bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The opportunistic intracellular bacterial pathogen Rhodococcus equi elicits type I interferon by engaging cytosolic DNA sensing in macrophages
Authors: Vail Krystal J. , da Silveira Bibiana Petri , Bell Samantha L. , Cohen Noah D. , Bordin Angela I. , Patrick Kristin L. , Watson Robert O.
Published: September 2021

Rhodococcus equiis a major cause of foal pneumonia and an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised humans. While alveolar macrophages constitute the primary replicative niche forR.equi, little is known about how intracellularR. equiis sensed by macrophages. Here, we discovered that in addition to previously characterized pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g.,Tnfa,Il6,Il1b), macrophages infected withR.equiinduce a robust type I IFN response, includingIfnband interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), similar to the evolutionarily related pathogen,Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Follow up studies using a combination of mammalian and bacterial genetics demonstrated that induction of this type I IFN expression program is largely dependent on the cGAS/STING/TBK1 axis of the cytosolic DNA sensing pathway, suggesting thatR.equiperturbs the phagosomal membrane and causes DNA release into the cytosol following phagocytosis. Consistent with this, we found that a population of ~12% ofR.equiphagosomes recruits the galectin-3,-8 and -9 danger receptors. Interestingly, neither phagosomal damage nor induction of type I IFN require theR.equi’s virulence-associated plasmid. Importantly,R.equiinfection of both mice and foals stimulates ISG expression, in organs (mice) and circulating monocytes (foals). By demonstrating thatR.equiactivates cytosolic DNA sensing in macrophages and elicits type I IFN responses in animal models, our work provides novel insights into howR.equiengages the innate immune system and furthers our understanding how this zoonotic pathogen causes inflammation and disease.
Cost-efficiency and ergonomic study of two methods for planting Eucalyptus spp. seedlings in plantation forestry
Authors: Kaakkurivaara Tomi , Kaakkurivaara Nopparat
Published: September 2021

In Thailand and various other countries tree seedlings are generally planted using simple manual tools, often a âplanting stickâ, but the method requires time-consuming, labour-intensive teamwork. However, use of a âplanting tubeâ allows a single person to perform both the preparation and planting work. Thus, in a classical time study and ergonomic survey we compared the productivity, cost-effectiveness, and ergonomic impact of planting spp. seedlings using the two tools at the same planting site in Western Thailand. The planting tube method proved to be more productive, more cost-efficient, and less burdensome than the planting stick method (with time and cost requirements of 21 s and â¬0.0061 per seedling, versus 16.6 s and â¬0.0463 per seedling, respectively). In conclusion, the planting tube method may be a viable alternative to reduce costs and increase productivity, while maintaining reasonable workloads for the workers, despite the higher purchase price of planting tubes. Eucalyptus
Virtual Internships in Health and Human Services: Practices and Strategies for Planning During the Pandemic
Authors: Bowers Jill R. , Hillier Nikki , Sherwood Mikki
Published: September 2021

The pandemic has had a significant impact on the work of many family and consumer sciences (FCS) professionals and those in related fields across the world, including college student interns. Across disciplines, it is well established that quality internships can help students enhance
their professional development, networking, and multicultural skills; internships also can enhance university–community partnerships (Horney et al., 2016; Simons et al., 2012). Yet, during the pandemic, many students who had secured internships, including in essential work fields, found
themselves struggling to secure sites. At the same time, many students needed the internship to graduate on time; thus, we knew we needed to create an internship pandemic plan. FCS is an applied science (AAFCS, n.d.), therefore many of us have been trained to think creatively about how to
relay research-based information to community audiences. Similarly, it is in our backgrounds to create opportunities for university–community partnerships and to train students to do the same. In this paper, we focus on the ways the pandemic pushed us to come together as applied scientists
and educators to create virtual internships and train students to be applied scientists.
Gaussian Mixture Model of Ground Filtering Based on Hierarchical Curvature Constraints for Airborne Lidar Point Clouds
Authors: Ye Longjie , Zhang Ka , Xiao Wen , Sheng Yehua , Su Dong , Wang Pengbo , Zhang Shan , Zhao Na , Chen Hui
Published: September 2021

This paper proposes a Gaussian mixture model of a ground filtering method based on hierarchical curvature constraints. Firstly, the thin plate spline function is iteratively applied to interpolate the reference surface. Secondly, gradually changing grid size and curvature threshold
are used to construct hierarchical constraints. Finally, an adaptive height difference classifier based on the Gaussian mixture model is proposed. Using the latent variables obtained by the expectation-maximization algorithm, the posterior probability of each point is computed. As a result,
ground and objects can be marked separately according to the calculated possibility. 15 data samples provided by the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing are used to verify the proposed method, which is also compared with eight classical filtering algorithms. Experimental
results demonstrate that the average total errors and average Cohen's kappa coefficient of the proposed method are 6.91% and 80.9%, respectively. In general, it has better performance in areas with terrain discontinuities and bridges.
Perdidos y encontrados : estado, derecho, soberanía y la lucha perpetua de clases.
Authors: Pietropaoli Stefano
Published: September 2021

Asistimos hoy a una forma inédita de guerra de clases que ha encontrado su propia arma vencedora al enfrentar a unos contra otros, fijos y precarios, ancianos y jóvenes, hombres y mujeres, ciudadanos y extranjeros, residentes e inmigrantes. En este escenario, el Estado —vaciado de su contenido político-democrático— no ha muerto: ha conservado intacto el tan robusto como versátil armazón administrativo y burocrático, estableciendo el ambiente ideal para la ideología neocapitalista. Y, así como el Estado, también el derecho ha sufrido una profunda transformación, funcional hacia los intereses del neocapitalismo. El Estado ha sobrevivido como institución sin soberanía. La soberanía perdida ha dejado campo libre a la deconstrucción de la esfera pública y a la privatización de los sujetos políticos. Pero sostener que la soberanía está latente o superada (y que si regresara sería peligrosa), que el pueblo es un sujeto privado de identidad y probable presa de los extremismos, que las clases ya no existen y que la lucha de clases es una herramienta oxidada del viejo-marxismo, no significa hacer un lúcido e imparcial análisis del presente, sino aniquilar la misma posibilidad de resistir al neocapitalismo. Una renovada soberanía popular, moderada por la política, representa, quizá, la única alternativa real a la “soberanía del mercado”.
From post-democracy to post-truth politics : the crisis of contemporary democracy in three analytical moves.
Authors: Lo Schiavo Lidia
Published: September 2021

This essay is aimed at thematising the topic of post-truth in the ‘post-democratic’ constellation. From this perspective, it firstly illustrates contents and features of the broad concept of post-democracy, therefore analysing both the issue of the crisis of democracy and the impact of contemporary neoliberal platform capitalism on these process. Hence, it addresses the related topics of new technologies and changes in political communication, along with the unfolding of the neo-populist phenomenology. A number of concluding meta-theoretical reflections on the relationship between democracy, knowledge and political representation are also developed.
New mothers : market, bodies, life.
Authors: Giordano Valeria
Published: September 2021

.
Anorexic daughters of hysterical mothers : on the shadows (and lights) of the mother as a symbolic order.
Authors: Cossutta Carlotta
Published: September 2021

.
The truth in a bubble the end of ‘audience democracy’ and the rise of ‘bubble democracy’.
Authors: Palano Damiano
Published: September 2021

This article sustains that the so-called ‘post-truth’ phenomenon also depends on the characteristics of the new ‘hybrid’ communicative scenario. The thesis is that this new scenario is substantially different from that of the ‘party democracy’, protagonist of significant part of the twentieth century, and from that of the ‘audience democracy’, defined by Bernard Manin in the mid-nineties. The emergence of new media entails a series of consequences, including the fragmentation of the audience into a plurality of self-referential segments, politically polarized ‘bubbles’, devoid, at least potentially, of a common communicative sphere. Taking into account such developments, the article seeks to construct the ‘ideal type’ of a ‘bubble democracy’, marked by the mistrust of institutions, fragmentation of the audience, disintermediation, homophilic tendencies, and polarization.
Latour, foucault, and post-truth : the role and function of critique in the era of the truth crisis.
Authors: Flatscher Matthias , Seitz Sergej
Published: September 2021

This paper, first published in German in Le Foucaldien 4(1) 2018 and in English in Le Foucaldien 6(1) 2020, explores Bruno Latour’s critique of contemporary critical theory. According to Latour, poststructuralist conceptions of critical inquiry are becoming increasingly outdated. In our “post-factual” era, attempting to expose facts as results of power-laden processes of social construction plays into the hands of anti-scientific obscurantists. This is not to say, however, that one ought to opt for some reductionist notion of objectivity. Instead, Latour proposes a new form of critical realism. While we agree with Latour about the necessity of widening our epistemological paradigm, we deem his critique of poststructuralism unfair and exaggerated. Moreover, we argue that he fails to account for the relationship between epistemology, power, and subjectivity. Since Foucault, on the other hand, succeeds where Latour falls short and probes into this very relationship, his is a form of critique that remains crucial to tackling the current crisis of truth.
New asymptotically quadratic conditions for Hamiltonian elliptic systems
Authors: Liao Fangfang , Zhang Wen
Published: September 2021

This paper is concerned with the following Hamiltonian elliptic system

−
Δ
u
+
V
(
x
)
u
=

W

v

(
x
,
u
,
v
)
,
 
 
 
 
x
∈

R

N

,

−
Δ
v
+
V
(
x
)
v
=

W

u

(
x
,
u
,
v
)
,
 
 
 
 
x
∈

R

N

,

$$
\left\{
\begin{array}{ll}
-\Delta u+V(x)u=W_{v}(x, u, v), \ \ \ \ x\in {\mathbb{R}}^{N},\\
-\Delta v+V(x)v=W_{u}(x, u, v), \ \ \ \ x\in {\mathbb{R}}^{N},\\
\end{array}
\right.
$$

where z = (u, v) : ℝ
N
→ ℝ2, V(x) and W(x, z) are 1-periodic in x. By making use of variational approach for strongly indefinite problems, we obtain a new existence result of nontrivial solution under new conditions that the nonlinearity

W
(
x
,
z
)
:=

1
2

V

∞

(
x
)

|

A
z

|

2

+
F
(
x
,
z
)

$ W(x,z):=\frac{1}{2}V_{\infty}(x)|Az|^2+F(x, z) $

is general asymptotically quadratic, where V
∞(x) ∈ (ℝ
N
, ℝ) is 1-periodic in x and infℝ
N

V
∞(x) > minℝ
N

V(x), and A is a symmetric non-negative definite matrix.
Topological indices of bipolar fuzzy incidence graph
Authors: Gong Shu , Hua Gang
Published: September 2021

The topological index of graph has a wide range of applications in theoretical chemistry, network design, data transmission, etc. In fuzzy graph settings, these topological indices have completely different definitions and connotations. In this work, we define new Wiener index and connectivity index for bipolar fuzzy incidence graphs, and obtain the characteristics of these indices by means of the definition of fuzzy membership functions. Furthermore, the interrelationship between Wiener index and connectivity index is considered.
A wideband 4-port MIMO antenna supporting sub-6 GHz spectrum for 5G mobile terminals
Authors: Salamin Mohammad Ahmad , Hussain Niamat
Published: September 2021

In this work, a unique wideband multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna for fifth-generation (5G) applications is introduced. Each antenna element in the MIMO system is formed using a modified parasitic ring. To improve the performance of the antenna, a rectangular-shaped region is etched into the opposite side of each element in the ground plane. The proposed MIMO antenna is designed on a commercially available FR-4 substrate, having total dimensions of 100 × 60 × 0.8 mm3. Most interestingly, the antenna has a measured bandwidth from 2.60 to 5.97 GHz. This will effectively encompass the most predicted feasible bands for futuristic 5G communications, including 5G new radio frequency bands (N77/N78/N79) and long-term evolution (LTE) 46 band. The performance of a single antenna is evaluated in terms of S-parameters, gain, radiation patterns and efficiency. The performance of the MIMO system is also evaluated in terms of the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC) and diversity gain (DG). The designed antenna is fabricated, and the simulation results are verified practically. Good agreement is reached between simulation and measurement results. The proposed design is a good choice for 5G applications that require wideband capabilities.
An improved method for analysis of interrupted time series (ITS) data: accounting for patient heterogeneity using weighted analysis
Authors: Ewusie Joycelyne , Beyene Joseph , Thabane Lehana , Straus Sharon E. , Hamid Jemila S.
Published: September 2021

Interrupted time series (ITS) design is commonly used to evaluate the impact of interventions in healthcare settings. Segmented regression (SR) is the most commonly used statistical method and has been shown to be useful in practical applications involving ITS designs. Nevertheless, SR is prone to aggregation bias, which leads to imprecision and loss of power to detect clinically meaningful differences. The objective of this article is to present a weighted SR method, where variability across patients within the healthcare facility and across time points is incorporated through weights. We present the methodological framework, provide optimal weights associated with data at each time point and discuss relevant statistical inference. We conduct extensive simulations to evaluate performance of our method and provide comparative analysis with the traditional SR using established performance criteria such as bias, mean square error and statistical power. Illustrations using real data is also provided. In most simulation scenarios considered, the weighted SR method produced estimators that are uniformly more precise and relatively less biased compared to the traditional SR. The weighted approach also associated with higher statistical power in the scenarios considered. The performance difference is much larger for data with high variability across patients within healthcare facilities. The weighted method proposed here allows us to account for the heterogeneity in the patient population, leading to increased accuracy and power across all scenarios. We recommend researchers to carefully design their studies and determine their sample size by incorporating heterogeneity in the patient population.
Biosecurity at the Border: How the Federal Government can Fulfill Its Duty and Ensure Its Citizens’ Rights by Minimizing the Public Health Risk Posed by Foreign Entrants
Authors: Patterson Cole Anthony
Published: September 2021

The Federal Government has an obligation to protect its citizens from the biosecurity threat posed by foreign entrants. Similarly, American citizens have a constitutional right to be protected. This article identifies the specific public health threats posed by foreign entrants, analyzes the relevant law, and then proposes specific solutions to ameliorate the problem.
Global existence and boundedness in a two-species chemotaxis system with nonlinear diffusion
Authors: Huang Ting , Hou Zhibo , Han Yongjie
Published: September 2021

This paper is concerned with a chemotaxis system

u

t

=
Δ

u

m

−

∇

⋅

(

χ

1

(

w

)

u

∇

w

)

+

μ

1

u

(

1
−
u
−

a

1

v

)

,

x
∈
Ω
,

t
>
0
,

v

t

=
Δ

v

n

−

∇

⋅

(

χ

2

(

w

)

v

∇

w

)

+

μ

2

v

(

1
−

a

2

u
−
v

)

,

x
∈
Ω
,

t
>
0
,

w

t

=
Δ
w
−

(

α
u
+
β
v

)

w
,

x
∈
Ω
,

t
>
0
,

\left\{\begin{array}{ll}{u}_{t}=\Delta {u}^{m}-\nabla \cdot \left({\chi }_{1}\left(w)u\nabla w)+{\mu }_{1}u\left(1-u-{a}_{1}v),& x\in \Omega ,\hspace{0.33em}t\gt 0,\\ {v}_{t}=\Delta {v}^{n}-\nabla \cdot \left({\chi }_{2}\left(w)v\nabla w)+{\mu }_{2}v\left(1-{a}_{2}u-v),& x\in \Omega ,\hspace{0.33em}t\gt 0,\\ {w}_{t}=\Delta w-\left(\alpha u+\beta v)w,& x\in \Omega ,\hspace{0.33em}t\gt 0,\end{array}\right.

under homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions in a bounded domain

Ω
⊂

R

3

\Omega \subset {{\mathbb{R}}}^{3}

with smooth boundary, where

μ

1

,

μ

2

>
0

{\mu }_{1},{\mu }_{2}\gt 0

,

a

1

,

a

2

>
0

{a}_{1},{a}_{2}\gt 0

,

α
,
β
>
0

\alpha ,\beta \gt 0

, and the chemotactic sensitivity function

χ

i

∈

C

1

(

[

0
,
∞

)

)

{\chi }_{i}\in {C}^{1}({[}0,\infty ))

,

χ

i

′

≥
0

{\chi }_{i}^{^{\prime} }\ge 0

. It is proved that for any large initial data, for any

m
,
n
>
1

m,n\gt 1

, the system admits a global weak solution, which is uniformly bounded.
Electroluminescence in plasmonic actuator based on Au/SiO2/n-Si tunnel junction
Authors: Liu Yan , Chua Soo-Jin , Gao Siping , Hu Wenrui , Guo Yongxin
Published: September 2021

A compact electrical source capable of generating surface plasmon polaritons would represent a crucial step for on-chip plasmonic circuitry. The device fabrication of plasmonic actuator based on Au/SiO2/n++Si tunnel junction and performance have been reported in [ACS photonics, 2021, 8, 7, 1951–1960]. This work focuses on the underlying mechanisms of electroluminescence. The n-type Si samples were doped with concentrations ranging from 1.6 × 1015 cm−3to 1.0 × 1020 cm−3. A low voltage of 1.4 V for intense light emission was achieved at the highest concentration. The electrical/spectral characteristics and energy band diagrams calculation show two distinct behaviors indicating two distinct mechanisms of light emission are at work in the heavily doped versus the lightly doped Si. In the heavily doped case, the light output is correlated to tunneling current and the subsequent conversion of surface plasmons to photons, while that for the lightly doped case is due to indirect band-to-band recombination in silicon. The results are validated by numerical simulation which indicates that the heavy doping of the n++-Si is necessary to achieve surface plasmon generation via electron tunneling due to the presence of band tail states and their effect on lowering the barrier height.
Soft and plasmonic hydrogel optical probe for glucose monitoring
Authors: Guo Jingjing , Zhou Bingqian , Du Zhou , Yang Changxi , Kong Lingjie , Xu Lijun
Published: September 2021

Glucose monitoring sensors with high softness and flexibility are critical for the developments of wearable and implantable healthcare devices that enable diagnosis, prognosis, and management of diabetes. The design and implementation of such sensors have been extensively exploited by electrochemical strategies, which, however, suffer from poor reusability and complex modification procedures, and necessitate frequent calibration or sensor replacement due to enzymatic reaction instability. Here, a soft and plasmonic hydrogel optical sensor is created for quantitative and continuous glucose monitoring under physiological conditions. The optical sensor consists of a flexible optical fiber made from composites of gold nanoparticles and glucose-responsive hydrogels. The reversible binding of glucose to the nanocomposite optical fiber results in dynamic volume expansion of the hydrogel matrix, which modulates the localized surface plasmon resonance effect, enabling glucose to be quantified from the light transmission. To achieve robust readout, a dual-wavelength differential approach is employed to endow the sensor with self calibration capability. We show that the sensor is reversible and reusable for detecting physiological glucose levels with high linearity and negligible hysteresis. The soft and flexible glucose sensor holds great promises of serving as a minimally-invasive probe for point-of-care glucose monitoring in clinics.
The effects of oral steroid therapy on prolidase enzyme activity in patients with nasal polyps
Authors: Ekinci Adnan , Kayadibi Huseyin , Demir Emre , Ozcan Muge
Published: September 2021

Objective

To compare prolidase enzyme activity (PEA) in serum and polyp specimens of patients with nasal polyps obtained before and after the oral steroid therapy.

Materials and methods

Thirty three patients with nasal polyps (39 ± 13 years) received 1 mg/kg of oral steroids. Serum samples were collected from each patient, but nasal polyp specimens could be obtained only from 23 patients (38 ± 13 years) before and after the oral steroid therapy. PEA was measured by ELISA method.

Results

Serum PEA values were 210 (176–242) U/L and 184 (147–217) U/L before and after the oral steroid therapy, respectively (p = 0.015). Polyp tissue PEA was 1337 (738–2130) U/g and 871 (590–1663) U/g before and after the oral steroid therapy, respectively (p = 0.429).

Conclusion

In patients with nasal polyps, significantly lower serum PEA after the oral steroid therapy may be a consequence of the role of prolidase enzyme in inflammatory processes which are important for the development of nasal polyps. More comprehensive studies with larger sample sizes are needed to elucidate the role of PEA in the pathogenesis of nasal polyps.
Die dogmatische Stelle und die Rolle des Kindesalters in der modernen ungarischen Rechtsentwicklung
Authors: Balogh Ágnes Rózsa
Published: September 2021

According to the provisions of the Criminal Code in force, in the case of violent offenses listed in the law, young offenders aged 12-14 who have the ability to recognize the consequences of a crime may be punished as well. Ability of discernment is not a new concept in our criminal law; this study describes the change in the content of this concept and the development of the criminal regulations on childhood, referring to the practical problems of applying the law in force.
A házasságon kívül született gyermek jogállása különös tekintettel a tartásdíj kiszabásának bírói gyakorlatára 1945 és 1950 között Magyarországon
Authors: Krausz Bernadett
Published: September 2021

There was a legal differentiation between children born in and out of wedlock in 1945. The Hungarian State recognised that this differentiation was outdated, thus the Act XXIX of 1946 on the legal status of children born out of wedlock came into force on June 7, 1947. The aims of the Act were that it should cease the differentiation between children born in and out of wedlock and their legal status shall be equal to legitimate children, and the children born out of wedlock (illegitimate children) shall be related to their fathers and their fathers’ kin. It was the first comprehensive regulation regarding child support that came into effect. The study presents the regulations of child support between 1945 and 1950 in Hungary and discloses the court practice regarding child support of the District Court of Zalaegerszeg in the designated period.
The Survival of Sharia Islamic Divorce Law in the Syrian and Egyptian Personal Status Laws
Authors: Alkhaled Mohamad
Published: September 2021

The family law was not codified in both Syria and Egypt until 1917 when the Ottomans issued the Ottoman Family Rights Law, which applied to Muslims, Christians, and Jews each according to its provisions. This Ottoman Family Rights Law and the book of the Egyptian scholar Muhammad Qadri Pasha (‘Legal Ruling on Personal Status’) formed the first core of personal status laws in both Egypt and Syria, which s explains the survival of Islamic law to this day in personal status laws, in contrast to other branches of law. This paper presents a comparative study between the Egyptian Personal Status Law No. 25 of 1920, and the Syrian Personal Status Law No. 59 of 1953, regarding divorce provisions.
A Német Szövetség váltójogi jogalkotása és annak hatása az Osztrák Császárságra és a Magyar Királyságra
Authors: Baranyai Marcell
Published: September 2021

Among the 19th century’s European legislative and codification processes nowadays’ jurisprudence is happy to highlight the creation of civil codes as a milestone in the development of civil law, however, we must not forget the flourishing of another, at least as important branch of private law: the commercial law. In parallel with the growth of overland and sea trade, with increasingly diversified commercial relations, commercial transactions developed, which may have served as a good basis for the development of private law. This study is the first in a series of commercial law history studies and presents the sources of different laws on bills of exchange in the German territories and the harmonizing legislation of the thousand-faced German Confederation, as well as its impact on the Austrian Empire, such as the Austrian law on bills of exchange and the Hungarian Kingdom's vicious, but ultimately rewarding independent legislative aspirations.
Márkus Dezső a nőkérdésről II.
Authors: Császár Kinga
Published: September 2021

This paper shows the standpoints of the representatives of the legal practice about women’s legal status in Hungary between 1867 – 1918. The actuality of the examination was the fact that the drafts of the first Civil Code in Hungary (1900 –1928) were under editing at the same time. The articles about  alimony and jointure are described in this paper. The study shows the attitude of the members of the legal profession towards the extension of women’s rights and the significant contradictions in case law.
Cultural and Humanitarian Aspect of the Russian Influence in the Student Community in Serbia
Authors:   School of International Relations, St. Petersburg State University, Mladenovic Maja
Published: September 2021

The aim of the article is to consider the issues of the attitude of Serbian youth to Russian culture and the activities of Russian cultural centers in Serbia on the basis of sociological surveys conducted by the author of the article. The survey methodology consisted of questioning Serbian students through an electronic questionnaire on the Facebook platform. In conclusion, it is stated that the Serbian student youth has a very weak understanding of the Russian sphere of culture and education, and therefore the overwhelming majority does not know about the possibility of free education in the Russian Federation, is poorly aware of the quality of life in Russia. Joint efforts of Russian and Serbian state and civil structures are required for a qualitative change in the situation.
Republic of Cyprus: «Old» Parties Lose Popularity
Authors:   Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences, Guseletov Boris
Published: September 2021

This article presents an analysis of the results of the parliamentary elections held in Cyprus on May 30, 2021. These elections were held in the context of the aggravation of the issue of the division of the island into Cypriot and Turkish parts and an increase in illegal migration to the island, an increase in the negative impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic, as well as a number of corruption scandals related to the issuance of so-called golden passports. It is shown that the leading Cypriot parties, the ruling Democratic Union and the opposition Progressive Workers Party of Cyprus, continue to lose their supporters who are dissatisfied with the existing party-political system and the inability of these parties for many years to resolve the issue of dividing the country into two states. The center-left Democratic Party (DP) and the Movement for Social Democracy, which took third and fifth places, respectively, retained their modest positions. Against this background, the influence of the nationalist «National Popular Front», which supports the federalization of the Republic of Cyprus, has grown, which came in fourth place. And for the first time, a new liberal party, the Democratic Front, was elected to parliament, also advocating an early solution to the issue of dividing the island by involving international mediators.
Prospects for the Nord Stream 2 Gas Pipeline
Authors:   Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences, Belov Vladislav
Published: September 2021

In mid-July 2021, American-German talks were held in Washington, within the framework of which J. Biden and A. Merkel discussed the prospects for the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline (NS-2). This project under President D. Trump became one of the conflicting factors that significantly worsened relations between the United States and Germany. On July 21, a joint statement by the President and the Bundeskanzlerin was published, containing a description of the conditions for the commercial launch of NS-2. The article analyzes the changes in the position of the new American administration regarding the NS-2, the agreements reached in July on the operating conditions for the new gas pipeline, its significance for Berlin's relations with Washington, Moscow, Kiev and Warsaw. Considering the results of the negotiations as a compromise between the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany with ambiguous consequences for Russia, the author concludes that a number of risks remain for the project – the operator of the SP-2 and its owner, Gazprom, during the commercial launch and subsequent operation of the offshore and onshore sections of the gas pipeline, will have to continue to resist the resistance of its opponents in the USA, Germany and several other EU countries.
Afghan Crisis: Prospects for a New Strategy of the European Union
Authors:   Institute of Europe, Russian Academy of Sciences, Shcherbak Igor
Published: September 2021

The article contains analyses of the formation of a new strategy of EU towards Afghanistan taking into account recent dramatic changes of strategic environment in connection with the withdrawal of the US and NATO forces from the country. The author devotes attention in this context to the reasoning for adaptation of the previous EU strategy on Afghanistan which was based on the prioritization of a «soft power» concept. The article enumerates possible elements of a perspective EU strategy – support to international efforts aimed at a comprehensive peaceful regulation of the Afghan crises, suppression of international terrorism, strengthening security of the country and providing large-scale economic assistance for sustaining development of Afghanistan as a guarantee of its stability in the future. The article underlines that the concept of interconnectivity between Central Asia – Afghanistan – South Asia and strategic partnership with India are actively used by EU for integration of Afghanistan into the regional cooperation and strengthening its sustainable development and security. The author sheds light on the convergence of the approaches of the EU and Russia on peaceful settlement of the Afghan crises including possibility of joint actions through different international formats aimed at peaceful and sustainable post-conflict development of Afghanistan.
Impact of the Pandemic on the Economic and Political Situation in Germany. Part 2
Authors:   Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences, Kokeev Alexander , Khorolskaya Maria ,   Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 epidemic has become a major challenge for Germany. The authors set a goal to analyze how the German government solves the problems facing the country at the national and European levels, as well as to identify how public attitudes are changing under the influence of the pandemic. In the first part the rate of spread of the pandemic and the effectiveness of German restrictive measures were analyzed. It was concluded that during the first period of the spread of the virus, optimistic assessments of its success in the fight against the pandemic prevailed in Germany, but during the second wave, the FRG authorities faced significant difficulties. The authors also looked in detail at the economic damage from the pandemic. The second part of the study is devoted to changing public attitudes in society. The authors research in detail how the pandemic affects electoral preferences and make predictions about the upcoming elections to the Bundestag. Particular attention is paid to the German policy against COVID-19 and minimizing the consequences of the pandemic at the European level. After the first isolationist reaction of the EU countries gave way to attempts to find a join set of measures, the FRG authorities are making significant efforts to come to a compromise that satisfies the majority of the members of the European Union
European Union – Geopolitical Rival or Key Partner of Russia?
Authors:   RG Consulting, RosGeo, Naryshkin Andrey
Published: September 2021

European countries have traditionally been Russia’s key economic partners. Mutual interest is based on geographical proximity, historical ties and also by the complementarity markets. Mutual sanctions spread over recent years has called into question Russia – European Union partnership and cooperation established by Agreement in 1994. This article reviews the current status of Russia – EU and its member states relations. Also the article contains analysis of mutual trade, economic and investment cooperation, economic and diplomatic ties of partners during periods of mutual rapprochement (before 2014th) and the subsequent cooling of relations. Conclusions on current Russia – EU and its member states relations. Also the article contains analysis of mutual trade, econ Europe relationship made in this article are based on a comprehensive analysis of official statistics of bilateral trade and investment cooperation between Russia and foreign countries. Current data shows the importance of the European direction for our country. This article also discusses possible ways to improve the efficiency of interaction between partners at the present stage.
APOE4 Affects Basal and NMDAR-Mediated Protein Synthesis in Neurons by Perturbing Calcium Homeostasis
Authors: Ramakrishna Sarayu , Jhaveri Vishwaja , Konings Sabine C. , Nawalpuri Bharti , Chakraborty Sumita , Holst Bjørn , Schmid Benjamin , Gouras Gunnar K. , Freude Kristine K. , Muddashetty Ravi S.
Published: September 2021

Apolipoprotein E (APOE), one of the primary lipoproteins in the brain has three isoforms in humans, APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4. APOE4 is the most well-established risk factor increasing the predisposition for Alzheimer's disease (AD). The presence of the APOE4 allele alone is shown to cause synaptic defects in neurons and recent studies have identified multiple pathways directly influenced by APOE4. However, the mechanisms underlying APOE4-induced synaptic dysfunction remain elusive. Here, we report that the acute exposure of primary cortical neurons or synaptoneurosomes to APOE4 leads to a significant decrease in global protein synthesis. Primary cortical neurons were derived from male and female embryos of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats or C57BL/6J mice. Synaptoneurosomes were prepared from P30 male SD rats. APOE4 treatment also abrogates the NMDA-mediated translation response indicating an alteration of synaptic signaling. Importantly, we demonstrate that both APOE3 and APOE4 generate a distinct translation response which is closely linked to their respective calcium signature. Acute exposure of neurons to APOE3 causes a short burst of calcium through NMDA receptors (NMDARs) leading to an initial decrease in protein synthesis which quickly recovers. Contrarily, APOE4 leads to a sustained increase in calcium levels by activating both NMDARs and L-type voltage-gated calcium channels (L-VGCCs), thereby causing sustained translation inhibition through eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 (eEF2) phosphorylation, which in turn disrupts the NMDAR response. Thus, we show that APOE4 affects basal and activity-mediated protein synthesis responses in neurons by affecting calcium homeostasis.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTDefective protein synthesis has been shown as an early defect in familial Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, this has not been studied in the context of sporadic AD, which constitutes the majority of cases. In our study, we show that Apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), the predominant risk factor for AD, inhibits global protein synthesis in neurons. APOE4 also affects NMDA activity-mediated protein synthesis response, thus inhibiting synaptic translation. We also show that the defective protein synthesis mediated by APOE4 is closely linked to the perturbation of calcium homeostasis caused by APOE4 in neurons. Thus, we propose the dysregulation of protein synthesis as one of the possible molecular mechanisms to explain APOE4-mediated synaptic and cognitive defects. Hence, the study not only suggests an explanation for the APOE4-mediated predisposition to AD, it also bridges the gap in understanding APOE4-mediated pathology.
The Akt-mTOR Pathway Drives Myelin Sheath Growth by Regulating Cap-Dependent Translation
Authors: Fedder-Semmes Karlie N. , Appel Bruce
Published: September 2021

In the vertebrate CNS, oligodendrocytes produce myelin, a specialized membrane, to insulate and support axons. Individual oligodendrocytes wrap multiple axons with myelin sheaths of variable lengths and thicknesses. Myelin grows at the distal ends of oligodendrocyte processes, and multiple lines of work have provided evidence that mRNAs and RNA binding proteins localize to myelin, together supporting a model where local translation controls myelin sheath growth. What signal transduction mechanisms could control this? One strong candidate is the Akt-mTOR pathway, a major cellular signaling hub that coordinates transcription, translation, metabolism, and cytoskeletal organization. Here, using zebrafish as a model system, we found that Akt-mTOR signaling promotes myelin sheath growth and stability during development. Through cell-specific manipulations to oligodendrocytes, we show that the Akt-mTOR pathway drives cap-dependent translation to promote myelination and that restoration of cap-dependent translation is sufficient to rescue myelin deficits in mTOR loss-of-function animals. Moreover, an mTOR-dependent translational regulator was phosphorylated and colocalized with mRNA encoding a canonically myelin-translated proteinin vivo, and bioinformatic investigation revealed numerous putative translational targets in the myelin transcriptome. Together, these data raise the possibility that Akt-mTOR signaling in nascent myelin sheaths promotes sheath growth via translation of myelin-resident mRNAs during development.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTIn the brain and spinal cord, oligodendrocytes extend processes that tightly wrap axons with myelin, a protein- and lipid-rich membrane that increases electrical impulses and provides trophic support. Myelin membrane grows dramatically following initial axon wrapping in a process that demands protein and lipid synthesis. How protein and lipid synthesis is coordinated with the need for myelin to be generated in certain locations remains unknown. Our study reveals that the Akt-mTOR signaling pathway promotes myelin sheath growth by regulating protein translation. Because we found translational regulators of the Akt-mTOR pathway in myelin, our data raise the possibility that Akt-mTOR activity regulates translation in myelin sheaths to deliver myelin on demand to the places it is needed.
The picture bride phenomenon: A reflection on photography from a cultural perspective in Yoshiko Uchida’s Picture Bride
Authors:   Department of Foreign Languages, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland, Jarmołowicz-Dziekońska Małgorzata
Published: September 2021

Literature and photography have always encouraged critics to explore interactions between text and image. Within the scope of culture, they also show significant potential in terms of their scholarly application, since the photograph becomes a practical tool for studying literary works within the cultural matrix. The paper aims to use this means of visualisation in order to examine the picture bride phenomenon illustrated in Yoshiko Uchida’s novel Picture Bride (1987), which reveals that behind the veil of apparently prosperous and lifelong marriages, there is a harsh matchmaking system which—solely on the basis of personal networking and Japanese marriage intermediaries—allows for shipping prospective wives from Japan to Japanese immigrants who settled in the United States a few decades earlier. Thus, the photograph constitutes a tool of analysis, which doubles as a tangible means of representation and a factual visualisation of metacognitive imagery.
Is translating poems for children a child’s play? A linguistic analysis of the English translations of “Lokomotywa” by Julian Tuwim
Authors:   University of Warsaw, Poland, Saks Laura
Published: September 2021

The aim of the present article is to demonstrate the challenges connected with the translation of children’s poetry, and to offer a qualitative analysis of different translation strategies employed in two English translations of the Polish poem for children “Lokomotywa” by Julian Tuwim. The translation analysis is based on the translation strategies proposed by Lawrence Venuti and Peter Newmark. It focuses on the linguistic and cultural differences between Polish and English, and examines the choices of the translation strategies made by the translators, and the impact they may have had on the reception of the poem in the target language. The comparison shows that although there may be some limitations in terms of the target language and culture, the translators are able to find suitable and effective solutions and simultaneously convey the source text’s form and content. The conclusions placed at the end of the paper summarise the features of both translations and emphasise those strategies employed by the translators which are effective and thanks to which the translations are likely to live up to children’s expectations.
Association between FGF19, FGF21 and lipocalin-2, and diabetes progression in PCOS
Authors: Cheng Feifei , Ng Noel Yat Hey , Tam Claudia Ha Ting , Zhang Yuying , Lim Cadmon King Poo , Jiang Guozhi , Ng Alex Chi Wai , Yau Tiffany Tse Ling , Cheung Lai Ping , Xu Aimin , Chan Juliana C N , Ma Ronald C W
Published: September 2021

Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. FGF19, FGF21 and lipocalin-2 have emerged as important markers of metabolic risk. This study aims to compare the levels of FGF19, FGF21 and lipocalin-2 between subjects with or without PCOS, and to investigate the relationship between proteins and diabetes progression. In this nested case–control cohort study, 128 Chinese PCOS women and 128 controls were recruited and followed-up. All subjects underwent the oral glucose tolerance test for the evaluation of glycaemic status. Baseline serum protein levels were measured using ELISA. Compared with controls, PCOS subjects had higher levels of FGF19 (P < 0.001) and FGF21 (P = 0.022), but had lower lipocalin-2 (P < 0.001). In total, 20.8% of PCOS and 9.2% of controls developed diabetes over a mean duration of 10.4 ± 1.2 and 11.3 ± 0.5 years, respectively. Logistic regression analyses suggested FGF19 was positively associated with diabetes progression in controls, after adjusting for age, follow-up duration, waist and fasting glucose (P = 0.026, odds ratio (OR) (95% CI): 7.4 (1.3–43.6)), and the positive relationship between FGF21 and diabetes progression in controls was attenuated by adjusting for age and follow-up duration (P = 0.183). Lipocalin-2 was positively correlated with diabetes progression in PCOS group (P = 0.026, OR (95% CI)): 2.5 (1.1–5.6)); however, this became attenuated after adjusting for waist and fasting glucose (P = 0.081). In conclusion, there is differential expression of FGF19, FGF21, and lipocalin-2 in PCOS. The serum level of FGF19, and FGF21 is associated with diabetes progression in women without PCOS, while lipocalin-2 was related to diabetes progression in PCOS women.
Feasibility and efficacy of surgical staging for endometrial cancer by using Pfannenstiel incision
Authors:   Department of Surgical Oncology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Egypt, Jabir Murad A. , Elshoieby Mahmoud H. ,   Department of Surgical Oncology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Egypt, Omar Mohamed I. ,   Department of Surgical Oncology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Egypt, Raafat Mohamad ,   Department of Surgical Oncology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Egypt,   Department of General surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt, Abou-Taleb Hisham ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt, Hamed Ali Hassan ,   Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt
Published: September 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate short-term oncological and perioperative outcomes of using Pfannenstiel incision for the surgical staging of endometrial carcinoma. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. All patients with endometrial carcinoma referred to the Department of Surgical Oncology, South Egypt Cancer Institute, for surgical staging between January 1, 2014, and July 1, 2016, were enrolled. The patients were grouped according to the type of surgical incision either through Pfannenstiel incision or midline incision, and the groups were compared. Demographic, clinical, operative, and short-term oncological features were analyzed. Results: A total number of 117 patients were recruited, of which 45 patients had Pfannenstiel incision, and 72 patients had midline incision. The clinical and pathological features of patients in both groups were similar. The operative outcomes showed no significant difference between the groups (p > 0.1). Postoperatively, the Pfannenstiel incision group had a statistically significant lower rate of complications compared to the midline incision group (15.5% vs. 38.9%, p = 0.02). The short-term oncological outcomes in the form of total procured lymph nodes or para-aortic lymph nodes were not statistically different (p > 0.1). Conclusion: Pfannenstiel incision can be safely performed for the surgical staging of endometrial cancer with acceptable oncological outcomes compared to the midline incision.