The troposphere constitutes the final frontier of global ecosystem research due to technical challenges arising from its size, low biomass, and gaseous state. Using a vertical testing array comprising a meteorological tower and a research aircraft, we conducted synchronized measurements of meteorological parameters and airborne biomass (n = 480) in the vertical air column up to 3,500 m. The taxonomic analysis of metagenomic data revealed differing patterns of airborne microbial community composition with respect to time of day and height above ground. The temporal and spatial resolution of our study demonstrated that the diel cycle of airborne microorganisms is a ground-based phenomenon that is entirely absent at heights >1,000 m. In an integrated analysis combining meteorological and biological data, we demonstrate that atmospheric turbulence, identified by potential temperature and high-frequency three-component wind measurements, is the key driver of bioaerosol dynamics in the lower troposphere. Multivariate regression analysis shows that at least 50% of identified airborne microbial taxa (n = ∼10,000) are associated with either ground or height, allowing for an understanding of dispersal patterns of microbial taxa in the vertical air column. Due to the interconnectedness of atmospheric turbulence and temperature, the dynamics of microbial dispersal are likely to be impacted by rising global temperatures, thereby also affecting ecosystems on the planetary surface.

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Practical laboratory proxies that correlate to vaccine efficacy may facilitate trials, identify nonresponders, and inform about boosting strategies. Among clinical and laboratory markers, assays that evaluate antibodies that inhibit receptor-binding domain (RBD) ligation to angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor (receptor-binding inhibition [RBI]) may provide a surrogate for viral neutralization assays. We evaluated RBI before and after a median of 34 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 33-40) of the second dose of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Sinovac's CoronaVac (CN) or As-traZeneca/Oxford's AZD1222 (AZ) vaccines in 166 individuals. Both vaccines elicited high inhibitory titers in most subjects, 95% (158/166), with signal inhibition above 30% and 89% (127/143) with more than fourfold increase from prevaccination titers, but titers tend to decrease over time. Both postvaccination inhibitory titers (95%, IQR 85%-97% for AZ vs. 79%, IQR 60%-96% for CN, p = 0.004) and pre/post-titer increase (AZ 76%, IQR 51%-86% for AZ vs. 47%, IQR 24%-67% for CN, p < 0.0001) were higher among AZ vaccinees. Previous serological reactivity due to natural infection was associated with high prevaccination signal inhibition titers. The study documents a robust antibody response capable of interfering with RBD-angiotensin-converting enzyme binding. Evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence in these populations is necessary to assess its association to protection and its duration.

Many aspects of the humoral immune response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), such as its role in protection after natural infection, are still unclear. We evaluated IgA and IgG response to spike subunits 1 and 2 (S1 and S2) and Nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-COV-2 in serum samples of 109 Conception and design were performed by Marisa Ailin Hong,