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I investigate the paradoxes associated with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) point-based ranking of national soccer teams. The ranking has been plagued with paradoxes that incentivize teams to avoid playing friendly matches, i.e., matches that are not part of any official FIFA tournament or preliminaries, and applying other counterintuitive strategies. The most spectacular paradox was the dramatic underrating of the hosts of major tournaments. For a long time, host teams, which were absent from preliminary matches, would play only friendly matches that awarded few points. Here, I present three models that estimate the magnitude of the resulting “host effect” at 14.2–16 positions. Such an estimate counteracts the intuition that a large investment in hosting a tournament should result in an improvement in the host team’s standing. However, as discussed here, a given host’s low ranking could decrease interest in the tournament, and likely result in a major loss of advertisement revenue.

M Marek,1 M Grobe-Einsler,1 JR Bedarf,1 B Wabbels,2 S Paus1 1Department of Neurology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; 2Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany Background: Sexual dysfunction is a frequent, yet underrated, symptom of neurological disease. While knowledge of non-motor comorbidity in focal dystonia is growing rapidly, there is no information on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in cervical dystonia (CD) or blepharospasm (BL). Methods: In this controlled study, we examined sexual dysfunction in 65 patients with CD and 54 patients with BL by the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale, a validated self-rating scale. Results: Sexual dysfunction was significantly higher in CD patients (45%) than in controls (24%), and frequent in BL (39%). Interestingly, variables of dystonia such as disease duration or severity did not influence sexuality; yet, 23% of CD patients ascribed worsening of their sexual life to dystonia. Symptoms of depression were identified as the most important predictors for sexual dysfunction, followed by age, and personal status (single). Conclusion: Our observations establish sexual dysfunction as a frequent non-motor symptom in CD and BL that is perceived as a burden. It should be considered when investigating patients with adult-onset focal dystonia. Keywords: dystonia, cervical dystonia, blepharospasm, sexual dysfunction, depression

The article discusses the novel 2025. An-Nida al-Akhir [2025. The Last Call] written by a young Egyptian journalist and writer born in 1982 – Mustafa al-Husayni. The novel was published in early 2011, between the fall of Zayn al-Abidin Ibn Ali in Tunisia and of Husni Mubarak in Egypt. It describes a revolution against the regime of Jamal al-Mubarak, son of Husni, spurred by a group of young Egyptians. The story takes place in 2025 and antici­pates the development of the political situation in Egypt and the Middle East between 2011 and 2025 in a utopian/dystopian manner. Alongside Utopia by Ahmad Khalid Tawfik and the poetry of Usama al-Abnubi and Abd ar-Rahman al-Abnudi, al-Husayni’s book is considered to be a forecast of the Arab Spring in Egypt.

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Our data identify a novel candidate for combination strategy in melanoma treatment, and can inform clinicians in their decision-making process regarding therapeutic intervention for melanoma patients. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is a novel source of cyclic AMP (cAMP). In melanoma, nuclear sAC localization has an established diagnostic utility and we newly found that nuclear sAC functions as a tumor suppressor by inhibiting Hippo pathway, which affects treatment response. Here, we examine the effect of nuclear sAC on melanoma treatment response. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We developed a doxycycline inducible system for increasing sAC activity only in the nucleus. We assessed whether nuclear sAC activity affects treatment response, using BRAFV600 human melanoma cell lines. Using a clonogenic assay, we examined how nuclear sAC activity affects growth inhibition in the presence of a BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib. Our findings will be confirmed in vivo using tumor xenografts. After tumor formation in NSG mice, mice will be randomized to be fed normal or doxycycline chow for nuclear sAC induction, then subdivided to receive vehicle or vemurafenib to examine the effect of nuclear sAC activity on treatment response in vivo. We will also compare melanoma biopsies collected before and after treatment with BRAF inhibitors to assess how nuclear sAC staining affects tumor morphology in vivo. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: So far, nuclear sAC activity has rendered SkMel178 and M263 cell lines more susceptible to vemurafenib. Cell viability was inversely correlated both with vemurafenib and with doxycycline concentration. Cell viability after vemurafenib treatment was dramatically reduced when nuclear sAC was activated. It appears that nuclear sAC enhances the sensitivity of BRAF mutant melanomas to vemurafenib in vitro. We anticipate that xenografts of these cells in mice will be more susceptible to vemurafenib when nuclear sAC is activated. We also anticipate that positive nuclear sAC staining will correlate with a favorable response to therapy. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: Targeted therapy with BRAF inhibitors is used in late-stage melanomas, but its use is limited as patients invariably acquire resistance. Here, we identified nuclear sAC activation as a novel candidate for combination strategy. Our data will also inform clinicians how best to integrate this biomarker into their decision-making regarding therapy.

Neither the “Transitional Justice” literature or literatures in post-communist politics have examined post-communist “self lustrations.” Our goal is to explain why Post-communists “punish themselves.” We argue that Post-communists act under constraints of legislative institutions. We formalize our argument with a game-theoretic model of agenda-setting.

Abstract Structure of interphase cell nuclei remains dynamic and can undergo various changes of shape and organisation, in health and disease. The double-membraned envelope that separates nuclear genetic material from the rest of the cell frequently includes deep, branching tubular invaginations that form a dynamic nucleoplasmic reticulum (NR). This study addresses mechanisms by which NR can form in interphase nuclei. We present a combination of Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (NanoSIMS) approach and light microscopy techniques to follow formation of NR by using pulse-chase experiments to examine protein and lipid delivery to nascent NR in cultured cells. Lamina protein incorporation was assessed using precursor accumulation (for lamin A) or a MAPLE3 photoconvertible tag (for lamin B1) and membrane phospholipid incorporation using stable isotope labelling with deuterated precursors followed by high resolution NanoSIMS. In all three cases, nascent molecules were selectively incorporated into newly forming NR tubules; thus strongly suggesting that NR formation is a regulated process involving a focal assembly machine, rather than simple physical perturbation of a pre-existing nuclear envelope.

Backward induction (BI) was one of the earliest methods developed for solving finite sequential games with perfect information. It proved to be especially useful in the context of Tom Schelling’s ideas of credible versus incredible threats. BI can be also extended to solve complex games that include an infinite number of actions or an infinite number of periods. However, some more complex empirical or experimental predictions remain dramatically at odds with theoretical predictions obtained by BI. The primary example of such a troublesome game is Centipede. The problems appear in other long games with sufficiently complex structure. BI also shares the problems of subgame perfect equilibrium and fails to eliminate certain unreasonable Nash equilibria.

El presente artículo analiza las transformaciones experimentadas en el khabar que describe la abolición de la jizya impuesta a los judíos residentes en Khaybar. La historia comenzó en el siglo X, con una obra de Hilāl al-Ṣābiˀ, que fue incluida posteriormente, con algunas variantes, en las historiografías de otros autores de épocas más tardías, llegando hasta el siglo XIX. Fue probablemente entonces cuando se recoge la última referencia a la cuestión en la obra del historiador marroquí Aḥmad al-Nāṣirī. El artículo analiza también la función que desempeña el khabar en la obra cuando es citado.

The title compound, C12H10Br2N2O2, represents an example of a planar π-conjugated 2-azabutadiene molecule, which is both an interesting starting material for further organic transformations and a potential ligand in organometallic coordination chemistry. Its metric molecular parameters are typical for the family of 2-azabuta-1,3-dienes not substituted at the (CH) 3-position. In the crystal, the almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0658 Å) azadiene molecules form one-dimensional double-wide ribbons through intermolecular halogen bonds (C—Br...O and C—Br...Br—C), which then stack in a slipped manner through weak C—H...Br and π–π interactions to generate a three-dimensional network.

Radionuclide synovectomy is a minimally invasive method of treating persistent joint inflammation. It involves intra-articular injection of radioactive colloids which induce necrosis and fibrosis of hypertrophic synovial membrane. The most common indication for radiosynovectomy is rheumatoid arthritis, although patients with seronegative spondyloarthropathies, unclassified arthritis, haemophilic arthropathy and other less common arthropathies can also benefit from this method. Radiosynovectomy is safe, well tolerated and efficacious. About 70–80% of patients respond well to the therapy. However, the therapeutic effects are considerably worse in patients with co-existent osteoarthritis and advanced joint degeneration. Despite its advantages, radionuclide synovectomy is not performed as often as it could be, so greater knowledge and understanding of this method are needed. The authors present the most important facts about radiosynovectomy that may help rheumatologists in their daily clinical practice.

Artykuł obejmuje transkrypcję i edycję fragmentu chamaiłu Aleksandrowicza (rękopis tatarski z XIX w.) zatytułowanego „Opisanie dni miesięcznych”. Fragment ten stanowi odrębną całość, dotyczącą wierzeń Tatarów polsko-litewskich, związanych z poszczególnymi dniami miesiąca, obejmujących wydarzenia z historii świętej islamu, jakie nastąpiły w poszczególnych dniach, oraz prognostyki z nimi związane. Tekst jest publikowany po raz pierwszy, bezpośrednio z rękopisu znajdującego się w zbiorach biblioteki Wydziału Orientalistycznego Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.

Capillaroscopy is a non-invasive, easy and safe diagnostic technique designed to evaluate small vessels of the microcirculation in the nailfold. It can reveal both the general architecture of capillary rows and fine details of particular vessels. The most important indications for performing capillaroscopy include differential diagnosis of primary and secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon, as well as assessment of scleroderma spectrum disorders. In systemic sclerosis capillary abnormalities appear and evolve in a clearly defined sequence called the scleroderma pattern, which correlates with internal organ involvement. Capillaroscopy is also listed as a systemic sclerosis classification criterion recognized by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). With digitized equipment, capillaroscopy allows for precise qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the microcirculation and is a valuable tool in the rheumatologists’ daily practice.

The nuclei of cells may exhibit invaginations of the nuclear envelope under a variety of conditions. These invaginations form a branched network termed the nucleoplasmic reticulum (NR), which may be found in cells in pathological and physiological conditions. While an extensive NR is a hallmark of cellular senescence and shows associations with some cancers, very little is known about the formation of NR in physiological conditions, despite the presence of extensive nuclear invaginations in some cell types such as endometrial cells. Here we show that in these cells the NR is formed in response to reproductive hormones. We demonstrate that oestrogen and progesterone are sufficient to induce NR formation and that this process is reversible without cell division upon removal of the hormonal stimulus. Nascent lamins and phospholipids are incorporated into the invaginations suggesting that there is a dedicated machinery for its formation. The induction of NR in endometrial cells offers a new model to study NR formation and function in physiological conditions.

The study presents the manners of determination of the Darcy friction factor λ for a homogenous hydromixture of alum sludge of varied hydration and temperature for the laminar flow zone. The rheological evaluation of the hydromixture as a viscoplastic body has been conducted with use of measurements of viscosity. The curves of flow were approximated with use of the generalized Vočadlo model. The Darcy friction factor λ of the pipeline was determined with use of the non-dimensional criterion λ(Regen) and λ(Re, He).