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BACKGROUND: Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes in infants and children with potential lifelong consequences. Negative effects of MSDP on placental DNA methylation (DNAm), placental structure, and function are well established. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to develop biomarkers of MSDP using DNAm measured in placentas (N =96), collected as part of the Vitamin C to Decrease the Effects of Smoking in Pregnancy on Infant Lung Function double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial conducted between 2012 and 2016. We also aimed to develop a digital polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the top ranking cytosine--guanine dinucleotide (CpG) so that large numbers of samples can be screened for exposure at low cost. METHODS: We compared the ability of four machine learning methods [logistic least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, logistic elastic net regression, random forest, and gradient boosting machine] to classify MSDP based on placental DNAm signatures. We developed separate models using the complete EPIC array dataset and on the subset of probes also found on the 450K array so that models exist for both platforms. For comparison, we developed a model using CpGs previously associated with MSDP in placenta. For each final model, we used model coefficients and normalized beta values to calculate placental smoking index (PSI) scores for each sample. Final models were validated in two external datasets: the Extremely Low Gestational Age Newborn observational study, N = 426; and the Rhode Island Children's Health Study, N = 237. RESULTS: Logistic LASSO regression demonstrated the highest performance in cross-validation testing with the lowest number of input CpGs. Accuracy was greatest in external datasets when using models developed for the same platform. PSI scores in smokers only (n = 72) were moderately correlated with maternal plasma cotinine levels. One CpG (cg27402634), with the largest coefficient in two models, was measured accurately by digital PCR compared with measurement by EPIC array ([R.sup.2] = 0.98). DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, we have developed the first placental DNAm-based biomarkers of MSDP with broad utility to studies of prenatal disease origins. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13838, Introduction Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) is associated with increased risk of low birth weight, prematurity, and perinatal mortality. (1-4) MSDP is also associated with greater risk of cardiovascular, [...]

BACKGROUND: The potential health benefits of exposure to vegetation, or greenness, are well documented, but there are few nationwide studies in Brazil, a country facing challenges related to land-use planning, deforestation, and environmental health risks. OBJECTIVES: In this study, we investigated the association between greenness and hospitalizations for cardiorespiratory diseases in Brazil. METHODS: We accessed hospital admissions data from 967,771 postal codes (a total of 26,724,624 admissions) covering Brazil for the period between 2008 and 2018. We used Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to measure greenness at the postal-code level. First, we applied a quasi-Poisson regression model to estimate the association between greenness and hospitalizations for circulatory and respiratory diseases, adjusted for air pollution, weather variables, and area-level socioeconomic status. We stratified the analyzes by sex, age group, health outcome, and Brazilian regions. In the second stage, we performed a meta-analysis to estimate pooled effects across the Brazilian regions. RESULTS: The national meta-analysis for the whole population, incorporating both urban and nonurban areas, showed that higher levels of greenness were associated with a lower risk of hospitalizations for circulatory diseases. An interquartile range (IQR = 0:18) increase in average NDVI was associated with a 17% (95% confidence interval: 8%, 27%) lower risk of cardiovascular admissions. In contrast, there was no association found between greenness and respiratory admissions. When specifically examining urban areas, the results remained consistent with the overall findings. However, the analyses of nonurban areas revealed divergent results, suggesting that higher levels of greenness in rural regions are associated with a lower risk of hospital admissions for both circulatory and respiratory diseases. DISCUSSION: The findings emphasize the importance of prioritizing the preservation and creation of green spaces in urban areas as a means of promoting cardiovascular health in Brazil. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13442, Introduction Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. (1) In Brazil, these diseases are responsible for a significant number of hospital admissions and deaths. [...]

This study reports that targeting intrinsically disordered regions of the voltage-gated sodium channel 1.7 ([Na.sub.V]1.7) protein facilitates discovery of sodium channel inhibitory peptide aptamers ([Na.sub.V]iPA) for adeno-associated virus-mediated (AAV-mediated), sensory neuron-specific analgesia. A multipronged inhibition of [I.sub.Na1.7], [I.sub.Na1.6], [I.sub.Na1.3], and [I.sub.Na1.1]--but not [I.sub.Na1.5] and [I.sub.Na1.8]--was found for a prototype and named [Na.sub.V]iPA1, which was derived from the [Na.sub.V]1.7 intracellular loop 1, and is conserved among the TTXs [Na.sub.V] subtypes. [Na.sub.V]iPA1 expression in primary sensory neurons (PSNs) of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) produced significant inhibition of TTXs [I.sub.Na] but not TTXr [I.sub.Na]. DRG injection of AAV6-encoded [Na.sub.V]iPA1 significantly attenuated evoked and spontaneous pain behaviors in both male and female rats with neuropathic pain induced by tibial nerve injury (TNI). Whole-cell current clamp of the PSNs showed that [Na.sub.V]iPA1 expression normalized PSN excitability in TNI rats, suggesting that [Na.sub.V]iPA1 attenuated pain by reversal of injury-induced neuronal hypersensitivity. IHC revealed efficient [Na.sub.V]iPA1 expression restricted in PSNs and their central and peripheral terminals, indicating PSN- restricted AAV biodistribution. Inhibition of sodium channels by [Na.sub.V]iPA1 was replicated in the human iPSC-derived sensory neurons. These results summate that [Na.sub.V]iPA1 is a promising analgesic lead that, combined with AAV-mediated PSN-specific block of multiple TTXs [Na.sub.V]s, has potential as a peripheral nerve-restricted analgesic therapeutic., Introduction Voltage-gated sodium channels ([Na.sub.V]s) are key regulators of neuronal excitability and pain sensations (1). Mammals possess 9 isoforms of [Na.sub.V]s, of which [Na.sub.V]1.7, [Na.sub.V]1.8, and [Na.sub.V]1.9 are preferentially expressed [...]

Quality assessment enables organisations to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their services, which is essential for continuous improvement and adaptation to customer needs. IBM SPSS Statistics is one of the most widely used statistical analysis tools that enables efficient processing and evaluation of survey data. With its wide range of features and intuitive interface, SPSS is the ideal tool for data analysis in a variety of fields, including transportation. The aim of this paper is to present methods for data analysis in transport services, focusing on the use of IBM SPSS Statistics. Using chi-square test, the relationships between different quality criteria will be investigated, which will provide valuable information for improving the services provided and increasing customer satisfaction. The results of this analysis will highlight the importance of a systematic approach to quality management and the benefits it brings to organisations operating in a dynamic and competitive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the main aspects of internal control based on the example of the Chornomorsk territorial community (TG), located in the south of Ukraine. The authors identify a number of shortcomings in the internal control system of the Chornomorsk TG and analyze the main economic indicators of the Chornomorsk TG. The article also considers the main achievements of the Chornomorsk TG and explores the main features of changes in the development of the Chornomorsk TG, taking into account the martial law and innovations in the legislation. Finally, the authors develop proposals for improving the internal control system of the Chornomorsk TG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environnement, Risques & Santé is the property of John Libbey Eurotext Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present review deals with the issues of ensuring and maintaining high reliability during the entire life cycle of a technical system in the engineering sector, i.e., determining the requirements, design, research, development, production, installation, operation, and disposal of the product. Owing to their reliability, special attention is given to the technical systems in companies for several reasons. These mainly include the need to achieve reliability and safety by using the product, but also in terms of economic, social, and ecological aspects. We understand reliability as a primary feature, and during the design of new products, it is necessary to predict its course and characteristics appropriately. Reliability needs to be analyzed with the help of partial reliability properties throughout the entire life cycle of the product. To achieve the required level of reliability, we use reliability analyses, which are successfully implemented to examine and predict reliability indicators. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of reliability analysis and offers a mathematical basis for individual sub-indicators. In the article, the analysis of system reliability is described as a process, the essence of which is the acquisition, examination, and organization of specific information. This information is significant for the given system and necessary for making decisions according to the specified goals, which ensure an objective assessment of the overall level of reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Profitability is an economic category of fundamental importance for the theory and practice of the economic analysis. It is a generalized relative indicator that characterizes the effectiveness of the activity of business subjects that function in different sectors and their related industries of the national economy. The object of this publication covers the enterprise’s profitability calculated on revenue basis. The subject matter of the study refers to the profitability on revenue from sales of products basis (profitability of revenue). The article consistently substantiates the methods for analysis of revenue-based profitability and profitability on net revenue from sales of products basis. It highlights different options and models for analysis, thus binding the different aspects of the enterprise’s business. It determines the power and direction of the direct factors’ impact on the changes of profitability calculated on the basis of the total amount of revenue and the amount of net revenue from sales of products. It further substantiates the objectively existing relations and dependencies both between revenue-based profitability and the indicator ‘Costs per revenue of BGN 100’ (revenue effectiveness), that characterizes the effectiveness of the overall business, as well as those between profitability of sales and the indicator ‘Full cost per production of BGN 100’, that characterizes the effectiveness of the enterprises’ operations carrying out industrial business as their principal activity. The author’s objective is to improve the methods for analysis of profitability calculated on revenue basis and net revenue from sales of products basis. The profitability analysis is a typical example of external analysis. It is carried out by using data from the enterprises’ financial statements, which are public. The information obtained from the analysis is designed to meet the information needs of external users of information disclosed in the enterprises’ financial statements. The information obtained from the analysis enable them to make informed decisions for the relevant enterprise and their business contacts with them. The resultative analytical information is useful for the internal users – the financial management and the management of each enterprise in general, in order to elaborate and make informed, justified and efficient decisions for the development of its business, the achievement and maintenance of market and financial stability, as well as financial balance in short- and long-term perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. One of the tasks of modern education is the formation of the competencies of the «Systemic and Critical Thinking» group. Theoretical analysis. The article reveals the meaning of the concept of critical thinking, highlights its components and substantiates the significance of the development of this thinking in the cadets of the preparatory course, since it is during this period that the skills of working with scientific literature written in Russian are laid. Empirical analysis. These methods and techniques of working with didactic material based on the texts of the disciplines of the professional cycle made it possible to increase not only interest in learning the Russian language, but also to prepare students for the analytical reading of textbooks, which contributes to the development of critical thinking. Conclusion. The article presents arguments proving the importance of the development of critical thinking in military personnel, since the study of scientific and methodological literature led to the conclusion that, first of all, grammatical skills are formed in the process of learning a language as a foreign one. Examples of tasks that form and develop the components of critical thinking are given, the methods used in the process of studying Russian as a foreign language are briefly substantiated, the purpose and objectives of studying this discipline are indicated. The article is advisory in nature, and its relevance is justified by the requirements of the educational standard of the specialty “Flight Operation and Application of Aviation Complexes”.

Most developing countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and many more are still fighting against poliovirus. According to the World Health Organization, approximately eighteen million people have been infected with poliovirus in the last two decades. In Asia, still, some countries are suffering from the virus. The stochastic behavior of the poliovirus through the transition probabilities and non-parametric perturbation with fundamental properties are studied. Some basic properties of the deterministic model are studied, equilibria, local stability around the stead states, and reproduction number. EulerMaruyama, stochastic Euler, and stochastic Runge-Kutta study the behavior of complex stochastic differential equations. The main target of this study is to develop a nonstandard computational method that restores dynamical features like positivity, boundedness, and dynamical consistency. Unfortunately, the existing methods failed to fix the actual behavior of the disease. The comparison of the proposed approach with existing methods is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses data mining methods based on various research materials. Some basic methods and examples of using tools used for data mining are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]