Šimtmetis tarptautinėje bendrijoje: tarptautinė teisė ir Lietuvos valstybingumas

One hundred years ago Lithuania became a member of the League of Nations. The membership was based on the perceived advantages of the international system and the importance of the rule of law to the region. The vision of global peace based on the prohibition of aggression and law enabled Lithuania to establish statehood. Conditions for the recognition of the new member of international community ranged from the requirement of established borders and a democratic government to guarantees regarding commitment to protect national minorities and control armaments. The research confirms that the implementation of these commitments was understood in Lithuania not only as a condition for membership but as an important direct objective. The Lithuanian political elite had no illusions as to the importance of international law in disputes with neighbouring states. A good-willed implementation of the existing rules was certainly the best defense against the political pressure of military superpowers. This research into the geopolitical situation at the end of WWI and the political discourse in the newly independent Lithuania illustrates the importance of the institutionalized system of nations in ensuring world peace and security.2021-ieji ženklina atkurtos Lietuvos valstybės tarptautinio pripažinimo šimtmetį. 1921 m. rugsėjo 22  d. Lietuva tapo Tautų Sąjungos nare. Lietuvos narystė Tautų Sąjungoje buvo grindžiama suvoktais daugiašalės tarptautinės sistemos pranašumais, teisės viršenybės nauda mažoms regiono valstybėms. Lietuvai po Pirmojo pasaulinio karo vyravusi agresijos draudimu ir teise grindžiamos pasaulinės taikos vizija sudarė galimybę įtvirtinti svyruojantį valstybingumą. Lietuvai pripažinti visateise pasaulio bendrijos nare buvo keliama nemažai sąlygų – nuo sienų apibrėžtumo, vyriausybių demokratinio pobūdžio iki prisiimtų tarptautinių įsipareigojimų mažumų teisių apsaugos ir ginkluotės srityje. Kaip patvirtina atliktas tyrimas, šių reikalavimų įvykdymas Lietuvoje buvo suprantamas ne tik kaip narystės Tautų Sąjungoje sąlyga, bet ir tiesioginis tikslas. Lietuvoje aiškiai suprasta ir tarptautinės teisės svarba sprendžiant santykius su kaimynais. Sąžiningas galiojančių taisyklių laikymasis buvo geriausias argumentas prieš stipresnių kaimynų politinį spaudimą

Išlygos pareiškimuose dėl Tarptautinio Teisingumo Teismo jurisdikcijos pripažinimo.

Notwithstanding constant “crises of confidence,” a high number of international disputes lay at the docket of the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In the word of Judge Rosalyn Higgins, states are turning to the ICJ for the peaceful settlement of their disputes. The option provided by the Charter of the United Nations in limiting the compulsory jurisdiction of the Court to certain categories of disputes, clearly contributes to convening a greater number of states to accept this international jurisdiction, resolve their disputes peacefully and in accordance with international law. Not surprisingly, only a few declarations provided in Article 36 of the Statute of the Court do not contain any reservation as to the limits of the Court’s competence. Interwar Lithuania contributed heavily to the strengthening of international justice. It was amongst the first members of the League of Nations to recognise the compulsory jurisdiction of the Permanent Court of International Justice and remained its faithful supporter until the very end of the Court’s activities. International justice provided at least titular security guarantees for the young nation. This faith of the Lithuanian government in relying on international justice was rewarded in full. The Lithuanian State defended its legitimate place amongst the independent nations and successfully stood up for its interests in all three cases before the Permanent Court. [...]Tarptautinio Teisingumo Teismo jurisdikcijos pagrindas – visų ginčo šalių sutikimas. Pagal jo Statuto 36 straipsnį, Teismo jurisdikcijai priklauso visos bylos, kurias šalys perduoda jam spręsti, ir visi klausimai, specialiai numatyti Jungtinių Tautų Chartijoje ir galiojančiose tarptautinėse sutartyse. Valstybės, šio Statuto šalys, gali bet kuriuo metu pareikšti, kad jos pripažįsta be specialaus dėl to sutarimo, ipso facto, Teismo privalomąją jurisdikciją sprendžiant visus teisinius ginčus su bet kuria kita valstybe, prisiėmusia tokį pat įsipareigojimą. Šio straipsnio tikslas – apibrėžti išlygų dėl Teismo privalomosios jurisdikcijos taikymo galimybes ir apimtį. Vadovaujantis paprotine teise, nė viena suvereni valstybė neprivalo paklusti kuriai nors kitai jurisdikcijai, jei pati jos nepripažino. Toks įsipareigojimas gali būti numatytas tarptautinėje sutartyje. Tokiu atveju tarptautinės jurisdikcijos apimtis taip pat nurodoma susitarimo nuostatose. Straipsnyje apžvelgiamos Tarptautinio Teisingumo Teismo jurisdikcijos privalomumo ribos ir jo Statute numatyta galimybė apriboti šią jurisdikciją. Analizuojamos galimų išlygų dėl Teismo jurisdikcijos netaikymo rūšys ir formuluotės, jų veiksmingumas, nagrinėjama šių išlygų taikymo praktika

miR-20b and miR-451a Are Involved in Gastric Carcinogenesis through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Signaling Pathway: Data from Gastric Cancer Patients, Cell Lines and Ins-Gas Mouse Model

Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common and lethal gastrointestinal malignancies worldwide. Many studies have shown that development of GC and other malignancies is mainly driven by alterations of cellular signaling pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding molecules that function as tumor-suppressors or oncogenes, playing an essential role in a variety of fundamental biological processes. In order to understand the functional relevance of miRNA dysregulation, studies analyzing their target genes are of major importance. Here, we chose to analyze two miRNAs, miR-20b and miR-451a, shown to be deregulated in many different malignancies, including GC. Deregulated expression of miR-20b and miR-451a was determined in GC cell lines and the INS-GAS mouse model. Using Western Blot and luciferase reporter assay we determined that miR-20b directly regulates expression of PTEN and TXNIP, and miR-451a: CAV1 and TSC1. Loss-of-function experiments revealed that down-regulation of miR-20b and up-regulation of miR-451a expression exhibits an anti-tumor effect in vitro (miR-20b: reduced viability, colony formation, increased apoptosis rate, and miR-451a: reduced colony forming ability). To summarize, the present study identified that expression of miR-20b and miR-451a are deregulated in vitro and in vivo and have a tumor suppressive role in GC through regulation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway

The effect of electroporation pulses on functioning of the heart

Electrochemotherapy is an effective antitumor treatment currently applied to cutaneous and subcutaneous tumors. Electrochemotherapy of tumors located close to the heart could lead to adverse effects, especially if electroporation pulses were delivered within the vulnerable period of the heart or if they coincided with arrhythmias of some types. We examined the influence of electroporation pulses on functioning of the heart of human patients by analyzing the electrocardiogram. We found no pathological morphological changes in the electrocardiogram; however, we demonstrated a transient RR interval decrease after application of electroporation pulses. Although no adverse effects due to electroporation have been reported so far, the probability for complications could increase in treatment of internal tumors, in tumor ablation by irreversible electroporation, and when using pulses of longer durations. We evaluated the performance of our algorithm for synchronization of electroporation pulse delivery with electrocardiogram. The application of this algorithm in clinical electroporation would increase the level of safety for the patient and suitability of electroporation for use in anatomical locations presently not accessible to existing electroporation devices and electrodes

A PKC-Dependent Recruitment of MMP-2 Controls Semaphorin-3A Growth-Promoting Effect in Cortical Dendrites

There is increasing evidence for a crucial role of proteases and metalloproteinases during axon growth and guidance. In this context, we recently described a functional link between the chemoattractive Sema3C and Matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3). Here, we provide data demonstrating the involvement of MMP-2 to trigger the growth-promoting effect of Sema3A in cortical dendrites. The in situ analysis of MMP-2 expression and activity is consistent with a functional growth assay demonstrating in vitro that the pharmacological inhibition of MMP-2 reduces the growth of cortical dendrites in response to Sema3A. Hence, our results suggest that the selective recruitment and activation of MMP-2 in response to Sema3A requires a PKC alpha dependent mechanism. Altogether, we provide a second set of data supporting MMPs as effectors of the growth-promoting effects of semaphorins, and we identify the potential signalling pathway involved

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised