bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Field Efficacy of Different IPM Modules for Management of Aphid on Cumin (Cuminum Cyminum L.) Under Semi-Arid Conditions
Authors: Meena Narottam Kumar , Meena Ram Swaroop , Singh Ravindra , Meena Murlidhar , Verma Arvind Kumar , Choudhary Sharda , Ravi Y , Saxena Shailendra Nath
Published: December 2021

Aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and Aphis gossypii Glower (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are the two major species damaging cumin crop throughout the cumin growing states of India. Its infestation initiated on cumin crops at 20 days after seed germination with very low incidence and became abundant at 70-80 day after seed germination during second week of January till February when crops are in full grown stage. Since cumin is most important seed spice crop, having huge nutritional, medicinal and aromatic properties, and its seed and essential oil is exporting in many countries over the world, hence quality production is the major challenge for the growers. The multiple sprays of chemical pesticides with heavy doses for pest management induce resistance in aphids, harmful to natural enemies and also enhance the pesticide residue level in the produce (seed). With this approach, the present study was conducted for two consecutive years to evaluate the cumulative effect of botanicals, cultural and physical methods, bio-pesticides, and bio-control agents and insecticides in the form of IPM module for the management of aphid and relative safety to natural enemies in cumin under field conditions. In this study, amongst eight different IPM modules evaluated against aphid, module M-5 consisted by seed treatment with imidacloprid 600FS @ 3ml/kg seed followed by foliar spray of ker plant extract @ 10ml/litre, Verticillium lecanii (1x108cfu/g) @ 6g/litre, and fipronil 5%SC @ 0.035% at definite interval secured efficient management of aphids (>92% mortality) with relative safety to natural enemies and minimized pesticide residue in the seeds. The highest seed yield (934 kg/ha), test weight (5.24 g), essential oil (5.98%), economics (Rs.1.08 Lakh) and B: C ratio (3.69:1) was obtained by the application of IPM modules M-5. Similarly, the higher seed yield 1072.5 kg per hectare (21.19% appreciation over farmers practices) was also recorded in field validation study under non replicated field in large area, proved its effectiveness by the farmers. Consequently, it recommends that IPM module M-5 consisted with botanical product, entomopathogenic fungi and insecticides exhibited sustainable aphid management module for cumin, comparatively safer to natural enemies and lower residue level in the seeds.
Change in hippocampal volume in children with febrile seizure at different periods
Authors: Cao QingJun , Huang JinYing , Wang Hua
Published: December 2021

Background

This study aimed to investigate the change of hippocampal volume in children at different periods after febrile seizure.
Methods

MRI of the brain was performed in 60 children with febrile seizure (30 patients with simple febrile seizure and 30 patients with prolonged febrile seizure) and in 30 healthy children. The volume of the hippocampus was tested and compared at different periods after febrile seizure.
Results

The volumes of hippocampus in the two febrile seizure groups increased compared with that of the control group in acute period after seizure. There was no obvious difference in hippocampal volume between the simple febrile seizure group and the prolonged febrile seizure group in the acute or chronic period after seizure. The average annual growth of hippocampal volume in the simple febrile seizure group was greater than that in the prolonged febrile seizure group.
Conclusions

Febrile seizure can affect hippocampus volume in the acute stage of convulsion. Prolonged febrile seizure affects hippocampus development with aging.
Targeting Positive Cofactor 4 Induces Autophagic Cell Death In MYC-Expressing Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Ma Le , Gong Qiang , Fu Jianlin , Xie Mingling , Luo Peng , Chen Jieping , Shi Chunmeng
Published: December 2021

Background: The MYC-expressing diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is one of the refractory lymphomas. The pathogenesis of MYC-expressing DLBCL is still unclear, and there is a lack of effective therapy. In this study, we have explored the clinical significance and the molecular mechanisms of transcription co-activator 4 (PC4) in MYC-expressing DLBCL.Methods: We investigated PC4 expression in 54 cases of DLBCL patients’ tissues and matched normal specimens, and studied the molecular mechanisms of PC4 in MYC-expressing DLBCL both in vitro and in vivo.Results: We reported for the first time that targeting c-Myc could induce autophagic cell death in MYC-expressing DLBCL cell lines. We next characterized that PC4 was an upstream regulator of c-Myc, and PC4 was overexpressed in DLBCL and was closely related to clinical staging, prognosis and c-Myc expression. Further, our in vivo and in vitro studies revealed that PC4 knockdown could induce autophagic cell death of MYC-expressing DLBCL. And inhibition of c-Myc mediated aerobic glycolysis and activation of AMPK / mTOR signaling pathway were responsible for the autophagic cell death induced by PC4 knockdown in MYC-expressing DLBCL. Through the DLRTM and EMSA assay, we also found that PC4 exerted its oncogenic functions by directly binding to c-Myc promoters.Conclusions: PC4 exerts its oncogenic functions by directly binding to c-Myc promoters. Inhibition of PC4 can induce autophagic cell death of MYC-expressing DLBCL. Our study provides novel insights into the functions and mechanisms of PC4 in MYC-expressing DLBCL, and suggests that PC4 might be a promising therapeutic target for MYC-expressing DLBCL.
The Caucasus Territory Hot-Cold Spots Determination And Description Using 2D Surface Waves Tomography
Authors: Abrehdari Seyed Hossein , Karapetyan Jon K. , Rahimi Habib , Gyodakyan Eduard
Published: December 2021

In order to identify and describe Hot-Cold spots inside the earth based on increasing and decreasing wave velocity anomalies, this paper attempts to generate the first 2D tomographic maps of Rayleigh surface wave velocity dispersion curves, by using ~1200 local-regional earthquake data and ~30000 vertical (Z) components of earthquake data waveform energy with magnitude M≥4 from 1999 to 2018 in a periods range of 5 to 70 seconds and a grid spacing of 0.2º×0.5º for a depth of ~200 km. To conduct this, a generalized 2D linear inversion procedure developed by Yanovskaya and Ditmar has been applied to construct the first 2D Rayleigh tomography velocity maps in order to understand better the regional tectonic activities in the enigmatic ongoing collision-compressed edge zone of the Eurasian-Arabic plates. In this study, we assumed that low-velocity (slow) region with dark red shade is hot spot and high-velocity (fast) region with dark blue-green-yellow is a cold spot. In short and medium periods were determined the number of 15 and 2 hot spots with a depth of 7 to 108 km, respectively. In long-periods and a depth of ~200 km, most part of the area study has covered by low-velocity anomaly.
Metformin Sensitizes Leukemic Cells to Cytotoxic Lymphocytes by Increasing Expression of Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (ICAM-1)
Authors: Allende-Vega Nerea , Brualla Joaquin Marco , Falvo Paolo , Alexia Catherine , Constantinides Michael , Maudave Alexis Fayd’herbe , Coenon Lois , Gitenay Delphine , Mitola Giulia , Massa Paul , Orecchioni Stefania , Bertolini Francesco , Marzo Isabel , Anel Alberto , Villalba Martin
Published: December 2021

Solid tumor cells have an altered metabolism that can protect them from cytotoxic lymphocytes. The antidiabetic drug metformin modifies tumor cell metabolism and several clinical trials are testing its effectiveness for the treatment of solid cancers. The use of metformin in hematologic cancers has received much less attention, although allogeneic cytotoxic lymphocytes are very effective against these tumors. We show here that metformin induces expression of Natural Killer G2-D (NKG2D) ligands (NKG2DL) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), a ligand of the lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1). This leads to enhance sensitivity to cytotoxic lymphocytes. Overexpression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 family members decrease both metformin effects. The sensitization to activated cytotoxic lymphocytes is mainly mediated by the increase on ICAM-1 levels, which favors cytotoxic lymphocytes binding to tumor cells. Finally, metformin decreases the growth of human hematological tumor cells in xenograft models, mainly in presence of monoclonal antibodies that recognize tumor antigens. Our results suggest that metformin could improve cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated therapy.
Systemic COVID-19 vaccination also enhances the humoral immune response after SARS CoV-2 infection in the population of an oncology hospital in Poland. Criteria for COVID-19 re-immunization are needed.
Authors: Kosiorek Piotr , Kazberuk Dorota , Hryniewicz Anna , Milewski Robert , Stróż Samuel , Stasiak-Barmuta Anna
Published: December 2021

Systemic vaccination of the BNT162b2 mRNA stimulates humoral response. Our study aimed to compare the intensity of humoral immune response, measured by SARS CoV-2 IgG, SARS CoV-2 IgM, and neutralization S-RBD IgG antibodies level, post COVID-19 vaccination versus post-SARS COV-2 infection. We analysed 1060 people in the following groups: convalescents, healthy vaccinated, vaccinated with COMIRNATY, AstraZeneca, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and vaccinated SARS CoV-2 convalescents. A concentration of SARS CoV-2 IgG, SARS CoV-2 IgM, and neutralizing S-RBD IgG was estimated in hospital laboratory by chemiluminescent immunoassay - CLIA, MAGLUMI. Results: 1. We observed a rise of antibodies response in both convalescent SARS CoV-2 and COVID-19 vaccinated groups 2. The level of all antibodies’ concentrations in vaccinated COVID-19 convalescents was significantly higher. 3. We differentiated asymptomatic SARS CoV-2 convalescents from the control group. Based on our analysis, we suggest that it is essential to monitor SARS CoV-2 antibodies concentrations as an indicator of asymptomatic COVID-19 infection and equivalent to the effectiveness of humoral response in convalescents and vaccinated people. Considering the time-limited nature of the effects of post-infection SARS CoV-2 recovery or vaccination, among others physiological half-life, we suggested monitoring IgG antibodies level as a criterium for the next vaccination.
Datafizierte Sichtbarkeiten
Authors: Jornitz Sieglinde , Macgilchrist Felicitas
Published: December 2021

Der Beitrag widmet sich den Ambivalenzen, von denen Datenpraktiken in der Schule durchzogen sind. Die Autorinnen nutzen hierfür die Metapher der Sichtbarkeit. Sie zeigen eine dreifache Verschiebung der Sichtbarkeit, wenn digitale Datentechnologien im Unterricht eingesetzt werden. Diese werden mit den Begriffen Panopticon, Panperspicon und Panspectron beschrieben. Dabei werden pädagogische und weitere schulische Praxisformen subtil und beiläufig, aber dennoch weitreichend transformiert. Aufgezeigt wird diese Verschiebung anhand der Analyse eines Interviews mit einer Lehrerin, die vom Einsatz digitaler Technologien in ihrem Schulalltag berichtet.
Peer corrective feedback as an opportunity for metalinguistic reflection in tandem telecollaboration
Authors: La Russa Francesca , Nuzzo Elena
Published: December 2021

This paper focuses on peer written corrective feedback (PWCF), a pedagogic device whose potential appears still underexploited in second language teaching in Italian schools and universities. Specifically, we aim to contribute to the body of research on the benefits of PWCF as a learning activity for the development of metalinguistic reflection in peer-to-peer native/non-native online communication. Using a sample of tandem interactions between US learners of Italian and Italian learners of English, we conducted a qualitative analysis of the explanations of linguistic phenomena provided by native speakers when commenting on errors after giving corrective feedback on their non-native partners’ pieces of L2 writing. The data analysis confirmed that the feedback-discussing tasks pushed native/non-native peers to actively reflect on both source and target language, engaging in metalinguistic discussions and utilizing cross-linguistic knowledge.
Usabilità ed efficacia di ambienti di apprendimento digitale in ambito linguistico
Authors: Gasparini Alice
Published: December 2021

La pandemia scoppiata nel 2020 ha determinato il trasferimento della didattica in presenza a una mediata da uno schermo. Il cambiamento ha posto l’attenzione su tale modalità sollevando domande sulla sua organizzazione. Il contributo esplora tali temi e si focalizza sugli spazi formativi digitali, analizzati dal punto di vista dell’usabilità: tale concetto racchiude l’efficacia, la piacevolezza, la facilità d’uso di un sistema (Nielsen, 1994). In questo studio, sono stati presi in considerazione due sistemi: Moodle e WordPress. Entrambi hanno come obiettivo finale la gestione di contenuti digitali, ma con finalità diverse. Nelle due piattaforme, opportunamente allestite, sono state implementate alcune risorse aperte di italiano come L2. Per la raccolta di dati sono stati impiegati un software di monitoraggio del comportamento degli utenti, interviste e questionari. L’analisi dei dati ha fatto emergere indicazioni sull’esperienza di apprendimento degli utenti e sul loro comportamento, nonché sull’efficacia degli ambienti e dei materiali.
Some issues of legal regulation of political advertising
Authors: Vaksman R. V.
Published: December 2021

For the first time in Ukraine, the definition of «political advertising» is reflected in the Law of Ukraine «On Elections of People’s Deputies», so far only on the basis of the definition of «advertising» in the Law of Ukraine «On Advertising» it was possible to qualify political advertising as any information about political actors, political parties, designed to raise awareness of their activities.
The mechanism of legal regulation of political advertising involves the development and adoption of national laws and regulations governing public relations arising in the process of production, placement, distribution of political advertising, because in this case may affect the interests of society and the state as a whole.
Today the issue of political advertising is regulated by several legal acts, in particular in Article 1 of the Law of Ukraine «On Advertising» provides only the definition of such advertising without details, the Law of Ukraine «On Local Elections», the Law of Ukraine «On Elections of Deputies of Ukraine», the Electoral Code Ukraine’s norms stipulate the peculiarities of campaigning in the form of political advertising, some restrictions on campaigning, etc. Therefore, the legislation should be characterized by the dispersion of norms on such advertising and inconsistency in the definition of «campaigning» and «political advertising.
Therefore, it is suggested to get acquainted in detail with such a phenomenon as political advertising. The article focuses on the existence in the literature of different approaches to the definition of «political advertising» of its essence, considers the distinction between «political advertising» and «election campaigning», as well as analyzes current legislation and the current state of the legal regulation of this type of advertising
Integration of innovative technologies into crime investigation activity is the significant direction of its effectiveness increasing
Authors: Pavliuk N. V.
Published: December 2021

The article is devoted to the issues of the scientific and technical support of investigative activity. It is emphasized that nowadays fighting cybercrime determines the necessity to develop and implement the scientific and technical means, techniques and methods, as well as apply them to the activity of law enforcement agencies for prevention and investigation of crimes in the field of information and telecommunication technologies.
The focus is placed on the fact that the retrieval, recording and investigation of electronic (digital) information in the pretrial investigation and its further use as evidence remain among the pressing and, at the same time, unexplored issues. It was stated that digital forensics is an integral and necessary tool in fighting cybercrime which is used for the identification, preservation, recovery, analysis, and presentation of digital evidence.
The conclusion was made that with the spread of cybercrime in the modern world one of the priority directions of scientific and technical support of investigative activity is introduction of the latest means, methods and technologies of electronic intelligence into the work with electronic evidence and also protection of the sources of electronic (digital) information
Economic and legal methodology of regulation of economic relations: no alternative phenomenon
Authors: Zadykhaylo D. V.
Published: December 2021

The article is devoted to the problem of a legally secured attempt to repeal the Commercial Code of Ukraine and thus undermine the legal economic order, exaggerating the importance of certain civil structures of property regulation for the economy. In this regard, the article attempts to present a range of arguments in favor of comprehensive, organic and effective regulation of economic market relations, as well as in favor of effective legal support for the implementation of the state's own economic policy which is economic and legal regulation.
Hypothetically, the abolition of the Commercial Code of Ukraine cannot be equated with the abolition of only certain forms of property rights and certain organizational and legal forms of economic organizations. Such an action will lead to the undermining of the entire legal economic order by the universal basic algorithm of which the Commercial Code of Ukraine serves. After all, only it formed the types of economic relations, types of economic activity - commercial and non-commercial management, economic policy and legal principles of its implementation, state regulation of economic activity and a certain classification of its main legal means of influence, the system of economic entities, which provides ample opportunities choose a specific organizational and legal form from a wide range of options, features of the legal status of state and municipal enterprises - the basis of special legal regimes of the state and municipal sectors of the national economy and many other socially significant aspects.
Accordingly, the article raises the question of the economic effect of the introduction of the proposed bill, which should be taken into account and proposed for discussion, as its destructive potential is obvious.
The article also draws attention to the need for criminological examination of this civil bill, one of the large-scale results of which should be the transfer of ownership from the state and local communities to the ownership of legal entities - companies to the relevant public property
Criminological characterisation of violent crimes involving firearms, committed against life and well-being of people
Authors: Voitsekhovskyi B. O.
Published: December 2021

Efficiency of crime preventive measures directly depends on the awareness of law enforcement agents about the object of preventive influence. It is especially important to consider this circumstance in relation to violent infringements. Therefore, knowledge concerning the criminological profile of crimes against life and well-being of people that are committed with firearms, under severe criminogenic conditions in the country, has a special value.
As of today, the category “criminological charasteristic of criminality” is yet to receive it’s solid value. Typically, this term consists of descriptions of distinctive features of criminality as a phenomenon, which is composed via analysis of it’s quantitative and qualitative indicators, namely: total amount of offences and perpetrators, coefficient of criminality (coefficients of crime intensity and crime activity), crime dynamics, crime structure, geography of crime and price of crime.
In this research a universally recognized model of criminological characteristic was used, which involves such indicators: crime level, crime coefficient, crime dynamics, crime structure, geography of crime, price of crime and level of latency.
The purpose of this article is to determine the current state and tendencies of crimes against life and well-being of people involving firearms use in Ukraine. The challenge of this article is to provide a criminological characteristic of this phenomenon under modern conditions.
Research results have established a general pattern of lowering levels of certain crimes, qualified by the following  articles of Criminal Code of Ukraine: 115 “Homicide”, 116 “Murder commited in the heat of passion”, 118 “Murder in excess of necessary defense or in excess of measures necessary to apprehend an offender”, 119 “Negligent homicide”, 121 “Intended grievous bodily injury”, 122 “Intended bodily injury of medium gravity”, 123 “Intended grievous bodily injury inflicted in the heat of passion”, 124 “Intended grievous bodily injury inflicted in excess of necessary defense or in excess of measures necessary to apprehend an offender”, 125 “Intended minor bodily injury”, 128 “Negligent grievous bodily injury or negligent bodily injury of medium gravity”, 129 “Death threat”
Theoretical problems of defining the concept of «economic organization»
Authors: Shchokina O. O.
Published: December 2021

The concept of “economic organization” is known in the science of economic law since Soviet times. However, it did not become widespread and was used only by some scholars.
The legal status of economic organizations has not been comprehensively studied in the Ukrainian science of economic law.
The purpose of the article is to set out the theoretical problems of defining the concept of “economic organization” and to outline the directions of their solution.
The concept of “economic organization” is quite apposite to denote all the diversity of economic entities, but its usage caused a number of theoretical problems. These include problems: the relationship between the concepts of “economic organization” and “undertaking”, the status of a legal entity, the definition of organizational and legal forms of economic organizations, the distinction between commercial and non-commercial economic organizations and classification of economic organizations in general.
The definition of “economic organization” needs to be clarified taking into account the following: in the economic turnover involved some business organizations that are not legal entities; the right to carry out economic activities should have the organization, that formed in the prescribed organizational and legal form, which provides economic competence for commercial or non-commercial economic activities
Doctrine of methods of interpretation of legal norms formed in the case law of the Court of Justice
Authors: Kaminska I. V.
Published: December 2021

The doctrinal approaches to the definition of methods and principles of interpretation of legal norms applied by the Court of Justice of the EU are analyzed. The traditional and special methods of interpretation inherent in integration justice are singled out. The dynamics of changes in the approaches to the interpretation of legal norms in the decisions of the Court of Justice of the EU after the signing of the Lisbon Treaty is described. Scientific approaches to defining the concept of interpretation of legal norms contained in domestic sources are analyzed. Foreign sources on the methods of interpretation of the law by the Court of Justice of the EU have been studied. The article analyzes several European publications written at different times before the signing of the Lisbon Treaty and established, which primarily draws attention to authors who have subjected the theological method of interpretation, and very few sources that influence the justification of methods or principles of their application by the Court. It can be concluded that the tendency of European scholars to emphasize the importance of the theological method of interpretation was related to their views on the constitutional nature of the Treaties and legal considerations about the need to adopt the EU Constitution. Such conclusions correlate with the limited jurisdiction of the Court of Justice, as before the signing of the Lisbon Treaty not all provisions of secondary legislation were interpretable (in particular, visas, asylum, immigration and other policies related to the movement of persons). on the constitutionality of the Treaties, although their form and content have become even more similar to constitutional acts, without losing a clear functional statement of provisions. Since then, the case law of the Court of Justice has been characterized by a variety of methods of interpretation, and European doctrine by publications that have re-substantiated the system of methods and paid more attention to their detailed analysis, making each of these methods autonomous and collectively interchangeable.
Mechanism to protect human rights from illegal activities of FRONTEX within the EU
Authors: Hnitii А. O.
Published: December 2021

The article is devoted to the study of mechanisms to protection human rights from illegal activities of FRONTEX within the EU. The author notes that with the adoption of Regulation 2019/1896 the mandate of the Agency was significantly expanded, including by giving its staff executive powers. At the same time, the Agency has negative and positive human rights obligations, which stipulate that FRONTEX staff must not only refrain from committing violations, but also take all possible measures to ensure the fundamental rights of each participant in joint operations. However, the complex nature and lack of transparency in the Agency's operational activities increase the risk of serious incidents. In view of this, an important guarantee of respect for fundamental rights is the development of effective protection mechanisms.
The article analyzes the grounds and procedure for appealing to the European Ombudsman, the European Court of Justice, as well as the use by victims of a complaint mechanism within the Agency. Attention is drawn to the shortcomings of out-of-court mechanisms for the protection of human rights, primarily due to the recommendatory nature of the conclusions adopted as a result of complaints. The functioning of the internal mechanism for consideration of individual complaints by the Agency is positively assessed, but attention is also paid to the need to increase its autonomy and develop an appellate procedure for appealing decisions. It is concluded that the most effective remedy within the EU for victims of misconduct as a result of FRONTEX's unlawful act is the Court of Justice. The use of this mechanism requires a more careful collection of evidence to prove the causal link between unlawful act and harmful consequences, which is a difficult task for migrants who have been victims of violations.
The role of international courts’ decisions in the system of sources of international financial law
Authors: Vaitsekhovska O. , Chepel O.
Published: December 2021

The paper deals with the analysis of the legal nature of international courts’ decisions and their impact on the international financial legal order. The author claims that decisions of international courts, creating no new international legal financial norms, act as an additional source of international financial law, having no autonomy, and in combination with other sources of international law, performs the following functions: 1) regulatory-prescriptive (via opinio juris of existing traditions in interstate practice in the financial sphere transforming them into international customary law); 2) regulatory-affirming (confirming the legal nature of the international agreement between the subjects of international financial legal relations which caused a disputable situation).
The judicial practice on financial issues and specificity of functioning of such judicial institutions as the Permanent Court of International Justice, the International Court of Justice, the CIS Economic Court, the Court of Justice of the European Union, the Court of Justice of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, etc. are examined. The features of the provisions of international agreements on financial issues regarding the procedure for resolving disputes between the parties of the agreement about its implementation are analyzed.
The paper explores particularities of the origin and development of the idea of the creation of an international financial court. Amid modern processes of the rapid growth of the amount of cross-border financial flows in the context of globalization, which is the consequence of the implementation of numerous international financial agreements, the idea of creation of an international financial court, which was first suggested in 1935, due to the complexity of legal nature of interstate financial disputes, is an objective necessity.
The following features intrinsic to decisions of international courts (including decisions on financial issues) have been identified: 1) locality (binding only on the parties involved in the case, and only in the current case); 2) situatedness and unprompted appearance; 3) impartiality (due to the judges’ lack of political interest); 4) authority (international courts include generally recognized experts in international law).
A legal norm: general theoretical characteristic
Authors: Pryima S. V.
Published: December 2021

The article carries out a general theoretical research of the legal norms. It is emphasized that a legal norm is one of the key concepts of the theory of law, and the importance of a detailed study of the problems of legal norms is due primarily to the fact that the law has such feature as normativity. It is noted that the issue of regulating the behavior of subjects through the legal norms is especially relevant in the legal field, because the fulfillment of the requirements of these rules depends on the state of order of public relations, that is law and order.
A legal norm is defined as a fixed in the sources of law binding general rule, which determines the standard of obligatory or permitted behavior or the consequences of its violation in the field of crucial social relations, the effective action of which is ensured by the state.
The features of legal norms are considered in two aspects: 1) the features of legal norms that are common to the features of other social norms; 2) specific features of legal norms.
The features of the first group include the following: the norms of law are the rules of behavior that regulate social relations and normalize social communication; are socially determined rules of behavior; ensure stability and order in society; are typical models of behavior; have a general character; are created and realized due to human will and mind; supported by remedies of influence (sanctions) in case of violation.
The second group is formed by the following features: the norms of law are the primary, elementary components of law; they establish a standard of lawful behavior of a person and determine the consequences of its violation; regulate the special area of social relations, which are most important for the existence, development and functioning of society; have an official state-authoritative character; are binding, supported by the possibility of state coercion; have specific sources of expression. It is also emphasized that the norms of law are fixed in official sources not directly, but through a special form of its external expression – normative-law prescriptions, with which they relate as content and form. On this basis, a normative-law prescription is defined as a written, logically complete legal provision formulated by an authorized subject, which establishes a rule of behavior in a specific source of law and is a technical and legal remedy of formal expression of a legal norm.
The genesis of the ecosystem concept in the aspect of the implementation of the ecosystem approach to environmental law: from the philosophers of Antiquity to A. Tansley
Authors: Suietnov Ye. P.
Published: December 2021

The article notes that in the modern environmental legal doctrine in the study of the legal basis for the conservation and restoration of natural ecosystems and the implementation of the ecosystem approach to environmental law there is a lack of interdisciplinary scientific search, primarily taking into account the achievements of the relevant natural sciences, which are extremely important for the development of these issues, and therefore need to be thoroughly covered.
With this in mind, the article analyzes the process of formation and development of the ecosystem concept during the historical period from the philosophers of Antiquity to A. Tansley, that is, before the introduction of the term «ecosystem» into scientific circulation. The fateful significance of this event is concluded, despite the fact that some scientists much earlier almost came close to the concept of «ecosystem» and some even proposed other terms which are adequate to «ecosystem» but have not received universal recognition.
It is also hoped that representatives of the ecological-legal science in the study of the conservation and restoration of ecosystems and the implementation of the ecosystem approach will support the idea of the feasibility of interdisciplinary scientific searches.
How Hurricane Katrina influenced the design of hurricane protection and risk reduction systems and national approaches to risk and resilience: Part 1. Hurricane Katrina and New Orleans: A forensic assessment, risk and reliability analysis, and key lessons learned
Authors: Link Lewis E.
Published: December 2021

A systems perspective is presented of what happened during and after Hurricane Katrina (2005) and the potential for reducing the likelihood of large losses in the future. This work was the basis for the rapid repair of the damage resulting from Katrina and ultimately the development and construction of a new risk reduction system for the region and a major shift in engineering guidance and practice related to public water infrastructure. The work was primarily accomplished through the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force (IPET) established by the Chief of Engineers, US Army Corps of Engineers, to conduct a comprehensive forensic analysis of what happened and why, and to an engineering risk and reliability assessment of the hurricane protection system in place when Katrina struck.
Water-related infrastructure investments in a changing environment: a perspective from the World Bank
Authors: Rodríguez Diego J. , Paltán Homero A. , García Luis E. , Ray Patrick , St. George Freeman Sarah
Published: December 2021

At present, there is a global deficit in infrastructure and the World Bank Group (WBG) is one of the major sources of financing to reduce this gap worldwide. The WBG has policies and protocols for approving investments taking into consideration financial and economic indicators while ensuring social and environmental safeguards. In recent years, these safeguards have been updated to include the effects of climate change and robustness and resilience to support climate-informed project investment decision-making. A series of tools for screening projects for climate vulnerabilities and identification of risk management options have been developed to help project teams comply with these requirements. One of these tools is the hierarchical four-phased Decision Tree Framework (DTF) that, beyond screening, helps to analyze plans and project vulnerabilities, climate-related or otherwise, using a decision scaling approach, and explore risk management options, if necessary. The four phases of the DTF are (i) project screening, (ii) initial analysis, (iii) stress test, and (iv) climate risk management. This paper reviews applications of the DTF from the climate change screening phase to non-climate uncertainty screening and decision-making for project investments and prioritization. A peek into work in progress for incorporating resilience in the decision-making process, both for projects and through projects, is also provided, as well as next steps, looking forward.
Gombrowicz’s Kitsch in the Context of (Post)Modernity Theory
Authors: Jaszewska Dagmara
Published: December 2021

The authoress of the article continues the searches initiated by Jerzy Jarzębski and discusses the phenomenon of kitsch in the work of Witold Gombrowicz. The study is based on a content analysis of selected fragments of works by this author (especially the novel titled Ferdydurke) and it refers to certain concepts of modernity and postmodernity (W. Welsch, R. Rorty, J. Baudrillard). The writer himself is treated as an original philosopher of modernity (and later postmodernity); on account of this, he was ahead of his time. The work presents the thesis that Gombrowicz may be attributed both the modernist sense of the category of kitsch and its parodical practices, as well as a peculiar tendency for kitsch and a tendency to play with kitsch. This tendency is analyzed in the article as an attitude corresponding to the postmodern condition, especially its characteristic phenomenon called the aesthetization of culture, which was mentioned, among other things, by Wolfgang Welsch (culture of design, gadgets and superficial styling). In this sense, Gombrowicz’s philosophy corresponds to the postmodern rehabilitation of kitsch.
Kundera’s Struggle With Kitsch – on The Unbearable Lightness of Being Once Aga
Authors: Hudymač Aleksandra
Published: December 2021

This paper deals with the Kundera’s most popular novel as a passionate dialogue with kitsch. The Unbearable Lightness of Being is based on the antinomy of lightness and heaviness, as well as kitsch and individuality. The narrator treats his characters as the experimental self and confronts them with the reality created on the cross-scheme of the aforementioned keywords. Kundera interprets the phenomenon of kitsch as a tool to create a totalitarian reality and enslave human beings, but also as something, that can be recognized and domesticated, and then comprises an inalienable part of a human being and its relation to the world. The essay also deals with the Kundera’s famous aversion to adapting his novels for film. He forbade any further film adaptations of his work, having disliked the way The Unbearable Lightness of Being was adapted by Philip Kaufman in 1988
‘My Art is the Daughter of Baroque and Psychedelia’ – The Art of Guillermo Pérez-Villalta in the Context of the Phenomenon of Kits
Authors: Pięcińska Anna
Published: December 2021

The aim of this paper is to present the silhouette of Guillermo Pérez-Villalta, one of the most important contemporary artists in Spain, in the context of the idea of kitsch. The key question for one who would like to study Pérez-Villalta’s paintings is the problem of the coexistence of the negatively regarded component of kitsch and the real respect for the painter who is one of the most important figures of art in his country. What may seem even more peculiar is the fact that Pérez-Villalta himself declares a really positive attitude to kitsch – he even talks about his fascination with the phenomenon. This fascination may have its origins in the ideas represented by the sociocultural movement from the 1970s-1980s – la movida madrileña. Pérez- -Villalta was one of the co-founders of this movement. The movida was all about fun, laughter, colours and kitsch. Villalta painted two very important pictures at that time – Grupo de personas en un atrio o la alegoría del arte y la vida o del presente y el futuro (1975) and Escena, personajes en la salida de un concierto rock (1979), trying to depict the relationships between the members of the movida movement. Even now it is easy to find elements of kitsch in Pérez-Villalta’s paintings which does not in any way deny his originality and high position among contemporary Spanish most venerated artists.
Notes on Kitsch in Architecture. An Illusion or an Ersatz of Happiness?
Authors: Stec Barbara
Published: December 2021

The article deals with kitsch in architecture. The term ‘kitsch’, which originally referred to images, is nowadays also used in the evaluation of architecture, especially in terms of its authenticity. This entails the consideration of the physical scale associated with an important function of architecture, to wit fulfilling the users’ needs. As a starting point for the reflection serves the thought of Kurt W. Forster, identifying kitsch, including its architectural iteration, as an illusion of a better life inherent in people’s dreams and desires, which may at the same time be the cause of various architectural borrowings. It is claimed that in architecture, due to its scale and utility, an illusion cannot supplant genuine fulfillment of the user’s basic needs, therefore, it can only exist for a relatively short time either leading to the emergence of its form, or it may be solidified against reality as a useless replica, serving no function meeting the needs of its users. Such sort of kitsch can be discovered in those works of architecture in which people spend too short a time for them to require kitsch to answer their basic needs. A prolonged experience of architectural kitsch deepens a person’s feeling of sadness and irritation resulting from a sense of failure to fulfill one’s dreams or even real needs. Whereas, if an illusion only serves as a cause for the creation of a work of architecture – later disappearing when its form is executed, though based upon borrowings it remains useful (for instance regarded as a theatre decoration, meeting the need for beauty and/ or a multi-sensory experience of architecture) – it can no longer be classified as architectural kitsch, i.e. as an illusion. Accordingly, ornament may also escape being seen as kitsch, if it helps convert an illusion into an ersatz of happiness.
On the Reasons for the Presence of Kitsch in Contemporary Religious Sp
Authors: Skrzydlewska Beata
Published: December 2021

The study is the attempt to identify the sources of the kitsch phenomenon in contemporary religious art in Poland. The main subject of the study regards church interiors, particularly art works present in the sacred spaces of the Catholic church in Poland. The analysis, which does not include the notion of kitsch or other aspects of this problem, will be presented from the point of view of a person who has been scientifically and practically engaged in the protection of religious art monuments for years. Observations made during the implementation of projects for church museums, providing advice on the monument protection, as well as didactic work as a lecturer of art history in clerical seminaries prompted me to reflect on the level of Polish sacred art and its significance for the reception of the message of the Church.
Alan Kurdi’s Online Resurrections – Omran Daqneesh’s Online Reanimationk
Authors: Jakubowski Piotr
Published: December 2021

The aim of this article is to critically analyse the Internet’s remixes of Nilüfer Demir’s photograph showing the dead body of Alan Kurdi – a 3-year old Syrian refugee – found on the beach near Turkish city Bodrum, as well as the widely-shared shot of the Omran Daqneesh – 5-years old Syrian boy sitting in the ambulance and fully covered by dust with visible traces of bruises and stains of blood – taken from the viral footage which reported damages and sufferings caused by the airstrikes on the Syrian biggest city, Aleppo, during the civil war. The main question here is: how the convergence culture ‘regards the pain of the other’ and deals with it? Semiotic analysis of chosen examples leads to a conclusion that while some artists undertake a specific visual tactics of protest and objection, more often, and even in clearly critical pictures, the ‘rhetoric of consolation’ is a predominating one and serves to both artists’ and viewers’ complacency and consoling. Terror of the pain and death is deleted from those images and replaced by tenderness or even kitsch. Moreover, author discusses not only the visual rhetoric strategies applied in those remixes, but also their ethical dimensions, especially in the reference to the category of ‘unrepresentability’
The Role of the Camera in Wojciech Smarzowski’s Films
Authors: Taras Katarzyna
Published: December 2021

In this paper, I reflect on the role and function of the camera ’acting’ (that is, the camera placed in the hands of the protagonists of films by Wojciech Smarzowski) that appears on the screen as often as an axe, which as an item is strongly associated with this director’s cinematography. I also refute the ‘digital’ legends of his debut – The Wedding, which has not been recorded using a digital camera, but an analogue one. A camera ‘cast’ in Smarzowski’s film should not be considered an extra, but a full-fledged protagonist, a witness seeing (and therefore recording) more than can be seen by the characters holding it in their hands. This perfectly corresponds with the last shot – perhaps the most characteristic one for the author of the films discussed – the shot in which the One who reigns over the world, but does not interfere with it (since we have free will) gazes at the universe created by Wojciech Smarzowski.
Quantitative Risk Assessment of Environmental Hazards Generated by a Tailings Embankment: case study Cabeço do Pião, Portugal
Authors: Fiúza A. , Leite A. , Vila M. , Dinis M.L. , Futuro A. , Gois J. , Figueiredo J.
Published: December 2021

The Panasqueira mine is a world-class tungsten mine and probably one of the most important in Europe, having been continuously in operation since 1898. Between 1927 and 1996, the ore was fully or partially processed in a processing plant located on the left bank of the Zêzere River. The tailings were stored along the bank, in an extension of about 1.5 km. The fine particles, locally known as ‘sludge’, were stored in a self-constructed embankment located on a steep hillside. The current average slope is about 36°. The sludge has high concentrations of some heavy metals (Cu, Zn, W and Cd) but has a particularly high concentration in arsenic (about 15%). This tailings storage was not included in the National Plan for Rehabilitation of Abandoned Mines, despite presenting a high environmental risk. A quantitative environmental risk assessment characterises this situation, considering two possible alternatives: the current state with continuous release of contaminants or, alternatively, the situation that would arise from an eventual collapse of the storage embankment. In the first situation, we used a classical methodology of risk assessment to estimate the concentrations of arsenic in the affected compartments using a conservative exposure scenario and inferring the doses to which the local population is subjected. These doses are compared with reference acceptable values. In the second situation, the creation of a dispersed source of contamination encompasses a much higher dispersion area, a larger population and more expensive rehabilitation costs.
Effect of Epicatechin on Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Zbinden-Foncea Hermann , Castro-Sepulveda Mauricio , Fuentes Jocelyn , Speisky Hernan
Published: December 2021

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Loss of skeletal muscle (SkM) quality is associated with different clinical conditions
such as aging, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart failure. Nutritional research has
focused on identifying naturally occurring molecules that mitigate the loss of SkM quality
induced by pathology or syndrome. In this context, although few human studies have
been conducted, epicatechin (Epi) is a prime candidate that may positively affect SkM
quality by its potential ability to mitigate muscle mass loss. This seems to be a consequence
of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and its stimulation of mitochondrial
biogenesis to increase myogenic differentiation, as well as its modulation of
key proteins involved in SkM structure, function, metabolism, and growth. In conclusion,
the Epi could prevent, mitigate, delay, and even treat muscle-related disorders caused by
aging and diseases. However, studies in humans are needed.