Early Time Research Articles

Predictive significance of intraprostatic volumetric parameters derived from early and standard time 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT images in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients.

To investigate the relationship between intraprostatic 68Ga-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) uptake values and volumetric parameters derived from early pelvic and standard-time whole-body 68Ga-PSMA PET/computed tomography (CT) images in untreated prostate cancer (PCa) patients, and to assess the predictive significance of these data in relation to disease prognosis, comparing them with the Gleason score, clinical risk classification and the presence of metastatic disease detected in 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging. Eighty-one newly diagnosed PCa patients underwent early phase pelvic imaging at the 5th minute and standard time whole-body imaging at the 60th minute. Various threshold values were used in intraprostatic delineations to compute maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean), intraprostatic PSMA tumor volume and intraprostatic total lesion PSMA uptake. Correlations between early and standard time measurements, as well as changes in SUV parameters over time, were examined. The association of these values with Gleason score, clinical risk status (National Comprehensive Cancer Network), and metastatic disease was explored. SUVmax measurements from both early and standard time images distinguished all three groups (clinical risk scores, Gleason score and metastatic group), with standard imaging demonstrating statistical superiority in receiver operating characteristic analyses. Strong correlations were observed between early and standard-time PET parameters. Changes in intraprostatic SUVmax and SUVmean values over time did not exhibit predictive value. Although intraprostatic PSMA PET parameters generally aligned at both early and standard times, parameters obtained from standard time images showed more robust correlations with clinical risk scores, Gleason score and metastasis status in newly diagnosed, untreated PCa patients.

A Comparison of Different Biomass Combustion Mechanisms in the Transient State

Different combustion reaction process models were used to numerically study the behavior of the temperature, velocity, and turbulence fields, as well as to gain a better understanding of the differences between the reaction products obtained with each model. Transient-state simulations were conducted for a gasifier under specific operating conditions. The standard K-epsilon (2eq) turbulence model was utilized, along with the incorporation of species transport, volumetric responses, and eddy dissipation. In this study, the impacts of one-, two-, and four-step reaction mechanisms on the mass fraction of the products of the reactions, as well as the maximum values of velocity, turbulence, and temperature, were examined. The findings demonstrated that for all mechanisms, the greater maximum values of velocity and turbulence are attained at early time steps and decrease with subsequent time steps. The temperature rises as much in the early time steps and nearly stays the same in the late time steps. In all situations examined, the species’ fraction mass varies slightly in the early time steps but becomes nearly constant in the latter time stages. Similar species mass fraction values were found for both one-step and four-step methods. The results also suggest that the lower half of the gasifier is where the highest mass fraction values are found.

Bacteroidales-Specific Antimicrobial Genes Can Influence the Selection of the Dominant Fecal Strain of Bacteroides vulgatus and Bacteroides uniformis from the Gastrointestinal Tract Microbial Community.

Bacteroides vulgatus and Bacteroides uniformis are known to be abundant in the human fecal microbial community. Although these strains typically remain stable over time in humans, disruption of this microbial community following antibiotics resulted in the transient change to new strains suggesting that a complex, dynamic strain community exists in humans. To further study the selection of dominant fecal microbial strains from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) community, we analyzed three longitudinal metagenomic sequencing data sets using BLAST+ to identify genes encoding Bacteroidales-specific antimicrobial proteins (BSAP) that have known functions to restrict species-specific replication of B. uniformis (BSAP-2) or B. vulgatus (BSAP-3) and have been postulated to provide a competitive advantage in microbial communities. In the HMP (Human Microbiome Project) data set, we found fecal samples from individuals had B. vulgatus or B. uniformis with either complete or deleted BSAP genes that did not change over time. We also examined fecal samples from two separate longitudinal data sets of individuals who had been given either single or multiple antibiotics. The BSAP gene pattern from most individuals given either single or multiple antibiotics recovered to be the same as the pre-antibiotic strain. However, in a few individuals, we found incomplete BSAP-3 genes at early times during the recovery that were replaced by B. vulgatus with the complete BSAP-3 gene, consistent with the function of the BSAP to specifically restrict Bacteroides spp. The results of these studies provide insights into the fluxes that occur in the Bacteroides spp. GIT community following perturbation and the dynamics of the selection of a dominant fecal strain of Bacteroides spp.

Longitudinal Analysis of Humoral and Cellular Immune Response up to 6 Months after SARS-CoV-2 BA.5/BF.7/XBB Breakthrough Infection and BA.5/BF.7-XBB Reinfection.

The rapid mutation of SARS-CoV-2 has led to multiple rounds of large-scale breakthrough infection and reinfection worldwide. However, the dynamic changes of humoral and cellular immunity responses to several subvariants after infection remain unclear. In our study, a 6-month longitudinal immune response evaluation was conducted on 118 sera and 50 PBMC samples from 49 healthy individuals who experienced BA.5/BF.7/XBB breakthrough infection or BA.5/BF.7-XBB reinfection. By studying antibody response, memory B cell, and IFN-γ secreting CD4+/CD8+ T cell response to several SARS-CoV-2 variants, we observed that each component of immune response exhibited distinct kinetics. Either BA.5/BF.7/XBB breakthrough infection or BA.5/BF.7-XBB reinfection induces relatively high level of binding and neutralizing antibody titers against Omicron subvariants at an early time point, which rapidly decreases over time. Most of the individuals at 6 months post-breakthrough infection completely lost their neutralizing activities against BQ.1.1, CH.1.1, BA.2.86, JN.1 and XBB subvariants. Individuals with BA.5/BF.7-XBB reinfection exhibit immune imprinting shifting and recall pre-existing BA.5/BF.7 neutralization antibodies. In the BA.5 breakthrough infection group, the frequency of BA.5 and XBB.1.16-RBD specific memory B cells, resting memory B cells, and intermediate memory B cells gradually increased over time. On the other hand, the frequency of IFN-γ secreting CD4+/CD8+ T cells induced by WT/BA.5/XBB.1.16 spike trimer remains stable over time. Overall, our research indicates that individuals with breakthrough infection have rapidly declining antibody levels but have a relatively stable cellular immunity that can provide some degree of protection from future exposure to new antigens.

Dim light at night shifts microglia to a pro-inflammatory state after cerebral ischemia, altering stroke outcome in mice

Circadian rhythms are endogenous biological cycles that regulate physiology and behavior and are set to precisely 24-h by light exposure. Light at night (LAN) dysregulates physiology and function including immune response; a critical component that contributes to stroke pathophysiological progression of neuronal injury and may impair recovery from injury. The goal of this study is to explore the effects of dim LAN (dLAN) in a murine model of ischemic stroke to assess how nighttime lighting from hospital settings can affect stroke outcome. Further, this study sought to identify mechanisms underlying pathophysiological changes to immune response after circadian disruption. Male and female adult Swiss Webster (CFW) mice were subjected to transient or permanent focal cerebral ischemia, then were subsequently placed into either dark night conditions (LD) or one night of dLAN (5 lx). 24 h post-stroke, sensorimotor impairments and infarct sizes were quantified. A single night of dLAN following MCAO increased infarct size and sensorimotor deficits across both sexes and reduced survival in males after 24 h. Flow cytometry was performed to assess microglial phenotypes after MCAO, and revealed that dLAN altered the percentage of microglia that express pro-inflammatory markers (MHC II+ and IL-6) and microglia that express CD206 and IL-10 that likely contributed to poor ischemic outcomes. Following these results, microglia were reduced in the brain using Plexxikon 5622 (PLX 5622) a CSFR1 inhibitor, then the mice received an MCAO and were exposed to LD or dLAN conditions for 24 h. Microglial depletion by PLX5622 resulted in infarct sizes that were comparable between lighting conditions. This study provides supporting evidence that environmental lighting exacerbates ischemic injury and post-stroke mortality by a biological mechanism that exposure to dLAN causes a fundamental shift of activated microglial phenotypes from beneficial to detrimental at an early time point after stroke, resulting in irreversible neuronal death.

Patlak Slope versus Standardized Uptake Value Image Quality in an Oncologic PET/CT Population: A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study.

Patlak slope (PS) images have the potential to improve lesion conspicuity compared with standardized uptake value (SUV) images but may be more artifact-prone. This study compared PS versus SUV image quality and hepatic tumor-to-background ratios (TBRs) at matched time points. Early and late SUV and PS images were reconstructed from dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) data. Two independent, blinded readers scored image quality metrics (a four-point Likert scale) and counted tracer-avid lesions. Hepatic lesions and parenchyma were segmented and quantitatively analyzed. Differences were assessed via the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (alpha, 0.05). Forty-three subjects were included. For overall quality and lesion detection, early PS images were significantly inferior to other reconstructions. For overall quality, late PS images (reader 1 [R1]: 3.95, reader 2 [R2]: 3.95) were similar (p > 0.05) to early SUV images (R1: 3.88, R2: 3.84) but slightly superior (p ≤ 0.002) to late SUV images (R1: 2.97, R2: 3.44). For lesion detection, late PS images were slightly inferior to late SUV images (R1 only) but slightly superior to early SUV images (both readers). PS-based TBRs were significantly higher than SUV-based TBRs at the early time point, with opposite findings at the late time point. In conclusion, late PS images are similar to early/late SUV images in image quality and lesion detection; the superiority of SUV versus PS hepatic TBRs is time-dependent.

Bimetallic interface on an optical microfiber nucleic acid sensor: Early detection in body fluids

Nucleic acid detection, which is not limited by the “window period”, is an efficacious approach for detecting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection at an early time. Here, method with a short turn-around time, portability, connectivity and cost-effectiveness is developed to suppress HIV disease in the early stage, especially in remote areas. Specifically, an optical microfiber sensor enhanced by a bimetallic interface is developed for the HIV-related DNA detection in body fluids. A bimetallic interface is constructed on the optical microfiber surface to ensure that target nucleic acid hybridization occurs between two gold nanostructures where the evanescent field is strongest. The selective enhancement of the evanescent field at the binding site prevents nonspecific amplification of the whole fiber surface, which may lead to false-positive results. With the enhancement in the bimetallic interface, the sensor can detect HIV-related DNA at concentrations from 1 aM to 0.1 pM, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.3 aM. The portability, flexibility and selectivity of the sensor enable its application in detecting in several body fluids, such as whole serum and artificial saliva, with LODs of 1.15 aM and 1.64 aM, respectively. This work provides a powerful tool for diagnosing HIV in early stages. Ultrasensitive nucleic acid detection in artificial saliva also provides a possibility for noninvasive detection.

POSTOPERATIVE OUTCOMES OF ILIZAROV FRAME FIXATION IN THE LOWER LIMB: AN EVALUATION OF PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOME MEASURES AND ALIGNMENT

IntroductionBy utilising the inherent variability achievable with circular frames, surgeons can manage a wide spectrum of complex injuries, and can deal with deformity at multiple levels, in multiple planes. The aim of this study was to assess functional outcomes utilising patients reported outcome measures (PROMs) of patients being treated with circular (Ilizarov) frame fixation for complex lower limb injuries and assess these results in conjunction with the observed postoperative alignment of the patients’ limbs.Materials & MethodsCases were identified using a prospectively collected database of adult patients presenting between July 2018 and August 2021. Functional outcomes were assessed using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Score (AOFAS), the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ5D5L), the Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale (LKSS), the Olerud-Molendar Ankle Score (OMAS), and the Tegner Activity Scale (TAS). Postoperative radiographs were analysed for fracture union and to quantify malunion (as described in Dror Paleys Principles of Deformity Correction).ResultsThe mean AOFAS, EQ5D5L, LKSS and OMAS scores showed an initial drop from pre-op to early time points and then steady increase over the early, mid, late and frame-off time points, with a resultant score higher than pre-op. Malunion was found in 35 (41.7%) patients, 7 patients had a malunion within 5 degrees of normal, 15 from 5–10 degrees of normal, 12 from 10–15 degrees of normal and 2 out with 15 degrees of normal.ConclusionsCircular frame fixation is an attractive option in complex lower limb trauma where alternative fixation methods are unsuitable. Whilst post-operative success to the surgeon might be determined radiographically, patient reported outcomes give a functionally important, objective measure of the success of the surgery to the patient.

Influence of Early Goal-Directed Therapy Targeting Capillary Refill Time, Serum Lactate or Base Deficit Levels on Morbidity and Mortality in Septic Shock Patients

Influence of Early Goal-Directed Therapy Targeting Capillary Refill Time, Serum Lactate or Base Deficit Levels on Morbidity and Mortality in Septic Shock Patients

Long term outcome after endovascular treatment for large ischemic core acute stroke is associated with hypoperfusion intensity ratio and onset-to-reperfusion time.

Endovascular treatment (EVT) is effective for large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke with smaller volumes of CT perfusion (CTP)-defined core. However, the influence of perfusion imaging during thrombectomy on the functional outcomes of patients with large ischemic core (LIC) stroke at both early and late time windows is uncertain in real-world practice. A retrospective analysis was performed on 99 patients who underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA) and CT perfusion (CTP)-Rapid Processing of Perfusion and Diffusion (RAPID) before EVT and had a baseline ischemic core ≥ 50 mL and/or Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) score of 0-5. The primary outcome was the three-month modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score. Data were analyzed by binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. A fair outcome (mRS, 0-3) was found in 34 of the 99 patients while 65 had a poor prognosis (mRS, 4-6). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that onset-to-reperfusion (OTR) time (odds ratio [OR], 1.004; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.001-1.007; p = 0.008), ischemic core (OR, 1.066; 95% CI, 1.024-1.111; p = 0.008), and the hypoperfusion intensity ratio (HIR) (OR, 70.898; 95% CI, 1.130-4450.152; p = 0.044) were independent predictors of outcome. The combined results of ischemic core, HIR, and OTR time showed good performance with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.937, significantly higher than the individual variables (p < 0.05) using DeLong's test. Higher HIR and longer OTR time in large core stroke patients were independently associated with unfavorable three-month outcomes after EVT.

The Val Biandino Intrusive Suite (central Southern Alps, N Italy): new geochronological and geochemical data on the Early Permian magmatic activity in the Southalpine Domain

The Early Permian in the present-day Europe area was a time when a major tectonic shift occurred, leading from the tectonic collapse of the Variscan orogeny to the crustal extension and thinning that characterized the Early Permian times. Crustal extension was associated with extensive magmatism at different crustal levels: from gabbro in the lower crust or at the mantle/crust transition to subaerial high-SiO2 volcanic activity. In the whole Southalpine Domain, the Early Permian intrusive bodies occur from the west (e.g. Ivrea-Verbano Complex and “Graniti dei Laghi”) to the east (Ifinger, Brixen and Cima d’Asta intrusive complexes). Among these, in the central Southern Alps (comprised between the Giudicarie Belt and the Lake Como), minor intrusive complexes also occur. The Val Biandino Intrusive Suite consists of two magmatic units: the Val Biandino Quartz-Diorite (VBQD) and the Valle di San Biagio Granite (VSBG). The first of them consists of gabbro-diorite to granodiorite bodies associated with leucocratic cordierite-bearing granitic dikes that intruded the pre-Permian basement. To the west, a W-dipping normal fault of Permian age represents the boundary between this unit and the Valle di San Biagio porphyric granite. All rock varieties of the Val Biandino Intrusive Suite display a high-K calc-alkaline affinity with metaluminous to peraluminous character. Field crosscutting relationships point to a late generation of the cordierite granites of the Val Biandino Quartz-Diorite unit with respect to the more mafic types. SHRIMP U–Pb zircon dating provided an age of 285.2 ± 1.9 Ma for a cordierite granite of the Val Biandino Quartz-Diorite unit and 283.2 ± 1.9 Ma for the porphyric Valle di San Biagio Granite. Geochemical data suggest that gabbro-diorite, quartz-diorite, granodiorite and leucogranite are not co-magmatic. The existing gaps in term of SiO2 wt% and the higher HREE contents in mafic and intermediate rocks with respect to granite coupled with similar LREE in all rocks support this hypothesis. The high Rb/Sr ratios (> 1) in leucogranite, together with the occurrence of white mica and cordierite point to a significant contribution of crustal partial melting in their genesis. The Val Biandino Intrusive Suite was likely formed through the interaction of magma genesis at the mantle/crust transition and partial melting of the heterogeneous pre-Permian basement of the Southalpine Domain. This scenario explains the strong heterogeneity displayed by the relatively small intrusive complex and the strong crustal signature exhibited by all the magmatic types of the Val Biandino Intrusive Suite.

On the Statistical Mechanics of Mass Accommodation at Liquid-Vapor Interfaces.

We propose a framework for describing the dynamics associated with the adsorption of small molecules to liquid-vapor interfaces using an intermediate resolution between traditional continuum theories that are bereft of molecular detail and molecular dynamics simulations that are replete with them. In particular, we develop an effective single particle equation of motion capable of describing the physical processes that determine thermal and mass accommodation probabilities. The effective equation is parametrized with quantities that vary through space away from the liquid-vapor interface. Of particular importance in describing the early time dynamics is the spatially dependent friction, for which we propose a numerical scheme to evaluate from molecular simulation. Taken together with potentials of mean force computable with importance sampling methods, we illustrate how to compute the mass accommodation coefficient and residence time distribution. Throughout, we highlight the case of ozone adsorption in aqueous solutions and its dependence on electrolyte composition.

Bouncing behavior in f(R,Lm) gravity: Phantom crossing and energy conditions

In this paper, we investigate the bouncing behavior of the universe within the framework of [Formula: see text] gravity, using a simple form of [Formula: see text] (where [Formula: see text] is a free model parameter) as previously studied. The model predicts a vanishing Hubble parameter in the early and late times, with the deceleration parameter approaching a specific limit at the bouncing point. The EoS parameter is observed to cross the phantom divide line ([Formula: see text]) near the bouncing point, indicating a significant transition from a contracting to an expanding phase. The model satisfies the necessary energy conditions for a successful bouncing scenario, with violations indicating exotic matter near the bouncing point. Stability conditions are satisfied for certain values of [Formula: see text] near the bouncing point, but potential instabilities in late-time evolution require further investigation. Finally, we conclude that the [Formula: see text] gravity model is promising for understanding the universe’s dynamics, especially during events like the bouncing phase.

Bilingual parafoveal processing: Children and adults preprocess orthographic information of the upcoming word during sentence reading in their first and second language.

Readers of different ages and across different languages routinely process information of upcoming words in a sentence, before their eyes move to fixate them directly (parafoveal processing). However, there is inconsistent evidence of similar parafoveal processing in a reader's second language (L2). In this eye movement study, the gaze-contingent boundary paradigm (Rayner, 1975a) was used to test whether parafoveal processing of orthographic information is an integral part of both beginning and proficient L2 reading. The eye movements of beginning L2-learners (n = 53, aged 11-14 years) and highly proficient L2-users (n = 56, aged 19-65 years) were recorded while they read sentences in their first language (L1) German and L2 English. Sentences each contained a cognate target word (e.g., English: tunnel, German: Tunnel). The parafoveal preview of the targets either (a) preserved the spelling and meaning of the target (identity condition), (b) preserved letter identities but transposed the position of two adjacent letters (transposed-letter [TL] condition, e.g., tunenl/Tunenl), or substituted the identity of two adjacent letters (substituted-letter condition, e.g., tunocl/Tunocl). TL previews elicited longer early first-pass reading times than identity previews in both L1 and L2 reading in children and adults, suggesting that letter position was processed parafoveally. Substituted-letter previews resulted in longer reading times than TL previews in children and adults in L1 and L2, suggesting that letter identity information was processed independently of position information. These results suggest that letter position and identity information are extracted from the parafovea during L1 and L2 reading, facilitating word recognition in children and adults. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

U‐Pb carbonate dating reveals long‐lived activity of proximal margin extensional faults during the Alpine Tethys rifting

AbstractSyn‐rift extensional faults play a significant role during the early stage of rifting. Constraining the age of faulting, and how and when deformation shifts from the proximal to the distal margin areas, is crucial for the reconstruction of the rifting process. Previous assessments of the structural and temporal evolution of rift‐related faults of the Adria proximal margin have primarily relied on indirect biostratigraphic evidence. Additionally, the majority of rift‐related faults underwent tectonic inversion during the Alpine orogeny. In this study, in‐situ U‐Pb geochronology was applied on syn‐kinematic calcites to unravel the activity of the Amora Fault, a remarkable example of a Jurassic growth fault unaffected by the Alpine orogeny. The obtained ages, spanning from Hettangian to Callovian, extend the AF activity beyond the previously established Early Jurassic time. This chrono‐structural model has significant implications on the role of major extensional faults in focusing deformation throughout the rift system's evolution.

Research on Green Production of the Iron and Steel Industry Based on DDF-BML Model

Although the iron and steel industry serves as the pillar industry of national economic development, the negative effects of its high emission and high pollution characteristics on the environment cannot be ignored. In order to achieve the carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals at an early time and implement five priority tasks, including cutting overcapacity, reducing excess inventory, deleveraging, lowering costs and strengthening areas of weakness, it is urgent to realize the green production of the iron and steel industry. This paper takes listed iron and steel companies from 2016 to 2019 as research samples, and applies the two-stage Malmquist index based on the directional distance function (DDF) to measure the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of iron and steel enterprises. From macro and micro perspectives, the empirical model is used to explore the main influential factors of gtfp. The empirical results show that the overall gtfp growth rate of iron and steel enterprises is not ideal, falling behind at the end of the manufacturing industry. The promotion effect of R&amp;D investment is limited, and the environmental carrying capacity of the production cluster area is approaching the limit. Based on the above empirical results, this paper proposes the following workable implementation path to the realization of the green production of iron and steel industry: On the one hand, the iron and steel enterprises should pay attention to improve technical efficiency, constantly improve low-carbon production process, optimize industrial layout. On the other hand, the government should guide the digital and intelligent development of the iron and steel industry and strengthen supervision to ensure the safety and stability of the supply of resources in the iron and steel industry.

Probabilistic assessment of scalar transport under hydrodynamically unstable flows in heterogeneous porous media

Quantitative predictions of scalar transport in natural porous media is a nontrivial task given the presence of multi-scale spatial heterogeneity in the permeability field. Due to data scarcity, the structural map of the permeability field is subject to uncertainty and therefore, model predictions are uncertain. For such reasons, probabilistic models of flow and transport in natural porous media are required in risk assessment and to provide reliable decision making under uncertainty. Further complexities arise when the viscosity of the injected solute differs from that of the ambient fluid. Under the presence of viscosity contrast, hydrodynamic instabilities give rise to viscous fingering, which induces additional disorder in both velocity and solute concentration fields. This work examines the combined role of viscous fingering and permeability heterogeneity in the probabilistic description of transport predictions. In particular, we focus on metrics that are important for risk analysis, such as the solute plume’s early arrival times and the maximum concentration observed at a given location. We propose to use the Projection Pursuit Adaptation (PPA) method in the Polynomial Chaos Expansion (PCE) framework to quantify uncertainty in transport model predictions. The PPA method is a data-driven approach that optimally represents a given quantity of interest in a low-dimensional manifold. Unlike other dimension reduction techniques in uncertainty quantification, the PPA method utilizes non-linear information of the quantity of interest to identify the low-dimensional manifold, thereby increasing the likelihood of finding a more accurate lower-dimensional space. Moreover, the PPA model converges to the physical solution in a mean squared sense with respect to the polynomial order, enabling the construction of a converged model even with limited available data. Then, the PPA results are compared to Monte Carlo simulations using the same amount of data. This comparison illustrates that while Monte Carlo simulations are able to capture low-order statistics, they struggle to represent more detailed probability density functions. Our results show how the combined effect of permeability heterogeneity and viscosity contrast can enhance the mobility of the solute plume.

Social morality and the law

The article is dedicated to the study of the interaction of norms and values of social morality and law as normative and regulatory mechanisms since their requirements are understandable for representatives of a particular society. It is shown that social morality and law are entrusted with the performance of a common function – the stabilization of social relations, which they perform by various means. It is noted that in modern times, the relationship between morality and law is represented by two trends: the stability of society can be ensured by 1) legal registration of norms and values of social morality and 2) legal protection of norms and values of social morality. The place and role of social morality in the cultural code of society are revealed. The question of the formation of morality and law in the early modern cultural and historical period is highlighted. It is proved that the formation of the modern theory of positive law and basic ethical theories (particularly, the theory of social morality) goes back to early modern times. Changes in social life in the sphere of science, production, trade, and religion, and the formation of the bourgeoisie as a class influenced the formation of the basic norms and values of social morality in the specified cultural and historical period. It is proved that within the boundaries of early modern everyday life, the formation of a new type of social morality took place. Lexical and terminological searches in the ethical sphere are characteristic of social science research of the specified period, and the formation of the modern concept of “morality” took place. Attention is focused on the fact that the modern understanding of law is derived from its modernist interpretation (law is recognized as a contract, law is the sphere of secular human activity, law is autonomous from morality and religion (the latter are relegated to the sub-legal domain), recognition of the priority of law-making and law-making activity of the state, the state is given special legal personality). The article considers morality and rights through their rationality and artificiality within the mechanistic picture of the world. Considerable attention is paid in the article to the peculiarities of the formation of individualism as a mental trait of a European and its influence on the formation of law and morality in the new era.

A 31-year follow-up of those with occult spinal dysraphism, who underwent spinal cord untethering: Lower urinary tract function, skin stigmata, fertility, and work participation.

This study evaluated patients with occult spinal dysraphism who underwent spinal cord untethering. Twenty-four patients who visited us between 1983 and 2000 were followed-up for a mean duration of 31 years. We studied their lower urinary tract function, skin stigmata, fertility, and work participation. Questionnaires sent in 2022 revealed that 5 patients had normal voiding (Group A) and 19 patients had abnormal voiding (Group B). Groups A and B underwent spinal cord untethering at a mean age of 5.7 and 13.0 years, respectively, showing a significant statistical difference (p = 0.036). After spinal cord untethering, the number of patients with detrusor normoactivity increased from 0 to 5, i.e., 3 of 6 with detrusor overactivity (50%), 1 of 2 not examined, and 1 of 5 not known. Patients with detrusor underactivity also increased from 11 to 19. Severity of incontinence in the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form resulted in a mean value of 2.4 in Group A, which was significantly superior to the mean value of 9.1 in Group B (p = 0.004). Fourteen patients (58.3%) were married and had 21 healthy children. A majority of patients have had full-time jobs. A variety of skin stigmata were present in the lumbosacral region, and changes in vesico-urethral configurations were observed during a video-urodynamic study. Our study identified that the early timing of spinal cord untethering performed in neonates or infants and detrusor overactivity prior to untethering surgery are important factors in achieving normal bladder function.

Liquid Vortex Formation in a Swirling Container Considering Fractional Time Derivative of Caputo

This paper applies fractional calculus to a practical example in fluid mechanics, illustrating its impact beyond traditional integer order calculus. We focus on the classic problem of a rigid body rotating within a uniformly rotating container, which generates a liquid vortex from an undisturbed initial state. Our aim is to compare the time evolutions of the physical system in fractional and integer order models by examining the torque transmission from the rotating body to the surrounding liquid. This is achieved through closed-form, time-developing solutions expressed in terms of Mittag–Leffler and Bessel functions. Analysis reveals that the rotational velocity and, consequently, the vortex structure of the liquid are influenced by three distinct time zones that differ between integer and noninteger models. Anomalous diffusion, favoring noninteger fractions, dominates at early times but gradually gives way to the integer derivative model behavior as time progresses through a transitional regime. Our derived vortex formula clearly demonstrates how the liquid vortex is regulated in time for each considered fractional model.