bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ignorance, Frailty, and Defiance: The Anxiety of Freedom
Authors: Shi Lanxin
Published: July 2024

Interpretations of Vigilius Haufniensis’ analysis of anxiety in the literature can be mainly classified into two models. One holds that anxiety is a phenomenological companion to freedom, whereas the other explains it through the phenomenon of frailty or volitional weakness. Curiously, however, scholars holding one model rarely mention the other. I suggest that this results in a partial understanding of Haufniensis’ concept of anxiety. Building on these two popular models, I argue for a more holistic reading that anxiety is rooted in the human’s structural freedom that is not absolute but limited, qualified by three conditions of evil—ignorance, the possibility of frailty, and the possibility of defiance.
Zwischen Glauben und Verzweiflung. Franz Werfel und Søren Kierkegaard
Authors: Nowotny Joanna
Published: July 2024

The Austrian-Bohemian writer Franz Werfel (1890 – 1945) was part of a group of writers and thinkers that were inspired by Søren Kierkegaard’s works. While some attention has been paid to Werfel’s religious thinking, there’s a lack of studies that treat his at the time highly successful literary works. After discussing the context in which Werfel’s reception took place, this paper analyzes three novels in which Werfel implicitly refers to Kierkegaardian concepts. At stake is the idea of becoming (or failing to become) a self and the ensuing types of despair or fear, concepts that also captivated Werfel’s literary contemporaries such as Max Brod and Franz Kafka.
Simultaneous thermal camouflage and radiative cooling for ultrahigh-temperature objects using inversely designed hierarchical metamaterial
Authors: Dang Saichao , Yang Wei , Zhang Jialei , Zhan Qiwen , Ye Hong
Published: July 2024

Sophisticated infrared detection technology, operating through atmospheric transmission windows (usually between 3 and 5 μm and 8–13 μm), can detect an object by capturing its emitted thermal radiation, posing a threat to the survival of targeted objects. As per Wien’s displacement law, the shift of peak wavelength towards shorter wavelengths as blackbody temperature rises, underscores the significance of the 3–5 μm range for ultra-high temperature objects (e.g., at 400 °C), emphasizing the crucial need to control this radiation for the objects’ viability. Additionally, effective heat management is essential for ensuring the consistent operation of these ultrahot entities. In this study, based on a database with high-temperature resist materials, we introduced a material-informatics-based framework aimed at achieving the inverse design of simultaneous thermal camouflage (low emittance in the 3–5 μm range) and radiative cooling (high emittance in the non-atmospheric window 5–8 μm range) tailored for ultrahigh-temperature objects. Utilizing the transfer matrix method to calculate spectral properties and employing the particle swarm optimization algorithm, two optimized multilayer structures with desired spectral characteristics are obtained. The resulted structures demonstrate effective infrared camouflage at temperatures up to 250 °C and 500 °C, achieving reductions of 86.7 % and 63.7 % in the infrared signal, respectively. At equivalent heating power densities applied to the structure and aluminum, structure 1 demonstrates a temperature reduction of 29.4 °C at 0.75 W/cm2, while structure 2 attains a temperature reduction of 57.5 °C at 1.50 W/cm2 compared to aluminum, showcasing enhanced radiative cooling effects. This approach paves the way for attenuating infrared signals from ultrahigh-temperature objects and effectively managing their thermal conditions.
Cropping systems and production assessment in southern Myanmar: Informing strategic interventions
Authors: Tun Phyu Thaw , Safi Zikrullah , Nguyen Thanh Thi , Wiehle Martin
Published: July 2024

Cropland expansion into natural forests in the Kyunsu Township, southern Myanmar, has diminished the sustainability of natural resources in this area. Analyzing local cropping systems can help explore options for improving land productivity on the existing croplands. To achieve this, a study was conducted between June 2020 and June 2021, involving 301 farmers’ households within the township. The study focused on socioeconomic status, crop production characteristics, key soil properties, and production constraints. Hierarchical clustering on principal components was applied to identify the existing cropping systems. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of variables between identified cropping systems was performed. The findings revealed that in the plantation zone, the median gross value added (GVA) reached US$ 1,276 ha−1 year−1 for perennial monocropping and US$ 1,715 ha−1 year−1 for perennial-multiple cropping. These values were higher than the median GVAs of perennial monocropping (US$ 460 ha−1 year−1) and perennial-multiple cropping (US$ 474 ha−1 year−1) in the sea zone. In the lowland and sea zones, annual monocropping of rice had low median GVAs of 206 and US$ 165 ha−1 year−1, respectively. The combination of rice and perennial species in the lowland zone resulted in a higher median GVA (US$ 383 ha−1 year−1) compared to rice sole cropping in both the lowland and sea zones. Coupled with favorable soil properties, cropping systems that integrated perennial species, particularly multiple cropping with strategic input use, demonstrated enhanced land productivity. However, to optimize land productivity in these cropping systems, it is crucial to address major constraints, such as high input prices, poor soil quality, and scarcity of freshwater.
Friction stir welding of dissimilar Al–Mg alloys for aerospace applications: Prospects and future potential
Authors: Nagaraja Santhosh , Anand Praveena Bindiganavile , Mariswamy Madhusudhan , Alkahtani Meshel Q. , Islam Saiful , Khan Mohammad Amir , Khan Wahaj Ahmad , Bhutto Javed Khan
Published: July 2024

Friction stir welding (FSW) is increasingly utilized in aerospace for welding dissimilar Al–Mg alloys without melting, overcoming fusion welding challenges. This summary highlights FSW’s key aspects for dissimilar Al–Mg alloys and its aerospace relevance. These alloys are widely used in aerospace due to their beneficial properties, but fusion welding faces issues like brittle intermetallic compounds (IMC) and decreased mechanical properties. FSW addresses these challenges by using a rotating tool to generate frictional heat, plasticizing the material for solid-state joining without melting. This reduces IMC formation, enhancing joint strength and mechanical properties. Critical parameters like rotational speed, traverse speed, tool design, and process variables are emphasized for optimal FSW of dissimilar Al–Mg alloys. Joining these alloys is crucial in aerospace for applications such as aircraft structures, engine components, and fuel tanks. FSW offers advantages like weight reduction, improved fuel efficiency, and structural integrity enhancement. It allows welding dissimilar Al–Mg alloys with varying compositions for tailored material combinations meeting specific needs. In conclusion, FSW of dissimilar aluminum alloys is promising for aerospace, creating defect-free joints with improved mechanical properties. However, further research is needed to optimize parameters, explore tool designs, and validate long-term performance in aerospace environments.
The (geo)politics of controlling shareholders
Authors: Milhaupt Curtis J.
Published: July 2024

In this Article, I extend the analysis of controlling shareholders typically reflected in corporate governance scholarship—which is fundamentally framed in terms of shareholder wealth creation and diversion at the behest of the controller—to the increasing (geo)political significance of firms with controlling shareholders. This effort requires shifting the unit of analysis to the fusion of political-economic power inherent in corporate control and examining the implications of this fusion beyond the boundaries of the firm itself. I illustrate the approach by analyzing examples from a variety of new and old corporate capitalist systems operating globally today, and by surveying numerous policy domains in which firms with controlling shareholders are key protagonists: national security and economic sanctions, stock exchange competition, corporate influence on domestic political systems, and ESG. Expanding the lens through which controlling shareholders are viewed sheds light on their considerable influence in largely unexplored realms of wide-ranging geostrategic and political importance.
Controlling non-controlling shareholders: The case of effective control
Authors: Ofir Moran
Published: July 2024

One of the most important developments underlying capital markets in recent years is the increase in the influence of activist minority shareholders. In a company without a controlling shareholder, dominant and activist shareholders, who hold only a low proportion of the company’s shares, can influence and even tip the scales in the decisions made and direct the company’s business. The legal system therefore imposes a fiduciary duty not only on controlling shareholders but also on those with effective control. Alongside the obligation, however, the absence of a clear and explicit definition of the concepts of effective power and effective control stands out.

The Article empirically analyzes key court decisions litigated under Delaware law and finds that only two explanatory variables significantly explain court decisions in cases where the question of effective control arises. It therefore proposes a test for estimating shareholders’ effective power borrowed from the field of cooperative game theory. The test is based on the Shapley Value and Shapley and Shubik’s Power Index. The Article presents its application to decisions made at shareholders’ meetings to estimate the effective power of activist minority shareholders in various decisions. This test is simple to operate, objectively examines the situation based on the factual system that existed at the time the decision was made, and is not limited to specific ownership structures, particular markets, or current times. Adoption of the test is expected to increase the legal certainty regarding the imposition of duties on activist minority shareholders with effective control, thereby reducing the agency costs created as a result of the gap between their formal share in the corporation and their effective power.
Coronary Sinus Reducer Therapy for Refractory Angina and its Role in Modern Interventional Practice: A Contemporary Review
Authors: Cheng Kevin , Hill Jonathan M , de Silva Ranil
Published: July 2024

Coronary sinus reducer (CSR) implantation is an emerging treatment option for patients with refractory angina. This condition represents a major global cardiovascular healthcare challenge, with patients experiencing chronic anginal symptoms that significantly impair their quality of life and for whom few effective treatments exist. The clinical burden of refractory angina is only set to grow because of improved survival from coronary artery disease, increased life expectancy and the presence of residual angina after percutaneous or surgical coronary revascularisation. Therefore, new, effective, evidence-based therapies are urgently needed. In this review, we highlight the unmet clinical needs of patients with refractory angina, discuss the development of the CSR device and review the preclinical and clinical evidence base underlying CSR implantation. In addition, we discuss the current role of CSR implantation in contemporary interventional practice, highlighting knowledge gaps and discussing areas of on-going research.
Ill-defined constructs in SLA research using event-related potentials: The case of participants’ proficiency
Authors: Rastelli Stefano
Published: July 2024

An emerging trend in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) research is that pro- ficiency is more important than the age of acquisition (AoA) to account for L2 ultimate attainment. An increasing number of researchers play down the role – or in some cases even deny the very existence – of a critical period (or ‘window of sensitivity’) and state that learners’ proficiency – and its various determinants – may trump age. Rere is a serious methodological issue with such a stance though. While AoA is easily factorised consistently across most experimental studies, participants’ proficiency is not. Authors of Event-Related Potentials (ERP) studies in particular are extremely vague and discordant as to how they rate participants’ proficiency. Ris makes the construct ‘proficiency’ unreliable, the results of ERP studies hard to compare, and the claims based on the primacy of proficiency in respect to AoA much weaker. Ris paper suggests more caution in general and in particular the need for collaboration between neurolinguists and SLA experts in the field of foreign language teaching and testing.
A Kind of Chemistry
Authors: Laudan Rachel
Published: July 2024

The author explains that 'A kind of chemistry' was the way the authors of The Gifts of Comus (1739) described the new cookery of the European courts, a cookery that had begun to take shape a century earlier with Pierre de la Varenne's Le Cuisinier François (1651). This essay takes their metaphor at face value. It was indeed chemistry, a chemical cookery inspired by a radical group of chemical physicians who treated and advised the aristocracies of northern Europe. 
The author thanks Alan Davidson who accepted a preliminary sketch of this essay for 'A Mini-Symposium on New Publications' PPC 53 (1996); 47-50, and the organizers and audiences of the Horning Lecture Series in History of Science at Oregon State University and Dibner Lectures in History of Science and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology who bore with successive versions. The present version won the Sophie Coe Prize 1998.
Het of Atworth's Purple Mountain
Authors: Levy Audrey
Published: July 2024

Summer pudding has developed into one of those subjects that runs and runs. See Notes and Queries in PPC 60 and 61. And there seems to be scope for further research, eg into the processes by which it mutated from Hydropathic, Rhode Island and Wakefield Pudding.
Food and Eating in the Bronte Novels
Authors: Lucraft Fiona
Published: July 2024

This paper, an important reference for anyone working on food in English literature, was contributed to the Oxford Symposium on Food, 1998.  It is a study of the depiction and purpose of food (and drink) in the novels of Charlotte, Anne and Emily Bronte.
Effects of moisture content and storage method on the physical properties of dried persimmon during frozen storage
Authors: Jia Xiwu , Luo Xiaohua , Nakako Katsuno , Takahisa Nishizu
Published: July 2024

This study investigated the effects of moisture content and the proposed storage method on the physical properties of dried persimmon during frozen storage. The samples with 35.21% moisture content exhibited more rapid changes in surface color, thickness, and hardness of the secondary surface than those with 41.11% and 32.09%. The samples with 35.21% moisture content also exhibited faster sugar crystal formation than those with 41.11% and 32.09% moisture content during frozen storage. Moreover, the three samples’ proportions of freezable and bound water differed. The results indicate that controlling the dried persimmon’s moisture content between 32.09% and 35.21% is optimal for frozen storage. According to the surface sugar and sensory evaluations, the proposed storage method (samples receive kneading treatment without brushing during the drying process, have an initial moisture content of 33.25%, and are stored in a thermal insulation box) in the present study could maintain the quality of dried persimmon better compared with the common storage method (samples are subjected to kneading and brushing treatment during the drying process, have an initial moisture content of 36.02%, and are stored directly in a freezer).
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH OF THE PHARMACOLOGICAL EFFECT OF CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE CORRECTION OF INFLAMMATION
Authors: Shtroblia Viktor , Lutsenko Ruslan
Published: July 2024

Osteoarthritis is considered one of the leading causes of chronic disability and is a significant problem on human health and the economy. Chronic pain is the dominant symptom that prompts patients to seek medical attention. Pain mechanisms in osteoarthritis remained unknown for a long time. However, it is known that chronic inflammation of the joint can be a key factor in the occurrence and exacerbation of pain or changes in the perception of pain. Pharmacological therapy is often based on the use of steroidal and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, but their long-term use or large doses can cause side effects. That is why the development of new methods of treatment of inflammatory processes is the object of active research, as they can affect various mechanisms. In this context, carboxytherapy is an interesting alternative or addition to existing treatment regimens aimed at reducing pain in patients with osteoarthritis. This method involves the administration of medical carbon dioxide (CO2) to improve blood supply to tissues, which can contribute to humoral, biochemical and tissue mechanisms. Studying the effects of carboxytherapy in animal models of inflammation is important for understanding its potential benefits and mechanisms of action. Objective. Study of anti-inflammatory properties of carboxytherapy both in monotherapy and in its combined use. Methods. Carboxytherapy is the injection of carbon dioxide in monotherapy and when used in combination on the formalin model of inflammation in animals. Results. The obtained research results prove the anti-inflammatory properties of carbon dioxide on the model of formalin inflammationin animals. Conclusions. The combined use of carboxytherapy enhanced the effect of conventional drugs on the formalin model of inflammation in animals. The establishment of an anti-inflammatory effect of carboxytherapy indicates the therapeutic value of CO2, while emphasizing the need for further in-depth studies to explore its mechanisms and confirm the efficacy for clinical use.
OSTEOARTHRITIS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES: ETIOLOGICAL AND CLINICAL-PATHOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
Authors: Korzh Olexii , Korzh Iryna
Published: July 2024

In recent years, numerous studies have shown a link between osteoarthritis (OA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Comorbidity of one of these diseases is directly and significantly associated with an increased risk of developing another. Objective. Carrying out a critical analysis of the results ofstudies related to the relationship between CVD and OA, as well as an assessment of the possibilities of their joint prevention and treatment. Methods. Publications from the Google search system, electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and other relevant sources of scientific and medical information were analyzed. The results. The main pathogenetic explanation of the relationship between CVD and OA is the presence of systemic,slowly progressing inflammation, which becomes especially important in patients of older age groups. The similarity of the composition of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the development of both CVD and OA enhances pathological changes in the structure of comorbidity. CVD and OA share common pathological mechanisms, such as oxidative and metabolic stress, molecular factors of endothelial dysfunction, hyperlipidemia, and systemic and local vascular remodeling. At the same time, it was established that OA develops against the backgroundof CVD risk factors and progresses along with their accumulation. Special care should be taken when prescribing non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The appointment of systemic forms of NSAIDs is not recommended for patientswith high and very high cardiovascular risk. Conclusions. In patients with both conditions, the risk of one is directly related to an increased risk of the other. Further study of the role of comorbiditiesin the pathogenesis of OA will expand the understanding of the integration of cardiovascular risk factors. These facts provide prospects for further studying the role of comorbidities in the pathogenesis of OA, expanding the understandingof the integration of cardiovascular risk factors and successful cardiovascular prevention and treatment of OA.
The Order and Chaos in Human Relationships: Objective Grounds and the Ways of Harmonization
Authors: Shapoval V. M. , Tolstov I. V.
Published: July 2024

Purpose. This article aims to provide a philosophical analysis of disharmonious relations between people in society, to reveal the causes of existing conflicts and to find ways to reduce the manifestations of chaos in human relations. Theoretical basis of the article is socio-cultural anthropology, the principles of the unity of the historical and logical, the ascent from the abstract to the concrete, the unity of analysis and synthesis. To solve the tasks set, authors also used the principles of objectivity, systematicity, and comprehensive development. Originality. The article goes beyond one-sided views on the relationship between people in society, reveals the causes of existing conflicts from a philosophical perspective and searches for ways to reduce chaosogenic manifestations in society. It is assumed that chaos and order in human relations arise not only due to the contradictory interaction between the fundamental components of the Universe – matter and energy, but also due to a lack of understanding of the laws of information use. Therefore, without the discovery and rational use of the basic laws and principles governing the functioning of information in the Universe, it is impossible to overcome chaos in human relations. Conclusions. Given the profound impact of information on human relations, it is possible to help reduce the manifestations of chaos in human relationships. The proper handling of information, along with the rational use of matter and energy, is crucial for overcoming the current state of disharmony and creating a more favourable and orderly future for humanity. Thus, the vector of harmonisation of human relations lies in the plane of comprehensive knowledge of mass-energy and information processes occurring in the Universe, focusing not on subjective, ill-considered short-term goals, but submitting to them for consistent inclusion in these processes.
Kant’s Philosophy and the Idea of the Self-Made-Man
Authors: Korkh O. M. , Khmil V. V.
Published: July 2024

Purpose. The authors of this article set the main purpose of understanding the ideological potential of Kant’s philosophical heritage from the viewpoint of its influence on the spread and legitimization of the self-made man idea in the worldview transformations of the modern world. Theoretical basis. Historical, analytical, and hermeneutic methods became fundamental for achieving the goal. The study is based on Kant’s works, as well as on the works of modern researchers of his ideological heritage. Originality. The analysis shows that the idea of the Self-made-man, which originated in the ancient world and gradually spread in the Western culture of the Middle Ages, early Modernism, and especially the Enlightenment, receives significant additional impulses in the context of Kant’s rethinking of the metaphysical foundations in the theory of knowledge and morality. Perhaps, the systematic theoretical substantiation of people’s abilities to use their own mind, their intellectual, and therefore moral autonomy, and freedom of will as the fundamental principles of personal Self-determination and Self-realization became the most important consequence of this rethinking. This, in turn, became the theoretical and moral-legal basis for further legitimization in the modern and postmodern world of the ideal of a person who creates oneself. Conclusions. The importance of Kant’s philosophy in the context of idea generation of the self-made man is hard to overestimate. It is entirely imbued with a leitmotif appeal to the individual to have the courage to use his/her own mind, to be independent and self-sufficient in assessments, choices, and actions, and therefore also responsible for their consequences, in the end, to be primarily an end, not a means. Thanks to this, a person, according to Hegel, finds an unconditionally strong and stable center in oneself. In fact, by strengthening the position of human-centric philosophy, as well as the moral and legal foundations of liberal humanism, Kant’s ideas provided further ideological legitimation in the orientation of an objectively growing individual towards actively placing Self-reliance and Personal responsibility on one’s own destiny as the key principles of the Self-made-man concept.
Biomimetic approach to the design of artificial small‑diameter blood vessels
Authors: Nemets E. A. , Belov Yu. V. , Kiryakov K. S. , Grudinin N. V. , Bogdanov V. K. , Filippov K. S. , Nikolskaya A. O. , Tyunyaeva I. Yu. , Vypryshko A. A. , Zaxarevich V. M. , Basok Yu. B. , Sevastianov V. I.
Published: July 2024

Objective: To create 2-mm diameter multilayer porous tubular scaffolds (PTS) with characteristics that resemble small-diameter native blood vessels in terms of characteristics.

Materials and methods. PTS made of polycaprolactone (PCL, MM 80000) with a PCL-made sealing coat/layer with gelatin addition (PCL-gelatin) with a diameter of 2 mm were created by electrospinning (NANON-01A). Bioactive coating was applied to the PTS surface by sequential incubation in solutions of bovine serum albumin, heparin (Hp), and platelet lysate (PL). Cytotoxicity was investigated under conditions of direct contact of PTS with a monolayer of NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblasts. Viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EA.hy926) was evaluated using Live/Dead® Viability/Cytotoxicity Kit. Permeability and blood flow parameters of the PTS implanted in the infrarenal section of the rat aorta were recorded using Doppler imaging.

Results. A three-layer PTS construct with an inner diameter of 2 mm was developed. Its inner and outer layers were formed from 0.2 mL of PCL solution, and the middle sealing coat/layer was from 0.5 mL of PCL with addition of 30% (by weight of polymer) gelatin. Introduction of the sealing coat/layer reduced surgical porosity (SP) from 56.2 ± 8.7 mL/(cm2·min) for a single-layer PTS made of pure PCL to 8.9 ± 2.6 mL/(cm2·min) for a three-layer PTS. The resulting PTS demonstrated physicomechanical characteristics similar to those of native blood vessels; it also showed no cytotoxicity. Application of a bioactive coating of Hp and PL allowed for increased in vitro adhesion and proliferation of endothelial cells. The technique of implantation of 10 mm long fragments of three-layer PTS into the infrarenal section of a rat aorta was corrected, thus minimizing blood loss and narrowing the anastomosis site. In an acute experiment, it was proven that the prostheses were patent and that blood flow parameters (systolic and diastolic velocity, resistivity index) were close to the corresponding indicators of native rat aorta.

Conclusion. The developed three-layer PTS constructs have low SP and physicomechanical properties close to those of native blood vessels. Bioactive coating improves the in vitro matrix properties of PTS relative to human endothelial cells. At short-term implantation into the aorta of experimental animals, PTS showed no early thrombosis, while blood flow parameters were close to those of native rat aorta. Thus, three-layer PTS with bioactive coating can be used as a scaffold for creation of in situ tissue-engineered construct of a small-diameter blood vessel.
Azygoportal disconnection or a combination of non-selective beta-blockers and endoscopic variceal ligation to prevent recurrent bleeding in patients with cirrhosis awaiting transplantation
Authors: Korobka R. V. , Gautier S. V. , Khoronko Yu. V. , Pasechnikov V. D. , Shapovalov A. M. , Malevanny M. V. , Pak E. S. , Pasechnikov D. V. , Tadiyeva E. V.
Published: July 2024

Objective: to compare the efficacy of azygoportal disconnection (APD) surgery and a combination between endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) and non-selective beta-blockers (NSBBs) in the prevention of recurrent variceal bleeding (RVB). To compare the incidence of gastric variceal bleeding (GVB) after these manipulations in patients with decompensated cirrhosis waitlisted for liver transplantation (LTx).

Materials and methods. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis underwent RVB prophylaxis by APD surgery or by a combination of EVL and NSBBs.

Results. There were no significant differences in clinical, laboratory, demographic parameters, MELD-Na and Child–Turcotte–Pugh (CTP) scores, and frequencies of medium- and large-sized varicose veins among subgroups of patients with different RVB prophylaxis methods Patients with decompensated cirrhosis who underwent APD surgery did not experience any RVB episodes during the LTx waiting period, which lasted two years from the start of bleeding prophylaxis. In the same period, RVB occurred in 100% of cases in the EVL plus NSBBs group. Using the Kaplan–Meier method with the Log-Rank test, a significant difference (p = 0.0001) was found between the proportions of non-RVB patients in the APD and EVL + NSBBs groups. In the meantime, 48.1% of patients who had APD surgery developed GVB, while 100% of cases in EVL + NSBBs group did not. The Kaplan–Meier method with the Log-Rank test revealed a significant difference (p = 0.0001) between the proportion of non-GVB patients in EVL + NSBBs and APD groups.
Bridge to cancer therapy in patients with chronic heart failure: implantation of a left ventricular assist device before surgical treatment of gastric cancer
Authors: Ganaev K. G. , Kurbanov S. K. , Vlasova E. E. , Dzybinskaya E. V. , Latypov R. S. , Mershin K. V. , Stilidi I. S. , Shiryaev A. A. , Akchurin R. S.
Published: July 2024

The co-occurrence of chronic heart failure (CHF) and cancer is becoming more and more common as people live longer. The lack of a structured approach to the treatment of cancer patients with severe cardiovascular conditions is an essential issue. Up to 25% of cancer patients cannot be operated on for their main disease profile due to the presence of cardiovascular disease. This article describes a clinical case of successful treatment of a patient with two competing (prognosis-determining) diseases: end-stage heart failure and stomach cancer within the framework of a bridge-to-cancer strategy.
Hypothermic machine perfusion of a donor kidney using an experimental dextran-40-based preservation solution and orthotopic transplantation (experimental study)
Authors: Shestakova V. G. , Bogdanov V. K. , Pavlov R. D. , Terekhov V. M. , Timanovsky A. S. , Zharikov A. A. , Shibaev A. N. , Grudinin N. V.
Published: July 2024

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of hypothermic machine perfusion (HMP) of a donor kidney obtained from a non-heartbeating (NHB) donor, using an experimental dextran-40-based preservation solution, in subsequent orthotopic transplantation in a rabbit model.

Materials and methods. Twenty grey giant rabbits weighing 2,500–3,100 g, divided into donors (n = 10) and recipients (n = 10), were used in the study. After obtaining kidney from an NHB donor, ex vivo HMP of the left donor kidney using a dextran-40-based preservation solution was performed and peripheral vascular resistance (PVR) parameters were measured. This was followed by bilateral nephrectomy and orthotopic transplantation. The follow-up period was 12 days. Creatinine levels, urea levels, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were measured during follow-up.

Results. During ex vivo HMP of donor kidneys from NHBs, PVR dropped progressively from 1.90 ± 0.27 mmHg/mL/min to 0.72 ± 0.09 mmHg/mL/min at p < 0.001. In the early post-transplant period (during the first 2 days after implantation), creatinine and urea levels were moderately elevated compared to normal. Creatinine and urea levels were 91.07 ± 11.49 μmol/L at p < 0.011 and 9.09 ± 1.06 mmol/L at p < 0.009 on day 2, respectively, but by day 12, they reverted to physiologic values, which were 77.17 ± 10.19 μmol/L at p < 0.019 and 4.88 ± 0.54 mmol/L at p < 0.022, respectively. These findings were correlated with GFR values, which ranged from 26.29 to 26.74 mL/min/1.72 m2 in mean values over the course of a 12-day follow-up period.

Conclusion. Ex vivo HMP using dextran-40-based preservation solution has a positive effect on the kidney at 30 minutes of warm ischemia following asystole and achieves satisfactory graft function over 12 days of follow-up.
Functional efficiency of pancreatic cell-engineered construct in an animal experimental model for type I diabetes
Authors: Baranova N. V. , Ponomareva A. S. , Kirsanova L. A. , Nikolskaya A. O. , Bubentsova G. N. , Basok Yu. B. , Sevastianov V. I.
Published: July 2024

The creation of a cell-engineered pancreatic construct (CEPC) from islets of Langerhans and biocompatible matrix carrier (framework/scaffold), which imitates the native microenvironment of pancreatic tissue, is an approach to the treatment of type I diabetes mellitus (T1D).

The objective of this work is to conduct a comparative analysis of the functional efficacy of CEPC and isolated rat islets of Langerhans after intraperitoneal administration into rats with experimental T1D.

Materials and method. T1D was induced in rats by injecting low-dose (15 mg/ kg) streptozotocin (STZ) for 5 days. CEPC samples were created using viable and functional allogeneic isolated islets of Langerhans and tissue-specific scaffold obtained by decellularization of human pancreatic fragments. The rats received intraperitoneal injection of allogeneic islets of Langerhans (experimental group 1, n = 4) and CEPC (experimental group 2, n = 4). Control group rats received no treatment (n = 4). Blood glucose levels in the rats were measured, and the pancreas and kidneys of the experimental animals were examined histologically. The follow-up period for all animals continued for 10 weeks. Results. In experimental group 1, on day 7 after injection of Langerhans islets, glycemia decreased significantly from 28.2 ± 4.2 mmol/L to 13.4 ± 2.6 mmol/L. This fall persisted for 7 weeks, following which blood sugar increased to nearly their initial levels (prior to islets administration). In experimental group 2, on day 7 after CEPC administration, there was a more noticeable drop in blood sugar levels from 25.8 ± 5.1 mmol/L to 6.3 ± 2.7 mmol/L compared to experimental group 1. By the 10th week of the experiment, the average glucose level was two times lower than it was at the beginning. Blood glucose levels dropped more sharply in the CEPC group than in the islet group (by 75.6% and 52.5%, respectively).

Conclusion. In T1D rats, CEPC has a more potent antidiabetic effect than islets of Langerhans. Thus, it has been shown that a tissue-specific scaffold may be used to create bioartificial pancreas in order to increase the functional efficiency of islets.
Performance of geopolymer paste under different concentrations of sodium hydroxide solution
Authors: Wang Tao , Fan Xiangqian , Gao Changsheng , Qu Chiyu
Published: July 2024

Compared with traditional cement pastes, geopolymer pastes can effectively alleviate environmental and economic problems caused by the construction industry as they are characterised as low carbon dioxide materials, with energy reduced energy consumption and emissions. However, the mechanical properties of geopolymer pastes are greatly affected by the composition of the alkaline activators used in their preparation, and existing research results on this influence is not consistent. In this study, the effects of alkaline activators composed of varying concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution under standard curing conditions on the mechanical properties and material characteristics of geopolymer pastes made with fly ash and slag were investigated. Under standard curing conditions, the mechanical properties of the geopolymer pastes increased with an increase of sodium hydroxide solution (SHS) concentration in the alkaline activator. The use of alkaline activator with 16 M SHS led to the greatest flexural and compressive strengths of the geopolymer pastes at 28 days, reaching values of 5.43 MPa and 39.13 MPa, respectively. Increasing the SHS concentration in the alkaline activator promoted the production of gel products such as N-A-S-H, which formed a dense microstructure and led to higher mechanical properties.
İlkokul 4. Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Yazma Motivasyonları ile Öz Düzenlemeye Dayalı Yazma Stratejilerini Kullanmaları Arasındaki İlişki
Authors: Aslan Serkan
Published: July 2024

İlkokul öğrencileri için yazma motivasyonu ve yazma sürecinde öz düzenleme stratejileri kullanımı, yazma becerilerinin gelişimi için önemli rol oynamaktadır. Bu iki unsur, öğrencilerin yazma sürecine aktif ve bilinçli bir katılımını sağlar, bu da yazılı ifade yeteneklerinin gelişimine yardımcı olur. Bu nedenle ilkokul öğrencilerinin yazma motivasyonları ile yazma sürecinde öz düzenleme stratejilerini kullanmalarının araştırılması önem arz eden bir konudur. Bu araştırmanın amacı, ilkokul dördüncü sınıf öğrencilerinin yazma motivasyonları ile öz düzenlemeye dayalı yazma stratejilerini kullanmaları arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Araştırma ilişkisel tarama modeline dayalı olarak yürütülmüştür. Araştırmanın katılımcılarını 549 ilkokul dördüncü sınıf öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın örneklemi uygun örnekleme yöntemine göre belirlenmiştir. Araştırmada yazma motivasyonu ölçeği ile öz düzenlemeye dayalı yazma stratejileri ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde betimsel istatistik, çok değişkenli varyans analizi (MANOVA), Pearson korelasyon analizi ve basit doğrusal regresyon analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda öğrencilerin yazma motivasyonları ile öz düzenlemeye dayalı yazma stratejilerini kullanma durumları yüksek çıkmıştır. Öğrencilerin yazma motivasyonları ile öz düzenlemeye dayalı yazma stratejileri arasında kızların ve hikâye edici metin yazmayı sevenlerin lehine anlamlı farklılık elde edilmiştir. Araştırma neticesinde öğrencilerin yazma motivasyonları ile öz düzenlemeye dayalı yazma stratejileri arasında orta düzeyde pozitif yönlü anlamlı bir ilişkinin olduğu ve yazma motivasyonunun öz düzenlemeye dayalı yazma stratejilerini kullanma düzeyinin %21’ini açıkladığı sonucu elde edilmiştir. Araştırmanın bu sonucu öğrencilerin yazma motivasyonlarının artması durumunda öz düzenlemeye dayalı yazma stratejilerini kullandıklarını ortaya koymaktadır. Araştırma bulgularına dayalı olarak çeşitli önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
Özgün Bir Meâl Hazırlama İmkânı Faruk Beşer’in Kur’an-ı Hakîm’in Meâli ve Kısa Tefsiri
Authors: Özbay Ahmet
Published: July 2024

Bu çalışmada, ülkemizde tercümeden ziyade “meâl” olarak ifade edilen ve Kur’an’ı anlama ve anlamlandırma faaliyetleri içerisinde ortaya çıkan “Kur’ân-ı Hakîm’in Meâli ve Kısa Tefsiri: Temel Kur’ân Kavramları Sözlüğü” isimli eserin temel özellikleri, meâl teknikleri açısından değerlendirilmesi ve alana yaptığı katkılar ele alınmaktadır. Bu eserde diğer meâllerde yer alan parantezler kullanılmamış, hiçbir zaman birkaç âyete beraberce meâl verilmemiş ve her bir âyet ayrı meâllendirilmiştir. Meâlde geçen bir kısım kavramlar geçtiği bölümde açıklanmış bunun yanında eserin son bölümüne Kur’an kavramları sözlüğü, Kur’an’da geçen Allah’ın isimlerinin açıklandığı esmâ-i hüsna şerhi ve kısa Peygamberler tarihi de ilave edilerek çalışmaya özgünlük kazandırılmıştır. Böylece meâl, bir nevi özlü tefsir olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Beşer, çalışmasında Kur’an’ın Kur’an’la ve hadisle açıklanmasına önem vermiş, sebeb-i nüzule değinmiş, Kur’an öncesi Kutsal Kitapların metinlerine atıflarda bulunmuş ve Kur’an ilimlerine de yer vermiştir. Fıkhî konularda farklı mezheplerin görüşlerini tercihte bulunmaksızın zikrederken itikâdî açıdan bir mezhep tercihinde bulunmaktan kaçınmamıştır. Güncel dilde yer alan kelime, kavram ve atasözlerini kullanmaya özen göstermiş, GDO’lu gıdalar gibi çağın problemlerine, günümüz tarikat ve cemaatlerinde görülen bir kısım tartışmalı konulara değinmiştir. “Kısa Tefsir” olarak da isimlendirilen eserde mütercimin görüş ve düşünceleri de yer almaktadır. Söz konusu eser üzerine yapılan bu çalışma, meâlin değerlendirilmesi yanında yapılacak yeni meâl çalışmalarına ışık tutmayı da hedeflemektedir.
Navigating Reputational Risks: Cautionary Considerations for South African Banks in the Unilateral Termination of Bank-Customer Relationships
Authors: Letsoalo Lisbeth
Published: July 2024

Bredenkamp v Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd (SCA) and subsequent cases that followed this precedent exhibit that banks have the right to terminate the bank-customer relationship unilaterally. This right is usually entrenched in the contract between the bank and its customer and may also have its origin in an implied term of the contract. Some major banks in the Republic of South Africa have recently been under the spotlight for unilaterally terminating the bank-customer relationship with their customers (the Sekunjalo Group) based on reputational risks. It is alleged that in terminating the relationship, these banks unfairly discriminated against Sekunjalo Group, therefore asserting that the principle of reputational risk is not attributed similarly across customers of different racial groups. Whereas the paper does not intend to decide on such allegations of racial discrimination, the paper asserts that the unilateral termination of a bank-customer relationship is both a right and an obligation. The paper adopts a qualitative research approach in analysing the contractual nature of a bank-customer relationship, the common-law principles regarding the termination of the bank-customer relationship, and the developments in the application of the principle of reputational risk by South African banks and courts in the wake of the applications lodged by members of the Sekunjalo Group.
Electrical conductivity of heterogeneous ion exchange membranes in solutions of mono-, di- and tricarboxylic acids and its effect on the process of electrodialysis of solutions containing organic acids
Authors: Nosova Elena N. , Колот Денис Геннадьевич , Melnikov Stanislav S. , Sharafan Mikhail V.
Published: July 2024

In this study, the electrical conductivity of cation-exchange and anion-exchange membranes was studied in solutions containing both strong (sodium chloride and acetate) and weak (acetic, succinic and citric acids) electrolytes. The results obtained indicate that the concentration dependence of the electrical conductivity of membranes in weak electrolytes differs significantly from that observed for solutions of strong electrolytes. In the case of an acetic acid solution, the electrical conductivity of the membranes is higher than that of the equilibrium solution over the entire range of concentrations that were studied. It has been shown that existing models of the transport and structural organization of membranes allows describing the structural parameters of ion-exchange membranes in contact with strong electrolytes. In sodium chloride and sodium acetate solutions, the obtained dependences were processed within the framework of microheterogeneous and three-wire models to establish the influence of the nature of the electrolyte on the transport and structural characteristics of the membranes. The dependence of electrical conductivity on the concentration of a weak electrolyte solution does not allow the use of either microheterogeneous or extended three-wire models for the description of the structure-property relationship of ion-exchange materials. It has been shown that in acetic acid and partially succinic acid solutions, the solution provides the main contribution to the resistance of the electromembrane system. Based on the results obtained from measuring electrical conductivity, changes in the design of a laboratory electrodialyzer were proposed and experiments were carried out on desalting a solution of acetic acid. It has been shown that the use of thinner intermembrane separators in the desalting chamber leads to an increase in the integral current efficiency (from 0.32 to 0.44 at 0.6 A/dm2 and the same degree of desalination) and a reduction in specific energy consumption (from 3.0 to 1.9 kWh/mol at 0.6 A/dm2) during desalination of acetic acid. The results obtained can be further used to improve the parameters of the process of obtaining weak acids by bipolar electrodialysis.
Adsorption of copper(II) ions by zeolite modified with organosilicon thiosemicarbazide
Authors: Chugunov Alexander D. , Filatova Elena G. , Adamovich Sergey N. , Oborina Elizaveta N. , Ushakov Igor A.
Published: July 2024

The article is devoted to the calculation of the kinetics and thermodynamics of adsorption of copper(II) ions by zeolite activated with hydrochloric acid and modified 1-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl)thiosemicarbazide. For the calculation of the kinetic parameters, we used the Lagergren, Ho, and Mackay equation. The activation energy was found using the Arrhenius equation. For the calculation of thermodynamic parameters, the linearized Van't Hoff equation and the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation were used. A comparison of the determination coefficients of the pseudo-first (from 0.815 to 0.892) and pseudo-second (from 0.995 to 0.999) order models allowed choosing the latter as the leading model for the adsorption of Cu(II) ions. Pseudo-second order rate constants depending on temperature were in the range 0.201-3.915 g⋅mmol-1⋅min.-1. The determined value of the activation energy 42.3 kJ mol-1 was in the range of 40-120 kJ, which is typical for chemisorption of ions Cu(II). Adsorption isotherms were well described by the Langmuir model. Adsorption proceeded with the formation of sorbate monolayer on the outer surface. Adsorption limit values ranged from 0.0016 to 0.0039 mol g-1 depending on temperature from 238 to 309 K. The processes of adsorption of Cu(II) ions on the surface of the modified zeolite occurred spontaneously. A decrease in the Gibbs energy ΔG0 was observed (from -14.20 to -16.29 kJ mol-1) with increasing temperature. Positive enthalpy value Δ𝐻0 (3.6 kJ mol-1) indicated that the adsorption of Cu(II) ions occurred endothermically. Positive entropy value Δ𝑆0 (58.15 J mol-1) indicated an increase in randomness at the interface due to the destruction of the solvation shells surrounding the transition metal ions in solution. Thus, the ratios of kinetic and thermodynamic quantities indicated that a significant contribution to the process of adsorption of Cu(II) ions by a modified zeolite was made by processes associated with the chemical interaction of adsorbate molecules and functional nitrogen and sulphur containing groups of thiosemicarbazide.
Cluster adsorption of histidine enantiomers on carbon nanotubes from aqueous solutions
Authors: Butyrskaya Elena V. , Le Dinh Tuan , Volkov Alexander A.
Published: July 2024

The study is devoted to the analysis of adsorption isotherms of histidine enantiomers on carbon nanotubes mkNANO MKN-SWCNT S1 from aqueous solutions in the temperature range 25-80°C. Histidine enantiomers from Sigma Aldrich were used as amino acids, and mkNANO MKN-SWCNT S1 carbon nanotubes (Canada) were used as an adsorbent. Experimental data obtained by the construction of isotherms, were used to calculate the separation coefficients of enantiomers on CNTs, the values of separation coefficients were higher than for other sorbents. The interpretation of the isotherms was based on the cluster adsorption model, providing very good agreement between theory and experiment (R2=0.994-0.999), which showed that L- and D-histidine were sorbed on the surface of a nanotube in the form of monomers and clusters. Three characteristic regions were identified on the adsorption isotherms: concentration range in which only sorbate monomers were fixed on the surface of the nanotube; concentration range in which sorbate molecules were fixed on the nanotube only in the form of clusters; concentration range in which monomers and clusters were present on the surface of the sorbent. The dependence of these isotherm regions on temperature was analysed.