Current Season Research Articles

Farmers Acreage Allocation Response in districts of Chhattisgarh Plains Zone: An Acreage Response Analysis of Paddy, Wheat and Gram

The study has been undertaken with the major objective to estimate the acreage allocation decision of paddy, wheat and gram farmers in selected districts (viz., Raipur, Mahasamund, Dhamtari and Durg) of Chhattisgarh plains zone with using 20 years (2000-01 to 2019-20) of secondary data of area and yield of paddy, wheat and gram and the different variables identified viz., lagged relative prices, current season rainfall, area and yield of competing crop maize, wheat and gram. Findings of the study include that the lagged area along with the current year rainfall had significantly contributed more in increasing acreage allocation of farmers of paddy under Raipur and Dhamtari districts. The area under wheat in Dhamtari district had declined, this decline was significantly contributed by lagged relative prices, area and lagged yield under gram. While the acreage of wheat in Durg district had found increased which was contributed more by the significant move with the last year’s absolute area and yield, current season rainfall and lagged relative prices. The lagged area, lagged relative prices, lagged yield and current season rainfall had highly significantly helped to boost the gram in terms of absolute area and had maximum area in Durg compare to other selected district of Chhattisgarh plains. The lagged relative prices, area of wheat and lagged yield of wheat had significant led to decrease area under gram in Raipur as well as in Mahasamund district over the study period. Further, the estimates of short-run and long-run price elasticities with respect to acreage of paddy, wheat and gram indicated the inelastic supply of these crops. Study suggested need for education and training to the farmers in respect of new crop production technology, etc., which will help in bringing about the desired changes in the cropping pattern.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Coinfection and Clinical Characteristics Among Children and Adolescents Aged

The 2022-23 influenza season shows an early rise in pediatric influenza-associated hospitalizations (1). SARS-CoV-2 viruses also continue to circulate (2). The current influenza season is the first with substantial co-circulation of influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 (3). Although both seasonal influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 can contribute to substantial pediatric morbidity (3-5), whether coinfection increases disease severity compared with that associated with infection with one virus alone is unknown. This report describes characteristics and prevalence of laboratory-confirmed influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 coinfections among patients aged <18 years who had been hospitalized or died with influenza as reported to three CDC surveillance platforms during the 2021-22 influenza season. Data from two Respiratory Virus Hospitalizations Surveillance Network (RESP-NET) platforms (October 1, 2021-April 30, 2022),§ and notifiable pediatric deaths associated¶ with influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 coinfection (October 3, 2021-October 1, 2022)** were analyzed. SARS-CoV-2 coinfections occurred in 6% (32 of 575) of pediatric influenza-associated hospitalizations and in 16% (seven of 44) of pediatric influenza-associated deaths. Compared with patients without coinfection, a higher proportion of those hospitalized with coinfection received invasive mechanical ventilation (4% versus 13%; p = 0.03) and bilevel positive airway pressure or continuous positive airway pressure (BiPAP/CPAP) (6% versus 16%; p = 0.05). Among seven coinfected patients who died, none had completed influenza vaccination, and only one received influenza antivirals.†† To help prevent severe outcomes, clinicians should follow recommended respiratory virus testing algorithms to guide treatment decisions and consider early antiviral treatment initiation for pediatric patients with suspected or confirmed influenza, including those with SARS-CoV-2 coinfection who are hospitalized or at increased risk for severe illness. The public and parents should adopt prevention strategies including considering wearing well-fitted, high-quality masks when respiratory virus circulation is high and staying up-to-date with recommended influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations for persons aged ≥6 months.

273. Emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant in the Pragmatic Assessment of Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in the Department of Defense (PAIVED) Study

Abstract Background Novel SARS-CoV-2 (SCV2) variants may differ in epidemiology and clinical impact. PAIVED, a randomized trial comparing the efficacy of 3 different platforms of inactivated influenza vaccines in adult military health system beneficiaries, actively surveils participants for influenza-like illness (ILI), including COVID-19, and conducts targeted investigations among those who develop ILI. The current season (2021/22) offered an opportunity to assess symptomatology associated with emerging SCV2 variants in this prospective cohort. Methods Following receipt of influenza vaccine, PAIVED participants receive a weekly email or text message querying for ILI symptoms. Those who reported ILI completed a validated symptom diary (FLU-PRO Plus) daily for 7 days and collected a nasal swab. Nasal specimens underwent multiplex PCR testing, followed by SCV2 genome sequencing as applicable. PAIVED study participants from the 2021-22 influenza season who reported an ILI, had confirmed infection with SCV2 for which sequence data is available, and completed at least one FLU-PRO Plus survey were included in this analysis. Results To date, 293 participants (7% of active cohort; 22.5% reporting ILI) tested positive for SCV2; sequencing has identified 23 Delta and 200 Omicron variants (199 BA.1, 1 BA.2). Among the 212 participants with sequenced SCV2 and symptom data, 55% were male, 57% were white, and 85% were active-duty military (Table 1). Overall, peak symptom severity was classified as mild to moderate in 79.3% of cases, fever duration averaged 2.5±2.2 days, and there were activity limitations for a mean of 5.2±3.8 days. No differences in maximum symptom scores (total or by domain) were detected for participants infected with Omicron compared to Delta. Figure 1 depicts variation in mean symptom scores by day of ILI, grouped by variant. Table 1.Demographic characteristics of PAIVED study participants with Delta and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants during the 2021/22 season.Figure 1.Mean FLU-PRO Plus domain and total scores by days since identification of an influenza-like illness in participants with Omicron or Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 in the 2021/22 season of PAIVED. Conclusion Omicron emerged as the predominant SCV2 variant causing ILI in our cohort this season, typically manifesting with mild symptoms. Further exploration of potential differences in ILI experience between SCV2 variants and other ILI causes, plus the impact and timing of vaccination, will add insight into the relative contribution of such factors on symptomatology. Disclosures John H. Powers, III, MD, Arrevus: Advisor/Consultant|Eicos: Advisor/Consultant|Evofem: Advisor/Consultant|Eyecheck: Advisor/Consultant|Gilead: Advisor/Consultant|GlaxoSmithKline: Advisor/Consultant|OPKO: Advisor/Consultant|Resolve: Advisor/Consultant|Romark: Advisor/Consultant|SpineBioPharma: Advisor/Consultant|UTIlity: Advisor/Consultant|Vir: Advisor/Consultant Jitendrakumar Modi, MD, GlaxoSmithKline: I am a paid speaker for GSK. I do not speak for their flu brand. Timothy Burgess, MD, MPH, AstraZeneca: The HJF, in support of the USU IDCRP, was funded to conduct or augment unrelated Phase III Mab and vaccine trials as part of US Govt. COVID19 response.

2204. Pathogen Co-infections and Trends in Influenza-like Illness in PAIVED

Abstract Background The Pragmatic Assessment of Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness in the Department of Defense (DoD) (PAIVED) is a multicenter, multiservice study assessing influenza vaccine effectiveness in active-duty service members, retirees, and dependents. In its fourth season (2021/22), PAIVED offers a unique opportunity to examine influenza-like illness (ILI) trends prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic in a prospectively followed, well-defined cohort. Methods Over the past 4 influenza seasons, PAIVED has enrolled DoD beneficiaries who were randomized to receive egg-based, cell-based, or recombinant-derived influenza vaccine. Participants provided some basic demographic information and were then sent a weekly text or email that inquired about ILI symptoms, defined as 1) having cough or sore throat, plus 2) feeling feverish/having chills or having body aches/fatigue. Participants with ILI completed a daily symptom diary for one week and submitted a nasal swab for PCR-based pathogen detection. Table 1.Demographic characteristics of PAIVED participants over four seasonsFigure 1.Percent of PAIVED participants with influenza-like illness, SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and rhinovirus identified in swab samples collected over four seasons. Results Over the 4 seasons, 15,449 participants were followed for ILI (Table 1) with 3,407 participants reporting a total of 3,985 ILIs. For the 2021/22 season, ILI reports peaked in January (Figure 1). Overall, 4.7% of episodes had more than one pathogen identified (Table 2). Among the 122 coinfections identified to date, most were coinfections with rhinoviruses (91/122, 75%), including rhinovirus coinfections with seasonal coronaviruses (29, 24%), metapneumovirus (18, 15%), SARS-CoV-2 (17, 14%), and influenza (14, 11%). SARS-CoV-2 and influenza were found together in one sample. The lab data will continue to be processed for the current season (2021/22). Table 2.Pathogens identified in PAIVED nasal swabs over four seasons Conclusion ILI rates were lowest during the third year (2020/21), consistent with national influenza surveillance reports of influenza and outpatient ILI activity, suggesting that measures taken to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2 reduced the spread of other respiratory viruses. The emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant in December 2021 was associated with higher ILI rates. Among those individuals for whom a sample was collected, coinfections were highest in 2018/19. Data collection and specimen analysis are ongoing for 2021/22. Disclosures Jitendrakumar Modi, MD, GlaxoSmithKline: I am a paid speaker for GSK. I do not speak for their flu brand. Timothy Burgess, MD, MPH, AstraZeneca: The HJF, in support of the USU IDCRP, was funded to conduct or augment unrelated Phase III Mab and vaccine trials as part of US Govt. COVID19 response.

In-season and dynamic crop mapping using 3D convolution neural networks and sentinel-2 time series

An accurate, frequently updated, automatic and reproducible mapping procedure to identify seasonal cultivated crops is a prerequisite for many crop monitoring activities. Deep learning was demonstrated to be an effective mapping approach already successfully applied to decametric resolution satellite images (like Sentinel-2 data) to produce yearly crop maps. In this framework, algorithm training is performed with ground truth typically consisting of spatially explicit information available after the end of the season (e.g. yearly crop maps and/or farmer declaration for subsidies at parcel level); however, such data (i) does not allow performing in-season prediction, and (ii) does not provide temporal details fundamental to describe a dynamic crop succession and/or to understand crop management (i.e. planting and harvesting). In this paper we present a Deep Neural Network-based approach capable of generating (i) a crop map of the current season at a specific point in time (“In season mapping” conventionally at the end of the current year), along with (ii) all intermediate maps during the season able to describe in near real-time the evolution of crop presence (“Dynamic-mapping” at the temporal granularity of satellite imagery revisiting, e.g., 5 days for Sentinel-2 data). This approach adopts a smart training procedure of a Deep Neural model by exploiting historical satellite data and ground truth. We introduce a method to automatically generate “short-term” ground truth maps (i.e. 5 days reference) starting from the “long-term” ones (i.e. available yearly static reference) and characterizing temporally the different crop presence by performing a phenological analysis of historical time series. The model was trained and validated in Lombardy (North of Italy) exploiting multi-annual authoritative crop maps from 2016 to 2019. Validation was performed both in time (same areas used for training in a different year) and space (different location) for the year 2019. The quantitative error metrics calculation and Spatio-temporal analysis clearly demonstrate that the model can predict in-season crop presence with a generalization capacity over the long-term (yearly maps: OA > 70% and Kappa > 0.64%) and that the short-term predictions (5 days maps) are coherent with the reference information from expert knowledge (local crop calendars). The model can produce dynamically along the season short-term maps with a medium-high crop-specific User Accuracy at the maximum green-up phase (UA > 53% up to 95%). These products are of extreme interest for final users providing information at the peak of plant development that dynamically changes according to the considered crop, the specific location and the investigated season. These results demonstrate that it is possible to produce a crop map early in the season and extract useful additional information such as crop intensity (e.g. double crops presence) and crop dynamics related to different sowing dates.

College Football Attendance in the Long Run: Division II

A balanced panel (52 teams over 38 years) is used to estimate fixed- and random-effects models for average season attendance. All variables are either stationary or cointegrated. Independent variables measure economic conditions, demographic characteristics, and team performance. Contrary to expectations, attendance is an inferior good while travel cost (real gas price per mile driven) is insignificant. Greater undergraduate enrollment increases attendance. Attendance decreases with rising county population in both models – one at ten percent probability. More wins in the current season and a greater number of playoff appearances in the last ten years increase attendance. Lifetime winning percentage is insignificant.

A Semi-Empirical Model of Winter Wheat Grain Protein Content

Winter wheat grain protein content (GPC) is an important criterion for assessing grain quality. A timely and simple GPC model is urgently required for GPC prediction ahead of maturity. The GPC model included regressional models of dry matter and N accumulation and translocation for anthesis and post-anthesis stages, and incorporated both soil nitrogen (N) supply and meterological factors based on historical as well as current season data, final GPC were calculated as the ratio of N accumulation to dry matter in grain at maturity. This study conducted six field experiments during the 2003–2006 and 2008–2011 growing seasons to establish and validate the model. A three-way factorial arrangement of N fertilization, sowing date, and cultivar was conducted using a split-plot design. Critical growth parameters were determined by field measurements, and historical seasonal meteorological data covering the growing period were collected.

Sustainable Fruit Growing: An Analysis of Differences in Apple Productivity in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir

Apple is considered as an important fruit crop in temperate regions of the world including India. It is one of the major fruit crops, with a considerable area under cultivation throughout the world and a large associated population. Despite this, the productivity of this important fruit is not up to the expected standard. To gain a practical understanding of the low productivity of apple fruit and its probable causes, a study was undertaken to analyze productivity differentials and their determinants to enable sustainable cultivation. A multistage sampling procedure was adopted to select districts, horticultural zones, and villages, and data were collected from randomly selected apple growers (300). The collected data were empirically analyzed with simple descriptive statistics, logistic regression, polynomial plots, and inferential statistics such as t-tests. The results indicated that apple yields followed a sigmoidal pattern, with the average yield per hectare for the current season as 9.43 t/ha, which depends on experience, education, annual income, and the adoption rate of apple growers. This yield average was significantly lower than the yield of the previous season at a probability level of 1%. To determine the root cause of low productivity, different constraints were studied, creating yield disparities in different quarters; hence, their percentage and value contributions (socioeconomic 11.1%, credit 4.2%, pests and diseases 0.05%, technology 0.9%, extension 2.0%, and market 3.5%) were also established in the study. The study will be of great interest to the relevant authorities in the study area, and the areas globally having similar congenial agro-climatic conditions, who are seeking to address the issues raised in this study through sustainable policy decisions. The different constraints that were the fundamental reasons for low productivity and that prevented the apple growers from adopting innovative techniques/improved practices to increase their yields need to be addressed as a matter of urgency.

The impact of repeated vaccination on relative influenza vaccine effectiveness among vaccinated adults in the United Kingdom.

Annual seasonal influenza vaccination is recommended for individuals at high risk of developing post-infection complications in many locations. However, reduced vaccine immunogenicity and effectiveness have been observed among repeat vaccinees in some influenza seasons. We investigated the impact of repeated influenza vaccination on relative vaccine effectiveness (VE) among individuals who were recommended for influenza vaccination in the United Kingdom with a retrospective cohort study using primary healthcare data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a primary care database in the United Kingdom. Relative VE was estimated against general practitioner-diagnosed influenza-like illnesses (GP-ILI) and medically attended acute respiratory illnesses (MAARI) among participants who have been repeatedly vaccinated compared with first-time vaccinees using proportional hazards models. Relative VE against MAARI may be reduced for individuals above 65 years old who were vaccinated in the current and previous influenza seasons for some influenza seasons. However, these findings were not conclusive as we could not exclude the possibility of residual confounding in our dataset. The use of routinely collected data from electronic health records to examine the effects of repeated vaccination needs to be complemented with sufficient efforts to include negative control outcomes to rule out residual confounding.

Physiological and ecological characteristics and reproductive responses of Phragmites australis to dry-wet conditions in inland saline marshes of Northeast China.

Inland saline marshes in northeastern China have unique soil characteristics and population distribution features. Hydrological change is a critical environmental factor causing wetland degradation and soil salinization in this region. The growth and reproductive responses of typical wetland plants to dry-wet alternations are essential for restoring inland saline marshes. A pot experiment was conducted to study the growth and reproductive responses of Phragmites australis populations to three hydrological treatments simulating drought degradation (drought), permanent inundation restoration (flooding), and seasonal inundation restoration (dry-wet). The species showed different growth and reproductive responses to the three treatments. After 120 d, the drought conditions induced a lower biomass, root length and root surface area of P. australis, but with higher root diameter, soluble sugar, and Na+ ion contents. Flooding and alternating dry-wet treatments induced the opposite responses. Alternating dry-wet treatments can be considered a better solution to effectively conserve water and meet the water needs of P. australis in the current growing season. The biomass under the alternating wet and dry treatment was the same as that under flooding, but the number of rhizome shoots was lower. The alternating dry-wet treatments was able to recover the growth of P. australis in the current season, but the potential for asexual reproduction of the species was insufficient.

Seasonal variability of water residence time in the Subei Coastal Water, Yellow Sea: The joint role of tide and wind

Assessing the coastal water export rate is important for better solving the coastal environmental problems and developing environmental management strategies. To investigate the water export rate and its spatiotemporal variation in the Subei coastal water (SCW), a subregion of the Yellow Sea, this study applied water residence time (RT) as an indicator and studied the roles of tides, wind, and river discharge on the water export rate using numerical modeling and the RT adjoint method. RT had an annual and spatial mean of ∼80 days but presented highly spatial and seasonal heterogeneity. Spatially, high RT (∼100–300 days) occurred in the nearshore region, and its location varied in seasons. Temporally, RT was the shortest in the spring (∼55 days), longest in the summer (∼91 days), and median (∼81 days) in autumn and winter. Furthermore, the seasonal RT mismatched the strength of residual transport velocity (RTV) at the current season but instead relied on the combined effects of RTVs in the current and next seasons. Additional sensitivity experiments revealed that tides greatly increased the RT, the Changjiang River runoff slightly decreased the RT, while monsoon wind dominated the RT seasonal variation. As highlighted by an idealized analytical framework, increasing the magnitude ratio of the wind- and tidal-induced RTVs could amplify the RT seasonal variability. Ecologically, the shortest RT in spring might promote the rapid expansion of macroalgal blooms originating from the SCW into offshore waters, thereby contributing to green tide occurrence in the Yellow Sea. Therefore, the seasonality of RT should be considered in coastal management and scientific planning.

Influence of Water Limitation and Provenance on Reproductive Traits in a Common Garden of Frangula alnus Mill.

Drought periods during the growing season will increase and intensify in Western Europe due to climate change. To better understand the consequences for woody perennials, we restricted watering of potted cuttings of Frangula alnus Mill. in a common garden setting in Belgium during the growing season of 2020. We focused on the responses of three provenances (Belgian, Italian and Swedish) for several reproductive traits in the year of the water limitation. F. alnus, as a shrub species, bears fruits fast. It can blossom on current season’s growth and can therefore produce ripened berries continuously during several months. The total berry count across the whole growing season was much lower in the water-limited plants, independent of the provenance. The local Belgian provenance produced more ripened berries in total than the Italian and Swedish provenances, both in the water-limited plants as in the control plants. Maximal berry production occurred in July. The control plants from the Belgian and Italian provenances displayed a second lower maximum in August. Mainly the Swedish provenance displayed a clear advancement of the maximum berry production among the water-limited plants in comparison to the control plants. Slight differences were detected in the average stone count per berry and in the average stone weight, with both traits displaying a single maximum through time. The Swedish provenance displayed the highest average stone count per berry and the Belgian provenance had the lightest average stone weight, both likely attributable to local adaptation. Remarkably, both stone traits were not affected by the water limitation. Results are discussed in the context of several drought response mechanisms including drought escape, drought avoidance, compensation growth, growth/reproduction trade-off and seed size/number trade-off.

Vaccine Literacy, Covid-19 and influenza: a cross-sectional survey in Prato in the 2nd pandemic wave

Abstract Covid-19 is a pandemic and an infodemic, with contrasting information regarding risk and preventive measures, including vaccination. This study aims to assess Vaccine Literacy (VL) of a sample of workers in the province of Prato (Tuscany, Italy) in the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic (November-December 2020) and to analyze the relationship between VL and attitudes about Covid-19 and flu vaccination. A cross-sectional design was adopted. Sociodemographic characteristics, health information, vaccination behaviour for past and current flu season and intention to get vaccinated against Covid-19 were collected. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of getting a Covid-19/flu vaccination. The Italian Health Literacy tool on Vaccination (HLVa-IT) tool was used to measure VL. A total of 117 questionnaires were analyzed. Among them, 64.9% intended to get Covid-19 vaccine. The mean VL was 3.18 ± 0.43 (functional 2.87 ± 0.72; interactive-critical 3.36 ± 0.45) out of 4. Having more than one comorbidity was a negative predictor of intention to get Covid-19 vaccine (OR: 0.21 95%CI: 0.04 - 0.91). Regarding the flu vaccine, being vaccinated in the previous season was the only positive predictor of being vaccinated in the current season (OR = 24.25 95%CI 7.96 - 87.73). The study was conducted before the authorization of Covid-19 vaccines: little information about them may have contributed to VL not being related to the intention to get vaccination. The negative role of comorbidities could be due to fear of adverse effects on fragile health status. For flu vaccination, VL may have exerted a lower impact because of the positive experience with the flu vaccine in terms of safety and effectiveness in the previous seasons. Key messages • The introduction of new vaccines should be supported by effective communication. • Better knowledge of current vaccines and not just routine administration is desirable for greater personal empowerment.

DOES WINTER MEAN YOU ARE LESS LIKELY TO CATCH LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE?

DOES WINTER MEAN YOU ARE LESS LIKELY TO CATCH LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE?

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF CLINICAL AND LABORATORY DATA OF LUNG AFFECTION IN PATIENTS WITH COVID-19 WITH THOSE OF PANDEMIC INFLUENZA A/H1N1

Influenza viruses, in particular A ‒ A(H3N2) and A(H1N1)pdm09, as well as influenza B virus, mainly (98%) of the B/Victoria line, continue to circulate during the current epidemic season. The level of influenza vaccination remains low, about 0.6% of the population of Ukraine, and among occupational and epidemiological risk groups ‒ 22.8%, according to the Public Health Centre of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. In the COVID-19 pandemic, simultaneous circulation of influenza viruses and SARS-CoV-2 can lead to difficulties in differential diagnosis and treatment. Comparison of clinical and laboratory features of severe influenza complicated by pneumonia caused by pandemic influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09 in the epidemic season of 2015/2016 Kharkiv RCIDH with COVID-19 on clinical and laboratory data was the aim of the work. Patients and research methods. The analysis of clinical symptoms and laboratory examination data of 19 patients with influenza complicated by community-acquired pneumonia of clinical group IV who were treated at the Kharkiv Regional Hospital and their comparison with those of patients with COVID-19 according to the literature. Results and discussion. Among the studied patients, men predominated ‒ 12 persons (63.2%) aged 50.68±11.95 years. The predominant number had concomitant diseases. At the beginning of the disease, moderate weakness, headache, fever, minor catarrhal phenomena and, as a result, delayed hospitalization prevailed. From 3‒4 days of the disease the condition significantly worsened, shortness of breath and cyanosis joined. Typical initial symptoms of COVID-19 are fever of varying degrees (73%), unproductive cough (59%) and shortness of breath or shortness of breath. Conclusions. In patients with COVID-19 and severe influenza, a more acute onset of the disease was reported, with moderate weakness, headache and fever up to 38°C and symptoms of pharyngitis. Influenza patients often show a delay in seeking medical attention and hospitalization for 6.21±1.46 days of illness. The severity of the disease in influenza is due to the accession of community-acquired pneumonia, in contrast to COVID-19, where the typical features are diffuse, mostly subpleural lung affection. Vaccination of people at risk before the start of the epidemic season is necessary to prevent severe complications of influenza caused by the pandemic virus A(H1N1)pdm09 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keywords: influenza, pneumonia, COVID-19, diagnosis.

Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness: Analysis of the Impact of Repeated Vaccinations in Military Health System Beneficiaries.

Influenza has long burdened the Military Health System (MHS). This study assesses the impact of repeated annual vaccination on influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE). This retrospective, case control study using the test-negative design utilized data extracted from the MHS Data Repository (MDR). Cases had a positive influenza test and controls sought care for an influenza-like illness within 2 weeks of a case, had no positive influenza tests, and were matched by sex, race, age, and location. Vaccine effectiveness was assessed using conditional logistic regression separately for those who received inactivated and live attenuated influenza vaccines (LAIV). A total of 6860 cases and controls were identified in the MDR, among whom 53% were vaccinated in all 3 seasons. Among those who received inactivated influenza vaccine during the current season, VE ranged from 26% to 37% (2012/13 [A(H3N2)]: VE 26%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1%-45%; 2013/14 [A(H1N1)pdm09]: VE 37%, 95% CI = 18%-52%; 2014/15 [A(H3N2)]: VE 31%, 95% CI = 17%-42%). The VE ranged from 25% to 49% for those only vaccinated this season (2012/13 [A(H3N2)]: VE 38%, 95% CI = -3% to 63%; 2013/14 [A(H1N1)pdm09]: VE 49%, 95% CI = 11%-71%; 2014/15 [A(H3N2)]: VE 25%, 95% CI = -7% to 48%). The VE was more variable in those who received LAIV in the current season. No statistically significant differences in VE were observed between those frequently vaccinated and those vaccinated only during the current season. These results underscore the value of annual influenza vaccinations for preventing infection while highlighting the need for continued improvements in influenza vaccine effectiveness.

Seasonal Variations in the Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Nature.

The aim of this study was to assess whether the outcomes of immersive virtual nature (IVN) varies between seasons. IVN has received increased interest in recent years due to its potential applications within health and design. However, factors influencing people's responses to IVN are largely unknown. Seasons affect a variety of human processes and behaviors including levels of affect and blood pressure, also in the context of human-nature interactions. These seasonal variations might influence how people interact and respond to IVN, especially since IVN allow for representations of nature that are not representative of the current real-life season. A secondary analysis of data retrieved from two previous studies, which included three IVN conditions, was conducted. All IVNs represented late spring conditions. Measures included perceived environmental restorativeness, affect, enjoyment, heart rate, and blood pressure. A meta-analytic approach was used to assess whether there were consistent differences between participants who were exposed to the IVN in spring/summer (early June to mid-September) and autumn/winter (mid-September to December) across the three different conditions. There was a consistent effect of season only for one component of affect (fatigue), with larger reductions in fatigue when exposed to IVN during autumn/winter compared to spring/summer. No other significant effects of season were observed. IVNs are feasible to use across all seasons but might be more effective in reducing the feeling of fatigue during autumn and winter compared to other seasons.

Does repeated influenza vaccination attenuate effectiveness? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Influenza vaccines require annual readministration; however, several reports have suggested that repeated vaccination might attenuate the vaccine's effectiveness. We aimed to estimate the reduction in vaccine effectiveness associated with repeated influenza vaccination. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL Complete databases for articles published from Jan 1, 2016, to June 13, 2022, and Web of Science for studies published from database inception to June 13, 2022. For studies published before Jan 1, 2016, we consulted published systematic reviews. Two reviewers (EJ-G and EJR) independently screened, extracted data using a data collection form, assessed studies' risk of bias using the Risk Of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) and evaluated the weight of evidence by Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). We included observational studies and randomised controlled trials that reported vaccine effectiveness against influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza A(H3N2), or influenza B using four vaccination groups: current season; previous season; current and previous seasons; and neither season (reference). For each study, we calculated the absolute difference in vaccine effectiveness (ΔVE) for current season only and previous season only versus current and previous season vaccination to estimate attenuation associated with repeated vaccination. Pooled vaccine effectiveness and ∆VE were calculated by season, age group, and overall. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021260242. We identified 4979 publications, selected 681 for full review, and included 83 in the systematic review and 41 in meta-analyses. ΔVE for vaccination in both seasons compared with the current season was -9% (95% CI -16 to -1, I2=0%; low certainty) for influenza A(H1N1)pdm09, -18% (-26 to -11, I2=7%; low certainty) for influenza A(H3N2), and -7% (-14 to 0, I2=0%; low certainty) for influenza B, indicating lower protection with consecutive vaccination. However, for all types, A subtypes and B lineages, vaccination in both seasons afforded better protection than not being vaccinated. Our estimates suggest that, although vaccination in the previous year attenuates vaccine effectiveness, vaccination in two consecutive years provides better protection than does no vaccination. The estimated effects of vaccination in the previous year are concerning and warrant additional investigation, but are not consistent or severe enough to support an alternative vaccination regimen at this time. WHO and the US National Institutes of Health.

The role of nitrogen fixation and crop N dynamics on performance and legacy effects of maize-grain legumes intercrops on smallholder farms in Tanzania

Maize-grain legume intercrops form an important component of the cropping systems of smallholder farmers in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. However, the effects of cropping system and fertilizer use on nitrogen fixation and nitrogen uptake of component crops in maize-legume intercrops are not well understood. Our study addressed the questions: (i) What is the capacity of pigeonpea and lablab to fix atmospheric nitrogen (N2) in sole crop and when intercropped with maize on smallholder farms across different agro-ecological conditions?; (ii) How does productivity and N-uptake by sole and intercropped maize and legumes respond to N and P fertilizer?; and (iii) What are the residual effects of the sole crops, intercrops and fertilizer treatments on the productivity of a succeeding maize crop? We studied additive intercropping systems on eight farms in Babati, Tanzania: maize-long duration pigeonpea, maize-medium duration pigeonpea and maize-lablab, with separate sole crops, at three fertilizer rates: no fertilizer; 40 kg P ha−1; and 90 kg N ha−1 + 40 kg P ha−1. Whereas P fertilizer was applied on maize and the legumes, the N fertilizer was only applied on maize. Maize and pigeonpea were sown simultaneously, while lablab was relay-planted one month later. N2-fixation was quantified using the 15N natural abundance method. N2-fixation differed among the legume species. Sole long-duration pigeonpea fixed significantly more N2 (20–63 kg ha−1 more) than all other cropping systems, corresponding to the greater shoot dry matter and N yield of this system. The combined N uptake of maize and legume in intercrops was consistently larger than that of sole maize or the legume. Application of fertilizer resulted in enhanced N uptake both in the current season (up to 40 kg N ha−1 more) and in a succeeding maize crop (up to 71 kg N ha−1 more). We observed positive associations between grain yield, dry matter production and total N uptake of a succeeding maize crop, and the N-fixed by legume species in the preceding season. Each kg of legume shoot N yield was associated with up to 14 kg ha−1 extra grain yield, 29 kg ha−1 extra dry matter and 0.5 kg ha−1 extra total N uptake of the succeeding maize crop. Our results show that maize-legume intercrops enhance N-uptake. Furthermore, N2-fixation by sole or intercropped legumes confers strong residual benefits on productivity of a succeeding maize crop.

Characteristics of the Epidemic Situation Associated with Acute Respiratory Viral Infections in the Russian Federation during the Pandemic Spread of COVID-19

Annualy, SARS occupy a leading position in terms of morbidity and the magnitude of the economic damage caused both in the world and in the Russian Federation. Currently, the most widespread pandemics are caused by the influenza A (H1N1) pdm09 virus and the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which occupy a common ecological niche and require studying the manifestations of the epidemic process of ARVI for further development of measures to improve epidemiological surveillance of this group of infections. Aim of the study was to investigate the current manifestations of the epidemic process of ARVI and influenza, including in the context of a new coronavirus infection (COVID–19) pandemic, on the territory of Russia and in Moscow. Materials and methods. The assessment of the long-term dynamics of the incidence of ARVI and influenza (from 1999 to 2021), as well as its age structure in the territory of the Russian Federation and in Moscow, was carried out. The main sources of information were: WHO: «The situation with COVID-19 in the European region», the domestic information portal Stopkoronavirus.rf, as well as data from Federal State Statistical Observation forms No. 2 and No. 6. Results. During the period 2013–2019, a strong positive correlation was revealed between the incidence rates of ARVI in the Russian Federation and Moscow (p = 0.8, with p &lt; 0.05), which became negative with the spread of SARS-CoV-2: in the country, the incidence rate of ARVI increased by 11.5% in 2020 and 15.6% in 2021., in Moscow there was a decrease of 45.1% than the average in Russia, which could be due to the quality of differential diagnosis of ARVI and COVID-19. In 2021 the incidence rate of influenza decreased by more than 2 times in all Federal Districts of the country, with the exception of the capital region, where it became the maximum - 65.9 per 100 thousand population in 2021 (against 14.1 in 2019). In the age structure of influenza incidence, as well as ARVI, for the period from 2019 to 2021. the child population prevailed with the highest rates in the age groups of 1–2 years and 3–6 years. As the circulation of SARS-Cov-2 decreased to 15–19%, the activity of influenza viruses and other pathogens of the ARVI group increased (from 0.7–3.0% during the developed pandemic to 5.6–6.6% at the stage of its decline), which indicates a pronounced interference of pathogens detected at the global level in the system of Global Hospital Surveillance for flu. Conclusion. The forecast for the upcoming epidemic season 2022–2023 largely depends on the spread of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, as well as its variability and the emergence of new variants. Nevertheless, there may be a significant increase in the incidence caused by the influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus, whose high activity was recorded in the current epidemic season in a number of countries in the Southern hemisphere.