Interrelation and interaction of principles of socio-ecological and economic concepts

Subject. The article addresses the principles of circular economy in their relationship with the principles of sustainable development and green economy. Objectives. The aim is to clarify the principles of circular economy and green economy, establish the relationship of principles of these concepts, propose new principles of circular economy. Methods. The study rests on methods of analysis, synthesis, comparative and causal analysis. Results. The paper presents a comparative analysis of principles of the green economy. On its basis, a new interpretation of the concept principles is offered. Taking into account the interrelation of the concepts of green and circular economies, the paper also clarifies the principles of the circular economy. The framework of the circular economy is supplemented by principles of regional specificity, recovery, regeneration and reclamation. I propose to consider the framework of circular economy from the point of view of "principles-conditions" and "principles-actions". Conclusions. Despite its popularity, the paradigm of the circular economy has not been properly formed. The scientific literature still lacks a systems and comprehensive analysis of its conceptual foundations. The principles of circular economy should reflect the relationship of the concept with the fundamental principles of sustainable development and the green economy, though have their own specifics.

Functional organization of social perception in the human brain

Humans can readily perceive a multitude of features from social interactions, but the phenomenological and neural basis of social perception has yet to be solved. Short film clips with rich social content were shown to 97 healthy participants while their haemodynamic brain activity was measured with fMRI. The stimulus clips were annotated for 112 social features yielding the initial stimulus model. Cluster analysis revealed that 13 dimensions were sufficient for describing the social perceptual space. Univariate GLM using these dimensions as predictors was used to map regional neural response profiles to different social features. Multivariate pattern analysis was then utilized to establish the regional specificity of the responses. The results revealed a posterior-anterior gradient in the processing of social information in the brain. Occipital and temporal regions responded to most social dimensions and the classifier revealed that these responses were dimension specific; in contrast Heschl gyri and parietal areas were also broadly tuned to different social signals yet the responses were domain-general and did not differentiate between dimensions. Altogether these results highlight the distributed nature of social processing in the brain as well as the specific contributions of feature-specific versus domain-general social perceptual processes.

Modular Derivation and Unbiased Single-cell Analysis of Regional Human Hindbrain And Spinal Neurons Enables Discovery of Nuanced Transcriptomic Patterns along Developmental Axes

Our inability to derive the vast neuronal diversity of the posterior central nervous system (pCNS) using human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) poses a major impediment to understanding human neurodevelopment and disease in the hindbrain and spinal cord. Here we establish a modular differentiation paradigm that recapitulates patterning along both the rostrocaudal (R/C) and dorsoventral (D/V) axes of the pCNS, enabling derivation of any neuronal phenotype with discrete regional specificity. First, neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs) with discrete Hox profiles are efficiently converted to pCNS progenitors (pCNSPs). Then by tuning D/V signaling, pCNSPs are directed to ventral Shh-dependent MNs (MNs) and locomotor interneurons (INs) or dorsal TGF-β-dependent proprioceptive INs and TGF-β-independent sensory INs. We applied D/V protocols to NMPs spanning the R/C axis for expansive single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNAseq) analysis. By implementing a novel computational pipeline comprising sparse non-negative matrix factorization, consensus clustering, and combinatorial gene expression pattern identification, we detect hundreds of transcriptional markers within region-specific neuronal phenotypes, enabling discovery of gene expression patterns along the developmental axes. These findings highlight the potential of these resources to advance a mechanistic understanding of pCNS development, expand the potential and accuracy of in vitro models, and inform novel regenerative therapeutic strategies.

FORESTRY PRINCIPLES AND LOGISTICS IN THE SPHERE OF REPRODUCTION OF OAK FORESTS IN THE CENTRAL BLACK EARTH

The reproduction of forests is long-term. A complex and multifaceted silvicultural and technological process taking place in the conditions of disordered economic human activity and global warming. Reproduction of oak forests in the Central Black Earth Region, which are the cradle of Russian ship oak forests, has a regional specificity, which consists in the fact that in most forestries it is carried out mainly through artificial reforestation and sometimes combined. The reason is the complete absence of natural seed regeneration of oak under the canopy of mature and over-mature stands entering clear and selective sanitary felling.Even in narrow-cut and clear- cut areas, including those cultivated in accordance with the current requirements of the “Regulations for reforestation”, there is an intensive change of the main forest-forming species (pedunculate oak, common ash and Norway maple) to accompanying and less valuable (aspen, willow, birch , linden, hazel, etc.).On the basis of generalization of the long-term experience of the forestries of the region, logistics and silvicultural principles of sustainable-expanded, program- targeted and effective reproduction of oak forests are proposed and scientifically substantiated, without strict adherence to which, in practice, it is impossible to grow new durable high-quality, sustainable and highly productive oak forests with given target taxation characteristics. A step-by- step algorithm of sustainably expanded reproduction of oak forests of the future is considered. Prospects, ways and methods of high-quality and sustainably expanded reproduction of oak forests in the forestries of the Central Chernozem region have been determined.The prospects, ways and methods of high-quality and sustainably expanded reproduction of oak forests in the forestries of the Central Chernozem region have been determined. Controlled natural seed and artificial methods with the obligatory timely and high-quality agrotechnical and silvicultural maintenance, preventing the drowning of the pedunculate oak by other, faster-growing species, should become priority.

The Regional Specificity of Mucosa-Associated Microbiota in Patients with Distal Colorectal Cancer

<b><i>Background/Aims:</i></b> Recent studies have demonstrated that the populations of several microbes are significantly increased in fecal samples from patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), suggesting their involvement in the development of CRC. The aim of this study was to identify microbes which are increased in distal CRCs and to identify the specific location of microbes increased in mucosal tissue around the tumor. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Tissue specimens were collected from surgical resections of 28 distal CRCs. Five samples were collected from each specimen (location A: tumor, B: adjacent normal mucosa, C: normal mucosa 1 cm proximal to the tumor, D: normal mucosa 3 cm proximally, and E: normal mucosa 6 cm proximally). The microbiota in the sample were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and the relative abundance (RA) of microbiota compared among the 5 locations. <b><i>Results:</i></b> At the genus level, the RA of <i>Fusobacterium</i> and <i>Streptococcus</i> at location A was the highest among the 5 locations, significantly different from that in location E. The dominant species of each genus was <i>Fusobacterium nucleatum</i> and <i>Streptococcus anginosus.</i> The RAs of these species gradually decreased from locations B to E with a statistically significant difference in <i>F. nucleatum</i>. The genus <i>Peptostreptococcus</i> also showed a similar trend, and the RA of <i>Peptostreptococcus stomatis</i> in location A was significantly associated with depth of tumor invasion and tumor size. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Although the clinical relevance is not clear yet, these results suggest that <i>F. nucleatum, S. anginosus</i>, and <i>P. stomatis</i> can spread to the adjacent normal tissues and may change the surrounding microenvironment to support the progression of CRC.

Morphological diversity of single neurons in molecularly defined cell types

Dendritic and axonal morphology reflects the input and output of neurons and is a defining feature of neuronal types1,2, yet our knowledge of its diversity remains limited. Here, to systematically examine complete single-neuron morphologies on a brain-wide scale, we established a pipeline encompassing sparse labelling, whole-brain imaging, reconstruction, registration and analysis. We fully reconstructed 1,741 neurons from cortex, claustrum, thalamus, striatum and other brain regions in mice. We identified 11 major projection neuron types with distinct morphological features and corresponding transcriptomic identities. Extensive projectional diversity was found within each of these major types, on the basis of which some types were clustered into more refined subtypes. This diversity follows a set of generalizable principles that govern long-range axonal projections at different levels, including molecular correspondence, divergent or convergent projection, axon termination pattern, regional specificity, topography, and individual cell variability. Although clear concordance with transcriptomic profiles is evident at the level of major projection type, fine-grained morphological diversity often does not readily correlate with transcriptomic subtypes derived from unsupervised clustering, highlighting the need for single-cell cross-modality studies. Overall, our study demonstrates the crucial need for quantitative description of complete single-cell anatomy in cell-type classification, as single-cell morphological diversity reveals a plethora of ways in which different cell types and their individual members may contribute to the configuration and function of their respective circuits.

Misregulation of the expression and activity of DNA methyltransferases in cancer

In mammals, DNA methyltransferases DNMT1 and DNMT3’s (A, B and L) deposit and maintain DNA methylation in dividing and nondividing cells. Although these enzymes have an unremarkable DNA sequence specificity (CpG), their regional specificity is regulated by interactions with various protein factors, chromatin modifiers, and post-translational modifications of histones. Changes in the DNMT expression or interacting partners affect DNA methylation patterns. Consequently, the acquired gene expression may increase the proliferative potential of cells, often concomitant with loss of cell identity as found in cancer. Aberrant DNA methylation, including hypermethylation and hypomethylation at various genomic regions, therefore, is a hallmark of most cancers. Additionally, somatic mutations in DNMTs that affect catalytic activity were mapped in Acute Myeloid Leukemia cancer cells. Despite being very effective in some cancers, the clinically approved DNMT inhibitors lack specificity, which could result in a wide range of deleterious effects. Elucidating distinct molecular mechanisms of DNMTs will facilitate the discovery of alternative cancer therapeutic targets. This review is focused on: (i) the structure and characteristics of DNMTs, (ii) the prevalence of mutations and abnormal expression of DNMTs in cancer, (iii) factors that mediate their abnormal expression and (iv) the effect of anomalous DNMT-complexes in cancer.

Social marginalization in regions of Siberia and Far East of Russia: Factors, Features, Trends

The social marginalization is one of the most acute problems of modern Russia as it results in its development slowdown and a loss in its social and human capital. The marginalization is particularly wide-spread in the regions of the Asian part of the country. The marginalization is characterized by a complex of problems including the social diseases, the spread of crimes in various forms, the economic and social benefits deprivation, etc. Due to the impoverishment of the human capital, the progress is slow in the Siberian and Far Eastern regions, and this threatens the sustainable economic development here. In this paper, the authors propose a system of indicators and a methodology enabling a comprehensive assessment of the social marginalization. An attempt is made in the paper to link some statistical indicators of the social deprivation with the most striking characteristics of the marginalization in the society. Also, in the paper, the heterogeneity and the regional specificity of this phenomenon are shown. The main factors of geographic, economic, cultural and institutional origin making their impact on the level of marginalization have also been identified.

Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 mutations reveals regional-specificity and similar trends of N501 and high-frequency mutation N501Y in different levels of control measures

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This disease has spread globally, causing more than 161.5 million cases and 3.3 million deaths to date. Surveillance and monitoring of new mutations in the virus’ genome are crucial to our understanding of the adaptation of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, how the temporal dynamics of these mutations is influenced by control measures and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) is poorly understood. Using 1,058,020 SARS-CoV-2 from sequenced COVID-19 cases from 98 countries (totaling 714 country-month combinations), we perform a normalization by COVID-19 cases to calculate the relative frequency of SARS-CoV-2 mutations and explore their dynamics over time. We found 115 mutations estimated to be present in more than 3% of global COVID-19 cases and determined three types of mutation dynamics: high-frequency, medium-frequency, and low-frequency. Classification of mutations based on temporal dynamics enable us to examine viral adaptation and evaluate the effects of implemented control measures in virus evolution during the pandemic. We showed that medium-frequency mutations are characterized by high prevalence in specific regions and/or in constant competition with other mutations in several regions. Finally, taking N501Y mutation as representative of high-frequency mutations, we showed that level of control measure stringency negatively correlates with the effective reproduction number of SARS-CoV-2 with high-frequency or not-high-frequency and both follows similar trends in different levels of stringency.