Scientific Elite Research Articles

Naučnici i kulturna diplomatija Srbije

Based on a research study (Questionnaire Scientists and Cultural (Scientific) Diplomacy of Serbia, conducted among employees in research, scientific and teaching positions at faculties and institutes in the Republic of Serbia from November 1-15, 2021), analysis of available documents of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, as well as literature, the paper analyzes the place and the role of scientists (scholars) in the cultural (scientific) diplomacy of Serbia. Recalling the historical significance of scientists in the political and social development of Serbia since the beginning of building a modern Serbian statehood, the place of scientists in society is emphasized and the possibilities to apply good examples in the present are analyzed as well. Based on data on the participation of Serbian scientists in international projects and networking with scientists in Europe and the world, the paper will provide recommendations for better use of these ties in (re)positioning Serbia in bilateral and multilateral relations. The paper presents current attitude of scientists in Serbia on the need and importance of cultural (scientific) diplomacy to answer the following questions: How many of them participated in cultural-diplomatic actions? Do they perceive themselves as actors of cultural (scientific) diplomacy? In what ways Serbian cultural diplomacy can be organized? Finally, this paper, in addition to analyzing the possibilities and scope of engaging scientists to promote Serbia and its interests in international relations, also gives specific recommendations for strengthening and developing cultural diplomacy of Serbia. International projects, conferences, guest appearances and study stays are an excellent training ground for improving and presenting results, as well for establishing contacts and connections, but they also can and must be developed into a powerful tool of Serbian public diplomacy. The results of this research showed that a significant part of Serbian scientists have a clear awareness of their role in scientific and cultural exchange, as well as that they have a desire to participate in it. This, along with the scientific elite of this country in the diaspora, is a huge untapped potential of Serbia. This potential has to be systematically organized and shaped in accordance with the goals of Serbian diplomacy. It is very important that actors of cultural (scientific) diplomacy and useful individuals be recognized and financially supported, which should be followed by better coordination design of activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development. Cross-sectoral cooperation can be strengthened through joint coordination bodies or by building a system of institutions that would deal with: (additional) education of new staff (master studies, specialized courses in cultural and scientific diplomacy), lifelong learning of existing staff in diplomacy or recruitment of experts in certain fields, with a single list (base) of potential experts, who would create proposals for the development of diplomatic strategies and / or, if necessary, be sent abroad for longer or shorter missions.

Clinical Characteristics, Risk Factor and Transmission of the COVID-19 Discharged Cases with Positive Retest in Guangzhou, China: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Some cases retested positive for SARS-CoV-2 following negative testing results and discharge, which attracted widespread concern. However, the potential risk factors associated with re-detectable positive tests in a large sample of cases who recovered from COVID-19 has not been well estimated.Methods: A total of 745 discharged COVID-19 cases were enrolled between 30 January and 9 September 2020 in Guangzhou, China. Data on the clinical characteristics, comorbidities, drug therapy, RT-PCR testing, and contact modes to close contacts were collected. Re-positive cases were confirmed by guidelines issued by China. The re-positive rate of in different settings was calculated. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore the potential risk factors associated with COVID-19 re-positivity.Findings: Among 745 discharged cases, 157 (21.1%; 95%CI, 18.2% to 24.0%) were retested positive with 55 (35.0%) of asymptomatic, 15 (9.6%) of mild, 83 (52.9%) of moderate and 4 (2.6%) of severe at the first admission. The median time from discharge to re-positivity was 8.0 days (IQR, 8.0 to 14.0 days). Most re-positive cases were without clinical symptoms and lymphocyte cell counts increased than before. The likelihood of re-positive testing for SARS-CoV-2 RNA was significantly higher among cases with younger age (OR, 3.88; 95%CI, 1.74 to 8.66, 0 to 17 years old), asymptomatic severity (OR, 4.36; 95%CI, 1.47 to 12.95) and without clinical symptoms (OR, 1.89; 95%CI, 1.32 to 2.70, without fever).Interpretation: We found that the re-positive rate of COVID-19 was relatively high, and they were re-tested positive with median days 8.0 to 14.0 post-discharge. Re-positive results were mainly observed in young cases without severe clinical symptoms. These findings suggest that a significant proportion of cases could carry virus fragments for a long time, and effective management, such as prolonged quarantine phase of discharged cases, is necessary.Funding Statement: The Guangdong Province Universities and Colleges Pearl River Scholar Funded Scheme; the Construction of High-level University of Guangdong; Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST; the National Natural Science Foundation of China; the Zhejiang University special scientific research fund for COVID-19 prevention and control.Declaration of Interests: We declare no competing interests.Ethics Approval Statement: This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of GZCDC. As required by the National Health Commission of China, CDCs were responsible for the work for an ongoing public health response to COVID-19, and our cohort study was based on the data by GZCDC. Patients were informed about the surveillance before providing written consent, and data were collected and anonymized for analysis. All analysis of personally identifiable data took place onsite at the GZCDC.

Formation components of technical science in Ukraine in the 60‒70s of the XIX century

The article is devoted to the study of the formation of technical science in Ukraine in the second half of the XIXth century. The source of data for the research was found in the articles of the "Journal of the Ministry of Public Education" that was published in the 60‒70s of the XIXth century. This historical source explains the chronological boundaries of the research mentioned. The authors draw attention to the formation of technical science as to a complex process that developed from the historical and cultural transformations in the field of scientific research of Ukrainian society back in the days. Paradigmatic shifts in Western European science that penetrated the scientific circles of the Ukrainian social environment contributed to the intensification of scientific and technological progress. It is noted that the latter had a great influence on education which, as shown in the article, became one of the components in the forming process in the field of science and technology.In particular, we are talking about the active work of scientific and technical intelligentsia, which became the driving force in this process, which was expressed in the creation of a theoretical and methodological basis for scientific activities. Based on a wide range of methods derived from the historical research, the progress factors in this scientific field as well as the growth of scientific schools of leading mathematicians, physicists, and other representatives of technical science were discovered. On the basis of the biographical method of analysis the creative way of heads of known scientific schools (V. Ya. Buniakovskyi, I. O. Vyshnehradskyi, M. V. Ostrohradskyi, F. N. Shvedov and others) in line with the trends of the then Ukrainian scientific and technical industry.The research points out the importance and invaluable contribution made by scientists for further motivation and actualization of the research in subsequent years. It is emphasized that the emergence of scientific schools and modernization of the technical education system have become the main components in the formation of the scientific and technical elite. It was made through an active scientific activity that contributed to the formation of technical science at the theoretical and methodological levels.

Gender gaps in research productivity and recognition among elite scientists in the U.S., Canada, and South Africa.

This study builds upon the literature documenting gender disparities in science by investigating research productivity and recognition among elite scientists in three countries. This analysis departs from both the general comparison of researchers across organizational settings and academic appointments on one hand, and the definition of “elite” by the research outcome variables on the other, which are common in previous studies. Instead, this paper’s approach considers the stratification of scientific careers by carefully constructing matched samples of men and women holding research chairs in Canada, the United States and South Africa, along with a control group of departmental peers. The analysis is based on a unique, hand-curated dataset including 943 researchers, which allows for a systematic comparison of successful scientists vetted through similar selection mechanisms. Our results show that even among elite scientists a pattern of stratified productivity and recognition by gender remains, with more prominent gaps in recognition. Our results point to the need for gender equity initiatives in science policy to critically examine assessment criteria and evaluation mechanisms to emphasize multiple expressions of research excellence.

VІ МІЖНАРОДНА НАУКОВО-ПРАКТИЧНА КОНФЕРЕНЦІЯ «НАУКОВА ЕЛІТА У РОЗВИТКУ ДЕРЖАВ»

Стаття присвячена VІ Міжнародній науково-практичній конференції «Наукова еліта у розвитку держав», яка відбулася 25-26 вересня 2020 р. з нагоди Дня позашкілля. Цьогоріч захід відзначився двома особливостями — проведенням у режимі онлайн і найбільшим числом учасників — понад 1000 осіб. Метою конференції було обговорення стратегічних питань розвитку освіти і науки, розширення міжнародного партнерства. Основні напрями роботи: наукова еліта і позашкільна освіта у розвитку держав, наукова еліта і соціально-гуманітарний розвиток держав, наукова еліта і економіко-правовий розвиток держав, наукова еліта і туристсько-краєзнавчий та екологічний розвиток держав, наукова еліта і Мала академія наук України. Організаторами конференції виступили: Комітет Верховної Ради України з питань освіти, науки та інновацій, Міністерство освіти і науки України, Національна академія педагогічних наук України, Національний педагогічний університет імені М.П. Драгоманова, Міжнародна асоціація позашкільної освіти, Національний центр «Мала академія наук України», Інститут екології економіки і права, Івано-Франківський обласний державний центр туризму і краєзнавства учнівської молоді. Серед учасників конференції були науково-педагогічні та педагогічні працівники закладів освіти, вчені, представники законодавчої і виконавчої влади, засобів масової інформації, громадськості України та інших держав.

Whose India? SITE and the origins of satellite television in India

ABSTRACT This essay explores the origins of the Satellite Instructional Technology Experiment (SITE), a project that used a NASA satellite to beam educational programs to over two thousand villages in India in the mid-1970s. Touted as a major success in using advanced technology for the purposes of poverty alleviation, the results of the project remain contested. I argue that the causes of its ambiguous outcome can be traced to the late 1960s when Indian and American scientific elites mobilized support for this project by uniting a coalition of diverse actors that each imagined a different ‘India’. Although each of these ‘Indias’ represented a starkly different vision of the nation, they were consonant for a brief historical moment, thus enabling SITE to come to reality. Their ability to do so depended on framing as monolithic and passive, the one population central to the project, the ‘poor and illiterate’ of India.

Born to do science? A case study of family factors in the academic lives of the Chinese scientific elite

Primarily based on data collected by the Project for Collecting Historic Data of Scientists’ Academic Life, this paper sets out to analyse the cultural and social role of family factors in the academic lives of three prominent scientists: He Zehui, Wang Shouwu and Wang Shoujue. It was found that, while providing economic support, in the cultural dimension, their family conveyed the idea of saving the nation through science and industry, offered guidance on research career planning and cultivated the concept of feminism; in the social dimension, the three scientists clearly benefited from the academic power and social networks of their family members. This case study of a Chinese scientific family reveals an integration between Western scientific culture and Chinese family culture, and extracts some family factors that have great influence on the academic lives of the scientific elite.

Османи на трьох континентах, пер. з турецьк. О. Кульчинського

Османи на трьох континентах, пер. з турецьк. О. Кульчинського

0569 Soft Palate Fat Between Lean Adults with Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Healthy Control

Abstract Introduction Previous studies have shown that obese patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have a significantly greater percentage of fat tissue in soft palate than normal subjects. However, the influence of soft palate fat is not clear in non-obese adults with OSA. This study compared the volume of fat in the soft palate between lean adults with OSA and lean controls. Methods We examined soft palate fat in 21 lean OSA cases and 16 lean controls with body mass index (BMI) <25 kg/m2. All subjects underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with three-point Dixon scan. We used volumetric reconstruction algorithms to quantify the amount of soft palate fat, which was compared between apnecis and controls. Analysis reproducibility was quantified using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) from repeated analyses of 20 randomly-chosen MRIs. Results Analysis of soft palate fat was highly reproducible, with an ICC (95% confidence interval) of 0.968 (0.923, 0.987). Lean apneics were younger than lean controls (45.3±13.0 vs. 62.1±10.4 years; p<0.0001). No significant differences between apneics and controls were observed in the average BMI (23.4±2.2 vs. 23.5 ± 2.6 kg/m2; p=0.824), the fat pads volume (4198±1728 vs. 3880±1544 mm3; p=0.646), and the proportion of males (61.9% vs. 68.8%; p=0.666). In unadjusted analyses, the lean OSA group showed significantly higher soft palate fat volume than lean controls (7605±2109 vs. 5327±1783 mm3; p=0.003). When adjusting for age, gender and BMI, no differences was observed between groups in soft palate fat volume (p=0.122) and fat pads volume (p=0.702). Conclusion Analysis of soft palate fat volume from Dixon MRI is highly reproducible. Our results indicate no significant difference in deposition of fat at soft palate between lean patients with OSA and lean controls when accounting for age, gender and BMI. Support This study is supported by National Institutes of Health Grant: 2P01HL094307-06A1. LX is supported by Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program of China Association for Science and Technology.

1035 Sleep Duration and Metabolic Syndrome: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract Introduction To systematically examine the association between sleep duration and metabolic syndrome (Mets) risk in cross-sectional and prospective cohort studies. Methods Data were collected from 36 cross-sectional and 9 longitudinal studies with a total of 164799 MetS subjects and 430895 controls. Odds ratios (ORs) for MetS in cross-sectional studies and risk ratios (RRs) for incident MetS were calculated through meta-analyses of adjusted data from individual studies. Subgroup analyses were performed to investigate the association between MetS and the duration of short-and-long sleep. Results Short sleep duration was significantly associated with increased prevalent MetS (OR= 1.11, 95% CI =1.05-1.18) and incident MetS (RR= 1.28, 95% CI =1.07-1.53,) in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, respectively. Furthermore, long sleep duration was significantly associated with increased prevalent MetS in cross-sectional studies (OR= 1.14, 95% CI =1.05-1.23), rather than incident MetS (RR= 1.16, 95% CI =0.95-1.41) in longitudinal studies. Interestingly, the association between long sleep and prevalent MetS was found in sleep duration defined by 24-hour sleep (including naps) rather than nighttime sleep. In cross-sectional studies, pooled odds for MetS were 1.36 (95% CI=1.04-1.78, I2=83.3%) in ≤ 5 hours, 1.09 (95% CI=1.02-1.16, I2=67.8%) in ≤6 hours, 1.01 (95% CI=0.93-1.10, I2=24.9%) in <7 hours, 1.11 (95% CI=1.02-1.21, I2=67.0%) in ≥9 hours and 1.31 (95% CI=1.22-1.40, I2=0%) in ≥10 hours, respectively. The association of short sleep and MetS was stronger in young and middle age adults, but lost in adults age >60 years. Conclusion Our findings suggest 1) a “U-shape” relationship between sleep duration and MetS in cross-sectional studies and 2) association between short sleep duration, but not long sleep duration with incident MetS. Future studies should shed light on the underlying mechanisms related to the association between sleep duration and MetS and examine if normalizing sleep duration reduces MetS risk in the general population. Support This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81600068 & 81970087), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (No. YESS20160072), Medical Science Foundation of Guangdong Provence (A2018296) and Grant for Key Disciplinary Project of Clinical Medicine under the Guangdong High-level University Development Program.

Terahertz polarization conversion and sensing with double-layer chiral metasurface**Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFA0701000), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61971242, 61831012, and 61671491), the Natural Science Foundation of Tianjin City, China (Grant No. 19JCYBJC16600), and the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by Tianjin, China (Grant No. TJSQNTJ-2017-12).

The terahertz (THz) resonance, chirality, and polarization conversion properties of a double-layer chiral metasurface have been experimentally investigated by THz time domain spectroscopy system and polarization detection method. The special symmetric geometry of each unit cell with its adjacent cells makes a strong chiral electromagnetic response in this metasurface, which leads to a strong polarization conversion effect. Moreover, compared with the traditional THz transmission resonance sensing for film thickness, the polarization sensing characterized by polarization elliptical angle (PEA) and polarization rotation angle (PRA) shows a better Q factor and figure of merit (FoM). The results show that the Q factors of the PEA and PRA reach 43.8 and 49.1 when the interval film is 20 μm, while the Q factor of THz resonance sensing is only 10.6. And these PEA and PRA can play a complementary role to obtain a double-parameter sensing method with a higher FoM, over 4 times than that of resonance sensing. This chiral metasurface and its polarization sensing method provide new ideas for the development of high-efficiency THz polarization manipulation, and open a window to the high sensitive sensing by using THz polarization spectroscopy.

Insomnia and psychological reactions during the COVID-19 outbreak in China.

Citation:Li Y, Qin Q, Sun Q, Sanford LD, Vgontzas AN, Tang X. Insomnia and psychological reactions during the COVID-19 outbreak in China. J Clin Sleep Med. 2020;16(8):1417–1418.

New wine in old bottles? Examining institutional hierarchy in laureate mobility networks, 1900–2017

One of the major trends in academia today is the constant growth of the mobility of scientists. However, the unbalanced mobility of scientific elites can not only lead to institutional hierarchy in research sectors but also result in an “elite circulation” phenomenon. In this study, we collected the information on the institutional mobility of 10,918 laureates of 308 international academic awards, and constructed laureate mobility networks. Furthermore, we examined the structure of these networks by using several statistical approaches. We find that there are hierarchical structures in laureate mobility networks, both in different scientific fields and at different historical periods, indicating that only a few institutions link a higher number of laureates and most institutions at a lower number. In addition, the Gini coefficient shows a higher level of institutional inequality in laureate mobility networks over time.

Scientific elite revisited: patterns of productivity, collaboration, authorship and impact.

Throughout history, a relatively small number of individuals have made a profound and lasting impact on science and society. Despite long-standing, multi-disciplinary interests in understanding careers of elite scientists, there have been limited attempts for a quantitative, career-level analysis. Here, we leverage a comprehensive dataset we assembled, allowing us to trace the entire career histories of nearly all Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry, and physiology or medicine over the past century. We find that, although Nobel laureates were energetic producers from the outset, producing works that garner unusually high impact, their careers before winning the prize follow relatively similar patterns to those of ordinary scientists, being characterized by hot streaks and increasing reliance on collaborations. We also uncovered notable variations along their careers, often associated with the Nobel Prize, including shifting coauthorship structure in the prize-winning work, and a significant but temporary dip in the impact of work they produce after winning the Nobel Prize. Together, these results document quantitative patterns governing the careers of scientific elites, offering an empirical basis for a deeper understanding of the hallmarks of exceptional careers in science.

Optical modulation of repaired damage site on fused silica produced by CO2 laser rapid ablation mitigation**Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51775147 and 51705105), the Science Challenge Project of China (Grant No. TZ2016006-0503-01), the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CAST (Grant No. 2018QNRC001), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation funded project (Grant Nos. 2018T110288

CO2 laser rapid ablation mitigation (RAM) of fused silica has been used in high-power laser systems owing to its advantages of high efficiency, and ease of implementing batch and automated repairing. In order to study the effect of repaired morphology of RAM on laser modulation and to improve laser damage threshold of optics, an finite element method (FEM) mathematical model of 351 nm laser irradiating fused silica optics is developed based on Maxwell electromagnetic field equations, to explore the 3D near-field light intensity distribution inside optics with repaired site on its surface. The influences of the cone angle and the size of the repaired site on incident laser modulation are studied as well. The results have shown that for the repaired site with a cone angle of 73.3°, the light intensity distribution has obvious three-dimensional characteristics. The relative light intensity on z-section has a circularly distribution, and the radius of the annular intensification zone increases with the decrease of z. While the distribution of maximum relative light intensity on y-section is parabolical with the increase of y. As the cone angle of the repaired site decreases, the effect of the repaired surface on light modulation becomes stronger, leading to a weak resistance to laser damage. Moreover, the large size repaired site would also reduce the laser damage threshold. Therefore, a repaired site with a larger cone angle and smaller size is preferred in practical CO2 laser repairing of surface damage. This work will provide theoretical guidance for the design of repaired surface topography, as well as the improvement of RAM process.

DEFINITION OF CONDITIONS OF FORMATION OF INNOVATIVE POTENTIAL OF ADMINISTRATIVE TERRITORIES IN UKRAINE

Topicality. The article is in accordance with the classification of administrative territories adopted in the EU, in Ukraine there are officially 27 administrative territorial units corresponding to the scale of the second level, namely, NUTS-2. However, since 2014, this number has actually dropped to 25 units. NUTS-2 level administrative units or regions in Ukraine are represented by administrative regions and the city of Kyiv. They all differ significantly in terms of socio-economic development. Indicators that characterize the level of innovation activity in each region are not an exception. This is notwithstanding the unity of the regulatory framework in the state and the obligation to comply with the provisions of the law. In particular, the provisions of the Law of Ukraine "On Innovation Activity" emphasize that the main goal of the state innovation policy is to create socio-economic, organizational and legal conditions for the effective reproduction, development and use of scientific and technical potential of the country, ensuring the implementation of modern environmentally friendly, safe, energy - and resource-saving technologies, production and sales of new products that are competitive in the world markets. Possible reasons for this situation may be differences in the conditions of formation of innovative potential of administrative territories, in particular, uneven placement of educational institutions, scientific institutions and, as a consequence, scientific staff within each region. This situation creates conditions for significant imbalances, both within and outside the administrative territories in terms of innovation activity, as well as the socio-economic status of the regions as a whole. Aim and tasks. The purpose of the article is to determine the conditions of formation of innovative potential of administrative territories in Ukraine Research results. In order to confirm, or to refute, the assumption that a possible reason for the uneven development of innovation activity in the regions of Ukraine may be the unequal placement in their territory of educational and scientific institutions, which are the basis for the formation of the innovative potential of the administrative territory, the tools of statistical analysis are used. The results obtained are an improvement of the methodological support of the process of formation of innovative potential of administrative territories in Ukraine. Conclusion. Confirmation is received that the reason for uneven development of innovative activity in the regions of Ukraine is, first of all, uneven placement on the territory of educational establishments and scientific institutions. It is the uneven distribution of highly qualified scientists and their concentration in the capital region that leads to significant differences in the volume of innovative products relative to the population in the regions of the country. The formation of innovative potential should become a strategic objective of the plan of implementation of the strategy of socio-economic development of each administrative territory of Ukraine. Such a task is impossible without clear parameters for assessing the current state of innovation by the criteria for the production of innovative goods, works and services, the amount of funding for research and project work and the quantitative characteristics of the scientific elite of the region.

Concentration or dispersal of research funding?

Abstract The relationship between the distribution of research funding and scientific performance is a major discussion point in many science policy contexts. Do high shares of funding handed out to a limited number of elite scientists yield the most value for money, or is scientific progress better supported by allocating resources in smaller portions to more teams and individuals? In this review article, we seek to qualify discussions on the benefits and drawbacks of concentrating research funds on fewer individuals and groups. Based on an initial screening of 3,567 articles and a thorough examination of 92 papers, we present a condensation of central arguments. Further, we juxtapose key findings from 20 years of empirical research on the relation between the size of research grants and scientific performance. Overall, the review demonstrates a strong inclination toward arguments in favor of increased dispersal. A substantial body of empirical research also exhibits stagnant or diminishing returns to scale for the relationship between grant size and research performance. The findings question the rationale behind current funding trends and point toward more efficient ways to allocate resources. In addition, they highlight the need for more research on the interplay between science-internal mechanisms and policy priorities in accelerating concentration of funding.

Антропологічний вимір досліджень прав і свобод засуджених

The purpose of the article is to analyze existing research on the rights of convicts and highlight their anthropological direction, as well as emphasize their importance for the anthropology of law and philosophy of law in general, constitutional law, criminal law, improving mechanisms to protect the rights, freedoms and interests of convicts. The methodological basis of the article is a set of philosophical and philosophical methods, general and special scientific methods. Determinants, in our opinion, are dialectical and: logical, formal-legal and historical, comparative-legal and systemic methods, as well as anthropological, activity and other approaches. Scientific novelty. Ensuring the inalienable natural human rights, even when it has received the status of a convicted person, requires from the state, its specially authorized bodies and officials, additional measures and means of legal influence, the establishment and maintenance of penitentiaries, re-education of these persons. Scientists have an important mission, in particular, to reveal the features of human nature, including convicts in terms of various scientific schools, human dignity, its rights and freedoms, legal awareness, socialization and resocialization, in order, above all, to prevent illegal acts, disclosure the danger of harm to such acts for themselves and others, their associations, human civilization. Conclusions. The Ukrainian state, scientific elite and officials face a number of urgent tasks to create an effective legal system that would protect human rights and freedoms, regardless of the conditions in which they find themselves. The reform of Ukraine’s penitentiary system must be based on democratic principles, in line with the European penitentiary concept and Ukraine’s national interests. This is impossible to do without a thorough scientific base, constant attention of representatives of modern scientific schools, especially the philosophy of law, and it is important that we continue to outline the areas of study of legal anthropology, penology and other scientific areas. Keywords: human rights; rights of convicts; philosophy of law; anthropological approach; legal regulation; realization of rights and freedoms of convicts.

Publics, Scientists, and the State: Mapping the Human Genome Editing Controversy

Literature on scientific controversies has inadequately attended to the impact of globalization and, more specifically, the emergence of China as a leader in scientific research. To bridge this gap in the literature, this article develops a theoretical framework to analyze global scientific controversies surrounding research in China. The framework highlights the existence of four overlapping discursive arenas — China’s national public sphere and national expert sphere, the transnational public sphere and the transnational expert sphere. It then examines the struggles over inclusion/exclusion and publicity within these spheres as well as the within- and across- sphere effects of such struggles. Empirically, the article analyses the human genome-editing controversy surrounding research by scientists in China between 2015-2019. It shows how elite scientists negotiated expert–public relationships within and across the national and transnational expert spheres, how unexpected disruption at the nexus of the four spheres disarrayed expert-public relationships envisioned by elite experts, and how the Chinese state intervened to reshape the boundary between openness and secrecy at both national and transnational levels.

Global, Regional, and National Cancer Death and Disability-Adjusted Life-Years (DALYs) for Cardiovascular Disease in 2017, and Trends, Risk Analysis, 1990 to 2017, from the Global Burden of Disease Study and Implications for Prevention

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death worldwide and a major barrier to sustainable human development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the global, sex, age, region, and country-related CVD burden, as well as the trends, risk factors, and implications for prevention in CVD. Methods: Detailed information from between 1990 to 2017, including global, regional, and national rates of CVD and 11 categories of mortality and disability adjusted of life years (DALYs) were collected from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The time-dependent change in the trends of CVD burden was evaluated by annual percentage change. Findings: More than 17 million people died from CVD in 2017, which was approximately twice as many as from cancer, and was an increase of nearly 50% compared to 1990. Ischemic heart disease and stroke accounted for 85% of the total age-standardized death rate (ASDR) of CVD. The ASDR and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASYR) of CVD were 1.5 times greater in males compared to females. People over the age of 50 were especially at risk for developing CVD, with the number of cases and deaths in this age group accounting for more than 90% of all age groups. CVD mortality was related to regional economic development and social demographic index. In regions with a high economic income or socio-demographic index there was a greater decline in the ASDR of CVD. The ASDR of CVD in high SDI regions decreased more than 50% from 1990 to 2017. Tobacco use, diets low in whole grains, diets high in sodium, and high systolic blood pressure were important risk factors related to CVD mortality. Interpretation: CVD remains a major cause of death and chronic disability in all regions of the world. Ischemic heart disease and stroke account for the majority of deaths related to CVD. Although mortality rates for CVD have declined in recent years from a global perspective, the results of the 2017 CVD data suggest that the mortality and DALYs of CVD varied in different ages, sexes, and countries/regions around the world. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the specific characteristics of global CVD burden and establish more effective and targeted prevention strategies. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or herbal medicine should also be a focus of research in the prevention and treatment of CVD. Funding Statement: This study was financially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central public welfare research institutes (ZXKT17013, ZZ11-092 and ZZ13-YQ-059), and Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program by CACM(2018QNRC2-C01). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Ethical Approval Statement: Not required.