bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changes in the regulation of cellular mRNAs and metabolism by West Nile virus
Authors: Μπάμπαλη Μαρία
Published: December 2023

Ο ιός του Δυτικού Νείλου (WNV) είναι ένας ευρέως διαδεδομένος νευροτρόπος φλαβοϊός που έχει αναδειχθεί ως μία από τις πιο κοινές αιτίες εγκεφαλίτιδας στον κόσμο. Δυστυχώς, δεν υπάρχουν μέχρι σήμερα διαθέσιμα αντι-ιικά φάρμακα που να καταπολεμούν επιτυχώς τη λοίμωξη από τον ιό του Δυτικού Νείλου, και κανένα υποψήφιο εμβόλιο για τον άνθρωπο δεν έχει προχωρήσει ακόμη πέρα από τη φάση ΙΙ των κλινικών δοκιμών. Στη μελέτη αυτή διερευνήθηκε η επίδραση της αντιγραφής του WNV στη λειτουργία των κυτταρικών πρωτεϊνών πρόσδεσης RNA (RBPs), οι οποίες ενορχηστρώνουν τη μετα-μεταγραφική ρύθμιση των κυττάρων. Η επίδραση αυτή μπορεί να χαρακτηρίζεται από αλλαγές στα επίπεδα έκφρασης των RBPs ή από την επαγωγή σε αυτές μετα-μεταφραστικών τροποποιήσεων, οι οποίες εκδηλώνονται τελικά ως αλλαγές στα επίπεδα πρόσδεσής τους στα κυτταρικά μετάγραφα (mRNAs) ή στο γενωμικό/υπογενωμικό RNA του ιού. Η ταυτοποίηση αυτών των αλληλεπιδράσεων μπορεί να ρίξει φως στον μηχανισμό επαγωγής παθογένειας από τον WNV. Τα υπογενωμικά RNA των φλαβοϊών (sfRNAs) είναι μικρά, μη κωδικοποιητικά μόρια RNA, προϊόντα της ατελούς αποικοδόμησης του γενωμικού RNA του ιού. Συσσωρεύονται κατά τη διάρκεια της μόλυνσης από φλαβοϊούς και έχουν συσχετιστεί με πολλούς λειτουργικούς ρόλους. Οι μέχρι τώρα μελέτες έχουν δείξει ότι το sfRNA παίζει καθοριστικό ρόλο στην παθογονικότητα του ιού του Δυτικού Νείλου. Ωστόσο, ο ακριβής τους ρόλος στη ρύθμιση της ομοιόστασης στα νευρικά κύτταρα δεν έχει αποσαφηνιστεί ακόμα. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο της διατριβής, διερευνήθηκε ο μηχανισμός της βιοσύνθεσης του sfRNA και η σημασία του για την αντιγραφή του WNV στα νευρικά κύτταρα. Ανάλυση διαφορικής γονιδιακής έκφρασης σε κυτταρικές σειρές που έφεραν το αγρίου τύπου (WT) και το μεταλλαγμένο για sfRNA (ΔsfRNA) ρεπλικόνιο του WNV αποκάλυψε έναν αριθμό μεταγραφικών αλλαγών για τους οποίους ευθύνεται το sfRNA, οι οποίοι θα μπορούσαν να αποτελέσουν μελλοντικά πιθανούς θεραπευτικούς στόχους. Ως μέρος αυτής της διατριβής, διεξήχθη επίσης μια συστηματική ανασκόπηση σε 428 δημοσιευμένες περιπτωσιολογικές μελέτες (case studies) προκειμένου να διερευνηθούν συμπτώματα, συννοσηρότητες και άλλες παράμετροι που συνδέονται με τον θάνατο που προκαλεί ο WNV. Συμπτώματα όπως μεταβολές της νοητικής κατάστασης και νεφρικά προβλήματα παρουσίαζαν αυξημένη συχνότητα εμφάνισης στην ομάδα των θανόντων. Επίσης τα άτομα αυτά παρουσίαζαν πιο συχνά αυξημένη γλυκόζη στο εγκεφαλονωτιαίο τους υγρό (ΕΝΥ). Η πνευμονική νόσος ταυτοποιήθηκε επίσης ως επιβαρυντικός παράγοντας για τη λοίμωξη από τον ιό του Δυτικού Νείλου, καθώς παρουσίαζε σημαντικά αυξημένη συχνότητα εμφάνισης στην ομάδα των θανόντων ασθενών. Καλύτερη κατανόηση της παθογονικότητας και των λόγων που οδηγούν στην εκδήλωση διαφορετικών κλινικών συμπτωμάτων, θα μπορούσε να βοηθήσει στην αποτελεσματικότερη αντιμετώπιση της ασθένειας και στην ελάττωση του κινδύνου θανάτου.
Can Civil Courts Save the Climate? Strategic Climate-change Litigation Before Civil Courts
Authors: Stadler Astrid
Published: December 2023

Climate change is an urgent global problem, and national legislatures must enhance their efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions drastically. Individuals and NGOs have filed public law actions against national legislators before international courts (prominently the ECHR) and several constitutional courts to allege violations of constitutional and human rights. In a more recent development, civil courts too are being seized with climate‑change litigation. In 2021, a Dutch court ruling on an action by an NGO against the Royal Dutch Shell Group held that Shell is obliged to reduce its CO2 emissions considerably. This judgment, based on the Dutch Civil Code’s general tort regulations, has triggered a wave of similar actions before German courts. Such cases of individual plaintiffs, supported by NGOs, suing private companies for damages or for an immediate reduction of emissions are examples of ‘strategic litigation’ aimed at bringing about broad societal changes beyond the scope of the individual case at hand. The article analyses the political implications, tackles the question of whether general tort law is a suitable instrument to address the climate‑change problem, and discusses how civil courts may handle these cases. Climate change is a complex, multi-stakeholder issue that requires a difficult process of balancing social, legal, and economic interests – which is the task of democratically legitimised parliaments, not primarily a task of courts.
Procurement in Times of Crisis: The Portuguese Experience
Authors: Carvalho Raquel
Published: December 2023

Since 2020, Portugal has enacted legislation specific to addressing the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with two distinct moments in this process: one dedicated to the pandemic situation in particular and a more recent one, connected with European funding and its implementation, various energy crises, and effects of economic warfare. As regards the complex and intricately entangled Covid-19 legislation, swift public procurement procedures were established to comply with certain requirements to guarantee competition, since the pandemic constituted an abnormal and unforeseeable circumstance that did not fit into the forecast of urgency provided for in the Directives. Legislation was issued on the modification of long-term contracts, yet with presented a highly debatable solution for the changes’ implementation and prohibiting the use of pecuniary compensation. While that legislation has since been repealed, transitory rules and exceptions whose scope is still difficult to understand in full took its place – in the main, the current special legislation on public procurement, Law 30/2021, intended for executing the implementation plan for projects financed or co-financed by European funds, which contains several rules that deviate from the regime resulting from the European directives, plus re-establishment of monitoring by the Court of Auditors, creation of an Independent Commission for supervising the implementation of the associated legislation, and the passing of extraordinary price‑revision legislation. The paper presents a brief report on this Portuguese legislative context and on the respective monitoring by both jurisdiction-linked and non‑jurisdiction-associated bodies. It directs special attention to the difficulties and perplexities raised by the regimes involved.
The Public Interest Requirement in the Secondary Use of Health Data in Scientific Research: The Examples of Estonia and Finland
Authors: Kruus Maret
Published: December 2023

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) foresees a flexible data processing regime for conducting scientific research with health data. This regime also enables extensive limitations on data subjects' rights to privacy and self-determination. Concern has been expressed that the notion of 'scientific research' may encompass conducting also profit-oriented commercial research that might not justify such limitations to data subjects' rights. Some authors have suggested a restriction on benefiting from the flexible scientific research regime: public interest should be set as a prerequisite for any scientific research employing health data without the data subject's consent. While the GDPR does not explicitly require that scientific research be in the public interest, it allows Member States to choose their policies. In light of this, the article examines the examples of Estonia and Finland to analyse whether national law should require the processing of health data in scientific research in the absence of the data subject's consent to be in the public interest. The article demonstrates on the basis of the two countries’ examples that it is possible to set a public interest standard without explicitly requiring the existence of a public interest via national legislation. Considering the future, the article also shows that, under the proposed European Health Data Space regulation, Member States may retain the public interest standard through the ethics-review requirement in their national law.
Corrigendum to Article ‘A Paradigm Shift in the Role of Courts? Disappearance of Judicial Review through Mutual Trust and other Neofunctionalist Tenets of EU Law’
Authors: Albi Anneli
Published: December 2023

Published in: Juridica International, 31/2022, pp.
3–47. [link]
/DOI:https://doi.org/10.12697/JI.2022.31.01/
The author has made the following correction to the above
article. On page 35, line 3, ‘measure’ has been replaced by ‘directive’. Thus,
the corrected sentence reads as follows:
‘The widely contested EU Data Retention Directive was only the
second ever directive to be annulled by the CJEU – in 2014 – on fundamental
rights grounds; this came in a second challenge following extensive national
constitutional contestation.’

The article has been updated to reflect this.

The author apologises for the error.
How to Ensure the Development of Independence of Primary Schoolchildren in the Classroom?
Authors: Molokova Anna
Published: December 2023

Systematic development of independence of students in primary school with the introduction of an updated standard of primary education is a mandatory requirement for all teachers. At the same time, this process seems obviously difficult for many of them due to the age characteristics of younger schoolchildren, stereotypes in the construction of educational classes and the organization of extracurricular activities, and habitual strategies for interacting with children. The article provides an example of the practical implementation of this regulatory requirement by a primary school teacher - the winner of the regional stage and the finalist of the final stage of the “Russian Teacher of the Year” competition. Analysis of a lesson conducted by a teacher in an unfamiliar class allows us to state the most common approaches to ensuring effective independent work of elementary schoolchildren.
Generalization Guarantees for Multi-Item Profit Maximization: Pricing, Auctions, and Randomized Mechanisms
Authors: Balcan Maria-Florina , Sandholm Tuomas , Vitercik Ellen
Published: December 2023

Sample Complexity of Multi-Item Profit Maximization

Historically, mechanism design has rested on the assumption that the seller knows the distribution over buyers’ values. In practice, a description of this distribution is typically unavailable. In “Generalization Guarantees for Multi-Item Profit Maximization: Pricing, Auctions, and Randomized Mechanisms,” we assume only sample access to this distribution. When using samples to optimize over a complex mechanism class—such as the set of all multi-item, multibuyer mechanisms—a mechanism may have high average profit over the samples, but low expected profit. This raises the question: How many samples are sufficient to ensure that a mechanism’s average profit is close to its expected profit? To answer this question, we uncover structure shared across many mechanisms: Profit is piecewise linear in the mechanism’s parameters for any set of buyers’ values. We prove new bounds for mechanism classes not yet studied in the sample-based mechanism design literature and match or improve over best-known guarantees for many classes.
Particulated autologous cartilage transplantation for the treatment of osteochondral lesion of the talus: can the lesion cartilage be recycled?
Authors: Shim Dong W. , Hong Hyunjoo , Lee Jin W. , Kim Bom S.
Published: December 2023

Aims

Osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) are a common cause of disability and chronic ankle pain. Many operative treatment strategies have been introduced; however, they have their own disadvantages. Recently lesion repair using autologous cartilage chip has emerged therefore we investigated the efficacy of particulated autologous cartilage transplantation (PACT) in OLT.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 32 consecutive symptomatic patients with OLT who underwent PACT with minimum one-year follow-up. Standard preoperative radiography and MRI were performed for all patients. Follow-up second-look arthroscopy or MRI was performed with patient consent approximately one-year postoperatively. Magnetic resonance Observation of Cartilage Repair Tissue (MOCART) score and International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grades were used to evaluate the quality of the regenerated cartilage. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the pain visual analogue scale (VAS), Foot Function Index (FFI), and Foot Ankle Outcome Scale (FAOS).

Results

All patients had ICRS grade IV cartilage lesions, except for one (ICRS grade III). The paired MOCART scores significantly improved from 42.5 (SD 1.53) to 63.5 (SD 22.60) (p = 0.025) in ten patients. Seven patients agreed to undergo second-look arthroscopy; 5 patients had grade I (normal) ICRS scores and two patients had grade II (nearly normal) ICRS scores. VAS, FFI, and all subscales of FAOS were significantly improved postoperatively (p ≤ 0.003).

Conclusion

PACT significantly improved the clinical, radiological, and morphological outcomes of OLT. We consider this to be a safe and effective surgical method based on the short-term clinical results of this study.

Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(12):942–947.
O DILEMA DA MATÉRIA, A ENERGIA ESCURA E A EXPANSÃO DO UNIVERSO: ALGUNS FATOS EXPERIMENTAIS RELEVANTES
Authors: Leyva Cruz Juan Alberto , Magalhães Batista Carlos Eduardo
Published: December 2023

Neste trabalho apresentamos um revisão sobre o composição do Universo. Discutimos assuntos sobre o dilema entre a matéria e a energia escuras e sua importancia na criação e expansão do Universo atual. Apesar de sabermos que a verdadeira natureza da matéria e energia escuras ainda são desconhecidas, apresentamos alguns fatos relevantes experimentais no sentido das observaçóes astronômicas, que “mostram” evidencias de sua existência. Dessas observações os cosmólogos assumem que a energia escura é a impulsionadora da expansão acelerada do universo, contrabalançando a força da gravidade, é responsável por cerca de 70%. Os últimos 25% são a matéria escura, cuja influência gravitacional une galáxias
The Physiognomic Ironies of Isidora Rufete
Authors: Landry Travis
Published: December 2023

Abstract: The encounter between Isidora and the Marchioness of Aransis in Benito Pérez Galdós’s La desheredada (1881) is ironically prefigured by the chapter’s title, “Anagnórisis.” While Isidora believes herself to be the Marchioness’s rightful granddaughter, inspecting her features gives insufficient proof. The relevance of physiognomy in “Anagnórisis” is incontrovertible in light of the dynamics structuring the exchange between Isidora and the Marchioness, the explicit use of the term in key passages, and the prevalence of this popularized science during the period. However, because physiognomy, as a “science” of intuition and first impressions, confirms Isidora is not who she claims herself to be, the chapter’s title is less ironic than has been postulated, for there is a recognition that masks physiognomy’s mythic makings in the guise of modern rationalism. Framed conversely by her own face, Isidora reflects a desire anchored in the preordained subject-object oneness now rejected by the Marchioness. Even still, the unresolved nature of Isidora’s character shows the permanence of physiognomy’s true ironies and importance for the novel. Resumen: El encuentro entre Isidora y la marquesa de Aransis en La desheredada (1881) de Benito Pérez Galdós viene irónicamente prefigurado por el título del capítulo “Anagnórisis”. Mientras Isidora se cree la nieta legítima de la marquesa, la inspección de sus rasgos no da pruebas suficientes. La relevancia de la fisonomía para “Anagnórisis” es indiscutible a la luz de la dinámica que caracteriza la conversación entre Isidora y la marquesa, el uso explícito del término en momentos clave y la ubicuidad de esta ciencia popularizada durante la época. No obstante, puesto que la fisonomía, como una “ciencia” basada en la intuición y las primeras impresiones, confirma que Isidora no es quien dice ser, el título del capítulo resulta menos irónico de lo que se ha postulado. En realidad, hay un reconocimiento que oculta el aspecto mítico de la fisonomía bajo el disfraz del racionalismo moderno. Retratada contrariamente por su propia cara, Isidora refleja un deseo anclado en la preordinada unión sujeto-objeto ahora rechazada por la marquesa. Aun así, la naturaleza incierta de Isidora como personaje pone de relieve la permanencia de las verdaderas ironías de la fisonomía y su importancia para la novela.
Gendered Gothic Ghosts: Vengeful Spirits of Spanish Romantic Fiction by Eugenio de Ochoa, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, and Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer
Authors: Clark Emily Joy
Published: December 2023

Abstract: Gothic influences were pervasive in Spain’s romantic fiction during the mid-nineteenth century, particularly in the development of plot devices and characters, as critics such as Xavier Aldana Reyes and Abigail Lee Six have demonstrated. The Gothic-tinged short stories selected in this study, “Luisa” (1835; 1867) by Eugenio de Ochoa, “La dama de Amboto” (1858) by Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, and “El monte de las ánimas” (1861) by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, all present examples of vengeful ghosts who haunt those responsible for their violent demise. By tracing the characterizations of these spirits across these three different stories from Spanish Romanticism and Post-Romanticism, this article reveals their gendered presentations of revenge, similarities in the portrayals of the spirits and their motives, and an analogous, frightening plot arc that underscores the conventions of the era and the popularity of the Gothic mode. Resumen: Las influencias góticas son abundantes en la ficción romántica española de la mitad del siglo XIX, especialmente por el uso de tramas y personajes fantásticos, críticos como demuestran Xavier Aldana Reyes y Abigail Lee Six. Los cuentos teñidos por aspectos góticos, “Luisa” (1835; 1867) de Eugenio de Ochoa, “La dama de Amboto” (1858) de Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda y “El monte de las ánimas” (1861) de Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer, presentan ejemplos de fantasmas vengativos que aparecen a los responsables de su fallecimiento violento. A través de las caracterizaciones de estos fantasmas a lo largo de estos tres cuentos españoles del Romanticismo y el Pos-Romanticismo, este artículo indaga en la representación de género en cuanto a la venganza, los fantasmas y sus motivos comunes, y una trama típica que subraya las convenciones de la época y la popularidad del modo gótico.
Together in the future wilderness: CAConrad’s queer appearances
Authors: Nogues Collier
Published: December 2023

In the performance and written work of trans nonbinary poet CAConrad, queerness is explicitly a practice of anticipatory relation through which we must not only dream but also begin to enact better possible futures in common with the world’s living and nonliving others. Reading works from Conrad’s Ecodeviance: (Soma)tics for the Future Wilderness (2014), this article argues that the poet’s performative conjunction of queerness, ecological consciousness and anti-war activism at the shareable sites of the body and the poem aligns with, and even exceeds, Judith Butler’s call for an extension of the political order or realm of appearance beyond the representational order as conceived by Hannah Arendt. I show how Conrad’s practice critically distinguishes queer visibility from queer appearance, insisting that a liveable future demands and deserves the oppositional relation made possible by bodies appearing queerly together, over against visibility’s complicity with the status quo. If Butler works ‘toward a performative theory of assembly’ (emphasis added), trying to theorize the body as not merely a ‘sign’ of vulnerability or injury but as politically potent in itself, I suggest that Conrad is already leading the way with their provocative, alliance-oriented experiments in both public and print.
Bosom friends and kindred spirits: Reimagining girlhood, bisexuality and queerness in Anne with an E
Authors: Sinwell Sarah E. S.
Published: December 2023

Questioning traditional ideas of hegemonic femininity, queerness and heteronormativity, this article examines Moira Walley-Beckett’sAnne with an E(2017–19, CBC and Netflix) as a means of revisiting queer and female histories in contemporary television. Reinvestigating classicAnne of Green Gables, this series pushes the boundaries of history by modernizing historical ideas about gender, sexuality, class and race in the early twentieth century. Using feminist theory, queer theory and critical cultural studies approaches, this article argues that these coming-of-age narratives of girlhood, bisexuality and femininity interrogate binary notions of past and present, childhood and adulthood, fact and fiction. By blending and blurring literary and fictional histories, this series pushes up against the whiteness and heteronormativity within media culture, drawing attention not only to the absence of people of colour and LGBTQ+ characters within literary and media histories more generally but also to alternative possibilities for more inclusive media representation. In this way, this series is rethinking historical and literary representations of girlhood, (bi)sexuality and feminist empowerment by putting queer people and women at the centre of its storytelling.
Phytoplankton communities of reservoirs of the forest-steppe zone under conditions of technogenic load
Authors: Antsiferova G. A. , Rusova N. I.
Published: December 2023

On the example of the rivers Oskolets and Chufichka, flowing into the river Oskol, the phytoplankton of small rivers of the forest-steppe zone of the Belgorod region, which are of technogenic origin, is considered. The taxonomic and ecological composition of communities of microalgae and cyanobacteria was studied in order to determine the ecological and biological state of surface waters of the Starooskol-Gubkinsky mining region of the Kursk magnetic anomaly. Everywhere in the waters of the watercourses under consideration, cyanobacteria species characteristic of polluted habitats, as well as species recognized as producers of cyanotoxins, are observed. Among them are Ostillatoria granulata Gardner, Ostillatoria guttalata van Goor and Ostillatoria putrida Ag., Ostillatoria splendida Grev. The quality class of the studied waters is defined as the III-rd «Satisfactory purity», and in some cases - as the II-nd, that is, the waters are «Clean». It has been established that the processes of water self-purification proceed intensively. However, the quality of waters determined by the Pantle-Bukk saprobity index in the modification of V. Sladechek within the limits of III and

II classes does not indicate their ecological well-being, since a number of species of cyanobacteria and diatoms show teratological changes, which are expressed in somewhat “blurred” outlines. their appearance. In addition, an abundance of mineral particles associated with the reduction activity of nitrogen bacteria is observed almost everywhere in the waters.
Demutation of settled meadows: the Kuznetsk basin case
Authors: Izmailov A. I.
Published: December 2023

The study of the demutation process in the fallows was carried out in the southern part of the Kuznetsk Basin. 4 stages of vegetation demutation were revealed: young fallow, middle-aged fallow, old, secondary steppe meadow. The analysis of 4 groups was carried out according to the following indicators: species richness, ecological composition of cenoflores, ecological and cenotic composition of the herbage. It was found that the species saturation in the cenoflora from young fallows to secondary steppe dry meadows increases by 1.6 times. Mesophytes prevail at all stages of demutation. The share of mesoxerophytes increases in the process of demutation. The activity of species changes as follows: meadow grasses are active at all stages, weedy species are active only at the first stages, than they drop out of the herbage, the activity of meadow-steppe species increases.
Variety of forms of phytoliths of Kulunda soils and their phytocenotic affiliation
Authors: Lada N. Y.
Published: December 2023

Phytoliths are an important component of soil and vegetation cover. Thanks to phytolith analysis, it is possible to identify vegetation cover after a long time. There is practically no information about the transition of amorphous silica in the form of phytoliths from plant mass to soil. This very important stage in the formation of the soil phytolith spectrum was considered in the works of N. K. Kiseleva. When studying the phytolith spectra of dominant grasses and sedges, she calculated the coefficient of their participation for the Mongolian steppes, and further she proposed the concept of “phytolith spectrum" In this work, we made an attempt to assess the correlation of the set of phytolith forms and their ratio in the upper soil layer with the modern composition of vegetation. For this purpose, the phytolith spectra of soils and vegetation of three ecosystems were analyzed, and the phytolith spectra of modern soils were compared. We also applied the approach of Nina Kiseleva and the results we obtained of taxonomic diagnosis of plant species based on the forms of their phytoliths. The research was carried out on the territory of the North Kulunda lacustrine-alluvial plain. The phytolith complex of the surface layer of soils of the forb-fescue with wormwood steppe is characterized by the predominance of two groups of phytoliths: truncated cone-shaped (RONDEL) phytoliths and trapezoidal wavy plates (CRENATE). In the soils of the bushy feather-grass-forb steppe and solonetzic steppe with a cereal-licorice community, trapezoidal polylobed plates (CRENATE) and bilobed particles (BILOBATE) are added to them. Other indicator forms are presented in small quantities. Calculation of the soil phytolith complex allows one to diagnose the coenotic composition of cereals of the phytolith spectrum.
Lichens of carbonate substrates of the Patom Highlands (Eastern Siberia)
Authors: Lishtva A. V.
Published: December 2023

The study of lichens of carbonate substrates of the Patom Highlands was carried out. 177 samples were collected and 28 species of lichens were identified. Among the discovered species there are representatives of both strictly calciphilous flora and lichens of the eurysubstrate group. Calciphilic species constitute a special group of lichens, usually xerophytic or even ultraxerophytic, and have a complex of adaptations to life on carbonate substrates, and adaptation strategies affect not only the fungal component, but also the photobiont. As adaptations to xerothermic habitat conditions, lichens are considered to have a squamous thallus, the presence of pruritus, an epinecral corteх of the thallus, as well as cyanoprokaryotes as a photobiont. Some of the discovered species of cyanobiotic lichens are rare in Russia, among such species are Synalissa symphorea (Weber) Poelt and Racodium rupestre Pers. Increased resistance to adverse climatic conditions is provided to them by blue-green algae as a photobiont, or rather, their mucous membranes surrounding cells and leveling the effects of high humidity - dryness, as well as temperature fluctuations. The carbonate substrates of the Patom Highlands are inhabited by a peculiar complex of lichens, among which there are both ecologically plastic, occurring quite often and under various conditions, and specific species with a narrow ecological amplitude. It is carbonates that are «guides» to the northern latitudes of heat-loving species that have a number of specific adaptations.
Features of reproduction in vitro of Silene cretacea and Silene hellmannii
Authors: Malaeva E. V. , Fetisova A. I.
Published: December 2023

This article provides information about improving of the clonal micropropagation technology and in vitro reproduction peculiarities of Silene cretacea and S. hellmannii. As a result of the research, optimization of cultivation conditions at different stages of clonal micropropagation of S. cretacea and S. hellmannii cultures was carried out. The optimal mode of sterilization seeds of species S. cretacea and S. hellmannii has been selected - a 5 % solution of Lysofornin® 3000 at an exposure of 7 minutes. The maximum germination of S. hellmannii seeds was 75 % observed on day 11 of the experiment, and for S. cretacea 50 % on day 14. At the same time, the germination percentage of S. hellmannii is 30 % higher than that of S. cretacea. The highest reproduction coefficient for S. cretacea and S. hellmannii was observed when using Cytodef at a concentration of 0.5 mg/l. It was 23.2 ± 0.7 and 26.2 ± 0.4, respectively. As a result of the conducted research, optimal conditions for the long-term preservation of regenerating plants have been selected. Plants are stored in vitro in a climatic chamber SANYO MRL-351H on a nutrient medium of У MS supplemented with 6-BAP 0.4 mg/l, sucrose (20 mg/L), t (3-7 °C) and illumination (500-1200 lk).
Introduction of rare woody plants in the Botanical Garden of the Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Authors: Miftakhova S. A.
Published: December 2023

The Arboretum of the Botanical Garden of the Komi Institute of Biology of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences is one of the northernmost in Russia, which contains more than 500 taxa of woody plants, including 14 rare and endangered species of various categories and protection status. Six of them need regional protection (Pentaphylloides fruticosa, Ulmus laevis, Pinus sibirica, Tilia cordata, Cotoneaster cinnabarinus, Cotoneaster melanocarpus), the rest are in state protection (Euonymus nana, Cotoneaster cinnabarinus, Cotoneaster lucidus, Staphylea colchica, Juglans ailanthifolia, Rhododendron fauriei, Picea glehnii, Taxus baccata, Microbiota decussata) The largest number plants included in the Red Book of the Komi Republic (2019), characterized by a wide ecological amplitude, have been studied more and more. Attraction to the collection of rare woody plants of the Red Book of Russia is limited by harsh climatic conditions. Ten species of plants of state protection are represented by single specimens and are only maintained in the collection. Winter hardiness of plants is determined every season and phenological observations are carried out. Conservation and attraction of rare plant species to the collection in the conditions of the Komi Republic should become an integral part of the biodiversity conservation strategy.
Altitudinal-belt structure of the vegetation cover of the Azas Reserve (North-Eastern Tuva)
Authors: Molokova N. I.
Published: December 2023

The paper considers the altitudinal-belt structure of the vegetation cover of the Azas Reserve in connection with the natural features of its territory. As the main unit of the altitudinal subdivision of the vegetation cover, the altitudinal-belt complex of forest types (ABC), traditionally used in the ecological-phytocenotic classification of the forest cover of the mountains of South Siberia, was adopted. The purpose of the research is to identify the structural elements of the altitudinal-belt rank in the vegetation cover to be reflected in the legend of the geobotanical map M 1 : 50 000 of the Azas State Nature Reserve. As a result of the analysis of field research materials 1987-2012 and forest management data of the protected area in 2014-2015, six altitudinal-belt vegetation complexes were identified, forming a full spectrum of the altitudinal vegetation belts of the Eastern Sayan, characteristic of the semi-humid bioclimatic sector of the mountains of Southern Siberia. The features of phytocoenotic diversity and distribution of the ABC in the Azas Reserve are characterized. Humid features of vegetation were noted in the dark coniferous part of the altitudinal-belt spectrum and in the high-mountain belt. The ABC in the legend of the geobotanical map were reflected by color and icon designations through the composition of forest formations and the series of forest types that make up the ABC.
Intraspecific variability of Salvia officinalis (Lamiaceae) according to DNA repeats chromosome patterns
Authors: Muravenko O. V. , Kalnyuk J. V. , Yurkevich O. Yu. , Korotkikh I. N. , Nevkrytaya N. V. , Grunina E. N. , Shmarayeva A. N. , Popov K.V. , Samatadze T. E.
Published: December 2023

Salvia officinalis L. (Lamiaceae) is a widespread economically valuable species. Due to the high content of essential oil, it is actively used in pharmaceutical, food and perfume industries. However, the chromosome structure and organization of its genome is still not well understood. For the first time, an analysis of intraspecific variability of S. officinalis was carried out based on the patterns of FISH localization of various DNA repeats in karyotypes of four species samples and two varieties from different habitats. Patterns of chromosome localization on of classical markers, 45S rDNA and 5S rDNA, confirmed the stability of genomes of the studied species samples and varieties. However, the intraspecific variability in localization of SO202 in karyotypes of the studied samples was found. In addition to the main set of chromosomes, B chromosomes were found in some karyotypes, including those containing 45S rDNA and SO202 clusters. The results of this study allowed us to identify all chromosome pairs in karyotypes and construct karyograms of the studied samples of S. officinalis. Our findings confirmed the stability of karyotypes of these samples according to the classical chromosomal markers but also demonstrated the presence of intraspecific variability in localization of the SO202 repeat, which can be used in breeding new varieties of S. officinalis.
Collection of representatives of the Ericaceae family in the botanical garden of the Kuzbass Humanitarian Pedagogical Institute
Authors: Pakhomova A. I.
Published: December 2023

Representatives of the heather family are distributed in the temperate climate zone almost throughout the globe and are of great economic importance. The collection of representatives of the Ericaceae family in the Botanical Garden of the Kuzbass Humanitarian Pedagogical Institute of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Kemerovo State University” consists of 12 species and 28 varieties belonging to 7 genera. Representatives of the genus Rhododendron are represented by 10 species and 7 hybrid varieties. These are predominantly evergreen, semi-deciduous or deciduous shrubs. The collection also includes 11 varieties of common heather with a wide range of flower and leaf colors. Also, in the conditions of the Botanical Garden of KSPI, the varieties Erica carnea L. (ruddy or herbaceous Erica) performed well. Among other representatives of the Heather family, the collection includes 3 species of Kalmia, 2 varieties of Empetrum nigrum L., 2 varieties of Andromeda polifolia L. and Vaccinium myrtillus L. (common blueberry). The experience of relatively successful cultivation of representatives of the heather family allows us to hope for expanding the taxonomic and quantitative composition of the collection, which is actively used for scientific and educational purposes.
Resource characteristics of Rhododendron adamsii Rehder in the Okinsky district of the Republic of Buryatia (East Sayan)
Authors: Pyzhikova E. M. , Galcheeva M. A.
Published: December 2023

This paper presents resource and phytocoenotic characteristics of Rhododendron adamsii populations in the Oka district of the Republic of Buryatia. The aim of the study was to establish the status of Rhododendron adamsii populations in the Orlik river valley as a place of active collection of plant raw materials. During fieldwork 74 survey plots were established and 27 geobotanical releves of phytocenoses with object of study were performed. At each site we carried out calculation and measurement work. As a result of the study, material on the number, yield and morphology of Rhododendron adamsii populations in the Oka district was collected. As a result of the study it was found that the most productive are populations in lichen-rodendron larch forest, where the yield was 195 g.
Pericarp structure of Orania palindan (Blanco) Merr. in connection with the problem of determining the fruit morphogenetic type
Authors: Timchenko A. S. , Romanov M. S. , Bobrov A. V.
Published: December 2023

The genus Orania Zipp. forms the monotypic clade Oranieae of the subfamily Arecoideae and includes 30 species. Representatives of the genus are pleonant single-stemmed palms of small and large size with pinnate leaves without crownshaft. With the aim to determine the morphogenetic types of fruits of the genus Orania, the features of the development and structure of the mature pericarp, we studied the fruits of Orania palindan (Blanco) Merr. at 2 development stages. The pericarp of the studied species is divided into 3 histogenetic zones: single-layer exocarp and endocarp, and multilayer mesocarp. In the mA1 zone of the mesocarp, a sclereid belt was found that performs a structural function, and in the mA2 zone, a belt of mechanical elements that performs the function of protecting the seed, due to the endocarp is not lignified and is not able to provide effective protection of the seed. According to the totality of characters, the fruits of O. palindan are most similar to the fruits of Socratea hecatonandra (Dugand) R. Bernal from the tribe Iriarteeae. Conducted research showed that the fruits of the studied species histogenetically belong to berry of Nuphar-type, and functionally to pyrenarium of Latania-type.
Presence of Portomesenteric Venous Gas and Pneumatosis Intestinalis in Nonocclusive Mesenteric Ischemia as a Complication of Transrectal Ultrasound-Guided Prostate Biopsy
Authors: Ozturk Nazli Begum , Kutlu Ayca Zeynep , Iliaz Raim
Published: December 2023

A 58-year-old man with a history of mechanical aortic valve replacement, on anticoagulation with warfarin, presented to the emergency department with hematochezia 1 day after undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. On presentation, he was found to have hemorrhagic shock. Fluid resuscitation, packed red blood cell transfusion, and empiric antibiotic therapy were initiated, and the patient was admitted to an intensive care unit. Abdominal-pelvic computed tomography demonstrated portomesenteric venous gas and pneumatosis intestinalis. Colonoscopy showed ischemic ulcers at the ascending colon and stigmata of recent bleeding at the site of biopsy in the rectum, which was treated endoscopically. The patient was discharged after continued improvement during hospitalization. On follow-up, the patient continued to be symptom-free, and a repeat colonoscopy demonstrated healing colonic ulcers.
Dynamic Elevation of Aromatic Amino Acids in Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Cirrhosis After a Standard Meal
Authors: Hill Kareen L. , Haddad James A. , Ali Rabab O. , Zhang Grace Y. , Quinn Gabriella M. , Townsend Elizabeth , Everson Gregory T. , Helmke Steve M. , Bagheri Mohammadhadi , Schoenfeld Megan , Yang Shanna , Koh Christopher , Levy Elliot B. , Kleiner David E. , Sacks David B. , Etzion Ohad , Heller Theo
Published: December 2023

INTRODUCTION:

Perturbations in aromatic (AAAs) and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are seen in decompensated liver disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamic, postprandial relationship between hepatitis C virus-induced liver disease and amino acid concentrations in patients with compensated liver disease.

METHODS:

Patients infected with hepatitis C virus underwent a baseline liver biopsy to determine Ishak Fibrosis Score and evaluate the liver transcriptome. Patients ate a standard meal and underwent peripheral vein sampling at defined intervals. Quantitative analysis of amino acids was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

RESULTS:

At baseline, there was no difference in AAA and BCAA concentrations between patients with cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic patients. After a standard meal, AAAs, but not BCAAs, were elevated in patients with cirrhosis compared with non-cirrhotic patients at every time point. The HepQuant SHUNT fraction was significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis and positively correlated with AAA concentration at all time points, but not BCAA. Analysis of the hepatic transcriptome demonstrated greater downregulation of the AAA degradation pathways than the BCAA degradation pathways.

DISCUSSION:

At baseline, cirrhotic patients with compensated liver disease have adequate reserve liver function to metabolize AAAs and BCAAs. When faced with a metabolic stressor, such as a standard meal, patients with cirrhosis are less able to metabolize the increased load of AAAs. This impairment correlates with portosystemic shunting. Further evaluation of AAA levels in compensated liver disease might further the understanding of the liver-muscle axis and the role it may play in the development of sarcopenia in liver disease.
Neutronic analysis of a heat-pipe cooled reactor
Authors: Sabol Josef , Frýbort Jan
Published: December 2023

Heat-pipe cooled reactors belong to the group of nuclear reactors using heat pipes filled with liquid metals (such as sodium or potassium) to cool the core. Due to the passive heat removal system, there is no need to use closed loops with pumps, and the reactor can be operated with reduced operational requirements. Consequently, this system can be used in remote locations without access to an electrical grid, or it can be used for space applications.This paper deals with a neutronic study of the Special Purpose Reactor Design-B concept from the Idaho National Laboratory. Using Monte Carlo code Serpent 2 and ENDF/B VIII.0 library, a fixed-temperature model was created to calculate the safety characteristics of the system. This included reactivity coefficients, power distribution, neutron flux spectrum, and criticality safety. In a simplified depletion calculation, an effect of fuel depletion on safety systems was determined as well as a decay heat.
Faculty acceptance of virtual teaching platforms for online teaching: Moderating role of resistance to change
Authors: Singh Harmandeep , Singh Parminder , Sharma Dharna
Published: December 2023

Under this “new normal” world scenario, online teaching has been essential rather than a choice in continuing learning activities. During the COVID-19 period, virtual teaching platforms played an important role in the success of online teaching in various higher educational institutions. Thus, the current study attempted to predict faculty adoption of online platforms by introducing a set of essential drivers for engaging in online teaching. Following the theory of reasoned action, the study broadened the technology acceptance model variables and security and trust as extrinsic determinants and included resistance to change as moderators to invigorate the research model. Data were collected through an online survey with a sample size of 418 Indian respondents. Our results posit that perceived ease of use, usefulness, security and trust positively influence the faculty's intentions to adopt online platforms. In addition, the study also reported that positive intention leads to the actual use of virtual platforms. Furthermore, the research found the moderating role of the resistance to change dimension in the association of intention and actual use of virtual teaching platforms. The findings provide both theoretical and practical applications of educational technology.
Implications for practice or policy

The first step for accepting virtual teaching platforms is to help faculty to reduce their resistance for effective online teaching.
Higher education institutions should have a policy promising faculty that online teaching using virtual teaching platforms will offer a safer and more trustworthy environment.
Higher education institutions should undertake intense organisational renewal and implement bottom-up processes for synchronous learning.
Regulators could frame a policy including virtual teaching platforms to provide interactive professional development opportunities.
Groby o domniemanych skandynawskich atrybucjach etno-kulturowych z obszaru państwa pierwszych Piastów w kontekście archeologicznych paradygmatów badawczych
Authors: Kara Michał
Published: December 2023

In spite of the differences in the interpretation of early medieval graves of the discussed Norman or Ruthenian attribution, derivatives of different theoretical and cognitive paradigms, successive generations of researchers are united in their conviction of the exceptional nature of these graves in the Oder-Vistula interfluve. Archaeologists are also unanimous in treating them as burials from the 2nd half of the 10th to the 1st half of the 11th century which present a set of specific burial practices, distinguishing one of the groups of the secular elite of the first Piast state. However, researchers have different views on ethno-cultural valorisation of the discovered objects. In this case, the author maintains his earlier opinion that the burial practices of the individuals buried there are ‘rooted’ in the Scandinavian model of funerary culture of the Viking period. However, in the research process, it cannot be a sufficient premise for prejudging the ethnos. In order to give credibility to the conclusions, in line with the modern model of integrated multidisciplinary research, the hypotheses formulated by archaeology require verification by the results of molecular and isotopic studies of human bones. Limiting the ethnic study of archaeology’s necropolis sources to the indications of bio- and geochemistry is cognitively inadequate, as aDNA analyses only establish biological affinities. Isotopic studies determine the relationship of a deceased person to a specific geographical region, in both cases providing no insight into important aspects of early medieval human life like the mentality-determining membership of a socially and politically organised religious and mythic-ethnic-cultural community.
Research on She nationality clothing recognition based on color feature fusion with PSO-SVM
Authors: Ding Xiaojun , Li Tao , Chen Jingyu , Zou Fengyuan
Published: December 2023

Although the color characteristics of She nationality clothing are slightly different, there are multiple similarities in shapes and textures. Therefore, it is difficult to effectively distinguish different branches of She nationality clothing. To address this problem, this article, taking into account color feature fusion, proposes a recognition method based on a hybrid algorithm of particle swarm optimization and support vector machine (PSO-SVM). First, the color histogram and color moment (CM) feature descriptors were extracted from the five branches of She nationality clothing, and the color feature distribution of each branch was obtained. Then, color feature fusion is performed through optimization and dimensionality reduction of principal components. Furthermore, PSO was introduced to independently optimize parameter combinations. Finally, the different branches of She nationality clothing were automatically recognized. The results demonstrated that the proposed method could effectively distinguish different branches of She nationality clothing. Compared with the recognition accuracy of approaches using single-color histogram and CM feature, the performance of our proposed method was increased by 5.25 and 6.44%, respectively. When the penalty parameter

γ

\gamma

and kernel parameter

δ

2

{\delta }^{2}

of SVM were 123.29 and 1.16, respectively, the recognition accuracy of the model was the highest, reaching 98.67%. The proposed method could be a reference for the subdivision recognition of She nationality clothing.