Pan-Eurasian Experiment (PEEX): Towards a holistic understanding of the feedbacks and interactions in the land-Atmosphere-ocean-society continuum in the northern Eurasian region

The northern Eurasian regions and Arctic Ocean will very likely undergo substantial changes during the next decades. The Arctic-boreal natural environments play a crucial role in the global climate via albedo change, carbon sources and sinks as well as atmospheric aerosol production from biogenic volatile organic compounds. Furthermore, it is expected that global trade activities, demographic movement, and use of natural resources will be increasing in the Arctic regions. There is a need for a novel research approach, which not only identifies and tackles the relevant multi-disciplinary research questions, but also is able to make a holistic system analysis of the expected feedbacks. In this paper, we introduce the research agenda of the Pan-Eurasian Experiment (PEEX), a multi-scale, multi-disciplinary and international program started in 2012 (https://www.atm.helsinki.fi/peex/). PEEX sets a research approach by which large-scale research topics are investigated from a system perspective and which aims to fill the key gaps in our understanding of the feedbacks and interactions between the land-Atmosphere-Aquatic-society continuum in the northern Eurasian region. We introduce here the state of the art for the key topics in the PEEX research agenda and present the future prospects of the research, which we see relevant in this context

Role of the disorder of activity of proteolytic enzymes and their inhibitors in the development of prostate cancer

The indentification of reliable predictors of behaviour and markers of prostate cancer (CaP) remains a key problem for oncology. The aim of this work was to analyse the disorder of proteolytic processes in prostate secretions of CaP patients. The results show the activation of proteolysis and a dysbalance between proteinases and their inhibitors in Prostate Secretions of CaP patients. The determination of levels kallikrein and angiotensin-converting enzyme in prostration secretions can be employed as a marker in the diagnosis of CaP.Выявление информативных предикторов и маркеров рака предстательной железы (РПЖ) остается центральной проблемой современной онкоурологии. Цель работы - анализ нарушений протеолитических процессов в секрете простаты при раке предстательной железы. Полученные данные свидетельствуют о нарушении баланса между протеиназами и их ингибиторами в секрете простаты при РПЖ. Определение активности калликреина и АПФ может использоваться как маркер РПЖ

Ангиотензинпревращающий фермент – новый прогностический маркер рецидива при терапии рака предстательной железы

Background. Introduction to the clinical practice of new criteria for the diagnosis and monitoring of neoplastic processes in the prostate based on the identification of informative predictors and markers of prostate cancer (PC), especially its aggressive forms, is one of the priority directions of scientific research in oncological urology. The goal – the search of new markers of aggressive forms of PC.Materials and methods. For identification associated with PC progression indicators – potential markers clinically aggressive forms of PC was determined activity kininase II (angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), EC 3.4.15.1) in serum of blood with using as substrate N-(3-(2-furyl) acryloyl)-L-phenylalanyl-glycyl-glycine (FAPGG). Retrospectively evaluated ACE activity in patients with the development of biochemical recurrence and without after hormone-radiation therapy.Results. It has been shown that the development of PC recurrence is associated with an increase in ACE activity, and the ACE activity starts to grow sooner than noted the development of biochemical recurrence. Joint determination of prostate-specific antigen and the activity of the enzyme after a month of treatment allows to select a group of patients with high risk of biochemical recurrence with sensitivity, specificity of 78.6 % (p < 0.001), respectively 94,6 % (p < 0.001).Conclusions. There is every reason to believe that ACE is a promising predictive marker of clinically aggressive forms of PC. The renin-angiotensin system in PC can be considered as a new therapeutic target for targeted therapy.Введение. Применение в реальной клинической практике новых критериев диагностики и мониторинга неопластических процессов в предстательной железе на основе выявления информативных предикторов и маркеров рака предстательной железы (РПЖ), особенно его агрессивных форм, является одним из приоритетных направлений научных разработок в онкоурологии.Цель исследования – идентифицировать маркеры для прогнозирования агрессивных форм РПЖ.Материалы и методы. Для идентификации ассоциированных с прогрессированием РПЖ показателей – потенциальных маркеров клинически агрессивных форм РПЖ – определяли активность кининазы II (ангиотензинпревращающего фермента (АПФ), КФ 3.4.15.1) с использованием в качестве субстрата N-[3-(2-фурил)-акрилоил]-L-фенилаланил-глицил-глицин (FAPGG) в сыворотке крови. Ретроспективно оценивали активность АПФ у пациентов с наличием и отсутствием биохимического рецидива после гормонолучевой терапии.Результаты. Показано, что развитие рецидива РПЖ ассоциировано с увеличением активности АПФ, причем она начинает расти раньше, чем отмечается развитие биохимического рецидива. Совместное определение простатического специфического антигена и активности АПФ через 1 мес после лечения позволяет выделить группу больных с высоким риском развития биохимического рецидива с чувствительностью 78,6 % (р < 0,001) и специфичностью 94,6 % (р < 0,001).Выводы. Есть все основания полагать, что АПФ является перспективным прогностическим маркером клинически агрессивных форм РПЖ. Ренин-ангиотензиновая система организма при РПЖ может рассматриваться как новая терапевтическая мишень для таргетной терапии

Estimating the Worldwide Extent of Illegal Fishing

Illegal and unreported fishing contributes to overexploitation of fish stocks and is a hindrance to the recovery of fish populations and ecosystems. This study is the first to undertake a world-wide analysis of illegal and unreported fishing. Reviewing the situation in 54 countries and on the high seas, we estimate that lower and upper estimates of the total value of current illegal and unreported fishing losses worldwide are between $10 bn and$23.5 bn annually, representing between 11 and 26 million tonnes. Our data are of sufficient resolution to detect regional differences in the level and trend of illegal fishing over the last 20 years, and we can report a significant correlation between governance and the level of illegal fishing. Developing countries are most at risk from illegal fishing, with total estimated catches in West Africa being 40% higher than reported catches. Such levels of exploitation severely hamper the sustainable management of marine ecosystems. Although there have been some successes in reducing the level of illegal fishing in some areas, these developments are relatively recent and follow growing international focus on the problem. This paper provides the baseline against which successful action to curb illegal fishing can be judged