The Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research at the University of Ghana, supported by the Philadelphia based JRS Biodiversity Foundation, is pioneering the use of DNA "barcodes" to map menacing mosquito species in West Africa that spread lymphatic filariasis (LF), commonly known as elephantiasis.
Using a short DNA sequence from a particular genome region, scientists can obtain a species' 'barcode' identity. Barcodes are needed because closely-related species, with different capabilities to transmit LF, are otherwise hard to distinguish.
"The scientific breakthrough of DNA barcoding, which grew explosively from a single Canadian research paper in 2003, is shedding new light on LF - a horrific and entirely preventable health scourge in developing countries," says principal investigator, Prof. Daniel Boakye, who is Head of the Parasitology Department at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana.
"Beyond the immediate battle against this disease in West Africa, the value to human health of these important new tools will grow as the range and habitats of specific mosquito species shift due to climate change", he says
The ability to precisely identify mosquito species in this way is a promising advance in the battle against LF, an often disfiguring disease that today threatens 1 billion people across roughly 80 countries.
Over 120 million people have the parasitic infection and more than 40 million have been permanently disabled or disfigured.
The research is identifying species spreading the worm larvae that clog the human lymph system, often causing grotesque swelling. By revealing the menace species' habitat and range, it also aids understanding of environmental factors that influence their breeding and abundance.
LF is a leading cause of permanent and long-term disability worldwide and results from a microscopic, thread-like worm spread between humans through a mosquito bite, leaving larvae, called microfilariae. Symptoms often appear years after infection. The disease can permanently damage the lymph system and kidneys, which results in fluid collecting and swelling in the arms, breasts, legs, and for men, the genital area. The disease also makes it difficult for the body to fight germs and infections.
Poor sanitation and rapid growth in tropical and subtropical areas has created more places for mosquitoes to breed and thus to more LF infection.
World health authorities have earmarked the disease for eradication by 2020 through mass drug administration (MDA). Officials are identifying communities where LF is endemic and treating people at risk with annual doses of a combination drug therapy (albendazole/DEC or albendazole/ivermectin, freely donated by Merck and Co. and GSK respectively).
The drug reduces the density of worm larvae in humans. This LF elimination strategy relics on a belief that the region's main LF vector, the Anopheles mosquito, is incapable of transmitting low-density worm larvae.
But the Anopheles family is highly diverse and contains hundreds of species. And the new molecular studies reveal that not all anopheles species are created equal. Some can transmit the disease despite the drugs' thinning of the worm larvae.
The research is pointing out places infested with the menace species and therefore, where the drug strategy needs to be supplemented with insecticides to successfully eliminate LF.
Prof. Boakye also notes that blanket vector control using insecticides can have serious impact on non-target organisms, leading to biodiversity loss. The additional information and insight into specific mosquito species allows for those species and areas to be targeted reducing the level of spraying and its effect on other organisms.
The expertise to create databases is in short supply in Africa; the JRS Foundation is assisting science in very meaningful ways, he says.
The ground-breaking work of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research at the University of Ghana is one of 17 JRS-supported projects operating in Africa, India and Latin and South America to be showcased at the e-Biosphere 09 Conference in London June 1-3, 2009. Media contact: Prof. Daniel a. Boakye, Head, Parasitology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research University of Ghana.
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***Special Note on (6 - 6 - 6) as it relates to The Beast
1) 666 can be divided into hundreds - tens and ones - These are 3 numerical places symbolic of the Evil Trinity of : a) The Dragon (600) b) False Prophet (60) c) The Beast --------(6)
2) 666 also has a "6" in each place.
Symbolic of : a) The Evil Trinity is exactly the same person 3 in 1 (3- 6s ) EACH WITH THE SAME VALUE OF 6 b) OPPOSITES. - Like the hands of a clock shows 6 to be OPPOSITE of 12 - Women are often refered to (by Men) as the OPPOSITE Sex - OPPOSITE SEXUAL TASTES (Homosexual) *****Daniel 11: 37- Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the DESIRE OF WOMEN, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
c) ( Lukewarm) On the clock face , 6 is exactly half of 12 . (i) - 12 is a number of completion as in : * The 12 tribes of Israel * The 12 disciples of Jesus Christ (II) - 6 being half of 12 symbolizes a LUKEWARM (Halfway) state (Neither For or Against But Showing Great Good And Great Evil) / Read what God says Rev 3 : 16 * The description of the Dragon Illustrates this Paradox of Good & Evil being present in the same being . --- Rev 13:11 And I beheld ANOTHER BEAST coming up out of the earth ; and he had TWO HORNLIKE A LAMB (RAM) , and he spoke as a DRAGON. LAMB - Like Jesus Christ The LAMB Of God DRAGON - Like Satan , The Serpent , DEVIL
(iii) - LUKE WARM OUTWARD APPEARANCE - I believe that the Beast will have combined Male and Female Traits & Personality Characteristics. - Matthew 12:34 [ DRAGON'S VOICE ] O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for OUT OF THE abundance of he HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS.
ZECHARIAH 11:15-17 ( Withered Arm + Blindness in Right Eye ) 15 - And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. 16 - For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. 17 - Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
*************************************************************************** ** *************************************************************************** ** *************************************************************************** ** THE HORNS OF THE BEAST And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having 7 heads (Kings) and 10 (Different Religious Kingdoms), and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. * The Horns of the Beast Represent the top world religions Known and mystery religions * Whenever God would anoint anyone, hed have his representative(s) pour a horn of oil on the head of the person being anointed (e.g. See 1st Samuel 16 ) Therefore the 10 horns of this beast represent the 10 Major Religions of the world. [http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html] For example Christianity, Islam, (Agnostic / Atheism) ,Hindu, Chinese Traditional Religion, Buddhism, Primal Indigenous, African Religions, Sikhism, Juche , Spiritism , Judaism, Babi & Baha'i faiths: , Jainism , Shinto, Cao Dai , Zoroastrianism , Tenrikyo, Neo-Paganism, Unitarian-Universalism, Rastafarian . Scientology
Many of These Religions Share Similar Traits. They May Do Like Businesses Do ; Merge Into The 10 Horns Of The Beast.
Daniel 7:20 - And of the 10 horns that were in his head, and 11th one came up, before whom 3 (horns) fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I believe that this is referring to a spiritual takeover of 3 religions by what people will think is a New Revealation
Rev 13:2 - And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.. I believe that this is referring to a spiritual makeup of the 4 religions incorporated into the New 666 Religion
Daniel 7: 3 -8 Describes Rev 13:2. in a slightly different way.It describes 4 different beasts : A Lion, A Bear, A Leopard, and the beast described in Rev 13:2. But here the Beast is described as having Iron teeth. [32 Roman-like / Inhuman - enforcers] * Rev 13: 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a LEOPARD (LEOPARD'S SKIN) = GREECE( Daniel 2:33 & 2;39, and his feet were as the feet of a bear = MEDIA /PERSIAN ( Daniel 2: 33 & 2;39 / Daniel 7 :5 ), and his mouth as the mouth of a LION = Babylonian ( Daniel 2: 32 & 2;38 / Daniel 7 :4 ) : and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. I believe the foundation of the Beast Spiritually will be Islam, but it will also incorporate the other religions into its pitch. The Greeks main religions, The Babylonian religions & the Judeo Christian religions I believe that all the religions of the world have a base in one of 4 or some kind of combination in 1 of 4 great cultures a) Egyptian [ imitated by Greece (Leopard) , Rome, etc ] - Many Greek Scholars broguth back knowledge they learned in Egypt b) Assyrian / Babylonian (Lion ) c) Roman (iron teeth) d) Israeli / Christian (Dragon voice / Lambs Horns)
OUR DEEPEST FEAR By Marianne Williamson
Our Deepest Fear Is Not That We Are Inadequate, Our Deepest Fear Is That We Are Powerful Beyond Measure. It Is Our Light , Not Our Darkness That Most Frightens Us.
We Ask Ourselves, Who Am I To Be Brilliant, Gorgeous, Talented, And Fabulous ?
Actually Who Are We Not To Be ? You Are A Child Of God.
Your Playing Small Doesnt Serve The World.
There Is Nothing Enlightened About Shrinking So That Other People Wont Feel Insecure Around You.
We Are All Meant To Shine, As Children Do.
We Were Born To Make Manifest The Glory Of God That Is Within Us.
Its Not Just In Some Of Us; Its In Everyone.
And When We Let Our Own Light Shine We Unconsciously Give Other People Permission To Do The Same.
And As We Are Liberated From Our Own Fear, Our Presence Automatically Liberates Others
[NOTE BEING AFRAID AND REFUSING TO GET INVOLVED WONT STOP US FROM DYING. BUT BEING AFRAID CAN PREVENT US FROM LIVING]
(Nkosi Sikeleli Africa )
God bless Africa May her glory be lifted high Hear our petitions .
God bless us, Your children God we ask You to protect our nation Intervene and end all conflicts Protect us, protect our nation, our nation.
From the blue of our heaven, From the depths of our sea, Over our eternal mountain ranges, Where the cliffs give answer.
Sounds the call to come together, And united we shall stand, Let us live and strive for freedom, In South Africa our land.
[Enoch Mankayi Sontonga]
WAKE UP ! STAY UP MY BROTHERS & SISTERS ! BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.
[http://www.infowars.com/infowars.asx] / [gcnlive.com] / [http://alexjonesringtones.net/]
- Life Is a Game. Have Fun. [ Luke 18:17 / Isaiah 11:6 ]