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No full textDemocracy remains susceptible to fragility. Despite its reputation as “the worst form of government except for all those others”, establishing and maintaining a democracy is a challenging endeavour. Once a democracy is formed, it is not destined to remain in that form indefinitely. The concept of fragility encapsulates the inherent instability of democracy, which is constantly evolving in response to a multitude of external and internal pressures. This volume explored the pertinence of the term ‘fragile’ to express the state of contemporary democratic regimes, proposed a coherent understanding of democratic fragility and looked at various manifestations of fragility across the world. Our claim is that fragility constitutes an attribute of democratic regimes and, as such, is unavoidable. Yet, what varies among different systems and fluctuates over time is the degree of fragility. The foundations and principles of democracy are increasingly under threat from those who seek to weaken them, not only for the purpose of seizing power and resources, but also in the name of the old-new catch-all term ‘security’, overused not only by dictators but also by populist democratic leaders
No full textMetallozeolites exchanged with 3d transition metal ions (TMI) are versatile catalytic materials due to their well-defined framework structures, redox flexibility, and remarkable adsorption and catalytic properties. These features make them invaluable for both fundamental and applied research, underpinning numerous catalytic technologies. The binding and activation of small reactant molecules is governed by the complex mechanistic interplay of involved intrazeolite reactions, whose course is influenced by the flexible valence, spin, and coordination states of the encaged metal ions and the metal–oxo entities. Despite significant advances, the nature of active sites, confinement effects, and the complex activation mechanisms of reactant molecules, which act as both innocent and non-innocent ligands, remain subjects of ongoing debate. This has driven extensive research into the thermodynamic constraints and molecular-level insights into activation processes with orbital and spin resolution. This review critically examines the thermodynamic and molecular aspects of intrazeolite speciation of transition-metal ions and metal–oxo active sites, their structural dynamics, and reactivity toward catalytically relevant small molecules, including , , CO, , , NO, . Particular emphasis is placed on ligand coordination, redox activation, and the role of electronic and spin states in dictating the catalytic behaviour of metallozeolites. The discussion integrates insights from site-selective spectroscopies and computational methods to elucidate the structural, thermodynamic, and molecular aspects of metal–ligand interactions and activation pathways, with an emphasis on the role of spin states in binding and reactivity. We hope that this review can serve as a relevant and valuable reference for researchers working with zeolite catalysts, providing new insights and inspiration
Prevalence, variability, and clinical anatomy of the sesamoid bones of the hand : a systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textNuclear heritage : the transformation of Cold War bunkers into spaces of memory, art, and education
No full textNuclear heritage represents a distinctive industrial and cultural legacy that intertwines technological progress with the catastrophic consequences of atomic Energy. This article explores how Cold War-era nuclear bunkers have been transformed into spaces of memory, art., and education. These sites, including Budapest's Hospital in the Rock, Albania's Bunk'art museums, and Nowa Huta's Cold War bunkers, exemplify the dual role of nuclear heritage as historical artifacts and contemporary platforms for dialogue. By preserving Cold War memory and addressing present-day challenges such as geopolitical tensions and nuclear risks, these reimagined spaces actively contribute to the cultural landscape, fostering critical reflection and societal engagement
Institutional work of SMEs in coopetition : developing competence diversity in a resource- scarce environment
No full textS-nitrosation in endothelium : different outcomes of NRF2 and GSNOR loss
No full textCardiovascular diseases are a major global health burden, and that is largely caused by premature aging of endothelial cells (ECs). Therefore, understanding of molecular mechanisms of EC aging is central to establishing novel therapeutic approaches. We have previously found that cells devoid of the transcription factor NRF2 are prematurely aged and identified numerous concomitant phenomena, among them extensive S-nitrosation (SNO) and increased expression of innate immunity regulators. As both could be putative reasons for the premature senescence, we aimed to establish their causative role. We found that the premature senescence of NRF2-deficient ECs is related to an overactivation of cGAS/STING pathway, a canonical modulator of innate immune response. To address the significance of abundant SNO, we used the model of S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR), and we found that its deletion does not result in the induction of senescence or cGAS/STING activation. This supports a divergent outcome of increased SNO on EC phenotype. In the quest for a conducive mechanism, we characterized GSNOR-deficient ECs. We evidenced presence of atypical DNA cytoplasmic inclusions, abnormal structure and permeability of the nuclear envelope, along with changes in the actin cytoskeleton architecture. Interestingly, we found that the cytoplasmic DNA is not retained within ECs, but it is released out of the cell in an autophagy-dependent manner. Molecularly, we found that macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF) is an essential driver of this secretion. In sum, we have shown that premature senescence of NRF2-deficient ECs is triggered by overactivation of STING. In parallel, we have identified the pivotal role of GSNOR in ECs. This study advances the understanding of the mechanisms of premature senescence of ECs and points out at a cellular context-dependent outcome of enhanced SNO in ECs
In the labyrinth of culture : professional development paths for public cultural organizations’ workers
No full textThis article focuses attention on a somewhat overlooked topic of professional development of non-artistic workforce of public cultural organizations (PCO). The research problem of this study was formulated in a form of question: How the career paths of workers of public cultural organizations are shaped? The study allowed to capture the specific types of professional paths of the non-artistic PCO’s workforce and factors that influence their careers’ patterns. The findings are presented in 3 sections: (1) typology of professional development models in PCO, (2) factors shaping the career paths of PCO workers and (3) A vision for the future of PCO. Data used in this article are derived from research composed of 51 in-depth interviews with PCO workforce in Poland. These findings contribute to the knowledge of the human resources management of public cultural organizations workers and present a set of implications for PCO policy
