Competing ideologies of Russia's civil society

Many analysts and public opinion makers in the West conflate the notions of Russia’s non-systemic liberal opposition and the country’s civil society. Indeed, despite garnering the support of a minority of Russia’s population, non-systemic liberal opposition represents a well-organized civic group with a clearly articulated agenda and the ability to take action. Yet, does Russia’s civil society end there? A closer look at the country’s politics shows that Russia has a substantial conservative-traditionalist faction that has also developed agenda for action and formulated opinions. This group is anti-liberal rather than illiberal ideologically and pro-strong state/pro a geopolitically independent Russia rather than pro-Kremlin politically. The interaction between liberal and conservative civic groups represents the battle of meanings, ideas, and ethics, and ultimately determines the future trajectory of Russia’s evolution. Thus, the analysis of Russia’s civil society must represent a rather more nuanced picture than a mere study of the liberal non-systemic opposition. This article will examine the complexity of Russia’s civil society scene with reference to the interplay between the liberal opposition and conservative majority factions. The paper will argue that such complexity stems from ideological value pluralism that falls far beyond the boundaries of the liberal consensus, often skewing our understanding of political practice in Russia

Elite opinion and foreign policy in post-communist Russia

Russian elite opinion on matters of foreign policy may be classified as ‘Liberal Westerniser’, ‘Pragmatic Nationalist’ and ‘Fundamentalist Nationalist’, terms that reflect longstanding debates about the country’s relationship with the outside world. An analysis of press statements and election manifestoes together with a programme of elite interviews between 2004 and 2006 suggests a clustering of opinion on a series of strategic issues. Liberal Westernisers seek the closest possible relationship with Europe, and favour eventual membership of the EU and NATO. Pragmatic Nationalists are more inclined to favour practical co-operation, and do not assume an identity of values or interests with the Western countries. Fundamentalist Nationalists place more emphasis on the other former Soviet republics, and on Asia as much as Europe, and see the West as a threat to Russian values as well as to its state interests. Each of these positions, in turn, draws on an identifiable set of domestic constituencies: Liberal Westernisers on the promarket political parties, Pragmatic Nationalists on the presidential administration and defence and security ministries, and Fundamentalist Nationalists on the Orthodox Church and Communists

Bicuspid aortic valve as the mark of connective tissue disorders

Relevance. The bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) can be combined with genetic developmental syndromes, but the pediatric aspects of the problem have not been adequately studied. Goal. Determine the frequency of BAV from the data of the ultrasound examination rooms (ultrasound) and characterize the clinical and echocardiographic aspects of the bicuspid aortic valve. Material and methods. 19 patients with BAV (17 children and 2 adults) were examined. To evaluate the possible long-term consequences of BAV, 45 adults were examined: men 25 (mean age 61.72 ± 1.42 years), women 20 (mean age 64.9 ± 1.46 years). Results. The frequency of BAV according to the ultrasound examination rooms is 1 case per 20 000-23 500 studies. BAV was combined with genetic syndromes of connective tissue dysplasia (hypermobility syndromes of joints, Marfan, FreemanSheldon, etc.), registered in twins. The average value of the eccentricity index of the BAV leaflets was 3.5, the standard deviation was 1.1, the standard error was 0.274. In adult patients with BAV, calcification of the valves was observed, which was not detected in the control group (p = 0.006). Conclusion. BAV can be both an accidental finding, and be combined with another pathology. BAV is more often found in people with hereditary developmental syndromes. The presence of BAV requires the exclusion of genetic developmental syndromes. Despite the comparative rarity of BAV in the general population, a remote prognosis may be serious, which requires the pediatrician to organize interdisciplinary interaction

Graft-versus-host disease after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children

Up to 60 thousand hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT) are carried out globally all over the world. The outcome of HSCT is largely determined by the probability and severity of the graft-versus-host reaction/disease (GVHD). Treatment involves corticosteroids. Antithymocyte globulin, extracorporeal photopheresis, monoclonal antibodies to interleukins or their receptors, methotrexate, cyclosporine, tacrolimus, sirolimus, antithymocyte globulin, etc. are used in steroid-refractory GVHD. It is worth to mention that mycophenolate mofetil, esther of mycophenolic acid, blocks proliferation of T and B lymphocytes. In patients who are refractory to corticosteroids, the use of mycophenolate mofetil in isolation or in combination with cyclosporine, tacrolimus seems to be justified

Mapping the magnetic hyperfine field in GdCo5

The magnetic hyperfine field (Bhf) in ferrimagnetic GdCo5 compound has been investigated as a function of temperature by Mössbauer effect (ME) spectroscopy and perturbed angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy using 119Sn and 111Cd probe nuclei, respectively. Results show that the non-magnetic probe atoms 119Sn and 111Cd substitute all three non-equivalent positions in GdCo5: Gd, CoI, and CoII. For 119Sn and 111Cd probes at Gd sites, the saturation magnetic hyperfine fields are very different with values of Bhf1 = 57.0(1) T and Bhf1= 20.7(1) T, respectively. For 119Sn and 111Cd atoms localized at CoI and CoII sites the magnetic hyperfine fields are practically identical and, in saturation, reach the values of Bhf2 = 11.6(1) T and Bhf2 = 11.1(2) T, and Bhf3 = 14.8(1) T and Bhf3 = 14.4(2) T, respectively