Final Period Research Articles

Could sex-specific subtypes of hand osteoarthritis exist? A retrospective study in women presenting to secondary care.

Hand osteoarthritis is more common in women, and its risk increases around the time of the menopause. We set out to describe the timing between menopause and the onset of symptomatic hand osteoarthritis (OA), and associations with the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or its discontinuation, describing any identifiable subgroups of women. Retrospective healthcare-records study of sequential women referred to a specialist hand OA clinic, 2007-2015. Confirmation of hand OA diagnosis was by clinican, by accepted criteria. Demographics and clinical variables were from healthcare-records, recorded by standardised proforma. Outcomes of interest were reported age of onset of hand symptoms, reported age at final menstrual period (FMP), time from FMP to reported onset of hand symptoms and time from cessation of HRT to reported onset of hand symptoms. Exposure categories for systemic HRT use were never users, current users, previous users. Analysis of Variance compared groups; linear regression analysed associations of exposure with outcome. 82/92(89%) of eligible women were post-menopausal, mean age at FMP 49.9 years (SD5.4). In these post-menopausal women, median time from FMP to hand symptom onset was 3 years. 48/82 (59%) developed hand symptoms within the defined peri-menopausal period (FMP ± 4 years), whilst some women developed their symptoms before or after (range -25, 30 years). In women who discontinued HRT prior to symptom onset, the median time from HRT cessation to onset of hand symptoms was 6 months. Past HRT users were older at hand symptom onset than women who had not taken HRT [coeff.4.7 years (0.92, 8.39); P = 0.015]. This study adds to evidence associating the menopause/sex hormone deficiency with hand OA symptom onset in a sizeable subgroup of women (but not all). HRT use/cessation appears to influence the timing of onset of hand OA symptoms. It is not possible to interpret from this type of study whether sex hormone deficiency is causative of disease or modulates its symptoms. It is also not possible to judge whether painful hand osteoarthritis in post-menopausal women is a subtype of disease. Further investigation is indicated of sex-specific subtypes and potential for personalised medicine for post-menopausal women with hand osteoarthritis, as a clearly definable high-risk subgroup.

(258) Trends in Prevalence, Incidence and Pharmacological Prescriptions for Premature and Delayed Ejaculation – A Claims Database Analysis

Abstract Introduction Premature (PE) and delayed (DE) ejaculation are common male sexual dysfunction disorders. Despite a community-reported prevalence of approximately 30% for PE and 5% for DE, the clinical prevalence, incidence, and rates of pharmacological prescriptions for both disorders remain under-investigated in the literature. Objective Our objective is to assess the trends in prevalence, incidence, and pharmacological treatment of PE and DE using a large claims database. Methods The TriNetX Research database, a large insurance claims database, was queried to identify all adult (≥18 years) males that were evaluated from January 2012 through December 2022. The number of men diagnosed with PE (ICD-10 F52.4) and DE (F52.32 and N53.11) was compared to the total number of men evaluated using six-month intervals (January-June, July-December) to calculate percent prevalence and incidence. A chi-squared test of linear trends was performed for prevalence and incidence. Rates of prescribed treatments were calculated comparing the number of men receiving the treatment to the total number of men with the assessed disorder using six-month intervals for PE and one-year intervals for DE. Results A total of 17,647 adult males with a diagnosis of PE and 6,304 adult males with a diagnosis of DE were identified from January 2012 to December 2022. The prevalence and incidence for both disorders are found in Figure 1. The chi-square test for trends showed a significant increasing trend in the prevalence of PE (χ2 = 303.44, p-value = <0.0001) and DE (χ2 = 314.14, p-value = <0.0001) and incidence of PE (χ2 = 6.40, p-value = 0.0114) and DE (χ2 = 187.43, p-value = <0.0001). In the final period, 63.5% males with PE and 33.4% males with DE received at least one medication of the investigated therapies. The most common medications prescribed to men with PE were phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (25.7%), paroxetine (17.4%), topical anesthetics (13.4%), and sertraline (12.2%). The most common medications prescribed to men with DE were testosterone (11.7%), bupropion (12.2%), and cabergoline (10.0%). The prescription rates of all of the investigated medications for PE and DE are shown in Figures 2 and 3, respectively. Conclusions In this large US claims database analysis, premature and delayed ejaculation are overall diagnosed at low but increasing rates. Furthermore, the rates of pharmacological prescriptions for PE remains relatively low, despite pharmacotherapy being recommended as first-line options under the current guidelines. Additional research is necessary to investigate the long-term efficacy of individual medications for both PE and DE. Disclosure No.

Characteristics of dissolved organic matter during the cyanobacterial degradation in Chaohu Lake, China.

The actual DOM in Chaohu Lake was used to feed cyanobacterial to explore the changes of microbial communities, fluorescence spectral characteristics and molecular composition of DOM during the degradation of cyanobacteria. It is found that cyanobacterial grow periodically depending on the concentration of nutrients with the decreasing concentration of nutrient salts. Both Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria have strong correlation with algae growth. Bacteroidetes has a positive correlation with algae growth, relationship on the contrary, Actinobacteria has a negative relationship. The humus-like components in the four groups are similar, but the protein-like component (C3) shows periodic changes with the life process of cyanobacteria. The average molecular weight of each sample detected by Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer increases slightly and the DOM increase aromaticity in the end. In this study, the molecule of Carboxyl-Rich Alicyclic Molecules (CRAM) is difficult to be done by photodegradation and biodegradation in the early periods, but some molecules of CRAM are selectively degraded by microorganisms in the final period. The growth of cyanobacterial lead to increasing the concentration of protein-like and carbohydrate-like molecule of DOM in the water. In the final stage, the molecule group of CHO disappear significantly and the molecule group of heteroatomic group increase.

Sampling through space and time: multi-year analysis reveals dynamic population genetic patterns for an amphibian metapopulation

Metapopulations are dynamic, and population genetics can reveal both spatial and temporal metapopulation variation. Yet, population genetic studies often focus on samples collected within a single time period or combine samples taken across time periods due to limited resources and the assumption that these approaches capture patterns and processes occurring over decadal and longer temporal scales. However, this may leave important fine-scale temporal variation in genetic composition undetected, particularly for metapopulations in which dynamic populations are expected. We investigated temporal patterns of population genetic diversity, effective population size, and differentiation across three sample periods for a dryland amphibian metapopulation. We sampled nine distinct Arizona treefrog (Hyla (Dryophytes) wrightorum) breeding ponds in 2014, 2018/2019, and 2021 and genotyped 17 microsatellite loci to quantify spatial and temporal population genetic dynamics. Genetic diversity within and between populations varied significantly among years. Most notably, we identified a concerning decline in allelic richness across populations, with an average − 26.11% difference between a population’s first and last sample period. Effective population sizes were generally small (Ne < 100) and variable within and among populations over time, with many populations falling below common conservation thresholds by the final sample period. Trends in global genetic diversity, as measured by heterozygosity, and population differentiation were relatively consistent across all sampling periods. Overall, we found that “snapshot” or single-time sampling approaches may miss temporal variability in genetic composition that has important conservation implications, including early warning signs of decline in genetic diversity.

The Rise of Empress Wu Ze-tian (624–705) Relatives as Reflected in the Dynastic Histories “Old Book of Tang” and “New Book of Tang”

This article is devoted to the analysis of actions undertaken by Wu Ze-tian 武則天 (624–705), the first and only woman in Chinese history, who was bequeathed the title of august emperor and founded the Great Zhou state (Da Zhou 大周； 690–705) to raise the status of the Wu 武 family, as they were represented in the main sources of study for this period – the normative histories Old Book of Tang and New Book of Tang. Career advancement steps of the three most well-known relatives (Wu Cheng-si 武承嗣 (649–698), Wu San-si 武三思 (?–707) and Wu You-ning 武攸宁 (? –705) are examined. Special attention is given to the main stages in the rise of the Empress’s ancestors, including her father Wu Shi-huo, who made the posthumous journey from a guo-gong 國公 to August Emperor (huang-di 皇帝). A conclusion is reached that Wu’s consistent actions in this direction allowed her to replace the royal Tang dynasty with the Wu family in the ideological structure of China for an entire decade. Nevertheless, in the final period of her reign, Wu Ze-tian was forced to give up the hope of installing the Wu family as rulers of China.

Heavy Metals and Trajectories of Anti-Müllerian Hormone During the Menopausal Transition.

Experimental and epidemiological studies have linked metals with women's reproductive aging, but the mechanisms are not well understood. Disrupted ovarian folliculogenesis and diminished ovarian reserve could be a pathway through which metals impact reproductive hormones and outcomes. The study aimed to evaluate the associations of heavy metals with anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), a marker of ovarian reserve. The study included 549 women from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation with 2252 repeated AMH measurements from 10 to 0 years before the final menstrual period (FMP). Serum AMH concentrations were measured using picoAMH ELISA. Urinary concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead were measured using high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Multivariable linear mixed regressions modeled AMH as a function of time before the FMP interaction terms between metals and time to the FMP were also included. Adjusting for confounders, compared with those in the lowest tertile, women in the highest tertile of urinary arsenic or mercury concentrations had lower AMH concentrations at the FMP (percent change: -32.1%; 95% CI, -52.9 to -2.2, P-trend = .03 for arsenic; percent change: -40.7%; 95% CI, -58.9 to -14.5, P-trend = .005 for mercury). Higher cadmium and mercury were also associated with accelerated rates of decline in AMH over time (percent change per year: -9.0%; 95% CI, -15.5 to -1.9, P-trend = .01 for cadmium; -7.3%; 95% CI, -14.0 to -0.1, P-trend = .04 for mercury). Heavy metals including arsenic, cadmium, and mercury may act as ovarian toxicants by diminishing ovarian reserve in women approaching the FMP.

Hydroclimatic processes as the primary drivers of the Early Khvalynian transgression of the Caspian Sea: new developments

Abstract. It has been well established that during the late Quaternary, the Khvalynian transgression of the Caspian Sea occurred, when the sea level rose tens of meters above the present level. Here, we evaluate the physical feasibility of the hypothesis that the maximum phase of this extraordinary event (known as the “Early Khvalynian transgression”) could be initiated and maintained for several thousand years solely by hydroclimatic factors. The hypothesis is based on recent studies dating the highest sea level stage (well above +10 m a.s.l.) to the final period of deglaciation, 17–13 kyr BP, and studies estimating the contribution of the glacial waters in the sea level rise for this period as negligible. To evaluate the hypothesis put forward, we first applied the coupled ocean and sea-ice general circulation model driven by the climate model and estimated the equilibrium water inflow (irrespective of its origin) sufficient to maintain the sea level at the well-dated marks of the Early Khvalynian transgression as 400–470 km3 yr−1. Secondly, we conducted an extensive radiocarbon dating of the large paleochannels (signs of high flow of atmospheric origin) located in the Volga basin and found that the period of their origin (17.5–14 ka BP) is almost identical to the recent dating of the main phase of the Early Khvalynian transgression. Water flow that could form these paleochannels was earlier estimated for the ancient Volga River as 420 km3 yr−1, i.e., close to the equilibrium runoff we determined. Thirdly, we applied a hydrological model forced by paleoclimate data to reveal physically consistent mechanisms of an extraordinarily high water inflow into the Caspian Sea in the absence of a visible glacial meltwater effect. We found that the inflow could be caused by the spread of post-glacial permafrost in the Volga paleocatchment. The numerical experiments demonstrated that the permafrost resulted in a sharp drop in infiltration into the frozen ground and reduced evaporation, which all together generated the Volga runoff during the Oldest Dryas, 17–14.8 kyr BP, up to 360 km3 yr−1 (i.e., the total inflow into the Caspian Sea could reach 450 km3 yr−1). The closeness of the estimates of river inflow into the sea, obtained by three independent methods, in combination with the previously obtained results, gave us reason to conclude that the hypothesis put forward is physically consistent.

Театральна діяльність на Буковині в умовах Другої світової війни (1941-1944 рр.)

The purpose of the study is to analyze the conditions of theater activities in Bukovyna during the German-Soviet war, based on the available sources and existing developments of theater history researchers. The methodology of the study is based on the principles of historicism, objectivity, system and the use of methods of analysis and synthesis, problem-chronological, biographical, historical-genetic ones. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that for the first time in Ukrainian historiography, the state of theatre activities during World War II, specifically the period of the German-Soviet campaign in 1941-1944, of the Romanian theater in Bukovyna was comprehensively analyzed. Conclusions. Thus, during the German-Soviet war, the theatrical activities remained an important component of the cultural space of Chernivtsi, a means of citizens' education. Despite the restoration of the National Theater, theater troupes from various cities in Romania, mainly Bucharest and Iași, presented their activities in the city and the region. The repertoire of the theaters included both world classics and Romanian drama, as well as plays on historical and patriotic topics. The theater faced the task of eliminating the 1940-1941 gap in cultural ties. Sometimes theatrical events carried some propaganda that was considered acceptable in wartime conditions. There was a practice of theatre tours in the cities of Bukovyna and Northern Bessarabia, which took place in 1942-1943. During the war, the fates of Romanian actors and actors of the Chernivtsi Ukrainian Regional Theater were different. Some actors were arrested by the Soviet authorities at the beginning of the German-Soviet war and in its final period.

Assessment of the prevalence and risk factors for dry eye symptoms among Romanian medical students using the ocular surface disease index – a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThis study aims to assess how Romanian medical students suffer from dry eye disease symptoms, establish the prevalence and severity of dry eye (DE) symptoms and identify potential risk factors.MethodsAn analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted on students from “Carol Davila” University of Medicine, Romania, after the final examination period of July 2022. The OSDI score (Ocular Surface Disease Index©) was applied in an online survey. The study adopted the standards used by other authors, who defined symptomatic DED as an OSDI score greater than 12. The chi-square test was used to establish statistical significance at a cutoff value of p < 0.05. The predictive model was created using linear logistic regression analysis. The goodness of fit of the logistic regression model was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. When the severity outcome had a nominal categorical form, multinomial regression analysis with normal subjects as a reference was performed. The distribution of the severe type of symptomatology across sex categories and years of study was analyzed using a nonparametric test (Independent-Samples Kruskal-Wallis Test).ResultsA total of 274 answers were received from 81.4% females and 18.6% males with a response rate of 35.58%. The mean age was 22.7 years ± 1.66 with an age range between 20 and 25 years old. Using the OSDI score, we established that the overall prevalence of DE symptoms was 83.6% (95%CI: 79.6%, 88%), with an 85.2% (95%CI: 80.5%, 89.8%) prevalence in females and 76.5% (95%CI: 65%,88%) in males. The severe form of DE was the most prevalent, regardless of the study year or sex. Increased screen time (p-value < 0.05) and non-smokers (p-value < 0.05) were proven risk factors. The predictive model which includes the explanatory variables (sex, contact lens wearers, smoking, oral contraceptives, screen time) proved an 84.7% predictability for symptomatic DE and was able to better predict the dependent variable than the intercept model only (p-value < 0.05). Smoking (p = 0.002) and screen time (p = 0.009) preserved their significance in the multinominal regression as well.ConclusionsThis is the first study to report the epidemiology of DE symptoms among Romanian medical students. OSDI revealed a high prevalence of symptomatic DE in medical students. Screen time, although not the only factor, likely plays a role in exacerbating the disease. This information can be used to inform healthcare policies, establish occupational health guidelines, and implement preventive measures for individuals in similar high-stress academic or professional environments.

The Effect of thyme, rosemary, and lemongrass oils on extension of the shelf life and qualitative characteristics of Iraqi soft cheese

Background: In the case of Iraqi soft cheeses, researchers have noted that the moisture content of these cheeses decreases over time in storage and reaches its maximum depletion in the final storage period. This information was found to be true for all samples that were tested. As storage times increased, this decline was followed by a rise in the ratio of fat and protein, which reached the maximum at 21 days for all samples under investigation. Additionally, research was done on the impact of thyme, rosemary, and lemongrass oil additions on the microbiological and sensory properties of the soft cheese generated during storage. Objective: This study set out to ascertain the impact of adding oils such as thyme, rosemary, and lemongrass on the chemical, microbial, and sensory properties of Iraqi soft white cheese made from cow's milk and stored for 21 days at 1 ± 5°C.Materials and Methods: The wild thyme and rosemary were obtained from local markets in Baghdad, while the lemongrass was obtained from one of the nurseries in Abu Ghraib / Baghdad in December 2022. The essential oils were extracted by water distillation according to the method described. Results: As storage went on, the number of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria increased; on day 21, they reached 1.75, 3.54, 5.41, 6.75, 1.20, 2.14, 3.21, and 4.20 CFU / g of cheese, respectively. This was the largest rise in the count. By contrast, these values dropped when thyme oil was added, coming down to 1.54, 1.48, 2.10, and 2.88 CFU/g of cheese, respectively. In the sample to which rosemary oil was added, the quantity of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria fell as well, reaching 1.54, 1.76, 2.88, and 3.31 CFU /g cheese, respectively, despite the fact that they were not present at all. Additionally, there was no Staphylococcus aureus germs present, in contrast to the cheese sample that had lemongrass oil added, which had both Staphylococcus aureus and coliform bacteria entirely missing. The findings also demonstrated that, when compared to the cheese samples treated with wild thyme oil, rosemary oil, and the control sample, the cheese sample treated with lemongrass oil exhibited superior sensory qualities, such as flavor, color, texture, and bitterness over various storage times.Keywords: Soft Cheese, Thyme Oil, Rosemary Oil, Lemongrass Oil, Chemical composition, Storage period

Exogenous melatonin delays programmed cell death in broccoli via maintenance of ROS homeostasis and reduction of mitochondrial dysfunction

Plant senescence is the final period of the plant life cycle and represents a programmed cell death (PCD) process. Melatonin, a versatile signaling molecule, exhibits potent free radical scavenging properties and actively participates in cellular antioxidant systems, effectively retarding plant senescence throughout its development. In order to illustrate the impact of melatonin on PCD during senescence, we examined the effects of exogenous melatonin at 80 μmol L−1 on PCD and mitochondrial function in broccoli bud cells at 25 ℃. The findings revealed that melatonin treatment not only maintained the morphological integrity of chloroplasts and mitochondria but also attenuated the decline in chlorophyll content by reducing the expression of genes that metabolize chlorophyll, including BoPPH, BoPAO, and BoSGR1. In comparison to the control group, the treatment decreased the content of H2O2 and the rate of O2- production in mitochondria and simultaneously enhanced the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), resulting in effective maintenance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis and reduction of the level of lipid peroxidation in broccoli buds during senescence. Meanwhile, exogenous melatonin treatment up-regulated alternative oxidase (AOX) activity and its gene expression while delayed the reduction of cytochrome oxidase (COX) activity and restrained the over-opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pores (MPTP). Additionally, exogenous melatonin decelerated the increase in membrane potential and prevented mitochondria from releasing excess cytochrome c (Cyt c) into the cytoplasm. Taken together, the results indicate that melatonin treatment delayed mitochondrial dysfunction, preserved mitochondrial ROS homeostasis, and consequently postponed the initiation of PCD, ultimately inhibiting senescence in broccoli.

Transfacetal and transpedicular anterior decompression with posterior stablilization: Effective way for managing all cases of andersson lesion

Abstract Background: Andersson lesion (AL), also known as aseptic spondylodiscitis, is a pathological condition characterized by a destructive lesion in the vertebral or discovertebral region. The aim of this study was to assess functional, radiological, and neurological outcome of midline posterior surgery with transfacetal/transpedicular decompression and long-segment instrumentation and fusion in all patients with AL. Materials and Methods: A total of 36 consecutive patients with AL with or without neurodeficit were managed with midline posterior approach with long-segment fixation, decompression and anterior vertebral reconstruction added by same midline approach. The demographic data, visual analogue scale (VAS), modified Oswestry Disability Index (mODI), ankylosing spondylitis quality of life (ASQoL), local and global kyphosis angle, Frankel neurological grade, blood loss, duration of surgery, perioperative complications, and fusion rate were compiled and assessed. Results: The mean age of the patients was 52 years (26 males and 10 females). Among the patients, 9 patients had thoracic, 25 patients had thoracolumbar, and 2 patients had lumbar vertebral involvement. All patients in the study achieved fusion at final follow-up period of 24 months. The mean duration of hospital stay, intraoperative blood loss, and surgery duration was 6.17 days, 252 mL, and 130 min, respectively. VAS improved from mean 7.69 ± 0.98 to 1.67 ± 0.72, mODI from mean 70.28 ± 3.55 to 21.14 ± 2.13, ASQoL from mean 14.22 ± 1.59 to 7.17 ± 1.25, local kyphosis from 23.61 ± 1.67 to 18.52 ± 1.05, and global kyphosis from 57.02 ± 0.72 to 36.16 ± 1.23, leading to better sagittal balance. Except two patients all had full neurological recovery. Conclusions: Posterior midline approach with long-segment instrumentation and anterior decompression by transpedicular/transfacetal approach and bone grafting with selective use of cages can give satisfactory results with excellent fusion rates and good functional outcomes.

Limited efficacy of a commercial microbial inoculant for improving growth and physiological performance of native plant species.

Soil microbial inoculants are increasingly being explored as means to improve soil conditions to facilitate ecological restoration. In southwestern Western Australia, highly biodiverse Banksia woodland plant communities are increasingly threatened by various factors including climate change, land development and mining. Banksia woodland restoration is necessary to conserve this plant community. The use of microbial inoculation in Banksia woodland restoration has not yet been investigated. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of a commercial microbial inoculant (GOGO Juice, Neutrog Australia Pty Ltd) for improving the performance of 10 ecologically diverse Banksia woodland plant species in a pot experiment. Plants were subjected to one of two watering regimes (well-watered and drought) in combination with microbial inoculation treatments (non-inoculated and inoculated). Plants were maintained under these two watering treatments for 10weeks, at which point plants in all treatments were subjected to a final drought period lasting 8weeks. Plant performance was evaluated by plant biomass and allocation, gas exchange parameters, foliar carbon and nitrogen and stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) compositions. Plant xylem sap phytohormones were analysed to investigate the effect of microbial inoculation on plant phytohormone profiles and potential relationships with other observed physiological parameters. Across all investigated plant species, inoculation treatments had small effects on plant growth. Further analysis within each species revealed that inoculation treatments did not result in significant biomass gain under well-watered or drought-stressed conditions, and effects on nitrogen nutrition and photosynthesis were variable and minimal. This suggests that the selected commercial microbial inoculant had limited benefits for the tested plant species. Further investigations on the compatibility between the microorganisms (present in the inoculant) and plants, timing of inoculation, viability of the microorganisms and concentration(s) required to achieve effectiveness, under controlled conditions, and field trials are required to test the feasibility and efficacy in actual restoration environments.

МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ ПОСОБИЯ 1960-1980-Х ГГ. КАК ОТРАЖЕНИЕ ПРИНЦИПОВ ПЕДАГОГИЧЕСКОЙ СИСТЕМЫ ЗАОЧНОГО НАРОДНОГО УНИВЕРСИТЕТА ИСКУССТВ ИМ. Н.К. КРУПСКОЙ

The article considers and analyzes the general aspects of educational methods at the N.K. Krupskaya Extramural People University of Arts (ZNUI) in the 1960s–1980s, which proves the specifics of the basic principles of interaction between teacher and student. In the published manuals of that time, the emphasis is placed on a number of substantial guidelines for teaching amateur artists: educational and methodological issues, and questions of artistic education in the basics of visual theory and practice. The main teaching aids developed specifically for amateur artists are: for the first period “Creative work of an amateur artist” (1961), and a guide for amateur artists “Drawing and Painting” by Yu.G. Aksenov, R.M. Zakin, E.M. Sonnenstral, F.M. Krieger, G.E. Tarasevich (2 vols, 1961), for the second period “Training and Creative Work” by R.M. Zakin (1965) and “Design Artist. A Guide for Amateur Artists” by G.E. Tarasevich, V. Grokhotov, E. Pavlinova (1966), for the final third period the tutorials are produced, namely the textbook “Perspective” by E.A. Aksenova and Yu.G. Aksenov (1974) and a practical guide to drawing and painting “Color and Line” by M. Levidov and Yu.G. Aksenov (1976). All analyzed manuals were compiled by a team of teachers from the Faculty of Drawing and Painting of the University.

Применение секретома ММСК для стимуляции репаративного остеогенеза: экспериментальное исследование

The article is devoted to the study of the effect obtained by using a regenerative medicine drug (secretome of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells) to stimulate reparative regeneration of a long tubular bone after a fracture. The presented materials are a fragment of comprehensive studies on the mechanisms of reparative regeneration of bone tissue under the conditions of the use of cellular products. The work was carried out on outbred white rats, in which the state of the bone regenerate was studied on the 30th and 120th days after injury. After the fracture, the animals were kept under normal conditions, without immobilization or restriction of motor activity. The work used methods of anatomical preparation and light microscopy. Studies have shown that the use of a secretome was accompanied by a more reliable consolidation of fragments behind the ossification of the callus, in the structure of which by the final period of the experiment lamellar bone tissue predominated, against which foci were observed reticulofibrous bone tissue and small fragments of cartilaginous tissue with signs of osteolysis and replacement with bone tissue. In the control group, the reparative process occurred more slowly, foci of cartilaginous tissue remained in the structure of the regenerate for a long time, and the bone tissue was represented mainly by reticulofibrous tissue. A significant amount of connective tissue was revealed between the fragments. All this indicates instability and unreliable consolidation of fragments. Apparently, the secretome of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells stimulates the repair of bone tissue in fractures by improving the trophic supply in the healing area, against the background of which the formation and remodeling of callus is activated.

STONE CASTLES OF WESTERN UKRAINE:CONSTRUCTION AND THE CURRENT CONDITION

The article deals with defensive structures of only one type – stone castle complexes. The purpose of this study is to compile a list of stone castles that have survived to this day in whole or in ruins on the territory of Western Ukraine, to identify the geography of their distribution, and to highlight the main stages of their emergence. The timeframe of the study is limited to the 11th-17th centuries and is justified by the fact that the first stone castles appeared on the territory of Ukraine in the 11th century, and the 17th century was the final period of construction of defensive castle structures. During the research, it was determined that most defensive stone castles were built in the period from the middle of the 14th century to the middle of the 17th century. The peak of construction was the period from the middle of the 16th to the middle of the 17th century. However, the real period of time for the construction of stone castles in the territory of Western Ukraine was the end of the 11th – end of the 17th century. To understand the general situation with the state of preservation of stone castles, we have developed a classification dividing them into three main groups: 1) Preserved castles, those that have preserved their integral volumetric-spatial appearance through the centuries. They are both defensive (castles in Lutsk, Uzhgorod) and palace-like (castles in Vyshnivtsi, Olytsia). They are adapted mainly for museum spaces and are actively visited by tourists. 2) Fragmentary preserved castles - this group includes castles from which only single structures have been preserved - towers, walls or buildings, which as of today have already been restored, preserved and adapted for certain functions (castles in Zvyagel, Halych, and Letychiv). 3) Castles in a state of ruin. The last group of objects, which is the largest in total, can be divided into three subgroups according to the degree of preservation: I. castles in a state of ruin, which have an integral closed contour of defensive walls, preserved individual buildings and structures in a state of ruin, foundations and individual sections of the walls of lost buildings and structures (examples are castles in the areas of Stare Selo, Pniv, Zolotyi Potik, etc;) II. castles in a state of ruin, where the perimeter of the defensive walls is torn, the foundations and individual sections of the walls of buildings and structures are preserved (examples are Kudryntsi, Sydoriv, Sataniv); III. castles in a state of ruin, represented only by small fragments of the complex, the rest of the castle is made up of archaeological remains (examples include Lviv, Taikury, Zhvanets, Halych, Chervonohrad, etc.); In a separate group, we distinguish castles that have been wiped off the face of the earth, which can be considered purely archaeological monuments (examples include Dunayiv, Kolomyia, Kukyziv, Sheshory, etc.). In this study, we deal with only 88 castles that have been recorded by research, reflected in publications, and have at least a partial inventory. In percentage terms, only a quarter of this number has a complete appearance and is fragmentarily restored, 1/8 is partially preserved, and more than half of the objects are in a state of ruin. Half of the castles-ruins are almost completely lost. For further research and preservation of stone castles in Ukraine, it is necessary to focus efforts on their complete inventory, development of programs for their conservation, and restoration. A prerequisite is the activity of state bodies to popularize castles as an important component of the national cultural heritage.

«Сибирский сатрап» М. М. Лашевич и его смерть в Харбине

The article is dedicated to the Soviet politician M. M. Lashevich (1884–1928), a participant in the revolution and the Civil War, chairman of the Siberian Revolutionary Committee. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that his activities as a fellow chairman of the Board of the CER in 1926–1928 little known, as are the causes of death in Harbin. The purpose of the article is to reconstruct the final period of Lashevich’s life in the context of the Soviet presence in China, with emphasis placed on the perception of Lashevich’s personality by Russian emigration in Manchuria, the circumstances of his death and posthumous biography using an anthropological approach and the biographical method. The research is based on unpublished sources, ego-documents and periodical materials from Harbin. The author emphasizes that the study of such extraordinary figures as Lashevich is important not only for understanding Soviet policy in China, but also for clarifying the problems of perception and assessment of the activities of Soviet leaders by ideological opponents.

Effect of home-based transcranial direct current stimulation combined with nutritional counseling therapy on binge eating disorder symptoms: A randomized pilot trial.

To examine the effect of nutritional counseling therapy (NCT) combined with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on Binge Eating Disorder (BED) symptoms. 40 women with BED were randomly (ratio of 2:2:2) allocated to one of the groups: active tDCS (a-tDCS), NCT, sham tDCS (s-tDCS) with NCT, and a-tDCS with NCT. Home-based tDCS was applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 28 sessions. A mixed analysis of variance showed no main effect between groups or a time × group interaction. However, a significant main effect was found for time on the primary outcome: Binge Eating Scale (p = 0.001; eta2p= 0.325), which tended to decrease during treatment and follow-up. A significant main effect was found on the secondary outcome: short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) (p = 0.02; eta2p= 0.112), a measure of inhibitory function, which increased from baseline to the final period in the a-tDCS group, without significant differences between groups. These findings reveal that the combined therapy did not have a synergic effect on BED symptoms. Since this is a pilot study and this is a promising area, we provide data to plan future larger-scale studies investigating the effects of tDCS and behavioral interventions in BED treatment.

Third Special Infantry Brigade of the Russian Expeditionary Force: A Social and Demographic Portrait

This article is devoted to the personnel of the 3rd Special Infantry Brigade, a unit that was part of the Russian Expeditionary Corps in France. Despite the presence of works dealing with general issues of the formation and combat path of Russian troops in France, the personnel composition of the units has not been fully studied. Examining cases presented in central archives, the authors analyze over eight thousand records, which allows them to get an idea of the personnel characteristics of a specified military unit. Based on socio-demographic and professional characteristics, they compile a generalized portrait of soldiers and officers of the 3rd Special Infantry Brigade. The personnel information presented in the work is grouped into tables and concerns the ranks called up from the territory of Perm Province, whose share was 25 % of the total number of the brigade. The authors conclude that officers who had combat experience were assigned to regiments, and those who did not take part in the battles received positions in the marching battalion. Most lower ranks belonged to the peasant class and had restrictions for military service for health reasons. Data on combat experience, education, and categories of conscription of military personnel make it possible for the authors to make assumptions about the combat effectiveness of the 3rd Special Infantry Brigade. Finally, the authors make conclusions about the features of the personnel, which are compared with the all-Russian trends of 1916–1917. At the same time, special attention is paid to the fact that the collective portrait of the personnel is typical of military units formed during the final period of the First World War.

Ireland’s Foreign Relations in 2022

This review examines Ireland’s foreign relations in 2022. As Ireland emerged from the final period of Covid pandemic restrictions it faced an unstable world. Russia’s illegal escalation of its war in Ukraine would be the main focus of Ireland’s engagement with the world. The EU agenda was dominated by the response to the conflict and Ireland demonstrated solidarity with its partners. 2022 was also the second and final year of Ireland’s membership of the UN Security Council and saw Ireland take up the Presidency of the Council of Europe. Relations with the UK were strained by ongoing tensions over the Northern Ireland Protocol, not helped by political instability at Westminster. The review outlines how Ireland managed its foreign relations in this period and concludes by noting some significant deaths during the year.