bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathology of provisional organs, complications of pregnancy and labor, and the condition of newborn with congenital defects of the urinary and nervous systems
Authors:   SI Institute of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology named after academician O.M. Lukyanova of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Luk’yanova I.S. , Gordienko I.Yu. ,   SI Institute of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology named after academician O.M. Lukyanova of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Medvedenko G.F. ,   SI Institute of Pediatrics of Obstetrics and Gynecology named after academician O.М. Lukyanova of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Grebinichenko G.O. ,   SI Institute of Pediatrics of Obstetrics and Gynecology named after academician O.М. Lukyanova of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Tarasyuk B.A. ,   SI Institute of Pediatrics of Obstetrics and Gynecology named after academician O.М. Lukyanova of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv
Published: November 2022

Congenital malformations (CM) in fetuses and neonates belong to main causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Provision organs malformation and malfunction in such cohorts is less studied. The purpose - to analyze the course of pregnancy, the data of ultrasound imaging of provisional organs in the presence of CM of central nervous system (CNS) and/or of nephro-urinary system (NUS) in the fetus and newborn. Materials and methods. The results of prenatal and postnatal ultrasound, anamnestic and general clinical data of a sample of cases with prenatally diagnosed CM of CNS and/or NUS for the period 2017-2021 were analyzed. Results. There were 45 newborns with CNS malformations, and 54 newborns with CM of NUS. Malformations of NUS and/or CNS in the examined newborns were combined with anomalies of other systems in a third of cases - 29.6% and 31.1%, respectively. According to the results of prenatal ultrasound examinations, polyhydramnios (16.7%) was most often recorded in the pregnancies with fetal CM of NUS, and cases of fetal CM of CNS most commonly were registered placental hyperplasia (35.6%), fetal growth retardation (24.4%) and fetal distress (26.7%). Postnatally in both cohorts (with NUS malformations and with CNS malformations) a high rate of following complications were recorded: prematurity (16.7% and 15.6%, respectively), birth asphyxia (48% and 55.6%, respectively), and early neonatal death (11% and 6.6%). Сonclusions. Pregnant women with CM of CNS and/or NUS in the fetus belong to the group of high perinatal risk because of the high rate of perinatal complications. Information about the identified high perinatal risks in fetuses and newborns with CM of the CNS and/or NUS should be provided to parents and taken into account when planning management of pregnancy and labor.
Risk factors for the development of complicated oligomenorrhea in adolescent girls
Authors:   SI «Institute of Health Care of Children and Adolescents of the NAMS of Ukraine», Kharkiv, Dynnik V.O. , Dynnik O.O. ,   Kharkiv National Medical University, Ukraine, Novokhatska S.V. ,   SI «Institute of Health Care of Children and Adolescents of the NAMS of Ukraine», Kharkiv, Druzhinina A.E. ,   SI «Institute of Health Care of Children and Adolescents of the NAMS of Ukraine», Kharkiv
Published: November 2022

The purpose - to identify significant prognostic criteria for the development of a complicated course of oligomenorrhea. Materials and methods. A clinical and hormonal examination of 64 adolescent girls with oligomenorrhea aged 12-18 was carried out. The following were determined: physical with determination of body mass index, sexual development, parameters of the hormonal background, vitamin D status, lipid spectrum and the state of carbohydrate metabolism. Results. The most informative sings regarding the formation of metabolic complications of the course of oligomenorrhea were selected by determining the informative clinical and anamnestic signs, hormonal indicators and the status of vitamin D. The following clinical parameters, which may indicate a complicated course of oligomenorrhea with disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism, had the greatest overall informativeness: macrosomia at birth; the mother’s age is more than 35 years at the time of our patient’s birth; in a girl, the age of menarche is up to 11 years, the presence of comorbid pathology (especially cardiovascular disorders) and body weight deficiency. The greatest prognostic significance from the hormonal parameters had high levels of luteinizing hormone, testosterone, total cholesterol, and low estradiol. The clinical, anamnestic and hormonal indicators that may indicate the formation of complications from lipid spectrum disorders were found. It was: deviation of the body weight at birth in both sides, high serum levels of prolactin, cortisol, normative follicle-stimulating hormone, and a moderate decrease in the level of vitamin D. Conclusions. Significant risk factors for the formation of metabolic complications in girls with oligomenorrhea have been identified. Using them makes it possible to timely determine the prognosis of the course of oligomenorrhea in the majority of patients already at the early stages of the formation of this pathology, to decide on therapy and the implementation of therapeutic and preventive measures in the future. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the SI «Institute of Health Care of Children and Adolescents of the NAMS of Ukraine». The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Efficiency of probiotics in children with irritable bowel syndrome: optimal duration of the treatment
Authors:   Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine, Semen M.O. , Lychkovska O.L. ,   Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine, Semen V.D. ,   Lviv Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital «OHMATDYT», Ukraine, Malakhova A.J. ,   Institute of Hereditary Pathology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Lviv
Published: November 2022

Following the biopsychosocial model of medicine, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a heterogeneous disorder, which is caused by multiple factors in different combinations. However, in most clinical cases probiotics are included in the treatment of IBS due to their influence on intestinal bacterial colonization, and immune, metabolic and motoric activity of the gut. The purpose - to evaluate the efficiency of probiotics (Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938) in children with IBS and to determine the optimal duration of the treatment. Materials and methods. We examined 108 children aged 6-12 years with a verified diagnosis of IBS, according to Rome criteria IV. Assessment of the main clinical symptoms was obtained by 4-point Likert scale. Enzyme immunoassay RIDASCREEN Calprotectin (R-Biopharm AG, Germany) was used for the quantitative determination of calprotectin in stool samples. Data were processed using Microsoft Excel 2016 and analysed with GraphPad (Prism 5.0). Results. Our study revealed the heterogenety of IBS in children not only according to clinical subtype, but also due to the trigger factor of the disorder. Patients with stress-related IBS were characterized by the higher level of asthenic syndrome and autonomic dysfunction (р=0.0003). In contrast, children with post-infectious IBS had higher concentration of fecal calprotectin, which is a result of low-grade intestinal inflammation (р=0.0003). After 10 days and 1 month since the beginning of treatment, we have observed a significant decrease in the severity of clinical syndromes, but the level of fecal calprotectin remained elevated. Conclusions. The efficiency of probiotics was confirmed by positive dynamics of clinical signs and the level of fecal calprotectin in children with various clinical subtypes of IBS. Even in the absence of any symptoms, the optimal duration of the use of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 in children with IBS should be 1-3 months. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of all participating institutions. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Assessment of the degree of psychological and physical dependence among teenagers and young adults who smoke
Authors:   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Lisetska I.S. , Rozhko M.M. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine
Published: November 2022

Smoking remains one of the serious medical and social problems of today. According to the information center on the problems of alcohol, smoking and drugs in Ukraine, 19 million people aged 15 and older smoke cigarettes (34% of them smoke daily, 6% smoke occasionally), which is the highest indicator among European countries. Smokers develop addiction, which can be physical, psychological and social in nature. The purpose - to determine the prevalence of bad habits, the degree of physical and psychological dependence among teenagers and young adults. Materials and methods. To achieve the goal, a survey was conducted using a specially developed questionnaire of 136 teenagers and young adults aged 15 to 24. To assess the degree of physical and psychological dependence, the Fageström test was conducted, the motivation to quit smoking, and the determination of the type of behavior of a smoker. Results of the study showed that this bad habit occurs both among teenagers and among respondents of young age. Among all respondents, 32.4±1.5% declared themselves to be daily smokers. Among the surveyed smokers, 17.6% of respondents had very weak nicotine addiction, 39.1% had low, 23.5% had moderate, 16.2% had high, and 3.6% had very high. When evaluating the types of smoker’s behavior, it was established that the leading type among respondents is “support” - found in 42.8%; the second place is occupied by the “relaxation” type - in 22.5%; in the third place in terms of frequency of detection is the type “playing with a cigarette”, detected in 20.5%. Respondents have average motivation to quit smoking - 52.1%, high motivation - 36.2% and low motivation - 11.7%. Conclusions. The conducted research showed that the problem of smoking among teenagers and young adults is relevant. The obtained results of the study indicate the need to develop individual programs for this contingent, regularly conduct motivational talks, as well as the simultaneous use of several different measures to combat tobacco smoking. The research was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. The study protocol was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of the participating institution. The informed consent of the patient was obtained for conducting the studies. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Modern views on etiopathogenetic mechanisms of acute urticaria in children
Authors:   I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Ukraine, Banadyha N.V. ,   CNE «Ternopil Communal City Children’s Hospital», Ukraine, Nakonechna A.A. ,   University of Liverpool, United Kingdom,   Clinical Immunology and Allergy Clinic Sheffield University Hospital Herries Rd, United Kingdom
Published: November 2022

The purpose - to analyze modern approaches to understanding the mechanisms of occurrence and etiological factors of acute urticaria in children. Acute urticaria remains a common pathology in the structure of emergency conditions. That is why there is a need for a unified approach to understanding the mechanisms of its occurrence, as well as the management of such patients. The results of modern research on the interpretation of the causes of the appearance of acute urticaria in childhood are given. Identification of an etiological factor is not always successful; triggers or risk factors can be confirmed only in 21-55% of cases. However, this fact does not diminish the interest in the problem. Taking into account the fact that the mechanisms of urticaria can be immune or non-immune, their clinical features are given, detailing possible etiological factors. Considerable attention is paid to the mechanisms of mast cell degranulation, which can be caused by immune effects (IgE, activation of the complement system, immune complexes); direct influence of certain chemical or physical factors on fat cells without the development of a hypersensitivity reaction (histamine release); or instability of mast cell membranes (congenital defects). The authors highlight good reasons among medicines and food products that have a pronounced histamine-releasing ability, which helps the practicing doctor in understanding the mechanisms of urticaria. Given the children’s age, many researchers are interested in the role of infectious agents in the pathogenesis of urticaria. It is generally known about the high prevalence of acute infectious pathology in children, as well as the higher infectious index especially in children of the first years of life. According to the results of numerous publications, an obvious connection with viral and bacterial infections has been established in more than 80% of children with acute urticaria. It is often difficult for the clinician that acute viral infections can cause rashes on the skin, which must be differentiated from urticaria. It is appropriate to recall that clinically, urticaria can be manifested by a large number of diseases: somatic, oncological, autoimmune, which requires careful differentiation. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Vascular disorders in patients with rheumatic diseases who have transferred COVID-19
Authors:   Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Kyiv, Oshlyanska O.A. ,   SI «Institute of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology named after academician O.M. Lukyanova of the NAMS of Ukraine», Kyiv, Okhotnikova O.M. ,   Shupyk National University of Healthcare of Ukraine, Kyiv, Kvashnina L.V. ,   SI «Institute of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology named after academician O.M. Lukyanova of the NAMS of Ukraine», Kyiv
Published: November 2022

The article briefly summarizes data on the role of micro- and macrocirculatory disorders in the pathogenesis of COVID-19. Focused attention on similarities of clinical and pathogenetic features of rheumatic diseases, COVID-19 and its complications. The review analyzed and compared the data of the assessment of the main instrumental studies of the functional state of blood vessels in patients with rheumatic diseases in general and in patients with rheumatic diseases who suffered from COVID-19 (capillaroscopy and occlusion test). A conclusion was made about the presence of endothelial dysfunction in rheumatic diseases and its features in patients with rheumatic diseases after transmission of COVID-19. This leads to the opinion about the expediency of timely detection of secondary disorders of the functional state of blood vessels in patients with rheumatic diseases who are convalescents of COVID-19, and justifies the use of an occlusion test for this purpose. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
On duality in convex optimization of second-order differential inclusions with periodic boundary conditions
Authors: DEMİR SAĞLAM Sevilay , MAHMUDOV Elimhan
Published: November 2022

The present paper is devoted to the duality theory for the convex optimal control problem of second-order differential inclusions with periodic boundary conditions. First, we use an auxiliary problem with second-order discrete-approximate inclusions and focus on formulating sufficient conditions of optimality for the differential problem. Then, we concentrate on the duality that exists in periodic boundary conditions to establish a dual problem for the differential problem and prove that Euler-Lagrange inclusions are duality relations for both primal and dual problems. Finally, we consider an example of the duality for the second-order linear optimal control problem.
Certain results on hybrid relatives of the Sheffer polynomials
Authors: YASMİN Ghazala , ISLAHİ Hibah
Published: November 2022

The multi-variable special matrix polynomials have been identified significantly both in mathematical and applied frameworks. Due to its usefulness and various applications, a variety of its extensions and generalizations have been investigated and presented. The purpose of the paper is intended to study and emerge with a new generalization of Hermite matrix based Sheffer polynomials by involving integral transforms and some known operational rules. Their properties and quasi-monomial nature are also established. Further, these sequences are expressed in determinant forms by utilizing the relationship between the Sheffer sequences and Riordan arrays. An analogous study of these results is also carried out for certain members belonging to generalized Hermite matrix based Sheffer polynomials.
Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing: the International Experience of Medical and Economic NIPT Efficiency Evaluation
Authors: Kaplanova Madina T. , Galaktionova Alexandra M. , Baranova Elena E. , Sagaydak Olesya V. , Belenikin Maksim S. , Denisov Alexey G.
Published: November 2022

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) is a molecular genetic method of cell-free fetal DNA fetal chromosomal abnormalities risks assessing. Currently, NIPT is quite widespread throughout the world, and its clinical efficacy high sensitivity and specificity has been repeatedly proven. At the same time, the decision to include NIPT in the algorithm of prenatal diagnostics carried out with public funds depends on its cost-effectiveness, which should be assessed separately for each country or territory due to different costs and different models of inclusion. This article presents the different countries approaches to the assessment of the medical and economic efficiency of NIPT.
Modern Radiation Diagnostics and Intelligent Personalized Technologies in Hepatopancreatology
Authors: Kаrmаzаnovsky Grigory G. , Kondratyev Evgeny V. , Gruzdev Ivan S. , Tikhonova Valeriya S. , Shantarevich Maria Yu. , Zamyatina Kseniia A. , Stashkiv Vladislava I. , Revishvili Amiran Sh.
Published: November 2022

Timely instrumental diagnosis of diseases of the hepatopancreatoduodenal region, especially of an oncological nature, is the key to successful treatment, improving prognosis and improving the quality of life of patients. At the moment, the possibilities of radiation diagnostics make it possible to identify and evaluate the nature of the blood supply to the neoplasm, its prevalence, cellularity, and in the case of MRI studies with hepatospecific contrast agents, also evaluate the functional activity of liver cells. Nevertheless, the steady development of methods for treating cancer patients, in particular, chemotherapy, and a personalized approach to the choice of patient management tactics require a detailed assessment of the morphological types of certain neoplasms. The need for dynamic monitoring of the results of treatment, monitoring of accidentally detected, potentially malignant neoplasms, and the development of screening programs determine the steady increase in the number of CT and MR examinations performed annually in the world and in our country. These factors have led to the application of texture analysis or radiomics and machine learning algorithms. At the same time, such techniques as radiography, ultrasound, CT and MRI with extracellular and tissue-specific contrast enhancement, and MRI-DWI do not lose their significance. The ongoing research allows the Federal State Budgetary Institution National Medical Research Center of Surgery named after A.V. Vishnevsky of the Ministry of Health of Russia to implement the concept of preoperative non-invasive diagnosis and differential diagnosis of surgical and oncological diseases of the hepatopancreatoduodenal region and apply the knowledge gained in planning surgical treatment. Implementation of the problem of post-processor data processing of radiation diagnostics of surgical and oncological diseases of the hepatopancreatoduodenal region using radiomics and AI technologies is important and extremely relevant for modern medicine.
COVID-19 in Russia: Epidemiology and Molecular Genetic Monitoring
Authors: Akimkin Vasily G. , Semenenko Tatiana A. , Ugleva Svetlana V. , Dubodelov Dmitry V. , Kuzin Stanislav N. , Yacyshina Svetlana B. , Khafizov Kamil F. , Petrov Vadim V. , Cherkashina Anna S. , Gasanov Gasan A. , Svanadze Nino Kh.
Published: November 2022

Background. The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed health problems, but at the same time has become a powerful impetus for the development of new scientific research in the field of epidemiology, clinic of infectious diseases, diagnostics, bioinformatics and digital methods. On the basis of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, new unique test systems for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA based on real-time PCR based on loop isothermal amplification (IT) technology have been developed, which allows you to examine samples 34 times faster than those developed previously. The Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor has developed and put into operation the Russian Platform for Aggregation of Information on Virus Genomes (VGARus). The VGARus database contains information about the nucleotide sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 viruses and their mutations, and the SOLAR Integration Platform has been created to quickly transfer the results of PCR studies to all interested citizens of the Russian Federation.
Aims to study the manifestations of the epidemic process of COVID-19 and the prevalence of genovariants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the Russian Federation.
Methods. A retrospective epidemiological analysis of the incidence of COVID-19 was carried out from March 30, 2020 to May 17, 2022 in the Russian Federation. The database was formed on the basis of the materials of the Rospotrebnadzor report form No. 970 Information on cases of infectious diseases in persons with suspected new coronavirus infection, data from the WHO, the domestic information portal Stopkoronavirus.rf and the Yandex DataLens data visualization and analysis service were used, information on SARS-CoV-2 genovariants in the VGARus database.
Results. When analyzing the manifestations of the COVID-19 epidemic process in the Russian Federation for 20202022. Two stages have been identified. The first stage was characterized by the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from megacities to other regions of the country and the use of non-specific prevention measures. The beginning of the second was due to the evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and a change in its biological properties, followed by a change in the prevailing genovariants on the territory of the Russian Federation.
Conclusion. As a result of the study, it was found that with each subsequent increase in the incidence of COVID-19, there was a decrease in the severity of the course and the proportion of pneumonia in the structure of the clinical forms of the disease.
COVID-19 in Russia: Evolution of Views on the Pandemic. Report II
Authors: Starodubov Vladimir I. , Beregovykh Valery V. , Akimkin Vasily G. , Semenenko Tatiana A. , Ugleva Svetlana V. , Avdeev Sergey N. , Zykov Kirill A. , Trofimova Tatiana N. , Pogosova Nana V. , Perekhodov Sergey N. , Kuzin Stanislav N. , Yacyshina Svetlana B. , Petrov Vadim V. , Khafizov Kamil F. , Dubodelov Dmitry V. , Gasanov Gasan A. , Svanadze Nino Kh. , Cherkashina Anna S. , Sinitsyn Evgeny A. , Rvacheva Anna V. , Sergeeva Natal'ya V. , Polosova Tatiana A. , Zykova Alexandra A. , Zelenin Dmitrii A. , Gorbenko Mihail Yu. , Rodyukova Irina S. , Chaus Nikolay I. , Snitsar Artem V.
Published: November 2022

Over the two years of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been an evolution of views in various fields of medicine, which has led to a powerful development of scientific research in the field of epidemiology, clinic, diagnosis and therapy of COVID-19. This article discusses the evolution of views and approaches to the study of the clinic and therapy of COVID-19. The symptoms and aggravation of the course of cardiovascular diseases with COVID-19 have been established. The main strategy for organizing surgical care for patients with COVID-19 is indicated. The main criteria for the treatment of COVID-19, the need to prescribe SGCS on an individual basis, and the need to search for new methods of anti-inflammatory therapy for COVID-19, one of which may be the use of alkylating drugs in ultra-low doses, are described.
The Relationship between Inflammation and Hemostasis Disorders in Cardiovascular and Infectious Diseases
Authors: Bykov Vladimir V. , Vengerovskii Aleksandr I. , Udut Vladimir V.
Published: November 2022

Thrombosis and inflammation develop concomitantly during inflammatory, cardiovascular and infectious diseases. Thrombosis induces inflammation and immune system disruption, while inflammation leads to increased hemostasis a vascular thrombosis. Combined use of anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic drugs often leads to adverse effects, for example, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induce gastric ulcers, aggravated by bleeding. Vascular endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in the development of thrombosis and inflammation, therefore, research and development of drugs improving endothelial function is a promising approach to preventing thrombotic events arising from inflammation or infectious disease.
Study of Generation of Singlet Oxygen in Human Saliva in vitro Under the Action of Nanosecond Pulsed Laser Radiation
Authors: Yanushevich Oleg O. , Maev Igor V. , Bazikyan Ernest A. , Chunikhin Andrey A.
Published: November 2022

Background. The development of new laser devices for use in the treatment of complex dental pathology and microsurgery of the oral cavity with unique parameters with the ability to generate nanosecond pulsed radiation in a quasi-monochromatic radiation band is necessary. The high peak output power per pulse allows laser light to penetrate deeper into biological media without significant heating. The possibility of excitation of singlet oxygen without the use of endogenous photosensitizers is an indisputable advantage of such laser generators.
Aims study of singlet oxygen generation in human oral fluid in vitro depending on the parameters of nanosecond pulsed laser radiation with a wavelength of ~1265 nm.
Methods. We used a laser device with a main infrared (IR) emitter with a wavelength approximately corresponding to the oxygen absorption maximum (~1265 nm) with the generation of nanosecond pulsed radiation. A study was carried out to study the generation of singlet oxygen in the human oral fluid and the washing out of the oral fluid by the fading of the trap in solutions under the action of laser radiation before irradiation, after 30 and 60 min. The laser radiation parameters were set as follows: power 1 W, nanosecond pulsed radiation with a pulse duration of 400 ns and a frequency of 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 MHz in comparison with the continuous radiation mode.
Results. It has been established that nanosecond laser radiation leads to the oxidation of a chemical singlet oxygen trap solubilized with sodium dodecyl sulfate (0.05 M SDS) detergent in the oral fluid and saliva flushing from the oral cavity. In pulsed nanosecond modes, laser radiation is more efficient than in continuous mode. With an increase in the repetition frequency, an increase in the effect by an average of 10% compared to a lower frequency was observed and the effect with a maximum frequency of 2.0 MHz was almost 50% higher than when using continuous radiation in all studies. A decrease in optical density at 414 nm was reliably observed in samples with oral fluid washing, the effect was 0.07 0.01 for 60 min of exposure. In the oral fluid, the effect with the same parameters was slightly lower and amounted to 0.05 0.03.
Conclusions. The rate of fading of the trap in the saliva wash turned out to be 1.3 times faster than in water with detergent, which may indicate the activation of photoacceptors and their oversaturation with oxygen when using aqueous dilution of the oral fluid. The maximum effect was observed when using laser radiation with a pulse repetition rate of 2.0 MHz.
Modern Neurosurgery — the Multidisciplinary Integration of Competences an Technologies
Authors: Usachev Dmitry Y. , Konovalov Alexander N. , Potapov Alexander A. , Pronin Igor N. , Konovalov Nikolay A. , Golanov Andrey V. , Danilov Gleb V. , Kobyakov Grigoriy L. , Shkarubo Aleksey N.
Published: November 2022

Modern neurosurgery is based on the complex integration of basic and applied neurosciences and technologies. A significant number of different diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are used to prolong a patients life and preserve its quality to the maximum. At the same time, neurosurgery is the only clinical discipline providing direct access to the living human brain. A large body of information on the nervous system state and pathology, routinely generated in neurosurgery, attract specialists from the related medical and biological sciences. Such close cooperation of physicians, biologists, chemists, physicists, mathematicians, engineers, and other specialists ensures rapid and continuous improvement of neurosurgical treatment. This article highlights the spectrum of technologies in modern neurosurgery, the research tasks facing this specialty, and briefly the activities of the National Medical Research Center for Neurosurgery named after academician N.N. Burdenko the leading neurosurgical institution of the Russian Federation in priority clinical and scientific areas.
Reporting Analytical Data for Regulatory Submissions: A CRO Perspective on Implementing the BP4NTA Study Reporting Tool in the Healthcare Industry
Authors: Dunn Nicole , Michelson Anna , Fleck Louis , Vas Gyorgy
Published: November 2022

Analytical data packages are an essential part of the CMC (Chemistry and Manufacturing Control) section of US FDA (United States Food and Drug Administration) NDA (new drug application) submissions for pharmaceuticals and biologics. In many cases, the biocompatibility assessment for medical devices also requires analytical testing to be performed and reported. Based on the quality of the data presented, the regulatory review team makes an informed decision about the safety of the drug product or the medical device. If the submission is incomplete or does not support the safety assessment of the product, additional data may be required, which often delays product approval. Study sponsors must decide between optimizing the amount and quality of the data in the filing packages to save costs upfront, which may delay the approval process versus taking the more conservative approach of providing detailed information, investing more upfront, and minimizing the risk of delays.
Pervasive, but not politicised: everyday violence, local rule and party popularity in a township in Cape Town
Authors: Wheeler Joanna S
Published: November 2022

This paper explores relationships between political actors, local governance and violence in a community, through the case of security provision in the township of Imizamo Yethu in Cape Town. It traces the actions of key actors including SANCO, the City of Cape Town and ordinary residents in respect of crime, taxi violence, xenophobic attacks, protection rackets and service delivery protests. The extensive and varied nature of violence in Imizamo Yethu is related to uneven political legitmacy. Further, this weak governance is attributable to a lack of legitimacy of both the City of Cape Town and informal community leaders. The latter are take the form of the local branch of a civic association, the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) allied to the national ruling party, the Africa National Congress (ANC). In Imizamo Yethu, SANCO is weak and riven by factionalism, but the legitimacy of the ANC remains high and there is no violent contest for local leadership positions. Social cohesion in IY is in flux, and violence is alternately used to shore up particular notions of social cohesion; while in other examples violence erodes social cohesion. In short, inadequate state governance and informal rule co-exist with high levels of political support for the ANC and its allies, high levels of violence and uncertain implications for social cohesion. This account runs against three common key assumptions. The first is that, under conditions of weak rule, violence is primarily about contests over political power. The pervasiveness of violence by a variety of social actors in Imizamo Yethu, but not so much by SANCO or the ANC, challenges this assumption. The second is that the violence is constitutive of informal rule in such contexts. However, in Imizamo Yethu the importance of party identification and ability to extract resources from the local state are more important to effective local rule than violent capacities. Lastly, the case of IY illustrates that effective local rule is not necessarily an important condition of party legitimacy, which is rooted in larger dynamics of national and race politics. Indeed, such is the extent of political adherence , as opposed to social cohesion, that violence forms no part of competition within the ANC family for local office and political control.
Facilitating or hindering social cohesion? The impact of the Community Work Programme in selected South African townships
Authors: Langa Malose , Masuku Themba , Bruce David , Van der Merwe Hugo
Published: November 2022

In recent years, the term “social cohesion” has become an important concept in post-apartheid South Africa.[i] In this paper, we discuss the potential  of the Community Work Programme (CWP) as a violence-prevention project based on a study conducted[ii] in six communities, namely Ivory Park, Orange Farm and Kagiso (situated in Gauteng Province), Bokfontein (North West Province), Grabouw and Mannenberg (Western Cape). In this paper, we discuss the potential of CWP in facilitating social cohesion to prevent violence in communities. The CWP work includes community violence-prevention programmes against gangsterism, drug abuse, domestic violence and xenophobic violence. Ordinarily many of these violence prevention projects would not have been possible if it was not for the CWP. However, this paper shows that that the impact of the CWP is not always positive. In some of the six communities, the CWP was a source of racial or interpersonal conflicts, power struggles amongst the local elites for the control of the CWP, xenophobic or ethnic divisions. This paper provides all this analysis to show tensions and contradictions of the CWP in facilitating and hindering social cohesion in communities. It is recommended in conclusion that, if not implemented well, the CWP may be a source of conflict rather than social cohesion. It needs to be implemented in a reliable and stable way if it is to assist in reducing violence in communities.[i] Ingrid Palmary, Reflections on social cohesion in contemporary South Africa, Psychology in Society (forthcoming)[ii] This study was conducted by researchers at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR)
Is social cohesion relevant to a city in the global south? A case study of Khayelitsha
Authors: Barolsky Vanessa Emma
Published: November 2022

The concept of social cohesion is increasingly being utilised in local and international policy discourse and scholarship. The idea of collective efficacy, defined as ‘social cohesion among neighbours combined with their willingness of intervene on behalf of the common good,’ has been posited as having an important protective effect against violence. This article investigates the relevance of international framings of social cohesion and collective efficacy, which have largely been conceptualised and tested in the global north, to the conditions of social life and violence prevention in a city in the global south. These circumstances are interrogated through an ethnographic study conducted in Khayelitsha township in the Western Cape, where a major internationally funded and conceptualised violence prevention intervention, Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU), has been implemented. The ethnographic material contests some of the key assumptions in international discourses on social cohesion and the manner in which social cohesion has been interpreted and effected in the violence prevention initiatives of VPUU.
Pulling us apart? The association between fear of crime and social cohesion in South Africa
Authors: Roberts Benjamin J. , Gordon Steven L.
Published: November 2022

Fear of crime, like crime itself, is thought to be a factor that constrains efforts by government and non-state actors at promoting socially cohesive communities and a caring society. As concern  over South Africa's social fabric have mounted, increasing policy attention has been directed at perceptions of safety and nation-building. In this study, we use nationally representative survey data to examine recent theoretical models on the link between fear of crime and social cohesion within communities. The results do not offer strong support for the hypothesis that higher fear of crime is associated with lower levels of social trust, neighbouthood ties and civic cohesion, although fear does have a moderate, adverse influence on attitudes towards law enforcement.
Comfortably cosmopolitan? How patterns of 'social cohesion' vary with crime and fear
Authors: Kriegler Anine , Shaw Mark
Published: November 2022

Achieving ‘social cohesion’ across race and class divides in South African settlements is a major challenge given the divided urban geography of apartheid. Cosmo City, a new mixed-use settlement North-West of Johannesburg, was conceived and designed for social inclusion and cohesion, albeit primarily between people of different income levels rather than race groups. Crime prevention was not a central design principle, but a number of the development’s spatial features were also thought likely to affect crime and fear of crime, either directly or as mediated by stronger social cohesion. To test the success of this initiative, a survey was administered to 400 Cosmo City households, to determine community cohesion, fear of crime, and rates of crime victimisation. Results found a strong sense of localised community pride and belonging within immediate neighbourhoods, and relatively high feelings of safety. In contrast, however, self-reported crime victimisation rates were extremely high. This may be a surprising but not unprecedented outcome of strong social cohesion, which may allow knowledge of crime incidents to spread through community networks as a shared sense of victimisation and thus raise the likelihood of survey reporting. And, while this data also suggests that greater social cohesion does not in itself reduce levels of crime, it does appear to reduce fear of crime and improve citizen’s perceptions of their own safety and well-being in a wider community.
To be a somebody: Probing roots of community in District Six
Authors: Pinnock Don
Published: November 2022

The term community is a moving target, widely used and often misused in defining a group of people in a particular area or with similar cultural practices. In Cape Town the sense of a loss of community is precisely what residents of an area known as District Six mourn following their eviction and its destruction in the 1970s in terms of the racial Group Areas Act. What was it they perceived they had? And what did they lose following their removal to the Cape Flats? In asking these questions it’s possible to get a clearer understanding of the way in which multiple perceptions and relationships stitch together a social cohesiveness which undergirds the notion of community. And what happens when it’s lost.
Is social cohesion relevant to a city in the global south? A case study of Khayelitsha township
Authors: Barolsky Vanessa Emma
Published: November 2022

The concept of social cohesion is increasingly being utilised in local and international policy discourse and scholarship. The idea of collective efficacy, defined as ‘social cohesion among neighbours combined with their willingness of intervene on behalf of the common good,’ has been posited as having an important protective effect against violence. This article investigates the relevance of international framings of social cohesion and collective efficacy, which have largely been conceptualised and tested in the global north, to the conditions of social life and violence prevention in a city in the global south. These circumstances are interrogated through an ethnographic study conducted in Khayelitsha township in the Western Cape, where a major internationally funded and conceptualised violence prevention intervention, Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading (VPUU), has been implemented. The ethnographic material contests some of the key assumptions in international discourses on social cohesion and the manner in which social cohesion has been interpreted and effected in the violence prevention initiatives of VPUU.
Making sense of the duality of social cohesion
Authors: Gould Chandre , Barolsky Vanessa
Published: November 2022

This is the editorial for a speical edition of SACQ exploring the links between social cohesion and violence in South Africa.
Editorial:New partnerships in publishing and politics
Authors: Faull Andrew , Gould Chandre
Published: November 2022

In this editorial the editors anounce a new partnership between the ISS and the Centre of Criminology at the University of Cape Town, to co-edit and publish future issues of SACQ. The editorial also reviews recent developments in politics, law and accountability in South Africa.
On the record: Interview with Phumeza Mlungwana, Social Justice Coalition
Authors: Faull Andrew
Published: November 2022

In March this year a prominent South African grassroots organisation, the Social Justice Coalition (SJC), announced that it would be taking the South African Police Service (SAPS) to court. Andrew Faull spoke to the SJC’s General Secretary, Phumeza Mlungwana, about crime and policing in Khayelitsha, Cape Town.
Memories of the ‘inside’: Prison conditions in South African female correctional facilities
Authors: Abgoola Caroline
Published: November 2022

The inadequate conditions of imprisonment in South African correctional facilities are well known. Health care, sanitation, food provision, access to education and reading materials, and in particular, the overcrowding, of female prisons are considerable challenges faced by the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) regarding the incarceration of female prisoners[i]. A retrospective view of the conditions under which female inmates in South African correctional facilities are incarcerated is examined in this paper. Findings indicate that prison conditions in some South African female correctional facilities are poor: health care and sanitation facilities are largely inadequate, the quality of food is poor, little or no reading materials are made available, and recreational facilities are largely absent. These conditions impact negatively on the female prisoners during, and sometimes, after their incarceration.
'Darker shades of blue': A comparison of three decades of South African Police Service culture
Authors: Steyn Jean , Mkhize Sazelo
Published: November 2022

Research and thought on the public police have emphasized the value of police culture in comprehending the various aspects of policing. Recently a ‘contemporary police culture’ school of thought has risen, challenging prevailing traditional portrayals of homogeneity and universality. Aficionadas of this method argue that new developments in police and policing have dramatically changed police culture and conventional characterisations do not reflect the complex minutiae of the police character, and as such are antiquated, illogical and useless. This manuscript is an attempt to contribute towards this debate by gauging indicators evincing police culture solidarity, isolation, and cynicism amongst a representative sample of South African Police Service (SAPS) functional police officials with ten (10), twenty (20), and thirty (30) years SAPS experience.
Penalised for poverty: The unfair assessment of ‘flight risk’ in bail hearings
Authors: Omar Jameelah
Published: November 2022

The purpose of bail must be evaluated in light of the purpose of pre-trial detention. Bail is not intended as a punitive measure. The Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977 contains various factors that guide a court in determining whether it is in the interests of justice to grant bail. Unfortunately, by giving undue weight to certain factors and ignoring others, courts have been known to deny bail on the basis that a lack of sufficient assets owned by accused persons means that they are likely to be flight risks. This is arguably unfair discrimination in terms of relevant Constitutional rights.
Book Review: Don Pinnock, Gang Town, Cape Town, Tafelberg, 2016.
Authors: Van der Spuy Elrena
Published: November 2022

Gang Town, so promises the back leaf, ‘tells a tale of two cities’. The front cover juxtaposes the two cities – Cape Town and Gang Town. The outline of Table Mountain beckons in the distance. Superimposed onto that world heritage emblem of the city is the body of a young man. A crude tattoo is visible on his naked torso. The arms of the body are stretched outward. The hands clasp a handgun.  The torso, the tattoo and handgun signify ‘the gangster’. He hails from Gang Town. The gangster-subject is not without agency. The body is tilted in anticipation of the deadly velocity of the gun.  But that agency, we know, is painfully circumscribed by the debilitating conditions of social exclusion that characterise Gang Town. So it is with anticipation that one turns to Pinnock’s account of the interplay between structure and agency and gangs.
Interview with Shaun Abrahams, National Director of Public Prosecutions
Authors: Du Plessis Anton , Maunganidze Ottilia
Published: November 2022

Executive Director of Institute for Security Studies, Anton du Plessis, and Senior Researcher, Ottilia Maunganidze, sat down with the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shaun Abrahams to discuss life, presidents, politics and prosecutions in South Africa. Du Plessis and Abrahams have known each other for many years
Politics, democracy and the machinery of the state
Authors: Faull Andrew
Published: November 2022

Editorial