Common Denominator Research Articles

The Common Denominators of Parkinson's Disease Pathogenesis and Methamphetamine Abuse.

The pervasiveness and mortality associated with methamphetamine abuse have doubled during the past decade, suggesting a possible worldwide substance use crisis. Epitomizing the pathophysiology and toxicology of methamphetamine abuse proclaims severe signs and symptoms of neurotoxic and neurobehavioral manifestations in both humans and animals. Most importantly, chronic use of this drug enhances the probability of developing neurodegenerative diseases manifolds. Parkinson's disease is one such neurological disorder, which significantly and evidently not only shares a number of toxic pathogenic mechanisms induced by methamphetamine exposure but is also interlinked both structurally and genetically. Methamphetamine-induced neurodegeneration involves altered dopamine homeostasis that promotes the aggregation of α-synuclein protofibrils in the dopaminergic neurons and drives these neurons to make them more vulnerable to degeneration, as recognized in Parkinson's disease. Moreover, the pathologic mechanisms such as mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and decreased neurogenesis detected in methamphetamine abusers dramatically resemble to what is observed in Parkinson's disease cases. Therefore, the present review comprehensively cumulates a holistic illustration of various genetic and molecular mechanisms putting across the notion of how methamphetamine administration and intoxication might lead to Parkinson's disease-like pathology and Parkinsonism.

Predictors of psychological distress in frontline journalists: Common denominators across three decades of conflicts.

Predictors of psychological distress in frontline journalists: Common denominators across three decades of conflicts.

Emotional changes and outcomes in psychotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This systematic review and meta-analysis summarize current knowledge on emotional change processes and mechanisms and their relationship with outcomes in psychotherapy. We reviewed the main change processes and mechanisms in the literature and conducted meta-analyses of process/mechanism-outcome associations whenever methodologically feasible. A total of 121 studies, based on 92 unique samples, met criteria for inclusion. Of these, 85 studies could be subjected to meta-analysis. The emotional change processes and mechanisms most robustly related to improvement were fear habituation across sessions in exposure-based treatment of anxiety disorders (r = .38), experiencing in psychotherapy for depression (r = .44), and emotion regulation in psychotherapies for patients with various anxiety disorders (r = .37). Common methodological problems were that studies often did not ascertain representative estimates of the processes under investigation, determine if changes in processes and mechanisms temporally preceded outcomes, disentangle effects at the within- and between-client levels, or assess contributions of therapists and clients to a given process. The present study has identified a number of emotional processes and mechanisms associated with outcome in psychotherapy, most notably fear habituation, emotion regulation, and experiencing. A common denominator between these appears to be the habitual reorganization of maladaptive emotional perception. We view this as a central pan-theoretical change mechanism, the essence of which appears to be increased differentiation between external triggers and one's own affective responses, which facilitates tolerance for affective arousals and leads to improved capacity for adaptive meaning-making in emotion-eliciting situations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy in thermal burn injury revisited. Pressure does matter. Review.

ABSTRACT Smolle C, Auinger D, Lindenmann J, Smolle J, Smolle-Juettner FM, Kamolz LP. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy in thermal burn injury revisited. Pressure does matter. Review. Undersea Hyperb Med. 2024 Second Quarter; 51(2):115-127. For over five decades, many experimental and clinical studies have shown predominantly positive but controversial results on the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy in burns. The study aimed to define a common denominator or constellations, respectively, linked to the effects of HBO2 in burns with a special focus on dosage parameters. Based on original work since 1965, species, number of individuals, type of study, percentage of total body surface area (TBSA), region, depth of burn, causative agent, interval between burn and first HBO2 session, pressure, duration of individual session, number of HBO2 sessions per day, cumulative number of HBO2 sessions and type of chamber were assessed. Out of 47 publications included, 32 were animal trials, four were trials in human volunteers, and 11 were clinical studies. They contained 94 experiments whose features were processed for statistical evaluation. 64 (67.4%) showed a positive outcome, 16 (17.9%) an ambiguous one, and 14 (14.7%) a negative outcome. The only factor independently influencing the results was pressure with ATA (atmospheres absolute) lower than 3 ATA being significantly associated with better outcomes (p=0.0005). There is a dire need for well-designed clinical studies in burn centers equipped with hyperbaric facilities to establish dedicated treatment protocols.

“Searching for order at all levels”. Antonio Lima-de-Faria (July 4, 1921 – December 27, 2023)

“Searching for order at all levels”. Antonio Lima-de-Faria (July 4, 1921 – December 27, 2023)

Hybrid Idol in Virtual Idols: Constructing a New Perspective on Idol Studies in Film and Media

Hollywood science fiction movies from "Ready Player One" to "FREE GUY" have all scored good box office results, while Japan's Hatsune Miku has gained a huge global fan base. They all have one thing in common, or what can be called a common denominator: the presence of avatars in the main roles. Currently, both Venom, a hybrid art figure made of virtual and real people and GUY, a virtual art figure made of pure AI animation, are extremely popular, and both are in line with the current hot meta-universe concept, with natural similarity. If Venom, a combination of virtual and real people, can be a virtual idol, then this virtual image is synthesized by pure AI animation, both of them can be a new kind of virtual "idol", and this article aims to put this kind of pure virtual image into the category of film and media idol research, and explore their value under the concept of the metaverse and The purpose of this article is to investigate the value of these pure avatars in the context of the metaverse concept and the feasibility of their development.

Metal bioavailability in aquatic systems— beyond complexation and competition

Metal bioavailability in solution is mostly driven by two factors: complexation and competition. The first factor, complexation, contributes to decrease the overall reactivity of the metal by reducing the activity of the free metal ion, which is known as the common denominator of metal reactions involving either dissolved ligands or surface functional groups (abiotic or biotic). Ubiquitous in natural ecosystems, natural organic matter is, for several metals, the most important metal complexing ligand. The second factor, competition, contributes to decrease the availability of biotic ligands involved in the membrane transport of metals from the bulk solution to the intracellular medium. In freshwater systems, proton and hardness cation concentrations are the main parameters potentially modulating metal bioavailability. The above reflects the current accepted paradigm. In this paper, two knowledge gaps are identified: i) the role of natural organic matter other than metal complexation that may lead to an increase in metal bioavailability; and ii) the effects of multiple metals other than competition that may trigger biological feedback mechanisms which may, in turn, alter biotic ligand binding properties. More research efforts are needed to decipher the extent of these overlooked potential effects and to improve the predictability of metal bioavailability.

An Efficient Hybrid Deep Learning Accelerator for Compact and Heterogeneous CNNs

Resource-efficient Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are gaining more attention. These CNNs have relatively low computational and memory requirements. A common denominator among such CNNs is having more heterogeneity than traditional CNNs. This heterogeneity is present at two levels: intra-layer type and inter-layer type. Generic accelerators do not capture these levels of heterogeneity, which harms their efficiency. Consequently, researchers have proposed model-specific accelerators with dedicated engines. When designing an accelerator with dedicated engines, one option is to dedicate one engine per CNN layer. We refer to accelerators designed with this approach as single-engine single-layer (SESL). This approach enables optimizing each engine for its specific layer. However, such accelerators are resource-demanding and unscalable. Another option is to design a minimal number of dedicated engines such that each engine handles all layers of one type. We refer to these accelerators as single-engine multiple-layer (SEML). SEML accelerators capture the inter-layer-type but not the intra-layer-type heterogeneity. We propose the Fixed Budget Hybrid CNN Accelerator (FiBHA), a hybrid accelerator composed of an SESL part and an SEML part, each processing a subset of CNN layers. FiBHA captures more heterogeneity than SEML while being more resource-aware and scalable than SESL. Moreover, we propose a novel module, Fused Inverted Residual Bottleneck (FIRB), a fine-grained and memory-light SESL architecture building block. The proposed architecture is implemented and evaluated using high-level synthesis (HLS) on different Field Programmable Gate Arrays representing various resource budgets. Our evaluation shows that FiBHA improves the throughput by up to 4 x and 2.5 x compared to state-of-the-art SESL and SEML accelerators, respectively. Moreover, FiBHA reduces memory and energy consumption compared to an SEML accelerator. The evaluation also shows that FIRB reduces the required memory by up to 54%, and energy requirements by up to 35% compared to traditional pipelining.

The Role of the Vascular System in Degenerative Diseases: Mechanisms and Implications.

Degenerative diseases, encompassing a wide range of conditions affecting various organ systems, pose significant challenges to global healthcare systems. This comprehensive review explores the intricate interplay between the vascular system and degenerative diseases, shedding light on the underlying mechanisms and profound implications for disease progression and management. The pivotal role of the vascular system in maintaining tissue homeostasis is highlighted, as it serves as the conduit for oxygen, nutrients, and immune cells to vital organs and tissues. Due to the vital role of the vascular system in maintaining homeostasis, its dysfunction, characterized by impaired blood flow, endothelial dysfunction, and vascular inflammation, emerges as a common denominator of degenerative diseases across multiple systems. In the nervous system, we explored the influence of vascular factors on neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, emphasizing the critical role of cerebral blood flow regulation and the blood-brain barrier. Within the kidney system, the intricate relationship between vascular health and chronic kidney disease is scrutinized, unraveling the mechanisms by which hypertension and other vascular factors contribute to renal dysfunction. Throughout this review, we emphasize the clinical significance of understanding vascular involvement in degenerative diseases and potential therapeutic interventions targeting vascular health, highlighting emerging treatments and prevention strategies. In conclusion, a profound appreciation of the role of the vascular system in degenerative diseases is essential for advancing our understanding of degenerative disease pathogenesis and developing innovative approaches for prevention and treatment. This review provides a comprehensive foundation for researchers, clinicians, and policymakers seeking to address the intricate relationship between vascular health and degenerative diseases in pursuit of improved patient outcomes and enhanced public health.

Astrocytes as critical players of the fine balance between inhibition and excitation in the brain: spreading depolarization as a mechanism to curb epileptic activity.

Spreading depolarizations (SD) are slow waves of complete depolarization of brain tissue followed by neuronal silencing that may play a role in seizure termination. Even though SD was first discovered in the context of epilepsy research, the link between SD and epileptic activity remains understudied. Both seizures and SD share fundamental pathophysiological features, and recent evidence highlights the frequent occurrence of SD in experimental seizure models. Human data on co-occurring seizures and SD are limited but suggestive. This mini-review addresses possible roles of SD during epileptiform activity, shedding light on SD as a potential mechanism for terminating epileptiform activity. A common denominator for many forms of epilepsy is reactive astrogliosis, a process characterized by morphological and functional changes to astrocytes. Data suggest that SD mechanisms are potentially perturbed in reactive astrogliosis and we propose that this may affect seizure pathophysiology.

HELLP Syndrome and Differential Diagnosis with Other Thrombotic Microangiopathies in Pregnancy.

Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) comprise a distinct group of diseases with different manifestations that can occur in both pediatric and adult patients. They can be hereditary or acquired, with subtle onset or a rapidly progressive course, and they are particularly known for their morbidity and mortality. Pregnancy is a high-risk time for the development of several types of thrombotic microangiopathies. The three major syndromes are hemolysis, elevated liver function tests, and low platelets (HELLP); hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS); and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Because of their rarity, clinical information and therapeutic results related to these conditions are often obtained from case reports, small series, registries, and reviews. The collection of individual observations, the evolution of diagnostic laboratories that have identified autoimmune and/or genetic abnormalities using von Willebrand factor post-secretion processing or genetic-functional alterations in the regulation of alternative complement pathways in some of these TMAs, and, most importantly, the introduction of advanced treatments, have enabled the preservation of affected organs and improved survival rates. Although TMAs may show different etiopathogenesis routes, they all show the presence of pathological lesions, which are characterized by endothelial damage and the formation of thrombi rich in platelets at the microvascular level, as a common denominator, and thrombotic damage to microcirculation pathways induces "mechanical" (microangiopathic) hemolytic anemia, the consumption of platelets, and ischemic organ damage. In this review, we highlight the current knowledge about the diagnosis and management of these complications during pregnancy.

Failing Forward in European Economic Governance: The Cyclicality of European Integration and Institutional Competition in the COVID‐19 Crisis

AbstractThe European Union's (EU's) response to the pandemic has been accompanied by reconfigurations in its institutional hierarchy, affecting the sites where institutional reforms are prepared and implemented. Whereas the Eurogroup drove reform during the euro crisis, the Commission had a more pronounced role in the development and implementation of pandemic instruments. This article ties in with failing‐forward arguments that view European integration as cyclical, arguing that this cyclicality also concerns the institutional dynamics in European economic governance. Based on expert interviews, official documents and reports, the analysis reconstructs and compares the institutional configurations during the euro crisis and the pandemic. Its findings suggest three modifications to ‘failing forward’: first, incomplete intergovernmental decisions are often the result of dominant particular interests rather than ‘lowest common denominator’ solutions; second, supranational bodies can exploit the delegitimization of intergovernmental solutions; and third, ad hoc measures can prolong the failing‐forward cycle and displace lasting integration steps.

Monetary Reform and Central Bank Digital Currencies: The Impact on Retail Banking

This research aims to clarify the impact of monetary reform on retail banking, with the introduction of private crypto-currencies (CCs) and retail central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Given the exponential increase in private de-centralized CCs, involving stablecoins and non-backed digital assets, total crypto assets have now developed into a USD 1.04 trillion market capitalization. Governments and monetary authorities were initially reticent, but now a number of central banks are developing their own wholesale and retail CBDCs. By conducting library research, document and content analysis involving secondary data, this research confirms, involving central bank admission, that the current centralized monetary system allows commercial banks to lend the vast majority of deposit money into existence. However, the impact of private CCs and introduction of retail CBDCs will eliminate credit creation, thus rendering the commercial banking model obsolete. This will inevitably involve a structural change in the global financial system, with the separation of the public issuance of money and the private issuance of equity finance and investment. Ultimately, retail CBDCs will have to develop into public stablecoins that are pegged to intrinsic value to satisfy the store of value function of money and provide stability as the common denominator for all economic transactions.

Motivation as a Lens for Understanding Information-seeking Behaviors.

Most prior research characterizes information-seeking behaviors as serving utilitarian purposes, such as whether the obtained information can help solve practical problems. However, information-seeking behaviors are sensitive to different contexts (i.e., threat vs. curiosity), despite having equivalent utility. Furthermore, these search behaviors can be modulated by individuals' life history and personality traits. Yet the emphasis on utilitarian utility has precluded the development of a unified model, which explains when and how individuals actively seek information. To account for this variability and flexibility, we propose a unified information-seeking framework that examines information-seeking through the lens of motivation. This unified model accounts for integration across individuals' internal goal states and the salient features of the environment to influence information-seeking behavior. We propose that information-seeking is determined by motivation for information, invigorated either by instrumental utility or hedonic utility, wherein one's personal or environmental context moderates this relationship. Furthermore, we speculate that the final common denominator in guiding information-seeking is the engagement of different neuromodulatory circuits centered on dopaminergic and noradrenergic tone. Our framework provides a unified framework for information-seeking behaviors and generates several testable predictions for future studies.

Is the insomnia phenotype the common denominator in LUTS during transition periods? An expert NOPIA research group review.

As people age, sleep stages and characteristics transition over time, but sleep deficits can profoundly impact health and cognitive functioning. Chronic sleep deprivation is linked to impaired attention and productivity, weakened immunity, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, and mental health disorders. Insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, hormonal changes, nocturia, neurological disorders, and life events interfere with sleep patterns and some are linked to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). This NOPIA symposium on Lifelong LUTS aimed to analyze the literature on associations between sleep and LUTS, generate ideas for future research, and explore whether there is support for the concept of lifelong LUTS in relation to changes in sleep throughout the lifespan. An international panel of experts took part in an online meeting addressing the role of lifelong LUTS in relationship to sleep and the brain organized by the NOPIA research group. The manuscript summarizes existing literature, hypotheses, future research ideas, and clinical recommendations. Insomnia, sleep fragmentation, hyperarousal, and sensory processing disorders emerged as potential factors in the relationship between sleep and LUTS. Insomnia is often a persistent factor and may have been the initial symptom; however, it is often unrecognized and/or unaddressed in healthcare settings. By recognizing insomnia as a primary driver of various health issues, including nocturia, transitional care aims to address root causes and underlying problems earlier to initiate appropriate treatment. A multidisciplinary approach with collaboration between healthcare professionals from various disciplines, such as urology, sleep medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, and geriatrics, is needed and should include validated measurements such as the insomnia severity index and sleep and voiding diaries. Ensuring ongoing follow-up and monitoring through transitional care is crucial for individuals with persistent sleep problems and LUTS, allowing issues that arise or fluctuate over the lifespan to be addressed.

DOP32 CD226+TIGITneg expression identifies pathogenic inflammatory CD4+ memory T cells in severe Crohn’s Disease patients, opening up opportunities for patient-tailored treatment strategies

Abstract Background CD4+ memory T cells (Tmem) drive chronicity of inflammation in Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Treatments specifically targeting T cells effectively induce disease remission. However, due to disease heterogeneity and possibly variation in the Tmem response, not all patients achieve or maintain remission. As such, strategies are needed to identify and monitor the therapeutic target, i.e. the inflammatory Tmem response, in individual patients. Monitoring has been hampered by the large variety in both protective regulatory and pathogenic inflammatory Tmem phenotypes, thus, common denominators need to be identified to distinguish all inflammatory from all regulatory intestinal Tmem populations in individual patients. We have shown that the coinhibitory receptor T-cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains (TIGIT) is a common denominator identifying regulatory gut-homing Tmem. TIGIT shares its ligands with the costimulatory receptor CD226. While TIGIT ligation inhibits Tmem responses, CD226 engagement enhances Tmem activity. We hypothesize that TIGIT and CD226 differentiate the protective regulatory from the pathogenic inflammatory intestinal Tmem in individual IBD patients. Methods We studied CD38+CD62Lneg gut-homing Tmem in blood of therapy-naive pediatric IBD patients (CD n=59; UC n=32; IBD negative controls (IBDneg) n=24). Results In a subgroup of CD, but not UC patients, frequencies of regulatory TIGIT+ gut-homing Tmem at diagnosis were strongly reduced compared to IBDneg. Of these CD patients with low TIGIT frequencies, a significantly higher proportion had severe disease, defined as failing to achieve remission after 6 months or having a disease relapse within 1 year, compared to CD with normal TIGIT frequencies. As TIGIT is a common denominator for regulatory cells, we hypothesized that gut-homing Tmem without TIGIT (TIGITneg) contained inflammatory Tmem. Indeed, in CD, the TIGITneg Tmem population contained increased frequencies of pathogenic IFNg+IL-17+-double-producing cells compared to IBDneg. As TIGIT and CD226 frequencies inversely correlated (R=-0.78, p=4.8e-05) in CD patients, we assessed whether additional monitoring of CD226 could be used to more precisely identify and monitor inflammatory Tmem in CD. As anticipated, TIGITnegCD226+ gut-homing Tmem frequencies significantly increased in CD patients compared to UC patients and IBDneg. TIGITnegCD226+ Tmem were more proliferative and more activated compared to IBDneg, indicating increased inflammatory function. Conclusion These data establish that TIGIT and CD226 can be used to enumerate and differentiate the protective regulatory from the pathogenic inflammatory gut-homing Tmem in individual IBD patients, and to identify patients with severe disease.

Complete Primary Pathological Response Following Neoadjuvant Treatment and Radical Resection for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Neoadjuvant treatment (NAT) for borderline (BD) or locally advanced (LA) primary pancreatic cancer (PDAC) is now a widely adopted approach. We present a case series of patients who have achieved a complete pathological response of the primary tumour on final histology following neoadjuvant chemotherapy +/- chemoradiation and radical surgery. Patients who underwent radical pancreatic resection following neoadjuvant treatment between March 2006 and March 2023 at a single institution were identified by retrospective case note review of a prospectively maintained database. Ten patients were identified to have a complete primary pathological response (ypT0) on postoperative histology. Before treatment, five patients were considered BD and five were LA according to National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines. All patients underwent staging Computed Tomography (CT) and nine underwent 18Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (18FDG-PET/CT) imaging, with a mean maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the primary lesion at 6.14 ± 1.98 units. All patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and eight received further chemoradiotherapy prior to resection. Mean pre- and post-neoadjuvant treatment serum Ca19-9 was 148.0 ± 146.3 IU/L and 18.0 ± 18.7 IU/L, respectively (p = 0.01). The mean duration of NAT was 5.6 ± 1.7 months. The mean time from completion of NAT to surgery was 13.1 ± 8.3 weeks. The mean lymph node yield was 21.1 ± 10.4 nodes, with one patient found to have 1 lymph node involved. All resections were reported to be R0. The mean length of stay was 11.8 ± 6.2 days. At the time of analysis, one death was reported at 35 months postoperatively. Two cases of recurrence were reported at 16 months (surgical bed) and 33 months (pulmonary). All other patients remain alive and under active surveillance. The current overall survival is 26.6 ± 20.7 months and counting. Complete primary pathological response is uncommon but possible following neoadjuvant treatment in patients with PDAC. Further work to identify the common denominator within this unique cohort may lead to advances in the therapeutic approach and offer hope for patients diagnosed with borderline or locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Article 10bis of the Paris Convention as the common denominator for protection against unfair competition in national and regional contexts

Abstract This article explains the historical development of Article 10bis of the Paris Convention and discusses core concepts underlying the international provision, in particular, the overarching requirement of honest practices in industrial or commercial matters, the question of a competitive relationship and the examples of unfair practices given in Article 10bis. It also sheds light on guidance following from the Model Provisions on Protection Against Unfair Competition which the World Intellectual Property Organization presented in 1996. The analysis shows that the honest practices test need not be understood in a traditional, empirical sense. More modern, functional approaches can be adopted to align the application of Article 10bis with a broader spectrum of policy goals: not only fair play between competitors but also consumer protection and the general public interest in a well-functioning marketplace. Similarly, the requirement of a competitive relationship need not focus on direct competition in the same market segment. An indirect competitive relationship can be deemed sufficient. While the prohibited acts listed in Article 10bis(3) reflect central categories of unfair behaviour and harm, current developments and challenges—ranging from computational advertising, influencer marketing and product recommender systems to questions surrounding data exclusivity and sustainability issues—raise the question whether an update and enrichment of the catalogue of prohibited acts could be necessary to provide guidance at the international level.

Topical Problems of the Urban Environment Protection

Introduction. The concentration of a huge number of people in a small area causes a wide range of social, economic, environmental and other problems, starting from the growth of crime and ending with the natural landscape degradation. With regard to urban territories, the major environmental problems are: air pollution, water quality deterioration, increase of wastes, noise, stray animals, etc. At the same time, in each region or municipality, an environmental problem may have its own features. The role of law in solving these problems is increasing every year. Environment protection is a crosssectoral issue, which means that the norms of environmental, urban planning, municipal, administrative, sanitary and other branches of legislation should be applied for solving the issues thereof. Meanwhile, each of these sectors of legislation pursues its own, rather local goals, using the sector-specific legal tools. Since the city is a complicated but integral social organism, there arises the need to bring various sector norms and regulations to a "common denominator". This role is fulfilled by the urban planning, which doesn’t cancel the legal effect of other sectoral legal norms, but undertakes the coordinating functions, requiring a separate and detailed study. The aim of the work is to identify the topical problems of the urban environment protection and outline the ways to solve them, based on the analysis of the urban planning, natural resources and environmental laws.Materials and Methods. Legal, organisational, economic and other aspects of the urban environment protection have been investigated using the conventional methods of scientific cognition: general scientific (the dialectical) and specific scientific (analysis, synthesis, concrete-historical, logical, etc.) methods.Results. The urban planning, natural resources and environmental laws, which regulate various aspects of the urban environment legal protection have been analysed. The advantages and disadvantages of the existing model of law have been revealed, suggestions for it improvement have been made. The analysis of spatial planning documents of three subjects of the Russian Federation (the Republic of Kalmykia, the Republic of Dagestan and Astrakhan region), and three municipalities (urban districts of Astrakhan, Makhachkala and Elista) has been carried out. The environmental requirements contained in the Land Use and Development Regulations of these subjects of the RF have been revealed.Discussion and Conclusion. The territory of any city is an aggregate of transformed, modified and natural ecological systems, requiring the integrated approach to legal regulation. This objective is achieved by means of the urban planning law. It's in the spatial planning and urban zoning documents that the existing and planned development of the territories is stated, the individual permits, restrictions and prohibitions on the use and protection of the natural resources are taken into account, the balance between the environmental, economic and social interests of the state, business and society is found. The urban planning law directly affects fulfilment of the various environment protection directions within the certain areas of human activity - defines the places (landfills) for waste disposal, sites for constructing the waste recycling plants, locations of wastewater treatment systems and lands for setting up the specially protected natural territories (hereinafter SPNT) (including the ones within the city boundaries) aimed at preserving the valuable objects of flora and fauna; promotes the establishment of the protection regime for the urban forests and forest parks. At the same time, urban planning law does not repeal the rules and regulations on protection of waters, lands, forests or animal world objects, which continue to be legally binding, and, in their turn, influence on the urban planning requirements and restrictions. The provisions of the federal urban planning and environmental laws are perceived differently by the regional and local authorities, this entails significant specifics of the environment protection at regional and local levels.

Placebo stimulates neuroplasticity in depression: implications for clinical practice and research.

Neither psychological nor neuroscientific investigations have been able to fully explain the paradox that placebo is designed to be inert in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), yet appears to be effective in evaluations of clinical interventions in all fields of medicine and alternative medicine. This article develops the Neuroplasticity Placebo Theory, which posits that neuroplasticity in fronto-limbic areas is the unifying factor in placebo response (seen in RCTs) and placebo effect (seen in clinical interventions) where it is not intended to be inert. Depression is the disorder that has the highest placebo response of any medical condition and has the greatest potential for understanding how placebos work: recent developments in understanding of the pathophysiology of depression suggest that fronto-limbic areas are sensitized in depression which is associated with a particularly strong placebo phenomenon. An innovative linkage is made between diverse areas of the psychology and the translational psychiatry literature to provide supportive evidence for the Neuroplasticity Placebo Theory. This is underpinned by neuro-radiological evidence of fronto-limbic change in the placebo arm of antidepressant trials. If placebo stimulates neuroplasticity in fronto-limbic areas in conditions other than depression - and results in a partially active treatment in other areas of medicine - there are far reaching consequences for the day-to-day use of placebo in clinical practice, the future design of RCTs in all clinical conditions, and existing unwarranted assertions about the efficacy of antidepressant medications. If fronto-limbic neuroplasticity is the common denominator in designating placebo as a partially active treatment, the terms placebo effect and placebo response should be replaced by the single term "placebo treatment."