Mapping Palaeohydrography in Deserts: Contribution from Space-Borne Imaging Radar
SAR, Radar, deserts, palaeohydrography, : Sahara, Gobi
Space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has the capability to image subsurface features down to several meters in arid regions. A first demonstration of this capability was performed in the Egyptian desert during the early eighties, thanks to the first Shuttle Imaging Radar mission. Global coverage provided by recent SARs, such as the Japanese ALOS/PALSAR sensor, allowed the mapping of vast ancient hydrographic systems in Northern Africa. We present a summary of palaeohydrography results obtained using PALSAR data over large deserts such as the Sahara and the Gobi. An ancient river system was discovered in eastern Lybia, connecting in the past the Kufrah oasis to the Mediterranean Sea, and the terminal part of the Tamanrasett river was mapped in western Mauritania, ending with a large submarine canyon. In southern Mongolia, PALSAR images combined with topography analysis allowed the mapping of the ancient Ulaan Nuur lake. We finally show the potentials of future low frequency SAR sensors by comparing L-band (1.25 GHz) and P-band (435 MHz) airborne SAR acquisitions over a desert site in southern Tunisia.
Hydraulic engineering, Water supply for domestic and industrial purposes
Identification of electrode respiring, hydrocarbonoclastic bacterial strain Stenotrophomonas maltophilia MK2 highlights the untapped potential for environmental bioremediation
Dye decolorization, Electrode respiring bacteria, microbial electrochemical remediation systems, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia MK2, facultative hydrocarbon degradation, catabolic genes (alkB
Electrode respiring bacteria (ERB) possess a great potential for many biotechnological applications such as microbial electrochemical remediation systems (MERS) because of their exoelectrogenic capabilities to degrade xenobiotic pollutants. Very few ERB have been isolated from MERS, those exhibited a bioremediation potential towards organic contaminants. Here we report once such bacterial strain, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia MK2, a facultative anaerobic bacterium isolated from a hydrocarbon fed MERS, showed a potent hydrocarbonoclastic behavior under aerobic and anaerobic environments. Distinct properties of the strain MK2 were anaerobic fermentation of the amino acids, electrode respiration, anaerobic nitrate reduction and the ability to metabolize n-alkane components (C8-C36) of petroleum hydrocarbons including the biomarkers, pristine and phytane. The characteristic of diazoic dye decolorization was used as a criterion for pre-screening the possible electrochemically active microbial candidates. Bioelectricity generation with concomitant dye decolorization in MERS showed that the strain is electrochemically active. In acetate fed microbial fuel cells, maximum current density of 273±8 mA/m2 (1000Ω) was produced (power density 113±7 mW/m2) by strain MK2 with a coulombic efficiency of 34.8 %. Further, the presence of possible alkane hydroxylase genes (alkB and rubA) in the strain MK2 indicated that the genes involved in hydrocarbon degradation are of diverse origin. Such observations demonstrated the potential of facultative hydrocarbon degradation in contaminated environments. Identification of such a novel petrochemical hydrocarbon degrading ERB is likely to offer a new route to the sustainable bioremedial process of source zone contamination with simultaneous energy generation through MERS.
Krishnaveni Venkidusamy, Megharaj Mallavarapu
Sex matters – a preliminary analysis of Middle East respiratory syndrome in the Republic of Korea, 2015
Middle East respiratory syndrome, Republic of Korea, gender
Andreas Jansen, May Chiew, Frank Konings, Chin-Kei Lee, Ailan Li
Western Pacific Surveillance and Response
Importância de Cryptosporidium spp. como causa de diarréia em bezerros Importance of Cryptosporidium spp. as a cause of diarrhea in calves
Bezerros, Vacas, criptosporidiose, Cryptosporidium spp, Calves, cows, cryptosporidiosis
Avaliou-se a presença de oocistos de Cryptosporidium spp. em amostras de fezes de 14 bezerros e de suas mães até a oitava semana pós parição. A maior taxa de excreção de oocistos foi verificada em bezerros com sete dias de idade. Das vacas, 42,8% foram positivas para Cryptosporidium no período pós-parto. Em outra etapa deste estudo, foram acompanhados 57 bezerros positivos para Cryptosporidium, com até 30 dias de idade, provenientes de 32 propriedades leiteiras, e estudouse o grau de eliminação dos oocistos com a possível ocorrência de diarréia. Em todos os animais positivos para Cryptosporidium foi pesquisada a presença de bactérias enteropatogênicas, vírus (Rotavirus e Coronavirus) e protozoários (Eimeria spp.).The aim of this research was to evaluate the shedding of Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts in fecal samples from 14 calves from one dairy farm, from birth until 60 days old and from cows until eight weeks after parturition. The higher percentage of oocysts excreted was observed in 7-day-old calves. In the post-partum period 43.7% of cows were positive for Cryptosporidium oocysts. Further analyses were accomplished in 57 calves from another 32 milk farms, previously known as positive for Cryptosporidium, through oocysts fecal screening and clinical signs analyses until calves were 30 days old. Fecal samples from all animals that presented diarrhea were screened for the presence of bacteria, virus (Rotavirus and Coronavirus ) and protozoa (Eimeria spp.).
Francisco L.F. Feitosa, Graziele M. Shimamura, T. Roberto, Luiz Claudio N. Mendes, Juliana R. Peiró, Flávia C. Féres, Fernanda Bovino, Sílvia H.V. Perri, Marcelo V. Meireles
Colégio Brasileiro de Patologia Animal (CBPA)
Bovine coronavirus detection in a collection of diarrheic stool samples positive for group a bovine rotavirus
calf, diarrhea, BCoV, rotavirus, sn PCR, co-infection
Neonatal diarrhea is an important cause of economic losses for cattle farmers. The main viral etiologies of enteric diseases are group A rotaviruses (GARV) and the bovine coronavirus (BCoV). Although both viruses infect calves of the same age, the occurrence of mixed infections is still under studied. The present study describes the co-infection of BCoV and GARV in stool samples. Forty-four diarrheic fecal samples from calves up to 60 days old that had previously tested positive for GARV by SS-PAGE were analyzed using semi-nested PCR for BCoV. A product with 251 bp of the BCoV nucleoprotein gene was amplified in 15.9% (7/44) of the samples, demonstrating that co-infection is not an unusual event. These results reinforce the need for testing for both GARV and BCoV, even in fecal samples that previously tested positive for one virus.A diarreia neonatal é uma importante causa de perdas econômicas para a criação de bovinos. Os principais agentes etiológicos virais das doenças entéricas são o rotavírus bovino grupo A (GARV) e o coronavírus bovino (BCoV). Embora ambos os vírus infectem bezerros na mesma faixa etária, infecções mistas ainda são pouco estudadas. O presente trabalho descreve a identificação do BCoV em amostras de fezes positivas para o GARV, caracterizando a ocorrência de infecções mistas. Quarenta e quatro amostras de fezes diarreicas de bezerros com até 60 dias de idade, previamente identificadas como positivas para o GARV bovino por meio da técnica de SS-PAGE, foram avaliadas quanto a presença do BCoV pela técnica de semi-nested PCR. Um produto com 251 pb do gene da nucleoproteína do BCoV foi amplificado em 15,9% (7/44) das amostras de fezes demonstrando que a co-infecção não é um evento raro. Esse resultado enfatizada a importância da realização simultânea do diagnóstico para esses dois importantes vírus entéricos de bezerros em surtos de diarreia neonatal tanto em rebanhos bovinos leiteiros quanto de corte.
Aline Fernandes Barry, Alice Fernandes Alfieri, Danilo Tancler Stipp, Amauri Alcindo Alfieri
Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology
Instituto de Tecnologia do Paraná (Tecpar)
2-(3,4-Dihydro-4-Oxothieno[2,3-d]pyrimidin-2-ylthio) Acetamides as a New Class of Falcipain-2 Inhibitors. 3. Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation
2-(3, 4-Dihydro-4-oxothieno[2, 3-d]pyrimidin-2-ylthio)acetamide derivatives, Falcipain-2 inhibitor, Malária, SAR
The cysteine protease falcipain-2 (FP-2) of Plasmodium falciparum is a principal cysteine protease and an essential hemoglobinase of erythrocytic P. falciparum trophozoites, making it become an attractive target enzyme for developing anti-malarial drugs. In this study, a series of novel small molecule FP-2 inhibitors have been designed and synthesized based on compound 1, which was identified by using structure-based virtual screening in conjunction with an enzyme inhibition assay. All compounds showed high inhibitory effect against FP-2 with IC50s of 1.46-11.38 μM, and the inhibitory activity of compound 2a was ~2 times greater than that of prototype compound 1. The preliminary SARs are summarized and should be helpful for future inhibitor design, and the novel scaffold presented here, with its potent inhibitory activity against FP-2, also has potential application in discovery of new anti-malarial drugs.
Hualiang Jiang, Jian Li, Honglin Li, Jin Huang, Weiqiang Lu, Ruoqun Ma, Jie Liu, Jin Zhu, Tong Chen
Virus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource (ViPR): A Comprehensive Bioinformatics Database and Analysis Resource for the Coronavirus Research Community
virus, Database, Bioinformatics, coronavirus, SARS, SARS-CoV, Coronaviridae, Comparative genomics
Several viruses within the Coronaviridae family have been categorized as either emerging or re-emerging human pathogens, with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) being the most well known. The NIAID-sponsored Virus Pathogen Database and Analysis Resource (ViPR, www.viprbrc.org) supports bioinformatics workflows for a broad range of human virus pathogens and other related viruses, including the entire Coronaviridae family. ViPR provides access to sequence records, gene and protein annotations, immune epitopes, 3D structures, host factor data, and other data types through an intuitive web-based search interface. Records returned from these queries can then be subjected to web-based analyses including: multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic inference, sequence variation determination, BLAST comparison, and metadata-driven comparative genomics statistical analysis. Additional tools exist to display multiple sequence alignments, view phylogenetic trees, visualize 3D protein structures, transfer existing reference genome annotations to new genomes, and store or share results from any search or analysis within personal private ‘Workbench’ spaces for future access. All of the data and integrated analysis and visualization tools in ViPR are made available without charge as a service to the Coronaviridae research community to facilitate the research and development of diagnostics, prophylactics, vaccines and therapeutics against these human pathogens.
Yun Zhang, Edward B. Klem, Wei Jen, Richard H. Scheuermann, Christopher N. Larsen, Sam Zaremba, Sanjeev Kumar, Brett E. Pickett, Douglas S. Greer, Zhiping Gu, Guangyu Sun, Li-Wei Zhou, Lucy Stewart
Towards a Coronavirus-Based HIV Multigene Vaccine
Volker Thiel, Burkhard Ludewig, Klara K. Eriksson, Reinhard Maier, Divine Makia
IFITM Proteins Inhibit Entry Driven by the MERS-Coronavirus Spike Protein: Evidence for Cholesterol-Independent Mechanisms
The interferon-inducible transmembrane (IFITM) proteins 1, 2 and 3 inhibit the host cell entry of several enveloped viruses, potentially by promoting the accumulation of cholesterol in endosomal compartments. IFITM3 is essential for control of influenza virus infection in mice and humans. In contrast, the role of IFITM proteins in coronavirus infection is less well defined. Employing a retroviral vector system for analysis of coronavirus entry, we investigated the susceptibility of human-adapted and emerging coronaviruses to inhibition by IFITM proteins. We found that entry of the recently emerged Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is sensitive to inhibition by IFITM proteins. In 293T cells, IFITM-mediated inhibition of cellular entry of the emerging MERS- and SARS-CoV was less efficient than blockade of entry of the globally circulating human coronaviruses 229E and NL63. Similar differences were not observed in A549 cells, suggesting that cellular context and/or IFITM expression levels can impact inhibition efficiency. The differential IFITM-sensitivity of coronaviruses observed in 293T cells afforded the opportunity to investigate whether efficiency of entry inhibition by IFITMs and endosomal cholesterol accumulation correlate. No such correlation was observed. Furthermore, entry mediated by the influenza virus hemagglutinin was robustly inhibited by IFITM3 but was insensitive to accumulation of endosomal cholesterol, indicating that modulation of cholesterol synthesis/transport did not account for the antiviral activity of IFITM3. Collectively, these results show that the emerging MERS-CoV is a target of the antiviral activity of IFITM proteins and demonstrate that mechanisms other than accumulation of endosomal cholesterol can contribute to viral entry inhibition by IFITMs.
Florian Wrensch, Michael Winkler, Stefan Pöhlmann
Complement Activation Contributes to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Pathogenesis
SARS-CoV, animal models, complement, coronavirus, Respiratory viruses
The complement system is a critical part of host defense to many bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. It works alongside pattern recognition receptors to stimulate host defense systems in advance of activation of the adaptive immune response. In this study, we directly test the role of complement in SARS-CoV pathogenesis using a mouse model and show that respiratory disease is significantly reduced in the absence of complement even though viral load is unchanged. Complement-deficient mice have reduced neutrophilia in their lungs and reduced systemic inflammation, consistent with the observation that SARS-CoV pathogenesis is an immune-driven disease. These data suggest that inhibition of complement signaling might be an effective treatment option following coronavirus infection.Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is immune-driven pathologies that are observed in severe cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. SARS-CoV emerged in 2002 to 2003 and led to a global outbreak of SARS. As with the outcome of human infection, intranasal infection of C57BL/6J mice with mouse-adapted SARS-CoV results in high-titer virus replication within the lung, induction of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and immune cell infiltration within the lung. Using this model, we investigated the role of the complement system during SARS-CoV infection. We observed activation of the complement cascade in the lung as early as day 1 following SARS-CoV infection. To test whether this activation contributed to protective or pathologic outcomes, we utilized mice deficient in C3 (C3–/–), the central component of the complement system. Relative to C57BL/6J control mice, SARS-CoV-infected C3–/– mice exhibited significantly less weight loss and less respiratory dysfunction despite equivalent viral loads in the lung. Significantly fewer neutrophils and inflammatory monocytes were present in the lungs of C3–/– mice than in C56BL/6J controls, and subsequent studies revealed reduced lung pathology and lower cytokine and chemokine levels in both the lungs and the sera of C3–/– mice than in controls. These studies identify the complement system as an important host mediator of SARS-CoV-induced disease and suggest that complement activation regulates a systemic proinflammatory response to SARS-CoV infection. Furthermore, these data suggest that SARS-CoV-mediated disease is largely immune driven and that inhibiting complement signaling after SARS-CoV infection might function as an effective immune therapeutic.
Lisa E Gralinski, Timothy P. Sheahan, Thomas E. Morrison, Vineet D. Menachery, Kara Jensen, Sarah R. Leist, Alan Whitmore, Mark T. Heise, Ralph S. Baric