Updated Version Research Articles

“Madrigāls” by Peteris Vasks: ways to renew the genre tradition

The relevance of the study lies in highlighting the main principles of updating the ancient genre tradition with modern means in «Madrigāls» for mixed choir a сappella by the Latvian composer Peteris Vasks.
 The main objective of the article is to reveal the ways of updating the genre tradition and expressive means of music in «Madrigals» by Peteris Vasks for the a cappella choir.
 The methodology includes methods of historical, comparative, structural and functional analysis for: tracing the history of the emergence and development of the madrigal genre and identifying the peculiarities of its existence in different historical periods; establishing the constructive features of the music fabric and its interaction with the poetic foundation; tracing the vectors of renewal of genre traditions in this work.
 Results and conclusions. In the studied choral work of P. Vasks, the lines of continuity of the leading genre of the Renaissance era are determined and the ways of renewing the genre tradition are established. In «Madrigāls» the composer uniquely implements the main principle of the genre: the direction of the entire set of expressive means towards the display of the verbal text. Using modern techniques of composer writing, he emphasizes as the main artistic image of the miniature the main symbol — «time», it is this that is revealed both at the poetic and music levels. The music embodiment is based on the interaction of various techniques of composition: aleatory moving voices and effectively formed sonoric bunches. In connection with the word and the poetic primary source, a musical-symbolic sound picture is formed, the content of which unfolds in time, gradually and steadily rushing to the main final thought in the code of the work.
 Thus, working with a genre that has a centuries-old history, Peteris Vasks does not seek to preserve its usual outlines. The composer does not reproduce the established model of the genre, but interprets it, offers an updated version of the prototype of a certain genre, the primary invariant of which he sometimes deeply hides, and sometimes brings to the surface. This gives rise to many associations and at the same time surprises in how the modern arsenal of sound organization of huge choral arrays is organically combined with the «genre memory» of music art, and also opens up a wide perspective of research into other genres with their stable components and author’s innovations.

Development of a methodological approach to the procedure for assessing the quality and effectiveness of the management decision–making mechanism

Currently, active developments are underway to implement human and production resource management standards, new management mechanisms are emerging and being supplemented, but first of all, management activities can be assessed by the management decisions taken by the decision-maker, and the results that this management decision has brought. The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the fact that at present and in previous years there has been an increase in some independent variables, so management decisions at enterprises and other organisations are becoming more difficult and require taking into account larger criteria than usual. Therefore, the choice or development of a competent methodology for the management decision-making process would help the decision-maker not only to choose the most effective management decision, but also to minimise possible financial, social and other risks. The groups of factors that have a significant impact on the process of developing management solutions have been identified. The authors propose a step-by-step methodology for assessing the effectiveness level of the management decision-making and implementation mechanism. An updated version of the structural content of the methodological components necessary for the development of management solutions is proposed.

An updated version of the Madagascar periwinkle genome.

The Madagascar periwinkle, Catharanthus roseus, belongs to the Apocynaceae family. This medicinal plant, endemic to Madagascar, produces many important drugs including the monoterpene indole alkaloids (MIA) vincristine and vinblastine used to treat cancer worldwide. Here, we provide a new version of the C. roseus genome sequence obtained through the combination of Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-reads and Illumina short-reads. This more contiguous assembly consists of 173 scaffolds with a total length of 581.128 Mb and an N50 of 12.241 Mb. Using publicly available RNAseq data, 21,061 protein coding genes were predicted and functionally annotated. A total of 42.87% of the genome was annotated as transposable elements, most of them being long-terminal repeats. Together with the increasing access to MIA-producing plant genomes, this updated version should ease evolutionary studies leading to a better understanding of MIA biosynthetic pathway evolution.

Interpretation of 2020 edition of Japanese "Guidelines for the management of connective tissue disease/vasculitis-associated skin ulcers"

Patients with connective tissue diseases and vasculitis often develop refractory skin ulcers in various parts of the body due to abnormal autoimmune reactions, and the skin ulcers caused by different types of diseases have strong heterogeneity. In 2020, The Journal of Dermatology published the Japanese "Guidelines for the management of connective tissue disease/vasculitis-associated skin ulcers", which is an updated version of its 2016 edition, to guide clinical management of related diseases in a more scientific and standard way. By interpreting the guidelines, this paper aims to help domestic clinicians clarify the diagnosis and treatment objectives of connective tissue disease and vasculitis-associated skin ulcers, accelerate skin wound healing, and improve healing quality.

GLODAPv2.2022: the latest version of the global interior ocean biogeochemical data product

Abstract. The Global Ocean Data Analysis Project (GLODAP) is a synthesis effort providing regular compilations of surface-to-bottom ocean biogeochemical bottle data, with an emphasis on seawater inorganic carbon chemistry and related variables determined through chemical analysis of seawater samples. GLODAPv2.2022 is an update of the previous version, GLODAPv2.2021 (Lauvset et al., 2021). The major changes are as follows: data from 96 new cruises were added, data coverage was extended until 2021, and for the first time we performed secondary quality control on all sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) data. In addition, a number of changes were made to data included in GLODAPv2.2021. These changes affect specifically the SF6 data, which are now subjected to secondary quality control, and carbon data measured on board the RV Knorr in the Indian Ocean in 1994–1995 which are now adjusted using certified reference material (CRM) measurements made at the time. GLODAPv2.2022 includes measurements from almost 1.4 million water samples from the global oceans collected on 1085 cruises. The data for the now 13 GLODAP core variables (salinity, oxygen, nitrate, silicate, phosphate, dissolved inorganic carbon, total alkalinity, pH, chlorofluorocarbon-11 (CFC-11), CFC-12, CFC-113, CCl4, and SF6) have undergone extensive quality control with a focus on systematic evaluation of bias. The data are available in two formats: (i) as submitted by the data originator but converted to World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) exchange format and (ii) as a merged data product with adjustments applied to minimize bias. For the present annual update, adjustments for the 96 new cruises were derived by comparing those data with the data from the 989 quality-controlled cruises in the GLODAPv2.2021 data product using crossover analysis. SF6 data from all cruises were evaluated by comparison with CFC-12 data measured on the same cruises. For nutrients and ocean carbon dioxide (CO2) chemistry comparisons to estimates based on empirical algorithms provided additional context for adjustment decisions. The adjustments that we applied are intended to remove potential biases from errors related to measurement, calibration, and data handling practices without removing known or likely time trends or variations in the variables evaluated. The compiled and adjusted data product is believed to be consistent to better than 0.005 in salinity, 1 % in oxygen, 2 % in nitrate, 2 % in silicate, 2 % in phosphate, 4 µmol kg−1 in dissolved inorganic carbon, 4 µmol kg−1 in total alkalinity, 0.01–0.02 in pH (depending on region), and 5 % in the halogenated transient tracers. The other variables included in the compilation, such as isotopic tracers and discrete CO2 fugacity (fCO2), were not subjected to bias comparison or adjustments. The original data, their documentation, and DOI codes are available at the Ocean Carbon and Acidification Data System of NOAA NCEI (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/ocean-carbon-acidification-data-system/oceans/GLODAPv2_2022/, last access: 15 August 2022). This site also provides access to the merged data product, which is provided as a single global file and as four regional ones – the Arctic, Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans – under https://doi.org/10.25921/1f4w-0t92 (Lauvset et al., 2022). These bias-adjusted product files also include significant ancillary and approximated data, which were obtained by interpolation of, or calculation from, measured data. This living data update documents the GLODAPv2.2022 methods and provides a broad overview of the secondary quality control procedures and results.

Discovering cooperation: Endogenous change in international organizations

Why do some international organizations (IO) accrete delegated authority over time while in others delegation is static or declines? We hypothesize that the dynamics of delegation are shaped by an IO’s founding contract. IOs rooted in an open-ended contract have the capacity to discover cooperation over time: as new problems arise these IOs can adopt new policies or strengthen collaboration in existing areas. This, in turn, triggers a demand for delegation. However, this logic is mediated by the political regime of the IO. In predominantly democratic IOs, delegation is constrained by politicization which intensifies as an IO’s policy portfolio broadens. These claims are tested using an updated version of the Measure of International Authority dataset covering 41 regional IOs between 1950 and 2019. Controlling for alternative explanations and addressing potential endogeneity across a range of model specifications, we find robust support for our argument.

Review of ESPEN-2021 Practice Guidelines for Cancer Patients: Part 1

This study discusses the 2021 ESPEN Practical Guidelines for Nutritional Support in Oncology. The updated version of the 2021 ESPEN practice guidelines differs slightly from the 2017 version and contains flowcharts to facilitate the use of the guidelines in clinical practice, which is also relevant for domestic healthcare. ESPEN-2021 Clinical Guidelines, which offer practical solutions in all areas of oncology, are of particular interest to both oncologists and allied specialists working in oncology. The first part of the review discusses general recommendations for nutritional support for patients with cancer and the possibility of their use in our country: screening of nutritional status at the initial visit, indications for prescribing additional nutrition, benefits of one or another type of nutritional support in various situations, norms for providing macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and need for physical activity. This practical guide forms an algorithm of actions to ensure optimal nutrition for patients with cancer. The general principles of nutritional therapy for all patients with cancer are based on timely screening for nutritional deficiencies and adherence to appropriate nutritional support of patients, which can be achieved by modifying the diet or prescribing additional nutrition, mainly enteral nutrition.

Implementation and evaluation of a pain assessment app and novel community platform for long-term care health professionals

Objective A tablet app, based on the Pain Assessment Checklist for Seniors with Limited Ability to Communicate-II (PACSLAC-II), has been shown to have clinical utility and unique advantages. We aimed to replicate and extend the previous validation of the app through the implementation and evaluation of a new community platform involving a quality indicator (QI) monitoring feature and a resource community portal (CP) that work in conjunction with an updated version of the app. Methods We employed a mixed-methods multiple-baseline design across 11 long-term care (LTC) units. Units were randomly assigned to conditions which varied in number of app features available. Data included unit-level QIs as well as questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with health professionals. Results Following use of the app, we found improvements in unit-level QIs regardless of availability of the QI/CP features. During interviews, participants expressed a preference for the app over a paper version of the PACSLAC-II due to reasons such as the app’s ability to summarize information. Utilization of the community portal websites was unrelated to staff questionnaire-assessed stress/burnout. Conclusions Despite the positive effects on the care of residents, the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges and interfered with the long-term maintenance of the QI results.

ScCapsNet-mask: an updated version of scCapsNet with extended applicability in functional analysis related to scRNA-seq data

BackgroundWith the rapid accumulation of scRNA-seq data, more and more automatic cell type identification methods have been developed, especially those based on deep learning. Although these methods have reached relatively high prediction accuracy, many issues still exist. One is the interpretability. The second is how to deal with the non-standard test samples that are not encountered in the training process.ResultsHere we introduce scCapsNet-mask, an updated version of scCapsNet. The scCapsNet-mask provides a reasonable solution to the issues of interpretability and non-standard test samples. Firstly, the scCapsNet-mask utilizes a mask to ease the task of model interpretation in the original scCapsNet. The results show that scCapsNet-mask could constrain the coupling coefficients, and make a one-to-one correspondence between the primary capsules and type capsules. Secondly, the scCapsNet-mask can process non-standard samples more reasonably. In one example, the scCapsNet-mask was trained on the committed cells, and then tested on less differentiated cells as the non-standard samples. It could not only estimate the lineage bias of less differentiated cells, but also distinguish the development stages more accurately than traditional machine learning models. Therefore, the pseudo-temporal order of cells for each lineage could be established. Following these pseudo-temporal order, lineage specific genes exhibit a gradual increase expression pattern and stem cell associated genes exhibit a gradual decrease expression pattern. In another example, the scCapsNet-mask was trained on scRNA-seq data, and then used to assign cell type in spatial transcriptomics that may contain non-standard sample of doublets. The results show that the scCapsNet-mask not only restored the spatial map but also identified several non-standard samples of doublet.ConclusionsThe scCapsNet-mask offers a suitable solution to the challenge of interpretability and non-standard test samples. By adding a mask, it has the advantages of automatic processing and easy interpretation compared with the original scCapsNet. In addition, the scCapsNet-mask could more accurately reflect the composition of non-standard test samples than traditional machine learning methods. Therefore, it can extend its applicability in functional analysis, such as fate bias prediction in less differentiated cells and cell type assignment in spatial transcriptomics.

Формирование у младших школьников первоначальных основ экологической культуры: примеры методических разработок (часть 2)

The article discusses the problem of increasing attention to the environmental education of primary school students in accordance with the updated version of the State Educational Standard for Primary General Education (FSES PGE). The goals, methods and techniques of the process of formation of the ecological culture of younger schoolchildren at the lessons of the "The-World-Around-Us" are characterized. Examples of methodological developments in the study of various topics of this training course for the second grade are described. Particular attention is paid to familiarization with the Red Data Book of Russia and the regions.

What Reference Genome Assemblies Tell Us and How to Detect the Best Available Version: A Case Study in Trout

Genomic studies have largely been accelerated by the advances of next generation sequencing technologies since the beginning of the millennium. This, in turn, has motivated the generation of more reference genome assemblies not only in model organisms but also in species of scientific interest. In the present study, we employed a comparison study between the two different reference genome assemblies available for the same species, Salmo trutta, in GenBank. The results indicated an overall 90% similarity index between the two assemblies. Furthermore, the inversion regions of which assembly needs corrections were detected. Taking into account the whole genome duplication origin of the Salmonidae family, both assemblies were of good quality. However, the updated version of the Wellcome Sanger Institute assembly (fSalTru_1.2) outperformed the Norwegian assembly and was detected as the best available reference genome assembly in Salmo trutta. 

Age of onset correlates with clinical characteristics and prognostic outcomes in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an inflammatory disease preferentially affects the optic nerve and the spinal cord. The first attack usually occurs in the third or fourth decade, though patients with disease onset in the fifties or later are not uncommon. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis in patients with different age of onset and to explore the correlations between age of onset and clinical characteristics and prognostic outcomes. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 298 NMOSD patients diagnosed according to the 2015 updated version of diagnostic criteria. Patients were divided into early-onset NMOSD (EO-NMOSD) (<50 years at disease onset) and late-onset NMOSD (LO-NMOSD) (≥50 years at disease onset) based on the age of disease onset. LO-NMOSD patients were divided into two subgroups: relative-late-onset NMOSD (RLO-NMOSD) (50~70 years at disease onset) and very-late-onset NMOSD (≥70 years at disease onset). Clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, neuroimaging features, and prognostic outcomes were investigated. Compared to EO-NMOSD patients, patients with LO-NMOSD showed more frequent transverse myelitis (TM) (58.20% vs. 36.00%, p = 0.007) while less frequent optic neuritis (ON) (23.10% vs. 34.80%, p = 0.031) and brainstem/cerebral attacks (7.50% vs. 18.30%, p = 0.006) as the first attack. Patients with LO-NMOSD showed less frequent relapses, higher Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score at the last follow-up, fewer NMOSD-typical brain lesions, and longer segments of spinal cord lesions. Patients with older onset age showed a higher proportion of increased protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid during the acute phase of attacks. Age at disease onset positively correlated with length of spinal cord lesions at first attack and at last follow-up, negatively correlated with ARR-1 (ARR excluding the first attack, calculated from disease onset to final follow-up), irrespective of AQP4-IgG serostatus. Patients with older age at disease onset progressed to severe motor disability sooner, and age of onset positively correlated with EDSS score at the last follow-up, irrespective of AQP4-IgG serostatus. Age of disease onset affects clinical characteristics and prognosis outcomes of patients with NMOSD.

Evaluating the design and evidence of single-case experimental designs using the What Works Clearinghouse standards

In 2020, the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) for single-case experimental design (SCED) studies released an updated version of their standards and procedures handbook (Version 4.1). Because of these updates, there is a need to understand the implications for the field in terms of quality rating of the design, and subsequent synthesis of evidence at the study and meta-analytic level. This study provides a comparison between the previous SCED design and evidence standards, and the updated ones published in 2020 as Version 4.1. We are interested in whether Version 4.1 results in differences in terms of (1) quality rating of the design and (2) analysis and meta-analysis of research evidence. The results indicate no differences related to quality rating of the design, but there are notable differences in terms of how evidence is analyzed, synthesized, and reported. This is further illustrated using a selected publication, namely Pivotal Response Training in which research evidence is meta-analyzed related to the effectiveness of Pivotal Response Training as an intervention to increase communication of children (aged 2–18) with autism. Based on the findings, recommendations and implications are discussed.

OP71 PriTec Tool 2: Adaptation For Selection Of Technologies To Be Assessed For Inclusion Into The Health Care System

IntroductionThe PriTec Tool is an automatically executable multicriteria web application developed in 2009 by the Galician Health Knowledge Agency (avalia-t; ACIS) for the prioritization of technologies susceptible of post-introduction observation or obsolescence. Currently, the tool has been updated and improved to support the selection process of technologies to be assessed for inclusion into the National Public Health Care Portfolio. The aim of this work is to present the updated version of the tool (PriTec Tool 2) with the new functionalities.MethodsThe development of the tool was based on a mixed-method approach, comprising a systematic review, followed by a five-step process: (i) development of the preliminary proposal of prioritization criteria and domains; (ii) contextualization and validation of the criteria and domains by a multidisciplinary group of key stakeholders; (iii) assessment of validity, reliability and suitability of criteria; (iv) weighting of domains; and (v) evaluation of applicability, reliability and reproducibility of the tool.ResultsThe tool consists of 15 criteria categorized in 5 domains. The web application ranks the technologies through automatic computation of the weighted average of the different criteria and generates a comparative analysis of the individual or working group results. The application allows access to different options: working groups, case studies or technology comparison. It allows for individual prioritizations or managing working groups. When applied to prioritize the Spanish Network of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Agencies yearly workplan it achieved an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.71 (95% confidence interval 0.62, 0.88).ConclusionsThe updated PriTec Tool-2 can be very useful to guide decision-making regarding the assessments that would be mostly needed to ensure health, equity and sustainability. The tool stands out for its simplicity and ease of application. It is acknowledged that the tool could be of great interest to policy makers, HTA bodies and other health decision-makers worldwide.

Using Modern Learning Approaches in Teaching Basic Didactics of Mathematics in the Mahara E-Portfolio Environment

This paper presents an updated version of the implementation of the course Basics of Didactics of Mathematics. The main goals of the modernization were to use ICT tools and modern learning to overcome objective limitations in the implementation of some elements of the teaching process. For this purpose, we created e-portfolios in the Mahara environment. After the course, students were asked to complete a survey questionnaire. It was found that the updated version of the subject led to improved communication between the participants, increased student engagement in the learning process, and increased student awareness of teaching phenomena. We were not successful in increasing the level of reflection to the point where students would move beyond their initial subjective theories of teaching.

APA Board Looks to Future of Psychiatry, Importance of Measurement-Based Care

APA Board Looks to Future of Psychiatry, Importance of Measurement-Based Care

The RATAN-600 Multi-Frequency Catalogue of Blazars—BLcat

In this paper we present the RATAN-600 multi-frequency catalogue of blazars, an updated version of the BLcat: the RATAN-600 multi-frequency catalogue of BL Lacertae objects. The main novelty in the catalogue is an extension of the sample with flat-spectrum radio quasars (FSRQs), thus currently it contains more than 1700 blazars of different types. The main feature of the BLcat is a compilation of radio continuum data for blazars based on the RATAN-600 quasi-simultaneous measurements at frequencies of 1.1, 2.3, 4.7, 7.7/8.2, 11.2, and 21.7/22.3 GHz. We additionally supplement the catalogue with the radio data from external sources to provide an opportunity to more complete study of radio spectra and radio light curves. For the convenience of users, we developed tools to calculate the spectral index, variability index, and radio luminosity. We briefly describe basic radio properties of blazar subsamples of the catalogue: spectral classification, spectral indices, flux density variability, and radio luminosity.

Chinese expert consensus on the use of oral propranolol for treatment of infantile hemangiomas (version 2022)

: Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most common benign vascular neoplasm in children. Although the probability of spontaneous regression is very high, large and rapidly growing hemangioma may result in various sequela after spontaneous involution. Therefore, except for hemangiomas that grow in concealed sites, are small in size, or are in a stable state that can undergo “watchful waiting”, aggressive treatment is often required. Since 2008, propranolol has gradually replaced glucocorticoids and become recognized worldwide as first-line treatment for IH. Many studies have reported on its treatment mechanism, both domestically and internationally, resulting in expert consensus and clinical practice guidelines. In recent years, with the continuous accumulation of clinical experience and growing number of studies, there has been a deepening understanding of the pathogenesis of hemangiomas and mechanism of action of propranolol. Thus, it is necessary to update the expert consensus to be more consistent with clinical practice in order to guide medication management and provide scientific norms for the clinical use of propranolol in the treatment of IH. This updated version simplifies the clinical examination, medication, and monitoring process for the use of propranolol in the treatment of IH, making it easier to use.

Investigation of heat input effects on the joint characteristics of CMT welded Aa6061 sheets

Cold Metal Transfer (CMT) arc welding is an updated version of the GMAW process, in which heat input is significantly reduced due to the push-pull action of filler wire feeding during welding. The aluminium alloy sheets are welded by the CMT arc welding process using different heat input levels in this research work. The temperature distribution during welding is experimentally measured with the help of an infrared thermometer, and finite element analysis (volumetric heat source model) is used to predict the temperature distribution, and these results are equated. The influence of heat input on joint characteristics such as bead geometry, microhardness variation, microstructure analysis and tensile properties is also being investigated experimentally. The temperature study reveals that the results of numerical modelling for temperature distribution using various heat inputs were very close to the experimental condition, with a less significant difference ±5. In addition, the well-controlled heat input at 210 J/mm was attributed to eradicating porosity, which was confirmed by Non-destructive evaluation, macrostructure and microstructure analysis. As a result, the joint produced a better tensile strength of 241 MPa due to the achievement of fine grain refinement of 17 µm in the weld zone, reduced heat affect zone, and 6.45% volume fraction of Mg2Si particles. The intercept length of 18.937 microns is measured as the average value, and the misorientation angle of 25.2922 was also found as the average in the fusion zone, which is more significant when compared to the base metal value of 20 μm.

Simulation Comparisons of Vehicle-Based and Movement-Based Traffic Control for Autonomous Vehicles at Isolated Intersections

With the advent of autonomous driving technologies, traffic control at intersections is expected to experience revolutionary changes. Various novel intersection control methods have been proposed in the existing literature, and they can be roughly divided into two categories: vehicle-based traffic control and movement-based traffic control. Movement-based traffic control can be treated as updated versions of the current intersection signal control with the incorporation of the performance of autonomous vehicle functions. Meanwhile, vehicle-based traffic control utilizes some brand-new methods, mostly in real-time fashion, to organize traffic at intersections for safe and efficient vehicle passages. However, to date, no systematic comparison between these two control categories has been performed to suggest their advantages and disadvantages. This paper conducts a series of numerical simulations under various traffic scenarios to perform a fair comparison of their performances. Specifically, we allow trajectory adjustments of incoming vehicles under movement-based traffic control, while for its vehicle-based counterpart, we implement two strategies, i.e., the first-come-first-serve strategy and the optimization-based strategy. Overall, the simulation results show that vehicle-based traffic control generally incurs a negligible delay when traffic demand is low but lead to an excessive queuing time as the traffic volume becomes high. We also discover that the comparison results can be influenced by other factors such as intersection layouts, traffic distribution and maturity of the autonomous driving technologies.