The impact of climate change on mosquito-borne diseases in Africa.

Despite being one of the continents with the least greenhouse gas emissions, no continent is being struck as severely by climate change (CC) as Africa. Mosquito-borne diseases (MBD) cause major human diseases in this continent. Current knowledge suggests that MBD range could expand dramatically in response to CC. This study aimed at assessing the relationship between CC and MBD in Africa. Methods For this purpose, a systematic peer review was carried out, considering all articles indexed in PubMed, Scopus, Embase and CENTRAL. Search terms referring to MBD, CC and environmental factors were screened in title, abstract and keywords.Results A total of twenty-nine studies were included, most of them on malaria (61%), being Anopheles spp. (61%) the most commonly analyzed vector, mainly in Eastern Africa (48%). Seventy-nine percent of these studies were based on predictive models. Seventy-two percent of the reviewed studies considered that CC impacts on MBD epidemiology. MBD prevalence will increase according to 69% of the studies while 17% predicted a decrease. MBD expansion throughout the continent was also predicted. Most studies showed a positive relationship between observed or predicted results and CC. However, there was a great heterogeneity in methodologies and a tendency to reductionism, not integrating other variables that interact with both the environment and MBD. In addition, most results have not yet been tested. A global health approach is desirable in this kind of research. Nevertheless, we cannot wait for science to approve something that needs to be addressed now to avoid greater effects in the future.S

A One-Dimensional Model for Turbulent Mixing in the Benthic Biolayer of Stream and Coastal Sediments

In this paper, we develop and validate a rigorous modeling framework, based on Duhamel’s Theorem, for the unsteady one-dimensional vertical transport of a solute across a flat sediment-water interface (SWI) and through the benthic biolayer of a turbulent stream. The modeling framework is novel in capturing the two-way coupling between evolving solute concentrations above and below the SWI and in allowing for a depth-varying diffusivity. Three diffusivity profiles within the sediment (constant, exponentially decaying, and a hybrid model) are evaluated against an extensive set of previously published laboratory measurements of turbulent mass transfer across the SWI. The exponential diffusivity profile best represents experimental observations and its reference diffusivity scales with the permeability Reynolds Number, a dimensionless measure of turbulence at the SWI. The depth over which the turbulence-enhanced diffusivity decays is of the order of centimeters and comparable to the thickness of the benthic biolayer. Thus, turbulent mixing across the SWI may serve as a universal transport mechanism, supplying the nutrient and energy fluxes needed to sustain microbial growth, and nutrient processing, in the benthic biolayer of stream and coastal sediments

Unconventional magnetotransport phenomena in individual carbon nanotubes

We investigate the quantum transport in different individual carbon nanotubes in the light of magneto-transport experiments in intense (60T pulsed)magnetic field. Large magnetic fields are required to probe field dependent gap modulation and quantum interference effects along the circumference of the tube. Such experiments along with a control of the electrostatic doping of the tube by a back-gate voltage constitute an unique tool to explore the exceptional electronic properties of this material. We bring evidence that the field dependence of the conductivity is a fingerprint of the electronic conduction modes and their interplay with the band structure (helicity), the static disorder and the location of the Fermi level of the tube. We infer the characteristic lengths of the electronic transport (the electronic mean free path and the phase coherence length) which are differently modified by the Fermi level location, depending on the disorder

The politics of fear and the suppression of Indigenous language activism in Asia: Prospects for the United Nations’ Decade of Indigenous Languages

This article discusses how state suppression of human rights activism and restrictions on civil society are likely to impact the implementation of the United Nations’ International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032, hereafter “the Decade”). We focus on China, India, and Indonesia, the three most populous and linguistically diverse countries in Asia. Drawing on a range of reports from human rights organizations and materials from academic literature, we argue that increasing attacks on human rights defenders and restrictions on civil society are likely to pose serious challenges to the implementation of the Decade in these countries. We situate this argument within broader debates about human rights advocacy and state repression, and draw on Guzel Yusupova’s arguments about the politics of fear and minority language mobilization to suggest that intensifying state repression of human rights is likely to prevent new forms of Indigenous language advocacy from emerging during the Decade

Surveillance of imported malaria in Spain: The useful tool of the Semi-Nested Multiplex PCR

The use of a new PCR-based method for the diagnosis of malaria in the Spanish Malaria Reference Laboratory has promoted an increase in confirmed cases of malaria. From August 1997 to July 1998, a total of 192 whole-blood samples and 71 serum samples from 168 patients were received from the hospitals of the Spanish National Health System. Most of the patients came from west-central African countries (85%). This molecular method showed more sensitivity and specificity than microscopy, detecting 12.4% more positive samples than microscopy and 13% of mixed infections undetectable by Giemsa stain. Plasmodium falciparum was the main species detected, with 68% of the total positive malaria cases, followed by Plasmodium malariae (29%), Plasmodium vivax (14%), and Plasmodium ovale (7%), including mixed infections in all cases. This report consists of the first wide, centralized survey of malaria surveillance in Spain. The reference laboratory conducted the analysis of all imported cases in order to detect trends in acquisition. The use of a seminested multiplex PCR permitted confirmation of the origins of the infections and the Plasmodium species involved and confirmation of the effectiveness of drug treatments. This PCR also allowed the detection of the presence in Spain of primaquine-tolerant P. vivax strains from west-central Africa, as well as the detection of a P. falciparum infection induced by transfusion.This work was supported by the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (FIS) (contract number 96/0216) and the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation (AECI). J. M. Rubio was granted a postdoctoral fellowship from the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. J. Alvar was supported by a B.A.E. from the FIS (contract number 99/5038) and by the Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdo

Impactos de la pandemia generada por el virus COVID 19 en la gestión de la seguridad y la salud en el trabajo

86 p.This research developed as a degree option to obtain the title of Specialist in Management of Safety and Health at Work, seeks to become a consultation document now and in the future, from the development of its numerals testifies to how the pandemic generated by the Covid-19 coronavirus has generated impacts on all human development activities, especially those related to Occupational Safety and Health. The research is carried out with the objective of establishing the impacts generated by the pandemic in the Management of Safety and health at Work, for this the phases of the study are established, beginning with the search for related literature, this serves as support for the investigative and scientific as well as argumentative development evidencing the existing knowledge in the study area; The development and application of instruments, these tend to establish reality based on knowledge and practice of Safety and Health at work through structured virtual interview; The bibliographic review and classification, the results compiled from the application of instruments generates decisions with which it is determined that the sector in which the estimation of the impacts will be concentrated is that of public transport and finally the preparation of the final report in which the proposed objectives are met.Contenido 1 Título 2 Problema de investigación 3 Objetivos de la investigación 4 Justificación y delimitación de la investigación 5 Marco Conceptual 6 Marco Metodológico 7 Conclusiones y recomendaciones 8 BibliografíaEsta investigación es desarrollada como opción de grado para obtener el título de Especialistas en Gerencia de la Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo, busca convertirse en un documento de consulta ahora y en el futuro, a partir del desarrollo de sus numerales da testimonio de como la pandemia generada por el coronavirus Covid-19 ha generado impactos en todas las actividades del desarrollo humano, especialmente se tienen en cuenta las relacionadas con la Seguridad y la Salud en el Trabajo. Se desarrolla la investigación teniendo como objetivo establecer los impactos generados por la pandemia en la Gestión de la Seguridad y la salud en el Trabajo, para esto se establecen las fases del estudio, iniciando con la búsqueda de la literatura relacionada, esta sirve como soporte del desarrollo investigativo y científico así como argumentativo evidenciando el conocimiento existente en el área de estudio; otra de sus fases consiste en el desarrollo y la aplicación de instrumentos, estos tendientes a establecer la realidad con base en el conocimiento y la práctica de la Seguridad y Salud en el trabajo mediante entrevista virtual estructurada; La revisión y clasificación bibliográfica, los resultados recopilados a partir de la aplicación de instrumentos genera decisiones con las cuales se determina que el sector en el cual se concentrará la estimación de los impactos es el de transporte público y por último la elaboración del informe final en el cual se cumplen los objetivos propuestos

Spatial and temporal variability of the Glossina palpalis palpalis population in the Mbini focus (Equatorial Guinea)

BACKGROUND: Human African Trypanosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease. The geographical distribution of the disease is linked to the spatial distribution of the tsetse fly. As part of a control campaign using traps, the spatial and temporal variability is analysed of the glossina populations present in the Mbini sleeping sickness foci (Equatorial Guinea). RESULTS: A significant drop in the annual mean of the G. p. palpalis apparent density was noted from 2004 to 2005, although seasonal differences were not observed. The apparent density (AD) of G. p. palpalis varies significantly from one biotope to another. The fish dryers turned out to be zones with the greatest vector density, although the AD of G. p. palpalis fell significantly in all locations from 2004 to 2005. CONCLUSION: Despite the tsetse fly density being relatively low in fish dryers and jetties, the population working in those zones would be more exposed to infection. The mono-pyramidal traps in the Mbini focus have been proven to be a useful tool to control G. p. palpalis, even though the activity on the banks of the River Wele needs to be intensified. The application of spatial analysis techniques and geographical information systems are very useful tools to discriminate zones with high and low apparent density of G. p. palpalis, probably associated with different potential risk of sleeping sickness transmission

Transmission of malaria and genotypic variability of Plasmodium falciparum on the Island of Annobon (Equatorial Guinea)

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

A population of proinflammatory T cells coexpresses αβ and γδ T cell receptors in mice and humans

T cells are classically recognized as distinct subsets that express αβ or γδ TCRs. We identify a novel population of T cells that coexpress αβ and γδ TCRs in mice and humans. These hybrid αβ-γδ T cells arose in the murine fetal thymus by day 16 of ontogeny, underwent αβ TCR–mediated positive selection into CD4+ or CD8+ thymocytes, and constituted up to 10% of TCRδ+ cells in lymphoid organs. They expressed high levels of IL-1R1 and IL-23R and secreted IFN-γ, IL-17, and GM-CSF in response to canonically restricted peptide antigens or stimulation with IL-1β and IL-23. Hybrid αβ-γδ T cells were transcriptomically distinct from conventional γδ T cells and displayed a hyperinflammatory phenotype enriched for chemokine receptors and homing molecules that facilitate migration to sites of inflammation. These proinflammatory T cells promoted bacterial clearance after infection with Staphylococcus aureus and, by licensing encephalitogenic Th17 cells, played a key role in the development of autoimmune disease in the central nervous system

Dynamics of disease characteristics and clinical management of critically ill COVID-19 patients over the time course of the pandemic: an analysis of the prospective, international, multicentre RISC-19-ICU registry.

BACKGROUND It remains elusive how the characteristics, the course of disease, the clinical management and the outcomes of critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) worldwide have changed over the course of the pandemic. METHODS Prospective, observational registry constituted by 90 ICUs across 22 countries worldwide including patients with a laboratory-confirmed, critical presentation of COVID-19 requiring advanced organ support. Hierarchical, generalized linear mixed-effect models accounting for hospital and country variability were employed to analyse the continuous evolution of the studied variables over the pandemic. RESULTS Four thousand forty-one patients were included from March 2020 to September 2021. Over this period, the age of the admitted patients (62 [95% CI 60-63] years vs 64 [62-66] years, p < 0.001) and the severity of organ dysfunction at ICU admission decreased (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment 8.2 [7.6-9.0] vs 5.8 [5.3-6.4], p < 0.001) and increased, while more female patients (26 [23-29]% vs 41 [35-48]%, p < 0.001) were admitted. The time span between symptom onset and hospitalization as well as ICU admission became longer later in the pandemic (6.7 [6.2-7.2| days vs 9.7 [8.9-10.5] days, p < 0.001). The PaO2/FiO2 at admission was lower (132 [123-141] mmHg vs 101 [91-113] mmHg, p < 0.001) but showed faster improvements over the initial 5 days of ICU stay in late 2021 compared to early 2020 (34 [20-48] mmHg vs 70 [41-100] mmHg, p = 0.05). The number of patients treated with steroids and tocilizumab increased, while the use of therapeutic anticoagulation presented an inverse U-shaped behaviour over the course of the pandemic. The proportion of patients treated with high-flow oxygen (5 [4-7]% vs 20 [14-29], p < 0.001) and non-invasive mechanical ventilation (14 [11-18]% vs 24 [17-33]%, p < 0.001) throughout the pandemic increased concomitant to a decrease in invasive mechanical ventilation (82 [76-86]% vs 74 [64-82]%, p < 0.001). The ICU mortality (23 [19-26]% vs 17 [12-25]%, p < 0.001) and length of stay (14 [13-16] days vs 11 [10-13] days, p < 0.001) decreased over 19 months of the pandemic. CONCLUSION Characteristics and disease course of critically ill COVID-19 patients have continuously evolved, concomitant to the clinical management, throughout the pandemic leading to a younger, less severely ill ICU population with distinctly different clinical, pulmonary and inflammatory presentations than at the onset of the pandemic