Nature Research Articles

Interdisciplinary Approach to Overcoming the Persistence of Patriarchal Islamic Interpretations: Gender Equality, the Development of Empathy and Children’s Rights, and Insights from the Reformist Eurasian Scholars of Early Twentieth Century

Abstract Gender equality and women’s rights are among the most discussed issues in the context of Islam. Any thorough analysis of the persistence of conservative patriarchal religious interpretations in Muslim communities should also consider social factors. The conservative appropriation of Islam is not only the result of theological factors but also a manifestation of a conservative and patriarchal habitus. This article draws attention to the vitality of empathy in establishing universal equal human dignity. It dwells on the idea of the universal innate nature of the child to offer some solutions to overcome the persistence of conservative religious interpretations and develop gender equality in the Muslim context. Also, the reformist views of the Jadids and Alash intellectuals, the Eurasian Muslim reformists of the early twentieth century, are analyzed as authentic historical and conceptual precedents to develop gender-egalitarian Islamic interpretations. Overall, this article establishes a connection between women’s rights in Islam, the universal innate nature of the child (and the universality of children’s right-friendly parenting and education that fosters empathy and critical thinking), and the intellectual legacy of the Jadids and Alash intellectuals, who wanted to transform the conservative and patriarchal habitus through educational reform, literary works, and a rationalistic, thematico-holistic approach to Islam.

Impact of polyamide microplastics on riparian sediment structures and Cd(II) adsorption: A comparison of natural exposure, dry-wet cycles, and freeze-thaw cycles

Microplastics (MPs) accumulation in sediments has posed a huge threat to freshwater ecosystems. However, it is still unclear the effect of MPs on riparian sediment structures and contaminant adsorption under different hydrological processes. In this study, three concentrations of polyamide (PA) MPs-treated sediments (0.1%, 1%, and 10%, w/w) were subjected to natural (NA) exposure, dry-wet (DW) cycles, and freeze-thaw (FT) cycles. The results indicated that PA MPs-added sediment increased the micro-aggregates by 10.1%−18.6% after FT cycles, leading to a decrease in aggregate stability. The pH, OM, and DOC of sediments were significantly increased in DW and FT treatments. In addition, the increasing concentration of PA MPs showed an obvious decrease in aromaticity, humification, and molecular weight of sediment DOM in FT treatments. Also, high level of MPs was more likely to inhibit the formation of humic-like substances and tryptophan-like proteins. For DW and FT cycles, 0.1% and 1% PA MPs-treated sediments slightly increased the adsorption capacity of Cd(II), which may be ascribed to the aging of MPs. Further correlation analysis found that DW and FT altered the link between DOM indicators, and aggregate stability was directly related to the changes in sediment organic carbon. Our findings revealed the ecological risk of MPs accumulating in riparian sediments under typical hydrological processes.

Unveiling Orientalism: The Mystification, Stereotyping, and Exclusion in Margaret Atwood’s “The Man from Mars”

“The Man from Mars,” a short story by Margaret Atwood, is a potent critique of Westerners’ common misconceptions and stereotypes about Asians that prompt the exclusion of the Asian hero from Canadian society. Atwood intentionally challenges the deeply ingrained prejudices against individuals from Eastern cultures in Western epistemes by enveloping the unnamed hero in mystery. Drawing on Edward Said’s Orientalism, the study debunks recurrent stereotypes concerning the hero’s “peculiarities” by analyzing their external triggers and highlighting their universal nature. It promotes a deeper comprehension of the intricate interplays between personal experiences, cultural adaptations, and psychological variables.

Kemuliaan Penjaga Lisan Dari Susut Pandang Hukum Islam

All aspects of human life can run smoothly because they follow established Islamic law. The law regulates in detail the aspects of rersubut because only matters of worship are regulated expressly in the law, the law also regulates matters relating to social life or muamalah which are given a legal basis with several important meanings and rah funds. for humans. The problem is that muamalah is assigned to humans. There are a number of legal principles to achieve certain aspects of human life. Islamic law was revealed to all mankind at one time and every moment until the miniature life ends on the Day of Judgment. Islamic law has a unique, universal and eternal nature. This is outside the proper worship of Allah SWT. We also have to be kind to other people, both in actions and words (speech), because words are a part of the human body that is quite small compared to other parts of the body but can cause sky-high losses. or it could even cause the owner to be thrown into hellfire. One should speak kind words that seem beneficial. If we suspect there is a problem, we should not make a sound because silence can be the first step to help us stay away from things that harm us. Because people who are good at keeping their mouths will occupy a high position in religion. Apart from that, other people are also protected from the dangers posed by our tombstones.

Points About Points with A Point: Nature of Smallest Scale Universals

This paper is an investigation of different aspects of the smallest scales possible and their relationships with larger scale phenomena. The relationships between the abstract and the concrete aspects of perspectives about time and space are considered. The phenomenon of continuity of motion is discussed, and the small-scale philosophical implications of continuity of motion could help to explain the reasoning behind why the speed of light is the way that it is, and why the speed of light squared is a constant. Fractions of a point are proven to an extent to be a useful idea, and a thought experiment that demonstrates speeds of fractions of a point per instant is included in this paper. Possible paradoxes related to singularities are discussed briefly within this paper, too. Absolute, relative, and unpredictable definitions of points and instants are discussed and shown to potentially provide some natural reasoning to observed discrepancies between scientific theories, perceived warping of space-time, and the uncertainty principle. Also, a philosophical interpretation of the term extra dimensions which involves the idea of fractions of a point could be useful for attempts at a unified theory of science and is included in this paper Nature of Smallest Scale Universals The nature of the smallest scales theoretically possible can have large-scale ramifications when the large-scale is considered as the philosophical sum of it parts. When considered cumulatively, the nature of the smallest scales can really add up to some larger scale repercussions. Even in the mystery of how something could exist instead of nothing, something existing at all is made more feasible by the realization that it is only asking the smallest possible amount, or an infinitesimal amount, or a mathematically approximately equal amount for the smallest scales to manifest as a phenomenon. This means that in one light, it’s only asking for a whole lot of approximately nothing for a whole lot of stuff to manifest. That sounds approximately like more reasoning behind how something could exist at all than just not knowing. The nature of the smallest scales has other philosophical insights to offer as well. This paper aims to investigate the philosophical nature of the smallest scales, some of the small and large-scale relationships that are implicated by those philosophies, and some of the different repercussions that are results of the philosophies involved.

Perception of Pain Expression Among Surgical Patients and Families from Three Ethnic Groups of a Nation: A Multicenter Qualitative Study.

Despite its universal nature; perception, coping, responses, treatment options, and overall experiences of pain are influenced by biopsychosocial factors to various extents. Pain perception, expression, and control are progressively learned behaviors among members of a society and are culture-specific. Effects of ethnicity-related culture (ethnoculture) on pain experience in a broader context have increasingly been reported. However, evidence from ethnoculturally diverse groups of a nation, particularly based on surgical patients, is limited. Therefore, as a qualitative research effort of a broader project aimed at assessing ethnocultural determinants of surgical pain management, this study explored the perception of ethnoculturally diverse patients and families about expressing surgical disease-related pain. This study follows subjectivist-interpretivist philosophical assumptions as an underpinning research paradigm. We purposively selected 11 patients for in-depth interviews and 12 patients' family members for focus group discussions in three hospitals of ethnic-based regions of Ethiopia. In the phenomenological frame, thematic analysis was employed. Ethnocultural background influences how individuals express and respond to pain according to emergent themes of finding- Pain and overlooked cultural influence, Pain expressiveness in cultural context, Stereotypes of pain expressiveness, and Bravehood through stoic response. Pain feelings are commonly hidden where the domestic culture values stoic response to pain compared to ethnoculture where pain expressiveness is encouraged. Individuals can express and respond to pain differently due to ethnocultural diversity within a nation. Researchers and clinicians should consider cultural context while applying the prevailing one-size-fits-all pain assessment tools among surgical patients of a nation with ethnocultural diversity.

Project monitoring model in central governmental administration

Purpose: The aim of this article is to present the project monitoring model in the central government administration as a set of interrelated, complementary elements that influence the implementation of strategic projects on a nationwide scale and affect tens of millions of Polish citizens. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a literature review and analysis of the existing system, prospective directions for the monitoring of strategic projects were selected. As a result of this work, a model was created that was assessed for significance and replicability. The most experienced group of experts and practitioners in this field took part in the CAWI survey. Findings: The high level of significance of all areas of the model has been proven and its universal nature has been confirmed, thanks to the possibility of being used in other administrative units. Research limitations/implications: Due to limitations resulting from security procedures for research conducted in central government administration units, only closed questions were used in the research. In the future, the study can be carried out on another, larger population, having previously prepared it appropriately. Practical implications: The practical use of the model in administration units can contribute to increasing transparency, efficiency and automation of planning and implementation of projects. Social implications: Increasing the quality of implemented projects in accordance with the presented model may have a large, positive impact on the final beneficiaries - society, in terms of effective use of public funds, shortened project implementation time, and obtaining project results consistent with expectations. Originality/value: The article presents a new model of project monitoring in central government administration, which may be useful for scientists conducting research in the area of project monitoring and management in other countries. The article falls into the area of projectification of the public sector. Keywords: project management, central government administration, Project Management Office (PMO), significance assessment, feasibility assessment. Category of the paper: Research paper.

L’Ouvert croît

As Frédéric Worms points out, the distinction between the open and the closed is a distinction that “changes everything,” not only in Bergsonian philosophy, but also in human history (Worms 2012, 25). What I intend in this article is to retrace Bergson’s itinerary prior to the Two Sources of Morality and Religion, based on the idea of openness. I will try to show that duration, God, the material universe and the totality of reality are essentially open to Bergson. Furthermore: I will try to show that these spheres, in addition to being essentially open to the philosopher, are also in a process of constant differentiation and "growth." Openness thus implies the idea of growth for Bergson. As we will see, essential in this process of growth of reality is the idea of an “inversion” of divinity, an “inversion” that would constantly produce not only the matter of the universe, but also the life that inhabits the cosmos.

THE ALLOHISTORIES OF MAGIC REALISM FRANZ ROH AND THE MAGIC REALIST MODE

History as narrative, turning away from the material universe and folding in upon itself in an act of language, is further understood as a matter of tropes by Hayden White (Metahistory, 1975) and of determinism by Ferguson, but not a determinism of causes and effects in the progress of mankind through time; this determinism is actually the set of rules and constraints governing the making of stories:” the teleology of the traditional narrative form” (Ferguson 1997: 65). Yet can we say that the fiction falling under the headings of historiographic metafiction or magical realism, where there is a historicist view of history as succession of styles rather than as organic development from one age to another, is characterized by a teleological design? The answer is no. The oxymoronic names suggest an uneasy blending of opposites. What was realistic and what was magic in the early twentieth century when Franz Roh, photographer, collagist and art historian coined the phrase? Magic realism-a kind of modern fiction in which fabulous and fantastical events are included in a narrative that otherwise maintains the ‘reliable’ tone of objective realistic report. Designating a tendency of the modern novel to reach beyond the confines of realism and draw upon the energies of fable, folk tale, and myth while maintaining a strong contemporary social relevance. The fantastic attributes given to characters in such novels-levitation, flight, telepathy, telekinesis-are among the means that magic realism adopts in order to encompass the often phantasmagoric political realities of the 20th century (The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms). Magic realism [is characterized by] the mingling and juxtaposition of the realistic and the fantastic, bizarre and skillful time shifts, convoluted and even labyrinthine narratives and plots, miscellaneous use of dreams, myths and fairy stories, expressionistic and even surrealistic description, arcane erudition, the elements of surprise or abrupt shock, the horrific and the inexplicable (A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory). Magic realism-the frame or surface of the work may be conventionally realistic, but contrasting elements-such as supernatural myth, dream fantasy-invade the realism and change the whole basis of the art (Handbook to Literature, Harmon ed.). Lo real maravilloso-for the practice of Latin American writers who mix everyday realities with imaginative extravaganzas drawn from the rich interplay of European and native cultures.[Writers] enlarge a reader’s ordinary sense of the real to include magic, myth, hallucination and miracles (Handbook to Literature, Harper ed.). Magic realism-the capacity to enrich our idea of what is ‘real’ by incorporating all dimensions of the imagination, particularly as expressed in magic, myth and religion (Benet’s Reader’s Encyclopedia).

Multi-responsive poly-catecholamine nanomembranes.

The contraction of nanomaterials triggered by stimuli can be harnessed for micro- and nanoscale energy harvesting, sensing, and artificial muscles toward manipulation and directional motion. The search for these materials is dictated by optimizing several factors, such as stimulus type, conversion efficiency, kinetics and dynamics, mechanical strength, compatibility with other materials, production cost and environmental impact. Here, we report the results of studies on bio-inspired nanomembranes made of poly-catecholamines such as polydopamine, polynorepinephrine, and polydextrodopa. Our findings reveal robust mechanical features and remarkable multi-responsive properties of these materials. In particular, their immediate contraction can be triggered globally by atmospheric moisture reduction and temperature rise and locally by laser or white light irradiation. For each scenario, the process is fully reversible, i.e., membranes spontaneously expand upon removing the stimulus. Our results unveil the universal multi-responsive nature of the considered polycatecholamine membranes, albeit with distinct differences in their mechanical features and response times to light stimulus. We attribute the light-triggered contraction to photothermal heating, leading to water desorption and subsequent contraction of the membranes. The combination of multi-responsiveness, mechanical robustness, remote control via light, low-cost and large-scale fabrication, biocompatibility, and low-environment impact makes polycatecholamine materials promising candidates for advancing technologies.

ÇAVDAR TARLASINDAKİ ÇOCUKLAR ROMANINDA SAHTEKARLAR VE SAHTELİK

The Catcher in the Rye, American writer Jerome David Salinger’s sole novel written at the very beginning of the second half of the 20th century, soon after its release, created reactions with its theme, language, and the mass it appealed to. The element that the novel owes its enduring popularity to, even observable today, is the fact that American teenagers found themselves in the novel, and claimed the protagonist reflects their own inner worlds and their point of view against society just as a mirror. The novel's protagonist, Holden Caulfield, is described as a rebellious adolescent alienated from people around him, especially the adults’ world. He is ultimately inclined to run away from society because of the sense of phoniness he feels in the acts and thoughts of those people in almost every moment of his regular days. This paper will analyze the theme of the phoniness of the adult world by comparing the period depicted in the novel with modern Turkish society. This will be done through various questions concerning quotes from the novel and commentary on these quotes, highlighting the universal and timeless nature of Salinger’s work. By examining both literary and sociological perspectives, the study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of The Catcher in the Rye.

Towards An Integrated Structure and Agency Construction of Political Rights in the Philippines

Political rights in the Philippines continue to be a persistent societal challenge despite ongoing efforts across various sectors to address issues related to their protection. Human rights studies traditionally consider political rights inherent, yet disputes over their interpretation persist, suggesting that consensus depends on aligning definitions with universal human nature. This paper contends that political rights are socially constructed through historical processes involving diverse social structures and agents. Therefore, integrating structural and agential perspectives is crucial for establishing a common societal understanding of these rights. Drawing on social constructionism theories by Benjamin Gregg (2011), Peter Berger (1966), and Anthony Giddens' structuration theory (1984), this study explores how individuals' interactions within society and culture shape the conception of political human rights. An exploratory-sequential mixed-method approach was employed, combining qualitative documentary analysis and interviews to investigate how social structures and agents construct political rights. Quantitative data triangulation further enhanced the study's comprehensiveness and depth. Key findings underscore ongoing efforts to address political rights in the Philippines, highlighting the social nature of their understanding and the necessity for collaborative efforts among government and multiple sectors.

Discourse of trauma and transformation of memory in the novel of J. S. Foer’s “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”

The article is devoted to considering the peculiarities of trauma discourse in the context of dynamics and transformations of individual and collective memory based on the material of the novel by the modern American writer J. S. Foer “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”. Sociocultural dynamics of the first quarter of the 21st century causes significant changes in the spheres of collective imagination and memory, which finds its expression in the literary discourse, one of the significant types of which is currently the discourse of trauma. In turn, the category of trauma acquires universal status in modern humanitarianism. This determines the relevance of the research topic. The purpose of the article is to consider the discursive specificity of J. S. Foer’s novel «Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close» in the context of trauma, individual and collective memory. The subject of consideration is the peculiarities of the representation of trauma in the context of the transformation of memory in the novel by J. S. Foer. The novelty of the study consists in the attempt to distinguish the discourse of trauma related to the peculiarities of the narrator’s vision of reality and the socio-cultural determinations of trauma that affect the entire society, that is, to isolate the universal discourse of social trauma in the novel compared to individual trauma. The task of the research: to analyse the specific features of the discourse of trauma in J. S. Foer’s novel; find out the correlation between trauma discourse and transformations of individual and collective memory; to justify the universal nature of the trauma discourse in the novel. Historical-cultural, hermeneutic and discursive methods were used in the research process. The discourse of trauma in the novel acquires universal features and concerns all the narrators of the novel, who form its plot. The visual component that forms the visual-symbolic narrative of the novel actualizes the synesthetic perception of the trauma and its totality, spread not only to the family of the main character, but also to the entire society. At the same time, the graphic and visual experiments and findings of the author allow us to interpret the text as a complex postmodern and metamodern whole. The trauma discourse in the novel captures the transformations of individual and collective memory, which are aimed at restoring the functionality of the existence of people and communities on both the cognitive and emotional-affective levels. The discourse of trauma acquires features of totality, while remaining rational and avoiding signs of self-obsession, which enables catharsis as life after and with trauma. The symbolic nature of the processes taking place in the collective consciousness and imagination represents itself through the transformations of discourse, which record the transformations of memory. Prospects for further research are outlined by the possibility of considering the discourse of trauma in a wider cultural, linguistic and sociological context.

Exploring Factitious Dermatitis: A Case Series Unveiling Psychodermatological Insights

Abstract Dermatitis artefacta (DA), or factitious dermatitis, presents a complex interplay of psychiatric and dermatological factors, challenging clinicians in diagnosis and management. This article delves into a comprehensive review of contemporary understanding, emphasizing treatment strategies, psychological correlations, and clinical presentations through the analysis of three compelling case studies. Presenting three cases, each examined after a referral from dermatology to psychiatry, sheds light on the varied manifestations of DA. These cases, spanning diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and occupations, underscore the universal nature of this condition. Notably, each patient’s denial of psychological distress complicates diagnosis and management. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors emerge as a preferred option due to their favorable side effect profile. In conclusion, navigating factitious dermatitis requires clinicians to adopt a nonconfrontational, empathetic stance, fostering a therapeutic relationship conducive to addressing underlying psychological issues.

Алгоритм анализа лексических особенностей речи билингвов

The article is devoted to the development of an algorithm for analyzing the lexical features of bilingual speech. Its relevance is due to the significance of the differs from the mentality of Russian monolingual speakers. It has been determined that in the scientific literature, scientists do not consider the development of an algorithm for vocabulary analysis as a special methodological problem, which determines the novelty of this research. The material of the study was about 30 classifications of lexical errors presented in Russian works on the theory of speech culture and methods of teaching the Russian language (native) at school and Russian as a foreign language at the university. Research methods were comparative analysis of these classifications, modeling of the vocabulary analysis algorithm. Methodological provisions that are significant for the development of an algorithm for analyzing the lexical features of bilingual speech were highlighted: reliance on a systematic approach in the study of classifications of lexical errors, adherence to the classical rules of formal logic, differentiation of the processes of qualifying errors and establishing their causes and consequences. Two main approaches to identifying a group of lexical errors have been identified, which can be conditionally called stylistic approach and level approach. The stylistic approach, which developed in Russia in the mid-twentieth century, is characteristic of school practice. When analyzing students' written work, teachers and methodologists have identified spelling, punctuation and stylistic errors, and stylistic errors include lexical, morphological and syntactic errors. The level approach developed by Yu.V. Fomenko, involves distinguishing pronunciation, lexical, phraseological, morphological, syntactic, spelling, punctuation, and stylistic errors. It has been determined that in order to analyze lexical errors, it is more convenient to single out the types of errors by the levels of the language system. An analysis of various classifications of lexical errors has shown that almost all of them are constructed in violation of the rules of formal logic and, therefore, are redundant. They include, firstly, phonetic, lexical, grammatical, phraseological, logical errors (for example, in the classification of M.A. Shakhmatova and T.V. Postnova), and secondly, the causes and consequences of errors (for example, in the classification of S.V. Kosheleva and V.A. Salyaev). When they are excluded, a logically consistent classification of lexical errors includes three groups: word replacement, word omission, insertion of an extra word. In the first group, three subgroups are distinguished: a) replacement of the required word with a word similar in meaning, but different in sound : a synonym that is not compatible with the context, hyponym, hypernym, anachronism, dialectism, vulgarism, jargon, professionalism, occasionalism, barbarism, and a word of another functional style; b) replacement of the required word with a word similar in sound, but different in meaning, for example, paronym; c) replacement of the required word with a word, different from it in meaning and in sound. On its basis, an algorithm for analyzing the lexical features of bilingual speech is modeled. It includes five steps: error identification, error type determination, error kind determination, error cause determination, error consequence determination. During identification, a distinction between lexical and non-lexical errors is made, which is sometimes difficult for the researcher. The second step involves establishing the structural characteristics of the error; selecting the type of error: replacement or omission of the word, or insertion of an extra word. At the third stage of the algorithm, a kind of the error are determined, for example, the option of replacing one word with another is selected. The fourth step involves determining the cause of the lexical error, for example, interlingual or intralingual interference, contact or structural attrition. At the fifth stage of the algorithm, the effect produced by an error in the communication process is determined. A choice between disruption or difficulty of communication is made. The article provides a detailed description of each step in the form of recommendations for the researcher, points out the factors that should be paid attention to when going through each step. Examples of the use of this algorithm in the analysis of the lexical features of bilingual speech in the course of the implementation of the international research project “Russian language in Germany: intergenerational changes” are given. The results of this study are of a universal nature: they can be in demand not only in studies of bilingualism, but also in the analysis of the lexical features of the speech of monolinguals, as well as in the analysis of the speech of people who acquire a second language.

КОНСТИТУЦИОННАЯ КУЛЬТУРА РОССИЯН НА ЭТАПЕ ПЕРЕХОДА ОТ ЛИБЕРАЛИЗАЦИИ КОНСТИТУЦИОННО-ПРАВОВОГО ПРОСТРАНСТВА К ЗАЩИТЕ ТРАДИЦИОННЫХ ЦЕННОСТЕЙ

The purpose of the study is to analyze the state of modern constitutional culture in the era of changing political and ideological guidelines, the transition from a liberal-universal model of constitutional development to a nationally oriented one.The objectives of the study are the following: to determine the main characteristics of the state of constitutional culture in the era of excessive enthusiasm for universal liberal values at the end of the last century; analyze the main trends in the processes of constitutional and legal reform in the light of the ideas of protecting constitutional identity, ensuring constitutional sovereignty and protecting traditional values; consider the impact of the constitutional reform of 2020 on the qualitative change in the constitutional culture of Russians, its significance for determining the future paths of constitutional and legal development of Russia, and identify the positive and most controversial aspects of the reform. The work used general scientific, special scientific and special research methods. Based on the results of the study, the author concludes that today a steady trend has formed towards reforming the constitutional and legal space - the ideas of liberal universalization are opposed to the ideas of constitutional identity and the protection of traditional values. At one time, the new Russian Constitution was designed to take into account all the shortcomings of decades of socialist construction and act not as a document of a political-declaratory nature, but as a basis for the creation of a state and society of a fundamentally new type. According to the author, excessive passion for borrowed values of a universal nature has had the most negative impact on the state of the constitutional culture of Russians. However, even today it is obvious that a well-developed theoretical structure that would relatively accurately and legally definitely outline the main directions of further constitutional development, in line with the development of the idea of protecting traditional values, does not exist today, which is especially noticeable in the example of documents of a programmatic and political nature . The constitutional reform of 2020, according to the author, reflected new trends and approaches to the idea of ensuring constitutional identity and symbolized significant changes in constitutional culture, including at the level of ordinary consciousness of ordinary Russians who were directly involved in the process of constitutional reform. However, the author concludes that the constitutional reform is incomplete, which generally characterizes the state of domestic constitutional culture.

DNA nanotechnology for nucleic acid analysis: sensing of nucleic acids with DNA junction-probes.

DNA nanotechnology deals with the design of non-naturally occurring DNA nanostructures that can be used in biotechnology, medicine, and diagnostics. In this study, we introduced a nucleic acid five-way junction (5WJ) structure for direct electrochemical analysis of full-length biological RNAs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the interrogation of such long nucleic acid sequences by hybridization probes attached to a solid support. A hairpin-shaped electrode-bound oligonucleotide hybridizes with three adaptor strands, one of which is labeled with methylene blue (MB). The four strands are combined into a 5WJ structure only in the presence of specific DNA or RNA analytes. Upon interrogation of a full-size 16S rRNA in the total RNA sample, the electrode-bound MB-labeled 5WJ association produces a higher signal-to-noise ratio than electrochemical nucleic acid biosensors of alternative design. This advantage was attributed to the favorable geometry on the 5WJ nanostructure formed on the electrode's surface. The 5WJ biosensor is a cost-efficient alternative to the traditional electrochemical biosensors for the analysis of nucleic acids due to the universal nature of both the electrode-bound and MB-labeled DNA components.

Лояльность местных элит центральной власти: общие закономерности и институциональные контексты

The article presents the conceptualization of loyalty (subordinates to superiors), the construction of the general theoretical hypothesis about the main causal factors of loyalty, as well as the analysis of the institutional contexts of the (dis)loyalty of local elites to the central government. Loyalty is understood as a variable characteristic of the political attitudes of actors (individuals and groups), combining recognition of the legitimacy of power, readiness to follow the adopted policy, obedience to orders, and reporting of reliable information about the state of affairs. Based on the general ideas of neo-Weberian political sociology, a hypothesis has been proposed about the basic factors that strengthen loyalty. The more an actor perceives a certain authority as providing his basic needs such as security, social status, income and influence (authority, political participation), the higher the actor’s loyalty to this authority will be. The main types of institutions that allow elites to satisfy their basic needs are civil service, patron-client networks, and egalitarian communities. A relatively high level of loyalty to the central government is typical of the representatives of elites, whose basic needs are satisfied by taking prestigious positions in the public service. It is due to the symbolic and universal nature of status in bureaucratic structures of the military and civil service. The formal and broadly recognized status also allows avoiding the necessity of its constant confirmation by means of aggressive and violent actions. On the contrary, for a successful career within the military-bureaucratic structures of state service, qualities such as discipline, accuracy, diligence, and control over emotions are in demand. The status of the members of patron-client networks and egalitarian communities is informal and recognized only by their entourage (if the entourage is willing to do this). Therefore, participants of informal communities have to confirm their status, including aggressive and violent actions. In such a way, the qualities as a heightened sense of self-worth, emphasized aggressiveness (as a means of demonstrating and protecting status), and love of freedom are constituted, which are little compatible with the bureaucratic virtues of obedience and reverence for superiors. In addition, disdain for official values, symbols, norms and rules of interaction cultivated in communities guarantees that their participants will remain loyal to their patron and/or comrades and will not succumb to the temptation to exchange all this for a more predictable and stable career in public service.

Creativity as a Universal Phenomenon of Existence (About Olga Zhukova’s Authorial Conception)

This article is devoted to the issue of creativity, which is perceived by the example of the monograph Tvorchestvo i religioznost' v russkoi kul'ture. Filosofskie issledovaniya [Creativity and Religiosity in Russian Culture. Philosophical Studies] (2022) written by Russian philosopher and cultural scholar Olga Zhukova. Although the philosophical and cultural analysis of the artistic process is carried out in the researcher’s work mainly based on the material of literature, the universal nature of creativity allows the author to discover the parallels between the verbal, philosophical and musical modes of discourse. Since the provisions and ideas expounded in the monograph create the precedent for discussing the current topical theoretical and methodological issues of the art of music, the purpose of the article is determined by constructing a system of argumentation that ensures the legitimacy of the following statement: creativity acts as a phenomenon of existence, determining the self-justification of the artist’s personality, whether he or she is a poet, artist or composer, or a reader, viewer and/or listener (performer). At the same time, the central task of this article is to position music as a spiritual and intellectual type of creativity, the universal forms of which are the knowledge of reality and the creation of an image of meaning, revealed in the structure of an artistic text. Relying on the experience of well-known philosophers, cultural and art historians, word artists and performing musicians, the author expresses the necessity to tune the ear of every artist to the sounding entity, the essence of which is able to be revealed with the most completeness only by music.

The Discourse of Korean Han : Background and Historical Landscape

Abstract: This essay outlines current trends in the discourse on han in what is regarded as a Korean state of mind brought on by the specific nature of Korean history and political evolution: the Korean War, income inequality, mass migrations into the city, oppressive, modernization-minded governments, protest movements, difficult living conditions, colonialism, imperialism, and specific incidents in history that exacerbated the grief and trauma of han among the people. The essay sets out to show how han has been defined by scholars, mostly Korean thinkers but also non-Koreans, and how it has been treated in the modern era. There is a summary of some of the major historical events and conditions that reinforce the presence of han in Korean culture, and the renewal of an interest in the subject after the advent of Globalization. Finally, the essay makes a case for the universal nature of han and how many have begun to see it as not just a Korean phenomenon after all.