Rare ground data confirm significant warming and drying in western equatorial Africa

Background The humid tropical forests of Central Africa influence weather worldwide and play a major role in the global carbon cycle. However, they are also an ecological anomaly, with evergreen forests dominating the western equatorial region despite less than 2,000 mm total annual rainfall. Meteorological data for Central Africa are notoriously sparse and incomplete and there are substantial issues with satellite-derived data because of persistent cloudiness and inability to ground-truth estimates. Long-term climate observations are urgently needed to verify regional climate and vegetation models, shed light on the mechanisms that drive climatic variability and assess the viability of evergreen forests under future climate scenarios. Methods We have the rare opportunity to analyse a 34 year dataset of rainfall and temperature (and shorter periods of absolute humidity, wind speed, solar radiation and aerosol optical depth) from Lopé National Park, a long-term ecological research site in Gabon, western equatorial Africa. We used (generalized) linear mixed models and spectral analyses to assess seasonal and inter-annual variation, long-term trends and oceanic influences on local weather patterns. Results Lopé’s weather is characterised by a cool, light-deficient, long dry season. Long-term climatic means have changed significantly over the last 34 years, with warming occurring at a rate of +0.25 °C per decade (minimum daily temperature) and drying at a rate of −75 mm per decade (total annual rainfall). Inter-annual climatic variability at Lopé is highly influenced by global weather patterns. Sea surface temperatures of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans have strong coherence with Lopé temperature and rainfall on multi-annual scales. Conclusions The Lopé long-term weather record has not previously been made public and is of high value in such a data poor region. Our results support regional analyses of climatic seasonality, long-term warming and the influences of the oceans on temperature and rainfall variability. However, warming has occurred more rapidly than the regional products suggest and while there remains much uncertainty in the wider region, rainfall has declined over the last three decades at Lopé. The association between rainfall and the Atlantic cold tongue at Lopé lends some support for the ‘dry’ models of climate change for the region. In the context of a rapidly warming and drying climate, urgent research is needed into the sensitivity of dry season clouds to ocean temperatures and the viability of humid evergreen forests in this dry region should the clouds disappear

The NASA AfriSAR campaign: Airborne SAR and lidar measurements of tropical forest structure and biomass in support of current and future space missions

International audienceIn 2015 and 2016, the AfriSAR campaign was carried out as a collaborative effort among international space and National Park agencies (ESA, NASA, ONERA, DLR, ANPN and AGEOS) in support of the upcoming ESA BIOMASS, NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) and NASA Global Ecosystem Dynamics Initiative (GEDI) missions. The NASA contribution to the campaign was conducted in 2016 with the NASA LVIS (Land Vegetation and Ice Sensor) Lidar, the NASA L-band UAVSAR (Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar). A central motivation for the AfriSAR deployment was the common AGBD estimation requirement for the three future spaceborne missions, the lack of sufficient airborne and ground calibration data covering the full range of ABGD in tropical forest systems, and the intercomparison and fusion of the technologies. During the campaign, over 7000 km2 of waveform Lidar data from LVIS and 30,000 km2 of UAVSAR data were collected over 10 key sites and transects. In addition, field measurements of forest structure and biomass were collected in sixteen 1-hectare sized plots. The campaign produced gridded Lidar canopy structure products, gridded aboveground biomass and associated uncertainties, Lidar based vegetation canopy cover profile products, Polarimetric Interferometric SAR and Tomographic SAR products and field measurements. Our results showcase the types of data products and scientific results expected from the spaceborne Lidar and SAR missions; we also expect that the AfriSAR campaign data will facilitate further analysis and use of waveform lidar and multiple baseline polarimetric SAR datasets for carbon cycle, biodiversity, water resources and more applications by the greater scientific community

Rift Valley Fever Virus Seroprevalence in Human Rural Populations of Gabon

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a disease transmitted by a mosquito bite (Aedes). Humans can also be infected through direct contact with blood (aerosols) or tissues (placenta, stillborn) of infected animals. Although severe clinical cases can be observed, infection with RVF virus (RVFV) in humans in most cases causes a febrile illness without serious symptoms. In small ruminants RVFV mainly causes abortion and neonatal death. RVFV distribution has been poorly investigated in Central Africa. We conducted a large scale serological survey of RVF antibodies in rural populations in Gabon, involving 4,323 individuals from 212 randomly selected villages. The results showed an overall RVFV prevalence of 3.3%, with values of 2.9% in the forested zones, 2.2% in savannas and 8.3% in the lakes region. These findings strongly suggest for the first time the wide circulation of Rift valley fever virus in Gabon and the possible existence of a sylvan cycle of RVF virus in this country. The serological higher prevalence in the lake region suggests that this region is likely to have particular ecological conditions, especially mosquito vector species, favoring the circulation of this virus. In Gabon, human cases of RVF may occur but are either misdiagnosed or not reported

Epidemiology of Concomitant Infection Due to Loa loa and Mansonella perstans in Gabon

Loa loa and Mansonella perstans are blood filarial parasites, endemic in the central and western African forest block, and transmitted by chrysops and culicoides flies, respectively. Loa loa is pathogenic and represents a major obstacle to the control of co-endemic filariae. Treatment of individuals with >8000 Loa loa microfilariae/ml can result in severe adverse reactions. M. perstans is prevalent in the tropics, with undefined clinical symptoms. We screened 4392 individuals for these infections in 212 Gabonese villages. The overall prevalence rates were 22.4% for Loa loa microfilariae, 10.2% for M. perstans, and 3.2% for mixed infection. These rates varied across the different ecosystems: forest, savannah, Lakeland, river (Ogouée), and equator. A correlation was found between the prevalence and intensity of microfilariae, while a negative relationship was found between clinical symptoms (pruritis, Calabar swelling) and the prevalence of Loa loa microfilaremia. This study confirms the spatial uniformity of the relationship between parasitological indices, and provides a map and baseline data for implementation of mass chemotherapy for these infections

Apport de la télédétection et des systèmes d'information géographique dans l'étude des conditions environnementales liées à l'apparition des épidémies de fièvre Ebola au Gabon et au Congo

La Fièvre Hémorragique Virale (FHV) Ebola est une maladie infectieuse émergente qui sévit par flambées épidémiques. Depuis sa première manifestation en 1976, plusieurs études menées ont donné lieu à diverses spéculations sur la nature du réservoir de ce virus qui n a été lié que tout récemment aux trois espèces de chauve-souris frugivores Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti et Myonycteris torquata. Toutefois, bien que le réservoir semble désormais connu, la chaîne de transmission de l infection ainsi que les conditions naturelles d émergence des épidémies restent non élucidées. Par ailleurs, présentement, on ne dispose pas encore d un vaccin contre le virus Ebola bien que des avancées considérables aient été accomplies dernièrement dans les recherches à ce sujet. Entre 1994 et 2005, 8 épidémies de FHV Ebola ont sévi au Gabon et au Congo. Trois observations principales nous permettent de considérer la FHV Ebola comme étant un phénomène lié aux variations des conditions environnementales : le virus se manifeste particulièrement dans la même région "Nord-est Gabon / Cuvette-Ouest Congo" ; on constate une périodicité saisonnière d'apparition des épidémies dans cette région (généralement durant la période de transition "saison sèche / saison de pluies") ; les espèces de gorilles et chimpanzés chez lesquelles on a observé de fortes mortalités de populations avant et pendant les épidémies humaines s avèrent particulièrement affectées. Même dans le cas où on disposerait très prochainement d un traitement efficace ou un vaccin, la prédiction, la prévention et le contrôle rapide des épidémies demeurent une priorité majeure en santé publique. C'est dans cette optique qu'une étude sur les interactions possibles entre "conditions environnementales" et "apparition des épidémies" a été envisagée. Pour cela, il a été préconisé une approche géographique au moyen d'outils de télédétection spatiale et de Systèmes d'Information Géographique (SIG). Le travail réalisé a consisté à étudier la dynamique spatiale et temporelle de différents paramètres du milieu (relief, hydrographie, végétation, etc.). L étude visait, d'une part, à caractériser le milieu naturel de la région des épidémies, d'autre part, à identifier des indicateurs environnementaux pouvant être liés aux processus de déclanchement des épidémies. Les résultats obtenus montrent que la région d'épidémies se caractérise par un terrain globalement plat situé en altitude, par des pluies abondantes et par un réseau hydrographique dense et ramifié. L'ensemble rend le milieu particulièrement humide donnant lieu à une végétation dense avec une flore spécifique. L'écosystème est donc inféodé à des conditions d'humidité élevée. Dans ce contexte, le paramètre "humidité du milieu" s'avère alors jouer un rôle central dans le fonctionnement de l'écosystème. Il commande de manière cruciale les interactions entre l'homme, la forêt et les animaux. Or ces interactions sont nécessairement à la base des échanges intra et interspécifique impliqués dans la circulation du virus. Nous pensons donc que ce paramètre est lié aux processus écologiques étant à l origine du déclenchement des épidémies de fièvre Ebola au Gabon et au Congo. Enfin, cette étude ouvre des perspectives sur l utilisation des images satellitaires dans la détermination d un seuil de risque d apparition des épidémies. Un suivi de l'évolution temporelle de l'humidité du milieu pourrait être envisagé sur la base des pistes suggérées par l étude des variations de la rétrodiffusion radar et de l'indice NDVI. Le but serait d arriver à déterminer et caractériser un ou des indices révélateurs de l état des conditions d humidité dans le milieu. Toute valeur dépassant un seuil déterminé pourra constituer une alerte pour les autorités sanitaires des pays concernésThe Ebola hemorrhagic viral fever is an emerging infectious disease that occurs in the form of rapid outbreaks. Since its first event in 1976, several studies have given rises to various speculations about the nature of its natural reservoir of the virus, which has recently been linked to three species of fruit bats: Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti and Myonycteris torquata. However, although the reservoir seems now to be known, the infection transmission chain and the natural conditions of the epidemics emergence remain none elucidated. In addition, until now, we do not have a vaccine against the Ebola virus although considerable progresses have been accomplished in this way by researchers. Between 1994 and 2005, eight Ebola epidemics occurred in Gabon and Congo. Three main observations permitted us to consider that the Ebola fever is a phenomenon linked to environmental conditions : the virus caused epidemics in the same region Northeastern of Gabon - West basin of Congo ; the epidemics showed a certain seasonality pattern, since it often occurred during the dry to rainy season transition period ; human epidemics occurred simultaneously or after great mortalities affected populations of gorillas and chimpanzees. Even though an effective treatment or a vaccine would be available in a very close future, prediction, prevention and rapid control of epidemics would remain a major priority in public health. With this in mind, a study was considered about the possible interactions between the environmental conditions and the epidemics emergence , using a geographical approach with remote sensing and GIS tools. This work has consisted on studying the spatial and temporal dynamics of environmental parameters, as for example, topography, hydrology, vegetation, and so on, in the epidemics area. This study has two main objectives: to characterize the natural environment of the epidemics area and to identify environmental indicators that may be linked to the ecological processes leading to the epidemics. It was shown that the epidemics region has generally a flat topography and it is located in high and pluvial lands, presenting a dense hydrographic network. This results on a very wet environment marked by dense vegetation with specific flora. The ecosystem is therefore subservient to high humidity conditions. In this context, the "environment humidity" is then playing a central role in the ecosystem functioning. This role consists on modulating crucial interactions between humans, forest and animals, which constitute the essential basis of the exchanges involved in the natural virus life cycle. We therefore conclude that "environment humidity" is a propriety closely linked to ecological processes that are at the origin of Ebola fever outbreaks in Gabon and Congo. Finally, the results of this study offer positive perspectives on the use of satellite imagery in determining a threshold of risk of epidemics. The temporal evolution of moisture in environment can be followed, firstly, through changes in the vegetation index NDVI and, secondly, through changes in the radar backscattering. Any value exceeding the critical threshold defined would constitute a warning signal from which the health authorities of the concerned countries could implement awareness and prevention actionsPARIS-EST Marne-la-Vallee-BU (774682101) / SudocSudocFranceF

Production of Monoclonal Antibodies in Plants for Cancer Immunotherapy

Plants are considered as an alternative platform for recombinant monoclonal antibody (mAb) production due to the improvement and diversification of transgenic techniques. The diversity of plant species offers a multitude of possibilities for the valorization of genetic resources. Moreover, plants can be propagated indefinitely, providing cheap biomass production on a large scale in controlled conditions. Thus, recent studies have shown the successful development of plant systems for the production of mAbs for cancer immunotherapy. However, their several limitations have to be resolved for efficient antibody production in plants

Risk factors for Zaire ebolavirus--specific IgG in rural Gabonese populations.

BACKGROUND: In Gabon, several Ebolavirus outbreaks have occurred exclusively in the northeastern region. We conducted a large serosurvey to identify areas and populations at risk and potential demographic, clinical, and behavioral risk factors. METHODS: Blood samples and clinical and sociodemographic data were collected from 4349 adults and 362 children in a random sample of 220 villages in the 9 provinces of Gabon. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect Zaire ebolavirus (ZEBOV)-specific IgG, and thin blood smears were used to detect parasites. Logistic regression was implemented using Stata software (Stata), and a probability level of <.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of ZEBOV-specific IgG was 15.3% overall, increasing to 32.4% (P< .001) in forest areas. No sociodemographic risk factors were found, but the antibody prevalence increased linearly up to 20 years of age. Chronic arthralgia and amicrofilaremia were the only factors associated with ZEBOV seropositivity. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the endemicity of ZEBOV in Gabon and its link to the ecosystem. Human antibody positivity would appear to be to the result of exposure to contaminated fruits

Regional Tropical Aboveground Biomass Mapping with L-Band Repeat-Pass Interferometric Radar, Sparse Lidar, and Multiscale Superpixels

We introduce a multiscale superpixel approach that leverages repeat-pass interferometric coherence and sparse AGB estimates from a simulated spaceborne lidar in order to extend the NISAR mission&rsquo;s applicable range of aboveground biomass (AGB) in tropical forests. Airborne and spaceborne L-band radar and full-waveform airborne lidar data are used to simulate the NISAR and GEDI mission, respectively. In addition to UAVSAR data, we use spaceborne ALOS-2/PALSAR-2 imagery with 14-day temporal baseline, which is comparable to NISAR&rsquo;s 12-day baseline. Our reference AGB maps are derived from the airborne LVIS data during the AfriSAR campaign for three sites (Mondah, Ogooue, and Lope). Each tropical site has mean AGB of at least 125 Mg/ha in addition to areas with AGB exceeding 700 Mg/ha. Spatially sampling from these LVIS-derived AGB reference maps, we approximate GEDI AGB estimates. To evaluate our methodology, we perform several different analyses. First, we partition each study site into low (&le;100 Mg/ha) and high (&gt;100 Mg/ha) AGB areas, in conformity with the NISAR mission requirement to provide AGB estimates for forests between 0 and 100 Mg/ha with a RMSE below 20 Mg/ha. In the low AGB areas, this RMSE requirement is satisfied in Lope and Mondah and it fell short of the requirement in Ogooue by less 3 Mg/ha with UAVSAR and 6 Mg/ha with PALSAR-2. We note that our maps have finer spatial resolution (50 m) than NISAR requires (1 hectare). In the high AGB areas, the normalized RMSE increases to 51% (i.e., &lt;90 Mg/ha), but with negligible bias for all three sites. Second, we train a single model to estimate AGB across both high and low AGB regimes simultaneously and obtain a normalized RMSE that is &lt;60% (or &lt;100 Mg/ha). Lastly, we show the use of both (a) multiscale superpixels and (b) interferometric coherence significantly improves the accuracy of the AGB estimates. The InSAR coherence improved the RMSE by approximately 8% at Mondah with both sensors, lowering the RMSE from 59 Mg/ha to 47.4 Mg/h with UAVSAR and from 57.1 Mg/ha to 46 Mg/ha. This work illustrates one of the numerous synergistic relationships between the spaceborne lidars, such as GEDI, with L-band SAR, such as PALSAR-2 and NISAR, in order to produce robust regional AGB in high biomass tropical regions

Anticancer Effects of Different Seaweeds on Human Colon and Breast Cancers

Seafoods and seaweeds represent some of the most important reservoirs of new therapeutic compounds for humans. Seaweed has been shown to have several biological activities, including anticancer activity. This review focuses on colorectal and breast cancers, which are major causes of cancer-related mortality in men and women. It also describes various compounds extracted from a range of seaweeds that have been shown to eradicate or slow the progression of cancer. Fucoidan extracted from the brown algae Fucus spp. has shown activity against both colorectal and breast cancers. Furthermore, we review the mechanisms through which these compounds can induce apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. By considering the ability of compounds present in seaweeds to act against colorectal and breast cancers, this review highlights the potential use of seaweeds as anticancer agents