Different Attitudes to Esotericism in Peter Ackroyd's and Dan Brown's Novels

In this doctoral dissertation, two differing approaches to the fictional utilisation of esoteric motifs are compared in the selected novels by contemporary British writer Peter Ackroyd and American writer Dan Brown. They represent contemporary Anglophone literature and draw their inspiration from a similar pool of esoteric ideas. On the one hand, Peter Ackroyd’s profound obsession with Englishness and the English literary tradition positions him as a visionary literary figure among fiction writers. By employing anti-realist methods, he offers brand new looks through his transcendental interpretations of both existent and non-existent events and characters from English literary history and culture. In contrast, Dan Brown uses conspiratorial accounts of existing religio-cultural (hi)stories and presents them as alternative historical narrations. These variables underlie the authors’ unique ways of representing occult ideas in their literary endeavours. Being the products of the latest centuries, the novels under study can be categorised within the realms of postmodern literature, with realist elements in Dan Brown’s works. Contemporary literature significantly benefits from the diverse array of occult practices, presented in particularly intriguing manner. Therefore, the primary objective of this dissertation is to explore the use of such esoteric conventions in the contemporary literary contexts crafted by these two widely acclaimed authors. Through the analysis of selected novels by Peter Ackroyd and Dan Brown, my research postulates the questions of how and to what extent esoteric motifs affect the historiography in Peter Ackroyd’s novels and the factual aspects of Dan Brown’s fictions. Furthermore, I aim to identify the motivations that drive these authors to take resources in esotericism. I believe that the findings to these inquiries will help in filling the existing gap in the comparative study of Peter Ackroyd’s and Dan Brown’s novels and contribute to the broader exploration of contemporary literary representations of esotericism

USAGE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PROCESS OF TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES OF TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the use of multimedia presentations in the process of teaching a foreign language to students of technical universities. The educational process uses multimedia encyclopedias, tutors, tutorials, tests and individual assignments. However, in the educational process of higher education, the use of electronic presentations is the most acceptable way of using a computer that helps to competently organize the learning process, since the degree of assimilation of audiovisual information is very high.The interactivity of the presentation makes it the most popular form of communication visualization in life. Presentations serve not only to present knowledge when studying new material, presenting new information, but also to control them, consolidate what has been passed, work out educational skills and skills, repeat the practical application of the acquired knowledge, abilities, skills, generalization, systematization of knowledge, therefore, they successfully perform didactic functions.The basic requirements for the creation of multimedia presentations, their use and the principles of organizing this form of education are described. Presentations can support discussion. With the use of information technology, the very concept of education is currently changing.The article discusses new principles of a specific nature. allowing to form presentation competence necessary for various activities in the curriculum, productive plans and in real life, and in the future - the formation of the media culture of the future professional.The article is devoted to the peculiarities of the use of multimedia presentations in the process of teaching a foreign language to students of technical universities. The educational process uses multimedia encyclopedias, tutors, tutorials, tests and individual assignments. However, in the educational process of higher education, the use of electronic presentations is the most acceptable way of using a computer that helps to competently organize the learning process, since the degree of assimilation of audiovisual information is very high.The interactivity of the presentation makes it the most popular form of communication visualization in life. Presentations serve not only to present knowledge when studying new material, presenting new information, but also to control them, consolidate what has been passed, work out educational skills and skills, repeat the practical application of the acquired knowledge, abilities, skills, generalization, systematization of knowledge, therefore, they successfully perform didactic functions.The basic requirements for the creation of multimedia presentations, their use and the principles of organizing this form of education are described. Presentations can support discussion. With the use of information technology, the very concept of education is currently changing.The article discusses new principles of a specific nature. allowing to form presentation competence necessary for various activities in the curriculum, productive plans and in real life, and in the future - the formation of the media culture of the future professional

Compare Spatial Differences in the Types of Local Self Governance amid Europe Countries and Azerbaijan Republic

Along with the expansion of the municipal structure of the Chairman is elected directly by the local population is of particular importance. At an early stage in order to eliminate the overlap in local governance and territorial representatives of local authorities should be canceled. Experience has shown that the structure of the executive offices of the territorial local authorities so there is no need. In addition to expanding the powers of the municipal authorities to cancel it as soon as possible, to eliminate the overlap in local governance will have a significant impact

On a Boundary Value Problem for a Fourth Order Partial Differential Equation with Non-Local Conditions

A boundary value problem for a fourth order partial differential equation with an integral boundary condition is studied. At first the initial problem is reduced to the equivalent problem, for which a uniqueness and existence theorem is proved. Then, using these facts, the existence and uniqueness of the classic solution of the original problem is proved

Landscape-ecological carcass model of urban landscape and methods of optimize urban landscapes (on the patterns of Ganja and Mingachevir cities)

State of the problem. The article outlines the natural and anthropogenic foundations of urban landscapes and the organization and modeling of ecological carcasses. Currently, the impact of human activity in the area, on the landscapes, especially on urban landscapes, sometimes leads to the fundamental change and reconstruction of several landscape units or components, the degradation of the sensitive ecosystems of the area, and the creation of completely anthropogenic complexes. Object learning. The main object learning is as follows; study of the differentiation characteristics of the factors influencing the formation of modern geosystems (relief, climate, hydrological and hydrogeological conditions, etc.), researching eco-geographical problems caused by anthropogenic changes, drawing up a map with appropriate content on a large scale, structural and functional characteristics of modern natural geosystems spreading in the research area, exposure to severe anthropogenic influences, study of ecological problems, studying the structural-functional aspects, levels of anthropogenic loading and assimilation, as well as the ecological condition of the modern natural geosystems spreading in the research area, complex study of optimization and large-scale ecological stability, drawing up of ecological potential assessment maps of landscapes. The purpose of this study is the landscape ecological formation of urban landscapes in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the optimization of urban landscapes, the analysis and generalization of urban development processes at the level of urban creation and living environment, and the determination of the main regularities of the formation of this environment, taking into account innovation and traditional processes. Methodology. Ecological analyses were carried out on relevant urban landscapes, and four environmental hazard zones were identified in Ganja, and three in Mingachevir (1: 20000) scale ecological risk maps were drawn up. In the end, the principles of the organization of "ecosystems" based on the optimization of both urban landscapes were analyzed. Research results. The degree of anthropogenic disturbance of the territory was determined, and a map-scheme of the ecogeographic assessment of landscape complexes was drawn up. The study of anthropogenic changes in natural landscapes and the evaluation of the anthropogenic impact in percentage according to digital electronic map fragments was carried out. In the ArcGIS program, the inclination and exposure of slopes in the area, the hypsometry of the relief in the area, the density of roads, the ecogeographical condition of modern urban landscapes, risk zones, and optimization of urban landscapes, etc. maps have been drawn up. The scientific novelty of the research. The importance and functional role of the city as a complex living environment for the country's population is defined. In the process of city planning in the Republic of Azerbaijan, the face of the city, the composition system of urban architecture, innovations, and traditional features are determined. The main city-forming function and role of the river were determined in the studied cities. And the linear features of the development of the cities, and the differences in formation were determined and analyzed. Accordingly, each of the cities has its own unique development models. Environmental problems of cities were investigated and environmental risk and optimization maps were drawn up

Paracetamol suppresses neutrophilic oxygen radicals through competitive inhibition and scavenging

Neutrophils, pivotal cells of innate and adaptive immune responses, employ reactive oxygen species (ROS) to combat pathogens and control gene expression. Paracetamol (acetaminophen) is widely used as an analgesic and antipyretic medication, yet its precise mechanisms of action are not yet fully understood. Here, we investigate the impact of both ingested and in-vitro paracetamol on neutrophil ROS activity, using flow cytometry and antioxidant assays. Our studies reveal that paracetamol significantly suppresses ROS activity ex-vivo in the short term. Additionally, both paracetamol and its metabolite N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine exhibited direct in vitro antioxidant effects, and paracetamol suppressed neutrophil extracellular trap formation ex vivo. These findings suggest a connection between paracetamol use and altered neutrophil responses, with potential implications for use in some patient groups, such as immunocompromised individuals. Further investigation into paracetamol's effects on neutrophil antimicrobial functions is warranted to elucidate possible risks, particularly when taken frequently or in conjunction with other treatments such as vaccinations

Combined bezafibrate and medroxyprogesterone acetate: potential novel therapy for acute myeloid leukaemia

Background: The majority of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients are over sixty years of age. With current treatment regimens, survival rates amongst these, and also those younger patients who relapse, remain dismal and novel therapies are urgently required. In particular, therapies that have anti-leukaemic activity but that, unlike conventional chemotherapy, do not impair normal haemopoiesis. Principal Findings: Here we demonstrate the potent anti-leukaemic activity of the combination of the lipid-regulating drug bezafibrate (BEZ) and the sex hormone medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) against AML cell lines and primary AML cells. The combined activity of BEZ and MPA (B/M) converged upon the increased synthesis and reduced metabolism of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) resulting in elevated levels of the downstream highly bioactive, anti-neoplastic prostaglandin 15-deoxy Δ12,14 PGJ2 (15d-PGJ2). BEZ increased PGD2 synthesis via the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of the lipid peroxidation pathway. MPA directed prostaglandin synthesis towards 15d-PGJ2 by inhibiting the PGD2 11β -ketoreductase activity of the aldo-keto reductase AKR1C3, which metabolises PGD2 to 9α11β-PGF2α. B/M treatment resulted in growth arrest, apoptosis and cell differentiation in both AML cell lines and primary AML cells and these actions were recapitulated by treatment with 15d-PGJ2. Importantly, the actions of B/M had little effect on the survival of normal adult myeloid progenitors. Significance: Collectively our data demonstrate that B/M treatment of AML cells elevated ROS and delivered the anti-neoplastic actions of 15d-PGJ2. These observations provide the mechanistic rationale for the redeployment of B/M in elderly and relapsed AML