Great Masters Research Articles

Alternative therapy for lymphoma with febrile neutropenia using traditional Chinese medicine: A case report

IntroductionFebrile neutropenia is a common complication in patients undergoing chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Primary granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) prophylaxis is consistently associated with a notable reduction in the risk of febrile neutropenia. However, the use of G-CSF in patients who are already neutropenic from chemotherapy remains controversial. Studies have shown that 12.9% of cancer patients incorporate traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to alleviate chemotherapy side effects in Taiwan; thereby providing an alternative management strategy for neutropenic fever in cancer patients. Case presentationThis is an 18-year-old female with newly diagnosed precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma. After chemotherapy, the patient developed febrile neutropenia. Despite the use of antibiotics and G-CSF, the febrile neutropenia persisted for two months. Approximately ten days after the initiation of traditional Chinese medicine decoction with the strategy of tonifying the spleen and stomach, clearing yin fire, and uplifting yang, her absolute neutrophil count (ANC) had gradually increased. Additionally, after two weeks of treatment, her fever subsided. The patient continued with chemotherapy and was discharged in stable condition. DiscussionAntibiotic use aligns with the TCM perspective of an “attack” approach. Conversely, our TCM decoction was designed to raise the ANC by tonifying the spleen and stomach, clearing Yin Fire, and uplifting Yang. Li Dongyuan, one of the four great masters of the Jin Yuan Dynasty, created the formula: Bupiwei Shengyang Sanhuo Decoction that is notable in this regard. The herbs in our decoction have shown hematopoietic and myelosuppression-alleviating effect. For many patients who do not respond adequately to G-CSF alone, integrative treatments involving both TCM and Western medicine can offer additional therapeutic benefits by increasing blood cell counts.

Sinran’s Hymns Dedicated to T’an-luan. Translation, foreword and notes

This publication presents the texts of laudatory versified hymns by Shinran 親鸞 (1173–1262), a Japanese monk, thinker and the founder of the “True Faith of the Pure Land” school (Jap. jōdo shinshū), in which he addresses one of the five founders (“Patriarchs”) of the “Pure Land” school (Chin. jingtu-zong), the Chinese monk T’an-luan 曇鸞 (476–542). In his praises, Shinran refers to T’an-luan as the “Primordial Mentor”, the “First Teacher”, as well as a bodhisattva, the “master” and the “Great Master”. The texts are given in Japanese, complete with transcription, translation into Russian and annotations.

From the Mandate of Heaven to the modern state: the nation according to Wei Xiaobao

Abstract This paper analyzes the Jin Yong novel The Deer and the Cauldron through the lens of Etienne Balibar's theory of super-nationalism and supranationalism. The novel employs a pan-Asian racial ideology to expand national identity from Han Chinese to other ethnic groups (supranationalism) by introducing a racial Other, white Europeans, to unify warring groups. Simultaneously, Han culture is consistently uplifted as superior (super-nationalism). A critical sequence features the Kangxi Emperor asserting his legitimacy as the ruler of China to the protagonist Wei Xiaobao by claiming the Mandate of Heaven has passed from the Ming to the Qing dynasty. However, Han Chinese gallants and intellectuals constantly challenge his legitimacy because, as a Manchu, he is considered foreign. To resolve this issue, Wei Xiaobao begins constructing a racial national framework that includes Manchus. This paper further argues that Wei Xiaobao's moral relativism, unusual for a protagonist in martial arts fiction, enables the flexibility to redefine Chinese identity on racial grounds instead of moral or cultural. The Deer and the Cauldron illustrates the transition from the Mandate of Heaven to modern nation-state ideology in China, in the form of an irreverent martial arts fiction novel, crafted by the genre's greatest master.

From the Hippocratic Oath to modern deontological codes: continuity or overcoming?

Even if the Hippocratic Oath in its enlightened synthesis encapsulates the essence of the great master's deontological teachings, there is no doubt that a more complete picture of Hippocratic ethics can be gleaned from the contents of the entire Corpus Hippocraticum, and it matters little if the various writings contained therein are not all attributable to him, but are in fact the work of various authors who lived between the 5th and 2nd centuries BC.

Influence of Walt Disney’s Work on Soviet Cartoons

In the mid-1930s, Walt Disney’s cartoon characters conquered screens all over the world. The Soviet Union was not spared from this fascination. Despite the fact that Soviet animation took its first steps in the mid-1920s and by the time of the Disney craze already had several successful films (e.g., “The Rink”, “The Post Office”, “Black and White”), domestic cartoonists fell under the “Disney hypnosis”. This leads to active borrowing of Disney methods, imitation of the performing manner, copying characters. At the newly established studio “Soyuzmultfilm” with the approval of high film bosses begins work on the creation of “his Soviet Mickey Mouse”. For the basis of cartoon production take the flow method – conveyor, which allows, thanks to the use of celluloid sheets instead of paper, accelerate the production of cartoons. This method of creating cartoon pictures divides artists into supporters and opponents of Disney methods. Some of the opponents are leaving the profession, believing that the conveyor belt method would turn the art of animation into a craft.However, even uncompromising supporters of Disney animation quickly realize that direct copying of the great master’s tapes leads domestic animation to a dead end, as it becomes obvious that Disney’s tricks, techniques and images cannot be adapted to traditional stories: folk tales, fables. In addition, in the second half of the 1930s, the USSR changed its cultural policy. All this leads to the struggle against “Disney” and the search for their own unique style of Soviet animation.The article analyses the memoirs of cartoonists N.P. Khodataev, I.P. Ivanov-Vano, A.V. Ivanov, F.S. Khitruk and others, their perception of Disney’s work, their attitude to the borrowing of the master’s creative methods, as well as the experience of creating their own works using Disney technologies.

A Problem as Much of Economic Theory as of Statistical Technique? The Walsh-Edgeworth Debate on Index Numbers, 1921–25

Abstract Correa Moylan Walsh (1862–1936) was a monetary economist of the early twentieth century, mostly remembered for his contributions to the theory of index numbers. Francis Ysidro Edgeworth (1845–1926) was a renowned mathematical economist, remembered as one of the great masters of the discipline. Walsh was an adamant defender of a deterministic, test approach to the theory of index numbers, whereas Edgeworth favored probabilistic approaches and thought index-number theorists should not close themselves to alternative methods. Holding contrasting views about the making of index numbers, they engaged in a fierce debate in the first half of the 1920s—a period marked by several quarrels on the subject. The main points in dispute between Walsh and Edgeworth were the existence of an ideal formula for index numbers and the use of probability in the measurement of price variations. The goal of this article is to explore this debate and its underpinnings. It is argued that the main points of contention between them relate to their conflicting perspectives on the nature of index numbers.

The Contribution of Ibn Arabi’s Sufism-Philosophical Thought to The Concept of Perfect Human Being who Rationally Believes

Ibn Arabi was one of the great Islamic thinkers who lived between 1165-1240 AD. He was known as one of the highest Sufi master (mystic) in human spiritual achievement with title Sheikh al-Akbar (Doctor Maximus or The Great Master). Using the library research, this article aims to explore and find the contribution of Ibn Arabi’s Sufism-philosophical thought and find its relevance to realize the perfect human being, equipped with rational faith. The results show that Ibn Arabi succeeded in “marrying” philosophy with Islamic teachings so that he can be categorized as a Sufi-philosopher and his thought has a Sufism-philosophical character. This style of thought is very relevant to help modern people who have a tendency to separate faith from ratio. For Ibn Arabi, human perfection lies in being together with God. However, this togetherness with God must be understood and lived rationally. In other words, a perfect human being is one who believes in God rationally.

A study of the Huayan Chan 華嚴禪 thought

ABSTRACT This article delves into the development of Huayan Chan through three distinct periods – its emergence, flourishing and continuation – while analysing its characteristics in the history of Chinese Buddhism. In its inception, Huayan Chan originated within the Southern school of Chan. Subsequently, the five schools of Chan that followed exhibited varying degrees of consideration for Huayan teachings. They employed Huayan’s perspectives on ‘principle’ (li 理) and ‘phenomena’ (shi 事) in special ways, marking a significant developmental phase in the Huayan Chan trend. As time progressed, particularly during the late Ming dynasty, the integration of Chan and Huayan teachings by the four great masters facilitated a comprehensive amalgamation of Huayan with diverse Buddhist schools. By exploring the historical context of Huayan Chan, this article aims to provide a definition: Huayan Chan refers to a mode in which figures associated with Chan Buddhism utilize Huayan thought as a theoretical model or methodology to interpret their teachings and practices. It represents a fusion of Huayan doctrinal principles with Chan meditation practices, and the gradual cultivation of Huayan with the sudden enlightenment of Chan, thereby enhancing Chan meditation in a manner, which distinguishes it from traditional Chan Buddhism.

М. П. МУСОРГСКИЙ И БАЛЕТНЫЙ ТЕАТР (к 185-летию со дня рождения композитора)

Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky, whose 185th birthday is celebrated in 2024, is known as an outstanding opera composer, creator of romances and songs, author of symphonic compositions and works for piano. This article highlights another facet of the great master’s oeuvre, which is addressed to the visual interpretation of his works. As it turns out, this is due to a number of features typical of the composer’s creative method, among which the first place is given to the theatricality of his artistic thinking. From the perspective of ballet aesthetics, especially important is the composer’s imprinting in his works of vividly contrasting images, characters and positions in their juxtaposition, which is inherently close to the carnival worldview. In the context of the research topic, we can also talk about Mussorgsky’s directorial talent, which is manifested in his penchant for explanations illustrating the emotional state of the character and his actions. The composer’s remarks in the notes, as well as the definitions given to his characters in correspondence, indicate that the musical image was born in the composer’s mind simultaneously with the visual one. Mussorgsky’s ability to express subtle psychological nuances, as well as to describe the appearance of a character — his gestures, gait, specific movements — could not pass unnoticed by choreographers. As a result, many of the composer’s works, which were not intended for the ballet stage, served as a musical text for choreographic productions.

La movilidad del paisaje mexicano decimonónico

Nineteenth-century Mexico offers a confluence of factors that have received critical attention: visuality, public display, order, progress, consumer culture, political consolidation, and modernization. During this period, the proliferation of landscape references by institutions such as the Academy of San Carlos and the National Institute of Geography and Statistics in the form of paintings, postcards, maps, and statistics links the fields of aesthetics and science, which, in their emerging stages and shared role as agents in the creation of a modern Mexican culture, served as instruments for measuring progress at the national level and status at the international level. While the great master of Mexican landscape painting, José María Velasco, has been recognized in several studies for his creation of a visual language for Mexican landscape heritage that registers the increasing speeds associated with modernization, his works also obscure a darker reality: the privatization of Mexican land under the Porfiriato. In this article, I first explore the conceptual frameworks through which the interfaces between land and landscape can be understood as parallel representations. Next, I consider the development of a Mexican landscape aesthetic and its implications for the creation of a class of consumer-citizens who are apparently at odds with the surrenderist land policies of the Porfiriato. Finally, I explore the connection between Velasco’s works and correspondences during the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition (1876) and the World’s Columbian Exposition (1893) and the incorporation of the Mexican landscape into the surrenderist politics of national land that marked Mexico’s entry into the modern era.

조셉 로지 영화와 자연주의 영화에서의 충동 이미지

Naturalist cinema contain the Impulse Image. Since the I mpulse Image has the properties of Action Image and Af fection Image, Naturalism refers simultaneously to four c o-ordinates: Originary World/Derivied Milieu; Impulses/ Modes of Behavior. For Deleuze, There were three great masters of naturalism in cinema: Stroheim, Bunuel, and Losey. Losey’s naturalism is characterized by violence, pr edators and prey, Servility, fetish, reversal against the sel f, salvation, and a landscape that simultaneously captures the original world and the derived world.

The Dynastic Deity of the Liao Imperial Family -The White-robed Guanyin Statue from the Heavenly Palace of the Qingzhou White Pagoda

The Liao shi and the Qidan guo zhi contain intriguing records about the Liao imperial family’s faith in the White-robed Guanyin. One is that Emperor Taizong enshrined a statue of the White-robed Guanyin at Xingwang Temple in Mt. Muye and honored the bodhisattva as a dynastic deity who guarded over the imperial family. The other is that Emperor Xingzong had the statue worshipped before others during Ji shan yi, the most prestigious sacrificial ritual to Mt. Muye. This study linked these written records with the White-robed Guanyin Statue excavated from the Heavenly Palace of the Qingzhou White Pagoda, commissioned by the imperial family during the reign of Emperor Xingzong, and examined the overall development of the faith in the Liao imperial family and the statue’s style and historical and religious background. Consequently, this examination revealed that Taizong introduced the faith of the White-robed Guanyin to pacify the discontented Han Chinese population within the empire. Xingzong, in turn, elevated the deity to the supreme position. This move profoundly impacted the faith of the people and the imperial family in the late Liao. The statue from the Qingzhou White Pagoda, in particular, with its white robe, low crown, and lotus bud, does not stop at embodying the Buddhist teachings but also represents the intricate union between the Liao imperial family’s lineage, unique ritual customs, distinct faiths, and enshrinement rituals that originated from Yanjing area, present-day Beijing. Among the surviving examples, this statue is one that most closely follows the shape of the dynastic deity of the Liao imperial family, showing that it was likely created under careful considerations of the Great Master Xuanyan Yungui, who was well-versed in the particular faith of the Liao imperial family.

MOTYWY ARCHITEKTONICZNE W MALARSTWIE; WYBRANE ZAGADNIENIA

Both architecture and painting belong to the arts, and additionally they cross talk with each other. The architectural object itself, such as buildings or constructions, is often an independent work of art. Peter. It is worth quoting here a statement by Waldemar Januszczak "Where in these mentioned works by Bernini does architecture end and art begin? Or is it the other way around?" (Januszczak W). The research in the present work has been focused in particular on a cross-sectional view of the links between architectural motifs and paintings, combined with the creation of perspective, also with the aid of a camera obscura. The subject matter discussed in this article is extremely extensive, because almost every artist, and we are talking only about these great masters, has in his dossier works showing architectural elements, even in the background. This minireview, by necessity, includes only selected works that are an individual choice of the author.

Plastic Interpretations of the World Artistic Heritage in the Monotypes of Valery Babanov

Since his youth, Valery Babanov’s professional activity has been connected with the art of book design. He is a graphic artist, illustrator of classic and modern prose, poetry of domestic and foreign authors. The search for his own line in art revealed the proximity of his individual creative nature to the monotype technique. The history of the creative path of the outstanding master of prints E.S. Kruglikova, thanks to whose activity it was in St. Petersburg in the early twentieth century that the Russian school of monotype was born, had a great influence on his choice. Prominent Leningrad artists K.A. Kordobovsky, G.D. Epifanov, D.M. Plaksin became mentors in mastering the “pictorial” graphic printing technique. But an example of virtuoso artistry in working with monotype was K.I. Rudakov. A true fan of monotype in book illustration, Babanov strives to create subtle professional graphic works that reveal the essence of the literary work. Long practice has honed the techniques used by the artist in his work: the base — perfectly smooth plates of plexiglass of different sizes with slightly rounded edges, black paint layer, squirrel brushes, cotton paper. In addition to the visual interpretation of literary texts, the master actively works in easel graphics, in particular, realizing a project of plastic interpretations of the world’s artistic heritage. The artist’s solo exhibition “Striving for Perfection” (2020), which became the intermediate result of his activity, presented selected monotypes, in which Babanov reflects on the work of the great masters of painting, passing the history of art through his perception. A visual narrative of contemplation and plastic retelling of the legacy of the old masters and artists of the twentieth century — interpretation by means of monotype — in personal sensations there is a reflection of creative individuality, a fuller disclosure of natural identity. The more the artist understood, penetrated, felt the sample of copying, the more he presented himself. Turning to the past, V.V. Babanov continues to follow the eternal path of apprenticeship.

Communication and power in the President of Real Madrid: in the wake of the Renaissance and Baroque masters of reputation

ABSTRACT Florentino Pérez is the most successful president of soccer organizations in the world. His leadership in Real Madrid is uncontested. This paper explores his use of communication and power. It delves into how Pérez’s use of communication parallels the one recommended by four great masters who wrote during the Renaissance and Baroque periods about using communication to project power: Nicolo Machiavelli, Baltasar Gracián, Francesco Guicciardini or Cardinal Mazarino. This paper is a content analysis of an exclusive interview Pérez gave on TV after the fiasco of the European Super League in 2021. This analysis shows how Pérez´s performance reflects the teachings of these masters in his deeds, appearance, the reconciliation of his public and private interests, and in the brevity with which he conveys his messages. The conclusion is that there are some atemporal principles in the strategic communication menu that work in the soccer industry when top executives try to gain popular support.

Competitive works of A.V. Shchusev (1873-1949) and his participation in the international exhibitions

On September 26, 2023, we will mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding architect of the first half of the XX century A. V. Shchusev (1873-1949). Alekseу Viktorovich was born in 1873 in Chisinau on Leovskaya Street (today Shchusev Street, where the museum of this architect is located). During his 76 years of life, he managed to fully realize his talent in architecture, becoming the author of the masterpiece in the construction of the mausoleum on the Red Square in Moscow. He became a laureate of four Stalin Prizes, and educated more than one generation of talented architects. He also founded the State Museum of Russian Architecture. Researching the many-sided architectural creativity of Academician Shchusev, in the article the author presents only the most important works of this great master which entered in competition. After graduating in 1897 with a gold medal from the Higher Petersburg Art School, A. V. Shchusev was awarded the title of artist-architect with the rank of the 10th class having the right to engage in designing buildings independently. Thus, he took part in architectural competitions for the construction of a new St. Petersburg hospital (19011902), a branch of the state bank in Nizhniy Novgorod (1910-1911), Kazanskiy railway station in Moscow (1913), the Russian pavilion for the XI International art exhibition in Venice (1913 -1914), the shelter for the children of fallen soldiers near the city of Chisinau (1916), etc.

Dissolute Libertine or Venerable Confucian?

Abstract This work aims to explore the moral conflict that many Northern Song (960–1127) scholar-officials (shidaifu 士大夫) experienced as a result of their involvement in the ci 詞 song lyric, by focusing on Ouyang Xiu’s 歐陽修 (1007–1072) collection. The song lyric was held in low regard by many exponents of high culture for several reasons, but primarily due to the fact that it exposed the literati’s relationships with courtesans. A lyricist who belonged to the Confucian elite thus found himself in a complicated position: he had to publicly advocate a moral system that was particularly conservative on matters such as sex, when he in fact privately wrote songs that would be seen as “lascivious” (yin 淫) by the very moral standards that he preached. Firstly, I will approach the problem by exploring the conflict between the Confucian ideal of sexual moderation and the diverging tendencies to sexual freedom that emerged from the practice and the poetics of the eleventh-century song lyric. I will then discuss the long critical tradition aimed at denying Ouyang Xiu’s authorship of the erotic songs attributed to him by some sources. My goal is to try to understand why so many critics espoused this view, regardless of the fact that other literati were also known to have composed rather explicit lyrics. In doing so, I shall seek to demonstrate that the attempts to dissociate Ouyang Xiu from the authorship of the “contested” erotic songs in his collection were mainly motivated by a moralistic need to preserve his reputation as a great master of the literati culture.

Effectiveness of Kampo Extract Formulations in Traditional Japanese Herbal Medicine

Traditional Japanese herbal medicine, known as Kampo medicine, has unique diagnostic methods. In Kampo medicine, herbal formulations have been prescribed since the Edo period based on the experience of eminent Japanese practitioners, including the great masters. An instant preparation called the Kampo extract formula is often used in Japan.

부조리한 삶에 대한 반항

Yan Lianke is internationally recognized as one of the three great masters of modern Chinese literature, along with Yuhua and Moyen. In China, however, many of his books are banned. Yan Lianke wants to be able to write freely, to reflect reality, and to capture in his own way the memories of a past that has been selectively erased in Chinese history. This article considers absurdity and rebellion to focus on Yan Lianke’s work, and to explore this, we first look to Camus’s The Myth of Sisyphus and The Stranger to understand the meaning of absurdity and rebellion. By examining the personal and historical circumstances of both Camus and Yan Lianke, we will further explore the meaning of absurdity and rebellion through their lives. The Four Books deals with the events that take place in the power-controlled space of the Yuxin District, and because it is described through Yan Lianke’s own expression, readers may feel that the content and expression are somewhat exaggerated. However, the situations depicted in The Four Books are not only the past history of actual China, but also a projection of the current China. There is a difference between Camus’ and Yan Lianke’s perception of rebellion. While Camus saw this rebellion at the level of individual lives, Yan Lianke goes a step further and not only criticizes the absurdity of China, but also hopes that each individual will wake up and rebel, and through this, China will become a better country.

부조리한 삶에 대한 반항

Yan Lianke is internationally recognized as one of the three great masters of modern Chinese literature, along with Yuhua and Moyen. In China, however, many of his books are banned. Yan Lianke wants to be able to write freely, to reflect reality, and to capture in his own way the memories of a past that has been selectively erased in Chinese history. This article considers absurdity and rebellion to focus on Yan Lianke’s work, and to explore this, we first look to Camus’s The Myth of Sisyphus and The Stranger to understand the meaning of absurdity and rebellion. By examining the personal and historical circumstances of both Camus and Yan Lianke, we will further explore the meaning of absurdity and rebellion through their lives. The Four Books deals with the events that take place in the power-controlled space of the Yuxin District, and because it is described through Yan Lianke’s own expression, readers may feel that the content and expression are somewhat exaggerated. However, the situations depicted in The Four Books are not only the past history of actual China, but also a projection of the current China. There is a difference between Camus’ and Yan Lianke’s perception of rebellion. While Camus saw this rebellion at the level of individual lives, Yan Lianke goes a step further and not only criticizes the absurdity of China, but also hopes that each individual will wake up and rebel, and through this, China will become a better country.