bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Activity of Some Plant and Fungal Metabolites towards Aedes albopictus (Diptera, Culicidae)
Authors: Ganassi Sonia , Masi Marco , Grazioso Pasqualina , Evidente Antonio , De Cristofaro Antonio
Published: April 2021

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is a widespread mosquito, a vector of important human arboviruses, including Chikungunya, Dengue and Zika. It is an extremely difficult species to control even for the onset of resistances to chemicals insecticides, therefore ecofriendly products are urgently needed. In this study, the activity of Amaryllidaceae alkaloids and some of their semisynthetic derivatives, of 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and two analogues, of cyclopaldic acid and epi-epoformin on the survival and development of Ae. albopictus larvae was evaluated. First-instar larval exposure for 24 and 48 h to cyclopaldic acid, resulted in mortality mean per-centage of 82.4 and 96.9 respectively; 1,2-O,O-diacetyllycorine 48h post-treatment caused 84.7% mortality. Larval and pupal duration were proved to decrease significantly when larvae were exposed to cyclopaldic acid, 1,2-O,O-diacetyllycorine and N-methyllycorine iodide. The mean number of third-instar larvae surviving to 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone and 2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone was significantly lower than the number of correspondent control larvae over the time. This study indicated that 1,2-O,O’-diacetyllycorine, N-methyllycorine iodide, cyclopaldic acid and 1,4-naphthoquinone structural derivatives have good potential for developing bioinsecticides for mosquito control programs. The obtained results are of general interest due to the global importance of the seri-ous human diseases such a vector is able to spread.
Protection of Residual Renal Function and Nutritional Treatment: First Step Strategy for Reduction of Uremic Toxins in End-Stage Kidney Disease Patients
Authors: Cupisti Adamasco , Bolasco Piergiorgio , D’Alessandro Claudia , Giannese Domenico , Sabatino Alice , Fiaccadori Enrico
Published: April 2021

The retention of uremic toxins and their pathological effects occurs in the advanced phases of chronic kidney disease (CKD), mainly in stage 5, when the implementation of conventional thrice-weekly hemodialysis is the prevalent and life-saving treatment. However, the start of hemodialysis is associated with both an acceleration of the loss of residual kidney function (RKF) and the shift to an increased intake of proteins, which are precursors of uremic toxins. In this phase, hemodialysis treatment is the only way to remove toxins from the body, but it can be largely inefficient in the case of high molecular weight and/or protein-bound molecules. Instead, even very low levels of RKF are crucial for uremic toxins excretion, which in most cases are protein-derived waste products generated by the intestinal microbiota. Protection of RKF can be obtained even in patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) by a gradual and soft shift to kidney replacement therapy (KRT), for example by combining a once-a-week hemodialysis program with a low or very low-protein diet on the extra-dialysis days. This approach could represent a tailored strategy aimed at limiting the retention of both inorganic and organic toxins. In this paper, we discuss the combination of upstream (i.e., reduced production) and downstream (i.e., increased removal) strategies to reduce the concentration of uremic toxins in patients with ESKD during the transition phase from pure conservative management to full hemodialysis treatment.
Short Linear Motifs Characterizing Snake Venom and Mammalian Phospholipases A2
Authors: Peggion Caterina , Tonello Fiorella
Published: April 2021

Snake venom phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) have sequences and structures very similar to those of mammalian group I and II secretory PLA2s, but they possess many toxic properties, ranging from the inhibition of coagulation to the blockage of nerve transmission, and the induction of muscle necrosis. The biological properties of these proteins are not only due to their enzymatic activity, but also to protein–protein interactions which are still unidentified. Here, we compare sequence alignments of snake venom and mammalian PLA2s, grouped according to their structure and biological activity, looking for differences that can justify their different behavior. This bioinformatics analysis has evidenced three distinct regions, two central and one C-terminal, having amino acid compositions that distinguish the different categories of PLA2s. In these regions, we identified short linear motifs (SLiMs), peptide modules involved in protein–protein interactions, conserved in mammalian and not in snake venom PLA2s, or vice versa. The different content in the SLiMs of snake venom with respect to mammalian PLA2s may result in the formation of protein membrane complexes having a toxic activity, or in the formation of complexes whose activity cannot be blocked due to the lack of switches in the toxic PLA2s, as the motif recognized by the prolyl isomerase Pin1.
Special Issue: Travel and Tropical Medicine
Authors: Rashid Harunor , Badahdah Al-Mamoon , Khatami Ameneh
Published: April 2021

Historically, travel is known to be associated with an amplified risk of acquisition and transmission of infectious diseases, including pandemics [...]
A Detailed Analysis of Clinical Features and Outcomes of Patients with Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis Presenting without Axial Back Pain
Authors: Nasto Luigi Aurelio , Fantoni Massimo , Cipolloni Valerio , Piccone Luca , Pola Enrico , Schiavone Panni Alfredo
Published: April 2021

Study design: Retrospective analysis of a single institution prospective, longitudinal database of spinal pyogenic infections. Diagnosis of pyogenic spondylodiscitis (PS) can be challenging. Although presenting symptoms are often non-specific, acute non-remitting axial back pain is the most striking feature. Nevertheless, several authors have reported on the uncommon occurrence of patients with PS without axial back pain. The aim of this study was to characterize presenting symptoms, causative agents, comorbidities, and treatment outcomes of patients presenting with painless pyogenic spondylodiscitis. A total of 214 patients diagnosed with PS were reviewed; patients were divided into two groups: patients presenting with no axial back pain (no pain group, n = 16), and patients presenting with axial back pain (control group, n = 198). Analyzed data comprised general demographics, presenting symptoms, comorbidities, spinal infection location, and amount of spinal involvement. While average age (62.4 vs. 65.0) and sex distribution was similar between the two groups, a significant diagnostic delay was noted in the control group (53 vs. 17 days, p < 0.001). Patients in the no pain group were more likely IV drug abusers or have had liver failure/cirrhosis. Anatomic distribution (i.e., cervical vs thoracolumbar) of the infection did not differ between the two groups, but a higher number of post-surgical infections was noted in the no pain group (37.5 vs. 15.6%, p = 0.026). E. coli and Pseudomonas spp. were more commonly seen in no pain group patients, and mortality was also higher in this group (12.5 vs. 6.0%, p = 0.004).
Electron-Positron Vacuum Instability in Strong Electric Fields. Relativistic Semiclassical Approach
Authors: Voskresensky Dmitry N.
Published: April 2021

The instability of electron-positron vacuum in strong electric fields is studied. First, falling to the Coulomb center is discussed at Z>137/2 for a spinless boson and at Z>137 for electron. Subsequently, focus is concentrated on description of deep electron levels and spontaneous positron production in the field of a finite-size nucleus with the charge Z>Zcr≃170. Next, these effects are studied in application to the low-energy heavy-ion collisions. Subsequently, we consider phenomenon of “electron condensation” on levels of upper continuum crossed the boundary of the lower continuum ϵ=−m in the field of a supercharged nucleus with Z≫Zcr. Finally, attention is focused on many-particle problems of polarization of the quantum electrodynamics (QED) vacuum and electron condensation at ultra-short distances from a source of charge. We argue for a principal difference of cases, when the size of the source is larger than the pole size rpole, at which the dielectric permittivity of the vacuum reaches zero and smaller rpole. Some arguments are presented in favor of the logical consistency of QED. All of the problems are considered within the same relativistic semiclassical approach.
Van der Waals Interactions of Moving Particles with Surfaces of Cylindrical Geometry
Authors: Dedkov George V.
Published: April 2021

General nonrelativistic theory has been developed and the expressions obtained for the tangential (dissipative) and radial (conservative) image forces and van der Waals forces (vdW) acting on charged and neutral particles when they move parallel to the axis of a cylinder with circular cross-section, or in the space between coaxial cylinders. Numerical calculations of vdW forces have been performed for metal (Au) and dielectric (Si) materials of cylinders (filaments) and Cs atoms at velocities ~107m/s. A remarkable result is that in the case of metal cylinders (atomic filaments and chains) the dynamic vdW potential can be repulsive for certain values of the velocity–distance parameter and the characteristic atomic frequency. In the case of a Si material, the dynamic vdW potential increases relative to the static one (by modulus) when the velocity–distance parameter Vω0/R changes from zero to ~1.3 and then tends to zero.
Isolation, Identification, and Genomic Analysis of a Novel Reovirus from Healthy Grass Carp and Its Dynamic Proliferation In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Zhang Ke , Liu Wenzhi , Li Yiqun , Zhou Yong , Meng Yan , Zeng Lingbing , Vakharia Vikram N. , Fan Yuding
Published: April 2021

A new grass carp reovirus (GCRV), healthy grass carp reovirus (HGCRV), was isolated from grass carp in 2019. Its complete genome sequence was determined and contained 11 dsRNAs with a total size of 23,688 bp and 57.2 mol% G+C content, encoding 12 proteins. All segments had conserved 5' and 3' termini. Sequence comparisons showed that HGCRV was closely related to GCRV-873 (GCRV-I; 69.57–96.71% protein sequence identity) but shared only 22.65–45.85% and 23.37–43.39% identities with GCRV-HZ08 and Hubei grass carp disease reovirus (HGDRV), respectively. RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp) protein-based phylogenetic analysis showed that HGCRV clustered with Aquareovirus-C (AqRV-C) prior to joining a branch common with other aquareoviruses. Further analysis using VP6 amino acid sequences from Chinese GCRV strains showed that HGCRV was in the same evolutionary cluster as GCRV-I. Thus, HGCRV could be a new GCRV isolate of GCRV-I but is distantly related to other known GCRVs. Grass carp infected with HGCRV did not exhibit signs of hemorrhage. Interestingly, the isolate induced a typical cytopathic effect in fish cell lines, such as infected cell shrank, apoptosis, and plague-like syncytia. Further analysis showed that HGCRV could proliferate in grass carp liver (L28824), gibel carp brain (GiCB), and other fish cell lines, reaching a titer of up to 7.5 × 104 copies/μL.
NLRP3-Inflammasome Inhibition during Respiratory Virus Infection Abrogates Lung Immunopathology and Long-Term Airway Disease Development
Authors: Malinczak Carrie-Anne , Schuler Charles F. , Duran Angela J. , Rasky Andrew J. , Mire Mohamed M. , Núñez Gabriel , Lukacs Nicholas W. , Fonseca Wendy
Published: April 2021

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects most infants by two years of age. It can cause severe disease leading to an increased risk of developing asthma later in life. Previously, our group has shown that RSV infection in mice and infants promotes IL-1β production. Here, we characterized the role of NLRP3-Inflammasome activation during RSV infection in adult mice and neonates. We observed that the inhibition of NLRP3 activation using the small molecule inhibitor, MCC950, or in genetically modified NLRP3 knockout (Nlrp3−/−) mice during in vivo RSV infection led to decreased lung immunopathology along with a reduced expression of the mucus-associated genes and reduced production of innate cytokines (IL-1β, IL-33 and CCL2) linked to severe RSV disease while leading to significant increases in IFN-β. NLRP3-inflammasome inhibition or deletion diminished Th2 cytokines and inflammatory cell infiltration into the lungs. Furthermore, NLRP3 inhibition or deletion during early-life RSV infection led to reducing viral-exacerbated allergic response in a mouse model of RSV-induced allergy exacerbation. Here, we demonstrated the critical role of NLRP3-inflammasome activation in RSV immunopathology and the related long-term airway alteration. Moreover, these findings suggest the NLRP3-inflammasome as a potential therapeutic target to attenuate severe RSV disease and limit childhood asthma development.
Epidemiology and Seasonality of Childhood Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in the Tropics
Authors: Suryadevara Manika , Domachowske Joseph B.
Published: April 2021

Infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in young children worldwide. Understanding seasonal patterns of region-specific RSV activity is important to guide resource allocation for existing and future treatment and prevention strategies. The decades of excellent RSV surveillance data that are available from the developed countries of the world are incredibly instructive in advancing public health initiatives in those regions. With few exceptions, these developed nations are positioned geographically across temperate regions of the world. RSV surveillance across tropical regions of the world has improved in recent years, but remains spotty, and where available, still lacks the necessary longitudinal data to determine the amount of seasonal variation expected over time. However, existing and emerging data collected across tropical regions of the world do indicate that patterns of infection are often quite different from those so well described in temperate areas. Here, we provide a brief summary regarding what is known about general patterns of RSV disease activity across tropical Asia, Africa and South America, then offer additional country-specific details using examples where multiple reports and/or more robust surveillance data have become available.
Insights into the Pathogenesis of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever Based on Virus Tropism and Tissue Lesions of Natural Rift Valley Fever
Authors: Odendaal Lieza , Davis A Sally , Venter Estelle H
Published: April 2021

Rift Valley fever phlebovirus (RVFV) infects humans and a wide range of ungulates and historically has caused devastating epidemics in Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Lesions of naturally infected cases of Rift Valley fever (RVF) have only been described in detail in sheep with a few reports concerning cattle and humans. The most frequently observed lesion in both ruminants and humans is randomly distributed necrosis, particularly in the liver. Lesions supportive of vascular endothelial injury are also present and include mild hydropericardium, hydrothorax and ascites; marked pulmonary congestion and oedema; lymph node congestion and oedema; and haemorrhages in many tissues. Although a complete understanding of RVF pathogenesis is still lacking, antigen-presenting cells in the skin are likely the early targets of the virus. Following suppression of type I IFN production and necrosis of dermal cells, RVFV spreads systemically, resulting in infection and necrosis of other cells in a variety of organs. Failure of both the innate and adaptive immune responses to control infection is exacerbated by apoptosis of lymphocytes. An excessive pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine response leads to microcirculatory dysfunction. Additionally, impairment of the coagulation system results in widespread haemorrhages. Fatal outcomes result from multiorgan failure, oedema in many organs (including the lungs and brain), hypotension, and circulatory shock. Here, we summarize current understanding of RVF cellular tropism as informed by lesions caused by natural infections. We specifically examine how extant knowledge informs current understanding regarding pathogenesis of the haemorrhagic fever form of RVF, identifying opportunities for future research.
Identification Sources and High-Risk Areas of Sediment Heavy Metals in the Yellow River by Geographical Detector Method
Authors: Hao Jianxiu , Ren Jun , Fang Hongbing , Tao Ling
Published: April 2021

In order to determine the key influencing factors, risk areas, and source pathways of heavy metals in the sediment of the Yellow River, 37 samples were collected in the surface sediment (0–5 cm) of the Inner Mongolia section of the Yellow River main stream for the determination of heavy metals copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd). Based on the geographical detector model (GDM) and ArcGIS 10.2 software, this paper selected 6 heavy metals and 15 influencing factors, including 8 natural factors and 7 anthropogenic factors, to detect key influencing factors, risk areas, and sources of heavy metals. The results showed that: (1) The average contents of heavy metals Cr and Cd in the sediments exceeded the average value in soil, the world average concentration in the shales, and the first-level standard of soil environmental quality in China, and they were the main risk metals; (2) Vegetation coverage (VC) was the largest influencing factor for the spatial distribution of heavy metals in the sediment, followed by per capita income (PI), and land use type (LUT) and road network density (RD) were smaller influencing factors. The interactions of the factors were enhanced; (3) The Wuhai section for a risk area was mainly polluted by Cd and Pb, which were caused by atmospheric deposition and industrial emission. The Baotou section for a risk area was mainly polluted by Cr, which mainly originated from river transportation and industrial discharge. The conclusions can provide a scientific basis for the environmental protection and management of the different areas in the Inner Mongolia section of the Yellow River.
Extreme Floods in the Eastern Part of Europe: Large-Scale Drivers and Associated Impacts
Authors: Ionita Monica , Nagavciuc Viorica
Published: April 2021

The role of the large-scale atmospheric circulation in producing heavy rainfall events and floods in the eastern part of Europe, with a special focus on the Siret and Prut catchment areas (Romania), is analyzed in this study. Moreover, a detailed analysis of the socio-economic impacts of the most extreme flood events (e.g., July 2008, June–July 2010, and June 2020) is given. Analysis of the largest flood events indicates that the flood peaks have been preceded up to 6 days in advance by intrusions of high Potential Vorticity (PV) anomalies toward the southeastern part of Europe, persistent cut-off lows over the analyzed region, and increased water vapor transport over the catchment areas of Siret and Prut Rivers. The vertically integrated water vapor transport prior to the flood peak exceeds 300 kg m−1 s−1, leading to heavy rainfall events. We also show that the implementation of the Flood Management Plan in Romania had positive results during the 2020 flood event compared with the other flood events, when the authorities took several precaution measurements that mitigated in a better way the socio-economic impact and risks of the flood event. The results presented in this study offer new insights regarding the importance of large-scale atmospheric circulation and water vapor transport as drivers of extreme flooding in the eastern part of Europe and could lead to a better flood forecast and flood risk management.
On the Role of Communication Environment for Creating Industrial Products
Authors:   LLC “Center for economic classifications”, Treyer Walfried V.
Published: April 2021

The article discusses the place and role of a new generation of communication environment in the industrial products creation. At the same time it is proposed to distinguish, when describing and placing in the software environment, products for production purposes and final consumption products for the population. For industrial products the function of developing a "building material" and technologies of declared for development of end-use products of all types is defined. The level of industrial products development also determines the development level of the economy as a whole, its self-sufficiency and competitiveness. An approach to developing a communication environment for industrial products as the basis for a cluster of the modern version of "Silicon Valley" is considered.
China as a Neural-Information Megamatrix: Digital Technologies for Structuring Cognitive Ensembles of Order
Authors:   Institute for Economic Strategies, Ageev Alexander I. ,   International Research Institute for Advanced Systems,   MGIMO University,   National Research Nuclear University MEPhI,   Lomonosov Moscow State University, Loginov Evgenii L. ,   Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, Shkuta Aleksandr A. ,   Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation
Published: April 2021

In China, the strategy for the national information infrastructure development is implementing a large-scale and unparalleled project for developing artificial intelligence and its application to solving critical problems. Threats and risks of the current stage left no choice to China. The best Soviet and Russian developments of centralized planning and modeling are actively used, advanced American experience in applying neuroinformation technologies to influence society is being adopted. In fact, a neuroinformational mega-matrix is being formed, which will allow the Chinese authorities to keep the seething mass of people and organizations within a controlled circuit. Configuring cognitive communications in the socio-technical system “person — infocommunication environment — the state” allows to develop a social credit model for forming behavior vectors in large groups of the population with culling disloyal in behaviour (implemented now) and disloyal in thinking (soon to be implemented) human units of the China-community.
Local Currency Settlement between China and Russia in the Post-Covid-19 Era: Current State, Challenges and Solutions Part II
Authors:   Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC), Mitjajev Dmitrii A. , Ageev Alexander I. ,   International Research Institute for Advanced Systems, Ershov Mikhail V. ,   Institute for Energy and Finance; Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Arkhipova Violetta V. ,   Institute of Economy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Wen Wang ,   Renmin University of China, Li Zhou ,   Renmin University of China (RDCY), Jinjing Jia ,   Renmin University of China (RDCY), Tingting Zhang ,   Renmin University of China (RDCY)
Published: April 2021

The paper continues the publication with the same title and is devoted to the development of currency and financial cooperation between Russia and China. This part of the study contains the main proposals for stimulating of local currency settlements for the analyzed countries and “recipes” for creating new world economic order. In the first part of the work the special attention is paid to the processes of payment systems’ conjugation, development of digital currencies and the idea of creating a collective currency in the Eurasian economic space. The second part is devoted to systemic reforms of the global financial and economic system.
Causal Dissonance as a Basis «New Reality» (on the Mechanisms of Post-pandemic Social Regulation)
Authors:   All-Russian Research Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sundiev Igor’ Yu. , Frolov Andrey B. ,   “AYSKRIN” LLC
Published: April 2021

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the regulation of social processes in Extreme conditions — the change of cause-andeffect relationships as a causal dissonance. Causal misalignments are a natural and necessary process of preparation for a quantum leap in the development of our reality: manifesting themselves critically in psychophysiological dysontogenies and generating socio-psychological polarization of society, they lead to the formation of an unbalanced social environment with a difference in levels of complexity. So far, this causal environment is used for post-pandemic social regulation to attempt to preserve the existing world order through the formation of a «new reality». But under the same conditions, new social actors are being formed that can make a conscious choice between the old and the new world, between the old zoopopulation methods of regulation and the new ones-psychosocial ones. In order to ensure the quantum transition to the future, it is necessary to provide state support to the subjects of the new society in the format of education, upbringing and appropriate scientific support, as well as to ensure vertical institutional regulation.
Milk productivity of cows, quality of milk and dairy products when using natural feed additive
Authors: Karmatskikh Yu. A. , Kostomakhin N. M.
Published: April 2021

The organization of feeding of highly productive cows is one of the most difficult tasks in dairy cattle breeding. The purpose of the work was to study the influence of natural mineral additive on the productivity, composition and some technological qualities of milk of cows of Black-and-White breed of Ural type. Research and production experiment has been carried out in CJSC “Glinki” in the Ketovsky district in the Kurgan region on Black-and-White cows. The influence of bentonite additive in the ration of highly productive cows during the period of increasing the milk yield on the composition and technological quality of milk and dairy products has been determined. In general, for the first 100 days of lactation the cows of the experimental group have produced by 191 kg more natural fat milk or 8,4 %, compared to the control group. In terms of 4 % milk from animals of the experimental group has been got by 233 kg or 9,3 % more than of the control group. The yield of milk fat in the experimental group was by 10,44 kg or 12,9 % more than the control group. The difference in milk protein yield for 100 days of lactation was 7,34 kg or 9,8 %. The economic indicators (prime-cost, profitability) of milk production when feeding the mineral additive bentonite to cows have been calculated. With an increase in the total cost of obtaining milk from cows of the experimental group, caused by higher milk yields and the purchase of bentonite, the revenue from the sale of milk from this group was by 7,83 thousand rubles or 8,4 % more. As a result, milk production from animals of the experimental group was by 3,44 % more efficient. It has been found that the inclusion of bentonite in the composition of concentrated feed in the amount of 400 g/head/day allowed to reduce their expenditure, as well as EFU and digestible protein, which ultimately provided a higher level of profitability of milk production.
On linguistic-philosophical nature of socio-ethical vocabulary
Authors:   Bukhara State Medical Institute named after Abu Ali Ibn Sino, Shadmanov Kurban
Published: April 2021

The article discusses current issues related to the linguistic and philosophical nature of socio-ethical vocabulary in terms of diachrony. Based on the analysis of a large amount of historical and philosophical material, the author presents his interpretation of the stages of the formation and formation of the vocabulary of ethics as an integral part of the general philosophical vocabulary, since the problems of ethics as a science and form of social life were undoubtedly considered at all stages of human civilization. However, each time and in each country, the interpretation of ethical concepts and norms, and therefore terms, was of a concrete historical and purely national character.
Violencia e inseguridad en México: necesidad de un parteaguas civilizatorio
Authors:   Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Márquez Covarrubias Humberto , Delgado Wise Raúl ,   Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, García Zamora Rodolfo ,   Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas
Published: April 2021

El modelo de acumulación vigente en México desde los años ochenta del siglo pasado ha concentrado poder y riqueza.Mientras que las grandes corporaciones nacionales y multinacionales succionan el excedente económico generado por la conjunción de múltiples esfuerzos sociales e institucionales, una guerra emprendida contra el mundo del trabajo desmantela el sistema de subsistencia social, erosiona el fondo de vida proletario, desmantela el Estado social, canaliza enormes recursos fiscales al sector corporativo y depreda las bases materiales de la producción. El sistema de poder constriñe la noción de democracia a la órbita electoral, pero sin permitir el ascenso de opciones partidarias que, eventualmente, propongan un proyecto posneoliberal. Ante la indignación social y la pérdida de legitimidad, la “guerra contra el narcotráfico”, tutelada por la estrategia de seguridad estadounidense, genera un clima social de realismo salvaje que criminaliza a los sectores excluidos y pobres, además de que propaga el miedo y la esquizofrenia colectiva como medida encubierta de control social. La descomposición social generalizada pone en la palestra la necesidad de un cambio estructural que atisbe un horizonte civilizatorio basado en la democracia, la equidad, el buen vivir y la justicia social.
Salarios bajos, finanzas altas: contornos del debate marxista sobre la crisis capitalista global
Authors:   Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Thurston Martin David
Published: April 2021

Este ensayo examina cuatro libros publicados recientemente sobre la actual crisis capitalista desde la perspectiva de la economía política marxista. Estos libros resaltan los contornos emergentes del debate marxista sobre el origen y la naturaleza de la crisis capitalista actual. Las cuestiones planteadas en los libros son las siguientes: ¿la era neoliberal, desde 1970, representa un periodo de estancamiento o de expansión? ¿Lo que más contribuye a la crisis es el fracaso de la producción capitalista, el éxito de la financiarización o ambos? Aunque cada libro contribuye de manera importante al debate marxista, cada uno de ellos comete errores lógicos u omisiones empíricas. Afortunadamente, las debilidades de un libro son compensadas por los puntos fuertes de los demás, por lo que una lectura de conjunto proporciona una comprensión completa de la naturaleza dialéctica del desarrollo desigual del capitalismo global en la raíz estructural de la crisis.
El papel de Raúl Prebisch en la creación del Banco Central de la República Argentina
Authors:   Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina, Sember Florencia
Published: April 2021

El objetivo de este trabajo es estudiar el papel de Prebisch en la creación del Banco Central de la República Argentina. La concepción de Prebisch sobre las funciones e instrumentos del banco central deriva de su explicación del ciclo económico argentino. Se muestra que las modificaciones introducidas por el economista argentino al proyecto británico de 1933 reflejan dos concepciones diferentes en lo relativo a las cuestiones monetarias y bancarias. El proyecto británico, escrito por Otto Niemeyer, está impregnado por la treasury view: demostraba temor a la participación estatal y a la inflación y limitaba al mínimo el margen de discrecionalidad de las autoridades monetarias. Las modificaciones introducidas por Prebisch reflejan un conocimiento más acabado del funcionamiento del ciclo económico argentino, otorgando al banco central una multiplicidad de instrumentos no contemplados por Niemeyer y garantizando una mayor libertad a las autoridades monetarias para aplicar medidas discrecionales de acuerdo a la coyuntura económica.
Extractivismo en la economía argentina. Categorías, etapas históricas y presente
Authors:   Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, Frechero Jorge Ignacio
Published: April 2021

Las implicancias del auge en el precio internacional de las materias primas, los alimentos y los commodities, y su relación con el desempeño y las transformaciones socioeconómicas acontecidas en buena parte de los países de América Latina durante la primera década del siglo xxi, han vuelto a poner en discusión el fenómeno del extractivismo, sus efectos e impactos sobre el desarrollo nacional, así como sus alternativas de superación. Éste es un viejo debate de la izquierda latinoamericana que tuvo lugar a mediados del siglo pasado. Hoy su análisis e interpretación amerita nuevos esquemas interpretativos y conceptualizaciones a efectos de dar cuenta de sus rasgos diferenciales y su particular entrelazamiento con la coyuntura histórica corriente. En este marco, dando cuenta de parte de estas nuevas perspectivas, el trabajo busca constatar la vigencia del extractivismo en tanto factor definitorio contemporáneo de la economía argentina.
US imperialism in Latin America: then and now, here and there
Authors:   Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Veltmeyer Henry
Published: April 2021

This article examines the global political actions undertaken by the United States and its allies since the Second World War toward the establishment and fortification of US dominance in geopolitical/economic spheres. It views the Bretton Woods institutions (World Bank, IMF, GATT-WTO), the United Nations System and military alliances (exempli gratia, NATO) as key mechanisms for the protection of US imperial interests. The post-war preoccupation with «development» is viewed as less altruistic than opportunistic, with the Western powers concerned that newly-independent developing nations would otherwise be attracted to the Soviet sphere of influence. Development, therefore, would place a «human face» on capitalism, making it acceptable as a socio-economic system. The author examines free trade deals, military cooperation and political actions undertaken by the US as it solidified its dominance of Latin American countries.
Mercantilist origins of capitalism and its legacies: from birth to decline of Western hegemony
Authors:   McGill University, Polanyi Levitt Kari
Published: April 2021

In this paper we trace capitalism from its origins in European expansion by commerce and conquest to the financialization of Western economies and the unraveling of Anglo–American hegemony. We emphasize continuities in the domination of metropolitan capital over peripheral production from the slave plantations to the outsourcing of manufacturing to cheap labor locations by multinational corporations. But the subordination of production to powerful agglomerations of commercial and financial capital has now penetrated the Western heartlands of capitalism, where rampant financialization is destroying productive capacity and has precipitated the most serious crisis since the 1930s. This predatory style of capitalism is more concerned with the accumulation of wealth by financial manipulation, mergers and acquisitions, privatization of public assets, and dispossession of peoples in distant lands than with investment in productive capacity. In this sense we may regard contemporary Western capitalism as a return to its mercantile commercial origins.
Democracia y socialismo: el futuro enraizado en el presente
Authors: Harnecker Marta
Published: April 2021

La democracia liberal representativa es presentada como la única y verdadera democracia. Además de que, en su nombre, se invaden territorios y sacrifican pueblos enteros, la voluntad popular no se expresa libremente en las urnas y, en última instancia, el pueblo no es quien gobierna. No es suficiente otorgar un sentido social a la democracia liberal —al atender, por ejemplo, problemas como alimentación, salud y educación—, sino que el desafío es que los pueblos rescaten la política para instalar un democracia verdadera donde las personas, al luchar por cambiar las circunstancias, se transformen a sí mismas. Dada la injusticia y desigualdad predominantes, hablar hoy de socialismo tiene sentido. No se trata de copiar modelos foráneos o de exportar el nuestro, sino de transformar la economía, instalar la democracia participativa y consolidar una ética solidaria e igualitaria para construir el socialismo en cada país. La participación popular y las redes de democracia directa son el fundamento para el desarrollo humano socialista.
PARKINSONO LIGOS RIZIKOS VEIKSNIAI IR JŲ ĮTAKA KOGNITYVINĖMS FUNKCIJOMS
Authors: Sėdžius Paulius , Bartašiūnaitė Silvija , Zemeckaitė Živilė
Published: April 2021

Aktualumas. Parkinsono liga (PL) yra neurodegeneracinė liga, kuri manifestuoja motoriniais ir nemotoriniais simptomais, ilgainiui bloginančiais gyvenimo kokybę ir sukeliančiais negalią. Siekiant kuo anksčiau įtarti ligą, svarbu kuo geriau suvokti galimus rizikos veiksnius, todėl svarbi jų analizė ir ryšys su kognityviniais pakitimais. Tyrimo tikslas. Nustatyti PL rizikos veiksnius ir jų įtaką kognityvinėms funkcijoms, naudojant protinės būklės trumpąjį tyrimą.

Tiriamieji ir tyrimo metodai. Tyrimui atlikti gautas LSMU Bioetikos centro leidimas Nr. BEC-MF-225. Retrospektyviai išanalizuotos 2017-2018 m. LSMUL KK Neurologijos klinikos 159 sergančiųjų PL ligos istorijos. Rinkti demografiniai (lytis, amžius, amžius, kai buvo diagnozuota PL) ir klinikiniai duomenys (sergamumas arterine hipertenzija (AH), cukriniu diabetu, depresija, buvusios galvos traumos), PL stadija pagal Hoehn ir Yahr skalę bei protinės būklės trumpojo tyrimo (MMSE) rezultatai.

Statistinė analizė atlikta naudojant SPSS 23.0 programą. Kiekybiniai kintamieji aprašyti kaip aritmetinis vidurkis ± standartinė vidurkio paklaida. Dviejų nepriklausomų imčių vidurkių palyginimui naudotas Student t testas. Rezultatai laikyti statistiškai patikimais, kai patikimumo koeficientas p < 0,05.

Rezultatai ir apibendrinimas. PL moterys (83) sirgo dažniau, nei vyrai (76). Sergančiųjų amžiaus vidurkis 66,97 ± 7,823 m. Amžiaus, kada susirgo vidurkis 60,53 ± 9,595 m. Parkinsono liga sergančiųjų MMSE vidurkis 25,15 ± 4,314. AH sirgo 72 pacientai – 37 moterys, 35 vyrai. Cukriniu diabetu sirgo 14 pacientų – 6 moterys ir 8 vyrai. Galvos traumą buvo patyrę 8 pacientai – 6 moterys, 5 vyrai. Depresija sirgo 8 pacientai – 6 moterys ir 3 vyrai. Iš visų išanalizuotų rizikos veiksnių, tik galvos trauma patyrusių pacientų MMSE buvo statistiškai reikšmingai mažesnis (p<0,05), lyginant su nepatyrusių galvos traumos.
VEIDO MANKŠTOS POVEIKIS BRANDAUS AMŽIAUS MOTERŲ VEIDO ODOS PARAMETRAMS
Authors: Rauluševičienė Raimonda , Drozdova-Statkevičienė Margarita , Ramanauskienė Kristina , Račaitė Ieva
Published: April 2021

Senatviniai pokyčiai labiausiai pastebimi veide, apima minkštuosius audinius ir juos palaikančias kaulines struktūras. Pagrindiniai sukeliantys veiksniai yra gravitacijos jėga, minkštųjų veido audinių senėjimo procesai, kaulinio audinio remodeliacija, veido raumenų aktyvumas, stomatognatinės sistemos pokyčiai ir ultravioletinių spindulių poveikis. Senėjimo požymiai pirmiausiai pasireiškia nasolabialinėje srityje, trumpėja viršutinės lūpos keliamieji ir viršutinės lūpos kampo keliamieji raumenys, skruostų raumenys, mažėja skruostų zonos riebalinis audinys. Teigiama, kad atliekant veido mankštą, galima koreguoti vertikalias raukšles virš viršutinės lūpos, stiprinant lūpos žiedinio raumens vidurinę dalį, treniruojant didįjį skruostų raumenį galima sumažinti nosies-lūpų raukšlės gylį, pagerinti medžiagų apykaitą, audinių regeneraciją bei kraujotakos ir limfotakos cirkuliaciją. Šio tyrimo tikslas – įvertinti veido mankštos poveikį brandaus amžiaus moterų veido odos parametrams. Metodai. Tyrimui buvo atrinktos trys 45-60 metų moterys. Veido odos būklė buvo vertinama prieš mankštos kursą ir po jo, naudojant diagnostinį aparatą A-ONE Smart. Vertinimo ataskaitoje pateikiami rezultatai apie raukšles, drėgmę, poras, pigmentaciją, sebumą, elastingumą, odos spalvą, odos temperatūrą. Veido mankštos programa susidėjo iš aštuonių savaičių kurso, kurį sudarė du etapai: 1) paruošiamieji pratimai veido ir kaklo raumenų apšilimui ir atpalaidavimui; 2) pratimų programa veido ovalo raumenų stiprinimui ir atpalaidavimui. Rezultatai. Bendrasis veido raukšlės gylio parametras keitėsi visų trijų tyrimo dalyvių, tačiau didžiausi pokyčiai (55,07 proc.) pastebėti antrosios tyrimo dalyvės. Nagrinėjant atskirų veido zonų raukšlių gylio parametrus nustatyta, kad visoms tiriamosioms labiausiai mažėjo kaktos srities raukšlių gylis, buvo stebima ir kitų raukšlių mažėjimo tendencija. Išvados. Aštuonių savaičių veido mankštos programa padeda sumažinti veido odos raukšlių gylį ir pagerinti brandaus amžiaus moterų odos būklę. Aštuonių savaičių veido mankštos programa efektyviausia mažinti kaktos srities raukšles.
SVEIKATOS PRIEŽIŪROS KOKYBĖS LIGONINĖJE POKYČIAI VALSTYBĖS LYGIO EKSTREMALIOSIOS SITUACIJOS IR KARANTINO DĖL COVID-19 METU NEPAGEIDAUTINŲ ĮVYKIŲ ASPEKTU: ATVEJO ANALIZĖ
Authors: Janušonis Vinsas , Janušonytė Henrieta
Published: April 2021

Sveikatos priežiūros kokybė ligoninėse ir vienas jos žymenų – nepageidautini įvykiai (kiekis, spektras, pasekmės) valstybės lygio ekstremaliosios situacijos ir karantino dėl Covid-19 metu gali skirtis nuo būklės ikiepideminiu laikotarpiu.

Tyrimo tikslas – įvertinti nepageidautinų įvykių ligoninėje pokyčius ir jų įtaką sveikatos priežiūros kokybei valstybės lygio ekstremaliosios situacijos ir karantino dėl Covid-19 metu.

Atliekant tyrimą, analizuotos įvairių šalių autorių mokslinės publikacijos, tirti nepageidautinų įvykių ekspertuoti pranešimai valstybės lygio ekstremaliosios situacijos ir karantino dėl Covid-19 metu 2020 m. ir tuo pačiu laikotarpiu 2019 metais. Atskleisti nepageidautinų įvykių spektro, priežastinių veiksnių, rizikos laipsnių bei išvengiamumo pokyčiai ir jų priežastys. Duomenys palyginti su kitų šalių patirtimi. Nustatyta, kad įvairūs nepageidautinų įvykių aspektai valstybės lygio ekstremaliosios situacijos ir karantino dėl Covid-19 metu ir tuo pačiu laikotarpiu iki Covid-19 epidemijos yra skirtingi.
SUAUGUSIŲ IR PAGYVENUSIŲ LIETUVOS GYVENTOJŲ ŽINIOS APIE MITYBĄ
Authors: Bulotaitė Gabija , Bartkevičiūtė Roma , Stukas Rimantas , Krikštaponytė Dovilė , Drungilas Vytenis , Barzda Albertas
Published: April 2021

Tikslas. Ištirti ir įvertinti suaugusių ir pagyvenusių Lietuvos gyventojų žinias apie mitybą.

Tyrimo medžiaga ir metodai. Tyrimas vyko 2019 m. rugsėjo–gruodžio mėnesiais. Anketinės apklausos būdu buvo ištirtos ir įvertintos 2910 suaugusių ir pagyvenusių Lietuvos gyventojų žinios apie mitybą. Apklausa anoniminė, analizuojami tik apibendrinti duomenys. Statistinė duomenų analizė atlikta naudojantis SPSS Statistics 18.0 statistinių duomenų analizės paketu. Nustatyta, kad tik 10 proc. apklaustųjų žino, kad rekomenduojama vaisių ir daržovių vartoti 5 ir daugiau porcijų per dieną; tik trečdalis žino, kad mažiausiai rekomenduojama vartoti sočiųjų riebalų ir kad transriebalų (riebalų rūgščių transizomerų) būna iš dalies hidrintuose augaliniuose riebaluose. Tik kas antras gyventojas žino, kad šviežiai spaustų sulčių maistingumas neatitinka tokio pat kiekio šviežių vaisių maistingumo ir kad didžiausias kalcio kiekis yra piene. 80,1 proc. gyventojų žino, kad sveikatai palankesnė yra viso grūdo duona, o apie 60 proc. Teisingai atsakė, kad rekomenduojama vartoti liesesnius pieno produktus. Tik 42,4 proc. gyventojų teisingai atsakė, kad ,,Rakto skylutės“ simbolis žymi sveikatai palankesnius maisto produktus.

Išvada. Ne visų suaugusių ir pagyvenusių Lietuvos gyventojų žinios apie mitybą yra pakankamos; geresnėmis žiniomis apie mitybą pasižymi moterys, jaunesnio amžiaus bei aukštąjį išsilavinimą įgiję respondentai.
SAUSŲ AKIŲ SINDROMO ETIOLOGIJOS, DIAGNOSTIKOS IR GYDYMO YPATUMAI
Authors: Mišeikytė Dovilė , Sereikaitė Liveta , Kužmarskytė Skaistė Rita
Published: April 2021

Sausų akių sindromas (SAS) – yra daugelio veiksnių sukeliama ašarų ir akių paviršių lėtinė liga, kuri pasireiškia nepakankama ašarų gamyba. Sausa akis yra daugiaveiksnė akies paviršiaus liga, kuriai būdingas ašarų plėvelės homeostazės praradimas, sukeliantis akies paviršiaus pokyčius ir akių simptomus: svetimkūnio jutimas akyje, deginimas, sausumas, paraudimas, kontaktinių lęšių netoleravimas, intensyvus ašarojimas, fotofobija, akių nuovargis ir skausmas. Šie simptomai pasireiškia dėl nepakankamo akių drėkinimo – pakitusios ašarų gamybos ar suintensyvėjusio ašarų nugaravimo. Diagnostiniai testai yra būtini atskirti SAS nuo infekcijų ar alergijų, kurios gali pasireikšti panašiais simptomais. SAS gydymas yra multietiologinis. Jis susideda iš vokų ligų gydymo, uždegimo mažinimo, ašarų tūrio ar kokybės gerinimo, gyvenimo būdo ir mitybos pokyčių.
SARCOPENIA OF AGING
Authors: Stiklioraitis Kostas , Stiklioraitis Simas , Sereikaitė Liveta , Jasinskaitė Monika , Krivickas Žilvinas , Aldujeli Ali
Published: April 2021

Background. Sarcopenia is an age-related condition, defined by the muscle decline, impaired physical function, and deterioration in muscle tissue quality. The main cause for the interest of Sarcopenia is the apparent association of this disease with patient morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and deterioration in the quality of life. The purpose of this review is to present a brief account of some age-related biological changes that may contribute to Sarcopenia.

Materials and methods. We reviewed the literature based on data from Medline (PubMed), Google Scholar, Science Direct, and CAIRN. The research was done on articles in English or French, published before the 31st of December 2019. The research was based on the following Mesh headings (Medical Subject Headings): “sarcopenia” AND “aging” OR “muscle loss”.

Conclusions. A multitude of etiological factors influences the aging-associated deterioration of muscle mass and function that constitute Sarcopenia, such as imbalanced protein synthesis and degradation, decreasing anabolic hormones, inflammation, and age-related morphological changes, which are described in the review. In the future, research might be conducted for identifying specific biomarkers, which may lead to an opportunity to assess and monitor the disease non-invasively, granting possibilities for a more efficient therapeutic approach.
Innovación e investigación sobre el aprendizaje ubicuo y móvil en la Educación Superior
Authors: Fernández Batanero José María ,   Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad de Sevilla.
Published: April 2021

El aprendizaje ubicuo y móvil es uno de los hitos educativos más significativos de este siglo XXI. Los dispositivos móviles y, la facilidad de acceso a la información y a la formación en entornos digitales, han transformado las vidas y el aprendizaje de millones de personas, de maneras que tan sólo hace un decenio habrían sido inconcebibles (UNESCO, 2013). A finales de 2012 ya se calculaba que el número de dispositivos móviles sobrepasaba la cifra de población mundial (Cisco, 2012). El poder disponer de dispositivos digitales cada vez más asequibles, junto con el diseño de plataformas, app y entornos digitales más dinámicos, favorece que el aprendizaje se convierta en un proceso mucho más poliédrico en el que el estudiante puede recurrir a diferentes contenidos, en diferentes formatos favoreciendo la ubicuidad en el aprendizaje. Este libro presenta algunas líneas presentes y futuras para innovar e investigar en este campo tan apasionante, teniendo en consideración que el aprendizaje no está mediado únicamente por los «clics», sino por el «think». Sin lugar a dudas, uno de los retos presentes y futuros en la Educación Superior será integrar y aprovechar las posibilidades del aprendizaje móvil y ubicuo para asegurar una educación de calidad.