bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brassinosteroids: Orchestrating Resilience and Growth in Modern Fruit Production
Authors: Akshay Kumar  , Rajan Rajni , Gulbadan Kaur  , Tanya Singh  , Keerthana Chundurwar  , Gundu Boina Gopichand Reddy  , Thammali Vamshi
Published: August 2023

Plant growth regulators control various physiological processes in plants, including growth and development. Among these regulators, brassinosteroids (BRs) have emerged as important phytohormones with diverse roles in crop development and metabolism. They influence processes like cell division, elongation, reproduction, flowering, vascular differentiation, fruit ripening, root formation, and responses to both biotic and abiotic stressors. Additionally, BRs enhance tolerance and resilience to these stressors. Their impact on fruit trees' defense mechanisms holds significant potential for the fruit industry. This review focuses on the wide-ranging physiological and economic importance of BRs in modern fruit production, highlighting their applications and implications through conceptual research and development efforts.
O zjawisku kontaminacji we współczesnym języku czeskim: charakterystyka strukturalna
Authors: Dembska Katarzyna
Published: August 2023

Niniejszy artykuł dotyczy innowacji leksykalnych w języku czeskim powstałych w procesie kontaminacji i przedstawia wyniki analizy 205 formacji kontaminacyjnych wyekscerpowanych ze słownika Hacknutá čeština 2.0. Neortodoxní slovník dnešní materštiny. Autorka  koncentruje się na charakterystyce struktury omawianych jednostek, mając świadomość konieczności poszerzenia materiału badawczego w celu weryfikacji zaprezentowanej analizy ilościowej. Już jednak przedstawione wyniki badań wskazują na rosnącą popularność kontaminatów we współczesnym języku czeskim, ich potencjał w poszerzaniu zasobu leksykalnego czeszczyzny oraz dominację jednej ze struktur. W związku z ograniczonymi ramami niniejszego opracowania każdy z typów struktury jest prezentowany jedynie na wybranych przykładach formacji kontaminacyjnych.
Kritické čtení on-line zpráv spojených tématem pandemie koronaviru
Authors: Svobodová Jindřiška , Kij Jan
Published: August 2023

Analýza dvou tematicky zaměřených on-line zpravodajských příspěvků prokázala, že zpravodajský žánr určený původně k objektivní a věcné prezentaci informací o aktuální události lze využít jako nástroj pro ovlivňování příjemců ve vztahu k tématům, která jsou oblastí angažovanosti vlastníka média nebo jiných společenských institucí patřících k establishmentu dané společnosti. Výběr aktérů, odborníků, sledovaných událostí a použitých jazykových prostředků umožňuje dosažení požadovaných komunikačních cílů cílů a vykazuje významný vliv na názory a postoje předpokládaných příjemců
An approach for considering the object surface properties in a TLS stochastic model
Authors: Kerekes Gabriel , Schwieger Volker
Published: August 2023

The interaction between laser beams and backscattering object surfaces lies at the fundamental working principle of any Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) system. Optical properties of surfaces such as concrete, metals, wood, etc., which are commonly encountered in structural health monitoring of buildings and structures, constitute an important category of systematic and random TLS errors. This paper presents an approach for considering the random errors caused by object surfaces. Two surface properties are considered: roughness and reflectance. The effects on TLS measurements are modeled stepwise in form of a so-called synthetic variance-covariance matrix (SVCM) based on the elementary error theory. A line of work is continued for the TLS stochastic model by introducing a new approach for determining variances and covariances in the SVCM. Real measurements of cast stone façade elements of a tall building are used to validate this approach and show that the quality of the estimation can be improved with the appropriate SVCM.
Graves’ disease after COVID mRNA vaccination for the first time diagnosed in adolescence-case report. Cause and effect relationship or simple coincidence?
Authors: Mainieri Francesca , Chiarelli Francesco , Betterle Corrado , Bernasconi Sergio
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Over the past 3 years, coronavirus disease 2019 with its worldwide spread has profoundly marked public health, therefore anti-COVID-19 vaccinations have been developed to prevent the dissemination of the disease. To date, 71 cases of Graves’ disease (GD) after vaccination against SARS-Cov-2 were described in the adult population. Our goal is to present the first case in the paediatric population.

Case presentation

We present the first case of a 16-year-old adolescent girl who developed GD 6–7 weeks after the second dose anti-COVID-19 mRNA vaccine. Therapy with methimazole and propranolol was started, achieving normal thyroid function and negativity of thyroid autoantibodies at the time of therapy discontinuation after 8 months.

Conclusions

This case shows that the development of GD after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination can occur also in the adolescent population. Nevertheless, the small number of cases of GD described so far, after many millions of vaccinations, makes it impossible to determine whether this is simple a coincidence or a cause. Further epidemiological data on the incidence of GD in the vaccination period compared to the previous period will be able to clearly define this question.
The European Union assessments of radiofrequency radiation health risks – another hard nut to crack (Review)
Authors: Nyberg Rainer , McCredden Julie , Hardell Lennart
Published: August 2023

In 2017 an article was published on the unwillingness of the WHO to acknowledge the health effects associated with the use of wireless phones. It was thus stated that the WHO is ‘A Hard Nut to Crack’. Since then, there has been no progress, and history seems to be repeating in that the European Union (EU) is following in the blind man’s footsteps created by the WHO. Despite increasing evidence of serious negative effects from radiofrequency radiation on human health and the environment, the EU has not acknowledged that there are any risks. Since September 2017, seven appeals by scientists and medical doctors have been sent to the EU requesting a halt to the roll-out of the fifth generation of wireless communication (5G). The millimeter waves (MMW) and complex waveforms of 5G contribute massively harmful additions to existing planetary electromagnetic pollution. Fundamental rights and EU primary law make it mandatory for the EU to protect the population, especially children, from all kinds of harmful health effects of wireless technology. However, several experts associated with the WHO and the EU have conflicts of interest due to their ties to industry. The subsequent prioritizing of economic interests is resulting in human and planetary health being compromised. Experts must make an unbiased evaluation with no conflicts of interest. The seven appeals to the EU have included requests for immediate protective action, which have been ignored. On the issue of wireless radiation and the health of citizens, the EU seems to be another hard nut to crack.
Acyclic diaminocarbenes (ADCs) and their catalytic activity in metal catalysed organic transformation reactions
Authors: Maurya Anuj , Tyagi Rajpal
Published: August 2023

Acyclic diaminocarbenes (ADCs)–Metal complex having strong donor ability and thermal stability led to extensive usability across every area of inorganic and organometallic chemistry. The unique properties of acyclic diaminocarbenes (ADCs) provide certain advantages over other carbene ligands and have the potential to make a great impact in catalysis. Further, the straightforward synthesis of M–ADCs (metal bound acyclic diaminocarbenes) complexes via metal-mediated reaction provides a wide range of well-defined metal carbene catalysts, which might inspire more researchers to devise unsymmetrically substituted, chiral, and novel acyclic carbene compounds. Although the above synthetic route is limited to a few late transition metals, but have great opportunities to expand the scope of this method. The application of M–ADCs complexes as a catalyst for several organic transformation reactions such as various cross-coupling reactions and asymmetric synthesis like hydroarylation, hydroazidation, hydroamination, cyclization and addition reactions which have shown comparable or even higher activities than the analogous M–NHCs based on all the reports presented. Recent findings of donor ability of several ADC ligands would be useful in fine-tuning the electronic properties, and then a catalyst with a certain combination of donicity and steric requirement could open new doors in catalytic reactivity. Thus, the objective of this review is to assess the recent growths that have been made in designing novel and chiral ADCs ligands and synthesizing ADCs–Metal complexes and to highlight catalytic activities of metal acyclic diaminocarbene complexes for cross-coupling reactions.
The promoting effect of modified Dioscorea pills on vascular remodeling in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion via the Ang/Tie signaling pathway
Authors: Kuang Guiying , Shu Zhigang , Zhu Chunli , Li Hongbing , Zhang Cheng
Published: August 2023

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of modified Dioscorea pills (MDP) on microcirculatory remodeling in the hippocampus of rats with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) through the angiopoietin (Ang)/tyrosine kinase receptor tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin-like and EGF-like domains (Ang receptor) 2 (Tie-2) signaling pathways, which may underlie the cognitive improvement observed in CCH rats.

Methods

Forty male Sprague–Dawley rats raised under specific pathogen-free conditions were randomly divided into three groups: control group (10 rats), model group (15 rats), and MDP group (15 rats). The rats in the model group and MDP group underwent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion using the 2-vessel occlusion (2-VO) method to induce CCH. Rats in the control group underwent the same surgical procedures as those in the model group, except for ligation and occlusion of the carotid arteries. After 1 week of 2-VO, rats in the MDP group were administered MDP condensed decoction intragastrically at a dose of 1 ml/100 g body weight (prepared by the Preparation Room of Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine) for 45 days, while rats in the other two groups received normal saline intragastrically with the same dose and duration as the MDP group. After the intervention, all rats were euthanized, and brain perfusion was performed to obtain the hippocampal tissue for analysis. Immunohistochemical staining for CD43 was performed to assess microvessel density (MVD); western blot and the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to analyze the expression of proteins and genes in angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), Tie-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins and genes in the hippocampal tissue and compute the Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio.

Results

MDP treatment reduced neuronal loss and promoted restoration of the damaged hippocampal structure in CCH rats. The model group showed significantly higher MVD (14.93 ± 1.92) compared to the control group (5.78 ± 1.65) (P < 0.01), whereas MDP treatment further increased MVD (21.19 ± 2.62). Western blot and RT-PCR analysis revealed that CCH significantly increased the expression of Ang-1, Ang-2, Tie-2, and VEGF proteins and genes, while MDP treatment further significantly upregulated the expression of these proteins and genes. In addition, MDP significantly elevated the gene and protein expression of the Ang-1/Ang-2 ratio compared to the control group (P = 0.041, P = 0.029).

Conclusion

CCH induces microvascular neogenesis in the hippocampus, and MDP promotes angiogenesis and microcirculation remodeling in CCH rats via the Ang/Tie signaling pathway, which may be an important mechanism for its restorative effects on hippocampal perfusion and improvement of cognitive function in CCH rats.
Contemplating the 3P Theory to Set Grounds for Criteria for the Understanding of Arts-based Research
Authors: Hu Jun
Published: August 2023

In this article, “3P” stands for possibility, plausibility, and probability, which indicate the progressive effects of prediction in research results. Advocating this 3P distinction, the author tries to showcase research as a spectrum of academic endeavor with varied objectives of prediction in research finding, on which arts-based research (ABR) bases its credibility on the possibilities it opens, apart from its aesthetic features. To open up possibilities through artistic endeavor, this author’s definition of ABR is a radical approach of diminishing knowledge processes that challenges the stereotypical norm that credible research is an accumulative and systematic knowledge-increasing process, as in the case of qualitative and quantitative research that takes plausibility or probability as its purpose. Through a critical review of the science history and by performing ABR, the author argues that ABR should be taken as a credible research method as long as it creates unprecedented possibility that is significant to human welfare and the progression of knowledge. It is also argued that, despite meeting the established criteria for credible research, a set of functional criteria for ABR as a methodology in its own right should be generated out of this awareness of 3P, in respect with the research purpose and matched methods.
Association of HLA-DRB1*04 gene with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis among Iraqi-Kurdish population in Erbil province
Authors: Ziad Omer Bakhtawar , Mohammed Zaki Abdullah Sahar
Published: August 2023

Background and objective: Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is one of the common autoimmune thyroid diseases with increasing incidence in the general population. It has been suggested that a combination of genetic and environmental factors increase the risk of developing the disease. The current study aimed to find the association between HLA-DRB1*04 gene with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis among the Iraqi-Kurdish population in Erbil Province. Methods: The case-control study was conducted on 45 untreated patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis who have already been diagnosed and 45 control subjects. Blood specimens were taken from the subjects for gene detection purposes via conventional polymerase chain reaction. Sera specimens were used to run enzyme linked immunosorbent assay to measure the level of IFNγ. Results: The age of subjects ranged from 32 to 63 years with no significant difference between mean ±SE of cases (46.822±1.087 years) with the mean ±SE (47.044 ±1.162 years) of the control subjects (P = 0.999). The mean ±SE of free T3 and T4 levels was lower in cases in comparison to those of controls, while the mean ±SE of TSH level in cases was significantly higher compared to those of controls. Statistically there was a highly significant difference in the mean ±SE of free T3, free T4 and TSH levels between cases and controls (P <0.001). Furthermore, the mean ±SE of anti-TPO, anti-Tg and IFNγ levels was higher in cases compared to those of control subjects. Statistical analysis shows a highly significant difference between mean ±SE of anti-TPO and anti-Tg antibody levels of cases compared to those of controls (P <0.001). As for IFNγ level, there was a significant difference between mean±SE of IFNγ levels in cases and controls (P = 0.021). The conventional polymerase chain reaction results showed that 39/45 (86.7%) of cases were tested positive for HLA-DRB1*04, while only 20/45 (44.04 %) of the control subjects tested positive for the gene, statistical analysis revealed a highly significant association between the existence of the gene with HT disease (P <0.001). Conclusion: The study revealed a highly significant association between the existence of HLA-DRB1*04 gene and Hashimoto's thyroiditis disease among the Iraqi-Kurdish population in Erbil Province.
Impact of TeO2-B2O3 manipulation on optical and radiation shielding properties of mixed glass former borotellurite glass
Authors: Said D. , Samsudin N. M. , Naaim M. M. , Sayyed M. I. , Zaid M. H. M. , Azlan M. N. , Iskandar S. M. , Yusof N. N. , Sazali E. S. , Hisam R.
Published: August 2023

(80-x)B2O3-xTeO2-10Li2O-Al2O3 (x=10-60 mol%) mixed glass former (MGF) glasses were prepared by using melt-quenching method to investigate the effect of mixed glass former between B2O3 and TeO2 on the optical properties and to evaluate the radiation shielding ability of the glass. Extremes observed at x=40 mol% for all optical properties’ parameters were suggested due to large number of non-bridging oxygen. The radiation shielding properties of the glass samples were determined for 0.284 MeV–1.333 MeV energy range by using Phy-X/PSD software. The studied radiation parameters have shown enhancement due to high density and high atomic number, Z of Te over B
Effect of the laser CO2 properties on the superconducting nanocomposite Bi2Sr2-xYxCa2Cu3-yNiyO10+d at high temperatures
Authors: Ahmad N. A. , Ali A. K. D. , Mahdi S. H.
Published: August 2023

Researchers have been looking into ways to cut down on energy waste in transportation and manufacturing in response to the poor value of energy production as a basic tenet of renewable energy producing facilities. Heat loss due to the electrical resistance of materials is the primary source of energy waste in electrical systems. There are a plethora of studies aimed at lowering material resistance, and the best approach involves the use of superconductor's materials. The number of possible strategies for improving the superconductor's electrical and structural characteristics is overwhelming. Using XRD analysis, a scanning electron microscope, electron dispersive spectroscopy, and the fourprobe technique, the authors of this paper report on their findings regarding the effect electrical and structural characteristics for laser-irradiated materials of the Bi2Sr2- xYxCa2Cu3-yNiyO10+δ compound over a period of 60 seconds. X-ray diffraction studies demonstrated that the crystal structure of the material did not change before and after laser irradiation; both the unirradiated and laser-irradiated samples were found to have an orthorhombic crystal structure. Using the four-probe approach, we looked at how irradiation affected the critical temperature of the specimens we produced. According to the findings of the tests, all of the specimens changed after being subjected to the laser light, with the critical temperature rising by 139 K, 147 K, and 145 K, respectively
Influence of Sr2+ substitution on structural, optical and catalytic properties of CoAl2O4 nanoparticles
Authors: Anitha G. , Jothiramalingam R. , Sukumar M. , Roniboss A. , Yuvaraj S. , Ramkumar G. , Sundararajan M. , Arokiyaraj S.
Published: August 2023

Strontium substituted CoAl2O4 nanoparticles were prepared using a microwave combustion technique using L-alanine as a fuel. The following techniques were used to test the synthesized samples such as XRD, HR-SEM, EDX, DRS, FT-IR and VSM respectively.. Surface morphology showed nanosized crystalline grains agglomerated with flake-like and nano-sized pores are fused grain boundaries. The band gap was calculated using Kubelka-Munk (K-M) function and it is reduced from 3.32 to 3.18 eV. The Ft-IR bands ranging from 560 to 1100 cm-1 are caused by the cubic structure of Sr2+ doped CoAl2O4 nanoparticles(NPs). The bi-functional NPs CoAl2O4/SrO (x = 0.5) exhibited excellent catalytic performance and better conversion efficiency (conversion 98% and selectivity 95%) for glycerol
Phrasemes in Academic Student Texts
Authors: Melnikienė Danguolė
Published: August 2023

Vilma ZUBAITIENĖ, Gintarė JUDŽENTYTĖ-ŠINKŪNIENĖ, Eglė GUDAVIČIENĖ, Lina PLAUŠINAITYTĖ, Skaistė VOLUNGEVIČIENĖ. Studentų darbų fraziškumas. Kolektyvinė monografija. Vilnius, Vilniaus Universiteto leidykla, 2020, 614 p.
Formation of Hydrogen Bonds and Vibrational Processes in Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Its Aqueous Solutions: Raman Spectroscopy and Ab Initio Calculations
Authors: Jumabaev A. , Hushvaktov H. , Khudaykulov B. , Absanov A. , Onuk M. , Doroshenko I. , Bulavin L.
Published: August 2023

The intermolecular interaction in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which is a strong solvent, and its manifestation in vibrational spectra are studied by means of Raman spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. The optimal structure and vibrational spectra of DMSO monomer, dimer, and trimer, as well as complexes of DMSO with water molecules, are calculated, and the potential energy distribution (PED) analysis is carried out. In the Raman spectra of DMSO and its water solutions, a red shift of the S=O stretching band due to the conventional hydrogen bonding and a blue shift of the C–H stretching band due to non-classical hydrogen bonding are detected. The MEP surfaces (changes in the charge distribution) of DMSO monomer, dimer, and DMSO–water cluster are plotted.
Investigation of Static Shear Stress in a Suspension of Co0.2Ni0.8Fe2O4 Nanoparticles in Sesame Oil
Authors: Lafta Sadeq H.
Published: August 2023

Spinel ferrite nanoparticles of Co0.2Ni0.8Fe2O4 composition are utilized as filler magnetic particles in the carrier fluid of sesame oil to prepare a magnetorheological fluid. The hydrothermal method is adopted to prepare CoNi ferrite nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction analysis is used to check the crystalline phase, and transmission electron microscopy is used to image the particles to find the size and shape of particles. The average size is about 18 nm. The magnetic properties are determined by measuring the hysteresis loop by the superconducting quantum interference device technique. The saturation magnetization is 59.4 emu/g, and the coercivity is 30 Oe. The Langevin fitting is applied to the hysteresis loop to show that the particle moment is about 16 × 103 μB. The viscosity and shear stress are measured against the shear rate, where the latter parameters are extracted from the viscosity and the viscometer spindle speed. The viscosity behavior showed the shear thinning against the shear rate. The viscosity increases with the magnetic field. The shear stress increases with the shear rate and has a very good matching with the Bingham model, rather than with the Herschel–Bulkley model, while describing the measured data. We observed a clear high static shear stress at low shear rates that are growing with the magnetic field. The yield stress was increased linearly with magnetic field strength.
Membangun Harmoni Kehidupan Dengan Etika Komunikasi Islam
Authors: Burhanudin Burhanudin , Rojali Abdul Rahman
Published: August 2023

Komunikasi merupakan bagian yang tak terpisahkan dalam kehidupan manusia karena segala gerak langkah kita selalu disertai dengan komunikasi. Menciptakan kondisi dan iklim kehidupan yang harmonis menuntut suatu tuntunan atau etika komunikasi yang baik. Komunikasi yang dimaksud adalah komunikasi yang islami, yaitu komunikasi beretika yang mempunyai efek mashlahat dalam kehidupan.  Dalam perspektif Islam, komunikasi yang beretika bersumber dari al-Quran dan hadis. Di dalam agama Islam paling tidak ada enam etika dalam berkomunikasi yang harus dibangun dan merupakan pilar dalam kehidupan yaitu, ucapan yang benar (qaulan syadidan), ucapan yang efektif dan efisien (qaulan baligha),ucapan yang mulia (qaulan karima), ucapan yang baik (qaulan ma’rufan),  ucapan yang lemah lembut (qaulan layyinan), ucapan yang layak dan pantas (qaulan maysura). Rasulullah SAW mengingatkan, "(Muslim terbaik) ialah orang yang orang-orang muslim lainnya selamat dari (bahaya) lisan dan tangannya (perbuatannya)" (HR. Bukhari dan Muslim). Islam mengilustrasikan nilai etika komunikasi islami meliputi nilai kebenaran, nilai kebaikan, dan selanjutnya nilai tabayyun.
Saya Cinta Muslim dan Non Muslim: Potret Dakwah Moderat Dai Global Habib Ali Al-Jufri Zainal Abidin
Authors: Romli R. Cecep , Parida Rd. Ima Mariam
Published: August 2023

Artikel ini bermaksud mengulas sejumlah isu kontroversial dari ceramah-ceramah dan karya tulis Habib Ali Al-Jufri, seorang ulama yang diakui luas sangat otoritatif sekaligus da‘i “seleb”—follower akun media sosialnya lebih dari 12 juta. Habib Ali termasuk ulama yang tidak menghindar dari isu-isu keagamaan yang dianggap “tabu” dan sensitif, yang hampir tak pernah dibicarakan dalam pengajian-pengajian tradisional, misalnya isu tentang mencintai orang kafir termasuk tentang ragam kekafiran, hukuman mati bagi orang murtad, khilafah, ucapan selamat natal, dan prinsip kemanusiaan di atas keagamaan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode tafsir maudhu‘i (tematik) dan analisis konten untuk mengulas dan membandingkan pandangannya dengan pandangan para ulama lainnya. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan, walau tak jarang membidik dan berupaya memberi jawaban atas isu-isu tabu, namun ceramah-ceramahnya yang memberi tawaran moderat tetap diterima luas dan disukai jamaahnya, sehingga ia berperan penting dalam upaya menebar ajaran Islam yang penuh cinta dan humanis serta dalam mencegah polarisasi dan perpecahan umat. Ini antara lain berkat ilmunya yang begitu luas terkait Al-Quran, hadis, biografi Nabi dan sahabat, fiqih dan tasawuf.
Quality Indicators to Evaluate Essential Newborn Care in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Diego Ellen K. , Ehret Danielle E. Y. , K. C. Ashish , Bose Carl L.
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND

Strategies to improve neonatal outcomes rely on accurate collection and analyses of quality indicators. Most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) fail to monitor facility-level indicators, partly because recommended and consistently defined indicators for essential newborn care (ENC) do not exist. This gap prompted our development of an annotated directory of quality indicators.

METHODS

We used a mixed method study design. In phase 1, we selected potential indicators by reviewing existing literature. An overall rating was assigned based on subscores for scientific evidence, importance, and usability. We used a modified Delphi technique for consensus-based approval from American Academy of Pediatrics Helping Babies Survive Planning Group members (phase 2) and secondarily surveyed international partners with expertise in ENC, LMIC clinical environments, and indicator development (phase 3). We generated the final directory with guidelines for site-specific indicator selection (phase 4).

RESULTS

We identified 51 indicators during phase 1. Following Delphi sessions and secondary review, we added 5 indicators and rejected 7. We categorized the 49 indicators meeting inclusion criteria into 3 domains: 17 outcome, 21 process, and 11 educational. Among those, we recommend 30 for use, meaning indicators should be selected preferentially when appropriate; we recommend 9 for selective use primarily because of data collection challenges and 10 for use with reservation because of scientific evidence or usability limitations.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed this open-access indicator directory with input from ENC experts to enable appraisal of care provision, track progress toward improvement goals, and provide a standard for benchmarking care delivery among LMICs.
Does premenstrual syndrome affect physical activity and quality of life? A cross-sectional study
Authors: ELVAN Ata
Published: August 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the presence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), physical activity, and quality of life in female university students.

Methods: The study was designed as a prospective and cross-sectional study. Female students aged 18-23 studying at university were included. Demographic information, physical characteristics, and information on menstrual period were recorded by a self-reported questionnaire. The menstrual symptoms, physical activity, and quality of life were evaluated by the Premenstrual Syndrome Rating Scale, International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF)” and Short Form-12 (SF-12), respectively. The data were analyzed at p
Philosophy and palliative medicine: questions of human nature, death and dying
Authors:   Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Kyiv, Pustovit S.V.
Published: August 2023

The philosophical issues of palliative and hospice care, death and dying of a person - the provision of medical and social care at the terminal stages - are closely related to the development of philosophical anthropology, axiology, bioethics, ideas and concepts of humanities, philosophical, sociological, psychological doctrines of human nature. In the context of philosophical problems of death and dying, the ideas of perception of time, human fragility, the meaning of life, trauma, dignity of the individual, which form the modern understanding of the phenomena of death and dying in medical discourse, are analyzed. It is concluded that under the influence of the key ideas of philosophy, psychology, psychotherapy, palliative and hospice care should be transformed into a multidimensional activity that includes not only medical care, but also spiritual and psycho-corporeal, psychotherapeutic support, understanding of the uniqueness and spiritual dimensions of human life. No conflict of interests was declared by the author.
Withholding or Withdrawing Life-Sustaining Treatment Interventions: The Philosophical and Ethical Aspects of Death and Dying
Authors:   Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Kyiv, Berezkina V.V.
Published: August 2023

The provision of a burdensome treatment (therapeutic obstinacy, or “heroic treatment”) that has the sole purpose of artificially prolonging the patient’s life is a major interdisciplinary problem in modern medicine (biomedicine). The author discusses two opposing trends in addressing this issue such as medicalisation of death and dying, on the one hand, and existential concerns about death, on the other hand. No conflict of interests was declared by the author.
Ethics and safety culture in medical practice
Authors:   SU Institute of Public Health named after O.M. Marzeeva National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Serdyuk A.M. , Rygan M.M. ,   Medical Center Modern Orthopedics, Kyiv, Ukraine, Skaletsky Yu.M. ,   SU Institute of Public Health named after O.M. Marzeeva National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv
Published: August 2023

Medical practice is connected with the greatest social values - people's health and life. Its subjects and objects are people with numerous social and biological differences and characteristics. It is obvious that under such circumstances it is impossible to normalize all situations of this practice. Therefore, this involves the wide application of moral laws in health care, supplementing the mechanisms of legal regulation of the relationship between the medical worker and the patient with the norms of medical ethics and deontology. That is why none of the professional communities has at the world, regional and national levels so many conventions, codes, declarations, oaths of a moral and ethical plan, which are an integral part of the regulatory and legal framework of medicine. But ethics and law are not identical. Quite often ethics declare standards of behavior higher than the law. There are known cases where ethics require that doctors not obey laws that require unethical behavior (WMA, 2009). Medical ethics puts the patient and his safety above other criteria for the quality of medical care, above the interests of medical workers. None of these moral and ethical documents bypasses the issue of patient safety, starting with the Hippocratic one: "refraining from causing any harm" and ending with the Code of Ethics of a doctor of Ukraine, which emphasizes that "a doctor must carefully analyze the mistakes made and discuss them with colleagues and guidance for the prevention of similar cases in the clinical practice of other doctors." Patient safety is considered an ethical imperative (Vicki D. Lachman, 2007). This is consistent with the concept of safety culture developed by the IAEA after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (IAEA, 1991) to prevent emergency situations in the nuclear power sector. The concept of safety culture is considered as a mechanism for identifying hidden safety deficits and puts its level above the requirements of legislation and regulatory bodies (ILO, 2001). The World Health Organization declared its commitment to safety culture principles in 2005 and called on national health care systems to follow suit. In a recent document, the Global Alliance for Patient Safety (HURST, Samia, et al., 2013) emphasizes the need to consider ethical issues in patient safety research. Considering the above, the concept of safety culture, based on the principles of medical ethics, is at the same time its section in the part related to the formation of a safe hospital environment. Today, many countries have successful experience of using safety culture in medicine, and using it and developing it is an urgent task of the domestic medical community. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Awareness of legal representatives of patients with cerebral palsy about e-tools for control and monitoring the availability of medicines
Authors:   Association of palliative and hospice, Kyiv, Ukraine, Wolf O.O. ,   Shupyk National University of Healthcare of Ukraine, Kyiv, Auhunas S.V. ,   Shupyk National University of Healthcare of Ukraine, Kyiv
Published: August 2023

In October 2020, the Association of palliative and hospice care together with the Department of Organization and Economics of Pharmacy of Shupyk National medical academy of postgraduate education have conducted a survey on awareness of parents and relatives of seriously ill children with cerebral palsy (CP) about online tools for control and monitoring availability of drugs. The study found that the vast majority of parents and relatives of seriously ill children with cerebral palsy are unaware of this resource and do not use it to check the availability of drugs. The level of ignorance of parents in Kyiv and other regions is generally the same (around 95%). The survey of the administration of NGOs (8 respondents), which on the basis of their Statute provide activities to protect the rights and interests of children with cerebral palsy in these areas, have shown that most of them (6 respondents) also do not use e-tools in their activities. The Association of palliative and hospice care is planning educational work in this direction. The purpose of such activities should be capacity building and social mobilization of citizens. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Methodical approaches to determining the influence of the infrastructure of the metropolitan healthcare system on the availability of palliative and hospice medical care
Authors:   Ptoukha Institute for Demography and Social Studies of the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Korniychuk O.P.
Published: August 2023

The essence of the sphere of health care of metropolises is revealed and methodical approaches to determining the influence of its infrastructure on the availability of palliative and hospice medical care are substantiated. No conflict of interests was declared by the author.
Organizational forms of medical personnel education in paliative care
Authors:   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Ersteniuk H.M. , Detsyk O.Z. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Zolotarova Zh.M. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Koltsova N.I. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine
Published: August 2023

Purpose - to study modern views, advanced world and national experience in training medical personnel for palliative care. Materials and methods. Recommendations of international organizations, domestic regulations on palliative care, curricula of medical universities and colleges. Results. It is established that the definition of «Palliative Care» and the levels of its provision, regulated by the current legislation of Ukraine, do not correspond to modern international approaches. The National curricula on palliative care developed by us on the principle of vertical integration and approved by the Ministry of Health in 2014, nowadays, in the era of transition to full autonomy of universities, is outdated. There is no medical specialty «palliative care» in Ukraine. Medical specialists can acquire knowledge and skills in palliative care only within the framework of their continuous professional development at the postgraduate level. According to an EAPC White Paper on Palliative Care Education, the three-level system of medical education based on core competencies and core constituents of palliative care is offer. Conclusions. The system of medical education in Ukraine requires correction in order to acquirement core competencies of palliative care by all medical workers. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Palliative care and human rights: the right to access thereto in terms of reform
Authors:   Danylo Halytskyi Lviv National Medical University, Ukraine, Senyuta I.Ya.
Published: August 2023

The peculiarities of exercising the right to access to palliative care (PC) in the context of medical reform have been revealed. Numerous legislative acts have been analyzed and regulatory dissonance has been revealed, which has a negative impact on the peculiarities of the enjoyment of the rights by palliative patients. Attention has been drawn to the fact that PC is not always free, which follows from the analysis of Part 2 of Art. 35-4 of the Law of Ukraine «Fundamentals of the legislation of Ukraine on health care», and only when referring. The Fundamentals clearly regulate the conditions under which PC can be free of charge: 1) in the presence of a referral to a health care institution in which the patient was provided with secondary or tertiary care; 2) an agreement shall be entered into with the referring health care institution of the National Health Service of Ukraine. However, the List of Primary Care Services Annex № 1 to the Primary Care Procedure states that a primary care physician has the right to refer patients in accordance with medical indications for PC to an extent that does not fall beyond primary care. It has been suggested to make changes to the following legislative provisions: 1) Art. 35-4 of the Fundamentals: patients should be entitled to free PC if they have a referral from a primary care physician; 2) Art. 35-4 of the Fundamentals and the Procedure for referring patients to health care institutions and individuals-entrepreneurs who in the manner prescribed by law have received a license to conduct business in medical practice and provide medical care of the appropriate type, approved by the Order of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine from 28.02.2020 № 586 to secure the right to receive free PC without referral. 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 author.
The right to palliative assistance: experience of project implementation
Authors:   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Soroka O.Ya. , Khomut U.V. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Fedosenko N.V. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine
Published: August 2023

The key elements of medical and social care for palliative care patients should be the educational component such as information campaigns and cultural projects, which explain that palliative care is not waiting for death, but a dignified and organized life of the patient and his relatives. Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University has joined to different projects to support vulnerable groups. In particular, with the financial support of the Public Health program initiative of the International Renaissance Foundation, the university has been implementing measures aimed at social support of children treated in the oncohematology department of Ivano-Frankivsk Regional Children's Clinical Hospital and their families for four years. These children receive high-dose chemotherapy, the procedure of which is long, they do not leave the department for many months, and therefore in addition to treatment they desperately need communication, interesting games, smiles, sincere prayer. At the same time, members of their families need to be able to take a «social break» to watch a movie, visit a theater or swimming pool, feel psychological and legal support, learn to relieve stress and anxiety, counteract stress, not be confined to problems. The quality of life of such people can be greatly improved when they try to see something positive in each day. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Doctor-patient-patient’s relatives relationships: problems of legal regulation
Authors:   The Center for Primary Health Care No. 2 of the Desnianskyi district of Kyiv, Ukraine, Svitlytsky A.V.
Published: August 2023

The abstracts are stated as a consequence of the conclusions approved by the decision of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine «On the Recommendations of the Parliamentary Hearings on the topic: «Organization of the anti-cancer fight in Ukraine. Problems and the ways to solve them» from 02.09.2020 № 862-IX, and the World Health Assembly Resolution «Cancer prevention and control in the context of an integrated approach» (WHA70.12) dated by 2017. In particular, the Resolution calls on governments and the World Health Organization to accelerate actions aimed at achieving the goals mentioned in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by UN General Assembly Resolution A/70/L.1 on 25 September 2015, in order to reduce premature deaths from cancer. One of the key points of this Resolution is to call on countries to develop standards and tools for management of planning and implementation of activities in the field of prevention, early diagnosis, screening, cancer treatment, as well as palliative care and assistance to people after treatment, including children with cancer. The difficult situation with the provision of palliative care to cancer patients in the terminal stage of the disease, the lack of sufficient material base and qualified staff requires additional involvement of the patient’s relatives and persons supervising them in the assistance. Improvement and clear legislative regulation of legal norms that in one way or another affect the effective construction of the relationships «doctor-patient-patient relative» should be the key to achievement of the maximum effect. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Geriatric care for the population of Ukraine: the current status and directions of development
Authors:   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Chaikovska V.V. ,   Shupyk National University of Healthcare of Ukraine, Kyiv, Vyalykh T.I. ,   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Velichko N.M. ,   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Tolstykh V.A. ,   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Moskalyuk S.V. ,   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv
Published: August 2023

The paper presents the current state and problems in the field of geriatric care in Ukraine. The basic needs for medical and social care among different age groups of the elderly population were studied. The study showed that geriatric practice has different characteristics of medical and social needs and requires an integrated approach involving multidisciplinary teamwork. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Optimizating and standards of palliative care for geriatric patients
Authors:   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Velichko N.M. , Chaikovska V.V. ,   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv,   Shupyk National University of Healthcare of Ukraine, Kyiv, Moskalyuk S.V. ,   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Vyalykh T.I. ,   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine, Kyiv
Published: August 2023

The article analyzes the current situation of development and implementation of state standards in the medical field, in particular in the field of palliative and hospice care in Ukraine. At this stage of the organization of palliative care for geriatric patients there are serious problems, which are largely determined by the shortcomings of the mechanisms of public administration of this system. These problems are national, which proves the need for their immediate consideration, solution and implementation of standards in the medical field. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Components of a palliative patient the quality of life. Quality of life of elderly and senile persons
Authors:   Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Kyiv, Tolstyh O. , Tolstyh V. ,   D.F. Chebotaryov Institute of Gerontology of the NAMS of Ukraine
Published: August 2023

In most of the post-industrial countries of the world, profound demographic and social changes are taking place, consisting in the aging of the population with a significant accumulation of elderly and senile people in the populations. This leads to significant shifts in the structure of morbidity and mortality, especially among the elderly and senile persons. The epidemiology of morbidity and mortality among these patients already today imposes complex organizational and financial problems on all national health systems of the countries concerned. In this regard, the concept of «quality of life» is becoming increasingly important and is used in the formation of medical, social policy and their solution to the problems of human adaptation to living conditions, have changed with aging and the appearance of incurable diseases inherent in old age. Thus, the quality of life can be considered as an integral indicator reflecting the degree of adaptation of a person to a disease and the ability to perform its inherent functions in accordance with its socio-economic situation. Assessment of the quality of life is based on a wide range of quality of life criteria developed by WHO, such as physical, psychological, level of independence, life in society, environment, spirituality. The main component of the concept of quality of life for the elderly is the availability of medical and social assistance, which provides for the implementation of treatment and prophylactic measures to maintain optimal physical, psychological and social comfort. A feature of the study of the quality of life of elderly patients is that in most cases the same tools are used as for other age groups. In general, the study of the quality of life of older people is of interest to modern science, and is of great practical importance. The data obtained can be used to select the optimal drugs and regimens for the treatment of patients, which would improve their quality of life. In addition, this would contribute to a more targeted use of material resources and an increase in the psychological and socio-economic condition of their family members. No conflict of interests was declared by the authors.
Functions of the family doctor in providing palliative care at the outpatient level
Authors:   Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine, Kyiv, Bratsiun O.P.
Published: August 2023

An analysis of the legislative regulation of the functions of a family doctor when providing palliative care at the outpatient level, identification of obstacles and ways to improve care. No conflict of interests was declared by the author.