bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ПРИЧИННОСТЬ В СОЦИАЛЬНЫХ НАУКАХ
Authors: А.А. САНЖЕНАКОВ
Published: December 2024

В статье рассматривается проблема применения понятий «причина» и «причинность» в социальных науках. Автор обращается к аналитической философии, где активно обсуждались вопрос легитимности использования этих понятий в научном исследовании и проблема возможности построения общественных наук по образцу естественных наук. На основании проведенного исследования показано, что позиция того или иного философа по стратегии построения наук об обществе зависит от его понимания роли причинности в объяснении действий отдельного человека. Сторонники стандартной (каузальной) теории действия настроены позитивистски и полагают, что общественные науки должны использовать методы и подходы естественных наук. Представители антикаузального крыла, напротив, считают, что социальные науки должны использовать свою методологию. Таким образом, решение данной проблемы должно предваряться разработкой теории действия.

The article deals with the problem of applying the concepts of “cause” and “causality” in social sciences. The author refers to analytical philosophy, where the issue of the legitimacy of using these concepts in scientific research and the problem of the possibility of building social sciences on the model of natural sciences were actively discussed. The study shows that the position of a particular philosopher concerning the strategy of building social sciences depends on his understanding of the role of causality in explaining the actions of an individual. Proponents of the standard (causal) theory of action take a positivist position and believe that social sciences should use the methods and approaches of natural sciences. On the contrary, representatives of the anti-causal wing believe that social sciences should use their own methodology. Hence, the solution of this problem should be preceded by the development of a theory of action.
ИССЛЕДОВАНИЕ СУЩНОСТИ БУДУЩЕГО В НЕЙРОФИЗИОЛОГИИ, ПСИХОЛОГИИ, КОГНИТОЛОГИИ И ОБЩЕЙ БИОЛОГИИ
Authors: Е.В. РОЧНЯК
Published: December 2024

В статье проведен анализ понимания сущности будущего в таких естественно-научных дисциплинах, как нейрофизиология и общая биология, а также в стыкующихся с ними гуманитарных науках психологии и когнитологии. Полученные данные позволяют сделать вывод, что возможность представления будущего и потребность в его предвосхищении являются базовыми для всех живых организмов вообще и человека в частности.

The article analyzes the understanding of the essence of the future in such natural science disciplines as neurophysiology and general biology, as well as in the humanitarian sciences, namely psychology and cognitive science, that are joined with them. The data obtained suggest that the ability to imagine the future and the need to anticipate it are basic for all living organisms in general and humans in particular.
Sustainable development for the post-war recovery in Ukraine’s economy: an updated perspective on the scientific legacy of M. Tugan-Baranovsky
Authors:   Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Kichurchak Marianna
Published: December 2024

The article focuses on reconsidering the scientific ideas and concepts developed by M. Tugan-Baranovsky in economic theory, evaluating their potential to formulate effective strategies for promoting sustainable development principles in the post-war recovery of Ukraine’s economy. The research employs various methodologies such as induction and deduction, comparison, analysis and synthesis. The impact of the war on specific economic and social indicators related to sustainable development is analyzed using cluster analysis. The study emphasizes the importance of considering regional differences in shaping policy initiatives for Ukraine’s economic recovery. These initiatives should be grounded on the principles of sustainability developed in M. Tugan-Baranovsky’s insights on the emergence of new capital, demographic processes, and the evolutionary development of economic entities. The author argues that activities focused on preserving natural resources, achieving social equality, and active implementing new resource-saving technologies are crucial for Ukraine’s post-war economic recovery. The article justifies the feasibility of aligning the objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 with Ukraine’s National Recovery Plan, and shows that this conceptual approach is consistent with the scientific framework developed by M. Tugan-Baranovsky. It is concluded that a renewed perspective on the scientific heritage of the renowned Ukrainian economist enables the identification of promising approaches for addressing contemporary economic, environmental, and social challenges, guided by the principles of sustainable development.
Economic inequality: concept and approaches to measurement
Authors:   Institute for Economics and Forecasting, NAS of Ukraine, Shapoval Yuliia
Published: December 2024

The study of economic inequality has evolved from the classical works of S. Kuznets and A. Atkinson to the modern approaches of A. Sen, J. Foster, A. Shorrocks, G. Palma, and T. Piketty, which take into account the impact of globalization, technological changes, and political decisions. Economic inequality is understood as the uneven distribution of economic opportunities and resources, including income and wealth, among individuals and population groups. Two primary forms of economic inequality are distinguished: income inequality (which reflects differences in current income) and wealth inequality (which focuses on disparities in already accumulated income). Horizontal and vertical dimensions of inequality are identified. The key factors include global factors (globalization, technological progress) and specific ones (macroeconomic conditions, labor market regulation, demographic changes, and redistribution policies). The specific mechanisms for measuring wealth and income inequality are presented. By analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of methodological approaches to measuring economic inequality, it is established that, due to the absence of a universal methodological approach, using a combination of survey data, tax statistics, and national accounts allows for a more comprehensive analysis of inequality. The assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of the Gini index, mean log deviation, Theil index, Palma ratio, and quantile ratios demonstrates that combining simple percentile ratios with complex indices fosters a deeper understanding of the structure and dynamics of inequality. Quintile ratios or the Palm ratio estimate the income gap between the richest and poorest groups, and the Gini ratio and the Theil index reflect changes in income across all segments of the population. It is emphasized on the need to adapt existing inequality indicators in Ukraine to international practices, particularly regarding wealth inequality.
Políticas públicas para a educação das relações étnicoraciais e a educação escolar quilombola
Authors: Souza Oliveira Gilma , Silva Cardozo Leriane , dos Santos José Francisco
Published: December 2024

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar como a Lei nº 10.639 (Brasil, 2003) contribui para uma educação inclusiva, principalmente a educação escolar quilombola. Como metodologia de pesquisa, foi usada a análise documental da Lei e das normativas que tratam da sua implementação. O aporte teórico utilizado para embasar a análise incluiu autores como Quijano (2005), Gomes (2005, 2012), entre outros, que contribuíram para a compreensão do cenário da educação para as relações étnico-raciais e da educação escolar quilombola, seus princípios e desafios, bem como para compreender a importância de incluir no currículo escolar o que propõe a Lei nº 10.639 (Brasil, 2003), a fim de que as discussões sobre a história e a cultura da população africana e afro-brasileira façam parte do cotidiano escolar, visando o combate ao racismo e à valorização da diversidade étnico-racial brasileira. O estudo mostrou que a luta, principalmente do Movimento Negro, tem gerado resultados no que diz respeito à implementação de políticas públicas voltadas para a educação da população negra e quilombola, a exemplo do marco histórico da criação da Lei nº 10.639 (Brasil, 2003). Contudo, há muito a avançar, principalmente quando se trata de um cenário que propicie a efetivação da Lei e a decolonização do currículo, pois barreiras, como a falta de formação de professores, ainda são uma realidade a ser superada.
E2E model from crop suggestion to harvesting time prediction in sugarcane plant utilizing machine learning and deep learning
Authors: Rubini P.E. , Kavitha P.
Published: December 2024

The automated system for enhancing plant growth presents an innovative approach to optimize quality of sugarcane cultivation for four main sugarcane growing zones. It includes issues like recommendation of crops based on soil nutrients, diagnosis of disease in the leaf and stem images of sugarcane, weed detection and harvesting time prediction. The research work proposed in the article presents an innovative two-stage approach for object detection and classification in agricultural imagery. Initially, YOLOv8 (You Only Look Once) is employed to accurately detect objects within images, delineating them with precise boundary boxes. Subsequently, the focus of hybrid model integrating Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks, known as Contextual Long Short-Term Memory (CLSTM), is employed. This dual-stage methodology harnesses the speed and accuracy of YOLOv8 for robust object localization, while the CLSTM model ensures nuanced classification, contributing to comprehensive and accurate approach for object detection and crop-weed differentiation in agricultural scenarios. The proposed approach is compared with the four DL algorithms for identifying weeds in sugarcane crops and subsequently assessed their accuracy and F1 score performance. At a learning rate of 0.002, the findings of CLSTM showcase superior precision at 98.5%, recall at 97.8%, F1 score at 98.1%, and an overall accuracy of 97.7%. The subsequent task is harvesting time prediction, which entails identifying the best time to harvest sugarcane based on the planting period, weather predictions, and sugarcane brix value. The implementation of this automated system not only enhances the productivity of sugarcane cultivation but also serves as a model for sustainable and resource-efficient agriculture.
Self-driving AMADAP laboratory: Accelerating the discovery and optimization of emerging perovskite photovoltaics
Authors: Zhang Jiyun , Wu Jianchang , Stroyuk Oleksandr , Raievska Oleksandra , Lüer Larry , Hauch Jens A. , Brabec Christoph J.
Published: December 2024

The development of new solar materials for emerging perovskite photovoltaics poses intricate multi-objective optimization challenges in a large high-dimensional composition and parameter space, with in some cases, millions of potential candidates to be explored. Solving it necessitates reproducible, user-independent laboratory work and intelligent preselection of innovative experimental methods. Materials Acceleration Platforms (MAPs) seamlessly combine robotic materials synthesis, characterization, and AI-driven data analysis, enabling the exploration of new materials. They revolutionize material development by replacing trial-and-error methods with precise, rapid experimentation and generating high-quality data for training machine learning (ML) algorithms. Device Acceleration Platforms (DAPs) focus on optimizing functional energy films and multilayer stacks. Unlike MAPs, DAPs concentrate on refining processing conditions for predetermined materials, crucial for disordered semiconductors. By fine-tuning processing parameters, DAPs significantly advance disordered semiconductor devices such as emerging photovoltaics. This article examines recent advancements in automated laboratories for perovskite material discovery and photovoltaics device optimization, showcasing in-house-developed MAPs and a DAP. These platforms cover the entire value chain, from materials to devices, addressing optimization challenges through robot-based high-throughput experimentation (HTE). Ultimately, a self-driven Autonomous Material and Device Acceleration Platforms (AMADAP) laboratory concept is proposed for autonomous functional solar material discovery using AI-guided combinational approaches.

Graphical abstract
Exploring the physical characteristics of chalcogenide SrZrS3 perovskite: Insights for photovoltaic use
Authors: Rahman Md. Zillur , Hasan Sayed Sahriar , Akter Mist Shamima , Rayhan M. A. , Hasan Md. Zahid , Islam Md Ariful
Published: December 2024

In this study, first-principle-based Density functional Theory (DFT) have been utilized to investigate the electronic, optical, mechanical and thermal properties of SrZrS3 for the solar cell application. Semiconducting nature of SrZrS3 was found via the investigation of electronic band structure and density of state (DOS). Electronic band structures reveal direct bandgap semiconductor properties with values 0.57 eV in Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof functional (PBE) method, and 1.28 eV is in hybrid Functional (HSE06) method for SrZrS3, suggesting specific applications in photovoltaic (PV) cell. Significant constant such as absorption, reflectivity, refractivity, and loss function were also calculated to evaluate the optical properties of SrZrS3. The optical properties highlight the potential of SrZrS3 material for optoelectronic and photovoltaic applications. The Born stability criteria confirmed the mechanical stability of this compound. Furthermore, its minimum thermal conductivity (Kmin = 0.66 Wm−1 K−1) is adequate for maintaining performance without excessive heat buildup, making it suitable for high-efficiency solar cells.

Graphical Abstract
The effectiveness of infrared thermography in the diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis
Authors:   Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine, Stoianovskyi I.V. , Khimich S.D. ,   National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Vinnytsya, Ukraine, Chemerys O.M. ,   Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine
Published: December 2024

The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of digital infrared thermography in the early diagnosis and detection of areas of impaired perfusion and tissue necrosis in patients with necrotizing fasciitis.
Materials and methods. This scientific work is based on observations of 10 patients with suspicion of necrotizing fasciitis during 2022-2023. The patients underwent thermography using a digital infrared thermal imaging camera to obtain heat maps and thermograms, which were then analyzed for abnormal thermal patterns. The results of the thermography were compared with other signs of necrotizing fasciitis to assess the accuracy of the method.
Results. The study found that in patients with necrotizing fasciitis, there were three concentric zones with different surface temperatures around the main locus of infection. The central zone (N) had a lower temperature, the intermediate zone (F) had an increased temperature, and the outer zone (S) had a temperature close to normal for that area of the body. The results of statistical analysis indicated that there was no significant difference in temperature between the outer and intermediate zones. However, there were significant differences between the outer and central zones, as well as between the intermediate and central zones. The researchers found that the 5.720.23С temperature difference between the central zone (N) with reduced thermal emission and the intermediate zone (F) with increased thermal emission, is a sign of the late stage of necrotizing fasciitis. However, at the early stage of development of necrotizing fasciitis, the "N" zone is absent, although a pronounced "F" zone is observed, which is surrounded by the "S" zone with a temperature difference of approximately 1.920.28С.
Conclusions. Distinct thermal patterns observed in patients with necrotizing fasciitis provide an opportunity to improve diagnostic accuracy and assist in timely surgical intervention. Continuing the study and improvement of medical thermography can make it possible to include it in standard clinical practice in the future to improve the diagnostic and treatment process of necrotizing fasciitis.
The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The research protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the institutions indicated in the work. The informed consent of patients was obtained for participation in the study.
No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Improving Socio-Emotional Skilss Through Project Method in Islamic Elementary School Student
Authors: Hanah Anah Siti , Nurdiansyah Rikrik
Published: December 2024

The purpose of this study is to improve the social emotional of group B children at RA Alkhoeriyah Rajadesa, Ciamis Regency through watermelon seed planting activities using the project method. The project method is one way that can be used in teaching to train children's ability to solve problems in everyday life and can move children to work together with other children where each part of the work is individual or in small groups to achieve shared goals. The research method in this article uses the classroom action research method with the research subjects being teachers and students of group B RA Alkhoeriyah consisting of 12 children, 4 boys and 5 girls. From the data on melon seed planting activities in cycle I, it was found that 6 students or 50.00% of the total children in group B received the MB category, 4 students or 33.34% of the total children in group B received the BSH category, while there were still 2 children receiving the BB category. Meanwhile, from the data of cycle II actions, it was found that 4 children or 33.34% of the total children in the class received the BSB category, 6 children or 50.00% of the total children in the class received the BSH category, while 2 students received the MB category, with a percentage value of 16.67%.
At the Starting Line
Authors: Noël E. Dolan
Published: December 2024

This qualitative phenomenological study examined the college transition experience of Black female student-athletes at a private, Mid-Atlantic, predominantly White, National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I institution. Until recently, Black women who are student-athletes have mainly been subsets of larger studies. By centering their transition experiences, this research investigated their lived experiences. The research aimed to fill a gap in the literature and to identify themes for further study of the college transition. In the spring of 2022, participants (N = 6) completed a brief demographic questionnaire and took part in one-on-one, semi-structured interviews designed to explore the first-year transition to college from a student-athlete perspective. Through descriptive phenomenological analysis, particular attention was given to how student-athletes integrate socially, academically, and athletically in college, with an awareness that the intersectionality of identity for Black women at a predominantly White institution (PWI) might impact that experience of campus integration. Five key themes emerged from the participants’ experiences: (a) challenges to connecting, (b) expectations versus experiences, (c) support and positive development, (d) community and belonging, and (e) self-empowerment. The results were reported through a lens of re-evaluating first-year onboarding and support services for Black female student-athletes at a PWI.
Athletic Trainers’ Perceived Knowledge and Competence on Sexual Assault Management
Authors: Kaitlyn Frederick  , Meg Sharp  , Tyler S. Harris
Published: December 2024

One in five college females will experience sexual assault (SA), and the athletic environment increases the risk of SA occurring. Athletic trainers (ATs) must be knowledgeable and competent to handle reports, but the effectiveness of the institutional sexual violence prevention (SVP) training ATs receive is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess how ATs’ perceived knowledge and competence in managing student-athlete reports of SA differ across training formats and facilitators. Collegiate ATs (N = 283) completed a survey assessing formal psychosocial clinical education, institutional SVP training format and facilitator, and perceived knowledge and competence on SA policies and management. Two one-way MANOVAs compared perceived knowledge and competence by format and facilitator. Overall, any form of SVP training was associated with greater perceived knowledge and competence than no training. Regarding format, ATs who received face-to-face or a combination of face-to-face and online training felt most knowledgeable and competent. Regarding facilitators, ATs whose SVP training was led by an external, professional facilitator or multiple facilitators felt more knowledgeable than ATs whose program was self-guided or led by a staff member of the institution. Lastly, ATs who had been certified longer reported feeling more knowledgeable than recently certified ATs. A face-to-face format with an external or professional facilitator or a combination of formats and facilitators appears to be the optimal method for ATs’ SVP training. Whether this translates to improved care for the athlete who experiences SA is still unknown and requires further research.
Antigenic features of the strains SARS-CoV-2 of omicron sublines assessed by hyperimmune mouse serum neutralisation
Authors: Zaykovskaya Anna V. , Evseenko V. A. , Olkin S. E. , Pyankov O. V.
Published: December 2024

Introduction. The emergence and spread of new genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 underlies periodic upsurge in COVID-19 incidence. It has been shown that the most rapidly spreading genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 are resistant to antibodies specific to the previous variant of the SARS-CoV-2, thereby necessitating to analyze the antibody evasion ability of previously circulating variants for newly emerging subvariants. The aim of this work was to assess SARS-CoV-2 cross-reactivity of coronavirus strains belonging to different genetic subvariants of Omicron isolated in the territory of the Russian Federation in the period 2020–2023 in microneutralization reaction using hyperimmune mouse sera. Materials and methods. Mouse hyperimmune sera were obtained against 10 SARS-CoV-2 strains belonging to subvariants BA.1, BA.2, CH.1.1, BN.1, BA.5.1, CL.1.2, BA.5.2, BQ.1.2.1 XBB.1.5 and XBB.3. BALB/c mice were immunized with inactivated concentrated antigen mixed at 1:1 ratio with an adjuvant representing Quillaja saponaria saponin-based virus-like immunostimulatory complex. The antibody titer was determined by neutralization test. The neutralizing activity of the hyperimmune sera was analyzed against the relevant viruses as well as against previous genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 (Wuhan, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta). Results. Cross-reactivity for all Omicron-variant strains analyzed here was shown; the degree of cross-reactivity depended on the degree of inter-strain relatedness. A prominent cross-reactivity was observed for subvariants of BA.5 so that their neutralizing activity against recombinant SARS-CoV-2 lineages was markedly reduced. Neutralizing serum titers obtained for subvariants of BA.5 against genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 isolated during the early periods of the pandemic are reduced more than 60-fold. Conclusion. The presented method for obtaining and using hyperimmune mouse sera for neutralization reaction allows the assessment of cross-reactivity for strains belonging to different SARS-CoV-2 subvariants.
Assessment of the relationship between Epstein–Barr virus major types and genovariants as well as clinical and laboratory parameters in HIV-infected adults
Authors: Popkova Mariia I. , Filatova E. N. , Minaeva S. V. , Sakharnov N. A. , Utkin O. V.
Published: December 2024

Introduction. People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are more likely to experience Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) reactivation and develop EBV-associated diseases. In Russia, the clinical significance of EBV genetic diversity in HIV-infected patients has not been assessed. The aim was to analyze a relationship between the major EBV types and LMP-1 genovariants with clinical and laboratory parameters in HIV-infected persons. Materials and methods. Peripheral blood leukocytes were collected from 138 HIV(+) individuals aged 20–69 years. Association between EBV types, LMP-1 variants and subvariants with clinical and laboratory parameters (CD4+ T-lymphocyte count, HIV and EBV viral load, use and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART)), was performed using the principal component analysis method and the Mann–Whitney U test. Results. It has been shown that detectable HIV viral load increases in patients with low CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts, high EBV viral load, and low or no ART adherence. In general, infection with EBV-2 or the LMP-1 B95-8 alone resulted in lower EBV and HIV viral loads compared with other variants. Significant EBV-1 LMP-1 subvariants were identified, the biological potential of which was enabled in immunodeficiency state (CD4+ T-lymphocyte count ≤ 200 cells/μl). In “naive” patients, EBV-1/LMP-1 (S309N)+HIV co-infection occurred with a higher, and EBV-1/LMP-1(E328Q)+HIV with the lowest HIV viral load. The highest EBV DNA concentrations were observed with EBV-1/LMP-1(Q334R)+HIV. In “experienced” patients, the level of EBV DNA was significantly lower when infected with EBV-1/LMP-1(E328Q)+HIV and, conversely, higher in case of detected EBV-1/LMP-1(H358P)+HIV. Conclusion. The features of clinical and laboratory parameters EBV+HIV co-infection caused by different EBV-1 LMP-1 subvariants (at the level of amino acid substitutions S309N, E328Q, Q334R, H358P) have been identified. It is necessary to study the functional role of such mutations in vitro and in vivo. In the context of assessing a clinical significance of EBV molecular genetic diversity, it is advisable to conduct larger-scale studies in different territories of Russia.
Biological features and medical significance of the Listeria bacteria
Authors: Derevyanchenko I. A. , Kraeva Lyudmila A.
Published: December 2024

Bacteria of the genus Listeria are widely distributed in the environment; they are isolated from soil and water ecosystems, food products, environmental objects, and circulate in vivo. L. monocytogenes are pathogenic for animals and humans. The ecological plasticity, stress resistance and tolerance of Listeria determines their ability to switch from a saprophytic to a parasitic life cycle and survive under various environmental conditions. After thawing and subsequent cultivation of Listeria on fresh nutrient medium, a pronounced populational heteromorphism is noted: formation of protoplast-type cells, L-forms and convoluted revertant cells, which requires the use PCR and ELISA for bacteria detection. It is known that non-pathogenic Listeria, as well as pathogenic microorganisms forming a biocenosis with L. monocytogenes, can serve as a reservoir of pathogenicity and resistance determinants and be transferred to pathogenic Listeria by horizontal transfer, which leads to the emergence of new, more virulent and antibiotic-resistant strains. In addition, the most important adaptation mechanism of L. monocytogenes to adverse environmental factors is their ability to form biofilms markedly enhancing survival and disinfectant resistance. The relatively high genomic similarity between L. monocytogenes and some non-pathogenic Listeria species and often their coexistence in similar ecological niches, may provide an opportunity for the transfer of resistance or virulence genes. At the same time, the transmission of pathogenicity genes from L. monocytogenes to L. innocua is also possible, which predetermines the appearance of atypical hemolytic pathogenic strains, which, given the greater environmental prevalence of the latter can pose a great danger to humans and animals. The increasing role of Listeria in the pattern of human and animal infectious pathologies, the variability of their morphological, cultivable and biochemical properties, as well as the constant modification of the surface Listeria antigens underlies a need to improve listeriosis diagnostics and requires creation of new immunobiological preparations and modern regimens for isolation and identification of various Listeria types. This review discusses current views on Listeria spp. prevalence and biological qualities, virulence and pathogenicity factors of L. monocytogenes, as well as methods for identifying different Listeria species.
Comparison of MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry identification accuracy of Mycobacterium abscessus complex strains, isolated on various nutrient media
Authors: Alekseev D. V. , Kargina E. A. , Kokorev Daniil A. , Kovalyov A. M. , Borodulina E. A. , Lyamin A. V. , Ismatullin D. D.
Published: December 2024

Background. Mycobacterium abscessus complex is one of the most abundant groups of rapidly growing non-tuberculous mycobacteria that has been increasingly more common causing infections of various localization, especially in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Microbiological diagnosis of such infections in case of using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry is often complicated due to mycobacterial cell features, which requires to perform a diagnostic optimization. The aim of the study was to evaluate the accuracy of Mycobacterium abscessus strains identification isolated on universal chromogenic medium and selective medium for Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) isolation. Materials and methods. Total number of 64 strains were selected for the study cultured in parallel on universal chromogenic medium and selective medium for BCC isolation. The identification of isolated microorganisms was carried out using the MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry on Microflex LT device. Statistical data processing was carried out using the StatTech program v.2.1.0. Results. The correlation analysis between identified data and used nutrient media was carried out showing that identification of mycobacteria isolated on chromogenic medium vs. medium for BCC isolation was more accurate. Conclusion. The study revealed that the composition of the nutrient medium affects the accuracy of MABSc member identification, which can be taken into account while developing protocols for optimizing and increasing the accuracy for this group of bacteria using MALDI-ToF mass spectrometry. Despite this, in the context of such a complex pathology with high comorbidity as CF, taking into account the universality of chromogenic medium we studied and often polymicrobial nature of infections in CF, it is rational to use selective media for primary inoculation of the studied material, including the medium for BCC isolation. However, after the initial inoculation, mycobacteria can be subcultured on chromogenic medium to assess cultural properties and improve the quality of species identification.
DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION FOR INTRA-SPECIES CLASSIFICATION OF HHV6A AND HHV6B MOLECULAR GENETIC DIVERSITY
Authors: Filatova Elena N. , Utkin Oleg V. , Khrulev Alexey E. , Zaitseva Natalya N.
Published: December 2024

Human herpesvirus 6A (HHV6A) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV6) are ubiquitous viruses that infect more than 95% of the population. Clinical manifestations of HHV6 infection and associated diseases are diverse, which may depend on virus molecular genetic characteristics (genovariants). Estimating the significance of the molecular genetic diversity is complicated due to the lack of proper classification. The aim of the study was to develop an intraspecies HHV6A and HHV6B classification. Using 50 and 207 HHV6A and HHV6B full-genome sequences retrieved from the NCBI Nucleotide database, various fragments of virus genome were analyzed. Multiple sequence alignment was performed using MAFFT L-INS-i algorithm; F81 nucleotide substitution model and maximum likelihood method were used to construct dendrograms. Nucleotide substitutions were determined relative to reference sequences X83413 (HHV6A) and AF157706 (HHV6B). Genovariants were defined based on the nucleotide substitutions in variable positions of the genomic fragment. The results were confirmed by constructing dendrograms. An opportunity of using fragments of HHV6A and HHV6B genomes to construct an intraspecies classification was assessed. Fragments U90 (part206) and U90B(part431) were selected as optimal. Based on the nucleotide sequences of the fragments, the intraspecies classification for HHV6A and HHV6B was constructed, including seven genovariants of each virus. The genovariants were characterized by unique nucleotide composition in the signature positions. A minimum (0.001 or less for both viruses) nucleotide diversity within the isolated genovariants was established. The classification reflects the phylogenetic relationships of circulating and inherited chromosomally integrated forms of HHV6A and HHV6B: divergence of HHV6A genovariants depending on its persistence form and integration site and coevolution of two HHV6B forms within several genovariants. Further studies on virus molecular genetic diversity in different regions of Russia and abroad may supplement the classification. The method of HHV6A and HHV6B classification is characterized by simplicity, technological accessibility and can be implemented in laboratories of different levels of technical equipment. The classification can be used to analyze an effect of virus molecular genetic diversity on the clinical characteristics of associated diseases, optimize the epidemiological surveillance system and develop new approaches for diagnostics, prevention, and treatment of HHV6 infection.
Disease phenotype-driven alterations in cellular and humoral immunity during chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Smirnova Olga V. , Sinyakov A. A.
Published: December 2024

Human nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses play a crucial role in the physiological processes in vivo that accounts for the constant attention of doctors of many specialties to the state and pathological changes in the respiratory compartments noted above. Rhinosinusites hold one of the leading places in the pattern of inflammatory pathology of the paranasal sinuses, regardless of patient age, the climatic zone of residence and living style level. Chronic vs acute rhinosinusitis is less widespread but considered to be the most common chronic disease. This pathology develops on average in 5% population, and CRS incidence increased more than by 2-fold over the last 10 years. In the pattern of subjects admitted to otorhinolaryngological hospitals, CRS comprises 25–30% that progressively elevates by mean 1–2% every year. The aim of the study was to evaluate disease phenotype-driven alterations in cellular and humoral immunity in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. 91 patients with chronic rhinosinusitis were selected. For the study of cellular immunity, a flow cytometry was used with “Cytomics FC500” (Beckman Coulter, USA) and monoclonal antibodies CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD16+, CD19+ (Beckman Coulter, USA). To measure the levels of blood serum immunoglobulins of various classes (A, M, E, G), an enzyme-linked immunosorbent analysis (ELISA) was used. Statistical data processing was carried out using Statistica for Windows 8.0 application programs (StatSoftink, USA, 2008). The study revealed changes in the cellular and humoral links of immunity in chronic rhinosinusitis coupled to distinct disease phenotypes: with chronic allergic rhinosinusitis — 5; in chronic polypose rhinosinusitis — 4; in chronic infectious rhinosinusitis — 3; in chronic hyperplastic rhinosinusitis — 4. With allergic chronic rhinosinusitis, it was linked to higher absolute B-lymphocyte count, hypergammaglobulinemia E and a decrease in 3 indices of relative synthesis were revealed. Polypose chronic rhinosinusitis was associated with elevated in absolute B-lymphocyte level, hypergammaglobulinemia E and decrease in 2 indices of relative synthesis, whereas infectious chronic rhinosinusitis was accompanied by increased B-lymphocyte level and decrease in 2 indices of relative synthesis. Hyperplastic chronic rhinosinusitis patients had higher in absolute T- and B-lymphocyte count and a decreased absolute cytotoxic T-lymphocyte level along with 2 indices of relative synthesis.
HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS IN VULVAR CANCER: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Authors: Dolgasheva Daria S. , Ibragimova Marina K. , Kravtsova Ekaterina A. , Tsydenova Irina A. , Gaptulbarova Ksenia A. , Tsyganov Matvey M. , Litviakov Nikolay V.
Published: December 2024

Introduction. Being considered as one of the most difficult to cure, vulvar malignant neoplasms belong to rare oncopathologies of the female reproductive system. It is established that vulvar squamous cell cancer develops via two pathways. In the first scenario, the tumor may develop during vulvar dystrophic diseases such as scleroatrophic lichen and differentiated intraepithelial neoplasia. Another opportunity is directly related to HPV infection. Highly oncogenic HPV types are known to be associated with cervical carcinogenesis and are involved in developing vulvar, vaginal, and anal intraepithelial neoplasia, which are considered precursors to carcinomas. In recent decades, a rise in incidence of vulvar cancer developed after preceding degenerative processes was noted. A relationship between human papillomavirus and cervical cancer has long been known and confirmed, so an issue regarding a potential relation between the etiology of vulvar cancer and of HPV remains relevant. The aim of the paper is to systematize and analyze the study data on vulvar carcinogenesis related to HPV infection.
Materials and Methods. A literature search was performed using PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases. A literature review was conducted by analyzing studies published between 1993 and 2024. The review included papers in which HPV was found in more than one case of vulvar tumor and if HPV DNA was detected by using polymerase chain reaction. Initially 249 articles were selected, 25 papers were included in the qualitative analysis, from which 6 case-control studies that fully met the specified inclusion criteria were further analyzed. Overall HPV prevalence was calculated as the percentage of all HPV tested cases.
Results. A high prevalence of papillomavirus infection in vulvar tumors was shown (31%), with HPV type 16 occurring in the vast majority of cases. The prevalence of HPV in vulvar tumors in case-control studies was 30% (OR = 10.46).
Conclusions. The results of the current systematic review confirmed that HPV infection is a key risk factor for developing vulvar malignancies. We demonstrated a high prevalence of HPV infection in vulvar tumors. In addition, a high incidence of highly oncogenic HPV types in tumor tissue was shown.
INTERPLAY BETWEEN ENDOMETRIAL MICROBIOTA AND ANTIMICROBIAL PEPTIDES IN WOMEN WITH DIFFERENT INFERTILITY FORMS
Authors: Shalepo Kira , Storozheva Kseniia V. , Krysanova Anna A. , Budilovskaya Olga V. , Khusnutdinova Tatiana A. , Kopylova Anastasiya A. , Tapilskaya Natalya I. , Savicheva Alevtina M. , Bespalova Olesya N.
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Introduction
Antimicrobial peptides able to induce immune disorders and inflammation in the uterine cavity are tightly bound to microbial composition of the upper and lower reproductive tract. An interplay between uterine microbiota and innate and adaptive immune system is crucial for maintaining a balanced environment for embryo implantation processes.
Objective: to evaluate an interplay between endometrial microbiota and antimicrobial peptides in women with different infertility forms.
Materials and methods
A total of 181 reproductive age women were examined. Group I included 165 women with infertility of various origins, Group II included 16 oocyte donors. Group I was divided into three subgroups (IA - adhesions in the uterine cavity, IB - endometrial polyps, IB - other infertility forms). The endometrial microbiota was studied using quantitative real-time PCR (Femoflor 16, DNA-technology, Moscow). Defensin (DEFa1), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), transforming growth factor Beta1 (TGF-β1) in the endometrium were determined using ELISA (Cloud-Clone Corporation, Wuhan, China).
Results
Lactobacilli were most frequently detected in the endometrium. Atopobium vaginae, Enterobacteriaceae, Lachnobacterium spp., Mobiluncus spp., Peptostreptococcus, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma spp. were also found in main group, but not in comparison group. All patients in group I, regardless of the infertility form, had significantly increased DEFa1 (p0.01) level compared to group II. High concentrations of DEFa1 were also found when Atopobium vaginae was detected in the uterine cavity of women with any infertility form (p0.001).
Conclusion
The endometrial microbiota and related immune changes are closely interconnected. Infertility increases the concentration of defensins (DEFa1) in the uterine cavity, leading to disturbed processes of embryo implantation, whereas the presence of microorganisms primarily Atopobium vaginae, aggravates such alterations.
OUTBREAK OF DENGUE VIRUS SEROTYPES IN DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER PATIENTS OF PESHAWAR PAKISTAN
Authors: Rehman Faiz Ur , Khan Sana ullah , Hassan Faaiz ul , Khan Hafeez ullah , Ahmad Iqbal , Khan Zahoor
Published: December 2024

Abstract
Background: Dengue is the most critical medical problem in tropical and sub-tropical locales of the world transmitted by the bite of the mosquito Aedesaegypti. Dengue virus (DENV) is categorized into 4 serotypes i.e. DENV1, DENV2, DENV3, and DENV4. The role of dengue virus (DENV) serotypes in the causation of primary Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) among dengue patients are not well studied in Pakistan. This research aimed to determine the association of DENV serotypes with DHF in dengue hemorrhagic fever patients of district Peshawar Pakistan.
Methods: A total of 200 blood samples were collected from DF and DHF patients. All of the samples were considered to be positive by NS1 Elisa. RNA was extracted with an RNA kit (TRIzol, USA) using the manufacturer protocol. The extracted RNA was then converted into cDNA by using Revert AID Reverse transcriptase (Thermofisher scientific) the target region for transcription and Amplification is a c-prM region which was amplified by Regular PCR and by using Nested PCR, the DENV serotypes (1-4) (Thermofisher scientific) was identified by using serotypes specific primers (TS1, TS2, TS3, and TS4) the samples was run through gel electrophoresis and then read the product size.
Results: a total of 164 (82%) samples were considered to be positive by both NS1 Elisa and RT-PCR while 36 (18%) were negative by RT-PCR. the study population consists of 60% male and 40% female. Within positive samples, 40 patients have DHF of which 24 (15%) were male and 16 (10%) were females. Most of the affected patients have an age range between 10-30 years followed by 30-40 years. All of the DHF patients were primary patients and had no previous dengue fever history. By using Serotype-specific primers all the DHF samples were positive for Serotype-2 (DENV2). This shows that DENV2 was primarily associated with DHF
Conclusion: DENV2 is the dominant serotype in the Dengue outbreak in affected patients of Peshawar.
Prevalence of parvovirus infection in the Northwestern federal district of Russia
Authors: Lavrentieva Irina N. , Antipova A. Yu. , Zheleznova N. V.
Published: December 2024

Here, we analyze the spread of parvovirus B19 infection in the Northwestern Federal District from the years 2018 to 2023. It was shown that cases of infection were recorded in 10 out of 11 territories, excepting the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Overall, IgM antibodies to parvovirus B19 (B19V) were detected in 295 samples out of 2079 tested (14.1%). The prevalence of parvovirus B19 infection varied over the years of the study: in 2023, an increase in incidence was detected in the Northwestern Federal District, with an indicator of 0.93 per 100 thousand population, which significantly exceeded the long-term average level of 0.43 per 100 thousand population in the district. Children under 14 years of age predominated in the age pattern. The virus circulated most actively in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, which is due to the high population density in these territories and the many municipal institutions where long-term close contacts between people take place. The winter-spring seasonality of the infection has been confirmed. An analysis of primary diagnoses in patients with laboratory-confirmed parvovirus infection (2022) showed that the correct clinical diagnosis was not established in any case. The most common clinical diagnostic errors were: “Acute respiratory infection”; “Measles” and “Rubella”; herpes virus infections. In 30% of cases, parvovirus B19 infection was assessed by clinicians as a non-infectious disease. Errors in the initial diagnosis of parvovirus infection can contribute to the spread of infection, including in risk groups. Thus, while examining patients at a dialysis center, laboratory methods revealed latent parvovirus B19 circulation in this risk group confirmed by the detection of B19V DNA and virus-specific IgM antibodies in some samples tested. The seroprevalence established among patients not exceeding 76.9% accounts for an opportunity of infection spread among patients seronegative for parvovirus B19 with worsening of disease course and prognosis. Considering the widespread distribution of parvovirus infection, when identifying infectious diseases and respiratory diseases that occur with unclear exanthema manifestations among people at risk and/or from organized groups, it is advisable to conduct targeted serological monitoring for laboratory markers of parvovirus B19 infection. One of the directions for further qualitative study of parvovirus infection is to solve an issue of its identification and recording in the epidemiological surveillance system.