scholarly journals Late Paleogene herpetofaunas from the crossroads between two continents – new amphibian and reptile remains from the Oligocene of southern Balkans and Anatolia

Author(s):  
Georgios L. GEORGALIS ◽  
Andrej ČERŇANSKÝ ◽  
undefined Serdar MAYDA

We describe here new amphibian and reptile remains from three Oligocene localities of Turkey. Two of the localities (Kavakdere and Kocayarma) are situated in southeastern Europe and the other one (Kargi 2) in Anatolia, both areas where Oligocene herpetofauna is practically almost unknown. The material consists of albanerpetontids, pelobatid anurans, turtles, crocodylians, lacertids, scinciformatans, anguines, and “tropidophiids”. Albanerpetontids are for the first time identified in southeastern Europe, with the material being reminiscent of the younger species Albanerpeton inexpectatum Estes & Hoffstetter, 1976; the material potentially represents the oldest record of that species. Pelobatids, scinciformatans, and “tropidophiids” represent the oldest occurrences of these clades in the northeastern Mediterranean. The anguine genus Ophisaurus Daudin, 1803 is identified for the first time in the Paleogene of Eastern Europe. The “tropidophiids” are referred to two genera, Falseryx Szyndlar & Rage, 2003 and tentatively also to Platyspondylia Rage, 1974, with the latter having been so far exclusively known from western and central Europe. The role of a potential southern dispersal route of taxa among Asia and Europe, involving the area of southern Balkans and Anatolia, similarly to what has been recently demonstrated for mammals, is highlighted also for amphibians and reptiles.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antti O Tanskanen ◽  
Mirkka Danielsbacka ◽  
Hans Hämäläinen ◽  
Aïda Solé-Auró

Grandparental child care is an important form of intergenerational support. Thisarticle explored first time whether the transition to retirement affects the amount of grandchildcare that European grandparents provide to their descendants. The association between entryinto retirement and grandchild care was studied using the longitudinal Survey of Health,Ageing and Retirement in Europe conducted in 16 countries and four regimes: SouthernEurope, Central Europe, Northern Europe, and Eastern Europe. Data collected in five wavesbetween 2004 and 2015 were utilized. We ran panel fixed-effect regression models, whichconsider individual’s variation and person-specific changes over time, providing a test forcausality in the associations between retirement and grandchild care. Transition to retirementwas associated with increased grandchild care among both grandmothers and grandfathers.Grandmothers more often looked after grandchildren than grandfathers, but entry intoretirement increased grandchild care more among grandfathers than grandmothers. Transitionto retirement was associated with increased grandchild care in all parts of Europe, but themagnitude of the effect was strongest in Southern Europe, followed by Northern Europe,Central Europe, and Eastern Europe, respectively. This study indicated that when the roleconflict as grandchild caregivers and employees disappears, the amount of grandchild careolder Europeans provide to their descendants increased. The fact that at retirement older adultshave more time resources to provide informal family support should be carefully acknowledgein policymaking and discussions considering the societal role of older people.


1947 ◽  
Vol s3-88 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
J. E. SMITH

1. An account is given of the muscular anatomy of the foot and ampulla of Asterias rubens. An intrinsic musculature of the sucker figured by Cuénot (1891) and Chadwick (1923) is shown not to be present; on the other hand, postural muscles responsible for orientating the podium, levator fibres which ‘cup’ the sucker, and radial fibres which flatten it are described and figured for the first time. 2. The role of the different muscle systems, the collagen connective tissue, and the fluid of the hydrocoel in protracting and retracting the foot, and in effecting the attachment and detachment of the sucker, is discussed. 3. Evidence is presented, to show that postural pointing of the foot is brought about by the contraction of a ring of muscles encircling the base of the podium. The orienting muscles are functionally, but not anatomically, distinct from the longitudinal fibres of the retractor sheath. 4. The ambulatory step is shown to comprise a series of linked phases of static posture and of movement. Each phase is characterized by the contraction of one member of each of the two opposing pairs of muscles engaged in the development of the step. The two pairs of muscles are (1) the anterior and posterior orienting fibres, and (2) the protractors and retractors of the foot. In its ideal form the step comprises four phases of static posture alternating with four movements. Each movement is ushered in by a reversal of the contraction-relaxation relationships of one of the two pairs of opposing muscle systems. Four such changes are possible and they occur in a sequence that ensures the orderly succession of the four movements of protraction, swing back, retraction, and swing forward, of which movements the idealized stepping cycle is composed. 5. The actual locomotory step departs from the ideal form in two respects: (1) it is liable to become disrupted by a delay in the initiation of the protraction or of the backswing movement, and (2) withdrawal of the podium occurs simultaneously with its re-orientation in the forward direction. It is pointed out that these variations are explicable on the assumption that, in the two series of opposing muscle pairs, the retractor fibres are more readily excited to contract than are their antagonists, and the anterior postural muscles than the posterior postural fibres.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-88
Author(s):  
M. S. Eliseev

Updated ACR recommendations for the treatment of gout concerning lifestyle are discussed. Factors related to a lifestyle, above all food habits, for many years were of leading importance in the treatment of patients with gout, even after application of effective drugs. The authors of the updated ACR recommendations for the first time offered to reconsider the role of environmental factors in the genesis of gout and objectively assess the possibility of its non-drug treatment. On the one hand, regardless of the activity of the disease, the need for restrictions of the alcohol, purine-rich products and fructose-containing beverages, as well as the decrease of body weight in obese patients and vitamin C usage unviability are confirmed. On the other hand, these recommendations are conditional. Their new version of ACR recommendations is significantly different from both its previous version and other international and national recommendations, including recommendations on the diagnosis and treatment of gout used in the Russian Federation.


Author(s):  
Kseniya V. Donik

The article considers the role of Prince A. Menshikov as a specific type of agent of supreme authority in the process of reforming the maritime administration. The problem context of reforms resulted from the involvement of the naval generals and officials in abuses, which was a consequence of nepotism and unrest in the navy. The involvement of sailors in the Decembrist revolt significantly affected the attitude of the tsar to the general situation in the naval environment. Distrustful of the existing naval administration, Nicholas I needed an intermediary who would implement his idea of the arrangement of the navy on the one hand, and provide him with an objective “impartial” account of maritime problems, on the other hand. As a result of that, Adjutant General Prince A. Menshikov, who had had nothing to do with the naval service earlier, joined the navy to become the monarch’s agent in charge of the naval issues in the bodies of autocratic authority. The objective of the article is to identify the functions of such an agent based on the example of the Maritime Department. The sources of the article include official records and personal documents, some of which are introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. The principal methodological approach to the problem under study is an attempt to bring the appointment of Menshikov beyond the scope of narrow departmental history which was based on the unmotivated decision of the emperor and to propose an interpretation of the events in the context of tsarist government via agents, which has already been described in historiography. The author makes a conclusion about the interconnection between the crisis in the naval department, the attitude of the supreme authority towards it, and the appearance of the monarch’s agent with a number of his own functional characteristics.


Author(s):  
Mikhail Gusakov

The article is devoted to one event in ancient history, called ‘The First Migration of Peoples,’ which was studied and commented on many times when the Germanic tribes Cimbri and Teutons carried out many years of displacement in the space of Central Europe. Despite their defeat by Rome, this event caused a powerful movement of other tribes, especially towards Eastern Europe, where many new archaeological cultures were formed. Among them, a special place is occupied by the Zarubinets culture and its part in the history of Eastern Europe. The purpose of the study is to determine the place of Zarubinets culture in the history of eastern Europe. The research methodology consists in the use of general scientific, special and interdisciplinary methods. Scientific novelty. For the first time, the Zarubinets culture of Eastern Europe is considered against the background of the Western European tribe’s movement due to Roman expansion. Conclusions. The question of the Zarubinets culture's origin is still debatable. Now there is no particular objection to the opinion that the genesis of Zarubinets culture was a complex process that reflected the peculiarities of both the internal development of the local population and the effects of external circumstances, reflecting the movement of tribes in the Center for Europe.


Starinar ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 85-94
Author(s):  
Wayne Powell ◽  
Ognjen Mladenovic ◽  
Steffanie Cruse ◽  
Arthur Bankoff ◽  
Ryan Mathur

The important role of the Balkans in the origin and development of metallurgy is well established with respect to copper. In addition, Aleksandar Durman, in his 1997 paper ?Tin in South-eastern Europe??, essentially initiated studies into the role of the Balkans in Europe?s Bronze Age tin economy. He identified six geologically favourable sites for tin mineralisation and associated fluvial placer deposits in the former Yugoslavian republics, and suggested that these may have added to the tin supply of the region. The viability of two of these sites has been confirmed (Mt Cer and Bukulja, Serbia) but the exploitation potential for the other locations has remained untested. River gravels from these four sites (Motajica and Prosara in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bujanovac in Serbia; Ograzden in North Macedonia) were obtained by stream sluicing and panning. The sites of Prosara and Bujanovac were found to be barren with respect to cassiterite (SnO2). Streams flowing from Motajica and Ograzden were both found to contain cassiterite, but in amounts several orders of magnitude less than at Mt Cer and Bukulja. Although it is possible that minor tin recovery occurred at Motajica and Ograzden, it is unlikely that they could have contributed meaningfully to regional tin trade. This is supported by the fact that the isotopic signature (?124Sn) of cassiterite from Motajica is highly enriched in light isotopes of tin compared to that associated with Late Bronze Age artefacts of the region.


Author(s):  
Nguyen Nu Nhu Linh

Among the well-known international English tests, IELTS has been seen as one of the most well-trusted and popular to EFL learners throughout the world. In Vietnam, most of the universities require their EFL students to have an IELTS score of 6.5 or 7.0 to fulfil their bachelor degree program, which is not quite an easy job. The paper emphasizes the role of background knowledge in improving IELTS Listening scores for EFL students at Saigon University. The research was done by observing two groups of students learning Listening Module 3 at the institution. They were required to do the same test; however, while a group was constructed with pre-listening activities, the other simply listened and completed the task without preparation. The result showed little difference between the two groups in terms of efficiency, but most of the students in the first group were able to complete their test in the first time listening while some members of the latter group needed a second time. They were then required to complete a survey, including learning styles and attitudes. The results also tell us that EFL students pay much attention to pre-listening activities, and they believe such tasks can help them do their listening test better.


Author(s):  
Lala Huseynli

This article is devoted to the study of the evolution of the lyrical image in the ballets of Azerbaijani composers. The presented article emphasizes that the Azerbaijani ballet on the extension of the history of the Azerbaijani school of composition functioned indefinitely as an important component of the Azerbaijani musical culture. The theme of this article is actualized in the aspect of the historical approach, as each ballet of Azerbaijani composers, on the other hand, reflected the significant features of the artistic, historical and cultural context. On the other hand, the study of the evolution of the lyrical image in the Azerbaijani ballets reflects the dynamics of the development of the Azerbaijani school of composition. Moreover, the figurative system in Azerbaijani ballets represents the slender line of artistic connections of Azerbaijani culture. The purpose of the research is to study the role of the lyrical image in the evolution of the Azerbaijani ballet. The research methodology is based is based on the use of a historical approach to determine the basic definitions of the study. The expediency of the historical method is due to the fact that the development in the space of historical time should be based on certain basic categories that would reflect the school of composition, its national specifics. The scientific novelty of the research is that for the first time the peculiarities of the evolution of the lyrical image in Azerbaijani ballets – from its origin to modern functioning – are analyzed; the nuances of style creation in the Azerbaijani school of composers in the specified aspect are considered, and also certain art processes are systematized. Conclusions. It is proved that the combination of deep lyricism with dramatic emotions is characteristic of the transfer of lyricism in the drama of ballets at all historical stages of development, in different stylistic contexts. Lyrical images in the ballets of Azerbaijani composers have similar features and are due to the specific content of the national worldview.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Pelizza Peterle ◽  
Karolina Cardoso Hernandes ◽  
Luana Schmidt ◽  
Júlia Barreto Hoffmann Maciel ◽  
Claudia Alcaraz Zini ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT: The goals of this study were to verify the occurrence of furfuryl alcohol (FA) and carbonyl compounds (acetaldehyde, acrolein, ethyl carbamate (EC), formaldehyde and furfural) in sparkling wines and to evaluate, for the first time, whether the consumption of the samples under study could represent risk to consumers health. These compounds are electrophilic; and therefore, may covalently bind to DNA, which may result in mutagenicity. EC and formaldehyde were present at low levels (<1μg L-1) in all samples. Acetaldehyde, furfural and acrolein were also found in low levels (<1.5, 1.4 and 1.0μg L-1, respectively) in 57, 71 and 76% of samples. In the other samples, levels of acetaldehyde, furfural and acrolein ranged from 5.2 to 54.8, 10.5 to 41.0 and 20.3 to 36.7μg L-1, respectively. Furfuryl alcohol was also reported in all samples in levels from 10.4 to 33.5μg L-1. Acrolein was the only compound reported at levels sufficient to represent risk to health, which occurred in 24% of the samples. A study focused on the origin of acrolein deserves attention, investigating the influence of the concentration of precursors and the role of fermentation in the formation of this aldehyde, besides the evaluation of possible environmental contamination of grapes during cultivation.


2003 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-238
Author(s):  
Martina Winkler

When it comes to identity, nationalism and the various perceptions of “the Other,” postcolonial theory has inspired historians of Central and Eastern Europe for years. This inspiration, however, has not overcome a certain superficial level of slogans and catchphrases: identity is a cultural construction, yes, so it is somehow connected to the problem of power; knowledge too, since we have read Said and Foucault, is to be considered as both a result and an instrument of power. Now it seems that this superficiality will not be accepted any more. Recently, scholars of Central Europe organized a conference focusing on the questions of whether and how postcolonial theory can be applied on the study of Austria-Hungary. Was the Habsburg Empire really an Empire, can perspectives developed in Delhi be transferred to Prague and Bratislava?


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