The influence of the trend of urban growth of city of Novi Sad on air quality in parks

Quality control of air in urban green areas - urban parks are rarely studied spaces, and this paper is based on research on the effects and impacts of microclimatic parameters on the detected suspended particles (PM 2.5 and PM10) with a multidisciplinary influence on public health and the quality of life of Novi Sad citizens. Excessive urbanization of urban environments and global migrations are among the most important causes of increased concentrations of air pollutants, even in urban green areas such as parks. This scientific research is part of a project focused on the effects and discrepancies of microclimatic parameters on detected concentrations of total suspended particles in the city's green parks in Novi Sad. Three urban parks of different sizes and locations with varying microclimatic influences were selected. Measurements of suspended particles (PM) were conducted at Futoški Park (FP), Dunavski Park (DP), and Limanski Park (LP) using a mobile device Aeroqual Series 500. At each location (FP, DP, LP), 10 measurements of suspended particle concentrations were conducted, with the device reporting changes in detected particle concentrations in real time. The results of the measured concentrations of suspended particles indicate variations in detected particle concentrations, with PM2.5 ranging from 4 to 36.1 μg/m3, while PM10 was detected in the range of 7 to 40.1 μg/m3. The measurement period for suspended particle pollution ranged from 12:00 to 17:30, with measured temperature fluctuations from 24.1 to 30.0°C and measured relative humidity oscillating between 39.1% and 54.4%

Influence of detected NO2 and O3 on air quality of the city of Novi Sad

Within regular legislation of the Republic of Serbia, air quality monitoring is done on a daily basis, which we compared with the indicative measurement on a location which is in the vicinity of the measuring station “Novi Sad – Liman”. Location of the conducted indicative measurement is in the city park called “Liman park”. Mean values of the measured pollutant concentrations of O3 and NO2 were taken into account (the indicative measurements were done in a period of one hour). Both measuring points are located near the biggest boulevards which have a lot of traffic activity. Indicative measurements were done using the Aeroqual monitor with a GSE (gas sensitive electrochemical) sensor, while the comparative measurements were took by automatic measuring stations put out by the state. Such a comparison of the measured NO2 and O3 concentrations in the air of city of Novi Sad was not done before and it can give us insight into a possible harmful impact on the public health of the citizens of Novi Sad as well as the harmful impact on the environment. Results of the measurements pointed out the variations of air pollutant values; for O3 a 27.78% and for NO2 92.78% difference between the two locations that are 450 m apart from one another. The measurements were performed at the same time on the same day, temperature and relative humidity were nearly identical

Air pollution in city parks during the Covid-19 pandemic

The degree of coverage of the urban greenspace area and the factors which affect the concentration of particles in the air in those limited greenspace areas are rarely studied, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. This paper is based on researching the effects and different impacts of the microclimate parameters on the concentration of particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in the studied city parks and their multidisciplinary impact on the most important aspect – The Public Health. In Novi Sad, Serbia, three parks of different sizes and locations have been chosen, depending on the traffic frequency. The measurement results of particle pollution (PM) pointed out the variations of levels of concentration of the PM pollutants, PM2.5 particles were in range from 2 to 10 μg/m3 and PM10 were in range from 3 to 12 μg/m3 . Some of the measured values are exceptionally low so it can be concluded that the air was clean. The time of the measurements of the PM pollutants in the parks was in a period from 11a.m to 2 p.m., with temperature oscillation between 15o -24.3oC and air humidity from 41-50%

Response to COVID-19 vaccination in patients on cancer therapy:Analysis in a SARS-CoV-2-naïve population

Background: Cancer patients have increased morbidity and mortality from COVID-19, but may respond poorly to vaccination. The Evaluation of COVID-19 Vaccination Efficacy and Rare Events in Solid Tumors (EVEREST) study, comparing seropositivity between cancer patients and healthy controls in a low SARS-CoV-2 community-transmission setting, allows determination of vaccine response with minimal interference from infection. Methods: Solid tumor patients from The Canberra Hospital, Canberra, Australia, and healthy controls who received COVID-19 vaccination between March 2021 and January 2022 were included. Blood samples were collected at baseline, pre-second vaccine dose and at 1, 3 (primary endpoint), and 6 months post-second dose. SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike-RBD (S-RBD) and anti-nucleocapsid IgG antibodies were measured. Results: Ninety-six solid tumor patients and 20 healthy controls were enrolled, with median age 62 years, and 60% were female. Participants received either AZD1222 (65%) or BNT162b2 (35%) COVID-19 vaccines. Seropositivity 3 months post vaccination was 87% (76/87) in patients and 100% (20/20) in controls (p =.12). Seropositivity was observed in 84% of patients on chemotherapy, 80% on immunotherapy, and 96% on targeted therapy (differences not satistically significant). Seropositivity in cancer patients increased from 40% (6/15) after first dose, to 95% (35/37) 1 month after second dose, then dropped to 87% (76/87) 3 months after second dose. Conclusion: Most patients and all controls became seropositive after two vaccine doses. Antibody concentrations and seropositivity showed a decrease between 1 and 3 months post vaccination, highlighting need for booster vaccinations. SARS-CoV-2 infection amplifies S-RBD antibody responses; however, cannot be adequately identified using nucleocapsid serology. This underlines the value of our COVID-naïve population in studying vaccine immunogenicity.</p

Early T Cell Infiltration Correlates with Anti-CTLA4 Treatment Response in Murine Cancer Models

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) Abs are a revolutionary class of cancer treatment, but only ~30% of patients receive a lasting benefit from therapy. Preclinical studies using animals from the same genetic backgrounds, challenged with the same cancer models, also show nonuniform responses. Most mouse studies that have evaluated tumor-infiltrating leukocytes after ICI therapy cannot directly correlate their findings with treatment outcomes, because terminal methods were used to acquire immune infiltrate data. In the present study, we used fine-needle aspiration (a nonterminal sampling method) to collect multiple aspirates over several days from s.c. implanted P815, CT26, and 4T1 mouse cancer models treated with ICI Abs. These aspirates were then analyzed with flow cytometry to directly correlate tumor-infiltrating leukocyte populations with treatment success. We found that the P815 and CT26 models respond well to anti-CTLA4 therapies. Among P815-challenged animals, mice that regressed following anti-CTLA4 treatment showed significant increases in CD8+ T cells on days 3, 5, and 7 and in CD4+ T cells on days 5 and 7 and a decrease in macrophages and monocytes on days 3, 5, and 7 after treatment. Similar results were obtained in the CT26 model on day 11 posttreatment. Our study is the first, to our knowledge, to directly correlate early tumor infiltration of T cells with anti-CTLA4 treatment success, thus providing a mechanistic clue toward understanding why alloidentical mice challenged with identical tumors do not respond uniformly to ICI therapies.</p