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This study examines successful and intensive free-trade policies in Estonia and Latvia, which exist despite the low-levels of domestic welfare in these countries. In contrast to the conventional elite-centric approach, this study uses a survey experiment to explore rationales for positive public opinion toward free trade policy. The results reveal that an individual exposed to the stimulus of a strategic security issue or consumer consideration tends to support free trade. These effects are evident among Latvians and highly-educated Estonians. Furthermore, the favorable international environment enhances the positive public opinion of free trade in Estonia and Latvia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) is expressed abundantly in adipose tissues and represses cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB)-mediated gene expression by phosphorylating the coactivator transducer of regulated CREB activity (TORC2). Phosphorylation at [Ser.sup.587] of SIK2 diminishes its TORC2 phosphorylation activity. In 3T3-LI white adipocytes, SIK2 downregulates lipogenic gene in response to nutritional stresses. To investigate the impact of SIK2 on the function of brown adipose tissue (BAT), we used T37i brown adipocytes, mice with diet-induced obesity, and SIK2 mutant (S587A) transgenic mice. When T37i adipocytes were treated with insulin, the levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-coactivator-l[alpha] (PGC-1[alpha]) and uncoupling protein-1 (UCP-1) mRNA were increased, and the induction was inhibited by overexpression of SIK2 (S587A) mutant or dominant-negative CREB. Insulin enhanced SIK2 phosphorylation at [Ser.sup.587], which was accompanied by decrease in phospho-TORC2. Similarly, the decrease in the level of SIK2 phosphorylation at [Ser.sup.587] was observed in the BAT of mice with diet-induced obesity, which was negatively correlated with TORC2 phosphorylation. To confirm the negative correlation between SIK2 phosphorylation at [Ser.sup.587] and TORC2 phosphorylation in BAT, SIK2 mutant (S587A) was overexpressed in adipose tissues by using the adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein 2 promoter. The expression of recombinant SIK2 (S587A) was restricted to BAT, and the levels of phospho-TORC2 were elevated in BAT of transgenic mice. Male transgenic mice developed high-fat diet-induced obesity, and their BAT expressed low levels of PGC-1[alpha] and UCP-1 mRNA, suggesting that SIK2-TORC2 cascade may be important for the regulation of PGC-1[alpha] and UCP-1 gene expression in insulin signaling in BAT. salt-inducible kinase 2; peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorcoactivator-l[alpha]; uncoupling protein-l; brown adipocyte; adenosine 5',3'-cyclic monophosphate-response element-binding protein

This article looks at Estonia and Latvia to investigate how minority activists understand and respond to changing opportunity structures at the European level after their countries joined the European Union and conditionalities pressures faded. Using a combined quantitative–qualitative approach, we show that minority activists have no illusions about the EU’s capacity (and willingness) to intervene in their favor, but at the same time they are not likely to abandon the European arena. Rather, they display what we call “critical trust” towards the EU – a change in the quality of trust rather than only in its quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of the research presented in this article is to highlight differences in inter-ethnic political relations on minority issues in Latvia and Estonia, and how the varied structures of their political party competitions have affected the ethno-political landscapes of the two countries. Though Estonia and Latvia had similar starting points with their respective minority questions, the political elites in both republics have demonstrated different responses to this issue, and inter-ethnic political relations in Latvia and Estonia have demonstrated divergent paths. While the citizenship and language laws of Latvia adopted or amended by majority parties are still restrictive, those of Estonia are relatively less so. The Russophone minorities in Latvia have intensified their support for ethnic parties, while in Estonia no ethnic party currently has any seats in the national parliament. Moreover, Russophone residents in Latvia organize political rallies or movements more often than in Estonia. The party systems of Latvia and Estonia are significantly important as an explanatory factor for this variance. Under the fragmented party system in Latvia, ethnic majorities' political elites exploit ethnic issues to mobilize support from Latvian voters and to win popularity over political rivals. This has generated spiralling dynamics of restrictive policies and political protests by Russian-speakers. In contrast, Estonian political elites function under a relatively consolidated party system and, instead, seek to incorporate Russophone voters to win elections. This has resulted in relatively few protests by minorities and ethnic entrepreneurs failing to mobilize within the political sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The strength of retrofitted vinylon-fiber-chip-reinforced concrete cylindrical shells was investigated, both experimentally and numerically. Three kinds of retrofits to the damaged shells were adopted in this paper. These are precut retrofit, filler retrofit and sheeting retrofit. The precut retrofit was defined as the method worked to cut the region adjacent to the damaged boundary to be smoothed in order to avoid the stress concentration. The filler retrofit was defined as the method made by filling the region with the non-contracted mortar after applying by the precut retrofit. The sheeting retrofit was defined as the method worked on the surface of the region covered with the carbon fiber sheets after applying by the filler retrofit. The concrete was artificially damaged before it was evaluated by a loading experiment, and the retrofit applied to the damaged shells was realized by the three kinds of retrofitting methods described above. In the experimental study, a static point load was applied perpendicularly onto the retrofitted cylindrical shell specimens until the cracking pattern was obtained by applying the ultimate strength. In the numerical analysis, nonlinear finite element analysis was applied. The numerical tension stiffening after concrete cracking occurred was investigated by variable parameters considering the ultimate strain and the intensity of stress on the basis of simplified linear relationships between tensile strain and tensile stress in comparison of the loading experiment. The strength of the retrofitted vinylon-fiber-chip-reinforced concrete shells is discussed on the basis of the results of the numerical analysis and the experiment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]