World Literature Research Articles

A BSTRACT Y-Duplication of the male urethra is a rare malformation with little more than 140 cases reported in the world literature. Usually, the penile urethra is hypoplastic, and urine is passed through the perineal channel. A 12-year-old boy with Y-duplication urethra presented with well-developed penile and perineal channels. The perineal channel was opening within the anal sphincter instead of opening within the rectum. It appears that high resistance offered by the anal sphincter redirected the urinary stream through the penile channel, thereby leading to its adequate development. On this basis, we propose a new hypothesis of “siphoning-disuse atrophy” to explain the morphogenesis of Y-duplication of the urethra. Clinical significance of distinguishing between pre- and postsphincteric opening of the perineal channel is emphasized.

This review of world literature presents the topical taxonomy, zoogeography and toxinology of the most dangerous and poisonous snakes of the genus Naja (True cobras), including questions of origin, distribution and mechanism of toxic effect in the ecological group of “spitting cobras”. Cobras are among the most famous snakes in the world, but cobra taxonomy remained surprisingly poorly understood until the late 20th century. The application of molecular-phylogenetic research methods has led to the “Afro–Asian race for diversity”, i.e. an increase in the number of recognized African and Asian cobra species, which required the truly “revolutionary” introduction of the subgenera rank for herpetology, while maintaining the nomenclatural stability of the group of iconic species. The cobra taxonomy issues have not only an important theoretical aspect, but also purely applied (medical and zootoxinological) ones. Incomplete (or questionable) under-standing of the taxonomic position of some species may lead to dramatic errors in the treatment of snakebite poisonings, and most often – to the incorrect use of monovalent antisnake serums, since often closely and similar snake species may have poisons differing in composition, and therefore in the mechanism of action. Cobras belong to the group of primarily poisonous armed actively poisonous animals, with plastic adaptation to the environment. The current state of re-search of the unique set of polypeptide toxins in cobra venom, which serve as chemical factors (allomones) of interspecies (allelochemical) interactions, is of great theoretical and practical significance. Similar examples could be found among animals of many systematic groups, but cobras have a surprisingly balanced variety of hunting and defense methods using their poisonous apparatus – parenteral poison administration during a bite and “spitting” during remote contact.

Tumor thrombosis of the main vessels is a rare complication of malignant neoplasms in children. In the world literature, a few clinical cases of thrombosis of the main vessels in hepatoblastoma are noted. This poses questions to the surgeon, the solution of which does not have a single and standardized approach, as well as sufficient clinical experience in pediatric practice. Treatment of patients with such complications requires careful preparation, planning and coordinated work of an interdisciplinary team of specialists. This article presents a clinical case of a child with right liver lobe hepatoblastoma with tumor-associated thrombosis of the right hepatic vein and inferior vena cava, extending to the right atrium. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the patient underwent right extended hepatectomy with resection of the inferior vena cava at the level of hepaticocaval confluence and subsequent reconstruction using an autogenic patch.

Introduction. Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most common primary intraocular tumor in childhood. One of the most effective ways of targeted drug delivery directly to the tumor is selective intra-arterial chemotherapy (SIAC). No studies have been found in the world literature that would conduct a detailed assessment of this method of treating intraocular RB in infants under 6 months. Objective – to evaluate the safety and efficacy of SIAC for the treatment of infants under 6 months of age diagnosed with intraocular RB. Materials and methods . A single-center, retrospective cohort study was conducted, which included 19 infants (63 sessions of SIAC) who were diagnosed with unilateral or bilateral intraocular RB at the age of up to 6 months and underwent primary or secondary SIAC from December 2017 to November 2020. Results. The main results included the technical success rate of SIAC, survival rates and adverse events. The age group up to 6 months is represented by 19 patients, in 4 cases with a familial form of RB. The number of boys was 5 (26.3 %), girls – 14 (73.7 %), aged from 0.5 to 5 months (median 3 (2; 5) months), the average weight was 7.13 (median 7.25 (5; 9) kg). 26 affected eyes in 19 patients underwent SIAC. SIAC was performed primarily in 10 (52.6%) of 19 patients (13 affected eyes). Out of 9 (47.4 %) pretreated patients (13 affected eyes), before SIAC, in 5 cases (8 affected eyes) only systemic chemotherapy (CT) was performed. In 2 of 9 patients, in addition to CT, additional local treatment of 3 affected eyes was performed. 2 of 9 patients underwent only local treatment of 2 affected eyes. Catheterization was successful in 100 % of procedures (n = 63). Indications for additional treatment after SIAC with organ-preserving goal were required in 20 of 26 cases. There were no cases of using external beam radiotherapy before and after SIAC. Secondary bilateral enucleation was performed in one patient due to complications after brachytherapy. Among the early systemic complications, cardiorespiratory disorders should be noted, which were observed during 23 (36.5 %) SIAC sessions; and among the remote ocular complications, 2 cases (7.7 %) – chorioretinal dystrophy (spread to 3 or more retinal quadrants). There were no cases of stroke, neurological disorders, extraocular tumor growth and metastasis. In 3 of 19 patients, pineoblastoma was diagnosed as a metronomic manifestation of trilateral RB. The time from the initial diagnosis of bilateral RB to the occurrence of pineoblastoma in these patients was 2 years 11 months, 4 years 11 months and 2 years 8 months In 1 patient with familial bilateral RB, a second tumor was detected – an incidentoloma of the basal ganglia of the brain on the right after 5 years 6 months. from the initial diagnosis of RB. The overall five-year survival rate of patients was 87.4 ± 8.4 %. The cause of death of 2 patients was progression of metachronous trilateral RB. The overall five-year organ (eye) survival was 91.6 ± 5.7 %. Conclusions. The results of our study indicate that SIAC, both primary and secondary, is effective and safe enough for the treatment of disseminated RB in infants under 6 months of age. However, possible complications associated with both selective intra-arterial catheterization and CT administration cannot be ignored and require further study.

Review: <i>Bảo Ninh’s Contribution to Vietnamese and World Literature:</i> The Sorrow of War <i>and His Short Stories</i> , by Cao Kim Lan and Ooi Keat Gin

By There I Mean Here All around Us: Layli Long Soldier's Whereas and Blind Spots of World Literature

The generally accepted strategy for treating locally advanced colon cancer is radical surgery involving resection of the colonic portion with the tumor and lymphadenectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. The issue of increasing the metabolic activity of micrometastases and tumor seeding after removal of the primary tumor remains relevant. Objective. To study the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACHT) in patients with locally advanced resectable colon cancer. Material and methods. The medical records of 90 patients at the Botkin Hospital from January 1, 2022 to January 1, 2024 with colon adenocarcinoma. with stage cT3 or higher and/or involvement of regional lymph nodes (cN+) regardless of the T value, with the absence of MSI (microsatellite instability), without distant metastasis and with chemotherapy in the XELOX, FOLFOX and FOLFOXIRI regimens were retrospectively analyzed. Results. A full course of NACHT was completed by 83 patients (92.2%) without progression and/or grade III–IV complications. Progression was observed in three patients (3.3%). Surgical treatment was performed in all patients, R0 resections were achieved in 100% of cases. Adjuvant chemotherapy was not received by 29 patients (32.2%). Toxicity during NACHT was observed in 34 cases (37.7%). The incidence of grade III–IV complications was 5 (5.1%). Complete therapeutic pathomorphosis was observed in 3 patients (3.3%), partial tumor response in 39 (43.3%). The median follow-up was 23.1 months, the incidence of progression was 10 months (11.1%). Local relapse was observed in 3 patients (3%), distant metastases — in 7 patients (8%). The 2-year overall and relapse-free survival rates were 94 and 92.8%, respectively. Conclusion. NACNT is safe and effective for patients with colon cancer: tolerability is satisfactory, the risk of progression is minimal, and the incidence of postoperative complications is comparable with the results of the world literature. Prospective comparative studies are needed to further study this topic.

ABSTRACT Timothy Mo, a popular postcolonial author in late twentieth-century British literature, has written extensively about Hong Kong. However, his later and more cosmopolitan works about subjects outside his motherland and adopted country are less acknowledged, let alone his relevant role in British Chinese literature. While Mo’s early career was marked by a distinct “Chineseness”, his later writing gradually shifted focus to multi-displaced Asian diasporas that could not be assigned to any nation-state or ethnic group and shared a deterritorialised identity. This article examines Mo’s oeuvre and argues that his negotiations with “Chineseness” and cosmopolitanism are consistent with British Chinese literature’s move towards a radical world literature. The integration of Mo’s thematic shift with this developing literary field reveals not only the heterogeneity of UK-published writers of Chinese descent but also an anti-essentialist approach to ethnic minorities’ literary identities.

Given the conflicting reports in the world literature on the presence of ligaments in the distal phalanx of foot, the aim of our study was to confirm or deny the existence of ligamentous structures in this region. Confirmation of the existence of ligamentous structures is clinically important, due to the numerous pathological lesions observed in the lateral regions of the distal phalanges of foot, such as exostoses and osteophytes, which can cause discomfort to patients. The study was carried out on ten feet, five from men and five from women, taken from fresh frozen human cadavers. The ages of the deceased ranged from 53to 94 years, with a mean age of 75.3 years. The analysis included distal phalanges of foot, comprising 10 distal phalanges of the hallux and 10 distal phalanges each of toes II-V (a total of 50 samples). To access the deep structures of the distal phalanx of foot, a micro-layer resection of the nail fold tissues and the structures located along the lateral aspects of the distal phalanx was performed. Macrophotographic documentation was obtained using a Dino-Lite AM4113T digital microscope. Histological specimens were prepared from the dissected ligaments and stained using Van Gieson's method and haematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The samples were analysed using a Leica DM2000 LED microscope (Leica Microsystems CMS GmbH) and a ScanScope CS histology scanner (Aperio Technologies). As a result of the study, connective tissue bands were identified in all analysed phalanges, located in the medial and lateral regions of the distal phalanges of the hallux and toes II-V. These bands originate from the medial and lateral aspects of the phalangeal base and extend toward the proximal portion of the medial and lateral aspects of the phalangeal head, respectively. The observed ligaments were not connected to the other ligamentous structures of the phalanges, particularly the collateral interphalangeal ligaments. Histological analysis confirmed a structure characteristic of ligamentous tissue. Hyalinisation was observed at the attachment points and along the course of the bands, which may be indicative of degenerative changes in ligaments (enthesopathies). The description and confirmation of the existence of medial and lateral collateral ligaments of the distal phalanx of foot redefines the classification of lesions occurring along their course from exostoses to enthesopathies. This has direct implications for both the prevention and treatment of such lesions. Further research is needed to clarify the role of these ligaments in toe mechanics.

Oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) are local and systemic conditions that can result in oral malignancies. We have had an OPMD surveillance program for 25 years covering over 30% of our state's population. More recent electronic health record search techniques have allowed us to analyze over 1500 patients in over a 10-year period, approximately 20% of total referrals. Electronic health record (EHR) information was queried for 24 International Classification of Disease (ICD) 9 and 10 codes to generate a de-identified data set. Charts within this data set were cross-referenced against 79 ICD9/10 codes corresponding to oral and oropharyngeal cancers. The time course of conversion and frequencies of precancerous and cancerous lesions was assessed. Of 4496 unique patients seen, 1535 patient records met inclusion criteria. Seventy two patients showed cancerous conversion (4.69%), with 55 (3.58%) before 5 years, and 17 (1.11%) after a 5-year surveillance period. Leukoplakia and OLP patients constituted 34.7% of conversions, though other lesions/diseases of the tongue/oral mucosa showed conversion. Tongue cancers were the most represented carcinomas, followed by carcinomas of the oropharynx. We discovered overall rates of malignant conversion within the broad range reported in the world literature (0%-60%). Importantly, this living data set can be repeatedly queried over time to discover significant malignant conversions, potentially over decades. With significant conversions occurring after 5 years, OPMD conditions likely require longer-term surveillance like colon, breast, or other cancers.

The aim of this paper is to report “Globe Intussusception” as an extreme form of globe dislocation outside the orbital pyramid, and provide a literature review. A single-center, retrospective, interventional case series of three patients is presented. A review of the English-language literature from the years 1971 to 2024 was performed using the search terms “traumatic globe dislocation”, “maxillary sinus” and “ethmoid sinus”. Three cases of globe intussusception are reported. Computed tomography imaging revealed orbital fracture, and globe prolapse into the maxillary sinus with or without involvement of ethmoid sinus. This was associated with complete intussusception of the globe through the conjunctiva, giving an “empty socket” appearance. In all three cases, fracture repair along with retrieval of the eyeball from the sinus was carried out surgically. Reduction of the intussusception, and bringing the eyeball out of the conjunctival pouch was a special additional challenge in these cases. The review of 35 cases reported in world literature till date is presented. We suggest retrieval of the intussuscepted eyeball via a 360° peritomy and suture tagging of extraocular muscles to ensure safe repositioning of globe with intact extraocular muscles.

Primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus is extremely rare. Given this, there is a paucity of evidence to guide treatment decisions. Traditionally, treatment has included standard modalities of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. Immunotherapy has revolutionised the treatment of cutaneous melanoma; however, molecular studies have provided conflicting results regarding whether the underlying mechanisms driving melanoma response to immunotherapy are reproduced in mucosal and, more specifically, oesophageal melanomas. The evidence base for treatment decisions in primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus remains limited due to the small number of reported cases, with only 374 cases reported in the world literature up to 2022. We present the case of an 81-year-old Caucasian female patient, previously in good health aside from gastro-oesophageal reflux. The patient presented with dysphagia and proceeded to CT and endoscopy showing a large mid-to-distal oesophageal mass. Endoscopic biopsies revealed a poorly differentiated epithelioid malignancy, with immunohistochemical studies confirming melanoma. FDG-PET revealed metastatic deposits in the skeleton as well as mesenteric nodes. The patient was commenced on treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab 18days following diagnosis. Despite receiving only one cycle of immunotherapy, the patient demonstrated remarkable resolution of symptoms as well as complete resolution of PET-avidity of all local and metastatic disease and remains in remission 2years following diagnosis. Scoping review of the literature identified just three case series and 18 case reports of patients with primary oesophageal melanoma treated with immunotherapy This case is now the third case reported in the literature of patients with oesophageal melanoma metastatic at diagnosis, who have entered long-term complete remission following sole treatment with immunotherapy and the only case to enter remission following a single cycle of treatment. We report our experience with one of the few reported cases of metastatic primary malignant melanoma of the oesophagus treated with immunotherapy, with encouraging results. We would encourage reporting of further cases in order to better understand the role of immunotherapy in oesophageal melanoma.

Rabindranath Tagore, a Nobel laureate and one of the defining voices in world literature, frequently engaged with India’s philosophical and spiritual heritage, drawing deeply from foundational texts like the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. This research paper closely examines Tagore’s interpretation and creative recontextualization of the Bhagavad Gita, focusing especially on how he weaves its core themes into his poetry, prose, and broader philosophical outlook. By delving into textual comparisons, intertextual resonances, and Tagore’s own writings—most notably “Gitanjali”—this study demonstrates both Tagore’s fidelity to and his innovation upon the Gita’s teachings. Through a synthesis of spirituality, universalism, and poetic imagination, Tagore refashions the Gita’s doctrine of duty, detachment, and devotion for the modern world, emphasizing an inner transformation that transcends sectarianism, ritualism, and fatalism. The analysis traces the evolution of central ideas—dharma and cognitive crisis, the human-divine relationship, creative evolution, and the poeticization of surrender—illustrating Tagore’s singular role in rendering ancient Indian wisdom both globally accessible and existentially relevant.

On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer is one of the classic masterpieces of John Keats, which is born from Keats’s ardent pursuit and exploration of literature and carries a rich cultural and emotional flavor. Based on the stylistic perspective, this study digs into the literary enlight-en-ment embedded in this poem from the perspectives of poetic style, vocabulary, rhetorical de-vic-es and images. It is found that the rhythmic combination of the Italian sonnet echoes Keats’s emotional vein, the change of vocabulary reflects his psychological changes, the interweaving of various rhetorical devices strengthens the artistic effect, and the transformation of celestial and geographic images reflects the path of his literary exploration. At the same time, the poet Keats also uses this poem to celebrate the charm of classic literature, the desire to explore knowledge and the unknown, and the role of great literature in the spiritual world of the individual.

The first comprehensive history of World Literature to be published in English was Literature: A World History (4 vols, 2022). As an editor-contributor of this work, I here examine in retrospect the decisions we collectively took about basic structural issues such as periodization, division of the world into six macro-regions, their proportional representation, and the multi-tier process of writing, editing and coordination. In the process, I point out several aspects of our project that in my view did not go as well as they could have, and conclude by acclaiming nonetheless the undoubted success of our pioneering endeavour.

This paper analyzes Ferenc Tőkei's trans-cultural interpretation of Wen Xin Diao Long (《文心雕龙, The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons ) from the perspective of the ‘Variation Theory of Comparative Literature’. Ferenc Tőkei, an academician of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, was an important Sinologist, Marxist philosopher and literary theorist. His interpretation of Wen Xin Diao Long has been noted by some Chinese scholars, but not investigated in detail. With the emergence of Variation Theory, the significance of Tőkei's interpretation is revealed. On the basis of György Lukács's aesthetics of genre and of the comparison between western and Chinese culture, Tőkei reveals his conceptualization of Liu Xie's theory of genre and raises it to the level of universal value in world literature. Tőkei's trans-cultural interpretation, one of the theories of genre of Marxist aesthetics in Eastern Europe, demonstrates the Variation Theory of Comparative Literature.

Abstract Something happened in twelfth-century Karnataka that pushed the Jain community of this region to reconsider its own place and identity. Scholars have associated it with the “vacana movement” and with the rise of the Vīraśaivas, which brought about an end to Jain early dominance over the Kannada literary world. But the narrative of a “Jain period” followed by a “Śaiva period” conceals a more complex reality in which Jain voices in Kannada persisted long after these events took place. This article examines what we can learn by reading a Jain author who wrote two centuries after the end of this “Jain period.” By examining how Vṛttavilāsa employed Sanskrit verses in his Kannada Investigation of Dharma (Dharmaparīkṣe) (c.1360 CE), I argue that this Jain author reclaimed Sanskrit as a vehicle of Jain voices, in order to connect himself, his work, and his audience, with a preceding Jain tradition that transcended his immediate regional community.

Yeghishe Charents came to the idea of God through the revolution, the efforts to save the homeland, and the literary-political struggle. He traversed this path, immersing himself in spiritual realms where Komitas was, where the figures of Armenian and world literature stood – Grigor Khlatetsi (Tserents) and Grigor Narekatsi, Shakespeare and Dante...

Introduction. Cell free DNA (cfDNA), being an easily accessible and promising clinical material, as previously shown in obstetrics and general oncology, is of particular interest in hematology. In recent years, the study of plasma cfDNA in hematological diseases has been gaining increasing interest among researchers and physicians. To date, a signifi cant amount of data cfDNA and tumor cfDNA (cftDNA) in patients with diseases of the blood system has been accumulated in the world literature. Aim: to study the literature data on the cfDNA in aggressive B-cell lymphomas and Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL). Main fi ndings. The review presents the literature data on the study of cfDNA, the possibilities and limitations of using various methods of studying cfDNA in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphomas and HL.

Background and Aim: This study investigated the key learner factors—attitudes, preferences, and perceived difficulties of Grade 10 students toward World Literature as a component of English language learning. Conducted during the second semester of the 2022 academic year at a public high school in San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur, the study aimed to examine how these factors interact in shaping students’ engagement with World Literature. Materials and Methods: A quantitative descriptive survey was administered to 50 randomly selected Grade 10 students from a population of 138. Data were analyzed using Kendall’s tau correlation to examine relationships among variables. Results: Students exhibited generally positive attitudes and strong preferences for learning English through World Literature, but also reported significant difficulties in comprehension and engagement. Statistical tests revealed no significant correlations (τ = .389, p = .144), indicating that attitudes, preferences, and difficulties operate independently. Conclusion: The findings suggest that positive dispositions alone do not reduce the challenges students encounter. This highlights the need for pedagogical interventions that address specific difficulties in text complexity, cultural unfamiliarity, and time constraints, rather than assuming motivation and interest are sufficient.