Establishment Of Network Research Articles

Revealing observatory networks through object stories: Instrumental networks

This paper presents three pieces that use objects, or object types, to reveal the material, personal, institutional and commercial networks that surrounded the introduction and successful use of instruments, systems and techniques. The objects explored are: the Hourly Signal Relay, used within the time signal system of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, from the mid-nineteenth century; photographic glass plates from the British 1874 transit of Venus expeditions; and an electronic imaging tube, Lallemand’s camera, developed in Paris and used at the Lick Observatory in California in the 1960s. Each story uses examples of failure as a means of highlighting a lack of robustness in or effort required to maintain these networks. Once created, however, such networks could, as the second two stories note, go on to develop and support alternative approaches, helping to create success from apparent failure. Nevertheless, complexity, failure and fragility have also led to the underrepresentation or obscurity of these objects in museum collections, until given focused attention in these studies. The paper forms part of a collection of articles: Revealing observatory networks through object stories. The other papers in the collection are ‘Object itineraries’, and ‘Observatory audiences’ and the genesis of the collection is discussed in the ‘Introduction’.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OF FORMING THE EDUCATIONAL NETWORK OF THE TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY

Context. Local government organizations have significant decision-making power in the field of education. This requires the development of understandable tools that help form a network of educational institutions that provide high-quality educational services. The object of the study was the process of forming an educational network (ENW) of the community in the implementation of territorial development projects as part of the reform of local self-government.
 Objective. The goal of the work is to increase objectivity of decisions made in the formation of the ENW territorial community, summarizing demographic, infrastructural, personnel, economic factors when choosing the location of ENW facilities.
 Method. The study of the classical placement problem and its further adaptation to real problems arising from the implementation of the education reform made it possible to represent ENW territorial communities as a set of independent complete bipartite graphs. In this case, to solve the problem of choosing the location of an educational institution on the network, an information technology (IT) was developed to form an ENW territorial community. Based on the adapted p-median model and methods of geospatial analysis, generalizing the requirements of the current legislation, a set of input and output parameters of IT and a set of its operations are formed. The representation of the IT structure in the form of an IDEF0-model clearly explains how a combination of various factors is processed and generalized when making decisions while creating ENW and looking for ways to improve it.
 Results. The developed IT was investigated in solving the problem of forming a network of lyceums in the Kharkiv region using geospatial information, open statistical data and data on lyceums. The proposed accommodation options make it possible to achieve a general level of accessibility of specialized secondary education of almost 94%. IT has additional tools for solving the problems of transporting students to the place of study and home.
 Conclusions. The experiments carried out confirmed the operability of the proposed IT. The generalization of the results obtained makes it possible to recommend it for practical use in solving the problems of analyzing the current state of ENW, finding ways to improve it and possible directions for development, as well as evaluating solutions related to the spatial planning of ENW.

The trends of the cultural studies development in the modern conditions: the case of Ukraine

The trends of cultural studies development in current conditions are analyzed in the article, with the case of Ukraine serving as an example. Cultural studies are gradually being transformed from an abstract sphere of philosophizing into a scientifically significant field. This transformation is supported by the review of candidate and doctoral dissertations, which demonstrate a shift towards applied science. The research in cultural studies adequately reflects the particularity of the current state of scientific practice, characterized by interdisciplinarity that significantly expands its potential for a flexible understanding of cultural practices. This transformation is driven by objective reasons, as the network of educational institutions, creative teams, concert venues, and other organizations in the field of music is the most extensive. It is asserted that cultural mentality, like any other type of mentality, is based on archetypes and embodied in myths. Cultural myths appeal to larger social mythological systems, leading to the transformation of cultural studies into the meaning of culture, which carries the imprint of corresponding chronotopes and worldviews. The current project is rooted in the idea of a total synthesis of cultures based on universals. In contrast, the postmodern project is motivated by the idea of deconstruction and the rhetoric of differences. Consequently, universalistic cultural studies tend to integrate various disciplines at the methodological level and aim to model the totality of world culture. On the other hand, particularistic cultural studies tend to reduce cultural studies to one of the components of cultural studies (typically aesthetics and art studies) at the methodological and subject levels, focusing on the investigation of individual components (genres, styles, ethnicities) of the phenomenon under study. The roots of cultural axiology can be traced back to the archetypal matrix of Greek-Orthodox thinking. It has provided strong traditions of cultural philosophy and its axiological reflection in Ukrainian humanistic thought. The traditional understanding of culture in Ukraine is deeply symbolic, axiological, and sacred.

Hospital Facilities of the Mid-19th — Early 20th Centuries: Kirensky Hospital of Irkutsk Welfare Board

By the middle of the 19th century departmental hospitals have gained a predominant position in the network of medical institutions in Russia. The introduction of strict regulation of the activities of public charity hospitals, uniform catalogs of medicines, limits on expenses for medicines and other attributes of hospital life make it possible, using the example of one hospital, in our case, the Kirensky Civil Hospital of the Irkutsk welfare board, to give an idea of the main directions of their “financial and economic activities”. As such, the study examined the maintenance of the hospital’s economic infrastructure and financial support for the care of patients. The study analyzed paperwork documentation, which made it possible for the first time to introduce data on the volume of food rationing for patients, to provide a description of hospital premises with detailed parameters and functional purposes. As a result of the study, the author concluded that the economic activities of administrative hospitals in the mid-19th — early 20th centuries was a priority direction (compared to medical activities) and included solving a wide range of problems, despite the fact that the costs of maintaining the hospital facilities fell entirely on the Irkutsk public charity, reflecting the main feature of “departmental medicine”.

Early educational trajectories of children with autism spectrum disorder in Chile: challenges and facilitators

Inclusive education and special education are the means of education for people with special educational needs and specific disabilities. Inclusive education has been promoted in recent decades as the optimal method of educating in diversity. However, in Chile, access to quality education remains a major challenge for students and their families. In this article, we explore the experiences, motivations, and main factors in making early educational decisions by families and caregivers of children on the autism spectrum. In particular, using six semi-structured interviews conducted with families and caregivers of children, we study the process of initial entry into the educational system, including parents’ perceptions and knowledge of the access routes to it and the facilitators and barriers present for their incorporation. The results indicate that, from the very beginning, the information available social and family attitudes, may hinder children’s access to the available care and education system, with a generalized demand to strengthen social and institutional support networks. In general, and as may be expected, educational decisions, trajectories, and expectations are interdependent and evolve with the experience of caregivers and children in the educational system and their families.

Good Will Trust in Institutional Governance Networks in the Implementation of a Livable House Development Program in Gowa Regency

Trust is needed to reduce complex interactions between actors and achievement results among the organization’s public. This study aims to analyze the implementation of the livable housing development program in Gowa Regency using the approach of good trust in the governance network. This research method uses a qualitative approach, and the data in this study comes from primary and secondary sources. The data collection included observations, in-depth interviews, and documentation. Data analysis was conducted through interactive analysis. The results state that the first element of goodwill is that the responsiveness of the stakeholders is very good and indicates a commitment to carrying out the assistance program for the construction of livable houses in Gowa Regency. The second element of devotion stated that there were several regulations from the central government and ministerial regulations regarding assistance for the construction of livable houses based on these regulations, and that the Government of Gowa Regency is committed to implementing a livable housing development program. The third element of collaboration identifies that the Perkimtan Service participated in a survey to verify the eligibility of prospective beneficiaries through the fields appointed to be program assistants, according to the aid quota of the Self-Help Housing Stimulant Assistance Program (the Housing and Settlements).
 Keywords: good will trust, institutional governance network, program implementation

Settler colonial expansion and the institutionalisation of children in Victoria, Australia

ABSTRACT Recent histories have underlined the importance of understanding the nineteenth-century gold rushes which took place in various parts of the anglophone world in relation to settler colonialism, and this work has advanced understandings of gender, race and Empire in significant ways. However, the field has yet to seriously grapple with questions about the role, treatment and positioning of children. This article will examine the Australian colony of Victoria, which was profoundly transformed by a gold rush beginning in 1851. Through case studies of three families – one white, one Chinese and one Aboriginal – the article will illustrate the complex relationships between poverty, colonialism and carceral institutions for children during the second half of the nineteenth century. These case studies allow an exploration that centres on the lives of the children and families forced to navigate an often-inescapable network of institutions, thereby demonstrating the impossibility of separating these institutions (which form the foundations of our modern-day child protection system) from the project and philosophy of settler colonialism.

CrimRxiv launches its Consortium - An international, institutional network of open criminology's leaders, supporters, & providers

CrimRxiv launches its Consortium - An international, institutional network of open criminology's leaders, supporters, & providers

Tranexamic Acid to Prevent Obstetrical Hemorrhage After Cesarean Delivery

ABSTRACT Previous research has presented convincing evidence that the administration of tranexamic acid (TXA) after cesarean delivery can reduce the incidence of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) and the associated mortality and morbidity. Although there have been several significant studies on this topic, they are limited by small sample sizes, which make the studies difficult to generalize and limit their statistical power. This study aimed to address that gap and assess clinical outcomes related to the administration of TXA in a large sample. This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial including 31 hospitals participating in the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Eligibility criteria included scheduled or unscheduled cesarean delivery of a singleton or twin gestation. Exclusion criteria included maternal age younger than 18 years, blood transfusion before randomization, plan for transfusion after randomization, contraindications to TXA, patient decision not to use blood products, or administration of antifibrolytic agents or uterotonic agents other than oxytocin. The primary outcome was maternal death or blood transfusion before hospital discharge or 7 days after delivery, whichever came first. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative blood loss of more than 1 L and treatments or interventions in response to bleeding or related complications within 7 days of delivery, as well as infectious complications within 6 weeks of delivery. Final analyses included 11,000 patients, with 5529 in the TXA group and 5471 in the placebo group. Baseline characteristics were not significantly different between groups, and no center-dependent differences were observed. The primary outcome was observed in 3.6% of patients in the TXA group and 4.3% of patients in the placebo group (adjusted relative risk, 0.89; P = 0.19). Intraoperative blood loss of more than 1 L was recorded in 7.3% and 8.0% in the tranexamic and placebo groups, respectively (relative risk, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.79–1.05). Treatments and interventions in response to bleeding occurred in 16.1% of individuals in the TXA group and 18.0% of those in the placebo group (relative risk, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.82–0.97). Infectious complications were reported in 3.2% and 2.5% in the TXA and placebo groups, respectively (relative risk, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.02–1.61). Sensitivity analysis showed similar results to initial analysis, and no significant differences were seen between groups in major safety outcomes. This analysis indicates that the administration of TXA during cesarean delivery did not lower the risk of maternal death or blood transfusion. These results are in direct contradiction to previous research showing that TXA is effective at reducing these outcomes. This trial was stronger than any previous studies in sample size and careful randomization ensuring equal representation of scheduled and unscheduled cesarean deliveries, which makes the contradiction to previous research especially relevant. Some limitations of this trial included limitations in time of administration of TXA as well as dosage. Outcomes related to these 2 variables are still largely unknown. This trial also excluded patients at high risk of thromboembolic phenomena, and the effect of TXA in this population is still unknown. Further research should focus on more diverse populations, as well as understanding variations in outcomes with timing and dosage, which this study did not address.

The evolution and current situation in the application of dual-energy computed tomography: a bibliometric study.

Dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) has received extensive attention in clinical practice; however, a quantitative assessment of published literature in this domain is presently lacking. This study thus aimed to characterize the application conditions, developmental trends, and research hot spots of DECT using bibliometric analysis. All literature on DECT was retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) on January 22, 2023. The co-occurrence, cooperation network, and co-citation of countries, institutions, references, authors, journals, and keywords were analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R-bibliometrix software. In total, 4,720 original articles and reviews were included. The number of publications related to DECT has rapidly increased since 2006. The USA (n=1,662) and Mayo Clinic (n=178) were found to be the most productive country and institution, respectively. The most cited article was published by Johnson TRC et al., while the article published by McCollough CH et al. in 2015 had the most co-citations. Schoepf UJ ranked first with most articles among 16,838 authors. The journal with the most published articles was European Radiology, with 411 publications. The timeline analysis indicated that material decomposition was the most recent topic, followed by gout, radiomics, proton therapy, and bone marrow edema. An increasing number of researchers are committed to researching DECT, with the USA making the most significant contributions in this area. Prior studies have primarily concentrated on cardiovascular diseases, and contemporary hot spots include expansion into to other fields, such as iodine quantification, deep learning, and bone marrow edema.

Development a Software Defined Network (SDN) with Internet of Things (IoT) Security for Medical Issues

Because providing billions of objects with network connectivity, the Internet of Things (IoT) enables the collection and transfer of real-time data for intelligent applications. Therefore, IoT enables remote access and control of connected devices when there is a sufficient network infrastructure. Additionally, the introduction of software-defined networking (SDN) presents capabilities that allow internet providers and users to control and connect network equipment wirelessly, even as enabling a global perspective on the network, that has previously become a soaring interest area due to its extensive use for various applications and systems, including wireless sensor nodes, medical equipment, delicate home sensor systems, and some other connected IoT devices. In order to create worldwide connectivity between the Internet of Things (IoT) and based on the SDN architecture in the medical contexts, this paper's contribution is to outline some relevant directions. Additionally, we provide a model based on software defined network principles that depicts interactions between a group of people each of whom have a Nano network within their bodies and the medical services via the local network of a medical institution. For everybody electrical engineers to data engineers the requirement to integrate everything in a global setting is a significant problem. As a result, the cloud is useful for handling the instantaneous sharing of information. In terms of health care, the effort is also stated in terms of IoT architecture and services. IoT's current prospects for the healthcare sector are quite promising. Due to its capacity for sensing and measuring, it is also highly well-liked. From the smallest sensor to the massive amounts of data gathered, this revolution is completely changing how we view healthcare.

Out-of-School Youth Civic Engagement in the Microcosm of Society

The youth sector is at the heart of society; they can inspire social change. Out-of-school youth leads the global crisis of declining youth engagement. Past investigations linked the problem to apathy and that the out-of-school youth is an underserved sector without the means to activate their agency effectively. The advent of the 4th Industrial Revolution put in place new platforms where typologies of civic engagement are carried out, and there are external and internal factors that influence these. As the barangay reflects the larger Philippine society, this study examined the typologies of civic engagement that Filipino out-of-school youth participate in both in the traditional and non-traditional settings, the factors that influence their civic engagement participation, and their perceived significance of civic engagement. The study operated on a mixed-method design, which combined quantitative and qualitative research design elements to answer the research questions. The findings show that the modern youth manifested their intense participation in diverse social activities through digital civic engagement; they value civic engagement; they have a comprehensive understanding of what is happening around them; and they are conscious of their role and willing to do what they can to enrich their communities. To enhance the brewing potentials of their transformative character, existing public and private institutional mechanisms, programs, and networks must be strengthened and/or new ones created and explored geared towards fostering a more inclusive and healthy development of the out-of-school youth. The future promise of any nation can be directly measured by the present prospects of its youth.

Pelvic Nodal Auto-Segmentation Using a Deep Image to Image Network (DI2IN) Auto-Segmentation Algorithm: Comparing Male vs. Female Pelvis

Deep Learning approaches have shown significant benefits compared to atlas-based methods in improving segmentation accuracy and efficiency in auto-segmentation algorithms. The AI-Rad Companion Organs RT pelvic nodal auto-segmentation feature was trained and developed for use in the male pelvis. There is no real-world data on its usability in male pelvis and whether it can be used for female pelvic nodal anatomy. This work represents the first multi-institutional study to describe and evaluate an AI algorithm for auto-segmentation of the pelvic nodal region in female patients based on a deep image-to-image network (DI2IN). The AIRC algorithm uses a two-step approach for segmentation. In the first step, the target organ region in the optimal input image is extracted using a trained Deep Reinforcement Learning network (DRL), which is then used as input to create the contours in the second step based on DI2IN. We retrospectively evaluated AIRC pelvic nodal auto-segmentation in both male and female patients treated at our network of institutions. The automated pelvic nodal contours generated by AIRC were evaluated by one board-certified radiation oncologist, specializing in prostate and gynecologic malignancies. A 4-point scale was used, where 4 is clinically usable and 1 requires re-contouring. Pelvic nodal regions included the right and left side of the common iliac, external iliac, internal iliac, obturator and midline presacral nodes. A chi-squared test was then used to compare the scores of male and female pelvic nodal cases. Fifty-two female and 51 male patients were included in the study, representing a total of 468 and 447 pelvic nodal regions, respectively. 96% (450 pelvic nodal contours) and 99% (443 pelvic nodal contours) required no or minor edits for female and male patients, respectively (p = 0.004). The right internal iliac was the only nodal group with a statistically significant difference between female (92% requiring no or minor edits) and male (100% requiring no or minimal edits) patients, p = 0.04. The percentage of patients requiring no, or minor edits was 87% (45 patients) and 92% (47 patients) for female and male patients, respectively (p = 0.36). AIRC pelvic nodal auto-segmentation performed very well in both male and female pelvic nodal regions, with the male pelvic nodal regions performing better especially in the right internal iliac nodal group. It is usable in female pelvic nodal regions, with 96% of contours requiring no or minor edits. As auto-segmentation becomes more widespread, it may be important to have equal representation from all genders in training and validation of auto-segmentation algorithms.

Computer Games as a Pedagogical Tool for Creating Cyber Security Awareness

Cyberattacks are increasing world-wide, both on corporate networks and public institutions network. During 2022 hackers were widening their aim to target business collaboration tools such as Slack, Teams, OneDrive, and Google Drive with phishing exploits, making for a rich harvest of sensitive data given that most organizations’ employees continued to work remotely. In the later years we have also seen academic institutions becoming more frequent targets for both cybercriminals and state sponsored hackers. In 2022 the education/research sector was most attacked industry globally, seeing a 43% increase compared to 2021, with an average of 2,314 attacks per organisation every week. Schools and universities have the unique challenge of dealing with children or young adults, many of which use their own devices, work from shared locations, and often connect to public Wi-Fi without thinking of the security concerns. Additionally, Russia’s war on Ukraine has led to an increase in spear-phishing activity targeting educational institutions in NATO countries. This situation calls attention to the need for awareness raising about personal cyber security. In Norway, Nord University is one of a few universities with specific focus on security and preparedness, including cyber security awareness. The university has two information security courses: one belonging to furthering education and one within the MBA-study program in Security and Preparedness Management. This paper examines the question whether serious games and online quizzes can create heighten cyber security awareness and motivate individual students to change their cyber security behaviour. The paper reports on the findings based on written reflection notes from students belonging to both courses. The technique of examination and interpretation applied to the data was qualitative thematic content analysis supported by computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software NVivo. Theoretical analysis was guided by social constructionist perspective on knowledge creation. While many advantages of the use of online quizzes and computer games were specified by students, challenges were identified as well. However, the findings show that the use of serious games and online quizzes can be an efficient approach to raising security awareness among participating students.

Отрезвление: сталинская индустриализация в цифрах и фактах. К очередной монографии Г.И. Ханина

This article is devoted to a review of G.I. Khanin’s new book, which presents the author’s assessment of the course and results of the first five-year plan. The article is not a summary of this book, but an attempt to re-think the process of implementing the principles of planning and directive management of the economy and social sphere in Soviet Russia. G.I. Khanin’s book presents and substantiates alternative assessments of the economic development of the country and it shows that the annual plans were not implemented and control figures of the five-year plan as a whole were not achieved contrary to the claims of the states’ leadership. The book concludes that industrialization has a high cost. This review paper explains the high relevance of this book, since the ideas of transition to a mobilization economy and the recreation of a centralized planning system in one form or another to accelerate economic growth and, more broadly, to modernize the economy and society have become widespread in current scientific literature and journalism. Based on the content of the book under discussion, the author of this review paper examines the problem of the correlation between modernization and economic growth. He shows that during the years of the first five-year plan, against a background of significant economic growth and serious efforts to expand education and the network of scientific institutions, the processes of archaization of the society took place as well as new mechanisms of social stratification were formed. The discussed monograph draws an important conclusion that domestic statistics during the first five-year plan falsified not only monetary, but also natural indicators. The book shows that the so-called ten-year plans resulted in the disorganization of economic life, disproportions and, according to G.I. Khanin, the transition from economic fantasy to “bacchanal planning”. The author of the review paper also shows that the historical and economic study of the USSR is far from being completed, and he concludes that quantitative estimates and especially qualitative conclusions need to be adjusted as new information sources are discovered and involved in the scientific turnover, as well as the previously obtained data should be compared and reconsidered.

Model for Assessing the Efficiency of the Organizational and Technical System of Management of Municipal Finances

Increasing the productivity of financial activity is one of the most relevant, but little studied areas in the modern theory of public administration. This study proposes a new concept that allows solving the problem of accumulation of inefficiency reserves in the form of an excessive number of specialists through the use of the DEA system methodology and the principles of the interdisciplinary science of service science. The basis of the proposed assessment model is based on the relationship between the population of the municipality (hereinafter - MO) and the size of the financial apparatus, identified as a result of the analysis of modern methods. The new evaluation model made it possible to obtain tabular and visual data on both effective management mechanisms and inefficient ones, i.e. having a reserve of inefficiency. For inefficient objects, objects-goals are indicated as a direction in the space of production possibilities of using information technology. The developed evaluation model can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of information systems of various management structures that have an extensive network of institutions and perform the same type of functional tasks.

Systemic Pressure of the United States on the Russian Orthodox Church in the Ideological and Geopolitical Confrontation

The paper represents the interim results of a study conducted by the Russian Expert School Research Centre and reveals the politics, as well as scientifi c and expert mechanisms, used by the United States when applying the religious factor for geopolitical purposes. It also examines the way the United States exploits the religious agenda to put the direct political pressure on Russia. The purpose of the study is to identify the mechanisms used by the United States to deliver international pressure on world Orthodoxy and the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1998, the USA adopted the Law on International Religious Freedom, which secured the right of the USA to interfere with religious processes occurring in other countries. For the practical implementation of this law, the United States established an extensive network of governmental institutions, as well as non-governmental structures, formally independent from the government but closely related to it, that would provide ideological, political and administrative support in this area. These institutions and structures involved off icials, scientists, experts, journalists, religious leaders and theologians interested in promoting American national interests. In the 2000s, the weakening of the international infl uence of the Russian Orthodox Church and the weakening of Russia’s role as the centre of world Orthodoxy became the key direction for the international religious policy of the United States. The USA used the Patriarchate of Constantinople as the main tool to split the Russian Church and world Orthodoxy. The strongest strike intended to reduce the infl uence of the Russian Church was infl icted by the United States in Ukraine, where, after the coup d’etat 2014, the сanonical Orthodox Church (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) found itself in the most vulnerable position. The United States has launched a system struggle against the Russian Orthodox Church, which includes theological, expert and media levels, as well as events of direct (administrative and physical) pressure on the Moscow Patriarchate parishes. The United States aims the global vector of this activity at dividing and weakening world Orthodoxy, and the local one — at destroying historical spiritual ties between Orthodoxy in Russia and Orthodoxy in Ukraine.

Статистическая оценка достижения стратегической цели по продолжительности жизни населения арктических регионов России

Increasing the life expectancy of the Russian population is the most important goal of the country’s national policy. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this indicator has decreased in most countries worldwide, including Russia, which necessitates research in this domain. Life expectancy levels greatly vary across Russian regions. The goal of this study is to evaluate the extent to which the targeted life expectancy goals have been attained in the Arctic regions of the Russian Federation. The study relies on the systems approach, the critical approach, content analysis, and demographic analysis. The novelty of the study lies in the conclusion that the life expectancy target outlined in the Strategy for the Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation and Provision of National Security for the Period up to 2035, aimed at reaching the level of 78 years by 2024, will not be met. This assertion is substantiated by an analysis of long-term trends. The Arctic regions are categorized based on their progress toward the strategic life expectancy goal: the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District has come closest to achieving it, while the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Republic of Karelia, and the Arkhangelsk Region face the most challenging circumstances. We have identified key avenues for increasing life expectancy in each Arctic region, with measures to prevent mortality from external causes showing significant potential for reducing premature deaths. A comparative analysis shows that at the current state of healthcare infrastructure development in Russia, regional differences do not exert a decisive impact on life expectancy. Therefore, it is recommended to strengthen efforts to encourage regular medical check-ups, making them an annual practice for all age groups. This approach would facilitate the early diagnosis of critical illnesses and reduce premature mortality. As a rule, the availability of medical services in the Russian Arctic is higher than the average around the country, as evidenced by statistical data on the development of a network of medical institutions and their medical staffing. Also, most Arctic regions have a lower proportion of the rural population than the national average, with the exception of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. Telemedicine and mobile healthcare services should be used more actively, particularly in locations such as remote settlements, onshore and offshore oil platforms, and nomadic routes. There is a need for an effective mechanism of government support for corporate employee wellness programs that make a real contribution to reducing the loss of work time due to sick leaves. It is also vital to promote a healthy lifestyle, engaging the population in physical activities and sports, as the Russian Arctic already has the necessary facilities and conditions.

Individuation processes in disabled people. An approach through mobilities in rural areas of southern Chile

Mobilities are a social practice, which is managed around gaining access to services and activities that are important for daily life. At the same time, it is interpreted as a structural test where networks and resources are necessary to achieve them. With a qualitative approach, this research shows how disabled people in the South of Chile plan and achieve their mobilities using the resources available from their family and institutional networks. The results suggest that people together with their family, ‘kith,’ ‘other informal’, public and private institutions achieve ‘making possible’ their mobilities. Thus, they can access various services: healthcare, withdraw pensions, go shopping and deal with bureaucracy. Finally, we conclude that mobilities ‘produce the individual,’ in the sense that, depending on the source of the social supports that allow their mobilities, they may be considered ‘agentic’ or ‘institutionalised’ individuals. POINTS OF INTEREST Mobilities allow access to services and activities of interest, and therefore play a key role in the social inclusion of disabled people. Mobilities can also be interpreted as daily challenges that people are forced to face in order to access various daily activities. Available research on this topic and the results of this study suggests that disabled people in rural areas manage to carry out their mobilities mainly due to support from family, institutional and ‘other informal’ networks. Mobility and its management might be incorporated into public policies, leading to improvements in the conditions for accessibility of disabled people, above all in rural areas.

A republican fiscal constitution for the EMU

ABSTRACT The democratic management of macroeconomic externalities between Members of the Economic and Monetary Union requires abandoning the legal entrenchment of fiscal rules as well as their technocratic administration. The fiscal constitution of the EMU can instead become an instrument that guarantees European citizens’ and peoples’ reciprocal non-domination. This republican goal can be attained once a core set of fiscal principles are agreed upon and later interpreted in a political way by the Council and the European Commission. To be non-dominating the interpretations of these executive bodies on the management of macroeconomic externalities must be subject to a ‘dual contestatory system’. Citizens should not only control, through their national parliaments, what their own governments decide, but also what a collective of governments decide at the EU level. This requires stepping up of the contestatory powers of the European Parliament. Finally, this kind of democratic control should be epistemically supported and facilitated by a network of national Independent Fiscal Institutions who should allow citizens and parliaments to monitor what executives decide both at the national and at the EU level.