bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
UNR MEMBERS IN THE UPA IN VOLYN
Authors: DAVYDYUK Ruslana
Published: August 2023

The circumstances of joining to the Ukrainian insurgent army of former participants of the Ukrainian National Democratic Revolution of 1917–1921, soldiers of the Army of the Ukrainian Peopleʼs Republic, who in the interwar period became political emigrants and lived in the Volyn Voivodeship, were analyzed. Some of them did not stop fighting until the middle 1920s , trying to support the anti-Bolshevik movement in the Soviet Ukraine. A new chance to compete for the Ukrainian state appeared during the Second World War. Through the involvement of archival and criminal case materials, memories, periodicals of the time, it was possible to fi nd out their names and partially trace their fate activists of the revolution. The reasons for the small number of such soldiers were explained. It was emphasized that these were mostly elderly people, burdened by old wounds and diseases. It was proved that the UPR community suffered signifi cant repression during the period of the first Sovietization (September 17, 1939 – June 22, 1941), which led to its dispersal. Some of these people saved their lives by leaving for Nazi-controlled territory. It was emphasized 94 Руслана Давидюк that the members of the Ukrainian National Peopleʼs Republic remained loyal to the idea of Ukraine’s independence during the Second World War, two of them, Leonid Stupnytskyi and Ivan Treiko, were awarded the rank of corporal general of the UPA (posthumously). The contribution of UPR political emigrants to the insurgent struggle as founders of intelligence, priests, and initiators of the reorganization of the UPA was clarified. Attention was drawn to a significant percentage of children of former Petlyurians in the ranks of the UPR Army, which is due to parental upbringing during the formation of their personality. It has been proven that the participation of the soldiers of the UPR Army in the UIA, where they shared their experience and military skills, testifies to the continuity and persistence of the struggle of Ukrainians for national independence.
Keywords
Ukrainian People’s Republic, Ukrainian political emigrants, Ukrainian insurgent army, Volyn, liberation struggle.
Law in the East Slavic legal-cultural space
Authors: Rominskyi Yevhen
Published: August 2023

The purpose of the study is to determine the main features, institutions and patterns of the development of law in the era of pre-state formations on the example of East Slavic state formations, as well as those state formations and states (the Grand Duchyof Lithuania, Ulus of Jochi, the Kingdoms of Poland and Hungary, Wallachian, and Slavic-Wallachian principalities, etc.), under the influence or power of which the aforementioned Eastern Slavic state formations fell in the studied period of the 9th–15th centuries. The term East Slavic legal-cultural space is used to denote this territorial and political massif.

On the basis of a comprehensive analysis of historiography, the main theoretical approaches to the characterization of law at the pre-state and early state stages of the political development of society are determined. The main attention in the work is paid to the characteristics of specifically historical features of law and state power in the East Slavic legal-cultural space of the 9th–15th centuries.

It is concluded that the law of Ancient Rus’ state formations is clearly distinguished from both the law of modern states and the traditional/primitive/archaic law, which arose and was formed in a naturally historical way. At the same time, this law is fundamentally different from the law of constituent states, which does not allow it to be classified as corporate law. At this stage, it seems logical to use one of the definitions of the Anglo-American Concepts of early law for this stage of the development of law:primitive or ancient law.

Key words: Legal history, East Slavic, Kyivan Rus, Old Rus, state formations, Barbarian state, Medieval Law, Ancient Rus’ Law, Source of Law, oral law, written law, Legal Treaty.
Ukrainian unitarism: development trends, current state, general and specific characteristics
Authors: Skrypniuk Oleksandr , Bohiv Yaryna
Published: August 2023

The article examines the problems of unitarism and its influence on determining the form of the state system, as a political-territorial organization of the state and the nature of the interaction between the state and its constituents. The theoretical and practical aspects of the implementation of unitarism, the genesis of its ideas and their research in domestic legal thought are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on the historically progressive role of unitarism in the state-building process, namely in ensuring the state's defense capability, control over internal order, implementation of fiscal policy, etc. The proposed characterization of unitarism as a political and socio-economic supersystem, its components. The main trends in the development of unitarism as a natural phenomenon in the modern era and the characteristic features of the unitarystate, both general and special, which express its specific characteristics, are analyzed. A unitary state, depending on the level of centralization, can be decentralized as well as centralized.

Key words: Ukraine, unitarism, essence and content, national opinion, principles,trends, state, autonomy, federation, state system.
Law of Ukraine in the conditions of war
Authors: Skrypniuk Oleksandr
Published: August 2023

With the aim of scientific and practical analysis of the law of Ukraine in times of war, the article examines the peculiarities of legal regulation of the main spheres of life of the Ukrainian State and society during martial law. The author provides a quantitative and qualitative description of the law-making process in Ukraine. The author analyses the law-making activities of the Parliament – the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, as well as the system of basic by-laws adopted during the war years. It is concluded that Ukrainian law in wartime reflects the objective socio-political realities of the Ukrainian State and society which are in extremely difficult conditions of martial law.

It is argued that over the past year, Ukrainian law has been functionally focused on solving the urgent tasks of defending Ukraine from armed aggression and on legal support for the functioning of public authorities and other state and public institutions in the context of war, in particular, through active and effective lawmaking activities covering all the most important socio-political areas with its regulatory influence. The topics of the adopted legal acts for the previous year refl ect the realities and priorities of the state in the context of war: defence, national security, judicial and law enforcement activities, human rights, economy and foreign policy, etc. The war has led to the adoption of regulatory legal acts which are classified as special legislation aimed at creating a legal basis for the national defence resistance, ensuring national security and law and order in times of war. The author proves that the war did not stop the European integration process in Ukraine. Thus, the legal acts called "European integration laws" were adopted.

The author concludes that the law of Ukraine during the war years became not only the normative basis for Ukraine's resistance to Russian aggression, but also the legal basis for the future development of the Ukrainian state and society, in particular, in the context of Ukraine's future European integration aspirations.

Key words: war, martial law, economy, European integration, legislation, national security, defence, post-war reconstruction, human rights, law, justice, lawmaking.
Agreement of a bank account, as a sign for the bank to issue a bank account to a non-banking supplier of payment services, that particular legal regulation
Authors: Babaskin Anatoliy , Liholat Alla
Published: August 2023

In the article, the author has agreed to agree on a contract with a bank for non-banking services to give payment services to a “payment’s settlement”, as the author considers “an agreement on a banking settlement”.

According to the norms of the Civil Code of Ukraine, the bank opens a current account to a non-bank payment provider on the basis of a bank account agreement (Article 1066 of the Civil Code of Ukraine). Since the Law of Ukraine «On Payment Services» does not provide a comprehensive legal regulation of legal relations arising between a bank and a non-bank provider of payment services when opening, operating and closing a current account, the provisions of Chapter 72 of the Civil Code of Ukraine should be applied to these legal relations, unless otherwise established by the Law of Ukraine «About payment services». Taking into account the above, such anagreement is characterized, in particular, by the following: a) we will specialize a subject warehouse – a counterparty to the bank, but only a non-banking supplier of payment services, as if having with drawn the NBU license for the provision of payment services, transferred from part 1 of Art. 5 of the Law, including the inclusion of the NBU to the Register of payment infrastructure; b) the selection of a bank account, inclusively for the purposes of securing the payment transactions of a non-banking payment institution; other specialty (except users), which can be re-ordered in the non-banking payment system; instructions of such users e) on the bones of users, who are clothed in a calculation of payment, cannot be placed underarrest and/or more severely tied up for goiter’s providers of payment services be for eany kind of creditor, for exclusion of a debt, if the creditor is a user, for the mind the naming of the delivery of payment services to the user is connected with the functions of the delivery of payment services; f) cash of users (individuals) on the deposit account of a non-banking tax payer may not be subject to the status of the deposit and may not be subject to public law guarantees established by the Law ofUkraine «On the system of guaranteeing deposits in physical assets», but may be protected by private law types of obligation - insurance or bank guarantee.

Key words: agreement, pravochin, rozrahunkovy rahunok, bank rahunkaagreement, non-banking payment order, bank, money, interest, penny goiter
Remote work in Ukraine: problems and prospects of improving its legal regulation
Authors: Simutina Yana
Published: August 2023

The article is devoted to the problems and prospects of legal regulation of remote work in Ukraine. Attention is paid to international and European standards dedicated to the features of remote work. Special attention is devoted to the study of the problems of limiting remote work for certain categories of workers under martial law. The conclusion is justified that the concept of “remote work” can be used to denote two phenomena that are different in their content. Firstly, remote work is a special mode of work that can be applied temporarily by the employer’s decision as a forced measure in the event of certain life-threatening circumstances or people’s health. Secondly, remote work as a special labour organization provides that teleworkers constantly perform work outside the employer’s location due to the specificity of their labour function.

The use of an electronic digital signature in the interaction between the employer and the remote worker is a separate problem in the course of organizing remote work.The question arises about the financial costs of obtaining it (on whom they should rely)and the need to use such a signature when familiarizing the remote worker with the orders, job description, and local acts of the employer. Also, the possibility of bringing a teleworker to disciplinary responsibility remains an unsolved problem, in particular, in what way the disciplinary offenses of such a worker should be documented, and his guilt should be established if the improper performance of labor duties was due to technical reasons or other circumstances independent of the worker. The latter becomes especially relevant in the current conditions of a full-scale war with russia, given the difficult situation in the dilapidated energy system of Ukraine, constant power outages and lack of mobile or internet connection.

Proposals regarding the need to improve the legal regulation of remote work in a separate section of the Labour Code are formulated. In particular with the regulation of the ways of interaction between the employer and the teleworker in the process of performing work (the order of protection and exchange of information, transfer of the employer’s tasks, control over their execution); access of teleworkers to opportunities for training and career growth; the mechanism for protecting the rights of teleworkers with the help of trade unions, their participation in collective negotiations and the resolution of collective labour disputes.

Key words: remote work, special form of labour organization, labour contract on remote work, non-standard employment.
Presumption of Employment in Non-Standard Labour Relations on Digital Platforms
Authors: Shumylo Mykhailo
Published: August 2023

The article discusses the problematic aspects of employment on digital platforms. Using the example of the Glovo courier service, the author analyzes the legal regulation of these labour relations in Ukraine and abroad. The study reasonably proves that in the delivery relationship, there is a presumption of employment, and therefore automatic recognition of the relationship between the courier and the Glovo digital platform as an employment relationship. This fact does not need to be established in court. Unfortunately, the Ukrainian experience is not encouraging: not only are these relations not regulated by law, but the courts refuse to recognize them aslabour relations. The article draws the following conclusions.

(1) The lack of legal certainty leads to various consequences: non-payment of taxes to the state budget and unified social contributions, which has an impact today and also has a delayed effect in the future. Although it is common practice in Ukraine for such drivers or couriers to be registered as individual entrepreneurs, and while this partially resolves the issue of paying taxes and fees, the issue of labour and legal protection remains relevant.

(2) The analysis of the decision of the Supreme Court of Spain provides additional arguments in favor of the need to enshrine in the national labour legislation the presumption of an employment relationship in the field of courier services provided through a digital platform, in particular, Glovo.

(3) The national court practice is only beginning to be formed in the area of establishing the fact of labour contractual relations on digital platforms. There is an law contracts. To change this paradigm, the greatest hopes should be placed on the Supreme Court, which, with its quasi-precedent-setting decision, can adjust and set a new tone in establishing the fact of labour relations.

(4) Maintaining the status quo will have short- and long-term negative consequences,contributing to a situation of permanent violation of social and labour rights ofemployees, which directly contradicts both the Constitution and Ukraine’s Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations.

Key words: labour relations, non-standard forms of employment, non-standardlabour relations, presumption of employment, establishment of the fact of labourrelations.
Securing obligations in the Concept of updating the Civil Code of Ukraine
Authors: Venetska Maryna
Published: August 2023

The article is devoted to issues of legal regulation of the institution of securing of obligations in the civil legislation of Ukraine and the analysis of proposals for it simprovement in the Concept of updating the Civil Code of Ukraine.

A critical analysis of the proposed changes to the current legislation was carried out and the need to take into account the needs of civilian turnover and economic practice was emphasized. It is emphasized that the most controversial and unresolved issues of legal science remain the definition of the concept of ensuring the fulfillment of obligations, evidence of which is the lack of its legal definition in the Civil Code of Ukraine, as well as repeated attempts to develop a classification of their types.

The statement that, since the restorative function is increasingly recognized undersecurity obligations, this category is converging with the category of civil liability has been criticized. Attention is drawn to the importance of observing the principle of accessory, which is also aimed at ensuring effective protection of the person who provided the security, against abuses by the creditor, creating obstacles to unjust enrichment, because precisely because of the accessory of the scope and enforcement, the creditor, who received performance from the debtor, will not be able to obtain performance a second time - from the security.

It is proven that the modern civil doctrine reasonably recognizes not only the existence of the main and collateral obligations, as the main and accessory obligations, but also the nature of their relationship, which consists in the fact that the additional obligations are dependent on the main ones and serve the main obligations, following their fate, since they are devoid of independent meaning, and lose their meaning in the absence of the main obligation.

The expediency and timeliness of developing and enshrining in the Civil Code of Ukraine a correct legal definition of the general concept of security obligation as additional, accessory, subsidiary, as well as the features and procedures of it simplementation and responsibility for its violation are argued. Significant attention is paid to the issue of the legal nature of accessory law.

Key words: obligations, securing obligations, contract, creditor, debtor.
Reflections on the cognitive purpose of comparative law (comparative jurisprudence)
Authors: Kresin Oleksii
Published: August 2023

The article showing that the highest goal of each autonomous general legal discourse is the construction and implementation of its vision and mission as a special picture of the world – a conceptualized and structured model of an aspect or fragment of reality accessible through its research program and methods. Depending on different types of scientific rationality, this picture of the world can be considered as a subject, object or goal of a scientific discipline, but it continues to be the main question of the latter, even if it is not formulated as such. The claim to the right to construct and present one’s own picture of the world as common to all legal discourses has actually been and is a key point of competition and dominance between legal philosophy, legal theory and comparative jurisprudence (comparative law) during the last two centuries.

The author argues that only comparative jurisprudence’s awareness of its own fundamental experience and continuity, available opportunities and valuable advantages in creating a picture of the world can bring it from a semi-marginal state to a well-deserved central status among general legal disciplines in the scientific and educational agenda. In addition, a realistic and inductive picture of the world of comparative jurisprudence is better for considering and modeling the existing and potential serious challenges of legal development.

Key words: scientifi c picture of the world, cognitive goal of science, comparative law, comparative jurisprudence.
Implementation of human rights in the modern world: challenges and threats
Authors: Tymoshenko Vira
Published: August 2023

The peculiarities of the realization of human rights under the conditions of various challenges and threats are covered. The mechanism for the realization of human rightsis considered as a set of legal means of implementing human rights in life, which is revealed in two interrelated aspects – static and dynamic. The realization of human rights can be hindered by various circumstances: inefficiency of legislation, inactivity of civil society, authoritarian political regime, terrorism, etc. The article is focused on terrorism. Countering terrorism is a complex task that involves a system of measures that do not always contribute to the realization of human rights, but they are necessary to ensure the safety of both a person and the entire society. Threats related to terrorism actualize theoretical studies of the possibilities of countering terrorism and creating conditions for the proper realization of human and citizen rights and freedoms. The purpose of the article is to study the specifics of the influence of terrorism on the process of realizing human rights in the modern world and to indicate ways to prevent this influence. The methodology of the article consists of dialectical and phenomenological approaches, as well as formal-logical, formal-dogmatic, formal-legal, systemic and structural-functional methods. The conclusions state that terrorismis a significant obstacle on the way to the realization of human rights. Terrorism can be characterized as the commission of ideologically motivated violent crimes with the aim of destabilizing society, influencing politics, and intimidating people. Rights and freedoms may be restricted in connection with a terrorist threat, but the restrictions must be proportionate to the threat. At the same time, the elimination of obstacles to the realization of human rights helps to overcome the motivation of certain individuals to engage in terrorist activities. The proper implementation of rights and freedoms is possible under the condition of creating effective mechanisms for overcoming social contradictions, achieving a social compromise, ending financial support for terrorism and illegal weapons trafficking, and effective counter measures against the formation of a terrorist personality.

Key words: implementation of human rights, society, threat, terror, migrants.
TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC AND MICROBIAL ECZEMA TAKING INTO ACCOUNT DISORDERS OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
Authors:   Kharkiv National Medical University, Lysenko K.I.
Published: August 2023

The purpose of the study is to analyze the effect of drugs with immunomodulatory effect on the changed indicators of the immune system of patients with idiopathic eczema (IE) and microbial eczema (ME). Materials and methods. 43 patients with chronic eczema (19 with idiopathic and 24 with microbial) aged 18–63 were examined. Eczema severity was assessed using the EASI. The immunological study carried out before and after treatment included the determination of the subpopulation composition of blood lymphocytes (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+) by flow cytofluorimetry, interleukins (IL)- 4, –10, –17 and interferon (IFN) γ, lactoferrin (LF) and human β-defensin 2 (hBD2) by immunoenzymatic method using appropriate commercial test systems. The innate immune system was assessed by the phagocytic index (PhI), phagocytic number (PhN) and phagocytosis completion index (PhCI). Patients with IE against the background of traditional therapy additionally received cholecalciferol (vitamin D3), ME – glucosaminylmuramylpentapeptide (GMPP), than cholecalciferol. The duration of HMPP administration and the dose of vitamin D3 depended on the severity of the dermatosis. Results and conclusions. The developed therapy contributed to regression of clinical manifestations, reduction of EASI. With IE and ME, clinical remission was achieved in 31.6% and 29.2%, significant improvement in 57.9% and 54.1%, and improvement in 10.5% and 16.7% of patients, respectively. Under the influence of immunomodulatory agents, it was possible to normalize most indicators of immunity, except for some parameters of innate immunity (PhCI and LF in ME), the level of IL (IL-17 in IE).
Non-Laboratory Project-Based Learning for Final Year Bioscience Students: Lessons From COVID-19
Authors: McKenna Declan J.
Published: August 2023

Background:Provision of “dry-lab” final year honours projects, based outside the laboratory, have been proposed as a viable alternative to traditional “wet-lab” projects in bioscience subjects, but their value has not been widely evaluated to date. In 2020–21, the COVID-19 pandemic meant all students in the School of Biomedical Sciences at Ulster University (UU) undertook dry-lab projects, due to campus lockdown. Therefore, this provided an ideal opportunity to evaluate the provision of dry-lab projects in a large student cohort.

Methods:A pilot group of final year students (n= 4) studying Biomedical Science at UU were interviewed to evaluate their experience of conducting a dry-lab project. This evaluation and the themes that emerged were subsequently used to inform the co-creation of a survey to appraise student experience of dry-lab research project learning across the final year student cohort in School of Biomedical Sciences (n= 140). Quantitative and qualitative data was collected and analysed for trends and themes.

Results:The results of this project identified four main themes related to dry-lab projects; expectations, skills & employability, quality of experience and choice. Student expectations about dry-lab projects were not dramatically changed, although initial negative opinions of some individuals were over-turned. Most students recognised that they had developed many useful employability skills through dry-lab projects, although lack of practical laboratory experience was still perceived as a drawback. Student experience was influenced by personal circumstances but students reporting poor project experience had significantly lower levels of communication with supervisor (p< 0.05). Most students agreed that choice of dry- and wet-lab projects would be valuable for future cohorts.

Conclusion:This report concludes that dry-lab project provision can be a suitable and equitable alternative for wet-lab projects. Dry-lab projects can be valuable for learning new skills and may be an attractive option for some students and supervisors who prefer to work outside the laboratory setting. A choice of both dry-lab and wet-lab projects is highly recommended as it provides more choice for students to tailor their final year experience to their individual circumstances, strengths and future career aspirations.
Parallel G-quadruplex recognition by neomycin
Authors: Ranjan Nihar , Arya Dev P.
Published: August 2023

G-quadruplex-forming nucleic acids have evolved to have applications in biology, drug design, sensing, and nanotechnology, to name a few. Together with the structural understanding, several attempts have been made to discover and design new classes of chemical agents that target these structures in the hope of using them as future therapeutics. Here, we report the binding of aminoglycosides, in particular neomycin, to parallel G-quadruplexes that exist as G-quadruplex monomers, dimers, or compounds that have the propensity to form dimeric G-quadruplex structures. Using a combination of calorimetric and spectroscopic studies, we show that neomycin binds to the parallel G-quadruplex with affinities in the range of Ka ∼ 105–108 M-1, which depends on the base composition, ability to form dimeric G-quadruplex structures, salt, and pH of the buffer used. At pH 7.0, the binding of neomycin was found to be electrostatically driven potentially through the formation of ion pairs formed with the quadruplex. Lowering the pH resulted in neomycin’s association constants in the range of Ka ∼ 106–107 M-1 in a salt dependent manner. Circular dichroism (CD) studies showed that neomycin’s binding does not cause a change in the parallel conformation of the G-quadruplex, yet some binding-induced changes in the intensity of the CD signals were seen. A comparative binding study of neomycin and paromomycin using d(UG4T) showed paromomycin binding to be much weaker than neomycin, highlighting the importance of ring I in the recognition process. In toto, our results expanded the binding landscape of aminoglycosides where parallel G-quadruplexes have been discovered as one of the high-affinity sites. These results may offer a new understanding of some of the undesirable functions of aminoglycosides and help in the design of aminoglycoside-based G-quadruplex binders of high affinity.
Dynamic evolution of ceftazidime–avibactam resistance due to interchanges between blaKPC-2 and blaKPC-145 during treatment of Klebsiella pneumoniae infection
Authors: Chen Yili , Yang Runshi , Guo Penghao , Liu Pingjuan , Deng Jiankai , Wu Zhongwen , Wu Qingping , Huang Junqi , Liao Kang
Published: August 2023

Background

The emergence of ceftazidime–avibactam (CZA) resistance among carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is of major concern due to limited therapeutic options.

Methods

In this study, 10 CRKP strains were isolated from different samples of a patient with CRKP infection receiving CZA treatment. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and conjugation experiments were performed to determine the transferability of the carbapenem resistance gene.

Results

This infection began with a KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae (CZA MIC = 2 μg/mL, imipenem MIC ≥ 16 μg/mL). After 20 days of CZA treatment, the strains switched to the amino acid substitution of T263A caused by a novel KPC-producing gene, blaKPC-145, which restored carbapenem susceptibility but showed CZA resistance (CZA MIC ≥ 256 μg/mL, imipenem MIC = 1 μg/mL). The blaKPC-145 gene was located on a 148,185-bp untransformable IncFII-type plasmid. The subsequent use of carbapenem against KPC-145-producing K. pneumoniae infection led to a reversion of KPC-2 production (CZA MIC = 2 μg/mL, imipenem MIC ≥ 16 μg/mL). WGS analysis showed that all isolates belonged to ST11-KL47, and the number of SNPs was 14. This implied that these blaKPC-positive K. pneumoniae isolates might originate from a single clone and have been colonized for a long time during the 120-day treatment period.

Conclusion

This is the first report of CZA resistance caused by blaKPC-145, which emerged during the treatment with CZA against blaKPC-2-positive K. pneumoniae-associated infection in China. These findings indicated that routine testing for antibiotic susceptibility and carbapenemase genotype is essential during CZA treatment.
Transthoracic device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect via a small left intercostal incision in children
Authors: Xie Linfeng , Zhang Guican , He Jian , Shen Yanming , Liao Dongshan , Chen Liangwan , Xu Fan
Published: August 2023

Background

In children with perimembranous ventricular septal defect, surgical repair requires sternotomy and leaves unsightly scars, which can trigger long-term physical and psychological distress. However, transcatheter device closure is limited by vascular diameter, radiographic exposure, and expensive DSA equipment. We used an ultra-small left intercostal incision for transthoracic device closure to avoid the above problems and investigated its safety and feasibility by comparing it with surgical repair.

Methods

This study enrolled 358 children with perimembranous ventricular septal defect. Among them, 152 patients were treated by surgical closure and 206 by transthoracic device closure via an ultra-small left intercostal incision. Perioperative clinical data and postoperative follow-up results were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

Results

The success rate was similar (P = 0.265) in the two groups: 203/206 patients in the device group vs. 152/152 patients in the surgical group. The operative time, intensive care unit time, mechanical ventilation time, and postoperative hospital stay were significantly shorter in the device group than in the surgical group. Although the incision length of the device group (1.1 ± 0.2 cm) was significant shorter (P < 0.001) than that of the surgical group (6.7 ± 1.5 cm), there was no difference in hospitalization costs between the two groups (P = 0.099). Except for small residual shunt (16/206 vs. 3/152, P = 0.017), the incidence of complications in the device group was lower or equal to that in the surgical group, and all small residual shunt disappeared during follow-up. There was no thoracic deformity in the device group, compared with 11 cases in the surgery group during follow-up (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Transthoracic device closure via an ultra-small left intercostal incision under transesophageal echocardiography guidance is safe and feasible. With appropriate indications, it can be a suitable alternative to surgical closure for treating perimembranous ventricular septal defect in children.
A study of effects of different impact loads on the dynamic and elastoplastic behavior in reservoir rocks at the beginning of hydraulic fracturing
Authors: Abulimiti Aibaibu , Wang Linsheng , Zang Chuanzhen , Chen Bo , Xiang Xinsheng , Jiang Peijia , Lin Jiaying
Published: August 2023

Successful hydraulic fracturing is very important in the development of hydrocarbon-bearing formations. The loading introduced by hydraulic fracturing causes deformation and failure, which are related to the damage accumulation and hydraulic fracture initiation process. This study employs a numerical model that considers the dynamic and elastoplastic behaviors in rocks under the influence of impact loads. The acceleration and wave propagation behaviors are quantified using the model. A time integration algorithm is used to ensure numerical accuracy and stability. The effects of loading rate, loading location, and heterogeneity are quantified. Results show that the elastoplastic and dynamic can effectively capture the wavy mechanical responses in the domain. Strain rate, acceleration, and plasticity can all exhibit oscillatory distribution patterns. Increasing the loading rate can magnify acceleration, strain rate, and the maximum plastic strain, while it reduces the range experiencing these induced changes. Changing the loading types and introducing the heterogeneity consideration both largely alter the mechanical response in the domain, and the waveforms of the mechanical parameters are significantly changed. Failure can occur earlier in layers with more elastic mechanical properties. Exerting 50 MPa loading in 0.01 ms can effectively introduce deformation and failures in the reservoir rock. Doubling the loading rate can effectively improve the ability of creating rock failures, which facilitates the following fracture initiation and propagation processes. This study can be a reference for the understanding of near-well and instantaneous rock mechanical behaviors at the beginning of fracturing.
Endometrial thickness and early pregnancy complications after frozen-thawed embryo transfers
Authors: Song Lin , Bu Zhiqin , Sun Yingpu
Published: August 2023

Background

The relationship between endometrial thickness and pregnancy safety after in vitro fertilization treatment is an important topic that should provoke attention. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the relationship between endometrial thickness on day of embryo transfer and early pregnancy complications, including ectopic pregnancy and early miscarriage, in frozen thawed embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

Methods

Patients undergoing their first FET cycles were included into this study from January 2010 to December 2021. Patients were divided into three groups according to endometrial thickness on day of embryo transfer: Thin, ≤ 7 mm; Medium, 7-14 mm; Thick, ≥ 14 mm. Ectopic pregnancy and early miscarriage were the two primary outcomes. Endometrial thickness was the main measured variable. The risk factors of these two compilations were determined based on univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Results

A total of 11138 clinical pregnancies were included. The overall ectopic pregnancy and early spontaneous miscarriage rates were 2.62% and 13.40%. The ectopic pregnancy and early spontaneous miscarriage rates were significantly higher in patients with thin endometrium as compared with those in the other two groups (ectopic pregnancy rate: 5.06% vs. 2.62% vs. 1.05%; P < 0.001; early spontaneous miscarriage rate: 15.18% vs. 13.45% vs. 11.53%; P < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, thin endometrium was an independent factor to predict ectopic pregnancy [adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 5.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.51–12.58, P < 0.001], and to predict early spontaneous miscarriage rate (aOR: 1.57; 95% CI: 1.21–1.74, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Thin endometrium on day of embryo transfer in FET cycles is an independent predictor for early pregnancy compilations, including ectopic pregnancy and early spontaneous miscarriage.
A case report of membrane induction combined with RIA technique for the repair of distal humerus segmentary bone defect
Authors: Wang Guoliang , Zhu Zhenfeng , Lu Shuaikun , Wang Linhu , Gao Hao , Fu Congxiao , Ren Jun , Liu Xiang , Zhang Yong , Zhang Yunfei
Published: August 2023

Bone nonunion and bone defect are common postoperative complications in clinic. Membrane induction or Ilizarov technique is often used to repair bone defect. Autologous bone is often used for bone defect repair and reconstruction, and the anterior superior iliac spine, posterior superior iliac spine or fibula bone is used as the donor area for bone extraction, but there are problems of donor area complications. In recent years, the development of bone marrow aspiration (RIA) has provided a new alternative way for the source of autogenous bone. We report a 48-year-old female patient with a comminuted supracondylar intercondylar fracture of the left humerus due to a car accident. After 8 months of emergency debridement and suture with Kirschner wire internal fixation, the fracture was found to be unhealed with extensive bone defects. We used membrane induction combined with RIA technology to repair and reconstruct the patients, and found good osteogenesis through late follow-up. In theory, membrane induction technique can realize the reconstruction of large segmental bone defects, but the scope of repair is often limited by the lack of autologous bone source. The emergence and development of RIA technology provides us with a new autologous bone donor area for bone repair and reconstruction surgery. It can provide a large amount of high-quality cancellar bone mud through minimally invasive means. Meanwhile, it can reduce patients’ pain, infection, fracture, aesthetics and other problems caused by iliac bone extraction, and shorten patients’ bed time. Maximize the preservation of the patient’s autologous bone source. For the first time in the world, we reported the combination of membrane induction technology and RIA technology in the treatment of segmental bone defects, providing a new idea for the treatment of bone defects.
Bioleptin as a useful marker of metabolic status in children with diabetes mellitus type 1
Authors: Jakubek-Kipa Katarzyna , Galiniak Sabina , Łagowska Katarzyna , Krupa Izabela , Ludwin Aleksandra , Tabarkiewicz Jacek , Mazur Artur
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The purpose of our study was tomeasure the level of leptin and biologically active leptin (bioLEP) in children with type 1 diabetes, depending on the duration of diabetes and its degree of metabolic control.

Methods

The study included 94 children (58 boys and 36 girls). In a group of children with diabetes, 40 patients were newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, 40 children who have diabetes for more than a year (20 with good metabolic control and 20 with poor metabolic control). The control group consisted of 14 healthy children. The serum level of leptin and bioLEP was measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe bioLEP levels among diabetic children with different forms of disease control.

Results

Lower levels of leptin were found in children with diabetes compared to healthy children. Furthermore, we found a statistically higher concentration of leptin in the group of children with newly diagnosed diabetes compared to children from the diabetic group with poor metabolic control and lower than healthy children (11.19 vs. 7.84 and 20.94 ng/mL). Moreover, children in the metabolically well-controlled group had statistically lower levels of this hormone (5.11 ng/mL) than healthy children. Leptin concentrations differed significantly between underweight, overweight, and obese children.

Discussion

In our study, the level of bioLEP differed significantly between children in the newly diagnosed diabetes group and children in the long-term, poorly controlled diabetes group and healthy controls. Despite many studies published in recent years, many aspects of leptin secretion, action, and mechanisms of its influence on carbohydrate and fat metabolism are still to be clarified. In our opinion, studies evaluating the status of bioLEP in diabetes can also contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating metabolism.
Flexibility-expansion planning of multi-energy systems by energy storage for participating in balancing-power markets
Authors: Nolzen Niklas , Leenders Ludger , Bardow André
Published: August 2023

The growing need for balancing power combined with the shutdown of conventional power plants requires new balancing-power providers. In this context, industrial energy systems are particularly promising. However, the main task of industrial energy systems is to provide various energy forms. For this purpose, they operate interconnected units to maximize efficiency, but the interconnected operation also increases complexity, limiting flexibility due to the need to supply fixed demands. Energy storage can increase the flexibility of current and future industrial energy systems, thus enhancing the potential for sector coupling within the overall energy system at a low cost. To improve the flexibility of industrial energy systems, we propose a design optimization framework that accounts for investment in energy storage and for the provision of balancing power. Since the request of balancing power is uncertain, we present a stochastic program for the balancing-power market and propose two ways to model storage that both derive feasible storage operations while being computationally efficient. In a case study of a multi-energy system, cost savings between 6% and 17% can be achieved by increasing flexibility for participation in the balancing-power market with investment in heat storage. The sensitivity analysis identifies heat storage as particularly advantageous for heat-driven energy systems. Our method combines long-term investment decisions with short-term operational uncertainties to identify optimal investment decisions, which enhance the energy system’s flexibility for the provision of balancing power.
Regulation and optimization of cultivated land in different ecological function areas under the guidance of food security goals-a case study of Mengjin County, Henan Province, China
Authors: Guan Xiaoke , Wang Xiuli , Zhang Jiaqi , Dai Zhiming
Published: August 2023

China’s arable land is facing the dual constraints of increasing “non-grain” and tightening ecological control. However, extreme emphasis on food production or excessive attention to ecological protection cannot effectively solve the practical problems of cultivated land utilization. In this paper, evaluation indexes were selected from the aspects of ecological service, landscape integrity, ecological sensitivity, etc., and ecological importance evaluation system for territory space was constructed. The ecological importance of territorial space was divided into three ecological functional areas, namely, the extremely important regions, the relatively important regions and the general regions. The morphological characteristics of cultivated land use in different ecological function areas were described systematically, and the main problems of cultivated land use in different regions were analyzed. On the basis of ensuring the ecological security of territorial space, this paper puts forward the regulation and control plan of cultivated land in different ecological functional areas aiming at food security, and makes an empirical study with Mengjin County as the case area. The results showed that: under the guidance of food security objectives, the implementation of different types of cultivated land remediation programs according to the problems existing in different ecological functional areas could guarantee food security to the greatest extent and amplify the ecological and environmental effects of land remediation. By means of land consolidation and ownership adjustment, the abandoned farmland in general and relatively important ecological regions can be restored for food use, which can not only enhance the food supply capacity, but also without causing damage to the ecological environment. There is a large area of arable land in the ecologically extremely important regions. Large-scale ecological conversion will have a certain impact on food security supply. Promoting ecological farming is an important way to resolve the contradiction between food safety production and ecological environment protection. This study can provide reference for decision making of arable land consolidation in the new period.
Sharing communication insights of the citizen science program Plastic Pirates—best practices from 7 years of engaging schoolchildren and teachers in plastic pollution research
Authors: Dittmann Sinja , Kiessling Tim , Mederake Linda , Hinzmann Mandy , Knoblauch Doris , Böhm-Beck Marianne , Knickmeier Katrin , Thiel Martin
Published: August 2023

Engaging the general public in research processes through citizen science allows for innovative scientific studies and makes science accessible to the general public. Effective communication strategies are crucial for the success of such initiatives. The citizen science program Plastic Pirates investigated the plastic pollution of rivers and implemented a variety of communication strategies with participating schoolchildren, teachers, and youth groups (e.g., sport associations, scouts or educational vacation programs, representing approximately 6% of participating groups). These were continuously revised and adapted since its start in 2016. Without time-efficient communication and strategies to keep track of conversations, it would not have been possible to achieve the scientific and educational goals of the program, i.e., to help teachers increase the environmental awareness and scientific literacy of their schoolchildren, and to produce peer-reviewed articles based on the collected citizen science data. Communication within the Plastic Pirates program was divided into four distinct phases: 1) recruiting and motivating participants, 2) coordination and guidance of participants, 3) data reception and revision, and 4) sharing updates and results. Some of the obstacles that had to be overcome to achieve successful communication were e.g., time constraints to obtaining scientific data from the participants, the time lag between the active involvement of the participants and the actual data analysis and publication of results, and limited personnel resources available for communication efforts. Our recommendations for other citizen science practitioners include regular and transparent communication with the participants regarding their contribution, the use of adequate and various communication channels, shifting the workload from the participants to the coordinating team of a citizen science initiative, as well as offering feedback on the research findings to the citizen scientists, thereby disseminating the results of the program.