Comparison of metals content in peatlands with different anthropopressure in Welski Landscape Park (Poland)

The metal content was determined using the WD-XRF method in the peat from the Wąpiersk bog and the Las Nadwelski bog (Welski Landscape Park, Poland). The results of the study show that the concentration of metals, especially heavy metals in peat bogs in Welski Landscape Park is low in general. In both bogs, the concentration of heavy metals was lower in the center than on the border. This shows that heavy metals are absorbed by the peat at the border and their further migration is limited. There are more elements such as iron, calcium and magnesium in the Las Nadwelski bog. There is more light on the border of the forest, which also plays an important role in decomposing plant debris, releasing metals. Heavy metals content was higher in Wąpiersk bog – a bog with higher anthropopressure. To sum up, the peat bog actively captures heavy metals, immobilizing them, and acts as a kind of “filter”. Peat is a good agent for retrospective monitoring of metals migration and accumulation in the environment.

Sequencing the pandemic: rapid and high-throughput processing and analysis of COVID-19 clinical samples for 21st century public health

Genomic epidemiology has proven successful for real-time and retrospective monitoring of small and large-scale outbreaks. Here, we report two genomic sequencing and analysis strategies for rapid-turnaround or high-throughput processing of metagenomic samples. The rapid-turnaround method was designed to provide a quick phylogenetic snapshot of samples at the heart of active outbreaks, and has a total turnaround time of <48 hours from raw sample to analyzed data. The high-throughput method was designed for semi-retrospective data analysis, and is both cost effective and highly scalable. Though these methods were developed and utilized for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic response in Arizona, U.S, and we envision their use for infectious disease epidemiology in the 21st Century.

Towards Best Practice in Hair Metabolomic Studies: Systematic Investigation on the Impact of Hair Length and Color

Untargeted metabolomic studies are used for large-scale analysis of endogenous compounds. Due to exceptional long detection windows of incorporated substances in hair, analysis of hair samples for retrospective monitoring of metabolome changes has recently been introduced. However, information on the general behavior of metabolites in hair samples is scarce, hampering correct data interpretation so far. The presented study aimed to investigate endogenous metabolites depending on hair color and along the hair strand and to propose recommendations for best practice in hair metabolomic studies. A metabolite selection was analyzed using untargeted data acquisition in genuine hair samples from different hair colors and after segmentation in 3 cm segments. Significant differences in metabolites among hair colors and segments were found. In conclusion, consideration of hair color and hair segments is necessary for hair metabolomic studies and, subsequently, recommendations for best practice in hair metabolomic studies were proposed.

EPIZOOTIC PROCESS OF ECHINO-COCCOSIS AT SHEEP AND CATTLE IN TAJIKISTAN REGIONE

In different countries of the world, including the Russian Federation, echinococ- cosis has been found in many species of agricultural and wild animals. In the arti-cle are disrcibed survey facts on features of epizootic process, aspects of a natural outbreak of echinococcosis of animals in the different countries, and results of study-ing of contamination Echinococcus granu-losus (larvae) of sheep and cattle in the Re-public of Tajikistan. According to the results of studies of cattle and sheep, echinococcosis and its mixed forms with other helminthoses are widespread in the Republic of Tajikistan, in some cases with complications of bacterial and viral infections.Depending on the natu-ral-geographical zone of the Republic of Tajikistan, the causative agent of echinococ-cosis circulates in the following parts of the epizootic chain: "cattle - dogs", "sheep - dogs", "sheep - dogs - rodents", "sheep - wild carnivorous Canidae families - synan-thropic rodents". For a clearer picture of the epizootic situation of echinococcosis in the farms of various regions of the Republic of Tajikistan, a statistical analysis for 2005 - 2015 of the results of the post-mortem veter-inary sanitary examination of cadavers and organs of sheep and cattle was carried out.The article presents facts on basis of epizootic and epidemic situation of echino-coccosis is retrospective monitoring of inci-dence, diving the data of post slaughter vet-erinary and sanitary examination of hulks and bodies of animals, carried out at the meat-processing enterprises, and statistics on cases of surgical treatment of a cystic echinococcosis in animals. Analysed de-tailed information on epizootic and epidem-ic process of echinococcosis are used when holding complex preventive, veterinary and sanitary and improving mesures in livestock farms, and settlements of the Republic of Tajikistan.