Functional Interrelationships Research Articles

Causal effects of plasma proteome on intervertebral disc degeneration: a comprehensive mendelian randomization study.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) considerably impacts global disability and quality of life. Although potential links between plasma proteins and IVDD exist, their causal correlation remains undefined. This study explored the causal links between plasma proteins and IVDD employing genome-wide association study data. For this observational study, summary statistics for plasma proteins were derived from an Icelandic population, paralleled with genome-wide data on IVDD obtained from the FinnGen consortium. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization, we assessed the causal relationship between 4,907 plasma proteins and IVDD. Standard sensitivity analyses encompassing heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and leave-one-out cross-validation tests confirmed the stability and robustness of the findings. Subsequently, through Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment, and protein interaction analyses, we delved into the functional interrelation among identified plasma proteins. A causal association with IVDD was identified for 47 plasma proteins; myoneurin, intersectin 1, and eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 gamma 3 maintained significant correlations post multiple correction tests (P < 1.02 × 10- 5), influencing IVDD development positively. GO/KEGG pathway analyses confirmed that multiple pathways may be involved in IVDD development. The study underscores the causal correlation between plasma protein levels and IVDD risk. These identified proteins could emerge as unique biomarkers for IVDD, contributing to its predictive measures. The findings further our understanding of IVDD pathomechanisms and prospective therapeutic targets.

Interplay Between the MicroRNA miR-152 and Quercetin in the Control of Ovarian Granulosa Cell Functions.

In the present study, we examined the functional interrelationships between microRNAs and plant polyphenols in the regulation of ovarian cell functions. For this purpose, we compared the basic functions of porcine ovarian granulosa cells with or without transfection with miR-152 mimics that were cultured with or without quercetin. The expression levels of miR-152, cell viability, cell proliferation (accumulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen, PCNA), apoptosis (accumulation of Bax) and the release of progesterone, estradiol, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‒qPCR), the Trypan blue exclusion test, quantitative immunocytochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). Transfection of cells with miR-152 mimics increased miR-152 expression, reduced cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis, and estradiol output, and promoted the release of progesterone and IGF-I. Quercetin decreased all measured parameters. Moreover, quercetin promoted the effect of miR-152 on cell viability, apoptosis, and estradiol and mitigated the effect of miR-152 on cell proliferation and IGF-I output. For instance, miR-152 mimics promoted the effect of quercetin on cell viability, apoptosis, and estradiol but prevented the effect of quercetin on PCNA. These observations demonstrated the involvement of miR-152 and quercetin in the control of ovarian cell functions and their functional interrelationships, mainly synergism, in the regulation of these functions.

Risk-based regulation and supervision of second-tier banks: experience of EU countries

The aim of the study was to determine the impact of increased capital adequacy standards of second-tier banks on their performance. The study is based on second-tier banks of EU member states, as these countries are the first to implement the Basel Committee recommendations, so their experience should be studied and taken into account when building risk-based regulation of second-tier banks of Ukraine and Kazakhstan. The study covers the period of 2009–2022, as the Basel III regulations were adopted after 2008, and they began to operate for the second-tier banks of EU member states in 2013. The study was conducted using econometric modelling with an analysis of the dependence of banking indicators on the capital structure established by Basel III. Functional interrelationships of the dependence of Net Interest Income, Profit, Return on Assets, Return on Equity, Risk Costs to Operating Income were tested. The impact of capital adequacy requirements on the performance of second-tier banks was determined: capital adequacy requirements have a positive impact on net interest income and profit of second-tier banks. The obtained results can be used to substantiate increasing capital adequacy requirements to increase the reliability of the banking system as an element in the system of factors of economic growth of the national economy.

Mechanism of Intracellular Elemental Sulfur Oxidation in Beggiatoa leptomitoformis, Where Persulfide Dioxygenase Plays a Key Role.

Representatives of the colorless sulfur bacteria of the genus Beggiatoa use reduced sulfur compounds in the processes of lithotrophic growth, which is accompanied by the storage of intracellular sulfur. However, it is still unknown how the transformation of intracellular sulfur occurs in Beggiatoa representatives. Annotation of the genome of Beggiatoa leptomitoformis D-402 did not identify any genes for the oxidation or reduction of elemental sulfur. By searching BLASTP, two putative persulfide dioxygenase (PDO) homologs were found in the genome of B. leptomitoformis. In some heterotrophic prokaryotes, PDO is involved in the oxidation of sulfane sulfur. According to HPLC-MS/MS, the revealed protein was reliably detected in a culture sample grown only in the presence of endogenous sulfur and CO2. The recombinant protein from B. leptomitoformis was active in the presence of glutathione persulfide. The crystal structure of recombinant PDO exhibited consistency with known structures of type I PDO. Thus, it was shown that B. leptomitoformis uses PDO to oxidize endogenous sulfur. Additionally, on the basis of HPLC-MS/MS, RT-qPCR, and the study of PDO reaction products, we predicted the interrelation of PDO and Sox-system function in the oxidation of endogenous sulfur in B. leptomitoformis and the connection of this process with energy metabolism.

Isolation of Cellulolytic Bacillus sp. from the Viviparous Seedling Hypocotyls of Red Mangrove – Rhizophora mucronata Lam.

Mangroves are one of the world’s most unique tropical coastal ecosystems. They are a rich repository of biological wealth, including specially adapted flora and fauna. The microbiome component of this ecosystem is a fascinating world that is yet to be fully explored for its functional and ecological inter-relationships with its hosts. The mangrove ecosystem is a hidden treasure of microbial diversity, without which mangrove biology is incomplete. In the present study, the isolation of a cellulase-producing, endophytic Bacillus sp. from the hypocotyl region of viviparous seedlings is described. This study urges us to look into the microbial diversity of mangrove propagules, by presenting a glimpse of a member of the endospheric microbiome of viviparous hypocotyls.

Effects of Different Cow-Milk Beta-Caseins on the Gut-Brain Axis: A Narrative Review of Preclinical, Animal, and Human Studies.

The gut and brain communicate through bidirectional neural, endocrine, and immune signals to coordinate central nervous system activity with gastrointestinal function. Dysregulated inflammation can promote immune cell activation and increase entero-endocrine signaling and intestinal permeability; hence, a functional gut-brain axis is necessary for a healthy digestive system. The consumption of milk products can lead to gut discomfort via effects on gastrointestinal tract function and the inflammatory state, which, in turn, affect the brain. A1 β-casein and A2 β-casein are major components of bovine-milk protein, and their digestion may result in different physiological effects following the consumption of milk products. Peptides derived from A1 β-casein, such as β-casomorphins, may increase gut dysfunction and inflammation, thereby modulating the availability of bioactive metabolites in the bloodstream and contribute to changes in cognitive function. This narrative review examines the functional interrelationships between the consumption of cow-milk-derived β-caseins and their effect on the brain, immune system, and the gut, which together comprise the gut-brain axis.

Involvement of Nrf2 Signaling in Lead-induced Toxicity.

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is used as one of the main protective factors against various pathological processes, as it regulates cells resistant to oxidation. Several studies have extensively explored the relationship between environmental exposure to heavy metals, particularly lead (Pb), and the development of various human diseases. These metals have been reported to be able to, directly and indirectly, induce the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cause oxidative stress in various organs. Since Nrf2 signaling is important in maintaining redox status, it has a dual role depending on the specific biological context. On the one hand, Nrf2 provides a protective mechanism against metal-induced toxicity; on the other hand, it can induce metalinduced carcinogenesis upon prolonged exposure and activation. Therefore, the aim of this review was to summarize the latest knowledge on the functional interrelation between toxic metals, such as Pb and Nrf2 signaling.

Bidirectional relationships between emotion understanding and executive functions in young children: A latent change score modeling study

An overarching framework in the field of developmental psychology highlights the close linkage of cognition with emotion; however, the extent to which this framework supports the relationship between executive functions and emotion understanding in young children remains unclear. Hence, we employ a longitudinal tracking study to investigate the bidirectional relationship between emotion understanding and executive functions. A total of 112 children (M = 48.01 months, 68 boys) were recruited to perform tests at three time points within 2 years. Results from our cross-lagged model analysis indicated that early executive functions significantly predicted the development of emotion understanding at Time 2 and Time 3, while emotion understanding at Time 2 significantly predicted the subsequent development of executive functions in Time 3, controlling for age, gender, and family socioeconomic status (SES). Moreover, the latent change score model analysis further revealed the developmental trends and interrelations of executive functions and emotion understanding over time. Specifically, children with higher initial level of executive functions exhibited faster growth in emotion understanding over time, and then this improved emotion understanding predicted the changes in later executive functions. Overall, these findings elucidate significant developmental progressions for how emotion understanding and executive functions interact with each other during early childhood.

Emergent Functional Organization of Gut Microbiomes in Health and Diseases.

Continuous and significant progress in sequencing technologies and bioinformatics pipelines has revolutionized our comprehension of microbial communities, especially for human microbiomes. However, most studies have focused on studying the taxonomic composition of the microbiomes and we are still not able to characterize dysbiosis and unveil the underlying ecological consequences. This study explores the emergent organization of functional abundances and correlations of gut microbiomes in health and disease. Leveraging metagenomic sequences, taxonomic and functional tables are constructed, enabling comparative analysis. First, we show that emergent taxonomic and functional patterns are not useful to characterize dysbiosis. Then, through differential abundance analyses applied to functions, we reveal distinct functional compositions in healthy versus unhealthy microbiomes. In addition, we inquire into the functional correlation structure, revealing significant differences between the healthy and unhealthy groups, which may significantly contribute to understanding dysbiosis. Our study demonstrates that scrutinizing the functional organization in the microbiome provides novel insights into the underlying state of the microbiome. The shared data structure underlying the functional and taxonomic compositions allows for a comprehensive macroecological examination. Our findings not only shed light on dysbiosis, but also underscore the importance of studying functional interrelationships for a nuanced understanding of the dynamics of the microbial community. This research proposes a novel approach, bridging the gap between microbial ecology and functional analyses, promising a deeper understanding of the intricate world of the gut microbiota and its implications for human health.

Social policy of Ukraine under the conditions of martial state: level of support by EU states

Aim. The aim of this research is to highlight the influence of European integration on the optimization of the legal fundamentals of social policy in Ukraine. Methodology. The research is based on the comparative legal method used for comparison of EU social law with the social law of Ukraine. The method of dialectic enables to establish contradictions in the legal norms that regulate the social system of Ukraine and determine its social policy. The systemic and functional method was used to study the system of regulation of the sphere of social relations in Ukraine, systems of social policy measures as well as functional interrelationships between them. The method of generalization was used for the systematization and interpretation of the results obtained during the study. Results. The research showed that the main ways of improving social policy in Ukraine and legal regulation in the social sphere include: ratification of the European Social Charter and its implementation plan in Ukraine; creation of a coherent strategy in the field of provision of social services; the accession of Ukraine to the European Code of Social Security; partial reform of the legal regulation of labor and employment of the population; improvement of legal regulation and social policy in the field of social protection, labor and employment of internally displaced persons from temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. Scientific novelty. During the research, it was established that on the way to the EU, Ukraine has faced the following problems with its social policy and law: problems with the Ukrainian legislation on social security; problems with regulating the labor market, employment and poverty reduction; problems with improvement of the legislation on labor protection; problems with stimulating entrepreneurship as the basis for ensuring social standards and employment of the population; problems with adaptation of socially vulnerable groups of the population. Practical significance. The results of the research can be used in international law.

КОМОРБИДНОСТЬ ЗАБОЛЕВАНИЙ ПОЛОСТИ РТА И ВНУТРЕННИХ ОРГАНОВ

Abstract. Introduction. Literature analysis is presented showing the existence of both phylogenetic and functional interrelation of internal diseases and oral-cavity diseases. Comorbidities contribute to the patients’ longer stay in hospital, reduce the quality of measures taken to prevent disabilities, and increase the number of post-surgical complications. Aim of the study is a review of the current information on the functional relationship between internal diseases and oral-cavity diseases. Material and Methods. Published topical studies were studied that deal with investigating the mechanisms of the relationship between oral infections and secondary systemic manifestations. Results and Discussion. Data are presented on the pathogenetic unity of the occurrences of somatic and dental diseases. Causal relationships are substantiated between them, arising from the impaired immunologic balance, interleukin regulation, and nonspecific resistance in human body. We noticed the negative comorbidity of internal and oral-cavity diseases, namely, the dependence of dental diseases on the general body condition and the influence of chronic infection foci in the oral cavity on the development of common diseases. Odontogenic transient bacteremia was proven at the dentist’s office, and conditions are shown for its transformation into any infectious disease. We identified the need for unified systemic approaches to the treatment of polymorbid pathology. Conclusions. Influence of comorbid pathology on clinical manifestations, diagnoses, prognoses, and treatment of many diseases is multifaceted and individual.

Edge time series components of functional connectivity and cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease

Understanding the interrelationships of brain function as measured by resting-state magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological/behavioral measures in Alzheimer’s disease is key for advancement of neuroimaging analysis methods in clinical research. The edge time-series framework recently developed in the field of network neuroscience, in combination with other network science methods, allows for investigations of brain-behavior relationships that are not possible with conventional functional connectivity methods. Data from the Indiana Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center sample (53 cognitively normal control, 47 subjective cognitive decline, 32 mild cognitive impairment, and 20 Alzheimer’s disease participants) were used to investigate relationships between functional connectivity components, each derived from a subset of time points based on co-fluctuation of regional signals, and measures of domain-specific neuropsychological functions. Multiple relationships were identified with the component approach that were not found with conventional functional connectivity. These involved attentional, limbic, frontoparietal, and default mode systems and their interactions, which were shown to couple with cognitive, executive, language, and attention neuropsychological domains. Additionally, overlapping results were obtained with two different statistical strategies (network contingency correlation analysis and network-based statistics correlation). Results demonstrate that connectivity components derived from edge time-series based on co-fluctuation reveal disease-relevant relationships not observed with conventional static functional connectivity.

Chetty v Perumaul (AR313/2020) [2021] ZAKZPHC 66 (21 September 2021) - A cautionary note on the self-inflicted injury of disastrous and careless cross-examination

The Deputy Judge President of the Gauteng Local Division of the High Court recently commented on the functional interrelationship between judicial and legal professional ethics (Sutherland "The Dependence of Judges on Ethical Conduct by Legal Practitioners: The Ethical Duties of Disclosure and Non-Disclosure" 2021 SAJEJ Vol 4, Issue 1 47-64). Sutherland appropriately states that a culture of ethical conduct by legal practitioners is critical to ensure expeditious litigation and just outcomes (Sutherland 2021 SAJEJ 48). Many others also stress the general importance of professional ethics in legal education, practical legal training, and practice. Nonetheless, unprofessional, dishonourable, and unworthy conduct occurs with sufficient regularity to evoke widespread criticism of the legal profession. The Legal Practice Council listed the names of 123 legal practitioners who were either struck off the roll or suspended in 2022 for unethical conduct. The majority of reported violations were variations on well-known themes. Here some legal practitioners neglected to carry out legal work in a competent and timely manner, while others practiced and appeared in court without obtaining a practice management certificate or a Fidelity Fund Certificate. An advocate accepted instructions and payments directly from clients without a brief from an attorney and later used the details of attorneys without their consent. Some reported judgments, however, describe less common or novel examples of unethical conduct, such as defeating or obstructing the course of justice, misleading the court and forgery. In one instance, a legal practitioner placed a matter on an unopposed roll to secure a default judgment by intentionally removing the notice to oppose and the answering affidavit from the court file. This same legal practitioner assaulted and intimidated members of the South African Police Service ("SAPS") and was later interdicted from intimidating, threatening, victimising and harassing members of the SAPS and State attorney's offices.

Revisiting the geomorphological‐biological divide: An introspective biogeomorphological perspective

AbstractWe suggest that biogeomorphology should challenge the traditional dichotomy between living and non‐living components of Earth surface systems. To achieve this, biogeomorphologists should gain a better understanding of eco‐evolutionary models and empirical findings developing at the interface between ecology and evolutionary biology. Eco‐evolutionary models explore feedback loops between genes, organisms and the physical or biological components outside the organism's body. This changes our understanding of how organisms interact with their environment and the functional and evolutionary significance of biologically induced landforms. In the niche construction framework, genes can be conceived as the foundational evolutionary units of selection and inheritance, and everything beyond of this unit can be considered as the ‘environment’ for gene expression, either packaged within or unpackaged outside the organism. Both the packaged biological and unpackaged environments can be influenced by genes and manufactured by organisms, respectively, in the form of phenotypes or niche constructions. We propose that biomineralized structures, such as bones, osteoderms, antlers and shells, which can be packaged at varying degrees within an organism, as well as external products of genes such as termite mounds, which are unpackaged at the periphery of the organism, form a gradient of variation in the relative dominance and functional integration of biotic and abiotic components in ecosystems. A more explicit consideration of the functional interrelationships between physical and biological components transcending their traditional boundaries should promote a re‐evaluation of the dichotomy between biological and geomorphological entities.

FRI392 Functional Interrelationship Between Oxytocin And Bone Morphogenetic Proteins In Ovarian Steroidogenesis By Granulosa Cells

Abstract Disclosure: K. Yamamoto: None. Y. Nakano: None. N. Iwata: None. Y. Soejima: None. A. Suyama: None. T. Hasegawa: None. F. Otsuka: None. Oxytocin (OXT) is a neuropeptide that is produced in the hypothalamus and is secreted from the posterior pituitary. OXT has diverse physiological roles mediated by the OXT receptor (OXTR), including not only stimulation of uterine contractions during labor and peripheral functions of milk ejection during lactation but also functions in pair bonding, maternal nurturing, and social behavior related to the action of OXT on the brain. It has been shown that OXT and OXTR are expressed in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) in several species including humans. Secretion of OXT by bovine GCs is reported to be increased after the preovulatory luteinizing hormone surge, which is coincident with an increase in progesterone secretion and a decrease in secretion of estradiol and androgen, suggesting a functional interrelationship between OXT and ovarian steroidogenesis. It has been demonstrated that application of OXT to cultures of GCs from preovulatory follicles in bovines, marmoset monkeys, and humans led to increases in progesterone production. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which OXT modulates ovarian steroidogenesis in GCs remains unknown. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), which belong to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily, play important roles in steroidogenesis and cellular proliferation in ovarian follicles via autocrine/paracrine fashion. BMP ligands and receptors are expressed in a cell-dependent manner in the ovary and have a pivotal role in female fertility. Throughout folliculogenesis, BMPs commonly inhibit follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-induced progesterone production, and oocyte-derived factors BMP-6 and BMP-15 are known to act on GCs through BMP receptors and suppress FSH-induced progesterone synthesis. To clarify the reproductive role of OXT in ovarian steroidogenesis and its functional interaction with BMPs, the effects of OXT on ovarian steroidogenesis were investigated by using primary culture of rat GCs and human granulosa KGN cells. Here we found that the OXT receptor was expressed in both rat GCs and human KGN cells and that OXT treatment significantly increased FSH- and forskolin (FSK)-induced progesterone production, but not estradiol production, by rat GCs and KGN cells, respectively. In accordance with the effects of OXT on progesterone production, OXT enhanced mRNA levels of CYP11A1 and HSD3B2 induced by FSK in KGN cells. Of note, OXT enhanced the phosphorylation of SMAD1/5/9 and the mRNA level of ID1 induced by BMP-15, but not those induced by BMP-6, in KGN cells. It was also revealed that OXT application upregulated the expression of BMPR2, a crucial type-II receptor of BMP-15, and enhanced the BMP-15-induced expression of inhibitory SMAD6 by KGN cells. Taken together, it was shown that OXT enhances ovarian progesterone production with upregulation of BMP-15 activity, leading to a fine-tuning of ovarian steroidogenesis. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

Central Effects of Peripherically Introduced Immune Cells Modulated by an Original Anticonvulsant in Experimental Alcoholism

Violation of neuroimmune regulatory interrelation, caused, in particular, by a change in the immune cell’s functional phenotype due to chronic ethanol intoxication, is an essential link in the pathogenesis of alcoholism. The unidirectional influence of most psychoactive drugs on the cells of the nervous and immune systems allows to consider immune cells as model objects for influencing intersystem functional interrelation. Based upon our own priority data on the presence of immunomodulatory properties in chronic alcohol intoxication at the original anticonvulsant acting on the molecular targets of ethanol influence in the central nervous system and the immune system, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the central effects of peripherally injected lymphocytes with in vitro modulated functional activity by a synthetic ligand of the GABAA-receptor complex meta-chlorobenzhydrylurea in long-term alcoholized animals. It was shown that transplantation of lymphocytes pre-cultivated with the anticonvulsant in syngeneic long-term alcoholic recipients achieves a decrease in alcohol motivation and stimulation of behavioral activity in the “open field” test. Editing of behavioral patterns characteristic for chronic alcohol intoxication was recorded against the background of a decrease in pathogenetically significant brain structures of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and an increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, as well as an increase in the level of BDNF in the hippocampus, which allows us to consider a decrease in neuroinflammation and stimulation neuroplasticity as possible mechanisms for editing the behavior of recipients. Visualization of functionally active lymphocytes pre-cultured with meta-chlorobenzydrylurea in the brain’s parenchyma of long-term alcoholized recipients also suggests a direct effect of injected lymphocytes on CNS cells. Thus, immune cells modulated in vitro with meta-chlorobenzydrylurea by relatively independent mechanisms have positive psychoneuromodulating effects in chronic ethanol intoxication, which makes it possible to consider adoptive immunotherapy as a promising method in the treatment of alcoholism.

The interrelationships of hearing function, allostatic load, and cognitive function: Evidence among middle-aged and older Chinese adults

ObjectivesWe aim to examine the interrelationships of self-reported hearing function, allostatic load (AL), and cognitive function among middle aged and older adults. MethodsOur data were collected from two waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) conducted in 2011 and 2015. The participants' hearing function was measured using self-rated subjective hearing function. Allostatic load (AL) was evaluated by measuring 14 biomarkers associated with physiological health, which were derived from blood samples. Cognitive function was assessed using three domains: episodic memory, mental intactness, and global cognition. To examine the relationships between hearing function, AL, and cognitive function, path analysis with structural equation modeling (SEM) methodology was employed. ResultsAmong individuals aged 60 and above non-hearing aids users, the hearing function at Time 1 (T1) in 2011 has a significant association with the level of AL at T1 (β = 0.02, p < 0.001), as well as on cognitive function at Time 2 (T2) in 2015 (β = −0.1, p < 0.001). Additionally, the AL related to the hearing function at T1 associates an increased risk of AL at T2 (β = 0.5, p < 0.001), and is significantly associated with a decrease of cognitive function scores at T2 (β = −0.4, p < 0.001). However, no significant relationship was found among individuals aged 45 – 59 with non-hearing aids utilizers. Similar findings were in the domains of epidemic memory and mental intactness for cognitive function. ConclusionsThere were interrelationships of subjective hearing function, AL, and cognitive function among aged 60 years and above, but not among those aged 45–59 years old. It may provide valuable insights for identifying subclinical thresholds in the physiological systems of individuals at risk of pathology in cognitive function.

The Impact of the Organization of Public Health Systems on the Ability of Countries to Resist the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Experience of Developed Countries of the World and Ukraine.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the presence of functional interrelationships between the level of funding of the healthcare sector and the country's ability to withstand any pandemic, using the example of the COVID-19 pandemic. Official indicators presented by the WHO, analytical reports by Numbeo (the world's largest cost-of-living database), and the Global Health Security Index were used for the study. Using these indicators, the authors analyzed the following: the level of the spread of coronavirus infections in the world's countries, the share of public expenditures on the development of the medical sphere in the GDP of the countries, and the development of the healthcare sector in 12 developed countries and Ukraine. These countries were grouped into three groups, based on the model of the organization of the healthcare sector (Beveridge model, Bismark model, Market (private) model). The Farrar-Glauber method was used to check for multicollinearity in the input dataset, and thirteen relevant indicators were selected. These indicators took part in the formation of the generalized characteristics of the country's medical sphere and the ability to resist the pandemic. The state of readiness of countries to resist the spread of coronavirus infections was assessed using the country's index of vulnerability to COVID-19 and the integral index of the development of medicine. Additive convolution was used in combination with sigma-limited parameterization to form an integral index of the country's vulnerability to COVID-19 and to determine the weights of each indicator. The convolution of indicators according to the Kolmogorov-Gabor polynomial was used to construct an integral index of the development of medicine. Thus, while analyzing the ability of countries to resist the pandemic in terms of models of organization of the healthcare sector, it should be noted that none of the models demonstrated absolute effectiveness in the fight against the mass spread of COVID-19. The calculations made it possible to determine the nature of the relationship between the integral indices of the development of medicine and the vulnerability of countries to COVID-19, as well as a country's potential ability to resist any pandemic and prevent the mass spread of infectious diseases.

Computational morphomechanics of growing plant roots

The morphogenesis of plant organs and tissues has fascinated scientists for centuries. However, it remains a challenge to quantitatively decipher the biomechanical mechanisms underlying the morphological evolutions of growing plants. In this study, we investigate the formation, optimization, and evolution mechanisms of plant roots through biomechanical morphogenesis. A transdisciplinary computational framework is established based on the adaptive design domain topology optimization method. Two typical kinds of root systems are studied for illustration, including the taproot and the fibrous systems. The effects of coupled biomechanical and environmental factors on the growth and form of the root systems are revealed. It is found that the morphological evolutions of both systems tend to maximize the transport efficiency of water and nutrients. Lateral roots are constantly generated, forming a hierarchically branched layout. The thickness and concentration of roots depend on the growth history, while the growth directions of root caps are regulated by geotropism, hydrotropism, and growth inertia. These results are consistent with experimental observations. This work not only helps understand the topological formation of root systems, but also provides a quantitative tool for exploring the structure–property–function interrelations of living systems.

Shell noun phrases in scientific writing: A diachronic corpus-based study on research articles in chemical engineering

A key feature of scientific writing is the use of shell noun phrases to turn human experiences into abstract entities. This paper reports on a diachronic study of shell noun phrases in 120 chemical engineering research articles over a span of 40 years, focusing on their lexico-grammatical patterns, functional categories and alternative expressions. A corpus-based analysis revealed a significant decline of cataphoric shell noun constructions, a substantial decline in discourse and cognition shell noun phrases and concomitant changes in the frequencies of alternative constructions (i.e., reporting clauses). These observed patterns of shell noun use can be explained by the joint influences of a general move toward greater authorial visibility in the academic writing of hard disciplines, disciplinary developments specific to chemical engineering, the informalization of academic discourse in response to the perceived need for knowledge and identity negotiation, and the functional interrelationships among various linguistic resources. They demonstrate that diachronic changes to academic writing are contextually embedded and respond to discipline-internal developments, shifting epistemologies, larger social changes, and the versatility of linguistic resources.