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Aim. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination of virus neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of patients with confirmed COVID-19 and risk factors for disease progression and severe disease course. Materials and methods. The study was carried out in the Sokolniki temporary hospital of the Inozemtsev City Clinical Hospital. A retrospective comparative case-control study included 400 patients hospitalized for confirmed COVID-19 infection from November 01, 2022 to March 31, 2023. Patients were divided into two groups depending on the treatment given: the first control group (n=200) and the second group (n=200), where patients received a single intramuscular injection of tixagevimab + cilgavimab within the first days of hospitalization. Results. When analyzing the concomitant pathology, C-reactive protein level and CT scans at the time of hospitalization, it was revealed that patients in the tixagevimab + cilgavimab treatment group were more severe compared to the control group. On the 2nd day of hospitalization, there was a decrease in the level of C-reactive protein in the control group by 36.2%, in the group receiving tixagevimab + cilgavimab by 45.2%; p0.05. Standard treatment was supplemented with antibacterial therapy in 47 (23.5%) patients of the first group and in 32 (16.0%) patients of the second group, which was due to the accession of bacterial infection; p0.05. Significant differences were found in the duration of hospitalization, which averaged 8.00.21 bed-days in group 1 and 6.40.13 (p0.05) bed-days in group 2. No adverse reactions to intramuscular injection of tixagevimab + cilgavimab were detected. Conclusion. The use of a combination of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in patients with COVID-19 reduce the average bed-day in hospitalization of patients with comorbid pathology and/or immunodeficiencies and high risk of progression of infection.

Lateral thinking, a key component of creative thinking, is crucial in problem-solving, scientific discovery, and everyday life. However, its assessment remains challenging due to its elusive nature. This study proposes and validates a novel verbal test to objectively measure lateral thinking. The test, consisting of triads of words with subtle associations, requires subjects to find commonalities between seemingly unrelated concepts. The study involves three groups: two student groups and one engineering group. Statistical analysis reveals that the test demonstrates validity, reliability, and representativeness. Notably, the probability distribution of the measured parameter shows low deviations from the normal law, suggesting that lateral thinking, like general intelligence, is a relatively universal personality trait. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of lateral thinking and provides a validated tool for its assessment, promoting creativity in education and various other fields.

IntroductionTo examine if perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness of hookah and cigarettes impact the age of initiation of hookah and cigarettes, respectively, among US youth. Youth (12-17 years old) users and never users of hookah and cigarettes during their first wave of PATH participation were analyzed by each tobacco product (TP) independently. The effect of perceptions of (i) harmfulness and (ii) addictiveness at the first wave of PATH participation on the age of initiation of ever use of hookah was estimated using interval-censoring Cox proportional hazards models.MethodsUsers and never users of hookah at their first wave of PATH participation were balanced by multiplying the sampling weight and the 100 balance repeated replicate weights with the inverse probability weight (IPW). The IPW was based on the probability of being a user in their first wave of PATH participation. A Fay’s factor of 0.3 was included for variance estimation. Crude hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are reported. A similar process was repeated for cigarettes.ResultsCompared to youth who perceived each TP as “a lot of harm”, youth who reported perceived “some harm” had younger ages of initiation of these tobacco products, HR: 2.53 (95% CI: 2.87-4.34) for hookah and HR: 2.35 (95% CI: 2.10-2.62) for cigarettes. Similarly, youth who perceived each TP as “no/little harm” had an earlier age of initiation of these TPs compared to those who perceived them as “a lot of harm”, with an HR: 2.23 (95% CI: 1.82, 2.71) for hookah and an HR: 1.85 (95% CI: 1.72, 1.98) for cigarettes. Compared to youth who reported each TP as “somewhat/very likely” as their perception of addictiveness, youth who reported “neither likely nor unlikely” and “very/somewhat unlikely” as their perception of addictiveness of hookah had an older age of initiation, with an HR: 0.75 (95% CI: 0.67-0.83) and an HR: 0.55 (95% CI: 0.47, 0.63) respectively.DiscussionPerceptions of the harmfulness and addictiveness of these tobacco products (TPs) should be addressed in education campaigns for youth to prevent early ages of initiation of cigarettes and hookah.

This study aims to determine the effect of feeding fodder obtained from diversified dry land farming on daily weight gain, chest girth, shoulder height, and body length of male fattening Bali cattle. This study used a double Latin square design (LSD) with 4 treatments, namely T0 = local feed of farmers in Timor (farmer model). T1 = Diversified farm feed (T1 + mulato grass), T2 = T1 + legume Clitoria tarnatea, T3 = T2 + horticulture by-product using 4 periods as replicates. The livestock observed were eight male Bali cattle aged eight months to one year and weighed 97-121 kg (average 108.5 kg). The results showed that the feeding fodder obtained from the diversified farming had a significant effect (P0.05) on the linear body size measurements (chest girth, shoulder height, and body length). Considering the economical and convenient features, T2 feed treatment provided a greater contribution of 21.74% compared to control.

This article serves as an introduction to a collection of selected papers presented at the ACNS Conference on Cloud and Immersive Technologies in Education (CITEd 2022), which took place in Kyiv, Ukraine, on December 21-22, 2022. The collection provides valuable insights into the latest advancements in cloud and immersive technologies in the field of education. The introductory text offers an overview of the conference events and provides concise summaries of the selected papers, offering a glimpse into the diverse topics and research areas covered. These selected papers reflect the cutting-edge research and innovative approaches showcased at CITEd 2022, making them a valuable resource for educators, researchers, and practitioners interested in exploring the potential of cloud and immersive technologies in education.

Aims To identify, visualize, and describe the prevalence of within-product patterns of tobacco use behaviors for e-cigarettes, cigarettes, and hookah (TP) by 3 age groups (ie, 12-14-year-old, 15-17-year-old, and 18-20-year-old) with U.S. nationally representative data. Methods In 2014-2015, never users of each (TP) and age group were followed-up longitudinally between 2015-2019 using five transition states: non-susceptible to (TP) use, susceptible to (TP) use, ever (TP) use, past 30-day (TP) use, and discontinued past 30-day (TP) use. Sankey diagrams were used to graphically visualize patterns in tobacco use behaviors across time. Results Among 12-14-year-old who were never users and susceptible to each TP from 2014-2017, 7% initiated ever e-cigarette use and 9.4% first reported past 30-day use by 2018-2019; 5.8% initiated ever cigarette use and 3% first reported past 30-day cigarette use by 2018-2019; and, 4.5% initiated ever hookah use and 1.0% first reported past 30-day hookah use by 2018-2019. Among 15-17-year-old who were never users and susceptible to each TP from 2014-2017, 4.2% initiated ever e-cigarette use and 9.0% first reported past 30-day use by 2018-2019; 4.5% initiated ever cigarette use and 3% first reported past 30-day cigarette use by 2018-2019; and, 4.5% initiated ever hookah use and 2.4% first reported past 30-day hookah use by 2018-2019. Among 18-20-year-old who were never users and susceptible to each TP from 2014-2017, 3.2% initiated ever e-cigarette use and 3.6% first reported past 30-day e-cigarette use by 2018-2019; 3.0% initiated ever cigarette use and 2.3% first reported past 30-day cigarette use; and, 2.8% initiated ever hookah use and 1.0% first reported past 30-day hookah use by 2018-2019. Conclusions From 2014 to 2019, onset and progression of e-cigarette, cigarette, and hookah use occurred more frequently in 12-14 and 15-17-year-old than in young adults 18-20-year-old.

Anna M Johnson,1 Christopher J Cunningham,2 Evan Arnold,3 Wayne D Rosamond,1 Jessica K Zègre-Hemsey4 1Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA; 3Institute for Transportation Research and Education, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA; 4School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USACorrespondence: Anna M JohnsonDepartment of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 123 W Franklin St, Suite 410, Chapel Hill, NC, 27516 USATel +704 929-0314Email anna.johnson@unc.eduAbstract: The use of unmanned aerial vehicles or “drones” has expanded in the last decade, as their technology has become more sophisticated, and costs have decreased. They are now used routinely in farming, environmental surveillance, public safety, commercial product delivery, recreation, and other applications. Health-related applications are only recently becoming more widely explored and accepted. The use of drone technology in emergency medicine is especially promising given the need for a rapid response to enhance patient outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to describe some of the main current and expanding applications of drone technology in emergency medicine and to describe challenges and future opportunities. Current applications being studied include delivery of defibrillators in response to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, blood and blood products in response to trauma, and rescue medications. Drones are also being studied and actively used in emergency response to search and rescue operations as well as disaster and mass casualty events. Current challenges to expanding their use in emergency medicine and emergency medical system (EMS) include regulation, safety, flying conditions, concerns about privacy, consent, and confidentiality, and details surrounding the development, operation, and maintenance of a medical drone network. Future research is needed to better understand end user perceptions and acceptance. Continued technical advances are needed to increase payload capacities, increase flying distances, and integrate drone networks into existing 9-1-1 and EMS systems. Drones are a promising technology for improving patient survival, outcomes, and quality of life, particularly for those in areas that are remote or that lack funds or infrastructure. Their cost savings compared with ground transportation alone, speed, and convenience make them particularly applicable in the field of emergency medicine. Research to date suggests that use of drones in emergency medicine is feasible, will be accepted by the public, is cost-effective, and has broad application.Keywords: drone, unmanned aerial vehicle, emergency medicine, emergency medical services

Introduction Youth perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness of e-cigarettes may impact the age that they initiate e-cigarette use, but this has not been investigated previously. Methods Youth (12-17 years old) never e-cigarette users at their first wave of PATH participation (waves 1-3, 2013-2016) were included. PATH questions on absolute perceptions of e-cigarette harmfulness and addictiveness were used as exposures. Interval-censored Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the impact of perceptions of harmfulness, and perceptions of addictiveness on (i) the age of initiation of e-cigarette use and (ii) age of first reporting past 30-day e-cigarette use, while controlling for covariates. Results Youth who perceive e-cigarettes as having no/little harm had increased risk of initiating both ever e-cigarette use (AHR = 2.04; 95%CI = 1.74-2.40) and past 30-day e-cigarette use (AHR = 2.64; 95%CI = 2.07-3.37) at earlier ages compared to youth who perceive e-cigarettes as having a lot of harm. Youth who perceive the likelihood of becoming addicted to e-cigarettes to be very/somewhat unlikely had increased risk of an earlier age of both ever (AHR = 1.28; 95%CI = 1.07-1.52) and past 30-day (AHR = 1.36; 95%CI = 1.04-1.79) e-cigarette initiation compared to youth who perceived the likelihood of becoming addicted to e-cigarettes to be somewhat/very likely. Conclusion These results highlight the importance of communicating to youth the potential for health harms and addiction from e-cigarette use in prevention and intervention campaigns, as those with the lowest perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness had the earliest ages of e-cigarette initiation.

BackgroundPerceptions of cigar products' harmfulness and addictiveness in youth are associated with subsequent cigar product initiation, but their association on the age of initiation of cigar product use is unknown.MethodsThe association of perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness at youth's first wave of PATH participation (waves 1 or 2 in years 2013–2015) on the age of initiation of (i) ever. (ii) past 30-day, and (iii) fairly regular use of any cigar products (cigarillos, filtered cigars, or traditional cigars) during the followed-up in PATH waves 2–4 (2014–2017) was estimated using weighted interval-censored Cox proportional hazards models. Also, the association of the interaction between perceptions of harmfulness and addictiveness and the age of initiation of any cigar use are reported. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported.ResultsAmong youth who had ever heard of cigar products, youth who perceived cigars to be “low-medium harmfulness and low-medium addictiveness” had 60% (HR: 1.60, 95%CI: 1.36–1.89) higher hazard risk to initiate ever cigar product use at an earlier age, and had 46% (HR:1.46, 95%CI: 1.14–1.86) higher hazard risk to initiate past 30-day cigar product use at younger ages than those who perceived cigars to be “high harmfulness and high addictiveness.” Moreover, youth who perceived cigars to be “low-medium harmfulness and high addictiveness” had 33% (HR: 1.33, 95%CI: 1.15–1.53) higher hazard risk to initiate ever cigar product use at younger ages than those who perceived cigars to be “high harmfulness and high addictiveness.” Youth who reported “high harmfulness and low-medium addictiveness” (HR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07–0.83) had 76% lower hazard risk to initiate fairly regular use of cigar products at younger ages compared to youth who reported “high harmfulness and high addictiveness.”ConclusionsPrevention and awareness campaigns should reinforce the unique potential for harm and addiction of cigar products to curb cigar product initiation among US youth.

The study proves relevance of specialized software use to solve problems of emergencies prevention of radioactive liquids spills to teach students and graduate students. Main assessment criteria of accidents at radiation-hazardous objects associated with radioactive liquids spillage is identified. A model of radioactive substances transport in emergency rooms is developed. It takes into account physical features of radioactive liquid spill from the source, air pollution during transition of radioactive liquid from the spill surface into the air and subsequent scattering in the emergency room under influence of local air flows. It is determined that the existing software tools for radiation exposure assessment do not comprehensively cover features of such events and possess number of shortcomings regarding accidents modeling with spillage of radioactive liquids indoors. Computer modeling and forecasting examples for hypothetical event related to liquid radioactive spill in the JRODOS system are presented. The training process of future specialists, specialties 183 “Environmental Protection Technologies”, 143 “Nuclear Energy”, 103 “Earth Sciences”, and 122 “Computer Science” should be based on application of powerful scientific and methodological training base using modern achievements in the field of digital technologies. It is advisable to supplement curricula for students` and postgraduate students’ preparation in the mentioned above specialties by studying issues related to: development of mathematical models and software for solving problems of emergencies prevention in case of radioactive liquids spills; usage of features of specialized decision software of emergencies prevention during spills of radioactive liquids.

Synergetics as a scientific area of research is in demand by society. The context of synergetics makes it possible for scientists of different specializations to interact fruitfully in the language of systematic understanding and search for new solutions. The presented work raises the question of how the theory of self-organization can help in the reformation of the higher education system, why this is relevant, and what can lead to the training of both teachers and students within the framework of an interdisciplinary approach. In the future, we will highlight the most important characteristics of complex systems and the simplest and at the same time conceptually simplest methods for analyzing complexity. As part of the complex systems modeling course, which will first be presented to students of physics and mathematics, and then, possibly, to students of other specialties, we present signals of seismic activity, gravitational waves and magnetic activity, and demonstrate how we can identify critical or crash phenomena in such systems. This kind of analysis can serve as a good basis for the formation of professional skills and universal competencies.

This is an introductory text to a collection of selected papers from the 9th Workshop on Cloud Technologies in Education (CTE 2021) which held in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, on the December 17, 2021. It consists of short introduction, papers' review and some observations about the event and its future.

SignificanceYoung adults, especially those who identify as racial/ethnic minorities, are legal targets of the tobacco industry. Cigarillo initiation is a risk among these vulnerable groups. Estimating the age of initiation of cigarillo use among young adults may inform the timing of prevention interventions.MethodsWeighted interval-censored survival analyses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) young adult (ages 18-24 at their first wave of adult participation) annual datasets were conducted (2013-2017). Young adult never cigarillo users (n = 7,101; represents N = 24,023,488) at their first wave of adult participation (2013-2016) were followed-up through 2014-2017 to estimate the age of initiation of ever, past 30-day and fairly regular cigarillo use outcomes. Differences by sex and by race/ethnicity, accounting for previous use of other tobacco products and marijuana and blunt use, were assessed using weighted interval-censored Cox proportional hazards models.ResultsAmong PATH young adults, by age 21, 5.8% initiated ever cigarillo use, 4.1% initiated past 30-day cigarillo use, and 1.4% initiated fairly regular cigarillo use. By age 26, 15% initiated ever cigarillo use, and 10.4% initiated past 30-day cigarillo use. Males had higher risk of initiating ever (AHR: 1.63, 95% CI: 1.37-1.95) and past 30-day cigarillo use (AHR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.32-2.06) at earlier ages than females. Non-Hispanic Blacks had higher risk of initiating ever (AHR: 2.81, 95% CI: 2.26-3.50), past 30-day (AHR: 4.88, 95% CI: 2.95-5.09) and fairly regular cigarillo use (AHR: 4.62, 95% CI: 2.70-7.93) at earlier ages than non-Hispanic Whites. Hispanics had higher risk of initiating past 30-day cigarillo use at earlier ages than non-Hispanic Whites (AHR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.12-2.03). Non-Hispanic Other race (i.e., Asian, multiracial, etc.) had lower risk of initiating ever (AHR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.28-0.65) and past 30-day cigarillo use (AHR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.26-0.63) at earlier ages than Non-Hispanic Whites.ConclusionAlong with those aged 21 and younger, interventions should target young adults over the age of 21, specifically males, non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic young adults, to stall initiation and progression of cigarillo use behaviors.

Introduction Initiation of tobacco products is increasing in young adulthood. This study prospectively estimated the age of onset of susceptibility to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookah, smokeless tobacco, and cigarillos among young adults, which is a cognitive precursor to initiation. Methods Secondary data analyses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study of US adults. Young adults (18-24 years) who were non-susceptible to each tobacco product (cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookah, smokeless tobacco, and cigarillos) at waves 2 or 3 were followed-up into waves 3-4 to prospectively estimate the age of onset of susceptibility to each tobacco product. Weighted interval-censored survival methods and interval-censored Cox regression models were implemented to estimate the age of onset of susceptibility, and to estimate differences in the hazard function by sex and by race/ethnicity, while controlling for the total number of other tobacco products ever used at their first wave of participation in PATH. Results By age 21, 16.5%, 16.0%, 12.6%, 12.4%, and 5.9% of young adults reported onset of susceptibility to hookah, e-cigarettes, cigarillos, cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco, respectively. Among young adults who were non-susceptible to each tobacco product at waves 2 or 3, the highest increase in onset of susceptibility occurred between ages 18 and 19 for cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and hookah, while the highest increase in onset of susceptibility occurs between ages 22 and 23 for cigarillos. Young adult males had increased risk of onset of susceptibility to cigarillos and smokeless tobacco at earlier ages than young adult females. Differences in onset of susceptibility to each tobacco product were also observed by race/ethnicity among young adults. Conclusions With the changing landscape of tobacco products, monitoring the age of onset of susceptibility of tobacco product use among non-susceptible young adults longitudinally is critical to prevent initiation. Communication and education campaigns tailored to address differences in susceptibility among young adults by tobacco product and sociodemographic factors will be useful.

Abstract Introduction Treatment guidelines recommend low-dose corticosteroids as short-term therapy among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. However, it may be difficult to wean/eliminate steroids once initiated. Initiation of more effective therapies such as biologics may help to taper corticosteroid use. The objective was to examine the impact of adalimumab (ADA) initiation on steroid utilization and non-drug medical costs among patients with RA. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted among adult RA patients initiating ADA as the initial biologic in the MarketScan Database (2012–2016). Study outcomes included whether oral/injectable steroids were used, daily dose, dosage categories (

Objective: The present study was focused on the characterization and in silico analysis of antibacterial compound derived from marine actinobacteria isolated from the sediments of salterns of Ongole, Andhra Pradesh, India. Methods: The sediment sample was serially diluted and marine actinobacteria were isolated in actinomycetes isolation agar. A total of 9 colonies were recovered and among them, 5 morphologically distinct isolates were selected for further processing. The antibacterial activity of these five isolates was tested against 4 clinical isolates collected from Narayani Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu. Results: The isolate SJP4 showed inhibitory activity against all the test pathogens viz., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus cereus. The structure of the compounds extracted from SJP4 was identified as 8-diaza-2,9-dibenzoyl-5,6-diphenyl-2,8-decadienedioic acid diethyl ester and [1,2,4]triazol-1-ylethanone through GCMS analysis. Molecular docking studies was done using Autodock software. These two compounds were docked into the binding site of DNA gyrase and found to have binding energy of −6.55(Kcal/mol) and −4.86(Kcal/mol) respectively. The potential actinobacteria isolate was identified as Nocardiopsis dassonvillei SJPB4 strain (Accession no. MG434671) using 16 s rRNA sequencing. Conclusion: We are concluding that as the compounds were successfully docked on to the active site of DNA gyrase. Keywords: Marine actinobacteria, Antibacterial activity, Molecular docking, DNA gyrase, PRX1

The ability to use large doses of vitamin D3 (D3) to chronically treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is prohibitive due to its calcemic effect which can damage vital organs. Cytochrome P450scc (CYP11A1) is able to convert D3 into the noncalcemic analog 20S-hydroxyvitamin D3 [20S(OH)D3]. We demonstrate that 20S(OH)D3 markedly suppresses clinical signs of arthritis and joint damage in a mouse model of RA. Furthermore, treatment with 20S(OH)D3 reduces lymphocyte subsets such as CD4+ T cells and CD19+ B cells leading to a significant reduction in inflammatory cytokines. The ratio of T reg cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells) to CD3+CD4+ T cells is increased while there is a decrease in critical complement-fixing anti-CII antibodies. Since pro-inflammatory cytokines and antibodies against type II collagen ordinarily lead to destruction of cartilage and bone, their decline explains why arthritis is attenuated by 20(OH) D3. These results provide a basis for further consideration of 20S(OH)D3 as a potential treatment for RA and other autoimmune disorders.

In order for the learning process to always retain personal value for the learner, it is necessary that his or her motivation be maintained through an awareness of his or her purpose and goals. This article presents a local model (at the individual object level) of enhancing external motivation, which give to determine students’ efforts to get rewards. The concept of this model based on describing the behavior of agents (in our case students). The characteristics of the phenomenon in the motivation of learning at different stages of adolescent development are analyzed. The problem of computer modeling of educational processes with the help of agent modeling on the example of studying student motivation is considered. Internal and external factors that may strengthen or weaken the adolescent’s motivation to study have been studied. The expediency of using information technologies of agent modeling to study the dynamics of strengthening or weakening student motivation is substantiated. Using the AnyLogic Cloud computing environment the change of dynamics of strengthening of motivation of teenagers on an example of model of strengthening of external motivation is defined.

The article presents and describes innovative technologies of training in the professional training of Masters. For high-quality training of students of technical specialties, it becomes necessary to rethink the purpose, results of studying and means of teaching professional disciplines in modern educational conditions. The experience of implementing the chatbot tool in teaching the discipline “Mathematical modeling of socio-economic systems” in the educational and professional program 124 System Analysis is described. The characteristics of the generalized structure of the chatbot information system for investment analysis are presented and given: input information, information processing system, output information, which creates a closed cycle (system) of direct and feedback interaction. The information processing system is represented by accounting and analytical data management blocks. The investment analysis chatbot will help masters of the specialty system analysis to manage the investment process efficiently based on making the right decisions, understanding investment analysis in the extensive structure of financial management and optimizing risks in these systems using a working mobile application. Also, the chatbot will allow you to systematically assess the disadvantages and advantages of investment projects or the direction of activity of a system analyst, while increasing interest in performing practical tasks. A set of software for developing a chatbot integrated into training is installed: Kotlin programming, a library for network interaction Retrofit, receiving and transmitting data, linking processes using the HTTP API. Based on the results of the study, it is noted that the impact of integrating a chatbot into the training of Masters ensures the development of their professional activities, which gives them the opportunity to be competent specialists and contributes to the organization of high-quality training.

The publication explores the features of the digital technologies’ usage to organize the work of the Young Scientists’ Councils and describes the best practices. The digital transformation of society and the quarantine restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have forced the use of various digital technologies for scientific communication, the organization of work for youth associations, and the training of students and Ph.D. students. An important role in increasing the prestige of scientific activity and encouraging talented young people to participate in scientific projects belongs to the Young Scientists’ Councils, which are created at scientific institutions and higher education institutions. It is determined that the peculiarities of the work of Young Scientists’ Councils are in providing conditions for further staff development of the institution in which they operate; contribution to the social, psychological and material support of young scientists and Ph.D. students; creating an environment for teamwork and collaborative partnership; development of leadership and organizational qualities; contribution to the development of digital competence. The advantages of using electronic social networks in higher education and research institutions are analyzed, namely: general popularity and free of charge; prompt exchange of messages and multimedia data; user-friendly interface; availability of event planning functions, sending invitations, setting reminders; support of synchronous and asynchronous communication between network participants; possibility of access from various devices; a powerful tool for organizing the learning process; possibility of organization and work of closed and open groups; advertising of various events, etc. Peculiarities of managing the activity of the Young Scientists’ Council with the use of digital technologies are determined. The Young Scientists’ Council is a social system, and therefore the management of this system refers to social management. The effectiveness of the digital technologies’ usage to manage the activities of the Young Scientists’ Council depends on the intensity and need for their use to implement organizational, presentation functions and to ensure constant communication. The areas to apply digital technologies for the work managing of Young Scientists’ Councils are sorted as the presentation of activity; distribution of various information for young scientists; conducting questionnaires, surveys; organization and holding of scientific mass events; managing of thematic workgroups, holding of work meetings. It is generalized and described the experience of electronic social networks usage for organizing and conducting of scientific mass events.

ObjectivesTo prospectively estimate the age of cigarette initiation among young adults (18-24 years old) who were never cigarette users at their first wave of adult study participation overall, by sex, and by race/ethnicity given recent increases in cigarette initiation occurring in young adulthood.MethodsSecondary analyses were conducted using the PATH restricted-use adult datasets among young adult never users of cigarettes in waves 1-3 (2013-2016) with outcomes followed-up in waves 2-4 (2014-2017). Interval censoring survival methods were used to estimate the age of initiation of (i) ever, (ii) past 30-day, and (iii) fairly regular cigarette use. Among never cigarette users when they first entered the adult study, interval censoring Cox proportional hazard models were used to explore differences in the estimated age of initiation of the three cigarette use outcomes by sex and by race/ethnicity, controlling for the effect of previous e-cigarette use and the total number of other tobacco products ever used (0-5 products) before cigarette initiation outcomes.ResultsAmong the young adults who were never cigarette users at their first wave of adult participation, the highest increase in cigarette initiation occurred between 18 and 19 years old. By age 21, 10.6% (95% CI: 9.5-11.7) initiated ever cigarette use, 7.7% (95% CI: 6.1-8.1) initiated past 30-day of cigarette use, and 1.9% (95% CI: 1.4-2.5) initiated fairly regular cigarette use. After controlling for other tobacco products: (a) males were 83% more likely to initiate past 30-day cigarette use at earlier ages than females; (b) Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Black young adults had increased risk to initiate past 30-day cigarette use at earlier ages than Non-Hispanic White young adults (62% and 34%, respectively).ConclusionsThe substantial amount of cigarette initiation among young adults reinforces the need for prevention strategies among this population. Although, interventions are needed for all young adult populations, strategies should target 18-21-year-olds, with potentially differential prevention targets by sex and by race/ethnicity.

ObjectiveTo prospectively estimate the age of initiation of ever, past 30-day, and fairly regular hookah use among young adults (ages 18-24) overall, by sex, by race/ethnicity, and to explore the association of prior use of other tobacco products with these hookah use behaviors.MethodsSecondary data analyses of the first four waves (2013-2017) of the PATH study, a nationally representative longitudinal cohort study of US young adults. Young adult never hookah users at the first wave of adult participation in PATH waves 1-3 (2013-2016) were followed-up into waves 2-4 (2014-2017) to estimate the age of initiation of three outcomes: (i) ever use, (ii) past 30-day use, and (iii) fairly regular hookah use. Weighted interval-censoring Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the differences in the estimated age of initiation by sex and by race/ethnicity while controlling for the total number of other tobacco products ever used at participants' first wave of PATH participation. In addition, to examine if prior use of other tobacco products was associated with the age of hookah initiation behaviors, six additional Cox models are reported for each hookah initiation behaviors.ResultsThe largest increase in hookah use occurred between ages 18 and 19: 5.8% for ever use and 2.7% for past 30-day hookah use. By age 21, 10.5%, 4.7% and 1.2% reported initiation of ever, past 30-day and fairly regular hookah use, respectively. There were statistically significance differences in the age of initiation of hookah use behaviors by race/ethnicity.ConclusionEducational interventions should target young adults before the age of 21, focusing efforts specifically on males, non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics, to stall initiation and progression of hookah use behaviors.

IntroductionThere is a lack of research prospectively estimating the age of e-cigarette initiation in U.S. young adults.MethodsSecondary analysis of PATH young adults across 2013-2017 (waves 1-4) were conducted. We prospectively estimated age of initiation of: ever, past 30-day, and fairly regular e-cigarette use using weighted interval-censoring survival analyses. Interval-censoring Cox proportional hazard models adjusting for sex, race/ethnicity, and previous use of six other tobacco products (cigarettes, traditional cigars, filtered cigars, cigarillos, hookah, and smokeless tobacco) were fitted for each of the three e-cigarette initiation outcomes.ResultsAmong never e-cigarette users, by age 21, 16.8% reported ever use, 7.2% reported past 30-day use, and 2.3% reported fairly regular e-cigarette use. Males had increased risk of initiating ever, past 30-day, and fairly regular e-cigarette use at earlier ages compared to females. Hispanic young adults had increased risk of initiating ever and past 30-day e-cigarette use at earlier ages compared to Non-Hispanic White young adults. Previous use of other tobacco products before e-cigarette initiation increased the risk of an earlier age of e-cigarette initiation.ConclusionPrevention and education campaigns should focus on young adults in order to alleviate the public health burden of initiating e-cigarette use at earlier ages.

The article is devoted to the formation of digital competence of pedagogical university students. The scientific analysis of the essence of the “digital competence” concept is carried out, its components are defined. In the course of the research the components of digital competence of pedagogical university students are determined, namely: motivational-value (target), cognitive, operational-activity and personal-reflexive components. The article defines and substantiates didactic conditions of digital formation competences of students of pedagogical universities: actualization of motivational value training of students of pedagogical universities; organization of interaction between students and teachers of pedagogical universities on the Internet through the creation of digital information educational environment; creation of individual educational trajectories of students.

The article emphasizes the importance of information and digital technologies in pre-service training of primary school teachers, substantiates the content and components of information and digital competence of prospective primary school teachers. It points out that the main purpose of information and digital training in the pedagogical higher educational institutions (HEI) is to ensure the formation of digital competence of future primary school teachers, to prepare them for developing primary students’ digital literacy in classes on various academic subjects, for active use of ICT in primary school teachers’ professional activities. An integrated approach to the modernization of information and digital training of pre-service primary school teachers, which covers the main forms of the educational process – training sessions, independent work, practical training, and control activities is justified. The article presents the results the pedagogical experiment aimed at testing the effectiveness of the integrated approach to the modernization of information and digital training of prospective primary school teachers. The results are determined by the level of digital literacy and the ability of students in the control and experimental groups to use information and digital technology in the educational process of primary school.

The article defines and substantiates didactic conditions of digital formation competences of students of pedagogical universities: actualization of motivational value training of students of pedagogical universities; organization of interaction between students and teachers of pedagogical universities on the Internet through the creation of digital information educational environment; creation of individual educational trajectories of students.

This is an introductory text to a collection of papers from the CTE 2019: The 7th Workshop on Cloud Technologies in Education, which was held in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, on the December 20, 2019. It consists of short introduction and some observations about the event and its future.

SignificanceEarly age of initiation of tobacco use is associated with sustained tobacco use and lower rates of smoking cessation. Although much is known about age of initiation of cigarette use, much less is known about the age of initiation of cigar product use among youth.MethodsSurvival analyses of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health youth annual datasets (ages 12-17) from 2013 to 2017 were conducted for any cigar product use, cigarillos or filtered cigars, and traditional cigars across four cigar use outcomes, age of initiation of: susceptibility to use, ever use, past 30-day use and "fairly regular" use. An interval censoring survival method was implemented to estimate the probability of each outcome for age of initiation of each cigar product overall. Differences in age of initiation by sex and race/ethnicity were assessed using weighted Cox proportional hazards models for interval-censored data.ResultsFor each outcome across the three cigar products, striking increases in the probability of initiation begin before 17 years old. For cigarillo or filtered cigars, males had a higher risk of onset of susceptibility to use, initiating ever use, and initiating past 30-day use at earlier ages than females. Compared to Non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Other had lower risk of initiating ever use and past 30-day use at earlier ages. Non-Hispanic Black youth had higher risk of initiating past 30-day use and "fairly regular" use than Non-Hispanic White youth at earlier ages. Similar findings are reported for any cigar use and traditional cigar use.ConclusionDevelopmentally and culturally appropriate cigar use interventions and communication campaigns should be provided to youth before 17 years of age to prevent the onset and progression of cigar products. Regulatory policies that reduce appeal of all cigar products should be implemented to curb cigar initiation among youth.

The paper deals with the possibilities of using specialized (virtual labs and simulators, software for natural process simulation) and general (programming languages and libraries, spreadsheets, CAS) software in school researches. Such software as virtual labs, software for natural process simulation, programming languages and libraries in school researches can be used to simulate phenomena that cannot be learned in a school lab (for example, for modeling a radioactive decay or for demonstrating the states of relativistic mechanics). Also, virtual labs in school practice are usually used in those cases where students cannot perform an experiment in real labs. For example, it is convenient for distance learning. The using of programming languages and libraries in physics learning research requires both students’ physics research competencies and programming competencies. That is why using this software in physics classes can hardly be recommended. However, programming languages and libraries can become a powerful tool for the formation and development of research competencies of physics students in extracurricular learning activities. The implementation of the spreadheets and the CAS in school physics researches is the easiest and has its benefits.

This is an introductory text to a collection of papers from the CTE 2018: The 6th Workshop on Cloud Technologies in Education, which was held in Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine, on the December 21, 2018. It consists of short introduction and some observations about the event and its future.

Phenylalanine and cysteine comprise common miss-sense variants (i.e., single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) at amino acid position 254 of the human indole(ethyl)amine-N-methyltransferase (hINMT). The phenylalanine variant, which occurs in linkage disequilibrium with two 3' UTR SNPs, has been reported to associate with elevated urine levels of trimethylselenonium (TMSe), the Se-methylated product of volatile dimethylselenide. hINMT allozymes expressing either cysteine (254C) or phenylalanine (254F) at position 254 were compared for enzyme activity (i.e., Km and Vmax) towards the INMT substrates tryptamine, dimethylsulfide (DMS) and dimethylselenide (DMSe) in vitro. The SNP 254C had a higher Vmax for DMS and tryptamine in the presence of reducing agent than in its absence. Conversely, Vmax for 254F was insensitive to the presence or absence of reducing agent for these substrates. SNP 254F showed a lower Km for tryptamine in the absence of reducing agent than 254C. No statistically significant difference in Vmax or Km was observed between 254C and 254F allozymes in the presence of reducing agent for DMSe, The Km values for DMSe methylation were about 10-fold (254C) or 6-fold (254F) more favorable than for tryptamine methylation with reducing agent present. These findings indicated that: 1) That phenylalanine at position 254 renders hINMT methylation of substrates DMS and tryptamine insensitive to a non reducing environment. 2) That human INMT harbors significant thioether-S-methyltransferase (TEMT) activity with a higher affinity for DMSe than tryptamine, 3) The reduction of a 44C/254C disulfide bond in hINMT that increases Vmax is proposed.

Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling can contribute to the pathogenesis of arthritis. Disruption of TLR signaling at early stages of arthritis might thereby provide an opportunity to halt the disease progression and ameliorate outcomes. We previously found that Gö6976 inhibits TLR-mediated cytokine production in human and mouse macrophages by inhibiting TLR-dependent activation of protein kinase D1 (PKD1), and that PKD1 is essential for proinflammatory responses mediated by MyD88-dependent TLRs. In this study, we investigated whether PKD1 contributes to TLR-mediated proinflammatory responses in human synovial cells, and whether Gö6976 treatment can suppress the development and progression of type II collagen (CII)-induced arthritis (CIA) in mouse. We found that TLR/IL-1R ligands induced activation of PKD1 in human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (HFLS). TLR/IL-1R-induced expression of cytokines/chemokines was substantially inhibited in Gö6976-treated HFLS and PKD1-knockdown HFLS. In addition, serum levels of anti-CII IgG antibodies, and the incidence and severity of arthritis after CII immunization were significantly reduced in mice treated daily with Gö6976. Synergistic effects of T-cell receptor and TLR, as well as TLR alone, on spleen cell proliferation and cytokine production were significantly inhibited in the presence of Gö6976. Our results suggest a possibility that ameliorating effects of Gö6976 on CIA may be due to its ability to inhibit TLR/IL-1R-activated PKD1, which might play an important role in proinflammatory responses in arthritis, and that PKD1 could be a therapeutic target for inflammatory arthritis.

The scope of a series of N-alkylated iminosugar based inhibitors in the d-gluco as well as d-xylo configuration towards their interaction with human lysosomal β-glucocerebrosidase has been evaluated. A versatile synthetic toolbox has been developed for the synthesis of N-alkylated iminosugar scaffolds conjugated to a variety of terminal groups via a benzoic acid ester linker. The terminal groups such as nitrile, azide, alkyne, nonafluoro-tert-butyl and amino substituents enable follow-up chemistry as well as visualisation experiments. All compounds showed promising inhibitory properties as well as selectivities for β-glucosidases, some exhibiting activities in the low nanomolar range for β-glucocerebrosidase.

Glycosidase inhibitors have shown great potential as pharmacological chaperones for lysosomal storage diseases. In light of this, a series of new cyclopentanoid β-galactosidase inhibitors were prepared and their inhibitory and pharmacological chaperoning activities determined and compared with those of lipophilic analogs of the potent β-d-galactosidase inhibitor 4-epi-isofagomine. Structure-activity relationships were investigated by X-ray crystallography as well as by alterations in the cyclopentane moiety such as deoxygenation and replacement by fluorine of a “strategic” hydroxyl group. New compounds have revealed highly promising activities with a range of β-galactosidase-compromised human cell lines and may serve as leads towards new pharmacological chaperones for GM1-gangliosidosis and Morquio B disease.

Background. The HIN-200 family genes in humans have been linked to several autoimmune diseases—particularly to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, its human counterpart gene cluster, the Ifi200 family in mice, has been linked to spontaneous arthritis disease (SAD). However, many immune-mediated diseases (including RA and SLE) show gender difference. Understanding whether or not and how these genes play a role in sex difference in immune-mediated diseases is essential for diagnosis/treatment. Methods. This study takes advantage of the whole genome gene expression profiles of recombinant inbred (RI) strain populations from female and male mice to analyze potential sex differences in a variety of genes in disease pathways. Expression levels and regulatory QTL of Ifi200 family genes between female and male mice were first examined in a large mouse population, including RI strains derived from C57BL/6J, DBA/2J (BXD), and classic inbred strains. Sex similarities and differences were then analyzed for correlations with gene expression levels between genes in the Ifi200 family and four selected gene sets: known immune Ifi200 pathway-related genes, lupus-relevant genes, osteoarthritis- (OA-) and RA-relevant genes, and sex hormone-related genes. Results. The expression level of Ifi202b showed the most sex difference in correlation with known immune-related genes (the P value for Ifi202b is 0.0004). Ifi202b also showed gender difference in correlation with selected sex hormone genes, with a P value of 0.0243. When comparing coexpression levels between Ifi200 genes and lupus-relevant genes, Ifi203 and Ifi205 showed significant sex difference (P values: 0.0303 and 0.002, resp.). Furthermore, several key genes (e.g., Csf1r, Ifnb1, IL-20, IL-22, IL-24, Jhdm1d, Csf1r, Ifnb1, IL-20, IL-22, IL-24, and Tgfb2 that regulate sex differences in immune diseases) were discovered. Conclusions. Different genes in the Ifi200 family play different roles in sex difference among dissimilar pathways of these four gene groups.

The sigma-2 receptor (S2R) is a potential therapeutic target for cancer and neuronal diseases. However, the identity of the S2R has remained a matter of debate. Historically, the S2R has been defined as (1) a binding site with high affinity to 1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine (DTG) and haloperidol but not to the selective sigma-1 receptor ligand (+)-pentazocine, and (2) a protein of 18–21 kDa, as shown by specific photolabeling with [3H]-Azido-DTG and [125I]-iodoazido-fenpropimorph ([125I]-IAF). Recently, the progesterone receptor membrane component 1 (PGRMC1), a 25 kDa protein, was reported to be the S2R (Nature Communications, 2011, 2:380). To confirm this identification, we created PGRMC1 knockout NSC34 cell lines using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. We found that in NSC34 cells devoid of or overexpressing PGRMC1, the maximum [3H]-DTG binding to the S2R (Bmax) as well as the DTG-protectable [125I]-IAF photolabeling of the S2R were similar to those of wild-type control cells. Furthermore, the affinities of DTG and haloperidol for PGRMC1 (KI = 472 μM and 350 μM, respectively), as determined in competition with [3H]-progesterone, were more than 3 orders of magnitude lower than those reported for the S2R (20–80 nM). These results clarify that PGRMC1 and the S2R are distinct binding sites expressed by different genes.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease affecting spinal cord motoneurons (MN) with an associative connection to Frontotemporal Lobar Dementia (FTLD). The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) bound Sigma-1 Receptor (S1R) chaperone protein localizes to specialized ER cisternae within 10 nm of the plasma membrane in spinal cord ventral horn cholinergic post synaptic C-terminals. Removal of the S1R gene in the Superoxide Dismutase-1 (SOD-1) mouse model of ALS exacerbated the neurodegenerative condition and resulted in a significantly reduced longevity when compared to the SOD-1/S1R wild type (WT) mouse. The proposed amelioration of the ALS phenotype by the S1R is likely due to a “brake” on excitation of the MN as evidenced by a reduction in action potential generation in the MN of the WT when compared to the S1R KO mouse MN. Although the precise signal transduction pathway(s) regulated by the S1R in the MN has/have not been elucidated at present, it is likely that direct or indirect functional interactions occur between the S1R in the ER cisternae with voltage gated potassium channels and/or with muscarinic M2 receptor signaling in the post synaptic plasma membrane. Possible mechanisms for regulation of MN excitability by S1R are discussed.

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The Amadori rearrangement was investigated as a potential method for the conjugation of carbohydrate moieties to suitable amino components. Starting from selected aldoheptoses, which are readily available by means of the Kiliani–Fischer C-elongation reaction of the corresponding aldohexoses, glycoconjugates presenting D-gluco, D-manno and D-galacto as well as GlcNAc motifs have been synthesised. Following this strategy, non-natural C-glycosyl type glycoconjugates, which can be utilised as building blocks for the composition of larger molecular constructions, are available by a very short synthetic approach.

From 1,2;3,4-di-O-isopropylidene-d-galactopyranose, a preliminary series of highly functionalized amino(hydroxymethyl)cyclopentanes was easily available. These amine-containing basic carbasugars featuring the d-galacto configuration are potent inhibitors of the GH20 β-d-hexosaminidases probed and may bear potential as regulators of N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase activities in vivo.

SSc is one of the most complex systemic autoimmune diseases. It targets the vasculature, connective tissue producing cells (namely fibroblasts/myofibroblasts), and components of the innate and adaptive immune systems. Clinical and pathologic manifestations of SSc are the result of: (1) innate/adaptive immune system abnormalities leading to production of autoantibodies and cell-mediated autoimmunity, (2) microvascular endothelial cell/small vessel fibroproliferative vasculopathy, and (3) fibroblast dysfunction generating excessive accumulation of collagen and other matrix components in skin and internal organs. All three of these processes interact and affect each other. The disease is heterogeneous in its clinical presentation that likely reflects different genetic or triggering factor (i.e., infection or environmental toxin) influences on the immune system, vasculature, and connective tissue cells. The roles played by other ubiquitous molecular entities (such as lysophospholipids, endocannabinoids, and their diverse receptors and vitamin D) in influencing the immune system, vasculature, and connective tissue cells are just beginning to be realized and studied and may provide insights into new therapeutic approaches to treat SSc.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the West Timor savanna productive at different season. The location of this study is in the station of Lili field, Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology Naibonat Kupang, with 40 hectare of savannah for pasture, held in one year. The data collected are botanical composition, production, feed intake in savannah and forage quality also the carrying capacity. The data analyzed descriptively. The amount of goat used for measurement of feed intake in savannah is 10 does. The result showed that the averages of forage fluctuation available is between 0.61-4,33 ton/hectare. The lowest point of production is happened in the edge of dry season (October) that is 0.61 ton/hectare. Then it increases in early of rainy (December) and reaches the highest point in the early of dry season (April). From this point, then it decreases and reach the lowest point in October, so, the forage production in nature was increases in December. The composition rate of CP is very varied, that is 2.71-9.48%. The composition of CP in nature grass has no significant difference with the composition in other locations of Timor, that is 2.26 % in the ends of dry season and become 8-10% in the rainy. Most of forage on the pasture is nature grass that is upper 90% and relative less of leguminous plants. The lack proportion of leguminous plants in nature savannah result in the less of forage quality, especially during the dry season there is no legume proportion and the quality of nature grass become very low.