THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF A PLANT SPECIES WITH CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OF DIFFERENT GROUPS: A STATISTICAL APPROACH

The article deals with the question of the statistical attraction of chemical compounds that have an antibacterial effect and belong to various groups (terpenoids, phenols, flavonoids, quinones, alkaloids, lactones, coumarins, iridoids, xanthones) to the same types of plants. To assess the occurrence of species containing an antibacterial compound of a certain group in a set of species containing an antibacterial compound of another group (in comparison with the species of the flora of the Russian Federation outside this set), the student’s mathematical and statistical criterion was used. It is shown that in 12 combinations of groups ("terpenoids-phenols", "terpenoids-flavonoids", "terpenoids-quinones", "terpenoids-coumarins", "phenols-flavonoids". "Phenols-quinones", "phenols-coumarins", "flavonoids-coumarins", "flavonoids-iridoids", "flavonoids-xanthones", "lactones-coumarins") the occurrence of species containing an antibacterial compound related to one element of the combination is significantly increased in the set of species containing an antibacterial compound related to another element. It is noted that these statistical relationships are created by species belonging to 19 families of the flora of the Russian Federation (Iridaceae, Ranunculaceae, Chenopodyaceae, Ericaceae, Pyrolaceae, Salicaceae, Brassicaceae, Moraceae, Crassulaceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Apiaceae, Valerianaceae,Viburnaceae,Rubiacae,Gentianaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Lamiaceae, Asteracaeae).

ANALYTICAL CONTROL OF THE TOTAL VOLATILE BASES NITROGEN IN FISH PRODUCTS

Comparative studies of the content of total nitrogen of volatile bases (ALO) in fish raw materials, as an objective indicator of quality, were carried out by direct distillation of the sample and by distillation of acid extract. It was found that the method based on direct distillation of the sample results in 25-30% higher values than the method of acid extract distillation due to alkaline hydrolysis of the sample protein. A comparison of the reproducibility of the two methods using the Fisher statistical criterion showed the heterogeneity of the variances and the impossibility of attributing them to a single general population. For the gradation of the quality of fish raw materials, the method of distilling acid extract is recommended. The objects of three different categories are studied, grouped according to the proposed three degrees of quality, based on the maximum permissible levels of nitrogen content of volatile bases. The reliability of the results is shown and a conclusion is made about the use of the ALO content as an indicator characterizing both the initial state of fish raw materials and the dynamics of the storage process and the establishment of the moment of spoilage. A method for measuring the mass fraction of total nitrogen of volatile bases has been developed and certified (certificate of certification No. 0168/ROSS RU.0001.310430/2020).

COMPETITIVENESS OF HOTEL, RESTAURANT AND TOURISM BUSINESS: FACTORS AND TOOLS

The aim is to find ways to ensure sustainable development and increase the hotel, restaurant, and tourism business's competitiveness. The authors used the correlation-regression dependence of the number of tourists going abroad Y on the income of the population X and Fisher's statistical criterion to check the model's adequacy. Authors proposed the system for ensuring sustainable development and competitiveness of the hotel, restaurant and tourism business. The peculiarity of the proposed system is that it covers all aspects of sustainable development, includes multi-level governing bodies, integrable legal forms of organizations and science, making it possible to form interrelated elements of sustainable development and increase the competitiveness of the hotel and hotel industry, tourism in general. In years of political instability, the number of domestic tourists, with a positive upward trend, is falling sharply, despite rising incomes. Fisher's statistical criterion indicates this model's adequacy: an increase in income of the entire population of Ukraine by UAH 10 mln. would lead to the additional appearance of about 8 Ukrainian tourists travelling abroad. The coefficient of elasticity Ex (Y) = 0.9193 shows that an increase in the income of the entire population of Ukraine by 1% would increase the flow of Ukrainian tourists travelling abroad by about 0.9%. The article is devoted to the search for ways to increase the competitiveness of the hotel and restaurant and tourism business. The analysis showed that 2019 was a good year for the entire HRTB. However, the global pandemic COVID-19 in 2020 significantly affected this area: border closures, cancellation of messages between countries, total quarantine, weekend quarantine and other prohibitions. Therefore, the search for a strategy to increase the competitiveness of HRTB facilities in 2020/2021 is the most relevant. The authors proposed a system for ensuring sustainable development and competitiveness of the HRTB. The system covers all aspects of sustainable development.

Assessment of the quality of life of patients after parathyroidectomy from standard and small access

BACKGROUND. Primary hyperparathyroidism (PGPT) is an increase in the secretory activity of the parathyroid glands (OSH), due to their tumor or hyperplastic changes. Due to the lack of an effective alternative to the treatment of PGPT, the surgical method is still the only correct tactical solution for the management of patients with an established diagnosis of PGPT. The paper presents the long-term results and assessment of the quality of life of patients who underwent surgical treatment from standard and small access. The results obtained showed the promise of a sparing approach to the treatment of PGPT caused by LV adenoma.AIM. To study the effectiveness of surgical treatment of patients with PGPT based on the assessment of the quality of life of patients who underwent parathyroidectomy from standard and small access.MATERIALS AND METHODS. A retrospective study of the quality of life of patients with PGPT after surgical treatment was conducted using the SF-36 questionnaire and the linear analog scale (LAS). Statistical data processing is performed in the R programming language using the FMSB package. The quantitative parameters were presented as median (Median) and interquartile range (25th (1st Qu) — lower quartile and 75th (3rd Qu ) — upper quartile). As a nonparametric statistical criterion, the Mann–Whitney U-test was used, on the basis of which the p-value was calculated. The calculated data of the research results are presented in graphical form — in the form of bar charts, spider plot and barplot.RESULTS. This study involved 264 patients. The patients were divided into 2 groups: GR1 — patients operated from the Kocher access with mandatory revision of all 4 OSH, GR2 — patients who received surgical treatment from the small access with the removal of the altered OSH, without revision of the remaining OSH. When analyzing the quality of life of patients before surgery, there were no statistically significant differences in the groups in terms of PF (Physical Functioning) and VT (Vitality). Small-access parathyroidectomy (patients with GR 2) significantly improved the quality of life in the GH (General Health) and VT (Vitality) domains. The analysis of LAS before surgery between the groups showed no statistically significant differences, while after surgical treatment, the indicators on the linear analog scale differ in the direction of improvement in GR2.CONCLUSION. The results obtained in the course of the study showed the promise of a gentle approach to the treatment of PGPT caused by LV adenoma, which is reflected in higher quality of life indicators.

Testing the Integrity of the Middle and Later Stone Age Cultural Taxonomic Division in Eastern Africa

The long-standing debate concerning the integrity of the cultural taxonomies employed by archaeologists has recently been revived by renewed theoretical attention and the application of new methodological tools. The analyses presented here test the integrity of the cultural taxonomic division between Middle and Later Stone Age assemblages in eastern Africa using an extensive dataset of archaeological assemblages. Application of a penalized logistic regression procedure embedded within a permutation test allows for evaluation of the existing Middle and Later Stone Age division against numerous alternative divisions of the data. Results suggest that the existing division is valid based on any routinely employed statistical criterion, but that is not the single best division of the data. These results invite questions about what archaeologists seek to achieve via cultural taxonomy and about the analytical methods that should be employed when attempting revise existing nomenclature.

TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF HEAT CAPACITY SCANDIUM, YTTRIUM, CERIUM, PRASEODYMIUM, NEODYMIUM AND EUROPIUM

Using the Sigma Plot program, using the available experimental data on the heat capacity of scandium, yttrium, praseodymium, cerium, neodymium, lanthanum, and europium, the equations of the temperature dependence of the specific and molar heat capacity were established. The optimal degrees for the temperature in these equations were determined using the Fisher statistical criterion. It is revealed that the general form of the temperature dependence of the heat capacity for these metals is a four-term polynomial in the form C (T) = a + b T + c T2 + d T3.

Allometric models for non-destructive leaf area measurement of stevia: an in depth and complete analysis

ABSTRACT Leaf area measurement is pivotal for plant physiologists. Hence, accurate measurement of their leaf area is incredibly relevant in agronomic terms. The plant Stevia rebaudiana is a sucrose-free plant species that is now vital to the global production of sucrose-free foods. Here, we estimated S. rebaudiana leaf area using a nondestructive methodology comprising allometric equations. Through leaf length (L), leaf width (W), and/or their product (LW) the leaf area was determined. One thousand leaves were sampled from four distinct S. rebaudiana genotypes for model construction. Linear or power models were generated, and the best equation was selected using a statistical criterion. The statistical criteria indicated that the linear models best suited all genotypes tested, included a function of LW, exhibited increased stability, and precisely estimated coefficients. ANOVA revealed that both generalized and combined equations were feasible. Nevertheless, grouping all genotypes into a single model was not possible as the genotype leaf architectures were very dissimilar.

Identification of molecular biomarkers and pathways of NSCLC: insights from a systems biomedicine perspective

Background Worldwide, more than 80% of identified lung cancer cases are associated to the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We used microarray gene expression dataset GSE10245 to identify key biomarkers and associated pathways in NSCLC. Results To collect Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) from the dataset GSE10245, we applied the R statistical language. Functional analysis was completed using the Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) online repository. The DifferentialNet database was used to construct Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network and visualized it with the Cytoscape software. Using the Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE) method, we identify clusters from the constructed PPI network. Finally, survival analysis was performed to acquire the overall survival (OS) values of the key genes. One thousand eighty two DEGs were unveiled after applying statistical criterion. Functional analysis showed that overexpressed DEGs were greatly involved with epidermis development and keratinocyte differentiation; the under-expressed DEGs were principally associated with the positive regulation of nitric oxide biosynthetic process and signal transduction. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway investigation explored that the overexpressed DEGs were highly involved with the cell cycle; the under-expressed DEGs were involved with cell adhesion molecules. The PPI network was constructed with 474 nodes and 2233 connections. Conclusions Using the connectivity method, 12 genes were considered as hub genes. Survival analysis showed worse OS value for SFN, DSP, and PHGDH. Outcomes indicate that Stratifin may play a crucial role in the development of NSCLC.

Designing the eLTER Research Infrastructure: representativity, priority regions and recommendations for development

<p>The integrated European Long-Term Ecosystem, critical zone and socio-ecological Research Infrastructure (eLTER RI) was accepted onto the ESFRI roadmap in 2018. While several existing thematic environmental RIs in Europe focus on impacts of climate change and/or other elements of environmental change, eLTER RI will be the only research infrastructure embracing holistically the integrated impacts of such stressors on a wide variety of European benchmark ecosystems (major geo-eco-sociological systems across the continent’s ecoclimatological zones and Earth’s critical zone). In the beginning of 2020 eLTER RI entered the preparatory phase aiming at the development of the legal, financial and technical maturity required for an ESFRI Research Infrastructure.</p><p>The core of the eLTER RI will be ca. 200 selected sites covering all biogeographical zones in Europe, where biological, biogeochemical, hydrological and socio-ecological data will be collected - according to common standards - and analyzed. The European landscape of LTER sites and national networks has mainly been developed in a bottom-up manner. The sites have mostly been established for different monitoring and research purposes and are heterogeneous in terms of investigated ecosystem types, scales of investigation, complexity and instrumentation. Consequently, the transformation of the selected elements of the eLTER RI into a harmonized, high-performance, complementary and interoperable infrastructure is one of the key challenges of eLTER. Achieving the best possible representativity is on the major building blocks in eLTER’s design strategy.</p><p>To evaluate the representativity of eLTER a novel statistical approach combining information on biogeographical, ecological and socio-economic gradients with the management-relevant distribution of established sites was developed aiming at  i) identification of areas in Europe that are geographically underrepresented by the existing eLTER RI site network, ii) definition of priority regions for the geographical extension of the eLTER site network and, iii) development of suggestions for conceptual and infrastructural upgrades for existing less developed eLTER sites.</p><p>Reference datasets depicting biogeographical, ecological and socio-economical gradients were used to describe underrepresentation with a summation parameter called Aggregated Representedness. This statistical criterion was then used to classify five types of “priority regions” from very low to very high priority for geographical and/or conceptual extension. In a second step this information on priority regions was refined using additional information describing the geographical distribution based on Euclidean distances between established eLTER sites.  The combination of these two analyses allowed to identify less developed eLTER sites most suitable for conceptual and infrastructural upgrades. Thus, the presented analysis provides important information for the development of the design strategy for eLTER RI on the continental scale.</p><p>Concluding, a novel approach combining information on biogeographical, ecological and socio-economic gradients with the management-relevant information on the geographical distribution of established sites was developed. This tool allows to evaluate the strategies for further extension of established site networks. </p>