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Mosses as bioindicators of heavy metal air pollution in the lockdown period adopted to cope with the covid-19 pandemic
No full textThe coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has had a great negative impact on human health and economies all over the world. To prevent the spread of infection in many countries, including the Russian Federation, public life was restricted. To assess the impact of the taken actions on air quality in the Moscow region, in June 2020, mosses Pleurosium shreberi were collected at 19 sites considered as polluted in the territory of the region based on the results of the previous moss surveys. The content of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, and Pb in the moss samples was determined using atomic absorption spectrometry. The obtained values were compared with the data from the moss survey performed in June 2019 at the same sampling sites. Compared to 2019 data, the Cd content in moss samples decreased by 2–46%, while the iron content increased by 3–127%. The content of Cu, Ni, and Pb in mosses decreased at most sampling sites, except for the eastern part of the Moscow region, where a considerable number of engineering and metal processing plants operate. The stay-at-home order issued in the Moscow region resulted in a reduction of vehicle emissions affecting air quality, while the negative impact of the industrial sector remained at the level of 2019 or even increased. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
Energy War Strategies: The 21st Century Experience
No full textThe purpose of this study was to identify the potential initiators of energy wars and determine their boundaries of influence through the prism of energy dependency. The study also evaluated the impact of energy resources on the economic development of 48 countries. The development priorities of those countries were substantiated through establishing the linkage between energy intensity and indicators reflecting the impact of energy resources on economic development. The study offered an energy dependence matrix, which shows which market players can actively participate in energy wars. Using data from the matrix and integrative analysis of energy dependence indicators, the energy dependence forecast was made. The forecast presents optimistic, realistic, and pessimistic scenarios for the short-term (up to 2025) and long-term (up to 2030) impacts of energy wars. The study proposes a novel approach to assessing the impact of energy wars, which implies that the consequences of energy-induced conflict should be evaluated based on forecasted and threshold values. The major threat to the global energy market was found to be political instability in energy-rich countries. The proposed methodological approach is suitable for all groups of countries and allows preventing negative consequences of energy wars through minimizing the level of energy dependence. © 2020 by the authors
Impact of the spread of epidemics, pandemics and mass diseases on economic security of transport
No full textThe problem of the spread of the coronavirus epidemic is now being widely discussed not only in the media, but also in legislative and executive authorities, business and scientific circles around the world, including in Russia. The article provides a brief overview of the main epidemics that occurred in modern world history, their impact on the economy of individual countries and the world economy as a whole. The main attention is paid to the analysis of the impact degree of epidemics and pandemics on the transport sector of the economy. The specificity of the impact of the spread of mass diseases on the functioning of transport system and its' economic security is shown. Possible directions of organizational and legal support for the activities aimed at minimizing the consequences of the pandemic on the economic security of transport are substantiated. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2020
Vitamin D Status in Russian Children and Adolescents: Contribution of Genetic and Exogenous Factors
No full textBackground: The problem of vitamin D deficiency is particularly relevant for the entire territory of Russia, since most parts of the country are located above the 42nd geographical latitude and the residents are therefore at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Despite the urgency of the problem, a comprehensive study of the molecular and genetic mechanisms and exogenous factors of vitamin D deficiency in children living in various geographical areas of the Russian Federation has not been conducted. Different variants in the loci of the genes responsible for the synthesis, hydroxylation, and transport of vitamin D (such as DHCR7, CYP2R1, CYP24A1, and GC), as well as VDR gene polymorphisms may also be associated with the risk of vitamin D deficiency. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of exogenous factors on the blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in children of three regions of the Russian Federation, as well as the relationship of blood 25(OH)D levels with polymorphic variants of cytochrome P450 genes and VDR gene. Methods: We conducted blood 25(OH)D level analysis in 333 healthy children and adolescents in three regions located in different geographical zones of the Russian Federation. We studied the polymorphic variants c.1075A>C (I359L, rs1057910, CYP2C9*3) and c.430C>T (R144C, rs1799853, CYP2C9*2) in the CYP2C9 gene, c.1334T>C (M445T, rs4986910, CYP3A4*3), and CYP3A4*1B (c.-392C>T, rs2740574) in the CYP3A4 gene, 1846G>A, (rs3892097, CYP2D6*4) in the CYP2D6gene, TaqI (NM_000376.2: c.1056T>C; rs731236), FokI (NM_000376.2:c.2T>C; (rs2228570), and BsmI (NM_000376.2: c.1024+283G>A; rs1544410) in the VDR gene. We also analyzed the influence of exogenous factors on the level of 25(OH)D in children of the three study regions, as well as the relationship of the level of 25(OH)D with variants CYP2C9*2 (c.430C>T; R144C), CYP2C9*3 (c,1075A>C; I359L), CYP2D6*4 (1846G>A), CYP3A4*3 (c.1334T>C), and CYP3A4*1B (c.-392C>T) and rs731236, rs2228570 and rs1544410 in the VDR gene. Results: We found that the blood level of 25(OH)D depended on the geographical location and the number of sunny days per year. The average blood level of 25(OH)D in adolescent boys was statistically significantly lower than in girls of this age group. The level of 25(OH)D also significantly depended on the prophylactic dose of cholecalciferol administered to the subjects. In the study, it was shown that a dose of cholecalciferol ≥1,000 IU per day can achieve a normal level of 25(OH)D in healthy children. We found no statistically significant association between single-nucleotide polymorphic variants of cytochrome P450 genes (CYP2C9*3, CYP3A4*3, CYP2C9*2, CYP2D6*4, and CYP3A4*1B) and blood level of 25(OH)D in the subjects. We also did not find a relationship between the TaqI, FokI, and BsmI polymorphisms of the VDR gene and serum 25(OH)D concentration. Conclusion: Exogenous factors (time of year, place of residence, and prophylactic administration of cholecalciferol), as well as endogenous factors (age and sex), play a determining role in the development of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency; in contrast to genetic factors—polymorphic variants of the genes of xenobiotic phase 1 enzymes (CYP2C9, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4) and the VDR gene—which do not play such role. This study shows the need to create a diagnostic algorithm for Vitamin D deficiency based on the age, season of the year, and prophylactic dose of cholecalciferol. © Copyright © 2020 Kondratyeva, Zakharova, Ilenkova, Klimov, Petrova, Zodbinova, Zhekaite, Chikunov, Dolbnya, Voronkova, Sherman, Loshkova, Melyanovskaya, Budzinskiy, Kuryaninova and Kutsev
Crispr-cas systems: Prospects for use in medicine
No full textCRISPR-Cas systems, widespread in bacteria and archaea, are mainly responsible for adaptive cellular immunity against exogenous DNA (plasmid and phage). However, the latest research shows their involvement in other functions, such as gene expression regulation, DNA repair and virulence. In recent years, they have undergone intensive research as convenient tools for genomic editing, with Cas9 being the most commonly used nuclease. Gene editing may be of interest in biotechnology, medicine (treatment of inherited disorders, cancer, etc.), and in the development of model systems for various genetic diseases. The dCas9 system, based on a modified Cas9 devoid of nuclease activity, called CRISPRi, is widely used to control gene expression in bacteria for new drug biotargets validation and is also promising for therapy of genetic diseases. In addition to direct use for genomic editing in medicine, CRISPR-Cas can also be used in diagnostics, for microorganisms’ genotyping, controlling the spread of drug resistance, or even directly as “smart” antibiotics. This review focuses on the main applications of CRISPR-Cas in medicine, and challenges and perspectives of these approaches. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
University students' attitude to distance learning in situation of uncertainty
No full textThe article presents an analysis of using distance learning technology in university education in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the attitude of students to this format of education. The authors justify the urgency of the problem under study for modern education and update the basic requirements for education in the situation of growing uncertainty. The paper describe the methodological foundations and genesis of the development of distance learning, distinguishes the concepts of "distance education" and "distance learning". The authors determine the features of distance learning in modern conditions and highlight the main problems and contradictions that were provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic and the social isolation. The aim of this study is to evaluate emotional attitude of university students of the humanities and natural sciences to distance learning, implemented in the pandemic situation. The presented results of an empirical study reveal the pros and cons of distance learning, the active use of Internet resources by students in learning, and the willingness to rebuild in a changing environment. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2020
Subjective discomfort and personality traits of university teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic
No full textThe current threat of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the transition to distance (online) education in all educational institutions of the country, including universities. A sudden forced change in the form and structure of education has psychological consequences for all the participants in the educational process. The objective of the study presented was to examine the severity of anxiety, career maladjustment, stress levels, and coping strategies among university teachers during the transition to distance (online) education. The sample comprised 169 individual participants (95 women, 74 men) aged 25 to 70 years: 119 university teachers of the Rostov region (mean age = 45 years) and 40 sales specialists as the control group (mean age = 35 years). The study was conducted online from 04.24.2020 to 06.15.2020. The results indicate a general tendency to increasing stress levels and severity of career maladjustment. university teachers have a higher level of professional motivation and less often complain of feeling unwell and of a decrease in cognitive functions. Less adaptive in terms of stable personality parameters respondents are more likely to experience stress and more prone to manifest unmotivated anxiety. They demonstrate a higher level of career maladjustment and subjective discomfort when using the Internet. The preferred coping strategy is to openly complain about work or general negative feelings. Changes in the dynamic personality characteristics of university teachers during distance education are determined by their stable personality characteristics rather than by their age, which is often mentioned as the main factor for adaptation difficulties. © The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2020
Epidemiological and genetic characteristics of influenza virus and the effects of air pollution on laboratory-confirmed influenza cases in Hulunbuir, China, from 2010 to 2019
No full textObjective: A continuous survey on influenza was conducted in hulunbuir, China from January 2010 to may 2019to reveal the epidemiological, microbiologicaland air pollutantsassociated with laboratory-confirmedinfluenza(lci) cases.methods: Influenza-like illness (ili) and severe acute respiratory infection (sari) subjectswere enrolled fromasentinel hospital in hulunbuir during the study period forepidemiological and virologicalinvestigation. The association between air pollutantsand influenza-positivity rate was assessed by generalized additive model (gam).results: Of 4,667 specimens, 550 (11.8%) were tested positive for influenza.the influenza-positivity was highest in the age groups of 5-14 years, 50-69 years and ≥70 years. We found that the effect of particulate matter≤2.5 μm (pm2.5)concentrations on influenza-positivity rate was statistically significant, particularly on day lag-4 and lag-5. Genetic characterizations showed that (h1n1) pdm09 strains belonged to subclade 6b.1 and that influenza b isolates belonged to subclade 1a-3del,with significant substitutions in the ha(hemagglutinin)and na(neuraminidase)proteinscompared with those in the who-recommended vaccine strains.conclusions:elderly individuals and school-age children were at high risk for influenza infection. Pm2.5concentrations showed significant effects on influenza-positivity rate in hulunbuir,which could be considered in local influenza preventionstrategies. © 2020 Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved
Structural Factors Responsible for Universal Health Coverage in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Results From 118 Countries
No full textBackground: Demography, politics, economy, and governance appear to be the major structural factors for health and well-being. These factors have a significant role to play in achieving universal health coverage (UHC). The majority of previous studies did not highlight those factors. The aim of this study is to explore the basic structural factors (political stability, demography, gross national income, governance, and transparency) associated with a UHC index of low- and middle-income countries because for a long time there has be a stagnation achieving universal health coverage. Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional study applying multiple indices as variables. Low- and middle-income countries' selected indicators were the study variables. Data concerned the current political stability, sociodemographic status, gross national income (GNI), and governance status as independent variables and the UHC index of the countries as the dependent variable. Mean and standard deviations were used for the average values of the variables, a raw correlation was shown among variables and a hierarchical linear regression model was used for multi variate analysis. Results: Government health expenditure is 6% out of the total budget in upper middle countries (UMIC) and ~5% in lower middle countries (LMIC) and low-income countries (LIC), population below poverty line is more than 2-fold higher in LIC in comparison with high income countries, UHC index, and socio-demographic index (SDI) index is similar in LMIC and LIC and slightly higher in UMIC. There is a positive association between government health expenditure, governance index, stability index, the SDI index, and GNI per capita and a negative association between populations below poverty line with UHC index. According to our full regression analysis model, governance, stability, and SDI index were associated with a significantly increased UHC index by 0.33, 0.41, and 0.57 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: To achieve UHC, good governance, political stability, and demographic balance are prerequisites and addressing these factors would help to meet by 2030 across countries. © Copyright © 2020 Ranabhat, Jakovljevic, Dhimal and Kim
Unstructured biology of proteins from ubiquitin-proteasome system: Roles in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases
No full textThe 26S proteasome is a large (~2.5 MDa) protein complex consisting of at least 33 different subunits and many other components, which form the ubiquitin proteasomal system (UPS), an ATP-dependent protein degradation system in the cell. UPS serves as an essential component of the cellular protein surveillance machinery, and its dysfunction leads to cancer, neurodegenerative and immunological disorders. Importantly, the functions and regulations of proteins are governed by the combination of ordered regions, intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDPRs) and molecular recognition features (MoRFs). The structure–function relationships of UPS components have not been identified completely; therefore, in this study, we have carried out the functional intrinsic disorder and MoRF analysis for potential neurodegenerative disease and anti-cancer targets of this pathway. Our report represents the presence of significant intrinsic disorder and disorder-based binding regions in several UPS proteins, such as extraproteasomal polyubiquitin receptors (UBQLN1 and UBQLN2), proteasome-associated polyubiquitin receptors (ADRM1 and PSMD4), deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) (ATXN3 and USP14), and ubiquitinating enzymes (E2 (UBE2R2) and E3 (STUB1) enzyme). We believe this study will have implications for the conformation-specific roles of different regions of these proteins. This will lead to a better understanding of the molecular basis of UPS-associated diseases. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland