Conceptual foundations and categorical definition of «think tanks»: academic rethinking of traditional approaches

У статті проаналізовано традиційні підходи до визначення поняття «мозкові центри». Досліджено причини концептуального розтягування та відокремлення аналітичної категорії «мозкові центри» від еволюції явища в цілому. уточнено зміст та запропоновано визначення поняття «мозкові центри» з урахуванням особливостей їх функціонування в різних національних контекстах.The article analyzes the traditional approaches to the definition of “think tanks”. The reasons of conceptual stretching and separation of the analytic category “think tanks” from the evolution of the phenomenon as a whole are investigated. Specifies the contents and proposed definition of “think tanks” with the peculiarities of their functioning in different national contexts.В статье проанализировано традиционные подходы к определению понятия «мозговые центры». Исследовано причины концептуального растяжения аналитической категории «мозговые центры» от эволюции явления в целом. Уточнено содержание и предложено определение понятия «мозговые центры» с учетом особенностей их функционирования в различных национальных контекстах

Аргументы «pro et contra» люстраций в странах Центрально-Восточной Европы в современном научном дискурсе

Стаття присвячена вивченню сучасного наукового дискурсу з теми люстрацій в країнах Центрально-Східної Європи. Визначено та охарактеризовано основні аргументи «за» і «проти» люстраційних практик. Серед про-люстраційних факторів найбільш розповсюдженими є: інтерпретація люстрації як політичного інституту, діяльність якого необхідна для захисту нового режиму як на початку трансформаційних змін, так і в процесі консолідації демократії, а також люстрації для відновлення справедливості і пізнання правди про минуле і сьогодення. Зазначено, що аргументація «pro et contra» люстрацій у науковому дискурсі не має антагоністичного змісту, при цьому домінуючі позиції займають чинники «pro». На практиці ж прояв обох груп аргументів («pro et contra») обумовлюється іншими факторами: моделлю люстрації, часом та місцем її проведення, конфігурацією політичних еліт тощо.The article analyzes the scientific discourse of topics of lustrations in Central and Eastern Europe in the context of arguments «pro et contra». The main arguments pro lustration are outlined with the help of the political analysis.Factor «Pro1» – lustration as a tool to protect the newly established regime, defined by researchers in two main contexts: first, in danger at the beginning of transformational changes of counterrevolution and restoration of undemocratic regimes («Pro1a»); Second, the economic, political, social impact on the processes of transformation and possibility of blackmailing, «wild lustration» through the save / restore nomenclature networks ancient regime ( «Pro1b»).Factor «Pro2» – lustration as a political institution whose activity contributes to the democratization of the country, which has three main aspects: a) lustration and public trust («Pro 2a»); b) lustration and corruption and bureaucracy («Pro 2b»); c) lustration civil and political culture (factor «Pro 2c»).Factor «Pro 3» – lustration as an institution a) justice and b) learning of truth.Proved that the pro-lustration argument in scientific discourse topics are diversified substantially at the same time, all the factors «pro» aimed mainly at protecting and improving the quality of democracy.Distinguished and characterized the counter-arguments for the lustration scientific discourse topic.Factor «Contra 1». Lustration as a restriction of human rights.Factor «Contra 2». Lustrations cause negative political and social consequences.Factor «Contra 3». Process of lustration is anti-moral.Proved, that the counter-arguments in scientific discourse are not considered so significant that would recognize the necessity of not lustration. Moreover, it is noted that the lustration is an effective institution not only at the beginning of the transformation, but over time, their importance for the consolidation of democracy are also important.Established that the discussion «pro et contra» lustrations in CEE and the former Soviet Union holds a significant place in modern scientific studies on the topic. However, it has an antagonistic character, and pro-lustrations argument is dominant. In addition, a significant majority of authors today convinced of the positive impact of lustrations processes of transformation in general and on the formation and improvement of the quality of democracies in particular.Статья посвящена изучению современного научного дискурса на тему люстраций в странах Центрально-Восточной Европы. Определены и охарактеризованы аргументы «за» и «против» люстрационных практик. Обозначено, что среди про-люстрационых факторов наиболее распространенными являются: интерпретация люстрации как политического института, деятельность которого необходима для защиты нового режима как вначале трансформационных изменений, так и в процессе консолидации демократии, а также люстрации способствуют восстановлению справедливости и познанию истины о прошлом и настоящем. Указано, что аргументация «pro et contra» люстраций в научном дискурсе не имеет антагонистического содержания, при этом доминирующие позиции занимают факторы «pro». На практике же проявление обеих групп аргументов («pro et contra») обуславливается другими факторами: моделью люстрации, временем и местом ее проведения, конфигурацией политических элит и др

Translation in the European court of human rights: challenges and solutions

The article deals with some problems of court translation, the right to which is provided by the European Convention of Human Rights and other legislations. The translation challenges appear at all stages of the court proceeding, ranging from submitting documents to judgment delivering. Translators and interpreters’ competences are outlined. Translation performs important functions in communication of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights to the European Council member States and in conducting comparative studies of national and European legislations. Translation has been proved an important means in enhancing the role of the Court in protecting human rights

Population of the north Caucasus in the present stage: indicators of regional differentiation

Based on the collected statistical material, the analysis of population changes in the North Caucasus regions since the last allRussian population census until 2018 was conducted. The article considers the main factors of the current population reproduction, and trends in the dynamics of the population in the North Caucasus were set. Based on the obtained data, the subjects of the North Caucasus are divided into two categories. The first are Russian-speaking regions where the absolute population growth is observed due to a positive migration balance that covers the natural decline of the population. The other category includes mainly national republics with a high natural growth that covers a significant migration outflow of the population. Despite the favorable demographic situation in the region under study, there is a trend towards the end of the demographic boom that is typical of the entire North Caucasus region. In general, there is a stabilization of the birth rate and natural growth, and a decrease in the intensity of migration movements

The SH3 Domains of Endophilin and Amphiphysin Bind to the Proline-rich Region of Synaptojanin 1 at Distinct Sites That Display an Unconventional Binding Specificity

The proline-rich domain of synaptojanin 1, a synaptic protein with phosphatidylinositol phosphatase activity, binds to amphiphysin and to a family of recently discovered proteins known as the SH3p4/8/13, the SH3-GL, or the endophilin family. These interactions are mediated by SH3 domains and are believed to play a regulatory role in synaptic vesicle recycling. We have precisely mapped the target peptides on human synaptojanin that are recognized by the SH3 domains of endophilins and amphiphysin and proven that they are distinct. By a combination of different approaches, selection of phage displayed peptide libraries, substitution analyses of peptides synthesized on cellulose membranes, and a peptide scan spanning a 252-residue long synaptojanin fragment, we have concluded that amphiphysin binds to two sites, PIRPSR and PTIPPR, whereas endophilin has a distinct preferred binding site, PKRPPPPR. The comparison of the results obtained by phage display and substitution analysis permitted the identification of proline and arginine at positions 4 and 6 in the PIRPSR and PTIPPR target sequence as the major determinants of the recognition specificity mediated by the SH3 domain of amphiphysin 1. More complex is the structural rationalization of the preferred endophilin ligands where SH3 binding cannot be easily interpreted in the framework of the "classical" type I or type II SH3 binding models. Our results suggest that the binding repertoire of SH3 domains may be more complex than originally predicted

Growth inhibition of human ovarian carcinoma by a novel AvidinOX-anchored biotinylated camptothecin derivative

Oxidized form of avidin, named AvidinOX, provides stable fixation of biotinylated molecules in tissues thus representing a breakthrough in topical treatment of cancer. AvidinOX proved to be a stable receptor for radiolabeled biotin, biotinylated antibodies and cells. In order to expand applicability of the AvidinOX-based delivery platform, in the present study we investigated the possibility to hold biotinylated chemotherapeutics in AvidinOX-treated sites. A novel biotinylated gimatecan-derived camptothecin, coded ST8161AA1, was injected at suboptimal doses into human tumors xenografted in mice alone or pre-complexed to AvidinOX. Significantly higher growth inhibition was observed when the drug was anchored to AvidinOX suggesting the potential utility of this delivery modality for the local treatment of inoperable tumors

Tumor-infiltrating B lymphocytes as an efficient source of highly specific immunoglobulins recognizing tumor cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is much evidence that tumor cells elicit a humoral immune response in patients. In most cases, the presence of antibodies in peripheral blood is detected only in small proportion of patients with tumors overexpressing the corresponding antigen. In the present study, we analyzed the significance of local humoral response provided by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The ability of a patient's immune system to produce specific antibodies inside tumor tissue, capable of recognizing tumor cells, was explored through analysis of the oligoclonality of antibodies derived from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and construction of a series of recombinant antibody libraries in scFv format, derived from breast tumor-infiltrating B lymphocytes. These libraries and one from peripheral blood lymphocytes of a single breast cancer patient were panned against three purified surface tumor antigens, such as CEA, MUC1 and ED-B domain, and against intact MCF7 breast carcinoma cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Application of novel display vector, pKM19, allowed isolation of a large panel of breast cancer-specific antibodies against known tumor antigens, as well as against breast carcinoma cells. Reactivity of novel scFvs was confirmed by ELISA, immunohistochemistry, fluorescence staining and flow cytometry. We demonstrated that seven of ten primary breast tumor specimens, obtained using discarded surgical material, could be exploited as an appropriate source for generation of phage display libraries, giving highly specific antitumor antibodies which recognize heterologous tumor cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Local humoral immune response within tumor tissue in breast cancer patients frequently has an oligoclonal character. Efficient selection of specific antitumor antibodies from recombinant antibody libraries, derived from such oligoclonal tumor-infiltrated B lymphocytes, indicates the presence of natural immune response against tumor antigens in these patients. The described method is very promising for development of antitumor antibodies, potentially useful for diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.</p

INVESTMENT ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE HEALTH RESORT AND TOURIST COMPLEXES OF KRASNODAR TERRITORY: THE SPECIFICITY AND INTRA REGIONAL FEATURES OF CITIES AND REGIONS

The aim is to reveal the investment attractiveness of sanatorium and tourist complexes of Krasnodar region as well as to identify the specifics and intraregional peculiarities of investment projects.Methods. We have used comparative and geographical methods, statistical processing and analysis of the rating of investment attractiveness of Russian regions.Results. We give the analysis of the place of the Krasnodar Territory in the investment rating of attractiveness of the Russian Federation regions. We also provide the data on development trends of health resort and tourist complexes of Krasnodar region. We note significant differences in conditions of development of Krasnodar territory from other Russian regions and the high internal differentiation of its territory.Conclusions. Despite the availability of existing and prospective investment projects, the economic crisis has had a negative impact on investment. Investment projects in the health resort and tourist complexes are represented mainly on the Black Sea coast of Krasnodar region, the possibility of which is nearing the limit