The Human and the Nonhuman, Beyond Anthropocentrism, Beyond Boundaries: A Material Ecocritical View on Monique Roffey’s and Andrus Kivirähk’s Work

The article explores ecocritically nature-culture interactions in contemporary British and Estonian literature: Monique Roffey’s and Andrus Kivirähk’s writing. I start by elucidating the portrayal of nature, the way in which the writers under discussion reconsider anthropocentrism and established boundaries. Both novelists turn a delicate eye to nature, portraying a posthuman world where nature and culture are no longer dichotomous but perpetually entangled, challenging anthropocentrism and indicating a different, more envirocentric approach to literature. I will focus first on human-nonhuman interactions, analysing next how the normative human and nonhuman beings are transformed beyond recognition, shattering the anthropocentric core of the concept of agency and voice. In line with material ecocriticism, the currently emerging ecocritical branch that re-conceptualises nature as an active agent, the writers mingle the nonhuman with the human as a Subject, posing a threat to anthropo-normativity and envisioning an uncannily different reality. The article’s final section explores the way how nature and culture are inextricably merged, not only their voices but also bodies, indicating the key new materialist idea of trans-corporeality – both culture and nature as tangled corporealities. In line with new materialism, the writers importantly revision the dominant dichotomous anthropocentric world, laying out a future that is naturalcultural

Stiimulitundlike ja kovalentsete bisubstraatsete proteiinkinaasi inhibiitorite arendamine

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsiooneProteiinkinaasid on laialdaselt levinud ensüümid, mis katalüüsivad valkude fosforüülimist. Valkude fosforüülimine mõjutab arvukate mehhanismide kaudu pea kõiki raku funktsioone. Proteiinkinaaside talitlushäirete korral võib nende aktiivsus muutuda liigseks, mis on seotud erinevate haigustega, nt vähkkasvajatega. Proteiinkinaaside liigse aktiivsuse mahasurumiseks arendatakse inhibiitoreid, mille ülesandeks on tugevalt proteiinkinaasiga seonduda ning see seeläbi inaktiveerida. Viimase kahekümne aasta jooksul on ravimina kasutusele võetud ligi sada proteiinkinaasi inhibiitorit, mida rakendatakse enamasti vähkkasvajate raviks. Tartu Ülikoolis, arendatakse bisubstraatseid proteiinkinaasi inhibiitoreid, mida nimetatakse ARC-inhibiitoriteks. Bisubstraatsus väljendub inhibiitori võimes seonduda korraga kahte proteiinkinaasi sidumispiirkonda, kuhu peaksid muidu seonduma substraadid. Tänu sellele saavutavad ARC-inhibiitorid väga tugeva seondumisvõime ja hea selektiivsuse. Selles töös demonstreeriti, et optimeeritud struktuurimodifikatsioone kasutades oli ARC-inhibiitoritele võimalik lisada täiendavaid omadusi. Nimelt konstrueeriti kõrge seondumisvõimega proteiinkinaasi inhibiitorid, mille seondumisvõime ilmneb või kaob välise stiimuli rakendamisel (näiteks LED-valgustiga valgustamisel või redutseeriva keskkonna loomisel). Proteiinkinaasi inhibiitorite aktiivsuse kaudne juhtimine võiks viia tulevikus näiteks valgustundlike vähiravimiteni, mida saab kehas lokaalselt aktiveerida. Samuti töötati välja kovalentsed ARC-inhibiitorid, mis moodustavad proteiinkinaasiga seondumisel pöördumatu keemilise ehk kovalentse sideme. Kovalentse mehhanismi abil töötavad ravimid võimaldavad haigust tekitavaid sihtmärke teistest paremini eristada. Uute inhibiitorite struktuuride disainimisel oli oluline osa varasemalt mõõdetud valgu-inhibiitori kristallstruktuuridel, mis võimaldasid ennustada proteiinkinaasi ja inhibiitori vahelisi interaktsioone. Töö illustreerib bisubstraatsete inhibiitorite modifitseerimise paindlikkust uute omaduste lisamiseks.Protein kinases are enzymes, which catalyse protein phosphorylation. Protein phosphorylation affects almost all cell functions via a myriad of mechanisms. Dysregulation of protein kinases may lead to excess protein kinase activity, which is related to different kinds of diseases, including cancer. Inhibitors, which bind protein kinases and deactivate them, are developed. During the past twenty years around 100 protein kinase inhibitors have been approved as drugs. ARC-inhibitors are bisubstrate protein kinase inhibitors, which have been developed in the University of Tartu for the past 30 years. Bisubstrate inhibitors bind two protein kinase binding sites simultaneously and thus prevent the substrates from binding. Therefore, ARC inhibitors have a very strong binding affinity and good selectivity towards their protein kinase targets. However, the structures of bisubstrate inhibitors are usually larger and more complicated. It was demonstrated that special features can be added to ARC-inhibitors by incorporating optimized structural modifications. Namely, high affinity stimuli-responsive bisubstrate protein kinase inhibitors were constructed, which could be activated or deactivated on command using different stimuli (e.g., by illuminating with LED light or producing a reductive environment). For example, the ability to remotely regulate protein kinase inhibitors could lead to light-sensitive cancer drugs, which could be locally activated. Further, covalent ARC-inhibitors were developed, which form an irreversible covalent bond to their target protein kinase. The inhibitors which function via a covalent mechanism can be more selective towards their target. Previously measured crystal structures of protein-inhibitor complexes were an important element in the design of new inhibitors. This work illustrates the flexibility of bisubstrate protein kinase inhibitor structures for integrating new features.https://www.ester.ee/record=b552784

Surma kajastamine ajalehtedes Postimees, Eesti Päevaleht ja Õhtuleht ning asjaolud, millest ajakirjanik surma kajastades lähtub

„Reflecting on death in the newspapers Postimees, Eesti Päevaleht and Õhtuleht and the circumstances, from which the journalist originates when reflecting on death.“ The author finds, that the topic of their research is important, because a persons death, may it be from an illness, murder, suicide, traffic accident or from which other reason, is often unexpected and touches people deeply. It is often the case, that someones death or the reason of their death is so newsworthy, that in addition to the close ones of the deceased, the journalists who write and the people who read about it are affected, too. Which is why it is important to write about death in a way that wouldn’t cause any additional strain to the close ones of the person passed. Though when it comes to a subject that deep and delicate, it is not easy. Bachelor’s thesis has on one hand been looking for an answer to the question, how has death been reflected on in the newspapers. For that there were taken deathrelated articles from three of the biggest daily newspapers in Estonia: „Postimees“, „Eesti Päevaleht“ and „Õhtuleht“. On the other hand, attention has been turned towards how the journalist has been affected by writing about death, what are the circumstances that the article is built up on, what are the most difficult parts for the journalist and what does it all emotionally mean for the journalist. Expertinterviews have been carried out for that. The central issues of the bachelor’s thesis are „How is death being reflected on in Estonian printed media?“, „What does the journalist originate from when writing about death?“ and „How does writing about death affect the journalist?“. The thesis has been divided into five chapters, which, in turn, into subchapters. The first chapter brings out the theoretical starting points of the thesis. The second chapters gives an overview of the used methodics and the principle, by which the selection has been put together in each part of the thesis. The third chapter contains coded texts and the fourth the results of the analysis based on the expertinterviews. The fifth chapter contains conclusions and discussion. The bachelor’s thesis has also partly been based upon the authors seminar thesis „The reflection of death in the newspapers Postimees, Eesti Päevaleht and Õhtuleht.“ In the first part of the research, there were quantitative and qualitative analysis used to get the answers to the questions raised. The selection consisted of 52 articles dating from 15th of October to 27th of November 2008. The articles were taken from the newspapers ,,Postimees,” ,,Eesti Päevaleht” and ,,Õhtuleht”. As it came out from the results, the Estonian press mostly reflected on famous people’s deaths or cases, in which more than one person had died. Mainly murders. Preferring different people or bureaus as the sources was different for all of the papers. In Postimees, only the close ones of the deceased had been used as the source. In lesser stories, different sources with different statuses were used. Eesti Päevaleht and Õhtuleht had mostly used many different sources who had had different relationships with the person who had passed. In the articles, there was mostly attention on the emotions, not the facts. More than a third of the stories rather had emotions and people’s memories in them than the facts. The least of the stories had only facts in them. As the journalist has to stay neutral when writing an article, you could read out the painfulness of it all from the quotes of the sources and the background descriptions. From the second part of the research - the expertinterviews with seven journalists (they were answered in written form in two cases) came out, that although reflection on death is difficult for journalists they still have to do it, because death is a part of our life. When writing about death, the journalist has to balance between two groups – the readers and the ones close to the deceased. The main thing for a journalist to base on when writing about death is not to hurt the close ones even more with the article. Sparing the close ones, as such, also appears in the selection of the sources. The journalists find, that the close ones, who are already having a hard time, shouldn’t be used as the sources. The best sources for the articles about someone’s death are said to be the dead persons friends, colleaugues, neighbours – people, who know the deceased, but are not too closely involved in what’s happened. The journalists say, that the articles about death can have several different purposes. On one hand, people can learn from others mistakes (speeding, etc.), on the other hand, these stories have a humane aspect. People, who have gone through similar situations, could get support from these stories. When it comes to someone famous having died, an article is a way to pay one’s last respects to the person. It is emotionally difficult for a journalist to write about death. From one side it has been made difficult by a concern for the close ones of the deceased and the emotionally tough interviews that one often has to carry out. From the other side is the infinity of death. It if often difficult for journalists to go on with their lives after writing about death, because what happened leaves a mark on them and in some cases makes them think about their own mortality. At the same time it gets easier, because the writers learn to, so to say, block out the stories and don’t take the death-related stories into their hearts that much any more. Reflecting on death is difficult for a journalist for many reasons. At the same time they find, that for different reasons it is necessary, which is why they learn to handle such topics during their lives.http://www.ester.ee/record=b4014923*es

Õpilaskodu kasvataja töökava erivajadusega laste arenguvajaduste toetamiseks

Käesoleva loov-praktilise lõputöö eesmärgiks on koostada õpilaskodu kasvataja töökava, mis toetab ühe konkreetse õpilaskodu erivajadusega laste arengut. Viisin läbi fookusgrupi intervjuu kooli töötajatega, et välja selgitada nende arvamus, missugustele õpilaskodu laste vajadustele tuleks rohkem tähelepanu pöörata ning missuguste tegevustega saaks õpilaskodu kasvataja laste arengut täiendavalt toetada. Õpilaskodu laste arvamuse väljaselgitamiseks kasutasin loov-uurimismeetodit, milles osales 12 õpilaskodu last. Töökava on koostatud pilootprojektina rakendamiseks 2023/24 õppeaasta septembrist detsembrini. Võtmesõnad: lapse heaolu ja arenguvajadused, erivajadusega laps, õpilaskoduhttps://www.ester.ee/record=b556350

Matemaatiline probleemilahendamine gümnaasiumis

https://www.ester.ee/record=b5155040*es

Digiühiskonna direktiivis sätestatud teksti- ja andmekaeve erandi autoriõiguslikud väljakutsed

https://www.ester.ee/record=b536259

Influence of the European Court of Justice on the European integration level: on the example of cases on ensuring the rights of students

Although the European Court of Justice has sometimes even been called the "motor of integration" and the driving force of integration that influences the level of integration through its case law, this notion has not been commonly adopted and accepted by all theoretical approaches dealing with European integration. Debates on the ways how the role and influence of the Court of Justice on the EU integration process should be interpreted are still topical. The choice of subject for this Bachelor's thesis is based on the fact that the free movement of students in the EU and studies in other Member States have become such a common part of everyday life that the author of the thesis became interested in finding out whether and which changes have taken place in connection with the rights of students. The subject of the thesis is topical as the number of students who use the opportunity to move freely in the EU area without internal borders and to study in another Member State has statistically been growing yearly. The aim of the Bachelor's thesis was to analyse the influence of the Court of Justice on the integration level of the European Union and to find an answer to the question whether and in which cases the decisions of the Court of Justice can influence this integration level. The thesis concentrated on the analysis of the rights of students and the European Communities’ competence for education and the role of the Court of Justice in this process. The thesis posed the following hypothesis: the European Court of Justice has a dominant effect on the integration level of the European Union, but this is true only if the Member States lack a common position on the issue brought before the Court of Justice. The empirical data comprised five of the most important rulings of the Court of Justice on students' rights, which were also referred to most frequently in specialised literature. The aim of the methodological framework created for analysing the empirical data and of the analysis was to determine which of the integration theories dealt with in the thesis, i.e. neofunctionalism or liberal intergovernmentalism, better explains European integration. The empirical analysis was carried out separately for each case, but the analysed data were compared to test the hypothesis, and general conclusions were drawn on this basis. The results of the analysis did not confirm the hypothesis of the thesis and the influence of the Court of Justice on the integration level had to be affirmed even in situations where the Member States had a common position which was almost without exception contrary to the opinion of the Court of Justice on the specific issue. The ruling of the Gravier case showed that the Court of Justice does not allow Member States to dictate the way how to interpret Community law or how to define a specific term (in this case the term "vocational training") in Community law. Basically the court stated in the Gravier ruling that the possibilities for obtaining education and internships and participation in studies are regulated by Community law, which is why it is forbidden to discriminate against students from other Member States on the basis of citizenship, which also applies to prescribing an enrolment fee as a precondition to being admitted to a vocational training course. The court ruling in the Blaizot case where the Court found that the term "vocational training" does not exclude university education and extended this term on certain conditions also to university studies was one step forward in increasing integration in the field of the Community's competence for education. The change in the integration level could not be considered defined in the ruling made in the Brown case where the Court stated clearly that the development level of Community law regarding competence for education during the preliminary ruling does not allow for subsistence and education allowances given to university students of other Member States to be considered to belong within the scope of the Treaties. While in the Gravier and Blaizot case, the Member States submitting their comments lacked the necessary number of votes to have a blocking minority in the Council of the European Union during the preliminary ruling procedure, which would have allowed them to block unfavourable decisions taken via qualified majority voting in the Council of the European Union, the blocking minority was reached in the Brown case. In the Grzelczyk case the Court of Justice dealt with rights stemming from European Union citizenship and solved issues related to the conditions of receiving social benefits. The Court of Justice stated in its ruling that developments have taken place in the EU’s competence for education, making it necessary to change previous case law, i.e. the statements of the Brown case, and to take the position that the EU law recognises certain financial solidarity between Member States and hence also the right of students from other Member States to receive social benefits if certain conditions are met. Despite the existence of a common position of the Member States contradicting the Court of Justice in the Grzelczyk case, the Court made a ruling that could be considered as reinforcing the level of integration. The Member States laid a significantly strong emphasis on the preliminary ruling procedure in the Bidar case, which dealt with issues on receiving study loans, and they took the common position that subsistence allowances do not fall within the scope of the Treaties. Despite the strong opposition by the Member States and the European Commission, the Court found that education allowances in the form of study loans and stipends belong within the scope of the Treaties, and hence extended the rights of students. As the Court of Justice made decisions that clearly increased the rights of students and the Community's competence for education and did this despite the common opposition by the Member States, it can be said that the neofunctionalist integration approach proved to be more accurate. However, the court rulings analysed in this thesis alone are not a sufficient basis to state unambiguously that the Court made rulings reinforcing the integration level regarding the competence for education with the clear aim of increasing its own influence and role, which is why the accuracy of the neofunctionalist integration theory cannot be definitively affirmed. The thesis concludes that the European Union integration process is essentially such a multifaceted and complex process that neither approach alone, i.e. either neofunctionalism or liberal intergovernmentalism, can fully explain the European integration process and the role of intergovernmental institutions in it, which is why further research in this field will be necessary.http://tartu.ester.ee/record=b2627837~S1*es

Gernot Minke teose "Building with Earth. Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture" kolme peatüki tõlge ja tõlke analüüs

Magistritöö eesmärk oli tõlkida Gernot Minke teose „Building with Earth. Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture“ kolm esimest peatükki ning analüüsida tõlkimisel tekkinud probleeme ja valitud lahenduskäike.http://www.ester.ee/record=b4691522*es