Cartographic Analysis of the Radon Situation in the Environment

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.18662/wlc2021/03 ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Renat N. Apkin ◽

Keyword(s):

Western Europe ◽

Practical Significance ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

United Nations Scientific Committee ◽

Important Place ◽

Minimum Concentration ◽

Safety Standards ◽

The Earth ◽

The Usa ◽

Upper Respiratory

According to UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiations), no less than 10% of lung cancer diseases registered annually are caused by radon radiation. Born in the belly of the earth, the same gas, a class I cancirogen, increases the risk of non-cancerous diseases of the upper respiratory tract and cardiovascular diseases. The radon problem occupies an important place in the radioecological programs of the USA, Japan, Western Europe and Russia. However, the natural radiation varies in the background from location to location. In many countries, survey work is being carried out, including an assessment of the intensity of the radon hazards of sites allocated for construction. In Russia, the Radiation Safety Standards are stipulating that the concentration of radon in the air of residential premises should not exceed 200 Bq/m3; in Sweden, the maximum radon concentration is taken as 100 Bq/m3, in Finland and Canada - 400 Bq/m3, and in Germany and Great Britain - 200 Bq/m3. It is necessary to carefully choose the constructive site, with the minimum concentration of radon in the soil. Our purpose is to carry out a cartographic analysis of radon intake from soil in the territory of Kazan. An important component is the creation of unique maps based on the measurement of radon escalation. The practical significance of the work lies in the application of the results for making management decisions, in engineering and environmental surveys, for conducting hygienic assessments, or simply being used by citizens for informational purposes.

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Rhinoscleroma with Pharyngolaryngeal Involvement Caused byKlebsiella ozaenae

Case Reports in Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1155/2016/6536275 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

J. Gonzales Zamora ◽

A. R. Murali

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Klebsiella Pneumoniae ◽

Central America ◽

United States Of America ◽

Upper Airway ◽

The United States ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

The Usa ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

Histopathology Examination

Rhinoscleroma is a chronic, slowly progressive granulomatous bacterial infection that is endemic to the tropical world, namely, Central America and Africa. It is occasionally seen in the United States of America (USA). It predominately affects the nasal mucosa but can also involve the rest of the upper respiratory tract. The well-known causative agent for rhinoscleroma is the bacteriumKlebsiella rhinoscleromatis, a subspecies ofKlebsiella pneumoniae. However,Klebsiella ozaenaecan also, albeit very rarely, cause rhinoscleroma. The diagnosis is confirmed by histopathology examination that shows the characteristic Mikulicz cells, considered pathognomonic for this infection. We report a patient with histologically proven rhinoscleroma with pharyngolaryngeal involvement in whom cultures yieldedKlebsiella ozaenae. To the best of our knowledge, only two cases of rhinoscleroma due toKlebsiella ozaenaehave been reported in the literature to date. Our case illustrates the importance of recognizing this infection in a nonendemic setting such as the USA. A lack of awareness and a delay in the diagnosis of this disease can lead to complications including upper airway obstruction, physical deformity, and, rarely, sepsis. In addition, it must be remembered that the treatment of rhinoscleroma is challenging and requires a prolonged course of antibiotics to achieve a definite cure and avoid relapses.

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Transmission and protection against re-infection in the ferret model with the SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 reference isolate

Journal of Virology ◽

10.1128/jvi.02232-20 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Devanshi R. Patel ◽

Cassandra J. Field ◽

Kayla M. Septer ◽

Derek G. Sim ◽

Matthew J. Jones ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Respiratory Tract ◽

Direct Contact ◽

Reference Strain ◽

Infectious Virus ◽

Natural Infection ◽

Upper Respiratory Tract ◽

Nasal Wash ◽

The Usa ◽

Upper Respiratory ◽

Mode Of Transmission

SARS-CoV-2 has initiated a global pandemic and several vaccines have now received emergency use authorization. Using the reference strain SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020, we evaluated modes of transmission and the ability of prior infection or vaccine-induced immunity to protect against infection in ferrets. Ferrets were semi-permissive to infection with the USA-WA1/2020 isolate. When transmission was assessed via the detection of vRNA at multiple timepoints, direct contact transmission was efficient to 3/3 and 3/4 contact animals in two respective studies, while respiratory droplet transmission was poor to only 1/4 contact animals. To determine if previously infected ferrets were protected against re-infection, ferrets were re-challenged 28 or 56 days post-infection. Following viral challenge, no infectious virus was recovered in nasal wash samples. In addition, levels of vRNA in the nasal wash were several orders of magnitude lower than during primary infection, and vRNA was rapidly cleared. To determine if intramuscular vaccination protected ferrets, ferrets were vaccinated using a prime-boost strategy with the S-protein receptor-binding domain formulated with an oil-in-water adjuvant. Upon viral challenge, none of the mock or vaccinated animals were protected against infection, and there were no significant differences in vRNA or infectious virus titers in the nasal wash. Combined these studies demonstrate that in ferrets direct contact is the predominant mode of transmission of the USA-WA1/2020 isolate and immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is maintained for at least 56 days. Our studies also indicate protection of the upper respiratory tract against SARS-CoV-2 will require vaccine strategies that mimic natural infection or induce site-specific immunity. Importance: The SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 strain is a CDC reference strain used by multiple research laboratories. Here, we show the predominant mode of transmission of this isolate in ferrets is by direct contact. We further demonstrate ferrets are protected against re-infection for at least 56 days even when levels of neutralizing antibodies are low or undetectable. Last, we show that when ferrets were vaccinated by the intramuscular route to induce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, ferrets remain susceptible to infection of the upper respiratory tract. Collectively, these studies suggest protection of the upper respiratory tract will require vaccine approaches that mimic natural infection.

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