bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Noninvasive prediction of node-positive breast cancer response to presurgical neoadjuvant chemotherapy therapy based on machine learning of axillary lymph node ultrasound
Authors: Zhang Hao , Cao Wen , Liu Lianjuan , Meng Zifan , Sun Ningning , Meng Yuanyuan , Fei Jie
Published: May 2023

Objectives

To explore an optimal model to predict the response of patients with axillary lymph node (ALN) positive breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with machine learning using clinical and ultrasound-based radiomic features.

Methods

In this study, 1014 patients with ALN-positive breast cancer confirmed by histological examination and received preoperative NAC in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University (QUH) and Qingdao Municipal Hospital (QMH) were included. Finally, 444 participants from QUH were divided into the training cohort (n = 310) and validation cohort (n = 134) based on the date of ultrasound examination. 81 participants from QMH were used to evaluate the external generalizability of our prediction models. A total of 1032 radiomic features of each ALN ultrasound image were extracted and used to establish the prediction models. The clinical model, radiomics model, and radiomics nomogram with clinical factors (RNWCF) were built. The performance of the models was assessed with respect to discrimination and clinical usefulness.

Results

Although the radiomics model did not show better predictive efficacy than the clinical model, the RNWCF showed favorable predictive efficacy in the training cohort (AUC, 0.855; 95% CI 0.817–0.893), the validation cohort (AUC, 0.882; 95% CI 0.834–0.928), and the external test cohort (AUC, 0.858; 95% CI 0.782–0.921) compared with the clinical factor model and radiomics model.

Conclusions

The RNWCF, a noninvasive, preoperative prediction tool that incorporates a combination of clinical and radiomics features, showed favorable predictive efficacy for the response of node-positive breast cancer to NAC. Therefore, the RNWCF could serve as a potential noninvasive approach to assist personalized treatment strategies, guide ALN management, avoiding unnecessary ALND.
Physician density: will we ever close the gap?
Authors: Ferretti Fabrizio , Mariani Michele , Sarti Elena
Published: May 2023

Objective

Physician density is a crucial element of a well-functioning health system. Previous research has investigated factors affecting country-level physician supply. To date, however, no evidence has been provided about the patterns of convergence in physician density among countries. This paper thus tested club convergence in physician density in 204 countries worldwide from 1990 to 2019. A nonlinear time-varying factor model was adopted to identify potential clubs, wherein groups of countries tend to converge towards the same level of physician density. Our primary purpose was to document the potential long-lasting disparity in future global physician distribution.

Results

Despite physician density increasing in all regions globally from 1990 to 2019, we found no evidence in favor of the hypothesis of global convergence. Conversely, the clustering algorithm successfully identified three main patterns (i.e., three final clubs). With few exceptions, the results indicated an uneven physician distribution between the majority of North and Sub-Saharan African countries (where physician density would remain well below the estimated threshold of at least 70% of the Universal Health Coverage Services Index) and the rest of the world. These findings support the WHO's global strategy to reverse the chronic under-investment in human resources for health.
Managing acute phantom limb pain with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation: a case report
Authors: Limakatso Katleho
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Phantom limb pain is characterized by painful sensations in the amputated limb. The clinical presentation of acute phantom limb pain may differ from that of patients with chronic phantom limb pain. The variation observed implies that acute phantom limb pain may be driven by peripheral mechanisms, indicating that therapies focused on the peripheral nervous system might be successful in reducing pain.

Case presentation

A 36-year-old African male with acute phantom limb pain in the left lower limb, was treated with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.

Conclusion

The assessment results of the presented case and the evidence on acute phantom limb pain mechanisms contribute to the current body of literature, indicating that acute phantom limb pain presents differently to chronic phantom limb pain. These findings emphasize the importance of testing treatments that target the peripheral mechanisms responsible for phantom limb pain in relevant individuals with acquired amputations.
Harnessing Shannon entropy-based descriptors in machine learning models to enhance the prediction accuracy of molecular properties
Authors: Guha Rajarshi , Velegol Darrell
Published: May 2023

Accurate prediction of molecular properties is essential in the screening and development of drug molecules and other functional materials. Traditionally, property-specific molecular descriptors are used in machine learning models. This in turn requires the identification and development of target or problem-specific descriptors. Additionally, an increase in the prediction accuracy of the model is not always feasible from the standpoint of targeted descriptor usage. We explored the accuracy and generalizability issues using a framework of Shannon entropies, based on SMILES, SMARTS and/or InChiKey strings of respective molecules. Using various public databases of molecules, we showed that the accuracy of the prediction of machine learning models could be significantly enhanced simply by using Shannon entropy-based descriptors evaluated directly from SMILES. Analogous to partial pressures and total pressure of gases in a mixture, we used atom-wise fractional Shannon entropy in combination with total Shannon entropy from respective tokens of the string representation to model the molecule efficiently. The proposed descriptor was competitive in performance with standard descriptors such as Morgan fingerprints and SHED in regression models. Additionally, we found that either a hybrid descriptor set containing the Shannon entropy-based descriptors or an optimized, ensemble architecture of multilayer perceptrons and graph neural networks using the Shannon entropies was synergistic to improve the prediction accuracy. This simple approach of coupling the Shannon entropy framework to other standard descriptors and/or using it in ensemble models could find applications in boosting the performance of molecular property predictions in chemistry and material science.
Prevalence of fever of unidentified aetiology in East African adolescents and adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Nooh Faisal , Chernet Afona , Reither Klaus , Okuma James , Brattig Norbert W. , Utzinger Jürg , Probst-Hensch Nicole , Paris Daniel H. , Dreyfus Anou
Published: May 2023

Background

Primary health care settings and hospitals of low- and middle-income countries have few accessible diagnostic tools and limited laboratory and human resources capacity to identify multiple pathogens with high accuracy. In addition, there is a paucity of information on fever and its underlying aetiology in the adolescent and adult population in East Africa. The purpose of this study was to estimate the pooled prevalence of fever of unidentified aetiology among adolescent and adult febrile patients seeking health care in East Africa.

Methods

We pursued a systematic review using readily available electronic databases (i.e. PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) without language restriction from inception date of the respective databases to October 31, 2022. We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Identified studies were screened for relevance. Further analyses based on pre-set eligibility criteria were carried out for final inclusion. Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data. Risk of study bias was assessed. Meta-analysis of the prevalence of fever of unidentified aetiology was performed.

Results

We identified 14,029 articles of which 25 were eligible for inclusion, reporting data from 8538 participants. The pooled prevalence of febrile cases with unidentified aetiology was 64% [95% confidence interval (CI): 51–77%, I2 = 99.6%] among febrile adolescents and adults in East Africa. For the proportion of patients with identified aetiology, the studies documented bacterial pathogens (human bloodstream infections), bacterial zoonotic pathogens and arboviruses as the main non-malarial causative agents in East Africa.

Conclusions

Our study provides evidence that almost two-thirds of adolescent and adult febrile patients attending health care facilities in East Africa might receive inappropriate treatments due to unidentified potential life-threatening fever aetiology. Hence, we call for a comprehensive fever syndromic surveillance to broaden a consequential differential diagnosis of syndromic fever and to considerably improve the course of patients’ disease and treatment outcomes.
Mineralogical and petrographic characterization of the Cerrillo Blanco Iberian sculptures
Authors: Romero-Noguera Julio , Ruiz-Ruiz María Belén , Cultrone Giuseppe , Doménech-Carbó Teresa , Bolívar-Galiano Fernando
Published: May 2023

The archaeological heritage at Cerrillo Blanco (Porcuna, Spain) is made up of 27 sculptural ensembles and hundreds of fragments dated between the seventh and second centuries BC. They represent a fundamental milestone in Iberian art and culture. Despite their relevance, no scientific studies have been carried out to date in order to fully understand the materials, intentions and techniques that led to their creation. This is a study carried out on original pieces from the Archaeological Museum of Jaén using stereoscopic optical microscopy (SOM), polarised optical microscopy (POM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive x-ray analysis (FESEM-EDX) and spectrophotometry (SF). The results obtained provide new information on the material composition of this important legacy of the Iberian civilization as well as its main alteration factors.
Simulating dynamic fire regime and vegetation change in a warming Siberia
Authors: Williams Neil G. , Lucash Melissa S. , Ouellette Marc R. , Brussel Thomas , Gustafson Eric J. , Weiss Shelby A. , Sturtevant Brian R. , Schepaschenko Dmitry G. , Shvidenko Anatoly Z.
Published: May 2023

Background

Climate change is expected to increase fire activity across the circumboreal zone, including central Siberia. However, few studies have quantitatively assessed potential changes in fire regime characteristics, or considered possible spatial variation in the magnitude of change. Moreover, while simulations indicate that changes in climate are likely to drive major shifts in Siberian vegetation, knowledge of future forest dynamics under the joint influence of changes in climate and fire regimes remains largely theoretical. We used the forest landscape model, LANDIS-II, with PnET-Succession and the BFOLDS fire extension to simulate changes in vegetation and fire regime characteristics under four alternative climate scenarios in three 10,000-km2 study landscapes distributed across a large latitudinal gradient in lowland central Siberia. We evaluated vegetation change using the fire life history strategies adopted by forest tree species: fire resisters, fire avoiders, and fire endurers.

Results

Annual burned area, the number of fires per year, fire size, and fire intensity all increased under climate change. The relative increase in fire activity was greatest in the northernmost study landscape, leading to a reduction in the difference in fire rotation period between study landscapes. Although the number of fires per year increased progressively with the magnitude of climate change, mean fire size peaked under mild or moderate climate warming in each of our study landscapes, suggesting that fuel limitations and past fire perimeters will feed back to reduce individual fire extent under extreme warming, relative to less extreme warming scenarios. In the Southern and Mid-taiga landscapes, we observed a major shift from fire resister-dominated forests to forests dominated by broadleaved deciduous fire endurers (Betula and Populus genera) under moderate and extreme climate warming scenarios, likely associated with the substantial increase in fire activity. These changes were accompanied by a major decrease in average cohort age and total vegetation biomass across the simulation landscapes.

Conclusions

Our results imply that climate change will greatly increase fire activity and reduce spatial heterogeneity in fire regime characteristics across central Siberia. Potential ecological consequences include a widespread shift toward forests dominated by broadleaved deciduous species that employ a fire endurer strategy to persist in an increasingly fire-prone environment.
Evaluation of cognitive functions in a group of Egyptian recovered COVID-19 patients
Authors: Allam Hadir E. E. M. , Omar Abd El-Nasser M. , Sayed Maha M. , El-Batrawy Amira N. , Mohsen Nesreen M. , Khalifa Abdel Gawad , Ghobrial Fiby F.
Published: May 2023

Background

Numerous investigations have found that cognitive deficits in COVID-19 survivors may be reversible; hence, early detection is essential. These cognitive deficiencies should be targeted with scaled cognitive therapies that can be widely used even in patients’ homes, supporting the best possible cognitive and functional outcomes. In the meanwhile, it has been observed that COVID-19 patients may experience worry, fear, depression, and other mental health problems. Therefore, subjective cognitive difficulties may be due to emotional discomfort. As a result, these data highlight the significance of early diagnosis of anxiety symptoms and depression symptoms in COVID-19 patients in order to prevent subsequent cognitive problems. All patients were selected in accordance with the case definition and used the following tools after 1, 3, and 6 months after being cleared of COVID-19 infection: developed questionnaire for both clinical and demographic data, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV disorders.

Results

Fifty patients were participated in this study from both gender, different levels of education, and the major group was nonsmokers (82%). A total of 88% of participants had confirmed COVID-19, and 12% had contact with them. Wisconsin Card Sorting Test for preservative parameters revealed that the 2nd follow-up showed nonsignificant comparison to the 1st follow-up, while the 3rd showed highly significant comparison to the 1st follow-up. While for non-preservative errors, the 2nd follow-up showed significant comparison to the 1st, while the 3rd showed highly significant comparison to the 1st follow-up. Conceptual level response parameters showed that both the 2nd and the 3rd follow-ups showed nonsignificant comparison to the 1st follow-up. There was no significant correlation between Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAS) and any parameter of Wisconsin Card Sorting Test or any parameter of Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised.

Conclusions

While there was negative impact of COVID-19 infection on cognitive functions in Egyptian recovered COVID-19 patients which improves gradually by time, there was nonsignificant correlations between anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test as well as Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised parameters in tested individuals through three consecutive follow-ups of COVID-19 in Egypt. Further testing using other scales or larger sample is mandatory to elucidate further potential impact of COVID-19 on cognitive functions of recovered patients.
A service evaluation of phased- and stepped-care psychological support for health and social care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Cole Charles L. , Barry Charlotte , Saunders Rob , Billings Jo , Stott Joshua , Buckman Joshua E. J. , Greene Talya , Cirkovik Mirko , Pilling Stephen , Wheatley Jon
Published: May 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionally affected the mental health of health and social care workers (HSCWs), with many experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychological interventions have been offered via mental health services and in-house psychology teams, but their effectiveness in this context is not well documented.

Aims

To evaluate a stepped-care psychological support pathway for HSCWs from Homerton Healthcare Foundation Trust in London, which offered psychological first aid, evidence-based psychological therapies and group-based well-being workshops.

Method

The service evaluation used a pre–post approach to assess depression, anxiety, functional impairment and post-traumatic stress disorder symptom change for those who attended sessions of psychological first aid, low- or high-intensity cognitive–behavioural therapy or a combination of these. In addition, the acceptability of the psychological first aid sessions and well-being workshops was explored via feedback data.

Results

Across all interventions, statistically significant reductions of depression (d= 1.33), anxiety (d= 1.37) and functional impairment (d= 0.93) were observed, and these reductions were equivalent between the interventions, as well as the demographic and occupational differences between the HSCWs (ethnicity, staff group and redeployment status). HSCWs were highly satisfied with the psychological first aid and well-being workshops.

Conclusions

The evaluation supports the utility of evidence-based interventions delivered as part of a stepped-care pathway for HSCWs with common mental health problems in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the novel integration of psychological first aid within the stepped-care model as a step one intervention, replication and further testing in larger-scale studies is warranted.
Robben Island and the Culture of Reconstruction in South Africa
Authors: Skotnes Andor
Published: May 2023

On the fifth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release after twenty-seven years in political prison, and nine months after his election as South Africa’s president, his new government and its allies held an important event. On February 11, 1995, 1,200 ex–political prisoners traveled to Cape Town for the Robben Island Reunion. The first day was held at the former maximum-security prison, the site of subjugation and struggle for many of the participants. The day culminated with a creative happening, as the former prisoners enthusiastically smashed rocks in the Limestone Quarry, negating this once oppressive labor and transforming it into an affirmation of freedom. On ensuing days, the reunion celebrated and demanded support for the ex-prisoners and set Robben Island on the path to becoming the country’s first national peoples’ museum and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Drawing on oral histories and photographs, this article examines the museum’s process of becoming and its subsequent trajectory in the continuing struggle for liberation.
Long-Term Postsurgical Outcomes of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation (CROSS) Versus Chemotherapy (FLOT) for Multimodal Treatment of Adenocarcinoma of the Esophagus and the Esophagogastric Junction
Authors: Gebauer Florian , Plum Patrick S. , Damanakis Alexander , Chon Seung-Hun , Popp Felix , Zander Thomas , Quaas Alexander , Fuchs Hans , Schmidt Thomas , Schröder Wolfgang , Bruns Christiane J.
Published: May 2023

Background

The question of the ideal neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced esophagogastric adenocarcinoma has not been answered to date. Multimodal treatment has become a standard treatment for these adenocarcinomas. Currently, perioperative chemotherapy (FLOT) or neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CROSS) is recommended.

Methods

A monocentric retrospective analysis compared long-term survival after CROSS versus FLOT. The study enrolled patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus (EAC) or the esophagogastric junction type I or II undergoing oncologic Ivor–Lewis esophagectomy between January 2012 and December 2019. The primary objective was to determine the long-term outcome in terms of overall survival. The secondary objectives were to determine differences regarding the histopathologic categories after neoadjuvant treatment and the histomorphologic regression.

Results

The findings showed no survival advantage for one or the other treatment in this highly standardized cohort. All the patients underwent open (CROSS: 9.4% vs. FLOT: 22%), hybrid (CROSS: 82% vs. FLOT: 72%), or minimally invasive (CROSS: 8.9% vs. FLOT: 5.6%) thoracoabdominal esophagectomy. The median post-surgical follow-up period was 57.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 23.2–109.7 months), and the median survival was longer for the CROSS patients (54 months) than for the FLOT patients (37.2 months) (p = 0.053). The overall 5-years survival was 47% for the entire cohort (48% for the CROSS and 43% for the FLOT patients). The CROSS patients showed a better pathologic response and fewer advanced tumor stages.

Conclusion

The improved pathologic response after CROSS cannot be translated into longer overall survival. To date, the choice of which neoadjuvant treatment to use can be made only on the basis of clinical parameters and the patient’s performance status.
Treatment outcomes and time to healing of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw based on image findings
Authors: Yasui Takazumi , Nagamine Hiroki , Tanaka Kenta , Kimura Moemi , Karube Takeshi , Kawana Hiromasa , Onizawa Katsuhiro
Published: May 2023

Objectives:

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic treatment outcome of non-operative management of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), particularly regarding the relationship between image findings and treatment outcomes.

Methods:

This single-center, retrospective observational study included patients with MRONJ who were conservatively treated between 2010 and 2020. All patients were evaluated in terms of MRONJ treatment outcomes, time to healing, and prognostic factors, including sex, age, underlying disease, antiresorptive drug type, discontinuation of antiresorptive treatment, chemotherapy, corticosteroid treatment, diabetes mellitus, location of MRONJ, clinical stage of MRONJ, and computed tomography image findings.

Results:

The complete healing rate among the patients was 68.5%. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that “Sequestrum formation” on the internal texture (hazard ratio = 3.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.30–10.29; P =.014) and chemotherapy (hazard ratio = 0.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.18–0.95; P =.037) were significantly associated with treatment outcome. The median time to healing in patients with “Sequestrum formation” on the internal texture (4.4 months) was significantly shorter than the median time to healing in those marked with “Sclerosis” or “Normal” (35.5 months; P <.001) and “Lytic changes with sclerosis” (14.5 months; P =.015).

Conclusions:

The image findings on the internal texture of the lesions at the initial examination and chemotherapy were associated with the treatment outcomes of nonoperative management of MRONJ. The image findings of “Sequestrum formation” were associated with lesions taking a short time to heal and better outcomes, whereas “Sclerosis” and “Normal” were associated with lesions with longer healing times.
Comparison of voiding vesicoureteral urosonography with fluoroscopic voiding cystourethrography in children with vesicoureteral reflux
Authors: Yang Bin , Wang Junping , Di Zhiyan , Zhao Shasha , Ma Yali , Qu Yanchao
Published: May 2023

Objective: To evaluate the value and compliance rate of voiding vesicoureteral urosonography in pediatric vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

Methods: This is a retrospective study. A total of 80 children with high-risk VUR admitted to Children’s Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from December 2018 to December 2020 were selected. All patients underwent voiding urosonography (VUS) and fluoroscopic voiding cystourethrography (VCUG). The sensitivity and compliance of voiding vesicoureteral urosonography were compared, and its application value was evaluated.

Results: A total of 160 PUUs were examined, and all cases were normal. Among them, 56 PUUs had reflux (35.00%, 56/160), 46 PUUs had reflux under both examination methods (28.75%, 46/160), and 10 PUUs were only detected under VUS (6.25%, 10/160). Thirty-four cases of VUR (42.50%, 34/80) were diagnosed by VUS, among which 15 cases were bilateral reflux and 4 cases were unilateral reflux. Twenty-five cases (35.00%, 25/80) were diagnosed by VCUG, among which 10 cases were bilateral regurgitation and five cases were unilateral regurgitation. No significant difference was observed in the detection rate of reflux between the two methods (P=0.432). A total of 146 PUUs were found to be consistent between the two methods (91.25%, 160), including 2 Grade-I reflux, 6 Grade-II reflux, 14 Grade-III reflux, 12 Grade-IV reflux, eight Grade-V reflux, and 104 without reflux, demonstrating SATISFACTORY consistency between the two groups (Kappa=0.885).

Conclusion: Voiding vesicoureteral urosonography has a high coincidence rate in the detection of vesicoureteral reflux in children.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.4.6665

How to cite this: Yang B, Wang J, Di Z, Zhao S, Ma Y, Qu Y. Comparison of voiding vesicoureteral urosonography with fluoroscopic voiding cystourethrography in children with vesicoureteral reflux. Pak J Med Sci. 2023;39(4):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.4.6665

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Comparative analysis of anesthesia and clinical efficacy of inhalation anesthesia and intravenous anesthesia in Trigeminal Nerve Balloon Avulsion
Authors: Zhang Zhong-jie , Cui Long-ji , Shen Lin , Ning Xian-bin
Published: May 2023

Objective: To observe the anesthesia and clinical efficacy of inhalation anesthesia and intravenous anesthesia in patients with trigeminal neuralgia undergoing surgery.

Methods: This is a retrospective study. Eighty patients with trigeminal neuralgia admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Beihua University from July 2018 to July 2021 were selected and divided into two groups according to different anesthesia methods: inhalation group and intravenous group, with 40 cases in each group. Patients in the inhalation group were given inhalation anesthesia with sevoflurane, while those in the intravenous group were given intravenous anesthesia. Hemodynamics, intubation and extubation time, postoperative consciousness recovery, adverse reactions and clinical effects of surgery were compared between the two groups during anesthesia.

Results: During the induction of anesthesia, after induction and after surgery, the levels of hemodynamic parameters in the two groups increased compared with those before induction of anesthesia, and the increase in the inhalation group was smaller (P<0.05). Patients in the inhalation group had a long time from anesthesia to endotracheal intubation but had a short time from completion of surgery to intubation, which was statistically significant compared with the intravenous group (P<0.05). Compared with the intravenous group, the postoperative consciousness recovery time of the inhalation group was significantly shorter and the incidence of adverse reactions was significantly lower (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Inhalation anesthesia with sevoflurane is more effective than intravenous anesthesia in trigeminal neuralgia patients treated with trigeminal nerve balloon avulsion, boasting satisfactory safety, less impact on hemodynamics, and shorter recovery time of consciousness.

doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.4.6720

How to cite this: Zhang Z, Cui L, Shen L, Ning X. Comparative analysis of anesthesia and clinical efficacy of inhalation anesthesia and intravenous anesthesia in Trigeminal Nerve Balloon Avulsion. Pak J Med Sci. 2023;39(4):---------. doi: https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.39.4.6720

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Post cryosurgical rehabilitation of ear chondroma. Case from practice
Authors: Таgunova Іrіna , Аndreev Alexander , Gushcha Sergey , Plakida Alexander , Zukow Walery
Published: May 2023

A typical place of localization of chondroma is the cartilaginous tissue of the auricle, which rarely develops and most often in people at a young age. Existing treatment methods are effective and widespread, however, any injury to the tumor accelerates its growth. Therefore, significant development of chondromas is observed after a trial excision or incomplete removal. Cryosurgical treatment refers to gentle, less traumatic methods. Тhe authors describe a case from practice: removal of the chondroma of the outer ear using a СAO-2 cryoapparatus with an individual polyethylene cap, which allows for accelerating and simplifying the process of thawing and re of the instrument. This intervention is outpatient and does not require special preparation. Taking into account the undesirable complications after cryotherapy (swelling, pain due to increased tissue turgor, local deterioration of blood circulation) on the one hand, and taking into account the antitoxic, calming, relaxing, and analgesic effect of magnesium on the body as a whole, the authors used balneotherapy in the form of a course of applications with a natural balneological agent with a high content of magnesium chloride on the zone of cryotherapy, as well as its drinking course consumption. The observation showed that the intervention using a cryoapplicator is a gentle method, slightly damaging the surrounding tissues, minimizing the possibility of intraoperative bleeding, allowing to accelerate the operation process and healing time, and, accordingly, reducing the patient's incapacity for work. Applying the results in clinical practice will significantly reduce the likelihood of deformation of the outer ear and maintain its primary functions.
What kind of therapeutic solutions for Graves’ disease does modern medicine propose? - a review of the literature
Authors: Woś Natalia , Szala-Czerwonka Karolina , Rejmer Adrian , Rojek Katarzyna , Bednarz Lucjan , Wijas Karolina , Bialic Kinga , Bakalarczyk Rafał , Bialic Artur , Majewski Paweł
Published: May 2023

Background: Graves' disease is responsible for 60-80% causes of hyperthyreosis. An important role in the pathogenesis is played by anti-TSHR immunoglobulins (TRAb), that stimulate TSH receptors leading to excessive hormone synthesis and release by the gland.
The aim of the study: This study was designed to summarise the current state of knowledge on the diagnosis, pathogenesis and methods of treatment used for Graves' disease.
Materials and methods: We reviewed the literature available in the PubMed database using the following keywords: "Graves' disease", "Graves' pathogenesis", "Graves' diagnosis", "Graves' treatment”.
Results: Graves' disease develops as a result of as well genetic as environmental factors. The diagnosis is based on physical examination, and laboratory & imaging studies. Several therapeutic options are currently used. Pharmacotherapy with thyreostatics is used either as a stand-alone method or as a preparation for a radical treatment - radioactive iodine ablation and thyroidectomy, which is the surgical removal of the gland. The treatment form is recommended to be selected individually depending on each patient, indications and co-morbidities. Developing research into the etiology of the disease is an opportunity to develop newer and efficient methods of causal treatment. 
Summary: Graves' disease is an autoimmune thyroid disorder with a multiple factor etiology. A variety of therapeutic approaches are currently used: treatment with antithyrodid drugs, radioactive iodine ablation and the surgical resection of the thyroid gland. A more detailed understanding of the mechanisms causing the development of the disease offers prospects for the creation of innovative and more efficient therapeutic modalities.
Un monocultivo de frontera: historia de la
palma africana como proyecto de modernidad
capitalista en el sur de México (1948-2018) /
A Frontier Monoculture: History of the
African Oil Palm as a Project of Capitalist
Modernity in Southern Mexico (1948-2018)
Authors: Castellanos Navarrete Antonio
Published: May 2023

This article presents the history of oil palm in Mexico (1948-2018) considering the larger Latin
American context. It reveals how oil palm was, possibly, first planted in Mexico outside an
experimental farm by President Miguel Alemán in its finca Sayula (Veracruz) in the early 1950s.
This history also shows how the State (a key player in Mexico’s oil palm expansion) employed this crop as a strategy (first nationalist, neoliberal later) to push both peasants and nature into
capitalist modernity in tropical frontiers that were exploited for national development. The
article concludes by suggesting monocultures should be understood not solely as economic
projects (linked with dispossession and rural precarization), but also as cultural ones (geared
towards making new subjects fitting market needs).
Reclaiming Cueca: The Brava
Tradition and Imagined Identities
Among Santiago’s Cuequeros /
Re-significando la Cueca: la tradición
brava e identidades imaginadas
entre cuequeros de Santiago
Authors: Torres Skillicorn Alexa , Torres Rebecca
Published: May 2023

En Chile, durante los 1970, la dictadura militar de Pinochet cooptó la cueca Campesina como
símbolo nacional, lo que culminó en 1979 al ser declarada oficialmente como la música y
danza nacional. En paralelo a ello, se intentó borrar su contraparte folclórica urbana: la cueca
brava. La cueca brava permaneció en gran medida oculta de la vida pública chilena durante
la represión cultural que acompañó al régimen de Pinochet entre 1973 y 1990. A pesar de lo
anterior, hoy en día observamos un resurgimiento de la cueca brava, el cual está asociado al
regreso a la democracia en Chile en la década de 1990. Utilizando una visión informada por
la geografía y el sentido de lugar, examinamos el resurgimiento de la cueca brava en Santiago
con la finalidad de comprender cómo las tradiciones musicales del pasado ofrecen sustento
para la construcción de identidades chilenas contemporáneas. Para ello intentamos caracterizar el movimiento de cueca brava actual empleando observación participante, análisis lírico
y entrevistas semiestructuradas aplicadas a cuequeros en Santiago de Chile. Desde un punto
de vista teórico, nuestro trabajo está basado en el concepto de comunidades imaginadas de
Benedict Anderson, la teoría de la identidad (social) y la noción de memoria cultural de Jan
Assmann. Luego de examinar cómo los cuequeros interactúan con la memoria, la historia, y el
lugar, proponemos que las construcciones socio-espaciales del resurgimiento contemporáneo
de la cueca brava generan nuevas identidades individuales y colectivas fortalecidas por una
relación dialógica entre el pasado y el presente.
Legislative Clichés: Specifics, Types and Functions
Authors: Batyushkina Marina
Published: May 2023

The article considers expressions (cliches) used in modern laws and model legislative acts. The concepts of "legislative cliché" and "hackneyed phrase" are differentiated. Approaches to research (discursive and genre-stylistic) and their correlation are grounded. Varieties of clichés (general, interdisciplinary, special, actional-imperative, frame-reference), functions and other features of legislative clichés are considered. Firstly, the communication of information that is universal for the legal regulation of social relations (general, interdisciplinary legislative clichés). Secondly, the identification of a specific area of regulated relations (special clichés). Thirdly, the specifying of actions that are performed in relation to legislative concepts, structural units or the legislative text as a whole (actional-imperative legislative clichés). Fourthly, the specifying of the structural units of the law, as well as ways of referring to the text of the law or part of the law (frame-reference legislative clichés). Common features of legislative clichés are distinguished: integrity of meaning, semantic stability, uniformity of structure, contextual stability (locality), regularity of reproduction, polyfunctionality; as well as potential (additional) features: transformation of the meaning, addition of components (broadening of semantics), variation of use, equivalence (possibility of substitution) but not identity. It is concluded that the legislative cliche is a discursive marker of the speech genre "Law". Research material: texts of federal laws and model acts, dictionaries of legislative terms.
Legal Design as Means of Smart Regulation
Authors: Kozlova Marina
Published: May 2023

The article is dedicated to the exploration of possibilities of using legal design for smart regulation. Smart regulation aimed at obtaining the maximum effect by minimal means is connected to using a range of instruments, one of which is nudging. The nudge theory is used in behavioral economics; it is suggested to consider the peculiarities of human thought and behavior bearing in mind that in most cases humans behave irrationally, they are led by emotions, cognitive bias, they tend to follow the majority. It is suggested to form the choice architecture in such a way that a human would prefer the most sensible option while not losing the freedom of choice. An important element in forming the choice architecture is the availability of information, which provides effective communication. Availability and completeness of information provided by plain language let people fully comprehend the consequences of their actions. It is proven that comprehensibility can be achieved through legal design of documents, which implies applying different means of simplification of form and content to a legal document (a contract, a judicial act, a normative legal act). The means of simplification of form are structurization, visualization, using tables, diagrams, readable font, while the means of simplification of content is plain language of a document.

Examples of requirements of the law to the structure and design of contracts that lead to financial obligations are listed in the article. The conclusion is drawn out that the means of legal design provide availability of information, which leads to using reflexive thinking, which implies realizing the consequences of one’s actions, making rational and informed decisions; all of it can be viewed as the aim of smart regulation.
Negative Deverbatives in the Texts of the Law: Communicative and Pragmatic Aspect
Authors: Popovskaya Vera
Published: May 2023

The article concentrates on the study of the peculiarities of the functioning of negative verbal nouns (deverbatives) in legislative texts. In the process of analyzing the current laws of the Russian Federation, it was found that the negative deverbatives used in them have different degrees of substantivisation, and the most common are lexemes ending in -ение, that is, exactly those in which the verbal semantics of the base is clearly manifested. On the contrary, the more strongly a word has been substantivized, the less opportunities it has to attach negation. Weakly substantivized nouns are quite difficult for the recipient to perceive, since they are the result of nominalization of the original predicate, during which the particle does not merge with the base and turns into a prefix, thereby forming a word that is more complex in terms of structure and semantics. In addition, acquiring formal indicators of belonging to a group of nouns, the lexeme continues to express verb meanings that can be actualized in certain contexts. In this paper, three types of contexts are distinguished that actualize the verbal semantics of the deverbative: 1) use in constructions with derived denominal causal or conditional prepositions; 2) the presence of a negative deverbative noun in the creative case with the meaning of the actor; 3) use in constructions with propositional actants. The functioning of the deverbative in the above-mentioned contexts often leads to a contradiction of their substantive and verbal meanings.
Some Challenges of Defining the Legal Status of Publication Hashtagging on Social Networks
Authors: Starodubtseva Maria
Published: May 2023

The article covers the study of the legal status of hashtagging. The relevance of the study is predetermined by the increased danger of mass control technologies applied to Russian youth through the Internet. The research methodology includes general methods of scientific research - analysis, synthesis, systemic, logical, as well as special methods, including comparative legal method. The method of comparative legal research allows us to highlight the main problems of hashtagging legal regulation. The study includes three main stages: (1) - analysis of the basic regulations in the area under study and identification of contradictions in legal regulation; (2) -analysis of the current situation as a practical matter of defining hashtagging as a phenomenon that is not relevant for legal reality; (3) – outlining  the way to resolve the existing contradiction in the legislative regulation and practice.

The main challenge found is the ambiguity in defining the legal status of hashtags in isolation from the text of publications. As a result of the work done, the author comes to the conclusion that it is necessary to improve the legislation aimed at regulating the legal status of hashtagging and to clarify this through the supreme judicial authorities.
Issues of Interpretation of the Special Part of the Criminal Law
Authors: Golenko Diana
Published: May 2023

The article examines some issues of interpretation of the provisions of the Special Part of the Russian criminal law. Some debatable issues related to the subject of interpretation and the limits of the interpretation of the criminal law are outlined. It is indicated that the opinion about whether the judiciary can interpret the law, or only the legislator has such a right, is currently not popular. Most researchers believe that the judiciary has the right to interpret the criminal law. Attention is drawn to some types of interpretation. The issues of judicial interpretation of the Special Part of the Criminal Law are considered in more detail. Scientific works propose to consider two options for interpreting the criminal law: clarifications on a specific case and clarifications contained in the resolutions of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The author comes to the conclusion that the resolutions on specific cases adopted by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation most often precede the interpretation that will be contained in the resolutions of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, they set the vector for understanding the law, contribute to uniformity in understanding the provisions of the Special Part of the Criminal Law. Some limits of judicial interpretation of the Special Part of Criminal Law are named. In the judicial interpretation of the provisions of the Special Part of the Criminal Law the structure of the corpus delicti must not be changed. Criminal law is most often established to be valid for a long time. In the event of a significant change in social relations, it is the legislator that must decide to amend the article, recognizing it as invalid, rather than the court must define as criminal some acts  which are not stipulated as such by the legislator in the Special Part of the Criminal Law.
Correlation Between International and Domestic Standards of Fair Justice in the Light of Russia's Withdrawal from the Council of Europe
Authors: Vovk Elena
Published: May 2023

The author analyzes the impact of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights on law enforcement practice in the field of exercising the right to a fair trial. The article considers the consequences of Russia's withdrawal from the Council of Europe in the context of the possibility of continuing to use the legal positions of the ECtHR to determine the criteria for a fair trial.
The Essence of the Concept of Guaranteed Securing of Proper Performance of Duties of Participants in Criminal Proceedings
Authors: Petukhov Evgeny
Published: May 2023

The article deals with the problem of fulfilling the duties of participants in criminal proceedings. It identifies means to ensure their proper execution. The concepts of legal obligations, guarantees (means) of ensuring their fulfillment, the system of these means combined into a legal mechanism of provision are discussed relying on the theoretical knowledge existing in the legal sciences. The elementary content of the theoretical concept of ensuring the proper execution of criminal procedural duties is determined and its essential concept is formulated. The elements that make up its basis are revealed and its importance for the effective solution of the tasks of criminal proceedings is substantiated.
Semantic Diffusion of Legal and Near-Legal Terms as a Practical and Research Problem
Authors: Golev Nikolai , Irkova Anna
Published: May 2023

The semantic diffusion of the lexicon of law as a factor of the multiplicity of their interpretations is studied. The texts of the federal and regional levels in the field of ecology and tourism are considered using digital methods (reverse translation into English and Chinese; a program for comparing texts for similarity). The dissimilarity zones, equivalents, synonyms are shown. The relationship between the degree of complexity and the percentage of similarity of the original and the reverse machine translation is established.
Linguistic Rules of Legal Technique: Reasonableness, Obligation, Efficiency
Authors: Davydova Marina
Published: May 2023

The article discusses the requirements that are necessary to simplify the text of the law and increase its intelligibility. The main attention is paid to the rules for the use of contextual and generally accepted abbreviations, because they can significantly reduce the volume of the law, save it unnecessary repetitions and make it more understandable. Examples of inconsistent use of contextual abbreviations by the legislator are given, as well as examples of texts in which it would be appropriate to use abbreviations. It is concluded that the effectiveness of technical legal rules is possible only if they are reasonable and obligatory to comply to. It is proved that the problem of the complexity of the modern Russian legal language needs a planned state policy, covering the reform of both the rules of legislative technique and the legislative procedure itself. As tools to assess the effectiveness of these rules and support their observance, it is proposed to establish a mandatory automatic check of bills for syntactic complexity, as well as to involve focus groups to assess the level of readability of texts and the comprehensibility of the terms and abbreviations used in them. The study is financially supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project № 21-18-00484, https://rscf.ru/project/21-18-00484/.