Determining discharge and stage-discharge curves in rivers or basins without Hydrometric gauges is critical challenge in hydrologic studies and river hydraulics. Researchers and designers have always been trying to access simpler and cheaper methods to estimate discharge and rating curves. This research aims to facilitate the determination of the discharge and stage-discharge relationship by applying remote sensing techniques as well as the concept of isovel contours. For this purpose, the geometry of the river cross-section is determined using remotely sensed data from the images of the Sentinel2 satellite, and then discharge passed through the cross-section is estimated by the single point velocity measurement method (SPM). The observed data were collected from the Mollasani station in Karun River, Iran, to confirm this method. The obtained discharges and stage-discharge relationship curves are used to evaluate the accuracy of the proposed methodology. Statistical analyses showed that the mean value of the percentage error(%E) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) calculated based on the difference between the estimated and observed discharges are limited to 6.3% and %8.36, respectively. Also, the stage-discharge curves in these studies were estimated with a maximum MAPE of 9.5%.

Seasonal snowmelt pulses are the dominant hydrologic feature of most alpine catchments. The majority of annual export of water, carbon and nitrogen occurs within a short window of only a few weeks. This observation has largely been based on relatively infrequent manual sampling, and our understanding of responses to finer-scale variation, “pulses within the pulse”, is critically incomplete. Here, we combine high-frequency sensor measurements of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate (NO3-N) with historical grab sample data from a high altitude stream in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. We characterize the linkages between precipitation, snowpack, streamflow, and solute export, over time scales ranging from decades to minutes. At all time scales, discharge (Q) variation was several orders of magnitude larger than concentration (C) variation, making it the dominant control on solute flux rates. Interannual variation in Q, and by extension solute export, appeared correlated to the depth of the winter snowpack, and how late into the spring the snowpack persisted. Seasonally, we observed clockwise C-Q hysteresis, with solute stores becoming depleted as the melt pulse proceeds. Using the sensor data however, we were able to observe individual events. In contrast to the seasonal patterns, these events enriched concentrations, suggesting the persistence of additional DOC and NO3-N stores which can be mobilized within, and even after the main seasonal snowmelt pulse. The historical data suggest that reduced snowpack and earlier snowmelt in the coming decades may result in reduced export of DOC and NO3-N. The sensor data however make this conclusion uncertain, as rain on snow events, which are expected to become more prevalent, appear equally capable of mobilizing solutes.

The cosmic-ray neutron probe (CRNP) provides continuous monitoring of average near-surface soil water content (SWC) on a hectometer scale. However, the performance of the CRNP in surfaces of highly heterogeneous vegetation and SWC caused by the highly eroded terrain remains uncertain. This study evaluated three different vegetation calibration methods developed for CRNP on the Loess Plateau, compensating for the privious lack of vegetation correction for CRNP in this area. The landscape biomass and its distribution within the CRNP footprint of a small watershed on the Chinese Loess Plateau were measured using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with a visible light camera and a Rededge multispectral camera. Three CRNPs were installed at three different locations including loamy sand hills (LSH) plot, silty loam dam (SLD) plot, and a sandy loam slope (SLS) plot and electronic sensors of SWC were buried at various depths in each of the three plots. We found the parameter, N0, was best represented by the biomass at the average growth conditions of the monitoring period, yielding the lowest RMSE (0.068). The variation of spatio-temporal distribution of SWC reduced the representativeness of the CRNP to the regional average SWC. The CRNP SWC calibrated using the three methods at three sites yielded similar temporal changes with precipitation. The three methods each reduced the RMSE between the estimated CRNP SWC and the kriging weighted SWC with the BWE (biomass water equivalent) corrected method, Veg-N0 method having the lowest RMSE. The correction of the spatial distribution of vegetation using the three methods further reduced the RMSE, in the order: LSH< SLS< SLD. The cooperation between CRNP and UAV could obtain regional averaged SWC accurately, which should be useful for formulation sustainable vegetation management strategies on the Loess Plateau and regions with water scarcity possibly around the world.

In this paper, we investigate nonhomogeneous incompressible Navier-Stokes-Landau-Lifshitz system in 2-D. This system consists of Navier-Stokes equations coupled with Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation, an evolutionary equation for the magnetization vector. We establish a blowup criterion for the two-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes-Landau-Lifshitz system with finite positive initial density.

Tuberculosis (TB) primarily involves the respiratory tract, but any organ in the body can be affected. In recent years, extrapulmonary TB cases have significantly increased due to the prevalence of immunocompromised patients. Here, we report a case of unilateral ankle arthritis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.

Theoretical modelling predicts that both direct and delayed density-dependence are key factors to generate population cycles. Deciphering density-dependent processes that lead to variable population growth characterizing different phases of the cycles remain challenging. This is particularly the case for the period of prolonged low densities, which is inherently data deficient. However, demographic analyses based on long-term capture-mark-recapture datasets can help resolve this question. We relied on a 16-yr (2004-2019) live-trapping program to analyse the summer demography and movements of a cyclic brown lemming population in the Canadian Arctic. More specifically, we examined if inversely density-dependent processes could explain why population growth can remain low during the prolonged low phase. We found that the proportion of females in the population was inversely density-dependent with a strong male-biased sex ratio at low densities but not at high densities. However, survival of adult females was higher than adult males, but both had lower survival at low densities than at high ones. Distances moved by both adult males and females were density-dependent, and proportion of females in reproductive condition was weakly density-dependent as it tended to increase at low density. Individual body condition, measured as monthly change in body mass, was not density-dependent. Overall, the strong male-biased sex ratio at very low densities suggests a loss of reproductive potential due to the rarity of females and appears to be the most susceptible demographic factor that could contribute to the prolonged low phase in cyclic brown lemmings. What leads to this sex-bias in the first place is still unclear, potentially owing to our trapping period limited to the summer, but we suggest that it could be due to high predations rate on breeding females in winter.

Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT-2i’s) significantly improve cardiovascular outcome in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Preclinical studies suggest that SGLT-2i’s directly affect endothelial function in a glucose-independent manner. The effects of SGLT-2i’s include reduction of oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction in endothelial cells. Furthermore, SGLT2i’s have been shown to restore endothelial-related vasodilation and to regulate angiogenesis. The favorable cardiovascular effects of SGLT-2i’s might be mediated via multiple pathways: 1) by inhibition of the overactive sodium-hydrogen exchanger; 2) by reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases expression; 3) by alleviation of mitochondrial injury; 4) by the suppression of inflammatory-related signaling pathways (e.g. by affecting nuclear factor kappa beta); 5) by modulation of glycolysis, as well as 6) by restoring impaired nitric oxide bioavailability. This review focuses on the most recent progress and existing gaps in preclinical investigations concerning the direct effects of SGLT-2i’s on endothelial dysfunction and their underlying mechanisms.

Objective: The use of antenatal corticosteroids beyond 34 weeks of gestation remains a debate. This study sought to determine the effect of use of antenatal corticosteroids in late preterm delivery on neonatal morbidity. Design: It was a randomized double-blind placebo and active controlled multi arm trial. There were two study groups and one control group. Setting: It was conducted at the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the Department of Paediatrics of Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria. Population: Pregnant women at 34 weeks 0 days to 36 weeks 6 days of gestation scheduled for elective/emergency delivery were recruited for the study. Methods: The study groups had dexamethasone and betamethasone respectively while the control group had a placebo. Main outcome: The primary outcome was incidence of respiratory distress syndrome. Results: A total of 138 mothers and 146 preterm neonates were included in the study with 48 exposed to placebo, 49 exposed to betamethasone and 49 exposed to dexamethasone. A pairwise analysis was done to test for difference between the groups. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of respiratory distress syndrome between the dexamethasone vs placebo (p= 0.98, RR 1, CI 0.06-16.89), betamethasone vs placebo (p= 0.98 RR 1, CI 0.09-11.55) and dexamethasone vs betamethasone (p=0.32, RR 0.5, CI 0.09-2.42) Conclusion: Antenatal corticosteroids may decrease the need for neonatal resuscitation at birth in late preterm neonates.

Ice-free areas are increasing worldwide due to the dramatic glacier shrinkage and are undergoing rapid colonization by multiple lifeforms, thus representing key environments to study ecosystem development. Soils have a complex vertical structure. However, we know little about how microbial and animal communities differ across soil depths and development stages during the colonization of deglaciated terrains, how these differences evolve through time, and whether patterns are consistent among different taxonomic groups. Here, we used environmental DNA metabarcoding to describe how community diversity and composition of six groups (Eukaryota, Bacteria, Mycota, Collembola, Insecta, Oligochaeta) differ between surface (0-5 cm) and relatively deep (7.5-20 cm) soils at different stages of development across five Alpine glaciers. Taxonomic diversity increased with time since glacier retreat and with soil evolution; the pattern was consistent across different groups and soil depths. For Eukaryota, and particularly Mycota, alpha-diversity was generally the highest in soils close to the surface. Time since glacier retreat was a more important driver of community composition compared to soil depth; for nearly all the taxa, differences in community composition between surface and deep soils decreased with time since glacier retreat, suggesting that the development of soil and/or of vegetation tends to homogenize the first 20 cm of soil through time. Within both Bacteria and Mycota, several molecular operational taxonomic units were significant indicators of specific depths and/or soil development stages, confirming the strong functional variation of microbial communities through time and depth. The complexity of community patterns highlights the importance of integrating information from multiple taxonomic groups to unravel community variation in response to ongoing global changes.

Letter to the Editor: Interesting clinical observationTitle: Acute Exacerbation of Graft-versus-Host Disease following SARS-CoV2 infection after Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in Two Pediatric PatientsRunning Title: Graft-versus-Host Disease and SARS-CoV2 infectionAuthors: Michelle Choe1,2* Caridad Martinez1,2, Robert Krance1,2, Erin Doherty1,2ORCID:Michelle Choe: 0000-0001-9850-9435Institutional Affiliation:1 Hematology and Cancer Center, Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas2 Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas*Corresponding Author:Michelle Choe, MD6701 Fannin St. Ste. 1510Houston, TX 77030P: 832-822-4242F: 832-825-1453Abbreviations key:

We present the case of a middle-aged man who developed an infective endocarditis of the tricuspid valve caused by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and associated with a very large vegetation (nearly 5 cm). Besides the quite unusual size of the vegetation, this report highlights that severe right-sided endocarditis can occur in the absence of classical risk factors (intravenous drug abuse, presence of a cardiac implantable electronic device or other intravascular device, and underlying right-sided cardiac anomaly) and that some cases of severe tricuspid endocarditis can be successfully treated by partial excision and patch repair.

AIM: To improve the tolerability and therapeutic application of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), by application of an esterase-sensitive motif (ESM), to target pharmacological activity directly to mononuclear myeloid cells expressing the processing enzyme carboxylesterase-1 (CES1). METHODS. This first-in-human study comprised of single and multiple ascending dose cohorts to determine safety and tolerability. Pharmacodynamic parameters included acetylation, cytokine inhibition and intracellular concentrations of processed acid metabolite in isolated monocytes. Mechanistic work was conducted in vitro and in a CES1/Es1elo mouse strain. RESULTS. ESM-HDAC391 was well tolerated whilst showing robust targeted mechanistic engagement, as demonstrated by selective retention of compound and increased acetylation in monocytes plus inhibition of ex vivo stimulated cytokine production. Importantly, common clinical HDACi toxicities were not observed. ESM-HDAC391 treatment was accompanied by the novel finding of a dose-dependent monocyte depletion that was transient and reversible. In-depth characterisation of monocyte depletion in a transgenic mouse model (CES1/Es1elo) suggested that CSF1R loss on circulating cells contributes to ESM-HDAC-mediated depletion. Further mechanistic investigations using human monocytes in vitro demonstrated HDACi-mediated change in myeloid fate through modulation of CSF1R and downstream effects on cell differentiation. CONCLUSION. These findings demonstrate selective targeting of monocytes in humans using the ESM approach and identify monocytopaenia as a novel outcome of ESM-HDACi treatment, with implications for the potential benefit of these molecules in myeloid-driven diseases.

Background: Left ventricular outflow tract pseudoaneurysm is a rare but potentially fatal complication of aortic valve replacement, infective endocarditis, and suture dehiscence. Left ventricular-aortic discontinuity is a severe and uncommon manifestation of IE. For patients who have a long-standing history of endocarditis, peri-annular lesions in the aortic valve may rupture, leading to the rare occurrence of complete, or total, left ventricular-aortic discontinuity. Methods: We present a case of complete postoperative left ventricular-aortic discontinuity and massive circumferential left ventricular outflow tract pseudoaneurysm discovered during a 3-month follow-up visit. Results: Post-operative cardiac CT of a patient demonstrated dehiscence of a recently placed surgical aortic valve from the left ventricular outflow tract, with massive circumferential pseudoaneurysm formation. Only a small remnant of the membranous interventricular septum connected the aortic root to the heart, informing the diagnosis of complete left ventricular-aortic discontinuity. Conclusion: The clinical presentation of a left ventricular outflow tract pseudoaneurysm with concomitant left ventricular-aortic discontinuity is commonly nonspecific or clinically silent; thus, it requires a high index of suspicion and use of multimodality imaging for diagnosis and management.

Objective: To explore the duration of the active phase of the second stage of labour in relation to maternal prepregnant body mass index (BMI). Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Labour wards of three Norwegian university hospitals, 2012-2019. Population: Nulliparous and parous women without previous caesarean section with a live singleton foetus in cephalic presentation and spontaneous onset of labour, corresponding to the Ten Group Classification System (TGCS) group 1 and 3. Methods: Women were stratified to BMI groups according to WHO classification, and estimated median duration of the active phase of the second stage of labour was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analyses. We performed stratified analyses in women with and without epidural analgesia and oxytocin augmentation. Finally, we calculated the Hazard Ratio (HR) of delivery using Cox regression analyses. Caesarean sections and operative vaginal deliveries during the active phase were censored. Main Outcome Measures: Estimated median duration of the active phase of second stage of labour. Results: The final study population comprised 23516 women in TGCS group 1 and 27255 in group 3. Increasing BMI was associated with shorter estimated median duration of the active phase in both TGCS groups. The pattern remained when performing stratified analyses for epidural and oxytocin analgesia. The HR for delivery increased significantly with increasing BMI analysed as a continuous variable; HR 1,019 (95%CI 1.016-1.023) in TGCS group 1 and HR 1,017 (95%CI 1.014-1.020) in TGCS group 3. Conclusion: Increasing BMI was associated with shorter estimated median duration of the active second stage Funding: None.

Nutritional support is essential in the critical care of the very preterm infant, however, study of the potential role of nutrition in the multifactorial pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is limited. Achievement of full enteral feeding faster has not been shown to be harmful and may be of benefit in extremely preterm infants. This commentary discusses the studied risk and potential benefits of more rapid enteral feeding advancement in extremely preterm infants.

Diffuse light has been shown to alter plant leaf photosynthesis, transpiration, and water-use efficiency. Despite this, the angular distribution of light for the artificial light sources used with common gas exchange systems is unknown. Here we quantify the angular distribution of light from common gas exchange systems and demonstrate the use of an integrating sphere for manipulating those light distributions. Among three different systems, light from a 90° angle perpendicular to the leaf surface (± 5.75°) was <25% of the total light reaching the leaf surface. The integrating sphere resulted in a greater range of possible distributions from predominantly direct light (i.e., > 40% of light from a 90 ± 5.75° angle perpendicular to the leaf surface) to almost entirely diffuse (i.e., light from an even distribution drawn from a nearly 0° horizontal angle to a perpendicular 90° angle). The integrating sphere can thus create light environments that more closely mimic the variation in sunlight under both clear and cloudy conditions. In turn, different proportions of diffuse light increased, decreased, or did not change photosynthetic rates depending on the plant species observed. This new tool should allow the scientific community to explore new and creative questions about plant function within the context of global climate change.

Objective: Procalcitonin (PCT) is an established biomarker for bacterial sepsis in the non-pregnant population. We aimed to evaluate PCT levels in women and their neonates managed with suspected intrapartum bacterial sepsis, to determine if PCT could be utilised to optimise diagnosis and management. Design: Prospective observational cohort study. Setting: University Hospitals of Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation trust. Population: 117 women and their neonates managed for suspected intrapartum sepsis from June-October 2020. Methods: PCT levels were measured in addition to routine biomarkers white cell count and c-reactive protein, in women and their neonates during initial septic screen and follow up blood samples. Placentas underwent detailed histopathology. Main Outcome Measures: Maternal and neonatal parameters were used to categorise cases into: ‘high-suspicion bacterial sepsis (BS),’ ‘equivocal BS’ and ‘low-suspicion BS.’ Kruskal-Wallis test was performed comparing categories with biomarker values and placental histology scores. Results: PCT was raised in 6 women in the initial septic screen sample, compared to 100 with a raised CRP. There was a significant difference in maternal postnatal PCT results between ‘high-suspicion BS’ and ‘low-suspicion BS’ categories. 71.2% of placentas showed varying degrees of chorioamnionitis. Conclusions: In our cohort of women, 94.6% had normal PCT levels whilst in labour at the time of the septic screen, consistent with the low number of confirmed bacteraemia. This provides a basis that PCT may complement clinical judgement and interpretation of already utilised prognostic and diagnostic tests, in order to improve patient care in the management of intrapartum sepsis.

We report a 36-year-old male with an atypical variant of lipoma occurring on an atypical site.

The aim of our clinical image is to emphasize the value of a careful skin examination in the diagnosis of early-onset sarcoidosis in children.

Leaf trichomes (hairs) have multiple hypothesized functions, of which several require empirical evidence. An important, yet controversial, proposed function of trichomes is to influence the leaf boundary layer, which would affect leaf temperature, transpiration and photosynthesis, and may confer differential benefits depending on climate. We used dynamic infrared thermography to test whether trichomes reduce the boundary layer conductance to heat ( g bh), impeding heat transfer between leaves and air. For five species, with trichome lengths of 135-780 μm, we transiently heated leaves with a radiative light source, measured the time constant for subsequent leaf cooling simultaneously in two adjacent leaf regions (with and without trichomes) with an IR camera, and inferred g bh using an energy balance model. Cooling was slower in hairy leaf regions relative to bald regions, corresponding to a lower g bh in hairy regions, by 2.4% to 39% across species. Contrary to prior theory, the resistance added by trichomes was unrelated to the depth of the hair layer (i.e., trichome height) across species. Simulations predicted that the reduction in g bh by trichomes would influence energy balance and gas exchange rates by up to a few percent, with the direction and magnitude of such effects depending sensitively on environmental conditions.

Allium sativum extract is one of the medicinal and aromatic products used in pharmaceutical and food industries. The scientific literature bibliography regarding process scale-up simulation and techno-economics of phenolic extract from Allium sativum microwave-assisted extraction is seldom reported. This study presented optimization and techno-economic evaluation of phenolics recovery from allium sativum microwave-assisted extraction. Box-benken design extraction experiment was conducted at irradiation power (520 – 1040 W), extraction time (2- 10 minutes) and solid-liquid ratio (0.4 – 1 g/100 ml). The extraction conditions that optimized experimental extractible yield and Total Phenolic Content (TPC) were evaluated in Box-benken desirability of Response Surface Methodology. Bioactive finger printing of the extract was analyzed using HPLC. Aspen Batch Process Developer was used for the process techno-economic analysis. Profitability uncertainty was analyzed using Monte-Carlo Simulation (MCS). Optimal extractible yield (28.62 %) and TPC (76.8 mgGAE/g dry extract) were obtained at irradiation time 7.62 mins, microwave power 826.67 Watt with solid-liquid ratio 0.55g/100ml. The HPLC fingerprint revealed Bentulinic acid, galic acid, chlorogenic acid, ellagic acid and ferulic acid. Cost of Manufacturing (COM) for 5L, 50L and 500L extractors gave US$ 1480, US$ 220 and US$ 56 respectively. Techno-economic results of 500L extraction capacity with 900 kg/year design gave batch size (0.25 kg), production rate (2 kg/mins), cycle time (125 mins), discounted NPV (38133 US$), ROI (34%), IRR (37%) and PBT (2.94yrs). MCS results show 85.58 % and 83.53certainties of achieving base case ROI PBT. Therefore, the study shows that MAE of garlic powder is economically feasible.

Plants are responding to climate change by shifting their ranges to higher elevations. These range shifts are not happening at the same rate for all species, for example, subalpine species are generally moving faster upslope than alpine species, but with large variation within groups. This asymmetry in migration rates will result in novel communities and interactions between plant species that have not previously co-occurred. While seed dispersal is obviously critical for species’ range shifts, seedling emergence and survival are also major bottlenecks for successful colonization in new areas. As seedlings generally constitute the most vulnerable stages in the life-history of plants, variation in seedling establishment success can potentially be important determinants of species’ range shift rates. Previous studies have found that warming per se tends to increase seedling establishment in alpine climates, but it also increases plant productivity and thus competition for nutrients and light from the resident vegetation, which acts limiting on seedling establishment. This study will attempt to disentangle the relative importance of these abiotic and biotic factors on sub-alpine species’ seedling emergence and survival in alpine habitats, to help further understanding and prediction of future lowland plant colonization in alpine habitats. We will also explore if species’ life strategies impact their ability to colonize new locations, predicting that species with resource acquisitive traits will emerge earlier and faster than resource conservative species. To address these questions, we will perform a seed transplant experiment where we assess seedling emergence and establishment in the alpine. Seeds will be sown in plots with and without experimental warming, crossed with manipulation of biotic interactions, and using seeds from both resource conservative and resource acquisitive subalpine species. In addition, we will explore if the observed responses are general or context-dependent by replicating this experiment along a regional bioclimatic precipitation gradient.

1. Cattle grazing profoundly affects abiotic and biotic characteristics of ecosystems. While most research has been performed on grasslands, the effect of large managed ungulates on forest ecosystems has largely been neglected. 2. Compared to a baseline semi-natural state, we investigated how long-term cattle grazing of birch forest patches affected the abiotic state and the ecological community (microbes and invertebrates) of the soil subsystem. 3. Grazing strongly modified the soil abiotic environment by increasing phosphorus content, pH and bulk density, while reducing the C:N ratio. The reduced C:N-ratio was strongly associated with a lower microbial biomass, mainly caused by a reduction of fungal biomass. This was linked to a decrease in fungivorous nematode abundance and the nematode channel index, indicating a relative uplift in the importance of the bacterial energy-channel in the nematode assemblages. 4. Cattle grazing highly modified invertebrate community composition producing distinct assemblages from the semi-natural situation. Richness and abundance of microarthropods was consistently reduced by grazing (excepting collembolan richness) and grazing-associated changes in soil pH, Olsen P and reduced soil pore volume (bulk density) limiting niche space and refuge from physical disturbance. Anecic earthworm species predominated in grazed patches, but were absent from ungrazed forest, and may benefit from manure inputs, while their deep vertical burrowing behaviour protects them from physical disturbance. 5. Perturbation of birch forest habitat by long-term ungulate grazing profoundly modified soil biodiversity, either directly through increased physical disturbance and manure input or indirectly by modifying soil abiotic conditions. Comparative analyses revealed the ecosystem engineering potential of large ungulate grazers in forest systems through major shifts in the composition and structure of microbial and invertebrate assemblages, including the potential for reduced energy flow through the fungal decomposition pathway. The precise consequences for trophic interactions and biodiversity-ecosystem function relationships remains to be established, however.

Livestock trading through live animal markets are potential pathways for the introduction and spread of economically important pathogens like the African swine fever virus (ASFV) to new areas in several countries. Due to the high demand for live pigs in Nigeria both for restocking and slaughter, live pigs are sold at designated live pig markets (LPM) in the country. This involves movement of pigs over long distances. Despite, reports of ASF outbreaks following restocking of pigs bought from LPMs, there is paucity of information on the role of LPMs in the epidemiology of ASF. In this study, data and pig samples (whole blood, sera, tissue) were collected from 4 selected LPMs in Nigeria (Dawaki, Katsit, Numan & Pandam) between 2019 and 2020. Samples were analysed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Four genes of ASFV positive samples were characterized to identify the circulating genotypes. Results revealed trade activities involving transportation of pigs from these selected markets to 42 major cities and towns in thirteen (13) States of Nigeria. PCR results revealed an overall ASF prevalence of 10.77% (66/613). ASFV was confirmed by PCR in all the selected LPMs with a prevalence rate of 3.13%-23.81%. The phylogeny revealed genotype I and serogroup 4 based on the p72 protein that encodes the B646L gene and the EP402R gene encoding the CD2V. While sequence analysis of CVR of B602L gene revealed 8 tetrameric repeats variants, six of which have never been reported in Nigeria. Analysis of sera samples recorded a seroprevalence of 6.9% (16/217) within the study period. Findings from this study show that LPM are hotspots and channels for transmission and continuous spread of ASFV in Nigeria. Therefore, for ASF to be controlled in Nigeria, disease surveillance and regulation at LPMs are critical.