“Hush ma cailín”: Irish Women and Egalitarian Nationalism

In October 1997, the members of the Army Executive of the Provisional Irish Republican Army who favored an end to the decades-long insurgency against British rule in the occupied six counties of Ireland outmaneuvered and forced the resignations of those who supported continuing the war. Among those forced to resign was the one woman on the Army Executive. She and her comrades would coalesce around Bernadette Sands McKevitt as the dissidents prepared to fight on under the banner of the Real Irish Republican Army while the majority of the insurgents laid down their arms. The Continuity Irish Republican Army simultaneously prepared to launch a new insurgency campaign. Both movements had significant contributions in leadership and membership from women. National liberation struggles are often analyzed as distinctly masculine phenomena in which men bearing arms seek to convey and reinforce notions of conventional masculinity, which has the effect of reinforcing patriarchal social structures. However, left unanswered in such narratives is what role women saw for themselves in the national liberation struggle in Ireland, and why the continuation of the struggle was, despite the will of most men in the upper echelons of the Provisional Irish Republican Army, supported and even actively catalyzed by republican women? Answering this question demands an analysis of women’s involvement in the national liberation struggle in Ireland and how that influenced gendered hierarchies in society and in the liberation movement itself. This paper argues that women’s participation in the nationalist struggle in Ireland gave them the opportunity to assert their autonomy and equality to men, to establish a stake in the political destiny of the new nation that would rise from the struggle, and to influence the movement to take up the causes of social justice and women’s equality within the framework of national liberation, thus securing the movement as the political home of progressive Irish women. Their role in the post-1998 dissident movement was a continuation of this trajectory

Institutional Redesign and Dynamics of Collaborative Ties in the Educational Ecosystem

As the landscape of education evolves, there is a growing need to understand and adapt to the changing dynamics of partnerships and collaborations within the educational sector. While previous studies have predominantly focused on spiral models, social networks, and platform models, little attention has been given to the emerging new institutional design in education. Through an extensive analysis of open sources, this research identifies the roles played by both conventional and non-conventional actors in shaping the educational landscape and their contributions to community development. The study reveals the evolving roles of universities, highlighting their active engagement in fostering entrepreneurship, creating vibrant communities, and supporting lifelong learning. As a result of our study, we propose a mapped scheme illustrating the relationships between the university and other actors within the educational space and illustrating the university’s potential to gain ecosystem leadership. In summary, by capitalizing on the identified opportunities, both parties (universities and non-conventional actors) can foster a thriving ecosystem, driving community development, lifelong learning, and local entrepreneurship

Combining music and dance movement therapy for people with dementia living in the community: a mixed methods feasibility study

Dementia is affecting an increasing number of people world-wide and presents a need to find more evidence-based therapies that can improve quality of life and care. Music therapy and dance movement therapy are two forms of arts therapies that share an active, embodied and improvisatory approach, however, maximising the benefits of combining music and dance movement therapy has not been researched with this population. In this feasibility study a convergent mixed methods design was used to evaluate the feasibility of using an intervention that combined music and dance movement therapy drawing on a systematic literature review. A dance movement therapist and a music therapist ran two session blocks involving eight participants in total. The Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia was used at three assessment points (baseline, 5 weeks and 10 weeks) indicating an overall reduction in scores. Qualitative methods included multiple forms of data (video, reflective tool, journal) and focused on significant moments of connection between thoughts, feelings and physical sensations. It generated three main themes in the therapeutic process: making connections, acknowledging grief and loss, and growth and empowerment. This study contributes original knowledge to arts therapies research in the development of a research-based treatment approach involving a collaborative model of practice, an exploration of new arts-based data collection tools and testing this intervention in a community setting

Оценка и анализ барьеров инновационной активности экономики региона

Prospects for the development of the Russian innovative economy largely depend on the successful overcoming of negative factors impeding the effective interaction of institutions in the field of education, science, business, credit and fi nancial sphere regarding the creation, transfer and commercialization of innovations. Deep evaluation of innovative problems needs dynamic analysis of main processes in the spheres accompanying the innovation activity, which determines the topicality of this article. The aim of research consists in elaborating a dynamic approach to complex estimation of problems and barriers to the innovative development of Russia, including their structure and change. In order to do that, this article reviews the main barriers to the development of innovation activity in the region, builds a detailed classifi cation of parameters of innovative economic environment, and analyses their dynamics. The algorithm of innovation barriers assessment is based on economic statistics methods and fuzzy sets theory. This algorithm is determined on the basis of linguistic variables according to the matrix principle and linguistic identifi cation of economic objects. The estimation is based on a dynamic approach, that is, each analyzed indicator represents a rate of growth of one or another factor associated with the level of barriers to the innovation activity and therefore reflects the degree of reduction or strengthening in such barrier for the period under review. The minimax normalization allows providing comparability of all indicators under review. Macroeconomic data and indices of Russian enterprises operation, presented in statistical collections were used as the input data for analysis and estimation. As a result, we evaluated the level of overcoming barriers to innovative development during the past three years on the basis of analyzing research human potential, of development of innovative infrastructure elements, of financial instruments and sources, of production assets modernization and implantation of advanced technologies in industrial process. In the course of the research, it was possible to distinguish four most signifi cant groups of barriers to the innovative development – personnel, organizational and technological, fi nancial, and infrastructure barriers. In addition, we marked out the most successful fi eld of overcoming of negative trends in 2013–2015. At the same time, an unfavorable situation in the venture capital market and unsustainable development of technology parks are revealed. The performed analysis allows estimating the effectiveness of overcoming negative tendencies in personnel, technological, fi nancial spheres and of measures taken in this sphere. The estimation showed that the majority of economic trends are unsustainable and there is no stable and positive dynamics in dealing with the main problems in the Russian innovative economy.Перспективы развития российской инновационной экономики во многом зависят от успешного преодоления негативных факторов, препятствующих эффективному взаимодействию учреждений в сфере образования, науки, предпринимательства, кредитно-финансовой сферы в области создания, трансфера и коммерциализации нововведений. Для глубокой оценки инновационных проблем необходим динамический анализ основных процессов в сферах, сопутствующих инновационной деятельности, что обуславливает актуальность данной статьи. Цель исследования состоит в разработке динамического подхода к комплексному оцениванию проблем и барьеров инновационного развития России, включая их структуру и изменение. Для этого в данной статье проводится обзор основных барьеров развития инновационной активности региона, выстраивается развернутая классификация параметров среды инновационно-развитой экономики, выполняется анализ их динамики. Для построения алгоритма оценивания инновационных барьеров применяются методы экономической статистики, а также используется инструментарий теории нечетких множеств. В основу алгоритма положен метод построения нечетких матриц, формирования лингвистических переменных и лингвистического распознавания экономических объектов. Расчеты базируются на динамическом подходе, то есть каждый первичный анализируемый показатель представляет собой темп роста того или иного фактора, связанного с уровнем барьеров инновационной активности, и, следовательно, отражает степень преодоления либо усиления этого барьера в рассматриваемом периоде. Нормировка по минимаксу позволяет обеспечить сопоставимость всех исследуемых показателей. В качестве исходных данных для расчётов и анализа использованы макроэкономические показатели и показатели функционирования российских предприятий, представленные в статистических сборниках. В результате проведена оценка уровня преодоления барьеров инновационного развития, которая осуществляется в течение последних трех лет на основе анализа научного кадрового потенциала, развития элементов инновационной инфраструктуры, инструментов и источников финансирования инноваций, модернизации производственных фондов и вовлечения инновационных технологий в производственные процессы. В ходе работы выделены четыре наиболее значительных группы барьеров инновационного развития – кадровые, организационно-технологические, финансовые и барьеры инфраструктуры. Также выделена область наиболее успешного преодоления негативных тенденций в 2013–2015 годы. В то же время диагностирована неблагоприятная ситуация на рынке венчурного финансирования и в сфере развития технопарков. По результатам проведенного анализа сделаны выводы об эффективности преодоления негативных тенденций в кадровой, технологической, финансовой сферах и мер, принимаемых в этой области. Расчёты показали, что экономические тенденции в большинстве своём нестабильны и не наблюдается стабильной положительной динамики в преодолении проблем инновационной экономики

EPR Study of KO2 as a Source of Superoxide and •BMPO-OH/OOH Radical That Cleaves Plasmid DNA and Detects Radical Interaction with H2S and Se-Derivatives

: Superoxide radical anion (O2 •−) and its derivatives regulate numerous physiological and pathological processes, which are extensively studied. The aim of our work was to utilize KO2 as a source of O2 •− and the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin trapping 5-tert-butoxycarbonyl-5- methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (BMPO) technique for the preparation of •BMPO-OOH and/or •BMPOOH radicals in water solution without DMSO. The method distinguishes the interactions of various compounds with •BMPO-OOH and/or •BMPO-OH radicals over time. Here, we show that the addition of a buffered BMPO-HCl mixture to powdered KO2 formed relatively stable •BMPO-OOH and •BMPO-OH radicals and H2O2 , where the •BMPO-OOH/OH ratio depended on the pH. At a final pH of ~6.5–8.0, the concentration of •BMPO-OOH radicals was ≥20 times higher than that of •BMPO-OH, whereas at pH 9.0–10.0, the •BMPO-OH radicals prevailed. The •BMPO-OOH/OH radicals effectively cleaved the plasmid DNA. H2S decreased the concentration of •BMPO-OOH/OH radicals, whereas the selenium derivatives 1-methyl-4-(3-(phenylselanyl) propyl) piperazine and 1-methyl-4-(4-(phenylselanyl) butyl) piperazine increased the proportion of •BMPO-OH over the •BMPO-OOH radicals. In conclusion, the presented approach of using KO2 as a source of O2 •−/H2O2 and EPR spin trap BMPO for the preparation of •BMPO-OOH/OH radicals in a physiological solution could be useful to study the biological effects of radicals and their interactions with compounds

Chronic intermittent hypoxia disrupts cardiorespiratory homeostasis and gut microbiota composition in adult male guinea-pigs

peer-reviewedBackground: Carotid body (peripheral oxygen sensor) sensitisation is pivotal in the development of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH)-induced hypertension. We sought to determine if exposure to CIH, modelling human sleep apnoea, adversely affects cardiorespiratory control in guinea-pigs, a species with hypoxia-insensitive carotid bodies. We reasoned that CIH-induced disruption of gut microbiota would evoke cardiorespiratory morbidity. Methods: Adult male guinea-pigs were exposed to CIH (6.5% O2 at nadir, 6 cycles.hour−1) for 8 h.day−1 for 12 consecutive days. Findings: CIH-exposed animals established reduced faecal microbiota species richness, with increased relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and reduced relative abundance of Firmicutes bacteria. Urinary corticosterone and noradrenaline levels were unchanged in CIH-exposed animals, but brainstem noradrenaline concentrations were lower compared with sham. Baseline ventilation was equivalent in CIH-exposed and sham animals; however, respiratory timing variability, sigh frequency and ventilation during hypoxic breathing were all lower in CIH-exposed animals. Baseline arterial blood pressure was unaffected by exposure to CIH, but β-adrenoceptor-dependent tachycardia and blunted bradycardia during phenylephrine-induced pressor responses was evident compared with sham controls. Interpretation: Increased carotid body chemo-afferent signalling appears obligatory for the development of CIH-induced hypertension and elevated chemoreflex control of breathing commonly reported in mammals, with hypoxia-sensitive carotid bodies. However, we reveal that exposure to modest CIH alters gut microbiota richness and composition, brainstem neurochemistry, and autonomic control of heart rate, independent of carotid body sensitisation, suggesting modulation of breathing and autonomic homeostasis via the microbiota-gut-brainstem axis. The findings have relevance to human sleep-disordered breathing

A high-precision wound healing assay based on photosensitized culture substrates

Quantitative assessment of cell migration in vitro is often required in fundamental and applied research from different biomedical areas including wound repair, tumor metastasis or developmental biology. A collection of assays has been established throughout the years like the most widely used scratch assay or the so-called barrier assay. It is the principle of these assays to introduce a lesion into an otherwise confluent monolayer in order to study the migration of cells from the periphery into this artificial wound and determine the migration rate from the time necessary for wound closure. A novel assay makes use of photosensitizers doped into a polystyrene matrix. A thin layer of this composite material is coated on the bottom of regular cell culture ware showing perfect biocompatibility. When adherent cells are grown on this coating, resonant excitation of the photosensitizer induces a very local generation of 1O2, which kills the cells residing at the site of illumination. Cells outside the site of illumination are not harmed. When excitation of the photosensitizer is conducted by microscopic illumination, high-precision wounding in any size and geometry is available even in microfluidic channels. Besides proof-of-concept experiments, this study gives further insight into the mechanism of photosensitizer-mediated cell wounding