Phylogenetic Signal, Root Morphology, Mycorrhizal Type, and Macroinvertebrate Exclusion: Exploring Wood Decomposition in Soils Conditioned by 13 Temperate Tree Species

Woodlands are pivotal to carbon stocks, but the process of cycling C is slow and may be most effective in the biodiverse root zone. How the root zone impacts plants has been widely examined over the past few decades, but the role of the root zone in decomposition is understudied. Here, we examined how mycorrhizal association and macroinvertebrate activity influences wood decomposition across diverse tree species. Within the root zone of six predominantly arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) (Acer negundo, Acer saccharum, Prunus serotina, Juglans nigra, Sassafras albidum, and Liriodendron tulipfera) and seven predominantly ectomycorrhizal (EM) tree species (Carya glabra, Quercus alba, Quercus rubra, Betula alleghaniensis, Picea rubens, Pinus virginiana, and Pinus strobus), woody litter was buried for 13 months. Macroinvertebrate access to woody substrate was either prevented or not using 0.22 mm mesh in a common garden site in central Pennsylvania. Decomposition was assessed as proportionate mass loss, as explained by root diameter, phylogenetic signal, mycorrhizal type, canopy tree trait, or macroinvertebrate exclusion. Macroinvertebrate exclusion significantly increased wood decomposition by 5.9%, while mycorrhizal type did not affect wood decomposition, nor did canopy traits (i.e., broad leaves versus pine needles). Interestingly, there was a phylogenetic signal for wood decomposition. Local indicators for phylogenetic associations (LIPA) determined high values of sensitivity value in Pinus and Picea genera, while Carya, Juglans, Betula, and Prunus yielded low values of sensitivity. Phylogenetic signals went undetected for tree root morphology. Despite this, roots greater than 0.35 mm significantly increased woody litter decomposition by 8%. In conclusion, the findings of this study suggest trees with larger root diameters can accelerate C cycling, as can trees associated with certain phylogenetic clades. In addition, root zone macroinvertebrates can potentially limit woody C cycling, while mycorrhizal type does not play a significant role

Case registry systems for pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 in Europe: are there lessons for the future?

Countries across Europe developed a range of database systems to register pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases. Anecdotal reports indicate that some systems were not as useful as expected. This was a cross-sectional, semi-structured survey of health professionals who collected and reported pandemic influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 cases in 23 countries within the 27 European Union (EU) Member States plus Norway. We describe here the experiences of using pandemic case register systems developed before and during the pandemic, whether the systems were used as intended and, what problems, if any, were encountered. We conducted the survey to identify improvements that could be made to future pandemic case registers at national and EU level. Despite many inter-country differences, 17 respondents felt that a standardised case register template incorporating a limited number of simple standard variables specified in advance and agreed between the World Health Organization and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control could be useful. Intra- and inter-country working groups could facilitate information exchange, clearer system objectives and improved interoperability between systems

Application of real-time global media monitoring and ‘derived questions’ for enhancing communication by regulatory bodies:the case of human papillomavirus vaccines

Abstract Background The benefit-risk balance of vaccines is regularly debated by the public, but the utility of media monitoring for regulatory bodies is unclear. A media monitoring study was conducted at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concerning human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines during a European Union (EU) referral procedure assessing the potential causality of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) reported to the authorities as suspected adverse reactions. Methods To evaluate the utility of media monitoring in real life, prospective real-time monitoring of worldwide online news was conducted from September to December 2015 with inductive content analysis, generating ‘derived questions’. The evaluation was performed through the validation of the predictive capacity of these questions against journalists’ queries, review of the EMA’s public statement and feedback from EU regulators. Results A total of 4230 news items were identified, containing personal stories, scientific and policy/process-related topics. Explicit and implicit concerns were identified, including those raised due to lack of knowledge or anticipated once more information would be published. Fifty derived questions were generated and categorised into 12 themes. The evaluation demonstrated that providing the media monitoring findings to assessors and communicators resulted in (1) confirming that public concerns regarding CRPS and POTS would be covered by the assessment; (2) meeting specific information needs proactively in the public statement; (3) predicting all queries from journalists; and (4) altering the tone of the public statement with respectful acknowledgement of the health status of patients with CRSP or POTS. Conclusions The study demonstrated the potential utility of media monitoring for regulatory bodies to support communication proactivity and preparedness, intended to support trusted safe and effective vaccine use. Derived questions seem to be a familiar and effective format for presenting media monitoring results in the scientific-regulatory environment. It is suggested that media monitoring could form part of regular surveillance for medicines of high public interest. Future work is recommended to develop efficient monitoring strategies for that purpose

Application of real-time global media monitoring and ‘derived questions’ for enhancing communication by regulatory bodies:the case of human papillomavirus vaccines

Abstract Background The benefit-risk balance of vaccines is regularly debated by the public, but the utility of media monitoring for regulatory bodies is unclear. A media monitoring study was conducted at the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concerning human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines during a European Union (EU) referral procedure assessing the potential causality of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) reported to the authorities as suspected adverse reactions. Methods To evaluate the utility of media monitoring in real life, prospective real-time monitoring of worldwide online news was conducted from September to December 2015 with inductive content analysis, generating ‘derived questions’. The evaluation was performed through the validation of the predictive capacity of these questions against journalists’ queries, review of the EMA’s public statement and feedback from EU regulators. Results A total of 4230 news items were identified, containing personal stories, scientific and policy/process-related topics. Explicit and implicit concerns were identified, including those raised due to lack of knowledge or anticipated once more information would be published. Fifty derived questions were generated and categorised into 12 themes. The evaluation demonstrated that providing the media monitoring findings to assessors and communicators resulted in (1) confirming that public concerns regarding CRPS and POTS would be covered by the assessment; (2) meeting specific information needs proactively in the public statement; (3) predicting all queries from journalists; and (4) altering the tone of the public statement with respectful acknowledgement of the health status of patients with CRSP or POTS. Conclusions The study demonstrated the potential utility of media monitoring for regulatory bodies to support communication proactivity and preparedness, intended to support trusted safe and effective vaccine use. Derived questions seem to be a familiar and effective format for presenting media monitoring results in the scientific-regulatory environment. It is suggested that media monitoring could form part of regular surveillance for medicines of high public interest. Future work is recommended to develop efficient monitoring strategies for that purpose

Selection of a phylogenetically informative region of the norovirus genome for outbreak linkage

The recognition of a common source norovirus outbreak is supported by finding identical norovirus sequences in patients. Norovirus sequencing has been established in many (national) public health laboratories and academic centers, but often partial and different genome sequences are used. Therefore, agreement on a target sequence of sufficient diversity to resolve links between outbreaks is crucial. Although harmonization of laboratory methods is one of the keystone activities of networks that have the aim to identify common source norovirus outbreaks, this has proven difficult to accomplish, particularly in the international context. Here, we aimed at providing a method enabling identification of the genomic region informative of a common source norovirus outbreak by bio-informatic tools. The data set of 502 unique full length capsid gene sequences available from the public domain, combined with epidemiological data including linkage information was used to build over 3,000 maximum likelihood (ML) trees for different sequence lengths and regions. All ML trees were evaluated for robustness and specificity of clustering of known linked norovirus outbreaks against the background diversity of strains. Great differences were seen in the robustness of commonly used PCR targets for cluster detection. The capsid gene region spanning nucleotides 900–1,400 was identified as the region optimally substituting for the full length capsid region. Reliability of this approach depends on the quality of the background data set, and we recommend periodic reassessment of this growing data set. The approach may be applicable to multiple sequence-based data sets of other pathogens

Explaining variation in the uptake of HPV vaccination in England

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In England, two national programmes of HPV vaccination for girls have been instituted, a routine programme for 12- and 13-year-olds and a catch-up programme for 17- and 18-year-olds. Uptake rates across the country have been far from uniform, and this research sought to identify factors explaining the variation in uptake by locality.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An association between uptake, deprivation and ethnic background had been established in pilot research. The present analysis was conducted at an aggregate, Primary Care Trust (PCT), level for the first year of the programmes. Published measures of HPV vaccination uptake, material deprivation, ethnic composition of PCT populations, primary care quality, and uptake of cervical screening and of other childhood immunisations were collated. Strong evidence of collinearity amongst the explanatory variables required a factor analysis to be undertaken. This provided four independent factors, used thereafter in regression models to explain uptake by PCT.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The factor analysis revealed that ethnic composition was associated with attitudes towards cervical screening and other childhood vaccinations, whilst material deprivation and quality of primary care were orthogonal. Ethnic composition, early childhood vaccination, cervical screening and primary care quality were found to be influential in predicting uptake in both the routine and the catch-up cohorts, although with a lower degree of confidence in the case of the last two independent variables. Lower primary care quality was significant in explaining a greater fall in vaccination uptake between the first two doses in the catch-up cohort. Greater deprivation was a significant explanatory factor for both uptake and the fall in uptake between doses for the catch-up cohort but not for uptake in the routine cohort.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results for uptake of the first year of the national programme using aggregate data corroborate findings from intentions surveys and pilot studies. Deprivation, the ethnic composition of the population, the effectiveness of primary care and the acceptability of childhood vaccinations are salient factors in explaining local HPV vaccine uptake in England.</p

Participation in and attitude towards the national immunization program in the Netherlands: data from population-based questionnaires

Contains fulltext : 108971.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Knowledge about the determinants of participation and attitude towards the National Immunisation Program (NIP) may be helpful in tailoring information campaigns for this program. Our aim was to determine which factors were associated with nonparticipation in the NIP and which ones were associated with parents' intention to accept remaining vaccinations. Further, we analyzed possible changes in opinion on vaccination over a 10 year period. METHODS: We used questionnaire data from two independent, population-based, cross-sectional surveys performed in 1995-96 and 2006-07. For the 2006-07 survey, logistic regression modelling was used to evaluate what factors were associated with nonparticipation and with parents' intention to accept remaining vaccinations. We used multivariate multinomial logistic regression modelling to compare the results between the two surveys. RESULTS: Ninety-five percent of parents reported that they or their child (had) participated in the NIP. Similarly, 95% reported they intended to accept remaining vaccinations. Ethnicity, religion, income, educational level and anthroposophic beliefs were important determinants of nonparticipation in the NIP. Parental concerns that played a role in whether or not they would accept remaining vaccinations included safety of vaccinations, maximum number of injections, whether vaccinations protect the health of one's child and whether vaccinating healthy children is necessary. Although about 90% reported their opinion towards vaccination had not changed, a larger proportion of participants reported to be less inclined to accept vaccination in 2006-07 than in 1995-96. CONCLUSION: Most participants had a positive attitude towards vaccination, although some had doubts. Groups with a lower income or educational level or of non-Western descent participated less in the NIP than those with a high income or educational level or indigenous Dutch and have been less well identified previously. Particular attention ought to be given to these groups as they contribute in large measure to the rate of nonparticipation in the NIP, i.e., to a greater extent than well-known vaccine refusers such as specific religious groups and anthroposophics. Our finding that the proportion of the population inclined to accept vaccinations is smaller than it was 10 years ago highlights the need to increase knowledge about attitudes and beliefs regarding the NIP

Epidemiology of Epidemic Ebola Virus Disease in Conakry and Surrounding Prefectures, Guinea, 2014–2015

In 2014, Ebola virus disease (EVD) in West Africa was first reported during March in 3 southeastern prefectures in Guinea; from there, the disease rapidly spread across West Africa. We describe the epidemiology of EVD cases reported in Guinea’s capital, Conakry, and 4 surrounding prefectures (Coyah, Dubreka, Forecariah, and Kindia), encompassing a full year of the epidemic. A total of 1,355 EVD cases, representing ≈40% of cases reported in Guinea, originated from these areas. Overall, Forecariah had the highest cumulative incidence (4× higher than that in Conakry). Case-fatality percentage ranged from 40% in Conakry to 60% in Kindia. Cumulative incidence was slightly higher among male than female residents, although incidences by prefecture and commune differed by sex. Over the course of the year, Conakry and neighboring prefectures became the EVD epicenter in Guinea