Protective Value Research Articles

Social Support Networks, Coping Mechanisms, and Mental Health Outcomes in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Patients in Yogyakarta

In Yogyakarta, Indonesia, this study examines the complex interactions that exist between coping strategies, social support networks, and mental health outcomes in people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The study uses regression and correlation analysis on a broad sample to determine the links between coping techniques, perceived social support, and the severity of PTSD symptoms. In line with previous research, the results emphasize the protective value of emotional support and proactive social support-seeking. But the surprising positive relationship that was found between avoidance and the severity of symptoms presents a fresh angle that calls for more research on the cultural dynamics of coping strategies. This study establishes the foundation for further research on PTSD in the particular sociocultural environment of Yogyakarta and offers subtle insights for customized therapies.

Evaluation of air quality changes in a Chinese megacity over a 15-year period (2006–2021) using PM2.5 receptor modelling

Air quality impairment has a massive impact on human health, with atmospheric particulate matter (PM) playing a major role. The People's Republic of China experienced a trend of increasing PM2.5 concentrations from 2000 to 2013. However, after the application of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan and other related control measures, sharp decreases in air pollutant concentrations were particularly evident in the city of Wuhan (central China). This study analysed major changes in PM2.5 concentrations, composition and source apportionment (using receptor modelling) based on Wuhan's PM2.5 chemical speciation datasets from 2006 to 2007, 2019–2021 and contemporaneous gaseous pollutant values. Average SO2 concentrations decreased by 88%, from the first to the second period, mostly due to measures that reduced coal combustion. However, NO2 only declined by 25%, with policy measures likely being undermined by an increased number of vehicles. PM2.5 concentrations decreased by 65%, with the PM constituents each being affected differently. Coal combustion-related element concentrations, OC, SO42−, NH4+, EC, Cl−, Al, Ca, Cu, Fe, Co and NO3− decreased by 22–90%. Secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) was initially dominated by (NH4)2SO4 (73%) in 2006, but later dominated by NH4NO3 (52%) in 2021. Receptor modelling identified major sources contributing to PM2.5: Mineral, road and desert dust (MRDD), Secondary sulphate (SECS), Secondary nitrate (SECN), Tungsten industry (W), Toxic Elements of Coal (TEC), Iron and Steel (IRONS), Coal Combustion (CC), Residential Heating (RH), Refinery (REF) and Traffic (TRF). In relative proportions, TEC (−83%), SECS (−64%) and SECN (−48%) reduced their contributions to PM2.5 whilst MRDD increased (+62.5%). Thus, the results indicate not only a drastic abatement of PM pollution in Wuhan but also a change in the sources of pollution, which requires further actions to reduce PM2.5 concentrations to health protective values. Secondary PM and fugitive emissions are key components to abate.

Turning words into action: pro-environmental interest and personal commitment of different groups

Abstract Background Numerous models point to notable discrepancies between internal attitudes and environmental protection behaviour. Especially in regards to the high social value of climate protection, the question arises to what extent the commitment to environmental protection is not just a socially desirable “lip service”. A snap survey was conducted among participants of climate demonstrations in Vienna to find out whether they differ from other groups not only in their interest in environmental issues, but in particular in their personal commitment. Methods A total of 331 participants (below 16y) were surveyed (177 Fridays4Future participants, 41 visitors of non-climate-related mass events, 113 medical students). The survey regarding interest in climate and personal commitment to environmental protection was conducted using an 11-point Likert scale. Results Participants of the climate demonstrations described higher values regarding their interest in climate protection, their interest in environmental protection as well as their personal commitment to environmental protection. All differences between the pairwise mean-group comparisons were significant in the expected direction (lowest values: visitors of non-climate-related events; p < 0.017). Results concerning flight renunciations already made showed large differences between the groups (Pearson Chi-Square: 71.913; df = 4; p < 0.001): Around 5 times more participants of climate demonstrations than visitors to other mass events reported that they had already refrained from flying in the past year. In contrast, there were no differences with regard to the statement that they had not yet renounced flights, but intended to do so in the future. Discussions Differences with regard to renunciations already made indicate that values expressed by the groups are also mirrored in actual behaviour. Considering the magnitude of differences and control response our results are unlikely to be explained by socially desired response behaviour. Key messages • First short survey on to quantify group differences regarding refrainment of air travels. • Climate activists showed considerably higher commitment regarding personal sacrifices.

Mechanochemical synthesis and anticonvulsant activity of 3-aminopyrrolidine-2,5-dione derivatives

A series of 3-aminopyrrolidine-2,5-dione derivatives was synthesized and tested for anticonvulsant activity. Succinimide derivatives were obtained from a simple solvent-based reaction and a mechanochemical aza-Michael reaction of maleimide or its N-substituted derivatives with selected amines. The structure of the compounds was confirmed by spectroscopic methods (NMR, FT-IR, HPLC, ESI-MS, EA and XRD for four compounds). The cytotoxic activity of the succinimide derivatives was evaluated using HepG2 cells for hepatocytotoxicity and SH-SY5Y cells for neurocytotoxicity. None of the studied compounds showed hepatocytotoxicity and two showed neurocytotoxicity. Initial anticonvulsant screening was performed in mice using the psychomotor seizure test (6 Hz, 32 mA). The selected compounds were evaluated in the following acute models of epilepsy: the maximal electroshock test, psychomotor seizure test (6 Hz, 44 mA), subcutaneous pentylenetetrazole seizure test, and acute neurotoxicity (rotarod test). The most active compound 3-((4-chlorophenyl)amino)pyrrolidine-2,5-dione revealed antiseizure activity in all seizure models (including pharmacoresistant seizures) and showed better median effective doses (ED50) and protective index values than the reference compound, ethosuximide. Furthermore, 3-(benzylamino)pyrrolidine-2,5-dione and 3-(phenylamino)pyrrolidine-2,5-dione exhibited antiseizure activity in the 6 Hz and MES tests, and 3-(butylamino)−1-phenylpyrrolidine-2,5-dione and 3-(benzylamino)−1-phenylpyrrolidine-2,5-dione exhibited antiseizure activity in the 6 Hz test. All active compounds demonstrated low in vivo neurotoxicity in the rotarod test and yielded favourable protective indices.

Social Monetary Valuation for Protecting Forests and Protected Wild Animals in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Many protected wild animal species are threatened with extinction because of degraded forest habitats. We conducted a monetary assessment of social responses to this issue in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Respondents were asked to determine a monetary value for forest services, and we measured willingness to pay (WTP) using the collection of compensation funds every year for five years. A descriptive statistical model, a correlation analysis, and a double-bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) model were used in this study. There were 92.1% of respondents who claimed to be aware of the environment, as well as 96% of protected animals, and 89.8% who agreed with the compensation fund. There is a need for current socialization of the environmental situation, and it is necessary to consider education and income factors for real actions in the future. The estimated monetary value probability for WTP was determined using accepting the median estimate of IDR 264,820 (USD 18.26). These results estimated the value of annual forest protection over five years.

Characterizing the Crosstalk Between Programmed Cell Death Pathways in Cytokine Storm With an Agent-Based Model.

Background: There is increasing recognition of extensive crosstalk between programmed cell death pathways (PCDPs), such as apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, resulting in a highly redundant system responsive to a breadth of potential pathogens. However, because pyroptosis and necroptosis propagate inflammation, these redundancies also present challenges for therapeutic control of dysregulated hyperinflammation seen in cytokine storm (CS) generated organ dysfunction. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the conversion of existing knowledge regarding apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis into a computational model can enhance our understanding of the crosstalk between PCDPs via simulation experiments of microbe interactions and experimental interventions. Materials and Methods: Literature regarding apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis was reviewed and transposed into an agent-based model, the programmed cell death agent-based model (PCDABM). Computational experiments were performed to simulate the activation of various PCDPs as seen by differing microbes, specifically: influenza A virus (IAV), enteropathic Escherichia coli (EPEC), and Salmonella enterica (SE). The potential protective value of PCDP crosstalk was evaluated by silencing either pyroptosis, necroptosis, or both. Computational experiments were also performed simulating the effect of potential therapies blocking tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin (IL)-1. Results: The PCDABM was implemented in the agent-based modeling toolkit NetLogo. Computational experiments of infection with IAV, EPEC, and SE reproduced cross-activation of PCDPs with effective microbial clearance. Simulations of anti-TNF and anti-IL-1 did not reduce the aggregated amount of inflammation-generated system damage, the surrogate for CS-generated tissue damage. Conclusions: Redundancies have evolved in host PCDPs to maintain protection against a wide range of pathogens. However, these redundancies also challenge attempts at dampening the pathogenic hyperinflammatory state of CS using therapeutic immunomodulation. Integrative simulation models such as the PCDABM can aid in identifying potentially targetable inflection points to mitigate CS while maintaining effective host defense.

Characteristics of pediatric COVID-19 infections and the impact of influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations during the first two years of the pandemic.

The data regarding the demographics of SARS-CoV-2 in the pediatric population has been published based on several single-center experiences or on metanalyses over short time frames. This article reports data on the demographics of pediatric patients with COVID-19 on a global scale using the TriNetX COVID-19 Research Network. In addition, we examined the risk of COVID-19 infection in relation to the body mass index (BMI) category and the protective value of influenza and COVID-19 immunization against COVID-19 infection. The incidence of COVID-19 infection was higher in the younger age group (≤6 years old), but no gender differences. The incidence of COVID-19 infection was higher among African Americans/Black race (28.57%) White race (27.10%), and obese patients; across all age groups, all genders, all races, and ethnicities (p < 0.0001). The incidence of MIS-C was also higher in patients with obesity (OR 1.71, CI 1.36-2.14). We found that the patients who were neither vaccinated for COVID-19 nor influenza within one year before their COVID-19 diagnoses compared to those who received influenza vaccine only, had significantly higher odds for hospitalization (OR 1.19, CI 1.18-1.21), development of MIS-C (OR 1.52, CI 1.32-1.74), and more importantly mortality (OR 1.47, CI 1.26-1.71). In addition, those patients who were neither vaccinated for COVID-19 nor influenza within one year before their COVID-19 diagnoses, compared to those who received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, had significantly higher odds for hospitalization (OR 1.11, CI 1.04-1.19). However, those patients who did not receive the influenza vaccine within one year before their COVID-19 diagnoses nor received the COVID-19 vaccine had much higher odds for hospitalization (OR 1.46, CI 1.41-1.51), MIS-C (OR 3.72, CI 2.11-6.56), and mortality compared to those who received both vaccinations (OR 13.55, CI 1.91-9.62). Using the multiplicative interaction scale, we found a positive interaction between the COVID-19 vaccine and the influenza vaccine; they both combined have a larger effect than each separately. Our study is the largest of its kind (to date) examining the global demographic of the pandemic and the first of a kind to find a link between influenza vaccine and COVID-19-related hospitalization, MIS-C, and mortality in the pediatric population.

Geotourism Assessment using the M-GAM method (Modified Geosite Assessment Model) Sawahlunto Region, West Sumatra

The geological setting in the area is a strong attraction for natural tourism. The Sawahlunto Geopark area is one of the Geoparks located in West Sumatra Province which has a variety of geological sites. This area meets the criteria that make it a potential Geopark. The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the potential of geotourism and use this assessment as a basis for developing geotourism in the Sawahlunto and surrounding geotourism areas. This analytical study was carried out using the M-GAM (Modified Geosite Assessment Model) method. In the study process, research methods were carried out using questionnaire data based on 27 indicators from the M-GAM method.M-GAM method has 27 indicators consisting of main and additional values that will be used as a questionnaire which will produce quantitative results. The 27 indicators contain several geotourism assessments, including scientific value, aesthetic value, protection value, functional value, and tourism value of a geosite. The maximum score that can be obtained by a geosite that has all the perfect criteria in 27 indicators will get a main score of 12 and an additional score of 15. 7 geosites will be assessed with results, namely Batu Runciang (8.17 and 7.62), Serpih Bakelok (6.35 and 7.72), Tabiang Tinggi (6.81 and 8.14) and Puncak Cemara (8.19 and 8.41), Stone Garden (6.37 and 7.96), Batu Gantuang Cave (3.91 and 6.07) and Kubang Waterfall (3.48 and 6.48). Referring to the results of the Sawahlunto geosite assessment, it was concluded that the Batu Runciang and Puncak Cemara Geosites had a high value in terms of main values compared to the other 5 geosites. Meanwhile, for additional value, Tabiang Tinggi and Puncak Cemara have sufficient value compared to the other 5 Geosites. This is because geosites with low value still lack various things such as facilities and promotions. Efforts that can be made are to build facilities at several geosites that still experience a lack of public facilities. Apart from that, promotion on social media is also very helpful in introducing geosites to the public.

High temperatures augment inhibition of parasites by a honey bee gut symbiont.

Temperature affects growth, metabolism, and interspecific interactions in microbial communities. Within animal hosts, gut bacterial symbionts can provide resistance to parasitic infections. Both infection and populations of symbionts can be shaped by the host body temperature. However, the effects of temperature on the antiparasitic activities of gut symbionts have seldom been explored. The Lactobacillus-rich gut microbiota of facultatively endothermic honey bees is subject to seasonal and ontogenetic changes in host temperature that could alter the effects of symbionts against parasites. We used cell cultures of a Lactobacillus symbiont and an important trypanosomatid gut parasite of honey bees to test the potential for temperature to shape parasite-symbiont interactions. We found that symbionts showed greater heat tolerance than parasites and chemically inhibited parasite growth via production of acids. Acceleration of symbiont growth and acid production at high temperatures resulted in progressively stronger antiparasitic effects across a temperature range typical of bee colonies. Consequently, the presence of symbionts reduced both the peak growth rate and heat tolerance of parasites. Substantial changes in parasite-symbiont interactions were evident over a temperature breadth that parallels changes in diverse animals exhibiting infection-related fevers and the amplitude of circadian temperature variation typical of endothermic birds and mammals, implying the frequent potential for temperature to alter symbiont-mediated resistance to parasites in endo- and ectothermic hosts. Results suggest that the endothermic behavior of honey bees could enhance the impacts of gut symbionts on parasites, implicating thermoregulation as a reinforcer of core symbioses and possibly microbiome-mediated antiparasitic defense. IMPORTANCE Two factors that shape the resistance of animals to infection are body temperature and gut microbiota. However, temperature can also alter interactions among microbes, raising the question of whether and how temperature changes the antiparasitic effects of gut microbiota. Honey bees are agriculturally important hosts of diverse parasites and infection-mitigating gut microbes. They can also socially regulate their body temperatures to an extent unusual for an insect. We show that high temperatures found in honey bee colonies augment the ability of a gut bacterial symbiont to inhibit the growth of a common bee parasite, reducing the parasite's ability to grow at high temperatures. This suggests that fluctuations in colony and body temperatures across life stages and seasons could alter the protective value of bees' gut microbiota against parasites, and that temperature-driven changes in gut microbiota could be an underappreciated mechanism by which temperature-including endothermy and fever-alters animal infection.

Judgment method of the dynamic threshold value of motor protection at a dynamic load rate

To address the shortcomings of traditional motor thermal protection, which uses the motor’s temperature or temperature rise threshold operating at full load as the basis for the judgment method, a dynamic threshold judgment method based on a study of the motor’s temperature rise characteristics under a dynamic load rate is proposed. Taking a forced air-cooled, three-phase asynchronous motor with 11 kW power as the research object, a 2D/3D motor model under steady-state conditions is established. The loss distribution of asynchronous motors at different load rates is obtained through electromagnetic field simulation calculations. The finite element method is used to simulate and calculate the motor’s temperature field. Taking ambient temperature and load factors into account, the study takes place from the perspective of motor temperature rise in order to acquire the law governing the change in motor temperature increase under various working circumstances. A method of converting the temperature and warming between the motor’s stator, winding, and rotor is proposed. A dynamic threshold judgment system for accurate warning of overheating problems in motors under any load rate is set up so that the thermal protection of motors can accurately be judged under variable load conditions, which offers a crucial theoretical foundation for the design of intelligent motor temperature rise prediction systems. It contributes to a methodological underpinning for the diagnosis and early warning of thermal health in smart motor systems.

Rewilding the Detroit, Michigan, USA–Windsor, Ontario, Canada Metropolitan Area

Rewilding attempts to increase biodiversity and restore natural ecosystem processes by reducing human influence. Today, there is growing interest in rewilding urban areas. Rewilding of the Detroit, Michigan, USA and Windsor, Ontario, Canada metropolitan area, and its shared natural resource called the Detroit River, has been delineated through the reintroduction of peregrine falcons and osprey, and a return of other sentinel species like bald eagles, lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, walleye, beaver, and river otter. Rewilding has helped showcase the value and benefits of environmental protection and restoration, ecosystem services, habitat rehabilitation and enhancement, and conservation, including social and economic benefits. Improved ecosystem health and rewilding have become a catalyst for re-establishing a reconnection between urban denizens and natural resources through greenways and water trails. The provision of compelling outdoor experiences in nature, in turn, can help foster a personal attachment to the particular place people call home that can help inspire a stewardship ethic.

Gaze and Narratives on Heritage Values: Discarding the Views of Host Communities in Africa

There has been a conflict of perceptions on heritage values. This has stalled the development of some natural heritage resources in parts of Africa. This study argues that the host perception is paramount in the responsive development of heritage resources within their localities. However, this study investigated the values of undeveloped natural heritage resources in Abia State, Nigeria, from a rural gaze and narratives. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions and detailed observation were employed for the study. Findings showed that these natural heritage resources have domestic, agricultural, leisure and protective values according to the host, who also supports possible development programmes for these resources. This has posited rural gaze and narrative as focal in understanding the values of undeveloped heritage resources. The study further proposed the concept of the Rural Heritage Approach (RHA). This concept is focused on a prior understanding of the peculiar nature of heritage values in traditional African societies through rural gaze and narratives before development initiatives. This study has implications for responsible rural tourism development in most African communities.

Boswellia Essential Oil: Natural Antioxidant as an Effective Antimicrobial and Anti-Inflammatory Agent.

The research aimed to determine the chemical composition, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as well as the antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative and two fungal Candida ATCC strains of a commercial Boswellia essential oil (BEO) containing Boswellia carteri, Boswellia sacra, Boswellia papryfera, and Boswellia frereana. Additionally, molecular docking was carried out to show the molecular dynamics of the compounds identified from the essential oil against three bacterial protein targets and one fungal protein target. The major components identified by GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) were represented by α-pinene, followed by limonene. Evaluation of antioxidant activity using the DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-Picrylhydrazyl) method showed high inhibition comparable to the synthetic antioxidant used as a control. Oxidative stability evaluation showed that BEO has the potential to inhibit primary and secondary oxidation products with almost the same efficacy as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The use of BEO at a concentration of 500 ppm provided the best protection against secondary oxidation during 30 days of storage at room temperature, which was also evident in the peroxide value. Regarding the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity, the membrane lysis assay and the protein denaturation test revealed that even if the value of protection was lower than the value registered in the case of dexamethasone, the recommendation of using BEO as a protective agent stands, considering the lower side effects. Gram-positive bacteria proved more sensitive, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa presented different sensitivity, with higher MICs (minimal inhibitory concentration). Haemophilus influenzae demonstrated a MIC at 2% but with consecutive inhibitory values in a negative correlation with the increase in concentration, in contrast to E. coli, which demonstrated low inhibitory rates at high concentrations of BEO. The computational tools employed revealed interesting binding energies with compounds having low abundance. The interaction of these compounds and the proteins (tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, DNA gyrase, peptide deformylase, 1,3-β-glucan synthase) predicts hydrogen bonds with amino acid residues, which are reported in the active sites of the proteins. Even so, compounds with low abundance in BEO could render the desired bioactive properties to the overall function of the oil sustained by physical factors such as storage and temperature. Interestingly, the findings from this study demonstrated the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of Boswellia essential oil against food-related pathogens, thus making the oil a good candidate for usage in food, feed or food-safety-related products.

Middle childhood development in personal values.

We aimed to investigate value change and stability longitudinally in middle childhood. Values are the aspect of personality defining one's aspirations. Research identifies meaningful values in middle childhood, yet we know little about the process of their development within individual. Children (N = 298; 53.7% girls, Mage = 7 years and 3 months, SD = 7.70 months, at the first time point) four times, annually. Rank-order stability increased with age and decreased with time-span. We found value hierarchy consistency, with value hierarchy similar to adolescents in the priority given to openness to change versus conservation values, and to adults in the priority given to self-transcendence values. Latent growth curve analyses indicated linear increase in openness to change, and curvilinear increase in self-transcendence values, and linear decrease in conservation and self-enhancement values, with some differences across ages. Value structure was better differentiated with age. Compatible values changed in similar, and conflicting values in opposite directions. This paper suggests that in middle childhood, children can already report stable values. Moreover, middle childhood is characterized by coherent change patterns, of increase in the importance of growth, and decrease in the focus on conflicting protection values.

New frontiers in the teaching of the agricultural enterprise: elements for a debate

The ecological transition assigns a strategic role to farms in achieving the sustainable transformation of agricultural systems. Therefore, teaching of agricultural economics must make these demands of civil society its own and rethink topics, decision-making tools, and teaching methods fostering the transition to sustainable agriculture. The main aim of this article is discussing the relevant teaching topics and the useful decision support tools useful for concrete progress in agricultural economics in the cycles of university studies. Five topics are recognized as priorities for the rethinking of courses on agricultural economics: agricultural systems, equitable distribution of value, quality and value of agri-food products, territorial regeneration, protection and regeneration of natural resources. The paper focuses also on the nature and role of decision support tools in university teaching. Finally, some considerations are extended to the opportunities offered by formal teaching in the context of informal training such as university-enterprise cooperation and in the context of the internationalization of degree courses supported by the Erasmus+ program. Further analysis is needed to evaluate how to rethink both single training courses, and global study programs in agricultural economics.

Development of a Road Protection Value Model as an Indicator for National Road Safety Performance Assessment from the Perspective of Drivers of Four or More Wheeled Motorized Vehicles

This paper introduces the model of Star Rating Scores (SRS) or Road Protector Scores (RPS) for Indonesian National Roads from the perspective of motorized vehicle drivers with four or more wheels, which are explored from the characteristics of traffic accidents along Indonesia's national roads. This SRS model takes into account 2 different main parameters and 4 main parameters that are the same as the main parameters of the SRS International Road Assessment Program (iRAP) and a total of 51 road attributes. The two main parameters that differ from the SRS iRAP model are the parameters for front-rear crashes and fore-side crashes when turning around. While the 4 parameters are the same as front-side collision accidents at property access, single accidents leaving the road body, front-to-front collision accidents, and accidents at intersections. In the early stages, the National Road SRS model was designed using 51 road attributes. After analysis using the Importance and Performance Analysis (IPA) method, 43 road attributes were successfully formulated for the SRS National Road model, consisting of 30 likelihood factor attributes, 10 severity factor attributes, 2 external traffic influence factor attributes, and 1 factor attribute operational speed. In addition, it is proven that the SRS National Road model is significantly different from the SRS iRAP model. The three main parameters of the National Road SRS model, namely the front-rear hit accident parameter, the front-side hit accident parameter when turning around, and the front-side hit accident parameter at property access are significantly different from the parameters of the SRS iRAP model.

Overcoming personal information protection challenges involving real-world data to support public health efforts in China.

In the information age, real-world data-based evidence can help extrapolate and supplement data from randomized controlled trials, which can benefit clinical trials and drug development and improve public health decision-making. However, the legitimate use of real-world data in China is limited due to concerns over patient confidentiality. The use of personal information is a core element of data governance in public health. In China's public health data governance, practical problems exist, such as balancing personal information protection and public value conflict. In 2021, China adopted the Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL) to provide a consistent legal framework for protecting personal information, including sensitive medical health data. Despite the PIPL offering critical legal safeguards for processing health data, further clarification is needed regarding specific issues, including the meaning of "separate consent," cross-border data transfer requirements, and exceptions for scientific research. A shift in the law and regulatory framework is necessary to advance public health research further and realize the potential benefits of combining real-world evidence and digital health while respecting privacy in the technological and demographic change era.

30 Years of the Constitution of the Russian Federation: Traditional Values and New Priorities

On the eve of the 30th Anniversary of the Constitution of Russia, the author makes an attempt to evaluate the Russian basic law, the content of the norms enshrined in the Constitution for their compliance with traditional values, i.e., spirituality, conciliarity, and civilizational identity inherent in the peoples of Russia. The anniversary date makes it possible to comprehend the meaning of traditional values, their reflection in the basic laws of the Russian State adopted in different historical periods. The author examines approaches to the concept of constitutional (constitutionally significant, constitutionally protected) values expressed in the legal standings of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. The author elucidates various interpretations of the concept of «constitutional values» in the works of modern researchers, proves their relationship with the concept of «traditional values.» The conclusion is substantiated that only the goals, principles and priorities that are based on traditional values will be provided with popular support and will be able to become real prospects for constitutional development.

Meta-Analysis Comparing Nominal and Measured Concentrations of Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate in Aquatic Toxicity Studies Across Various Experimental Conditions.

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are among the most frequently detected chemicals among the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in aquatic environments. Because of their high detection frequency, persistence, and potential toxicity, interest in both PFOA and PFOS has increased in recent years. However, a substantial number of PFOA and PFOS toxicity tests only report nominal, or unmeasured, treatment concentrations, which may complicate the determination of protective values. In addition, previous literature has indicated that differences between nominal and measured concentrations of both PFOA and PFOS could be linked to experimental conditions (e.g., feeding regimes for test organisms, test vessel material [glass or plastic], use of solvent, and the presence of substrate). Therefore, this critical review examined whether nominal and measured concentrations were in close agreement with each other among the current PFOA and PFOS aquatic toxicity literature and if experimental conditions were associated with any observed differences. Nominal and measured concentrations in the current PFOA and PFOS aquatic toxicity literature generally displayed a high degree of linear correlation and relatively low median percent differences. Correlations between measured and nominal concentrations were >0.98 for PFOA and >0.95 for PFOS in freshwater tests across experimental conditions. For saltwater tests, correlations of >0.84 were observed for PFOA and PFOS (separate and combined) across experimental conditions. While measured PFOA and PFOS toxicity tests are generally preferred, the present meta-analysis demonstrated that experimental conditions had little influence on observed discrepancies between nominal and measured concentrations, with the exception of PFOS saltwater tests and PFOA and PFOS freshwater studies that contained substrate. Unmeasured tests with these conditions should be considered carefully based on project needs, with the caveat that the data sets for these two experimental conditions were limited. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2289-2301. Published 2023. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

The protective value of trait mindfulness for mothers' anxiety during the perinatal period

ObjectivesAnxiety is highly prevalent in the perinatal period and can have negative consequences for the mother and the child. Extensive research has been done on risk factors for anxiety during the perinatal period, but less is known about protective factors. The current study aims to determine the relative contribution of trait mindfulness as a protective factor for anxiety. MethodsA longitudinal study design was used, with four measurement points: 12, 22, and 32 weeks of pregnancy (T0, T1, and T2, respectively), and 6 weeks postpartum (T3). General anxiety was measured at T1, T2, and T3, pregnancy-specific distress was measured at T1 and T2, mindfulness facets (acting with awareness, non-reacting, and non-judging) and partner involvement were measured at T1, and other known risk factors for anxiety were measured at T0. Multilevel regression models were used for statistical analyses. ResultsMindfulness facets measured at T1 were negatively associated with anxiety at T1, T2, and T3, and pregnancy-specific distress at T1 and T2. Of the mindfulness facets, non-judging was shown to have the largest protective effect against anxiety and pregnancy-specific distress. Also compared to partner-involvement and known risk factors, non-judging showed the largest effect on anxiety and pregnancy-specific distress. ConclusionsFor pregnant women who are at risk for developing or experiencing high levels of anxiety, it may be beneficial to participate in a mindfulness training with special attention for the attitudinal aspects of mindfulness.