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1
Line, Tim R. M. "The acquisition route to a European presence." European Management Journal 6, no. 4 (December 1988): 359–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0263-2373(88)90039-4.
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Ferrari, Claudio, and Alessio Tei. "Emission savings through a re-scheduling of maritime services: possible implications for the Mediterranean ports." ECONOMICS AND POLICY OF ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, no. 2 (September 2012): 113–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.3280/efe2012-002006.
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The major aim of the paper is to analyse how growing awareness of environmental impact determined by trade activities can influence maritime transport and how it can facilitate changes in the current structure of maritime routes. In particular, the study compares the emissions concerning two alternatives in current maritime routes to highlight how possible incentives for emission reduction applied to maritime transport could impact the route choice. The analysis focuses on the trade routes from the Far East and South America towards Europe and it compares the emissions in two alternative scenarios: direct services calling at a North European port and shipping services calling at a Mediterranean port. In the latter scenario a significant role could be played by the North-African ports, whose development represents possible transhipment calls for the international shipping trades, mainly on the Europe-Far East route. In this sense they may act as competitors of the North European ports: their favourable geographic position allows for a considerable reduction in nautical distances with an immediate impact on the maritime transport emissions. To analyse the differences of emission impacts, this paper uses some particular statistical tools based on scientific literature and some instruments related to previous analysis in similar fields. The data used in the paper have been collected directly from shipping operators, terminal operators and some specialist databases. The paper is structured in 5 sections. After a brief introduction about transport and the environment (Section 1), Section 2 provides a review of some general methods to calculate the environmental cost of maritime transport, while Section 3 analyses the current trade route system and which ports can have an influence on changing the maritime patterns. Section 4 is focused on the analysis and comparison of the maritime routes alternatives, while Section 5 draws some conclusions and remarks for further analysis.
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Komleva, E. V. "To the History of the Northern Sea Route Development: Meeting of Ship Owners in Irbit on February 25, 1879." Northern Archives and Expeditions 4, no. 4 (December 25, 2020): 52–63. http://dx.doi.org/10.31806/2542-1158-2020-4-4-52-63.
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The article presents the publication of the decision of the meeting of major ship owners and industrialists of the Urals and Western Siberia, held on February 25, 1879 in Irbit. The preserved document reveals one of the pages of the history of the development of the Northern sea route: the organization of research expeditions to the area of the Ob Bay. The source emphasizes the close relationship between regional authorities and representatives of private capital in the development of the Northern territories and the search for water communication between Central Russia, European States and Siberia. It shows the great importance that the Siberian merchants attached to the possibility of opening new transport routes that can provide a profitable export of large volumes of Siberian raw materials to European markets. The 18 people who gathered, representing the largest Western Siberian and Ural private shipping companies, believed that trade through the Northern seas can give a powerful impetus to the development of both Western and Eastern Siberia: promote the rise of agriculture, trade and industry, ensure the flow of money to the region, stimulate demographic growth and development of sparsely populated areas. At the same time, the source under investigation fully reflects the pragmatism of merchants who did not want to invest in dubious enterprises and sought to achieve their goal – finding a reliable passage through the Northern waters – in the shortest possible time and with minimal costs. The ideas and recommendations formulated at the Irbit meeting of ship owners, although not unconditionally, served as the basis for planning further scientific research in the Kara sea by the Maritime Ministry and the Ministry of Finance.
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Mangiaracina, Annalisa. "The Long Route Towards a Widespread European Culture of Alternatives to Immigration Detention." European Journal of Migration and Law 18, no. 2 (June 17, 2016): 177–200. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15718166-12342098.
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The aim of this article is to provide an analysis of the application by some European Union countries of alternative measures to detention of migrants. Sections 2 and 3 indicate, in line with European normatives and with detention being a measure of last resort, that Member States having ascertained that there are grounds for the detention of migrants, should evaluate whether the aims pursued can be achieved through a less coercive measure which respects the fundamental rights of individuals. Unfortunately, as examined in Section 4, analysis of most European countries’ law reveals an unsatisfactory application of alternative measures to detention. As in, for example, Italy’s case, whose legislation and practice on alternatives to detention is examined in Section 5. In Section 6, the final section, the necessity for a change of culture among the competent authorities is highlighted. For this purpose, the recast Receptions Conditions Directive, which obliges Member States to provide alternative measures to detention of migrants, allowing States to introduce types of measures which are not listed in the Directive, seems to represent a good opportunity.
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Barykin, S. E., I. A. Boyko, A. V. Zakharenko, and P. A. Sharapayev. "DEVELOPMENT OF METHODICAL APPROACH TO AN ASSESSMENT OF INTERESTS OF STAKEHOLDER SMART SUPPLY CHAINS." Strategic decisions and risk management 10, no. 4 (March 28, 2020): 382–95. http://dx.doi.org/10.17747/2618-947x-2019-4-382-395.
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Attention growth to management of chains of deliveries has caused search of new ways of improvement of logistic processes. At the same time the question of a role of the theory of stakeholders in formation and maintenance of chains of deliveries was staticized. The main attention of the concept of interested parties of rather logistic processes has concentrated on the main points of decision-making in a choice of routes for transportation of freights. In article the methodical approach developed by authors to the analysis of extent of influence of interests of stakeholders in management of chains of deliveries within digital transformation of logistics is considered. For a choice of optimum option of transportation of the freights, most realizing the transport capacity of Russia, authors have taken as a basis A. Garrison's fundamental approach, allowing to develop methodical approach to an assessment of interests of stakeholders of the international logistic knot of the country. The circle of the stakeholders (interested parties) involved in process of decision-making on a choice of an optimum route at implementation of transportation of freights is created. The main transnational corridors of transportation of goods from the People's Republic of China in the European Union and criteria by which it is possible to carry out their assessment for a choice of the most acceptable are defined. Methodical approach to an assessment of degree of compliance of routes to certain criteria according to interests of stakeholders is developed. Comparison of criteria among themselves, and also an assessment of their influence in each option of transportation have shown as far as interests of stakeholders of chains of deliveries differ. The hierarchy of the importance of each criterion for the described routes of transportation taking into account interests of stakeholders of chains of deliveries is created. The conclusion is drawn that the main factor in transportation of goods when using capacities of Russia is time. This criterion plays a significant role at a route choice, however at the high cost and insufficient reliability such route will concede in most cases to competitors. Proceeding from it, attraction of opportunities and advantages which can provide other options, becomes quite expedient. Thus, harmonization of the relations of stakeholders is reduced uniting their interests of rather allocated options of transportations on development of Russia as the international logistic knot and to show, what economic benefits they can receive from this interaction.
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Prussi, Matteo, and Laura Lonza. "Passenger Aviation and High Speed Rail: A Comparison of Emissions Profiles on Selected European Routes." Journal of Advanced Transportation 2018 (June 27, 2018): 1–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/6205714.
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Air transport has been constantly growing and forecasts seem to confirm the trend; the resulting environmental impact is relevant, both at local and at global scale. In this paper, data from various datasets have been integrated to assess the environmental impact of modal substitution with high speed rail. Six intra-EU28 routes and a domestic route have been defined for comparison. The airports have been chosen considering the share of the total number of passengers on flights to/from other EU Member States. Three scenarios have been proposed in the time period 2017–2025; aircraft types, distance bands, and occupancy rate are investigated on each scenario. The comparison with HSR service has been carried out only on passenger service and not for freight. The energy consumption and the consequent emissions for the aircraft have been estimated on the base of the available data for the mix of aircraft types, performing the routes. The results indicate the advantage of the high speed trains, in terms of direct CO2eq emissions per passenger km. Compared to a neutral scenario, with an annual passenger increment of 3.5%, the HSR substitution of the 5% and the 25% of this increment allow a GHG saving of 4% and 20%, respectively. Some of the analysed routes (e.g., Frankfurt Main–Paris CDG) have interesting GHG savings but the duration of the trip today is limiting for a real substitution. Moreover, there is general agreement that the extreme weather events induced by climate change will affect the functioning of the European transport system. In this sense, transportation by the rail mode is expected to play a significant role in strengthening the EU transport system, its resilience, and its reliability, as it is less immediately subject to the impacts of severe weather conditions.
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Petchey, Owen L., and Andrea Belgrano. "Body-size distributions and size-spectra: universal indicators of ecological status?" Biology Letters 6, no. 4 (May 5, 2010): 434–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2010.0240.
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The sizes of individual organisms, rather than their taxonomy, are used to inform management and conservation in some aquatic ecosystems. The European Science Foundation Research Network, SIZEMIC, facilitates integration of such approaches with the more taxonomic approaches used in terrestrial ecology. During its 4-year tenure, the Network is bringing together researchers from disciplines including theorists, empiricists, government employees, and practitioners, via a series of meetings, working groups and research visits. The research conducted suggests that organismal size, with a generous helping of taxonomy, provides the most probable route to universal indicators of ecological status.
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Kalinowski, Marcin, Rafał Koba, and Magdalena Matczak. "Socio-economic impact of the International Waterway E60 on the Polish and Lithuanian coastal regions." SHS Web of Conferences 58 (2018): 01013. http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20185801013.
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International Waterway E60 (IWW E60) is a sea-shore route running from Gibraltar to the North along European coast up to St. Petersburg then through the Baltic-White Sea Channel, then along the White Sea coast to Arkhangelsk. From the German-Polish border, along the Polish, Russian and Lithuanian coast to the Lithuanian-Latvian border, the route is 610 km-long and runs along 32 Polish municipalities and 4 Lithuanian regions. Determining the role of IWW E60 is important in the context of economic growth of municipalities and coastal regions, especially through the development of local seaports. Operations of the multifunctional port have a wide economic and social impact. Mutual interaction of functions can be observed on the example of fisheries, where in the port area fishing functions intermingle with the processing, tourism, storage and distribution function. The main socioeconomic benefits of E60 waterway development include the increase in employment, economic activity, generation of added value and improvement of transport infrastructure. In addition, ports influence attractiveness of the regions and create impulse for new jobs in the tourism industry. Until now there have been no attempts to make E60 route navigable or only on short sections, usually between two neighbouring ports. Despite the significant cross-border importance of this connection, no directions for its optimal development were defined. What is more, the route is not used. In connection with this, steps were taken to thoroughly investigate the problem and determine the possibility of its development as part of inland waterways network.
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Allan, J., and D. S. Armstrong. "The new European electromagnetic compatibility standards for railways." Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part F: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit 212, no. 2 (March 1, 1998): 135–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1243/0954409981530742.
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The EC directive on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) was first agreed in 1989. Generic EMC standards appeared in the early 1990s. However, a transition period was implemented throughout the community from 1992 until December 1995, largely in order for product-specific standards to appear and also to allow time for industry to adapt to the change in legislation. At radio frequencies, the railway industry in the United Kingdom had made use of a standard produced by the Railway Industry Association (RIA) Committee 18 prior to the European Commission (EC) directive. This committee has made a substantial contribution to the Cenelec (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization) working groups which have produced five railway EMC pre-standards (ENV50121-1 to ENV50121-5) which were agreed in December 1995. There is a need in the period of two to three years from this date to develop the pre-standards and trial them with a view to turning them into full standards. Compliance with the EMC directive must be via the technical construction file route until the ENVs are converted to ENs and published in the official journal. This paper explains the standards used in the United Kingdom for EMC on railways prior to the EC directive and it describes the progress made towards developing the European pre-standards covering ‘A description of railway EMC’(ENV50121-1), ‘A method of measurement and cartography’ (ENV50121-2), ‘Railway vehicles’ (ENV50121-3), ‘Railway signalling’ (ENV50121-4) and ‘Fixed power installations’ (ENV50121-5). The paper shows the derivation of the major parts of the standards, including details of railway test data used to determine limits. The paper concludes by showing the implications for the railway industry in implementation and the expected progress in the next five years.
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Arvanitakis, Marianna, Paraskevas Gkolfakis, Edward J. Despott, Asuncion Ballarin, Torsten Beyna, Kurt Boeykens, Peter Elbe, et al. "Endoscopic management of enteral tubes in adult patients – Part 1: Definitions and indications. European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline." Endoscopy 53, no. 01 (December 1, 2020): 81–92. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/a-1303-7449.
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Main recommendationsESGE recommends considering the following indications for enteral tube insertion: (i) clinical conditions that make oral intake impossible (neurological conditions, obstructive causes); (ii) acute and/or chronic diseases that result in a catabolic state where oral intake becomes insufficient; and (iii) chronic small-bowel obstruction requiring a decompression gastrostomy.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends the use of temporary feeding tubes placed through a natural orifice (either nostril) in patients expected to require enteral nutrition (EN) for less than 4 weeks. If it is anticipated that EN will be required for more than 4 weeks, percutaneous access should be considered, depending on the clinical setting.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends the gastric route as the primary option in patients in need of EN support. Only in patients with altered/unfavorable gastric anatomy (e. g. after previous surgery), impaired gastric emptying, intolerance to gastric feeding, or with a high risk of aspiration, should the jejunal route be chosen.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence.ESGE suggests that recent gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding due to peptic ulcer disease with risk of rebleeding should be considered to be a relative contraindication to percutaneous enteral access procedures, as should hemodynamic or respiratory instability.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE suggests that the presence of ascites and ventriculoperitoneal shunts should be considered to be additional risk factors for infection and, therefore, further preventive precautions must be taken in these cases.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends that percutaneous tube placement (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy [PEG], percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy with jejunal extension [PEG-J], or direct percutaneous endoscopic jejunostomy [D-PEJ]) should be considered to be a procedure with high hemorrhagic risk, and that in order to reduce this risk, specific guidelines for antiplatelet or anticoagulant use should be followed strictly.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends refraining from PEG placement in patients with advanced dementia.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends refraining from PEG placement in patients with a life expectancy shorter than 30 days.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence*.
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Tian, Fuqiang, Yilu Li, Tongtiegang Zhao, Hongchang Hu, Florian Pappenberger, Yunzhong Jiang, and Hui Lu. "Evaluation of the ECMWF System 4 climate forecasts for streamflow forecasting in the Upper Hanjiang River Basin." Hydrology Research 49, no. 6 (April 17, 2018): 1864–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/nh.2018.176.
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Abstract This paper assesses the potential of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) System 4 forecasts and investigates the post-processing precipitation to enhance the skill of streamflow forecasts. The investigation is based on hydrological modelling and is conducted through the case study of the Upper Hanjiang River Basin (UHRB). A semi-distributed hydrological model, TsingHua Representative Elementary Watershed (THREW), is implemented to simulate the rainfall–runoff processes, with the help of hydrological ensemble prediction system (HEPS) approach. A post-processing method, quantile mapping method, is applied to bias correct the raw precipitation forecasts. Then we evaluate the performance of raw and post-processed streamflow forecasts for the four hydrological stations along the mainstream of Hanjiang River from 2001 to 2008. The results show that the performance of the streamflow forecasts is greatly enhanced with post-processing precipitation forecasts, especially in pre-dry season (November and December), thus providing useful information for water supply management of the central route of South to North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP). The raw streamflow forecasts tend to overpredict and present similarly to forecast accuracy with the extended streamflow prediction (ESP) approach. Streamflow forecast skill is considerably improved when applying post-processing method to bias correct the ECMWF System 4 precipitation forecasts.
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Koltukhov, S. G. "BURIALS OF WARRIORS-CHARIOTS OF PRE-SCYTHIAN TIME ON CRIMEAN PENINSULA." Scientific Notes of V.I. Vernadsky Crimean Federal University. Historical science 6 (72), no. 4 (2020): 37–44. http://dx.doi.org/10.37279/2413-1741-2020-6-4-37-44.
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This note is sanctified to a short description of materials of two complexes of finds which are descended from burial places of Cimmerians warriors. One of the burials is located on the border of steppe and Foothill Crimea. It was discovered and dug out by archaeologists during the building of Taurida’s route in 2017, part of materials are published in 2018 — 2019. The second burial, which is localized in Steppe Crimea, was destroyed by robbers, and the saved material was purchased by a collector and published in 2017, Complexes are undoubtedly, bright. They are determined as burial places of warriors — riders of the Novocherkassk group of burials of pre-Scythian time. However, it is curious that there were various objects which are typical for the bridle of saddle-horses and for details and harnesses of chariots of VIII century B.C. in both complexes. Similar finds are infrequent, though they are known on Caucasus, rarely they can be found in North Black Sea Region. Chariots appeared in bronze century on the East of Eurasian steppe, however in European part of steppe corridor they appeared later, obviously not earlier than the beginning of iron age.
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IMHOFF, EMILY M., ROBERT J. G. MORTIMER, MARTIN CHRISTMAS, and ALISON M. DUNN. "Horizontal transmission of Thelohania contejeani in the endangered white-clawed (Austropotamobius pallipes) and the invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)." Parasitology 139, no. 11 (July 20, 2012): 1471–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182012000777.
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SUMMARYThe microsporidian parasite Thelohania contejeani causes porcelain disease and has been implicated in mass mortalities in populations of the endangered European crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes. However, the route of parasite transmission is not known. This paper investigates the horizontal transmission of T. contejeani between A. pallipes hosts as well as its transmissibility to the invasive signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus). Field collected juvenile A. pallipes and P. leniusculus were assigned to 1 of 3 experimental treatments; fed heavily infected A. pallipes tissue, exposed to water from tanks housing heavily parasitized A. pallipes, and a control group to provide an estimate of the baseline infection levels in the field. After 26 weeks, abdominal muscle samples were screened by PCR for T. contejeani. Infection was significantly higher in the treatment groups (83% in the cannibalism treatment, 42% in the water exposure treatment) than in the control group (4%), providing evidence for horizontal transmission of the parasite between A. pallipes hosts. Cannibalism and scavenging are common amongst crayfish, providing transmission opportunities in the field. The study also provides the first direct evidence for transmission of the parasite from an indigenous European crayfish species to the invasive signal crayfish, with 50% of P. leniusculus in each treatment, and 8% of control animals infected. We discuss the possibility that high density populations of the invasive signal crayfish may serve either as reservoirs or sinks for the parasite.
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Kraak, Menno-Jan, and Paulo Raposo. "Design strategies for airline route maps, learning from the past." Abstracts of the ICA 2 (October 9, 2020): 1–2. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/ica-abs-2-47-2020.
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Abstract. Airline route maps show the flights an airline operates between destination airports. Maps like these tend to become cluttered quickly. The clutter depends on the amount of flights to display; the routes of flight paths, the balance between shorter (e.g., domestic) and longer (e.g., intercontinental) flights, and the geographic locations of route endpoints each influence the amount of clutter.Flights are typically shown as semantically uniform, despite having varied characteristics such as departure or arrival times, frequencies, or passenger volumes, among others. Most maps only indicate the existence of a connection since the main purpose is to impress the customers with the connectivity of the airline in question (i.e., the order or size of the network graph, corresponding to the number of locations served and the number of flight connections, respectively).What are good strategies to design an airline route map? To answer this question, we looked at hundreds of airlines map from the past. From these maps we identified seven distinct strategies. Some rely on geometric transformations (i.e., typically warping or scaling, or the use of abstract space), while others use significant artistic freedom in symbol selection and design.1. Projection Selection. A common strategy is to select a map projection that spreads or “unravels” the network. Figure A shows the JAL network in a polar azimuthal projection, in which regions farther away from the north pole are increasingly spread out, opening up map surface space for nodes, edges, and labels. Uncommon projection choices can help deal with networks containing routes that cross polar regions, or that have dense sets of connections in a region whose area the projection expands.2. Topographic Manipulation. Segments of the map such as whole continents can be brought closer together, selectively scaled, or displaced to emptier areas of the map, to open up map surface space in a manner that is convenient for the network being drawn. In Figure B, Egypt has been conveniently moved into the Atlantic Ocean to allow for a more spread-out network of routes to locations in Europe. This strategy is frequently used when there are relatively spatially-distinct but densely-packed clusters of endpoints in the network (e.g., multiple European and multiple North American destinations, but little elsewhere), or when moving one or a few topologically-central endpoints away from mass of its connecting nodes conveniently fans-out the network edges, such as in the provided Egyptian case.3. Insets and Blow-Ups. The use of a main map for global connections and insets for smaller, busy areas or domestic networks is another frequently executed strategy. Figure C displays Pan Am’s global network with insets for Europe and the eastern US. This strategy is particularly useful for networks that are “multiscale”, in that their routes tend to cluster across short-haul, local tiers and long-haul, distant tiers.4. Schematization. Schematic maps, where space is selectively distorted to produce relatively rectilinear or angular shapes, and exemplified by many public transport maps, are used as well. Usually, both the networks and the basemaps are schematized. Geographic distortions are varied, but generally ubiquitous. An example is found in Figure D, showing Air Canada’s network. Schematization applies broadly, since geometric distortions can be selected at the designer’s convenience, given the network in question.5. Leaving Out Basemaps. Some airline route maps only show connections between destinations, leaving out any contextualizing basemap. The layout of network endpoints is not always consistent; they are sometimes planimetrically precise according to some map projection, and sometimes systematically or arbitrarily distributed across the map surface. The New York Air map in figure E is an example. Leaving out basemaps creates more whitespace on the map, which is either useful for drawing network information more densely, or left bare as an aesthetic choice.6. Abstract Diagrams. Finally, one can find non-map solutions, using diagrammatic techniques to visualize the network, even though these are frequently similar or evocative of maps. The characteristics of the geography in question, such as scale or directions, tend to be lost. Figure F show the connectivity of Turkish Airlines as a radial diagram; the globe in the center is decorative and suggestive only. For reasons similar to schematization, this strategy applies broadly, though it is interesting to note that it is relatively uncommon, perhaps because it tends to not produce maps.7. Point Locations Only. A simple and minimalist approach sometimes taken is to plot destinations on a map while leaving out connection lines. As with leaving out basemaps, this creates more whitespace. Figure G shows an example for Air France.The strategy applied appears to depend in part on the order and size of the network (i.e., number of endpoints and connections) and the geographic extent of the network. Smaller, more local airlines have less design challenges compared to global carriers.How can we benefit from the existing design solutions described above to decide on a fitting design for illustrating any given airline’s full network? Can we include and make use of further information from an airline’s timetable in the map to visualize characteristics such as flight frequency, scheduling and duration?
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Jakimów, Małgorzata. "Desecuritisation as a soft power strategy: the Belt and Road Initiative, European fragmentation and China’s normative influence in Central-Eastern Europe." Asia Europe Journal 17, no. 4 (September 13, 2019): 369–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10308-019-00561-3.
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Abstract While much discussion centres on economic properties and political challenges of implementing the China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), few studies investigate the subtle connections between the narratives of the BRI and the political transformations in the regions en route of the project. Through a critique of the Copenhagen School’s theory of securitisation, this paper brings together the analysis of Chinese, Central-Eastern European (CEE) and the core EU governments’ ideas and perceptions of the BRI and assesses what they mean for the future of the European Union’s political and normative cohesion. This paper argues that the China-deployed desecuritised narratives of the BRI constitute an important soft power strategy of China in its engagement in Europe. The article illustrates how these desecuritised narratives are utilised and co-produced actively by countries of CEE with a political aim of negotiating their domestic interests with the EU’s institutions, making the process of desecuritisation neither apolitical nor benign. As China-promoted desecuritisation is used instrumentally by the regional actors to present China as an economic, political and normative alternative to the EU, the article contributes to the understanding of China’s desecuritisation as a soft power strategy, which is both forged through ‘negative’ language (Callahan, Politics 35(3–4):216–229, 2015) and is ‘contingent’ upon recipient audiences (Kavalski, Coop Confl 48(2):247–267, 2013). As a result, new regional dynamics emerge in the EU, which are driven by the populist turn and growing demand for Chinese investments in the European periphery, which China skilfully utilises through narratives of desecuritisation in order to boost its soft power strategy in the region.
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Ryan, Sean F., Eric Lombaert, Anne Espeset, Roger Vila, Gerard Talavera, Vlad Dincă, Meredith M. Doellman, et al. "Global invasion history of the agricultural pest butterfly Pieris rapae revealed with genomics and citizen science." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 116, no. 40 (September 10, 2019): 20015–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1907492116.
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The small cabbage white butterfly, Pieris rapae, is a major agricultural pest of cruciferous crops and has been introduced to every continent except South America and Antarctica as a result of human activities. In an effort to reconstruct the near-global invasion history of P. rapae, we developed a citizen science project, the “Pieris Project,” and successfully amassed thousands of specimens from 32 countries worldwide. We then generated and analyzed nuclear (double-digest restriction site-associated DNA fragment procedure [ddRAD]) and mitochondrial DNA sequence data for these samples to reconstruct and compare different global invasion history scenarios. Our results bolster historical accounts of the global spread and timing of P. rapae introductions. We provide molecular evidence supporting the hypothesis that the ongoing divergence of the European and Asian subspecies of P. rapae (∼1,200 y B.P.) coincides with the diversification of brassicaceous crops and the development of human trade routes such as the Silk Route (Silk Road). The further spread of P. rapae over the last ∼160 y was facilitated by human movement and trade, resulting in an almost linear series of at least 4 founding events, with each introduced population going through a severe bottleneck and serving as the source for the next introduction. Management efforts of this agricultural pest may need to consider the current existence of multiple genetically distinct populations. Finally, the international success of the Pieris Project demonstrates the power of the public to aid scientists in collections-based research addressing important questions in invasion biology, and in ecology and evolutionary biology more broadly.
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Kiss, Árpád. "A menekültügyi őrizet elrendelésének anyagi jogi feltételei az uniós jog tükrében." Debreceni Jogi Műhely 12, no. 1-2 (August 22, 2015): 21–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.24169/djm/2015/1-2/4.
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Hungary lies in the route of the stream of refugees coming from the Balkan. It is a transit country, so the refugees do not typically intend to stay here, they rather wish to travel torwards to West- and North Europe. Particular sections of Hungary's border also mean the external borders of the European Union, the area of freedom, security and justice, which has a common asylum system. Significant part of illegal immigrants presents asylum claim only to avoid the aliens procedures.
From the 1st of January 2013, the legislature terminated the aliens detention against asylum applicants. From 1st of July 2013 the Hungarian legislature reintroduced the possibility of detention of applicants. The new regulation has been placed in Act LXXX of 2007 on the Right of Asylum, Sections 31/A-31/H by Act XCIII of 2013 on the Amendment of Particular Laws Concerning Law Enforcement. The introduction of asylum-seeker detention and the practice of its application have raised dust. In my essay I am introducing the connections between the reasons of ordering asylum-seeker detention in the Act on Asylum and its backgroud in the EU Directive. I am not dealing with the question of compatibility of asylum detention and human rights and with problematic procedural issues, because I consider it more important to review the substantive conditions of asylum-seeker detention and the certain practical questions of its application therefore I am focusing on this segment of jurisdiction.
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Šehović, Emir, Adna Ašić, Mustafa Dogan, Ramazan Tunc, Damir Marjanović, and Serkan Dogan. "NETWORK ANALYSIS ON THE IN SILICO ASSIGNED Y CHROMOSOME HAPLOGROUPS IN WESTERN BALKAN POPULATIONS." Genetics & Applications 1, no. 2 (March 30, 2018): 36. http://dx.doi.org/10.31383/ga.vol1iss2pp36-43.
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The region of Western Balkans has been inhabited since the Paleolithic era and was the route of the spread of farming from the Middle East to Europe during the Neolithic era. In the present study, Y-STR data from European populations have been used to construct median-joining networks. The study was performed using Whit Athey’s Haplogroup Predictor, Y Utility and Network 4 software packages to predict Y haplogroups, construct networks, perform clustering of closely related Y chromosomes and calculate time estimates between individual nodes. The results of the study imply that geographically close populations cluster together at both Balkan and European levels. It was observed that an elevated number of study populations and individual haplogroups increases the possibility that individuals of different ethnic background cluster within the same or neighboring clades of network. Subsequent time estimates, performed based on the mutation frequency between the ancestral node and its descendant nodes, revealed that I2a haplogroup within the Western Balkan region has the most compact clustering (age, estimated at 3109 years), followed by Hg E1b1b which has the second most compact clustering (4896 years). The obtained results are nonetheless in accordance with previously published research investigating the frequency of Y haplogroups based on Y-SNP variant frequencies, indicating that Western Balkan countries are mainly represented by I2a subclade (average for six countries 32.3%), followed by E1b1b and R1a (average for six countries of 21.5% and 17%, respectively).
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Kilanowicz, Anna, and Małgorzata Skrzypińska-Gawrysiak. "2,2’-dichloro-4,4’-methylenedianiline – inhalable fraction and vapours. Documentation of proposed values of occupational exposure limits (OELs)." Podstawy i Metody Oceny Środowiska Pracy 36, no. 3(101) (September 30, 2019): 5–38. http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0013.4164.
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2,2'-Dichloro-4,4'-methylenedianiline (MOCA) is an aromatic amine. It is produced commercially by the reaction of formaldehyde and 2-chloroaniline. It is not produced in Europe and its import to Europe is estimated at 1000-10000 t/year. MOCA is mainly used as a curing agent in the production of polyurethane elastomers. Occupational exposure to MOCA occurs during production, distribution and use of this compound. In Poland in 2016, 14 people were exposed to this compound, including 10 women. Under occupational exposure conditions, MOCA is mainly absorbed through the skin; absorption in the respiratory tract is of secondary importance. Available literature does not provide data on chronic MOCA poisoning under occupational conditions. No methemoglobinogenic effect typical for aromatic amines was found in exposed subjects. MOCA has a moderate toxic effect on animals; median lethal doses after oral administration to rodents are 400 ÷ 1140 mg/kg of body weight. It also has a moderate irritant effect on the skin and eyes, but no allergenic effect. Data on subchronic and chronic animal toxicity indicate multiorgan toxicity. MOCA shows mutagenic and genotoxic potential, both in vivo and in vitro. In bacterial tests, it requires the presence of metabolic activation. It causes DNA damage and formes DNA adducts both in vitro and in vivo. MOCA also forms adducts with other macromolecules such as haemoglobin, globin or plasma albumin. No data are available on the effects of MOCA on human reproduction or on the embryotoxicity and teratogenicity of this compound. The only rat experiment showed that MOCA has no influence on the reproductive potential of parents and the growth and of pre- and postnatal development of offspring. There are no epidemiological studies in the literature that clearly indicate that occupational exposure to MOCA is the cause of cancer in workers. However, there are reports of bladder cancer, usually found in cystoscopic examination in young men occupationally exposed to MOCA. Animal studies have provided sufficient evidence for the carcinogenic effects of MOCA. It was shown that this compound administered to rats in the diet induces a dose-dependent increase in the number of lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinomas, hemangiosarcomas, mammary gland adenomas and Zymbal gland carcinomas. MOCA administered in capsules to dogs induced tumors of the bladder and urethra. The mechanism of carcinogenic action of MOCA is related to the potential of this compound and/or its metabolites to bind with macromolecules, mainly DNA. MOCA has a harmonised classification as Carc.1B. IARC considered that there was insufficient evidence of MOCA carcinogenicity in humans and that there was sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in animals. In the overall assessment IARC classified MOCA into group 1 – compound carcinogenic to humans. SCOEL (2010) included MOCA to genotoxic carcinogens with non-threshold effect (group A). MOCA is absorbed into the body by inhalation, ingestion and dermal routes, the latter is the main route of absorption under occupational exposure conditions. There is no quantitative data on efficiency or absorption rate. In animals, regardless of the route of administration, the highest MOCA concentrations are in the liver, lower in the lungs, kidneys, adipose tissue and blood. MOCA is metabolized mainly in the liver by CYP3A4. Metabolism may proceed along the pathways of N-acetylation, N-hydroxylation/N-oxidation and ring hydroxylation. The main and the most reactive and directly carcinogenic metabolite is N-hydroxy-MOCA. MOCA is excreted from the body with urine and faeces. The relative share of these excretion routes in animals depends on both the species and the route of administration. Based on the MOCA measurement in the urine of an employee who accidentally sprayed with molten MOCA, the biological half-life was set at 23 hours. Since the main route of absorption of MOCA in occupational exposure conditions is the dermal route, biological monitoring, usually based on measurement of the total MOCA concentration in urine, is necessary for the assessment of total exposure. Modern monitoring studies have found that although the MOCA concentration in air was low, a significant percentage of urine samples exceeded the detection limit of the method, which for most methods is 0.5 µmol MOCA/mol creatinine. In addition, some studies have shown that the MOCA level in urine correlated with the amount of glove contamination, not the working surfaces. The values of the current hygiene standards in the various countries range from 0.22 mg/m3 to 0.005 mg/m3 and are usually labelled "skin" and "carcinogen". Furthermore, in many countries, no limit values have been set for MOCA due to its carcinogenic effects. Also in the EU, SCOEL did not set a standard value for MOCA. In 2018. The European Commission has proposed to include a limit value of 0.01 mg/m3 as a binding value (BOELV) with the simultaneous notation of 'skin' in Annex III to the proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2004/37/EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work. At the same time, it was proposed to set the urinary MOCA concentration at 5 µmol MOCA/mol creatinine as the Biological Guidance Value (BGV), in line with the list of recommended values of the Biological Exposure Limits (BEIs) based on the health effects and Biological Guidance Values (BGVs) provided by SCOEL, which however takes the detection limit of the method as the BGV without giving a specific numerical value for this indicator. The basis for proposing a MAC value was the carcinogenic effect of MOCA. Since MOCA is a genotoxic carcinogen with non-threshold effect, the values of hygiene standards should be based on the cancer risk assessment for this compound. All existing risk assessments are based on the results of an experiment on rats receiving MOCA in the diet under chronic exposure conditions. The MAC value currently in force in Poland of 0.02 mg/m3 was derived on the basis of the linear model with the assumed risk of 10-4. The cancer risk assessment using the two-step model gave the risk values accordingly: 4.6 - 10-4 for MOCA concentration 0.02 mg/m3 and 1.7 - 10-4 for 0.01 mg/m3. A similar risk value of 9.65 - 10-5 (≈ 1 - 10-4) for inhalation exposure to 0.01 mg/m3 was assigned by RAC using a linear model. In view of the fact that the risk assessments presented above gave compatible values for 0.01 mg/m3 and that the European Union proposed this value as a binding concentration, it was proposed to use a MOCA concentration in air of 0.01 mg/m3 as the MAC value in Poland. The main route of exposure to MOCA at occupational condition is the dermal route. MOCA levels in workers' urine samples are a better indicator for overall exposure assessment than measuring MOCA concentrations in air. MOCA is not detected in the urine of subjects not occupationally exposed, i.e. it remains below the detection limit of the method. Therefore, the Biological Guidance Value (BGV) for MOCA should correspond to the detection limit of the biomonitoring method. However, for practical reasons, it was proposed to use 5 µmol MOCA/mole creatinine in urine collected at the end of the shift as an equivalent to BEI. Under industrial conditions, total MOCA concentrations below 5 µmol/mol creatinine can be achieved under appropriate hygienic working conditions. Moreover, according to the risk assessment presented by SCOEL, this MOCA concentration in urine leads to a cancer risk of 3 ÷ 4 - 10-6. Biomonitoring should be supplemented by air monitoring and, where appropriate, measurements of dermal contamination, gloves and work surfaces contamination to identify sources of exposure. Since dermal exposure accounts for a significant proportion of the MOCA taken by workers, a 'skin' notation is required. This article discusses the problems of occupational safety and health, which are covered by health sciences and environmental engineering.
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Fletcher, Emily, Anna Sansom, Emma Pitchforth, Gerens Curnow, Adrian Freeman, Kamila Hawthorne, and John Campbell. "Overseas GP recruitment: comparing international GP training with the UK and ensuring that registration standards and patient safety are maintained." BJGP Open 3, no. 2 (April 16, 2019): bjgpopen18X101640. http://dx.doi.org/10.3399/bjgpopen18x101640.
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BackgroundAmbitious overseas recruitment targets have been set by the UK government to help alleviate the current GP shortage. European Economic Area (EEA) doctors can join the UK’s GP register under European law. Non-EEA doctors must obtain a Certificate of Eligibility for General Practice Registration (CEGPR), demonstrating equivalence to UK-trained doctors. CEGPR applications can be time-consuming and burdensome. To meet overseas recruitment targets, it is important to facilitate the most efficient route into UK general practice while maintaining registration standards and patient safety.AimTo develop a methodology to map postgraduate GP training and healthcare contextual data from an overseas country to the UK.Design & settingDesk-based research and stakeholder interviews.MethodFour stages were undertaken: 1) developing a data collection template; 2) conducting a case study (using Australia as a test case); 3) refining the data collection template; and 4) creating a mapping framework. The case study used the 2016 curricula for the UK and Australia.ResultsFive ‘domains’ were identified: healthcare context, training pathway, curriculum, assessment, and continuing professional development (CPD) and revalidation. The final data collection template comprised 49 mapping items across the domains. The methodology incorporated the application of a red, amber, or green (RAG) rating to indicate similarity of data across the five domains. Australia was rated ‘green’ for training pathway, curriculum, and assessment, and ‘amber’ for healthcare context and CPD and revalidation. The overall rating was ‘green’.ConclusionImplementing this systematic methodology for mapping GP training between countries may support the UK’s ambitions to recruit more GPs, and alleviate current GP workforce pressures.
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Dolengevich-Segal, Helen, Beatriz Rodríguez-Salgado, Jorge Gómez-Arnau, and Daniel Sánchez-Mateos. "Severe Psychosis, Drug Dependence, and Hepatitis C Related toSlammingMephedrone." Case Reports in Psychiatry 2016 (2016): 1–5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8379562.
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Background. Synthetic cathinones (SCs), also known as “bath salts,” areβ-ketone amphetamine compounds derived from cathinone, a psychoactive substance found inCatha edulis. Mephedrone is the most representative SC.Slammingis the term used for the intravenous injection of these substances in the context ofchemsexparties, in order to enhance sex experiences. Using IV mephedrone may lead to diverse medical and psychiatric complications like psychosis, aggressive behavior, and suicide ideation.Case. We report the case of a 25-year-old man admitted into a psychiatric unit, presenting with psychotic symptoms afterslammingmephedrone almost every weekend for the last 4 months. He presents paranoid delusions, intense anxiety, and visual and kinesthetic hallucinations. He also shows intense craving, compulsive drug use, general malaise, and weakness. After four weeks of admission and antipsychotic treatment, delusions completely disappear. The patient is reinfected with hepatitis C.Discussion. Psychiatric and medical conditions related tochemsexandslamminghave been reported in several European cities, but not in Spain. Psychotic symptoms have been associated with mephedrone and other SCs’ consumption, with the IV route being prone to produce more severe symptomatology and addictive conducts. In the case we report, paranoid psychosis, addiction, and medical complications are described.
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Schürmann, C., D. Geiger, M. Picha, and R. Thomas. "CITY2NAVIGATION (C2N) – A NEW SERVICE FOR DIGITAL, FUTURE-PROOF URBAN TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT." International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences XLVI-4/W1-2021 (September 3, 2021): 103–10. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-xlvi-4-w1-2021-103-2021.
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Abstract. Digital traffic management solutions are essential for the effective management of the continuing growth of road traffic. However, technical possibilities for implementing traffic management strategies by Traffic Control Centres are limited to a strategic network. At the same time, modern mobility apps from routing services offer road users many options to get informed and guided. The latter usually work independently from traffic management strategies of public authorities. Thus, different route recommendations not only lead to uncertainty of road users, but ultimately to a reduction in the effectiveness of the public traffic management strategies. A direct information exchange between both systems does not yet exist. This however would be a key to more efficient traffic management.City2Navigation therefore developed a technical concept for a nationwide implementation of a digital data exchange service (C2N service) to link public traffic management with routing services of private vendors. This service fills the gap between both group of actors, thereby serving as a crucial building block for digital traffic management in response to the goals of European and national frameworks for Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS).The C2N service not only promotes the cooperation of public authorities with private routing services, it also offers a variety of opportunities to develop new business models. It is a complement to C2C and C2X communication solutions in road transport, ultimately also enabling future possibilities for municipalities to conduct efficient and sustainable traffic management.
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Kozma, Bence, Attila Majoros, Ákos Pytel, Róbert Póka, and Péter Takács. "A percutan nervus tibialis stimuláció szerepe egyes kismedencei kórképek kezelésében." Orvosi Hetilap 159, no. 43 (October 2018): 1735–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1556/650.2018.31228.
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Abstract: Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is a minimally invasive, safe and well-tolerated neuromodulation technique for the lower urinary tract dysfunctions. PTNS delivers neuromodulation to the pelvic floor through the S2–4 junction of the sacral nerve plexus via the route of the posterior tibial nerve. Using the fine needle electrode insertion above the ankle, the tibial nerve is accessed, which connected to the stimulator. To date despite of its excessive clinical use, PTNS mechanism of action still remains unclear. The technique seems to be an efficacious and safe treatment for overactive bladder syndrome (OAB). It could be recommended according to the Urinary Incontinence Guideline of the European Association of Urology in women who did not have adequate improvement or could not tolerate anti-muscarinic therapy. The success rate is comparable to sacral nerve stimulation in OAB patients. PTNS has been used for fecal incontinence since 2003, however, many of the published studies are of poor quality. PTNS has also been shown to have positive effects on chronic pelvic pain, when the usual therapeutic steps did not result in satisfactory improvement. No major complications are reported in the literature, following PTNS treatment. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(43): 1735–1740.
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Ghiani, Gianpaolo, Tommaso Adamo, Pierpaolo Greco, and Emanuela Guerriero. "Lifting the Performance of a Heuristic for the Time-Dependent Travelling Salesman Problem through Machine Learning." Algorithms 13, no. 12 (December 14, 2020): 340. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/a13120340.
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In recent years, there have been several attempts to use machine learning techniques to improve the performance of exact and approximate optimization algorithms. Along this line of research, the present paper shows how supervised and unsupervised techniques can be used to improve the quality of the solutions generated by a heuristic for the Time-Dependent Travelling Salesman Problem with no increased computing time. This can be useful in a real-time setting where a speed update (or the arrival of a new customer request) may lead to the reoptimization of the planned route. The main contribution of this work is to show how to reuse the information gained in those settings in which instances with similar features have to be solved over and over again, as it is customary in distribution management. We use a method based on the nearest neighbor procedure (supervised learning) and the K-means algorithm with the Euclidean distance (unsupervised learning). In order to show the effectiveness of this approach, the computational experiments have been carried out for the dataset generated based on the real travel time functions of two European cities: Paris and London. The overall average improvement of our heuristic over the classical nearest neighbor procedure is about 5% for London, and about 4% for Paris.
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Joiris, Claude R., Karin Boos, Diederik D’Hert, and Dominik A. Nachtsheim. "Low Density of Top Predators (Seabirds and Marine Mammals) in the High Arctic Pack Ice." Scientifica 2016 (2016): 1–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1982534.
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The at-sea distribution of top predators, seabirds and marine mammals, was determined in the high Arctic pack ice on board the icebreaker RVPolarsternin July to September 2014. In total, 1,620 transect counts were realised, lasting 30 min each. The five most numerous seabird species represented 74% of the total of 15,150 individuals registered: kittiwakeRissa tridactyla, fulmarFulmarus glacialis, puffinFratercula arctica, Ross’s gullRhodostethia rosea, and little aukAlle alle. Eight cetacean species were tallied for a total of 330 individuals, mainly white-beaked dolphinLagenorhynchus albirostrisand fin whaleBalaenoptera physalus. Five pinniped species were represented by a total of 55 individuals and the polar bearUrsus maritimuswas represented by 12 individuals. Four main geographical zones were identified: from Tromsø to the outer marginal ice zone (OMIZ), the Arctic pack ice (close pack ice, CPI), the end of Lomonosov Ridge off Siberia, and the route off Siberia and northern Norway. Important differences were detected between zones, both in species composition and in individual abundance. Low numbers of species and high proportion of individuals for some of them can be considered to reflect very low biodiversity. Numbers encountered in zones 2 to 4 were very low in comparison with other European Arctic seas. The observed differences showed strong patterns.
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Silva, Flávio Castro da, Juan Fernando Herrera Guardiola, Luciana Pinto Teixeira, Ana Caroline Lopes Maria, Luan Alves de Souza, and André Luiz Belém. "Optimization of palm oil biodiesel production using response surface methodology." Revista Brasileira de Ciências Ambientais (Online) 56, no. 2 (2021): 274–85. http://dx.doi.org/10.5327/z21769478825.
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The purpose of this paper was to analyze palm oil biodiesel production under different conditions and to verify the relationships between production variables in order to optimize biofuel production using response surface methodology (RSM). Biodiesel was produced through transesterification process by methyl route and alkali catalyst (NaOH) 1% (m/m). The analyzed variables were: four molar ratios (3:1, 4:1, 6:1 and 8:1); three temperature reactions (45°, 52° and 60°C); and three time reactions (40, 60 and 80 minutes). For the palm oil biodiesel production, the highest yield was 93%, obtained via a molar rate of 3:1, 52°C and 60 minutes. This result differs from previous studies that found a higher yield with molar ratio increases, implying greater expenses of methanol. Kinetic viscosity and specific mass were also analyzed, and the values are within the Brazilian, American, and European standards. The results showed that the most influent factor in biodiesel production was the molar rate. In relation to the biodiesel characterization, using the RMN H1 technique, it was possible to obtain the transesterification reaction yield of 79.50% for the 3:1 palm oil biodiesel. Through gas chromatography, it can be verified that the predominant fatty acids in the samples were palmitic and oleic acids.
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Smits, Mark, Thuy-My Le, Paco Welsing, Geert Houben, André Knulst, and Kitty Verhoeckx. "Legume Protein Consumption and the Prevalence of Legume Sensitization." Nutrients 10, no. 10 (October 19, 2018): 1545. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/nu10101545.
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Sensitization and allergy to legumes can be influenced by different factors, such as exposure, geographical background, and food processing. Sensitization and the allergic response to legumes differs considerably, however, the reason behind this is not yet fully understood. The aim of this study is to investigate if there is a correlation between legume protein consumption and the prevalence of legume sensitization. Furthermore, the association between sensitization to specific peanut allergens and their concentration in peanut is investigated. Legume sensitization data (peanut, soybean, lupin, lentil, and pea) from studies were analyzed in relation to consumption data obtained from national food consumption surveys using the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Global Environment Monitoring System (GEMS), and What We Eat in America—Food Commodity Intake Database (WWEIA-FCID) databases. Data were stratified for children <4 years, children 4–18 years, and adults. Sufficient data were available for peanut to allow for statistical analysis. Analysis of all age groups together resulted in a low correlation between peanut sensitization and relative peanut consumption (r = 0.407), absolute peanut consumption (r = 0.468), and percentage of peanut consumers (r = 0.243). No correlation was found between relative concentrations of Ara h 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 in peanut and sensitization to these peanut allergens. The results indicate that the amount of consumption only plays a minor role in the prevalence of sensitization to peanut. Other factors, such as the intrinsic properties of the different proteins, processing, matrix, frequency, timing and route of exposure, and patient factors might play a more substantial role in the prevalence of peanut sensitization.
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Shurulinkov, Peter, Girgina Daskalova, Nayden Chakarov, Krassimir Hristov, Silvia Dyulgerova, Yana Gocheva, Svilen Cheshmedzhiev, Minko Madzharov, and Ivailo Dimchev. "Characteristics of soaring birds' spring migration over inland SE Bulgaria." Acrocephalus 32, no. 148-149 (January 1, 2011): 29–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/v10100-011-0002-4.
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Characteristics of soaring birds' spring migration over inland SE Bulgaria We investigated the scale and characteristics of spring migration of soaring birds in Bourgas district, SE Bulgaria during three 5-day periods in March (27th-31st), April (20th-24th) and May (12th-16th) 2008. Simultaneous counts were carried out from six observation points in two separate areas (Karnobat and Sredets), located 24.5 km and 37.3 km inland from the Black Sea coast, respectively. In total, 31,049 soaring birds of at least 27 species were counted, by far the most numerous being the White Stork Ciconia ciconia (23,358 ind.), followed by the Lesser Spotted Eagle Aquila pomarina (3,112 ind.). In Karnobat area, situated farther from the Black Sea coast, the total number of soaring migrants (21,231) was more than two-fold higher than in Sredets area (9,818). Overall, there was a significant difference in flock size and flight altitude within separate area (i.e. among observation points) as well as between the two observation areas and the three 5-day periods. However, there was a substantial variance in factors significantly affecting the flock size and flight altitude among most numerous individual species. In general, birds passed at much higher altitude above Karnobat area (mean flight altitude 208.3 m ± 6.4) compared to Sredets area (mean flight altitude 130.5 m ± 4.4). In both observation areas, northern direction was the most commonly observed flight direction (46.3% of all recorded flight directions). The highest numbers of soaring migrants passed in the late afternoon, between 15.00 and 18.00 hrs - 11,554 individuals (43.0% of all birds counted). The study confirmed that the front of Western Black Sea migration route, or "Via Pontica" as part of the Mediterranean/Black Sea Flyway in SE Bulgaria, is rather wide, since the magnitude of inland migration in Bourgas district can be compared with that along the Black Sea coast, at least during spring migration. Both observation areas qualify as Important Bird Areas (IBA) of European importance according to the several BirdLife International criteria. We recommend that any new wind farms built should avoid the area of Hisar Hill south of Karnobat and the NW parts of Sredets Municipality.
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Wetterhall, Fredrik, and Francesca Di Giuseppe. "The benefit of seamless forecasts for hydrological predictions over Europe." Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 22, no. 6 (June 21, 2018): 3409–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3409-2018.
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Abstract. Two different systems provide long-range forecasts at ECMWF. On the sub-seasonal timescale, ECMWF issues an extended-range ensemble prediction system (ENS-ER) which runs a 46-day forecast integration issued twice weekly. On longer timescales, the current seasonal forecasting system (SYS4) produces a 7-month outlook starting from the first of each month. SYS4 uses an older model version and has lower spatial and temporal resolution than ENS-ER, which is issued with the current operational ensemble forecasting system. Given the substantial differences between the ENS-ER and the SYS4 configurations and the difficulties of creating a seamless integration, applications that rely on weather forcing as input such as the European Flood Awareness System (EFAS) often follow the route of the creation of two separate systems for different forecast horizons. This study evaluates the benefit of a seamless integration of the two systems for hydrological applications and shows that the seamless system outperforms SYS4 in terms of skill for the first 4 weeks, but both forecasts are biased. The benefit of the new seamless system when compared to the seasonal forecast can be attributed to (1) the use of a more recent model version in the sub-seasonal range (first 46 days) and (2) the much more frequent updates of the meteorological forecast.
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Rinder, Monika, Andreas Ackermann, Hermann Kempf, Bernd Kaspers, Rüdiger Korbel, and Peter Staeheli. "Broad Tissue and Cell Tropism of Avian Bornavirus in Parrots with Proventricular Dilatation Disease." Journal of Virology 83, no. 11 (March 18, 2009): 5401–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00133-09.
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ABSTRACT Avian bornaviruses (ABV), representing a new genus within the family Bornaviridae, were recently discovered in parrots from North America and Israel with proventricular dilatation disease (PDD). We show here that closely related viruses are also present in captive European parrots of various species with PDD. The six ABV strains that we identified in clinically diseased birds are new members of the previously defined ABV genotypes 2 and 4. Viruses of both genotypes readily established persistent, noncytolytic infections in quail and chicken cell lines but did not grow in cultured mammalian cells in which classical Borna disease virus strains replicate very efficiently. ABV antigens were present in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of infected cells, suggesting nuclear replication of ABV. The genome organization of avian and mammalian bornaviruses is highly conserved except that ABV lacks a distinct control element in the 5′ noncoding region of the bicistronic mRNA encoding the viral proteins X and P. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis demonstrated the presence of virus in many, if not all, organs of birds with PDD. Viral nucleic acid was also found in feces of diseased birds, suggesting virus transmission by the fecal-oronasal route. Immunohistochemical analysis of organs from birds with PDD revealed that infection with ABV is not restricted to cells of the nervous system. Thus, ABV exhibits a broad tissue and cell tropism that is strikingly different from classical Borna disease virus.
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Clark, Richard E., Ammar A. Basabrain, Gemma M. Austin, Alison K. Holcroft, Sandra Loaiza, Jane F. Apperley, Christopher Law, et al. "Validation of CIP2A as a Biomarker of Subsequent Disease Progression and Treatment Failure in Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia." Cancers 13, no. 9 (April 29, 2021): 2155. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers13092155.
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Background: It would be clinically useful to prospectively identify the risk of disease progression in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Overexpression of cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) (CIP2A) protein is an adverse prognostic indicator in many cancers. Methods: We examined CIP2A protein levels in diagnostic samples from the SPIRIT2 trial in 172 unselected patients, of whom 90 received imatinib and 82 dasatinib as first-line treatment. Results: High CIP2A levels correlated with inferior progression-free survival (p = 0.04) and with worse freedom from progression (p = 0.03), and these effects were confined to dasatinib recipients. High CIP2A levels were associated with a six-fold higher five-year treatment failure rate than low CIP2A levels (41% vs. 7.5%; p = 0.0002), in both imatinib (45% vs. 11%; p = 0.02) and dasatinib recipients (36% vs. 4%; p = 0.007). Imatinib recipients with low CIP2A levels had a greater risk of treatment failure (p = 0.0008). CIP2A levels were independent of Sokal, Hasford, EUTOS (EUropean Treatment and Outcome Study), or EUTOS long-term survival scores (ELTS) or the presence of major route cytogenetic abnormalities. No association was seen between CIP2A levels and time to molecular response or the levels of the CIP2A-related proteins PP2A, SET, SET binding protein 1 (SETBP1), or AKT. Conclusions: These data confirm that high diagnostic CIP2A levels correlate with subsequent disease progression and treatment failure. CIP2A is a simple diagnostic biomarker that may be useful in planning treatment strategies.
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Mesek, Inge, Georgi Nellis, Jana Lass, and Irja Lutsar. "MEDICATION USE IN NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS ACROSS EUROPE." Archives of Disease in Childhood 101, no. 1 (December 14, 2015): e1.3-e1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2015-310148.11.
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ObjectivesThis is the first Europe-wide study aiming to describe the medication use in Neonatal Intensive Care Units and to analyse the factors that might influence the prescription pattern.MethodsA pan-European one day point-prevalence study was conducted in 2012 where all of the prescriptions for hospitalised neonates were recorded. A trade name, manufacturer, active pharmaceutical ingredients (API), strength, galenic form and route of administration were registered.ResultsAltogether 2173 prescriptions were administered to 726 neonates from 21 countries, of whom 66% (477/726) were preterm, 12% (84/726) extremely preterm. There was inverse correlation between gestational age (GA) and median number of prescriptions per neonate (group median 2/IQR 1–4, extremely preterm 4/3–6, very preterm 3/2–5, late preterm 2/1–3, full-term 2/1–3). Median number of prescriptions per neonate was highest in the eastern region, among extremely preterm neonates (median=6.5/IQR 6–8.5). Highest prescription rate was for alimentary medicines (93/per 100 admissions), systemic antiinfectives (79/100) and medicines for blood (71/100). Antiinfectives were most frequently prescribed in the southern region (103/100). Multivitamins were most frequently used medications in most regions (western 74, southern 31, northern 31/100), except in eastern region (5/100). Most commonly prescribed API-s were multivitamins (32/100), caffeine (19/100), gentamicin (18/100), amino acids (18/100) and colecalciferol (15/100). Most frequently prescribed medications among extremely preterm neonates were caffeine (60/100), among very preterms multivitamins and caffeine (45 and 43/100), among late preterms multivitamins (44/100) and among full-terms phytomenadione (26/100) and gentamicin (24/100).ConclusionsOur study revealed the most commonly used medications in neonates. Higher prescription rate among preterm neonates calls for further analysis of the suitability and safety of medications for infants with lower GA.
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Rondonotti, Emanuele, Cristiano Spada, Samuel Adler, Andrea May, Edward Despott, Anastasios Koulaouzidis, Simon Panter, et al. "Small-bowel capsule endoscopy and device-assisted enteroscopy for diagnosis and treatment of small-bowel disorders: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Technical Review." Endoscopy 50, no. 04 (March 14, 2018): 423–46. http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/a-0576-0566.
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Main recommendations Small-bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) 1 ESGE recommends that prior to SBCE patients ingest a purgative (2 L of polyethylene glycol [PEG]) for better visualization.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence.However, the optimal timing for taking purgatives is yet to be established. 2 ESGE recommends that SBCE should be performed as an outpatient procedure if possible, since completion rates are higher in outpatients than in inpatients.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 3 ESGE recommends that patients with pacemakers can safely undergo SBCE without special precautions.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 4 ESGE suggests that SBCE can also be safely performed in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators and left ventricular assist devices.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. 5 ESGE recommends the acceptance of qualified nurses and trained technicians as prereaders of capsule endoscopy studies as their competency in identifying pathology is similar to that of medically qualified readers. The responsibility of establishing a diagnosis must however remain with the attending physician.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. 6 ESGE recommends observation in cases of asymptomatic capsule retention.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence.In cases where capsule retrieval is indicated, ESGE recommends the use of device-assisted enteroscopy as the method of choice.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. Device-assisted enteroscopy (DAE) 1 ESGE recommends performing diagnostic DAE as a day-case procedure in patients without significant underlying co-morbidities; in patients with co-morbidities and/or those undergoing a therapeutic procedure, an inpatient stay is recommended.Strong recommendation, low quality evidenceThe choice between different settings also depends on sedation protocols.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 2 ESGE suggests that conscious sedation, deep sedation, and general anesthesia are all acceptable alternatives: the choice between them should be governed by procedure complexity, clinical factors, and local organizational protocols.Weak recommendation, low quality evidence. 3 ESGE recommends that the findings of previous diagnostic investigations should guide the choice of insertion route.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence.If the location of the small-bowel lesion is unknown or uncertain, ESGE recommends that the antegrade route should be generally preferred.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.In the setting of massive overt bleeding, ESGE recommends an initial antegrade approach.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 4 ESGE recommends that, for balloon-assisted enteroscopy (i. e., single-balloon enteroscopy [SBE] and double-balloon enteroscopy [DBE]), small-bowel insertion depth should be estimated by counting net advancement of the enteroscope during the insertion phase, with confirmation of this estimate during withdrawal.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence.ESGE recommends that, for spiral enteroscopy, insertion depth should be estimated during withdrawal.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence. Since the calculated insertion depth is only a rough estimate, ESGE recommends placing a tattoo to mark the identified lesion and/or the deepest point of insertion.Strong recommendation, low quality evidence. 5 ESGE recommends that all endoscopic therapeutic procedures can be undertaken at the time of DAE.Strong recommendation, moderate quality evidence.Moreover, when therapeutic interventions are performed, additional specific safety measures are needed to prevent complications.Strong recommendation, high quality evidence.
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Clark, Richard E., Jane F. Apperley, Mhairi Copland, and Silvia Cicconi. "Additional chromosomal abnormalities at chronic myeloid leukemia diagnosis predict an increased risk of progression." Blood Advances 5, no. 4 (February 22, 2021): 1102–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/bloodadvances.2020003570.
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Abstract At diagnosis of chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), there are conflicting data as to whether additional cytogenetic abnormalities (ACAs) beyond a standard Philadelphia (Ph) translocation confer a higher risk of subsequent disease progression. In the United Kingdom SPIRIT2 trial comparing imatinib 400 mg daily with dasatinib 100 mg daily, diagnostic karyotypes were available in 763 of the 814 patients recruited. Of these, 27 had ACAs in either/both the original 4 major route group (trisomy 8 or 19, iso17q or a second Ph) or the 5 additional lesions recently described (trisomy 21, 3q26.2, monosomy 7/7q−, 11q23, and complex karyotypes), and their progression rate was significantly higher (22.2%) than in patients without one of these ACAs (2.2%; P < .001). Patients with ACAs had worse progression-free survival (PFS; hazard ratio [HR], 5.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.59-10.50; P < .001) and freedom from progression (FFP; HR, 12.66; 95% CI, 4.95-32.37; P < .001) compared with patients without ACAs. No association was seen between the Sokal or European Treatment and Outcome Study long-term survival (ELTS) scores and the presence of ACAs. Univariate analysis showed that higher Sokal and ELTS scores and the presence of ACAs were associated with poorer PFS, though only ACAs and high-risk ELTS scores were associated with poorer FFP. Multivariable models identified both the Sokal/ELTS score and ACAs as significant independent factors for PFS but only ELTS score and ACAs as significant independent factors for FFP. The data support the view that certain ACAs are predictive of disease progression independently of Sokal or ELTS scores.
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Ayele, Wuhib Y., Petra Svastova, Petr Roubal, Milan Bartos, and Ivo Pavlik. "Mycobacterium avium Subspecies paratuberculosis Cultured from Locally and Commercially Pasteurized Cow's Milk in the Czech Republic." Applied and Environmental Microbiology 71, no. 3 (March 2005): 1210–14. http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/aem.71.3.1210-1214.2005.
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ABSTRACT Between November 2002 and April 2003, 244 bottles and cartons of commercially pasteurized cow's milk were obtained at random from retail outlets throughout the Czech Republic. During the same period, samples of raw milk and of milk that was subsequently subjected to a minimum of 71.7°C for 15 s in a local pasteurization unit were also obtained from two dairy herds, designated herds A and B, with low and high levels, respectively, of subclinical Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection, and from one herd, herd C, without infection. Infection in individual cows in each herd was tested by fecal culturing. Milk samples were brought to the Veterinary Research Institute in Brno, Czech Republic, processed, inoculated onto Herrold's egg yolk slants, and incubated for 32 weeks. Colonies were characterized by morphology, Ziehl-Neelsen staining, mycobactin J dependency, and IS900 PCR results. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was cultured from 4 of 244 units (1.6%) of commercially pasteurized retail milk. M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was also cultured from 2 of 100 (2%) cartons of locally pasteurized milk derived from infected herds A and B and from 0 of 100 cartons of milk from uninfected herd C. Raw milk from 1 of 10 (10%) fecal culture-positive cows in herd A and from 13 of 66 (19.7%) fecal culture-positive cows in herd B was culture positive for M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. These findings confirm that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis is present in raw milk from subclinically infected dairy cows. The culture of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in the Czech Republic from retail milk that had been pasteurized locally or commercially to the required national and European Union standards is in agreement with similar research on milk destined for consumers in the United Kingdom and the United States and shows that humans are being exposed to this chronic enteric pathogen by this route.
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Takova, Katerina, Tsvetoslav Koynarski, George Minkov, Valentina Toneva, Eugenia Mardanova, Nikolai Ravin, Georgi L. Lukov, and Gergana Zahmanova. "Development and Optimization of an Enzyme Immunoassay to Detect Serum Antibodies against the Hepatitis E Virus in Pigs, Using Plant-Derived ORF2 Recombinant Protein." Vaccines 9, no. 9 (September 6, 2021): 991. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/vaccines9090991.
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Hepatitis E is an emerging global disease, mainly transmitted via the fecal–oral route in developing countries, and in a zoonotic manner in the developed world. Pigs and wild boar constitute the primary Hepatitis E virus (HEV) zoonotic reservoir. Consumption of undercooked animal meat or direct contact with infected animals is the most common source of HEV infection in European countries. The purpose of this study is to develop an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the detection of anti-hepatitis E virus IgG in pig serum, using plant-produced recombinant HEV-3 ORF2 as an antigenic coating protein, and also to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of this assay. A recombinant HEV-3 ORF2 110-610_6his capsid protein, transiently expressed by pEff vector in Nicotiana benthamiana plants was used to develop an in-house HEV EIA. The plant-derived HEV-3 ORF2 110-610_6his protein proved to be antigenically similar to the HEV ORF2 capsid protein and it can self-assemble into heterogeneous particulate structures. The optimal conditions for the in-house EIA (iEIA) were determined as follows: HEV-3 ORF2 110-610_6his antigen concentration (4 µg/mL), serum dilution (1:50), 3% BSA as a blocking agent, and secondary antibody dilution (1:20 000). The iEIA developed for this study showed a sensitivity of 97.1% (95% Cl: 89.9–99.65) and a specificity of 98.6% (95% Cl: 92.5–99.96) with a Youden index of 0.9571. A comparison between our iEIA and a commercial assay (PrioCHECK™ Porcine HEV Ab ELISA Kit, ThermoFisher Scientific, MA, USA) showed 97.8% agreement with a kappa index of 0.9399. The plant-based HEV-3 ORF2 iEIA assay was able to detect anti-HEV IgG in pig serum with a very good agreement compared to the commercially available kit.
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Hamidović, Azra, Jonas Raoul Etougbétché, Arétas Babatounde Nounnagnon Tonouhewa, Lokman Galal, Gauthier Dobigny, Gualbert Houémènou, Honoré Da Zoclanclounon, et al. "A hotspot of Toxoplasma gondii Africa 1 lineage in Benin: How new genotypes from West Africa contribute to understand the parasite genetic diversity worldwide." PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases 15, no. 2 (February 11, 2021): e0008980. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pntd.0008980.
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Through international trades, Europe, Africa and South America share a long history of exchanges, potentially of pathogens. We used the worldwide parasite Toxoplasma gondii to test the hypothesis of a historical influence on pathogen genetic diversity in Benin, a West African country with a longstanding sea trade history. In Africa, T. gondii spatial structure is still non-uniformly studied and very few articles have reported strain genetic diversity in fauna and clinical forms of human toxoplasmosis so far, even in African diaspora. Sera from 758 domestic animals (mainly poultry) in two coastal areas (Cotonou and Ouidah) and two inland areas (Parakou and Natitingou) were tested for T. gondii antibodies using a Modified Agglutination Test (MAT). The hearts and brains of 69 seropositive animals were collected for parasite isolation in a mouse bioassay. Forty-five strains were obtained and 39 genotypes could be described via 15-microsatellite genotyping, with a predominance of the autochthonous African lineage Africa 1 (36/39). The remaining genotypes were Africa 4 variant TUB2 (1/39) and two identical isolates (clone) of Type III (2/39). No difference in terms of genotype distribution between inland and coastal sampling sites was found. In particular, contrarily to what has been described in Senegal, no type II (mostly present in Europe) was isolated in poultry from coastal cities. This result seems to refute a possible role of European maritime trade in Benin despite it was one of the most important hubs during the slave trade period. However, the presence of the Africa 1 genotype in Brazil, predominant in Benin, and genetic analyses suggest that the triangular trade was a route for the intercontinental dissemination of genetic strains from Africa to South America. This supports the possibility of contamination in humans and animals with potentially imported virulent strains.
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Bruchajzer, Elżbieta, and Barbara Frydrych. "3,3'-Dimethylbenzidine and its salts – inhalable fraction. Documentation of proposed values of occupational exposure limits (OELs)." Podstawy i Metody Oceny Środowiska Pracy 34, no. 2(96) (June 20, 2018): 61–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0012.0759.
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3,3'-Dimethylbenzidine (3,3'-DMB, DMB, o-tolidine) is a solid used (as water-soluble dihydrochloride salt (dimethylbenzidine · 2HCl)) in the production of azopigments, polyurethane elastomers and plastics for coating. Small amounts are also used in diagnostic tests in laboratories. Occupational exposure to dimethylbenzydine occurs mainly during the production and use of pigments to dye textiles, plastics, paper and leather. In 2005–2014, dimethylbenzidine was used in Poland in 18–30 workplaces, where 135–280 people each year (mainly women) were exposed. No epidemiological data and information related to toxic effects of DMB in humans was found in the available literature. The LD50 value (median lethal dose) after single intragastric administration of 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine to rats was 404 mg/kg. After repeated exposure of laboratory animals, liver, kidney, thyroid injury and hematological changes were noted. In the Ames tests with metabolic activation, it was found that metabolites of 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine show stronger mutagenic action than the parent compound. 3,3'-DMB induced also chromosome aberrations and exchange of sister chromatids in in vitro tests. Although 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine is a derivative of carcinogenic benzidine, carcinogenic effects on humans have not been proven. However, research provides data about carcinogenic effect of 3,3'-DMB in animals. After subcutaneous administration of 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine and its dihydrochloride salt in drinking water, Zymbal's and mammary glands tumors, and cancers of uterus, skin, liver, hematopoietic system, small and large intestine were observed in rats. IARC classified 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine in the 2B group (a supposed carcinogenic agent for humans), whereas ACGIH – in the A3 group (proved carcinogenic effect on animals and unknown carcinogenic effect for humans). The European Union (according to the CLP classification) has listed 3,3'-DMB in the 1B category with the inscription "H350 – can cause cancer". The permissible concentrations for 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine have been established in some European countries only (Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland) as 0.03 mg/m3. The basis of the proposed maximum concentration value (MAC-TWA) for 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine and its salts was a risk assessment of cancer in male rats chronically exposed to 3,3'-dimethylbenzidine dihydrochloride in drinking water. Taking into account the cancer risk at the level of 10-4, a concentration of 0.03 mg/m3 for the MAC-TWA value was proposed. There are no basis to determine the short-term value (STEL) and biological limit values (BLV). It was also proposed to label the compound with "Carc 1B", which indicates that it is a carcinogen category 1B, and "skin" – the absorption of substances through the skin may be as important as an inhalation route.
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Kontarov, N. A., N. V. Yuminova, G. I. Alatortseva, L. N. Lukhverchik, Z. Sh Nurmatov, and I. V. Pogarskyia. "A mathematical model for developing hepatitis E virus infection in human population." Russian Journal of Infection and Immunity 9, no. 2 (July 12, 2019): 381–84. http://dx.doi.org/10.15789/2220-7619-2019-2-381-384.
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Hepatitis E is an acute viral infectious disease transmitted by fecal-oral route mainly through fecally contaminated drinking water, with cyclic outbreaks and frequent development of acute hepatic encephalopathy in pregnant women. Hepatitis E epidemic outbreaks occur in Central Asia, Africa and Latin America, whereasChina,India,Turkmenistan,Kazakhstan,Tajikistan,Uzbekistan,Kyrgyzstan,Bolivia,Mexico, andTaiwanrepresent endemic geographic regions. Hepatitis E in the structure of acute viral hepatitis morbidity during outbreaks ranges from 64.7% to 80%, whereas sporadic morbidity may be up to 10 to 18.8%. In contrast, percentage of hepatitis E in acute viral hepatitis varies from 0.5% to 12.6% in European countries and some territories of theRussian Federation. The latent active virus circulation was confirmed in various regions of theRussian Federation. All introduced cases were related to recent traveling to the regions with high incidence of hepatitis E, which course clinically did not differ from standard hepatitis E infection, but no cases of infection were recorded after exposure. Lack of contact transmission in this case was associated with low virus survival in environment. Patients with any clinical form including anicteric serve as a source of infection. An increased risk of hepatitis E infection is typical for livestock workers dealing with pigs, employe es of meat processing plants engaged in primary meat carcass processing and working at slaughterhouse. According to the World Health Organization, 20 million cases of hepatitis E virus infection are recorded annually, among which 3 million cases account for acute hepatitis E and related 70 000 lethal outcomes. Chronic liver disorders comprising up to 70% followed by death of pregnant women (40%) as well as acute liver and kidney failure reaching as low as 4% result in lethal outcome in hepatitis E patients. Creating a mathematical model for development of hepatitis E infection could allow to predict changes in its morbidity rate at controlled area. Here, for the first time we propose a mathematical model for developing hepatitis E in human population based on disease course, which may potentially predict an incidence rate for the most dangerous icteric hepatitis E as well as assess amount of individuals susceptible to it at morbidity rise in the geographic region.
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Sullivan, A. P., N. Hodas, B. J. Turpin, K. Skog, F. N. Keutsch, S. Gilardoni, M. Paglione, et al. "Evidence for ambient dark aqueous SOA formation in the Po Valley, Italy." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions 15, no. 24 (December 16, 2015): 35485–521. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acpd-15-35485-2015.
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Abstract. Laboratory experiments suggest that water-soluble products from the gas-phase oxidation of volatile organic compounds can partition into atmospheric waters where they are further oxidized to form low volatility products, providing an alternative route for oxidation in addition to further oxidation in the gas-phase. These products can remain in the particle phase after water evaporation forming what is termed as aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA). However, few studies have attempted to observe ambient aqSOA. Therefore, a suite of measurements, including near real-time WSOC (water-soluble organic carbon), inorganic anions/cations, organic acids, and gas-phase glyoxal, were made during the PEGASOS (Pan-European Gas-AeroSols-climate interaction Study) 2012 campaign in the Po Valley, Italy to search for evidence of aqSOA. Our analysis focused on two specific periods: Period A on 19–21 June and Period B on 3–5 July to represent the first and second halves of the study, respectively. The large scale circulation was predominately from the west in both periods. Plus back trajectory analysis suggested all sites sampled similar air masses during both periods allowing for comparison of Periods A and B. The data collected during both periods were divided into times of increasing relative humidity (RH) and decreasing RH with the aim of diminishing the influence of dilution and mixing on SOA concentrations and other measured variables. Evidence for local aqSOA formation was only observed during Period A. When this occurred, there was a correlation of WSOC with organic aerosol (R2 = 0.86), aerosol liquid water (R2 = 0.69), RH (R2 = 0.45), and aerosol nitrate (R2 = 0.71). Additionally, this was only observed during times of increasing RH, which coincided with dark conditions. Comparisons of WSOC with oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) factors determined from application of positive matrix factorization analysis on the aerosol mass spectrometer observations of the submicron non-refractory organic particle composition suggested that the WSOC in Periods A and B differed (Period A WSOC vs. OOA-2 R2 = 0.85 and OOA-4 R2 = 0.03 whereas Period B WSOC vs. OOA-2 R2 = 0.03 and OOA-4 R2 = 0.64). OOA-2 had a high O/C (oxygen/carbon) ratio of 0.77, providing evidence that aqueous processing was occurring during Period A. Key factors for local aqSOA production during Period A appear to include: air mass stagnation, which allows aqSOA precursors to accumulate in the region; the formation of substantial local particulate nitrate during the overnight hours, which enhances water uptake by the aerosol; and the presence of significant amounts of ammonia, which may contribute to ammonium nitrate formation and subsequent water uptake and/or play a more direct role in the aqSOA chemistry.
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Kalis, C. H. J., H. W. Barkema, J. W. Hesselink, C. van Maanen, and M. T. Collins. "Evaluation of Two Absorbed Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays and a Complement Fixation Test as Replacements for Fecal Culture in the Detection of Cows Shedding Mycobacterium Avium Subspecies Paratuberculosis." Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation 14, no. 3 (May 2002): 219–24. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/104063870201400305.
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Control of paratuberculosis in dairy herds is based on preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis ( Mptb) from cows to calves by management measures, supported by removal of cows excreting these bacteria by the fecal route ( Mptb shedders). Fecal culture is the most accurate test for identifying Mptb shedders, but this technique is expensive and takes up to 16 weeks for results to be available. Serologic tests are inexpensive, rapid, and easy to perform. Of serologic tests, the complement fixation test (CFT) and absorbed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) are the serologic tests used most frequently; the CFT is considered less accurate than the ELISA with respect to sensitivity and specificity. The commonly accepted absorbed ELISA is from the Australian Central Serum Laboratory. However, a European supplier has marketed a second ELISA that is supposed to be more sensitive in detecting Mptb shedders. These 2 absorbed ELISAs, designated ELISA-A and ELISA-B, and an in-house CFT were compared with data from 2 serum panels. The Mptb shedding panel consisted of sera from 198 culture-positive cows from 53 infected herds. The method used for culture of fecal samples was a modified Jørgensen method on individual samples. The Mptb shedder detection rate by the 3 serologic tests ranged from 29.8% to 39.4%. Detection rate for ELISA-A was lower than that for ELISA-B and CFT. For all 3 tests, detection rate was dependent on the level of Mptb shedding and the age of the animals. Detection rates increased as cattle age increased to 4 years. The specificity panel was initially composed of sera from 811 cows randomly selected from 41 herds without clinical paratuberculosis that were negative for Mptb based on whole-herd fecal culture. The modified Jørgensen method for culture was used on pooled fecal samples. Serologic test specificity ranged from 93.4% to 99.8%. The specificity of ELISA-A was higher than that of ELISA-B and CFT. Specificity of ELISA-B between herds was 75–100%. Specificity of CFT between herds was 62–100%. The low specificity of ELISA-B and CFT could not be explained by a higher sensitivity for Mptb-infected cows before onset of shedding, because in the 19 herds with 8 more subsequent negative whole-herd fecal cultures in the 4 years after sampling, specificity was not improved. The insufficient specificity of ELISA-B was not corrected sufficiently by heightening the cutoff value because Mptb shedder detection rate was lowered to 28.9%, equal to that of ELISA-A, and specificity only rose to 97%, much lower than that of ELISA-A. Taking into account the different test characteristics, serologic tests are a cost-effective alternative to fecal culture in high-prevalence herds. For certification programs, only ELISA-A is recommended because in a large number of nonsuspect herds specificity remained almost 100%.
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Sullivan, Amy P., Natasha Hodas, Barbara J. Turpin, Kate Skog, Frank N. Keutsch, Stefania Gilardoni, Marco Paglione, et al. "Evidence for ambient dark aqueous SOA formation in the Po Valley, Italy." Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics 16, no. 13 (July 4, 2016): 8095–108. http://dx.doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-8095-2016.
Full textAbstract:
Abstract. Laboratory experiments suggest that water-soluble products from the gas-phase oxidation of volatile organic compounds can partition into atmospheric waters where they are further oxidized to form low volatility products, providing an alternative route for oxidation in addition to further oxidation in the gas phase. These products can remain in the particle phase after water evaporation, forming what is termed as aqueous secondary organic aerosol (aqSOA). However, few studies have attempted to observe ambient aqSOA. Therefore, a suite of measurements, including near-real-time WSOC (water-soluble organic carbon), inorganic anions/cations, organic acids, and gas-phase glyoxal, were made during the PEGASOS (Pan-European Gas-AeroSOls-climate interaction Study) 2012 campaign in the Po Valley, Italy, to search for evidence of aqSOA. Our analysis focused on four periods: Period A on 19–21 June, Period B on 30 June and 1–2 July, Period C on 3–5 July, and Period D on 6–7 July to represent the first (Period A) and second (Periods B, C, and D) halves of the study. These periods were picked to cover varying levels of WSOC and aerosol liquid water. In addition, back trajectory analysis suggested all sites sampled similar air masses on a given day. The data collected during both periods were divided into times of increasing relative humidity (RH) and decreasing RH, with the aim of diminishing the influence of dilution and mixing on SOA concentrations and other measured variables. Evidence for local aqSOA formation was only observed during Period A. When this occurred, there was a correlation of WSOC with organic aerosol (R2 = 0.84), aerosol liquid water (R2 = 0.65), RH (R2 = 0.39), and aerosol nitrate (R2 = 0.66). Additionally, this was only observed during times of increasing RH, which coincided with dark conditions. Comparisons of WSOC with oxygenated organic aerosol (OOA) factors, determined from application of positive matrix factorization analysis on the aerosol mass spectrometer observations of the submicron non-refractory organic particle composition, suggested that the WSOC differed in the two halves of the study (Period A WSOC vs. OOA-2 R2 = 0.83 and OOA-4 R2 = 0.04, whereas Period C WSOC vs. OOA-2 R2 = 0.03 and OOA-4 R2 = 0.64). OOA-2 had a high O ∕ C (oxygen ∕ carbon) ratio of 0.77, providing evidence that aqueous processing was occurring during Period A. Key factors of local aqSOA production during Period A appear to include air mass stagnation, which allows aqSOA precursors to accumulate in the region; the formation of substantial local particulate nitrate during the overnight hours, which enhances water uptake by the aerosol; and the presence of significant amounts of ammonia, which may contribute to ammonium nitrate formation and subsequent water uptake and/or play a more direct role in the aqSOA chemistry.
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Borel-Derlon, Annie, Augusto B. Federici, Jenny Goudemand, Catherine Chatelanaz, Celine Henriet, and Françoise Bridey. "Clinical Use of a Von Willebrand Factor with a Low FVIII Content in Von Willebrand Disease Patients Undergoing Surgical Procedures or Deliveries: Results From 5 Prospective Multicenter Studies." Blood 118, no. 21 (November 18, 2011): 383. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood.v118.21.383.383.
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Abstract Abstract 383FN2 Introduction: Von Willebrand disease (VWD), the inherited bleeding disorder is related to a quantitative or functional defect of von Willebrand factor (VWF). As VWF serves as a carrier for factor VIII (FVIII) in plasma, some VWD types involve low FVIII binding and thus low FVIII levels. International consensus confirms that VWF:RCo is the main predictor in controlling bleeding from mucous membranes in VWD patients. On the other hand, it is recognized that FVIII is the main factor involved in surgical hemostasis. Conversely, high levels of FVIII may increase thrombogenic risk. Thus, the management of surgical procedures in all VWD types needs to be evaluated in terms of coadministration of exogenous FVIII. We report the efficacy and safety of a high purity plasma-derived, triple-secured, VWF concentrate with a low FVIII content (WILFACTIN/ WILLFACT) in preventive treatment of bleeding during surgical procedure and delivery in patients when desmopressin treatment alone is ineffective or contra-indicated. Methods: Five prospective multicenter studies including one post-marketing study were conducted between January 1999 and July 2009. Data from 4 completed prospective multicenter studies and data from one interim analysis were pooled and analyzed. The investigators were asked to assess efficacy according to the clinical response at time of hospital discharge. Results: One hundred and forty one patients (51 males, 90 females) with a mean age of 35 years (1–84) and body weight of 66 kg (10–120) underwent 215 procedures (206 surgeries and 9 deliveries by natural route). A total of 52 (37%) patients had basal FVIII:C levels <20% whereas 43 (30%) had >40%: 29 patients (21%) had type 1 VWD; 81 (57%), type 2; 27 (19%), type 3; and 4 (3%), unspecified. Dental procedures (54) represented a quarter of the procedures. Others were gyneco-obstetrical (45), orthopedic (37), digestive (35), general (28) and other location (16). As shown in Table 1, baseline FVIII levels were corrected before surgery if necessary, in 155/214* (72 %) of the procedures, either by capturing natural FVIII activity after a 12–24 h lag-time post VWF infusion (83 procedures) or by FVIII concentrate co-administered with WILFACTIN/ WILLFACT (72 procedures). The VWF concentrate was always administered alone after the procedure, due to enhanced stabilization of endogenous FVIII. For type 3, the median daily dose and mean number of infusions, including post-surgical prophylaxis, were 55 IU/kg and 6.0 respectively, while for type 1 and 2, the median daily dose was 47 and 53 IU/kg respectively and 4 infusions. Hemostatic efficacy was rated as excellent (114) or good (29) in 99% of evaluated procedures (n=144). Fifteen patients received packed red cells in addition to the concentrate. The overall tolerability was very good; neither VWF inhibitor nor thrombotic complications were reported. Conclusions: Based on prospective studies conducted in a large cohort of European patients (N=141), a VWF with a low FVIII content (WILFACTIN/WILLFACT) was shown to be effective and safe for the clinical management of patients with various types of VWD administered for surgical prophylaxis and delivery. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
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Vorkunova, O., A. Khotivrishvili, A. Tsvyk, and M. Shpakovskaya. "Sino-European Relations in Greater Eurasia." World Economy and International Relations 64, no. 12 (2020): 96–104. http://dx.doi.org/10.20542/0131-2227-2020-64-12-96-104.
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The article considers the phenomenon of European-Chinese cooperation in the context of the transformation of Eurasia as an international region. Particular attention is paid to the development of China’s relations with the countries of Eastern and Central Europe and the Western Balkans; the features of China’s interaction with the countries of Southern Europe are revealed. The paper provides an analysis of factors influencing the correlation and struggle between new trends in the process of the innovation space formation in Eurasia. The role of Europe and China in the development of new transit routes across and around Eurasia is being studied. Its features include a combination of land and sea routes. Europe and China are synergistic within financial, industrial, and e-commerce complementarities. The article investigates the role of Chinese trade and investment in Europe with a particular focus on intensity of the latter toward the industrial heart of Europe: Germany and the Visegrad 4 countries. It highlights the German–Central-Eastern European Manufacturing Core as one of the most competitive industrial bases of Sino-European cooperation. Deepening Sino-European ties across Eurasia, leveraged by new technologies, give the continent integrity in global geo-economic terms. The paper assesses the current evolution of EU – China relations, which expanded greatly in geographic terms and diversity. The article seeks to explain that the interaction between China and Europe has social, economic, and even political dimensions, with potentially long-term implications for the structure of world affairs. Europe and China are the largest entities in Eurasia and in the international system, apart from the United States. The authors conclude that Sino-European reunification is contributing to a new phase in the transformation of Eurasia and to its rising significance in global political and economic governance.
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Lāce, Baiba, Alvils Krams, Didzis Pilāns, and Astrīda Krūmiņa. "Alpha 1-atitrypsin deficiency: from genetic routes to bedside." Proceedings of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Section B. Natural, Exact, and Applied Sciences. 63, no. 3 (January 1, 2009): 81–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/v10046-009-0027-4.
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Alpha 1-atitrypsin deficiency: from genetic routes to bedside Alpha 1-antitrypsin (A1AT) deficiency is a one of the most common genetic disorders in Caucasians. It is characterised by low serum levels of A1AT and a high risk of pulmonary emphysema and liver disease at a young age. The disease is caused by mutations in the SERPINA1 gene, which belongs to a cluster of protease inhibitor genes, with the main protein function of reducing the activity of serine-type endopeptidases, like neutrophil elastase. The most common mutation is E342K (Z), which is frequently found in northern Europeans. This mutation most probably arose in southern Sweden; however, the highest frequency of the Z mutation reported so far is in western Latvia. A1AT deficiency is not a widely recognised clinical problem. Disease onset most probably occurs in early adulthood with non-specific symptoms, like dyspnoea and recurrent pulmonary events, and it is triggered by certain risk factors, like smoking and working in an unfavourable environment.
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Picker, Nils, Alexander T. Cohen, Anthony Maraveyas, Jan Beyer-Westendorf, Agnes Yuet Ying Lee, Lorenzo G. Mantovani, Yoriko De Sanctis, et al. "Patient Preferences Regarding Anticoagulation Therapy in Patients with Cancer Having a VTE Event - a Discrete Choice Experiment in the Cosimo Study." Blood 134, Supplement_1 (November 13, 2019): 2159. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood-2019-128095.
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Introduction: Current guidelines recommend low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) over Vitamin K Antagonists (VKA) or Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants (NOAC) for the treatment of cancer-associated venous thromboembolism (CAT), but also highlight that ultimately the choice of anticoagulant depends on patient-specific factors such as patient preferences, which is important for the acceptance of the treatment and, thus, for adherence and persistence. So far, little is known about the specific preferences of patients with CAT with respect to anticoagulation therapy. More specifically, the impact of dosing regimen, convenience and costs on patient preferences in CAT is poorly understood. Therefore, the objective of this discrete choice experiment (DCE) was to elucidate patient preferences regarding anticoagulation convenience attributes. Methods: Adult patients with active cancer who experienced a CAT event and for whom the decision was made to start a treatment with rivaroxaban after being treated with the standard of care anticoagulation (LMWH/VKA) for at least four weeks were included in a multinational, observational, single-arm study (COSIMO). As part of this study, a DCE was presented to the participants, who were asked to decide between complete hypothetical treatment options based on a combination of different attributes, regardless of efficacy or safety. The following attributes were preselected in a face-to-face discussion with three focus patients and in-depth interviews with four additional patients: route of administration (injection / tablet),frequency of intake (once / twice daily),need of regular controls of the International Normalized Ratio (INR) at least every 3-4 weeks (yes/no),interactions with food/alcohol (yes/no). Additionally, distance to treating physician (1 km vs. 20 km) was included as neutral comparator to express patients' overall utility in terms of a comprehensible unit. The relative importance of treatment attributes in terms of distances were calculated based on ratios between the utility estimates for each attribute. A fractional factorial design was generated resulting in nine hypothetical choice sets, supplemented by a test choice set to assess the consistency of a patient's responses. DCE data was collected by semi-structured telephone interviews, performed between week 4 and week 12 after enrollment of patients in the study and start of rivaroxaban. For each patient participating in the DCE interview, a written informed consent was obtained. Patient preferences were analyzed based on a conditional logit regression model. Results: Overall, 163 patients were included (Europe: 119; Canada: 41; Australia: 3), mean age 63.7 years, 49.1% were females and diagnosed with cancer for on average 22.4 months. Most patients in the COSIMO study changed to rivaroxaban from LMWH (> 95.0 %). The median time from diagnosis of index CAT event to conduct of DCE was 150 days (IQR 88-229). Patients strongly preferred oral administration compared to self-injections and drugs that can be taken irrespective of type of food or alcohol consumption (Figure 1). Furthermore, patients indicated slight preference for a shorter distance to the treating physician and a once daily dosing regimen compared to a twice-daily intake. The attribute "INR controls" showed no significant impact on the treatment decision. In order of patients' preference for their choice of treatment, the route of administration was by far the most important attribute for a patient's choice (73.8% of the overall decision), followed by food interactions (11.8%), the distance to treating physician (7.2%) and the intake frequency (6.5%). Accordingly, the expected utility of patients receiving an oral anticoagulation can be expressed as willingness to travel an additional distance of 192 km to the treating physician in order to avoid an injection. Conclusions Treatment related decision-making of patients with CAT, assuming equal effectiveness and safety of treatments, is predominantly driven by "route of administration", indicating a strong preference for oral intake. Disclosures Picker: Ingress-Health: Employment. Cohen:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; ACI Clinical: Consultancy; GLG: Consultancy; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Daiichi-Sankyo: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; CSL Behring: Consultancy; Boston Scientific: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; Boehringer-Ingelheim: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Aspen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Guidepoint Global: Consultancy; Johnson and Johnson: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Leo Pharma: Consultancy; Medscape: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; McKinsey: Consultancy; Navigant: Consultancy; ONO: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sanofi: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Pfizer: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Portola: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy; Temasek Capital: Consultancy; TRN: Consultancy; UK Government Health Select Committee: Other: advised the UK Government Health Select Committee, the all-party working group on thrombosis, the Department of Health, and the NHS, on the prevention of VTE; Lifeblood: Other: advisor to Lifeblood: the thrombosis charity and is the founder of the European educational charity the Coalition to Prevent Venous Thromboembolism. Maraveyas:Bayer AG: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bristol-Myers Squibb: Honoraria; Pfizer: Honoraria. Beyer-Westendorf:Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer HealthCare: Honoraria, Research Funding; Boehringer Ingelheim: Honoraria, Research Funding; Daiichi Sankyo: Honoraria, Research Funding. Lee:Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy, Honoraria; LEO Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pfizer: Consultancy, Honoraria. Mantovani:Fondazione Charta: Consultancy; Bayer AG: Honoraria; Boehringer Ingelheim: Honoraria, Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria; Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding. De Sanctis:Bayer US LLC: Employment, Equity Ownership. Abdelgawwad:Bayer AG: Employment. Fatoba:Bayer AG: Employment. Bach:Bayer AG: Employment. Wilke:Astra Zeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novo Nordisk: Consultancy, Honoraria; Pharmerit: Consultancy, Honoraria; Bayer AG: Consultancy, Honoraria; LEO Pharma: Consultancy, Honoraria; GlaxoSmithKline: Consultancy, Honoraria; Merck: Consultancy, Honoraria; Boehringer Ingelheim: Consultancy, Honoraria.
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Kaveshnikov, N. Y. "DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXTERNAL ENERGY POLICY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION." MGIMO Review of International Relations, no. 4(31) (August 28, 2013): 82–91. http://dx.doi.org/10.24833/2071-8160-2013-4-31-82-91.
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The article analyses development of external energy policy of the European Union (EU). In spite of the Lisbon treaty didn’t substantially expend EU powers in external energy policy, European Commission (EC) became more active in recent years. Decision on exchange of information about bilateral energy agreements between Member States (MSs) and third countries may deprive producers of opportunity to differentiate terms of infrastructure projects and energy supply in different MSs. European Commission participation in MSs negotiations with third countries as a guardian of energy market provisions will inevitably increase negotiation power of MSs. Nevertheless, only smooth and modest extension of powers of the EC would be possible because of opposition of numerous countries which makes a search of consensus very difficult. Among priority activities of the EU external energy policy one could identify ‘export’ of energy market provisions in neighbor countries; diversification of suppliers and prioritization of politically selected supply routes; dramatic increase of regulatory activity at EU level. All these activities are partially successful, but they all have some shortages. Several EU legislative and regulatory measures risk to run counter to existing obligations of MSs.
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Pakulska, Daria, and Sławomir Czerczak. "Chloroethene. Documentation of proposed values of occupational exposure limits (OELs)." Podstawy i Metody Oceny Środowiska Pracy 35, no. 3(97) (September 30, 2018): 19–69. http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0012.4766.
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Chloroethene (vinyl chloride) does not occur naturally in nature. It is obtained exclusively by chemical synthesis. It is a gas under normal pressure and temperature conditions. At 40-70 °C, it polymerizes to form polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It is a large-volume compound. Its annual global production exceeds 40 million t / year. About 98% of the total production is used to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and copolymers. Chloroethene is also used in the synthesis of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (methyl chloroform) Exposure to chloroethene occurs during its synthesis and polymerization as well as during plastification and processing of polymers and copolymers that take place in many industries, including plastics, footwear, rubber and pharmaceutical industries. The main route of occupational exposure to chloroethene is inhalation. After cessation of exposure, the levels of chloroethene in blood fall sharply. Absorption of the compound through the respiratory tract is very rapid. Deposition of chloroethene in the body is limited due to its rapid metabolism and excretion. The largest amount of absorbed chloroethene accumulates in the liver, where it undergoes biotransformation. The intermediate products of chloroethene metabolism, chloroethylene oxide and 2-chloroacetaldehyde, are the most reactive metabolites of this compound. The detoxification process takes place in the liver and relies on their conjugation with glutathione. As a result of further metabolism, final metabolites are formed which are excreted mainly with urine. In low concentrations, this is the main route of excretion. With the increase in the exposure concentration, the amount of chloroethene excreted by the lungs in the unchanged form increases. Chloroethene has a very low acute toxicity, which has been found in both volunteer and animal studies. In volunteers as a result of acute inhalation exposure to high concentrations, only neurological and psychiatric disorders were observed. In animal studies, depressive effects on the central nervous system were observed, and histopathological examination revealed damage of liver, lung, kidney, heart and blood clotting disorders. In workers chronically exposed to high concentrations of chloroethene, a syndrome of vinyl chloride disease was found, which includes symptoms of Raynaud's syndrome (pain, numbness and tingling in the upper and lower limbs, cold feeling in the limbs), pseudoscleroderma, acroosteolysis, allergic dermatitis, peripheral polyneuropathy, neurological disorders, as well as hepatotoxic effects. In animal studies chronically exposed by inhalation to chloroethene, the hepatotoxic effect of the compound is well documented. This effect has been found at a relatively low concentration of 26 mg / m3 (10 ppm). In addition, there is evidence that chloroethene affects the vascular and respiratory system. The effects of the compound on bones, kidneys, spleen, blood and animal skin are less well documented. Chloroethene has mutagenic / genotoxic properties, as observed in in vitro tests both with and without metabolic activation, and in in vivo tests. In in vitro tests on bacterial strains, the activity of chloroethene was much stronger with the participation of an exogenous metabolic system. Epidemiological studies in workers exposed to chloroethene showed an increased incidence of chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges, micronuclei in lymphocytes and DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes. The highest frequency of genotoxic effects was observed among operators of polymerization reactors subject to periodic exposure to very high concentrations of chloroethene. Chloroetene has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, IARC (Group 1) and the European Union (Category 1A). It was concluded that there was sufficient evidence of a carcinogenic effect of chloroethene in humans and sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. Carcinogenic effect of chloroethene has a genotoxic basis and results from the formation of reactive metabolites, mainly chloroethylene oxide and 2-chloroacetaldehyde, which reacting with DNA act mutagenically on somatic cells, mainly endothelial cells and thus play a significant role in the etiology of angiosarcoma. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated a significant causal link between exposure to chloroethene and the incidence of hepatic cancers: angiosarcoma of the liver (ASL) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Epidemiological studies have shown a correlation between the number of deaths from liver tumors and the duration and magnitude of exposure and the length of latency, which in the case of ASL ranges from 10 to> 30 years. Carcinogenic effects of chloroethene on the lungs, brain, lymphatic and circulatory systems, skin and digestive system (cancers other than liver cancer) are less documented and ambiguous. There are reports of the effect of chloroethene on the reproductive functions of women and men and the defects of their offspring. Existing data do not provide unambiguous evidence of teratogenicity and reproductive effects in the case of occupational exposure. In animal studies, chloroethene affected fertility and prenatal development of rats at high concentrations, with a NOAEL of 2860 mg / m3 (1100 ppm). Available data indicate that the target organ of chloroethene toxicity in chronic exposure in humans is the liver, and the critical effect of exposure is the development of liver tumors. In epidemiological studies, the effect of occupational cumulative exposure dose (CED) on the development of angiosarcoma of the liver (ASL) is best documented. The SCOEL Scientific Committee using PBPK models estimated the risk of ASLs at 3 • 10-4 as a result of 40 years of occupational exposure to chloroethene in a concentration of 2.6 mg / m3 (1 ppm). Taking into account the above calculations, as well as the accepted level of occupational risk for carcinogens in the range from 10-4 to 10-3, the TWA of chloroethene at the level of 2.6 mg / m3 (1 ppm) has been proposed. This means an increase in the incidence of 3 liver cancers (ASL) per 10,000 people. There is no substantive basis to determine a short-term exposure limit (STEL) and acceptable concentration in biological material (DSB). It is proposed to label the compound as "Carc. 1A "- carcinogen category 1A. The proposed value is in line with the value adopted by ACGIH and in Canada and the binding value proposed by SCOEL for this compound, as well as the binding value included in Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council (EU) 2017/2398 of 12 December 2017 amending Directive 2004/37 / EC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens or mutagens at work.
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Koval, L. V., L. M. Horshkova, L. O. Kuzmenko, O. M. Mehem, L. V. Burchak, and A. S. Polyakova. "Sozological peculiarities of the flora of the Desna Plateau (Ukraine)." Biosystems Diversity 26, no. 1 (February 9, 2018): 34–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.15421/011806.
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According to the goals and objectives of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation for 2011–2020 studying and monitoring the rare component of regional floras is highly relevant. This article presents the results of a nature conservation study of the flora of the Desna Plateau (Кrolevets’ and Hlukhiv geobotanic region), situated in the northeast part of Ukraine at the border line of two geomorphological regions (the Central Russian Upland and the Polesia-Dnipro lowland) and of two physical-geographical zones (Novhorod-Sivers`ke Polesia and the Sums`ky forest-steppe. In the orographic aspect, the territory is made up of the western spurs of the Central Russian Upland with the dissectioned forms of the relief. The studied area consists of about 4000 km2. Field route studies aimed at compiling floral lists, geobotanical description and herbarizing were conducted in the period 2002–2016. Separate sites of nature conservation interest were re-examined in different seasonal periods. The basis of the annotated summary of the rare species of vascular plant flora is made up by the materials of original research, as well as herbarium (KW) and literary reviews. The complex floristic analysis of the rare component of the regional flora was carried out in cameral conditions, which made it possible to identify the systematic, geographical, ecological, phytocenological and nature conservation structures of the rare species of vascular plant flora in the investigated area. According to the data received, the total number of species of vascular plants endangered by anthropogenic impact is composed of 85 species belonging to 32 families, 54 genera. Among the families, the following predominate: Orchidaceae (14 genera), Asteraceae, Ranunculaceae (8 genera in each), Iridaceae (5), Aspidiaceae, Cyperaceae (4 genera in each). Among the genera, the following predominate – Carex (4 species); Dryopteris, Orchis, Iris, Jurinea – 3 species in each. It was concluded that among the rare species there are plant species of different physical and geographical zones and this corresponds to the ecotone location of the region. Among species at the edge of their range, 14 are on the extreme northern border of their typical range (Linum flavum L., Carex rhizina Blytt ex Lindb., Centaurea ruthenica Lam., Trinia multicaulis Schishk, Aster amellus L., Galatella linosyris (L.) Rchb. f., Stipa tirsa Steven), 7 species are found on the southern border of their range (Cypripedium calceolus L., Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum L., Parnassia palustris L., Lycopodium annotinum L., 4 species (Anemone nemorosa L., Salix myrsinifolia Salisb., Galanthus nivalis L., Gladiolus imbricatus L. are found on the eastern border of their distribution. The nature conservation structure includes 4 species from the Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Dracocephalum ruyschiana L., Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill s.l., Salvinia natans L., Ostericum palustre (Bess) Bess); 3 species from the supplement to the CITES Convention (Adonis vernalis L., Cypripedium calceolus L., Orchis militaris L.), 27 species from the Red Book of Ukraine (Lilium martagon L., Allium ursinum L., Neottia nidus-avis (L.) Rich, Stipa pennata L.), 49 species from Sumy region rare species list (Clematis recta L., Pulsatilla patens (L.) Mill., Eremogone saxatilis (L.) Ikonn., Drosera rotundifolia L., Pedicularis kaufmannii Pinzg., Carex limosa L., C. umbrosa Host.). In addition, we suggest including into this list Sanquisorba officinalis L., Briza media L., Beckmania eruciformis (L.) Host., Melica nutans L., Coronilla varia L., Salvia nutans L., Scilla siberica Haw., Corydalis solida (L.) Clairv., Valeriana officinalis L., Vincetoxicum hirundinaria Medic., Menyanthes trifoliata L., Hesperis matronalis L., Naumburgia thyrsiflora (L.) Rchb., Thalictrum aquilegifolium L., T. minus L., Verbascum nigrum L., Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. It was found that among the rare species of the region mesophytes predominate and they are confined to meadow and forest habitats. To a lesser extent, xeromesophytes and xerophytes of meadow-steppe, as well as hygrophytes and hydrophytes of shoreline and water habitats are represented. The nature reserve fund of the region was analyzed according to the methodology of assessing the nature reserves by botanical value priority criteria. To optimize the region's nature reserve fund, a rationale for creating a landscape reserve of local significance “Zvenyhorods'ky” with a total area of 2,000 hectares was compiled, giving it the status of a regional biodiversity centre.
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Hansen, Vincent L., Morton Coleman, Stephanie Elkins, Jeffrey P. Letzer, Moshe Yair Levy, Lasika Seneviratne, Jessica Rine, Marina White, and Emil T. Kuriakose. "An Expanded Treatment Protocol of Panobinostat Plus Bortezomib and Dexamethasone in Patients with Previously Treated Myeloma." Blood 126, no. 23 (December 3, 2015): 3027. http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood.v126.23.3027.3027.
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Abstract Introduction: Panobinostat (PAN) is a potent pan-deacetylase inhibitor that targets multiple myeloma (MM) cells via its effects on epigenetics and protein metabolism. In the PANORAMA 1 phase 3 trial, the combination of PAN, bortezomib (BTZ), and dexamethasone (Dex; PAN-BTZ-Dex) significantly increased progression-free survival compared with placebo plus BTZ and Dex, leading to US Food and Drug Administration approval of the combination for the treatment of patients with MM who have received ≥ 2 prior regimens including BTZ and an immunomodulatory agent. The "PANobinostat EXpansion treatment protocol" (PANEX) study was developed to provide access to PAN and gather additional safety data on the PAN-BTZ-Dex combination until PAN became commercially available. Methods: PANEX is a multicenter, open-label, expanded treatment protocol study of PAN-BTZ-Dex in adult patients with MM relapsed and/or refractory to ≥ 1 prior line of therapy. During treatment phase (TP) 1 of the study, patients received oral PAN (20 mg; days 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, and 12) plus intravenous (IV) or subcutaneous (SC) BTZ (1.3 mg/m2; days 1, 4, 8, and 11) for eight 21-day cycles. Patients with at least stable disease proceeded to TP2, with maintained PAN and less frequent BTZ dosing (days 1 and 8) for an additional 8 cycles. In both phases, oral Dex (20 mg) was administered on the days of and after BTZ treatment. Reduction to once-weekly BTZ was allowed before TP2 as a dose reduction strategy. Response assessments were completed per modified European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation criteria. Results: A total of 39 patients, with a median age of 70 years (range, 44-88 years), were enrolled in the study. Patients were heavily pretreated, with a median of 3 prior lines of therapy (range, 1-12; 21% ≥ 7 prior therapies), with nearly half of the patients (48.7%) having progressed on their most recent therapy. Most patients received SC BTZ (87.2% [n = 34] vs 12.8% [n = 5] IV BTZ), with a median treatment duration of 9.4 weeks (range, 2-34). A total of 21 patients achieved a partial response, leading to an overall response rate of 53.8%; an additional 17.9% achieved a minimal response, for a clinical benefit rate (≥ minimal response) of 71.8%, with 25.6% having stable disease. Notably, no patients in the current trial had a best response of progressive disease. The most common grade 3/4 hematologic laboratory abnormalities were thrombocytopenia (53.8%), anemia (17.9%), and neutropenia (17.9%). The most common nonhematologic grade 3/4 treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were dehydration (28.2%), fatigue (28.2%), diarrhea (17.9%), asthenia (10.3%), and pneumonia (10.3%). Common gastrointestinal treatment-emergent AEs of any grade included diarrhea (48.7%), nausea (25.6%), and vomiting (12.8%), and nearly all cases of dehydration were associated with these gastrointestinal events. Interestingly, in the patients receiving SC BTZ (n = 34), the rate of grade 3/4 diarrhea was 11.8%, approximately half the rate seen with IV BTZ administration in the phase 3 PANORAMA 1 trial (25%). Common serious AEs included dehydration (15.4%), diarrhea (12.8%), and pneumonia (10.3%). AEs led to PAN, BTZ, and Dex dose reductions in 59.0%, 59.0%, and 46.2% of patients, respectively. Conclusions: Overall, the results from PANEX, albeit in an older population of patients with more advanced MM, support those generated in PANORAMA 1. In the subgroup of patients receiving SC BTZ, the rate of diarrhea, an AE of interest with PAN-BTZ-Dex therapy, appeared to be reduced when compared with PANORAMA 1 data with IV BTZ administration. Further clinical experience with the use of SC BTZ in this combination will help to determine the potential impact of route of BTZ administration on tolerability. Disclosures Elkins: Pharmacyclics/Janssen: Speakers Bureau; Onyx Pharmaceuticals: Speakers Bureau. Letzer:Pharmacyclics: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Johnson & Johnson: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Levy:Takeda: Consultancy. Seneviratne:Novartis: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Rine:Novartis: Employment. White:Novartis: Employment. Kuriakose:Novartis: Employment, Equity Ownership.