Dysregulated metabolic pathways associated with air pollution exposure and the risk of autism: Evidence from epidemiological studies.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder with symptoms that range from social and communication impairments to restricted interests and repetitive behavior and is the 4th most disabling condition for children aged 5-14. Risk factors of ASD are not fully understood. Environmental risk factors are believed to play a significant role in the ASD epidemic.

Evaluation of the risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic Hepatitis C patients receiving antiviral treatment.

Introduction: Chronic HC leads to the development of liver cirrhosis (LC) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The treatment of chronic HC with DAAs reduces mortality from LC and HCC. The study aimed to investigate the serological markers specific to HCC (PIVKA-II and AFP) in patients with chronic HC before and after DAA treatment.

Challenges and Opportunities to Advance Adolescent Health Measurement in Armenia: Alignment Between Global Priority Indicators and National Policies, and Feasibility of Collecting Sexual, Reproductive, and Mental Health Indicators.

Purpose: To assess alignment of the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health (GAMA) draft adolescent health indicators with national policies and explore challenges and opportunities for collecting data on adolescent sexual, reproductive, and mental health in Armenia.

Methods: We reviewed Armenia's national laws, decrees, policies, strategies, and programs for content related to the draft indicators. We conducted three focus group discussions with government and nongovernmental stakeholders and youth representatives on the feasibility of collecting the draft indicators, and analyzed the discussion segments related to sexual, reproductive, and mental health indicators.

Surface coverage and adsorption properties of 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole on Au(111) surface: a molecular dynamics study.

Context: The adsorption of 1-vinyl-1,2,4-triazole monomers on Au(111) surface was investigated via molecular dynamics method. Our results indicate that the surface coverage varied depending on the concentration of the monomers. Specifically, as the concentration of the monomers increased, the surface coverage also increased.

[The influence of pyelovenous reflux on the development of acute pyelonephritis in an experimental model].

Introduction: currently, endoscopic methods are the main option for surgical treatment of patients with urolithiasis (ICD). The widespread use of these operations has led to the development of a number of specific complications associated with the technology of their implementation. One of the frequent complications is the development of postoperative acute pyelonephritis against the background of intraoperative pyelovenous reflux.

Molecular Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Lineages in Armenia.

The sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 provides essential information on viral evolution, transmission, and epidemiology. In this paper, we performed the whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 using nanopore and Illumina sequencing to describe the circulation of the virus lineages in Armenia. The analysis of 145 full genomes identified six clades (19A, 20A, 20B, 20I, 21J, and 21K) and considerable intra-clade PANGO lineage diversity.

Unfriendly Fire: How the Tobacco Industry is Destroying the Future of Our Children.

Tobacco has long been known to be one of the greatest causes of morbidity and mortality in the adults, but the effects on the foetus and young children, which are lifelong, have been less well appreciated. Developing from this are electronic nicotine delivery systems or vapes, promulgated as being less harmful than tobacco. Nicotine itself is toxic to the foetus, with permanent effects on lung structure and function.

SARS-CoV-2 detection by extraction-free qRT-PCR for massive and rapid COVID-19 diagnosis during a pandemic in Armenia.

COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the healthcare and economy on a global scale. It is widely recognized that mass testing is an efficient way to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as aid in the development of informed policies for disease management. However, the current COVID-19 worldwide infection rates increased the demand for rapid and reliable screening of infection.

Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Professional Development in the Republic of Armenia: The Evolution of Legislative and Regulatory Frameworks Post Transition.

The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left many ex-republics in a financial and administrative crisis for the ensuing two decades. Previously centralised processes like recertification of doctors and healthcare workers and continuing medical education fell by the wayside. Continuing medical education and continuing professional development in Armenia have evolved through multiple phases from Soviet, to immediate, mid and late-transitional post-Soviet periods, to current modernising efforts.

Free hospitalization for acute respiratory infections in children: what effect and how much does it cost for Armenia?

Introduction: The "Child Certificate" program, launched in Armenia in 2011, made hospitalization for children less than seven years free in order to improve access to hospitalization, reduce out-of-pocket expenses and ensure Universal Health Coverage. We aimed to estimate trends in the number of outpatient and hospitalized acute respiratory infection (ARI) cases and related under-five mortality.

Methodology: Cross-sectional study using data from national databases before (2008-2011) and after (2012-2017) Program implementation.

Vilnius Declaration on chronic respiratory diseases: multisectoral care pathways embedding guided self-management, mHealth and air pollution in chronic respiratory diseases.

Background: Over 1 billion people suffer from chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, COPD, rhinitis and rhinosinusitis. They cause an enormous burden and are considered as major non-communicable diseases. Many patients are still uncontrolled and the cost of inaction is unacceptable.

Child and Adolescent Health in Armenia: Experiences and Learned Lessons.

The health of children and adolescents of Armenia has been affected by various socioeconomic, environmental, educational, and behavioral factors, demonstrating trends typical for both developed and developing countries. Key issues to be addressed by Armenian pediatricians are child mortality, malnutrition, and growth failure in the early years and overweight in later years. The case of Armenia illustrates how countries in transition are currently tackling both "old" problems (mortality and malnutrition) and "new" emerging morbidities (chronic diseases and adolescent health problems) based on social and health determinants, but the financing of the health system is far from satisfactory.

Impact and Effectiveness of Monovalent Rotavirus Vaccine in Armenian Children.

Background: The Republic of Armenia was 1 of the 2 earliest countries in the Newly Independent States to introduce rotavirus vaccine into its national immunization program to reduce the burden of rotavirus disease (documented to cause 38% of acute gastroenteritis hospitalizations [AGE] among children aged <5 years). In November 2012, RV1 (Rotarix) was introduced for Armenian infants at ages 6 and 12 weeks.

Methods: The established active surveillance system at 2 hospitals in the capital, Yerevan, whereby children aged <5 years hospitalized for AGE have stool sample tested for rotavirus antigen, was used to assess trends in rotavirus hospitalizations.

Nonlinear model reduction for dynamical systems using sparse sensor locations from learned libraries.

We demonstrate the synthesis of sparse sampling and dimensionality reduction to characterize and model nonlinear dynamical systems over a range of bifurcation parameters. First, we construct modal libraries using the classical proper orthogonal decomposition in order to expose the dominant low-rank coherent structures. Here, libraries of the nonlinear terms are also constructed in order to take advantage of the discrete empirical interpolation method and projection that allows for the approximation of nonlinear terms from a sparse number of grid points.

Pgc-1α and Nr4a1 Are Target Genes of Circadian Melatonin and Dopamine Release in Murine Retina.

Purpose: The neurohormones melatonin and dopamine mediate clock-dependent/circadian regulation of inner retinal neurons and photoreceptor cells and in this way promote their functional adaptation to time of day and their survival. To fulfill this function they act on melatonin receptor type 1 (MT1 receptors) and dopamine D4 receptors (D4 receptors), respectively. The aim of the present study was to screen transcriptional regulators important for retinal physiology and/or pathology (Dbp, Egr-1, Fos, Nr1d1, Nr2e3, Nr4a1, Pgc-1α, Rorβ) for circadian regulation and dependence on melatonin signaling/MT1 receptors or dopamine signaling/D4 receptors.

Hearing rehabilitation with single-stage bilateral vibroplasty in a child with Franceschetti syndrome.

Hearing is of utmost importance for normal speech and social development. Even children who have mild or unilateral permanent hearing loss may experience difficulties with understanding speech, as well as problems with educational and psycho-social development. The increasing advantages of middle-ear implant technologies are opening new perspectives for restoring hearing.

Detection of complement activation using monoclonal antibodies against C3d.

During complement activation the C3 protein is cleaved, and C3 activation fragments are covalently fixed to tissues. Tissue-bound C3 fragments are a durable biomarker of tissue inflammation, and these fragments have been exploited as addressable binding ligands for targeted therapeutics and diagnostic agents. We have generated cross-reactive murine monoclonal antibodies against human and mouse C3d, the final C3 degradation fragment generated during complement activation.

Molecular imaging of autoimmune diseases and inflammation.

Molecular imaging methods allow the noninvasive detection and localization of specific molecules. Agents that report on molecular disease biomarkers can be used to diagnose and monitor disease. Many inflammatory diseases have molecular signatures within altered tissues.

Detection of glomerular complement C3 fragments by magnetic resonance imaging in murine lupus nephritis.

One of the challenges of treating patients with glomerulonephritis is to accurately assess disease activity. As renal biopsies are routinely stained for deposits of C3 activation fragments and glomerular C3 deposits are found in most forms of glomerulonephritis, we sought to determine whether a relatively noninvasive measure of C3 fragment deposition in the kidney can serve as a good biomarker of disease onset and severity. We recently developed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based method of detecting glomerular C3 and used this to track the progression of renal disease in the MRL/lpr mouse model of lupus nephritis using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles conjugated to complement receptor type 2 as a targeting agent.

A comparison of in vitro properties of resting SOD1 transgenic microglia reveals evidence of reduced neuroprotective function.

Background: Overexpression of mutant copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) in rodents has provided useful models for studying the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Microglia have been shown to contribute to ALS disease progression in these models, although the mechanism of this contribution remains to be elucidated. Here, we present the first evidence of the effects of overexpression of mutant (TG G93A) and wild type (TG WT) human SOD1 transgenes on a set of functional properties of microglia relevant to ALS progression, including expression of integrin β-1, spreading and migration, phagocytosis of apoptotic neuronal cell debris, and intracellular calcium changes in response to an inflammatory stimulus.