Integration of visual motion and pursuit signals in areas V3A and V6+ across cortical depth using 9.4T fMRI

Neural mechanisms underlying a stable perception of the world during pursuit eye movements are not fully understood. Both, perceptual stability as well as perception of real (i.e. objective) motion are the product of integration between motion signals on the retina and efference copies of eye movements. Human areas V3A and V6 have previously been shown to have strong objective ('real') motion responses. Here we used high-resolution laminar fMRI at ultra-high magnetic field (9.4T) in human subjects to examine motion integration across cortical depths in these areas. We found an increased preference for objective motion in areas V3A and V6+ i.e. V6 and possibly V6A towards the upper layers. When laminar responses were detrended to remove the upper-layer bias present in all responses, we found a unique, condition-specific laminar profile in V6+, showing reduced mid-layer responses for retinal motion only. The results provide evidence for differential, motion-type dependent laminar processing in area V6+. Mechanistically, the mid-layer dip suggests a special contribution of retinal motion to integration, either in the form of a subtractive (inhibitory) mid-layer input, or in the form of feedback into extragranular or infragranular layers. The results show that differential laminar signals can be measured in high-level motion areas in human occipitoparietal cortex, opening the prospect of new mechanistic insights using non-invasive brain imaging.

An Analysis of Translation of War Literature in Journals (1931-1945)

The victory of the China’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression is of great significance to the whole Chinese nation because it is the first time in nearly a century that the Chinese people have won a complete victory against imperialism. A large number of translations of foreign war literature were published in anti-war periodicals. However, domestic scholars have not paid enough attention to the study of war literature translation in Anti-Japanese war periodicals, so the research results are relatively few. This paper researches the translation of war literature in three periodicals of the war period (The Anti-Japanese War Literature and Art, The Weekly Digest and Translation Series: A Comprehensive Translation of English Newspapers and Magazines), including a survey of the sources of the translations, the translators, the main ideas of the translations, the translation techniques and their significance. The study found that the translation introductions of war literature from these periodicals penetrated the readership of the public, enhanced the confidence of the nation in the victory the China’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, promoted the awakening of the whole nation, inspired the people of the nation to join in the Anti-Japanese War, and made a special contribution to the victory of the China’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression.

Displacement of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation neighboring with Yakutia: history and modernity

The subject of this research is displacement of the indigenous small-numbered peoples in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation neighboring with Yakutia. The object is the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North residing in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Irkutsk Oblast, Zabaykalsky Krai, Amur Oblast, Khabarovsk Krai, Magadan Oblast, and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug. These constituent entities of the Russian Federation have contiguous territories with the Sakha Republic. The author examines the displacement and size of the indigenous population of the regions of the Russian Federation neighboring with Yakutia. Special attention is given to clarification of the places of traditional dwelling of the indigenous small-numbered peoples in the aforementioned regions of the Russian Federation. It is established that the following ethnic groups reside in the territory contiguous to Yakutia: Dolgans, Evenks, Evens, Yukaghirs and Chukchi. The areas of residence of the listed ethnic groups border with the areas of settlement of the corresponding indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North in the territory of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). The author’s special contribution lies in the analysis of displacement and size of the indigenous population in the regions of the Russian Federation neighboring with Yakutia on the local level. The novelty of consists in the territorial analysis of the places of traditional dwelling of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North.

Soviet pedagogues and teaching of foreign students: the experience of the Mongolian worker’s faculty

The subject of this research is examination of the activity of the Soviet pedagogues in teaching foreign students based on the materials of the Mongolian worker’s faculty. The object of this research is the Soviet-Mongolian cooperation in educational sphere that developed in the 1920s – 1930s. The Mongolian worker’s faculty was formed in Verkhne-Udinsk for teaching Mongolian and Tuvan students. It is noted that the academic staff was represented by the prominent pedagogues of the Buryat ASSR. The teaching of foreign students was carried out within the framework of international cooperation and allowed distributing Soviet ideology. The Mongolian People's Republic and Tuvan People's Republic viewed the USSR as the model for further development. The analysis of activity of the pedagogues of Mongolian worker’s faculty allowed reveals the key vectors of work with foreign students from the Mongolian People's Republic and the Tuvan People's Republic. Besides intense educational and upbringing activity, the teaching staff paid special attention to the adaptation of students and formation of worldview in the spirit of socialist values. The authors’ special contribution lies in determination of the peculiarities of organizing political and educational activity in the institution. The novelty of this consists in examination of the contribution of the pedagogues of the Mongolian worker’s faculty to the establishment of friendly relations with the neighboring states – Mongolia and Tuva.

Elderhood in Protestant Religious Contexts: Stepping Stones in Religious Language

Elderhood is an emerging concept for making meaning in older age, often contextualized in spiritual but not religious traditions. But what kinds of frameworks for elderhood are woven into protestant religious contexts? This paper explores 943 texts written by Finnish older adults in study groups organized by a pensioners’ organization. A key finding is that religious language – known through religious songs and prayers learned by heart at school – offers a medium to explore and express their elderhood. The writers creatively use the rhythm and wordings of these textual patterns to position themselves as a group of older persons with a special contribution to make to society. These results will aid examining elderhood and its potential in various contexts where the concept might not be explicitly used. This examination potentially leads to new ways to support experiences of elderhood and thus to offer an alternative view to countering ageism.

Onomastic codes of the “Poem Without A Hero” by A. A. Akhmatova as hidden intertextual addressing

The subject of this research is the principles of correlation of onomastic code of the “Poem Without A Hero” with the text frame of its various editions, viewed from the communicative-pragmatic perspective. The object of this research is nine editions of the “Poem Without a Hero” and intertextual references marked within the text frame. The author dwells on such aspects as the interrelation between the literary onomastics and hidden meanings of the poem, transformations of the text frame, methods of “instilling” the authorial meanings to intertextual sources (the works of Byron, Pushkin, and Gumilyov). Special attention is given to projection of the personal myth of Anna Akhmatova, which is traced through the poem, on Western European and Russian literature and the evolution of the text frame. It is demonstrated that the ensemble of epigraphs, which represents an implicit dedication to the poet fallen in disfavor, dissolves leaving imprints in the form of mentioning of Byron and Don Juan in the text of the poem. The main conclusion lies in the establishment of a number of semantic correspondences between the text frame and the historical-cultural halo of names, which on the one hand are associated with the imagery-motif level of a particular poem, while on the other – with personal mythology of the poet. The author’s special contribution to this research lies in outlining the strategies aimed at preservation of special intertextual memory in the names. The novelty consists in determination of the semantic halo of the name, which specifies a range of implicit meanings of the poem. It is revealed that these meanings are “supported” by the corresponding references. Such reminiscences, interweaving into a complex ornamental pattern, on the one side are conceptually programmed by the very structure of the “Poem Without A Hero”, and on the other side, determined biographically.

Interpreting the Emerging Discourse Around Elderhood: Life Stage, Anti-Ageism Strategy, or Something Else?

The emerging discourse around elderhood hints at the possibility of a later life stage characterized by a focus on balancing development and decline, with potential to empower elders. However, little agreement exists about whether elderhood is a valid and useful construct. The first presenter questions the aging “mystique” through an analysis of the concepts of elderhood, sageing, croning, and eldering in popular and academic literature, underscoring the importance of avoiding othering and critically thinking beyond labels, even if positive. The second presenter explores the concept of agency in later life through a feminist philosophical lens, arguing that confrontations with one’s existential vulnerability need not be an obstacle to agency in elderhood, but rather can inspire alternative conceptualizations of it. The third presenter contrasts his personal and professional experiences of studying cultural aspects of aging, concluding that elderhood is neither a stage of a life nor a rite of passage but rather an individual, voluntaristic process. The fourth presenter explores 943 texts written by Finnish older adults, finding that the writers creatively position themselves as a group of older persons with a special contribution to make to society, even where elderhood is not explicitly mentioned, and potentially offer an alternative view to countering ageism. The fifth and final presenter explores a novel elderhood video intervention among first-year medical students (N = 585). Thematic findings of neutrality, elderhood as development, elderhood as othering, and elderhood as an opportunity to reframe stigma suggest that elderhood may be a viable and productive anti-ageism strategy.

Chiyalik culture and the Golden Horde

The object of this research is the interaction of the forest and forest-steppe habitat of Eastern Europe during the Golden Horde. The subject of this research is the interaction of the Chiyalik culture, formed in the forest-steppe zone of Volga-Ural region and the Golden Horde culture formed in the steppe zone of Western Eurasia. The monuments of Chiyalik culture – subsoil burial grounds and ancient settlements – are located in the valleys of the Rivers Kama, Belaya, Ika, Dema, Chermasan, Suni and other rivers in the eastern parts of modern Tatarstan and northwestern parts of the modern Bashkortostan, dating back from XII–XIV centuries. The bearers of Chiyalik culture were Ugric by origin, who have undergone Turkization and Islamization. The article explores the narrative sources that contain records on the relations between Uralic Ugric Peoples and Mongols, archaeological data on the objects of the Golden Horde import found on the monuments of Chiyalik culture. Special attention is given to the comparative analysis of narrative sources and archaeological data on the problem of interaction of Chiyalik culture and the Golden Horde as the synchronous historical phenomena. Narrative sources indicate the conquest of the territory of Chiyalik culture by the Mongols, tribute and labor conscriptions carried out by the local population in favor of the conquerors. The objects of the Golden Horde were detected on the settlement monuments: silver earrings and coins were found in Ufa-II settlement; copper coins were found in Iske–aul settlement; pottery and copper coins were found in Podymalovo-I settlement. Silver Golden Horde coins were found in the Taktalachuk and Azmetyevsky burial grounds. The author’s special contribution to this research lies in the conclusion that the paucity of findings is explained by the absence of large settlements, and the Muslim funeral rite. The novelty consists in establishment of the fact of the unilateral impact of the Golden Horde culture upon the Chiyalik culture: in exchange for the items of the Golden Horde import, were exported the raw materials, items of cattle breeding, hunting and beekeeping.

Constitutional and legal principles of Soviet Federalism

The subject of this research is establishment and development of the principles of Soviet federalism: ideocracy, class character, proletarian internationalism, party spirit, right of nations to self-determination, two-level nature, unity of legal space, dual sovereignty, inviolability of the territory of the republics, dual citizenship, etc. The goal lies in examination of the sources, peculiarities of constitutional layout, evolution of the principles of Soviet federalism, and their role in the crisis and downfall of the Soviet federalism. The author offers the   definitions of such phenomena as the Soviet federalism and the Soviet federation, which defines the novelty of this work. Classification is given to the principles of Soviet federalism in accordance with the criteria outlined by the author: 1) by the time of emergence, the principles are divided into ideological (ideocracy, class character, proletarian internationalism, party spirit, right of nations to self-determination, etc.) and state-legal (single citizenship, inviolability of the territories of the republics, unity of legal system, supremacy of federal legislation, etc.); 2) by the method of codification, the principles are divided into constitutional (ideocracy, class character, right of nations to self-determination, etc.), and stemming from the essence of constitutional norms (asymmetry, party spirit, two-level nature). It is noted that some principles of Soviet federalism fade their significance over time (class character), while others are eliminated from the constitutional and legal practice (principle of mutual control over observance of the all-union and republican legislation). It is substantiated that Soviet federalism was jeopardized mostly by the fundamental interrelated ideological principles: ideocracy, party spirit, and right of nations to self-determination. The author’s special contribution consists in introducing archival documents into the scientific discourse.

Zuo Si (250–305) as the founder of the tradition of poems about daughters in classical Chinese poetry

Zui Si (250–305) is a prominent Chinese poets of the early Middle Ages, however, his poetic heritage and translations of his works are fragmentary within the Russian sinology. His poetry is characterized by pronounced individuality, depicted within the framework of Chinese tradition. Special attention is given to female images in the lyrics of Zuo Si. The remarkable poem “My Beloved Daughters” is the first poem about daughters within the Chinese tradition, which gave rise to the entire subgenre that existed until the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912). This article analyzes the poetics of the poem “My Beloved Daughters” by Zuo Si. The conclusion is made that the main feature of this poem, which determined the poetics and all its imitations, is the use of classical techniques characteristic to gongti shi (宫体诗), i.e. palace-style poetry, which creates a comic effect and casts doubt on the traditional gender stereotypes. The novelty of this research consists in examination of the works of the Chinese poet of the early Middle Ages Zuo Si from the perspective of gender poetics. The author’s special contribution lies in the full literal translation of the poem “My beloved Daughters” by Zuo Si, which is conducted in the Russian language for the first time.