Profiling of Amatoxins and Phallotoxins in the Genus Lepiota by Liquid Chromatography Combined with UV Absorbance and Mass Spectrometry

Species in the mushroom genus Lepiota can cause fatal mushroom poisonings due to their content of amatoxins such as α-amanitin. Previous studies of the toxin composition of poisonous Lepiota species relied on analytical methods of low sensitivity or resolution. Using liquid chromatography coupled to UV absorbance and mass spectrometry, we analyzed the spectrum of peptide toxins present in six Italian species of Lepiota, including multiple samples of three of them collected in different locations. Field taxonomic identifications were confirmed by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. For comparison, we also analyzed specimens of Amanita phalloides from Italy and California, a specimen of A. virosa from Italy, and a laboratory-grown sample of Galerina marginata. α-Amanitin, β-amanitin, amanin, and amaninamide were detected in all samples of L. brunneoincarnata, and α-amanitin and γ-amanitin were detected in all samples of L. josserandii. Phallotoxins were not detected in either species. No amatoxins or phallotoxins were detected in L. clypeolaria, L. cristata, L. echinacea, or L. magnispora. The Italian and California isolates of A. phalloides had similar profiles of amatoxins and phallotoxins, although the California isolate contained more β-amanitin relative to α-amanitin. Amaninamide was detected only in A. virosa

Tracking data highlight the importance of human-induced mortality for large migratory birds at a flyway scale

Human-induced direct mortality affects huge numbers of birds each year, threatening hundreds of species worldwide. Tracking technologies can be an important tool to investigate temporal and spatial patterns of bird mortality as well as their drivers. We compiled 1704 mortality records from tracking studies across the African-Eurasian flyway for 45 species, including raptors, storks, and cranes, covering the period from 2003 to 2021. Our results show a higher frequency of human-induced causes of mortality than natural causes across taxonomic groups, geographical areas, and age classes. Moreover, we found that the frequency of human-induced mortality remained stable over the study period. From the human-induced mortality events with a known cause (n = 637), three main causes were identified: electrocution (40.5 %), illegal killing (21.7 %), and poisoning (16.3 %). Additionally, combined energy infrastructure-related mortality (i.e., electrocution, power line collision, and wind-farm collision) represented 49 % of all human-induced mortality events. Using a random forest model, the main predictors of human-induced mortality were found to be taxonomic group, geographic location (latitude and longitude), and human footprint index value at the location of mortality. Despite conservation efforts, human drivers of bird mortality in the African-Eurasian flyway do not appear to have declined over the last 15 years for the studied group of species. Results suggest that stronger conservation actions to address these threats across the flyway can reduce their impacts on species. In particular, projected future development of energy infrastructure is a representative example where application of planning, operation, and mitigation measures can enhance bird conservation

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuro-inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease that is most prevalent in Northern Europe. Although it is known that inherited risk for MS is located within or in close proximity to immune-related genes, it is unknown when, where and how this genetic risk originated1. Here, by using a large ancient genome dataset from the Mesolithic period to the Bronze Age2, along with new Medieval and post-Medieval genomes, we show that the genetic risk for MS rose among pastoralists from the Pontic steppe and was brought into Europe by the Yamnaya-related migration approximately 5,000 years ago. We further show that these MS-associated immunogenetic variants underwent positive selection both within the steppe population and later in Europe, probably driven by pathogenic challenges coinciding with changes in diet, lifestyle and population density. This study highlights the critical importance of the Neolithic period and Bronze Age as determinants of modern immune responses and their subsequent effect on the risk of developing MS in a changing environment

Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations

Acknowledgements: We extend our thanks to all the former and current staff at the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre and the GeoGenetics Sequencing Core and to colleagues across the many institutions detailed below. We are particularly grateful to M. Madrona, L. Hansen and J. Bitz-Thorsen for laboratory assistance; to J. Hansen, S. Mularczyk, K. Thorø Michler and E. Neerup Nielsen for their help with sampling; and to L. Olsen as project manager for the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre project. The Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre is supported by grants from the Lundbeck Foundation (R302-2018-2155, R155-2013-16338), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF18SA0035006), the Wellcome Trust (214300), Carlsberg Foundation (CF18-0024), the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF94, DNRF174), the University of Copenhagen (KU2016 programme), the Rise II project ‘Towards a New European Prehistory’ (M16-0455) and Ferring Pharmaceuticals A/S (to E.W.). We thank UK Biobank for access to the UK Biobank genomic resource. We also thank and acknowledge the participants and investigators of the FinnGen study. We are thankful to Illumina for collaboration. E.W. thanks St John’s College, Cambridge, for providing a stimulating environment of discussion and learning and the Lundbeck Foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the Carlsberg Foundation and the Danish National Research Foundation for financial support. R.N. acknowledges US National Institutes of Health grant R01GM138634. K.E.A., A.P.A., A.K.N.I. and L.F. thank the OAK Foundation.Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuro-inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease that is most prevalent in Northern Europe. Although it is known that inherited risk for MS is located within or in close proximity to immune-related genes, it is unknown when, where and how this genetic risk originated1. Here, by using a large ancient genome dataset from the Mesolithic period to the Bronze Age2, along with new Medieval and post-Medieval genomes, we show that the genetic risk for MS rose among pastoralists from the Pontic steppe and was brought into Europe by the Yamnaya-related migration approximately 5,000 years ago. We further show that these MS-associated immunogenetic variants underwent positive selection both within the steppe population and later in Europe, probably driven by pathogenic challenges coinciding with changes in diet, lifestyle and population density. This study highlights the critical importance of the Neolithic period and Bronze Age as determinants of modern immune responses and their subsequent effect on the risk of developing MS in a changing environment

Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuro-inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease that is most prevalent in Northern Europe. Although it is known that inherited risk for MS is located within or in close proximity to immune-related genes, it is unknown when, where and how this genetic risk originated 1. Here, by using a large ancient genome dataset from the Mesolithic period to the Bronze Age 2, along with new Medieval and post-Medieval genomes, we show that the genetic risk for MS rose among pastoralists from the Pontic steppe and was brought into Europe by the Yamnaya-related migration approximately 5,000 years ago. We further show that these MS-associated immunogenetic variants underwent positive selection both within the steppe population and later in Europe, probably driven by pathogenic challenges coinciding with changes in diet, lifestyle and population density. This study highlights the critical importance of the Neolithic period and Bronze Age as determinants of modern immune responses and their subsequent effect on the risk of developing MS in a changing environment. </p

Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations

Acknowledgements: We extend our thanks to all the former and current staff at the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre and the GeoGenetics Sequencing Core and to colleagues across the many institutions detailed below. We are particularly grateful to M. Madrona, L. Hansen and J. Bitz-Thorsen for laboratory assistance; to J. Hansen, S. Mularczyk, K. Thorø Michler and E. Neerup Nielsen for their help with sampling; and to L. Olsen as project manager for the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre project. The Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre is supported by grants from the Lundbeck Foundation (R302-2018-2155, R155-2013-16338), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF18SA0035006), the Wellcome Trust (214300), Carlsberg Foundation (CF18-0024), the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF94, DNRF174), the University of Copenhagen (KU2016 programme), the Rise II project ‘Towards a New European Prehistory’ (M16-0455) and Ferring Pharmaceuticals A/S (to E.W.). We thank UK Biobank for access to the UK Biobank genomic resource. We also thank and acknowledge the participants and investigators of the FinnGen study. We are thankful to Illumina for collaboration. E.W. thanks St John’s College, Cambridge, for providing a stimulating environment of discussion and learning and the Lundbeck Foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the Carlsberg Foundation and the Danish National Research Foundation for financial support. R.N. acknowledges US National Institutes of Health grant R01GM138634. K.E.A., A.P.A., A.K.N.I. and L.F. thank the OAK Foundation.AbstractMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuro-inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease that is most prevalent in Northern Europe. Although it is known that inherited risk for MS is located within or in close proximity to immune-related genes, it is unknown when, where and how this genetic risk originated1. Here, by using a large ancient genome dataset from the Mesolithic period to the Bronze Age2, along with new Medieval and post-Medieval genomes, we show that the genetic risk for MS rose among pastoralists from the Pontic steppe and was brought into Europe by the Yamnaya-related migration approximately 5,000 years ago. We further show that these MS-associated immunogenetic variants underwent positive selection both within the steppe population and later in Europe, probably driven by pathogenic challenges coinciding with changes in diet, lifestyle and population density. This study highlights the critical importance of the Neolithic period and Bronze Age as determinants of modern immune responses and their subsequent effect on the risk of developing MS in a changing environment.</jats:p

Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations

Acknowledgements: We extend our thanks to all the former and current staff at the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre and the GeoGenetics Sequencing Core and to colleagues across the many institutions detailed below. We are particularly grateful to M. Madrona, L. Hansen and J. Bitz-Thorsen for laboratory assistance; to J. Hansen, S. Mularczyk, K. Thorø Michler and E. Neerup Nielsen for their help with sampling; and to L. Olsen as project manager for the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre project. The Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre is supported by grants from the Lundbeck Foundation (R302-2018-2155, R155-2013-16338), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF18SA0035006), the Wellcome Trust (214300), Carlsberg Foundation (CF18-0024), the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF94, DNRF174), the University of Copenhagen (KU2016 programme), the Rise II project ‘Towards a New European Prehistory’ (M16-0455) and Ferring Pharmaceuticals A/S (to E.W.). We thank UK Biobank for access to the UK Biobank genomic resource. We also thank and acknowledge the participants and investigators of the FinnGen study. We are thankful to Illumina for collaboration. E.W. thanks St John’s College, Cambridge, for providing a stimulating environment of discussion and learning and the Lundbeck Foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the Carlsberg Foundation and the Danish National Research Foundation for financial support. R.N. acknowledges US National Institutes of Health grant R01GM138634. K.E.A., A.P.A., A.K.N.I. and L.F. thank the OAK Foundation.Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuro-inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease that is most prevalent in Northern Europe. Although it is known that inherited risk for MS is located within or in close proximity to immune-related genes, it is unknown when, where and how this genetic risk originated1. Here, by using a large ancient genome dataset from the Mesolithic period to the Bronze Age2, along with new Medieval and post-Medieval genomes, we show that the genetic risk for MS rose among pastoralists from the Pontic steppe and was brought into Europe by the Yamnaya-related migration approximately 5,000 years ago. We further show that these MS-associated immunogenetic variants underwent positive selection both within the steppe population and later in Europe, probably driven by pathogenic challenges coinciding with changes in diet, lifestyle and population density. This study highlights the critical importance of the Neolithic period and Bronze Age as determinants of modern immune responses and their subsequent effect on the risk of developing MS in a changing environment

Elevated genetic risk for multiple sclerosis emerged in steppe pastoralist populations

Acknowledgements: We extend our thanks to all the former and current staff at the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre and the GeoGenetics Sequencing Core and to colleagues across the many institutions detailed below. We are particularly grateful to M. Madrona, L. Hansen and J. Bitz-Thorsen for laboratory assistance; to J. Hansen, S. Mularczyk, K. Thorø Michler and E. Neerup Nielsen for their help with sampling; and to L. Olsen as project manager for the Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre project. The Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre is supported by grants from the Lundbeck Foundation (R302-2018-2155, R155-2013-16338), the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF18SA0035006), the Wellcome Trust (214300), Carlsberg Foundation (CF18-0024), the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF94, DNRF174), the University of Copenhagen (KU2016 programme), the Rise II project ‘Towards a New European Prehistory’ (M16-0455) and Ferring Pharmaceuticals A/S (to E.W.). We thank UK Biobank for access to the UK Biobank genomic resource. We also thank and acknowledge the participants and investigators of the FinnGen study. We are thankful to Illumina for collaboration. E.W. thanks St John’s College, Cambridge, for providing a stimulating environment of discussion and learning and the Lundbeck Foundation, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, the Carlsberg Foundation and the Danish National Research Foundation for financial support. R.N. acknowledges US National Institutes of Health grant R01GM138634. K.E.A., A.P.A., A.K.N.I. and L.F. thank the OAK Foundation.Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuro-inflammatory and neurodegenerative disease that is most prevalent in Northern Europe. Although it is known that inherited risk for MS is located within or in close proximity to immune-related genes, it is unknown when, where and how this genetic risk originated1. Here, by using a large ancient genome dataset from the Mesolithic period to the Bronze Age2, along with new Medieval and post-Medieval genomes, we show that the genetic risk for MS rose among pastoralists from the Pontic steppe and was brought into Europe by the Yamnaya-related migration approximately 5,000 years ago. We further show that these MS-associated immunogenetic variants underwent positive selection both within the steppe population and later in Europe, probably driven by pathogenic challenges coinciding with changes in diet, lifestyle and population density. This study highlights the critical importance of the Neolithic period and Bronze Age as determinants of modern immune responses and their subsequent effect on the risk of developing MS in a changing environment