bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sinonasal Mucormycosis in a post Covid patient - first case in Sri Lanka
Authors: De Alwis A. S. R. , Weerakkody W. P. L. , Jayasinghe M. , Jaysekara D. D. , Dumingoarachchi D.
Published: March 2022

The Covid 19 infection which is caused by  severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is found to be associated with a wide range of bacterial and fungal co-infections. We report the first post COVID-19 Sino-orbital Mucormycosis infection in a patient with diabetes mellitus in Sri Lanka. A 57 years old female with a history of long standing uncontrolled diabetes presented with left facial pain and swelling. She has had  a positive reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 one month back. On Rigid nasal endoscopy (RNE) blackish crusting was noted on the nasal septum. The Contrast enhanced CT scan (CECT) demonstrated fat stranding in premaxillary, infratemporal and pterygopalatine regions. Presence of mucormycosis was confirmed  from biopsies following a functional endoscopic sinus procedure. Patient was treated with IV liposomal amphotericin B and with local nasal packs with amphotericin. Sinonasal biopsies after completion of 5g of Liposomal amphotericin B were negative and the patient was asymptomatic and discharged after 27 days of Amphotericin. 
Conclusion: A good prognosis can be achieved with an early diagnosis and debridement along with prompt conservative treatment of Amphotericin B.
Auditory brainstem response for Sri Lankan children under 5 years of age: Normativedata
Authors: Ileperuma L. D. , Weerasinghe V. S. , Wickremasinghe A. R.
Published: March 2022

For years Sri Lankan Audiologists resorted to western norms in the interpretation of Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) in the absence of national standards. The study focused on establishing normative data on ABR for Sri Lankan children below 5 years.
ABR was performed on 258 healthy children between 6 weeks and 5 years of age to gather data on absolute latencies and inter-peak latencies.All inter-aural differences were within 0.2-0.4ms. The mean inter-aural difference for the study sample was significantly small (-0.0204ms to 0.0286ms). Mean values of absolute latencies for waves I, III, V for the 6-week age group at 30dBnHL were 3.33 ms, 5.91 ms and 8.27 ms respectively. Mean values of inter-peak latencies of wave I-III, III-V, I-V were 2.08 ms, 2.36 ms and 4.76 ms respectively for the 6-week age group at 30 dBnHL.
The normative ABR data obtained in this study may be used across audiology clinics in Sri Lanka as a baseline measurement to diagnose hearing loss among children from infancy to 5 years of age when children are tested in their natural sleep and insert earphones are used. The mean value plus 2 standard deviations for each ABR measure may be used as the upper limit cutoff values.  Hence this study helps eliminate misdiagnosis and under-diagnosis of hearing loss in children.
Coblation Assisted Division of Laryngeal Webs with Application of Locally Made Laryngeal Keel
Authors: Andaraweera S. , Jayasuriya C. , Perera M. B.
Published: March 2022

Management of anterior laryngeal web is a challenge with risk of adhesions without usage of a keel. In the absence of standard laryngeal keels, we present a technique of using silastic sheets and a feeding tube and placing the keel endoscopically in a close technique after coblation of laryngeal web.
Vestibular migraine (VM) management for an ENT surgeon - an update on diagnostic criteria and current management strategies
Authors: Lakshan M. T. D. , Drahaman A. M. P.
Published: March 2022

Overview: Vestibular migraine is a very common problem needing attention as it’s a diagnosis frequently missed. This article discusses key diagnostic indicators including ID-migraine, motion sickness, phono/photophobia. Key management options including prophylactic and abortive medications are also discussed.
Findings: Using of the 3 item ID-Migraine questionnaire increases sensitivity. There is no RCT evidence that Nutraceuticals usage, restriction of MSG Caffeine Chocolates, artificial sweeteners, processed meats, alcohol and aged cheese are useful in management VM. Although beta blockers are used as prophylaxis, metoprolol may not be effective.The mainstay of abortive management is 5HT receptor agonists.
Recommendations: It is necessary to raise the awareness of the diagnostic entity and necessary training and education should be given to care givers. Future research is necessary to identify therapeutic agents and lifestyle changes specifically to be effective in this condition.
Editorial
Authors: Wazeer Zafarullah , Drahaman Akram , Perera Bimantha M.
Published: March 2022

No abstract available
Could It be Wolf Isotopic Response?
Authors: Poddar Shreya , Das Somnath , Sen Sumit , Chatterjee Gobinda
Published: March 2022

Wolf isotopic response is the occurrence of new dermatoses on areas of the skin with previous but still active dermatoses. Vitiligo is an acquired disorder characterized by the loss of functional melanocytes which manifests as circumscribed depigmented macules and patches. Dermatophytoses are superficial fungal infections caused by three genera of fungi (Microsporum, Trichophyton, and Epidermophyton) that have the unique ability to invade and multiply within keratinized tissue (skin, hair, and nail). The appearance of dermatophyte infection on previously present vitiligo lesion is an uncommon example of Wolf response. We describe a case series of five vitiligo patients that presented to our OPD over 1 year period.
The Demographic Attributes, Clinical Features, and Optimal Management of 143 Patients with Pemphigus
Authors: Mahajan Vikram K. , Mehta Karaninder S. , Sharma Jyotshna , Kumar Prabal , Chauhan Pushpinder S. , Singh Ravinder , Manvi Sujaya , Vashist Sanket , Sharma Anuj , Sharma Anju L.
Published: March 2022

Background:

This retrospective study was to understand the clinico-epidemiologic and therapeutic aspects of pemphigus patients attending our clinic.

Methods:

We analyzed charts of 143 (M: F; 51:92) pemphigus patients having variable severity recorded between 2009 and 2019. Therapies were customized based on patient's age, disease severity, comorbidities, compliance prospects, and affordability. The patients were monitored monthly and as needed for therapeutic outcome in terms of disease control, reduced hospitalization, remission/relapse, and drug toxicity.

Results:

These patients were aged 15 to 86 years, the majority, 68 (47.5%), was 41 to 60 years of age. The pemphigus vulgaris in 83.9% patients was the commonest variant. Treatment regimens were; dexamethasone-cyclophosphamide-pulse (DCP) therapy in 51.2%, dexamethasone-azathioprine-pulse (DAP) therapy in 11%, dexamethasone-pulse (DP) therapy in 5.5%, rituximab in 24.4%, IVIg in 5.5% patients, and oral corticosteroids with or without adjuvant. Remission occurred after 2–17 (mean 5.8) DCP doses; 14 and 7 patients achieved remission for ≥2 y and ≥5 y, respectively. Rituximab was effective to treat both new and relapsed cases (n = 31). Additional treatment with another adjuvant prolonged remission in seven patients relapsed 12–16 months after treatment with rituximab alone. Overall, oral corticosteroids alone and DAP therapy showed unsatisfactory response. Adverse effects seen in 41.9% of patients were mainly corticosteroids related.

Conclusion:

The overall clinico-epidemiologic spectrum of pemphigus and therapeutic efficacy of DCP, DAP, or corticosteroids in this study was in sync with the literature. Combining rituximab and corticosteroids plus an immunomodulator initially (phase-1), followed by immunomodulator alone for one year (phase-2) will improve long-term (phase-3) therapeutic outcome. IVIg was effectively useful in patients with concurrent infections.
Prevalence and Sociodemographic Determinants of Risky Sexual Behavior Among Unmarried Adolescents in Southeast Nigeria
Authors: Eze Irene I. , Mbachu Chinyere O. , Ndubuisi Mildred N. , Agu Ifunanya C. , Ezumah Nkoli , Onwujekwe Obinna
Published: March 2022

Background:

Adolescent risky sexual behavior is of a public health concern as most outcomes have long-term negative consequences on adolescents’ health and development.

Objectives:

This study was undertaken to assess the prevalence and sociodemographic determinants of risky sexual behavior among unmarried adolescents in Nigeria.

Materials and Methods:

A quantitative cross-sectional study was undertaken in Ebonyi state, Nigeria, using a pre-tested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data were collected from 1045 adolescent boys and girls. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis were performed using STATA software.

Results:

A total of 372 (35.6%) adolescents in the survey ever had a boyfriend or girlfriend. About, 369 (36.0%) had been pressurized by others to have sex, 73 (7.0%) had engaged in multiple sexual partnering, 3.0% had engaged in age-disparate sex, 27 (2.6%) had a one-night stand, and 37 (2.4%) reported they had engaged in nonconsensual sex. Lifestyle risky behaviors that were reported include partying/night clubbing 399 (38.1%), the use of mood-enhancing drugs 319 (30.5%), and alcohol consumption 316 (30.2%). Some sociodemographic factors were significantly associated with multiple sexual partnering, age-disparate sex, nonconsensual sex, and other lifestyle risky behaviors. In logistic regression analysis, gender was a predictor of multiple sexual partnering, age-disparate sex, and nonconsensual sex (odds ratio [OR] = 0.43, confidence interval [CI] = 1.40–3.71; OR = 10.0, CI = 0.03–0.29; OR = 3.0, CI = 0.01–0.14, respectively), while type of place of residence (OR = 1.75, CI = 0.35–0.92) and schooling status (OR = 3.70, CI = 0.13–0.41) were predictors of multiple sexual partnering.

Conclusion:

Risky sexual behaviors were prevalent among adolescents highlighting the need for strategic SRH interventions that pay close attention to identified drivers that predispose adolescents to unhealthy sexual behaviors.
Maternal and Perinatal Outcomes of Preeclampsia at a Tertiary Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Ugwu Aloy O. , Owie Emmanuel , Oluwole Ayodeji A. , Soibi-Harry Adaiah P. , Garba Sunusi R. , Okunade Kehinde S. , Makwe Christian C. , Omisakin Sunday I. , Ani-Ugwu Nneoma K. , Ojiefoh Lulu G. , Okafor Ifunanya T. , Egba Augustine , Olatunji Rasheed A. , Yusuf-Awesu Salimat A.
Published: March 2022

Background:

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific condition, with a serious impact on the health and quality of life of both mother and child. PE is a multisystem progressive disorder that occurs following placental and maternal vascular dysfunction and resolves postpartum over a variable period of time.

Objectives:

The study was aimed to determine the incidence as well as the perinatal and maternal outcomes of PE at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigeria.

Materials and Methods:

This was a retrospective review of patients managed in the labor and postnatal wards of the LUTH, Idi-Araba, Nigeria, over a 5-year period. A study proforma was used to collect relevant data which were entered and analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Statistics) Version 23.

Results:

A total of 426 pregnancies were complicated with PE giving an incidence of 10.2% of all deliveries during the study period. Several maternal complications recorded included: acute kidney injury (1.9%), abruptio placentae (2.1%), postpartum hemorrhage (2.4%), maternal mortality (3.8%). The perinatal mortality rate was 16.7%, and 35.4% of the live births required neonatal intensive care unit admission.

Conclusion:

PE contributed a sizeable proportion of deliveries in LUTH, Nigeria during the study period. It also played a significant role in maternal and perinatal complications.
On the Way to Mandate Booster Vaccine Dose of Coronavirus Disease 2019 for Transplant Recipients
Authors: Kute Vivek B. , Desai Sudeep Nimish , Meshram Hari Shankar , Shah Kinjal Narendra , Chauhan Sanshriti , Mishra Vineet V , Sahay Manisha
Published: March 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine efficacy, especially against severe disease is known to wane over time. We examined current knowledge of COVID-19 vaccine booster dose in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR). We have systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus and Google Scholar with the following MeSH terms: “SARS-CoV-2 vaccine,” or “COVID-19 vaccine,” and “organ transplantation” and “booster” or “third dose.” This review article examines a number of studies including guidelines from professional societies examining the safety as well as increased immunogenicity of a booster dose among SOTR. Equitable distribution of vaccines across the globe is the need of the hour. While some countries are well into the booster dose phase, the lower-income countries are languishing behind with primary doses for their health workers. Available reports suggest less efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine in SOTR suggesting booster dose for them. Several studies highlighted the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines booster dose among SOTR. SOTR should also continue to adhere to all safety and COVID-19 appropriate behaviors. There is a growing need for alternative strategies to improve protection. As Omicron cases rise around the world, India announced that COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 15–18 years and “precautionary (booster) doses” would be administered to healthcare and frontline workers and people above 60 years of age with comorbidities from January 2022. In near future, with increased availability of vaccinations, all SOTR will have access to booster dose in a phased manner.
Bakhtin and Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland: Beyond Allegory and Realism
Authors: Blackman Matthew
Published: March 2022

Olive Schreiner’s novella Trooper Peter Halket of Mashonaland (1897) has been variously considered to be a political pamphlet, an allegory or at the very least a piece of moralising Victorian realism. Certainly at its centre there is the powerful proclamatory voice of the Christ figure, ventriloquized by both the Cape preacher and later Peter Halket himself. As most critics have acknowledged – from its early reviewer in the New York Tribune in 1897 to most recently Rajendra Chetty and Matthew Curr in 2016 – the figure of Christ expounds an ethic or ideology associated with the author herself. However, these critical approaches tend to ignore the conflicting ideas and ideological outlooks held in some of the other voices in the text. In this article, I consider whether these opposing voices are illustrations of Mikhail Bakhtin’s ontology of the dialogic novel with its centripetal and centrifugal ideological forces. If in fact these voices can be considered to be dialogical, then the sublation of the voice of the author/Christ cannot be complete and the novella’s allegorical nature can at the very least be questioned.
Chinese South African Navigations of the (Post-)Apartheid City in Ufrieda Ho’s Paper Sons and Daughters
Authors: Neville Daniella
Published: March 2022

Drawing on Michel de Certeau’s conceptualisation of the city space in The Practice of Everyday Life, in conversation with AbdouMaliq Simone’s approach to the African city, this article explores the problem of belonging in Ufrieda Ho’s Paper Sons and Daughters: Growing Up Chinese in South Africa (2011). The text’s navigation of the manifold ascribed and asserted identities of the autobiographical self is made prominent through Ho’s tracing of the traversals of both her father and herself across Johannesburg. In particular, the illegal gambling game of fahfee and its operation become emblematic of the imbrication of Chinese immigrants within the urban space, positioning the figures in the text within the broader historical and literary archive of Johannesburg and thereby asserting a rootedness within the (post-)apartheid city. It highlights the complexity of the relationship between the self and the (post-)apartheid city and the formulations of belonging that arise as a result.

Keywords: Ufrieda Ho, Paper Sons and Daughters, East Asian South African literature
Review: Dreaming of Freedom in South Africa: Literature between Critique and Utopia.
Authors: Sandwith Corinne
Published: March 2022

David Johnson

Dreaming of Freedom in South Africa: Literature between Critique and Utopia. 2020.

Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press and Cape Town: UCT Press, 2020.

231 pp.

ISBN 9781775822608
Working through the Past: The Victory of Adwa Revisited
Authors: Kebadu Mekonnen Gebremariam
Published: March 2022

If working through the past is going to heal a nation, it has to come from within.  This paper explores two senses of historical responsibility: the responsibility we bear for healing the wounds of the past or working-off-the-past, and the responsibility we may have in fulfilling the promises of the defining moments of the past (redeeming or cashing in on the past). By utilizing these two conceptual tools, the paper carves out a normative space Adwa ought to occupy in a just and ethical revitalisation of our collective memories. It argues that the process of coming to terms with divisive historical legacies must pass ‘the Adwa test’ that it ought to be comprehensively liberating, universalizable, and thus has the ability to translate ‘the past as future.’ The victory in Adwa passes on the responsibility to birth our future in the image of its Volksgeist or spirit of the people (in the Hegelian sense indicating dialectical unfolding of the self, and not in the Fichtean sense where the past is defined in puritan terms) and by cultivating a national character commensurate with it. This paper posits that engagement with the positive experience of freedom from colonialism and the attendant sense of individual and collective autonomy that Adwa provides is one part of the equation for what Adorno calls “reconciliation” of the subject with object (history). The other part is a genuine recognition of the collective memory that past harm brought forth in the present, which we often reject as inherently unlike us. While Adwa offers the ground we stand on, embracing historical contradictions will serve as a condition for genuine reconciliation. The responsibility to come to terms with, atone for, and rectify the legacies of our history must be underpinned by an equal responsibility to fulfil Adwa’s promises.
Effects of light intensity and photoperiod on growth, lipid accumulation and fatty acid composition of Desmodesmus subspicatus LC172266 under photoautotrophic cultivation
Authors: Ogbonna I.O. , Ikwebe J. , Ogbonna J.C. , Eze C.N. , Ndrimbula J.B.
Published: March 2022

Microalgae oil accumulation in their natural growing states hardly reaches the quantities needed to replace fossil-derived diesel. Therefore, for algae to be used as biofuel feedstock, their growths are manipulated with the aim of achieving high cell density and high lipid accumulation. Two major factors affecting microalgal biomass and lipid productivity are light intensity and photoperiod. In the present study, Desmodesmus subspicatus was grown photoautotrophically under varying light intensities and photoperiods with a view to assessing the growth, lipid accumulation potential and fatty acid composition. Whereas the optimal light intensity for biomass production of the microalga was 5000 lx, that for lipid productivity was 3500 lx. At 5000 lx and 18: 6 h light/dark cycle, biomass yield, lipid content and lipid productivity were highest, at values of 1.92 ± 0.03 g/L, 53% and 118.80 ± 2.04 mgL-1day -1 respectively. The major fatty acid of the alga was oleic acid irrespective of light changes. The quantities of lipid accumulated and the properties of the fatty acid methyl esters showed that Desmodesmus subspicatus LC172266 is an ideal feedstock for biodiesel production.
Potential of Internet of Things and Semantic Web Technologies in the Health Sector
Authors: Edeh M.O. , Otto E.E. , Richard-Nnabu N.E. , Ugboaja S.G. , Umoke C.C. , Omachi D.
Published: March 2022

Science and technology have become essential components of healthcare. The emergence of Artificial intelligence (AI), Blockhain, mobile techs, Internet of Things (IoT) and Semantic Web Technologies (SWTs) etcetera have amplified the growing influence of technology in global health systems. IoT and SWTs in particular are seen as the next-generation technologies that can revolutionize global health systems. Thus, this paper examines the various potentials of IoT and SWTs in the health sector, with a view to creating more awareness regarding its prospects and associated risks, and also to assist stakeholders to maximize its possibilities to enrich healthcare delivery. We deduced that both IoT and SWTs harbour promising features that are now being deployed in the health sector to enhance quality service delivery, medical research and innovations, smart health, telemedicine, communications, patient care and effective health outcomes just to mention but a few. We conclude that the adoption and implementation of IoT-based devices and SWTs will be significant in sustainability and improvement of healthcare systems in the future. However, privacy and medical data security remains a major source of concern to many stakeholders.
Characterization of Some Novel Antimicrobial Peptides from African Common Toad, Sclerophrys regularis
Authors: Aliyu A. , Ibrahim Y.K.E. , Tytler B.A.
Published: March 2022

The growing number of antimicrobial resistant bacteria have necessitated urgent need for newer and effective antimicrobials. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) which are also called host defense peptides are promising class of bioactives found in all living thing especially amphibians. A total of 355 Sclerophrys regularis were collected and each toad was weighed and 0.02mL/g of epinephrine (1mg/mL) was administered via the dorsal lymph sac of the toad. The skin secretions were washed, lyophilized and stored at -20°C. The secretion was purified using Sephadex G-50 gel purification column. The fractions showing antimicrobial activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Salmonella typhii ATCC 14028, Citrobacter freundii ATCC 8090, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25913 and Candida albicans ATCC 3147 were further purified by RP- HPFC. The purified fractions were lyophilized and m/z ratio peaks were determined using MALDI TOF/TOF MS. The sequences corresponding to the peaks were determined using Mascot Peptide Mass Fingerprint which revealed novel AMP sequences: IHAGKTVPIVK, MHLLWR and LTGQIKNGLSGR which were named Regularin-2, Regularin-3 and Regularin-4 respectively. The MICs of purified fractions were between 50 – 200 µg/mL and the antimicrobial activities were maintained when stored at -20 °C for 180 days and was significant at p < 0.05. Bioprospecting of Nigerian toad specie (S. regularis) could yield potential therapeutic AMP agents.
Surfactant therapy for meconium aspiration syndrome in Dr. Soetomo General Hospital – A case series
Authors: Mustakim M.R.D. , Utomo M.T. , Etika R. , Angelika D. , Handayani K.D. , Aden T.Y.
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Meconium staining of amniotic fluid (MSAF) is a natural phenomenon in pregnant mothers and their fetuses. MSAF may lead to developing Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS). Surfactant replacement therapy has recently emerged as a therapy in MAS, but no guideline outlines how to administer it properly. Case Presentation: We present two term neonates with severe MAS cases focusing on the bolus surfactant replacement therapy. The first baby was given surfactant at 23 hours after birth and the second baby at 8 hours after birth. We used Survanta (beractant) in the dose of 100 mg/kg BW in both cases. Clinical improvement was observed 24 hours after surfactant bolus administration with different clinical characteristics, treatment approaches, and outcomes.Conclusion: In conclusion, therapeutic surfactant bolus in severe MAS may improve outcomes without significant adverse side effects.
Can Anything Philosophical Come out of Darwinism? Resolving the Conflict between Evolutionary Biology and Philosophy in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Odozor Uche S. , Akintona Emmanuel O.
Published: March 2022

Is the idea of ‘evolutionary philosophy’ well taken? If it is, how does evolutionary biology bear on philosophy? The incursion of biological science into ethics towards the end of the 19th century elicited a widespread reaction from twentieth century philosophers, who instantly began to question the relevance of Darwin’s work to philosophy. The doctrine of natural selection may not have comprehensively resolved the age-old problems of philosophy, for example, in the area of human morality and ethical thinking; in fact, it may not be able to replace philosophical inquiry in the absolute sense advocated by most evolutionary theorists. But it has made some remarkable contributions towards a better appreciation of philosophical problems. To this end, this paper explored the various areas of mutual interest between evolutionary science and philosophical inquiry. It highlights the tacit affinities between the two, and thus, finds that even from inception evolutionary biology has tended to follow philosophical inquiry rather closely in the different issues that have been of interest to the latter since its early beginnings in ancient Greece. Some of the areas of mutual concern  and interest between the two fields of inquiry include the discourse on God, human nature, the universe, life, ethics, and politics. The paper, therefore, concluded with the submission that evolutionary biology and philosophy complement, rather than oppose, each other. Ultimately, such complementation suggests that both disciplines have a future together; among other things, it makes possible the idea of ‘evolutionary philosophy’.
A Comparative Analysis of Tense in the Standard Ígbò and the Ìmìlìkè Dialects
Authors: Eze Juliana Chizọbam , Nweze Ifeoma M.
Published: March 2022

This paper examines the syntactic and semantic analytic descriptions of tense in the standard Ígbò and Ìmìlìkè dialect with emphasis on both the affirmative and negative constructions. The study was inspired by the dearth of scholarly work in this aspect of the Igbo language (Niger Congo: Nigeria). The theoretical framework of Bull’s (1963) analysis of Tense and Aspect is adopted. The analysis was justified with the use of concrete examples given from the standard Ígbò and the dialect. The findings reveal that in addition to the occurrence of tense in the standard Ígbò and Ìmìlìkè dialect, there is also a morphological opposition between the present and past tense in both dialects. However, it was observed that there exist tonal distinctions which occur in the derivation of the different tense systems in both dialects in the affirmative and negative constructions. It also reveals that lexical units interact with tone and the components of INFIL (Inflection) to derive either the affirmative or the negative construction appropriately.
Fiscal Rules and Fiscal Illusions – The Experience of Poland
Authors: Panfil Przemysław
Published: March 2022

The aim of this article is to provide the synthetic presentation of over twenty years of Poland’s experience in establishing and obeying the system of fiscal rules. This experience depicts the scale of problems entailed by public authorities’ low determination as regards observance of constraints imposed on them. Therefore, it is necessary to substantially reinforce the budgetary frameworks in Poland with the use of the best European models. Firstly, the ESA 2010 standards should be fully implemented into the Polish legal order. Secondly, the Polish system of fiscal rules should be complemented with the budget balance rule, which would make it easier to achieve and maintain a medium-term budgetary objective defined by the EU regulations. Thirdly, a fiscal institution should be established, which would allow for constant and independent of the government monitoring of the observance of fiscal rules. Such institutional changes would make it possible to constrain the discretionary nature of the fiscal policy and, consequently, would increase Poland’s fiscal sustainability in the medium and long term. The basic research methods used in this paper are dogmatic analysis and comparative legal analysis.
The Customer as a Subject of Protection on the Financial Market in European Union
Authors: Cyman Damian
Published: March 2022

The crisis begun in 2007 exposed the weakness of the existing regulations, revealing challenges for legislators all over the world. Financial stability started to be understood as an essential value for the proper operation of the financial market. It has become important to address the question as to how to protect financial markets from more crises, or at least alleviate their effects. The idea of supervision of a financial market has undergone thorough transformation. Particular emphasis has been placed on protecting buyers of financial services. Adequate customer protection has been recognized as a sign of trust in the market and its stability and has gained systemic importance and relevance for the European financial system.
There is a growing tendency to enlarge the group of subjects eligible for special protection. it is becoming an increasingly common idea that not only consumers but all non-professional customers should be protected. The idea is becoming widespread that the weaker party to a legal transaction can be not only a consumer [natural person] but also a non-professional market entity. Such a solution is certainly appropriate. Narrowing down the ‘consumer’ to a natural person may seem artificial and out of line with market realities, not to mention the serious consequences of bad financial decisions taken by non- professional financial market participants.
Another important challenge facing the modern financial market is to establish a system of institutional safeguards to ensure security for all market entities and to enforce fair play rules. However, even the best provisions of substantive law, though necessary, may prove to fall short.
Therefore, there is a pressing need for strong and competent both state and international institutions duly equipped with auditing and supervisory powers to deal with the present situation. They should also have the possibility of enforcing substantive laws in a way that allows for flexible responses to any emerging threat to the protected values.
The shift towards a regulatory and supervisory method of protection sets a more serious tone for the supervision model adopted for the financial market. In it, the market is responsible not only for ensuring that the supervised entities operate correctly, but also for the quality of services that they provide.
Taxation Rules for Alternative Investment Companies
Authors: Prus Wojciech
Published: March 2022

This article deals with tax rules for alternative investment companies. The main aim of the contribution is approximation of the specifics of income taxation and also the answer to the question whether companies of this type can be used more widely outside Poland for the purposes of international tax planning.
Regulation and Taxation of Digital Services in Accordance with the Initiatives of the European Union
Authors: Simić Soňa
Published: March 2022

The article provides an analysis of the institute of digital services with an emphasis on digital services taxation. Firstly, the article deals with the definition of concepts that characterize digital services in EU law and then defines digital services specifically from a tax point of view. The article also deals with the idea of an interim and a comprehensive solution of digital taxation and introduces selected unilateral measures of digital taxation. The above subject of research is analysed by applying basic methods of legal science, especially the method of scientific analysis with the dominant application of the comparative method.
Evitação do dolo por dirigentes de empresas nos delitos relacionados à atividade empresarial
Authors: Rönnau Thomas , Becker Christian
Published: March 2022

In most of the corporate crimes, the managers are not directly involved in carrying out the criminal offense. However, they can be held responsible for omission, when they fail to take the necessary measures to prevent the criminal conducts committed by their subordinates. To establish that responsibility, they must have acted with criminal intent (dolus directus) or at least with dolus eventualis. In this article, the authors examine the conditions of mens rea in criminal omissions by company directors regarding facts carried out by their subordinates. After examining the legal definition of criminal intent, they especially highlight the requirements for its procedural determination. Finally, they describe the administrative liability of legal entities for the failure to control illegal acts of employees, a responsibility that does not depend on the intent of the managers.
On Supergraphs Satisfying CMSO Properties
Authors: Oliveira Mateus de Oliveira
Published: March 2022

Let CMSO denote the counting monadic second order logic of graphs. We give a
constructive proof that for some computable function $f$, there is an algorithm
$\mathfrak{A}$ that takes as input a CMSO sentence $\varphi$, a positive
integer $t$, and a connected graph $G$ of maximum degree at most $\Delta$, and
determines, in time $f(|\varphi|,t)\cdot 2^{O(\Delta \cdot t)}\cdot
|G|^{O(t)}$, whether $G$ has a supergraph $G'$ of treewidth at most $t$ such
that $G'\models \varphi$. The algorithmic metatheorem described above sheds new
light on certain unresolved questions within the framework of graph completion
algorithms. In particular, using this metatheorem, we provide an explicit
algorithm that determines, in time $f(d)\cdot 2^{O(\Delta \cdot d)}\cdot
|G|^{O(d)}$, whether a connected graph of maximum degree $\Delta$ has a planar
supergraph of diameter at most $d$. Additionally, we show that for each fixed
$k$, the problem of determining whether $G$ has an $k$-outerplanar supergraph
of diameter at most $d$ is strongly uniformly fixed parameter tractable with
respect to the parameter $d$. This result can be generalized in two directions.
First, the diameter parameter can be replaced by any contraction-closed
effectively CMSO-definable parameter $\mathbf{p}$. Examples of such parameters
are vertex-cover number, dominating number, and many other
contraction-bidimensional parameters. In the second direction, the planarity
requirement can be relaxed to bounded genus, and more generally, to bounded
local treewidth.
Infinite Probabilistic Databases
Authors: Grohe Martin , Lindner Peter
Published: March 2022

Probabilistic databases (PDBs) model uncertainty in data in a quantitative
way. In the established formal framework, probabilistic (relational) databases
are finite probability spaces over relational database instances. This
finiteness can clash with intuitive query behavior (Ceylan et al., KR 2016),
and with application scenarios that are better modeled by continuous
probability distributions (Dalvi et al., CACM 2009).
We formally introduced infinite PDBs in (Grohe and Lindner, PODS 2019) with a
primary focus on countably infinite spaces. However, an extension beyond
countable probability spaces raises nontrivial foundational issues concerned
with the measurability of events and queries and ultimately with the question
whether queries have a well-defined semantics.
We argue that finite point processes are an appropriate model from
probability theory for dealing with general probabilistic databases. This
allows us to construct suitable (uncountable) probability spaces of database
instances in a systematic way. Our main technical results are measurability
statements for relational algebra queries as well as aggregate queries and
Datalog queries.
Sequential Relational Decomposition
Authors: Fried Dror , Legay Axel , Ouaknine Joël , Vardi Moshe Y.
Published: March 2022

The concept of decomposition in computer science and engineering is
considered a fundamental component of computational thinking and is prevalent
in design of algorithms, software construction, hardware design, and more. We
propose a simple and natural formalization of sequential decomposition, in
which a task is decomposed into two sequential sub-tasks, with the first
sub-task to be executed before the second sub-task is executed. These tasks are
specified by means of input/output relations. We define and study decomposition
problems, which is to decide whether a given specification can be sequentially
decomposed. Our main result is that decomposition itself is a difficult
computational problem. More specifically, we study decomposition problems in
three settings: where the input task is specified explicitly, by means of
Boolean circuits, and by means of automatic relations. We show that in the
first setting decomposition is NP-complete, in the second setting it is
NEXPTIME-complete, and in the third setting there is evidence to suggest that
it is undecidable. Our results indicate that the intuitive idea of
decomposition as a system-design approach requires further investigation. In
particular, we show that adding a human to the loop by asking for a
decomposition hint lowers the complexity of decomposition problems
considerably.
The Khivan Campaign of V.A. Perovsky 1839-1840 in the Context of Anglo-Russian Rivalry in Central Asia
Authors: Rodin Denis V.
Published: March 2022

Traditionally, when studying the campaign of the Orenburg military governor V.A. Perovsky to Khiva in 1839-1840, among the motives that prompted the Russian authorities to sanction this approach, researchers primarily noted economic interests and the desire to end the raids of Khivans on Russian caravans. At the same time, the international context of this campaign which coincided with the first Anglo-Afghan war was pushed into the background. The purpose of this article written within the framework of a systematic approach to the study of international relations is to prove the correlation between the actions of the Russian and British authorities in Central Asia at the turn of the 1830s and 1840s. Studying the logic of the events preceding the Khiva campaign of V.A. Perovsky and referring to documents directly related to the preparation of this campaign allow us to conclude that the concern of a number of Russian political figures (among whom V.A. Perovsky was) with the activation of British agents in Central Asia and the actions of the British army in Afghanistan was one of the main motives for organizing the campaign, the purpose of which was to strengthen Russian positions in the named region. Despite the failure of V.A. Perovsky’s idea, the authorities of British India, frightened by the movement of Russian troops and suffering defeats in Afghanistan, contributed to the settlement of contradictions between Russia and Khiva in order to preserve the regional status quo. The actions of the British side, as well as the insufficient interest of the Russian authorities in the Central Asian direction in comparison with the European and Middle Eastern ones, contributed to a decrease in Russia’s activity in Central Asia after the unsuccessful campaign of V.A. Perovsky.
Gardens of Empire: Imperial Practices and the Construction of a New Imperial Space
Authors: Yakushenkov Serguey N. , Meshcheryakov Alexander Yu.
Published: March 2022

The Empire, as one of the political forms of state systems, existed at all times and on all continents. Its main feature has been the unification of numerous ethnic groups with different cultural, political and economic characteristics under a Center. Usually this unification led to the establishment of domination over the subjugated peoples with the help of imperial practices. One of these is the botanical garden.

The imperial garden idea expressed many concepts of Empire: ideological, political, cultural, educational, etc. This institution was primarily intended to underline the Empire greatness through metaphors of center, paradise, prosperity, unity of different parties, etc. This was evident in the Modern history Empires, which arose because of the West's special interest in plant resources or their accompanying commodities: spices, sugar, silk, cotton, and others. The imperial garden in this time was designed to serve the Metropolis interests and at the same time for the colony development, which was carried out in accordance with the Center interests.

The formation of this institution in Russia took place simultaneously in the Center and on the Frontier. The Astrakhan case shows well how this institution was formed in the region in the 18th century according to national trends. While some regions made progress during this period, the Center exhibited the opposite trend. After the breakthrough in the Petrine era, the development of this institution was not in line with the Empire objectives. In the 19th century, a tendency to realize the importance of this institution appeared again.
“Special Advantages” of the State Civil Service in Siberia
Authors: Dameshek Lev M. , Mamkina Inna N.
Published: March 2022

The Siberia and the Far East accretion and their further incorporation into the Empire were accompanied by the need for the administration and management of the accreted territories. Professional, socially stable managers of various levels, prepared for long-term service in the sparsely populated, economically backward suburbs of the country were required by the authorities. The purpose of this article is to summarize and analyze the legal framework regulating the civil service in Siberia and to identify its features and implementation.

The archived materials of the Russian state historical archive and state archives of the Irkutsk region, as well as the legislation of the Russian Empire made the basis for the study. The analysis of historical sources has made it possible to identify several legal and regulatory acts that enshrine the special advantages of civil service in Siberia. The authors noted the financial rewards, reduced terms of service, and accelerated promotion to have been the particular benefits. Representatives of the city estate were admitted to public service in Siberia, which was contrary to the imperial rules. The authors conclude that despite the special benefits establishment and financial awards for the service in Siberia the staffing problem remained unsolved. The legislation was more concerned with the national and the ruling elite interests than with the welfare of officials. Clerical and lower official ranks could not take advantage of the material advantages of the Siberian service. In general, the government’s policy towards Siberian bureaucracy was based on a desire to attract and retain people in the civil service through various types of privileges and benefits, which did not prove effective in practice.
Imperial Judicial Policy in the Central Asian Suburbs in the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries: Main Forms, Directions, and Results
Authors: Anisimova Inna V.
Published: March 2022

One of the important directions of modernization of the Central Asian outskirts of the Russian Empire was the formation of the region’s judicial system. During the second half of the 19th century, a complex configuration of regional justice was created, which was supposed to act not only as a way of coordinating social interaction but also as a means to express the political interests of the state. The purpose of the work is to identify and analyze the main forms and directions of the judicial policy of the Russian Empire in the Central Asian outskirts in the second half of the 19th – early 20th century. The judicial reform carried out in the Russian Empire in 1864 led to the implementation in the Steppe Region and Turkestan of a set of measures aimed at the re-organization of the judicial and legal system. This process reflected the orientation of the social policy towards modernization. During the reforms of the 1868, 1886, 1898, imperial judicial institutions and legal norms were imported into the region. However, the traditional court also retained significant positions. The justice system of the Central Asian outskirts did not meet the needs of society. The preservation of the People’s Court did not allow the local population of the region to be fully incorporated into the all-Russian legal space. Those processes demonstrated the incompleteness of the judicial and legal system reforms and the need for systemic modernization.

The article is intended for specialists interested in the national policy of the Russian Empire, and the history of the Central Asian region.
The Impact of Modernizing Transformations on the Development of the Education System of the Steppe Region and Turkestan in the 1880s–1910s
Authors: Rygalova Maria V.
Published: March 2022

The Central Asian region of the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries is of interest from the point of view of modernizing transformations, which had specifics in connection with the geographical location, the composition of the population, the position within the Empire. Traditionally, modernization is considered as a set of indicators, primarily as a transition from an agrarian system to an industrial one. However, researchers highlight the socio-cultural context of modernization, including the education system. It is sometimes attributed to the spiritual aspect of modernization. Education, as a modernization indicator, is secondary, but it is associated with many socio-economic factors. The purpose of the study is to analyze the development of the education system of the Central Asian region of the Russian Empire in the context of modernizing transformations. As a result of the study, it was found out that the Russian authorities sought to systematically modernize the outlying territories. This can be seen in the example of the reorganization of the network of educational institutions. In particular, the formation of the education system for the indigenous population of the Steppe Region and Turkestan was thoughtful, with a focus on trends in changes in traditional society, in the context of socio-economic transformations, including the agricultural and industrial sectors of the economy. The article may be of interest to specialists studying the Central Asian region of the Russian Empire, as well as the development of the Russian education system.
Imperial Frontier in the World Outlook of the Decembrists. A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky: a Romantic Historiosophy and Expansion into the Caucasus
Authors: Smirnov Vladimir N.
Published: March 2022

The historiography of Russian expansion into the Caucasus is very extensive and continues to be replenished with new research, since this topic will hardly ever be exhausted and interest in it is unlikely to dwindle. The same can be said about the Decembrist uprising and the subsequent fate of those rebels who were sent into exile to various parts of the Russian Empire. The frontier theory makes it possible to link these two topics both by taking a fresh look at some of the most well-known subjects in Russian history and opening up new lines of research in traditional frontier studies. The purpose of this study was to conduct a historical and philosophical analysis of the literary heritage of the Decembrist A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky in order to reconstruct his worldview through the lense of frontierism. A. A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky’s literary pieces, philosophical theses, military notes and personal letters were analyzed in connection with his existential experience of the Caucasian War and historical events to which he bore witness. Conclusions are drawn, regarding various aspects of his worldviews, some of which remained unshakable, whereas others were transformed under the influence of the frontier. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, this article may be of interest to the historians who study both Russian development of the Caucasus and Russian social thought of the 19th century.