Fire carbon emissions over maritime southeast Asia in 2015 largest since 1997.

In September and October 2015 widespread forest and peatland fires burned over large parts of maritime southeast Asia, most notably Indonesia, releasing large amounts of terrestrially-stored carbon into the atmosphere, primarily in the form of CO2, CO and CH4. With a mean emission rate of 11.3 Tg CO2 per day during Sept-Oct 2015, emissions from these fires exceeded the fossil fuel CO2 release rate of the European Union (EU28) (8.9 Tg CO2 per day). Although seasonal fires are a frequent occurrence in the human modified landscapes found in Indonesia, the extent of the 2015 fires was greatly inflated by an extended drought period associated with a strong El Niño. We estimate carbon emissions from the 2015 fires to be the largest seen in maritime southeast Asia since those associated with the record breaking El Niño of 1997. Compared to that event, a much better constrained regional total carbon emission estimate can be made for the 2015 fires through the use of present-day satellite observations of the fire's radiative power output and atmospheric CO concentrations, processed using the modelling and assimilation framework of the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and combined with unique in situ smoke measurements made on Kalimantan.

Reduced efficacy of ivermectin, abamectin and moxidectin against field isolates of Haemonchus contortus.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the reduced efficacy of ivermectin, abamectin and moxidectin against two field isolates of Haemonchus contortus. These isolates were identified on separate properties in the New England region of New South Wales. PROCEDURE: Reduced efficacy of macrocyclic lactone anthelmintics against two field isolates of H contortus was suspected. These isolates were obtained from sheep on separate farms and pen trials were performed to investigate the efficacy of macrocyclic lactones. The percentage efficacy was calculated for moxidectin, ivermectin and closantel against the isolate from one farm (VHR23) and for moxidectin, ivermectin and abamectin against the isolate from the second (VHR29). The persistent activity of moxidectin against both isolates was investigated. RESULTS: Ivermectin and closantel were found to have efficacies below 80% against established populations of VHR23. Moxidectin was effective against an established population of VHR23 but the persistent activity was reduced to 7 days. Moxidectin was also found to be effective against established populations of VHR29, however, ivermectin and abamectin were found to have efficacies below 80%. There was no evidence of persistent activity of moxidectin against VHR29. CONCLUSION: A reduction in efficacy of abamectin and/or ivermectin against field isolates of H. contortus was identified from two farms in the New England region of New South Wales. The persistent effect of moxidectin was reduced against both isolates.

Reteplase: a new thrombolytic for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the published data on reteplase, the most recent thrombolytic agent approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in the management of acute myocardial infarction in adults. DATA SOURCES: Published data on reteplase identified by MEDLINE searches (January 1985-June 1997), as well as other pertinent literature. DATA SYNTHESIS: Reteplase is a new thrombolytic agent derived from human tissue plasminogen activator. Its mechanism of action is similar to that of alteplase, but it differs in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Certain structural changes contribute to differences in pharmacokinetic properties such as a prolonged half-life (15 min), which allows it to be administered as two 10-MU bolus injections. Reteplase has been shown to have fibrin specificity similar to that of alteplase, but with a lower binding affinity for fibrin. This enables reteplase to bind to the thrombus repeatedly and increases its fibrinolytic potential. In clinical trials, reteplase demonstrated more rapid and complete coronary patency compared with alteplase, without a significant increase in clinical adverse events. However, the improvement in coronary artery patency with reteplase versus alteplase did not result in a reduction in mortality in the GUSTO III trial. CONCLUSIONS: Despite evidence that use of reteplase results in an improved coronary artery patency rate versus accelerated infusion alteplase, an improvement in mortality rate with reteplase was not shown. Reteplase may have an advantage over alteplase due to a more rapid and simpler dosing regimen, but the significance of this difference is yet to be determined.

Notes on the phlebotomine sand flies from the Peruvian southeast--I. Description of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) adamsi n. sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae).

A new species of phlebotomine sand fly, Lutzomyia adamsi n. sp., is described and illustrated from specimens collected during August 1994, in Sandia, Department of Puno-Peru. According to the Oficina Nacional de Evaluacion de Recursos Naturales(ONERN 1976), this locality is situated in the life zone known as humid, mountain, low tropical forest (bh-MBT). Many areas in the northern part of Puno, mainly in the Inambari and Tambopata basins, are endemic to leishmaniasis. These areas are the continuation of others, largely known as "leishmaniasic" in the departments of Cusco and Madre de Dios. The morphological characteristics indicated that this species belongs to the genus Lutzomyia, subgenus Helcocyrtomyia Barretto, 1962.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis febrile cases among humans in the Peruvian Amazon River region.

A survey was conducted from October 1, 1993 to June 30, 1995 to determine the arboviral etiologies of febrile illnesses in the city of Iquitos in the Amazon River Basin of Peru. The study subjects were patients who were enrolled at medical care clinics or in their homes by Peruvian Ministry of Health (MOH) workers as part of the passive and active disease surveillance program of the MOH. The clinical criterion for enrollment was the diagnosis of a suspected viral-associated, acute, undifferentiated febrile illness of < or = 5 days duration. A total of 598 patients were enrolled in the study. Demographic information, medical history, clinical data, and blood samples were obtained from each patient. The more common clinical features were fever, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, retro-ocular pain, and chills. Sera were tested for virus by the newborn mouse and cell culture assays. Viral isolates were identified initially by immunofluorescence using polyclonal antibody. An ELISA using viral-specific monoclonal antibodies and nucleotide sequence analysis were used to determine the specific variety of the viruses. In addition, thin and thick blood smears were observed for malaria parasites. Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) virus subtype I, variety ID virus was isolated from 10 cases, including three cases in October, November, and December 1993, five cases in January and February 1994, and two cases in June 1995. The ELISA for IgM and IgG antibody indicated that VEE virus was the cause of an additional four confirmed and four presumptive cases, including five from January through March 1994 and three in August 1994. Sixteen cases were positive for malaria. The 18 cases of VEE occurred among military recruits (n = 7), agriculture workers (n = 3), students (n = 3), and general laborers (n = 5). These data indicated that an enzootic strain of VEE virus was the cause of at least 3% (18 of 598) of the cases of febrile illnesses studied in the city of Iquitos in the Amazon Basin region of Peru.

Notes on the phlebotomine sand flies from the Peruvian Southeast - I. Descrption of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) adamsi n. sp. (Diptera: Psychodidae)

A new species of phlebotomine sand fly, Lutzomyia adamsi n. sp., is described and illustrated from specimens collected during August 1994, in Sandia, Department of Puno, Peru. According to the Oficina Nacional de Evaluacion de Recursos Naturales (ONERN 1976), this locality is situated in the life zone known as humid, mountain, low tropical forest (bh-MBT). Many areas in the northern part of Puno, mainly in the Inambari and Tambopata basins, are endemic to leishmaniasis. These areas are the continuation of others, largely known as "leishmaniasic" in the departments of Cusco and Madre de Dios. The morphological characteristics indicated that this species belongs to the genus Lutzomyia, subgenus Helcocyrtomyia Barreto, 1962.

Passive transfer of growth-inhibitory antibodies raised against yeast-expressed recombinant Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1(19).

Purified rabbit immunoglobulin raised against yeast-expressed recombinant FVO or 3D7 Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-1) 19k-D C terminal fragment (MSP-1(19)) was transfused into malaria-naive Aotus nancymai monkeys that were immediately challenged with FVO asexual stage malaria parasites. Control monkeys received rabbit immunoglobulin raised against the sexual stage antigen Pfs25 or Aotus hyperimmune serum obtained from monkeys immunized by P. falciparum infection and drug cure. Passive transfer of rabbit anti-MSP-1(19) failed to protect against homologous or heterologous challenge and, when compared with negative controls, there were no differences in prepatent periods or time to treatment. Interestingly, rabbit anti-MSP-1(19), but not anti-Pfs25, immunoglobulin, and immune monkey serum prevented the development of antibodies directed against MSP-1(19) fragment by infected monkeys, indicating that the antibodies were reactive with native MSP-1(19) antigen in vivo. The prepatent period and time to treatment was greatly delayed in the two monkeys that received Aotus immune serum, both of which developed a chronic intermittent low level infection. In vitro parasite growth inhibition assays (GIAs) confirmed the presence of inhibitory activity (40% maximum inhibition) in concentrated anti-MSP-1(19) immunoglobulin (4.8 mg/ml), but the peak concentrations we achieved in vivo (1 mg/ml) were not inhibitory in vitro. Subinhibitory levels of anti-MSP-1(19) antibodies achieved by passive transfer were not protective against P. falciparum challenge.

Venezuelan equine encephalitis and Oropouche virus infections among Peruvian army troops in the Amazon region of Peru.

An outbreak of a febrile illness characterized by headache, ocular pain, myalgia, and arthralgia occurred during June 1994 among Peruvian army troops in Northern Peru. On June 14-16, 1994, clinical data and blood samples were obtained from eight soldiers with a febrile illness, and from 26 others who had a history of febrile illness during the past three months. A follow-up blood sample was obtained 107 days later from four of the febrile and seven of the afebrile soldiers. Serum samples were tested for dengue (DEN), Oropouche (ORO), and Venezuelan equine encephalitis (VEE) IgM and IgG antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Virus isolation was performed by inoculation of newborn mice and Vero cell cultures. Viral isolates were identified by immunofluorescence, ELISA, and nucleotide sequencing. A VEE virus infection was confirmed in three of the eight febrile soldiers, two by virus isolation, and one by serology. Antigenic analysis indicated that one of the virus isolates was similar to VEE subtype I, variety ID, viruses previously isolated in Colombia and Venezuela. Nucleotide sequence data showed that both viral isolates were identical to one another and closely related to VEE ID viruses previously isolated in Peru, Colombia, and Venezuela. Serologic results showed that two of 26 afebrile soldiers had IgM antibody to VEE and four had IgG antibody to VEE; two febrile soldiers had IgG antibody in their first serum samples. Oropouche-specific IgM antibody was detected in one of the eight febrile and five of the afebrile soldiers, and 18 of the 34 soldiers had low titers of ORO IgG antibody titers, which did not meet the diagnostic criteria for confirmed cases. All soldiers were negative for DEN IgM antibody, and 10 had flavivirus IgG antibody that reacted with DEN antigens. These data indicated that VEE ID virus was one of the causes of illness among Peruvians soldiers and that this was the first association of this VEE subtype with human disease in Peru.

Effect of sesamoid position on long-term results of hallux abducto valgus surgery.

Radiographic parameters for 70 patients that underwent hallux abducto valgus (HAV) surgery were evaluated with emphasis on the tibial sesamoid position. The preoperative and postoperative sesamoid positions were analyzed. Soft tissue bunionectomies, metatarsal head and base osteotomies, and first metatarsocuneiform arthrodesis are procedures that were included in this evaluation. The inadequate relocation of the sesamoids, along with other standard parameters, were then correlated with recurrence of hallux abducto valgus and metatarsus primus adductus. The surgical relocation of the sesamoid apparatus is discussed, including both an intracapsular and extracapsular release. Possible indications for fibular sesamoidectomy are suggested. Effects of sesamoid position on the long-term results of HAV surgery are presented.

Apparatus for evaluating vapor-induced dispersal of Blattella germanica (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae).

An apparatus for evaluating vapor-induced dispersal of Blattella germanica (L) is described. It is made of two 750-ml crystallizing dishes connected by a glass and wire mesh tube. Its use is illustrated by experiments on exposure of late instars to vapors of a propoxur in oil formulation and those of its solvent system.

First metatarsocuneiform joint arthrodesis: a five-year retrospective analysis.

Historically, first metatarsocuneiform joint arthrodesis has been advocated for severe metatarsus primus adductus deformity and as a salvage procedure in reconstructive forefoot surgery. At the Podiatry Hospital of Pittsburgh, the authors have expanded the use of this procedure to include elimination of excessive motion at the first metatarsocuneiform joint and to restore functional integrity to the first ray in an otherwise poorly functioning foot. First metatarsocuneiform arthrodesis has had poor acceptance by podiatric surgeons. Common reasons for this poor acceptance are technical difficulty associated with the procedure and often-cited complications such as shortening of the first ray, with symptomatic transfer lesions, as well as nonunion of the arthrodesis site. The authors evaluated 54 procedures. Results of first metatarsocuneiform joint arthrodesis for long-term reduction of the intermetatarsal angle and for limiting abnormal motion at this joint have been very good. Few complications were encountered. Shortening of the first metatarsal with secondary transfer lesions was not found to be a common problem. Several radiographic nonunions occurred, none of which were symptomatic. The surgical procedure, as it is performed at the Podiatry Hospital of Pittsburgh, is described. Results from a 5-year retrospective analysis of first metatarsocuneiform arthrodesis are presented.

Dynamics of proteoliposome formation. Intermediate states during detergent dialysis.

1. The intermediate structures formed during dialysis of mixtures of cholate, phospholipid and cytochrome c oxidase were analysed by gel chromatography and electron microscopy. Measurements of trapped phosphate and the degree of respiratory control were used to assess the integrity of the vesicular structures formed. Protein orientation in the bilayer was monitored by the accessibility of cytochrome c to cytochrome c oxidase. 2. The results indicate that proteoliposome formation by the detergent-dialysis procedure takes place in three distinct stages. In the first stage, cholate/phospholipid and cholate/phospholipid/protein micelles coexist in solution and grow in size as the detergent is slowly removed. At a detergent/phospholipid molar ratio of about 0.2, micelle fusion results in the formation of large bilayer aggregates permeable to both phosphate and cytochrome c. It is at this stage that cytochrome c oxidase is incorporated into the bilayer. In the final stage of dialysis the bilayer sheets fragment into small unilamellar vesicles. 3. The orientation of membrane protein in the final vesicles appears to be determined by the effect of protein conformation on the initial curvature of the bilayer sheets during the fragmentation process.

Breeding point and larval association of anopheline mosquitoes of northwest Mindoro, Philippines.

A larval survey of stream breeding Anopheles was conducted in the foothills of northwest Mindoro Island, Philippines. Eleven species were collected with An. ludlowae constituting 27.9% of the total. The three malaria vectors in the area, An. flavirostris, An. maculatus and An. mangyanus, made up 25.2, 5.1 and 3.8% of the collection, respectively. Breeding point induces were used to identify optimum habitat and larval association analyses. An. annularis and An. ludlowae had high positive association index with An. flavirostris, while An. mangyanus and An. filipinae appeared to have poor association within the breeding point.

Chloroquine and quinine resistant Plasmodium falciparum on the island of Mindoro, Philippines, 1982.

A field study was conducted on the island of Mindoro, Republic of the Philippines in which over 800 persons were screened for malaria and approximately 8% were found positive. The in vitro microtechnique was used to test for sensitivity to chloroquine, amodiaquine, mefloquine and quinine in 20 slide-confirmed P. falciparum cases. Sixteen of these cases were also followed for in vivo chloroquine sensitivity. Four cases showed in vitro resistance to chloroquine; 2 also showed resistance to quinine. All showed in vitro sensitivity to mefloquine and amodiaquine. The results of in vivo test were consistent with either a sensitive (S) or R-1, resistant response to chloroquine. Taken together, the in vitro and in vivo chloroquine tests indicate 4 cases of chloroquine resistance at the R1 level.

A preliminary survey of malaria in Occidental, Mindoro, Philippines.

A survey of malaria in Northwest Mindoro, Occidental, Mindoro, Philippines is reported. Three species of human plasmodia were identified from 600 blood films examined. The overall prevalence of malaria was 7% (2.8% P. falciparum, 4.3% P. vivax, 0.7% P. malariae). The prevalence of malaria was highest (24%) among children 0 to 15 years of age and only 4 cases (12%) were found among persons over the age of 15. Males and females were equally infected. Study sites with the highest slide-positivity rate were located in the foothill regions which corresponded with the observed presence of two malaria vectors, Anopheles minimus flavirostris and An. maculatus. These sites appeared to be adequate for future studies of drug-resistance, although large numbers of suitable candidates would not be expected.

Mono-and multi-synaptic origin of the early surface-negative wave recorded from guinea-pig olfactory cortex in vitro.

1. Silices of guinea-pig olfactory cortex were cut at 550 micrometer nominal thickness and preincubated at 24 +/- 0.5 degrees C for than 2 1/2 hr. They were then stimulated via the lateral olfactory tract, and field potential recordings were made from all regions of the slice. 2. Potentials recorded resembled those described previously, but it was noticed the early N-wave had two distinct components, which we designated the N'a' wave (earlier) and N'b' wave (later). Evidence was obtained that this was not a consequence of the division of a single population e.p.s.p. (N-wave) into two by a P notch (synchronous discharge of post-synaptic action potentials). 3. In some slices the N'a' wave and N'b' wave had similar thresholds, and in others the N'a' wave had the slightly lower threshold. 4. The N'b' wave was best developed at low frequencies of stimulation (less than 0.1 Hz), and considerably depressed with stimulation above 1 Hz. This was most evident with submaximal stimulation. 5. Exploration of the distribution of peak amplitudes and latencies of the N'a' and N'b' waves showed that the N'a' wave could have been directly initiated by lateral olfactory tract action potentials, while the N'B' wave could not. The N'b' wave amplitude was relatively larger towards the periphery of the slices, away from the tract. In a few cases, an N'b' wave could be recorded in the absence of an N'a' wave at that site. 6. Depth studies showed that the origin of the N'b' wave lay deeper in the slice than that of the N'a' wave. 7. The effect of conditioning stimulation on the N'a' and N'b' waves was examined. The N'b' wave was more depressed at short conditioning intervals than the N'a' wave, and showed less later potentiation. The recovery of the N'b' wave from conditioning was much slowed with submaximal stimulation, and when trials were repeated at low frequency. 8. The N'a' and N'b' components persisted when the slice was warmed to near-physiological temperatures, and showed a similar pattern of response to conditioning stimulation as had been found at lower temperatures. 9. N'a' and N'b' waves could still be recorded when slices were incubated in a medium containing 1.2 mM-Mg2+ and 1.2 mM-Ca2+. These physiological concentrations were about half those routinely employed. There was little or no depression of the N'b' component by conditioning stimulation in this medium. 10. The N'a' wave is probably a result of e.p.s.p.s in apical dendrites of superficial pyramidal cells, initiated by transmitter release from lateral olfactory tract axon collaterals. The N'b' wave may reflect e.p.s.p.s in the apical dendrites of deeper pyramidal cell elicited by firing in recurrent collaterals from superficial pyramidal cell axons.