Prediction of Postoperative Speech Dysfunction Based on Cortico-Cortical Evoked Potentials and Machine Learning.

The possibility of postoperative speech dysfunction prediction in neurosurgery based on intraoperative cortico-cortical evoked potentials (CCEP) might provide a new basis to refine the criteria for the extent of intracerebral tumor resection and preserve patients' quality of life. In this study, we aimed to test the quality of predicting postoperative speech dysfunction with machine learning based on the initial intraoperative CCEP before tumor removal. CCEP data were reported for 26 patients. We used several machine learning models to predict speech deterioration following neurosurgery: a random forest of decision trees, logistic regression, support vector machine with different types of the kernel (linear, radial, and polynomial). The best result with F1-score = 0.638 was obtained by a support vector machine with a polynomial kernel. Most models showed low specificity and high sensitivity (reached 0.993 for the best model). Our pilot study demonstrated the insufficient quality of speech dysfunction prediction by solely intraoperative CCEP recorded before glial tumor resection, grounding our further research of CCEP postresectional dynamics.

Noninvasive Glioma Grading with Deep Learning: A Pilot Study.

Gliomas are the most common neuroepithelial brain tumors, different by various biological tissue types and prognosis. They could be graded with four levels according to the 2007 WHO classification. The emergence of non-invasive histological and molecular diagnostics for nervous system neoplasms can revolutionize the efficacy and safety of medical care and radically reduce healthcare costs. Our pilot study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of deep learning (DL) in subtyping gliomas by WHO grades (I-IV) based on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from Burdenko Neurosurgery Center's database. A total of 707 MRI studies was included. A "3D classification" approach predicting tumor type for the entire patient's MRI data showed the best result (accuracy = 83%, ROC AUC = 0.95), consistent with that of other authors who used different methodologies. Our preliminary results proved the separability of MR T1 axial images with contrast enhancement by WHO grade using DL.

Soil invertebrates of coniferous forests along a gradient of air pollution (Komi Republic).

BACKGROUND: The role of soil invertebrates in the cycle of substances, soil-forming processes and the provision of ecosystem services is undeniable. Therefore, soil invertebrates are valuable in bioindication studies. Comprehensive research of soil invertebrates in the production area of Mondi Syktyvkar JSC as the largest pulp and paper enterprise in the European part of Russia was initiated in 2003. A huge amount of data about composition, abundance and structure of soil macro- and mesofauna along an impact gradient was accumulated during the period from 2003 to 2019 years. These data can be used to study local biodiversity, monitor the state of soil invertebrate communities and assess the impact of the pulp and paper industry on the environment. NEW INFORMATION: Datasets here presented include information from a monitoring programme for soil invertebrates that inhabit coniferous forests in the production area of Mondi Syktyvkar JSC (Komi Republic). The assemblages' structure of macrofauna, collembolans and nematodes are described. Information on the number of individuals of springtail species, nematodes genera and macrofauna taxa is given. A total of 11146 sampling events of macrofauna, 6673 sampling events of Collembola, and 2592 sampling events of Nematoda are recorded along a gradient of air pollution from pulp and paper industry emissions.

Occurrences of Threatened Species included in the Third Edition of the Red Data Book of the Komi Republic (Russia).

BACKGROUND: The purpose of the data paper was to introduce into scientific literature the results of scientific work carried out for the third edition of the 'Red Data Book of the Komi Republic'. The article reflects methodological approaches to the formation of a list of rare and in need of protection species and describes the corresponding datasets published in GBIF. NEW INFORMATION: Information about 7,187 occurrences of 438 rare species and infraspecies included in the third edition of the 'Red Data Book of the Komi Republic' have been published.

Soil invertebrates occurrences in European North-East of Russia.

BACKGROUND: The European North-East of Russia is the territory which includes the Nenets Autonomous District, represented by the East European tundra (from Kanin Peninsula to Vaigach Island), Komi Republic with its taiga ecosystems and the Urals (Northern, SubPolar and Polar). Over 20 years of systematic studies of soil fauna in the studied region has resulted in a huge amount of data being accumulated that can be analysed from different positions. Considering that the representation of Russian soil biota data, especially from European North-East of Russia in the GBIF database is not large, our data are of great interest to the scientific world community. The accumulation of such data will solve questions on national and global scales using large arrays.This study produced a dataset containing information on occurrences on soil invertebrates (Lumbricidae, Chilopoda, Diplopda, Collembola, Elateridae and Staphylinidae) in the European North-East of Russia. The dataset summarises occurrences noted in natural and disturbed forests, tundra and mountain ecosystems. NEW INFORMATION: Data from 196 geo-referenced localities of European North-East of Russia (tundra, taiga and mountains ecosystems) have been collated. A total of 5412 occurrences are included in the resource. The current project surveys 13 species of earthworms, 20 species of millipedes, 246 species of springtails, 446 species of rove beetles and 60 species of click beetles. The diversity of soil invertebrates in the European North-East of Russia has not been fully explored and further exploration will lead to more taxa.

New records of Lumbricidae and Collembola in anthropogenic soils of East European tundra.

The terrestrial environment of the East European tundra consists of a mosaic of habitat types. In addition to the natural habitat diversity, various human-influenced types may occur. In the town of Vorkuta, Komi Republic, Russia the manure-enriched soils near hydrogen sulfide springs were observed. This site represents an unusually nutrient-rich location with considerable development of organic soils, in contrast to the naturally forming soils in East European tundra which are typically thin and nutrient poor. In these organic soils, two species of Lumbricidae and two species of Collembola previously not recorded from the natural ecosystems in the study area of research territory were found. One earthworm species, Dendrodrilus rubidus tenuis, is likely to have been introduced. The presence of the three other species (Eiseniella tetraedra, Folsomia fimetaria, and Proisotoma minuta) is quite natural in East European tundra and such anthropogenic soils with high organic content may be a good habitat for them.

Protection against mouse and avian influenza A strains via vaccination with a combination of conserved proteins NP, M1 and NS1.

BACKGROUND: Experimental data accumulated over more than a decade indicate that cross-strain protection against influenza may be achieved by immunization with conserved influenza proteins. At the same time, the efficacy of immunization schemes designed along these lines and involving internal influenza proteins, mostly NP and M1, has not been sufficient. OBJECTIVE: To test the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of DNA vaccination with a combination of NP, M1 and NS1 genes of influenza virus. METHODS: The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of DNA vaccination with NP, M1 and NS1 was tested in mice and chickens. Mice were challenged with mouse-adapted viral strains H3N2 and H5N2 and chicken challenged with avian H5N3 virus. RESULTS: In these settings, wild-type NS1 did not impede the cellular and humoral response to NP/M1 immunization in vivo. Moreover, addition of NS1-encoding plasmid to the NP/M1 immunization protocol resulted in a significantly increased protective efficacy in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of NS1 to an influenza immunization regimen based on conserved proteins bears promise. It is feasible that upon further genetic modification of these and additional conserved influenza proteins, providing for their higher safety, expression and immunogenicity, a recombinant vaccine based on several structural and non-structural proteins or their epitopes will offer broad anti-influenza protection in a wide range of species.