Search Results (305)

The rise of social media platforms has fundamentally reshaped the global information ecosystem, fostering the spread of disinformation. Beyond the circulation of false content, this article frames disinformation as an aesthetic crisis of public communication: an algorithmic reorganization of sensory experience that privileges performative virality over shared intelligibility, fragmenting public discourse and undermining democratic deliberation. Drawing on John Dewey’s philosophy of aesthetic experience and critical theory (Adorno, Benjamin, Fuchs, Han), we argue that journalism, understood as a form of public art rather than mere fact-transmission, can counteract this crisis by cultivating critical attention, narrative depth, and democratic engagement. We introduce the concept of aesthetic literacy as an extension of media literacy, equipping citizens to discern between seductive but superficial forms and genuinely transformative experiences. Empirical examples from Portugal (Expresso, Público, Mensagem de Lisboa) illustrate how multimodal journalism—through paced narratives, interactivity, and community dialogue—can reconstruct Deweyan “integrated experience” and resist algorithmic disinformation. We propose three axes of intervention: (1) public education oriented to aesthetic sensibility; (2) journalistic practices prioritizing ambiguity and depth; and (3) algorithmic transparency. Defending journalism as a public art of experience is thus crucial for democratic regeneration in the era of sensory capitalism, offering a framework to address the structural inequalities embedded in global information flows. Full article

Cancer is a highly significant medical concern, as it is the second most prevalent cause of mortality after cardiovascular diseases. It arises due to dysregulated cell cycle control, leading to a gradual decline in cellular differentiation and unrestricted cellular proliferation. Therefore, the primary objective for researchers is to develop a cancer treatment that addresses drug resistance while providing effective therapeutic benefits and minimizing side effects. Benzimidazole has garnered significant attention because it serves as an auxiliary isostere of nucleotides, which are found in several natural and biologically active molecules. Benzimidazole compounds possess a privileged pharmacophore that exhibits various pharmacological actions. Several benzimidazole derivatives exhibit dual or multiple anticancer properties through diverse mechanisms, focusing on specific compounds or employing strategies that are not gene specific. Furthermore, many drugs based on benzimidazole have previously been approved to treat cancer. This comprehensive review encompasses the most important reports on various benzimidazole hybrids, highlighting their anticancer significance, mechanism of action, and structure-activity relationships from 2005 up to 2025. These provide valuable knowledge for designing effective anticancer drugs. Full article

The formation of strategies and tactics of destructive impact (DI) at the stages of complex computer attacks (CCAs) largely depends on the content of intelligence data obtained by the intruder about the attacked elements of distributed information systems (DISs). This study analyzes scientific papers, methodologies and standards in the field of assessing the indicators of awareness of the intruder about the objects of DI and symmetrical indicators of intelligence security of the elements of the DIS. It was revealed that the aspects of changing the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of intelligence data (ID) at the stages of CCA, as well as their impact on the possibilities of using certain types of simple computer attacks (SKAs), are poorly studied and insufficiently systematized. This paper uses technologies for modeling the process of an intruder obtaining ID based on the application of the methodology of black, grey and white boxes and the theory of fuzzy sets. This allowed us to identify the relationship between certain arrays of ID and the possibilities of applying certain types of SCA end-structure arrays of ID according to the levels of identifying objects of DI, and to create a scale of intruder awareness symmetrical to the scale of intelligence protection of the elements of the DIS. Experiments were conducted to verify the practical applicability of the developed models and techniques, showing positive results that make it possible to identify vulnerable objects, tactics and techniques of the intruder in advance. The result of this study is the development of an intruder awareness scale, which includes five levels of his knowledge about the attacked system, estimated by numerical intervals and characterized by linguistic terms. Each awareness level corresponds to one CCA stage: primary ID collection, penetration and legalization, privilege escalation, distribution and DI. Awareness levels have corresponding typical ID lists that can be potentially available after conducting the corresponding type of SCA. Typical ID lists are classified according to the following DI levels: network, hardware, system, application and user level. For each awareness level, the method of obtaining the ID by the intruder is specified. These research results represent a scientific contribution. The practical contribution is the application of the developed scale for information security (IS) incident management. It allows for a proactive assessment of DIS security against CCAs—modeling the real DIS structure and various CCA scenarios. During an incident, upon detection of a certain CCA stage, it allows for identifying data on DIS elements potentially known by the intruder and eliminating further development of the incident. The results of this study can also be used for training IS specialists in network security, risk assessment and IS incident management. Full article

Tobacco smoking remains a critical public health concern in Indonesia, particularly in Aceh Province, where male smoking prevalence reaches 56.12%. Cultural permissiveness and weak enforcement of tobacco control regulations have contributed to this high prevalence. Women, especially wives, are central figures in family health and may play an essential role in influencing household smoking behavior. However, their roles and strategies remain underexplored, especially in conservative cultural settings. This qualitative study employed a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to examine the roles of women in controlling the smoking behavior of family members in Aceh. A total of 75 research subjects were selected from three districts (Aceh Singkil, Gayo Lues, and Pidie Jaya) using a combination of purposive sampling and snowball sampling methods. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews and were analyzed thematically using NVivo 15 software. The analysis framework was based on Lawrence Green’s PRECEDE model, which includes predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors. This study found that women demonstrated progressive attitudes toward smoking, evolving from passive acceptance to active responsibility. They employed both persuasive strategies (health education, emotional appeals, and motivation) and coercive actions (household smoking bans, threats, and withdrawal of privileges). Women also positioned themselves as health monitors and guardians within the household. Despite cultural limitations and gender hierarchy, many participants reported partial or complete success in encouraging their husbands to quit smoking, particularly when supported by religious norms and health awareness. Women play a pivotal role in shaping smoking-related behavior in the family. Empowering women through participatory frameworks and culturally tailored interventions can enhance their effectiveness as health advocates. This study underscores the need to integrate gender-sensitive strategies into national tobacco control policies, especially in culturally conservative regions. Full article

This study investigates how Estonian L1 students with high self-perceived English proficiency experience and (re)produce the language ideological regime at the University of Tartu. Situated within the broader context of globalization and Englishization in higher education, and informed by scholarships on language ideologies, critical language policy, and stakeholder perspectives within EMI, the study explores how students position themselves in relation to their peers and academic staff, and how they evaluate the advantages and challenges associated with different language repertoires. The analysis is based on 17 semi-structured interviews conducted in 2024 with students enrolled in Estonian-medium programs that incorporate English expectations and practices. Findings show that students perceive their repertoire as an asset, granting full access to academic content and networks. Yet, their accounts also reveal challenges related to academic literacy. Students position themselves as competent users of English and sometimes question the legitimacy of those with perceived weaker skills. The study highlights how English privilege and native-speakerism intersect to shape perceptions of academic competence and authority. It calls for great attention to stratifying language ideologies to foster more inclusive and equitable academic environments. Full article

This study explores how school leaders in Norway conceptualize and navigate the challenges of organizing inclusive mathematics education in increasingly superdiverse school environments. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 14 school leaders and informed by positioning theory, monolingual habitus, and superdiversity, the research examines how school leaders’ everyday school leadership discourse frames linguistic and cultural diversity. Findings reveal two dominant storylines: one positioning linguistic diversity as a source of educational difficulty, and another privileging monolingual solutions to multilingual dilemmas. School leaders often face systemic constraints and resource limitations, yet demonstrate awareness of the nuanced needs of multilingual learners. However, their responses frequently default to deficit framings and reinforce the dominant monolingual norm. The study calls for a paradigmatic shift in leadership practice and policy—from reactive, language-as-deficit models to proactive, asset-based frameworks rooted in superdiversity. Emphasizing participatory approaches and the development of a multilingual habitus, the paper argues that school leaders must be empowered to foster equity-oriented pedagogies and inclusive school cultures that respond more effectively to the complexities of contemporary migration and linguistic pluralism. Full article

This study investigates the semiotic and cultural functions of character naming in the Yemeni television series Duroob al-Marjalah (Branching Paths of Manhood) (2024–2025). It applies onomastic theory and Barthesian semiotics to examine how Yemeni screenwriters employ names as narrative and ideological tools. A purposive sample of ten central characters was selected from a Yemeni drama series for qualitative analysis. Each name was examined for linguistic structure, semantic meaning, intertextual associations, and socio-cultural alignment. Semiotic interpretation followed Barthes’ signifier–signified–myth model to decode narrative and cultural symbolism. The findings indicate that character names function as multifaceted semiotic tools, conveying heritage, while occasionally employing stylization for satire or fostering empathy through cultural resonance. However, many lack grounding in Yemeni naming conventions, creating a tension between narrative dramatization and socio-onomastic realism. The results suggest that while Yemeni screenwriters show partial awareness of naming as a cultural and narrative tool, the creative process often privileges thematic resonance over ethnographic accuracy. This research contributes to onomastic theory, Arabic media studies, and semiotic analysis by evidencing how localized naming practices—or their absence—shape identity construction, world-building, and cultural recognition in regional television drama. Full article

This phenomenological study investigates how individuals from diverse marginalized backgrounds in Portland, Oregon, perceive barriers and facilitators related to disaster management, response, and recovery, specifically in the case of an earthquake. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with 45 participants, the study explores how social, cultural, and structural factors shape perceived barriers and facilitators related to disaster preparedness among historically marginalized communities. Reflexive thematic analysis and independent coding were used to identify key patterns in the data. Four key themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Disaster events could exacerbate existing service gaps for specific groups. (2) The privilege of mobility creates unequal access to emergency services. (3) Delays in recovery efforts disproportionately impact vulnerable populations. (4) Persistent concerns exist around the inclusiveness and trust in disaster management. These findings suggest that disaster planning must account for systemic social barriers in addition to infrastructure needs, to ensure equitable access to resources for all. The study highlights the value of participatory, community-informed strategies that can reduce vulnerabilities and foster trust. By illustrating the intersection of disaster preparedness with systemic inequality, the research contributes to broader discussions of urban resilience and offers insights to inform more inclusive emergency planning in high-risk urban environments. Full article

The development of drug delivery systems for the treatment of intracranial central nervous system (CNS) diseases remains one of the most intractable medical problems in modern society, owing to the special physiological structure of the brain, including the existence of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the CNS’s immune privilege, and its high complexity and vulnerability. Recently, a leading approach in the CNS drug delivery domain has been to employ or simulate the physiological behavior of microorganisms to overcome the BBB and remodel the pathological immune microenvironment in intracranial tissue. Considering the exceptional advancements in microorganism-based CNS drug delivery systems, it is imperative to review the latest breakthroughs. Herein, we summarize the emerging trends at the intersection of microorganism-based drug delivery systems and emerging biomedical technology for the treatment of CNS diseases, with a particular focus on preclinical research into microorganism-based drug delivery systems to combat CNS diseases, aiming to describe a credible landscape for further clinical trials. Full article

Sugar amino acids (SAAs) represent a privileged class of molecular chimeras that uniquely merge the structural rigidity of carbohydrates with the functional display of amino acids. These hybrid molecules have garnered significant attention as programmable conformational constraints, offering a powerful strategy to overcome the inherent limitations of peptide-based therapeutics, such as proteolytic instability and conformational ambiguity. The strategic incorporation of SAAs into peptide backbones, particularly within cyclic frameworks, allows for the rational design of peptidomimetics with pre-organized secondary structures, enhanced metabolic stability, and improved physicochemical properties. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the synthetic methodologies developed to access the diverse structural landscape of SAAs, with a focus on modern, stereoselective strategies that yield versatile building blocks for peptide chemistry. A critical examination of the structural impact of SAA incorporation reveals their profound ability to induce and stabilize specific secondary structures, such as β- and γ-turns. Furthermore, a comparative analysis positions SAAs in the context of other widely used peptidomimetic scaffolds, highlighting their unique advantages in combining conformational control with tunable hydrophilicity. We surveyed the application of SAA-containing cyclic peptides as therapeutic agents, with a detailed case study on gramicidin S analogs that underscores the power of SAAs in elucidating complex structure–activity relationships. Finally, this review presents a forward-looking perspective on the challenges and future directions of the field, emphasizing the transformative potential of computational design, artificial intelligence, and advanced bioconjugation techniques to accelerate the development of next-generation SAA-based therapeutics. Full article

This paper challenges the Western philosophical and theological tradition’s subordination of finitude to the infinite, arguing instead for finitude as the positive ontological foundation of human existence and credible theological discourse. Drawing primarily on Emmanuel Falque’s critique of “the pre-emption of the infinite” and Jan Patočka’s concept of “being shaken,” the study demonstrates how finitude constitutes not a limitation to be overcome but the necessary horizon within which any authentic encounter with transcendence must occur. The argument proceeds through four stages: deconstructing the Cartesian legacy that privileges the infinite over the finite; establishing phenomenological reorientation toward “impassable immanence;” introducing “being shaken” as the existential manifestation of finitude; and addressing critiques of this approach. The paper argues that Christianity’s incarnational logic—particularly Christ’s assumption of human finitude—provides theological validation for this phenomenological insight. The central contribution lies in proposing “credible theology”—theological discourse that derives legitimacy not from abstract rationality but from fidelity to the common human condition of finitude. This approach offers a methodological alternative to traditional fundamental theology by grounding theological reflection in the shared structures of existence. Full article

This study examines the transformation of literary translation practices in Georgia from the Soviet era to the post-Soviet and neoliberal periods, using postcolonial translation theory as the main analytical lens. Translation is treated not merely as a linguistic transfer but as a process shaped by ideological control, cultural representation, and global power hierarchies. In the Soviet era, censorship policies rooted in socialist realism imposed direct ideological interventions; children’s literature such as Maya the Bee and Bambi exemplified how religious or individualist themes were replaced with collectivist narratives. In the post-Soviet period, overt censorship has largely disappeared; however, structural factors—including the absence of a coherent national translation policy, economic precarity, and dependence on Western funding—have become decisive in shaping translation choices. The shift from Russian to English as the dominant source language has introduced new symbolic hierarchies, privileging Anglophone literature while marginalizing regional and non-Western voices. Drawing on the Georgian Book Market Research 2013–2015 alongside archival materials, paratextual analysis, and contemporary case studies, including the Georgian translation of André Aciman’s Call Me By Your Name, the study shows how translators negotiate between market expectations, cultural taboos, and ethical responsibility. It argues that translation in Georgia remains a contested site of cultural negotiation and epistemic justice. Full article

Cancer is one of the most lethal diseases of this century. Unfortunately, many anticancer agents have harsh side effects or fail to work against cancer any longer due to tolerance. Dihydropyrimidinones are promising structures containing a pyrimidine ring. Targeting Eg5 is their most well-known activity. Inhibition of this enzyme gives them the privilege of strong cytotoxic activity with less side effects. Phenyl ring is a group that can be found in the majority of organic molecules and possesses preferable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics. This review studies DHPM derivatives that are substituted with a phenyl ring and possess antiproliferative ability by inhibiting Eg5. The compounds are able to inhibit different cancer cell lines, and some are more potent than the standard drug. The biological results are in accordance with the docking studies. Full article

By 2050, it is estimated that approximately 200 million people will be displaced due to the impacts of climate change. Vulnerability to climate change is shaped not only by environmental factors but fundamentally by systemic power relations and structural conditions present at both the places of origin and destination. In Latin America, climate-displaced persons predominantly settle in marginalised neighbourhoods, where widely accepted informality facilitates their rapid arrival but obstructs genuine progress and full integration as urban citizens. This paper critically examines the prevailing myths that justify the persistence of informality, revealing the socioeconomic challenges faced by climate migrants in the region. These four dominant myths are (1) Latin America’s inherently low productivity levels; (2) concessions by the ruling class enabling excluded groups to merely survive; (3) the perceived privilege of marginalised neighbourhoods to generate income outside formal legal frameworks, which supports their social capital; and (4) the limited benefits associated with formalisation. Debunking these myths is essential for developing effective public policies aimed at reducing informality and promoting inclusive urban integration, ultimately benefiting both climate migrants and host communities. Full article

The difluoromethoxy (OCF₂H) and trifluoromethoxy (OCF₃) fluorinated structural motifs are frequently seen as privileged functional groups in the field of medicinal chemistry and are regularly taken into account during the design and development processes of successful drugs. This paper presents the synthesis of four new fluorinated etheric derivatives of cannabinol (CBN) using fluorine chemistry. These reactions are straightforward in terms of operation and make use of easily obtainable reagents, making them suitable for the synthesis of various fluorinated CBN ethers with yields ranging from moderate to excellent. We successfully isolated all the products and characterized them in detail using spectroscopic methods. It is anticipated that they will increase the efficacy of drug candidates due to their ability to alter biological activities such as cellular membrane permeability and metabolic stability and improve their pharmacokinetic properties. Full article