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The results of research are presented when replacing finely crushed mineral part of asphalt concrete with waste from the production of porcelain stoneware, which is a product of high-temperature firing of a mixture of refractory clay raw materials and feldspar rocks, which provides high physical and mechanical properties of waste and further road surface.

To evaluate aspects of construct validity of the Michigan Retinal Degeneration Questionnaire (MRDQ) and the Michigan Vision-related Anxiety Questionnaire (MVAQ).Subjects with a clinical diagnosis of an inherited retinal disease (IRD) were recruited prospectively and three tests were used to assess construct validity: the ability to distinguish different IRD phenotypes; test a priori hypothesis of an association between vision-related anxiety and vision-related disabilities; and correlate MRDQ and MVAQ with the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire 25 (NEI VFQ-25) and the Impact of Vision Impairment (IVI). One-way ANOVA was used to compare different phenotypes for mean domain scores for MRDQ/MVAQ. Pearson's correlations were performed between; Cone-function Anxiety and Central Vision controlling for better eye visual acuity, Rod-function anxiety and Scotopic Function controlling for visual field area (III4e and IV4e), and scores of MRDQ/MVAQ, NEI VFQ-25, and IVI.The study sample consisted of 146 patients evenly divided between males and females, and mean age was 50 years. The one-way ANOVA test was significant for distinguishing IRD phenotypes in 6 domains of MRDQ/MVAQ. Cone-function Anxiety correlated with Central Vision controlling for visual acuity, Rod-function anxiety correlated with Scotopic Function controlling for visual field area, all domains in MRDQ/MVAQ had significant correlations with NEI VFQ-25 and IVI composite scores.MRDQ and MVAQ domenstrate aspects of construct-validity set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The study futher supports the use of both patient-reported outcome measures in IRD clinical trials and natural history studies.

Korman’ 9 is a newly discovered Upper Palaeolithic site in the Middle Dniester valley (Ukraine). Here we present chronostratigraphic, palaeoenvironmental, chronological, lithic and faunal data. Within a ~4 m deep sequence we have identified four Archaeological Layers (AL 0 to III) and AL I can be attributed to the Epigravettian, AL II most probably to the Epigravettian (small sample size), and AL III most probably to the Gravettian. AL 0 is too small to allow a cultural attribution. Lithic analysis for AL I shows microblade technology and a toolkit dominated by microliths (backed and marginally retouched microblades and bladelets). Faunal analysis demonstrates that exploitation focuses on reindeer and horse. The archaeological results fit well into the regional Upper Palaeolithic record, and the correlations with sites like Molodova V, Korman’ IV, Cosautsi, and Dorochivsti III are well established. Our results allow us to conclude that humans were present at Korman’ 9 during the Last Glacial Maximum under arctic (AL II and AL III) and sub-arctic (AL I) conditions. We also discuss implications for our findings for the discussion of human presence/absence during cold and arid conditions around the Last Glacial Maximum.

The evolution of animal species in space and time belongs to the core questions of historical biology. In relevant studies on recent and fossil forms, three factors are always discussed to explain ...

During the Early Pleistocene, two ground squirrel species, Spermophilus praecox (northern Black Sea area) and S. polonicus (Central Europe) coexisted in geographically well-separated ranges. Studie...

No approved therapies directly target retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) for neuroprotection or neuroenhancement in glaucoma. Recombinant human nerve growth factor (rhNGF) has been shown to promote RGC survival and function in animal models of optic neuropathy. Here we evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of short-term, high-dose rhNGF eye drops versus placebo in a cohort of glaucoma patients.This was a prospective, phase 1b, single-center, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, parallel-group study.This study was designed to assess safety and tolerability as well as short-term neuroenhancement of structure and function (clinicaltrials.gov NCT02855450). A total of 60 open-angle glaucoma patients were randomized 40:20 to receive either 180 μg/mL rhNGF or vehicle control eye drops in both eyes, 3 times daily for 8 weeks, with a 24-week post-treatment follow-up. One eye was officially selected as the study eye, although both eyes were studied and dosed. Primary endpoints were safety, as assessed by adverse events, and tolerability, as assessed by patient-reported outcomes. Secondary outcome measures included best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), Humphrey visual field, electroretinograpy (ERG), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness at baseline, after 8 weeks of treatment, and at 4 and 24 weeks after treatment (12 and 32 weeks total).Of the 60 randomized patients, 23 were female (38%) and the average age was 66.1 years. Through week 32, there were no treatment-related serious adverse events, including no unexpectedly severe progression of optic neuropathy, no adverse events affecting ocular function or pressure, and no drug-related systemic toxicity. Topical high-dose rhNGF was tolerated well, with a low level of symptom burden mainly eliciting periocular ache (in 52% of treated group and 5% of placebo group) and only 3 patients (7.5%) discontinuing treatment because of discomfort, of whom 1 patient (2.5%) prematurely withdrew from the study. There were no statistically significant differences in global indices of Humphrey visual field and no meaningful differences in total, quadrant, or clock-hour mean RNFL thickness between the groups, although both of these function and structure measures showed nonsignificant trends toward significance in favor of rhNGF. Real-world participant data was used to generate an estimate of cohort size needed to power subsequent studies.Use of rhNGF is safe and tolerable in a topical 180-μg/mL formulation. Although no statistically significant short-term neuroenhancement was detected in this trial, given the strong effects of NGF in preclinical models and the trends detected in this study, analysis for efficacy in a neuroprotection trial is warranted. NOTE: Publication of this article is sponsored by the American Ophthalmological Society.

В статье рассматривается возможность осуществления контроля сотрудниками уголовно-исполнительной системы за исполнением ограничений и запретов мер пресечений, избранных по решению суда в отношении подозреваемого или обвиняемого с применением технических средств. Необходимость такого исследования вызвана увеличением количества нарушений подозреваемыми или обвиняемыми мер пресечения, избранных по решению суда. Суд при рассмотрении вопроса о замене меры пресечения изучает наличие фактических данных. Соответственно одного представления о замене меры пресечения от сотрудника уголовно-исполнительной инспекции недостаточно, особенно если подозреваемый отрицает факт совершения нарушения. Автором предлагается применение видео- и фотофиксации нарушений меры пресечения подозреваемым или обвиняемым сотрудниками уголовно-исполнительной инспекции, что послужит более эффективному контролю, так как наличие видеозаписи или фотографии является доказательством этого нарушения при вынесении представления об изменении меры пресечения сотрудником уголовно-исполнительной инспекции. Предложения касаются особенностей применения видео- и фотофиксации при осуществлении контроля за исполнением подозреваемыми или обвиняемыми мер пресечения.The article considers the possibility of exercising control by the employees of the criminal Executive system over the execution of restrictions and prohibitions of measures of suppression, elected by a court decision against a suspect or accused with the use of technical means. The need for such a study is caused by an increase in the number of violations by suspects or accused of preventive measures chosen by the court. In accordance with the problem the author proposes the use of video and photographic images by the staff of criminal-Executive inspection, which will provide more effective controls as a video recording or photographs of violation of the preventive measure by a suspect or accused is proof of this violation when making a submission to change the measure of restraint by the employee of criminal-Executive inspection. The court, when considering the replacement of a preventive measure, examines the availability of evidence. Accordingly, the mere idea of replacing a preventive measure from an employee of the criminal Executive inspection is not enough, especially if the suspect denies the fact of committing a violation. The proposals relate to the peculiarities of the use of video and photo fixation in monitoring the execution of preventive measures by suspects or accused.

Discrete characters of the occlusal surface (additional cusps) have been studied to elaborate a new approach to the identification of the Ground Squirrel species Spermophilus odessanus, S. suslicus, S. pygmaeus, S. citellus, and S. xanthoprymnus. Data on the presence/absence of the additional cusps have been represented as star plots and, in addition, have been studied using discriminant function analysis. The species-specific sets of the characters (patterns of bunodonty) have been revealed and are of high diagnostic value. The Citellus-set is defined by the presence of mesostyles and the rareness of the metastylids, paraconules and metaconules, hypostyles and protostyles. The Pygmaeus-set is characterized by the presence of additional cusps in the lower cheek teeth. The Odessanus-oriented set is found in the Spermophilus pygmaeus, S. odessanus, and S. suslicus. The relatively high frequency of additional cusps of the metaloph and the paraloph is characteristic for this set. The Plesiomorphic-set (characters shared by all the studied species and for this reason regarded herein as ancestral) is found in S. xanthoprymnus. The patterns of bunodonty serve as diagnostic criteria only as a whole: the shape of a star plot (relations among the character frequencies), rather than certain character values, is indicative. An optimal level of identification of species is possible based on the combination of the discrete characters mentioned and on the size parameters of the third upper molar (an occlusal set). The occlusal sets are intended to remain stable during the time of species existence and seem to correspond to trends in specialization. The functional meaning of the sets can be explained by the dependence between the presence/absence of the discrete characters and the shape of the crown and its main lophs. Each pattern is likely to correspond to a trophic niche, and this niche corresponds to the species. J. Morphol., 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Discrete characters of the occlusal surface (additional cusps) have been studied to elaborate a new approach to the identification of the Ground Squirrel species Spermophilus odessanus, S. suslicus, S. pygmaeus, S. citellus, and S. xanthoprymnus. Data on the presence/absence of the additional cusps have been represented as star plots and, in addition, have been studied using discriminant function analysis. The species-specific sets of the characters (patterns of bunodonty) have been revealed and are of high diagnostic value. The Citellus-set is defined by the presence of mesostyles and the rareness of the metastylids, paraconules and metaconules, hypostyles and protostyles. The Pygmaeus-set is characterized by the presence of additional cusps in the lower cheek teeth. The Odessanus-oriented set is found in the Spermophilus pygmaeus, S. odessanus, and S. suslicus. The relatively high frequency of additional cusps of the metaloph and the paraloph is characteristic for this set. The Plesiomorphic-set (characters shared by all the studied species and for this reason regarded herein as ancestral) is found in S. xanthoprymnus. The patterns of bunodonty serve as diagnostic criteria only as a whole: the shape of a star plot (relations among the character frequencies), rather than certain character values, is indicative. An optimal level of identification of species is possible based on the combination of the discrete characters mentioned and on the size parameters of the third upper molar. The occlusal sets are intended to remain stable during the time of species existence and seem to correspond to trends in specialization. The functional meaning of the sets can be explained by the dependence between the presence/absence of the discrete characters and the shape of the crown and its main lophs. Each pattern is likely to correspond to a trophic niche, and this niche corresponds to the species. J. Morphol. 277:814-825, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The development of the gonads in male and female chick embryos with induced unilateral mesonephric agenesis was studied using grafting, histoenzymology, and electron microscopy. As in embryos with a mesonephros, proliferation of the coelomic epithelium and its interaction with mesenchymal cells to form the medullary cords take place in the amesonephric gonads. In a similar manner, gonadal sexual differentiation and the differentiation of steroidogenic tissue, detectable by the presence of Δ5-3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, do not appear to be affected by the absence of an organized mesonephros. However, the initiation of gonadal development, further growth, and the onset of meiosis observable in developing ovaries are retarded. This delay appears to be reversible, as was demonstrated by experiments in which ovaries from chicks with complete mesonephric agenesis were transplanted into the coelomic cavity of male and female 3 1/2-day-old embryos. Meiosis finally occurred in the oocytes of all ovaries, regardless of the sex of the host. Therefore, the presence of a differentiated mesonephros in chick embryos is not required for the establishment of an undifferentiated gonad and sexual differentiation, or for initiation of meiosis.