bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Соціально-психологічні особливості прояву цілісності особистості
Authors: Гейко Євгенія
Published: June 2021

У статті здійснюється аналіз поняття цілісності особистості з позицій різних підходів й вирізняються власне передумови самоорганізації цілісності. Наголос здійснюється на динаміці й полісистемності природи цілісності особистості. Розкриваються провідні чинники, що сприяють самоорганізаційним процесам. Так, цілісність - це належний взаємозв’язок елементів, внутрішнє співвідношення та відповідність, ієрархія компонентів або елементів системи. Цілісність пов'язана з ієрархією структур. Однак ієрархія структур вважається спільною рисою цілісності. Крім того, кожен компонент цілісності, у свою чергу, має свою структуру. Організація цілісності - це відповідність структурних утворень деталей загальній структурі.
Цілісність визначається сукупністю внутрішніх і зовнішніх взаємозв’язків, зв’язків та взаємодій системи. Внутрішні та зовнішні зв’язки цілісної системи певним чином узгоджуються (гармонізуються) між собою. Під час формування та існування цілісності завжди виникає розбіжність між зовнішніми та внутрішніми зв’язками системи. Отже, цілісність системи - це не стільки результат її попереднього розвитку, скільки здатність підтримувати такий стан у процесі постійного руху, змін та розвитку. Таким чином, цілісність системи є обов’язковою умовою та результатом самої себе.
Окрім цього, велике значення має той факт, що цілісністю системи є не тільки відповідність елементів, інтегралів тіла, але і зв'язок кожного елемента з цілим. Взаємодія частини, елемента, цілого характеризується перешкодами. Під час взаємодії частини і цілого, коли частина може представляти ціле, а ціле проникає в частини, це шлях розвитку частини і цілого, поліпшення структури системи в цілому та окремих її компонентів. Провідна дія в цьому складному процесі належить структурі цілого; тобто ціле, що визначає власний прогрес через розвиток частин.
В якості провідних факторів доцільно виділити системні концепції ізомерії, багатовимірності, ієрархічності. Ізомерія розглядається як механізм спілкування, переходів від одного компонента мультимодальної цілісності особистості до іншого. Багатовимірність повинна розкриватися як багатоаспектність полісистемної цілісності особистості. Ієрархія повинна відображатися через "вертикаль" і "горизонталь" у структурі цілісності мультимодальної особистості. Отже, "вертикальною" структурою є Холон, особлива форма співвідношення цілого та частин.
Так само цілісність особистості виявляється через узгоджені структурні елементи (системи, модальності, диспозиції) у загальній структурі за принципом полісистеми. Полісистемна цілісність особистості - це відповідна взаємозв’язок елементів, внутрішня кореляція та ієрархія компонентів або елементів системи.
Ключові слова: системний підхід, провідні фактори цілісності особистості, цілісність, цілісність особистості, полісистемна цілісність особистості.
Monitoring the incidence and causes of diseases potentially transmitted by food in Australia: Annual report of the OzFoodNet network, 2013–2015
Authors:   The OzFoodNet Working Group
Published: June 2021

This report summarises the incidence of diseases potentially transmitted by food in Australia, and details outbreaks associated with food that occurred during 2013–2015. OzFoodNet sites reported an increasing number of notifications of 12 diseases or conditions vthat may be transmitted by food (botulism; campylobacteriosis; cholera; hepatitis A; hepatitis E; haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS); listeriosis; Salmonella Paratyphi (paratyphoid fever) infection; salmonellosis; shigellosis; Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection; and Salmonella Typhi (typhoid fever) infection), with a total of 28,676 notifications received in 2013; 37,958 in 2014; and 41,226 in 2015. The most commonly-notified conditions were campylobacteriosis (a mean of 19,061 notifications per year over 2013–2015) and salmonellosis (a mean of 15,336 notifications per year over 2013–2015). Over these three years, OzFoodNet sites also reported 512 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness caused by foodborne, animal-to-person or waterborne disease, affecting 7,877 people, and resulting in 735 hospitalisations and 18 associated deaths. The majority of outbreaks (452/512; 88%) were due to foodborne or suspected foodborne transmission. The remaining 12% of outbreaks were due to waterborne or suspected waterborne transmission (57 outbreaks) and animal-to-human transmission (three outbreaks). Foodborne and suspected foodborne outbreaks affected 7,361 people, resulting in 705 hospitalisations and 18 deaths. Salmonella was the most common aetiological agent identified in foodborne outbreaks (239/452; 53%), and restaurants were the most frequently-reported food preparation setting (211/452; 47%). There were 213 foodborne outbreaks (47%) attributed to a single food commodity during 2013–2015, with 58% (124/213) associated with the consumption of eggs and egg-based dishes.
Framing the Non-human: American Honey as Eco-Road Movie
Authors: Paszkiewicz Katarzyna
Published: June 2021

This article approaches Andrea Arnold's American Honey (2016) as a contemporary manifestation of an eco-road movie. Although the film's expansive interest in the ‘natural’ environment and its non-human inhabitants aligns it with Arnold's earlier work, American Honey is unique for its complex engagement with the cinematic traditions of Hollywood genre films. I argue that Arnold's eco-aesthetics work to conflate the distinctions between human and non-human worlds, offering a de-romanticisation of the American picturesque vistas and exploring the intersections of human speciesism, masculinity and whiteness, as well as narratives of conquest and ownership. I focus on the ways in which the film both participates in and exceeds Arnold's previous ecocinematic approach in filming British landscape, while at the same time highlighting her distinctive contribution to the tradition of the road movie. If the conventional road movie tends to offer a sense of escape from the capitalist dystopia, American Honey displaces such a promise. In its complex treatment of the supposedly distinct realms of nature and culture, the film does not endorse a return to the mythical wild but, rather, draws attention to the messiness of ecological, social and economic entanglements, exposing both neoliberal and anthropocentric power structures. Ultimately, it is through the intertwining of the film's ecological orientation and its engagement with the conventions of the road movie and its antecedent, the Western, that such a critique is possible.
Are the Bretons French? The Case of François Jaffrennou/Taldir ab Hernin
Authors: Williams Heather
Published: June 2021

This article explores the poetry of François Jaffrennou, who published under the druidic pseudonym Taldir ab Hernin, as a case study in decolonized multilingualism. Close readings of Taldir's writing in Breton, Welsh and French reveal the pressures of negotiating a hybrid Celtic-French identity, as he affirms his Celticity while maintaining a careful relationship with France. Taldir criticizes the French state in his Welsh texts, whereas in French and Breton his critique is more guarded, subtly codified. The Celtic space which emerges here is full of tensions, as Taldir works both within and against the impulse to reconcile Celtic and French identities. I argue that being provincially Other in France requires a delicate balancing act, a special way of being French. I also contend that to work on the local is to work on the global, looking beyond regionalist and postcolonial approaches to Breton writing in an effort to dismantle the monolingualizing tendencies of French Studies.
Some groups of drugs which use is associated with development of drug-induced atrial fibrillation
Authors: Ostroumova O. D. , Cherniaeva M. S. , Bakhteeva D. I. , Arablinskiy N. A. , Sychyov D. A.
Published: June 2021

Recently, more and more attention has been paid to the problem of drug‑induced (DI) atrial fibrillation (AF). It is known that the development of DI AFcan be associated with the intake of cardiovascular and anticancer drugs, drugs that affect the central nervous system or respiratory organs. However,there are other drugs that can provoke DI AF, which practitioners are less aware of. This article is a review of the current literature on DI AF associated withthe intake of other groups of drugs and individual drugs that are not included in the above groups. Analysis of the available literature has shown that theincidence of DI AF reaches 6.9% when taking zoledronic acid and 1.5% when taking alendronate, although data from different authors regarding thecausal relationship between bisphosphonate therapy and the development of AF are ambiguous. The use of high doses of glucocorticosteroids (at a dailydose of ≥ 7.5 mg in terms of prednisolone) is also associated with an increased risk of AF (OR = 6.07; 95% CI: 3.90–9.42). Treatment with non‑steroidal anti‑inflammatory drugs is also associated with a higher risk of developing DI AF compared to those who do not use it – the incidence rate is 1.17 (95% CI:1.10–1.24) for nonselective and 1.27 (95% CI: 1.20–1.34) for cyclooxygenase‑2 inhibitors. The literature contains a description of clinical cases of DI AF whiletaking immunosuppressants (azathioprine, methotrexate + etanercept, fingolimod, cyclosporine), drugs that affect the genitourinary system (vardenafil,sildenafil, yohimbine hydrochloride, hexoprenaline), local anesthetics, bupacaero testosterone, stanozolol, testosterone cypionate, nandrolone decanoateextraboline) and nicotine‑containing products (nicotine‑containing chewing gum).
Influence of vitamin and mineral complexes on the composition of breast milk
Authors: Orlova S. V. , Nikitina E. A. , Prokopenko E. V. , Vodolazskaya A. N.
Published: June 2021

Rational feeding is one of the most important conditions that ensure adequate maturation of various organs and tissues, optimal parameters of physical, psychomotor,intellectual development, infant resistance to infections and other unfavorable external factors. The ideal food for an infant is mother’s breast milk, because ithas a relationship with the tissues of the child and is the ‘gold standard’ for optimal nutrition. The nature of feeding in the first year of life largely determines thestate of health of the child, not only in infancy, but also in the subsequent years of his life. Insufficient or improper nutrition of the mother during pregnancy andlactation is a consequence of the production of milk with a low content of vitamins and essential nutrients, which may be one of the reasons for the developmentof alimentary‑dependent conditions in young children, negatively affect growth indicators, nervous and mental development of a child. The best way to replenishthe micronutrient deficiency in the diet of nursing mothers is to take biologically active food supplements in the form of vitamin and mineral complexes.
Active Longevity program as important element of rehabilitation of elderly patients in primary health care
Authors: Spiryakina Ya. G. , Orlova N. V. , Bagautdinov R. Kh. , Bonkalo T. I.
Published: June 2021

Progressive increase in the proportion of elderly patients in the population of many countries actualizes the issues of preserving physical and mental health, working capacity and quality of life of retirees. As a part of preventive geriatric rehabilitation, ‘the Active Longevity’ program has been operating in many cities of Russia over the past three years, one of the aspects of the program is the involvement of elderly patients in active life, including an increase in physical activity. This study included 744 patients who attended face‑to‑face physical training sessions. According to the results of the survey, 41% of pensioners noted an increase of daily physical activity, 94% reported an improvement in health and mood, the level of total blood cholesterol decreased. Almost all patients, both with and without clinical and subclinical manifestations of anxiety and depression, reported a good and very good mood immediately after exercise. Increasing physical activity in elderly patients improves the quality of life and prolongs its duration, and is also an effective method of non‑drug treatment of anxiety‑depressive disorders.
Сombating unfair registrations and using means of individualization in the conditions of digital transformation
Authors: Androshchuk Hennadii
Published: June 2021

Key words: intellectual property, unfair competition, means of individualization, valuation,squatter, losses, digital transformation, artificial intelligence

The article examines the economic, legal and institutional aspects of combating unfair registration and useof means of individualization (trademarks, brand names, geographical indications,domain names) in the context of digital transformation. The formation of theoreticaland methodological and methodological foundations for the protection of the rights oftheir owners, improving the efficiency of experts of intellectual property agencies, lawenforcement agencies, tools for digital search and use of artificial intelligence (AI) toensure the effectiveness of the institution of individualization. The economic and legalaspects of foreign (in the jurisdictions of China, USA, EU) and domestic legislativeand law enforcement practices to combat the phenomenon of unfair registration anduse of personalization, digital search tools and the use of AI are analyzed. It is shownthat over the next five years, 30 to 50% of product searches will be by voice ratherthan text, so the impact of AI on the way a product is purchased will have significanteconomic and legal implications for individualization legislation. The means of counteractingunscrupulous applicants in the USA have been studied. The U.S. Patentand Trademark Office (USPTO) has developed rules under which foreign applicantsand trademark owners must be represented by a U.S. licensed attorney when filingtrademark applications with the USPTO. Emphasis is placed on the introduction oflegislative liability of e-commerce platforms for counterfeit goods. The analysis of thelast changes in the legislation of Ukraine on protection of trade marks is carried out.It is shown that the new rules change the approaches to registration and protection oftrademarks, create the possibility of their fair use. Digitalization, transition to e-documentcirculation in the Customs Register, improvement of the procedure for destructionof counterfeit goods are important anti-corruption steps in the activities ofUkrainian customs in the context of digital transformation of the economy.
Robin Criterion on Divisibility
Authors: Vega Frank
Published: June 2021

Robin criterion states that the Riemann Hypothesis is true if and only if the inequality $\sigma(n) < e^{\gamma } \times n \times \log \log n$ holds for all $n > 5040$, where $\sigma(n)$ is the sum-of-divisors function and $\gamma \approx 0.57721$ is the Euler-Mascheroni constant. This is known as the Robin inequality. In 2007, Choie, Lichiardopol, Moree and Sol{\'{e}} have shown that the Robin inequality is true for all $n > 5040$ which are not divisible by $2$. We prove that the Robin inequality is true for all $n > 5040$ which are not divisible by any prime number between $3$ and $953$.
Modeling Liver Organogenesis by Recreating Three-Dimensional Collective Cell Migration: A Role for TGFβ Pathway
Authors: Ogoke Ogechi , Yousef Osama , Ott Cortney , Kalinousky Allison , Lin Wayne , Shamul Claire , Ross Shatoni , Parashurama Natesh
Published: June 2021

Three-dimensional (3D) collective cell migration (CCM) is critical for improving liver cell therapies, eliciting mechanisms of liver disease, and modeling human liver development and organogenesis. Mechanisms of CCM differ in 2D vs. 3D systems, and existing models are limited to 2D or transwell-based systems, suggesting there is a need for improved 3D models of CCM. To recreate liver 3D CCM, we engineered in vitro 3D models based upon a morphogenetic transition that occurs during liver organogenesis, which occurs rapidly between E8.5 and E9.5 (mouse). During this morphogenetic transition, 3D CCM exhibits co-migration (multiple cell types), thick-strand interactions with surrounding septum transversum mesenchyme (STM), branching morphogenesis, and 3D interstitial migration. Here, we engineer several 3D in vitro culture systems, each of which mimics one of these processes in vitro. In mixed spheroids bearing both liver cells and uniquely MRC-5 (fetal lung) fibroblasts, we observed evidence of co-migration, and a significant increase in length and number of liver spheroid protrusions, which was highly sensitive to transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) stimulation. In MRC-5-conditioned medium (M-CM) experiments, we observed dose-dependent branching morphogenesis associated with an upregulation of Twist1, which was inhibited by a broad TGFβ inhibitor. In models in which liver spheroids and MRC-5 spheroids were co-cultured, we observed complex strand morphogenesis, whereby thin, linear, 3D liver cell strands attach to the MRC-5 spheroid, anchor and thicken to form permanent and thick anchoring contacts between the two spheroids. In these spheroid co-culture models, we also observed spheroid fusion and strong evidence for interstitial migration. In conclusion, we present several novel cultivation systems that recreate distinct features of liver 3D CCM. These methodologies will greatly improve our molecular, cellular, and tissue-scale understanding of liver organogenesis, liver diseases like cancer, and liver cell therapy, and will also serve as a tool to bridge conventional 2D studies and preclinical in vivo studies.
Computational Enzyme Engineering Pipelines for Optimized Production of Renewable Chemicals
Authors: Scherer Marc , Fleishman Sarel J. , Jones Patrik R. , Dandekar Thomas , Bencurova Elena
Published: June 2021

To enable a sustainable supply of chemicals, novel biotechnological solutions are required that replace the reliance on fossil resources. One potential solution is to utilize tailored biosynthetic modules for the metabolic conversion of CO2 or organic waste to chemicals and fuel by microorganisms. Currently, it is challenging to commercialize biotechnological processes for renewable chemical biomanufacturing because of a lack of highly active and specific biocatalysts. As experimental methods to engineer biocatalysts are time- and cost-intensive, it is important to establish efficient and reliable computational tools that can speed up the identification or optimization of selective, highly active, and stable enzyme variants for utilization in the biotechnological industry. Here, we review and suggest combinations of effective state-of-the-art software and online tools available for computational enzyme engineering pipelines to optimize metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis of renewable chemicals. Using examples relevant for biotechnology, we explain the underlying principles of enzyme engineering and design and illuminate future directions for automated optimization of biocatalysts for the assembly of synthetic metabolic pathways.
Protein Secondary Structure Prediction With a Reductive Deep Learning Method
Authors: Lyu Zhiliang , Wang Zhijin , Luo Fangfang , Shuai Jianwei , Huang Yandong
Published: June 2021

Protein secondary structures have been identified as the links in the physical processes of primary sequences, typically random coils, folding into functional tertiary structures that enable proteins to involve a variety of biological events in life science. Therefore, an efficient protein secondary structure predictor is of importance especially when the structure of an amino acid sequence fragment is not solved by high-resolution experiments, such as X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which are usually time consuming and expensive. In this paper, a reductive deep learning model MLPRNN has been proposed to predict either 3-state or 8-state protein secondary structures. The prediction accuracy by the MLPRNN on the publicly available benchmark CB513 data set is comparable with those by other state-of-the-art models. More importantly, taking into account the reductive architecture, MLPRNN could be a baseline for future developments.
miR-335 Targets LRRK2 and Mitigates Inflammation in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Oliveira Sara R. , Dionísio Pedro A. , Gaspar Maria M. , Correia Guedes Leonor , Coelho Miguel , Rosa Mário M. , Ferreira Joaquim J. , Amaral Joana D. , Rodrigues Cecília M. P.
Published: June 2021

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is mainly driven by dopaminergic neuronal degeneration in the substantia nigra pars compacta accompanied by chronic neuroinflammation. Despite being mainly sporadic, approximately 10% of all cases are defined as heritable forms of PD, with mutations in the leucine-rich repeat kinase (LRRK2) gene being the most frequent known cause of familial PD. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs), including miR-335, are frequently deregulated in neurodegenerative diseases, such as PD. Here, we aimed to dissect the protective role of miR-335 during inflammation and/or neurodegenerative events in experimental models of PD. Our results showed that miR-335 is significantly downregulated in different PD-mimicking conditions, including BV2 microglia cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and/or overexpressing wild-type LRRK2. Importantly, these results were confirmed in serum of mice injected with 1-methyl-1-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydripyridine hydrochloride (MPTP), and further validated in patients with idiopathic PD (iPD) and those harboring mutations in LRRK2 (LRRK2-PD), thus corroborating potential clinical relevance. Mechanistically, miR-335 directly targeted LRRK2 mRNA. In the BV2 and N9 microglia cell lines, miR-335 strongly counteracted LPS-induced proinflammatory gene expression, and downregulated receptor interacting protein 1 (RIP1) and RIP3, two important players of necroptotic and inflammatory signaling pathways. Further, miR-335 inhibited LPS-mediated ERK1/2 activation. LRRK2-Wt-induced proinflammatory gene expression was also significantly reduced by miR-335 overexpression. Finally, in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, miR-335 decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory genes triggered by α-synuclein. In conclusion, we revealed novel roles for miR-335 in both microglia and neuronal cells that strongly halt the effects of classical inflammatory stimuli or LRRK2-Wt overexpression, thus attenuating chronic neuroinflammation.
Eusociality and Senescence: Neuroprotection and Physiological Resilience to Aging in Insect and Mammalian Systems
Authors: Giraldo Ysabel Milton , Muscedere Mario L. , Traniello James F. A.
Published: June 2021

Are eusociality and extraordinary aging polyphenisms evolutionarily coupled? The remarkable disparity in longevity between social insect queens and sterile workers—decades vs. months, respectively—has long been recognized. In mammals, the lifespan of eusocial naked mole rats is extremely long—roughly 10 times greater than that of mice. Is this robustness to senescence associated with social evolution and shared mechanisms of developmental timing, neuroprotection, antioxidant defenses, and neurophysiology? Focusing on brain senescence, we examine correlates and consequences of aging across two divergent eusocial clades and how they differ from solitary taxa. Chronological age and physiological indicators of neural deterioration, including DNA damage or cell death, appear to be decoupled in eusocial insects. In some species, brain cell death does not increase with worker age and DNA damage occurs at similar rates between queens and workers. In comparison, naked mole rats exhibit characteristics of neonatal mice such as protracted development that may offer protection from aging and environmental stressors. Antioxidant defenses appear to be regulated differently across taxa, suggesting independent adaptations to life history and environment. Eusocial insects and naked mole rats appear to have evolved different mechanisms that lead to similar senescence-resistant phenotypes. Careful selection of comparison taxa and further exploration of the role of metabolism in aging can reveal mechanisms that preserve brain functionality and physiological resilience in eusocial species.
Bioinformatic Analyses Identify a Prognostic Autophagy-Related Long Non-coding RNA Signature Associated With Immune Microenvironment in Diffuse Gliomas
Authors: Xu Shengchao , Tang Lu , Liu Zhixiong , Yang Kui , Cheng Quan
Published: June 2021

Background

Autophagy and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) play a critical role in tumor progression and microenvironment. However, the role of autophagy-related lncRNAs (ARLs) in glioma microenvironment remains unclear.

Methods

A total of 988 diffuse glioma samples were extracted from TCGA and CGGA databases. Consensus clustering was applied to reveal different subgroups of diffuse gliomas. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate survival differences between groups. The infiltration of immune cells was estimated by ssGSEA, TIMER, and CIBERSORT algorithms. The construction of ARL signature was conducted using principal component analysis.

Results

Consensus clustering revealed two clusters of diffuse gliomas, in which cluster 1 was associated with poor prognosis and enriched with malignant subtypes of gliomas. Moreover, cluster 1 exhibited high apoptotic and immune characteristics, and it had a low purity and high infiltration of several immune cells. The constructed ARL signature showed a promising accuracy in predicting the prognosis of glioma patients. ARL score was significantly elevated in the malignant subtype of glioma and the high ARL score indicated a poor prognosis. Besides, the high ARL score notably indicated low tumor purity and high infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils.

Conclusion

Our study developed and validated a novel ARL signature for the classification of diffuse glioma, which was closely associated with glioma immune microenvironment and could serve as a promising prognostic biomarker for glioma patients.
Practical and Computational Studies of Bivalence Metal Complexes of Sulfaclozine and Biological Studies
Authors: Sharfalddin Abeer A , Emwas Abdul-Hamid , Jaremko Mariusz , Hussien Mostafa A.
Published: June 2021

In the search for novel, metal-based drug complexes that may be of value as anticancer agents, five new transition metal complexes of sulfaclozine (SCZ) with Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Zn(II), and Fe(II) were successfully synthesized. The chemical structure of each complex was characterized using elemental analysis (CHN), IR spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. IR spectra indicated that the donor atoms were one sulfonyl oxygen atom and one pyrazine nitrogen atom, which associated with the metal ions to form a stable hexagonal coordination ring. The metal–ligand stability constant (Kf) revealed that Cu(II) and Ni(II) have good coordination stability among the metal compounds. Theoretical studies using DFT/B3LYP were performed to further validate the proposed structures. The obtained results indicated that Cu(II) has a trigonal bipyramidal geometry, whereas Fe(II), Co(II), and Ni(II) have an octahedral structure, while Zn(II) has a tetrahedral arrangement. The bio-activities of the characterized complexes were evaluated using DNA binding titration and molecular docking. The binding constant values for the metal complexes were promising, with a maximum value for the copper metal ion complex, which was 9 × 105 M-1. Molecular docking simulations were also carried out to evaluate the interaction strength and properties of the synthesized metal complexes with both DNA and selected cancer-relevant proteins. These results were supported by in vitro cytotoxicity assays showing that the Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes display promising antitumor activity against colon and breast cancer cell lines.
Born to Be Wild: Evaluating the Zoo-Based Regent Honeyeater Breed for Release Program to Optimise Individual Success and Conservation Outcomes in the Wild
Authors: Tripovich Joy S. , Popovic Gordana , Elphinstone Andrew , Ingwersen Dean , Johnson Glen , Schmelitschek Emily , Wilkin David , Taylor Gemma , Pitcher Benjamin J.
Published: June 2021

Evaluating the effectiveness of captive breeding programs is central to improving conservation outcomes in released animals. However, few studies have assessed the impact of the strategies and trade-offs involved in husbandry decisions and the selection of traits on the success of breeding programs. This study evaluated a range of husbandry features including an animal's environment, health, and traits of the released individual and its parents involved in the zoo-based Regent Honeyeater breed for release program to optimise individual reproductive success and survivability, leading to improved conservation outcomes in the wild. We analysed 285 birds using a penalised Cox proportional hazard model to assess survival and an ordinal logistic model to evaluate the reproductive success of zoo bred birds released to the wild. Key features identified by the study highlight the importance of having parents that are successful breeders and parents that have an overall higher lifetime reproductive output. However, there were associated quantity-quality trade-offs, as the success of young (i.e., released birds) produced by parents was negatively associated to the number of clutches per year (where one clutch per year was found optimal). The study demonstrated the importance of considering the parental effects on the traits of its offspring beyond its pedigree information and found there was an associated decline in fitness of its offspring with older fathers. Song tutoring using wild Regent Honeyeaters was also important for increased survival post-release. Other important factors are discussed within the review. In general, the study recommended that a multi-faceted approach in the assessment and evaluation of the captive breeding program, to identify markers that will improve conservation outcomes of future releases.
Associations of Lipoprotein(a) With Coronary Atherosclerotic Burden and All-Cause Mortality in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction Treated With Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Xue Yuzhou , Jian Shen , Zhou Wei , Zhou Qi , Xiang Jing , Zhu Yuansong , Xiang Zhenxian , Yang Haonan , Liu Gang , Luo Suxin
Published: June 2021

Background: The coronary atherosclerotic burden in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has been identified as the main predictor of prognosis. However, the association of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], a well-established proatherogenic factor, with atherosclerotic burden in patients with STEMI is unclear.

Methods: In total, 1,359 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for STEMI were included in analyses. Three prespecified models with adjustment for demographic parameters and risk factors were evaluated. Generalized additive models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the relationships of Lp(a) with Gensini scores and the no-reflow phenomenon. Kaplan–Meier curves were generated to explore the predictive value of Lp(a) for long-term all-cause mortality. Furthermore, mRNA expression levels of LPA in different groups were compared using the GEO database.

Results: Patients in the highest tertile according to Lp(a) levels had an increased incidence of heart failure during hospitalization. Furthermore, patients with high levels of Lp(a) (>19.1 mg/dL) had sharply increased risks for a higher Gensini score (Pfor trend = 0.03) and no-reflow (Pfor trend = 0.002) after adjustment for demographic parameters and risk factors. During a median follow-up of 930 days, 132 deaths (9.95%) were registered. Patients with high levels of Lp(a) (>19.1 mg/dL) had the worst long-term prognosis (Pfor trend < 0.0001). In a subgroup analysis, patients with higher Lp(a) still had the highest all-cause mortality. Additionally, the mRNA expression levels of LPA in patients with STEMI with lower cardiac function were higher than those in other groups (P = 0.003). A higher coronary atherosclerotic burden was correlated with higher LPA expression (P = 0.01).

Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence that Lp(a) (at both the protein and mRNA levels) is independently associated with coronary atherosclerotic lesions and prognosis in patients with STEMI treated with PCI.

Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx, identifier: ChiCTR1900028516.
Physical Activity and Exercise Patterns After Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection: Insights From a Large Multinational Registry
Authors: Chacin-Suarez Audry S. , Bonikowske Amanda R. , Medina-Inojosa Jose R. , Gulati Rajiv , Best Patricia J. , Hayes Sharonne N. , Tweet Marysia S.
Published: June 2021

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the physical activity (PA) and exercise patterns among participants in a large multinational spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) registry. Patients and Methods: Participants with SCAD enrolled from March 2011 to November 2019 completed surveys including details regarding PA and exercise habits prior to SCAD, and PA counseling received from their provider after SCAD. Demographics and clinical characteristics were collected by electronic record review. Exercise prescribed to patients after SCAD was categorized according to exercise components: type, intensity, frequency, time/session, and extreme environmental conditions.

Results: We included 950 participants; mean ± age was 46.8 ± 9.5 years old at the time of first SCAD; most (96.3%) were women and (77.0%) attended ≥1 cardiac rehabilitation session. Hyperlipidemia (34.3%), hypertension (32.8%), and elevated body weight (overweight = 27.0%; obesity = 20.0%) were the most common comorbidities. Prior to SCAD, 48.5% performed aerobic exercise ≥3 times/week, and only 32.0% performed strength-building exercise regularly. PA counseling details after SCAD in 299/950 participants showed that most (93.3%) patients received some form of counseling including exercise prescription (EXP), non-specific recommendations, and discouraged from any exercise. Limits regarding exercise type and intensity were the most common advice among participants who received EXP.

Conclusion: Insights from our study suggest that only 48% of the patients performed some aerobic exercise three or more times per week, and 32.0% performed strength-building exercises, which suggest that most of them may not be as active as assumed. Furthermore, 70% of the SCAD patients have ≥1 cardiovascular risk factors. We suggest guiding patients based on individual assessment, taking into consideration baseline PA habits, treatment, and risk factors. SCAD-tailored PA guidelines are needed for optimal EXP without compromising patient safety.
Circulating Neprilysin Level Predicts the Risk of Cardiovascular Events in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Hwang Hyeon Seok , Kim Jin Sug , Kim Yang Gyun , Lee Yu Ho , Lee Dong-Young , Ahn Shin Young , Moon Ju-Young , Lee Sang-Ho , Ko Gang-Jee , Jeong Kyung Hwan
Published: June 2021

Background: Neprilysin inhibition has demonstrated impressive benefits in heart failure treatment, and is the current focus of interest in cardiovascular (CV) and kidney diseases. However, the role of circulating neprilysin as a biomarker for CV events is unclear in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Methods: A total of 439 HD patients from the K-cohort were enrolled from June 2016 to April 2019. The plasma neprilysin level and echocardiographic findings at baseline were examined. The patients were prospectively followed up to assess the primary endpoint (composite of CV events and cardiac events).

Results: Plasma neprilysin level was positively correlated with left ventricular (LV) mass index, LV end-systolic volume, and LV end-diastolic volume. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that neprilysin level was negatively correlated with LV ejection fraction (β = −2.14; p = 0.013). The cumulative event rate of the composite of CV events was significantly greater in neprilysin tertile 3 (p = 0.049). Neprilysin tertile 3 was also associated with an increased cumulative event rate of cardiac events (p = 0.016). In Cox regression analysis, neprilysin tertile 3 was associated with a 2.61-fold risk for the composite of CV events [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.37–4.97] and a 2.72-fold risk for cardiac events (95% CI, 1.33–5.56) after adjustment for multiple variables.

Conclusions: Higher circulating neprilysin levels independently predicted the composite of CV events and cardiac events in HD patients. The results of this study suggest the importance of future studies on the effect of neprilysin inhibition in reducing CV events.
Sleep Diagnostics for Home Monitoring of Sleep Apnea Patients
Authors: Huysmans Dorien , Borzée Pascal , Buyse Bertien , Testelmans Dries , Van Huffel Sabine , Varon Carolina
Published: June 2021

Objectives:Sleep time information is essential for monitoring of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), as the severity assessment depends on the number of breathing disturbances per hour of sleep. However, clinical procedures for sleep monitoring rely on numerous uncomfortable sensors, which could affect sleeping patterns. Therefore, an automated method to identify sleep intervals from unobtrusive data is required. However, most unobtrusive sensors suffer from data loss and sensitivity to movement artifacts. Thus, current sleep detection methods are inadequate, as these require long intervals of good quality. Moreover, sleep monitoring of OSA patients is often less reliable due to heart rate disturbances, movement and sleep fragmentation. The primary aim was to develop a sleep-wake classifier for sleep time estimation of suspected OSA patients, based on single short-term segments of their cardiac and respiratory signals. The secondary aim was to define metrics to detect OSA patients directly from their predicted sleep-wake pattern and prioritize them for clinical diagnosis.

Methods:This study used a dataset of 183 suspected OSA patients, of which 36 test subjects. First, a convolutional neural network was designed for sleep-wake classification based on healthier patients (AHI < 10). It employed single 30 s epochs of electrocardiograms and respiratory inductance plethysmograms. Sleep information and Total Sleep Time (TST) was derived for all patients using the short-term segments. Next, OSA patients were detected based on the average confidence of sleep predictions and the percentage of sleep-wake transitions in the predicted sleep architecture.

Results:Sleep-wake classification on healthy, mild and moderate patients resulted in moderate κ scores of 0.51, 0.49, and 0.48, respectively. However, TST estimates decreased in accuracy with increasing AHI. Nevertheless, severe patients were detected with a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 89%, and prioritized for clinical diagnosis. As such, their inaccurate TST estimate becomes irrelevant. Excluding detected OSA patients resulted in an overall estimated TST with a mean bias error of 21.9 (± 55.7) min and Pearson correlation of 0.74 to the reference.

Conclusion:The presented framework offered a realistic tool for unobtrusive sleep monitoring of suspected OSA patients. Moreover, it enabled fast prioritization of severe patients for clinical diagnosis.
Zircon Genesis and Geochronology for the Zhangbaoshan Super-Large Rubidium Deposit in the Eastern Tianshan, NW China: Implication to Magmatic-Hydrothermal Evolution and Mineralization Processes
Authors: Zhi Jun , Lei Ruxiong , Chen Boyang , Muhtar M. N. , Feng Zhijie , Zhang Kai , Cai Yuanfeng , Wu Changzhi
Published: June 2021

The Zhangbaoshan (ZBS) super-large Rubidium deposit, located in the Eastern Tianshan, is a typical granite-type Rb deposit. The ZBS deposit is mainly hosted in the highly evolved Baishitouquan (BST) pluton enriched in F and Rb, which exhibits five lithological zones from the bottom to the top: leucogranite (zone-a), amazonite-bearing granite (zone-b), amazonite granite (zone-c), topaz-bearing amazonite granite (zone-d) and topaz albite granite (zone-e), as well as minor small lodes of amazonite pegmatite. Two types of zircon were identified from the BST pluton. Type-I zircons mainly occur in the zone–a, are characterized by obvious oscillatory zoning, high Zr contents (47.4–67.3 wt% ZrO2) and Zr/Hf ratios (21.72–58.23), low trace element concentrations, and heavy rare earth elements (HREE)–enriched patterns with prominent positive Ce anomalies (Ce/Ce* = 1.21–385) and strong negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.008–0.551), indicative of early magmatic zircon. Type–II zircons mainly occur in the upper zones (zone-c to zone-e), exhibit porous and dark Cathodoluminescence images, inhomogeneous internal structure, plenty of mineral inclusions, low Zr (38.7–51.0 wt% ZrO2) and Zr/Hf ratios (3.35–11.00), high Hf (34,094–85,754 ppm), Th (718–4,980 ppm), U (3,540–32,901 ppm), Ta (86.7–398 ppm), Y (1,630–28,890 ppm) and rare earth elements (REEs) (3,910–30,165 ppm), as well as slightly HREE–enriched patterns and significant M–type tetrad patterns with t3 values (quantification factor of tetrad effect) of 1.51–1.69. It is suggested that the type–II zircons are crystallized from a deuteric F–rich fluid coexisted with the highly evolved residual magma during the transition from the magmatic to the F–rich hydrothermal stage of the BST pluton. The F–rich fluid exsolution during the magmatic–hydrothermal transition is one of the most important factors controlling the modification of highly evolved granite and related Rb enrichment and mineralization. The type–I zircon samples from zone–a yield concordant ages of 250 ± 2.5 Ma and 250.5 ± 1.7 Ma, respectively, indicating that the BST pluton was emplaced in the Early Triassic. The type–II zircons from zone–c to zone–e yield lower intercept U–Pb ages between 238 and 257 Ma, which may represent the age of F–rich fluid–melt interaction during the transition from the magmatic to the hydrothermal stage. The mineralization of the ZBS super–large Rb deposit should have occurred shortly after emplacement of the BST pluton in the Early Triassic. Combined with available data, it is suggested that the Triassic is an important period for granitic magmatism and rare metal metallogeny in the Eastern Tianshan.
Prognostics and Health Management in Nuclear Power Plants: An Updated Method-Centric Review With Special Focus on Data-Driven Methods
Authors: Zhao Xingang , Kim Junyung , Warns Kyle , Wang Xinyan , Ramuhalli Pradeep , Cetiner Sacit , Kang Hyun Gook , Golay Michael
Published: June 2021

In a carbon-constrained world, future uses of nuclear power technologies can contribute to climate change mitigation as the installed electricity generating capacity and range of applications could be much greater and more diverse than with the current plants. To preserve the nuclear industry competitiveness in the global energy market, prognostics and health management (PHM) of plant assets is expected to be important for supporting and sustaining improvements in the economics associated with operating nuclear power plants (NPPs) while maintaining their high availability. Of interest are long-term operation of the legacy fleet to 80 years through subsequent license renewals and economic operation of new builds of either light water reactors or advanced reactor designs. Recent advances in data-driven analysis methods—largely represented by those in artificial intelligence and machine learning—have enhanced applications ranging from robust anomaly detection to automated control and autonomous operation of complex systems. The NPP equipment PHM is one area where the application of these algorithmic advances can significantly improve the ability to perform asset management. This paper provides an updated method-centric review of the full PHM suite in NPPs focusing on data-driven methods and advances since the last major survey article was published in 2015. The main approaches and the state of practice are described, including those for the tasks of data acquisition, condition monitoring, diagnostics, prognostics, and planning and decision-making. Research advances in non-nuclear power applications are also included to assess findings that may be applicable to the nuclear industry, along with the opportunities and challenges when adapting these developments to NPPs. Finally, this paper identifies key research needs in regard to data availability and quality, verification and validation, and uncertainty quantification.
Estimation of Above-Ground Carbon-Stocks for Urban Greeneries in Arid Areas: Case Study for Doha and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Authors: Habib Salma , Al-Ghamdi Sami G.
Published: June 2021

Urban areas are significant sources of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), which elevates air pollution. However, urban greenery has a positive effect on mitigating air pollution and the impact of CO2on the climate. Quantifying the benefits of greenery for urban environments involves complex calculations and requires significant resources. Such a quantifying exercise is not cost-effective. The satellite remote sensing method can analyze current and near-present carbon-stock dynamics through spectral band imaging. In this research study, field measurements determine above-ground carbon (AGC) stock. The field measurements are derived from three types of land use, comprising public parks and gardens, institutional parks, and street and avenue greenery in selected locations in Doha city in Qatar. These field measurements are then correlated with results from satellite images. Linear and non-linear regression models are established between AGC and five vegetative spectral indices (VIs) derived from the Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI). The AGC stock for the selected locations in Doha in 2014 is evaluated using the highest coefficient of determination with the highest accuracy expected. The results of the analysis reveal that both the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) (R2= 0.64) and the relative ratio vegetation index (R2= 0.71) significantly correlate with the AGC in public parks. In avenue vegetation, all the VIs exhibit high R2, but the best fit is NDVI (R2= 0.87). The CO2equivalent range evaluated from the AGC in the plots studied in Doha is measured as 650.6 tons for the period between 2014 and 2020, with an annual sequestration rate of 108.4 tons per year. This CO2equivalent storage amount has the social value of USD 42,286, which is the equivalent of QR 155,192. The AGC-VI correlation in land-use groups may be influenced by the turf grass and impervious surfaces in the background of the images. Further study of urban landscapes and vegetation with high biomass is likely to show its positive effects for cities and that it can improve carbon dioxide abatement, resulting in more sustainable societies. This improvement in CO2abatement in Qatar can be useful for various environmental estimations for the upcoming mega event of World Cup 2022.