Potential Geographic Distribution of Hantavirus Reservoirs in Brazil

Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome is an emerging zoonosis in Brazil. Human infections occur via inhalation of aerosolized viral particles from excreta of infected wild rodents. Necromys lasiurus and Oligoryzomys nigripes appear to be the main reservoirs of hantavirus in the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes. We estimated and compared ecological niches of the two rodent species, and analyzed environmental factors influencing their occurrence, to understand the geography of hantavirus transmission. N. lasiurus showed a wide potential distribution in Brazil, in the Cerrado, Caatinga, and Atlantic Forest biomes. Highest climate suitability for O. nigripes was observed along the Brazilian Atlantic coast. Maximum temperature in the warmest months and annual precipitation were the variables that most influence the distributions of N. lasiurus and O. nigripes, respectively. Models based on occurrences of infected rodents estimated a broader area of risk for hantavirus transmission in southeastern and southern Brazil, coinciding with the distribution of human cases of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. We found no demonstrable environmental differences among occurrence sites for the rodents and for human cases of hantavirus. However, areas of northern and northeastern Brazil are also apparently suitable for the two species, without broad coincidence with human cases. Modeling of niches and distributions of rodent reservoirs indicates potential for transmission of hantavirus across virtually all of Brazil outside the Amazon Basin.     

Geographic distribution of phlebotomine sandfly species (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Central-West Brazil

This study updates the geographic distributions of phlebotomine species in Central-West Brazil and analyses the climatic factors associated with their occurrence. The data were obtained from the entomology services of the state departments of health in Central-West Brazil, scientific collections and a literature review of articles from 1962-2014. Ecological niche models were produced for sandfly species with more than 20 occurrences using the Maxent algorithm and eight climate variables. In all, 2,803 phlebotomine records for 127 species were analysed. Nyssomyia whitmani, Evandromyia lenti and Lutzomyia longipalpis were the species with the greatest number of records and were present in all the biomes in Central-West Brazil. The models, which were produced for 34 species, indicated that the Cerrado areas in the central and western regions of Central-West Brazil were climatically more suitable to sandflies. The variables with the greatest influence on the models were the temperature in the coldest months and the temperature seasonality. The results show that phlebotomine species in Central-West Brazil have different geographical distribution patterns and that climate conditions in essentially the entire region favour the occurrence of at least one Leishmania vector species, highlighting the need to maintain or intensify vector control and surveillance strategies.     

抗乙型肝炎表面抗原不同亚型单克隆抗体细胞株的建立和鉴定

乙型肝炎病毒表面抗原主要的５个不同亚型,是乙肝病毒不同遗传型变种表型的表达,通过四次细胞融合获得了抗－ａ、抗－ｄ、抗－ｙ、抗－ｗ亚型的单克隆抗体,并作了鉴定及初步应用,为进一步对乙肝亚型分型试剂的研制打下了良好的基础     

Geographic distribution of tree species occurring in the region of Manaus, Brazil: implications for regional diversity and conservation

The alpha-diversity of trees found in the region of Manaus, Brazil is among the highest recorded for one-hectare plots in Amazonia or any tropical forest. Based on a survey of the distributions of 2541 Neotropical tree species, we analyzed the geographic distribution of 364 species of terra firme forest trees that occur in the region and that are not edaphic specialists. Fifteen distinct distribution patterns were recognized for trees occurring in Manaus. The great majority of species (84.9%) have continuous, somewhat restricted distributions, 35 (9.6%) show broad distributions and 20 species (5.5%) show disjunction between Amazonia and Eastern Brazil. A remarkable 150 (41.2%) of these species showed the region of Manaus as one of their distribution limits. Using the same pool of 2541 species distributions, the percentage of species with a distribution limit in Manaus was compared with that for other localities known to be centers of botanical collection. The null hypothesis that the difference in proportion of species with distribution limits among these localities and Manaus is insignificant was rejected. We conclude that the results are not an artifact of collecting density, that Manaus is indeed a crossroads of distinct phytogeographic regions, and that this explains part of the high species diversity of trees in the region of Manaus. A number of scenarios proposed for the Pleistocene in Amazonia postulate some degree of fragmentation of Amazonian forests or at least populations. As much as these theories may conflict with each other in some respects, they are compatible with the concept of Manaus as a region of re-convergence of isolated or disrupted floras and faunas. The significance of the vicinity of Manaus in the history of the Amazon flora and its current status as a repository for surprisingly high tree diversity highlights the need to make this region a conservation priority.     

Geographic distribution of wild potato species

The geographic distribution of wild potatoes (Solanaceae sect. Petota) was analyzed using a database of 6073 georeferenced observations. Wild potatoes occur in 16 countries, but 88% of the observations are from Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, and Peru. Most species are rare and narrowly endemic: for 77 species the largest distance between two observations of the same species is <100 km. Peru has the highest number of species (93), followed by Bolivia (39). A grid of 50 × 50 km cells and a circular neighborhood with a radius of 50 km to assign points to grid cells was used to map species richness. High species richness occurs in northern Argentina, central Bolivia, central Ecuador, central Mexico, and south and north-central Peru. The highest number of species in a grid cell (22) occurs in southern Peru. To include all species at least once, 59 grid cells need to be selected (out of 1317 cells with observations). Wild potatoes occur between 38° N and 41° S, with more species in the southern hemisphere. Species richness is highest between 8° and 20° S and around 20° N. Wild potatoes typically occur between 2000 and 4000 m altitude.     

Geographic distribution of hereditary myopathies in northeast Italy

Abstract

The conventional approach to the measurement of mortality conceptualizes mortality as a function of the age distribution of deaths. Because at contemporary mortality levels the great bulk of deaths are concentrated at the high ages, measures based on deaths are insensitive to mortality changes over most of the life span. An alternative is to conceptualize mortality as a function of the age distribution of death rates. When this is done, large differentials in mortality by sex and by race emerge from the data, calling attention to serious social issues that have been masked by conventional mortality indicators.     

Geographic patterns in the distribution of Palearctic songbirds

A database was created of digitized equal area distribution maps of 3,036 phylogenetic species of Palearctic songbirds. Biogeographic patterns are reported for two data sets: (1) including all passeriform bird species reported as breeding within the boundaries of our study map, (2) passeriform species restricted in their distribution to our study region, thus excluding the partly extra-limital taxa. With respect to the data set excluding partly extra-limital taxa, the average range size is 238 grid cells (grid cell area: 4,062 km²). Analysis of the geographic distribution of species richness for the full data set showed several hotspot regions, mostly located in mountainous areas. The index of range-size rarity identified similar hotspot regions as that for species richness, albeit that the range-size rarity de-emphasized the central Siberian hotspot. Range-size rarity hotspots that are not evident on the measure of species richness concern a great number of islands. Much more prominent on the index of range-size rarity are the Atlas Mountains of northern Africa, the Jabal al Akhdar region in NE Libya, and the eastern border of the Mediterranean. Restricting the analysis of geographic variation to the 25% of the species with smallest ranges resulted in a greatly simplified pattern of hotspots. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

四绺孢球腔菌科真菌地理分布及其生态学功能

根据ITS、LSU、rpb2、tef1和tub2多基因系统发育分析,将云南禾本科植物格孢腔菌目的7株内生真菌鉴定归属于格孢腔菌目Pleosporales四绺孢球腔菌科Tetraplosphaeriaceae的四绺孢属Tetraploa和假四绺孢属Pseudotetraploa以及该目下的一个未定属genera incertae sedis。羧甲基纤维素钠培养基和愈创木酚培养基筛选发现四绺孢球腔菌科的2个菌株具有较强的纤维素酶和漆酶活性,而这个未定属的菌株仅具有较弱的纤维素酶活性、无漆酶活性,表明格孢腔菌目的2个内生真菌类群的纤维素和木质素降解能力不同。多重对应分析发现四绺孢球腔菌科真菌的属与寄主、分离来源和地理位置有关联,其中四绺孢属和假四绺孢属可在活的健康植物作为内生真菌存活,并在植物凋落物和土壤中分离得到,推测四绺孢属和假四绺孢属两属为内生和腐生双生态位真菌。因此,进一步深入探究四绺孢球腔菌科内生真菌参与的禾本科植物凋落物的分解将深化我们对禾本科植物内生真菌多样性和生态学功能的认识。     

Geographic distribution and origin of CFTR mutations in Germany

The geographic distribution and origin of CFTR mutations in Germany was evaluated in 658 three-generation families with cystic fibrosis (CF). Fifty different mutations were detected on 1305 parental CF chromosomes from 22 European countries and overseas. The major mutation ΔF508 was identified on 71.5% of all CF chromosomes, followed by R553X (1.8%), N1303K (1.3%), G542X (1.1%), G551D (0.8%) and R347P (0.8%). According to the grandparents’ birthplace, 74% of CF chromosomes had their origin in Germany; the ΔF508 percentage was 77%, 75%, 70% and 62% in northern, southern, western and eastern Germany, respectively. Ten or more mutant alleles in the investigated CF gene pool originated from Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine. This widespread geographic origin of CFTR mutations in today’s Germany reflects the many demographic changes and migrations in Central Europe during the 20th century. Received: 10 October 1995 / Revised: 9 January 1995     

Geographic distribution of wolbachial infections in mosquitoes from Thailand

Members of the genus Wolbachia are inherited intracellular bacterial endosymbionts that infect a diverse range of arthropods. Here I report the results of a survey of these endosymbionts in different mosquito species from six geographic regions of Northern, Northeastern, Western, Central, Eastern and Southern Thailand. Using gene amplification assays with wsp and groE gene primers, wolbachiae were detected in 999 mosquitoes representing 28 species of 1622 specimens collected representing 74 species of wild-caught mosquitoes from all regions of Thailand. Results using wsp primers were similar to those using groE primers in all cases. Wolbachiae had not been reported previously from five of the species tested, namely, Aedes lineatopennis, Aedes vexans, Aedes vittatus, Culex pallidothorax and Culex whitmorei. Infections were found in all major disease vector genera except Anopheles. These results indicate that wolbachial infections are distributed throughout many mosquito species in Thailand.     

4. Geographic distribution of freshwater blue-green algae

The analysis of the currently available data for morphologically unambiguously defined freshwater blue-green algae indicates that besides (sub-)cosmopolitan species, taxa with a more restricted distribution also exist. Many of these have a holarctic or pantropic distribution. It is hypothesized that, besides the distribution of ecological niches, temperature is one of the main controlling factors restricting species to particular latitudinal zones. Furthermore, the presence of species with a regional distribution (endemics) can not be ruled out, indicating that other factors must be considered. The possible role of dispersal capacities and of dispersal rates in relation to the earth history and to the speciation of blue-green algae is discussed.     

Geographic distribution of livestock-associated Staphylococcus aureus in the United States

Sampling for livestock-associated Staphylococcus aureus (LA-SA) in the United States is haphazard. The diversity of LA-S. aureus in the U.S. appears to be greater than in other countries. We review the epidemiology of LA-S. aureus in U.S. pigs, occupationally-exposed individuals, and environmental samples to assess the diversity and abundance of U.S. LA-S. aureus.     

乙型肝炎表面抗原携带率与乙型肝炎病毒基因型分布情况调查

目的:了解江苏省东海县高中毕业生乙型肝炎表面抗原(HBsAg)携带率和乙型肝炎病毒(HBV)基因型分布情况.方法:回顾性分析2007年至2009年28512例高中毕业生体检结果,调查乙型肝炎表面抗原阳性率和HBV基因型分布情况.结果:东海县高中毕业生HBsAg携带率为3.81%.男生与女生分别为4.56%与2.94%,有显著差异.2007、2008、2009年毕业的高中生HBsAg阳性率分别为5.37%,4.41%和1.55%,两两比较均有显著差异.HBV基因型B型感染率为32.53%,C型感染率为66.78%,B、C混合型感染率为0.69%.结论:实行乙型肝炎疫苗接种以后,东海县高中毕业生HBsAg携带率低于全国人群平均水平,且呈逐年降低趋势;HBV基因型分布以C型为主,B型次之,B、C混合型很少,未发现B、C型以外的其它基因型.