CONSTRUCTING SOCIAL IDENTITY UNDER DICTATORSHIP — DEPICTION OF YOUTH AND MESSAGES TO THEM IN NORTH KOREAN CINEMA BETWEEN 1971—2016

This thesis examines the ways in which the social identity of the youth is constructed, and what that social identity is like, in seven films produced in The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea between the years 1971 and 2016. In the thesis, the North Korean regime is labeled as a repressive authority which is why the construction of social identity is given focus in the context of totalitarianism, but also through post totalitarianism and authoritarianism. Based on the secondary sources, the importance of cinema mainly as an educational tool for the North Korean regime, is emphasized. Understanding this relevance, North Korean films can be examined to find out what issues are relevant for the regime, especially considering the youth, always representing the future. The thesis approaches the issue of social identity through the ideas presented by Alexa Ispas in her book Psychology and Politics: A Social Identity Perspective (2013) which emphasizes the habit of authoritarian powers to promote prototypical behaviour which they seem suitable, when influencing the formation of social identity. The totalitarian aspect is examined mainly through Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) where issues such as the notion of future and the importance of tying the masses with the totalitarian leader, proved to be relevant for the thesis. The films were then analyzed by utilizing the theoretical background as well as relevant secondary sources on North Korean cinema, culture and society. The results of the analysis reveal that the films utilize model characters, who emphasize the regime’s supported values often connected with Juche, the country’s official ideology, in promoting the prototypical behaviour for the youth. In addition, flawed characters are used to condemn behaviour which the regime does not support. The films also utilize music and lyrics, and other characters beside the youth, to emphasize the regime’s messages. The social identity which the regime constructs in the films emphasizes unconditional loyalty to the leader of the country with heavy emphasis on sacrifice. The analysis reveals that the major messages have remained the same in the films while there are also contextual differences. The study could be continued in the future by focusing on different eras, such as the Kim Jong un -era, or different themes, such as the theme of sacrifice. Other art forms, such as television, could also be researched

Hantavirus Research in Finland: Highlights and Perspectives

Finland has the highest incidence of hantavirus infections globally, with a significant impact on public health. The large coverage of boreal forests and the cyclic dynamics of the dominant forest rodent species, the bank vole Myodes glareolus, explain most of this. We review the relationships between Puumala hantavirus (PUUV), its host rodent, and the hantavirus disease, nephropathia epidemica (NE), in Finland. We describe the history of NE and its diagnostic research in Finland, the seasonal and multiannual cyclic dynamics of PUUV in bank voles impacting human epidemiology, and we compare our northern epidemiological patterns with those in temperate Europe. The long survival of PUUV outside the host and the life-long shedding of PUUV by the bank voles are highlighted. In humans, the infection has unique features in pathobiology but rarely long-term consequences. NE is affected by specific host genetics and risk behavior (smoking), and certain biomarkers can predict the outcome. Unlike many other hantaviruses, PUUV causes a relatively mild disease and is rarely fatal. Reinfections do not exist. Antiviral therapy is complicated by the fact that when symptoms appear, the patient already has a generalized infection. Blocking vascular leakage measures counteracting pathobiology, offer a real therapeutic approach

Stowaways of a Stowaway: Parasites of Invasive Rodents

Human-induced ecosystem modifications include the introduction of alien species, among which rodents are particularly widespread. The expansion and adaptations of invasive rodents, which can come from distant regions, even different continents, have a wide spectrum of ecological consequences, including the spread of parasites and pathogens. As the title of this Research Topic reflects, the parasites travel to these newly colonized areas as stowaways on a stowaway (1, 2). Studies of parasites of invasive rodents have focused mainly on those carried by the genera Rattus and Mus. The available literature describes the parasites found and their prevalence, with particular attention given to zoonotic species that pose a threat for human health, and analyses of the specific host traits that enable successful invasions. Some recent studies have also investigated the spillover effect, shedding light on how the stowaway parasites are transmitted to native rodent species, and the role played by both invasive and native animals in transmission dynamics and maintenance of the new parasites in colonized environments. Our aim here is to focus on recent work in the field, dealing with previously unexplored Research Topics, and to identify research gaps and new questions to be pursued in the future

New Genetic Lineage of Tula Hantavirus in Microtus arvalis obscurus in Eastern Kazakhstan

Genomic sequences of Tula (TULV) hantavirus were recovered from tissue samples of European common voles Microtus arvalis (subspecies obscurus) captured in Kazakhstan, Central Asia. Phylogenetic analysis of the S genomic segment of Kazakh TULV strains showed that they form distinct, well supported genetic lineage and share a more ancient common ancestor with two Russian lineages of TULV. The deduced sequence of the nucleocapsid (N) protein of Kazakh TULV strains carried specific amino acid signature: T274Q276T281. The Microtus arvalis group includes several sibling species and/or subspecies in Eurasia, indicating recent and ongoing evolutionary radiation. Our data on TULV lineages in Central Asia, the region not studied for hantaviruses earlier, highlight the diversity of both Microtus host and the virus and also their co-evolution

Zoonotic Cryptosporidium spp. in Wild Rodents and Shrews

There has been a significant increase in the number of reported human cryptosporidiosis cases in recent years. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in wild rodents and shrews, and investigate the species and genotype distribution to assess zoonotic risk. Partial 18S rRNA gene nested-PCR reveals that 36.8, 53.9 and 41.9% of mice, voles and shrews are infected with Cryptosporidium species. The highest prevalence occurred in the Microtus agrestis (field vole) and Myodes glareolus (bank vole). Interestingly, bank voles caught in fields were significantly more often Cryptosporidium-positive compared to those caught in forests. The proportion of infected animals increases from over-wintered (spring and summer) to juveniles (autumn) suggesting acquired immunity in older animals. Based on Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic analyses, Apodemus flavicollis (yellow-necked mouse) is commonly infected with zoonotic C. ditrichi. Voles carry multiple different Cryptosporidium sp. and genotypes, some of which are novel. C. andersoni, another zoonotic species, is identified in the Craseomys rufocanus (grey-sided vole). Shrews carry novel shrew genotypes. In conclusion, this study indicates that Cryptosporidium protozoan are present in mouse, vole and shrew populations around Finland and the highest zoonotic risk is associated with C. ditrichi in Apodemus flavicollis and C. andersoni in Craseomys rufocanus. C. parvum, the most common zoonotic species in human infections, was not detected

Analysis of Puumala hantavirus in a bank vole population in northern Finland: evidence for co-circulation of two genetic lineages and frequent reassortment between strains

Razzauti M, Plyusnina A, Sironen T, Henttonen H, Plyusnin A. Analysis of Puumala hantavirus in a bank vole population in northern Finland: evidence for co-circulation of two genetic lineages and frequent reassortment between strains. J Gen Virol. 2009 Aug;90(Pt 8):1923-31."In this study, for the first time, two distinct genetic lineages of Puumala virus (PUUV) were found within a small sampling area and within a single host genetic lineage (Ural mtDNA) at Pallasjarvi, northern Finland. Lung tissue samples of 171 bank voles (Myodes glareolus) trapped in September 1998 were screened for the presence of PUUV nucleocapsid antigen and 25 were found to be positive. Partial sequences of the PUUV small (S), medium (M) and large (L) genome segments were recovered from these samples using RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two genetic groups of PUUV sequences that belonged to the Finnish and north Scandinavian lineages. This presented a unique opportunity to study inter-lineage reassortment in PUUV; indeed, 32% of the studied bank voles appeared to carry reassortant virus genomes. Thus, the frequency of inter-lineage reassortment in PUUV was comparable to that of intra-lineage reassortment observed previously (Razzauti, M., Plyusnina, A., Henttonen, H. & Plyusnin, A. (2008). J Gen Virol 89, 1649-1660). Of six possible reassortant S/M/L combinations, only two were found at Pallasjarvi and, notably, in all reassortants, both S and L segments originated from the same genetic lineage, suggesting a non-random pattern for the reassortment. These findings are discussed in connection to PUUV evolution in Fermoscandia.""In this study, for the first time, two distinct genetic lineages of Puumala virus (PUUV) were found within a small sampling area and within a single host genetic lineage (Ural mtDNA) at Pallasjarvi, northern Finland. Lung tissue samples of 171 bank voles (Myodes glareolus) trapped in September 1998 were screened for the presence of PUUV nucleocapsid antigen and 25 were found to be positive. Partial sequences of the PUUV small (S), medium (M) and large (L) genome segments were recovered from these samples using RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two genetic groups of PUUV sequences that belonged to the Finnish and north Scandinavian lineages. This presented a unique opportunity to study inter-lineage reassortment in PUUV; indeed, 32% of the studied bank voles appeared to carry reassortant virus genomes. Thus, the frequency of inter-lineage reassortment in PUUV was comparable to that of intra-lineage reassortment observed previously (Razzauti, M., Plyusnina, A., Henttonen, H. & Plyusnin, A. (2008). J Gen Virol 89, 1649-1660). Of six possible reassortant S/M/L combinations, only two were found at Pallasjarvi and, notably, in all reassortants, both S and L segments originated from the same genetic lineage, suggesting a non-random pattern for the reassortment. These findings are discussed in connection to PUUV evolution in Fermoscandia.""In this study, for the first time, two distinct genetic lineages of Puumala virus (PUUV) were found within a small sampling area and within a single host genetic lineage (Ural mtDNA) at Pallasjarvi, northern Finland. Lung tissue samples of 171 bank voles (Myodes glareolus) trapped in September 1998 were screened for the presence of PUUV nucleocapsid antigen and 25 were found to be positive. Partial sequences of the PUUV small (S), medium (M) and large (L) genome segments were recovered from these samples using RT-PCR. Phylogenetic analysis revealed two genetic groups of PUUV sequences that belonged to the Finnish and north Scandinavian lineages. This presented a unique opportunity to study inter-lineage reassortment in PUUV; indeed, 32% of the studied bank voles appeared to carry reassortant virus genomes. Thus, the frequency of inter-lineage reassortment in PUUV was comparable to that of intra-lineage reassortment observed previously (Razzauti, M., Plyusnina, A., Henttonen, H. & Plyusnin, A. (2008). J Gen Virol 89, 1649-1660). Of six possible reassortant S/M/L combinations, only two were found at Pallasjarvi and, notably, in all reassortants, both S and L segments originated from the same genetic lineage, suggesting a non-random pattern for the reassortment. These findings are discussed in connection to PUUV evolution in Fermoscandia."Peer reviewe