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Abstract Mosquitoes interact with various organisms in the environment, and female mosquitoes in particular serve as vectors that directly transmit a number of microorganisms to humans and animals by blood-sucking. Comprehensive analysis of mosquito-borne viruses has led to the understanding of the existence of diverse viral species and to the identification of zoonotic arboviruses responsible for significant outbreaks and epidemics. In the present study on mosquito-borne bunyaviruses we employed a broad-spectrum RT-PCR approach and identified eighteen different additional species in the Phenuiviridae family and also a number of related but unclassified bunyaviruses in mosquitoes collected in Zambia. The entire RNA genome segments of the newly identified viruses were further analyzed by RNA sequencing with a ribonuclease R (RNase R) treatment to reduce host-derived RNAs and enrich viral RNAs, taking advantage of the dsRNA panhandle structure of the bunyavirus genome. All three or four genome segments were identified in eight bunyavirus species. Furthermore, L segments of three different novel viruses related to the Leishbunyaviridae were found in mosquitoes together with genes from the suspected host, the Crithidia parasite. In summary, our virus detection approach using a combination of broad-spectrum RT-PCR and RNA sequencing analysis with a simple virus enrichment method allowed the discovery of novel bunyaviruses. The diversity of bunyaviruses is still expanding and studies on this will allow a better understanding of the ecology of hematophagous mosquitoes.

The “trachystreptoform” species of Spirostreptidae, i.e., species which would formerly have been ascribed to the tribe Trachystreptini, from the Udzungwa Mountains are (re)described, including one new genus and five new species: Attemsostreptus reflexus Akkari & Enghoff, 2019, A. cataractae Enghoff sp. nov., A. leptoptilos Enghoff sp. nov., A. julostriatus Enghoff sp. nov., Lophostreptus tersus (Cook, 1896) (= L. ptilostreptoides Carl, 1909 syn. nov.), L. magombera Enghoff sp. nov., and Udzungwastreptus marianae Enghoff gen. et sp. nov. The type material of Lophostreptus regularis Attems, 1909 (= L. tersus) is discussed. The discussion includes paragraphs on the classification and the Udzungwa fauna of Spirostreptidae, on grouping of the Udzungwa trachystreptoform species in relation to altitude, and on the possibly recent immigration of A. reflexus and L. tersus into the Udzungwa Mts.

Mutations have driven the evolution and development of new variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with potential implications for increased transmissibility, disease severity and vaccine escape among others. Genome sequencing is a technique that allows scientists to read the genetic code of an organism and has become a powerful tool for studying emerging infectious diseases. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional study in selected districts of the Eastern Province of Zambia, from November 2021 to February 2022. We analyzed SARS-CoV-2 samples (n = 76) using high-throughput sequencing. A total of 4097 mutations were identified in 69 SARS-CoV-2 genomes with 47% (1925/4097) of the mutations occurring in the spike protein. We identified 83 unique amino acid mutations in the spike protein of the seven Omicron sublineages (BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.1.14, BA.1.18, BA.1.21, BA.2, BA.2.23 and XT). Of these, 43.4% (36/83) were present in the receptor binding domain, while 14.5% (12/83) were in the receptor binding motif. While we identified a potential recombinant XT strain, the highly transmissible BA.2 sublineage was more predominant (40.8%). We observed the substitution of other variants with the Omicron strain in the Eastern Province. This work shows the importance of pandemic preparedness and the need to monitor disease in the general population.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the level of physical activity (PA). However, little is known about its effect on health outcomes.MethodsArticles without language restrictions published from the database inception through March 16, 2022, were retrieved using the CINAHL Complete, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, PubMed, and PsycINFO databases. High-quality articles assessing the effect of PA on psychological and behavioral problems. Additionally, PA, QoL, and/or sleep problems before and during the pandemic were included. Articles without data regarding PA or involving non-general populations were excluded. The PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines were followed. Data quality of the selected articles was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and GRADE approach. Data were pooled using a random-effects model and sensitivity analysis if heterogenicity was high (I2 ≥ 50%). The relationship between PA and psychological and behavioral problems; and changes in PA, QoL, and sleeping patterns before and during the pandemic in preschoolers, children, and adolescents were investigated. A meta-analysis was conducted; odds ratios (ORs), mean differences (MD), and standardized MDs (SMDs) were calculated.ResultsThirty-four articles involving 66,857 participants were included. The results showed an overall significant protective effect between PA and psychological and/or behavioral problems (OR = 0.677; 95% CI = 0.630, 0.728; p-value

Leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases of humans and animals. We detected Leishmania infantum in 3 mixed-breed dogs in Zambia that had no travel history outside the country. Our findings suggest presence of and probable emergence of leishmaniasis in Zambia, indicating the need for physicians and veterinarians to consider the disease during diagnosis.

Rift valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito-borne disease of animals and humans. Although RVF outbreaks are usually reported at 5-15-year intervals in sub-Saharan Africa, Zambia has experienced an unusually long inter-epizootic/-epidemic period of more than three decades. However, serological evidence of RVF virus (RVFV) infection in domestic ruminants during this period underscores the need for comprehensive investigation of the mechanisms of virus perpetuation and disease emergence. Mosquitoes (n = 16,778) captured from eight of the ten provinces of Zambia between April 2014 and May 2019 were pooled (n = 961) and screened for RVFV genome by a pan-phlebo RT-PCR assay. Aedes mosquito pools (n = 85) were further screened by nested RT-PCR assay. Sera from sheep (n = 13), goats (n = 259) and wild ungulates (n = 285) were screened for RVFV antibodies by ELISA while genome detection in pooled sera (n = 276) from domestic (n = 248) and wild ungulates (n = 37) was performed by real-time RT-PCR assay. To examine the association between the long inter-epizootic period and climatic variables, we examined El Niño-Southern Oscillation indices, precipitation anomalies, and normalized difference vegetation index. We then derived RVF risk maps by exploring climatic variables that would favor emergence of primary RVFV vectors. While no RVFV genome could be detected in pooled mosquito and serum samples, seroprevalence was significantly high (OR = 8.13, 95% CI [4.63-14.25]) in wild ungulates (33.7%; 96/285) compared to domestic ruminants (5.6%; 16/272). Retrospective analysis of RVF epizootics in Zambia showed a positive correlation between anomalous precipitation (La Niña) and disease emergence. On risk mapping, whilst northern and eastern parts of the country were at high risk, domestic ruminant population density was low (< 21 animals/km2) in these areas compared to low risk areas (>21 animals/km2). Besides evidence of silent circulation of RVFV and the risk of disease emergence in some areas, wildlife may play a role in the maintenance of RVFV in Zambia.

Summary: The amino acid residue at position 333 of the rabies virus (RABV) glycoprotein (G333) is a major determinant of RABV pathogenicity. Virulent RABV strains possess Arg333, whereas the attenuated strain HEP-Flury (HEP) possesses Glu333. To investigate the potential attenuation mechanism dependent on a single amino acid at G333, comparative analysis was performed between HEP and HEP333R mutant with Arg333. We examined their respective tropism for astrocytes and the subsequent immune responses in astrocytes. Virus replication and subsequent interferon (IFN) responses in astrocytes infected with HEP were increased compared with HEP333R both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, involvement of IFN in the avirulency of HEP was demonstrated in IFN-receptor knockout mice. These results indicate that Glu333 contributes to RABV attenuation by determining the ability of the virus to infect astrocytes and stimulate subsequent IFN responses.

While evidence suggests presence of HEV infection in humans in Zambia, currently, there is no information on its occurrence in domestic pigs. Here, we investigated the presence of HEV antibodies and genome in domestic pigs in Zambia. Sera (n = 484) from domestic pigs were screened for antibodies against HEV by ELISA while genome detection in fecal (n = 25) and liver (n = 100) samples from slaughter pigs was conducted using nested RT–PCR assay. Overall, seroprevalence was 47.7% (231/484) while zoonotic genotype 3 HEV RNA was detected in 16.0% (20/125) of slaughtered pigs. This is the first report to highlight occurrence of HEV infection in domestic pigs in Zambia. This finding suggests possible contamination of the pork supply chain. Moreover, there is a potential risk of zoonotic transmission of HEV to abattoir workers, pig farmers and handlers.

Nuclear data is critical for many modern applications from stockpile stewardship to cutting edge scientific research. Central to these pursuits is a robust pipeline for nuclear modeling as well as data assimilation and dissemination. We summarize a small portion of the ongoing nuclear data efforts at Los Alamos for medium mass to heavy nuclei. We begin with an overview of the NEXUS framework and show how one of its modules can be used for model parameter optimization using Bayesian techniques. The mathematical framework affords the combination of different measured data in determining model parameters and their associated correlations. It also has the advantage of being able to quantify outliers in data. We exemplify the power of this procedure by highlighting the recently evaluated 239Pu cross section. We further showcase the success of our tools and pipeline by covering the insight gained from incorporating the latest nuclear modeling and data in astrophysical simulations as part of the Fission In R-process Elements (FIRE) collaboration. We advocate for the adoption of tranmission protocols such as the Unified Reaction Structures for Astrophysics (URSA) for the rapid inclusion of nuclear data into astrophysical simulations.

Knowing the nutrient status of growing media is a strategy for precision agriculture. The research aims to study the Liberica coffee seedling response to the nutrient status of peat under the influence of bio-fertilizer. The experiment used a completely randomized design in a factorial treatment arrangement with six replications. 1st factor was peat types; fibric, hemic, and sapric and 2nd factor were inoculated and non-inoculated peat by cellulolytic bacteria. Liberica coffee seedlings were found very responsive to P2O5 and Ca deficiencies, so the growth was not optimal on sapric, whereas the seedlings did not seem to respond to the low K status in fibric. The enrichment of cellulolytic bacteria increased the P2O5 of sapric from deficiency (6.84 ppm) to high (12.25 ppm), although the effect was not yet significant to improve the seedling growth. By cellulolytic bacteria enrichment, stem diameter, stem height, and leaves numbers of Liberica coffee seedlings on fibric added 2.33 mm, 9.25 cm, 3.75 strands, on hemic added 3.05 mm, 7.75 cm, and 4.25 strands and on sapric added 2.18 mm, 2.25 cm, and 1.25 strands, respectively. This study was the first step to getting more precise fertilizers for Liberica coffee planting on peatlands.

Kemiri Sunan [Reutealis trisperma (Blanco) Airy Shaw] is a crop oil-producing plant with great potential as a source of raw materials for the oleochemical, biofuels, and other derivate product industries. Here, we focus on the prospect and potential of the kemiri sunan plant as a potential source of biofuel from inedible crops. The main potential lies in the fruit, which a dry seed production rate of 10-15 tons/ha/year or equivalent to about 8 tonnes of crude oil/ha/yr or about 7 tonnes of biodiesel/ha/yr. This uniqueness can be used as a source of raw materials for biofuel and other chemical industries that do not compete with crop oils for food. However, its current development in Indonesia is still constrained by the availability of land. The alternative that can be taken is to utilize unproductive land, including sub-optimal land, ex-mining land, and other degraded lands. Constraints of limited land for the development of kemiri sunan can be overcome by utilizing less productive lands, including ex-mining land, dry climate dry land, and reservoir buffer land. The condition of the land is sufficient to support the growth and development of the kemiri sunan plant which is quite good. The plant's character is in the form of a tree with a shady leaf crown and a deep root system that makes this plant very useful as a conservation plant on these lands.

Relapsing fever (RF) is an arthropod-borne disease caused by Borrelia spirochete, which is one of the major public health concerns in endemic regions including Africa. However, information on Borrelia spirochetes is limited in Zambia. Here, we investigate the Borrelia spirochetes harbored by Ornithodoros ticks in Zambian National Parks. We analyzed 182 DNA samples pooled from 886 Ornithodoros ticks. Of these, 43 tested positive, and their sequence revealed that the ticks harbored both Old and New World RF borreliae. This research presents the first evidence of Old-World RF borreliae in Zambia. The New World RF borreliae detected herein differed from the Candidatus Borrelia fainii previously reported in Zambia and were closely related to the pathogenic Borrelia sp. VS4 identified in Tanzania. Additionally, Borrelia theileri was recently reported in Zambia. Hence, at least four different Borrelia species occur in Zambia, and the organisms causing relapsing fever there might be more complex than previously thought. We empirically confirmed that real-time PCR with TaqMan minor groove binder probes accurately and simultaneously detected both Old and New World RF. In this manner, they could facilitate quantitative analyses of both types of RF borreliae. Subsequent investigations should endeavor to isolate the aforementioned Borrelia spp. and perform serosurveys on patients with RF.

BackgroundAlthough vector-borne zoonotic diseases are a major public health threat globally, they are usually neglected, especially among resource-constrained countries, including those in sub-Saharan Africa. This scoping review examined the current knowledge and identified research gaps of vector-borne zoonotic pathogens in Zambia.Methods and findingsMajor scientific databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, CABI, Scientific Information Database (SID)) were searched for articles describing vector-borne (mosquitoes, ticks, fleas and tsetse flies) zoonotic pathogens in Zambia. Several mosquito-borne arboviruses have been reported including Yellow fever, Ntaya, Mayaro, Dengue, Zika, West Nile, Chikungunya, Sindbis, and Rift Valley fever viruses. Flea-borne zoonotic pathogens reported include Yersinia pestis and Rickettsia felis. Trypanosoma sp. was the only tsetse fly-borne pathogen identified. Further, tick-borne zoonotic pathogens reported included Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever virus, Rickettsia sp., Anaplasma sp., Ehrlichia sp., Borrelia sp., and Coxiella burnetii.ConclusionsThis study revealed the presence of many vector-borne zoonotic pathogens circulating in vectors and animals in Zambia. Though reports of human clinical cases were limited, several serological studies provided considerable evidence of zoonotic transmission of vector-borne pathogens in humans. However, the disease burden in humans attributable to vector-borne zoonotic infections could not be ascertained from the available reports and this precludes the formulation of national policies that could help in the control and mitigation of the impact of these diseases in Zambia. Therefore, there is an urgent need to scale-up "One Health" research in emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases to enable the country to prepare for future epidemics, including pandemics.

We detected West Nile virus (WNV) nucleic acid in crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) in Zambia. Phylogenetically, the virus belonged to lineage 1a, which is predominant in the Northern Hemisphere. These data provide evidence that WNV is circulating in crocodiles in Africa and increases the risk for animal and human transmission.

Recent research has focused on the mechanisms by which long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) modulate diverse cellular processes such as tumorigenesis. However, the functional characteristics of these non-coding elements in the genome are poorly understood at present. In this study, we have explored several mechanisms that involve the novel lncRNA and microRNA (miRNA) axis participating in modulation of drug response and the tumor microenvironment of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). We identified novel lncRNAs via mRNA sequencing that was applied to leukemic cell lines derived from BCR-ABL1-positive and JAK2-mutant MPNs under treatment with therapeutic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI). The expression and sequence of novel LNC000093 were further validated in both leukemic cells and normal primary and pluripotent cells isolated from human blood, including samples from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Downregulation of LNC000093 was validated in TKI-resistant CML while a converse expression pattern was observed in blood cells isolated from TKI-sensitive CML cases. In addition to BCR-ABL1-positive CML cells, the driver mutation JAK2-V617F-regulated lncRNA BANCR axis was further identified in BCR-ABL1-negative MPNs. Further genome-wide validation using MPN patient specimens identified 23 unique copy number variants including the 7 differentially expressed lncRNAs from our database. The newly identified LNC000093 served as a competitive endogenous RNA for miR-675-5p and reversed the imatinib resistance in CML cells through regulating RUNX1 expression. The extrinsic function of LNC000093 in exosomal H19/miR-675-induced modulation for the microenvironment was also determined with significant effect on VEGF expression.

ABSTRACT Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) possesses a discriminative polybasic cleavage motif in its spike protein that is recognized by the host furin protease. Proteolytic cleavage activates the spike protein, thereby affecting both the cellular entry pathway and cell tropism of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we investigated the impact of the furin cleavage site on viral growth and pathogenesis using a hamster animal model infected with SARS-CoV-2 variants bearing mutations at the furin cleavage site (S gene mutants). In the airway tissues of hamsters, the S gene mutants exhibited low growth properties. In contrast to parental pathogenic SARS-CoV-2, hamsters infected with the S gene mutants showed no body weight loss and only a mild inflammatory response, thereby indicating the attenuated variant nature of S gene mutants. This transient infection was sufficient for inducing protective neutralizing antibodies that cross-react with different SARS-CoV-2 lineages. Consequently, hamsters inoculated with S gene mutants showed resistance to subsequent infection with both the parental strain and the currently emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants belonging to lineages B.1.1.7 and P.1. Taken together, our findings revealed that the loss of the furin cleavage site causes attenuation in the airway tissues of hamsters and highlighted the potential benefits of S gene mutants as potential immunogens. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 uses its spike protein to enter target cells. The spike protein is cleaved by a host protease, and this event facilitates viral entry and broadens cell tropism. In this study, we employed SARS-CoV-2 mutants lacking the S protein cleavage site and characterized their growth and pathogenicity using hamsters, a laboratory animal model for SARS-CoV-2 infection. These mutants exerted low pathogenicity but induced sufficient levels of neutralizing antibodies in hamsters, which protected hamsters from rechallenge with pathogenic clinical SARS-CoV-2 strains. These virus mutants may be used as protective immunogens against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

BackgroundAn estimated 75% or more of the human rabies cases in Africa occur in rural settings, which underscores the importance of rabies control in these areas. Understanding dog demographics can help design strategies for rabies control and plan and conduct canine mass vaccination campaigns effectively in African countries.Methodology/principal findingsA cross-sectional survey was conducted to investigate domestic dog demographics in Kalambabakali, in the rural Mazabuka District of Zambia. The population of ownerless dogs and the total achievable vaccination coverage among the total dog population was estimated using the capture-recapture-based Bayesian model by conducting a canine mass vaccination campaign. This study revealed that 29% of the domestic dog population was under one year old, and 57.7% of those were under three months old and thus were not eligible for the canine rabies vaccination in Zambia. The population growth was estimated at 15% per annum based on the cross-sectional household survey. The population of ownerless dogs was estimated to be small, with an ownerless-to-owned-dog ratio of 0.01-0.06 in the target zones. The achieved overall vaccination coverage from the first mass vaccination was estimated 19.8-51.6%. This low coverage was principally attributed to the owners' lack of information, unavailability, and dog-handling difficulties. The follow-up mass vaccination campaign achieved an overall coverage of 54.8-76.2%.Conclusions/significanceThis paper indicates the potential for controlling canine rabies through mass vaccination in rural Zambia. Rabies education and responsible dog ownership are required to achieve high and sustainable vaccination coverage. Our findings also propose including puppies below three months old in the target population for rabies vaccination and emphasize that securing an annual enforcement of canine mass vaccination that reaches 70% coverage in the dog population is necessary to maintain protective herd immunity.

Background. With soft-tissue sarcoma of the extremity (ESTS) representing a heterogenous group of tumors, management decisions are often made in multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings. To optimize outcome, nomograms are more commonly used to guide individualized treatment decision making. Purpose. To evaluate the influence of Personalised Sarcoma Care (PERSARC) on treatment decisions for patients with high-grade ESTS and the ability of the MDT to accurately predict overall survival (OS) and local recurrence (LR) rates. Methods. Two consecutive meetings were organised. During the first meeting, 36 cases were presented to the MDT. OS and LR rates without the use of PERSARC were estimated by consensus and preferred treatment was recorded for each case. During the second meeting, OS/LR rates calculated with PERSARC were presented to the MDT. Differences between estimated OS/LR rates and PERSARC OS/LR rates were calculated. Variations in preferred treatment protocols were noted. Results. The MDT underestimated OS when compared to PERSARC in 48.4% of cases. LR rates were overestimated in 41.9% of cases. With the use of PERSARC, the proposed treatment changed for 24 cases. Conclusion. PERSARC aids the MDT to optimize individualized predicted OS and LR rates, hereby guiding patient-centered care and shared decision making.

Rickettsial pathogens are amongst the emerging and re-emerging vector-borne zoonoses of public health importance. Though traditionally considered to be transmitted by ixodid ticks, the role of argasid ticks as vectors of these pathogens is increasingly being recognized. While bat-feeding (Ornithodoros faini) and chicken-feeding (Argas walkerae) argasid ticks have been shown to harbor Rickettsia pathogens in Zambia, there are currently no reports of Rickettsia infection in southern Africa from warthog-feeding (Phacochoerus africanus) soft ticks, particularly Ornithodoros moubata and Ornithodoros porcinus. Our study sought to expand on the existing knowledge on the role of soft ticks in the epidemiology of Rickettsia species through screening for Rickettsia pathogens in warthog burrow-dwelling soft ticks from two national parks in Zambia. The tick species from which Rickettsia were detected in this study were identified as Ornithodoros porcinus, and an overall minimal Rickettsia infection rate of 19.8% (32/162) was observed. All of the sequenced Rickettsia were identified as Rickettsia lusitaniae based on nucleotide sequence similarity and phylogenetic analysis of the citrate synthase (gltA) and 17kDa common antigen (htrA) genes. Utilizing all of the gltA (n = 10) and htrA (n = 12) nucleotide sequences obtained in this study, BLAST analysis showed 100% nucleotide similarity to Rickettsia lusitaniae. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all of the Zambian gltA and htrA gene sequences could be grouped with those of Rickettsia lusitaniae obtained in various parts of the world. Our data suggest that Rickettsia lusitaniae has a wider geographic and vector range, enhancing to our understanding of Rickettsia lusitaniae epidemiology in sub-Saharan Africa.

Rabies remains endemic in Zambia. Despite conducting canine vaccinations in Lusaka district, the vaccination coverage and actual seropositivity in the dog population in Lusaka district are rarely evaluated. This study estimated the seropositivity-based immunization coverage in the owned dog population in Lusaka district using the expanded program on immunization cluster survey method. The time-series trend of neutralizing antibodies against rabies in vaccinated dogs was also evaluated. Of 366 dogs in 200 dog-owning households in Lusaka district, blood samples were collected successfully from 251 dogs. In the sampled dogs, 42.2% (106/251) had an antibody titer ≥0.5 IU/mL. When the 115 dogs whose blood was not collected were assumed to be seronegative, the minimum immunization coverage in Lusaka district’s owned dog population was estimated at 29.0% (95% confidence interval: 22.4–35.5). It was also found that a single vaccination with certified vaccines is capable of inducing protective levels of antibodies. In contrast, higher antibody titers were observed in multiple-vaccinated dogs than in single-vaccinated dogs, coupled with the observation of a decline in antibody titer over time. These results suggest the importance of continuous booster immunization to maintain herd immunity and provide useful information to plan mass vaccination against rabies in Zambia.

Abstract Background In the Netherlands prehospital trauma care is provided by emergency medical services (EMS) nurses. This care is extended by Physician staffed Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (P-HEMS) for the more severely injured patient. Prehospital communication is a factor of influence on the identification of these patients and the dispatch of P-HEMS. Though prehospital communication it is often perceived to be incomplete and unstructured. To elucidated factors of influence on prehospital triage and the identification of the severely injured patient a Delphi study was performed. Methods A three round modified Delphi study was designed to explore concepts amongst experts in prehospital trauma care. P-HEMS physicians/nurses, trauma surgeons, EMS nurses and dispatch center operators where asked to state their opinion regarding identification of the poly trauma patient, trauma patient characteristics, prehospital communication and prehospital handover. Results Seventy-one panellist completed all three rounds. For the first round seven cases and 13 theses were presented. From the answers/argumentation the second round was build, in which 68 theses had to be ranked within four principle themes: factors that influence prehospital communication, critical information for proper handover, factors influencing collaboration and how training/education can influence this. Out of these answers the third survey was build, focussing on determining the exact content of a prehospital trauma handover. The majority of the panellists agreed to a set of parameters resulting in a new model of inter-professional hand over regarding prehospital trauma patients. Discussion Exact identification of the poly trauma patient in need of care by P-HEMS is difficult though prehospital communication and the prehospital handover may be improved. Conclusion The respondents report that prehospital communication needs to be unambiguous to improve trauma care. Consensus was reached on a set of ten parameters that should minimally be handed over with regard to a prehospital trauma patient. This to facilitate prehospital communication between the Dispatch centre, EMS, P-HEMS and the receiving hospital.

This is a comprehensive review on the pigs’ normal eliminatory behaviour (i.e., defaecation and urination) and pen soiling. This review is aimed primarily at solving issues with pen soiling in current systems, and ultimately at the future design of a well-functioning pig toilet, which we intend to elaborate on in a subsequent publication. In this paper, first, normal elimination is described in relation to what is known about its phylogeny, ontogeny, causation, and function, i.e., according to Tinbergen’s four why questions concerning animal behaviour. Then, pen soiling is described as if it were a medical disorder, highlighting its importance, aetiology, symptoms, diagnosis, pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention. Due to its negative consequences in terms of animal welfare, health, workload, and environmental emissions, possible methods to address pen soiling in current systems are described. Probably, pigs do not choose a specific place to eliminate but rather choose the most comfortable place for resting, and avoid eliminating there. We identified four main strategies to reduce pen soiling: (1) reducing the suitability of the designated elimination area to be used for other functions, especially resting or thermoregulation; (2) improving the suitability of other functional areas in the pen to be used for their specific function, such as resting and activity; (3) reducing the suitability of other functional areas to be used for elimination; and (4) improving the suitability of the elimination area for elimination. These prevention strategies and the encompassing disease framework provide a structured approach to deal with pen soiling in existing systems and to support the future design, development, and implementation of a well-functioning pig toilet that can help to achieve some of the main goals of modern pig production, namely reducing environmental emissions as well as substantially improving pig welfare.

Background and purpose — There is no consensus on the impact of radiographic severity of hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) on the clinical outcome of total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We assessed whether preoperative radiographic severity of OA is related to improvements in functioning, pain, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) 1 year after THA or TKA. Patients and methods — This prospective cohort study included 302 THA patients and 271 TKA patients with hip or knee OA. In the THA patients, preoperatively 26% had mild OA and 74% had severe OA; in the TKA patients, preoperatively 27% had mild OA and 73% had severe OA. Radiographic severity was determined according to the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) classification. Clinical assessments preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively included: sociodemographic characteristics and patient-reported outcomes (PROMs): Oxford hip/knee score, hip/knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (HOOS/KOOS), SF36, and EQ5D. Change scores of PROMs were compared with mild OA (KL 0–2) and severe OA (KL 3–4) using a multivariate linear regression model. Results — Adjusted for sex, age, preoperative scores, BMI, and Charnley score, radiographic severity of OA in THA was associated with improvement in HOOS “Activities of daily living”, “Pain”, and “Symptoms”, and SF36 physical component summary (“PCS”) scale. In TKA, we found no such associations. Interpretation — The decrease in pain and improvement in function in THA patients, but not in TKA patients, was positively associated with the preoperative radiographic severity of OA.

Bluetongue (BT) is an arthropod-borne viral disease of ruminants with serious trade and socio-economic implications. Although the disease has been reported in a number of countries in sub-Saharan Africa, there is currently no information on circulating serotypes and disease distribution in Zambia. Following surveillance for BT in domestic and wild ruminants in Zambia, BT virus (BTV) nucleic acid and antibodies were detected in eight of the 10 provinces of the country. About 40% (87/215) of pooled blood samples from cattle and goats were positive for BTV nucleic acid, while one hartebeest pool (1/43) was positive among wildlife samples. Sequence analysis of segment 2 revealed presence of serotypes 3, 5, 7, 12 and 15, with five nucleotypes (B, E, F, G and J) being identified. Segment 10 phylogeny showed Zambian BTV sequences clustering with Western topotype strains from South Africa, intimating likely transboundary spread of BTV in Southern Africa. Interestingly, two Zambian viruses and one isolate from Israel formed a novel clade, which we designated as Western topotype 4. The high seroprevalence (96.2%) in cattle from Lusaka and Central provinces and co-circulation of multiple serotypes showed that BT is widespread, underscoring the need for prevention and control strategies.

Simulation of nuclear systems requires complete data that represents the relevant nuclear physics. This requires many types of experimental measurements, theoretical physics, semi-empirical models and software systems, as well as experts to integrate and guide the process. This discipline is collectively known as nuclear data, and separate programmes within various European countries, the USA, Japan, Russia, and other OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) member countries have been operating for many decades. The NEA Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Co-operation (WPEC) exists to improve the quality and completeness of nuclear data by bringing together representatives of the major nuclear data evaluation projects of NEA member countries and selected Invitees. The Sub- and Expert Groups of the WPEC typically focus on specific technical topics, while the Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation Pilot Project (CIELO) was established to generate complete evaluations for a selection of the most important isotopes for criticality in nuclear technologies: 235,238U, 239Pu, 56Fe, 16O and 1H. This project stimulated numerous activities, resulting in major contributions to the Special Issue of the Nuclear Data Sheets journal and the production of a suite of new nuclear data evaluations that have been incorporated in major nuclear data libraries ENDF and JEFF. The outcomes of these evaluations include significant harmonisa-tion of discrepancies between the independent programmes, improvement in the performance for international standard nuclear criticality and neutron transmission benchmarks, complete uncertainties for nearly all parameters and the utilisation of modern data storage technologies. This work has leveraged the considerable, parallel experimental work in collecting improved experimental measurements to support nuclear data and highlighted high-priority areas for further study. A productive and durable framework for international evaluation has been established which will build upon the lessons learned. These will continue through new WPEC groups and a new IAEA evaluation network, which has been initiated in response to the success of the CIELO project. This article summaries some performance feedback on the CIELO evaluations, including recent results, and will describe ongoing and future, planned CIELO-related collaborations to further advance our understanding.

The OECD Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) Working Party on International Nuclear Data Evaluation Cooperation (WPEC) was established in 1989 to facilitate collaboration in nuclear data activities. Over its thirty year history, different Subgroups have been created to address topics in nearly every aspect of nuclear data, including: experimental measurements, evaluation, validation, model development, quality assurance of databases and the development of software tools. WPEC has recently completed activities on fission yield evaluation, the general nuclear database structure (GNDS) to replace the ENDF-6 format, methods to provide feedback to evaluation, studies of specific capture cross sections, new methods in thermal scattering kernel evaluation and the Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation (CIELO) Pilot Project. Ongoing activities in GNDS application programming interface (API) development, methods for covariance evaluation and quality assurance in nuclear data validation using the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) database are complemented by the work of two Expert Groups that oversee the High-Priority Request List (HPRL) for Nuclear Data and the continuous development of the GNDS. New activities on the use of integral experiments for nuclear data validation and adjustment, as well as the use of the Shielding Integral Benchmark Archive and Database (SINBAD) for validation have begun and will be coordinated alongside future Subgroups. After three decades we will review the status of WPEC, how it integrates other collections and activities organised by the NEA and how it dovetails with the initiatives of the IAEA and other bodies to effectively coordinate international activities in nuclear data.

A new paradigm for nuclear reaction data evaluations is proposed to produce adjusted libraries that take into account integral experiments on the same footing as the differential ones. These evaluations will provide comprehensive covariance matrices including cross-correlations among different materials/reactions that are critical for realistic propagation of data uncertainties to integral quantities. The new approach should also reduce error compensation issues and facilitate updating of the library to account for new or corrected experiments and advances in reaction modeling.

African swine fever (ASF) is a contagious haemorrhagic disease associated with causing heavy economic losses to the swine industry in many African countries. In 2017, Zambia experienced ASF outbreaks in Mbala District (Northern province) and for the first time in Isoka and Chinsali districts (Muchinga province). Meanwhile, another outbreak was observed in Chipata District (Eastern province). Genetic analysis of part of the B646L gene, E183L gene, CP204L gene and the central variable region of the B602L gene of ASF virus (ASFV) associated with the outbreaks in Mbala and Chipata districts was conducted. The results revealed that the ASFV detected in Mbala District was highly similar to that of the Georgia 2007/1 isolate across all the genome regions analysed. In contrast, while showing close relationship with the Georgia 2007/1 virus in the B646L gene, the ASFV detected in Chipata District showed remarkable genetic variation in the rest of the genes analysed. These results suggest that the Georgia 2007/1-like virus could be more diverse than what was previously thought, underscoring the need of continued surveillance and monitoring of ASFVs within the south-eastern African region to better understand their epidemiology and the relationships between outbreaks and their possible origin.

In early 2015, a highly fatal haemorrhagic disease of domestic pigs resembling African swine fever (ASF) occurred in North Western, Copperbelt, and Lusaka provinces of Zambia. Molecular diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction targeting specific amplification of p72 (B646L) gene of ASF virus (ASFV) was conducted. Fourteen out of 16 domestic pigs from the affected provinces were found to be positive for ASFV. Phylogenetic analyses based on part of the p72 and the complete p54 (E183L) genes revealed that all the ASFVs detected belonged to genotypes I and Id, respectively. Additionally, epidemiological data suggest that the same ASFV spread from Lusaka to other provinces possibly through uncontrolled and/or illegal pig movements. Although the origin of the ASFV that caused outbreaks in domestic pigs in Zambia could not be ascertained, it appears likely that the virus may have emerged from within the country or region, probably from a sylvatic cycle. It is recommended that surveillance of ASF, strict biosecurity, and quarantine measures be imposed in order to prevent further spread and emergence of new ASF outbreaks in Zambia. Keywords: African swine fever; Asfarviridae; Molecular epidemiology; Zambia

To wonder is a gift of the romanticist in particular. Wonder seeks explanation. If reason doesn’t provide that, imagination provides a way out. One imagines a transcendental world of which the God-idea may become the central point and the explanatory model of that that invoked wonder. The God-idea implies wonder, wonder that live exists, that things exist at all. Wonder promotes religiosity—i.c., the need to provide life with a vertical dimension—and religiosity facilitates, in its turn, wonder. Thus the circle is closed: romanticism, wonder, imagination, religiosity, wonder. A circle providing life with an important bonus, i.e., sense, meaning with a supernatural signature. This augments the chance that hope will be preserved, even as dark clouds begin to hover above one’s life.

Lack of environmental enrichment and high stocking densities in growing-finishing pigs can lead to adverse social behaviors directed to pen mates, resulting in skin lesions, lameness, and tail biting. The objective of the study was to improve animal welfare and prevent biting behavior in an experiment with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design on exploration feeding, stocking density, and sex. We kept 550 pigs in 69 pens from 63 days to 171 days of life. Pigs were supplemented with or without exploration feeding, kept in groups of seven (1.0 m2/pig) or nine animals (0.8 m2/pig) and separated per sex. Exploration feeding provided small amounts of feed periodically on the solid floor. Skin lesion scores were significantly lower in pens with exploration feeding (p = 0.028, p < 0.001, p < 0.001 for front, middle, and hind body), in pens with high compared to low space allowance (p = 0.005, p = 0.006, p < 0.001 for front, middle and hind body), and in pens with females compared to males (p < 0.001, p = 0.005, p < 0.001 for front, middle and hind body). Males with exploration feeding had fewer front skin lesions than females with exploration feeding (p = 0.022). Pigs with 1.0 m2 compared to 0.8 m2 per pig had a higher daily gain of 27 g per pig per day (p = 0.04) and males compared to females had a higher daily gain of 39 g per pig per day (p = 0.01). These results indicate that exploration feeding might contribute to the development of a more welfare-friendly pig husbandry with intact tails in the near future.

Iron is one of the five materials selected for evaluation within the pilot international evaluation project CIELO. Analysis of experimental data for n+56Fe reaction is the basis for constraining theoretical calculations and eventual creation of the evaluated file. The detail analysis was performed for inelastic cross sections of neutron induced reactions with 56Fe in the fast range up to 20 MeV where there are significant differences among the main evaluated libraries, mainly caused by the different inelastic scattering cross section measurements. Gamma-ray production cross sections provide a way to gain experimental information about the inelastic cross section. Large discrepancies between experimental data for the 847-keV gamma ray produced in the 56Fe(n,n1'γ) reaction were analyzed. In addition, experimental data for elastic scattering cross section between 9.41∼11 MeV were used to deduce the inelastic cross section from the unitarity constrain.

INTRODUCTION: Although Total Hip and Knee Replacements (THR/TKR) improve Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) at the group level, up to 30% of patients are dissatisfied after surgery due to unfulfilled expectations. We aimed to assess whether the pre-operative radiographic severity of osteoarthritis (OA) is related to the improvement in HRQoL after THR or TKR, both at the population and individual level. METHODS: In this multi-center observational cohort study, HRQoL of OA patients requiring THR or TKR was measured 2 weeks before surgery and at 2-5 years follow-up, using the Short-Form 36 (SF36). Additionally, we measured patient satisfaction on a 11-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRSS). The radiographic severity of OA was classified according to Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) by an independent experienced musculoskeletal radiologist, blinded for the outcome. We compared the mean improvement and probability of a relevant improvement (defined as a patients change score ≥ Minimal Clinically Important Difference) between patients with mild OA (KL Grade 0-2) and severe OA (KL Grade 3+4), whilst adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: Severe OA patients improved more and had a higher probability of a relevant improvement in physical functioning after both THR and TKR. For TKR patients with severe OA, larger improvements were found in General Health, Vitality and the Physical Component Summary Scale. The mean NRSS was also higher in severe OA TKR patients. DISCUSSION: Patients with severe OA have a better prognosis after THR and TKR than patients with mild OA. These findings might help to prevent dissatisfaction after THR and TKR by means of patient selection or expectation management.

The Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation (CIELO) aims to provide revised and updated evaluations for 239Pu, 238,235U, 56Fe, 16O, and 1H through international collaboration. This work, which is part of the CIELO project, presents the initial results for the evaluation of the 56Fe isotope, with neutron-incident energy ranging from 0 to 20 MeV. The 56Fe(n,p) cross sections were fitted to reproduce the ones from IRDFF dosimetry file. Our preliminary file provides good cross-section agreements for the main angle-integrated reactions, as well as a reasonable overall agreement for angular distributions and double-di_erential spectra, when compared to previous evaluations.

Although this dictionary was not published by a well-established publishing house, its quality and usefulness rival those of seasoned publishers in the field of Khoesan studies, such as the dictionaries by Dickens (1994), Traill (1994) and Haacke (2002). This fourth edition of Visser's Naro Dictionary is a medium-sized dictionary of 240 pages, including 16 pages of appendices. The work is the result of more than 10 years of lexical compilation which resulted in several editions of the dictionary, each of which was an expanded version of the earlier one. Thus, from a miniature version, it has grown into a sizeable high-quality work, in spite of the compiler's modest observation in his introduction that it is a mere "working document" and that it is still a "preliminary publication".

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the factors associated with clinical progression and good prognosis in patients with lower limb osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Cohort study of 145 patients with OA in either knee, hip or both. Progression was defined as 1) new joint prosthesis or 2) increase in WOMAC pain or function score during 6-years follow-up above pre-defined thresholds. Patients without progression with decrease in WOMAC pain or function score lower than pre-defined thresholds were categorized as good prognosis. Relative risks (RRs) for progression and good prognosis with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated by comparing the highest tertile or category to the lowest tertile, for baseline determinants (age, sex, BMI, WOMAC pain and function scores, pain on physical examination, total range of motion (tROM), osteophytes and joint space narrowing (JSN) scores), and for worsening in WOMAC pain and function score in 1-year. Adjustments were performed for age, sex, and BMI. RESULTS: Follow-up was completed by 117 patients (81%, median age 60 years, 84% female); 62 (53%) and 31 patients (26%) showed progression and good prognosis, respectively. These following determinants were associated with progression: pain on physical examination (RR 1.2 (1.0 to 1.5)); tROM (1.4 (1.1 to 1.6); worsening in WOMAC pain (1.9 (1.2 to 2.3)); worsening in WOMAC function (2.4 (1.7 to 2.6)); osteophytes 1.5 (1.0 to 1.8); and JSN scores (2.3 (1.5 to 2.7)). Worsening in WOMAC pain (0.1 (0.1 to 0.8)) and function score (0.1 (0.1 to 0.7)), were negatively associated with good prognosis. CONCLUSION: Worsening of self-reported pain and function in one year, limited tROM and higher osteophytes and JSN scores were associated with clinical progression. Worsening in WOMAC pain and function score in 1- year were associated with lower risk to have good prognosis. These findings help to inform patients with regard to their OA prognosis.

In recent years increasing evidence appeared that breast cancer may not constitute a single disease at the molecular level, but comprises a heterogeneous set of subtypes. This suggests that instead of building a single monolithic predictor, better predictors might be constructed that solely target samples of a designated subtype, which are believed to represent more homogeneous sets of samples. An unavoidable drawback of developing subtype-specific predictors, however, is that a stratification by subtype drastically reduces the number of samples available for their construction. As numerous studies have indicated sample size to be an important factor in predictor construction, it is therefore questionable whether the potential benefit of subtyping can outweigh the drawback of a severe loss in sample size. Factors like unequal class distributions and differences in the number of samples per subtype, further complicate comparisons. We present a novel experimental protocol that facilitates a comprehensive comparison between subtype-specific predictors and predictors that do not take subtype information into account. Emphasis lies on careful control of sample size as well as class and subtype distributions. The methodology is applied to a large breast cancer compendium involving over 1500 arrays, using a state-of-the-art subtyping scheme. We show that the resulting subtype-specific predictors outperform those that do not take subtype information into account, especially when taking sample size considerations into account.

The global spherical optical model by Koning and Delaroche is generalized to enable its use in coupled-channel calculations on well deformed nuclei in the rare-earth region. The generalization consists in adding the coupling of the ground state rotational band, deforming the potential by introducing appropriate quadrupole and hexadecupole deformations and correcting the optical model potential radius to preserve the volume integral of the spherical optical potential. We choose isotopes of three rare-earth elements (W, Ho, Gd), which are known to be nearly perfect rotors, to perform a consistency test of our conjecture on integrated cross sections as well as on angular distributions for elastic and inelastic neutron scattering. The only additional input are experimentally determined deformations, which we employ without any adjustments. The results are clearly superior compared to the spherical optical model calculations with dramatic improvement at low incident energies.