Regional Distribution of Brain Injury After Cardiac Arrest: Clinical and Electrographic Correlates

Background and Objectives:Disorders of consciousness, EEG background suppression and epileptic seizures are associated with poor outcome after cardiac arrest. Our objective was to identify the distribution of diffusion MRI-measured anoxic brain injury after cardiac arrest and to define the regional correlates of disorders of consciousness, EEG background suppression, and seizures.Methods:We analyzed patients from a single-center database of unresponsive patients who underwent diffusion MRI following cardiac arrest (n=204). We classified each patient based on recovery of consciousness (command-following) before discharge, the most continuous EEG background (burst suppression versus continuous), and the presence or absence of seizures. Anoxic brain injury was measured using the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) signal. We identified ADC abnormalities relative to control subjects without cardiac arrest (n=48) and used voxel lesion symptom mapping to identify regional associations with disorders of consciousness, EEG background suppression, and seizures. We then used a bootstrapped lasso regression procedure to identify robust, multivariate regional associations with each outcome variable. Finally, using area under receiver operating characteristic curves, we then compared the classification ability of the strongest regional associations to that of brain-wide summary measures.Results:Compared to controls, cardiac arrest patients demonstrated ADC signal reduction most significant in the occipital lobes. Disorders of consciousness were associated with reduced ADC most prominently in the occipital lobes, but also in deep structures. Regional injury more accurately classified patients with disorders of consciousness than whole-brain injury. Background suppression mapped to a similar set of brain regions, but regional injury could no better classify patients than whole-brain measures. Seizures were less common in patients with more severe anoxic injury, particularly in those with injury to the lateral temporal white matter.Discussion:Anoxic brain injury was most prevalent in posterior cerebral regions, and this regional pattern of injury was a better predictor of disorders of consciousness than whole-brain injury measures. EEG background suppression lacked a specific regional association, but patients with injury to the temporal lobe were less likely to have seizures. Regional patterns of anoxic brain injury are relevant to the clinical and electrographic sequelae of cardiac arrest and may hold importance for prognosis.Classification of Evidence:This study provides Class IV evidence that disorders of consciousness after cardiac arrest are associated with widely lower ADC values on diffusion MRI and are most strongly associated with reductions in occipital ADC.

DOES THE SHADOW ECONOMY AFFECT FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT? CASE STUDY OF POLAND AND POLISH REGIONS

The main goal of the research was to identify the relationship between the level of shadow economy and Foreign Direct Investment. The research was carried in Poland and Polish regions during 1990-2020. MIMIC approach was employed to calculate the level of shadow economy as a % of Polish and regional GDP. Pearson correlation index and Kolmogrov-Smirnov test were applied as well. The study proved there is a sound negative correlation (-0,636) between the shadow economy and foreign direct investment in Poland, but regional associations between those two variables demonstrated different results. Unlike in other Polish provinces, in Opolskie and Podkarpackie the correlation index confirmed a positive association between the level of shadow economy and FDI flow.

SCO CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL COOPERATION: DISCUSSION OF A PROPOSAL

Modern processes of geopolitical, socio-economic development of states and the global economy requirethe intensification of scientific and technical cooperation within the framework of regional associations,which include developing countries. This is necessary for the transition from a resource-based economy to aknowledge economy and a significant improvement in the welfare of the population.Unfortunately, despitethe presence of appropriate prerequisites, scientific and technical cooperation between the member states ofthe Shanghai Cooperation Organization is extremely poorly developed.It seems that one of the reasons forthis is the absence of a convention document regulating in detail various aspects of cooperation in the areaunder consideration.The necessity of development and adoption of the Shanghai Cooperation OrganizationConvention on international scientific and scientific-technical cooperation is substantiated.It is proposed toinclude in this document the goals and principles of international scientific and technical cooperation, ruleson a permanent SCO body on international scientific and technical cooperation, provisions on financialsupport for scientific and technical cooperation, framework norms on the legal regime of territories ofadvanced scientific and scientific-technical development, as well as the norms disclosing the legal status ofparticipants in international scientific and scientific-technical cooperation.

National interests and regional development issues in the system of priorities of international activities of Russian universities

The monograph was prepared following the results of the XIX All-Russian Conference and the XXIX All-Russian school-seminar "Integration of Russian universities into the world educational and scientific space, taking into account regional peculiarities" and a regional scientific and practical conference "National interests and issues of regional development in the system of priorities of international activities of Russian universities". The conferences were organized to discuss the system of priorities in the development of international activities of Russian educational and scientific organizations; best practices and new solutions for attracting foreign students to study at universities of the Russian Federation, ensuring their education and stay, as well as employment of the best graduates; regulatory and legal support for the processes of internationalization and development of mobility of intellectual resources of Russia; analysis of the features of the development of intellectual migration processes in modern conditions, the place and role of the Russian language and culture in them; issues of adaptation and integration of educational and labor migration. The proposed materials can be useful to specialists of the Department of the education system of Russia and its regions, employees of federal and regional authorities and management, as well as regional associations of academic mobility.

Biogeographical affinity shapes relationships between ecological and phylogenetic mammal diversity and associations with their environmental correlates in the Americas

We evaluate the role of biogeographical affinity in shaping relationships between ecological diversity as a proxy of functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity and their association with environmental variation, across tropical and temperate latitudes of the Americas. If environmental niches are evolutionarily conserved, high mammal taxa of tropical and temperate affinity will show consistent differences in these relationships. Accordingly, mammal groups of tropical affinity (old-autochthonous: marsupials and xenarthrans; and mid-Cenozoic immigrants: hystricognaths and primates) show stronger positive correlations between ecological and phylogenetic diversity within the tropics than those from extra-tropical latitudes where newcomers from North America (artiodactyls) show the strongest positive correlations. The other group of newcomers (carnivorans), however, show a peak in the association that include both tropical and extra-tropical latitudes of South America. Climate predominates over topographic relief in structuring the spatial variation of ecological and phylogenetic mammal diversity. The environmental structuring of ecological and phylogenetic mammal diversity across the Americas is more complex than expected from a latitudinal diversity gradient. Dry seasonal tropical habitats generated considerable heterogeneity in relationships between ecological and phylogenetic diversity and their association with environmental correlates. We conclude that biogeographical affinity and regional associations between the different components of diversity and the environment should be considered for a comprehensive explanation of covariation between ecological and phylogenetic diversity on a continental scale.

Transregionalization in the Context of Globalization

Transregionalization has already become a powerful trend in world politics. States and regional associations employ transregional initiatives to realize their own and collective interests. This new level of international interaction embraces a wide range of actors and fosters interconnectedness based on geographical proximity but shared functional preferences. Given the opposition between isolationism and disintegration, there is a problem of the relation between transregionalization and globalization. If the processes are unidirectional, then transregionalization is a stage of globalization. If they contradict each other, transregionalization facilitates the creation of new dividing lines.Considering several cases of megaprojects, especially in the Asia-Pacific, the article substantiates the typology of transregionalization, emphasizing its cooperative (inclusive and aimed at global integration) and competitive form (mostly exclusive and impossible to converge with other projects). The author stresses that strengthening functional ties makes transregionalization an adaptive version of globalization driven by common interests and shared views of future global development paths. Intensification of transregional relations is likely to stimulate globalization and integration practices and the participation of state and nonstate actors in global governance.In today’s world politics, transregionalization exists mainly in the form of projects and initiatives. This signifies both difficulties in reaching consensus on further cooperation and conservative states’ policy towards participating in such large-scale associations. However, the very emergence of transregional associations with varying degrees of convergence and institutionalization, promoting specific institutional and economic development and cooperation patterns, strengthens multipolarity of the international system.

Re-thinking the Lower-middle Level of Administration in Hungary with Particular Reference to the Web 3.0. Era

This paper will evaluate the current situation and role of the Hungarian (administrative) lower-middle level and make projections about its future. Centralisation efforts since 2010 have had a non-negligible impact on the administrative and non-administrative (common institution maintenance, micro-regional development policy) tasks assigned to the lower-middle level. However, it may be argued that the transition to the Web 3.0 era – the era of the most advanced, most intelligent and customised web technologies – may put such centralisation efforts into a new context. Revitalisation of formations similar to the multi-functional micro-regional associations of local self-governments which largely disappeared after 1 January 2013 may be justifiable in the forthcoming period in order to promote local synergies. If this is correct, a rethink of the public administration system at the lower-middle level may become a very important task for the public administration as along with regional discourse.

Pedagogical and political concept of interaction of Ukraine and Visegrad Group

In the context of globalization and the development of integration processes, the geographical expansion of the European Union, new actors in the system of international relations, in particular regional associations, are acquiring increasing importance. Taking this into account, Ukraine not only declared its intention to join the European Union, but also identified as one of the priorities of its foreign policy course the building up of cooperation with the Visegrad Group countries, with the help of the EU instruments, which form a new architecture of international relations. The main purpose of the article is to review the political and pedagogical concept of interaction with the Visegrad Group. A number of formal-logical, systemic, structural and institutional research methods were applied. As a result, the political and pedagogical side of the concept of interaction with the Visegrad Group was revealed.

EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION DURING THE PANDEMIC: INTEGRATION PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

The article aims to assess the results of the development of the Eurasian Economic Union, including in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. The theoretical and methodological foundation of the study of integration is based on studying the activity of various regional associations from the viewpoint of the integration levels and ultimate goals. Depending on the set goals, it is possible to predict and strategically calculate the consequences and possible benefits of economic integration. Using statistical analysis tools, the authors analyzed the key economic indicators affecting the development of the EAEU. Official data of international structures (World Bank, U.N., EAEU), government agencies, various reports and reviews were also used in the work. The studied indicators are presented in the article in tables and graphs, created by the authors for the purpose of visualizing the relevant processes. Logical reasoning is used to describe the results obtained. The article assesses the consequences of the pandemic for global trade and analyzes further ways of developing the world political process. Today, many countries face similar problems due to the pandemic, and take unprecedented measures in order to address them. Most countries have restricted the export of essential goods, such as medical supplies and food. Global economic ties aimed at liberalizing trade have been called into question, since each state is forced to ensure its own national security in the face of the pandemic. In this respect, the question of strength and stability of the globalization processes are in a changing world? Certain event scenarios are considered in the conclusion of the article, one of which is a transition to a policy of protectionism and import substitution.

Susceptibility to postmortem (co)-pathologies in antemortem atrophy-based subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease

ObjectivesTo investigate whether antemortem atrophy-based subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may be differentially susceptible to individual or concomitance of AD and non-AD (co)-pathologies, assessed neuropathologically at postmortem.MethodsWe selected 31 individuals from the AD neuroimaging initiative with: an antemortem magnetic resonance imaging scan evaluating brain atrophy available within two years before death; an antemortem diagnosis of AD dementia or prodromal AD; and postmortem neuropathological confirmation of AD. Antemortem atrophy-based subtypes was modeled as a continuous phenomenon in terms of two recently proposed dimensions: typicality (ranging from limbic-predominant AD to hippocampal-sparing AD subtypes) and severity (ranging from typical AD to minimal atrophy AD subtypes). Postmortem neuropathological evaluation included global and regional outcomes: AD hallmark pathologies of amyloid-beta and tau; non-AD co-pathologies of alpha-synuclein Lewy body and TDP-43; and the overall concomitance across these four (co)-pathologies. Partial correlation and linear regression models were used to assess the association between antemortem atrophy-based subtypes and postmortem neuropathological outcomes.ResultsWe observed significant global and regional associations between antemortem typicality and postmortem (co)-pathologies including tau, alpha-synuclein Lewy bodies and TDP-43. Antemortem typicality demonstrated stronger regional associations with concomitance of multiple postmortem (co)-pathologies in comparison to antemortem severity. Our findings suggest the following susceptibilities of atrophy-based subtypes: limbic-predominant AD towards higher burden of tau and TDP-43 pathologies while hippocampal-sparing AD towards lower burdens; limbic-predominant AD and typical AD towards higher burden of alpha-synuclein Lewy body pathology while hippocampal-sparing AD and minimal-atrophy AD towards lower burdens.DiscussionThrough a direct antemortem-to-postmortem validation, our study highlights the importance of understanding heterogeneity in AD in relation to concomitance of AD and non-AD pathologies. Our findings provide a deeper understanding of both global and regional vulnerabilities of the biological subtypes of AD brain towards (co)-pathologies. Relative involvement of both AD hallmark and non-AD (co)-pathologies will enhance prevailing knowledge of biological heterogeneity in AD and could thus, contribute towards tracking disease progression and designing clinical trials in the future.