Climatic Factors Influencing the Anthrax Outbreak of 2016 in Siberia,Russia

In 2016, an outbreak of anthrax killing thousands of reindeer and affecting dozens of humans occurred on the Yamal peninsula, Northwest Siberia, after 70 years of epidemiological situation without outbreaks. The trigger of the outbreak has been ascribed to the activation of spores due to permafrost thaw that was accelerated during the summer heat wave. The focus of our study is on the dynamics of local environmental factors in connection with the observed anthrax revival. We show that permafrost was thawing rapidly for already 6 years before the outbreak. During 2011–2016, relatively warm years were followed by cold years with a thick snow cover, preventing freezing of the soil. Furthermore, the spread of anthrax was likely intensified by an extremely dry summer of 2016. Concurrent with the long-term decreasing trend in the regional annual precipitation, the rainfall in July 2016 was less than 10% of its 30-year mean value. We conclude that epidemiological situation of anthrax in the previously contaminated Arctic regions requires monitoring of climatic factors such as warming and precipitation extremes.

     

Continuous VOC flux measurements on boreal forest floor

Background and Aims

Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from biogenic sources are important contributors to chemical reactions in the air. Soil/forest floor VOCs contribute significantly to the ecosystem scale emissions, however, these emissions and their temporal and spatial variations are poorly characterised. The below-canopy VOC emissions have been measured mainly in campaigns; continuous measurements over the whole growing season are rare.

Methods

VOCs were measured from boreal forest floor over the snow-free season 2010 in southern Finland with automated flow-through chambers connected to proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). We measured 10 masses in total, of which five quantitatively (M33, M45, M59, M69, M137).

Results

All of the fluxes showed clear diurnal and seasonal variation, being at their highest in early summer. Spatial variation in the fluxes was great and the lowest rates were found in chambers with dense vegetation cover. Also, VOCs deposition was observed regularly. Monoterpene (M137) emissions were one magnitude higher (up to 264 ng?m^?2?s^?1) than other emissions. The VOC fluxes correlated positively with temperature and light, while relative humidity correlated negatively.

Conclusions

Results indicated that forest floor plays a substantial role in the boreal forest total VOC emissions. Understanding the processes controlling VOC emissions requires more detailed analysis and long-time measurements with sufficient time resolution and analytical accuracy.     

Behavioral suppression following 3,4-methylenenedioxymethamphetamine

Rotation in rats was employed as an assay of the central dopaminergic activity of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). This agent was observed to possess predominantly amphetamine-like actions at low doses. However, at higher doses it also appears to stimulate the dopamine receptor directly. Following a third dose of MDMA, a significant decrease in rotation was evident to this drug and to amphetamine, suggesting a neurotoxic or long-term suppressive action of MDMA.     

Adhesion of inactivated probiotic strains to intestinal mucus

It has been suggested that probiotics should be viable in order to elicit beneficial health effects. Inactivation of probiotics has been suggested to interfere with the binding to the mucosa and thereby with the immune modulating activity of probiotics. The effect of different inactivation methods on the mucus adhesion of nine probiotic strains was studied. Inactivation by heat or gamma-irradiation generally decreased the adhesive abilities. However, heat treatment increased the adhesion of Propionibacterium freudenreichii and gamma-irradiation enhanced the adhesion of Lactobacillus casei Shirota. Inactivation by u.v. was not observed to modulate the adhesion of the tested strains and it was concluded to be the most appropriate method for studying non-viable probiotics and preparing control products.     

On the multi-temporal correlation between photosynthesis and soil CO2 efflux: reconciling lags and observations

Although there is increasing evidence of the temporal correlation between photosynthesis and soil CO(2) efflux, no study has so far tested its generality across the growing season at multiple study sites and across several time scales. Here, we used continuous (hourly) data and applied time series analysis (wavelet coherence analysis) to identify temporal correlations and time lags between photosynthesis and soil CO(2) efflux for three forests from different climates and a grassland. Results showed the existence of multi-temporal correlations at time periods that varied between 1 and 16 d during the growing seasons at all study sites. Temporal correlations were strongest at the 1 d time period, with longer time lags for forests relative to the grassland. The multi-temporal correlations were not continuous throughout the growing season, and were weakened when the effect of variations in soil temperature and CO(2) diffusivity on soil CO(2) efflux was taken into account. Multi-temporal correlations between photosynthesis and soil CO(2) efflux exist, and suggest that multiple biophysical drivers (i.e. photosynthesis, soil CO(2) diffusion, temperature) are likely to coexist for the regulation of allocation and transport speed of carbon during a growing season. Future studies should consider the multi-temporal influence of these biophysical drivers to investigate their effect on the transport of carbon through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum.     

The effect of monthly sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, alone or with azithromycin, on PCR-diagnosed malaria at delivery: a randomized controlled trial

Background

New regimens for intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp) against malaria are needed as the effectiveness of the standard two-dose sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) regimen is under threat. Previous trials have shown that IPTp with monthly SP benefits HIV-positive primi- and secundigravidae, but there is no conclusive evidence of the possible benefits of this regimen to HIV-negative women, or to a population comprising of both HIV-positive and –negative women of different gravidities.

Methods

This study analyzed 484 samples collected at delivery as part of a randomized, partially placebo controlled clinical trial, conducted in rural Malawi between 2003 and 2007. The study included pregnant women regardless of their gravidity or HIV-infection status. The participants received SP twice (controls), monthly SP, or monthly SP and two doses of azithromycin (AZI-SP). The main outcome was the prevalence of peripheral Plasmodium falciparum malaria at delivery diagnosed with a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay.

Findings

Overall prevalence of PCR-diagnosed peripheral P. falciparum malaria at delivery was 10.5%. Compared with the controls, participants in the monthly SP group had a risk ratio (95% CI) of 0.33 (0.17 to 0.64, P<0.001) and those in the AZI-SP group 0.23 (0.11 to 0.48, P<0.001) for malaria at delivery. When only HIV-negative participants were analyzed, the corresponding figures were 0.26 (0.12 to 0.57, P<0.001) for women in the monthly SP group, and 0.24 (0.11 to 0.53, P<0.001) for those in the AZI-SP group.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that increasing the frequency of SP administration during pregnancy improves the efficacy against malaria at delivery among HIV-negative women, as well as a population consisting of both HIV-positive and –negative pregnant women of all gravidities, in a setting of relatively low but holoendemic malaria transmission, frequent use of bed nets and high SP resistance.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00131235","term_id":"NCT00131235"}}NCT00131235     

Measurement of the nucleation of atmospheric aerosol particles

The formation of new atmospheric aerosol particles and their subsequent growth have been observed frequently at various locations all over the world. The atmospheric nucleation rate (or formation rate) and growth rate (GR) are key parameters to characterize the phenomenon. Recent progress in measurement techniques enables us to measure atmospheric nucleation at the size (mobility diameter) of 1.5 (±0.4) nm. The detection limit has decreased from 3 to 1 nm within the past 10 years. In this protocol, we describe the procedures for identifying new-particle-formation (NPF) events, and for determining the nucleation, formation and growth rates during such events under atmospheric conditions. We describe the present instrumentation, best practices and other tools used to investigate atmospheric nucleation and NPF at a certain mobility diameter (1.5, 2.0 or 3.0 nm). The key instruments comprise devices capable of measuring the number concentration of the formed nanoparticles and their size, such as a suite of modern condensation particle counters (CPCs) and air ion spectrometers, and devices for characterizing the pre-existing particle number concentration distribution, such as a differential mobility particle sizer (DMPS). We also discuss the reliability of the methods used and requirements for proper measurements and data analysis. The time scale for realizing this procedure is 1 year.     

Antibody to P. falciparum in pregnancy varies with intermittent preventive treatment regime and bed net use

BACKGROUND: Antibodies towards placental-binding P. falciparum are thought to protect against pregnancy malaria; however, environmental factors may affect antibody development. Methods and Findings: Using plasma from pregnant Malawian women, we measured IgG against placental-binding P. falciparum parasites by flow cytometry, and related results to intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) regime, and bed net use. Bed net use was associated with decreased antibody levels at mid-pregnancy but not at 1 month post partum (1 mpp). At 1 mpp a more intensive IPTp regime was associated with decreased antibody levels in primigravidae, but not multigravidae. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Results suggest bed nets and IPTp regime influence acquisition of pregnancy-specific P. falciparum immunity.     

Specific in vivo binding of 77Br-p-bromospiroperidol in rat brain: A potential tool for gamma ray imaging

The binding of the gamma labeled neuroleptic, ⁷⁷Br-$\text{p}$-bromosprioperidol, in the rat brain was examined $\text{in vivo}$. This binding parallels the binding of ³H-spiroperidol, in that binding is especially high in dopaminergically innervated areas, is saturable, and is displaced by high doses of unlabeled spiroperidol (1–5). Thus, ⁷⁷Br-$\text{p}$-bromospiroperidol is a suitable ligand for use in gamma ray imaging techniques for $\text{in vivo}$ monitoring of receptor binding.