Nile River Fluctuations Near Khartoum, Sudan

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-08-29

Throughout history, the rising and falling waters of the mighty Nile River have directly impacted the lives of the people who live along its banks. These images of the area around Sudan's capital city of Khartoum capture the river's dynamic nature. Acquired by the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer's nadir (vertical-viewing) camera, they display the extent of the Nile waters before and after the onset of the rainy seasons of 2000 (top pair) and 2001 (bottom pair). The images are displayed in "false color," using the camera's near-infrared, green, and blue bands. With this particular spectral combination, water appears in shades of blue and turquoise, and highly vegetated areas show up as bright red. Originating in Uganda and Ethiopia, respectively, the waters of the White Nile (western branch) and Blue Nile (eastern branch) converge at Khartoum (about half-way between image center and the left-hand side), and continue to flow northward as the Great Nile. Although the most obvious feature in these images is the increased width of the White Nile between spring and summer, careful inspection shows that the Great Nile is at its widest in August 2001 (note in particular the area between the clouds near the top of this panel). Heavy rains in the Blue Nile catchment area of the Ethiopian highlands led to a rapid overflow of the river's floodwaters into the main stream of the Great Nile, leading to extensive flooding, the worst effects of which occurred north of Khartoum. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, tens of thousands of people have fled their homes, and the number of people in need of urgent food assistance in Sudan, estimated at three million earlier in the year, was likely to increase with the onset of these floods. South of the confluence of the White Nile and the Blue Nile, the area of a cross-hatched appearance is the irrigated plain of El Gezira. The Gezira irrigation scheme uses water from the Makwar Dam (now called

Screening reservoir systems by considering the efficient trade-offs—informing infrastructure investment decisions on the Blue Nile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geressu, Robel T.; Harou, Julien J.

2015-12-01

Multi-reservoir system planners should consider how new dams impact downstream reservoirs and the potential contribution of each component to coordinated management. We propose an optimized multi-criteria screening approach to identify best performing designs, i.e., the selection, size and operating rules of new reservoirs within multi-reservoir systems. Reservoir release operating rules and storage sizes are optimized concurrently for each separate infrastructure design under consideration. Outputs reveal system trade-offs using multi-dimensional scatter plots where each point represents an approximately Pareto-optimal design. The method is applied to proposed Blue Nile River reservoirs in Ethiopia, where trade-offs between total and firm energy output, aggregate storage and downstream irrigation and energy provision for the best performing designs are evaluated. This proof-of concept study shows that recommended Blue Nile system designs would depend on whether monthly firm energy or annual energy is prioritized. 39 TWh/yr of energy potential is available from the proposed Blue Nile reservoirs. The results show that depending on the amount of energy deemed sufficient, the current maximum capacities of the planned reservoirs could be larger than they need to be. The method can also be used to inform which of the proposed reservoir type and their storage sizes would allow for the highest downstream benefits to Sudan in different objectives of upstream operating objectives (i.e., operated to maximize either average annual energy or firm energy). The proposed approach identifies the most promising system designs, reveals how they imply different trade-offs between metrics of system performance, and helps system planners asses the sensitivity of overall performance to the design parameters of component reservoirs.

Determining the palaeodrainage of the Nile river from a provenance study of the Nile delta cone sediments: an on-going geochemical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fielding, Laura; Najman, Yani; Millar, Ian; Butterworth, Peter; Kneller, Ben; Garzanti, Eduardo

2013-04-01

This study documents the palaeodrainage history of the Nile River, in particular the time of transition from a small locally sourced drainage network to the initiation of an extensive Nile catchment, by conducting a provenance study of the well-dated Nile cone sediments. The identification of specific source inputs into the Nile cone has important implications for the prediction of reservoir quality and connectivity in hydrocarbon reservoirs. Presently, the Nile river drains as far south as south of Lake Victoria, with the White Nile draining largely Cratonic basement rocks of Archean to Proterozoic ages and the Blue Nile draining Cenozoic continental flood basalts and Neoproterozoic basement in Ethiopia. However, the timing of catchment expansion to its current extent is highly debated. There are a number of proposed palaeodrainage reconstructions, two of which are: A) The Blue Nile did not connect with the main (lower) Nile until the Late Messinian, and the White Nile did not connect with the lower Nile until at 0.5 Ma (e.g. Issawi and McCauley, 1992). In this model, the pre-Messinian Nile cone sediments are derived exclusively from the northern part of the present drainage basin, from the Red Sea Hills. B) The Blue Nile and Atbara Rivers have been connected to the main (lower) Nile since the Oligocene, simultaneous with large scale regional uplift and volcanism in the Ethiopian Highlands; with the river following a similar course to present day (Burke and Wells 1989). The palaeo-Nile cone sediments have the capacity to provide a unique archive of the river's highly debated palaeodrainage history. Our first objective was to characterise petrographically, geochemically and isotopically each possible source area (Ethiopian Flood Basalts, African Craton and Red Sea Hills) using a multidisciplinary approach in order to identify the presence (if any) of sediment from these sources in the delta core samples. Heavy mineral, petrographic, U-Pb zircon and rutile analyses

Advances in water resources research in the Upper Blue Nile basin and the way forward: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dile, Yihun Taddele; Tekleab, Sirak; Ayana, Essayas K.; Gebrehiwot, Solomon G.; Worqlul, Abeyou W.; Bayabil, Haimanote K.; Yimam, Yohannes T.; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Daggupati, Prasad; Karlberg, Louise; Srinivasan, Raghavan

2018-05-01

The Upper Blue Nile basin is considered as the lifeline for ∼250 million people and contributes ∼50 Gm3/year of water to the Nile River. Poor land management practices in the Ethiopian highlands have caused a significant amount of soil erosion, thereby threatening the productivity of the Ethiopian agricultural system, degrading the health of the aquatic ecosystem, and shortening the life of downstream reservoirs. The Upper Blue Nile basin, because of limited research and availability of data, has been considered as the "great unknown." In the recent past, however, more research has been published. Nonetheless, there is no state-of-the-art review that presents research achievements, gaps and future directions. Hence, this paper aims to bridge this gap by reviewing the advances in water resources research in the basin while highlighting research needs and future directions. We report that there have been several research projects that try to understand the biogeochemical processes by collecting information on runoff, groundwater recharge, sediment transport, and tracers. Different types of hydrological models have been applied. Most of the earlier research used simple conceptual and statistical approaches for trend analysis and water balance estimations, mainly using rainfall and evapotranspiration data. More recent research has been using advanced semi-physically/physically based distributed hydrological models using high-resolution temporal and spatial data for diverse applications. We identified several research gaps and provided recommendations to address them. While we have witnessed advances in water resources research in the basin, we also foresee opportunities for further advancement. Incorporating the research findings into policy and practice will significantly benefit the development and transformation agenda of the Ethiopian government.

Climate Change Impact on Variability of Rainfall Intensity in Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worku, L. Y.

2015-12-01

Extreme rainfall events are major problems in Ethiopia with the resulting floods that usually could cause significant damage to agriculture, ecology, infrastructure, disruption to human activities, loss of property, loss of lives and disease outbreak. The aim of this study was to explore the likely changes of precipitation extreme changes due to future climate change. The study specifically focuses to understand the future climate change impact on variability of rainfall intensity-duration-frequency in Upper Blue Nile basin. Precipitations data from two Global Climate Models (GCMs) have been used in the study are HadCM3 and CGCM3. Rainfall frequency analysis was carried out to estimate quantile with different return periods. Probability Weighted Method (PWM) selected estimation of parameter distribution and L-Moment Ratio Diagrams (LMRDs) used to find the best parent distribution for each station. Therefore, parent distributions for derived from frequency analysis are Generalized Logistic (GLOG), Generalized Extreme Value (GEV), and Gamma & Pearson III (P3) parent distribution. After analyzing estimated quantile simple disaggregation model was applied in order to find sub daily rainfall data. Finally the disaggregated rainfall is fitted to find IDF curve and the result shows in most parts of the basin rainfall intensity expected to increase in the future. As a result of the two GCM outputs, the study indicates there will be likely increase of precipitation extremes over the Blue Nile basin due to the changing climate. This study should be interpreted with caution as the GCM model outputs in this part of the world have huge uncertainty.

Comprehensive assessment of soil erosion risk for better land use planning in river basins: Case study of the Upper Blue Nile River.

PubMed

Haregeweyn, Nigussie; Tsunekawa, Atsushi; Poesen, Jean; Tsubo, Mitsuru; Meshesha, Derege Tsegaye; Fenta, Ayele Almaw; Nyssen, Jan; Adgo, Enyew

2017-01-01

In the drought-prone Upper Blue Nile River (UBNR) basin of Ethiopia, soil erosion by water results in significant consequences that also affect downstream countries. However, there have been limited comprehensive studies of this and other basins with diverse agroecologies. We analyzed the variability of gross soil loss and sediment yield rates under present and expected future conditions using a newly devised methodological framework. The results showed that the basin generates an average soil loss rate of 27.5tha -1 yr -1 and a gross soil loss of ca. 473Mtyr -1 , of which, at least 10% comes from gully erosion and 26.7% leaves Ethiopia. In a factor analysis, variation in agroecology (average factor score=1.32) and slope (1.28) were the two factors most responsible for this high spatial variability. About 39% of the basin area is experiencing severe to very severe (>30tha -1 yr -1 ) soil erosion risk, which is strongly linked to population density. Severe or very severe soil erosion affects the largest proportion of land in three subbasins of the UBNR basin: Blue Nile 4 (53.9%), Blue Nile 3 (45.1%), and Jema Shet (42.5%). If appropriate soil and water conservation practices targeted ca. 77.3% of the area with moderate to severe erosion (>15tha -1 yr -1 ), the total soil loss from the basin could be reduced by ca. 52%. Our methodological framework identified the potential risk for soil erosion in large-scale zones, and with a more sophisticated model and input data of higher spatial and temporal resolution, results could be specified locally within these risk zones. Accurate assessment of soil erosion in the UBNR basin would support sustainable use of the basin's land resources and possibly open up prospects for cooperation in the Eastern Nile region. Copyright © 2016 Office national des forêts. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The monoamine oxidase inhibition properties of selected structural analogues of methylene blue

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

Delport, Anzelle

The thionine dye, methylene blue (MB), is a potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO) A, a property that may, at least in part, mediate its antidepressant effects in humans and animals. The central inhibition of MAO-A by MB has also been linked to serotonin toxicity (ST) which may arise when MB is used in combination with serotonergic drugs. Structural analogues and the principal metabolite of MB, azure B, have also been reported to inhibit the MAO enzymes, with all compounds exhibiting specificity for the MAO-A isoform. To expand on the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of MAO inhibition by MB analogues, themore » present study investigates the human MAO inhibition properties of five MB analogues: neutral red, Nile blue, new methylene blue, cresyl violet and 1,9-dimethyl methylene blue. Similar to MB, these analogues also are specific MAO-A inhibitors with cresyl violet (IC{sub 50} = 0.0037 μM), Nile blue (IC{sub 50} = 0.0077 μM) and 1,9-dimethyl methylene blue (IC{sub 50} = 0.018 μM) exhibiting higher potency inhibition compared to MB (IC{sub 50} = 0.07 μM). Nile blue also represents a potent MAO-B inhibitor with an IC{sub 50} value of 0.012 μM. From the results it may be concluded that non-thionine MB analogues (e.g. cresyl violet and Nile blue) also may exhibit potent MAO inhibition, a property which should be considered when using these compounds in pharmacological studies. Benzophenoxazines such as cresyl violet and Nile blue are, similar to phenothiazines (e.g. MB), representative of high potency MAO-A inhibitors with a potential risk of ST. - Highlights: • MB analogues, cresyl violet and Nile blue, are high potency MAO-A inhibitors. • Nile blue also represents a potent MAO-B inhibitor. • Potent MAO-A inhibition should alert to potential serotonin toxicity.« less

Community awareness of intestinal parasites and the prevalence of infection among community members of rural Abaye Deneba area, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Nyantekyi, Liza; Legesse, Mengistu; Medhin, Girmay; Animut, Abebe; Tadesse, Konjit; Macias, Chanda; Degarege, Abraham; Erko, Berhanu

2014-05-01

To assess the knowledge of Abaye Deneba community members regarding intestinal parasites and prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections. Knowledge about intestinal parasites was assessed by administering a questionnaire to 345 randomly selected household heads. Parasitological stool examination of 491 randomly selected individuals was done using the formol ether concentration technique. Knowledge of the Abaye Deneba community about parasitic diseases such as schistosomiasis, amoebiasis, ascariasis and taeniasis was very low. However, 204 (59.3%) members correctly responded that the cause of giardiasis is related to contaminated water and 176 (51.2%) knew how to prevent it. In some cases, respondents did correctly identify causes, symptoms of intestinal parasite infection and ways to prevent it, but they did not accurately link it to the appropriate disease caused by the different intestinal parasite species. Among the 491 stool samples examined, 50.2% of study participants showed infection with at least one intestinal parasite. Schistosoma mansoni was the most prevalent (41.3%) followed by Trichuris trichiura(9.4%), Ascaris lumbricoides (8.4%), Taenia saginata (2.4%), Enterobius vermicularis (2.0%) and hookworm (0.4%). Prevalence of schistosomiasis was highest in men aged 15-24 years. Intestinal parasitic infection is highly prevalent in communities of the Abaye Deneba area. Nevertheless, the knowledge of the community members about the parasite is less. Implementation of preventive chemotherapy, supplemented with health education, provision and use of sanitary facilities would be recommended to reduce morbidity and control transmission of intestinal parasites in this area.

The monoamine oxidase inhibition properties of selected structural analogues of methylene blue.

PubMed

Delport, Anzelle; Harvey, Brian H; Petzer, Anél; Petzer, Jacobus P

2017-06-15

The thionine dye, methylene blue (MB), is a potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidase (MAO) A, a property that may, at least in part, mediate its antidepressant effects in humans and animals. The central inhibition of MAO-A by MB has also been linked to serotonin toxicity (ST) which may arise when MB is used in combination with serotonergic drugs. Structural analogues and the principal metabolite of MB, azure B, have also been reported to inhibit the MAO enzymes, with all compounds exhibiting specificity for the MAO-A isoform. To expand on the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of MAO inhibition by MB analogues, the present study investigates the human MAO inhibition properties of five MB analogues: neutral red, Nile blue, new methylene blue, cresyl violet and 1,9-dimethyl methylene blue. Similar to MB, these analogues also are specific MAO-A inhibitors with cresyl violet (IC 50 =0.0037μM), Nile blue (IC 50 =0.0077μM) and 1,9-dimethyl methylene blue (IC 50 =0.018μM) exhibiting higher potency inhibition compared to MB (IC 50 =0.07μM). Nile blue also represents a potent MAO-B inhibitor with an IC 50 value of 0.012μM. From the results it may be concluded that non-thionine MB analogues (e.g. cresyl violet and Nile blue) also may exhibit potent MAO inhibition, a property which should be considered when using these compounds in pharmacological studies. Benzophenoxazines such as cresyl violet and Nile blue are, similar to phenothiazines (e.g. MB), representative of high potency MAO-A inhibitors with a potential risk of ST. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coordinating and Negotiating Blue Nile Water Resource Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geressu, R. T.; Harou, J. J.

2016-12-01

Many countries are proposing new reservoirs in transboundary river basins world-wide that impact downstream regions. Failure to consider and incorporate multiple stakeholder interests in system design and decision making could contribute to regional disputes. Negotiated introduction of new assets and associated coordination strategies (e.g. cost and power sharing arrangements) could reduce conflict and help achieve consensus. In multi-stakeholders problems, parties are likely to prioritize performance targets differently and hence will often prefer different water system designs, stalling negotiations. An ideal solution is where individual and group benefits are maximized by allocating (exchanging) resources according to the relative preferences of stakeholders. Hence, a negotiation support mechanism should be able to incorporate stakeholder preference information. In this paper, we propose a three-step search & deliberate, elicit preferences, and search & negotiate approach for supporting negotiations in complex infrastructure-environmental systems. The approach seeks to find designs and coordination mechanisms that are more beneficial than non-cooperative actions. The proposed approach is applied to a stylized Blue Nile reservoir design problem in Ethiopia seeking to set reservoir capacity and operating rules. We consider cost and energy performance metrics for Ethiopia and energy and irrigation water supply in Sudan. We use example stakeholder (i.e., Ethiopian and Sudanese) priorities for demonstration purpose. The result is an agreed system design and coordination schemes (co-financing and power trade). The application results demonstrate that incorporating coordination strategies, such as energy trade, cost sharing, and financing in assessing transboundary reservoir development options could help find compromise designs that different parties can support.

Predictability of current and future multi-river discharges: Ganges, Brahmaputra, Yangtze, Blue Nile, and Murray-Darling rivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jian, Jun

2007-12-01

Determining river discharge is of critical importance to many societies as they struggle with fresh water supply and risk of flooding. In Bangladesh, floods occur almost every year but with sufficient irregularity to have adverse social and economical consequences. Important goals are to predict the discharge to be used for the optimization of agricultural practices, disaster mitigation and water resource management. The aim of this study is to determine the predictability of river discharge in a number of major rivers on time scale varying from weeks to a century. We investigated predictability considering relationship between SST and discharge. Next, we consider IPCC model projections of river discharge while the models are statistically adjusted against observed discharges. In this study, we consider five rivers, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Yangtze, the Blue Nile, and the Murray-Darling Rivers. On seasonal time scales, statistically significant correlations are found between mean monthly equatorial Pacific sea surface temperature (SST) and the summer Ganges discharge with lead times of 2-3 months due to oscillations of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomena. In addition, there are strong correlations in the southwest and northeast Pacific. These, too, appear to be tied to the ENSO cycle. The Brahmaputra discharge, on the other hand, shows somewhat weaker relationships with tropical SST. Strong lagged correlations relationships are found with SST in the Bay of Bengal but these are the result of very warm SSTs and exceptional Brahmaputra discharge during the summer of 1998. When this year is removed from the time series, relationships weaken everywhere except in the northwestern Pacific for the June discharge and in areas of the central Pacific straddling the equator for the July discharge. The relationships are relative strong, but they are persistent from month to month and suggest that two different and sequential factors influence Brahmaputra

Personnel scheduling using an integer programming model- an application at Avanti Blue-Nile Hotels.

PubMed

Kassa, Biniyam Asmare; Tizazu, Anteneh Eshetu

2013-01-01

In this paper, we report perhaps a first of its kind application of management science in the Ethiopian hotel industry. Avanti Blue Nile Hotels, a newly established five star hotel in Bahir Dar, is the company for which we developed an integer programming model that determines an optimal weekly shift schedule for the Hotel's engineering department personnel while satisfying several constraints including weekly rest requirements per employee, rest requirements between working shifts per employee, required number of personnel per shift, and other constraints. The model is implemented on an excel solver routine. The model enables the company's personnel department management to develop a fair personnel schedule as needed and to effectively utilize personnel resources while satisfying several technical, legal and economic requirements. These encouraging achievements make us optimistic about the gains other Ethiopian organizations can amass by introducing management science approaches in their management planning and decision making systems.

Permian and Triassic microfloral assemblages from the Blue Nile Basin, central Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawit, Enkurie L.

2014-11-01

Palynological investigation was carried out on surface samples from up to 400 m thick continental siliciclastic sediments, here referred to as “Fincha Sandstone”, in the Blue Nile Basin, central Ethiopia. One hundred sixty species were identified from 15 productive samples collected along a continuous road-cut exposure. Six informal palynological assemblage zones have been identified. These assemblage zones, in ascending order, are: “Central Ethiopian Permian Assemblage Zone - CEPAZ I”, earliest Permian (Asselian-Sakmarian); “CEPAZ II”, late Early Permian (Artinskian-Kungurian); CEPAZ III - Late Permian (Kazanian-Tatarian); “CETAZ IV”, Lower Triassic (Olenekian Induan); “CETAZ V”, Middle Triassic (Anisian Ladinian); “CETAZ VI”, Late Triassic (Carnian Norian). Tentative age ranges proposed herein are compared with faunally calibrated palynological zones in Gondwana. The overall composition and vertical distribution of miospores throughout the studied section reveals a wide variation both qualitatively and quantitatively. The high frequency of monosaccate pollen in CEPAZ I may reflect a Glossopterid-dominated upland flora in the earliest Permian. The succeeding zone is dominated by straite/taeniate disaccate pollen and polyplicates, suggesting a notable increase in diversity of glossopterids. The decline in the diversity of taeniate disaccate pollen and the concomitant rise in abundance of non-taeniate disaccates in CEPAZ III may suggest the decline in Glossopteris diversity, though no additional evidence is available to equate this change with End-Permian extinction. More diverse and dominant non-taeniate, disaccate, seed fern pollen assignable to FalcisporitesAlisporites in CETAZ IV may represent an earliest Triassic recovery flora. The introduction of new disaccate forms with thick, rigid sacci, such as Staurosaccites and Cuneatisporites, in CETAZ V and VI may indicate the emergence of new gymnospermous plants that might have favourably

Water balance dynamics in the Nile Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senay, Gabriel B.; Asante, Kwabena; Artan, Guleid A.

2009-01-01

Understanding the temporal and spatial dynamics of key water balance components of the Nile River will provide important information for the management of its water resources. This study used satellite-derived rainfall and other key weather variables derived from the Global Data Assimilation System to estimate and map the distribution of rainfall, actual evapotranspiration (ETa), and runoff. Daily water balance components were modelled in a grid-cell environment at 0·1 degree (∼10 km) spatial resolution for 7 years from 2001 through 2007. Annual maps of the key water balance components and derived variables such as runoff and ETa as a percent of rainfall were produced. Generally, the spatial patterns of rainfall and ETa indicate high values in the upstream watersheds (Uganda, southern Sudan, and southwestern Ethiopia) and low values in the downstream watersheds. However, runoff as a percent of rainfall is much higher in the Ethiopian highlands around the Blue Nile subwatershed. The analysis also showed the possible impact of land degradation in the Ethiopian highlands in reducing ETa magnitudes despite the availability of sufficient rainfall. Although the model estimates require field validation for the different subwatersheds, the runoff volume estimate for the Blue Nile subwatershed is within 7·0% of a figure reported from an earlier study. Further research is required for a thorough validation of the results and their integration with ecohydrologic models for better management of water and land resources in the various Nile Basin ecosystems.

Validation of new satellite rainfall products over the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tesfaye Ayehu, Getachew; Tadesse, Tsegaye; Gessesse, Berhan; Dinku, Tufa

2018-04-01

Accurate measurement of rainfall is vital to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of precipitation at various scales. However, the conventional rain gauge observations in many parts of the world such as Ethiopia are sparse and unevenly distributed. An alternative to traditional rain gauge observations could be satellite-based rainfall estimates. Satellite rainfall estimates could be used as a sole product (e.g., in areas with no (or poor) ground observations) or through integrating with rain gauge measurements. In this study, the potential of a newly available Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) rainfall product has been evaluated in comparison to rain gauge data over the Upper Blue Nile basin in Ethiopia for the period of 2000 to 2015. In addition, the Tropical Applications of Meteorology using SATellite and ground-based observations (TAMSAT 3) and the African Rainfall Climatology (ARC 2) products have been used as a benchmark and compared with CHIRPS. From the overall analysis at dekadal (10 days) and monthly temporal scale, CHIRPS exhibited better performance in comparison to TAMSAT 3 and ARC 2 products. An evaluation based on categorical/volumetric and continuous statistics indicated that CHIRPS has the greatest skills in detecting rainfall events (POD = 0.99, 1.00) and measure of volumetric rainfall (VHI = 1.00, 1.00), the highest correlation coefficients (r = 0.81, 0.88), better bias values (0.96, 0.96), and the lowest RMSE (28.45 mm dekad-1, 59.03 mm month-1) than TAMSAT 3 and ARC 2 products at dekadal and monthly analysis, respectively. CHIRPS overestimates the frequency of rainfall occurrence (up to 31 % at dekadal scale), although the volume of rainfall recorded during those events was very small. Indeed, TAMSAT 3 has shown a comparable performance with that of the CHIRPS product, mainly with regard to bias. The ARC 2 product was found to have the weakest performance underestimating rain gauge observed rainfall by

Building hydrologic information systems to promote climate resilience in the Blue Nile/Abay higlands

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Climate adaptation requires information about climate and land-surface conditions – spatially distributed, and at scales of human influence (the field scale). This article describes a project aimed at combining meteorological data, satellite remote sensing, hydrologic modeling, and downscaled clima...

Environmental light color affects the stress response of Nile tilapia.

PubMed

Maia, Caroline Marques; Volpato, Gilson Luiz

2013-02-01

We investigated the effects of environmental light colors (blue, yellow and white) on the stress responses (measured by changes in ventilatory frequency - VF) of Nile tilapia to confinement. After 7 days of light treatment, the VF was similar for fish in each color. On the 8th day, fish were confined for 15 min. After release, the post-confinement VF was measured six times (first period: 0, 2 and 4 min; second period: 6, 8 and 10 min). Irrespective of the light color treatment, confinement increased the VF to higher levels during the first post-confinement period than during the second one. When color was analyzed, irrespective of time, fish under white light increased their VF post-confinement, and blue light prevented this effect. We conclude that blue light is the preferred color for Nile tilapia in terms of reducing stress. This finding is in contrast to previous choice test studies that indicated that yellow is their preferred color. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Morphological changes of Gumara River channel over 50 years, upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abate, Mengiste; Nyssen, Jan; Steenhuis, Tammo S.; Moges, Michael M.; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Enku, Temesgen; Adgo, Enyew

2015-06-01

In response to anthropogenic disturbances, alluvial rivers adjust their geometry. The alluvial river channels in the upper Blue Nile basin have been disturbed by human-induced factors since a longtime. This paper examines channel adjustment along a 38-km stretch of the Gumara River which drains towards Lake Tana and then to the Blue Nile. Over a 50 years period, agriculture developed rapidly in the catchment and flooding of the alluvial plain has become more frequent in recent times. The objectives of this study were to document the changes in channel planform and cross-section of the Gumara River and to investigate whether the changes could have contributed to the frequent flooding or vice versa. Two sets of aerial photographs (1957 and 1980) were scanned, and then orthorectified. Recent channel planform information was extracted from SPOT images of 2006 and Google Earth. Channel planform and bed morphology (vertical changes) were determined for these nearly 50 years period. The vertical changes were determined based on aggradation along a permanent structure, historic information on river cross-sections at a hydrological gauging station, and field observations. The results indicate that the lower reach of Gumara near its mouth has undergone major planform changes. A delta with approx. 1.12 km2 of emerged land was created between 1957 and 1980 and an additional 1 km2 of land has been added between 1980 and 2006. The sinuosity of the river changed only slightly: negatively (-1.1% i.e. meandering decreased) for the period from 1957 to 1980 and positively (+3.0%) for the period 1980-2006. Comparison of cross-sections at the hydrological gauging station showed that the deepest point in the river bed aggraded by 2.91 m for the period 1963-2009. The importance of sediment deposition in the stream and on its banks is related to land degradation in the upper catchment, and to artificial rising of Lake Tana level that creates a backwater effect and sediment deposition in

21,000 years of Ethiopian African monsoon variability recorded in sediments of the western Nile deep-sea fan: impact of the Nile freshwater inflow for the Mediterranean thermo-haline circulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revel, Marie; Colin, Christophe; Bernasconi, Stephano; Combourieu-Nebout, Nathalie; Ducassou, Emmanuelle; Rolland, Yann; Bosch, Delphine

2014-05-01

The Nile delta sedimentation constitutes a continuous high resolution (1.6 mm/year) record of Ethiopian African monsoon regime intensity. Multiproxy analyses performed on core MS27PT recovered in hemipelagic Nile sediment margin (<90 km outward of the Rosetta mouth of the Nile) allow the quantification of the Saharan aeolian dust and the Blue/White Nile River suspended matter frequency fluctuations during the last 21 cal. ka BP. The radiogenic Sr and Nd isotopes, clay mineralogy, bulk elemental composition and palynological analyses reveal large changes in source components, oscillating between a dominant aeolian Saharan contribution during the LGM and the Late Holocene (~4 to 2 cal. ka BP), a dominant Blue/Atbara Nile River contribution during the early Holocene (15 to 8.4 cal. ka BP) and a probable White Nile River contribution during the Middle Holocene (8.4 to 4 cal. ka BP). The following main features are highlighted: 1. The rapid shift from the LGM arid conditions to the African Humid Period (AHP) started at about 15 cal. ka BP. AHP extends until 8.4 cal. ka BP, and we suggest that the Ethiopian African Monsoon maximum between 12 and 8 cal. ka BP is responsible for a larger Blue/Atbara Nile sediment load and freshwater input into the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. 2. The transition between the AHP and the arid Late Holocene is gradual and occurs in two main phases between 8.4 and 6.5 cal. ka BP and 6.5 to 3.2 cal. ka BP. We suggest that the main rain belt shifted southward from 8.4 to ~4 cal. ka BP and was responsible for progressively reduced sediment load and freshwater input into the eastern Mediterranean Sea. 3. The aridification along the Nile catchments occurred from ~4 to 2 cal. ka BP. A dry period, which culminates at 3.2 cal. ka BP, and seems to coincide with a re-establishment of increased oceanic primary productivity in the western Mediterranean Sea. We postulate that the decrease in thermo-haline water Mediterranean circulation could be part of a

A Urea Biosensor from Stacked Sol-Gel Films with Immobilized Nile Blue Chromoionophore and Urease Enzyme

PubMed Central

Alqasaimeh, Muawia Salameh; Heng, Lee Yook; Ahmad, Musa

2007-01-01

An optical urea biosensor was fabricated by stacking several layers of sol-gel films. The stacking of the sol-gel films allowed the immobilization of a Nile Blue chromoionophore (ETH 5294) and urease enzyme separately without the need of any chemical attachment procedure. The absorbance response of the biosensor was monitored at 550 nm, i.e. the deprotonation of the chromoionophore. This multi-layer sol-gel film format enabled higher enzyme loading in the biosensor to be achieved. The urea optical biosensor constructed from three layers of sol-gel films that contained urease demonstrated a much wider linear response range of up to 100 mM urea when compared with biosensors that constructed from 1-2 layers of films. Analysis of urea in urine samples with this optical urea biosensor yielded results similar to that determined by a spectrophotometric method using the reagent p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (R2 = 0.982, n = 6). The average recovery of urea from urine samples using this urea biosensor is approximately 103%.

Hydro-economic Risk Assessment in the Eastern Nile River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arjoon, D.; Tilmant, A.; Mohamed, Y.

2013-12-01

In 2011, the Ethiopian government announced plans for the construction of the Grand Renaissance Dam (GRD) on the Blue Nile, just east of its border with Sudan, at a cost of almost 5 billion dollars. The project is expected to generate over 15 TWh of energy and will include a reservoir of more than 60 km3 capacity, which roughly corresponds to the average annual flow of the Blue Nile. This project is part of a larger scheme, by the government, to expand its hydroelectric power capacity, however, the scheme faces strong opposition from downstream Egypt and Sudan. Egypt and Sudan are highly dependent on flows that originate in Ethiopia (it has been estimated that 86% of Nile flow originates in the Ethiopian highlands). The Ethiopian government argues that the dam would supply electricity for Ethiopians as well as generate surplus energy for export to neighboring countries. The Ethiopians also argue that the huge reservoir would generate positive externalities downstream by reducing floods and providing more constant and predictable lows. This study attempts to provide an independent analysis of the hydrologic and economic risks faced by downstream countries when GRD will be online. To achieve this, an integrated, stochastic hydro-economic model of the entire Eastern Nile basin is used to analyze various development and management scenarios. The results indicate that if countries agree to co- operative management of the Eastern Nile River basin, GRD would indeed significantly increase basin-wide benefits, especially in Ethiopia and in Sudan. An alternative management scenario, whereby GRD would be operated by Sudan and Egypt, does not yield significant economic gains in these countries. However, massive unilateral irrigation developments in Ethiopia will be detrimental for all countries, including Ethiopia itself, due to the huge opportunity costs involved.

Are we using the right fuel to drive hydrological models? A climate impact study in the Upper Blue Nile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liersch, Stefan; Tecklenburg, Julia; Rust, Henning; Dobler, Andreas; Fischer, Madlen; Kruschke, Tim; Koch, Hagen; Fokko Hattermann, Fred

2018-04-01

Climate simulations are the fuel to drive hydrological models that are used to assess the impacts of climate change and variability on hydrological parameters, such as river discharges, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration. Unlike with cars, where we know which fuel the engine requires, we never know in advance what unexpected side effects might be caused by the fuel we feed our models with. Sometimes we increase the fuel's octane number (bias correction) to achieve better performance and find out that the model behaves differently but not always as was expected or desired. This study investigates the impacts of projected climate change on the hydrology of the Upper Blue Nile catchment using two model ensembles consisting of five global CMIP5 Earth system models and 10 regional climate models (CORDEX Africa). WATCH forcing data were used to calibrate an eco-hydrological model and to bias-correct both model ensembles using slightly differing approaches. On the one hand it was found that the bias correction methods considerably improved the performance of average rainfall characteristics in the reference period (1970-1999) in most of the cases. This also holds true for non-extreme discharge conditions between Q20 and Q80. On the other hand, bias-corrected simulations tend to overemphasize magnitudes of projected change signals and extremes. A general weakness of both uncorrected and bias-corrected simulations is the rather poor representation of high and low flows and their extremes, which were often deteriorated by bias correction. This inaccuracy is a crucial deficiency for regional impact studies dealing with water management issues and it is therefore important to analyse model performance and characteristics and the effect of bias correction, and eventually to exclude some climate models from the ensemble. However, the multi-model means of all ensembles project increasing average annual discharges in the Upper Blue Nile catchment and a shift in seasonal

Major and trace element distribution in soil and sediments from the Egyptian central Nile Valley

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badawy, W. M.; Ghanim, E. H.; Duliu, O. G.; El Samman, H.; Frontasyeva, M. V.

2017-07-01

The distributions of 32 major and trace elements in 72 surface soil and sediment samples collected from the Asyut to Cairo Nile river section were determined by epithermal neutron activation analysis and compared with corresponding data for the Upper Continental Crust, North American Shale Composite, Average Soil and Average Sediment as well as suspended sediments from Congo and Upper Niger Rivers, in order to establish to which extent the Nile sedimentary material can be related to similar material all over the world as well as to local geology. Their relative distributions indicate the presence of detrital material of igneous origin, most probably resulting from weathering of the Ethiopian Highlands and transported by the Blue Nile, the Nile main tributary. The distributions of nickel, zinc, and arsenic contents suggest that the lower part of the Nile and its surroundings including the Nile Delta is not seriously polluted with heavy metals, so that, in spite of a human activity, which lasted four millennia, the Nile River continues to be less affected by any anthropogenic contamination.

Luminescence enhancement in nanocomposite consisting of polyvinyl alcohol incorporated gold nanoparticles and Nile blue 690 perchlorate.

PubMed

Chubinidze, Ketevan; Partsvania, Besarion; Sulaberidze, Tamaz; Khuskivadze, Aleksandre; Davitashvili, Elene; Koshoridze, Nana

2014-11-01

We have experimentally demonstrated that the emission of visible light from the polymer matrix doped with luminescent dye and gold nanoparticles (GNPs) can be enhanced with the use of surface plasmon coupling. GNPs can enhance the luminescence intensity of nearby luminescent dye because of the interactions between the dipole moments of the dye and the surface plasmon field of the GNPs. The electric charge on the GNPs and the distance between GNPs and luminescent dye molecules have a significant effect on the luminescence intensity, and this enhancement depends strongly upon the excitation wavelength of the pumping laser source. In particular, by matching the plasmon frequency of GNPs to the frequency of the laser light source we have observed a strong luminescence enhancement of the nanocomposite consisting of GNPs coupled with luminescent dye Nile blue 690 perchlorate. This ability of controlling luminescence can be beneficially used in developing contrast agents for highly sensitive and specific optical sensing and imaging. This opens new possibilities for plasmonic applications in the solar energy field.

West Nile virus in plasma is highly sensitive to methylene blue-light treatment.

PubMed

Mohr, Harald; Knüver-Hopf, Joseph; Gravemann, Ute; Redecker-Klein, Anette; Müller, Thomas H

2004-06-01

The epidemic of West Nile virus (WNV) in the US resulted in cases of transfusion-transmitted WNV. Effective pathogen reduction methods could have removed this infectious agent from the blood supply We have evaluated the efficacy of photodynamic treatment of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) with methylene blue (MB), a decontamination method applied in several European countries. FFP units (300 ml each) were spiked with WNV. MB was added, and the units were illuminated with white or monochromatic yellow light. WNV infectivity was determined by bioassay. WNV-RNA was quantitated by real-time PCR. The inactivation of WNV was investigated under standard and under suboptimal conditions, respectively. In addition, rechallenge experiments with multiple addition of WNV at maximal load (approx. 105 CFU/ml) and repeated illumination without replenishing MB were performed. Complete inactivation of WNV was achieved by MB (0.8-1 mmol/l) and illumination with white light (30,000-45,000 Lux) within 2 min. White yellow light 20-40 J/cm(2) (2.5-5 min) were sufficient for inactivation by 5.75 log10-steps. The rechallenge experiments revealed the substantial reserve capacity of the procedure to inactivate WNV. Quantitative PCR indicated that the viral RNA was rapidly destroyed. All experimental data demonstrate the enormous potency of phototreatment with MB to inactivate WNV in plasma.

Upper Blue Nile basin water budget from a multi-model perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, Hahn Chul; Getirana, Augusto; Policelli, Frederick; McNally, Amy; Arsenault, Kristi R.; Kumar, Sujay; Tadesse, Tsegaye; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.

2017-12-01

Improved understanding of the water balance in the Blue Nile is of critical importance because of increasingly frequent hydroclimatic extremes under a changing climate. The intercomparison and evaluation of multiple land surface models (LSMs) associated with different meteorological forcing and precipitation datasets can offer a moderate range of water budget variable estimates. In this context, two LSMs, Noah version 3.3 (Noah3.3) and Catchment LSM version Fortuna 2.5 (CLSMF2.5) coupled with the Hydrological Modeling and Analysis Platform (HyMAP) river routing scheme are used to produce hydrological estimates over the region. The two LSMs were forced with different combinations of two reanalysis-based meteorological datasets from the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications datasets (i.e., MERRA-Land and MERRA-2) and three observation-based precipitation datasets, generating a total of 16 experiments. Modeled evapotranspiration (ET), streamflow, and terrestrial water storage estimates were evaluated against the Atmosphere-Land Exchange Inverse (ALEXI) ET, in-situ streamflow observations, and NASA Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) products, respectively. Results show that CLSMF2.5 provided better representation of the water budget variables than Noah3.3 in terms of Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient when considering all meteorological forcing datasets and precipitation datasets. The model experiments forced with observation-based products, the Climate Hazards group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), outperform those run with MERRA-Land and MERRA-2 precipitation. The results presented in this paper would suggest that the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) Land Data Assimilation System incorporate CLSMF2.5 and HyMAP routing scheme to better represent the water balance in this region.

Effect of clay in controlling the non-fluorescence H-dimeric states of a cationic dye Nile Blue Chloride (NBC) in hybrid Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debnath, Chandan; Shil, Ashis; Hussain, S. A.; Bhattacharjee, D.

2018-01-01

Present communication reports the effect of amphiphilic matrices and nano-clay platelets on the aggregation properties of a water soluble cationic fluorescent dye Nile Blue Chloride (NBC) in Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films. In-situ Brewster Angle Microscopic (BAM) studies showed distinct domain structures of complex and hybrid Langmuir monolayer at the air-water interface. UV-vis absorption spectra showed non-fluorescent H-dimeric band in concentrated aqueous solution of NBC and in complex LB film of NBC with stearic acid. By changing various parameters, a great control over H-dimeric states has been achieved in clay incorporated hybrid LB films. These films can act as efficient fluorescence probe.

Monitoring the Spread of West Nile Virus with Satellite Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

A NASA-funded study uses temperature and vegetation data from satellites to help track and predict where West Nile virus is spreading in North America. Scientists and public health officials hope one day to use near real-time maps to focus resources and stave off the disease more efficiently. This image is a composite of land surface temperatures (LST) recorded between 1997 and 2000 and was used to help monitor and predict the spread of West Nile virus in the United States. In the color figure above, the mean land surface temperatures are in red; annual amplitude-or the difference between low and high annual temperatures-is in blue; and annual phase-or the timing of annual temperature peaks-appears in green. Brighter colors mean higher values. The major north-south temperature difference (dull red in the upper part of the image to bright red in the lower part) is considerably affected by the Rockies in the west and to a much lesser extent by the Appalachians in the east. The brighter blue in the upper part of the image indicates the big difference between highest and lowest temperatures during the course of a year at higher latitudes. There is less variation in the timing of the annual peak of land surface temperatures, which occurs earlier in the south than in the north. Black dots superimposed on this image are the locations (county geo-centers) where birds infected with West Nile virus were reported between January and October 2001. Scientists working with the International Research Partnership for Infectious Diseases (INTREPID) program based at NASA are using such imagery to define and predict the conditions where mosquitoes transmit West Nile virus in the U.S. The conclusion reached about the importance of any single variable depends both upon its value and context. A temperature of 30o Celsius (86o Fahrenheit) might be fatal for a mosquito at low humidity but survivable at higher humidities. The work done here on West Nile virus and other diseases shows very

The Project for Developing Countermeasures against Landslides in the Abay River Gorge, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guta, H. E.

2016-12-01

The Blue Nile Gorge of Ethiopia is characterized by high relief landscape. The stretch of major arterial road that connects Ethiopia to Sudan passes through the Gorge. The Gorge is plagued by swarms of landslides which makes it a tremendous obstacle for travel and communication. Therefore, landside study was carried out from 2010 to 2012 by JICA and Geological survey of Ethiopia to figure out the mechanisms that trigger the swarms of landslides that occur in the area and identify appropriate countermeasures that would be best implemented. The study included geomorphologic and geologic survey, drilling survey, displacement monitoring, ground water and precipitation monitoring, geophysical exploration, and stability analysis. About 42 landslide monitoring instruments namely extensometers (both surface and borehole), inclinometers and ground water level meters were installed in four highly landslide prone areas to detect slip surface, and determine amount and direction of movement. The amount of landslide movement at the four zones is 42.4, 57.6, 294.9 and 136mm during rainy season. Ground water level rising, nature of material and intense rainfall are found to be among the major triggering factors. Stability analysis using Simple Jambu and modified Fellenus methods was conducted resulting in safety factor Fs less than one and reasonably 0.98 by adopting shear parameters of soils by back analysis. By assuming cohesion (c') to be very close to 0 due to landslide blocks active movement when ground water rises during rainy season, Shear resistance angle, ɸ, was obtained to be 10.80, 26.30, 10.20 and 16.30 in the four areas using Modified Fellenius method and 10.70, 26.60, 10.00 and 16.10 using Simple Janbu method. Effect of countermeasures was checked by trial calculation. Accordingly the factory of safety increased from 0.98 to 1.2 when ɸ=60, ground water is lowered by 6m, and steel pipe pile of ɸ500mm x t40mm at an interval of 1.9m are implemented. consequently

The modern Nile sediment system: Processes and products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garzanti, Eduardo; Andò, Sergio; Padoan, Marta; Vezzoli, Giovanni; El Kammar, Ahmed

2015-12-01

We trace compositional changes of Nile sediments for 7400 km, from their sources in equatorial rift highlands of Burundi and Rwanda to their sink in the Mediterranean Sea. All chemical and physical controls on sediment petrography, mineralogy and geochemistry, including weathering, grain-size, hydraulic sorting, mechanical breakdown, anthropic impact, mixing and recycling are investigated in detail. The Nile course is controlled along its entire length by the East African-Red Sea Rift. In this anorogenic setting, detritus is derived in various proportions from volcanic fields associated with tectonic extension (Anorogenic Volcanic provenance) and from igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks uplifted on the rift shoulders or exposed on the craton (Continental Block provenance). The entire spectrum of such detrital signatures is displayed in the Nile catchment. Volcaniclastic Atbara sand is generated by focused erosion of the Ethiopian basaltic plateau in semiarid climate, whereas quartzose White Nile sand reflects low erosion rates, extensive weathering and sediment trapping in lakes and swamps at equatorial to subequatorial latitudes. In the main Nile, as in its main tributary the Blue Nile, suspended load is volcaniclastic, whereas feldspatho-quartzose bedload is derived largely from basement sources, with fine to medium-grained eolian sand added along the lower course. Mixing of detrital populations with different provenance and grain size is reflected in diverse violations of settling-equivalence relationships in fluvial and deltaic sediments. Sediment delivery from Sudan has been cut off after closure of the Aswan High Dam and accelerated erosion of deltaic cusps is leading to local formation of placer lags dominated by ultradense Fe-Ti-Cr oxides, but mineralogical changes caused by man's radical modification of fluvial regimes have been minor so far. In beaches of Sinai, Gaza and Israel, the Nile volcaniclastic trace gets progressively diluted by quartzose

Risky Sexual Behaviors among Female Youth in Tiss Abay, a Semi-Urban Area of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

Tadesse, Gojjam; Yakob, Bereket

2015-01-01

Background Little is known about sexual risks and associated factors about female youths in semi-urban areas of Ethiopia. This study aimed to describe the nature and magnitude of risky sexual behaviors, and the socio-demographic and behavioral determinants among female youths in Tiss Abay, a semi-urban area on the outskirts of Bahir Dar City of the Amhara Region in northern Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional census type study was conducted among female youths who were unmarried and aged 15–29 years in September 2011. Results 711 female youths participated in the study, with the mean age of initiation of sex of 78.6% being16.73±2.53 years. Only 52(9.3%) used condom during the first sex. Within the last 12 months, 509(71.6%) had sexual intercourse and 278(54.6%) had two or more sex partners, and 316(62.1%) did not use condom during their last sex. Sex under the influence of substances was reported by 350(68.8%), and a third of the recent sexes were against the will of participants. One or more risky sexual practices were reported by 503(70.3%) participants, including: multiple sexual partnerships, inconsistently using or not using condoms, sex under the influence of alcohol and/or sex immediately after watching pornography. Age group, current marital status, drinking homemade alcohol, chewing ‘khat’, watching pornography and using any form of stimulant substances were the predictors of risky sexual behavior. Watching pornography before sex and sex for transaction were the predicators of not using condom during most recent sex. Conclusions Risky sexual behaviors were very common among the female youths in Tiss Abay. Initiation of context-based interventions, such as raising awareness about the risks, safer sex practices, condom promotion and integration of gender issues in the programs are recommended. PMID:25738508

Risky sexual behaviors among female youth in Tiss Abay, a semi-urban area of the Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Tadesse, Gojjam; Yakob, Bereket

2015-01-01

Little is known about sexual risks and associated factors about female youths in semi-urban areas of Ethiopia. This study aimed to describe the nature and magnitude of risky sexual behaviors, and the socio-demographic and behavioral determinants among female youths in Tiss Abay, a semi-urban area on the outskirts of Bahir Dar City of the Amhara Region in northern Ethiopia. A cross-sectional census type study was conducted among female youths who were unmarried and aged 15-29 years in September 2011. 711 female youths participated in the study, with the mean age of initiation of sex of 78.6% being16.73±2.53 years. Only 52(9.3%) used condom during the first sex. Within the last 12 months, 509(71.6%) had sexual intercourse and 278(54.6%) had two or more sex partners, and 316(62.1%) did not use condom during their last sex. Sex under the influence of substances was reported by 350(68.8%), and a third of the recent sexes were against the will of participants. One or more risky sexual practices were reported by 503(70.3%) participants, including: multiple sexual partnerships, inconsistently using or not using condoms, sex under the influence of alcohol and/or sex immediately after watching pornography. Age group, current marital status, drinking homemade alcohol, chewing 'khat', watching pornography and using any form of stimulant substances were the predictors of risky sexual behavior. Watching pornography before sex and sex for transaction were the predicators of not using condom during most recent sex. Risky sexual behaviors were very common among the female youths in Tiss Abay. Initiation of context-based interventions, such as raising awareness about the risks, safer sex practices, condom promotion and integration of gender issues in the programs are recommended.

Observed changes in extremes of daily rainfall and temperature in Jemma Sub-Basin, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Worku, Gebrekidan; Teferi, Ermias; Bantider, Amare; Dile, Yihun T.

2018-02-01

Climate variability has been a threat to the socio-economic development of Ethiopia. This paper examined the changes in rainfall, minimum, and maximum temperature extremes of Jemma Sub-Basin of the Upper Blue Nile Basin for the period of 1981 to 2014. The nonparametric Mann-Kendall, seasonal Mann-Kendall, and Sen's slope estimator were used to estimate annual trends. Ten rainfall and 12 temperature indices were used to study changes in rainfall and temperature extremes. The results showed an increasing trend of annual and summer rainfall in more than 78% of the stations and a decreasing trend of spring rainfall in most of the stations. An increase in rainfall extreme events was detected in the majority of the stations. Several rainfall extreme indices showed wetting trends in the sub-basin, whereas limited indices indicated dryness in most of the stations. Annual maximum and minimum temperature and extreme temperature indices showed warming trend in the sub-basin. Presence of extreme rainfall and a warming trend of extreme temperature indices may suggest signs of climate change in the Jemma Sub-Basin. This study, therefore, recommended the need for exploring climate induced risks and implementing appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Thermal cycling and the optical and electrical characterization of self-assembled multilayer nile blue A-gold thin films.

PubMed

Geist, Brian; Spillman, William B; Claus, Richard O

2005-10-20

Some laser applications produce high power densities that can be dangerous to equipment and operators. We have fabricated thin-film coatings by using molecular electrostatic self-assembly to create a spectrally selective absorbing coating that is able to withstand thermal fluctuations from -20 degrees C to 120 degrees C. We made the thin-film coatings by alternating deposition of an organic dye and gold colloidal nanoparticles onto glass substrates. Nile Blue A perchlorate, with a maximum absorbance slightly above 632 nm, was chosen as the organic dye. Strong coupling between the dye molecules and the gold nanoparticles provides a redshift that increases as the film's thickness is increased. The incorporation of the gold colloidal nanoparticles also decreases the resistivity of the film. The resistivity of the film was measured with a four-point probe and found to be approximately 10 omega/cm for the two samples measured. Atomic-force microscopy was used to show that film thickness increased 2.4 nm per bilayer. The optical properties of the film were measured at the end of every 5 thermal cycles from -20 degrees C to 120 degrees C, and negligible degradation was observed after 30 cycles.

Characterization and disaggregation of daily rainfall in the Upper Blue Nile Basin in Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engida, Agizew N.; Esteves, Michel

2011-03-01

SummaryIn Ethiopia, available rainfall records are mainly limited to daily time steps. Though rainfall data at shorter time steps are important for various purposes like modeling of erosion processes and flood hydrographs, they are hardly available in Ethiopia. The objectives of this study were (i) to study the temporal characteristics of daily rains at two stations in the region of the Upper Blue Nile Basin (UBNB) and (ii) to calibrate and evaluate a daily rainfall disaggregation model. The analysis was based on rainfall data of Bahir Dar and Gonder Meteorological Stations. The disaggregation model used was the Modified Bartlett-Lewis Rectangular Pulse Model (MBLRPM). The mean daily rainfall intensity varied from about 4 mm in the dry season to 17 mm in the wet season with corresponding variation in raindays of 0.4-26 days. The observed maximum daily rainfall varied from 13 mm in the dry month to 200 mm in the wet month. The average wet/dry spell length varied from 1/21 days in the dry season to 6/1 days in the rainy season. Most of the rainfall occurs in the afternoon and evening periods of the day. Daily rainfall disaggregation using the MBLRPM alone resulted in poor match between the disaggregated and observed hourly rainfalls. Stochastic redistribution of the outputs of the model using Beta probability distribution function improved the agreement between observed and calculated hourly rain intensities. In areas where convective rainfall is dominant, the outputs of MBLRPM should be redistributed using relevant probability distributions to simulate the diurnal rainfall pattern.

Mutually beneficial and sustainable management of Ethiopian and Egyptian dams in the Nile Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habteyes, Befekadu G.; Hasseen El-bardisy, Harb A. E.; Amer, Saud A.; Schneider, Verne R.; Ward, Frank A.

2015-10-01

Ongoing pressures from population growth, recurrent drought, climate, urbanization and industrialization in the Nile Basin raise the importance of finding viable measures to adapt to these stresses. Four tributaries of the Eastern Nile Basin contribute to supplies: the Blue Nile (56%), White Nile-Albert (14%), Atbara (15%) and Sobat (15%). Despite much peer reviewed work addressing conflicts on the Nile, none to date has quantitatively examined opportunities for discovering benefit sharing measures that could protect negative impacts on downstream water users resulting from new upstream water storage developments. The contribution of this paper is to examine the potential for mutually beneficial and sustainable benefit sharing measures from the development and operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam while protecting baseline flows to the downstream countries including flows into the Egyptian High Aswan Dam. An integrated approach is formulated to bring the hydrology, economics and institutions of the region into a unified framework for policy analysis. A dynamic optimization model is developed and applied to identify the opportunities for Pareto Improving measures to operate these two dams for the four Eastern Nile Basin countries: Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt. Results indicate a possibility for one country to be better off (Ethiopia) and no country to be worse off from a managed operation of these two storage facilities. Still, despite the optimism of our results, considerable diplomatic negotiation among the four riparians will be required to turn potential gains into actual welfare improvements.

Hydroclimate variability in the Nile River Basin during the past 28,000 years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castañeda, Isla S.; Schouten, Stefan; Pätzold, Jürgen; Lucassen, Friedrich; Kasemann, Simone; Kuhlmann, Holger; Schefuß, Enno

2016-03-01

It has long been known that extreme changes in North African hydroclimate occurred during the late Pleistocene yet many discrepancies exist between sites regarding the timing, duration and abruptness of events such as Heinrich Stadial (HS) 1 and the African Humid Period (AHP). The hydroclimate history of the Nile River is of particular interest due to its lengthy human occupation history yet there are presently few continuous archives from the Nile River corridor, and pre-Holocene studies are rare. Here we present new organic and inorganic geochemical records of Nile Basin hydroclimate from an eastern Mediterranean (EM) Sea sediment core spanning the past 28 ka BP. Our multi-proxy records reflect the fluctuating inputs of Blue Nile versus White Nile material to the EM Sea in response to gradual changes in local insolation and also capture abrupt hydroclimate events driven by remote climate forcings, such as HS1. We find strong evidence for extreme aridity within the Nile Basin evolving in two distinct phases during HS1, from 17.5 to 16 ka BP and from 16 to 14.5 ka BP, whereas peak wet conditions during the AHP are observed from 9 to 7 ka BP. We find that zonal movements of the Congo Air Boundary (CAB), and associated shifts in the dominant moisture source (Atlantic versus Indian Ocean moisture) to the Nile Basin, likely contributed to abrupt hydroclimate variability in northern East Africa during HS1 and the AHP as well as to non-linear behavior of hydroclimate proxies. We note that different proxies show variable gradual and abrupt responses to individual hydroclimate events, and thus might have different inherent sensitivities, which may be a factor contributing to the controversy surrounding the abruptness of past events such as the AHP. During the Late Pleistocene the Nile Basin experienced extreme hydroclimate fluctuations, which presumably impacted Paleolithic cultures residing along the Nile corridor.

Tracing Nile sediment sources by Sr and Nd isotope signatures (Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padoan, Marta; Garzanti, Eduardo; Harlavan, Yehudit; Villa, Igor Maria

2011-06-01

Strontium and neodymium isotopes, measured on diverse mud and sand fractions of sediment in transit along all major Nile branches, identify detritus sourced from Precambrian basements, Mesozoic strata, and Tertiary volcanic rocks exposed along the shoulders of the East African rift and in Ethiopian highlands. Sr and Nd isotopic ratios reflect the weighted average of detrital components generated in different catchments, allowing us to discriminate provenance, calculate sediment budgets, and investigate grain-size and hydraulic-sorting effects. 87Sr/ 86Sr and 143Nd/ 144Nd range, respectively, from as high as 0.722 and as low as 0.5108 for sediment derived from Archean gneisses in northern Uganda, to 0.705 and 0.5127 for sediment derived from Neoproterozoic Ethiopian and Eritrean basements. 87Sr/ 86Sr and 143Nd/ 144Nd, ranging 0.705-0.709 and 0.5124-0.5130 for Blue Nile tributaries, are 0.704-0.705 and 0.5127-0.5128 for largely volcaniclastic sediments of River Tekeze-Atbara, and 0.705-0.706 and 0.5126-0.5127 for main Nile sediments upstream Lake Nasser. Model mantle derivation ages ( tDM), oldest in Uganda where sediment is principally derived from the Congo Craton (3.4-3.0 Ga for Victoria and Albert Nile), progressively decrease northward across the Saharan Metacraton, from 2.6 Ga (Bahr el Jebel in South Sudan), to 2.4-2.2 Ga (Bahr ez Zeraf across the Sudd), and finally 1.6-1.3 Ga (White Nile upstream Khartoum). Instead, tDM ages of Sobat mud increase from 0.9 to 1.5 Ga across the Machar marshes. TDM ages are younger for sediments shed by Ethiopian (1.2-0.7 Ga) and Eritrean basements (1.5-1.2 Ga), and youngest for sediments shed from Ethiopian flood basalts (0.3-0.2 Ga). Integrated geochemical, mineralogical, and settling-equivalence analyses suggest influence on the Nd isotopic signal by volcanic lithic grains and titanite rather than by LREE-rich monazite or allanite. Because contributions by ultradense minerals is subordinate, intrasample variability of Sr and

Optimal allocation of land and water resources to achieve Water, Energy and Food Security in the upper Blue Nile basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allam, M.; Eltahir, E. A. B.

2017-12-01

Rapid population growth, hunger problems, increasing energy demands, persistent conflicts between the Nile basin riparian countries and the potential impacts of climate change highlight the urgent need for the conscious stewardship of the upper Blue Nile (UBN) basin resources. This study develops a framework for the optimal allocation of land and water resources to agriculture and hydropower production in the UBN basin. The framework consists of three optimization models that aim to: (a) provide accurate estimates of the basin water budget, (b) allocate land and water resources optimally to agriculture, and (c) allocate water to agriculture and hydropower production, and investigate trade-offs between them. First, a data assimilation procedure for data-scarce basins is proposed to deal with data limitations and produce estimates of the hydrologic components that are consistent with the principles of mass and energy conservation. Second, the most representative topography and soil properties datasets are objectively identified and used to delineate the agricultural potential in the basin. The agricultural potential is incorporated into a land-water allocation model that maximizes the net economic benefits from rain-fed agriculture while allowing for enhancing the soils from one suitability class to another to increase agricultural productivity in return for an investment in soil inputs. The optimal agricultural expansion is expected to reduce the basin flow by 7.6 cubic kilometres, impacting downstream countries. The optimization framework is expanded to include hydropower production. This study finds that allocating water to grow rain-fed teff in the basin is more profitable than allocating water for hydropower production. Optimal operation rules for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance dam (GERD) are identified to maximize annual hydropower generation while achieving a relatively uniform monthly production rate. Trade-offs between agricultural expansion and hydropower

Coupled hydrologic and land use change models for decision making on land and water resources in the Upper Blue Nile basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yalew, Seleshi; van der Zaag, Pieter; Mul, Marloes; Uhlenbrook, Stefan; Teferi, Ermias; van Griensven, Ann; van der Kwast, Johannes

2013-04-01

Hydrology of a basin, alongside climate change, is well documented to impact and to be impacted by land use/land cover change processes. The need to understand the impacts of hydrology on land use change and vice- versa cannot be overstated especially in basins such as the Upper Blue Nile in Ethiopia, where the vast majority of farmers depend on rain-fed agriculture. A slight fluctuation in rainy seasons or an increase or decrease in magnitude of precipitation can easily trigger drought or flooding. On the other hand, ever growing population and emerging economic development, among others, is likely to continually alter land use/land cover change, thereby affecting hydrological processes. With the intention of identifying and analyzing interactions and future scenarios of the hydrology and land use/land cover, we carried out a case study on a meso-scale catchment, in the Upper Blue Nile basin. A land use model using SITE (SImulation of Terrestrial Environments) was built for analyzing land use trends from aerial land cover photographs of 1957 and simulate until 2009 based on socio-economic as well as biophysical factors. Major land use drivers in the catchment were identified and used as input to the land use model. Separate land use maps were produced using Landsat images of 1972, 1986, 1994 and 2009 for historical calibration of the land use model. By the same token, a hydrological model for the same catchment was built using the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model. After calibration of the two independent models, they were loosely coupled for analyzing the changes in either of the models and impacts on the other. Among other details, the coupled model performed better in identifying limiting factors from both the hydrology as well as from the land use perspectives. For instance, the simulation of the uncoupled land use model alone (without inputs from SWAT on the water budget of each land use parcel) continually considered a land use type such as a wet

Water resources planning under climate change: Assessing the robustness of real options for the Blue Nile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeuland, Marc; Whittington, Dale

2014-03-01

This article presents a methodology for planning new water resources infrastructure investments and operating strategies in a world of climate change uncertainty. It combines a real options (e.g., options to defer, expand, contract, abandon, switch use, or otherwise alter a capital investment) approach with principles drawn from robust decision-making (RDM). RDM comprises a class of methods that are used to identify investment strategies that perform relatively well, compared to the alternatives, across a wide range of plausible future scenarios. Our proposed framework relies on a simulation model that includes linkages between climate change and system hydrology, combined with sensitivity analyses that explore how economic outcomes of investments in new dams vary with forecasts of changing runoff and other uncertainties. To demonstrate the framework, we consider the case of new multipurpose dams along the Blue Nile in Ethiopia. We model flexibility in design and operating decisions—the selection, sizing, and sequencing of new dams, and reservoir operating rules. Results show that there is no single investment plan that performs best across a range of plausible future runoff conditions. The decision-analytic framework is then used to identify dam configurations that are both robust to poor outcomes and sufficiently flexible to capture high upside benefits if favorable future climate and hydrological conditions should arise. The approach could be extended to explore design and operating features of development and adaptation projects other than dams.

West Nile virus

MedlinePlus

... of standing water, such as trash bins and plant saucers (mosquitos breed in stagnant water) Community spraying for mosquitoes may also reduce mosquito breeding. Alternative Names Encephalitis - West Nile; Meningitis - West Nile ...

The Nile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

This image of the northern portion of the Nile River was captured by MISR's nadir camera on January 30, 2001 (Terra orbit 5956). The Nile is the longest river in the world, extending for about 6700 kilometers from its headwaters in the highlands of eastern Africa.

At the apex of the fertile Nile River Delta is the Egyptian capital city of Cairo. To the west are the Great Pyramids of Giza. North of here the Nile branches into two distributaries, the Rosetta to the west and the Damietta to the east.

Also visible in this image is the Suez Canal, a shipping waterway connecting Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez. The Gulf is an arm of the Red Sea, and is located on the righthand side of the picture.

MISR was built and is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Office of Earth Science, Washington, DC. The Terra satellite is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology.

One-step construction of reagentless biosensor based on chitosan-carbon nanotubes-nile blue-horseradish peroxidase biocomposite formed by electrodeposition.

PubMed

Xi, Fengna; Liu, Lijun; Chen, Zhichun; Lin, Xianfu

2009-05-15

A simple and controllable electrodeposition approach was established for one-step construction of novel reagentless biosensors by in situ formation of chitosan-carbon nanotubes-nile blue-horseradish peroxidase (CS-CNTs-NB-HRP) biocomposite film on electrode surface. The mediator effect of NB, conducting performance of CNTs and the biocompatible microenvironment of CS were combined by such one-step non-manual process. NB could interact with CNTs and resulted in good dispersion of CNTs-NB nanocomposites in aqueous solution. Cyclic voltammetry measurements demonstrated that electrons were efficiently shuttled between HRP and the electrode mediated by NB. The developed reagentless biosensor exhibited a fast amperometric response for the determination of H(2)O(2) and 95% of the steady-state current was obtained within 2s. The linear response of the reagentless biosensor for the determination of H(2)O(2) ranged from 1.0 x 10(-6) to 2.4 x 10(-4)mol l(-1) with a detection limit of 1.2 x 10(-7)mol l(-1). The biosensor exhibited high reproducibility and long-time storage stability. The as-prepared biosensor also showed effective anti-interference capability. The ease of the one-step non-manual technique and the promising feature of the biocomposite could serve as a versatile platform for fabricating electrochemical biosensors.

Hydrochemical evaluation of groundwater in the Blue Nile Basin, eastern Sudan, using conventional and multivariate techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussein, Mohammed Tahir

Hydrochemical evaluation of groundwater systems can be carried out using conventional and multivariate techniques, namely cluster, factor analyses and others such as correspondence analysis. The main objective of this study is to investigate the groundwater quality in the Blue Nile basin of eastern Sudan, and to workout a hydrochemical evaluation for the aquifer system. Conventional methods and multivariate techniques were applied to achieve these goals. Two water-bearing layers exist in the study area: the Nubian Sandstone Formation and the Al-Atshan Formation. The Nubian aquifer is recharged mainly from the Blue Nile and Dinder Rivers through lateral subsurface flow and through direct rainfall in outcrop areas. The Al-Atshan aquifer receives water through underground flow from River Rahad and from rainfall infiltration. The prevailing hydrochemical processes are simple dissolution, mixing, partial ion exchange and ion exchange. Limited reverse ion exchange has been witnessed in the Nubian aquifer. Three factors control the overall mineralization and water quality of the Blue Nile Basin. The first factor includes high values of total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate, sulphate and magnesium. The second factor includes calcium and pH. The third factor is due to fluoride concentration in the groundwater. The study highlights the descriptive capabilities of conventional and multivariate techniques as effective tools in groundwater quality evaluation. Une étude hydrochimique de systèmes aquifères a pu être réalisée au moyen des techniques conventionnelles et multidimensionnelles, telles que les analyses de cluster et factorielles, ainsi que d'autres comme l'analyse des correspondances. Le principal objectif de ce travail est d'étudier la qualité des eaux souterraines du bassin du Nil bleu au Soudan oriental, et de réaliser une évaluation hydrochimique du système aquifère. Des méthodes conventionnelles et

Value versus Accuracy: application of seasonal forecasts to a hydro-economic optimization model for the Sudanese Blue Nile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Satti, S.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Siddiqui, S.; Badr, H. S.; Shukla, S.; Peters-Lidard, C. D.

2015-12-01

The unpredictable nature of precipitation within the East African (EA) region makes it one of the most vulnerable, food insecure regions in the world. There is a vital need for forecasts to inform decision makers, both local and regional, and to help formulate the region's climate change adaptation strategies. Here, we present a suite of different seasonal forecast models, both statistical and dynamical, for the EA region. Objective regionalization is performed for EA on the basis of interannual variability in precipitation in both observations and models. This regionalization is applied as the basis for calculating a number of standard skill scores to evaluate each model's forecast accuracy. A dynamically linked Land Surface Model (LSM) is then applied to determine forecasted flows, which drive the Sudanese Hydroeconomic Optimization Model (SHOM). SHOM combines hydrologic, agronomic and economic inputs to determine the optimal decisions that maximize economic benefits along the Sudanese Blue Nile. This modeling sequence is designed to derive the potential added value of information of each forecasting model to agriculture and hydropower management. A rank of each model's forecasting skill score along with its added value of information is analyzed in order compare the performance of each forecast. This research aims to improve understanding of how characteristics of accuracy, lead time, and uncertainty of seasonal forecasts influence their utility to water resources decision makers who utilize them.

The Nile River

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

This image of the northern portion of the Nile River was captured by MISR's nadir camera on January 30, 2001 (Terra orbit 5956). The Nile is the longest river in the world, extending for about 6700 kilometers from its headwaters in the highlands of eastern Africa. At the apex of the fertile Nile River Delta is the Egyptian capital city of Cairo. To the west are the Great Pyramids of Giza. North of here the Nile branches into two distributaries, the Rosetta to the west and the Damietta to the east. Also visible in this image is the Suez Canal, a shipping waterway connecting Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez. The Gulf is an arm of the Red Sea, and is located on the righthand side of the picture. Image credit: NASA/GSFC/LaRC/JPL, MISR Team.

Summer Rains and Dry Seasons in the Upper Blue Nile Basin: The Predictability of Half a Century of Past and Future Spatiotemporal Patterns

PubMed Central

Mellander, Per-Erik; Gebrehiwot, Solomon G.; Gärdenäs, Annemieke I.; Bewket, Woldeamlak; Bishop, Kevin

2013-01-01

During the last 100 years the Ethiopian upper Blue Nile Basin (BNB) has undergone major changes in land use, and is now potentially facing changes in climate. Rainfall over BNB supplies over two-thirds of the water to the Nile and supports a large local population living mainly on subsistence agriculture. Regional food security is sensitive to both the amount and timing of rain and is already an important political challenge that will be further complicated if scenarios of climate change are realized. In this study a simple spatial model of the timing and duration of summer rains (Kiremt) and dry season (Bega), and annual rain over the upper BNB was established from observed data between 1952 and 2004. The model was used to explore potential impacts of climate change on these rains, using a down-scaled ECHAM5/MP1-OM scenario between 2050 and 2100. Over the observed period the amount, onset and duration of Kiremt rains and rain-free Bega days have exhibited a consistent spatial pattern. The spatially averaged annual rainfall was 1490 mm of which 93% was Kiremt rain. The average Kiremt rain and number of rainy days was higher in the southwest (322 days) and decreased towards the north (136 days). Under the 2050–2100 scenario, the annual mean rainfall is predicted to increase by 6% and maintain the same spatial pattern as in the past. A larger change in annual rainfall is expected in the southwest (ca. +130 mm) with a gradually smaller change towards the north (ca. +70 mm). Results highlight the need to account for the characteristic spatiotemporal zonation when planning water management and climate adaptation within the upper BNB. The presented simple spatial resolved models of the presence of Kiremt and annual total rainfall could be used as a baseline for such long-term planning. PMID:23869219

A dual-wavelength overlapping resonance Rayleigh scattering method for the determination of chondroitin sulfate with nile blue sulfate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Zhiping; Hu, Xiaoli; Liu, Shaopu; Liu, Zhongfang

2011-12-01

A dual-wavelength overlapping resonance Rayleigh scattering (DWO-RRS) method was developed to detect chondroitin sulfate (CS) with nile blue sulfate (NBS). At pH 3.0-4.0 Britton-Robinson (BR) buffer medium, CS interacted with NBS to form an ion-association complex. As a result, the new spectra of resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS), second order scattering (SOS) and frequence doubling scattering (FDS) appeared and their intensities were enhanced greatly. Their maximum wavelengths were located at 303 nm (RRS), 362 nm (RRS), 588 nm (SOS) and 350 nm (FDS), respectively. The scattering intensities of the three methods were proportional to the concentration of CS in certain ranges. The methods had high sensitivity and the detection limits were between 1.5 and 7.1 ng mL -1. The DWO-RRS method had the highest sensitivity with the detection limit being 1.5 ng mL -1. The characteristics of the spectra and optimal reaction conditions of RRS method were investigated. The effects of coexistent substances on the determination of CS were evaluated. Owing to the high sensitivity, RRS method had been applied to the determination of CS in eye drops with satisfactory results. The recovery range was between 99.4% and 104.6% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was between 0.4% and 0.8%. In addition, the reasons for RRS enhancement were discussed and the shape of ion-association complex was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Evaluation of high resolution global satellite precipitation products using daily raingauge data over the Upper Blue Nile Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahlu, Dejene; Moges, Semu; Anagnostou, Emmanouil; Nikolopoulos, Efthymios; Hailu, Dereje; Mei, Yiwen

2017-04-01

Water resources assessment, planning and management in Africa is often constrained by the lack of reliable spatio-temporal rainfall data. Satellite products are steadily growing and offering useful alternative datasets of rainfall globally. The aim of this paper is to examine the error characteristics of the main available global satellite precipitation products with the view of improving the reliability of wet season (June to September) and small rainy season rainfall datasets over the Upper Blue Nile Basin. The study utilized six satellite derived precipitation datasets at 0.25-deg spatial grid size and daily temporal resolution:1) the near real-time (3B42_RT) and gauge adjusted (3B42_V7) products of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA), 2) gauge adjusted and unadjusted Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN) products and 3) the gauge adjusted and un-adjusted product of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center Morphing technique (CMORPH) over the period of 2000 to 2013.The error analysis utilized statistical techniques using bias ratio (Bias), correlation coefficient (CC) and root-mean-square-error (RMSE). Mean relative error (MRE), CC and RMSE metrics are further examined for six categories of 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90thand 95th percentile rainfall thresholds. The skill of the satellite estimates is evaluated using categorical error metrics of missed rainfall volume fraction (MRV), falsely detected rainfall volume fraction (FRV), probability of detection (POD) and False Alarm Ratio (FAR). Results showed that six satellite based rainfall products underestimated wet season (June to September) gauge precipitation, with the exception of non-adjusted PERSIANN that overestimated the initial part of the rainy season (March to May). During the wet season, adjusted CMORPH has relatively better bias ratio (89

What's West Nile Virus?

MedlinePlus

... for Educators Search English Español What's West Nile Virus? KidsHealth / For Kids / What's West Nile Virus? Print en español ¿Qué es el Virus del Nilo Occidental? What exactly is the West ...

Determinants of intimate partner violence during pregnancy among married women in Abay Chomen district, Western Ethiopia: a community based cross sectional study.

PubMed

Abebe Abate, Bedilu; Admassu Wossen, Bitiya; Tilahun Degfie, Tizta

2016-03-10

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy is the most common form of violence that harms the health of women and the fetus but practiced commonly in developing countries. There is scarcity of information regarding intimate partner violence during pregnancy in Ethiopia. Thus, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of intimate partner violence during recent pregnancy in Abay Chomen district, Western Ethiopia. Community based cross sectional study was conducted among married pregnant women in Abay Chomen district in April, 2014 using a standard WHO multi-country study questionnaire. Two hundred eighty two randomly selected pregnant women aged 15-49 years participated in the study. Logistic regression and multivariate analysis were employed. The prevalence of intimate partner violence during recent pregnancy was 44.5% (95% CI, 32.6, 56.4). More than half 157 (55.5%) experienced all three forms of intimate partner violence during recent pregnancy. The joint occurrence of intimate partner physical and psychological violence during recent pregnancy as well as joint occurrence of intimate partner physical and sexual violence was 160 (56.5%). Pregnant women who were ever lived with their partner's family were 46% less likely to experience recent intimate partner violence. Dowry payment decreases intimate partner violence during recent pregnancy (AOR 0.09, 95% CI 0.04, 0.2) and pregnant women who didn't undergo marriage ceremony during their marriage were 79% are less likely to experience violence (AOR 0.21, 95% CI 0.1, 0.44). Nearly half of interviewed pregnant women experienced intimate partner violence during pregnancy implying the prevalence of such practice in the study site. To that end, increasing community awareness about the consequences of the practice could be important. Moreover, as health extension workers works closely with households, they could be crucial players to increase community awareness about intimate partner violence on

Socioeconomic dynamics of water quality in the Egyptian Nile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malik, Maheen; Nisar, Zainab; Karakatsanis, Georgios

2016-04-01

The Nile River remains the most important source of freshwater for Egypt as it accounts for nearly all of the country's drinking and irrigation water. About 95% of the total population is accounted to live along the Banks of the Nile(1). Therefore, water quality deterioration in addition to general natural scarcity of water in the region(2) is the main driver for carrying out this study. What further aggravates this issue is the water conflict in the Blue Nile region. The study evaluates different water quality parameters and their concentrations in the Egyptian Nile; further assessing the temporal dynamics of water quality in the area with (a) the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC)(3) and (b) the Jevons Paradox (JP)(4) in order to identify water quality improvements or degradations using selected socioeconomic variables(5). For this purpose various environmental indicators including BOD, COD, DO, Phosphorus and TDS were plotted against different economic variables including Population, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Annual Fresh Water Withdrawal and Improved Water Source. Mathematically, this was expressed by 2nd and 3rd degree polynomial regressions generating the EKC and JP respectively. The basic goal of the regression analysis is to model and highlight the dynamic trend of water quality indicators in relation to their established permissible limits, which will allow the identification of optimal future water quality policies. The results clearly indicate that the dependency of water quality indicators on socioeconomic variables differs for every indicator; while COD was above the permissible limits in all the cases despite of its decreasing trend in each case, BOD and phosphate signified increasing concentrations for the future, if they continue to follow the present trend. This could be an indication of rebound effect explained by the Jevons Paradox i.e. water quality deterioration after its improvement, either due to increase of population or intensification

Natural equilibria and anthropic effects on sediment transport in big river systems: The Nile case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garzanti, Eduardo; Andò, Sergio; Padoan, Marta; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Villa, Igor

2014-05-01

The Nile River flows for ~ 6700 km, from Burundi and Rwanda highlands south of the Equator to the Mediterranean Sea at northern subtropical latitudes. It is thus the longest natural laboratory on Earth, a unique setting in which we are carrying out a continuing research project to investigate changes in sediment composition associated with a variety of chemical and physical processes, including weathering in equatorial climate and hydraulic sorting during transport and deposition. Petrographic, mineralogical, chemical, and isotopic fingerprints of sand and mud have been monitored along all Nile branches, from the Kagera and White Nile draining Archean, Paleoproterozoic and Mesoproterozoic basements uplifted along the western branch of the East African rift, to the Blue Nile and Atbara Rivers sourced in Ethiopian volcanic highlands made of Oligocene basalt. Downstream of the Atbara confluence, the Nile receives no significant tributary water and hardly any rainfall across the Sahara. After construction of the Aswan High Dam in 1964, the Nile ceased to be an active conveyor-belt in Egypt, where the mighty river has been tamed to a water canal; transported sediments are thus chiefly reworked from older bed and levee deposits, with minor contributions from widyan sourced in the Red Sea Hills and wind-blown desert sand and dust. Extensive dam construction has determined a dramatic sediment deficit at the mouth, where deltaic cusps are undergoing ravaging erosion. Nile delta sediments are thus recycled under the effect of dominant waves from the northwest, the longest Mediterranean fetch direction. Nile sands, progressively enriched in more stable minerals such as quartz and amphiboles relative to volcanic rock fragments and pyroxene, thus undergo multistep transport by E- and NE-directed longshore currents all along the coast of Egypt and Palestine, and are carried as far as Akko Bay in northern Israel. Nile mud reaches the Iskenderun Gulf in southern Turkey. A full

The White Nile as a source for Nile sediments: Assessment using U-Pb geochronology of detrital rutile and monazite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Be'eri-Shlevin, Yaron; Avigad, Dov; Gerdes, Axel

2018-04-01

Basement terranes exposed at the headwaters of the White Nile include Archean-Paleoproterozoic rocks of the Congo Craton, whose northern sectors were severely reworked during Neoproterozoic orogeny. New U-Pb analyses of detrital rutile and monazite from early Quaternary to Recent coastal quartz sands of Israel, at the northeast extension of the Nile sedimentary system, yield mostly late Neoproterozoic ages, with a dominant peak at ca. 600 Ma. While derivation from the reworked sectors of the Craton cannot be negated, the absence of pre-Neoproterozoic rutile and monazite indicates that the detrital contribution from the Congo cratonic nuclei into the main Nile was insignificant. The near absence of White Nile basement-derived heavy minerals from the Nile sands arriving at the Eastern Mediterranean may be explained by a number of factors such as relatively minor erosion of the Cratonic basement nuclei during the Quaternary, late connection of the White Nile to the main Nile system with a possibility that northern segments connected prior to more southerly ones, and a long-term effective sediment blockage mechanism at the mouth of White Nile. Likewise, our previous study demonstrated that Nile sands display a detrital zircon U-Pb-Hf pattern consistent with significant recycling of NE African Paleozoic sediments. It is thus plausible that any detrital contribution from White Nile basement rocks was thoroughly diluted by eroded Paleozoic sediments, or their recycled products, which were likely the greatest sand reservoir in the region. This study adds to previous studies showing the advantage of a multi mineral U-Pb geochronology strategy in constraining sediment provenance patterns.

Holocene rainfall runoff in the central Ethiopian highlands and evolution of the River Nile drainage system as revealed from a sediment record from Lake Dendi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Bernd; Wennrich, Volker; Viehberg, Finn; Junginger, Annett; Kolvenbach, Anne; Rethemeyer, Janet; Schaebitz, Frank; Schmiedl, Gerhard

2018-04-01

A 12 m long sediment sequence was recovered from the eastern Dendi Crater lake, located on the central Ethiopian Plateau and in the region of the Blue Nile headwaters. 24 AMS radiocarbon dates from bulk organic carbon samples indicate that the sediment sequence spans the last ca. 12 cal kyr BP. Sedimentological and geochemical data from the sediment sequence that were combined with initial diatom information show only moderate change in precipitation and catchment runoff during that period, probably due to the elevated location of the study region in the Ethiopian highlands. Less humid conditions prevailed during the Younger Dryas (YD). After the return to full humid conditions of the African Humid Period (AHP), a 2 m thick tephra layer, probably originating from an eruption of the Wenchi crater 12 km to the west of the lake, was deposited at 10.2 cal kyr BP. Subsequently, single thin horizons of high clastic matter imply that short spells of dry conditions and significantly increased rainfall, respectively, superimpose the generally humid conditions. The end of the AHP is rather gradual and precedes relatively stable and less humid conditions around 3.9 cal kyr BP. Subsequently, slightly increasing catchment runoff led to sediment redeposition, increasing nutrient supply, and highest trophic states in the lake until 1.5 cal kyr BP. A highly variable increase in clastic matter indicates fluctuating and increasing catchment runoff over the last 1500 years. The data from Lake Dendi show, in concert with other records from the Nile catchment and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS), that the Blue Nile discharge was relatively high between ca. 10.0 and 8.7 cal kyr BP. Subsequent aridification peaked with some regional differences between ca. 4.0 and 2.6 cal kyr BP. Higher discharge in the Blue Nile hydraulic regime after 2.6 cal kyr BP is probably triggered by more local increase in rainfall, which is tentatively caused by a change in the influence of the Indian Ocean

Nile River, Lake Nasser, Aswan Dam, Egypt

NASA Image and Video Library

1991-08-11

Egypt's High Aswan Dam on the Nile River at the first cataracts, Nile River, (24.0N, 33.0E) was completed in 1971 to provide cheap hydroelectric power and to regulate the historically uneven flow of the Nile River. The contrast between the largely base rock desert east of the Nile versus the sand covered desert west of the river and the ancient irrigated floodplain downstream from the damsite is clearly shown.

Nile River, Lake Nasser, Aswan Dam, Egypt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Egypt's High Aswan Dam on the Nile River at the first cataracts, Nile River, (24.0N, 33.0E) was completed in 1971 to provide cheap hydroelectric power and to regulate the historically uneven flow of the Nile River. The contrast between the largely base rock desert east of the Nile versus the sand covered desert west of the river and the ancient irrigated floodplain downstream from the damsite is clearly shown.

Detection and molecular characterization of tick-borne pathogens infecting sheep and goats in Blue Nile and West Kordofan states in Sudan.

PubMed

Lee, Seung-Hun; Mossaad, Ehab; Ibrahim, Abdalla Mohamed; Ismail, Ahmed Ali; Adjou Moumouni, Paul Franck; Liu, Mingming; Ringo, Aaron Edmond; Gao, Yang; Guo, Huanping; Li, Jixu; Efstratiou, Artemis; Musinguzi, Peter; Angara, Tamador E E; Suganuma, Keisuke; Inoue, Noboru; Xuan, Xuenan

2018-03-01

Tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) are common in livestock of sub-Saharan Africa. However, information regarding TBPs in sheep and goats in Sudan is limited. In this study, 178 blood samples of sheep and goats in Blue Nile and West Kordofan states were investigated for TBPs using PCR. Overall, 110 (61.8%) samples were found to be infected with at least one of the following pathogens: Anaplasma ovis, Theileria ovis, and Ehrlichia ruminantium. Babesia ovis and T. lestoquardi were not identified. A. ovis was the most prevalent pathogen (n = 107, 60.1%), followed by T. ovis (n = 23, 12.9%) and E. ruminantium (n = 1, 0.6%). The prevalence rates of A. ovis and T. ovis were significantly higher in sheep than in goats. Phylogenetic analysis of T. ovis 18S rRNA and A. ovis msp4, groEL, and 16S rRNA, revealed that the pathogens identified in this study are clustered together, indicating similar molecular characteristics. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of E. ruminantium pCS20 revealed that E. ruminantium in this study belong to the West Africa group, and different to E. ruminantium previously identified in ticks from Sudan. We concluded that TBPs are highly prevalent in the study area and continuous monitoring of TBPs in sheep and goats in Sudan is highly required. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

West Nile virus: North American experience

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hofmeister, Erik K.

2011-01-01

West Nile virus, a mosquito-vectored flavivirus of the Japanese encephalitis serogroup, was first detected in North America following an epizootic in the New York City area in 1999. In the intervening 11 years since the arrival of the virus in North America, it has crossed the contiguous USA, entered the Canadian provinces bordering the USA, and has been reported in the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Central America and, more recently, South America. West Nile virus has been reported in over 300 species of birds in the USA and has caused the deaths of thousands of birds, local population declines of some avian species, the clinical illness and deaths of thousands of domestic horses, and the clinical disease in over 30 000 Americans and the deaths of over 1000. Prior to the emergence of West Nile virus in North America, St. Louis encephalitis virus and Dengue virus were the only other known mosquito-transmitted flaviviruses in North America capable of causing human disease. This review will discuss the North American experience with mosquito-borne flavivirus prior to the arrival of West Nile virus, the entry and spread of West Nile virus in North America, effects on wild bird populations, genetic changes in the virus, and the current state of West Nile virus transmission.

Nile Delta, Egypt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The Nile Delta of Egypt (30.0N, 31.0E) irrigated by the Nile River and its many distributaries, is some of the richest farm land in the world and home to some 45 million people, over half of Egypt's population of 57 million. The capital city of Cairo is at the apex of the delta in the middle of the scene. Across the river from Cairo can be seen the three big pyramids and sphinx at Giza and the Suez Canal is just to the right of the delta.

A rapid-screening approach to detect and quantify microplastics based on fluorescent tagging with Nile Red

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maes, Thomas; Jessop, Rebecca; Wellner, Nikolaus; Haupt, Karsten; Mayes, Andrew G.

2017-03-01

A new approach is presented for analysis of microplastics in environmental samples, based on selective fluorescent staining using Nile Red (NR), followed by density-based extraction and filtration. The dye adsorbs onto plastic surfaces and renders them fluorescent when irradiated with blue light. Fluorescence emission is detected using simple photography through an orange filter. Image-analysis allows fluorescent particles to be identified and counted. Magnified images can be recorded and tiled to cover the whole filter area, allowing particles down to a few micrometres to be detected. The solvatochromic nature of Nile Red also offers the possibility of plastic categorisation based on surface polarity characteristics of identified particles. This article details the development of this staining method and its initial cross-validation by comparison with infrared (IR) microscopy. Microplastics of different sizes could be detected and counted in marine sediment samples. The fluorescence staining identified the same particles as those found by scanning a filter area with IR-microscopy.

A rapid-screening approach to detect and quantify microplastics based on fluorescent tagging with Nile Red

PubMed Central

Maes, Thomas; Jessop, Rebecca; Wellner, Nikolaus; Haupt, Karsten; Mayes, Andrew G.

2017-01-01

A new approach is presented for analysis of microplastics in environmental samples, based on selective fluorescent staining using Nile Red (NR), followed by density-based extraction and filtration. The dye adsorbs onto plastic surfaces and renders them fluorescent when irradiated with blue light. Fluorescence emission is detected using simple photography through an orange filter. Image-analysis allows fluorescent particles to be identified and counted. Magnified images can be recorded and tiled to cover the whole filter area, allowing particles down to a few micrometres to be detected. The solvatochromic nature of Nile Red also offers the possibility of plastic categorisation based on surface polarity characteristics of identified particles. This article details the development of this staining method and its initial cross-validation by comparison with infrared (IR) microscopy. Microplastics of different sizes could be detected and counted in marine sediment samples. The fluorescence staining identified the same particles as those found by scanning a filter area with IR-microscopy. PMID:28300146

The White Nile sedimentary system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garzanti, Eduardo; Andò, Sergio; Padoan, Marta; Resentini, Alberto; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Villa, Igor

2014-05-01

The Nile River flows for ~6700 km from south of the Equator to finally reach the Mediterranean Sea at northern subtropical latitudes (Woodward et al. 2007). This is the longest sedimentological laboratory on Earth, a unique setting in which we are investigating changes in sediment composition associated with diverse chemical and physical processes, including weathering and hydraulic sorting. The present study focuses on the southern branch of the Nile across 20° of latitude, from hyperhumid Burundi and Rwanda highlands in central Africa to Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan at the southern edge of the Sahara. Our study of the Kagera basin emphasizes the importance of weathering in soils at the source rather than during stepwise transport, and shows that the transformation of parent rocks into quartzose sand may be completed in one sedimentary cycle (Garzanti et al. 2013a). Micas and heavy minerals, less effectively diluted by recycling than main framework components, offer the best key to identify the original source-rock imprint. The different behaviour of chemical indices such as the CIA (a truer indicator of weathering) and the WIP (markedly affected by quartz dilution) helps us to distinguish strongly weathered first-cycle versus polycyclic quartz sands (Garzanti et al. 2013b). Because sediment is efficiently trapped in East African Rift lakes, the composition of Nile sediments changes repeatedly northwards across Uganda. Downstream of both Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert, quartzose sands are progressively enriched in metamorphiclastic detritus supplied from tributaries draining amphibolite-facies basements. The evolution of White Nile sediments across South Sudan, a scarcely accessible region that suffered decades of civil war, was inferred from the available information (Shukri 1950), integrated by original petrographic, heavy-mineral and geochemical data (Padoan et al. 2011). Mineralogical and isotopic signatures of Bahr-el-Jebel and Sobat sediments, derived

The initiation and evolution of the River Nile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fielding, Laura; Najman, Yani; Millar, Ian; Butterworth, Peter; Garzanti, Eduardo; Vezzoli, Giovanni; Barfod, Dan; Kneller, Ben

2018-05-01

The Nile is generally regarded as the longest river in the world. Knowledge of the timing of the Nile's initiation as a major river is important to a number of research questions. For example, the timing of the river's establishment as a catchment of continental proportions can be used to document surface uplift of its Ethiopian upland drainage, with implications for constraining rift tectonics. Furthermore, the time of major freshwater input to the Mediterranean is considered to be an important factor in the development of sapropels. Yet the river's initiation as a major drainage is currently constrained no more precisely than Eocene to Pleistocene. Within the modern Nile catchment, voluminous Cenozoic Continental Flood Basalts (CFBs) are unique to the Ethiopian Highlands; thus first detection of their presence in the Nile delta record indicates establishment of the river's drainage at continental proportions at that time. We present the first detailed multiproxy provenance study of Oligocene-Recent Nile delta cone sediments. We demonstrate the presence of Ethiopian CFB detritus in the Nile delta from the start of our studied record (c. 31 Ma) by (1) documenting the presence of zircons with U-Pb ages unique, within the Nile catchment, to the Ethiopian CFBs and (2) using Sr-Nd data to construct a mixing model which indicates a contribution from the CFBs. We thereby show that the Nile river was established as a river of continental proportions by Oligocene times. We use petrography and heavy mineral data to show that previous petrographic provenance studies which proposed a Pleistocene age for first arrival of Ethiopian CFBs in the Nile delta did not take into account the strong diagenetic influence on the samples. We use a range of techniques to show that sediments were derived from Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks that blanket North Africa, Arabian-Nubian Shield basement terranes, and Ethiopian CFB's. We see no significant input from Archaean cratons supplied

West Nile Virus: Symptoms and Treatment

MedlinePlus

... U V W X Y Z # West Nile virus Note: Javascript is disabled or is not supported ... visit this page: About CDC.gov . West Nile Virus Home Prevention Prevención y control Symptoms, Diagnosis, & Treatment ...

Nile Delta vegetation response to Holocene climate variability

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernhardt, Christopher E.; Horton, Benjamin P.; Stanley, Jean-Daniel

2012-01-01

A 7000 yr palynologic record from Burullus Lagoon, Nile Delta, Egypt, is assessed to investigate changes in terrestrial vegetation in response to Nile flow. Previous studies in this region have shown that sea-level rise in the early to mid-Holocene, and markedly increased human land use during the past several centuries, altered vegetation in and around the lagoon. The pollen record from this study documents changes in delta vegetation that likely reflect variations in Nile flow. We suggest that Cyperaceae pollen is a sensitive marker of precipitation over the Nile headwaters and the resultant Nile flow. Decreases in Cyperaceae pollen, interpreted as a marker for diminished Nile flow, as well as the increase in relative abundance of microscopic charcoal, occurred at ca. 6000–5500, ca. 5000, ca. 4200, and ca. 3000 cal. yr B.P. (calibrated years before present). These correspond to extreme regional and global aridity events associated with a more southerly mean position of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. These changes, also recorded by other proxy studies, indicate that several marked regional drought events affected the Nile Delta region and impacted ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern civilizations.

A new model of river dynamics, hydroclimatic change and human settlement in the Nile Valley derived from meta-analysis of the Holocene fluvial archive

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macklin, Mark G.; Toonen, Willem H. J.; Woodward, Jamie C.; Williams, Martin A. J.; Flaux, Clément; Marriner, Nick; Nicoll, Kathleen; Verstraeten, Gert; Spencer, Neal; Welsby, Derek

2015-12-01

In the Nile catchment, a growing number of site- and reach-based studies employ radiocarbon and, more recently, OSL dating to reconstruct Holocene river histories, but there has been no attempt to critically evaluate and synthesise these data at the catchment scale. We present the first meta-analysis of published and publically available radiocarbon and OSL dated Holocene fluvial units in the Nile catchment, including the delta region, and relate this to changing climate and river dynamics. Dated fluvial units are separated both geographically (into the Nile Delta and White, Blue, and Desert Nile sub-regions) and into depositional environment (floodplain and palaeochannel fills). Cumulative probability density frequency (CPDF) plots of floodplain and palaeochannel units show a striking inverse relationship during the Holocene, reflecting abrupt (<100 years) climate-related changes in flooding regime. The CPDF plot of dated floodplain units is interpreted as a record of over-bank river flows, whilst the CPDF plot of palaeochannel units reflect periods of major flooding associated with channel abandonment and contraction, as well as transitions to multi-centennial length episodes of greater aridity and low river flow. This analysis has identified major changes in river flow and dynamics in the Nile catchment with phases of channel and floodplain contraction at c. 6150-5750, 4400-4150, 3700-3450, 2700-2250, 1350-900, 800-550 cal. BC and cal. AD 1600, timeframes that mark shifts to new hydrological and geomorphological regimes. We discuss the impacts of these changing hydromorphological regimes upon riverine civilizations in the Nile Valley.

Assessing Impact of Climate Change on the Runoffs of Gilgel Abbay Watershed, the upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayele, H. S.; Li, M. H.; Tung, C. P.; Liu, T. M.

2015-12-01

Water is the most climate sensitive sector in changing climate. Hydrological vulnerability assessment is critical to the implementation of adaption measures. In this study, projections of 7 GCMs in association with high (RCP8.5) and medium low (RCP4.5) representative concentration path way from the CMPI5 (fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project) for the period 2021-2040 and 2081-2100 were adopted to assess the impacts of climate change on the runoffs of Gilgel Abbay watershed, the upper Blue Nile basin, in Ethiopia. The GCMs selected were first screened in harmony with baseline climate statistics of study areas. Based on climate projections and statistical characteristics of historical weather data, a weather generator was employed to generate daily temperature and precipitation as inputs for the GWLF hydrological model to simulate runoffs. Changes of projected temperature and precipitation were analyzed to explain variations of evapotranspiration and influences on future runoffs. We found that, despite the fact that the projected magnitude varies among different GCMs, increasing in the wet and a decreasing in dry seasons runoffs were observed in both time windows, which mainly attributes to the increase of precipitations projected by most of GCMs. In contrast to great increases in runoffs, the increase of evapotranspiration by elevating temperature is less significant. The increasing runoffs in both time windows will provide more water inflow to the Lake Tana. On the other hand, the increase of precipitation in wet season makes the wet season wetter and implies higher possibility of flash floods. This will have deleterious consequences in the local community. Therefore, concerned water organizations in local, state, and federal levels shall be prepared to harness the opportunities with more water resources for utilization and management, as well as flood preventive measures.

Modeling the water budget of the Upper Blue Nile basin using the JGrass-NewAge model system and satellite data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abera, Wuletawu; Formetta, Giuseppe; Brocca, Luca; Rigon, Riccardo

2017-06-01

The Upper Blue Nile basin is one of the most data-scarce regions in developing countries, and hence the hydrological information required for informed decision making in water resource management is limited. The hydrological complexity of the basin, tied with the lack of hydrometeorological data, means that most hydrological studies in the region are either restricted to small subbasins where there are relatively better hydrometeorological data available, or on the whole-basin scale but at very coarse timescales and spatial resolutions. In this study we develop a methodology that can improve the state of the art by using available, but sparse, hydrometeorological data and satellite products to obtain the estimates of all the components of the hydrological cycle (precipitation, evapotranspiration, discharge, and storage). To obtain the water-budget closure, we use the JGrass-NewAge system and various remote sensing products. The satellite product SM2R-CCI is used for obtaining the rainfall inputs, SAF EUMETSAT for cloud cover fraction for proper net radiation estimation, GLEAM for comparison with NewAge-estimated evapotranspiration, and GRACE gravimetry data for comparison of the total water storage amounts available in the whole basin. Results are obtained at daily time steps for the period 1994-2009 (16 years), and they can be used as a reference for any water resource development activities in the region. The overall water-budget analysis shows that precipitation of the basin is 1360 ± 230 mm per year. Evapotranspiration accounts for 56 % of the annual water budget, runoff is 33 %, storage varies from -10 to +17 % of the water budget.

Vertical transmission of microcystins to Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) eggs.

PubMed

Singo, Alukhethi; Myburgh, Jan G; Laver, Peter N; Venter, Elizabeth A; Ferreira, Gezina C H; Rösemann, Gertruida M; Botha, Christo J

2017-08-01

Cyanobacteria or blue green algae are known for their extensive and highly visible blooms in eutrophic, stagnant freshwater bodies. Climate change and global warming have also contributed to a rise in toxic cyanobacterial blooms. One of the most important cyanobacteria is Microcystis aeruginosa, which can synthesize various microcystins that can affect the health of terrestrial and aquatic animals. Commercial Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) farming in South Africa is based on keeping breeders (adult males and females) in big dams on farms (captive-bred approach). Unfortunately, cyanobacterial blooms in the breeder dams are a concern to farm owners, managers and veterinarians. The main objectives of this research project were to determine if microcystins were present in the contents of crocodile eggs and the liver and yolk of dead hatchlings, and to determine if the reduced hatchability on commercial farms might be caused by these toxins. Furthermore, the concentration of microcystins in the breeder dam was monitored on a monthly basis spanning the ovulation and egg laying period. During the hatching season microcystin concentrations in unfertilised eggs, egg shell membranes and in the yolk and liver of dead hatchlings were determined using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Microcystins were detected in Nile crocodile egg and hatchling samples. Microcystin (MC-LR, MC-RR, MC-YR) concentrations in the crocodile egg and hatchling samples collected from clutches with a good hatching rate (≥90%) ranged between 0 and 1.76 ng g -1 , with the highest concentration in the egg shell membranes. Microcystin concentrations in samples collected from clutches with a bad hatching rate (≤10%) ranged from 0 - 1.63 ng g -1 with the highest concentration detected in the hatchling yolk. However, the concentrations were probably underestimated as the percentage recovery from spiked samples was very low with the extraction method employed

West nile poliomyelitis in a 7-year-old child.

PubMed

Hainline, Margaret L; Kincaid, John C; Carpenter, Denise L; Golomb, Meredith R

2008-11-01

West Nile poliomyelitis is a well-described neurologic manifestation of West Nile viral infection in adults. However, few reports have described this manifestation in children infected with West Nile virus. We describe a 7-year-old boy who developed West Nile poliomyelitis with flaccid paralysis of his left leg. Electrodiagnostic testing and radiologic imaging confirmed anterior horn cell injury. We report on his course clinically and electrodiagnostically over 20 months.

West Nile Virus Infection in Sheep.

PubMed

Rimoldi, G; Mete, A; Adaska, J M; Anderson, M L; Symmes, K P; Diab, S

2017-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) infection has been detected in many species of birds and mammals, but scant information is available about the disease in small ruminants. West Nile virus was diagnosed in 6 sheep with neurological signs and encephalitis, in California between 2002 and 2014. All sheep had severe lymphoplasmacytic meningoencephalitis. Lymphoplasmacytic myelitis was also detected in 2 sheep where the spinal cord was examined. Brain tissue was positive for WNV detected by polymerase chain reaction in 6 of 6 sheep and by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 5 of 6 sheep. Viral antigen was not detected by IHC in extraneural tissues in the 3 sheep examined. West Nile virus RNA was sequenced from 2 of 6 sheep, and each one clusters closely with WNV isolated from mosquito pools from nearby locations at similar times. West Nile virus was the most common cause of viral encephalitis in sheep diagnosed at this laboratory between 2002 and 2014, accounting for 6 of 9 sheep.

Nile River Delta, Egypt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The Nile River Delta of Egypt (30.0N, 31.0E) irrigated by the Nile River and its many distributaries, is some of the richest farm land in the world and home to some 45 million people, over half of Egypt's population. The capital city of Cairo is at the apex of the delta. Just across the river from Cairo can be seen the ancient three big pyramids and sphinx at Giza and the Suez Canal is just to the right of the delta.

Nile River Delta, Egypt

NASA Image and Video Library

1984-10-13

The Nile River Delta of Egypt (30.0N, 31.0E) irrigated by the Nile River and its many distributaries, is some of the richest farm land in the world and home to some 45 million people, over half of Egypt's population. The capital city of Cairo is at the apex of the delta. Just across the river from Cairo can be seen the ancient three big pyramids and sphinx at Giza and the Suez Canal is just to the right of the delta.

Control Over the Nile: Implications across Nations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

states is evident in the 1959 Full Utilization of the Nile Waters Agreement between Egypt and the Sudan. Of the Nile’s annual average water yield of...grain, maize —has been falling. Kenya saw a 22 per cent decrease in 2000 from the 1998 harvest and a 36 per cent decrease from the 1999 harvest—leading...incorporated in a Nile water resource-sharing regime. The potential for Nile basin conflict or cooperation revolves around, first, the gap between water

Liquefaction potential of Nile delta, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fergany, Elsayed; Omar, Khaled

2017-06-01

Understanding how sedimentary basins respond to seismic-wave energy generated by earthquake events is a significant concern for seismic-hazard estimation and risk analysis. The main goal of this study is assessing the vulnerability index, Kg, as an indicator for liquefaction potential sites in the Nile delta basin based on the microtremor measurements. Horizontal to Vertical spectral ratio analyses (HVSR) of ambient noise data, which was conducted in 2006 at 120 sites covering the Nile delta from south to north were reprocessed using Geopsy software. HVSR factors of amplification, A, and fundamental frequency, F, were calculated and Kg was estimated for each measurement. The Kg value varies widely from south toward north delta and the potential liquefaction places were estimated. The higher vulnerability indices are associated with sites located in southern part of the Nile delta and close to the branches of Nile River. The HVSR factors were correlated with geologic setting of the Nile delta and show good correlations with the sediment thickness and subsurface stratigraphic boundaries. However, we note that sites located in areas that have greatest percentage of sand also yielded relatively high Kg values with respect to sites in areas where clay is abundant. We concluded that any earthquake with ground acceleration more than 50 gal at hard rock can cause a perceived deformation of sandy sediments and liquefaction can take place in the weak zones of Kg ≥ 20. The worst potential liquefaction zones (Kg > 30) are frequently joined to the Damietta and Rosetta Nile River branches and south Delta where relatively coarser sand exists. The HVSR technique is a very sensitive tool for lithological stratigraphy variations in two dimensions and varying liquefaction susceptibility.

Reactivation West Nile virus infection-related chorioretinitis.

PubMed

Beardsley, Robert; McCannel, Colin

2012-01-01

West Nile Virus is a relatively uncommon infection that can involve retinal and choroidal inflammation leading to photopsias, photophobia, and orbital pain. The diagnosis is made by clinical history, serology, and characteristic funduscopic exam and fluorescein angiography findings. Treatment involves primarily supportive care as there are no known effective anti-viral agents. Visual recovery is usually full. Here we present a case of West Nile Virus Infection Related chorioretinitis that demonstrated active linear chorioretinal lesions approximately one year after the initial infection was diagnosed and treated. The patient noted new onset blurry vision and floaters for two weeks prior to presentation. Antibody titers to West Nile Virus increased from baseline levels indicating active infection. This represents the first case of reactivation West Nile Virus Infection Related chorioretinitis that has been documented.

An Integrated Hydrological and Water Management Study of the Entire Nile River System - Lake Victoria to Nile Delta

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Habib, Shahid; Zaitchik, Benjamin; Alo, Clement; Ozdogan, Mutlu; Anderson, Martha; Policelli, Fritz

2011-01-01

The Nile basin River system spans 3 million km(exp 2) distributed over ten nations. The eight upstream riparian nations, Ethiopia, Eretria, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, Tanzania and Kenya are the source of approximately 86% of the water inputs to the Nile, while the two downstream riparian countries Sudan and Egypt, presently rely on the river's flow for most of the their needs. Both climate and agriculture contribute to the complicated nature of Nile River management: precipitation in the headwaters regions of Ethiopia and Lake Victoria is variable on a seasonal and inter-annual basis, while demand for irrigation water in the arid downstream region is consistently high. The Nile is, perhaps, one of the most difficult trans-boundary water issue in the world, and this study would be the first initiative to combine NASA satellite observations with the hydrologic models study the overall water balance in a to comprehensive manner. The cornerstone application of NASA's Earth Science Research Results under this project are the NASA Land Data Assimilation System (LDAS) and the USDA Atmosphere-land Exchange Inverse (ALEXI) model. These two complementary research results are methodologically independent methods for using NASA observations to support water resource analysis in data poor regions. Where an LDAS uses multiple sources of satellite data to inform prognostic simulations of hydrological process, ALEXI diagnoses evapotranspiration and water stress on the basis of thermal infrared satellite imagery. Specifically, this work integrates NASA Land Data Assimilation systems into the water management decision support systems that member countries of the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) and Regional Center for Mapping of Resources for Development (RCMRD, located in Nairobi, Kenya) use in water resource analysis, agricultural planning, and acute drought response to support sustainable development of Nile Basin water resources. The project is motivated by the recognition that

Analyzing the variability of sediment yield: A case study from paired watersheds in the Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebabu, Kindiye; Tsunekawa, Atsushi; Haregeweyn, Nigussie; Adgo, Enyew; Meshesha, Derege Tsegaye; Aklog, Dagnachew; Masunaga, Tsugiyuki; Tsubo, Mitsuru; Sultan, Dagnenet; Fenta, Ayele Almaw; Yibeltal, Mesenbet

2018-02-01

Improved knowledge of watershed-scale spatial and temporal variability of sediment yields (SY) is needed to design erosion control strategies, particularly in the most severely eroded areas. The present study was conducted to provide this knowledge for the humid tropical highlands of Ethiopia using the Akusity and Kasiry paired watersheds in the Guder portion of the Upper Blue Nile basin. Discharge and suspended sediment concentration data were monitored during the rainy season of 2014 and 2015 using automatic flow stage sensors, manual staff gauges and a depth-integrated sediment sampler. The SY was calculated using empirical discharge-sediment curves for different parts of each rainy season. The measured mean daily sediment concentration differed greatly between years and watersheds (0.51 g L- 1 in 2014 and 0.92 g L- 1 in 2015 for Kasiry, and 1.04 g L- 1 in 2014 and 2.20 g L- 1 in 2015 for Akusity). Sediment concentrations at both sites decreased as the rainy season progressed, regardless of the rainfall pattern, owing to depletion of the sediment supply and limited transport capacity of the flows caused by increased vegetation cover. Rainy season SYs for Kasiry were 7.6 t ha- 1 in 2014 and 27.2 t ha- 1 in 2015, while in Akusity SYs were 25.7 t ha- 1 in 2014 and 71.2 t ha- 1 in 2015. The much larger values in 2015 can be partly explained by increased rainfall and larger peak flow events. The magnitude and timing of peak flow events are major determinants of the amount and variability of SYs. Thus, site-specific assessment of such events is crucial to reveal SY dynamics of small watersheds in tropical highland environments.

DNA Electrochemistry with Tethered Methylene Blue

PubMed Central

Pheeney, Catrina G.

2012-01-01

Methylene blue (MB′), covalently attached to DNA through a flexible C12 alkyl linker, provides a sensitive redox reporter in DNA electrochemistry measurements. Tethered, intercalated MB′ is reduced through DNA-mediated charge transport; the incorporation of a single base mismatch at position 3, 10, or 14 of a 17-mer causes an attenuation of the signal to 62 ± 3% of the well-matched DNA, irrespective of position in the duplex. The redox signal intensity for MB′–DNA is found to be least 3-fold larger than that of Nile blue (NB)–DNA, indicating that MB′ is even more strongly coupled to the π-stack. The signal attenuation due to an intervening mismatch does, however, depend on DNA film density and the backfilling agent used to passivate the surface. These results highlight two mechanisms for reduction of MB′ on the DNA-modified electrode: reduction mediated by the DNA base pair stack and direct surface reduction of MB′ at the electrode. These two mechanisms are distinguished by their rates of electron transfer that differ by 20-fold. The extent of direct reduction at the surface can be controlled by assembly and buffer conditions. PMID:22512327

21 CFR 866.3940 - West Nile virus serological reagents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false West Nile virus serological reagents. 866.3940... virus serological reagents. (a) Identification. West Nile virus serological reagents are devices that consist of antigens and antisera for the detection of anti-West Nile virus IgM antibodies, in human serum...

21 CFR 866.3940 - West Nile virus serological reagents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false West Nile virus serological reagents. 866.3940... virus serological reagents. (a) Identification. West Nile virus serological reagents are devices that consist of antigens and antisera for the detection of anti-West Nile virus IgM antibodies, in human serum...

21 CFR 866.3940 - West Nile virus serological reagents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false West Nile virus serological reagents. 866.3940... virus serological reagents. (a) Identification. West Nile virus serological reagents are devices that consist of antigens and antisera for the detection of anti-West Nile virus IgM antibodies, in human serum...

21 CFR 866.3940 - West Nile virus serological reagents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false West Nile virus serological reagents. 866.3940... virus serological reagents. (a) Identification. West Nile virus serological reagents are devices that consist of antigens and antisera for the detection of anti-West Nile virus IgM antibodies, in human serum...

21 CFR 866.3940 - West Nile virus serological reagents.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false West Nile virus serological reagents. 866.3940... virus serological reagents. (a) Identification. West Nile virus serological reagents are devices that consist of antigens and antisera for the detection of anti-West Nile virus IgM antibodies, in human serum...

Nile Delta

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2013-04-15

... west are the Great Pyramids of Giza. North of here the Nile branches into two distributaries, the Rosetta to the west and the Damietta to ... NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington, D.C. The Terra spacecraft is managed ...

Polychlorinated Biphenyls Water Pollution along the River Nile, Egypt

PubMed Central

Megahed, Ayman Mohamed; Dahshan, Hesham; Abd-El-Kader, Mahdy A.; Abd-Elall, Amr Mohamed Mohamed; Elbana, Mariam Hassan; Nabawy, Ehab; Mahmoud, Hend A.

2015-01-01

Ten polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners were determined in water samples collected along the River Nile using gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD). PCB concentrations ranged from 14 to 20 μg/L, which were higher than those reported in previous studies, indicating serious PCB pollution in the River Nile. PCB congener profiles varied depending on the sampling sties. PCB-138 was the predominant congener accounting for more than 18% of total PCBs. The composition of PCB congeners in the water revealed that highly chlorinated PCB technical mixtures such as Aroclor 1254 was the main PCB production historically used in Egypt. An increasing trend in PCB levels from the upper stream to the Nile estuaries was observed. The calculated flux of PCBs indicated that 6.8 tons of PCBs is dumped into the Mediterranean Sea each year from the River Nile. The hazard quotients and carcinogenic risk caused by PCB pollution in the River Nile were above the acceptable level indicating that PCBs in the River Nile water pose adverse health effects for all age groups. Our findings revealed that PCBs possess a serious risk to the Egyptian population that depends mainly on the River Nile as a source of water. Thus, stricter legislation and regulatory controls should be applied to reduce the risk of PCBs in Egypt. PMID:26798844

Enhanced emission of Nile Red on plasmonic platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Synak, Anna; Bojarski, Piotr; Grobelna, Beata; Gryczyński, Ignacy; Fudala, Rafał; Mońka, Michal

2018-04-01

Strongly enhanced fluorescence of Nile Red deposited in the vicinity of silver nanoparticles and gold semitransparent mirror was observed. The properties of three different plasmonic platforms based on TiO2, TiO2-GLYMO (1:1) and SiO2 matrices were studied with spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Significant differences of Nile Red spectroscopic properties in both matrices were observed. In particular, the sensitivity of Nile Red fluorescence enhancement and its peak location to the polarity of local surrounding was found.

STS-56 Earth observation of the northeastern Nile Delta

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-04-17

STS-56 Earth observation of the northeastern Nile Delta was photographed from the Earth-orbiting Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103. The branch of the Nile featured in the frame is Daimietta. The Suez Canal marks the boundary of the Nile Delta agriculture and the Sinai Desert to the right. Lake Masada, the dark waterlogged area to the west (left) of Port Said is becoming more saline as the Aswan Dam has reduced sediment downstream. This sediment reduction, according to NASA scientists studying the STS-56 photography, has resulted in increased coastal erosion and the intrusion of a salt-water lens to the ground water, particularly in the northeastern portions of the delta. Center pivot irrigation fields are located along either side of the Ramses Canal, which connects the Daimietta Nile with Great Bitter Lake. This canal has been re-dug three or four times in the past 3,000 years. Historians note that the canal's most famous use was as the departure point of the fleet of Pharaoh Necho. The fleet circumnavigated Africa clockwise from the head of the Red Sea to the Mediterranean coast of the Nile (probably the Rosetta Nile) in a three-year voyage circa 660 BC.

Impact of Climate Change on Irrigation and Hydropower Potential: A Case of Upper Blue Nile Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdella, E. J.; Gosain, A. K.; Khosa, R.

2017-12-01

Due to the growing pressure in water resource and climate change there is great uncertainty in the availability of water for existing as well as proposed irrigation and hydropower projects in the Upper Blue Nile basin (longitude 34oE and 39oE and latitude 7oN and 12oN). This study quantitatively assessed the impact of climate change on the hydrological regime of the basin which intern affect water availability for different use including hydropower and irrigation. Ensemble of four bias corrected regional climate models (RCM) of CORDEX Africa domain and two scenarios (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5) were used to determine climate projections for future (2021-2050) period. The outputs from the climate models used to drive the calibrated Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model to simulate future runoff. The simulated discharge were used as input to a Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) water allocation model to determine the implication in hydropower and irrigation potential of the basin. The WEAP model was setup to simulate three scenarios which includes Current, Medium-term (by 2025) and Long-term (by 2050) Development scenario. The projected mean annual temperature of the basin are warmer than the baseline (1982 - 2005) average in the range of 1 to 1.4oC. Projected mean annual precipitation varies across the basin in the range of - 3% to 7%, much of the expected increase is in the highland region of the basin. The water use simulation indicate that the current annual average irrigation water demand in the basin is 1.29Bm3y-1 with 100% coverage. By 2025 and 2050, with the development of new schemes and changing climate, water demand for irrigation is estimated to increase by 2.5 Bm3y-1 and 3.4 Bm3y-1 with 99 % and 96% coverage respectively. Simulation for domestic water demand coverage for all scenarios shows that there will be 100% coverage for the two major cities in the basin. The hydropower generation simulation indicate that 98% of hydroelectricity

West Nile Virus: Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Petersen, Lyle R.; Brault, Aaron C.; Nasci, Roger S.

2015-01-01

IMPORTANCE Since its introduction in North America in 1999,West Nile virus has produced the 3 largest arboviral neuroinvasive disease outbreaks ever recorded in the United States. OBJECTIVE To review the ecology, virology, epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, prevention, and control of West Nile virus, with an emphasis on North America. EVIDENCE REVIEW PubMed electronic database was searched through February 5, 2013. United States national surveillance data were gathered from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. FINDINGS West Nile virus is now endemic throughout the contiguous United States, with 16 196 human neuroinvasive disease cases and 1549 deaths reported since 1999. More than 780 000 illnesses have likely occurred. To date, incidence is highest in the Midwest from mid-July to early September. West Nile fever develops in approximately 25% of those infected, varies greatly in clinical severity, and symptoms may be prolonged. Neuroinvasive disease (meningitis, encephalitis, acute flaccid paralysis) develops in less than 1% but carries a fatality rate of approximately 10%. Encephalitis has a highly variable clinical course but often is associated with considerable long-term morbidity. Approximately two-thirds of those with paralysis remain with significant weakness in affected limbs. Diagnosis usually rests on detection of IgM antibody in serum or cerebrospinal fluid. Treatment is supportive; no licensed human vaccine exists. Prevention uses an integrated pest management approach, which focuses on surveillance, elimination of mosquito breeding sites, and larval and adult mosquito management using pesticides to keep mosquito populations low. During outbreaks or impending outbreaks, emphasis shifts to aggressive adult mosquito control to reduce the abundance of infected, biting mosquitoes. Pesticide exposure and adverse human health events following adult mosquito control operations for West Nile virus appear negligible. CONCLUSIONS AND

Does the Nile reflect solar variability?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruzmaikin, Alexander; Feynman, Joan; Yung, Yuk

Historical records of the Nile water level provide a unique opportunity to investigate the possibility that solar variability influences the Earth's climate. Particularly important are the annual records of the water level, which are uninterrupted for the years 622-1470 A.D. These records are non-stationary, so that standard spectral analyses cannot adequately characterize them. Here the Empirical Mode Decomposition technique, which is designed to deal with non-stationary, nonlinear time series, becomes useful. It allows the identification of two characteristic time scales in the water level data that can be linked to solar variability: the 88 year period and a time scale of about 200 years. These time scales are also present in the concurrent aurora data. Auroras are driven by coronal mass ejections and the rate of auroras is an excellent proxy for solar variabiliy. Analysis of auroral data contemporaneous with the Nile data shows peaks at 88 years and about 200 years. This suggests a physical link between solar variability and the low-frequency variations of the Nile water level. The link involves the influence of solar variability on the North Annual Mode of atmospheric variability and its North Atlantic and Indian Oceans patterns that affect rainfall over Eastren Equatorial Africa where the Nile originates.

Impacts of West Nile Virus on wildlife

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saito, E.K.; Wild, M.A.

2004-01-01

The recent epidemic of West Nile virus in the United States proved to be unexpectedly active and was the largest epidemic of the virus ever recorded. Much remains to be discovered about the ecology and epidemiology of West Nile virus in the United States, including which species are important in maintaining the virus in nature, why some species are more susceptible to lethal infection, and what environmental factors are important in predicting future epidemics. These factors will likely vary regionally, depending on local ecological characteristics. Until scientists better understand the virus and factors influencing its activity, predicting its effects for future seasons is impossible. However, experts are certain about one thing: West Nile virus is here to stay.

Biochemical properties of the nerve growth factor-inducible large external (NILE) glycoprotein.

PubMed

Salton, S R; Shelanski, M L; Greene, L A

1983-12-01

In the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF), PC12 pheochromocytoma cells undergo neuronal differentiation with a concomitant 3- to 5-fold increase in the specific level of an Mr = 230,000 cell surface component named the NGF-inducible large external, or NILE, glycoprotein. Antisera raised against NILE glycoprotein (NILE GP) purified from PC12 cells have been found to recognize most, if not all, neurons derived from the peripheral and central nervous systems. In the current studies several of the biochemical properties of NILE GP were investigated. NILE GP was found to be phosphorylated in NGF-treated and -untreated PC12 cells and in cultured rat sympathetic neurons. The phosphate moiety of NILE GP is almost completely alkali labile, suggesting that phosphoserine groups predominate. Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that incorporation of [32P]phosphate into NILE GP relative to total PC12 cell phosphoprotein was not significantly altered at 12 and 24 hr of NGF treatment but was enhanced 3-fold after 7 days and up to 5-fold after 2 to 3 weeks of NGF exposure. These changes in phosphorylated NILE GP paralleled, and therefore appeared to be mainly a consequence of, the NGF-induced increase in total cellular levels of NILE GP. By two-dimensional gel analysis, anti-NILE GP selectively immunoprecipitated two NGF-inducible spots (apparent Mr = 230,000; pI = 6.4 to 6.6) from PC12 cells labeled with either [3H] fucose, [35S]methionine, or [32P]phosphate. Anti-NILE GP immunoprecipitated a single band (apparent Mr = 205,000) from extracts of rat brain labeled with [3H] glucosamine. This confirms the previously established apparent molecular weight difference between central and peripheral NILE GP cross-reactive material. When PC12 cells, cerebellar cultures, and cultured cerebral cortex were treated with tunicamycin and labeled with [35S]methionine, nonglycosylated bands each with Mr = 160,000 were immunoprecipitated, implying that the differences in the mobilities on

Effects of land use and land cover on selected soil quality indicators in the headwater area of the Blue Nile basin of Ethiopia.

PubMed

Teferi, Ermias; Bewket, Woldeamlak; Simane, Belay

2016-02-01

Understanding changes in soil quality resulting from land use and land management changes is important to design sustainable land management plans or interventions. This study evaluated the influence of land use and land cover (LULC) on key soil quality indicators (SQIs) within a small watershed (Jedeb) in the Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia. Factor analysis based on principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine different SQIs. Surface (0-15 cm) soil samples with four replications were collected from five main LULC types in the watershed (i.e., natural woody vegetation, plantation forest, grassland, cultivated land, and barren land) and at two elevation classes (upland and midland), and 13 soil properties were measured for each replicate. A factorial (2 × 5) multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that LULC and altitude together significantly affected organic matter (OM) levels. However, LULC alone significantly affected bulk density and altitude alone significantly affected bulk density, soil acidity, and silt content. Afforestation of barren land with eucalypt trees can significantly increase the soil OM in the midland part but not in the upland part. Soils under grassland had a significantly higher bulk density than did soils under natural woody vegetation indicating that de-vegetation and conversion to grassland could lead to soil compaction. Thus, the historical LULC change in the Jedeb watershed has resulted in the loss of soil OM and increased soil compaction. The study shows that a land use and management system can be monitored if it degrades or maintains or improves the soil using key soil quality indicators.

Climate change enhances interannual variability of the Nile river flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siam, Mohamed S.; Eltahir, Elfatih A. B.

2017-04-01

The human population living in the Nile basin countries is projected to double by 2050, approaching one billion. The increase in water demand associated with this burgeoning population will put significant stress on the available water resources. Potential changes in the flow of the Nile River as a result of climate change may further strain this critical situation. Here, we present empirical evidence from observations and consistent projections from climate model simulations suggesting that the standard deviation describing interannual variability of total Nile flow could increase by 50% (+/-35%) (multi-model ensemble mean +/- 1 standard deviation) in the twenty-first century compared to the twentieth century. We attribute the relatively large change in interannual variability of the Nile flow to projected increases in future occurrences of El Niño and La Niña events and to observed teleconnection between the El Niño-Southern Oscillation and Nile River flow. Adequacy of current water storage capacity and plans for additional storage capacity in the basin will need to be re-evaluated given the projected enhancement of interannual variability in the future flow of the Nile river.

STS-57 Earth observation of the Eastern Mediterranean, Nile River, Asia Minor

NASA Image and Video Library

1993-07-01

STS057-73-075 (21 June-1 July 1993) --- Eastern Mediterranean from an unusually high vantage point over the Nile River, this north-looking view shows not only the eastern Mediterranean but also the entire landmass of Asia Minor, with the Black Sea dimly visible at the horizon. Many of the Greek islands can be seen in the Aegean Sea (top left), off the coast of Asia Minor. Cyprus is visible under atmospheric dust in the northeast corner of the Mediterranean. The dust cloud covers the east end of the Mediterranean, its western edge demarcated by a line that cuts the center of the Nile Delta. This dust cloud originated far to the west, in Algeria, and moved northeast over Sicily, southern Italy, and Greece. Part of the cloud then moved on over the Black Sea, but another part swerved southward back towards Egypt. A gyre of clouds in the southeast corner of the Mediterranean indicates a complementary counterclockwise (cyclonic) circulation of air. The Euphrates River appears as a thin green line (upper right) in the yellow Syrian Desert just south of the blue-green mountains of Turkey. The Dead Sea (lower right) lies in a rift valley which extends north into Turkey and south thousands of miles down the Gulf of Aqaba, the Red Sea, and on through East Africa. The straight international boundary between Israel and Egypt (where the coastline angles) is particularly clear in this view, marked by the thicker vegetation on the Israeli side of the border. The green delta of the Nile River appears in the foreground, with the great conurbation of Cairo seen as a gray area at the apex of the triangle. Most of Egypt's 52 million inhabitants live in the delta. On the east side of the delta, the Suez Canal is visible. On the western corner of the delta lies the ancient city of Alexandria, beside the orange and white salt pans. The World War II battlesite El Alamein lies on the coast.

West Nile Virus in Farmed Alligators

PubMed Central

Mauel, Michael J.; Baldwin, Charles; Burtle, Gary; Ingram, Dallas; Hines, Murray E.; Frazier, Kendal S.

2003-01-01

Seven alligators were submitted to the Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory for necropsy during two epizootics in the fall of 2001 and 2002. The alligators were raised in temperature-controlled buildings and fed a diet of horsemeat supplemented with vitamins and minerals. Histologic findings in the juvenile alligators were multiorgan necrosis, heterophilic granulomas, and heterophilic perivasculitis and were most indicative of septicemia or bacteremia. Histologic findings in a hatchling alligator were random foci of necrosis in multiple organs and mononuclear perivascular encephalitis, indicative of a viral cause. West Nile virus was isolated from submissions in 2002. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) results on all submitted case samples were positive for West Nile virus for one of four cases associated with the 2001 epizootic and three of three cases associated with the 2002 epizootic. RT-PCR analysis was positive for West Nile virus in the horsemeat collected during the 2002 outbreak but negative in the horsemeat collected after the outbreak. PMID:12890319

A study of West Nile virus infection in Iranian blood donors.

PubMed

Sharifi, Zohreh; Mahmoodian Shooshtari, Mahmood; Talebian, Ali

2010-01-01

West Nile virus is a mosquito transmitted virus that can cause disease in humans and horses. A majority of people infected with WNV will have no symptoms or may only experience mild symptoms, such as headaches. About 20% of infected humans develop a flu-like illness characterized by fever; while in the elderly and immunocompromised West Nile virus can cause a more serious neurologic disease and may be fatal. West Nile virus infection is endemic in the Middle East. West Nile virus can also be transmitted by transfusion through infected blood components.The objective of this study is to find the West Nile virus-RNA incidence and anti-West Nile virus prevalence amongst Iranian blood donors in order to determine whether this emerging infection is a possible risk for the blood supply in Iran. Serum samples from 500 blood donors who donated blood at the Tehran Blood Transfusion Center were collected between May and October 2005. Serum samples were examined for IgM and IgG antibodies to West Nile virus using the ELISA method. The samples were tested for the presence of West Nile virus RNA by the real-time RT-polymerase chain reaction assay. All data were analyzed statistically using the Chi-Square test. All 500 donors were negative for West Nile virus-specific IgM antibody at the time of donation. No WNV RNA-positive samples were detected. The percentage of seropositivity of IgG antibodies to WNV was 5% at donation. No evidence of WNV-specific IgM antibody and WNV RNA in blood donor samples was found. In order to increase the safety of blood donation, it is essential to continue surveillance of this emerging infection in order to protect the blood supply in the future.

Analyzing the future climate change of Upper Blue Nile River basin using statistical downscaling techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fenta Mekonnen, Dagnenet; Disse, Markus

2018-04-01

Climate change is becoming one of the most threatening issues for the world today in terms of its global context and its response to environmental and socioeconomic drivers. However, large uncertainties between different general circulation models (GCMs) and coarse spatial resolutions make it difficult to use the outputs of GCMs directly, especially for sustainable water management at regional scale, which introduces the need for downscaling techniques using a multimodel approach. This study aims (i) to evaluate the comparative performance of two widely used statistical downscaling techniques, namely the Long Ashton Research Station Weather Generator (LARS-WG) and the Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM), and (ii) to downscale future climate scenarios of precipitation, maximum temperature (Tmax) and minimum temperature (Tmin) of the Upper Blue Nile River basin at finer spatial and temporal scales to suit further hydrological impact studies. The calibration and validation result illustrates that both downscaling techniques (LARS-WG and SDSM) have shown comparable and good ability to simulate the current local climate variables. Further quantitative and qualitative comparative performance evaluation was done by equally weighted and varying weights of statistical indexes for precipitation only. The evaluation result showed that SDSM using the canESM2 CMIP5 GCM was able to reproduce more accurate long-term mean monthly precipitation but LARS-WG performed best in capturing the extreme events and distribution of daily precipitation in the whole data range. Six selected multimodel CMIP3 GCMs, namely HadCM3, GFDL-CM2.1, ECHAM5-OM, CCSM3, MRI-CGCM2.3.2 and CSIRO-MK3 GCMs, were used for downscaling climate scenarios by the LARS-WG model. The result from the ensemble mean of the six GCM showed an increasing trend for precipitation, Tmax and Tmin. The relative change in precipitation ranged from 1.0 to 14.4 % while the change for mean annual Tmax may increase from 0.4 to 4.3 �

Vaccines in development against West Nile virus.

PubMed

Brandler, Samantha; Tangy, Frederic

2013-09-30

West Nile encephalitis emerged in 1999 in the United States, then rapidly spread through the North American continent causing severe disease in human and horses. Since then, outbreaks appeared in Europe, and in 2012, the United States experienced a new severe outbreak reporting a total of 5,387 cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease in humans, including 243 deaths. So far, no human vaccine is available to control new WNV outbreaks and to avoid worldwide spreading. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art of West Nile vaccine development and the potential of a novel safe and effective approach based on recombinant live attenuated measles virus (MV) vaccine. MV vaccine is a live attenuated negative-stranded RNA virus proven as one of the safest, most stable and effective human vaccines. We previously described a vector derived from the Schwarz MV vaccine strain that stably expresses antigens from emerging arboviruses, such as dengue, West Nile or chikungunya viruses, and is strongly immunogenic in animal models, even in the presence of MV pre-existing immunity. A single administration of a recombinant MV vaccine expressing the secreted form of WNV envelope glycoprotein elicited protective immunity in mice and non-human primates as early as two weeks after immunization, indicating its potential as a human vaccine.

Precipitation forecasts for rainfall runoff predictions. A case study in poorly gauged Ribb and Gumara catchments, upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seyoum, Mesgana; van Andel, Schalk Jan; Xuan, Yunqing; Amare, Kibreab

Flow forecasting in poorly gauged, flood-prone Ribb and Gumara sub-catchments of the Blue Nile was studied with the aim of testing the performance of Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts (QPFs). Four types of QPFs namely MM5 forecasts with a spatial resolution of 2 km; the Maximum, Mean and Minimum members (MaxEPS, MeanEPS and MinEPS where EPS stands for Ensemble Prediction System) of the fixed, low resolution (2.5 by 2.5 degrees) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Global Forecast System (NOAA GFS) ensemble forecasts were used. Both the MM5 and the EPS were not calibrated (bias correction, downscaling (for EPS), etc.). In addition, zero forecasts assuming no rainfall in the coming days, and monthly average forecasts assuming average monthly rainfall in the coming days, were used. These rainfall forecasts were then used to drive the Hydrologic Engineering Center’s-Hydrologic Modeling System, HEC-HMS, hydrologic model for flow predictions. The results show that flow predictions using MaxEPS and MM5 precipitation forecasts over-predicted the peak flow for most of the seven events analyzed, whereas under-predicted peak flow was found using zero- and monthly average rainfall. The comparison of observed and predicted flow hydrographs shows that MM5, MaxEPS and MeanEPS precipitation forecasts were able to capture the rainfall signal that caused peak flows. Flow predictions based on MaxEPS and MeanEPS gave results that were quantitatively close to the observed flow for most events, whereas flow predictions based on MM5 resulted in large overestimations for some events. In follow-up research for this particular case study, calibration of the MM5 model will be performed. The overall analysis shows that freely available atmospheric forecasting products can provide additional information on upcoming rainfall and peak flow events in areas where only base-line forecasts such as no-rainfall or climatology are available.

Explaining and forecasting interannual variability in the flow of the Nile River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siam, M. S.; Eltahir, E. A. B.

2014-05-01

The natural interannual variability in the flow of Nile River had a significant impact on the ancient civilizations and cultures that flourished on the banks of the river. This is evident from stories in the Bible and Koran, and from the numerous Nilometers discovered near ancient temples. Here, we analyze extensive data sets collected during the 20th century and define four modes of natural variability in the flow of Nile River, identifying a new significant potential for improving predictability of floods and droughts. Previous studies have identified a significant teleconnection between the Nile flow and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) explains about 25% of the interannual variability in the Nile flow. Here, we identify, for the first time, a region in the southern Indian Ocean with similarly strong teleconnection to the Nile flow. Sea Surface Temperature (SST) in the region (50-80° E and 25-35° S) explains 28% of the interannual variability in the Nile flow. During those years with anomalous SST conditions in both Oceans, we estimate that indices of the SSTs in the Pacific and Indian Oceans can collectively explain up to 84% of the interannual variability in the flow of Nile. Building on these findings, we use classical Bayesian theorem to develop a new hybrid forecasting algorithm that predicts the Nile flow based on global models predictions of indices of the SST in the Eastern Pacific and Southern Indian Oceans.

Transmission of West Nile virus from an organ donor to four transplant recipients.

PubMed

Iwamoto, Martha; Jernigan, Daniel B; Guasch, Antonio; Trepka, Mary Jo; Blackmore, Carina G; Hellinger, Walter C; Pham, Si M; Zaki, Sherif; Lanciotti, Robert S; Lance-Parker, Susan E; DiazGranados, Carlos A; Winquist, Andrea G; Perlino, Carl A; Wiersma, Steven; Hillyer, Krista L; Goodman, Jesse L; Marfin, Anthony A; Chamberland, Mary E; Petersen, Lyle R

2003-05-29

In August 2002, fever and mental-status changes developed in recipients of organs from a common donor. Transmission of West Nile virus through organ transplantation was suspected. We reviewed medical records, conducted interviews, and collected blood and tissue samples for testing with a variety of assays. Persons who donated blood to the organ donor and associated blood components were identified and tested for West Nile virus. We identified West Nile virus infection in the organ donor and in all four organ recipients. Encephalitis developed in three of the organ recipients, and febrile illness developed in one. Three recipients became seropositive for West Nile virus IgM antibody; the fourth recipient had brain tissue that was positive for West Nile virus by isolation and nucleic acid and antigen assays. Serum specimens obtained from the organ donor before and immediately after blood transfusions showed no evidence of West Nile virus; however, serum and plasma samples obtained at the time of organ recovery were positive on viral nucleic acid testing and viral culture. The organ donor had received blood transfusions from 63 donors. A review of blood donors and follow-up testing identified one donor who had viremia at the time of donation and who became seropositive for West Nile virus IgM antibodies during the next two months. Our investigation of this cluster documents the transmission of West Nile virus by organ transplantation. Organ recipients receiving immunosuppressive drugs may be at high risk for severe disease after West Nile virus infection. Blood transfusion was the probable source of the West Nile virus viremia in the organ donor. Copyright 2003 Massachusetts Medical Society

Molecular cloning of NILE glycoprotein and evidence for its continued expression in mature rat CNS.

PubMed

Prince, J T; Alberti, L; Healy, P A; Nauman, S J; Stallcup, W B

1991-11-01

The NILE glycoprotein is a rat neuronal cell adhesion molecule which has been reported to be very similar in structure, function, and distribution to the mouse L1 glycoprotein. Here we report the complete nucleotide sequence of the NILE message (5,208 nucleotides) and the deduced amino acid sequence of the NILE polypeptide (1,257 amino acids). The predicted NILE protein is 96% identical to L1 at the amino acid level, confirming that the two molecules are homologues. The sequence information shows that NILE is a transmembrane molecule with an extensive ectodomain and a much smaller cytoplasmic domain. The extracellular portion of the molecule contains six immunoglobulin C-2 type domains followed by five fibronectin type III repeats. These two structural motifs are characteristic of several other cell adhesion molecules. The cytoplasmic tails of NILE and L1 are identical to each other and distinct from the cytoplasmic regions of all other cell adhesion molecules except Ng-CAM and neuroglian. Several possible sites for phosphorylation are present in the cytoplasmic tail of NILE. Antisera were produced against two NILE-beta-galactosidase fusion proteins containing distinct segments of the NILE polypeptide: the cytoplasmic domain and the segment containing fibronectin type III repeats. Immunoblots with these antisera and Northern blots with a NILE cDNA probe indicate that NILE continues to be expressed in most areas of the mature rat brain. This contradicts previous immunofluorescence data, which suggested that NILE was substantially down-regulated in maturing nerve fiber tracts. This raises the possibility that NILE could be masked in situ by interactions with other cell surface molecules.

Is Solar Variability Reflected in the Nile River?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruzmaikin, Alexander; Feynman, Joan; Yung, Yuk L.

2006-01-01

We investigate the possibility that solar variability influences North African climate by using annual records of the water level of the Nile collected in 622-1470 A.D. The time series of these records are nonstationary, in that the amplitudes and frequencies of the quasi-periodic variations are time-dependent. We apply the Empirical Mode Decomposition technique especially designed to deal with such time series. We identify two characteristic timescales in the records that may be linked to solar variability: a period of about 88 years and one exceeding 200 years. We show that these timescales are present in the number of auroras reported per decade in the Northern Hemisphere at the same time. The 11-year cycle is seen in the Nile's high-water level variations, but it is damped in the low-water anomalies. We suggest a possible physical link between solar variability and the low-frequency variations of the Nile water level. This link involves the influence of solar variability on the atmospheric Northern Annual Mode and on its North Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean patterns that affect the rainfall over the sources of the Nile in eastern equatorial Africa.

Vaccines in Development against West Nile Virus

PubMed Central

Brandler, Samantha; Tangy, Frederic

2013-01-01

West Nile encephalitis emerged in 1999 in the United States, then rapidly spread through the North American continent causing severe disease in human and horses. Since then, outbreaks appeared in Europe, and in 2012, the United States experienced a new severe outbreak reporting a total of 5,387 cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease in humans, including 243 deaths. So far, no human vaccine is available to control new WNV outbreaks and to avoid worldwide spreading. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art of West Nile vaccine development and the potential of a novel safe and effective approach based on recombinant live attenuated measles virus (MV) vaccine. MV vaccine is a live attenuated negative-stranded RNA virus proven as one of the safest, most stable and effective human vaccines. We previously described a vector derived from the Schwarz MV vaccine strain that stably expresses antigens from emerging arboviruses, such as dengue, West Nile or chikungunya viruses, and is strongly immunogenic in animal models, even in the presence of MV pre-existing immunity. A single administration of a recombinant MV vaccine expressing the secreted form of WNV envelope glycoprotein elicited protective immunity in mice and non-human primates as early as two weeks after immunization, indicating its potential as a human vaccine. PMID:24084235

West Nile virus: a primer for the otolaryngologist.

PubMed

Michaelson, Peter G; Mair, Eric A

2005-03-01

Since recognition in the United States with a 1999 New York City epidemic, West Nile virus has enduringly migrated westward, leaving few states unaffected. Infection rates are rising at an alarming rate, doubling every year since introduction, with more than 9800 cases in 2003 alone and more than 260 deaths. Patients may present with myriad symptoms including a maculopapular rash that affects the face and trunk and diffuse lymphadenopathy, both of which may result in the initial consultation of the otolaryngologist. We review the clinical history of West Nile virus and its epidemiology, laboratory findings, and variable clinical presentation, with an emphasis on otolaryngologic manifestations. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING COMPREHENSIVE: review of the literature over the past 50 years with an emphasis on what the present-day otolaryngologist needs to know concerning West Nile virus. Clinical manifestations of the head and neck such as encephalitis, meningitis, maculopapular rash, lymphadenopathy and dysphagia are discussed. To date, there are no articles in the otolaryngology literature discussing West Nile virus. These patients may present initially to multiple providers in diverse specialties because of multifarious initial signs and symptoms. The otolaryngologist must be educated on this quickly growing affliction and practice with a high index of suspicion. In this article we describe the clinical manifestations of West Nile virus, with an emphasis on the otolaryngologic manifestations. The otolaryngologist must become educated about this entity to facilitate preventative measures, adequately treat, and assist other providers in hopeful control and potential eradication of this infectious threat.

[West Nile virus transmission risk in the Czech Republic].

PubMed

Vlčková, J; Rupeš, V; Horáková, D; Kollárová, H; Holý, O

2015-06-01

West Nile Virus (WNV) belongs to the family Flaviviridae. It is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, capable of sucking blood on birds and mammals, most often by mosquitoes of the genus Culex. In humans, the virus was first identified in 1937 in the West Nile region, Uganda, Africa. Later, the virus spread and caused more or less severe epidemics of West Nile fever in North Africa, Europe, Asia, and North and South America. During the last two decades, WNV has been on the rise and is currently ranked as one of the most prevalent arboviruses in the world. In humans, WNV infection mostly occurs as asymptomatic, but may have a more severe or even fatal course in older and weakened patients. Humans may become infected not only by mosquitoes that acquire the virus from infected birds, but also through a blood transfusion, organ transplant, breast milk and transplacental transmission, or contact with infected animals, their blood, and tissues. The first autochthonous human case of West Nile fever in the Czech Republic was reported from South Moravia in 1997. In 2013, another case of West Nile fever emerged in this country, in the Ostrava area. The issue of WNV has recently been studied from many different perspectives, as evidenced by many original and review papers. This article briefly reviews the essential knowledge about this virus and its spread.

The natural history of West Nile virus infection presenting with West Nile virus meningoencephalitis in a man with a prolonged illness: a case report.

PubMed

Mainali, Shraddha; Afshani, Mansoor; Wood, James B; Levin, Michael C

2011-05-25

Estimates indicate that West Nile virus infects approximately one and a half million people in the United States of America. Up to 1% may develop West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease, in which infected patients develop any combination of meningitis, encephalitis, or acute paralysis. A 56-year-old African-American man presented to our hospital with headache, restlessness, fever, myalgias, decreased appetite, and progressive confusion. A cerebrospinal fluid examination showed mild leukocytosis and an elevated protein level. Testing for routine infections was negative. Brain T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans showed marked enlargement of caudate nuclei and increased intensity within the basal ganglia and thalami. A West Nile virus titer was positive, and serial brain magnetic resonance imaging scans showed resolving abnormalities that paralleled his neurological examination. This report is unusual as it portrays the natural history and long-term consequences of West Nile virus meningoencephalitis diagnosed on the basis of serial brain images.

Agricultural Model for the Nile Basin Decision Support System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Bolt, Frank; Seid, Abdulkarim

2014-05-01

To analyze options for increasing food supply in the Nile basin the Nile Agricultural Model (AM) was developed. The AM includes state-of-the-art descriptions of biophysical, hydrological and economic processes and realizes a coherent and consistent integration of hydrology, agronomy and economics. The AM covers both the agro-ecological domain (water, crop productivity) and the economic domain (food supply, demand, and trade) and allows to evaluate the macro-economic and hydrological impacts of scenarios for agricultural development. Starting with the hydrological information from the NileBasin-DSS the AM calculates the available water for agriculture, the crop production and irrigation requirements with the FAO-model AquaCrop. With the global commodity trade model MAGNET scenarios for land development and conversion are evaluated. The AM predicts consequences for trade, food security and development based on soil and water availability, crop allocation, food demand and food policy. The model will be used as a decision support tool to contribute to more productive and sustainable agriculture in individual Nile countries and the whole region.

A Urea Biosensor from Stacked Sol-Gel Films with Immobilized Nile Blue Chromoionophore and Urease Enzyme.

PubMed

Alqasaimeh, Muawia Salameh; Heng, Lee Yook; Ahmad, Musa

2007-10-11

An optical urea biosensor was fabricated by stacking several layers of sol-gelfilms. The stacking of the sol-gel films allowed the immobilization of a Nile Bluechromoionophore (ETH 5294) and urease enzyme separately without the need of anychemical attachment procedure. The absorbance response of the biosensor was monitoredat 550 nm, i.e. the deprotonation of the chromoionophore. This multi-layer sol-gel filmformat enabled higher enzyme loading in the biosensor to be achieved. The urea opticalbiosensor constructed from three layers of sol-gel films that contained urease demonstrateda much wider linear response range of up to 100 mM urea when compared with biosensorsthat constructed from 1-2 layers of films. Analysis of urea in urine samples with thisoptical urea biosensor yielded results similar to that determined by a spectrophotometricmethod using the reagent p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde (R² = 0.982, n = 6). The averagerecovery of urea from urine samples using this urea biosensor is approximately 103%.

The first human case of neuroinvasive West Nile virus infection identified in Cyprus.

PubMed

Paphitou, Niki I; Tourvas, Aristomenis; Floridou, Dora; Richter, Jan; Tryfonos, Christina; Christodoulou, Christina

West Nile virus infection can pose a diagnostic challenge to clinicians, especially in geographic areas where human cases of this disease have never been encountered before. In August 2016, the first human case of West Nile virus infection was diagnosed in Cyprus. An elderly non immunosuppressed patient with a history of recent travel, presented with a clinical picture of rapidly progressing ascending paralysis mimicking Guillain-Barré syndrome. Neuroinvasive West Nile virus disease was diagnosed by detecting West Nile virus nucleic acid in the patient's cerebrospinal fluid. Public health measures were taken raising awareness regarding this disease and its prevention. Clinical vigilance to consider West Nile virus as a possible emerging pathogen in the appropriate clinical setting is warranted and could benefit individual patients. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Purpura fulminans associated with acute West Nile virus encephalitis.

PubMed

Shah, Sheevam; Fite, Laura Paul; Lane, Natalie; Parekh, Palak

2016-02-01

Purpura fulminans is a progressive thrombotic disorder that presents with widespread purpura due to deficiency or dysfunction of protein C or protein S. Lesions present as well-demarcated erythematous macules that progress to irregular areas of hemorrhagic necrosis.West Nile virus is a member of the Flaviviridae family transmitted to humans through the bite of various mosquito species. It manifests as West Nile fever in 25% of those infected and less commonly as neuroinvasive disease. An African American man in his fortiespresented with altered mental status and was noted to have evidence of disseminated intravascular coagulation according to his lab data. He then developed dusky skin discoloration and systemic flaccid bullae with desquamation. Biopsy was consistent with purpura fulminans and the patient eventually developed symmetric peripheral gangrene, requiring amputations of all four extremities. Infectious work up revealed positive testing for IgM and IgG antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid leading to the diagnosis of acute West Nile Virus encephalitis. We present this case to describe the rarely reported association of purpura fulminans with West Nile Virus infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus, Nuevo Leon State, Mexico.

PubMed

Blitvich, Bradley J; Fernández-Salas, Ildefonso; Contreras-Cordero, Juan F; Loroño-Pino, María A; Marlenee, Nicole L; Díaz, Francisco J; González-Rojas, José I; Obregón-Martínez, Nelson; Chiu-García, Jorge A; Black, William C; Beaty, Barry J

2004-07-01

West Nile virus RNA was detected in brain tissue from a horse that died in June 2003 in Nuevo Leon State, Mexico. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the premembrane and envelope genes showed that the virus was most closely related to West Nile virus isolates collected in Texas in 2002.

Discover the Nile River

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Project WET Foundation, 2009

2009-01-01

Bordering on the Fantastic. As the longest river on earth, the Nile passes through 10 countries. Presented through a wide range of activities and a winning array of games, it's also unsurpassed at taking young minds into exploring the world of water, as well as natural and man made wonders.

Phylogenetic Analysis of West Nile Virus, Nuevo Leon State, Mexico

PubMed Central

Blitvich, Bradley J.; Fernández-Salas, Ildefonso; Contreras-Cordero, Juan F.; Loroño-Pino, María A.; Marlenee, Nicole L.; Díaz, Francisco J.; González-Rojas, José I.; Obregón-Martínez, Nelson; Chiu-García, Jorge A.; Black, William C.

2004-01-01

West Nile virus RNA was detected in brain tissue from a horse that died in June 2003 in Nuevo Leon State, Mexico. Nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the premembrane and envelope genes showed that the virus was most closely related to West Nile virus isolates collected in Texas in 2002. PMID:15324558

Holocene evolution of the River Nile drainage system as revealed from the Lake Dendi sediment record, central Ethiopian highlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, B.; Viehberg, F. A.; Wennrich, V.; Junginger, A.; Kolvenbach, A.; Rethemeyer, J.; Schaebitz, F.; Schmiedl, G. H.

2015-12-01

A 12 m long sediment sequence from Dendi Crater lakes, located on the central Ethiopian Plateau, was analysed with sedimentological and geochemical methods to reconstruct the regional environmental history. Bulk organic carbon samples from 23 horizons throughout the sequence were used for AMS radiocarbon dating and indicate that the sediment sequence spans the last ca. 12 cal kyr BP. Microscope analyses and sedimentological data reveal three tephra layers, of which the most prominent layer with a thickness of ~2 m was deposited at 10.2 cal kyr BP and probably originates from an eruption of the Wenchi crater 12 km to the west of the Dendi lakes. Sedimentological data of the pelagic deposits indicate shifts in erosion and rainfall throughout the record. A decrease in Ca and Sr at 11.6 cal kyr BP is related to the shift of less humid condition during the Younger Dryas (YD) to the return to full humid conditions of the African Humid Period (AHP). Single thin horizons with high carbonate content or high Ti and K imply that short spells of dry conditions and significantly increased rainfall superimpose the generally more humid conditions during the AHP. The end of the AHP is gradual. Relatively stable and less humid conditions characterised the Dendi Crater lakes until around 3.9 cal kyr BP. A highly variable increase in clastic matter over the last 1500 years indicates higher erosion due to short-term variations in precipitation within the Dendi catchment. Overall, the sediment record suggests moderate change of precipitation during the Holocene, which is probably due to their exposed location in the Ethiopian highlands. The data from the Dendi Crater lakes show, in concert with other records from the Nile catchment and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMS), that the Blue Nile provided the main freshwater source for maintaining EMS stratification and sapropel S1 formation between ca. 10.0 and 8.7 cal kyr BP. Subsequent aridification is recorded from equatorial East Africa

Nile Red Detection of Bacterial Hydrocarbons and Ketones in a High-Throughput Format

PubMed Central

Pinzon, Neissa M.; Aukema, Kelly G.; Gralnick, Jeffrey A.; Wackett, Lawrence P.

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT A method for use in high-throughput screening of bacteria for the production of long-chain hydrocarbons and ketones by monitoring fluorescent light emission in the presence of Nile red is described. Nile red has previously been used to screen for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and fatty acid esters, but this is the first report of screening for recombinant bacteria making hydrocarbons or ketones. The microtiter plate assay was evaluated using wild-type and recombinant strains of Shewanella oneidensis and Escherichia coli expressing the enzyme OleA, previously shown to initiate hydrocarbon biosynthesis. The strains expressing exogenous Stenotrophomonas maltophilia oleA, with increased levels of ketone production as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, were distinguished with Nile red fluorescence. Confocal microscopy images of S. oneidensis oleA-expressing strains stained with Nile red were consistent with a membrane localization of the ketones. This differed from Nile red staining of bacterial PHB or algal lipid droplets that showed intracellular inclusion bodies. These results demonstrated the applicability of Nile red in a high-throughput technique for the detection of bacterial hydrocarbons and ketones. PMID:21712420

West Nile Flavivirus Polioencephalomyelitis in a harbor seal (Phoca vitulina).

PubMed

Del Piero, F; Stremme, D W; Habecker, P L; Cantile, C

2006-01-01

A 12-year-old male harbor seal presented with progressive signs of neurologic dysfunction including head tremors, muzzle twitching, clonic spasms, and weakness. Lesions included polioencephalomyelitis with glial nodules, spheroids, neuronophagia, ring hemorrhages, and a few neutrophils. Neurons, fibers, and glial nodules were multifocally colonized with intracytoplasmic West Nile flavivirus antigens that were demonstrated using indirect immunohistochemical analysis. Flavivirus on cultured cells also was isolated and was identified by use of monoclonal antibodies and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Clinical signs of disease and lesion morphology and distribution were similar to those of equine West Nile virus infection. Similar to horses, alpacas, humans, dogs, and reptiles, seals can be dead-end hosts of West Nile virus.

Using multi-year reanalysis-derived recharge rates to drive a groundwater model for the Lake Tana region of Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dokou, Z.; Kheirabadi, M.; Nikolopoulos, E. I.; Moges, S. A.; Bagtzoglou, A. C.; Anagnostou, E. N.

2017-12-01

Ethiopia's high inter-annual variability in local precipitation has resulted in droughts and floods that stress local communities and lead to economic and food insecurity. Better predictions of water availability can supply farmers and water management authorities with critical guidance, enabling informed water resource allocation and management decisions that will in turn ensure food and water security in the region. The work presented here focuses on the development and calibration of a groundwater model of the Lake Tana region, one of the most important sub-basins of the Blue Nile River Basin. Groundwater recharge, which is the major groundwater source in the area, depends mainly on the seasonality of precipitation and the spatial variation in geology. Given that land based precipitation data are sparse in the region, two approaches for estimating groundwater recharge were used and compared that both utilize global atmospheric reanalysis driven by remote sensing datasets. In the first approach, the reanalysis precipitation dataset (ECMWF reanalysis adjusted based on GPCC) together with evapotranspiration and surface run-off estimates are used to calculate the groundwater recharge component using water budget equations. In the second approach, groundwater recharge estimates (subsurface runoff) are taken directly from a Land Surface model (FLDAS Noah), provided at a monthly time scale and 0.1˚ x 0.1˚ spatial resolution. The reanalysis derived recharge rates in both cases are incorporated into the groundwater model MODFLOW, which in combination with a Lake module that simulates the Lake water budget, offers a unique capability of improving the predictability of groundwater and lake levels in the Lake Tana basin. Model simulations using the two approaches are compared against in-situ observations of groundwater and lake levels. This modeling effort can be further used to explore climate variability effects on groundwater and lake levels and provide guidance to

Interaction of surface water and groundwater in the Nile River basin: isotopic and piezometric evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kebede, Seifu; Abdalla, Osman; Sefelnasr, Ahmed; Tindimugaya, Callist; Mustafa, Osman

2017-05-01

Past discussions around water-resources management and development in the River Nile basin disregard groundwater resources from the equation. There is an increasing interest around factoring the groundwater resources as an integral part of the Nile Basin water resources. This is hampered by knowledge gap regarding the groundwater resources dynamics (recharge, storage, flow, quality, surface-water/groundwater interaction) at basin scale. This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the state of surface-water/groundwater interaction from the headwater to the Nile Delta region. Piezometric and isotopic (δ18O, δ2H) evidence reveal that the Nile changes from a gaining stream in the headwater regions to mostly a loosing stream in the arid lowlands of Sudan and Egypt. Specific zones of Nile water leakage to the adjacent aquifers is mapped using the two sources of evidence. Up to 50% of the surface-water flow in the equatorial region of the Nile comes from groundwater as base flow. The evidence also shows that the natural direction and rate of surface-water/groundwater interaction is largely perturbed by human activities (diversion, dam construction) particularly downstream of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt. The decrease in discharge of the Nile River along its course is attributed to leakage to the aquifers as well as to evaporative water loss from the river channel. The surface-water/groundwater interaction occurring along the Nile River and its sensitivity to infrastructure development calls for management strategies that account groundwater as an integral part of the Nile Basin resources.

Intraspecific variation in gill morphology of juvenile Nile perch, Lates niloticus, in Lake Nabugabo, Uganda

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paterson, Jaclyn A.; Chapman, Lauren J.; Schofield, Pamela J.

2010-01-01

Several studies have demonstrated intraspecific variation in fish gill size that relates to variation in dissolved oxygen (DO) availability across habitats. In Lake Nabugabo, East Africa, ecological change over the past 12 years has coincided with a shift in the distribution of introduced Nile perch such that a larger proportion of the population now inhabits waters in or near wetland ecotones where DO is lower than in open waters of the lake. In this study, we compared gill size of juvenile Nile perch between wetland and exposed (open-water) habitats of Lake Nabugabo in 2007, as well as between Nile perch collected in 1996 and 2007. For Nile perch of Lake Nabugabo [<20 cm total length (TL)], there was a significant habitat effect on some gill traits. In general, fish from wetland habitats were characterized by a longer total gill filament length and average gill filament length than conspecifics from exposed habitats. Nile perch collected from wetland areas in 2007 had significantly larger gills (total gill filament length) than Nile perch collected in 1996, but there was no difference detected between Nile perch collected from exposed sites in 2007 and conspecifics collected in 1996.

Cairo, Egypt/Nile River viewed from STS-66 Atlantis

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-11-14

This close-up view of the intensively cultivated Nile River flood plain near Cairo presents a sharp color contrast to the virtually non-vegetated, sandy desert, located to the west of the vegetated area. Some rectangular cultivated field patterns, as well as circular center pivot irrigation patterns, can be observed northwest of the Nile River flood plain. The world famous Giza Pyramids are located near the center of this photography (see highly reflective sand surfaces).

Crystal Structure of West Nile Virus Envelope Glycoprotein Reveals Viral Surface Epitopes

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

Kanai,R.; Kar, K.; Anthony, K.

2006-01-01

West Nile virus, a member of the Flavivirus genus, causes fever that can progress to life-threatening encephalitis. The major envelope glycoprotein, E, of these viruses mediates viral attachment and entry by membrane fusion. We have determined the crystal structure of a soluble fragment of West Nile virus E. The structure adopts the same overall fold as that of the E proteins from dengue and tick-borne encephalitis viruses. The conformation of domain II is different from that in other prefusion E structures, however, and resembles the conformation of domain II in postfusion E structures. The epitopes of neutralizing West Nile virus-specificmore » antibodies map to a region of domain III that is exposed on the viral surface and has been implicated in receptor binding. In contrast, we show that certain recombinant therapeutic antibodies, which cross-neutralize West Nile and dengue viruses, bind a peptide from domain I that is exposed only during the membrane fusion transition. By revealing the details of the molecular landscape of the West Nile virus surface, our structure will assist the design of antiviral vaccines and therapeutics.« less

West Nile Virus and wildlife

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marra, P.P.; Griffing, S.; Caffrey, C.; Kilpatrick, A.M.; McLean, R.; Brand, C.; Saito, E.; Dupuis, A.P.; Kramer, Laura; Novak, R.

2004-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) has spread rapidly across North America, resulting in human deaths and in the deaths of untold numbers of birds, mammals, and reptiles. The virus has reached Central America and the Caribbean and may spread to Hawaii and South America. Although tens of thousands of birds have died, and studies of some bird species show local declines, few regionwide declines can be attributed to WNV. Predicting future impacts of WNV on wildlife, and pinpointing what drives epidemics, will require substantial additional research into host susceptibility, reservoir competency, and linkages between climate, mosquitoes, and disease. Such work will entail a collaborative effort between scientists in governmental research groups, in surveillance and control programs, and in nongovernmental organizations. West Nile virus was not the first, and it will not be the last, exotic disease to be introduced to the New World. Its spread in North America highlights the need to strengthen animal monitoring programs and to integrate them with research on disease ecology.

Designing multi-reservoir system designs via efficient water-energy-food nexus trade-offs - Selecting new hydropower dams for the Blue Nile and Nepal's Koshi Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harou, J. J.; Hurford, A.; Geressu, R. T.

2015-12-01

Many of the world's multi-reservoir water resource systems are being considered for further development of hydropower and irrigation aiming to meet economic, political and ecological goals. Complex river basins serve many needs so how should the different proposed groupings of reservoirs and their operations be evaluated? How should uncertainty about future supply and demand conditions be factored in? What reservoir designs can meet multiple goals and perform robustly in a context of global change? We propose an optimized multi-criteria screening approach to identify best performing designs, i.e., the selection, size and operating rules of new reservoirs within multi-reservoir systems in a context of deeply uncertain change. Reservoir release operating rules and storage sizes are optimized concurrently for each separate infrastructure design under consideration across many scenarios representing plausible future conditions. Outputs reveal system trade-offs using multi-dimensional scatter plots where each point represents an approximately Pareto-optimal design. The method is applied to proposed Blue Nile River reservoirs in Ethiopia, where trade-offs between capital costs, total and firm energy output, aggregate storage and downstream irrigation and energy provision for the best performing designs are evaluated. The impact of filling period for large reservoirs is considered in a context of hydrological uncertainty. The approach is also applied to the Koshi basin in Nepal where combinations of hydropower storage and run-of-river dams are being considered for investment. We show searching for investment portfolios that meet multiple objectives provides stakeholders with a rich view on the trade-offs inherent in the nexus and how different investment bundles perform differently under plausible futures. Both case-studies show how the proposed approach helps explore and understand the implications of investing in new dams in a global change context.

Neuropsychological Impact of West Nile Virus Infection: An Extensive Neuropsychiatric Assessment of 49 Cases in Canada.

PubMed

Samaan, Zainab; McDermid Vaz, Stephanie; Bawor, Monica; Potter, Tammy Hlywka; Eskandarian, Sasha; Loeb, Mark

2016-01-01

West Nile virus emerged as an important human pathogen in North America and continues to pose a risk to public health. It can cause a highly variable range of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic to severe illness. Neuroinvasive disease due to West Nile virus can lead to long-term neurological deficits and psychological impairment. However, these deficits have not been well described. The objective of this study was to characterize the neuropsychological manifestations of West Nile virus infection with a focus on neuroinvasive status and time since infection. Patients from Ontario Canada with a diagnosis of neuroinvasive disease (meningitis, encephalitis, or acute flaccid paralysis) and non-neuroinvasive disease who had participated in a cohort study were enrolled. Clinical and laboratory were collected, as well as demographics and medical history. Cognitive functioning was assessed using a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests. Data from 49 individuals (32 with West Nile fever and 17 with West Nile neuroinvasive disease) were included in the present cross-sectional analysis. Patterns of neuropsychological impairment were comparable across participants with both neuroinvasive and non-neuroinvasive West Nile virus infection on all cognitive measures. Neuropsychiatric impairment was also observed more frequently at two to four years post-infection compared to earlier stages of illness. Our data provide objective evidence for cognitive difficulties among patients who were infected with West Nile virus; these deficits appear to manifest regardless of severity of West Nile virus infection (West Nile fever vs. West Nile neuroinvasive disease), and are more prevalent with increasing illness duration (2-4 years vs. 1 month). Data from this study will help inform patients and healthcare providers about the expected course of recovery, as well as the need to implement effective treatment strategies that include neuropsychological interventions.

[Birds, mosquitoes and West Nile virus: little risk of West Nile fever in the Netherlands].

PubMed

Duijster, Janneke W; Stroo, C J Arjan; Braks, Marieta A H

2016-01-01

Due to increased incidence of West Nile fever (WNF) in Europe and the rapid spread of West Nile virus (WNV) in the US, it is commonly thought that it will only be a matter of time before WNV reaches the Netherlands. However, assessing whether WNV is really a threat to the Dutch population is challenging, due to the numerous factors affecting transmission of the virus. Some of these factors are known to limit the risk of WNF in the Netherlands. This risk is determined by the interaction between the pathogen (WNV), the vectors (Culex mosquitoes), the reservoirs (birds) and the exposure of humans to infected mosquitoes. In this paper, we discuss the factors influencing introduction, establishment and spread of WNV in the Netherlands. The probability that each of these three phases will occur in the Netherlands is currently relatively small, as is the risk of WNF infection in humans in the Netherlands.

Wetland vegetation in Manzala lagoon, Nile Delta coast, Egypt: Rapid responses of pollen to altered nile hydrology and land use

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernhardt, C.E.; Stanley, J.-D.; Horton, B.P.

2011-01-01

The pollen record in a sediment core from Manzala lagoon on the Nile delta coastal margin of Egypt, deposited from ca. AD 1860 to 1990, indicates rapid coastal wetland vegetation responses to two primary periods of human activity. These are associated with artificially altered Nile hydrologic regimes in proximal areas and distal sectors located to ???1200 km south of Manzala. Freshwater wetland plants that were dominant, such as Typha and Phragmites, decreased rapidly, whereas in the early 1900s, brackish water wetland species (e.g., Amaranthaceae) increased. This change occurred after closure of the Aswan Low Dam in 1902. The second major modification in the pollen record occurred in the early 1970s, after Aswan High Dam closure from 1965 to 1970, when Typha pollen abundance increased rapidly. Massive population growth occurred along the Nile during the 130 years represented by the core section. During this time, the total volume of lagoon water decreased because of conversion of wetland areas to agricultural land, and input of organic-rich sediment, sewage (municipal, agricultural, industrial), and fertilizer in Manzala lagoon increased markedly. Although the wetland plant community has continued to respond to increasingly intensified and varied human-induced pressures in proximal sectors, the two most marked changes in Manzala pollen best correlate with distal events (i.e., closure of the two dams at Aswan). The study also shows that the two major vegetation changes in Manzala lagoon each occurred less than 10 years after closure upriver of the Low and High dams that markedly altered the Nile regime from Upper Egypt to the coast. ?? 2011, the Coastal Education & Research Foundation (CERF).

Hydrology and empire: the Nile, water imperialism and the partition of Africa.

PubMed

Tvedt, Terje

2011-01-01

Why did the British march up the Nile in the 1890s? The answers to this crucial question of imperial historiography have direct relevance for narratives and theories about imperialism, in general, and the partition of Africa in the nineteenth century, in particular. They will also influence our understanding of some of the main issues in the modern history of the whole region, including state developments and resource utilisation. This article presents an alternative to dominant interpretations of the partition of Africa and the role of British Nile policies in this context. It differs from mainstream diplomatic history, which dominates this research field, in its emphasis on how geographical factors and the hydrological characteristics of the Nile influenced and framed British thinking and actions in the region. Realising the importance of such factors and the specific character of the regional water system does not imply less attention to traditional diplomatic correspondence or to the role of individual imperial entrepreneurs. The strength of this analytical approach theoretically is that it makes it possible to locate the intentions and acts of historical subjects within specific geographical contexts. Empirically, it opens up a whole new set of source material, embedding the reconstruction of the British Nile discourse in a world of Nile plans, water works and hydrological discourses.

A review of vaccine approaches for West Nile virus.

PubMed

Iyer, Arun V; Kousoulas, Konstantin G

2013-09-10

The West Nile virus (WNC) first appeared in North America in 1999. The North American lineages of WNV were characterized by the presence of neuroinvasive and neurovirulent strains causing disease and death in humans, birds and horses. The 2012 WNV season in the United States saw a massive spike in the number of neuroinvasive cases and deaths similar to what was seen in the 2002-2003 season, according to the West Nile virus disease cases and deaths reported to the CDC by year and clinical presentation, 1999-2012, by ArboNET (Arboviral Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In addition, the establishment and recent spread of lineage II WNV virus strains into Western Europe and the presence of neurovirulent and neuroinvasive strains among them is a cause of major concern. This review discusses the advances in the development of vaccines and biologicals to combat human and veterinary West Nile disease.

A Review of Vaccine Approaches for West Nile Virus

PubMed Central

Iyer, Arun V.; Kousoulas, Konstantin G.

2013-01-01

The West Nile virus (WNC) first appeared in North America in 1999. The North American lineages of WNV were characterized by the presence of neuroinvasive and neurovirulent strains causing disease and death in humans, birds and horses. The 2012 WNV season in the United States saw a massive spike in the number of neuroinvasive cases and deaths similar to what was seen in the 2002–2003 season, according to the West Nile virus disease cases and deaths reported to the CDC by year and clinical presentation, 1999–2012, by ArboNET (Arboviral Diseases Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In addition, the establishment and recent spread of lineage II WNV virus strains into Western Europe and the presence of neurovirulent and neuroinvasive strains among them is a cause of major concern. This review discusses the advances in the development of vaccines and biologicals to combat human and veterinary West Nile disease. PMID:24025396

Conflicts of Shared Resources: A Case Study of River Nile

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

as Lake Kivu. Rwanda joined the earlier Nile basin project, Hydromet , in 1967, with the support on the UNDP. 18 Although the country does not...operation Hydromet . In 1967, with the assistance of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Egypt...Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda launched the Hydromet Survey project to regulate the water level of the Nile.”30 Rwanda joined later while Ethiopia

West Nile Virus Infection among Humans, Texas, USA, 2002–2011

PubMed Central

Nolan, Melissa S.; Schuermann, Jim

2013-01-01

We conducted an epidemiologic analysis to document West Nile virus infections among humans in Texas, USA, during 2002–2011. West Nile virus has become endemic to Texas; the number of reported cases increased every 3 years. Risk for infection was greatest in rural northwestern Texas, where Culex tarsalis mosquitoes are the predominant mosquito species. PMID:23260575

Analysis of streamflow response to land use and land cover changes using satellite data and hydrological modelling: case study of Dinder and Rahad tributaries of the Blue Nile (Ethiopia-Sudan)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassaballah, Khalid; Mohamed, Yasir; Uhlenbrook, Stefan; Biro, Khalid

2017-10-01

Understanding the land use and land cover changes (LULCCs) and their implication on surface hydrology of the Dinder and Rahad basins (D&R, approximately 77 504 km2) is vital for the management and utilization of water resources in the basins. Although there are many studies on LULCC in the Blue Nile Basin, specific studies on LULCC in the D&R are still missing. Hence, its impact on streamflow is unknown. The objective of this paper is to understand the LULCC in the Dinder and Rahad and its implications on streamflow response using satellite data and hydrological modelling. The hydrological model has been derived by different sets of land use and land cover maps from 1972, 1986, 1998 and 2011. Catchment topography, land cover and soil maps are derived from satellite images and serve to estimate model parameters. Results of LULCC detection between 1972 and 2011 indicate a significant decrease in woodland and an increase in cropland. Woodland decreased from 42 to 14 % and from 35 to 14 % for Dinder and Rahad, respectively. Cropland increased from 14 to 47 % and from 18 to 68 % in Dinder and Rahad, respectively. The model results indicate that streamflow is affected by LULCC in both the Dinder and the Rahad rivers. The effect of LULCC on streamflow is significant during 1986 and 2011. This could be attributed to the severe drought during the mid-1980s and the recent large expansion in cropland.

Nile Red Detection of Bacterial Hydrocarbons and Ketones in a High-Throughput Format

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

Pinzon, NM; Aukema, KG; Gralnick, JA

A method for use in high-throughput screening of bacteria for the production of long-chain hydrocarbons and ketones by monitoring fluorescent light emission in the presence of Nile red is described. Nile red has previously been used to screen for polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) and fatty acid esters, but this is the first report of screening for recombinant bacteria making hydrocarbons or ketones. The microtiter plate assay was evaluated using wild-type and recombinant strains of Shewanella oneidensis and Escherichia coli expressing the enzyme OleA, previously shown to initiate hydrocarbon biosynthesis. The strains expressing exogenous Stenotrophomonas maltophilia oleA, with increased levels of ketone productionmore » as determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, were distinguished with Nile red fluorescence. Confocal microscopy images of S. oneidensis oleA-expressing strains stained with Nile red were consistent with a membrane localization of the ketones. This differed from Nile red staining of bacterial PHB or algal lipid droplets that showed intracellular inclusion bodies. These results demonstrated the applicability of Nile red in a high-throughput technique for the detection of bacterial hydrocarbons and ketones. IMPORTANCE In recent years, there has been renewed interest in advanced biofuel sources such as bacterial hydrocarbon production. Previous studies used solvent extraction of bacterial cultures followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to detect and quantify ketones and hydrocarbons (Beller HR, Goh EB, Keasling JD, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 76: 1212-1223, 2010; Sukovich DJ, Seffernick JL, Richman JE, Gralnick JA, Wackett LP, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 76: 3850-3862, 2010). While these analyses are powerful and accurate, their labor-intensive nature makes them intractable to high-throughput screening; therefore, methods for rapid identification of bacterial strains that are overproducing hydrocarbons are needed. The use of high

West Nile virus: Uganda, 1937, to New York City, 1999.

PubMed

Hayes, C G

2001-12-01

West Nile virus, first isolated in 1937, is among the earliest arthropod-borne viruses discovered by humans. Its broad geographical distribution, not uncommon infection of humans, transmission by mosquitoes, and association with wild birds as enzootic hosts were well documented by the mid-1960s. However, West Nile virus was not considered to be a significant human pathogen because most infections appeared to result in asymptomatic or only mild febrile disease. Several epidemics had been documented prior to 1996, some involving hundreds to thousands of cases in mostly rural populations, but only a few cases of severe neurological disease had been reported. The occurrence between 1996 and 1999 of three major epidemics, in southern Romania, the Volga delta in southern Russia, and the northeastern United States, involving hundreds of cases of severe neurological disease and fatal infections was totally unexpected. These were the first epidemics reported in large urban populations. A significant factor that appeared in common to all three outbreaks was the apparent involvement of the common house mosquito, Culex pipiens, as a vector. This species had not previously been implicated as important in the transmission of West Nile virus. In addition the epidemic in the northeastern United States was unusual in the association of West Nile virus infection with fatal disease of birds, suggesting a change in the virulence of the virus toward this host. Understanding the risk factors that contributed to these three urban epidemics is important for minimizing the potential for future occurrences. This review will attempt to compare observations on the biology of West Nile virus made over about 60 years prior to the recent epidemics to observations made in association with these urban epidemics.

Analysis of YouTube as a Source of Information for West Nile Virus Infection

PubMed Central

Dubey, Divyanshu; Amritphale, Amod; Sawhney, Anshudha; Dubey, Devashish; Srivastav, Nupur

2014-01-01

Introduction A major outbreak of West Nile Virus was seen last year in different parts of the United States. Adequate dissemination of correct information about the disease would have helped decrease its spread and the associated panic in the general population. In this study, we looked into the use of YouTube as a resource for providing information about West Nile Virus infection. Objective This study aims to identify and evaluate YouTube as resource for providing information on West Nile Virus infection to the general public. Methods YouTube was searched on November 25, 2012, using the keywords West Nile Virus epidemic, West Nile Virus infection, and West Nile Virus prevention for videos uploaded in the past 6 months containing relevant information about the disease. The videos were classified as useful, misleading, or as news updates based on the type of information contained. Total viewership, number of days since upload, total duration of videos, and source of upload were noted. Results A total of 106 videos with information on West Nile Virus infection were included in the study, with 79.24% having useful information about the disease. Among the useful videos, 51/84 (60.71%) had information on disease prevention, and 29/84 (34.52%) contained information on news and research updates. The majority of these videos were uploaded by individuals (54.6%) or news agencies (41.8 %). Healthcare agencies contributed only 3.4 % of the total videos. Even though the useful videos represented 72% of all videos, there was significantly higher total viewership and viewership per day for the non-useful videos (P<0.05). Conclusions YouTube may be a significant resource for dissemination of information on public health issues like West Nile virus infection and should be targeted by healthcare agencies for this use. The major drawback of this medium is lack of verification by authorized healthcare professionals before these videos are made available for viewing by the community

Analysis of YouTube as a source of information for West Nile Virus infection.

PubMed

Dubey, Divyanshu; Amritphale, Amod; Sawhney, Anshudha; Dubey, Devashish; Srivastav, Nupur

2014-12-01

A major outbreak of West Nile Virus was seen last year in different parts of the United States. Adequate dissemination of correct information about the disease would have helped decrease its spread and the associated panic in the general population. In this study, we looked into the use of YouTube as a resource for providing information about West Nile Virus infection. This study aims to identify and evaluate YouTube as resource for providing information on West Nile Virus infection to the general public. YouTube was searched on November 25, 2012, using the keywords West Nile Virus epidemic, West Nile Virus infection, and West Nile Virus prevention for videos uploaded in the past 6 months containing relevant information about the disease. The videos were classified as useful, misleading, or as news updates based on the type of information contained. Total viewership, number of days since upload, total duration of videos, and source of upload were noted. A total of 106 videos with information on West Nile Virus infection were included in the study, with 79.24% having useful information about the disease. Among the useful videos, 51/84 (60.71%) had information on disease prevention, and 29/84 (34.52%) contained information on news and research updates. The majority of these videos were uploaded by individuals (54.6%) or news agencies (41.8 %). Healthcare agencies contributed only 3.4 % of the total videos. Even though the useful videos represented 72% of all videos, there was significantly higher total viewership and viewership per day for the non-useful videos (P<0.05). YouTube may be a significant resource for dissemination of information on public health issues like West Nile virus infection and should be targeted by healthcare agencies for this use. The major drawback of this medium is lack of verification by authorized healthcare professionals before these videos are made available for viewing by the community. Hence, a strict caution should be exercised in

Long-Term Neurological Outcomes in West Nile Virus–Infected Patients: An Observational Study

PubMed Central

Weatherhead, Jill E.; Miller, Vicki E.; Garcia, Melissa N.; Hasbun, Rodrigo; Salazar, Lucrecia; Dimachkie, Mazen M.; Murray, Kristy O.

2015-01-01

The Houston West Nile Cohort (HWNC) was founded in 2002 when West Nile virus (WNV) reached Houston, TX. The long-term outcomes following WNV infection are still mostly unknown, though neurological abnormalities up to 1 year postinfection have been documented. We report an observational study of neurological abnormalities at 1–3 and 8–11 years following WNV infection in the HWNC. We conducted standard neurological examinations at two separate time points to assess changes in neurological status over time. The majority of patients (86%, 30/35) with encephalitis had abnormal neurological exam findings at the time of the first assessment compared with uncomplicated fever (27%, 3/11) and meningitis (36%, 5/14) cases. At the time of the second assessment, 57% (4/7) of West Nile fever (WNF), 33% (2/6) of West Nile meningitis (WNM), and 36% (5/14) of West Nile encephalitis (WNE) had developed new neurological complications. The most common abnormalities noted were tandem gait, hearing loss, abnormal reflexes, and muscle weakness. Long-term neurological abnormalities were most commonly found in patients who experienced primary WNV encephalitis. New abnormalities may develop over time regardless of initial clinical infection. Future studies should aim to differentiate neurological consequences due to WNV neuroinvasive infection versus neurological decline related to comorbid conditions. PMID:25802426

Earth view over Egypt and the Nile River taken during STS-121

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-07-04

STS121-334-026 (4-17 July 2006) --- This photo, featuring an easterly view of the Nile River, the Nile River Delta, Sinai Peninsula, the Suez Canal, Red Sea and part of the Mediterranean Sea, was taken by one of the STS-121 crewmembers aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. Cairo, Egypt, can be seen at far right.

Water Dynamics in Fogera and the Upper Blue Nile - Farmers perspectives and remote sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chemin, Yann; Desalegn, Mengistu; Curnow, Jayne; Johnston, Robyn

2015-04-01

This research work is about finding the connection between farmers perspectives on changes of water conditions in their socio-agricultural environment and satellite remote sensing analysis. Key informant surveys were conducted to investigate localised views on water scarcity as a counterpoint to the physical measurement of water availability. Does a numerical or mapped image identifying water scarcity always equate to a dearth of water for agriculture? To push the limits of the relationship between human and physical data we sought to ground-truth GIS results with the practical experience and knowledge of people living in the area. We data-mined public domain satellite data with FOSS (GDAL, GRASS GIS) and produced water-related spatio-temporal domains for our study area and the larger Upper Nile Basin. Accumulated remote sensing information was then cross-referenced with informant's accounts of water availability for the same space and time. During the survey fieldwork the team also took photographs electronically stamped with GPS coordinates to compare and contrast the views of informants and the remote sensing information with high resolution images of the landscape. We found that farmers perspective on the Spring maize crop sensibility to variability of rainfall can be quantified in space and time by remote sensing cumulative transpiration. A crop transpiration gap of 1-2.5 mm/day for about 20 days is to be overcome, a full amount of 20 to 50 mm, depending on the type of year deficit. Such gap can be overcome, even by temporary supplemental irrigation practices, however, the economical and cultural set up is already developed in another way, as per sesonal renting of higher soil profile water retention capacity fields.

Alexander the Great and West Nile virus encephalitis.

PubMed

Marr, John S; Calisher, Charles H

2003-12-01

Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning; assassination, and a number of infectious diseases. One incident, mentioned by Plutarch but not considered by previous investigators, may shed light on the cause of Alexander's death. The incident, which occurred as he entered Babylon, involved a flock of ravens exhibiting unusual behavior and subsequently dying at his feet. The inexplicable behavior of ravens is reminiscent of avian illness and death weeks before the first human cases of West Nile virus infection were identified in the United States. We posit that Alexander may have died of West Nile virus encephalitis.

Alexander the Great and West Nile Virus Encephalitis

PubMed Central

Marr, John S.

2003-01-01

Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning, assassination, and a number of infectious diseases. One incident, mentioned by Plutarch but not considered by previous investigators, may shed light on the cause of Alexander’s death. The incident, which occurred as he entered Babylon, involved a flock of ravens exhibiting unusual behavior and subsequently dying at his feet. The inexplicable behavior of ravens is reminiscent of avian illness and death weeks before the first human cases of West Nile virus infection were identified in the United States. We posit that Alexander may have died of West Nile encephalitis. PMID:14725285

78 FR 16505 - Prospective Grant of Exclusive License: Chimeric West Nile/Dengue Viruses

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-15

... Grant of Exclusive License: Chimeric West Nile/Dengue Viruses AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and... giving an exclusive license, in the field of use of in vitro diagnostics for dengue virus infection, to.... Provisional Application 61/049,342, filed 4/30/2008, entitled ``Engineered, Chimeric West Nile/Dengue Viruses...

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 10 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-04-07

ISS010-E-23451 (7 April 2005) --- Khartoum, Sudan is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 10 crewmember on the International Space Station (ISS). Sudan’s capital city Khartoum, which means Elephant’s Trunk, describes the shape of the Nile River where the Blue and the White Nile Rivers meet to form the united Nile that flows northward into Egypt. This image shows the rivers near the end of the dry season. The White Nile (western branch) runs through Sudan from Uganda. The White Nile’s equatorial source produces a flow that runs at a nearly constant rate throughout the year. The nearly dry Blue Nile from the highlands of Ethiopia swells in the late summer and early fall with rains from the summer monsoons. The flow can be so great the Nile flows backward at the junction. In recent years, floods in Khartoum have occurred in August with heavy monsoon rainfall. Khartoum is one of the largest Muslim cities in North Africa, but has a fairly short history.

Structural and Sequence Stratigraphic Analysis of the Onshore Nile Delta, Egypt.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barakat, Moataz; Dominik, Wilhelm

2010-05-01

The Nile Delta is considered the earliest known delta in the world. It was already described by Herodotus in the 5th Century AC. Nowadays; the Nile Delta is an emerging giant gas province in the Middle East with proven gas reserves which have more than doubled in size in the last years. The Nile Delta basin contains a thick sedimentary sequence inferred to extend from Jurassic to recent time. Structural styles and depositional environments varied during this period. Facies architecture and sequence stratigraphy of the Nile Delta are resolved using seismic stratigraphy based on (2D seismic lines) including synthetic seismograms and tying in well log data. Synthetic seismograms were constructed using sonic and density logs. The combination of structural interpretation and sequence stratigraphy of the development of the basin was resolved. Seven chrono-stratigraphic boundaries have been identified and correlated on seismic and well log data. Several unconformity boundaries also identified on seismic lines range from angular to disconformity type. Furthermore, time structure maps, velocity maps, depth structure maps as well as Isopach maps were constructed using seismic lines and log data. Several structural features were identified: normal faults, growth faults, listric faults, secondary antithetic faults and large rotated fault blocks of manly Miocene age. In some cases minor rollover structures could be identified. Sedimentary features such as paleo-channels were distinctively recognized. Typical Sequence stratigraphic features such as incised valley, clinoforms, topsets, offlaps and onlaps are identified and traced on the seismic lines allowing a good insight into sequence stratigraphic history of the Nile Delta most especially in the Miocene to Pliocene clastic sedimentary succession.

Tracking Nile Delta Vulnerability to Holocene Change

PubMed Central

Marriner, Nick; Flaux, Clément; Morhange, Christophe; Stanley, Jean-Daniel

2013-01-01

Understanding deltaic resilience in the face of Holocene climate change and human impacts is an important challenge for the earth sciences in characterizing the full range of present and future wetland responses to global warming. Here, we report an 8000-year mass balance record from the Nile Delta to reconstruct when and how this sedimentary basin has responded to past hydrological shifts. In a global Holocene context, the long-term decrease in Nile Delta accretion rates is consistent with insolation-driven changes in the ‘monsoon pacemaker’, attested throughout the mid-latitude tropics. Following the early to mid-Holocene growth of the Nile’s deltaic plain, sediment losses and pronounced erosion are first recorded after ~4000 years ago, the corollaries of falling sediment supply and an intensification of anthropogenic impacts from the Pharaonic period onwards. Against the backcloth of the Saharan ‘depeopling’, reduced river flow underpinned by a weakening of monsoonal precipitation appears to have been particularly conducive to the expansion of human activities on the delta by exposing productive floodplain lands for occupation and irrigation agriculture. The reconstruction suggests that the Nile Delta has a particularly long history of vulnerability to extreme events (e.g. floods and storms) and sea-level rise, although the present sediment-starved system does not have a direct Holocene analogue. This study highlights the importance of the world’s deltas as sensitive archives to investigate Holocene geosystem responses to climate change, risks and hazards, and societal interaction. PMID:23922692

Long-term neurological outcomes in West Nile virus-infected patients: an observational study.

PubMed

Weatherhead, Jill E; Miller, Vicki E; Garcia, Melissa N; Hasbun, Rodrigo; Salazar, Lucrecia; Dimachkie, Mazen M; Murray, Kristy O

2015-05-01

The Houston West Nile Cohort (HWNC) was founded in 2002 when West Nile virus (WNV) reached Houston, TX. The long-term outcomes following WNV infection are still mostly unknown, though neurological abnormalities up to 1 year postinfection have been documented. We report an observational study of neurological abnormalities at 1-3 and 8-11 years following WNV infection in the HWNC. We conducted standard neurological examinations at two separate time points to assess changes in neurological status over time. The majority of patients (86%, 30/35) with encephalitis had abnormal neurological exam findings at the time of the first assessment compared with uncomplicated fever (27%, 3/11) and meningitis (36%, 5/14) cases. At the time of the second assessment, 57% (4/7) of West Nile fever (WNF), 33% (2/6) of West Nile meningitis (WNM), and 36% (5/14) of West Nile encephalitis (WNE) had developed new neurological complications. The most common abnormalities noted were tandem gait, hearing loss, abnormal reflexes, and muscle weakness. Long-term neurological abnormalities were most commonly found in patients who experienced primary WNV encephalitis. New abnormalities may develop over time regardless of initial clinical infection. Future studies should aim to differentiate neurological consequences due to WNV neuroinvasive infection versus neurological decline related to comorbid conditions. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

77 FR 62260 - Niles America Wintech, Inc., Warehousing Division, a Valeo Company, Including On-Site Leased...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-12

..., Adecco Employment Services, Winchester, KY; Niles America Wintech, Inc., Assembly and Testing Division, a... former workers of Niles America Wintech, Inc., Warehousing Division and Assembly and Testing Division...

Epidemiological and clinical aspects on West Nile virus, a globally emerging pathogen.

PubMed

David, Shoba; Abraham, Asha Mary

2016-08-01

Since the isolation of West Nile virus (WNV) in 1937, in Uganda, it has spread globally, causing significant morbidity and mortality. While birds serve as amplifier hosts, mosquitoes of the Culex genus function as vectors. Humans and horses are dead end hosts. The clinical manifestations of West Nile infection in humans range from asymptomatic illness to West Nile encephalitis. The laboratory offers an array of tests, the preferred method being detection of RNA and serum IgM for WNV, which, if detected, confirms the clinical diagnosis. Although no definitive antiviral therapy and vaccine are available for humans, many approaches are being studied. This article will review the current literature of the natural cycle, geographical distribution, virology, replication cycle, molecular epidemiology, pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis, clinical manifestations, blood donor screening for WNV, treatment, prevention and vaccines.

Occurrence of West Nile virus antibodies in wild birds, horses, and humans in Poland.

PubMed

Niczyporuk, Jowita Samanta; Samorek-Salamonowicz, Elżbieta; Lecollinet, Sylvie; Pancewicz, Sławomir Andrzej; Kozdruń, Wojciech; Czekaj, Hanna

2015-01-01

Serum samples of 474 wild birds, 378 horses, and 42 humans with meningitis and lymphocytic meningitis were collected between 2010 and 2014 from different areas of Poland. West Nile virus (WNV) antibodies were detected using competition enzyme linked immunosorbent assays: ELISA-1 ID Screen West Nile Competition, IDvet, ELISA-2 ID Screen West Nile IgM Capture, and ELISA-3 Ingezim West Nile Compac. The antibodies were found in 63 (13.29%) out of 474 wild bird serum samples and in one (0.26%) out of 378 horse serum samples. Fourteen (33.33%) out of 42 sera from patients were positive against WNV antigen and one serum was doubtful. Positive samples obtained in birds were next retested with virus microneutralisation test to confirm positive results and cross-reactions with other antigens of the Japanese encephalitis complex. We suspect that positive serological results in humans, birds, and horses indicate that WNV can be somehow closely related with the ecosystem in Poland.

Occurrence of West Nile Virus Antibodies in Wild Birds, Horses, and Humans in Poland

PubMed Central

Niczyporuk, Jowita Samanta; Samorek-Salamonowicz, Elżbieta; Lecollinet, Sylvie; Pancewicz, Sławomir Andrzej; Kozdruń, Wojciech; Czekaj, Hanna

2015-01-01

Serum samples of 474 wild birds, 378 horses, and 42 humans with meningitis and lymphocytic meningitis were collected between 2010 and 2014 from different areas of Poland. West Nile virus (WNV) antibodies were detected using competition enzyme linked immunosorbent assays: ELISA-1 ID Screen West Nile Competition, IDvet, ELISA-2 ID Screen West Nile IgM Capture, and ELISA-3 Ingezim West Nile Compac. The antibodies were found in 63 (13.29%) out of 474 wild bird serum samples and in one (0.26%) out of 378 horse serum samples. Fourteen (33.33%) out of 42 sera from patients were positive against WNV antigen and one serum was doubtful. Positive samples obtained in birds were next retested with virus microneutralisation test to confirm positive results and cross-reactions with other antigens of the Japanese encephalitis complex. We suspect that positive serological results in humans, birds, and horses indicate that WNV can be somehow closely related with the ecosystem in Poland. PMID:25866767

Holocene alluvial history and archaeological significance of the Nile floodplain in the Saqqara-Memphis region, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassan, F. A.; Hamdan, M. A.; Flower, R. J.; Shallaly, N. A.; Ebrahem, E.

2017-11-01

A suite of drill cores undertaken on the Saqqara-Memphisfloodplain revealed an array of Late Pleistocene-Holocene sediment facies that show a complex of spatio-temporal changes in sediment related to migration of the River Nile, Nile flood variations, settlement sites and climate change. The recovered data enhance our understanding of the history of the modern River Nile and its relationship to the emergence and continuity of Egyptian civilization. The floodplain of the Saqqara-Memphis area reveals a sequence of aggradation and degradation events comprising six clearly marked sedimentary units (I-VI), overlying Late Pleistocene fluvial sand and gravel (unit I). Deposition of unit II resumed during a period of high Nile flow, rapid sea level rise and locally wet climatic conditions. As a result, the floodplain was occupied by swamps and anastomosing channels. Subsequently, the Nile changed to a more stable meandering channel system with well-developed levees and flood basins (unit III). This aggradation unit was subsequently eroded by the end of Old Kingdom (ca. 4.2 kyr cal BP). The degradation hiatus was followed by a widespread layer of alluvial silt and sand indicating very high Nile floods that coincide with historical records of very high floods during the Middle Kingdom and frequently high floods during the New Kingdom (unit IV). During the last two thousand years (units VI-VII) floods generally diminished except for several notable lows and highs. Our calculations of the long-term rate of siltation during the Middle and Late Holocene suggest an average rate of 0.235 m/century rather than the commonly cited 0.09-0.12 m per century. In addition, our study of satellite imagery of the Memphite region in the context of archaeological data combined with our own geological studies reveal that the main Nile in Neolithic and Predynastic times (ca.7.0-5.0 kyr cal BP) ran along the eastern edge of the current floodplain. A lateral branch of the Nile ran along the

Isolation and molecular identification of Naegleria fowleri from Nile river, Egypt.

PubMed

Al-Herrawy, Ahmad Z; Gad, Mahmoud A

2015-12-01

Members of the genus Naegleria are free-living amoebae distributed in various aquatic environments. Naegleria fowleri is the only species that can cause fatal primary amoebic meningoencephalitis in humans. A total of 48 Nile water samples were collected from the water stream passing though Cairo. The samples were processed for the detection of Naegleria spp. using non-nutrient agar at 45°C. The isolates of Naegleria spp. were identified based on the morphologic criteria of trophozoite, flagellated and cyst stages. Molecular characterization of the isolates was performed using PCR. The obtained results showed that Naegleria spp. were found in 45.8% of Nile water samples by means of microscopic examination. Seasonally, the highest prevalence of Naegleria spp. was recorded in summer (66.7%). Moreover, the highest prevalence of N. fowleri was recorded in summer (25%). The occurrence of heat-tolerant Naegleria spp., especially N. fowleri, in Nile water should be considered as a potential health threat.

Clinical Manifestations and Outcomes of West Nile Virus Infection

PubMed Central

Sejvar, James J.

2014-01-01

Since the emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in North America in 1999, understanding of the clinical features, spectrum of illness and eventual functional outcomes of human illness has increased tremendously. Most human infections with WNV remain clinically silent. Among those persons developing symptomatic illness, most develop a self-limited febrile illness. More severe illness with WNV (West Nile neuroinvasive disease, WNND) is manifested as meningitis, encephalitis or an acute anterior (polio) myelitis. These manifestations are generally more prevalent in older persons or those with immunosuppression. In the future, a more thorough understanding of the long-term physical, cognitive and functional outcomes of persons recovering from WNV illness will be important in understanding the overall illness burden. PMID:24509812

Assessing and managing water scarcity within the Nile River Transboundary Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butts, M. B.; Wendi, D.; Jessen, O. Z.; Riegels, N. D.

2012-04-01

The Nile Basin is the main source of water in the North Eastern Region of Africa and is perhaps one of the most critical river basins in Africa as the riparian countries constitute 40% of the population on the continent but only 10% of the area. This resource is under considerable stress with rising levels of water scarcity, high population growth, watershed degradation, and loss of environmental services. The potential impacts of climate change may significantly exacerbate this situation as the water resources in the Nile Basin are critically sensitive to climate change (Conway, Hanson, Doherty, & Persechino, 2007). The motivation for this study is an assessment of climate change impacts and adaptation potential for floods and droughts within the UNEP project "Adapting to climate change induced water stress in the Nile River Basin", supported by SIDA. This project is being carried out as collaboration between DHI, the UK Met Office, and the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI). The Nile Basin exhibits highly diverse climatological and hydrological characteristics. Thus climate change impacts and adaptive capacity must be addressed at both regional and sub-basin scales. While the main focus of the project is the regional scale, sub-basin scale modelling is required to reflect variability within the basin. One of the major challenges in addressing this variability is the scarcity of data. This paper presents an initial screening modelling study of the water balance of the Nile Basin along with estimates of expected future impacts of climate change on the water balance. This initial study is focussed on the Ethiopian Highlands and the Lake Victoria regions, where the impact of climate change on rainfall is important. A robust sub-basin based monthly water balance model is developed and applied to selected sub-basins. The models were developed and calibrated using publicly available data. One of the major challenges in addressing this variability within the basin is the

Nerve growth factor-inducible large external (NILE) glycoprotein: studies of a central and peripheral neuronal marker.

PubMed

Salton, S R; Richter-Landsberg, C; Greene, L A; Shelanski, M L

1983-03-01

The PC12 clone of pheochromocytoma cells undergoes neuronal differentiation in the presence of nerve growth factor (NGF). Concomitant with this is a significant induction in the incorporation of radiolabeled fucose or glucosamine into a 230,000-dalton cell surface glycoprotein named the NGF-Inducible Large External, or NILE, glycoprotein (GP) (McGuire, J. C., L. A. Greene, and A. V. Furano (1978) Cell 15: 357-365). In the current studies NILE GP was purified from PC12 cells using wheat germ agglutinin-agarose affinity chromatography and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Polyclonal antisera were raised against purified NILE GP and were found to selectively immunoprecipitate a single 230,000-dalton protein from detergent extracts of PC12 cells metabolically labeled with either [3H]fucose, [3H]glucosamine, or [35S]methionine. These antisera stained the surfaces of PC12 cells by indirect immunofluorescence and were cytotoxic to PC12 cells in the presence of complement. Limited treatment of PC12 cells with either trypsin or pronase produced a fucosylated 90,000-dalton immunoreactive fragment of NILE GP which remained in the membrane. Using quantitative immunoelectrophoresis, the action of NGF on NILE GP was represent an increase in the amount of protein, rather than a selective increase in carbohydrate incorporation. Immunofluorescent staining of primary cell cultures and tissue whole mounts revealed that immunologically cross-reactive NILE GP appears to be expressed on the cell surfaces (somas and neurites) of most if not all peripheral and central neurons examined. Immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled cultures showed that the cross-reactive material had an apparent molecular weight by SDS-PAGE of 225,000 to 230,000 in the peripheral nervous system and 200,000 to 210,000 in the central nervous system. NILE-cross-reactive material was also found to a small extent on Schwann cell surfaces, but not at all on a variety of other cell types. These results suggest

Identification and expression profiles of multiple genes in Nile tilapia in response to bacterial infections

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in response of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to bacterial infection, suppression subtractive cDNA hybridization technique was used to identify upregulated genes in the posterior kidney of Nile tilapia at 6h post infection with Aeromonas hydrophi...

DNA Vaccine for West Nile Virus Infection in Fish Crows (Corvus ossifragus)

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-09-01

SUBJECT TERMS west Nile virus, vaccine , efficacy , crows 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 5 19a...A DNA vaccine for West Nile virus (WNV) was evaluat- ed to determine whether its use could protect fish crows (Corvus ossifragus) from fatal WNV...infection. Captured adult crows were given 0.5 mg of the DNA vaccine either orally or by intramuscular (IM) inoculation; control crows were inoculated or

Normal haematology and blood biochemistry of wild Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in the Okavango Delta, Botswana.

PubMed

Lovely, C J; Pittman, J M; Leslie, A J

2007-09-01

Wild Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) of various size classes were captured in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Blood was collected from the post occipital sinus and used for the determination of a wide range of haematological and biochemical parameters. These values were compared between the sexes and between 3 size classes. The values were also compared with the limited data available from farmed Nile crocodiles, as well as from other wild Nile crocodiles. The Okavango crocodiles were comparatively anaemic, and had comparatively low total protein and blood glucose levels. There was a high prevalence of Hepatozoon pettiti infection, however, there was no significant difference in haematological values between the infected and uninfected crocodiles. The values reported here will be useful in diagnostic investigations in both zoo and farmed Nile crocodiles.

Purification and crystallization of dengue and West Nile virus NS2B–NS3 complexes

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

D’Arcy, Allan, E-mail: allan.darcy@novartis.com; Chaillet, Maxime; Schiering, Nikolaus

Crystals of dengue serotype 2 and West Nile virus NS2B–NS3 protease complexes have been obtained and the crystals of both diffract to useful resolution. Sample homogeneity was essential for obtaining X-ray-quality crystals of the dengue protease. Controlled proteolysis produced a crystallizable fragment of the apo West Nile virus NS2B–NS3 and crystals were also obtained in the presence of a peptidic inhibitor. Both dengue and West Nile virus infections are an increasing risk to humans, not only in tropical and subtropical areas, but also in North America and parts of Europe. These viral infections are generally transmitted by mosquitoes, but maymore » also be tick-borne. Infection usually results in mild flu-like symptoms, but can also cause encephalitis and fatalities. Approximately 2799 severe West Nile virus cases were reported this year in the United States, resulting in 102 fatalities. With this alarming increase in the number of West Nile virus infections in western countries and the fact that dengue virus already affects millions of people per year in tropical and subtropical climates, there is a real need for effective medicines. A possible therapeutic target to combat these viruses is the protease, which is essential for virus replication. In order to provide structural information to help to guide a lead identification and optimization program, crystallizations of the NS2B–NS3 protease complexes from both dengue and West Nile viruses have been initiated. Crystals that diffract to high resolution, suitable for three-dimensional structure determinations, have been obtained.« less

New insights into hydrologic sources and sinks in the Nile Basin: A multi-source satellite data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senay, G. B.; Velpuri, N. M.; Bohms, S.; Demissie, Y.; Gebremichael, M.

2014-12-01

The Nile River is the longest in the world with a length of 6,800 km. However, the contrast between the length of the river or the size of the basin and the comparatively small volume of basin runoff generated is a unique feature of the Nile Basin. Due to non-availability of in-situ hydrologic data, we do not clearly understand the spatial distribution of hydrologic sources and sinks and how much they control input-output dynamics? In this study, we integrated satellite-derived precipitation, and modeled evapotranspiration data (2000-2012) to describe spatial variability of hydrologic sources and sinks in the Nile Basin. We also used long-term gridded runoff and river discharge data (1869-1984) to understand the discrepancy in the observed and expected flow along the Nile River. Results indicate that over 2000-2012 period, 4 out of 11 countries (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda) in the Nile basin showed a positive water balance while three downstream countries (South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt) showed a negative balance. The top three countries that contribute most to the flow are Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya. The study revealed that ~85% of the runoff generated in the Equatorial region is lost in an inter-station basin that includes the Sudd wetlands in South Sudan; this proportion is higher than the reported loss of 50% at the Sudd wetlands alone. The loss in runoff and flow volume at different sections of the river tend to be more than what can be explained by evaporation losses, suggesting a potential recharge to deeper aquifers that are not connected to the Nile channel systems. On the other hand, we also found that the expected average annual Nile flow at Aswan is larger (97 km3) than the reported amount (84 km3). Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mass deviation in storage data analysis showed that at annual time-scales, the Nile Basin shows storage change is substantial while over longer-time periods, it is minimal (<1% of basin precipitation

Detection and sequencing of West Nile virus RNA from human urine and serum samples during the 2014 seasonal period.

PubMed

Nagy, Anna; Bán, Enikő; Nagy, Orsolya; Ferenczi, Emőke; Farkas, Ágnes; Bányai, Krisztián; Farkas, Szilvia; Takács, Mária

2016-07-01

West Nile virus, a widely distributed mosquito-borne flavivirus, is responsible for numerous animal and human infections in Europe, Africa and the Americas. In Hungary, the average number of human infections falls between 10 and 20 cases each year. The severity of clinically manifesting infections varies widely from the milder form of West Nile fever to West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND). In routine laboratory diagnosis of human West Nile virus infections, serological methods are mainly applied due to the limited duration of viremia. However, recent studies suggest that detection of West Nile virus RNA in urine samples may be useful as a molecular diagnostic test for these infections. The Hungarian National Reference Laboratory for Viral Zoonoses serologically confirmed eleven acute human infections during the 2014 seasonal period. In three patients with neurological symptoms, viral RNA was detected from both urine and serum specimens, albeit for a longer period and in higher copy numbers with urine. Phylogenetic analysis of the NS3 genomic region of three strains and the complete genome of one selected strain demonstrated that all three patients had lineage-2 West Nile virus infections. Our findings reaffirm the utility of viral RNA detection in urine as a molecular diagnostic procedure for diagnosis of West Nile virus infections.

ECOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS, WEST NILE VIRUS, AND AVIAN PARAMYXOVIRUS INFECTION AND ANTIBODY STATUS IN BLUE-WINGED TEAL (ANAS DISCORS) IN THE CANADIAN PRAIRIES.

PubMed

Nallar, Rodolfo; Papp, Zsuzsanna; Leighton, Frederick A; Epp, Tasha; Pasick, John; Berhane, Yohannes; Lindsay, Robbin; Soos, Catherine

2016-01-01

The Canadian prairies are one of the most important breeding and staging areas for migratory waterfowl in North America. Hundreds of thousands of waterfowl of numerous species from multiple flyways converge in and disperse from this region annually; therefore this region may be a key area for potential intra- and interspecific spread of infectious pathogens among migratory waterfowl in the Americas. Using Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors, BWTE), which have the most extensive migratory range among waterfowl species, we investigated ecologic risk factors for infection and antibody status to avian influenza virus (AIV), West Nile virus (WNV), and avian paramyxovirus-1 (APMV-1) in the three prairie provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba) prior to fall migration. We used generalized linear models to examine infection or evidence of exposure in relation to host (age, sex, body condition, exposure to other infections), spatiotemporal (year, province), population-level (local population densities of BWTE, total waterfowl densities), and environmental (local pond densities) factors. The probability of AIV infection in BWTE was associated with host factors (e.g., age and antibody status), population-level factors (e.g., local BWTE population density), and year. An interaction between age and AIV antibody status showed that hatch year birds with antibodies to AIV were more likely to be infected, suggesting an antibody response to an active infection. Infection with AIV was positively associated with local BWTE density, supporting the hypothesis of density-dependent transmission. The presence of antibodies to WNV and APMV-1 was positively associated with age and varied among years. Furthermore, the probability of being WNV antibody positive was positively associated with pond density rather than host population density, likely because ponds provide suitable breeding habitat for mosquitoes, the primary vectors for transmission. Our findings highlight the importance of

Yellow fever vector live-virus vaccines: West Nile virus vaccine development.

PubMed

Arroyo, J; Miller, C A; Catalan, J; Monath, T P

2001-08-01

By combining molecular-biological techniques with our increased understanding of the effect of gene sequence modification on viral function, yellow fever 17D, a positive-strand RNA virus vaccine, has been manipulated to induce a protective immune response against viruses of the same family (e.g. Japanese encephalitis and dengue viruses). Triggered by the emergence of West Nile virus infections in the New World afflicting humans, horses and birds, the success of this recombinant technology has prompted the rapid development of a live-virus attenuated candidate vaccine against West Nile virus.

Usutu virus persistence and West Nile virus inactivity in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) in 2011.

PubMed

Calzolari, Mattia; Bonilauri, Paolo; Bellini, Romeo; Albieri, Alessandro; Defilippo, Francesco; Tamba, Marco; Tassinari, Massimo; Gelati, Antonio; Cordioli, Paolo; Angelini, Paola; Dottori, Michele

2013-01-01

The circulation of West Nile virus and Usutu virus was detected in the Emilia-Romagna region in 2008 and 2009. To evaluate the extent of circulation of both viruses, environmental surveillance, based on bird and mosquito testing, was conducted in 2008 and gradually improved over the years. In February-March 2009-2011, 5,993 hibernating mosquitoes were manually sampled, out of which 80.1% were Culex pipiens; none tested positive for the viruses. From 2008 to 2011, 946,213 mosquitoes, sampled between May and October, were tested; 86.5% were Cx. pipiens. West Nile virus was detected in 32 Cx. pipiens pools, and Usutu virus was detected in 229 mosquito pools (217 Cx. pipiens, 10 Aedes albopictus, one Anopheles maculipennis s.l., and one Aedes caspius). From 2009 to 2011, of 4,546 birds collected, 42 tested positive for West Nile virus and 48 for Usutu virus. West Nile virus and Usutu virus showed different patterns of activity during the 2008-2011 surveillance period. West Nile virus was detected in 2008, 2009, and 2010, but not in 2011. Usutu virus, however, was continuously active throughout 2009, 2010, and 2011. The data strongly suggest that both viruses overwinter in the surveyed area rather than being continually reintroduced every season. The lack of hibernating mosquitoes testing positive for the viruses and the presence of positive birds sampled early in the season support the hypothesis that the viruses overwinter in birds rather than in mosquitoes. Herd immunity in key bird species could explain the decline of West Nile virus observed in 2011, while the persistence of Usutu virus may be explained by not yet identified reservoirs. Reported results are comparable with a peri-Mediterranean circulation of the West Nile virus lineage 1 related strain, which became undetectable in the environment after two to three years of obvious circulation.

Clinical and pathologic features of West Nile virus infection in native North American owls (Family strigidae).

PubMed

Fitzgerald, S D; Patterson, J S; Kiupel, M; Simmons, H A; Grimes, S D; Sarver, C F; Fulton, R M; Steficek, B A; Cooley, T M; Massey, J P; Sikarskie, J G

2003-01-01

Since the initial report of West Nile virus in the northeastern United States in 1999, the virus has spread rapidly westward and southward across the country. In the summer of 2002, several midwestern states reported increased cases of neurologic disease and mortality associated with West Nile virus infection in various native North American owl species. This report summarizes the clinical and pathologic findings for 13 captive and free-ranging owls. Affected species were all in the family Strigidae and included seven snowy owls (Nyctea scandiaca), four great-horned owls (Bubo virginianus), a barred owl (Strix varia), and a short-eared owl (Asio flammeus). Neurologic signs identified included head tilt, uncoordinated flight, paralysis, tremors, and seizures. Owls that died were screened for flaviviral proteins by immunohistochemical staining of formalin-fixed tissues, followed by specific polymerase chain reaction assay to confirm West Nile virus with fresh tissues when available. Microscopic lesions were widespread, involving brain, heart, liver, kidney, and spleen, and were typically nonsuppurative with infiltration by predominantly lymphocytes and plasma cells. Lesions in owls were much more severe than those previously reported in corvids such as crows, which are considered highly susceptible to infection and are routinely used as sentinel species for monitoring for the presence and spread of West Nile virus. This report is the first detailed description of the pathology of West Nile virus infection in Strigiformes and indicates that this bird family is susceptible to natural infection with West Nile virus.

Actin filaments participate in West Nile (Sarafend) virus maturation process.

PubMed

Chu, J J H; Choo, B G H; Lee, J W M; Ng, M L

2003-11-01

West Nile (Sarafend) virus has previously been shown to egress by budding at the plasma membrane of infected cells, but relatively little is known about the mechanism involved in this mode of release. During the course of this study, it was discovered that actin filaments take part in the virus maturation process. Using dual-labeled immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy at late infection (10 hr p.i.), co-localization of viral structural (envelope and capsid) proteins with actin filaments was confirmed. The virus structural proteins were also immunoprecipitated with anti-actin antibody, further demonstrating the strong association between the two components. Perturbation of actin filaments by cytochalasin B strongly inhibited the release of West Nile virus (approximately 10,000-fold inhibition) when compared with the untreated cells. Infectious virus particles were recovered after the removal of cytochalasin B. Further confirmation was obtained when nucleocapsid particles were found associated with disrupted actin filaments at the periphery of cytochalasin B-treated cells. Together, these results showed that actin filaments do indeed have a key role in the release of West Nile (Sarafend) virions. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Lake Nasser on Nile River in Egypt as seen from the Apollo 7 spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-10-12

Lake Nasser on the Nile River in southeastern United Arab Republic (Egypt) as seen from the Apollo 7 spacecraft during its 10th revolution of the earth. Photographed from an altitude of 130 nautical miles, at ground elapsed time of 14 hours and 56 minutes. Lake Nasser was created by the contruction of the Aswan Dam on the Nile.

Recent progress in West Nile virus diagnosis and vaccination

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a positive-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Flaviviridae family, a large family with 3 main genera (flavivirus, hepacivirus and pestivirus). Among these viruses, there are several globally relevant human pathogens including the mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV), yellow fever virus (YFV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) and West Nile virus (WNV), as well as tick-borne viruses such as tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Since the mid-1990s, outbreaks of WN fever and encephalitis have occurred throughout the world and WNV is now endemic in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and the Unites States. This review describes the molecular virology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and highlights recent progress regarding diagnosis and vaccination against WNV infections. PMID:22380523

Decadal biogeochemical history of the south east Levantine basin: Simulations of the river Nile regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suari, Yair; Brenner, Steve

2015-08-01

The south eastern Mediterranean is characterized by antiestuarine circulation which leads to extreme oligotrophic conditions. The Nile river that used to transport fresh water and nutrients into the basin was dammed in 1964 which led to a drastic reduction of fresh water fluxes, and later, changes in Egyptian agriculture and diet led to increased nutrient fluxes. In this paper we present the results of simulations with a biogeochemical model of the south eastern Mediterranean. Four experiments were conducted: (1) present day without riverine inputs; (2) Nile before damming (pre-1964); (3) post-damming 1995 Nile; and (4) fresh water and nutrient discharges of Israeli coastal streams. The present day input simulation (control run) successfully reproduced measured nutrient concentrations, with the exception of simulated chlorophyll concentrations which were slightly higher than observed. The pre-1964 Nile simulation showed a salinity reduction of 2 psu near the Egyptian coast and 0.5 psu along the Israeli coast, as well as elevated chlorophyll a concentrations mostly east of the Nile delta and north to Cyprus. The spring bloom extended from its present peak during February-March to a peak during February-May. The 1995 Nile simulation showed increased chlorophyll a concentrations close to the Egyptian coast. The Israeli coastal stream simulation showed that the effect of the Israeli coastal stream winter flow on chlorophyll converged to control concentrations within about one month, demonstrating the stability and sensitivity of the model to external forcing. The results of this study demonstrate the significance of fresh water fluxes in maintaining marine productivity, which may have large scale effects on the marine ecosystem.

From source to sink: Exploring the Quaternary history of the Nile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, J. C.; Williams, M. A. J.; Garzanti, E.; Macklin, M. G.; Marriner, N.

2015-12-01

Nearly two thousand five hundred years have elapsed since the Greek historian Herodotus (ca. 485-425 BC) posed a number of fundamental questions about the source, age, and flood regime of the River Nile. Herodotus travelled widely in Egypt in around 450 BC - mainly in the Delta and Lower Egypt, but he may have journeyed as far upstream as Aswan and the First Cataract. A keen observer of nature, with a questioning intellect, Herodotus very quickly discerned that the dark alluvial soils of Egypt were very different from the desert soils of Syria and Libya, and inferred that they were derived from the Ethiopian headwaters of the Nile. Herodotus was the first to recognize that Egyptian civilization was, as he put it, ;the gift of the river; (Griffiths, 1966) since he understood that, without the regular and reliable hundred days of flooding during the summer months, and the annual deposition of silts along the floodplains, agriculture would not have been possible on any significant scale under the desert climate of the Nile Valley.

Nile Delta

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-06-19

Urbanized areas of northern Egypt are visible amidst the deserts of Egypt. The image captured July 9-15, 2012 also shows the Nile River which provides life-sustaining water to the region. The image was created from the Visible-Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) instrument aboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership or Suomi NPP satellite, a partnership between NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. Credit: NASA/NOAA To read more go to: www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/NPP/news/vegetation.html 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

13.000 years of multicentennial variability in Nile discharge: The link between solar activity, Indian monsoon, and Sapropel S1 formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hennekam, Rick; Jilbert, Tom; Schnetger, Bernhard; De Lange, Gert J.

2014-05-01

Sediments in the southeast Mediterranean are characterized by high accumulation rates, being influenced by suspended matter from the Nile plume. Therefore, the sediments from this area offer an invaluable high-resolution climate archive. Earlier work has shown that Nile River outflow has influenced water chemistry in this region throughout the entire Holocene, being well recorded in the oxygen isotopic ratio of the planktic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber (δ18Oruber). The deposition of organic-rich layers (sapropels) during precession minima is often linked to Nile discharge. Here we present a multi-proxy study of a well-dated sediment core from the southeast Mediterranean basin to study in high-resolution the variability in Nile discharge during the early- to mid-Holocene. High sedimentation rates and sample resolution allow for recognition of (multi-)centennial variability in Nile discharge as recorded by δ18Oruber. Moreover, we measured bulk sediment Ba/Al (representing export-productivity), V/Al (representing redox conditions), and total organic carbon (Corg) during deposition of sapropel S1 (~6-10 kyr BP). Nile discharge is influenced by moisture transport from both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, being presently dominated by Atlantic moisture. We show that Nile discharge during the early- to mid-Holocene was dominated by Indian Ocean moisture transport. This is supported by the maximum in Nile discharge at ~9.5 cal. kyr BP, similar to the maximum intensity of Indian Ocean-influenced southwest Indian summer monsoon. Moreover, the strong solar activity signal observed in multi-centennial oscillations in Nile discharge during this time interval concords with those recorded in contemporaneous Indian Ocean-derived monsoon records, but not with those from the Atlantic Ocean. Solar-induced variability in Nile discharge also influenced the conditions relating to Sapropel S1 formation. During its deposition, similar multi-centennial variability is found in bulk

Seasonal extension of the Nile River plume into the Mediterranean Sea measured by its optical properties from satellite products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Mezayen, M. M.; Rueda-Roa, D. T.; Muller-Karger, F. E.; Otis, D. B.

2016-12-01

The Eastern Mediterranean is a semi-enclosed sea, considered oligotrophic except for the Levantine basin (LB) (30°-38° N, 28°-36° E) where the Nile River plays an important role in its water budget and biogeochemical properties. We studied the seasonality of the Nile River plume using ocean color satellite imagery. We analyzed 1 km resolution satellite chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) concentration estimates from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS, 2002-2015). We used a threshold of 0.2 mg m-3 of Chl-a and 0.03 m-1 of CDOM as a proxy to mask out and calculate the extension of the Nile plume. The plume was always constrained to the coastal region of SE Mediterranean Sea over the 13-year period examined. The annual average surface area of the Nile plume estimated with Chl-a and CDOM was similar (26,245 and 21,195 Km2, respectively). The minimum Nile plume area occurred between April and December (21,329 and 19,177 Km2, for Chl-a and CDOM respectively). Maximum area extension was observed between January-March for both Chl-a and CDOM (40,993 and 27,251 Km2, respectively). There was a conspicuous difference in the maximum surface area of the Nile plume measured with the Chl-a product during February (54,053 Km2) relative to the CDOM proxy (30,749 Km2). During January-March the area of the Nile discharge measured with Chl-a was 1.3-1.8 larger than with the CDOM product, while they were similar the rest of the year. Correlation between Chl-a and CDOM results was high during April-December (R2=0.93, n=122, p<0.001) but somewhat low during January-March (R2=0.65, n=39, p<0.001). This indicates that there is a larger phytoplankton bloom during January-March, due to higher nutrient discharge by Nile water. Both satellite proxies are good indicators of the extent of the Nile plume. We will present further research on the seasonal extension of the Nile plume along the coast and in the LB.

West Nile virus infection.

PubMed

Guharoy, Roy; Gilroy, Shelley A; Noviasky, John A; Ference, Jonathan

2004-06-15

The epidemiology, virology, and transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) are reviewed, and the clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of WNV infection are examined. WNV infection is caused by a flavivirus transmitted from birds to humans through the bite of culicine mosquitoes. WNV was discovered in the blood of a febrile woman from Uganda's West Nile province in 1937. The first case of domestically acquired WNV infection was reported in the United States in 1999 in New York. Since then, WNV infection has spread rapidly across the United States, with 9306 confirmed cases and 210 deaths reported from 45 states in 2003. It is still not clear how WNV was introduced into North America. WNV is a small, single-stranded RNA virus and a member of the Japanese encephalitis virus antigenic complex. While most humans infected with WNV are asymptomatic, some may develop an influenza-like illness. Disease surveillance remains the cornerstone for the early recognition and control of WNV. We describe one case of WNV infection with an update on the disease. Strategies for the prevention and control of this infection are reviewed. There is no established treatment for WNV infection. Currently, prevention and control are the only measures that help decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with WNV infection. As the number of cases escalates and the geographic distribution of WNV infection widens, the epidemic will continue to pose a major challenge to clinicians in the coming years. There is an urgent need for more research on the pathogenesis and treatment of WNV infection.

The Holocene Geoarchaeology of the Desert Nile in Northern Sudan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodward, Jamie; Macklin, Mark; Spencer, Neal; Welsby, Derek; Dalton, Matthew; Hay, Sophie; Hardy, Andrew

2016-04-01

Invited Paper Forty years ago Colin Renfrew declared that "every archaeological problem starts as a problem in geoarchaeology" (Renfrew, 1976 p. 2). With this assertion in mind, this paper draws upon the findings from field research in two sectors of the Nile Valley of Northern Sudan dedicated to the exploration of human-environment interactions during the middle and late Holocene. This part of the Nile corridor contains a rich cultural record and an exceptionally well preserved Holocene fluvial archive. A distinctive feature of these records is the variety of evidence for interaction between desert and river over a range of spatial and temporal scales. This interaction presented both challenges and opportunities for its ancient inhabitants. This paper will present evidence for large-scale landscape changes driven by shifts in global climate. It will also show how we have integrated the archaeological and geological records in the Northern Dongola Reach and at Amara West - where long-term field projects led by archaeologists from the British Museum have recognised the importance of a sustained commitment to interdisciplinary research to achieve a fully integrated geoarchaeological approach across a range of scales. The former project is a large-scale landscape survey with multiple sites across an 80 km reach of the Nile whilst the latter has a strong focus on a single New Kingdom town site and changes in its environmental setting. By combining multiple archaeological and geological datasets - and pioneering the use of OSL dating and strontium isotope analysis in the Desert Nile - we have developed a new understanding of human responses to Holocene climate and landscape change in this region. Renfrew, C. (1976) Archaeology and the earth sciences. In: D.A. Davidson and M.I. Shackley (eds) Geoarchaeology: Earth Science and the Past, Duckworth, London, 1-5.

Water quality assessment of the River Nile system: an overview.

PubMed

Wahaab, Rifaat A; Badawy, Mohamed I

2004-03-01

The main objective of the present article is to assess and evaluate the characteristics of the Nile water system, and identify the major sources of pollution and its environmental and health consequences. The article is also aimed to highlight the importance of water management via re-use and recycle of treated effluents for industrial purpose and for cultivation of desert land. An intensive effort was made by the authors to collect, assess and compile the available data about the River Nile. Physico-chemical analyses were conducted to check the validity of the collected data. For the determination of micro-pollutants, Gas Chromatography (GC) and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) were used. Heavy metals were also determined to investigate the level of industrial pollution in the river system. The available data revealed that the river receives a large quantity of industrial, agriculture and domestic wastewater. It is worth mentioning that the river is still able to recover in virtually all the locations, with very little exception. This is due to the high dilution ratio. The collected data confirmed the presence of high concentrations of chromium and manganese in all sediment samples. The residues of organo-chlorine insecticides were detected in virtually all locations. However, the levels of such residues are usually below the limit set by the WHO for use as drinking water. The most polluted lakes are Lake Maryut and Lake Manzala. Groundwater pollution is closely related to adjacent (polluted) surface waters. High concentrations of nutrients, E. coli, sulfur, heavy metals, etc. have been observed in the shallow groundwater, largely surpassing WHO standards for drinking water use. A regular and continuous monitoring scheme shall be developed for the River Nile system. The environmental law shall be enforced to prohibit the discharge of wastewater (agricultural, domestic or industrial) to River Nile system.

Blue nevus and "malignant blue nevus:" A concise review.

PubMed

Sugianto, Jessica Zarah; Ralston, Jonathan Scott; Metcalf, John S; McFaddin, Courtney L; Smith, M Timothy

2016-07-01

Blue nevi are a heterogeneous group of lesions that can display a variety of different clinicopathological characteristics. Although attempts are made to classify each lesion into defined subtypes, there can be overlap between the subtypes. The clinical and histolopathologic features of common blue nevi and cellular blue nevi are discussed, as well as blue nevi with atypical features and malignant lesions with features of blue nevi. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Yard flooding by irrigation canals increased the risk of West Nile disease in El Paso, Texas

PubMed Central

Cardenas, Victor M.; Jaime, Javier; Ford, Paula B.; Gonzalez, Fernando J.; Carrillo, Irma; Gallegos, Jorge E.; Watts, Douglas M.

2011-01-01

Purpose To investigate the effects of use of water from irrigation canals to flood residential yards on the risk of West Nile disease in El Paso, Texas. Methods West Nile disease confirmed cases in 2009–2010 were compared with a random sample of 50 residents of the county according to access to and use of water from irrigation canals by subjects or their neighbors, as well as geo-referenced closest distance between their home address and the nearest irrigation canal. A windshield survey of 600 meters around the study subjects’ home address recorded the presence of irrigation canals. The distance from the residence of 182 confirmed cases of West Nile disease reported in 2003–2010 to canals was compared to that of the centroids of 182 blocks selected at random. Results Cases were more likely than controls to report their neighbors flooded their yards with water from canals. Irrigation canals were more often observed in neighborhoods of cases than of controls. Using the set of addresses of 182 confirmed cases and 182 hypothetic controls the authors found a statistically significant inverse relation with risk of West Nile disease. Conclusions Flooding of yards with water from canals increased the risk of West Nile disease. PMID:21943648

Yard flooding by irrigation canals increased the risk of West Nile disease in El Paso, Texas.

PubMed

Cardenas, Victor M; Jaime, Javier; Ford, Paula B; Gonzalez, Fernando J; Carrillo, Irma; Gallegos, Jorge E; Watts, Douglas M

2011-12-01

To investigate the effects of use of water from irrigation canals to flood residential yards on the risk of West Nile disease in El Paso, Texas. West Nile disease confirmed cases in 2009 through 2010 were compared with a random sample of 50 residents of the county according to access to and use of water from irrigation canals by subjects or their neighbors, as well as geo-referenced closest distance between their home address and the nearest irrigation canal. A windshield survey of 600 m around the study subjects' home address recorded the presence of irrigation canals. The distance from the residence of 182 confirmed cases of West Nile disease reported in 2003 through 2010 to canals was compared with that of the centroids of 182 blocks selected at random. Cases were more likely than controls to report their neighbors flooded their yards with water from canals. Irrigation canals were more often observed in neighborhoods of cases than of controls. Using the set of addresses of 182 confirmed cases and 182 hypothetical controls the authors found a significant, inverse relation with risk of West Nile disease. Flooding of yards with water from canals increased the risk of West Nile disease. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SAR Interferometry as a Tool for Monitoring Coastal Changes in the Nile River Delta of Egypt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aly, Mohamed H.; Klein, Andrew G.; Giardino, John R.

2005-01-01

The Nile River Delta is experiencing rapid rates of coastal change. The rate of both coastal retreat and accretion in the Eastern Nile Delta requires regular, accurate detection and measurement. Current techniques used to monitor coastal changes in the delta are point measurements and, thus, they provide a spatially limited view of the ongoing coastal changes. SAR interferometry can provide measurements of subtle coastal change at a significantly improved spatial resolution and over large areas (100 sq km). Using data provided by the ERS-1&2 satellites, monitoring can be accomplished as frequently as every 35 days when needed. Radar interferometry is employed in this study to detect segments of erosion and accretion during the 1993-2000 period. The average rates of erosion and accretion in the Eastern Nile Delta are measured to be -11.64 m/yr and +5.12 m/yr, respectively. The results of this interferometric study can be used effectively for coastal zone management and integrated sustainable development for the Nile River Delta.

Use of an Internal Positive Control in a Multiplex Reverse Transcription-PCR To Detect West Nile Virus RNA in Mosquito Pools

PubMed Central

Eisler, Diane L.; McNabb, Alan; Jorgensen, Danielle R.; Isaac-Renton, Judith L.

2004-01-01

We report on the use of West Nile virus Armored RNA as an internal positive control (IPC) for the extraction and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) of RNA extracted from field-collected mosquitoes and on a multiplex real-time Taqman RT-PCR to simultaneously detect the 3′ noncoding region of West Nile virus and the West Nile virus NS5-2 region comprising the IPC. Mosquito pools from the province of British Columbia, Canada (n = 635), were tested in duplicate and found to be negative for West Nile virus and positive for the IPC. Known West Nile virus-positive supernatants from mosquito pools from the provinces of Alberta and Manitoba were tested in duplicate and found to be positive for both regions of the West Nile virus genome. The mean cycle threshold (Ct) value for the IPC in batch extraction controls ± 2 standard deviations was found to be 36.43 ± 1.78 cycles. IPCs of 98.4% (624) of West Nile virus-negative pools fell within this range, indicating the reproducibility of RNA extraction and RT-PCR for pools varying in mosquito genus and number. A comparison of mosquito pool genera revealed no significant genus effect on the Ct value of the IPC. The incorporation of West Nile virus Armored RNA as an IPC allows monitoring of RNA extraction and RT-PCR and detection of false-negative results due to failures in these processes or to PCR inhibition, respectively. PMID:14766868

Climate-based models for West Nile Culex mosquito vectors in the Northeastern US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Hongfei; Degaetano, Arthur T.; Harrington, Laura C.

2011-05-01

Climate-based models simulating Culex mosquito population abundance in the Northeastern US were developed. Two West Nile vector species, Culex pipiens and Culex restuans, were included in model simulations. The model was optimized by a parameter-space search within biological bounds. Mosquito population dynamics were driven by major environmental factors including temperature, rainfall, evaporation rate and photoperiod. The results show a strong correlation between the timing of early population increases (as early warning of West Nile virus risk) and decreases in late summer. Simulated abundance was highly correlated with actual mosquito capture in New Jersey light traps and validated with field data. This climate-based model simulates the population dynamics of both the adult and immature mosquito life stage of Culex arbovirus vectors in the Northeastern US. It is expected to have direct and practical application for mosquito control and West Nile prevention programs.

Vulnerability of the Nile Delta coastal areas to inundation by sea level rise.

PubMed

Hassaan, M A; Abdrabo, M A

2013-08-01

Sea level changes are typically caused by several natural phenomena, including ocean thermal expansion, glacial melt from Greenland and Antarctica. Global average sea level is expected to rise, through the twenty-first century, according to the IPCC projections by between 0.18 and 0.59 cm. Such a rise in sea level will significantly impact coastal area of the Nile Delta, consisting generally of lowland and is densely populated areas and accommodates significant proportion of Egypt's economic activities and built-up areas. The Nile Delta has been examined in several previous studies, which worked under various hypothetical sea level rise (SLR) scenarios and provided different estimates of areas susceptible to inundation due to SLR. The paper intends, in this respect, to identify areas, as well as land use/land cover, susceptible to inundation by SLR based upon most recent scenarios of SLR, by the year 2100 using GIS. The results indicate that about 22.49, 42.18, and 49.22 % of the total area of coastal governorates of the Nile Delta would be susceptible to inundation under different scenarios of SLR. Also, it was found that 15.56 % of the total areas of the Nile Delta that would be vulnerable to inundation due to land subsidence only, even in the absence of any rise in sea level. Moreover, it was found that a considerable proportion of these areas (ranging between 32.32 and 53.66 %) are currently either wetland or undeveloped areas. Furthermore, natural and/or man-made structures, such as the banks of the International Coastal Highway, were found to provide unintended protection to some of these areas. This suggests that the inundation impact of SLR on the Nile Delta is less than previously reported.

On the origins of hypersaline groundwater in the Nile Delta Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Engelen, Joeri; Oude Essink, Gualbert H. P.; Kooi, Henk; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

2017-04-01

The fresh groundwater resources in the Nile Delta, Egypt, are of eminent socio-economic importance. These resources are under major stress due to population growth, the anticipated sea level rise and increased groundwater extraction rates, making fresh water availability the most challenging issue in this area. Up till now, numerous groundwater studies mainly focused on sea water intrusion on the top 100m of the groundwater system and assumed salinities not exceeding that of Mediterranean sea water, as there was no knowledge on groundwater in the deeper coastal parts of the Quaternary Nile Delta aquifer (that ranges up to 1000m depth). Recently, however, the Egyptian Research Institute for Groundwater (RIGW) collected salinity measurements and found a widespread occurrence of "hypersaline" groundwater: groundwater with salinities largely exceeding that of sea water at 600m depth (Nofal et al., 2015). This hypersaline groundwater greatly influences flow patterns and the fresh water potential of the aquifer. This research focuses on the origins of the hypersaline groundwater and the possible processes causing its transport. We consider all relevant salinization processes in the Nile Delta aquifer, over a time domain of up to 2.5 million years, which is the time span in which the aquifer got deposited. The following hypotheses were investigated with a combination of analytical solutions and numerical modelling: upward salt transport due to a) molecular diffusion, b) thermal buoyancy, c) consolidation-induced advection and dispersion, or downward transport due to d) composition buoyancy (salt inversion). We conclude that hypotheses a) and b) can be rejected, but c) and d) are both possible with the available information. An enhanced chemical analysis is suggested for further research, to determine the origins of this hypersaline water. This information in combination with the conclusions drawn in this research will give more insight in the potential amount of non

Detection of natural infection of infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus in farmed tilapia by hydroxynapthol blue-loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay.

PubMed

Suebsing, R; Pradeep, P J; Jitrakorn, S; Sirithammajak, S; Kampeera, J; Turner, W A; Saksmerprome, V; Withyachumnarnkul, B; Kiatpathomchai, W

2016-07-01

Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV) has recently been recognized as a causative agent of serious systemic disease in tilapia. Our objective was to establish a new colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay with pre-addition of hydroxynapthol blue (blue-LAMP) to investigate ISKNV transmission in tilapia. The blue-LAMP, targeting a major capsid protein gene of ISKNV, was conducted at 65°C for 45 min, allowing unaided visual detection of the pathogen based on colour change without cross-amplification of other known fish pathogens tested. Comparison of blue-LAMP and PCR assays revealed a higher detection level for blue-LAMP assay (41·33%) in a population of farmed tilapia infected with ISKNV. The investigation of ISKNV transmission pattern in farmed red tilapia using the blue-LAMP revealed a possible matroclinical form. The presence of ISKNV in the gonad samples was confirmed by in situ LAMP assay. Positive signals only appeared in ovarian follicles, and not in oocytes. Moreover, tissue tropism assay revealed that the brain was the main target organ in both farmed red tilapia (40%) and Nile tilapia (20%). The developed blue-LAMP assay has the potential to be used as a viable tool for screening covert and natural infections of ISKNV in tilapia. The evidence of vertical transmission of ISKNV infection in tilapia indicates the seriousness of this disease and will require a close attention and collaboration between tilapia hatcheries and disease experts in order to find a solution. The new blue-LAMP assay is a time-saving and economically viable detection tool, which allows unaided visual detection for ISKNV in tilapia, and it could be applicable for field applications. Evidence on the vertical transmission of ISKNV in farmed tilapia suggests a need for developing farm management practices to control the spread of virus in aquaculture industries. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Understanding the hydrologic sources and sinks in the Nile Basin using multisource climate and remote sensing data sets

USGS Publications Warehouse

Senay, Gabriel; Velpuri, Naga Manohar; Bohms, Stefanie; Demissie, Yonas; Gebremichael, Mekonnen

2014-01-01

In this study, we integrated satellite-drived precipitation and modeled evapotranspiration data (2000–2012) to describe spatial variability of hydrologic sources and sinks in the Nile Basin. Over 2000–2012 period, 4 out of 11 countries (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda) in the Nile Basin showed a positive water balance while three downstream countries (South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt) showed a negative balance. Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mass deviation in storage data analysis showed that at annual timescales, the Nile Basin storage change is substantial while over longer time periods, it is minimal (<1% of basin precipitation). We also used long-term gridded runoff and river discharge data (1869–1984) to understand the discrepancy in the observed and expected flow along the Nile River. The top three countries that contribute most to the flow are Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya. The study revealed that ∼85% of the runoff generated in the equatorial region is lost in an interstation basin that includes the Sudd wetlands in South Sudan; this proportion is higher than the literature reported loss of 50% at the Sudd wetlands alone. The loss in runoff and flow volume at different sections of the river tend to be more than what can be explained by evaporation losses, suggesting a potential recharge to deeper aquifers that are not connected to the Nile channel systems. On the other hand, we also found that the expected average annual Nile flow at Aswan is greater (97 km3) than the reported amount (84 km3). Due to the large variations of the reported Nile flow at different locations and time periods, the study results indicate the need for increased hydrometeorological instrumentation of the basin. The study also helped improve our understanding of the spatial dynamics of water sources and sinks in the Nile Basin and identified emerging hydrologic questions that require further attention.

Understanding the hydrologic sources and sinks in the Nile Basin using multisource climate and remote sensing data sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senay, Gabriel B.; Velpuri, Naga Manohar; Bohms, Stefanie; Demissie, Yonas; Gebremichael, Mekonnen

2014-11-01

In this study, we integrated satellite-drived precipitation and modeled evapotranspiration data (2000-2012) to describe spatial variability of hydrologic sources and sinks in the Nile Basin. Over 2000-2012 period, 4 out of 11 countries (Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda) in the Nile Basin showed a positive water balance while three downstream countries (South Sudan, Sudan, and Egypt) showed a negative balance. Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mass deviation in storage data analysis showed that at annual timescales, the Nile Basin storage change is substantial while over longer time periods, it is minimal (<1% of basin precipitation). We also used long-term gridded runoff and river discharge data (1869-1984) to understand the discrepancy in the observed and expected flow along the Nile River. The top three countries that contribute most to the flow are Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Kenya. The study revealed that ˜85% of the runoff generated in the equatorial region is lost in an interstation basin that includes the Sudd wetlands in South Sudan; this proportion is higher than the literature reported loss of 50% at the Sudd wetlands alone. The loss in runoff and flow volume at different sections of the river tend to be more than what can be explained by evaporation losses, suggesting a potential recharge to deeper aquifers that are not connected to the Nile channel systems. On the other hand, we also found that the expected average annual Nile flow at Aswan is greater (97 km3) than the reported amount (84 km3). Due to the large variations of the reported Nile flow at different locations and time periods, the study results indicate the need for increased hydrometeorological instrumentation of the basin. The study also helped improve our understanding of the spatial dynamics of water sources and sinks in the Nile Basin and identified emerging hydrologic questions that require further attention.

Al Jazirah, Sudan

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-09

Al Jazirah also Gezira is one of the 26 states of Sudan. The state lies between the Blue Nile and the White Nile in the east-central region of the country. This image was acquired December 25, 2006 by NASA Terra spacecraft.

Identifying the environmental conditions favouring West Nile Virus outbreaks in Europe.

PubMed

Marcantonio, Matteo; Rizzoli, Annapaola; Metz, Markus; Rosà, Roberto; Marini, Giovanni; Chadwick, Elizabeth; Neteler, Markus

2015-01-01

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a globally important mosquito borne virus, with significant implications for human and animal health. The emergence and spread of new lineages, and increased pathogenicity, is the cause of escalating public health concern. Pinpointing the environmental conditions that favour WNV circulation and transmission to humans is challenging, due both to the complexity of its biological cycle, and the under-diagnosis and reporting of epidemiological data. Here, we used remote sensing and GIS to enable collation of multiple types of environmental data over a continental spatial scale, in order to model annual West Nile Fever (WNF) incidence across Europe and neighbouring countries. Multi-model selection and inference were used to gain a consensus from multiple linear mixed models. Climate and landscape were key predictors of WNF outbreaks (specifically, high precipitation in late winter/early spring, high summer temperatures, summer drought, occurrence of irrigated croplands and highly fragmented forests). Identification of the environmental conditions associated with WNF outbreaks is key to enabling public health bodies to properly focus surveillance and mitigation of West Nile virus impact, but more work needs to be done to enable accurate predictions of WNF risk.

West Nile encephalitis outbreak in Kerala, India, 2011.

PubMed

Anukumar, B; Sapkal, Gajanan N; Tandale, Babasheb V; Balasubramanian, R; Gangale, Daya

2014-09-01

An outbreak of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) was reported in Kerala in India in May 2011. The outbreak features were unusual in terms of seasonality, geographical distribution, age group, and clinical manifestations in comparison to the epidemiological features of Japanese Encephalitis. To detect the etiology of the acute encephalitis syndrome outbreak. Investigation of outbreak was undertaken by collection of brief clinical history and epidemiological details along with the specimens for viral diagnosis. The serum/CSF samples (patients=208) received from the sentinel hospitals were subjected to IgM capture ELISA and RT-PCR specific for Japanese encephalitis (JE) virus and West Nile virus (WNV). The JE/WN IgM positive samples were further tested by serum neutralization assay for the presence of JE and WNV specific neutralizing antibody. Most of the affected patients were aged above 15 years. No spatial clustering of the disease was noticed. Cases were observed in premonsoon and early monsoon season and in JE non-endemic area of Kerala. A total of 47 patient samples were positive for in-house JE IgM capture ELISA and WNV IgM capture ELISA. Serum neutralization assay result revealed that 32 of 42 (76.19%) sera were positive for WNV neutralization antibodies. WNV was isolated from a clinical specimen. Phylogenetic analysis of WNV envelope gene revealed 99% homology with Russian Lineage 1 WNV. West Nile virus (WNV) etiology was confirmed by virus isolation and detection of virus specific antibody from clinical specimen. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the current strain in lineage I West Nile virus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Earth observations taken from shuttle orbiter Columbia during STS-87 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-11-26

STS087-717-088 (19 November – 5 December 1997) --- Featured in this view are Sudan’s agricultural projects dependent on irrigation. Just southeast of the confluence of the Blue and White Nile rivers (and the city of Khartoum) is one of the largest irrigation projects in the world, known as the Gezira Scheme. The economy of Sudan is largely based on agriculture. The Gezira Scheme was begun by the British in 1925 and distributes water from the Blue Nile through canals and ditches to tenant farms lying between the Blue and White Nile rivers. Farmers cooperate with the Sudanese government and the Gezira Board. This network of canals and ditches is 2,700 miles (4,300 kilometers) long, and the irrigated area covers 2.5 million acres (1 million hectares). The main crop grown in this region is cotton. This picture is one of the 70mm Earth observations visuals used by the crew at its post flight presentation events.

Evapotranspiration in the Nile Basin: Identifying dynamics and drivers, 2002–2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

Alemu, Henok; Kaptue, Armel T.; Senay, Gabriel; Wimberly, Michael C.; Henebry, Geoffrey M.

2015-01-01

Analysis of the relationship between evapotranspiration (ET) and its natural and anthropogenic drivers is critical in water-limited basins such as the Nile. The spatiotemporal relationships of ET with rainfall and vegetation dynamics in the Nile Basin during 2002–2011 were analyzed using satellite-derived data. Non-parametric statistics were used to quantify ET-rainfall interactions and trends across land cover types and subbasins. We found that 65% of the study area (2.5 million km2) showed significant (p < 0.05) positive correlations between monthly ET and rainfall, whereas 7% showed significant negative correlations. As expected, positive ET-rainfall correlations were observed over natural vegetation, mixed croplands/natural vegetation, and croplands, with a few subbasin-specific exceptions. In particular, irrigated croplands, wetlands and some forests exhibited negative correlations. Trend tests revealed spatial clusters of statistically significant trends in ET (6% of study area was negative; 12% positive), vegetation greenness (24% negative; 12% positive) and rainfall (11% negative; 1% positive) during 2002–2011. The Nile Delta, Ethiopian highlands and central Uganda regions showed decline in ET while central parts of Sudan, South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia and northeastern Uganda showed increases. Except for a decline in ET in central Uganda, the detected changes in ET (both positive and negative) were not associated with corresponding changes in rainfall. Detected declines in ET in the Nile delta and Ethiopian highlands were found to be attributable to anthropogenic land degradation, while the ET decline in central Uganda is likely caused by rainfall reduction.

Purification and crystallization of dengue and West Nile virus NS2B-NS3 complexes.

PubMed

D'Arcy, Allan; Chaillet, Maxime; Schiering, Nikolaus; Villard, Frederic; Lim, Siew Pheng; Lefeuvre, Peggy; Erbel, Paul

2006-02-01

Both dengue and West Nile virus infections are an increasing risk to humans, not only in tropical and subtropical areas, but also in North America and parts of Europe. These viral infections are generally transmitted by mosquitoes, but may also be tick-borne. Infection usually results in mild flu-like symptoms, but can also cause encephalitis and fatalities. Approximately 2799 severe West Nile virus cases were reported this year in the United States, resulting in 102 fatalities. With this alarming increase in the number of West Nile virus infections in western countries and the fact that dengue virus already affects millions of people per year in tropical and subtropical climates, there is a real need for effective medicines. A possible therapeutic target to combat these viruses is the protease, which is essential for virus replication. In order to provide structural information to help to guide a lead identification and optimization program, crystallizations of the NS2B-NS3 protease complexes from both dengue and West Nile viruses have been initiated. Crystals that diffract to high resolution, suitable for three-dimensional structure determinations, have been obtained.

Ocean-color remote sensing of the Nile delta shelf and SE Levantine basin and possible linkage to some mesoscale circulation features and Nile river run-off

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moufaddal, Wahid; Lavender, Samantha

To date, and despite the passage of more than 30 years since the launch of the first satellite based ocean-color sensor, no systematic study of the variability of chlorophyll in the Egyptian Mediterranean coast off the Nile delta has been undertaken using this kind of data. Meantime, available in-situ measurements on chlorophyll and other nutrient parameters along this coast are indeed very modest and scarce. The lack of data has in turn created a large gap in our knowledge on the biogeochemical characteristics of the coastal water and impacts of the Aswan High Dam and other land-use changes on the marine ecosystems and nutrient budget in the Nile delta shelf and the SE Mediterranean. The present study aims to fill part of this gap through application of ocean-color remote sensing and satellite retrieval of phytoplankton chlorophyll. For this purpose a 10-year (1997-2006) monthly satellite dataset from ESA Globcolour project (an ESA Data User Element project: http://www.globcolour.info) was retrieved and subjected to time-series analysis. Results of this analysis revealed that the oceanic and coastal parts off the Nile delta coast and SE Mediterranean manifest from time to time some of the most interesting and dynamical marine features including meso-scale gyres, coastal filaments, localized algal blooms and higher concentration of phytoplankton chlorophyll. These features together with certain physical pro-cesses and surface run-off from Nile mouthes and other land-based sources were found to exert pronounced effects on the nutrient supply and quality of the coastal and oceanic surface waters in this region. Results reveled also that there has been a general upward trend in concentration of surface chlorophyll during the 10-year period from 1997 to 2006 with a coincident rise of the coastal fisheries implying that improvement of nutrient supply is most likely responsible for this rise. Results confirmed also shift of the Nile phytoplankton bloom in space and time

West Nile Disease Epidemiology in North-West Africa: Bibliographical Review.

PubMed

Benjelloun, A; El Harrak, M; Belkadi, B

2016-12-01

West Nile fever (WNF) or West Nile disease (WND) is a mosquito-borne viral disease that can affect birds, humans and horses. West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus in the family Flaviviridae. WNV is maintained in a mosquito-bird-mosquito transmission cycle, whereas humans and horses are considered dead-end hosts. In human and horses, symptoms range from unapparent infection to mild febrile illness, meningitis, encephalitis or death. WNV has a wide geographical range that includes portions of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia (Kunjin virus), and in North, Central and South America. Migratory birds are thought to be primarily responsible for virus dispersal, including reintroduction of WNV from endemic areas into regions that experience sporadic outbreaks (Fields Virology, 2001, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 1043-1125). The occurrence of disease in humans and animals along with birds and mosquitoes surveillance for WNV activity demonstrates that the virus range has dramatically expanded including North, Central and South America as well as Europe and countries facing the Mediterranean Basin. WND infection in humans has been reported in Morocco in 1996 (Virologie, 1, 1997, 248), in Tunisia in 2007 (Ann. N. Y. Acad., 951, 2001, 117) (Med. Trop., 61, 2001, 487) and 2003 (Epidémiologie de la fièvre West Nile, 2012, Thèse de doctorat, Université Montpellier II, Sciences et techniques du Langueduc, Montpellier, France), and in Algeria in 1994 (Rev. Sci. Tech., 31, 2012, 829). Outbreaks of equine encephalitis have been also reported in Morocco in 1996 (Bull. OIE, 11, 1996, 867), in 2003 (Emerg. Infect. Dis., 11, 2005, 306) and in 2010 (World Animal Health Information Database. WAHID, 2010). Serological evidence of WNV has been demonstrated in the three countries in many species. The aim of this review was to assess the epidemiological situation of WND in north-west Africa comprising Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, with

Does intra-individual neurocognitive variability relate to neuroinvasive disease and quality of life in West Nile Virus?

PubMed

Sheppard, David P; Woods, Steven Paul; Hasbun, Rodrigo; Salazar, Lucrecia; Nolan, Melissa S; Murray, Kristy O

2018-04-25

West Nile Virus (WNV) can be a neuroinvasive pathogen that may produce persistent mild-to-moderate neurocognitive impairments in some infected persons. Intra-individual variability (IIV) is an index of a person's performance across a neuropsychological test or battery, which is an indicator of neurocognitive control and integrity of prefrontal systems. The present study examined possible associations of IIV to neurological health and well-being in WNV infection. Participants included 84 adults with a range of clinical WNV disease (31 West Nile Encephalitis, 16 West Nile Meningitis, 37 West Nile Fever) who completed the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). IIV was operationalized as covariance of variation (CoV), or the intra-individual standard deviation across 5 age-adjusted RBANS standard scores divided by the mean of standard scores. Participants were assessed for health-related quality of life (QoL) using the RAND 36-item short form health survey (SF-36). Analyses revealed that the West Nile Encephalitis group had higher neurocognitive CoV compared to the West Nile Fever group, and this difference was associated with a medium effect size (Cohen's d = .52). Mixed linear models controlling for estimated IQ, activities of daily living, depression, neuroinvasive disease groups, and fatigue showed that higher RBANS CoV was associated with lower physical, but not mental health QoL. In persons with WNV infection, there is a modest association between elevations in IIV and encephalitis, and even subtle disruptions in neuropsychological functioning show relationships with important self-reported functioning as measured by physical health quality of life. Future studies should examine whether IIV predicts long-term health outcomes (e.g., mortality) in individuals infected with WNV.

Introductions of West Nile Virus Strains to Mexico

PubMed Central

Deardorff, Eleanor; Estrada-Franco, José G.; Brault, Aaron C.; Navarro-Lopez, Roberto; Campomanes-Cortes, Arturo; Paz-Ramirez, Pedro; Solis-Hernandez, Mario; Ramey, Wanichaya N.; Davis, C. Todd; Beasley, David W.C.; Tesh, Robert B.; Barrett, Alan D.T.

2006-01-01

Complete genome sequencing of 22 West Nile virus isolates suggested 2 independent introductions into Mexico. A previously identified mouse-attenuated glycosylation variant was introduced into southern Mexico through the southeastern United States, while a common US genotype appears to have been introduced incrementally into northern Mexico through the southwestern United States. PMID:16494762

On the origins of hypersaline groundwater in the Nile Delta aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Engelen, Joeri; Oude Essink, Gualbert H. P.; Kooi, Henk; Bierkens, Marc F. P.

2018-05-01

The Nile Delta is essential to Egypt's agro- and socio-economy. Although surface water is the traditional source for Egypt's irrigation, the shallow fresh groundwater resources underlying the delta are increasingly burdened by groundwater pumping, which increases interest in the status of the groundwater resources. Groundwater up to three times more saline than sea water was found at 600 m depth. The occurrence of this hypersaline groundwater raises doubts on the often-made assumption in the literature that seawater is the only source of salt in the Nile Delta aquifer and makes further investigation necessary. Knowledge on the origin of this hypersaline groundwater is key in assessing the possibility of deep fresh groundwater pockets. In this paper we conducted computational analyses to assess possible origins using both analytical solutions and numerical models. It is concluded that the hypersaline groundwater can either originate from Quaternary free convection systems, or from compaction-induced upward salt transport of hypersaline groundwater that formed during the Messinian salinity crisis. Our results also indicate that with groundwater dating it is possible to discriminate between these two hypotheses. Furthermore, it is deduced that the hydrological connection between aquifer and sea is crucial to the hydrogeological functioning of the Nile Delta Aquifer.

West Nile virus circulation in South-Eastern Romania, 2011 to 2013.

PubMed

Dinu, S; Cotar, A I; Pănculescu-Gătej, I R; Fălcuţă, E; Prioteasa, F L; Sîrbu, A; Oprişan, G; Bădescu, D; Reiter, P; Ceianu, C S

2015-05-21

Lineage 2 West Nile virus (WNV), previously found only in sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar, was identified in Hungary in 2004 and has rapidly expanded in Europe in the past decade. Following a significant outbreak of West Nile fever with neurological cases caused by lineage 1 WNV in Romania in 1996, scattered cases have been recorded in the south-east of the country in each transmission season. Another outbreak, affecting a larger area and caused by lineage 2 WNV, was recorded in 2010. We analysed human sera from neuroinvasive West Nile fever cases and mosquitoes, sampled in south-eastern Romania between 2011 and 2013, for the presence of WNV genome, and obtained partial NS5 and envelope glycoprotein sequences. Human- and mosquito-derived WNV sequences were highly similar (99%) to Volgograd 2007 lineage 2 WNV and differed from isolates previously detected in central and southern Europe. WNV was detected in one pool of Culex pipiens s.l. males, documenting vertical transmission. Lineage 4 WNV, of unknown pathogenicity to mammals, was found in the amphibian-feeding mosquito Uranotaenia unguiculata from the Danube Delta. Our results present molecular evidence for the maintenance of the same isolates of Volgograd 2007-like lineage 2 WNV in south-eastern Romania between 2011 and 2013.

West Nile virus among blood donors in the United States, 2003 and 2004.

PubMed

Stramer, Susan L; Fang, Chyang T; Foster, Gregory A; Wagner, Annette G; Brodsky, Jaye P; Dodd, Roger Y

2005-08-04

West Nile virus first appeared in the United States in 1999 and has since spread throughout the contiguous states, resulting in thousands of cases of disease. By 2002, it was clear that the virus could be transmitted by blood transfusion, and by the middle of 2003, essentially all blood donations were being tested for West Nile virus RNA with the use of investigational nucleic acid amplification tests; testing was performed on individual samples or on "minipools" of up to 16 donations. We analyzed data from the West Nile virus testing program of the American Red Cross for 2003 and 2004 to identify geographic and temporal trends. In areas with a high incidence of infection, individual donations were tested to increase the sensitivity of testing. Donors with reactive results participated in follow-up studies to confirm the original reactivity and to assess the natural history of infection. Routine testing in 2003 and 2004 identified 540 donations that were positive for West Nile virus RNA, of which 362 (67 percent) were IgM-antibody-negative and most likely infectious. Of the 540 positive donations, 148 (27 percent) were detectable only by testing of individual donations, but only 15 of the 148 (10 percent) were negative for IgM antibody. The overall frequencies of RNA-positive donations during the epidemic periods were 1.49 per 10,000 donations in 2003 and 0.44 per 10,000 in 2004. In 2004, 52 percent of the positive donations were from donors in four counties in southern California. Rapid implementation of a nucleic acid amplification test led to the prospective identification of 519 donors who were positive for West Nile virus RNA and the removal of more than 1000 potentially infectious related components from the blood supply of the Red Cross. No cases of transfusion-transmitted infection were confirmed among recipients of the tested blood. Copyright 2005 Massachusetts Medical Society.

Corvidae feather pulp and West Nile virus detection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Docherty, D.E.; Romaine Long, R.; Griffin, Katie M.; Saito, E.K.

2004-01-01

We evaluated cloacal swab, vascular pulp of flight feather, and kidney and spleen pool samples from carcasses of members of the family Corvidae as sources of West Nile virus (WNV). The cloacal swab, kidney and spleen pool, and feather pulp were the source of WNV in 38%, 43%, and 77%, respectively, of the carcasses.

A fluorogenic probe for SNAP-tagged plasma membrane proteins based on the solvatochromic molecule Nile Red.

PubMed

Prifti, Efthymia; Reymond, Luc; Umebayashi, Miwa; Hovius, Ruud; Riezman, Howard; Johnsson, Kai

2014-03-21

A fluorogenic probe for plasma membrane proteins based on the dye Nile Red and SNAP-tag is introduced. It takes advantage of Nile Red, a solvatochromic molecule highly fluorescent in an apolar environment, such as cellular membranes, but almost dark in a polar aqueous environment. The probe possesses a tuned affinity for membranes allowing its Nile Red moiety to insert into the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane, becoming fluorescent, only after its conjugation to a SNAP-tagged plasma membrane protein. The fluorogenic character of the probe was demonstrated for different SNAP-tag fusion proteins, including the human insulin receptor. This work introduces a new approach for generating a powerful turn-on probe for "no-wash" labeling of plasma membrane proteins with numerous applications in bioimaging.

Drought and immunity determine the intensity of West Nile virus epidemics and climate change impacts

DOE PAGES

Paull, Sara H.; Horton, Daniel E.; Ashfaq, Moetasim; ...

2017-02-08

The effect of global climate change on infectious disease remains hotly debated because multiple extrinsic and intrinsic drivers interact to influence transmission dynamics in nonlinear ways. The dominant drivers of widespread pathogens, like West Nile virus, can be challenging to identify due to regional variability in vector and host ecology, with past studies producing disparate findings. Here, we used analyses at national and state scales to examine a suite of climatic and intrinsic drivers of continental-scale West Nile virus epidemics, including an empirically derived mechanistic relationship between temperature and transmission potential that accounts for spatial variability in vectors. We foundmore » that drought was the primary climatic driver of increased West Nile virus epidemics, rather than within-season or winter temperatures, or precipitation independently. Local-scale data from one region suggested drought increased epidemics via changes in mosquito infection prevalence rather than mosquito abundance. In addition, human acquired immunity following regional epidemics limited subsequent transmission in many states. We show that over the next 30 years, increased drought severity from climate change could triple West Nile virus cases, but only in regions with low human immunity. Lastly, these results illustrate how changes in drought severity can alter the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases.« less

Drought and immunity determine the intensity of West Nile virus epidemics and climate change impacts

PubMed Central

Horton, Daniel E.; Ashfaq, Moetasim; Rastogi, Deeksha; Kramer, Laura D.; Diffenbaugh, Noah S.

2017-01-01

The effect of global climate change on infectious disease remains hotly debated because multiple extrinsic and intrinsic drivers interact to influence transmission dynamics in nonlinear ways. The dominant drivers of widespread pathogens, like West Nile virus, can be challenging to identify due to regional variability in vector and host ecology, with past studies producing disparate findings. Here, we used analyses at national and state scales to examine a suite of climatic and intrinsic drivers of continental-scale West Nile virus epidemics, including an empirically derived mechanistic relationship between temperature and transmission potential that accounts for spatial variability in vectors. We found that drought was the primary climatic driver of increased West Nile virus epidemics, rather than within-season or winter temperatures, or precipitation independently. Local-scale data from one region suggested drought increased epidemics via changes in mosquito infection prevalence rather than mosquito abundance. In addition, human acquired immunity following regional epidemics limited subsequent transmission in many states. We show that over the next 30 years, increased drought severity from climate change could triple West Nile virus cases, but only in regions with low human immunity. These results illustrate how changes in drought severity can alter the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases. PMID:28179512

Drought and immunity determine the intensity of West Nile virus epidemics and climate change impacts

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

Paull, Sara H.; Horton, Daniel E.; Ashfaq, Moetasim

The effect of global climate change on infectious disease remains hotly debated because multiple extrinsic and intrinsic drivers interact to influence transmission dynamics in nonlinear ways. The dominant drivers of widespread pathogens, like West Nile virus, can be challenging to identify due to regional variability in vector and host ecology, with past studies producing disparate findings. Here, we used analyses at national and state scales to examine a suite of climatic and intrinsic drivers of continental-scale West Nile virus epidemics, including an empirically derived mechanistic relationship between temperature and transmission potential that accounts for spatial variability in vectors. We foundmore » that drought was the primary climatic driver of increased West Nile virus epidemics, rather than within-season or winter temperatures, or precipitation independently. Local-scale data from one region suggested drought increased epidemics via changes in mosquito infection prevalence rather than mosquito abundance. In addition, human acquired immunity following regional epidemics limited subsequent transmission in many states. We show that over the next 30 years, increased drought severity from climate change could triple West Nile virus cases, but only in regions with low human immunity. Lastly, these results illustrate how changes in drought severity can alter the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases.« less

Drought and immunity determine the intensity of West Nile virus epidemics and climate change impacts.

PubMed

Paull, Sara H; Horton, Daniel E; Ashfaq, Moetasim; Rastogi, Deeksha; Kramer, Laura D; Diffenbaugh, Noah S; Kilpatrick, A Marm

2017-02-08

The effect of global climate change on infectious disease remains hotly debated because multiple extrinsic and intrinsic drivers interact to influence transmission dynamics in nonlinear ways. The dominant drivers of widespread pathogens, like West Nile virus, can be challenging to identify due to regional variability in vector and host ecology, with past studies producing disparate findings. Here, we used analyses at national and state scales to examine a suite of climatic and intrinsic drivers of continental-scale West Nile virus epidemics, including an empirically derived mechanistic relationship between temperature and transmission potential that accounts for spatial variability in vectors. We found that drought was the primary climatic driver of increased West Nile virus epidemics, rather than within-season or winter temperatures, or precipitation independently. Local-scale data from one region suggested drought increased epidemics via changes in mosquito infection prevalence rather than mosquito abundance. In addition, human acquired immunity following regional epidemics limited subsequent transmission in many states. We show that over the next 30 years, increased drought severity from climate change could triple West Nile virus cases, but only in regions with low human immunity. These results illustrate how changes in drought severity can alter the transmission dynamics of vector-borne diseases. © 2017 The Author(s).

Fatal West Nile virus infection in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

PubMed

Miller, Debra L; Radi, Zaher A; Baldwin, Charles; Ingram, Dallas

2005-01-01

A 3-yr-old male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with a history of ataxia and tremors was submitted to the Tifton Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory (The University of Georgia, Tifton, Georgia, USA) for necropsy. Gross findings were unremarkable. Histologically, the brain had multifocal lymphoplasmacytic perivascular inflammation, scattered gliosis, and rare satellitosis. Mild hemorrhage and congestion in the retropharyngeal lymph nodes and mild lymphoid depletion in the tonsil were present. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test performed on brain yielded a positive result for West Nile virus. This represents the first report of fatal West Nile virus infection in a white-tailed deer.

76 FR 76617 - Sudanese Sanctions Regulations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-08

... Darfur Peace and Accountability Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-344, 120 Stat. 1869) (the ``DPAA'') and issued... Mountains State, Blue Nile State, Abyei, Darfur, and marginalized areas in and around Khartoum. While E.O... Nile State, Abyei, Darfur, and marginalized areas in and around Khartoum. * * * * * Subpart D...

Mixed non-covalent assemblies of ethynyl nile red and ethynyl pyrene along oligonucleotide templates.

PubMed

Ensslen, Philipp; Fritz, Yannic; Wagenknecht, Hans-Achim

2015-01-14

Ethynyl pyrene and ethynyl nile red as modifications at the 5-position of 2'-deoxyuridines self-assemble non-covalently and specifically along oligo-2'-deoxyadenosines as templates. Oligo-2'-deoxyadenosines of the lengths (dA)10-(dA)20 are able to retain nearly exactly as many ethynyl nile red units in solution as binding sites are available on these templates. In contrast, in the presence of oligo-2'-thymidines the ethynyl nile red moieties are similarly insoluble to those in the absence of any oligonucleotide and yield an aggregate. The mixed assemblies of both chromophores are highly ordered, show left-handed chirality and yield dual fluorescence. The strong excitonic coupling indicates assemblies with a high degree of order. These results show that DNA represents an important supramolecular scaffold for the templated, helical and non-covalent arrangement not only for one type of chromophore but also for mixtures of two different chromophores.

Occurrence of pesticides in fish tissues, water and soil sediment from Manzala Lake and River Nile.

PubMed

Osfor, M M; Abd el Wahab, A M; el Dessouki, S A

1998-02-01

Pesticides constitute the major source of potential environmental hazard to man and animal as they are present and concentrated in the food chain. This study was conducted on 136 samples of water, sediment and fish for detection and determination of pesticide residues in this ecosystem. Highly significant differences were found in levels of Indian, heptachlor, endrin, dieldrin, P,P'-DDE and propoxur in River Nile water when compared with that of Manzala Lake. Levels of Indian, endrin, malathion and diazinon were significantly higher in soil sediment of Manzala Lake, while the levels of heptachlor, aldrine, P,P'-DDE, DDT, parathion, propoxur and zectran were significantly higher in soil sediment of River Nile. Boury fish of Manzala Lake contained higher levels of heptachlor, aldrin, P,P'-DDE and malathion, while boury fish of River Nile contained a higher level of zectran only. This survey, thus indicated that Manzala Lake and even the River Nile which was used as control are heavily contaminated with chlorinated hydrocarbons (Indian, heptachlor, aldrin, endrin, dieldrin, P,P'-DDE and DDT), organic phosphorus compounds (malathion, dimethoat, diazinon and parathion) and carbamate pesticides (propoxur and zectran).

West Nile Virus: Biology, Transmission, and Human Infection

PubMed Central

Colpitts, Tonya M.; Conway, Michael J.; Montgomery, Ruth R.

2012-01-01

Summary: West Nile Virus was introduced into the Western Hemisphere during the late summer of 1999 and has been causing significant and sometimes severe human diseases since that time. This article briefly touches upon the biology of the virus and provides a comprehensive review regarding recent discoveries about virus transmission, virus acquisition, and human infection and disease. PMID:23034323

Antiviral Peptides Targeting the West Nile Virus Envelope Protein▿

PubMed Central

Bai, Fengwei; Town, Terrence; Pradhan, Deepti; Cox, Jonathan; Ashish; Ledizet, Michel; Anderson, John F.; Flavell, Richard A.; Krueger, Joanna K.; Koski, Raymond A.; Fikrig, Erol

2007-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) can cause fatal murine and human encephalitis. The viral envelope protein interacts with host cells. A murine brain cDNA phage display library was therefore probed with WNV envelope protein, resulting in the identification of several adherent peptides. Of these, peptide 1 prevented WNV infection in vitro with a 50% inhibition concentration of 67 μM and also inhibited infection of a related flavivirus, dengue virus. Peptide 9, a derivative of peptide 1, was a particularly potent inhibitor of WNV in vitro, with a 50% inhibition concentration of 2.6 μM. Moreover, mice challenged with WNV that had been incubated with peptide 9 had reduced viremia and fatality compared with control animals. Peptide 9 penetrated the murine blood-brain barrier and was found in the brain parenchyma, implying that it may have antiviral activity in the central nervous system. These short peptides serve as the basis for developing new therapeutics for West Nile encephalitis and, potentially, other flaviviruses. PMID:17151121

Egypt Nile delta gas plays take off

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

Petzet, G.A.

1996-08-26

This paper reviews the exploration and resource potential of Egypt`s Nile delta as a major gas/condensate province. It discusses the various company`s involved in developing these resources and their plans for exploitation. It reviews the drilling in the area and gives a summary of the reservoir geology of the areas. It identifies the major discoveries as they relate to the various reservoirs in the delta area.

Blue Note

ScienceCinema

Murray Gibson

2017-12-09

Argonne's Murray Gibson is a physicist whose life's work includes finding patterns among atoms. The love of distinguishing patterns also drives Gibson as a musician and Blues enthusiast."Blue" notes are very harmonic notes that are missing from the equal temperament scale.The techniques of piano blues and jazz represent the melding of African and Western music into something totally new and exciting.

Blue Note

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

Murray Gibson

2007-04-27

Argonne's Murray Gibson is a physicist whose life's work includes finding patterns among atoms. The love of distinguishing patterns also drives Gibson as a musician and Blues enthusiast."Blue" notes are very harmonic notes that are missing from the equal temperament scale.The techniques of piano blues and jazz represent the melding of African and Western music into something totally new and exciting.

West Nile Virus Isolation in Human and Mosquitoes, Mexico

PubMed Central

Elizondo-Quiroga, Darwin; Davis, C. Todd; Fernandez-Salas, Ildefonso; Escobar-Lopez, Roman; Olmos, Dolores Velasco; Gastalum, Lourdes Cecilia Soto; Acosta, Magaly Aviles; Elizondo-Quiroga, Armando; Gonzalez-Rojas, Jose I.; Cordero, Juan F. Contreras; Guzman, Hilda; Travassos da Rosa, Amelia; Blitvich, Bradley J.; Barrett, Alan D.T.; Beaty, Barry J.

2005-01-01

West Nile virus has been isolated for the first time in Mexico, from a sick person and from mosquitoes (Culex quinquefasciatus). Partial sequencing and analysis of the 2 isolates indicate that they are genetically similar to other recent isolates from northern Mexico and the western United States. PMID:16229779

Metal pollution loading, Manzalah lagoon, Nile delta, Egypt: Implications for aquaculture

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

Siegel, F.R.; Slaboda, M.L.; Stanley, D.J.

1994-03-01

High cultural enrichment factors are found for Hg (13 x), Pb (22.1 x), and other potentially toxic metals (e.g., Sn, Zn, Cu, Ag) in the upper 20 cm of sediment cores from the southeastern Ginka subbasin of Manzalah lagoon, Nile delta, Egypt. Cores from other areas of the lagoon show little metal loading. Metal loading followed the closure of the Aswan High Dam, the availability of abundant cheap electricity, and the development of major power-based industries. Industrial wastes containing potentially toxic metals are dumped into the Nile delta drain system. The load carried by Bahr El-Baqar drain discharges into themore » Ginka subbasin, which acts as a sink and results in metal loading of the sediment deposited there. Further development of aquaculture in this subbasin, of food-stuff agriculture on recently reclaimed lagoon bottom, or where irrigation waters come from Bahr El-Baqar drain or its discharge should be halted or strictly limited until potentially toxic metals in the drain waters and sediment are removed and polluted input drastically reduced. This environmental assessment of heavy metals in aquaculture or agriculture development should extend to other waterbodies in the northern Nile delta, particularly Idku lagoon and Lake Mariut, where industrial metal-bearing wastes discharge into the waterbodies. 21 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Fusion loop peptide of the West Nile virus envelope protein is essential for pathogenesis and is recognized by a therapeutic cross-reactive human monoclonal antibody.

PubMed

Sultana, Hameeda; Foellmer, Harald G; Neelakanta, Girish; Oliphant, Theodore; Engle, Michael; Ledizet, Michel; Krishnan, Manoj N; Bonafé, Nathalie; Anthony, Karen G; Marasco, Wayne A; Kaplan, Paul; Montgomery, Ruth R; Diamond, Michael S; Koski, Raymond A; Fikrig, Erol

2009-07-01

West Nile virus is an emerging pathogen that can cause fatal neurological disease. A recombinant human mAb, mAb11, has been described as a candidate for the prevention and treatment of West Nile disease. Using a yeast surface display epitope mapping assay and neutralization escape mutant, we show that mAb11 recognizes the fusion loop, at the distal end of domain II of the West Nile virus envelope protein. Ab mAb11 cross-reacts with all four dengue viruses and provides protection against dengue (serotypes 2 and 4) viruses. In contrast to the parental West Nile virus, a neutralization escape variant failed to cause lethal encephalitis (at higher infectious doses) or induce the inflammatory responses associated with blood-brain barrier permeability in mice, suggesting an important role for the fusion loop in viral pathogenesis. Our data demonstrate that an intact West Nile virus fusion loop is critical for virulence, and that human mAb11 targeting this region is efficacious against West Nile virus infection. These experiments define the molecular determinant on the envelope protein recognized by mAb11 and demonstrate the importance of this region in causing West Nile encephalitis.

West Nile virus infection and postoperative neurological symptoms: a case report and review of the literature.

PubMed

Moreland, Natalie C; Hemmer, Laura B; Koht, Antoun

2014-08-01

The incidence of West Nile virus, which may cause a range of clinical presentations including subclinical infections, mild febrile illness, meningitis, or encephalitis, has increased over recent years. Rare complications, including optic neuritis, also have been reported. A patient who presented with preoperative asymptomatic West Nile virus developed fever, altered mental status and temporary vision loss after elective multilevel spine fusion surgery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

West Nile virus disease: a descriptive study of 228 patients hospitalized in a 4-county region of Colorado in 2003.

PubMed

Bode, Amy V; Sejvar, James J; Pape, W John; Campbell, Grant L; Marfin, Anthony A

2006-05-01

Risk factors for complications of West Nile virus disease and prognosis in hospitalized patients are incompletely understood. Demographic characteristics and data regarding potential risk factors, hospitalization, and dispositions were abstracted from medical records for residents of 4 Colorado counties who were hospitalized in 2003 with West Nile virus disease. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with West Nile encephalitis (WNE), limb weakness, or death by comparing factors among persons with the outcome of interest with factors among those without the outcome of interest. Medical records of 221 patients were reviewed; 103 had West Nile meningitis, 65 had WNE, and 53 had West Nile fever. Respiratory failure, limb weakness, and cardiac arrhythmia occurred in all groups, with significantly more cases of each in the WNE group. Age, alcohol abuse, and diabetes were associated with WNE. Age and WNE were associated with limb weakness. The mortality rate in the WNE group was 18%; age, immunosuppression, requirement of mechanical ventilation, and history of stroke were associated with death. Only 21% of patients with WNE who survived returned to a prehospitalization level of function. The estimated incidence of West Nile fever cases that required hospitalization was 6.0 cases per 100,000 persons; West Nile fever was associated with arrhythmia, limb weakness, and respiratory failure. Persons with diabetes and a reported history of alcohol abuse and older persons appear to be at increased risk of developing WNE. Patients with WNE who have a history of stroke, who require mechanical ventilation, or who are immunosuppressed appear to be more likely to die. Respiratory failure, limb weakness, and arrhythmia occurred in all 3 categories, but there were significantly more cases of all in the WNE group.

Sensitive spectroscopic detection of large and denatured protein aggregates in solution by use of the fluorescent dye Nile red.

PubMed

Sutter, Marc; Oliveira, Sabrina; Sanders, Niek N; Lucas, Bart; van Hoek, Arie; Hink, Mark A; Visser, Antonie J W G; De Smedt, Stefaan C; Hennink, Wim E; Jiskoot, Wim

2007-03-01

The fluorescent dye Nile red was used as a probe for the sensitive detection of large, denatured aggregates of the model protein beta-galactosidase (E. coli) in solution. Aggregates were formed by irreversible heat denaturation of beta-galactosidase below and above the protein's unfolding temperature of 57.4 degrees C, and the presence of aggregates in heated solutions was confirmed by static light scattering. Interaction of Nile red with beta-galactosidase aggregates led to a shift of the emission maximum (lambda (max)) from 660 to 611 nm, and to an increase of fluorescence intensity. Time-resolved fluorescence and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) measurements showed that Nile red detected large aggregates with hydrodynamic radii around 130 nm. By steady-state fluorescence measurements, it was possible to detect 1 nM of denatured and aggregated beta-galactosidase in solution. The comparison with size exclusion chromatography (SEC) showed that native beta-galactosidase and small aggregates thereof had no substantial effect on the fluorescence of Nile red. Large aggregates were not detected by SEC, because they were excluded from the column. The results with beta-galactosidase demonstrate the potential of Nile red for developing complementary analytical methods that overcome the size limitations of SEC, and can detect the formation of large protein aggregates at early stages.

Water Security and Hydropolitics of the Nile River: South Sudan’s National Security in the 21st Century

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-16

Politics of the Nile Basin” (Master’s Thesis, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2009). 2 While the Nile Basin is the longest trans- boundary ...conflicts, there may be an area of cooperation among states that share trans- boundary international river systems.32 Other staggering statistics on the...

Molecular Epidemiology and Evolution of West Nile Virus in North America

PubMed Central

Mann, Brian R.; McMullen, Allison R.; Swetnam, Daniele M.; Barrett, Alan D. T.

2013-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) was introduced to New York in 1999 and rapidly spread throughout North America and into parts of Central and South America. Displacement of the original New York (NY99) genotype by the North America/West Nile 2002 (NA/WN02) genotype occurred in 2002 with subsequent identification of a novel genotype in 2003 in isolates collected from the southwestern Unites States region (SW/WN03 genotype). Both genotypes co-circulate to date. Subsequent WNV surveillance studies have confirmed additional genotypes in the United States that have become extinct due to lack of a selective advantage or stochastic effect; however, the dynamic emergence, displacement, and extinction of multiple WNV genotypes in the US from 1999–2012 indicates the continued evolution of WNV in North America. PMID:24135819

15. VIEW OF THE ORIGINAL 10TON OVERHEAD NILES TRAVELING CRANE. ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. VIEW OF THE ORIGINAL 10-TON OVERHEAD NILES TRAVELING CRANE. - Washington Water Power Company Post Falls Power Plant, Middle Channel Powerhouse & Dam, West of intersection of Spokane & Fourth Streets, Post Falls, Kootenai County, ID

West Nile Virus Infection in Commercial Waterfowl Operation, Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Kronenwetter-Koepel, Tamara A.; Vandermause, Mary F.; Reed, Kurt D.

2006-01-01

A West Nile virus (WNV) outbreak occurred at a commercial waterfowl operation in Wisconsin in 2005. Retrospective analysis of dead and live birds was conducted. WNV was detected by PCR in 84.1% of 88 dead birds; neutralizing antibodies were found in 14 of 30 randomly sampled asymptomatic or recovered birds. PMID:17073102

Interferon-λ restricts West Nile virus neuroinvasion by tightening the blood-brain barrier.

PubMed

Lazear, Helen M; Daniels, Brian P; Pinto, Amelia K; Huang, Albert C; Vick, Sarah C; Doyle, Sean E; Gale, Michael; Klein, Robyn S; Diamond, Michael S

2015-04-22

Although interferon-λ [also known as type III interferon or interleukin-28 (IL-28)/IL-29] restricts infection by several viruses, its inhibitory mechanism has remained uncertain. We used recombinant interferon-λ and mice lacking the interferon-λ receptor (IFNLR1) to evaluate the effect of interferon-λ on infection with West Nile virus, an encephalitic flavivirus. Cell culture studies in mouse keratinocytes and dendritic cells showed no direct antiviral effect of exogenous interferon-λ, even though expression of interferon-stimulated genes was induced. We observed no differences in West Nile virus burden between wild-type and Ifnlr1(-/-) mice in the draining lymph nodes, spleen, or blood. We detected increased West Nile virus infection in the brain and spinal cord of Ifnlr1(-/-) mice, yet this was not associated with a direct antiviral effect in mouse neurons. Instead, we observed an increase in blood-brain barrier permeability in Ifnlr1(-/-) mice. Treatment of mice with pegylated interferon-λ2 resulted in decreased blood-brain barrier permeability, reduced West Nile virus infection in the brain without affecting viremia, and improved survival against lethal virus challenge. An in vitro model of the blood-brain barrier showed that interferon-λ signaling in mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells increased transendothelial electrical resistance, decreased virus movement across the barrier, and modulated tight junction protein localization in a protein synthesis- and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1)-independent manner. Our data establish an indirect antiviral function of interferon-λ in which noncanonical signaling through IFNLR1 tightens the blood-brain barrier and restricts viral neuroinvasion and pathogenesis. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Persistence of West Nile virus.

PubMed

Garcia, Melissa N; Hasbun, Rodrigo; Murray, Kristy O

2015-02-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a widespread global pathogen that results in significant morbidity and mortality. Data from animal models provide evidence of persistent renal and neurological infection from WNV; however, the possibility of persistent infection in humans and long-term neurological and renal outcomes related to viral persistence remain largely unknown. In this paper, we provide a review of the literature related to persistent infection in parallel with the findings from cohorts of patients with a history of WNV infection. The next steps for enhancing our understanding of WNV as a persistent pathogen are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Neuroinvasive West Nile virus disease in Canada. The Saskatchewan experience.

PubMed

Téllez-Zenteno, José F; Hunter, Gary; Hernández-Ronquillo, Lizbeth; Haghir, Edrish

2013-07-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a virus of the family Flaviviridae. The main route of human infection is through the bite of an infected mosquito. Approximately 90% of WNV infections in humans are asymptomatic, but neurologic manifestations can be severe. This study reviews the clinical profile of cases with neuroinvasive West Nile infection (NWNI) reported by the Surveillance program of the government of Saskatchewan in the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR). In 2007, 1456 cases of human West Nile cases were reported by the government of Saskatchewan in the whole province. One hundred and thirteen cases had severe symptoms of NWNI (8%), 1172 (80%) cases had mild symptoms of WNI and 171 (12%) had asymptomatic disease. Three hundred and fifty six cases were reported in the SHR, where 57 (16%) fulfilled criteria for NWNI. From the 57 cases, 39 (68%) were females. Nine (16%) patients had a history of recent camping, two (4%) reported outdoor sports and four (8%) reported outdoor activities not otherwise specified. Twenty five patients had headache (43.9%), 25 confusion (42.1%), 23 meningitis (40.4%), 17 encephalitis (29.8%), 14 encephalopathy (24.6%), 11 meningoencephalitis (19.3%), 10 tremor (17.5%), acute flaccid paralysis 10 (17.5%), myoclonus 1 (1.8%), nystagmus 2 (3.5%), diplopia 2 (3.5%), dizziness 2 (3.5%). Three patients died related with comorbidities during admission. During a year of high occurrence of WNI in Saskatchewan, 16% of cases developed NWNI. The recognition of neurological complications associated with WNI is important to improve their referral to tertiary centers.

Reduced West Nile Virus Transmission Around Communal Roosts of Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus).

PubMed

Komar, Nicholas; Colborn, James M; Horiuchi, Kalanthe; Delorey, Mark; Biggerstaff, Brad; Damian, Dan; Smith, Kirk; Townsend, John

2015-03-01

West Nile virus has caused several outbreaks among humans in the Phoenix metropolitan area (Arizona, southwest USA) within the last decade. Recent ecologic studies have implicated Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis as the mosquito vectors and identified three abundant passerine birds-great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), and house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)-as key amplifiers among vertebrates. Nocturnal congregations of certain species have been suggested as critical for late summer West Nile virus amplification. We evaluated the hypothesis that house sparrow (P. domesticus) and/or great-tailed grackle (Q. mexicanus) communal roost sites (n = 22 and n = 5, respectively) in a primarily suburban environment were spatially associated with West Nile virus transmission indices during the 2010 outbreak of human neurological disease in metropolitan Phoenix. Spatial associations between human case residences and communal roosts were non-significant for house sparrows, and were negative for great-tailed grackle. Several theories that explain these observations are discussed, including the possibility that grackle communal roosts are protective.

Inhibitors of Dengue virus and West Nile virus proteases based on the aminobenzamide scaffold.

PubMed

Aravapalli, Sridhar; Lai, Huiguo; Teramoto, Tadahisa; Alliston, Kevin R; Lushington, Gerald H; Ferguson, Eron L; Padmanabhan, R; Groutas, William C

2012-07-01

Dengue and West Nile viruses (WNV) are mosquito-borne members of flaviviruses that cause significant morbidity and mortality. There is no approved vaccine or antiviral drugs for human use to date. In this study, a series of functionalized meta and para aminobenzamide derivatives were synthesized and subsequently screened in vitro against Dengue virus and West Nile virus proteases. Four active compounds were identified which showed comparable activity toward the two proteases and shared in common a meta or para(phenoxy)phenyl group. The inhibition constants (K(i)) for the most potent compound 7n against Dengue and West Nile virus proteases were 8.77 and 5.55 μM, respectively. The kinetics data support a competitive mode of inhibition of both proteases by compound 7n. This conclusion is further supported by molecular modeling. This study reveals a new chemical scaffold which is amenable to further optimization to yield potent inhibitors of the viral proteases via the combined utilization of iterative medicinal chemistry/structure-activity relationship studies and in vitro screening. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduced West Nile Virus Transmission Around Communal Roosts of Great-Tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)

PubMed Central

Komar, Nicholas; Colborn, James M.; Horiuchi, Kalanthe; Delorey, Mark; Biggerstaff, Brad; Damian, Dan; Smith, Kirk; Townsend, John

2016-01-01

West Nile virus has caused several outbreaks among humans in the Phoenix metropolitan area (Arizona, southwest USA) within the last decade. Recent ecologic studies have implicated Culex quinquefasciatus and Culex tarsalis as the mosquito vectors and identified three abundant passerine birds—great-tailed grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), and house finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)—as key amplifiers among vertebrates. Nocturnal congregations of certain species have been suggested as critical for late summer West Nile virus amplification. We evaluated the hypothesis that house sparrow (P. domesticus) and/or great-tailed grackle (Q. mexicanus) communal roost sites (n = 22 and n = 5, respectively) in a primarily suburban environment were spatially associated with West Nile virus transmission indices during the 2010 outbreak of human neurological disease in metropolitan Phoenix. Spatial associations between human case residences and communal roosts were non-significant for house sparrows, and were negative for great-tailed grackle. Several theories that explain these observations are discussed, including the possibility that grackle communal roosts are protective. PMID:25480320

The Role of Innate Immunity in Conditioning Mosquito Susceptibility to West Nile Virus

PubMed Central

Prasad, Abhishek N.; Brackney, Doug. E.; Ebel, Gregory D.

2013-01-01

Arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses) represent an emerging threat to human and livestock health globally. In particular, those transmitted by mosquitoes present the greatest challenges to disease control efforts. An understanding of the molecular basis for mosquito innate immunity to arbovirus infection is therefore critical to investigations regarding arbovirus evolution, virus-vector ecology, and mosquito vector competence. In this review, we discuss the current state of understanding regarding mosquito innate immunity to West Nile virus. We draw from the literature with respect to other virus-vector pairings to attempt to draw inferences to gaps in our knowledge about West Nile virus and relevant vectors. PMID:24351797

Identification and transcriptional profile of multiple genes in the posterior kidney of Nile tilapia at 6h post bacterial infections

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in response of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to bacterial infection, suppression subtractive cDNA hybridization technique was used to identify upregulated genes in the posterior kidney of Nile tilapia at 6h post infection with Aeromonas hydrophi...

The Nile floodplain, hydroclimatic variability, and its relation with cultural dynamics in ancient Thebes (Luxor, Egypt)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toonen, Willem H. J.; Graham, Angus; Pennington, Ben; Hunter, Morag; Strutt, Kris; Barker, Dominic; Masson, Aurelia; Emery, Virginia

2016-04-01

The western bank of the river Nile in the Luxor region (Egypt) separates New Kingdom divine temple complexes in the central axis of the river valley from contemporaneous sites on the desert edge and limestone plateau. The intermediate Nile floodplain features relatively few known archaeological sites, but played an important role in the ancient ritual landscape by connecting the focal region of the living (floodplain) with that of the dead (desert). All Royal Funerary Temple Complexes of the New Kingdom period (1539-1077 BCE), which played a central role in the cosmogonical landscape, are positioned within a confined 3.5 km long strip of land on the western edge of the present floodplain. This preferential location, together with contemporary textual sources and tomb scenes suggesting the nearby presence of canals, have led to the hypothesis that natural and human-made waterways may have once connected the main channel of the Nile with the desert edge. Until the present research took place, no detailed study of pre-existing channel networks existed in the region, leaving a gap in current knowledge on the configuration and use of the ancient floodplain. This study presents the results of a multi-disciplinary study aimed at mapping and dating ancient waterways in the Theban region and aims to find evidence for the natural or human origin of such channels. Boreholes and Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT) were carried out along a transect that connects the edge of the Holocene floodplain with the current position of the river Nile. Satellite imagery and textual sources were also used to augment the fieldwork. The data indicate the presence of an infilled abandoned channel of the Nile in the western distal part of the current floodplain, adjoining the Funerary Temple complexes. Over 2100 ceramic fragments were analysed from the sedimentary infilling of the silted-up river course, dating it to the end of the New Kingdom, and indicating that the channel and temples

Outbreak of West Nile virus infection in Greece, 2010.

PubMed

Danis, Kostas; Papa, Anna; Theocharopoulos, George; Dougas, Georgios; Athanasiou, Maria; Detsis, Marios; Baka, Agoritsa; Lytras, Theodoros; Mellou, Kassiani; Bonovas, Stefanos; Panagiotopoulos, Takis

2011-10-01

During 2010, an outbreak of West Nile virus infection occurred in Greece. A total of 197 patients with neuroinvasive disease were reported, of whom 33 (17%) died. Advanced age and a history of heart disease were independently associated with death, emphasizing the need for prevention of this infection in persons with these risk factors.

Modeling the Impact of controlled flow and sediment releases for the restoration of the Nile Delta, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Zaidi, B. M.; Moussa, A.; Viparelli, E.

2017-12-01

The construction of the High and Old Aswan Dams and of barrages significantly altered the flow and the sediment transport regimes in the Egyptian reach of the Nile River. The field data collected by the Nile Research Institute show that the post-High Aswan Dam Nile River hydrology is characterized by reductions of more than 70% in flow discharge and 98% in sediment load compared to pre-High Aswan Dam conditions. A significant portion of discharge released from the dams is diverted at the barrages for agricultural ( 80%) and municipal ( 15%) uses. Thus, virtually no water is reaching the Nile Delta and the Mediterranean Sea. Consequently, the sediment load delivered to the Mediterranean Sea is negligible compared to pre-dam conditions. Consequences of the flow regulation are delta wide wetland loss and shoreline retreat, widespread delta pollution, reduction soil quality, salination of cultivated land, wetland losses, and saltwater intrusion in the groundwater. Here we present the second part of a feasibility study for the restoration of the Nile River-Delta system characterized by controlled flow releases and sediment augmentations downstream of the High Aswan Dam. The controlled flow releases are obtained by regulating the current releases from the High Aswan Dam at the Old Aswan Dam, which is located 6.5 km downstream of the High Aswan Dam. Previous studies showed that 10 billion m3 of water can be saved annually by improving the Egyptian irrigation system. Here we propose to use the saved water to increase the water discharge to the Nile Delta, i.e., the total volume of water released from the dams does not change, what changes is the water used and the imposed hydrograph. We modulate the river flow by storing the saved water during the agriculture season upstream of the Old Aswan Dam and releasing it in the months coinciding with the natural river flood season. It is important to note that here we are considering the simplest possible scenario for water storage

High-luminosity blue and blue-green gallium nitride light-emitting diodes.

PubMed

Morkoç, H; Mohammad, S N

1995-01-06

Compact and efficient sources of blue light for full color display applications and lighting eluded and tantalized researchers for many years. Semiconductor light sources are attractive owing to their reliability and amenability to mass manufacture. However, large band gaps are required to achieve blue color. A class of compound semiconductors formed by metal nitrides, GaN and its allied compounds AIGaN and InGaN, exhibits properties well suited for not only blue and blue-green emitters, but also for ultraviolet emitters and detectors. What thwarted engineers and scientists from fabricating useful devices from these materials in the past was the poor quality of material and lack of p-type doping. Both of these obstacles have recently been overcome to the point where highluminosity blue and blue-green light-emitting diodes are now available in the marketplace.

Assessment of macroseismic intensity in the Nile basin, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fergany, Elsayed

2018-01-01

This work intends to assess deterministic seismic hazard and risk analysis in terms of the maximum expected intensity map of the Egyptian Nile basin sector. Seismic source zone model of Egypt was delineated based on updated compatible earthquake catalog in 2015, focal mechanisms, and the common tectonic elements. Four effective seismic source zones were identified along the Nile basin. The observed macroseismic intensity data along the basin was used to develop intensity prediction equation defined in terms of moment magnitude. Expected maximum intensity map was proven based on the developed intensity prediction equation, identified effective seismic source zones, and maximum expected magnitude for each zone along the basin. The earthquake hazard and risk analysis was discussed and analyzed in view of the maximum expected moment magnitude and the maximum expected intensity values for each effective source zone. Moderate expected magnitudes are expected to put high risk at Cairo and Aswan regions. The results of this study could be a recommendation for the planners in charge to mitigate the seismic risk at these strategic zones of Egypt.

An investigation of depression and fatigue post West Nile virus infection.

PubMed

Berg, Patti J; Smallfield, Stacy; Svien, Lana

2010-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine depression and fatigue in individuals with a seropositive confirmed history of West Nile virus (WNV) infection. The South Dakota State Epidemiologist sent 218 letters inviting residents with a diagnosis of WNV to participate in the study. Forty-five subjects were tested. An occupational therapist and a physical therapist met with each participant to assess performance parameters, including depression and fatigue levels. Subjects (n=42) completed the Revised Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) during the assessment. The Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) was sent to participants as a follow-up questionnaire, and 29 were returned. Subjects were placed within one of three diagnosis groups: West Nile Fever (WNF), West Nile Neuroinvasive Disease (WNND) and WNV without fever or neuroinvasive disease (clinical/unspecified). Frequency of those reporting low risk of depression was similar between diagnosis groups (each approximating 75 percent). Depression severity differences were noted, with subjects diagnosed with WNND more likely to report "severe" risk for depression. Low correlations between depression and overall fatigue, depression and cognitive fatigue, and depression and psychosocial fatigue indicators were found. There was little if any correlation between depression and physical fatigue indicators. Mean CES-D scores for subjects between 13 to 18 months post infection fell within the mild-moderate risk for depression category. Identifying depression risk is useful for patient referral purposes and may help minimize symptoms of depression correlated with fatigue, especially following hospitalization for WNV infection.

West Nile virus antibody prevalence in wild mammals, southern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Docherty, D.E.; Samuel, M.D.; Nolden, C.A.; Egstad, Kristina F.; Griffin, K.M.

2006-01-01

Twenty percent prevalence of West Nile virus antibody was found in free-ranging medium-sized Wisconsin mammals. No significant differences were noted in antibody prevalence with regard to sex, age, month of collection, or species. Our results suggest a similar route of infection in these mammals.

Adult-onset opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome due to West Nile Virus treated with intravenous immunoglobulin.

PubMed

Hébert, Julien; Armstrong, David; Daneman, Nick; Jain, Jennifer Deborah; Perry, James

2017-02-01

A 63-year-old female with no significant past medical history was presented with a 5-day history of progressive opsoclonus-myoclonus, headaches, and fevers. Her workup was significant only for positive West-Nile Virus serum serologies. She received a 2-day course of intravenous immunoglobulin (IvIG). At an 8-week follow up, she had a complete neurological remission. Adult-onset opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome is a rare condition for which paraneoplastic and infectious causes have been attributed. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported of opsoclonus-myoclonus secondary to West-Nile Virus treated with intravenous immunoglobulin monotherapy.

West Nile Virus Fitness Costs in Different Mosquito Species.

PubMed

Coffey, Lark L; Reisen, William K

2016-06-01

West Nile virus (WNV) remains an important public health problem causing annual epidemics in the United States. Grubaugh et al. observed that WNV genetic divergence is dependent on the vector mosquito species. This suggests that specific WNV vector-bird species pairings may generate novel genotypes that could promote outbreaks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origin of the Sinai-Negev erg, Egypt and Israel: mineralogical and geochemical evidence for the importance of the Nile and sea level history

USGS Publications Warehouse

Muhs, Daniel R.; Roskin, Joel; Tsoar, Haim; Skipp, Gary; Budahn, James R.; Sneh, Amihai; Porat, Naomi; Stanley, Jean-Daniel; Katra, Itzhak; Blumberg, Dan G.

2013-01-01

The Sinai–Negev erg occupies an area of 13,000 km2 in the deserts of Egypt and Israel. Aeolian sand of this erg has been proposed to be derived from the Nile Delta, but empirical data supporting this view are lacking. An alternative source sediment is sand from the large Wadi El Arish drainage system in central and northern Sinai. Mineralogy of the Negev and Sinai dunes shows that they are high in quartz, with much smaller amounts of K-feldspar and plagioclase. Both Nile Delta sands and Sinai wadi sands, upstream of the dunes, also have high amounts of quartz relative to K-feldspar and plagioclase. However, Sinai wadi sands have abundant calcite, whereas Nile Delta sands have little or no calcite. Overall, the mineralogical data suggest that the dunes are derived dominantly from the Nile Delta, with Sinai wadi sands being a minor contributor. Geochemical data that proxy for both the light mineral fraction (SiO2/10–Al2O3 + Na2O + K2O–CaO) and heavy mineral fraction (Fe2O3–MgO–TiO2) also indicate a dominant Nile Delta source for the dunes. Thus, we report here the first empirical evidence that the Sinai–Negev dunes are derived dominantly from the Nile Delta. Linkage of the Sinai–Negev erg to the Nile Delta as a source is consistent with the distribution of OSL ages of Negev dunes in recent studies. Stratigraphic studies show that during the Last Glacial period, when dune incursions in the Sinai–Negev erg began, what is now the Nile Delta area was characterized by a broad, sandy, minimally vegetated plain, with seasonally dry anastomosing channels. Such conditions were ideal for providing a ready source of sand for aeolian transport under what were probably much stronger glacial-age winds. With the post-glacial rise in sea level, the Nile River began to aggrade. Post-glacial sedimentation has been dominated by fine-grained silts and clays. Thus, sea level, along with favorable climatic conditions, emerges as a major influence on the timing of dune

Blue ocean strategy.

PubMed

Kim, W Chan; Mauborgne, Renée

2004-10-01

Despite a long-term decline in the circus industry, Cirque du Soleil profitably increased revenue 22-fold over the last ten years by reinventing the circus. Rather than competing within the confines of the existing industry or trying to steal customers from rivals, Cirque developed uncontested market space that made the competition irrelevant. Cirque created what the authors call a blue ocean, a previously unknown market space. In blue oceans, demand is created rather than fought over. There is ample opportunity for growth that is both profitable and rapid. In red oceans--that is, in all the industries already existing--companies compete by grabbing for a greater share of limited demand. As the market space gets more crowded, prospects for profits and growth decline. Products turn into commodities, and increasing competition turns the water bloody. There are two ways to create blue oceans. One is to launch completely new industries, as eBay did with online auctions. But it's much more common for a blue ocean to be created from within a red ocean when a company expands the boundaries of an existing industry. In studying more than 150 blue ocean creations in over 30 industries, the authors observed that the traditional units of strategic analysis--company and industry--are of limited use in explaining how and why blue oceans are created. The most appropriate unit of analysis is the strategic move, the set of managerial actions and decisions involved in making a major market-creating business offering. Creating blue oceans builds brands. So powerful is blue ocean strategy, in fact, that a blue ocean strategic move can create brand equity that lasts for decades.

Electronic properties of blue phosphorene/graphene and blue phosphorene/graphene-like gallium nitride heterostructures.

PubMed

Sun, Minglei; Chou, Jyh-Pin; Yu, Jin; Tang, Wencheng

2017-07-05

Blue phosphorene (BlueP) is a graphene-like phosphorus nanosheet which was synthesized very recently for the first time [Nano Lett., 2016, 16, 4903-4908]. The combination of electronic properties of two different two-dimensional materials in an ultrathin van der Waals (vdW) vertical heterostructure has been proved to be an effective approach to the design of novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. Therefore, we used density functional theory to investigate the structural and electronic properties of two BlueP-based heterostructures - BlueP/graphene (BlueP/G) and BlueP/graphene-like gallium nitride (BlueP/g-GaN). Our results showed that the semiconducting nature of BlueP and the Dirac cone of G are well preserved in the BlueP/G vdW heterostructure. Moreover, by applying a perpendicular electric field, it is possible to tune the position of the Dirac cone of G with respect to the band edge of BlueP, resulting in the ability to control the Schottky barrier height. For the BlueP/g-GaN vdW heterostructure, BlueP forms an interface with g-GaN with a type-II band alignment, which is a promising feature for unipolar electronic device applications. Furthermore, we discovered that both G and g-GaN can be used as an active layer for BlueP to facilitate charge injection and enhance the device performance.

Domestic goose model for West Nile virus vaccine efficiency testing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

West Nile virus (WNV) is an emergent pathogen in the Americas, first reported in New York during 1999, and has since spread across the United States (USA), Central and South America causing neurological disease in humans, horses and some bird species, including domestic geese. No WNV vaccines are li...

West Nile Virus Antibody Prevalence in Wild Mammals, Southern Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Docherty, Douglas E.; Nolden, Cherrie A.; Egstad, Kristina F.; Griffin, Kathryn M.

2006-01-01

Twenty percent prevalence of West Nile virus antibody was found in free-ranging medium-sized Wisconsin mammals. No significant differences were noted in antibody prevalence with regard to sex, age, month of collection, or species. Our results suggest a similar route of infection in these mammals. PMID:17326959

Ecology of West Nile Virus in North America

PubMed Central

Reisen, William K.

2013-01-01

The introduction, dispersal and establishment of West Nile virus in North America were reviewed, focusing on factors that may have enhanced receptivity and enabled the invasion process. The overwintering persistence of this tropical virus within temperate latitudes was unexpected, but was key in the transition from invasion to endemic establishment. The cascade of temporal events allowing sporadic amplification to outbreak levels was discussed within a future perspective. PMID:24008376

Soil aggregate stability and wind erodible fraction in a semi-arid environment of White Nile State, Sudan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elhaja, Mohamed Eltom; Ibrahim, Ibrahim Saeed; Adam, Hassan Elnour; Csaplovics, Elmar

2014-11-01

One of the most important recent issues facing White Nile State, Sudan, as well as Sub Saharan Africa, is the threat of continued land degradation and desertification as a result of climatic factors and human activities. Remote sensing and satellites imageries with multi-temporal and spectral and GIS capability, plays a major role in developing a global and local operational capability for monitoring land degradation and desertification in dry lands, as well as in White Nile State. The process of desertification in form of sand encroachment in White Nile State has increased rapidly, and much effort has been devoted to define and study its causes and impacts. This study depicts the capability afforded by remote sensing and GIS to analyze and map the aggregate stability as indicator for the ability of soil to wind erosion process in White Nile State by using Geo-statistical techniques. Cloud-free subset Landsat; Enhance Thematic Mapper plus (ETM +) scenes covering the study area dated 2008 was selected in order to identify the different features covering the study area as well as to make the soil sampling map. Wet-sieving method was applied to determine the aggregate stability. The geo-statistical methods in EARDAS 9.1 software was used for mapping the aggregate stability. The results showed that the percentage of aggregate stability ranged from (0 to 61%) in the study area, which emphasized the phenomena of sand encroachment from the western part (North Kordofan) to the eastern part (White Nile State), following the wind direction. The study comes out with some valuable recommendations and comments, which could contribute positively in reducing sand encroachments

Tropical fish in a warming world: thermal tolerance of Nile perch Lates niloticus (L.) in Lake Nabugabo, Uganda.

PubMed

Chrétien, Emmanuelle; Chapman, Lauren J

2016-01-01

Key to predicting the response of fishes to climate change is quantifying how close fish are to their critical thermal limits in nature and their ability to adjust their thermal sensitivity to maintain performance. Here, we evaluated the effects of body size and habitat on aerobic scope (AS) and thermal tolerance of Nile perch Lates niloticus (L.), a fish of great economic and food security importance in East Africa, using respirometry and critical thermal maximum (CTmax) trials. Juvenile Nile perch from distinct habitats (high or low dissolved oxygen concentrations) of Lake Nabugabo, Uganda were exposed for 4.6 ± 0.55 days to a temperature treatment (25.5, 27.5, 29.5 or 31.5°C) prior to experimentation, with the lowest temperature corresponding to the mean annual daytime temperature in Lake Nabugabo and the highest temperature being 3°C higher than the maximal monthly average. As expected, metabolic rates increased with body mass. Although resting metabolic rate increased with temperature, maximal metabolic rate showed no change. Likewise, AS did not vary across treatments. The CTmax increased with acclimation temperature. There was no effect of habitat on maximal metabolic rate, AS or CTmax; however, there was a trend towards a lower resting metabolic rate for Nile perch captured in the low-dissolved oxygen habitat than in well-oxygenated waters. This study shows that juvenile Nile perch maintain a large AS at temperatures near the upper limit of their natural thermal range and provides evidence that Nile perch have physiological mechanisms to deal with acute exposure to thermal stress.

Preference index supported by motivation tests in Nile tilapia

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The identification of animal preferences is assumed to provide better rearing environments for the animals in question. Preference tests focus on the frequency of approaches or the time an animal spends in proximity to each item of the investigated resource during a multiple-choice trial. Recently, a preference index (PI) was proposed to differentiate animal preferences from momentary responses (Sci Rep, 2016, 6:28328, DOI: 10.1038/srep28328). This index also quantifies the degree of preference for each item. Each choice response is also weighted, with the most recent responses weighted more heavily, but the index includes the entire bank of tests, and thus represents a history-based approach. In this study, we compared this PI to motivation tests, which consider how much effort is expended to access a resource. We performed choice tests over 7 consecutive days for 34 Nile tilapia fish that presented with different colored compartments in each test. We first detected the preferred and non-preferred colors of each fish using the PI and then tested their motivation to reach these compartments. We found that fish preferences varied individually, but the results were consistent with the motivation profiles, as individual fish were more motivated (the number of touches made on transparent, hinged doors that prevented access to the resource) to access their preferred items. On average, most of the 34 fish avoided the color yellow and showed less motivation to reach yellow and red colors. The fish also exhibited greater motivation to access blue and green colors (the most preferred colors). These results corroborate the PI as a reliable tool for the identification of animal preferences. We recommend this index to animal keepers and researchers to identify an animal’s preferred conditions. PMID:28426689

Preference index supported by motivation tests in Nile tilapia.

PubMed

Maia, Caroline Marques; Volpato, Gilson Luiz

2017-01-01

The identification of animal preferences is assumed to provide better rearing environments for the animals in question. Preference tests focus on the frequency of approaches or the time an animal spends in proximity to each item of the investigated resource during a multiple-choice trial. Recently, a preference index (PI) was proposed to differentiate animal preferences from momentary responses (Sci Rep, 2016, 6:28328, DOI: 10.1038/srep28328). This index also quantifies the degree of preference for each item. Each choice response is also weighted, with the most recent responses weighted more heavily, but the index includes the entire bank of tests, and thus represents a history-based approach. In this study, we compared this PI to motivation tests, which consider how much effort is expended to access a resource. We performed choice tests over 7 consecutive days for 34 Nile tilapia fish that presented with different colored compartments in each test. We first detected the preferred and non-preferred colors of each fish using the PI and then tested their motivation to reach these compartments. We found that fish preferences varied individually, but the results were consistent with the motivation profiles, as individual fish were more motivated (the number of touches made on transparent, hinged doors that prevented access to the resource) to access their preferred items. On average, most of the 34 fish avoided the color yellow and showed less motivation to reach yellow and red colors. The fish also exhibited greater motivation to access blue and green colors (the most preferred colors). These results corroborate the PI as a reliable tool for the identification of animal preferences. We recommend this index to animal keepers and researchers to identify an animal's preferred conditions.

Evidence of West Nile virus infection in Nepal.

PubMed

Rutvisuttinunt, Wiriya; Chinnawirotpisan, Piyawan; Klungthong, Chonticha; Shrestha, Sanjaya Kumar; Thapa, Amod Bahadur; Pant, Arjun; Yingst, Samuel L; Yoon, In-Kyu; Fernandez, Stefan; Pavlin, Julie A

2014-11-27

Acute febrile illness is common among those seeking medical care and is frequently treated empirically with the underlying illness remaining undiagnosed in resource-poor countries. A febrile illness study was conducted 2009-2010 to identify known and unknown pathogens circulating in Nepal. Study methods included diagnostic testing and preliminary ELISA screening of acute and convalescent samples for diseases both known and unknown to be circulating in Nepal, including West Nile virus (WNV). The molecular assays including Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), Sanger sequencing and ultra deep sequencing on MiSeq Illumina Platform were conducted to further confirm the presence of WNV. The study enrolled 2,046 patients presenting undifferentiated febrile illness with unknown etiology. Sera from 14 out of 2,046 patients were tested positive for west nile virus (WNV) by nested Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Only two out of 14 cases were confirmed for the presence of WNV by sequencing and identified as WNV lineage 1 phylogentically. The two patients were adult males with fever and no neurological symptoms from Kathmandu and Bharatpur, Nepal. Two out of 2,046 serum samples contained fragments of WNV genome resembling WNV lineage 1, which is evidence of the continued spread of WNV which should be considered a possible illness cause in Nepal.

Large Human Outbreak of West Nile Virus Infection in North-Eastern Italy in 2012

PubMed Central

Barzon, Luisa; Pacenti, Monia; Franchin, Elisa; Pagni, Silvana; Lavezzo, Enrico; Squarzon, Laura; Martello, Thomas; Russo, Francesca; Nicoletti, Loredana; Rezza, Giovanni; Castilletti, Concetta; Capobianchi, Maria Rosaria; Salcuni, Pasquale; Cattai, Margherita; Cusinato, Riccardo; Palù, Giorgio

2013-01-01

Human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) disease have been reported in Italy since 2008. So far, most cases have been identified in north-eastern Italy, where, in 2012, the largest outbreak of WNV infection ever recorded in Italy occurred. Most cases of the 2012 outbreak were identified in the Veneto region, where a special surveillance plan for West Nile fever was in place. In this outbreak, 25 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease and 17 cases of fever were confirmed. In addition, 14 WNV RNA-positive blood donors were identified by screening of blood and organ donations and two cases of asymptomatic infection were diagnosed by active surveillance of subjects at risk of WNV exposure. Two cases of death due to WNND were reported. Molecular testing demonstrated the presence of WNV lineage 1 in all WNV RNA-positive patients and, in 15 cases, infection by the novel Livenza strain was ascertained. Surveillance in other Italian regions notified one case of neuroinvasive disease in the south of Italy and two cases in Sardinia. Integrated surveillance for WNV infection remains a public health priority in Italy and vector control activities have been strengthened in areas of WNV circulation. PMID:24284876

Blue Origin testing

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-04-20

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden (r) discusses the upcoming testing of Blue Origin's BE-3 engine thrust chamber assembly with Steve Knowles, Blue Origin project manager, at the E-1 Test Stand during an April 20, 2012, visit to Stennis Space Center. Blue Origin is one of NASA's partners developing innovative systems to reach low-Earth orbit.

Opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia associated with West Nile virus infection: A dramatic presentation with benign prognosis?

PubMed

Zaltzman, Roy; Klein, Colin; Gordon, Carlos R

2017-05-15

Opsoclonus myoclonus and ataxia is a combination of severe neurological signs associated with several pathologic agents and conditions. Only few cases of opsoclonus have been related to West Nile virus infection. We report on a 61-year-old woman and on a 55-year-old man who had history of recent fever, who were hospitalized because of acute severe truncal ataxia, opsoclonus and tremor with minimal myoclonic jerks. A through work-up revealed the presence of both IgM and IgG antibodies against West Nile virus both in the serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid and excluded other causes known to be associated with this combination of neurological signs. The first case was treated with corticosteroids, followed by significant improvement, and the second recovered spontaneously. The acute combination of opsoclonus, severe truncal ataxia and tremor with a history of recent fever requires, during the relevant season and in the relevant geographic area, a search for a recent infection with West Nile virus. Though initially suffering from a devastating sickness, our patients eventually recovered. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Blue Nevi and Related Tumors.

PubMed

Zembowicz, Artur

2017-09-01

The major entities related to blue nevus are common blue nevus, cellular blue nevus, atypical blue nevus, and malignant blue nevus. These lesions share presence of dermal pigmented dendritic melanocytes derived from embryonal precursors to melanocytes, Schwann cells, and glial cells migrating to the skin from the ventral neural crest. Genetically, blue nevi harbor mutations in G-protein-coupled receptor subunits GNAQ and GNA11. Progression to malignant blue nevus is associated with additional mutations and partial gains and losses of chromosomal material. This article discusses recent advances in pathology of blue nevi with emphasis on differential diagnosis and molecular pathology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vibrio azureus emits blue-shifted light via an accessory blue fluorescent protein.

PubMed

Yoshizawa, Susumu; Karatani, Hajime; Wada, Minoru; Kogure, Kazuhiro

2012-04-01

Luminous marine bacteria usually emit bluish-green light with a peak emission wavelength (λ(max) ) at about 490 nm. Some species belonging to the genus Photobacterium are exceptions, producing an accessory blue fluorescent protein (lumazine protein: LumP) that causes a blue shift, from λ(max)  ≈ 490 to λ(max)  ≈ 476 nm. However, the incidence of blue-shifted light emission or the presence of accessory fluorescent proteins in bacteria of the genus Vibrio has never been reported. From our spectral analysis of light emitted by 16 luminous strains of the genus Vibrio, it was revealed that most strains of Vibrio azureus emit a blue-shifted light with a peak at approximately 472 nm, whereas other Vibrio strains emit light with a peak at around 482 nm. Therefore, we investigated the mechanism underlying this blue shift in V. azureus NBRC 104587(T) . Here, we describe the blue-shifted light emission spectra and the isolation of a blue fluorescent protein. Intracellular protein analyses showed that this strain had a blue fluorescent protein (that we termed VA-BFP), the fluorescent spectrum of which was almost identical to that of the in vivo light emission spectrum of the strain. This result strongly suggested that VA-BFP was responsible for the blue-shifted light emission of V. azureus. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

A high-resolution map of the Nile tilapia genome: a resource for studying cichlids and other percomorphs

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is the second most farmed fish species worldwide. It is also an important model for studies of fish physiology, particularly because of its broad tolerance to an array of environments. It is a good model to study evolutionary mechanisms in vertebrates, because of its close relationship to haplochromine cichlids, which have undergone rapid speciation in East Africa. The existing genomic resources for Nile tilapia include a genetic map, BAC end sequences and ESTs, but comparative genome analysis and maps of quantitative trait loci (QTL) are still limited. Results We have constructed a high-resolution radiation hybrid (RH) panel for the Nile tilapia and genotyped 1358 markers consisting of 850 genes, 82 markers corresponding to BAC end sequences, 154 microsatellites and 272 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). From these, 1296 markers could be associated in 81 RH groups, while 62 were not linked. The total size of the RH map is 34,084 cR3500 and 937,310 kb. It covers 88% of the entire genome with an estimated inter-marker distance of 742 Kb. Mapping of microsatellites enabled integration to the genetic map. We have merged LG8 and LG24 into a single linkage group, and confirmed that LG16-LG21 are also merged. The orientation and association of RH groups to each chromosome and LG was confirmed by chromosomal in situ hybridizations (FISH) of 55 BACs. Fifty RH groups were localized on the 22 chromosomes while 31 remained small orphan groups. Synteny relationships were determined between Nile tilapia, stickleback, medaka and pufferfish. Conclusion The RH map and associated FISH map provide a valuable gene-ordered resource for gene mapping and QTL studies. All genetic linkage groups with their corresponding RH groups now have a corresponding chromosome which can be identified in the karyotype. Placement of conserved segments indicated that multiple inter-chromosomal rearrangements have occurred between Nile tilapia

Use of Persistent Scatterer Interferometry to Assess Land Deformation in the Nile Delta and its Controlling Factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebremichael, E.; Sultan, M.; Becker, R.; Emil, M.; Ahmed, M.; Chouinard, K.

2015-12-01

We applied Persistent scatterer interferometry (PSInSAR) to assess land deformation (subsidence and uplift) across the entire Nile delta and its surroundings and to identify possible causes of the observed deformation. For the purpose of the present study, 100 Envisat Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR; level 0) scenes that were acquired along four tracks and covering a time span of seven years (2004 to 2010) were used. The scenes extend from the Mediterranean coast in the north to Cairo city in the south. These scenes were focused using Repeat Orbit Interferometry PACkage (ROI_PAC) software and the subsequent PSI processing was done using the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatterers (StaMPS) method. A low coherence threshold (0.2) was used to decrease the impact of vegetation-related poor coherence and decorrelation of the scenes over the investigated time span. Subsidence was observed over: (1) the Demietta Nile River branch (3 to 14 mm/yr) where it intersects the Mediterranean coastline, (2) thick (~ 40 m) Holocene sediments in lake Manzala (up to 9 mm/yr), (3) reclaimed desert areas (west of Nile Delta; up to 12 mm/yr) of high groundwater extraction, (4) along parts of a previously proposed flexure line (up to 10 mm/yr), and (5) along the eastern sections of the Mediterranean coastline (up to 15.7 mm/yr). The city of Alexandria (underlain by carbonate platform) and the terminus of the Rosetta branch of the Nile River seem to experience almost no ground movement (mean subsidence of 0.28 mm/yr and 0.74 mm/yr respectively) while the cities of Ras Elbar and Port Said (underlain by thick Holocene sediment) exhibit the highest subsidence values (up to 14 mm/yr and 8.5 mm/yr respectively). The city of Cairo has also experienced subsidence in limited areas of up to 7.8 mm/yr. High spatial correlation was also observed between the subsiding areas and the Abu Madi incised valley; the largest gas field in the Nile Delta. Most of the area undergoing subsidence in the

Runoff sensitivity to climate change in the Nile River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Emad; Tarhule, Aondover; Kirstetter, Pierre-Emmanuel; Clark, Race; Hong, Yang

2018-06-01

In data scarce basins, such as the Nile River Basin (NRB) in Africa, constraints related to data availability, quality, and access often complicate attempts to estimate runoff sensitivity using conventional methods. In this paper, we show that by integrating the concept of the aridity index (AI) (derived from the Budyko curve) and climate elasticity, we can obtain the first order response of the runoff sensitivity using minimal data input and modeling expertise or experience. The concept of runoff elasticity relies on the fact that the energy available for evapotranspiration plays a major role in determining whether the precipitation received within a drainage basin generates runoff. The approach does not account for human impacts on runoff modification and or diversions. By making use of freely available gauge-corrected satellite data for precipitation, temperature, runoff, and potential evapotranspiration, we derived the sensitivity indicator (β) to determine the runoff response to changes in precipitation and temperature for four climatic zones in the NRB, namely, tropical, subtropical, semiarid and arid zones. The proposed sensitivity indicator can be partitioned into different elasticity components i.e: precipitation (εp), potential evapotranspiration (εETp), temperature (εT) and the total elasticity (εtot) . These elasticities allow robust quantification of the runoff response to the potential changes in precipitation and temperature with a high degree of accuracy. Results indicate that the tropical zone is energy-constrained with low sensitivity, (β < 1.0) , implying that input precipitation exceeds the amounts that can be evaporated given the available energy. The subtropical zone is subdivided into two distinct regions, the lowland (Machar and Sudd marshes), and the highland area (Blue Nile Basin), where each area has a unique sensitivity. The lowland area has high sensitivity, (β > 1.0) . The subtropical-highland zone moves between energy

West Nile virus infection in killer whale, Texas, USA, 2007.

PubMed

St Leger, Judy; Wu, Guang; Anderson, Mark; Dalton, Les; Nilson, Erika; Wang, David

2011-08-01

In 2007, nonsuppurative encephalitis was identified in a killer whale at a Texas, USA, marine park. Panviral DNA microarray of brain tissue suggested West Nile virus (WNV); WNV was confirmed by reverse transcription PCR and sequencing. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated WNV antigen within neurons. WNV should be considered in cases of encephalitis in cetaceans.

West Nile Virus Encephalitis in a Barbary Macaque (Macaca sylvanus)

PubMed Central

Barker, Ian K.; Crawshaw, Graham J.; Bertelsen, Mads F.; Drebot, Michael A.; Andonova, Maya

2004-01-01

An aged Barbary ape (Macaca sylvanus) at the Toronto Zoo became infected with naturally acquired West Nile virus (WNV) encephalitis that caused neurologic signs, which, associated with other medical problems, led to euthanasia. The diagnosis was based on immunohistochemical assay of brain lesions, reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction, and virus isolation. PMID:15200866

Dermatoscopy of blue vitiligo.

PubMed

Chandrashekar, L

2009-07-01

Blue vitiligo is a distinct variant of vitiligo characterized by a blue-grey appearance of the skin, which corresponds histologically with absence of epidermal melanocytes and presence of numerous dermal melanophages. A 23-year-old woman of Indian origin with Fitzpatrick skin type V presented with a 1-month history of normoaesthetic depigmented macules over the right forearm, dorsa of the hands and right areola. The macule over the right forearm had a bluish tinge. A clinical diagnosis of vitiligo vulgaris with blue vitiligo was made. Dermatoscopy of the interface between the blue macule and the hypopigmented macule revealed a linear depigmented macule in the centre with multiple blue dots and absence of epidermal melanin on the side of the blue macule, and reticular pigmentation with a few depigmented macules and scattered blue dots over the side of the hypopigmented macule. Blue vitiligo was described previously in a patient seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus, and believed to represent postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in areas bordering the vitiliginous patches as a result of psoralen ultraviolet A treatment. This case is unusual because of its rarity and the description of the associated dermatoscopical findings.

Comparison of Prognostic and Diagnostic Approaches to Modeling Evapotranspiration in the Nile River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmaz, M.; Anderson, M. C.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Crow, W. T.; Hain, C.; Ozdogan, M.; Chun, J. A.

2012-12-01

Actual evapotranspiration (ET) can be estimated using both prognostic and diagnostic modeling approaches, providing independent yet complementary information for hydrologic applications. Both approaches have advantages and disadvantages. When provided with temporally continuous atmospheric forcing data, prognostic models offer continuous sub-daily ET information together with the full set of water and energy balance fluxes and states (i.e. soil moisture, runoff, sensible and latent heat). On the other hand, the diagnostic modeling approach provides ET estimates over regions where reliable information about available soil water is not known (e.g., due to irrigation practices or shallow ground water levels not included in the prognostic model structure, unknown soil texture or plant rooting depth, etc). Prognostic model-based ET estimates are of great interest whenever consistent and complete water budget information is required or when there is a need to project ET for climate or land use change scenarios. Diagnostic models establish a stronger link to remote sensing observations, can be applied in regions with limited or questionable atmospheric forcing data, and provide valuable observation-derived information about the current land-surface state. Analysis of independently obtained ET estimates is particularly important in data poor regions. Such comparisons can help to reduce the uncertainty in the modeled ET estimates and to exclude outliers based on physical considerations. The Nile river basin is home to tens of millions of people whose daily life depends on water extracted from the river Nile. Yet the complete basin scale water balance of the Nile has been studied only a few times, and the temporal and the spatial distribution of hydrological fluxes (particularly ET) are still a subject of active research. This is due in part to a scarcity of ground-based station data for validation. In such regions, comparison between prognostic and diagnostic model output

RAPD-SCAR Markers for Genetically Improved NEW GIFT Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus niloticus L.) and Their Application in Strain Identification.

PubMed

Li, Si-Fa; Tang, Shou-Jie; Cai, Wan-Qi

2010-04-01

The NEW GIFT Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus niloticus L.) is a nationally certificated new strain selected over 14 years and 9 generations from the base strain of GIFT Nile tilapia, introduced in 1994. This new variety has been extended in most of areas of China. The management of genetically improved strains, including the genetic markers for identification is needed urgently. RAPD analysis was conducted and their conversion to SCAR markers was developed. From NEW GIFT Nile tilapia, two strain-specific RAPD bands, S(304 )(624 bp ) and S(36 )(568 bp ) were identified. The strain-specific RAPD bands were gel-purified, cloned, and sequenced. Locus-specific primers were then designed to amplify the strain-specific bands. PCR amplification was conducted to test the variations in allele frequencies of two converted SCAR markers among the NEW GIFT Nile tilapia and its base strains, as well as 7 additional farmed strains worldwide. The frequency of SCAR marker I (553 bp) was 85.7% in NEW GIFT Nile tilapia, but 16.7% in the base strain. The frequency of SCAR marker II (558 bp) was 91.4% in NEW GIFT Nile tilapia, but 0% - 70% in the 7 other strains. In order to confirm the utility of these two markers, an examination was conducted for a wild population from Egypt, resulted the frequency of SCAR I and II was 10% and 70%, respectively, much lower than that of New GIFT strain. The increase in allele frequency of these two SCAR markers suggests that these markers might be genetically linked to the quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlining the performance traits by long term selection, and indicate the bright potential of SCAR marker technology for tracking generations during selection progress and for distinguishing among genetically improved strain and other strains.

The Blue Bottle Revisited.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandaveer, Walter R., IV; Mosher, Mel

1997-01-01

Presents a modification of the classic Blue Bottle demonstration that involves the alkaline glucose reduction of methylene blue. Uses other indicators in the classic Blue Bottle to produce a rainbow of colors. (JRH)

Thermal preference predicts animal personality in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus.

PubMed

Cerqueira, Marco; Rey, Sonia; Silva, Tome; Featherstone, Zoe; Crumlish, Margaret; MacKenzie, Simon

2016-09-01

Environmental temperature gradients provide habitat structure in which fish orientate and individual thermal choice may reflect an essential integrated response to the environment. The use of subtle thermal gradients likely impacts upon specific physiological and behavioural processes reflected as a suite of traits described by animal personality. In this study, we examine the relationship between thermal choice, animal personality and the impact of infection upon this interaction. We predicted that thermal choice in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus reflects distinct personality traits and that under a challenge individuals exhibit differential thermal distribution. Nile tilapia were screened following two different protocols: 1) a suite of individual behavioural tests to screen for personality and 2) thermal choice in a custom-built tank with a thermal gradient (TCH tank) ranging from 21 to 33 °C. A first set of fish were screened for behaviour and then thermal preference, and a second set were tested in the opposite fashion: thermal then behaviour. The final thermal distribution of the fish after 48 h was assessed reflecting final thermal preferendum. Additionally, fish were then challenged using a bacterial Streptococcus iniae model infection to assess the behavioural fever response of proactive and reactive fish. Results showed that individuals with preference for higher temperatures were also classified as proactive with behavioural tests and reactive contemporaries chose significantly lower water temperatures. All groups exhibited behavioural fever recovering personality-specific thermal preferences after 5 days. Our results show that thermal preference can be used as a proxy to assess personality traits in Nile tilapia and it is a central factor to understand the adaptive meaning of animal personality within a population. Importantly, response to infection by expressing behavioural fever overrides personality-related thermal choice. © 2016 The Authors

West Nile Virus Infection in Killer Whale, Texas, USA, 2007

PubMed Central

Wu, Guang; Anderson, Mark; Dalton, Les; Nilson, Erika; Wang, David

2011-01-01

In 2007, nonsuppurative encephalitis was identified in a killer whale at a Texas, USA, marine park. Panviral DNA microarray of brain tissue suggested West Nile virus (WNV); WNV was confirmed by reverse transcription PCR and sequencing. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated WNV antigen within neurons. WNV should be considered in cases of encephalitis in cetaceans. PMID:21801643

Tropical fish in a warming world: thermal tolerance of Nile perch Lates niloticus (L.) in Lake Nabugabo, Uganda

PubMed Central

Chrétien, Emmanuelle; Chapman, Lauren J.

2016-01-01

Key to predicting the response of fishes to climate change is quantifying how close fish are to their critical thermal limits in nature and their ability to adjust their thermal sensitivity to maintain performance. Here, we evaluated the effects of body size and habitat on aerobic scope (AS) and thermal tolerance of Nile perch Lates niloticus (L.), a fish of great economic and food security importance in East Africa, using respirometry and critical thermal maximum (CTmax) trials. Juvenile Nile perch from distinct habitats (high or low dissolved oxygen concentrations) of Lake Nabugabo, Uganda were exposed for 4.6 ± 0.55 days to a temperature treatment (25.5, 27.5, 29.5 or 31.5°C) prior to experimentation, with the lowest temperature corresponding to the mean annual daytime temperature in Lake Nabugabo and the highest temperature being 3°C higher than the maximal monthly average. As expected, metabolic rates increased with body mass. Although resting metabolic rate increased with temperature, maximal metabolic rate showed no change. Likewise, AS did not vary across treatments. The CTmax increased with acclimation temperature. There was no effect of habitat on maximal metabolic rate, AS or CTmax; however, there was a trend towards a lower resting metabolic rate for Nile perch captured in the low-dissolved oxygen habitat than in well-oxygenated waters. This study shows that juvenile Nile perch maintain a large AS at temperatures near the upper limit of their natural thermal range and provides evidence that Nile perch have physiological mechanisms to deal with acute exposure to thermal stress. PMID:27990290

West Nile Virus Documented in Indonesia from Acute Febrile Illness Specimens

PubMed Central

Myint, Khin Saw Aye; Kosasih, Herman; Artika, I. Made; Perkasa, Aditya; Puspita, Mita; Ma'roef, Chairin Nisa; Antonjaya, Ungke; Ledermann, Jeremy P.; Powers, Ann M.; Alisjahbana, Bachti

2014-01-01

We report the presence of West Nile virus in a cryopreserved, dengue-negative serum specimen collected from an acute fever case on Java in 2004–2005. The strain belongs to genotype lineage 2, which has recently been implicated in human outbreaks in Europe. PMID:24420775

Fatal human eosinophilic meningo-encephalitis caused by CNS co-infection with Halicephalobus gingivalis and West Nile virus.

PubMed

Anwar, M A; Gokozan, H N; Ball, M K; Otero, J; McGwire, B S

2015-10-01

The saprophytic nematode Halicephalobus is a rare cause of fatal human meningo-encephalitis, and West Nile virus is neurotropic flavivirus implicated in a variety of clinical neurologic syndromes. Here we report a case of rapidly progressive CNS encephalopathy and death. Serologic, immuno-histochemical, histopathologic and nucleic acid studies demonstrate the presence of active Halicephalobus and West Nile virus in the CNS tissue. This is the first reported case of co-infection with these neurotropic pathogens. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Circular DNA Intermediate in the Duplication of Nile Tilapia vasa Genes

PubMed Central

Fujimura, Koji; Conte, Matthew A.; Kocher, Thomas D.

2011-01-01

vasa is a highly conserved RNA helicase involved in animal germ cell development. Among vertebrate species, it is typically present as a single copy per genome. Here we report the isolation and sequencing of BAC clones for Nile tilapia vasa genes. Contrary to a previous report that Nile tilapia have a single copy of the vasa gene, we find evidence for at least three vasa gene loci. The vasa gene locus was duplicated from the original site and integrated into two distant novel sites. For one of these insertions we find evidence that the duplication was mediated by a circular DNA intermediate. This mechanism of gene duplication may explain the origin of isolated gene duplicates during the evolution of fish genomes. These data provide a foundation for studying the role of multiple vasa genes in the development of tilapia gonads, and will contribute to investigations of the molecular mechanisms of sex determination and evolution in cichlid fishes. PMID:22216289

Identification and biochemical characterization of small-molecule inhibitors of west nile virus serine protease by a high-throughput screen.

PubMed

Mueller, Niklaus H; Pattabiraman, Nagarajan; Ansarah-Sobrinho, Camilo; Viswanathan, Prasanth; Pierson, Theodore C; Padmanabhan, R

2008-09-01

West Nile virus and dengue virus are mosquito-borne flaviviruses that cause a large number of human infections each year. No vaccines or chemotherapeutics are currently available. These viruses encode a serine protease that is essential for polyprotein processing, a required step in the viral replication cycle. In this study, a high-throughput screening assay for the West Nile virus protease was employed to screen approximately 32,000 small-molecule compounds for identification of inhibitors. Lead inhibitor compounds with three distinct core chemical structures (1 to 3) were identified. In a secondary screening of selected compounds, two compounds, belonging to the 8-hydroxyquinoline family (compounds A and B) and containing core structure 1, were identified as potent inhibitors of the West Nile virus protease, with K(i) values of 3.2 +/- 0.3 microM and 3.4 +/- 0.6 microM, respectively. These compounds inhibited the dengue virus type 2 protease with K(i) values of 28.6 +/- 5.1 microM and 30.2 +/- 8.6 microM, respectively, showing some selectivity in the inhibition of these viral proteases. However, the compounds show no inhibition of cellular serine proteases, trypsin, or factor Xa. Kinetic analysis and molecular docking of compound B onto the known crystal structure of the West Nile virus protease indicate that the inhibitor binds in the substrate-binding cleft. Furthermore, compound B was capable of inhibiting West Nile virus RNA replication in cultured Vero cells (50% effective concentration, 1.4 +/- 0.4 microM; selectivity index, 100), presumably by inhibition of polyprotein processing.

Surveillance for West Nile virus in clinic-admitted raptors, Colorado.

PubMed

Nemeth, Nicole; Kratz, Gail; Edwards, Eric; Scherpelz, Judy; Bowen, Richard; Komar, Nicholas

2007-02-01

In 2005, 13.5% of clinic-admitted raptors in northern Colorado tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). Clinic-admitted-raptor surveillance detected WNV activity nearly 14 weeks earlier than other surveillance systems. WNV surveillance using live raptor admissions to rehabilitation clinics may offer a novel surveillance method and should be considered along with other techniques already in use.

Rainfall Estimation over the Nile Basin using an Adapted Version of the SCaMPR Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habib, E. H.; Kuligowski, R. J.; Elshamy, M. E.; Ali, M. A.; Haile, A.; Amin, D.; Eldin, A.

2011-12-01

Management of Egypt's Aswan High Dam is critical not only for flood control on the Nile but also for ensuring adequate water supplies for most of Egypt since rainfall is scarce over the vast majority of its land area. However, reservoir inflow is driven by rainfall over Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and several other countries from which routine rain gauge data are sparse. Satellite-derived estimates of rainfall offer a much more detailed and timely set of data to form a basis for decisions on the operation of the dam. A single-channel infrared algorithm is currently in operational use at the Egyptian Nile Forecast Center (NFC). This study reports on the adaptation of a multi-spectral, multi-instrument satellite rainfall estimation algorithm (Self-Calibrating Multivariate Precipitation Retrieval, SCaMPR) for operational application over the Nile Basin. The algorithm uses a set of rainfall predictors from multi-spectral Infrared cloud top observations and self-calibrates them to a set of predictands from Microwave (MW) rain rate estimates. For application over the Nile Basin, the SCaMPR algorithm uses multiple satellite IR channels recently available to NFC from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI). Microwave rain rates are acquired from multiple sources such as SSM/I, SSMIS, AMSU, AMSR-E, and TMI. The algorithm has two main steps: rain/no-rain separation using discriminant analysis, and rain rate estimation using stepwise linear regression. We test two modes of algorithm calibration: real-time calibration with continuous updates of coefficients with newly coming MW rain rates, and calibration using static coefficients that are derived from IR-MW data from past observations. We also compare the SCaMPR algorithm to other global-scale satellite rainfall algorithms (e.g., 'Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and other sources' (TRMM-3B42) product, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center (NOAA

Domestic goose as a model for West Nile virus vaccine efficacy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

West Nile virus (WNV) is an emergent pathogen in the Americas, first reported in New York during 1999, and has since spread across the United States (USA), Central and South America causing neurological disease in humans, horses and some bird species, including domestic geese. No WNV vaccines are li...

Supersuppression: Reservoir Competency and Timing of Mosquito Host Shifts Combine to Reduce Spillover of West Nile Virus.

PubMed

Levine, Rebecca S; Mead, Daniel G; Hamer, Gabriel L; Brosi, Berry J; Hedeen, David L; Hedeen, Meghan W; McMillan, Joseph R; Bisanzio, Donal; Kitron, Uriel D

2016-11-02

In the eastern United States, human cases of West Nile virus (WNV) result from spillover from urban epizootic transmission between passerine birds and Culex mosquitoes. In Atlanta, GA, substantial WNV presence in hosts and vectors has not resulted in the human disease burden observed in cities with similar infection pressure. Our study goal was to investigate extrinsic ecological conditions that potentially contribute to these reduced transmission rates. We conducted WNV surveillance among hosts and vectors in urban Atlanta and recorded an overall avian seroprevalence of nearly 30%, which was significantly higher among northern cardinals, blue jays, and members of the mimid family, and notably low among American robins. Examination of temporal Culex feeding patterns showed a marked feeding shift from American robins in the early season to northern cardinals in the late season. We therefore rule out American robins as superspreaders in the Atlanta area and suggest instead that northern cardinals and mimids act as WNV "supersuppressor" species, which slow WNV transmission by drawing many infectious bites during the critical virus amplification period, yet failing to amplify transmission due to low host competencies. Of particular interest, urban forest patches provide spillover protection by increasing the WNV amplification fraction on supersuppressor species. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Volcanic suppression of Nile summer flooding triggers revolt and constrains interstate conflict in ancient Egypt.

PubMed

Manning, Joseph G; Ludlow, Francis; Stine, Alexander R; Boos, William R; Sigl, Michael; Marlon, Jennifer R

2017-10-17

Volcanic eruptions provide tests of human and natural system sensitivity to abrupt shocks because their repeated occurrence allows the identification of systematic relationships in the presence of random variability. Here we show a suppression of Nile summer flooding via the radiative and dynamical impacts of explosive volcanism on the African monsoon, using climate model output, ice-core-based volcanic forcing data, Nilometer measurements, and ancient Egyptian writings. We then examine the response of Ptolemaic Egypt (305-30 BCE), one of the best-documented ancient superpowers, to volcanically induced Nile suppression. Eruptions are associated with revolt onset against elite rule, and the cessation of Ptolemaic state warfare with their great rival, the Seleukid Empire. Eruptions are also followed by socioeconomic stress with increased hereditary land sales, and the issuance of priestly decrees to reinforce elite authority. Ptolemaic vulnerability to volcanic eruptions offers a caution for all monsoon-dependent agricultural regions, presently including 70% of world population.The degree to which human societies have responded to past climatic changes remains unclear. Here, using a novel combination of approaches, the authors show how volcanically-induced suppression of Nile summer flooding led to societal unrest in Ptolemaic Egypt (305-30 BCE).

Identification and characterization of microRNAs and their target genes from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

PubMed

Huang, Yong; Ma, Xiu Ying; Yang, You Bing; Ren, Hong Tao; Sun, Xi Hong; Wang, Li Rui

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small single-stranded, endogenous 21-22 nt non-coding RNAs that regulate their target mRNA levels by causing either inactivation or degradation of the mRNAs. In recent years, miRNA genes have been identified from mammals, insects, worms, plants, and viruses. In this research, bioinformatics approaches were used to predict potential miRNAs and their targets in Nile tilapia from the expressed sequence tag (EST) and genomic survey sequence (GSS) database, respectively, based on the conservation of miRNAs in many animal species. A total of 19 potential miRNAs were detected following a range of strict filtering criteria. To test the validity of the bioinformatics method, seven predicted Nile tilapia miRNA genes were selected for further biological validation, and their mature miRNA transcripts were successfully detected by stem-loop RT-PCR experiments. Using these potential miRNAs, we found 56 potential targets in this species. Most of the target mRNAs appear to be involved in development, metabolism, signal transduction, transcription regulation and stress responses. Overall, our findings will provide an important foundation for further research on miRNAs function in the Nile tilapia.

Rainfall Estimation over the Nile Basin using Multi-Spectral, Multi- Instrument Satellite Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habib, E.; Kuligowski, R.; Sazib, N.; Elshamy, M.; Amin, D.; Ahmed, M.

2012-04-01

Management of Egypt's Aswan High Dam is critical not only for flood control on the Nile but also for ensuring adequate water supplies for most of Egypt since rainfall is scarce over the vast majority of its land area. However, reservoir inflow is driven by rainfall over Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, and several other countries from which routine rain gauge data are sparse. Satellite- derived estimates of rainfall offer a much more detailed and timely set of data to form a basis for decisions on the operation of the dam. A single-channel infrared (IR) algorithm is currently in operational use at the Egyptian Nile Forecast Center (NFC). In this study, the authors report on the adaptation of a multi-spectral, multi-instrument satellite rainfall estimation algorithm (Self- Calibrating Multivariate Precipitation Retrieval, SCaMPR) for operational application by NFC over the Nile Basin. The algorithm uses a set of rainfall predictors that come from multi-spectral Infrared cloud top observations and self-calibrate them to a set of predictands that come from the more accurate, but less frequent, Microwave (MW) rain rate estimates. For application over the Nile Basin, the SCaMPR algorithm uses multiple satellite IR channels that have become recently available to NFC from the Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI). Microwave rain rates are acquired from multiple sources such as the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I), the Special Sensor Microwave Imager and Sounder (SSMIS), the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU), the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer on EOS (AMSR-E), and the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Microwave Imager (TMI). The algorithm has two main steps: rain/no-rain separation using discriminant analysis, and rain rate estimation using stepwise linear regression. We test two modes of algorithm calibration: real- time calibration with continuous updates of coefficients with newly coming MW rain rates, and calibration using static

Corneal edema and permanent blue discoloration of a silicone intraocular lens by methylene blue.

PubMed

Stevens, Scott; Werner, Liliana; Mamalis, Nick

2007-01-01

To report a silicone intraocular lens (IOL) stained blue by inadvertent intraoperative use of methylene blue instead of trypan blue and the results of experimental staining of various lens materials with different concentrations of the same dye. A "blue dye" was used to enhance visualization during capsulorhexis in a patient undergoing phacoemulsification with implantation of a three-piece silicone lens. Postoperatively, the patient presented with corneal edema and a discolored IOL. Various IOL materials were experimentally stained using methylene blue. Sixteen lenses (4 silicone, 4 hydrophobic acrylic, 4 hydrophilic acrylic, and 4 polymethylmethacrylate) were immersed in 0.5 mL of methylene blue at concentrations of 1%, 0.1%, 0.01%, and 0.001%. These lenses were grossly and microscopically evaluated for discoloration 6 and 24 hours after immersion. The corneal edema resolved within 1 month after the initial surgical procedure. After explantation, gross and microscopic analyses of the explanted silicone lens revealed that its surface and internal substance had been permanently stained blue. In the experimental study, all of the lenses except the polymethylmethacrylate lenses were permanently stained by methylene blue. The hydrophilic acrylic lenses showed the most intense blue staining in all dye concentrations. This is the first clinicopathological report of IOL discoloration due to intraocular use of methylene blue. This and other tissue dyes may be commonly found among surgical supplies in the operating room and due diligence is necessary to avoid mistaking these dyes for those commonly used during ocular surgery.

City Lights Illuminate the Nile

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

NASA image acquired October 13, 2012 The Nile River Valley and Delta comprise less than 5 percent of Egypt’s land area, but provide a home to roughly 97 percent of the country’s population. Nothing makes the location of human population clearer than the lights illuminating the valley and delta at night. On October 13, 2012, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the Suomi NPP satellite captured this nighttime view of the Nile River Valley and Delta. This image is from the VIIRS “day-night band,” which detects light in a range of wavelengths from green to near-infrared and uses filtering techniques to observe signals such as gas flares, auroras, wildfires, city lights, and reflected moonlight. The city lights resemble a giant calla lily, just one with a kink in its stem near the city of Luxor. Some of the brightest lights occur around Cairo, but lights are abundant along the length of the river. Bright city lights also occur along the Suez Canal and around Tel Aviv. Away from the lights, however, land and water appear uniformly black. This image was acquired near the time of the new Moon, and little moonlight was available to brighten land and water surfaces. NASA Earth Observatory image by Jesse Allen and Robert Simmon, using VIIRS Day-Night Band data from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership. Suomi NPP is the result of a partnership between NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Department of Defense. Caption by Michon Scott. Instrument: Suomi NPP - VIIRS Credit: NASA Earth Observatory Click here to view all of the Earth at Night 2012 images Click here to read more about this image 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�

Impact of climate change on precipitation distribution and water availability in the Nile using CMIP5 GCM ensemble.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mekonnen, Z. T.; Gebremichael, M.

2017-12-01

ABSTRACT In a basin like the Nile where millions of people depend on rainfed agriculture and surface water resources for their livelihoods, changes in precipitation will have tremendous social and economic consequences. General circulation models (GCMs) have been associated with high uncertainty in their projection of future precipitation for the Nile basin. Some studies tried to compare performance of different GCMs by doing a Multi-Model comparison for the region. Many indicated that there is no single model that gives the "best estimate" of precipitation for a very complex and large basin like the Nile. In this study, we used a combination of satellite and long term rain gauge precipitation measurements (TRMM and CenTrends) to evaluate the performance of 10 GCMs from the 5th Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) at different spatial and seasonal scales and produce a weighted ensemble projection. Our results confirm that there is no single model that gives best estimate over the region, hence the approach of creating an ensemble depending on how the model performed in specific areas and seasons resulted in an improved estimate of precipitation compared with observed values. Following the same approach, we created an ensemble of future precipitation projections for four different time periods (2000-2024, 2025-2049 and 2050-2100). The analysis showed that all the major sub-basins of the Nile will get will get more precipitation with time, even though the distribution with in the sub basin might be different. Overall the analysis showed a 15 % increase (125 mm/year) by the end of the century averaged over the area up to the Aswan dam. KEY WORDS: Climate Change, CMIP5, Nile, East Africa, CenTrends, Precipitation, Weighted Ensembles

Blue nightshade poisoning

MedlinePlus

... when someone eats parts of the blue nightshade plant. This article is for information only. DO NOT ... is found in the blue nightshade ( Solanum dulcamara ) plant, especially in the fruit and leaves.

Surveillance for West Nile Virus in Clinic-admitted Raptors, Colorado

PubMed Central

Kratz, Gail; Edwards, Eric; Scherpelz, Judy; Bowen, Richard; Komar, Nicholas

2007-01-01

In 2005, 13.5% of clinic-admitted raptors in northern Colorado tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV). Clinic-admitted–raptor surveillance detected WNV activity nearly 14 weeks earlier than other surveillance systems. WNV surveillance using live raptor admissions to rehabilitation clinics may offer a novel surveillance method and should be considered along with other techniques already in use. PMID:17479898

Spatially explicit West Nile virus risk modeling in Santa Clara County, California

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A previously created Geographic Information Systems model designed to identify regions of West Nile virus (WNV) transmission risk is tested and calibrated in Santa Clara County, California. American Crows that died from WNV infection in 2005 provide the spatial and temporal ground truth. Model param...

West Nile virus population genetics and evolution

PubMed Central

Pesko, Kendra N.; Ebel, Gregory D.

2015-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) (Flaviviridae: Flavivirus) is transmitted from mosquitoes to birds, but can cause fatal encephalitis in infected humans. Since its introduction into North America in New York in 1999, it has spread throughout the western hemisphere. Multiple outbreaks have also occurred in Europe over the last 20 years. This review highlights recent efforts to understand how host pressures impact viral population genetics, genotypic and phenotypic changes which have occurred in the WNV genome as it adapts to this novel environment, and molecular epidemiology of WNV worldwide. Future research directions are also discussed. PMID:22226703

[Acute blue urticaria following subcutaneous injection of patent blue dye].

PubMed

Hamelin, A; Vial-Dupuy, A; Lebrun-Vignes, B; Francès, C; Soria, A; Barete, S

2015-11-01

Patent blue (PB) is a lymphatic vessel dye commonly used in France for sentinel lymph node detection in breast cancer, and less frequently in melanoma, and which may induce hypersensitivity reactions. We report a case of acute blue urticaria occurring within minutes of PB injection. Ten minutes after PB injection for sentinel lymph node detection during breast cancer surgery, a 49-year-old woman developed generalised acute blue urticaria and eyelid angioedema without bronchospasm or haemodynamic disturbance, but requiring discontinuation of surgery. Skin testing using PB and the anaesthetics given were run 6 weeks after the episode and confirmed PB allergy. PB was formally contra-indicated. Immediate hypersensitivity reactions to PB have been reported for between 0.24 and 2.2% of procedures. Such reactions are on occasion severe, chiefly involving anaphylactic shock. Two mechanisms are probably associated: non-specific histamine release and/or an IgE-mediated mechanism. Skin tests are helpful in confirming the diagnosis of PB allergy. Blue acute urticaria is one of the clinical manifestations of immediate hypersensitivity reactions to patent blue dye. Skin tests must be performed 6 weeks after the reaction in order to confirm the diagnosis and formally contra-indicate this substance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The outbreak of West Nile virus infection in the New York City area in 1999.

PubMed

Nash, D; Mostashari, F; Fine, A; Miller, J; O'Leary, D; Murray, K; Huang, A; Rosenberg, A; Greenberg, A; Sherman, M; Wong, S; Layton, M

2001-06-14

In late August 1999, an unusual cluster of cases of meningoencephalitis associated with muscle weakness was reported to the New York City Department of Health. The initial epidemiologic and environmental investigations suggested an arboviral cause. Active surveillance was implemented to identify patients hospitalized with viral encephalitis and meningitis. Cerebrospinal fluid, serum, and tissue specimens from patients with suspected cases underwent serologic and viral testing for evidence of arboviral infection. Outbreak surveillance identified 59 patients who were hospitalized with West Nile virus infection in the New York City area during August and September of 1999. The median age of these patients was 71 years (range, 5 to 95). The overall attack rate of clinical West Nile virus infection was at least 6.5 cases per million population, and it increased sharply with age. Most of the patients (63 percent) had clinical signs of encephalitis; seven patients died (12 percent). Muscle weakness was documented in 27 percent of the patients and flaccid paralysis in 10 percent; in all of the latter, nerve conduction studies indicated an axonal polyneuropathy in 14 percent. An age of 75 years or older was an independent risk factor for death (relative risk adjusted for the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus, 8.5; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.2 to 59.1), as was the presence of diabetes mellitus (age-adjusted relative risk, 5.1; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.5 to 17.3). This outbreak of West Nile meningoencephalitis in the New York City metropolitan area represents the first time this virus has been detected in the Western Hemisphere. Given the subsequent rapid spread of the virus, physicians along the eastern seaboard of the United States should consider West Nile virus infection in the differential diagnosis of encephalitis and viral meningitis during the summer months, especially in older patients and in those with muscle weakness.

West Nile virus among hospitalized, febrile patients: a case for expanding diagnostic testing.

PubMed

Whitney, Ellen A Spotts; Heilpern, Katherine L; Woods, Christopher W; Bahn, C Christina; Franko, Elizabeth A; Del Rio, Carlos; Silk, Benjamin J; Ratcliff, Jonathan J; Bryant, Katherine A; Park, Mahin M; Watkins, Sandra J; Caram, Lauren B; Blumberg, Henry M; Berkelman, Ruth L

2006-01-01

In Georgia, most individuals reported with West Nile virus (WNV) disease have been diagnosed with West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND). Relatively few cases of West Nile Fever (WNF) are reported, and the burden of illness due to WNV is likely underestimated. From July through October 2003, WNV serologic testing was performed on enrolled patients>or=18 years of age with fever admitted to a large, urban hospital in Atlanta, Georgia through the emergency department (ED). Patients' history, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded. Residual blood drawn in the ED was tested to determine the presence of WNV IgG and IgM antibodies. Of 254 patients tested for WNV, four (1.6%) patients were positive for WNV IgM and IgG antibodies, and had a clinical illness compatible with WNV. None of the four positive patients were clinically suspected of having WNV infection; discharge diagnoses included pneumonia, migraine, stroke, and gout. These four patients accounted for 80% of all WNV diagnosed in this hospital, 44% of all cases in Fulton County, and 7% of all cases reported in Georgia in 2003. The occurrence of WNV disease may be substantially greater than currently reflected in disease statistics in Georgia and many other states. When indicators of WNV activity are present and patients are likely to have had intensive mosquito exposure, WNV should be considered in the differential diagnosis of seriously ill, febrile patients.

Use of a tandem affinity purification assay to detect interactions between West Nile and dengue viral proteins and proteins of the mosquito vector

PubMed Central

Colpitts, Tonya M.; Cox, Jonathan; Nguyen, Annie; Feitosa, Fabiana; Krishnan, Manoj N.; Fikrig, Erol

2011-01-01

West Nile and dengue viruses are (re)emerging mosquito-borne flaviviruses that cause significant morbidity and mortality in man. The identification of mosquito proteins that associate with flaviviruses may provide novel targets to inhibit infection of the vector or block transmission to humans. Here, a tandem affinity purification (TAP) assay was used to identify 18 mosquito proteins that interact with dengue and West Nile capsid, envelope, NS2A or NS2B proteins. We further analyzed the interaction of mosquito cadherin with dengue and West Nile virus envelope protein using co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence. Blocking the function of select mosquito factors, including actin, myosin, PI3-kinase and myosin light chain kinase, reduced both dengue and West Nile virus infection in mosquito cells. We show that the TAP method may be used in insect cells to accurately identify flaviviral-host protein interactions. Our data also provides several targets for interrupting flavivirus infection in mosquito vectors. PMID:21700306

Nile River, Lake Nasser, Aswan High Dam, Egypt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The Aswan High Dam, 2.5 miles across and 364 feet high, (24.0N, 33.0E) completed in 1971, was constructed to supply cheap hydroelectric power to both Egypt and Sudan by impounding, controling and regulating the flood waters of the Nile River in Lake Nasser, the world's second largest artifical lake. The lake extends over 500 miles in length, covers an area of some 2,000 square miles and is as much as 350 feet deep at the face of the dam.

West nile virus in the United States - a historical perspective.

PubMed

Roehrig, John T

2013-12-10

Prior to 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) was a bit player in the screenplay of global vector-borne viral diseases. First discovered in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937, this Culex sp.-transmitted virus was known for causing small human febrile outbreaks in Africa and the Middle East. Prior to 1995, the last major human WNV outbreak was in the 1950s in Israel. The epidemiology and ecology of WNV began to change in the mid-1990s when an epidemic of human encephalitis occurred in Romania. The introduction of WNV into Eastern Europe was readily explained by bird migration between Africa and Europe. The movement of WNV from Africa to Europe could not, however, predict its surprising jump across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City and the surrounding areas of the United States (U.S.). This movement of WNV from the Eastern to Western Hemisphere in 1999, and its subsequent dissemination throughout two continents in less than ten years is widely recognized as one of the most significant events in arbovirology during the last two centuries. This paper documents the early events of the introduction into and the spread of WNV in the Western Hemisphere.

Jagua blue derived from Genipa americana L. fruit: A natural alternative to commonly used blue food colorants?

PubMed

Brauch, J E; Zapata-Porras, S P; Buchweitz, M; Aschoff, J K; Carle, R

2016-11-01

Due to consumers' increasing health awareness, food industry aims at replacing synthetic dyes by natural counterparts. The substitution of blue synthetic dyes is particularly challenging since current natural alternatives such as phycocyanin (Spirulina) suffer from poor stability. Jagua blue (produced from Genipa americana L. fruit) might represent a potential novel blue pigment source. However, only little is known about its color properties, and application in food systems. Therefore, the blue color and the stability of Jagua blue were assessed for the first time and compared to commonly used colorants, namely, Spirulina, brilliant blue FCF (Blue no. 1), and indigo carmine (Blue no. 2). The reaction rate of Jagua blue was independent of its concentration, confirming thermal degradation to follow first-order kinetics. Between pH 3.6 and 5.0, the color hue of Jagua blue solutions was similar to that of Blue no. 2. However, Jagua blue revealed markedly higher storage stabilities (t 1/2 =86-105days) than Blue no. 2 (t 1 /2 ≤9days) and was less susceptible to acidic pH of 3.6 (t 1 /2 =86days) than Spirulina (t 1 /2 =70days). High negative b* values (blueness) of colored gelatin gels were only obtained for Jagua blue and Spirulina, and the former exhibited higher light stabilities (t 1 /2 =15days) than Spirulina gels (t 1 /2 =4days). Our findings indicate Jagua blue to be a most promising alternative to synthetic dyes, providing relevant information regarding potential food applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Streptococcus iniae outbreaks in Brazilian Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L:) farms

PubMed Central

Figueiredo, H. C. P.; Netto, L. Nobrega; Leal, C. A. G.; Pereira, Ulisses P.; Mian, Glaúcia F.

2012-01-01

This is the first report of outbreaks of Streptococcus iniae in Nile tilapia farms in South America. Seven isolates were identified by biochemical, serological and molecular tests. Their 16S rRNA gene sequences showed 100% similarity with S. iniae ATCC 29178 and two distinct PFGE patterns were observed for Brazilian isolates. PMID:24031866

Vector competence of the stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae)for West Nile virus.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Stable flies, which are notorious pests of cattle and other livestock, were suspected of transmitting West Nile virus (WNV) among American white pelicans at the Medicine Lake Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Montana in 2006-2007. However the ability of stable flies to transmit the virus was unknown. ...

Spatially Explicit West Nile Virus Risk Modeling in Santa Clara County, CA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A geographic information systems model designed to identify regions of West Nile virus (WNV) transmission risk was tested and calibrated with data collected in Santa Clara County, California. American Crows that died from WNV infection in 2005, provided spatial and temporal ground truth. When the mo...

Variations on the "Blue-Bottle" Demonstration Using Food Items That Contain FD&C Blue #1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staiger, Felicia A.; Peterson, Joshua P.; Campbell, Dean J.

2015-01-01

Erioglaucine dye (FD&C Blue #1) can be used instead of methylene blue in the classic "blue-bottle" demonstration. Food items containing FD&C Blue #1 and reducing species such as sugars can therefore be used at the heart of this demonstration, which simply requires the addition of strong base such as sodium hydroxide lye.

Egypt, Nile Valley, Gulf of Suez, Sinai as seen from Gemini 12 spacecraft

NASA Image and Video Library

1966-11-13

S66-63477 (13 Nov. 1966) --- United Arab Republic (Egypt), the Nile Valley from Luxor to Cairo, El Payium, Gulf of Suez, Sinai as seen from Gemini-12 spacecraft on its 25th revolution of Earth. Photo credit: NASA

Estimation of Some Bio-Physical Indicators for Sustainable Crop Production in the Eastern Nile Basin of Sudan Using Landsat-8 Imagery and SEBAL Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guma Biro Turk, Khalid

2016-07-01

Crop production under modern irrigation systems require unique management at field level and hence better utilization of agricultural inputs and water resources. This study aims to make use of remote sensing (RS) data and the surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) to improve the on-farm management. The study area is located in the Eastern part of the Blue Nile River about 60 km south of Khartoum, Sudan. Landsat-8 data were used to estimate a number of bio-physical indicators during the growing season of the year 2014/2015. Accordingly, in-situ weather data and SEBAL model were applied to calculate: the reference (ET0), actual (ETa) and potential (ETp) evapotranspiration, soil moisture (SM), crop factor (kc), nitrogen (N), biomass production (BP) and crop water productivity (CWP). Results revealed that ET0 showed steady variation throughout the year, varying from 5 to 7 mm/day. However, ETa and ETp showed clear temporal variation attributed to frequent cutting of the alfalfa, almost monthly. The BP of the alfalfa was observed to be high when there is no cutting activates were made before the image acquisition date. Nevertheless the CWP trends are following the biomass production ones, low when there is no biomass and high when the biomass is high. The application of SEBAL model within the study area using the Landsat-8 imagery indicates that it's possible to produce field-based bio-physical indicators, which can be useful in monitoring and managing the field during the growing season. However, a cross-calibration with the in-situ data should be considered in order to maintain the spatial variability within the field. Keywords: Bio-physical Indicators; Remote Sensing; SEBAL; Landsat-8; Eastern Nile Basin

An ensemble and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy investigation of phase-separated monolayer films stained with Nile Red.

PubMed

Lu, Yin; Porterfield, Robyn; Thunder, Terri; Paige, Matthew F

2011-01-01

Phase-separated Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer films prepared from mixtures of arachidic acid (C19H39COOH) and perfluorotetradecanoic acid (C13F27COOH) were stained via spin-casting with the polarity sensitive phenoxazine dye Nile Red, and characterized using a combination of ensemble and single-molecule fluorescence microscopy measurements. Ensemble fluorescence microscopy and spectromicroscopy showed that Nile Red preferentially associated with the hydrogenated domains of the phase-separated films, and was strongly fluorescent in these areas of the film. These measurements, in conjunction with single-molecule fluorescence imaging experiments, also indicated that a small sub-population of dye molecules localizes on the perfluorinated regions of the sample, but that this sub-population is spectroscopically indistinguishable from that associated with the hydrogenated domains. The relative importance of selective dye adsorption and local polarity sensitivity of Nile Red for staining applications in phase-separated LB films as well as in cellular environments is discussed in context of the experimental results. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two Distinct Yersinia pestis Populations Causing Plague among Humans in the West Nile Region of Uganda.

PubMed

Respicio-Kingry, Laurel B; Yockey, Brook M; Acayo, Sarah; Kaggwa, John; Apangu, Titus; Kugeler, Kiersten J; Eisen, Rebecca J; Griffith, Kevin S; Mead, Paul S; Schriefer, Martin E; Petersen, Jeannine M

2016-02-01

Plague is a life-threatening disease caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Since the 1990s, Africa has accounted for the majority of reported human cases. In Uganda, plague cases occur in the West Nile region, near the border with Democratic Republic of Congo. Despite the ongoing risk of contracting plague in this region, little is known about Y. pestis genotypes causing human disease. During January 2004-December 2012, 1,092 suspect human plague cases were recorded in the West Nile region of Uganda. Sixty-one cases were culture-confirmed. Recovered Y. pestis isolates were analyzed using three typing methods, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and multiple variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and subpopulations analyzed in the context of associated geographic, temporal, and clinical data for source patients. All three methods separated the 61 isolates into two distinct 1.ANT lineages, which persisted throughout the 9 year period and were associated with differences in elevation and geographic distribution. We demonstrate that human cases of plague in the West Nile region of Uganda are caused by two distinct 1.ANT genetic subpopulations. Notably, all three typing methods used, SNPs, PFGE, and MLVA, identified the two genetic subpopulations, despite recognizing different mutation types in the Y. pestis genome. The geographic and elevation differences between the two subpopulations is suggestive of their maintenance in highly localized enzootic cycles, potentially with differing vector-host community composition. This improved understanding of Y. pestis subpopulations in the West Nile region will be useful for identifying ecologic and environmental factors associated with elevated plague risk.

Detection of West Nile and Usutu Viruses in Italian Free Areas: Entomological Surveillance in Piemonte and Liguria Regions, 2014.

PubMed

Pautasso, Alessandra; Radaelli, Maria Cristina; Ballardini, Marco; Francese, Danila Raffaella; Verna, Federica; Modesto, Paola; Grattarola, Carla; Desiato, Rosanna; Bertolini, Silvia; Vitale, Nicoletta; Ferrari, Angelo; Rossini, Irene; Accorsi, Annalisa; Mosca, Andrea; Monaco, Federica; Savini, Giovanni; Prearo, Marino; Mignone, Walter; Chiavacci, Laura; Casalone, Cristina

2016-04-01

West Nile virus and Usutu virus have established in different parts of Italy over the past 10 years. Piemonte and Liguria Regions (Northwestern Italy) are known to be nonendemic areas, despite the presence of competent vectors and environmental conditions conducive to maintaining infection. This work evidences for the first time, through an entomological surveillance implemented on the basis of risk factor approach, the presence of West Nile and Usutu viruses in Piemonte and Liguria Regions (Northwestern Italy).

Effects of exposure to pile-driving sounds on the lake sturgeon, Nile tilapia and hogchoker

PubMed Central

Halvorsen, Michele B.; Casper, Brandon M.; Matthews, Frazer; Carlson, Thomas J.; Popper, Arthur N.

2012-01-01

Pile-driving and other impulsive sound sources have the potential to injure or kill fishes. One mechanism that produces injuries is the rapid motion of the walls of the swim bladder as it repeatedly contacts nearby tissues. To further understand the involvement of the swim bladder in tissue damage, a specially designed wave tube was used to expose three species to pile-driving sounds. Species included lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)—with an open (physostomous) swim bladder, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)—with a closed (physoclistous) swim bladder and the hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus)—a flatfish without a swim bladder. There were no visible injuries in any of the exposed hogchokers, whereas a variety of injuries were observed in the lake sturgeon and Nile tilapia. At the loudest cumulative and single-strike sound exposure levels (SELcum and SELss respectively), the Nile tilapia had the highest total injuries and the most severe injuries per fish. As exposure levels decreased, the number and severity of injuries were more similar between the two species. These results suggest that the presence and type of swim bladder correlated with injury at higher sound levels, while the extent of injury at lower sound levels was similar for both kinds of swim bladders. PMID:23055066

Predicting solvatochromic shifts and colours of a solvated organic dye: The example of nile red

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuehlsdorff, T. J.; Haynes, P. D.; Payne, M. C.; Hine, N. D. M.

2017-03-01

The solvatochromic shift, as well as the change in colour of the simple organic dye nile red, is studied in two polar and two non-polar solvents in the context of large-scale time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) calculations treating large parts of the solvent environment from first principles. We show that an explicit solvent representation is vital to resolve absorption peak shifts between nile red in n-hexane and toluene, as well as acetone and ethanol. The origin of the failure of implicit solvent models for these solvents is identified as being due to the strong solute-solvent interactions in form of π-stacking and hydrogen bonding in the case of toluene and ethanol. We furthermore demonstrate that the failures of the computationally inexpensive Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) functional in describing some features of the excited state potential energy surface of the S1 state of nile red can be corrected for in a straightforward fashion, relying only on a small number of calculations making use of more sophisticated range-separated hybrid functionals. The resulting solvatochromic shifts and predicted colours are in excellent agreement with experiment, showing the computational approach outlined in this work to yield very robust predictions of optical properties of dyes in solution.

Effects of exposure to pile-driving sounds on the lake sturgeon, Nile tilapia and hogchoker.

PubMed

Halvorsen, Michele B; Casper, Brandon M; Matthews, Frazer; Carlson, Thomas J; Popper, Arthur N

2012-12-07

Pile-driving and other impulsive sound sources have the potential to injure or kill fishes. One mechanism that produces injuries is the rapid motion of the walls of the swim bladder as it repeatedly contacts nearby tissues. To further understand the involvement of the swim bladder in tissue damage, a specially designed wave tube was used to expose three species to pile-driving sounds. Species included lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)--with an open (physostomous) swim bladder, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)--with a closed (physoclistous) swim bladder and the hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus)--a flatfish without a swim bladder. There were no visible injuries in any of the exposed hogchokers, whereas a variety of injuries were observed in the lake sturgeon and Nile tilapia. At the loudest cumulative and single-strike sound exposure levels (SEL(cum) and SEL(ss) respectively), the Nile tilapia had the highest total injuries and the most severe injuries per fish. As exposure levels decreased, the number and severity of injuries were more similar between the two species. These results suggest that the presence and type of swim bladder correlated with injury at higher sound levels, while the extent of injury at lower sound levels was similar for both kinds of swim bladders.

Geospatial Analysis and Seasonal Distribution of West Nile Virus Vectors (Diptera: Culicidae) in Southern Ontario, Canada

PubMed Central

Turner, Kevin W.; Hunter, Fiona F.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish geospatial and seasonal distributions of West Nile virus vectors in southern Ontario, Canada using historical surveillance data from 2002 to 2014. We set out to produce mosquito abundance prediction surfaces for each of Ontario’s thirteen West Nile virus vectors. We also set out to determine whether elevation and proximity to conservation areas and provincial parks, wetlands, and population centres could be used to improve our model. Our results indicated that the data sets for Anopheles quadrimaculatus, Anopheles punctipennis, Anopheles walkeri, Culex salinarius, Culex tarsalis, Ochlerotatus stimulans, and Ochlerotatus triseriatus were not suitable for geospatial modelling because they are randomly distributed throughout Ontario. Spatial prediction surfaces were created for Aedes japonicus and proximity to wetlands, Aedes vexans and proximity to population centres, Culex pipiens/restuans and proximity to population centres, Ochlerotatus canadensis and elevation, and Ochlerotatus trivittatus and proximity to population centres using kriging. Seasonal distributions are presented for all thirteen species. We have identified both when and where vector species are most abundant in southern Ontario. These data have the potential to contribute to a more efficient and focused larvicide program and West Nile virus awareness campaigns. PMID:29597256

Measuring Blue Space Visibility and 'Blue Recreation' in the Everyday Lives of Children in a Capital City.

PubMed

Pearson, Amber L; Bottomley, Ross; Chambers, Tim; Thornton, Lukar; Stanley, James; Smith, Moira; Barr, Michelle; Signal, Louise

2017-05-26

Blue spaces (water bodies) may promote positive mental and physical health through opportunities for relaxation, recreation, and social connections. However, we know little about the nature and extent of everyday exposure to blue spaces, particularly in settings outside the home or among children, nor whether exposure varies by individual or household characteristics. Wearable cameras offer a novel, reliable method for blue space exposure measurement. In this study, we used images from cameras worn over two days by 166 children in Wellington, New Zealand, and conducted content and blue space quantification analysis on each image ( n = 749,389). Blue space was identified in 24,721 images (3.6%), with a total of 23 blue recreation events. Visual exposure and participation in blue recreation did not differ by ethnicity, weight status, household deprivation, or residential proximity to the coastline. Significant differences in both visual exposure to blue space and participation in blue recreation were observed, whereby children from the most deprived schools had significantly higher rates of blue space exposure than children from low deprivation schools. Schools may be important settings to promote equitable blue space exposures. Childhood exposures to blue space may not follow the expected income inequality trends observed among adults.

Distribution and exploitation of Nile perch Lates niloticus in relation to stratification in Lake Victoria, East Africa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taabu-Munyaho, A.; Kayanda, Robert J.; Everson, Inigo; Grabowski, Timothy B.; Marteinsdóttir, Gudrún

2013-01-01

Stratification restricts habitable areas forcing fish to balance between favourable temperature and minimum dissolved oxygen requirements. Acoustic surveys conducted during the stratified and isothermal periods on tropical Lake Victoria indicated that stratification of temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) affected vertical distribution of Nile perch. There was higher mean temperature (25.6 ± 0.5 °C) and lower DO (6.4 ± 1.8 mg/l) during stratified period compared to the isothermal period (mean temperature 24.9 ± 0.3 °C; mean DO 7.3 ± 0.6 mg/l). Higher mean densities of Nile perch were recorded in the coastal (0.44 ± 0.03) and deep (0.27 ± 0.02 g/m3) strata during the stratified compared to the isothermal season (coastal: 0.24 ± 0.01; deep: 0.12 ± 0.02 g/m3). In addition, Nile perch density in the upper 0–40 m depth layers in the coastal and deep strata increased by over 50% from the isothermal to the stratified season. Daily landings from 65 motorised fishing boats between October 2008 and September 2010 show higher mean catch (26.29 ± 0.17 kg/boat/day) during stratified compared to the isothermal (23.59 ± 0.15) season. Thermal stratification apparently compresses the habitat available to Nile perch and can potentially result in higher exploitation. Managers should evaluate the potential benefits of instituting closed seasons during the stratified period, and stock assessment models should take into account the seasonal niche compression.

Allergic contact dermatitis caused by the blue pigment VINAMON® Blue BX FW - a phthalocyanine blue in a vinyl glove.

PubMed

Weimann, Stefanie; Skudlik, Christoph; John, Swen Malte

2010-10-01

A 44-year-old metalworker suffered from severe hand eczema in spite of treatment with corticosteroid ointments. He had been using protective cotton gloves with blue PVC anti-slip dots on the finger tips. On clinical examination, the backs of both hands were erythematous and thickened while the finger tips showed vesicles. There was a positive patch test reaction to the blue PVC dots of an unworn cotton glove at 72, 96, 120 hours. To identify the causative chemicals, we carried out further patch tests using ingredients of the glove and cupric sulfate. The patient reacted to the blue dye VYNAMON(®) Blue BX FW (PB 15) at two concentrations - 10% at 72 and 96 hours, and 50% at 48 and 72 hours. This dye is a very strong and brilliant blue with red-copper tones and resistant to fire and weathering. The cupric-phthalocyanine complexes are used as pigments in cosmetics (e. g. CI 74160, 74180, 74260). To the best of our knowledge, no allergic reactions to this dye have been described, particularly not in gloves. © The Authors • Journal compilation © Blackwell Verlag GmbH, Berlin.

75 FR 65525 - Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Claim Management Services, Inc. Operations, a Division of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-25

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-74,327] Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Claim Management Services, Inc. Operations, a Division of Wellpoint, Inc., Green Bay, WI; Notice... former workers of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Claim Management Services, Inc. Operations, a Division...

Year-round West Nile virus activity, Gulf Coast region, Texas and Louisiana.

PubMed

Tesh, Robert B; Parsons, Ray; Siirin, Marina; Randle, Yvonne; Sargent, Chris; Guzman, Hilda; Wuithiranyagool, Taweesak; Higgs, Stephen; Vanlandingham, Dana L; Bala, Adil A; Haas, Keith; Zerinque, Brian

2004-09-01

West Nile virus (WNV) was detected in 11 dead birds and two mosquito pools collected in east Texas and southern Louisiana during surveillance studies in the winter of 2003 to 2004. These findings suggest that WNV is active throughout the year in this region of the United States.

Evaluating the Use of Commercial West Nile Virus Antigens as Positive Controls in the Rapid Analyte Measurement Platform West Nile Virus Assay.

PubMed

Burkhalter, Kristen L; Savage, Harry M

2015-12-01

We evaluated the utility of 2 types of commercially available antigens as positive controls in the Rapid Analyte Measurement Platform (RAMP®) West Nile virus (WNV) assay. Purified recombinant WNV envelope antigens and whole killed virus antigens produced positive RAMP results and either type would be useful as a positive control. Killed virus antigens provide operational and economic advantages and we recommend their use over purified recombinant antigens. We also offer practical applications for RAMP positive controls and recommendations for preparing them.

Water and Regional Stability: The Nile a Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-24

including agriculture, hydropower , economic growth, and maintaining a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Each nation may not alter the quantity or quality of the...Victoria which is the largest lake in Africa covering 69,000 km2. The White Nile contributes a small but steady flow of water, about 14 percent of the...linked the availability of sufficient clean water to an area’s economic potential. 20 Countries that have a very low per capita Gross Domestic Product

Effects of Microcystis on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal-Liver Axis in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

PubMed

Chen, Jiazhang; Meng, Shunlong; Xu, Hai; Zhang, Zhen; Wu, Xiangyang

2017-04-01

In the present study, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were used to assess the endocrine disruption potential of Microcytis aeruginosa. Male Nile tilapia were exposed to lyophilized M. aeruginosa or purified microcystin-LR (8.3 μg/L) for 28 days. The levels of serum hormones (17β-estradiol and testosterone) and transcripts of selected genes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis were analyzed. The results showed that serum hormones were significantly up-regulated, and transcripts of 13 genes (GHRH, PACAP, GH, GHR1, GHR2, IGF1, IGF2, CYP19a, CYP19b, 3β-HSD1, 20β-HSD, 17β-HSD1 and 17β-HSD8) were significantly altered after Microcytis exposure. These results indicate that fish reproduction can be altered in a Microcystis bloom-contaminated aquatic environment.

Modulatory role of dietary Chlorella vulgaris powder against arsenic-induced immunotoxicity and oxidative stress in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

PubMed

Zahran, Eman; Risha, Engy

2014-12-01

Arsenic intoxicant have long been regarded as an impending carcinogenic, genotoxic, and immunotoxic heavy metal to human and animals as well. In this respect, we evaluated biomarkers of the innate immune response and oxidative stress metabolism in gills and liver of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) after arsenic exposure, and the protective role of Chlorella vulgaris (Ch) dietary supplementation were elucidated. Protective role of C. vulgaris (Ch), as supplementary feeds (5% and 10% of the diet) was studied in Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) against arsenic induced toxicity (NaAsO2 at 7 ppm) for 21 days exposure period. A significant down-regulation in innate immune response; including, respiratory burst, lysozyme, and bactericidal activity followed due to deliberately As(+3) exposure. Similarly, oxidative stress response; like nitric oxide (NO), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels were significantly decreased. Combined treatment of Ch and As(+3) significantly enhanced the innate immune response and antioxidant activity. Strikingly, Ch supplementation at 10% has been considered the optimum for Nile tilapia since it exhibited enhancement of innate immune response and antioxidant activity over the level 5%, and even better than that of control level. Thus, our results concluded that dietary Ch supplementation could protect Nile tilapia against arsenic induced immunosuppression and oxidative stresses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preclinical and clinical development of YFV 17D-based chimeric vaccines against dengue, West Nile and Japanese encephalitis viruses.

PubMed

Guy, Bruno; Guirakhoo, Farshad; Barban, Veronique; Higgs, Stephen; Monath, Thomas P; Lang, Jean

2010-01-08

Dengue viruses (DENV), West Nile virus (WNV) and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) are major global health and growing medical problems. While a live-attenuated vaccine exists since decades against the prototype flavivirus, yellow fever virus (YFV), there is an urgent need for vaccines against dengue or West Nile diseases, and for improved vaccines against Japanese encephalitis. Live-attenuated chimeric viruses were constructed by replacing the genes coding for Premembrane (prM) and Envelope (E) proteins from YFV 17D vaccine strain with those of heterologous flaviviruses (ChimeriVax technology). This technology has been used to produce vaccine candidates for humans, for construction of a horse vaccine for West Nile fever, and as diagnostic reagents for dengue, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile and St. Louis encephalitis infections. This review focuses on human vaccines and their characterization from the early stages of research through to clinical development. Phenotypic and genetic properties and stability were examined, preclinical evaluation through in vitro or animal models, and clinical testing were carried out. Theoretical environmental concerns linked to the live and genetically modified nature of these vaccines have been carefully addressed. Results of the extensive characterizations are in accordance with the immunogenicity and excellent safety profile of the ChimeriVax-based vaccine candidates, and support their development towards large-scale efficacy trials and registration.

Evaluating red-cockaded woodpeckers for exposure to West Nile Virus and blood parasites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dusek, Robert J.; Richardson, D.; Egstad, Kristina F.; Heisey, Dennis M.

2006-01-01

A marked decline in the Picoides borealis (Red-cockaded Woodpecker [RCW]) population at Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, MS, was observed in 2002. Demographic changes - including absence of hatch-year birds, decreases in size of known groups, and loss of known groups-were identified during annual fall surveys and are uncharacteristic of RCW populations. In 2003, a serosurvey of 28 adult RCWs was conducted to investigate the presence of West Nile virus (WNV) exposure in the population, possibly providing insight into whether WNV may have been responsible for this decline. Blood smears were also examined from these birds for blood parasites. We found no evidence of West Nile virus exposure or blood parasites in any of the RCWs sampled. Further monitoring of the RCW population and WNV activity in other species at Noxubee NWR is recommended to further evaluate the potential role of WNV and blood parasites in their decline.

Nile damming as plausible cause of extinction and drop in abundance of deep-sea shrimp in the western Mediterranean over broad spatial scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartes, J. E.; Maynou, F.; Fanelli, E.

2011-11-01

Greatly increased retention of flow in Nile River reservoirs was initiated in 1964, after completion of the Aswan High Dam, which induced important oceanographic changes in the Mediterranean Sea, including deep waters (below a depth of 150 m). Based on an analysis of data series starting in the 1940s/1950s, the giant red shrimp Aristaeomorpha foliacea has become locally extinct off of the Catalonian coasts (and elsewhere in the northwestern Mediterranean) at depths of 400-900 m, with a simultaneous and significant drop in the catches of red shrimp, Aristeus antennatus, in the second half of the 1960s. The extinction and sharp decline of deep-shrimp populations off Catalonian coast (at ca. 3200 km westwards from Nile Delta) followed the 1964 drop in Nile discharge with a delay of ca. 3-5 yrs (breakpoint analysis applied to data series). The breakpoints detected in the second half of 1960s both in Nile runoff and shrimps’ abundance were independent of climatic events in the study area (e.g. changes in NAO) and occurred before the increase in fishing effort off Catalonian coasts (breakpoint in 1973-1974). The Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW), inhabited by A. foliacea in the western Basin, had significant temperature (T) and salinity (S) increases in the 1950-1970 period, and Nile damming has contributed about 45% of the total S increase of Western Mediterranean deep-water masses from the 1960s to the late 1990s (Skliris and Lascaratos, 2004). This had to increase, for instance, LIW salinity at its formation site in the eastern Mediterranean. Nile damming was probably a triggering factor for the extinction/drop in abundance of deep-sea shrimp off Catalonian coasts.

OAS1 Polymorphisms Are Associated with Susceptibility to West Nile Encephalitis in Horses

PubMed Central

Rios, Jonathan J.; Fleming, JoAnn G. W.; Bryant, Uneeda K.; Carter, Craig N.; Huber, John C.; Long, Maureen T.; Spencer, Thomas E.; Adelson, David L.

2010-01-01

West Nile virus, first identified within the United States in 1999, has since spread across the continental states and infected birds, humans and domestic animals, resulting in numerous deaths. Previous studies in mice identified the Oas1b gene, a member of the OAS/RNASEL innate immune system, as a determining factor for resistance to West Nile virus (WNV) infection. A recent case-control association study described mutations of human OAS1 associated with clinical susceptibility to WNV infection. Similar studies in horses, a particularly susceptible species, have been lacking, in part, because of the difficulty in collecting populations sufficiently homogenous in their infection and disease states. The equine OAS gene cluster most closely resembles the human cluster, with single copies of OAS1, OAS3 and OAS2 in the same orientation. With naturally occurring susceptible and resistant sub-populations to lethal West Nile encephalitis, we undertook a case-control association study to investigate whether, similar to humans (OAS1) and mice (Oas1b), equine OAS1 plays a role in resistance to severe WNV infection. We identified naturally occurring single nucleotide mutations in equine (Equus caballus) OAS1 and RNASEL genes and, using Fisher's Exact test, we provide evidence that mutations in equine OAS1 contribute to host susceptibility. Virtually all of the associated OAS1 polymorphisms were located within the interferon-inducible promoter, suggesting that differences in OAS1 gene expression may determine the host's ability to resist clinical manifestations associated with WNV infection. PMID:20479874

The significance of blue color in dermatoscopy.

PubMed

Popadić, Mirjana; Sinz, Christoph; Kittler, Harald

2017-03-01

Skin lesions with blue color are frequently excised to rule out malignancy. The objective of the present study was to investigate the significance of blue color. We retrospectively scanned dermatoscopic images for blue color and classified them according to pattern analysis. Of 1,123 pigmented skin lesions, 144 (12.8 %) showed blue color, 92 of which (63.9 %) were malignant. Among lesions with blue color, the most common benign diagnoses were nevi (n = 35, 24.3 %) and seborrheic keratoses (n = 8, 5.6 %). Of 103 (71.5 %) lesions with a structureless blue pattern, eight (7.8 %) were entirely blue and 95 (92.2 %) were partly blue, of which 81 (78.6 %) showed peripheral or patchy and 14 (13.6 %) central blue color. Most lesions with peripheral or patchy blue color were melanomas (n = 47, 58 %), whereas most lesions with central blue color were nevi (n = 9, 64.3 %). Of 28 lesions with blue clods, 17 (60.7 %) were basal cell carcinomas. With respect to malignancy, the positive predictive value of blue color was 63.9 % (95 % CI: 56.0-71.8 %). Among malignant lesions with blue color, structureless peripheral or patchy blue color is a clue for melanoma, while blue clods point to basal cell carcinoma. Pitfalls include seborrheic keratoses, which may show blue color, as well as some nevi, especially combined nevi. © 2017 Deutsche Dermatologische Gesellschaft (DDG). Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hydrogeologic controls and geochemical indicators of groundwater movement in the Niles Cone and southern East Bay Plain groundwater subbasins, Alameda County, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Teague, Nicholas F.; Izbicki, John A.; Borchers, Jim; Kulongoski, Justin T.; Jurgens, Bryant C.

2018-02-01

Beginning in the 1970s, Alameda County Water District began infiltrating imported water through ponds in repurposed gravel quarries at the Quarry Lakes Regional Park, in the Niles Cone groundwater subbasin, to recharge groundwater and to minimize intrusion of saline, San Francisco Bay water into freshwater aquifers. Hydraulic connection between distinct aquifers underlying Quarry Lakes allows water to recharge the upper aquifer system to depths of 400 feet below land surface, and the Deep aquifer to depths of more than 650 feet. Previous studies of the Niles Cone and southern East Bay Plain groundwater subbasins suggested that these two subbasins may be hydraulically connected. Characterization of storage capacities and hydraulic properties of the complex aquifers and the structural and stratigraphic controls on groundwater movement aids in optimal storage and recovery of recharged water and provides information on the ability of aquifers shared by different water management agencies to fulfill competing storage and extraction demands. The movement of recharge water through the Niles Cone groundwater subbasin from Quarry Lakes and the possible hydraulic connection between the Niles Cone and the southern East Bay Plain groundwater subbasins were investigated using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), water-chemistry, and isotopic data, including tritium/helium-3, helium-4, and carbon-14 age-dating techniques.InSAR data collected during refilling of the Quarry Lakes recharge ponds show corresponding ground-surface displacement. Maximum uplift was about 0.8 inches, reasonable for elastic expansion of sedimentary materials experiencing an increase in hydraulic head that resulted from pond refilling. Sodium concentrations increase while calcium and magnesium concentrations in groundwater decrease along groundwater flowpaths from the Niles Cone groundwater subbasin through the Deep aquifer to the northwest toward the southern East Bay Plain groundwater

Nile River, Lake Nasser, Aswan High Dam, Egypt, Africa

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

Lake Nasser, (24.0N, 33.0E) at the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River, in Egypt is the world's second largest artificial lake, extending 500 km, in length and about 5000 sq. km. in area. The lake has a storage capacity sufficient to irrigate farms in Egypt and Sudan year round allowing up to three harvests per year. Other benefits include year round river navagation, hydroelectric power, more fish harvests, reduced flooding and more industrial employment. opportunites.

Blue Ocean Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orem, Donna

2016-01-01

This article describes a concept called the "blue ocean thinking strategy," developed by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne, professors at INSEAD, an international graduate school of business in France. The "blue ocean" thinking strategy considers opportunities to create new markets for services, rather than focusing solely on…

West Nile Virus Outbreak in Houston and Harris County, Texas, USA, 2014.

PubMed

Martinez, Diana; Murray, Kristy O; Reyna, Martin; Arafat, Raouf R; Gorena, Roberto; Shah, Umair A; Debboun, Mustapha

2017-08-01

Since 2002, West Nile virus (WNV) has been detected every year in Houston and the surrounding Harris County, Texas. In 2014, the largest WNV outbreak to date occurred, comprising 139 cases and causing 2 deaths. Additionally, 1,286 WNV-positive mosquito pools were confirmed, the most reported in a single mosquito season.

Measuring Blue Space Visibility and ‘Blue Recreation’ in the Everyday Lives of Children in a Capital City

PubMed Central

Pearson, Amber L.; Bottomley, Ross; Chambers, Tim; Thornton, Lukar; Stanley, James; Smith, Moira; Barr, Michelle; Signal, Louise

2017-01-01

Blue spaces (water bodies) may promote positive mental and physical health through opportunities for relaxation, recreation, and social connections. However, we know little about the nature and extent of everyday exposure to blue spaces, particularly in settings outside the home or among children, nor whether exposure varies by individual or household characteristics. Wearable cameras offer a novel, reliable method for blue space exposure measurement. In this study, we used images from cameras worn over two days by 166 children in Wellington, New Zealand, and conducted content and blue space quantification analysis on each image (n = 749,389). Blue space was identified in 24,721 images (3.6%), with a total of 23 blue recreation events. Visual exposure and participation in blue recreation did not differ by ethnicity, weight status, household deprivation, or residential proximity to the coastline. Significant differences in both visual exposure to blue space and participation in blue recreation were observed, whereby children from the most deprived schools had significantly higher rates of blue space exposure than children from low deprivation schools. Schools may be important settings to promote equitable blue space exposures. Childhood exposures to blue space may not follow the expected income inequality trends observed among adults. PMID:28587134

Incentive compatibility and conflict resolution in international river basins: A case study of the Nile Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xun; Whittington, Dale

2006-02-01

Nation-states rarely go to war over water, but it is equally rare that water conflicts in an international river basin are resolved through cooperation among the riparian countries that use the shared resources. Gains from cooperation will mean little to individual riparians unless the required cooperative behaviors are incentive compatible. Cooperative game theory offers useful insights for assessing cooperative solutions for water conflicts in international river basins. Applying cooperative game theory concepts such as core, nucleolus, and Shapley value to Nile water conflicts, we examine the incentive structure of both cooperative and noncooperative strategies for different riparian countries and establish some baseline conditions for incentive-compatible cooperation in the Nile basin.

Masculinization of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by immersion in androgens

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gale, W.L.; Fitzpatrick, M.S.; Lucero, M.; Contreras-Sanchez, W.M.; Schreck, C. B.

1999-01-01

The use of all-male populations increases the efficiency and feasibility of tilapia aquaculture. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a short-term immersion procedure for masculinizing Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Two synthetic androgens were evaluated: 17α-methyldihydrotestosterone (MDHT) and 17α-methyltestosterone (MT). Exposure (3 h) on 10 and again on 13 days post-fertilization to MDHT at 500 μg/1 successfully masculinized fry in all experiments, resulting in 100, 94 and 83 ± 2% males in Experiments 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Immersions in MDHT or MT at 100 μg/1 resulted in significantly skewed sex ratios in Experiments 1 and 3 (MT resulted in 73 and 83 ± 3% males; and MDHT resulted in 72 and 91 ± 1% males) but not in Experiment 2. Immersion in MT at 500 μg/1 only caused masculinization in Experiment 3. Although further research and refinement is needed, immersion of Nile tilapia in MDHT may provide a practical alternative to the use of steroid-treated feed. Furthermore, when compared with current techniques for steroid-induced sex inversion of tilapia, short-term immersion reduces the period of time that workers are exposed to anabolic steroids.

76 FR 19466 - Wellpoint, Inc. D/B/A/Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, et al.; Amended Certification Regarding...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-07

.../B/A/Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield, et al.; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility To Apply for Worker Adjustment Assistance TA-W-74,895 Wellpoint, Inc. D/B/A/Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield... Enterprise Provider Data Management Team North Haven, Connecticut TA-W-74,895F Wellpoint, Inc. D/B/A/Blue...

Marine Collagen Peptides from the Skin of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Characterization and Wound Healing Evaluation

PubMed Central

Hu, Zhang; Yang, Ping; Zhou, Chunxia; Li, Sidong; Hong, Pengzhi

2017-01-01

Burns can cause tremendous economic problems associated with irreparable harm to patients and their families. To characterize marine collagen peptides (MCPs) from the skin of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), molecular weight distribution and amino acid composition of MCPs were determined, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to analyze the chemical structure. Meanwhile, to evaluate the wound healing activity, in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out. The results showed that MCPs prepared from the skin of Nile tilapia by composite enzymatic hydrolysis were composed of polypeptides with different molecular weights and the contents of polypeptides with molecular weights of less than 5 kDa accounted for 99.14%. From the amino acid composition, the majority of residues, accounting for over 58% of the total residues in MCPs, were hydrophilic. FTIR indicated that the main molecular conformations inside MCPs were random coil. In vitro scratch assay showed that there were significant effects on the scratch closure by the treatment of MCPs with the concentration of 50.0 μg/mL. In the experiments of deep partial-thickness scald wound in rabbits, MCPs could enhance the process of wound healing. Therefore, MCPs from the skin of Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) have promising applications in wound care. PMID:28358307

Marine Collagen Peptides from the Skin of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Characterization and Wound Healing Evaluation.

PubMed

Hu, Zhang; Yang, Ping; Zhou, Chunxia; Li, Sidong; Hong, Pengzhi

2017-03-30

Burns can cause tremendous economic problems associated with irreparable harm to patients and their families. To characterize marine collagen peptides (MCPs) from the skin of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ), molecular weight distribution and amino acid composition of MCPs were determined, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to analyze the chemical structure. Meanwhile, to evaluate the wound healing activity, in vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out. The results showed that MCPs prepared from the skin of Nile tilapia by composite enzymatic hydrolysis were composed of polypeptides with different molecular weights and the contents of polypeptides with molecular weights of less than 5 kDa accounted for 99.14%. From the amino acid composition, the majority of residues, accounting for over 58% of the total residues in MCPs, were hydrophilic. FTIR indicated that the main molecular conformations inside MCPs were random coil. In vitro scratch assay showed that there were significant effects on the scratch closure by the treatment of MCPs with the concentration of 50.0 μg/mL. In the experiments of deep partial-thickness scald wound in rabbits, MCPs could enhance the process of wound healing. Therefore, MCPs from the skin of Nile tilapia ( O. niloticus ) have promising applications in wound care.

Pathogenicity of West Nile virus and response to vaccination in sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) using a killed vaccine.

PubMed

Olsen, Glenn H; Miller, Kimberli J; Docherty, Douglas E; Bochsler, Valerie S; Sileo, Louis

2009-06-01

West Nile virus was introduced into the United States in the vicinity of New York, New York, USA in 1999. The virus has since killed large numbers of birds nationwide, especially, but not limited to, crows (Corvus brachyrhinchos). One sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) at the Bridgeport Zoo (Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA) reportedly died from West Nile virus, so sandhill cranes and endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana), both in the wild and in captive breeding colonies at United States Geological Service (USGS) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (Laurel, Maryland, USA) were considered at risk. A killed vaccine in sandhill cranes was evaluated by vaccinating and then challenging these cranes with live West Nile virus. No sandhill cranes inoculated with the killed vaccine developed significant titers when compared with unvaccinated controls. No sandhill cranes inoculated with the vaccine and challenged with the virus died from West Nile virus infection. In addition, no unvaccinated challenged sandhill cranes died. However, 2 days postchallenge, vaccinated cranes had significantly less viremia (P < 0.05) than unvaccinated cranes. Seven days postchallenge vaccinated cranes had significantly less cloacal shedding of the virus (P < 0.05) than unvaccinated cranes and significantly less weight loss (P < 0.05) as compared with unvaccinated cranes. Vaccinated sandhill cranes developed significantly higher titers 14 days postchallenge and were viremic for shorter periods of time after challenge than unvaccinated individuals. Unvaccinated challenged cranes had glial cell aggregates in both the brain and brain stem areas, and this was not observed in vaccinated challenged cranes or in vaccinated unchallenged cranes.

Pathogenicity of West Nile virus and response to vaccination in sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) using a killed vaccine

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olsen, Glenn H.; Miller, Kimberli J.; Docherty, Douglas E.; Shearn-Bochsler, Valerie I.; Sileo, Louis

2009-01-01

West Nile virus was introduced into the United States in the vicinity of New York, New York, USA in 1999. The virus has since killed large numbers of birds nationwide, especially, but not limited to, crows (Corvus brachyrhinchos). One sandhill crane (Grus canadensis) at the Bridgeport Zoo (Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA) reportedly died from West Nile virus, so sandhill cranes and endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana), both in the wild and in captive breeding colonies at United States Geological Service (USGS) Patuxent Wildlife Research Center (Laurel, Maryland, USA) were considered at risk. A killed vaccine in sandhill cranes was evaluated by vaccinating and then challenging these cranes with live West Nile virus. No sandhill cranes inoculated with the killed vaccine developed significant titers when compared with unvaccinated controls. No sandhill cranes inoculated with the vaccine and challenged with the virus died from West Nile virus infection. In addition, no unvaccinated challenged sandhill cranes died. However, 2 days postchallenge, vaccinated cranes had significantly less viremia (P < 0.05) than unvaccinated cranes. Seven days postchallenge vaccinated cranes had significantly less cloacal shedding of the virus (P < 0.05) than unvaccinated cranes and significantly less weight loss (P < 0.05) as compared with unvaccinated cranes. Vaccinated sandhill cranes developed significantly higher titers 14 days postchallenge and were viremic for shorter periods of time after challenge than unvaccinated individuals. Unvaccinated challenged cranes had glial cell aggregates in both the brain and brain stem areas, and this was not observed in vaccinated challenged cranes or in vaccinated unchallenged cranes.

Prognosis of West Nile virus associated acute flaccid paralysis: a case series.

PubMed

Johnstone, Jennie; Hanna, Steven E; Nicolle, Lindsay E; Drebot, Michael A; Neupane, Binod; Mahony, James B; Loeb, Mark B

2011-08-19

Little is known about the long-term health related quality of life outcomes in patients with West Nile virus associated acute flaccid paralysis. We describe the quality of life scores of seven patients with acute flaccid paralysis who presented to hospital between 2003 and 2006, and were followed for up to two years. Between 2003 and 2006, 157 symptomatic patients with West Nile virus were enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study of West Nile virus in Canada. Seven patients (4%) had acute flaccid paralysis. The first patient was a 55-year-old man who presented with left upper extremity weakness. The second patient was a 54-year-old man who presented with bilateral upper extremity weakness. The third patient was a 66-year-old woman who developed bilateral upper and lower extremity weakness. The fourth patient was a 67-year-old man who presented with right lower extremity weakness. The fifth patient was a 60-year-old woman who developed bilateral lower extremity weakness. The sixth patient was a 71-year-old man with a history of Parkinson's disease and acute onset bilateral lower extremity weakness. The seventh patient was a 52-year-old man who presented with right lower extremity weakness. All were Caucasian. Patients were followed for a mean of 1.1 years. At the end of follow-up the mean score on the Physical Component Summary of the Short-Form 36 scale had only slightly increased to 39. In contrast, mean score on the Mental Component Summary of the Short-Form 36 scale at the end of follow-up had normalized to 50. Despite the poor physical prognosis for patients with acute flaccid paralysis, the mental health outcomes are generally favorable.

Oscillatory modes of extended Nile River records (A.D. 622-1922)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kondrashov, D.; Feliks, Y.; Ghil, M.

2005-05-01

The historical records of the low- and high-water levels of the Nile River are among the longest climatic records that have near-annual resolution. There are few gaps in the first part of the records (A.D. 622-1470) and larger gaps later (A.D. 1471-1922). We apply advanced spectral methods, Singular-Spectrum Analysis (SSA) and the Multi-Taper Method (MTM), to fill the gaps and to locate interannual and interdecadal periodicities. The gap filling uses a novel, iterative version of SSA. Our analysis reveals several statistically significant features of the records: a nonlinear, data-adaptive trend that includes a 256-year cycle, a quasi-quadriennial (4.2-year) and a quasi-biennial (2.2-year) mode, as well as additional periodicities of 64, 19, 12, and, most strikingly, 7 years. The quasi-quadriennial and quasi-biennial modes support the long-established connection between the Nile River discharge and the El-Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. The longest periods might be of astronomical origin. The 7-year periodicity, possibly related to the biblical cycle of lean and fat years, seems to be due to North Atlantic influences.

Prevalence of West Nile virus in migratory birds during spring and fall migration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dusek, Robert J.; McLean, R.G.; Kramer, L.D.; Ubico, S.R.; Dupuis, A.P.; Ebel, G.D.; Guptill, S.C.

2009-01-01

To investigate the role of migratory birds in the dissemination of West Nile virus (WNV), we measured the prevalence of infectious WNV and specific WNV neutralizing antibodies in birds, principally Passeriformes, during spring and fall migrations in the Atlantic and Mississippi flyways from 2001-2003. Blood samples were obtained from 13,403 birds, representing 133 species. Specific WNV neutralizing antibody was detected in 254 resident and migratory birds, representing 39 species, and was most commonly detected in northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) (9.8%, N = 762) and gray catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) (3.2%,N = 3188). West Nile virus viremias were detected in 19 birds, including 8 gray catbirds, and only during the fall migratory period. These results provide additional evidence that migratory birds may have been a principal agent for the spread of WNV in North America and provide data on the occurrence of WNV in a variety of bird species. Copyright ?? 2009 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Mutation in West Nile Virus Structural Protein prM during Human Infection.

PubMed

Lustig, Yaniv; Lanciotti, Robert S; Hindiyeh, Musa; Keller, Nathan; Milo, Ron; Mayan, Shlomo; Mendelson, Ella

2016-09-01

A mutation leading to substitution of a key amino acid in the prM protein of West Nile virus (WNV) occurred during persistent infection of an immunocompetent patient. WNV RNA persisted in the patient's urine and serum in the presence of low-level neutralizing antibodies. This case demonstrates active replication of WNV during persistent infection.

Tunable photonic crystals with partial bandgaps from blue phase colloidal crystals and dielectric-doped blue phases.

PubMed

Stimulak, Mitja; Ravnik, Miha

2014-09-07

Blue phase colloidal crystals and dielectric nanoparticle/polymer doped blue phases are demonstrated to combine multiple components with different symmetries in one photonic material, creating a photonic crystal with variable and micro-controllable photonic band structure. In this composite photonic material, one contribution to the band structure is determined by the 3D periodic birefringent orientational profile of the blue phases, whereas the second contribution emerges from the regular array of the colloidal particles or from the dielectric/nanoparticle-doped defect network. Using the planewave expansion method, optical photonic bands of the blue phase I and II colloidal crystals and related nanoparticle/polymer doped blue phases are calculated, and then compared to blue phases with no particles and to face-centred-cubic and body-centred-cubic colloidal crystals in isotropic background. We find opening of local band gaps at particular points of Brillouin zone for blue phase colloidal crystals, where there were none in blue phases without particles or dopants. Particle size and filling fraction of the blue phase defect network are demonstrated as parameters that can directly tune the optical bands and local band gaps. In the blue phase I colloidal crystal with an additionally doped defect network, interestingly, we find an indirect total band gap (with the exception of one point) at the entire edge of SC irreducible zone. Finally, this work demonstrates the role of combining multiple - by symmetry - differently organised components in one photonic crystal material, which offers a novel approach towards tunable soft matter photonic materials.

STS-57 Earth observation of the Eastern Mediterranean, Nile River, Asia Minor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

STS-57 Earth observation of the Eastern Mediterranean. From a high vantage point over the Nile River, this north-looking view shows the eastern Mediterranean and the entire landmass of Asia Minor, with the Black Sea dimly visible at the horizon. Many of the Greek islands can be seen in the Aegean Sea (top left), off the coast of Asia Minor. Cyprus is visible under atmospheric dust in the northeastern corner of the Mediterranean. The dust cloud covers the east end of the Mediterranean, its western edge demarcated by a line that cuts the center of the Nile Delta. This dust cloud originated far to the west, in Algeria, and moved northeast. A gyre of clouds in the southeast corner of the Mediterranean indicates a complementary counterclockwise (cyclonic) circulation of air. The Euphrates River appears as a thin green line (upper right) in the yellow Syrian desert just south of the mountains of Turkey. The Dead Sea (lower right) lies in a rift valley which extends north into Turkey and sout

Using Persistent Scatterers Interferometry to create a subsidence map of the Nile Delta in Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouali, E. Y.; Sultan, M.; Becker, R.; Cherif, O.

2013-12-01

Inhabitants of the Nile Delta in Egypt, especially those who live around the coast, are threatened by two perpetual hazards: (1) sea level rise and encroachment from the Mediterranean Sea and (2) land subsidence that is inherent in deltaic environments. With cities like Alexandria and Port Said currently only one meter above sea level, it is important to understand the nature of the sea level rise and land subsidence, both spatially and temporally, and to be able to quantify these hazards. The magnitude of sea level rise has been actively monitored in stations across the Mediterranean Sea; the subsidence of the Nile Delta, as a whole system however, has not been adequately quantified. We have employed the Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR) technique known as Persistent Scatterers Interferometry (PSI) across the entire northern parts of the Nile Delta. A dataset of 106 ENVISAT single look complex (SLC) scenes (four descending tracks: 164, 207, 436, and 479) acquired throughout the time period 2003 to 2010 were obtained from the European Space Agency and utilized for radar interferometric purposes. Multiple combinations of these scenes - used for output optimization and validation - were processed. Due to the nature of the PSI technique, subsidence rates calculated using this technique are values measured from cities and urban areas - where PSI works well. The methodology of choice is to calculate the subsidence rates on a city-by-city basis by: (1) choosing an urban area and cutting the SLC scene stack down to a small area (25 - 200 km2); (2) processing this area multiple times using difference scene and parameter combinations in order to best optimize persistent scatterer (PS) abundance and ground displacement measurements; (3) calibrating the relative ground motion measured by PSI to known locations of minimal subsidence rates. The final result is a spatial representation of the subsidence rates across the Nile Delta in Egypt. Measured

West Nile virus in overwintering Culex mosquitoes, New York City, 2000.

PubMed Central

Nasci, R. S.; Savage, H. M.; White, D. J.; Miller, J. R.; Cropp, B. C.; Godsey, M. S.; Kerst, A. J.; Bennett, P.; Gottfried, K.; Lanciotti, R. S.

2001-01-01

After the 1999 West Nile (WN) encephalitis outbreak in New York, 2,300 overwintering adult mosquitoes were tested for WN virus by cell culture and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. WN viral RNA and live virus were found in pools of Culex mosquitoes. Persistence in overwintering Cx. pipiens may be important in the maintenance of WN virus in the northeastern United States. PMID:11585542

Opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome: an unusual presentation for West Nile virus encephalitis

PubMed Central

Afzal, Aasim; Ashraf, Sahar

2014-01-01

A record number of West Nile virus (WNV) cases and fatalities seen in 2012 have brought to light the numerous manifestations of neuroinvasive disease. We report a case of opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome attributed to WNV and its clinical course after treatment with a combination of steroids and intravenous immunoglobulin. Our objective is to highlight opsoclonus myoclonus syndrome as a potential manifestation of WNV encephalitis. PMID:24688189

Recharge sources and geochemical evolution of groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer at Atfih area, the northeastern Nile Valley, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Sayed, Salah Abdelwahab; Morsy, Samah M.; Zakaria, Khalid M.

2018-06-01

This study addresses the topic of recharge sources and evolution of groundwater in the Atfih area situated in the northeastern part of the Nile Valley, Egypt. Inventory of water wells and collection of groundwater and surface water samples have been achieved. Water samples are analyzed for major ions according to the American Society for Testing and Materials and for the environmental isotopes analysis (oxygen-18 and deuterium) by using a Triple Liquid Isotopic Water Analyzer (Los Gatos). The groundwater is available from the Quaternary aquifer formed mainly of graded sand and gravel interbedded with clay lenses. The hydrogeologic, hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations indicate the hydrodynamic nature of the aquifer, where different flow paths, recharge sources and evolution mechanisms are distinguished. The directions of groundwater flow are from E, W and S directions suggesting the contribution from Nile River, the Eocene aquifer and the Nile basin, respectively. The groundwater altitudes range from 13 m (MSL) to 44 m (MSL). The hydraulic gradient varies between 0.025 and 0.0015. The groundwater is alkaline (pH > 7) and has salinity ranging from fresh to brackish water (TDS between 528 mg/l and 6070 mg/l). The observed wide range in the ionic composition and water types reflects the effect of different environmental and geological conditions through which the water has flowed. The isotopic compositions of groundwater samples vary between -14.13‰ and +23.56 for δD and between - 2.91‰ and +3.10 for δ18O. The isotopic data indicates that the Quaternary aquifer receive recharge from different sources including the Recent Nile water, surplus irrigation water, old Nile water before the construction of Aswan High Dam, surface runoff of local rains and Eocene aquifer. Evaporation, water rock interaction and mixing between different types of waters are the main processes in the groundwater evolution. Major suggestions are presented to develop the aquifer

21 CFR 133.184 - Roquefort cheese, sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Roquefort cheese, sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk. 133.184 Section 133.184 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION..., sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk. (a) Description. (1) Roquefort cheese...

21 CFR 133.184 - Roquefort cheese, sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Roquefort cheese, sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk. 133.184 Section 133.184 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION..., sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk. (a) Description. (1) Roquefort cheese...

21 CFR 133.184 - Roquefort cheese, sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Roquefort cheese, sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk. 133.184 Section 133.184 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION..., sheep's milk blue-mold, and blue-mold cheese from sheep's milk. (a) Description. (1) Roquefort cheese...

Early-season avian deaths from West Nile virus as warnings of human infection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guptill, S.C.; Julian, K.G.; Campbell, G.L.; Price, S.D.; Marfin, A.A.

2003-01-01

An analysis of 2001 and 2002 West Nile virus (WNV) surveillance data shows that counties that report WNV-infected dead birds early in the transmission season are more likely to report subsequent WNV disease cases in humans than are counties that do not report early WNV-infected dead birds.

Blues fans and suicide acceptability.

PubMed

Stack, S

2000-01-01

Research has neglected the possible impact of the blues music subculture on suicide acceptability (SA). The sad themes in the blues may attract suicidal persons and reinforce their suicidal moods and attitudes. The present study performs the first test of the thesis that associates SA with being a blues fan. It uses data on a national sample of 961 adults drawn from the General Social Survey of 1993. The results of a multivariate logistic regression analysis found that blues fans were no more accepting of suicide than nonfans. However, blues fanship was found to have substantial indirect effects on SA through its influence on such factors as lowered religiosity levels, the most important predictor of SA. Race-specific analyses found more support for the model for whites than for African Americans.

West Nile Virus workshop: scientific considerations for tissue donors.

PubMed

Brubaker, Scott A; Robert Rigney, P

2012-08-01

This report contains selected excerpts, presented as a summary, from a public workshop sponsored by the American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB) held to discuss West Nile Virus (WNV) and scientific considerations for tissue donors. The daylong workshop was held 9 July 2010 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel at Tyson's Corner in McLean, Virginia, United States (U.S.). The workshop was designed to determine and discuss scientific information that is known, and what is not known, regarding WNV infection and transmission. The goal is to determine how to fill gaps in knowledge of WNV and tissue donation and transplantation by pursuing relevant scientific studies. This information should ultimately support decisions leading to appropriate tissue donor screening and testing considerations. Discussion topics were related to identifying these gaps and determining possible solutions. Workshop participants included subject-matter experts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, AATB-accredited tissue banks including reproductive tissue banks, accredited eye banks of the Eye Bank Association of America, testing laboratories, and infectious disease and organ transplantation professionals. After all presentations concluded, a panel addressed this question: "What are the scientific considerations for tissue donors and what research could be performed to address those considerations?" The slide presentations from the workshop are available at: http://www.aatb.org/2010-West-Nile-Virus-Workshop-Presentations.

West Nile virus and North America: an unfolding story.

PubMed

Glaser, A

2004-08-01

Before the introduction of the West Nile virus (WNV) into the United States of America (USA) in 1999, conditions in North America were ideal for an arboviral epidemic. Such factors as the large, susceptible and non-immune animal and human populations, the presence of competent vectors, increasing international travel and commerce, existing methods for rapid dissemination and an ill-prepared animal and public health infrastructure all combined to create the essential elements for a severe animal and public health crisis--the 'perfect microbial storm'. The introduction of WNV into New York City was the final factor, serving as the catalyst to initiate one of the most significant epidemics in the USA. The spread of WNV across the country resulted in very large populations of wildlife, equines and people being exposed and infected. The epidemic is still not fully understood and its character continues to change and adapt. The recent recognition of a number of non-vector modes of transmission has revealed the disease as a greater threat and more difficult to control than first thought. West Nile virus gives every indication that it will become a permanent part of the 'medical landscape' of the USA, continuing to threaten wildlife, domestic animals and humans as a now endemic disease. This paper discusses the features of this extraordinary epidemic, and emphasises the need for an integrated surveillance system, greater diagnostic capacity and improved control strategies.

Learning the Blues. [Lesson Plan].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

2001

This lesson introduces students to the "blues," one of the most distinctive and influential elements of African-American musical tradition. With this lesson plan, students can take a virtual field trip to Memphis, Tennessee, one of the prominent centers of blues activities, and explore the history of the blues in the work of W. C. Handy…

Spatio-temporal variability of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), carbon (DOC), and nutrients in the Nile River, Egypt.

PubMed

Badr, El-Sayed A

2016-10-01

Increases in human activity have resulted in enhanced anthropogenic inputs of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) into the Nile River. The Damietta Branch of the Nile is subject to inputs from industrial, agricultural, and domestic wastewater. This study investigated the distribution and seasonality of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and nutrients in the Nile Damietta Branch. Water samples were collected from 24 sites between May 2009 and February 2010. Dissolved organic nitrogen concentrations averaged 251 ± 115 μg/l, with a range of 90.2-671 μg/l, and contributed 40.8 ± 17.7 % to the total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) pool. Relative to autumn and winter, DON was a larger fraction of the TDN pool during spring and summer indicating the influence of bacterioplankton on the nitrogen cycle. Concentrations of DOC ranged from 2.23 to 11.3 mg/l with an average of 5.15 ± 2.36 mg/l, reflecting a high organic matter load from anthropogenic sources within the study area, and were highest during autumn. Higher values of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), DON, nitrate, and phosphate occurred downstream of the Damietta Branch and were probably due to anthropogenic inputs to the Nile from the Damietta district. A bacterial incubation experiment indicated that 52.1-95.0 % of DON was utilized by bacteria within 21 days. The decrease in DON concentration was accompanied by an increase in nitrate concentration of 54.8-87.3 %, presumably through DON mineralization. Based on these results, we recommend that water quality assessments consider DON and DOC, as their omission may result in an underestimation of the total organic matter load and impact.

Mosquito cell-derived West Nile virus replicon particles mimic arbovirus inoculum and have reduced spread in mice.

PubMed

Boylan, Brendan T; Moreira, Fernando R; Carlson, Tim W; Bernard, Kristen A

2017-02-01

Half of the human population is at risk of infection by an arthropod-borne virus. Many of these arboviruses, such as West Nile, dengue, and Zika viruses, infect humans by way of a bite from an infected mosquito. This infectious inoculum is insect cell-derived giving the virus particles distinct qualities not present in secondary infectious virus particles produced by infected vertebrate host cells. The insect cell-derived particles differ in the glycosylation of virus structural proteins and the lipid content of the envelope, as well as their induction of cytokines. Thus, in order to accurately mimic the inoculum delivered by arthropods, arboviruses should be derived from arthropod cells. Previous studies have packaged replicon genome in mammalian cells to produce replicon particles, which undergo only one round of infection, but no studies exist packaging replicon particles in mosquito cells. Here we optimized the packaging of West Nile virus replicon genome in mosquito cells and produced replicon particles at high concentration, allowing us to mimic mosquito cell-derived viral inoculum. These particles were mature with similar genome equivalents-to-infectious units as full-length West Nile virus. We then compared the mosquito cell-derived particles to mammalian cell-derived particles in mice. Both replicon particles infected skin at the inoculation site and the draining lymph node by 3 hours post-inoculation. The mammalian cell-derived replicon particles spread from the site of inoculation to the spleen and contralateral lymph nodes significantly more than the particles derived from mosquito cells. This in vivo difference in spread of West Nile replicons in the inoculum demonstrates the importance of using arthropod cell-derived particles to model early events in arboviral infection and highlights the value of these novel arthropod cell-derived replicon particles for studying the earliest virus-host interactions for arboviruses.

Survival, growth and reproduction of non-native Nile tilapia II: fundamental niche projections and invasion potential in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

PubMed

Lowe, Michael R; Wu, Wei; Peterson, Mark S; Brown-Peterson, Nancy J; Slack, William T; Schofield, Pamela J

2012-01-01

Understanding the fundamental niche of invasive species facilitates our ability to predict both dispersal patterns and invasion success and therefore provides the basis for better-informed conservation and management policies. Here we focus on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758), one of the most widely cultured fish worldwide and a species that has escaped local aquaculture facilities to become established in a coastal-draining river in Mississippi (northern Gulf of Mexico). Using empirical physiological data, logistic regression models were developed to predict the probabilities of Nile tilapia survival, growth, and reproduction at different combinations of temperature (14 and 30°C) and salinity (0-60, by increments of 10). These predictive models were combined with kriged seasonal salinity data derived from multiple long-term data sets to project the species' fundamental niche in Mississippi coastal waters during normal salinity years (averaged across all years) and salinity patterns in extremely wet and dry years (which might emerge more frequently under scenarios of climate change). The derived fundamental niche projections showed that during the summer, Nile tilapia is capable of surviving throughout Mississippi's coastal waters but growth and reproduction were limited to river mouths (or upriver). Overwinter survival was also limited to river mouths. The areas where Nile tilapia could survive, grow, and reproduce increased during extremely wet years (2-368%) and decreased during extremely dry years (86-92%) in the summer with a similar pattern holding for overwinter survival. These results indicate that Nile tilapia is capable of 1) using saline waters to gain access to other watersheds throughout the region and 2) establishing populations in nearshore, low-salinity waters, particularly in the western portion of coastal Mississippi.

Dead Crow Reports and Location of Human West Nile Virus Cases, Chicago, 2002

PubMed Central

Jones, Roderick C.; Gibbs, Kevin; Paul, William

2004-01-01

During the summer and fall of 2002, an epidemic (223 cases) and epizootic of West Nile virus infections occurred in Chicago. Retrospective spatial analysis demonstrated that age-adjusted human case rates were three times higher inside geographic areas with high early-season crow deaths than outside these areas. PMID:15200837

Sudan, Africa as seen from STS-66 shuttle Atlantis

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-11-14

Agricultural patterns are distinctly visible in this near-vertical false color infrared photography taken in November 1994. The area depicted on the photograph is south of Khartoum between the White and Blue Nile Rivers. By far the most important irrigation project in sub-Saharan Africa, both large and small scale agricultural enterprises have been developed using water transported from the perennial Nile Rivers. Hundreds of small rectangular fields and water-filled canals can be seen in this photograph.

Sudan, Africa as seen from STS-66 shuttle Atlantis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1994-01-01

Agricultural patterns are distinctly visible in this near-vertical false color infrared photography taken in November 1994. The area depicted on the photograph is south of Khartoum between the White and Blue Nile Rivers. By far the most important irrigation project in sub-Saharan Africa, both large and small scale agricultural enterprises have been developed using water transported from the perennial Nile Rivers. Hundreds of small rectangular fields and water-filled canals can be seen in this photograph.

Dynamics of West Nile virus evolution in mosquito vectors.

PubMed

Grubaugh, Nathan D; Ebel, Gregory D

2016-12-01

West Nile virus remains the most common cause of arboviral encephalitis in North America. Since it was introduced, it has undergone adaptive genetic change as it spread throughout the continent. The WNV transmission cycle is relatively tractable in the laboratory. Thus the virus serves as a convenient model system for studying the population biology of mosquito-borne flaviviruses as they undergo transmission to and from mosquitoes and vertebrates. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the population dynamics of this virus within mosquito vectors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chronic West Nile virus infection in kea (Nestor notabilis).

PubMed

Bakonyi, Tamás; Gajdon, Gyula K; Schwing, Raoul; Vogl, Wolfgang; Häbich, Annett-Carolin; Thaller, Denise; Weissenböck, Herbert; Rudolf, Ivo; Hubálek, Zdenek; Nowotny, Norbert

2016-02-01

Six kea (Nestor notabilis) in human care, naturally infected with West Nile virus (WNV) lineage 2 in Vienna, Austria, in 2008, developed mild to fatal neurological signs. WNV RNA persisted and the virus evolved in the birds' brains, as demonstrated by (phylo)genetic analyses of the complete viral genomes detected in kea euthanized between 2009 and 2014. WNV antibodies persisted in the birds, too. Chronic WNV infection in the brain might contribute to the circulation of the virus through oral transmission to predatory birds. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Morphological responses of wheat to blue light

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnes, C.; Bugbee, B.

1992-01-01

Blue light significantly increased tillering in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants grown at the same photosynthetic photon flux (PPF). Plants were grown under two levels of blue light (400-500 nm) in a controlled environment with continuous irradiation. Plants received either 50 micromoles m-2 s-1 of blue light or 2 micromoles m-2 s-1 blue light from filtered metal halide lamps at a total irradiance of 200 micromoles m-2 s-1 PPF (400-700 nm). Plants tillered an average of 25% more under the higher level of blue light. Blue light also caused a small, but consistent, increase in main culm development, measured as Haun stage. Leaf length was reduced by higher levels of blue light, while plant dry-mass was not significantly affected by blue light. Applying the principle of equivalent light action, the results suggest that tillering and leaf elongation are mediated by the blue-UV light receptor(s) because phytochrome photoequilibrium for each treatment were nearly identical.

Blue ellipticals in compact groups

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zepf, Stephen E.; Whitmore, Bradley C.

1990-01-01

By studying galaxies in compact groups, the authors examine the hypothesis that mergers of spiral galaxies make elliptical galaxies. The authors combine dynamical models of the merger-rich compact group environment with stellar evolution models and predict that roughly 15 percent of compact group ellipticals should be 0.15 mag bluer in B - R color than normal ellipticals. The published colors of these galaxies suggest the existence of this predicted blue population, but a normal distribution with large random errors can not be ruled out based on these data alone. However, the authors have new ultraviolet blue visual data which confirm the blue color of the two ellipticals with blue B - R colors for which they have their own colors. This confirmation of a population of blue ellipticals indicates that interactions are occurring in compact groups, but a blue color in one index alone does not require that these ellipticals are recent products of the merger of two spirals. The authors demonstrate how optical spectroscopy in the blue may distinguish between a true spiral + spiral merger and the swallowing of a gas-rich system by an already formed elliptical. The authors also show that the sum of the luminosity of the galaxies in each group is consistent with the hypothesis that the final stage in the evolution of compact group is an elliptical galaxy.

BLUE STRAGGLERS IN GLOBULAR CLUSTER 47 TUCANAE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

The core of globular cluster 47 Tucanae is home to many blue stragglers, rejuvenated stars that glow with the blue light of young stars. A ground-based telescope image (on the left) shows the entire crowded core of 47 Tucanae, located 15,000 light-years away in the constellation Tucana. Peering into the heart of the globular cluster's bright core, the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 separated the dense clump of stars into many individual stars (image on right). Some of these stars shine with the light of old stars; others with the blue light of blue stragglers. The yellow circles in the Hubble telescope image highlight several of the cluster's blue stragglers. Analysis for this observation centered on one massive blue straggler. Astronomers theorize that blue stragglers are formed either by the slow merger of stars in a double-star system or by the collision of two unrelated stars. For the blue straggler in 47 Tucanae, astronomers favor the slow merger scenario. This image is a 3-color composite of archival Hubble Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2 images in the ultraviolet (blue), blue (green), and violet (red) filters. Color tables were assigned and scaled so that the red giant stars appear orange, main-sequence stars are white/green, and blue stragglers are appropriately blue. The ultraviolet images were taken on Oct. 25, 1995, and the blue and violet images were taken on Sept. 1, 1995. Credit: Rex Saffer (Villanova University) and Dave Zurek (STScI), and NASA

Psychological trauma and evidence for enhanced vulnerability for posttraumatic stress disorder through previous trauma among West Nile refugees

PubMed Central

Neuner, Frank; Schauer, Maggie; Karunakara, Unni; Klaschik, Christine; Robert, Christina; Elbert, Thomas

2004-01-01

Background Political instability and the civil war in Southern Sudan have resulted in numerous atrocities, mass violence, and forced migration for vast parts of the civilian population in the West Nile region. High exposure to traumatic experiences has been particularly prominent in the Ugandan and Sudanese of the West Nile Region, representing an indication of the psychological strain posed by years of armed conflict. Methods In this study the impact of traumatic events on the prevalence and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a random sample of 3.339 Ugandan nationals, Sudanese nationals, and Sudanese refugees (1.831 households) of the West Nile region is assessed. Results Results show a positive correlation between the number of traumatic events and the number of endorsed PTSD symptoms. Of the 58 respondents who experienced the greatest number of traumatizing experiences, all reported symptoms which met the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD. Conclusions There is a clear dose-effect relationship between traumatic exposure and PTSD in the studied populations with high levels of traumatic events. In this context, it is probable that any individual could develop PTSD regardless of other risk-factors once the trauma load reaches a certain threshold. PMID:15504233

Risk mapping of West Nile virus circulation in Spain, 2015.

PubMed

Sánchez-Gómez, Amaya; Amela, Carmen; Fernández-Carrión, Eduardo; Martínez-Avilés, Marta; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel; Sierra-Moros, María José

2017-05-01

West Nile fever is an emergent disease in Europe. The objective of this study was to conduct a predictive risk mapping of West Nile Virus (WNV) circulation in Spain based on historical data of WNV circulation. Areas of Spain with evidence of WNV circulation were mapped based on data from notifications to the surveillance systems and a literature review. A logistic regression-based spatial model was used to assess the probability of WNV circulation. Data were analyzed at municipality level. Mean temperatures of the period from June to October, presence of wetlands and presence of Special Protection Areas for birds were considered as potential predictors. Two predictors of WNV circulation were identified: higher temperature [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.07, 95% CI 1.82-2.35, p<0.01] and presence of wetlands (3.37, 95% CI 1.89-5.99, p<0.01). Model validations indicated good predictions: area under the ROC curve was 0.895 (95% CI 0.870-0.919) for internal validation and 0.895 (95% CI 0.840-0.951) for external validation. This model could support improvements of WNV risk- based surveillance in Spain. The importance of a comprehensive surveillance for WNF, including human, animal and potential vectors is highlighted, which could additionally result in model refinements. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological history and phylogeography of West Nile virus lineage 2.

PubMed

Ciccozzi, Massimo; Peletto, Simone; Cella, Eleonora; Giovanetti, Marta; Lai, Alessia; Gabanelli, Elena; Acutis, Pier Luigi; Modesto, Paola; Rezza, Giovanni; Platonov, Alexander E; Lo Presti, Alessandra; Zehender, Gianguglielmo

2013-07-01

West Nile virus (WNV) was first isolated in Uganda. In Europe WNV was sporadically detected until 1996, since then the virus has been regularly isolated from birds and mosquitoes and caused several outbreaks in horses and humans. Phylogenetic analysis showed two main different WNV lineages. The lineage 1 is widespread and segregates into different subclades (1a-c). WNV-1a includes numerous strains from Africa, America, and Eurasia. The spatio-temporal history of WNV-1a in Europe was recently described, identifying two main routes of dispersion, one in Eastern and the second in Western Europe. The West Nile lineage 2 (WNV-2) is mainly present in sub-Saharan Africa but has been recently emerged in Eastern and Western European countries. In this study we reconstruct the phylogeny of WNV-2 on a spatio-temporal scale in order to estimate the time of origin and patterns of geographical dispersal of the different isolates, particularly in Europe. Phylogeography findings obtained from E and NS5 gene analyses suggest that there were at least two separate introductions of WNV-2 from the African continent dated back approximately to the year 1999 (Central Europe) and 2000 (Russia), respectively. The epidemiological implications and clinical consequences of lineage 1 and 2 cocirculation deserve further investigations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Holocene evolution of the northeastern corner of the Nile Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sneh, A.; Weissbrod, T.; Ehrlich, A.; Horowitz, A.; Moshkovitz, S.; Rosenfeld, A.

1986-09-01

The constructive phase of the modern Nile Delta, as manifested in a 48-m section drilled east of the Suez Canal, commenced in very early Holocene times. Sands rich in marine fauna were deposited in the littoral zone and the shoreline was more than 20 km landward of its present-day position. Subsequently, clays and silts were dumped from the Nile distributaries and the marine faunal spectrum became very limited and brackish. Later in early and middle Holocene times the sediments deposited were rich in freshwater, delta-plain diatoms and pollen and in allochthonous fern spores from the tropics, indicating proximity of a distributary mouth. The middle part of the section (22.5-17.5 m) is very poor in faunal and floral remains; pollen grains from sabkha vegetation are abundant. The environment, which seems lagoonal and slightly hypersaline, is related to the sea regression in middle Holocene times. Euryhaline pelecypods, dating from about 3000 yr B.P., are abundant around the 8-m depth. Upward, there is an increase in pollen grains from sabkhas; the section is poor in diatoms and those present are mostly euryhaline and lagoonal. Allochthonous spores derived from the nearby Pelusiac Branch are abundant. Between 3000 and 2000 yr B.P. the constructive phase of the modern delta terminated and winnowed sands began accreting in front of the delta plain.

Blue nevus-like and blue nevus-associated melanoma: a comprehensive review of the literature.

PubMed

Borgenvik, Thore L; Karlsvik, Tina M; Ray, Saikat; Fawzy, Monica; James, Nick

2017-05-01

Malignant blue nevus, blue nevus-associated melanoma and blue nevus-like melanoma are all terms used to describe malignant melanomas arising from, in association with, or resembling blue nevi. This review is aimed at summarizing the available literature to reduce the confusion surrounding this rare malignancy, and aid the surgeon in choosing further diagnostic or therapeutic measures. We conducted a search of Medline, Embase, Science Direct, Scopus and the Cochrane Library for all full text articles published in English that reported on a malignant melanoma arising from, in association with, or resembling a blue nevus. We identified 91 cases that fit the criteria above. The mean age at diagnosis was 45 years, with a slight male predominance (males: 48; females: 43). Metastatic cases were reported in 55% (n = 50), of which 16 were metastatic at the time of diagnosis, 16 developed metastases within the first year and 18 within 5 years of initial diagnosis. The mean Breslow thickness was 6.8 mm at the time of diagnosis (n = 39). The histological criteria for diagnosing this malignancy are very poorly defined, and may contribute to the substantial confusion surrounding the terminology. There is no consensus on which prognostic indicators predictive of outcome in 'conventional' malignant melanoma are applicable to blue nevus-like melanoma/blue nevus-associated melanoma. However, two larger case series have demonstrated a significant association between Breslow thickness (or largest tumour dimension when non-epidermal) and recurrence-free survival, as well as rate of local recurrence, but larger studies are needed to confirm this. © 2017 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

West Nile virus isolated from Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana) in Northwest Missouri 2012

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

Bosco-Lauth, Angela; Harmon, Jessica; Lash, R. Ryan

We describe the isolation of West Nile virus (WNV; Flaviviridae, flavivirus) from blood of a Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana) collected in northwestern Missouri, USA in August 2012. Furthermore, sequencing determined that the virus was related to lineage 1a WNV02 strains. We discuss the role of wildlife in WNV disease epidemiology.

West Nile virus isolated from Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana) in Northwest Missouri 2012

DOE PAGES

Bosco-Lauth, Angela; Harmon, Jessica; Lash, R. Ryan; ...

2014-12-01

We describe the isolation of West Nile virus (WNV; Flaviviridae, flavivirus) from blood of a Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana) collected in northwestern Missouri, USA in August 2012. Furthermore, sequencing determined that the virus was related to lineage 1a WNV02 strains. We discuss the role of wildlife in WNV disease epidemiology.

Surveillance for West Nile, Dengue, and Chikungunya Virus Infections, Veneto Region, Italy, 2010

PubMed Central

Barzon, Luisa; Capelli, Gioia; Angheben, Andrea; Pacenti, Monia; Napoletano, Giuseppina; Piovesan, Cinzia; Montarsi, Fabrizio; Martini, Simone; Rigoli, Roberto; Cattelan, Anna M.; Rinaldi, Roberto; Conforto, Mario; Russo, Francesca; Palù, Giorgio; Bisoffi, Zeno

2012-01-01

In 2010, in Veneto Region, Italy, surveillance of summer fevers was conducted to promptly identify autochthonous cases of West Nile fever and increase detection of imported dengue and chikungunya in travelers. Surveillance highlighted the need to modify case definitions, train physicians, and when a case is identified, implement vector control measures PMID:22469230

West Nile virus in Europe: understanding the present to gauge the future.

PubMed

Reiter, P

2010-03-11

The appearance of West Nile virus in New York in 1999 and the unprecedented panzootic that followed, have stimulated a major research effort in the western hemisphere and a new interest in the presence of this virus in the Old World. This review considers current understanding of the natural history of this pathogen, with particular regard to transmission in Europe.

Investigation of potential sea level rise impact on the Nile Delta, Egypt using digital elevation models.

PubMed

Hasan, Emad; Khan, Sadiq Ibrahim; Hong, Yang

2015-10-01

In this study, the future impact of Sea Level Rise (SLR) on the Nile Delta region in Egypt is assessed by evaluating the elevations of two freely available Digital Elevation Models (DEMs): the SRTM and the ASTER-GDEM-V2. The SLR is a significant worldwide dilemma that has been triggered by recent climatic changes. In Egypt, the Nile Delta is projected to face SLR of 1 m by the end of the 21th century. In order to provide a more accurate assessment of the future SLR impact on Nile Delta's land and population, this study corrected the DEM's elevations by using linear regression model with ground elevations from GPS survey. The information for the land cover types and future population numbers were derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land cover and the Gridded Population of the Worlds (GPWv3) datasets respectively. The DEM's vertical accuracies were assessed using GPS measurements and the uncertainty analysis revealed that the SRTM-DEM has positive bias of 2.5 m, while the ASTER-GDEM-V2 showed a positive bias of 0.8 m. The future inundated land cover areas and the affected population were illustrated based on two SLR scenarios of 0.5 m and 1 m. The SRTM DEM data indicated that 1 m SLR will affect about 3900 km(2) of cropland, 1280 km(2) of vegetation, 205 km(2) of wetland, 146 km(2) of urban areas and cause more than 6 million people to lose their houses. The overall vulnerability assessment using ASTER-GDEM-V2 indicated that the influence of SLR will be intense and confined along the coastal areas. For instance, the data indicated that 1 m SLR will inundate about 580 Km(2) (6%) of the total land cover areas and approximately 887 thousand people will be relocated. Accordingly, the uncertainty analysis of the DEM's elevations revealed that the ASTER-GDEM-V2 dataset product was considered the best to determine the future impact of SLR on the Nile Delta region.

Identifying environmental risk factors and mapping the risk of human West Nile virus in South Dakota.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, A.; Davis, J. K.; Wimberly, M. C.

2017-12-01

Human West Nile virus (WNV) first arrived in the USA in 1999 and has since then spread across the country. Today, the highest incidence rates are found in the state of South Dakota. The disease occurrence depends on the complex interaction between the mosquito vector, the bird host and the dead-end human host. Understanding the spatial domain of this interaction and being able to identify disease transmission hotspots is crucial for effective disease prevention and mosquito control. In this study we use geospatial environmental information to understand what drives the spatial distribution of cases of human West Nile virus in South Dakota and to map relative infection risk across the state. To map the risk of human West Nile virus in South Dakota, we used geocoded human case data from the years 2004-2016. Satellite data from the Landsat ETM+ and MODIS for the years 2003 to 2016 were used to characterize environmental patterns. From these datasets we calculated indices, such as the normalized differenced vegetation index (NDVI) and the normalized differenced water index (NDWI). In addition, datasets such as the National Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS), National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD), National Wetland inventory (NWI), National Elevation Dataset (NED) and Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO) were utilized. Environmental variables were summarized for a buffer zone around the case and control points. We used a boosted regression tree model to identify the most important variables describing the risk of WNV infection. We generated a risk map by applying this model across the entire state. We found that the highest relative risk is present in the James River valley in northeastern South Dakota. Factors that were identified as influencing the transmission risk include inter-annual variability of vegetation cover, water availability and temperature. Land covers such as grasslands, low developed areas and wetlands were also found to be good predictors for human

Identification and Characterization of MicroRNAs in Ovary and Testis of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by Using Solexa Sequencing Technology

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yi; Yu, Fan; Gao, Yun; Luo, Yongju; Tang, Zhanyang; Guo, Zhongbao; Guo, Enyan; Gan, Xi; Zhang, Ming; Zhang, Yaping

2014-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous non-coding small RNAs which play important roles in the regulation of gene expression by cleaving or inhibiting the translation of target gene transcripts. Thereinto, some specific miRNAs show regulatory activities in gonad development via translational control. In order to further understand the role of miRNA-mediated posttranscriptional regulation in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) ovary and testis, two small RNA libraries of Nile tilapia were sequenced by Solexa small RNA deep sequencing methods. A total of 9,731,431 and 8,880,497 raw reads, representing 5,407,800 and 4,396,281 unique sequences were obtained from the sexually mature ovaries and testes, respectively. After comparing the small RNA sequences with the Rfam database, 1,432,210 reads in ovaries and 984,146 reads in testes were matched to the genome sequence of Nile tilapia. Bioinformatic analysis identified 764 mature miRNA, 209 miRNA-5p and 202 miRNA-3p were found in the two libraries, of which 525 known miRNAs are both expressed in the ovary and testis of Nile tilapia. Comparison of expression profiles of the testis, miR-727, miR-129 and miR-29 families were highly expressed in tilapia ovary. Additionally, miR-132, miR-212, miR-33a and miR-135b families, showed significant higher expression in testis compared with that in ovary. Furthermore, the expression patterns of the miRNAs were analyzed in different developmental stages of gonad. The result showed different expression patterns were observed during development of testis and ovary. In addition, the identification and characterization of differentially expressed miRNAs in the ovaries and testis of Nile tilapia provides important information on the role of miRNA in the regulation of the ovarian and testicular development and function. This data will be helpful to facilitate studies on the regulation of miRNAs during teleosts reproduction. PMID:24466258

Mosquito and West Nile virus surveillance in northeast Montana, U.S.A., 2005-2006

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Mosquito and West Nile virus surveillance was conducted on a National Wildlife Refuge in northeast Montana, 2005-2006, during which outbreaks of WNV in a colony of American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Gmelin) resulted in juvenile mortality rates of 30 and 31%. During both years, flood...

Mosquitoes and the environment in Nile Delta villages with previous rift valley fever activity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Egypt is affected by serious human and animal mosquito-borne diseases such as Rift Valley fever (RVF). We investigated how potential RVF virus mosquito vector populations are affected by environmental conditions in the Nile Delta region of Egypt by collecting mosquitoes and environmental data from t...

The spectrum of dermatoscopic patterns in blue nevi.

PubMed

Di Cesare, Antonella; Sera, Francesco; Gulia, Andrea; Coletti, Gino; Micantonio, Tamara; Fargnoli, Maria Concetta; Peris, Ketty

2012-08-01

Blue nevi are congenital or acquired, dermal dendritic melanocytic proliferations that can simulate melanocytic and nonmelanocytic lesions including melanoma, cutaneous metastasis of melanoma, Spitz/Reed nevi, and basal cell carcinoma. We sought to investigate global and local dermatoscopic patterns of blue nevi compared with melanomas and basal cell carcinomas. We retrospectively analyzed global and local features in 95 dermatoscopic images of blue nevi and in 190 melanomas and basal cell carcinomas that were selected as control lesions on the basis of similar pigmentation. Lesion pigmentation was classified as monochromatic, dichromatic, or multichromatic. A global pattern characterized by homogeneous pigmentation was observed in all of 95 (100%) blue nevi. Eighty of 95 (84.2%) blue nevi presented a homogeneous pattern consisting of one color (blue, black, or brown) or two colors (blue-brown, blue-gray, or blue-black). Fifteen of 95 (15.8%) blue nevi had a multichromatic (blue, gray, black, brown, and/or red) pigmentation. In all, 47 of 95 (49.5%) blue nevi were characterized by pigmentation in the absence of pigment network or any other local dermatoscopic features. And 48 of 95 (50.5%) blue nevi showed local dermatoscopic patterns including whitish scarlike depigmentation, dots/globules, vascular pattern, streaks, and networklike pattern. The study was retrospective and involved only Caucasian people of Italian origin. The characteristic feature of blue nevi is a homogeneous pigmentation that is blue, blue-gray, blue-brown, or blue-black. We showed that a wide spectrum of local dermatoscopic features (whitish scarlike depigmentation, dots/globules, peripheral streaks or vessels) may also be present. In such cases, clinical and dermatoscopic distinction from melanoma or nonmelanocytic lesions may be difficult or impossible, and surgical excision is necessary. Copyright © 2011 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

West Nile Virus in the United States — A Historical Perspective

PubMed Central

Roehrig, John T.

2013-01-01

Prior to 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) was a bit player in the screenplay of global vector-borne viral diseases. First discovered in the West Nile District of Uganda in 1937, this Culex sp.-transmitted virus was known for causing small human febrile outbreaks in Africa and the Middle East. Prior to 1995, the last major human WNV outbreak was in the 1950s in Israel. The epidemiology and ecology of WNV began to change in the mid-1990s when an epidemic of human encephalitis occurred in Romania. The introduction of WNV into Eastern Europe was readily explained by bird migration between Africa and Europe. The movement of WNV from Africa to Europe could not, however, predict its surprising jump across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City and the surrounding areas of the United States (U.S.). This movement of WNV from the Eastern to Western Hemisphere in 1999, and its subsequent dissemination throughout two continents in less than ten years is widely recognized as one of the most significant events in arbovirology during the last two centuries. This paper documents the early events of the introduction into and the spread of WNV in the Western Hemisphere. PMID:24335779

Experiencing Blues at the Crossroads: A Place-Based Method for Teaching the Geography of Blues Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strait, John

2012-01-01

This article offers a pedagogical module that explores the geography of blues culture across the Mississippi Delta. By focusing on blues culture, rather than simply blues music itself, this project provides a forum for understanding the broader geographical conditions from which this musical form emerged. This module utilizes place-based…

West Nile Virus Retinopathy and Associations with Long Term Neurological and Neurocognitive Sequelae.

PubMed

Hasbun, Rodrigo; Garcia, Melissa N; Kellaway, Judianne; Baker, Laura; Salazar, Lucrecia; Woods, Steven Paul; Murray, Kristy O

2016-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) has emerged as an important vector-borne pathogen in North America, with more than 3 million estimated to have been infected. Retinopathy from WNV infection has been previously reported in acute cases, though those prior reports did not evaluate the risk of retinopathy based on clinical severity of neurologic disease. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to perform comprehensive ophthalmological and neurological examinations on 111 patients with a history of West Nile virus infection and describe the ocular manifestations. Out of 111 patients, 27 (24%) had evidence for West Nile virus associated retinopathy (WNVR); this observation was higher (49%) in those patients who initially presented with encephalitis. Individuals with WNVR had more frequent involvement of the macula and peripheral involvement compared to those patients without WNVR (p<0.05). WNVR was also associated with a greater likelihood of abnormal reflexes on neurological exam, poorer learning, greater dependence in activities of daily living, and lower quality of life (p<0.05). WNVR was seen more frequently in elderly patients (age > 60 years), and was associated with higher rates of diabetes mellitus and a history of encephalitis (p<0.05). A multivariable logistic regression revealed that only a history of encephalitis was independently associated with WNVR [Adjusted Odds Ratio = 4.9 (1.8-13.2); p = 0.001]. Our study found that WNVR occurs in one fourth of patients with a history of WNV infection and is more frequently observed in those with apparent severe neurological sequelae (e.g., encephalitis). The clinical relevance of WNVR was supported by its associations with dependence in activities of daily living and lower quality of life. This unique evaluation of WNV patients included fundoscopic examinations and their associations with neurologic impairment. Our findings can be used during ophthalmological consultation for the evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation

Global DNA Methylation Changes in Nile Tilapia Gonads during High Temperature-Induced Masculinization

PubMed Central

Wang, Hui; Li, Ning

2016-01-01

In some fish species, high or low temperature can switch the sex determination mechanisms and induce fish sex reversal when the gonads are undifferentiated. During this high or low temperature-induced sex reversal, the expressions of many genes are altered. However, genome-wide DNA methylation changes in fish gonads after high or low temperature treatment are unclear. Herein, we compared the global DNA methylation changes in the gonads from control females (CF), control males (CM), high temperature-treated females (TF), and high temperature-induced males (IM) from the F8 family of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. The DNA methylation level in CF was higher than that in CM for various chromosomes. Both females and males showed an increase in methylation levels on various chromosomes after high-temperature induction. We identified 64,438 (CF/CM), 63,437 (TF/IM), 98,675 (TF/CF), 235,270 (IM/CM) and 119,958 (IM/CF) differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in Nile tilapia gonads, representing approximately 0.70% (CF/CM), 0.69% (TF/IM), 1.07% (TF/CF), 2.56% (IM/CM), and 1.30% (IM/CF)of the length of the genome. A total of 89 and 65 genes that exhibited DMRs in their gene bodies and promoters were mapped to the Nile tilapia genome. Furthermore, more than half of the genes with DMRs in the gene body in CF/CM were also included in the IM/CM, TF/CF, TF/IM, and IM/CF groups. Additionally, many important pathways, including neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids were identified. This study provided an important foundation to investigate the molecular mechanism of high temperature-induced sex reversal in fish species. PMID:27486872

Metastatic malignant blue nevus: a case report.

PubMed

Ozgür, F; Akyürek, M; Kayikçioğlu, A; Barişta, I; Gököz, A

1997-10-01

This report presents a 63-year-old Caucasian woman with a malignant blue nevus, which is an extremely rare form of melanoma originating from or associated with a preexisting blue nevus. The background blue nevus on the left upper arm, which had been present for 5 to 6 years, increased in size and darkened in color for 3 months prior to histological diagnosis of malignant blue nevus. Although the tumor looked much like a nodular melanoma clinically, the diagnosis of malignant blue nevus was established histologically. The patient had a poor outcome due to metastatic spread of the tumor to the visceral organs 1 year following the initial excision of the tumor. To distinguish this rare tumor from other melanocytic lesions, strict histological criteria are needed to make the diagnosis of malignant blue nevus. Differential diagnosis includes cellular blue nevus, atypical cellular blue nevus, primary malignant melanoma, and metastatic melanoma to the dermis. Malignant blue nevus is most commonly seen on the scalp. The tumor has an aggressive behavior and metastasizes in the majority of patients. This paper describes the second reported case of malignant blue nevus involving the upper arm. Clinical and histological features of this uncommon tumor are presented, along with a review of the literature.

West Nile virus outbreak among horses in New York State, 1999 and 2000.

PubMed Central

Trock, S. C.; Meade, B. J.; Glaser, A. L.; Ostlund, E. N.; Lanciotti, R. S.; Cropp, B. C.; Kulasekera, V.; Kramer, L. D.; Komar, N.

2001-01-01

West Nile (WN) virus was identified in the Western Hemisphere in 1999. Along with human encephalitis cases, 20 equine cases of WN virus were detected in 1999 and 23 equine cases in 2000 in New York. During both years, the equine cases occurred after human cases in New York had been identified. PMID:11585543

The Blue Coma: The Role of Methylene Blue in Unexplained Coma After Cardiac Surgery.

PubMed

Martino, Enrico Antonio; Winterton, Dario; Nardelli, Pasquale; Pasin, Laura; Calabrò, Maria Grazia; Bove, Tiziana; Fanelli, Giovanna; Zangrillo, Alberto; Landoni, Giovanni

2016-04-01

Methylene blue commonly is used as a dye or an antidote, but also can be used off label as a vasopressor. Serotonin toxicity is a potentially lethal and often misdiagnosed condition that can result from drug interaction. Mild serotonin toxicity previously was reported in settings in which methylene blue was used as a dye. The authors report 3 cases of life-threatening serotonin toxicity in patients undergoing chronic selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy who also underwent cardiac surgery and received methylene blue to treat vasoplegic syndrome. An observational study. A cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU) in a teaching hospital. Three patients who received methylene blue after cardiac surgery, later discovered to be undergoing chronic SSRI therapy. None. All 3 patients received high doses of fentanyl during general anesthesia. They all developed vasoplegic syndrome and consequently were given methylene blue in the ICU. All 3 patients developed serotonin toxicity, including coma, after this administration and diagnostic tests were negative for acute intracranial pathology. Coma lasted between 1 and 5 days. Two patients were discharged from the ICU shortly after awakening, whereas the third patient experienced a complicated postoperative course for concomitant refractory low-cardiac-output syndrome. Patients undergoing chronic SSRI therapy should not be administered methylene blue to treat vasoplegic syndrome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Survival, Growth and Reproduction of Non-Native Nile Tilapia II: Fundamental Niche Projections and Invasion Potential in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

PubMed Central

Lowe, Michael R.; Wu, Wei; Peterson, Mark S.; Brown-Peterson, Nancy J.; Slack, William T.; Schofield, Pamela J.

2012-01-01

Understanding the fundamental niche of invasive species facilitates our ability to predict both dispersal patterns and invasion success and therefore provides the basis for better-informed conservation and management policies. Here we focus on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758), one of the most widely cultured fish worldwide and a species that has escaped local aquaculture facilities to become established in a coastal-draining river in Mississippi (northern Gulf of Mexico). Using empirical physiological data, logistic regression models were developed to predict the probabilities of Nile tilapia survival, growth, and reproduction at different combinations of temperature (14 and 30°C) and salinity (0–60, by increments of 10). These predictive models were combined with kriged seasonal salinity data derived from multiple long-term data sets to project the species' fundamental niche in Mississippi coastal waters during normal salinity years (averaged across all years) and salinity patterns in extremely wet and dry years (which might emerge more frequently under scenarios of climate change). The derived fundamental niche projections showed that during the summer, Nile tilapia is capable of surviving throughout Mississippi's coastal waters but growth and reproduction were limited to river mouths (or upriver). Overwinter survival was also limited to river mouths. The areas where Nile tilapia could survive, grow, and reproduce increased during extremely wet years (2–368%) and decreased during extremely dry years (86–92%) in the summer with a similar pattern holding for overwinter survival. These results indicate that Nile tilapia is capable of 1) using saline waters to gain access to other watersheds throughout the region and 2) establishing populations in nearshore, low-salinity waters, particularly in the western portion of coastal Mississippi. PMID:22848533

Survival, growth and reproduction of non-native Nile tilapia II: fundamental niche projections and invasion potential in the northern Gulf of Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowe, Michael R.; Wu, Wei; Peterson, Mark S.; Brown-Peterson, Nancy J.; Slack, William T.; Schofield, Pamela J.

2012-01-01

Understanding the fundamental niche of invasive species facilitates our ability to predict both dispersal patterns and invasion success and therefore provides the basis for better-informed conservation and management policies. Here we focus on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758), one of the most widely cultured fish worldwide and a species that has escaped local aquaculture facilities to become established in a coastal-draining river in Mississippi (northern Gulf of Mexico). Using empirical physiological data, logistic regression models were developed to predict the probabilities of Nile tilapia survival, growth, and reproduction at different combinations of temperature (14 and 30°C) and salinity (0–60, by increments of 10). These predictive models were combined with kriged seasonal salinity data derived from multiple long-term data sets to project the species' fundamental niche in Mississippi coastal waters during normal salinity years (averaged across all years) and salinity patterns in extremely wet and dry years (which might emerge more frequently under scenarios of climate change). The derived fundamental niche projections showed that during the summer, Nile tilapia is capable of surviving throughout Mississippi's coastal waters but growth and reproduction were limited to river mouths (or upriver). Overwinter survival was also limited to river mouths. The areas where Nile tilapia could survive, grow, and reproduce increased during extremely wet years (2–368%) and decreased during extremely dry years (86–92%) in the summer with a similar pattern holding for overwinter survival. These results indicate that Nile tilapia is capable of 1) using saline waters to gain access to other watersheds throughout the region and 2) establishing populations in nearshore, low-salinity waters, particularly in the western portion of coastal Mississippi.

Polymer-stabilized liquid crystal blue phases.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Hirotsugu; Yokota, Masayuki; Hisakado, Yoshiaki; Yang, Huai; Kajiyama, Tisato

2002-09-01

Blue phases are types of liquid crystal phases that appear in a temperature range between a chiral nematic phase and an isotropic liquid phase. Because blue phases have a three-dimensional cubic structure with lattice periods of several hundred nanometres, they exhibit selective Bragg reflections in the range of visible light corresponding to the cubic lattice. From the viewpoint of applications, although blue phases are of interest for fast light modulators or tunable photonic crystals, the very narrow temperature range, usually less than a few kelvin, within which blue phases exist has always been a problem. Here we show the stabilization of blue phases over a temperature range of more than 60 K including room temperature (260-326 K). Furthermore, we demonstrate an electro-optical switching with a response time of the order of 10(-4) s for the stabilized blue phases at room temperature.

West nile virus anti-body surveillance in three Sierra Nevada raptors of conservation concern

Treesearch

J.M. Hull; J.J. Keane; L.A. Tell; H.B. Ernest

2010-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) infection has caused high levels of mortality in North American hawks and owls. To investigate the extent of infection among raptors of conservation concern in the Sierra Nevada, we tested 62 Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis), 209 Spotted Owls (Strix occidentalis), and 22 Great Gray Owls (...

Human West Nile virus infection in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

PubMed

Ahmetagić, Sead; Petković, Jovan; Hukić, Mirsada; Smriko-Nuhanović, Arnela; Piljić, Dilista

2015-02-01

To describe the first two cases of West Nile virus (WNV) neuroinvasive infections in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the Clinic for Infectious Diseases of the University Clinical Centre Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), specific screening for WNV infection was performed on patients with neuroinvasive diseases from 1 August to 31 October 2013. Serum samples were tested for the presence of WNV IgM and IgG antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); positive serum samples were further analyzed by detection of WNV nucleic acid of two distinct lineages (lineage 1 and lineage 2) in sera by RT-PCR. Three (out of nine) patients met clinical criteria, and two of them had high serum titre of WNV specific IgM antibodies (3.5 and 5.2). Serum RT-PCR testing was negative. Conformation by neutralization testing was not performed. Both cases represented with encephalitis. None of these cases had recent travel history in WNW endemic areas, or history of blood transfusion and organ transplantation, so they represented autochthonous cases. Although there were no previous reports of flavivirus infections in BiH, described cases had high titre of WNV specific antibodies in serum, and negative flavivirus-vaccination history, they were defined as probable cases because recommended testing for case confirmation was not performed. The West Nile virus should be considered a possible causative pathogen in this area, probably in patients with mild influenza-like disease of unknown origin and those with neuroinvasive disease during late summer and early autumn.

Long Duration Exposure Facility

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-30

Blue and Oxazine Dyes- Name Absorption -mazimu= Lasing Wavelengths un. un. (solvent) (solvent) Nile Blue A, 635 690 Perchlorate (ethanol) (ethanol...Fluence(/cm Etching 5 Al 3.5 MeV 5x10 6 N NaOH 6 o BI8 PrQtons Ixl0 50 C, 15 hr. 6 C9 (normal 3x10 (2 sided) incidence) 01 (unirradiated) 5 DIS 2.0

Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Nile Delta Basin Province, Eastern Mediterranean

USGS Publications Warehouse

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

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated means of 1.8 billion barrels of recoverable oil, 223 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas, and 6 billion barrels of natural gas liquids in the Nile Delta Basin Province using a geology-based assessment methodology.

Experimental North American West Nile Virus Infection in the Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa).

PubMed

Gamino, V; Escribano-Romero, E; Blázquez, A-B; Gutiérrez-Guzmán, A-V; Martín-Acebes, M-Á; Saiz, J-C; Höfle, U

2016-05-01

After the introduction of West Nile virus (WNV) into North America, bird mortalities associated with West Nile disease have dramatically increased in this continent and, to a lesser extent, in Europe. The different West Nile disease incidence in birds in these 2 continents demands an explanation, and experimental studies can provide important information. The authors inoculated thirteen 9-week-old red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa) with 10(7)plaque-forming units of a WNV strain isolated in New York in 1999. The objective was to study the pathogenesis of the infection in a native Euro-Mediterranean bird species with a WNV strain known to be highly pathogenic for numerous native American bird species. Additionally, the authors evaluated the dynamics of inflammatory cell activation and recruitment into the brain. WNV was detected in tissues 3 days postinoculation (dpi), and the birds developed macroscopic and microscopic lesions. Two partridges succumbed to the disease. The most affected tissues were the heart, brain, and spinal cord. The main microscopic findings were the presence of mononuclear infiltrates in the heart and brain, gliosis, and degeneration and necrosis of cardiomyocytes and neurons. These lesions were aggravated in the birds that died or were euthanized 7 dpi or later. In the brain, there was an upregulation of microglial cells and astrocytes and an increase in the number of T cells, especially after 7 dpi. These results show that this WNV strain is of moderate virulence for the red-legged partridge and that WNV-infected red-legged partridges develop an immune cell response in the brain similar to that of mammals. © The Author(s) 2015.

Improved Management of the Nile River Basin Through Modeling the Sudd, a Wetland with Vital Socioeconomic and Environmental Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Vittorio, C.; Georgakakos, A. P.

2017-12-01

The Sudd is a vast, remote wetland in South Sudan and a vital component of the Nile River Basin. While decision support tools like the Nile Decision Support Tool (Nile DST) estimate the amount of water flowing through the Sudd, they do not account for other wetland processes that sustain the ecosystem diversity and the pastoral way of life for nearly two million people who live in the area (Howell et al. 1988). An accurate hydrologic model of the Sudd would enable policy makers to appreciate and manage it in a way that benefits local inhabitants as well as the 500 million people living within the Nile region (NBI, 2016). Currently, the most widely accepted model of the Sudd was developed by Sutcliffe and Parks (1999) and is a lumped mass balance model that accounts for key water fluxes. Estimates of the aerial extent of flooding obtained from satellite and airborne imagery on a few dates were used to calibrate the model parameters over the 1905-1983 period. During the AGU Fall 2016 meeting, we presented a method for deriving the dynamic flooding extents of the Sudd on a monthly temporal resolution from 2000-2015 using MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) land surface reflectance data (Di Vittorio & Georgakakos, 2017 in press). In the study presented here, we have used this new information to evaluate the Sutcliffe and Park's model, highlight its shortcomings, and suggest alternative modeling approaches that are accurate enough to incorporate into water management models. The alternative modelling approaches include statistical and physically based models, and the incorporation of satellite-based hydrometeorlogical data sets. This improved hydrologic model will allow stakeholders in this sensitive world region to better understand how current and future climate and water management scenarios will impact the Sudd ecosystem and local economy. References: Di Vittorio, C. A., Georgakakos, A.P. (2017). Land cover classification and wetland inundation mapping

Detecting West Nile virus in owls and raptors by an antigen-capture assay.

PubMed

Gancz, Ady Y; Campbell, Douglas G; Barker, Ian K; Lindsay, Robbin; Hunter, Bruce

2004-12-01

We evaluated a rapid antigen-capture assay (VecTest) for detection of West Nile virus in oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs, collected at necropsy from owls (N = 93) and raptors (N = 27). Sensitivity was 93.5%-95.2% for northern owl species but <42.9% for all other species. Specificity was 100% for owls and 85.7% for raptors.

The impact of West Nile virus on birds in California’s hardwood rangelands

Treesearch

Thomas Scott; Pey-Yi Lee; Kerry Paggett; Ryan Carney; Stan Husted; Walter Koenig

2008-01-01

West Nile virus has undergone an unprecedented rate of infection in North America, sweeping from New York to California in four years. It attacked an exceptionally broad range of hosts/vectors over a broad geographic area. In 2004, the California Department of Health Services received approximately 98,000 reports of dead birds, representing tens of millions of birds...

49 CFR 218.23 - Blue signal display.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Blue signal display. 218.23 Section 218.23..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD OPERATING PRACTICES Blue Signal Protection of Workers § 218.23 Blue signal display. (a) Blue signals displayed in accordance with § 218.25, 218.27, or 218.29 signify that...

49 CFR 218.23 - Blue signal display.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Blue signal display. 218.23 Section 218.23..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD OPERATING PRACTICES Blue Signal Protection of Workers § 218.23 Blue signal display. (a) Blue signals displayed in accordance with § 218.25, 218.27, or 218.29 signify that...

49 CFR 218.23 - Blue signal display.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Blue signal display. 218.23 Section 218.23..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD OPERATING PRACTICES Blue Signal Protection of Workers § 218.23 Blue signal display. (a) Blue signals displayed in accordance with § 218.25, 218.27, or 218.29 signify that...

49 CFR 218.23 - Blue signal display.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Blue signal display. 218.23 Section 218.23..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD OPERATING PRACTICES Blue Signal Protection of Workers § 218.23 Blue signal display. (a) Blue signals displayed in accordance with § 218.25, 218.27, or 218.29 signify that...

49 CFR 218.23 - Blue signal display.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Blue signal display. 218.23 Section 218.23..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RAILROAD OPERATING PRACTICES Blue Signal Protection of Workers § 218.23 Blue signal display. (a) Blue signals displayed in accordance with § 218.25, 218.27, or 218.29 signify that...

West Nile Virus Infection in the Central Nervous System

PubMed Central

Winkelmann, Evandro R.; Luo, Huanle; Wang, Tian

2016-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV), a neurotropic single-stranded flavivirus has been the leading cause of arboviral encephalitis worldwide.  Up to 50% of WNV convalescent patients in the United States were reported to have long-term neurological sequelae.  Neither antiviral drugs nor vaccines are available for humans.  Animal models have been used to investigate WNV pathogenesis and host immune response in humans.  In this review, we will discuss recent findings from studies in animal models of WNV infection, and provide new insights on WNV pathogenesis and WNV-induced host immunity in the central nervous system. PMID:26918172

Integrated analysis of human-animal-vector surveillance: West Nile virus infections in Austria, 2015-2016.

PubMed

Kolodziejek, Jolanta; Jungbauer, Christof; Aberle, Stephan W; Allerberger, Franz; Bagó, Zoltán; Camp, Jeremy V; Dimmel, Katharina; de Heus, Phebe; Kolodziejek, Michael; Schiefer, Peter; Seidel, Bernhard; Stiasny, Karin; Nowotny, Norbert

2018-03-14

The results of integrated human and veterinary surveillance for West Nile virus (WNV) infections in Austria during the transmission seasons 2015 and 2016 are shown. Altogether WNV nucleic acid was detected in 21 humans, horses, wild birds and mosquito pools. In detail: in four human clinical cases [two cases of West Nile fever (WNF) and two cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease (WNND)]; eight blood donors [among 145,541 tested donations], of which three remained asymptomatic and five subsequently developed mild WNF; two horses with WNND, of which one recovered and one had to be euthanized; two wild birds [one goshawk and one falcon, both succumbed to WNND]; and five Culex pipiens mosquito pools. Compared to previous years the number of infections increased remarkably. All infections were recorded in the city of Vienna and neighboring regions of Lower Austria. Sixteen coding-complete WNV sequences were established which were closely related to each other and to other Austrian, Czech and Italian viruses, all belonging to the Central/Southern European cluster of WNV sublineage 2d. However, several genetically slightly different WNV strains seem to co-circulate in the same area, as demonstrated by phylogenetic analysis. Based on detailed sequence analysis, all newly discovered Austrian WNV strains had the potential to cause neurological disease, but no correlation was found between severity of disease and the analyzed genetic virulence/neuroinvasiveness markers. Results of integrated human-animal-vector surveillance presented in this paper provide a comprehensive description of WNV activity in the region and will facilitate proactive public health measures to prevent or mitigate potential outbreaks.

Raman analysis of cobalt blue pigment in blue and white porcelain: A reassessment.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiaochenyang; Ma, Yanying; Chen, Yue; Li, Yuanqiu; Ma, Qinglin; Zhang, Zhaoxia; Wang, Changsui; Yang, Yimin

2018-02-05

Cobalt blue is a famous pigment in human history. In the past decade it is widely reported that the cobalt aluminate has been detected in ancient ceramics as blue colorant in glaze, yet the acquired Raman spectra are incredibly different from that of synthesised references, necessitating a reassessment of such contradictory scenario with more accurate analytic strategies. In this study, micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in association with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) were performed on under-glaze cobalt pigments from one submerged blue and white porcelain shard dated from Wanli reign (1573-1620CE) of Ming dynasty (1365-1644CE) excavated at Nan'ao I shipwreck off the southern coast of China. The micro-structural inspection reveals that the pigment particles have characteristics of small account, tiny size, heterogeneously distribution, and more importantly, been completely enwrapped by well-developed anorthite crystals in the glaze, indicating that the signals recorded in previous publications are probably not from cobalt pigments themselves but from outside thickset anorthite shell. The further spectromicroscopic analyses confirm this presumption when the accurate spectra of cobalt aluminate pigment and surrounding anorthite were obtained separately with precise optical positioning. Accordingly, we reassess and clarify the previous Raman studies dedicated to cobalt blue pigment in ancient ceramics, e.g. cobalt blue in celadon glaze, and in turn demonstrate the superiority and necessity of coupling spectroscopic analysis with corresponding structure observation, especially in the characterization of pigments from complicated physico-chemical environment like antiquities. Thus, this study promotes a better understanding of Raman spectroscopy study of cobalt blue pigments in art and archaeology field. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Raman analysis of cobalt blue pigment in blue and white porcelain: A reassessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Xiaochenyang; Ma, Yanying; Chen, Yue; Li, Yuanqiu; Ma, Qinglin; Zhang, Zhaoxia; Wang, Changsui; Yang, Yimin

2018-02-01

Cobalt blue is a famous pigment in human history. In the past decade it is widely reported that the cobalt aluminate has been detected in ancient ceramics as blue colorant in glaze, yet the acquired Raman spectra are incredibly different from that of synthesised references, necessitating a reassessment of such contradictory scenario with more accurate analytic strategies. In this study, micro-Raman spectroscopy (MRS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in association with energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) were performed on under-glaze cobalt pigments from one submerged blue and white porcelain shard dated from Wanli reign (1573-1620 CE) of Ming dynasty (1365-1644 CE) excavated at Nan'ao I shipwreck off the southern coast of China. The micro-structural inspection reveals that the pigment particles have characteristics of small account, tiny size, heterogeneously distribution, and more importantly, been completely enwrapped by well-developed anorthite crystals in the glaze, indicating that the signals recorded in previous publications are probably not from cobalt pigments themselves but from outside thickset anorthite shell. The further spectromicroscopic analyses confirm this presumption when the accurate spectra of cobalt aluminate pigment and surrounding anorthite were obtained separately with precise optical positioning. Accordingly, we reassess and clarify the previous Raman studies dedicated to cobalt blue pigment in ancient ceramics, e.g. cobalt blue in celadon glaze, and in turn demonstrate the superiority and necessity of coupling spectroscopic analysis with corresponding structure observation, especially in the characterization of pigments from complicated physico-chemical environment like antiquities. Thus, this study promotes a better understanding of Raman spectroscopy study of cobalt blue pigments in art and archaeology field.

Blue Willow Story Plates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fontes, Kris

2009-01-01

In the December 1997 issue of "SchoolArts" is a lesson titled "Blue Willow Story Plates" by Susan Striker. In this article, the author shares how she used this lesson with her middle-school students many times over the years. Here, she describes a Blue Willow plate painting project that her students made.

2D ratiometric fluorescent pH sensor for tracking of cells proliferation and metabolism.

PubMed

Ma, Jun; Ding, Changqin; Zhou, Jie; Tian, Yang

2015-08-15

Extracellular pH plays a vital role no matter in physiological or pathological studies. In this work, a hydrogel, CD@Nile-FITC@Gel (Gel sensor), entrapping the ratiometric fluorescent probe CD@Nile-FITC was developed. The Gel sensor was successfully used for real-time extracellular pH monitoring. In the case of CD@Nile-FITC, pH-sensitive fluorescent dye fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was chosen as the response signal for H(+) and Nile blue chloride (Nile) as the reference signal. The developed fluorescent probe exhibited high selectivity for pH over other metal ions and amino acids. Meanwhile, the carbon-dots-based inorganic-organic probe demonstrated excellent photostability against long-term light illumination. In order to study the extracellular pH change in processes of cell proliferation and metabolism, CD@Nile-FITC probe was entrapped in sodium alginate gel and consequently formed CD@Nile-FITC@Gel. The MTT assay showed low cytotoxicity of the Gel and the pH titration indicated that it could monitor the pH fluctuations linearly and rapidly within the pH range of 6.0-9.0, which is valuable for physiological pH determination. As expected, the real-time bioimaging of the probe was successfully achieved. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Holocene Flexural Deformation over the Nile Delta: Evidence from Radar Interferometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebremichael, E.; Sultan, M.; Becker, R.

2017-12-01

Isostatic adjustment and subsequent subsidence and uplift due to sediment and water loading and unloading mechanisms is one of the major factors that produce regional deformational patterns across river deltas. Using 84 Envisat ASAR scenes that were acquired (2004 - 2010) along three tracks and applying Persistent scatterer (PS) radar interferometric techniques, we documented flexural deformational patterns over the entire Nile Delta (length: 186 km; width: 240 km) of Egypt. The passive continental margin of Africa subsided from Jurassic time onwards due to isostatic loading creating an accommodation space and consequently, the deposition of relatively younger sediments on the oceanic crust. In river deltas, the flexural isostasy model dictates that a subsidence in the oceanic crust side should be balanced by a bulge (uplift) in the flanking regions. Using radar interferometry, we were able to identify the flexural deformation pattern and map its spatial extent over the northern and central Nile Delta region. Findings include: (1) the northern Nile Delta region (block) is separated from the southern delta region by an east-west trending, extensively faulted, hinge line that signifies the boundary between two deformational patterns (subsidence and uplift). It separates the highly subsiding (up to 9.8 mm/yr) northern delta block (up to 85 km long) from the nearly stable (0.4 mm/yr; averaged) southern delta block (up to 91 km long). The hinge line marks the end of the passive continental margin of Africa and the beginning of the oceanic crust of the Mediterranean. (2) We mapped the extent of a 20-40 km wide flexural uplift zone to the south of the hinge line. Within the flexural uplift zone (2.5 mm/yr; averaged), there is a gradual increase in uplift rate reaching peak value (up to 7 mm/yr) near the midpoint of the zone. (3) The uplift rate gradually decreases south of the flexure boundary reaching 0.3 mm/yr at the southern periphery of the delta. (4) The flexural

21 CFR 133.106 - Blue cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Blue cheese. 133.106 Section 133.106 Food and... CONSUMPTION CHEESES AND RELATED CHEESE PRODUCTS Requirements for Specific Standardized Cheese and Related Products § 133.106 Blue cheese. (a) Description. (1) Blue cheese is the food prepared by the procedure set...

21 CFR 133.106 - Blue cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Blue cheese. 133.106 Section 133.106 Food and... CONSUMPTION CHEESES AND RELATED CHEESE PRODUCTS Requirements for Specific Standardized Cheese and Related Products § 133.106 Blue cheese. (a) Description. (1) Blue cheese is the food prepared by the procedure set...

Clinical pathology results from cranes with experimental West Nile Virus infection

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olsen, Glenn H.

2011-01-01

Sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis) were vaccinated for and then challenged with West Nile virus. Resulting titers demonstrated protection in the vaccinated-challenged cranes as compared to the unvaccinated-challenged cranes. Clinical pathology results showed challenged cranes, whether vaccinated or not, had a decrease in their hematocrits and an elevation of 2.5-fold in their white blood cell counts as compared to unchallenged control sandhill cranes. No differences were apparent in the differential counts of heterophils and lymphocytes.

Reported Neuroinvasive Cases of West Nile Virus by State, 2002-2014

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This map shows the average annual incidence of neuroinvasive West Nile virus disease in each state, which is calculated as the average number of new cases per 100,000 people per year from 2002 to 2014. The map is based on cases that local and state health departments report to CDC??s national disease tracking system. Neuroinvasive cases are those that affect the brain or cause neurologic dysfunction. For more information: www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators

Maturation history of Neogene-Quaternary sediments, Nile delta basin, Egypt

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

Ramadan Abu El-Ella

1990-01-01

The present Nile delta area covers approximately 60,000 km{sup 2}. Fields in this area provide two-thirds of the gas production in Egypt. Geological knowledge of the Nile delta is still limited because of insufficient subsurface data. Gas is generated and accumulates at stratigraphic levels ranging from the lower Miocene to the lower Pliocene. The highest levels of organic maturation in the Neogene-Quaternary section are in the northern part of the onshore area, such as in the Abu Madi well, and in the eastern part of the offshore area, such as in the El Temsah well, where gas reservoirs occur inmore » the lower Pliocene sandstones (Abu Madi Formation), and in the underlying Sidi Salem Formation and lower Miocene rocks. Here, the Sidi Salem Formation is probably generative, having an R{sub 0} of approximately 0.65%, LOM (levels of organic metamorphism) of 9.5 to 9.7, and TTI (time-temperature index) of 9.7 to 15.2. By contrast, a different thermal history clearly existed in the western and eastern parts of the onshore area, such as in the Monaga and Damanhur wells, where the organic maturities are significantly lower than maturities elsewhere in the basin (R{sub 0} = 0.38 and 0.29%, respectively). The predicted maturities obtained by using the LOM method seem to fit much closer to the observed maturities than the predicted maturities obtained by using the Lopatin TTI method. 5 figs.« less

Understanding blue-light photoreceptors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crane, Brian

Blue-light sensing proteins coordinate many biological processes that include phototropism, photomorphism, stress responses, virulence and the entrainment of circadian clocks. Three major types of blue-light sensors all bind flavin nucleotides as chromophores, but the photochemistry employed and conformational responses invoked differ considerably among the classes. Nevertheless, photoinduced electron transfer reactions play a key role in many mechanisms. How such reactivity leads to conformational signaling will be discussed for both cryptochromes (CRYs) and light- oxygen- voltage (LOV) domains. In CRYs, blue-light mediated flavin reduction promotes proton transfer within the active center that then leads to displacement of a key signaling element. For LOV proteins, blue light causes formation of a covalent cysteinyl-flavin adduct, which rearranges hydrogen bonding and restructures the N-terminal region of the protein. Interestingly, a new class of LOV-like sensor does not undergo adduct formation and instead can operate by flavin photoreduction, like CRY. Conserved aspects of reactivity in these proteins provide lessons for the design of new photosensors, which may find use as tools in optogenetics Supported by NIH GM079679.

Satellite mapping of Nile Delta coastal changes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blodget, H. W.; Taylor, P. T.; Roark, J. H.

1989-01-01

Multitemporal, multispectral scanner (MSS) landsat data have been used to monitor erosion and sedimentation along the Rosetta Promontory of the Nile Delta. These processes have accelerated significantly since the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1964. Digital differencing of four MSS data sets, using standard algorithms, show that changes observed over a single year period generally occur as strings of single mixed pixels along the coast. Therefore, these can only be used qualitatively to indicate areas where changes occur. Areas of change recorded over a multi-year period are generally larger and thus identified by clusters of pixels; this reduces errors introduced by mixed pixels. Satellites provide a synoptic perspective utilizing data acquired at frequent time intervals. This permits multiple year monitoring of delta evolution on a regional scale.

Unraveling the Mystery of the Blue Fog: Structure, Properties, and Applications of Amorphous Blue Phase III.

PubMed

Gandhi, Sahil Sandesh; Chien, Liang-Chy

2017-12-01

The amorphous blue phase III of cholesteric liquid crystals, also known as the "blue fog," are among the rising stars in materials science that can potentially be used to develop next-generation displays with the ability to compete toe-to-toe with disruptive technologies like organic light-emitting diodes. The structure and properties of the practically unobservable blue phase III have eluded scientists for more than a century since it was discovered. This progress report reviews the developments in this field from both fundamental and applied research perspectives. The first part of this progress report gives an overview of the 130-years-long scientific tour-de-force that very recently resulted in the revelation of the mysterious structure of blue phase III. The second part reviews progress made in the past decade in developing electrooptical, optical, and photonic devices based on blue phase III. The strong and weak aspects of the development of these devices are underlined and criticized, respectively. The third- and-final part proposes ideas for further improvement in blue phase III technology to make it feasible for commercialization and widespread use. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Respiratory Insufficiency Correlated Strongly with Mortality of Rodents Infected with West Nile Virus

PubMed Central

Morrey, John D.; Siddharthan, Venkatraman; Wang, Hong; Hall, Jeffery O.

2012-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV) disease can be fatal for high-risk patients. Since WNV or its antigens have been identified in multiple anatomical locations of the central nervous system of persons or rodent models, one cannot know where to investigate the actual mechanism of mortality without careful studies in animal models. In this study, depressed respiratory functions measured by plethysmography correlated strongly with mortality. This respiratory distress, as well as reduced oxygen saturation, occurred beginning as early as 4 days before mortality. Affected medullary respiratory control cells may have contributed to the animals' respiratory insufficiency, because WNV antigen staining was present in neurons located in the ventrolateral medulla. Starvation or dehydration would be irrelevant in people, but could cause death in rodents due to lethargy or loss of appetite. Animal experiments were performed to exclude this possibility. Plasma ketones were increased in moribund infected hamsters, but late-stage starvation markers were not apparent. Moreover, daily subcutaneous administration of 5% dextrose in physiological saline solution did not improve survival or other disease signs. Therefore, infected hamsters did not die from starvation or dehydration. No cerebral edema was apparent in WNV- or sham-infected hamsters as determined by comparing wet-to-total weight ratios of brains, or by evaluating blood-brain-barrier permeability using Evans blue dye penetration into brains. Limited vasculitis was present in the right atrium of the heart of infected hamsters, but abnormal electrocardiograms for several days leading up to mortality did not occur. Since respiratory insufficiency was strongly correlated with mortality more than any other pathological parameter, it is the likely cause of death in rodents. These animal data and a poor prognosis for persons with respiratory insufficiency support the hypothesis that neurological lesions affecting respiratory function may be the

Blue straggler stars: lessons from open clusters.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geller, Aaron M.

Open clusters enable a deep dive into blue straggler characteristics. Recent work shows that the binary properties (frequency, orbital elements and companion masses and evolutionary states) of the blue stragglers are the most important diagnostic for determining their origins. To date the multi-epoch radial-velocity observations necessary for characterizing these blue straggler binaries have only been carried out in open clusters. In this paper, I highlight recent results in the open clusters NGC 188, NGC 2682 (M67) and NGC 6819. The characteristics of many of the blue stragglers in these open clusters point directly to origins through mass transfer from an evolved donor star. Additionally, a handful of blue stragglers show clear signatures of past dynamical encounters. These comprehensive, diverse and detailed observations also reveal important challenges for blue straggler formation models (and particularly the mass-transfer channel), which we must overcome to fully understand the origins of blue straggler stars and other mass-transfer products.

Detecting West Nile Virus in Owls and Raptors by an Antigen-capture Assay

PubMed Central

Campbell, Douglas G.; Barker, Ian K.; Lindsay, Robbin; Hunter, Bruce

2004-01-01

We evaluated a rapid antigen-capture assay (VecTest) for detection of West Nile virus in oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs, collected at necropsy from owls (N = 93) and raptors (N = 27). Sensitivity was 93.5%–95.2% for northern owl species but <42.9% for all other species. Specificity was 100% for owls and 85.7% for raptors. PMID:15663862

Use of big data by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.

PubMed

Helm-Murtagh, Susan C

2014-01-01

The health care industry is grappling with the challenges of working with and analyzing large, complex, diverse data sets. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina provides several promising examples of how big data can be used to reduce the cost of care, to predict and manage health risks, and to improve clinical outcomes.

Identification of Suitable Areas for West Nile Virus Circulation in Tunisia.

PubMed

Ben Hassine, T; Conte, A; Calistri, P; Candeloro, L; Ippoliti, C; De Massis, F; Danzetta, M L; Bejaoui, M; Hammami, S

2017-04-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a mosquito-transmitted Flavivirus belonging to the Japanese encephalitis antigenic complex of the Flaviviridae family. It is transmitted primarily by the bite of infected mosquitoes, particularly Culex spp. and Aedes/Ochlerotatus spp., which acquire the virus by feeding on viraemic birds. Humans, horses and other mammals are regarded as incidental or dead-end hosts. In the last decades, an increasing number of cases of WNV infection in horses and humans have been notified in the Mediterranean basin. In Tunisia, human cases of WNV-related meningoencephalitis were detected in 1997, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2012. Based on the analysis of climatic and environmental conditions found in the locations where human cases have been reported in 2012, the aim of this study was to identify similar areas in Tunisia potentially at risk of disease occurrence. Data related to 85 neuroinvasive West Nile fever (WNF) human cases were georeferenced and a set of environmental and climatic variables (wetlands and humid areas, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), temperatures and elevation, migratory bird settlements) were used in the analysis. Areas, ecologically similar to those where human cases were detected, were identified using the Mahalanobis distance statistic. A leave-one-out cross-validation was performed to validate the sensitivity of the model, and 78 of 85 points were correctly classified. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Ecotoxicological effects of carbofuran and oxidised multiwalled carbon nanotubes on the freshwater fish Nile tilapia: nanotubes enhance pesticide ecotoxicity.

PubMed

Campos-Garcia, Janaína; Martinez, Diego Stéfani T; Alves, Oswaldo L; Leonardo, Antônio Fernando Gervásio; Barbieri, Edison

2015-01-01

The interactions of carbon nanotubes with pesticides, such as carbofuran, classical contaminants (e.g., pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals, and dyes) and emerging contaminants, including endocrine disruptors, are critical components of the environmental risks of this important class of carbon-based nanomaterials. In this work, we studied the modulation of acute carbofuran toxicity to the freshwater fish Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by nitric acid treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes, termed HNO3-MWCNT. Nitric acid oxidation is a common chemical method employed for the purification, functionalisation and aqueous dispersion of carbon nanotubes. HNO3-MWCNT were not toxic to Nile tilapia at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 3.0 mg/L for exposure times of up to 96 h. After 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, the LC50 values of carbofuran were 4.0, 3.2, 3.0 and 2.4 mg/mL, respectively. To evaluate the influence of carbofuran-nanotube interactions on ecotoxicity, we exposed the Nile tilapia to different concentrations of carbofuran mixed together with a non-toxic concentration of HNO3-MWCNT (1.0 mg/L). After 24, 48, 72, and 96 h of exposure, the LC50 values of carbofuran plus nanotubes were 3.7, 1.6, 0.7 and 0.5 mg/L, respectively. These results demonstrate that HNO3-MWCNT potentiate the acute toxicity of carbofuran, leading to a more than five-fold increase in the LC50 values. Furthermore, the exposure of Nile tilapia to carbofuran plus nanotubes led to decreases in both oxygen consumption and swimming capacity compared to the control. These findings indicate that carbon nanotubes could act as pesticide carriers affecting fish survival, metabolism and behaviour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of dietary genistein on GH/IGF-I axis of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Dong; Wang, Wei; Ru, Shaoguo

2016-09-01

There is considerable concern that isoflavones, such as genistein in fish feed composed of soybean protein, aff ects somatic growth in fish. Our previous works demonstrated that 30 and 300 μg/g dietary genistein had no significant eff ect on growth performance in Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus), but the higher level of genistein (3 000 μg/g) significantly depressed growth. This study was conducted to further examine the eff ects of dietary genistein on the endocrine disruption on growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-I (GH/IGF-I) axis in Nile tilapia ( O. niloticus). Juvenile fish were fed by hand twice daily to satiation with one of four isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets, each containing either 0, 30, 300 or 3 000 μg/g genistein. Following an 8-week feeding period, plasma GH and IGF-I levels were investigated by radioimmunoassay and gene expression levels of gh, ghrelin, gnrhs, ghr, npy, npyrs, pacap, ghrs, i gf-I, igf-Ir, and igfbp3 were examined by real-time PCR. The results show that no significant change in plasma GH and IGF-I levels in fish fed with diets containing 30 μg/g and 300 μg/g genistein. mRNA expression of genes along the GH/IGF-I axis remained unaff ected, except for igf-Ir, which was stimulated by the 300 μg/g genistein diet. While in fish fed the 3 000 μg/g genistein diet, the plasma GH and IGF-I levels decreased, and mRNA expression of gh, ghr2, npyr1, igf-I, and igf-Ir were also significantly depressed. In contrast, npy and igfbp3 mRNA expression were enhanced. This study provides convincing evidence for growth impediment by genistein by disturbing the GH/IGF-I axis in Nile tilapia O. niloticus.

Village Blue Frequently Asked Questions

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initiated the Village Blue project to increase public awareness about local water quality in the Baltimore Harbor and the Chesapeake Bay. This document answers frequently asked questions about Village Blue.

76 FR 22923 - Wellpoint, Inc. D/B/A/Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield Enterprise Provider Data Management Team...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-25

.../B/A/Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield Enterprise Provider Data Management Team Including On-Site... & Blue Shield, Enterprise Provider Data Management Team, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Kelly... Of Kentucky, Enterprise Provider Data Management Team, Louisville, Kentucky TA-W-74,895B Wellpoint...

The Blue Marble 43 Years Later

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2017-05-16

article title:  The Blue Marble 43 Years Later View larger image ... points over more than four decades apart. The iconic "Blue Marble" view on the left was taken 43 years ago on December 7, 1972 from ... points over more than four decades apart. The iconic "Blue Marble" view on the left was taken 43 years ago on December 7, 1972 from ...

Oxidative damage in gills and liver in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to diazinon.

PubMed

Toledo-Ibarra, G A; Díaz Resendiz, K J G; Ventura-Ramón, G H; González-Jaime, F; Vega-López, A; Becerril-Villanueva, E; Pavón, L; Girón-Pérez, M I

2016-10-01

Agricultural activity demands the use of pesticides for plague control and extermination. In that matter, diazinon is one of the most widely used organophosphorus pesticides (OPs). Despite its benefits, the use of OPs in agricultural activities can also have negative effects since the excessive use of these substances can represent a major contamination problem for water bodies and organisms that inhabit them. The aim of this paper was to evaluate oxidative damage in lipids and proteins of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed acutely to diazinon (0.97, 1.95 and 3.95ppm) for 12 or 24h. The evaluation of oxidative damage was determined by quantifying lipid hydroperoxides (Fox method) and oxidized proteins (DNPH method). The data from this study suggest that diazinon induces a concentration-dependent oxidative damage in proteins, but not lipids, of the liver and gills of Nile tilapia. Furthermore, the treatment leads to a decrease in the concentration of total proteins, which can have serious consequences in cell physiology and fish development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Seven cases of parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism using methylene blue: suggestion for the method of methylene blue infusion].

PubMed

Kadoya, Tatsuo; Kinoshita, Yuki; Shiraishi, Munehiro; Uehara, Hirofumi; Yamamoto, Toshinori; Suetsugu, Keiko

2014-08-01

Intraoperative staining of the parathyroid glands with intravenously administered methylene blue is well described and has been demonstrated as an effective and safe method to facilitate parathyroidectomy. However, there have been several literatures of the development of postoperative neurological toxicity in patients who received methylene blue infusion during parathyroidectomy. We report the method of methylene blue infusion during parathyroidectomy at our institution. Seven adult patients who had undergone parathyroidectomy for secondary hyperparathyroidism associated with chronic renal failure were included in this study. Methylene blue was administered at a constant rate of 4 mg x kg(-1) x hr(-1) with a 1% solution just before the start of operation. The infusion was stopped after the first parathyroid gland was identified. The mean dose of methylene blue used was 2.2 +/- 0.8 mg x kg(-1). Consequently, the dose of methylene blue by this method could be decreased to less than half of the previously administered dose (6 mg x kg(-1)) at our institution. The dose of methylene blue used should be kept to the minimum required to identify the parathyroid glands in each case.

Evaluating geophysical lithology determination methods in the central offshore Nile Delta, Egypt

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

Nada, H.; Shrallow, J.

1994-12-31

Two post stack and one prestack geophysical techniques were used to extract lithology and fluid information from seismic data. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the effectiveness of such methods in helping to find more hydrocarbons and reduce exploration risk in Egypt`s Nile Delta. Amplitude Variations with Offset (AVO) was used as a direct hydrocarbon indicator. CDP gathers were sorted into common angle gathers. The angle traces from 0--10 degrees were stacked to form a near angle stack and those from 30--40 degrees were stacked to form a far angle stack. Comparison of the far and near anglemore » stacks indicate areas which have seismic responses that match gas bearing sand models in the Pliocene and Messinian. Seismic Sequence Attribute mapping was used to measure the reflectivity of a seismic sequence. The specific sequence attribute measured in this study was the Maximum Absolute Amplitude of the seismic reflections within a sequence. Post stack seismic inversion was used to convert zero phase final migrated data to pseudo acoustic impedance data to interpret lithology from seismic data. All three methods are useful in the Nile Delta for identifying sand prone areas, but only AVO can be used to detect fluid content.« less

West Nile virus: immunity and pathogenesis.

PubMed

Lim, Stephanie M; Koraka, Penelope; Osterhaus, Albert D M E; Martina, Byron E E

2011-06-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a neurotropic, arthropod-borne flavivirus that is maintained in an enzootic cycle between mosquitoes and birds, but can also infect and cause disease in horses and humans. WNV is endemic in parts of Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and since 1999 has spread to North America, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean. WNV infects the central nervous system (CNS) and can cause severe disease in a small minority of infected humans, mostly immunocompromised or the elderly. This review discusses some of the mechanisms by which the immune system can limit dissemination of WNV infection and elaborates on the mechanisms involved in pathogenesis. Reasons for susceptibility to WNV-associated neuroinvasive disease in less than 1% of cases remain unexplained, but one favored hypothesis is that the involvement of the CNS is associated with a weak immune response allowing robust WNV replication in the periphery and spread of the virus to the CNS.

Genomic copy number analysis of a spectrum of blue nevi identifies recurrent aberrations of entire chromosomal arms in melanoma ex blue nevus.

PubMed

Chan, May P; Andea, Aleodor A; Harms, Paul W; Durham, Alison B; Patel, Rajiv M; Wang, Min; Robichaud, Patrick; Fisher, Gary J; Johnson, Timothy M; Fullen, Douglas R

2016-03-01

Blue nevi may display significant atypia or undergo malignant transformation. Morphologic diagnosis of this spectrum of lesions is notoriously difficult, and molecular tools are increasingly used to improve diagnostic accuracy. We studied copy number aberrations in a cohort of cellular blue nevi, atypical cellular blue nevi, and melanomas ex blue nevi using Affymetrix's OncoScan platform. Cases with sufficient DNA were analyzed for GNAQ, GNA11, and HRAS mutations. Copy number aberrations were detected in 0 of 5 (0%) cellular blue nevi, 3 of 12 (25%) atypical cellular blue nevi, and 6 of 9 (67%) melanomas ex blue nevi. None of the atypical cellular blue nevi displayed more than one aberration, whereas complex aberrations involving four or more regions were seen exclusively in melanomas ex blue nevi. Gains and losses of entire chromosomal arms were identified in four of five melanomas ex blue nevi with copy number aberrations. In particular, gains of 1q, 4p, 6p, and 8q, and losses of 1p and 4q were each found in at least two melanomas. Whole chromosome aberrations were also common, and represented the sole finding in one atypical cellular blue nevus. When seen in melanomas, however, whole chromosome aberrations were invariably accompanied by partial aberrations of other chromosomes. Three melanomas ex blue nevi harbored aberrations, which were absent or negligible in their precursor components, suggesting progression in tumor biology. Gene mutations involving GNAQ and GNA11 were each detected in two of eight melanomas ex blue nevi. In conclusion, copy number aberrations are more common and often complex in melanomas ex blue nevi compared with cellular and atypical cellular blue nevi. Identification of recurrent gains and losses of entire chromosomal arms in melanomas ex blue nevi suggests that development of new probes targeting these regions may improve detection and risk stratification of these lesions.

Adsorption of Methylene Blue, Bromophenol Blue, and Coomassie Brilliant Blue by α-chitin nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Dhananasekaran, Solairaj; Palanivel, Rameshthangam; Pappu, Srinivasan

2015-01-01

Expelling of dyestuff into water resource system causes major thread to the environment. Adsorption is the cost effective and potential method to remove the dyes from the effluents. Therefore, an attempt was made to study the adsorption of dyestuff (Methylene Blue (MB), Bromophenol Blue (BPB) and Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB)) by α-chitin nanoparticles (CNP) prepared from Penaeus monodon (Fabricius, 1798) shell waste. On contrary to the most recognizable adsorption studies using chitin, this is the first study using unique nanoparticles of ⩽50 nm used for the dye adsorption process. The results showed that the adsorption process increased with increase in the concentration of CNP, contact time and temperature with the dyestuff, whereas the adsorption process decreased with increase in the initial dye concentration and strong acidic pH. The results from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed that the interaction between dyestuff and CNP involved physical adsorption. The adsorption process obeys Langmuir isotherm (R2 values were 0.992, 0.999 and 0.992 for MB, BPB and CBB, and RL value lies between 0 and 1 for all the three dyes) and pseudo second order kinetics (R2 values were 0.996, 0.999 and 0.996 for MB, BPB and CBB) more effectively. The isotherm and kinetic models confirmed that CNP can be used as a suitable adsorbent material for the removal of dyestuff from effluents. PMID:26843977

Ovicidal and larvicidal effects of garlic and asafoetida essential oils against West Nile virus vectors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We examined the chemical composition of garlic and asafoetida essential oils and their individual and combined toxicity against larvae of two West Nile virus vectors, Culex pipiens pipiens and Cx. restuans. The effect of the two essential oils on egg hatch was also examined. Ten and twelve compounds...

Seasonal influence on the hematological parameters in cultured Nile tilapia from southern Brazil.

PubMed

Jerônimo, G T; Laffitte, L V; Speck, G M; Martins, M L

2011-08-01

This study evaluated seasonality in hematological parameters of Nile tilapia cultured in the state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. A total of 240 fish were examined during four seasons between April 2007 and March 2008 in three different fish farms. After being anesthetised in a benzocaine solution, blood samples were withdrawn into syringes containing a drop of 10% EDTA for hematological analysis. The results were compared between fish farms and seasons, which are well delimited in southern Brazil. In a traditional fish farm in Joinville in the summer, there was an increase in the percentage of hematocrit and in the red blood cell count. The highest values of total leukocytes were found in fish from fee-fishing in Blumenau in the autumn while the lowest values occurred in those from swine consorted system in Ituporanga in the summer. Thrombocytosis was observed in the autumn, and lymphocytosis was found in both the autumn and winter in tilapia from all fish farms investigated. Neutrophilia was only observed in winter and autumn in fish from Blumenau and Ituporanga. This work demonstrated the influence of seasonality and the handling characteristics of each fish farm on certain hematological parameters in Nile tilapia.

Comparative metabolism and genotoxicity of the structurally similar nitrophenylenediamine dyes, HC Blue 1 and HC Blue 2, in mouse hepatocytes.

PubMed

Kari, F W; Driscoll, S M; Abu-Shakra, A; Strom, S C; Jenkins, W L; Volosin, J S; Rudo, K M; Langenbach, R

1990-04-01

Previous studies indicated that HC Blue 1 induced heptocellular carcinomas in B6C3F1 mice whereas the structurally similar nitroaromatic amine HC Blue 2 did not. In an attempt to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms responsible for their different carcinogenic potencies, comparative metabolism and genetic toxicity studies were undertaken. Eighteen-hour urinary recovery of administered radioactivity was equivalent for both compounds following oral gavage (100 mg/kg) in female B6C3F1 mice. By HPLC analysis, HC Blue 1 yielded 3 major polar metabolite peaks, one of which was susceptible to glucuronidase. In vivo metabolism of HC Blue 2 yielded a single major metabolite peak which was not hydrolyzed by glucuronidase. Metabolism by B6C3F1 mouse hepatocytes yielded metabolite profiles which were qualitatively similar to the profiles observed after in vivo metabolism. HC Blue 1 was metabolized by hepatocytes at approximately twice the rate of HC Blue 2. Cytogenetic evaluations of mouse hepatocytes after in vitro treatment indicated HC Blue 1 was more potent than HC Blue 2 in inducing chromosomal aberrations while both chemicals showed weak activity for inducing sister-chromatid exchanges. Furthermore, in the V79 cell metabolic cooperation assay, HC Blue 1, but not HC Blue 2, inhibited cell-to-cell communication suggesting a non-genotoxic activity may be present for HC Blue 1. It is concluded that qualitative and quantitative differences exist in the metabolism of these compounds and that genotoxic as well as nongenotoxic effects may contribute to their different carcinogenic potencies.

The effects of composting on the nutritional composition of fibrous bio-regenerative life support systems (BLSS) plant waste residues and its impact on the growth of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzales, John M.; Lowry, Brett A.; Brown, Paul B.; Beyl, Caula A.; Nyochemberg, Leopold

2009-04-01

Utilization of bio-regenerative life support systems (BLSS) plant waste residues as a nutritional source by Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus) has proven problematic as a result of high concentrations of fibrous compounds in the plant waste residues. Nutritional improvement of plant waste residues by composting with the oyster mushroom ( Pleurotus ostreatus), and the effects on growth and nutrient utilization of Nile tilapia fed such residues were evaluated. Five Nile tilapia (mean weight = 70.9 ± 3.1 g) were stocked in triplicate aquaria and fed one of two experimental diets, cowpea (CP) and composted cowpea (CCP), twice daily for a period of 8 weeks. Composting of cowpea residue resulted in reduced concentrations of nitrogen-free extract, hemi-cellulose and trypsin inhibitor activity, though trypsin inhibitor activity remained high. Composting did not reduce crude fiber, lignin, or cellulose concentrations in the diet. No significant differences ( P < 0.05) were observed in weight gain, specific growth rate, survival rate, daily consumption, and food conversion ratio between tilapia fed CP and CCP. These results suggest that P. ostreatus is not a suitable candidate for culture in conjunction with the culture of Nile tilapia. Additional work is needed to determine what, if any, benefit can be obtained from incorporating composted residue as feed for Nile tilapia.

Serum Cadmium Levels in Pancreatic Cancer Patients from the East Nile Delta Region of Egypt

PubMed Central

Kriegel, Alison M.; Soliman, Amr S.; Zhang, Qing; El-Ghawalby, Nabih; Ezzat, Farouk; Soultan, Ahmed; Abdel-Wahab, Mohamed; Fathy, Omar; Ebidi, Gamal; Bassiouni, Nadia; Hamilton, Stanley R.; Abbruzzese, James L.; Lacey, Michelle R.; Blake, Diane A.

2006-01-01

The northeast Nile Delta region exhibits a high incidence of early-onset pancreatic cancer. It is well documented that this region has one of the highest levels of pollution in Egypt. Epidemiologic studies have suggested that cadmium, a prevalent pollutant in the northeast Nile Delta region, plays a role in the development of pancreatic cancer. Objective: We aimed to assess serum cadmium levels as markers of exposure in pancreatic cancer patients and noncancer comparison subjects from the same region in Egypt. Design and Participants: We assessed serum cadmium levels of 31 newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer patients and 52 hospital comparison subjects from Mansoura, Egypt. Evaluation/Measurements: Serum cadmium levels were measured using a novel immunoassay procedure. Results: We found a significant difference between the mean serum cadmium levels in patients versus comparison subjects (mean ± SD, 11.1 ± 7.7 ng/mL vs. 7.1 ± 5.0 ng/mL, respectively; p = 0.012) but not in age, sex, residence, occupation, or smoking status. The odds ratio (OR) for pancreatic cancer risk was significant for serum cadmium level [OR = 1.12; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04–1.23; p = 0.0089] and farming (OR = 3.25; 95% CI, 1.03–11.64; p = 0.0475) but not for age, sex, residence, or smoking status. Conclusions: The results from this pilot study suggest that pancreatic cancer in the East Nile Delta region is significantly associated with high levels of serum cadmium and farming. Relevance to Clinical Practice/Public Health: Future studies should further investigate the etiologic relationship between cadmium exposure and pancreatic carcinogenesis in cadmium-exposed populations. PMID:16393667

Live transport of Yellow Perch and Nile Tilapia in AQUI-S 20E (10% Eugenol) at high loading densities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cupp, Aaron R.; Schreier, Theresa M.; Schleis, Sue M.

2017-01-01

Fish transport costs are a substantial portion of the operational expenses for aquaculture facilities in the USA. Safely transporting higher loading densities of fish would benefit haulers by increasing efficiency and reducing costs, but research evaluating transport for individual species is generally lacking. In this study, Yellow Perch Perca flavescens and Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus were transported for 6 h immersed in water containing AQUI-S 20E (10% eugenol) at fish loading densities of 240 g/L (2 lb/gal) for perch and 480 g/L (4 lb/gal) for tilapia. Survival was quantified for fish transported in AQUI-S 20E concentrations of (1) control or 0 mg/L of water, (2) 100 mg/L, or (3) 200 mg/L. Yellow Perch had 98–100% survival, and Nile Tilapia had 100% survival up to through 14 d after transport across all AQUI-S 20E levels, including the control. Eugenol concentrations decreased rapidly in transport tank water, and fish showed no signs of sedation by the end of transport. We conclude that live transport of Yellow Perch and Nile Tilapia at higher loading densities resulted in high survival regardless of the AQUI-S 20E concentrations we tested.

Chemiluminescent optical fiber immunosensor for the detection of anti-West Nile virus IgG.

PubMed

Herrmann, Sebastien; Leshem, Boaz; Landes, Shimi; Rager-Zisman, Bracha; Marks, Robert S

2005-03-31

An ELISA-based optical fiber methodology developed for the detection of anti-West Nile virus IgG antibodies in serum was compared to standard colorimetric and chemiluminescent ELISA based on microtiter plates. Colorimetric ELISA was the least sensitive, especially at high titer dilutions. The fiber-optic immunosensor based on the same ELISA immunological rationale was the most sensitive technique.

Defining a breeding objective for Nile tilapia that takes into account the diversity of smallholder production systems.

PubMed

Omasaki, S K; van Arendonk, J A M; Kahi, A K; Komen, H

2016-10-01

In general, livestock and fish farming systems in developing countries tend to be highly diverse in terms of agro-ecological conditions and market orientation. There are no studies that have investigated if and how this diversity translates to varying preferences for breeding objective traits. This is particularly important for breeding programmes that are organized on a national level (e.g. government-supported nucleus breeding programmes). The aim of this study was to investigate whether Nile tilapia farmers with diverse production systems and economic constraints have different preferences for breeding objective traits. The second objective was to derive a consensus breeding goal, using weighted goal programming that could be used for a national breeding programme for Nile tilapia. A survey was conducted among 100 smallholder Nile tilapia farmers in Kenya to obtain preference values for traits of economic importance, by using multiple pairwise comparisons. Individual and group preference values were estimated using analytical hierarchy process. Low-income farmers preferred harvest weight, while medium- and high-income farmers preferred growth rate and survival. Grouping farmers according to market objective (fingerling production or fattening) showed that fingerling producers preferred growth rate and survival, while fattening farmers preferred harvest weight, height and thickness. Weighted goal programming was used to obtain consensus preference values, and these were used to derive desired gains for a breeding goal of a national breeding programme that takes into account the diversity of smallholder production systems. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

West Nile virus 'circulation' in Vojvodina, Serbia: Mosquito, bird, horse and human surveillance.

PubMed

Petrić, Dušan; Petrović, Tamaš; Hrnjaković Cvjetković, Ivana; Zgomba, Marija; Milošević, Vesna; Lazić, Gospava; Ignjatović Ćupina, Aleksandra; Lupulović, Diana; Lazić, Sava; Dondur, Dragan; Vaselek, Slavica; Živulj, Aleksandar; Kisin, Bratislav; Molnar, Tibor; Janku, Djordje; Pudar, Dubravka; Radovanov, Jelena; Kavran, Mihaela; Kovačević, Gordana; Plavšić, Budimir; Jovanović Galović, Aleksandra; Vidić, Milan; Ilić, Svetlana; Petrić, Mina

2017-02-01

Efforts to detect West Nile virus (WNV) in the Vojvodina province, northern Serbia, commenced with human and mosquito surveillance in 2005, followed by horse (2009) and wild bird (2012) surveillance. The knowledge obtained regarding WNV circulation, combined with the need for timely detection of virus activity and risk assessment resulted in the implementation of a national surveillance programme integrating mosquito, horse and bird surveillance in 2014. From 2013, the system showed highly satisfactory results in terms of area specificity (the capacity to indicate the spatial distribution of the risk for human cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease - WNND) and sensitivity to detect virus circulation even at the enzootic level. A small number (n = 50) of Culex pipiens (pipiens and molestus biotypes, and their hybrids) females analysed per trap/night, combined with a high number of specimens in the sample, provided variable results in the early detection capacity at different administrative levels (NUTS2 versus NUTS3). The clustering of infected mosquitoes, horses, birds and human cases of WNND in 2014-2015 was highly significant, following the south-west to north-east direction in Vojvodina (NUTS2 administrative level). Human WNND cases grouped closest with infected mosquitoes in 2014, and with wild birds/mosquitoes in 2015. In 2014, sentinel horses showed better spatial correspondence with human WNND cases than sentinel chickens. Strong correlations were observed between the vector index values and the incidence of human WNND cases recorded at the NUTS2 and NUTS3 levels. From 2010, West Nile virus was detected in mosquitoes sampled at 43 different trap stations across Vojvodina. At 14 stations (32.56%), WNV was detected in two different (consecutive or alternate) years, at 2 stations in 3 different years, and in 1 station during 5 different years. Based on these results, integrated surveillance will be progressively improved to allow evidence-based adoption of

Power-Scalable Blue-Green Bessel Beams

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-23

19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) 02/23/2016 Final Technical JAN 2011 - DEC 2013 Power-Scalable Blue -Green Bessel Beams Siddharth Ramachandran...fiber lasers, non-traditional emission wavelengths, high-power blue -green tunabel lasers U U U SAR 11 Siddharth Ramachandran 617-353-9811 1 Power...Scalable Blue -Green Bessel Beams Siddharth Ramachandran Photonics Center, Boston University, 8 Saint Mary’s Street, Boston, MA 02215 phone: (617) 353

Can greening of aquaculture sequester blue carbon?

PubMed

Ahmed, Nesar; Bunting, Stuart W; Glaser, Marion; Flaherty, Mark S; Diana, James S

2017-05-01

Globally, blue carbon (i.e., carbon in coastal and marine ecosystems) emissions have been seriously augmented due to the devastating effects of anthropogenic pressures on coastal ecosystems including mangrove swamps, salt marshes, and seagrass meadows. The greening of aquaculture, however, including an ecosystem approach to Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture (IAA) and Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) could play a significant role in reversing this trend, enhancing coastal ecosystems, and sequestering blue carbon. Ponds within IAA farming systems sequester more carbon per unit area than conventional fish ponds, natural lakes, and inland seas. The translocation of shrimp culture from mangrove swamps to offshore IMTA could reduce mangrove loss, reverse blue carbon emissions, and in turn increase storage of blue carbon through restoration of mangroves. Moreover, offshore IMTA may create a barrier to trawl fishing which in turn could help restore seagrasses and further enhance blue carbon sequestration. Seaweed and shellfish culture within IMTA could also help to sequester more blue carbon. The greening of aquaculture could face several challenges that need to be addressed in order to realize substantial benefits from enhanced blue carbon sequestration and eventually contribute to global climate change mitigation.

The competitive response of Blue Cross and Blue Shield to the health maintenance organization in Northern California and Hawaii.

PubMed

Goldberg, L G; Greenberg, W

1979-10-01

The health maintenance organization (HMO) can provide an alternative to the predominant form of health care delivery in the United States, fee-for-service. Although market penetration of the HMO is relatively low in most parts of the country, the HMO has achieved a significant market share in a number of states. This paper examines the competitive response of Blue Cross and Blue Shield to the introduction of the HMO in two geographic regions with significant HMO activity, northern California and Hawaii. The evidence obtained from extensive interviews indicates that Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans have responded to HMO competitive pressure by establishing their own HMOs and by altering traditional procedures. HMO competition has stimulated Blue Cross and Blue Shield to make greater cost control efforts and to offer larger benefit packages. These results can have important policy implications for the role that HMOs are to play in cost containment.

Blue Ribbon Commissions and Higher Education. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Janet R.; Marcus, Laurence R.

Blue ribbon commissions in the United States from 1965-1983 are discussed with attention to what makes a commission effective, the history of blue ribbon commissions, features of a commission, whether these commissions are useful on campus, and criticisms of blue ribbon commissions. Factors that contribute to the effectiveness of a blue ribbon…

Blue space geographies: Enabling health in place.

PubMed

Foley, Ronan; Kistemann, Thomas

2015-09-01

Drawing from research on therapeutic landscapes and relationships between environment, health and wellbeing, we propose the idea of 'healthy blue space' as an important new development Complementing research on healthy green space, blue space is defined as; 'health-enabling places and spaces, where water is at the centre of a range of environments with identifiable potential for the promotion of human wellbeing'. Using theoretical ideas from emotional and relational geographies and critical understandings of salutogenesis, the value of blue space to health and wellbeing is recognised and evaluated. Six individual papers from five different countries consider how health can be enabled in mixed blue space settings. Four sub-themes; embodiment, inter-subjectivity, activity and meaning, document multiple experiences within a range of healthy blue spaces. Finally, we suggest a considerable research agenda - theoretical, methodological and applied - for future work within different forms of blue space. All are suggested as having public health policy relevance in social and public space. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review of the vector management methods to prevent and control outbreaks of West Nile virus infection and the challenge for Europe

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

West Nile virus infection is a growing concern in Europe. Vector management is often the primary option to prevent and control outbreaks of the disease. Its implementation is, however, complex and needs to be supported by integrated multidisciplinary surveillance systems and to be organized within the framework of predefined response plans. The impact of the vector control measures depends on multiple factors and the identification of the best combination of vector control methods is therefore not always straightforward. Therefore, this contribution aims at critically reviewing the existing vector control methods to prevent and control outbreaks of West Nile virus infection and to present the challenges for Europe. Most West Nile virus vector control experiences have been recently developed in the US, where ecological conditions are different from the EU and vector control is organized under a different regulatory frame. The extrapolation of information produced in North America to Europe might be limited because of the seemingly different epidemiology in the European region. Therefore, there is an urgent need to analyse the European experiences of the prevention and control of outbreaks of West Nile virus infection and to perform robust cost-benefit analysis that can guide the implementation of the appropriate control measures. Furthermore, to be effective, vector control programs require a strong organisational backbone relying on a previously defined plan, skilled technicians and operators, appropriate equipment, and sufficient financial resources. A decision making guide scheme is proposed which may assist in the process of implementation of vector control measures tailored on specific areas and considering the available information and possible scenarios. PMID:25015004

Hubble's View of Little Blue Dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohler, Susanna

2018-02-01

The recent discovery of a new type of tiny, star-forming galaxy is the latest in a zoo of detections shedding light on our early universe. What can we learn from the unique little blue dots found in archival Hubble data?Peas, Berries, and DotsGreen pea galaxies identified by citizen scientists with Galaxy Zoo. [Richard Nowell Carolin Cardamone]As telescope capabilities improve and we develop increasingly deeper large-scale surveys of our universe, we continue to learn more about small, faraway galaxies. In recent years, increasing sensitivity first enabled the detection of green peas luminous, compact, low-mass (10 billion solar masses; compare this to the Milky Ways 1 trillion solar masses!) galaxies with high rates of star formation.Not long thereafter, we discovered galaxies that form stars similarly rapidly, but are even smaller only 330 million solar masses, spanning less than 3,000 light-years in size. These tiny powerhouses were termed blueberries for their distinctive color.Now, scientists Debra and Bruce Elmegreen (of Vassar College and IBM Research Division, respectively) report the discovery of galaxies that have even higher star formation rates and even lower masses: little blue dots.Exploring Tiny Star FactoriesThe Elmegreens discovered these unique galaxies by exploring archival Hubble data. The Hubble Frontier Fields data consist of deep images of six distant galaxy clusters and the parallel fields next to them. It was in the archival data for two Frontier Field Parallels, those for clusters Abell 2744 and MAS J0416.1-2403, that the authors noticed several galaxies that stand out as tiny, bright, blue objects that are nearly point sources.Top: a few examples of the little blue dots recently identified in two Hubble Frontier Field Parallels. Bottom: stacked images for three different groups of little blue dots. [Elmegreen Elmegreen 2017]The authors performed a search through the two Frontier Field Parallels, discovering a total of 55 little blue dots

Detection Protocols for West Nile Virus in Mosquitoes, Birds, and Nonhuman Mammals.

PubMed

Kauffman, Elizabeth B; Franke, Mary A; Kramer, Laura D

2016-01-01

West Nile virus is the most widespread mosquito-borne virus in the world, and the most common cause of encephalitis in the USA. Surveillance for this medially important mosquito-borne pathogen is an important part of public health practice. Here we present protocols for testing environmental samples such as mosquitoes, nonvertebrate mammals, and birds for this virus, including RT-PCR, virus isolation in cell culture, and antigenic assays, as well as serologic assays for antibody detection.

Blue light dose–responses of leaf photosynthesis, morphology, and chemical composition of Cucumis sativus grown under different combinations of red and blue light

PubMed Central

Hogewoning, Sander W.; Trouwborst, Govert; Maljaars, Hans; Poorter, Hendrik; van Ieperen, Wim; Harbinson, Jeremy

2010-01-01

The blue part of the light spectrum has been associated with leaf characteristics which also develop under high irradiances. In this study blue light dose–response curves were made for the photosynthetic properties and related developmental characteristics of cucumber leaves that were grown at an equal irradiance under seven different combinations of red and blue light provided by light-emitting diodes. Only the leaves developed under red light alone (0% blue) displayed dysfunctional photosynthetic operation, characterized by a suboptimal and heterogeneously distributed dark-adapted Fv/Fm, a stomatal conductance unresponsive to irradiance, and a relatively low light-limited quantum yield for CO2 fixation. Only 7% blue light was sufficient to prevent any overt dysfunctional photosynthesis, which can be considered a qualitatively blue light effect. The photosynthetic capacity (Amax) was twice as high for leaves grown at 7% blue compared with 0% blue, and continued to increase with increasing blue percentage during growth measured up to 50% blue. At 100% blue, Amax was lower but photosynthetic functioning was normal. The increase in Amax with blue percentage (0–50%) was associated with an increase in leaf mass per unit leaf area (LMA), nitrogen (N) content per area, chlorophyll (Chl) content per area, and stomatal conductance. Above 15% blue, the parameters Amax, LMA, Chl content, photosynthetic N use efficiency, and the Chl:N ratio had a comparable relationship as reported for leaf responses to irradiance intensity. It is concluded that blue light during growth is qualitatively required for normal photosynthetic functioning and quantitatively mediates leaf responses resembling those to irradiance intensity. PMID:20504875

Masculinization of nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using extract of bull testes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yustiati, A.; Bangkit, I.; Zidni, I.

2018-03-01

Tilapia males grow faster to increase the production of the fish, there is a necessity to produce all males by using extract of bull testes. The research method used in this study was the experimental Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and three replications. The treatments were A: without immersion and without oral treatment (control); B; immersion 600 μg·L-1 without oral treatment; C: immersion 600 μg·L-1 and oral at a dose of 30 mg·kg-1 feeds, D: immersion 600 μg·L-1 and oral at a dose of 40 mg·kg-1 feeds, E: immersion 600 μg·L-1 and oral at a dose of 50 mg·kg-1 feeds. Results showed that the use of bull testicle extract mixed to media at concentration of 3 ml L-1 produced red male nile of 69.07 %. In addition, the immersion of the extract at 500 μg·L-1 resulted the male of 86.71 %. Sex reversal by dipping at 600 μg·L-1 17α-methyltestosterone combined with oral administration at 40 mg·kg-1 produced the highest male of Nile Tilapia Java carp (86.67 %) compared with dipping, which produced 65.56 % of male. These results suggested that combination of dipping and oral is more effective for sex reversal.

Predicting pathogen introduction: West Nile virus spread to Galáipagos.

PubMed

Kilpatrick, A Marm; Daszak, Peter; Goodman, Simon J; Rogg, Helmuth; Kramer, Laura D; Cedeño, Virna; Cunningham, Andrew A

2006-08-01

Emerging infectious diseases are a key threat to conservation and public health, yet predicting and preventing their emergence is notoriously difficult. We devised a predictive model for the introduction of a zoonotic vector-borne pathogen by considering each of the pathways by which it may be introduced to a new area and comparing the relative risk of each pathway. This framework is an adaptation of pest introduction models and estimates the number of infectious individuals arriving in a location and the duration of their infectivity. We used it to determine the most likely route for the introduction of West Nile virus to Galápagos and measures that can be taken to reduce the risk of introduction. The introduction of this highly pathogenic virus to this unique World Heritage Site could have devastating consequences, similar to those seen following introductions of pathogens into other endemic island faunas. Our model identified the transport of mosquitoes on airplanes as the highest risk for West Nile virus introduction. Pathogen dissemination through avian migration and the transportation of day-old chickens appeared to be less important pathways. Infected humans and mosquitoes transported in sea containers, in tires, or by wind all represented much lower risk. Our risk-assessment framework has broad applicability to other pathogens and other regions and depends only on the availability of data on the transport of goods and animals and the epidemiology of the pathogen.

Blue enhanced light sources: opportunities and risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, Dieter

2012-03-01

Natural daylight is characterized by high proportions of blue light. By proof of a third type of photoreceptor in the human eye which is only sensitive in this spectral region and by subsequent studies it has become obvious that these blue proportions are essential for human health and well being. In various studies beneficial effects of indoor lighting with higher blue spectral proportions have been proven. On the other hand with increasing use of light sources having enhanced blue light for indoor illumination questions are arising about potential health risks attributed to blue light. Especially LED are showing distinct emission characteristics in the blue. Recently the French agency for food, environmental and occupational health & safety ANSES have raised the question on health issues related to LED light sources and have claimed to avoid use of LED for lighting in schools. In this paper parameters which are relevant for potential health risks will be shown and their contribution to risk factors will quantitatively be discussed. It will be shown how to differentiate between photometric parameters for assessment of beneficial as well as hazardous effects. Guidelines will be discussed how blue enhanced light sources can be used in applications to optimally support human health and well being and simultaneously avoid any risks attributed to blue light by a proper design of lighting parameters. In the conclusion it will be shown that no inherent health risks are related to LED lighting with a proper lighting design.

Super Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-31

NASA TV provided coverage of Super Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse on Jan. 31. The full moon was the third in a series of “supermoons,” when the Moon is closer to Earth in its orbit -- known as perigee -- and about 14 percent brighter than usual. It was also the second full moon of the month, commonly known as a “blue moon.” As the super blue moon passed through Earth’s shadow, viewers in some locations experienced a total lunar eclipse. While in Earth’s shadow, the moon also took on a reddish tint – which is sometimes referred to as a “blood moon.”

Sperm quality analysis in XX, XY and YY males of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

PubMed

Gennotte, V; François, E; Rougeot, C; Ponthier, J; Deleuze, S; Mélard, C

2012-07-01

In Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), individuals with atypical sexual genotype are commonly used in farming (use of YY males to produce all-male offspring), but they also constitute major tools to study sex determinism mechanisms. In other species, sexual genotype and sex reversal procedures affect different aspects of biology, such as growth, behavior and reproductive success. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of sexual genotype on sperm quality in Nile tilapia. Milt characteristics were compared in XX (sex-reversed), XY and YY males in terms of gonadosomatic index, sperm count, sperm motility and duration of sperm motility. Sperm motility was measured by computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) quantifying several parameters: total motility, progressive motility, curvilinear velocity, straight line velocity, average path velocity and linearity. None of the sperm traits measured significantly differed between the three genotypes. Mean values of gonadosomatic index, sperm concentration and sperm motility duration of XX, XY and YY males, respectively ranged from 0.92 to 1.33%, from 1.69 to 2.22 ×10(9) cells mL(-1) and from 18'04″ to 27'32″. Mean values of total motility and curvilinear velocity 1 min after sperm activation, respectively ranged from 53 to 58% and from 71 to 76 μm s(-1) for the three genotypes. After 3 min of activity, all the sperm motility and velocity parameters dropped by half and continued to slowly decrease thereafter. Seven min after activation, only 9 to 13% of spermatozoa were still progressive. Our results prove that neither sexual genotype nor hormonal sex reversal treatments affect sperm quality in male Nile tilapias with atypical sexual genotype. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polish Terms for "Blue" in the Perspective of Vantage Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanulewicz, Danuta

2010-01-01

The Polish set of terms for blue includes, inter alia, the following adjectives: "niebieski" "blue", "blekitny" "(sky) blue", "granatowy" "navy blue", "lazurowy" "azure", "modry" "(intense) blue" and "siny" "(grey) violet-blue". The adjective "niebieski" is the basic term; however, it shares some of its functions with "blekitny", which is…

Molecular evidence for the subspecific differentiation of blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur) and polyphyletic origin of dwarf blue sheep (Pseudois schaeferi).

PubMed

Tan, Shuai; Zou, Dandan; Tang, Lei; Wang, Gaochao; Peng, Quekun; Zeng, Bo; Zhang, Chen; Zou, Fangdong

2012-06-01

Blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), a Central Asian ungulate with restricted geographic distribution, exhibits unclear variation in morphology and phylogeographic structure. The composition of species and subspecies in the genus Pseudois is controversial, particularly with respect to the taxonomic designation of geographically restricted populations. Here, 26 specimens including 5 dwarf blue sheep (Pseudois schaeferi), which were collected from a broad geographic region in China, were analyzed for 2 mitochondrial DNA fragments (cytochrome b and control region sequences). In a pattern consistent with geographically defined subspecies, we found three deeply divergent mitochondrial lineages restricted to different geographic regions. The currently designated two subspecies of blue sheep, Pseudois nayaur nayaur and Pseudois nayaur szechuanensis, were recognized in the phylogenetic trees. In addition, the Helan Mountain population showed distinct genetic characteristics from other geographic populations, and thus should be classified as a new subspecies. In contrast, dwarf blue sheep clustered closely with some blue sheep from Sichuan Province in the phylogenetic trees. Therefore, dwarf blue sheep appear to be a subset of Pseudois nayaur szechuanensis. After considering both population genetic information and molecular clock analysis, we obtained some relevant molecular phylogeographic information concerning the historical biogeography of blue sheep. These results also indicate that western Sichuan was a potential refugium for blue sheep during the Quaternary period.

Molecular and functional characterization of CD59 from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) involved in the immune response to Streptococcus agalactiae.

PubMed

Gan, Zhen; Wang, Bei; Zhou, Wei; Lu, Yishan; Zhu, Weiwei; Tang, Jufen; Jian, JiChang; Wu, Zaohe

2015-05-01

CD59, the major inhibitor of membrane attack complex, plays a crucial role in regulation of complement activation. In this paper, a CD59 gene of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (designated as On-CD59) was cloned and its expression pattern under the stimulation of Streptococcus agalactiae was investigated. Sequence analysis showed main structural features required for complement-inhibitory activity were detected in the deduced amino acid sequence of On-CD59. In healthy Nile tilapia, the On-CD59 transcripts could be detected in all the examined tissues, with the most abundant expression in the brain. When immunized with inactivated S. agalactiae, there was a clear time-dependent expression pattern of On-CD59 in the skin, brain, head kidney, thymus and spleen, with quite different kinetic expressions. The assays for the complement-inhibitory activity suggested that recombinant On-CD59 protein had a species-selective inhibition of complement. Moreover, our works showed that recombinant On-CD59 protein may possess both binding activities to PGN and LTA and inhibiting activity of S. agalactiae. These findings indicated that On-CD59 may play important roles in the immune response to S. agalactiae in Nile tilapia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Discovery of Nanomolar Dengue and West Nile Virus Protease Inhibitors Containing a 4-Benzyloxyphenylglycine Residue.

PubMed

Behnam, Mira A M; Graf, Dominik; Bartenschlager, Ralf; Zlotos, Darius P; Klein, Christian D

2015-12-10

The dengue virus (DENV) and West Nile Virus (WNV) NS2B-NS3 proteases are attractive targets for the development of dual-acting therapeutics against these arboviral pathogens. We present the synthesis and extensive biological evaluation of inhibitors that contain benzyl ethers of 4-hydroxyphenylglycine as non-natural peptidic building blocks synthesized via a copper-complex intermediate. A three-step optimization strategy, beginning with fragment growth of the C-terminal 4-hydroxyphenylglycine to the benzyloxy ether, followed by C- and N-terminal optimization, and finally fragment merging generated compounds with in vitro affinities in the low nanomolar range. The most promising derivative reached Ki values of 12 nM at the DENV-2 and 39 nM at the WNV proteases. Several of the newly discovered protease inhibitors yielded a significant reduction of dengue and West Nile virus titers in cell-based assays of virus replication, with an EC50 value of 3.4 μM at DENV-2 and 15.5 μM at WNV for the most active analogue.

West Nile virus and hemoparasites in captive snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus)--management strategies to optimize survival.

PubMed

Harasym, Carol A

2008-11-01

In August 2005, 2 members of a group of 6 captive snowy owls (Bubo scandiacus) in central Saskatchewan died of West Nile virus infection. One of these owls and 3 of the remaining owls had significant numbers of circulating hemoparasites. Management strategies are suggested to reduce morbidity and mortality.

Indigenous West Nile virus infections in horses in Albania.

PubMed

Berxholi, K; Ziegler, U; Rexhepi, A; Schmidt, K; Mertens, M; Korro, K; Cuko, A; Angenvoort, J; Groschup, M H

2013-11-01

Serum samples collected from 167 equines of 12 districts in Albania were tested for West Nile virus-specific antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and virus neutralization assay, using WNV lineage 1 and 2. In addition, 95 bird serum samples from Albania and 29 horse samples from Kosovo were tested in ELISA. An overall seroprevalence rate of 22% was found in horses from Albania, whereas no specific antibodies were found in the equine samples from Kosovo and the bird samples. This is the first report indicating WNV infections in animals in Albania, and the first reported seroprevalence study conducted for Kosovo. These results provide evidence for widespread infections of WNV in Albania. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Technologies for the development of West Nile virus vaccines.

PubMed

Ulbert, Sebastian; Magnusson, Sofia E

2014-01-01

West Nile virus (WNV), an emerging mosquito-borne and zoonotic flavivirus, continues to spread worldwide and represents a major problem for human and veterinary medicine. In recent years, severe outbreaks were observed in the USA and Europe with neighboring countries, and the virus is considered to be endemic in an increasing number of areas. Although most infections remain asymptomatic, WNV can cause severe, even fatal, neurological disease, which affects mostly the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Several vaccines have been licensed in the veterinary sector, but no human vaccine is available today. This review summarizes recent strategies that are being followed to develop WNV vaccines with emphasis on technologies suitable for the use in humans.

West Nile virus--neutralizing antibodies in humans in Greece.

PubMed

Papa, Anna; Perperidou, Parthena; Tzouli, Anisa; Castilletti, Concetta

2010-10-01

Serum samples collected during March-May 2007 from 392 residents of Imathia prefecture, Northern Greece, were tested by indirect immunofluorescence assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for IgG antibodies against West Nile virus (WNV). Microneutralization assay was applied in six positive samples. Four (4/392, 1.02%) were found positive for WNV-neutralizing antibodies. None of the positive individuals had a history of travel in endemic area or flavivirus vaccination, suggesting that WNV, or an antigenically related flavivirus, circulates in an endemic sylvatic cycle, at least locally, in rural areas in Greece. Human, animal, and vector surveillance systems have to be implemented to provide an early detection of WNV activity in Greece.

Archival Isolates Confirm a Single Topotype of West Nile Virus in Australia

PubMed Central

Huang, Bixing; Prow, Natalie A; van den Hurk, Andrew F.; Allcock, Richard J. N.; Moore, Peter R.; Doggett, Stephen L.; Warrilow, David

2016-01-01

West Nile virus is globally wide-spread and causes significant disease in humans and animals. The evolution of West Nile virus Kunjin subtype in Australia (WNVKUN) was investigated using archival samples collected over a period of 50 years. Based on the pattern of fixed amino acid substitutions and time-stamped molecular clock analyses, a single long-term lineage (or topotype) was inferred. This implies that a bottleneck exists such that regional strains eventually die out and are replaced with strains from a single source. This was consistent with current hypotheses regarding the distribution of WNVKUN, whereby the virus is enzootic in northern Australia and is disseminated to southern states by water-birds or mosquitoes after flooding associated with above average rainfall. In addition, two previous amino acid changes associated with pathogenicity, an N-Y-S glycosylation motif in the envelope protein and a phenylalanine at amino acid 653 in the RNA polymerase, were both detected in all isolates collected since the 1980s. Changes primarily occurred due to stochastic drift. One fixed substitution each in NS3 and NS5, subtly changed the chemical environment of important functional groups, and may be involved in fine-tuning RNA synthesis. Understanding these evolutionary changes will help us to better understand events such as the emergence of the virulent strain in 2011. PMID:27906966

36 CFR 7.34 - Blue Ridge Parkway.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Blue Ridge Parkway. 7.34... REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.34 Blue Ridge Parkway. (a) Snowmobiles. After consideration... waters of the Blue Ridge Parkway is prohibited except on the waters of Price Lake. (2) Vessels using...

36 CFR 7.34 - Blue Ridge Parkway.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Blue Ridge Parkway. 7.34... REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.34 Blue Ridge Parkway. (a) Snowmobiles. After consideration... waters of the Blue Ridge Parkway is prohibited except on the waters of Price Lake. (2) Vessels using...

36 CFR 7.34 - Blue Ridge Parkway.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Blue Ridge Parkway. 7.34... REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.34 Blue Ridge Parkway. (a) Snowmobiles. After consideration... waters of the Blue Ridge Parkway is prohibited except on the waters of Price Lake. (2) Vessels using...

On Seeing Reddish Green and Yellowish Blue.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crane, Hewitt D.; Piantanida, Thomas P.

1983-01-01

Stabilization of the retinal image of the boundary between a pair of red/green or yellow/blue stripes, but not their outer edges, results in the entire region being perceived simultaneously as both red/green or yellow/blue. This suggests that the percepts of reddish-green/yellowish-blue apparently are possible in corticocortical color vision…

Lipid chain saturation and the cholesterol in the phospholipid membrane affect the spectroscopic properties of lipophilic dye nile red

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Halder, Animesh; Saha, Baishakhi; Maity, Pabitra; Kumar, Gopinatha Suresh; Sinha, Deepak Kumar; Karmakar, Sanat

2018-02-01

We have studied the effect of composition and the phase state of phospholipid membranes on the emission spectrum, anisotropy and lifetime of a lipophilic fluorescence probe nile red. Fluorescence spectrum of nile red in membranes containing cholesterol has also been investigated in order to get insights into the influence of cholesterol on the phospholipid membranes. Maximum emission wavelength (λem) of nile red in the fluid phase of saturated and unsaturated phospholipids was found to differ by 10 nm. The λem was also found to be independent of chain length and charge of the membrane. However, the λem is strongly dependent on the temperature in the gel phase. The λem and rotational diffusion rate decrease, whereas the anisotropy and lifetime increase markedly with increasing cholesterol concentration for saturated phosoholipids, such as, dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) in the liquid ordered phase. However, these spectroscopic properties do not alter significantly in case of unsaturated phospholipids, such as, dioleoyl phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) in liquid disordered phase. Interestingly, red edge excitation shift (REES) in the presence of lipid-cholesterol membranes is the direct consequences of change in rotational diffusion due to motional restriction of lipids in the presence of cholesterol. This study provides correlations between the membrane compositions and fluorescence spectral features which can be utilized in a wide range of biophysical fields as well the cell biology.

The chicken 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase A inhibits the replication of West Nile virus.

PubMed

Tag-El-Din-Hassan, Hassan T; Sasaki, Nobuya; Moritoh, Kanako; Torigoe, Daisuke; Maeda, Akihiko; Agui, Takashi

2012-08-01

West Nile virus (WNV) is a pathogen to cause West Nile encephalitis when the infection occurs in the brain. Previous studies in mice identified the 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase 1b (Oas1b) gene as a determining factor for resistance to WNV infection. In addition, it has been suggested that human OAS1 and OASL are associated with the resistance to the WNV infection. WNV is maintained in nature through a complex life cycle involving wildbirds and mosquitoes. Birds are not only susceptible to the WNV, but also act as reservoir hosts, thus participating in the spread of the disease. It has previously been reported that chicken OASL possesses the oligoadenylate synthetase activity. However, until now the antiviral activity of chicken OASL has not been determined. In this study, we investigated the putative antiviral activity of chicken OASL by ectopic expression of this enzyme in mammalian cells and then infecting these cells with WNV replicon. We demonstrate that chicken OASL has an antiviral activity against the WNV. This is the first report to show that chicken OASL is associated with the resistance to the WNV infection.

Environmental Drivers of West Nile Fever Epidemiology in Europe and Western Asia—A Review

PubMed Central

Paz, Shlomit; Semenza, Jan C.

2013-01-01

Abiotic and biotic conditions are both important determinants of West Nile Fever (WNF) epidemiology. Ambient temperature plays an important role in the growth rates of vector populations, the interval between blood meals, viral replication rates and transmission of West Nile Virus (WNV). The contribution of precipitation is more complex and less well understood. In this paper we discuss impacts of climatic parameters (temperature, relative humidity, precipitation) and other environmental drivers (such as bird migration, land use) on WNV transmission in Europe. WNV recently became established in southeastern Europe, with a large outbreak in the summer of 2010 and recurrent outbreaks in 2011 and 2012. Abundant competent mosquito vectors, bridge vectors, infected (viremic) migrating and local (amplifying) birds are all important characteristics of WNV transmission. In addition, certain key climatic factors, such as increased ambient temperatures, and by extension climate change, may also favor WNF transmission, and they should be taken into account when evaluating the risk of disease spread in the coming years. Monitoring epidemic precursors of WNF, such as significant temperature deviations in high risk areas, could be used to trigger vector control programs and public education campaigns. PMID:23939389

West Nile virus surveillance in Europe: moving towards an integrated animal-human-vector approach