Latent Form Research Articles

Integrated Anomaly Detection and Early Warning System for Forest Fires in the Odisha Region

The present study aims to develop a random forest algorithm-based classifier to predict the occurrence of fire events using observed meteorological parameters a day in advance. We considered the skin temperature, the air temperature close to the surface, the humidity close to the surface level, and soil moisture as important meteorological factors influencing forest fire occurrence. Twenty additional parameters were derived based on these four parameters that account for the energy exchanged in sensible and latent forms and the change in parameters in recent trends. We used the mutual information approach to identify critical meteorological parameters that carry significant information about fire occurrence the next day. The top nine parameters were then fed as input to the random forest algorithm to predict fire/no fire the next day. The weighted data sampling and SMOTE techniques were employed to address the class imbalance in the fire data class. Both techniques correctly classified fire incidents well, given the meteorological input from the previous days. This study also showed that as the class imbalance increases to 1:9, the performance based on the precision, recall, F1 score, and accuracy are maximum, showing the model’s ability to perform with class imbalance. Both techniques helped the random forest algorithm forecast fire instances as the data sample size increased.

ECM1 attenuates hepatic fibrosis by interfering with mediators of latent TGF-β1 activation

ObjectiveExtracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) serves as a gatekeeper of hepatic fibrosis by maintaining transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in its latent form. ECM1 knockout (KO) causes latent (L) TGF-β1 activation,...

Autoinduction-Based Quantification of In Situ TGF-β Activity in Native and Engineered Cartilage.

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a potent growth factor that regulates the homeostasis of native cartilage and is administered as an anabolic supplement for engineered cartilage growth. The quantification of TGF-β activity in live tissues in situ remains a significant challenge, as conventional activity assessments (e.g., Western blotting of intracellular signaling molecules or reporter cell assays) are unable to measure absolute levels of TGF-β activity in three-dimensional tissues. In this study, we develop a quantification platform established on TGF-β's autoinduction response, whereby active TGF-β (aTGF-β) signaling in cells induces their biosynthesis and secretion of new TGF-β in its latent form (LTGF-β). As such, cell-secreted LTGF-β can serve as a robust, non-destructive, label-free biomarker for quantifying in situ activity of TGF-β in live cartilage tissues. Here, we detect LTGF-β1 secretion levels for bovine native tissue explants and engineered tissue constructs treated with varying doses of media-supplemented aTGF-β3 using an isoform-specific ELISA. We demonstrate that: 1) LTGF-β secretion levels increase proportionally to aTGF-β exposure, reaching 7.4- and 6.6-fold increases in native and engineered cartilage, respectively; 2) synthesized LTGF-β exhibits low retention in both native and engineered cartilage tissue; and 3) secreted LTGF-β is stable in conditioned media for 2 weeks, thus enabling a reliable biological standard curve between LTGF-β secretion and exposed TGF-β activity. Accordingly, we perform quantifications of TGF-β activity in bovine native cartilage, demonstrating up to 0.59 ng/mL in response to physiological dynamic loading. We further quantify the in situ TGF-β activity in aTGF-β-conjugated scaffolds for engineered tissue, which exhibits 1.81 ng/mL of TGF-β activity as a result of a nominal 3 μg/mL loading dose. Overall, cell-secreted LTGF-β can serve as a robust biomarker to quantify in situ activity of TGF-β in live cartilage tissue and can be potentially applied for a wide range of applications, including multiple tissue types and tissue engineering platforms with different cell populations and scaffolds.

Optimizing and investigating the charging time of phase change materials in a compact-latent heat storage using pareto front analysis, artificial neural networks, and numerical simulations

There's a growing emphasis on adopting eco-friendly energy sources to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and foster sustainability. While renewable energy sources like solar power offer numerous benefits, they have some limitations. Additionally, storing electricity generated from solar panels can be costly and challenging due to limitations in battery technology and storage capacity. Therefore, phase change material-based thermal energy storage systems offer a promising solution to these challenges. These systems also play a crucial role in enhancing buildings' energy efficiency and sustainability. The dimensionality of these systems affects their performance. Traditional systems often rely on fixed dimensions, leading to non-uniform thermal conditions within the storage medium. To address these challenges, adopting a compact-latent heat storage (C-LHS) mechanism was recommended herein. Besides, some fins were inserted into the C-LHS system to alter the heat transfer dynamics within the device. Three of the critical parameters of the fins were changed to examine their impact on the charging time. Artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms were employed to determine the optimal positioning of fins to minimize the duration of material to get both part (melt fraction of 0.8) and full (melt fraction of 1) melting capacities. Here, the primary aim was to present a predictive model capable of accurately forecasting the charging time of the material. In all the presented finned samples, the entire PCM melted in less than 15,110 s (4 h and 12 min) and was able to fully utilize the energy absorption capacity in latent form, whereas in the non-finned system, only 68.6 % of the material managed to melt within the entire duration of the investigation (5 h). After analyzing the data, two optimal configurations of OS1 and OS2 with the minimum time for melt fractions of 0.8 and 1 were introduced. In the OS2 configuration, it took 16,200 s (4 h and 30 min) to absorb 4929 kJ of energy. The non-finned sample absorbed only 3250 kJ of energy during the same period. In General, OS2 achieved total energy absorption 51.6 % faster than the non-finned sample. Therefore, the introduced system has the potential to increase absorbed energy in the rest of the daylight hours to further amounts by increasing the number of units and employing a larger volume of material.

Quantum Dot-Based Nanosensors for In Vitro Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Despite the existing effective treatment methods, tuberculosis (TB) is the second most deadly infectious disease, its carriers in the latent and active phases accounting for more than 20% of the world population. An effective method for controlling TB and reducing TB mortality is regular population screening aimed at diagnosing the latent form of TB and taking preventive and curative measures. Numerous methods allow diagnosing TB by directly detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) biomarkers, including M.tb DNA, proteins, and specific metabolites or antibodies produced by the host immune system in response to M.tb. PCR, ELISA, immunofluorescence and immunochemical analyses, flow cytometry, and other methods allow the detection of M.tb biomarkers or the host immune response to M.tb by recording the optical signal from fluorescent or colorimetric dyes that are components of the diagnostic systems. Current research in biosensors is aimed at increasing the sensitivity of detection, a promising approach being the use of fluorescent quantum dots as brighter and more photostable optical tags. Here, we review current methods for the detection of M.tb biomarkers using quantum dot-based nanosensors and summarize data on the M.tb biomarkers whose detection can be made considerably more sensitive by using these sensors.

“Part of the gig:” Negotiating the press conference rite surrounding Naomi Osaka’s “bombshell” decision

This article seeks to complicate notions of metajournalistic discourse by building on research on journalistic evidence and news narratives to argue for concepts of both manifest and latent forms of discourse. Through a textual analysis of news narratives, article thrust, and style in UK and French digital news coverage of Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from press conferences at the cusp of the 2021 French Open, we argue that journalists interviewed each other or commented themselves on her reasons for not participating in press conferences in what we refer to as manifest metajournalistic discourse. However, our analysis also found a latent form of metajournalistic discourse that appears as the coverage itself, through an argumentation of news storytelling that is imbued with journalists’ sentiments or “takes” of an issue or topic. Specifically, we argue that journalists use both recognizable journalistic forms of texts, such as first-person, bylined articles and quotes (what we refer to as a manifest form of metajournalistic discourse), and paraphrasing, description, sources, and other reporting (what we refer to as a latent form of metajournalistic discourse) when reporting on themselves and others.

Innovative Bedaquiline-Based Delivery Systems for Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment

Abstract: The increasing incidence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is one of the most challenging tasks in tuberculosis treatment. Conventional TB treatment regimens have proven ineffective in treating MDR-TB, thus demanding the development of new drugs followed by delivery systems. Bedaquiline, a novel anti-TB drug, has been reported to inhibit the ATP synthase required for the growth and replication of TB bacteria. Bedaquiline is able to target the persistent or latent form of TB, which remains difficult to treat with conventional drugs. This makes bedaquiline an important drug in the fight against MDR-TB. The drug has been approved by the US FDA as well as European Medicines Agency and is now widely used as part of combination therapy for the treatment of MDR-TB. Bedaquiline and its ad-vanced drug delivery system play a key role in tackling MDR-TB, providing a much-needed boost to control and eventually eliminate the disease. However, the cost of the drug remains a concern, and efforts are underway to make bedaquiline more accessible and affordable to patients in resource-limited settings. Nevertheless, the development of bedaquiline nanofor-mulations represents a significant step forward in the fight against TB and offers hope to millions of patients across the globe.

Dynamic allostery drives autocrine and paracrine TGF-β signaling

TGF-β, essential for development and immunity, is expressed as a latent complex (L-TGF-β) non-covalently associated with its prodomain and presented on immune cell surfaces by covalent association with GARP. Binding to integrin αvβ8 activates L-TGF-β1/GARP. The dogma is that mature TGF-β must physically dissociate from L-TGF-β1 for signaling to occur. Our previous studies discovered that αvβ8-mediated TGF-β autocrine signaling can occur without TGF-β1 release from its latent form. Here, we show that mice engineered to express TGF-β1 that cannot release from L-TGF-β1 survive without early lethal tissue inflammation, unlike those with TGF-β1 deficiency. Combining cryogenic electron microscopy with cell-based assays, we reveal a dynamic allosteric mechanism of autocrine TGF-β1 signaling without release where αvβ8 binding redistributes the intrinsic flexibility of L-TGF-β1 to expose TGF-β1 to its receptors. Dynamic allostery explains the TGF-β3 latency/activation mechanism and why TGF-β3 functions distinctly from TGF-β1, suggesting that it broadly applies to other flexible cell surface receptor/ligand systems.

Full genomic profiling of gene expression in selected muscle tissue biopsy specimens from myofascial pain syndrome (pilot comparison of muscle biopsy transcriptomes)

Introduction. Myofascial pain syndrome (MFPS) is one of the most frequent musculoskeletal pathologies causing chronic pain. This type of pain reaches the peak of prevalence in middle-aged individuals, women are affected 2,5 times more often than men. The disease leads to significant disability and is not only a medical but also a social problem. At the same time, a number of authors still note the low clinical efficacy of the applied therapy schemes. In this situation, further study of the pathogenesis of MFPS, in particular, genetic aspects of realization of this condition.The aim of the study was to perform full genomic profiling of gene expression (transcriptome study) in selected muscle tissue biopsy specimens of individual patients and control individuals.Materials and methods. To study the genetic aspects of MFPS realization, gene expression profiling in muscle tissue samples by full genome RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) was performed in 5 patients suffering from myofascial brachial pain syndrome (2 patients with active form of MFPS, 3 — with latent form).Results. The transcriptome analysis of muscle tissue samples from the MFPS area revealed a statistically significant 6-10-fold increase in the expression of the ENSG00000148677:ANKRD1 (ankyrin repeat domain 1) gene in the subgroup of patients with latent form of MFPS compared to active form of MFPS.Conclusion. The results of the studies allowed to suggest that one of the factors of the latent form of MFPS realization may be adaptive hyperexpression of the gene encoding ANKRD1 protein, which regulates myofibrils tension, myoblasts differentiation, lipid metabolism, affects the development of neuronal connections.

Numerical study of heat transfer in a phase change material during its solidification with the finite volume method for a good rationalization of the use of energy in the building

Currently, energy storage in buildings (walls, ceilings, etc.) is a very effective technological tool for reducing energy consumption either in winter period or in summer period; while ensuring the achievement of thermal comfort. Moreover, the building envelope can store thermal energy in sensitive or latent form due to new phase change materials known as PCM. So, the objective of our paper is related to numerical study of the heat transfer in the PCM (n-octadecane) during its solidification (destocking) installed in a building wall. Our mathematical formulation is based on a one-dimensional conduction model. The problem was solved with the enthalpy method. Extensive numerical simulations have been performed using the finite volume method (implicit scheme) to predict the temperature fields and the enthalpy values in the PCM. So far, the resulting system of equations is solved using Thomas' method (TDMA) and our results are significant.

PP1 phosphatase controls both daughter cell formation and amylopectin levels in Toxoplasma gondii.

Virulence of apicomplexan parasites is based on their ability to divide rapidly to produce significant biomass. The regulation of their cell cycle is therefore key to their pathogenesis. Phosphorylation is a crucial posttranslational modification that regulates many aspects of the eukaryotic cell cycle. The phosphatase PP1 is known to play a major role in the phosphorylation balance in eukaryotes. We explored the role of TgPP1 during the cell cycle of the tachyzoite form of the apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Using a conditional mutant strain, we show that TgPP1 regulates many aspects of the cell cycle including the proper assembly of the daughter cells' inner membrane complex (IMC), the segregation of organelles, and nuclear division. Unexpectedly, depletion of TgPP1 also results in the accumulation of amylopectin, a storage polysaccharide that is usually found in the latent bradyzoite form of the parasite. Using transcriptomics and phospho-proteomics, we show that TgPP1 mainly acts through posttranslational mechanisms by dephosphorylating target proteins including IMC proteins. TgPP1 also dephosphorylates a protein bearing a starch-binding domain. Mutagenesis analysis reveals that the targeted phospho-sites are linked to the ability of the parasite to regulate amylopectin steady-state levels. Therefore, we show that TgPP1 has pleiotropic roles during the tachyzoite cell cycle regulation, but also regulates amylopectin accumulation.

Vaccination in latent papillomavirus infections: An experimental randomized, prospective, open-label, controlled trial

Background. Human papillomavirus refers to one of the most common sexually transmitted infections with the majority of viruses in the host being transient carriers, the so-called latent forms of papillomavirus infection. Persistence of cancer-associated human papillomavirus is fraught with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, and subsequent cervical cancer. Measures for secondary prevention of cervical cancer in latent forms of papillomavirus infection are yet to be developed, which predetermined the present study.Objectives. To increase the effectiveness of secondary prevention of cervical cancer by improving the algorithm for managing latent forms of papillomavirus infection in women. Methods. A randomized controlled trial enrolled 152 patients diagnosed with a latent papillomavirus infection. Patient examination and data analysis were carried out at clinical trial centers of the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology of Kuban State Medical University (Russia) in 2020–2024. The trial involved patients aged 18 to 35 years. Patients were divided into 2 groups using the sealed code envelope method: Group I (comparison group) (n = 74) — microbiological sanitation of the cervicovaginal zone (as indicated) and observation for 36 months with annual control of viral load, colposcopy and oncocytology; Group II (study group) (n = 78) — microbiological sanitation of the cervicovaginal zone (as indicated) and administration of quadrivalent recombinant human papillomavirus vaccine (types 6, 11, 16, 18) (3 doses intramuscularly: second and third doses were administered 1 and 3 months after the first one). Each patient was analyzed for the effectiveness of preventive therapy according to the dynamics of indicators: colposcopy, cytology (Papanicolau staining), and molecular biological analysis (polymerase chain reaction). The indicators were evaluated after 12, 24, and 36 months. Statistical analysis of the results was carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics 26 (IBM, USA) variation statistics programs.Results. Vaccination with a quadrivalent recombinant vaccine against human papillomavirus of types 6, 11, 16, 18 against the background of correction of dysbiotic vaginal and cervical disorders in latent forms of papillomavirus infection in women was revealed to cause a 9.3-fold decrease (compared to the study group) in realization of latent persistence of viruses into subclinical (25.7 % in group I vs. 9.0 % in group II) and clinical forms of papillomavirus infection (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) — 12.1 % in group I vs. 1.3 % in group II, to reduce the persistence of human papillomavirus and the appearance of their new genotypes, the viral load of highly oncogenic types of human papillomavirus (1.9 times —3.2 ± 2.4 geq/ml in group I versus 1.7 ± 2.1 geq/ml in group II).Conclusion. The trial has shown that human papillomavirus vaccination is associated with a reduced risk of realization of latent forms of papillomavirus infection into clinical forms as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and, consequently, cervical cancer, thereby being considered promising for secondary prevention of this pathology.

Targeting alternative splicing of fibronectin in human renal proximal tubule epithelial cells with antisense oligonucleotides to reduce EDA+ fibronectin production and block an autocrine loop that drives renal fibrosis

TGFβ1 is a powerful regulator of fibrosis; secreted in a latent form, it becomes active after release from the latent complex. During tissue fibrosis, the EDA + isoform of cellular fibronectin is overexpressed. In pulmonary fibrosis it has been proposed that the fibronectin splice variant including an EDA domain (FN EDA+) activates latent TGFβ. Our work investigates the potential of blocking the ‘splicing in’ of EDA with antisense oligonucleotides to inhibit TGFβ1-induced EDA + fibronectin and to prevent the cascade of events initiated by TGFβ1 in human renal proximal tubule cells (PTEC).Human primary PTEC were treated with TGFβ1 for 48 h, medium removed and the cells transfected with RNase H-independent antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) designed to block EDA exon inclusion (ASO5). The efficacy of ASO to block EDA exon inclusion was assessed by EDA + fibronectin RNA and protein expression; the expression of TGFβ, αSMA (α smooth muscle actin), MMP2 (matrix metalloproteinse-2), MMP9 (matrix metalloproteinse-9), Collagen I, K Cadherin and connexin 43 was analysed.Targeting antisense oligonucleotides designed to block EDA exon inclusion in fibronectin pre mRNA were effective in reducing the amount of TGFβ1 -induced cellular EDA + fibronectin RNA and secreted EDA + fibronectin protein (assessed by western immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry) in human proximal tubule cells in an in vitro cell culture model. The effect was selective for EDA + exon with no effect on EDB + fibronectin RNA and total fibronectin mRNA.Exogenous TGFβ1 induced endogenous TGFβ, αSMA, MMP2, MMP9 and Col I mRNA. TGFβ1 treatment for 48h reduced the expression of K-Cadherin and increased the expression of connexin-43. These TGFβ1-induced pro-fibrotic changes were attenuated by ASO5 treatment. 48 h after the removal of exogenous TGFβ, further increases in αSMA, MMP2, MMP9 was observed; ASO5 significantly inhibited this subsequent increase. ASO5 treatment also significantly inhibited ability of the cell culture medium harvested at the end of the experiment (96h) to stimulate SMAD3 reporter cells. The role of endogenous TGFβ1 was confirmed by the use of a TGFβ receptor inhibitor.Our results demonstrate a critical role of FN EDA+ in a cycle of TGFβ driven pro-fibrotic responses in human PTEC and blocking its production with ASO technology offers a potential therapy to interrupt this vicious circle and hence limit the progression of renal fibrosis.

APOE4, activation of latent form HSV-1, A beta accumulation and AD progression

The role of APOE4 in Alzheimers disease progression is an area of ongoing research. The core objective of this paper is to investigate the intricate interplay between APOE4, HSV-1, A, and AD progression. Methodology involves assessing A Levels, Spatial Recognition Memory, and Exploratory Behavior in HSV-1-infected Fx5AD Mice with APOE4, alongside monitoring specific biomarkers to confirm HSV-1 activation status. Our expected experimental outcomes suggest that APOE4 accelerates latent HSV-1 activation, leading to heightened A aggregation. Thus, we hypothesize that APOE4 may expedite latent HSV-1 activation, thereby facilitating A accumulation and AD advancement. The investigation of relationship between APOE4, HSV-1, A, and AD progression could give valuable insights into further experiments and treatments of AD.

Melioidosis and Activation from Latency: The "Time Bomb" Has Not Occurred.

Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis has long been considered able to exist in a latent form. Seropositivity among U.S. soldiers returning from the Vietnam conflict led to melioidosis being dubbed "the Vietnamese time bomb." Cases assigned to "(re)activation from latency" over 30 years of the Darwin Prospective Melioidosis Study (DPMS) were reviewed and reassessed and additional cases from DPMS years 31-34 were added. Historical reports of melioidosis attributed to activation from latency were reviewed. Some earlier DPMS cases and most historical cases described as activation from latency more accurately reflect undiagnosed chronic melioidosis, often with relapsing-remitting courses, rather than truly latent, asymptomatic infection. Such protracted disease should now be diagnosable much earlier, provided melioidosis is considered and laboratory facilities are available. The longest plausible duration of asymptomatic latency remains 29 years. In conclusion, activation from latency is a rare event in melioidosis, accounting in our analysis for under 3% of DPMS cases, consistent with why the Vietnamese time bomb never eventuated.

Modern features of the mental state of persons who have survived COVID-19

People who have had COVID-19 experience the occurrence of mental disorders, sometimes in a latent form, which prompted us to investigate the most characteristic and stable manifestations of the mental component of the postcovid syndrome of patients who have not had a history of mental disorders. It was found out that the final formation of stable symptoms occurs during the year and includes mainly asthenic, cognitive and anxiety disorders that are in mutual influence and present against the background of a constantly reduced mood, not reaching the degree of depression, which significantly reduce the quality of their lives.

The Uptake of Heparanase into Mast Cells Is Regulated by Its Enzymatic Activity to Degrade Heparan Sulfate.

Mast cells take up extracellular latent heparanase and store it in secretory granules. The present study examined whether the enzymatic activity of heparanase regulates its uptake efficiency. Recombinant mouse heparanase mimicking both the latent and mature forms (L-Hpse and M-Hpse, respectively) was internalized into mastocytoma MST cells, peritoneal cell-derived mast cells, and bone marrow-derived mast cells. The internalized amount of L-Hpse was significantly higher than that of M-Hpse. In MST cells, L-Hpse was continuously internalized for up to 8 h, while the uptake of M-Hpse was saturated after 2 h of incubation. L-Hpse and M-Hpse are similarly bound to the MST cell surface. The expression level of cell surface heparan sulfate was reduced in MST cells incubated with M-Hpse. The internalized amount of M-Hpse into mast cells was significantly increased in the presence of heparastatin (SF4), a small molecule heparanase inhibitor that does not affect the binding of heparanase to immobilized heparin. Enzymatically quiescent M-Hpse was prepared with a point mutation at Glu335. The internalized amount of mutated M-Hpse was significantly higher than that of wild-type M-Hpse but similar to that of wild-type and mutated L-Hpse. These results suggest that the enzymatic activity of heparanase negatively regulates the mast cell-mediated uptake of heparanase, possibly via the downregulation of cell surface heparan sulfate expression.

Genital Tuberculosis as a Socially Significant Disease (Literature Review)

Globally, TB is the second leading cause of death from infectious diseases after COVID-19. Tuberculosis of the female genital organs is a type of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.It is known that both clinically pronounced and latent forms of this disease can cause both primary and secondary infertility due to pathogenetically caused disruption of the structure of the fallopian tubes and changes in the susceptibility of the uterine endometrium. It can be assumed that the problem of genital tuberculosis in Russia is still very relevant, although its true prevalence is unknown. This assumption is based on the facts of the projected growth of indicators the incidence of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, the obvious discrepancy between the real incidence and the official figures, as well as the increasing incidence of tubal-peritoneal infertility, which is often caused by genital tuberculosis. It is known that tuberculosis of the female genital organs is a difficult disease to diagnose. This is determined, in particular, by the fact that it does not have specific (so-called "marker") manifestations. Low rates of diagnosis of extrapulmonary forms of TB create a false sense of well-being, which does not reflect its true epidemiological picture. An obvious need today is the development of an optimal diagnostic complex, the use of which would contribute to accelerating the diagnosis of genital tuberculosis in women and, as a result, preventing the occurrence of irreversible changes in the female reproductive system caused by it. The authors used the scientific databases CyberLeninka, ELibrary and PubMed. Articles were searched for the following keywords: "tuberculosis", "genital tuberculosis", "infertility and tuberculosis". The paper analyzes articles published over the past 10 years.

Risk factors and screening for colon cancer

Colon and rectal cancer are usually grouped under the term «colorectal cancer». It should be noted that damage to the colon is significantly more common. In terms of prevalence, colorectal cancer ranks fourth in the overall structure of oncological pathology, and in some countries, it even ranks third after lung and stomach cancer. Risk factors contributing to the development of colorectal cancer include diffuse intestinal polyposis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and genetic predisposition. Most often, malignancy of the process occurs at the site of adenomatous or dysplastic lesions of the intestinal mucosa. Due to the high risk of neoplastic disease affecting a fairly large number of elderly people, it is recommended that every person over 50 years old undergo mandatory screening to detect a latent form of cancer. The simplest, but at the same time insufficiently informative method is to conduct a blood culture test, i.e. an analysis for the presence of blood in the stool. The method of total colonoscopy and double-contrast X-ray examination is distinguished by higher information content, but, accordingly, higher cost. These studies are recommended to be carried out every three to five years after reaching the age of 50 years in individuals without clinical manifestations, and after reaching the age of 40 years for those at risk for developing colorectal cancer.

Otherwise the Same

AbstractThe growth of religious disaffiliation in the United States over the past three decades is historically unprecedented. This article argues that disaffiliation is a form of moral protest against lingering coloniality in American global North Christianities and appeals for missiologists to adopt a decolonial lens to more effectively critique harmful religious systems and investigate exterior forms of Christianities otherwise in the North American context. The article explores existing sociological and empirical data on disaffiliation, deconversion, and religious harms to expose the moral protest of disaffiliation. Decoloniality is distinguished from postcolonialism to reveal its relevance for the subject matter and identify its method. Using examples of North American missiologies, the article demonstrates how latent forms of coloniality are preserved despite decolonizing efforts in the field and how a decolonial lens can bring new works of the spirit into focus. Finally, it briefly explores implications for future research.