Social-Ecological Change on the Mongolian Steppe: Herder Perceptions of Causes, Impacts, and Adaptive Strategies

Pastoral people in rangelands worldwide are experiencing uncertainty due to a combination of climatic, economic, and political stressors. Our study seeks to create a full view of the drivers, impacts, and adaptations to change for livestock herders in rural Mongolia, making use of herder traditional knowledge and select instrumental data. Interview respondents described undesirable trends in livestock herds, pasture, wildlife, and their livelihoods in three sites in northern, central, and eastern Mongolia from 1995 to 2015, including decreased lake levels. There was more agreement for precipitation trends than for temperature. We developed a systems model based on herder descriptions of the sequence and prominence of interacting drivers of change. Finally, we describe measures herders are taking to adapt to these changes, such as more frequent livestock movement. We present a transdisciplinary view of social-ecological change and applications for more regionally focused governance in an era of climate uncertainty.

Colonic Lipoma Causing Bowel Intussusception: An Up-to-Date Systematic Review

Background: Colonic lipomas are rare and can sometimes cause intussusception. The aim of this review was to define the presentation and possible management for colocolic intussusception caused by colonic lipomas. Methods: A systematic search for patients with colocolic intussusception caused by colonic lipoma, including all available reports up to 2021. Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory, and instrumental data and details about the treatments performed were gathered. Results: Colocolic intussusception caused by lipoma is more frequent in women (57%), occurring between 40 and 70 years of age. Up to 83% of patients report abdominal pain, followed by constipation (18%), rectal bleeding (16%), and diarrhea (12%), with abdominal tenderness (37%), and distension in 16%, whereas 24% have a negative exploration. CT (72%) and colonoscopy (62%) are more commonly able to diagnose the entity. The most common location of intussusception is the transverse colon (28%). The surgical operation varies according to the site. The average dimensions of the lipoma are 59.81 × 47.84 × 38.9 mm3. Conclusions: A correct preoperative diagnosis of colonic lipoma causing intussusception might not be easy. Despite nonspecific clinical and laboratory presentation, cross-sectional imaging can help differential diagnosis. Surgical treatment depends on the localization.

Chromatographic Applications in the Multi-Way Calibration Field

In this review, recent advances and applications using multi-way calibration protocols based on the processing of multi-dimensional chromatographic data are discussed. We first describe the various modes in which multi-way chromatographic data sets can be generated, including some important characteristics that should be taken into account for the selection of an adequate data processing model. We then discuss the different manners in which the collected instrumental data can be arranged, and the most usually applied models and algorithms for the decomposition of the data arrays. The latter activity leads to the estimation of surrogate variables (scores), useful for analyte quantitation in the presence of uncalibrated interferences, achieving the second-order advantage. Recent experimental reports based on multi-way liquid and gas chromatographic data are then reviewed. Finally, analytical figures of merit that should always accompany quantitative calibration reports are described.

The evolution of climatic drought studies in Spain over the last few decades

This study reviews the evolution of scientific research on climatic droughts in Spain over the last few decades. The complexity of this natural hazard and the wide incidence of droughts in Spain have led to great interest from scientists in Spain, and generated a significant amount of scientific work on the topic over the last two decades. Climatic drought studies have evolved from predominantly descriptive studies up to the 1990s to highly diverse research topics, which include the development of indices, tools and datasets, the study of drought hazard probability, the analysis of drought variability and trends, including research on long term drought reconstructions and analysis with instrumental data, an assessment of drought mechanisms and drivers, and drought modeling, including how models represent droughts, and applying models to drought forecasting and future projections. The study of climatic droughts in Spain is highly internationalized, since most of the current scientific studies are published in high-impact international journals and, nowadays, do not only cover Spain, but also other world regions as well as continental and global studies.

Increasing reliability of forensic analysis while research on destroyed relief marking with magneto-optical devices

While research on destroyed relief marking of metal objects using the magneto-optical method, visualization of (invisible) fields of internal stress in the VIN plate area is performed and then a forensic analysis of obtained instrumental data is carried out (indirect organoleptic observation of the visualization results); thus, forensic analysis reliability of results directly depends on sensitivity of instruments and informativeness of instrumental data. The main quantitative characteristic in this case is probability of correct signal recognition (contours of marking signs) against the background of noise (structural noise of investigated surface and the noise of the visualization method itself) determined by the signal-to-noise ratio. This article presents results of a comparative experimental assessment of signal-to-noise ratio and probability of correct signal recognition while restoringthe destroyed relief markings for two complexes of magneto-optical imaging – models of 2006 and 2018. This article purpose is a quantitative and qualitative comparative assessment of results of visualization of internal stresses in areas of completely removed relief marking of metal objects. The results of successful practical research obtained by forensic experts from different countries make it possible to assess effectiveness and prospects of using the magneto-optical imaging method. In a new modification of the magneto-optical complex: signal level is 4.35 dB higher (contrast of reconstructed marking signs); 2.71 dB lower noise level (surface relief/texture and magnetic copying noise);• probability of correct character recognition is P> 0.995 (increased by 14.9%). Technical improvements in implementation of magneto-optical visualization method made it possible to expand the range of materials for research objects(magnetic and electrically conductive materials were investigated). The high efficiency of method for restoring marking is illustrated by results of forensic examinations for materials with a low level of residual stresses (aluminum alloy, low-carbon steel) which chemical etching method did not give results for. The use of new modification allows examining the rust layer, up to cases of corrosion to the entire depth of marks. Considering non-destructive nature of magneto-optical researches, possibility of their repeated repetition without losing object properties, this method (in accordance with the order of application of types of studies) deserves more attention for application.

Comparative characteristics of typical and atypical (Mycoplasma) pneumonia in children

Aim: To compare the features of clinical-anamnestic and laboratory-instrumental data and treatment of children with typical and atypical (Mycoplasma) forms of pneumonia.Materials and methods. A comparative analysis was carried out of 1 70 case histories of children in hospital with a verified diagnosis of pneumonia in 2020. The basis for the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumonia was a positive PCR result of a smear of the posterior pharyngeal wall. The resulting data was constructed using Microsoft Excel 2007.Results. Mycoplasma pneumonia is specific for older schoolchildren; characterized by: prolonged course (73.5%), long-term preservation of an unproductive cough (75.7%), mild intoxication (68.6%) and catarrhal syndromes (54.3%), gradual onset (76.6%), severe lymphocytosis up to 55%, segmental or polysegmental damage to the lung tissue (92.7%).

Sensory Profile of Kombucha Brewed with New Zealand Ingredients by Focus Group and Word Clouds

Kombucha is a yeast and bacterially fermented tea that is often described as having an acetic, fruity and sour flavour. There is a particular lack of sensory research around the use of Kombucha with additional ingredients such as those from the pepper family, or with hops. The goal of this project was to obtain a sensory profile of Kombucha beverages with a range of different ingredients, particularly of a novel Kombucha made with only Kawakawa (Piper excelsum) leaves. Other samples included hops and black pepper. Instrumental data were collected for all the Kombucha samples, and a sensory focus group of eight semi-trained panellists were set up to create a sensory profile of four products. Commercially available Kombucha, along with reference training samples were used to train the panel. Kawakawa Kombucha was found to be the sourest of the four samples and was described as having the bitterest aftertaste. The instrumental results showed that the Kawakawa Kombucha had the highest titratable acidity (1.55 vs. 1.21–1.42 mL) as well as the highest alcohol percentage (0.40 vs. 0.15–0.30%). The hops sample had the highest pH (3.72 vs. 3.49–3.54), with the lowest titratable acidity (1.21), and, from a basic poll, was the most liked of the samples. Each Kombucha had its own unique set of sensory descriptors with particular emphasis on the Kawakawa product, having unique mouthfeel descriptors as a result of some of the compounds found in Kawakawa. This research has led to a few areas that could be further studied, such as the characteristics of the Piperaceae family under fermentation and the different effects or the foaminess of the Kawakawa Kombucha, which is not fully explained.

Complete invagination of the vermiform appendix of the cecum – a rare case in surgical practice

An extremely rare case of complete invagination of the vermiform appendix in a 45-year-old female patient caused by endometriosis is presented. Difficulties of preoperative diagnostics and determination of treatment tactics in the absence of specific clinical and instrumental data are demonstrated.