Library Of Academy Research Articles

The bookplates of the fund of Lituanica of the 18th century at the library of Lithuanian academy of science

This article is the sequel to the article "The Bookplates of the Fund of Lituanica of the 17th Century at the Library of Lithuanian Academy of Science." There are 6,524 books with 1,883 bookplates in the Fund of Lituanica of the 18th century. All of them were registered in the bookplates card index while recataloguing the fund. The first large group of all bookplates comprises manuscript inscriptions (provenancial, memorial, and dedicational). There are 613 of them. Provenancial ones make up 90% of all inscriptions. Those of monastery libraries make up only 10% of all inscriptions. This is different from the 17th-century books, where monastery inscriptions used to predominate. The second large group of bookplates consists of ex-librises, superex-librises, and book stamps. There are 1,267 of them, which is twice as many as manuscript inscriptions. It's natural because every inscription is unique, while bookplates of the second group can be easily multiplied. After reviewing all the 18th-century bookplates of Lituanica, the formation of this fund becomes clear. It was completed by mechanically selecting books published in the 18th century. Any larger private or library collections are not dominant. Inscriptions of solitary persons make up the majority in this fund. This review of bookplates is material that will help in studies of book history and especially in studying the history of libraries of Lithuania, their dispersion, and the history of book travel.

Comparing Methods to Genetically Engineer Bacteriophage and Increase Host Range.

Antibacterial resistance is an emerging problem in military medicine. Disruptions to the health care systems in war-torn countries that result from ongoing conflict can potentially exacerbate this problem and increase the risk to U.S. forces in the deployed environment. Therefore, novel therapies are needed to mitigate the impact of these potentially devastating infections on military operations. Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and kill bacteria. They can be delivered as therapeutic agents and offer a promising alternative to traditional antibiotic chemotherapy. There are several potential benefits to their use, including high specificity and comparative ease of use in the field setting. However, the process of engineering phages for military medical applications can be a laborious and time-consuming endeavor. This review examines available techniques and compares their efficacy. This review evaluates the scientific literature on the development and application of four methods of bacteriophage genome engineering and their consideration in the context of military applications. Preffered Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed for a systematic review of available literature that met criteria for analysis and inclusion. The research completed for this review article originated from the United States Military Academy's library "Scout" search engine, which compiles results from 254 available databases (including PubMed, Google Scholar, and SciFinder). Particular attention was focused on identifying useful mechanistic insight into the nature of the engineering technique, the ease of use, and the applicability of the technique to countering the problem of antimicrobial resistance in the military setting. A total of 52 studies were identified that met inclusion criteria following PRISMA guidelines. The bioengineering techniques analyzed included homologous recombination (12 articles), in vivo recombineering (9 articles), bacteriophage recombineering of electroporated DNA (7 articles), and the CRISPR-Cas system (10 articles). Rates of success and fidelity varied across each platform, and comparative benefits and drawbacks are considered. Each of the phage engineering techniques addressed herein varies in amount of effort and overall success rate. CRISPR-Cas-facilitated modification of phage genomes presents a highly efficient method that does not require a lengthy purification and screening process. It therefore appears to be the method best suited for military medical applications.

Experiences, purposes, satisfaction and missing library services as predictors of library information services provision: A case study

This study examined the experiences, purposes, satisfaction and missing library services towards quality library information service provisions. The study adopted a quantitative approach and a case study research design. The study involved 80 respondents at the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy (MNMA) library. Data were collected through a questionnaire, and the descriptive analysis was performed with the aid of the SPSS version 20 computer program. Findings revealed that the majority, 61 (76.3%), had more than 1 year of experience. In comparison, 19 (23.8%) had less than 1 year of library services experience. Friendly infrastructures, looking for research support from librarians, reading books and looking for a quiet environment were the highly cited purposes of patrons visiting the library. The study further revealed that the majority, 87.5% of the respondents, are satisfied with the library services offered, while 12.5% are not satisfied. Regarding the missing services, the study revealed that Internet/Wi-Fi, Inadequate books and Computers are the critical services that need urgent improvement. Based on the study findings, the study recommends investment in the education and training of library staff members to enhance their capacities to welcome customers, conduct training sessions, and provide first-rate customer service.

Un diplomat de tranziție. Grigore C. Moisil ambasador la Ankara (1946-1948)

"At the end of the Second World War, in search of a favorable image on international level, the Romanian Government appointed four renowned intellectuals as heads of mission in the capitals who had priority in Romania's foreign policy: Simion Stoilov in Paris, Mihai Ralea in Washington, Tudor Vianu in Belgrade, Iorgu Iordan in Moscow and Grigore C. Moisil in Ankara. In the case of all of them it was the only experience as an ambassador. In this work, Grigore C. Moisil's mandate as ambassador to the Republic of Turkey is analyzed. The analysis has three main objectives. Firstly, the goals of his mandate as ambassador are examined. Secondly, his position regarding the Romanian diplomats in Turkey that refused to accept the authority of the communist Government in Bucharest is examined. Finally, the effects of the different orientations of Romania and Turkey in the new post-war configuration and the way in which this reality influenced the position and behavior of the Romanian diplomat are explained. The article is based on unpublished archival documents, documents from Grigore C. Moisil's personal archive kept at the Romanian Academy Library and his partially published correspondence."

History of the Church in Ukraine: a bibliographic index of publications from the collections of the library of the Ivano-Frankivsk Academy of Ivan Zolotoustyi

The bibliographic index "History of the Church in Ukraine" reflects scientific and popular literature (monographs, textbooks, conference materials, collections) on this topic from the collections of the library of the Ivano-Frankivsk Ivan Zolotoust Academy. The index covers the history, activities, and role of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church from the times of Kyivan Rus to the present day, including the liquidation and underground of the UGCC after the Lviv Council of 1946, repressions against the clergy and confrontation with the Soviet system, and the period of revival in the late 80s and early 90s of the twentieth century.

Disruption ofBiofilm by Bacteriophages inClinically Relevant Settings.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are a growing threat to civilian and military health today. Although infections were once easily treatable by antibiotics and wound cleaning, the frequent mutation of bacteria has created strains impermeable to antibiotics and physical attack. Bacteria further their pathogenicity because of their ability to form biofilms on wounds, medical devices, and implant surfaces. Methods for treating biofilms in clinical settings are limited, and when formed by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, can generate chronic infections that are recalcitrant to available therapies. Bacteriophages are natural viral predators of bacteria, and their ability to rapidly destroy their host has led to increased attention in potential phage therapy applications. The present article sought to address a knowledge gap in the available literature pertaining to the usage of bacteriophage in clinically relevant settings and the resolution of infections particular to military concerns. PRISMA guidelines were followed for a systematic review of available literature that met the criteria for analysis and inclusion. The research completed for this review article originated from the U.S. Military Academy's library "Scout" search engine, which complies results from 254 available databases (including PubMed, Google Scholar, and SciFinder). The search criteria included original studies that employed bacteriophage use against biofilms, as well as successful phage therapy strategies for combating chronic bacterial infections. We specifically explored the use of bacteriophage against antibiotic- and treatment-resistant bacteria. A total of 80 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria following PRISMA guidelines. The application of bacteriophage has been demonstrated to robustly disrupt biofilm growth in wounds and on implant surfaces. When traditional therapies have failed to disrupt biofilms and chronic infections, a combination of these treatments with phage has proven to be effective, often leading to complete wound healing without reinfection. This review article examines the available literature where bacteriophages have been utilized to treat biofilms in clinically relevant settings. Specific attention is paid to biofilms on implant medical devices, biofilms formed on wounds, and clinical outcomes, where phage treatment has been efficacious. In addition to the clinical benefit of phage therapies, the military relevance and treatment of combat-related infections is also examined. Phages offer the ability to expand available treatment options in austere environments with relatively low cost and effort, allowing the impacted warfighter to return to duty quicker and healthier.

Are the lists of questionable journals reasonable: A case study of early warning journal lists

ABSTRACT The lists of questionable journals are regarded a policy or tool to ensure research quality and integrity. However, due to their lack of clear criteria, they remain highly debated. Taking a typological perspective, we assess the reasonableness of the lists of questionable journals by examining how well it reflects the differences in bibliometric attributes among distinct groups when categorizing and labeling them, and whether these differences are consistent. Using the Early Warning Journal Lists released by the National Science Library of the Chinese Academy of Sciences as an example, we grouped listed journals based on warning levels and years. Subsequently, we compared them in groups to determine if there are differences in key academic indicators among different warning categories, thereby evaluating the reasonableness of the warning journal list. Our research findings suggest that Early Warning Journal Lists may have employed inconsistent criteria when assigning warning levels. Variations in the degrees of differences or the absence of differences were observed among groups across different key academic indicators. Additionally, citation metrics like journal impact factor and journal citation indicator might not have been treated as grouping criteria in the Early Warning Journal Lists, yet this lack of detailed explanation from the creators is evident. This highlights the need for a more scientific and meticulous assessment of the lists of questionable journals, along with a greater emphasis on sharing detailed standards and data. Furthermore, our study offers recommendations for future formulation of lists of questionable journals by various institutions.

Particularități morfologice ale romanului popular Varlaam și Ioasaf

The author analyzes the morphological features of the popular novel Barlaam Josaphat. The novel was translated by Udriște Năsturel from Slavonic into Romanian in 1648. The examples were extracted from the oldest copy of this writing, which is found in the bilingual Romanian-Slavonic manuscript 588 at the Romanian Academy Library in Bucharest. Less common linguistic phenomena are compared with another manuscript version of the novel, found in ms. rom. 3339. While in the case of syntax or lexicon, the text often reflects the influence of the original Slavonic language it was translated from, at this level of analysis, fewer language facts can be attributed to a foreign influence. Among these are some verbal and adverbial expressions modeled after Slavonic patterns. Most of these did not survive in the language. At the level of reflexive pronouns, some unusual constructions can be explained by the innovative tendencies of Udriște Năsturel, who wanted to differentiate written language from spoken language.

Elegant and Practical: Bindings of Books Printed in the Middle of 16th and the First Half of the 17th Centuries in Italy and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in the Library of Vilnius Jesuit Academy

In the early modern period, the relentless growth in the copies of printed books and the increasing competition between craftsmen meant that, since the invention of Gutenberg until the 19th century, European bookbinders were forced to look for cheaper and quicker binding techniques. Based on this assumption, the article focuses on some of the bindings of books printed from the middle of the 16th until the middle of the 17th century which belonged to the library of Vilnius Jesuit Academy. This study is part of a broader research on the bindings of the Vilnius Jesuit Academy Library, and the article is limited to two groups of sources: books printed in Italy and books printed in the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth). The historical bindings are discussed by following the approach targeting the field of decorative arts and material culture studies, which is also well known as the ‘archaeology’ of the book or the bookbinding. It focuses not only on the decorative features of the cover of the book, but also on the structural features of the bindings which reveal comprehensively the work of the craftsmen of the past. This method of analysis is particularly useful for discussing not only decorated but also undecorated bindings which have so far received very limited attention in the research of the old Lithuanian book. As a result, the research revealed that the modest parchment bindings form nearly a half of all the examined bindings of the collection, and confirm the practical rather than the representational aspect of the Jesuit Library. According to the complexity of the technical execution and the number of operations involved in the process of binding, five binding techniques have been distinguished, ranging from the most complex to the simplest bindings, closely related with a retail bindings. What is more, a consistent number of parchment bindings are denoted by structural features, which is close to the Italian bookbinding tradition. The predominance of the latter in the group of Italian prints makes it possible to consider the possibility of already bound books entering the library of Vilnius Jesuit Academy. Moreover, the research has revealed certain binding features linked to the bookbinding traditions in Italy and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth.

Teaching Slavonic in 17th century Romania: teaching material by Staico, professor at Târgoviște

The aim of this study is to present, based on the Rom. ms. 312 from the Academy Library in Bucharest, the teaching material used by a teacher of Slavonic in the second half of the 17th century. Rom. ms. 312 BAR is well-known particularly because it contains the largest dictionary belonging to the group of the first bilingual Romanian dictionaries. The elaboration of these dictionaries should be considered in relation to the political and cultural context of the reign of Matei Basarab, in a period in which Wallachia was influenced by the cultural prestige of Kyiv and of the metropolitan Petru Movilă, who influenced the cultural development of the Romanian Principalities. Matei Basarab wanted to restore the dominance of the Slavonic language and culture, by encouraging the development of schools, among other measures. The necessary linguistic tools were provided by Kyiv, namely the Slavonic-Ruthenian lexicon and Meletius Smotrytsky’s Slavonic grammar (1619). These tools, besides being used as such in schools, provide models for the first Romanian dictionaries and the first Slavonic grammar translated into Romanian. Six Slavonic-Romanian dictionaries have survived, all written in the second half of the 17th century (except for one dating from 1649) in Wallachia, based on the Slavonic-Ruthenian lexicon published by Pamvo Berynda in 1627, which these six works adapted both in terms of the number of entries and the content of the Romanian definitions. Except for the lexicon issued in 1649, the others seem to be modified copies based on a single version. Two manuscripts containing the first Romanian bilingual lexicons also include copies after the same Romanian redaction of the Slavonic grammar. The Rom. ms. 312 comprises the lexicon, part of the grammar, and other lexicographical components, organized as additions to the main word lists. There are several studies on the content of Rom. ms. 312, yet previous research only presents it from a general perspective without much detail on its components. We shall demonstrate that its content is also more complex than that of the other lexicons, indicating and presenting its parts: the first list of words taken from the Slavonic-Ruthenian lexicon; a second list which is independent of it, but which can also be found in three of the other lexicons included in the group; three thematic lists and two lists without a specific theme, plus a dictionary of proper names translated into Slavonic, which has never been studied. Furthermore, we also present opinions on the author of the grammar included in this lexicon. A comparative analysis of the Slavonic grammar of Rom. ms. 312 and the one in Rom. ms. 3473 from the Romanian Academy Library allowed us to advance the hypothesis that these are copies of a previous writing, which was not preserved.

The Oriental Manuscript 355 from the Romanian Academy Library, Cluj-Napoca (Ms. O. 355)

The Oriental Manuscript 355 from the Romanian Academy Library, Cluj-Napoca (Ms. O. 355)

The Arts of the Lance and Other Mamluk Manuscripts in the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Abstract This article provides a description of an Arabic manuscript found among the few manuscripts from the Mamluk period that are kept at the Oriental Collection of the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in Budapest. The manuscript contains a work on the arts of the lance by Ḥusām al-Dīn Lāǧīn al-Ṭarābulusī (d. 738/1338), one of the foremost experts in furūsiyya and, more particularly, on the topic of mayādīn. After giving information about the collection, including the other Mamluk manuscripts kept there, the article provides a detailed description of the work entitled Kitāb tuḥfat al-muǧāhidīn fī l-ʿamal bi-l-mayādīn.

Stein Collections in the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Stein Collections in the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences

Innovative technologies as a factor in the development of the activities of the national scientific agricultural library of the national academy of agrarian sciences

The article is devoted to the currently relevant topic of the influence of innovative technologies on the activities of library institutions. It was determined that the combination of the traditional culture of communication with books and new modern information technologies in the libraries makes it possible to present information quickly, topically, and vividly. Since the user service was, is and remains the main criterion for evaluating the performance of libraries. Among the main technological innovations, it is worth noting remote access to library resources by a wide range of Internet users. Library pages on social networks provide information about the mode of operation, address, link to the website, and information about library activities. The main directions of the digital library, the advantages of using an automated library information system, the principles of creating digital resources are highlighted. The importance of the further creation of the National Electronic Library of Ukraine was determined, considering the Russian-Ukrainian war. The protection of the cultural heritage of the state in terms of documentary heritage, which is located in memory institutions throughout Ukraine (libraries, archives, museums, etc.) is carried out through its digitization and the creation of a reliable system of preservation and access to digital copies of objects. One of the problems related to the creation of the National Electronic Library of Ukraine – the automated library information system (ALIS) – has been identified, since libraries have different systems. It is worth emphasizing that the National Scientific Agricultural Library of the NAAS is also actively creating a digital library, digitizing, first, especially valuable and unique documents that are classified as national property. Among the main strategic directions of the library’s work is the introduction of modern information technologies. They provide effective provision of information and library services that influence the training of professionals and the quality of educational and research processes in all spheres of society. Considering the generalization of the important role of the concept of open access in the creation of the information industry space, it is worth noting that open access is not something new, but now this form is opening itself at a new level – it is a new round in serving modern users. It is through the digital information resource that libraries become more accessible because the freedom and simplicity of independent search and selection of information is provided.

Carti romanesti vechi din secolul al XVIII-lea in colectiile Bibliotecii Academiei de stiinte a Ungariei

This article aims to evaluate the copies of 18th century old Romanian books preserved in the collections of the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest. A number of 12 volumes, printed in printing centres such as Blaj, Sibiu, Cluj, Vienna, Frankfurt, Leipzig or Hamburg, were identified. The works researched cover fields such as history, geography, theology and philology, and the authors include personalities of Romanian culture such as Dimitrie Cantemir and Gheorghe Șincai.

Attractiveness of Virtual Exhibitions in Cultural Institutions in the Post-pandemic Context: A Case Study

The paper presents some metrics and statistical figures regarding the evolution of the number of users, sessions and accesses by country and device category (desktop, smartphone, tablet) for a virtual exhibition created at the Romanian Academy Library. We aim to reveal the changes in the behavior of visitors in the interval between November 2018 and May 2023. The investigated data spans before and after COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, we aim to understand the seasonal behavior of visitors and changes that have been imposed by lockdowns. The virtual exhibition was created as a web application and the data analyzed was collected using Google Analytics platform. To understand trends, graphical representations are used. The graphics presented in the paper were created with the Power BI tool and Google Analytics platform. Based on the data analyzed, we identify interesting insights regarding visitors’ behavior that can be used to define a metric related to the attractiveness of the virtual exhibition, in order to enhance the content in the future and to deliver improved personalized content to the visitors.

Promotion of Reading through Distance Learning Service

This paper explores how the operations of an academy library got transfigured during closures due to COVID-19. The author offers tips on how to maintain access to resources, how to engage students in learning, and support academy staff. This paper reflect how the GEMS Modern Academy school library promoted reading during distance learning.

Fungal Biodeterioration of a Historical Manuscript Dating Back to the 14th Century: An Insight into Various Fungal Strains and Their Enzymatic Activities.

This study aims to assess the deterioration aspects of a historical manuscript dating back to the 14th century that was deposited in the Library of the Arabic Language Academy, Cairo, Egypt. The study aims at the exploration of the role of various fungal strains that had colonized this deteriorated manuscript in its biodeterioration through their efficacy in the secretion of various hydrolytic enzymes. To evaluate the deterioration, various techniques, including visual inspection, attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction analysis (XRD), color change, and pH value, were utilized. The fungal strains linked to the historical document were isolated, identified, and evaluated for their deterioration activities. The findings demonstrate that the manuscript exhibits a variety of deterioration signs including color change, brittleness and weakness, erosion, and removal of the grain surface pattern in leather binding. According to the ATR-FTIR, the chemical composition of the historical paper and leather underwent some alterations. The historical paper has a lower level of cellulose crystallinity than the control sample. Penicillium chrysogenum (two isolates), P. citrinum (four isolates), Aspergillus ustus (three isolates), A. terreus (two isolates), A. chinensis (one isolate), Paecilomyces sp. (one isolate), and Induratia sp. (one isolate) were among the fourteen fungal strains identified as being associated with the historical manuscript. These fungal strains produced several hydrolytic enzymes with high activity, such as cellulase, amylase, gelatinase, and pectinase, which play a key role in biodegradation.

ΟΝ THE MOHYLIAN SUBTEXT IN HRYHORII SKOVORODA’S DIALOGUE «ARCHISTRATIGUS MICHAEL'S FIGHT WITH SATAN»

The paper explores Hryhorii Skovoroda’s dialogue “Archistratigus Michael's Fight with Satan” (“Bran Arkhystratyha Mykhaila so Satanoiu”, 1783), which contains several quotations from two authors — Teofan Prokopovych and Varlaam Liashchevskyi – who belonged to Skovoroda’s Alma Mater, the Kyiv Mohyla Academy. Being a unique occurrence in Skovoroda’s writings, these quotations from contemporary authors have been analyzed as an instance of a peculiar “Mohylian subtext” that sheds light on the relationship between the Ukrainian philosopher and his Alma Mater. In “Bran Arkhystratyha”, the angelic ranks battling against demonic forces sing a song taken from Liashchevskyi’s tragicomedy “The Chased Church” (“Honymaia tserkov”) and from Prokopovych’s 1709 epinikion in honor of tsar Peter’s victory near Poltava. While Prokopovych’s verses have been slightly changed (Antichrist replaces ‘apostate’ — ‘otstupnyk’) to reflect the major theme of “Bran Arkhystratyha” — the fight against Satan — the presence of two fragments from Liashchevskyi's tragicomedy in the text is even more important, as “Bran Arkhystratyha” is the only available source for reconstructing the textual content of this tragicomedy, of which we do not possess any extant copies. Of particular interest are also the paratextual materials attached to the quotations from Liashchevskyi and Prokopovych. All three citations are accompanied by an explanatory note stating: 1) the author to whom the citation belongs; 2) the authors’ affiliation to the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy; 3) information about the fire that destroyed the library of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy on February 29, 1780. This choice testifies to a specific urge on Skovoroda’s part to honor Alma Mater and its representatives three years after the fire that threatened its book collection and cultural legacy. In this personal tribute, the notion of memory acquires a specific meaning for, in the case of Liashchevskyi, “Bran Arkhystratyha” preserves a text that would not otherwise have been transmitted. Thus, the ‘victory’ glorified in the dialogue becomes first and foremost a victory against oblivion, through the projection of the Word into the realm of eternity.

Translating and adapting the lexicographic definitions in the Slavonic–Romanian Lexicon from the Ms no 3473

The late 17th century Slavonic–Romanian Lexicon preserved in the Ms no 3473 from the Romanian Academy Library belongs to a group of six Slavonic–Romanian lexicons translated following Pamvo Berynda’s Slavonic–Ruthenian Lexicon (Kyiv, 1627). These dictionaries most likely originate from a common unpreserved translation, having been studied mainly from the perspective of their filiation. The present study surveys aspects of the lexicographic approach in Ms no 3473, discussing the strategies adopted by the Romanian compiler(s) and their cultural determinant, the criteria applied in establishing the Romanian definitions and the semantic evolution of a few Romanian words. The examined examples reveal that the source was modified by simplification or, less often, amplification. Although the supplementary explanations mainly concern culture-specific terms and neologisms whose definitions often imply challenges, the definition techniques vary. Bilingual lexicons’ type definitions alternate with those of monolingual dictionaries type, which may be due both to the model and to the intervention of the translator and/ or the copyist.