Improving the model of sociological support for the Municipal Public Chamber

The article considers the issue of including the activities of the Municipal Public Chamber in the target model aimed at involving the social and territorial community in the implementation of urban environment projects. The study obtained the final institutional functions for forming the public opinion - introducing the Public Chamber into the target model for involvement of the social and territorial community, business for urban environment projects, and adaptive understanding and usage in the new recommended formats. The current situation in monotowns of the Ural Federal District suggested the need to develop and implement a strategy of sociological support for the work of public chambers in municipalities. After designing such a model, the choice to conduct the experiment (testing sociological support) fell on the city of Krasnoturyinsk because of its diversified development. In 2020, the Municipal Public Chamber's activities were incorporated into the target model for engaging citizens into discussions about projects aimed at comfortable urban environment in the city. The goal of the study is to develop and substantiate a better model of sociological support for the Public Chamber's activities to form public opinion in the municipal territory. This will significantly simplify the procedures for discussing upcoming projects, as well as other issues of supporting the municipality by representatives of the social and territorial community

The coasts we live in: can there be a single definition for a coastal zone?

Throughout the history of humankind, people have settled along seashores. The gradual accumulation of population and industrial activity in coastal areas has created preconditions for coastalisation - the movement of people and socio-economic activity to marine coasts. To date, coastal areas have a higher rate of economic development, fostering migration and an influx of capital across the globe. Scholars and policymakers voice concerns about the asymmetry of regional development and the increasing anthropogenic impact on the coastal ecosystem. It reinforces the importance of coastal zone management. In this study, we use an example of the Baltic region to identify the coastalisation patterns in the Baltic region and answer the question, whether there can be a single definition of the coastal zone of the Baltic region. According to a broad definition, the Baltic macro-region is nearly all coastal and, consequently, all settlements are influenced by the coastalisation effect. We have studied urban population dynamics in 128 cities of 45 coastal regions through the lens of various characteristics of a coastal city - the distance from the sea (10, 50, 100, and 150 km), location in a coastal region (NUTS 2), availability of a port and its primary maritime activity (tankers, cargo, fishing, passenger, recreational vessels and others). The research results suggest that despite the strong coherence of the Baltic region countries, there should not be a single delimitation approach to defining the coastal zone. Overall, the most active marine economic processes occur in the zone up to 10 km from the seacoast and 30 km from ports and port infrastructure. However, in the case of Sweden, Poland, and Latvia, the coastal zone can be extended to 50 km, and in Germany - up to 150 km inland

Semantics of social self-identification and self-presentation in Russian language structures

The article was submitted on 17.05.2016.Referring to Russian language materials, the authors discuss the linguistic aspects behind the construction of a social portrait of the speaker. The article provides a general overview of the speech forms and genres which prompt the speakers to construct their self-image by identifying their profession, age, and social status. The analysis thus focuses on syntactic structures with the meaning of taxonomic or evaluative characterisation which fit the model ‘Я – N’ (‘I am N’), where N is a noun or a personal pronoun. The relevant linguistic units found in the utterances in question were selected on the basis of data provided by ideographic dictionaries. Special attention is paid to pragmatic limitations in the usage of certain structures such as Я чиновник, Я гений, Я интеллигент, Я поэт (‘I am a public official’, ‘I am a man of genius’, ‘I am an intellectual’, ‘I am a poet’). The function of the predicate in the given model is performed not only by words denoting positive characteristics but also by words referring to negative characteristics used for self-criticism, self-deprecation, self-disclosure, or for other pragmatic purposes. Each of the six models of social self-identification and self-presentation described in this article is connected to the strategies of speech behaviour targeted at creating the speaker’s self-portrait through various speech masks and metaphorical and other figurative images. The article also systematises idiomatic means used to express the speaker’s social identity such as paroemiae or syntactic idiomatic units. Special emphasis is placed on the structures in which self-identification is used to create a speech mask or construct a figurative image. Another interesting linguistic aspect analysed in this article is the usage of metaphoric expressions and utterances with an oppositional presentation of the speaker’s social status, which enable them to create unique characteristics of their identity. The authors maintain that self-presentation (meaning that the speaker addresses his or her utterance to other people) should be distinguished from self-identification, which implies that the speaker would like to communicate personally significant information about themselves, expressing their inner views and attitudes.На материале русского языка рассматриваются языковые аспекты создания социального автопортрета говорящего. Дается обзор тех речевых форм и жанров, которые вынуждают говорящего к конструированию собственного «я» через характеристику профессиональной, возрастной, статусной принадлежности. Анализируются синтаксические конструкции с семантикой таксономической или оценочной характеризации, построенные по модели «Я – N», где N – существительное или местоимение-существительное. С опорой на данные идеографических словарей обобщены те единицы, которые могут использоваться в исследуемых высказываниях. Особое внимание уделяется прагматическим ограничениям на использование некоторых конструкций, например, таких как «Я чиновник», «Я гений», «Я интеллигент», «Я поэт». В качестве предикатов исследуемой модели могут выступать не только наименования положительно оцениваемых свойств, но и отрицательные характеристики, используемые для самоумаления, самоуничижениия, саморазоблачения говорящего и с другими прагматическими целями. Каждая из рассмотренных в статье шести моделей социальной самоидентификации и самопрезентации связана со стратегиями речевого поведения, при которых автопортрет создается через различные речевые маски, метафорические и другие иносказательные образы собственного «я». Систематизируются некоторые идиоматические способы выражения социальной идентичности, закрепленные в паремиях или реализованные в ряде синтаксических фразеологизмов. Особое внимание уделяется таким конструкциям, в которых самоидентификация используется для создания речевой маски, конструирования особого художественного образа. Анализируются метафорические выражения, а также высказывания с оппозитивным представлением социального статуса, позволяющие создать уникальные характеристики собственной идентичности. Авторы разграничивают понятия самопрезентации и самоидентификации, предполагая, что в первом случае говорящий адресует высказывание о себе другим лицам, а во втором имеется в виду сообщение о себе личностно значимой информации, отображение личного самосознания, раскрытие внутреннего мира.Исследование выполнено при поддержке гранта Российского научного фонда (проект № 16-18-02005)

Міфологема лисиці у творчості Пу Сунліна та Віктора Пелевіна (Fox myths in the works of Pu Songling and Victor Pelevin)

У статті автори розглядають репрезентацію міфологеми лисиці, що є характерною для творчості середньовіч- ного китайського письменника Пу Сунліна, у творчості В. Пелевіна. У статті досліджуються літературні традиції китайського розповідача, які знайшли своє відображення у творчості сучасного російського письменника. У ході роботи автори розглядають традиційну китайську міфологему лисиці, представлену в сучасному російському романі. Автори роблять висновок щодо значення китайських літературних традицій у творчості В. Пелевіна. (In this article the authors examine the representation of fox mythological image, which is common for the medieval art of Chinese writer Pu Songling, in the works of Russian writer Victor Pelevin. The article investigates the literary traditions of the Chinese narrator, which are reflected in the works of contemporary Russian writer. During the work the authors consider the traditional Chinese mythology, image of fox, presented in a modern Russian novel, its origin, evolution and classification, as well as characteristic features. In the article the parallel between the traditional Chinese way of representation of foxwerewolf and image of fox A-Huli by V. Pelevin were given. The authors conclude that the role of the Chinese literary tradition in the works of Victor Pelevin, namely the significance of the fox myths that arose in the early Middle Ages in the Chinese literature and found its reflection in the main character of the novel protagonist A-Huli, main character in the novel «The Sacramental book of Werewolf» by Victor Pelevin.

Aurora A kinase activity influences calcium signaling in kidney cells

Aurora A is abnormally expressed and activated in cells lining cysts associated with polycystic kidney disease and can phosphorylate and inactivate polycystin 2

Fairy tale traditions in amateur and professional young writers’ creativity

The turn of the 21st century has seen Russian writers’ increased interest in the genre of fairy tale. This paper discusses young Russian writers’ approaches to fairy tale traditions in texts of their own. The subjects of the study consisted of the Debut Prize winners and the so-called amateur writers (fans of Tolkien’s and Rowling’s books, and gamers) and their literary works. The study is aimed at establishing main trends in usage of folklore traditions in the first two decades of the 21st century; the paper is also concerned with examining similarities and differences between two generations of modern Russian writers in the matter of their approaches to classical heritage. To compare fairy tale texts, Vladimir Propp’s narrative model has been applied. One of the central claims of the study is that young authors tend to emulate literary samples by prominent contemporary Russian writers (mostly by Lyudmila Petrushevskaya). Thus, an efficient way of creating a contemporary fairy tale by a young author is to immerse its characters into the modern reality that is presented in a variety of its manifestations – from everyday routine to philosophic ideas. The young writers’ texts display such traditional features of literary folklorism as genuine fairy tale plots and motifs, their structural and style models, characters, magical objects, and the artistic device of estrangement

Possibilities of domestic railway engineering on the example of the Lastochka electric train

The purpose of this article is to study the possibilities and assess the current state of the Russian railway engineering industry. The research paper analyzes the conditions conducive to the development of domestic railway engineering in the production of electric trains. The reasons for the demand for the Lastochka are described and the features of operation reflected, and the difficulties of localization of production listed. Due to domestic developments and various modifications, the electric train is recognized as universal and capable of a variety of operating conditions. The article focuses on the main competitive advantages of this train and the prospects for the development of the production of the Lastochkas in the Russian Federation within the framework of external sanctions pressure and a high level of uncertainty. The author reflects the advantages and disadvantages of replacing domestic electric trains as a part of import substitution with products from friendly or neutral countries. The study notes that in the near future the state will need to decide on a further policy of import substitution within the framework of risk assessment for the domestic economy

V. I. Nilov is “a very modest man and an exceptionally serious scientist” (concerning one comment in M. Gorky’s letter to I. V. Stalin)

This publication explores the history of personal contacts and correspondence between the distinguished biochemist V. I. Nilov and the writer Maxim Gorky in 1933–1936. Through out his life, M. Gorky tried to use his influence to help talented scientists as well as scientific and cultural institutions. In 1933, V. I. Nilov, a researcher from the Nikita Botanical Gardens, wrote to Gorky about the experiments he performed in his biochemistry lab on the synthesis of vitamin C, plant breeding for chemical composition, and isolation of opiates from poppy. The writer appealed to the USSR top officials, intending to improve the situation with scientific institutions in Crimea. As a result of Gorky’s mediation efforts, Nilov’s documents were presented to I. V. Stalin. The leaders of the USSR were interested in such research, because it complied with the country’s strategic objectives. This, in its turn, led to changes in vitamin research and production in the USSR and had an effect on the status of the Nikita Botanical Gardens. V. I. Nilov’s scientific biography was closely interlinked with the history of the Institute of Plant Industry and its director N. I. Vavilov. By this publication, earlier unknown materials from the Archive of A.M. Gorky (Institute of World Literature, Moscow) and the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History (Moscow) are for the first time introduced into public scientific discourse

Этнолингвистическое картографирование фрагментов масленичной обрядности южных славян

В настоящей работе на основе этнолингвистического подхода к явлениям языка и народной культуры, предполагающего их изучение в тесной, взаимообусловленной связи, представлен опыт ареального этнолингвистического исследования фрагментов масленичной обрядности южных славян. Картографируются названия последнего дня масленицы и обычай взаимного прощения; обычай разжигать масленичный огонь (костры, факелы, стрелы) и обслуживающая его лексика; а также ритуалы, связанные с летним (ивановским, петровским) огнем (костры, факелы, стрелы) и обслуживающая его лексика