High Frequency Of Occurrence Research Articles

Mass spectrometric analysis of plant protein concentrates

The work is devoted to the study of the composition of protein concentrates from amaranth grains (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L.), Voronezh variety. Amaranth protein concentrates were obtained by the alkaline extraction of proteins, the neutralization of the solution, followed by ultrafiltration; by separating the starch fraction with amylolytic enzymes; alkaline extraction of proteins and their precipitation at pH 4.5. The conditions for protein extraction were selected, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis and their identification. It has been shown that proteins from amaranth grain were more efficiently extracted with a buffer containing urea at protein concentrations in solution of 1.7, 1.9, and 2.9 mg/cm3respectively, while the buffer with detergents was more effective for the extraction of low molecular weight proteins at protein concentrations in solution of 4.9, 2.9, and 9.0 mg/cm3 respectively. As a result of HPLC-MS/MS analysis followed by a search and identification in the UNIPROT database, it was established that the main protein of amaranth grain is 11S-globulin, which is a reserve protein of amaranth seeds. In amaranth concentrates, 14 unique proteins characteristic only for A.hipochondriacus L., as well as proteins that were not characteristic to this species, but were reliably identified. Based on the results of semi-quantitative analysis of the peptide profile of amaranth grain protein concentrates, a high frequency of occurrence of the main 11S-globulin proteins was established in all samples. The frequency of occurrence of other proteins in samples obtained by different methods differed significantly, which was associated with the peculiarities of protein isolation from amaranth grain. The obtained results can be used for the production of plant protein concentrates with a set protein composition.

Хеджинг-стратегия в оценочном научном дискурсе: междисциплинарное исследование

The article presents the research into hedges and hedging strategy realization in evaluative academic genres viewed from a transdisciplinary perspective. To this end, 64 dissertation reviews written by Russian male and female scholars in humanities (linguistics, literature studies, history) and sciences (physics, chemistry, medicine) were analyzed. Hedging is understood as a system of linguistic means, which perform a mitigating function associated with expressing vagueness, uncertainty, skepticism and doubt. Perlocutionary effects of hedging are connected with reducing the illocutionary strength of the writer's claims or risks of opposition, face saving, positive and negative politeness. The following classification of hedges is proposed: self-mentions, mitigation hedges, hedged performatives, evaluations of propositions and vagueness hedges. The results of the comparative quantitative and qualitative analyses reveal that hedging strategy is determined by a number of discursive and personal factors such as sphere of communication, speech genre, gender and professional experience of the writer. In dissertation reviews hedges show high frequency of occurrence, which can be explained by the public nature of reviews, their potential traumatic effect on the reader, the existing requirements for scientific data presentation in a tentative and indeterminate way, as well as high academic competence of reviewers. The research proves that in humanities hedges demonstrate a higher frequency rate than in sciences. At the same time, male reviewers reveal higher hedging frequency than female reviewers.

Diversity of Yeasts from Food Waste and Their Potential for Thermotolerance and Hydrolytic Enzyme Production

The diversity of yeasts isolated from food waste at 40 °C was investigated and a total of 393 isolates were obtained. Yeasts were identifi ed using the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene analysis. Only one (0.25%) basidiomycetous yeast was found, whereas the rest of the yeast isolates (99.75%) were ascomycetous. Candida tropicalis was the most prevalent species, with the highest frequency of occurrence, 86.67%, and the highest relative frequency, 26.97%. The yeast community in food waste exhibits great species diversity and evenness, as shown by the Shannon– Wiener index of 3.03 and Shannon’s Equitability index of 0.89. All yeast isolates were screened for their thermotolerance. Among 393 yeast isolates, 114 were found to be thermotolerant. Three yeasts, viz. Candida parapsilosis JS2-5, Wickerhamiella infanticola JS2-2, and C. parapsilosis JED8-65 were found to be high amylase, lipase, and protease producers on agar plates, yielding 946.97 ± 29.35 amylase U/mL, 153.93 ± 5.43 lipase U/mL, and 7.86 ± 0.02 protease U/mL under submerged cultivation at 40 °C. The overall fi ndings emphasize the species diversity of the yeast community and hydrolytic enzyme-producing capabilities within the thermotolerant yeast of food waste.

Molecular Profiling Ecofriendly Trichoderma Biological Control Agent of Yam Tuber Microbial Rot in Northern Nigeria

This research on isolation and identification of yam rot pathogen fungi from North central Nigeria was carried out to investigate some fungal species associated with yam rot using white yams (Dioscorea rotundata) obtained from Adamawa State, Benue State and Plateau State (Jos) Nigeria. Seven fungi species which cause yam rot were isolated during this study, namely: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium echinulatum, Penicilum purpurogenum, Trichoderma spp and Trichophyton spp. Trichoderma yunnanense strain RCBBR_GA1 OP8008361 was identified molecularly. Pathogenicity test carried out confirmed these organisms as the pathological agent of the rot. A. niger statistically has the highest frequency of occurrence (100%). The least encountered fungal species were the P. citrinum (16.6%), P. purpurogenum (33.3%) and Trichophyton spp (33.3). Percentage growth inihibition of A. flavus, A. niger, P. citrinum, P. echinulatum, P. purpurogenum, Trichoderma spp and Trichophyton spp was carried out and they showed varying degree of inhibition. However, Trichopyton spp shows the highest growth of inhibition at 96 hours (41.4%) and 120 hours (73.7%). Trichoderma exhibited the highest control of the isolates (80 mm). Trichoderma inhibited mycelia extension growth of A. flavus (25 mm), A. niger (25 mm), P. citrinum (23 mm), P. echinulatum (23 mm), P. purpurogenum (24 mm) and Trichopyton spp (22 mm) at 96 hours. The result shows that Trichoderma was able to inhibit the growth of the pathogenic fungi, which are associated with yam rot. Fungal isolates from yam rot were examined morphologically and microscopically and the nature of rot was varied. It is recommended that enzymes from Trichoderma should be extracted and applied for reduction of microbial rot of yam tubers.

Isolation and identification of fungal diseases infecting carrot plants in Sokoto State of Nigeria

Carrot plants are often afflicted with myriad of diseases that tend to lessen their eventual yield. With the increasing pressure to provide food for the world sever growing population there is need to curtail the adverse effect of these diseases. This study was aimed at investigating the epidemiological prevalence of some fungal diseases effecting carrot vegetables in selected areas in Sokoto state. To realize these, diseased carrots picked from the study areas were investigated to identify the pathogens affecting them. The carrot samples (leaves and roots) were collected from Moreh, Badageni and Ruggar Liman farm areas for fungal isolation and identification. The result revealed ten fungal species from six genera of Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Mucor, Alternaria and Acremonium. Out of the fungal species isolated, Fusarium oxysporum was found to have the highest frequency of occurrence with 31.87% and Acremonium strictum had the least with (1.10%). All the farms had one pathogen or the other and are present in both the leaves and roots. Badageni farm had the highest occurrence of the isolates mostly on the leaves followed closely by Moreh farm. The findings revealed that carrots in Sokoto were susceptible to fungal attacks, and Fusarium species appeared to be the most active of all pathogens associated with the fungal diseases as such, carrots should be well washed and if possible cooked well before eating.

The diversity, distribution, biomass, and conservation status of ichthyofauna of the Singkil peat swamp in Aceh Province, Indonesia

Abstract. Razi NM, Nasir M, Khalidin K, Savira D, Najmi I, Mahfud M, Dermawan F, Fadli N, Muchlisin ZA. 2023. The diversity, distribution, biomass, and conservation status of ichthyofauna of the Singkil peat swamp in Aceh Province, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 24: 6661-6674. The land conversion of the Singkil peat swamp into oil palm plantations poses a significant threat to the aquatic ecosystem, with potentially detrimental consequences for fish biodiversity. Several reports showed that there was no data on fish diversity in the Singkil peat swamp despite the damage occurring in the area. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the diversity, distribution, biomass, and conservation status of Ichthyofauna in the Singkil peat swamp waters. Sampling was carried out at 13 locations from July 2023 to August 2023, and the samples were caught using gill nets, casting nets, fishing rods, and traps. A total of 934 samples were collected during the sampling, belonging to 39 species, 31 genera, and 26 families. The results showed that Cyprinidae was the most dominant family, with an average diversity index of 1.23, indicating the medium category. The average dominance index was 0.42, which was placed in the low category. Channa striata (Bloch, 1793) and Trichopodus trichopterus (Pallas, 1770) had the highest frequency of occurrence and were found in seven locations out of 13 surveyed. Furthermore, these species were categorized as frequently found based on their availability. The average fish biomass was 288.75 kg/ha, with C. striata having the largest value. Among the 39 fish species obtained, 3 species were classified as near threatened, including Anguilla bicolor (McClelland, 1844), Mystus bimaculatus (Volz, 1904), and Kryptopterus minor (Roberts, 1989), while 1 invasive sample was recorded, namely Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) in one location.

Identifying the fungal diseases of African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) and their incidence in south-west Nigeria

The incidence of fungi infecting Sphenostylis stenocarpa ([Hochst ex. A. Rich.] Harms) commonly known as African yam bean (AYB) were surveyed in Oyo, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, and Ogun states within SW Nigeria during the 2018 planting season. The common field symptoms across all sites were tiny spot, brown spot, leaf blight, brown spot with yellow halo, necrotic lesion on foliage, and brown spot on the pods. Of these 1005 isolations, 14 fungal species were commonly identified after their purification: Aspergillus sp, Botrytis sp, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Curvularia lunata, Trichoderma harzianum, Macrophomina phaseolina, Pestalotia sp, Phoma sp, Fusarium verticillioides, F. oxysporum, F. solani, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Choanephora curcubitarium and Nigrospora spp. based on morphological characteristics. Phoma sp and C. gleosporoides had highest frequency of occurrence 69.9% and 51.9% at early and mature stages, respectively. To conform to Koch's postulates, the pathogenicity of 15 exemplar strains of the most abundant fungal species were confirmed under greenhouse conditions. The identities of Colletotrichum sp., Aspergillus sp., Curvularia aeria, Macrophomina phaseolina, Didymella sp., Pestalopsis sp, Lasiodiplodia theobromae, F. solani and F. oxysporum were confirmed based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing and comparisons with the Genbank database. AYB germplasm from curated seed banks and farmer donated landraces were grown at the same site in 2020 and identical fungi were isolated. Further, genotypes with reduced disease incidence were identified. This first study to reveal the diversity of fungi associated with AYB in SW Nigeria that could inform disease management practices.

Comparison of two filter approaches for characterizing boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation

Two commonly used filter approaches for boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) are investigated with the observations during 1979–2021. One is the real-time BSISO index and the other is based on 20–80-day Lanczos bandpass filter. Both two filter approaches are able to isolate spatial structure and life cycle of BSISO realistically in the Indo-NWP region. But the BSISO phase pattern match does not guarantee consistent propagation characteristics and phase occurrence frequency. The real-time monitoring methods such as real-time BSISO index does not use future information beyond the current date, so it is influenced by seasonal mean anomalies induced by El Niño on the interannual timescale over the Indo-NWP region. During post-El Niño summers, the real-time BSISO index shows a weaker northward propagation than bandpass filter approach. Phases 2–4 of BSISO show relatively higher occurrence frequency than other phases during post-El Niño summers in real-time BSISO index, resulting in the seasonal mean of active eight BSISO phases largely resembling the El Niño induced mean state anomaly pattern with depressed convection and low-level anomalous anticyclone in the tropical northwest Pacific region. Bandpass filter approach exhibits a more uniform phase occurrence frequency for both normal and post-El Niño summers, which is consistent with the random nature of BSISO as one of atmospheric internal variability. Bandpass filter approach is recommended for studies of BSISO northward propagation and its relationship with low-frequency variability such as ENSO.

Analysis of Thermophilic and Halophilic Bacteria in Traditonally Processed Locust Beans Sold in Ekiti and Kwara State, Nigeria.

Locust beans is one of the most essential condiment and ingredient of any soup in Nigeria. Many household and eateries make use of this condiment on daily basis, considering its taste and addition to every soup, coupled with its health benefit. Being a natural ingredient, some medical practitioner had successfully convince their patient to abstain from many other artificial soup ingredient and stick to locust beans for their food. The Process and preservation of this locust beans involves cooking, drying and salting, which ordinarily should have killed every bacterial in the process, though, this is subject to further verification. Heating and salting is one of the oldest food preservation methods, which is usually regarded as a technique to control microbial activity. It is important to be able to estimate the risk of undesirable microorganism growth, halophilic pathogens such as Vibrio parahaemolyticus at low temperature and thermophilic bacteria Bacillus sp. that survive the pasteurization procedure, thereby called for this studies on isolation of thermophilic bacterial and halophilic bacteria from locally fermented food. The objective of this study is to identify the possible thermophiles and halophiles from the traditionally processed locust beans sample collected from Ekiti and Kwara State. Considering the similarities and peculiarities in the processing and preservation period and method of locust beans in the two different states, it becomes necessary to examine the possible influence of this peculiarities on the presence of the two bacterial in question (thermophilic and halophilic), which makes it a comparative analysis. The study assessed the bacteria isolates in locally fermented locust beans in Ekiti and Kwara State, through descriptive research of the experimental design. Locust beans with salt and without salt were collected and the identification of the bacterial isolates were done by standard microbiological methods. Result revealed that the bacterial isolated includes: Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus mundtii, Acinetobacter iwofii and Acetobacter aceti. The identified isolated bacterial were very similar as regard the two different samples from the two states (Kwara and Ekiti). Where Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus mundtii have the highest frequency of occurrence 31.8% Acinetobacter iwofii have 22.7% and Acetobacter aceti have the lowest occurrence of 13.6 %. Also, studies revealed that a wide range of thermophilic and halophilic organisms are found in food. The study concluded that locally processed locust beans though preserved by heat and salt still contains some microbes that are deleterious to human health as well as the environment. It was therefore recommended base on the findings, that the locust beans be better preserved by freezing. In this wise, thermophiles that cannot survive in a temperature below 200C will die while the presence of halophiles which is added by salt as one of the most common preservation method will be prevented. Regular factory and market inspection should be encouraged by regulators such as environmental health officers, to ensure good hygiene in processing the locust bean.

Molecular Identification of Trichophyton Rubrum Onychomycosis at Health Centres in Benue State, Nigeria

The molecular properties of Trichophyton rubrum associated with onychomycosis in adults attending selected tertiary and secondary health facilities in Benue State, Nigeria were investigated. The prevalence of onychomycosis, co-morbidities, onychomycosis related health histories, and infecting strains of Trichophyton rubrum were considered. Due ethical clearance was obtained, and informed consent granted by participants. The research employed purposive random sampling technique. Three hundred and eighty-four (384) adults aged 18 years and above, with visible symptoms of onychomycosis were recruited. Nail samples were collected, disinfected and examined. Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) was used for fungal cultures. Laboratory procedures included microscopy and morphological characterization of isolates. Toenails were more infected 210 (68.48%) than fingernails 8 (18.18%). The fungal species with the highest frequency of occurrence was T. rubrum 159 (70.36%), while the least was Candida spp. 19 (8. 49%). Allele-Specific Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed new sub-repeat elements in the non-transcribed region of the rDNA spacer of T. rubrum. The study has documented onychomycosis prevalence rates and helped provide insight into the infecting species in Benue State. This will help develop appropriate treatment and intervention guidelines. Further and advanced molecular typing methods for enhanced understanding of infecting fungal strains is recommended.

Diet of crab-eating fox (Cerdocyon thous) in two conservation units of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil.

The present study aimed to evaluate the diet of the free-living crab-eating fox by identifying the stomach contents of the 17 crab-eating foxes (Cerdocyon thous) roadkilled in two conservation units, both located in the Amazon rainforest. The food items were quantified by frequency of occurrence (FO) and percentage of occurrence (PO). The stomach contents were analysed for dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE), and mineral matter (MM). Nitrogen-free extractives (NFE), metabolisable energy (ME) values, as well as the energy need for maintenance were estimated. The composition of the diet for the crab-eating fox presented 29 food items from the different taxonomic groups, with a greater diversity of items of animal origin (n=22), although the highest frequency of occurrence was gramineae (Poaceae) (41.18%). Among the items of animal origin, 21% were mammals, 18% reptiles, 10% amphibians, 9% invertebrates and 3% birds. A high content of CF (62.76%) were determined. Nitrogen-free extractive and dry matter averages were 5.91% and 141.82 kcal/100g, respectively. The average maintenance energy was 447.01 kcal/day. These findings suggesting that the crab-eating foxes have a generalist diet with an omnivorous diet in the Amazon basin, feeding on gramineae, fruits, insects, snakes, amphibians, birds and small mammals and have the same feeding habit that present in other Brazilian biomes.

Identification and analysis of evolution characteristics of flash drought based on three-dimensional perspective: A case study in the Jialing River basin

Flash drought is an extreme hydrological event, with a short foreseeable period and high destructive force, and it is difficult to monitor. Flash drought aggravates the risk of extreme disasters and seriously threatens agricultural production and urban water security. To explore the temporal and spatial dimension evolution and identifiable characteristics of flash drought, the present study proposed a comprehensive flash drought intensity (FDI) index to evaluate the severity of flash drought in the Jialing River Basin (JRB) based on the standardized evaporative stress ratio (SESR) method. In addition, the Normalized Area-Time Accumulation (NATA) curve was used to describe the three-dimensional continuous spatiotemporal evolution process of flash drought in the basin. The results showed that flash droughts lasted longer and were more severe in the highly urbanized southern part of the basin. In the past 40 years (1980–2020), the frequency, duration, and severity of flash droughts in the JRB increased. According to the susceptibility to flash drought, the JRB can be divided into four drought centers. Drought Center No. 1 is situated in the mountainous region in the northwest of the basin, exhibiting a high frequency of occurrence but affecting a relatively small area. In contrast, Drought Centers No. 2, 3, and 4 are located within urban areas, showing lower occurrence frequency but affecting a wider geographical expanse. Drought events with different developmental characteristics were compared using the NATA curve. Overall, the FD1 flash drought type, occurring in the early stages of drought, accounted for a significant proportion. Meanwhile, the accumulated area affected by FD3 and FD4 flash drought events in the later stages exceeded that of the FD2 flash drought type. In the later period, FD3 and FD4 flash drought events exhibited stronger growth momentum, thereby increasing the complexity and challenges of drought monitoring. The present study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the process, shape and evolution model of drought development under environmental changes as well as enables an enhanced early warning for flash droughts to improve management of water resources.

Bycatch Estimates of Dugongs and Dolphins: Results from an Interview Survey of Fishermen in Brunei Bay, Malaysia

Bycatch refers to the unintentional capture of non-targeted animals during fishing activities. Worldwide, bycatch poses a significant threat to marine mammal species. In the Southeast Asian region, information on bycatch is particularly scarce, and there is little indication that the issue is adequately addressed anywhere in the region. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted face-to-face interview surveys across fishing communities in the Malaysian side of the Brunei Bay. We collected two datasets of marine mammal bycatch incidences from two different groups of fishermen (N=90 of 356 reported dugong data, 0.3%, and N=62 of 146 reported dolphin data, 0.4%), to estimate the levels of mortalities of the marine mammals. More than four fifths (82.1%) of respondents reported that they have accidentally captured at least one marine mammal (25.0% dugong and 42.5% dolphin) throughout their lifetime as a fisherman, with the highest frequency of occurrence being reported by fishers using gillnets (53.5% and 38.7%, respectively). Our interview results suggest an annual bycatch of 0.22 (95% CI = 0.13 to 0.32) for dugongs and 0.65 (95% CI = 0.40 to 0.88) for dolphins in the Malaysian Brunei Bay. Findings from this study provides important data to guide fisheries resource managers in providing protection and conservation efforts the endangered marine mammal populations.

Prevalence and Diversity of Zoonotic Protozoa in Dogs in Lokoja, North ‎Central, Nigeria

The risk of zoonotic protozoan diseases has increased in recent times through the unregulated breeding of dogs in the neighbourhood of human dwellings. Dogs (341) brought into the seven major (Based on full employment of at least one veterinarian) veterinary clinics in Lokoja, North Central Nigeria (October 2021 to August, 2022) for medical evaluations were enlisted in this study to determine the prevalence and diversity of zoonotic protozoa in the dogs. Faecal and blood samples were screened using modified Ziehl – Neelsen and direct microscopy techniques for the presence of intestinal and blood protozoan oocysts. Out of the faecal and blood samples collected from each of the 341 dogs enlisted in the study, 207 (60.7%) were positive for protozoa. Faecal protozoa had a higher frequency of occurrence; 50.4% (172/341) compared to blood protozoan; 10.3% (35/341).Eimeria histolytica was the most frequently occurring protozoa; 14.4% (49/341), followed by Giardia; 12.0% (41/341) and the least was Babesia; 3.8% (13/341). There was however no significant difference in the prevalence of protozoa and the type of parasite (P = 0.702). Age-specific, prevalence showed that puppies under 1 year had a higher prevalence of protozoa; 84.1% (174/207) compared to the adults; 16.0% (33/207). The relationship was not significant (χ2=3.816; P = 0.702). Local breed of dogs had the highest prevalence of protozoa; 68.2% (137/201), followed by exotic; 60.47% (26/43) and the least was the cross breed, 45.4% (44/97). There is a significant difference in the prevalence of protozoa in local and cross breeds of dogs (P = 0.001). The female dogs had a higher prevalence; 77.0% (117/152) compared to males; 45.5% (86/189). There was an association between prevalence of protozoa and sex of dogs (χ2 = 16.77; P = 0.010).

Екологія полівки підземної (Microtus subterraneus) у високогір’ї Українських Карпат

The article presents information on the ecology of pine voles in the highlands of the Carpathians based on the results of studies conducted in 1956–1986. The results of population surveys in different types of habitats and plant associations are presented, with corresponding estimates of abundance (maximum 123 specimens/ha) and density (maximum 2.6 kg/ha), as well as an analysis of population features in different habitats and different years. The high frequency of the species occurrence in ruderal coenoses of the highlands, in particular in thickets of the alpine sorrel, is shown. Detailed information on the reproduction of populations, in particular on the number of young in a litter, is given: the modal value is 2–3, the limits are 1–5, and the average is 2.4–2.9, depending on the biotope (plant association). Data on the ratio of reproductively active individuals and the age and sex structure of populations, as well as the ecomorphological and ecophysiological parameters of voles are presented.

Evaluation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in cultivated crops

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are ubiquitous and form a symbiotic association with many higher plants. They improve mineral nutrient uptake and enhance abiotic stress tolerance. Common cultivated crops (green pea, chick pea, red lentil, green gram, tomato, black gram and pigeon pea) at Aligarh District were evaluated to ascertain the presence and dominance of AM fungi. Glomus was the predominant genus and showed high frequency of occurrence at all the sites investigated. Five species belongs to genera Glomus (G. fasciculatum, G. mosseae, G. etunicatum, G. macrocarpum and G. constrictum) were found to be associated with these crops. Distribution of AM fungi on studied crops was tomato > green pea > chickpeas > black gram > red lentil > pigeon pea. G. fasciculatum register the dominancy in terms of spore count in this study whereas G. constrictum trail the spore count.

Comparing Local Versus Hemispheric Perspectives of Extreme Heat Events

AbstractWe compare insights provided by local and large‐scale perspectives of extreme heat events in ERA5 near‐surface temperature data. Heat waves where temperatures exceed four standard deviations about the climatological‐mean are expected less than once a century locally but occur roughly once every 10 days somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere midlatitudes. The high frequency of occurrence indicated by the hemispheric perspective is not well represented by normal statistics because it strongly depends on the shapes of the local temperature distributions. The large effective sample size afforded by the hemispheric perspective provides robust evidence of trends in the frequency of occurrence of extreme heat events integrated over the Northern Hemisphere. It also confirms that trends in heat events summed over the hemisphere can be explained by changes in mean temperature alone.

Frequency and features of cardiovascular diseases in spondyloarthritis

BACKGROUND: Group of spondyloarthritis include not only damage of musculoskeletal system, oftenly it’s combination with a variety of comorbid pathologies, primarily involving the cardiovascular system, is characteristic. Given the high importance of early detection, assessment and further prediction of the risks of cardiovascular diseases in this cohort of patients, a competent interpretation of the risks of aggravating cardiovascular diseases and their prevention is one of the priority tasks not only for rheumatologists, but also for specialists in related fields.
 AIM: To study the structure of comorbid pathology and assess the frequency of cardiovascular diseases in patients with ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis and psoriatic spondyloarthritis, to conduct a comparative analysis of the incidence of cardiovascular comorbidities in different groups of spondyloarthritis.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 153 patients with a verified diagnosis of spondyloarthritis. Patients were divided into 3 groups depending on the nature of the lesion of the musculoskeletal system: ankylosing spondylitis meeting the modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis (1984) (n = 53), psoriatic arthritis meeting the CASPAR criteria (Classification criteria of Psoriatic Arthritis, 2006) (n = 40) and psoriatic spondylitis simultaneously meeting the modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis and the CASPAR criteria for psoriatic arthritis (n = 60). All patients taken with monoclonal antibodies (inhibitors TNF-alpha).
 RESULTS: When studying cardiovascular comorbidity in patients with spondyloarthritis in three groups, arterial hypertension was most common in the ankylosing spondylitis group — 37.7%, in psoriatic arthritis — 62.5%, in the psoriatic spondyloarthritis group — 51.7%, conduction disturbance in ankylosing spondylitis — 28, 3%, in psoriatic arthritis — 17.5%, in the psoriatic spondyloarthritis group — 18.3%, dyslipidemia is significantly more common in the psoriatic arthritis and psoriatic spondyloarthritis groups — 47.5% and 51.7%, respectively, compared with the ankylosing spondylitis group — 18.9%. Along with cardiovascular diseases, endocrine disorders were detected with a high frequency of occurrence: overweight was more common in patients of the psoriatic arthritis and psoriatic spondyloarthritis groups — 35.0 and 38.3%, respectively, significant differences in the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the three groups has not been identified.
 CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to carry out medical examination in order to identify comorbidities in patients with various forms of spondyloarthritis, in order to determine further tactics of management and correction, depending not only on the activity of the disease, but also taking into account comorbidities.

Disocijativna amnezija s obilježjima fuge kod bolesnika s Huntingtonovom bolešću

Huntington's disease is a severe, incurable neurological disease characterised by motor, cognitive, andpsychological symptoms. This paper presents the case of a Huntington's disease patient with dissociativesymptoms. Clinical characteristics, genetic background, diagnostics, and guidelines for treatingHuntington's disease are shown in the paper. We emphasised the importance of knowing the genetic basisand testing the descendants of the patients. We highlighted the difference between behaviouralperseveration as a common psychomotor disorder in these patients and symptoms of obsessive-compulsivedisorders.Dissociative disorders may occur under extreme mental stress and exhaustion, such as when dealingwith a severe incurable illness. These disorders are not typical psychopathological phenomena forHuntington's disease, but conditions of hopelessness and despair after facing a severe diagnosis may leadto dissociative symptoms. Dissociative disorders as indicators of exhaustion of mental functioning requirecaution, especially given their high frequency of occurrence with suicidality as extreme exhaustion ofmental functioning.So far, treatment of Huntington's disease is only symptomatic, emphasising the relaxation of motorchoreatic movements and heterogeneous mental disorders. Antipsychotics that reduce choreatic movementsbut also affect psychotic symptoms, behavioural perseverations and mood stabilisation are used primarilyto relieve symptoms.As it is a progressive disease that ends in severe motor deficit, dementia and death, treating these patientswith a multidisciplinary team that includes neurological, psychiatric and palliative care, physical therapy,nursing, and social care is necessary. Psychotherapeutic and sociotherapeutic approaches make it easier forpatients and their families to cope with this severe disease. Genetic testing of the offspring is desirable todetermine the potential carrying of the mutated gene and its transmission to subsequent generations inwhich the disease appears earlier.

Spatial distribution and variability of boundary layer aerosol particles observed in Ny-Ålesund during late spring in 2018

Abstract. This article aims to improve the understanding of the small-scale aerosol distribution affected by different atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) properties. In particular, transport and mixing of ultrafine aerosol particles (UFPs) are investigated as an indicator for possible sources triggering the appearance of new particle formation (NPF) at an Arctic coastal site. For this purpose, flexible measurements of uncrewed aerial systems (UASs) are combined with continuous ground-based observations at different altitudes, the Gruvebadet observatory close to the fjord at an altitude of 67 m above sea level (a.s.l.) and the observatory at Mount Zeppelin at an altitude of 472 m a.s.l. The two uncrewed research aircraft called ALADINA and MASC-3 were used for field activities at the polar research site Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, between 24 April and 25 May 2018. The period was at the end of Arctic haze during the snowmelt season. A high frequency of occurrence of UFPs was observed, namely on 55 % of the airborne measurement days. With ALADINA, 230 vertical profiles were performed between the surface and the main typical maximum height of 850 m a.s.l., and the profiles were connected to surface measurements in order to obtain a 4-D picture of the aerosol particle distribution. Analyses of potential temperature, water vapor mixing ratio and aerosol particle number concentration of UFPs in the size range of 3–12 nm (N3−12) indicate a clear impact of the ABL's stability on the vertical mixing of the measured UFPs, which results in systematical differences of particle number concentrations at the two observatories. In general, higher concentrations of UFPs occurred near the surface, suggesting the open sea as the main source for NPF. Three different case studies show that the UFPs were rapidly mixed in the vertical and horizontal scale depending on atmospheric properties. In case of temperature inversions, the aerosol population remained confined to specific altitude ranges and was not always detected at the observatories. However, during another case study that was in relation to a persistent NPF event with subsequent growth rate, the occurrence of UFPs was identified to be a wide-spreading phenomenon in the vertical scale, as the observed UFPs exceeded the height of 850 m a.s.l. During a day with increased local pollution, enhanced equivalent black carbon mass concentration (eBC) coincided with an increase in the measured N3−12 in the lowermost 400 m but without subsequent growth rate. The local pollution was transported to higher altitudes, as measured by ALADINA. Thus, emissions from local pollution may play a role for potential sources of UFPs in the Arctic as well. In summary, a highly variable spatial and temporal aerosol distribution was observed with small scales at the polar site Ny-Ålesund, determined by atmospheric stability, contrasting surface and sources, and topographic flow effects. The UAS provides the link to understand differences measured at the two observatories at close distances but different altitudes.