Search

Soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration has become a critical component of climate change mitigation strategies, offering a natural and economically viable means to mitigate atmospheric CO2 levels. Current practices in SOC sequestration auditing face limitations due to the requirement for carbon permanence, which can discourage landholders from participating due to long-term commitments and uncertainties. We propose the concept of the Soil Carbon Tonne-Year as a new unit of measurement for assessing SOC sequestration, focusing on the time-integrated amount of carbon stored in the soil. Soil carbon tonne-year measures SOC stock across different operational soil carbon pools (such as Mineral Associated Organic Carbon and Particulate Organic Carbon), each with its own mean residence time. This approach, based on physical rather than economic or climatic metrics, aims to offer a more accurate, flexible, and realistic method of accounting for SOC. Our examples suggest that the Soil Carbon Tonne-Year approach could significantly enhance management flexibility, potentially increasing land value and leading to sustainable gains over the long term.

In regions close to the continental shelf edge, the transfer of particulate organic carbon (POC) within the food web and with downward fluxes contributes to the long-term storage of carbon in deep basins. The degradation of POC by heterotrophic prokaryotes is one of the key indices of biological productivity and ecosystem functioning. Here we present data on the spatial and vertical distribution of the total bacterial abundance, fraction of high DNA-content and particle-associated bacteria, and POC concentration. Additionally we determined environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, turbidity, fluorescence and dissolved oxygen concentration). The data were collected in the Vilkitsky Strait and along two transects from the outer shelf of the Laptev Sea to the adjacent continental slope region of the Arctic Ocean in August−September 2018. Principal component analysis was used to reveal relationships between environmental factors and bacterial characteristics. Total bacterial abundance (BA) was positively correlated with seawater fluorescence, dissolved oxygen concentration and POC, but negatively linked to depth and salinity. The percentage of both particle-associated bacteria (%PAB) and bacteria with high DNA concentration (%HDNA) were positively linked to depth and salinity. The data obtained may be useful for a comprehensive assessment of the state of ecosystems in the vicinity of the Arctic continental slope under changing environmental conditions, as well as for studying microbial input in the carbon cycle.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection poses substantial medical risks to global public health. An essential strategy to combat the HIV epidemic is timely and effective virus testing. CRISPR-based assays combine the highly compatible CRISPR system with different elements, yielding portability, digitization capabilities, low economic burden and low operational thresholds. The application of CRISPR-based assays has demonstrated rapid, accurate, and accessible means of pathogen testing, suggesting great potential as point-of-care (POC) assays. This review outlines the different types of CRISPR/Cas systems based on Cas proteins and their applications for the detection of HIV. Additionally, we also offer an overview of future perspectives on CRISPR-based methods for HIV detection, including advances in nucleic acid amplification-free testing, improved personal testing, and refined testing for HIV genotypes and drug-resistant strains.

We present the characterisation and distribution of organic matter (OM) within the sea surface microlayer (SML) and underlying water (ULW) collected in October 2015 at nine stations in the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Gdańsk, encompassing the Vistula River plume. The salinity of >7 throughout the transect indicated Vistula plume was possibly displaced westward by the preceding northerly and easterly winds between 5.7 and 10.7 ms–1 during the sampling campaign. Spectral analysis pointed to the highest contribution of aromatic and high molecular weight molecules (lowest spectral slope (SR) ratios and highest absorption coefficient at 254 nm (aCDOM(254)) at the first two stations near the river mouth, demonstrating a very limited influence of the river plume. Concentrations of surface-active organic substances (SAS) ranged from 0.28 to 0.60 mg L−1 in eq. Triton-X-100 in SML, and from 0.22 to 0.47 mg L−1 in eq. Triton-X-100 in the ULW, while POC concentrations ranged from 0.27 to 0.84 mg L−1 in SML and from 0.20 to 0.37 mg L−1 in ULW. Enrichment of SAS and POC detected at the highest wind speeds indicates rapid SML recovery by OM transported from the ULW. Low lipids to POC contribution, on average 5% and 7% in SML and ULW respectively, points to eutrophic conditions. Statistically significant negative correlation between SR and the Lipid:PIG ratio in SML and ULW suggests the production of lower molecular weight OM by phytoplankton living under favourable environmental conditions. Accumulation of lipid reserves triacylglycerols (TG) in the SML indicates more stressful plankton growth conditions compared to ULW.

Although helium is a valuable inert gas available in abundance in the earth's atmosphere, the major source of helium is from natural gas reservoirs. Membrane based separation processes pose many advantages like being cost effective and non-energy intensive. In this current study, we have successfully demonstrated the synthesis of continuous Porous Organic Cage: CC3 membranes to separate equimolar helium methane mixture with permeance of 4.45 × 10−7 mol/ (m2s Pa) and separation selectivity (α) as high as 8. We also compared the diffusion coefficients of the gases through the membrane to evaluate the dominant mechanism for separation. Lastly, we compared the performance of our membranes to the state-of-the-art membranes with the help of a Robeson plot and found that our membranes outperformed the upper bound.

The STANDARD M10 is a novel cartridge-based real time RT-PCR point of care platform that provides significant advantages regarding SARS-CoV-2 detection including fast turnaround times and no need for specialized personnel and facilities. This assay was recently evaluated in our hospital as a rapid alternative to the already present NeuMoDx assay that is used in everyday practice. For this purpose, 30 nasopharyngeal samples by patients admitted to our hospital were used, regardless of clinical suspicion of COVID-19. In our evaluation, the sensitivity of STANDARD M10 was 95%, the specificity was 100%, the positive predictive value was 100%, the negative predictive value was 90% and the kappa coefficient of agreement was 0.927 (p < 0.001).

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 10 manufacturers of molecular tests for SARS-CoV-2 have received Emergency Use Authorizations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for point-of-care or over the counter use. In this review, the working principle of these tests is described as well as the relevant characteristics (e.g. time-to-result and specimen type). The analytical (e.g. analytical sensitivity) and clinical performance (positive and negative percent agreement) and useability characteristics (e.g. cost, reusability and throughput) of these tests are compared and critically reviewed. Also details for relevant respiratory multiplex assays of these 10 manufacturers are discussed. Critical review of scientific literature on these authorized tests revealed that for many of these tests publications are almost or completely absent, with the exception of two systems. The Xpert Xpress has been thoroughly investigated and good performance has been reported, whereas ID NOW is also well-represented in literature, but has relatively low sensitivity.

POCT (Point of Care Test) or (Point of Care Testing) has been widely used, as it can provide quick results to be acted upon immediately by the clinician. However, POCT devices do not always have the same accuracy and precision as Lab equipment. Laboratorians need to be much better at communicating what is being done in the “lab” and how that relates to what the clinicians are doing with the results of the tests they order.

Summary: There is an urgent need for rapid SARS-CoV-2 testing in hospitals to limit nosocomial spread. We report an evaluation of point of care (POC) nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) in 149 participants with parallel combined nasal and throat swabbing for POC versus standard lab RT-PCR testing. Median time to result is 2.6 (IQR 2.3–4.8) versus 26.4 h (IQR 21.4–31.4, p < 0.001), with 32 (21.5%) positive and 117 (78.5%) negative. Cohen’s κ correlation between tests is 0.96 (95% CI 0.91–1.00). When comparing nearly 1,000 tests pre- and post-implementation, the median time to definitive bed placement from admission is 23.4 (8.6-41.9) versus 17.1 h (9.0–28.8), p = 0.02. Mean length of stay on COVID-19 “holding” wards is 58.5 versus 29.9 h (p < 0.001). POC testing increases isolation room availability, avoids bed closures, allows discharge to care homes, and expedites access to hospital procedures. POC testing could mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on hospital systems.

During the 6th (2014) and 7th (2016) Chinese Arctic Expedition (CHINARE), samples of suspended particulate matter (SPM) were collected from both surface (depth: <1.0 m) and subsurface (depth: approximately between 10 and 150 m) waters over the northern shelf of the Bering Sea and in the western Arctic Ocean. To investigate the distribution and sources of organic matter in both the surface water and the vertical profile, the concentration and stable carbon isotopic composition of SPM, particulate organic carbon (POC), and particulate nitrogen (only in surface water samples) were determined, and some particle samples were selected for examination using scanning electron microscopy. Results showed apparent geographical partitioning and temporal variation in both the concentration and the composition of SPM. Higher SPM concentrations were observed in nearshore, shelf break, and sea ice edge areas; the distribution of POC concentration displayed a similar pattern, with higher values found from the northern part of the Bering Shelf to southern parts of the Chukchi Shelf. In surface water, SPM mainly comprised clay and detrital minerals with higher POC contents, lighter δ 13 C values, and higher POC/PN ratios, indicating organic matter predominantly derived from terrestrial sources in areas south of St. Lawrence Island and north of 73°N. The downward trend of heavier δ 13 C values, together with reduction in clay and detrital minerals, suggests that vertical transport of SPM is hindered by stratification, resulting in transport of terrestrial materials toward northern basin areas. In the Chukchi Slope and Canada Basin areas, extremely light δ 13 C values (as low as -33.41‰ PDB) were mainly observed at depths of 20-60 m, where the Polar Mixed Layer (PML) intersects with the Upper Halocline Layer (UHL). Under the condition of low sea ice extent in 2016, the POC-δ 13 C values were heavier in the PML than in the UHL in the Chukchi Slope and Canada Basin areas. These findings provide insights into the sources, transport, and fate of organic matter in the Pacific Arctic region, which have important implications for understanding the biogeochemical cycles and ecosystem dynamics in this remote and rapidly changing environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest This manuscript has not been published or presented elsewhere in part or in entirety and is not under consideration by another journal. We have read and understood your journal's policies, and we believe that neither the manuscript nor the study violates any of these. There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Due to ever-increasing global warming, ocean acidification, and inshore eutrophication, the outbreak of golden tides with Sargassum horneri has increased in the Yellow sea, where the biomass carbon enters three main carbon pathways: a. Removal of carbon from seawater by salvage, known as removable carbon; b. Biomass carbon is deposited to the seafloor through POC and RDOC through Biological Carbon Pump and Microbial Carbon Pump; c. Re-entering the carbon cycle through the food chain or re-entering the atmosphere through the action of microbes. Estimating carbon fixation (removable carbon) and storage (particulate organic carbon (POC) and refractory dissolved organic carbon (RDOC)) is vital in studying the global carbon cycle. In this research, it was observed that the C content of S. horneri was high, and the utilization rate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), RDOC, and POC was also high in the eutrophication environment, where only 2.71 % of algal biomass carbon was converted to RDOC, and only 0.20 % converted to POC. The C + N + P combination has a restart effect on the seasonal accumulation of RDOC in relevant sea areas. It is suggested that the salvage and resource utilization should be strengthened to effectively control the golden tide and reduce the substantial economic losses to realize the win-win situation of carbon sink and environmental restoration., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that there is no conflict of interest in the article., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Particulate Organic Carbon (POC) is an important component in the carbon cycle of land-locked seas. In this paper, we assessthe POC concentration in the Gdańsk Deep, southern Baltic Sea. Our study is based on both a 1D POC Model and current POCconcentration measurements. The aim is twofold: (i) validation of simulated concentrations with actual measurements, and (ii) a qualitativeassessment of the sources contributing to the POC pool. The POC model consists of six coupled equations: five diffusion-typeequations for phytoplankton, zooplankton, pelagic detritus and nutrients (phosphate and total inorganic nitrogen) and one ordinarydifferential equation for detritus at the bottom. The POC concentration is determined as the sum of phytoplankton, zooplankton and pelagicdetritus concentrations, all expressed in carbon equivalents. Bacteria are not simulated in this paper. The observed large fluctuations of POC concentrations are attributedto its appreciable seasonal variability. The maximum concentration of POC varied between 870 mgC m-3 inMay and 580 mgC m-3 in September, coinciding with the period of maximum dead organic matter andphytoplankton biomass concentrations. The results of the numerical simulations are in good agreement with observed values. The differencebetween the modelled and observed POC concentrations is equal to 3-28% and depends on the month for which the calculations were made,although no time trend of the difference is observed. The conclusion is that the numerical simulations are a sufficiently good reflectionof POC dynamics in the Baltic.

Storm events are the primary mechanisms of delivering fluvial organic carbon (OC) in both dissolved (DOC) and particulate (POC) forms but their sources and flow pathways can vary with seasonal land use and weather. Within the low relief and poorly drained landscapes of a predominantly agricultural watershed in Eastern Iowa, six storm events were monitored for DOC and POC concentrations over a two hydrological year period in order to investigate the export mechanisms, landscape connectivity, and hydro-climatological controls of fluvial OC under representative events and associated management practices. Event-driven dynamics favored POC over DOC, where POC accounted for 54-94 % of total OC export during events, highlighting a sampling-driven bias against POC in the absence of event monitoring. The disparity between POC and DOC export exhibited a seasonal effect, where the POC:DOC export ratio was low (1.3-1.7) for October events while June/July events yielded a much higher value (up to a value of 14.7). The relationships between event DOC and POC export, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index of landscapes, and antecedent wetness conditions suggest a strong interaction or competing influences between vegetation coverage and runoff-generation threshold. While we recognize the low statistical power of the limited data set (n = 6), the storm events could be binned into two clusters: a "bare soil" period and a crop "rapid growth" period. Specifically, intra-storm variations in OC concentration and concentration-discharge (C-Q) hysteresis patterns demonstrated a seasonally-dependent access to contributing OC sources, which can be viewed as the rapid liberation of DOC during the "bare soil" period, and a progressive leaching of terrestrial DOC during the "rapid growth" period. Although high resolution event monitoring of fluvial carbon is rare this work highlights the importance of such efforts to predict C sourcing and transformation in inland water systems under variable land use and across seasons., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The marine lake (Rogoznica Lake), which fluctuates between stratified and holomictic conditions, is a unique environment on the eastern Adriatic coast affected by environmental changes. These changes are reflected in the warming of the water column, the apparent deoxygenation of the epilimnion, and the accumulation of organic matter (OM), toxic sulfide, and ammonium in the anoxic hypolimnion. Since the early 1990s, the volume of anoxic water has increased as the chemocline has moved to the surface water layer. A trend toward enrichment of refractory dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was observed in the anoxic hypolimnion, while a decreasing trend was observed in the oxic epilimnion in the spring DOC. At the same time, the most reactive surface-active fraction of DOC showed the opposite trend. In addition, there is evidence of accumulation of particulate organic carbon (POC) in the water column, followed by an increase in the fraction of POC in total organic carbon (TOC). On a multi-year scale (1996-2020), this work presents a unique time series of the dynamics of OM in the stratified marine system, showing a significant change in its quantity and quality due to climate and environmental variability. DOC-normalized surfactant activity is shown to be a good indicator of environmental change., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON) concentrations and fluxes were measured during an experiment in the Gdańsk Deep in late spring (30.05.-06.06.2001). The vertical POC and PON concentration profiles were characterised by the highest values in the euphotic layer, a gradual decrease with depth, and an increase below the halocline. The hydrophysical conditions had a decisive impact on POC and PON fluxes in the water column. Preferential removal of nitrogen from suspended mater was observed in the entire water column (maximum - in the vicinity of thermocline). There were also differences in the diurnal effectiveness of nitrogen removal as compared to carbon removal. The removal rate was highest at night.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), and swine acute diarrhea syndrome-coronavirus (SADS-CoV) are three emerging and re-emerging coronaviruses (CoVs). Symptoms caused by these three viruses are extremely similar, including acute diarrhea, vomiting and even death in piglets. To date, strict biosecurity is still the most effective disease prevention and control measures, and the early detection of pathogens is the most important link. Here, we developed a microfluidic-RT-LAMP chip detection system for the first time, which could detected PEDV, PDCoV and SADS-CoV simultaneously, and had advantages of rapid, simple, sensitive, high-throughput, and accurate at point-of-care settings. The lowest detection limits of the microfluidic-RT-LAMP chip method are 10 1 copies/μL, 10 2 copies/μL and 10 2 copies/μL for PEDV, PDCoV and SADS-CoV, respectively. The whole detection procedure can be finished rapidly in 40 min without any cross-reaction with other common swine viruses. A total of 173 clinical swine fecal samples characterized with diarrheal symptoms were used to evaluate the performance of the newly developed system, which presented good stabilities (C.V.s<5%) and specificities (100%), and possessed sensitivities of 92.24%, 92.19% and 91.23% for PEDV, PDCoV and SADS-CoV respectively. In summary, the established microfluidic-RT-LAMP chip detection system could satisfy the demanding in field diagnoses, which was suitable for promotion in remote areas due to its fast, portable and cost-effective characters., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Point-of-care (POC) systems for the joint measurement of Troponin and D-dimers have not been studied in horses. The aim of this study was to perform the validation of a POC system (AQT90 FLEX) for the measurement of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and D-dimers in the serum of horses with gastrointestinal diseases. The main objective was to evaluate whether or not this system can distinguish healthy animals from diseased animals. A sample of 33 horses was included in the study: control group (n = 10) and horses with gastrointestinal disorders (n = 21), which were classified according to their outcome in survivors (subgroup A = 9) and nonsurvivors (subgroup B = 12). Considering the diagnosis of the process, ill horses were classified into three groups: inflammatory (I = 7), obstructive (O = 9), and strangulating diseases (S = 5). The clinical usefulness of AQT90 FLEX was validated by the study of linearity, coefficient of variation, and detection limits. Later, concentrations of D-dimers and cTnI were measured. A significant increase in both parameters was detected in ill animals (cTnI: control: 0.014 ± 0.01 μg/mL, survivors: 0.27 ± 0.37 μg/mL, nonsurvivors: 0.60 ± 1.21 μg/mL; D-dimers: control: 104.90 ± 30.82 ng/mL, survivors: 1,217.22 ± 1,213.28 ng/mL, nonsurvivors: 1,613.67 ± 1,426.75 ng/mL), although there were no statistically significant differences in concentrations according to diagnosis and outcome. In conclusion, AQT90 FLEX POC analyzer can be used in horses with gastrointestinal diseases to measure cTnI and D-dimer concentrations. It is a quick, practical, and minimally invasive tool that helps in determining the severity of illness., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Although isothermal nucleic acid amplification is advantageous in pathogen detection in resource-limited settings, an electricity-dependent heating module is often required. Here, we developed a wearable microfluidic device combined with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) for simple and rapid amplification of HIV-1 DNA using human body heat. The human body temperature at the human wrist varied from 33 to 34 °C in the ambient environment, which is sufficient to perform RPA reactions. With the aid of a cellphone-based fluorescence detection system, this device detected HIV-1 DNA quantitatively ranging from 10 2 to 10 5 copies/mL with a log linearity of 0.98 in 24 min. These results demonstrate that this wearable point-of-care (POC) nucleic acid testing method is advantageous over traditional PCR and other isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods in terms of time, portability and independence on electricity. This wearable microfluidic device in conjunction with a cellphone-based fluorescence detection system can be potentially used for the detection of HIV-1 and adapted for POC detection of a broad range of infectious pathogens in resource-limited settings., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The distribution, composition, and transport of both dissolved and particulate organic carbon (DOC and POC) were studied across a terrestrial - marine transition system in the Chilean North-Patagonia (41°S). At the land-fjord boundary we reported: (i) high concentrations of both silicic acid (up to 100 μM) and integrated chlorophyll a (62 mg m -2 ), (ii) dominance of nanophytoplankton (63%), humic-, terrigenous-derived, and protein-like DOC (19 and 36%, respectively), and (iii) a shallow photic zone (12 m depth). In contrast, the estuarine-ocean boundary was characterized by (i) high concentrations of nitrate and phosphate (20 and 2 μM respectively) and low chlorophyll a concentration (11 mg m -2 ), (ii) dominance of microphytoplankton (59%) and tyrosine-like C3 autochthonous DOC (34%), and (iii) a deep photic zone (29 m depth). Allochthonous DOC input at the fjord head and the ocean accounted for 60% and 10% of total DOC, respectively. The input of humic-like substances was enhanced by intense forestry and agriculture activity around the Puelo River watershed, contributing from 50% to 14% of total DOC along the fjord - ocean transect. In contrast, autochthonous tyrosine-like substances increased from 25% to 41% of total DOC, highlighting the role of bacterial metabolism in regulating DOM composition. The high correlation (R 2  = 0.7) between the UVC-humic:UVA-humic ratio and salinity suggest that processes associated to freshwater input impinged on the DOC chemical characteristics and origins. Overall, our observations support the view that climate warming (freshwater input) and anthropogenic practices (aquaculture) boost the mobilization of terrestrial carbon pools and their intrusion into coastal ocean areas, a process that should be given more attention in climate prediction models., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Inland water bodies are recognised as dynamic sites of carbon processing, and lakes and reservoirs draining peatland soils are particularly important, due to the potential for high carbon inputs combined with long water residence times. A carbon budget is presented here for a water supply reservoir (catchment area~9km 2 ) draining an area of heavily eroded upland peat in the South Pennines, UK. It encompasses a two year dataset and quantifies reservoir dissolved organic carbon (DOC), particulate organic carbon (POC) and aqueous carbon dioxide (CO 2 (aq)) inputs and outputs. The budget shows the reservoir to be a hotspot of fluvial carbon cycling, as with high levels of POC influx it acts as a net sink of fluvial carbon and has the potential for significant gaseous carbon export. The reservoir alternates between acting as a producer and consumer of DOC (a pattern linked to rainfall and temperature) which provides evidence for transformations between different carbon species. In particular, the budget data accompanied by 14 C (radiocarbon) analyses provide evidence that POC-DOC transformations are a key process, occurring at rates which could represent at least ~10% of the fluvial carbon sink. To enable informed catchment management further research is needed to produce carbon cycle models more applicable to these environments, and on the implications of high POC levels for DOC composition., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The toxoplasma ICT IgG-IgM rapid diagnostic test for the simultaneous detection of specific toxoplasmic immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM was compared with the Architect fully automated chemiluminescence test. Four hundred sera were included, among which 248 scored negative in Architect. The cassettes were easily read with the naked eye. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 97% and 96%, respectively. The test scored 8 false-positive IgG and yielded negative results in 3 sera displaying unspecific IgM in Architect. The LDBIO appears to be a reliable first line test, although the false-positive results for IgG deserve further investigation. Such an easily performed test could be used advantageously for screening for toxoplasmosis in pregnant women., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A two step approach was developed to estimate POC concentrations in a shallow eutrophic lake, where dissolved carbon and inorganic particulate matter strongly influence optical properties. The approach was based on the identification of a co-variability of POC concentrations with one or more inherent optical properties (IOPs). In the present case, a relationship between POC and absorption at 620 nm was identified and was combined with a reflectance based algorithm for case II waters. Compared with other published POC algorithms, this approach provided better estimates over a wide range of POC concentrations in two hypereutrophic lake waters with the predominance of cyanobacteria (R(2) > 0.80). While it is unlikely that a single POC algorithm can be created that is independent of the variability of POC sources, this approach allows for a common method to identify appropriate algorithms with which POC dynamics can be explored., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The myiasis fly Chrysomya bezziana Villeneuve (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is an obligate parasite of body orifices and unnatural openings or wounds of vertebrates. It is a major pest of livestock and responsible for economic losses throughout the Old World. Two chemical lures were tested in the present study to assess their effectiveness at trapping Ch. bezziana. Bezzilure B contains a synthetic lure of 2-mercaptoethanol originally identified from cattle wound volatiles. POC is a synthetic lure comprising 4-methyl phenol, 3-propyl phenol and racemic 1-octen-3-ol, originally identified from volatiles of ox odour and now used to control tsetse flies (Diptera: Glossina). Bezzilure B and POC lures were tested alone, and in combination, in a laboratory free flight room bioassay and in a field trial. Sticky traps were used to capture males and females of Ch. bezziana and to determine the efficacy of the lures. In the laboratory, Bezzilure B caught significantly more male and female flies than Bezzilure B+POC (p<0.001). Similarly, in the field, treatment significantly affected the total number of Ch. bezziana caught (p<0.001) but, contrastingly, Bezzilure B+POC caught significantly more flies than Bezzilure B (p<0.05). The differing results between the laboratory and field may simply reflect the different assays and could suggest different roles of semiochemicals at different operational distances. Although ineffective on its own, POC has a synergistic effect with Bezzilure B to increase fly catches in the field: by proportion, Bezzilure B+POC was 2.17 times as efficient as Bezzilure B for Ch. bezziana, and 1.16-2.68 times as efficient for other flies depending on the species collected., (Copyright © 2014 International Atomic Energy Agency 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A particulate oxidation catalyst (POC) was employed to perform experiments on the engine test bench to evaluate the effects on the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM) emissions from diesel engine. The engine exhaust was sampled from both upstream and downstream of the POC. The results showed that the POC increased the ratios of NO2/NOx significantly in the middle and high loads, the ratio of NO2/nitrogen oxides (NOx) increased 4.5 times on average under all experiment modes with the POC. An engine exhaust particle sizer (EEPS) was used to study the particle number-weighted size distributions and the abnormal particle emissions with the POC. The results indicated that the average reduction rate of particle number (PN) was 61% in the operating range of the diesel engine. At the engine speed of 1,400 r/min, the reduction rates of PN tended to decrease with the larger particle size. In the long time run under the steady mode (520 Nm, 1,200 r/min), abnormal particle emissions after the POC happened seven times in the first hour, and the average PN concentration of these abnormal emission peaks was much higher than that in normal state. The particle emissions of peaks 1-5 equaled the particles emitted downstream of the POC in normal state for 1.9h in number concentration, and for 3.6h in mass concentration. The PN concentrations tended to increase over time in 5h under the steady engine mode and the increase of the PN in the size range of 6.04-14.3 nm was more evident., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The scope of activity of the Blood Transfusion Service (BTS) makes it unique among the clinical laboratories. The combination of therapeutic and diagnostic roles necessitates a multi-faceted approach to utilization management in the BTS. We present our experience in utilization management in large academic medical center., (© 2013.)

To combat neglected diseases, the Novartis Institute of Tropical Diseases (NITD) was founded in 2002 through private-public funding from Novartis and the Singapore Economic Development Board. One of NITD's missions is to develop antivirals for dengue virus (DENV), the most prevalent mosquito-borne viral pathogen. Neither vaccine nor antiviral is currently available for DENV. Here we review the progress in dengue drug discovery made at NITD as well as the major discoveries made by academia and other companies. Four strategies have been pursued to identify inhibitors of DENV through targeting both viral and host proteins: (i) HTS (high-throughput screening) using virus replication assays; (ii) HTS using viral enzyme assays; (iii) structure-based in silico docking and rational design; (iv) repurposing hepatitis C virus inhibitors for DENV. Along the developmental process from hit finding to clinical candidate, many inhibitors did not advance beyond the stage of hit-to-lead optimization, due to their poor selectivity, physiochemical or pharmacokinetic properties. Only a few compounds showed efficacy in the AG129 DENV mouse model. Two nucleoside analogs, NITD-008 and Balapiravir, entered preclinical animal safety study and clinic trial, but both were terminated due to toxicity and lack of potency, respectively. Celgosivir, a host alpha-glucosidase inhibitor, is currently under clinical trial; its clinical efficacy remains to be determined. The knowledge accumulated during the past decade has provided a better rationale for ongoing dengue drug discovery. Though challenging, we are optimistic that this continuous, concerted effort will lead to an effective dengue therapy., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The study examined the associations of 32 chemical constituents of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤2.5 μm (PM₂.₅) with pulmonary function in a panel of 21 college students. Study subjects relocated from a suburban area to an urban area with changing ambient air pollution levels and contents in Beijing, China, and provided daily morning/evening peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV₂₁) measurements over 6 months in three study periods. There were significant reductions in evening PEF and morning/evening FEV₂₁ associated with various air pollutants and PM₂.₅ constituents. Four PM₂.₅ constituents (copper, cadmium, arsenic and stannum) were found to be most consistently associated with the reductions in these pulmonary function measures. These findings provide clues for the respiratory effects of specific particulate chemical constituents in the context of urban air pollution., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)