USE OF SELMAGIS FOR PREPARATION OF AIR QUALITY ACTION PLANS

Municipal environmental protection officers have to survey local and regional air quality. Supplementary to air quality monitoring, modelling systems are gaining more and more an importance. Lohmeyer GmbH & Co. KG provides the graphical user interface SELMAGIS, able to accommodate the locally used air quality models. It is completely implemented into ESRI’s geographical information system ArcGIS. Thus the user is able to use his specific air quality models and at the same time all functionalities of the GIS (e.g. intersection of data, interfaces to data bases etc.). SELMAGIS is a modular system, presently containing different dispersion models as AUSTAL2000, PROKAS, MEMO/MUSE, NERI’s OML-Highway being presently implemented. Depending on the individual task, i.e. regional, urban or micro scale modelling, the user is able to choose the adequate dispersion model on a common data base and a common display of the results. SELMAGIS is used in different European countries. The presentation will show the application and advantages of the SELMAGIS procedure for the preparation of the air quality action plan for the German coastal city of Rostock. The determination of the concentrations resulting from the main emission sources industry/harbour, maritimetraffic and road traffic was executed on a meso-scale and an urban scale. The German regulatory model AUSTAL2000, the Gaussian dispersion model PROKAS and its street canyon module have been used, providing the results to be used by the standard tools of ArcGIS. By calculating the contribution of each emission source it was possible to identify the main polluters and to get a first hint on the hotspots in the city of Rostock. At these hotspots the concentrations were calculated in more detail with the prognostic microscale flow and dispersion model WinMISKAM, which also has an interface to GIS formats. Using this analysis for the air quality in Rostock it was possible to trade off actions for reducing PM10 or NO2 concentrations and to prepare the air quality action plan for Rostock

Humoral immune response after different SARS-CoV-2 vaccination regimens

Results After the first vaccination, the prevalence of IgG directed against the (trimeric) SARS-CoV-2 S-protein and its receptor binding domain (RBD) varied from 55-95% (AZD1222) to 100% (BNT162b2), depending on the vaccine regimen and the SARS-CoV-2 antigen used. The booster vaccination resulted in 100% seroconversion and the occurrence of highly avid IgG, which is directed against the S-protein subunit 1 and the RBD, as well as VNA against VOC B.1.1.7, while anti-NP IgGs were not detected. The results of the three anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG tests showed an excellent correlation to the VNA titres against this VOC. The agreement of cVNT and sVNT results was good. However, the sVNT seems to overestimate non- and weak B.1.1.7-neutralising titres. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentrations and the B.1.1.7-neutralising titres were significantly higher after heterologous vaccination compared to the homologous AZD1222 scheme. If VOC B.1.617.2 was used as antigen, significantly lower VNA titres were measured in the cVNT, and three (33.3%) vector vaccine recipients had a VNA titre < 1:10. Conclusions Heterologous SARS-CoV-2 vaccination leads to a strong antibody response with anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG concentrations and VNA titres at a level comparable to that of a homologous BNT162b2 vaccination scheme. Irrespective of the chosen immunisation regime, highly avid IgG antibodies can be detected just 2 weeks after the second vaccine dose indicating the development of a robust humoral immunity. The reduction in the VNA titre against VOC B.1.617.2 observed in the subgroup of 26 individuals is remarkable and confirms the immune escape of the delta variant

Development of SARS-CoV-2 Specific IgG and Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies after Infection with Variants of Concern or Vaccination

The humoral immunity after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination was examined. Convalescent sera after infection with variants of concern (VOCs: B.1.1.7, n = 10; B.1.351, n = 1) and sera from 100 vaccinees (Pfizer/BioNTech, BNT162b2, n = 33; Moderna, mRNA-1273, n = 11; AstraZeneca, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/AZD1222, n = 56) were tested for the presence of immunoglobulin G (IgG) directed against the viral spike (S)-protein, its receptor-binding domain (RBD), the nucleoprotein (N) and for virus-neutralizing antibodies (VNA). For the latter, surrogate assays (sVNT) and a Vero-cell based neutralization test (cVNT) were used. Maturity of IgG was determined by measuring the avidity in an immunoblot (IB). Past VOC infection resulted in a broad reactivity of anti-S IgG (100%), anti-RBD IgG (100%), and anti-N IgG (91%), while latter were absent in 99% of vaccinees. Starting approximately two weeks after the first vaccine dose, anti-S IgG (75-100%) and particularly anti-RBD IgG (98-100%) were detectable. After the second dose, their titers increased and were higher than in the convalescents. The sVNT showed evidence of VNA in 91% of convalescents and in 80-100%/100% after first/second vaccine dose, respectively. After the second dose, an increase in VNA titer and IgGs of high avidity were demonstrated by cVNT and IB, respectively. Re-vaccination contributes to a more robust immune response

Ultrafine particles around a major airport – attempt to model total ultrafine particle number concentration around Frankfurt Airport

The German Environment Agency (UBA) funded the project “Influence of a major airport on temporal and spatial distributions of outdoor air concentrations of ultrafine dust <100 nm to describe the potential exposure in the vicinity - including other air pollutants (soot, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10))”, UFOPLAN 3716 52 200 0. Total UFP number concentration for the year 2015 at and around Frankfurt Airport (FRA) was estimated using a combination of established small-scale (LASAT/LASPORT) and large-scale modelling (EURAD, MADE). Emissions were determined for aircraft traffic, road traffic, airport ground services and regional/mesoscale background using standard national and international inventories (HBEFA, ICAO, GRETA) and specific data obtained from the airport. Model outputs were series of successive 3-dimensional hourly mean concentrations apportioned to aircraft, airport, motor traffic and background. The model results suggest that aircraft main engines are the dominant source of UFP at the airport. Aircraft up to 3’000 ft (about 230’000 LTOs) plus airport-bound sources yield an annual nvPM emission of 1e+24 particles, about 90% of which are due to aircraft main engines. According to the model results, long-time averages of UFP number concentration are dominated by background contributions at locations further away from the airport, while the airport contribution to hourly mean concentrations can be significant even in some distance from the airport. An important aim of the project was to identify shortcomings of current state-of-the-art emission and concentration modelling of UFP in the context of airports. Here, inconsistent UFP diameter ranges in the databases, models and measurements are of relevance, likewise differences in the considered UFP characterisation and measuring method, in particular volatile versus non-volatile fractions. On a more advanced level, current limitations in knowledge and capabilities of local models to address UFP transformation processes play a role

Kinetics of Nucleo- and Spike Protein-Specific Immunoglobulin G and of Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Kinetics of neutralizing antibodies and immunoglobulin G (IgG) against the nucleo (N) or spike (S) proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type2 (SARS-CoV-2) were studied in patients up to 165 days after PCR diagnosis of infection. Two immunoassays were selected out of eight IgG or total antibody tests by comparing their specificities and sensitivities. Sensitivities were calculated with convalescent sera from 26 PCR-confirmed cases, of which 76.9% had neutralizing antibodies (>1:10). Stored sera collected during the summer 2018 (N = 50) and winter seasons 2018/2019 (N = 50) were included to demonstrate the test specificities. IgG kinetics, avidities, and virus-neutralizing capacities were recorded over up to 165 days in eleven patients and five individuals from routine diagnostics. Sensitivities, specificities, and diagnostic accuracies ranged between 80.8-96.3%, 96.0-100%, and 93.7-99.2%, respectively. Nearly all results were confirmed with two different SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoblots. Six (54.4%) patients exhibited stable N-specific IgG indices over 120 days and longer; three of them developed IgG of high avidity. The S-specific IgG response was stable in ten (91.0%) patients, and eight (72.7%) had neutralizing antibodies. However, the titers were relatively low, suggesting that sustained humoral immunity is uncertain, especially after outpatient SARS-CoV-2 infection

Verursacher und Tendenzen für PM2,5 in Sachsen

Feinstaub kleiner 2,5 Mikrometer (PM2,5) ist ein neuer Parameter zur Beurteilung der Luftqualität. Ziel- und Grenzwerte für PM2,5 wurden mit der Novellierung der EU-Luftqualitätsrichtlinie 2008 zusätzlich zu denen für Feinstaub kleiner 10 Mikrometer (PM10) festgelegt. Die größten sächsischen Quellen für PM2,5 sind Straßenverkehr und Kleinfeuerungsanlagen für feste Brennstoffe. Industrie und Landwirtschaft sind weitere Quellen. Der Anteil von PM2,5 am PM10 ist bei den Jahresmittelwerten stabil. Deshalb können für die Beurteilung der Luftqualität an geringer belasteten Orten auch die bisher gemessenen PM10-Daten mit herangezogen werden. Der ab 2015 geltende Grenzwert für PM2,5 ist in Sachsen bisher nicht überschritten worden. Die erstmals für die ganze Fläche Sachsens modellierte Belastung hat für die Prognosejahre 2015 und 2020 ebenfalls keine Hinweise auf Grenzwertüberschreitungen ergeben. Das nationale Ziel für die Minderung der durchschnittlichen Exposition der Bevölkerung bis 2020 stellt noch einmal höhere Anforderungen an die Luftqualität

Performance of a Point-of-Care Test for the Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Antigen

The rapid detection of infections caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is necessary in the ongoing pandemic. Antigen-specific point-of-care tests (POCT) may be useful for this purpose. Here, such a POCT (SARS-CoV-2 NADAL® COVID-19 Ag) was compared to a laboratory-developed triplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) designed for the detection of viral nucleoprotein gene and two control targets. This RT-PCR served as a reference to investigate POCT sensitivity by re-testing upper respiratory tract (URT) samples (n = 124) exhibiting different SARS-CoV-2 loads in terms of RT-PCR threshold cycle (Ct) values. The optical intensities of the antigen bands were compared to the Ct values of the RT-PCR. The infectivity of various virus loads was estimated by inoculating Vero cells with URT samples (n = 64, Ct 17-34). POCT sensitivity varied from 100% (Ct 30 were negative; among SARS-CoV-2 free samples (n = 10) no false-positives were detected. A head-to-head comparison with another POCT (Abbott, Panbio™ COVID-19 Ag Rapid Test) yielded similar results. Isolation of SARS-CoV-2 in cell-culture was successful up to a Ct value of 29. The POCT reliably detects high SARS-CoV-2 loads and rapidly identifies infectious individuals

Delta or Omicron BA.1/2-neutralizing antibody levels and T-cell reactivity after triple-vaccination or infection

In Germany, SARS-CoV-2 infections in fall 2021 were caused by the Delta (B.1.617.2) variant of concern (VOC), which was completely replaced by the Omicron (BA.1, B.1.529.1/BA.2, B.1.529.2) VOC in winter. Meanwhile, the BA.2 sublineage dominates, apparently having a selection advantage. We studied the kinetics of anti-spike (S) protein IgG, Delta neutralizing antibodies (NA), and the release of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) from stimulated T-cells in 152 individuals (117/35 women/men, median age 41 years) who received two doses of vector vaccine (AstraZeneca, AZD, N = 34), mRNA vaccine (BioNTech/Moderna, mRNA, N = 62), or a combination of both (N = 56) followed by an mRNA vaccine booster (N = 81). Delta and Omicron BA.1/BA.2 NAs and T-cell reactivity were analyzed in a subset of 15 age- and gender-matched vaccinees and in 10 triple-vaccinated and two unvaccinated individuals after BA.1 infection. The presence of Delta and Omicron BA.1-NA was assessed in unvaccinated convalescents after Alpha (N = 10) or Beta (N = 1) VOC infection. For more information, see the Appendix S1

OML-Highway – en ny brugervenlig GIS-baseret luftkvalitetsmodel for motorveje, landeveje og andre veje i åbent terræn

Der er udviklet en ny GIS-baseret brugervenlig brugerflade til luftkvalitetsmodellen OML-Highway, som muliggør beregning af luftkvaliteten langs motorveje, landeveje og øvrige veje i åbent terræn. Endvidere er identificeret potentielle anvendelsesmuligheder af OML-Highway, og illustreret to konkrete eksempler på anvendelser: kortlægning langs en motorvej og effekten af en støjskærm

The long term vaccine-induced anti-SARS-CoV-2 immune response is impaired in quantity and quality under TNFα blockade

The humoral immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccination in patients with chronic inflammatory disease (CID) declines more rapidly with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibition. Furthermore, the efficacy of current vaccines against Omicron variants of concern (VOC) including BA.2 is limited. Alterations within immune cell populations, changes in IgG affinity, and the ability to neutralize a pre-VOC strain and the BA.2 virus were investigated in these at-risk patients. Serum levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG, IgG avidity, and neutralizing antibodies (NA) were determined in anti-TNF-α patients (n = 10) and controls (n = 24 healthy individuals; n = 12 patients under other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, oDMARD) before and after the second and third vaccination by ELISA, immunoblot and live virus neutralization assay. SARS-CoV-2-specific B- and T cell subsets were analysed by multicolor flow cytometry. Six months after the second vaccination, anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels, IgG avidity and anti-pre-VOC NA titres were significantly reduced in anti-TNF-α recipients compared to controls (healthy individuals: avidity: p ≤ 0.0001; NA: p = 0.0347; oDMARDs: avidity: p = 0.0012; NA: p = 0.0293). The number of plasma cells was increased in anti-TNF-α patients (Healthy individuals: p = 0.0344; oDMARDs: p = 0.0254), while the absolute number of SARS-CoV-2-specific plasma cells 7 days after 2nd vaccination were comparable. Even after a third vaccination, these patients had lower anti-BA.2 NA titres compared to both other groups. We show a reduced SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing capacity in patients under TNF-α blockade. While these effects were observable after the first two vaccinations and with older VOC, the differences in responses to BA.2 were enhanced