IN June,Abdul Ati al-Obeidi,Muammar Gaddafi’s foreign minister,issued a statement that his leader is prepared to hold free elections.The conditions attached to the statement are that the UN cancels the no-fly zone,an...IN June,Abdul Ati al-Obeidi,Muammar Gaddafi’s foreign minister,issued a statement that his leader is prepared to hold free elections.The conditions attached to the statement are that the UN cancels the no-fly zone,and diplomatic and material support is withdrawn from the rebel National Transitional Council(NTC).If this happens Gaddafi is prepared to begin negotiations with the NTC that would lead to free elections within six months. Saif al-Islam,Gaddafi’s son went further,saying the European Union,the African Union(AU),the United Nations展开更多
Africa misappropriates time as it does to other resources, such as minerals. With this tradition, everything on the continent is always running behind schedule.
Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the bacterial communities of biting midges and ticks collected from three sites in the Poyang Lake area,namely,Qunlu Practice Base,Peach Blossom Garden,and Huangt...Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the bacterial communities of biting midges and ticks collected from three sites in the Poyang Lake area,namely,Qunlu Practice Base,Peach Blossom Garden,and Huangtong Animal Husbandry,and whether vectors carry any bacterial pathogens that may cause diseases to humans,to provide scientific basis for prospective pathogen discovery and disease prevention and control.Methods Using a metataxonomics approach in concert with full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing and operational phylogenetic unit(OPU)analysis,we characterized the species-level microbial community structure of two important vector species,biting midges and ticks,including 33 arthropod samples comprising 3,885 individuals,collected around Poyang Lake.Results A total of 662 OPUs were classified in biting midges,including 195 known species and 373 potentially new species,and 618 OPUs were classified in ticks,including 217 known species and 326 potentially new species.Surprisingly,OPUs with potentially pathogenicity were detected in both arthropod vectors,with 66 known species of biting midges reported to carry potential pathogens,including Asaia lannensis and Rickettsia bellii,compared to 50 in ticks,such as Acinetobacter lwoffii and Staphylococcus sciuri.We found that Proteobacteria was the most dominant group in both midges and ticks.Furthermore,the outcomes demonstrated that the microbiota of midges and ticks tend to be governed by a few highly abundant bacteria.Pantoea sp7 was predominant in biting midges,while Coxiella sp1 was enriched in ticks.Meanwhile,Coxiella spp.,which may be essential for the survival of Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann,were detected in all tick samples.The identification of dominant species and pathogens of biting midges and ticks in this study serves to broaden our knowledge associated to microbes of arthropod vectors.Conclusion Biting midges and ticks carry large numbers of known and potentially novel bacteria,and carry a wide range of potentially pathogenic bacteria,which may pose a risk of infection to humans and animals.The microbial communities of midges and ticks tend to be dominated by a few highly abundant bacteria.展开更多
Objective:To determine the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens with a particular focus on Rickettsia spp.in ticks collected from cattle in Gauteng and Limpopo Provinces,South Africa.Methods:A total of 200 ticks were co...Objective:To determine the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens with a particular focus on Rickettsia spp.in ticks collected from cattle in Gauteng and Limpopo Provinces,South Africa.Methods:A total of 200 ticks were collected from cattle within the Madala livestock,Pretoria,Gauteng Province and in Mankweng Township,Polokwane,Limpopo Province in 2019.The ticks were morphologically identified and processed individually for a total genomic DNA extraction.Specific primers targetting ompA,ompB,and the 17KDa genes were used for a molecular screening and delineation of Rickettsia from the extracted genetic materials using polymerase chain reaction(PCR)technique.PCR amplicons of positive samples were sequenced bidirectionally using the Sanger sequencing method.Sequences generated were processed and analysed using appropriate bioinformatics software.Results:The ticks were morphologically identified as Amblyomma spp.PCR profiling of the genomic DNA samples revealed the presence of the Rickettsia pathogen in 42(21%)of the ticks collected from both Provinces.Out of the genes profiled,14(7%)were positive for 17KDa,42(21%)for ompA and 32(16%)were positive for ompB genes respectively.The nucleotide blast of the sequenced genomes showed high similarity,as high as 100% with other reference Rickettsia(R.)africae in the GenBank.The phylogenetic analysis of the sequences further validated them as R.africae with their characteristic clustering pattern with related reference sequences.Conclusions:There is an abundance of R.africae in Amblyomma ticks collected from cattle in the study areas.This has serious public health implications as individuals who accidentally get infested with the ticks could acquire R.africae.Hence,adequate precautions in terms of sensitization of farmers about the risk and mass mobilization drive to control the vectors in the areas are highly recommended to safeguard public health.展开更多
Objective:To green synthesize and characterize copper nanoparticles(Cu NPs)using Astragalus sinicus,as well as evaluate the acaricidal,larvacidal,and repellent activities of Cu NPs against Hyalomma anatolicum(H.anatol...Objective:To green synthesize and characterize copper nanoparticles(Cu NPs)using Astragalus sinicus,as well as evaluate the acaricidal,larvacidal,and repellent activities of Cu NPs against Hyalomma anatolicum(H.anatolicum),one of the most prevalent ticks infesting cattle in Saudi Arabia.Methods:Cu NPs were green synthesized by adding the Astragalus sinicus extract to a copper sulfate solution.The acaricidal,larvicidal,and repellent activities of Cu NPs against H.anatolicum were assessed via the adult immersion test,the larval packet test,and the vertical movement behavior of tick larvae,respectively.The effects of Cu NPs on acetylcholinesterase as well as oxidative enzyme activities were examined.Results:The green synthesized Cu NPs displayed a spherical form with a size range of 15-75 nm.After exposure of adult H.anatolicum to different concentrations of Cu NPs,the viability rate of adult H.anatolicum and the mean number,weight,and hatchability of eggs were noticeably reduced,in comparison to the control group(P<0.001).In addition,the viability rate of larvae considerably declined(P<0.001)with the LC_(50)and LC_(90)values of 11.30 and 20.34μg/m L,respectively.The maximum repellent activity of Cu NPs was observed at 50,100,and 200μg/m L with complete repellent activity after 60,120,and 180 min of exposure,respectively.Cu NPs,mainly at 1/2 LC_(50)and LC_(50)concentrations,markedly suppressed the acetylcholinesterase activity of the larval stage of H.anatolicum(P<0.001).Moreover,Cu NPs,mainly at LC_(50)dose,significantly elevated malondialdehyde level while declining glutathione-S-transferase level in H.anatolicum larvae(P<0.001).Conclusions:Cu NPs show potent acaricidal,larvicidal,and repellent activities against adults and larvae of H.anatolicum.However,further studies must be performed to clarify the precise mechanisms and the efficacy of Cu NPs in practical use.展开更多
Learning programming can be a daunting task, especially for students without a programming background or non-computer science students. Most Geographic Information Science (GIS) experts and students come from a non-pr...Learning programming can be a daunting task, especially for students without a programming background or non-computer science students. Most Geographic Information Science (GIS) experts and students come from a non-programming background and the development of applications has mostly been perceived to be a field for computer science students and has mostly been shunned by other non-programming students and courses. Compounded by the availability of Open-Source Data collection tools like the Open Data Kit (ODK), learning programming and android application development is often overlooked by Geo Spatial Scientists. Many studies have been done to identify a suitable application development kit to introduce application development to students in non-programming classes. MIT App inventor is a user-friendly drag-and-drop application development platform that is ideal for introducing application development to students with a non-programming background. In this paper, students doing an undergraduate honors degree in spatial sciences were introduced to the MIT App inventor for the development of a Geo-App capable of collecting spatial data that can be exported into a GIS system like Arc GIS, and QGIS after the data has been collected. The paper investigates the suitability of MIT App Inventor in the development of Geo-Spatial Applications. The application was developed for collaborative mapping of tick species for Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe. The main purpose of the application developed is to act as a tool for veterinary extension workers under the Veterinary Services Department of Mashonaland Central Province allowing them to collect location information for tick monitoring. The application helps expansion workers to moreover outwardly communicate the circumstance at the tick controlling focuses such as plunge tanks by collaboratively making an outline and uploading multimedia records subsequently with an alternative of making calls straight to the veterinary call center in near real-time.展开更多
Ticks induce huge production and economic losses in the livestock industry and create serious environmental, animal and human health problems. The study was carried out to characterize tick species and determine the p...Ticks induce huge production and economic losses in the livestock industry and create serious environmental, animal and human health problems. The study was carried out to characterize tick species and determine the prevalence of tick infestation and tick-borne diseases in cattle in Cameroon. Tick and blood samples were collected from a total of 742 animals and analyzed to determine the type of tick and haemoparasites using standard procedures. Overall, four tick species namely Amblyomma variegatum (75.09%), Rhipicephalus microplus (19.43%), Rhipicephalus decoloratus (0.88%) and Hyalomma marginatum (0.18%) and six blood disease agents including Anapalasma marginale (11.29%), Ehrlichia ruminantium (3.52%), Babesia bovis (1.32%), Babesia major (0.44%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (0.29%) and Dermatophilus congolensis (3.37%). Various co-infections were recorded and the predominant associations were Amblyomma variegatum-Rhipicephalus microplus (4.06%) and Amblyomma variegatum-Hyalomma marginatum (0.36%);Anaplasma-Ehrlichia (12%), Anaplasma-Dematophylus (8%), Babesia-Anaplasma-Ehrlichia (14%) and Babesia-Anaplasma-Ehrlichia-Dermato-phylus (5%). Breed, sex, age and locality significantly influenced the rate of tick infestation while locality, breed and age significantly influenced the detection of blood disease agents in the study.展开更多
The mites found in stored food and house comprise a large group of subclass Acari, belonging to the suborder Acardida of the order Acarifornes. They can be found in dust and vacuum samples from floors, furniture, matt...The mites found in stored food and house comprise a large group of subclass Acari, belonging to the suborder Acardida of the order Acarifornes. They can be found in dust and vacuum samples from floors, furniture, mattresses, Chinese herbal medicine, dry fruit, grain, flour, sugar, and bedding. These mites are nidicolous and feed on organic debris, including sloughed human skin, fungi, spilled food, pollen, etc. These mites are particularly prevalent in Chinese herbal medicine, dry fruit, grain, flour, sugar, beds, though carpeted floors near beds or couches may also have large numbers. The most common species are Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae , Dermatophagoides farinae , D . pteronyssinus, Glycyphagus domesticus, G. Ornatus, Carpoglyphus lactis and Tarsonemus granarius, etc. The viability of mites in storage is quite strong and they can invade and parasitize the intestines of humans[1 -15]. They can cause pulmonary acariasis[16-25] , urinary acariasis[26-33] and so on. The dejecta of mites is a quite strong allergen and can cause different allergic diseases[34-44]. Intestinal acariasis can be caused by some mites related to the way of diet intake and invading against intestinal mucosa, intestinal muscle[45-5a]. The first report of intestinal acariasis caused by these mites was made by Hinman et al (1934)[45]. From then on, all kinds of studies on the disease have been reported gradually. In order to make an epidemiological survey of intestinal acariasis the investigation of the disease was taken in some areas of Anhui Province from 1989 to 1996.展开更多
Objective Tick-borne encephalitis virus(TBEV) is an emerging pathogen in Europe and North Asia that causes tick-borne encephalitis(TBE). A simple, rapid method for detecting TBEV RNA is needed to control this disease....Objective Tick-borne encephalitis virus(TBEV) is an emerging pathogen in Europe and North Asia that causes tick-borne encephalitis(TBE). A simple, rapid method for detecting TBEV RNA is needed to control this disease. Methods A reverse-transcription recombinase-aided amplification(RT-RAA) assay was developed. This assay can be completed in one closed tube at 39℃ within 30 minutes. The sensitivity and specificity of RT-RAA were validated using non-infectious synthetic RNA representing a fragment of the NS5 region of the wild-type(WT) TBEV genome and the Senzhang strain. Additionally, 10 batches of tick samples were used to evaluate the performance of the RT-RAA assay. Results The analytical limit of detection of the assay was 20 copies per reaction of the TBEV synthetic transcript and 3 plaque-forming units(pfu) per reaction of TBEV titers. With the specific assay, no signal due to other arboviruses was observed. Of the 10 batches of tick samples obtained from the Changbai Mountains of China, three were TBEV-positive, which was consistent with the results of the quantitative real-time PCR assay. Conclusion A rapid, highly sensitive, specific, and easy-to-use method was developed for the detection of the TBEV Far-Eastern subtype.展开更多
文摘IN June,Abdul Ati al-Obeidi,Muammar Gaddafi’s foreign minister,issued a statement that his leader is prepared to hold free elections.The conditions attached to the statement are that the UN cancels the no-fly zone,and diplomatic and material support is withdrawn from the rebel National Transitional Council(NTC).If this happens Gaddafi is prepared to begin negotiations with the NTC that would lead to free elections within six months. Saif al-Islam,Gaddafi’s son went further,saying the European Union,the African Union(AU),the United Nations
文摘Africa misappropriates time as it does to other resources, such as minerals. With this tradition, everything on the continent is always running behind schedule.
基金supported by grants from National Key R&D Program of China(2019YFC1200501)Research Units of Discovery of Unknown Bacteria and Function(2018RU010)Capacity Enhancement Project supported by National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention(China CDC).
文摘Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the bacterial communities of biting midges and ticks collected from three sites in the Poyang Lake area,namely,Qunlu Practice Base,Peach Blossom Garden,and Huangtong Animal Husbandry,and whether vectors carry any bacterial pathogens that may cause diseases to humans,to provide scientific basis for prospective pathogen discovery and disease prevention and control.Methods Using a metataxonomics approach in concert with full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing and operational phylogenetic unit(OPU)analysis,we characterized the species-level microbial community structure of two important vector species,biting midges and ticks,including 33 arthropod samples comprising 3,885 individuals,collected around Poyang Lake.Results A total of 662 OPUs were classified in biting midges,including 195 known species and 373 potentially new species,and 618 OPUs were classified in ticks,including 217 known species and 326 potentially new species.Surprisingly,OPUs with potentially pathogenicity were detected in both arthropod vectors,with 66 known species of biting midges reported to carry potential pathogens,including Asaia lannensis and Rickettsia bellii,compared to 50 in ticks,such as Acinetobacter lwoffii and Staphylococcus sciuri.We found that Proteobacteria was the most dominant group in both midges and ticks.Furthermore,the outcomes demonstrated that the microbiota of midges and ticks tend to be governed by a few highly abundant bacteria.Pantoea sp7 was predominant in biting midges,while Coxiella sp1 was enriched in ticks.Meanwhile,Coxiella spp.,which may be essential for the survival of Haemaphysalis longicornis Neumann,were detected in all tick samples.The identification of dominant species and pathogens of biting midges and ticks in this study serves to broaden our knowledge associated to microbes of arthropod vectors.Conclusion Biting midges and ticks carry large numbers of known and potentially novel bacteria,and carry a wide range of potentially pathogenic bacteria,which may pose a risk of infection to humans and animals.The microbial communities of midges and ticks tend to be dominated by a few highly abundant bacteria.
基金funded by SAMRC with grant number RDG2017/18 and the APC was funded by SMU.
文摘Objective:To determine the prevalence of tick-borne pathogens with a particular focus on Rickettsia spp.in ticks collected from cattle in Gauteng and Limpopo Provinces,South Africa.Methods:A total of 200 ticks were collected from cattle within the Madala livestock,Pretoria,Gauteng Province and in Mankweng Township,Polokwane,Limpopo Province in 2019.The ticks were morphologically identified and processed individually for a total genomic DNA extraction.Specific primers targetting ompA,ompB,and the 17KDa genes were used for a molecular screening and delineation of Rickettsia from the extracted genetic materials using polymerase chain reaction(PCR)technique.PCR amplicons of positive samples were sequenced bidirectionally using the Sanger sequencing method.Sequences generated were processed and analysed using appropriate bioinformatics software.Results:The ticks were morphologically identified as Amblyomma spp.PCR profiling of the genomic DNA samples revealed the presence of the Rickettsia pathogen in 42(21%)of the ticks collected from both Provinces.Out of the genes profiled,14(7%)were positive for 17KDa,42(21%)for ompA and 32(16%)were positive for ompB genes respectively.The nucleotide blast of the sequenced genomes showed high similarity,as high as 100% with other reference Rickettsia(R.)africae in the GenBank.The phylogenetic analysis of the sequences further validated them as R.africae with their characteristic clustering pattern with related reference sequences.Conclusions:There is an abundance of R.africae in Amblyomma ticks collected from cattle in the study areas.This has serious public health implications as individuals who accidentally get infested with the ticks could acquire R.africae.Hence,adequate precautions in terms of sensitization of farmers about the risk and mass mobilization drive to control the vectors in the areas are highly recommended to safeguard public health.
文摘Objective:To green synthesize and characterize copper nanoparticles(Cu NPs)using Astragalus sinicus,as well as evaluate the acaricidal,larvacidal,and repellent activities of Cu NPs against Hyalomma anatolicum(H.anatolicum),one of the most prevalent ticks infesting cattle in Saudi Arabia.Methods:Cu NPs were green synthesized by adding the Astragalus sinicus extract to a copper sulfate solution.The acaricidal,larvicidal,and repellent activities of Cu NPs against H.anatolicum were assessed via the adult immersion test,the larval packet test,and the vertical movement behavior of tick larvae,respectively.The effects of Cu NPs on acetylcholinesterase as well as oxidative enzyme activities were examined.Results:The green synthesized Cu NPs displayed a spherical form with a size range of 15-75 nm.After exposure of adult H.anatolicum to different concentrations of Cu NPs,the viability rate of adult H.anatolicum and the mean number,weight,and hatchability of eggs were noticeably reduced,in comparison to the control group(P<0.001).In addition,the viability rate of larvae considerably declined(P<0.001)with the LC_(50)and LC_(90)values of 11.30 and 20.34μg/m L,respectively.The maximum repellent activity of Cu NPs was observed at 50,100,and 200μg/m L with complete repellent activity after 60,120,and 180 min of exposure,respectively.Cu NPs,mainly at 1/2 LC_(50)and LC_(50)concentrations,markedly suppressed the acetylcholinesterase activity of the larval stage of H.anatolicum(P<0.001).Moreover,Cu NPs,mainly at LC_(50)dose,significantly elevated malondialdehyde level while declining glutathione-S-transferase level in H.anatolicum larvae(P<0.001).Conclusions:Cu NPs show potent acaricidal,larvicidal,and repellent activities against adults and larvae of H.anatolicum.However,further studies must be performed to clarify the precise mechanisms and the efficacy of Cu NPs in practical use.
文摘Learning programming can be a daunting task, especially for students without a programming background or non-computer science students. Most Geographic Information Science (GIS) experts and students come from a non-programming background and the development of applications has mostly been perceived to be a field for computer science students and has mostly been shunned by other non-programming students and courses. Compounded by the availability of Open-Source Data collection tools like the Open Data Kit (ODK), learning programming and android application development is often overlooked by Geo Spatial Scientists. Many studies have been done to identify a suitable application development kit to introduce application development to students in non-programming classes. MIT App inventor is a user-friendly drag-and-drop application development platform that is ideal for introducing application development to students with a non-programming background. In this paper, students doing an undergraduate honors degree in spatial sciences were introduced to the MIT App inventor for the development of a Geo-App capable of collecting spatial data that can be exported into a GIS system like Arc GIS, and QGIS after the data has been collected. The paper investigates the suitability of MIT App Inventor in the development of Geo-Spatial Applications. The application was developed for collaborative mapping of tick species for Mashonaland Central Province in Zimbabwe. The main purpose of the application developed is to act as a tool for veterinary extension workers under the Veterinary Services Department of Mashonaland Central Province allowing them to collect location information for tick monitoring. The application helps expansion workers to moreover outwardly communicate the circumstance at the tick controlling focuses such as plunge tanks by collaboratively making an outline and uploading multimedia records subsequently with an alternative of making calls straight to the veterinary call center in near real-time.
文摘Ticks induce huge production and economic losses in the livestock industry and create serious environmental, animal and human health problems. The study was carried out to characterize tick species and determine the prevalence of tick infestation and tick-borne diseases in cattle in Cameroon. Tick and blood samples were collected from a total of 742 animals and analyzed to determine the type of tick and haemoparasites using standard procedures. Overall, four tick species namely Amblyomma variegatum (75.09%), Rhipicephalus microplus (19.43%), Rhipicephalus decoloratus (0.88%) and Hyalomma marginatum (0.18%) and six blood disease agents including Anapalasma marginale (11.29%), Ehrlichia ruminantium (3.52%), Babesia bovis (1.32%), Babesia major (0.44%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (0.29%) and Dermatophilus congolensis (3.37%). Various co-infections were recorded and the predominant associations were Amblyomma variegatum-Rhipicephalus microplus (4.06%) and Amblyomma variegatum-Hyalomma marginatum (0.36%);Anaplasma-Ehrlichia (12%), Anaplasma-Dematophylus (8%), Babesia-Anaplasma-Ehrlichia (14%) and Babesia-Anaplasma-Ehrlichia-Dermato-phylus (5%). Breed, sex, age and locality significantly influenced the rate of tick infestation while locality, breed and age significantly influenced the detection of blood disease agents in the study.
基金the grants from Science Foundation of the Ministry of Coal Industry of China
文摘The mites found in stored food and house comprise a large group of subclass Acari, belonging to the suborder Acardida of the order Acarifornes. They can be found in dust and vacuum samples from floors, furniture, mattresses, Chinese herbal medicine, dry fruit, grain, flour, sugar, and bedding. These mites are nidicolous and feed on organic debris, including sloughed human skin, fungi, spilled food, pollen, etc. These mites are particularly prevalent in Chinese herbal medicine, dry fruit, grain, flour, sugar, beds, though carpeted floors near beds or couches may also have large numbers. The most common species are Acarus siro, Tyrophagus putrescentiae , Dermatophagoides farinae , D . pteronyssinus, Glycyphagus domesticus, G. Ornatus, Carpoglyphus lactis and Tarsonemus granarius, etc. The viability of mites in storage is quite strong and they can invade and parasitize the intestines of humans[1 -15]. They can cause pulmonary acariasis[16-25] , urinary acariasis[26-33] and so on. The dejecta of mites is a quite strong allergen and can cause different allergic diseases[34-44]. Intestinal acariasis can be caused by some mites related to the way of diet intake and invading against intestinal mucosa, intestinal muscle[45-5a]. The first report of intestinal acariasis caused by these mites was made by Hinman et al (1934)[45]. From then on, all kinds of studies on the disease have been reported gradually. In order to make an epidemiological survey of intestinal acariasis the investigation of the disease was taken in some areas of Anhui Province from 1989 to 1996.
基金supported by the National key research and development project [2017YFC1200505]the National Science and Technology Major Project of China [2018ZX10711001,2018ZX10101-002]the Development Grant of State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control [2015SKLID505,2014SKLID103]
文摘Objective Tick-borne encephalitis virus(TBEV) is an emerging pathogen in Europe and North Asia that causes tick-borne encephalitis(TBE). A simple, rapid method for detecting TBEV RNA is needed to control this disease. Methods A reverse-transcription recombinase-aided amplification(RT-RAA) assay was developed. This assay can be completed in one closed tube at 39℃ within 30 minutes. The sensitivity and specificity of RT-RAA were validated using non-infectious synthetic RNA representing a fragment of the NS5 region of the wild-type(WT) TBEV genome and the Senzhang strain. Additionally, 10 batches of tick samples were used to evaluate the performance of the RT-RAA assay. Results The analytical limit of detection of the assay was 20 copies per reaction of the TBEV synthetic transcript and 3 plaque-forming units(pfu) per reaction of TBEV titers. With the specific assay, no signal due to other arboviruses was observed. Of the 10 batches of tick samples obtained from the Changbai Mountains of China, three were TBEV-positive, which was consistent with the results of the quantitative real-time PCR assay. Conclusion A rapid, highly sensitive, specific, and easy-to-use method was developed for the detection of the TBEV Far-Eastern subtype.
