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At the Artificial Intelligence for Science: Synergy of Achievements panel discus­sion at the III Congress of Young Scientists that was held in 2023, the usage of AI technology was analyzed on the interdisciplinary level (Biology, Physics, Engineering, Political Science and Philosophy). In this paper, we have analyzed the functions of artificial intelligence in science at all stages of a scientist's work, from hypothesis formulation to experimentation and scientific communi­cation. Previously advanced scientific tools were concentrated in state-funded research centers. The emergence of the artificial intelligence (AI) and super­computers is changing this paradigm: research and development often turn out to be in the hands of private companies. This state of affairs can be compared to a situation where half of the best modern microscopes would be in profit-driven organizations. The rapid development of AI has led to an intensive pene­tration of new technologies into scientific research, but at the same time has raised a number of concerns about their use. The new realities may cause a slowdown in scientific progress. In order to exclude this negative scenario, the authors of the article propose to consider the possibility of creating a sepa­rate scientific field of knowledge – Machine Epistemology, which would com­bine the philosophical approach and achievements in the field of AI. Such a so­lution, according to the authors, would allow us to most efficiently use new technologies to achieve progress in science and set ambitious tasks for hybrid interaction between scientists and artificial intelligence.

ZusammenfassungZiel der S2k-Leitlinie zur Therapie der Hidradenitis suppurativa/Acne inversa (HS/AI) ist es, eine akzeptierte Entscheidungshilfe für die Auswahl sowie Durchführung einer geeigneten/suffizienten Therapie von Patienten mit HS/AI zu liefern. HS/AI ist eine chronisch rezidivierende, entzündliche, potenziell mutilierende Hauterkrankung des terminalen Haartalgdrüsenapparats, die sich mit schmerzhaften, entzündlichen Läsionen in den apokrinen drüsenreichen Körperregionen manifestiert, insbesondere in der axillären sowie der Inguinal- und Anogenitalregion. Die intensive klinische und experimentelle Forschung sowie Überprüfung neuer therapeutischen Ansätze haben seit der Veröffentlichung der alten Leitlinie im Jahr 2012 die Kenntnisse auf dem Gebiet der HS/AI bedeutend verbessert. In Deutschland wurde eine Punktprävalenz der aktiven Erkrankung von 0,3 % beobachtet, sie stieg unter Berücksichtigung von Patienten mit HS/AI-typischen Narben aber nicht aktiver Erkrankung auf 3,0 %. Säulen der HS/AI-Pathogenese sind eine abnormale Differenzierung der Keratinozyten des Haartalgdrüsenapparats und eine massive begleitende Entzündung. Die primären Läsionen der HS/AI sind entzündliche Knoten, Abszesse und drainierende Tunnel, überwiegend an den Prädilektionsstellen (axillär, submammär, inguinal, genital und perineal). Rezidive in den letzten 6 Monaten mit mindestens 2 Läsionen an den Prädilektionsstellen verweisen auf eine HS/AI. Obwohl anhand dieser Kriterien eine klinische Diagnosestellung mit einer hohen Genauigkeit von 97 % erfolgen kann, ist die Erkrankung noch wenig bekannt, wie die Verspätung der Diagnose in Deutschland von 10,0 ± 9,6 Jahren beweist. Patienten mit HS/AI leiden an einer deutlichen Einschränkung der Lebensqualität, insbesondere bei hohem Morbiditätsgrad. HS/AI soll in der täglichen Praxis mit einem validierten Instrument klassifiziert und ihre Aktivität bewertet werden, v. a. mit dem International Hidradenitis Suppurativa Severity Scoring System (IHS4), um korrekte Therapieentscheidungen treffen zu können. Die HS/AI wird in 2 Formen im Zusammenhang mit der Ausprägung der stets nachweisbaren Entzündung eingeteilt, nämlich der entzündlichen und der vorwiegend nicht entzündlichen Formen. Während die Intensität der entzündlichen Form mithilfe der IHS4-Klassifikation in milde, mittelschwere und schwere HS/AI eingeteilt und entsprechend medikamentös behandelt wird, wird für die vorwiegend nicht entzündliche Form über eine chirurgische Behandlung nach dem Hurley-Grad der befallenen Lokalisation, nämlich Hurley-Grad I, II und III entschieden. Orale Tetrazykline oder eine 5-tägige intravenöse Therapie mit Clindamycin sind der Effektivität der oralen systemischen Kombination von Clindamycin und Rifampicin gleich gestellt. Die subkutan applizierbaren monoklonalen Antikörper Adalimumab und Secukinumab sind für die Therapie der HS/AI zugelassen. Für die vorwiegend nicht entzündliche Form der Erkrankung stehen verschiedene operative Verfahren zur Verfügung. Die Kombination einer medikamentösen Therapie zur Reduktion der Entzündung mit einem operativen Verfahren, zur Beseitigung des irreversiblen Gewebeschadens, gilt aktuell als ganzheitliches Therapieverfahren bei HS/AI. Eine regelmäßige Kontrolle und ggf. Anpassung der Therapie im Hinblick auf einen sich ändernden Krankheitsschweregrad wird empfohlen.

Os objetivos deste estudo foram verificar o efeito da rutina sobre a maturação in vitro (MIV) de oócitos provenientes de folículos secundários de ovelhas cultivados in vitro e analisar o possível envolvimento da via mTOR na MIV, sob influência da rutina. Os folículos secundários foram cultivados por 18 dias em meio α-Mínimo Essencial (α-MEM) suplementado com albumina sérica bovina (BSA), insulina, glutamina, hipoxantina, transferrina, selênio, ácido ascórbico e leptina (meio controle: α-MEM+). Em seguida, os folículos foram avaliados quanto à morfologia, formação do antro e diâmetro folicular e taxa de oócitos totalmente crescidos (≥110 µm). Oócitos totalmente crescidos foram submetidos à MIV em meio de cultivo de tecidos 199 (TCM199) suplementado com soro fetal bovino (FBS), hormônio luteinizante (LH), hormônio folículo estimulante recombinante (rFSH) (meio controle MIV) ou neste meio com 0,1, 1 ou 10 µg.mL-1 de rutina. Ao final da MIV, os oócitos foram avaliados quanto à atividade mitocondrial, concentração de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ERO) e glutationa (GSH), porcentagem de retomada de meiose, fragmentação de DNA e envolvimento da via mTOR. Após 18 dias de cultivo in vitro, 77,5% dos folículos estavam normais e 77,7% tornaram-se folículos antrais, com 380,41 µm de diâmetro. Além disso, 70% dos oócitos que cresceram in vitro atingiram diâmetro ≥110 µm e foram submetidos à MIV. A concentração de 10 µg.mL-1 de rutina aumentou significativamente a porcentagem de oócitos que retomaram a meiose (47,27%) em comparação ao meio controle (30,43%). Houve um aumento significativo nas concentrações de ROS e GSH em oócitos maturados com 0.1 µg.mL-1 de rutina em comparação com os outros tratamentos com rutina (p < 0,05). Além disso, a maturação de oócitos em TCM199+ aumentou (p<0,05) o percentual de fragmentação de DNA (30%) comparado ao tratamento com 10 µg.mL-1 de rutina (0%). Após MIV, ambos os tratamentos maturados na presença ou ausência de rapamicina apresentaram porcentagem semelhante de retomada meiótica (61,76% para TCM199 + 10 µg.mL-1 de rutina e 70,73% para TCM199 + 10 µg.mL-1 de rutina + rapamicina) (p>0,05). Em conclusão, a concentração de 10 µg.mL-1 de rutina aumentou a retomada da meiose e reduziu os danos ao DNA.

AbstractIntroductionSpecial needs dentistry (SND) is an emerging dental specialty, with ongoing developments in education and clinical practice focused towards the tailored management of individuals with special needs (SN). Patients with SN have a higher prevalence of oral diseases and unmet dental needs compared to the general population. Although inadequate training and experience in managing patients with SN has been highlighted as a significant barrier to accessing care, there is limited data about the extent of SND teaching at the entry‐to‐practice or higher levels.MethodsThis work is the first to map SND curricula globally, across 180 countries and 1265 dental schools.ResultsAlthough 74.62% of dental schools were found in developing economies, the distribution of programs that reported SND in their courses was highly skewed towards developed countries. In terms of advanced degrees, beyond basic entry‐to‐practice training, the USA delivered 60% of the SND programs, followed by Canada (15.56%), UK (13.33%), and Australia (8.89%). The term SND appeared in 33.95% of entry‐to‐practice level program curricula and was less commonly used in transitioning economies. Only 112 SND‐specialized practitioners enter the workforce globally each year from developed economies, and all but three advanced degrees are found in G7 countries.ConclusionBy exploring the impact of economic status on its distribution, this paper highlighted the lack of SND representation in dental curricula, especially amongst programs in transitioning or developing economies. Education of both general dentists and specialists is critical as a collaborative effort is needed to manage the growing population of patients with SN.

Introduction: Due to advancements in vaccination, the morbidity and lethality rates of Covid-19 have diminished significantly. Consequently, there has been a substantial decline in severe cases, underscoring the importance of long-term monitoring for individuals. In response to this imperative, a prototype device for evaluating the respiratory patterns of Covid-19-affected individuals has been conceptualized, necessitating specialized software for data analysis and processing. Objective: To develop a system for analyzing variables of the respiratory pattern for application in post-Covid-19 patients. Methodology: The desktop application of the device was developed using the Electron framework, incorporating the React graphical interface library and JavaScript for algorithm development to analyze respiratory flow and volume curves. HTML and CSS were employed for screen structuring and styling. The measured respiratory flow signal underwent numerical calculation techniques and algorithms for time-series analysis based on respiratory cycle intervals. Derived variables included respiratory rate, inspiratory, expiratory, and total time, inspiratory and expiratory flow and volume, minute inspiratory and expiratory volume, inspiratory capacity, and vital capacity. System validation involved comparing the flow signal acquired by the device with that of a Hans Rudolph Pneumotachograph (standard method) using Bland-Altman plots. Results: The RDA Analysis software, integrated with interfaces for patient records and flow/volume vs. time graphs, captured respiratory cycles during rest breathing and incorporated slow inspiratory and vital lung capacities. The RDA Sync software was developed as an auxiliary program, synchronizing and simultaneously analyzing multiple patient exams. Bland-Altman analysis revealed a bias of 0.48 L/min, with agreement limits of -10.7 and 11.6 L/min (p-value < 0.0001). Conclusion: The respiratory flow measured by the device exhibits high concordance with the gold standard. The developed software strengthens the device as a minimum viable product, currently employed to monitor respiratory pattern dysfunctions in post-Covid patients. This enhances the precision of the examination, providing quantitative and qualitative information for diagnostic assessment of respiratory functionality.

ZusammenfassungZiel dieser Arbeit ist die Beschreibung der Entwicklung einer webbasierten, interaktiven Darstellung von maximalen tolerierbaren Verzehrmengen für ausgewählte Lebensmittel, die beispielsweise in einer Ereignissituation als potenziell kontaminiert angenommen werden ("Kontaminantenrechner"). Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt einen Katalog wissenschaftlicher Anwendungskriterien für einen solchen Kontaminantenrechner. Als Anwendungsbeispiel wird der Fipronil-Ereignisfall im Sommer 2017 verwendet.

In the case of Cluj-Napoca Municipality, the analysis of the landslides is a frequently discussed topic due to its complex geology and urban expansion tendency. In this study, we chose the Gruia Neighbourhood in order to map the landslide evolution and land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes which occured between 2003 and 2021. In order to use the post-classification Change Detection method, we applied the supervised classification technique on three satellite imageries (2003, 2009, 2021), which were validated by high Kappa coefficient values, as it follows: 0,892, 0,879 and 0,931. Comparing the three classified imageries, we could conclude that a transition between agricultural land to urban areas is visible, with a total decrease of the agricultural land by 40,69% and a total increase of the urban area by 24,47%. In the evaluation process of the influence of the LULC change on the landslide evolution, we could observe that the increase of the urban areas led to the increase of the surface of the landslides, moreover, the slided territories on urban areas have increased by 200%.

The main purpose of the study is a comprehensive economic and legal analysis of the loan agreement in agriculture in the conditions of formation and development of elements of post-industrial economy in Ukraine. The research methodology is based on a systematic approach using the method of cognition from abstract to concrete and special methods of economic and statistical research (comparison, grouping, detailing of final indicators, generalization), which helped to ensure the reliability of research results and validity of conclusions. It was found that the loan agreement in agriculture is an economic and legal category that ensures the further development of agriculture in Ukraine in conditions of further integration of our economy to world market on competitive terms. It was determined that expanding the use of the loan agreement in agriculture is a necessary lever to increase production efficiency, formation and constant restoration of a competitive technological base in modern conditions and further development of the whole agro-industrial complex considering the formation of post-industrial economy. It is proved that the application of the mechanism of crediting of agriculture in Ukraine has a positive effect on the development of the agro-industrial sector in Ukraine. It is determined that the current level and availability of lending to the agro-industrial complex in Ukraine are insufficient for quality modernization and achieving a high level of efficiency of agricultural production. The main value of this study is that it analyzes the concept through the prism of two categories, namely: legal and economic.

Iberian wild goats (Capra pyrenaica, also known as Iberian ibex, Spanish ibex, and Spanish wild goat) underwent strong genetic bottlenecks during the 19th and 20th centuries due to overhunting and habitat destruction. From the 1970s to 1990s, augmentation translocations were frequently carried out to restock Iberian wild goat populations (very often with hunting purposes), but they were not systematically planned or recorded. On the other hand, recent data suggest the occurrence of hybridization events between Iberian wild goats and domestic goats (Capra hircus). Augmentation translocations and interspecific hybridization might have contributed to increase the diversity of Iberian wild goats. With the aim of investigating this issue, we have genotyped 118 Iberian wild goats from Tortosa-Beceite, Sierra Nevada, Muela de Cortes, Gredos, Batuecas, and Ordesa and Monte Perdido by using the Goat SNP50 BeadChip (Illumina). The analysis of genotypic data indicated that Iberian wild goat populations are strongly differentiated and display low diversity. Only three Iberian wild goats out from 118 show genomic signatures of mixed ancestry, a result consistent with a scenario in which past augmentation translocations have had a limited impact on the diversity of Iberian wild goats. Besides, we have detected eight Iberian wild goats from Tortosa-Beceite with signs of domestic goat introgression. Although rare, hybridization with domestic goats could become a potential threat to the genetic integrity of Iberian wild goats; hence, measures should be taken to avoid the presence of uncontrolled herds of domestic or feral goats in mountainous areas inhabited by this iconic wild ungulate. ; This research was funded by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER)/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci?n?Agencia Estatal de Investigaci?n/Project Reference grant: PID2019-105805RB-I00 and by the CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya. We acknowledge the support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness for the Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa 2020?2023 (CEX2019-000902-S) grant awarded to the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG). We also acknowledge Jos? Folch, of the Centro de Investigaci?n y Tecnolog?a Agroalimentaria de Arag?n for his help in the development of his research. MGLS was funded with a FPI Ph.D. grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education (BES-C-2017-079079). TFC was funded with a fellowship from the CAPES Foundation-Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education, Ministry of Education of the Federal Government of Brazil. EMS was funded with a FPU Ph.D. grant from the Spanish Ministry of Education (FPU15/01733). GM is a Serra H?nter fellow (professor) of the Generalitat de Catalunya. Thanks also to the CERCA Programme of the Generalitat de Catalunya for their support. Sample collection benefitted from the research grants CGL2012-40043-C02-01, CGL2012-40043-C02-02, and CGL2016-80543-P, also from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. Many thanks to Laura Botigu? for her help and assistance in carrying out the f3 tests of admixture.

Funding Information: Open access funding provided by University of Gothenburg. This study is funded by Regional research grant, Region Halland, The Swedish Research Council [grant number 2018-02752], Queen Silvia Jubilee Foundation, Swedish Primary Immunodeficiency Organization, Regional research grant, Sparbanken Foundation, Varberg, Region Halland, Frimurare Barnhusdirektionen Foundation, The Gothenburg Medical Society, Medical Faculty at Umeå University, and Cancer Research Foundation in Northern Sweden [grant number AMP 20-1000]. The study was also financed by grants from the Swedish state under the agreement between the Swedish government and the county councils, the ALF-agreement [grant numbers ALFGBG-717431, 718021]. Financial support was also provided through a regional agreement between Umeå University and Västerbottens County Council on cooperation in the field of Medicine, Odontology, and Health [grant numbers RV-932787, RV-939741]. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s). ; Background: Population-based neonatal screening using T-cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) identifies infants with profound T lymphopenia, as seen in cases of severe combined immunodeficiency, and in a subgroup of infants with 22q11 deletion syndrome (22q11DS). Purpose: To investigate the long-term prognostic value of low levels of TRECs in newborns with 22q11DS. Methods: Subjects with 22q11DS and low TRECs at birth (22q11Low, N=10), matched subjects with 22q11DS and normal TRECs (22q11Normal, N=10), and matched healthy controls (HC, N=10) were identified. At follow-up (median age 16 years), clinical and immunological characterizations, covering lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobulins, TRECs, T-cell receptor repertoires, and relative telomere length (RTL) measurements were performed. Results: At follow-up, the 22q11Low group had lower numbers of naïve T-helper cells, naïve T-regulatory cells, naïve ...

NGR reports funding by NIGMS grant R35GM119582. BMA is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Global Good Fund. SP and IMB were funded by the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch (GEIS: P0116_19_WR_03.11). ; Introduction: High quality epidemic forecasting and prediction are critical to support response to local, regional and global infectious disease threats. Other fields of biomedical research use consensus reporting guidelines to ensure standardization and quality of research practice among researchers, and to provide a framework for end-users to interpret the validity of study results. The purpose of this study was to determine whether guidelines exist specifically for epidemic forecast and prediction publications. Methods: We undertook a formal systematic review to identify and evaluate any published infectious disease epidemic forecasting and prediction reporting guidelines. This review leveraged a team of 18 investigators from US Government and academic sectors. Results: A literature database search through May 26, 2019, identified 1467 publications (MEDLINE n = 584, EMBASE n = 883), and a grey-literature review identified a further 407 publications, yielding a total 1777 unique publications. A paired-reviewer system screened in 25 potentially eligible publications, of which two were ultimately deemed eligible. A qualitative review of these two published reporting guidelines indicated that neither were specific for epidemic forecasting and prediction, although they described reporting items which may be relevant to epidemic forecasting and prediction studies. Conclusions: This systematic review confirms that no specific guidelines have been published to standardize the reporting of epidemic forecasting and prediction studies. These findings underscore the need to develop such reporting guidelines in order to improve the transparency, quality and implementation of epidemic forecasting and prediction research in operational public health. ; Publisher PDF ; Peer reviewed

Despite the increasing availability of Open Science (OS) infrastructure and the rise in policies to change behaviour, OS practices are not yet the norm. While pioneering researchers are developing OS practices, the majority sticks to status quo. To transition to common practice, we must engage a critical proportion of the academic community. In this transition, OS Communities (OSCs) play a key role. OSCs are bottom-up learning groups of scholars that discuss OS within and across disciplines. They make OS knowledge more accessible and facilitate communication among scholars and policymakers. Over the past two years, eleven OSCs were founded at several Dutch university cities. In other countries, similar OSCs are starting up. In this article, we discuss the pivotal role OSCs play in the large-scale transition to OS. We emphasize that, despite the grassroot character of OSCs, support from universities is critical for OSCs to be viable, effective, and sustainable.

Microplastics are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, but little information is currently available on the dangers and risks to living organisms. In order to assess the ecotoxicity of environmental microplastics (MPs), samples were collected from the beaches of two islands in the Guadeloupe archipelago, Petit-Bourg (PB) located on the main island of Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante (MG) on the second island of the archipelago. These samples have a similar polymer composition with mainly polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). However, these two samples are very dissimilar with regard to their contamination profile and their toxicity. MPs from MG contain more lead, cadmium and organochlorine compounds while those from PB have higher levels of copper, zinc and hydrocarbons. The leachates of these two samples of MPs induced sublethal effects on the growth of sea urchins and on the pulsation frequency of jellyfish ephyrae but not on the development of zebrafish embryos. The toxic effects are much more marked for samples from the PB site than those from the MG site. This work demonstrates that MPs can contain high levels of potentially bioavailable toxic substances that may represent a significant ecotoxicological risk, particularly for the early life stages of aquatic animals. ; National Funding Agency | Ref. ANR-15-JOCE-0002-01 ; Italian Government | Ref. 2017WERYZP ; Ministerio de Economía | Ref. PCIN-2015-187-C03-03 ; Ministerio de Economía | Ref. CTM2016-77945-C3 ; Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431C 2017/46

Funding PIONEER is funded through the IMI2 Joint Undertaking and is listed under grant agreement No. 777492. IMI2 receives support from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). ; Peer reviewed ; Publisher PDF