Border Formation Research Articles

The Politics of Emotions, Bio-Political Border Practices and the Question of (In)security on the Turkish Political Territorial Borders

ABSTRACT This paper conceptually and analytically delineates the operation and employment of discourses and the political emotions of fear and anxiety in the making, conception, and cartographic imagination of the contours of modern Turkey’s political territorial boundaries. This study posits that the emergence and formation of the Turkish political territorial borders after the traumatic and violent experience of the cataclysmic shrinking, collapse and disintegration of the Ottoman Empire continue to influence discourses, emotions, practices and policies of border security and policing. Borders and borderlands are not only sites where the state performs, exercises and displays its sovereign will and power in protecting national security, dignity, pride and honor, but also sources and harbingers of fears, anxieties and ontological (in)securities. In the context of the highly publicized immigration influx of Syrians, Iraqis, Afghanis and others into Turkey, this paper argues that discourses and emotions of fear, anxiety and hate regained new currency and have become consequential in the state’s eliciting of consent from the masses in instituting border walls, fences and harsh border policing practices and policies on the borderlands and in cities across the country.

Historical, legal and cartographic analysis of the formation of the Georgia-Azerbaijan state border (on the example of the David Gareji monastery complex and its surrounding area)

Historical, legal and cartographic analysis of the formation of the Georgia-Azerbaijan state border (on the example of the David Gareji monastery complex and its surrounding area)

Conflict, Borderlands and Displacement: The Persistent and Escalating Crisis in Northwest India

Borderlands are the geographical spaces or zones around a territorial border between nations. Defined by the borders that create and maintain the nation–state, the borderlands are the sites in the making, continually moulded, transformed or reconstructed by the social actors inhabiting them. Going beyond the boundary lines, borderlands encapsulate a much broader area where the impact of happenings at the border is felt and reverberated. Borderlands are of different types. They are classified as ‘alienated’ when dominated by conflict, hostility, insecurity and instability, as in parts of northwest India, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) since 1947–1948. The border between India and Pakistan in J&K called the ‘Line of Control’ (LoC), is a de facto and not an international boundary and remains contested, disturbed, militarised and controlled. The borderlands surrounding it have witnessed many wars, war-like situations and displacement of people with several socio-economic ramifications. The post-colonial state tried to settle these conundrums of border-making but got entangled in the persistent and escalating crisis of intractable border disputes. The state and the media reconstructed and reproduced the rhetoric of nationalism and national security, sustaining the conflict and border entanglements. This paper argues for an alternative discourse to understand the crises of conflict based on people’s lived experiences, border formation and displacement in the wake of the partition of India and thereafter.

Mechanical forces orchestrate the metabolism of the developing oilseed rape embryo.

The initial free expansion of the embryo within a seed is at some point inhibited by its contact with the testa, resulting in its formation of folds and borders. Although less obvious, mechanical forces appear to trigger and accelerate seed maturation. However, the mechanistic basis for this effect remains unclear. Manipulation of the mechanical constraints affecting either the in vivo or in vitro growth of oilseed rape embryos was combined with analytical approaches, including magnetic resonance imaging and computer graphic reconstruction, immunolabelling, flow cytometry, transcriptomic, proteomic, lipidomic and metabolomic profiling. Our data implied that, in vivo, the imposition of mechanical restraints impeded the expansion of testa and endosperm, resulting in the embryo's deformation. An acceleration in embryonic development was implied by the cessation of cell proliferation and the stimulation of lipid and protein storage, characteristic of embryo maturation. The underlying molecular signature included elements of cell cycle control, reactive oxygen species metabolism and transcriptional reprogramming, along with allosteric control of glycolytic flux. Constricting the space allowed for the expansion of in vitro grown embryos induced a similar response. The conclusion is that the imposition of mechanical constraints over the growth of the developing oilseed rape embryo provides an important trigger for its maturation.

Fibrinogen: connecting the blood circulatory system with CNS scar formation.

Wound healing of the central nervous system (CNS) is characterized by the classical phases of 'hemostasis', 'inflammation', 'proliferation', and 'remodeling'. Uncontrolled wound healing results in pathological scar formation hindering tissue remodeling and functional recovery in the CNS. Initial blood protein extravasation and activation of the coagulation cascade secure hemostasis in CNS diseases featuring openings in the blood-brain barrier. However, the relevance of blood-derived coagulation factors was overlooked for some time in CNS wound healing and scarring. Recent advancements in animal models and human tissue analysis implicate the blood-derived coagulation factor fibrinogen as a molecular link between vascular permeability and scar formation. In this perspective, we summarize the current understanding of how fibrinogen orchestrates scar formation and highlight fibrinogen-induced signaling pathways in diverse neural and non-neural cells that may contribute to scarring in CNS disease. We particularly highlight a role of fibrinogen in the formation of the lesion border between the healthy neural tissue and the fibrotic scar. Finally, we suggest novel therapeutic strategies via manipulating the fibrinogen-scar-forming cell interaction to improve functional outcomes.

Spatial Single-cell Analysis Decodes Cortical Layer and Area Specification.

The human cerebral cortex, pivotal for advanced cognitive functions, is composed of six distinct layers and dozens of functionally specialized areas1,2. The layers and areas are distinguished both molecularly, by diverse neuronal and glial cell subtypes, and structurally, through intricate spatial organization3,4. While single-cell transcriptomics studies have advanced molecular characterization of human cortical development, a critical gap exists due to the loss of spatial context during cell dissociation5,6,7,8. Here, we utilized multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH)9, augmented with deep-learning-based cell segmentation, to examine the molecular, cellular, and cytoarchitectural development of human fetal cortex with spatially resolved single-cell resolution. Our extensive spatial atlas, encompassing 16 million single cells, spans eight cortical areas across four time points in the second and third trimesters. We uncovered an early establishment of the six-layer structure, identifiable in the laminar distribution of excitatory neuronal subtypes by mid-gestation, long before the emergence of cytoarchitectural layers. Notably, while anterior-posterior gradients of neuronal subtypes were generally observed in most cortical areas, a striking exception was the sharp molecular border between primary (V1) and secondary visual cortices (V2) at gestational week 20. Here we discovered an abrupt binary shift in neuronal subtype specification at the earliest stages, challenging the notion that continuous morphogen gradients dictate mid-gestation cortical arealization6,10. Moreover, integrating single-nuclei RNA-sequencing and in situ whole transcriptomics revealed an early upregulation of synaptogenesis in V1-specific Layer 4 neurons, suggesting a role of synaptogenesis in this discrete border formation. Collectively, our findings underscore the crucial role of spatial relationships in determining the molecular specification of cortical layers and areas. This work not only provides a valuable resource for the field, but also establishes a spatially resolved single-cell analysis paradigm that paves the way for a comprehensive developmental atlas of the human brain.

Hem1 is essential for ruffled border formation in osteoclasts and efficient bone resorption

Bone resorption is highly dependent on the dynamic rearrangement of the osteoclast actin cytoskeleton to allow formation of actin rings and a functional ruffled border. Hem1 is a hematopoietic-specific subunit of the WAVE-complex which regulates actin polymerization and is crucial for lamellipodia formation in hematopoietic cell types. However, its role in osteoclast differentiation and function is still unknown. Here, we show that although the absence of Hem1 promotes osteoclastogenesis, the ability of Hem1-/- osteoclasts to degrade bone was severely impaired. Global as well as osteoclast-specific deletion of Hem1 in vivo revealed increased femoral trabecular bone mass despite elevated numbers of osteoclasts in vivo. We found that the resorption defect derived from the morphological distortion of the actin-rich sealing zone and ruffled border deformation in Hem1-deficient osteoclasts leading to impaired vesicle transport and increased intracellular acidification. Collectively, our data identify Hem1 as a yet unknown key player in bone remodeling by regulating ruffled border formation and consequently the resorptive capacity of osteoclasts.

Heterogeneous Diplomacy of Political Relations between Iran and Afghanistan in exploiting the water of Helmand Border River

The water challenge in the Middle East has caused governments to face new problems in which they have to consider more control, management, and care regarding their water resources to survive. Due to growing water consumption by upstream countries of the border rivers in exploiting the resources, we will observe an increase in hydro-political disputes among the nations. Helmand is a river that flows into Iran and includes a hydro-political aspect. It has always influenced the relations between the two countries since the border formation. The fluctuation of the Helmand water flow and decrease in the running water towards Sistan (Iran) in the last hundred years has always created problems in relations between Iran and Afghanistan at the National and local levels. In the past years, Afghanistan has consumed a significant part of the water by creating a dam, reducing the amount of water flowing into Iran. On the other side, morphological changes of the river, such as the dispute on specifying the border exactly in the changeable river bed, dispute from the instability of water rights distribution pattern between the two countries, and finally, the dispute from specifying the extent and territory of the border area has led to ecosystem instabilities. In this regard, the strategy to control the ecosystem instabilities is environment diplomacy, and if it is synchronized with defensive diplomacy, it causes stability. With this description, we will examine the Helmand peripheral issues and the course of diplomacy in this field.

Изменения границ внутри человеческого общества. В преддверии постгуманизма

With the prevailing ideas of humanism in the public consciousness, many boundaries were created that divide people into categories. At the same time, on one side of the border there are those who are more deserving of the title ‘human’ in comparison with those who are on the other side. Over the course of history, these borders have been actively rebuilt, and the pace of their changes has become increasingly rapid in recent years. The article examines changes at five such boundaries: between men and women, according to belonging to different religious denominations, to different nationalities and races, between healthy people and disabled people (including between the mentally healthy and the crazy), as well as changes in attitudes over time to the homeless and tramps. The author considers the consequences of changes that have already occurred or are planned at each of these five boundaries. The author believes that a mandatory factor in global economic development has always been the “friendly-alien” division. With the help of such division in economic activity, trust is generated, which is the most important institution necessary for the existence and development of the economy and social organization. Trust facilitates the interaction of economic agents and facilitates the functioning of monetary mechanisms. Large-scale attempts to erase boundaries between people are being made through coups and revolutions, but they lead to the replacement of previously existing boundaries between people with new ones. An attempt to eliminate classes leads to the creation of a new system of boundaries - property inequality. An attempt to eliminate property inequality and the exploitation of man by man leads to the creation of a new system of boundaries – by the place in the vertical of power, by membership in the ruling party, and others. For this reason, with any reforms and radical transformations, it is advisable to anticipate the formation of new borders, and also to evaluate if they are much better than the previous ones in terms of social justice and economic efficiency.

Molecular signaling directing neural plate border formation.

During embryonic development, the vertebrate embryonic epiblast is divided into two parts including neural and superficial ectoderm. The neural plate border (NPB) is a narrow transitional area which locates between these parts and contains multipotent progenitor cells. Despite its small size, the cellular heterogeneity in this region produces specific differentiated cells. Signaling pathways, transcription factors, and the expression/repression of certain genes are directly involved in these differentiation processes. Different factors such as the Wnt signaling cascade, fibroblast growth factor (FGF), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, and Notch, which are involved in various stages of the growth, proliferation, and differentiation of embryonic cells, are also involved in the determination and differentiation of neural plate border stem cells. Therefore, it is essential to consider the interactions and temporospatial coordination related to cells, tissues, and adjacent structures. This review examines our present knowledge of the formation of the neural plate border and emphasizes the requirement for interaction between different signaling pathways, including the BMP and Wnt cascades, the expression of its special target genes and their regulations, and the precise tissue crosstalk which defines the neural crest fate in the ectoderm at the early human embryonic stages.

Russian-Kazakh border: Sustainability and typology by ethnic, historical and natural characteristics

The formation of the Russian-Kazakh border is a complex evolutionary and historical process, and the territory itself is an area of contact of integrated, but at the same time culturally and ethnically distinct territories. In order to determine the sustainability of the Russian-Kazakh border, the segmentation of its sections was carried out according to a set of features defined by typology (natural, ethnic, historical characteristics of the sections). Based on their synthesis, the Russian-Kazakh border is divided into separate segments forming 3 categories of sustainability. As a result of the study it was determined that the most stable parts of the border are historically mature, have a high degree of ethnic contrast and are often of natural origin - this is the western sector of the border area (parts of the Astrakhan, Volgograd, Saratov and Orenburg regions). A significant part of the border belongs to the category of the least stable and has only one feature - these are the central and eastern sectors of the borderland (Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Tyumen, Omsk, Novosibirsk regions). Due to the length of the border and the historical development processes of this territory, the areas with no signs of sustainability - this is a geometric type of border - are also identified. They do not take into consideration natural, historical and ethnic peculiarities and are often determined by economic needs - these are the parts of the Astrakhan, Volgograd, Orenburg regions and Altai Krai.

PAR-4/LKB1 prevents intestinal hyperplasia by restricting endoderm specification in Caenorhabditis elegans embryos.

The kinase PAR-4/LKB1 is a major regulator of intestinal homeostasis, which prevents polyposis in humans. Moreover, its ectopic activation is sufficient to induce polarization and formation of microvilli-like structures in intestinal cell lines. Here, we use Caenorhabditis elegans to examine the role of PAR-4 during intestinal development in vivo. We show that it is not required to establish enterocyte polarity and plays only a minor role in brush border formation. By contrast, par-4 mutants display severe deformations of the intestinal lumen as well as supernumerary intestinal cells, thereby revealing a previously unappreciated function of PAR-4 in preventing intestinal hyperplasia. The presence of supernumerary enterocytes in par-4 mutants is not due to excessive cell proliferation, but rather to the abnormal expression of the intestinal cell fate factors end-1 and elt-2 outside the E lineage. Notably, par-4 mutants also display reduced expression of end-1 and elt-2 inside the E lineage. Our work thereby unveils an essential and dual role of PAR-4, which both restricts intestinal specification to the E lineage and ensures its robust differentiation.

Effect of air-liquid interface on cultured human intestinal epithelial cells.

The intestinal epithelium is a dynamic barrier that allows the selective exchange of ions, hormones, proteins, and nutrients. To accomplish this, the intestinal epithelium adopts a highly columnar morphology which is partially lost in submerged culturing systems. To achieve this, small intestinal tissue samples were utilized to obtain human intestinal crypts to form enteroids. The Transwell system was subsequently employed to form a monolayer of cells that was cultured in either the submerged condition or the air-liquid Interface (ALI) condition. We found that the human intestinal monolayer under the ALI condition exhibited morphology more similar to the normal intestinal epithelium. F-actin localization and brush border formation were observed apically, and the integrity of the tight junctions was preserved in the ALI condition. Fewer apoptotic cells were observed in the ALI conditions as compared to the submerged conditions. The monolayer of cells expressed a higher level of secretory cell lineage genes in the ALI condition. The ALI condition positively contributes toward a more differentiated phenotype of epithelial cells. It serves as an amplifier that enhances the existing differentiation cue. The ALI system provides a more differentiated platform to study intestinal function compared to submerged conditions.

Stochastic cellular automaton model of culture formation.

We introduce a stochastic cellular automaton as a model for culture and border formation. The model can be conceptualized as a game where the expansion rate of cultures is quantified in terms of their area and perimeter in such a way that approximately geometrically round cultures get a competitive advantage. We first analyze the model with periodic boundary conditions, where we study how the model can end up in a fixed state, i.e., freezes. Then we implement the model on the European geography with mountains and rivers. We see how the model reproduces some qualitative features of European culture formation, namely, that rivers and mountains are more frequently borders between cultures, mountainous regions tend to have higher cultural diversity, and the central European plain has less clear cultural borders.

Regional features of the demographic processes in the Russian-Kazakh cross-border regions

Formation of new borders has transformed the adjacent territories of Russia and Kazakhstan into a new political and socio-economic space. The purpose of the work is to analyze demographic processes with the account of the territorial features of the Russian-Kazakh border area in the conditions of modern political, economic and social integrations. The use of methods of economic and statistical analysis made it possible to identify the vector and dynamics of the demographic processes in the adjacent border territories. Based on the analysis of spatial differentiation of population changes by administrative entities of the Russian-Kazakh cross–border area in the period 1989–2021, there were identified six regional groups with different character of the demographic situation — from critical to most favorable. As a result of the analysis of demographic indicators, significant differences were revealed depending on the level of the studied territories. At the macro level, on both sides of the Russian-Kazakh border, there is generally a similar demographic situation both in its orientation and in the relative values of the main demographic indicators. At the meso level, there is a multidirectional dynamics of regional indicators. The leaders of population growth are mainly resource-producing regions. The regions, in which the population has decreased most of all, are adjacent border territories, between which there is a low asymmetry of indicators and almost complete synchronicity of the ongoing processes. At the micro level, comparing cities and districts, there are significant contrasts in almost all demographic indicators. Moreover, in the Kazakh part of the border area, these differences are more significant. In general, there is the same trend throughout the border regions — the population is moving to more developed areas — from depressed rural areas to district centers and small towns, from small and medium-sized cities to large regional centers and big cities.

Vertebral pattern and morphology is determined during embryonic segmentation.

The segmented nature of the adult vertebral column is based on segmentation of the paraxial mesoderm during early embryogenesis. Disruptions to embryonic segmentation, whether caused by genetic lesions or environmental stress, result in adult vertebral pathologies. However, the mechanisms linking embryonic segmentation and the details of adult vertebral morphology are poorly understood. We induced border defects using two approaches in zebrafish: heat stress and misregulation of embryonic segmentation genes tbx6, mesp-ba, and ripply1. We assayed vertebral length, regularity, and polarity using microscopic and radiological imaging. In population studies, we find a correlation between specific embryonic border defects and specific vertebral defects, and within individual fish, we trace specific adult vertebral defects to specific embryonic border defects. Our data reveal that transient disruptions of embryonic segment border formation led to significant vertebral anomalies that persist through adulthood. The spacing of embryonic borders controls the length of the vertebra. The positions of embryonic borders control the positions of ribs and arches. Embryonic borders underlie fusions and divisions between adjacent spines and ribs. These data suggest that segment borders have a dominant role in vertebral development.

Omsk Province: History of Border Formation in 1919-1925

The article examines the issue of establishing the borders of the Omsk province with neighboring territories. The main directions of the delimitation processes with Siberian provinces and the Kirghiz (Kazakh) Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic are analyzed: the allocation of certain districts of the Tyumen province under the control of Omsk; the transfer of parts of the Altai and Tomsk provinces to the Omsk province; the transfer of several districts that were part of the Akmolinsk region to the Kirghiz (Kazakh) ASSR; and the dispute over the territorial affiliation of the Ishim and Pavlodar districts by Omsk. The complexity and ambiguity of territorial demarcation resulting from spontaneous changes in Russia’s administrative-territorial system during the revolutionary events of 1917, the Civil War, and the initial transformations of the Bolsheviks are demonstrated. It is revealed that the main issue was the formation of the southern border of the Omsk province with the Kirghiz (Kazakh) ASSR, which later became the state border between Russia and Kazakhstan. It is noted that the authorities of the Omsk province systematically defended territorial interests not only of their own province but also of Siberia as a whole, being key players in the region. The conclusion is drawn that thanks to the territorial shifts in southern Western Siberia, a foundation was laid for the formation of stable borders between Siberia and the Kirghiz (Kazakh) ASSR.

National-Territorial Delimitation in Central Asia in the 1920s: the Emergence of Border Disputes

The formation of the administrative borders of the Central Asian republics is connected with the historical events of the 1920s, the Bolshevik policy of division, or national-territorial demarcation of this vast Islamized region in the center of Eurasia. The Central Asian states that existed during the imperial period (Bukhara Emirate, Khiva and Kokand khanates), as well as during the initial period of Sovietization of the region (Turkestan ASSR, Bukhara NSR and Khorezm NSR) were not national entities. After the end of the Civil War, the Bolsheviks, within the framework of the "policy of self-determination of peoples", assumed that each state was to unite the population within a single nation, defined primarily by ethnicity. However, the implementation of these guidelines ran up against the lack of clear ethnic boundaries and the multiculturalism of the region; conflicts over the distribution of water, pasture, and minerals were not uncommon in the delimitation of borders. The territorial delimitation in the Fergana Valley, perceived by the Bolsheviks as a stronghold of the antiSoviet movement in Central Asia under the slogans of Pan-Islamism and Pan-Turkism, was especially difficult. It is no coincidence that the Fergana Valley, which was a single economic, cultural and historical complex, turned out to be divided between three state formations, the border disputes between which have not yet been finally resolved.

Afterlives in captivity: Indigeneity and penal deportation in southeastern South America

ABSTRACT This study analyzes intersections between penal deportation and Indigenous captivity in southeastern South America during the eighteenth century. Via records on Lincompani, a cacique taken captive in the southern borderlands of Buenos Aires and exiled to the Malvinas Islands alongside other prison laborers (presidiarios), it highlights the scale of penal deportation within the early Americas and connects the practice to the formation of geopolitical borders. As colonial officials banished purported criminals to borders, rather than across them, and banished male Indigenous captives from one borderland to another, these forced migrations reinforced territorialized spatial logics and contributed to Indigenous land dispossession. Drawing upon a half century of records from Malvinas, the article also analyzes convicts' and captives' experiences of penal deportation, highlighting instances when their shared status as presidiario may have superseded or been subordinated to ethnic distinctions, considering the gendered logics that shaped their banishment, and reflecting upon the narration of their actions via colonial records.

Lrig1+ small intestinal progenitor cells require MYO5B for proper crypt proliferation and enterocyte maturation

Microvillus inclusion disease (MVID) is a congenital disorder characterized by severe diarrhea. MVID is caused by inactivating mutations in myosin Vb (MYO5B), a motor protein. Mice lacking MYO5B in their intestinal epithelium have demonstrated the importance of MYO5B in enterocyte brush border formation and epithelial cell differentiation. Additionally, the proliferative zone of the intestinal crypt of MYO5B-deficient mice is elongated compared to controls. We hypothesize that the progenitor cell-specific Cre driver under Lrig1 demonstrates crypt-specific effects caused by MYO5B loss. Lrig1-CreERT2;R26R-YFP and Myo5bfl/fl mice were crossbred to generate Lrig1-CreERT2;R26R-YFP;MYO5B fl/fl (Lrig1 ΔMYO5B ) mice. Adult Lrig1 ΔMYO5B mice and control littermates received tamoxifen injection at day 0. GI tissues were collected 2.5, 3, 4, and 5 days after tamoxifen administration for histological characterization. Lrig1 ΔMYO5B mice began experiencing significant weight loss 4 days after tamoxifen injection and lost 20% of their starting body weight on day 5. At day 5, the Lrig1 ΔMYO5B mouse colon was devoid of solid feces and their small intestine contained clear luminal contents, together suggesting a watery diarrheal phenotype. Enterocytes of Lrig1DMYO5B mice on day 5 contained abnormal cytoplasmic accumulation of PAS staining. Fewer goblet cells were apparent in intestinal sections from day 3 and 5 Lrig1 ΔMYO5B mice compared to controls. Crypts were elongated starting at day 3. Similarly, the PCNA+ epithelial region was expanded in Lrig1 ΔMYO5B mice, even reaching into the villi at day 5. The time course of the PCNA+ region expansion corresponded to the wave of MYO5B-loss beginning at the base of crypts. MYO5B expression was diminished in the crypts at day 3 and nearly absent from the epithelium by day 5. Interestingly, expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2), the rate-limited enzyme of ketogenesis that is important for stem cell function, was expanded in the crypt at day 3 and 5 after tamoxifen. Sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), which is present along the apical surface of mature enterocytes, was progressively diminished and mis-localized away from the apical surface after tamoxifen administration. Apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT), found in the distal small intestine, demonstrated a similar mis-localization away from the apical membrane in enterocytes.We established a novel mouse model that demonstrates progressive MYO5B loss in the intestinal epithelium, starting at the base of the crypt and reaching villi tips over the course of 5 days following Cre induction. This Lrig1 ΔMYO5B strain will allow for lineage tracing studies to better understand the effect of MYO5B loss on intestinal epithelial differentiation and progenitor function. NSF GFRP, NIH R01DK128190 This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.