Peace talks: indexical master tropes and their potential for conflict in the construction of national identity

This paper employs discursive constructivism to delineate four rhetorical paradigms of nationalist discourse and to compare their potential for conflict. It proposes a four-fold typology which sees the intuitive tropes of antithesis and simile, and the counterintuitive metaphor and irony as structuring principles for national self-images. These are four modes of constructing a cultural deixis, that is, a relationship between national self and its cultural other. The paper argues that the frequency and magnitude of nationalistic conflicts may be minimized by the steady and widespread counter-enculturation of the non-conflictual discourses of analogical (simile-based), metaphoric, and ironic nationalisms. This argument is illustrated with examples from modern and recent Romanian history, but may be taken to epitomize the condition of most postcommunist European nations

Smart Anything - Comment alimenter des milliards d'objets connectés ?

Il est devenu évident depuis des années, même pour le simple amateur de nouvelles technologies, que le nombre des systèmes utilisant une connexion sans fil ne fait qu’augmenter. Les usages liés au nomadisme ou même simplement à la disparition de câblesjugés encombrants ou inesthétiques poussent à développer encore et toujours de nouvelles interfaces radio adaptées aux contraintes amenées par lesdits usages. Mais au-delà même des usages classiques de la connexion de l’humain au monde numérique, l’explosion de l’internetdes objets (plus souvent dénommé IoT, de l’anglais Internet of Things) voit une explosion du nombre d’équipements connectés, équipements ayant des caractéristiques de taille, coût, débit, cycle et autonomie extrêmement variées. Cette tendance se trouve d’ailleurs parfaitement illustrée au travers de l’initiative européenne Smart Everything Anywhere qui démontre cette volonté d’offrir une connectivité dans tous les domaines.La multitude et la diversité des objets connectés remettent en cause les méthodes classiques d’échange d’informations entre les nœuds. Le réseau devra composer avec un environnement changeant qui n’est pas maîtrisé en profondeur. L’interconnexion des objets connectés entraine des changements technologiques radicaux qui métamorphosent le cadre existant. Que ce soit dans le domaine grand public, dans le domaine médical, pour l’industrie 4.0, les bâtiments intelligents ou même les villes intelligentes, tous ces équipements ont au moins en commun une chose essentielle : pour communiquer, ils ont besoin d’énergie.Un enjeu majeur du Smart Anything sera donc de garantir l’alimentation énergétique de ces milliards d’objets connectés, tout en en minimisant l’impact économique et écologique. Il est dès lors indispensable de dimensionner au mieux le système global en fonction des besoins essentiels de l’application. Les métriques classiques de performance (débit, latence, portée, QoS...) doivent être pondérées par de nouveaux critères : coût énergétique de l’information, autonomie, type d’alimentation ou même possibilité de maintenance du système et analyse du cycle de vie

Impact of the Psychiatric Comorbidities in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the main causes of death with a significant impact on the quality of life and mental health of the patients as well as on the health system. The social costs of COPD are significant, because this pathology has a negative impact on patients's professional performance and daily activity. The major risk factors for COPD are age and smoking. Extrapulmonary comorbidities are frequently associated with COPD and may have an influence on the symptoms severity, and the frequency of the exacerbations, hospitalizations and mortality. Psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety and depression, have been observed in clinical trials with an increased prevalence of COPD. The relationship between anxiety, depression and COPD is complex. Psychiatric pathology is involved in influencing the pathophysiology of COPD with a proven impact on the patient's prognosis. COPD sleep disorders can aggravate pre-existing psychiatric pathology, the relationship between the two pathologies being bidirectional. The aim of this paper is to review the latest clinical trials on the existing evidence of psychiatric comorbidities impact on the evolution and prognosis of COPD and the therapeutic alternatives for their improvement. The conclusion of the present study is that anxiety and depression should be periodically assessed by a multidisciplinary team in order to provide a complete management (pharmacological, pulmonary rehabilitation and cognitive-behavioral therapy), improving the patient's quality of life and prognosis.</em

Postcommunism- postcolonialism's other: special issue of "Word and Text. A Journal of Literary Studies and Linguistics"

Résumés des articles consultables en ligne à http://jlsl.upg-ploiesti.ro/No_1_2012.htmlInternational audienceIn spite of Derrida's timely Specters of Marx and of the critical activity that it generated, as well as Stéphane Courtois's The Black Book of Communism, the responses to which responses varied from highly enthusiastic support to bitter criticism, out of all the many post'somethings, post(-)communism1 as such has not received the theoretical attention it should have otherwise deserved. The editors of this issue attempt to fill this gap, by proposing a rapprochement between post(-)communism and post(-)colonialism, yet not without expressing some doubts and reflections as to the legitimacy of this parallel.En dépit de la publication de l'ouvrage Spectres de Marx de Derrida, et de l'activité critique qu'il a générée, tout comme du Livre noir du communisme coordonné par Stéphane Courtois, ayant suscité des réactions des plus enthousiastes, mais aussi des prises de position épidermiques, de tous les " post ", le " post-communisme " n'a pas encore reçu l'attention théorique nécessaire. Les contributions de ce volume cherchent à combler ce manque, à la lumière d'un rapprochement entre postcommunisme et postcolonialisme, et avec la conscience des limites et des questions liées à la légitimité d'un tel parallèle

The Interplay between Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells, Platelets, and Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in the Development and Progression of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) represents a societal burden due to the lack of effective treatment and incomplete pathophysiology understanding. This review explores the intricate connections among liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), platelets, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and coagulation disruptions in MASLD pathogenesis. In MASLD’s early stages, LSECs undergo capillarization and dysfunction due to excessive dietary macronutrients and gut-derived products. Capillarization leads to ischemic changes in hepatocytes, triggering pro-inflammatory responses in Kupffer cells (KCs) and activating hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Capillarized LSECs show a pro-inflammatory phenotype through adhesion molecule overexpression, autophagy loss, and increased cytokines production. Platelet interaction favors leucocyte recruitment, NETs formation, and liver inflammatory foci. Liver fibrosis is facilitated by reduced nitric oxide, HSC activation, profibrogenic mediators, and increased angiogenesis. Moreover, platelet attachment, activation, α-granule cargo release, and NETs formation contribute to MASLD progression. Platelets foster fibrosis and microthrombosis, leading to parenchymal extinction and fibrotic healing. Additionally, platelets promote tumor growth, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, and tumor cell metastasis. MASLD’s prothrombotic features are exacerbated by insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity, manifesting as increased von Willebrand factor, platelet hyperaggregability, hypo-fibrinolysis, and a prothrombotic fibrin clot structure. Improving LSEC health and using antiplatelet treatment appear promising for preventing MASLD development and progression

Is Fasting Good When One Is at Risk of Liver Cancer?

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, is a multistep process that usually develops in the background of cirrhosis, but also in a non-cirrhotic state in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or viral hepatis. Emerging evidence suggests that intermittent fasting can reduce the risk of cancer development and could improve response and tolerance to treatment through the metabolic and hormonal adaptations induced by the low energy availability that finally impairs cancer cells’ adaptability, survival and growth. The current review will outline the beneficial effects of fasting in NAFLD/NASH patients and the possible mechanisms that can prevent HCC development, including circadian clock re-synchronization, with a special focus on the possibility of applying this dietary intervention to cirrhotic patients

Comparison between the effects of typical and atypical antipsychotics on oxidative stress status in schizophrenic patients

We determined the specific activities of some enzymatic antioxidant defenses like superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), as well as a lipid peroxidation marker (MDA-malondialdehyde) from the serum of patients with schizophrenia treated with typical and atypical antipsychotics, in comparison with a normal age- matched control group. We observed an increased oxidative stress in schizophrenic patients treated with typical antipsychotics, compared to controls. Moreover, we demonstrated an antioxidant effect of atypical antipsychotics, since these patients showed an increased activity of SOD, compared to control subjects and a slightly decrease of MD

SAFEvR MentalVeRse.app: Development of a Free Immersive Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Acrophobia and Claustrophobia

Background: Specific phobias impact over 400 million people worldwide. Digitalizing mental health could alleviate the burden. Still, although the corporate-driven Metaverse is expanding rapidly, there needs to be more momentum in harnessing virtual reality exposure therapy uptake. Objective: This study aims to conceptualize, develop, and deploy a free Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) application specifically designed for treating acrophobia and claustrophobia. This pilot study, which holds the promise of a future where mental health is more accessible and effective, explores the feasibility of leveraging transdisciplinary collaboration among specialists to create a safe, accessible, and effective VRET solution. Methods: We conducted a Delphi heuristic approach involving bioethicists, neuroscientists, and tech developers. Second, we reviewed the existing psychological theories and therapeutic strategies for addressing phobias in VR. Third, we conceptualized a thematic analysis-derived framework for a safe, adaptive-gamified free exposure to virtual reality acrophobia and claustrophobia (SAFEvR ACT). Finally, we provide an overview of the iterative improvements made during 12 workshops and 76 weekly briefings on developmental implementations. Results: We developed the SAFEvR ACT into a proof-of-concept application freely deployed on the MentalVerse app platform. Our safety-focused approach can benefit from prevalidation perspectives within future randomized control trials. Conclusions: The resulting application derived from the SAFEvR ACT framework represents a blueprint to counter the current lack of iVR mental health uptake by offering a free VRET alternative. Future research should aim towards developing similar free platforms to lessen mental health burdens and gather quantitative data. We conclude with a call to action to researchers to fine-tune our current approach and take a stand for free digital mental health within MentalVeRse.app

Direct Absorption Method and Liquid Scintillation Counting for Radiocarbon Measurements in Organic Carbon from Sediments

From the 20th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Kona, Hawaii, USA, May 31-June 3, 2009.In this paper, we investigate a procedure for radiocarbon determination in forest soil and slurry from lake sediments. The total carbon in these samples can be both inorganic and organic. Inorganic carbon can be analyzed in a straightforward manner using the direct absorption method by sample acidification and CO2 capture. For organic carbon, we investigate a hybrid method using the wet-oxidation of organic carbon followed by direct absorption. To evaluate the wet-oxidation processes with potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4), we performed several experiments using different quantities of soil and sediments in order to establish the quantity of CO2 for each type of sample. The 2 methods offer comparable results for 14C-specific activity (about 0.234 0.024 Bq/g C), values that are expected for these kinds of samples. We also investigated the possibility of isotopic fractionation occurring during CO2 production from raw material by measuring 13C levels from samples and obtained CO2.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202