Hard and Soft Law in the European Union: The case of Social policy and the Open Method of Coordination

The European integrative experiment rests on a dynamic equilibrium of intergovernmental and supranational features of the regulatory framework of the European Union. One of the most important challenges to this system currently lies in finding ways to maintain its capacity to operate and, at the same time, adapt its problem-solving instruments to changing conditions of the regulatory politics. The current pragmatic mix of regulative strategies employed in the European Union allows for different possible scenarios concerning future development of the regulatory system within the EU. The article analyses the emergence and proliferation of new forms of decision-making and related legal techniques in the European Union. The origins and possible trajectory of a whole spectrum of contemporary legal techniques and governance methods, ranging from 'hard' to 'soft', are being contextualized. Special attention is given to the Open Method of Coordination and examples of its application in the social policy field.regulatory politics; rule of law; social policy

Spatio-Temporal Scales of Animal Grazing in Herding Systems

A holistic approach is needed for natural resources management and this demands understanding of the role of all the components in a system. Animal grazing is one of the most important processes in rangeland ecosystems. In rangeland utilisation in Iran, the human herder is crucial in achieving sound management. This study focused on the role of the human as a grazier (herder)

Novel Interaction Of Cxcr4 And Pi4kiiiα In Prostate Cancer

The CXCR4-CXCL12 chemokine signaling axis plays a key role in migration and bone metastasis in prostate cancer (PC). Androgens regulate CXCR4 expression and its receptor activation in lipid-raft micro domains of PC cells, resulting in higher protease expression and invasion. In order to identify some novel CXCR4 co-regulators associated within the lipid-raft, a SILAC (Stable isotope labeling using amino acid in cell culture)-based proteomic analysis was performed with PC3 stable cell-lines over-expressing or knocking-down CXCR4. Phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase III alpha (PI4KIIIα or PI4KA) and SAC1 lipid phosphatase were identified as candidate proteins enriched in CXCR4 expressing cells. PI4KA is an evolutionarily conserved mammalian kinase that converts PI to PI4P; and SAC1 dephosphorylates PI4P to PI. PI4K is required for the maintenance and functioning of the plasma-membrane and vesicular trafficking in the Golgi apparatus. PI4KA is also needed to maintain a steady pool of PI(4,5)P2 in the plasma-membrane, to be utilized in various signaling pathways. We show that CXCR4 interacts with PI4KA through its adaptor proteins EFR3B and TTC7B, recruiting it to the plasma-membrane for PI4P generation. Similarly, PI4KA was closely linked to CXCR4 induced PC cell invasion, and knockdown of PI4KA in CXCR4 over-expressing PC3 cell lines reduced cell invasion. Also, localized productions of PI4P was evident in invasive projections of CXCR4 over-expressing cell lines through immunofluorescence microscopy. PC tumor microarray data show increased PI4K expression in metastatic PC tissue vs localized or normal adjacent tissue. These data suggest a novel interaction between PI4KA and CXCR4, promoting tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Pharmacological targeting of PI4KA, its adaptor proteins or its signaling-related proteins might prove therapeutically beneficial and enhance survival in PC patients

Creating a New Experience for Tourists through City Branding (Case Study: City of Shiraz in Iran)

The utility of the destination brand experience directly originates from the type of feelings of audiences present in a city. In this study, after recognising the components affecting the sense of place, their relationship with the tourism brand experience in the city of Shiraz, Iran was assessed, and the way the components made effects were investigated as well. To achieve this end, as stated above, this research was conducted using a case study of Shiraz city. The data collection was performed through observation and questionnaire, and the data analysis technique was a combination of quantitative (using SPSS software) and qualitative methods. The obtained results demonstrated that all factors in each form, activity and meaning components affected the sense of place in Shiraz; however, factors associated with the city’s history, such as historical attractions and famous people, had a remarkable effect when compared to others. Overall, consideration of the indicators influencing the sense of place in all aspects, particularly the management and operational ones (design and execution), results in a more robust connection of the audience with the destination brand, growth of sustainable tourism in Shiraz, and successful competition in the international arena. &nbsp