Climate change affects human health, however, there have been no large-scale, systematic efforts to quantify the heat-related human health impacts that have already occurred due to climate change. Here we use empirical data from 732 locations in 43 countries to estimate the mortality burdens associated with the additional heat exposure that has resulted from recent human-5 induced warming, during the period 1991-2018. Across all study countries, we find that 37.0% (range 20.5-76.3%) of heat-related deaths can be attributed to anthropogenic climate change, and that increased mortality is evident on every continent. Burdens varied geographically, but were on the order of dozens to hundreds of deaths per year in many locations. Our findings support the urgent need for more ambitious mitigation and adaptation strategies to minimize the public 10 health impacts of climate change.

The spread‐plate and double agar layer (DAL) methods are common for the enumeration of bacteria and viral indicators (bacteriophages). However, they may become cumbersome in large matrix experiments or when the titer of the organism varies by several orders of magnitude. A bacterial spot‐titer assay has been available for decades but has not been adapted to bacteriophages and has rarely been applied to the analysis of environmental samples. In this study, a spot‐titer culture‐based method was investigated for bacteria and bacteriophages. The method involves spot‐plating replicate 10‐µl volumes of several sample dilutions on a single plate, incubating, and counting colonies or plaques. Parallel assays of laboratory cultures and environmentally isolated organisms show that the spot‐titer method is equally straightforward and statistically comparable to the spread‐plate and DAL methods (R2 = 0.989 for laboratory strains and R2 = 0.972 for environmental samples), while more cost‐ and labor‐efficient. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The spread‐plate and double agar layer (DAL) methods currently used for enumeration of bacteria and viral indicators, may become labor‐ and resource‐intensive (culture media, plates, technician time and incubator space) in large matrix experiments, which are often needed in the laboratory to evaluate environmental conditions. The spot‐titer method has several advantages over the spread‐plate and DAL methods: (1) it requires less time to dispense spots than to spread the microbe; (2) it uses fewer materials (15–20% of the laboratory supplies as the traditional methods); (3) it requires less effort; and (4) since the sample is distributed in distinct spots, colony/plaque counting is faster and less labor intensive. The spot‐titer method was found to economize resources without sacrificing accuracy or precision, and is a practical method for routine use in large matrix experiments (e.g., survival or disinfection studies) and enumeration of high‐titer environmental samples.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is genetically heterogeneous and is caused by mutations in the PKD1 or PKD2 genes. ADPKD caused by PKD2 mutations is characterized by a longer survival and a later onset of end-stage renal disease than ADPKD caused by PKD1 mutations. PKD2 encodes a 2.9-kb messenger RNA and is derived from 15 exons. Two-dimensional gene scanning (TDGS) is more efficient in detecting mutations in genes such as PKD2 because it can scan the whole coding regions simultaneously. In order to determine the prevalence of Korean PKD2 patients, all the coding sequences of PKD2 were screened using TDGS and direct sequencing in 46 randomly selected ADPKD patients (group 1). Another 45 ADPKD patients (group 2), who were presumed to be PKD2 patients, were screened in order to identify the type of mutation in the Korean PKD2 patients. Eight novel different mutations and three known mutations in the PKD2 gene were detected in 17 patients: 6 patients (13.0%) in group 1 and 11 patients (24.4%) in group 2. Considering the sensitivity of TDGS, the prevalence of PKD2 in Korean population might be greater than 18.6%. Both known and novel mutations were identified by TDGS in Korean PKD2 patients. Overall, these results showed that TDGS might be useful for diagnosing PKD2.