Individual Family Research Articles

Nomenclatural standards of spring barley cultivars bred by the Volga Scientific Research Institute of Selection and Seed-Growing named after P.N. Konstantinov

The article discusses the cultivars of spring two-row barley ‘Povolzhsky 22’, ‘Povolzhsky 49’, ‘Povolzhsky Yantar’, and ‘Povolzhsky Priz’ bred by the Volga Scientific Research Institute of Selection and Seed-Growing named after P.N. Konstantinov, a branch of the Samara Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The article describes the morphological, biological and economic characteristics of the cultivars. To prepare herbarium specimens of nomenclatural standards, plant material of cultivars ‘Povolzhsky 22’, ‘Povolzhsky 49’, and ‘Povolzhsky Yantar’ was used. These cultivars are represented by one herbarium sheet each and duplicated by 2, 1 and 3 sheets, respectively. A herbarium specimen of cultivar ‘Povolzhsky Priz’ has also been prepared, although State Variety Testing of the cultivar was not completed in 2023. This herbarium specimen will be registered as the nomenclatural standard of the cultivar when the latter will be included in the State Register.All herbarium specimens include whole plants at the milky ripeness stage, ears at the waxy ripeness stage, and grain samples. Appropriate plants were collected in Pushkin, in the fields of the “Pushkin and Pavlovsk Laboratories of VIR” (St. Petersburg), and ears and grains were obtained from the Volga Scientific Research Institute of Selection and Seed-Growing named after P.N. Konstantinov (Samara Province).All materials used for preparing herbarium specimens of a cultivar are the offspring of plants obtained as a result of individual family selection. Herbarium specimens of nomenclatural standards, their duplicates and herbarium specimens of cultivar ‘Povolzhsky Priz’ were prepared in accordance with the recommendations of the International Code of Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants (ICNCP), registered in the VIR Herbarium database and transferred to the Herbarium of Cultivated Plants of the World, their Wild Relatives and Weeds (WIR) at the National Center for Plant Genetic Resources.

O-275 Prenatal genetic screening to assess mtDNA disease occurrence in children

Abstract Study question Can prenatal genetic testing accurately predict mtDNA mutation load anddisease transmission to children for families affected by Leigh Syndrome? Summary answer Whole genome mtDNA sequencing for 13513G>A mutation in chorionic villi and amniotic fluid was similar to those measured in babies suggesting accuracy of disease prediction. What is known already Severity of mtDNA disease in children depends on heteroplasmy levels(proportion of mutant to wild-type mtDNA). There is a minimum threshold for the mutant mtDNA heteroplasmy (typically 60%) above which oxidative metabolism is impaired to cause disease. Predicting the disease based on the mutation load measured during embryonic or fetal development is critically needed. However, preimplantation genetics screening for many mtDNA mutations has limitations due to the potential increase in heteroplasmy levels after implantation. We hypothesized that prenatal screening of chorionic villi and/or amniotic fluid during the first trimester of pregnancy could provide more reliable diagnosis of disease occurrence in children. Study design, size, duration We evaluated mtDNA heteroplasmy in biopsies collected from chorionic villi and amniotic fluid at 10- and 16-weeks of gestation, respectively, for two consecutive, naturally conceived pregnancies for a carrier of 13513G>A mutation. Sequencing results were compared to mutations in the blood, skin, and urine of children after birth. Both children were also extensively monitored for a few years for disease occurrence. Participants/materials, setting, methods A family with maternally transmitted Leigh Syndrome including both parents and two existing children were enrolled during the initial phase. Whole mtDNA sequencing was used to confirm the maternal transmission of the mutation by analysis of blood, skin, and urine from asymptomatic parents and the older son and the severely affected younger son. Furthermore, prenatal diagnostics were performed for two consecutive pregnancies and children after birth. Main results and the role of chance The mother carried 13513G>A mutation in the skin (91% heteroplasmy), urine(39%), and blood (6.8%), while no mutation was detected in the father’s samples. The asymptomatic eldest child revealed a low mutation in the skin (14%), urine(23%), and blood (10%). While the younger son diagnosed with Leigh syndrome carried 56% mutation in blood, 86% in skin, and 97% in urine. Heteroplasmy ranging from 0.6% to 40% was also measured in 4 individual immature oocytes retrieved upon hormonal stimulation of the carrier. The family later naturally conceived 2 consecutive pregnancies and requested help with prenatal diagnostics. In the first pregnancy, mutation loads were 27.5% in chorionic villi and 29.5% in amniotic fluid. The family decided to keep the pregnancy which resulted in the birth of a healthy child with low mutations in blood (0.07%) and skin (14.5%). In the second pregnancy, prenatal diagnostics in CVS showed low mutation at 0.11%, resulting in the birth of an unaffected child with mutation loads of 1.4% in blood and 0% in skin. Limitations, reasons for caution Genetic counseling for mtDNA disease transmission is difficult due tocomplex inheritance of heteroplasmic variants for various pathogenicmutations. Inheritance and distribution of mtDNA mutations also influencedby individual family genetics. Therefore, prenatal diagnostic screeningshould be cautiously considered based on the specific circumstances for eachfamily. Wider implications of the findings Prenatal genetic diagnostics for families with mtDNA disease based on whole mtDNA sequencing by the qualified laboratory may accurately predict heteroplasmy levels and disease occurrence in children. However, careful analysis of family history and the likelihood of having low mutation load oocytes was critical for the success of our case. Trial registration number N/A

An exploration of positive leisure activities in Batswana families

This study’s aim was to explore and describe positive leisure activities in South African Batswana families. The research employed a qualitative, explorative-descriptive research design. The population included adult Tswana family members residing in Mafikeng in the North West Province of South Africa. Through the utilization of purposive sampling, the sample size (seven families consisting of 13 individual adult family members, three males and 10 females, mean age of 34) was determined through data saturation. Family semi-structured interviews were utilized to collect data and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings allude to five main themes: participants’ understanding of family leisure, positive leisure activities families engage in, leisure activities families enjoy the most, the role of positive leisure activities, and the role played by leisure activities during Covid-19 and lockdown in 2020.

South Africa’s Housing Financialisation Crises and Social Resistance

The world’s most unequal country suffers from various housing crises, especially when it comes to excessive reliance upon a private sector prone to market failures, especially affordability. State housing finance strategy during the transition from apartheid to democracy relied upon augmentation of formal banking finance so as to promote home ownership. But as macro-economic conditions changed in the late 1980s, the resulting mass defaults on individual families’ home mortgage bonds led not only to foreclosures by a (white) state, but (black) working-class resistance organised by the country’s leading urban social movement, known as the ‘bond boycott.’ Even after democracy, a worsening housing backlog coincided with resurgence of household debt crises in the wake of the 2008 global financial meltdown. That generated a new housing finance strategy led by Mastercard and a local fintech firm (supported by the World Bank): collateralisation of welfare grants which in turn allowed debit orders for repayment of microfinance (typically used for minor home improvements). Again, social resistance played an important role, as the strategy caused even worse personal debt crises, and a welfare NGO’s successful fight to close Mastercard’s partner. But beyond periodic revolts of these sorts, a durable housing finance policy has remained elusive.

Construction of a high-density linkage map and QTL detection for growth traits in South African abalone (Haliotis midae).

Haliotis midae is one of the most important molluscs in South African commercial aquaculture. In this study, a high-resolution integrated linkage map was constructed, and QTL identified using 2b-RADseq for genotyping SNPs in three families. The final integrated linkage map was composed by merging the individual family maps, resulting in 3290 informative SNPs mapping to 18 linkage groups, conforming to the known haploid chromosome number for H. midae. The total map spanned 1798.25 cM with an average marker interval of 0.55 cM, representing a genome coverage of 98.76%. QTL analysis, across all three families, resulted in a total of five QTL identified for growth-related traits, shell width, shell length, and total body weight. For shell width and total body weight, one QTL was identified for each trait respectively, whilst three QTL were identified for shell length. The identified QTL respectively explained between 7.20% and 11.40% of the observed phenotypic variance. All three traits were significantly correlated (r = 0.862-0.970; p < 0.01) and shared overlapping QTL. The QTL for growth traits were mapped back to the H. midae draft genome and BLAST searches revealed the identity of candidate genes, such as egf-1, megf10, megf6, tnx, sevp1, kcp, notch1, and scube2 with possible functional roles in H. midae growth. The constructed high-density linkage map and mapped QTL have given valuable insights regarding the genetic architecture of growth-related traits and will be important genetic resources for marker-assisted selection. It remains, however, important to validate causal variants through linkage disequilibrium fine mapping in future.

Dialectic Perspective on Interpersonal Conflict of Pre-Divorce and Its Reconciliation

This research examines the Dialectic Perspective of Interpersonal Conflict of Pre-Divorce and Its Reconciliation. The development of the divorce rate in Indonesia has reached its peak in 2022 compared to the last six years. These phenomena interest the researcher in discovering how the married couple in dispute can resolve their marriage and repair their relationship. This research is based on the theory of relational dialectics as a ground theory, supported by narrative sense-making as the middle theory, and complemented by dialogic listening theory as the applied theory for supporting conflict resolution. The method used was a qualitative descriptive approach to study the case of four informants with criteria determined by the researcher. The results of this study indicate a framework dimension from the precursor of marriage conflict, namely individual character and family character, forward to the process of the conflict where the dimension of interpersonal conflict and addressing or problem-solving of the conflict is found, to the reconciliation dimension that contributes to the success of reconciliation such as time, agreement, use of future narrative, satisfaction, financial performance, habitual interdependence, and religion and cultural constraints.

Характеристика сучасного стану іхтіофауни озера Котлован як малої штучної водойми м. Дніпро

Purpose. To investigate the current state of nearshore and pelagic communities of ichthyofauna of an artificial water body: Lake Kotlovan in the city of Dnipro. To develop a set of recommendations and bioreclamation measures to improve and maintain a balanced ecological state of the water body, to increase its recreational value. Methodology.The study of ichthyofauna was carried out in the lake Kotlovan (total area 13.4 hectares), which was artificially created in the late 1960s and 1970s, located in the Industrial District of Dnipro in the area of industrial development. The study was carried out in September 2021 - October 2022 in three main nearshore biotopes of the water body. Ichthyological samples were collected in the nearshore shallow water zone with a small-mesh (fry) seine of 15 meters long with a mesh size of 7 mm in the wings and 3 mm in the codend. Fish selected for further analysis were preserved in a 4.5% formalin solution. Processing and analysis of the collected samples were carried out at the research center “Aquatic Bioresources and Aquaculture” of the Dnipro State Agrarian and Economic University (DSAEU). Generally accepted methods of mathematical analysis were used to process the results. The study was carried out in accordance with the Program for conducting scientific fisheries research of the Scientific Research Center “Aquatic Bioresources and Aquaculture” of the DSAEU for 2022–2026. Findings. The peculiarities of the species composition and distribution of the spontaneously formed ichthyofauna of an artificial water body under the impact of negative factors - discharges of enterprises, communal and household effluents and active recreation - have been established. Ichthyofauna of the lake Kotlovan is impoverished and represented by only 10 species (4 families). The composition of the ichthyofauna lacks bottom-dwelling fish and some littoral species (representatives of the familiesCobitidae, Siluridae, Syngnathidae, Gasterosteidae, Gobiidae), a certain deformation of the taxonomic structure was observed. The absence of individual families of ichthyofauna is an atypical situation for most water bodies in this region. This is due to the artificial development of ichthyofauna and the complex negative effect of the anthropogenic factor and internal trophic relationships. Recommendations on bioreclamation measures for the development of a stable ichthyocenosis with the improvement of the trophic structure and ecological condition of the artificial water body have been developed. Originality. The species composition of the ichthyofauna of an artificially created completely isolated water body in the city of Dnipro, which has existed for about 50 years, was determined for the first time. The current structure of fish groups according to species composition, conservation status, relative abundance, type of feeding and origin were investigated. A high level of the infestation of bleak Alburnus alburnus and silver bream Blicca bjoerkna with ligulosis and perch Perca fluviatilis with eustrongylidosis was observed. Measures and recommendations for improving the state of the ichthyofauna of Lake Kotlovan and increasing the recreational value of the water body were proposed. Practical value. Based on the conducted study, it is possible to evaluate and forecast the future state of the ichthyofauna of small, artificially created and isolated water bodies under anthropogenic pressure. The proposed bioreclamation measures will allow increasing the stability of ichthyocenosis and improving water quality as well as the conditions for recreation of residents, recreational fishing within the boundaries of a large city (a complex of ecosystem services). Keywords: city of Dnipro, artificial water body, ichthyofauna, bioreclamation, biotope, recreation, ecosystem services.

Improving Circulation Half-Life of Therapeutic Candidate N-TIMP2 by Unfolded Peptide Extension.

Matrix Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are drivers of many diseases including cancer and are established targets for drug development. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are human proteins that inhibit MMPs and are being pursued for the development of anti-MMP therapeutics. TIMPs possess many attractive properties of a drug candidate, such as complete MMP inhibition, low toxicity and immunogenicity, high tissue permeability and others. A major challenge with TIMPs, however, is their formulation and delivery, as these proteins are quickly cleared from the bloodstream due to their small size. In this study, we explore a new method for plasma half-life extension for the N-terminal domain of TIMP2 (N-TIMP2) through appending it with a long intrinsically unfolded tail containing a random combination of Pro, Ala, and Thr (PATylation). We design, produce and explore two PATylated N-TIMP2 constructs with a tail length of 100- and 200-amino acids (N-TIMP2-PAT100 and N-TIMP2-PAT200, respectively). We demonstrate that both PATylated N-TIMP2 constructs possess apparent higher molecular weights compared to the wild-type protein and retain high inhibitory activity against MMP-9. Furthermore, when injected into mice, N-TIMP2-PAT200 exhibited a significant increase in plasma half-life compared to the non-PATylated variant, enhancing the therapeutic potential of the protein. Thus, we establish that PATylation could be successfully applied to TIMP-based therapeutics and offers distinct advantages as an approach for half-life extension, such as fully genetic encoding of the gene construct, mono-dispersion, and biodegradability. Furthermore, PATylation could be easily applied to N-TIMP2 variants engineered to possess high affinity and selectivity toward individual MMP family members, thus creating attractive candidates for drug development against MMP-related diseases.

Another face of RASA1: Report of familial germline variant in RASA1 with dysmorphic features.

RASopathies encompass a diverse set of disorders affecting genes that encode proteins within the RAS-MAPK pathway. RASA1 mutations are the cause of an autosomal dominant disorder called capillary malformation-arteriovenous malformation type 1 (CM-AVM1). Unlike other RASopathies, facial dysmorphism has not been described in these patients. We phenotypically delineated a large family of individuals with multifocal fast-flow capillary malformations, severe lymphatic anomalies of perinatal onset, and dysmorphic features not previously described. Sequencing studies were performed on probands and related family members, confirming the segregation of dysmorphic features in affected members of a novel heterozygous variant in RASA1 (NM_002890.3:c.2366G>A, p.(Arg789Gln)). In this work, we broaden the phenotypic spectrum of CM-AVM type 1 and propose a new RASA1 variant as likely pathogenic.

One way or another…or both: Different roles of fathers, mothers, and adolescents in the intergenerational transmission of inclusive attitudes

AbstractThis study aimed to examine the processes of intergenerational transmission of attitudes toward migrant integration policies in families with adolescents. Participants included 809 adolescents (Mage = 15.61, range: 13.87–20.04 years), 545 fathers (Mage = 51.19, range: 38–77 years), and 716 mothers (Mage = 48.11, range: 33–68 years) involved in a longitudinal study with two assessments and a time‐lag of 1 year between them. Each family member completed the Attitudes towards Migrant Integration Policies scale. In addition, adolescents reported their perception of discussion of current events with parents and the level of support they receive from them. The cross‐lagged model highlighted a unidirectional transmission, with fathers' but not mothers' attitudes toward migrant integration policies influencing adolescents' attitudes. Furthermore, it has been examined which factors can either amplify or reduce the strength of intergenerational transmission processes considering individual characteristics of both adolescents (i.e., sex, age) and their parents (i.e., political orientation), and cultural (i.e., family, ethnic background) and relational (i.e., discussion of current events, perceived support from fathers and mothers) family characteristics. Individual factors (i.e., fathers' political orientation) and family relational characteristics (i.e., perceived support from fathers) moderated the transmission processes. The transmission was bidirectional when fathers reported being left‐wing and politically oriented and stronger when adolescents reported high support from their fathers. Thus, this study underscores the complexity of the family context, highlighting that the transmission of inclusive attitudes does not always operate in one way (e.g., from parents to children) or another, but in some cases, simultaneously.

Clinical and Genetic Findings in a Cohort of Patients with PRPF31-Associated Retinal Dystrophy

PurposeThe purpose of our study was to assess the phenotypic and genotypic spectrum in a large cohort of patients with PRPF31-associated retinal dystrophy. DesignRetrospective cohort study MethodsIn this retrospective chart review study, we collected cross-sectional data on the phenotype and genotype of patients with PRPF31-associated retinal dystrophy from the clinics for inherited retinal dystrophies at the University of Tuebingen and the local RetDis database and biobank. Patients underwent thorough ophthalmological examinations and genetic testing. ResultsEighty-six patients from 61 families were available for clinical assessment, while genomic DNA was available for 111 individuals (index patients and family members). Fifty-three different disease-associated variants were observed in our cohort. Point mutations were the most common class. All but two patients exhibited features of a typical Retinitis pigmentosa (RP). One patient showed a cone-rod-dystrophy pattern. One mutation carrier revealed no signs of a retinal dystrophy. There was a statistically significant better visual acuity for patients with large deletions in the 20-39 age group. Cystoid macular edema was common in those with preserved central retina and showed an association with female sex. ConclusionOur study confirms high phenotypic variability in disease onset and age at which legal blindness is reached in PRPF31-linked RP. Non-penetrance is commonly documented in family history, although poorly represented in our study, possibly indicating that true asymptomatic mutation carriers are rare if followed-up over lifetime with thorough ophthalmologic workup.

Developing a Chatbot to Support Individuals With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Tutorial.

Families of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities or differences (NDDs) often struggle to find reliable health information on the web. NDDs encompass various conditions affecting up to 14% of children in high-income countries, and most individuals present with complex phenotypes and related conditions. It is challenging for their families to develop literacy solely by searching information on the internet. While in-person coaching can enhance care, it is only available to a minority of those with NDDs. Chatbots, or computer programs that simulate conversation, have emerged in the commercial sector as useful tools for answering questions, but their use in health care remains limited. To address this challenge, the researchers developed a chatbot named CAMI (Coaching Assistant for Medical/Health Information) that can provide information about trusted resources covering core knowledge and services relevant to families of individuals with NDDs. The chatbot was developed, in collaboration with individuals with lived experience, to provide information about trusted resources covering core knowledge and services that may be of interest. The developers used the Django framework (Django Software Foundation) for the development and used a knowledge graph to depict the key entities in NDDs and their relationships to allow the chatbot to suggest web resources that may be related to the user queries. To identify NDD domain-specific entities from user input, a combination of standard sources (the Unified Medical Language System) and other entities were used which were identified by health professionals as well as collaborators. Although most entities were identified in the text, some were not captured in the system and therefore went undetected. Nonetheless, the chatbot was able to provide resources addressing most user queries related to NDDs. The researchers found that enriching the vocabulary with synonyms and lay language terms for specific subdomains enhanced entity detection. By using a data set of numerous individuals with NDDs, the researchers developed a knowledge graph that established meaningful connections between entities, allowing the chatbot to present related symptoms, diagnoses, and resources. To the researchers' knowledge, CAMI is the first chatbot to provide resources related to NDDs. Our work highlighted the importance of engaging end users to supplement standard generic ontologies to named entities for language recognition. It also demonstrates that complex medical and health-related information can be integrated using knowledge graphs and leveraging existing large datasets. This has multiple implications: generalizability to other health domains as well as reducing the need for experts and optimizing their input while keeping health care professionals in the loop. The researchers' work also shows how health and computer science domains need to collaborate to achieve the granularity needed to make chatbots truly useful and impactful.

Examining the role of family and social factors on Islamic financial literacy: evidence from Indonesia

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the determinant factors of Islamic financial literacy (IFL) of the Z generation in Indonesia. As the role of family and social influence play an important role in shaping a person’s character, behavior and understanding, especially for the young generation in Indonesia, so this study proposed communication pattern in the family, financial socialization in family and social influence along with religiosity and sociodemographic factors as determinant factors of the IFL in Indonesia.Design/methodology/approachThis study applied survey method with online questionnaire. There are 978 respondents from various provinces in Indonesia who were participated in this study. Then, data were analyzed by using Structural Equation Model.FindingsBased on data analysis, this study found that communication pattern in the family, social influence, religiosity and sociodemographic factors have a significant influence on the IFL. Meanwhile, financial socialization in the family has no significant influence on IFL.Practical implicationsThe results can be useful for Indonesian government especially in making decision and policy to encourage the increase in IFL in Indonesia.Originality/valueThis study has a theoretical contribution in providing comprehensive framework regarding the relationship between IFL and its underlying factors such as individual factors, family and social factors. In addition, this study also focused on the IFL of generation Z − an aspect that has been overlooked in previous studies.

3-generation family histories of mental, neurologic, cardiometabolic, birth defect, asthma, allergy, and autoimmune conditions associated with autism: an open-source catalogue of findings.

The relatively few conditions and family members investigated in autism family health history limits etiologic understanding. For more comprehensive understanding and hypothesis-generation we produced an open-source catalogue of autism associations with family histories of mental, neurologic, cardiometabolic, birth defect, asthma, allergy, and autoimmune conditions. All live births in Denmark, 1980-2012, of Denmark-born parents (1,697,231 births), and their 3-generation family members were followed through April 10, 2017 for each of 90 diagnoses (including autism), emigration or death. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were estimated via Cox regression for each diagnosis-family member type combination, adjusting for birth year, sex, birth weight, gestational age, parental ages at birth, and number of family member types of index person; aHRs also calculated for sex-specific co-occurrence of each disorder. We obtained 6,462 individual family history aHRS across autism overall (26,840 autistic persons; 1.6% of births), by sex, and considering intellectual disability (ID); and 350 individual co-occurrence aHRS. Results are catalogued in interactive heat maps and down-loadable data files: https://ncrr-au.shinyapps.io/asd-riskatlas/ and interactive graphic summaries: https://public.tableau.com/views/ASDPlots_16918786403110/e-Figure5. While primarily for reference material or use in other studies (e.g., meta-analyses), results revealed considerable breadth and variation in magnitude of familial health history associations with autism by type of condition, family member type, sex of the family member, side of the family, sex of the index person, and ID status, indicative of diverse genetic, familial, and non-genetic autism etiologic pathways. Careful attention to sources of autism likelihood in family health history, aided by our open data resource, may accelerate understanding of factors underlying neurodiversity.

Neuroinflammation and autism: what have we learned so far?

The purpose of the review is to summarize clinical and preclinical study data from the literature related to the relationship between autism and inflammation, as well as hypotheses associated with this relationship. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder with an increasing prevalence, yet limited data regarding its etiology. Inflammatory changes are thought to potentially play a role in the pathogenesis of autism. It has been demonstrated that the frequency of autoimmune diseases is higher in the families of individuals with autism, and there is an increased risk of autoimmune diseases in these individuals. Some immune system-related molecules such as cytokines and chemokines have also been shown to play a role in the etiology of autism, affecting synapse development, plasticity, and consequently, the development of cortical connections. Preclinical and clinical studies are being conducted on the use of exosomes, small lipid-surfaced vesicles capable of crossing the blood–brain barrier, to regulate inflammation-associated molecules and signaling pathways shown to exhibit differences in individuals with autism. Additionally, research is ongoing regarding the modulation of the mTOR pathway, probiotics which have gained attention for correcting dysbiosis, and drugs like luteolin and minocycline, known to inhibit microglial activation. However, the evidence supporting their effectiveness remains limited. While the literature contains a wealth of data regarding the relationship between autism and inflammation, it is important to acknowledge that many findings remain contradictory. Nevertheless, the exploration of neuroinflammation and its associated treatments provides a promising avenue for furthering our understanding of autism spectrum disorder.

Effects of family life cycle events on individual Body Mass Index trajectories: Evidence from China.

Body mass index (BMI) is an important predictor of one's physiological health. China is a family-centric nation compared to Western societies and has already entered an aged society. Exploring the characteristics and patterns of BMI changes during household events in China provides critical insights into the biological and social determinants of health, which can help enhance the scientific validity of health promotion measures and contribute to the realization of healthy aging goals in China. Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1993 to 2015, this article utilizes two-level growth curve models with piecewise spline specifications for age to examine the effects of family life cycle events on BMI trajectories for age groups and gender differences. Compared to continuing status, experiencing transition in an individual's family life cycle could lead to more fluctuating variations in their BMI trajectories, generally, there is a faster increase in BMI during youth and a faster decline during old age. As for gender heterogeneity, males are more affected by divorce, widowhood, and empty nest, whereas females' BMI changes are influenced by entering/maintaining marriage and parenthood. A long-term perspective has revealed the significance of family events on BMI throughout the life course. Future research should focus on the nutrition and health of specific populations, especially elderly individuals in vulnerable groups.

Micromanaging the neuroendocrine system - A review on miR-7 and the other physiologically relevant miRNAs in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis.

The hypothalamic-pituitary axis is central to the functioning of the neuroendocrine system and essential for regulating physiological and behavioral homeostasis and coordinating fundamental body functions. The expanding line of evidence shows the indispensable role of the microRNA pathway in regulating the gene expression profile in the developing and adult hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Experiments provoking a depletion of miRNA maturation in the context of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis brought into focus a prominent involvement of miRNAs in neuroendocrine functions. There are also a few individual miRNAs and miRNA families that have been studied in depth revealing their crucial role in mediating the regulation of fundamental processes such as temporal precision of puberty timing, hormone production, fertility and reproduction capacity, and energy balance. Among these miRNAs, miR-7 was shown to be hypothalamus-enriched and the top one highly expressed in the pituitary gland, where it has a profound impact on gene expression regulation. Here, we review miRNA profiles, knockout phenotypes, and miRNA interaction (targets) in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis that advance our understanding of the roles of miRNAs in mammalian neurosecretion and related physiology.

Departmental Metrics to Guide Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion for Academic Family Medicine Departments.

Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts have accelerated over the past several years, without a traditional guidebook that other missions often have. To evaluate progress over time, departments of family medicine are seeking ways to measure their current EDI state. Across the specialty, unity regarding which EDI metrics are meaningful is absent, and discordance even exists about what should be measured. This paper provides a general metrics framework, including a wide array of possibilities to consider measuring, for assessing individual departmental progress in this broad space. These measures are designed to be general enough to provide common language and can be customized to align with strategic priorities of individual family medicine departments. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine has produced a common framework to facilitate measurement of EDI outcomes in the following areas: care delivery and health, workforce recruitment and retention, learner recruitment and training, and research participation. This framework allows departments to monitor progress across these domains that impact the tripartite mission, providing opportunities to capitalize on measured gains in EDI. Departments can review this framework and consider which metrics are applicable or develop their own metrics to align with their strategic priorities. In the future, collective departments could compare notes and measure aggregate progress together. Evaluating progress is a step in the journey toward the goal of ensuring that departments are operating from inclusive and just academic systems.

Archival documents as a source of bibliographic reconstruction of Orenburg Theological Seminary Library

The author describes the bibliographic reconstruction of the library collection of Orenburg Theological Seminary suppressed in 1919 after the October Revolution. The problems of library collection reconstruction has been studied since the early 20-th century; however, with mainly the personal libraries of individual historical figures or families in the focus. Many methods of reconstruction have been developed. Their analysis examination demonstrates that the reconstruction in these cases is based on continuous looking through the collection in search of bookplates (ex libris), covers, book marks or other tags, or on searching and examining old inventories, library syllabi, and catalogs. However, when the major part of the collection is not preserved within other institutions, and the catalogs, syllabi and inventories do not exist anymore, these methods do not work. To reconstruct the library collection of Orenburg Theological Seminary with the lion’s share lost, the archival documents became almost exclusively the source of information on the library collection, namely teaching and educational reports, administration’s logbooks, bills, etc.

Impact of precision irrigation on the unit income of maize production

The study of the economic/economic impact of precision farming should be a priority area in digital agriculture, as the results, profitability, and efficiency indicators can have a significant decision-support effect on the development of both the agronomic and the technical regions of individual farms both in the longer and shorter term. Individual firms, companies, farmers, and family farms quantify the effectiveness of their farming processes. The modern age offers the possibility of digitally recording all the elements of farming technology, making it possible to analyse the cost-effectiveness of a farm more effectively and, in some cases, to carry out more detailed analyses. Nevertheless, the number of farms demonstrating their profitability with such precise economic calculations is still minimal. Our analyses were conducted on a 56,02 ha field of Balogh Farm-Tépe Ltd. The agricultural operations carried out were fully documented so that the inputs (seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, crop enhancers) were recorded in coordinates and kind, as well as the specific yields, grain moisture data, irrigation norms, and irrigation rotations. At the same time, the company's owner provided the data's monetary value. The main econometric indicators (yield, production value, cost of production, income, cost price) related to the evaluation of the enterprise management were evaluated along with the spatial data in the irrigated and non-irrigated tables. Our calculations show that a given year's climatic and market characteristics fundamentally determine the cost and income relations of a plot of land (and thus of an entire farm). In addition to additional inputs, introducing some elements of precision farming and intensification and increasing yields improves yield security and allows for excellent yield stability.