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Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research
On-line version ISSN 2219-0635
Print version ISSN 0030-2465
Onderstepoort j. vet. res. vol.82 n.1 Pretoria 2015
The occurrence of Culicoides species, the vectors of arboviruses, at selected trap sites in Zimbabwe
Stuart J.G. GordonI; Charlotte BolwellI; Chris RogersI; Godfrey MusukaII; Patrick KellyIII; Karien LabuschagneIV; Alan J. GuthrieV; Eric DenisonVI; Philip S. MellorVI; Christopher HamblinVI
IInstitute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand
IIPolio Communication Section, UNICEF Nigeria Country Office, Nigeria
IIIRoss University School of Veterinary Medicine, St. Kitts, West Indies
IVARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute: Parasites, Vectors and Vector-borne Diseases, Onderstepoort, South Africa
VEquine Research Centre, University of Pretoria, South Africa
VIThe Pirbright Institute, Pirbright, United Kingdom
A study of the distribution of Culicoides species was conducted by establishing 12 light trap sites over five rainy seasons between 1998 and 2003 covering all the geo-climatic natural regions of Zimbabwe. In total, 279 919 specimens of Culicoides were trapped over a total of 163 trapping nights. The highest median counts of Culicoides per trapping night were recorded in natural region III, which has climatic conditions conducive to the successful development of the larvae. Culicoides imicola, the major vector of bluetongue and African horse sickness viruses in Africa, was found to be the most abundant species (80.4%), followed by Culicoides enderleini (5.9%) and Culicoides milnei (5.2%). This study identified 10 species of Culicoides that had not been previously described in Zimbabwe, including Culicoides loxodontis and Culicoides miombo, which are members of the C. imicola complex. A total of 23 994 Culicoides midges were collected from five trap sites in Harare, Zimbabwe, with the dominant species, C. imicola, representing 91.6% of the total collection. Seventeen arboviruses were isolated from these midges, 15 of which were bluetongue virus. The predominant bluetongue virus serotype was serotype 11, followed by serotypes 1, 8, 12 and 15. Bluetongue virus serotypes 1, 2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16 and 18, detected in this study, had not been previously reported in Zimbabwe.
African horse sickness virus (AHSV), which infects all equine species, and bluetongue virus (BTV), which infects sheep and other ruminants, are endemic in Zimbabwe. High seroprevalences of AHSV in horses and donkeys and BTV in cattle and sheep were reported throughout Zimbabwe (Gordon 2010), with mortality rates because of African horse sickness and bluetongue reaching 95% (Coetzer & Guthrie 2004) and 33% (Musuka 1999) respectively. Based on their economic importance and capacity to spread rapidly between countries, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has designated both these diseases as notifiable animal diseases. Equine encephalosis virus (EEV), which infects all equine species, and epizootic haemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), which infects domestic and wild ruminants, have also been detected in Zimbabwe (Gordon 2010; Musuka 1999; Paweska et al. 1999). Many of these viruses are also enzootic in neighbouring countries, namely Botswana (Mushi et al. 1998), Zambia (Mweene et al. 1996), Namibia and South Africa (Meiswinkel, Venter & Nevill 2004; Scacchia et al. 2009; World Organisation for Animal Health 2011). Oura et al. (2012) recently documented EEV in Ethiopia, Ghana, Gambia and Israel. Bluetongue today has a nearly worldwide distribution.
All of these diseases are caused by double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) viruses of the family Reoviridae and genus Orbivirus, which are transmitted almost exclusively by Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) biting midges (Meiswinkel et al. 2004; Mellor, Boorman & Baylis 2000). Culicoides imicola and Culicoides bolitinos have been identified as vectors of AHSV and are widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa (Meiswinkel & Paweska 2003; Mellor 1993). Culicoides bolitinos has also been implicated as an important potential vector of EEV and BTV in South Africa (Meiswinkel & Paweska 1998, 2003; Venter et al. 2002).
Previous studies in Zimbabwe found C. imicola to be the most abundant livestock-associated Culicoides species, followed by Culicoides zuluensis (Blackburn, Searle & Phelps 1985; Braverman & Phelps 1981; Braverman et al. 1985; Gordon 2010; Musuka 1999; Musuka, Chihota & Kelly 1998; Phelps, Blackburn & Searle 1982). The vector competence of most Culicoides species in Zimbabwe has not been studied in detail and other species may, in future, be identified as vectors of these viruses.
Agro-ecological classification, known as natural region (NR) classification in Zimbabwe, divides the country into five regions based on mean annual rainfall (Vincent & Thomas 1960). The aim of this study was to identify the species of Culicoides distributed across these regions during the period 1998-2003. It is known that climate has a profound influence on the viability and fecundity of the Culicoides midges (Mellor 1993). To date no differences in disease abundance have been reported between these regions. The monthly abundance and distribution of Culicoides species in these five regions was, therefore, determined. In addition, this study aimed to isolate and identify arboviruses isolated from Culicoides midges collected in Harare over 7 days within the study period. Such studies will expand our knowledge of the biology of Zimbabwean Culicoides species and the potential for transmission of viral pathogens. This information will help assess the risks to both ruminant and equine livestock in Zimbabwe attributable to the presence of the Culicoides vector and hence the implementation of appropriate integrated control strategies (Rawlings et al. 1998).
Materials and methods
Selection of Culicoides trap sites in Zimbabwe
Culicoides midges were collected from a convenience sample of 12 trap sites in Zimbabwe. Collections were made over five consecutive rainy seasons (November-April) from 1998 to 2003. Collection site selection was based on several criteria, including: a minimum number of either horses or ruminants (> 8); historical presence of clinical disease or deaths in animals; presence of suitable Culicoides vector breeding conditions (e.g. low-lying areas, such as river banks or marshy fields, with clay soils); security of the equipment; and the availability of an alternating 220V current power supply. Trap sites were distributed to include each of the five NRs of Zimbabwe (Figure 1). Two trapping sites were established in NR I, six in NR II, one in NR III, two in NR IV and one in NR V. Twenty-four individual collections (trapping nights) were made from NR I, 109 from NR II, 18 from NR III and 9 from NR IV across the five rainy seasons. Trapping was to be conducted for one night every 2 weeks during each rainy season, although this protocol was not followed consistently at each trapping site. Only three individual collections were made in NR V during the entire period under study.
Rainfall is highest in NR I (> 1050 mm per annum) whilst NR II and III contain the most arable land and receive 500 mm - 1050 mm of rain per annum. NR I is a specialised and diversified farming region with plantation forestry, fruit and intensive livestock production, whilst NRs II and III are suitable for intensive farming based on crops and livestock production. Severe mid-season dry spells make NR III marginal for maize, tobacco and cotton, or for enterprises based on crop production alone. The farming systems, therefore, are based on both livestock (assisted by the production of fodder crops) and cash crops. NR IV and V have a lower annual rainfall (< 600 mm per annum) and experience periodic seasonal droughts and/or severe dry spells during the rainy season. The farming, therefore, is based on extensive livestock ranching and drought-resistant fodder crops (Vincent & Thomas 1960).
Trapping, sorting and processing of Culicoides samples for identification
Dusk (18:00) till dawn (06:00) trapping was conducted at each trap site using Onderstepoort 220 V down draught suction light traps each fitted with an 8 W black fluorescent (ultraviolet) light tube. The traps were hung on the branches of trees or on the eaves of buildings approximately 1.4 m above ground level and within close proximity to the animals. Culicoides midges were collected into phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and 0.5% chlorhexidine (Savlon®, Novartis, U.K.). After collection specimens were re-suspended and preserved in 80% ethyl alcohol and stored in the dark at room temperature until sorted, identified and counted.
Species were identified and counted under a binocular dissecting microscope using a wing pattern atlas of southern African Culicoides species (R. Meiswinkel, unpublished atlas 1996). For large collections in excess of 1000 midges, the total numbers were estimated by measurement of a minimum of five 1 mL subsamples according to the protocol of Van Ark and Meiswinkel (1992).
Trapping and sorting of Culicoides midges in Harare for virus isolation
Culicoides midges were collected for virus isolation at five sites around Harare (17°51'50'S, 31°1'47'E, located in NR II) using the method described above. These five Harare sites formed part of the 12 trappings mentioned previously. These Culicoides species were age graded according to the method described by Dyce (1969). Harare is 1508 m above sea level and situated in the northeast highveld of Zimbabwe. It is characterised by moderate subtropical conditions with an average monthly rainfall of 120 mm and air temperature between 15 °C and 27 °C. All trap sites were on smallholdings with vertisol soil types and mixed forest vegetation where urban-intensive farming was practised. The main species of livestock were cattle, goats, sheep and horses.
The traps were hung from branches or eaves of buildings within close proximity to animal premises. All sites' traps were operated from dusk (18:00) to dawn (06:00) for seven consecutive days in March 2003. Culicoides were collected into a phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution containing 100 mg/mL of gentamicin and 0.1% chlorhexidine (Savlon®, Novartis, U.K.) and stored at 4 °C until processed.
Individual species of Culicoides were stored at 4 °C in 2 mL Eppendorf tubes (a maximum of 50 flies per Eppendorf tube) with 1 mL of PBS containing 100 mg/mL of gentamicin and 0.1% chlorhexidine (Savlon®, Novartis, U.K.). For each species or species group, the Culicoides specimens were sorted into the following categories: males, blood engorged females, non-engorged nulliparous females and non-engorged parous females, according to Dyce (1969).
Preparation of Culicoides specimens for virus isolation and identification
Midges were grouped into individual pools of up to 100 non-engorged females of each species. Each pool was homogenised in a mortar using a pestle with 1 mL of Eagles maintenance medium containing 1% foetal calf serum and antibiotics, using a modification of the technique proposed by El Hussein et al. (1989). Each homogenate was subsequently titrated for infectious virus in BHK-21 cells, brains from suckling mice and 11-day-old embryonated hens' eggs. Virus isolates were characterised using serogroup-specific, indirect, sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for BTV (Thevasagayam et al. 1996), AHSV (Hamblin, Mellor & Boned 1991), EEV (Crafford et al. 2003) and EHDV (Thevasagayam et al. 1996) antigens. The BTV isolates were subsequently serotyped using virus neutralisation index assays (Hazrati & Ozawa 1965).
Collection of Culicoides across Zimbabwe for species identification
A total of 279 919 specimens of Culicoides, representing 51 different species, were trapped across Zimbabwe over five rainy seasons. Table 1 shows the numbers of Culicoides trapped per night in each NR of Zimbabwe and are reported as median values with interquartile ranges (IQRs). The distribution of each of the 10 most abundant Culicoides within the NR are presented as percentage values in Table 2. The trap sites located in NR III recorded the highest median count of Culicoides species (1376 [IQR 286-1980]), followed by those trap sites located in NR IV (821 [IQR 175-918]). A full list of the different Culicoides trapped (in order of abundance) across the five NRs of Zimbabwe between 1998 and 2003 is shown as supplementary data in Appendix 1 (Table 1-A1).
The predominant Culicoides species trapped was C. imicola (80.4%), followed by Culicoides enderleini (5.9%), Culicoides milnei (5.2%) and C. zuluensis (4.8%). Culicoides imicola was the most abundant species trapped in NR I-IV, with C. enderleini being the most abundant species trapped in NR V. The second most abundant species trapped in each NR was Culicoides miombo (NR I), C. milnei (NR II), C. zuluensis (NR III), C. miombo (NR IV) and C. bolitinos (NR V). Species of Culicoides found in every NR were C. imicola, C. enderleini, C. bolitinos and Culicoides subschultzei. Ten additional species, which have not previously been recorded in Zimbabwe, were collected (Table 3), bringing the total number of Culicoides species recognised in Zimbabwe to 60.
Collection of Culicoides in Harare for species identification and virus isolation
A total of 23 994 Culicoides specimens were collected from the Harare sites. Culicoides imicola (21 986/23 994; 91.6%) was the most prevalent of the 26 species captured, followed by C. enderleini (1556/23 994; 6.5%). Other species of Culicoides regularly captured at Harare were C. zuluensis (248/23 994; 1.0%), C. bolitinos (70/23 994; 0.3%) and Culicoides brucei (39/23 994; 0.2%). Three species novel to Zimbabwe, namely C. miombo, Culicoides glabripennis and a specimen from the Nigripennis group, were identified in the Harare collections. Significant differences were found in the numbers of Culicoides midges collected at the five Harare trapping sites. Nearly 90% of all the specimens collected were from eight collections made at one of the sites at a horse stud. However, the greatest species diversity was observed at a different horse stud (17 different species). The lowest numbers of Culicoides and lowest species diversity were found at a dairy farm on the outskirts of Harare that had cattle only and no horses (196 midges belonging to eight species of Culicoides).
In the Harare study, 222 samples of non-engorged parous female Culicoides were assayed for BTV, AHSV, EEV and EHDV. A total of 17 Orbiviruses were isolated: 15 BTV and 2 EEV. Fourteen isolates of BTV were made from C. imicola and one from Culicoides magnus. Both the EEV isolates were from C. imicola. No AHSV or EHDV were isolated. Nine different BTVs were identified. Three isolates of serotype 11 (3/15; 20%) were made and two isolates each of serotypes 1, 8, 12 and 15 (2/15; 13.3% each) were made. One isolate each of serotypes 2, 10, 16 and 18 were also identified (1/15; 6.7% each). The EEV isolates were not serotyped.
Trap sites chosen were believed to be representative of the climatic and geo-physical conditions found within each NR. However, the significance of the distribution of Culicoides across the five NRs of Zimbabwe must be interpreted with caution. It is important to realise that these five agro-ecological regions were characterised more than 50 years ago (Vincent & Thomas 1960). Mugandani et al. (2012) have argued that this is misleading as it implies that the climatic conditions have remained stable over this time. Research, however, points to the contrary; Makarau (1999) and Low (2005) noted increased variability of rainfall, rain days and temperature in Zimbabwe. Most meteorological stations in Zimbabwe have shown a decline in rainfall over the past 100 years (Mugandani et al. 2012). Furthermore, Corbett and Carter (1996) noted that continued use of these agro-ecological regions was at odds with the political, social and agrarian reform that has taken place in Zimbabwe since Vincent and Thomas (1960) established these regions.
Caution should also be observed when interpreting absolute counts of Culicoides as there may be some variation dependent on the trap sites within each NR. The number of host animals and the distance of these animals from the trap site may also influence the numbers of Culicoides collected. Trap sites in NR II recorded the greatest diversity of Culicoides species, with 43 species identified. The highest median count of Culicoides was recorded in trap sites located within NR III. Natural region III includes the central highveld of Zimbabwe, averaging a total annual rainfall of 500 mm - 700 mm, with predominantly greyish brown clay soils and sandy loams derived from granitic rocks (Vincent & Thomas 1960).
High median counts of Culicoides midges were recorded in March and April, at the end of the rainy season. Numbers of adult flies steadily increase after the start of the rainy season as the availability of breeding sites increases (Musuka 1999). Similar findings have been reported previously in Zimbabwe and South Africa, with large populations of Culicoides vectors found in areas with high average annual rainfall and summer temperatures (Musuka 1999; Musuka et al. 2001; Venter, Nevill & Van der Linde 1997). Temperature influences the abundance of Culicoides vectors through its effect on the availability of suitable breeding sites, larval development and adult mortality (Mellor & Hamblin 2004). High environmental temperatures lead to a shorter time span between blood-feeding events and an increase in the rate of virogenesis within the adult vector, leading to earlier virus transmission, although at high temperatures the rate of adult mortality also increases (Mellor & Hamblin 2004; Wellby et al. 1996).
Previous studies have demonstrated that soil type appears to be very important in determining the distribution and abundance of C. imicola (Meiswinkel 1998; Musuka et al. 2001). In concurrence with these previous findings, the largest numbers of C. imicola were found in areas with a high, moisture-retentive clay soil, whilst the lowest numbers were encountered in rapidly draining sandy soils. The biggest collections of Culicoides were obtained from a large equine stud on the outskirts of Harare. This farm was situated in a low-lying area on the banks of a major river and had clayey soils and open grassland vegetation.
This study showed that large numbers of C. imicola were collected in light traps located at sites where horses were stabled indoors at night even though some stables were fitted with protective fly screens. This suggests that C. imicola were still feeding successfully as they depend upon blood meals for the development of their eggs. Successful feeding may have been facilitated by the common practice of leaving the upper half of the stable door open for ventilation (Meiswinkel 1998). Horses kept out in the open at night appear to be more susceptible to midge bites than stabled horses and these outside horses may act as decoys deflecting C. imicola away from the stabled animals. If these decoys are removed or stabled, then the midges may attempt to feed on stabled animals (Meiswinkel 1998).
This study has identified 10 species of Culicoides that previously have not been recorded in Zimbabwe (Blackburn et al. 1985; Musuka 1999; Musuka & Kelly 2000; Musuka et al. 1998, 2001; Phelps et al. 1982), bringing the total number of recognised species of Culicoides in Zimbabwe to 60. Of particular note was the identification of two additional C. imicola complex species, Culicoides loxodontis and C. miombo, which were distributed across four of the NRs of Zimbabwe. The epidemiological significance of these species as vectors of arboviruses in Zimbabwe needs further investigation, although the findings of this study significantly add to the available knowledge on the distribution of these species in southern Africa.
Musuka (1999) has shown that C. bolitinos has a widespread distribution in southern Africa. Furthermore, C. bolitinos, which was found at all five trap sites in Harare in the present survey, has been implicated in AHSV, EEV and BTV transmission in South Africa (Meiswinkel & Paweska 1998, 2003; Venter et al. 2002) and, therefore, could play a role in the spread of the disease in Zimbabwe. In our study, the highest prevalence (5.7%) of C. bolitinos was recorded in NR V (Table 2). This region is characterised by low rainfall and high environmental temperatures, although in South Africa C. bolitinos has been reported to be more abundant in the cooler mountainous regions (Meiswinkel & Paweska 2003; Venter et al. 2002). This species breeds in the dung of cattle and buffaloes and the traps in the NR V trap site were located near a cattle pen containing 30 cattle. The trap sites also included a wildlife sanctuary in north Zimbabwe that hosts large populations of wild buffaloes (Syncerus caffer).
The distribution of Culicoides species observed during this study closely matched the sero-incidence and prevalence of AHSV, EEV, BTV and EHDV reported by Gordon (2010). In order to fully understand the role of the various Culicoides species in the transmission of arboviruses in Zimbabwe, further studies are needed to determine the vector competence of the sibling species of the C. imicola group and other Culicoides species that are potential vectors in southern Africa (Musuka et al. 1998). It has recently been demonstrated, for example, that C. magnus could become infected with both BTV and AHSV under laboratory conditions (Paweska, Prinsloo & Venter 2003; Paweska, Venter & Mellor 2002; Venter et al. 2004, 2009).
In this study, virus isolations of EEV and BTV were made only from C. imicola and C. magnus. According to Meiswinkel et al. (2004), C. miombo is suspected to be a vector of BTV. In the Harare study, however, no viral isolates were obtained from this species (although only nine individual specimens were collected and assayed). No AHSV or EHDV were isolated from any of the trapped Culicoides species despite the traps being located at horse studs and cattle farms. Low AHSV isolations from Culicoides midges were also reported by Rawlings et al. (1998) in a study conducted in Gambia, which was attributed to an extremely low infection prevalence of AHSV in the vector species of Culicoides. These observations were further authenticated by Mellor, Osborne and Jennings (1984), in Sudan, who could only make two AHSV isolations out of 7000 Culicoides specimens. Many viral, genetic and environmental factors can influence the susceptibility of Culicoides to infection and some species may be refractory to infection (Mellor et al. 1984). It is recommended, however, that large numbers of flies from many different collection sites should be collected and assayed before defining a species as refractory to infection.
The predominant serotype of BTV isolated from the Culicoides vectors was serotype 11, followed by serotypes 1, 8, 12 and 15. Previously only BTV serotype 11 has been isolated from the Culicoides vector in Zimbabwe (Blackburn et al. 1985), so this is the first time that BTV serotypes 1, 2, 8, 10, 12, 15, 16 and 18 have been recorded in the country. The possibility that some of these additional BTV serotypes isolated may be vaccine viruses should be considered, however. The vaccine currently used in Zimbabwe is an Onderstepoort Biological Product® attenuated cell culture adapted vaccine. Serotypes 15, 16 and 18 are not included in this vaccine and thus vaccinated cattle and sheep may not be adequately protected against all BTV serotypes present in Zimbabwe. There is, therefore, a need to consider the possibility of developing a local polyvalent vaccine that protects against all the BTV serotypes circulating in Zimbabwe.
The greatest diversity and highest median counts of Culicoides were found in the central highveld region of Zimbabwe, which enjoys climatic and geophysical conditions favouring optimal vector breeding and larval development. The discovery of new Culicoides species in Zimbabwe adds to the existing knowledge on the distribution of Culicoides species in southern Africa. These findings, however, highlight the need for further studies to measure the vector competence of existing Culicoides species and to fully understand the role of these species in the transmission and epidemiology of arboviruses in Zimbabwe.
Furthermore, the discovery of novel BTV serotypes in this study highlights the need to review bluetongue vaccines currently in use and vaccination and control strategies being practised in Zimbabwe.
The authors would like to acknowledge the support and cooperation provided by the horse and livestock establishments in Zimbabwe that allowed Culicoides trapping to be conducted on their premises during the period under study.
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no financial or personal relationships which may have inappropriately influenced them in writing this article.
Authors' contributions
S.J.G.G. (Massey University) wrote the manuscript and acted as project leader. G.N.M. (Biomedical Research and Training Institute), P.J.K. (Biomedical Research and Training Institute), P.S.M. (The Pirbright Institute) and C.H. (The Pirbright Institute) helped to design the project, establish and monitor the trapping sites, sort and process the vectors and assist with the virus isolation and identification. K.L. (ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute: Parasites, Vectors and Vector-borne Diseases) and E.D. (The Pirbright Institute) helped to sort, count and identify the vectors. C.B. (Massey University), C.R. (Massey University) and A.J.G. (University of Pretoria) made conceptual contributions and assisted with the data analysis, statistical work and the editing of the final manuscript.
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Mweene, A.S., Pandey, G.S., Sinyangwe, P., Nambota, A., Samui, K. & Kida, H., 1996, 'Viral diseases of livestock in Zambia', Japanese Journal of Veterinary Research 44(2), 89-105. [ Links ]
Oura, C.A.L., Batten, C.A., Ivens, P.A.S., Balcha, M., Alhassan, A., Gizaw, D. et al., 2012, 'Equine encephalosis virus: Evidence for circulation beyond southern Africa', Epidemiology and Infection 140, 1982-1986. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0950268811002688 [ Links ]
Paweska, J.T., Gerdes, G.H., Woods, P.S.A. & Williams, R. 1999, 'Equine encephalosis in southern Africa: Current situation', in U. Wernery, J.F. Wade, J.A. Mumford & O.R. Kaaden (eds.), Proceedings of the Eighth International Conference on Equine Infectious Diseases, Dubai, UAE, March 23-26, 1998, pp. 303-305. [ Links ]
Paweska, J.T., Prinsloo, S.A. & Venter, G.J., 2003, 'Oral susceptibility of South African Culicoides species to live-attenuated sero-type-specific vaccine strains of African horse sickness virus (AHSV)', Medical and Veterinary Entomology 17, 436-447. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2915.2003.00467.x [ Links ]
Paweska, J.T., Venter, G.J. & Mellor, P.S., 2002, 'Vector competence of South African Culicoides species for bluetongue virus serotype 1 (BTV-1) with special reference to the effect of temperature on the rate of virus replication in C. imicola and C. bolitinos', Medical Veterinary Entomology 16, 10-21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2915.2002.00334.x [ Links ]
Phelps, R., Blackburn, N. & Searle, L., 1982, 'Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) catches and virus isolation from them in Mukwadzi Valley, Zimbabwe', Journal of the Entomological Society of Southern Africa 45, 195-200. [ Links ]
Rawlings, P., Snow, W.F., Boorman, J., Denison, E., Hamblin, C. & Mellor, P.S., 1998, 'Culicoides in relation to transmission of African horse sickness virus in The Gambia', Medical and Veterinary Entomology 12, 155-159. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2915.1998.00094.x [ Links ]
Scacchia, M., Lelli, R., Peccio, A., Di Mattia, T., Mbulu, R.S., Hager, A.L., et al., 2009, 'African horse sickness: A description of outbreaks in Namibia', Veterinaria Italiana 45(2), 265-274. [ Links ]
Thevasagayam, J.A., Wellby, M.P., Mertens, P.P.C., Burroughs, J.N. & Anderson, J., 1996, 'Detection and differentiation of epizootic haemorrhagic disease of deer and bluetongue viruses by serogroup-specific sandwich ELISA', Journal of Virological Methods 56(1), 49-57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0166-0934(95)01910-3 [ Links ]
Van Ark, H. & Meiswinkel, R., 1992, 'Subsampling of large light trap catches of Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)', Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 59, 183-189. [ Links ]
Venter, G.J., Gerdes, G.H., Mellor, P.S. & Paweska, J.T., 2004, 'Transmission potential of South African Culicoides species for live-attenuated bluetongue virus', Veterinaria Italiana 40, 198-203. [ Links ]
Venter, G.J., Groenewald, D., Venter, E., Hermanides, K.G. & Howell, P.G., 2002, 'A comparison of the vector competence of the biting midges, Culicoides (Avarita) bolitinos and C. (A.) imicola, for the Bryanston serotype of equine encephalosis virus', Medical and Veterinary Entomology 16(4), 372-377. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2915.2002.00385.x [ Links ]
Venter, G.J., Nevill, E.M. & Van der Linde, T.C., 1997, 'Seasonal abundance and parity of stock-associated Culicoides species (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in different climatic regions in southern Africa in relation to their viral vector potential', Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 64, 259-271. [ Links ]
Venter, G.J., Wright, I.M., Van der Linde, T.C. & Paweska, J.T., 2009, 'The oral susceptibility of South African field populations of Culicoides to African horse sickness virus', Medical and Veterinary Entomology 23, 367-378. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2915.2009.00829.x [ Links ]
Vincent, V. & Thomas, R.G., 1960, An agricultural survey of southern Rhodesia: Part I: Agro-ecological survey, Government Printer, Harare. [ Links ]
Wellby, M.P., Baylis, M., Rawlings, P. & Mellor, P.S., 1996, 'Effect of temperature on survival and rate of virogenesis of African horse sickness virus in Culicoides variipennis sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and its significance in relation to the epidemiology of the disease', Bulletin of Entomological Research 86, 715-720. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0007485300039237 [ Links ]
World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), 2011, 'Sub-regional representation for southern Africa', Gaborone, Botswana, viewed 14 October 2014, from http://www.oie.int/doc/ged/d11781.pdf [ Links ]
Stuart Gordon
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Email: email@example.com
Received: 04 Nov. 2014
Accepted: 27 Jan. 2015
Published: 29 May 2015
Appendix 1


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EIGHT reasons to take the family skiing at Treble Cone this winter written by Annabel Wilson (editor of On Mag and local school teacher)
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Written by Annabel Wilson
Well-known for attracting pro snowriders from all over the world, New Zealand's Treble Cone ski resort is now quietly building a reputation for how it caters for families as well. ANNABEL WILSON finds out why it's never been a better time to take the kids skiing at the South Island's largest ski area.
Squashed in the back seat of a dusty Subaru, my brothers and I always noted the daily quip written at Treble Cone's toll gate as we drove up the mountain during ski holidays. A particularly memorable joke was "FAMILY FIELDS ARE FOR CABBAGES." This statement surmised what TC used to be like back in the 1980s, when learning how to ski took place on a narrow strip of snow bordered by a scary rope tow, then intermediate level skiers had to navigate a cat track which zig-zagged beneath the double chairlift. Everywhere else was pretty much expert terrain. While introducing my nephew and niece to skiing at Treble Cone recently, I noticed how much things have changed. With a free beginner area, new intermediate trails and kid-friendly features and events, it's now easy to ensure the whole family enjoys snowriding there. Here are seven tips for making this happen.
Head up the Home Basin express on a Scenic Chairlift Ride for a unique way to get your bearings and take in the magnificent alpine setting. $18NZD per person or $50NZD (hot drink included) for a family, it's a great way for kids or non-skiers to get a feel for the mountain. At 1750m, the lift will slow down for you at the offload station. Stroll over to the Matukituki view point which provides an unforgettable panorama of jagged peaks towering above the glacier-carved river valley below. As you wander back, stop in at the new on-mountain cafe for a high-altitude picnic overlooking Lake Wanaka and the Southern Alps.
Get used to the alpine environment and ski gear by playing in the snow first. Throw snowballs, build a snowman and check out the ice sculptures in the dedicated beginners' area. You can also post a letter to TC Cat in the official mailbox!
Designed to give children some time off the snow while their parents explore some of Treble Cone's worldclass terrain, the Childcare Centre is a warm and fully supervised space for kids aged 3-5 years. There's a wide range of books, crafts and toys for children to explore, and they can also upgrade to a 'Kitty Cat Club' lesson for a fun and safe first experience on skis. Two hours of childcare with a 1 hour semi-private ski lesson and ski hire is $84NZD. This is a world away from the A-frame hut I used to sleep in while my parents snuck off for a ski as the ski instructors watched over me!
A major drawcard for bringing the family to Treble Cone are the free learner's slopes. Novices won't need a ticket for the magic carpet or the 400 metre long platter lift which provides ample wide open space within which to master linked turns and most importantly, have fun. At the top of the platter, adventurous snowriders will find the Jazz Kids' Fun trail (a series of archways, a sea-saw rollbox and surface features) to challenge themselves on. Adults can even watch their older children who are proficient skiers zooming down the learner's slope from the comfort of the Cheeky Kea cafe in the base area. You can hire mini skis and boards by the hour, which gives parents can set themselves up for success by giving kids a short and sweet experience on the slopes first, then book them into lessons once they're amping on snow.
Extensive earthworks over the summer has meant that intermediate skiers and boarders can now access the whole mountain via a series of wide, interconnected trails. The legendary Saddle Basin - only reachable by a thin goat track or a helicopter back in the old days - is now open to anyone with a solid style. I'm sure I'm only a few more ski days away from showing this spectacular basin to my nephew and niece.
Children make progress remarkably quickly at Treble Cone, thanks to the proficient ski school and varied on and off-piste runs. Fairly soon they might be bugging you to test their prowess on their first freeride event. If so, enter them in the Pump Mini Mountain expression session on the weekend of 5 September. With age divisions starting at seven and under, kids can get creative and ski hand-shaped hits as they are judged for line, fluidity, control and air.
Insider's tip: Stash a packet of marshmallows and some toasting forks in your daypack and toast them over the open fire on the sundeck when you're taking a break. You'll be the envy of the lunch crowd and will instantly soothe away any post-skiing gripes or tiredness.
September is an ideal time to visit Wanaka and Treble Cone in particular. Crowds have dispersed, days have warmed up and airfares get cheaper. Forgiving corn snow and warmer temperatures make spring skiing especially family-friendly. The last day of the season is well worth coming across for if you can. 27 September is Treble Cone's official closing day. Locals and visitors alike soak up the carnival atmosphere by donning fancy dress costumes and enjoying live music on the sundeck. Start planning your outfits now and lock it in for this year.
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Treble Cone Ski Area
Treble Cone is the largest ski area in New Zealand's South Island and offers the longest vertical in the Southern Lakes, famous for its long, uncrowded groomed slopes, legendary off-piste terrain and unrivaled views.

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Christianity is the religion that shaped America and made her what she is today. In fact, historically speaking, it can be irrefutably demonstrated that Biblical Christianity in America produced many of the cherished traditions still enjoyed today, including:--> A republican rather than a theocratic form of government; --> The institutional separation of church and state (as opposed to todays enforced institutional secularization of church and state); --> Protection for religious toleration and the rights of conscience; --> A distinction between theology and behavior, thus allowing the incorporation into public policy of religious principles that promote good behavior but which do not enforce theological tenets (examples of this would include religious teachings such as the Good Samaritan, The Golden Rule, the Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, etc., all of which promote positive civil behavior but do not impose ecclesiastical rites); and --> A free-market approach to religion, thus ensuring religious diversity and security for the rights of religious conscience. Consequently, a Christian nation as demonstrated by the American experience is a nation founded upon Christian and Biblical principles, whose values, society, and institutions have largely been shaped by those principles. This definition was reaffirmed by American legal scholars and historians for generations but is widely ignored by todays revisionists.American Presidents Affirm that America is a Christian Nation President Barack Obama is the first American president to deny that America is a Christian nation. Notice a few representative statements on this subject by some of the forty-three previous presidents:The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were. . . . the general principles of Christianity. JOHN ADAMS[T]he teachings of the Bible are so interwoven and entwined with our whole civic and social life that it would be literally
.impossible for us to figure to ourselves what that life would be if these teaching were removed. TEDDY ROOSEVELTAmerica was born a Christian nation America was born to exemplify that devotion to the elements of righteousness which are derived from the revelations of Holy Scripture. WOODROW WILSONAmerican life is builded, and can alone survive, upon . . . [the] fundamental philosophy announced by the Savior nineteen centuries ago. HERBERT HOOVERThis is a Christian Nation. HARRY TRUMANLet us remember that as a Christian nation . . . we have a charge and a destiny. RICHARD NIXONThere are many additional examples, including even that of Thomas Jefferson. Significantly, Jefferson was instrumental in establishing weekly Sunday worship services at the U. S. Capitol (a practice that continued through the 19th century) and was himself a regular and faithful attendant at those church services, not even allowing inclement weather to dissuade his weekly horseback travel to the Capitol church. https://wallbuilders.com/america-christian-nation/
^^^... in general parlance, EG, do you think thereare NOT Muslim countries, Christian countries,Jewish countries, Buddhist countries, etc?
The Christian principles of religious freedom are what led to the Constitution and intentional separation of church and state.No other religion does that. If we had been based off of Islam, Wicca, or Hindu, we wouldn't have the constitution to begin with.
It was also a motivation to consider and invoke the doctrine of separation of church and state.
If your neighbor wants to be a Muslim, its his constitutional right.
However, if he murders people because his god demands everybody convert or die, then that behavior is not a constitutional right. Nor is it his constitutional right to demand constitutional law be replaced by foreign law, religious or otherwise. People can believe and worship however they please as long as it does not infringe on everybody else's rights. So cannibalism, child sacrifice, pedophilia, etc. cannot use freedom of religion as an excuse. Neither can dietary restrictions be imposed on everybody for religious reasons. (I'm thinking of people that were fired because they brought a ham sandwich to work)When behavior is harmful or destructive, then the state is expected to deal with it.
Last time I checked America was a Secular Country.Please point me to the part of the constitution that explains how America is a Christian Country, and is it Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant ?Is the president just like the british queen, head of state and head of church ?Do you have blaspemy laws, and how does that coexist with the right to free speech ?
True - but why the hysteria ?Who - is pulling the strings ?
Only an educated public can hold congress accountable and loyal to God endowed laws again. Unfortunately the public have foolishly traded liberty for safety and volunteered to become subjects of congress.
The establishment media has largely hidden the administrations new pro-female policy and the shocking crime, which threatens or has already victimized more than 500,000 young American women whose parents are immigrants from countries where FGM is routine.
Whoa there guy, you're turning this thread into a Christian bashing. You also have to realize slavery is still basically the norm for human history. It's only been very recent that we abolished slavery. And it was taken care of through a lot of blood...Also, heard of the new one? You know, the NEW testament...
Slavery still exists in the United States, it's called the prison system.This arguing about religion serves nobody here, you can "prove" whatever you want by selectively quoting scripture. I was trying to make that point. I'm not interested in arguing in circles so I usually stay out of these threads.
Wahhabi Terrorists running around Paris . . .Cui Bono ?
Wahhabi Terrorists running around Paris . . .Cui Bono ?
Last time I checked America was a Secular Country.
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Bundle 2 - Chapter 4-6
by Tiffany Bell
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Pot Au Feu Recipes
Wine-Braised Chuck Roast with Pasta
Baby Aria's choice of meat, by far, is beef. And the more tender it is, the more she likes it. I really enjoy making one-dish meals for her. Today, I seared boneless beef chuck steaks, then braised them in wine (the alcohol cooks off during the braising process). Once tender, I boiled campanelle pasta and transferred it to the beef pot. The flavorful gravy sneaked into the cavities of the odd-shaped trumpet-like pasta, which made it more fun for Aria to eat.
I flavored the dish wth fresh thyme, clove, parsley, tomato paste. bay leaf, turnips, onions and garlic. The key ingredient, though, is drinking-quality red wine. C'est tout ("that's it!")!
Full Recipe...
Oxtail Stew Recipe
My childhood friend Alexia is visiting from Paris. She and her husband Olivier are here in the Bay Area on their honeymoon. They're spending the day in San Francisco and I offered to keep an eye on their daughter Alice. Baby Aria and Alice are the same age and they get along as well as their mothers do. I wanted to make sure they both have a rich, nutritious meal that is at easy for them to chew and enjoy at the same time. An oxtail stew seemed to fit the bill.
First, I braised the oxtails in good quality drinking wine (the alcohol will cook off), cooked them with lima beans and thickened the gravy with whole wheat flour. I didn't serve the oxtails with the bone-in to be safe. The meat can easily be removed from the bones. And I paired them with green peas and purple pomme puree (mashed potatoes).
Taking care of 2 toddlers is a lot easier than I anticipated. Both are foodies and enjoyed finishing their meal with airy chocolate mousse. Alice and Aria were satisfied and full. I'm very happy and am hoping Alexia and Olivier are having a blast in the city!
Full Recipe...
Beef Stew Appetizers
Baby Aria is a toddler now and even though I tend to feed her soft food, I still want her to experience the different textures and flavors each meal can bring. I prepared a beef stew, which she adored, but I still had a little meat left. So I shredded it with a fork, formed little mounds and used them for appetizers.
I always have extra dough stored in my freezer (I used the same dough for my roasted butternut squash galette earlier this week). I formed little pockets by cutting rectangles of dough and pinching the edges with the back of fork. These little appetizers were so addictive that they were all gone in a jiffy.
Full Recipe...
Pot Au Feu Recipe (French Beef Stew)
I don't make pot-au-feu very often but I felt like giving myself a treat today. I made the French-style beef stew using oxtail bones. The dish looks very rustic and doesn't require exquisite cuts of meat. The oxtail pieces provide a nice texture thanks to their gelatin content. The gravy consists of turnip, carrots, celery, leeks and onions. I also added a few fresh sprigs of fragrant herbs, clove and a bottle of good drinking wine.
The meat was so tender and fell off the bone so easily that it was difficult to gather a whole piece into the serving dish. It was baby Aria's first pot-au-feu and I can tell she's going to have many more. After her first bite she said "miam miam" (French for yum yum)!
Full Recipe...


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Blur: the making of nothing
Harry N. Abrams, Jun 27, 2002 - Art - 384 pages
When the visionary American architectural team of Diller + Scofidio won a commission for Swiss EXPO 2002, they re-invented the tradition of designing spectacular buildings for World's Fairs by creating an empty one -- an ephemerally beautiful yet eerily vacant pavilion. Consisting of a mist formed by 30,000 fog nozzles mounted on an immense structure of steel cables, the Blur Building appears to float above a Swiss lake. It's a fabricated cloud, complete with a water bar.The book of Blur captures the experience of passing through this vaporous maze. Nearly 400 pages, including two double gatefolds, document every aspect of the project, from the first conceptual sketches to the computer-programmed "braincoats" to be worn by the estimated 10 million visitors to construction documents and news clippings. Even the shadowy title typography conveys the transitory essence of Diller + Scofidio's thought-provoking work. This unique book will be the permanent manifestation of the building, which will bedismantled,after the Expo closes.
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The bell rings, but Josh Rosen's quarterback class is still in session.
Armed with a red dry-erase marker, the St. John Bosco senior stands at the side of a whiteboard in front of a classroom half-full of junior varsity players and reporters, unwrapping the mystery behind the spread offense like a professor teaching a class — like a coach preparing a team.
"(Quarterbacks) have to be physically capable on the field and intellectually capable on the field and basically be a coach," Rosen said. "They have to touch the ball every single play. They have to literally know every single step every person on the field is doing."
Rosen's understanding of the playing field goes beyond just his own teammates. Johnson has praised the quarterback's understanding of not only the offense, but the defense as well.
Despite having a big arm and fast feet, Rosen believes his greatest asset as a quarterback isn't anything that can be measured, timed, or charted.
Read the previous part in the series: Quarterback Josh Rosen: Athleticism powers St. John Bosco football's offense
"(It's) definitely my ability to take over a game with my mind," he said. "I take pride in the ability to know that whenever I'm on the field there's not a defense that can, in theory, on the board, stop our offense because there's always little adjustments that you can make."
Rosen's football mind developed early when he was a freshman at Bosco, and to some extent, by chance. Because the JV quarterback was injured that season, Rosen was called up from freshman football so he could play with the JV program and practice with the varsity squad. Thus, he has one more year of varsity coaching than other rising seniors, and now Johnson considers him a college freshman still sharing a field with the boys of high school.
"He's progressed so much mentally, it's basically like playing a video game for him at this point," said Johnson, who Rosen credits as the molder of his football mind.
In the classroom, the senior has an above-4.0 GPA, taking college-level advanced placement classes. His parents both have Ivy League educations. On the field, he presses the buttons on an offense that is more sophisticated than anything Johnson has run before at Bosco. Employing a system that takes influence from the West Coast offense and Oregon's high-flying spread, Rosen takes several plays signaled in from the sideline and then chooses one to run based on what he sees from the defense.
The coaching staff eased the Braves into the system toward the end of last year, and it's no coincidence that the offense started rolling at the same time. In six playoff games, Bosco racked up 51.2 yards more per game than it had during league play and put 50.6 points per game on the scoreboard, against some of the best opponents in the country.
That playoff run ended with a state championship and a No. 1 national ranking. In the CIF championship game against De La Salle, an established national powerhouse, Rosen threw for 200 yards on 12-for-17 passing. De La Salle is known for a defense that prides itself on not giving up the big play and not getting beat in the red zone.
Photos: Josh Rosen, nation's top-ranked high school quarterback
Rosen did both of those things that December night at StubHub Center, hitting Wadood for a 60-yard touchdown pass and then hooking up with his future UCLA teammate again on a seven-yard slant.
"Every single solitary time one of our defensive backs was out of position, he made us pay for it," De La Salle head coach Justin Alumbaugh said.
Rosen's surgical dissection of the Spartan defense reinforced what Gorney, who has covered recruiting for 15 years, already knew about the Bosco star: He is a special quarterback.
"He just did everything a real veteran would do," Gorney said. "That speaks volumes to his moxie and his poise, and really all that he can do. Even before that, if he went in there and had a terrible game, he was still probably the No. 1 quarterback in the country, but it really solidified that he was not only the best quarterback in the country, but probably one of the best players overall."
Rosen did a little bit of everything in that game.
He flashed his big arm with the long touchdown strike to Wadood that he calls his favorite play of the season. He played offensive coordinator when he suggested a running play at the end of the game to help the Braves get a critical first down to run the clock out and seal their championship. Then he jumped into a swarm of navy-and-gold clad revelers in the stands to hoist the championship trophy, a prize he won with both his brain and brawn.
More on Josh Rosen: Meet Josh Rosen | Athleticism powers St. John Bosco football's offense


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Have you asked a man to marry you yet? Well so far, not very many of you say you'd do it. One woman who actually went through with it? Marina Maiuri, who appeared on the Today show this morning in post-proposal bliss with her intended, Sean Smith (Congrats, kids!). The segment was short but sweet, but the feature that followed — about the bevy of soon-to-be brides who line up for discounted wedding dresses at Filene's Basement — wasn't. Women (and a few men) stampeded over one another to get deals on gowns. One woman, unfortunately, fell on the way in. Clip above.
Related: Gal Who Proposed In Daily News Gets Big "Yes" From Her Guy [NY Daily News]


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Military, CIA compelled medics to abuse detainees, report says
By CAROL J. WILLIAMS | Los Angeles Times (MCT) | Published: November 4, 2013
Defense Department and CIA interrogation policies after 9/11 forced medical professionals to abandon their ethical obligations to "do no harm" to those in their care and some prohibited practices, including force-feeding of hunger strikers, continue today, a report issued Monday alleges.
The report, "Ethics Abandoned: Medical Professionalism and Detainee Abuse in the War on Terror," was carried out by a 19-member task force of Columbia University's Institute on Medicine as a Profession and the Open Society Foundations. The researchers spent two years examining public records of medical professionals' involvement in military and intelligence interrogations and treatment of detainees.
It accuses the counterterrorism operations of having "improperly demanded that U.S. military and intelligence agency health professionals collaborate in intelligence gathering and security practices in a way that inflicted severe harm on detainees in U.S. custody."
The involvement of medical professionals in abuse and interrogation occurred at the Guantanamo Bay detention center for terrorism suspects as well as at Bagram air base near Kabul, Afghanistan, and at other CIA "black sites," the report claimed.
Doctors, nurses, psychologists and medics, in violation of their ethical commitments, were said to have been compelled to take part in "enhanced interrogation" methods, including the simulated drowning procedure called waterboarding that has been defined as torture and prohibited from practice by any U.S. agents.
The report cited three areas in which medical professionals were ordered to ignore ethical standards:
—Involvement in abusive interrogation, including monitoring of vital signs under stress-inducing procedures.
—Using patients' medical information for interrogation purposes.
—Force-feeding of hunger strikers, in violation of World Medical Association and American Medical Association prohibitions.
Force-feeding continues, the report said, referring to a massive hunger strike this year at Guantanamo, where more than 100 detainees were refusing food.
"It's clear that in the name of national security, the military trumped (the Hippocratic Oath), and physicians were transformed into agents of the military and performed acts that were contrary to medical ethics and practice," said Gerald Thomson, a retired Columbia professor of medicine and co-author of the study.
Spokesmen for both the Pentagon and the CIA disputed certain findings of the task force.
"The allegations made in the report are not new. They have been subject to numerous investigations over the years, and those investigations — which had access to more information than the authors of this report — have never substantiated these claims," said Lt. Col. J. Todd Breasseale, a Defense Department spokesman.
It is the Pentagon's policy to protect the life and health of detainees, Breasseale said, adding it "will not knowingly allow a detainee to commit suicide — not by means of a weapon, medication, nor self- or peer-imposed starvation."
Fourteen of Guantanamo's remaining 164 prisoners continue to regularly refuse food and are thus approved for "enteral feeding," Breasseale said.
CIA spokesman Dean Boyd said the report contains "serious inaccuracies and erroneous conclusions." He also noted that the CIA no longer has detainees in its custody and that its "rendition, detention and interrogation program" ended with President Barack Obama's executive order in 2009.
The report, which calls for further investigation and respect for internationally accepted medical professional standards, observed that the worst alleged abuses occurred before 2006, and that some, but not all, controversial practices have been discontinued.
"Abuse of detainees, and health professional participation in this practice, is not behind us as a country," said Leonard Rubenstein, a legal scholar at the Center for Human Rights and Public Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Berman Institute of Bioethics. "Force-feeding by physicians in violation of ethical standards is illustrative of a much broader legacy in which medical professionalism has been undermined."
The report calls on the Defense Department and CIA to follow international medical standards on the treatment of detainees and cease pressuring their medical personnel to compromise their avowed principles.
"Putting on a uniform does not and should not abrogate the fundamental principles of medical professionalism," said David Rothman, the Columbia institute president. "'Do no harm' and 'put patient interest first' must apply to all physicians regardless of where they practice."


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We recognize that our communities strengthen when we work as a team to build commonalities and support the causes that are essential for community health and vitality. One of our core values is to treat our world with respect. That means caring about each other, the environment and the communities where we do business.
We take great pride in the communities where we work. That's the focus of our community outreach. This page highlights our activities and the difference they make.
Read all about our great community outreach events that take place across North America.
Employees from the Huhtamaki - Paris facility joined the fight against cancer at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event in Paris, TX and they may have had more fun than anyone there.
Early in the planning for the event, plant leadership vowed to dye their beards and goatees purple (the official Relay for Life color) if the team could raise $1,000. That goal was easily surpassed early in the month of June and true to their word, the group dawned purple facial hair for the rest of the month.
By the time the event was over, $4,000 was collected for the American Cancer Society.
The Relay for Life event itself took place on June 24. Team Huhtamaki constructed a tent for the event with Yahtzee and casino-style games that visitors could play in exchange for a donation. Game winners received Huhtamaki caps and Chinet® gift packs.
The employees at the Paris facility support local charities in a big way with toy drives for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), food drives and other special events that take place throughout the year.
Toy drive saves the day for CASA
Following a conversation with representatives from CASA, also in June, the team in Paris learned that the organization had no toys to give to the foster children they serve.
Quickly word spread across the facility and the toy drive was on. Within a week, nearly 300 toys were collected.


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Complete Market Research Solutions
Mackman Research is a UK market research solutions company based on the Essex Suffolk border with easy links to London, Cambridgeshire & Norfolk.
We provide tailored market research solutions to public and private sector organisations. Our market research solutions provide innovative market research design and market research methodologies to inform decision-making.
Mackman Research specialise in social research, customer satisfaction surveys, staff satisfaction surveys and other market research solutions. If you require a small, full service market research services company for qualitative research or quantitative research, we can gather, collate and analyse on your behalf.
Core Research Solutions
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
We are a customer satisfaction research specialist with a strong track record of delivering business to business customer satisfaction surveys to senior executives. Our customer satisfaction research methodologies include face to face, telephone, online, and postal. The most effective customer satisfaction research makes important up front considerations about objectives, methodology, questionnaire design, timescales, analysis, reporting methods, and incentives.
All customer satisfaction surveys are conducted following strict ethical guidelines as laid down by the Market Research Society (MRS).
Social Research
Social research demands justifiable methodologies and research practices. Social research may range from conducting qualitative interviews, to large-scale (quantitative) information gathering and statistical analysis such as local and national crime rates.
Mackman Research has a team of highly qualified and experienced social research specialists who are able to meet the needs of both small and large organisations.
Telephone Interviews
Telephone interviews were once considered an inferior substitute to face to face surveys. Today telephone interviews are a widely used method of gathering survey data. Mackman Research specialises in low volume telephone interviews to senior executives. We do not operate a call centre operation but instead have a small number of very skilled telephone interview researchers. We encourage you to have direct contact with the telephone interviewers working on your project.
Mackman Research Approach
We treat every project individually and not a templated one product fits all approach. Our tailored research solutions ensure that results are statistically sound and relevant to the needs of the client that has commissioned them. Careful consideration is given to the research methods employed and we will often use a blended approach. All market research projects are managed by a Senior Market Researcher or Company Director and are conducted following strict ethical guidelines as laid down by the Market Research Society (MRS).
Market Research Services Links
Awareness Surveys & Brand Tracking


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Someone tried to send me a message, but it bounced back
If the error received was "blocked using xbl.spamhaus.org" or similar such message, then the message was rejected because the sender was using a sending email system that's been detected as compromised in some way. Most commercial email sites, including ours, block messages from insecure servers because almost all messages originating from them are spam.
Ask the sender to pass on this information to their system administrator or ISP, including any other links or information in the block message.
That link is to the sender's email server's entry in a database of servers known to be insecure and sources of spam. Because their email provider is on that list, their messages to hundreds of thousands of destinations will be bounced or silently ignored.
If the error received was
content rejected, then the message was rejected because it either contained a probable virus, or it is a message previously reported as being spam. If a message is flagged as a possible virus incorrectly, ask the sender to zip it before sending.
If the error received was
access denied, the sender or recipient has been blocked by the server. Possibly they have been reported as a spammer, or they may have been blocked by our mail abuse systems.
An email with an attachment bounced back
We reject emails with certain attachments due to security reasons. The blocked attachments are:
- Double-extension files (e.g.
something.doc.exe): Many Windows systems hide all but the first file extension by default, so a file called
something.txt.exewill appear as
something.txt, apparently a harmless text file when it's really an executable program. This is a common trick viruses use to try and spread themselves.
- All .pif, .scr, .cpl and .com files: There is little reason to be sending these files, and they are commonly used by viruses as a way to spread. If you need to send one of these files, zip it first, then send the zip file.
The same email from multiple sources fails to arrive
Most messages have a unique identifier called the "message id". When a message arrives at an account, the message id is noted. If a second message with the same id arrives, it is ignored and silently discarded. This is used to stop infinite mail loops overloading your account or our system. However, it can result in odd behaviour when the same message arrives from different sources, as only the first one will actually be delivered.


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Vintage Decor: A Little Blast from the Past
Posted by
Becky |
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I've been cleaning my office like crazy this week (it seems like I say that every week) but it's true. I cannot put this killer 1966 issue of House Beautiful's Home Decorating away until I get my favorite pictures scanned. Here are a few fun ones to liven up your day!


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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - NASCAR has approved all four automakers' new Sprint Cup Series race car designs for next season.
Series officials announced Monday that the new Chevrolet SS, Dodge Charger, Ford Fusion and Toyota Camry designs have met the necessary targets for approval based on final aerodynamic tests July 18. Manufacturers can begin making parts and pieces for the new models, which will make their racing debut at Daytona International Speedway next February.
The new cars will bring a significantly different look next season as they are designed to look more like their passenger car counterparts.
"We commend the manufacturers and our team at the R&D center on all the hard work they've put into this new car," said NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton. "With all the designs and surface areas of the car now approved, manufacturers can now move forward with building the components needed to outfit their cars. The wind tunnel testing we've had with the manufacturers over the past several months has given us the timely and necessary data we needed to come to this confirmation. We believe the new car is going to be a milestone opportunity for our sport, one that our fans will embrace."
SRT engineer Howard Comstock, who manages Dodge's NASCAR program, said developing the new cars involved unprecedented collaboration.
Ford Racing director Jamie Allison called it a "monumental moment" for NASCAR.
"The fans have clamored for the return of cars that look like cars in their driveways and NASCAR, alongside us as manufacturers, have listened to that request," Allison said.
Comstock said the new cars share only 10 percent of their body panels in common, a significant change from current Cup cars.
Dodge's long-term future in NASCAR has been subject to speculation after its flagship team, Penske Racing, announced it was moving to Ford next season. But the manufacturer's efforts for 2013 are regarded as positive sign for its continued involvement in the sport.


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ChronosDragon wrote:Edit: Hey, is it just me or is 1193 no longer using the XKCD font?
Not sure what you are seeing, but since it was a dynamic comic that put the text in on top of the images there was some trouble. I seem to remember IE people having trouble. The error sounded vaguely like licensing issues.
P.S. The wiki donations are over $50k now!
Edit: Ninja'd


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23 Sep 2013
Dragonair today (Monday, 23 September) announced that as Typhoon Usagi is moving away from Hong Kong, the airline will gradually resume flight services from 12 noon today, weather and safety conditions permitting.
It is anticipated that flights may still be delayed or disrupted today due to the impact of the adverse weather and operational constraints. The airline regrets any inconvenience this may cause and hopes for passengers' understanding.
Passengers without confirmed bookings or whose flights have been cancelled are advised not to go Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) as the chance of securing a seat on a standby basis at the check-in counters is very low.
The airline is actively making alternative arrangements for those whose flights have been cancelled. Passengers should check the latest flight information on the airline's website, www.dragonair.com, before departing for the airport.
Meanwhile, those with confirmed bookings are advised not to arrive at the airport more than three hours before the estimated departure time of their flight.
Dragonair will waive re-booking fees for all tickets issued worldwide (irrespective of fare type) on or before 20 September for travel on its flights between 22 September (Hong Kong time) and 24 September.
To ensure they receive the latest flight status updates via SMS or email, customers are advised to update their contact details in Manage My Booking at www.dragonair.com.


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Note: This item is more than seven years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
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News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030
Feb. 21, 2012
TPWD Sets Statewide Public Hearings
AUSTIN — The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is recommending changes to next year's hunting and fishing regulations. The department is seeking comment on these proposed changes to the state's hunting and fishing regulations during a series of public hearings.
Each year, TPWD considers changes in hunting and fishing regulations to achieve resource management objectives and maximize outdoor recreation opportunities consistent with good stewardship.
The public is encouraged to attend public meetings in their area and provide comment on proposed changes. The TPW Commission will make final rulemaking at its March 28-29 public hearing in Austin.
The proposed amendments are published in the Feb. 17, 2012 edition of the Texas Register, available online at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/index.shtml.
Public comment on proposed changes may be made in writing to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Statewide Hunting and Fishing Proclamation Public Comment, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Comments may also be submitted via the department's website at http://tpwd.texas.gov/business/feedback/public_comment/ or through the following resource points of contact:
- Robert Macdonald (Wildlife) at (512) 389-4775; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Ken Kurzawski (Inland Fisheries) at (512) 389-4591, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Art Morris (Coastal Fisheries) at (361) 825-3356, e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com.
TPWD Public Hearing Calendar
All meetings are open to the public and begin at 7 p.m.
March 6
- Beaumont, Holiday Inn & Suites, 3950 I-10 South.
- Denison, Center for Workplace Learning (Room #111), 6101 Grayson Drive.
- Nacogdoches, Nacogdoches Co. Courthouse Annex, 203 West Main.
- San Antonio, Lions Field Adult Center, 2809 Broadway.
March 13
- Dickinson, TPWD Dickinson Lab, 1502 FM 517 East (Pine Drive).
- Fort Worth, Kennedale High School, Gymnasium, 901 Wildcat Way, Kennedale.
- Marshall, Lions Community Center, 1201 Louisiana Street.
March 14
- Port Isabel, Port Isabel Community Center, 213 Yturria.
March 20
- Houston, Sheldon Lake State Park, Regional Headquarters Classroom, 14200 Garrett Road.
- McKinney, Myers Park & Event Center, 7117 County Road 166.
- New Boston, Bowie County Courthouse (2nd floor), 710 James Bowie Drive.
Publication — Permission is granted to publish, in whole or in part, any news releases on this page.
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We made a commitment,some time ago,that together through life,we were destined to go.
To save you looking,shopping and buying,here is an idea, we hope you'll like trying!
Come to our wedding,to wish us both well,and please make a donation,to our wishing well.
Galia & Eddy
Get our app for Apple iPhone, iPad, Android Devices (smart phones and tablets)
Links: wedding invitations


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When the low-end iPad's price drops to $199 (three years?), we think it will be a smash hit.
We think families will buy three or four of them and leave them lying around the house. They won't "belong" to any one family member, the way PCs and phones do. They'll just take the place of the newspapers and books that now fill kitchens and living rooms, ready for use by any adult, child, or guest.
But that doesn't stop us from already being annoyed by one feature of the iPad:
The need to hold it.
One joy of using the Internet on a laptop or PC is that you don't have to hold anything. You use your hands, yes, but you use them in short bursts and then you let them rest. With the iPad, at least as demonstrated by Steve Jobs at the Great Unveiling, your hands have to be the actual support system for the device in addition to the interface driver.
It's the same way with a phone, of course, but a phone is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. It's also very light. And most people don't use the phone for extended media-consumption periods, the way they use laptops, PCs, or newspapers.
And, yes, it's true that you also sometimes have to hold books and newspapers when you read them. But books, at least, you can hold easily with one hand, and you don't have to constantly interact with their interfaces the way you will with the iPad. Newspapers, meanwhile, you can spread out all over the kitchen table.
Consider a few use-cases:
The kitchen table. Here, a laptop is preferable to an iPad, because the screen can be set at the right angle and then left untouched for the duration. Your hands, meanwhile, are free to grip the cereal bowl and spoon while occasionally reaching out to scroll or click. An iPad, meanwhile, has to sit flat on the table, at the wrong angle for reading (unless you're not eating and slouching over it). The laptop's screen is also bigger than the iPad's, which makes reading easier. (Yes, someone will no doubt build a table stand for the iPad, but that's another gizmo you'll need to carry around with you. And then you'll also occasionally be touching the screen with greasy, wet hands.)
The couch. When Steve Jobs demoed the iPad, he did so with his legs crossed. And they needed to be crossed. Because otherwise Steve would have been sitting there like a car driver with his arms extended out in front of him, holding the full weight of a 1.5 pound device. Try holding your arms out for a while holding a 1.5 pound device and see how comfortable that is. When your feet are on the floor, meanwhile, you can't rest the iPad on your thighs, because unless you're sitting up really straight with the iPad in your lap, the screen is again at the wrong angle (and sitting that way obliterates the point of relaxing in a chair). With a laptop, meanwhile, you have a built-in desk that carries the weight of the device, whether your feet are on the floor or on the coffee table. And the screen can be set once at the proper angle and forgotten.
The coffee table. Want to sit on the couch and put your device on the coffee table? Here, unless you enjoy sitting on the edge of the couch (waste) and slouching massively, the laptop wins easily. You won't even be able to read the iPad at the normal couch-to-table angle. With the laptop, again, you can position it at the proper angle and leave it.
The bed. When you're leaning against the headboard with your knees up, the iPad works. The laptop works in that case, too, though. And we suspect that the iPad will have the annoying habit of sliding down the sheet and falling flat, which will require you to hold it. When you're lying mostly flat with just your head propped up, you'll have to hold the iPad at the right angle. Most people are used to holding books or magazines in bed, so this probably won't be seen as that big a deal. But plenty of folks who have gotten used to using laptops in bed, and watching TV and movies on nice big screens, will probably stick to the laptops. Especially couples who watch TV and movies together.
Typing emails and texting, regardless of location. In either of these cases, the laptop and phone win hands down. Typing on the iPad looks extremely awkward, and unless the device is flat on the table in front of you, you'll have to type with one hand and hold it with the other. With a laptop, meanwhile, either at the table or on the couch, you can type rapidly with both hands, while having your legs or the table support the device. If the point is mobility, the iPhone wins hands-down. Who wants to lug a huge 1.5 pound screen around when you can just slip an iPhone into your pocket?
The back seat of the car. Here, finally, the iPad wins. Kids will put their feet on the back of mom and dad's seats, tuck their iPads in their laps, and play games and watch movies all the way to their destinations. Laptops work for that, too, but given the cramped confines of the seats, the iPad is probably better.
Two-person head-to-head games. Here, the iPad wins hands down. You can't play a head-to-head game against someone on a laptop, the way you can with Scrabble, chess, or checkers. We doubt that will be a huge driver of iPad usage, but the device wins there, too.
We consume a lot of online media and we write a lot of emails, and we don't spend much time slouched in the back seat of cars playing video games. So, for us, the need to hold the iPad sounds like a bummer. Our kids are looking forward to it, though!
See Also: We Have Seen The Amazing Future Of The iPad...And This Is It


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Lipscomb softball coach Kristin Ryman is doing double duty this week.
She is watching the skies almost intently as she is watching her team. The Lady Bisons will welcome three teams to Draper Diamond this weekend for the Purple and Gold Challenge. The biggest question is whether or not the weather is going to cooperate.
Predictions are for snow starting Friday and continuing through Saturday morning. An accumulation of one-half to an inch is possible in the Nashville area.
"We are going to keep a close eye on it," Ryman said. "We are going to tarp the field. If we can get the games in we will. We will just gauge it as we go.
"The last thing we want for any of these teams, including ours, is to have silly injuries because we are trying to force it and play when the temperature is too cold. As much as you want to play, you have to be smart too. There comes a point where it is just miserable for everyone and we don't want to risk that."
The Lady Bisons are scheduled to play UTEP Friday at 4:15 p.m. Saturday they will face IPFW at 3:30 p.m. followed by a rematch with UTEP at 5:45 p.m. Sunday they close out the challenge against Tennessee Tech at 2:15 p.m.
This will be the fourth and final preconference tournament for the Lady Bisons.
"This is an opportunity to kind of jump start our home portion of the schedule," Ryman said. "Playing in late February and early March is kind of hit-and-miss. But it is worth it to our girls to have the opportunity to play at home after we have been traveling for three weeks.
"It is fun for us to be able to host something here. And it gives us an opportunity to play some teams we might not normally get the opportunity to play. I think all three teams are going to be competitive. They are all teams that are like us. When they play well they are winning games."
LU enters the challenge 7-8. What Ryman and assistant coaches Paige Cassady and Mollie Mitchell want to do is to drive the message home to the Lady Bisons that they need to realize just how good they are as a team.
After scoring seven first inning runs and losing 11-9 in eight innings to Wright State Wednesday afternoon, Ryman and her staff held a lengthy meeting with the team.
"They know how we need to prepare," Ryman said. "It is just a matter of doing it.
"We need to see continued leadership from our older girls as far as showing the young ones this is how we prepare and how we do things. It is a state of mind. We talked a lot about that after the game Wednesday night."
Ryman reminded her players of the some key things to remember.
"Everybody is going to have to execute," Ryman said. "We have to get key hits when we need them. We have to be able to make adjustments. We have to perform well defensively and pitch well in order to walk away with wins.
"They need to focus on playing and being prepared mentally and physically to play. At some point there has to be a choice made by them that they are a good team. They are going to make mistakes, but our older kids, especially, have to keep their composure in crunch time type moments."
But the most important thing Ryman wants her players to know is that she and the rest of the coaching staff believe in them.
"We are their biggest fans," Ryman said. "We want to see every one of them play and play well.
"We have to be able to coach them and tell them where their mistakes are and where they need to get better. They have to be open to hearing that and being realistic with themselves. We have said all along that this is a very special group, but there have been times this year that we have underperformed."
Ryman stresses that the team has to focus on moving forward.
"We have more confidence in this group than groups that have come before them," Ryman said. "We just have to raise the bar a little bit more."