3-D analysis and interpretation of magnetotelluric data from the Aluto-Langano geothermal field, Ethiopia

The Main Ethiopian Rift Valley encompasses a number of volcanoes, which are known to be actively deforming with reoccurring periods of uplift and setting. One of the regions where temporal changes take place is the Aluto volcanic complex. It hosts a productive geothermal field and the only currently operating geothermal power plant of Ethiopia. We carried out magnetotelluric (MT) measurements in early 2012 in order to identify the source of unrest. Broad-band MT data (0.001-1000s) have been acquired at 46 sites covering the expanse of the Aluto volcanic complex with an average site spacing of 1km. Based on this MT data it is possible to map the bulk electrical resistivity of the subsurface down to depths of several kilometres. Resistivity is a crucial geophysical parameter in geothermal exploration as hydrothermal and magmatic reservoirs are typically related to low resistive zones, which can be easily sensed by MT. Thus by mapping the electrical conductivity one can identify and analyse geothermal systems with respect to their temperature, extent and potential for production of energy. 3-D inversions of the observed MT data from Aluto reveal the typical electrical conductivity distribution of a high-enthalpy geothermal system, which is mainly governed by the hydrothermal alteration mineralogy. The recovered 3-D conductivity models provide no evidence for an active deep magmatic system under Aluto. Forward modelling of the tippers rather suggest that occurrence of melt is predominantly at lower crustal depths along an off-axis fault zone a few tens of kilometres west of the central rift axis. The absence of an active magmatic system implies that the deforming source is most likely situated within the shallow hydrothermal system of the Aluto-Langano geothermal fiel

Cathelicidin suppresses lipid accumulation and hepatic steatosis by inhibition of the CD36 receptor.

Background and objectivesObesity is a global epidemic which increases the risk of the metabolic syndrome. Cathelicidin (LL-37 and mCRAMP) is an antimicrobial peptide with an unknown role in obesity. We hypothesize that cathelicidin expression correlates with obesity and modulates fat mass and hepatic steatosis.Materials and methodsMale C57BL/6 J mice were fed a high-fat diet. Streptozotocin was injected into mice to induce diabetes. Experimental groups were injected with cathelicidin and CD36 overexpressing lentiviruses. Human mesenteric fat adipocytes, mouse 3T3-L1 differentiated adipocytes and human HepG2 hepatocytes were used in the in vitro experiments. Cathelicidin levels in non-diabetic, prediabetic and type II diabetic patients were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsLentiviral cathelicidin overexpression reduced hepatic steatosis and decreased the fat mass of high-fat diet-treated diabetic mice. Cathelicidin overexpression reduced mesenteric fat and hepatic fatty acid translocase (CD36) expression that was reversed by lentiviral CD36 overexpression. Exposure of adipocytes and hepatocytes to cathelicidin significantly inhibited CD36 expression and reduced lipid accumulation. Serum cathelicidin protein levels were significantly increased in non-diabetic and prediabetic patients with obesity, compared with non-diabetic patients with normal body mass index (BMI) values. Prediabetic patients had lower serum cathelicidin protein levels than non-diabetic subjects.ConclusionsCathelicidin inhibits the CD36 fat receptor and lipid accumulation in adipocytes and hepatocytes, leading to a reduction of fat mass and hepatic steatosis in vivo. Circulating cathelicidin levels are associated with increased BMI. Our results demonstrate that cathelicidin modulates the development of obesity

Mudanças hidrológicas no pantanal associadas a processos erosivos e tectônicos na Bacia do Rio Taquari, MS.

Nas últimas décadas, grandes áreas de Cerrados de Mato Grosso do Sul foram convertidas em sistemas produtivos agrícolas e pastoris, sem a devida observância do potencial de utilização das terras. Com o tempo, algumas regiões, como a Bacia do Rio Taquari, passaram a apresentar problemas ambientais de grandes proporções em resposta a processos erosivos, cuja evolução progressiva sugere ineficiência dos sistemas de manejo visando à conservação ambiental. Os processos erosivos, estabelecidos na região de planaltos da alta Bacia do Rio Taquari, manifestam-se em escalas temporal e espacial ainda não inteiramente compreendidas e consideradas. Há falta de estudos sobre a erosão fluvial, principalmente em cabeceiras de drenagem, que acumulam grandes quantidades de matérias nas calhas dos rios da alta Bacia, cujos depósitos passam a funcionar como fonte de materiais disponíveis para transporte para o Pantanal. Mudanças hidrológicas na região baixa do lique aluvial do Taquari, com inundações permanentes em grandes áreas, são uma resposta ambiental de larga escala, cuja causa está associada a processos de intensificação da erosão na região de planaltos da alta Bacia do Rio taquari e aumento da taxa de transporte de materiais arenosos para a planície pantaneira. O transporte e a deposição de sedimentos no leito do rio Taquari, ou seja, os assoreamentos, forçam o ajuste morfológico da calha do rio incluindo a abertura de canais divergentes, os "arrombados", que permitem inundações permanentes em grandes áreas que eram de utilização pela pecuária pantaneira. Entretanto, estudos geofísicos e de sensoriamento remoto recentes indicam que essas mudanças hidrológicas, verificadas no baixo curso do rio Taquari, apresentam um padrão espacial de ocorrência e podem estar associadas ao neotectronismo, ou seja, a movimentação do embasamento no segmento do rio onde se concetram os arrombamentos de margens. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar novos dados que sugerem que, além de processos antropogênicos, processos geológicos naturais contribuem para aumentar a instabilidade dos ecossistemas da região de Cerrados e Pantanal em Mato Grosso do Sul. Um melhor conhecimento da importância relativa desses processos é fundamental no planejamento do uso e manejo de solos na Bacia do Rio Taquari.bitstream/item/104773/1/Mudanca-hidrologicas-no-pantanal.pd

Integrating phenotypic evaluations with a molecular diversity assessment of an Ethiopian collection of common bean landraces

Understanding the organisation of genetic diversity in a crop species is a key element for both the conservation and utilisation of its genetic resources. In the case of common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.), Ethiopia is one of the secondary centers of diversity of this species. Hence, this study sought to improve our understanding of genetic diversity of common bean by integrating morphological and agronomic evaluations with prior molecular diversity data from a collection of landrace accessions from different common bean growing regions of Ethiopia. The samples studied included 115 landraces, four standard varieties, and two control genotypes. Twenty agronomic traits and morphological descriptors were used to evaluate the accessions under field conditions. A Principal Component Analysis clearly separated the accessions into the Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools, with the first two axes explaining most of the variation. Step-wise discriminant and canonical correlation analyses, with all variables or only the morphological variables, enabled the identification of characters distinguishing accessions from the Andean/Mesoamerican gene pools, and their respective ecogeographic races. Data distinguishing racial and morphological traits were used to clarify the identities of five cluster groups, identified at STRUCTURE preset K = 5, in a preceding study. The three Andean cluster groups were shown to belong to two of the races in the gene pool, \u2018Nueva Granada\u2019 and \u2018Peru\u2019; while the two Mesoamerican groups were from the race \u2018Mesoamerica\u2019. By integrating the morphological and agronomic evaluation of an Ethiopian germplasm collection of common bean, initially performed just based on molecular characterisation, we were able to improve our understanding of the organisation of this diversity. Our results suggest extensive hybridisation between the Andean and Mesoamerican gene pools after introduction of common bean germplasm in Ethiopia.Connaitre l\u2019organisation de la diversit\ue9 g\ue9n\ue9tique sur une culture est un \ue9l\ue9ment important \ue0 la fois pour la conservation et l\u2019utilisation de ses ressources g\ue9n\ue9tiques. Dans le cas du haricot commun ( Phaseolus vulgaris L), l\u2019Ethiopie est l\u2019un des centres secondaires de la diversit\ue9 de l\u2019esp\ue8ce. Par cons\ue9quent, cette \ue9tude cherche \ue0 am\ue9liorer notre compr\ue9hension de la diversit\ue9 g\ue9n\ue9tique du haricot commun en int\ue9grant les \ue9valuations morphologique et agronomiques avec une \ue9valuation pr\ue9alable de la diversit\ue9 mol\ue9culaire d\u2019une collection de cultivars traditionnels venus de diff\ue9rentes r\ue9gions productrices du haricot commun de l\u2019Ethiopie. Les \ue9chantillons utilis\ue9s comprennent 115 cultivars traditionnels, quatre vari\ue9t\ue9s standards, et deux g\ue9notypes contr\uf4les. Vingt traits descripteurs agronomiques et morphologiques \ue9taientutilis\ue9s pour \ue9valuer les accessions dans des conditions de champ. Une analyse en composante principale a clairement s\ue9par\ue9 les accessions en des pools de g\ue8nes Andins et M\ue9soam\ue9ricains avec les deux premiers axes expliquant la plus grande variation. Les analyses discriminante par \ue9tapes la corr\ue9lation canonique, avec toutes les variables ou seule avec les variables morphologiques, ont permis l\u2019identification des caract\ue8res discriminant les accessions des pools de g\ue8nes Andins et M\ue9soam\ue9ricains, et leurs races Eco g\ue9ographiques respectives. Les donn\ue9es discriminant les traits raciaux et morphologiques \ue9taient utilis\ue9s pour clarifier les identit\ue9s des cinq classes, identifi\ue9es \ue0 la configuration pr\ue9finie K= 5, dans l\u2019\ue9tude pr\ue9c\ue9dente. Les trois groupes de classes Andines appartiennent \ue0 deux races dans le pool de g\ue8nes, \u2018Nueva Granada\u2019 et \u2018Peru\u2019\ua0; alors que les groupes M\ue9soam\ue9ricains \ue9taient de la race \u2018M\ue9soam\ue9rica\u2019. En int\ue9grant l\u2019\ue9valuation morphologique et agronomique de la collection du germoplasm du haricot commun Ethiopien, initialement conduit juste sur la base de la caract\ue9risation mol\ue9culaire, nous avions pu am\ue9liorer notrecompr\ue9hension de l\u2019organisation de cette diversit\ue9. Nos r\ue9sultats sugg\ue8rent une hybridation extensive entre les pools de g\ue8nes Andins et M\ue9soam\ue9ricains apr\ue8s une introduction du germoplasm du haricot commun de l\u2019Ethiopie

Eff ectiveness of one dose of oral cholera vaccine in response to an outbreak: a case-cohort study

Background Oral cholera vaccines represent a new eff ective tool to fi ght cholera and are licensed as two-dose regimens with 2–4 weeks between doses. Evidence from previous studies suggests that a single dose of oral cholera vaccine might provide substantial direct protection against cholera. During a cholera outbreak in May, 2015, in Juba, South Sudan, the Ministry of Health, Médecins Sans Frontières, and partners engaged in the fi rst fi eld deployment of a single dose of oral cholera vaccine to enhance the outbreak response. We did a vaccine eff ectiveness study in conjunction with this large public health intervention. Methods We did a case-cohort study, combining information on the vaccination status and disease outcomes from a random cohort recruited from throughout the city of Juba with that from all the cases detected. Eligible cases were those aged 1 year or older on the fi rst day of the vaccination campaign who sought care for diarrhoea at all three cholera treatment centres and seven rehydration posts throughout Juba. Confi rmed cases were suspected cases who tested positive to PCR for Vibrio cholerae O1. We estimated the short-term protection (direct and indirect) conferred by one dose of cholera vaccine (Shanchol, Shantha Biotechnics, Hyderabad, India). Findings Between Aug 9, 2015, and Sept 29, 2015, we enrolled 87 individuals with suspected cholera, and an 898-person cohort from throughout Juba. Of the 87 individuals with suspected cholera, 34 were classifi ed as cholera positive, 52 as cholera negative, and one had indeterminate results. Of the 858 cohort members who completed a follow-up visit, none developed clinical cholera during follow-up. The unadjusted single-dose vaccine eff ectiveness was 80·2% (95% CI 61·5–100·0) and after adjusting for potential confounders was 87·3% (70·2–100·0). Interpretation One dose of Shanchol was eff ective in preventing medically attended cholera in this study. These results support the use of a single-dose strategy in outbreaks in similar epidemiological settings

Isotopic characterization of aerosol organic carbon components over the eastern United States

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2012. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research 117 (2012): D13303, doi:10.1029/2011JD017153.Carbon isotopic signatures (δ13C, Δ14C) of aerosol particulate matter total organic carbon (TOC) and operationally defined organic carbon (OC) components were measured in samples from two background sites in the eastern U.S. TOC and water-soluble OC (WSOC) δ13C values (−27 to −24‰) indicated predominantly terrestrial C3 plant and fossil derived sources. Total solvent extracts (TSE) and their aliphatic, aromatic, and polar OC components were depleted in δ13C (−30 to −26‰) relative to TOC and WSOC. Δ14C signatures of aerosol TOC and TSE (−476 to +25‰) suggest variable fossil contributions (~5–50%) to these components. Aliphatic OC while comprising a small portion of the TOC (<1%), was dominated by fossil-derived carbon (86 ± 3%), indicating its potential utility as a tracer for fossil aerosol OC inputs. In contrast, aromatic OC contributions (<1.5%) contained approximately equal portions contemporary (52 ± 8%) and fossil (48 ± 8%) OC. The quantitatively significant polar OC fraction (6–25% of TOC) had fossil contributions (30 ± 12%) similar to TOC (26 ± 7%) and TSE (28 ± 9%). Thus, much of both of the fossil and contemporary OC is deduced to be oxidized, polar material. Aerosol WSOC consistently showed low fossil content (<8%) relative to the TOC (5–50%) indicating that the majority of fossil OC in aerosol particulates is insoluble. Therefore, on the basis of solubility and polarity, aerosols are predicted to partition differently once deposited to watersheds, and these chemically distinct components are predicted to contribute in quantitatively and qualitatively different ways to watershed carbon biogeochemistry and cycling.ASW was partially supported by a Graduate Fellowship from the Hudson River Foundation during the course of this study. Additional funding for this work came from a NOSAMS student internship award, a fellowship award from Sun Trust Bank administered through the VIMS Foundation, a student research grant from VIMS, and the following NSF awards: DEB Ecosystems grant DEB-0234533, Chemical Oceanography grant OCE-0327423, and Integrated Carbon Cycle Research Program grant EAR-0403949 to JEB; and Chemical Oceanography grant OCE-0727575 to RMD and JEB.2013-01-0

War and health care services utilization for chronic diseases in rural and semiurban areas of Tigray, Ethiopia

Importance The war in Tigray, Ethiopia, has disrupted the health care system of the region. However, its association with health care services disruption for chronic diseases has not been well documented. Objective To assess the association of the war with the utilization of health care services for patients with chronic diseases. Design, Setting, and Participants Of 135 primary health care facilities, a registry-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 44 rural and semiurban facilities of Tigray. Data on health services utilization were extracted for patients with tuberculosis, HIV, diabetes, hypertension, and psychiatric disorders in the prewar period (September 1, to October 31, 2020) and during the first phase of the war period (November 4, 2020, to June 30, 2021). Main Outcomes and Measures Records on the number of follow-up, laboratory tests, and patients undergoing treatment of the aforementioned chronic diseases were counted during the prewar and war periods. Results Of 4645 records of patients with chronic diseases undergoing treatment during the prewar period, 998 records (21%) indicated having treatment during the war period. Compared with the prewar period, 59 of 180 individuals (33%; 95% CI, 26%-40%) had tuberculosis, 522 of 2211 (24%; 95% CI, 22%-26%) had HIV, 228 of 1195 (19%; 95% CI, 17%-21%) had hypertension, 123 of 632 (20%; 95% CI, 16%-22%) had psychiatric disorders, and 66 of 427 (15%; 95% CI, 12%-18%) had type 2 diabetes records, which revealed continued treatment during the war period. Of 174 records of patients with type 1 diabetes in the prewar period, at 2 to 3 months into the war, the numbers dropped to 10 with 94% decline compared with prewar observations. Conclusions and Relevance This study found that the war in Tigray has resulted in critical health care service disruption and high loss to follow-up for patients with chronic disease, likely leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Local, national, and global policymakers must understand the extent and impact of the service disruption and urge their efforts toward restoration of those services

Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among HIV patients in Benin City, Nigeria

This study was carried out to determine the presence of intestinal parasites and their correlation with CD4+ T-cell counts and demographics among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients in Benin City, Nigeria. Stool specimens from 2,000 HIV-positive patients and 500 controls (HIV-negative individuals) were examined for ova, cysts, or parasites, using standard procedures. In addition, patient's blood samples were analyzed for CD4 counts by flow cytometry. An overall prevalence rate of 15.3% was observed among HIV-positive patients while 6.2% was noted among non-HIV subjects. HIV status was a significant (P<0.0001) risk factor for acquiring intestinal parasitic infections. Male gender, CD4 count <200cell/µl, and diarrhea were significantly associated with an increased prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections among HIV-positive patients. The level of education, occupation, and source of water among HIV patients significantly (P<0.0001) affected the prevalence of intestinal parasitic infections. Ascaris lumbricoides was the most predominant parasite in both HIV-positive patients and controls. A CD4 count <200 cells/µl was significantly associated with only Isospora belli and Cryptosporidium infections. The presence of pathogenic intestinal parasites such as A. lumbricoides, hookworm, Giardia intestinalis, Entamoeba histolytica, Trichuris trichiura, and Taenia species among HIV-infected persons should not be neglected. Cryptosporidium species and I. belli were the opportunistic parasites observed in this study. Routine screening for intestinal parasites in HIV-positive patients is advocated

The anti-epileptic drug Valproic Acid (VPA) inhibits steroidogenesis in bovine theca and granulosa cells in vitro

Valproic acid (VPA) is used widely to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. Women undergoing VPA treatment reportedly have an increased incidence of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)-like symptoms including hyperandrogenism and oligo- or amenorrhoea. To investigate potential direct effects of VPA on ovarian steroidogenesis we used primary bovine theca (TC) and granulosa (GC) cells maintained under conditions that preserve their 'follicular' phenotype. Effects of VPA (7.8-500 µg/ml) on TC were tested with/without LH. Effects of VPA on GC were tested with/without FSH or IGF analogue. VPA reduced (P99% decrease; P<0.0001) with lesser effects on LHR, STAR, CYP11A1 and HSD3B1 mRNA (<90% decrease; P<0.05). VPA only reduced TC progesterone secretion induced by the highest (luteinizing) LH dose tested; TC number was unaffected by VPA. At higher concentrations (125-500 µg/ml) VPA inhibited basal, FSH- and IGF-stimulated estradiol secretion (P<0.0001) by GC without affecting progesterone secretion or cell number. VPA reversed FSH-induced upregulation of CYP19A1 and HSD17B1 mRNA abundance (P<0.001). The potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors trichostatin A and scriptaid also suppressed TC androstenedione secretion and granulosal cell oestrogen secretion suggesting that the action of VPA reflects its HDAC inhibitory properties. In conclusion, these findings refute the hypothesis that VPA has a direct stimulatory action on TC androgen output. On the contrary, VPA inhibits both LH-dependent androgen production and FSH/IGF-dependent estradiol production in this in vitro bovine model, likely by inhibition of HDAC