Public political narratives: developing a neglected source through the exploratory case of Russia in the Putin-Medvedev era

The place of narrative in political science is an issue that resurfaces with regularity, usually focusing on the questions of generalisability, evidence and causality which lie at the heart of the discipline. Most such debate concerns the use of narrative by political scientists. Far less attention has been devoted to the use of narrative by political actors, despite its relative ubiquity. Even where such attention has been given, it concentrates less on the narrative per se, and more on its performance and impact. However, the nature of public political narratives means that analysis of them facilitates a holistic understanding of their narrators' politics. A public political narrative consists of a sequential account given by political actors connecting selected, specific developments so as to impose a desired order on them. Taking contemporary Russia as an exploratory case, narrative analysis draws out the motivations, world view and inconsistencies within the Putin-Medvedev regime. Recurring motifs and symbols identify the regime's political priorities, explaining policy choices and revealing future concerns. Narrative has a predictive aspect, identifying likely policy responses to unexpected events. Narratives capture time, and shifts in their temporalities indicate changes in self-conceptualisation and political priorities. Temporal appropriations include or exclude particular agential and causal explanations. The relationship between their plots and subplots represents a political signalling process. Public political narratives provide temporally and spatially specific exceptionalist accounts, but their combinatory quality also facilitates comparative analysis. The approach essayed here provides methodological generalisability, arguing that the neglect of public political narratives merits correcting

Genetic epilepsy caused by CDKL5 gene mutations as an example of epileptic encephalopathy and developmental encephalopathy: literature review and own observations

The disease caused by mutations in the CDKL5 gene (encoding cyclin-dependent kinase 5, CDK5) belongs to the group of early (infantile) epileptic encephalopathies caused by alterations in the genome. Currently, the disease is called “developmental encephalopathy and epileptic encephalopathy type 2”. This disorder is a complex combination of symptoms that develop due to deficiency or absence of the CDKL5 gene product, which is serine/threonine kinase. The CDKL5 gene is located on X chromosome; the disease has an X-linked dominant inheritance pattern. This literature review summarizes relevant studies analyzing the disease caused by CDKL5 gene mutations, including its genetic and epidemiological aspects, clinical manifestations, characteristics of epilepsy, principles of diagnosis, and therapeutic approaches. We present a case series of several patients with genetic disorders involving the CDKL5 gene

Epileptic encephalopathy caused by 1p36 deletion: literature review and case series

1p36 deletion syndrome (OMIM: 607872) is an autosomal dominant disease caused by a terminal deletion of the short arm of chromosome 1, characterized by specific craniofacial dysmorphism, delayed speech development and epilepsy. The severity of epilepsy is related to the size of the mutation.Objective: to study the clinical and electroencephalographic picture of the disease.We have analyzed 3 cases (male patients from 2 to 6 years old), including anamnesis of life and disease, electroencephalography data in dynamics and genetic analysis data.All three patients are united by a combination of epilepsy, mental retardation and cerebral palsy-like movement disorders. The epilepsy manifestations varied from severe with absolutely pharmacoresistant epileptic spasms (cases 1 and 2) to mild course with febrile seizures only (case 3). This is probably due to the presence of a shorter mutation in patient 3. Cases 1 and 2 had epileptic encephalopathy, epilepsy with continuing epileptiform discharges on the EEG and a gross delay in speech and mental development. These patients could not speak and not understand the speech addressed, do not follow instructions. Patient 3’ self-care and play activities are developed by age, speech understanding is fully formed, but there is a complete absence of expressive speech.1p36 deletion syndrome is a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy

Полимерные микросферы в качестве антистатических компонентов защитного слоя светочувствительных материалов

Polymeric micro spheres with different structure of surface, narrow distribution of particles dimensions, having «nucleus-envelope» structure were synthesized. The polymeric micro spheres were applied into protection layers of emulsion photographic materials. The influence of polymeric micro spheres to sensitometric characteristics of light-sensitive photographic materials was studied. The possibility of using them as antistatic components was shown.Синтезированы полимерные микросферы с различным строением поверхности, с узким распределением частиц по размерам, имеющие структуру «ядро-оболочка». Полимерные микросферы введены в защитные слои эмульсионных фотографических материалов. Изучено влияние полимерных микросфер на сенситометрические характеристики светочувствительных материалов и показана возможность использования их в качестве антистатических компонентов

Methods of determination of electrophysical parameters of materials

The aim of this work is the study of methods of determination of electrophysical parameters of materials non-resonant and resonant methods. In the course of the work performed were considered the existing methods of determination of electrophysical parameters of materials in the field of high, ultra high and extremely high frequencies offered by the leading manufacturers on the market of measuring equipment. As a result of this work, we analyzed the methods for finding the values of electrical parameters of investigated materials for different frequency ranges. The results of the work were carried out practical measurements and conclusions about the applicability of the considered methods.Целью данной работы является исследование методов определения электрофизических параметров материалов нерезонансными и резонансными методами. В ходе выполненной работы были рассмотрены существующие методы определения электрофизических параметров материалов в области высоких, сверхвысоких и крайне высоких частот, которые предлагаются ведущими производителями на рынке измерительного оборудования. В результате выполненной работы были проанализированы методы нахождения значений электрофизических параметров исследуемых материалов для различных диапазонов частот. По результатам работы были проведены практические измерения и сделаны выводы о применимости рассматриваемых методов

Efficiency of vagus nerve stimulation in epilepsy (literature review and case report)

Despite significant advances in epileptology, approximately one-third of patients suffer from drug-resistant epilepsy. Numerous approaches are currently available to treat epilepsy; however, there are still many patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy, in whom antiepileptic drugs are ineffective and surgical treatment is impossible. Thus, searching for new effective antiepileptic drugs and alternative treatments (such as vagus nerve stimulation) for these patients remains highly relevant. This literature review covers the indications for and the efficacy and tolerability of vagus nerve stimulation in patients with epilepsy. We also report a case of successful treatment of a patient with drug-resistant epilepsy using this method

Polymeric microspheres as antistatic components of protection layer for light-sensitive materials

Polymeric micro spheres with different structure of surface, narrow distribution of particles dimensions, having «nucleus-envelope» structure were synthesized. The polymeric micro spheres were applied into protection layers of emulsion photographic materials. The influence of polymeric micro spheres to sensitometric characteristics of light-sensitive photographic materials was studied. The possibility of using them as antistatic components was shown