Drinking water quality in the alpine pastures of the eastern Tibetan plateau

The need for water quality research on the Tibetan plateau has arisen after the rangeland was allocated and leased as pasture grounds to individual nomadic families in the 1990s. These policies changed the access to water sources. The imposed fencing of the pasture tenures makes the situation even more delicate. Nomadic families are now obliged to use only water sources existing on their own site. The restrictions have caused the urge to use all available water, which resulted in increasing water quality and quantity problems. In the past, natural water sources were in common use. During the Collective era, machine-dug wells near the collective settlements facilitated the procurement of drinking water. Based on recent investigations in Dzoge county (Sichuan province), the nomadic families of some regions considered the availability of adequate drinking water for humans and animals as their biggest problem. For this study, eight water samples were collected from the Dzoge county area. All samples were from different kinds of sources, but all in continuous use by humans and animals. The samples were analyzed for typical potable water quality factors (hygienic and technique-aesthetic). The results show that the Chinese national guideline values were exceeded for NO4-N and PO4-P in most open sampling locations. Those parameters do not spoil the water by themselves, but together with suspended solids and organic materials produce a great environment for bacteria like E. coli and fecal streptococci to grow. The result analysis and pictures seen from the location reveal that bacterial growth may be the biggest problem in water quality. Even primitive protection around the water source (i.e. concrete rings, wooden barriers around edges, covers) seem to have a great impact on water quality

Hepatitis C virus core, NS3, NS4B and NS5A are the major immunogenic proteins in humoral immunity in chronic HCV infection

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The viral genome of hepatitis C virus constitutes a 9.6-kb single-stranded positive-sense RNA which encodes altogether 11 viral proteins. In order to study the humoral immune responses against different HCV proteins in patients suffering from chronic HCV infection, we produced three structural (core, E1 and E2) and six nonstructural proteins (NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B) in <it>Sf</it>9 insect cells by using the baculovirus expression system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The recombinant HCV core, E1, E2, NS2, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5A and NS5B proteins were purified and used in Western blot analysis to determine antibody responses against individual HCV protein in 68 HCV RNA and antibody positive human sera that were obtained from patients suffering from genotype 1, 2, 3 or 4 infection. These sera were also analysed with INNO-LIA Score test for HCV antibodies against core, NS3, NS4AB and NS5A, and the results were similar to the ones obtained by Western blot method. Based on our Western blot analyses we found that the major immunogenic HCV antigens were the core, NS4B, NS3 and NS5A proteins which were recognized in 97%, 86%, 68% and 53% of patient sera, respectively. There were no major genotype specific differences in antibody responses to individual HCV proteins. A common feature within the studied sera was that all except two sera recognized the core protein in high titers, whereas none of the sera recognized NS2 protein and only three sera (from genotype 3) recognised NS5B.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The data shows significant variation in the specificity in humoral immunity in chronic HCV patients.</p

Polygenic Risk Scores and Physical Activity

Purpose Polygenic risk scores (PRS) summarize genome-wide genotype data into a single variable that produces an individual-level risk score for genetic liability. PRS has been used for prediction of chronic diseases and some risk factors. As PRS has been studied less for physical activity (PA), we constructed PRS for PA and studied how much variation in PA can be explained by this PRS in independent population samples. Methods We calculated PRS for self-reported and objectively measured PA using UK Biobank genome-wide association study summary statistics, and analyzed how much of the variation in self-reported (MET-hours per day) and measured (steps and moderate-to-vigorous PA minutes per day) PA could be accounted for by the PRS in the Finnish Twin Cohorts (FTC;N= 759-11,528) and the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966;N= 3263-4061). Objective measurement of PA was done with wrist-worn accelerometer in UK Biobank and NFBC1966 studies, and with hip-worn accelerometer in the FTC. Results The PRS accounted from 0.07% to 1.44% of the variation (R-2) in the self-reported and objectively measured PA volumes (Pvalue range = 0.023 toPeer reviewe

Hepatiitti C -virusinfektioiden seuranta Suomessa vuosina 1995-2013

Hepatiitti C on yleisin Suomessa esiintyvistä hepatiiteista, ja se saadaan useimmiten suonensisisäisten huumeiden käytön seurauksena. Tartunta saadaan usein nuorena, infektio jää valtaosalla krooniseksi ja altistaa kantajansa vuosikymmenien kuluessa erilaisille maksasairauksille. Hepatiitti C -tartunnan saaneita voidaan kuitenkin hoitaa lääkkeillä ja suurin osa hoidetuista paranee. Tämä raportti on ensimmäinen kokonaisvaltainen selvitys hepatiitti C -virusinfektioista Suomessa. Siihen on koottu tietoa tartuntatautirekisterin hepatiitti C -tapauksista. Lisäksi esitetään arvioita hepatiitti C -tartuntojen esiintyvyydestä eri väestöryhmissä ja käsitellään hoitoa ja ennaltaehkäisyä. Raportti on tarkoitettu hepatiitti C -potilaita hoitaville, tartuntojen ehkäisytyötä tekeville ja muille asiasta kiinnostuneille