Key Motifs Research Articles

Main Themes of Charles Dickens’ Works And Different Critical Approaches To Them

This article explores the central themes that pervade the works of Charles Dickens and examines various critical approaches to understanding his literary contributions. It identifies key motifs such as social inequality, the impact of industrialization, the struggles of the poor, and the complexities of human nature. The article delves into Dickens’ portrayal of moral development, justice, and redemption, alongside his critique of Victorian society. By analyzing these thematic and critical frameworks, the article offers a comprehensive view of Dickens as both a social commentator and a master storyteller, revealing the enduring relevance of his works in contemporary literary discourse. This article analyses the main themes of the works of Charles Dickens, focusing on recurring topics such as social injustice, the effects of industrialization, class struggles, and human complexity. It highlights Dickens' exploration of moral growth, redemption, and the harsh realities faced by the impoverished in Victorian society. Additionally, the article surveys various critical approaches—including historical, feminist, Marxist, and psychoanalytic perspectives—that offer diverse interpretations of Dickens’ works. By engaging with these themes and critical lenses, the article underscores the continued relevance of Dickens’ works and their significance in understanding both the past and contemporary social issues.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of (E)-kojyl-styryl-sulfones: Novel recilisib hybrids as promising radioprotectors.

Radioprotectors are synthetic compounds, natural products, or biological agents that are administered before irradiation to protect normal cells against ionizing radiation (IR)-induced injuries. We have designed novel hybrid (E)-kojyl-styryl-sulfones 10a-n by applying the pharmacophore hybridization strategy to combine key structural motifs of the natural antioxidant kojic acid and the emerging radioprotector Ex-RAD (recilisib sodium). These hybrids were successfully synthesized and characterized with (E)-geometry. In vitro radioprotective activity along with the corresponding O-benzylated and O-methoxylated derivatives (9a-n, 14, and 15) was evaluated on human foreskin fibroblast 1 (HFF-1) cells irradiated with a 10-Gy dose of X-rays. In particular, hybrids 10b, 10d, 10f, 10g, and 10n exhibited the highest radioprotection effect at the 10 µM concentration, more effective than the parent compounds. It should be noted that the 3,4,5-trimethoxystyryl analog 10n was the most effective compound. Surprisingly, the O-benzylated 3,4,5-trimethoxystyryl analog (9n) also showed an excellent radioprotective effect. Moreover, the antioxidant evaluation of these selected hybrids on the IR-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and lipid peroxidation in the HFF-1 cells revealed that they could significantly downregulate IR-induced oxidative stress in the HFF-1 cells, while mechanistically recilisib is not a well-established ROS scavenger. The obtained results suggest that these privileged (E)-kojyl-styryl-sulfones can serve as promising radioprotectors for further studies and development.

"And the green lamp will not go out...": traditional features of Russian battle studies in M.Y. Elizarov's novel "The Librarian"

The subject of the study is the depiction of battle scenes in Mikhail Elizarov's novel "The Librarian" in the context of the traditions of Russian battle studies. The object of the research is the key motifs of the description of battles used in literature from ancient Russian novels to descriptions of the Civil War and the Great Patriotic War, in their refraction in the artistic world of Mikhail Elizarov. The authors consider in detail such aspects of the topic as the use of significant reference points of Russian battle studies and their peculiar concentration in the texts of chapters devoted to battles. Special attention is paid to the condensation in Elizarov's text of an intertextual dialogue with the motives of the main authors of classical Russian literature who wrote about wars and battles, as well as implicit references to their own fate – death in a duel. The study uses the method of contextual and cultural-historical analysis. The battle scenes in the text of the novel "The Librarian" are isolated, their significant motives in connection with the traditions of Russian battle studies are described. The main conclusions of the study are the conclusions about the presence in the text of Mikhail Elizarov's novel "The Librarian" of a collage of key motifs of the national tradition of battle scenes, starting with ancient Russian texts and ending with texts about the Civil and Great Patriotic War. A special contribution of the authors to the study is the tracing of the retrospective history of battle studies and the identification of its key motives. Yelizarov's novel was filmed in 2023, which led to increased interest in it, and the battle scenes in the series of the same name were displayed as close to the text as possible using direct quotes. The novelty of the research lies in referring to Yelizarov's novel precisely in the context of battle studies: with considerable attention to the text, this aspect has not been previously considered in modern literary studies.

Spatiotemporal orchestration of calcium-cAMP oscillations on AKAP/AC nanodomains is governed by an incoherent feedforward loop.

The nanoscale organization of enzymes associated with the dynamics of second messengers is critical for ensuring compartmentation and localization of signaling molecules in cells. Specifically, the spatiotemporal orchestration of cAMP and Ca2+ oscillations is critical for many cellular functions. Previous experimental studies have shown that the formation of nanodomains of A-kinase anchoring protein 79/150 (AKAP150) and adenylyl cyclase 8 (AC8) on the surface of pancreatic MIN6 β cells modulates the phase of Ca2+-cAMP oscillations from out-of-phase to in-phase. In this work, we develop computational models of the Ca2+/cAMP pathway and AKAP/AC nanodomain formation that give rise to the two important predictions: instead of an arbitrary phase difference, the out-of-phase Ca2+/cAMP oscillation reaches Ca2+ trough and cAMP peak simultaneously, which is defined as inversely out-of-phase; the in-phase and inversely out-of-phase oscillations associated with Ca2+-cAMP dynamics on and away from the nanodomains can be explained by an incoherent feedforward loop. Factors such as cellular surface-to-volume ratio, compartment size, and distance between nanodomains do not affect the existence of in-phase or inversely out-of-phase Ca2+/cAMP oscillation, but cellular surface-to-volume ratio and compartment size can affect the time delay for the inversely out-of-phase Ca2+/cAMP oscillation while the distance between two nanodomains does not. Finally, we predict that both the Turing pattern-generated nanodomains and experimentally measured nanodomains demonstrate the existence of in-phase and inversely out-of-phase Ca2+/cAMP oscillation when the AC8 is at a low level, consistent with the behavior of an incoherent feedforward loop. These findings unveil the key circuit motif that governs cAMP and Ca2+ oscillations and advance our understanding of how nanodomains can lead to spatial compartmentation of second messengers.

Anti-Pastoral and the Prophetic Mode in Moddi’s Climate Songs

This article explores aspects of apocalypse and pastoral in the climate themed song lyrics of Norwegian indie folk artist Moddi. Through close listening and contextualizing of the songs “Noens ark” (“Someone’s ark”, 2013) and “En sang om fly” (“A song about planes”, 2013), apocalypse and pastoral emerge as key motifs. These are navigated in an exploration of a conflicted Norwegian response to global warming. The songs express critique of unrelenting pursuits of economic growth and personal consumption even as the future imposes itself on the present. In two different ways, elements of indie folk music are tailored to express an ontologically unsettling encounter with a global environmental risk scenario. “Noens ark” employs forceful instrumentation and polyrhythms to evoke a sense of alarm and urgency called for by the projection of future disaster. “En sang om fly” is a soft composition projecting nostalgia for the material conditions of the present. The desire for these conditions ultimately locks the singer in a cycle of repetition that destabilizes the very conditions he desires. The nuances afforded by this expression in musical performance allows song lyrics to sustain contradictory attitudes towards globalization. In their pursuit of these contradictions, Moddi’s climate songs can be seen as part of an anti-pastoral tradition. Features of musical genre and a prophetic lyric mode are employed to evoke and subvert a pastoral response to apocalypticism. By musically sustaining contradictions between pastoral and apocalypse, Moddi’s songs reflect a conflict between Norwegian identity and a global cultural imaginary in the face of global warming.

Uncoupling FRUITFULL's functions through modification of a protein motif identified by co-ortholog analysis.

Many plant transcription factors (TFs) are multifunctional and regulate growth and development in more than one tissue. These TFs can generally associate with different protein partners depending on the tissue type, thereby regulating tissue-specific target gene sets. However, how interaction specificity is ensured is still largely unclear. Here, we examine protein-protein interaction specificity using subfunctionalized co-orthologs of the FRUITFULL (FUL) subfamily of MADS-domain TFs. In Arabidopsis, FUL is multifunctional, playing important roles in flowering and fruiting, whereas these functions have partially been divided in the tomato co-orthologs FUL1 and FUL2. By linking protein sequence and function, we discovered a key amino acid motif that determines interaction specificity of MADS-domain TFs, which in Arabidopsis FUL determines the interaction with AGAMOUS and SEPALLATA proteins, linked to the regulation of a subset of targets. This insight offers great opportunities to dissect the biological functions of multifunctional MADS TFs.

Isothiourea‐Catalysed Acylative Kinetic Resolution of Tertiary Pyrazolone Alcohols

AbstractThe development of methods for the selective acylative kinetic resolution (KR) of tertiary alcohols is a recognised synthetic challenge with relatively few successful substrate classes reported to date. In this manuscript, a highly enantioselective isothiourea‐catalysed acylative KR of tertiary pyrazolone alcohols is reported. The scope and limitations of this methodology have been developed, with high selectivity observed across a broad range of substrate derivatives incorporating varying substitution at N(2)‐, C(4)‐ and C(5)‐, as well as bicyclic constraints within the pyrazolone scaffold (30 examples, selectivity factors (s) typically >100) at generally low catalyst loadings (1 mol %). The application of this KR method to tertiary alcohols derived directly from a natural product (geraniol), alongside pharmaceutically relevant drug compounds (indomethacin, gemfibrozil and probenecid), with high efficiency (s >100) is also described. The KR process is readily amenable to scale up using bench grade solvents and reagents, with effective resolution on a 50 g (0.22 mol) scale demonstrated. The key structural motif leading to excellent selectivity in this KR process has been probed through computation, with an NC=O⋅⋅⋅isothiouronium interaction from substrate to acylated catalyst observed within the favoured transition state. Similarly, the effect of C(5)‐aryl substitution that leads to reduced experimental selectivity is probed, with a competitive π–isothiouronium interaction identified as leading to reduced selectivity.

Isothiourea-Catalysed Acylative Kinetic Resolution of Tertiary Pyrazolone Alcohols.

The development of methods for the selective acylative kinetic resolution (KR) of tertiary alcohols is a recognised synthetic challenge with relatively few successful substrate classes reported to date. In this manuscript, a highly enantioselective isothiourea-catalysed acylative KR of tertiary pyrazolone alcohols is reported. The scope and limitations of this methodology have been developed, with high selectivity observed across a broad range of substrate derivatives incorporating varying substitution at N(2)-, C(4)- and C(5)-, as well as bicyclic constraints within the pyrazolone scaffold (30 examples, selectivity factors (s) typically >100) at generally low catalyst loadings (1 mol%). The application of this KR method to tertiary alcohols derived from a natural product (geraniol), alongside pharmaceutically relevant drug compounds (indomethacin, gemfibrozil and probenecid), with high efficiency (s > 100) is also described. The KR process is readily amenable to scale up, with effective resolution on a 50 g (0.22 mol) scale demonstrated. The key structural motif leading to excellent selectivity in this KR process has been probed through computation, with an NC=O•••isothiouronium interaction observed within the favoured transition state. Similarly, the effect of C(5)-aryl substitution that leads to reduced experimental selectivity is probed, with a competitive π-isothiouronium interaction identified as leading to reduced selectivity.

Comprehensive chromatographic profiling and structural analysis of key anticoagulant components in enoxaparin

Heparin is the most widely used anticoagulant in clinical practice, with enoxaparin being one of the most important low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs). In this study, an antithrombin III (ATIII) affinity column was used. Enoxaparin and its oligosaccharides of varying sizes, prepared using preparative size exclusion chromatography (SEC), were fractionated through the ATIII affinity column. The different affinity fractions from each oligosaccharide size were profiled using strong anion exchange (SAX) chromatography. Each peak was automatically transferred to an SEC column for desalting prior to mass spectrometry (MS) analysis, which enabled structural identification using a multiple heart-cut (MHC) 2D LC-MS system (SAX-SEC-MS). The high-affinity fraction from enoxaparin was further analyzed using the MHC 2D LC system (SEC-SAX). SAX profiles of the high-affinity oligosaccharides, prepared by both size and affinity fractionation, were consistent with those obtained by direct SEC-SAX analysis. The possible sequences of several high-affinity hexasaccharides and the domain compositions of high-affinity octa- and decasaccharides in enoxaparin were further elucidated by disaccharide analysis after manual collection of the oligosaccharides. This work advances the understanding of enoxaparin's structural features and offers a potential approach to improve the quality of enoxaparin, as well as to identify key structural motifs in heparin/LMWHs that contribute to protein binding.

Generation and epitope mapping of novel neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against glycoprotein E2 of CSFV

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is a highly contagious and economically important pathogen threatening pig industry worldwide, the envelope glycoprotein E2 of CSFV is the dominant antigen inducing strong antiviral neutralizing immunity. In this study, 7 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with neutralizing potency were generated using E2 protein of CSFV Shimen strain (SM) expressed by eukaryotic cells. Their reactivity with 116 CSFV strains in cell cultures and E2 proteins of 10 subgenotypes in western blots showed different CSFV spectrums they recognized. Of them, three (HCL-001, HCL-005 and HCL-010) reacted with all CSFV subgenotypes, while HCL-014 and HCL-002 reacted with most CSFV strains, except for some variants in genotype 2.3. In contrast, mAb HCL-009 reacted only with a few subgenotype 1.1 strains including SM, field strains and some vaccine strains. Interestingly, mAb HCL-018 reacted only with SM and field subgenotype 1.1 strains, not with any vaccine strains. Further epitope mapping using chimeric and site-directed mutated E2 proteins showed that HCL-001, HCL-005 and HCL-010 recognized a conservative epitope motif 143SPT145,L147, and HCL-002 recognized a conformational epitope with key aa motifs of 95GDD97,157RX(D/E)K(R)XFXXR164. HCL-014 recognized a new conservative epitope with key aa motifs of 41D,58XNVVXRR64. HCL-009 and HCL-018 recognized the epitope with key aa motifs of 36D,40ND41,45KXI47 and 69LHXGXLLT76, respectively. Taken together, present study has provided not only new insights into the antigenic structure of E2 protein, but also key reagents for antigenic characterization of CSFV strains and development of antibody assay for evaluation of the vaccination efficacy.

Bismuth as a Z-Type Ligand: an Unsupported Pt-Bi Donor-Acceptor Interaction and its Umpolung by Reaction with H2.

Establishing unprecedented types of bonding interactions is one of the fundamental challenges in synthetic chemistry, paving the way to new (electronic) structures, physicochemical properties, and reactivity. In this context, unsupported element-element interactions are particularly noteworthy since they offer pristine scientific information about the newly identified structural motif. Here we report the synthesis, isolation, and full characterization of the heterobimetallic Bi/Pt compound [Pt(PCy3)2(BiMe2)(SbF6)] (1), bearing the first unsupported transition metal→bismuth donor/acceptor interaction as its key structural motif. 1 is surprisingly robust, its electronic spectra are interpreted in a fully relativistic approach, and it reveals an unprecedented reactivity towards H2.

Objet petits pois: peas, domestics, and modernity in “Two Gallants”

ABSTRACT Corley and Lenehan con a gold coin off a servant girl in James Joyce’s “Two Gallants” – but how they do so is left unclear. Lenehan’s consumption of a plate of peas midway through the story meanwhile appears relatively unmysterious. This article argues however that Lenehan’s peas are a key narrative motif: firstly, crystallising the antagonisms that consciously underlie Joyce’s emergent modernist style, but also (by way of the evolving connotation of peas through Irish history) actively historicising the social conditions that underlie this aesthetic. Ultimately, it is via the peas’ relationship with near-absent figure of the “slavey” herself that we see how Joyce’s dialectical aesthetic serves to interrogate the socio-historical position of Corley and Lenehan’s Ireland.

Women’s Empowerment in Local and Global Fiction: From Toba Beyond

This study explores women's empowerment in literature, focusing on the interplay between tradition and modernity across different cultural contexts. Employing comparative literary analysis, this research examines Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid and Mangalua by Idris Pasaribu. The methodology involves thematic and narrative analysis, where thematic analysis identifies key motifs related to empowerment, resistance, and gender roles, while narrative analysis examines how each character's story arc reflects broader societal norms. Through these analyses, the study highlights how each protagonist navigates societal expectations and challenges gender norms within traditional and modern frameworks. Findings indicate that both novels use women’s empowerment as a lens to critique and reshape cultural expectations, offering insights into gender roles across varied societies. The study concludes with recommendations for further research on cross-cultural gender narratives, acknowledges the limitations of focusing on only two novels, and suggests broader literary comparisons for future studies.

A geometric-tension-dynamics model of epithelial convergent extension

Convergent extension of epithelial tissue is a key motif of animal morphogenesis. On a coarse scale, cell motion resembles laminar fluid flow; yet in contrast to a fluid, epithelial cells adhere to each other and maintain the tissue layer under actively generated internal tension. To resolve this apparent paradox, we formulate a model in which tissue flow in the tension-dominated regime occurs through adiabatic remodeling of force balance in the network of adherens junctions. We propose that the slow dynamics within the manifold of force-balanced configurations is driven by positive feedback on myosin-generated cytoskeletal tension. Shifting force balance within a tension network causes active cell rearrangements (T1 transitions) resulting in net tissue deformation oriented by initial tension anisotropy. Strikingly, we find that the total extent of tissue deformation depends on the initial cellular packing order. T1s degrade this order so that tissue flow is self-limiting. We explain these findings by showing that coordination of T1s depends on coherence in local tension configurations, quantified by a geometric order parameter in tension space. Our model reproduces the salient tissue- and cell-scale features of germ band elongation during Drosophila gastrulation, in particular the slowdown of tissue flow after approximately twofold elongation concomitant with a loss of order in tension configurations. This suggests local cell geometry contains morphogenetic information and yields experimentally testable predictions. Defining biologically controlled active tension dynamics on the manifold of force-balanced states may provide a general approach to the description of morphogenetic flow.

Structural basis of ligand recognition and activation of the histamine receptor family

Histamine is a biogenic amine that is critical in various physiological and pathophysiological processes, including but not limited to allergic reactions, wakefulness, gastric acid secretion and neurotransmission. Here, we determine 9 cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of the 4 histamine receptors in complex with four different G protein subtypes, with endogenous or synthetic agonists bound. Inside the ligand pocket, we identify key motifs for the recognition of histamine, the distinct binding orientations of histamine and three subpockets that facilitate the design of specific ligands. In addition, we also identify key residues responsible for the selectivity of immethridine. Moreover, we reveal distinct structural features as determinants of Gq vs. Gs or Gs vs. Gi coupling differences among the histamine receptors. Our study provides a structural framework for understanding the ligand recognition and G protein coupling of all 4 histamine receptors, which may facilitate the rational design of ligands targeting these receptors.

Militarizing and Colonizing Outer Space as a Video Game. Ender’s Game and Astroculture

The author of the article analyzes Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, focusing her attention on the relationship between the key motif of the novel – gaming – and the tendency to militarize and colonize outer space highlighted by astrocultural scholars. Card’s novel follows the astrocultural pattern of setting future wars in space, but introduces an important novelty: games of various kinds, including video games, become a mediating element between the characters and the real experience of space war. The theoretical framework for the analysis is provided by the insights of astrocultural scholars such as Alexander Geppert, Tilmann Siebeneichner and Alice Gorman. In analyzing Ender’s Game and, to some extent, its 2013 film adaptation, the author examines the protagonists’ relationship to space, which is shaped by the game’s setting. It is here that military and colonial themes are most prevalent. The first part of the paper presents the main contexts of the motif of the militarization of outer space and its close relationship with video games. These contexts provide an important background for the analysis of the motifs of games and outer space in Ender’s Game. Selected reflections from the field of ludology are helpful in interpreting Card’s use of video games not only as a theme, but also as a structural principle of his novel’s settings. In the last part of the paper, the author considers the transformation of the militant motif taking place in the novel’s finale into a narrative focused on the colonization of outer space, as well as the transformation of this narrative that occurred in Gavin Hood’s film adaptation. The goal of such an interpretation is to show the story created by Orson Scott Card as entangled in a dynamic relationship with the video game medium that was developing at the time of its creation and with the changing trends of astroculture.

Synthetic Approaches, Properties, and Applications of Acylals in Preparative and Medicinal Chemistry.

Diesters of geminal diols (R-CH(O-CO-R')2, RR'C(OCOR″)2, etc. with R = H, aryl or alkyl) are termed acylals according to IUPAC recommendations (Rule P-65.6.3.6 Acylals) if the acids involved are carboxylic acids. Similar condensation products can be obtained from various other acidic structures as well, but these related "non-classical acylals", as one might call them, differ in various aspects from classical acylals and will not be discussed in this article. Carboxylic acid diesters of geminal diols play a prominent role in organic chemistry, not only in their application as protective groups for aldehydes and ketones but also as precursors in the total synthesis of natural compounds and in a variety of organic reactions. What is more, acylals are useful as a key structural motif in clinically validated prodrug approaches. In this review, we summarise the syntheses and chemical properties of such classical acylals and show what potentially under-explored possibilities exist in the field of drug design, especially prodrugs, and classify this functional group in medicinal chemistry.

Identifying the key motif essential for enhancing plant defense against Botrytis cinerea by β-glucanase from Bacillus velezensis LJ02

The glycosyl hydrolase β-glucanase elicits plant immune responses against pathogens and enhances plant immunity by activating signaling pathways. The specific functional domains responsible for disease prevention remain unclear. In this study, transient expression of β-glucanase significantly increased leaves resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Nicotiana benthamiana systemic leaves. Through sequence alignment and similarity analysis, five conserved motifs in the amino acid sequence of β-glucanase were identified, and five deletion mutants were generated to investigate its essential regions further. Notably, the N-terminal amino acid sites 5-54 deletion mutation of β-glucanase decreased resistance to B. cinerea infection. These results indicate that N-terminal amino acids 5-54 (N54) are crucial for β-glucanase induced N. benthamiana defense response and for enhancing resistance to B. cinerea. Further analysis using real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed a significant reduction in gene expression within the N54 region compared to that of unmutated β-glucanase. Additionally, there was a notable reduction in the relative expression levels of FRK, CYP71D20, WRKY7, WRKY8, ACRE31 and PTI genes. Therefore, the first 50 amino acids at positions 5-54 within the N-terminal domain were essential for triggering plant defense responses and enhancing resistance against B. cinerea infection. This study provides an important theoretical foundation for systematic investigation into key functional domains within β-glucanase that trigger defensive responses in plants against B. cinerea.

IGFBP2 functions as an endogenous protector against hepatic steatosis via suppression of the EGFR-STAT3 pathway

ObjectiveNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is deemed as an emerging global epidemic, whereas the underlying pathogenic mechanism remains to be clarified. We aimed to systemically analyze all the NAFLD-related gene expression datasets from published human-based studies, by which exploring potential key factors and mechanisms accounting for the pathogenesis of NAFLD. MethodsRobust rank aggregation (RRA) method was used to integrate NAFLD-related gene expression datasets. For fatty liver study, adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery and genetic knockout mice were used to create IGFBP2 (Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2) gain- or loss-of function models. Western blot, Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP), immunofluorescent (IF) staining, luciferase assay, molecular docking simulation were performed to reveal the IGFBP2-EGFR-STAT3 axis involved. Key axis protein levels in livers from healthy donors and patients with NAFLD were assessed via immunohistochemical staining. ResultsBy using RRA method, the present study identified IGFBP2 being the most significantly down-regulated gene in all NAFLD subjects. The decreased IGFBP2 expression was further confirmed in the liver tissues from patients and animal models of NAFLD. IGFBP2 deficiency aggravated hepatic steatosis and NASH phenotypes and promoted lipogenic gene expression both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, IGFBP2 directly binds to and regulates EGFR, whereas blockage of the IGFBP2-EGFR complex by knockdown of IGFBP2 resulted in the EGFR-STAT3 pathway activation, which in turn promoted the promoter activity of Srebf1. By using molecular docking simulation and protein-protein interaction analysis, the sequence of 233-257 amino acids in IGFBP2 was characterized as a key motif responding for its specific binding to EGFR and the protective effect against hepatic steatosis. ConclusionsThe current study has, for the first time, identified IGFBP2 as a novel protector against hepatosteatosis. The protective effect is mediated by its specific interaction with EGFR and thereby suppressing the EGFR-STAT3 pathway. Therefore, pharmaceutically targeting the IGFBP2-EGFR-STAT3 axis may provide a theoretical basis for for the treatment of NAFLD/NASH and the associated diseases.

Požehnání v biblické a prakticko-teologické perspektivě: Příspěvek k diskuzi o žehnání párů stejného pohlaví

The study examines the concept and practice of blessing in contemporary Christian churches and reflects on the possibilities of blessing same-sex couples. It emphasises the need to distinguish the blessing of a same-sex couple from the legal act of entering into a civil partnership. The purpose of the blessing is not to affirm or sanctify a particular life form but to bring a couple committed to an enduring relationship of love, respect and fidelity before God, promising his favour, grace and gifts. The study consists of three parts. First, it introduces the concept of blessing in the Old and New Testament. The second part discusses blessing from a contemporary practical theological perspective. It presents blessing as a gift and a task of the church community and as a key motif of casual services. It points to the specific linguistic form of blessing as opposed to prayer, wish and proclamation, presents blessing as an act of communication and reflects on the question of its content and effects. The third part deals with the question of who or what can be blessed and whether it is theologically legitimate to bless same-sex couples. It reflects on the possibility of blessing in the pastoral practice of the Roman Catholic Church, anchored in the declaration Fiducia supplicans, and in the liturgical practice of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren. It concludes with a summary of the findings.