Spiez Laboratory

Zmiany w kompetencjach organów administracyjnych, związanych z powoływaniem niektórych form ochrony przyrody, dały wyłącznie radom gmin możliwość ustanawiania oraz likwidacji czterech indywidualnych form ochrony przyrody. Na podstawie dostępnych danych porównano efektywność działania gmin regionu łódzkiego w zakresie powoływania indywidualnych form ochrony przyrody, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem gminy Uniejów, przed zmianami kompetencji organów administracyjnych (do 2009 r.) i po ich ustanowieniu, tj. od 2010 r. Na obszarze gminy utworzono dotychczas 24 obiekty chronione na podstawie ustawy o ochronie przyrody, w tym 19 indywidualnych form ochrony przyrody. Obszary chronione pokrywają 49,5% powierzchni gminy. Po 2010 r. w gminie Uniejów ustanowiono cztery pomniki przyrody. W pracy zaproponowano utworzenie trzech nowych indywidualnych form ochrony przyrody oraz rezerwatu przyrody.

Background. The emergence, global spread, and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 resulted in an unprecedented need for effective antiviral drugs. Throughout the pandemic, various drug development and treatment strategies were adopted, including repurposing of antivirals designed for other viruses along with a multitude of other drugs with varying mechanisms of action (MoAs). Furthermore, multidrug treatment against COVID-19 is an ongoing topic and merits further investigation. Method/Objectives. We assessed the efficacy of multidrug treatment against SARS-CoV-2 in reconstituted human nasal epithelia, using combinations of molnupiravir and nirmatrelvir as a baseline, adding suboptimal concentrations of either GS-441524 or ivermectin, attempting to increase overall antiviral activity while lowering the overall therapeutic dose. Results. Nirmatrelvir combined with molnupiravir, GS-441524, or ivermectin at suboptimal concentrations show increased antiviral activity compared to single treatment. No triple combinations showed improved inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication beyond what was observed for double treatments. Conclusions. In general, we observed that the addition of a third compound is not beneficial for antiviral activity, while various double combinations exhibit increased antiviral activity over single treatment.

(1) Background: Horses infected by a tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) can develop clinically apparent infections. In humans, vaccination is the most effective preventive measure, while a vaccine is not available for horses. The objective of this study was to describe the immune response in horses after a TBEV vaccination with a human vaccine. (2) Materials and Methods: Seven healthy horses were randomised to a treatment or a control group in a stratified fashion based on TBEV–IgG concentrations on day −4. The treatment group (n = 4) was intramuscularly vaccinated using an inactivated human TBEV vaccine on days 0 and 28; the control group (n = 3) did not receive an injection. A clinical examination and blood sampling were performed on day –4, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 14, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 43, 56, 84, and 373. A linear mixed model analysis was used to compare IgG and IgM concentrations, neutralising antibody (nAb) titres, leucocyte count, serum amyloid A (SAA), and fibrinogen and globulin concentrations between the groups and time points. (3) Results: The clinical examination was normal in all horses at all time points. There were no significant changes in SAA, globulin, and fibrinogen concentrations and leucocyte count between the groups or time points (all p > 0.05). There was no significant increase in IgG, IgM, or nAb titres in the control group over time (all p > 0.05). In the vaccination group, there was a significant increase in IgG concentration and nAb titres after the second vaccination (p < 0.0001). There was no significant increase in IgM antibodies after the TBEV vaccination (all p > 0.05). One horse in the vaccination group had an IgM concentration above the laboratory reference on day 10. (4) Conclusions: The human TBEV vaccine did not have side effects when used in healthy horses in this study. A significant rise in TBEV-specific IgG antibodies and nAbs after the second vaccination was observed. However, IgG and nAb titres have been shown to decrease within 1 year after vaccination. The results of this study indicate that a vaccination with a human vaccine only induces a mild rise in IgM antibodies and only in previously naive horses. With no significant changes to inflammatory parameters in the vaccinated horses, it remains unclear whether vaccination with the human vaccine leads to protective immunity.

Forensic investigations following incidents involving chemical or biological agents present considerable challenges. Understanding the possibilities and limitations can aid in determining the most suitable procedures and enhancing the recovery of useful traces in these complex situations. This work complements previously published results on the effects of decontaminants on fingermarks deposited on glass. Identifying the perpetrators can be crucial, and DNA analysis remains a cornerstone in this regard. In this study, we investigated the ability to obtain usable DNA profiles from blood and saliva (pure and diluted) exposed to 16 different decontamination methods. Both DNA quantitation and DNA profiling were considered to assess the outcomes. The results revealed considerable variability but indicated that biological agents' decontaminants hindered DNA profiling post-decontamination to a greater extent than decontaminants aimed for chemical agents. Chlorine-based decontaminants also globally had a deleterious impact on DNA profiling. Powder decontaminants such as Fast-Act, CHpowder, and the liquid decontaminants GDS2000 did not affect DNA profiling.

West Nile virus (WNV) is one of the most widespread flaviviruses in the world, and in recent years, it has been frequently present in many Mediterranean and Eastern European countries. A combination of different conditions, such as a favourable climate and higher seasonal average temperatures, probably allowed its introduction and spread to new territories. In Switzerland, autochthonous cases of WNV have never been reported, and the virus was not detected in mosquito vectors until 2022, despite an entomological surveillance in place in Canton Ticino, southern Switzerland, since 2010. In 2022, 12 sites were monitored from July to October, using BOX gravid mosquito traps coupled with honey-baited FTA cards. For the first time, we could detect the presence of WNV in FTA cards and mosquitoes in 8 out of the 12 sampling sites monitored, indicating an unexpectedly widespread circulation of the virus throughout the territory. Positive findings were recorded from the beginning of August until mid-October 2022, and whole genome sequencing analysis identified a lineage 2 virus closely related to strains circulating in Northern Italy. The entomological surveillance has proved useful in identifying viral circulation in advance of possible cases of WNV infection in humans or horses.