Individuals In Age Group Research Articles

Evaluation of alterations in interstitial fluid dynamics in cases of whole-brain radiation using the diffusion-weighted image analysis along the perivascular space method.

In the current study, we assessed changes in interstitial fluid dynamics resulting after whole-brain radiotherapy using the diffusion-weighted image analysis along the perivascular space (DWI-ALPS) method, which is a simplified variation of the diffusion tensor image ALPS (DTI-ALPS) method using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with orthogonal motion-probing gradients (MPGs). This retrospective study included 47 image sets from 22 patients who underwent whole-brain radiotherapy for brain tumors. The data for the normal control group comprised 105 image sets from 105 participants with no pathological changes. DWI was performed with the three MPGs applied in an orthogonal direction to the imaging plane, and apparent diffusion coefficient images for the x-, y-, and z-axes were retrospectively generated. The ALPS index was calculated to quantify interstitial fluid dynamics. The independent t-test was used to compare the ALPS index between normal controls and patients who underwent whole-brain radiotherapy. Patients were compared in all age groups and individual age groups (20-39, 40-59, and 60-84 years). We also examined the correlation between biologically equivalent doses (BEDs) and the ALPS index, as well as the correlation between white matter hyperintensity and the ALPS index. In the comparison of all age groups, the ALPS index was significantly lower (p <0.001) in the postradiation group (1.32 ± 0.16) than in the control group (1.44 ± 0.17), suggesting that interstitial fluid dynamics were altered in patients following whole-brain radiotherapy. Significant age group differences were found (40-59 years: p <0.01; 60-84 years: p <0.001), along with a weak negative correlation between BEDs (r = -0.19) and significant correlations between white matter hyperintensity and the ALPS index (r = -0.46 for periventricular white matter, r = -0.38 for deep white matter). It was concluded that the ALPS method using DWI with orthogonal MPGs suggest alteration in interstitial fluid dynamics in patients after whole-brain radiotherapy. Further systematic prospective studies are required to investigate their association with cognitive symptoms.

Morphologic variants of Meibomian glands: age-wise distribution and differences between upper and lower eyelids.

To evaluate the distribution of various Meibomian gland morphologies across different age groups in healthy individuals. The infrared meibographic morphologies of the Meibomian glands from the upper and lower eyelids of 236 healthy individuals (472 eyes; mean age 38.4 ± 17.5 years; 80 female participants: 156 male participants) were evaluated for their prevalence and differences across six decades of life, from 10 to 80 years. A linear mixed-effects modeling test was performed for statistical analysis. Of 14,452 glands, 8,830 (61%) glands were located in the upper eyelid. No significant differences in frequency were noted between different age groups for distorted, tortuous, hooked, overlapping, abnormal gap, fluffy areas, dropout (except for 51-60 vs. 10-20 years, P = 0.023), and thick and thin morphologies. Short glands were significantly more common in individuals aged over 30 years (P = 0.015), whereas moderately short and severely short glands were more common in the upper eyelids of individuals older than 50 years compared to those aged 10-20 years (P = 0.035). The frequency of distorted, hooked, tortuous, overlapping, and tadpole-shaped Meibomian glands was significantly higher in the upper eyelids than in the lower eyelids for all age groups. Dropout glands were more common in the lower eyelids of individuals younger than 50 years, but no difference was observed in the upper and lower eyelids of individuals over 50 years. Dropout (P = 0.006) and severely short glands (0.026) of the lower eyelid were associated with low non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) values. Various morphologic characteristics of the Meibomian glands that are considered abnormal can be present in healthy individuals, and only moderate to severely short glands display an increase in abnormal morphologic characteristics of the Meibomian glands with age.

Barriers of household toilet utilization among toilet owners in a rural area of Northern India: An analytical cross-sectional study.

Open defecation continues to prevail among toilet owners despite effective implementation of the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin). We conducted this study to determine toilet utilization rates and learn about the barriers to toilet use in the rural areas. By understanding the barriers, physicians can provide targeted education and become better equipped to manage their patients' conditions and advocate for their demands. We conducted a cross-sectional study on the households of the rural field practice areas of the department in central Uttar Pradesh by the census method. House listing was procured from the departmental records. The questionnaire was directed at both the household level and individual level. The proportion of households with access to a toilet was found to be 91.1% of which 504 households were included in the study. Among the toilet owners, 115 (22.8%) households were not using toilets exclusively by all the members. At the individual level, age groups (of 20-59 years, and ≥60 years) and female gender were found to be significantly associated with open defecation. At the household level, government assistance for toilet construction and livestock keeping was found to be associated with open defecation. Major barriers to toilet use were childhood habits, dearth of toilets in the farming grounds/workplace, women during menstruation and having a non-functional toilet. This study indicates that merely installing a household toilet does not ensure exclusive utilization of toilet and the practice of open defecation might continue to be prevalent if corrective measures are not undertaken.

Assessment of the trend in demographic processes of population aging in the northern and equated territories of the Irkutsk region

Introduction. The process of population aging, characterized by a gain in the group of people of older working age in the age structure, has begun in Russia, and in the developed countries. The demographic policy of the state is aimed at creating a favourable age and gender structure of the population with the aim of systematic socio-economic development of the regions.&#x0D; The purpose of the study is to give a comprehensive assessment of the trend in demographic aging of the population of the northern and equated territories of the Irkutsk region over 2011–2019.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The selection of territories is based on the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of November 16, 2021 N 1946 “On approval of the list of regions of the Far North and areas equated to regions of the Far North”. Information on the absolute size of the total population, population by gender and individual age groups was obtained from the Rosstat service for the Irkutsk region. In accordance with the methodological provisions on demographic statistics, special aging coefficients were studied in the formed statistical population using the Statistica 6.0 MS Excel 2017 software packages.&#x0D; Results. In the northern and equated territories of the Irkutsk region, population aging processes are taking place. The intensity of the aging process in the regions in time proceeds differently. There is a disproportion in the age-gender structure due to the feminization of aging, which leads to deformation of the age-gender pyramid. In most regions, the depth of aging is decreasing, the number of people surviving to the age group of 75–89 years is becoming smaller. There is a twofold gain in the pension burden coefficient, its trend in the regions is similar to the Irkutsk region in general, with the exception of Bratsky, Nizhneilimsky, Ust-Kutsky industrial areas.&#x0D; Research limitations. The method used is applicable in the study of the trend in the population aging rate in certain territories.&#x0D; Conclusion. The formation of a steady growth trend of indicators characterizing the processes of population aging in the territories determines the need to develop programs to improve demographic policy in the subject of the Federation.

Age-Related Variations in Serum Zinc Levels Among Female Patients in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq: Implications for Addressing Zinc Deficiency.

Background Zinc plays a crucial role in human nutrition and various biochemical processes, making it indispensable for all life forms. Therefore, it is important to address low zinc levels, particularly among women, to prevent potential health issues. Objective This study aimed to evaluate the serum zinc levels of female patients in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional studyincluded atotal of 299 patients,ranging in age from 16 to 48 years, who sought medical care at Baxshin Hospital in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, Iraq, between October 2022 and April 2023. The biochemical test was conducted to screen the patient's blood samples for serum zinc levels. Results Among 299 patients, 99 individuals had low zinc levels, 11 had high zinc levels, and 189 exhibited normal zinc levels. The analysis revealed a significant difference between low, normal, and high serum zinc levels, as evidenced by a p-value of <0.05. In terms of age-related variations, individuals under 20 years old had an average serum zinc level of 121.4 µg/dL. However, those between 21 and 30 years old demonstrated the highest average serum zinc level of 153.6 µg/dL, followed by 135 µg/dL for individuals aged 31-40, and 119 µg/dL for those above 40 years old. Conclusion These findings indicate that serum zinc levels may vary based on the age group of individuals. Consequently, further research is needed to explore the implications of these variations and establish appropriate strategies to address zinc deficiency among women in Sulaymaniyah.

Profiling of patients with type 2 diabetes based on medication adherence data.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex, chronic disease affecting multiple organs with varying symptoms and comorbidities. Profiling patients helps identify those with unfavorable disease progression, allowing for tailored therapy and addressing special needs. This study aims to uncover different T2DM profiles based on medication intake records and laboratory measurements, with a focus on how individuals with diabetes move through disease phases. We use medical records from databases of the last 20 years from the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology of the University Medical Center in Maribor. Using the standard ATC medication classification system, we created a patient-specific drug profile, created using advanced natural language processing methods combined with data mining and hierarchical clustering. Our results show a well-structured profile distribution characterizing different age groups of individuals with diabetes. Interestingly, only two main profiles characterize the early 40-50 age group, and the same is true for the last 80+ age group. One of these profiles includes individuals with diabetes with very low use of various medications, while the other profile includes individuals with diabetes with much higher use. The number in both groups is reciprocal. Conversely, the middle-aged groups are characterized by several distinct profiles with a wide range of medications that are associated with the distinct concomitant complications of T2DM. It is intuitive that the number of profiles increases in the later age groups, but it is not obvious why it is reduced later in the 80+ age group. In this context, further studies are needed to evaluate the contributions of a range of factors, such as drug development, drug adoption, and the impact of mortality associated with all T2DM-related diseases, which characterize these middle-aged groups, particularly those aged 55-75. Our approach aligns with existing studies and can be widely implemented without complex or expensive analyses. Treatment and drug use data are readily available in healthcare facilities worldwide, allowing for profiling insights into individuals with diabetes. Integrating data from other departments, such as cardiology and renal disease, may provide a more sophisticated understanding of T2DM patient profiles.

Premature mortality from tuberculosis and HIV infection in Russia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction. The introduction of restrictive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic led to a reduction in the timing of screening aimed at early detection of tuberculosis among the population. As a result, there has been increased the proportion of patients with common forms of tuberculosis, the treatment of which is of considerable complexity and creates a high risk of death.&#x0D; Objective of research: study of premature mortality from tuberculosis and HIV infection in Russia before and during the Covid-19 pandemic.&#x0D; Material and methods. Rosstat data on deaths due to tuberculosis and HIV infection over 2000–2020. The age of 70 years has been adopted as the standard age for calculating the indicator of has increased potential years of life lost (PYLL). Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients were used for the analysis.&#x0D; Results: In Russia, before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2000–2019, the decrease in the total number of patients who died from tuberculosis and HIV infection, and the total PYLL, occurred due to a decrease in the proportion of patients who died from tuberculosis — from 99.3% to 25.4%. Pandemics in 2020 in addition, total PYLL decreased to 45.3% or by 9%, PYLL from TB to 8.9% or by 10.1%, PYLL from HIV infections to 36.4% or by 8.9% compared to 2019.&#x0D; Limitations of the study. The analysis of PYLL from tuberculosis and HIV infection was carried out for the entire population and for individual age groups in 2000–2020, which was sufficient to achieve the goal. &#x0D; Conclusion. In Russia, during the pandemic, the main reason for the decrease in the total PYLL and PYLL from tuberculosis and HIV infection were changes in the definition of the main cause of death in the combination of tuberculosis and HIV infection with Covid-19, when Covid-19 began to be indicated as such, and tuberculosis and HIV infection moved into the category of secondary causes and ceased to take part in the formation of mortality rates from these diseases.

Artificial intelligence in the pharmaceutical industry of Ukraine: prospects for future development

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool with the potential to revolutionise industries across the globe. Among the many sectors AI is making a profound impact on, the pharmaceutical industry is as well experiencing significant transformations. Aims: To assess the Current State of AI Adoption, to Examine the Regulatory and Ethical Landscape of AI Implementation and to Identify Opportunities and Challenges in Ukraine. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study Results: Currently, 4.1 billion people worldwide have sustainable Internet access, and 2.8 billion people make purchases online. This data highlights the significant global growth of Internet users and the increasing popularity of online shopping. The average digital user is now aged between 25 and 44. It indicates a shift in the age group of individuals actively using digital technologies. This demographic change has implications for businesses targeting digital consumers. Ukraine's pharmaceutical industry lags behind neighboring countries like the Czech Republic, Russia, and Poland in terms of AI utilisation, with only 10 publications related to AI in pharmaceuticals. This suggests a potential gap in research funding, industry investment, or academic expertise that needs to be addressed. Several prominent pharmaceutical companies in Ukraine are actively integrating AI and technology into their operations. These companies are focusing on various aspects, including drug discovery, diagnostics, innovation hubs, and investments in genetics and genomics. This highlights the industry's increasing adoption of AI. The challenges include the need for high-quality data, the difficulty in recruiting AI experts, regulatory compliance, and the financial constraints of funding AI initiatives. These challenges are critical considerations for pharmaceutical firms looking to leverage AI in their operations. Scientific Novelty: Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool with the potential to revolutionise industries . Conclusion: These results collectively provide insights into the evolving landscape of digital technology.

Половозрастная дифференциация предметного комплекса одежды по материалам погребальных памятников Верхнего Приобья второй половины I тыс. до н. э.

The author addresses the features of differentiation by sex and age of the clothing inventory based on the materials from funerary sites found in the Upper Ob’ Region and dated by the Early Iron Age. The paper is mainly based on the materials from the sites of the Bolsherechenskaya cultural and historical community of the 8th (7th)—3rd (2nd) centuries BC. The author studies the clothing inventory from 136 burials. The analysis reveals a rather motley picture of sex and age differentiation of jewelry worn by the Upper Ob’ Region population in the Early Iron Age, indicating absence of uniformity in the design of funerary costume. It was not possible to trace any standard sets of jewelry for individual age and sex groups of the population of the Upper Ob’ basin in the Early Iron Age. Absence of any canon in the design of the funerary costume contributed to its individualization. Changes in the quantitative and qualitative composition of the clothing inventory of the Upper Ob’ basin population in the second half of the 1st millennium BC is explained, in our opinion, by a change in the vital statuses of individuals. Conventionally, we can distinguish three periods of changes in the ensemble of the costume: child’s to juvenile, juvenile to adult, and then adult to senile one. This process was individual, depending on the life history of a particular person.

Measures of Early-life Behavior and Later Psychopathology in the LifeCycle Project - EU Child Cohort Network: A Cohort Description.

The EU LifeCycle Project was launched in 2017 to combine, harmonize, and analyze data from more than 250,000 participants across Europe and Australia, involving cohorts participating in the EU-funded LifeCycle Project. The purpose of this cohort description is to provide a detailed overview of the major measures within mental health domains that are available in 17 European and Australian cohorts participating in the LifeCycle Project. Data on cognitive, behavioral, and psychological development has been collected on participants from birth until adulthood through questionnaire and medical data. We developed an inventory of the available data by mapping individual instruments, domain types, and age groups, providing the basis for statistical harmonization across mental health measures. The mental health data in LifeCycle contain longitudinal and cross-sectional data from birth throughout the life course, covering domains across a wide range of behavioral and psychopathology indicators and outcomes, including executive function, depression, ADHD, and cognition. These data span a unique combination of qualitative data collected through behavioral/cognitive/mental health questionnaires and examination, as well as data from biological samples and indices in the form of imaging (MRI, fetal ultrasound) and DNA methylation data. Harmonized variables on a subset of mental health domains have been developed, providing statistical equivalence of measures required for longitudinal meta-analyses across instruments and cohorts. Mental health data harmonized through the LifeCycle project can be used to study life-course trajectories and exposure-outcome models that examine early life risk factors for mental illness and develop predictive markers for later-life disease.

What is the health status of girls and boys in the COVID-19 pandemic? Selected results of the KIDA study.

It is well known that there are gender differences in the health behaviour and physical and mental health of children. The COVID-19 pandemic influenced the health and lifestyles of children and adolescents by changing their living conditions. The present work investigates whether gender differences in selected health indicators are evident more than two years after the onset of the pandemic. In the study Kindergesundheit in Deutschland aktuell (KIDA) (German Children's Health Update), cross-sectional telephone surveys were conducted with parents of 3- to 15-year-olds (n=3,478). Parental information on the general and mental health of the child, on increased need for health care and mental health services, as well as on physical activity and utilisation of sports activities were queried in standardised manner. Gender differences were assessed using Chi2 tests. A total of 91% of the girls and 92% of the boys had their general health assessed as being (very) good by their parents (difference not significant, n.s.). An increased need for care and support was indicated for 10.6% of the 3- to 15-year-olds (girls: 9%, boys: 12%, n.s.). Boys met the physical activity recommendations of the WHO significantly more often (60%) than girls (54%). Good to excellent mental health was reported for 93% of both boys and girls. When changes during the pandemic were reported, no differences were found in the responses for girls compared to boys. Gender differences were found for individual parameters and age groups. These differences must be assessed in the context of other social determinants of health, and need to be considered when planning preventive measures.

Cranial Vault Suture Obliteration in Relation to Age: An Autopsy-Based Observational Study.

Age is one of the most critical identifiers for both living and dead. Forensic professionals in medical and legal matters are often presented with dismembered, disfigured, putrefied, or skeletal remains for analysis. In such situations, it is essential to identify individuals and estimate their ages. The skull is typically thewell-preserved part of the body in such situations. If an aged person needs their age officially established for employment, superannuation, pension settlements, senior citizen benefits, etc., they may turn to medical professionals for help in making that determination. It has always been controversial to use cranial suture obliteration as a reference for age. Different geographicallocations have been shown to have vastly different patterns of cranial suture closure. Therefore, this study was conceptualized to assess cranial vault sutureobliteration in relation to age in the Meo population. This study was conducted to determine whether obliteration of cranial sutures can be taken into account for the estimation of age in elderly in this region and its reliability along with the influence of other factors such as sexand right and left side differences. A total of 100 cases of more than 20 years of age brought for medicolegal autopsy were analyzed. The coronal, sagittal, and lambdoid sutures were studied ectocranially and endocranially. The degree of obliteration of sutures was scored ectocranially as well as endocranially. Data were analyzed using IBMSPSSStatistics for Windows, Version 21 (Released 2012; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Descriptive statistics were evaluated for continuous data in terms of mean and standard deviation, and categorical data were presented by frequency and percentages. An independent t-test was applied to find out the mean difference between the right and left sides of suture closure for ectocranial and endocranial surfaces. The Spearman rank correlation test was carried out to find out the relationship between the age and score of suture closure both ectocranially and endocranially. Ectocranially and endocranially, the overall sagittal suture obliterates early followed by coronal sutures and then lambdoid sutures. On comparing the mean ectocranial and mean endocranial scores of 100 subjects by applying an independent t-test, a highly significant difference was observed in all three sutures. On correlating ectocranial sutures and endocranial sutures and age at death in all the cases through sagittal, right and left coronal, and lambdoid by applying the Spearman rank correlation coefficient, a highly significant correlation was found in all the subjects combined (p-value 0.000). However, no significant correlation (p-value >0.05) was found in ectocranial and endocranial sagittal sutures in individual age groups. We concluded that obliteration on the endocranial surface is more reliable than on the ectocranial surface. No statistically significant difference exists on the obliteration of sutures on the right and left sides of coronal and lambdoid sutures. The lapsed union was evident in all three sutures ectocranially. Endocranial suture obliteration can be used as a corroborative tool for age estimation.

Contribution of specific age groups and classes of death causes &#x0D; to the life expectancy of the population of the Novosibirsk Region

Introduction. Life expectancy is an important public health criterion. An assessment of its trend, taking into account the contribution of individual causes of death, makes it possible to form a healthcare strategy at the regional level. &#x0D; The purpose of the investigation was to study the contribution of individual age groups and leading classes of death causes to the trend of the life expectancy for 2005–2020, the elimination reserves of the life expectancy of the population of the Novosibirsk Region in 2020. &#x0D; Material and methods. The calculations were based on mortality rates by gender, five-year age groups, and causes of death from the Russian Database on Fertility and Mortality of the Center for Demographic Research of the Russian Economic School. The methods of constructing brief tables of mortality, linear approximation, and the method of components were used to calculate the contribution of spesific age groups and causes of death to the trend of the life expectancy and its elimination reserves. &#x0D; Results. The increase in life expectancy in the Novosibirsk region during the study period took place in 2 stages. In 2005-2009 the growth of the indicator was largely ensured by reducing the mortality of people of working age, especially men, from external causes. Further increase in life expectancy in 2009–2019 associated with a decrease in mortality of people older than working age, in particular women from diseases of the circulatory system. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic contributed to a decline in the life expectancy for men to the level of 2015, and for women until 2011.&#x0D; Limitations. Territorial, temporary. The trend in the life expectancy of men and women of the Novosibirsk Region for 2005–2020 was studied.&#x0D; Conclusion. When developing federal, regional socio-demographic programs, and planning the work of the healthcare system, it is necessary to take into account the identified features of the trend of mortality, life expectancy, and reserves for its increase. Particular attention should be paid to increasing the availability of medical care and programs for the health-saving behaviour spesific of the population.

Religiosity as a factor of social-emotional resilience and personal growth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatian adolescents

The coronavirus pandemic and measures to protect against the spread of infection have had a specific effect on individual age groups. This research is focused on adolescents (from 13 to 19 years old) because young people at that age are already going through a developmental crisis, which is further intensified by pandemic circumstances. The survey, conducted in Croatia from December 2020 to February 2021 (N = 857), sought to identify the possible personalizing of faith in adolescents as well as the impact of religiosity on their coping with the pandemic, especially in terms of social-emotional resilience and personal growth. In addition to descriptive indicators, the analysis used inferential procedures to check the statistical significance of differences (t-test, ANOVA), as well as connections and determinations between variables (correlation and regression analysis). The hypotheses were confirmed that the faith of religious adolescents became more personal and that it had a positive effect on psycho-social resilience and personal growth, but in combination with family cohesion, which on the one hand was stimulated by religiosity, and on the other, influenced personal growth.

A high-frequency mobility big-data reveals how COVID-19 spread across professions, locations and age groups.

As infected and vaccinated population increases, some countries decided not to impose non-pharmaceutical intervention measures anymore and to coexist with COVID-19. However, we do not have a comprehensive understanding of its consequence, especially for China where most population has not been infected and most Omicron transmissions are silent. This paper aims to reveal the complete silent transmission dynamics of COVID-19 by agent-based simulations overlaying a big data of more than 0.7 million real individual mobility tracks without any intervention measures throughout a week in a Chinese city, with an extent of completeness and realism not attained in existing studies. Together with the empirically inferred transmission rate of COVID-19, we find surprisingly that with only 70 citizens to be infected initially, 0.33 million becomes infected silently at last. We also reveal a characteristic daily periodic pattern of the transmission dynamics, with peaks in mornings and afternoons. In addition, by inferring individual professions, visited locations and age group, we found that retailing, catering and hotel staff are more likely to get infected than other professions, and elderly and retirees are more likely to get infected at home than outside home.

The Rate Of Malaria Parasites Co –infection Salamoella TyphO And Para- Typhi BO In Khartoum State

Background: .&#x0D; Malaria is serious vector –borne tropical diseases that remains one of the primary reasons for death in several countries . Malaria and typhoid co-infection is a major public health problem in many developing countries. Most of the co-infections treated are based on methods of diagnosis plagued with assumptions which possibly exaggerate the situation. Objective: This the aim of this work was to investigate the rate of co-infection with respect to the use of direct Widal test for diagnosing typhoid fever in Khartoum state .&#x0D; Method: This was based descriptive cross-sectional malaria of Plasmodium falaciprum and Salamoella . A total of 100 blood samples were collected from patients with a clinical of malaria positive and examined for malaria parasites and S. typhi infection.&#x0D; Results: This study was conducted in Khartoum State between 2020 to 2021 in individual form different age groups form both male and female, out of 100 samples were positive for malaria parasites(Plasmodium falciprum) by blood films (100%) and immunochormatogrphy test 80(80%) , 52(52%) of which were positive for salmonella typhiO and 18(18%) salmonella para- typhi BO by the direct Widal test.

Cluster Analysis Results for Assessment of COVID-19-Related Mortality Differences Between Russian Regions

Background: Russian state policy for health protection, rehabilitation, and health improvement requires studying regional mortality rates, including those related to COVID-19.Objective: To assess differences in COVID-19-related mortality between the regions of the same federal district.Materials and methods: Mortality data are sourced from death records in the Unified State Register of Civil Status Acts. The data were analyzed using unweighted arithmetic means, specific indicators, and standard deviation (the mean ± standard deviation). To eliminate the distortion by an age factor in mortality rates comparison, we replaced the age structure of the individual region’s population with that of Russia through indirect standardization of mortality rates. We used K-means clustering to group the regions by COVID-19-related mortality rates.Results: In 2021 Russia had 2,446,922 deaths, i.e. 648,615 (36.1%) and 163,645 (7.2%) cases more compared to 2019 and 2020, respectively. Of the total number, 17.3% of cases (424,252) had COVID-19 as a primary cause of death: nearly three times more than in 2020 (144,691 COVID-19-related deaths). Based on the average sizes of all individual age groups related to the respective region, nonstandardized and standardized COVID-19-related mortality rates were 265.30 ± 103.16 and 279.28 ± 91.07 per 100,000 persons in 2021, respectively. The cluster analysis showed that the largest number of regions (28 regions in 8 federal districts) comprised the third cluster with an average mortality rate of 276.26 ± 15.16 per 100,000 persons. The first cluster with an average mortality rate of 406.43 ± 29.26 per 100,000 persons included 12 regions in 7 federal districts. The second сluster included 21 regions (341.49 ± 18.16 per 100,000 persons) in 6 federal districts, the fourth cluster – 17 regions (196.73 ± 25.05 per 100,000 persons) in 6 districts, and the fifth cluster – 7 regions (87.22 ± 12.42 per 100,000 persons) in 5 districts.Conclusions: There is no common explanation for the COVID-19-related mortality differences not only between the regions of the same country but also between countries. This lack of understanding gets worse because one should also separate the pandemic’s health factors from social, psychological, and economic ones. The government should play a more important role in healthcare management, reform payment systems, and eliminate private financial intermediaries used to pay for medical services.Restrictions: The Unified State Register of Civil Status Acts data, which consisted of preliminary death certificates, may differ from the data of the Federal State Statistics Service, which became available to researchers later in 2022.

To the Stady of a Water Vole (&lt;i&gt;Arvicola anphibius&lt;/i&gt;) at the North-Western Area

We have conducted the long-term expeditionary and stationary studies in the taiga Northwest of Russia (1958–2018) to characterize the population, biotopic distribution, nutrition, reproduction, spatial and ecological structure of the population, and the dynamics of the number of water voles, including those associated with its habitat in northern range boundaries: timing, reproductive cycles, course and intensity of reproduction, participation in the reproduction of individual age groups, variations in brood size, etc. The breeding season from the first pregnant females are caught in spring to the last newly born females in autumn lasts 4–6 months. It depends on the state of the population and weather and phenological conditions of the year. The average brood in wintering and arrived female voles in our region was close to the species norm and amounted to 6.5 ± 0.37 and 5.7 ± 0.41. The main reasons for the long-term dynamics of the species abundance are changes in the hydrological regime of water bodies.

Determination of sarcosine in urine as a predictor of prostate cancer using Enzyme linked immunosorbent method

Prostate cancer is a type of malignancy that is defined by abnormal development of cells in the prostate tissue. Prostate cancer needs early intervention since its incidence and prevalence is high across the world leading to high morbidity and mortality. Prostatic specific antigen test which is the commonly used screening test in Kenya and across the world is nonspecific, expensive and inaccessible to many people in rural setting who are in need. The definitive histological test is invasive and requires specialized facilities and personnel. This study sought to investigate sarcosine in urine as a predictor of prostate cancer to supplement prostatic specific antigen test in the diagnosis of prostate carcinoma. Cross sectional study design was employed in this study for all suspected prostate cancer identified according to clinical assessment during the study period. Midstream urine samples of about 30mls was collected in plastic tubes, centrifuged and supernatant collected and analyzed using ELISA method for sarcosine. Raw data obtained was tabulated in excel and transferred to statistical package for social science. Differences in means and standard deviation from various age groups was analyzed using one-way Anova and Independent t test. The Bonferroni was used as post Hoc to test the means that were significant from others. Significance level was set at 95%. The concentration of sarcosine (4.30±0.11nmol/ml) in prostate cancer participants was significantly higher than the concentration (0.47±0.06nmol/ml) of control participants using ELISA (p&lt;0.001;). Hence Sarcosine in urine needs to be analyzed for the testing of prostate tumor since it is raised in confirmed prostate carcinoma participants as compared to negative control units. The age groups of the prostate tumor participants had no significant variation in sarcosine concentration using ELISA method (p=0.57). Similarly, the age groups of the control individuals were not significantly different in sarcosine concentration (p=0.17). Future studies need to dwell in incorporating sarcosine metabolite in urine.

Melanoma Mortality Trends in 28 European Countries: A Retrospective Analysis for the Years 1960–2020

In 2020, in 27 European Union (EU) Member States, melanoma accounted for 4% of all new cancer cases and 1.3% of all cancer deaths, making melanoma the fifth most common malignancy and placing it in the 15 most frequent causes of cancer deaths in the EU-27. The main aim of our study was to investigate melanoma mortality trends in 25 EU Member States and three non-EU countries (Norway, Russia, and Switzerland) in a broad time perspective (1960-2020) in a younger (45-74 years old) vs. older age group (75+). We identified melanoma deaths defined by ICD-10 codes C-43 for individuals aged 45-74 and 75+ years old between 1960-2020 in 25 EU Member States (excluding Iceland, Luxembourg, and Malta) and in 3 non-EU countries-Norway, Russia, and Switzerland. Age-standardized melanoma mortality rates (ASR) were computed using the direct age-standardization for Segi's World Standard Population. To determine melanoma-mortality trends with 95% confidence intervals (CI), Joinpoint regression was applied. Our analysis used the Join-point Regression Program, version 4.3.1.0 (National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA). Regardless of the considered age groups, in all investigated countries, in general, melanoma standardized mortality rates were higher for men than women. Considering the age group 45-74, the highest number of countries was characterized by decreasing melanoma-mortality trends in both sexes-14 countries. Contrarily, the highest representation of countries in the age group 75+ was connected with increasing melanoma-mortality trends in both sexes-26 countries. Moreover, considering the older age group-75+-there was no country with a decreasing melanoma mortality in both sexes. Investigated melanoma-mortality trends vary in individual countries and age groups; however, a highly concerning phenomenon-increasing melanoma-mortality rates in both sexes-was observed in 7 countries for the younger age group and in as many as 26 countries for the older age group. There is a need for coordinated public-health actions to address this issue.