Experimental transmission of Chandipura virus by Phlebotomus argentipes (Diptera: Psychodidae)

Experiments were carried out to demonstrate the susceptibity and transmission potential of Phlebotomus argentipes (Annandale & Brunetti) for Chandipura virus (CHPV). In India, P. argentipes is one of the predominant species found in many areas endemic for CHPV. Although its laboratory colonization is difficult, we have demonstrated that 65% of P. argentipes were susceptible to CHPV infection by the oral route. Transmission experiments were carried out by intrathoracic inoculation because of re-feeding problems with this species. After incubation for 24 hours, efficient transmission of CHPV to mice was observed. The estimated minimum transmission rate among the inoculated flies was 32%. CHPV in sand flies as well as in mice was detected and confirmed by immunofluorescent antibody assay and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The susceptibility of P. argentipes to CHPV and its potential to transmit the virus by bite has importance in epidemiology of CHPV

Reconstructing Velocities of Migrating Birds from Weather Radar – A Case Study in Computational Sustainability

Bird migration occurs at the largest of global scales, but monitoring such movements can be challenging. In the US there is an operational network of weather radars providing freely accessible data for monitoring meteorological phenomena in the atmosphere. Individual radars are sensitive enough to detect birds, and can provide insight into migratory behaviors of birds at scales that are not possible using other sensors. Archived data from the WSR-88D network of US weather radars hold valuable and detailed information about the continent-scale migratory movements of birds over the last 20 years. However, significant technical challenges must be overcome to understand this information and harness its potential for science and conservation. We describe recent work on an AI system to quantify bird migration using radar data, which is part of the larger BirdCast project to model and forecast bird migration at large scales using radar, weather, and citizen science data

Reconstructing Velocities of Migrating Birds from Weather Radar – A Case Study in Computational Sustainability

Bird migration occurs at the largest of global scales, but monitoring such movements can be challenging. In the US there is an operational network of weather radars providing freely accessible data for monitoring meteorological phenomena in the atmosphere. Individual radars are sensitive enough to detect birds, and can provide insight into migratory behaviors of birds at scales that are not possible using other sensors. Archived data from the WSR-88D network of US weather radars hold valuable and detailed information about the continent-scale migratory movements of birds over the last 20 years. However, significant technical challenges must be overcome to understand this information and harness its potential for science and conservation. We describe recent work on an AI system to quantify bird migration using radar data, which is part of the larger BirdCast project to model and forecast bird migration at large scales using radar, weather, and citizen science data

Whole Genomes of Chandipura Virus Isolates and Comparative Analysis with Other Rhabdoviruses

The Chandipura virus (CHPV) belonging to the Vesiculovirus genus and Rhabdoviridae family, has recently been associated with a number of encephalitis epidemics, with high mortality in children, in different parts of India. No full length genome sequences of CHPV isolates were available in GenBank and little is known about the molecular markers for pathogenesis. In the present study, we provide the complete genomic sequences of four isolates from epidemics during 2003–2007. These sequences along with the deduced sequence of the prototype isolate of 1965 were analysed using phylogeny, motif search, homology modeling and epitope prediction methods. Comparison with other rhaboviruses was also done for functional extrapolations. All CHPV isolates clustered with the Isfahan virus and maintained several functional motifs of other rhabdoviruses. A notable difference with the prototype vesiculovirus, Vesicular Stomatitis Virus was in the L-domain flanking sequences of the M protein that are known to be crucial for interaction with host proteins. With respect to the prototype isolate, significant additional mutations were acquired in the 2003–2007 isolates. Several mutations in G mapped onto probable antigenic sites. A mutation in N mapped onto regions crucial for N-N interaction and a putative T-cell epitope. A mutation in the Casein kinase II phosphorylation site in P may attribute to increased rates of phosphorylation. Gene junction comparison revealed changes in the M-G junction of all the epidemic isolates that may have implications on read-through and gene transcription levels. The study can form the basis for further experimental verification and provide additional insights into the virulence determinants of the CHPV

Causes of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and the Role of Maternal Periodontal Status – A Review of the Literature

Preterm (PT) and Low birth weight (LBW) are considered to be the most relevant biological determinants of newborn infants survival, both in developed and in developing countries. Numerous risk factors for PT and LBW have been defined in the literature. Infections of the genitourinary tract infections along with various biological and genetic factors are considered to be the most common etiological factors for PT/LBW deliveries. However, evidence suggests that sub-clinical infection sites that are also distant from the genitor-urinary tract may be an important cause for PT/LBW deliveries. Maternal periodontal status has also been reported by many authors as a possible risk factor for PT and LBW, though not all of the actual data support such hypothesis. The aim of this paper is to review the evidence from various published literature on the association between the maternal periodontal status and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Although this review found a consistent association between periodontitis and PT/LBW, this finding should be treated with great caution until the sources of heterogeneity can be explained

The genus Hyalomma Koch, 1844. VIII. Redescription of three Hyalommina Schulze, 1919 species (Acari: Ixodidae) from South Asia with notes on their biology

The South Asian ticks Hyalomma (Hyalommina) brevipunctata Sharif, 1928, Hyalomma (Hyalommina) hussaini Sharif, 1928 and Hyalomma (Hyalommina) kumari Sharif, 1928, are morphologically fairly similar. The males can be distinguished from each other by size, color and their punctation patterns. The females are easily distinguished by the shape of the genital aperture and its preatrial fold, and they also differ in size, color and punctation patterns. The immature stages can be distinguished by the measurements of various characteristics and the ratios of these, the shape of the scutum, gnathosoma and hypostome, number of denticles on the hypostome and size of the spurs on coxae. All parasitic stages of the three species are illustrated and redescribed here. Their distributions are restricted to South Asia, although there are some records from Central Asia. Large and medium-sized ungulates are the principal hosts of the adults, whereas the immature stages infest various species of small mammals. All are three-host species. Data on their disease relationships are also provided.</jats:p