WorldWideScience

Sample records for treeshrew tupaia tana

  1. Property of hepatitis B virus replication in Tupaia belangeri hepatocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanada, Takahiro; Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko; Yamamoto, Naoki; Ezzikouri, Sayeh; Benjelloun, Soumaya; Murakami, Shuko; Tanaka, Yasuhito; Tateno, Chise; Kohara, Michinori

    2016-01-08

    The northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) has been reported to be an effective candidate for animal infection model with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The objective of our study was to analyze the growth characteristics of HBV in tupaia hepatocytes and the host response to HBV infection. We established primary tupaia hepatocytes (3-6-week old tupaia) and infected them with HBV genotypes A, B and C, and all the genotypes proliferated as well as those in human primary hepatocytes (>10(5) copies/ml in culture supernatant). We next generated a chimeric mouse with tupaia liver by transplantation of tupaia primary hepatocytes to urokinase-type plasminogen activator cDNA (cDNA-uPA)/severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice and the replacement ratio with tupaia hepatocytes was found to be more than 95%. Infection of chimeric mice with HBV (genotypes B, C, and D) resulted in HBV-DNA level of 10(4)-10(6) copies/ml after 8 weeks of infection, which were almost similar to that in humanized chimeric mouse. In contrast, serum HBV level in adult tupaia (1-year-old tupaia) was quite low (<10(3) copies/ml). Understanding the differences in the response to HBV infection in primary tupaia hepatocytes, chimeric mouse, and adult tupaia will contribute to elucidating the mechanism of persistent HBV infection and viral eradication. Thus, T. belangeri was found to be efficient for studying the host response to HBV infection, thereby providing novel insight into the pathogenesis of HBV. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Property of hepatitis B virus replication in Tupaia belangeri hepatocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanada, Takahiro; Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko; Yamamoto, Naoki; Ezzikouri, Sayeh; Benjelloun, Soumaya; Murakami, Shuko; Tanaka, Yasuhito; Tateno, Chise; Kohara, Michinori

    2016-01-01

    The northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) has been reported to be an effective candidate for animal infection model with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The objective of our study was to analyze the growth characteristics of HBV in tupaia hepatocytes and the host response to HBV infection. We established primary tupaia hepatocytes (3–6-week old tupaia) and infected them with HBV genotypes A, B and C, and all the genotypes proliferated as well as those in human primary hepatocytes (>10"5 copies/ml in culture supernatant). We next generated a chimeric mouse with tupaia liver by transplantation of tupaia primary hepatocytes to urokinase-type plasminogen activator cDNA (cDNA-uPA)/severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice and the replacement ratio with tupaia hepatocytes was found to be more than 95%. Infection of chimeric mice with HBV (genotypes B, C, and D) resulted in HBV-DNA level of 10"4-10"6 copies/ml after 8 weeks of infection, which were almost similar to that in humanized chimeric mouse. In contrast, serum HBV level in adult tupaia (1-year-old tupaia) was quite low (<10"3 copies/ml). Understanding the differences in the response to HBV infection in primary tupaia hepatocytes, chimeric mouse, and adult tupaia will contribute to elucidating the mechanism of persistent HBV infection and viral eradication. Thus, T. belangeri was found to be efficient for studying the host response to HBV infection, thereby providing novel insight into the pathogenesis of HBV. - Highlights: • Primary hepatocytes were established from tupaia that is a novel HBV infection model. • Tupaia primary hepatocytes were susceptible for HBV infection. • The immunodeficient chimeric mice with tupaia hepatocytes were established. • The chimeric mice with tupaia hepatocytes were susceptible for HBV infection.

  3. Property of hepatitis B virus replication in Tupaia belangeri hepatocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanada, Takahiro [Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506 (Japan); Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko, E-mail: kkohara@vet.kagoshima-u.ac.jp [Transboundary Animal Diseases Centre, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24, Korimoto, Kagoshima-city, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Laboratory of Animal Hygiene, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24, Korimoto, Kagoshima, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Yamamoto, Naoki [Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506 (Japan); Ezzikouri, Sayeh; Benjelloun, Soumaya [Viral Hepatitis Laboratory, Virology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Maroc, 1, Louis Pasteur, Casablanca 20360 (Morocco); Murakami, Shuko; Tanaka, Yasuhito [Department of Virology and Liver Unit, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kawasumi 1, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 467-8601 (Japan); Tateno, Chise [PhoenixBio Co. Ltd., 3-4-1, Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima 739-0046 (Japan); Kohara, Michinori, E-mail: kohara-mc@igakuken.or.jp [Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, 2-1-6, Kamikitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8506 (Japan)

    2016-01-08

    The northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri) has been reported to be an effective candidate for animal infection model with hepatitis B virus (HBV). The objective of our study was to analyze the growth characteristics of HBV in tupaia hepatocytes and the host response to HBV infection. We established primary tupaia hepatocytes (3–6-week old tupaia) and infected them with HBV genotypes A, B and C, and all the genotypes proliferated as well as those in human primary hepatocytes (>10{sup 5} copies/ml in culture supernatant). We next generated a chimeric mouse with tupaia liver by transplantation of tupaia primary hepatocytes to urokinase-type plasminogen activator cDNA (cDNA-uPA)/severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice and the replacement ratio with tupaia hepatocytes was found to be more than 95%. Infection of chimeric mice with HBV (genotypes B, C, and D) resulted in HBV-DNA level of 10{sup 4}-10{sup 6} copies/ml after 8 weeks of infection, which were almost similar to that in humanized chimeric mouse. In contrast, serum HBV level in adult tupaia (1-year-old tupaia) was quite low (<10{sup 3} copies/ml). Understanding the differences in the response to HBV infection in primary tupaia hepatocytes, chimeric mouse, and adult tupaia will contribute to elucidating the mechanism of persistent HBV infection and viral eradication. Thus, T. belangeri was found to be efficient for studying the host response to HBV infection, thereby providing novel insight into the pathogenesis of HBV. - Highlights: • Primary hepatocytes were established from tupaia that is a novel HBV infection model. • Tupaia primary hepatocytes were susceptible for HBV infection. • The immunodeficient chimeric mice with tupaia hepatocytes were established. • The chimeric mice with tupaia hepatocytes were susceptible for HBV infection.

  4. Morphological and molecular characteristics of Malayfilaria sofiani Uni, Mat Udin & Takaoka n. g., n. sp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from the common treeshrew Tupaia glis Diard & Duvaucel (Mammalia: Scandentia) in Peninsular Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uni, Shigehiko; Mat Udin, Ahmad Syihan; Agatsuma, Takeshi; Saijuntha, Weerachai; Junker, Kerstin; Ramli, Rosli; Omar, Hasmahzaiti; Lim, Yvonne Ai-Lian; Sivanandam, Sinnadurai; Lefoulon, Emilie; Martin, Coralie; Belabut, Daicus Martin; Kasim, Saharul; Abdullah Halim, Muhammad Rasul; Zainuri, Nur Afiqah; Bhassu, Subha; Fukuda, Masako; Matsubayashi, Makoto; Harada, Masashi; Low, Van Lun; Chen, Chee Dhang; Suganuma, Narifumi; Hashim, Rosli; Takaoka, Hiroyuki; Azirun, Mohd Sofian

    2017-04-20

    The filarial nematodes Wuchereria bancrofti (Cobbold, 1877), Brugia malayi (Brug, 1927) and B. timori Partono, Purnomo, Dennis, Atmosoedjono, Oemijati & Cross, 1977 cause lymphatic diseases in humans in the tropics, while B. pahangi (Buckley & Edeson, 1956) infects carnivores and causes zoonotic diseases in humans in Malaysia. Wuchereria bancrofti, W. kalimantani Palmieri, Pulnomo, Dennis & Marwoto, 1980 and six out of ten Brugia spp. have been described from Australia, Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and India. However, the origin and evolution of the species in the Wuchereria-Brugia clade remain unclear. While investigating the diversity of filarial parasites in Malaysia, we discovered an undescribed species in the common treeshrew Tupaia glis Diard & Duvaucel (Mammalia: Scandentia). We examined 81 common treeshrews from 14 areas in nine states and the Federal Territory of Peninsular Malaysia for filarial parasites. Once any filariae that were found had been isolated, we examined their morphological characteristics and determined the partial sequences of their mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) and 12S rRNA genes. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products of the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region were then cloned into the pGEM-T vector, and the recombinant plasmids were used as templates for sequencing. Malayfilaria sofiani Uni, Mat Udin & Takaoka, n. g., n. sp. is described based on the morphological characteristics of adults and microfilariae found in common treeshrews from Jeram Pasu, Kelantan, Malaysia. The Kimura 2-parameter distance between the cox1 gene sequences of the new species and W. bancrofti was 11.8%. Based on the three gene sequences, the new species forms a monophyletic clade with W. bancrofti and Brugia spp. The adult parasites were found in tissues surrounding the lymph nodes of the neck of common treeshrews. The newly described species appears most closely related to Wuchereria spp. and Brugia spp., but differs from these in

  5. Rule reversal: Ecogeographical patterns of body size variation in the common treeshrew (Mammalia, Scandentia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sargis, Eric J.; Millien, Virginie; Woodman, Neal; Olson, Link E.

    2018-01-01

    There are a number of ecogeographical “rules” that describe patterns of geographical variation among organisms. The island rule predicts that populations of larger mammals on islands evolve smaller mean body size than their mainland counterparts, whereas smaller‐bodied mammals evolve larger size. Bergmann's rule predicts that populations of a species in colder climates (generally at higher latitudes) have larger mean body sizes than conspecifics in warmer climates (at lower latitudes). These two rules are rarely tested together and neither has been rigorously tested in treeshrews, a clade of small‐bodied mammals in their own order (Scandentia) broadly distributed in mainland Southeast Asia and on islands throughout much of the Sunda Shelf. The common treeshrew, Tupaia glis, is an excellent candidate for study and was used to test these two rules simultaneously for the first time in treeshrews. This species is distributed on the Malay Peninsula and several offshore islands east, west, and south of the mainland. Using craniodental dimensions as a proxy for body size, we investigated how island size, distance from the mainland, and maximum sea depth between the mainland and the islands relate to body size of 13 insular T. glis populations while also controlling for latitude and correlation among variables. We found a strong negative effect of latitude on body size in the common treeshrew, indicating the inverse of Bergmann's rule. We did not detect any overall difference in body size between the island and mainland populations. However, there was an effect of island area and maximum sea depth on body size among island populations. Although there is a strong latitudinal effect on body size, neither Bergmann's rule nor the island rule applies to the common treeshrew. The results of our analyses demonstrate the necessity of assessing multiple variables simultaneously in studies of ecogeographical rules.

  6. Morphological distinctiveness of Javan Tupaia hypochrysa (Scandentia, Tupaiidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sargis, Eric J.; Woodman, Neal; Morningstar, Natalie C.; Reese, Aspen T.; Olson, Link E.

    2013-01-01

    The common treeshrew, Tupaia glis, represents a species complex with a complicated taxonomic history. It is distributed mostly south of the Isthmus of Kra on the Malay Peninsula and surrounding islands. In our recent revision of a portion of this species complex, we did not fully assess the population from Java (T. “glis” hypochrysa) because of our limited sample. Herein, we revisit this taxon using multivariate analyses in comparisons with T. glis, T. chrysogaster of the Mentawai Islands, and T. ferruginea from Sumatra. Analyses of both the manus and skull of Javan T. “glis” hypochrysa show it to be most similar to T. chrysogaster and distinct from both T. glis and T. ferruginea. Yet, the Javan population and T. chrysogaster have different mammae counts, supporting recognition of T. hypochrysa as a distinct species. The change in taxonomic status of T. hypochrysa has conservation implications for both T. glis and this Javan endemic.

  7. An early Oligocene fossil demonstrates treeshrews are slowly evolving "living fossils".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qiang; Ni, Xijun

    2016-01-14

    Treeshrews are widely considered a "living model" of an ancestral primate, and have long been called "living fossils". Actual fossils of treeshrews, however, are extremely rare. We report a new fossil species of Ptilocercus treeshrew recovered from the early Oligocene (~34 Ma) of China that represents the oldest definitive fossil record of the crown group of treeshrews and nearly doubles the temporal length of their fossil record. The fossil species is strikingly similar to the living Ptilocercus lowii, a species generally recognized as the most plesiomorphic extant treeshrew. It demonstrates that Ptilocercus treeshrews have undergone little evolutionary change in their morphology since the early Oligocene. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analysis support the long-standing idea that Ptilocercus treeshrews are morphologically conservative and have probably retained many characters present in the common stock that gave rise to archontans, which include primates, flying lemurs, plesiadapiforms and treeshrews. This discovery provides an exceptional example of slow morphological evolution in a mammalian group over a period of 34 million years. The persistent and stable tropical environment in Southeast Asia through the Cenozoic likely played a critical role in the survival of such a morphologically conservative lineage.

  8. Reproductive biology of Garra regressus and Garra tana (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae from Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akewake Geremew

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The reproductive biology of Garra regressus and Garra tana was investigated by collecting monthly samples (January to December 2006 from the southern Gulf of Lake Tana, where these species are endemic.  Garra regressus has an extended breeding time from April to October while G. tana breeds throughout the year with a peak from March to July.  The mean size at maturity in both the species was not significantly different between the sexes, but G. tana had a significantly lower mean size at maturity than G. regressus in female specimens.  Absolute fecundity estimates for G. regressus ranged from 580.8–1800, while those for G. tana ranged from 538.9–2968.  Egg size frequency distribution revealed that G. regressus is a multiple spawner, while G. tana is a single spawner.  The sex ratio in the total catch of G. regressus was found to be skewed in favour of females (Chi-square, P< 0.05, while those for G. tana was not significantly different from 1:1. The mean size at maturity was not significantly different between the sexes for G. tana

  9. Pathogenesis of Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Tupaia belangeri▿†

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amako, Yutaka; Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko; Katsume, Asao; Hirata, Yuichi; Sekiguchi, Satoshi; Tobita, Yoshimi; Hayashi, Yukiko; Hishima, Tsunekazu; Funata, Nobuaki; Yonekawa, Hiromichi; Kohara, Michinori

    2010-01-01

    The lack of a small-animal model has hampered the analysis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) pathogenesis. The tupaia (Tupaia belangeri), a tree shrew, has shown susceptibility to HCV infection and has been considered a possible candidate for a small experimental model of HCV infection. However, a longitudinal analysis of HCV-infected tupaias has yet to be described. Here, we provide an analysis of HCV pathogenesis during the course of infection in tupaias over a 3-year period. The animals were inoculated with hepatitis C patient serum HCR6 or viral particles reconstituted from full-length cDNA. In either case, inoculation caused mild hepatitis and intermittent viremia during the acute phase of infection. Histological analysis of infected livers revealed that HCV caused chronic hepatitis that worsened in a time-dependent manner. Liver steatosis, cirrhotic nodules, and accompanying tumorigenesis were also detected. To examine whether infectious virus particles were produced in tupaia livers, naive animals were inoculated with sera from HCV-infected tupaias, which had been confirmed positive for HCV RNA. As a result, the recipient animals also displayed mild hepatitis and intermittent viremia. Quasispecies were also observed in the NS5A region, signaling phylogenic lineage from the original inoculating sequence. Taken together, these data suggest that the tupaia is a practical animal model for experimental studies of HCV infection. PMID:19846521

  10. Tupaia belangeri as an experimental animal model for viral infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko; Kohara, Michinori

    2014-01-01

    Tupaias, or tree shrews, are small mammals that are similar in appearance to squirrels. The morphological and behavioral characteristics of the group have been extensively characterized, and despite previously being classified as primates, recent studies have placed the group in its own family, the Tupaiidae. Genomic analysis has revealed that the genus Tupaia is closer to humans than it is to rodents. In addition, tupaias are susceptible to hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus. The only other experimental animal that has been demonstrated to be sensitive to both of these viruses is the chimpanzee, but restrictions on animal testing have meant that experiments using chimpanzees have become almost impossible. Consequently, the development of the tupaia for use as an animal infection model could become a powerful tool for hepatitis virus research and in preclinical studies on drug development.

  11. Island history affects faunal composition: the treeshrews (Mammalia: Scandentia: Tupaiidae) from the Mentawai and Batu Islands, Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sargis, Eric J.; Woodman, Neal; Morningstar, Natalie C.; Reese, Aspen T.; Olson, Link E.

    2014-01-01

    The Mentawai and Batu Island groups off the west coast of Sumatra have a complicated geological and biogeographical history. The Batu Islands have shared a connection with the Sumatran ‘mainland’ during periods of lowered sea level, whereas the Mentawai Islands, despite being a similar distance from Sumatra, have remained isolated from Sumatra, and probably from the Batu Islands as well. These contrasting historical relationships to Sumatra have influenced the compositions of the respective mammalian faunas of these island groups. Treeshrews (Scandentia, Tupaiidae) from these islands have, at various times in their history, been recognized as geographically circumscribed populations of a broadly distributed Tupaia glis, subspecies, or distinct species. We used multivariate analyses of measurements from the skull and hands to compare the island populations from Siberut (Mentawai Islands) and Tanahbala (Batu Islands) with the geographically adjacent species from the southern Mentawai Islands (T. chrysogaster) and Sumatra (T. ferruginea). Results from both the skull and manus of the Siberut population show that it is most similar to T. chrysogaster, whereas the Tanahbala population is more similar to T. ferruginea, confirming predictions based on island history. These results are further corroborated by mammae counts. Based on these lines of evidence, we include the Siberut population in T. chrysogaster and the Tanahbala population in T. ferruginea. Our conclusions expand the known distributions of both the Mentawai and Sumatran species. The larger geographical range of the endangered T. chrysogaster has conservation implications for this Mentawai endemic, so populations and habitat should be re-evaluated on each of the islands it inhabits. However, until such a re-evaluation is conducted, we recommend that the IUCN Red List status of this species be changed from ‘Endangered’ to ‘Data Deficient’.

  12. Lake Tana's piscivorous Barbus (Cyprinidae, Ethiopia) ecology - evolution - exploitation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Graaf, de M.

    2003-01-01

    The 15 Barbus species of Lake Tana, a large shallow lake located at an altitude of 1830 m in the north-western highlands of Ethiopia, form the only remaining intact species flock of large (max. 100cm) cyprinid fishes. Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile and high waterfalls (40 m) at

  13. Establishment of an intermittent cold stress model using Tupaia belangeri and evaluation of compound C737 targeting neuron-restrictive silencer factor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hai-Ying, Chi; Nagano, Kiori; Ezzikouri, Sayeh; Yamaguchi, Chiho; Kayesh, Mohammad Enamul Hoque; Rebbani, Khadija; Kitab, Bouchra; Nakano, Hirohumi; Kouji, Hiroyuki; Kohara, Michinori; Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko

    2016-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that intermittent cold stress (ICS) induces depression-like behaviors in mammals. Tupaia belangeri (the tree shrew) is the only experimental animal other than the chimpanzee that has been shown to be susceptible to infection by hepatitis B and C viruses. Moreover, full genome sequence analysis has revealed strong homology between host proteins in Tupaia and in humans and other primates. Tupaia neuromodulator receptor proteins are also known to have a high degree of homology with their corresponding primate proteins. Based on these similarities, we hypothesized that induction of ICS in Tupaia would provide a useful animal model of stress responses. We exposed young adult Tupaia to ICS and observed decreases in body temperature and body weight in both female and male Tupaia, suggesting that Tupaia are an appropriate animal model for ICS studies. We further examined the efficacy of a new small-molecule compound, C737, against the effects of ICS. C737 mimics the helical structure of neuron-restrictive silencer factor (NRSF/REST), which regulates a wide range of target genes involved in neuronal function and pain modulation. Treatment with C737 significantly reduced stress-induced weight loss in female Tupaia; these effects were stronger than those elicited by the antidepressant agomelatine. These results suggest that Tupaia represents a useful non-rodent ICS model. Our data also provide new insights into the function of NRSF/REST in stress-induced depression and other disorders with epigenetic influences or those with high prevalence in women. PMID:27041457

  14. Technical Assistance Needs Assessments (TANAs)

    Science.gov (United States)

    The Technical Assistance Needs Assessment (TANA) is a process to identify whether a community requires additional support from EPA in order to understand technical information and have meaningful participation in the Superfund decision-making process.

  15. IN LAKE TANA, ETHIOPIA

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Turbidity showed depressed effect on biomass ... Key words/phrases: Biomass, duration of development, Lake Tana, large-turbid ... 36°45'-38°14'E and at an altitude of 1830 In, a.s.l. ... 30 cm mouth opening, 1.2 m cod end), which was ... times of the three copepods were measured under .... The greatest density values were.

  16. Ecology and potential for fishery of the small barbs (Cyprinidae, Teleostei) of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    OpenAIRE

    Dejen, E.

    2003-01-01

    Lake Tana is by far the largest lake of Ethiopia and source of the Blue Nile. By feeding on zooplankton, small barbs (< 10 cm) occupy a central position in Lake Tana's ecosystem. Catching them could release pressure on the overexploited, unique species flock of large barbs (up to 100 cm). Aiming at small barbs, we need first to assess its possible impact on the food web and productivity. To advise on sustainable management, the biology and ecology of the small Barbus species in Lake Tana w...

  17. Ecology and potential for fishery of the small barbs (Cyprinidae, Teleostei) of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.

    2003-01-01

    Lake Tana is by far the largest lake of Ethiopia and source of the Blue Nile. By feeding on zooplankton, small barbs (< 10 cm) occupy a central position in Lake Tana's ecosystem. Catching them could release pressure on the overexploited, unique species flock of large barbs (up to 100 cm).

  18. Sanãtana dharma / René Guénon ; tõlkinud ja kommenteerinud Haljand Udam

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Guénon, René

    2004-01-01

    René Guénoni essee "Sanãtana dharma" ilmus 1949. a. ja uuesti 1989. a. raamatus "Études sur ľhindouisme" lk. 105-116 ja käsitleb mõiste "sanãtana dharma" ja "philosophia perennis" tõlgendusi ja tähendust. Esseele on lisatud põhjalik tõlkijapoolne kommentaar

  19. County Boundaries clipped to shoreline from Teleatlas, NA for Regions 1, 2 and 3 in EPA Region 2 Oracle/Spatial/SDE Database [TANA.COUNTY

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — R2GIS Combined county boundary data from TANA, Navteq and Census: TANA county boundaries.(static.R2GIS.TANA_BOUNDARY_COUNTY) for all of Region 2 except the Virgin...

  20. Trends and variability of water quality in Lake Tana, Ethiopia using MODIS-Aqua

    Science.gov (United States)

    DeLuca, N. M.; Zaitchik, B. F.; Monger, B. C.

    2017-12-01

    Determining long-term water quality trends and variability in remote inland lakes has been challenging due to a lack of continuous in situ measurements. Utilizing ocean color remote sensing techniques for these lakes is difficult due to their sizes, shapes, and optically complex waters. Lake Tana is the largest body of water in Ethiopia, and is located in the country's northwestern highlands. The lake is quite shallow, averaging at about 8 meters depth, and is characteristically turbid due to nearby land degradation and high soil erosion rates. Lake Tana is an important source of accessible water for the rapidly growing population of Ethiopia and serves as the headwaters for the Blue Nile. Therefore, understanding water quality trends and seasonal variation over the past decade is essential to better preparing for future water needs. Here we use MODIS-Aqua data spanning years 2002-2016 to investigate these trends and variability in Lake Tana, where in situ measurements are limited. Daily water quality products were first processed using SeaDAS and then aggregated by month and year for analyses. Frequent cloud cover in the June, July, and August (JJA) rainy season due to monsoon and zonal dynamics presents an obstacle for obtaining mean lake values during these months. We also performed analyses on targeted regions of Lake Tana to determine whether some of the major tributaries and their corresponding watersheds have more influence on observed trends than others.

  1. The barbs of Lake Tana, Ethiopia : morphological diversity and its implications for taxonomy, trophic resource partitioning, and fisheries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nagelkerke, L.

    1997-01-01

    The rediscovery of a unique species flock of cyprinid fish, its taxonomy and its feeding-biology are described. Fourteen species of barbs (Barbus spp, Cyprinidae, Teleostei) were found in highland (1800 m) Lake Tana, in northwestern Ethiopia. Lake Tana is

  2. Regionalization of the Upper Tana Basin of Kenya Using Stream ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Regionalization of the Upper Tana Basin of Kenya Using Stream Flow Records. ... river gauge stations in the basin using the empirical orthogonal function analysis ... the study basin to be grouped into four homogenous hydrological zones that ...

  3. Hydrobiological Survey of the Bahir Dar Gulf of Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    FIRST LADY

    lake and for monitoring changes taking place as a consequence of human developmental ... peculiar biodiversity and the increasing threats of expanding urban habitation ..... communities and their role in the food web of Lake Tana, Ethiopia.

  4. 19 Livelihoods Pattern of “Negede Weyto” Community in Lake Tana ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Choice-Academy

    plateau of Ethiopian highlands, sharing the shore of Lake Tana, ..... society experience risk and mitigate hazards. Chambers (1989) ... to land for farming since farm is a determinant of their ... Regional State Tourist Attractions, Amhara. National ...

  5. Hydrological Balance of Lake Tana, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rientjes, T.H.M.; Perera, Janaka B.U.; Haile, Alemseged T.; Haile, A.T.; Gieske, Ambro S.M.; Booij, Martijn J.; Reggiani, Paolo; Melesse, Assefa M.

    2011-01-01

    In recent years, few studies are presented on the water balance of Lake Tana. In these studies, the water balance is closed by unknown runoff contributions from ungauged catchments. Studies relied on simple procedures of area comparison to estimate runoff from ungauged catchments. In this study,

  6. [Ontogenetic Mechanisms of Explosive Morphological Divergence in the Lake Tana (Ethiopia) Species Flock of Large African Barbs (Labeobarbus; Cyprinidae; Teleostei)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shkila, F N; Lazebny, O E; Kapitanova, D V; Abdissa, Belay; Borisov, V B; Smirnov, S V

    2015-01-01

    Species flock of Lake Tana (Ethiopia) large African barbs (Labeobarbus; Cyprinidae; Teleostei) was studied as a model system for investigating ontogenetic mechanisms of the explosive morphological divergence often accompanying sympatric speciation in bony fishes. Comparative morphological analysis carried out with the use ofgeometric morphometric techniques revealed quantitative differences in the head shapes of species under study. Comparative analysis of skull development revealed significant interspecies differences in the temporal characteristics of craniogenesis in these species. These two lines of evidence suggest that heterochronies in craniogenesis underlie divergence in the head shapes of adult Tana barbs. This prediction was verified via experimental changes of temporal characteristics of craniogenesis in L. intermedius, a putative ancestor for the Lake Tana species flock. For this aim, timing and rate of skull development were changed by artificial manipulation of thyroid hormone levels. In sum, it was shown that it is heterochronies that underlie an explosive morphological divergence of the Lake Tana barbs species flock. Our findings together with those reported in the literature suggest variability in the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis to contribute to these heterochronies.

  7. Telemetric Study of Sleep Architecture and Sleep Homeostasis in the Day-Active Tree Shrew Tupaia belangeri

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coolen, Alex; Hoffmann, Kerstin; Barf, R. Paulien; Fuchs, Eberhard; Meerlo, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Study Objectives: In this study the authors characterized sleep architecture and sleep homeostasis in the tree shrew, Tupaia belangeri, a small, omnivorous, day-active mammal that is closely related to primates. Design: Adult tree shrews were individually housed under a 12-hr light/12-hr dark cycle

  8. Deteksi dan Identifikasi Potyvirus pada Ubi Jalar di Tana Toraja, Sulawesi Selatan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laras Anjarsari

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Typical viral symptoms including chlorotic and uneven interveinal yellowing on leaves without leaf malformation was observed on sweet potato field in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi. To identify the causal of the disease, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR and DNA sequencing were carried out to detect the virus from infected plants. RT-PCR using universal primer for C1 gene of Potyvirus was successfully amplified approximately 683bp DNA fragment. The nucleotide sequences of this C1 gene fragment showed 98% homology to Sweet potato virus G (SPVG. Amplification using specific primer for coat protein (CP gene of SPVG followed by DNA sequencing confirmed the association of SPVG from infected plants. Further nucleotide analysis shwowed that SPVG isolate from Tana Toraja had 99.2% homology to isolate from Japan. This is the firstt report of SPVG infection on sweet potato in South Sulawesi.

  9. Regionalisation for lake level simulation – the case of Lake Tana in the Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. H. M. Rientjes

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available In this study lake levels of Lake Tana are simulated at daily time step by solving the water balance for all inflow and outflow processes. Since nearly 62% of the Lake Tana basin area is ungauged a regionalisation procedure is applied to estimate lake inflows from ungauged catchments. The procedure combines automated multi-objective calibration of a simple conceptual model and multiple regression analyses to establish relations between model parameters and catchment characteristics.

    A relatively small number of studies are presented on Lake Tana's water balance. In most studies the water balance is solved at monthly time step and the water balance is simply closed by runoff contributions from ungauged catchments. Studies partly relied on simple ad-hoc procedures of area comparison to estimate runoff from ungauged catchments. In this study a regional model is developed that relies on principles of similarity of catchments characteristics. For runoff modelling the HBV-96 model is selected while multi-objective model calibration is by a Monte Carlo procedure. We aim to assess the closure term of Lake Tana's water balance, to assess model parameter uncertainty and to evaluate effectiveness of a multi-objective model calibration approach to make hydrological modeling results more plausible.

    For the gauged catchments, model performance is assessed by the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient and Relative Volumetric Error and resulted in satisfactory to good performance for six, large catchments. The regional model is validated and indicated satisfactory to good performance in most cases. Results show that runoff from ungauged catchments is as large as 527 mm per year for the simulation period and amounts to approximately 30% of Lake Tana stream inflow. Results of daily lake level simulation over the simulation period 1994–2003 show a water balance closure term of 85 mm per year that accounts to 2.7% of the total lake inflow. Lake level

  10. Sensitivity of the hydrologic cycle in Tana river basin to climate change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutua, F.M.

    1998-01-01

    The Tana River basin in Kenya has four distinct climates along it's gradient from cool humid in mount Kenya region through arid and semi arid in the lower plains to semi humid coastal climate. From the highlands of mount Kenya to the plateau on the lowlands, the river traverses some sections which have high potential for hydro-electric power generation. The government has constructed water reovirus to collect water for electricity generation. The influence of the reovirus have also caused climate modification. The aim of the study was to investigate the sensitivity of the river flows in the Tana river to climate change. The study indicates that, as long as temperature increment of up to 2 degrees centigrade are accompanied by positive changes (greater than 10%) in rainfall over the basin, then the hydrologic cycle adjust itself accordingly to give a positive response (increased runoff) in terms of the river at the outlet

  11. The decline of the Lake Tana (Ethiopia) fisheries: Causes and possible solutions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Anteneh, W.; Vijverberg, J.

    2017-01-01

    This article reviews major findings of a vast body of scientific studies on the ecology of the fish community and the fisheries in Lake Tana over the past 25 years. There are three commercially important fish taxa in the lake: Nile tilapia, African catfish and Labeobarbus spp. The catch per unit of

  12. Metabolism and thermoregulation in the tree shrew, Tupaia belangeri

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Zhang

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Maximum metabolic rate is a physiological limitation that is an important for animals' survival, reproduction and geographic. Basal metabolic rate (BMR, nonshivering thermogenesis (NST, and maximum metabolic rate (MMR were measured was in a small mammal species, Tupaia belangeri, which is a unique species of small-bodied mammals in the Oriental realm. Thermal neutral zone (TNZ was 30 - 35°C and BMR was 1.38±0.09 ml g-1 h-1. NST and MMR were 2.64±0.08 ml g-1 h-1 and 7.14±0.38 ml g-1 h-1 in summer, respectively. The ecophysiological properties of relatively high body temperature, wide TNZ, low BMR and thermogenic capacity enable this species to adapt to its environment.

  13. Land and Water Grabbing in an East African Coastal Wetland: The Case of the Tana Delta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stéphanie Duvail

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The delta of the Tana river in Kenya, an important wetland in Eastern Africa, is at a major turning point. Key decisions regarding its future are on the verge of being made, some of which may dramatically alter its characteristics. At present, in a landscape that is a mosaic of floodplains and forests of high biodiversity, small-scale farming, fishing and livestock-keeping are the main activities practised by the local communities, all relying on the occurrence of floods in November and May. Private investors with the backing of governmental bodies or parastatals, including the river basin authority, have planned the conversion of the lower Tana into irrigated sugar cane and Jatropha curcas plantations for biofuel production. In this paper, we discuss the land and water grabbing aspect of this new biofuel production trend, 'grabbing' being defined as cases of land acquisition or water abstraction where established user-rights and public interests are disregarded. We focus on two case studies: a planned large-scale sugar cane plantation in the central floodplain and a large-scale Jatropha curcas plantation on the floodplain terraces. We demonstrate through a water budget analysis that their potential impacts on the water balance and quality, on the environment of the Tana delta and therefore on the flood-dependent livelihoods have not been adequately addressed in the Environmental Impact Assessment documents.

  14. Tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri as a novel laboratory disease animal model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Xiao

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri is a promising laboratory animal that possesses a closer genetic relationship to primates than to rodents. In addition, advantages such as small size, easy breeding, and rapid reproduction make the tree shrew an ideal subject for the study of human disease. Numerous tree shrew disease models have been generated in biological and medical studies in recent years. Here we summarize current tree shrew disease models, including models of infectious diseases, cancers, depressive disorders, drug addiction, myopia, metabolic diseases, and immune-related diseases. With the success of tree shrew transgenic technology, this species will be increasingly used in biological and medical studies in the future.

  15. Water and Fisheries: The Sensitivity of Water Supply in the Tana River Basin to Climate Change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inima, A.K.

    1998-01-01

    Wether climatic change would cause water supply in the dry areas of the earth to diminish or not is a major question. The main objective of this study was to determine wether the water supply in the Tana river Basin of Kenya would diminish in quality as a result of climate change. The Tana River Basin is the immense economic importance to Kenya and is the lifeline of Kenya's electricity supply, accounting for about 70% of the country's electricity supply. The basin houses about 30% of the country's population and 38% of the total irrigable land. A diminished water supply in this content would, therefore, hamper the economic development of the country.Kenya receives, on average, an annual rainfall of 600 mm, and hence classified as arid to semi-arid. This makes it vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change

  16. Assessment of the impact of climate change and land cover change on landslide in Tana Toraja district

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ardiansyah, M.; Rafiuddin, A.; Jadmiko, S. D.; Boer, R.

    2018-05-01

    Landslides are the frequent and widespread climate hazard in Indonesia that cause loss of human life and damage to property. Tana Toraja District is one of the regencies in Indonesia with the highest number of landslide events. Throughout the year 2016 there were at least 3 (three) landslide incidents that caused casualties and disconnection of transportation access. The study aimed to assess the impact of climate change and land cover change on landslide hazard in the Tana Toraja District. The study showed that in 2014 the number of landslide area with high risk was 53.3% and very high risk 14.4%, while in 2031 the high risk 56.4% and very high risk 12.7%. Thus, in high climate risk area, landslide adaptation and risk reduction strategies in the framework of climate change are necessary.

  17. Spawning migrations of the endemic Labeobarbus (Cyprinidae, Teleostei) species of Lake Tana, Ethiopia, status and threats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Anteneh, W.; Getahun, A.; Dejen, E.; Sibbing, F.A.; Nagelkerke, L.A.J.; de Graaf, M.; Wudneh, T.; Vijverberg, J.; Palstra, A.P.

    2012-01-01

    The reproductive biology of the only known intact species flock of large cyprinids, the 16 Labeobarbus species of Lake Tana (Ethiopia), has been extensively studied for the past two decades. Seven species of Labeobarbus are known to migrate >50 km upstream into tributary rivers for spawning during

  18. Spawning migrations of the endemic Labeobarbus (Cyprinidae, Teleostei) species of Lake Tana, Ethiopia: status and threats

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Anteneh, W.; Getahun, A.; Dejen, E.; Sibbing, F.A.; Nagelkerke, L.A.J.; Graaf, de M.; Wudneh, T.; Vijverberg, J.; Palstra, A.P.

    2012-01-01

    The reproductive biology of the only known intact species flock of large cyprinids, the 16 Labeobarbus species of Lake Tana (Ethiopia), has been extensively studied for the past two decades. Seven species of Labeobarbus are known to migrate >50 km upstream into tributary rivers for spawning

  19. Distribution and origin of suspended matter and organic carbon pools in the Tana River Basin, Kenya

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tamooh, F.; Van den Meersche, K.; Meysman, F.; Marwick, T.R.; Borges, A.V.; Merckx, R.; Dehairs, F.; Schmidt, S.; Nyunja, J.; Bouillon, S.

    2012-01-01

    We studied patterns in organic carbon pools and their origin in the Tana River Basin (Kenya), in February 2008 (dry season), September–November 2009 (wet season), and June–July 2010 (end of wet season), covering the full continuum from headwater streams to lowland mainstream sites. A consistent

  20. Budgeting suspended sediment fluxes in tropical monsoonal watersheds with limited data: the Lake Tana basin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zimale Fasikaw A.

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Soil erosion decreases soil fertility of the uplands and causes siltation of lakes and reservoirs; the lakes and reservoirs in tropical monsoonal African highlands are especially affected by sedimentation. Efforts in reducing loads by designing management practices are hampered by lack of quantitative data on the relationship of erosion in the watersheds and sediment accumulation on flood plains, lakes and reservoirs. The objective of this study is to develop a prototype quantitative method for estimating sediment budget for tropical monsoon lakes with limited observational data. Four watersheds in the Lake Tana basin were selected for this study. The Parameter Efficient Distributed (PED model that has shown to perform well in the Ethiopian highlands is used to overcome the data limitations and recreate the missing sediment fluxes. PED model parameters are calibrated using daily discharge data and the occasionally collected sediment concentration when establishing the sediment rating curves for the major rivers. The calibrated model parameters are then used to predict the sediment budget for the 1994-2009 period. Sediment retained in the lake is determined from two bathymetric surveys taken 20 years apart whereas the sediment leaving the lake is calculated based on measured discharge and observed sediment concentrations. Results show that annually on average 34 t/ha/year of sediment is removed from the gauged part of the Lake Tana watersheds. Depending on the up-scaling method from the gauged to the ungauged part, 21 to 32 t/ha/year (equivalent to 24-38 Mt/year is transported from the upland watersheds of which 46% to 65% is retained in the flood plains and 93% to 96% is trapped on the flood plains and in the lake. Thus, only 4-7% of all sediment produced in the watersheds leaves the Lake Tana Basin.

  1. Assessment of the ecological status and threats of Welala and Shesher wetlands, lake Tana Sub-Basin (Ethiopia)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Atnafu, N.; Dejen, E.; Vijverberg, J.

    2011-01-01

    The ecological status of the Welala and Shesher Wetlands, on the eastern side of Lake Tana, were studied during pre-rainy, main-rainy, post-rainy and dry seasons from May 2009 to January 2010. Species composition, diversity and abundance of macrophytes, benthic macro-invertebrates and birds were

  2. Ecomorphology as a tool in fisheries: identification and ecotyping of Lake Tana barbs (Barbus intermedius complex), Ethiopia.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sibbing, F.A.; Nagelkerke, L.A.J.; Osse, J.W.M.

    1994-01-01

    Fisheries development of Lake Tana, Ethiopia, urgently requires the identification of its unknown units of fish stock. A diversity of large barbs (up to 80 cm SL), lumped into one species Barbus intermedius and contributing over 35% of the annual catch, consists of at least thirteen distinct

  3. Valuing investments in sustainable land management in the Upper Tana River basin, Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vogl, Adrian L; Bryant, Benjamin P; Hunink, Johannes E; Wolny, Stacie; Apse, Colin; Droogers, Peter

    2017-06-15

    We analyze the impacts of investments in sustainable land use practices on ecosystem services in the Upper Tana basin, Kenya. This work supports implementation of the Upper Tana-Nairobi Water Fund, a public-private partnership to safeguard ecosystem service provision and food security. We apply an integrated modelling framework, building on local knowledge and previous field- and model-based studies, to link biophysical landscape changes at high temporal and spatial resolution to economic benefits for key actors in the basin. The primary contribution of this study is that it a) presents a comprehensive analysis for targeting interventions that takes into account stakeholder preferences, local environmental and socio-economic conditions, b) relies on detailed, process-based, biophysical models to demonstrate the biophysical return on those investments for a practical, decision-driven case, and c) in close collaboration with downstream water users, links those biophysical outputs to monetary metrics, including: reduced water treatment costs, increased hydropower production, and crop yield benefits for agricultural producers in the conservation area. This study highlights the benefits and trade-offs that come with conducting participatory research as part of a stakeholder engagement process: while results are more likely to be decision-relevant within the local context, navigating stakeholder expectations and data limitations present ongoing challenges. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Interactions between the flooding regime and floodplain grasslands in the Tana River Delta, in Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leauthaud, Crystele; Musila, Winfred; Duvail, Stéphanie; Kergoat, Laurent; Hiernaux, Pierre; Grippa, Manuela; Albergel, Jean

    2017-04-01

    The floodplain grasslands of the Tana River Delta, located on the East African coast in Kenya, form part of an intertwined socio-ecological deltaic system of high biodiversity value that delivers numerous goods and services. Mainly composed of Echinochloa stagnina (Retz) P. Beauv., a high-value forage species, this ecosystem is the major dry-season grazing grounds of the local pastoralist communities. The construction of hydroelectric infrastructure has led to a modification of the flooding regime. The impacts of the resulting reduction of floods in the deltaic zone on ecosystem properties and services still need to be assessed. In such a perspective, this study characterizes the link between the flooding regime of the Tana River and the growth pattern of its floodplain grassland. Aboveground dry phytomass was sampled for 15 months under a wide variety of naturally flooded and non-flooded conditions and controlled irrigation and cutting frequency treatments. Annual aboveground dry phytomass attained high values between 11 T.ha-1 and 32 T.ha-1 and annual net primary production of the grasslands reached 35 T.ha-1.year-1. Growth rates clearly depended on the flooding regime, management and climate conditions and were on average more than twice as fast during, and 50% faster after the floods, relative to pre-flood conditions. A plant growth model allowed testing the effect of different flooding regimes on plant productivity, confirming very low productivity in the absence of floods. These results suggest that rangeland and water management for the Tana River deltaic wetlands are tightly linked. The projected construction of another dam could lead to a reduction of flood extent and period and a decrease of grassland productivity and growth duration. Mitigation of this type of negative impacts, which will have direct and adverse consequences for the pastoralist communities as well as on the delivery of other goods and services, needs to be undertaken.

  5. The small barbs Barbus humilis and B. trispilopleura of Lake Tana (Ethiopia): Are they ecotypes of the same species?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Rutjes, H.A.; Graaf, de M.; Nagelkerke, L.A.J.; Osse, J.W.M.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2002-01-01

    Four species of ‘small barbs’ (Barbus, subgenus Enteromius Cope, 1869) are known from Lake Tana, isolated in the Ethiopian highlands: B. humilis, B. trispilopleura, B. pleurogramma (all Boulenger, 1902) and B. tanapelagius de Graaf, 2000. However, only three species appear valid from cluster

  6. Seasonality in Abundance, Biomass and Production of the Phytoplankton of Welala and Shesher Wetlands, Lake Tana Sub-Basin (Ethiopia)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wondmagegne, K.; Wondie, A.; Mingist, M.; Vijverberg, J.

    2012-01-01

    The species composition and production of the phytoplankton community of the Shesher and Welala floodplain Wetlands, on the eastern side of Lake Tana, were studied during four seasons from July 2009 to May 2010. We investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of phytoplankton, densities, biomass,

  7. Distribution of 239Pu in the skeleton of the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) between 15 and 50 months after injection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sontag, W.; Seidel, A.

    1987-01-01

    The macroscopic and microscopic distribution of intramuscularly injected, essentially monomeric, 239 Pu was studied in the skeleton of the adult tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri). Data for between 15 and 50 months after injection are presented and compared with data from earlier time points. Between 83 and 500 days after injection nuclide content and wet weight of the skeleton decreased to a constant level at about 55% of maximum. The microscopic distribution was analysed in distal femora, proximal humerus, proximal tibia and lumbar vertebra over the whole time; additionally at some selected time points proximal femur, femur shaft, distal humerus and distal tibia were analysed. The initial endosteal surface activity ranged from 3.8 to 5.3 Bq/cm 2 , decreased to a minimum at about 1000 days after injection and increased thereafter. Similar behaviour was found for dose rate near bone surfaces (initially about 0.075 Gy/day on endosteal surfaces). In deep bone and deep marrow the dose rate was negligible, about 0.008 Gy/day and 0.001 Gy/day, respectively. The average cumulative dose 1500 days after injection was about 67 Gy on the endosteum; six times greater than the cumulative dose calculated from the mean concentration of plutonium in the whole skeleton. Tupaia data are compared to monkeys, dogs and rats. (author)

  8. A unique resource mutualism between the giant Bornean pitcher plant, Nepenthes rajah, and members of a small mammal community.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melinda Greenwood

    Full Text Available The carnivorous pitcher plant genus Nepenthes grows in nutrient-deficient substrates and produce jug-shaped leaf organs (pitchers that trap arthropods as a source of N and P. A number of Bornean Nepenthes demonstrate novel nutrient acquisition strategies. Notably, three giant montane species are engaged in a mutualistic association with the mountain treeshrew, Tupaia montana, in which the treeshrew defecates into the pitchers while visiting them to feed on nectar secretions on the pitchers' lids.Although the basis of this resource mutualism has been elucidated, many aspects are yet to be investigated. We sought to provide insights into the value of the mutualism to each participant. During initial observations we discovered that the summit rat, R. baluensis, also feeds on sugary exudates of N. rajah pitchers and defecates into them, and that this behavior appears to be habitual. The scope of the study was therefore expanded to assess to what degree N. rajah interacts with the small mammal community.We found that both T. montana and R. baluensis are engaged in a mutualistic interaction with N. rajah. T .montana visit pitchers more frequently than R. baluensis, but daily scat deposition rates within pitchers do not differ, suggesting that the mutualistic relationships are of a similar strength. This study is the first to demonstrate that a mutualism exists between a carnivorous plant species and multiple members of a small mammal community. Further, the newly discovered mutualism between R. baluensis and N. rajah represents only the second ever example of a multidirectional resource-based mutualism between a mammal and a carnivorous plant.

  9. Soils and irrigation of three areas in the Lower Tana Region, Kenya : a comparative study of soil conditions and irrigation suitability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Muchena, F.N.

    1987-01-01

    The soils and soil conditions of three areas situated in different physiographic positions in the Lower Tana Region of Kenya were investigated in respect of their suitability for irrigated agriculture. The soils vary widely in both physical and chemical properties. Most of the soils have an

  10. Temporal and spatial distribution of microcrustacean zooplankton in relation to turbidity and other environmental factors in a large tropical lake (L. Tana, Ethiopia)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Vijverberg, J.; Nagelkerke, L.A.J.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2004-01-01

    The spatial and seasonal distribution of microcrustacean zooplankton of Lake Tana (Ethiopia) was monthly studied for 2 years. Concurrently, various environmental parameters were measured and related to zooplankton distribution. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to estimate the

  11. Conflicts and politics in the Tana Delta, Kenya : an analysis of the 2012-2013 clashes and the general and presidential elections 2013

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kirchner, K.

    2013-01-01

    This study connects the topic of natural resource conflicts with political elements, especially elections and looks into clashes between a pastoralist (Orma) and an agricultural (Pokomo) community in Kenya. It analyses the clashes in the Tana delta which escalated in August 2012 from a political

  12. Soil and Terrain Database for Upper Tana River Catchment (version 1.1) - scale 1:250,000 (SOTER_UT_v1.1)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dijkshoorn, J.A.; Macharia, P.; Kempen, B.

    2014-01-01

    The Soil and Terrain database for the Upper Tana River Catchment (version 1.1) (SOTER_UT_v1.1) at scale 1:250,000 was compiled to support the Green Water Credits (GWC) programme by creating a primary SOTER dataset for a hydrology assessment of the basin. The Kenya Soil Survey of the Kenya

  13. Ecological position of 'small barbs' and their potential for fisheries: an option to reduce fishing pressure on 'large barbs' of Lake Tana (Ethiopia)?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Osse, J.W.M.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2004-01-01

    The two barbs, Barbus humilis and Barbus tanapelagius are important pelagic fish in Lake Tana. These 'small barb' species (<10 cm fork length) play a key role in the Lake's ecosystem as a link between zooplankton and the top predators, mostly 'large barbs'. This paper presents an overview on the

  14. Vulnerability to a small-scale commercial fishery of Lake Tana's (Ethiopia) endemic Labeobarbus compared with African catfish and Nile tilapia: An example of recruitment-overfishing?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Graaf, de M.; Zwieten, van P.A.M.; Machiels, M.A.M.; Lemma, E.; Wudneh, T.; Dejen, E.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2006-01-01

    In 1986 a motorised, commercial gillnet fishery was introduced in Lake Tana, Ethiopia's largest lake (3050 km2) in addition to the artisanal, predominantly subsistence fishery conducted from reedboats. The three main species groups targeted by this fishery are a species flock of endemic, large

  15. Growth, biomass, and production of two small barbs (Barbus humilis and B. tanapelagius, Cyprinidae) and their role in the food web of Lake Tana (Ethiopia)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Vijverberg, J.; Nagelkerke, L.A.J.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2009-01-01

    Growth, biomass and production of two small barbs (Barbus humilis and Barbus tanapelagius) and their role in the food web of Lake Tana were investigated. From length–frequency distribution of trawl monitoring surveys growth coefficient, F' values were estimated at 3.71–4.17 for B. humilis and

  16. Growth, biomass, and production of two small barbs (Barbus humilis and B. tanapelagius, Cyprinidae) and their role in the food web of Lake Tana (Ethiopia)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Vijverberg, J.; Nagelkerke, L.A.J.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2009-01-01

    Growth, biomass and production of two small barbs (Barbus humilis and Barbus tanapelagius) and their role in the food web of Lake Tana were investigated. From length–frequency distribution of trawl monitoring surveys growth coefficient, Φ′ values were estimated at 3.71–4.17 for B. humilis and

  17. Geology and geochronology of the Tana Basin, Ethiopia: LIP volcanism, super eruptions and Eocene-Oligocene environmental change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prave, A. R.; Bates, C. R.; Donaldson, C. H.; Toland, H.; Condon, D. J.; Mark, D.; Raub, T. D.

    2016-06-01

    New geological and geochronological data define four episodes of volcanism for the Lake Tana region in the northern Ethiopian portion of the Afro-Arabian Large Igneous Province (LIP): pre-31 Ma flood basalt that yielded a single 40Ar/39Ar age of 34.05 ± 0.54 / 0.56 Ma; thick and extensive felsic ignimbrites and rhyolites (minimum volume of 2- 3 ×103 km3) erupted between 31.108 ± 0.020 / 0.041 Ma and 30.844 ± 0.027 / 0.046 Ma (U-Pb CA-ID-TIMS zircon ages); mafic volcanism bracketed by 40Ar/39Ar ages of 28.90 ± 0.12 / 0.14 Ma and 23.75 ± 0.02 / 0.04 Ma; and localised scoraceous basalt with an 40Ar/39Ar age of 0.033 ± 0.005 / 0.005 Ma. The felsic volcanism was the product of super eruptions that created a 60-80 km diameter caldera marked by km-scale caldera-collapse fault blocks and a steep-sided basin filled with a minimum of 180 m of sediment and the present-day Lake Tana. These new data enable mapping, with a finer resolution than previously possible, Afro-Arabian LIP volcanism onto the timeline of the Eocene-Oligocene transition and show that neither the mafic nor silicic volcanism coincides directly with perturbations in the geochemical records that span that transition. Our results reinforce the view that it is not the development of a LIP alone but its rate of effusion that contributes to inducing global-scale environmental change.

  18. Body mass, Thermogenesis and energy metabolism in Tupaia belangeri during cold acclimation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wan-long Zhu

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available In order to study the relationship between energy strategies and environmental temperature, basal metabolic rate (BMR, nonshivering thermogenesis (NST, the total protein contents, mitochondrial protein contents, state and state respiratory ability, cytochrome C oxidase activity Ⅲ Ⅳ of liver, heart, diaphragm, gastrocnemius and brown adipose tissue (BAT, serum leptin level and serum thyroid hormone levels were measured in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri during cold exposure (5±1oC for 1 day, 7 days,14days,21 days. The results showed that body mass increased, BMR and NST increased, the change of liver mitochondrial protein content was more acutely than total protein. The mitochondrial protein content of heart and BAT were significantly increased during cold-exposed, however the skeletal muscle more moderate reaction. The state Ⅲ and state Ⅳ mitochondrial respiration of these tissues were enhanced significantly than the control. The cytochrome C oxidase activity with cold acclimation also significantly increased except the gastrocnemius. Liver, muscle, BAT, heart and other organs were concerned with thermoregulation during the thermal regulation process above cold-exposed. There is a negative correlation between leptin level and body mass. These results suggested that T. belangeri enhanced thermogenic capacity during cold acclimation, and leptin participated in the regulation of energy balance and body weight in T. belangeri.

  19. Enzyme activity, hormone concentration in tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri during cold acclimation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Zhang

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Environmental factors play an important role in the seasonal adaptation of body mass and thermogenesis in wild small mammals. The tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri, is a unique species of small mammals which is origin of island in the Oriental realm. The present study was to test the hypothesis that ambient temperature was a cue to induce adjustments in body mass, energy intake, metabolism, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1 in brown adipose tissue (BAT, and other biochemical characters of T. belangeri during cold exposure about 21 days. Our data demonstrate that cold acclimation induced a remarkable increase in body mass, a significant increase in energy intake and metabolic rate, and high expression of UCP1 in BAT of T. belangeri. Cold acclimation induced an increase in cytochrome c oxidase (COX and Thyroidhormones (T3/T4. These data supported that T. belangeri increased the body mass and increased energy intake and expenditure under cold acclimation. Increased expression of UCP1 was potentially involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and thermogenic capacity following cold acclimation. And it through changes in enzyme activity and hormone concentration under cold acclimation, and suggested temperature changes play an important role in the regulation of thermogenic capacity in tree shrew.

  20. The internal strength of rivers: autogenic processes in control of the sediment load (Tana River, Kenya)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Geeraert, Naomi; Ochieng Omengo, Fred; Tamooh, Fredrick; Paron, Paolo; Bouillon, Steven; Govers, Gerard

    2014-05-01

    The construction of sediment rating curves for monitoring stations is a widely used technique to budget sediment fluxes. Changes in the relationship between discharge and sediment concentrations over time are often attributed to human-induced changes in catchment characteristics, such as land use change, dam construction or soil conservation measures and many models have been developed to quantitatively link catchment characteristics and river sediment load. Conversely, changes in river sediment fluxes are often interpreted as indications of major changes in the catchment. By doing so, autogenic processes, taking place within the river channel, are overlooked despite the increasing awareness of their importance. We assessed the role of autogenic processes on the sediment load of Tana River (Kenya). The Tana river was impacted by major dam construction between 1968 and 1988, effectively blocking at least 80% of the sediment transfer from the highlands to the lower river reaches. However, a comparison of pre-dam sediment fluxes at Garissa (located 250 km downstream of the dams) with recent measurements shows that sediment fluxes have not changed significantly. This suggests that most of the sediment in the post-dam period has to originate from inside the alluvial plain of the river, as tributaries downstream of the dams are scarce and intermittent. Several observations are consistent with this hypothesis. We observed that, during the wet season, sediment concentrations rapidly increased below the dams and are not controlled by inputs from tributaries. Also, sediment concentrations were high at the beginning of the wet season, which can be attributed to channel adjustment to the higher discharges. The river sediment does not contain significant amounts of 137Cs or 210Pbxs, suggesting that sediments are not derived from topsoil erosion. Furthermore, we observed a counter clockwise hysteresis during individual events which can be explained by the fact that sediment

  1. Ectoparasite of Tupaia glis (Scandentia: Tupaiidae from Lingai agricultural area, Terengganu

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Hafiz Sulaiman

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To investigate ectoparasite fauna on the common tree shrew [Tupaia glis (T. glis] in Lingai agriculture area, Terengganu. Methods: The sampling was conducted once a month with five consecutive days from November 2012 to February 2013. Five mammal cage traps (60 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm and 30 rat cage traps (45 cm × 15 cm × 15 cm baited with banana, salt fish or fleshy-grilled coconut were used. One line transect was built and each trap was set up along the line transect with 5 m intervals. Ectoparasite was collected by combing host’s fur vigorously and kept in vials containing 70% ethanol. Results: Out of 23 hosts examined, 20 individuals (87% of T. glis in Lingai agricultural area were infested by three species of ticks and two species of mites. It was found that Laelaps echidninus showed higher mean intensity (5 as compared to the other ectoparasites. However, the prevalence was higher on Ixodes sp. (43.5% though its mean intensity was among the lowest (1.9 from the rest. Conclusions: This study provides useful information of ectoparasite fauna infesting T. glis in the agricultural area. It is important to have knowledge regarding what type of ectoparasite infests small animals in agricultural area, which in turn can assist responsible agencies to take precaution if epidemic outbreaks caused by tick-borne zoonotic diseases occur in the future.

  2. Aspects of masticatory form and function in common tree shrews, Tupaia glis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fish, D R

    1983-04-01

    Tree shrews have relatively primitive tribosphenic molars that are apparently similar to those of basal eutherians; thus, these animals have been used as a model to describe mastication in early mammals. In this study the gross morphology of the bony skull, joints, dentition, and muscles of mastication are related to potential jaw movements and cuspal relationships. Potential for complex mandibular movements is indicated by a mobile mandibular symphysis, shallow mandibular fossa that is large compared to its resident condyle, and relatively loose temporomandibular joint ligaments. Abrasive tooth wear is noticeable, and is most marked at the first molars and buccal aspects of the upper cheek teeth distal to P2. Muscle morphology is basically similar to that previously described for Tupaia minor and Ptilocercus lowii. However, in T. glis, an intraorbital part of deep temporalis has the potential for inducing lingual translation of its dentary, and the large medial pterygoid has extended its origin anteriorly to the floor of the orbit, which would enhance protrusion. The importance of the tongue and hyoid muscles during mastication is suggested by broadly expanded anterior bellies of digastrics, which may assist mylohyoids in tensing the floor of the mouth during forceful tongue actions, and by preliminary electromyography, which suggests that masticatory muscles alone cannot fully account for jaw movements in this species.

  3. Neural Progenitors in the Developing Neocortex of the Northern Tree Shrew (Tupaia belangeri Show a Closer Relationship to Gyrencephalic Primates Than to Lissencephalic Rodents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Römer

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The neocortex is the most complex part of the mammalian brain and as such it has undergone tremendous expansion during evolution, especially in primates. The majority of neocortical neurons originate from distinct neural stem and progenitor cells (NPCs located in the ventricular and subventricular zone (SVZ. Previous studies revealed that the SVZ thickness as well as the abundance and distribution of NPCs, especially that of basal radial glia (bRG, differ markedly between the lissencephalic rodent and gyrencephalic primate neocortex. The northern tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri is a rat-sized mammal with a high brain to body mass ratio, which stands phylogenetically mid-way between rodents and primates. Our study provides – for the first time – detailed data on the presence, abundance and distribution of bRG and other distinct NPCs in the developing neocortex of the northern tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri. We show that the developing tree shrew neocortex is characterized by an expanded SVZ, a high abundance of Pax6+ NPCs in the SVZ, and a relatively high percentage of bRG at peak of upper-layer neurogenesis. We further demonstrate that key features of tree shrew neocortex development, e.g., the presence, abundance and distribution of distinct NPCs, are closer related to those of gyrencephalic primates than to those of ferret and lissencephalic rodents. Together, our study provides novel insight into the evolution of bRG and other distinct NPCs in the neocortex development of Euarchontoglires and introduces the tree shrew as a potential novel model organism in the area of human brain development and developmental disorders.

  4. Evaluating suitability of MODIS-Terra images for reproducing historic sediment concentrations in water bodies: Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaba, Essayas; Philpot, William; Steenhuis, Tammo

    2014-02-01

    Government and NGO funded conservation programs are being implemented in developing countries with the potential benefit of reduced sediment inflow into fresh water lakes. However, these claims are difficult to verify due to limited historical sediment concentration data in lakes and rivers. Remote sensing can potentially aid in monitoring sediment concentration. With almost daily availability over the past ten years and consistent atmospheric correction applied to the images, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 250 meter images are potential resources capable of monitoring future concentrations and reconstructing historical sediment concentration records. In this paper, site-specific relationships are developed between reflectance in near-infrared (NIR) images and three factors: total suspended solids (TSS), turbidity and Secchi depth for Lake Tana near the mouth of the Gumara River. The first two sampling campaigns on November 27, 2010 and May 13, 2011 are used in calibration. Reflectance in the NIR varies linearly with turbidity (R2 = 0.89) and TSS (R2 = 0.95). Secchi depth fit best to an exponential relation with R2 of 0.74. The relationships are validated using a third sample set collected on November 7, 2011 with RMSE of 11 Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) for Turbidity, 16.5 mg l-1 for TSS and 0.12 meters for Secchi depth. The MAE was 10% for TSS, 14% for turbidity and 0.1% for Secchi depth. Using the relationship for TSS, a 10-year time series of sediment concentration in Lake Tana near the Gumara River was plotted. It was found that after the severe drought of 2002 and 2003 the concentration in the lake increased significantly. The results showed that MODIS images are potential cost effective tools to monitor suspended sediment concentration and obtain a past history of concentration for evaluating the effect of best management practices.

  5. Taxonomy Icon Data: Javan tree shrew [Taxonomy Icon

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Javan tree shrew Tupaia javanica Chordata/Vertebrata/Mammalia/Theria/Eutheria/etc. Tupaia_java...nica_L.png Tupaia_javanica_NL.png Tupaia_javanica_S.png Tupaia_javanica_NS.png http://bioscienced...bc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Tupaia+javanica&t=L http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Tupaia+java...nica&t=NL http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Tupaia+javanica&t=S http://biosciencedbc.jp/taxonomy_icon/icon.cgi?i=Tupaia+javanica&t=NS ...

  6. Dynamic changes in DNA demethylation in the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) brain during postnatal development and aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Shu; Hua, Hai-Rong; Chen, Qian-Quan; Zhang, Ying; Chen, Fei; Li, Shu-Qing; Li, Fan; Li, Jia-Li

    2017-03-18

    Brain development and aging are associated with alterations in multiple epigenetic systems, including DNA methylation and demethylation patterns. Here, we observed that the levels of the 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) ten-eleven translocation (TET) enzyme-mediated active DNA demethylation products were dynamically changed and involved in postnatal brain development and aging in tree shrews ( Tupaia belangeri chinensis ). The levels of 5hmC in multiple anatomic structures showed a gradual increase throughout postnatal development, whereas a significant decrease in 5hmC was found in several brain regions in aged tree shrews, including in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, but not the cerebellum. Active changes in Tet mRNA levels indicated that TET2 and TET3 predominantly contributed to the changes in 5hmC levels. Our findings provide new insight into the dynamic changes in 5hmC levels in tree shrew brains during postnatal development and aging processes.

  7. Extensive characterization of Tupaia belangeri neuropeptidome using an integrated mass spectrometric approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petruzziello, Filomena; Fouillen, Laetitia; Wadensten, Henrik; Kretz, Robert; Andren, Per E; Rainer, Gregor; Zhang, Xiaozhe

    2012-02-03

    Neuropeptidomics is used to characterize endogenous peptides in the brain of tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri). Tree shrews are small animals similar to rodents in size but close relatives of primates, and are excellent models for brain research. Currently, tree shrews have no complete proteome information available on which direct database search can be allowed for neuropeptide identification. To increase the capability in the identification of neuropeptides in tree shrews, we developed an integrated mass spectrometry (MS)-based approach that combines methods including data-dependent, directed, and targeted liquid chromatography (LC)-Fourier transform (FT)-tandem MS (MS/MS) analysis, database construction, de novo sequencing, precursor protein search, and homology analysis. Using this integrated approach, we identified 107 endogenous peptides that have sequences identical or similar to those from other mammalian species. High accuracy MS and tandem MS information, with BLAST analysis and chromatographic characteristics were used to confirm the sequences of all the identified peptides. Interestingly, further sequence homology analysis demonstrated that tree shrew peptides have a significantly higher degree of homology to equivalent sequences in humans than those in mice or rats, consistent with the close phylogenetic relationship between tree shrews and primates. Our results provide the first extensive characterization of the peptidome in tree shrews, which now permits characterization of their function in nervous and endocrine system. As the approach developed fully used the conservative properties of neuropeptides in evolution and the advantage of high accuracy MS, it can be portable for identification of neuropeptides in other species for which the fully sequenced genomes or proteomes are not available.

  8. Assessing Lake Level Variability and Water Availability in Lake Tana, Ethiopia using a Groundwater Flow Model and GRACE Satellite Data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan, E.; Dokou, Z.; Kirstetter, P. E.; Tarhule, A.; Anagnostou, E. N.; Bagtzoglou, A. C.; Hong, Y.

    2017-12-01

    Lake Tana is the source of the Blue Nile and Ethiopia's largest natural buffer against seasonal variations of rainfall. Assessing the interactions between the lake level fluctuation, hydroclimatic variabilities and anthropogenic factors is essential to detect drought conditions and identify the role of human management in controlling the Lake water balance. Via an extended record of Total Water Storage (TWS) anomalies for the period 1960-2016, a water budget model for the lake water inflow/outflow was developed. Estimates of Lake Level Altimetry (LLA) based on in-situ and satellite altimetry were composited from 1960-2016 and compared to the extended TWS anomalies, the self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index (scPDSI), the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the historical lake water levels and releases. In addition, the simulated lake levels and water budget from a coupled groundwater and lake model of the Lake Tana basin were compared to the above results. Combining the different approaches, the water budget of the lake can be monitored, the drought conditions can be identified and the role of human management in the lake can be determined. For instance, three major drought periods are identified, 1970 to 1977, 1979 to 1987 and 1990 to 1998, each succeeded with an interposed flooding related recovery year, i.e. 1978, 1988 and 1999. The drought/flooding events were attributed mainly to the ENSO interactions that resulted in lake level fluctuations. The period from 2002-2006 was associated with a remarkable decline of the lake level that was attributed partly in drought conditions and the full flow regulation of the Chara Chara weir at the lake outlet, initiated in 2001.

  9. Joint atmospheric-terrestrial water balances for East Africa: a WRF-Hydro case study for the upper Tana River basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerandi, Noah; Arnault, Joel; Laux, Patrick; Wagner, Sven; Kitheka, Johnson; Kunstmann, Harald

    2018-02-01

    For an improved understanding of the hydrometeorological conditions of the Tana River basin of Kenya, East Africa, its joint atmospheric-terrestrial water balances are investigated. This is achieved through the application of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and the fully coupled WRF-Hydro modeling system over the Mathioya-Sagana subcatchment (3279 km2) and its surroundings in the upper Tana River basin for 4 years (2011-2014). The model setup consists of an outer domain at 25 km (East Africa) and an inner one at 5-km (Mathioya-Sagana subcatchment) horizontal resolution. The WRF-Hydro inner domain is enhanced with hydrological routing at 500-m horizontal resolution. The results from the fully coupled modeling system are compared to those of the WRF-only model. The coupled WRF-Hydro slightly reduces precipitation, evapotranspiration, and the soil water storage but increases runoff. The total precipitation from March to May and October to December for WRF-only (974 mm/year) and coupled WRF-Hydro (940 mm/year) is closer to that derived from the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) data (989 mm/year) than from the TRMM (795 mm/year) precipitation product. The coupled WRF-Hydro-accumulated discharge (323 mm/year) is close to that observed (333 mm/year). However, the coupled WRF-Hydro underestimates the observed peak flows registering low but acceptable NSE (0.02) and RSR (0.99) at daily time step. The precipitation recycling and efficiency measures between WRF-only and coupled WRF-Hydro are very close and small. This suggests that most of precipitation in the region comes from moisture advection from the outside of the analysis domain, indicating a minor impact of potential land-precipitation feedback mechanisms in this case. The coupled WRF-Hydro nonetheless serves as a tool in quantifying the atmospheric-terrestrial water balance in this region.

  10. Microvascularization in trigeminal ganglion of the common tree shrew (Tupaia glis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kongstaponkit, S; Pradidarcheep, W; Toutip, S; Chunhabundit, P; Somana, R

    1997-01-01

    Since there is only a limited number of studies of the blood supply to the trigeminal ganglion (TG) in mammalian species, the TG from 16 common tree shrews (Tupaia glis) were investigated by light microscope, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the corrosion cast technique in conjunction with scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was found that the TG contained clusters of neurons in the peripheral region whereas the bundles of nerve fibers were located more centrally. Each ganglionic neuron had a concentric nucleus and was ensheathed by satellite cells. It was noted that blood vessels of a continuous type were predominantly found in the area where the neurons were densely located and were much less frequently observed in the area occupied by nerve fibers. With TEM, the TG was shown to be mainly associated with large neurons containing big nuclei and prominent nucleoli. The blood supply of the TG is derived from the most rostral branch of the pontine artery, from the stapedial artery or sometimes from the supraorbital artery, and from the accessory meningeal artery which is a branch of the maxillary artery passing through the foramen ovale. These arteries give off branches and become capillary networks in the ganglion before draining blood to the peripheral region. The veins at the medial border drained into the cavernous sinus directly or through the inferior hypophyseal vein, while those at the lateral side of the ganglion carried the blood into the pterygoid plexus via an accessory meningeal vein. The veins along the trigeminal nerve root joined the posterior part of the cavernous sinus. These studies establish a unique anatomical distribution of the TG blood supply in the tree shrew and the utility of the cast/SEM technique in discerning detailed features of the blood supply in the nervous system.

  11. Profil saliva pada penyirih di Kecamatan Rembon Kabupaten Tana Toraja Salivary profile of betel quid tobacco chewers in District of Rembon, Tana Toraja

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelina Marcelina

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Betel quid tobacco (BQT chewing is a process of chewing betel leaves, areca nut, lime, gambier, and tobacco. Chewing and chemical stimulation of BQT can affect the salivary profile. The purpose of this study is to observe the differences of salivary profile such as volume, pH, and salivary inorganic component (Na + and phosphate between BQT chewers and non-chewers. This study is an observation analytic with cross sectional design on 30-60 years old women that live in Rembon district of Tana Toraja (n=96 using cluster random sampling technique. Salivary volume was measured by measured glass, salivary pH was measured by indicator pH (Macherey-Nagel. The content of the salivary inorganic component was seen using atomic absorption spectrophotometer in BPTP Laboratory, Maros. Data were analyzed by t-test and chi square test using SPSS v 15.0. The result were mean of salivary volume (chewers=3.88 ml/10 s; p=0.051. Mean of salivary pH (chewers=6.92; p=0.001. Mean of salivary Na+  (chewers=0.38 ppm; p=0.112, Mg2+ (chewers=11.9 ppm; p=0.002, phosphate (chewers=156.8 ppm; p=0.001, Ca 2+ (chewers=174.8 ppm; p=0.000, K concluded that there was no significant difference on salivary volume, pH, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg(chewers=445.9 ppm; p=0.429. It was +and K+ content between chewers and non chewers, but the content of salivary Mg 2+, Ca2+and phosphate had significant difference.

  12. Identification of the full-length β-actin sequence and expression profiles in the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Yu; Yun, Chenxia; Wang, Qihui; Smith, Wanli W; Leng, Jing

    2015-02-01

    The tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) diverges from the primate order (Primates) and is classified as a separate taxonomic group of mammals - Scandentia. It has been suggested that the tree shrew can be used as an animal model for studying human diseases; however, the genomic sequence of the tree shrew is largely unidentified. In the present study, we reported the full-length cDNA sequence of the housekeeping gene, β-actin, in the tree shrew. The amino acid sequence of β-actin in the tree shrew was compared to that of humans and other species; a simple phylogenetic relationship was discovered. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blot analysis further demonstrated that the expression profiles of β-actin, as a general conservative housekeeping gene, in the tree shrew were similar to those in humans, although the expression levels varied among different types of tissue in the tree shrew. Our data provide evidence that the tree shrew has a close phylogenetic association with humans. These findings further enhance the potential that the tree shrew, as a species, may be used as an animal model for studying human disorders.

  13. Identification and characterization of toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Dandan; Wu, Yong; Xu, Ling; Fan, Yu; Peng, Li; Xu, Min; Yao, Yong-Gang

    2016-07-01

    In mammals, the toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a major role in initiating innate immune responses against pathogens. Comparison of the TLRs in different mammals may help in understanding the TLR-mediated responses and developing of animal models and efficient therapeutic measures for infectious diseases. The Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis), a small mammal with a close relationship to primates, is a viable experimental animal for studying viral and bacterial infections. In this study, we characterized the TLRs genes (tTLRs) in the Chinese tree shrew and identified 13 putative TLRs, which are orthologs of mammalian TLR1-TLR9 and TLR11-TLR13, and TLR10 was a pseudogene in tree shrew. Positive selection analyses using the Maximum likelihood (ML) method showed that tTLR8 and tTLR9 were under positive selection, which might be associated with the adaptation to the pathogen challenge. The mRNA expression levels of tTLRs presented an overall low and tissue-specific pattern, and were significantly upregulated upon Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. tTLR4 and tTLR9 underwent alternative splicing, which leads to different transcripts. Phylogenetic analysis and TLR structure prediction indicated that tTLRs were evolutionarily conserved, which might reflect an ancient mechanism and structure in the innate immune response system. Taken together, TLRs had both conserved and unique features in the Chinese tree shrew. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    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

  15. Shesher and Welala Floodplain Wetlands (Lake Tana, Ethiopia: Are They Important Breeding Habitats for Clarias gariepinus and the Migratory Labeobarbus Fish Species?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wassie Anteneh

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aims at investigating the spawning migration of the endemic Labeobarbus species and C. gariepinus from Lake Tana, through Ribb River, to Welala and Shesher wetlands. The study was conducted during peak spawning months (July to October, 2010. Fish were collected through overnight gillnet settings. A total of 1725 specimens of the genus Labeobarbus (13 species and 506 specimens of C. gariepinus were collected. Six species of Labeobarbus formed prespawning aggregation at Ribb River mouth. However, no Labeobarbus species was found to spawn in the two wetlands. More than 90% of the catch in Welala and Shesher wetlands was contributed by C. gariepinus. This implies that these wetlands are ideal spawning and nursery habitats for C. gariepinus but not for the endemic Labeobarbus species. Except L. intermedius, all the six Labeobarbus species (aggregated at Ribb River mouth and C. gariepinus (spawning at Shesher and Welala wetlands were temporally segregated.

  16. New light on R.E.G. Pichi Sermolli’s plants from the Lake Tana expedition in 1937 – an important collection from Ethiopia at the Centro Studi Erbario Tropicale (FT)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Friis, Ib

    2015-01-01

    At the age of 24, R.E.G. Pichi Sermolli (1912–2005) travelled to Ethiopia as botanist on the Missione di Studio al Lago Tana, staying in Eritrea and Ethiopia from early January to late April 1937. The expedition was organized by the Centro Studi per l’Africa Orientale Italiana under the Reale...... Accademia d’Italia and resulted in 2649 collections of flowering plants. During the subsequent years of war, Pichi Sermolli had no time for his Ethiopian collections, but in 1947 he was able to identify them on visits to Geneva, Paris, Kew and London. Erbario Tropicale (FT) received the first set...

  17. Comparative study on composition and abundance of major planktons and physico-chemical characteristics among two ponds and Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wondie Zelalem Amanu

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To evaluate the difference in physico-chemical characteristics, composition and abundance of plankton communities owing to the supplementary feed added in fish ponds as compared to Lake Tana. Methods: Physico-chemical and biological data of plankton were collected from 3 studied sites from November 2008 to October 2009. Data were compared using One-way ANOVA to see the difference among sites. Diversity indices such as Margalef's index, Shannon-Wiener index, and evenness index were employed to describe the distribution of plankton community among the studied sites. Results: The pH value was remarkably higher in ponds water. However, conductivity and total dissolved solids were the highest in lake water. Nitrate concentration was relatively high in ponds. Zooplankton species richness was higher in lake water than ponds. The lake also had the highest mean value of both Shannon-Wiener index and evenness index in phytoplankton. Conclusions: The results revealed that the supplementary feed added to each pond had influence on nutrient content which enhanced algal biomass and productivity of the ponds. However, the pond water has to be regularly refreshed to control eutrophication.

  18. Epidemiology of human fascioliasis and intestinal parasitosis among schoolchildren in Lake Tana Basin, northwest Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fentie, Tsegaw; Erqou, Sebhat; Gedefaw, Molla; Desta, Almaw

    2013-08-01

    Parasitic diseases are the second most frequent cause of outpatient morbidity in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Lake Tana Basin, northwest Ethiopia, from November 2007 to February 2008, to assess the magnitude and associated risk factors for parasitic diseases, including human fascioliasis. We examined 520 stool samples from randomly selected schoolchildren in six schools by microscopy. Rapid sedimentation and Kato-Katz techniques were used to detect and count Fasciola and Schistosoma eggs. The formol-ether concentration method was used for the identification of other helminth eggs, larvae and cysts of protozoan parasites. The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections was 71.3% (95% CI 67.3-75.1%). Hookworm was the predominant intestinal parasite (23.5%, 95% CI 19.8-27.1%), followed by Ascaris lumbricoides (18.5%, 95% CI 15.2-21.9%) and Schistosoma mansoni (16.7%, 95% CI 13.5-19.9%). One hundred and sixty-three (31.4%) children had multiple parasitic infections. The most relevant finding was a prevalence of Fasciola spp. of 3.3% in an area where only sporadic cases have been reported previously. The risk of Fasciola spp. infection was significantly associated with raw vegetable consumption, use of unsafe drinking water sources, irrigation practices and sheep and/or cattle ownership. Irrigation practices, male gender, raw vegetable consumption and use of unsafe drinking water sources were risk factors for S. mansoni infection. A high prevalence of parasitic infections among children in the region was found, including a relatively high prevalence of Fasciola spp. infection. Epidemiological studies on the magnitude of parasitic infections in different regions will enable high-risk communities to be identified and allow for planning of appropriate interventions.

  19. Molecular cloning and characterization of the full-length cDNA encoding the tree shrew (tupaia belangeri) CD28

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Xiaoyan; Yan, Yan; Wang, Sha; Wang, Qinying; Shi, Jian; Shao, Zhanshe; Dai, Jiejie

    2017-11-01

    CD28 is one of the most important co-stimulatory molecules expressed by naive and primed T cells. The tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri), as an ideal animal model for analyzing mechanism of human diseases receiving extensive attentions, demands essential research tools, in particular in the study of cellular markers and monoclonal antibodies for immunological studies. However, little is known about tree shrew CD28 (tsCD28) until now. In this study, a 663 bp of the full-length CD28 cDNA, encoding a polypeptide of 220 amino acids was cloned from tree shrew spleen lymphocytes. The nucleotide sequence of the tsCD28 showed 85%, 76%, and 75% similarities with human, rat, and mouse, respectively, which showed the affinity relationship between tree shrew and human is much closer than between human and rodents. The open reading frame (ORF) sequence of tsCD28 gene was predicted to be in correspondence with the signal sequence, immunoglobulin variable-like (IgV) domain, transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail, respectively.We also analyzed its molecular characteristics with other mammals by using biology software such as Clustal W 2.0 and so forth. Our results showed that tsCD28 contained many features conserved in CD28 genes from other mammals, including conserved signal peptide and glycosylation sites, and several residues responsible for binding to the CD28R, and the tsCD28 amino acid sequence were found a close genetic relationship with human and monkey. The crystal structure and surface charge revealed most regions of tree shrew CD28 molecule surface charges are similar as human. However, compared with human CD28 (hCD28) regions, in some areas, the surface positive charge of tsCD28 was less than hCD28, which may affect antibody binding. The present study is the first report of cloning and characterization of CD28 in tree shrew. This study provides a theoretical basis for the further study the structure and function of tree shrew CD28 and utilize tree shrew as an effective

  20. Profil Pemecahan Masalah Aljabar Berpandu Pada Taksonomi SOLO Ditinjau Dari Gaya Kognitif Konseptual Tempo Siswa SMA Negeri 1 Makale Tana Toraja [A Profile of Guided Algebra Problem Solving Using the SOLO Taxonomy and the Cognitive Conceptual Tempo Style of Students at the SMA Negeri 1 School In Makale, Tana Toraja

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oce Datu Appulembang

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research was to discover the process used in solving a superitem test which consisted of 4 stages according to the SOLO (Structure of Learning Outcomes Taxonomy, namely unistuctural, multistructural, relational, and extended abstract, and reviewed using the cognitive impulsive and reflective style. The research was qualitative research. The main instrument of the research was the researcher himself guided by a superitem test, an impulsive-reflective cognitive test namely MFFT (Matching Familiar Figure Test, and a valid interview guideline. The subject of this research was the students of class X1 at SMA Negeri 1 Makale Tana Toraja consisting of four students in which 2 subjects were with cognitive impulsive style and 2 subjects with cognitive reflective style. The data was collected by giving a superitem test which was verified with an interview. The results of the research show that: (a the first subject’s impulsive and reflective style showed the tendency of problem solving at an abstract level which was expanded in the question of one variable linear equation and in the question of two variable linear equation, (b the second subject’s impulsive cognitive style in two variable linear equation problem solving showed the tendency of unistuctural and relational thinking only, (c the second subject’s cognitive reflective style showed the tendency of problem solving in relational level, (d the subject’s impulsive and reflective cognitive style showed the tendency of the same problem solving in the level unistructural, multistructural, relational, and abstract in the question of one variable linear equation, and different in the abstract level in the question of two variable linear equation. BAHASA INDONESIA ABSTRAK: Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui profil pemecahan masalah dengan melihat dan mengungkap proses berpikir siswa dalam menyelesaikan tes superitem yang terdiri atas 4 tingkatan menurut Taksonomi

  1. 77 FR 74002 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Technical Assistance Needs Assessments...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-12

    ... in the remedial/ removal process as possible and enable meaningful community involvement in the Superfund decision-making process. Additionally, the TANA process produces a blueprint for designing a... services to the affected community. Given the specific nature of the TANA, 8 to 10 persons will be...

  2. Balancing ecosystem services with energy and food security - Assessing trade-offs from reservoir operation and irrigation investments in Kenya's Tana Basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurford, A. P.; Harou, J. J.

    2014-08-01

    Competition for water between key economic sectors and the environment means agreeing allocations is challenging. Managing releases from the three major dams in Kenya's Tana River basin with its 4.4 million inhabitants, 567 MW of installed hydropower capacity, 33 000 ha of irrigation and ecologically important wetlands and forests is a pertinent example. This research seeks firstly to identify and help decision-makers visualise reservoir management strategies which result in the best possible (Pareto-optimal) allocation of benefits between sectors. Secondly, it seeks to show how trade-offs between achievable benefits shift with the implementation of proposed new rice, cotton and biofuel irrigation projects. To approximate the Pareto-optimal trade-offs we link a water resources management simulation model to a multi-criteria search algorithm. The decisions or "levers" of the management problem are volume-dependent release rules for the three major dams and extent of investment in new irrigation schemes. These decisions are optimised for eight objectives covering the provision of water supply and irrigation, energy generation and maintenance of ecosystem services. Trade-off plots allow decision-makers to assess multi-reservoir rule-sets and irrigation investment options by visualising their impacts on different beneficiaries. Results quantify how economic gains from proposed irrigation schemes trade-off against the disturbance of ecosystems and local livelihoods that depend on them. Full implementation of the proposed schemes is shown to come at a high environmental and social cost. The clarity and comprehensiveness of "best-case" trade-off analysis is a useful vantage point from which to tackle the interdependence and complexity of "water-energy-food nexus" resource security issues.

  3. Balancing ecosystem services with energy and food security - assessing trade-offs for reservoir operation and irrigation investment in Kenya's Tana basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurford, A. P.; Harou, J. J.

    2014-01-01

    Competition for water between key economic sectors and the environment means agreeing on allocation is challenging. Managing releases from the three major dams in Kenya's Tana River basin with its 4.4 million inhabitants, 567 MW of installed hydropower capacity, 33 000 ha of irrigation and ecologically important wetlands and forests is a pertinent example. This research seeks to identify and help decision-makers visualise reservoir management strategies which result in the best possible (Pareto-optimal) allocation of benefits between sectors. Secondly we seek to show how trade-offs between achievable benefits shift with the implementation of new proposed rice, cotton and biofuel irrigation projects. To identify the Pareto-optimal trade-offs we link a water resources management model to a multi-criteria search algorithm. The decisions or "levers" of the management problem are volume dependent release rules for the three major dams and extent of investment in new irrigation schemes. These decisions are optimised for objectives covering provision of water supply and irrigation, energy generation and maintenance of ecosystem services which underpin tourism and local livelihoods. Visual analytic plots allow decision makers to assess multi-reservoir rule-sets by understanding their impacts on different beneficiaries. Results quantify how economic gains from proposed irrigation schemes trade-off against disturbance of the flow regime which supports ecosystem services. Full implementation of the proposed schemes is shown to be Pareto-optimal, but at high environmental and social cost. The clarity and comprehensiveness of "best-case" trade-off analysis is a useful vantage point from which to tackle the interdependence and complexity of water-energy-food "nexus" challenges.

  4. BEBERAPA ASPEK PERILAKU NYAMUK Anopheles barbirostris DI KABUPATEN SUMBA TENGAH TAHUN 2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monika Noshirma

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Some aspects of Anopheles barbirostris behavior in Central Sumba Regency was conducted in July– October in District Umbu Ratu Nggai (Village Padira Tana which represents in mountain ecology and the district of Mamboro (Manu Wollu Village representing the coastal ecology. Both villages are selected to have high malaria cases during the past year. The objective of the study is to determine Some aspect of Anopheles barbirostris behavior in Central Sumba Regency. The result showed that the characteristics of  breeding habitats of Anopheles barbirostris in the padira tana village is in fields (both in use, not use or ready for planting and in kobakan. in Manu Wolu Village the breeding habitats are in former ponds, puddles an kobakan. The bitting activity of Anopheles barbirostris the in Padira Tana Village highest in July (MBR = 0.08 outside the house,  while in Manu Wolu Village bite out of the house in July and October (MBR = 0.04. in the Padira Tana Village and Manu Wollu village the Anopheles barbirostris is most prevalent in the cage with peak hours 11.00 pm to 04.00 am. Keyword: some aspect of vector behavior, Anopheles barbirostris Abstrak Studi beberapa aspek perilaku vektor malaria Anopheles barbirostris di Kabupaten Sumba Tengah dilaksanakan pada bulan Juli – Oktober di 2 Kecamatan yaitu Kecamatan Umbu Ratu (Desa Padira Tana yang mewakili ekologi pegunungan dan Kecamatan Mamboro (Desa Manu Wolu yang mewakili ekologi pantai. Kedua desa yang dipilih mempunyai kasus malaria tinggi selama satu tahun terakhir. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui beberapa aspek perilaku vektor Anopheles barbirostris di Kabupaten Sumba Tengah. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa karakteristik habitat perkembangbiakan Anopheles barbirostris di desa Padira Tana adalah sawah (baik yang terpakai, tidak dipakai maupun siap tanam dan di kobakan. Sedangkan di desa Manu Wolu ditemukan di bekas kolam, kubangan dan kobakan.    Kepadatan nyamuk An

  5. South of Sahara | Page 75 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    South of Sahara. Sud du Sahara. Read more about Suivre et contrer la circulation de l'information erronée dans le delta du fleuve Tana, au Kenya. Language French. Read more about Mapping and Countering the Flow of Misinformation in the Tana Delta of Kenya. Language English. Read more about TanZamBo Capacity ...

  6. Experimental chronic hepatitis B infection of neonatal tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis: A model to study molecular causes for susceptibility and disease progression to chronic hepatitis in humans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Qi

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV infection continues to be an escalating global health problem. Feasible and effective animal models for HBV infection are the prerequisite for developing novel therapies for this disease. The tree shrew (Tupaia is a small animal species evolutionary closely related to humans, and thus is permissive to certain human viral pathogens. Whether tree shrews could be chronically infected with HBV in vivo has been controversial for decades. Most published research has been reported on adult tree shrews, and only small numbers of HBV infected newborn tree shrews had been observed over short time periods. We investigated susceptibility of newborn tree shrews to experimental HBV infection as well as viral clearance over a protracted time period. Results Forty-six newborn tree shrews were inoculated with the sera from HBV-infected patients or tree shrews. Serum and liver samples of the inoculated animals were periodically collected and analyzed using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Southern blot, and immunohistochemistry. Six tree shrews were confirmed and four were suspected as chronically HBV-infected for more than 48 (up to 228 weeks after inoculation, including three that had been inoculated with serum from a confirmed HBV-infected tree shrew. Conclusions Outbred neonatal tree shrews can be long-term chronically infected with HBV at a frequency comparable to humans. The model resembles human disease where also a smaller proportion of infected individuals develop chronic HBV related disease. This model might enable genetic and immunologic investigations which would allow determination of underlying molecular causes favoring susceptibility for chronic HBV infection and disease establishment vs. viral clearance.

  7. Performance of the WRF model to simulate the seasonal and interannual variability of hydrometeorological variables in East Africa: a case study for the Tana River basin in Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerandi, Noah Misati; Laux, Patrick; Arnault, Joel; Kunstmann, Harald

    2017-10-01

    This study investigates the ability of the regional climate model Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) in simulating the seasonal and interannual variability of hydrometeorological variables in the Tana River basin (TRB) in Kenya, East Africa. The impact of two different land use classifications, i.e., the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) at two horizontal resolutions (50 and 25 km) is investigated. Simulated precipitation and temperature for the period 2011-2014 are compared with Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Climate Research Unit (CRU), and station data. The ability of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Climate Research Unit (CRU) data in reproducing in situ observation in the TRB is analyzed. All considered WRF simulations capture well the annual as well as the interannual and spatial distribution of precipitation in the TRB according to station data and the TRMM estimates. Our results demonstrate that the increase of horizontal resolution from 50 to 25 km, together with the use of the MODIS land use classification, significantly improves the precipitation results. In the case of temperature, spatial patterns and seasonal cycle are well reproduced, although there is a systematic cold bias with respect to both station and CRU data. Our results contribute to the identification of suitable and regionally adapted regional climate models (RCMs) for East Africa.

  8. Vulnerability and adaptation to potential impacts of climate change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Omenda, T.O.; Kariuki, J.G.; Mbuthi, P.N.

    1998-01-01

    Climate in Kenya is controlled by the seasonal southward and northward movements of the Inter-Tropical Convergence zone (ITCZ).The effects of ITCZ produces two rainy seasons namely the 'long rains' in April/May and the 'short rains' in October/November. Following the build up of greenhouse gases such as carborn dioxide and methane in the earth's atmosphere, a variety of changes is expected in climatic conditions. The study analyses the sensivity of the lower Tana Basin to climate change while specific objectives include: to determine the effects of climate change on water supply in Tana River Basin; to assess the posible effect of climate change on the ground water resourse in the basin; to make some suggestions on possible adaptation measures that may be adopted to cope with the possible impacts of climate change for the Tana Basin

  9. Euarchontan Opsin Variation Brings New Focus to Primate Origins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melin, Amanda D; Wells, Konstans; Moritz, Gillian L; Kistler, Logan; Orkin, Joseph D; Timm, Robert M; Bernard, Henry; Lakim, Maklarin B; Perry, George H; Kawamura, Shoji; Dominy, Nathaniel J

    2016-04-01

    Debate on the adaptive origins of primates has long focused on the functional ecology of the primate visual system. For example, it is hypothesized that variable expression of short- (SWS1) and middle-to-long-wavelength sensitive (M/LWS) opsins, which confer color vision, can be used to infer ancestral activity patterns and therefore selective ecological pressures. A problem with this approach is that opsin gene variation is incompletely known in the grandorder Euarchonta, that is, the orders Scandentia (treeshrews), Dermoptera (colugos), and Primates. The ancestral state of primate color vision is therefore uncertain. Here, we report on the genes (OPN1SW and OPN1LW) that encode SWS1 and M/LWS opsins in seven species of treeshrew, including the sole nocturnal scandentian Ptilocercus lowii. In addition, we examined the opsin genes of the Central American woolly opossum (Caluromys derbianus), an enduring ecological analogue in the debate on primate origins. Our results indicate: 1) retention of ultraviolet (UV) visual sensitivity in C. derbianus and a shift from UV to blue spectral sensitivities at the base of Euarchonta; 2) ancient pseudogenization of OPN1SW in the ancestors of P. lowii, but a signature of purifying selection in those of C. derbianus; and, 3) the absence of OPN1LW polymorphism among diurnal treeshrews. These findings suggest functional variation in the color vision of nocturnal mammals and a distinctive visual ecology of early primates, perhaps one that demanded greater spatial resolution under light levels that could support cone-mediated color discrimination. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

  10. Tangent map intermittency as an approximate analysis of intermittency in a high dimensional fully stochastic dynamical system: The Tangled Nature model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diaz-Ruelas, Alvaro; Jeldtoft Jensen, Henrik; Piovani, Duccio; Robledo, Alberto

    2016-12-01

    It is well known that low-dimensional nonlinear deterministic maps close to a tangent bifurcation exhibit intermittency and this circumstance has been exploited, e.g., by Procaccia and Schuster [Phys. Rev. A 28, 1210 (1983)], to develop a general theory of 1/f spectra. This suggests it is interesting to study the extent to which the behavior of a high-dimensional stochastic system can be described by such tangent maps. The Tangled Nature (TaNa) Model of evolutionary ecology is an ideal candidate for such a study, a significant model as it is capable of reproducing a broad range of the phenomenology of macroevolution and ecosystems. The TaNa model exhibits strong intermittency reminiscent of punctuated equilibrium and, like the fossil record of mass extinction, the intermittency in the model is found to be non-stationary, a feature typical of many complex systems. We derive a mean-field version for the evolution of the likelihood function controlling the reproduction of species and find a local map close to tangency. This mean-field map, by our own local approximation, is able to describe qualitatively only one episode of the intermittent dynamics of the full TaNa model. To complement this result, we construct a complete nonlinear dynamical system model consisting of successive tangent bifurcations that generates time evolution patterns resembling those of the full TaNa model in macroscopic scales. The switch from one tangent bifurcation to the next in the sequences produced in this model is stochastic in nature, based on criteria obtained from the local mean-field approximation, and capable of imitating the changing set of types of species and total population in the TaNa model. The model combines full deterministic dynamics with instantaneous parameter random jumps at stochastically drawn times. In spite of the limitations of our approach, which entails a drastic collapse of degrees of freedom, the description of a high-dimensional model system in terms of a low

  11. Assessment of climate change impact on hydrological extremes in two source regions of the Nile River Basin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. T. Taye

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The potential impact of climate change was investigated on the hydrological extremes of Nyando River and Lake Tana catchments, which are located in two source regions of the Nile River basin. Climate change scenarios were developed for rainfall and potential evapotranspiration (ETo, considering 17 General Circulation Model (GCM simulations to better understand the range of possible future change. They were constructed by transferring the extracted climate change signals to the observed series using a frequency perturbation downscaling approach, which accounts for the changes in rainfall extremes. Projected changes under two future SRES emission scenarios A1B and B1 for the 2050s were considered. Two conceptual hydrological models were calibrated and used for the impact assessment. Their difference in simulating the flows under future climate scenarios was also investigated.

    The results reveal increasing mean runoff and extreme peak flows for Nyando catchment for the 2050s while unclear trend is observed for Lake Tana catchment for mean volumes and high/low flows. The hydrological models for Lake Tana catchment, however, performed better in simulating the hydrological regimes than for Nyando, which obviously also induces a difference in the reliability of the extreme future projections for both catchments. The unclear impact result for Lake Tana catchment implies that the GCM uncertainty is more important for explaining the unclear trend than the hydrological models uncertainty. Nevertheless, to have a better understanding of future impact, hydrological models need to be verified for their credibility of simulating extreme flows.

  12. Distribution and abundance of key vectors of Rift Valley fever and other arboviruses in two ecologically distinct counties in Kenya.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosemary Sang

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Rift Valley fever (RVF is a mosquito-borne viral zoonosis of ruminants and humans that causes outbreaks in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula with significant public health and economic consequences. Humans become infected through mosquito bites and contact with infected livestock. The virus is maintained between outbreaks through vertically infected eggs of the primary vectors of Aedes species which emerge following rains with extensive flooding. Infected female mosquitoes initiate transmission among nearby animals, which amplifies virus, thereby infecting more mosquitoes and moving the virus beyond the initial point of emergence. With each successive outbreak, RVF has been found to expand its geographic distribution to new areas, possibly driven by available vectors. The aim of the present study was to determine if RVF virus (RVFV transmission risk in two different ecological zones in Kenya could be assessed by looking at the species composition, abundance and distribution of key primary and secondary vector species and the level of virus activity.Mosquitoes were trapped during short and long rainy seasons in 2014 and 2015 using CO2 baited CDC light traps in two counties which differ in RVF epidemic risk levels(high risk Tana-River and low risk Isiolo,cryo-preserved in liquid nitrogen, transported to the laboratory, and identified to species. Mosquito pools were analyzed for virus infection using cell culture screening and molecular analysis.Over 69,000 mosquitoes were sampled and identified as 40 different species belonging to 6 genera (Aedes, Anopheles, Mansonia, Culex, Aedeomyia, Coquillettidia. The presence and abundance of Aedes mcintoshi and Aedes ochraceus, the primary mosquito vectors associated with RVFV transmission in outbreaks, varied significantly between Tana-River and Isiolo. Ae. mcintoshi was abundant in Tana-River and Isiolo but notably, Aedes ochraceus found in relatively high numbers in Tana-River (n = 1,290, was totally

  13. JPRS Report: Epidemiology

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1993-01-01

    Partial Contents: Seminar Discussed Meningitis in North, Dengue Epidemic Being Researched, Measles Outbreak Reported in Tamale Area, Trypanosomiasis Afflicting Tana River District, Uganda Cooperating...

  14. Preservation of hippocampal neuron numbers and hippocampal subfield volumes in behaviorally characterized aged tree shrews

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Keuker, J.I.H.; de Biurrun, G.; Luiten, P.G.M.; Fuchs, E.

    2004-01-01

    Aging is associated with a decreased ability to store and retrieve information. The hippocampal formation plays a critical role in such memory processes, and its integrity is affected during normal aging. We used tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) as an animal model of aging, because in many

  15. Sélection de variétés d'oignon (Allium cepa L. adaptées au nord de la Côte d'Ivoire

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coulibaly, MY.

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Selection of Varieties Onion (Allium cepa L. Adapted to the North of Ivory Coast. Sixteen varieties of onion from the collection of the National Agronomical Research Center were evaluated on the basis of their performance in the North of Ivory Coast, during the agricultural season 1998- 1999. This evaluation was made in the presence of a local control, Violet de Galmi, at the station of production of onion seeds of the Rural Development Support National Agency. Varieties Rouge de Tana, RCS1903, RCS2211 and RCS2302 gave a higher rate of healthy bulbs (64.07% on average than the others. For the total yield, varieties RCS1903, RCS2211 and RCS2302 produced more (18.18 t/ha on average than Violet de Galmi (14.58 t/ha. The latter was more productive than Rouge de Tana (12.56 t/ha. However only the purple variety, Rouge de Tana had a high content of dry matter (20.86% and was good preserved with nearly 95% of healthy bulbs after 3 months of storage, like the local control. Significant correlations appeared between the various studied characters. The most significant correlation was observed between the date of harvest and the percentage of layering at 100 days (r= -0.858; and the rate of healthy bulbs after 3 months of storage and the content of dry matter (r= 0.847.

  16. Sexospécificités | Page 196 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    -urban South Asia and find fair and sustainable solutions. ... Yoseth Ariza Araύjo, Sarah Olson, and Coll Hutchison, winners of the Student Poster Awards, and Dr Susilowati Tana, Ecohealth Research Presentation Award winner, were all ...

  17. 56 Hydrological Dynamics and Human Impact on Ecosystems of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    `123456789jkl''''#

    Hydrological Dynamics and Human Impact on Ecosystems of Lake Tana, Northwestern. Ethiopia. 1Amare ... and lake level data were evaluated to identify change in climate and lake level. The annual ... economic importance. The total area of ...

  18. 15-30 Effect of Weed Management Methods and Nitrogen Fertilizer

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    tosheba

    Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Southern Ethiopia. Tamado Tana1*, Dawit ... in Ethiopia, dominating food habits and dietary practices, and is known .... Nationalities and People's Regional State. 2.6. ..... Page 7 ...

  19. Avifauna of Ishaqbini Community Conservancy in Ijara District, NE ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Conservancy include Green-backed Heron Butorides striatus (R-NT), Purple ... example, while the neighbouring Tana River forests IBA has 19 of the 30 ... in logistics, planning of field work and many other ways during the field periods. This.

  20. Dynamical creation of entanglement versus disentanglement in a system of three-level atoms with vacuum-induced coherences

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Derkacz, Lukasz [Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Wroclaw, Plac Maxa Borna 9, 50-204 Wroclaw (Poland); Jakobczyk, Lech [Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Wroclaw, Plac Maxa Borna 9, 50-204 Wroclaw (Poland)], E-mail: ljak@ift.uni.wroc.pl

    2008-12-08

    The dynamics of entanglement between three-level atoms coupled to the common vacuum is investigated. We show that the collective effects such as collective damping, dipole-dipole interaction and the cross coupling between orthogonal dipoles, play a crucial role in the process of creation of entanglement. In particular, the additional cross coupling enhances the production of entanglement. For the specific initial states we find that the effect of delayed sudden birth of entanglement, recently invented by Ficek and Tanas [Ficek, R. Tanas, Phys. Rev. A 77 (2008) 054301] in the case of two-level atoms, can also be observed in the system. When the initial state is entangled, the process of spontaneous emission causes destruction of correlations and its disentanglement. We show that the robustness of initial entanglement against the noise can be changed by local operations performed on the state.

  1. Mihaila Bulgakova Volands un Marijas Korelli Lučija (salīdzinošā analīze)

    OpenAIRE

    Suhackis, Aleksandrs

    2009-01-01

    Darbs ir veltīts sātana tēlu romānos «Sātana Sēras» Marijas Korelli un «Meistars un Margarita» Mihaila Bulgakova salidzinošās analīzei. Pētīšanas mērķis ir salīdzināt Lučio Rimanca un Volanda tēlus simvolisma un demonoloģijas tradīcijas aspektā. Īpaša uzmanība ir veltīta arī uz simvolisma tradicijas, dekadanca un romantīsma abskatiem, ar mērķi analīzēt, literārus darbus „Satana Sēras” un „Meistars un Margarita” šaja aspektā. Darbs ir dalīts uz divam daļām. Pirmā ir aprakstīti teoretiskie ...

  2. Browse Title Index

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 151 - 200 of 510 ... Youth, social media and the fuel subsidy protests of January 2012 in ... in Africa: A Feminist Perspective on Public Health Governance, Abstract PDF ... Identity Politics and Violence in Kenya\\'s Tana River Region, Abstract.

  3. (Prosopis laevigata) pods

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2014-10-05

    Oct 5, 2014 ... 1 Programas Multidisciplinarios de Posgrado en Ciencias Ambientales. 2 Centro de ...... establishment of the invader Prosopis juliflora in the upper flood plan and Tana River, Kenya. Afr. J. Range For. Sci. ... Tesis de Maestría.

  4. Peplidium (Scrophulariaceae): a new generic record for The Flora of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... together with notes on its distribution, habitat requirements and conservation status. The first Kenyan records of Limnophila indica (L.) Druce and Lindernia zanzibarica Eb.Fisch. & Hepper are also noted. Keywords: Peplidium maritimum, Limnophila indica, Lindernia zanzibarica, aquatic, Kenya, Lamu District, Tana District ...

  5. Railroad Lines, Hawaii, 2007, TANA

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Railroad layer in Dynamap(R)/2000 represents the railroad network within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. At a minimum, linear representation is consistent with the...

  6. Effect of large weirs on abundance and diversity of migratory ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lake Tana has a remarkable fish diversity, including 17 endemic Labeobarbus species, of which nine spawn in the inflowing rivers. Three of the migratory species are threatened, namely the endangered Labeobarbus macrophtalmus and the vulnerable L. acutirostris and L. platydorsus. In July–November 2016 during the ...

  7. Étudiants en écosanté – Bourses aux nouveaux chercheurs visant à ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    'innovation et le leadership ... lauréats du concours « Affiches-Étudiants », et la Dre Susilowati Tana, lauréate du concours « Présentation de recherche en écosanté » ont tous été reconnus pour leurs contributions dans le ...

  8. Download this PDF file

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    YDessalegn

    protect the breeding population of migrating. Labeobarbus, fishing ... protected. 2. Materials and Methods. Study Area. The Gumara River is one of the tributaries that flow into Lake Tana. A number of small streams/rivers feed the Gumara. River. The tributaries ... species, sex, gonad maturity stage, body length and weight.

  9. Protecting livelihoods, boosting food security in Kenya | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Switching to Sudan grass for livestock fodder will increase food security in Kenya Farmers learned new techniques for producing livestock fodder, with important outcomes for household food security. ... The company provided drip kits to 300 farmers in Tana River for chilli production (through loans of US$74 per kit).

  10. Metabolism, Seizures, and Blood Flow in Brain Following Organophosphate Exposure: Mechanisms of Action and Possible Therapeutic Agents

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-31

    and energy metabolism changes in acute ammonia Intoxication in the lower primate Tupaia glus. J. Lab. Clin. Med. 106: 183-186. 63. G~foe, D. D. (1982...Relaxation to transmural nerve stimulation and exogenously added norepinephrine in porcine cerebral vessels. A study utilizing cerebro - vascular intrinsic... primates against soman poisoning by pretreatment with pyridostigmine. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 31:295-299. 174. Harris, L. W., Heyl, W. C., Stitcher, D. L., and

  11. Agricultural Productivity and Climate Change in Arid and Semiarid ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Training Needs Assessment Report of the Tana River, Ijara and Transmara Régions [Annex 2]. 49532. Studies. Project Monitoring and Evaluation ... New Cyber Policy Centres for the Global South. IDRC is pleased to announce the results of its 2017 call for proposals to establish Cyber Policy Centres in the Global South.

  12. Regionalising Parameters of a Conceptual Rainfall-Runoff Model for ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    IHACRES, a lumped conceptual rainfall-runoff model, was calibrated to six catchments ranging in size from 49km2 to 600 km2 within the upper Tana River basin to obtain a set of model parameters that characterise the hydrological behaviour within the region. Physical catchment attributes indexing topography, soil and ...

  13. Download this PDF file

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    2. + 19.769TW +. 240.15, r2=0. 78). Closing the gill net commercial fishery in these river mouths throughout the year or at least from August to November is strongly recommended to prevent recruitment over fishing on L. intermedius in Lake Tana. Keywords: Fecundity, Gonad maturity, Sex-ratio, Spawning migration, River.

  14. Author Details

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Kinyamario, JI. Vol 28, No 1 (2011) - Articles Patterns of seed dispersal and establishment of the invader Prosopis juliflora in the upper floodplain of Tana River, Kenya Abstract. ISSN: 1022-0119. AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO USE AJOL... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about AJOL ...

  15. Search Results | Page 839 | IDRC - International Development ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Results 8381 - 8390 of 8531 ... Combined effect of excise tax hikes and economic recession in Ukraine resulted in reduction of tobacco product affordability by two-fold in 2009-2010. ... Historical rainfall patterns with direct relevance to rainfed crop production are monitored for the lower Tana basin of Kenya to assess risks to ...

  16. Report to the Legislature: Child Welfare and Early Learning Partnerships

    Science.gov (United States)

    Washington State Department of Early Learning, 2015

    2015-01-01

    House Bill 2519, sponsored by Representative Tana Senn, was passed during the 2014 legislative session and signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee. HB 2519 directs the Department of Early Learning (DEL) and the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to jointly develop recommendations on methods to "better partner to ensure children…

  17. Sud du Sahara | Page 212 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Langue French. Read more about Mapping and Countering the Flow of Misinformation in the Tana Delta of Kenya. Langue English. Read more about TanZamBo Capacity Building for HIV Prevention Research Network. Langue English. Read more about Renforcement des capacités de réalisation d'essais en matière de ...

  18. Sud du Sahara | Page 210 | CRDI - Centre de recherches pour le ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Langue French. Read more about Mapping and Countering the Flow of Misinformation in the Tana Delta of Kenya. Langue English. Read more about TanZamBo Capacity Building for HIV Prevention Research Network. Langue English. Read more about Renforcement des capacités de réalisation d'essais en matière de ...

  19. Characterisation of stable isotopes to identify residence times and runoff components in two meso-scale catchments in the Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tekleab, S.; Wenninger, J.W.; Uhlenbrook, S.

    2014-01-01

    Measurements of the stable isotopes oxygen-18 (18O) and deuterium (2H) were carried out in two meso-scale catchments, Chemoga (358 km2) and Jedeb (296 km2) south of Lake Tana, Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia. The region is of paramount importance for the water resources in the Nile basin, as

  20. Identifying residence times and streamflow generation processes using ?18O and ?2H in meso-scale catchments in the Abay/Upper Blue Nile, Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Teklaeb, S.; Wenninger, J.W.; Uhlenbrook, S.

    2013-01-01

    Measurements of the stable isotopes oxygen-18 (18O) and deuterium (2H) were carried out in two meso-scale catchments, Chemoga (358 km2) and Jedeb (296 km2) south of Lake Tana, Abay/Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia. The region is of paramount importance for the water resources in the Nile basin.

  1. Species composition, relative abundance and habitat association of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The present study was carried out in Zegie Peninsula and Kibran Gebriel and Entos Iyesus Islands of Lake Tana from August 2006 to March 2007. Sampling sites were stratified based on the vegetation type and area cover. Point count technique and chi-square test were employed to see the association of birds with the ...

  2. Browse Title Index

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 101 - 150 of 250 ... Vol 88, No 1 (1999), Growth rates of important East African montane forest trees, with particular reference to those of Mount Kenya, Abstract ... Vol 95 (2006), Growth rings in tree species from the Tana river floodplain, Kenya, Abstract .... Vol 86, No 1 (1997), New fern records for Kilimanjaro, Abstract.

  3. Volume 10 No. 6 June 2010 2658 ORGANOLEPTIC EFFECT OF ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    user

    2010-06-06

    Jun 6, 2010 ... north coast and at times finds its way near freshwater catfish landing areas. ... products produced due to the type of wood fuel used for smoking have ... trees like mangroves. ... general quality deterioration of smoked fish in Tana Delta area ... liquid food vegetable oil so that fish did not stick during smoking.

  4. Browse Title Index

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 351 - 400 of 635 ... Vol 9, No 1 (2016), Investigation of the influence of Atlantic ocean on ... and Chromium in Oreochromis Niloticus in Lagos State Lagoon ... Pear) in the Rainforest Zone of Southern Nigeria, Abstract PDF ... Vol 1, No 1 (2008), Livelihoods Pattern of “Negede Weyto” Community in Lake Tana Shore, Bahir ...

  5. Browse Title Index

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Items 1 - 50 of 250 ... E Wabuyele. Vol 101, No 2 (2012), Christella parasitica — a new fern for Kenya. Abstract. A Hemp. Vol 88, No 1 (1999) ... Vol 83, No 2 (1994), A check-list of indigenous trees and shrubs of Bura, Tana river district, Kenya with Malakote, Orma and Somali names, Abstract. FN Gachathi, SG Johannson, GM ...

  6. Evolutionary history of 7SL RNA-derived SINEs in Supraprimates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kriegs, Jan Ole; Churakov, Gennady; Jurka, Jerzy; Brosius, Jürgen; Schmitz, Jürgen

    2007-04-01

    The evolutionary relationships of 7SL RNA-derived SINEs such as the primate Alu or the rodent B1 elements have hitherto been obscure. We established an unambiguous phylogenetic tree for Supraprimates, and derived intraordinal relationships of the 7SL RNA-derived SINEs. As well as new elements in Tupaia and primates, we also found that the purported ancestral fossil Alu monomer was restricted to Primates, and provide here the first description of a potential chimeric promoter box region in SINEs.

  7. Suivre et contrer la circulation de l'information erronée dans le delta ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Un des pires incidents violents au Kenya depuis 2007 est survenu le 22 août 2012, lorsque 52 personnes sont mortes à la suite de violences ethniques entre des cultivateurs orma et des membres de la nation pokomo, un peuple nomade, dans le comté du fleuve Tana. Le présent projet de recherche d'une durée de deux ...

  8. Gastrointestinal protists and helminths of habituated agile mangabeys (Cercocebus agilis) at Bai Hokou, Central African Republic

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pafčo, B.; Tehlárová, Z.; Jirků-Pomajbíková, K.; Todd, A.; Hasegawa, H.; Petrželková, Klára Judita; Modrý, D.

    2018-01-01

    Roč. 80, č. 2 (2018), č. článku e22736. ISSN 0275-2565 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-05180S Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Pan-troglodytes-schweinfurthii * western lowland gorillas * colobus procolobus-rufomitratus * Ndoki national-park * great apes * nonhuman-primates * parasite prevalence * Tana river * chimpanzees * wild * Balantioides * habituation * mangabey * parasite Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Zoology Impact factor: 2.005, year: 2016

  9. Single-crystal neutron diffraction at the Australian Replacement Research Reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klooster, W.T.

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of the workshop was to: identify the future needs and opportunities for single-crystal neutron diffraction, and specify instrument requirements. important number of experiments. The conclusion of the workshop deliberation was that Australia has a diverse community of users of single-crystal neutron diffraction. A (quasi)-Laue image-plate diffractometer allows the fastest throughput by far, but would exclude an important number of experiments. Most of these could be covered by the additional possibility to locate the image-plate detector on a monochromatic beam. Therefore it was recommend both a white thermal beam and a monochromatic beam (λ= 1 to 2.4 Angstroms) for an image-plate detector. At little additional cost the existing 2TanA instrument could be located semi-permanently on the same monochromatic beam, thus offering three quite different types of single-crystal instruments. Small improvements could be made to the 2TanA instrument to cater for the remaining experiments not suited to an image-plate diffractometer: exchange of the Eulerian cradle for an automated tilt goniometer for extremely bulky sample environment (cryomagnets, large pressure cells), optional larger area detector, analyser crystal. It was recommended that an Instrument Advisory Team will be assembled, and will help in specifying, designing and commissioning the instrument

  10. High Order Thinking Pada Pembelajaran IPA Melalui Teknik Make - a Match Di Sekolah Dasar

    OpenAIRE

    Asdiana, Asdiana

    2015-01-01

    To the effect this research is subject to be know make's tech implement a. match to increase high thinking's order student on natural sciences learning about living thing fitting material. Executed research at Tana Tidung's Regency Elementary School, with subjek student research brazes 5 total one 32 students. This research constitute action research by use of model kemmis and McTaggart, one that is done in two cycles. Each cycle consisting of planning phase, performing, watch, and reflection...

  11. Railroad Lines, US EPA Region 9, 2007, TANA

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Railroad layer in Dynamap(R)/2000 represents the railroad network within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. At a minimum, linear representation is consistent with the...

  12. Architectonic subdivisions of neocortex in the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri)

    OpenAIRE

    Wong, Peiyan; Kaas, Jon H.

    2009-01-01

    Tree shrews are small mammals that bear some semblance to squirrels, but are actually close relatives of primates. Thus, they have been extensively studied as a model for the early stages of primate evolution. In the present study, subdivisions of cortex were reconstructed from brain sections cut in the coronal, sagittal or horizontal planes, and processed for parvalbumin (PV), SMI-32 immunopositive neurofilament protein epitopes, vesicle glutamate transporter 2 (VGluT2), free ionic zinc, mye...

  13. PROSUDBA KVALITETE I KVANTITETE DOBIVENE KOSTI UPORABOM BIFAZNOG ß-TRIKALCIJFOSFATA/ HIDROKSILAPATITA PRI PODIZANJU DNA SINUSA

    OpenAIRE

    Jelušić, Damir

    2014-01-01

    Razvoj dentalne implantologije unaprijedio je različite kirurške metode regeneracije kosti, a jedna od njih jest i podizanje dna sinusa. Svrha ovoga rada bila je provedba kliničkog istraživanja u kojemu su se koristila dva različita sintetska koštana nadomjestka te analiza njihovih svojstava s obzirom na biokompatibilnost, uspješnost regeneracije kosti i utjecaj na stabilnost ugrađenih implantata. Zbog toga je obavljeno 60 zahvata podizanja dna sinusa kod 43 pacijenta podj...

  14. Posture does not matter! Paw usage and grasping paw preference in a small-bodied rooting quadrupedal mammal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joly, Marine; Scheumann, Marina; Zimmermann, Elke

    2012-01-01

    Recent results in birds, marsupials, rodents and nonhuman primates suggest that phylogeny and ecological factors such as body size, diet and postural habit of a species influence limb usage and the direction and strength of limb laterality. To examine to which extent these findings can be generalised to small-bodied rooting quadrupedal mammals, we studied trees shrews (Tupaia belangeri). We established a behavioural test battery for examining paw usage comparable to small-bodied primates and tested 36 Tupaia belangeri. We studied paw usage in a natural foraging situation (simple food grasping task) and measured the influence of varying postural demands (triped, biped, cling, sit) on paw preferences by applying a forced-food grasping task similar to other small-bodied primates. Our findings suggest that rooting tree shrews prefer mouth over paw usage to catch food in a natural foraging situation. Moreover, we demonstrated that despite differences in postural demand, tree shrews show a strong and consistent individual paw preference for grasping across different tasks, but no paw preference at a population level. Tree shrews showed less paw usage than small-bodied quadrupedal and arboreal primates, but the same paw preference. Our results confirm that individual paw preferences remain constant irrespective of postural demand in some small-bodied quadrupedal non primate and primate mammals which do not require fine motoric control for manipulating food items. Our findings suggest that the lack of paw/hand preference for grasping food at a population level is a universal pattern among those species and that the influence of postural demand on manual lateralisation in quadrupeds may have evolved in large-bodied species specialised in fine manipulations of food items.

  15. Surface Energy Balance of Fresh and Saline Waters: AquaSEBS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Abdelrady

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Current earth observation models do not take into account the influence of water salinity on the evaporation rate, even though the salinity influences the evaporation rate by affecting the density and latent heat of vaporization. In this paper, we adapt the SEBS (Surface Energy Balance System model for large water bodies and add the effect of water salinity to the evaporation rate. Firstly, SEBS is modified for fresh-water whereby new parameterizations of the water heat flux and sensible heat flux are suggested. This is achieved by adapting the roughness heights for momentum and heat transfer. Secondly, a salinity correction factor is integrated into the adapted model. Eddy covariance measurements over Lake IJsselmeer (The Netherlands are carried out and used to estimate the roughness heights for momentum (~0.0002 m and heat transfer (~0.0001 m. Application of these values over the Victoria and Tana lakes (freshwater in Africa showed that the calculated latent heat fluxes agree well with the measurements. The root mean-square of relative-errors (rRMSE is about 4.1% for Lake Victoria and 4.7%, for Lake Tana. Verification with ECMWF data showed that the salinity reduced the evaporation at varying levels by up to 27% in the Great Salt Lake and by 1% for open ocean. Our results show the importance of salinity to the evaporation rate and the suitability of the adapted-SEBS model (AquaSEBS for fresh and saline waters.

  16. Posture does not matter! Paw usage and grasping paw preference in a small-bodied rooting quadrupedal mammal.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marine Joly

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recent results in birds, marsupials, rodents and nonhuman primates suggest that phylogeny and ecological factors such as body size, diet and postural habit of a species influence limb usage and the direction and strength of limb laterality. To examine to which extent these findings can be generalised to small-bodied rooting quadrupedal mammals, we studied trees shrews (Tupaia belangeri. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We established a behavioural test battery for examining paw usage comparable to small-bodied primates and tested 36 Tupaia belangeri. We studied paw usage in a natural foraging situation (simple food grasping task and measured the influence of varying postural demands (triped, biped, cling, sit on paw preferences by applying a forced-food grasping task similar to other small-bodied primates. Our findings suggest that rooting tree shrews prefer mouth over paw usage to catch food in a natural foraging situation. Moreover, we demonstrated that despite differences in postural demand, tree shrews show a strong and consistent individual paw preference for grasping across different tasks, but no paw preference at a population level. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Tree shrews showed less paw usage than small-bodied quadrupedal and arboreal primates, but the same paw preference. Our results confirm that individual paw preferences remain constant irrespective of postural demand in some small-bodied quadrupedal non primate and primate mammals which do not require fine motoric control for manipulating food items. Our findings suggest that the lack of paw/hand preference for grasping food at a population level is a universal pattern among those species and that the influence of postural demand on manual lateralisation in quadrupeds may have evolved in large-bodied species specialised in fine manipulations of food items.

  17. Diversity and biogeography of herpetofauna of the Tana river ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... visual encounter survey and pitfalls with drift fence methods were used. Additional data derived from the collection of the National Museums of Kenya and the literature were also used. A total of 40 species comprising 16 amphibians (all anurans), and 24 reptiles (14 lizards, 1 crocodile, 8 snakes, 1 tortoise) were recorded.

  18. From fish to modern humans--comparative anatomy, homologies and evolution of the head and neck musculature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diogo, R; Abdala, V; Lonergan, N; Wood, B A

    2008-10-01

    In a recent paper Diogo (2008) reported the results of the first part of an investigation of the comparative anatomy, homologies and evolution of the head and neck muscles of osteichthyans (bony fish + tetrapods). That report mainly focused on actinopterygian fish, but also compared these fish with certain non-mammalian sarcopterygians. The present paper focuses mainly on sarcopterygians, and particularly on how the head and neck muscles have evolved during the transitions from sarcopterygian fish and non-mammalian tetrapods to monotreme and therian mammals, including modern humans. The data obtained from our dissections of the head and neck muscles of representative members of sarcopterygian fish, amphibians, reptiles, monotremes and therian mammals, such as rodents, tree-shrews, colugos and primates, including modern humans, are compared with the information available in the literature. Our observations and comparisons indicate that the number of mandibular and true branchial muscles (sensu this work) present in modern humans is smaller than that found in mammals such as tree-shrews, rats and monotremes, as well as in reptiles such as lizards. Regarding the pharyngeal musculature, there is an increase in the number of muscles at the time of the evolutionary transition leading to therian mammals, but there was no significant increase during the transition leading to the emergence of higher primates and modern humans. The number of hypobranchial muscles is relatively constant within the therian mammals we examined, although in this case modern humans have more muscles than other mammals. The number of laryngeal and facial muscles in modern humans is greater than that found in most other therian taxa. Interestingly, modern humans possess peculiar laryngeal and facial muscles that are not present in the majority of the other mammalian taxa; this seems to corroborate the crucial role played by vocal communication and by facial expressions in primate and especially in

  19. Mapping and Countering the Flow of Misinformation in the Tana ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Given the negative role that technology can play in the flow of misinformation and in inciting or organizing violence, the project will explore the role of networked technologies in the spread and influence of misinformation. Researchers will compare these technologies to other means of communication in this context.

  20. Parasites of fish at Lake Tana, Ethiopia | Yimer | SINET: Ethiopian ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The study showed that Contracaecum spp. were the most common larval nematode parasite that were identified from the mesentery of 52 (41.94%) Catfish (Clarias gariepinus), 17(24.64%) Barbus acutirostris, 102 (9.44%) Barbus tsanensis, 14(12.84%) Barbus brevicephalus, and from the pericardial cavity of 52 (59.8%) ...

  1. Reliability and Robustness Analysis of the Masinga Dam under Uncertainty

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hayden Postle-Floyd

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Kenya’s water abstraction must meet the projected growth in municipal and irrigation demand by the end of 2030 in order to achieve the country’s industrial and economic development plan. The Masinga dam, on the Tana River, is the key to meeting this goal to satisfy the growing demands whilst also continuing to provide hydroelectric power generation. This study quantitatively assesses the reliability and robustness of the Masinga dam system under uncertain future supply and demand using probabilistic climate and population projections, and examines how long-term planning may improve the longevity of the dam. River flow and demand projections are used alongside each other as inputs to the dam system simulation model linked to an optimisation engine to maximise water availability. Water availability after demand satisfaction is assessed for future years, and the projected reliability of the system is calculated for selected years. The analysis shows that maximising power generation on a short-term year-by-year basis achieves 80%, 50% and 1% reliability by 2020, 2025 and 2030 onwards, respectively. Longer term optimal planning, however, has increased system reliability to up to 95% in 2020, 80% in 2025, and more than 40% in 2030 onwards. In addition, increasing the capacity of the reservoir by around 25% can significantly improve the robustness of the system for all future time periods. This study provides a platform for analysing the implication of different planning and management of Masinga dam and suggests that careful consideration should be given to account for growing municipal needs and irrigation schemes in both the immediate and the associated Tana River basin.

  2. La historia de los barrios premiada de Medellín

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Maria Cano

    1986-07-01

    Full Text Available El semestre pasado , la alcaldía metropolítana de Medellin, por intermedio de la secretaría de Desarrollo Comunitario convocó al concurso "Escribe la historia de tu barrio". A las oficinas del concurso comenzaron a llegar decenas de historias escritas, que invariablemente partían de la tradición oral, de la memoria de los viejos, a través de la cual se iba recuperando la historia del barrio, la creación de los espacios, las esquinas, los personajes y los hechos que ha visto Medellín en su último siglo de desarrollo.

  3. Status of the Potato Processing Industry in Kenya: Result of a Survey in Nairobi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walingo, A.M.; Kabira, J.N.; Ewell, P.T.

    1999-01-01

    A survey conducted in Nairobi showed that potato chips (French fries)and potato crisps (Chips) were the most common potato products on the market. Potato varieties preferred for the preparations of potato chips were the long types, mainly Nyayo (41%) and Roslin tana (38%). The Red-skinned Kerr's pink (22%) and white-skinned Dutch Robijn (78%) were preferred for crisps. Processors for crisps are more demanding on the quality and types of fresh potatoes used than crisps. Tuber immaturity was a common problem adversely affecting processors' profit margins due to high oil absorption particularly in chips, now a common lunch-time snack in Nairobi. The quality of products on the market could be improved further

  4. AcEST: DK962347 [AcEST

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ... 33 1.1 sp|Q7TSF1|DSG1B_MOUSE Desmoglein-1-beta OS=Mus musculus GN=Dsg1b... 31... 30 7.4 sp|Q61495|DSG1A_MOUSE Desmoglein-1-alpha OS=Mus musculus GN=Dsg1... 30 7.4 sp|Q9SIB4|WOX3_ARATH WUSC...hia co... 30 9.6 sp|Q01550|TANA_XENLA Tanabin OS=Xenopus laevis PE=2 SV=1 30 9.6 sp|Q7TSF0|DSG1C_MOUSE Desmog...VAEYVTH 428 IVG WDE LP D V E+ E+V+H Sbjct: 322 IVGGNWDEVLPVDVRVPEEIQEFVSH 347 >sp|Q7TSF1|DSG1B_MOUSE Desmogl

  5. Ghost Stories, Ghost Estates: Melancholia in Irish Recession Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Molly Slavin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This article considers representations of melancholia in post-Celtic Tiger Irish literature. By situating their post-recession fictions in “ghost estates,” or largely uninhabited housing developments, Donal Ryan and Tana French present neoliberally-inflected varieties of melancholia for their contemporary readers to contemplate. The settings of the ghost estates – and the accompanying supernatural elements to the texts – call to mind ghosts of Ireland’s past and legacies of recent economically unsound policies, spurring the reader to think about the imagined loss of futurity that accompanied the Irish economic crash. “Ghost stories for ghost estates,” then, represent an important contribution to the growing field of post-recession Irish literature.

  6. Checklist of the birds of Kipini Conservancy, Lamu and Tana River ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    We present here details of the birds we saw in an area whose avifauna has been ..... The absence of immatures suggests no breeding took place in recent years. Pair at base camp ..... Northern Carmine Bee-eater Merops nubicus. Common ...

  7. Saving the Lower Tana River Forest Complex: Can P-GIS help?

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    The programme. The overall objective of this pan-african programme of research is to contribute to making available good quality, reliable and accessible information systems through the application of the P-GIS approach to improve natural resource management (water, land and forest in particular) and promote food ...

  8. Anglo Egyptian Treaty on the Nile and the Tana Dam Concessions

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Tadesse_K_W

    New York / Abingdon, Oxon, Routledge ... Harold G. Marcus (1995), The Life and Times of Menelik II, Ethiopia 1844-. 1913 .... inconceivable that Emperor Menelik, after the audience on March 13, was ..... One Drop Books, New York, p.319.

  9. Moussa virus: a new member of the Rhabdoviridae family isolated from Culex decens mosquitoes in Côte d'Ivoire.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quan, Phenix-Lan; Junglen, Sandra; Tashmukhamedova, Alla; Conlan, Sean; Hutchison, Stephen K; Kurth, Andreas; Ellerbrok, Heinz; Egholm, Michael; Briese, Thomas; Leendertz, Fabian H; Lipkin, W Ian

    2010-01-01

    Characterization of arboviruses at the interface of pristine habitats and anthropogenic landscapes is crucial to comprehensive emergent disease surveillance and forecasting efforts. In context of a surveillance campaign in and around a West African rainforest, particles morphologically consistent with rhabdoviruses were identified in cell cultures infected with homogenates of trapped mosquitoes. RNA recovered from these cultures was used to derive the first complete genome sequence of a rhabdovirus isolated from Culex decens mosquitoes in Côte d'Ivoire, tentatively named Moussa virus (MOUV). MOUV shows the classical genome organization of rhabdoviruses, with five open reading frames (ORF) in a linear order. However, sequences show only limited conservation (12-33% identity at amino acid level), and ORF2 and ORF3 have no significant similarity to sequences deposited in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis indicates a potential new species with distant relationship to Tupaia and Tibrogargan virus.

  10. Moussa virus: a new member of the Rhabdoviridae family isolated from Culex decens mosquitoes in Côte d’Ivoire

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quan, Phenix-Lan; Junglen, Sandra; Tashmukhamedova, Alla; Conlan, Sean; Hutchison, Stephen K.; Kurth, Andreas; Ellerbrok, Heinz; Egholm, Michael; Briese, Thomas; Leendertz, Fabian H.; Ian Lipkin, W

    2009-01-01

    Characterization of arboviruses at the interface of pristine habitats and anthropogenic landscapes is crucial to comprehensive emergent disease surveillance and forecasting efforts. In context of surveillance campaign in and around a West African rainforest, particles morphologically consistent with rhabdoviruses were identified in cell cultures infected with homogenates of trapped mosquitoes. RNA recovered from these cultures was used to derive the first complete genome sequence of a rhabdovirus isolated from Culex decens mosquitoes in Côte d’Ivoire, tentatively named Moussa virus (MOUV). MOUV shows the classical genome organization of rhabdoviruses, with five open reading frames (ORF) in a linear order. However, sequences show only limited conservation (12–33% identity at amino acid level), and ORF2 and ORF3 have no significant similarity to sequences deposited in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis indicates a potential new species with distant relationship to Tupaia and Tibrogargan virus. PMID:19804801

  11. Dispersal distance of rice ( Oryza Sativa L.) pollen at the Tana River ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Rice is a staple food in Kenya and its production needs to be increased. Genetically modified (GM) rice may be a solution, but before it can be introduced, potential ecological impacts, such as pollen mediated gene flow from GM rice to non-GM rice or to its wild indigenous relatives, need to be understood. Pollen dispersal in ...

  12. Schistosoma haematobium and soil-transmitted Helminths in Tana Delta District of Kenya

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Njaanake, Kariuki H.; Vennervald, Birgitte J.; Simonsen, Paul E.

    2016-01-01

    the primary school children were high and the parasites were responsible for significant morbidity. A clear synergistic interaction was observed between hookworm and T. trichiura infections. Increased coverage in administration of praziquantel and albendazole in the area is recommended to control morbidity...

  13. New approaches to screening infrastructure investments in multi-reservoir systems- Evaluating proposed dams in Ethiopia and Kenya

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2014-12-01

    Two approaches have been used traditionally to screen infrastructure investments in multi-reservoir systems: scenario analysis of a few simulated designs and deterministic optimization, sometimes using hydro-economic models or screening optimization models. Simulation models realistically represent proposed water systems and can easily include multiple performance metrics; however each prospective system operating rules need to be formulated and simulated for each proposed design (time consuming. Optimization models have been used to overcome this burden. Screening optimization models use integer or non-linear programming and can be challenging to apply to large and/or multi-objective systems. Hydro-economic models that use deterministic (implicit stochastic) optimization must be modified to examine each different plan and they cannot always reproduce realistic or politically acceptable system operations. In this presentation we demonstrate the application of a new screening approach to multi-reservoir systems where operating rules and new assets (dams) are simultaneously optimized in a multi-criteria context. Results are not least cost investment plans that satisfy reliability or other engineering constraints, but rather Pareto-optimal sets of asset portfolios that work well under historical and/or future scenarios. This is achieved by using stakeholder-built simulation models linked to multi-criteria search algorithms (e.g. many objective evolutionary algorithms, MOEA). Typical output is demonstrated through two case-studies on the Tana and Blue Nile rivers where operating rules and reservoir assets are efficiently screened together considering stakeholder-defined metrics. The focus on the Tana system is how reservoir operating rules and new irrigation schemes should be co-managed to limit ecological damages. On the Nile system, we identify Blue Nile river reservoir capacities that least negatively impact downstream Nile nations. Limitations and new directions of

  14. Does the afrotropical army ant Dorylus (Anomma) molestus go extinct in fragmented forests?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schöning, Caspar; Kinuthia, Wanja; Boomsma, Jacobus Jan

    2006-01-01

    or facultatively associated with them. Field observations and mathematical modelling suggest that deforestation and accompanying forest fragmentation cause local extinctions of the neotropical swarm-raiding army ant Eciton burchellii which in turn have negative effects on its associated fauna. The aim......Swarm-raiding army ants are extremely polyphagous nomadic predators inhabiting tropical forests. They are considered keystone species because their raids can regulate the population dynamics of their prey and because a plethora of both invertebrate and vertebrate species are obligatorily...... of this study was to examine whether afrotropical army ants are affected by forest fragmentation in the same way. Surveys of Dorylus (Anomma) molestus colonies were carried out in forest fragments of different sizes and in the matrix habitat at two sites in Eastern Kenya, along the Lower Tana River...

  15. Advances in Animal Models of Hepatitis B Virus Infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Hang

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Hepatitis B virus (HBV infection seriously affects human health. Stable and reliable animal models of HBV infection bear significance in studying pathogenesis of this health condition and development of intervention measures. HBV exhibits high specificity for hosts, and chimpanzee is long used as sole animal model of HBV infection. However, use of chimpanzees is strictly constrained because of ethical reasons. Many methods were used to establish small-animal models of HBV infection. Tupaia is the only nonprimate animal that can be infected by HBV. Use of HBV-related duck hepatitis virus and marmot hepatitis virus infection model contributed to evaluation of mechanism of HBV replication and HBV treatment methods. In recent years, development of human–mouse chimeric model provided possibility of using common experimental animals to carry out HBV research. These models feature their own advantages and disadvantages and can be complementary in some ways. This study provides an overview of current and commonly used animal models of HBV infection.

  16. Oldest known euarchontan tarsals and affinities of Paleocene Purgatorius to Primates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chester, Stephen G B; Bloch, Jonathan I; Boyer, Doug M; Clemens, William A

    2015-02-03

    Earliest Paleocene Purgatorius often is regarded as the geologically oldest primate, but it has been known only from fossilized dentitions since it was first described half a century ago. The dentition of Purgatorius is more primitive than those of all known living and fossil primates, leading some researchers to suggest that it lies near the ancestry of all other primates; however, others have questioned its affinities to primates or even to placental mammals. Here we report the first (to our knowledge) nondental remains (tarsal bones) attributed to Purgatorius from the same earliest Paleocene deposits that have yielded numerous fossil dentitions of this poorly known mammal. Three independent phylogenetic analyses that incorporate new data from these fossils support primate affinities of Purgatorius among euarchontan mammals (primates, treeshrews, and colugos). Astragali and calcanei attributed to Purgatorius indicate a mobile ankle typical of arboreal euarchontan mammals generally and of Paleocene and Eocene plesiadapiforms specifically and provide the earliest fossil evidence of arboreality in primates and other euarchontan mammals. Postcranial specializations for arboreality in the earliest primates likely played a key role in the evolutionary success of this mammalian radiation in the Paleocene.

  17. A versatile method for the preparation of conjugates of peptides with DNA/PNA/analog by employing chemo-selective click reaction in water

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gogoi, Khirud; Mane, Meenakshi V.; Kunte, Sunita S.; Kumar, Vaijayanti A.

    2007-01-01

    The specific 1,3 dipolar Hüisgen cycloaddition reaction known as ‘click-reaction’ between azide and alkyne groups is employed for the synthesis of peptide–oligonucleotide conjugates. The peptide nucleic acids (PNA)/DNA and peptides may be appended either by azide or alkyne groups. The cycloaddition reaction between the azide and alkyne appended substrates allows the synthesis of the desired conjugates in high purity and yields irrespective of the sequence and functional groups on either of the two substrates. The versatile approach could also be employed to generate the conjugates of peptides with thioacetamido nucleic acid (TANA) analog. The click reaction is catalyzed by Cu (I) in either water or in organic medium. In water, ∼3-fold excess of the peptide-alkyne/azide drives the reaction to completion in 2 h with no side products. PMID:17981837

  18. Understanding bioenergy conflicts: Case of a jatropha project inKenya’s Tana Delta

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arevalo, J.; Ochieng, R.M.; Mola-Yudego, B.; Gritten, D.

    2014-01-01

    In recent years, conflicts related to tenure, management and utilization of natural resources, in particularbioenergy conflicts, are becoming increasingly common. Many bioenergy conflicts are related to plan-tation projects seeking to capitalize on the opportunity to profit from a combination of

  19. Oldest skeleton of a plesiadapiform provides additional evidence for an exclusively arboreal radiation of stem primates in the Palaeocene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chester, Stephen G. B.; Williamson, Thomas E.; Bloch, Jonathan I.; Silcox, Mary T.; Sargis, Eric J.

    2017-05-01

    Palaechthonid plesiadapiforms from the Palaeocene of western North America have long been recognized as among the oldest and most primitive euarchontan mammals, a group that includes extant primates, colugos and treeshrews. Despite their relatively sparse fossil record, palaechthonids have played an important role in discussions surrounding adaptive scenarios for primate origins for nearly a half-century. Likewise, palaechthonids have been considered important for understanding relationships among plesiadapiforms, with members of the group proposed as plausible ancestors of Paromomyidae and Microsyopidae. Here, we describe a dentally associated partial skeleton of Torrejonia wilsoni from the early Palaeocene (approx. 62 Ma) of New Mexico, which is the oldest known plesiadapiform skeleton and the first postcranial elements recovered for a palaechthonid. Results from a cladistic analysis that includes new data from this skeleton suggest that palaechthonids are a paraphyletic group of stem primates, and that T. wilsoni is most closely related to paromomyids. New evidence from the appendicular skeleton of T. wilsoni fails to support an influential hypothesis based on inferences from craniodental morphology that palaechthonids were terrestrial. Instead, the postcranium of T. wilsoni indicates that it was similar to that of all other plesiadapiforms for which skeletons have been recovered in having distinct specializations consistent with arboreality.

  20. Vibrational treatment of the formic acid double minimum case in valence coordinates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richter, Falk; Carbonnière, P.

    2018-02-01

    One single full dimensional valence coordinate HCOOH ground state potential energy surface accurate for both cis and trans conformers for all levels up to 6000 cm-1 relative to trans zero point energy has been generated at CCSD(T)-F12a/aug-cc-pVTZ level. The fundamentals and a set of eigenfunctions complete up to about 3120 and 2660 cm-1 for trans- and cis-HCOOH, respectively, have been calculated and assigned using the improved relaxation method of the Heidelberg multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree package and an exact expression for the kinetic energy in valence coordinates generated by the TANA program. The calculated trans fundamental transition frequencies agree with experiment to within 5 cm-1. A few reassignments are suggested. Our results discard any cis trans delocalization effects for vibrational eigenfunctions up to 3640 cm-1 relative to trans zero point energy.

  1. ANALISIS PRODUKTIVITAS USAHATANI JAGUNG HIBRIDA DI KABUPATEN SUMENEP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ainun Nikmah

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis efisiensi teknis, efisiensi alokatif, efisiensi ekonomis usahatani jagung hibrida dan sumber inefisiensinya. Penelitian ini dilakukan di Desa Tanah Merah Kecamatan Saronggih Kabupaten Sumenep. Sampel penelitian menggunakan teknik insidential sampling. Data selanjutnya dianalisis dengan menggunakan fungsi produksi stochastic frontier. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa rata-rata petani belum efisien secara teknis, alokatif dan ekonomi. Sementara penyebab inefisiensi teknis disebabkan pendidikan dan pengalaman. Abstract The purpose of this study were to analyze the technical efficiency, allocative, economic hybrid corn farm and sources of inefficiency. The study was conducted in Tana Merah Village, Saronggih Subdistrict, in Sumenep Regency. The incidental sampling technique was used to determined sample. Data were analyzed using the stochastic frontier production function. The results showed that the average farmer is not efficient yet on technically, allocative and economic. while the cause of technical inefficiency were education and experience.

  2. Assessment of hydrological controls on gully formation near Lake Tana, Northern Highlands of Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tebebu, T. Y.; Abiy, A. Z.; Dahlke, H. E.; White, E. D.; Collick, A. S.; Steenhuis, T. S.

    2008-12-01

    For the past five decades, gully erosion has been one of the dominant degradation processes in the Ethiopian Highlands. Gully erosion negatively affects soil resources, lowers soil fertility in intergully areas, reduces the pastureland available for livestock, and aggravates siltation of reservoirs. Assessing the location and rate of gully development and changes in the controlling factors (climate, soil, hydrology and land cover) of gully erosion will help explain the faced acceleration in land degradation. The study was performed in a gully system in the 800 ha Debre-Mewi watershed south of Bahir Dar, Amhara region, Ethiopia. Analyses comprised monitoring gully development through profile measurements, air photograph interpretations, and semi-structured interview techniques. Gully hydrological processes were investigated based on measurements of gully runoff and water levels in 24 piezometers in the gully contributing area. The Debre-Mewi gully is a still actively eroding gully system. A comparison of the gully area estimated from a 0.5 m resolution Quickbird image with the current gully area, walked with a Garmin GPS, showed that the eroded gully area increased by 30% from 0.51 ha in 2005 to 0.735 ha in 2008. Based on measurements of several gully cross-sections an approximate gully volume of 7985 m3 could be estimated. Using the watershed area of the gully system of 14.29 ha and an average gully erosion rate of 24.8 t ha-1 a- 1 could be estimated. Gully erosion rates accelerated since 1991 through the increased degradation of the vegetation cover and clearance of the indigenous vegetation on the hillsides, leading to an increase of surface and subsurface runoff from the hillsides to the wet valley bottoms. Gully heads retreat into the hillslope through concentrated runoff during the rainy season erodes existing soil pipes and cracks in the vicinity of the gully head and banks. The formation of subsurface soil pipes is likely triggered through abrupt changes in pore pressure and moisture content at the interface of the organic rich A-horizon and the underlying, red-clay horizon. Piping and tunneling saturate the soil near the gully and thereby facilitate the slumping of the gully wall and their retreat. The sediment produced from the collapsing walls is exported during heavy storm events that cause flow depths of 70 cm and more. The faced changes in the hydrological flow paths and water balance in Debre-Mewi watershed suggest a change of the existing catchment protection policy, including check dams, exclosures, stone bunds and most important the reforestation of the hillsides. We find that alteration of the runoff response due to reestablishing the natural vegetation on the hillside and the improvement of existing farming practices will be most important to decelerate current erosion rates.

  3. 2nd Bozeman Conference

    CERN Document Server

    Lund, John

    1991-01-01

    This volume contains a collection of papers delivered by the partici­ pants at the second Conference on Computation and Control held at Mon­ tana State University in Bozeman, Montana from August 1-7, 1990. The conference, as well as this proceedings, attests to the vitality and cohesion between the control theorist and the numerical analyst that was adver­ tised by the first Conference on Computation and Control in 1988. The proceedings of that initial conference was published by Birkhiiuser Boston as the first volume of this same series entitled Computation and Control, Proceedings of the Bozeman Conference, Bozeman, Montana, 1988. Control theory and numerical analysis are both, by their very nature, interdisciplinary subjects as evidenced by their interaction with other fields of mathematics and engineering. While it is clear that new control or es­ timation algorithms and new feedback design methodologies will need to be implemented computationally, it is likewise clear that new problems in computation...

  4. Changing household responses to drought in Tharaka, Kenya: vulnerability, persistence and challenge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smucker, Thomas A; Wisner, Ben

    2008-06-01

    Drought is a recurring challenge to the livelihoods of those living in Tharaka District, Kenya, situated in the semi-arid zone to the east of Mount Kenya, from the lowest slopes of the mountain to the banks of the Tana River. This part of Kenya has been marginal to the economic and political life of Kenya from the colonial period until the present day. A study of more than 30 years of change in how people in Tharaka cope with drought reveals resilience in the face of major macro-level transformations, which include privatisation of landownership, population growth, political decentralisation, increased conflict over natural resources, different market conditions, and environmental shifts. However, the study also shows troubling signs of increased use of drought responses that are incompatible with long-term agrarian livelihoods. Government policy needs to address the challenge of drought under these new macro conditions if sustainable human development is to be achieved.

  5. Valoración económica de bienes públicos: estudio de caso del río Lerma, La Piedad, Michoacán

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Faustino Gómez Sántiz

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available el tramo del río Lerma, que atraviesa la zona metropoli-tana de La Piedad de Cabadas, Michoacán-Santa Ana Pacue-co, Guanajuato, tiene una longitud de 12.8 km. Actualmenteestá convertido en un canal de desechos, que ha incididoen la aparición de fuertes problemas de salud pública. Eneste estudio se utilizó el método de valoración contingentey el modelo logit para determinar el valor económico totalde este bien ambiental, y para analizar las variables de ladecisión sobre la disposición a pagar una contribución pararealizar mejoras, por parte de los beneficiarios de él. Dichovalor se estimó en más de 4 millones de pesos anuales, estoindica que de realizarse mejoras ambientales, la poblaciónse beneficiaría en la medida en que se lograra mitigar losefectos de la contaminación.

  6. Evolutionary insight on localization of 18S, 28S rDNA genes on homologous chromosomes in Primates genomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazzoleni, Sofia; Rovatsos, Michail; Schillaci, Odessa; Dumas, Francesca

    2018-01-01

    Abstract We explored the topology of 18S and 28S rDNA units by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in the karyotypes of thirteen species representatives from major groups of Primates and Tupaia minor (Günther, 1876) (Scandentia), in order to expand our knowledge of Primate genome reshuffling and to identify the possible dispersion mechanisms of rDNA sequences. We documented that rDNA probe signals were identified on one to six pairs of chromosomes, both acrocentric and metacentric ones. In addition, we examined the potential homology of chromosomes bearing rDNA genes across different species and in a wide phylogenetic perspective, based on the DAPI-inverted pattern and their synteny to human. Our analysis revealed an extensive variability in the topology of the rDNA signals across studied species. In some cases, closely related species show signals on homologous chromosomes, thus representing synapomorphies, while in other cases, signal was detected on distinct chromosomes, leading to species specific patterns. These results led us to support the hypothesis that different mechanisms are responsible for the distribution of the ribosomal DNA cluster in Primates. PMID:29416829

  7. Evolutionary insight on localization of 18S, 28S rDNA genes on homologous chromosomes in Primates genomes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sofia Mazzoleni

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available We explored the topology of 18S and 28S rDNA units by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH in the karyotypes of thirteen species representatives from major groups of Primates and Tupaia minor (Günther, 1876 (Scandentia, in order to expand our knowledge of Primate genome reshuffling and to identify the possible dispersion mechanisms of rDNA sequences. We documented that rDNA probe signals were identified on one to six pairs of chromosomes, both acrocentric and metacentric ones. In addition, we examined the potential homology of chromosomes bearing rDNA genes across different species and in a wide phylogenetic perspective, based on the DAPI-inverted pattern and their synteny to human. Our analysis revealed an extensive variability in the topology of the rDNA signals across studied species. In some cases, closely related species show signals on homologous chromosomes, thus representing synapomorphies, while in other cases, signal was detected on distinct chromosomes, leading to species specific patterns. These results led us to support the hypothesis that different mechanisms are responsible for the distribution of the ribosomal DNA cluster in Primates.

  8. Des SIG-P pour sauver le complexe forestier de la basse rivière Tana?

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    L'objectif général de ce programme panafricain est de contribuer à rendre disponibles des systèmes d'information de bonne qualité, fiables et accessibles grâce à l'usage de SIG-P en vue d'améliorer la gestion des ressources naturelles (eau, terres, forêts, etc.) et de promouvoir la sécurité alimentaire. Le programme ...

  9. Hydrogeology and water chemistry of Infranz catchment springs, Bahir Dar Area, Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abera, F. N.

    2017-12-01

    The major springs in the Infranz catchment are a significant source of water for Bahir city and nearby villages, while they help to sustain Infranz River and the downstream wetlands. The aim of the research was to understand the hydrogeological conditions of these high-discharge springs, and to explain the hydrochemical composition of spring waters. Water samples from rainwater and springs were collected and analyzed and compared for major cations and anions. The hydrochemical data analysis showed that all water samples of the springs have freshwater chemistry, Ca-HCO3 type, while deep groundwater shows more evolved types. This indicates limited water-rock interaction and short residence time for the spring waters. The rise of NO3- and PO43- may indicate future water quality degradation unless the anthropogenic activities upgradient and nearby are restricted. The uptake of 75% of spring water for water supply of Bahir Dar results in wetland degradation. Key words: Spring water, Infranz River, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, hydrochemistry

  10. Urinary cytokines in Schistosoma haematobium-infected schoolchildren from Tana Delta District of Kenya

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Njaanake, Kariuki H.; Simonsen, Paul Erik; Vennervald, Birgitte J

    2014-01-01

    urine filtration technique, for haematuria using dipstix and for eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), IL-6, IFN- γ, TNF-α and IL-10 levels using ELISA, and for S. haematobium-related urinary tract pathology using ultrasonography. In addition, venous blood was examined for serum IL-6, IFN- γ, TNF-α and IL...

  11. Tree shrews (tupaia belangeri exhibit novelty preference in the novel location memory task with 24-hour retention periods.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jayakrishnan H R Nair

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Novelty preference is pervasive in mammalian species, and describes an inherent tendency to preferentially explore novelty. The novel location memory task studied here assesses the ability of animals to form accurate memories of a spatial configuration, consisting of several identical objects placed within an arena. Tree shrews were first familiarized with a particular object configuration during several sessions, and then an object was displaced during a test session. Tree shrews exhibited enhanced exploration when confronted with this novel configuration. The most reliable indicator associated with novelty preference was an enhancement in directed exploration towards the novel object, although we also observed a non-specific overall increase in exploration in one experiment. During the test session, we also observed an exploration of the location, which had previously been occupied by the displaced object, an effect termed empty quadrant. Our behavioral findings suggest multiple stages of spatial memory formation in tree shrews that are associated with various forms of behavioral responses to novelty. Reduced novelty preference has been linked to major depressive disorder in human patients. Given the established social conflict depression model in tree shrews, we anticipate that the study of the neural circuits of novelty preference and their malfunction during depression may have implications for understanding or treating depression in humans.

  12. Climate Change: Drought and Desertification in Kenya

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Awuor, V.O

    1997-01-01

    Drought is the failure of expected rain which leads to various effects in physical environment and human activities. Droughts are classified into three types namely; meteorological drought, agricultural and hydrological. Meteorological occurs when precipitation is below expectation, hydrological drought is experienced when water resources used for various activities reach levels when they become insufficient for those purposes. On the other hand agricultural drought occurs when when water supply for agriculture gets scarce and can defined as a moisture deficit that they cause un tolerable water stress during the growing season.In Kenya desertification is characterized by high temperatures that ranges between 14-31 degrees centigrade, with shallow soils of poor water holding capacity, the vegetation consists of variety of grasses, bushes and woodlands. Evergreen forest occurs along the major rivers such as Tana. Agricultural activities are usually concentrated in areas which are relatively wet like the highlands and flood plains with flood plains of permanent and seasonal seasonal rivers, surface storage areas and areas of seasonally -recharged shallow groundwater

  13. Expression and Evolution of Short Wavelength Sensitive Opsins in Colugos: A Nocturnal Lineage That Informs Debate on Primate Origins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moritz, Gillian L; Lim, Norman T-L; Neitz, Maureen; Peichl, Leo; Dominy, Nathaniel J

    2013-01-01

    A nocturnal activity pattern is central to almost all hypotheses on the adaptive origins of primates. This enduring view has been challenged in recent years on the basis of variation in the opsin genes of nocturnal primates. A correspondence between the opsin genes and activity patterns of species in Euarchonta-the superordinal group that includes the orders Primates, Dermoptera (colugos), and Scandentia (treeshrews)-could prove instructive, yet the basic biology of the dermopteran visual system is practically unknown. Here we show that the eye of the Sunda colugo ( Galeopterus variegatus ) lacks a tapetum lucidum and has an avascular retina, and we report on the expression and spectral sensitivity of cone photopigments. We found that Sunda colugos have intact short wavelength sensitive (S-) and long wavelength sensitive (L-) opsin genes, and that both opsins are expressed in cone photoreceptors of the retina. The inferred peak spectral sensitivities are 451 and 562 nm, respectively. In line with adaptation to nocturnal vision, cone densities are low. Surprisingly, a majority of S-cones coexpress some L-opsin. We also show that the ratio of rates of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions of exon 1 of the S-opsin gene is indicative of purifying selection. Taken together, our results suggest that natural selection has favored a functional S-opsin in a nocturnal lineage for at least 45 million years. Accordingly, a nocturnal activity pattern remains the most likely ancestral character state of euprimates.

  14. Reproductive strategies of two sympatric "small barbs" (Barbus humilis and B. tanapelagius, Cyprinidae) in Lake Tana

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Sibbing, F.A.; Vijverberg, J.

    2003-01-01

    The reproductive strategies of two species of 'small barbs' (12,000 fish). Both species have a long breeding period (from March to September), and the distinct bimodal size-frequency distributions of eggs suggest multiple spawning for both species. Absolute fecundity increased exponentially with

  15. Astrocytic and neuronal oxidative metabolism are coupled to the rate of glutamate-glutamine cycle in the tree shrew visual cortex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sonnay, Sarah; Poirot, Jordan; Just, Nathalie; Clerc, Anne-Catherine; Gruetter, Rolf; Rainer, Gregor; Duarte, João M N

    2018-03-01

    Astrocytes play an important role in glutamatergic neurotransmission, namely by clearing synaptic glutamate and converting it into glutamine that is transferred back to neurons. The rate of this glutamate-glutamine cycle (V NT ) has been proposed to couple to that of glucose utilization and of neuronal tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that glutamatergic neurotransmission is also coupled to the TCA cycle rate in astrocytes. For that we investigated energy metabolism by means of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the primary visual cortex of tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri) under light isoflurane anesthesia at rest and during continuous visual stimulation. After identifying the activated cortical volume by blood oxygenation level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging, 1 H MRS was performed to measure stimulation-induced variations in metabolite concentrations. Relative to baseline, stimulation of cortical activity for 20 min caused a reduction of glucose concentration by -0.34 ± 0.09 µmol/g (p glucose infusion was employed to measure fluxes of energy metabolism. Stimulation of glutamatergic activity, as indicated by a 20% increase of V NT , resulted in increased TCA cycle rates in neurons by 12% ( VTCAn, p glucose oxidation and to mitochondrial metabolism in both neurons and astrocytes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Soil-Transmitted Helminths and Schistosoma mansoni Infections in Ethiopian Orthodox Church Students around Lake Tana, Northwest Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Afework Bitew, Aschalew; Abera, Bayeh; Seyoum, Walle; Endale, Befekadu; Kiber, Tibebu; Goshu, Girma; Admass, Addiss

    2016-01-01

    Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) and Schistosoma mansoni infections are the major neglected tropical diseases that result in serious consequences on health, education and nutrition in children in developing countries. The Ethiopian Orthodox church students, who are called Yekolotemari in Amharic, live in areas with poor sanitation and hygiene. Moreover, they are not included in the national STH control programs. Thus, STH and S. mansoni infections prevalence is unknown. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 384 students in June 2014 to determine STH and S. mansoni infections prevalence. Moreover, the knowledge of students about STH and S. mansoni was assessed. Data on knowledge and clinical symptoms were collected using structured questionnaires via face to face interview. Stool specimens were examined by formol-ether concentration method. The overall prevalence of intestinal helminths infections was 85.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 82.1-89%). STHs infections prevalence was 65.6% (95% CI: 60.7-70.2%). The prevalence of hookworm, Ascaris lumbricoides and Trichuris trichiura were 31.8% (95% CI: 27.3-36.6%), 29.4% (25-31%) and 3.1% (1.8-5.4%), respectively. On the other hand, S. mansoni prevalence was 14.3% (95% CI: 11.1-18.1%). Majority of students infected with S. mansoni had bloody stool with crud odds-ratio of 2.9 (95% CI: 1.5-5.5). Knowledge assessment showed that 50 (13%) and 18 (4.9%) of the respondents knew about transmission of STH and S. mansoni, respectively. The prevalence of STH and S. mansoni infections were high thus de-worming program should include the students of Ethiopian Orthodox churches. Furthermore, provision and use of sanitary facilities, health education for students to create awareness of parasitic infections and improved personal hygiene should be in place.

  17. Reproductive strategies of two sympatric 'small barbs'(Barbus humilis and B. tanapelagius, Cyprinidae)in Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Sibbing, F.A.; Vijverberg, J.

    2003-01-01

    The reproductive strategies of two species of 'small barbs' (12,000 fish). Both species have a long breeding period (from March to September), and the distinct bimodal size-frequency distributions of eggs suggest multiple spawning for both species. Absolute fecundity increased exponentially with

  18. Numerical groundwater flow modeling of the northern river catchment of the Lake Tana, Upper Blue Basin, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nigussie Ayehu Asrie

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The study area is found North Western plateau in the North Gondar zone, Amhara regional state, Ethiopia. Its total surface coverage is 1887km2.The study area boundary was delineated from 90m Shutter Radar Terrain Mapping (SRTM digital elevation model (DEM using Global Mapper 8 software. Based on geologic information of the study area, unconfined subsurface flow condition was considered and simulated using MODFLOW 2000. The model calibration accounts the matching of the 58 observation point with simulated head with a permissible residual head of ±10m. 75% of the difference the observed and measured water level head in the study area is 5m. . The model was calibrated with mean error 0.506, absolute mean error 4.431m and standard deviation 6.083m. Based on the calibration process, the model is very sensitive in decreasing order change in recharge, hydraulic conductivity, and stream bed conductance. The simulated out flow of the model is 205.7Mm3/year which is nearly equal to simulated inflow with difference 2,887.45m3/yr. The base flow simulated discharge Megech River holds 35.8% of the out flow. The river contributed as recharge in to the aquifer that accounts to 15.3% of the inflow. Steady state withdrawal rates were increased by 15%, 35%, 55%, 75% and 100% to study the response of the system in this scenario. From the simulation results, one can observe that the development of a new groundwater sources would not pose appreciable impact in case of 15% and 35% withdrawal the head declines in this case is insignificant relative to the steady state withdrawal rate and the natural discharges were not altered highly. The simulation result indicated that the stream leakage decreased by 7.9% relative to the whole steady state value, but showed 14.9% decrease for Angereb, Keha, and Shinta river segments near the well field area. The water tables decline by 3.6m to18.8m in head observation in the well field area. The steady state simulated recharge was decreased by 32% and the simulation results showed on average head decrease of 8.06m over the whole area; with the highest fall 32m in wells to north and a minimum of about 1m in wells to the south of the catchment. In addition, the stream leakage, compared to the simulated steady state value and it was decreased by 75.36%. The simulated value showed an average 2.74m increased head over the whole area. High difference values were observed at Tseda (7.83m and Koladiba (7.3m. The minimum difference 1.08m was recorded at Angereb well field (observation 94. In addition, the stream leakage compared with the steady state value the change was about 87.43%. Keywords: MODFLOW 2000, Groundwater, Modelling, Sensitivity analysis, Simulation, Recharge

  19. Sub-arctic hydrology and climate change : a case study of the Tana River Basin in Northern Fennoscandia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dankers, Rutger

    2002-01-01

    The most significant changes in climate, due to the well-known enhanced greenhouse effect, are generally expected to occur at northern high latitudes. Sub-arctic environments, that are dominated by the presence of a seasonal snow cover, may therefore be particularly sensitive to global warming. The

  20. Evaluation of stream water quality data generated from MODIS images in modeling total suspended solid emission to a freshwater lake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayana, Essayas K; Worqlul, Abeyou W; Steenhuis, Tammo S

    2015-08-01

    Modeling of suspended sediment emission into freshwater lakes is challenging due to data gaps in developing countries. Existing models simulate sediment concentration at a gauging station upstream and none of these studies had modeled total suspended solids (TSS) emissions by inflowing rivers to freshwater lakes as there are no TSS measurements at the river mouth in the upper Blue Nile basin. In this study a 10year TSS time series data generated from remotely sensed MODIS/Terra images using established empirical relationship is applied to calibrate and validate a hydrology model for Lake Tana in Upper Blue Nile Basin. The result showed that at a monthly time scale TSS at the river mouth can be replicated with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NS) of 0.34 for calibration and 0.21 for validation periods. Percent bias (PBIAS) and ratio of the root-mean-square error to the standard deviation of measured data (RSR) are all within range. Given the inaccessibility and costliness to measure TSS at river mouths to a lake the results found here are considered useful for suspended sediment budget studies in water bodies of the basin. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. The Field Radiated by a Ring Quasi-Array of an Infinite Number of Tangential or Radial Dipoles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, H. L.

    1953-01-01

    A homogeneous ring array of axial dipoles will radiate a vertically polarized field that concentrates to an increasing degree around the horizontal plane with increasing increment of the current phase per revolution. There is reason to believe that by using a corresponding antenna system with tan......A homogeneous ring array of axial dipoles will radiate a vertically polarized field that concentrates to an increasing degree around the horizontal plane with increasing increment of the current phase per revolution. There is reason to believe that by using a corresponding antenna system...... with tangential or radial dipoles, a field may be obtained that has a similar useful structure as the above-mentioned ring array, but which in contrast to the latter is essentially horizontally polarized. In this paper a systematic investigation has been made of the field from such an antenna system...... with tangential or radial dipoles. Recently it was stated in the literature that it is impossible to treat the general case where the increase of the current phase per revolution is arbitrarily large by using ordinary functions. The results obtained in this paper disprove this statement. A similar investigation...

  2. The head and neck muscles of the serval and tiger: homologies, evolution, and proposal of a mammalian and a veterinary muscle ontology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diogo, Rui; Pastor, Francisco; De Paz, Felix; Potau, Josep M; Bello-Hellegouarch, Gaëlle; Ferrero, Eva M; Fisher, Rebecca E

    2012-12-01

    Here we describe the head and neck muscles of members of the two extant felid subfamilies (Leptailurus serval: Felinae; Panthera tigris: Pantherinae) and compare these muscles with those of other felids, other carnivorans (e.g., domestic dogs), other eutherian mammals (e.g., rats, tree-shrews and modern humans), and noneutherian mammals including monotremes. Another major goal of the article is to discuss and help clarify nomenclatural discrepancies found in the Nomina Anatomica Veterinaria and in veterinary atlases and textbooks that use cats and dogs as models to understand the anatomy of domestic mammals and to stress differences with modern humans. We propose a unifying nomenclature that is expanded to all the head and neck muscles and to all mammalian taxa in order to help build veterinary and mammalian muscle ontologies. Our observations and comparisons and the specific use of this nomenclature point out that felids such as tigers and servals and other carnivorans such as dogs have more facial muscle structures related to the mobility of both the auricular and orbital regions than numerous other mammals, including modern humans, which might be the result of an ancient adaptation related to the remarkable predatory capacities of carnivorans. Interestingly, the skeletal differences, mainly concerning the hyoid apparatus, pharynx, and larynx, that are likely associated with the different types of vocalizations seen in the Felinae (mainly purring) and Pantherinae (mainly roaring) are not accompanied by clear differences in the musculature connected to these structures in the feline L. serval and the pantherine P. tigris. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. From fish to modern humans--comparative anatomy, homologies and evolution of the pectoral and forelimb musculature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diogo, R; Abdala, V; Aziz, M A; Lonergan, N; Wood, B A

    2009-05-01

    In a recent study Diogo & Abdala [(2007) J Morphol 268, 504-517] reported the results of the first part of a research project on the comparative anatomy, homologies and evolution of the pectoral muscles of osteichthyans (bony fish and tetrapods). That report mainly focused on actinopterygian fish but also compared these fish with certain non-mammalian sarcopterygians. This study, which reports the second part of the research project, focuses mainly on sarcopterygians and particularly on how the pectoral and forelimb muscles have evolved during the transitions from sarcopterygian fish and non-mammalian tetrapods to monotreme and therian mammals and humans. The data obtained by our own dissections of all the pectoral and forelimb muscles of representative members of groups as diverse as sarcopterygian fish, amphibians, reptiles, monotremes and therian mammals such as rodents, tree-shrews, colugos and primates, including humans, are compared with the information available in the literature. Our observations and comparisons clearly stress that, with regard to the number of pectoral and forelimb muscles, the most striking transition within sarcopterygian evolutionary history was that leading to the origin of tetrapods. Whereas extant sarcopterygian fish have an abductor and adductor of the fin and a largely undifferentiated hypaxial and epaxial musculature, extant salamanders such as Ambystoma have more than 40 pectoral and forelimb muscles. There is no clear increase in the number of pectoral and forelimb muscles within the evolutionary transition that led to the origin of mammals and surely not to that leading to the origin of primates and humans.

  4. From fish to modern humans – comparative anatomy, homologies and evolution of the pectoral and forelimb musculature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diogo, R; Abdala, V; Aziz, M A; Lonergan, N; Wood, B A

    2009-01-01

    In a recent study Diogo & Abdala [(2007) JMorphol268, 504–517] reported the results of the first part of a research project on the comparative anatomy, homologies and evolution of the pectoral muscles of osteichthyans (bony fish and tetrapods). That report mainly focused on actinopterygian fish but also compared these fish with certain non-mammalian sarcopterygians. This study, which reports the second part of the research project, focuses mainly on sarcopterygians and particularly on how the pectoral and forelimb muscles have evolved during the transitions from sarcopterygian fish and non-mammalian tetrapods to monotreme and therian mammals and humans. The data obtained by our own dissections of all the pectoral and forelimb muscles of representative members of groups as diverse as sarcopterygian fish, amphibians, reptiles, monotremes and therian mammals such as rodents, tree-shrews, colugos and primates, including humans, are compared with the information available in the literature. Our observations and comparisons clearly stress that, with regard to the number of pectoral and forelimb muscles, the most striking transition within sarcopterygian evolutionary history was that leading to the origin of tetrapods. Whereas extant sarcopterygian fish have an abductor and adductor of the fin and a largely undifferentiated hypaxial and epaxial musculature, extant salamanders such as Ambystoma have more than 40 pectoral and forelimb muscles. There is no clear increase in the number of pectoral and forelimb muscles within the evolutionary transition that led to the origin of mammals and surely not to that leading to the origin of primates and humans. PMID:19438764

  5. Isolation and identification of symbiotic bacteria from the skin, mouth, and rectum of wild and captive tree shrews.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Gui; Lai, Ren; Duan, Gang; Lyu, Long-Bao; Zhang, Zhi-Ye; Liu, Huang; Xiang, Xun

    2014-11-18

    Endosymbionts influence many aspects of their hosts' health conditions, including physiology, development, immunity, metabolism, etc. Tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) have attracted increasing attention in modeling human diseases and therapeutic responses due to their close relationship with primates. To clarify the situation of symbiotic bacteria from their body surface, oral cavity, and anus, 12 wild and 12 the third generation of captive tree shrews were examined. Based on morphological and cultural characteristics, physiological and biochemical tests, as well as the 16S rDNA full sequence analysis, 12 bacteria strains were isolated and identified from the wild tree shrews: body surface: Bacillus subtilis (detection rate 42%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (25%), Staphlococcus aureus (33%), S. Epidermidis (75%), Micrococcus luteus (25%), Kurthia gibsonii (17%); oral cavity: Neisseria mucosa (58%), Streptococcus pneumonia (17%); anus: Enterococcus faecalis (17%), Lactococus lactis (33%), Escherichia coli (92%), Salmonella typhosa (17%); whereas, four were indentified from the third generation captive tree shrews: body surface: S. epidermidis (75%); oral cavity: N.mucosa (67%); anus: L. lactis (33%), E. coli (100%). These results indicate that S. epidermidis, N. mucosa, L. lactis and E. coli were major bacteria in tree shrews, whereas, S. aureus, M. luteus, K. gibsonii, E. faecalis and S. typhosa were species-specific flora. This study facilitates the future use of tree shrews as a standard experimental animal and improves our understanding of the relationship between endosymbionts and their hosts.

  6. KEANEKARAGAMAN FAUNA PARASIT PADA MAMALIA KECIL DI KAWASAN TESSO-NILO, PROPINSI RIAU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Achmad Saim

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available A total of 1712 specimens (17 species of parasites were found on 25 specimens (six species small mammals in Tesso-Nilo areas, Riau Province, i.e.: two Amblyomma testudinarium on Maxomys surifer, eight Dermacentor spp. on Maxomys surifer, Maxomys whiteheadi, Sundomys muelleri, three Haemaphysalis sp on Tupaia glis, two Ixodes sp on Maxomys surifer, 81 Demodex sp on Maxomys rajah, Maxomys surifer, Maxomys whiteheadi, 42 Echinolaelaps echidninus on Maxomys rajah, Maxomys surifer, Maxomys whiteheadi, 1.430 Laelaps spp (two species on Maxomys rajah, Maxomys surifer, Maxomys whiteheadi, S. muelleri, 131  specimens (two species trombiculids on Maxomys surifer, Maxomys whiteheadi, S. muelleri, T. glis, one louse of Polyplax sp. on Maxomys surifer, four fleas (two Ceratophyllus sp on T. glis and Xenopsylla cheopis on Maxomys whiteheadi; two batflies of Nycteribiidae on Balionycteris maculata, two Hydatigera taeniaeformis in Maxomys rajah, two Hymenolepis sp on S. muelleri, and two Moniliformis sp in Maxomys rajah. It was found that  25 hosts were infected out of 26 collected hosts (96.15%, the pattern of endo and ectoparasites were 1-5 species ectoparasites or 1-2 species endoparasites in each host, while Shannon Wiener Index was 1.92 for ectoparasites and 1.58 for endoparasites. Other hosts, distribution and  potency in ecosystem of each species were discussed.  Keywords: Acarina, Insecta, Helminthes, Rodentia, Scandentia, Chiroptera, Parasites.

  7. Cranial anatomy of Paleogene Micromomyidae and implications for early primate evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloch, Jonathan I; Chester, Stephen G B; Silcox, Mary T

    2016-07-01

    Paleogene micromomyids are small (∼10-40 g) euarchontan mammals with primate-like molars and postcrania suggestive of committed claw-climbing positional behaviors, similar to those of the extant arboreal treeshrew, Ptilocercus. Based primarily on evidence derived from dental and postcranial morphology, micromomyids have alternately been allied with plesiadapiforms, Dermoptera (colugos), or Primatomorpha (Primates + Dermoptera) within Euarchonta. Partial crania described here of Paleocene Dryomomys szalayi and Eocene Tinimomys graybulliensis from the Clarks Fork Basin of Wyoming are the first known for the family Micromomyidae. The cranium of D. szalayi exhibits a distinct, small groove near the lateral extreme of the promontorium, just medial to the fenestra vestibuli, the size of which suggests that the internal carotid artery was non-functional, as has been inferred for paromomyid and plesiadapid plesiadapiforms, but not for Eocene euprimates, carpolestids, and microsyopids. On the other hand, D. szalayi is similar to fossil euprimates and plesiadapoids in having a bullar morphology consistent with an origin that is at least partially petrosal, unlike that of paromomyids and microsyopids, although this interpretation will always be tentative in fossils that lack exhaustive ontogenetic data. Micromomyids differ from all other known plesiadapiforms in having an inflated cochlear part of the bony labyrinth and a highly pneumatized squamosal and mastoid region with associated septa. Cladistic analyses that include new cranial data, regardless of how bullar composition is coded in plesiadapiforms, fail to support either Primatomorpha or a close relationship between micromomyids and dermopterans, instead suggesting that micromomyids are among the most primitive known primates. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Patterns of astragalar fibular facet orientation in extant and fossil primates and their evolutionary implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Doug M; Seiffert, Erik R

    2013-07-01

    A laterally sloping fibular facet of the astragalus (=talus) has been proposed as one of few osteological synapomorphies of strepsirrhine primates, but the feature has never been comprehensively quantified. We describe a method for calculating fibular facet orientation on digital models of astragali as the angle between the planes of the fibular facet and the lateral tibial facet. We calculated this value in a sample that includes all major extant primate clades, a diversity of Paleogene primates, and nonprimate euarchontans (n = 304). Results show that previous characterization of a divide between extant haplorhines and strepsirrhines is accurate, with little overlap even when individual data points are considered. Fibular facet orientation is conserved in extant strepsirrhines despite major differences in locomotion and body size, while extant anthropoids are more variable (e.g., low values for catarrhines relative to non-callitrichine platyrrhines). Euprimate outgroups exhibit a mosaic of character states with Cynocephalus having a more obtuse strepsirrhine-like facet and sampled treeshrews and plesiadapiforms having more acute haplorhine-like facets. Surprisingly, the earliest species of the adapiform Cantius have steep haplorhine-like facets as well. We used a Bayesian approach to reconstruct the evolution of fibular facet orientation as a continuous character across a supertree of living and extinct primates. Mean estimates for crown Primatomorpha (97.9°), Primates (99.5°), Haplorhini (98.7°), and Strepsirrhini (108.2°) support the hypothesis that the strepsirrhine condition is derived, while lower values for crown Anthropoidea (92.8°) and Catarrhini (88.9°) are derived in the opposite direction. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Identification and molecular characterization of the nicotianamine synthase gene family in bread wheat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonneau, Julien; Baumann, Ute; Beasley, Jesse; Li, Yuan; Johnson, Alexander A T

    2016-12-01

    Nicotianamine (NA) is a non-protein amino acid involved in fundamental aspects of metal uptake, transport and homeostasis in all plants and constitutes the biosynthetic precursor of mugineic acid family phytosiderophores (MAs) in graminaceous plant species. Nicotianamine synthase (NAS) genes, which encode enzymes that synthesize NA from S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), are differentially regulated by iron (Fe) status in most plant species and plant genomes have been found to contain anywhere from 1 to 9 NAS genes. This study describes the identification of 21 NAS genes in the hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genome and their phylogenetic classification into two distinct clades. The TaNAS genes are highly expressed during germination, seedling growth and reproductive development. Fourteen of the clade I NAS genes were up-regulated in root tissues under conditions of Fe deficiency. Protein sequence analyses revealed the presence of endocytosis motifs in all of the wheat NAS proteins as well as chloroplast, mitochondrial and secretory transit peptide signals in four proteins. These results greatly expand our knowledge of NAS gene families in graminaceous plant species as well as the genetics underlying Fe nutrition in bread wheat. © 2016 The Authors. Plant Biotechnology Journal published by Society for Experimental Biology and The Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Hydrothermally-induced changes in mineralogy and magnetic properties of oxidized A-type granites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nédélec, Anne; Trindade, Ricardo; Peschler, Anne; Archanjo, Carlos; Macouin, Mélina; Poitrasson, Franck; Bouchez, Jean-Luc

    2015-01-01

    The changes in magnetic mineralogy due to the hydrothermal alteration of A-type granitic rocks have been thoroughly investigated in samples from the granite of Tana (Corsica, France), and compared with other A-type granites: Meruoca (NE Brazil), Bushveld (South Africa), Mount Scott (Wichita Mountains, Oklahoma, USA) and the stratoid hypersolvus granites of Madagascar. The altered red-colored samples and their non-altered equivalents were magnetically characterized by means of magnetic susceptibility measurements, hysteresis loops, remanent coercivity spectra, and Lowrie test. It is shown that hydrothermalization in magnetite-bearing granites is related to the formation of fine-grained magnetite and hematite, and to coeval depletion in the content of primary low-coercive coarse-grained magnetite. These mineralogical changes give typical rock magnetic signatures, namely lower susceptibility magnitudes and anisotropy degrees, prolate AMS (anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility) fabrics and increased coercivities. Optical microscopy and SEM (scanning electronic microscopy) images suggest that the orientation of the secondary magnetic minerals is related to fluid-pathways and micro-fractures formed during the hydrothermal event and therefore may be unrelated to magma emplacement and crystallization fabrics. Changes in magnetic mineralogy and grain-size distribution have also to be considered for any paleomagnetic and iron isotope studies in granites.

  11. ‘Borderless’ Southeast Asia historiography: New scholarship on the interactions and exchanges between Southeast Asia and its South Asian and Chinese neighbours in the pre-1500 era

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenneth R. Hall

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Review of:Nola Cooke, Li Tana and James A. Anderson (eds, The Tongking Gulf through history. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2011, x + 223 pp. [Encounters with Asia Series.] ISBN 9780812243369. Price: USD 59.95 (hardback.Derek Heng, Sino-Malay trade and diplomacy from the tenth through the fourteenth century. Athens: Ohio University Press, 2009, xiii + 286 pp. [Research in International Studies, Southeast Asia Series 121.] ISBN 9780896802711. Price: USD 28.00 (paperback.Hermann Kulke, K. Kesavapany and Vijay Sakhuja (eds, Nagapattinam to Suvarnadwipa: Reflections on the Chola naval expeditions to Southeast Asia. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2009, xxv + 337 pp. [Nalanda-Sriwijaya Series.] ISBN 9789812509365, price: USD 39.90 (hardback; 9789812309372, USD 59.90 (paperback.Pierre-Yves Manguin, A. Mani and Geoff Wade (eds, Early interactions between South and Southeast Asia: Reflections on cross-cultural exchange. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2011, xxxi + 514 pp. [Nalanda-Sriwijaya Series.] ISBN 9789814345101, price USD 49.90 (paperback; 9789814311168, USD 59.90 (hardback. [India Hardcover Edition co-published with Manohar Publishers and Distributors, India.]Geoff Wade and Sun Laichen (eds, Southeast Asia in the fifteenth century: The China factor. Singapore: NUS Press; Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2010, xii + 508 pp. ISBN 9789971694487. Price: USD 32.00.

  12. Characterization of Durham virus, a novel rhabdovirus that encodes both a C and SH protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, A B; Palacios, G; Travassos da Rosa, A; Popov, V L; Lu, L; Xiao, S Y; DeToy, K; Briese, T; Lipkin, W I; Keel, M K; Stallknecht, D E; Bishop, G R; Tesh, R B

    2011-01-01

    The family Rhabdoviridae is a diverse group of non-segmented, negative-sense RNA viruses that are distributed worldwide and infect a wide range of hosts including vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. Of the 114 currently recognized vertebrate rhabdoviruses, relatively few have been well characterized at both the antigenic and genetic level; hence, the phylogenetic relationships between many of the vertebrate rhabdoviruses remain unknown. The present report describes a novel rhabdovirus isolated from the brain of a moribund American coot (Fulica americana) that exhibited neurological signs when found in Durham County, North Carolina, in 2005. Antigenic characterization of the virus revealed that it was serologically unrelated to 68 other known vertebrate rhabdoviruses. Genomic sequencing of the virus indicated that it shared the highest identity to Tupaia rhabdovirus (TUPV), and as only previously observed in TUPV, the genome encoded a putative C protein in an overlapping open reading frame (ORF) of the phosphoprotein gene and a small hydrophobic (SH) protein located in a novel ORF between the matrix and glycoprotein genes. Phylogenetic analysis of partial amino acid sequences of the nucleoprotein and polymerase protein indicated that, in addition to TUPV, the virus was most closely related to avian and small mammal rhabdoviruses from Africa and North America. In this report, we present the morphological, pathological, antigenic, and genetic characterization of the new virus, tentatively named Durham virus (DURV), and discuss its potential evolutionary relationship to other vertebrate rhabdoviruses. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Characterization of Durham virus, a novel rhabdovirus that encodes both a C and SH protein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, A. B.; Palacios, G.; Rosa, A. Travassos da; Popov, V. L.; Lu, L.; Xiao, S. Y.; DeToy, K.; Briese, T.; Lipkin, W. Ian; Keel, M. K.; Stallknecht, D. E.; Bishop, G. R.; Tesh, R. B.

    2010-01-01

    The family Rhabdoviridae is a diverse group of non-segmented, negative-sense RNA viruses that are distributed worldwide and infect a wide range of hosts including vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. Of the 114 currently recognized vertebrate rhabdoviruses, relatively few have been well characterized at both the antigenic and genetic level; hence, the phylogenetic relationships between many of the vertebrate rhabdoviruses remain unknown. The present report describes a novel rhabdovirus isolated from the brain of a moribund American coot (Fulica americana) that exhibited neurological signs when found in Durham County, North Carolina, in 2005. Antigenic characterization of the virus revealed that it was serologically unrelated to 68 other known vertebrate rhabdoviruses. Genomic sequencing of the virus indicated that it shared the highest identity to Tupaia rhabdovirus (TUPV), and as only previously observed in TUPV, the genome encoded a putative C protein in an overlapping open reading frame (ORF) of the phosphoprotein gene and a small hydrophobic protein located in a novel ORF between the matrix and glycoprotein genes. Phylogenetic analysis of partial amino acid sequences of the nucleoprotein and polymerase proteins indicated that, in addition to TUPV, the virus was most closely related to avian and small mammal rhabdoviruses from Africa and North America. In this report, we present the morphological, pathological, antigenic, and genetic characterization of the new virus, tentatively named Durham virus (DURV), and discuss its potential evolutionary relationship to other vertebrate rhabdoviruses. PMID:20863863

  14. PRODUKSI KAYU BULAT DAN NILAI HARAPAN LAHAN JABON (Anthocephalus cadamba DI PT INTRACA HUTANI LESTARI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agus Sarjono

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The decline in the quality and quantity of natural forests requires plantation forests as timber suppliers. Jabon is one type of fast growing plant that is expected to meet national wood demand because the type jabon has a fast growing nature and quality of wood is relatively the same as sengon. Some of the advantages of jabon are: rapid growth, adaptability to various places of growth, silvicultural treatment is relatively easy, relatively resistant to pests and diseases. The study was conducted for the purpose of knowing roundwood production and land expected value of Jabon (Anthocephalus cadamba in PT Intraca Hutani Lestari. This research was conducted at PT Intraca Hutani Lestari in Tana Tidung, North Kalimantan for 3 months effective with several stages of field orientation, preparation of research plan, literature study, data collection, data simulation and writing of research result. Analysis of the data used by using the formula of volume, increment and value of land expectation. The result of calculating the potential of A. candamba stand with spacing of 3m X 3m showed that effective harvesting was done at age 8 with total volume of 199.61 m3 ha-1; MAI of 24.95 m3 ha-1year-1 and CAI of 24, 49 m3 ha-1year-1with an average diameter of 31 cm. To calculate the land expectation value on A. cadamba plant shows the greatest value at 8 years old with a value of Rp59,916,283. Penurunan kualitas dan kuantitas hutan alam memerlukan hutan tanaman sebagai penyuplai kayu. Jabon merupakan salah satu jenis tanaman fast growing yang diharapkan bisa memenuhi kebutuhan kayu nasional karena jenis jabon memiliki sifat cepat tumbuh dan kualitas kayu yang relative sama dengan sengon. Beberapa kelebihan jabon antara lain: pertumbuhan cepat, mudah beradaptasi pada berbagai tempat tumbuh, perlakuan silvikultur relative mudah, relative tahan terhadap hama dan penyakit  dari  Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk tujuan mengetahui produksi kayu bulat dan nilai harapan

  15. Impact of Climate Change on Runoff in the Gilgel Abbay Watershed, the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hailu Sheferaw Ayele

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Hydrological assessment is critical to the successful implementation of adaption measures. In this study, projections of seven global circulation models (GCMs associated with high and medium–low Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 8.5 and RCP 4.5 for the period 2021–2040 and 2081–2100 were adopted to assess changes on runoffs in the Gilgel Abbay watershed, the upper Blue Nile basin. A weather generator was employed to generate daily temperature and precipitation to drive a hydrological model for impact assessment. Despite the projected magnitude of changes varied among different GCMs and RCPs, increasing runoffs in wet-season and decreasing in dry-season are observed in both periods, mainly attributed to the change in projected precipitation. Such changes are profound in cases of RCP 8.5 with respect to those of RCP 4.5 and in cases of 2081–2100 with respect to those of 2021–2040. Although the increasing runoffs would provide greater inflow to Lake Tana, the increase of precipitation in wet-season would imply a higher possibility of flash floods. On the other hand, decrease runoffs in dry-season further intensify existing shortage of irrigation water demand. These changes will have deleterious consequences on the economic wellbeing of the country and require successful implementation of adaption measures to reduce vulnerability.

  16. Observed regional distribution of sulfur dioxide in Asia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carmichael, G.R.; Ferm, M.; Adikary, S.; Ahmad, J.; Mohan, M.; Hong, M.S.; Chen, L.; Fook, L.; Liu, C.M.; Soedomo, M.; Tran, G.; Suksomsank, K.; Zhao, D.; Arndt, R.; Chen, L.L.

    1995-01-01

    Increased use of coal for energy in Asia has led to increased SO 2 emissions. SO 2 concentrations have been measured for one year at forty-five locations throughout Asia using passive samplers. Duplicate samples were exposed at each site for one month intervals. The sites were selected to provide background information on the distribution of SO 2 over wide geographical regions, with emphasis on the regional characteristics around areas estimated to be sensitive to sulfur deposition. The annual mean values ranged from less than 0.3 μg/m 3 at Tana Rata, located at 1545 m on the Malaysia Peninsula, Lawa Mandau (Borneo), Malaysia, and Dhankuta, Nepal, to values greater than 20 μg/m 3 at Luchongguan (Guiyang) China, Babar Mahal, Nepal, and Hanoi, Vietnam. In general high concentrations were measured throughout China, with the highest concentrations in the heavy industrial areas in Guiyang. The concentrations in east Asia around the Korea peninsula were ∼ 5 μg/m 3 . The concentrations in the southeast Asia tropics were low, with no station in Malaysia and Indonesia having average concentrations exceeding 1.7 μg/m 3 . The observed SO 2 concentrations were found to display a distinct seasonal cycle which is strongly influenced by the seasonality of winds and precipitation patterns. 3 refs., 3 figs

  17. Phylogenetic relationships of seven previously unclassified viruses within the family Rhabdoviridae using partial nucleoprotein gene sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzmin, I V; Hughes, G J; Rupprecht, C E

    2006-08-01

    Partial nucleoprotein (N) gene sequences of the rhabdoviruses Obodhiang (OBOV), Kotonkon (KOTV), Rochambeau (RBUV), Kern canyon (KCV), Mount Elgon bat (MEBV), Kolongo (KOLV) and Sandjimba (SJAV) were generated and their phylogenetic positions within the family Rhabdoviridae were determined. Both OBOV and KOTV were placed within the genus Ephemerovirus. RBUV was joined to the same cluster, but more distantly. MEBV and KCV were grouped into a monophyletic cluster (putative genus) with Oita virus (OITAV). These three viruses, originating from different regions of the world, were all isolated from insectivorous bats and may be specific for these mammals. African avian viruses KOLV and SJAV were joined to each other and formed another clade at the genus level. Further, they were grouped with the recently characterized rhabdovirus Tupaia virus (TRV). Although the genetic distance was great, the grouping was supported by consistent bootstrap values. This observation suggests that viruses of this group may be distributed widely in the Old World. Non-synonymous/synonymous substitution ratio estimations (dN/dS) using a partial N gene fragment (241 codons) for the three rhabdovirus genera revealed contrasting patterns of evolution, where dN/dS values follow the pattern Ephemerovirus > Vesiculovirus > Lyssavirus. The magnitude of this ratio corresponds well with the number of negatively selected codons. The accumulation of dS appears evenly distributed along the gene fragment for all three genera. These estimations demonstrated clearly that lyssaviruses are subjected to the strongest constraints against amino acid substitutions, probably related to their particular niche and unique pathobiology.

  18. Isolation and characterization of a novel Rhabdovirus from a wild boar (Sus scrofa) in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakai, Kouji; Hagiwara, Katsuro; Omatsu, Tsutomu; Hamasaki, Chinami; Kuwata, Ryusei; Shimoda, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Kazuo; Endoh, Daiji; Nagata, Noriyo; Nagai, Makoto; Katayama, Yukie; Oba, Mami; Kurane, Ichiro; Saijo, Masayuki; Morikawa, Shigeru; Mizutani, Tetsuya; Maeda, Ken

    2015-09-30

    A novel rhabdovirus was isolated from the serum of a healthy Japanese wild boar (Sus scrofa leucomystax) and identified using the rapid determination system for viral nucleic acid sequences (RDV), next-generation sequencing, and electron microscopy. The virus was tentatively named wild boar rhabdovirus 1 (WBRV1). Phylogenetic analysis of the entire genome sequence indicated that WBRV1 is closely related to Tupaia rhabdovirus (TRV), which was isolated from cultured cells of hepatocellular carcinoma tissue of tree shrew. TRV has not been assigned to any genus of Rhabdoviridae till date. Analysis of the L gene indicated that WBRV1 belongs to the genus Vesiculovirus. These observations suggest that both TRV and WBRV1 belong to a new genus of Rhabdoviridae. Next-generation genome sequencing of WBRV1 revealed 5 open reading frames of 1329, 765, 627, 1629, and 6336 bases in length. The WBRV1 gene sequences are similar to those of other rhabdoviruses. Epizootiological analysis of a population of wild boars in Wakayama prefecture in Japan indicated that 6.5% were positive for the WBRV1 gene and 52% were positive for WBRV1-neutralizing antibodies. Furthermore, such viral neutralizing antibodies were found in domestic pigs in another prefecture. WBRV1 was inoculated intranasally and intraperitoneally into SCID and BALB/c mice and viral RNA was detected in SCID mice, suggesting that WBRV1 can replicate in immunocompromised mice. These results indicate this novel virus is endemic in wild animals and livestock in Japan. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Molecular evolution of the neurohypophysial hormone precursors in mammals: Comparative genomics reveals novel mammalian oxytocin and vasopressin analogues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallis, Michael

    2012-11-01

    Among vertebrates the neurohypophysial hormones show considerable variation. However, in eutherian mammals they have been considered rather conserved, with arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) in all species except pig and some relatives, where lysine vasopressin replaces AVP. The availability of genomic data for a wide range of mammals makes it possible to assess whether these peptides and their precursors may be more variable in Eutheria than previously suspected. A survey of these data confirms that AVP and OT occur in most eutherians, but with exceptions. In a New-World monkey (marmoset, Callithrix jacchus) and in tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri), Pro(8)OT replaces OT, confirming a recent report for these species. In armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) Leu(3)OT replaces OT, while in tenrec (Echinops telfairi) Thr(4)AVP replaces AVP. In these two species there is also evidence for additional genes/pseudogenes, encoding much-modified forms of AVP, but in most other eutherian species there is no evidence for additional neurohypophysial hormone genes. Evolutionary analysis shows that sequences of eutherian neurohypophysial hormone precursors are generally strongly conserved, particularly those regions encoding active peptide and neurophysin. The close association between OT and VP genes has led to frequent gene conversion of sequences encoding neurophysins. A monotreme, platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) has genes for OT and AVP, organized tail-to-tail as in eutherians, but in marsupials 3-4 genes are present for neurohypophysial hormones, organized tail-to-head as in lower vertebrates. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Dental maturation, eruption, and gingival emergence in the upper jaw of newborn primates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Timothy D; Muchlinski, Magdalena N; Jankord, Kathryn D; Progar, Abbigal J; Bonar, Christopher J; Evans, Sian; Williams, Lawrence; Vinyard, Christopher J; Deleon, Valerie B

    2015-12-01

    In this report we provide data on dental eruption and tooth germ maturation at birth in a large sample constituting the broadest array of non-human primates studied to date. Over 100 perinatal primates, obtained from natural captive deaths, were screened for characteristics indicating premature birth, and were subsequently studied using a combination of histology and micro-CT. Results reveal one probable unifying characteristic of living primates: relatively advanced maturation of deciduous teeth and M1 at birth. Beyond this, there is great diversity in the status of tooth eruption and maturation (dental stage) in the newborn primate. Contrasting strategies in producing a masticatory battery are already apparent at birth in strepsirrhines and anthropoids. Results show that dental maturation and eruption schedules are potentially independently co-opted as different strategies for attaining feeding independence. The most common strategy in strepsirrhines is accelerating eruption and the maturation of the permanent dentition, including replacement teeth. Anthropoids, with only few exceptions, accelerate mineralization of the deciduous teeth, while delaying development of all permanent teeth except M1. These results also show that no living primate resembles the altricial tree shrew (Tupaia) in dental development. Our preliminary observations suggest that ecological explanations, such as diet, provide an explanation for certain morphological variations at birth. These results confirm previous work on perinatal indriids indicating that these and other primates telegraph their feeding adaptations well before masticatory anatomy is functional. Quantitative analyses are required to decipher specific dietary and other influences on dental size and maturation in the newborn primate. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Hydrological response to climate change for Gilgel Abay River, in the Lake Tana Basin -Upper Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dile, Yihun Taddele; Berndtsson, Ronny; Setegn, Shimelis G

    2013-01-01

    Climate change is likely to have severe effects on water availability in Ethiopia. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of climate change on the Gilgel Abay River, Upper Blue Nile Basin. The Statistical Downscaling Tool (SDSM) was used to downscale the HadCM3 (Hadley centre Climate Model 3) Global Circulation Model (GCM) scenario data into finer scale resolution. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was set up, calibrated, and validated. SDSM downscaled climate outputs were used as an input to the SWAT model. The climate projection analysis was done by dividing the period 2010-2100 into three time windows with each 30 years of data. The period 1990-2001 was taken as the baseline period against which comparison was made. Results showed that annual mean precipitation may decrease in the first 30-year period but increase in the following two 30-year periods. The decrease in mean monthly precipitation may be as much as about -30% during 2010-2040 but the increase may be more than +30% in 2070-2100. The impact of climate change may cause a decrease in mean monthly flow volume between -40% to -50% during 2010-2040 but may increase by more than the double during 2070-2100. Climate change appears to have negligible effect on low flow conditions of the river. Seasonal mean flow volume, however, may increase by more than the double and +30% to +40% for the Belg (small rainy season) and Kiremit (main rainy season) periods, respectively. Overall, it appears that climate change will result in an annual increase in flow volume for the Gilgel Abay River. The increase in flow is likely to have considerable importance for local small scale irrigation activities. Moreover, it will help harnessing a significant amount of water for ongoing dam projects in the Gilgel Abay River Basin.

  2. Hydrological response to climate change for Gilgel Abay River, in the Lake Tana Basin -Upper Blue Nile Basin of Ethiopia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yihun Taddele Dile

    Full Text Available Climate change is likely to have severe effects on water availability in Ethiopia. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of climate change on the Gilgel Abay River, Upper Blue Nile Basin. The Statistical Downscaling Tool (SDSM was used to downscale the HadCM3 (Hadley centre Climate Model 3 Global Circulation Model (GCM scenario data into finer scale resolution. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT was set up, calibrated, and validated. SDSM downscaled climate outputs were used as an input to the SWAT model. The climate projection analysis was done by dividing the period 2010-2100 into three time windows with each 30 years of data. The period 1990-2001 was taken as the baseline period against which comparison was made. Results showed that annual mean precipitation may decrease in the first 30-year period but increase in the following two 30-year periods. The decrease in mean monthly precipitation may be as much as about -30% during 2010-2040 but the increase may be more than +30% in 2070-2100. The impact of climate change may cause a decrease in mean monthly flow volume between -40% to -50% during 2010-2040 but may increase by more than the double during 2070-2100. Climate change appears to have negligible effect on low flow conditions of the river. Seasonal mean flow volume, however, may increase by more than the double and +30% to +40% for the Belg (small rainy season and Kiremit (main rainy season periods, respectively. Overall, it appears that climate change will result in an annual increase in flow volume for the Gilgel Abay River. The increase in flow is likely to have considerable importance for local small scale irrigation activities. Moreover, it will help harnessing a significant amount of water for ongoing dam projects in the Gilgel Abay River Basin.

  3. Surface and subsurface flow effect on permanent gully formation and upland erosion near Lake Tana in the northern highlands of Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tebebu, T. Y.; Abiy, A. Z.; Zegeye, A. D.; Dahlke, H. E.; Easton, Z. M.; Tilahun, S. A.; Collick, A. S.; Kidnau, S.; Moges, S.; Dadgari, F.; Steenhuis, T. S.

    2010-11-01

    Gully formation in the Ethiopian Highlands has been identified as a major source of sediment in water bodies, and results in sever land degradation. Loss of soil from gully erosion reduces agricultural productivity and grazing land availability, and is one of the major causes of reservoir siltation in the Nile Basin. This study was conducted in the 523 ha Debre-Mawi watershed south of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, where gullies are actively forming in the landscape. Historic gully development in a section of the Debre-Mawi watershed was estimated with semi structured farmer interviews, remotely sensed imagery, and measurements of current gully volumes. Gully formation was assessed by instrumenting the gully and surrounding area to measure water table levels and soil physical properties. Gully formation began in the late 1980's following the removal of indigenous vegetation, leading to an increase in surface and subsurface runoff from the hillsides. A comparison of the gully area, estimated from a 0.58 m resolution QuickBird image, with the current gully area mapped with a GPS, indicated that the total eroded area of the gully increased from 0.65 ha in 2005 to 1.0 ha in 2007 and 1.43 ha in 2008. The gully erosion rate, calculated from cross-sectional transect measurements, between 2007 and 2008 was 530 t ha-1 yr-1 in the 17.4 ha area contributing to the gully, equivalent to over 4 cm soil loss over the contributing area. As a comparison, we also measured rill and interrill erosion rates in a nearby section of the watershed, gully erosion rates were approximately 20 times the measured rill and interrill rates. Depths to the water table measured with piezometers showed that in the actively eroding sections of the gully the water table was above the gully bottom and, in stable gully sections the water table was below the gully bottom during the rainy season. The elevated water table appears to facilitate the slumping of gully walls, which causes the gully to widen and to migrate up the hillside.

  4. Surface and subsurface flow effect on permanent gully formation and upland erosion near Lake Tana in the northern highlands of Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Y. Tebebu

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Gully formation in the Ethiopian Highlands has been identified as a major source of sediment in water bodies, and results in sever land degradation. Loss of soil from gully erosion reduces agricultural productivity and grazing land availability, and is one of the major causes of reservoir siltation in the Nile Basin. This study was conducted in the 523 ha Debre-Mawi watershed south of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, where gullies are actively forming in the landscape. Historic gully development in a section of the Debre-Mawi watershed was estimated with semi structured farmer interviews, remotely sensed imagery, and measurements of current gully volumes. Gully formation was assessed by instrumenting the gully and surrounding area to measure water table levels and soil physical properties. Gully formation began in the late 1980's following the removal of indigenous vegetation, leading to an increase in surface and subsurface runoff from the hillsides. A comparison of the gully area, estimated from a 0.58 m resolution QuickBird image, with the current gully area mapped with a GPS, indicated that the total eroded area of the gully increased from 0.65 ha in 2005 to 1.0 ha in 2007 and 1.43 ha in 2008. The gully erosion rate, calculated from cross-sectional transect measurements, between 2007 and 2008 was 530 t ha−1 yr−1 in the 17.4 ha area contributing to the gully, equivalent to over 4 cm soil loss over the contributing area. As a comparison, we also measured rill and interrill erosion rates in a nearby section of the watershed, gully erosion rates were approximately 20 times the measured rill and interrill rates. Depths to the water table measured with piezometers showed that in the actively eroding sections of the gully the water table was above the gully bottom and, in stable gully sections the water table was below the gully bottom during the rainy season. The elevated water table appears to facilitate the slumping of gully walls, which causes the gully to widen and to migrate up the hillside.

  5. Impacts on Agriculture and forestry: The Impacts of climate change on Water resources in the Upper Tana River Basin in Kenya

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutua, F.M.

    1998-01-01

    The drainage system in Kenya is determined and influenced by the Great Rift Valley, running approximately from north to south. From the flanks of Rift Valley, surface water flows westwards towards Lake Victoria, and eastwards to the Indian Ocean, with the Rift Valley itself having an internal drainage system. The drainage system in Kenya is divided into five basins primarily on account of the topography and drainage of the country's major perennial rivers. The national annual water volume potential is estimated at 20,000 million m 3 , consisting of surface and groundwater with a projected annual water demand of 3,874 and 5, 817 million m 3 , respectively for the years 2000 and 2010. this implies that the demand by the year 2010 will be less than 30% of the total water resources potential. The quality and quantity of the groundwater in Kenya is extremely variable in both space and time. The latter is influenced by the geological formation in which the aquifer occurs.The major problem with ground water exploration is salinity and fluoride levels. The fluoride concentration generally exceeds the WHO drinking water guides of 1.5 mg/l in many areas. This is one of the major factors limiting groundwater utilisation in Kenya for drinking. The current trend is, however, that of extensively using the ground water for irrigation/livestock and industrial purposes

  6. Assessment of Suitable Areas for Home Gardens for Irrigation Potential, Water Availability, and Water-Lifting Technologies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tewodros Assefa

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The study was conducted in Lake Tana Basin of Ethiopia to assess potentially irrigable areas for home gardens, water availability, and feasibility of water-lifting technologies. A GIS-based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE technique was applied to access the potential of surface and groundwater sources for irrigation. The factors affecting irrigation practice were identified and feasibility of water-lifting technologies was evaluated. Pairwise method and expert’s opinion were used to assign weights for each factor. The result showed that about 345,000 ha and 135,000 ha of land were found suitable for irrigation from the surface and groundwater sources, respectively. The rivers could address about 1–1.2% of the irrigable land during dry season without water storage structure whereas groundwater could address about 2.2–2.4% of the irrigable land, both using conventional irrigation techniques. If the seven major dams within the basin were considered, surface water potential would be increased and satisfy about 21% of the irrigable land. If rainwater harvesting techniques were used, about 76% of the basin would be suitable for irrigation. The potential of surface and groundwater was evaluated with respect to water requirements of dominant crops in the region. On the other hand, rope pump and deep well piston hand pump were found with relatively the most (26% and the least (9% applicable low-cost water-lifting technologies in the basin.

  7. Impact of Soil Depth and Topography on the Effectiveness of Conservation Practices on Discharge and Soil Loss in the Ethiopian Highlands

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adugnaw T. Akale

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Restoration of degraded landscapes through the implementation of soil and water conservation practices is considered a viable option to increase agricultural production by enhancing ecosystems. However, in the humid Ethiopian highlands, little information is available on the impact of conservation practices despite wide scale implementation. The objective of this research was to document the effect of conservation practices on discharge and sediment concentration and load in watersheds that have different soil depths and topography. Precipitation, discharge, and sediment concentration were measured from 2010 to 2012 in two watersheds in close proximity and located in the Lake Tana basin, Ethiopia: Tikur-Wuha and Guale watersheds. The Tikur-Wuha watershed has deep soils and a gentle slope stream channel. The Guale watershed has shallow soils and a steep slope stream channel. In early 2011, the local community installed upland conservation measures consisting of stone and soil bunds, waterways, cutoff drains, infiltration furrows, gully rehabilitation, and enclosures. The results show that conservation practices marginally decreased direct runoff in both watersheds and increased base flow in the Tikur-Wuha watershed. Average sediment concentration decreased by 81% in Tikur-Wuha and 45% in Guale. The practices intended to increase infiltration were most effective in the Tikur-Wuha watershed because the deep soil could store the infiltrated water and release it over a longer period of time after the rainy season than the steeper Guale watershed with shallow soils.

  8. Identification and Characterization of Liver MicroRNAs of the Chinese Tree Shrew via Deep Sequencing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Yue; Feng, Yue-Mei; Feng, Yang; Lu, Caixia; Liu, Li; Sun, Xiaomei; Dai, Jiejie; Xia, Xueshan

    2015-10-01

    Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) is a small animal that possess many features, which are valuable in biomedical research, as experimental models. Currently, there are numerous attempts to utilize tree shrews as models for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This study aimed to construct a liver microRNA (miRNA) data of the tree shrew. Three second filial generation tree shrews were used in this study. Total RNA was extracted from each liver of the tree shrew and equal quality mixed, then reverse-transcribed to complementary DNA (cDNA). The cDNAs were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and subjected to high-throughput sequencing. A total of 2060 conserved miRNAs were identified through alignment with the mature miRNAs in miRBase 20.0 database. The gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes analyses of the target genes of the miRNAs revealed several candidate miRNAs, genes and pathways that may involve in the process of HCV infection. The abundance of miR-122 and Let-7 families and their other characteristics provided us more evidences for the utilization of this animal, as a potential model for HCV infection and other related biomedical research. Moreover, 80 novel microRNAs were predicted using the software Mireap. The top 3 abundant miRNAs were validated in other tree samples, based on stem-loop quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. According to the liver microRNA data of Chinese tree shrew, characteristics of the miR-122 and Let-7 families further highlight the suitability of tree shrew as the animal model in HCV research.

  9. Internal carotid arterial canal size and scaling in Euarchonta: Re-assessing implications for arterial patency and phylogenetic relationships in early fossil primates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyer, Doug M; Kirk, E Christopher; Silcox, Mary T; Gunnell, Gregg F; Gilbert, Christopher C; Yapuncich, Gabriel S; Allen, Kari L; Welch, Emma; Bloch, Jonathan I; Gonzales, Lauren A; Kay, Richard F; Seiffert, Erik R

    2016-08-01

    Primate species typically differ from other mammals in having bony canals that enclose the branches of the internal carotid artery (ICA) as they pass through the middle ear. The presence and relative size of these canals varies among major primate clades. As a result, differences in the anatomy of the canals for the promontorial and stapedial branches of the ICA have been cited as evidence of either haplorhine or strepsirrhine affinities among otherwise enigmatic early fossil euprimates. Here we use micro X-ray computed tomography to compile the largest quantitative dataset on ICA canal sizes. The data suggest greater variation of the ICA canals within some groups than has been previously appreciated. For example, Lepilemur and Avahi differ from most other lemuriforms in having a larger promontorial canal than stapedial canal. Furthermore, various lemurids are intraspecifically variable in relative canal size, with the promontorial canal being larger than the stapedial canal in some individuals but not others. In species where the promontorial artery supplies the brain with blood, the size of the promontorial canal is significantly correlated with endocranial volume (ECV). Among species with alternate routes of encephalic blood supply, the promontorial canal is highly reduced relative to ECV, and correlated with both ECV and cranium size. Ancestral state reconstructions incorporating data from fossils suggest that the last common ancestor of living primates had promontorial and stapedial canals that were similar to each other in size and large relative to ECV. We conclude that the plesiomorphic condition for crown primates is to have a patent promontorial artery supplying the brain and a patent stapedial artery for various non-encephalic structures. This inferred ancestral condition is exhibited by treeshrews and most early fossil euprimates, while extant primates exhibit reduction in one canal or another. The only early fossils deviating from this plesiomorphic

  10. Resolution among major placental mammal interordinal relationships with genome data imply that speciation influenced their earliest radiations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Janke Axel

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background A number of the deeper divergences in the placental mammal tree are still inconclusively resolved despite extensive phylogenomic analyses. A recent analysis of 200 kbp of protein coding sequences yielded only limited support for the relationships among Laurasiatheria (cow, dog, bat and shrew, probably because the divergences occurred only within a few million years from each other. It is generally expected that increasing the amount of data and improving the taxon sampling enhance the resolution of narrow divergences. Therefore these and other difficult splits were examined by phylogenomic analysis of the hitherto largest sequence alignment. The increasingly complete genome data of placental mammals also allowed developing a novel and stringent data search method. Results The rigorous data handling, recursive BLAST, successfully removed the sequences from gene families, including those from well-known families hemoglobin, olfactory, myosin and HOX genes, thus avoiding alignment of possibly paralogous sequences. The current phylogenomic analysis of 3,012 genes (2,844,615 nucleotides from a total of 22 species yielded statistically significant support for most relationships. While some major clades were confirmed using genomic sequence data, the placement of the treeshrew, bat and the relationship between Boreoeutheria, Xenarthra and Afrotheria remained problematic to resolve despite the size of the alignment. Phylogenomic analysis of divergence times dated the basal placental mammal splits at 95–100 million years ago. Many of the following divergences occurred only a few (2–4 million years later. Relationships with narrow divergence time intervals received unexpectedly limited support even from the phylogenomic analyses. Conclusion The narrow temporal window within which some placental divergences took place suggests that inconsistencies and limited resolution of the mammalian tree may have their natural explanation in

  11. Minor Civil Divisions from Teleatlas, NA for Regions 1, 2 and 3 in EPA Region 2 Oracle/Spatial/SDE Database [TANA.MCD

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Dynamap(R)/2000 MCD Boundary layer represents all MCD boundaries that are included in the U.S. Census Bureau's 2002 TIGER/Line(R) files. These boundaries have...

  12. Książki, które zbłądziły pod strzechy – dziewiętnastowieczne edycje dzieł romantyków przechowywane w Bibliotece Wydziału Filologicznego UMK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milena Śliwińska

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Artykuł prezentuje dziewiętnastowieczne edycje dzieł romantyków, które są przechowywane w Bibliotece Wydziału Filologicznego UMK, powstałej wraz z uformowaniem się toruńskiej polonistyki. Autorka omówiła edycje: Adama Mickiewicza (Zywila. Légende Lithuanienne par Adam Mickiewicz, Paryż 1866; Poezye Adama Mickiewicza, t. 2, Petersburg 1829; Adama Mickiewicza Dziadów część trzecia, Paryż 1833; Poezye Adama Mickiewicza, t. 1, 3, 5–8, Paryż 1838, Wincentego Pola (Kilka kart z krwawego rocznika, Lipsk 1864; Poezye Wincentego Pola, t. I-V (Dzieła Wincentego Pola wierszem i prozą, Seria: I, t. I, III, V, VII, IX, Lwów 1875-1878, Zygmunta Krasińskiego (Niedokończony poemat, Paryż 1862; Listy Zygmunta Krasińskiego do Konstantego Gaszyńskiego, Lwów 1882; Listy Zygmunta Krasińskiego do Adama Sołtana, Lwów 1883, Teofila Lenartowicza (Anioł ziemi. Srebrny śpiew przez T. L., we Lwowie 1870; Album włoskie przez Teofila Lenartowicza, we Lwowie 1870, Konstantego Gaszczyńskiego (Pisma prozatorskie przez Konstantego Gaszyńskiego, Lipsk 1875. Zrekonstruowano również zasady trafiania książek pod strzechy, na które miała wpływ cenzura, majętność odbiorców, trudne warunki rozwoju życia literackiego, rozbicie kultury na emigracyjną i krajową czy też wolnościowe idee zawarte w tekście.

  13. Challenging the inbreeding hypothesis in a eusocial mammal: population genetics of the naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingram, Colleen M; Troendle, Nicholas J; Gill, Clare A; Braude, Stanton; Honeycutt, Rodney L

    2015-10-01

    The role of genetic relatedness in the evolution of eusociality has been the topic of much debate, especially when contrasting eusocial insects with vertebrates displaying reproductive altruism. The naked mole-rat, Heterocephalus glaber, was the first described eusocial mammal. Although this discovery was based on an ecological constraints model of eusocial evolution, early genetic studies reported high levels of relatedness in naked mole-rats, providing a compelling argument that low dispersal rates and consanguineous mating (inbreeding as a mating system) are the driving forces for the evolution of this eusocial species. One caveat to accepting this long-held view is that the original genetic studies were based on limited sampling from the species' geographic distribution. A growing body of evidence supports a contrary view, with the original samples not representative of the species-rather reflecting a single founder event, establishing a small population south of the Athi River. Our study is the first to address these competing hypotheses by examining patterns of molecular variation in colonies sampled from north and south of the Athi and Tana rivers, which based on our results, serve to isolate genetically distinct populations of naked mole-rats. Although colonies south of the Athi River share a single mtDNA haplotype and are fixed at most microsatellite loci, populations north of the Athi River are considerably more variable. Our findings support the position that the low variation observed in naked mole-rat populations south of the Athi River reflects a founder event, rather than a consequence of this species' unusual mating system. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Impact of physicochemical parameters on phytoplankton compositions and abundances in Selameko Manmade Reservoir, Debre Tabor, South Gondar, Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wassie, Tilahun Adugna; Melese, Ayalew Wondie

    2017-07-01

    Impact of physicochemical parameters on 2 compositions and abundances in Selameko Reservoir, Debre Tabor, South Gondar from August 2009 to May 2010 was assessed. Water quality parameters, such as temperature, water transparency, water depth, dissolved oxygen, pH, total dissolved solids, phosphate, nitrate, and silicate were measured in situ from two sites (littoral and open water zone) of the reservoir. Phytoplankton compositions and abundances were analyzed in Tana fisheries and other aquatic organisms' research center. ANOVA result of the physicochemical parameters included chlorophyll-a showed the presence of significance difference among seasons and between sites ( P < 0.05). A total of seven families, 36 genera from three groups (Diatom, Blue green algae and Green algae) of phytoplankton were identified during the study period. From all groups, diatoms were the most abundant at both sites and Blue green algae were the least abundant. ANOVA of all phytoplankton showed highly significant difference among seasons and between sites ( P < 0.05). ANOVA of all phytoplankton showed highly significant difference among seasons and between sites ( P < 0.05). Based on the stepwise regression, a total number of phytoplanktons had positive correlation with some of the physicochemical parameters (R2 = 0.99, P < 0.001, N = 16). The study concluded that some of physicochemical parameters (NO3-N and PO4-P) indicated the presence of reservoir water pollution. This is supported by the presence of pollution-resistant phytoplankton species such as Melosira and Microcystis. The reservoir water was eutrophic (productive) throughout the year. To avoid such pollution, basin and reservoir management are recommended.

  15. Mapping malaria risk using geographic information systems and remote sensing: The case of Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minale, Amare Sewnet; Alemu, Kalkidan

    2018-05-07

    The main objective of this study was to develop a malaria risk map for Bahir Dar City, Amhara, which is situated south of Lake Tana on the Ethiopian plateau. Rainfall, temperature, altitude, slope and land use/land cover (LULC), as well as proximity measures to lake, river and health facilities, were investigated using remote sensing and geographical information systems. The LULC variable was derived from a 2012 SPOT satellite image by supervised classification, while 30-m spatial resolution measurements of altitude and slope came from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. Metrological data were collected from the National Meteorological Agency, Bahir Dar branch. These separate datasets, represented as layers in the computer, were combined using weighted, multi-criteria evaluations. The outcome shows that rainfall, temperature, slope, elevation, distance from the lake and distance from the river influenced the malaria hazard the study area by 35%, 15%, 10%, 7%, 5% and 3%, respectively, resulting in a map showing five areas with different levels of malaria hazard: very high (11.2%); high (14.5%); moderate (63.3%); low (6%); and none (5%). The malaria risk map, based on this hazard map plus additional information on proximity to health facilities and current LULC conditions, shows that Bahir Dar City has areas with very high (15%); high (65%); moderate (8%); and low (5%) levels of malaria risk, with only 2% of the land completely riskfree. Such risk maps are essential for planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating disease control as well as for contemplating prevention and elimination of epidemiological hazards from endemic areas.

  16. Assessing Climate Change Impact on Gilgel Abbay and Gumara Watershed Hydrology, the Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hailu Sheferaw Ayele

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Climate change and variability have significant influences on hydrological cycles and the availability of water in the Horn of Africa. Projections of six General Circulation Models (GCMs in association with high (A2 and low (B1 emission scenarios were adopted in this study from the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES for the period 2020 - 2039 to assess the impacts of climate changes on the Gilgel Abbay and Gumara watershed hydrology, the upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia. The GCMs selected were screened in accordance with baseline climate statistics of study areas. A weather generator was employed to generate daily temperature and precipitation to drive the General Water Loading Function (GWLF hydrological model for simulating runoffs. Projected changes in temperature differences and precipitation ratios relative to the baseline were analyzed to explain the variations in evapotranspiration and the influences on runoff. Despite the fact that the projected magnitude varies among GCMs, increasing runoff in both wet and dry seasons was observed for both watersheds, attributable mainly to the increase in precipitation projected by most GCMs. In contrast to the great increases in runoff, variations in evapotranspiration are less significant. The projected runoff in both watersheds implies increased potential for promoting agricultural irrigation in the dry season. Furthermore, it would allow greater inflow to Lake Tana, the largest contributor to the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. Therefore, concerned local, state, and federal government organizations shall be prepared to harness opportunities from the projected increase in runoff.

  17. RIJOQ: VOCAL MUSIC OF DAYAK BENUAQ FROM KUTAI, EAST KALIMANTAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ester

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Rijoq, a Dayak Benuaq vocal music, has been passed down from generation to generation through oral tradition for hundreds of years. When and how it was founded, developed and preserved in the Dayak community remains questionable. But according to some research done by scholars, Rijoq has its origin from Dayak Bawo, a tribe living in the borderlines between Central, South, and East Kalimantan. Rijoq is normally performed during festivities, such as: initiation, reconciliation, menugal (rice planting and potong kerbau (buffalo slaughtering. Rijoq’s texts have very deep messages which are considered still relevant to today’s life context. On the one hand, it speaks about the horizontal relationship—human beings and their fellows, and human beings and its nature—; and on the other hand, the vertical relationship—human beings with their Creator. The primary concern of doing this research is to preserve Rijoq as written and recorded documents. So far, this research has been successful in notating and recording five kinds of Rijoq, that is Peket Muat Bolupm (working together to build lives, Rijoq Patuk Ajer (advice, Rijoq Natal Tautn Bayuq (Christmas and New Year, Rijoq Isiq Asekng Sookng Bawe (the expression of a man’s feeling who is falling in love with a woman, and Rijoq Lati Tana Orekng Tepa (forests and lands are disappearing and gone. But this paper is not intended to discuss these five kinds of Rijoq. Isiq Asekng Sookng Bawe is chosen as it is the oldest and the most difficult Rijoq among the rest.

  18. Evolution and structural organization of the C proteins of paramyxovirinae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael K Lo

    Full Text Available The phosphoprotein (P gene of most Paramyxovirinae encodes several proteins in overlapping frames: P and V, which share a common N-terminus (PNT, and C, which overlaps PNT. Overlapping genes are of particular interest because they encode proteins originated de novo, some of which have unknown structural folds, challenging the notion that nature utilizes only a limited, well-mapped area of fold space. The C proteins cluster in three groups, comprising measles, Nipah, and Sendai virus. We predicted that all C proteins have a similar organization: a variable, disordered N-terminus and a conserved, α-helical C-terminus. We confirmed this predicted organization by biophysically characterizing recombinant C proteins from Tupaia paramyxovirus (measles group and human parainfluenza virus 1 (Sendai group. We also found that the C of the measles and Nipah groups have statistically significant sequence similarity, indicating a common origin. Although the C of the Sendai group lack sequence similarity with them, we speculate that they also have a common origin, given their similar genomic location and structural organization. Since C is dispensable for viral replication, unlike PNT, we hypothesize that C may have originated de novo by overprinting PNT in the ancestor of Paramyxovirinae. Intriguingly, in measles virus and Nipah virus, PNT encodes STAT1-binding sites that overlap different regions of the C-terminus of C, indicating they have probably originated independently. This arrangement, in which the same genetic region encodes simultaneously a crucial functional motif (a STAT1-binding site and a highly constrained region (the C-terminus of C, seems paradoxical, since it should severely reduce the ability of the virus to adapt. The fact that it originated twice suggests that it must be balanced by an evolutionary advantage, perhaps from reducing the size of the genetic region vulnerable to mutations.

  19. System for Rapid, Precise Modulation of Intraocular Pressure, toward Minimally-Invasive In Vivo Measurement of Intracranial Pressure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Max A Stockslager

    Full Text Available Pathologic changes in intracranial pressure (ICP are commonly observed in a variety of medical conditions, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, brain tumors, and glaucoma. However, current ICP measurement techniques are invasive, requiring a lumbar puncture or surgical insertion of a cannula into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF-filled ventricles of the brain. A potential alternative approach to ICP measurement leverages the unique anatomy of the central retinal vein, which is exposed to both intraocular pressure (IOP and ICP as it travels inside the eye and through the optic nerve; manipulating IOP while observing changes in the natural pulsations of the central retinal vein could potentially provide an accurate, indirect measure of ICP. As a step toward implementing this technique, we describe the design, fabrication, and characterization of a system that is capable of manipulating IOP in vivo with <0.1 mmHg resolution and settling times less than 2 seconds. In vitro tests were carried out to characterize system performance. Then, as a proof of concept, we used the system to manipulate IOP in tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri while video of the retinal vessels was recorded and the caliber of a selected vein was quantified. Modulating IOP using our system elicited a rapid change in the appearance of the retinal vein of interest: IOP was lowered from 10 to 3 mmHg, and retinal vein caliber sharply increased as IOP decreased from 7 to 5 mmHg. Another important feature of this technology is its capability to measure ocular compliance and outflow facility in vivo, as demonstrated in tree shrews. Collectively, these proof-of-concept demonstrations support the utility of this system to manipulate IOP for a variety of useful applications in ocular biomechanics, and provide a framework for further study of the mechanisms of retinal venous pulsation.

  20. Development of a PET Insert for simultaneously small animal PET/MRI

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Yingjie; Zhang, Zhiming; Li, Daowu; Liu, Shuangquan; Wang, Peilin; Feng, Baotong; Chai, Pei; Wei, Long [Division of Nuclear Technology and Applications, Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049 (China); Beijing Engineering Research Center of Radiographic Techniques and Equipment, Beijing, 100049 (China)

    2015-05-18

    PET/MR is a new multi-modality imaging system which provide both structural and functional information with good soft tissue imaging ability and no ionizing radiation. In recent years, PET/MR is under major progress because of the development of silicon photomultipliers (SiPM). The goal of this study is to develop a MRI compatible PET insert based on SiPM and LYSO scintillator. The PET system was constituted by the detector ring, electronics and software. The detector ring consists of 16 detector module. The inner diameter of the ring was 151 mm, the external diameter was 216 mm, which was big enough for small animal research, e.g. rat, rabbit and tupaia. The sensor of each module was 2*2 SensL SPMArraySL, coupled with an array of 14 x 14 LYSO crystals, each crystal measuring 2 mm x 2 mm 10 mm. The detector was encapsulated in a copper box for light and magnetic shielding. Resister charge multiplexing circuit was used in the front end electronics. Each detector output 8X and 8Y position signals. One summed timing signal was extracted from the common cathode of all 64 channels. All these signals were transmitted to digital electronic board by a 3 m long coaxial cable from inside of the MR to the outside. Each digital electronic board handled 8 detector modules based on FPGA to obtain the timing, position and energy information of a single event. And then these single events were sent to the coincidence processing board to produce coincidence packets which are prepared for further processing. A 0.2mCi 68Ge line source was used to do the preliminary imaging test. The image was reconstructed by 3D-OSEM algorithm. The initial result proved the system to be feasible as a PET. FDG phantom imaging and simultaneous PET/MR imaging are in progress.

  1. Impacts of forest farm practice on small to medium-sized mammals at Kemasul forest reserve, Pahang, Malaysia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Razali, Nor Bazilah; Abdul-Rahim, Ahmad Rizal; Md-Nor, Shukor; Mohd-Taib, Farah Shafawati

    2018-04-01

    Exploitation of forest for commercial agriculture has taken toll on wildlife species worldwide. A forest farm project with the aim of compensating the forest loss has been implemented in Kemasul Forest Reserve, of Pahang State, Malaysia through plantation of fast growing and adaptable plant species. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of this practice on diversity. The study was conducted in a long strip of forest fragment, where two study sites with different landscape matrix types were chosen; oil palm plantation (JR) and Acacia mangium plantations (CM). A total of 75 individuals from 13 species and six families were collected at both sites. The result shows forest with A. mangium plantations matrix types yield higher species diversity. There are 10 shared species that can be found at both study sites including Callosciurus notatus, Hystrix brachyura, Macaca nemestrina, and Tupaia glis. However, some species only existed at selected sites such as Leopoldamys sabanus which can only be found at JR. On the other hand, Callosciurus nigrovittatus, Viverra tangalunga and Paradoxurus hermaphroditus were only recorded at CM. Out of all individuals collected, four of them are protected species as reported by IUCN. Callosciurus nigrovittatus is listed as Near Threatened while the other three species (Maxomys rajah, Maxomys whiteheadi, and Macaca nemestrina) are Vulnerable. If conservation efforts in Kemasul Forest Reserved are neglected, these four species would be exposed to critical threats that might cause them facing extinction in the future. Mann Whitney U test shows no significant difference of distribution and species richness of small to medium-sized mammals in both study sites (U=51.5, p=0.59). This study therefore reveals that although the compensatory forest plantation initiatives yield positive effect on diversity of mammal's species, it does not necessarily provide ample food resources to the wildlife, instead it serves as important buffer

  2. Applications of human hepatitis B virus preS domain in bio- and nanotechnology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toita, Riki; Kawano, Takahito; Kang, Jeong-Hun; Murata, Masaharu

    2015-06-28

    Human hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a member of the family Hepadnaviridae, and causes acute and chronic infections of the liver. The hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) contains the large (L), middle (M), and small (S) surface proteins. The L protein consists of the S protein, preS1, and preS2. In HBsAg, the preS domain (preS1 + preS2) plays a key role in the infection of hepatocytic cells by HBV and has several immunogenic epitopes. Based on these characteristics of preS, several preS-based diagnostic and therapeutic materials and systems have been developed. PreS1-specific monoclonal antibodies (e.g., MA18/7 and KR127) can be used to inhibit HBV infection. A myristoylated preS1 peptide (amino acids 2-48) also inhibits the attachment of HBV to HepaRG cells, primary human hepatocytes, and primary tupaia hepatocytes. Antibodies and antigens related to the components of HBsAg, preS (preS1 + preS2), or preS1 can be available as diagnostic markers of acute and chronic HBV infections. Hepatocyte-targeting delivery systems for therapeutic molecules (drugs, genes, or proteins) are very important for increasing the clinical efficacy of these molecules and in reducing their adverse effects on other organs. The selective delivery of diagnostic molecules to target hepatocytic cells can also improve the efficiency of diagnosis. In addition to the full-length HBV vector, preS (preS1 + preS2), preS1, and preS1-derived fragments can be useful in hepatocyte-specific targeting. In this review, we discuss the literature concerning the applications of the HBV preS domain in bio- and nanotechnology.

  3. Pulvinar projections to the striatum and amygdala

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan D Day-Brown

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Visually-guided movement is possible in the absence of conscious visual perception, a phenomenon referred to as blindsight. Similarly, fearful images can elicit emotional responses in the absence of their conscious perception. Both capabilities are thought to be mediated by pathways from the retina through the superior colliculus (SC and pulvinar nucleus. To define potential pathways that underlie behavioral responses to unperceived visual stimuli, we examined the projections from the pulvinar nucleus to the striatum and amygdala in the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri, a species considered to be a protypical primate. The tree shrew brain has a large pulvinar nucleus that contains two SC-recipient subdivisions; the dorsal (Pd and central (Pc pulvinar both receive topographic (specific projections from SC, and Pd receives an additional nontopographic (diffuse projection from SC (Chomsung et al., 2008; JCN 510:24-46. Anterograde and retrograde tract tracing revealed that both Pd and Pc project to the caudate and putamen, and Pd, but not Pc, additionally projects to the lateral amygdala. Using immunocytochemical staining for substance P (SP and parvalbumin (PV to reveal the patch/matrix organization of tree shrew striatum, we found that SP-rich/PV-poor patches interlock with a PV-rich/SP-poor matrix. Confocal microscopy revealed that tracer-labeled pulvinostriatal terminals preferentially innervate the matrix. Electron microscopy revealed that the postsynaptic targets of tracer-labeled pulvino-striatal and pulvino-amygdala terminals are spines, demonstrating that the pulvinar nucleus projects to the spiny output cells of the striatum matrix and the lateral amygdala, potentially relaying: 1 topographic visual information from SC to striatum to aid in guiding precise movements, and 2 nontopographic visual information from SC to the amygdala alerting the animal to potentially dangerous visual images.

  4. Spatial and temporal variation of cestode infection and its effect on two small barbs (Barbus humilis and B. tanapelagius) in Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Vijverberg, J.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2006-01-01

    Pseudophyllidean cestodes as Ligula have a complex life cycle with cyclopoid copepods as first intermediate host, zooplanktivorous fish as second, and piscivorous birds as final host. We studied the effects of diet, season and habitat occupation on the prevalence of plerocercoid larvae of the

  5. Spatial and temporal variation of cestode infection and its effects on two small barbs (Barbus humilis and B. tanapelagius) in Lake Tana, Ethiopia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dejen, E.; Vijverberg, J.; Sibbing, F.A.

    2006-01-01

    Pseudophyllidean cestodes as Ligula have a complex life cycle with cyclopoid copepods as first intermediate host, zooplanktivorous fish as second, and piscivorous birds as final host. We studied the effects of diet, season and habitat occupation on the prevalence of plerocercoid larvae of the

  6. Progress report of Applications of Nuclear Physics. July 1993 - June 1994

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2004-01-01

    The objectives of the Applications of Nuclear Physics Program Area are: The development and promotion of research programs on national nuclear science facilities such as charged particle accelerators and neutron beam instruments thereby encouraging strategic research in nuclear science and technology at ANSTO, in tertiary institutions and industrial research and development laboratories; Participation in and management ofA ustralian use of international neutron scattering, synchrotron radiation and high energy physics facilities to assist graduate training in the universities and to foster Australian benefits from developments in high technology; The maintenance of expertise in fundamental nuclear and atomic processes relevant to nuclear science and technology including neutron physics, ion interactions, radiation standards, dosimetry and laser enrichment; Expansion of the use of the accelerator mass spectrometry service both nationally and internationally to make major contributions in the understanding and remediation of severe environmental problems such as the greenhouse effect; The application of charged particle beams and ionizing radiation to industrial, biological and environmental problems; The exploitation of neutron scattering techniques in the development of new materials, drugs, biological substances and complex chemicals. The Program Area is continuing the development of several major new facilities. These include new beam lines and a new ion source on the Tandem accelerator (ANTARES), preliminary calibration of the small angle neutron scattering instrument (AUSANS) on the HIFAR reactor, refurbishment of one of the single crystal spectrometers on HIFAR (2TANA) and further development of the Australian National Beam line Facility at the Photon Factory at Tsukuba in Japan. In addition, significant improvements were made to the two neutron powder diffractometers on HIFAR (autor)

  7. Progress report of Applications of Nuclear Physics. July 1993 - June 1994

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2004-07-01

    The objectives of the Applications of Nuclear Physics Program Area are: The development and promotion of research programs on national nuclear science facilities such as charged particle accelerators and neutron beam instruments thereby encouraging strategic research in nuclear science and technology at ANSTO, in tertiary institutions and industrial research and development laboratories; Participation in and management ofA ustralian use of international neutron scattering, synchrotron radiation and high energy physics facilities to assist graduate training in the universities and to foster Australian benefits from developments in high technology; The maintenance of expertise in fundamental nuclear and atomic processes relevant to nuclear science and technology including neutron physics, ion interactions, radiation standards, dosimetry and laser enrichment; Expansion of the use of the accelerator mass spectrometry service both nationally and internationally to make major contributions in the understanding and remediation of severe environmental problems such as the greenhouse effect; The application of charged particle beams and ionizing radiation to industrial, biological and environmental problems; The exploitation of neutron scattering techniques in the development of new materials, drugs, biological substances and complex chemicals. The Program Area is continuing the development of several major new facilities. These include new beam lines and a new ion source on the Tandem accelerator (ANTARES), preliminary calibration of the small angle neutron scattering instrument (AUSANS) on the HIFAR reactor, refurbishment of one of the single crystal spectrometers on HIFAR (2TANA) and further development of the Australian National Beam line Facility at the Photon Factory at Tsukuba in Japan. In addition, significant improvements were made to the two neutron powder diffractometers on HIFAR (autor)

  8. A Little-known Source on the Embassy of Sigismund of Luxemburg to Caffa in 1412

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V.P. Gulevich

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available This article contains the text of a letter from the Hungarian and German king, Sigismund of Luxemburg, to the commune of Caffa, a Genoese colony in Crimea. In his struggle against Venice, the king hoped for the help of Genoa, which competed with the Republic of Venice in the Levantine trade. To undermine Venetian trade routes, Sigismund hoped to both establish contact with the Horde’s khan, Jalal ad-Din, with the mediation of Caffa’s administration, and to restore the transit trade of expensive Oriental goods from China to the Danube and further into Hungary and Germany. To this end, an official Hungarian embassy was sent to Caffa in 1412. The letter rather meagerly reflects the opinion of the king regarding the distant Horde and its rulers. However, the circumstances of the embassy make it possible to understand the broader European context of Sigismund’s eastern policy, which in one way or another affected Genoa, the Ottoman Empire, and the Polish Kingdom. The published source is of considerable interest to researchers of the history of the Horde, the Crimea, and the Genoese colony of Caffa, taking into account the fact that Sigismund tried to implement his anti-Venetian plan in 1418 and possibly once again between 1419 and 1428, and given the scarcity of information on the Hungarian-Tatar relations in the early fifteenth century. Thus, this article contains the Latin text of the letter and its Russian translation as well as an introduction which highlights the context of events both in Hungary and the distant Venetian colony of Tana (Tatar: Azaq, located at the mouth of the Don.

  9. Some Remarks on the Slave Trade in the Heart of the Golden Horde (14th century in the Wake of C. Verlinden’s Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorenzo Pubblici

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective: For decades the slave trade was very lucrative for the Italian merchants who travelled to the East. The formation of the Mongol Empire, and the economic and demographic growth occurred in Europe, have contributed to the increase of both, the demand of slaves and the supply human merchandise. Trade increased with the simultaneous increase in the number of journeys of western merchants to the East. The creation of a structured trading system on the Black Sea coast has allowed Genoa and Venice to strengthen their trade relations with the dominant centers of power in loco: the Golden Horde of the Mongols and the Mamluks of Egypt. Materials: This article is a preliminary critical mapping of a larger project I’m working on, and which aims to explore the relationship between Italian commercial immigration and the slave trade in the Venetian settlement of Tana, situated in the mouth of the Don, and representing the easternmost outpost of all Latin Trading System in the East in the 13th and 14th centuries. Based on a solid historiographical tradition and the Venetian documentary sources, I’m trying to restore the perception of a slave in the unique context of the Golden Horde, where the western urban mercantile and the eastern nomadic factors came into contact. Results and novelty of the research: While many of the conclusions of this research are still to be confirmed, a primary investigation has shown that slaves were not only the primary and most profitable resource for Italian merchants, but also the most direct and effective means to penetrate and understand an ethnic and culturally stranger context.

  10. Validity of the cumulant method for a pulse nonlinear Kerr oscillator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grygiel, K.; Leonski, W.; Szlachetka, P.

    1998-01-01

    We study the dynamics of an anharmonic oscillator driven by a train of pulses. The cumulant expansion and quantum evolution operator approaches are presented and compared. The modifications introduced by quantum mechanics into the dynamics of classical systems which manifest chaos are a problem of great importance. It is known that quantization modifies the dynamics of classical system is usually studied by means of the equation for the Wigner function derived from the quantum Liouville equation. In Wigner's formulation of quantum mechanics we treat a quantum system in a 'classical way' including all their quantum features. And what is more, we can contrast the quantum and classical dynamics within the framework of one formalism. The problem is, that the equations for the Wigner functions are mathematically cumbersome and their analytic solutions for most nonlinear systems are unknown. However, instead of the equation for the Wigner function we can use the set of equations for statistical moments generated by our equation for the Wigner function. It is obvious that in this approach a quantum system is governed by an infinite set of equations. Therefore, for numerical reasons the set of equations for statistical moments has to be truncated at a finite number, which means approximating it. It is known that first cumulant approximation represents the classical dynamics. The second cumulant approximation adds the first quantum corrections to the classical dynamics. In this paper we compare some aspects of the cumulant method and the method used by Leonski and Tanas to study an anharmonic oscillator driven by a train of pulses. The Kerr oscillator model is the same ad that is discussed in an earlier paper albeit without the damping mechanism

  11. Patterns of variation across primates in jaw-muscle electromyography during mastication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vinyard, Christopher J; Wall, Christine E; Williams, Susan H; Hylander, William L

    2008-08-01

    Biologists that study mammals continue to discuss the evolution of and functional variation in jaw-muscle activity during chewing. A major barrier to addressing these issues is collecting sufficient in vivo data to adequately capture neuromuscular variation in a clade. We combine data on jaw-muscle electromyography (EMG) collected during mastication from 14 species of primates and one of treeshrews to assess patterns of neuromuscular variation in primates. All data were collected and analyzed using the same methods. We examine the variance components for EMG parameters using a nested ANOVA design across successive hierarchical factors from chewing cycle through species for eight locations in the masseter and temporalis muscles. Variation in jaw-muscle EMGs was not distributed equally across hierarchical levels. The timing of peak EMG activity showed the largest variance components among chewing cycles. Relative levels of recruitment of jaw muscles showed the largest variance components among chewing sequences and cycles. We attribute variation among chewing cycles to (1) changes in food properties throughout the chewing sequence, (2) variation in bite location, and (3) the multiple ways jaw muscles can produce submaximal bite forces. We hypothesize that variation among chewing sequences is primarily related to variation in properties of food. The significant proportion of variation in EMGs potentially linked to food properties suggests that experimental biologists must pay close attention to foods given to research subjects in laboratory-based studies of feeding. The jaw muscles exhibit markedly different variance components among species suggesting that primate jaw muscles have evolved as distinct functional units. The balancing-side deep masseter (BDM) exhibits the most variation among species. This observation supports previous hypotheses linking variation in the timing and activation of the BDM to symphyseal fusion in anthropoid primates and in strepsirrhines

  12. Quantitative simulation tools to analyze up- and downstream interactions of soil and water conservation measures: supporting policy making in the Green Water Credits program of Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hunink, J E; Droogers, P; Kauffman, S; Mwaniki, B M; Bouma, J

    2012-11-30

    Upstream soil and water conservation measures in catchments can have positive impact both upstream in terms of less erosion and higher crop yields, but also downstream by less sediment flow into reservoirs and increased groundwater recharge. Green Water Credits (GWC) schemes are being developed to encourage upstream farmers to invest in soil and water conservation practices which will positively effect upstream and downstream water availability. Quantitative information on water and sediment fluxes is crucial as a basis for such financial schemes. A pilot design project in the large and strategically important Upper-Tana Basin in Kenya has the objective to develop a methodological framework for this purpose. The essence of the methodology is the integration and use of a collection of public domain tools and datasets: the so-called Green water and Blue water Assessment Toolkit (GBAT). This toolkit was applied in order to study different options to implement GWC in agricultural rainfed land for the pilot study. Impact of vegetative contour strips, mulching, and tied ridges were determined for: (i) three upstream key indicators: soil loss, crop transpiration and soil evaporation, and (ii) two downstream indicators: sediment inflow in reservoirs and groundwater recharge. All effects were compared with a baseline scenario of average conditions. Thus, not only actual land management was considered but also potential benefits of changed land use practices. Results of the simulations indicate that especially applying contour strips or tied ridges significantly reduces soil losses and increases groundwater recharge in the catchment. The model was used to build spatial expressions of the proposed management practices in order to assess their effectiveness. The developed procedure allows exploring the effects of soil conservation measures in a catchment to support the implementation of GWC. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Mosquito-borne arbovirus surveillance at selected sites in diverse ecological zones of Kenya; 2007 – 2012

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Increased frequency of arbovirus outbreaks in East Africa necessitated the determination of distribution of risk by entomologic arbovirus surveillance. A systematic vector surveillance programme spanning 5 years and covering 11 sites representing seven of the eight provinces in Kenya and located in diverse ecological zones was carried out. Methods Mosquitoes were sampled bi-annually during the wet seasons and screened for arboviruses. Mosquitoes were identified to species, pooled by species, collection date and site and screened for arboviruses by isolation in cell culture and/or RT-PCR screening and sequencing. Results Over 450,000 mosquitoes in 15,890 pools were screened with 83 viruses being detected/isolated that include members of the alphavirus, flavivirus and orthobunyavirus genera many of which are known to be of significant public health importance in the East African region. These include West Nile, Ndumu, Sindbis, Bunyamwera, Pongola and Usutu viruses detected from diverse sites. Ngari virus, which was associated with hemorrhagic fever in northern Kenya in 1997/98 was isolated from a pool of Anopheles funestus sampled from Tana-delta and from Aedes mcintoshi from Garissa. Insect only flaviviruses previously undescribed in Kenya were also isolated in the coastal site of Rabai. A flavivirus most closely related to the Chaoyang virus, a new virus recently identified in China and two isolates closely related to Quang Binh virus previously unreported in Kenya were also detected. Conclusion Active transmission of arboviruses of public health significance continues in various parts of the country with possible undetermined human impact. Arbovirus activity was highest in the pastoralist dominated semi-arid to arid zones sites of the country where 49% of the viruses were isolated suggesting a role of animals as amplifiers and indicating the need for improved arbovirus disease diagnosis among pastoral communities. PMID:23663381

  14. Groundwater recharge, circulation and geochemical evolution in the source region of the Blue Nile River, Ethiopia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kebede, Seifu; Travi, Yves; Alemayehu, Tamiru; Ayenew, Tenalem

    2005-01-01

    Geochemical and environmental isotope data were used to gain the first regional picture of groundwater recharge, circulation and its hydrochemical evolution in the upper Blue Nile River basin of Ethiopia. Q-mode statistical cluster analysis (HCA) was used to classify water into objective groups and to conduct inverse geochemical modeling among the groups. Two major structurally deformed regions with distinct groundwater circulation and evolution history were identified. These are the Lake Tana Graben (LTG) and the Yerer Tullu Wellel Volcanic Lineament Zone (YTVL). Silicate hydrolysis accompanied by CO 2 influx from deeper sources plays a major role in groundwater chemical evolution of the high TDS Na-HCO 3 type thermal groundwaters of these two regions. In the basaltic plateau outside these two zones, groundwater recharge takes place rapidly through fractured basalts, groundwater flow paths are short and they are characterized by low TDS and are Ca-Mg-HCO 3 type waters. Despite the high altitude (mean altitude ∼2500 masl) and the relatively low mean annual air temperature (18 deg. C) of the region compared to Sahelian Africa, there is no commensurate depletion in δ 18 O compositions of groundwaters of the Ethiopian Plateau. Generally the highland areas north and east of the basin are characterized by relatively depleted δ 18 O groundwaters. Altitudinal depletion of δ 18 O is 0.1%o/100 m. The meteoric waters of the Blue Nile River basin have higher d-excess compared to the meteoric waters of the Ethiopian Rift and that of its White Nile sister basin which emerges from the equatorial lakes region. The geochemically evolved groundwaters of the YTVL and LTG are relatively isotopically depleted when compared to the present day meteoric waters reflecting recharge under colder climate and their high altitude

  15. Plan form changes of Gumara River channel over 50 years (Upper Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abate, Mengiste; Nyssen, Jan; Mehari, Michael

    2014-05-01

    Channel plan form changes were investigated along the 65 km long Gumara River in Lake Tana basin (Ethiopia) by overlaying information from aerial photographs and SPOT imagery. Two sets of aerial photographs (1957 and 1980) were scanned, and then orthorectified in ENVI 4.2 environment. Recent channel plan form information was extracted from SPOT images of 2006. ERDAS 2010 and ArcGIS 10.1 tools were used for the data preparation and analysis. The information on river plan form changes spans from 1957 to 2006 (49 years), during which time the Gumara catchment has been subjected to changes in land use/cover and increasing water abstraction, which may have affected its hydrogeomorphology. The results indicated that the lower reach of Gumara at its mouth has undergone major plan form changes. A delta of 1.12 km² was created between 1957 and 1980 and additional 1.00 km² land has been created between 1980 and 2006. The sinuosity of the plan form changed only slightly through the study period: 1.78 in 1957, 1.76 in 1980, and 1.81 in 2006. Comparison of cross sections at the hydrological gauging station showed that the river bed aggraded in the order of 1.5 m to 2.5 m for the period 1963-2009. The trend analysis of stream flow of Gumara River versus rainfall in the catchment also indicated that the bed level of the Gumara river at its gauging station has risen. From field observations, the impact of direct human interventions was identified. The building of artificial levees along the river banks has contributed to huge deposition in the river bed. At locations where intensive irrigation takes place in the floodplain, seepage water through the banks created river bank failure and modifications in plan form. The unstable segments of the river reach were identified and will be further analysed.

  16. Appraisal of Farm Forestry Department around Tinderet Forest

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nyambati, R.O; Koech, C.K; Muok, G

    2007-01-01

    Tinderet forest is one of the most important catchment areas of lake victoria. It is the main source of numerous springs, streams, and rivers that flow into the lake. The forest is also an important habitat for wide variety of water plants and animal species. Although the forest is gazetted as a forest reserve, it has undergone different levels of degradation due to over exploitation of timber, posts, firewood, charcoal and honey by the community living next to the forest. Resource from the forest supplement the communities' meagre income from subsistence farming. A survey was conducted in four Divisions (Chichila, Kipkelion, Fort-Tanan and Tinderet) around the forest to evaluate the status of farm forestry development and underlying reasons for encroachment in the forest. The results showed that, 61% of the people around Tinderet forest were settlers, whose duration of settlement is between 30-40 years. Most farmers were involved in various forms of farming (livestock or crop production) but forestry was not reported as a major activity. Clearing for livestock and crop production, timber for construction and firewood are the main causes of vegetation depletion on farms. Upto 60% of the households were not self reliant on wood products mainly timber and firewood and Fort-Tana (78%) and Kipkelion (70%) were the most affected. Forestry extension services were mainly provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and East African Wildlife Society (EAWS) and were found to be poor on the ground. Other issues that hampered forest development are inadequate provision of germplasm (seed and seedlings). There is therefore a need to build the capacity of the community in the farm forestry through establishment of nurseries and provision of adequate extension services. This would contribute to enhancement of self-reliance in wood products and increased income reducing encroachment into the gazetted forest

  17. Groundwater recharge, circulation and geochemical evolution in the source region of the Blue Nile River, Ethiopia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kebede, Seifu [Laboratory of Hydrogeology, University of Avignon, 33 Rue Louis Pasteur, 84000 Avignon (France) and Department of Geology and Geophysics, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)]. E-mail: seifu.kebede@univ-avignon.fr; Travi, Yves [Laboratory of Hydrogeology, University of Avignon, 33 Rue Louis Pasteur, 84000 Avignon (France); Alemayehu, Tamiru [Department of Geology and Geophysics, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia); Ayenew, Tenalem [Department of Geology and Geophysics, Addis Ababa University, P.O. Box 1176, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)

    2005-09-15

    Geochemical and environmental isotope data were used to gain the first regional picture of groundwater recharge, circulation and its hydrochemical evolution in the upper Blue Nile River basin of Ethiopia. Q-mode statistical cluster analysis (HCA) was used to classify water into objective groups and to conduct inverse geochemical modeling among the groups. Two major structurally deformed regions with distinct groundwater circulation and evolution history were identified. These are the Lake Tana Graben (LTG) and the Yerer Tullu Wellel Volcanic Lineament Zone (YTVL). Silicate hydrolysis accompanied by CO{sub 2} influx from deeper sources plays a major role in groundwater chemical evolution of the high TDS Na-HCO {sub 3} type thermal groundwaters of these two regions. In the basaltic plateau outside these two zones, groundwater recharge takes place rapidly through fractured basalts, groundwater flow paths are short and they are characterized by low TDS and are Ca-Mg-HCO {sub 3} type waters. Despite the high altitude (mean altitude {approx}2500 masl) and the relatively low mean annual air temperature (18 deg. C) of the region compared to Sahelian Africa, there is no commensurate depletion in {delta} {sup 18}O compositions of groundwaters of the Ethiopian Plateau. Generally the highland areas north and east of the basin are characterized by relatively depleted {delta} {sup 18}O groundwaters. Altitudinal depletion of {delta} {sup 18}O is 0.1%o/100 m. The meteoric waters of the Blue Nile River basin have higher d-excess compared to the meteoric waters of the Ethiopian Rift and that of its White Nile sister basin which emerges from the equatorial lakes region. The geochemically evolved groundwaters of the YTVL and LTG are relatively isotopically depleted when compared to the present day meteoric waters reflecting recharge under colder climate and their high altitude.

  18. Informal value chain actors' knowledge and perceptions about zoonotic diseases and biosecurity in Kenya and the importance for food safety and public health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nyokabi, Simon; Birner, Regina; Bett, Bernard; Isuyi, Linda; Grace, Delia; Güttler, Denise; Lindahl, Johanna

    2018-03-01

    Zoonotic diseases, transmitted from animals to humans, are a public health challenge in developing countries. Livestock value chain actors have an important role to play as the first line of defence in safeguarding public health. However, although the livelihood and economic impacts of zoonoses are widely known, adoption of biosecurity measures aimed at preventing zoonoses is low, particularly among actors in informal livestock value chains in low and middle-income countries. The main objective of this study was to investigate knowledge of zoonoses and adoption of biosecurity measures by livestock and milk value chain actors in Bura, Tana River County, in Kenya, where cattle, camels, sheep and goats are the main livestock kept. The study utilised a mixed methods approach, with a questionnaire survey administered to 154 value chain actors. Additional information was elicited through key informant interviews and participatory methods with relevant stakeholders outside the value chain. Our results found low levels of knowledge of zoonoses and low levels of adherence to food safety standards, with only 37% of milk traders knowing about brucellosis, in spite of a sero-prevalence of 9% in the small ruminants tested in this study, and no slaughterhouse worker knew about Q fever. Actors had little formal education (between 0 and 10%) and lacked training in food safety and biosecurity measures. Adoption of biosecurity measures by value chain actors was very low or non-existent, with only 11% of butchers wearing gloves. There was a gendered dimension, evidenced by markedly different participation in value chains and lower adoption rates and knowledge levels among female actors. Finally, cultural and religious practices were shown to play an important role in exposure and transmission of diseases, influencing perceptions and attitudes to risks and adoption of biosecurity measures.

  19. Water Resource Assessment, Gaps, and Constraints of Vegetable Production in Robit and Dangishta Watersheds, Upper Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worqlul, A. W.; Dile, Y.; Jeong, J.; Schmitter, P.; Bizimana, J. C.; Gerik, T.; Srinivasan, R.; Richardson, J. W.; Clarke, N.

    2017-12-01

    Rainfed agriculture supports the majority of the poor in sub-Saharan Africa. However, rainfall variability, land degradation and low soil fertility lessen their effectiveness for feeding the growing population. This study aims to estimate the water resources potential to sustain small-scale irrigation (SSI) in Ethiopia into the dry season to expand the food supply by growing vegetable and to understand the gaps and constraints of irrigated vegetable production. The case studies were located in Robit and Dangishta watersheds of the Ethiopian highlands near Lake Tana, where detailed field-level data were collected. The study focused on data from 18 households who have been cultivating tomato and onion during the dry season using irrigation in each watershed. The two components of the Integrated Decision Support System (IDSS) - the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX) - were used to assess impacts of SSI at multiple scales. Results suggest that there is a substantial amount of surface runoff and shallow groundwater recharge at watershed scale. The field-scale analysis within the Robit watershed indicated that optimal tomato yield could be obtained with 450 mm of irrigation and 200 to 250 kg/ha of urea with 50 kg/ha of diammonium phosphate (DAP). In Dangishta, optimum onion yield can be obtained by applying 550 mm irrigation and 120 to 180 kg/ha of urea with 50 kg/ha of DAP. Studying field scale water balance, the average shallow groundwater recharge (after accounting other groundwater users such as household and livestock uses) was not sufficient to meet tomato and onion water demand. The field-scale analysis also indicated that soil evaporation attributed a significant proportion of evapotranspiration (i.e. 60% of the evapotranspiration for onion and 40% for tomato). Use of mulching or other soil and water conservation interventions could increase water for cropping by reducing soil evaporation thereby enhancing

  20. Evolutionary conservation of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 primary structure and function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schapira Marc

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1 plays a critical role in recruiting leukocytes in inflammatory lesions by mediating leukocyte rolling on selectins. Core-2 O-glycosylation of a N-terminal threonine and sulfation of at least one tyrosine residue of PSGL-1 are required for L- and P-selectin binding. Little information is available on the intra- and inter-species evolution of PSGL-1 primary structure. In addition, the evolutionary conservation of selectin binding site on PSGL-1 has not been previously examined in detail. Therefore, we performed multiple sequence alignment of PSGL-1 amino acid sequences of 14 mammals (human, chimpanzee, rhesus monkey, bovine, pig, rat, tree-shrew, bushbaby, mouse, bat, horse, cat, sheep and dog and examined mammalian PSGL-1 interactions with human selectins. Results A signal peptide was predicted in each sequence and a propeptide cleavage site was found in 9/14 species. PSGL-1 N-terminus is poorly conserved. However, each species exhibits at least one tyrosine sulfation site and, except in horse and dog, a T [D/E]PP [D/E] motif associated to the core-2 O-glycosylation of a N-terminal threonine. A mucin-like domain of 250–280 amino acids long was disclosed in all studied species. It lies between the conserved N-terminal O-glycosylated threonine (Thr-57 in human and the transmembrane domain, and contains a central region exhibiting a variable number of decameric repeats (DR. Interspecies and intraspecies polymorphisms were observed. Transmembrane and cytoplasmic domain sequences are well conserved. The moesin binding residues that serve as adaptor between PSGL-1 and Syk, and are involved in regulating PSGL-1-dependent rolling on P-selectin are perfectly conserved in all analyzed mammalian sequences. Despite a poor conservation of PSGL-1 N-terminal sequence, CHO cells co-expressing human glycosyltransferases and human, bovine, pig or rat PSGL-1 efficiently rolled on human L- or P

  1. Interspecific scaling patterns of talar articular surfaces within primates and their closest living relatives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yapuncich, Gabriel S; Boyer, Doug M

    2014-01-01

    The articular facets of interosseous joints must transmit forces while maintaining relatively low stresses. To prevent overloading, joints that transmit higher forces should therefore have larger facet areas. The relative contributions of body mass and muscle-induced forces to joint stress are unclear, but generate opposing hypotheses. If mass-induced forces dominate, facet area should scale with positive allometry to body mass. Alternatively, muscle-induced forces should cause facets to scale isometrically with body mass. Within primates, both scaling patterns have been reported for articular surfaces of the femoral and humeral heads, but more distal elements are less well studied. Additionally, examination of complex articular surfaces has largely been limited to linear measurements, so that ‘true area' remains poorly assessed. To re-assess these scaling relationships, we examine the relationship between body size and articular surface areas of the talus. Area measurements were taken from microCT scan-generated surfaces of all talar facets from a comprehensive sample of extant euarchontan taxa (primates, treeshrews, and colugos). Log-transformed data were regressed on literature-derived log-body mass using reduced major axis and phylogenetic least squares regressions. We examine the scaling patterns of muscle mass and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) to body mass, as these relationships may complicate each model. Finally, we examine the scaling pattern of hindlimb muscle PCSA to talar articular surface area, a direct test of the effect of mass-induced forces on joint surfaces. Among most groups, there is an overall trend toward positive allometry for articular surfaces. The ectal (= posterior calcaneal) facet scales with positive allometry among all groups except ‘sundatherians', strepsirrhines, galagids, and lorisids. The medial tibial facet scales isometrically among all groups except lemuroids. Scaling coefficients are not correlated with sample

  2. Late Cenozoic deep weathering patterns on the Fennoscandian shield in northern Finland: A window on ice sheet bed conditions at the onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Adrian M.; Sarala, Pertti; Ebert, Karin

    2015-10-01

    The nature of the regolith that existed on the shields of the Northern Hemisphere at the onset of ice sheet glaciation is poorly constrained. In this paper, we provide the first detailed account of an exceptionally preserved, deeply weathered late Neogene landscape in the ice sheet divide zone in northern Finland. We mine data sets of drilling and pitting records gathered by the Geological Survey of Finland to reconstruct regional preglacial deep weathering patterns within a GIS framework. Using a large geochemical data set, we give standardised descriptions of saprolite geochemistry using a variant of the Weathering Index of Parker (WIP) as a proxy to assess the intensity of weathering. We also focus on mineral prospects and mines with dense pit and borehole data coverage in order to identify links between geology, topography, and weathering. Geology is closely linked to topography on the preglacial shield landscape of northern Finland and both factors influence weathering patterns. Upstanding, resistant granulite, granite, gabbro, metabasalt, and quartzite rocks were associated with fresh rock outcrops, including tors, or with thin (floors developed along mineralised shear and fracture zones, weathering penetrated locally to depths of > 50 m and included intensely weathered kaolinitic clays with WIPfines values below 1000. Late Neogene weathering profiles were varied in character. Tripartite clay-gruss-saprock profiles occur only in limited areas. Bipartite gruss-saprock profiles were widespread, with saprock thicknesses of > 10 m. Weathering profiles included two discontinuities in texture, materials and resistance to erosion, between saprolite and saprock and between saprock and rock. Limited core recovery when drilling below the soil base in mixed rocks of the Tana Belt indicates that weathering locally penetrated deep below upper fresh rock layers. Such deep-seated weathered bands in rock represent a third set of discontinuities. Incipient weathering and

  3. Morphological dynamics of gully systems in the subhumid Ethiopian Highlands: the Debre Mawi watershed

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zegeye, Assefa D.; Langendoen, Eddy J.; Stoof, Cathelijne R.; Tilahun, Seifu A.; Dagnew, Dessalegn C.; Zimale, Fasikaw A.; Guzman, Christian D.; Yitaferu, Birru; Steenhuis, Tammo S.

    2016-09-01

    Gully expansion in the Ethiopian Highlands dissects vital agricultural lands with the eroded materials adversely impacting downstream resources, for example as they accumulate in reservoirs. While gully expansion and rehabilitation have been more extensively researched in the semiarid region of Ethiopia, few studies have been conducted in the (sub)humid region. For that reason, we assessed the severity of gully erosion by measuring the expansion of 13 selected permanent gullies in the subhumid Debre Mawi watershed, 30 km south of Lake Tana, Ethiopia. In addition, the rate of expansion of the entire drainage network in the watershed was determined using 0.5 m resolution aerial imagery from flights in 2005 and 2013. About 0.6 Mt (or 127 t ha-1 yr-1) of soil was lost during this period due to actively expanding gullies. The net gully area in the entire watershed increased more than 4-fold from 4.5 ha in 2005 to 20.4 ha in 2013 (> 3 % of the watershed area), indicating the growing severity of gully erosion and hence land degradation in the watershed. Soil losses were caused by upslope migrating gully heads through a combination of gully head collapse and removal of the failed material by runoff. Collapse of gully banks and retreat of headcuts was most severe in locations where elevated groundwater tables saturated gully heads and banks, destabilizing the soils by decreasing the shear strength. Elevated groundwater tables were therefore the most important cause of gully expansion. Additional factors that strongly relate to bank collapse were the height of the gully head and the size of the drainage area. Soil physical properties (e.g., texture and bulk density) only had minor effects. Conservation practices that address factors controlling erosion are the most effective in protecting gully expansion. These consist of lowering water table and regrading the gully head and sidewalls to reduce the occurrence of gravity-induced mass failures. Planting

  4. Impact of vetch cover crop on runoff, soil loss, soil chemical properties and yield of chickpea in North Gondar, Ethiopia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demelash, Nigus; Klik, Andreas; Holzmann, Hubert; Ziadat, Feras; Strohmeier, Stefan; Bayu, Wondimu; Zucca, Claudio; Abera, Atikilt

    2016-04-01

    Cover crops improve the sustainability and quality of both natural system and agro ecosystem. In Gumara-Maksegnit watershed which is located in Lake Tana basin, farmers usually use fallow during the rainy season for the preceding chickpea production system. The fallowing period can lead to soil erosion and nutrient losses. A field experiment was conducted during growing seasons 2014 and 2015 to evaluate the effect of cover crops on runoff, soil loss, soil chemical properties and yield of chickpea in North Gondar, Ethiopia. The plot experiment contained four treatments arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications: 1) Control plot (Farmers' practice: fallowing- without cover crop), 2) Chickpea planted with Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer with 46 k ha-1 P2O5 and 23 k ha-1 nitrogen after harvesting vetch cover crop, 3) Chick pea planted with vetch cover crop incorporated with the soil as green manure without fertilizer, 4) Chick pea planted with vetch cover crop and incorporated with the soil as green manure and with 23 k ha-1 P2O5 and 12.5 k ha-1 nitrogen. Each plot with an area of 36 m² was equipped with a runoff monitoring system. Vetch (Vicia sativa L.) was planted as cover crop at the onset of the rain in June and used as green manure. The results of the experiment showed statistically significant (P plant, above ground biomass and grain yield of chick pea. However, there was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) on average plant height, average number of branches and hundred seed weight. Similarly, the results indicated that cover crop has a clear impact on runoff volume and sediment loss. Plots with vetch cover crop reduce the average runoff by 65% and the average soil loss decreased from 15.7 in the bare land plot to 8.6 t ha-1 with plots covered by vetch. In general, this result reveales that the cover crops, especially vetch, can be used to improve chickpea grain yield in addition to reduce soil erosion in the

  5. Book reviews

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Redactie KITLV

    2013-01-01

    Termorhuizen, Realisten en reactionairen: Een geschiedenis van de Indisch-Nederlandse pers 1905-1942 (Pieter Drooglever Tjien Oei (ed., Memoirs of Indonesian doctors and professionals 2; More stories that shaped the lives of Indonesian doctors (Vivek Neelakantan Tomomi Ito, Modern Buddhism and Buddhadāsa Bhikkhu: A social history (Justin McDaniel Geoff Wade and Li Tana (eds, Anthony Reid and the study of the Southeast Asian past (Henk Schulte Nordholt Roxana Waterson and Kwok Kian-Woon (eds, Contestations of memory in Southeast Asia (Kevin Blackburn

  6. Analyzing catchment behavior through catchment modeling in the Gilgel Abay, Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Uhlenbrook

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Understanding catchment hydrological processes is essential for water resources management, in particular in data scarce regions. The Gilgel Abay catchment (a major tributary into Lake Tana, source of the Blue Nile is undergoing intensive plans for water management, which is part of larger development plans in the Blue Nile basin in Ethiopia. To obtain a better understanding of the water balance dynamics and runoff generation mechanisms and to evaluate model transferability, catchment modeling has been conducted using the conceptual hydrological model HBV. Accordingly, the catchment of the Gilgel Abay has been divided into two gauged sub-catchments (Upper Gilgel Abay and Koga and the un-gauged part of the catchment. All available data sets were tested for stationarity, consistency and homogeneity and the data limitations (quality and quantity are discussed. Manual calibration of the daily models for three different catchment representations, i.e. (i lumped, (ii lumped with multiple vegetation zones, and (iii semi-distributed with multiple vegetation and elevation zones, showed good to satisfactory model performances with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiencies Reff > 0.75 and > 0.6 for the Upper Gilgel Abay and Koga sub-catchments, respectively. Better model results could not be obtained with manual calibration, very likely due to the limited data quality and model insufficiencies. Increasing the computation time step to 15 and 30 days improved the model performance in both sub-catchments to Reff > 0.8. Model parameter transferability tests have been conducted by interchanging parameters sets between the two gauged sub-catchments. Results showed poor performances for the daily models (0.30 < Reff < 0.67, but better performances for the 15 and 30 days models, Reff > 0.80. The transferability tests together with a sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo simulations (more than 1 million

  7. Formy przekazu kampanii społecznych w Polsce i Wielkiej Brytanii – badanie porównawcze = Forms of social media campaigns in Poland and the UK - a comparative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daria Skaruz

    2015-08-01

                Wnioski: W procesie planowania kampanii społecznej istotne jest precyzyjne określenie grupy docelowej i sposobu dotarcia do niej w celu osiągnięcia  pozytywnych rezultatów. Przekaz powinien w sposób jednoznaczny opisywać problem i  być łatwy do zrozumienia. Warto rozważyć przygotowanie kontrowersyjnego spotu, gdyż w ten sposób można zwiększyć szansę na przykucie uwagi odbiorcy i wzbudzenie w nim chęci zapoznania się z podejmowanym problemem społecznym. Kampania społeczna powinna wzbudzać w odbiorcach emocje. Im większe emocje u odbiory, tym reklama lepiej zostanie zapamiętana, co może przełożyć się na zmianę zachowania odbiorcy. Abstract             Introduction: The social campaign is a kind of social communication. It promotes socially relevant, valuable patterns of behavior and draws attention on important social problems.             Aim: To show differences in perception of selected social campaigns.             Material and Methods: The study was conducted using a questionnaire designed by the author. Completing the questionnaire was prelude by displaying the Polish and English social advertising. The study covered 209 secondary school students.             Results: Nearly 38% of respondents believe that children's participation in social advertising is a good idea. Nearly 58% of high school students answered that the blood on-screen does not estrange them to continue watching advertisement. The nakedness is not disturbed 88% of respondents. More than 93% of respondents don't feel outraged because of eroticism in advertising.             Conclusions: Defining target group is essential in the process of planning a social campaign to achieve positive results. The advertising message should clearly describe the problem and be easy to understand. Controversial advertisement can increase a chance of gaining the attention to undertaken social problem

  8. Arius and the Three Hundred and Eighteen Orthodox Fathers in the Ethiopian Tradition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacques-Noël Pérès

    2015-04-01

    representation of this is found in the way Arius is depicted on the wall of the church of Ura Kidana Mehret, near Lake Tana on the Peninsula of Zege. A similar depiction, this time in words, is found in the Ethiopian Synaxarion.

  9. Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Infection of Animal Dermal Fibroblasts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wei; Krump, Nathan A; MacDonald, Margo; You, Jianxin

    2018-02-15

    Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the first polyomavirus to be associated with human cancer. Mechanistic studies attempting to fully elucidate MCPyV's oncogenic mechanisms have been hampered by the lack of animal models for MCPyV infection. In this study, we examined the ability of MCPyV-GFP pseudovirus (containing a green fluorescent protein [GFP] reporter construct), MCPyV recombinant virions, and several MCPyV chimeric viruses to infect dermal fibroblasts isolated from various model animals, including mouse ( Mus musculus ), rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ), rat ( Rattus norvegicus ), chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ), rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta ), patas monkey ( Erythrocebus patas ), common woolly monkey ( Lagothrix lagotricha ), red-chested mustached tamarin ( Saguinus labiatus ), and tree shrew ( Tupaia belangeri ). We found that MCPyV-GFP pseudovirus was able to enter the dermal fibroblasts of all species tested. Chimpanzee dermal fibroblasts were the only type that supported vigorous MCPyV gene expression and viral replication, and they did so to a level beyond that of human dermal fibroblasts. We further demonstrated that both human and chimpanzee dermal fibroblasts produce infectious MCPyV virions that can successfully infect new cells. In addition, rat dermal fibroblasts supported robust MCPyV large T antigen expression after infection with an MCPyV chimeric virus in which the entire enhancer region of the MCPyV early promoter has been replaced with the simian virus 40 (SV40) analog. Our results suggest that viral transcription and/or replication events represent the major hurdle for MCPyV cross-species transmission. The capacity of rat dermal fibroblasts to support MCPyV early gene expression suggests that the rat is a candidate model organism for studying viral oncogene function during Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) oncogenic progression. IMPORTANCE MCPyV plays an important role in the development of a highly aggressive form of skin cancer, Merkel

  10. A comprehensive biogeochemical record and annual flux estimates for the Sabaki River (Kenya)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marwick, Trent R.; Tamooh, Fredrick; Ogwoka, Bernard; Borges, Alberto V.; Darchambeau, François; Bouillon, Steven

    2018-03-01

    for the neighbouring dammed Tana River. Rapid pulses of heavily 13C-enriched POC coincided with peak concentrations of PN, ammonium, CH4 and low dissolved oxygen saturation, suggesting that large mammalian herbivores (e.g. hippopotami) may mediate the delivery of C4 organic matter to the river during the dry season. Given recent projections for increasing dissolved nutrient export from African rivers, as well as the planned damming of the Athi River, these first estimates of material fluxes from the Sabaki River provide base-line data for future research initiatives assessing anthropogenic perturbation of the Sabaki Basin.

  11. Book Reviews

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Redactie KITLV

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Michael Williams; Deforesting the earth; From prehistory to global crisis (Greg Bankoff Alexander Adelaar, Nikolaus P. Himmelmann (eds; The Austronesian languages of Asia and Madagascar (René van den Berg Wim Ravesteijn, Jan Kop (eds; Bouwen in de archipel; Burgerlijke Openbare Werken in Nederlands-Indië en Indonesië 1800-2000 (Freek Colombijn Susan Rodgers; Print, poetics, and politics; A Sumatran epic in the colonial Indies and New Order Indonesia (Bernhard Dahm Robert A. Scebold; Central Tagbanwa; a Philippine language on the brink of extinction; Sociolinguistics, grammar, and lexicon (Aone van Engelenhoven Adrian Vickers; Journeys of desire; A study of the Balinese text Malat (Amrit Gomperts B.J. Terwiel; Thailand’s political history; From the fall of Ayutthaya to recent times (Hans Hägerdal Robert van Niel; Java’s Northeast Coast 1740-1840; A study in colonial encroachment and dominance (Mason C. Hoadley Terence H. Hull (ed.; People, population, and policy in Indonesia (Santo Koesoebjono W.L. Korthals Altes; Tussen cultures en kredieten; Een institutionele geschiedenis van de Nederlandsch-Indische Handelsbank en Nationale Handelsbank, 1863-1964 (Koh Keng Weh William van der Heide; Malaysian cinema, Asian film; Border crossings and national cultures (Benjamin McKay Angela Romano; Politics and the press in Indonesia; Understanding an evolving political culture (Soe Tjen Marching Simon Harrison; Fracturing resemblances; Identity and mimetic conflict in Melanesia and the West (Toon van Meijl Daniel Fitzpatrick; Land claims in East Timor (Johanna van Reenen Susi Moeimam, Hein Steinhauer; Nederlands-Indonesisch Woordenboek (Stuart Robson Terance W. Bigalke; Tana Toraja: a social history of an Indonesian people (Dik Roth K. Alexander Adelaar (with the assistance of Pak Vitus Kaslem; Salako or Badameà; Sketch grammar, texts and lexicon of a Kanayatn dialect in West Borneo (Hein Steinhauer

  12. Abundance of Royle’s pika (Ochotona roylei along an altitudinal gradient in Uttarakhand, Western Himalaya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabuj Bhattacharyya

    2010-06-01

    zona alpina, in aree caratterizzate dalla presenza di muri in pietra, e sui pendii della zona sub-alpina, mentre l’abbondanza minore è stata rilevata nelle praterie alpine. I pika sono stati osservati consumare 26 specie di vegetali. La maggiore percentuale di piante utilizzate è stata rilevata lungo i pendii rocciosi al limite della vegetazione arborea. Tramite regressione multipla si è evidenziato che la copertura rocciosa è il fattore che più influenza l’abbondanza della specie. Le aree rocciose offrono probabilmente sia aree idonee per la tana, sia riparo dai predatori.

    doi:10.4404/hystrix-20.2-4441

  13. Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obura, D O

    2001-12-01

    The Kenya coast is bathed by the northward-flowing warm waters of the East Africa Coastal Current, located between latitudes 1 and 5 degrees S. With a narrow continental shelf, the coastal marine environments are dominated by coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves, with large expanses of sandy substrates where river inputs from Kenya's two largest rivers, the Tana and Athi rivers, prevent the growth of coral reefs. The northern part of the coast is seasonally influenced by upwelling waters of the Somali Current, resulting in lower water temperatures for part of the year. The coast is made up of raised Pleistocene reefs on coastal plains and hills of sedimentary origin, which support native habitats dominated by scrub bush and remnant pockets of the forests that used to cover East Africa and the Congo basin. The marine environment is characterized by warm tropical conditions varying at the surface between 25 degrees C and 31 degrees C during the year, stable salinity regimes, and moderately high nutrient levels from terrestrial runoff and groundwater. The semi-diurnal tidal regime varies from 1.5 to 4 m amplitude from neap to spring tides, creating extensive intertidal platform and rocky-shore communities exposed twice-daily during low tides. Fringing reef crests dominate the whole southern coast and parts of the northern coast towards Somalia, forming a natural barrier to the wave energy from the ocean. Coral reefs form the dominant ecosystem along the majority of the Kenya coast, creating habitats for seagrasses and mangroves in the lagoons and creeks protected by the reef crests. Kenya's marine environment faces a number of threats from the growing coastal human population estimated at just under three million in 2000. Extraction of fish and other resources from the narrow continental shelf, coral reef and mangrove ecosystems increases each year with inadequate monitoring and management structures to protect the resource bases. Coastal development in urban and

  14. Kenya

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Obura, David O. [CORDIO East Africa, Mombassa (Kenya)

    2001-07-01

    The Kenya coast is bathed by the northward-flowing warm waters of the East Africa Coastal Current, located between latitudes 1 and 5deg S. With a narrow continental shelf, the coastal marine environments are dominated by coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangroves, with large expanses of sandy substrates where river inputs from Kenya's two largest rivers, the Tana and Athi rivers, prevent the growth of coral reefs. The northern part of the coast is seasonally influenced by upwelling waters of the Somali Current, resulting in lower water temperatures for part of the year. The coast is made up of raised Pleistocene reefs on coastal plains and hills of sedimentary origin, which support native habitats dominated by scrub bush and remnant pockets of the forests that used to cover East Africa and the Congo basin. The marine environment is characterised by warm tropical conditions varying at the surface between 25degC and 31degC during the year, stable salinity regimes, and moderately high nutrient levels from terrestrial runoff and groundwater. The semi-diurnal tidal regime varies from 1.5 to 4 m amplitude from neap to spring tides, creating extensive intertidal platform and rocky-shore communities exposed twice-daily during low tides. Fringing reef crests dominate the whole southern coast and parts of the northern coast towards Somalia, forming a natural barrier to the wave energy from the ocean. Coral reefs form the dominant ecosystem along the majority of the Kenya coast, creating habitats for seagrasses and mangroves in the lagoons and creeks protected by the reef crests. Kenya's marine environment faces a number of threats from the growing coastal human population estimated at just under three million in 2000. Extraction of fish and other resources from the narrow continental shelf, coral reef and mangrove ecosystems increases each year with inadequate monitoring and management structures to protect the resource bases. Coastal development in urban and tourist

  15. Modeling the hydrologic effects of land and water development interventions: a case study of the upper Blue Nile river basin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haregeweyn, Nigussie; Tsunekawa, Atsushi; Tsubo, Mitsuru; Meshesha, Derege; Adgo, Enyew; Poesen, Jean; Schütt, Brigitta

    2014-05-01

    Over 67% of the Ethiopian landmass has been identified as very vulnerable to climate variability and land degradation. These problems are more prevalent in the Upper Blue Nile (UBN, often called Abay) river basin covering a drainage area of about 199,800 km2. The UBN River runs from Lake Tana (NW Ethiopia) to the Ethiopia-Sudan border. To enhance the adaptive capacity to the high climate variability and land degradation in the basin, different land and water management measures (stone/soil bunds, runoff collector trenches, exclosures) have been extensively implemented, especially since recent years. Moreover, multipurpose water harvesting schemes including the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD, reservoir area of ca. 4000 km2) and 17 other similar projects are being or to be implemented by 2025. However, impact studies on land and water management aspects rarely include detailed hydrological components especially at river basin scale, although it is generally regarded as a major determinant of hydrological processes. The main aim of this study is therefore to model the significance of land and water management interventions in surface runoff response at scale of UBN river basin and to suggest some recommendations. Spatially-distributed annual surface runoff was simulated for both present-day and future (2025) land and water management conditions using calibrated values of the proportional loss model in ArcGIS environment. Average annual rainfall map (1998-2012) was produced from calibrated TRMM satellite source and shows high spatial variability of rainfall ranging between ca. 1000 mm in the Eastern part of the basin to ca. 2000 mm in the southern part of the basin. Present-day land use day condition was obtained from Abay Basin Master Plan study. The future land use map was created taking into account the land and water development interventions to be implemented by 2025. Under present-day conditions, high spatial variability of annual runoff depth was observed

  16. Scelta dell'habitat del tasso (Meles meles in un'area dell'Oltrepò pavese

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentina Rigo

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Il presente studio è parte di una ricerca promossa dal Centro Studi Faunistica dei Vertebrati della SISN. Il progetto è iniziato nel 1999 ed è ancora in corso. L'area di studio (161 Km² si trova nella zona collinare dell'Oltrepò ed è compresa, sul reticolato cartografico UTM, tra i Km 4972 e 4960 Nord, e i Km 1505 e 1520 Est. Lo scopo principale della ricerca era di valutare l'importanza delle caratteristiche ambientali nella scelta e selezione dell'habitat del tasso, relativamente al posizionamento delle tane. Nel periodo di studio sono stati rilevati i dati ambientali su 23 punti tana (pt e 28 punti casuali (pc, successivamente inseriti in un GIS dal quale, attraverso l'analisi di carte tematiche digitalizzate, sono state ricavate diverse altre informazioni (uso del suolo, geologia, litologia, sviluppo dei corsi d'acqua, delle strade e dei centri abitati considerando aree di raggio 300 e 600 m intorno ai pt e pc. I dati raccolti sono stati oggetto d'analisi statistiche con test di confronto fra pt e pc, indice di selezione di Manly e tecniche classificatorie multivariate (regressione logistica. Le tane di tasso sono prevalentemente scavate in luoghi protetti, caratterizzati da un'elevata copertura. La differenza tra gli ambienti nei quali sono situate le tane e quelli relativi ai punti casuali si è rivelata estremamente significativa (Χ²=18.20; d.f.=1; p<0.001. L'indice di Manly indica una forte selezione per i boschi di latifoglie, quasi tutte le tane, infatti, si trovano in ambienti boschivi caratterizzati da una elevata copertura sia delle fronde degli alberi (Χ²=8.02; d.f.=2; p=0.018 che degli arbusti (Χ²=10.85; d.f.=2; p=0.004; sono invece evitati ambienti caratterizzati da un elevato sviluppo delle attività antropiche e che presentino una copertura minima o del tutto assente come campi coltivati, frutteti, zone a prato, ecc. Preferiti sono risultati i versanti esposti a sud rispetto alle altre esposizioni (Χ²=11.566; d

  17. Patient Centeredness in Electronic Communication: Evaluation of Patient-to-Health Care Team Secure Messaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogan, Timothy P; Luger, Tana M; Volkman, Julie E; Rocheleau, Mary; Mueller, Nora; Barker, Anna M; Nazi, Kim M; Houston, Thomas K; Bokhour, Barbara G

    2018-03-08

    respectful in nature (25.7%, 96/373 vs 33.4%, 113/338). Secure messages from health care team members sometimes appeared hurried (25.4%, 86/338) but also displayed friendliness or warmth (18.9%, 64/338) and reassurance or encouragement (18.6%, 63/338). Most patient messages involved either providing or seeking information; however, the majority of health care team member messages involved information provision in response to patient questions. This evaluation is an important step toward understanding the content and socioemotional tone that is part of the secure messaging exchanges between patients and health care team members. Our findings were encouraging; however, there are opportunities for improvement. As health care organizations seek to supplement traditional encounters with virtual care, they must reexamine their use of secure messaging, including the patient centeredness of the communication, and the potential for more proactive use by health care team members. ©Timothy P Hogan, Tana M Luger, Julie E Volkman, Mary Rocheleau, Nora Mueller, Anna M Barker, Kim M Nazi, Thomas K Houston, Barbara G Bokhour. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 08.03.2018.

  18. Structural Analysis Of CD59 Of Chinese Tree Shrew: A New Reference Molecule For Human Immune System Specific CD59 Drug Discovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panda, Subhamay; Kumari, Leena; Panda, Santamay

    2017-11-17

    Chinese tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) bear several characteristics that are considered to be very crucial for utilizing in animal experimental models in biomedical research. Subsequent to the identification of key aspects and signaling pathways in nervous and immune systems, it is revealed that tree shrews acquires shared common as well as unique characteristics, and hence offers a genetic basis for employing this animal as a prospective model for biomedical research. CD59 glycoprotein, commonly referred to as MAC-inhibitory protein (MAC-IP), membrane inhibitor of reactive lysis (MIRL), or protectin, is encoded by the CD59 gene in human beings. It is the member of the LY6/uPAR/alpha-neurotoxin protein family. With this initial point the objective of this study was to determine a comparative composite based structure of CD59 of Chinese tree shrew. The additional objective of this study was to examine the distribution of negatively and positively charged amino acid over molecular modeled structure, distribution of secondary structural elements, hydrophobicity molecular surface analysis and electrostatic potential analysis with the assistance of several bioinformatical analytical tools. CD59 Amino acid sequence of Chinese tree shrew collected from the online database system of National Centre for Biotechnology Information. SignalP 4.0 online server was employed for detection of signal peptide instance within the protein sequence of CD59. Molecular model structure of CD59 protein was generated by the Iterative Threading ASSEmbly Refinement (I-TASSER) suite. The confirmation for three-dimensional structural model was evaluated by structure validation tools. Location of negatively and positively charged amino acid over molecular modeled structure, distribution of secondary structural elements, and hydrophobicity molecular surface analysis was performed with the help of Chimera tool. Electrostatic potential analysis was carried out with the adaptive Poisson

  19. A comprehensive biogeochemical record and annual flux estimates for the Sabaki River (Kenya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. R. Marwick

    2018-03-01

    organic carbon (DOC; ∼ 81 %, PN (∼ 89 % and particulate phosphorus (TPP; ∼ 82 %, with > 50 % of each fraction exported during the long wet season (March–May. Our estimated sediment yield (85 Mg km−2 yr−1 is relatively low on the global scale and is considerably less than the recently reported average sediment yield of ∼ 630 Mg km−2 yr−1 for African river basins. Regardless, sediment and OC yields were all at least equivalent or greater than reported yields for the neighbouring dammed Tana River. Rapid pulses of heavily 13C-enriched POC coincided with peak concentrations of PN, ammonium, CH4 and low dissolved oxygen saturation, suggesting that large mammalian herbivores (e.g. hippopotami may mediate the delivery of C4 organic matter to the river during the dry season. Given recent projections for increasing dissolved nutrient export from African rivers, as well as the planned damming of the Athi River, these first estimates of material fluxes from the Sabaki River provide base-line data for future research initiatives assessing anthropogenic perturbation of the Sabaki Basin.

  20. Book Reviews

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Redactie KITLV

    2008-12-01

    (Raul Pertierra Odd Arne Westad, Sophie Quinn-Judge (eds; The Third Indochina War; Conflict between China, Vietnam and Cambodia, 1972-79 (Vatthana Pholsena B. Bouman; Ieder voor zich en de Republiek voor ons allen; De logistiek achter de Indonesische Revolutie 1945-1950 (Harry A. Poeze Michel Gilquin; The Muslims of Thailand (Nathan Porath Tom Boellstorff; The gay archipelago; Sexuality and nation in Indonesia (Raquel Reyes Kathleen M. Adams; Art as politics; Re-crafting identities, tourism, and power in Tana Toraja, Indonesia (Dik Roth Aris Ananta, Evi Nurvidya Arifin, Leo Suryadinata; Emerging democracy in Indonesia (Henk Schulte Nordholt Casper Schuring; Abdulgani; 70 jaar nationalist van het eerste uur (Nico G. Schulte Nordholt Geoff Wade (ed. and transl.; Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu; An open access resource (Heather Sutherland Alexander Horstmann, Reed L. Wadley (eds; Centering the margin; Agency and narrative in Southeast Asian Borderlands (Nicholas Tapp Marieke Brand, Henk Schulte Nordholt, Fridus Steijlen (eds; Indië verteld; Herinneringen, 1930-1950 (Jean Gelman Taylor Tin Maung Maung Than; State dominance in Myanmar; The political economy of industrialization (Sean Turnell Henk Schulte Nordholt, Ireen Hoogenboom (eds; Indonesian transitions (Robert Wessing In: Bijdragen tot de Taal-, Land- en Volkenkunde no. 163 (20075, no: 4, Leiden

  1. The East African rift system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chorowicz, Jean

    2005-10-01

    This overview paper considers the East African rift system (EARS) as an intra-continental ridge system, comprising an axial rift. It describes the structural organization in three branches, the overall morphology, lithospheric cross-sections, the morphotectonics, the main tectonic features—with emphasis on the tension fractures—and volcanism in its relationships with the tectonics. The most characteristic features in the EARS are narrow elongate zones of thinned continental lithosphere related to asthenospheric intrusions in the upper mantle. This hidden part of the rift structure is expressed on the surface by thermal uplift of the rift shoulders. The graben valleys and basins are organized over a major failure in the lithospheric mantle, and in the crust comprise a major border fault, linked in depth to a low angle detachment fault, inducing asymmetric roll-over pattern, eventually accompanied by smaller normal faulting and tilted blocks. Considering the kinematics, divergent movements caused the continent to split along lines of preexisting lithospheric weaknesses marked by ancient tectonic patterns that focus the extensional strain. The hypothesis favored here is SE-ward relative divergent drifting of a not yet well individualized Somalian plate, a model in agreement with the existence of NW-striking transform and transfer zones. The East African rift system comprises a unique succession of graben basins linked and segmented by intracontinental transform, transfer and accommodation zones. In an attempt to make a point on the rift system evolution through time and space, it is clear that the role of plume impacts is determinant. The main phenomenon is formation of domes related to plume effect, weakening the lithosphere and, long after, failure inducing focused upper mantle thinning, asthenospheric intrusion and related thermal uplift of shoulders. The plume that had formed first at around 30 Ma was not in the Afar but likely in Lake Tana region (Ethiopia

  2. POTENTIAL USE OF ENDOPHYTIC BACTERIA TO CONTROL Pratylenchus brachyurus ON PATCHOULI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita Harni

    2012-10-01

    tana-man nilam yang dapat menurunkan hasil dan kualitas minyak nilam. Salah satu cara pengendalian yang potensial terhadap nematoda tersebut adalah menggunakan bakteri endofit. Selain dapat membunuh nematoda, bakteri endofit juga dapat meng-induksi pertumbuhan tanaman. Penelitian bertujuan untuk  mengevaluasi potensi bakteri endofit yang berasal dari tanaman nilam untuk mengendalikan namatoda parasit P. brachyurus. Penelitian dilakukan di Laboratorium Bakteriologi, Departemen Proteksi Tanaman, Institut Pertanian Bogor, serta di  laboratorium dan rumah kaca Balai Penelitian Tanaman Rempah dan Obat, pada bulan April sampai Desember 2007. Bakteri endofit diisolasi dari sampel akar tanaman nilam dari beberapa lokasi di Jawa Barat. Isolat-isolat bakteri endofit diseleksi kemampuannya untuk membunuh P. brachyurus dan menginduksi pertumbuhan tanam-an nilam. Isolat bakteri endofit yang potensial selanjutnya diidentifikasi secara molekuler menggunakan primer universal 16S rRNA. Penelitian memperoleh 257 isolat bakteri endofit dengan kerapatan populasi 2,3 x 102 sampai 6,0 x 105  cfu g-1 berat basah akar. Enam puluh isolat (23,34% di antaranya bersifat antagonis terhadap P. brachyurus dengan mortalitas 70-100%, 72 isolat (28,01% dapat memacu pertumbuhan tanaman nilam, 93 isolat (36,18% bersifat netral, dan 32 isolat (12,47% dapat menghambat pertumbuhan tanaman. Berdasarkan hasil peng-ujian antagonis dan pemacu pertumbuhan tanaman, lima isolat bakteri, yaitu Achromobacter xylosoxidans TT2, Alcaligenes faecalis NJ16,  Pseudomonas putida EH11, Bacillus cereus MSK, dan Bacillus subtilis NJ57 dapat menekan populasi nematoda 74,0-81,6% dan meningkatkan pertumbuhan nilam 46,97-86,79%. Penelitian mengindikasikan bahwa bakteri endofit dari tanaman nilam berpotensi mengendalikan P. brachyurus pada tanaman nilam.

  3. Vasiljević’s collections of folk melodies: A Serbian musical treasure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radinović Sanja

    2016-01-01

    2009. The first four collections offer comprehensive material from Kosmet, Sandžak, Macedonia and the region of Leskovac, and they were edited by Vasiljević himself during the last ten years of his life or so. Posthumous publications were devoted to Montenegro, Vojvodina, Resava and various parts of central Serbia, as well as to the repertoires of the famous singer Hamdija Šahinpašić (1914/16-2003 from Sandžak, and gypsy female singer Malika Jeminović Koštana (1872?-1945 from the vicinity of Vranje. Until now there have still not been any comprehensive studies on Vasiljević’s ethnomusicological activity, although there are valuable articles. In these, Vasiljević’s melographic contribution is usually emphasised much more than his scientific one, which is much more modest in its scope. Since the existing writings mostly deal with collections published during his life, this paper results from the intention to give a complete picture of the material, so all Vasiljević’s collections were critically considered according to the chronology of their publication. Each of the publications emerged to witness to both Vasiljević as a field worker and to some of the important stages of his own ethnomusicological development. The last part of the text focuses on the fact that a decline in production of ethnomusicological collection publications has been evident in Serbia over the last few decades. Nowadays, this negative trend is conditioned by two key reasons. One is the perfected and easily available technology of digital audio recording and the copying of sound recordings. The second is reflected in the general developmental orientation of the discipline. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177024: Muzička i igračka tradicija multietničke i multikulturalne Srbije

  4. Factors affecting the distribution of fox dens in northern Italy / Fattori influenzanti la distribuzione delle tane di volpe (Vulpes vulpes in Italia settentrionale

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto Meriggi

    1991-07-01

    ,30; bassa collina 0,71/km² (D.S.=0,37; media collina 1,20/km² (D.S.=0,35; montagna 0,41/km² (D.S.=0,42. Le densità più elevate sono state registrate nei territori protetti (0,98 tane/km², quelle più basse nelle Aree a gestione sociale della caccia (0,41/km² e nelle Aziende faunistico-venatorie (0,33/km². La densità è risultata correlata positivamente con l'altitudine media (r=0,443; Ptana e nello stesso tempo buona protezione della stessa. La maggior parte delle tane (69% è collocata entro 500 m dalle zone abitate. La distribuzione delle tane nel territorio considerato dipende in gran parte dalla disponibilità di prede e di luoghi sufficientemente protetti dal disturbo e dalla persecuzione dell'uomo.

  5. Seyyid Vehbi'nin Divanında Yer Almayan Bir Kasidesi The Kaside That Doesn’t Take Place In Divan Of Seyyid Vehbi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haluk GÖKALP

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Perodicals include kinds of poems. In addition they comprise artistic and cultural accumulation when they were written. Pastiche collections give knowledge abaut pastiche tradition and interactions between poets. Poem notebooks which can collect diffrent subjects contribute to history of literatüre. So, pastiche collections or other collections are one of the main source of classical poetry. Contributions of periodicals to classical school of poetry investigating, may be collected with three groups. Firsh of all, periodicals reflect the plcasure of poem when they were written and poems which were approued can be determined. Second one, they contribute to recognition of poets who weren’t mentioned in history of literature. Third one, investigetors can benefit from periodicals for poems which weren’t mentioned in poet’s divan which include their poems. By this way, investigators can collect all poems of poet. İn this study, we evalvated the contributions of periodicals to classical poetry investigators. And than we are going to publish Seyyid Vehbi’s kaside in “Sıhhatname ve Sur-ı Hıtana Müteallik Kasaid” which was found from Topkapı Palace Library. With this study, Seyyid Vehbi’s poem which weren’t mentioned in other 31 copy is going to be presented to investigator’s advantage. Şiir mecmuaları çeşitli şiirleri derlemekle birlikte yazıldığı devrin sanat ve kültür birikimini de bir araya getirirler. Nazire mecmuaları nazire geleneğini ve şairler arası etkileşimi örnekleriyle gözler önüne sererken, farklı konular etrafında toplanan ya da -tamamen okuyucunun zevkine göre gelişigüzel toplanan- şiir defterleri edebiyat tarihini bir bütünlük içinde görmemize olumlu katkılar sağlar. Bu nedenle nazire mecmuaları ya da diğer şiir mecmuaları, divan şiiri araştırmalarının başlıca kaynaklarındandır. Genel olarak baktığımızda mecmuaların divan edebiyatı araştırmalarına katk

  6. Progress report of Applications of Nuclear Physics. July 1994 - June 1995

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2004-01-01

    of the Tandem accelerator in the current year. The new HVEC Model 846 Ion Source was installed on the 90 0 injection line of the Tandem. Full computer control of this ion source is now possible. The HVEC Model 860 ion source previously in this position was moved to the right 33 0 port of the 45 degree injection magnet. The optics for a He ion source have been studied and an Alphatross ion source with an 80 kV injector system has been ordered. This will be located on the left 33 0 port of the 45 degree injection magnet. Considerable progress has also been made with the beam line facilities. The 14 C AMS was improved with better alignment and modification of the detector system. The electrostatic analyzer beam line, used for all other AMS measurements, is now fully operational. A new electrostatic beam line, to be located on the 0 0 port of the high energy analyzer magnet, has been designed to permit AMS measurements of elements to A = 250 and the beam line is expected to be installed in 1996. Several electrostatic quadruple magnets and a high voltage large radius electrostatic analyzer is on order. Improvement in the neutron scattering facilities and ancillary equipment has continued during the year. The new four-circle diffractometer was installed on 2TanA in the second half of 1994. An additional 9 detector channels (total number now 24) have been added to the Medium Resolution Powder Diffractometer (MRPD), and good quality powder patterns can now be collected in a few minutes. A major effort continues towards the installation of AUSANS. The development and construction of the position-sensitive neutron detector is the most challenging aspect of this project. Design chances have been made to overcome the failures which occurred during the first trials and the detector is now being re-assembled for a second trial soon. Polarizing super mirrors which will improve the beam intensity and polarization of the long wavelength polarization instrument (Longpol) have been

  7. Prince of zeta by Petar Konjović: Opera in five/four acts on the 125th anniversary of the composer's birth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mosusova Nadežda

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Petar Konjović (Čurug, May 5, 1883 - Belgrade, October 1, 1970 stands out among Serbian composers as an author of instrumental and vocal compositions. Studies at the Prague Conservatory (1904-1906 acquainted Konjović with Czech music, Wagner's opus, and the Russian national-romantic school, which contributed to the evolution of his talent for both music and stage, enabling him to express his ideas more explicitly in operatic works. It was in the Prague that the second opera - Prince of Zeta - was conceived, with new musical vividness and dramatic appeal (first version composed 1906-1926, the second and final 1929-1939, followed by Koštana (1928, Peasants (1951 and Fatherland (1960. Konjović's mature operas are characterized by his masterful handling of form, both in close-ups and in detail, as well as his deeply individual assimilation of musical folklore into his work. The Prince of Zeta is not to be understood as a folk opera, but some main themes are directly derived from folk music, precisely from the Montenegrin folk songs quoted in the Mokranjac's Ninth Garland and treated in Konjović's post-romantic, almost expressionistic way, interwoven with some Italianate leitmotifs, so as to present the opera's two worlds, Montenegrin and Venetian. In the process of forming Konjović's operatic style, with vocal parts based mainly on the principle of declamation, the opera Prince of Zeta (first performed in Belgrade, 1929, conducted by Lovro von Matačić proved to be a work of great impact. Hardly anyone grasped then the wide sweep of inspiration which allowed the composer to set and to solve several important problems connected with music drama, essential also in his subsequent stage works. First of all, Konjović had to handle in his own way the verbal drama the prototype of his opera, Maxim Crnojević by the Serbian poet Laza Kostić (1841-1910. Permission came from the playwright in the first decade of the 1900, Prince of Zeta being partly

  8. Animal models for HCV and HBV studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isabelle Chemin

    2007-02-01

    the infectivity of infectious clones of HCV without chimpanzees. Chimpanzees became infected when RNA transcripts from molecular clones were inoculated directly into the liver. The infection generated by such transfection did not differ significantly from that observed in animals infected intravenously with wild-type HCV. It furthermore permits true homologous challenge in studies of protective immunity and in testing the efficacy of vaccine candidates.

    Finally, this in vivo transfection system has made it possible to test for the first time the importance of genetic elements for HCV infectivity.

    Although chimpanzees are the only animals fully permissive for HBV infection, their use for research purpose is severely limited by the high costs and strong ethical constrains. The only alternative source of HBV-permissive hepatocytes is the Asian tree shrew Tupaia belangeri. Though experimental infection of these squirrel-like mammals, phylogenetically related to primates, results only in a mild, transient replication, primary hepatocytes isolated from T. belangeri turned out to be a reliable tool for in vitro HBV infection experiments.

    Along with invaluable infection studies in chimpanzees, avian and mammalian HBV-related viruses continue to offer ample opportunities for studies in naturally occurring hosts. In general, most of our progresses in hepatitis B virus research are based on infection studies with two HBV-related animal viruses: the woodchuck HBV (WHV, which infects the Eastern American woodchuck (Marmota monax, and the duck HBV (DHBV, which infects Peking ducks. Both animal models have been essential for understanding various steps of viral life-cycle and factors involved in establishment of virus

  9. Avatar' remarks on the carbon input threshold in the sloping croplands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novara, Agata; Gristina, Luciano; García-Díaz, Andrés; Menghin, Riccardo; Cerdà, Artemi

    2015-04-01

    sequestration rates in a semiarid environment. Land Degradation & Development, 23: 82- 91. DOI 10.1002/ldr.1055 Barua, A. K., Haque, S. M. S. 2013. Soil characteristics and carbon sequestration potentials of vegetation in degraded hills of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Land Degradation & Development, 24: 63- 71. DOI 10.1002/ldr.1107 Batjes NH. 2014. Projected changes in soil organic carbon stocks upon adoption of recommended soil and water practices in teh Upper Tana River Catchment, Kenia. Land Degradation and Development, 25, 278-287. DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2141 Beatriz Lozano-García and Luis Parras-Alcántara 2014 VARIATION IN SOIL ORGANIC CARBON AND NITROGEN STOCKS ALONG A TOPOSEQUENCE IN A TRADITIONAL MEDITERRANEAN OLIVE GROVE Land Degradation and development, 25, 297-304 | DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2284 Cerdà, A., Flanagan, D.C., le Bissonnais, Y., Boardman, J. 2009. Soil Erosion and Agriculture. Soil and Tillage Research, 107-108. doi:10.1016/j.still.2009.10.006 Cerdà, A., Giménez-Morera, A., Bodí, M.B. 2009. Soil and water losses from new citrus orchards growing on sloped soils in the western Mediterranean basin. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 34, 1822-1830. DOI: 10.1002/esp.1889 Debasish-Saha, S.S. Kukal and S.S. Bawa, 2014. SOIL ORGANIC CARBON STOCK AND FRACTIONS IN RELATION TO LAND USE AND SOIL DEPTH IN THE DEGRADED SHIWALIKS HILLS OF LOWER HIMALAYAS Land Degradation and Development, 25, 407-416. DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2151 Debasish-Saha, S.S. Kukal and S.S. Bawa, 2014. SOIL ORGANIC CARBON STOCK AND FRACTIONS IN RELATION TO LAND USE AND SOIL DEPTH IN THE DEGRADED SHIWALIKS HILLS OF LOWER HIMALAYAS Land Degradation and Development, 25, 407-416. DOI: 10.1002/ldr.2151 García-Orenes, F., Guerrero, C., Roldán, A.,Mataix-Solera, J., Cerdà, A., Campoy, M., Zornoza, R., Bárcenas, G., Caravaca. F. 2010. Soil microbial biomass and activity under different agricultural management systems in a semiarid Mediterranean agroecosystem. Soil and Tillage Research. 109 (2): 110-115. 10.1016/j

  10. PREFACE: CEWQO Topical Issue CEWQO Topical Issue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozic, Mirjana; Man'ko, Margarita

    2009-09-01

    -molecule that is able to describe relatively slow conformational transitions of a bio-molecule. Stef et al present their goal to grow good quality YbF3-doped and PbF2-codoped CaF2 crystals with high divalent Ytterbium content for investigating the influence of Pb2+ ions on the valence conversion, on the dielectric and optical absorption spectra. Vasile et al present the fabrication and SEM and photoluminescence characterization of zinc gallate doped with Eu and Er ions. The results could be important for photonic applications of spinels. Vasiljevic et al present the process of production of microlenses by irradiation of a tot'hema eosin sensitized gelatin (TESG) layer with a laser beam (2nd Nd:YAG harmonic, 532 nm). Microlenses chemically processed after production with 10% alum solution had near diffraction limited performance. The production and application of microlenses are fast expanding because they are increasingly used in biomedical and general optics. Prizes for the poster presentations Authors under 35 years of age were invited to take part in the poster competition. Two first prizes EX-AEQUOAE were awarded to Zoran Grujic from the Institute of Physics, Belgrade, Serbia, for the poster 'Numerical simulation of Raman-Ramsey effects induced by thermal motion of rubidium atoms' and to Andrey Popov from Altai State Technical University, Bernaul, Russia, for the poster 'Beryllium atoms in intense fields'. The third prize was awarded to Alex Crosse from Imperial College, London, UK, for the poster 'Quantum electrodynamics in absorbing nonlinear media'. Members of the Jury were: Mirjana Bozic (Chairperson), Victor Dodonov, Margarita Man'ko, Helmut Rauch, Saverio Pascazio, Richard Tanas and Philip Walther. Sponsors of the awards were the Institute of Physics, Belgrade, European Physical Journal (EPJ) and John Wiley and Sons. CEWQO 2009 and 2010 The 16th Central European Workshop on Quantum Optics was held in Turku, Finland, 23-27 May 2009. CEWQO09 was chaired by Professor