Ophiolite association of Cape Fiolent (western part of the Mountainous Crimea) – the upper age constraint according to the U-Pb isotope dating of plagiorhyolites (Monakh Cliff)

The article presents the results of U-Pb isotope dating (SHRIMP-II, VSEGEI, Saint Petersburg) of zircon crystals extracted from plagiorhyolites of the Monakh Cliff in the area of Cape Fiolent in the western part of the Mountainous Crimea (southern suburb of Sevastopol). a concordant age estimate of 168.3±1.3 Ma was obtained from 20 zircon crystals. It exactly corresponds to the Bajocian/Bathonian boundary of the Middle Jurassic according to the International Chronostratigraphic Chart (February 2022 version). The available results of isotope dating of igneous rocks from the Mountainous Crimea, as well as their geochemical typification are synthesised. The plagiorhyolites of the Monakh Cliff in the area of Cape Fiolent are spatially, and most likely paragenetically, associated with the wallrock (Cape Vinogradny) and ore (Heraclea Plateau on the cognominal peninsula) massive sulphide formations, as well as pillow basalts, gabbroids, and serpentinized hyperbasites, combined into the ophiolite association of Cape Fiolent. The obtained dating is the upper age limit for the entire ophiolite association of Cape Fiolent

2014-2015 Dean\u27s Showcase No. 4

https://spiral.lynn.edu/conservatory_deansshowcase/1013/thumbnail.jp

ロシア極東地域における日本語学習動機づけ

本研究はロシア極東地域における日本語学習動機づけを分析したものである。従来の日本語学習動機づけ研究においては、既存の理論から項目を作成した質問紙法が主だったが、本研究では当該地域の学習者にインタビューし、そのデータを基に質問紙が作成されている。因子分析を行った結果、「Ⅰ.日本・日本人接触」「Ⅱ.就職・進学」「Ⅲ.義務・隣国社会知識」「Ⅳ. 他言語比較・語学活用」「Ⅴ.日本言語文化興味・理解」「Ⅵ.関係性」の6つの因子が抽出された。各属性別による比較では、日本語能力試験を経験した者は、受験経験のない者よりも「Ⅱ.就職・進学」において、より強度の高い動機づけが測定された。また留学を強く希望する者は、留学に消極的な者よりも「Ⅱ.就職・進学」において、より強度の高い動機づけが測定された

日本語学習動機づけ分析のための学習課題価値尺度の作成 : ロシア人大学生を対象に

本研究はロシア人大学生日本語学習者が、日本語学習にいかなる動機づけを保持しているかを分析したものである。これまでの動機づけ研究においては、学習活動が目的的か手段的かという基準で、内 / 外発的動機づけの定義がなされていた。これに対して本研究では、上記の基準による動機づけの分類を行わず、動機づけの価値に着目し、分析を行っている。6つの価値の相関係数から、ロシア人大学生日本語学習者にとって、日本語学習活動の目的化と手段化は必ずしも相反する価値ではないことが示唆された。つまり進学や就職、日本語能力試験合格などを目指す学習は、学習者がおかれた状況によっては、自律性の高い動機づけである可能性が考えられる。また上/下級生、留学希望度による分散分析を行った結果、上/下級生の違いよりも、留学希望強度によって価値の認識に差が見られることが明らかになった。今後の課題は学習の自律性指標を設定し、上記日本語学習の価値との関係を分析することが挙げられる

Integration of Alzheimer’s disease genetics and myeloid genomics identifies disease risk regulatory elements and genes

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 40 loci associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the causal variants, regulatory elements, genes and pathways remain largely unknown, impeding a mechanistic understanding of AD pathogenesis. Previously, we showed that AD risk alleles are enriched in myeloid-specific epigenomic annotations. Here, we show that they are specifically enriched in active enhancers of monocytes, macrophages and microglia. We integrated AD GWAS with myeloid epigenomic and transcriptomic datasets using analytical approaches to link myeloid enhancer activity to target gene expression regulation and AD risk modification. We identify AD risk enhancers and nominate candidate causal genes among their likely targets (including AP4E1, AP4M1, APBB3, BIN1, MS4A4A, MS4A6A, PILRA, RABEP1, SPI1, TP53INP1, and ZYX) in twenty loci. Fine-mapping of these enhancers nominates candidate functional variants that likely modify AD risk by regulating gene expression in myeloid cells. In the MS4A locus we identified a single candidate functional variant and validated it in human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived microglia and brain. Taken together, this study integrates AD GWAS with multiple myeloid genomic datasets to investigate the mechanisms of AD risk alleles and nominates candidate functional variants, regulatory elements and genes that likely modulate disease susceptibility

Safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma for COVID-19: the preliminary results of a clinical trial

Background. The lack of effective etiotropic therapy for COVID-19 has prompted researchers around the globe to seekr various methods of SARS-CoV-2 elimination, including the use of convalescent plasma. Aim. The aim of this work was to study the safety and efficacy of the convalescence plasma treatment of severe COVID-19 using the plasma containing specific antibodies to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 S protein in a titer of at least 1:1000. Methods. A single-center, randomized, prospective clinical study was performed at the FRCC FMBA of Russia with the participation of 86 patients who were stratified in two groups. The first group included 20 critically ill patients who were on mechanical ventilation the second group included 66 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 and with spontaneous respiration. The patients in the second group were randomized into two cohorts in a ratio of 2:1. In the first cohort (46 patients), pathogen-reduced convalescent plasma was transfused (twice, 320 ml each), in the second cohort (20 patients) a similar amount of non-immune freshly frozen plasma was transfused to the patients. Results. The use of plasma of convalescents in patients with severe COVID-19 being on mechanical ventilation does not affect the disease outcome in these patients. The mortality rate in this group was 60%, which corresponds to the average mortality of COVID patients on mechanical ventilation in our hospital. In the second group, clinical improvement was detected in 75% and 51%, for convalescent and non-immune plasma, respectively. Of the 46 people who received convalescent plasma, three patients (6.5%) were transferred to mechanical ventilation, two of them died. In the group receiving non-immune plasma, the need for mechanical ventilation also arose in three patients (15%), of which two died. The hospital mortality in the group of convalescent plasma was 4.3%, which is significantly lower than the average COVID-19 hospital mortality at our Center (6.73%) and more than two times lower than the hospital mortality in the control group (n=150), matched by age and by the disease severity. Conclusions. Thus, we demonstrated a relative safety of convalescent plasma transfusion and the effectiveness of such therapy for COVID-19 at least in terms of the survival of hospitalized patients with severe respiratory failure without mechanical ventilation. In the absence of bioengineered neutralizing antibodies and effective etiotropic therapy, the use of hyperimmune convalescent plasma is the simplest and most effective method of specific etiopathogenetic therapy of severe forms of COVID-19

Phenological shifts of abiotic events, producers and consumers across a continent

Ongoing climate change can shift organism phenology in ways that vary depending on species, habitats and climate factors studied. To probe for large-scale patterns in associated phenological change, we use 70,709 observations from six decades of systematic monitoring across the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Among 110 phenological events related to plants, birds, insects, amphibians and fungi, we find a mosaic of change, defying simple predictions of earlier springs, later autumns and stronger changes at higher latitudes and elevations. Site mean temperature emerged as a strong predictor of local phenology, but the magnitude and direction of change varied with trophic level and the relative timing of an event. Beyond temperature-associated variation, we uncover high variation among both sites and years, with some sites being characterized by disproportionately long seasons and others by short ones. Our findings emphasize concerns regarding ecosystem integrity and highlight the difficulty of predicting climate change outcomes. The authors use systematic monitoring across the former USSR to investigate phenological changes across taxa. The long-term mean temperature of a site emerged as a strong predictor of phenological change, with further imprints of trophic level, event timing, site, year and biotic interactions.Peer reviewe

Chronicles of nature calendar, a long-term and large-scale multitaxon database on phenology

We present an extensive, large-scale, long-term and multitaxon database on phenological and climatic variation, involving 506,186 observation dates acquired in 471 localities in Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan. The data cover the period 1890-2018, with 96% of the data being from 1960 onwards. The database is rich in plants, birds and climatic events, but also includes insects, amphibians, reptiles and fungi. The database includes multiple events per species, such as the onset days of leaf unfolding and leaf fall for plants, and the days for first spring and last autumn occurrences for birds. The data were acquired using standardized methods by permanent staff of national parks and nature reserves (87% of the data) and members of a phenological observation network (13% of the data). The database is valuable for exploring how species respond in their phenology to climate change. Large-scale analyses of spatial variation in phenological response can help to better predict the consequences of species and community responses to climate change.Peer reviewe

Post-Operative Functional Outcomes in Early Age Onset Rectal Cancer

Background: Impairment of bowel, urogenital and fertility-related function in patients treated for rectal cancer is common. While the rate of rectal cancer in the young (<50 years) is rising, there is little data on functional outcomes in this group. Methods: The REACCT international collaborative database was reviewed and data on eligible patients analysed. Inclusion criteria comprised patients with a histologically confirmed rectal cancer, <50 years of age at time of diagnosis and with documented follow-up including functional outcomes. Results: A total of 1428 (n=1428) patients met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final analysis. Metastatic disease was present at diagnosis in 13%. Of these, 40% received neoadjuvant therapy and 50% adjuvant chemotherapy. The incidence of post-operative major morbidity was 10%. A defunctioning stoma was placed for 621 patients (43%); 534 of these proceeded to elective restoration of bowel continuity. The median follow-up time was 42 months. Of this cohort, a total of 415 (29%) reported persistent impairment of functional outcomes, the most frequent of which was bowel dysfunction (16%), followed by bladder dysfunction (7%), sexual dysfunction (4.5%) and infertility (1%). Conclusion: A substantial proportion of patients with early-onset rectal cancer who undergo surgery report persistent impairment of functional status. Patients should be involved in the discussion regarding their treatment options and potential impact on quality of life. Functional outcomes should be routinely recorded as part of follow up alongside oncological parameters