Western Lowlands Research Articles

Screening for antifolate and artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum dried-blood spots from three hospitals of Eritrea

Background Antimalarial drug resistance is a major challenge hampering malaria control and elimination. About three-quarters of Eritrea’s population resides in the malaria-endemic western lowlands of the country. Plasmodium falciparum, the leading causative parasite species, has developed resistance to basically all antimalarials. Continued surveillance of drug resistance using genetic markers provides important molecular data for treatment policies which complements clinical studies, and strengthens control efforts. This study sought to genotype point mutations associated with P. falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and artemisinin, in dried-blood spots from three hospitals in the western lowlands of Eritrea. Methods Dried-blood spot samples were collected from patients visiting Adi Quala, Keren and Gash Barka Hospitals, between July and October, 2014. The patients were followed up after treatment with first line artesunate-amodiaquine, and dried-blood spots were collected on day three after treatment. Nested polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing techniques were employed to genotype point mutations in the Pfdhfr (PF3D7_0417200), Pfdhps (PF3D7_0810800) and PfK13 (PF3D7_1343700) partial gene regions. Results Sequence data analyses of PCR-positive isolates found wild-type artemisinin haplotypes associated with resistance (Y493Y, R539R, I543I) in three isolates, whereas four mutant antifolate haplotypes associated with resistance were observed in six isolates. These included the triple-mutant Pfdhfr (S108N, C59R, N51I) haplotype, the double-mutant Pfdhfr (N51I, S108N) haplotype, the single-mutant Pfdhfr (K540E) haplotype, and the mixed-mutant Pfdhfr-Pfdhps (S108N, N51I + K540E) haplotype. Other findings observed were, a rare non-synonymous Pfdhfr V45A mutation in four isolates, and a synonymous Pfdhps R449R in one isolate. Conclusions The mutant antifolate haplotypes observed indicate a likely existence of full SP resistance. Further studies can be carried out to estimate the prevalence of SP resistance. The wild-type artemisinin haplotypes observed suggest artemisinin is still an effective treatment. Continuous monitoring of point mutations associated with delayed parasite clearance in ART clinical studies is recommended.

Optically‐Stimulated‐Luminescence Ages and Paleo‐Environmental Implications of Relict Frost Wedges in North–Central Bohemia, Czech Republic

ABSTRACTRelict frost wedges are widespread and valuable indicators of past environmental conditions that have been extensively dated across central and western European lowlands over the past few decades, but their timing in the Czech Republic is poorly known. Here, we present optically‐stimulated‐luminescence (OSL) ages for seven relict frost wedges situated at four study sites in north–central Bohemia, Czech Republic (49.9992–50.4956°N, 13.3736–16.0011°E, 230–350 m above sea level). The OSL ages indicate that the frost wedges developed during two phases in marine isotope stage 2: an older phase that peaked at 23.6 ± 2.9 ka and a younger phase that peaked at 16.1 ± 1.3 ka. Both phases probably experienced cold, dry and windy conditions that were mostly associated with <0°C mean annual air and ground temperatures and the presence of at least discontinuous permafrost, which is in line with similar central and western European records and other paleo‐environmental archives. The new OSL ages constitute the first extended dataset on the timing of frost wedges in this undersampled area between the Fennoscandian and Alpine ice sheets, which is essential for reconstructing past permafrost extents and climate conditions, as well as for validating models of past permafrost dynamics in central Europe.

Screening for antifolate and artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparumdried-blood spots from three hospitals of Eritrea.

Antimalarial drug resistance is a major challenge hampering malaria control and elimination. About three-quarters of Eritrea's population resides in the malaria-endemic western lowlands of the country. Plasmodium falciparum, the leading causative parasite species, has developed resistance to basically all antimalarials. Continued surveillance of drug resistance using genetic markers provides important molecular data for treatment policies which complements clinical studies, and strengthens control efforts. This study sought to genotype point mutations associated with P. falciparum resistance to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and artemisinin, in dried-blood spots from three hospitals in the western lowlands of Eritrea. Dried-blood spot samples were collected from patients visiting Adi Quala, Keren and Gash Barka Hospitals, between July and October, 2014. The patients were followed up after treatment with first line artesunate-amodiaquine, and dried-blood spots were collected on day three after treatment. Nested polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing techniques were employed to genotype point mutations in the Pfdhfr (PF3D7_0417200), Pfdhps (PF3D7_0810800) and PfK13 (PF3D7_1343700) partial gene regions. Sequence data analyses of PCR-positive isolates found wild-type artemisinin haplotypes associated with resistance (Y493Y, R539R, I543I) in three isolates, whereas four mutant antifolate haplotypes associated with resistance were observed in six isolates. These included the triple-mutant Pfdhfr (S108N, C59R, N51I) haplotype, the double-mutant Pfdhfr (N51I, S108N) haplotype, the single-mutant Pfdhfr (K540E) haplotype, and the mixed-mutant Pfdhfr-Pfdhps (S108N, N51I + K540E) haplotype. Other findings observed were, a rare non-synonymous Pfdhfr V45A mutation in four isolates, and a synonymous Pfdhps R449R in one isolate. The mutant antifolate haplotypes observed indicate a likely existence of full SP resistance. Further studies can be carried out to estimate the prevalence of SP resistance. The wild-type artemisinin haplotypes observed suggest artemisinin is still an effective treatment. Continuous monitoring of point mutations associated with delayed parasite clearance in ART clinical studies is recommended.

Review on Epidemiology and Economic Impact of Tsetse Transmitted Bovine Trypanosomiasis in Ethiopia

Most vector-borne human diseases worldwide are spread by arthropod disease vectors, including mosquitoes, ticks, tsetse flies, and sandflies, which are greatly impacted by environmental factors. The tsetse-transmitted animal Trypanosomiasis severely hampers animal production and agricultural development in Ethiopia. The southern portion of the Rift Valley, the southwest corner of the nation, the western lowlands and escarpments, and the Blue Nile are the only areas in Ethiopia where tsetse flies are found. These areas are limited to longitudes 33° and 38° E and latitudes 5° and 12° N. The three Trypanosoma species that have the most impact on cattle in Ethiopia are Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma vivax, and Trypanosoma congolense. Particularly in the "tsetse belt," which includes the Omo, Borena, and Metekel zones of the Benishangul Gumuz region, the illness is extensively spread throughout the western and southwest regions of the nation. Ethiopia’s main river systems, including the Abay/Didessa, Omo/Gibe, Baro/Akobo, and southern Rift Valley, are linked to the prevalence of tsetse fly infestations and the Trypanosomiasis they cause. Mixed livestock and crop production is the major farming style in Ethiopia’s highlands and plays a crucial role in agricultural activity. The bioclimatic threshold for tsetse flies in Ethiopia has not been met. Since it has long been typical for the peasantry in general and livestock owners, in particular, to avoid tsetse-infested areas to reduce their chance of contracting Trypanosomiasis, the impact of tsetse-borne Trypanosomiasis on development efforts in rural Ethiopia is becoming increasingly significant. This review examines the economic impact and epidemiology of tsetse-transmitted bovine trypanosomiasis in Ethiopia.

Ectoparasites (Diptera: Streblidae and Nycteribiidae) of bats from some localities of the Coast of Ecuador

In Ecuador, studies of parasitic bat flies are scarce and biased towards the family Streblidae: reports indicate the existence of 50 species, five of them on the western lowlands. In this study, in addition to Streblidae, we include information of the family Nycteribiidae that has not been studied in Ecuador. Both families are associated with bats in several localities of the western lowlands of the country. We used samples from the associated collection of parasites of the Mammalogy Section of the Museo de Zoología at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador (QCAZ-M), as well as the database of the collection that allowed obtaining information on the host taxa. Thus, 145 individuals of bats of 22 species of the families Phyllostomidae and Vespertilionidae and 424 individuals of 29 species of parasitic flies are reported. Of these, five species are new in Ecuador, 19 are confirmed records in the west and the geographic distribution was extended for species previously reported in this region. Trichobius joblingi was the most abundant parasitic fly species and together with Speiseria ambigua were associated with the greatest number of bat species. Species of the genus Carollia were the most abundant and harbored the greatest diversity of flies. The study constitutes the first extensive review of Diptera (Streblidae and Nycteribiidae) in the area and, therefore, contributes to expanding the knowledge of the diversity of ectoparasites of bats in Ecuador.

Energetic Complementarity Solar PV and Wind Power Based on Satellite Data

With the current global energy crisis renewable energy integration is expected to grow drastically in the near future. However, integrating high amount of renewables to the grid is subjected to various operational challenges. One solution for this challenge is looking for complementing intermittent renewable resources. In this paper solar PV and wind power complementarity analysis was carried out over the three topographic regions of Eritrea based on monthly satellite-based power generation data. Three different approaches (Pearson correlation coefficient, graphical and dimensionless index) were employed to investigate the complementarity of PV and wind power in the chosen sites. The analysis results showed that the southern coastal and central highlands sites have low complementarity behaviour. The solar PV and wind power synergy was however, found to be the maximum in the northern highlands and western lowlands sites of the country. It is interesting to find out that the high wind potential sites in southern coastal region are positively correlated to solar availability with peaks in winter and low in summer with no complementarity pattern.

Mental Healthcare workers' experiences in managing psychiatric patients' aggression in Maseru.

Aggression and violence in psychiatric clinical facilities are a common case, and mental healthcare workers utilise various management strategies to combat it. It is therefore crucial for mental healthcare workers to acquire skills for the management strategies of aggressive behaviour of psychiatric patients. The aim of the study was to describe mental healthcare workers' experiences in the management strategies of aggressive and violent behaviour by psychiatric patients in Maseru district. A psychiatric hospital situated to the south in Maseru in the rural countryside and general hospital located in the western lowlands of Lesotho in the village of Morija were used. This study adopted a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design. There were two focus group interviews conducted per clinical facility, which consisted of six members in each group. There were four participants for individual interviews from psychiatric clinical facility and three individual interviews from general clinical facility. Thematic analysis of the data resulted in themes and sub-themes. These were psychological intervention strategy, physical strategy, chemical strategy, empowerment strategy and policy strategy. Participants viewed various management strategies of aggressive and violent behaviour of psychiatric patients they utilise in clinical facilities as effective. The mental healthcare workers' experiences in managing aggression and violent behaviour of psychiatric patients were expression of psychological, physical, chemical, empowerment and policy strategies. The study will enhance the knowledge, skills and attitudes regarding management strategies that mental healthcare workers can utilise in managing aggressive and violent behaviour of psychiatric patients.

Alternative-Based Breeding Schemes for Designing Genetic Improvement of Indigenous Goats in the Western Lowlands of Ethiopia

Without well-designed national animal genetic improvement schemes, achieving and monitoring genetic gains is difficult. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to compare designs of alternative-based breeding schemes for genetic improvement of western lowland Arab goats. In the current study, four schemes for the village-based were designed and evaluated for sustainable and operationally feasible breeding programs. The results indicated that monetary genetic gains for the central nucleus scheme were higher than the village-based schemes. Among the central nucleus-based, scheme-5 gave the highest genetic progress in monetary terms (31.27/doe/year). Scheme-1 produced high genetic improvement and was the most efficient of all other village schemes. The trait of more significant genetic gain for the six-month weight (6MW) was predicted from central nucleus scheme-5, and scheme-1 was the highest among the village schemes. The results showed that the central nucleus-based plans were fairly superior to the village-based breeding scheme in terms of annual genetic response and profit. However, the central scheme was not appreciable under smallholder breeders’ management practices since it requires high investments. Given this limitation, a cooperative village scheme linked with a central nucleus scheme is the best option for fast genetic gains and profits. Nonetheless, to upgrade the entire Arab goat flocks which are kept under small-scale farmers’ conditions, scheme-1 could be used as an alternative option.

Towards edible oil self-sufficiency in Ethiopia: Lessons and prospects

Nine oilseeds namely noug, gomenzer, linseed, soybean, sunflower, castor, sesame, ground nut and cotton are important in Ethiopia for edible oil consumption. During the last 60 years, 156 varieties with their production practices were registered. Sesame contributes significantly to the foreign currency earnings next to coffee. Despite the revenue from export, 90% of the national demand of edible oil is imported. Among oilseeds, groundnut, sunflower and soybean are the choice of cultivation both in high rainfall Western lowlands and irrigated areas of Awash, Omo and Wabe Shebelle and Dawa Genale valleys. Similarly, sesame exports can be doubled or tripled using irrigated production. In addition, soybean can be cultivated as a source of raw material for food and feed industries. Oil palm occupies small areas compared to other oil seeds but contributes half for global consumption. In the short term, sufficient amount of edible oil to meet the national demand can come from maximizing sesame export and production of sunflower, groundnut and soybean as raw material for local industries. In the long term, oil palm production is indispensable to feed the ever-growing population. Therefore, the ultimate solution for edible oil self-sufficiency for most customers can only come from the high-yielding perennial oil palm with high yield and less production cost.

Temporal stability of the hybrid zone between Calocitta magpie-jays revealed through comparison of museum specimens and iNaturalist photos.

Hybrid zones are natural experiments for the study of avian evolution. Hybrid zones can be dynamic, moving as species adjust to new climates and habitats, with unknown implications for species and speciation. There are relatively few studies that have comparable modern and historic sampling to assess change in hybrid zone location and width over time, and those studies have generally found mixed results, with many hybrid zones showing change over time, but others showing stability. The white-throated magpie-jay (Calocitta formosa) and black-throated magpie-jay (Calocitta colliei) occur along the western coast of Mexico and Central America. The two species differ markedly in throat color and tail length, and prior observation suggests a narrow hybrid zone in southern Jalisco where individuals have mixed throat color. This study aims to assess the existence and temporal stability of this putative hybrid zone by comparing throat color between georeferenced historical museum specimens and modern photos from iNaturalist with precise locality information. Our results confirm the existence of a narrow hybrid zone in Jalisco, with modern throat scores gradually increasing from the parental ends of the cline toward the cline center in a sigmoidal curve characteristic of hybrid zones. Our temporal comparison suggests that the hybrid zone has not shifted its position between historical (pre-1973) and modern (post-2005) time periods-a surprising result given the grand scale of habitat change to the western Mexican lowlands during this time. An anomalous pocket of white-throated individuals in the northern range of the black-throated magpie-jay hints at the possibility of prehistorical long-distance introduction. Future genomic data will help disentangle the evolutionary history of these lineages and better characterize how secondary contact is affecting both the DNA and the phenotype of these species.

Phylogeography of Aphyocyprisnormalis Nichols and Pope, 1927 at Hainan Island and adjacent areas based on mitochondrial DNA data.

We investigated the genetic structure of the freshwater fish Aphyocypris normalis, in 33 populations around Hainan Island and southern mainland China. Sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b from 127 specimens yielded 47 haplotypes, from which we inferred a Bayesian tree. This revealed three major divergences: a principal clade of specimens with widespread geographic distribution, plus two clades with limited distribution. We estimated that these diverged between 1.05-0.16 Ma. Additionally, based on molecular data and comparing with the climate patterns of Hainan Island, eight phylogeographic ranges (populations) of A. normalis were constructed: the eastern plain (E), northeastern hills and plain (NE), northwestern hills and lowlands (NW), central mountains (C), southeastern hills and plain (SE), southern mountains and hills (S), southwestern mountains and lowlands (SW), and western lowlands (W). The patterns of geographical divergence in this species do not reflect the isolation caused by the Qiongzhou (Hainan) Strait, which would generally be experienced by terrestrial animals on isolated islands. The present results indicate that the major clades within A. normalis have diverged before the temporary land bridge existed across the strait during the Last Glacial Maximum.

Vascular flora of dry scrub in Southern Ecuador

This study lists dry scrub species that grow in western lowlands and interandean valleys in south Ecuador. Using material from field trips spanning over two years, we were able to identify 314 species belonging to 71 families and 221 genera. The most diverse families are Asteraceae (33 sp.), Fabaceae s.l. (27 sp.) and Poaceae (19 sp.). The most diverse genera are Croton (8 sp.) Euphorbia (6 sp.), Oxalis (5 sp.) and Senna (5 sp.). 7.01% of the flora (22 sp.) is endemic to the study area, and 6.4% (20 sp.) is adventive. The dominant life form is hemycryptophyte with 85 species (27.1%). Epiphytes, with 6 species, are the life form with fewer species (1.9%). The work contributes to the knowledge about plant diversity that is highly noticeable in southern Ecuador.

Performance Evaluation of Available Strains of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fed Commercial and Locally-Made Feeds in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The performance of two strains of Nile tilapia (the Nyakabera and Lake Kivu) fed a commercial feed or either a fishmeal-based or a fishmeal-free feed formulated using local ingredients was evaluated for 99 days in Bukavu, eastern highlands of the DR Congo (Experiment 1). Strain × feed interaction was significant (p < 0.05) for final body weight (FBW) and condition factor (CF). Growth of both strains was best with the commercial feed. Fish-meal free formulated feed resulted in similar or better fish growth than a local fishmeal-based formulated feed depending on the strains. Lake Kivu strain had significantly (p < 0.05) higher FBW when fed the commercial and fishmeal-free feeds than the Nyakabera strain, but when fed the fishmeal-based feed the difference was not significant. The performance of the other three Nile tilapia strains (the GIFT-Congo Futur, GIFT-RATALBI and Tihange strains) fed a single commercial feed was evaluated for 84 days in Kinshasa, western lowlands of the DRC (Experiment 2). Male GIFT-Congo Futur and GIFT-RATALBI did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) in FBW and CF, but both performed better than the Tihange. FBW of the female GIFT-Congo Futur was significantly higher than that of the other two strains, while CF was not significantly (p > 0.05) different among strains in females.

Understanding the Impacts of Forest Management in Sal (Shorea robusta) Dominant Forest Stands in the Western Lowlands of Nepal

Sal (Shorea robusta) is an economically and ecologically important tree species found in Nepal. Since 2003, Nepal's government has been managing the Sal forest under the Scientific Forest Management (SciFM) scheme. Due to newly implemented approaches, the information regarding the Sal forest condition under regeneration felling and thinning is low. This study aimed to understand the regeneration status after regeneration felling and compare crop stands between thinned and unthinned plots. We selected three years of harvested, thinned, and unthinned blocks in the Tilaurakot collaborative forest. Vegetation sampling was carried out in 63 concentric circular plots. The results show that the number of seedlings and saplings in the harvested blocks was 14,000 and 3368 per hectare, respectively. The growing stock and basal area per hectare in the thinned blocks were lower than in the unthinned blocks. The numbers of trees and poles per hectare were lower in the thinned block than in the unthinned block. Sal's importance valve index (IVI) was higher than other species in all three block types. The study suggests that the regeneration condition was better after the canopy's opening, and thinning promotes the growth of trees and undergrowth vegetation.

Late Permian ∼ 6 My cooling induced by basaltic weathering of the Emeishan large igneous province: Evidence from interbasaltic paleosols

Land surface temperature variations during the Emeishan large igneous province volcanism helps to reveal the effect on the climate in the late phase of the late Paleozoic Ice Age. Paleosols preserved between the Emeishan basalts record hiatuses in basalt eruptions and provide detailed information on the Earth's surface environment. Forty-seven paleosol profiles in eleven locations were identified, described, and assigned to four pedotypes: I, II, III, and IV. The majority of pedotypes I, II, and III had a dominant mineral assemblage of kaolinites, hematite, and anatase, high chemical index of alteration values of 90–99 and Al2O3 and Fe2O3 enrichments, and were classified as Oxisols or Ultisols (alternatively, laterite). Pedotype IV contained large amounts of primary minerals from basalts, yielded low chemical index of alteration values of 35–65, and were classified as Entisols or Inceptisols. The eastern Emeishan large igneous province was dominated by highly weathered pedotypes I and II, with small amounts of pedotype III, while the western Emeishan large igneous province was dominated by pedotype III and weakly weathered pedotype IV. We interpreted this spatial distribution pattern of pedotypes as a result of the paleotopographic difference formed by the subaerial mafic lava accumulation, with steep highlands in the western Emeishan large igneous province and lowlands in the eastern areas. Based on the silica-alumina‑iron ratio climofunction, a land surface temperature cooling trend of ∼2–4 °C was recognized in the upper part of the Emeishan basalt succession (i.e., the waning phase) in three sections and was constrained to ∼260 to ∼253 Ma by new high-precision zircon UPb dates. This land surface temperature cooling trend was temporally coupled with the sea surface temperature cooling trend and the alpine P4 glaciation in eastern Australia. We propose that the intense weathering of extensive Emeishan basalts in the tropical humid belt, directly evidenced by the numerous thick laterites in the upper part of the basalt succession across the broad regions of the Emeishan large igneous province, elevated atmospheric CO2 consumption flux, leading to global cooling and further triggering the P4 glaciation.

Performance evaluation of univariate time-series techniques for forecasting monthly rainfall data

Abstract In this article, the performance evaluation of four univariate time-series forecasting techniques, namely Hyndman Khandakar-Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (HK-SARIMA), Non-Stationary Thomas-Fiering (NSTF), Yeo-Johnson Transformed Non-Stationary Thomas-Fiering (YJNSTF) and Seasonal Naïve (SN) method, is carried out. The techniques are applied to forecast the rainfall time series of the stations located in Kerala. It enables an assessment of the significant difference in the rainfall characteristics at various locations that influence the relative forecasting accuracies of the models. Along with this, the effectiveness of Yeo-Johnson transformation (YJT) in improving the forecast accuracy of the models is assessed. Rainfall time series of 18 stations in Kerala, India, starting from 1981 and ending in 2013, is used. A classification system based on root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and Nash–Sutcliffe model efficiency coefficient (NSE) is proposed and applied to find the best forecasting model. The models HK-SARIMA and YJNSTF performed well in the Western lowlands and Eastern highlands. In the Central midlands, out of 12 stations, the performance indices of 8 stations are in favour of the HK-SARIMA model. It can be concluded that HK-SARIMA models are more reliable for forecasting the monthly rainfall of the stations located in all geographic regions in the state of Kerala.

Status, distribution and habitat use by Mugger crocodile (Crocodylus palustris) in and around Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Nepal

Mugger crocodile is found in various locations of Nepal, ranging from Eastern to Western lowlands, and is also a resident crocodilian of the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR). Fewer studies have been carried out on the status and distribution of this crocodilian with limited information on its habitat characteristics. This study sets forth to highlight the population status, distribution and habitat use by mugger crocodile in and around KTWR. Detailed surveys were conducted in the rivers, natural and private ponds of the KTWR in December 2020. Every 500 m along the survey transects, habitat characteristics were recorded in each habitat station as part of the habitat survey. The dependent variables were presence or absence of mugger crocodile in each habitat station. Meanwhile, the independent variables included habitat predictors such as; water depth, slope, elevation, distance to roads, distance to settlements, bank substrate, and human disturbance. Generalized Linear Model under binary logistic regression was employed to test variables associated with presence and absence of muggers for statistical significance. The population survey of the muggers was assessed by day counts either using dugout canoe or walking along transects. During the research period, 35 individuals of muggers were recorded. The probability of mugger sighting augmented with increased slope and depth. 34 muggers (97.14 %) were basking, while 1 (2.85%) were seen swimming out of the total muggers detected. In private and public ponds, 22 muggers were sighted, while 13 were sighted in the main Koshi river, its branches, and the Moriya river. Sixteen muggers (45.71 %) were sighted within the reserve, while the remaining 19 muggers (54.28 %) were sighted in the buffer-zone areas. The probability of mugger sighting varied considerably with regard to slope and water depth among the seven habitat predictors examined. In lieu of prevailing fishing pressure in the river systems of the KTWR and easy availability of prey species for muggers in private fishponds; the muggers are likely use private fishponds more frequently. In order to subdue the muggers inside the KTWR, the reserve authority has a vital role for proper habitat management decisions and regulation of fishing activities.

A pragmatic high modernism? rural development and state building in the Ethiopian lowlands, c. 1960–2019.

Large scale agricultural projects driven by a high modernist ideology have been closely interlinked with the process of state building at the Ethiopian lowland frontier since the second half of the twentieth century. This paper provides a diachronic analysis of the political economy of agricultural development and the associated frontier effect in the western and north-eastern lowlands of the country across three different political regimes. A comparative assessment of these patterns suggests that the high modernist paradigm should be applied with some qualification to the agenda of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), the coalition that ruled Ethiopia from 1994 to 2019. The EPRDF was far more pragmatic than its predecessors; the oscillation between different degrees of state intervention was based upon past experiences of success and failure in the territorialization of state power in contested borderlands.

Niveles de anticuerpos frente a Herpesvirus Bovino tipo 1 y factores de riesgo asociados en rebaños lecheros no vacunados en un clima húmedo tropical, Ecuador

In order to determine the antibodies levels against Bovine Herpesvirus type 1 (BHV-1) and associated risk factors in unvaccinated dairy herds of tropical wet weather of Ecuador, an investigation was carried out in thirteen production units (PU), in the Chone Canton, Province of Manabí. The sample size was calculate by cluster sampling and the variables to be evaluated were antibodies levels frequency, age, sex, ocular or vulvovaginal lesions, breed and PU. One hundred eighty three blood samples were taken from the jugular or caudal vein and labeled for transfer to the laboratory. The tubes were centrifuged at 3,220 g for 15 minutes and the sera were transferred to Eppendorf tubes that once labeled were stored at –20°C until processing. Antibodies levels against HBV-1 were measured through of competitive ELISA technique, and calculated with simples statistical. The risk factors were estimated through the Odds ratio and relative risk, and the significance level through the Chi-square. The general antibodies levels frequency was 58.47 %. According age, 28.57 % in animals under two years old (yr.old) and 67.38 % for cattle over two yr.old. According to the sex, males showed 18.18 % and females 82.61 %. The determined risk factors (P<0.05) were age and sex, with a significant relative risk (P<0.05) of 3.31 and 2.32, respectively. The unvaccinated dairy herds of Western lowlands of Ecuador, have high antibodies levels frequency against BHV-1, with females over two yr.old at the highest risk of presenting infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR).

Crannogs in the Clyde: Erskine and Old Kilpatrick

Accounts are provided of the examination of two adjacent crannogs in the Clyde at Erskine and Old Kilpatrick. The first is based on the planning of the surface remains, a more detailed examination of some of the timbers and an assessment of the limited finds recovered; the second on collating the scattered antiquarian records of an ‘excavation’ undertaken in 1906 and a detailed examination of the surviving finds. The two sites are contextualised within current understanding of the chronology, character and function of estuarine crannogs in the western lowlands of Scotland