The squid was dragging long, spaghetti-like tentacles and using fins like elephant ears to propel itself through the dark waters.

Marine scientist Deborah Osterhage spotted it in footage collected from cameras on remotely operated vehicles that had scoured Australia's Great Bight a bay off the continent's southern coast. The creature was swimming 2 miles under the surface.

"I recognized it immediately, with its distinctive large fins and extremely long and slender arms and tentacles, which were bent a little like an elbow," Osterhage told Business Insider.

The animal was a bigfin squid, or magnapinnidae: a camera-shy cephalopod rarely seen by humans. It had never been spotted in Australian waters before.

In a study published last week in the journal PLOS One, Osterhage and her team describe how they captured footage of five of these rare squid in Australia, and what the sightings reveal about the creatures' anatomy.

The videos enabled the researchers to make an unprecedentedly accurate measurement of the squid's body and tentacles.

"The fact that they have been rarely observed makes these sightings very special. Up until now, only around a dozen have been filmed over a period of 30 years, so seeing five in the Great Australian Bight is very exciting," Osterhage said.

Osterhage's team, part of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, wasn't specifically looking for bigfin squid. They were simply trying collect footage of the Bight's thousands of marine species by towing underwater cameras behind a research vessel.

Then two squid showed up in the footage.

So the team organized a second voyage to the Bight, this time using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). That way, they could better control what the cameras filmed and pause if they found a species on their "critter hotlist," Osterhage said.

That research revealed three more bigfin squid.

Although the encounters lasted only minutes, that was long enough for the researchers to measure one of the animals using two laser pointers mounted on the ROV. It measured more than 5.9 feet (1.8 meters) long, with its body making up just 6 inches of that total.

"The arms and tentacles were around 11 times the mantle length, which is not what is typically seen in squid," Osterhage said.

By contrast, the giant squid has a mantle, or body, around 8 feet (2.5 meters) with tentacles four times that length.

A bigfin squid missing three tentacles seen in the waters of the Great Bight. Courtesy of Deborah Osterhage/CSIRO

Bigfin squid get their name from the bulbous fins that jut out from their bodies. The fins are about as wide as the body is long, according to Osterhage. But it's the body-to-tentacle proportion that makes these squid unique.

Another neat feature: the squid like to flex.

Most cephalopods' tentacles dangle below their mantles, but a bigfin's bend that's why Osterhage was able to spot the animal so easily in the footage.

All told, Osterhage's team collected 40 hours of underwater footage at depths between 0.6 miles and 2 miles (946 meters and 3,258 meters).

The five squid were all spotted in about the same place: "They were clustered in close proximity of each other in time and space," Osterhage said.

The study authors confirmed, though, that they'd seen five different squid, not the same one. That was a deviation from previous sightings, which had mostly involved individual squid.

"Clustering like this could indicate habitat preference, a gathering for reproduction, or even effects of currents," Osterhage said, adding, "further sightings will help us figure out this puzzle."

Bigfin squid filmed by underwater cameras in Australia's Great Bight. Courtesy of Deborah Osterhage/CSIRO

Given the paucity of bigfin squid sightings, researchers still don't know how they reproduce or feed none have deigned to nosh on camera.

"Because their long arms and tentacles are retractable and sticky, some scientists believe they may use them to 'fish' for their food, possibly plankton," Osterholm said.

French scientists reported the first-ever bigfin sighting nearly 120 years ago, when a fisherman caught one near the Azores. The squid weren't caught on camera in their deep-sea habitat until 1988, when researchers encountered one 2.9 miles underwater, off Brazil's northern coast.

A bigfin squid spotted on the ocean floor of the Great Bight, more than a mile below the surface. Courtesy of Deborah Osterhage/CSIRO

According to Osterhage, the squid can be found at depths of more than 3 miles. So far, they've been spotted in the southern Caribbean,Indian Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean near Hawaii, and off the shores of western Africa.

Of the 12 or so bigfin squid ever seen, the largest was 23 feet (7 meters) long.

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Scientists captured video of a rare squid with tentacles as long as a human - Business Insider - Business Insider

A well attended online Campus meeting in November considered implantation from clinical, embryological and endometrial perspectives, but also focused on the day-to-day working of the IVF lab.

An online Campus meeting in November, with more than 250 remotely registered, reviewed the latest on successful and failed implantation from the perspectives of the meetings three organising SIGs (Embryology, Stem Cells and Implantation & Early Pregnancy). But what was also high on the meetings agenda were the effects which everyday laboratory practices might have on the fate of the embryo after transfer.

Barcelona embryologist Gemma Arroyo noted chromosomal testing and culture conditions as prominent factors but also added quality management systems, lab design and location, ambient conditions (lighting, air quality), biosecurity and culture equipment as important in the optimisation of embryo viability. For example, air conditioning, she said, should have air recycling at least 15 times per hour, with control of circulating particles and air pressure.(1) Similarly, she advised that oxygen concentrations during incubation would affect outcome, noting a Cochrane review supporting embryo culture with low oxygen concentrations for improved success rates in IVF and ICSI.(2) However, a recent study in which oxygen levels were reduced from 5% (low) to 2% (ultra low) found no added benefit.(3) Similarly, fluctuations in pH concentrations have been evident in blastulation rate reduction and alterations in gene expression (raised pH) and in fetal weight (lower pH).

While the introduction of time-lapse systems has allowed labs to maintain consistent and controlled culture environments, no such consistency is yet evident in the culture media single-step or sequential - behind the huge global shift to blastocyst transfer. Arroyo described several studies meta-analyses and RCTs reflecting inconsistent comparative results in blastulation and outcome. For example, a systematic review performed by ESHREs SIG Embryology co-ordinator Ioannis Sfontouris and colleagues found insufficient evidence to identify either one as superior, despite the practical advantages of single-step and higher blastocyst formation rates.(4) Similarly, Ubaldis group in Rome found no differences in cumulative delivery rates between the two approaches.(5)

While acknowledging the no-touch stability which time-lapse systems provide, Arroyo nevertheless recommended that their routine adoption should remain an experimental strategy. She noted that no single morphokinetic parameter has so far been consistently shown to predict implantation - indeed, with considerable disagreement over which parameters are even useful, normal or abnormal. This echoed the conclusions of ESHREs recent recommendations on time-lapse, that a clear clinical benefit of its use, an increase in IVF success rates, remains to be proven.(6) However, as the recommendations also noted, hopes of an outcome advantage are not lost.

So, as Ioannis Sfontouris asked of the lab, are we better than nature? Well, nature is certainly not perfect, as Johannes Ott emphasised before his presentation on routine office hysteroscopy before IVF. Citing a recent meta-analysis, he reported that reproductive failure is more common than success, and that embryo quality is implicated in many of these failures.(7) So is embryo culture, and notably extended culture, responsible for compromising embryo quality, asked Sfontouris. He reviewed the pros and cons of embryo transfer from day 1 to day 7 and concluded that, despite the potential for extended culture to trigger epigenetic changes, blastocyst transfer is associated with a higher pregnancy and live birth in the fresh cycle (though similar rates in cumulative cycles), a shorter time to pregnancy, and a more pronounced benefit in good-prognosis patients (while poor prognosis patients may benefit from cleavage-stage transfer.

Abha Maheshwari from the Aberdeen Fertility Centre in Scotland also found a distinction between the effect of ovarian stimulation in the fresh and frozen cycle, indicating that supraphysiological estrogen doses may affect implantation via the uterus. Describing ovarian stimulation as the most important thing in ART, and recognising the shift in defined success from pregnancy per cycle to cumulative healthy delivery, she urged the need of a very delicate balance between generating an adequate number of eggs while not impairing uterine receptivity.

1. Mortimer D, Cohen J, Mortimer ST, et al. Cairo consensus on the IVF laboratory environment and air quality: report of an expert meeting. Reprod Biomed Online 2018; 36: 658-674. doi:10.1016/j.rbmo.2018.02.005.2. Bontekoe S, Mantikou E, van Wely M, et al. Low oxygen concentrations for embryo culture in assisted reproductive technologies. Cochrane Database Syst Re 2012; CD008950. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD008950.pub2.3. De Munck D, Janssens R, Segers I, et al. Influence of ultra-low oxygen (2%) tension on in-vitro human embryo development. Hum Reprod 2019; 34: 228-234. doi:10.1093/humrep/dey370.4. Sfontouris IA, Martins WP, Nastri CO, et al. Blastocyst culture using single versus sequential media in clinical IVF: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Assist Reprod Genet 2016; 33: 12611272. doi:10.1007/s10815-016-0774-5.5. Cimadomo D, Scarica C, Maggiulli R, et al. Continuous embryo culture elicits higher blastulation but similar cumulative delivery rates than sequential: a large prospective study. J Assist Reprod Genet 2018; 35: 1329-1338. doi:10.1007/s10815-018-1195-4.6. ESHRE working group on time-lapse technology. Good practice recommendations for the use of time-lapse technology. Hum Reprod Open 2020; 2: doi.org/10.1093/hropen/hoaa0086. Craciunas L, Gallos I, Chu J, et al. Conventional and modern markers of endometrial receptivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update 2019; 25: 202-223. doi:10.1093/humupd/dmy044.

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How the IVF lab influences the chance of implantation after embryo transfer - ESHRE

THE GOVERNMENTS MIXED messaging on travel abroad has been criticised by people who need to travel overseas for fertility treatment.

Many people choose to travel to elsewhere in Europe for treatment because the process can be thousands of euro cheaper than in Ireland.

However, people are concerned about the impact Covid-19 travel restrictions, and flights being cancelled, could have on their treatment.

Some people are missing appointments or choosing to delay their treatment, but this is not an option for others particularly if age is an issue.

There has also been a lack of clarity on what is deemed essential medical treatment for travel purposes, and how long a person has to restrict their movements for when they return to Ireland after undergoing a medical procedure abroad.

Emma*, who lives in Dublin, began IVF treatment in Prague in the Czech Republic during the week. She said the process of undergoing fertility treatment is stressful enough without the added worry of travel restrictions and lack of clarity on what people should do.

She believes IVF is an essential journey, but said the governments messaging on travel has been lacking.

Im on a few social media groups for people getting IVF and everyone seems really confused.

We are allowed to travel abroad, but what is not clear and seems to be causing a lot of confusion for people, is the phase of restriction of movement.

Do we still have to restrict our movements when returning from treatment? My reading of [the guidelines] would be that if I was an essential worker like a high-level engineer, I would not have to restrict movements coming into Ireland, so is it the same for us?

Emma is currently taking two weeks of unpaid leave from work so she can self-isolate as a precaution.

TheJournal.ie asked Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan at Thursdays Covid-19 briefing if IVF is deemed an essential medical reason to travel, and how long people should restrict their movements for when they return to Ireland.

He replied: I would hope that anybody in that situation is under the care and direction of a consultant or clinician in this country who would be perfectly well able to understand not just the public health advice, but how it should apply to a particular individual in a particular clinical context.

And if an individual is worried or concerned about what advice they should be following they should speak to their own consultants.

Holohan said clinicians in Ireland will understand and interpret public health advice and provide that to an individual who need individualised advice about their specific circumstances.

So anybody in this situation, who is seeking treatment outside of the country, I would hope thats under the direction of a clinician in this country, to whom they should speak about how best to protect themselves and manage the risks that might arise for them.

Many of the people who undergo fertility treatment abroad, including Emma, are not under the care of a consultant here.

TheJournal.ie sought further clarification from the Department of Health and the Department of Transport on the issue.

A DOH spokesperson said this: Decisions as to what constitutes essential reasons for medical travel have to be judged on an individual clinical basis. If an individual is concerned about what advice they should be following, they should speak to their own consultants.

The governments latest travel advice can be read here.

PCR test

It was confirmed during the week that from midnight on 29 November, under new guidelines, travellers arriving into Ireland from so-called red regions in the EU (most European countries) can move freely once they pass a PCR Covid-19 test five days following their arrival.

This provision will also be available to arrivals from orange regions who may not have availed of a pre-departure test. You can read more about the traffic light system here.

Obviously, the new guidelines this week were welcome but they wont apply to me this time. What Covid brings to everyone is uncertainty and that includes those of us doing IVF, Emma said.

When she has to revisit Prague in a few months, Emma said she will try to get a PCR test when she returns but, even if it is negative, her employers have said she will likely be unable to work as she deals with the public every day so they dont want to take that risk. She works as a contractor and will need to take more unpaid leave.

File photo Source: Shutterstock/Africa Studio

Helen Browne, co-founder of the National Infertility Support and Information Group (NISIG), said other women are in the same position as Emma.

Its very very tough on people at the moment with Covid-19, she told TheJournal.ie.

Browne said some people will want to keep the fact they are undergoing fertility treatment abroad private, but those who are upfront with their boss often have to take unpaid leave.

Some women will be able to use holiday leave, but this isnt always an option.

Its very difficult to get paid leave, the employer will probably say it has to be unpaid leave, rather than giving them paid leave, Browne said.

They have two weeks of wage or salary not given to them, an added expense on top of everything that theyre going through.

Some women who undergo fertility treatment abroad attend a clinic that is linked to a clinic in Ireland, but many do not have a clinician based here.

A lot of them go independently, she said, so they cant consult with a doctor here about what they should do in terms of restricting their movements.

Browne said people want more clarity on the right thing to do.

She said shes aware of women having to stay abroad for longer than they typically would because of reduced flights.

They now have to stay for about a week, rather than two or three days, because of the reduced flights. Theyre actually having to pay more money for accommodation.

Normally if theyre going abroad for a few days, their partner would go with them. But now because the partner cant take a week off, most likely cant take two weeks off, they cant go with them. Its really tough all round, theyre all on their own over there as well.

Time is a factor

Its hard to get an accurate figure of how many people from Ireland travel abroad for fertility treatment each year but its believed to be in the hundreds.

Most people choose to go to the Czech Republic, Browne noted, but others go to countries such as Spain.

She said some people have chosen to delay their treatment but that this is not an option for everyone.

Unfortunately, some people that go abroad for treatments are told that their ovarian reserve is dropping, and they feel now that they can go.

By the time they get a chance to go, theyll have no choice but to go for donor egg. Whereas they would like to have the opportunity of using their own eggs before they embark on donor eggs if they have to.

If somebody said to me, Im 39 now and by the time I get to go Ill be 40, by the time I had my baby, if Im lucky, Ill be 41. Thats two years added on.

The older a woman is when she becomes pregnant, the higher the risk in terms of complications, and many people need more than one round of IVF to become pregnant.

Its a huge undertaking

During IVF, mature eggs are collected from ovaries and fertilised by sperm in a lab. The fertilised egg or eggs are transferred into the uterus.

One full cycle of IVF takes about three weeks, but can take longer. It may take several rounds of IVF sometimes over the course of years and costing tens of thousands of euro for a person to become pregnant, if its successful.

When you decide to do IVF at all its a huge undertaking, physically, emotionally and of course financially, Emma told us.

She said she made the decision to undergo IVF before the Covid-19 pandemic and, over the course of the first lockdown, decided to go abroad for financial reasons.

We decided to do IVF earlier this year but could not get over the cost of it in Ireland. While saving for a house it just seemed completely out of reach financially.

Emma did some research online and joined a number of social media support groups, and found out that Prague seemed to be a place that was affordable and also offered a good medical service.

We knew it would be a risk and would mean I would be travelling alone a lot of the time, but when your heart is set on starting a family, youll push and push until you find a way.

Emma said the Irish government should fund fertility treatment so people like her dont have to travel abroad.

We are a modern country with an advanced healthcare system and so many more people going for IVF. Its just prohibitive in its cost as it stands.

Cancelled flights

Emma was in Prague for her first round of treatment during the week. She said the service was great but the overall experience was stressful.

Ive just had my first trip to Prague to a great clinic there, but the added layer of having to book flights, presuming they werent going to be cancelled, then constantly watching the government advice on international travel and Covid isolation periods was a huge source of stress.

Im back now but I have to take two weeks off work to isolate and thats a tricky thing to do.

Emma is concerned that if increased restrictions are introduced early next year, she may be unable to travel to Prague.

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This is what really worries me. It will be another few months before I go back for the next round of treatment and Im really worried that international travel will be banned, we might be in a strict lockdown or the same thing could be happening in Prague.

What if I have appointments and flights booked and I have to cancel? Its a hugely stressful time as you have to follow strict hormone protocols for this kind of treatment, so Covid is a very unwelcome complication.

Publicly-funded IVF in Ireland

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly spoke about plans for a publicly-funded IVF system in Ireland, as set out in the Programme for Government, in the Dil earlier this month.

This model of care will ensure that infertility issues will be addressed through the public health system at the lowest level of clinical intervention necessary, Donnelly said.

He noted that the plan will comprise three stages, starting in primary care (GPs) and extending into secondary care (regional fertility hubs) and then, where necessary, tertiary care (IVF and other advanced assisted human reproduction (AHR) treatments).

Structured referral pathways will be put in place and patients will be referred onwards for further investigations or treatment as required and as clinically appropriate. It is intended that, in line with available resources, this model of care for infertility will be rolled out on a phased basis over the course of the coming years, Donnelly said.

The implementation of the model of care will help to ensure the provision of safe, effective and accessible infertility services at all levels of the public health system as part of the full range of services available in obstetrics and gynaecology, he added.

Browne believes it will take quite a few years for publicly funded fertility treatment to be available in Ireland making it too late for many people.

She said a part-funded model is more likely where investigations and blood tests may be paid for by the State.

I personally cannot see the model in the UK, or in other countries where they will fund for two or three IVF cycles, here. I dont know, maybe way down the line.

Guidelines in the UK recommend that IVF is offered on the NHS to women under the age of 40 who have not conceived after two years of regular unprotected sex, or who have had 12 cycles of artificial insemination. These women should be offered three full cycles of IVF, the guidelines say.

In women aged 4042 years, the guidelines say they should be offered one full cycle of IVF, once certain criteria is met.

Advice and support can be found on the NISIGs website.

*Emmas name has been changed to protect her identity.

With reporting by Michelle Hennessy

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'It's a huge source of stress': Women going abroad for IVF hit out at mixed messages over travel restrictions - TheJournal.ie

Giulio A De Leo and colleagues consider the effect of changing climates and human activity on schistosomiasis transmission and potential solutions to contain its spread

In 2014, a group of German and French tourists with no history of travel to tropical or subtropical countries were diagnosed with urogenital schistosomiasis, a debilitating parasitic disease that affects more than 200 million people in South America, Asia, and particularly sub-Saharan Africa. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control eventually tracked 120 cases of Schistosoma infection that were acquired in summer 2013 (and seven more, between 2015 and 2016) by people swimming in the Cavu River in Corsica. This French Mediterranean island is a popular summer destination for tourists from all over Europe. Until then, Corsica had been considered outside the geographic range of schistosomiasis transmission because of the near freezing temperatures of inland waters in the winter.

Genetic analyses showed that the parasites isolated in Corsica originated in the lower basin of the Senegal River, where schistosomiasis is hyperendemic. Its temporary establishment on Corsica was thought to have been caused by human movement and subsequent contamination of the river by parasite eggs that established locally in susceptible intermediate host snails and circulated for several seasons.1 Interruption of disease transmission during Corsicas cold winters probably contributed to the natural gradual death of the parasite, and no cases of human schistosomiasis have been reported in the island since 2017. However, a small and short outbreak in this new territory raises concerns about the potential expansion of the range of schistosomiasis as the world becomes warmer.

Schistosomiasis is a tropical and subtropical disease (fig 1) caused by infection with parasitic blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma (fig 2), which use freshwater snails as necessary intermediate hosts. The schistosomiasis pathology results mainly from inflammatory processes caused by parasites eggs in the human body, which may lead to several conditions such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, chronic anemia, cognitive impairment in children, growth stunting, infertility, a higher risk of contracting HIV in women, and death from liver failure or bladder cancer in cases of intense and chronic infection. These effects, combined with poverty and a lack of access to clean water, improved sanitation and hygiene make schistosomiasis one of the worlds most important, but also most neglected, human diseases. The intermediate host snails of schistosome parasites are poikilothermthat is, their body temperature changes depending on the environment. As a result, reproduction, survival, and dispersal are strongly influenced by ambient temperature, as is parasite development inside the snail. Therefore, rising water temperatures and altered precipitation associated with climate change could considerably alter the distribution and abundance of the intermediate host snail and its schistosome parasites, resulting in a shift in disease dynamics and transmission to people. Assessing the impact of global warming and its compounded effect with change in land use are important challenges that will face global health soon.

Schistosomiasis life cycle (central panel) and pathways by which climate change, land use change, agricultural expansion, and development of water management infrastructure may affect disease transmission and human health. The red panels indicate an expected increase in transmission risk for schistosomiasis. The green panels indicate an expected decrease in transmission risk

Predicting the effect of global climate change on schistosomiasis is a complex task,23 because how the disease responds to climate varies with the specific ecology of many different snails and parasite species (table 1) as well as the geographic context that may respond differently to rising temperatures and changes in precipitation (fig 1). We discuss potential effects of climate change on schistosomiasis, its interactions with other determinants of disease transmission, and considerations for schistosomiasis control and elimination in a changing world.

Geographic distribution of schistosomiasis and associated parasite and snail species

The past decade has seen increasing attention paid to the effects of climate change on schistosomiasis in Africa, where an estimated 90% of all human cases are concentrated. Whereas some studies predict that schistosomiasis infection risk may increase by up to 20% in eastern Africa,3 others present a more complex pathogenic landscape, with decreases as well as increases in schistosomiasis transmission risk.24 For example, a continental scale study predicted a 14% reduction in the total geographic area suitable for Schistosoma mansoni transmission in sub-Saharan Africa in 2061-2080 (fig 3a) as temperatures exceed the maximum thermal tolerance for the main intermediate host snail, Biomphalaria pfeifferi.5 However, the same study also showed that other known intermediate host snail species tolerate increasing temperatures better, highlighting the importance of specific snail-parasite ecologies when developing prediction models.5

Top panel: Predicted changes in the risk area for intestinal schistosomiasis transmission in 2061-2080 compared with present baseline in Africa. Blue color indicates predicted shrinking areas as the temperature becomes unsuitable for the intermediate host Biomphalaria pfeifferi (adapted from Stensgaard et al).5 Bottom: Predicted changes in risk area for urogenital schistosomiasis in 2021-2050 compared with present baseline in Africa and Middle East. Suitability ranges from zero (not suitable conditions) to 10 (most suitable). Blue color indicates shrinking areas for schistosomiasis as the temperature becomes unsuitable for the parasite to persist (modified from Yang and Bergquist).6

A similar modeling approach was used to map the predicted change in risk of S. haematobium for 2021-2050.6 The model highlighted potential emerging, as well as contracting, areas in Africa, the Middle East, and southern parts of Europe (fig 3b). A different approach based on data from laboratory and field experiments was used to develop a simulation model to predict the effect of rising temperatures on S haematobium and its intermediate host snail Bulinusglobosus.7 This model predicted that snail abundance and production of cercariaethe free living stage of the parasite shed by infected snailsmay decrease by up to 14% and 8%, respectively, for each 1C rise in ambient temperature. These results agree with the findings of other studies that suitable places for S haematobium in Africa near the equator will decrease under future climatic conditions.2

Yet concern is growing that urogenital schistosomiasis may further expand into areas with colder climates, such as South Africa and the Ethiopian highlands, where the presence of the suitable snail species, lack of access to clean water, and limited or no active surveillance may put an immunologically naive population at risk of infection. Given that many sub-Saharan African countries have limited capacity to adapt to the negative effects of climate change, increased investment in schistosomiasis surveillance and control is a public health priority.

S japonicum occurs in China, the Philippines, and the Indonesian island of Celebes. Unlike the schistosome parasites in the African continent, S japonicum is transmitted through a unique amphibian snail intermediate host, Oncomelania hupensis. Adult parasites can inhabit more than 40 vertebrate definitive hosts, including cattle, goats, water buffalo, and many rodent species; this many reservoir hosts makes control and elimination of schistosomiasis difficult.

Historical data suggest that average monthly temperatures below 0C have prevented northward spread of O hupensis, but climate change is already altering the geographic distribution of schistosomiasis. A study in China found that the 0-1C isothermal zone moved from latitude 3315 N to 3341 N between the 1960s and 1990s, corresponding to a 48km northward shift in just 30 years.8 This shift increased the potential schistosomiasis transmission area by over 40000 km2 with an additional 20.7 million people at risk of infection.

A new transmission risk index has been proposed based on growing degree days for parasites and the snail intermediate host,9 which suggests that S japanicum transmission areas may increase by 662373 km2 by 2030 and by 783883 km2 by 2050 (fig 4). Recent analyses, based on projections from five global circulation models and representative concentration pathway 4.5 scenario in the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, confirmed future northern expansion of schistosomiasis in China by 2100.6 At the same time, these analyses also suggested that the mountainous regions of Sichuan province, where schistosomiasis is currently prevalent, would become unsuitable for snail breeding, thus reducing transmission. However, the areas of the Yangtze River from Sichuan to Hunan and Hubei provinces, a stretch of river affected by the Three Gorges Dam, will still be favorable for snail survival.6

Areas of potential expansion of schistosomiasis (in red) in China, where schistosomiasis is expected to emerge as a result of climate change, and areas where it is currently endemic (in green), elaborated from Zhou et al9

Climate change is also predicted to increase the frequency of extreme climate events, such as droughts, which might reduce the transmission season for schistosomiasis, but also floods, which can locally help the spread of O hupensis snails.10 To track changes in transmission risk for schistosomiasis in China, it will be important to establish early warning systems that report changes in the distribution of the intermediate snail host and possible new cases of human infection.11

Few studies have examined the effect of climate change on schistosomiasis in the American region. Schistosomiasis is endemic to several territories, including Brazil, Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Saint Lucia, Suriname, and Venezuela. Most current schistosomiasis infections in the region occur in Brazil, one of the largest tropical countries, the leading dam building nation, and one of the largest agricultural producers in the region.

Climate change is predicted to be particularly severe in some parts of Brazil, including desertification and warming in the northeast of the country,12 where schistosomiasis is endemic. Brazils most populous areas, in the south east, are on the edge of the climate suitability range for the main intermediate host snails, so it is unclear whether more warming in this region could expand the habitat suitable for schistosomiasis transmission.13

Finally, schistosomiasis is traditionally considered a rural disease, but Brazil has many pockets of urban schistosomiasis,14 where population growth has outpaced the ability of development to supply safe water and sanitation. This situation has created a complicated situation where poverty, development, land use, and climate change act together to influence transmission.

The development and management of the infrastructure for water resources, such as dams and canals for hydropower generation, agricultural irrigation, and drinking water, will be important components of societys response to fight climate change and the associated potential water scarcity. Yet, these changes in land use can also increase the risk for schistosomiasis transmission. For instance, to lessen increasingly recurrent droughts in the northern part of China, the South North Water Transfer project has diverted water from the Yangtze River, the current schistosomiasis endemic region, to northern regions, thus increasing the risk of spread of O hupensis northward.8

Dams affect schistosomiasis transmission in many ways (fig 1). More stable water reservoirs inevitably lead to an increase in suitable snail habitat.15 These reservoirs also support growing human settlements and foster expansion of irrigated agriculture and use of fertilizers and herbicides, which have also been shown to increase snail proliferation.16 Dams not only change the habitat for the snails, but also have been shown to block migratory predators17 that have historically kept snail populations in check. The history of the Diama dam in Senegal is a typical example. The dam was built in response to a climatic stress, a severe drought in the western Sahel region in the 1970s. In response, the countries of the region constructed a dam near the mouth of the Senegal River to stabilize flow, prevent saltwater intrusion, support agricultural development, and protect the availability of freshwater for communities. Within a few years of completion of the dam in 1986, and as a result of its construction, the landscape had changed substantially, the African river prawnan effective predator of aquatic snailshad been wiped out, and schistosomiasis transmission had increased so that the lower basin of the Senegal river has become one of the most important regions of the world for schistosomiasis transmission.

In summary, schistosomiasis transmission is expected to decrease in central areas of its current climatic location (that is, tropical Africa), because temperatures will exceed the critical thermal maximum of snails as a result of climate change. Transmission is expected to increase at the margins of the cooler range, where temperatures are currently too low for transmission. Climate change is also expected to affect risk of transmission indirectly through interactions with poverty and rural subsistence livelihoods,18 lack of sewage systems, lack of access to clean water and improved sanitation, lack of affordable healthcare, increasing human movement, dam development, and agricultural expansion.

Therefore, the effect of climate change on schistosomiasis can combine with the effects from land use changes, growing human population, and subsistence livelihoods in unexpected ways. We need new research to reduce the uncertainty associated with potential shifts in the range of schistosomiasis with climate change. While addressing key research questions on climate change and schistosomiasis, decision makers, public health agencies, non-governmental organizations, and communities have several options to prepare for expected shifts in distribution of schistosomiasis caused by the compounded effect of climate and changes in land use.

Integrated surveillance and response systems need to be established in areas where models predict a high likelihood of schistosomiasis becoming endemic. Control strategies, including medical treatment and environmental interventions,19 should be improved in endemic regions where transmission is expected to increase because of climate change, construction of new dams, or agricultural expansion.

Dams built in the historical range of distribution of migratory freshwater prawns, predating the snails involved in schistosomiasis transmission, should now be retrofitted with passages that allow prawns to move upstream and downstream. New dams should be designed with prawn ladders.17 Excessive use of fertilizers should be avoided in endemic regions, and pesticides with minimum effect on natural snail predators should be used instead.20 Although these interventions will not be enough to eliminate schistosomiasis, they may help limit the negative effects of climate change on schistosomiasis transmission.

Invest in research to better understand the likely spread of schistosomiasis with climate change

Establish integrated surveillance-response systems in areas at risk

Increase control strategies, medical treatment, and environmental interventions in endemic regions

Ensure dams allow prawns to move along the river

Control fertilizer and pesticide use in endemic areas

Provenance and peer review: Commissioned; not externally peer reviewed.

Contributors and sources: ASS, GJG and JU have studied and reported widely on schistosomiasis and the related effects of climate change for almost two decades. GADL, SHS, AJC and EKN are involved in a Belmont collaborative project to investigate the effect of climate change on Brazil and Cte dIvoire. This work originated in a SESYNC working group on malaria and climate change led by Mercedes Pascual and Andres Baeza. GADL conceived the idea with JU and then thoroughly discussed it with ASS, SHS and GJY. Each coauthor contributed to a specific section of the manuscript. ASS, GJY and AJC produced the figures. All authors contributed to revise the final version of the manuscript prior to submission. GADL is the guarantor.

Competing interests: We have read and understood BMJ policy on declaration of interests and declare the following: GADL, SHS, and AJC have been partially supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation OPP1114050, and by the US National Science Foundation (ICER-2024383 and DEB-2011179). SHS and GADL were partially supported by National Science Foundation (CNH grant # 1414102). GADL thanks Rachel Lowe (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) for making this paper possible. ASS thanks the Knud Hjgaard Foundation for supporting the Platform for Disease Ecology, Health and Climate (grant # 20-11-0483).

This article is part of a series commissioned by The BMJ for the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) 2020. The BMJ peer reviewed, edited, and made the decisions to publish. The series, including open access fees, is funded by WISH.

Zheng J, Gu XG, Xu YL, et al. Relationship between the transmission of Schistosomiasis japonica and the construction of the Three Gorge Reservoir. Acta Trop 2002;82:147-56. doi:10.1016/S0001-706X(02)00046-3

Yang GJ, Utzinger J, Lv S, et al. The Regional Network for Asian Schistosomiasis and Other Helminth Zoonoses (RNAS (+)). Target diseases in face of climate change. Adv Parasitol 2010;73:101-35. doi:10.1016/S0065-308X(10)73005-0.

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Schistosomiasis and climate change - The BMJ

NEW YORK Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live by Nicholas A. Christakis offers a riveting account of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic as it swept through the U.S. in 2020, and of how the recovery will unfold in the coming years. The book was featured in the New York Times on November 3, just before news broke of the developments in vaccines from Pfizer and more recently Moderna.

Drawing on momentous (yet dimly remembered) historical epidemics like the 1918 influenza pandemic, contemporary analyses, and cutting-edge research from a range of scientific disciplines, bestselling author, physician, sociologist, and public health expert Christakis explores what it means to live in a time of plague an experience that is paradoxically uncommon to the vast majority of humans who are alive, yet deeply fundamental to our species.

Unleashing new divisions in our society as well as opportunities for cooperation, this 21st-century pandemic has upended our lives in ways that will test, but not vanquish, our already frayed collective culture. Featuring new, provocative arguments and vivid examples ranging across medicine, history, sociology, epidemiology, data science, and genetics, Apollo's Arrow envisions what happens when the great force of a deadly germ meets the enduring reality of our evolved social nature.

The title refers to the arrows, representing plague, that Apollo rained down on the Greeks in Book 1 of the Iliad, the Times reported, noting that the book is a useful contribution to this initial wave of COVID books, sensible and comprehensive, intelligent and well sourced.

Questions about where the virus originated, how it first infected people, and how it is evolving are still being examined by scientists who are trapping wildlife in China, taking fecal samples and blood, culturing viruses, sequencing genomes from bats, pangolins and humans, and comparing them, as the clock ticks, the Times reported.

The National Herald

Apollo's Arrow: The Profound and Enduring Impact of Coronavirus on the Way We Live by Nicholas A. Christakis. (Photo: Amazon)

Apollo's Arrow is a broad survey, not a deep dive, and sweeps across most of the signal topics: the inept early responses to the outbreak, first in China and then in the United States; the back story of modern pandemics and pandemic threats, notably the 1918 influenza and SARS in 2003; the social shutdowns, the mask issue and the tension between civil liberties and public health; the grief, fear and lies that make a pandemic emotionally as well as medically punishing; the social and economic changes, forced by this virus, that may become permanent; the general question of how plagues end and the specific, more speculative question of how this one might, the Times reported.

Since Christakis is a physician and sociologist, the co-author of an earlier book about social networks and how they shape lives, the co-author also of an influential paper on `social contagion theory' and the co-director of the Institute for Network Science at Yale, one naturally expects that `network science' might afford him special insight into COVID-19, the Times reported, adding that this book delivers on that expectation moderately, with a short section on the superspreader phenomenon and such disease-math variables as the basic reproduction number (the average number of persons infected by each infected person in a nave population), the case fatality rate, the threshold for herd immunity and a few others that have become familiar in recent months.

The book also includes dispersion which is the variation in actual (not average) reproduction number from one infected person to another, the Times reported, noting that if some people cause few secondary infections and some cause many, the dispersion is high. The dispersion of COVID-19 is high.

Christakis explains the high dispersion may be partially due to some individuals simply shed more virus, or wash their hands less, or refuse to wear masks or cough more, another contributor to superspreading, but there are also certain people have many more social contacts than the average, the Times reported.

Christakis calls those `popular people,' and notes that they `are more likely to become infected themselves as well as more likely to infect numerous others,' the Times reported, adding that he illustrates this with some dots-and-lines network figures, showing who might have contact with whom.

Although superspreader events in a choir, at a funeral, during a White House reception seem alarming, the existence of high variation in reproduction number for COVID-19 may actually have an ameliorating effect, the Times reported, noting that according to Christakis, it may reduce the threshold for herd immunity, since `popular people' are more likely to get infected early in the pandemic, and most of them will survive, presumably with some immunity.

And if all the popular people became immune early, relatively more paths for the virus to spread through society would be cut off, Christakis writes, the Times reported, adding that that's the good news, but because of its capacity to spread from asymptomatic cases and its relatively low case fatality rate, Christakis estimates, COVID-19 may still infect 40 percent of the global human population, and possibly as much as 60 percent, unless a vaccine becomes available soon.

Christakis also examines the idea that the virus may become less virulent, noting that one way a pandemic can come to an end is that the virus mutates over a period of years to get much milder, the Times reported.

Christakis offers the example of the virus called OC43 is a human coronavirus that causes nothing more severe than the common cold, the Times reported, noting that in fact, along with one other coronavirus, it accounts for as much as 30 percent of all colds, and Christakis cites research suggesting that OC43 spilled into people, from cattle, around 1890, which happened to coincide with the beginning of a severe pandemic that was known as the `Russian flu,' because its first major outbreak occurred in St. Petersburg, in December 1889.

This `flu' swept out of Russia, across Europe, to the United States and much of the rest of the world, as fast as trains and ships could carry it, killing about a million people, the Times reported, noting that Christakis suggests that the 1890 event was a pandemic of OC43, a coronavirus passed to humans from some Russian cow.

After being among us for a century, this virus would have further evolved to be a mild pathogen that just causes the common cold today, Christakis writes, the Times reported, noting that concerning COVID-19 mutating into a milder form, it is still too early to know.

Continue reading here:
Christakis' Book on COVID-19 Featured in the New York Times - The National Herald

In order to weigh the costs and benefits of protecting and promoting human rights, we must be concrete and articulate. This is evident when we study the impact of health policies on human rights beyond life and physical health. In the face of the medical paradigm which favors the biological aspects and survival of people as a legitimate discourse that influences regulations, practice models, and social representations, another more holistic one emerges. To what extent is it legitimate to forsake freedoms on the altar of a strictly sanitarist vision? International human rights law provides precise guidelines for answering this fundamental question, and this is one of the central points addressed in the new bookCovid-19 and human rights: The pandemic of inequality.

The large economic slowdown, which has exacerbated the economic challenges that several countries in Latin America were already facing in February 2020, has led to an increase in poverty and a decline in economic and social rights. In this context, only elites are capable of resilience in the face of sudden macroeconomic changes. Again we see that, beyond the urgent actions that should be taken to serve the population most affected by the crisis, a transformative agenda needs to be on the discussion table.

Human rights have a scientific, legal, and political purpose. They can shed light on the intricate economic, financial, social, and legal processes that perpetuate inequalities. It is true that the effectiveness of human rights is limited. The levels of poverty and inequalities that exist in the world, and the presidents who suggest taking toxic substances to combat Covid-19 or who recommend not using face masks, without entailing any legal consequences, give us an indication of the impact of human rights in the real world. But this should not lead us to abandon the cause of human rights, but precisely to strengthen its system of protection which, to a large extent, requires reforming the foundations of the prevailing economic system. To this end, it is essential to investigate, report, and denounce the relationships between the pandemic, inequalities, and human rights.

This article first appeared on OpenGlobalRights in English and Spanish on November 6, 2020.

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What Do Inequalities, Covid-19, and International Human Rights Have to Do With Each Other? - Inequality.org

Dose-escalation study to evaluate safety, biological and early clinical effect of CALY-002 in healthy volunteers and patients with Celiac Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, November 16, 2020 / B3C newswire / -- Calypso Biotech, a company developing Interleukin-15-targeted biologics, today announced completion of dosing of first cohort of healthy subjects in the first Phase 1 clinical trial of CALY-002, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody neutralizing IL-15.

CALY-002 is the lead program of our differentiated pipeline of IL-15-targeting biologics, that we plan to investigate in multiple auto-immune diseases. CALY-002 has an unique mode of action which translates into potent biological activity in vivo and is expected to show superior clinical efficacy in patients, says Alain Vicari DVM, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Calypso Biotech. IL-15 is a key target in auto-immune diseases. IL-15 controls unique immune pathways such as Natural Killer cells and Memory T cells critically involved in disease onset and maintenance, as well as tissue destruction, in addition to its broad effect on inflammation, adds Yolande Chvatchko PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Calypso Biotech.

Calypso Biotech has elected Celiac Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis to evaluate the biological and clinical efficacy of CALY-002. Celiac Disease and Eosinophilic Esophagitis are two diseases with high unmet medical need where IL-15 causes inflammation, and tissue destruction. I am excited that this trial will inform about the safety, pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic of single and multiple administrations with CALY-002 in highly relevant populations. comments Josefin-Beate Holz, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Calypso Biotech.

More information on the trial can be found: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04593251

About Celiac Disease and IL-15Celiac Disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and ryeand derived products, leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Celiac Disease can cause symptoms including abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Long-term complications of Celiac Disease may include malnutrition, accelerated osteoporosis, nervous system problems and problems related to reproduction. Currently the only available treatment for patients with Celiac Disease is maintaining a gluten-free diet, which involves strict, lifelong avoidance of exposure to gluten. IL-15 has been singled out as a major driver of Celiac Disease for a long time, yet there are no IL-15-targeting drug available to address this important medical need.

About Eosinophilic Esophagitis and IL-15Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic, life-long immune-mediated disease of the esophagus (the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach) triggered by food antigens in at-risk individuals. This damage makes eating difficult or uncomfortable, potentially resulting in poor growth, chronic pain, and/or difficulty swallowing. It may evolve into a fibrotic process that causes a narrowing of the esophagus and can provoke food impaction, requiring a surgical procedure to remove the food and/or dilate the esophagus. Although still an orphan condition in Europe and the USA (CALY-002 has received Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of EoE), doctors are seeing more and more children and adults suffering from EoE. The only medical treatment approved for EoE to date, in Europe, is a local formulation of immune -suppressive corticoids. While long attributed to the presence of eosinophils alone, it is now clear that EoE is driven by other factors, many demonstrated by Calypso Biotech to be controlled by IL-15.

About Calypso Biotech BVCalypso Biotech BV is a private biotechnology company leveraging its unique knowledge of IL-15 biology into the development of medical breakthroughs. Calypso Biotech was established as a spin-off by the healthcare business of Merck, founded by Alain Vicari, Yolande Chvatchko and M Ventures, and is headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Calypso Biotech is also a Resident Company of Johnson & Johnson Innovation JLABS in Beerse, Belgium (JLABS @ BE).

Contact

Calypso Biotech BVThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Keywords: Humans; Glutens; Diet, Gluten-Free; Celiac Disease; Hordeum; Triticum; IL15 protein, human; Interleukin-15; Eosinophilic Esophagitis; Healthy Volunteers; Immunologic Memory; T-Lymphocytes; Diarrhea; Netherlands

Published by B3C newswire

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Calypso Biotech Announces Successful Dosing of First Phase 1 Cohort with Anti-Interleukin-15 (IL-15) Monoclonal Antibody CALY-002 for the Treatment of...

Home Feature She is what she eats: Keeping cows fit and healthy longer with the right feeding strategy

What goes for human beings, also goes for dairy cows: A healthy and individually tailored diet is one of the most important requirements for high performance and well-being. With GEAs automated feeding systems, the perfect recipe can be conveniently delivered to each animal group. Years of experience as well as the latest scientific findings advise systems for precision feeding. The success speaks for itself: Farmers are achieving significantly improved animal health with above-average herd performance. In addition, better feed quality and resource-friendly feed conversion go hand in hand with huge time and labor savings, as well as the ability to optimize feeding strategies in a targeted and result-oriented manner.

Measuring out fodder is surprisingly easy in the feed kitchen. Depending on the size of an operation and the number of animals needing to be fed, space-saving bunkers for basic feed types as well as containers for minerals are installed. The recipes selected feed types and desired quantities can be conveniently entered into the WIC System. Weighing and mixing take place automatically in the stationary mixer or directly in the feed wagon. And while the feed wagon provides the selected animal groups with individual, freshly prepared rations at predetermined times, current milking results can be checked against the feeding strategy. Precisely these valuable conclusions help dairy farmers achieve short- and long-term goals. Because results can be replicated, producers are able to continually optimize the feeding strategy.

Its clear that individual feed mixes designed to suit a cows nutritional needs will best support its performance. In conventional feeding systems, however, dividing animals into performance groups, means a corresponding increase in work hours. With GEAs automated feeding systems, it doesnt matter how many groups are desired, the only work required is filling the bunkers, which only takes about 30 minutes. Every animal group is provided with the optimal feed ration: cows at the beginning or the end of lactation, dry cows as well as youngstock and heifers receive exactly the rations they need for their current lactation phase, their calculated calving period, or their recommended weight gain.

Heifers are the cows of the future. The way they are fed improves not only their well-being, but has a direct influence on their lifelong productivity. To support growth in the best possible way, GEA has developed automated feeding systems, where even small batches can easily be mixed and distributed according to plan. The latest research shows that heifers that were fed according to a precise feeding plan grew faster. In addition, they calved significantly earlier than in the conventionally fed control group (22.2 compared to 24.6 months). Meanwhile, the costs for rations as well as feed and supplements were nearly identical in both groups. Thanks to the earlier age at first calving and the increased willingness to perform over the animals entire life cycle, an investment in the automated feeding system pays off. The additional time required for preparing and distributing smaller rations is taken on by the system.

Feeding that is efficient for the farmer also helps cows absorb nutrients better for their own energy balance. In a cows stomach, there are millions of active bacteria that support the digestion of plant fibers. Because microorganisms cannot adapt very well, they need a relatively stable environment to carry out their tasks. The ideal pH level for a good feed conversion is at 5.5 6. An efficient method to keep the pH level in the rumen as consistent as possible is to provide feed throughout the day. Another argument for frequent feeding is supplied by the cow herself: her tendency to sort against small particles in her feed contributes to an unbalanced diet, which in turn has a negative impact on the pH level in the rumen. Here, too, frequent feeding is a successful countermeasure, as it verifiably reduces variations in the pH value during the day.

The last in line only get the leftovers: this often applies when feed is conventionally distributed on the feeding table. Since the nutritional value of the ingredients begins to deteriorate as soon as feed is distributed, low ranking cows, who are initially denied access to the feeding table, can maintain neither their feed and nutrient intake nor milk production to the full extent. The common practice of pushing the feed forward may provide all cows with access to it, but cannot guarantee the uniform quality of the feed mix. When animals are fed more often, they distribute their feed intake more evenly throughout the day. At the same time, the movement profile of lower ranking cows reveals that when they get equal access to the feeding table, they are better fed with all the necessary nutrients. The otherwise labor-intensive processes of weighing, mixing and distributing can conveniently be carried out by the automated feeding system. All programmed tasks are taken care of on time, precisely according to plan.

Back to feed quality and the advantages of a feed kitchen: At conventionally feeding dairy farms, mixed feed rations are often exposed to the air for long periods, which accelerates the deterioration and decay of nutrients particularly during the summer months. In automated feeding systems, this process is slowed down by the storage in feed bunkers, because feed is only prepared and mixed during each day as needed. Aside from the order of feed components, a feed mixture can be optimized by the type of cut applied as well as single or multiple mixing. Best results are achieved when starting with dry and ending with wet ingredients. Thats why farmers using GEAs systems recommend beginning with dry fodder and grains, then adding concentrates, minerals and vitamins and finishing with silage, molasses and water. This is how the feed kitchen offers the best conditions, because its the quality of the mix that determines whether cows take in the right amount of nutrients for milk production, reproduction and good health.

A pioneering function in automated feeding consists of updated performance indicators supplied by process control and the software. To this end, daily procedures such as feed quantities distributed per group, mixing times or feed intake are recorded and referenced. The immediate evaluation and analysis in connection with information on milk performance of individual animal groups or heifers weight gain make it particularly easy for the farmers to make changes to feeding plans in real time and to improve feeding efficiency step by step. It makes no difference whether the farm feeds a full, partial or mixed ration in combination with grazing.

Latest research findings served fresh to the feeding table The proof is in the research: for cows well-being, health and vitality, freshly prepared feed should be distributed multiple times a day and as individually as possible. Feeding strategy, feeding frequency and feed mix are directly connected to animal stamina, milk yield and milk quality. The fact that efficient feeding and a successful feed strategy is not only good for cows, but is generally the decisive factor for the profitability of dairy farms, can not only be seen in improved herd performance, but is directly connected to sustainable feed implementation, savings in feed costs as well as improved reproduction. With significant labor savings, GEAs automated feeding systems offer every opportunity to test, analyze and reproduce promising feeding strategies at any time..

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She is what she eats: Keeping cows fit and healthy longer with the right feeding strategy - Farmers Review Africa