also been evaluated against observational data for both continents. Furthermore, modeled deposition (dry and wet) and emissions of several species relevant to PM are also inter-compared. The unprecedented scale of the exercise (two continents, one full year, fifteen modeling groups) allows for a detailed description of AQ model skill and uncertainty with respect to PM. Analyses of PM10 yearly time series and mean diurnal cycle show a large underestimation throughout the year for the AQ models included in AQMEII. The possible causes of PM bias, including errors in the emissions and meteorological inputs (e.g., wind speed and precipitation), and the calculated deposition are investigated. Further analysis of the coarse PM components, PM2.5 and its major components (SO4, NH4, NO3, elemental carbon), have also been performed, and the model performance for each component evaluated against measurements. Finally, the ability of the models to capture high PM concentrations has been evaluated by examining two separate PM2.5 episodes in Europe and North America. A large variability among models in predicting emissions, deposition, and concentration of PM and its precursors during the episodes has been found. Major challenges still remain with

Reconstruction of the Evolutionary History and Dispersal of Usutu Virus, a Neglected Emerging Arbovirus in Europe and Africa

PubMed Central

Engel, Dimitri; Jöst, Hanna; Wink, Michael; Börstler, Jessica; Bosch, Stefan; Garigliany, Mutien-Marie; Jöst, Artur; Czajka, Christina; Lühken, Renke; Ziegler, Ute; Groschup, Martin H.; Pfeffer, Martin; Becker, Norbert; Schmidt-Chanasit, Jonas

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Usutu virus (USUV), one of the most neglected Old World encephalitic flaviviruses, causes epizootics among wild and captive birds and sporadic infection in humans. The dynamics of USUV spread and evolution in its natural hosts are unknown. Here, we present the phylogeny and evolutionary history of all available USUV strains, including 77 newly sequenced complete genomes from a variety of host species at a temporal and spatial scaled resolution. The results showed that USUV can be classified into six distinct lineages and that the most recent common ancestor of the recent European epizootics emerged in Africa at least 500 years ago. We demonstrated that USUV was introduced regularly from Africa into Europe in the last 50 years, and the genetic diversity of European lineages is shaped primarily by in situ evolution, while the African lineages have been driven by extensive gene flow. Most of the amino acid changes are deleterious polymorphisms removed by purifying selection, with adaptive evolution restricted to the NS5 gene and several others evolving under episodic directional selection, indicating that the ecological or immunological factors were mostly the key determinants of USUV dispersal and outbreaks. Host-specific mutations have been detected, while the host transition analysis identified mosquitoes as the most likely origin of the common ancestor and birds as the source of the recent European USUV lineages. Our results suggest that the major migratory bird flyways could predict the continental and intercontinental dispersal patterns of USUV and that migratory birds might act as potential long-distance dispersal vehicles. PMID:26838717

Dynamics of Mid-Palaeocene North Atlantic rifting linked with European intra-plate deformations.

PubMed

Nielsen, Søren B; Stephenson, Randell; Thomsen, Erik

2007-12-13

The process of continental break-up provides a large-scale experiment that can be used to test causal relations between plate tectonics and the dynamics of the Earth's deep mantle. Detailed diagnostic information on the timing and dynamics of such events, which are not resolved by plate kinematic reconstructions, can be obtained from the response of the interior of adjacent continental plates to stress changes generated by plate boundary processes. Here we demonstrate a causal relationship between North Atlantic continental rifting at approximately 62 Myr ago and an abrupt change of the intra-plate deformation style in the adjacent European continent. The rifting involved a left-lateral displacement between the North American-Greenland plate and Eurasia, which initiated the observed pause in the relative convergence of Europe and Africa. The associated stress change in the European continent was significant and explains the sudden termination of a approximately 20-Myr-long contractional intra-plate deformation within Europe, during the late Cretaceous period to the earliest Palaeocene epoch, which was replaced by low-amplitude intra-plate stress-relaxation features. The pre-rupture tectonic stress was large enough to have been responsible for precipitating continental break-up, so there is no need to invoke a thermal mantle plume as a driving mechanism. The model explains the simultaneous timing of several diverse geological events, and shows how the intra-continental stratigraphic record can reveal the timing and dynamics of stress changes, which cannot be resolved by reconstructions based only on plate kinematics.

Silent Epidemic of Depression in Women in the Middle East and North Africa Region

PubMed Central

Eloul, Liyam; Ambusaidi, Aamal; Al-Adawi, Samir

2009-01-01

Background: As the world is being gripped by economic depression, international psychological epidemiologists have amassed evidence to suggest that psychological depression and its variants are becoming leading contributors to the global burden of disease with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region being no exception. Aim: The main aim of the present discourse, based on a review of the available literature, is to discuss critically whether women in the MENA region have a higher rate of psychological depression than those in other parts of the globe. Result: From the present synthesis, it emerges that the rate of depression may not be necessarily unique to the region. Conclusion: Although no society has totally overcome the marginalisation and lack of empowerment of women, in order to come to grips to this complex issue more vigorously designed epidemiological studies, using taxonomies that are standardised for cross-cultural populations, are needed to quantify the psychological functioning of women. PMID:21509269

North Korea: Economic Leverage and Policy Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-22

although non- governmental groups do run operations in the DPRK in activities such as goat dairy farming and transportation. North -South Korean...Finance Minister Says “At Least” 34m US Dollars Sent to North Korea. Financial Times Information, Global News Wire—Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. June 6...CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress North Korea: Economic Leverage and Policy Analysis Dick K

Octulosonic acid derivatives from roman chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile) with activities against inflammation and metabolic disorder

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chamaemelum nobile (L.) Allioni, with the common name Roman chamomile, is widely cultivated in all parts of Europe, northern Africa, North American and southwest Asia. Roman chamomile is listed by the Council of Europe as a natural source of food flavoring. The flowering tops of the plant are used t...

Semidirect Dynamical and Radiative Impact of North African Dust Transport on Lower Tropospheric Clouds over the Subtropical North Atlantic in CESM 1.0

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DeFlorio, Mike; Ghan, Steven J.; Singh, Balwinder

This study uses a century length pre-industrial climate simulation by the Community Earth System Model (CESM 1.0) to explore statistical relationships between dust, clouds and atmospheric circulation, and to suggest a dynamical, rather than microphysical, mechanism linking subtropical North Atlantic lower tropospheric cloud cover with North African dust transport. The length of the run allows us to account for interannual variability of dust emissions and transport downstream of North Africa in the model. CESM’s mean climatology and probability distribution of aerosol optical depth in this region agrees well with available AERONET observations. In addition, CESM shows strong seasonal cycles ofmore » dust burden and lower tropospheric cloud fraction, with maximum values occurring during boreal summer, when a strong correlation between these two variables exists downstream of North Africa over the subtropical North Atlantic. Calculations of Estimated Inversion Strength (EIS) and composites of EIS on high and low downstream North Africa dust months during boreal summer reveal that dust is likely increasing inversion strength over this region due to both solar absorption and reflection. We find no evidence for a microphysical link between dust and lower tropospheric clouds in this region. These results yield new insight over an extensive period of time into the complex relationship between North African dust and lower tropospheric clouds over the open ocean, which has previously been hindered by spatiotemporal constraints of observations. Our findings lay a framework for future analyses using sub-monthly data over regions with different underlying dynamics.« less

Obesity and type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africans - Is the burden in today's Africa similar to African migrants in Europe? The RODAM study.

PubMed

Agyemang, Charles; Meeks, Karlijn; Beune, Erik; Owusu-Dabo, Ellis; Mockenhaupt, Frank P; Addo, Juliet; de Graft Aikins, Ama; Bahendeka, Silver; Danquah, Ina; Schulze, Matthias B; Spranger, Joachim; Burr, Tom; Agyei-Baffour, Peter; Amoah, Stephen K; Galbete, Cecilia; Henneman, Peter; Klipstein-Grobusch, Kerstin; Nicolaou, Mary; Adeyemo, Adebowale; van Straalen, Jan; Smeeth, Liam; Stronks, Karien

2016-10-21

Rising rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are impending major threats to the health of African populations, but the extent to which they differ between rural and urban settings in Africa and upon migration to Europe is unknown. We assessed the burden of obesity and T2D among Ghanaians living in rural and urban Ghana and Ghanaian migrants living in different European countries. A multi-centre cross-sectional study was conducted among Ghanaian adults (n = 5659) aged 25-70 years residing in rural and urban Ghana and three European cities (Amsterdam, London and Berlin). Comparisons between groups were made using prevalence ratios (PRs) with adjustments for age and education. In rural Ghana, the prevalence of obesity was 1.3 % in men and 8.3 % in women. The prevalence was considerably higher in urban Ghana (men, 6.9 %; PR: 5.26, 95 % CI, 2.04-13.57; women, 33.9 %; PR: 4.11, 3.13-5.40) and even more so in Europe, especially in London (men, 21.4 %; PR: 15.04, 5.98-37.84; women, 54.2 %; PR: 6.63, 5.04-8.72). The prevalence of T2D was low at 3.6 % and 5.5 % in rural Ghanaian men and women, and increased in urban Ghanaians (men, 10.3 %; PR: 3.06; 1.73-5.40; women, 9.2 %; PR: 1.81, 1.25-2.64) and highest in Berlin (men, 15.3 %; PR: 4.47; 2.50-7.98; women, 10.2 %; PR: 2.21, 1.30-3.75). Impaired fasting glycaemia prevalence was comparatively higher only in Amsterdam, and in London, men compared with rural Ghana. Our study shows high risks of obesity and T2D among sub-Saharan African populations living in Europe. In Ghana, similarly high prevalence rates were seen in an urban environment, whereas in rural areas, the prevalence of obesity among women is already remarkable. Similar processes underlying the high burden of obesity and T2D following migration may also be at play in sub-Saharan Africa as a consequence of urbanisation.

Comparative SWOT analysis of strategic environmental assessment systems in the Middle East and North Africa region.

PubMed

Rachid, G; El Fadel, M

2013-08-15

This paper presents a SWOT analysis of SEA systems in the Middle East North Africa region through a comparative examination of the status, application and structure of existing systems based on country-specific legal, institutional and procedural frameworks. The analysis is coupled with the multi-attribute decision making method (MADM) within an analytical framework that involves both performance analysis based on predefined evaluation criteria and countries' self-assessment of their SEA system through open-ended surveys. The results show heterogenous status with a general delayed progress characterized by varied levels of weaknesses embedded in the legal and administrative frameworks and poor integration with the decision making process. Capitalizing on available opportunities, the paper highlights measures to enhance the development and enactment of SEA in the region. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolates of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus from North America and Europe can be detected and distinguished by DNA probes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Batts, W.N.; Arakawa, C.K.; Bernard, J.; Winton, J.R.

1993-01-01

Biotinylated DNA probes were constructed to hybndize with speclfic sequences within the messenger RNA (mRNA) of the nucleoprotein (N) gene of vlral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) reference strains from Europe (07-71) and North Arnenca (Makah) Probes were synthesized that were complementary to (1) a 29-nucleotide sequence near the center of the N gene conlmon to both the 07-71 and Makah reference strains of the virus (2) a unique 28- nucleotide sequence that followed the open readng frame of the Makah N gene mRNA most of which was absent In the 07-71 strain, and (3) a 22-nucleobde sequence wthin the 07-71 N gene that had 6 nllsmatches \

Immunological and virological response to antiretroviral treatment in migrant and native men and women in Western Europe; is benefit equal for all?

PubMed

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was to evaluate differences in immunovirological response to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in migrant and native men and women within a European collaboration of HIV cohorts Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research in Europ (COHERE) in EuroCoord, 2004-2013. Migrants were defined as those with geographical origin (GO) different from the reporting country and were grouped as originating from Western Europe and Western Countries (WEWC), Eastern Europe (EE), North Africa and the Middle East (NAME), sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), Latin America (LA), Caribbean (CRB) and Asia/Oceania (ASIA/OCE). Native (NAT) individuals were defined as those originating from the reporting country. CD4 cell counts were modelled using piecewise linear mixed-effects models with two slopes, whereas models to estimate subdistribution hazard ratios (sHRs) were used for time to virological response (VR) (i.e. time from cART initiation to the first of two successive HIV RNA measurements < 400 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml). Of 32 817 individuals, 25 799 (78.6%) were men. The percentage of migrants was higher in women (48.9%) than in men (21.2%) and migrants from SSA accounted for the largest migrant group (29.9% in men and 63.3% in women). Migrant men and women from SSA started at lower CD4 cell counts than NAT individuals, which remained lower over time. VR was ≥ 85% at 12 months for all groups except CRB women (77.7%). Compared with NAT men and women, lower VR was experienced by NAME [sHR 0.91; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.86-0.97] and SSA (sHR 0.88; 95% CI 0.82-0.95) men and CRB (sHR 0.77; 85% CI 0.67-0.89) women, respectively. Immunovirological response to cART in Western Europe varies by GO and sex of patients. ART benefits are not equal for all, underlining the point that efforts need to prioritize those most in need. © 2017 British HIV Association.

A project of a two meter telescope in North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benkhaldoun, Zouhair

2015-03-01

Site testing undertaken during the last 20 years by Moroccan researchers through international studies have shown that the Atlas mountains in Morocco has potentialities similar to those sites which host the largest telescopes in world. Given the quality of the sites and opportunities to conduct modern research, we believe that the installation of a 2m diameter telescope will open new horizons for Astronomy in Morocco and north Africa allowing our region to enter definitively into the very exclusive club of countries possessing an instrument of that size. A state of the art astrophysical observatory on any good astronomical observation site should be equipped with a modern 2m-class, robotic telescope and some smaller telescopes. Our plan should be to operate one of the most efficient robotic 2m class telescopes worldwide in order to offer optimal scientific opportunities for researchers and maintain highest standards for the education of students. Beside all categories of astronomical research fields, students will have the possibility to be educated intensively on the design, manufacturing and operating of modern state of the art computer controlled instruments. In the frame of such education and observation studies several PhD and dissertational work packages are possible. Many of the observations will be published in articles worldwide and a number of guest observers from other countries will have the possibility to take part in collaborations. This could be a starting point of an international reputation of our region in the field of modern astronomy.

Comparison of surgical approach and extent of resection for Masaoka-Koga Stage I and II thymic tumours in Europe, North America and Asia: an International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group retrospective database analysis.

PubMed

Fang, Wentao; Yao, Xiaopan; Antonicelli, Alberto; Gu, Zhitao; Detterbeck, Frank; Vallières, Eric; Aye, Ralph W; Farivar, Alexander S; Huang, James; Shang, Yue; Louie, Brian E

2017-07-01

Surgeons at different institutions worldwide choose different types of operations for thymic tumours. It is not known whether these differences affect the outcomes of the patients. A total of 1430 patients with Masaoka-Koga pathological Stage I-II thymic tumours without myasthenia gravis or pre-treatment were identified from the International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group retrospective database. Outcomes of patients from 3 major continents (Europe, North America and Asia) were compared. Patients from the 3 continents were comparable in gender and performance status. More European patients had more paraneoplastic syndromes; North American patients had the smallest tumour sizes and less adjuvant therapy; and Asian patients were younger and had more Stage I disease but higher grade tumours. Partial thymectomy was performed more often in Asian patients (31.7%) than in European (2.4%) and North American (5.4%; P  < 0.001) patients. The median approach (sternotomy/clamshell) was the major approach in Europe (75.3%) and North America (76.6%). In contrast, the median approach was applied significantly less frequently in Asia (45.6%, P  < 0.001); unilateral open (thoracotomy/hemi-clamshell, 23.3%) and minimally invasive approaches (video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery/robot, 31.1%) were used more often with similar rates of complete resection. The 10-year overall survival rate was 82% for Europe, 78% for North America and 90% for Asia ( P  = 0.005), respectively. The 10-year cumulative recurrence rates were similar among the geographic groups (European 0.08, North American 0.07, and Asian 0.06, P  = 0.61). Age was the only independent predictive factor for overall survival ( P  < 0.001, HR = 1.089, 95% CI 1.056-1.123) in multivariable analysis. Types B3 and thymic carcinoma ( P  = 0.003, HR = 3.932, 95% CI 1.615-9.576) were independent risk factors for increased recurrence. This study shows that the selection of the surgical approach and

The North Africa Campaign: A Logistics Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

Tunisia in May 1943. The logistical efforts of the campaign are studied against the framewor of modern Airland Battle doctrine. The functional areas...in northwest Africa in November 1942. The analysis concludes with the German surrender in Tunisia in May 1943. The logistical efforts of the campaign...Race for Tunisia ................. 23 7 Axis Initiative .................. 25 8 Final Allied Offensive ........... 28 9 Base Section Mission Areas

Reconstructions of Fire Activity in North America and Europe over the Past 250 Years: A comparison of the Global Charcoal Database with Historical Records

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magi, B. I.; Marlon, J. R.; Mouillot, F.; Daniau, A. L.; Bartlein, P. J.; Schaefer, A.

2017-12-01

Fire is intertwined with climate variability and human activities in terms of both its causes and consequences, and the most complete understanding will require a multidisciplinary approach. The focus in this study is to compare data-based records of variability in climate and human activities, with fire and land cover change records over the past 250 years in North America and Europe. The past 250 years is a critical period for contextualizing the present-day impact of human activities on climate. Data are from the Global Charcoal Database and from historical reconstructions of past burning. The GCD is comprised of sediment records of charcoal accumulation rates collected around the world by dozens of researchers, and facilitated by the PAGES Global Paleofire Working Group. The historical reconstruction extends back to 1750 CE is based on literature and government records when available, and completed with non-charcoal proxies including tree ring scars or storylines when data are missing. The key data sets are independent records, and the methods and results are independent of any climate or fire-model simulations. Results are presented for Europe, and subsets of North America. Analysis of fire trends from GCD and the historical reconstruction shows broad agreement, with some regional variations as expected. Western USA and North America in general show the best agreement, with departures in the GCD and historical reconstruction fire trends in the present day that may reflect limits in the data itself. Eastern North America shows agreement with an increase in fire from 1750 to 1900, and a strong decreasing trend thereafter. We present ideas for why the trends agree and disagree relative to historical events, and to the sequence of land-cover change in the regions of interest. Together with careful consideration of uncertainties in the data, these results can be used to constrain Earth System Model simulations of both past fire, which explicitly incorporate

["Us" and "them": European and North American attitudes to immigration].

PubMed

Livi-bacci, M

1994-01-01

This work compares attitudes toward immigration in Europe and North America. Europe has adopted and reinforced a restrictive immigration policy since the 1970s, but family reunification and asylum for refugees have replaced labor migration to maintain the flow of newcomers over the past two decades. Illegal immigration has increased in countries such as Italy and Spain where immigration is a recent phenomenon. Migratory pressure from the former Soviet block, violence against immigrants in Germany and elsewhere, the crisis of social protection systems, economic recession and increasing unemployment have pressured European governments to reinforce their closed door policy. In the US, restrictions against immigration have relaxed greatly since adoption of the Immigration Reform and Control Act in 1986. Over 800,000 immigrants have been admitted annually to the US in recent years. The factors explaining the different immigration policies in North America and Europe are not economic or demographic, but stem rather from history, social structure, the functioning of the labor market and social mobility. North America, more than Europe, has a positive view of immigration as contributing to the vitality and renewal of the culture and promoting development by broadening experience and knowledge. Immigration is regarded in Europe as, at best, a necessity in times of labor shortage and economic expansion. European countries tend to perceive themselves as totally formed and not requiring further cultural contribution. Homogeneity in culture, language, and religion is valued. Social mobility is possible in North America through professional success, but in the older and more hierarchical societies of Europe, social status is determined by birth and family or other connections. Since the early 1990s, public opinion toward immigration has become less favorable on both sides of the Atlantic, with increasing proportions favoring limitation. The positive perception of immigration in

National surveys of radiofrequency field strengths from radio base stations in Africa

PubMed Central

Joyner, Ken H.; Van Wyk, Marthinus J.; Rowley, Jack T.

2014-01-01

The authors analysed almost 260 000 measurement points from surveys of radiofrequency (RF) field strengths near radio base stations in seven African countries over two time frames from 2001 to 2003 and 2006 to 2012. The results of the national surveys were compared, chronological trends investigated and potential exposures compared by technology and with frequency modulation (FM) radio. The key findings from thes data are that irrespective of country, the year and mobile technology, RF fields at a ground level were only a small fraction of the international human RF exposure recommendations. Importantly, there has been no significant increase in typical measured levels since the introduction of 3G services. The mean levels in these African countries are similar to the reported levels for countries of Asia, Europe and North America using similar mobile technologies. The median level for the FM services in South Africa was comparable to the individual but generally lower than the combined mobile services. PMID:24044904

Out of Africa: demographic and colonization history of the Algerian mouse (Mus spretus Lataste).

PubMed

Lalis, Aude; Mona, Stefano; Stoetzel, Emmanuelle; Bonhomme, François; Souttou, Karim; Ouarour, Ali; Aulagnier, Stéphane; Denys, Christiane; Nicolas, Violaine

2018-05-23

North Africa is now recognized as a major area for the emergence and dispersal of anatomically modern humans from at least 315 kya. The Mediterranean Basin is thus particularly suited to study the role of climate versus human-mediated changes on the evolutionary history of species. The Algerian mouse (Mus spretus Lataste) is an endemic species from this basin, with its distribution restricted to North Africa (from Libya to Morocco), Iberian Peninsula and South of France. A rich paleontological record of M. spretus exists in North Africa, suggesting hypotheses concerning colonization pathways, and the demographic and morphologic history of this species. Here we combined genetic (3 mitochondrial DNA loci and 18 microsatellites) and climatic niche modeling data to infer the evolutionary history of the Algerian mouse. We collected 646 new individuals in 51 localities. Our results are consistent with an anthropogenic translocation of the Algerian mouse from North Africa to the Iberian Peninsula via Neolithic navigators, probably from the Tingitane Peninsula. Once arrived in Spain, suitable climatic conditions would then have favored the dispersion of the Algerian mice to France. The morphological differentiation observed between Spanish, French and North African populations could be explained by a founder effect and possibly local adaptation. This article helps to better understand the role of climate versus human-mediated changes on the evolutionary history of mammal species in the Mediterranean Basin.

Influence of aerosol chemical composition on N2O5 uptake: airborne regional measurements in North-Western Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, W. T.; Ouyang, B.; Allan, J. D.; Aruffo, E.; Di Carlo, P.; Kennedy, O. J.; Lowe, D.; Flynn, M. J.; Rosenberg, P. D.; Williams, P. I.; Jones, R.; McFiggans, G. B.; Coe, H.

2014-07-01

Aerosol chemical composition was found to influence nighttime atmospheric chemistry during a series of airborne measurements in North-Western Europe in summer conditions, which has implications for regional air quality and climate. The uptake of dinitrogen pentoxide, γ (N2O5), to particle surfaces was found to be modulated by the amount of water content and ammonium nitrate present in the aerosol. The conditions prevalent in this study suggest that the net uptake rate of N2O5 to atmospheric aerosols was relatively efficient compared to previous studies, with γ (N2O5) values in the range 0.01-0.03. This is likely a consequence of the elevated relative humidity in the region, which promotes greater aerosol water content. Increased nitrate concentrations relative to particulate water were found to suppress N2O5 uptake. The results presented here contrast with previous ambient studies of N2O5 uptake, which have generally taken place in low-nitrate environments in the USA. Comparison of the N2O5 uptake derived from the measurements with a parameterised scheme that is based on the ratio of particulate water to nitrate yielded reasonably good agreement in terms of the magnitude and variation in uptake, provided the effect of chloride was neglected. An additional suppression of the parameterised uptake is likely required to fully capture the variation in N2O5 uptake, which could be achieved via the known suppression by organic aerosol. However, existing parameterisations representing the suppression by organic aerosol were unable to fully represent the variation in N2O5 uptake. These results provide important ambient measurement constraint on our ability to predict N2O5 uptake in regional and global aerosol models. N2O5 uptake is a potentially important source of nitrate aerosol and a sink of the nitrate radical, which is the main nocturnal oxidant in the atmosphere. The results further highlight the importance of ammonium nitrate in North-Western Europe as a key

Potential Seasonal Predictability for Winter Storms over Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wild, Simon; Befort, Daniel J.; Leckebusch, Gregor C.

2017-04-01

Reliable seasonal forecasts of strong extra-tropical cyclones and windstorms would have great social and economical benefits, as these events are the most costly natural hazards over Europe. In a previous study we have shown good agreement of spatial climatological distributions of extra-tropical cyclones and wind storms in state-of-the-art multi-member seasonal prediction systems with reanalysis. We also found significant seasonal prediction skill of extra-tropical cyclones and windstorms affecting numerous European countries. We continue this research by investigating the mechanisms and precursor conditions (primarily over the North Atlantic) on a seasonal time scale leading to enhanced extra-tropical cyclone activity and winter storm frequency over Europe. Our results regarding mechanisms show that an increased surface temperature gradient at the western edge of the North Atlantic can be related to enhanced winter storm frequency further downstream causing for example a greater number of storms over the British Isles, as observed in winter 2013-14.The so-called "Horseshoe Index", a SST tripole anomaly pattern over the North Atlantic in the summer months can also cause a higher number of winter storms over Europe in the subsequent winter. We will show results of AMIP-type sensitivity experiments using an AGCM (ECHAM5), supporting this hypothesis. Finally we will analyse whether existing seasonal forecast systems are able to capture these identified mechanisms and precursor conditions affecting the models' seasonal prediction skill.

Secondary Contact and Admixture between Independently Invading Populations of the Western Corn Rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in Europe

PubMed Central

Bermond, Gérald; Ciosi, Marc; Lombaert, Eric; Blin, Aurélie; Boriani, Marco; Furlan, Lorenzo; Toepfer, Stefan; Guillemaud, Thomas

2012-01-01

The western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), is one of the most destructive pests of corn in North America and is currently invading Europe. The two major invasive outbreaks of rootworm in Europe have occurred, in North-West Italy and in Central and South-Eastern Europe. These two outbreaks originated from independent introductions from North America. Secondary contact probably occurred in North Italy between these two outbreaks, in 2008. We used 13 microsatellite markers to conduct a population genetics study, to demonstrate that this geographic contact resulted in a zone of admixture in the Italian region of Veneto. We show that i) genetic variation is greater in the contact zone than in the parental outbreaks; ii) several signs of admixture were detected in some Venetian samples, in a Bayesian analysis of the population structure and in an approximate Bayesian computation analysis of historical scenarios and, finally, iii) allelic frequency clines were observed at microsatellite loci. The contact between the invasive outbreaks in North-West Italy and Central and South-Eastern Europe resulted in a zone of admixture, with particular characteristics. The evolutionary implications of the existence of a zone of admixture in Northern Italy and their possible impact on the invasion success of the western corn rootworm are discussed. PMID:23189184

Evaluation ofthe Middle East and North Africa Land Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolten, John D.; Rodell, Matthew; Zaitchik, Benjamin; Ozdogan, Mutlu; Anderson, Martha; Bergaoui, Karim B.; Khalaf, Adla J.; McDonnell, Rachael A.

2012-01-01

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is dominated by dry, warm deserts, areas of dense population, and inefficient use of fresh water resources. Due to the scarcity, high intensity, and short duration of rainfall in the MENA, the region is prone to hydro climatic extremes that are realized by devastating floods and times of drought. However, given its widespread water stress and the considerable demand for water, the MENA remains relatively poorly monitored. This is due in part to the shortage of meteorological observations and the lack of data sharing between nations. As a result, the accurate monitoring of the dynamics of the water cycle in the MENA is difficult. The Land Data Assimilation System for the MENA region (MENA LDAS) has been developed to provide regional, gridded fields of hydrological states and fluxes relevant for water resources assessments. As an extension of the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), the MENA LDAS was designed to aid in the identification and evaluation of regional hydrological anomalies by synergistically combining the physically-based Catchment Land Surface Model (CLSM) with observations from several independent data products including soil-water storage variations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and irrigation intensity derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). In this fashion, we estimate the mean and seasonal cycle of the water budget components across the MENA.

Extracting Uplift Rate Histories From Longitudinal River Profiles: Examples From North America and Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Gareth G.; White, Nicky; Paul, Jonathan

2013-04-01

~ 0.06 mm/yr. A final and smaller phase of uplift commenced ~ 5 Ma. These distinct phases of uplift are corroborated by spot estimates of palaeoaltimetry, timed growth of relief, thermochronometric data and by stratigraphic evidence of pulsed clastic efflux delivered to the Gulf of Mexico. An episodic uplift history is consistent with punctuated dynamic support of a large region, which is currently centred on Yellowstone. Inversion of the Congo, Nile, Niger, Ogooue, Orange, Zambezi rivers and their major tributaries indicates that domal swells in Africa have experienced a staged uplift history. The West African margin has experienced at least two phases of uplift during the last 30 Ma. Uplift in Afar began ~ 35 Ma. The Hoggar and Tibesti swells, in central North Africa, have an older history of uplift. These results are consistent with a staged magmatic history, delivery of sediment to the continental margins and stratigraphic observations, which suggest that the African landscape is responding to convection in the mantle.

Europe, Japan and North America Prepare for Joint Construction of the Giant Radio Telescope "ALMA" in Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2001-04-01

Caption : PR Photo 14/01 shows how the ALMA facility may look like when it is ready at Chajnantor. Courtesy NAOJ . Representatives from Europe, Japan, and North America met in Tokyo today and signed a Resolution affirming their mutual intent to construct and operate a giant radio telescope in co-operation with the Republic of Chile, where the telescope will be located. The Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) is conceived as a radio telescope comprised of sixty-four transportable 12-meter diameter antennas distributed over an area 14 km in extent. Japanese participation will allow enhanced imaging and spectroscopy, especially at submillimeter wavelengths. By pointing all the antennas in unison toward a single astronomical object, and combining the signals detected by all the antennas with a super-fast digital signal processor, this gigantic radio telescope achieves an imaging detail 10 times better than that of the Hubble Space Telescope. The combined area of all 64 antennas used to collect signals from celestial objects is more than 40 times larger than that available to astronomers using existing submillimeter telescopes. ALMA will be built on the Andean plateau at 5,000 meters altitude near the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. This site provides the exceptionally dry atmospheric conditions necessary for astronomical observations at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths (wavelengths between the radio and far-infrared spectral regions). Observations with this telescope will have a profound impact on virtually all fields of astrophysical research. The most important targets include the most distant (i.e., the youngest) galaxies as they emerged in the early Universe. These are expected to have become rapidly enshrouded in the dust produced by the first stars; the dust absorbs much of the starlight making the galaxies difficult to see in the optical wavebands, but these same galaxies shine brightly at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. In

18 CFR 1302.4 - Discrimination prohibited.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa; (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains... origin. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle...

18 CFR 1302.4 - Discrimination prohibited.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa; (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains... origin. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle...

18 CFR 1302.4 - Discrimination prohibited.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa; (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains... origin. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle...

18 CFR 1302.4 - Discrimination prohibited.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa; (4) American Indian or Alaskan Native. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintains... origin. A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle...

Space Radar Image of Safsaf, North Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

This is a false-color image of the uninhabited Safsaf Oasis in southern Egypt near the Egypt/Sudan border. It was produced from data obtained from the L-band and C-band radars that are part of the Spaceborne Imaging Radar C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) onboard space shuttle Endeavour on April 9, 1994. The image is centered at 22 degree north latitude, 29 degrees east longitude. It shows detailed structures of bedrock; the dark blue sinuous lines are braided channels that occupy part of an old broad river valley. On the ground and in optical photographs, this big valley and the channels in it are invisible because they are entirely covered by windblown sand. Some of these same channels were observed in SIR-A images in 1981. It is hypothesized that the large valley was carved by one of several ancient predecessor rivers that crossed this part of North Africa, flowing westward, tens of millions of years before the Nile River existed. The Nile flows north about 300 kilometers (200 miles) to the east. The small channels are younger, and probably formed during relatively wet climatic periods within the past few hundred thousand years. This image shows that the channels are in a river valley located in an area where U.S. Geological Survey geologists and archeologists discovered an unusual concentration of hand axes (stone tools) used by Early Man (Homo erectus) hundreds of thousands of years ago. The image clearly shows that in wetter times, the valley would have supported game animals and vegetation. Today, as a result of climate change, the area in uninhabited and lacks water except fora few scattered oases. This color composite image was produced from C-band and L-band horizontal polarization images. The C-band image was assigned red, the L-band (HH) polarization image is shown in green, and the ratio of these two images (LHH/CHH) appears in blue. The primary and composite colors on the image indicate the degree to which the C-band, H-band, their

Regional Disease Vector Ecology Profile: North Africa

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-05-01

personnel at risk of infection. Rift Valley Fever ( RVF ), caused by a Phlebovirus, was restricted to sub-Saharan Africa until a 1977 epidemic in...Egypt resulted in an estimated 18,000 human cases . The principal vector during the epidemic was Culex pipiens. RVF virus is capable of infecting...Another epi zootic occurred in Egypt during 1993-94 and involved 4,000 human cases. The current enzootic status of RVF virus in Egypt and other

Mammal body size evolution in North America and Europe over 20 Myr: similar trends generated by different processes.

PubMed

Huang, Shan; Eronen, Jussi T; Janis, Christine M; Saarinen, Juha J; Silvestro, Daniele; Fritz, Susanne A

2017-02-22

Because body size interacts with many fundamental biological properties of a species, body size evolution can be an essential component of the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Here we investigate how body size evolution can be linked to the clade-specific diversification dynamics in different geographical regions. We analyse an extensive body size dataset of Neogene large herbivores (covering approx. 50% of the 970 species in the orders Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla) in Europe and North America in a Bayesian framework. We reconstruct the temporal patterns of body size in each order on each continent independently, and find significant increases of minimum size in three of the continental assemblages (except European perissodactyls), suggesting an active selection for larger bodies. Assessment of trait-correlated birth-death models indicates that the common trend of body size increase is generated by different processes in different clades and regions. Larger-bodied artiodactyl species on both continents tend to have higher origination rates, and both clades in North America show strong links between large bodies and low extinction rate. Collectively, our results suggest a strong role of species selection and perhaps of higher-taxon sorting in driving body size evolution, and highlight the value of investigating evolutionary processes in a biogeographic context. © 2017 The Author(s).

Mammal body size evolution in North America and Europe over 20 Myr: similar trends generated by different processes

PubMed Central

Eronen, Jussi T.; Janis, Christine M.; Saarinen, Juha J.

2017-01-01

Because body size interacts with many fundamental biological properties of a species, body size evolution can be an essential component of the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. Here we investigate how body size evolution can be linked to the clade-specific diversification dynamics in different geographical regions. We analyse an extensive body size dataset of Neogene large herbivores (covering approx. 50% of the 970 species in the orders Artiodactyla and Perissodactyla) in Europe and North America in a Bayesian framework. We reconstruct the temporal patterns of body size in each order on each continent independently, and find significant increases of minimum size in three of the continental assemblages (except European perissodactyls), suggesting an active selection for larger bodies. Assessment of trait-correlated birth-death models indicates that the common trend of body size increase is generated by different processes in different clades and regions. Larger-bodied artiodactyl species on both continents tend to have higher origination rates, and both clades in North America show strong links between large bodies and low extinction rate. Collectively, our results suggest a strong role of species selection and perhaps of higher-taxon sorting in driving body size evolution, and highlight the value of investigating evolutionary processes in a biogeographic context. PMID:28202809

Precambrian Continent Arctida: A New Kinematic Reconstruction of Late Precambrian - Early Paleozoic Arctida U Europe (baltia) Collision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisova, T. P.; Guertseva, M. V.; Egorov, A. Ju.; Kononov, M. V.; Kouznetsov, N. B.

In according to L.P.Zonenshain and L.M.Natapov (1988, 1990), different size conti- nental blocks locating at the margins and inside of present-day Arctic ocean composed the hypothetical early Paleozoic paleocontinent Arctida. The blocks are Kara block (north part of Taymir peninsula, Severnaja Zemlja archipelago and Franz Joseph Land archipelago), north part of Alaska (northward Bruks ridge), Chukchi block, Novosi- birsky block (Novosibirskiye islands together their shelves), several fragments north- ward to the Innuitian orogen (north parts of Peary Land and Ellesmere Island), and Lomonosov ridgeSs block. In the previous kinematic reconstruction it was believed that Arctida as a whole collided with north flanks of Laurentia (Innuitian margin) and Europe (Baltia, Barentsia margin) in middle Paleozoic time. Later, the Arctida (been a fragment of supercontinent Pangea) was fragmented due to a spreading in the Arctic ocean and north part of Atlantic ocean in late Mesozoic and Cenozoic times. Then ArctidaSs fragments were accreted to the Eurasia and North America conti- nents. During the last decade "AEROGEOLOGIA" company has been gathered new data (geologic, stratigraphical, paleomagnetic, and others) of Russian Arctic sector and Svalbard. The data were summarized into "Paleogeographical Atlas for the Rus- sian Arctic sector and Svalbard from Vendian to Jurassic times" (see Abstact SE1.04, ID-NR: EGS02-A-02453). An analyzing of the maps for Vend and Cambrian times allows us to reconsider a few stages of kinematic scenario of late Precambrian - early Paleozoic Arctida U Europe collision. 1) Old interpretation: Arctida was considered as an isolated paleocontinent during early Paleozoic time. New interpretation: during the early Paleozoic Arctida together Europe (Baltia) were assembled into a paleo- continent named us Arcteurope. This conclusion is based on excellent coincidence of Paleozoic paleomagnetic poles of the Kara block (which is a part of Arctida) and Europe

A Narrative Review on the Human Health Effects of Ambient Air Pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Urgent Need for Health Effects Studies

PubMed Central

Coker, Eric; Kizito, Samuel

2018-01-01

An important aspect of the new sustainable development goals (SDGs) is a greater emphasis on reducing the health impacts from ambient air pollution in developing countries. Meanwhile, the burden of human disease attributable to ambient air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa is growing, yet estimates of its impact on the region are possibly underestimated due to a lack of air quality monitoring, a paucity of air pollution epidemiological studies, and important population vulnerabilities in the region. The lack of ambient air pollution epidemiologic data in sub-Saharan Africa is also an important global health disparity. Thousands of air pollution health effects studies have been conducted in Europe and North America, rather than in urban areas that have some of the highest measured air pollution levels in world, including urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we provide a systematic and narrative review of the literature on ambient air pollution epidemiological studies that have been conducted in the region to date. Our review of the literature focuses on epidemiologic studies that measure air pollutants and relate air pollution measurements with various health outcomes. We highlight the gaps in ambient air pollution epidemiological studies conducted in different sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa and provide methodological recommendations for future environmental epidemiology studies addressing ambient air pollution in the region. PMID:29494501

A Narrative Review on the Human Health Effects of Ambient Air Pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Urgent Need for Health Effects Studies.

PubMed

Coker, Eric; Kizito, Samuel

2018-03-01

An important aspect of the new sustainable development goals (SDGs) is a greater emphasis on reducing the health impacts from ambient air pollution in developing countries. Meanwhile, the burden of human disease attributable to ambient air pollution in sub-Saharan Africa is growing, yet estimates of its impact on the region are possibly underestimated due to a lack of air quality monitoring, a paucity of air pollution epidemiological studies, and important population vulnerabilities in the region. The lack of ambient air pollution epidemiologic data in sub-Saharan Africa is also an important global health disparity. Thousands of air pollution health effects studies have been conducted in Europe and North America, rather than in urban areas that have some of the highest measured air pollution levels in world, including urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa. In this paper, we provide a systematic and narrative review of the literature on ambient air pollution epidemiological studies that have been conducted in the region to date. Our review of the literature focuses on epidemiologic studies that measure air pollutants and relate air pollution measurements with various health outcomes. We highlight the gaps in ambient air pollution epidemiological studies conducted in different sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa and provide methodological recommendations for future environmental epidemiology studies addressing ambient air pollution in the region.

Climate change influences on the potential geographic distribution of the disease vector tick Ixodes ricinus.

PubMed

Alkishe, Abdelghafar A; Peterson, A Townsend; Samy, Abdallah M

2017-01-01

Ixodes ricinus is a species of hard tick that transmits several important diseases in Europe and North Africa, including Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis. Climate change is affecting the geographic distributions and abundances of arthropod vectors, which in turn influence the geographic distribution and epidemiology of associated vector-borne diseases. To date, few studies have investigated effects of climate change on the spatial distribution of I. ricinus at continental extents. Here, we assessed the potential distribution of I. ricinus under current and future climate conditions to understand how climate change will influence the geographic distribution of this important tick vector in coming decades. We used ecological niche modeling to estimate the geographic distribution of I. ricinus with respect to current climate, and then assessed its future potential distribution under different climate change scenarios. This approach integrates occurrence records of I. ricinus with six relevant environmental variables over a continental extent that includes Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Future projections were based on climate data from 17 general circulation models (GCMs) under 2 representative concentration pathway emissions scenarios (RCPs), for the years 2050 and 2070. The present and future potential distributions of I. ricinus showed broad overlap across most of western and central Europe, and in more narrow zones in eastern and northern Europe, and North Africa. Potential expansions were observed in northern and eastern Europe. These results indicate that I. ricinus populations could emerge in areas in which they are currently lacking, posing increased risks to human health in those areas. However, the future of I. ricinus ticks in some important regions such the Mediterranean was unclear owing to high uncertainty in model predictions.

A Look at Derailment Today: North America and Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leslie, Jean Brittain; Van Velsor, Ellen

Executives with a track record of success are sometimes fired, demoted, or plateaued. This publication presents findings of a study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), which compared contemporary derailed and successful executives in the United States and Europe. Results are compared to those of earlier CCL findings. Data were…

The ABCA4 2588G>C Stargardt mutation: single origin and increasing frequency from South-West to North-East Europe.

PubMed

Maugeri, Alessandra; Flothmann, Kris; Hemmrich, Nadine; Ingvast, Sofie; Jorge, Paula; Paloma, Eva; Patel, Reshma; Rozet, Jean-Michel; Tammur, Jaana; Testa, Francesco; Balcells, Susana; Bird, Alan C; Brunner, Han G; Hoyng, Carel B; Metspalu, Andres; Simonelli, Francesca; Allikmets, Rando; Bhattacharya, Shomi S; D'Urso, Michele; Gonzàlez-Duarte, Roser; Kaplan, Josseline; te Meerman, Gerard J; Santos, Rosário; Schwartz, Marianne; Van Camp, Guy; Wadelius, Claes; Weber, Bernhard H F; Cremers, Frans P M

2002-03-01

Inherited retinal dystrophies represent the most important cause of vision impairment in adolescence, affecting approximately 1 out of 3000 individuals. Mutations of the photoreceptor-specific gene ABCA4 (ABCR) are a common cause of retinal dystrophy. A number of mutations have been repeatedly reported for this gene, notably the 2588G>C mutation which is frequent in both patients and controls. Here we ascertained the frequency of the 2588G>C mutation in a total of 2343 unrelated random control individuals from 11 European countries and 241 control individuals from the US, as well as in 614 patients with STGD both from Europe and the US. We found an overall carrier frequency of 1 out of 54 in Europe, compared with 1 out of 121 in the US, confirming that the 2588G>C ABCA4 mutation is one of the most frequent autosomal recessive mutations in the European population. Carrier frequencies show an increasing gradient in Europe from South-West to North-East. The lowest carrier frequency, 0 out of 199 (0%), was found in Portugal; the highest, 11 out of 197 (5.5%), was found in Sweden. Haplotype analysis in 16 families segregating the 2588G>C mutation showed four intragenic polymorphisms invariably present in all 16 disease chromosomes and sharing of the same allele for several markers flanking the ABCA4 locus in most of the disease chromosomes. These results indicate a single origin of the 2588G>C mutation which, to our best estimate, occurred between 2400 and 3000 years ago.

Atmospheric feedbacks in North Africa from an irrigated, afforested Sahara

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemena, Tronje Peer; Matthes, Katja; Martin, Thomas; Wahl, Sebastian; Oschlies, Andreas

2017-09-01

Afforestation of the Sahara has been proposed as a climate engineering method to sequester a substantial amount of carbon dioxide, potentially effective to mitigate climate change. Earlier studies predicted changes in the atmospheric circulation system. These atmospheric feedbacks raise questions about the self-sustainability of such an intervention, but have not been investigated in detail. Here, we investigate changes in precipitation and circulation in response to Saharan large-scale afforestation and irrigation with NCAR's CESM-WACCM Earth system model. Our model results show a Saharan temperature reduction by 6 K and weak precipitation enhancement by 267 mm/year over the Sahara. Only 26% of the evapotranspirated water re-precipitates over the Saharan Desert, considerably large amounts are advected southward to the Sahel zone and enhance the West African monsoon (WAM). Different processes cause circulation and precipitation changes over North Africa. The increase in atmospheric moisture leads to radiative cooling above the Sahara and increased high-level cloud coverage as well as atmospheric warming above the Sahel zone. Both lead to a circulation anomaly with descending air over the Sahara and ascending air over the Sahel zone. Together with changes in the meridional temperature gradient, this results in a southward shift of the inner-tropical front. The strengthening of the Tropical easterly jet and the northward displacement of the African easterly jet is associated with a northward displacement and strengthening of the WAM precipitation. Our results suggest complex atmospheric circulation feedbacks, which reduce the precipitation potential over an afforested Sahara and enhance WAM precipitation.

Atmospheric feedbacks in North Africa from an irrigated, afforested Sahara

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemena, Tronje Peer; Matthes, Katja; Martin, Thomas; Wahl, Sebastian; Oschlies, Andreas

2018-06-01

Afforestation of the Sahara has been proposed as a climate engineering method to sequester a substantial amount of carbon dioxide, potentially effective to mitigate climate change. Earlier studies predicted changes in the atmospheric circulation system. These atmospheric feedbacks raise questions about the self-sustainability of such an intervention, but have not been investigated in detail. Here, we investigate changes in precipitation and circulation in response to Saharan large-scale afforestation and irrigation with NCAR's CESM-WACCM Earth system model. Our model results show a Saharan temperature reduction by 6 K and weak precipitation enhancement by 267 mm/year over the Sahara. Only 26% of the evapotranspirated water re-precipitates over the Saharan Desert, considerably large amounts are advected southward to the Sahel zone and enhance the West African monsoon (WAM). Different processes cause circulation and precipitation changes over North Africa. The increase in atmospheric moisture leads to radiative cooling above the Sahara and increased high-level cloud coverage as well as atmospheric warming above the Sahel zone. Both lead to a circulation anomaly with descending air over the Sahara and ascending air over the Sahel zone. Together with changes in the meridional temperature gradient, this results in a southward shift of the inner-tropical front. The strengthening of the Tropical easterly jet and the northward displacement of the African easterly jet is associated with a northward displacement and strengthening of the WAM precipitation. Our results suggest complex atmospheric circulation feedbacks, which reduce the precipitation potential over an afforested Sahara and enhance WAM precipitation.

The spectrum of presumed tubercular uveitis in Tunisia, North Africa.

PubMed

Khochtali, Sana; Gargouri, Salma; Abroug, Nesrine; Ksiaa, Imen; Attia, Sonia; Sellami, Dorra; Feki, Jamel; Khairallah, Moncef

2015-10-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the spectrum of presumed tubercular uveitis in Tunisia, North Africa. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 38 patients (65 eyes) diagnosed with presumed tubercular uveitis at two referral centers in Tunisia, between January 2009 and December 2011. Mean age at presentation was 42.7 years. Twenty-four patients were women (63.2%) and 14 (36.8%) were men. Twenty-three eyes (35.4%) had posterior uveitis, 21 eyes (32.3%) had intermediate uveitis, 13 eyes (20%) had panuveitis, and 8 eyes (12.3%) had anterior uveitis. Ocular findings included vitritis in 67.7% of eyes, posterior synechiae in 47.7%, multifocal non-serpiginoid choroiditis in 23.1%, multifocal serpiginoid choroiditis in 21.5%, periphlebitis in 21.5%, and mutton-fat keratic precipitates in 20%. Anti-tubercular treatment was prescribed in 33 patients (86.8%) and was associated with systemic corticosteroids in 20 patients (52.6%) and periocular injections of corticosteroids in four patients (10.5%). After a mean follow-up of 14.2 months (range, 10-58), inflammation was controlled, with a significant improvement in visual acuity (VA) (p = 0.028). However, recurrences developed in two patients (5.3%). Final VA was better than 20/40 in 27 eyes (41.5%) and less than 20/200 in five eyes (7.7%). In Tunisia, all anatomic types are possible in tuberculosis-associated uveitis, but posterior and intermediate uveitis are more frequent. Vitritis, posterior synechiae, multifocal serpiginoid or non-serpiginoid choroiditis, and periphlebitis are the most common manifestations.

'EPIC' View of Africa and Europe from a Million Miles Away

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-07-29

Africa is front and center in this image of Earth taken by a NASA camera on the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) satellite. The image, taken July 6 from a vantage point one million miles from Earth, was one of the first taken by NASA’s Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera (EPIC). Central Europe is toward the top of the image with the Sahara Desert to the south, showing the Nile River flowing to the Mediterranean Sea through Egypt. The photographic-quality color image was generated by combining three separate images of the entire Earth taken a few minutes apart. The camera takes a series of 10 images using different narrowband filters -- from ultraviolet to near infrared -- to produce a variety of science products. The red, green and blue channel images are used in these Earth images. The DSCOVR mission is a partnership between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Air Force, with the primary objective to maintain the nation’s real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities, which are critical to the accuracy and lead time of space weather alerts and forecasts from NOAA. DSCOVR was launched in February to its planned orbit at the first Lagrange point or L1, about one million miles from Earth toward the sun. It’s from that unique vantage point that the EPIC instrument is acquiring images of the entire sunlit face of Earth. Data from EPIC will be used to measure ozone and aerosol levels in Earth’s atmosphere, cloud height, vegetation properties and a variety of other features. Image Credit: NASA NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission. Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Find us on Instagram

Hypovitaminosis D in the Middle East and North Africa

PubMed Central

Bassil, Darina; Rahme, Maya; Hoteit, Maha; Fuleihan, Ghada El-Hajj

2013-01-01

Background: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region registers some of the highest rates of hypovitaminosis D worldwide.   Aim: We systematically reviewed the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D, rickets and osteomalacia, their predictors and impact on major outcomes, in the region. Methods: Medline, Pubmed and Embase search engines, entering keywords and concepts, combined with individual countries of interest, were used. Search was limited years 2000–2012; and review articles were used for the period preceding year 2000. Results: Rickets and osteomalacia still occur in this sunny region. Hypovitaminosis D prevails, with rates varying 30–90%, considering a desirable serum 25 hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] of 20 ng/ml. Advancing age, female gender, multi-parity, clothing style, season, socio-economic status and urban living are recognized predictors of hypovitaminosis D in adults. Prolonged breastfeeding without vitamin D supplementation and low dietary calcium intake are the recognized risk factors for rickets and hypovitaminosis D in children.. Associations with pain score and disease activity in rheumatologic disorders, viral load and interleukins in hepatitis C, BMI, lipids and insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, heart failure and mortality are described. Sun exposure in adults decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome in one study. Few randomized vitamin D trials revealed that the majority of mothers or children failed to achieve a desirable 25(OH)D level, even with doses by far exceeding current recommendations. A trial in adolescent girls reveals substantial bone and lean mass increments. Conclusion: Hypovitaminosis D is prevalent in MENA. The lack of populations based studies, gaps in studies in infants, pre-pubertal children and pregnant women, hinder the development of region specific guidelines and constitute a major obstacle to impact this chronic and most often subclinical disease. PMID:24194968

Pb isotope signatures in the North Atlantic: initial results from the U.S. GEOTRACES North Atlantic Transect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noble, A.; Echegoyen-Sanz, Y.; Boyle, E. A.

2012-12-01

This study presents Pb isotope data from the US GEOTRACES North Atlantic Transect (US-GT-NAT) sampled during two cruises that took place during Fall 2010 and 2011. Almost all of the Pb in the modern ocean is derived from anthropogenic sources, and the North Atlantic has received major Pb inputs from the United States and Europe due to emissions from leaded gasoline and high temperature industrial processes. During the past three decades, Pb fluxes to the North Atlantic have decreased following the phasing out of leaded gasoline in the United States and Europe. Following the concentrations and isotope ratios of Pb in this basin over time reveals the temporal evolution of Pb in this highly-affected basin. The Pb isotope signatures reflect the relative importance of changing inputs from the United States and Europe as leaded gasoline was phased out faster in the United States relative to Europe. In the western North Atlantic, a shallow (~100-200m) low Pb-206/Pb-207 ratio feature was observed near the Subtropical Underwater salinity peak at many stations across the transect, coincident with shallow subsurface maxima in Pb concentration. This water mass originates from high-salinity surface water near 25°N (Defant), which is in the belt of European-Pb-gas-contaminated African aerosols, which we confirmed by Pb-206/Pb-207 ~ 1.17 from upper ocean samples from US-GT-NAT station 18 (23.24degN,38.04degW). At the Mid-Atlantic Ridge station, Pb scavenging onto iron oxides and sulfide was observed by a decrease in Pb concentrations within the TAG hydrothermal plume, although the isotopic signature within the plume was slightly (~3 permil) lower than the surrounding waters possibly indicating a small contribution of hydrothermal Pb or preferential uptake of the lighter isotope. In the Mediteranean Outflow plume near Lisbon, Pb-206/Pb-207 (~1.178) is also strongly influenced by European Pb. Further results from the section will be presented as more data will be available by the

Atmospheric mercury distribution in Northern Europe and in the Mediterranean region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wängberg, I.; Munthe, J.; Pirrone, N.; Iverfeldt, Å.; Bahlman, E.; Costa, P.; Ebinghaus, R.; Feng, X.; Ferrara, R.; Gårdfeldt, K.; Kock, H.; Lanzillotta, E.; Mamane, Y.; Mas, F.; Melamed, E.; Osnat, Y.; Prestbo, E.; Sommar, J.; Schmolke, S.; Spain, G.; Sprovieri, F.; Tuncel, G.

Mercury species in air have been measured at five sites in Northwest Europe and at five coastal sites in the Mediterranean region during measurements at four seasons. Observed concentrations of total gaseous mercury (TGM), total particulate mercury (TPM) and reactive gaseous mercury (RGM) were generally slightly higher in the Mediterranean region than in Northwest Europe. Incoming clean Atlantic air seems to be enriched in TGM in comparison to air in Scandinavia. Trajectory analysis of events where high concentrations of TPM simultaneously were observed at sites in North Europe indicate source areas in Central Europe and provide evidence of transport of mercury on particles on a regional scale.

23 CFR 230.305 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, or the Indian Subcontinent. (2) The... Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa. (5) The... North America. (e) State means any of the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the...

23 CFR 230.305 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, or the Indian Subcontinent. (2) The... Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa. (5) The... North America. (e) State means any of the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the...

23 CFR 230.305 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, or the Indian Subcontinent. (2) The... Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa. (5) The... North America. (e) State means any of the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the...

23 CFR 230.305 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, or the Indian Subcontinent. (2) The... Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands, and Samoa. (5) The... North America. (e) State means any of the 50 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the...

Derivation of an observation-based map of North African dust emission

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evan, Amato T.; Fiedler, Stephanie; Zhao, Chun

Changes in the emission, transport and deposition of aeolian dust have profound effects on regional climate, so that characterizing the lifecycle of dust in observations and improving the representation of dust in global climate models is necessary. A fundamental aspect of characterizing the dust cycle is quantifying surface dust fluxes, yet no spatially explicit estimates of this flux exist for the World’s major source regions. Here we present a novel technique for creating a map of the annual mean emitted dust flux for North Africa based on retrievals of dust storm frequency from the Meteosat Second Generation Spinning Enhanced Visiblemore » and InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) and the relationship between dust storm frequency and emitted mass flux derived from the output of five models that simulate dust. Our results suggest that 64 (±16)% of all dust emitted from North Africa is from the Bodélé depression, and that 13 (±3)% of the North African dust flux is from a depression lying in the lee of the Aïr and Hoggar Mountains, making this area the second most important region of emission within North Africa.« less

Foot-and-mouth Disease Transmission in Africa: Implications for Control, a Review.

PubMed

Tekleghiorghis, T; Moormann, R J M; Weerdmeester, K; Dekker, A

2016-04-01

In Africa, for the control of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), more information is needed on the spread of the disease at local, regional and inter-regional level. The aim of this review is to identify the role that animal husbandry, trade and wildlife have on the transmission of FMD and to provide a scientific basis for different FMD control measures in Africa. Review of literature, published reports and databases shows that there is more long distance spread of FMD virus serotypes within North, West, Central and East Africa than in southern Africa. In North, West, Central and East Africa migratory animal husbandry systems often related with search for grazing and water as well as trade are practiced to a greater extent than in southern Africa. In southern Africa, the role of African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is more extensively studied than in the other parts of Africa, but based on the densities of African buffalo in Central and East Africa, one would assume that buffalo should also play a role in the epidemiology of FMD in this part of Africa. More sampling of buffalo is necessary in West, Central and East Africa. The genetic analysis of virus strains has proven to be valuable to increase our understanding in the spread of FMD in Africa. This review shows that there is a difference in FMD occurrence between southern Africa and the rest of the continent; this distinction is most likely based on differences in animal husbandry and trade systems. Insufficient data on FMD in wildlife outside southern Africa is limiting our understanding on the role wildlife plays in the transmission of FMD in the other buffalo inhabited areas of Africa. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Biogeography of worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) driven by end-Cretaceous mass extinction.

PubMed

Longrich, Nicholas R; Vinther, Jakob; Pyron, R Alexander; Pisani, Davide; Gauthier, Jacques A

2015-05-07

Worm lizards (Amphisbaenia) are burrowing squamates that live as subterranean predators. Their underground existence should limit dispersal, yet they are widespread throughout the Americas, Europe and Africa. This pattern was traditionally explained by continental drift, but molecular clocks suggest a Cenozoic diversification, long after the break-up of Pangaea, implying dispersal. Here, we describe primitive amphisbaenians from the North American Palaeocene, including the oldest known amphisbaenian, and provide new and older molecular divergence estimates for the clade, showing that worm lizards originated in North America, then radiated and dispersed in the Palaeogene following the Cretaceous-Palaeogene (K-Pg) extinction. This scenario implies at least three trans-oceanic dispersals: from North America to Europe, from North America to Africa and from Africa to South America. Amphisbaenians provide a striking case study in biogeography, suggesting that the role of continental drift in biogeography may be overstated. Instead, these patterns support Darwin and Wallace's hypothesis that the geographical ranges of modern clades result from dispersal, including oceanic rafting. Mass extinctions may facilitate dispersal events by eliminating competitors and predators that would otherwise hinder establishment of dispersing populations, removing biotic barriers to dispersal. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

The role of climatic cycles and trans-Saharan migration corridors in species diversification: Biogeography of Psammophis schokari group in North Africa.

PubMed

Gonçalves, Duarte Vasconcelos; Martínez-Freiría, Fernando; Crochet, Pierre-André; Geniez, Philippe; Carranza, Salvador; Brito, José Carlos

2018-01-01

Highlands, hydrographic systems and coastal areas have been hypothesised to form corridors across the hyperarid Sahara desert in North Africa, allowing dispersal and gene flow for non-xeric species. Here we aim to provide a genetic test for the trans-Saharan corridor model, and predict the location and stability of ecological-corridors, by combining phylogeography and palaeoclimatic modelling. The model was the Psammophis schokari (Schokari sand racer) group, fast-moving and widely distributed generalist colubrids occurring mostly in arid and semiarid scrublands. We combined dated phylogenies of mitochondrial and nuclear markers with palaeoclimatic modelling. For the phylogeographic analysis, we used 75 samples of P. schokari and P. aegyptius, and Bayesian and Maximum-Likelihood methods. For the ecological models, we used Maxent over the distribution of P. schokari and West African lineages. Models were projected to past conditions (mid Holocene, Last Glacial Maximum and Last Inter-Glacial) to infer climatic stable areas. Climatic stability was predicted to be mostly restricted to coastal areas and not spatially continuous. A putative temporary trans-Saharan corridor was identified in Eastern Sahara, with a more stable one along the Atlantic coast. Six parapatric lineages were identified within P. schokari, four occurring in North Africa. These likely diverged during the Pliocene. The Tamanraset River might have been a vicariant agent. African lineages may have experienced further subsequent diversification during the late Pleistocene. The main P. schokari refugia were probably located along the northern margins of the Sahara, allowing its North-to-South colonization. Trans-Saharan corridors seem to have played a role in P. schokari biogeography, allowing colonization of central Saharan mountains and Sahel. Some might have worked as refugia, and even the most stable corridors may have sections working as filters, depending on each climatic phase. We expect the use

Education and Indigenous Knowledge in Africa: Traditional Bonesetting and Orthopaedic Medicine in West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ezeanya, Chika A.

The underlying philosophy of education in contemporary Africa has been established to be alien, and detached from the indigenous knowledge of the people. Modern day formal education in sub-Saharan Africa came about, for the most part, as a result of missionary activities and colonial efforts of Europe. The education bequeathed to Africa was, therefore, fundamentally European in paradigm and lacking in authenticity. The end of colonialism across sub-Saharan Africa did not herald any tangible transformation in the curriculum of study. Education in Africa is still dependent on foreign input for sustainability, thereby stifling research, creativity and innovation. Sustainable development is founded on indigenous knowledge. When such grassroots knowledge assumes the foundation of learning, home-grown development is easily fostered in all sectors of a national economy. In the field of medicine, indigenous knowledge of healing has been considered unscientific by western biomedical practitioners. Since the days of the missionaries, many Africans have considered indigenous medicine to be fetish; the Christian converts would not be associated with its practice and patronage. However, traditional bonesetting has been proven to be highly efficacious with little supernatural content, it continues to attract huge patronage from Africans, cutting across social and religious boundaries. This study attempts an exploration of the disconnect between indigenous knowledge, practices and learning, on the one hand, and formal education in Africa, on the other. With a focus on traditional bonesetting, the study seeks to determine why that branch of indigenous medicine attracts huge patronage, but is granted very little recognition by modern orthopaedic medical education.

CREED study: Hypoglycaemia during Ramadan in individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus from three continents.

PubMed

Jabbar, Abdul; Hassanein, Mohamed; Beshyah, Salem A; Boye, Kristina S; Yu, Maria; Babineaux, Steven M

2017-10-01

To describe diabetes treatment and hypoglycaemia in individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus during Ramadan. A multi-country, retrospective, observational study with data captured before, during, and after Ramadan. We report on a cohort of people (N=3250) with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in four culturally distinct regions: Asia, North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. During Ramadan, the proportion of participants on oral anti-diabetic medication alone ranged from 68.4% (Middle East) to 80.5% (Asia); the proportion on insulin alone ranged from 3.7% (Middle East) to 8.6% (Europe). The average number of days fasted for individuals with an American Diabetes Association (ADA) risk status of very high was 27 (Middle East), 25.7 (Asia), 25.4 (North Africa), and 21 (Europe). The incidence of hypoglycaemia according to an ADA risk status of very high was 5.6% (n=1/18, Europe), 6.1% (n=2/33, Middle East), 8.7% (n=4/46, Asia), and 38% (n=10/26, North Africa). The incidence of hypoglycaemia, during Ramadan, for the entire cohort was 16.8% with insulin treatment and 5.3% with oral anti-diabetic medication. Having an episode of hypoglycaemia before Ramadan was associated with hypoglycaemia during Ramadan (odds ratio 7.80; 95% confidence interval 5.31-11.45). Approaches to the management of Type 2 diabetes mellitus during Ramadan varied across regions. Episodes of hypoglycaemia and insulin therapy predicted risk of hypoglycaemia during Ramadan and identified individuals who required Ramadan-specific education. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorder in Africa: a systematic review of data from Africa.

PubMed

Esan, Oluyomi; Esan, Arinola

2016-01-01

Bipolar disorder impacts negatively on the patient, the family, as well as the society. It taxes the health care services due to a combination of the illness with associated medical and psychiatric comorbidities. In Africa, unfortunately, knowledge of the epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorder is based mainly on studies from the USA and Europe. In this systematic review of literature from Africa, we highlight the epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorder. A systematic review of publications from Africa relating to the epidemiology and burden of bipolar disorder was conducted. Data from community surveys conducted in Nigeria and Ethiopia indicated a lifetime prevalence estimate of 0.1 % to 1.83 for bipolar disorder. Missed diagnosis rate of bipolar disorder was up to 36.2 %. In one study, 8.1 % of the males and 5.4 % of the females reported a previous suicide attempt. A study showed that up to 60 % of patients with bipolar disorder had at least one comorbidity. There were no reports on all-cause mortality and cost of illness. Bipolar disorder is a major mental health problem in Africa. Scientific findings on bipolar disorder from Africa are consistent with the existing literature from other parts of the world. There still exists a dearth of high quality studies addressing the epidemiological, clinical, social, and economic burden of the disorder.

Euro-Maps 3D- A Transnational, High-Resolution Digital Surface Model For Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uttenthaler, A.; Barner, F.; Hass, T.; Makiola, J.; d'Angelo, P.; Reinartz, P.; Carl, S.; Steiner, K.

2013-12-01

Euro-Maps 3D is a homogeneous 5 m spaced digital surface model (DSM) semi-automatically derived by Euromap from 2.5 m in-flight stereo data provided by the Indian IRS-P5 Cartosat-1 satellite. This new and innovative product has been developed in close co- operation with the Remote Sensing Technology Institute (IMF) of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and is being jointly exploited. The very detailed and accurate representation of the surface is achieved by using a sophisticated and well adapted algorithm implemented on the basis of the Semi-Global Matching approach. In addition, the final product includes detailed flanking information consisting of several pixel-based quality and traceability layers also including an ortho layer. The product is believed to provide maximum accuracy and transparency. The DSM product meets and exceeds HRE80 qualification standards. The DSM product will be made available transnational in a homogeneous quality for most parts of Europe, North Africa and Turkey by Euromap step-by-step. Other areas around the world are processed on demand.

Maestrichtian benthic foraminifers from Ocean Point, North Slope, Alaska ( USA).

USGS Publications Warehouse

McDougall, K.

1987-01-01

Previous studies of fauna and flora from Ocean Point, Alaska, have suggested ages ranging from Campanian to early Eocene and that these assemblages are either highly endemic or commonplace. I demonstrate that the moderately abundant benthic foraminifers constitute early Maestrichtian boreal assemblages common to Canada and northern Europe. Paleoenvironmental analysis indicates that deposition took place in outer neritic settings (50 to 150m). The Ocean Point benthic foraminiferal assemblages contain species that migrated from the US Gulf Coast, North American Interior and Europe during the Campanian, and from Europe during the Maestrichtian. These faunal affinities suggest that seaways connected the Arctic to the North American Interior and Atlantic during the Campanian and that a shallow seaway connected the Arctic to the Atlantic during the early Maestrichtian. - from Author

Synoptic Scale North American Weather Tracks and the Formation of North Atlantic Windstorms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baum, A. J.; Godek, M. L.

2014-12-01

Each winter, dozens of fatalities occur when intense North Atlantic windstorms impact Western Europe. Forecasting the tracks of these storms in the short term is often problematic, but long term forecasts provide an even greater challenge. Improved prediction necessitates the ability to identify these low pressure areas at formation and understand commonalities that distinguish these storms from other systems crossing the Atlantic, such as where they develop. There is some evidence that indicates the majority of intense windstorms that reach Europe have origins far west, as low pressure systems that develop over the North American continent. This project aims to identify the specific cyclogenesis regions in North America that produce a significantly greater number of dangerous storms. NOAA Ocean Prediction Center surface pressure reanalysis maps are used to examine the tracks of storms. Strong windstorms are characterized by those with a central pressure of less than 965 hPa at any point in their life cycle. Tracks are recorded using a coding system based on source region, storm track and dissipation region. The codes are analyzed to determine which region contains the most statistical significance with respect to strong Atlantic windstorm generation. The resultant set of codes also serves as a climatology of North Atlantic extratropical cyclones. Results indicate that a number of windstorms favor cyclogenesis regions off the east coast of the United States. A large number of strong storms that encounter east coast cyclogenesis zones originate in the central mountain region, around Colorado. These storms follow a path that exits North America around New England and subsequently travel along the Canadian coast. Some of these are then primed to become "bombs" over the open Atlantic Ocean.

Prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated from blood cultures in Africa.

PubMed

Sangare, S A; Maiga, A I; Guindo, I; Maiga, A; Camara, N; Savadogo, S; Diallo, S; Bougoudogo, F; Armand-Lefevre, L; Andremont, A; Maiga, I I

2015-09-01

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae have been isolated from many regions of the world. Epidemiological studies are being conducted in Europe, North America, and Asia. No study has however been conducted in Africa to determine the prevalence and distribution of ESBLs on the continent. This literature review aimed at describing the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated from blood cultures, as well as the ESBL genes involved at the international level. Our focus was mainly on Africa. We conducted a literature review on PubMed. Articles related to our study field and published between 1996 and 2014 were reviewed and entirely read for most of them, while we only focused on the abstracts of some other articles. Relevant articles to our study were then carefully reviewed and included in the review. The prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae differs from one country to another. The results of our literature review however indicate that class A ESBLs prevail over the other types. We took into consideration articles focusing on various types of samples to assess the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, but information on isolates from blood cultures is limited. The worldwide prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae has increased over time. Evidence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae can be found in all regions of the world. Studies conducted in Africa mainly focused on the Northern and Eastern parts of the continent, while only rare studies were carried out in the rest of the continent. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Origin and Evolution of European Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Wirth, Thierry; Andersen, Paal S.; Skov, Robert L.; De Grassi, Anna; Simões, Patricia Martins; Tristan, Anne; Petersen, Andreas; Aziz, Maliha; Kiil, Kristoffer; Cirković, Ivana; Udo, Edet E.; del Campo, Rosa; Vuopio-Varkila, Jaana; Ahmad, Norazah; Tokajian, Sima; Peters, Georg; Schaumburg, Frieder; Olsson-Liljequist, Barbro; Givskov, Michael; Driebe, Elizabeth E.; Vigh, Henrik E.; Shittu, Adebayo; Ramdani-Bougessa, Nadjia; Rasigade, Jean-Philippe; Price, Lance B.; Vandenesch, Francois; Larsen, Anders R.; Laurent, Frederic

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) was recognized in Europe and worldwide in the late 1990s. Within a decade, several genetically and geographically distinct CA-MRSA lineages carrying the small SCCmec type IV and V genetic elements and the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) emerged around the world. In Europe, the predominant CA-MRSA strain belongs to clonal complex 80 (CC80) and is resistant to kanamycin/amikacin and fusidic acid. CC80 was first reported in 1993 but was relatively rare until the late 1990s. It has since been identified throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, with recent sporadic reports in sub-Saharan Africa. While strongly associated with skin and soft tissue infections, it is rarely found among asymptomatic carriers. Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) CC80 strains are extremely rare except in sub-Saharan Africa. In the current study, we applied whole-genome sequencing to a global collection of both MSSA and MRSA CC80 isolates. Phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest that the European epidemic CA-MRSA lineage is derived from a PVL-positive MSSA ancestor from sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, the tree topology suggests a single acquisition of both the SCCmec element and a plasmid encoding the fusidic acid resistance determinant. Four canonical SNPs distinguish the derived CA-MRSA lineage and include a nonsynonymous mutation in accessory gene regulator C (agrC). These changes were associated with a star-like expansion into Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa in the early 1990s, including multiple cases of cross-continent imports likely driven by human migrations. PMID:25161186

A detailed gravimetric geoid from North America to Eurasia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vincent, S. F.; Strange, W. E.; Marsh, J. G.

1972-01-01

A detailed gravimetric geoid of the United States, North Atlantic, and Eurasia, which was computed from a combination of satellite derived and surface gravity data, is presented. The precision of this detailed geoid is + or - 2 to + or - 3 m in the continents but may be in the range of 5 to 7 m in those areas where data is sparse. Comparisons of the detailed gravimetric geoid with results of Rapp, Fischer, and Rice for the United States, Bomford in Europe, and Heiskanen and Fischer in India are presented. Comparisons are also presented with geoid heights from satellite solutions for geocentric station coordinates in North America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

Knowledge of practice: A multi-sited event ethnography of border security fairs in Europe and North America.

PubMed

Baird, Theodore

2017-06-01

This article takes the reader inside four border security fairs in Europe and North America to examine the knowledge practices of border security professionals. Building on the border security as practice research agenda, the analysis focuses on the production, circulation, and consumption of scarce forms of knowledge. To explore situated knowledge of border security practices, I develop an approach to multi-sited event ethnography to observe and interpret knowledge that may be hard to access at the security fairs. The analysis focuses on mechanisms for disseminating and distributing scarce forms of knowledge, technological materializations of situated knowledge, expressions of transversal knowledge of security problems, how masculinities structure knowledge in gendered ways, and how unease is expressed through imagined futures in order to anticipate emergent solutions to proposed security problems. The article concludes by reflecting on the contradictions at play at fairs and how to address such contradictions through alternative knowledges and practices.

Knowledge of practice: A multi-sited event ethnography of border security fairs in Europe and North America

PubMed Central

Baird, Theodore

2017-01-01

This article takes the reader inside four border security fairs in Europe and North America to examine the knowledge practices of border security professionals. Building on the border security as practice research agenda, the analysis focuses on the production, circulation, and consumption of scarce forms of knowledge. To explore situated knowledge of border security practices, I develop an approach to multi-sited event ethnography to observe and interpret knowledge that may be hard to access at the security fairs. The analysis focuses on mechanisms for disseminating and distributing scarce forms of knowledge, technological materializations of situated knowledge, expressions of transversal knowledge of security problems, how masculinities structure knowledge in gendered ways, and how unease is expressed through imagined futures in order to anticipate emergent solutions to proposed security problems. The article concludes by reflecting on the contradictions at play at fairs and how to address such contradictions through alternative knowledges and practices. PMID:29046601

Neurosyphilis in Africa: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Jarvis, Joseph N.; Howlett, William; Mabey, David C. W.

2017-01-01

Introduction Neurological involvement is one of the most important clinical manifestations of syphilis and neurological disease occurs in both early and late syphilis. The impact of HIV co-infection on clinical neurosyphilis remains unclear. The highest prevalence of both syphilis and HIV is in Africa. Therefore it might be expected that neurosyphilis would be an important and not uncommon manifestation of syphilis in Africa and frequently occur in association with HIV co-infection; yet few data are available on neurosyphilis in Africa. The aim of this study is to review data on neurosyphilis in Africa since the onset of the HIV epidemic. Methods We searched the literature for references on neurosyphilis in Africa for studies published between the 1st of January 1990 and 15th February 2017. We included case reports, case series, and retrospective and prospective cohort and case-control studies. We did not limit inclusion based on the diagnostic criteria used for neurosyphilis. For retrospective and prospective cohorts, we calculated the proportion of study participants who were diagnosed with neurosyphilis according to the individual study criteria. Depending on the study, we assessed the proportion of patients with syphilis found to have neurosyphilis, and the proportion of patients with neurological syndromes who had neurosyphilis. Due to heterogeneity of data no formal pooling of the data or meta-analysis was undertaken. Results Amongst patients presenting with a neurological syndrome, three studies of patients with meningitis were identified; neurosyphilis was consistently reported to cause approximately 3% of all cases. Three studies on stroke reported mixed findings but were limited due to the small number of patients undergoing CSF examination, whilst neurosyphilis continued to be reported as a common cause of dementia in studies from North Africa. Ten studies reported on cases of neurosyphilis amongst patients known to have syphilis. Studies from both North

Neurosyphilis in Africa: A systematic review.

PubMed

Marks, Michael; Jarvis, Joseph N; Howlett, William; Mabey, David C W

2017-08-01

Neurological involvement is one of the most important clinical manifestations of syphilis and neurological disease occurs in both early and late syphilis. The impact of HIV co-infection on clinical neurosyphilis remains unclear. The highest prevalence of both syphilis and HIV is in Africa. Therefore it might be expected that neurosyphilis would be an important and not uncommon manifestation of syphilis in Africa and frequently occur in association with HIV co-infection; yet few data are available on neurosyphilis in Africa. The aim of this study is to review data on neurosyphilis in Africa since the onset of the HIV epidemic. We searched the literature for references on neurosyphilis in Africa for studies published between the 1st of January 1990 and 15th February 2017. We included case reports, case series, and retrospective and prospective cohort and case-control studies. We did not limit inclusion based on the diagnostic criteria used for neurosyphilis. For retrospective and prospective cohorts, we calculated the proportion of study participants who were diagnosed with neurosyphilis according to the individual study criteria. Depending on the study, we assessed the proportion of patients with syphilis found to have neurosyphilis, and the proportion of patients with neurological syndromes who had neurosyphilis. Due to heterogeneity of data no formal pooling of the data or meta-analysis was undertaken. Amongst patients presenting with a neurological syndrome, three studies of patients with meningitis were identified; neurosyphilis was consistently reported to cause approximately 3% of all cases. Three studies on stroke reported mixed findings but were limited due to the small number of patients undergoing CSF examination, whilst neurosyphilis continued to be reported as a common cause of dementia in studies from North Africa. Ten studies reported on cases of neurosyphilis amongst patients known to have syphilis. Studies from both North and Southern Africa continue

A new species of the Miniopterus schreibersii species complex (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae) from the Maghreb Region, North Africa.

PubMed

Puechmaille, Sebastien J; Allegrini, Benjamin; Benda, Petr; Gürün, Kanat; Srámek, Jan; Ibañez, Carlos; Juste, Javier; Bilgin, Rasit

2014-05-05

We used an integrative approach combining cranio-dental characters, mitochondrial and nuclear data and acoustic data to show the presence in the genus Miniopterus of a cryptic species from the Maghreb region. This species was previously recognised as Miniopterus schreibersii (Kuhl, 1817). Miniopterus maghrebensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from M. schreibersii sensu stricto on the basis of cranial characters and from mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite evidence. Although slight external morphological and acoustic differences were noted between the two species, these criteria alone did not allow reliable species identification from live animals. Based on the specimens identified morphologically and/or genetically, the distribution range of M. maghrebensis sp. nov. extends from northern Morocco to south of the High Atlas Mountains and northern Tunisia. The new cryptic species is found in sympatry with M. schreibersii s.str. near coastal regions of North Africa.

Assessment of an extended version of the Jenkinson-Collison classification on CMIP5 models over Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otero, Noelia; Sillmann, Jana; Butler, Tim

2018-03-01

A gridded, geographically extended weather type classification has been developed based on the Jenkinson-Collison (JC) classification system and used to evaluate the representation of weather types over Europe in a suite of climate model simulations. To this aim, a set of models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) is compared with the circulation from two reanalysis products. Furthermore, we examine seasonal changes between simulated frequencies of weather types at present and future climate conditions. The models are in reasonably good agreement with the reanalyses, but some discrepancies occur in cyclonic days being overestimated over North, and underestimated over South Europe, while anticyclonic situations were overestimated over South, and underestimated over North Europe. Low flow conditions were generally underestimated, especially in summer over South Europe, and Westerly conditions were generally overestimated. The projected frequencies of weather types in the late twenty-first century suggest an increase of Anticyclonic days over South Europe in all seasons except summer, while Westerly days increase over North and Central Europe, particularly in winter. We find significant changes in the frequency of Low flow conditions and the Easterly type that become more frequent during the warmer seasons over Southeast and Southwest Europe, respectively. Our results indicate that in winter the Westerly type has significant impacts on positive anomalies of maximum and minimum temperature over most of Europe. Except in winter, the warmer temperatures are linked to Easterlies, Anticyclonic and Low Flow conditions, especially over the Mediterranean area. Furthermore, we show that changes in the frequency of weather types represent a minor contribution of the total change of European temperatures, which would be mainly driven by changes in the temperature anomalies associated with the weather types themselves.

[West Nile virus expanding in Europe].

PubMed

Reusken, Chantal B E M; van Maanen, C Kees; Martina, Byron E; Sonder, Gerard J B; van Gorp, Eric C M; Koopmans, Marion P G

2011-01-01

The areas of Europe in which West Nile virus (WNV)-transmission to humans is observed have expanded over the last few years, with endemic circulation amongst animals of southern Europe. This situation calls for heightened vigilance to the clinical presentation of WNV infection in humans. The average incubation period lasts 2-6 days. Of those infected, 20% will experience a mild, non-specific disease presentation such as high fever, headache, myalgia, possibly with rash and lymphadenopathy; <1% will develop severe neurological symptoms. Rare complications include: myelitis, optic neuritis, rhombencephalitis, polyradiculitis, myocarditis, pancreatitis and fulminant hepatitis. Clinicians should take WNV infection into consideration when making a differential diagnosis for such symptoms in patients who have returned from areas with potential virus circulation. Given the increase in the spread of WNV within Europe, this now holds true for continental travellers as well as those destined for the Americas, Africa and Asia. It is important to include the patient's travel history, clinical symptoms and any occurrences of vaccination against viruses causing Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis and yellow fever into the diagnostic workup, as the antibodies against these diseases show cross-reactivity.

Implementation and evaluation of a comprehensive emission model for Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bieser, Johannes; Aulinger, Armin; Matthias, Volker; Quante, Markus

2010-05-01

Crucial input data sets for Chemical Transport Models (CTM) are the meteorological fields and the emissions data. While there are several publicly available meteorological models, the situation for European emission models is still different. European emissions data either lack spatial and temporal resolution, only cover specific countries or are proprietary and not free to use. In this work the US EPA emission model SMOKE (Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions) has been successfully adapted and partially extended to create European emissions input for CTMs. The modified version of the SMOKE emission model (SMOKE/E) uses official and publicly available data sets and statistics to create emissions of CO, NOx, SO2, NH3, PM2.5, PM10, NMVOC. Currently it supports VOC splits for several photochemical mechanisms, namely CB4, CB5 and RADM2. PM2.5 is split into elemental carbon, organic carbon, sulfate, nitrate and other particles. Additionally emissions of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) have been modelled with SMOKE Europe. The temporal resolution of the emissions is one hour, the horizontal resolution is up to 1x1 km². SMOKE/E also implements plume in grid calculations for vertical distribution of point sources. The vertical resolution is infinitely variable and is implemented in the form of pressure levels. The area covered by the emission model at this point is Europe and it's surrounding countries, including north Africa and parts of Asia. Thus far SMOKE Europe has been used to create European emissions on a 54x54km² grid covering the whole of Europe and a 18x18km² nested grid over the North and Baltic Sea for the years 1990-2006. The currently implemented datasets allow for the calculation of emissions between 1970-2010. Besides this future emissions scenarios for the timespan 2010-2020 are being calculated using the EMEP projections. The created emissions have been statistically compared to the gridded EMEP emissions as well as to data from other emission models for the

Scaphitid ammonites from the Upper Cretaceous of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kennedy, William James; Klinger, Herbert Christian

2013-12-01

Kennedy, W.J. and Klinger, H.C. 2013. Scaphitid ammonites from the Upper Cretaceous of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Acta Geologica Polonica, 63 (4), 527-543. Warszawa. Scaphitid ammonites are described and illustrated from the Upper Cretaceous of the coastal region of north-eastern South Africa. Scaphites kieslingswaldensis Langenhan and Grundey, 1891, Scaphites manasoaensis Collignon, 1965, and Yezoites concinna sp. nov. occur in the Coniacian part of the St Lucia Formation in northern KwaZulu-Natal. A further Yezoites sp. may also be from this level. Argentoscaphites corrugatus sp. nov. occurs in the Santonian to Lower Campanian Mzamba Formation on the northernmost coast of Eastern Cape Province. Yezoites australis sp. nov. occurs in the Upper Santonian part of the St Lucia and Mzamba formations of these areas, and Scaphites reesidei Collignon, 1969, is recorded from the Lower Campanian part of the Mzamba Formation. The scaphitid assemblage includes species previously described from Western Europe and Madagascar, together with Argentoscaphites, previously known only from Patagonia (and possibly South India). Dimorphism is recognised in Scaphites reesidei, Yezoites concinna sp. nov. and Y. australis sp. nov. Argentoscaphites corrugatus sp. nov. and Yezoites sp. are represented by microconchs only. Dimorphism has not been recognised in Scaphites kieslingswaldensis.

Medical use of cannabis and cannabinoids containing products - Regulations in Europe and North America.

PubMed

Abuhasira, Ran; Shbiro, Liat; Landschaft, Yuval

2018-03-01

In 1937, the United States of America criminalized the use of cannabis and as a result its use decreased rapidly. In recent decades, there is a growing interest in the wide range of medical uses of cannabis and its constituents; however, the laws and regulations are substantially different between countries. Laws differentiate between raw herbal cannabis, cannabis extracts, and cannabinoid-based medicines. Both the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do not approve the use of herbal cannabis or its extracts. The FDA approved several cannabinoid-based medicines, so did 23 European countries and Canada. However, only four of the reviewed countries have fully authorized the medical use of herbal cannabis - Canada, Germany, Israel and the Netherlands, together with more than 50% of the states in the United States. Most of the regulators allow the physicians to decide what specific indications they will prescribe cannabis for, but some regulators dictate only specific indications. The aim of this article is to review the current (as of November 2017) regulations of medical cannabis use in Europe and North America. Copyright © 2018 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Decolonizing Bioethics in Africa

PubMed Central

Macaulay-Adeyelure, O.C.

2017-01-01

The global spread of bioethics from its North-American and European provenance to non-Western societies is currently raising some concerns. Part of the concern has to do with whether or not the exportation of bioethics in its full Western sense to developing non-Western states is an instance of ethical imperialism or bioethical neocolonialism. This paper attempts an exploration of this debate in the context of bioethics in sub-Saharan Africa. Rather than conceding that bioethics has a colonial agenda in Africa, this paper defends the position that the current bioethics trend in sub-Saharan Africa is an unintended imperialistic project. It argues that its colonizing character is not entirely a product of the Western programmed goals of training and institution building; rather, it is a structural consequence of many receptive African minds and institutions. Though bioethics in Africa is turning out as a colonizing project, one serious implication of such trend, if unchecked urgently, is that bioethics’ invaluable relevance to Africa is being incapacitated. This paper, therefore, attempts a decolonizing trajectory of bioethics in Africa. Contrary to the pretense of ‘African bioethics,’ which some African scholars are now defending, this paper through the logic of decolonization makes case for ‘bioethics in Africa’. In such logic, the principle of existential needs is prioritized over the principle of identity and authenticity that define African voice in bioethics. PMID:28344985

The Extremely Warm Early Winter 2000 in Europe: What is the Forcing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.; Angell, J. K.; Atlas, R.; Ardizzone, J.; Demaree, G.; Jusem, J. C.; Koslowsky, D.; Terry, J.; Einaudi, Franco (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

High variability characterizes the winter climate of central Europe: interannual fluctuations in the surface-air temperature as large as 18 C over large areas are fairly common. The extraordinary early-winter 2000 in Europe appears to be a departure to an unprecedented extreme of the existing climate patterns. Such anomalous events affect agriculture, forestry, fuel consumption, etc., and thus deserve in-depth analysis. Our analysis indicates that the high anomalies of the surface-air temperature are predominantly due to the southwesterly flow from the eastern North Atlantic, with a weak contribution by southerly flow from the western Mediterranean. Backward trajectories based on the SSM/I and NCEP Reanalysis datasets traced from west-central Europe indicate that the warm air masses flowing into Europe originate in the southern North Atlantic, where the surface-air temperatures exceed by 15c or more the climatic norms in Europe for late-November or early-December. Because such large ocean-to-continent temperature differences characterize the winter conditions, we refer to this episode which started in late November as occurring in the early winter. In this season, with the sun low over the horizon in Europe, absorption of insolation by the surface has little significance. The effect of cloudiness, a corollary to the low-level maritime-air advection, is a warming by a reduction of heat loss (greenhouse effect). In contrast, in the summer, clouds, by reducing absorption of insolation, produce a cooling, effect at the surface.

Association between Ambient Air Pollution and Diabetes Mellitus in Europe and North America: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Eze, Ikenna C.; Hemkens, Lars G.; Bucher, Heiner C.; Hoffmann, Barbara; Schindler, Christian; Künzli, Nino; Schikowski, Tamara

2015-01-01

Background Air pollution is hypothesized to be a risk factor for diabetes. Epidemiological evidence is inconsistent and has not been systematically evaluated. Objectives We systematically reviewed epidemiological evidence on the association between air pollution and diabetes, and synthesized results of studies on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods We systematically searched electronic literature databases (last search, 29 April 2014) for studies reporting the association between air pollution (particle concentration or traffic exposure) and diabetes (type 1, type 2, or gestational). We systematically evaluated risk of bias and role of potential confounders in all studies. We synthesized reported associations with T2DM in meta-analyses using random-effects models and conducted various sensitivity analyses. Results We included 13 studies (8 on T2DM, 2 on type 1, 3 on gestational diabetes), all conducted in Europe or North America. Five studies were longitudinal, 5 cross-sectional, 2 case–control, and 1 ecologic. Risk of bias, air pollution assessment, and confounder control varied across studies. Dose–response effects were not reported. Meta-analyses of 3 studies on PM2.5 (particulate matter ≤ 2.5 μm in diameter) and 4 studies on NO2 (nitrogen dioxide) showed increased risk of T2DM by 8–10% per 10-μg/m3 increase in exposure [PM2.5: 1.10 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.18); NO2: 1.08 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.17)]. Associations were stronger in females. Sensitivity analyses showed similar results. Conclusion Existing evidence indicates a positive association of air pollution and T2DM risk, albeit there is high risk of bias. High-quality studies assessing dose–response effects are needed. Research should be expanded to developing countries where outdoor and indoor air pollution are high. Citation Eze IC, Hemkens LG, Bucher HC, Hoffmann B, Schindler C, Künzli N, Schilowski T, Probst-Hensch NM. 2015. Association between ambient air pollution and diabetes mellitus in Europe

Large-magnitude Middle Ordovician volcanic ash falls in North America and Europe: Dimensions, emplacement and post-emplacement characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huff, W.D.; Kolata, Dennis R.; Bergstrom, Stig M.; Zhang, Y.-S.

1996-01-01

Middle Ordovician K-bentonites represent some of the largest known fallout ash deposits in the Phanerozoic Era. They cover minimally 2.2 ?? 106 km2 in eastern North America and 6.9 ?? 105 km2 in northwestern Europe, and represents the coeval accumulation of plinian and co-ignimbrite ash on both Laurentia and Baltica during the closure of the Iapetus Ocean. The three most widespread beds are the Deicke and Millbrig K-bentonites in North America and the Kinnekulle K-bentonite in northwestern Europe. The vents were located near the Laurentian margin of Iapetus on an arc or microplate undergoing collision with Laurentia. The volume of ash preserved in the stratigraphic record converted to dense rock equivalent (DRE) of silicic magma is minimally estimated to be 943 km3 for the Deicke, 1509 km3 for the Millbrig and 972 km3 for the Kinnekulle. The Millbrig and Kinnekulle beds are coeval and possibly equivalent, yielding a combined DRE volume of nearly 2500 km3. Some unknown but probably large amount of additional ash fell into oceanic regions of the Iapetus, but these areas became subducted and the ash is not preserved in the geologic record. The symmetry of the thickness contours is suggestive that one or more ash clouds interacting with equatorial stratospheric and tropospheric wind patterns dispersed pyroclastic material to both the northwest and southeast in terms of Ordovician paleogeography. Based on grain size measurements and thickness/area1/2 plots we conclude the three beds were each formed from co-ignimbrite or possibly phreatoplinian eruption columns. Analyses of melt inclusions in primary quartz crystals indicate the parental magma contained approximately 4% dissolved water at the time of the eruption. This water provided the explosive energy during the initial gas thrust phase. The implied fragmentation pressure on the magma would have reduced much of the ejecta to small particles, forming a deposit composed largely of single crystals and glassy dust

Review Essay: Moving beyond Global Encounters toward Global Reciprocity: Christian Education in East Asian Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hyun-Sook

2015-01-01

Christianity as a world religion was propagated from Europe and North America to Africa and Asia. Global Christianity spread to East Asia when Robert Morrison (1782-1843) arrived in Canton, China in 1807, and later in the late 19th-century Protestant missionaries from North America arrived in Japan and Korea. This Christianity experienced a modern…

Sensitivity of the regional climate in the Middle East and North Africa to volcanic perturbations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dogar, Muhammad Mubashar; Stenchikov, Georgiy; Osipov, Sergey; Wyman, Bruce; Zhao, Ming

2017-08-01

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional climate appears to be extremely sensitive to volcanic eruptions. Winter cooling after the 1991 Pinatubo eruption far exceeded the mean hemispheric temperature anomaly, even causing snowfall in Israel. To better understand MENA climate variability, the climate responses to the El Chichón and Pinatubo volcanic eruptions are analyzed using observations, NOAA/National Centers for Environmental Prediction Climate Forecast System Reanalysis, and output from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory's High-Resolution Atmospheric Model. A multiple regression analysis both for the observations and the model output is performed on seasonal summer and winter composites to separate out the contributions from climate trends, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), Indian summer monsoon, and volcanic aerosols. Strong regional temperature and precipitation responses over the MENA region are found in both winter and summer. The model and the observations both show that a positive NAO amplifies the MENA volcanic winter cooling. In boreal summer, the patterns of changing temperature and precipitation suggest a weakening and southward shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, caused by volcanic surface cooling and weakening of the Indian and West African monsoons. The model captures the main features of the climate response; however, it underestimates the total cooling, especially in winter, and exhibits a different spatial pattern of the NAO climate response in MENA compared to the observations. The conducted analysis sheds light on the internal mechanisms of MENA climate variability and helps to selectively diagnose the model deficiencies.

The Moral and Ethical Orientations of Islam and Other Revealed Religions: A Comparative Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abedin, Saleha M.

Islam is the dominant religion in some parts of Africa, Asia and Europe, and in all of North Africa and the Middle East. Muslim minority communities are found in almost all countries in the world. In social sciences, religion is defined as a system of ideas and institutions that have emerged in response to man's search for meaning, purpose, and…

Labrets in Africa and Amazonia: medical implications and cultural determinants.

PubMed

Garve, Roland; Garve, Miriam; Türp, Jens C; Meyer, Christian G

2017-02-01

The custom of wearing labrets has a long tradition. Labrets appeared independently several thousand years ago in various culture groups in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. Today, apart from diverse body modifications as increasingly practiced in western civilisations, lip plates and plugs are found among a small number of tribal groups only in Africa and Amazonia. We summarise the history of labrets in different societies, describe medical consequences of wearing lip plates and plugs for jaws and teeth and address relevant cultural issues. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Climate change influences on the potential geographic distribution of the disease vector tick Ixodes ricinus

PubMed Central

Peterson, A. Townsend; Samy, Abdallah M.

2017-01-01

Background Ixodes ricinus is a species of hard tick that transmits several important diseases in Europe and North Africa, including Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis. Climate change is affecting the geographic distributions and abundances of arthropod vectors, which in turn influence the geographic distribution and epidemiology of associated vector-borne diseases. To date, few studies have investigated effects of climate change on the spatial distribution of I. ricinus at continental extents. Here, we assessed the potential distribution of I. ricinus under current and future climate conditions to understand how climate change will influence the geographic distribution of this important tick vector in coming decades. Method We used ecological niche modeling to estimate the geographic distribution of I. ricinus with respect to current climate, and then assessed its future potential distribution under different climate change scenarios. This approach integrates occurrence records of I. ricinus with six relevant environmental variables over a continental extent that includes Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Future projections were based on climate data from 17 general circulation models (GCMs) under 2 representative concentration pathway emissions scenarios (RCPs), for the years 2050 and 2070. Result The present and future potential distributions of I. ricinus showed broad overlap across most of western and central Europe, and in more narrow zones in eastern and northern Europe, and North Africa. Potential expansions were observed in northern and eastern Europe. These results indicate that I. ricinus populations could emerge in areas in which they are currently lacking, posing increased risks to human health in those areas. However, the future of I. ricinus ticks in some important regions such the Mediterranean was unclear owing to high uncertainty in model predictions. PMID:29206879

The 1430s: a cold period of extraordinary internal climate variability during the early Spörer Minimum with social and economic impacts in north-western and central Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camenisch, Chantal; Keller, Kathrin M.; Salvisberg, Melanie; Amann, Benjamin; Bauch, Martin; Blumer, Sandro; Brázdil, Rudolf; Brönnimann, Stefan; Büntgen, Ulf; Campbell, Bruce M. S.; Fernández-Donado, Laura; Fleitmann, Dominik; Glaser, Rüdiger; González-Rouco, Fidel; Grosjean, Martin; Hoffmann, Richard C.; Huhtamaa, Heli; Joos, Fortunat; Kiss, Andrea; Kotyza, Oldřich; Lehner, Flavio; Luterbacher, Jürg; Maughan, Nicolas; Neukom, Raphael; Novy, Theresa; Pribyl, Kathleen; Raible, Christoph C.; Riemann, Dirk; Schuh, Maximilian; Slavin, Philip; Werner, Johannes P.; Wetter, Oliver

2016-12-01

Changes in climate affected human societies throughout the last millennium. While European cold periods in the 17th and 18th century have been assessed in detail, earlier cold periods received much less attention due to sparse information available. New evidence from proxy archives, historical documentary sources and climate model simulations permit us to provide an interdisciplinary, systematic assessment of an exceptionally cold period in the 15th century. Our assessment includes the role of internal, unforced climate variability and external forcing in shaping extreme climatic conditions and the impacts on and responses of the medieval society in north-western and central Europe.Climate reconstructions from a multitude of natural and anthropogenic archives indicate that the 1430s were the coldest decade in north-western and central Europe in the 15th century. This decade is characterised by cold winters and average to warm summers resulting in a strong seasonal cycle in temperature. Results from comprehensive climate models indicate consistently that these conditions occurred by chance due to the partly chaotic internal variability within the climate system. External forcing like volcanic eruptions tends to reduce simulated temperature seasonality and cannot explain the reconstructions. The strong seasonal cycle in temperature reduced food production and led to increasing food prices, a subsistence crisis and a famine in parts of Europe. Societies were not prepared to cope with failing markets and interrupted trade routes. In response to the crisis, authorities implemented numerous measures of supply policy and adaptation such as the installation of grain storage capacities to be prepared for future food production shortfalls.

Migration in southern Africa: a comparative perspective.

PubMed

Solomon, H

1994-01-01

Population movement can be described as intra-state, East-West, South-North, and South-South. About 20 million persons globally are considered displaced, of which about 4.1 million are internally displaced persons in South Africa. East-West movement occurred for over 400 million when the Iron Curtain came down. South-North movements of asylum seekers were estimated at 442,000 in 1990. South-South movement amounted to 4 million official refugees in Africa in 1989 and 4.4 million in 1990. African has the largest concentration of refugees. This article does not address the 265,825 contract migrant workers in South Africa. South African migration is the South-South type and can be characterized as "brain-drain" of well-trained professionals in neighboring states and unskilled and illegal migrants from Mozambique and Angola. Movement is pushed or pulled according to sociocultural factors, communications and technology, geographic proximity, precedent, demographic factors, environmental factors, economic factors, and political factors. The effects of migration in South Africa include increased stress on housing, political and social tension, increased costs, overcrowding, transmission of disease, and marginalization of migrants into low status and low paid jobs. For Lesotho migrants in South Africa remittances are a major source of national wealth. South Africa has also experienced racial discord against Mozambicans and Chinese. Political right wing groups mobilize around anti-immigration platforms. Migrants can become policy tools, and many are used in wars of liberation. International attention may focus on mistreatment of refugees. Management can be construed as "carrot" or "stick" approaches. Stick approaches include forced repatriation, limiting immigration, housing in survival-level camps, public campaigns run by host countries in sending countries, or greater control of national borders. South Africa has extensively used stick approaches, which have been only

Evolution around the Red Sea: Systematics and biogeography of the agamid genus Pseudotrapelus (Squamata: Agamidae) from North Africa and Arabia.

PubMed

Tamar, Karin; Scholz, Sebastian; Crochet, Pierre-André; Geniez, Philippe; Meiri, Shai; Schmitz, Andreas; Wilms, Thomas; Carranza, Salvador

2016-04-01

Since the Oligocene, regions adjacent to the Red Sea have experienced major environmental changes, from tectonic movements and continuous geological activity to shifting climatic conditions. The effect of these events on the distribution and diversity of the regional biota is still poorly understood. Agamid members of the genus Pseudotrapelus are diurnal, arid-adapted lizards distributed around the Red Sea from north-eastern Africa, across the mountains and rocky plateaus of the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas northwards to Syria. Despite recent taxonomic work and the interest in the group as a model for studying biogeographic and diversity patterns of the arid areas of North Africa and Arabia, its taxonomy is poorly understood and a comprehensive phylogeny is still lacking. In this study, we analyzed 92 Pseudotrapelus specimens from across the entire distribution range of the genus. We included all known species and subspecies, and sequenced them for mitochondrial (16S, ND4 and tRNAs) and nuclear (MC1R, c-mos) markers. This enabled us to obtain the first time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of the genus, using gene trees, species trees and coalescent-based methods for species delimitation. Our results revealed Pseudotrapelus as a monophyletic genus comprised of two major clades and six independently evolving lineages. These lineages correspond to the five currently recognized species and a sixth lineage relating to the synonymized P. neumanni. The subspecific validity of P. sinaitus werneri needs further assessment as it does not form a distinct cluster relative to P. s. sinaitus. The onset of Pseudotrapelus diversification is estimated to have occurred in Arabia during the late Miocene. Radiation has likely resulted from vicariance and dispersal events due to the continued geological instability, sea level fluctuations and climatic changes within the region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Circum-Mediterranean phylogeography of a bat coupled with past environmental niche modeling: A new paradigm for the recolonization of Europe?

PubMed

Bilgin, Raşit; Gürün, Kanat; Rebelo, Hugo; Puechmaille, Sebastien J; Maracı, Öncü; Presetnik, Primoz; Benda, Petr; Hulva, Pavel; Ibáñez, Carlos; Hamidovic, Daniela; Fressel, Norma; Horáček, Ivan; Karataş, Ayşegül; Karataş, Ahmet; Allegrini, Benjamin; Georgiakakis, Panagiotis; Gazaryan, Suren; Nagy, Zoltan L; Abi-Said, Mounir; Lučan, Radek K; Bartonička, Tomáš; Nicolaou, Haris; Scaravelli, Dino; Karapandža, Branko; Uhrin, Marcel; Paunović, Milan; Juste, Javier

2016-06-01

The isolation of populations in the Iberian, Italian and Balkan peninsulas during the ice ages define four main paradigms that explain much of the known distribution of intraspecific genetic diversity in Europe. In this study we investigated the phylogeography of a wide-spread bat species, the bent-winged bat, Miniopterus schreibersii around the Mediterranean basin and in the Caucasus. Environmental Niche Modeling (ENM) analysis was applied to predict both the current distribution of the species and its distribution during the last glacial maximum (LGM). The combination of genetics and ENM results suggest that the populations of M. schreibersii in Europe, the Caucasus and Anatolia went extinct during the LGM, and the refugium for the species was a relatively small area to the east of the Levantine Sea, corresponding to the Mediterranean coasts of present-day Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and northeastern and northwestern Egypt. Subsequently the species first repopulated Anatolia, diversified there, and afterwards expanded into the Caucasus, continental Europe and North Africa after the end of the LGM. The fossil record in Iberia and the ENM results indicate continuous presence of Miniopterus in this peninsula that most probably was related to the Maghrebian lineage during the LGM, which did not persist afterwards. Using our results combined with similar findings in previous studies, we propose a new paradigm explaining the general distribution of genetic diversity in Europe involving the recolonization of the continent, with the main contribution from refugial populations in Anatolia and the Middle East. The study shows how genetics and ENM approaches can complement each other in providing a more detailed picture of intraspecific evolution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Africa and International Policy Making for Lifelong Learning: Textual Revelations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preece, Julia

2013-01-01

This paper discusses the relationship between international agendas for lifelong learning and financial aid for low income countries, especially those on the African continent. It argues that there are subtle differences in terminology written by policymakers respectively in Europe and South Africa for lifelong learning but that international…

Abortion and Islam: policies and practice in the Middle East and North Africa.

PubMed

Hessini, Leila

2007-05-01

This paper provides an overview of legal, religious, medical and social factors that serve to support or hinder women's access to safe abortion services in the 21 predominantly Muslim countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where one in ten pregnancies ends in abortion. Reform efforts, including progressive interpretations of Islam, have resulted in laws allowing for early abortion on request in two countries; six others permit abortion on health grounds and three more also allow abortion in cases of rape or fetal impairment. However, medical and social factors limit access to safe abortion services in all but Turkey and Tunisia. To address this situation, efforts are increasing in a few countries to introduce post-abortion care, document the magnitude of unsafe abortion and understand women's experience of unplanned pregnancy. Religious fatāwa have been issued allowing abortions in certain circumstances. An understanding of variations in Muslim beliefs and practices, and the interplay between politics, religion, history and reproductive rights is key to understanding abortion in different Muslim societies. More needs to be done to build on efforts to increase women's rights, engage community leaders, support progressive religious leaders and government officials and promote advocacy among health professionals.

The Implications of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease on Public Health Policy and Health Promotion in South Africa

PubMed Central

Reddy, Sasiragha Priscilla; Mbewu, Anthony David

2016-01-01

The developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis states that environmental influences in utero and in early life can determine health and disease in later life through the programming of genes and/or altered gene expression. The DOHaD is likely to have had an effect in South Africa during the fifty years of apartheid; and during the twenty years since the dawn of democracy in 1994. This has profound implications for public health and health promotion policies in South Africa, a country experiencing increased prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and risk factors and behaviours for NCDs due to rapid social and economic transition, and because of the DOHaD. Public health policy and health promotion interventions, such as those introduced by the South African Government over the past 20 years, were designed to improve the health of pregnant women (and their unborn children). They could in addition, through the DOHaD mechanism, reduce NCDs and their risk factors in their offspring in later life. The quality of public health data over the past 40 years in South Africa precludes the possibility of proving the DOHaD hypothesis in that context. Nevertheless, public health and health promotion policies need to be strengthened, if South Africa and other low and middle income countries (LMICs) are to avoid the very high prevalence of NCDs seen in Europe and North America in the 50 years following the Second World War, as a result of socio economic transition and the DOHaD. PMID:27834861

The Implications of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease on Public Health Policy and Health Promotion in South Africa.

PubMed

Reddy, Sasiragha Priscilla; Mbewu, Anthony David

2016-11-09

The developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis states that environmental influences in utero and in early life can determine health and disease in later life through the programming of genes and/or altered gene expression. The DOHaD is likely to have had an effect in South Africa during the fifty years of apartheid; and during the twenty years since the dawn of democracy in 1994. This has profound implications for public health and health promotion policies in South Africa, a country experiencing increased prevalence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and risk factors and behaviours for NCDs due to rapid social and economic transition, and because of the DOHaD. Public health policy and health promotion interventions, such as those introduced by the South African Government over the past 20 years, were designed to improve the health of pregnant women (and their unborn children). They could in addition, through the DOHaD mechanism, reduce NCDs and their risk factors in their offspring in later life. The quality of public health data over the past 40 years in South Africa precludes the possibility of proving the DOHaD hypothesis in that context. Nevertheless, public health and health promotion policies need to be strengthened, if South Africa and other low and middle income countries (LMICs) are to avoid the very high prevalence of NCDs seen in Europe and North America in the 50 years following the Second World War, as a result of socio economic transition and the DOHaD.

Belgian speleothems from the Last Interglacial: insights in the onset of glacial conditions in north western Europe.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vansteenberge, Stef; Verheyden, Sophie; Cheng, Hai; Edwards, Lawrence R.; Keppens, Eddy; Claeys, Philippe

2015-04-01

Currently, a dataset combining at least four speleothems from two different cave systems in southern Belgium (Han-sur-Lesse and Remouchamps) is being constructed to improve the understanding of the termination of the Eemian and the millennial to decadal variability of the Early Glacial times in north western Europe. Here, one of those speleothems is presented. The Han-stm-9 (or 'Triptyque') speleothem is a broken, 68 cm long and candle-shaped stalagmite from the Han-sur-Lesse cave system. The stalagmite was collected in summer 2013 within the southern part of the cave network and was dated between ~126 and ~99ka. Most likely, climate optimum conditions during the 130-125ka interval are linked to the growth of this and other speleothems from Belgian caves. This particular speleothem gained interest because of the partial conformity with the continental interglacial period in northern western Europe (130 - 118ka) and its dense calcite composition with visible layering, excluding post-depositional deformation. Furthermore, the stalagmite displays a complex growth history, with large variations in growth rates (ranging from and periods of ceased speleothem formation. Two hiatuses, with a distinct macroscopic expression, occur. The first one starts at 118.4ka and lasts until 113.0ka. A second hiatus is situated between ~108ka and 103.7ka. A trend in growth rate, consisting of slow growth gradually increasing towards very fast speleothem formation before both hiatuses, is observed. These intervals with very high growth rates, for instance around 118ka, enable high-resolution climate reconstructions via stable isotopes (δ18O and δ13C) and trace elements (Mg, Sr, Ba and P), down to centennial and decadal scale. The timing of the first hiatus corresponds with Greenland Stadial 26 and with the generally accepted termination of the Eemian in northern Europe at 119-118ka. Also, preliminary stable isotope studies have indicated a large detoriation of δ13C occurring right

Cumulative Total Middle East/North Africa Freshwater Losses as Seen by NASA GRACE, 2002-15

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-12-08

Cumulative total freshwater losses in North Africa and the Middle East from 2002 to 2015 (in inches) observed by NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission. Total water refers to all of the snow, surface water, soil water and groundwater combined. Groundwater depletion in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, and along the Arabian Peninsula, are leading to large changes in total water storage in the region. Likewise, drought and groundwater pumping is contributing to the drying of the Caspian Sea Region. The Northwest Sahara Aquifer System, which underlies Tunisia and Libya, is also experiencing increasing water stress as shown in the map. Image updated from Voss et al., 2013. Citation of Record: Voss, K. A., J. S. Famiglietti, M. Lo, C. R. de Linage, M. Rodell and S. C. Swenson, Groundwater depletion in the Middle East from GRACE with Implications for Transboundary Water Management in the Tigris-Euphrates-Western Iran Region, Wat. Resour. Res., 49(2), 904-914, DOI: 10.1002/wrcr.20078. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20207

Systematic review of breast cancer biology in developing countries (part 1): Africa, the middle East, eastern europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and South america.

PubMed

Bhikoo, Riyaz; Srinivasa, Sanket; Yu, Tzu-Chieh; Moss, David; Hill, Andrew G

2011-05-13

There has been no systematic appraisal of ethnicity-based variations in breast cancer (BC) biology amongst women from developing countries. A qualitative systematic review was conducted of breast cancer size, stage, grade, histological type, extra-mammary involvement, hormone receptor status as well as patient demographics. This review includes patients from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and South America. BC in these regions present at an earlier age with large aggressive tumours. Distant metastases are frequently present at the time of diagnosis. African women have a higher frequency of triple negative tumours. Over half of Middle Eastern women have lymph node involvement at the time of diagnosis. Despite experiencing a lower incidence compared to the Ashkenazi Jewish population, Palestinian women have poorer five-year survival outcomes. The majority of women from Mexico and South America have stage two or three disease whilst over sixty percent of women from Eastern Europe have either stage one or stage two disease. The biological characteristics of BC in the Caribbean cannot be fully assessed due to a paucity of data from the region. BC amongst the developing world is characterised by an early peak age of onset with aggressive biological characteristics. Strategies that improve breast cancer awareness, address amenable risk factors and improve early detection are essential.

Dust Optical Properties Over North Africa and Arabian Peninsula Derived from the AERONET Dataset

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, D.; Chin, M.; Yu, H.; Eck, T. F.; Sinyuk, A.; Smirnov, A.; Holben, B. N.

2011-01-01

Dust optical properties over North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula are extracted from the quality assured multi-year datasets obtained at 14 sites of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET). We select the data with (a) large aerosol optical depth (AOD >= 0.4 at 440 nm) and (b) small Angstrom exponent (A(sub ext)<= 0.2) for retaining high accuracy and reducing interference of non-dust aerosols. The result indicates that the major fraction of high aerosol optical depth days are dominated by dust over these sites even though it varies depending on location and time. We have found that the annual mean and standard deviation of single scattering albedo, asymmetry parameter, real refractive index, and imaginary refractive index for Saharan and Arabian desert dust is 0.944 +/- 0.005, 0.752 +/- 0.014, 1.498 +/- 0.032, and 0.0024 +/- 0.0034 at 550 nm wavelength, respectively. Dust aerosol selected by this method is less absorbing than the previously reported values over these sites. The weaker absorption of dust from this study is consistent with the studies using remote sensing techniques from satellite. These results can help to constrain uncertainties in estimating global dust shortwave radiative forcing.

The Carpathian range represents a weak genetic barrier in South-East Europe

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In the present study we have assessed whether the Carpathian Mountains represent a genetic barrier in East Europe. Therefore, we have analyzed the mtDNA of 128 native individuals of Romania: 62 of them from the North of Romania, and 66 from South Romania. Results We have analyzed their mtDNA variability in the context of other European and Near Eastern populations through multivariate analyses. The results show that regarding the mtDNA haplogroup and haplotype distributions the Romanian groups living outside the Carpathian range (South Romania) displayed some degree of genetic differentiation compared to those living within the Carpahian range (North Romania). Conclusion The main differentiation between the mtDNA variability of the groups from North and South Romania can be attributed to the demographic movements from East to West (prehistoric or historic) that differently affected in these regions, suggesting that the Carpathian mountain range represents a weak genetic barrier in South-East Europe. PMID:24885208

Phylogeographic Patterns in Africa and High Resolution Delineation of Genetic Clades in the Lion (Panthera leo)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertola, L. D.; Jongbloed, H.; van der Gaag, K. J.; de Knijff, P.; Yamaguchi, N.; Hooghiemstra, H.; Bauer, H.; Henschel, P.; White, P. A.; Driscoll, C. A.; Tende, T.; Ottosson, U.; Saidu, Y.; Vrieling, K.; de Iongh, H. H.

2016-08-01

Comparative phylogeography of African savannah mammals shows a congruent pattern in which populations in West/Central Africa are distinct from populations in East/Southern Africa. However, for the lion, all African populations are currently classified as a single subspecies (Panthera leo leo), while the only remaining population in Asia is considered to be distinct (Panthera leo persica). This distinction is disputed both by morphological and genetic data. In this study we introduce the lion as a model for African phylogeography. Analyses of mtDNA sequences reveal six supported clades and a strongly supported ancestral dichotomy with northern populations (West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa/Asia) on one branch, and southern populations (North East Africa, East/Southern Africa and South West Africa) on the other. We review taxonomies and phylogenies of other large savannah mammals, illustrating that similar clades are found in other species. The described phylogeographic pattern is considered in relation to large scale environmental changes in Africa over the past 300,000 years, attributable to climate. Refugial areas, predicted by climate envelope models, further confirm the observed pattern. We support the revision of current lion taxonomy, as recognition of a northern and a southern subspecies is more parsimonious with the evolutionary history of the lion.

Phylogeographic Patterns in Africa and High Resolution Delineation of Genetic Clades in the Lion (Panthera leo).

PubMed

Bertola, L D; Jongbloed, H; van der Gaag, K J; de Knijff, P; Yamaguchi, N; Hooghiemstra, H; Bauer, H; Henschel, P; White, P A; Driscoll, C A; Tende, T; Ottosson, U; Saidu, Y; Vrieling, K; de Iongh, H H

2016-08-04

Comparative phylogeography of African savannah mammals shows a congruent pattern in which populations in West/Central Africa are distinct from populations in East/Southern Africa. However, for the lion, all African populations are currently classified as a single subspecies (Panthera leo leo), while the only remaining population in Asia is considered to be distinct (Panthera leo persica). This distinction is disputed both by morphological and genetic data. In this study we introduce the lion as a model for African phylogeography. Analyses of mtDNA sequences reveal six supported clades and a strongly supported ancestral dichotomy with northern populations (West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa/Asia) on one branch, and southern populations (North East Africa, East/Southern Africa and South West Africa) on the other. We review taxonomies and phylogenies of other large savannah mammals, illustrating that similar clades are found in other species. The described phylogeographic pattern is considered in relation to large scale environmental changes in Africa over the past 300,000 years, attributable to climate. Refugial areas, predicted by climate envelope models, further confirm the observed pattern. We support the revision of current lion taxonomy, as recognition of a northern and a southern subspecies is more parsimonious with the evolutionary history of the lion.

Phylogeographic Patterns in Africa and High Resolution Delineation of Genetic Clades in the Lion (Panthera leo)

PubMed Central

Bertola, L. D.; Jongbloed, H.; van der Gaag, K. J.; de Knijff, P.; Yamaguchi, N.; Hooghiemstra, H.; Bauer, H.; Henschel, P.; White, P. A.; Driscoll, C. A.; Tende, T.; Ottosson, U.; Saidu, Y.; Vrieling, K.; de Iongh, H. H.

2016-01-01

Comparative phylogeography of African savannah mammals shows a congruent pattern in which populations in West/Central Africa are distinct from populations in East/Southern Africa. However, for the lion, all African populations are currently classified as a single subspecies (Panthera leo leo), while the only remaining population in Asia is considered to be distinct (Panthera leo persica). This distinction is disputed both by morphological and genetic data. In this study we introduce the lion as a model for African phylogeography. Analyses of mtDNA sequences reveal six supported clades and a strongly supported ancestral dichotomy with northern populations (West Africa, Central Africa, North Africa/Asia) on one branch, and southern populations (North East Africa, East/Southern Africa and South West Africa) on the other. We review taxonomies and phylogenies of other large savannah mammals, illustrating that similar clades are found in other species. The described phylogeographic pattern is considered in relation to large scale environmental changes in Africa over the past 300,000 years, attributable to climate. Refugial areas, predicted by climate envelope models, further confirm the observed pattern. We support the revision of current lion taxonomy, as recognition of a northern and a southern subspecies is more parsimonious with the evolutionary history of the lion. PMID:27488946

Allergy and immunology in Africa: Challenges and unmet needs.

PubMed

El-Gamal, Yehia M; Hossny, Elham M; El-Sayed, Zeinab A; Reda, Shereen M

2017-11-01

The tremendous increase in allergy in the African continent cannot simply be explained by the change in public hygiene. There are many "prehygiene" communities with sewage-contaminated water supplies, helminth infestations, bare footedness, and poor housing, and still there is a high prevalence of allergic disease. Africans can be exposed to many risk factors facilitating severe asthma and wheezing, including airborne viruses, smoke, indoor dampness, cockroaches, and poor access to health care. Although the reporting on food allergy is inadequate to perform systematic reviews or meta-analyses, the available data suggest that food allergy is underdiagnosed. The rate of new HIV infections in high-prevalence settings in Africa remains unacceptably high. Although the annual number of new HIV infections in Sub-Saharan Africa has decreased lately, new HIV infections in the Middle East and North Africa region have increased; however, the current prevalence of 0.1% is still among the lowest globally. Africa is densely populated, and consanguineous mating is high in some areas of North and Sub-Saharan Africa. This allows for emergence of many autosomal recessive primary immunodeficiency diseases. There is urgent need for the establishment of primary immunodeficiency disease registries, stem cell transplantation facilities, and neonatal screening programs. To address these expanding problems and perform local cutting-edge research, Africans need to be empowered by motivated governments, dedicated funds, and compassionate scientific partnership. Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dynamical downscaling with WRF for the Middle-East and North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dezfuli, A. K.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Badr, H. S.; Bergaoui, K.; Zaaboul, R.; Bhattacharjee, P.

2014-12-01

The Middle-East and North Africa (MENA) experience the highest risk of water stress in the world. This underlines the importance of climate analysis for water resources management and climate change adaptation for this region, particularly in transboundary basins such as the Tigris-Euphrates system. Such analysis, however, is difficult due to a paucity of high quality precipitation data. The network of gauge stations is quite sparse and the data are often available only at monthly time-scale. Satellite-based products, such as the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), offer better temporal resolution; however, these data are available only for periods that are short for hydroclimatic analysis, and they often misrepresent precipitation over regions with complex topography or strong convection. To fill this gap, we have implemented the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, initialized with the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis II, to generate high-resolution precipitation estimates for MENA. Several sensitivity analyses have been performed in order to find a set of physics parameters that appropriately captures the annual cycle and year-to-year variability of rainfall over select areas in MENA. The results show that WRF, particularly over highlands, estimates the precipitation more accurately than the satellite products. In addition to these reanalysis-driven simulations, we have performed several simulations using the historical and twenty first century outputs of a select number of GCMs available at the CMIP5 archive. These runs enable us to detect changes in rainfall behavior under different greenhouse gas scenarios and reveal synoptic to mesoscale mechanisms responsible for such changes.

Africa and the AIDS myth.

PubMed

Versi, A

1990-04-01

The recently released television documentary, "Monkey Business, AIDS: The African Story," has created controversy in Europe with its premise that AIDS did not originate in Africa. Although AIDS 1st appeared in New York in 1981 and was not recorded in Africa until 1983, researchers and the media have promoted the theory that AIDS came from Africa through human contact with the green monkey. Subsequent research forced the original champions of this "green monkey connection" theory to acknowledge that the AIDS virus and the green monkey virus are so dissimilar that they could not be historically linked. Then, the focus turned to the theory that a remote pygmy tribe had been endemically infected with the AIDS virus and carried the disease, by airplane, out of the country. This theory, too, was refuted by the failure to locate any HIV-positive pygmies in the Central African Republic. Still determined to prove that AIDS did not have an American or European origin, researchers reported that blood testing conducted in 1984 revealed 50-90% of Africans to be HIV-infected. Retesting with a more accurate procedure revealed the rate of infectivity to be only 0.02%; yet the media have continued to portray Africa as the source of the AIDS scourge. Moreover, it appears that AIDS cases are actually overreported from Africa--not underreported--due to confusion with conditions such as malnutrition and tropical diseases. To some, this relentless drive to vilify Africa reflects racism. Others believe that it represents an effort to cover up the possibility that the AIDS virus is man-made--a result of an accident in gene technology or microbiology.

[[History of Community Health in Africa. The Swiss Medical Missionaries' Endeavour in South Africa].

PubMed

Mabika, Hines

2015-01-01

It was not Dutch settlers nor British colonizers who introduced public and community health practice in north-eastern South Africa but medical doctors of the Swiss mission in southern Africa. While the history of medical knowledge transfer into 19th-20th century Africa emphasises colonial powers, this paper shows how countries without colonies contributed to expand western medical cultures, including public health. The Swiss took advantage of the local authorities' negligence, and implemented their own model of medicalization of African societies, understood as the way of improving health standards. They moved from a tolerated hospital-centred medicine to the practice of community health, which was uncommon at the time. Elim hospital's physicians moved back boundaries of segregationist policies, and sometime gave the impression of being involved in the political struggle against Apartheid. Thus, Swiss public health activities could later be seen as sorts of seeds that were planted and would partly reappear in 1994 with the ANC-projected national health policy.

A Signal, from Human mtDNA, of Postglacial Recolonization in Europe

PubMed Central

Torroni, Antonio; Bandelt, Hans-Jürgen; Macaulay, Vincent; Richards, Martin; Cruciani, Fulvio; Rengo, Chiara; Martinez-Cabrera, Vicente; Villems, Richard; Kivisild, Toomas; Metspalu, Ene; Parik, Jüri; Tolk, Helle-Viivi; Tambets, Kristiina; Forster, Peter; Karger, Bernd; Francalacci, Paolo; Rudan, Pavao; Janicijevic, Branka; Rickards, Olga; Savontaus, Marja-Liisa; Huoponen, Kirsi; Laitinen, Virpi; Koivumäki, Satu; Sykes, Bryan; Hickey, Eileen; Novelletto, Andrea; Moral, Pedro; Sellitto, Daniele; Coppa, Alfredo; Al-Zaheri, Nadia; Santachiara-Benerecetti, A. Silvana; Semino, Ornella; Scozzari, Rosaria

2001-01-01

Mitochondrial HVS-I sequences from 10,365 subjects belonging to 56 populations/geographical regions of western Eurasia and northern Africa were first surveyed for the presence of the T→C transition at nucleotide position 16298, a mutation which has previously been shown to characterize haplogroup V mtDNAs. All mtDNAs with this mutation were then screened for a number of diagnostic RFLP sites, revealing two major subsets of mtDNAs. One is haplogroup V proper, and the other has been termed “pre*V,” since it predates V phylogenetically. The rather uncommon pre*V tends to be scattered throughout Europe (and northwestern Africa), whereas V attains two peaks of frequency: one situated in southwestern Europe and one in the Saami of northern Scandinavia. Geographical distributions and ages support the scenario that pre*V originated in Europe before the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), whereas the more recently derived haplogroup V arose in a southwestern European refugium soon after the LGM. The arrival of V in eastern/central Europe, however, occurred much later, possibly with (post-)Neolithic contacts. The distribution of haplogroup V mtDNAs in modern European populations would thus, at least in part, reflect the pattern of postglacial human recolonization from that refugium, affecting even the Saami. Overall, the present study shows that the dissection of mtDNA variation into small and well-defined evolutionary units is an essential step in the identification of spatial frequency patterns. Mass screening of a few markers identified using complete mtDNA sequences promises to be an efficient strategy for inferring features of human prehistory. PMID:11517423

A terrestrial Pliocene-Pleistocene temperature record from North-Western Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dearing Crampton Flood, Emily; Peterse, Francien; Munsterman, Dirk; Sinninghe Damste, Jaap

2016-04-01

The Mid-Pliocene Warm Period (MPWP) (ca 3.3 to 3.0 Ma) is the most recent geological interval that serves as an appropriate analogue to our current climate for two main reasons. Firstly, atmospheric CO2 levels were similar (400 - 450 ppmv) to present day levels. Secondly, continental configurations during the Pliocene were largely similar to the present day. The MPWP is especially interesting regarding future climate predictions as global temperatures were roughly 2 - 3 °C warmer than present, indicating that current climate may not yet be in equilibrium. Reconstructions of MPWP sea surface temperatures (SSTs) indicate SSTs were warmer than present, particularly at high latitudes (ΔSST = 2 - 6 °C). However, continental temperatures for this interval remain poorly constrained due to a lack of trustworthy proxies, and scarcity of terrestrial sedimentary archives. Here we analysed branched GDGTs (brGDGTs) in a sediment core from the Netherlands to reconstruct continental mean air temperatures (MAT) in North-Western Europe during the Early Pliocene to mid-Pleistocene. BrGDGTs are membrane lipids of organisms living predominantly in soils whose relative distributions relate with the temperature and pH of the soil in which they are biosynthesized. BrGDGTs can be delivered to coastal marine sediments by fluvially transported soil material. Due to the coastal position of the sample site, land-sea climate correlations can be studied by analysing temperature-sensitive marine biomarkers, i.e. alkenones and long chain diols, in the same sediment, and subsequently applying the Uk37', TEX86, and long chain diol index (LDI) paleothermometers. The obtained MAT record can be divided into four main events: two small 'glacial' events, the MPWP, and the onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciation marking the onset of the Pleistocene, the latter being characterized by unstable and fluctuating temperatures. The glacial periods have been tentatively assigned according to the De Schepper

Sub-Saharan Africa Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-07

mother of three is no militant feminist . She trained at Stellenbosch University and qualified in social work and community develop- ment. At the same...20402. Correspondence pertaining to matters other than procurement may be addressed to Joint Publications Research Service, 10OO North Glebe Road...Accelerate SA’s Aerodynamics Research (SCIENTIAE, Mär 86) 94 Ceramic Developments at South Africa’s NIMR (SCIENTIAE, Mar 86) 99 /7310