Earliest Traces Research Articles

Internal dynamics within primary care teams in two Spanish regions during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study

BackgroundPandemics and epidemics have represented public health emergencies with severe consequences at a global level. Primary care teams have played a crucial role in disease surveillance and monitoring during the COVID-19 pandemic through early detection, contact tracing, and isolation of positive cases. The objective of this study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care teams regarding their internal dynamics and their professional performance.MethodsQualitative study carried out between July and December 2020 in two large central and southern Spanish regions (Castilla la Mancha and Madrid). Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with primary care workers. Data was analysed using thematic content analysis. Participants were accessed using purposive sampling.ResultsA total of 53 primary care workers participated in the study, of which 38 were individually interviewed, and 15 participated in three focus groups.The analysis of their experiences revealed two main themes regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on primary care teams: 1) The need to reorganise traditional roles: Primary care settings closed their doors to the public and their workers restructured their roles to ensure the delivery of essential services; 2) The need to implement a new primary care delivery model: Each primary care team had to self-organise, making sure their reference population was cared for and developing resource optimisation strategies.ConclusionsPrimary care teams have quickly adapted their roles and internal dynamics to respond to the demands generated by COVID-19. In the new delivery model, some positive aspects could be highlighted – such as increased communication between professionals and the use of telemedicine for some cases. However, it is important to address the negative impact that the COVID-19 crisis has had on of the main functions of primary care. These measures are necessary to promote well-being in primary care teams, and to provide quality care that addresses the complex and individual needs of each person and reduces inequalities in healthcare delivery.

Perceptions of users and non-users of an early contact tracing mobile application to fight COVID-19 spread: a value-based empirical investigation

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to describe a comparative study of the perceptions of users and non-users of an early contact tracing application helping to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The unprecedented incidence of this disease warrants investigating theoretically the use of mobile contact tracing applications as a promising approach to curtail its transmission.Design/methodology/approachA consumption value-based model of the adoption and use of a contact tracing mobile application was built and tested through a cross-sectional survey conducted with 2 samples (of 309 already users and 306 non-users) in the Province of Alberta, Canada.FindingsUtilitarian and social values together with health information seeking and perceived critical mass drive the use of the application while perceived privacy risk is an obstacle to usage for both users and non-users.Research limitations/implicationsStudy participants self-assessed their risk category of potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus, and this was a subjective measure including an emotional component.Practical implicationsNo major differences in the approaches targeting users and non-users of a mobile contact tracing application to encourage its adoption and use are necessary.Social implicationsAdditional efforts are required to convey to people information on the benefits and current rate of use of such an application and to mitigate privacy risk concerns.Originality/valueOverall, the study offers theoretical and practical contributions that may help improve the adoption and usage of contact tracing applications addressing the COVID-19 pandemic or other possible public health crises.

Detection and Contact Tracing of COVID-19 in Indonesia through a Red Cross Community Based Surveillance System

PurposeEpidemics and pandemics begin and end in communities. Communities play a critical role in prevention, detection, and response to infectious disease threats when meaningfully engaged. Surveillance and contact tracing are core components of effective public health preparedness and response efforts. But, surveillance systems that rely on case detection via healthcare facilities may fail or be slow to detect and trace many cases. Communities are often the first to identify unusual disease patterns in humans and animals. Community-Based Surveillance (CBS) gives a voice to communities, enables them to communicate unusual health events to authorities, and complements facility-based surveillance systems.Methods & MaterialsSince 2019, Indonesia Red Cross (PMI) has piloted CBS in 8 villages within four provinces. Initiated for passive surveillance, the volunteers trained to report ‘alerts’ of epidemic-prone diseases to health authorities. The concept was then adapted to an active approach focussing on COVID-19 and scaled to 74 villages across eight provinces. Partnering with local authorities, volunteers supported COVID-19 screening, detection, tracing, and local response, all while implementing volunteer safety standards. The reporting system was created and coordinated by a structure within PMI.ResultsFrom August 2020-June 2021, community volunteers made 1,079 alerts: 99% of the alerts were reported to health authorities, with 71.1% followed up within 24 hours. After alert detection, volunteers sensitized family members on preventive measures while individuals awaited follow-up visits for diagnosis and management by health authorities. 64% of alerts were PCR positive for COVID-19, 12% were negative, 14% did not undergo testing, and test results for 10% of the alerts were unavailable. Of 979 contacts traced by volunteers, authorities followed up 99%, confirming 29% positive and 34% negative for COVID-19; the remaining 37% included those recommended to isolate without testing and those for whom test results were unavailable.ConclusionCBS has supported early detection and contact tracing of COVID-19 in Indonesia. The community case definition used to identify potential alerts was sensitive and easily understood by non-health workers. The system proved readily scalable and adaptable, enabling a shift from passive to active surveillance and making it feasible to be implemented anywhere in the community.

Did the first inhabitants of the Caune de l’Arago between 700,000 and 400,000 years BP have domesticated fire? Did they know how to light the fire at will?

This note is a comment to the article “Search for early traces of fire in the Caune de l’Arago at Tautavel (Eastern Pyrenees, France), combining magnetic susceptibility measurements, microscopic observations, and Raman analysis” by Deldicque et al., published online on July 29, 2021, in Comptes Rendus Géoscience in Volume 353, 2021, pages 247-264, https://doi.org/10.5802/crgeos.66. The authors’ response to this comment has also been published in Comptes Rendus Géoscience in Volume 354, 2022, pages 47-50, https://doi.org/10.5802/crgeos.114.

Traces of fire in a 560,000-year-old occupation soil at Caune de l’Arago: response to the article by Professor Henry de Lumley

This note is a reply to the comment “Did the first inhabitants of the Caune de l’Arago between 700,000 and 400,000 years BP have domesticated fire? Did they know how to light the fire at will?” by H. de Lumley, published in Comptes Rendus Géoscience in Volume 354, 2022, pages 41-45, https://doi.org/10.5802/crgeos.113. The comment in question concerns the article “Search for early traces of fire in the Caune de l’Arago at Tautavel (Eastern Pyrenees, France), combining magnetic susceptibility measurements, microscopic observations, and Raman analysis” by Deldicque et al., published online on July 29, 2021, in Comptes Rendus Géoscience in Volume 353, 2021, pages 247-264, https://doi.org/10.5802/crgeos.66.

A wearable AIEgen-based lateral flow test strip for rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein and N protein

Accurate and rapid detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is significant for early tracing, isolation, and treatment of infected individuals, which will efficiently prevent large-scale transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, two kinds of test strips for receptor binding domain (RBD) and N antigens of SARS-CoV-2 are established with high sensitivity and specificity, in which AIE luminogens (AIEgens) are utilized as reporters. Because of the high brightness and resistance to quenching in aqueous solution, the limit of detection can be as low as 6.9 ng/mL for RBD protein and 7.2 ng/mL for N protein. As an antigen collector, an N95 mask equipped with a test strip with an excellent enrichment effect would efficiently simplify the sampling procedures. Compared with a test strip based on Au nanoparticles or fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), the AIEgen-based test strip shows high anti-interference capacity in complex biosamples. Therefore, an AIEgen-based test strip assay could be built as a promising platform for emergency use during the pandemic.

Telemedicine and artificial intelligence to support self-isolation of COVID-19 patients: Recent updates and challenges.

BackgroundAsymptomatic and high-risk COVID-19 patients are advised to self-isolate at home. However, patients may not realize that the condition is deteriorating until too late.ObjectiveThis study aims to review various artificial intelligence-based telemedicine research during the COVID-19 outbreak and proposes a framework for developing telemedicine powered by artificial intelligence to monitor progression in COVID-19 patients during isolation at home. It also aims to map challenges using artificial intelligence-based telemedicine in the community.MethodsA systematic review was performed for the related articles published in 2019–2021 and conducted in the PubMed and ScienceDirect database using the keywords “telemedicine,” “artificial intelligence,” and “COVID-19”. The inclusion criteria were full-text articles and original research written in the English language.ResultsThirteen articles were included in this review to describe the current application of artificial intelligence-based telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Various current applications have been implemented, such as for early diagnosis and tracing of contact for the users, to monitor symptoms and decision-making treatment, clinical management, and virtual and remote treatment. We also proposed the framework of telemedicine powered by artificial intelligence for support the self-isolation of COVID-19 patients based on the recent update in technology. However, we identified some challenges for using digital health technologies because of the ethical and practical use, the policy and regulation, and device use both for healthcare workers and patients.ConclusionArtificial intelligence promises to improve the practice of medicine in various ways. However, practical applications still need to be explored, and medical professionals also need to adapt to these advances for better healthcare delivery to the public.

Old World Methods, New World Pots. The Introduction of the Potter’s Wheel to the Spanish Colonies of Concepción de la Vega and Cotuí (Dominican Republic 1495–1562)

Wheel-made ceramics from early colonial Caribbean sites (1492–1562) have traditionally been labelled as European imports. This paper challenges that assumption, as the intercultural interactions within colonies in the New World have led to the creation of new social identities and changing material culture repertoires. Macro-trace ceramic analysis from the sites of Concepción de la Vega and Cotuí (Hispaniola, present-day Dominican Republic) show that the potter’s wheel was in fact introduced to the Spanish colonies at an early stage. The evidence of RKE (rotative kinetic energy) on sherds and the discovery of parts of a potter’s wheel are the earliest traces of the potter’s wheel found in the Americas. Here we aim to present how the potter’s wheel was introduced within the context of transcultural pottery forming. This paper will show that traditional coiling techniques were supplemented with finishing techniques on the wheel. The transformation processes within ceramic repertoires are assessed through theories of colonialism and learning processes, combined with archaeological and ethnoarchaeological assessment of the ceramic chaîne opératoire. Evidence from ceramic analysis is combined with historical sources to understand social processes surrounding the technological changes behind the introduction of the potter’s wheel to the New World colonies.

Clinical features of children with coronavirus disease2019 (COVID-19) at a single isolation centre in Ghana

Background: Children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who do not require hospitalisation must isolate to prevent the virus’s spread. Objective: This study describes the prevalence, characteristics, source of infection, and treatment outcome among children with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 admitted to Ghana’s largest isolation centre. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study among children 0-18 years admitted to Pentecost Convention Isolation Centre in Ghana between April 24 and August 31, 2020. We extracted their clinical details and patient outcome information from their medical records. Results: The number of children enrolled was 57, with a median age of 16 years (interquartilerange:12–17years). The most common symptom was a headache. Most of the participants admitted from school attributed their source of infection to a school colleague. One patient required transfer to a hospital while the rest were discharged home after de-isolation. Conclusion: Children with asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 were managed successfully in a facility repurposed as an isolation centre. The use of repurposed isolation centres can reduce hospital care load during this pandemic. As schools re-open fully, school authorities must collaborate closely with public health institutions for rapid testing of all persons suspected to have COVID-19, to initiate early contact tracing and isolate those who are positive.

Meta-analysis of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 serial intervals and the impact of parameter uncertainty on the coronavirus disease 2019 reproduction number.

The serial interval of an infectious disease, commonly interpreted as the time between the onset of symptoms in sequentially infected individuals within a chain of transmission, is a key epidemiological quantity involved in estimating the reproduction number. The serial interval is closely related to other key quantities, including the incubation period, the generation interval (the time between sequential infections), and time delays between infection and the observations associated with monitoring an outbreak such as confirmed cases, hospital admissions, and deaths. Estimates of these quantities are often based on small data sets from early contact tracing and are subject to considerable uncertainty, which is especially true for early coronavirus disease 2019 data. In this paper, we estimate these key quantities in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 for the UK, including a meta-analysis of early estimates of the serial interval. We estimate distributions for the serial interval with a mean of 5.9 (95% CI 5.2; 6.7) and SD 4.1 (95% CI 3.8; 4.7) days (empirical distribution), the generation interval with a mean of 4.9 (95% CI 4.2; 5.5) and SD 2.0 (95% CI 0.5; 3.2) days (fitted gamma distribution), and the incubation period with a mean 5.2 (95% CI 4.9; 5.5) and SD 5.5 (95% CI 5.1; 5.9) days (fitted log-normal distribution). We quantify the impact of the uncertainty surrounding the serial interval, generation interval, incubation period, and time delays, on the subsequent estimation of the reproduction number, when pragmatic and more formal approaches are taken. These estimates place empirical bounds on the estimates of most relevant model parameters and are expected to contribute to modeling coronavirus disease 2019 transmission.

Malaysia Healthcare Early Response in Combatting COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020.

The year 2020 saw the emergence of a novel coronavirus—the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2—which has led to an unprecedented pandemic that has shaken the entire world. The pandemic has been a new experience for Malaysia, especially during the implementation of large-scale public health and social measures called the Movement Control Order (MCO). This paper seeks to describe the experiences of the Malaysian healthcare system thus far in combatting the pandemic. The Malaysian healthcare system comprises two main arms: public health and medicine. The public health arm focuses on early disease detection, contact tracing, quarantines, the MCO, and risk stratification strategies in the community. The medical arm focuses on the clinical management of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients; it encompasses laboratory services, the devising of clinical setting adjustments, and hospital management for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. Malaysia experienced intense emotions at the beginning of the pandemic, with great uncertainty regarding the pandemic’s outcome, as the world saw a frighteningly high COVID-19 mortality. As of writing (May 30, 2020), Malaysia has passed the peak of its second wave of infections. The experience thus far has helped in preparing the country’s healthcare system to be vigilant and more prepared for future COVID-19 waves. To date, the pandemic has changed many aspects of Malaysia’s life, and people are still learning to adapt to new norms in their lives.

Wearable Aiegens-Based Lateral Flow Test Strip for Rapid Detection of SARS-CoV-2 N Protein and BRD Protein

\Accurate and rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2 is significant for early tracing, isolating and treating the infected patients, which will efficiently prevent the virus large-scale spread from human to human. In this paper, two kinds of novel quantitative lateral flow test strip for N and RBD antigens of SARS-CoV-2 were established with high sensitivity, which utilize AIE luminogens (AIEgens) as reporter. Because of the high brightness and resistance of quenching property in aqueous of the AIEgens, the limit of detection of 7.2 ng/mL for N protein and 6.9 ng/mL for RBD protein could be achieved with the AIEgens-based lateral flow test strip. Furthermore, it was negative for other protein or antigen samples assay, which demonstrated the great specificity of the test strategy. A N95 mask equipped with the test strip was designed to employ as the antigen collector with excellent enrichment effect. Compared with the other two test strips based on the Au nanoparticle and FITC, the well-designed AIEgens-based lateral flow test strip presented high sensitivity and excellent anti-interference capacity in complex bio-samples. Furthermore, the AIEgens-based lateral flow test strip assay could be built as a promising platform for the emergency usage at pandemic.Funding: This work was supported by the NSFC (51961160730, 51873092, and 81921004), the National Key R&D Program of China (Intergovernmental Cooperation Project, 2017YFE0132200), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and the Tianjin Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (19JCJQJC61200).Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

TrueNat for COVID-19 detection: An ideal screening option in emergency

Introduction: TrueNat is a chip-based qRT-PCR that shortens the turnaround time and thus helps in prompt diagnosis of COVID-19 and early contact tracing. In tertiary care setups, TrueNat can be utilized in emergency departments to decide the course of management of suspected COVID-19 patients. Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the TrueNat Beta CoV E gene Screening assay, by comparing it with RT-PCR kits and assessing its utility in emergency setting. Materials and methods: We analysed nasopharyngeal swabs of 100 patients over a period of 3 months, extracting their RNA and subjecting these to PCR using TrueNat microPCR Beta CoV E gene screening chips and three commercially available ICMR approved RT-PCR kits. Results: There was 100% concordance among all the kits for the detection of E gene in all the 100 samples. 40 RNAs showed the presence of E gene of which 34 had a positive result for confirmatory genes. (N gene, ORF gene and RdRp gene). Conclusion: TrueNat Beta CoV E gene screening assay is beneficial as it has comparable sensitivity and specificity to the RT-PCR kits for detection of E gene.

Viral Exanthems in Pediatrics From Vaccine Preventable Diseases

ABSTRACT Vaccine preventable eruptions deserve special attention in pediatrics, because early recognition speeds testing, contact tracing, treatment, reporting, and prevention. Addressing these diseases is especially important during any time when immunization rates may have lagged because of lack of access, vaccine hesitancy, or other reasons. Focusing on cutaneous manifestations of vaccine preventable diseases in pediatrics, the following diseases are discussed: measles, rubella, varicella, smallpox, and meningococcemia. Key factors identified to help differentiate such diseases from others include location, distribution, and courses of the presenting primary lesions.

Clustering and multiple-spreading events of nosocomial severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection

BackgroundThere is growing evidence that super-spreading events (SSEs) and multiple-spreading events (MSEs) are a characteristic feature of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, data regarding the possibility of SSEs or MSEs in healthcare settings are limited.MethodsThis study was performed at a tertiary-care hospital in Korea. We analysed the nosocomial COVID-19 cases that occurred in healthcare workers and inpatients and their caregivers between January and 20th December 2020. Cases with two to four secondary cases were defined as MSEs and those with five or more secondary cases as SSEs.FindingsWe identified 21 nosocomial events (single-case events, N = 12 (57%); MSE + SSE, N = 9 (43%)) involving 65 individuals with COVID-19. Of these 65 individuals, 21 (32%) were infectors. The infectors tended to have a longer duration between symptom onset and diagnostic confirmation than did the non-infectors (median two days vs zero days, P=0.08). Importantly, 12 (18%) individuals were responsible for MSEs and one (2%) for an SSE, which collectively generated 35 (54%) secondary cases.ConclusionIn a hospital with thorough infection-control measures, approximately 70% of the nosocomial cases of COVID-19 did not generate secondary cases, and one-fifth of the infectors were responsible for SSEs and MSEs, which accounted for approximately half of the total cases. Early case identification, isolation, and extensive contact tracing are important for the prevention of transmission and SSEs.

Search for early traces of fire in the Caune de l’Arago at Tautavel (Eastern Pyrenees, France), combining magnetic susceptibility measurements, microscopic observations, and Raman analysis

Search for early traces of fire in the Caune de l’Arago at Tautavel (Eastern Pyrenees, France), combining magnetic susceptibility measurements, microscopic observations, and Raman analysis

Metabolomics in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered an unprecedented global effort in developing rapid and inexpensive diagnostic and prognostic tools. Since the genome of SARS-CoV-2 was uncovered, detection of viral RNA by RT-qPCR has played the most significant role in preventing the spread of the virus through early detection and tracing of suspected COVID-19 cases and through screening of at-risk population. However, a large number of alternative test methods based on SARS-CoV-2 RNA or proteins or host factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection have been developed and evaluated. The application of metabolomics in infectious disease diagnostics is an evolving area of science that was boosted by the urgency of COVID-19 pandemic. Metabolomics approaches that rely on the analysis of volatile organic compounds exhaled by COVID-19 patients hold promise for applications in a large-scale screening of population in point-of-care (POC) setting. On the other hand, successful application of mass-spectrometry to detect specific spectral signatures associated with COVID-19 in nasopharyngeal swab specimens may significantly save the cost and turnaround time of COVID-19 testing in the diagnostic microbiology and virology laboratories. Active research is also ongoing on the discovery of potential metabolomics-based prognostic markers for the disease that can be applied to serum or plasma specimens. Several metabolic pathways related to amino acid, lipid and energy metabolism were found to be affected by severe disease with COVID-19. In particular, tryptophan metabolism via the kynurenine pathway were persistently dysregulated in several independent studies, suggesting the roles of several metabolites of this pathway such as tryptophan, kynurenine and 3-hydroxykynurenine as potential prognostic markers of the disease. However, standardization of the test methods and large-scale clinical validation are necessary before these tests can be applied in a clinical setting. With rapidly expanding data on the metabolic profiles of COVID-19 patients with varying degrees of severity, it is likely that metabolomics will play an important role in near future in predicting the outcome of the disease with a greater degree of certainty.

Trace fossils, algae, invertebrate remains and new U-Pb detrital zircon geochronology from the lower Cambrian Torneträsk Formation, northern Sweden

ABSTRACT Nineteen ichnotaxa, together with algal and invertebrate remains, and various pseudo-traces and sedimentary structures are described from the Torneträsk Formation exposed near Lake Torneträsk, Lapland, Sweden, representing a marked increase in the diversity of biotic traces recorded from this unit. The “lower siltstone” interval of the Torneträsk Formation contains mostly simple pascichnia, fodinichnia and domichnia burrows and trails of low-energy shoreface to intertidal settings. The assemblage has very few forms characteristic of high-energy, soft-sediment, foreshore or upper shoreface environments (representative of the Skolithos ichnofacies). Uranium-lead (U-Pb) LA-ICPMS analysis of zircon from a thin claystone layer within the “lower siltstone” interval yielded a maximum depositional age of 584 ± 13 Ma, mid-Ediacaran. Most of the zircon is represented by rounded detrital grains that yield dates between 3.3 and 1.0 Ga. Although the age of the basal sandstone-dominated interval of the Torneträsk Formation remains elusive owing to the absence of fossils, the ichnofossil suite from the overlying “lower siltstone” interval lacks deep arthropod trackways, such as Rusophycus and Cruziana, and is suggestive of a very early (Terreneuvian, possibly Fortunian) Cambrian age. The ichnofauna is otherwise similar to early Cambrian trace fossil assemblages from other parts of Baltica, regions further south in modern Europe, and from Greenland.

Prevalence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and factors associated with treatment outcome in three districts of Himachal Pradesh, India

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world and especially in India. MDR TB has emerged as a major challenge in TB control in India. The prevalence of MDR TB is on the rise in India. We did this study to see the prevalence of MDR TB in 3 districts of Himachal Pradesh and to study the factors affecting treatment outcomes.Methods: The period of the study was from January 2019 to December 2019. We collected data of MDR TB patients from district TB offices of Solan, Bilaspur and Hamirpur. Information from patients was collected through questionnaires while interviews were conducted with district project officer and other health officials and documents, brochures, etc. were collected from Solan, Hamirpur and Bilaspur.Results: Overall prevalence rate of MDR TB in our study was 3.14%. Among new TB cases, the prevalence rate of MDR TB was 2.42% (81/3345), and among old treated cases was 9% (37/411). 31% MDR TB patients were old treated while 69% patients had no previous treatment history. The default rate was low in our study (0.84%) while 8 (6.4%) patients had treatment interruption but for less than 15 days.Conclusions: The prevalence in our study is comparable to the national drug resistance survey. Early detection, timely treatment and contact tracing is vital in decreasing the MDR TB cases. Better supervision, constant monitoring, proper counselling and timely identification and management of adverse effects of the drugs will improve the treatment outcome among MDR TB patients.

Spectroscopic fingerprints to track the fate of aquatic organic matter along an alpine headstream on the Tibetan Plateau

The fragile aquatic ecosystem on the Tibetan Plateau is severely threatened by human activities and climate change. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a vital indicator of surface water quality; however, its comprehensive molecular analysis is challenged due to its low concentration (total organic carbon less than 0.5 mg/L) in alpine areas. This study proposes the fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (FEEM) to fingerprint DOM in a typical headstream in the Namco basin, one of the largest lake regions in Tibet. We found that the FEEM can sensitively detect low-concentration pollution traces and the variation of DOM along the flow from the ice sheet, through the wetland, eventually to the estuary of the lake. The fluorescence intensity indices for biodegradable carbon (fT/C) and humification (HIXem) responded drastically along the flow. Fluorescence regional integrals (FRIs) clearly reflected the overall increase of protein-like substances and decrease of humus-like substances along the flow, whereas this tendency was reversed when passing through the wetland. The FRIs-derived secondary parameters (HPP, HMP, WLP and SSP) further sensed likely variations in hydrophobicity, humification degree, excited-state fluorophore energy and Stokes shift. Parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) of the FEEM signals witnessed the trade-off among tyrosine-like organics (C1 peak), tryptophan-like byproducts (C2 peak) and humus-like remains (C3 peak) along the flow. The C1 component can be traced back to the vicinity of the ice sheet exit, presumably due to human and animal activities. The wetland can absorb or convert part of the C1 component into C2 or C3 products, demonstrating the function of regulating water quality and buffering environmental impacts. The spectroscopic indicators evaluated in this study may provide tools for diagnosing early traces of water pollution and ecological instability in alpine areas.