Public-Health Impact of Outdoor Air Pollution in Russia

Based on the well-known approaches to risk assessment, estimates of the number of attributable deaths caused by atmospheric air pollution in the towns of Russia have been obtained. The data of daily monitoring of air pollution in 1993 and 1998 carried out by Rosgidromet (Weather Service of Russia) were used for assessment. The epidemiology-based exposure–response function for a 10 g/m³ increase in particulate matter PM₁₀ was used to assess the attributable number of cases of deaths in Russia. The EPA approach was applied to derive the risk of carcinogenesis caused by outdoor carcinogens controlled by Rosgidromet. In the present paper, it has been shown that up to 219–233 thousands of premature deaths or 15–17% out of the total annual mortality might be caused by air pollution in Russia. The data are given on a possible contribution of various carcinogens controlled by Rosgidromet at the stations of constant observation to the total mortality caused by atmospheric pollution. On the whole, the number of people that fell ill with cancer as a result of exposure to all the carcinogens present in the atmosphere can be assessed within the range of 2000–4000 humans. This assessment estimates the public-health impacts of air pollution. At the present time, we have no information concerning the degree of universality of the exposure–response function for PM₁₀ and its sensitivity to a change in social-demographic indicators. Nevertheless, the assessments, given in the present work, make it possible to obtain important information concerning the possible scale of health-outcome due to atmospheric pollution for the population of Russia.     

Spore inhibition-based enzyme substrate assay for monitoring of aflatoxin M1 in milk

A spore germination-based concept and its transformation into a field level prototype for monitoring aflatoxin M₁ (AFM₁) in milk was developed. Initially, 15 strains of Bacillus spp. procured from different culture collection were screened for AFM₁ sensitivity using spot assay and marker strain showing inhibition at 0.5 ppb was selected based upon maximum zone of inhibition. The selected strain B. megaterium 2949 was further screened for different enzymes activities and subsequently its spores were produced to an extent of 73.13% ± 3.197% in newly developed sporulation medium containing beef extract (0.0075% ± 0.0004%), yeast extract (0.015% ± 0.001%), peptone (0.0375% ± 0.0016%), and sodium chloride (0.0375% ± 0.0018%). A spore germination-based concept/ assay was optimized by immobilizing spores in eppendorf with pretreated milk (80°C/15 min) containing germinant and chromogenic substrate followed by incubation at 37°C. The appearance of sky blue color within real time of 45 min indicated spores germination and release of specific marker enzyme such as acetyl esterase and its specific action on chromogenic substrate which demonstrates absence of AFM₁ in milk. However, if there was no color change, presence of AFM₁ at 0.5 ppb MRL was denoted by Codex. The developed concept on AFM₁ detection was validated and a correlation of 0.97 was established with AOAC approved Charm 6602 and ELISA at Codex MRL with minimal false positive and negative results. The cost effective test has potential application in dairy farms, manufacturing, and R&D units for routine monitoring of AFM₁ in milk.     

Effect of Macroalgal Expansion and Marine Protected Areas on Coral Recovery Following a Climatic Disturbance

Disturbance plays an important role in structuring marine ecosystems, and there is a need to understand how conservation practices, such as the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), facilitate postdisturbance recovery. We evaluated the association of MPAs, herbivorous fish biomass, substrate type, postdisturbance coral cover, and change in macroalgal cover with coral recovery on the fringing reefs of the inner Seychelle islands, where coral mortality after a 1998 bleaching event was extensive. We visually estimated benthic cover and fish biomass at 9 sites in MPAs where fishing is banned and at 12 sites where fishing is permitted in 1994, 2005, 2008, and 2011. We used analysis of variance to examine spatial and temporal variations in coral cover and generalized additive models to identify relations between coral recovery and the aforementioned factors that may promote recovery. Coral recovery occurred on all substrate types, but it was highly variable among sites and times. Between 2005 and 2011 the increase in coral cover averaged 1%/year across 21 sites, and the maximum increase was 4%/year. However, mean coral cover across the study area (14%) remained at half of 1994 levels (28%). Sites within MPAs had faster rates of coral recovery than sites in fished areas only where cover of macroalgae was low and had not increased over time. In MPAs where macroalgae cover expanded since 1998 there was no recovery. Where coral was recovering on granite reefs there was a shift in relative prevalence of colony life‐form from branching to encrusting species. This simplification of reef structure may affect associated reef fauna even if predisturbance levels of coral cover are attained. Efecto de la Expansión de Macroalgas y Áreas Marinas Protegidas sobre la Recuperación de Coral Después de una Perturbación Climática     

The European whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.), under conditions of technogenic pollution in the Kostomuksha tailing pond

The population structure and biological parameters of the European whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.), have been analyzed in a technogenically polluted water body. The biochemical state of the whitefish and the fauna and morphology of helminths parasitizing them have been assessed. It is shown that the species composition of the fish, plankton, benthos, and parasite faunas of this water body are depleted and the morphological parameters of common fish parasites are altered. It is noted that, in addition to adaptive rearrangements in biochemical metabolism, the whitefish from the transformed water body are characterized by a reduction in the level of protein synthesis in muscles and the rate of aerobic energy metabolism in the liver and muscles.