Late Form Research Articles

Are VR headsets effective in reducing dental anxiety?

The gold standard for the treatment of a specific phobia is cognitive behavioural therapy in the form of exposure. The latest form of this treatment is virtual reality (VR) exposure therapy. During this therapy, an individual is confronted virtually with the stimulus he or she fears instead of in vivo. Research has demonstrated virtual reality exposure therapy is an effective treatment method for treating anxiety disorder, social anxiety, fear of flying, vertigo, arachnophobia and post-traumatic stress disorder. On account of the positive results in treating phobia with virtual reality exposure therapy and the high prevalence of people with dental anxiety, research has been carried out on its effectiveness with this category of patients. This has demonstrated that the therapy can reduce treatment anxiety and avoidance. It also revealed that after 6 months patients no longer showed characteristics of specific phobia and were able to undergo standard dental treatment.

INTERNATIONAL SHAW SOCIETY

Membership in the ISS brings many benefits, but one of the chief benefits comes from providing to the ISS tax-deductible funds that can be used to support the scheduling of Shaw conferences, symposia, and sessions and the giving of travel grants to the young to attend such events. In this way your regard and enthusiasm for Shaw can best be passed on. Please be as generous as you can in choosing your level of membership. For all gifts, the Recording Shaw will write your name in the Book of Life.As one of the principal goals of the ISS is to encourage younger generations to experience the delights of reading and seeing Shaw’s works and participating in the discussion of them, the ISS offers a generous program of support in the form of scholarships and grants, most of which are allied with particular events, such as symposia and conferences.To that end, in eighteen years, ninety-four junior scholars have been awarded one hundred and fifteen Travel Grants to attend the annual Symposia at the Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario), Chicago Symposia in 2010 and 2014 co-sponsored by the ShawChicago Theater Company, and the Shaw Conferences in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, and 2022 respectively at the University of South Florida, Brown University, Catholic University of America, the University of Guelph (Canada), University College Dublin, the National Trust’s “Shaw’s Corner” (Ayot St. Lawrence, UK), Fordham University at Lincoln Center in New York, the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake (Ontario), and the University of Extremadura (Cáceres, Spain). With a minimum gift of $500, an ISS grant can carry the donor’s name.In addition, the “R. F. Dietrich Research Scholarship for Shaw Studies,” named in honor of the Founding President of the ISS, is an annual award of up to $1,000 USD to support research into any aspect of the life and work of Bernard Shaw by a graduate student or early-career scholar. The award, which may be held in conjunction with other awards, is intended to help defray costs associated with visits to libraries and other institutions that hold significant Shaw special collections and archives. Application details for the awards can be accessed at www.shawsociety.org.The ISS also coordinates with the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada on applications for “Bryden Scholarships,” which cover registration fees and accommodations for the three days of the annual Shaw Symposium. See the link at www.shawfest.org.The latest form is available at www.shawsociety.org/ISSMembership2023.htm. This form is innovative in that it allows you to pay by credit or debit card without establishing an account with PayPal. In addition to payment, you will be directed to email the ISS Treasurer the choices made on the membership form and any changes in contact information.

Predicting clinical phenotypes of metachromatic leukodystrophy based on the arylsulfatase A activity and the ARSA genotype? - Chances and challenges.

Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of arylsulfatase A (ARSA). Subsequent accumulation of sulfatides leads to demyelination and neurodegeneration in the central and peripheral nervous system. To date MLD is classified based on the age at onset, however, especially for late onset forms this classification provides only limited projection regarding the clinical disease course. Moreover, evolving newborn screening approaches raise the need to predict the disease onset and course in pre-symptomatic individuals. Here, we correlate the ARSA activity and the ARSA-genotype with clinical parameters in a large cohort of 96 affected individuals. Clinical data of 96 affected individuals with genetically and/or biochemically confirmed MLD were collected from a national database. Leukocyte samples from 69 affected individuals were re-analyzed for the ARSA activity using p-nitrocatecholsulfate as substrate with a refined ARSA assay towards the lower limit of detection. For 84 individuals genetic sequencing was conducted by Sanger or next generation sequencing (NGS). The adapted ARSA assay revealed the discriminatory power to differentiate MLD subtypes as the residual enzyme activity was low in late infantile and early juvenile forms, and clearly higher in late juvenile and adult MLD (p < 0.001). A residual enzyme activity below 1% compared to controls predicted an early onset (late-infantile or early-juvenile) and rapid disease progression. A firm genotype-phenotype correlation was proven as reliable for bi-allelic protein-truncating variants in the ARSA gene resulting in minimal residual ARSA activity, an early onset of the disease and initial decline of motor functions. Although the impact of missense variants was equivocal, few variants with a recognizable clinical spectrum were identified. ARSA activity in leukocytes as well as the ARSA genotype can predict the age of disease onset and the dynamic of disease progression for most of the early onset forms. This knowledge is relevant for patient counseling and to guide treatment decisions, especially when identifying pre-symptomatic individuals, e.g., in newborn screening. However, due to the high cumulative frequency of rare disease-causing missense variants in the ARSA gene that lead to highly variable residual enzyme activity, reiterated biochemical and genetic studies are needed to improve disease course prediction.

INFORMATIONAL DIVERSIONS IN THE CONFLICT IN UKRAINE

Aim. To identify and classify the forms and methods of information war in the modern conflict in Ukraine (during the Special Military Operation).Methodology. The study was carried out using the methods of analysis, synthesis, generalization, and interpretation of the results.Results. The forms and methods of conducting information war in Ukraine during the Special Military Operation (strategic information operations, special propaganda, fake news, and operational games with the elites) are identified and classified. It has been revealed that the most prominent means of the information warfare is the special propaganda, the goals and methods of which have not changed since the Cold War; strategic information operations, which are operational combinations of foreign intelligence, in this conflict at the present stage are present only in the form of the so-called "Incident in Bucha". It has been established that fake news massively produced by the Ukrainian side and its Western "sponsors" is aimed at diverting the attention of the Russian side (forces and means of information warfare) from the real operational combinations conducted by the CIA and MI-6 ("diversion to an unusable object").Research implications. Information about the latest forms and methods of organizing and conducting information operations in the conditions of the Special Military Operation in Ukraine can be used in the work of state bodies responsible for organizing a systemic counteraction to information aggression by foreign states, and will also be useful to political scientists, political technologists, and specialists in countering destructive political technologies.

Clinical evolution of late-onset Pompe disease: a case report

Introduction. Pompe disease is an inherited metabolic myopathy due to lysosomal glycogen deposition in the absence or reduction of acid maltase enzyme activity. The worldwide prevalence of the disease ranges from 1:40,000 to 1:200,000 and it affects children and adults. Objective. This study aims to report the case of a patient diagnosed with the late form of Pompe disease. Case Report. A 44-year-old female patient had the onset of symptoms of Pompe disease at the age of 14, presenting difficulty in walking and frequent falls. The disease was diagnosed three years later. At the age of 44 and after using enzyme therapy replacement (TER) for 12 years, the clinical condition evolved into quadriplegia and involvement of the respiratory and orofacial muscles, despite the use of enzyme replacement therapy for 12 years. Conclusion. Despite the use of ERT and the care provided by a multidisciplinary team, the patient evolved with an unfavorable clinical outcome. Therefore, early diagnosis, level of enzyme activity, and response to treatment with enzyme replacement are essential for the disease prognosis.

Contemporary Aesthetics of NFTs: The Biocentric Experience of Origin and Originality of an NFT

This paper explores the contemporary aesthetics of one of the latest forms of digital art known as non-fungible tokens, aka NFTs, and how and why they are affecting and shaping today’s society. Using Manovich’s theory of metamedium, Lanza’s theory of biocentrism, blockchain technology, and NFTs can be theorized as a form of medium which represents many other media while augmenting them with many new properties. The main theoretical problem with NFTs in the domain of art theory is the question of their originality. When put to use through various digital art collections and online tech platforms, the backend section of the blockchain smart contract code also becomes part of art, hence it can sometimes be difficult to define NFTs’ originality of the art itself. Due to the repetitive nature of NFTs, it can be argued that the most unique component of the NFT metamedium is not art, or blockchain smart contract, but the owner of the digital art piece. With the collection of 10,000 similar pieces of art, the originality of art is evolving through the ideology of cultural groups associated with desired collections. It is shifting from the art itself to the owner. Throughout the unification of technology, software, and art, artists have a new way to extend their creations, while actively participating in the shaping of the cultural landscape. This gives both creators and collectors of the NFT metamedium a brand-new transcending meta experience beyond the art itself that gives a unique point to the originality of the art piece. Article received: May 8, 2022; Article accepted: July 15, 2022; Published online: October 15, 2022; Original scholarly paper

Coho salmon <i>Oncorhynchus kisutch</i> (Walbaum) on the continental coast of the Okhotsk Sea

Coho salmon is a common object of ichthyofauna in the water bodies of the continental coast of the Okhotsk Sea, with the main stocks concentrated in the central part of the region. The species exhibits mostly the anadromous life strategy in the ontogenesis, though the resident groups are known in three lakes located in the basins of Inya, Ul’beya and Okhota Rivers. Temporal structure of anadromous coho salmon is demonstrated for the first time within the region: the stock is presented by two forms, as early and late ones. Spawning runs of these forms could be indicated by changes of qualitative parameters of fish. Coho salmon of the early and late forms reproduce on spawning grounds with different hydrological and thermal regimes. Juvenile coho salmon spend from 1 to 3 years in the fresh water before the seaward migration. Duration of marine period of their life is usually 1 year, but rarely they return for spawning either in the year of seaward migration or after two winters in the sea. Variability of abundance and qualitative parameters of coho salmon is conditioned mainly by environments of reproduction and feeding, with some impact of epigenetic difference in size and age between the life strategies in ontogenesis.

On Rules in Contemporary Praxis

The article exposes the analysis of different socio-philosophical approaches to the fixation of a rule in contemporary praxis. It clarifies the status and role of the rule as a notion in practical philosophy. The author compares the advantages of neo-Aristotelian, neo-Kantian and socio-critical approaches to the revelation of valid forms of praxis rules. In the framework of social philosophy, the article demonstrates the interdependency and succession of these approaches to the interpretation of the essence of the practical rule. The renaissance of the Aristotelean definition of praxis is considered in the works by E. Stein and A. MacIntyre. The relevance of the neo-Kantian approach to the revelation of the nature of practical rule in contemporary social theory is justified on the basis of works by R. Jaeggi, E. von Redecker and J. Butler. The author traces the productive interaction between the neo-Aristotelean and the neo-Kantian approaches to defining praxis rules. Special attention is paid to the philosophy of H. Lotze and E. Lask, where is accomplished the practical turn from the Aristotelean accomplished deed itself to the Kantian judgement about a value of this or that form fulfillment. The dominance of the axiological approach to praxis in contemporary social theory is problematised by means of the neo-Aristotelean interpretation, which prevents its alienation from the essence of the virtue action. The late modern characteristic forms of the practical rule fulfillment in creative activity are considered. There is justified the necessity of turning the theory of practices to the neo-Kantian and the neo-Aristotelean traditions in order to reveal valid forms of expressing and preserving the value-normative nature of rules in contemporary society. That can partially overcome the pragmatic relativism of the theory of practices, which neglects the traditional sense of the praxis rule in its situational intersubjective interpretation. Taking into account complexity and non-linear development of social reality, as well as of the variety of approaches to its reflection, there is explicated the relevance of the determination of contextually possible and universally necessary forms of praxis rules, which are justifiable as value meaningful.

Recent advances in the bio-application of microalgae-derived biochemical metabolites and development trends of photobioreactor-based culture systems.

Microalgae are microscopic algae in sizes ranging from a few micrometers to several hundred micrometers. On average, half of the oxygen in the atmosphere is produced by the photosynthetic process of microalgae, so the role of these microorganisms in the life cycle of the planet is very significant. Pharmaceutical products derived from microalgae and commercial developments of a variety of supplements extracted from them originate from a variety of their specific secondary metabolites. Many of these microalgae are a reservoir of unique biological compounds including carotenoids, antioxidants, fatty acids, polysaccharides, enzymes, polymers, peptides, pigments, toxins and sterols with antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal, antiparasitic, anticoagulant, and anticancer properties. The present work begins with an introduction of the importance of microalgae in renewable fuels and biodiesel production, the development of healthy food industry, and the creation of optimal conditions for efficient biomass yield. This paper provides the latest research related to microalgae-derived substances in the field of improving drug delivery, immunomodulatory, and anticancer attributes. Also, the latest advances in algal biocompounds to combat the COVID-19 pandemic are presented. In the subject of cultivation and growth of microalgae, the characteristics of different types of photobioreactors, especially their latest forms, are fully discussed along with their advantages and obstacles. Finally, the potential of microalgae biomass in biotechnological applications, biofuel production, as well as various biomass harvesting methods are described.

Audit in the digital economy

Introduction. The rapid transformational processes of the economy and the mass digitization of all spheres of life require clear, coherent and systematic approaches to the construction of their activities from the subjects of audit activity. Ukraine is not lagging behind in the introduction of the latest forms of control, and therefore actively incorporates the experience of EU countries into the domestic audit practice. Such a form of control, which is actively introduced into the practice of control and verification work, taking into account the experience of EU countries, is e-audit. 
 Problem. Serious concerns among users of financial statements, business entities, and entities of audit activities are caused by a massive increase in the amount of data, which requires interested users to search for new, progressive approaches to the construction of their activities, in particular, in terms of a conceptual change in the approach to the construction of the work of audit activities. 
 The aim of the study is to reveal the essence of the concept of «e-audit» and critically assess theore­tical and practical approaches to the transformation of audit activity in the context of modern business challenges. 
 Methods. General scientific and special methods are used: theoretical generalization and grouping, formalization, analysis and synthesis; logical generalization of the results. 
 Results. An author’s approach to revealing the essence of the conceptual and categorical apparatus of electronic audit has been formed. 
 Conclusions. A conceptual and categorical apparatus of electronic audit has been developed, within which: the concept of «e-audit» is substan­tiated (systematic, independent and documented audit of the correctness, completeness, timeliness and compliance of data (operations, reporting and other documents), which is carried out using modern digital – technologies that automate processes and contribute to more effective achievement of the goal of electronic audit tasks), in which, unlike existing definitions, a systematic approach was applied, which allowed to characterize it from economic and audit approaches to the definition. This contributes to the deepening of the understanding of the essence of concepts, the unification of the terminological apparatus to increase the efficiency of decision-making in the field of control and verification work.

Модернізація комунікативної діяльності органів публічного управління

Formulation of the problem. Social and political transformations observed in the public sphere of Ukrainian society involve increasing attention to the activities of public agencies and the development of communicative activities both between them and between them and the population. Public agencies should implement their activities on the basis of openness, transparency and publicity, using the latest forms, methods and approaches to the implementation of communicative activities. Such challenges require reinterpretation of the concept of public information management and provision of reliable public feedback, improvement of communication procedures in the public administration system. Analysis of recent research and publications. In modern society, the following researchers study intercultural communication: F. S. Batsevych, M. M. Halytska, O. V. Ihna- tenko, O. P. Kuchmii, V. M. Manakin, K. S. Maltseva, Y. A. Makarenko, I. Y. Miazova, M. M. Ryzhkov, S. H. Ter-Mynasova, O. M. Frolova, and other. In their works, the researchers study the patterns of behavior of individuals under the influence of certain social and cultural phenomena caused by intercultural communication. Distinguishing previously unsolved parts of the overall problem. Along with a large number of publications on intercultural communication, it is necessary to note the need for in-depth research on modernization of communication activities of public agencies in modern conditions, as this aspect is important for development of statehood and transition to a new communicative format between the population and public agencies. Presentation of the main material. In modern conditions public agencies are called to perform a number of tasks corresponding to the challenges of the world. They function in accordance with the conditions that form the newest social space. One of the key areas of interaction between public agencies and the public in the context of modernization of their communication activities is to ensure openness and transparency in line with the latest principles of public policy, according to which the newest foundations of public policy in the field of public communication should be developed. This involves modernizing the functional responsibilities and restructuring of public agencies, i.e. changing organizational approaches to their activities. In accordance with modern transformational changes in the Ukrainian and world society, this modernization should take place on the basis of the development of e– government, i.e. translation of a number of procedures in the field of public administration into digital environment. Information support of strategic directions of the state development in accordance with the need to modernize the communicative activity of public agencies requires improvement through the development of automated computer and information-analytical networks, centers and systems. This will provide an opportunity to improve the internal communications of public agencies in course of development and implementation of administrative decisions in routine and crisis situations. Modern communication technologies in provision of public services to citizens and institutions are designed to increase the level of trust to public agencies, so this area is important given its social orientation. Along with this, economic development, increasing the competitiveness and investment attractiveness of Ukraine, creation of a positive business climate within the country, are also worth mentioning and have a positive impact on expanding the scope of implementation of the new communication technologies. Implementation of the newest communication technologies in professional activities of public servants involves a continuous improvement of informational literacy, training and use of information technologies in their work. E-democracy technologies play an important role in improving the efficiency of communication between public agencies and the public, as citizens will be able to solve their problems quickly, using electronic applications. Educational programs for the public, formed in electronic form and designed to unify the principle of using public services by citizens, should take the same route. It is necessary to emphasize the importance of social networks, which in the modern world play a role of a specific communication tool. Introduction of these means of communication will improve the interaction of the stakeholders with public agencies, especially at regional and local levels. It is worth mentioning the need to form special interactive services, which the citizens would be able to use for solving socially significant issues, at local, regional and national levels. Conclusions. Modernization of communicative activities of public agencies in modern conditions has technical, technological and social nature. This format of interaction between public agencies and the public involves solving a wide range of problems that currently exist in this area, in particular, overcoming “digital inequality” caused by significant distortion in informational, technical and technological literacy of the population.

Clinical and Genetic Characteristics of Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia Type 4.

Multiple epiphyseal dysplasias (MED) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of skeletal dysplasias with a predominant lesion in the epiphyses of tubular bones. Variants in the SLC26A2 gene cause their autosomal recessive form (rMED or MED type 4). The accumulation of data regarding the genotype–phenotype correlation can help in the diagnosis and proper management of these patients. The aim of this study was to survey the clinical and genetic characteristics of 55 patients with MED type 4 caused by variants in the SLC26A2 gene. Diagnosis confirmation was carried out by radiography and custom panel sequencing consisting of 166 genes responsible for the development of hereditary skeletal pathology. This was followed by the validation of the identified variants using automated Sanger sequencing (for six patients) and the direct automatic Sanger sequencing of the coding sequence and the adjacent intron regions of the SLC26A2 gene for 49 patients. Based on the clinical and genetic analysis of our sample of patients, two main MED type 4 phenotypes with early and late clinical manifestations were identified. An early and more severe form of the disease was observed in patients with the c.835C > T variant (p.Arg279Trp), and the late and milder form of the disease was observed in patients with the c.1957T > A variant (p.Cys653Ser) in the homozygous or compound heterozygous state with c.26 + 2T > C. It was also shown that only three pathogenic variants were found in 95.3% of the alleles of Russian patients with MED type 4: c.1957T > A (p.Cys653Ser), c.835C > T (p.Arg279Trp), and c.26 + 2T > C; thus, it can be assumed that the primary analysis of these variants will contribute to the optimal molecular genetic diagnostics of MED type 4.

Contemporary global trends in choreographic art development at the beginning of the 21st century

The aim of this study was to identify the main contemporary global trends of choreographic art at the beginning of the XXI century and illustrate the practical aspects of existing trends in world choreography through a questionnaire survey. This practical study was conducted through an online questionnaire survey among 52 acting choreographers, members of the National Choreographic Union of Ukraine, 92 students of the Faculty of Choreographic Arts of the Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts, and 34 scholars in the field of art history conducting research work within the activities of choreographic art of Kyiv National University of Culture and Arts. Based on the study results, the main features of modern choreography according to the respondents were: improvisation in dance forms; synthesis of ballet tradition with dance innovations; the latest forms of interaction between choreography and other art forms, including synthesis, symbiosis, concentration, and transfer; synthesis of all genres of choreographic art; combination of other art forms (fine arts, theater, and cinema). The respondents were of the opinion that the understanding and use in the choreographic activities of the XXI century person image are designed, not only to have a mutual influence on the elements of socio-cultural space of different countries, but also to determine the trends of future social transformations. Also, choreographic art spreads a new social content in the created human choreographic images of the XXI century due to the specific features of the choreographic manner. In conclusion, contemporary choreographic art is a striking combination of different dance techniques and traditions. Careful research and analysis of this field will contribute to the formation and development of new forms of dance art in the future.

Opposing otherness in motion: Mobile activism as transient heterotopia of resistance in Hong Kong’s networked mall protests

Although heterotopia has been widely studied as relating to the marginal or subliminal sites of the city, the ubiquity of social media and mobile technology has facilitated the development of transient forms of heterotopia in support of large-scale urban movements. Using the case of Hong Kong’s networked mall protests, this article examines acts of mobile activism, whereby the urban landscape and its routines are temporarily reconfigured and turned into spaces of popular dissent joined by people in all walks of life. Drawing on multiple data sources and guided by connective ethnography, this study illustrates how digitally connected protestors created fleeting counter-sites in and across shopping centres to defy urban policing and subvert the spatio-temporal order it imposed. Rather than reclaiming urban public spaces to offer reservoirs of freedom, the protestors enacted occasions of opposing otherness not outside of urban repression but rather carved out of it as a nimble, counter-normative type of political resistance. By charting the contours of several types of these networked mall protests, this article reveals how contemporary mobile activism invents and reproduces alternate protest time-spaces. Focusing on their capacity to refashion contentious political life in the city, it offers nuanced insights into the latest form of spatial political engagement in a networked urban setting.

Immunotherapy for cancer treatment.

Immunotherapy is an effective way to treat many diseases associated with disorders of the immune system by modulating immune response. It involves several ways of manipulating the immune system, which either suppress the immune response or, on the contrary, stimulates it. Immunotherapy is currently of immense importance not only in the context of the treatment of autoimmune diseases and immunodeficiencies, but it is also a promising method for treating cancer. Efforts to use the bodys own anti-tumor response have led to the discovery of alternative treatments for cancer. The aim of this paper is to provide a literature review focused on the current possibilities of cancer immunotherapy. In addition to classical procedures such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, treatments consisting of adoptive cell therapy and blockade of immune checkpoints are being increasingly indicated. The latest form of adoptive cell therapy is the use of T-lymphocytes expressing chimeric antigen receptors. This type of treatment is indicated for hematological cancers. In recent years, a new approach to the treatment of cancer has emerged using blockade of immune checkpoints by monoclonal antibodies. At present, antitumor therapy focuses on blocking of inhibitory molecules - cytotoxic T-lymfocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death 1 (PD-1). Administration of anti-CTLA-4 receptor specific monoclonal antibodies blocks binding between CTLA-4 receptors and B7 ligands, thereby preventing inhibition of activated cytotoxic T cells. Another type of checkpoints of the immune response include PD-1 molecules expressed on the surface of T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, but also on the surface of myeloid cells. Blockade of PD-1 receptors and PD-L1 ligands prevents the inhibition of T-lymphocytes by tumor cells, leading to an increase in the immune systems ability to recognize tumor cells and subsequently destroy them. Blockade of PD-1 receptors and PD-L1 ligands prevents the inhibition of T-lymphocytes by tumor cells, leading to an increased immune response to the recognition of tumor cells and their subsequent destruction. An alternative form of tumor treatment is the administration of tumor vaccines and tumor-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The use of mAbs to kill tumors requires the expression of tumor-specific antigens on the surface of tumor cells. Through these receptors, mAb targets cytotoxic cells, toxins, drugs, or radioisotopes to tumor cells and thereby destroys them. Also, mAbs are able to block angiogenesis, which is crucial in tumor cell proliferation.

Targeting the Complement Cascade for Treatment of Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in the elderly population. AMD is characterized in its late form by neovascularization (wet type) or geographic atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium cell layer (dry type). Regarding the latter type, there is growing evidence supporting an association between the pathophysiology of dry AMD and key proteins in the complement cascade. The complement cascade works as a central part of the innate immune system by defending against foreign pathogens and modified self-tissues. Through three distinct pathways, a series of plasma and membrane-associated serum proteins are activated upon identification of a foreign entity. Several of these proteins have been implicated in the development and progression of dry AMD. Potential therapeutic targets include C1q, C3, C5, complement factors (B, D, H, I), membrane attack complex, and properdin. In this review, we provide an understanding of the role of the complement system in dry AMD and discuss the emerging therapies in early phase clinical trials. The tentative hope is that these drugs may offer the potential to intervene at earlier stages in dry AMD pathogenesis, thereby preventing progression to late disease.

Wellness tourism: a bibliometric analysis during 1998–2021

ABSTRACT The objective of this research is to determine the present condition by investigating the literature using bibliometric analysis to categorise the field structure on wellness tourism between 1998 and 2021 and the topic was searched in the database of “Scopus”. During the initial search, 414 documents were obtained in total which was later refined as per the criteria. Using this strategy, we discovered 386 records, and after removing four duplicates and one irrelevant document, the refining gave 381 related papers. We found 2 studies that gather more than 238 “Scopus” citations and a total of ten studies have contributed for 1414 citations. A total of 804 authors who published articles related to wellness tourism between 1998 and 2021, and smith m, Voigt C, and Puczkó l are the most influential authors based on citations. The visualisation of similarities Viewer`s co-citation of authors analysis has revealed that the predominant co-cited authors are smith, m. Puczko, l, Kelly, C, Voigt, C, Uysal, M. as per Scopus co-citation count. It is one of the latest forms of alternative tourism which requires further research.

Review: The Rise of Coptic: Egyptian versus Greek in Late Antiquity, by Jean-Luc Fournet

Review: <i>The Rise of Coptic: Egyptian versus Greek in Late Antiquity</i>, by Jean-Luc Fournet

Features of retrochoir hematomas and their effect on the course of pregnancy

The aim. Study of the features of retrochoir hematomas (RHG) and their influence on the formation of the placenta, the course of pregnancy, as well as the occurrence of premature birth.&#x0D; Materials and methods. 2 groups of pregnant women were selected depending on the frequency of RHG formation: 1 group – 60 pregnant women with recurrent RHG, group 2 – 50 pregnant women with RHG, which was detected only in the early stages of pregnancy. extragenital and genital pathology did not differ reliably. All the women studied were anamnesis, examined, and ultrasound and dopplerometry were performed.&#x0D; Statistical methods included an assessment of statistical significance using Student's t-criterion and criterion X2 and were considered significant at p&lt;0.05.&#x0D; Results. Supracervical localization of hematomas prevailed in the studied pregnant women, namely: in group 1 – 51.7 % (in 31 pregnant women) and 68 % (in 34 women) in group 2. The same pattern was observed regarding the involution of hematomas.&#x0D; Changes in the yolk sac were found in both groups with RHG (in 6.7 % of women (i.e., in 4 pregnant women) of group 1 and 4 % (in 2 pregnant women) of group 1.&#x0D; Mean values of the pulsation index (PI) of blood flow velocity curves in the uterine arteries (UA) and umbilical cord artery (UCA) in pregnant women with RHG were higher than the standard average for gestational age.&#x0D; In pregnant RHGs, a history of various types of fetal growth retardation (FGR) is detected. The number of early forms of URP was higher in group 1 (16.7 %, i.e. in 10 pregnant women) as opposed to group 2 (2.0 %, i.e. 1 case). The late form was approximately the same amount in both groups. Also, group 1 was characterized by a significantly larger number of FGR of 2-3 centuries.&#x0D; In addition, in both groups with RHG, such pathological conditions were identified during pregnancy as the threat of premature birth, premature placental maturation, placental hypoplasia, oligohydramnios, and hydramnios.&#x0D; Conclusions. Pregnant women with recurrent RHG compared to pregnant women with sporadic RHGs have a greater number of complications during pregnancy, including the threat of preterm labour, premature placental maturation, placental hypoplasia, oligohydramnios, hydramnios, FGR, impaired uterine-placental and placental-fetal blood flow.

International Shaw Society

Membership in the ISS brings many benefits, but one of the chief benefits comes from providing to the ISS tax-deductible funds that can be used to support the scheduling of Shaw conferences, symposia, and sessions, and the giving of travel grants to the young to attend such events. In this way your regard and enthusiasm for Shaw can best be passed on. Please be as generous as you can in choosing your level of membership. For all gifts, the Recording Shaw will write your name in the Book of Life.As one of the principal goals of the ISS is to encourage younger generations to experience the delights of reading and seeing Shaw’s works and participating in the discussion of them, the ISS offers a generous program of support in the form of scholarships and grants, most of which are allied with particular events, such as symposia and conferences.To that end, in seventeen years, eighty-nine young scholars have been awarded one hundred and ten Travel Grants to attend the annual Symposia at the Shaw Festival (Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario), Chicago Symposia in 2010 and 2014 co-sponsored by the ShawChicago Theater Company, and the Shaw Conferences in 2004, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2017 respectively at the University of South Florida, Brown University, Catholic University of America, the University of Guelph (Canada), University College Dublin, the National Trust’s “Shaw’s Corner” (Ayot St. Lawrence, UK), Fordham University at Lincoln Center in New York, and at The Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario. With a minimum gift of $500, an ISS grant can carry the donor’s name.In addition, the “R. F. Dietrich Research Scholarship for Shaw Studies,” named in honor of the Founding President of the ISS, is an annual award of up to $1,000 to support research into any aspect of the life and work of Bernard Shaw by a graduate student or early-career scholar. The award, which may be held in conjunction with other awards, is intended to help defray costs associated with visits to libraries and other institutions that hold significant Shaw special collections and archives. Application details for the awards can be accessed at www.shawsociety.org.The ISS also coordinates with the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada on applications for “Bryden Scholarships,” which cover registration fees and accommodations for the three days of the annual Shaw Symposium. See the link at www.shawfest.org.The latest form is available at www.shawsociety.org/ISSMembership22.htm. This form is innovative in that it allows you to pay by credit or debit card without establishing an account with PayPal. In addition to payment, you will be directed to email the ISS Treasurer the choices made on the membership form and any changes in contact information.