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Linguistic landscapes refer broadly to the study of perceived or actual language use in a particular environment. Such an ever-changing landscape, metaphorical or not, can be most readily identified through the visible or audible presence of language, and this frequently occurs through the analysis of signs. The present study considers the small city of Hazleton, located at the southern edge of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Although it was recognized in the early and mid-nineteenth century as a refuge for Eastern European immigrants pursuing employment in the anthracite industry, Hazleton has garnered national attention in the last decade for its increasing Latino population, the overall reduction in monolingual English speakers, and the public reactions and legislation of local government officials. In particular, this study analyzes the types of signs found along the almost two-mile length of Wyoming Street, a street that intersects multiple neighborhoods commonly associated with the reification of Hispanidad. As such, we attempt here concurrently to determine the functions for which the Spanish language is employed publicly and also to consider the extent to which these signs reflect the identity of the Spanish-speaking community more broadly. ; Los paisajes lingüísticos se refieren en términos generales al estudio del uso real o percibido de la lengua en un entorno particular. Un paisaje tan cambiante, metafórico o no, se puede identificar más fácilmente a través de la presencia visible o audible de la lengua, y esto ocurre con frecuencia a través del análisis de letreros, señales o anuncios. El presente estudio considera la pequeña ciudad de Hazleton, ubicada en el extremo sur del condado de Luzerne, Pensilvania. Aunque la ciudad fue reconocida a principios y mediados del siglo XIX como un refugio para inmigrantes de Europa del Este que buscaban empleo en la industria de la antracita, Hazleton ha atraído la atención nacional en la última década debido al aumento de la población latina, la reducción general de hablantes monolingües de inglés y las reacciones públicas hacia la legislación de los funcionarios del gobierno local. En particular, este estudio analiza los tipos de letreros que se encuentran en las casi dos millas de la calle Wyoming, una calle que cruza múltiples vecindarios comúnmente asociados con la reificación de la Hispanidad. Es así que en este trabajo intentamos determinar las funciones para las cuales se emplea el español públicamente y al mismo tiempo analizar hasta qué punto estos letreros reflejan la identidad de la comunidad de habla hispana de manera más amplia. ; La notion de paysages linguistiques renvoie à l'étude de l'usage de la langue perçu ou réel dans un environnement particulier (cf. Landry et Bourhis 1997, Gorter 2006, Shohamy et Gorter 2009, Kasanga 2012, entre autres). Un tel paysage en mutation constante, métaphorique ou non, peut être facilement identifié à travers la présence visible ou audible de la langue, ce qui arrive fréquemment par l'analyse de la signalétique. Cette étude s'intéresse à la petite ville de Hazleton, située à la frontière sud du comté de Luzerne en Pennsylvanie. Bien qu'elle ait été reconnue au début et vers le milieu du XIXe siècle comme un refuge pour les immigrants de l'Europe de l'Est qui cherchaient du travail dans l'industrie de l'anthracite, Hazleton a attiré l'attention au niveau national au cours de cette dernière décennie en raison de l'accroissement de la population latino, de la réduction générale du nombre de locuteurs monolingues d'anglais ainsi que des réactions publiques et de la législation des autorités locales. Cette étude analyse plus précisément le type de signalétique que l'on peut trouver dans Wyoming Street qui mesure presque deux miles et traverse de nombreux quartiers associés avec la réification de Hispanidad. Ainsi, nous essayons à la fois de déterminer les fonctions pour lesquelles la langue espagnole est utilisée publiquement et de comprendre en quelle mesure la signalétique reflète plus généralement l'identité de la communauté hispanophone.

The aim of this research is to find a place of the cultural and historical heritage of a certain region in the territory of the Republic of Serbia in the citizens' conscience mental mapping and to detremine the tourist potential of that heritage. The research was conducted in a multidisciplinary way, through consulting legal acts, relevant literature of recent date and through field research through a survey (398 respondents). The territory of the Raška and Rasina administrative districts was chosen for the research for two reasons: it is the territory that represents the core of the Serbian medieval Nemanjić's and Lazarević' state. Also, it is a territory through which the route of the new highway, the Morava Corridor, will pass in the near future, and further research will be able to follow the economic and tourist development of this particular area after its construction. At the end of the paper, the heritage of Raška and Rasina administrative territory is defined and cultural institutions are emphasized as its bearers. Cultural institutions are regarded, not only as bearers of cultural development of local communities, but also as institutions that are main carriers and guardians of national identity and cultural tourism that can contribute to defining and the preservation of that national identity as well as the economic development and branding of a particular region. By processing the survey data and insight into the legal and strategic regulations of the Republic of Serbia, it was concluded that it is necessary, both at the national and local level, to work on the adoption and implementation of necessary, but lacking, strategies, acts, strengthening culture, cultural institutions and related cultural tourism, and in order to define the national identity of the Sernbian citizens through mapping key identity points. Such a national program can be implemented through cultural institutions, ie protection institutions (in the first place museums), which have been proven to continue to enjoy the trust of citizens. In addition, in today's time of instant culture, Instagram and Facebook history lessons, unverified data and mythologizing of certain historical figures and events, there is a need to strengthen cultural institutions that critically interpret history, culture and heritage, in ways that are adapted to the modern citizen of Serbia. Such institutions do not have as a target audience only organized school groups of children who are brought to local museums by their teachers, their target audience can and must be absolutely every citizen, and that means modernization of outdated permanent exhibitions, ie formation of new ones because there are cases of museum institutions which do not have permanent exhibitions. In that sense, considering the ways in which it is possible to bring the desired audience to museums and other cultural institutions, close cooperation of the museum professionals with local tourist administrations is needed, which are certainly interested in increasing the number of tourists and visitors, and for that, tourist attractions are necessary. In this paper, we have shown, through a survey of nearly 400 respondents, that among the citizens of Serbia there is a great interest in culture, history and heritage which have the potential of tourist attractions. In that sense, for the needs of the research, one administrative - geographical unit of the territory of Raska and Rasina administrative districts has been singled out, through which the route of the Moravian Corridor will pass in the near future. In order to place this territory on the Serbian and European market as a unique tourist destination, it is necessary to bind all existing cultural institutions, local and regional tourist administrations and tourist organizations as well as other interested stakeholders (caterers, hotels, private accommodation, small craftsmen…). One of the ways to connect all participants, ie stakeholders, in a certain territory is through the formation of a Destination Management Organization that would coordinate their work and serve as a link between the Ministries operating at the national level and local city and municipal authorities.

Local biodiversity trends over time are likely to be decoupled from global trends, as local processes may compensate or counteract global change. We analyze 161 long-term biological time series (15-91 years) collected across Europe, using a comprehensive dataset comprising similar to 6,200 marine, freshwater and terrestrial taxa. We test whether (i) local long-term biodiversity trends are consistent among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, and (ii) changes in biodiversity correlate with regional climate and local conditions. Our results reveal that local trends of abundance, richness and diversity differ among biogeoregions, realms and taxonomic groups, demonstrating that biodiversity changes at local scale are often complex and cannot be easily generalized. However, we find increases in richness and abundance with increasing temperature and naturalness as well as a clear spatial pattern in changes in community composition (i.e. temporal taxonomic turnover) in most biogeoregions of Northern and Eastern Europe. The global biodiversity decline might conceal complex local and group-specific trends. Here the authors report a quantitative synthesis of longterm biodiversity trends across Europe, showing how, despite overall increase in biodiversity metric and stability in abundance, trends differ between regions, ecosystem types, and taxa. ; Y We are grateful to the ILTER network and the eLTER PLUS project (Grand Agreement No. 871128) for financial support. We acknowledge the E-OBS dataset from the EUFP6 project ENSEMBLES (http://ensembles-eu.metoffice.com) and the data providers in the ECA&D project (http://www.ecad.eu).The evaluation of forest plant diversity was based on data collected by partners of the official UNECE ICP Forests Network (http://icp-forests.net/contributors); part of the data were co-financed by the European Commission, project LIFE 07 ENV/D/000218 "Further Development and Implementation of an EU-level Forest monitoring Systeme (FutMon)". Data on wintering water birds in Bulgaria were provided by the national Executive Environment Agency with the Ministry of Environment and Waters. Data from the Finnish moth monitoring scheme were supported by the Finnish Ministry of the Environment. Data from the Swedish ICP Integrated Monitoring sites were financed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. Data collection at Esthwaite Water and a subset of UK ECN sites was supported by Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCaPE programme delivering National Capability. Sponsorship of other UK ECN sites contributing data was provided by Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Natural Resources Wales, Defense Science Technology Laboratory, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Forest Research, the James Hutton Institute (The Rural & Environment Science & Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government), Natural England, Rothamsted Research, Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Welsh Government. Data from the Mondego estuary (Portugal) were supported by the Centre for Functional Ecology Strategic Project (UID/BIA/04004/2019) within the PT2020 Partnership Agreement and COMPETE 2020, and by FEDER through the project ReNATURE (Centro 2020, Centro-01-765-0145-FEDER-000007). We would like to thank Limburgse Koepel voor Natuurstudie (LiKoNa) for the data related to the National Park Hoge Kempen (BE). We would like to acknowledge the support for the long-term monitoring program MONEOS in the Scheldt estuary (BE) by `De Vlaamse Waterweg' and `Maritieme Toegang' (Flemish government). We are grateful to the board of the National Park "De Hoge Veluwe" for the permission to conduct our research on their property. We thank Ian J. Winfield and Terje Bongard for contributing data for the sites: Bassenthwaite Lake, Derwent Water (UK) and Atna River (Norway, freshwater invertebrate time series). Open access funding provided by Umea University. ; Pilotto, F; Haase, P (corresponding author), Senckenberg Res Inst, Gelnhausen, Germany; Nat Hist Museum, Gelnhausen, Germany; Univ Duisburg Essen, Essen, Germany. francesca.pilotto@umu.se; francesca.pilotto@umu.se

This PhD project was aimed to optimize MRI protocols for pelvis imaging, in particular for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) and for the fetal brain development. Different non-invasive MRI techniques were employed to investigate biological tissues, with the purpose to obtain information on microstructures and potentially metabolism. Prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy and the fifth leading cause of death in men worldwide. Due to the high incidence of PCa and the limitations of current diagnostic methods, the primary goal of this work was to develop an MRI protocol able to improve the sensitivity of the diagnostic. The investigation of prostate cancer started with ex-vivo experiments conducted on specimens of human prostate gland, obtained after radical prostatectomy, with the 9.4T scanner at the NMR and Medical Physics Laboratory of CNR-ISC (Sapienza). Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) were performed at high-resolution (70x70 micrometers in plane) to evaluate diffusion metrics in the different prostate compartment and directly compare measurements with the histopathology results. This study proceeded with in-vivo experiments with a 3T clinical MR scanner (Philips Achieva at Policlinico Tor Vergata) on subjects with diagnosed PCa. DTI was performed with the purpose to assess its diagnostic ability in individuating and classifying PCa with different ranges of diffusion weightings, i.e. b-values. Our results showing that the diagnostic accuracy of DTI is improved with high diffusion weightings motivated our interest in performing DKI, a technique that captures water diffusion features when high b-values are employed, providing additional information on tissue microstructures, inaccessible to DTI technique. The second part of this PhD project was conducted at the Center for Magnetic Resonance Research (CMRR) in Minneapolis and was funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Curie grant agreement No 691110 (MICROBRADAM). The study was dedicated to perform prostate cancer imaging with new contrast mechanisms, based on T1rho and T2rho relaxation times. T1rho and T2rho characterize the relaxation of the nuclear magnetization in the rotating frame and they are sensitive to molecular dynamics occurring at frequencies in the range of kHz, characteristic of several in-vivo processes, enabling the access to important information on tissue microenvironment. T1rho and T2rho imaging is limited by the intensive energy deposited by the acquisition sequence, which it is usually overcome by increasing the acquisition time, preventing the possibility of diagnostic applications. Therefore the aim of this work was to develop a new approach to perform imaging in the rotating frame with a three-dimensional acquisition method, recently developed at the CMRR, in order to address the aforementioned shortcomings. Given the incidence of PCa, this research has international interest and potentially contributes to improve not only the sensitivity of PCa diagnostic but also the knowledge of the tissue micro-changing caused by the tumor development. A part of this project was dedicated to Diffusion MRI application in woman pelvis to image fetuses during gestation. The aim of this work was to develop a fast and reliable protocol for fetal imaging to minimize mother-fetal motion artifact and perfusion effects. The protocol designed for acquisition and post-processing was employed to successfully study fetal brain development during the second and third trimester of gestation, in normal cases and in fetuses affected by ventriculomegaly disease. These preliminary data can contribute to delineate a reference standard to assess the normal progress of sulcation and myelination as well as the normative biometry of the fetal brain, improving the knowledge of brain maturation. Globally, the impact of this research lies in having demonstrated that the sensitivity of DMRI for microstructural changes in body tissue caused by cancer, brain disease or normal condition like brain maturation can be fruitfully utilized in combination with artifact correction methods. Moreover, new strategy of image reconstruction, such as 3D gradient echo, can be successfully employed to perform abdominal imaging, enriching the investigation of in-vivo systems with information on tissue microenvironment and metabolism.

This dissertation examines the fortification of the Bosphorus meant to help defend Istanbul against the growing Russian threat at the end of the eighteenth century. The adaptation of new construction techniques, the development of an administrative system to run and maintain the defenses effectively, and the organization of the military personnel and munitions in the fortresses are the sub-themes of the dissertation. The Ottomans recognized the importance of fortifying the Black Sea Strait in view of the threat posed by Russia and its rising military power. They accelerated their efforts to take security measures by establishing new fortresses and batteries along the shores of the Bosphorus. The creation of a "Superintendency of the Bosphorus" as a new administrative unit is an indicator of the Ottoman attention to the rising Russian threat in the Black Sea. This dissertation uses a holistic approach to address different but interrelated issues, including fortress construction, administration, and military organization. Keeping in mind the broader issue of the Ottomans' responses to the technological and political challenges they faced at the end of the eighteenth century, this study sheds light on new techniques introduced by French engineers and on the Ottoman adaptation to innovation, including new techniques of organization. The dissertation also discusses the Ottoman efforts to find solutions to the problems of finding qualified men, establishing discipline, and maintaining effective organization in the construction projects. This research employs rich archival material from the Ottoman State Archives and the French Military and Diplomatic Archives, as well as the memoirs of French engineers and Ottoman and French maps and plans. A comparative analysis of these sources indicates that the Ottomans were decisive in adopting innovative defensive techniques in collaboration with French engineers. Yet this was no mere imitation of European forms or crude Westernization. The Ottomans were active decision-makers and participants who localized and adapted the available technical knowledge of the era for their own purposes and to meet their own ends. ; Cette thèse porte sur la fortification du Bosphore pour la défense d'Istanbul contre la menace russe à la fin du dix-huitième siècle. L'adaptation de nouvelles techniques de construction, la mise en place d'un système administratif permettant de gérer et de maintenir efficacement les défenses, ainsi que l'organisation du personnel militaire et des munitions dans les forteresses sont les sous-thèmes de la thèse. Les Ottomans ont estimé important de fortifier le détroit de la mer Noire face aux menaces russes et à la montée en puissance de l'armée russe. Ils ont accéléré leurs efforts pour prendre des mesures de sécurité en établissant de nouvelles forteresses et de nouvelles batteries le long des rives du Bosphore. La création d'une nouvelle unité administrative sous le nom de « Surintendance du Bosphore » témoigne de la prise de conscience de la gravité de la menace par les Ottomans face à la montée de la menace russe en mer Noire. Cette thèse aborde des questions différentes mais interdépendantes telles que la construction, l'administration et l'organisation militaire des forteresses avec une approche holistique. Gardant à l'esprit le problème plus général des réponses ottomanes aux défis technologiques et politiques auxquels ils ont été confrontés à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, cette étude examine les nouvelles techniques apportées aux Ottomans par les ingénieurs français, l'adaptation des Ottomans à l'innovation, des facteurs tels que le manque d'hommes qualifiés, de discipline et d'organisation dans les projets de construction. Cette recherche est fondée sur une grande variété de sources. Ainsi, une riche documentation d'archive provenant des Archives d'État ottomanes et des Archives militaires et diplomatiques françaises, ainsi que des mémoires d'ingénieurs français, de cartes et de plans ottomans et français ont été étudiés. Une analyse comparative de ces sources indique que les Ottomans ont joué un rôle décisif dans l'innovation dans leurs techniques de défense en collaboration avec des ingénieurs français, non dans un souci d'occidentalisation ni pour imiter les pratiques européennes, comme le supposent la plupart des auteurs de la littérature actuelle, mais en tant que décideurs et participants actifs, adaptant localement les connaissances techniques qu'ils choisirent d'adopter.

Labour market flexibility refers to legal conditions that facilitate adjustment on labour markets and allow using diverse forms of labour organization, employment and work time. Good labour market flexibility can contribute to the creation of new jobs and to the improvement of social and economic condition of the country. This paper, drawing on many existing international studies, rankings and statistics, seeks to compare the level of socio-economic development of the EU-28 countries with the level of labour market flexibility based on selected indicators such as: Global Competitiveness Index – Flexibility (GCI) by the World Economic Forum, Employment Protection Legislation Index (EPL) by OECD, Labour Freedom Index (LFI) by the Heritage Foundation and Composite Indicator of Employment Protection Legislation (EPLex) by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The results of rankings for indicators in the area of labour market flexibility are compared with the Human Development Index (HDI) by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in order to estimate the convergence between the high flexibility of labour market and the high quality of life in the EU-28. Our results show that there is no simple convergence common for all countries. High level of HDI goes hand in hand with high flexibility only in the case of Ireland, UK and Denmark. Germany and Sweden, as representatives of welfare state models, have different characteristics. With a high level of HDI, the elasticity ratios are at a low level. For other Western European countries (the so-called old EU member states), positions in HDI rankings are high although labour markets do not show a high degree of flexibility. Exactly the opposite dependence occurs in the so-called new member states (except Slovenia and Croatia), where relatively high flexibility of labour markets is visible, with relatively low positions in terms of the level of social and economic development. The research on relation between variables (HDI 2017, GCI 2017–2018, LFI 2018) based on the Pearson linear correlation coefficient and the Spearman rank coefficient proved there is no significant empirical evidence for the relation between socio-economic development and labour market flexibility. ; Elastyczność rynku pracy odnosi się do warunków prawnych, które ułatwiają dostosowanie się rynków pracy i umożliwiają stosowanie różnych form organizacji pracy, zatrudnienia i czasu pracy. Dobra elastyczność rynku pracy może przyczynić się do tworzenia nowych miejsc pracy i poprawy sytuacji społecznej i gospodarczej kraju. Niniejszy artykuł, w oparciu o wiele międzynarodowych badań, rankingów i statystyk, ma na celu porównanie poziomu rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego krajów UE-28 z poziomem elastyczności rynku pracy na podstawie takich wskaźników jak: Global Competitiveness Index – Flexibility (GCI) – Światowego Forum Ekonomicznego, Employment Protection Legislation Index (EPL) – OECD, Labour Freedom Index (LFI) – Heritage Foundation i Composite Indicator of Employment Protection Legislation (EPLex) – Międzynarodowej Organizacji Pracy (ILO). Wyniki rankingów wskaźników w obszarze elastyczności rynku pracy zostały porównywane ze wskaźnikiem rozwoju społecznego (HDI) opracowanym przez Program Narodów Zjednoczonych ds. Rozwoju (UNDP) w celu oszacowania zależności między wysoką elastycznością rynku pracy a wysoką jakością życia w UE-28. Nasze wyniki wskazują, że nie ma prostej zależności wspólnej dla wszystkich krajów. Wysoki poziom HDI koresponduje z wysoką elastycznością rynku pracy tylko w przypadku Irlandii, Wielkiej Brytanii i Danii. Niemcy i Szwecja, jako przedstawiciele państw opiekuńczych, odnotowują zależność ujemną. Przy wysokim poziomie HDI wskaźniki elastyczności są na niskim poziomie. Ponadto odnotowuje się wysokie pozycje krajów Europy Zachodniej (krajów tzw. Starej Unii) w rankingach HDI, pomimo tego że rynki pracy nie wykazują wysokiego stopnia elastyczności. Odwrotna zależność występuje w państwach tzw. Nowej Unii (z wyjątkiem Słowenii i Chorwacji), gdzie stosunkowo wysoka elastyczność rynków pracy jest widoczna przy odpowiednio niskich wynikach pod względem poziomu rozwoju społecznego i gospodarczego. Przeprowadzone badania zależności między zmiennymi (HDI 2017, GCI 2017–2018, LFI 2018), na przykładzie współczynnika korelacji liniowej Pearsona i współczynnika korelacji rang Spearmana wykazały, że nie ma empirycznych, istotnych dowodów na związek między wskaźnikiem rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego a elastycznością rynku pracy.

Context. With an estimated diameter in the 320–350 km range, (704) Interamnia is the fifth largest main belt asteroid and one of the few bodies that fills the gap in size between the four largest bodies with D > 400 km (Ceres, Vesta, Pallas and Hygiea) and the numerous smaller bodies with diameter ≤200 km. However, despite its large size, little is known about the shape and spin state of Interamnia and, therefore, about its bulk composition and past collisional evolution. Aims. We aimed to test at what size and mass the shape of a small body departs from a nearly ellipsoidal equilibrium shape (as observed in the case of the four largest asteroids) to an irregular shape as routinely observed in the case of smaller (D ≤ 200 km) bodies. Methods. We observed Interamnia as part of our ESO VLT/SPHERE large program (ID: 199.C-0074) at thirteen different epochs. In addition, several new optical lightcurves were recorded. These data, along with stellar occultation data from the literature, were fed to the All-Data Asteroid Modeling algorithm to reconstruct the 3D-shape model of Interamnia and to determine its spin state. Results. Interamnia's volume-equivalent diameter of 332 ± 6 km implies a bulk density of ρ = 1.98 ± 0.68 g cm−3, which suggests that Interamnia – like Ceres and Hygiea – contains a high fraction of water ice, consistent with the paucity of apparent craters. Our observations reveal a shape that can be well approximated by an ellipsoid, and that is compatible with a fluid hydrostatic equilibrium at the 2σ level. Conclusions. The rather regular shape of Interamnia implies that the size and mass limit, under which the shapes of minor bodies with a high amount of water ice in the subsurface become irregular, has to be searched among smaller (D ≤ 300 km) less massive (m ≤ 3 × 1019 kg) bodies. ; This work has been supported by the Czech Science Foundation through grant 18-09470S (J.H., J.D.) and by the Charles University Research program No. UNCE/SCI/023. This research was supported by INTER-EXCELLENCE grant LTAUSA18093 from the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (J.H. and O.P.). The research of O.P. is additionally supported by Horizon 2020 ERC Starting Grant "Cat-In-hAT" (grant agreement #803158) and award PRIMUS/SCI/17 from Charles University. P.V., A.D., and B.C. were Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant No. 80NSSC18K0849 issued through the Planetary Astronomy Program. This work was supported by the National Science Centre, Poland, through grant no. 2014/13/D/ST9/01818 (A.M.). The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under Grant Agreement no 687378 (SBNAF). This project has been supported by the GINOP-2.3.2-15-2016-00003 and NKFIH K125015 grants of the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH) and by the Lendület grant LP2012-31 of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. TRAPPIST-North is a project funded by the University of Liège, in collaboration with Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakech (Morocco). TRAPPIST-South is a project funded by the Belgian FNRS under grant FRFC 2.5.594.09. F.E.J. is a FNRS Senior Research Associate. ASAS-SN thanks the Las Cumbres Observatory and its staff for its continuing support of the ASAS-SN project. ASAS-SN is supported by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation through grant GBMF5490 to the Ohio State University and NSF grant AST-1515927. Development of ASAS-SN has been supported by NSF grant AST-0908816, the Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation, the Center for Cosmology and AstroParticle Physics at the Ohio State University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences South America Center for Astronomy (CASSACA), the Villum Foundation, and George Skestos.

This dissertation examines the fortification of the Bosphorus meant to help defend Istanbul against the growing Russian threat at the end of the eighteenth century. The adaptation of new construction techniques, the development of an administrative system to run and maintain the defenses effectively, and the organization of the military personnel and munitions in the fortresses are the sub-themes of the dissertation. The Ottomans recognized the importance of fortifying the Black Sea Strait in view of the threat posed by Russia and its rising military power. They accelerated their efforts to take security measures by establishing new fortresses and batteries along the shores of the Bosphorus. The creation of a "Superintendency of the Bosphorus" as a new administrative unit is an indicator of the Ottoman attention to the rising Russian threat in the Black Sea. This dissertation uses a holistic approach to address different but interrelated issues, including fortress construction, administration, and military organization. Keeping in mind the broader issue of the Ottomans' responses to the technological and political challenges they faced at the end of the eighteenth century, this study sheds light on new techniques introduced by French engineers and on the Ottoman adaptation to innovation, including new techniques of organization. The dissertation also discusses the Ottoman efforts to find solutions to the problems of finding qualified men, establishing discipline, and maintaining effective organization in the construction projects. This research employs rich archival material from the Ottoman State Archives and the French Military and Diplomatic Archives, as well as the memoirs of French engineers and Ottoman and French maps and plans. A comparative analysis of these sources indicates that the Ottomans were decisive in adopting innovative defensive techniques in collaboration with French engineers. Yet this was no mere imitation of European forms or crude Westernization. The Ottomans were active decision-makers and participants who localized and adapted the available technical knowledge of the era for their own purposes and to meet their own ends. ; Cette thèse porte sur la fortification du Bosphore pour la défense d'Istanbul contre la menace russe à la fin du dix-huitième siècle. L'adaptation de nouvelles techniques de construction, la mise en place d'un système administratif permettant de gérer et de maintenir efficacement les défenses, ainsi que l'organisation du personnel militaire et des munitions dans les forteresses sont les sous-thèmes de la thèse. Les Ottomans ont estimé important de fortifier le détroit de la mer Noire face aux menaces russes et à la montée en puissance de l'armée russe. Ils ont accéléré leurs efforts pour prendre des mesures de sécurité en établissant de nouvelles forteresses et de nouvelles batteries le long des rives du Bosphore. La création d'une nouvelle unité administrative sous le nom de « Surintendance du Bosphore » témoigne de la prise de conscience de la gravité de la menace par les Ottomans face à la montée de la menace russe en mer Noire. Cette thèse aborde des questions différentes mais interdépendantes telles que la construction, l'administration et l'organisation militaire des forteresses avec une approche holistique. Gardant à l'esprit le problème plus général des réponses ottomanes aux défis technologiques et politiques auxquels ils ont été confrontés à la fin du XVIIIe siècle, cette étude examine les nouvelles techniques apportées aux Ottomans par les ingénieurs français, l'adaptation des Ottomans à l'innovation, des facteurs tels que le manque d'hommes qualifiés, de discipline et d'organisation dans les projets de construction. Cette recherche est fondée sur une grande variété de sources. Ainsi, une riche documentation d'archive provenant des Archives d'État ottomanes et des Archives militaires et diplomatiques françaises, ainsi que des mémoires d'ingénieurs français, de cartes et de plans ottomans et français ont été étudiés. Une analyse comparative de ces sources indique que les Ottomans ont joué un rôle décisif dans l'innovation dans leurs techniques de défense en collaboration avec des ingénieurs français, non dans un souci d'occidentalisation ni pour imiter les pratiques européennes, comme le supposent la plupart des auteurs de la littérature actuelle, mais en tant que décideurs et participants actifs, adaptant localement les connaissances techniques qu'ils choisirent d'adopter.

Introduction. An important task for the sustainable economic development of Ukraine is to update the structure of the economy and strengthen of innovation. Services are amounted for more than half of the GDP of Ukraine. Global trend of services is going to grow in the future. The development of tourist and recreational services in Ukraine does not competitive for potential and growing needs of domestic and foreign consumers. Tourism and recreation policy are been a problem for intensification competitiveness of economy, level of employment and income.Purpose The research task - is to analyze current trends in the tourism industry in Ukraine and in the world. Important task is to formulation of strategic objectives of the policy of f tourism clusters formation in the regions of Ukraine, determination of measures of anti-crisis regulation of the industry in the modern conditions.Result The features and advantages of the cluster model of tourism business organization are analyzed, the conclusions on the implementation of such a policy in foreign countries are generalized. The key tendencies of development of the tourist branch in Ukraine are investigated, the list of specific features of tourism in the regions of Ukraine is formulated, their positive and negative consequences, directions of overcoming of the specified restrictions are outlined. The necessity of providing macroeconomic conditions of effective cluster policy in the regions of Ukraine is substantiated, the tasks for strengthening the level of interaction and partnership in the branch are formulated. In this article was identified the main global challenges of the current economic and epidemiological situation, their impacting on the tourism industry in the international dimension. The biggest threats to the resumption of tourism in Ukraine are outlined, management measures are proposed to resume the development of the industry and the formation of tourism clusters in the regions.Originality The effectiveness of the policy of support for cluster initiatives in European countries is studied, the target priorities are identified: increasing the economic competitiveness of the cluster and its members; creation of a joint tourist brand; inclusion of tourism development in the regional strategy; stimulation of researches and innovations in creation of tourist packages, their marketing; inventory of events and traditions of the region; identification and promotion of routes and tours; improving the professional skills of tourism staff, etc. Trends in the development of tourism in Ukraine, in terms of inbound and outbound, analyzed the limitations of the competitiveness of domestic tourism. Possibilities of diversification of tourist services, in particular - prospects of tourist services for the purpose of leisure, rest, treatment are estimated. Changes in the regional policy of formation of tourist clusters under the influence of decentralization reform in Ukraine are determined. In this article was identified the measures and tools of a managerial direction, which was targeted for restoring and developing of the tourism industry in the post-crisis period. They are aimed on strengthening cluster's policy. The necessity of changes in tax and organizational and economic support of tourism development, improvement of the national transport system and logistics, expansion of stimulating policy at the local level is substantiated.Conclusion The formation of effective tourism clusters is one of the tasks of regional policy. The cluster model of tourism development solves the range of important and related tasks. In addition to the main goal - the formation of competitive effective specialization of the territory, it provides cross-sectoral cooperation - government, business and community. The benefits of enhanced interaction are reduced transaction costs for cluster members; strengthening the responsibility of participants for the decisions they make in view of the close cooperation with cluster partners, which are also business partners; growing responsibility for building the economy of their own region and protecting the interests of their community. The practical consequences of the development of tourism clusters are the formation of a long-term development policy of the territory by justifying their strategic goals.

Вакцинация является наиболее влиятельным способом борьбы с инфекционными болезнями. Благодаря прививкам была ликвидирована натуральная оспа, резко снизилась заболеваемость полиомиелитом, столбняком. По данным ВОЗ, ежегодно в мире от инфекционных заболеваний погибает 12 млн детей. Из этого числа 7,5 млн смертей происходит за счет заболеваний, против которых мы пока не имеем вакцин, но более 4 млн человек умирает от болезней, которые можно предотвратить. Иммунизация считается одним из самых эффективных и экономически целесообразных среди мероприятий медицинского вмешательства в эпидемический процесс, которые существуют в настоящее время. Чем более экономически развито государство, тем от большего количества болезней оно защищает население путем проведения иммунопрофилактики. Для того чтобы создать коллективный иммунитет, ВОЗ рекомендует осуществлять прививки не менее 95 % лиц. Однако во Львовской области и Украине в целом сложилась негативная тенденция снижения охвата населения профилактическими прививками до 45–53%, что вызывает опасность возникновения и эпидемического распространения болезней, для профилактики которых есть вакцины.Цель исследования: анализ законодательной базы по вопросам иммунопрофилактики, особенности планирования профилактических прививок, требования к кабинетам прививок и современные противопоказания к вакцинации.Материалы и методы. Обработаны нормативно-правовые документы по вопросам иммунопрофилактики, проведено анкетирование 210 семейных врачей по вопросам осведомленности относительно вакцинации.Заключение. Сегодня существует необходимость в непрерывном профессиональном развитии врачей по вопросам иммунопрофилактики, в том числе путем проведения тренингов, курсов теоретического усовершенствования, стажировки в странах Европы и украинских центрах вакцинации. ; Вакцинація є найбільш дієвим заходом у боротьбі з інфекційними хворобами. Завдяки щепленням була ліквідована натуральна віспа, різко знизилась захворюваність на поліомієліт, правець. Згідно з даними ВООЗ, щорічно у світі від інфекційних захворювань гине 12 млн дітей. З цього числа 7,5 млн життів втрачається за рахунок захворювань, проти яких ми поки не маємо вакцин, але більше 4 млн людей помирають від хвороб, яким можна запобігти. Імунізація вважається одним із найбільш ефективних та економічно доцільних серед заходів медичного втручання в епідемічний процес, які сьогодні існують. Чим більш економічно розвинена держава, тим від більшої кількості хвороб захищає населення шляхом проведення імунопрофілактики. Для того щоб створити колективний імунітет, ВООЗ рекомендує здійснювати щеплення не менше 95% осіб. Проте у Львівській області та Україні загалом склалася негативна тенденція зниження охоплення профілактичними щепленнями до 45–53%, що є небезпекою виникнення та епідемічного поширення імунокерованих хвороб.Мета дослідження: аналіз законодавчої бази з питань імунопрофілактики, особливості планування профілактичних щеплень, вимоги до кабінетів щеплень та сучасні протипоказання до вакцинації.Матеріали та методи. Опрацьовано нормативно-правові документи з питань імунопрофілактики, проведено анкетування 210 сімейних лікарів з питань обізнаності щодо імунопрофілактики.Заключення. На сьогодні існує необхідність у безперервному професійному розвитку лікарів з питань імунопрофілактики, у тому числі шляхом проведення тренінгів, курсів теоретичного удосконалення, стажування у країнах Європи та українських центрах вакцинації. ; Vaccination is the most effective measure against infectious diseases. Due to vaccinations, smallpox was eliminated, poliomyelitis and tetanus morbidity decreased dramatically. According to WHO, 12 million children around the world annually die from infectious diseases. Of these, 7.5 million lives are lost to diseases against which we do not yet have vaccines, but more than 4 million people die from preventable diseases. Immunization is currently considered to be one of the most effective and cost-effective medical interventions in the epidemic process. The more economically developed a country is, the more diseases is its population protected from with the help of immunoprophylaxis. In order to create herd immunity, WHO recommends that at least 95 % of individuals should be vaccinated. However, in the Lviv region andUkrainethere is a negative tendency to reduce the coverage of preventive vaccinations up to 45–53%, which is a danger of the emergence and epidemic spread of preve ntable diseases.The objective: was to analyze the legislative framework on immunoprophylaxis, the peculiarities of planning preventive vaccinations, the requirements for vaccination offices and modern contraindications for vaccination.Materials and methods. Legal documents on immunoprophylaxis were analysed, 210 family doctors were surveyed on immunoprophylaxis awareness.Conclusions. There is a necessity of continuous professional development of physicians on immunoprophylaxis, including training, theoretical improvement courses, internships in European countries and Ukrainian vaccination centers.

The article considers the issue of formation the aristocratic manor culture and describes the museification features of aristocratic ensembles. It has been found that this topic, despite its popularity in recent years, remains little studied. Especially the issue of museification historical and cultural heritage sites. The paper analyzes different types of sources and literature.The peculiarities of the formation the aristocratic class of Slobodidska Ukraine, who received noble titles only for military service are highlighted. A new class of society tried to imitate the Polish nobility and the Russian nobility, creating their own aristocratic attributes, which did not always have documentary evidence. The role of representatives of the middle nobility, which was actively engaged in culture and education, was determined. It was the local intelligentsia that created a distinctive culture, that absorbed European achievements and local traditions. It is established that the centers of aristocratic culture were country estates, which combined architectural and garden parts. Defined a symbolic aspect of manor culture, which is clearly manifested in the art of park construction. The activity of the local nobility in the creation of architectural structures and English parks in the estates is considered. The article analyzes peculiarities of museification of manor ensembles as complex monuments. The current state of ensemble-type monuments in Kharkov region is characterized. In the article are listed prospects of museification for the tourist development of the region and the revival of historical and cultural heritage.The conclusions provide recommendations on the possibility of modern use of aristocratic ensembles as centers of aristocratic manor culture. ; В статье рассмотрены вопросы становления дворянской усадебной культуры и охарактеризованы музеефикационные особенности дворянских ансамблей. Установлено, что данная тематика, не смотря на ее популярность в последние годы, остается малоисследованной. Особенно вопрос музеефикации объектов историко-культурного наследия. В работе проанализированы различные виды источников и литературы. Выделены особенности формирования дворянского класса Слободской Украины, который получил дворянские титулы только за военные заслуги. Новый слой общества наследовал польскую шляхту и русское дворянство, создавая собственные дворянские атрибуты, что не всегда имело документальное подтверждение. Определена роль представителей среднего дворянства, которое активно занималось культурой и образованием. Именно местная интеллигенция создавала самобытную культуру, которая вобрала в себя европейские достижения и местные традиции.Установлено, что центрами дворянской культуры были загородные усадьбы, которые объединяли в себе архитектурные и садово-парковые элементы. Определен символический аспект усадебной культуры, который ярко проявился в искусстве паркового строительства. Рассмотрена деятельность местного дворянства в создании архитектурных объектов и английских парков в имениях. Проанализированы особенности музеефикации усадебных ансамблей, как комплексных памятников. Охарактеризовано современное состояние достопримечательностей ансамблевого типа в Харьковской области. Указаны перспективы, музеефикации для туристического развития региона и возрождения историко-культурного наследия.В выводах даны рекомендации о возможности современного использования дворянских ансамблей, как образцов дворянской усадебной культуры. ; У статті розглянуті питання становлення дворянської садибної культури та охарактеризовані музеєфікаційні особливості дворянських ансамблів. З'ясовано, що дана тематика, не дивлячись на її популярність в останні роки, залишається малодослідженою. Особливо питання музеєфікації об'єктів історико-культурної спадщини. У роботі проаналізовані різні види джерел та літератури. Виокремлені особливості формування дворянського класу Слобідської України, який отримав дворянські титули лише за військові заслуги. Новий прошарок суспільства намагався наслідувати польську шляхту та російське дворянство, створюючи власні дворянські атрибути, що не зажди мало документальне підтвердження. Визначена роль представників середнього дворянства, яке активно займалося культурою та освітньою справою. Саме місцева інтелігенція створювала самобутню культуру, яка ввібрала в себе європейські досягнення та місцеві традиції.Встановлено, що осередками дворянської культури були заміські садиби, які поєднували в собі архітектурні та садово-паркові частини. Визначений символічний аспект садибної культури, який яскраво проявився в мистецтві паркового будівництва. Розглянута діяльність місцевого дворянства в створенні архітектурних споруд та англійських парків у маєтках. Проаналізовані особливості музеєфікації садибних ансамблів як комплексних пам'яток. Охарактеризовано сучасний стан пам'яток ансамблевого типу в Харківський області. Зазначені перспективи музеєфікації для туристичного розвитку регіону та відродження історико-культурної спадщини.У висновках подано рекомендації щодо можливості сучасного використання поміщицьких ансамблів як зразків дворянської садибної культури.

Context. It has become clear in recent years that binarity plays a crucial role in many aspects of planetary nebulae (PNe), particularly with regard to the striking morphologies they exhibit. To date, there are nearly 60 known binary central stars of PNe (bCSPNe). However, both theory and observation indicate that this figure represents only the tip of the iceberg, with the Galactic PN population hosting orders of magnitude more stars. Aims. We are involved in a search for new bCSPNe with the aim of enhancing the statistical validation of the key role of binarity in the formation and shaping of PNe. New discoveries of bCSPNe and their characterization carry important implications not only for understanding PN evolution, but also for studying binary evolution and the common-envelope phase, which is still poorly understood. Methods. We used data from the TESS satellite to search for variability in the eight CSPNe that belong to the two-minute cadence of preselected targets in Cycle 1, with their available pipeline-extracted light curves. We identified strong periodicities and analysed them in the context of the binary scenario. Results. All the CSPNe but one (Abell 15) show clear signs of periodic variability in TESS. The cause of this variability can be attributed to different effects, some of them requiring the presence of a companion star. We find simple sinusoidal modulations in several of the systems, compatible with irradiation effects. In addition, two of the central stars (PG 1034+001 and NGC 5189) also show photometric variations due to ellipsoidal variations and other signs of variability that are probably caused by star spots or relativistic Doppler-beaming. The case of the well-studied Helix Nebula is of particular interest; here we constructed a series of binary models to explain the modulations we see in the light curve. We find that the variability constrains the possible companion to be very low-mass main-sequence star or sub-stellar object. We also identify, in substantial detail, the individual pulsation frequencies of NGC 246. © ESO 2020. ; Acknowledgements. We thank our anonymous referee for their useful comments that have improved the interpretation and discussion of the data. AA acknowledges support from Government of Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain) through postdoctoral Grant "Atracción de Talento Investigador" 2018-T2/TIC-11697. JLB and SBF acknowledge support from the Spanish State Research Agency (AEI) through projects No. ESP2017-87676-C5-1-R and No. MDM-2017-0737 Unidad de Excelencia "María de Maeztu" – Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC). DJ acknowledges support from the State Research Agency (AEI) of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (MCIU) and the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) under grant AYA2017-83383-P. DJ also acknowledges support under grant P/308614 financed by funds transferred from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, charged to the General State Budgets and with funds transferred from the General Budgets of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands by the Ministry of Economy, Industry, Trade and Knowledge. LFM acknowledges partial support by grant AYA2017-84390-C2-1-R, co-funded with FEDER funds, and financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through the "Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa" award for the Insti-tuto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (SEV-2017-0709). Authors are very grateful to Cristina Rodríguez López for guiding us with the analysis of RWT 152 and NGC 246. This research has made use of the SIMBAD database, operated at the CDS, Strasbourg (France), Aladin, NASA's Astrophysics Data System Bibliographic Services, and the Spanish Virtual Observatory (http://svo.cab. inta-csic.es) supported from the Spanish MICINN/FEDER through grant AyA2017-84089. This publication makes use of data collected by TESS mission. Funding for the TESS mission is provided by the NASA Explorer Program. We acknowledge the use of pipelines at the TESS Science Office and at the TESS Science Processing Operations Center. This paper makes use of data products from the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescope. ; Peer reviewed

An Artist in a Watershed Time: New Forms of Expressing Faith and Religiosity in Texts by Vaidotas DaunysThis article discusses Christian themes in the works of the Lithuanian poet, essayist, publisher and editor Vaidotas Daunys (1958–1995). Daunys belonged to the generation of Lithuanian writers born between 1947 and 1995, whose most intense creative period were the 1980s and 1990s – the dusk of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, the activity of Sąjūdis (Reform Movement of Lithuania), and the beginning of systemic transition in the independent Republic of Lithuania. Still within the confines of the Soviet system, the ideological demands of the Communist Party of the USSR and the omnipotent censorship, a careful process began in Lithuanian literature of reconstructing severed bonds with its own national (including émigré) and Western European culture. The political breakthrough of 1990 resulted in a completely new political situation and sped up the existing cultural processes. An important position within Lithuanian culture was reclaimed by religion (mostly Catholicism), Christian tradition, and the closely related national and patriotic themes. The author analyses Vaidotas Duanys's most important works (poems as well as essays) against the backdrop of his biography but also as an expression of the Christian tradition and its shape at the turn of the 1990s. Vaidotas Daunys's creative biography places him among those who throughout the Soviet period balanced between the conformism of the socio-political status quo and a (naїve?) faith in creative independence and the possibility to safeguard one's own worldview. Daunys was the editorin-chief of the Pergalė [Victory] monthly (from 1987), the Veidai [Faces] almanac (1985–1988) and, starting from 1988, the Krantai [Shores] monthly. In 1985, he published his first book of poetry, entitled Metų laikai [The Four Seasons]; the next one, Kelio ženklai [Road Signs], appeared in 1999, after the poet's death. In independent Lithuania, he established the Regnum Foundation (whose fields of activity include publishing, music and culture) and reactivated the tradition of the inter-war cultural criticism magazine Naujoji Romuva [The New Romuva]. Vaidotas Daunys died tragically in the summer of 1995, while preparing to take flight at a balloon race. Twórca w czasach przełomu: nowe formy wyrażania wiary i religijności w tekstach Vaidotasa DaunysaNiniejszy artykuł został poświęcony tematyce chrześcijańskiej w twórczości litewskiego poety, eseisty, wydawcy i redaktora – Vaidotasa Daunysa (1958–1995). Należał on do pokolenia litewskich pisarzy urodzonych między rokiem 1947 a 1955, których najintensywniejszy okres twórczy przypadł na lata 80. i 90. XX wieku – schyłek Litewskiej Socjalistycznej Republiki Radzieckiej, okres Sąjūdisu (Litewski Ruch na Rzecz Przebudowy) i początek transformacji ustrojowej niepodległej Republiki Litewskiej. Jeszcze w czasach istnienia Związku Radzieckiego, wymogów ideologicznych partii komunistycznej (KPZR) i wszechwładnej cenzury w literaturze litewskiej końca lat 80. ubiegłego wieku rozpoczął się ostrożny proces rekonstrukcji zerwanych więzi z własną kulturą narodową (także emigracyjną) oraz z kulturą zachodnioeuropejską. Przełom polityczny roku 1990 stworzył zupełnie nową sytuację polityczną i przyśpieszył wcześniejsze procesy kulturowe. Swoją ważną pozycję w litewskiej kulturze zaczęła odzyskiwać religia (przede wszystkim katolicyzm) i tradycja chrześcijańska, a także blisko z nią związana tematyka narodowo-ojczyźniana. Autorka analizuje najważniejsze utwory V. Daunysa (lirykę i eseistykę) z jednej strony w kontekście wydarzeń biograficznych, z drugiej jako wyraz tradycji chrześcijańskiej na przełomie lat 80. i 90. XX wieku. Biografia twórcza sytuuje V. Daunysa w gronie tych, którzy w czasach sowieckich balansowali między konformizmem polityczno-społecznego status quo a (naiwną?) wiarą w samodzielność twórczą i możliwość ochrony własnego światopoglądu. Był redaktorem miesięcznika "Pergalė" [Zwycięstwo] (do 1987 roku), almanachu Veidai [Oblicza] (1985–1988), a od 1988 roku czasopisma "Krantai" [Brzegi]. W 1985 roku wydał debiutancki tomik poetycki Metų laikai [Pory roku], następny Kelio ženklai [Znaki drogowe] ukazał się już po jego śmierci (1999). Po przełomie niepodległościowym założyciel Fundacji "Regnum" (obejmującej działalność wydawniczą, muzyczną i kulturalną), odnowiciel tradycji międzywojennego katolickiego czasopisma kulturalnego "Naujoji Romuva" [Nowe Romowe]. Zginął tragicznie podczas przygotowań do lotu w zawodach baloniarskich latem 1995 roku.

The influx of refugees and immigrants into Iceland continues to affect the society socially, culturally, and politically. Like many other European countries, Iceland has become home to many refugees and immigrants, including young adults. This influx has affected the education system, and many schools have developed different models to serve the diverse needs of the increasing number of immigrant children entering the system. In spite of the obstacles – which include cultural and linguistic differences, struggles with different school systems and academic programs, educational level, financial standing or country of origin, little education, and limited family income – many refugee and immigrant students are enthusiastic about learning, and are able to succeed both academically and socially in their new learning spaces. Research has shown that immigrant students drop out of school as a result of different factors, such as not valuing school and having poor relationships with teachers and peers (Makarova & Herzog, 2013) and that immigrant teens in some ethnic groups suffer a higher dropout rate than the national average (Morse, 2005). According to a study conducted by Grétarsdóttir (2007) on educational progress among youth whose heritage language is not Icelandic, more than half of the respondents either never attended upper secondary education – i.e., the three to four years after compulsory school, typically about ages 16-19 – or dropped out. Understanding these students' academic and social engagement and success may be critical for addressing the high dropout rates among immigrant students. Thus, the purpose of this study is to answer the question: What academic, personal, and social experiences account for the success of young immigrants and refugees while in upper secondary schools in Iceland? This study aimed to understand young immigrants' and refugee students' experiences of academic and social success in upper secondary schools in Iceland. In this study, 27 academically and socially successful students participated in one-hour semi-structured interviews. In the interviews, young immigrant and refugee students were asked about their attitudes toward their culture of origin and Icelandic culture and society, their experience of belonging to different groups, their aspirations and future goals in those settings, different learning environments and practise, their expectation of the schools and curriculum, and their motivations and obstacles including their language backgrounds. The study applies different theories, including culturally responsive pedagogy and multicultural education, that incline toward providing all students, regardless of their background, culture, language, race and ethnicities with the knowledge, tools and skills necessary to function harmoniously both in their community and globally. These theories facilitate the academic and social success of young immigrant and refugee students and create equity in the education system. The theoretical background chosen for this study aims to support the research questions and capture the depth of the data. Theories of inclusion and safe zones are discussed as ways to value diversity among these groups of students regardless of their background, language, ethnicity and race, and they address equitable opportunities for these students and to bring about equal, just and democratic society (Banks & Banks, 2013; Gay, 2018; Grant & Sleeter, 2013; Nieto, 2010; Pratt, 1991, 2007). Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2013) is used to analyze the data. This method is useful when one is trying to find commonalities in meaning among the participants' responses. Knowledge about the reasons for the academic and social success of these students is important for policymakers, teachers, and governmental organisations, both in terms of societal stability and for the sake of individual refugee and immigrant youths. Bringing young immigrants' and refugees' academic and social success to light may also be significant in counteracting xenophobia. The findings reveal that various internal and external factors determine academic and social success of the refugee and immigrant students, including their desire, passion, and strength, as well as their interest in education and their future goals. They were intrinsically motivated, exerted effort, and refused to give up despite the various challenges they faced. Immigrant and refugee students' journeys of success were also shaped by a set of visible factors both structural (inside their schools) and social (outside their schools, at home and in their communities).

This article provides an analysis of the tax system of Ukraine in comparison with its counterparts in foreign countries to determine the competitiveness of Ukraine in the world market of goods and investments and to choose the main directions of reforming the tax system in the conditions of economic crisis caused by quarantine measures. The influence and liberalization of the tax system on the socio-economic development of Ukraine and foreign countries is considered and analyzed. Comparisons were made in the following areas: by the level of the overall tax burden, its distribution between the main types of taxes and payer groups, and the fiscal efficiency of tax systems. Having analyzed the data of European countries, the authors of the study compared them from a number of parameters with such major economies of the world as the US, China, Singapore. It has been shown that the EU is somewhat inferior to the US in terms of preferential administration of tax calculation and payment processes, as well as filing tax reporting by taxpayers. However, the EU shows relatively low corporate tax rates (compared to China and the US). Even though China and Singapore have significantly reduced these rates, they remain above the EU average. In order to improve the functioning of the tax system of Ukraine, the authors consider it advisable to focus on the dynamic transformations observed in the new member states of the EU, which, in turn, are one of the main competitors of Ukraine in the world markets of goods and capital, taking their experience to improve the tax climate and improve fiscal and regulatory tax compliance. The authors conclude that the amendments to the tax legislation of Ukraine due to the need to protect economic entities in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic are effective, sufficient and consistent with the world's legal practice. That is why the liberalization of the tax system is one of the determining factors in the socio-economic world development today. Formation of a modern competitive, social, market economy, integrated in the EU, guaranteeing stable economic growth, implementation of a balanced budgetary and social policy is impossible without the implementation of an effective tax policy to ensure support of the taxpayer. ; Niniejszy artykuł stanowi analizę porównawczą ukraińskiego systemu podatkowego oraz jego odpowiedników w innych krajach. Ma ona na celu ustalenie konkurencyjności Ukrainy na światowych rynkach towarowych i inwestycyjnych oraz wskazanie głównych kierunków reform systemu podatkowego w dobie kryzysu ekonomicznego wywołanego zastosowaniem środków związanych z kwarantanną. Rozważaniom oraz analizie poddano wpływ liberalizacji systemu podatkowego na rozwój społeczno-ekonomiczny Ukrainy oraz innych krajów. Dokonano porównań w następujących obszarach: poziom ogólnego ciężaru podatkowego, rozłożenie go pomiędzy główne rodzaje podatków i grup płatników oraz skuteczność fiskalna systemów podatkowych. Po przeanalizowaniu danych pochodzących z krajów europejskich autorki porównały je z kilkoma parametrami opisującymi duże gospodarki świata, takie jak Stany Zjednoczone, Chiny czy Singapur. Wykazano, iż UE nieco gorzej radzi sobie niż USA pod względem preferencyjnego administrowania wymiarem podatku oraz z procesami płatni czymi, a także w zakresie wypełniania zeznań podatkowych przez podatników. Jednakże w krajach UE są stosunkowo niskie stawki podatku od osób prawnych (w porównaniu do Chin i USA). Mimo iż Chiny oraz Singapur znacznie zmniejszyły stawki tego podatku, ich poziom nadal pozostał powyżej średniej w UE. Aby usprawnić funkcjonowanie systemu podatkowego na Ukrainie, autorki zalecają skoncentrować wysiłki na dynamicznej transformacji, którą można zaobserwować w nowych państwach członkowskich UE – stanowiących jednocześnie głównych konkurentów Ukrainy na światowych rynkach towarowych i kapitałowych – by opierając się na ich doświadczeniach, pracować nad poprawą warunków podatkowych, co przyczyni się do lepszego wypełniania obowiązków podatkowych w sensie regulacyjnym i fiskalnym. Autorki dochodzą do wniosku, że zmiany ustawodawstwa podatkowego na Ukrainie w obliczu konieczności ochrony podmiotów ekonomicznych w dobie pandemii COVID-19 są skuteczne, wystarczające i spójne ze światową praktyką prawną. Zatem liberalizacja systemu podatkowego jest jednym z decydujących czynników światowego rozwoju społeczno-ekonomicznego.