Validity of quasi-degenerate neutrino mass models and their predictions on baryogenesis

Quasi-degenerate neutrino mass models (QDN) which can explain the current data on neutrino masses and mixings,are studied. In the first part, we study the effect of CP-phases on QDN mass matrix obeying $\mu-\tau$ symmetry in normal hierarchical (QD-NH) and inverted hierarchical (QD-IH) patterns.The numerical predictions are consistent with observed data on solar mixing angle, absolute neutrino mass parameter consistent with neutrinoless double beta decay mass parameter and sum of three absolute neutrino masses from cosmological bound.The neutrino mass matrix is parameterized using only two unknown parameters. The second part deals with the estimation of observed baryon asymmetry of the universe. The prediction is nearly consistent with observation with flavoured thermal leptogenesis scenario. QD-NH model appears to be more favourable than those of QD-IH models.The present analysis shows that the three absolute neutrino masses may exhibit quasi-degenerate pattern in nature. They are far from discrimination at the moment.Comment: 17 pages, no figure, poster presentation in the 25th International Conference on neutrino physics and Astrophysics, Kyoto, Japan, July,201

COPING MECHANISMS OF FILIPINO SIBLINGS OF EXCEPTIONAL PUPILS

This research aimed to determine the implication of the coping skills in terms of understanding, awareness, and acceptance of siblings of pupils in an inclusive classroom and be the basis for an intervention plan. The study was descriptive type. It was conducted in a public school in Quezon City in the school year 2014-2015. The thirty-three (33) siblings and thirty-three (33) pupils were the respondents and subjects respectively. The data used frequency, percent, mean, analysis of variance, and chi-square test. Analysis of the results led to the following conclusions: In general, the sibling-respondents have 3 siblings, in which predominantly male and 19.5 years old. The pupil-subjects consist of males who slightly outnumbered the females, or generally 14 years old, either the youngest or the middle child, with predominantly intellectual disabilities and autism spectrum disorder, with moderate level of exceptionality, and mostly in the kindergarten level. Understanding, Awareness, and Acceptance are the coping skills used by the sibling-respondents when dealing with their disabled siblings. Coping mechanisms are perceived to be exhibited often. This shows that sibling-respondents often understand, are aware, and accept their exceptional siblings. This means that the level of the siblings’ coping skills of the disabled pupils are nearly the same regardless of whether the disability is ADHD, ASD, Intellectual Disability, Physical Impairments, or Visual Impairments. They may have high or low coping mechanisms towards their sibling with special needs regardless of their gender, age, number of siblings, economic status, and religion. Results of this study imply that there must be cooperation among teachers, parents, and siblings of differently-able pupils to achieve the common goal of helping them to improve their behavior and cognitive aspect as well for which an intervention program was planned

Prevalence and phenotypic detection of methicillin resistance Staphylococcus aureus between ruminants butchered for humanoid intake and animal handlers in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Objective: The objectives of this study was to investigate phenotypically the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin Resistance S. aureus (MRSA) in ruminants and animal handlers in Maiduguri, Nigeria. Materials and methods: A total of 937 samples (900 nasal and skin swabs of cattle and 37 humans samples) were collected in Maiduguri metropolis. The samples were inoculated onto mannitol salt agar (MSA) and blood agar, and the cultrue plates were incubated at 37oC for 24 h. The S. aureus colonies showing golden yellow color on MSA were primarily identified as S. aureus, which were then subjected for catalase and coagulase tests. All S. aureus were finally screened for the presence of MRSA on oxalate resistant screening agar (ORSAB) medium. Antimicrobial susceptibility of the MRSA were measured by disc diffusion method. Results: The overall prevalence of S. aureus was 44.3% (n=414/937). The MRSA could be detected in 12.1% (n=113/937) samples. Considerign different species, S. aureus could be isolated from 137 (45.6%), 148 (49.3%) and 119 (39.7%), 11 (29.7%) cattle, sheep, goat and humans, respectively. In ruminants, 27.7% (n-83/300) bulls were positive for S. aureus. Similarly, 10.7% (n=32/300) and 22.3% (n=67/300) were positive for S. aureus in rams and bucks, respectively. On the other hand, 18% (n=54/300), 38.7% (n=116/300) and 17.3% (n=52/300) samples from cows, ewes and does were positive for S. aureus. The highest MRSA could be isolated from ewes (9.3%; n=28/300) follwed by bulls (7%; n=21/300) and bucks (6.7%; n=20/300). In humans, 13.5% (n=5/37) samples were positive for MRSA. Conclusion: S. aureus and MRSA infections in ruminants and animal handlers are documented in this study. The MRSA may exert public health threat to humans. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2016; 3(2.000): 152-159

Reduced performance of a PVC-coated Biogents Sentinel prototype in comparison to the original Biogents Sentinel for monitoring the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, in temperate North America.

Aedes albopictus is a major nuisance pest and also a public health concern because of the role it plays in the transmission of arboviruses. There is a continuing demand for effective surveillance tools for this species. The first generation of Biogents Sentinel (BGS1) traps have proven to be an effective tool for surveillance of Ae. albopictus throughout its range, however, some defects in construction led to the eventual development of the next generation. We compared the performance of the new generation prototype trap (BGS2P) to the original. Studies were conducted in suburban and urban areas in Florida, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Virginia, USA in the summer of 2014 (July-October). BGS1 traps collected significantly more Ae. albopictus when compared to the BGS2P with or without CO2 in all locations (P<0.05). When a white cloth was wrapped around the BGS2P traps, efficiency did not change in Louisiana, New Jersey, and Virginia; however, numbers of adult Ae. albopictus collected from the BGS2P and the BGS1 were significantly different based on lure type (P< 0.0001). Results from Florida showed that BGS1with the BG lure and CO2 collected significantly higher adult numbers compared to BGS2P with a three component cartridge lure and CO2 (P< 0.0001). Overall, our results indicate that despite improvements in construction and durability of the BGS2P, this newer trap type did not increase the capture rates of Ae. albopictus in North America. Biogents modified BGS2P based on the data collected from the current study and updated as Biogents Sentinel 2 is now commercially available and its efficacy in comparison to the original will require further study

Vector-Host Interactions of Culiseta melanura in a Focus of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Activity in Southeastern Virginia.

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) causes a highly pathogenic mosquito-borne zoonosis that is responsible for sporadic outbreaks of severe illness in humans and equines in the eastern USA. Culiseta (Cs.) melanura is the primary vector of EEEV in most geographic regions but its feeding patterns on specific avian and mammalian hosts are largely unknown in the mid-Atlantic region. The objectives of our study were to: 1) identify avian hosts of Cs. melanura and evaluate their potential role in enzootic amplification of EEEV, 2) assess spatial and temporal patterns of virus activity during a season of intense virus transmission, and 3) investigate the potential role of Cs. melanura in epidemic/epizootic transmission of EEEV to humans and equines. Accordingly, we collected mosquitoes at 55 sites in Suffolk, Virginia in 2013, and identified the source of blood meals in engorged mosquitoes by nucleotide sequencing PCR products of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. We also examined field-collected mosquitoes for evidence of infection with EEEV using Vector Test, cell culture, and PCR. Analysis of 188 engorged Cs. melanura sampled from April through October 2013 indicated that 95.2%, 4.3%, and 0.5% obtained blood meals from avian, mammalian, and reptilian hosts, respectively. American Robin was the most frequently identified host for Cs. melanura (42.6% of blood meals) followed by Northern Cardinal (16.0%), European Starling (11.2%), Carolina Wren (4.3%), and Common Grackle (4.3%). EEEV was detected in 106 mosquito pools of Cs. melanura, and the number of virus positive pools peaked in late July with 22 positive pools and a Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) infection rate of 4.46 per 1,000 mosquitoes. Our findings highlight the importance of Cs. melanura as a regional EEEV vector based on frequent feeding on virus-competent bird species. A small proportion of blood meals acquired from mammalian hosts suggests the possibility that this species may occasionally contribute to epidemic/epizootic transmission of EEEV

Federal Programs for Agricultural Risk Management

This report provides a broad overview of the Federal programs that are designed to help agricultural producers manage risks to income or profitability caused by natural and economic forces. This report refers to these programs as “risk management programs.” Focus is given to risk management programs that are available under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (i.e., 2018 Farm Bill). Thus, this publication serves as an update to previous work (Motamed et al., 2018), which focused on programs available under the Agricultural Act of 2014 (i.e., 2014 Farm Bill). Although each title of the Farm Bill contains programs that attenuate risk indirectly, most current targeted risk management programs are authorized under Title I: Commodity Programs or Title XI: Crop Insurance. Accordingly, this report primarily focuses on programs for crop and livestock producers that are available under these two titles. Available policies for managing production and price risk are discussed with recent trends in program enrollment and outlays provided