bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CYFRA21-1 is a More Sensitive Biomarker to Assess the Severity of Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis
Authors: Bai Jiu-Wu , Gu Shui-Yi , Sun Xiao-Li , Lu Hai-Wen , Liang Shu , Xu Jin-Fu
Published: August 2021

Background: Serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CYFRA21-1 are the commonly used biomarkers to identify patients with autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (APAP). However, it is not clear which of the biomarkers is more sensitive to the severity of the patient’s condition.Methods: APAP patients numbering 151 were enrolled in this study. All patients’ severity was assessed through the severity and prognosis score of PAP (SPSP). According to the respective laboratory upper limits of serum levels of LDH, CEA and CYFRA21-1, APAP patients were divided into higher and lower-level groups. Patients were divided into five groups based on SPSP. 88 patients had completed six months of follow-up. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, and critical point of LDH, CEA and CYFRA21-1 between APAP patients and normal control group, and between grade 1-2 and 3-5 through receiving operating characteristics (ROC) curve.Results: Serum LDH, CEA and CYFRA21-1 levels of patients with PAP were higher and distinctly related to PaO2, FVC, FEV1, DLCO, HRCT scores and SPSP. The SPSP of patients in higher-level LDH, CEA and CYFRA21-1 groups were higher than those of corresponding lower-level groups. Based on SPSP results, the patients were divided into five groups (grade I, 20; grade II, 37; grade III, 40; grade IV, 38; grade V, 16). The serum level of CYFRA21-1 of patients with APAP in grade II was higher than that of patients in grade I and lower than that of patients in grade III. Serum CYFRA21-1 of patients with APAP after six months were higher than the baseline among the aggravated group. Serum LDH, CEA and CYFRA21-1 levels after six months among patients in the relieved group of patients with APAP were lower than the baseline. ROC correlating LDH, CEA and CYFRA21-1 values with APAP severity (between grade 1-2 and 3-5) showed an optimal cutoff of LDH of over 203 U/L (< 246 U/L), CEA of over 2.56 ug/L (< 10 ug/L), and CYFRA21-1 of over 5.57 ng/ml (> 3.3 ng/ml) (AUC: 0.815, 95% CI [0.748-0.882], sensitivity: 0.606, specificity: 0.877).Conclusion: CYFRA21-1 was a more sensitive biomarker to assess the severity of APAP.
Anthropometric Measurements of Non-arthritic Knees in a North African Population, An MRI based Study.
Authors: Abdelnasser Mohammad Kamal , Khalifa Ahmed A. , Bassem Micheal , Abdelhameed Mohammed Anter , Adam Mahmoud Faisal , Bakr Hatem M. , Khalifa Yaser E.
Published: August 2021

Background: Knee anthropometric characteristics were evaluated for different ethnicities; however, data from North African populations are deficient. The primary aim was to investigate the Egyptian knees' anthropometric characteristics as a representative of North African populations. Secondary aims: 1) to study the anthropometric gender difference, 2) to compare results with other ethnic groups, and 3) to study the mismatch in comparison to geometric characteristics of modern TKA implant designs. Methods: 200 normal knee MRI scans (100 females and 100 males, aging from 18 to 60) were obtained for analysis. Linear measurements (Anteroposterior (AP), Mediolateral (ML), and Aspect ratio (AR)) of the planned cut surface of the distal femur (f) and the proximal tibia (t) were evaluated. Results: A significant difference between both sexes was found, males had larger measurements in anteroposterior [fAP: 60.97 ± 3.1 vs 54.78 ± 3.3 (P < 0.001), tAP: 46.89 ± 3.0 vs 41.35 ± 2.9 (P < 0.001)] and mediolateral [fML: 74.89 ± 3.2 vs 67.29 ± 3.7 (P < 0.001), tML: 76.01 ± 3.0 vs 67.26 ± 3.2 (P < 0.001)], the mean femoral and tibial AP and ML measurements were different from other ethnic groups. None of the seven studied TKA systems matched the largest ML or the smallest AP dimensions of the distal femur in the current study population. Conclusion: A significant difference was found between males' and females' knee anthropometric characteristics. Some of the commonly used TKA implants in our area could not provide a perfect fit and coverage.Trial registration: Clinical Trials .gov identifier: NCT03622034, registered July 28, 2018, (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03622034).
Capacitive and Conductometric type Dual-Mode Relative Humidity Sensor based on 5,10,15,20-tetra phenyl porphyrinato nickel (II) (TPPNi)
Authors: Akram Rizwan , Yaseen Muhammad , Farooq Zahid , Rauf Ayesha , Qadir Karwan Wasman , Almohaimeed Ziyad M , Ikram Muhammad , Zafar Qayyum
Published: August 2021

In the present study, TPPNi has been synthesized by using a microwave-assisted synthesis process. The layer structure of the fabricated humidity sensor (Al/TPPNi/Al) consists of pair of planar 120 nm thin Aluminium (Al) electrodes (deposited by thermal evaporation) and ~ 160 nm facile spin-coated solution-processable organic polymer TPPNi as an active layer between the ~ 40 µm electrode gap which was created through shadow mask process. Physical characterization showed that synthesized TPPNi thin films are very well suitable for their application as ambient sensors based on location and width for Soret band from optical characterization, amorphous structure from XRD, and most importantly the porous surface morphology from field emission scanning electron microscopic study. Electrical properties (capacitance and impedance) of sensors were found to be substantially sensitive not only on relative humidity but also on the frequency of the input bias signal. Our findings demonstrate that the TPPNi has higher humidity sensitivity at lower frequencies. The proposed sensor exhibits multimode (capacitive and conductometric) operation with significantly higher sensitivity ~ 146.17 pF/%RH at 500 Hz and 48.23 kΩ/%RH at 1 kHz. The developed Al/TPPNi/Al surface type humidity sensor's much-improved detecting properties along with reasonable dynamic range and response time suggest that it could be effective for continuous humidity monitoring in multi environmental applications.
Splenectomy is Associated With Sexual Dysfunctions and Decreased Libido
Authors: Sabino Kelly Renata , Petroianu Andy
Published: August 2021

BACKGROUND: The removal of the spleen due to disease or trauma may be followed by disorders due to the asplenism, including immunodeficiency, hematological and metabolic diseases, mainly dyslipidemia, which can lead to sepsis, pulmonary embolism and early death. Although patients frequently report sexual disinterest after splenectomy, this feature has been experimentally studied only in a translational investigation performed by the same group of this work.OBJECTIVE: To study libido and other sexual functions after the complete removal of the spleen in humans.METHODS: This study was performed on 60 healthy adults, 30 men and 30 women, after more than one year of total splenectomy to treat isolated splenic trauma. The International Index of Erectile Function was applied to men and the Female Sexual Function Index to women. The analysis compared the responses obtained in the periods before and after the splenectomy. Laboratory tests with hematological and biochemical analyses, including sex hormones, were performed in all patients. The pre- and postoperative results were compared in each group using the paired t-test, with each patient being his or her own control and with significance to p < 0.05.RESULTS: A decrease in libido and an increase in sexual dysfunction was observed after splenectomy in all men and women, p < 0.001. All postoperative laboratory tests showed normal values in both genders.CONCLUSION: Asplenia is associated with a marked decrease in libido and intense sexual dysfunction in both men and women, with no change in hematological and biochemical laboratory tests, including hormonal exams.
Does bariatric surgery improves kidney function? A cohort study
Authors: Bezerra Juliana Amaro Borborema , Brandt Carlos Teixeira , Borborema Daniel Mozart Bezerra , Maciel Fernanda Andréa Menezes Florêncio
Published: August 2021

Background

Obesity is a global epidemic that may cause renal dysfunction. Weight loss in the postoperative follow-up of bariatric surgery may improve renal function in these patients. Thus, the purpose of this study was to give insight on the subject using a sensible biomarker (cystatin C).
Methods

This cohort was performed in the Obesity Department from Campina Grande – Paraiba, Brazil. It was randomly enrolled 35 obese who underwent bariatric surgery (12 bypass and 23 sleeve) with follow-up of at least one year. The ages ranged from 24 and 57 years. Those with thyroid disease and with renal disease, with microalbuminuria ≥ 30mg/dL, were excluded. Serum levels of creatinine and cystatin C were measured, and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated using the CKD Epi (chronic kidney disease epidemiology collaboration) cystatin-creatinine equation. The investigation was approved by the Ethics Committee.
Results

Twenty five women (71.4%) and 10 men (28.5%) were randomly recruited for the research. The most frequent associated morbidities were: sexual dysfunction (n = 17–48.5%); blood hypertension (n = 15–42.8%); type II diabetes (n = 13–37.1%); anxiety (n = 14–40.0%); and depression (n = 12–34.2%). Twenty three (65.7%) patients underwent sleeve technique and 12 (34.2%) bypass surgery. It was observed a significant reduction of BMI in the post-operative follow-up – p < 0.0001. There was a significant improvement of glomerular filtration rates (p = 0.0091). The improvement of renal function was more significant among those who underwent sleeve surgery as compared to bypass (p = 0.0008).
Conclusion

It was observed improvement of the majority of morbidities after bariatric surgery, as well as renal function, in obese individuals. Despite these results, larger and longer term outcome cohorts are required for better answer of the main purpose of this health issue.
Application of Evoked Response Audiometry To Schizophrenia For Specifying 40-Hz Aberrant Gamma Oscillations In A Real-World Clinical Setting
Authors: Yanagi Masaya , Tsuchiya Aki , Hosomi Fumiharu , Ozaki Satoshi , Shirakawa Osamu
Published: August 2021

Gamma oscillations probed using auditory steady-state response (ASSR) are promising clinical biomarkers that may address novel therapeutic interventions for schizophrenia. Optimizing clinical settings for these biomarker-driven interventions will require a quick and easy assessment system of gamma oscillations in psychiatry. ASSR has been used in clinical otolaryngology for evoked response audiometry (ERA) to judge hearing loss by focusing on the phase-locked response detectability in an automated analysis system. Herein, a standard ERA system was applied to evaluate the brain pathophysiology of patients with schizophrenia with 40-Hz ASSR. The 40-Hz ASSR in the ERA system showed excellent detectability of the phase-locked response in healthy subjects, which sharply captured the deficits of the phase-locked response caused by aberrant gamma oscillations in individuals with schizophrenia. These findings reveal the availability of the ERA system in specifying patients who have aberrant 40-Hz gamma oscillations. The ERA system may have a potential to serve as a real-world clinical setting for upcoming biomarker-driven therapeutics in psychiatry.
Optimal Composition of Chloride Cells for Osmoregulation in a Randomly Fluctuating Environment
Authors: Uchiyama Yuka , Iwasa Yoh , Yamaguchi Sachi
Published: August 2021

Fish live in water with a different osmotic pressure from that in the body. Their gills have chloride cells that transport ions to maintain an appropriate level of osmotic pressure in the body. The direction of ion transport is different between seawater and freshwater. There are two types of chloride cells that specialize in unidirectional transport and generalist cells that can switch their function quickly in response to environmental salinity. In species that experience salinity changes throughout life (euryhaline species), individuals may replace some chloride cells with cells of different types upon a sudden change in environmental salinity. In this paper, we develop a dynamic optimization model for the chloride cell composition of an individual living in an environment with randomly fluctuating salinity. The optimal solution is to minimize the sum of the workload of chloride cells in coping with the difference in osmotic pressure, the maintenance cost, and the temporal cost due to environmental change. The optimal fraction of generalist chloride cells increases with the frequency of salinity changes and the time needed for new cells to be fully functional but decreases with excess maintenance cost.
Infection With The Pinworm Blatticola Blattae And Survival of Starving German Cockroaches, Blattella Germanica
Authors: Kobayashi Masuko , Taira Kensuke
Published: August 2021

The German cockroach, Blattella germanica, is often infected with the pinworm, Blatticola blattae. To investigate the effect of pinworm infection on cockroach survival, we artificially manipulated the pinworm infection status of two lines of German cockroaches kept in the laboratory and compared survival rates in starvation. Of the two lines of German cockroaches WATn and NIIDp bred in the laboratory, the WATn line was not infected with pinworm, and the NIIDp line was naturally infected with pinworm B. blattae. The WATp line was created by artificially infecting the pinworm B. blattae with this WATn line. The NIIDn line was created by treating the NIIDp line with anthelmintic drugs. The 50% survival days of uninfected WATn line of starving cockroaches was 8 days, and infected WATp line of starving cockroaches was 13 days. The 50% survival days of naturally infected NIIDp line of starving cockroaches was 6 days, and that of anthelmintic-treated NIIDn line of cockroaches was 4 days. The survival days were significantly longer in pinworm-infected cockroaches than uninfected or anthelmintic-treated cockroaches. These results suggest that pinworm infection enhances the survival of cockroaches under starving conditions.
FLT3-ITD transduces autonomous growth signals during its biosynthetic trafficking in acute myelogenous leukemia cells.
Authors: Yamawaki Kouhei , Shiina Isamu , Murata Takatsugu , Tateyama Satoru , Maekawa Yutarou , Niwa Mariko , Shimonaka Motoyuki , Okamoto Koji , Suzuki Toshihiro , Nishida Toshirou , Abe Ryo , Obata Yuuki
Published: August 2021

FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) in hematopoietic cells binds to its ligand at the plasma membrane (PM), then transduces growth signals. FLT3 gene alterations that lead the kinase to assume its permanently active form, such as internal tandem duplication (ITD) and D835Y substitution, are found in 30~40% of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patients. Thus, the drugs for molecular targeting of FLT3 mutants have been developed for the treatment of AML. Several groups have reported that compared with wild-type FLT3 (FLT3-wt), FLT3 mutants are retained in organelles, resulting in low levels of PM localization of the receptor. However, the precise subcellular localization of mutant FLT3 remains unclear, and the relationship between oncogenic signaling and the mislocalization is not completely understood. In this study, we show that in cell lines established from AML patients, endogenous FLT3-ITD but not FLT3-wt clearly accumulates in the perinuclear region. Our co-immunofluorescence assays demonstrate that Golgi markers are co-localized with the perinuclear region, indicating that FLT3-ITD mainly localizes to the Golgi region in AML cells. FLT3-ITD biosynthetically traffics to the Golgi apparatus and remains there in a manner dependent on its tyrosine kinase activity. A tyrosine kinase inhibitor midostaurin (PKC412) markedly decreases in FLT3-ITD retention and increases in the PM levels of the mutant. FLT3-ITD activates downstream in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus during its biosynthetic trafficking. Results of our trafficking inhibitor treatment assays show that FLT3-ITD in the ER activates STAT5, whereas that in the Golgi can cause the activation of AKT and ERK. We provide evidence that FLT3-ITD signals from the early secretory compartments before reaching the PM in AML cells.
Short-wavelength Reverberant Wave Systems for Enhanced Reservoir Computing
Authors: Ma Shukai , Antonsen Thomas , Anlage Steven , Ott Edward
Published: August 2021

Machine learning (ML) has found widespread application over a broad range of important tasks. To enhance ML performance, researchers have investigated computational architectures whose physical implementations promise compactness, high-speed execution, physical robustness, and low energy cost. Here, we experimentally demonstrate an approach that uses the high sensitivity of reverberant short wavelength waves for physical realization and enhancement of computational power of a type of ML known as reservoir computing (RC). The potential computation power of RC systems increases with their effective size. We here exploit the intrinsic property of short wavelength reverberant wave sensitivity to perturbations to expand the effective size of the RC system by means of spatial and spectral perturbations. Working in the microwave regime, this scheme is tested on different ML tasks. Our results indicate the general applicability of reverberant wave-based implementations of RC and of our effective reservoir size expansion techniques.
Exploratory Laparotomy and Intestinal Resection in Children: Intraoperative Goal Directed Therapy and Intraoperative and Postoperative Outcomes
Authors: Kumba Claudine
Published: August 2021

Background: Reported independent predictors of intraoperative and postoperative complications were age, American Society of Anesthesiologists Score (ASA), emergency situations, surgery and transfusion. ASA was the independent predictor of mortality. We conducted a secondary analysis of the initial retrospective study in patients who underwent exploratory laparotomy and intestinal resection.Objectives: To describe intraoperative and postoperative outcomes in patients who underwent exploratory laparotomy and intestinal resection in the initial study and to implement improvement protocols for intraoperative and postoperative optimization.Methods: Secondary analysis of the initial study. The Ethics Committee approved the study.Results: There were 54 patients with a median age of 15.5[0-172] months. Thirty-seven (68.5%) patients underwent intestinal resection, nine (16.7%) underwent exploratory laparotomy, and eight (16.8%) underwent laparotomy for volvulus.Fourteen (25.9%) patients had intraoperative and/or postoperative complications. Two (3.7%) patients had intraoperative hemorrhagic shock. Two (3.7%) patients had postoperative cardio-circulatory failure. Three (5.6%) had postoperative respiratory failure. One (1.8%) patient had postoperative multiple organ failure and neurologic failure. Three (5.6%) patients had postoperative abdominal sepsis. One (1.8%) patient had postoperative multiple organ sepsis and neuromeningeal sepsis. Four (7.4%) patients had postoperative pulmonary sepsis. Two (3.7%) had postoperative septicemia. Six (11.1%) patients had reoperations. Seventeen (31.5%) patients had intraoperative transfusion. The in-hospital mortality rate was 3.7% in two patients.Conclusion: Intraoperative goal-directed therapies need to be developed and included in these surgical settings for intraoperative and postoperative optimization.
Adolescent Girl with a Huge Pelvic Collection
Authors: Duci Miriam , Boscarelli Alessandro , Murru Flora-Maria , Maita Sonia , Miglietta Marta , Guida Edoardo , Schleef Jurgen
Published: August 2021

Herein, we report our experience with an adolescent girl presenting with persistent fever, abdominal pain, and elevated levels of inflammatory blood markers. A huge pelvic collection was found at imaging studies. Occult source of infection in patients with prolonged fever and elevated levels of inflammatory blood markers must always be suspected, and in complicated cases a surgical exploration may be required.
Noradrenalin inhibiert die Proliferation humaner mesenchymaler Knochenmarksstammzellen über die β2-Adrenorezeptor-vermittelte ERK1/2- und PKA-Phosphorylierung
Authors:   , Hedderich Jessica
Published: August 2021

Mesenchymale Knochenmarksstammzellen (engl. Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs)) sind hochproliferative multipotente Progenitorzellen mit einem hohen Regenerationspotential. Sie können aus dem Knochenmark in geschädigte Knorpelareale migrieren und dort zu Chondrozyten differenzieren. Somit können sie zur Reparatur traumatisch oder osteoarthrotisch bedingter Knorpelschäden beitragen. In verschiedenen Bereichen des Gelenks konnten zudem sympathische Nervenfasern sowie der sympathische Neurotransmitter Noradrenalin (NE) nachgewiesen werden. NE inhibiert die chondrogene Differenzierungskapazität von BMSCs und kann so zur Pathogenese der Osteoarthrose (OA) beitragen. Unbekannt ist zum derzeitigen Zeitpunkt, inwiefern NE die Proliferation von humanen BMSCs beeinflusst. Ziel unserer Studie war, den Einfluss von NE auf die Proliferationskapazität humaner BMSCs zu untersuchen und beteiligte intrazelluläre Signalwege zu identifizieren. Zu diesem Zweck wurden BMSCs von Patienten nach stattgehabtem Gelenktrauma (Trauma BMSCs) und von Patienten mit diagnostizierter OA (OA BMSCs) untersucht. Zunächst erfolgte eine Analyse des Genexpressionsmusters der verschiedenen Adrenorezeptoren (ARs). Anschließend wurden sowohl Trauma als auch OA BMSCs mit NE in unterschiedlichen Konzentrationen sowie mit NE in Kombination mit verschiedenen AR-Antagonisten (Doxazosin (α1), Yohimbin (α2) oder Propranolol (β2)) behandelt. Die Aktivierung der AR-gekoppelten Signalwege wurde anhand der Phosphorylierung der beiden Hauptsignalwege der extrazellulären signalregulierten Kinasen 1/2 (ERK1/2) und der Proteinkinase A (PKA) via Western Blot untersucht. Die Genexpression diverser AR-Subtypen konnte in Trauma (α2B-, α2C- und β2-AR) und OA BMSCs (α2A-, α2B- und β2-AR) nachgewiesen werden. Die Behandlung mit NE in hohen Konzentrationen führte zu einer statistisch signifikanten Inhibition der Proliferation von Trauma und OA BMSCs. Die Behandlung mit NE in niedrigen Konzentrationen hatte hingegen keinen Einfluss auf die Proliferation von Trauma und OA BMSCs. Sowohl ERK1/2 als auch PKA wurden in Trauma und OA BMSCs nach Behandlung mit NE aktiviert. Lediglich der β2-Antagonist Propranolol konnte sowohl die Effekte auf die Proliferation als auch auf die Aktivierung von ERK1/2 und PKA aufheben. Doxazosin und Yohimbin hatten hingegen keinen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Proliferation sowie die ERK1/2- und PKA-Phosphorylierung. Unsere Untersuchungen zeigen, dass NE die Proliferation von Trauma und OA BMSCs konzentrationsabhängig inhibiert. Dieser Effekt wird vornehmlich über eine β2-AR-gekoppelte ERK1/2- und PKA-Aktivierung vermittelt. Über diesen Mechanismus kann NE das regenerative Potential von humanen BMSCs verringern und somit zur Pathogenese der OA beitragen. Über eine zielgerichtete Beeinflussung des β2-Signalweges könnten sich zukünftig neue therapeutische Optionen bei der Behandlung osteoarthrotisch oder traumatisch bedingter Knorpelschäden ergeben.
Rural-Urban Disparities in the Acceptance and Adoption of Family Planning among Couples in Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Akinso Stella
Published: August 2021

Modern contraceptive use can enhance the living standard and reduce mortality among people living in rural and urban areas. However, contraceptive use tends to be low in the rural than the urban populace. A descriptive, cross-sectional study of systematic sampling technique was used to select 570 persons of reproductive age in the rural and urban communities of Oyo State. A semi-structured questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge, attitude and factors influencing uptake of modern contraceptives was administered to respondents. of the 570 respondents, the mean age was 34.3 ±8.4 years. The majority (63.3%) were female compared to 36.7% male respondents. Most (97.0%) of respondents had heard of family planning in the past. The result shows significant differences in location, gender, marital status, occupation, ethnicity, and a number of children (P<0.001). The majority (33.3%) of the respondents sourced family planning information from health care providers, while 31.3% sourced theirs from mass media – Radio, TV, or newspapers. Respondents in urban areas were currently using family planning methods than respondents in rural areas (61.8% vs. 38.2%). People in the urban area are 2.344 times the odds of utilizing any family planning compared to people in rural area (95% CI 1.495, 3.676). Urban and rural disposition to modern contraception services is influenced by economic, socio-cultural, environmental factors, location, age, educational, traditional beliefs, religion, family type, and level of knowledge. Although some signs of progress have been made in family planning at the communities, more work needs to be done. Men need to be actively involved, and other fears about family planning addressed. Keywords: Acceptance, Disparity, Family Planning, Rural, Urban.
Ensuring the rights and safety of prisoners during the COVID 19 pandemic
Authors: Romanov Mykhailo Vasylovych
Published: August 2021

The article deals with the issue of ensuring the rights and safety of prisoners during the COVID 19 pandemic. Research was conducted on problems in the operation of penal institutions relating to the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of prisoners and the establishment of appropriate hygienic conditions in penal institutions. Some of the results of an anonymous interview of prisoners are cited, which make it possible to conclude that the State Penal Enforcement Service is unable to impose the necessary quarantine measures, as well as being unable to provide adequate medical care to prisoners and ensure their safety in physical isolation during the spread of COVID 19.
Some of the recommendations that have been drawn up in the international penal correction system and that relate to the introduction of quarantine measures in non-custodial facilities have been analysed, and their justification and enforcement have been considered. The examination of the plans gives the author grounds to argue that only the adoption of relevant normative acts and action plans was ensured in Ukraine, but that the plans themselves were not properly implemented. The author points out that the failure of the Penal Correction Service to introduce and implement these measures is due to a significant underfunding of the needs of penal departments and institutions, as well as to the inadequate implementation of those measures, as provided for in normative acts.
In his conclusions, the author points out that the practice of the enforcement of criminal sanctions requires the serious and consistent introduction and implementation of the measures provided for in the regulations for the period of quarantine, as well as significant reforms in the medical care of prisoners and adequate funding of such reforms by the State.
Response of the official opponent to the dissertation of Babanina Victoria Viktorivna "Criminal legislation of Ukraine: the mechanism of creation and implementation"
Authors: Borysov Viacheslav Ivanovych
Published: August 2021

The relevance of the topic of dissertation research of Babanina Victoria Viktorivna "Criminal legislation of Ukraine: the mechanism of creation and implementation" is considered. The degree of validity and reliability of scientific provisions, conclusions and recommendations formulated in the dissertation are highlighted. The scientific novelty and practical significance of the results obtained in the dissertation are established.
On the issue of countering the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by means of administrative and criminal law
Authors: Borysov Viacheslav Ivanovych , Yevtieieva Daryna Petrivna
Published: August 2021

The study highlights the dynamics of legislative changes and the current state of legal regulation of administrative and criminal liability for violations of quarantine rules. The shortcomings of the relevant legislative provisions were revealed, in particular, a conclusion was made about the violation of the principle of system-legal coherence of administrative and criminal legislation. Thus, there are issues about the delimitation of the provisions of the administrative provided in the Art. 44-3 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses and criminal offenses provided in the Art. 325 of the Criminal Code (in terms of such consequences as the threat of harm, specified in the part 1 of the Article 325 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). In addition, there is an excessive severity of sanctions in the Art. 44-3 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses and their incompatibility with the sanctions of the Art. 325 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. In the context of the settled case law of the European Court of Human Rights the fine under the part 1 of the Art. 443 of the Code of Administrative Offenses based on its size and subject to appointment may be recognized as corresponding to a criminal offense within the meaning of the Art. 7 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. Another drawback of the legislation is the lack of enshrining a criminal offense for violating quarantine regulations.
On the basis of the conducted research it is offered to make changes to norms of the Art. 44-3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses and the Art. 325 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine in order to optimally regulate legal responsibility for violation of sanitary rules and regulations for the prevention of infectious diseases and mass poisoning (Article 325 of the Criminal Code), as well as quarantine rules (the Art. 44-3 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses). The main task of such changes is to construct a consistent chain of normatively established offenses in the field of compliance with quarantine rules (administrative offense - criminal offense – non-grave offense – grave offense) with adequate and proportionate responsibility for their commission.
Public calls for criminal offenses in Ukraine and some European countries
Authors: Rubashchenko Mykola Anatoliiovych
Published: August 2021

The article provides a comparative analysis of the criminal legislation of Ukraine and some European countries in terms of criminalization of public culls to commit criminal offenses. The criminal codes of Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, France, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Romania have been studied.
First, the system of norms on public calls in the current Criminal Code of Ukraine, the legal nature and legal features of public calls as such are outlined. Then the general scheme of public calls as an information act is given. There is a opposition of public calls as an independent act and incitement as a kind of complicity. The introduction of a new term «subsequent crimes» is justified, which will simplify theoretical research and the application of relevant norms in practice.
Common features of criminalization of public calls in the named European countries are established. Their differences from the Ukrainian version of regulation are determined. They provide for universal types of public calls. These are public calls to criminal offenses in general. Less often, these are calls only to crimes of a certain gravity or a certain type. However, along with the universal norm, there are special norms. In addition, the article draws attention to the following: a) the degree of punishment of public calls, that is, the penalties contained in sanctions, b) the differentiation of responsibilities (aggravating circumstances), c) the application of the law in space.
The wording of the article of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine is proposed, which will provide universal public calls to commit crimes (any crime). The preservation of certain special types of public calls is also argued.
The main trends of cybercrime in the quarantine period and counteraction to it
Authors: Batyrgareieva Vladyslava Stanislavivna
Published: August 2021

The article analyzes the latest trends in cybercrime during the introduction and implementation of quarantine measures in connection with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world and the consequences of this type of crime. Such trends include: a significant increase in the number of cybercrimes in the world and in Ukraine; «exploitation» by criminals of people's concerns about the situation with the coronary crisis and its negative consequences, as a result of which the whole array of these crimes somehow correlates with the pandemic; expanding the objects of cyberattacks and shifting the emphasis on how to «more effectively» interfere in the work of information and communication devices; the emergence of the so-called pandemic offender; creating a serious threat from cybercriminals to the health sector, etc. The whole array of cybercrimes is divided into offenses, in the «scenario» of which the coronavirus theme is decisive, and «traditional» cybercrimes, the committing of which is not directly conditioned by this event, although the number of such crimes (increasing) correlates with special pandemic conditions. The article presents the reasons that led to the emergence of a new phenomenon in the criminal world – a pandemic criminal, whose illegal behavior is manifested primarily in the information space. The danger of cybercrime for the lens of critical infrastructure is emphasized, with special emphasis on medical facilities. The conceptual idea of ​​counteracting cybercrime is revealed, which consists in changing the strategy of counteracting cyber threats from «traditional» offensive to defensive, in which the priority should be given to the protection of information from possible threats. This is due to many factors, including the modern format of communication, the nature of production processes and business, blurring the boundaries between corporate and personal information and communication devices, the dependence of information security on the human factor, the need to find additional sources for information security. The content of the defense strategy of counteraction will determine the strategic directions of this counteraction. The main directions of the defense strategy are: 1) development and implementation of information security policy as individual subjects of the information space, and society, the state as a whole; 2) information education on topics that are most often exploited by criminals during epidemics, pandemics and other natural and social cataclysms, and specific information security measures; 3) development of the market of information security outsourcing services; 4) formation of skills of observance of information hygiene of ordinary citizens in cyberspace; 5) constant monitoring and research of problems of digitalization of society; etc.
Nonlinear vibration characteristics and time-delayed displacement control of rolling mill under dynamic rolling force
Authors: Peng Rongrong
Published: August 2021

An expression for the dynamic rolling force of a rolling mill is derived in terms of the vibration and process parameters by analyzing the dynamic rolling process. A nonlinear vibration model of the rolling mill rolls is established. The amplitude-frequency and bifurcation equations are obtained using a multi-scale approximation method, to solve the dynamic equation with time-delayed displacement control. With a 1780 rolling mill as an example, it is found that the primary and cubic stiffness due to the dynamic rolling force and external excitation lead to a jump phenomenon in the vibration system, making it unstable. When the gain coefficient and delay time are taken reasonably, the amplitude of the vibration system is reduced, the resonance region shrinks, and the jump is eliminated. Finally, the bifurcation topological curve corresponding to the transition set of the vibration system is studied using the singularity theory, with and without time-delayed displacement control. The results show that the vibration of the rolling mill rolls can be restrained by varying the initial parameters and through the time-delayed displacement control. Thus, the established vibration model of the rolling mill is verified, and the effectiveness of the time-delayed displacement control in reducing the rolling mill vibration is confirmed.
Study on wake field and noise of underwater solid rocket engine
Authors: He Xiaohui , Liu Zhongle , Yuan Zhiyong , Wang Xianyong
Published: August 2021

In order to study the wake field and noise of an underwater solid rocket engine, the underwater jet flow field was simulated and calculated using the FLUENT software and the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method, and the radiated noise of the wake was calculated and analysed using the FW-H equation. The numerical simulation results are verified by experiments. The research results show that underwater jet gas bubbles experience processes of “necking-expansion-necking”, and finally reach a state of “dynamic balance”. The radiated noise is mainly affected by the pressure differences of the backpressure, i.e., the larger the pressure difference is, the greater the radiated noise. Moreover, the sound pressure presents periodic pulsations, and the peak value of the sound pressure decreases rapidly with an increase in distance from the receivers. The radiated noise spectrum has the characteristics of a wide frequency band and a low frequency, and the energy is mainly concentrated in the range of the low frequency, which then moves to the high frequency range. The research results provide some reference for the design of an underwater solid rocket engine and a noise prediction for the wake field, and also provide some help for underwater detection and identification.
The application of ferromagnetic additives to increase the hydraulic efficiency of main oil pipelines
Authors: Sagadeeva Adelina , Valeev Anvar
Published: August 2021

The article presents researches of ferromagnetic additives that can reduce the internal roughness of the pipeline, thereby reducing the hydraulic resistance. A setup has been developed for conducting experiments to determine the effectiveness of ferromagnetic additives. The results of experiments are presented, which showed that the additives allow increasing the volumetric flow rate of the pumped medium.
Impact of climate change on railway operation and maintenance in Sweden: A State-of-the-art review
Authors: Thaduri Adithya , Garmabaki Amir , Kumar Uday
Published: August 2021

Increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather conditions caused by climate change can have a negative impact on rail service performance and also increases total ownership costs. Research has shown that adverse weather conditions are responsible for 5 to 10 % of total failures and 60 % of delays on the railway infrastructure in Sweden. The impact of short-term and long-term effects of climate change and extreme weather events depends on the design characteristics of the railway assets, geographical location, operational profile, maturity of the climate adaptation, etc. These extreme events will have major consequences such as traffic disruption, accidents, and higher maintenance costs during the operation and maintenance (O&M) phase. Therefore, a detailed assessment of the effects of climate change on the O&M phase requires a more comprehensive review of the previous studies reported from different parts of the world. The paper provides a state-of-the-art review of the effects of extreme weather events and their impacts on the operation and maintenance of railway infrastructure. This paper also provides a list of vulnerable railway assets that can have an impact due to extreme weather events.
A numerical study of rotor eccentricity and dynamic load in induction machines for motor current analysis based diagnostics
Authors: Li Haiyang , Zou Zhexiang , Sun Xiuquan , Gu Fengshou , Ball Andrew D.
Published: August 2021

The asymmetry in the manufacturing and assembling is the common issue of rotor systems. Different degrees of errors are inevitable in alternating current (AC) motors, which causes degraded performances. Furthermore, around 80 % of mechanical faults link to rotor eccentricity. The eccentricity faults (EFs) generate excessive mechanical stress and then lead to fatigue in the other parts of the motor. Motor current signal analysis (MCSA) can be used to diagnose induction machine (IM) faults. As the EF leads to an unequal air gap when the rotor rotates, the inductance of IM also responds to the EF. Moreover, the dynamic load is a typical situation due to residual dynamic unbalance and misalignment. To study how EFs and dynamic load affect the stator current. The current model of symmetrical motor, asymmetrical motors with three-level EFs and with dynamic load are investigated numerically. The correctness of models is verified through experimental study. The results show the level of EF affects the sideband peak values significantly in the stator current spectrum. These findings will provide a foundation for the accurate diagnosis of motor health conditions.
Variability effect of hydrological regime on river quality pattern and its uncertainties: case study of Zarjoob River in Iran
Authors: Ebrahimi Saman , Khorram Mahdis
Published: August 2021

River water quality assessment, affected by pollution load, and river regime changes in various climate conditions, is an implementation that simplifies water resources management, and justifies terms for increases or decreases in human activities. The current paper aims to offer a water quality model of a river considering parametric, hydrologic, and pollution load uncertainty by using uncertainty indexes like Plevel, ARIL, and NUE. These indexes were used to analyze the influences of the model's parameters and the river's regime alternations on the results. A Qual2K model, calibrated with PSO algorithm, is presented and connected to GLUE algorithm to assess the model's uncertainties like effective input parameters on the modeled variations, headwater flow, and input pollutions. Zarjoob River, in the north of Iran, was chosen as the case study. The results illustrate that the interaction among parameters, hydrologic and pollutant discharge data should be considered in river water quality simulation. The presented methodology can analyze the influences of parametric uncertainty, parametric and hydrologic uncertainty, and pollution input load uncertainty according to any quantity of observations and the modeled results of any river.
Release flux of heavy metals from river sediments at different flow rates
Authors: Lu Jiangang , Cai Haisheng , Zhang Xueling , Fu Yanmei
Published: August 2021

This paper simulates sediment motion under different hydrodynamic conditions, aiming to investigate the release flux of heavy metals in river sediments. During the lab experiments, carried out in a circular rectangular flume device, water velocity in the flume was altered by controlling the gate switch, and the flow rate was controlled from 0 to 1 m/s. Sediment from the Le'an River and chlorine-removed tap water were used as experimental sediment and water, respectively. Through analyses of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb concentration in water at different flow rates, the relationship between the release flux (y) of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb and the flow rate (x) was established with a fitting error of less than 15%. In order to judge the reliability of the conclusions, experimental results were verified outdoors. The results showed when the sediment particle size is between 0 and 250 μm, within 1 hour, a quadratic polynomial correlation between the release flux of Cu, Cd, and Pb from river sediments and water velocity when the water pH is 5–9 and the flow rate is 0–65 cm/s; when the water pH is 5–9, the flow rate is 0–35 cm/s, the release flux of Zn from river sediments was shown to have a quadratic polynomial relationship with water velocity. The error between the calculated and measured values of heavy metals released from sediment in the Le'an River were within 5–30%. Our results can provide a theoretical reference for the control and treatment of heavy metal pollution in rivers and further improve corresponding water quality models.
Marcas, puntos y trazados en el Mar Caribe Colombiano
Authors: Leotteau Fabian Enrique
Published: August 2021

El presente artículo expone cómo los pescadores artesanales de Old Providence, La Boquilla y Taganga, apoyados en su «conocimiento empírico», crean marcas o puntos para navegar y pescar en el mar Caribe colombiano sin usar el GPS. El piloto de la lancha, con su «sentido común» y su experiencia ancestral en navegación, crea una carta de navegación en su mente para ir a pescar. Esta carta de navegación tiene como referencia puntos o marcas fijas en la playa, los cuales son usados como coordenadas que se unen en un plano en movimiento en el mar Caribe para su desplazamiento. La metodología etnográfica, a partir de las entrevistas, su contexto y la imagen de los propios pescadores, muestra el proceso de extracción de la imagen de la mente de los pescadores con el fin de hacerla visible a ellos y a la comunidad. Esas imágenes analizadas y recreadas son las que permiten visualizar los dibujos mentales de los pescadores después de que son verificados a través de photo-elicitation y, luego, trasladados a una plataforma digital. Esto permite concluir que la experiencia de revelar los mapas mentales de los pescadores artesanales, a través de dibujos en tinta y grafito sobre papel, y luego transferidos a una plataforma digital, evidencia una nueva mirada sobre las cartas de navegación y las historias orales visualizadas en un mar digital.
Bioactive Extracts of Ziziphus mauritiana Induces Apoptosis in A549 Human
Lung Epithelial Carcinoma Cells through the Generation of Reactive
Oxygen Species
Authors: Usmani Shazia , Prakash Om , Gupta Amresh , Jafri Asif , Ullah Mohammad Fahad , Wahab Shadma , Arshad Md , Kumar Sudheer
Published: August 2021

Background:

In recent years, novel metabolites isolated from botanical sources have
been attracted much attention due to their traditional and therapeutic significance. The ethnopharmacological
studies suggest that Ziziphus mauritiana is a common remedy against several kinds of
ailments.

Objective:

The current study has evaluated the MeOH extract of Ziziphus mauritiana leaves (ZME)
through physicochemical, phytochemical, and chromatographic fingerprinting analysis, which displayed
an array of biometabolites of pharmacological significance, including flavonoids.

Methods:

The extract was further examined for anticancer activities, which revealed promising anticancer
properties against human lung epithelial carcinoma cells (A549) and induction of apoptosis
impart by ROS. The oxidative stress was evaluated in terms of production and accumulation of
cytosolic extent of ROS, whereas anticancer perspective was determined by MTT assay, cell morphology
analysis, followed by nuclear condensation for the examination of apoptosis induction.

Results:

Finding suggests that the MeOH extract of ZME markedly exhibited promising anticancer
activity against the A549 lung epithelial carcinoma cell. The ZME was found to be most active in
the MTT assay against A549 cells, while it was less toxic to normal cells. The intracellular ROS
generation was remarkably induced by ZME, which correlated with the ability of the flavonoidrich
fractions in the MeOH extract to inhibit cell growth and might induce apoptosis.

Conclusion:

The present study provides useful insight concerning the promising anticancer potential
of ZME against A549 lung carcinomas. However, the clinical correlation will be required for
its authorization and the discovery of significant and least noxious novel agents against lung carcinomas.