Russia’s Energy Diplomacy in the Baltic States

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, or, “The Baltic States,” are unique in that they are the first and only former Soviet Republics to join institutions aligned with the West, joining both the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 2004. This move was a reflection of clashing cultural and political values that had been present before their integration into the Soviet Union during the Second World War as a result of the Soviet-Nazi non-aggression Molotov-Ribbentrop pact. Additionally, after years of Soviet repression, the Baltic States developed a distinctly anti-Russian stance, as Russia was the most dominant country of the Soviet Union and after its dissolution in 1991 (Dudzińska, 2011). In the two decades since the Soviet Union fell and the Baltic States gained their independence, Russia has been asserting both soft and hard power in nearby nations. Additionally, Russia’s energy policy towards their neighbors has significantly affected their relationship with European Union countries through their role as the primary supplier of natural gas

The Republic of Georgia: Public Opinion about NATO and the Implications for U.S. Foreign Policy

This paper explores how various socioeconomic measures affect Georgian residents' opinions on joining NATO. These measures include education level, knowledge of the English language, and job satisfaction. Through statistical analysis and the use of a comprehensive regional dataset, it is found that there is a statistically significant relationship between education level, knowledge of the English language, job satisfaction, and support for joining NATO. These findings have a high relevance to current U.S. foreign policy as the majority of U.S. led initiatives have been geared towards enhancing Western support in the Republic of Georgia through English language courses and cross-cultural democracy training

Family: a study of the role of ritual and it's effects on the Kansas State football team

Master of ArtsDepartment of SociologyLaszlo Kulcsar“Family” is a sacred concept to the Kansas State football team. Calling a group of 100 plus players from across the nation and ten coaches a family is a unique concept when it is viewed from the outside. However, if you have been a part of the rituals involved in it, you understand. This research project examines the role of ritual in the “family” environment of Kansas State football and how that affects young men from different sociological backgrounds by interviewing 20 current and past players in the program. Though the findings showed that this culture affected all respondents in a positive way, it was also discovered that 4 particular young men who grew up with less family support were affected more than those who felt supported by their family from a young age

Understanding Unique Employability Skill Sets of Autistic Individuals: A Systematic Review

In recent years, several publications and media outlets have highlighted how the skills and interests of autistic individuals may benefit organizations. However, there is scant empirical research on the topic. The present study\u27s authors conducted a systematic review to find which potential employability skills, strengths, and interests of autistic individuals available research has highlighted. Data extraction methods identified 51 papers related to skills in this population. The skill sets autistic individuals may possess and the research behind these findings were organized, evaluated, and summarized. Based on these findings, investigators discuss implications for employment counseling and future research

Effects of On-Arrival Application of a Modified-Live Respiratory and Clostridia Vaccination on Health, Growth Performance, and Antibody Titers of Newly-Weaned Calves

Study Description: Single-sourced, newly weaned steers (n=70; initial body weight (BW)=560±12.9lb) were allotted to 10 pens (n=5 pens/treatment with 7 steers/pen). Steers were blocked by BW in a randomized complete block design of VAC [vaccinated for IBR, BVD 1 and 2, PI3, and BRSV (Bovi-Shield Gold 5, Zoetis, Parsippany, NJ) and clostridial (Ultrabec 7/Somubac, Zoetis) upon arrival] or NOVAC (not vaccinated for IBR, BVD 1 and 2, PI3, and BRSV or clostridial species upon arrival). Steers were individually weighed on d 0 (arrival), 1, 21, and 42 for growth performance measures. Whole blood samples (10 mL) were collected (n=3 steers/pen closest to the pen mean BW) on d 1, 21, and 42 via jugular venipuncture for metabolite and antibody titer responses

COVID-19 Impact on Behaviors across the 24-Hour Day in Children and Adolescents: Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, and Sleep

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, social restrictions to contain the spread of the virus have disrupted behaviors across the 24-h day including physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep among children (5–12 years old) and adolescents (13–17 years old). Preliminary evidence reports significant decreases in physical activity, increases in sedentary behavior, and disrupted sleep schedules/sleep quality in children and adolescents. This commentary discusses the impact of COVID-19-related restrictions on behaviors across the 24-h day in children and adolescents. Furthermore, we suggest recommendations through the lens of a socio-ecological model to provide strategies for lasting behavior change to insure the health and well-being of children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic

Hybrid type 1 randomized controlled trial of a tablet-based application to improve quality of care in child mental health treatment

The quality of child mental health care is highly variable in community practice settings. Innovative technology-based solutions may be leveraged to improve quality of care and, in turn, treatment outcomes. This is a protocol paper that describes an innovative study design in which we rigorously evaluate the effectiveness of a tablet-assisted intervention, Supporting Providers and Reaching Kids (SPARK). SPARK consists of a collection of interactive games and activities that are designed to improve provider fidelity and child engagement in evidence-based psychotherapies. The methodology also allows us to explore the implementation and sustainability of a technology-enhanced intervention in more than two dozen community practice settings. This paper includes a description and justification for sample selection and recruitment procedures, selection of assessment measures and methods, design of the intervention, and statistical evaluation of critical outcomes. Novel features of the design include the tablet-based toolkit approach that has strong applicability to a range of child mental health interventions and the use of a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation trial that allows for the simultaneous investigation of the effectiveness of the intervention and the implementation context. Challenges related to the implementation of a technology-enhanced intervention in existing mental health clinics are discussed, as well as implications for future research and practice

Neuro-PASC is characterized by enhanced CD4+ and diminished CD8+ T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein

IntroductionMany people with long COVID symptoms suffer from debilitating neurologic post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (Neuro-PASC). Although symptoms of Neuro-PASC are widely documented, it is still unclear whether PASC symptoms impact virus-specific immune responses. Therefore, we examined T cell and antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein to identify activation signatures distinguishing Neuro-PASC patients from healthy COVID convalescents.ResultsWe report that Neuro-PASC patients exhibit distinct immunological signatures composed of elevated CD4+ T cell responses and diminished CD8+ memory T cell activation toward the C-terminal region of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein when examined both functionally and using TCR sequencing. CD8+ T cell production of IL-6 correlated with increased plasma IL-6 levels as well as heightened severity of neurologic symptoms, including pain. Elevated plasma immunoregulatory and reduced pro-inflammatory and antiviral response signatures were evident in Neuro-PASC patients compared with COVID convalescent controls without lasting symptoms, correlating with worse neurocognitive dysfunction.DiscussionWe conclude that these data provide new insight into the impact of virus-specific cellular immunity on the pathogenesis of long COVID and pave the way for the rational design of predictive biomarkers and therapeutic interventions

The skull roof tracks the brain during the evolution and development of reptiles including birds

Major transformations in brain size and proportions, such as the Enlargement of the brain during the evolution of birds, areaccompanied by profound modifications to the skull roof. However, the hypothesis of concerted evolution of shape between brain and skull roof over major phylogenetic transitions, and in particular of an ontogenetic relationship between specific regions of the brain and the skull roof, has never been formally tested. We performed 3D morphometric analyses to examine the deep history of brain and skull-roof morphology in Reptilia, focusing on changes during the well-documented transition from earlyreptiles through archosauromorphs, including nonavian dinosaurs, to birds. Non-avialan taxa cluster tightly together in morphospace,whereas Archaeopteryx and crown birds occupy a separate region. There is a one-to-one correspondence between the forebrain and frontal bone and the midbrain and parietal bone. Furthermore, the position of the forebrain–midbrain boundary correlates significantly with the position of the frontoparietal suture across the phylogenetic breadth of Reptilia and duringthe ontogeny of individual taxa. Conservation of position and identity in the skull roof is apparent, and there is no support for previous hypotheses that the avian parietal is a transformed postparietal. The correlation and apparent developmental link between regions of the brain and bony skull elements are likely to be ancestral to Tetrapoda and may be fundamental to all ofOsteichthyes, coeval with the origin of the dermatocranium