bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study the Immediate Effects of “Primal Reflex Release Technique™” Versus “Neural Tissue Mobilization” on Hip Flexor Tightness in Individuals with a Sedentary Lifestyle
Authors:   MPT, Neurology, Department of Physiotherapy, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India., Jain Muskan , Jha Manish Kumar ,   Faculty, Neurology, Department of Physiotherapy, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India., Vijay Vamakshi ,   MPT, Neurology, Department of Physiotherapy, Swami Rama Himalayan University, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India.
Published: October 2024

Background: An inactive life can lead to various problems, such as tightness of muscles, decreased joint mobility, and decreased pliability, which can hinder daily activities. Prolonged sitting puts a lot of force on the muscles, increasing the risk of injury. Studies have shown that many people with desk jobs have tight iliopsoas muscles, resulting in lower strength, restricted hip movement, increased pelvic tilt, and excessive lower back curvature. Objective: This study investigates the immediate effectiveness of PRRT™ and NTM on hip flexor tightness in individuals with a sedentary lifestyle. The goal is to determine the most effective treatment approach to alleviate hip flexor tightness, thereby reducing associated risks and improving the quality of life for sedentary individuals. Study Design: Double-blinded Comparative Study Study Settings: In and around the Himalayan Institute of Medical Sciences, Dehradun Participants: 60 individuals with a sedentary lifestyle having tight hip flexors in the age group 18-45. Outcome measures: Hip Flexion Angle measured while performing Modified Thomas Test, Hip Extension Range. Result: A significant improvement is seen in hip flexion angle (p-value <0.001) and prone hip extension range (p-value <0.001) in both Groups A and B. However, on analysing and comparing the post-intervention results of both groups, no major difference was found in the outcome variables (p-value>0.05). Conclusion: This study concluded that both techniques are equally effective in reducing hip flexor tightness with a sedentary lifestyle and can mitigate associated risks and enhance the quality of life for sedentary individuals. KEYWORDS: Hip Flexors, Iliopsoas, PRRT, Neural Tissue Mobilization, Sedentary Lifestyle, Tightness.
CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE TERRITORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TATARSTAN
Authors:   Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Perevedentsev Yuri P. , Shantalinsky Konstantin M. ,   Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Mirsaeva Nadezhda A. ,   Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, Nikolaev Alexander A. ,   Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University
Published: October 2024

The paper looks at the dynamics of air temperature changes in Kazan in the 19th-21st centuries against the background of climatic processes occurring in the Northern hemisphere. The study used proven statistical methods of time series processing, correlation and trend analysis, and a Potter filter to isolate the low-frequency component. The fastest rate of warming in the region was established to occur in the winter-spring period. At the same time, the three decades between 1991 and 2021 turned out to be warmer in each month than the 5 previous three-decade periods. The contribution of the entire Northern Hemisphere to the fluctuations in the air temperature in Kazan was estimated (42% in winter and 27% in summer). It has been established that the average annual temperatures in Kazan and the entire Northern Hemisphere changed in the opposite phase until 1970. Since 1870, the winter temperature in Kazan has increased by 4.7°C. During the summer period, a ‘hump’ (warming) was detected on the low–frequency temperature curve in Kazan in the period 1920–1960, which can be explained by the fact that during this period the atmosphere in the Northern Hemisphere was more transparent (by 2%) than in the other periods. The consequences of climate change in the region in recent decades have had an effect on the dynamics of agro-climatic resources of Tatarstan. Several agrometeorological indicators were calculated, including the M.I. Budyko dryness index, the Selyaninov hydrothermal coefficient (HTC), and the Sapozhnikova moisture coefficient. According to the estimates made, there has been an increase in the duration of the growing season and the sum of effective temperatures, and also a weak trend toward increasing aridity in the summer period has emerged. Using ensemble calculations based on 40 climate models from the CMIP6 project, the paper provides an assessment of future climate changes in the region: the annual temperature in Kazan is expected to increase by 2.4°C by the end of the 21st century according to the ssp245 scenario. Under the ‘toughest’ ssp585 scenario, this increase will be 5.5°C.
SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY OF RUSSIA: UPDATE VECTORS
Authors:   Southern Federal University, Druzhinin Alexander G. ,   Institute of Geography of the RAS,   Institute of Economic Forecasting of the RAS, Kuznetsova Olga V. ,   Institute of Economic Forecasting of the RAS
Published: October 2024

The large-scale geopolitical and geo-economic changes inherent in the modern world order, complemented by prolonged economic, technological, and demographic trends, are projected onto the Russian space, correcting both its external contour and internal architecture. In this context, the discourse on targets, directions, and ways of activating the territorial socio-economic dynamics of the Russian Federation has revived, and the development of an updated strategy for its spatial development has been reinvigorated. Based on the tools of socio-geographical analysis, the study aims to identify the most important problem areas characteristic of modern Russia, dilemmas, alternatives, and priorities in the field of its spatial development, as well as to substantiate on this basis a conceptual approach to updating the key provisions of the current Spatial Development Strategy of the Russian Federation for the Period up to 2025. The paper notes the internal inconsistency of this document (the prevalence of orientation toward ‘alignment’ within the agglocentric model, the desire to combine centripetal trends with the search for formats to counteract the ‘compression’ of the developed space, etc.) and its simultaneous transitivity, susceptibility to innovation (‘municipalization’ of approaches, consideration of the ‘geopolitics factor’, etc.). The paper emphasizes the need to modify the Strategy by focusing on the exogenous determinants of Russia's spatial development (including the formation of ‘Greater Eurasia’), as well as its scientific, technological, and defense-industrial factors. We substantiate the reasonableness of a more consistent shift in emphasis to the stimulation of interregional and inter-municipal integration, to mutually supportive co-development of regions and municipalities within a single market, transport, logistics, and information space based on the balance of ‘Moscow-centrism’ with the development of other growth poles, expansion, and ‘interlayering’ of their spheres of influence.
GEOGRAPHY WITHOUT BORDERS: THE INFORMATION WEB PORTAL AND ITS POSSIBILITIES
Authors:   Perm State University, Zaitsev Andrey A. , Kulakova Svetlana A. ,   Perm State University, Frolova Irina V. ,   Perm State University, Kharin Roman V. ,   Perm State University
Published: October 2024

The problems of studying and teaching geography, highlighted in the Concept of Geographical Education(2018), have not lost their relevance at present. The new federal standard of basic general education and the content ofthe school geography course, special attention to geographic information and modern ICT in work with schoolchildrenand university applicants have determined the significance of localizing regional geographic and local history informationin the online space to ensure common access and interaction opportunities for stakeholders in the field of geographic andenvironmental education.Digital educational content and digital educational resources are not innovative solutions in expanding the possibilities of presenting school disciplines, but they are rare in implementing the tasks of developing and improving theregional educational system. The goal of the Geography Without Borders project is to improve continuous environmentaland geographical education by expanding the interaction between universities, schools, and employers through the introduction of platform-based, digital, and network tools. At the first stage of implementation, the project is of a regionalnature, it is filled with regional geographic and local history information.The web portal is developed on Evolution CMS, a free open-source solution for site management; Bootstrap CSSframework, designed for adaptive web development, is applied. HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and MySQL have beenused in the creation and operation of the site. The structure of this portal includes resource blocks for schoolchildren(research projects, Olympiad movement, independent educational resources, etc.), for geography teachers, a block foremployers, an information block for parents, and a block for the Perm Regional Branch of the Russian GeographicalSociety. The portal structure does not remain static. When user requests change, the portal is also ready to change andadapt to changes in the external and internal environment.The implementation of the project Geography Without Borders will make it possible to solve problems of regionalgeographical and environmental education, and of regional studies
STATIONARY STUDIES OF THE PRODUCTIVITY OF PLANT MATTER OF STEPPE FACIES OF TRANSECT TESTING AREAS IN SOUTHEAST TRANSBAIKALIA
Authors:   V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography SB RAS, Dubynina Svetlana S.
Published: October 2024

The article focuses on the productivity of plant matter of the steppes in the Onon-Argun District of Southeast Transbaikalia. Thesteppes of Transbaikalia represent the main repository of vegetation cover. They are located in the center of the Asian continent and are limited bycoordinates 50oN, 116oE. Two transect testing areas – Kharanorsky and Tsagan-Cholotuysky – were chosen for the study as model sites. Thischoice was due to the features of the landscape structure forming landscape-ecological series where facies are interfaced with each other. On thebasis of a long-term stationary study, the dynamics of aboveground and underground plant matter reserves were taken into account. The mainreserves of plant matter of the geosystems were found to be concentrated in the underground mass. Most of the root mass (from 88 to 95% of itstotal stock) is concentrated in a half-meter layer of soil. The study revealed specific conditions of the facies of the conservation regime, faciesaffected by economic use, and also those in conditionally natural environment. Each facies is characterized by its own dynamics of phytomassreserves due to the bioclimatic situation of the current year; sharp fluctuations in precipitation at the beginning or end of summer significantly affectthe amount of phytomass created. According to the research results, aboveground mass reserves in the facies of the first transect testing area underany research regime are arranged in the row III>IV>V>II>VI>I, while on the second testing area with the economic regime they are arranged in the row XVII>XVI>XII>XXI>XIX>XIV>XI. Spatio-temporal models of seasonal dynamics have been created, which can be used to assesschanges in the aboveground and underground mass in the conjugate series of the studied facies during the growing season. It has been establishedthat for each facies, the maximum accumulation of phytomass during the growing season is achieved within a specific period that is only characteristic of this particular facies and consistent with changes in hydrothermal conditions.
DYNAMICS OF ETHNIC HETEROGENEITY IN RUSSIAN REGIONS FROM 1959 TO 2021
Authors:   Pskov State University, Terenina Natalia K.
Published: October 2024

In the post-Soviet period, there has occurred a change in the main trends in the transformation of the ethnic space ofRussia, although some of them were laid down in the late Soviet period. The study aims to develop a classification of Russian regionsaccording to the dynamics of ethnic heterogeneity in the late Soviet period (from 1959 to 1989) and the post-Soviet period (from 1989to 2021). The paper examines the features of using such indicators of ethnic heterogeneity of territories as entropy, indices of ethnicpolarization and mosaic. To assess the dynamics of ethnic heterogeneity of the regions, the ethnic mosaic index (Eckel index) wasused. The classification of regions was carried out with the help of a cartographic technique that allows combining two most importantcharacteristics of ethnodemographic dynamics – the change in the proportion of the Russian population and the ethnic mosaic index.According to the nature of the dynamics of these indicators in the late Soviet and post-Soviet periods, classes of Russian regions weredistinguished (five for each period). The study showed that from 1959 to 1989 there prevailed the process of relative alignment of theethnic composition of the population in the regions of Russia. That period was characterized by an increasing ethnic heterogeneity ofboth the majority of regions formed not on the basis of nationality and national-territorial entities. Between 1989 and 2021 the processof regional ethnic polarization became predominant in Russia. It was expressed in growing mono-ethnicity in, on the one hand, theoverwhelming majority of regions with predominance of the Russian population and, on the other hand, most of the republics. Duringthat period, the process of ‘pulling’ the titular peoples into their national-territorial entities manifested itself to the fullest extent.
FEATURES OF INTRADAY FLUCTUATIONS IN WATER QUALITY INDICATORS OBSERVED IN THE KAMA RESERVOIR
Authors:   Mining Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lepikhin Anatoly P. , Lyubimova Tatyana P. ,   Institute of Continuous Media Mechanics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Bogomolov Andrey V. ,   Mining Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Oputin Maksim A. ,   Mining Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sintsova Tatyana N. ,   Mining Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Published: October 2024

To solve a wide range of problems related to the protection and rational use of water bodies, it is fundamentallyimportant to assess fluctuations in the variability of indicators of their chemical composition. In this case, as a rule, seasonal and monthly fluctuations are considered and analyzed. This is due, most of all, to the features of the current monitoring system. The transition to automated measurement systems makes it possible to study and analyze much shorter-period processes, such as inter- andintra-day fluctuations.Currently, these fluctuations in water quality indicators in reservoirs are an insufficiently studied phenomenon, although theyplay an important role both in shaping the consumer properties of water and ensuring the environmental safety of water bodies. Thesefluctuations are especially relevant for water bodies located in zones of active technogenesis, which are the most important sources ofwater supply for the largest industrial complexes.The article examines the processes recorded in two sections of the Kama Reservoir: the lower one, directly adjacent to theKama Hydroelectric Power Station, and the upper one, located in the zone of pinching out of its backwater. In the lower section, thequality of water taken in winter is characterized by pronounced inter- and intra-day fluctuations caused by significant changes in waterdischarge rates in the lower pool. At the same time, in the upper section of the reservoir, located in the zone of backwater wedging out,these fluctuations are observed in the warm period, during the formation of vertical stratification of water masses. These phenomenaoccur with a significant decrease in the slopes of the water surface and, accordingly, a decrease in current speeds.
A thematic analysis of tourism scholarly articles in North Korea: Focusing on the articles published in ‘Economic Research’ in 2012~2019
Authors:   The Tourism Sciences Society Of Korea, Chung Jin-Young
Published: October 2024

The purpose of this study was to explore how the scholarly discourses on tourism studies emerged and evolved within North Korea by analyzing the main research themes that appeared in a North Korean scholarly journal, “Economic Research”, from 2012 to 2019. A total of 40 scholarly articles containing the terms “tourism,” “hotel,” and “travel agency” in their titles were analyzed, covering the period from Kim Jong-un's inaugural era in 2012 to right before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. Using thematic analysis, the tourism articles published in Economic Research were divided into two main periods: from 2012 to 2016, which focused on a basic understanding and general overviews of the tourism industry, and from 2017 to 2019, when more detailed topics related to tourism management were explored and an increasing number of articles were published. Additionally, new themes such as ecotourism and international tourism market trends emerged during the second period. The diversity of research themes and the inclusion of international case studies suggest that North Korean scholars are actively collecting and analyzing materials and information on current tourism trends. The findings of this study provide insights into how North Korea perceives and accepts tourism as a socioeconomic phenomenon and are expected to contribute to the sustainable development of inter-Korean tourism exchange and cooperation in the future.
An analysis of the Formation Process of the ‘Jeju Environmental Conservation Contribution(Tourism Tax)' System: Application of Policy Streams Model
Authors:   The Tourism Sciences Society Of Korea, Jang Hee-Sun , Kim Seokyung , Kim Kyunghee , Lee Hoon
Published: October 2024

Jeju Special Self-Governing Province has been reviewing the introduction of a tourism system related to a Tourism Tax for the environmental conservation of tourist destinations since 2012. However, the system, now referred to as the ‘Environmental Conservation Contribution,’ was ultimately postponed in May 2024 due to legal issues, political interests, negative public opinion regarding the system’s introduction, and a lack of supporting evidence. This study analyzes the process through the application of Kingdon(1984)’s Policy Streams Model(PSM), noting that discussions surrounding the ‘Jeju Environmental Conservation Contribution’, which faced long-standing challenges, did not follow a rational policy process due to differences in stakeholder opinions and the fluid nature of the system’s details. The anaylsis identified two main factors congributing to the difficulty in introducing the Jeju Environmental Conservation Contribution System. First, the window for policy decision-making did not open because the problem stream, policy alternatives stream, and political stream were not aligned, largely due to the insufficient formation of the political stream. Second, the policy leader who held significant influence in aligning these three streams, were unable to strongly lead the introduction of the system to it’s conclusion. Based on the research results, the practical implications of this study are as follows. First, for the successful implementation of the system, political efforts to persuade the public and shape public opinion are essential. Additionally, effective policy PR strategies are needed to foster social consensus through negotiations with multilateral consultative bodies and to enhance public awareness of the system. Second, it suggests that a logical and reasonable design that can change and persuade public perception is necessary when designing policy alternatives. Third, policy leaders should lead changes in the national atmosphere and public opinion formation based on professional knowledge and resources, and combine the three streams of the policy formation process with innovative strategies. The academic contribution of this study is that it lies in its application of empirical research using policy theory in the field of tourism studies, by clearly identifying the complex factors and problems involved in the introduction of the tourism system. Furthermore, this study enhances the clarity and objectivity of the analysis by refining the factors analyzed in the existing Policy Streams Model.
Tourism sign systems and meaning construction: A conceptual approach based on Ferdinand de Saussure’s structuralist linguistics
Authors:   The Tourism Sciences Society Of Korea, Cho Kwang-Eik
Published: October 2024

This study explores the objective structures and mechanisms that generate meaning in tourism through a semiotic approach. It conceptualizes tourism as a non-linguistic sign system and reconfigures the tourism framework accordingly. Drawing on Saussure’s structural linguistics, the research examines the structures that underpin meaning creation in the tourism sign system. First, Ferdinand de Saussure’s views on language and epistemology are reviewed, along key concepts such as langue and parole, signifier and signified, syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, and synchrony and diachrony. The study differentiates between signifier and signified in tourism signs, emphasizing that the ‘langue of tourism’ is not an independent 'substance' with inherent “content” but rather a “form” and “social fact” collectively constructed in the minds of potential tourists’ mind. Meaning in tourism emerges through syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations, demonstrating how meaning is produced in the tourism sign system. Through this process, the objective structures and mechanisms of meaning creation in the tourism sign system are revealed. This study complements prior semiotic research by providing a framework for understanding the objective foundations that enable subjective tourist experiences. Finally, the implications and limitations of this study are discussed.
How Have the Courts Decided What De Minimis is in Tax Law?
Authors: De Lange Silke , Malan Monique Tessa
Published: October 2024

This article analyses how South African courts have decided the applicability of the de minimis non curat lex maxim and, more broadly, considered the de minimis concept in tax law. A doctrinal research methodology is employed with the focus on an analysis of predominantly reported judicial decisions. The applicability of the maxim is found to be decisive in only one tax case: the Diageo SA (Pty) Ltd v Commissioner for the South African Revenue Service case of 5 July 2023. Consequently, this study thus also reviews judicial precedent in respect of the applicability of the maxim in other areas of the law with consideration of the relevance to tax law. Further, several tax cases that refer to the broader de minimis concept or to trivial or trifling matters are examined. As there is no one definitive test to determine the applicability of the maxim, the courts have used several factors to guide their determination. Through inductive reasoning, the following conclusions are drawn. (i) In respect of statutory interpretation: First, the primary factor in the determination of the applicability of the maxim is the purpose of the provision. This is aptly demonstrated in the Diageo judgment. Secondly, where the statute sets a clear, objectively verifiable limit or amount, there is essentially no room for the application of the maxim in interpreting the statute. Where, however, no such verifiable basis is provided, a purposive interpretation is paramount – which may in fact require the application of the maxim. (ii) The use of the de minimis concept in tax law appears to depend on whether the matter is one of principle (substance) or practicality (administrability). In the former case, the amount (the factor of extent or value) is irrelevant whereas in the latter, the de minimis concept has been applied.
All You Need is Recalcitrance; A Stengerian Fable for Psychology
Authors: Antolínez David
Published: October 2024

Recalcitrance is a form of resistance particularly relevant to human sciences. This essay explores how Isabelle Stengers outlined this topic from a critical reading of certain experiments in the history of psychology. Since living beings cannot remain indifferent to the proofs and interrogations they are submitted, scientists must remain attentive to avoid the frequent feature of pliability by which the studied subject adapts its behavior to satisfy the experimenter’s expectations. Further developments have proposed this concept as a demarcation criterion for good and bad experiments for psychology. The second half of the essay offers an auto-ethnographic account of my own clinician practice. From a series of empirical vignettes, a speculative fabulation is woven to explore whether Stenger’s thesis on recalcitrance could and/or should be implemented in psychotherapy.
Resistance as (Re)creation
Authors: Krzywoszynski Przemyslaw , Gan-Krzywoszynska Katarzyna
Published: October 2024

The paper analyzes creative aspect of resistance. Inspired by Ernesto Sabato’s book (2013) and Stéphane Hessel’s manifesto, we want to present some remarks on resistance as (re)creation from dialogical perspective, i.e. recreation of dialogical relation with oneself, with nature, with others and with spiritual beings. Firstly, following Sabato, we analyze resistance to vertigo as paramount disconnection caused by chaotic life that disintegrates every dialogical relationship. Secondly, we consider reclaiming time as a form of resistance and we present the slow movement as an act of resistance. Thirdly, we analyze analogies between two oppositions: stimulus vs. challenge and product vs. flower/fruit. Then we briefly refer to Reyes Mate’s project culture of memory as resistance to injustice and oblivion. In conclusions, we point out the role of analogy in dialogue and in resistance in art and protest.
Forme et résistances, formes politiques de résistances
Authors: Gaudin Jean Pierre
Published: October 2024

En se référant à T. Adorno, on pourrait avancer que les arts plastiques sont en soi, de par « leur action transformatrice », résistance à l’ordre social et politique. À l’époque, cet auteur avait particulièrement en tête les Avants-gardes de l’art moderne. Mais est-ce que son analyse peut résister elle-même face à de nouveaux contextes et époques?
A Comprehensive Framework for Research-based Learning to Elevate Undergraduate Research
Authors:   Associate Professor, Department of Computer Engineering, Thakur College of Engineering and Technology, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Sharma Rekha , Sharma Urvi
Published: October 2024

Objectives: This study proposes a comprehensive framework for Research-based Learning (RBL) that actively engages undergraduate students from diverse disciplines in collaborative research, and aims to enhance their problem-solving and research skills. Methods: RBL was introduced in the 2020-21 curriculum for six engineering branches at Thakur College of Engineering & Technology (TCET), Mumbai, and was expanded to include three additional branches in 2023-24. It comprises four courses namely RBL1, RBL2, RBL3, and RBL4, spanning from the third to the final year. RBL activities were designed and implemented for over 4,300 students from 2020 to 2024. Findings: The outcomes of RBL activities were analyzed based on students’ achievements at the end of each semester. Application of the framework across different engineering branches for 4 years produced tangible outcomes in the form of an increase in in-house publications, participation in project competitions, and improved students' skills contributing to individual growth and institutional branding. The number of publications in TCET increased from 133 to 274 from 2022 to 2024. The total prize money received by students through participation in different project competitions amounted to INR 9.44 lakhs. The effectiveness of the framework is evaluated through online feedback surveys. A survey of 605 students consisting of 5 questions yielded 87.76% positive responses, while a survey of 83 teachers consisting of 9 questions showed positive feedback ranging from 90% to 96.4%. The successful research outcomes and positive feedback from students and teachers support the implementation of the framework in other institutions offering degree programs. Novelty: The RBL framework is integrated into the undergraduate engineering curriculum, providing time-bound achievements. It offers flexibility for online and offline use and is scalable for large groups of undergraduate students. Keywords: Research-based learning (RBL), Undergraduate research (UR), Research outcomes, Publications, Problem-solving skills
Hierarchical Attention and Contextual Embedding for Robust Sarcasm Detection
Authors:   Research Scholar, Department of Computer Science, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, 620002, Tamil Nadu, India, Davidson G Paul , Ravindran D , Nirmal V Jude , Pratheeba R Anne
Published: October 2024

Objective: The study aims to develop a technique for sarcasm detection in social media text to enrich the sentiment analysis. Methods: The methodology used in the present research is as follows: emotion-embedded vectors for capturing the emotional content of the text, dynamic contextual modulation for the adaption of the model to the given context, and Hierarchical attention mechanism for segmentation of the text at the different level of abstraction. Findings: Evaluation with the test set proved that the proposed model achieved accuracy rates 89% higher than the benchmark models. Including these several complicated methods helped achieve greater accuracy and F1 measures, contributing to sarcasm detection efficiency. Novelty: This approach ensures that vital sarcastic alerts are detected, providing a better text analysis and increasing sentiment analysis's accuracy and robustness. Keywords: Sarcasm detection, Sentiment analysis, Natural language processing, Deep learning, Opinion mining
Water bodies and hydrographic zoning of the territory of Lithuania
Authors:   Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine, Khilchevskyi V.K.
Published: October 2024

The article is devoted to the study of water bodies and hydrographic zoning of the territory of Lithuania – a member state of the EU, one of the largest states among the three Baltic states. Climatic conditions (average annual precipitation of 656 mm) and the relief of the country’s territory (alternation of lowland plains and hilly uplands) contributed to the formation of the main feature of the hydrographic network, which is its sufficiently high density (0.99 km/km2). And the relatively small territory of the country led to pronounced cross-border nature of large rivers belonging to the Baltic Sea basin, which washes Lithuania (Curonian Bay). With about 29,000 watercourses on the territory of the country, only 21 rivers have a length of more than 100 km, and 11 of them are transboundary. The main watercourse of Lithuania, the transboundary river Nyamunas (Neman), which also flows through Belarus and the Russian Federation, occupies about 66 % of the country’s territory. According to hydrographic zoning, 4 areas of river basins are distinguished on the territory of Lithuania: Nyamunas, Lielupe, Venta, Daugava. The Nyamunas RBD includes the Nyamunas river basin itself, which covers 65.9% of the country’s territory, a group of coastal river basins (4.4% of the country’s territory) and a small part of the Pregolya river basin (0.1% of the country’s territory). which flows in the Kaliningrad region on the territory of the Russian Federation. There are about 6000 lakes on the territory of the country, which are mainly located in the northeastern part of the country – in the Lithuanian Lake District. The largest among them is Lake Drukshyai (Drysvyaty), which has an area of 44.8 km2. There are about 3400 reservoirs and ponds in the country, but only 340 of them occupy an area of more than 5 hectares; most artificial reservoirs were built in the second half of the 20th century. In the country, considerable attention is paid to the preservation of wetlands. 7 Lithuanian objects are included in the list of the Ramsar Convention and the nature protection network of EU member states (Natura 2000). About 5% of the territory of Lithuania is covered by wetlands, which are classified as peatlands. Therefore, a number of telmological (wetlands) nature reserves have been created in the country, the list of which includes 107 objects.
La Dolce Vita? Helping Intercultural Couples in Italy Navigate Relational Challenges
Authors: Salvioni Paola
Published: October 2024

Intercultural couples have a diversity that can both enrich their relationship and add layers of complexity, multiplying the potential for misunderstandings. What is often invisible to the couple is how their cultural backgrounds inform how they perceive themselves, each other, and the relationship. These differences can become more accentuated when the couple is in conflict. Counselors working with intercultural couples need a firm grasp on their own cultural background, knowledge of the couple’s cultures, and the skills to identify and navigate those differences. Partly written as a personal narrative, this article will explore my work with intercultural couples (primarily Italian men and U.S. women) as a counselor in Florence, Italy, and share insights that may be useful to other practitioners working with intercultural couples.
The Use of MPR Scales of Development in the Assessment of Children at Risk of ASD
Authors: Ilyunceva A.A. , Movchan A.A. , Uskova O.A.
Published: October 2024

Objectives. Early diagnosis of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) allows parents to assess the validity of their concerns, develop individual support programs, and begin working with the child as early as possible, which will lead to greater success in educational support. To achieve these goals, a comprehensive assessment is needed, including the use of standardized tools for assessing the level of current development and identifying special characteristics of children’s functioning. In order to determine the level of development, the possibilities of using the Merril-Palmer Revised (MPR) Development Scales in assessment of children with ASD were studied.

Methods. The pilot study involved eight children (5 toddlers and 3 preschoolers; 6 males, 2 females; Mage=2.8, SD=0.8). Children were divided into “risk of ASD” and “autism” diagnostic groups according to their ADOS-2 results. All participants were also tested using the MPR. Statistical analysis was conducted in IBM SPSS Statistics 23, using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis with Pearson and Spearman criteria.

Results. According to the data obtained, the development index of all children is below the age norm (M=52, SD=26), ranging from “significant developmental delay” to “below average developmental level” and does not depend on the severity of autistic symptoms. It was found that scores in the cognitive sphere correlate positively with scores obtained in fine motor skills (r=0,93, p=0,01); visual-motor coordination (r=0,95, p=0,01); speech comprehension (r=0,87, p=0,01). The results on the scale assessing protest behavior during the examination cor relate negatively with the level of development of the socio-emotional sphere (r=–0,75, p=0,05) and self-care skills (r=–0,79, p=0,05).

Conclusions. Experience using the MPR Scales in evaluation of toddlers and preschoolers with ASD has shown that the tool is informative and allows a comprehensive assessment of developmental indicators in children with this nosology, which suggests its use in developing effective interventions. The limitation of the study is the small sample size, and the results obtained are planned to be verified with a larger number of participants.
Relocation of the 8 September 2023 High Atlas, Morocco, Earthquake Aftershock Sequence
Authors: Bondár István , Timoulali Youssef , Chiang Andrea , Hni Lahcen , Kasmi Mohamed
Published: October 2024

The earthquake that occurred on 8 September 2023, with a magnitude of 6.8, was the most destructive earthquake event in Morocco in the past decade. This earthquake took place in the Al Haouz region, located in the western part of the High Atlas Mountain range. To better understand what caused and triggered this earthquake, the earthquake catalogs including P and S arrival times were collected from the Moroccan seismic network and combined with regional data from the International Seismological Centre. The mainshock and aftershocks were relocated by using iLoc, a state-of-the-art single-event location algorithm, and then by the multiple event location double-difference algorithm, hypoDD. The improved earthquake relocations using iLoc and the double-difference methods provide sharper lineation of seismicity and agree well with tomographic images of the earthquake zone. The seismicity distribution and the focal mechanism of the mainshock indicate that the earthquake sequence has occurred along the South Atlas fault system.
Searching the InSight Seismic Data for Mars’s Background-Free Oscillations
Authors: Durán Cecilia , Khan Amir , Kemper Johannes , Fernandes Iris , Mosegaard Klaus , Tromp Jeroen , Dugué Marion , Sollberger David , Giardini Domenico
Published: October 2024

Mars’s atmosphere has theoretically been predicted to be strong enough to continuously excite Mars’s background-free oscillations, potentially providing an independent means of verifying radial seismic body-wave models of Mars determined from marsquakes and meteorite impacts recorded during the Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport (InSight) mission. To extract the background-free oscillations, we processed and analyzed the continuous seismic data, consisting of 966 Sols (a Sol is equivalent to a Martian day), collected by the Mars InSight mission using both automated and manual deglitching schemes to remove nonseismic disturbances. We then computed 1-Sol-long autocorrelations for the entire data set and stacked these to enhance any normal-mode peaks present in the spectrum. We find that while peaks in the stacked spectrum in the 2–4 mHz frequency band align with predictions based on seismic body-wave models and appear to be consistent across the different processing and stacking methods applied, unambiguous detection of atmosphere-induced free oscillations in the Martian seismic data nevertheless remains difficult. This possibly relates to the limited number of Sols of data that stack coherently and the continued presence of glitch-related signal that affects the seismic data across the normal-mode frequency range (∼1–10 mHz). Improved deglitching schemes may allow for clearer detection and identification in the future.
Non-philosophers’ Judgements of Metaphysical Explanations are Context-Sensitive
Authors: Latham Andrew J. , Miller Kristie
Published: October 2024

Empirical investigation of the conditions under which people prefer, or disprefer, causal explanation, has suggested to many that our judgements about what causally explains what are context-sensitive in a number of ways. This has led many to suppose that whether or not a causal explanation obtains depends on contextual factors: that causal explanation is context-sensitive. Surprisingly, most accounts of metaphysical explanation, by contrast, suppose it to be context insensitive. Only recently have accounts been developed of metaphysical explanation on which it is context-sensitive. To date, however, there is no empirical evidence about the context sensitivity of metaphysical explanation. In what follows we test the judgements of non-philosophers, and find that amongst non-philosophers, at least, metaphysical explanations are context-sensitive. We then consider the implications of this finding for theorising about metaphysical explanation.
Fregean Aletheic Objectualism, the Flaw of False Assertion, and Truth as a Norm of Assertion
Authors: Kim Junyeol
Published: October 2024

Gottlob Frege is an aletheic objectualist who regards truth as an object. For him, truth is the truth-value True, which is an object referred to by true sentences. Some interpreters argue that Frege’s claim that the True is an object is merely a byproduct of the technical features of his formal logic, Begriffsschrift. However, Frege’s works instead suggest that aletheic objectualism constitutes his philosophical position on the metaphysics of truth. Although Fregean aletheic objectualism may seem counterintuitive and unfruitful, it is, in fact, quite useful. Viewing truth as an object provides a new explanation for why there is a pro tanto reason to consider false assertion flawed. This explanation in turn strengthens support for the popular view that assertion is a norm-laden speech act.
Personal Identity: Analytic Metaphysics in Dialogue with Thomistic Anthropology
Authors: Politz Michael Salvatore
Published: October 2024

This paper investigates personal identity theories within analytic philosophy and their relation to the Thomistic conception of the human subject. Within it, I argue that by adopting one theory of personal identity over another some distinct feature of the human individual is left out. To encapsulate the underlying truth of what these theories of personal identity seek to present, an examination of the concept of “the self” is given in an attempt to provide cohesion to the various theories of personal identity. However, after delving into “the self,” I show it also leaves out essential parts of the human individual. With the unification of analytic philosophy’s personal identity theories proving difficult within its own attempts via “the self,” I propose looking to the Thomistic tradition to provide a larger structure onto which these theories may adhere. Through Thomistic anthropology, I show that these theories of personal identity are unified through the larger metaphysical picture of the Thomistic human subject. By utilizing the overarching notion of the Thomistic human subject, personal identity theories may be unified as they work to elucidate specifically what Thomism can show foundationally.
The Social and the Individual: Reduction without Identity
Authors: Baumann Peter
Published: October 2024

This paper explores the relationship between social and individual phenomena, advocating for a form of analytical individualism that incorporates both ontological and explanatory holism. The first part of the paper addresses foundational ontological questions, arguing for the reduction of social facts to individual behaviors without equating them in identity. In the second part, the discussion focuses on collective intentionality, particularly through a critical examination of John Searle’s account. I argue that while collective intentionality offers useful insights into the nature of social institutions, it faces principled limitations when applied to broader social phenomena. The paper ultimately supports a non-identifying reductive individualism, which recognizes the social as grounded in individual actions while avoiding simplistic reductions. This approach, I contend, provides a more coherent framework for understanding the complex interaction between individual and social processes, as well as the ontological status of social facts.
Improving Female Health at Various Life Stages
Authors: Shirdel Elham , Rahimi Farinaz , Jafarzadeh Masoumeh , Abdi Fatemeh , Rahnemaei Fatemeh A
Published: October 2024

This systematic review study aimed to investigate the impact of date fruit products on female health at different stages of their lives. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the risk of bias(RoB) assessment tool.  After reviewing 21 eligible studies concluded that, date fruits have a beneficial impact on puberty, reproduction, and menopause periods. During puberty, the consumption of date fruits improved hemoglobin levels in adolescent girls. In reproductive age, date fruits have positive effects on fertility parameters and the sexual function of women and men. Furthermore, in the menopausal period, date fruits improve dyspareunia and help to maintain better ovarian reserves. Supporting women with proper nutrition and enhancing their diet can lead to cost savings compared to medical interventions, and is considered a key preventive measure for improving women's health. By offering simple advice, women can enhance their quality of life and better cope with life's challenges.
Изготовление электродов на основе пористого графеноподобного углерода из биомассы для суперконденсаторов с высокой производительностью
Authors: Дүйсенбек А.Н. , Бейсенова Е.Е. , Асқарұлы Қ. , Бейсенов Р.Е. , Кұдайбергенов А.Д. , Тұрсынтай С. , Приходько Н. Г.
Published: October 2024

В данной работе представлены результаты применения пористого графеноподобного углерода из кофейных отходов в качестве активного материала электродов суперконденсаторов. Графеноподобный углерод (ГПУ) был получен путем карбонизации кофейных отходов (КО) при 550 °C с последующей термохимической активацией с KOH в соотношении 1:4 при температуре 850 °C. Структура и морфология полученного ГПУ-КО исследована методами сканирующей электронной микроскопии (СЭМ), Брунауэра-Эммета-Теллера (БЭТ), а также Рамановской спектроскопии. Полученный ГПУ-КО был использован в качестве активного материала при сборке электродов для двухслойного электрохимического суперконденсатора. Измерения вольтамперных и электрохимических характеристик суперконденсаторов проводили на потенциостате-гальваностате. СЭМ-снимки карбонизованного ГПУ-КО показали развитую трехмерную микро- и мезопористую структуру. Термохимическая активация карбонизованного ГПУ-КО с КОН привела к образованию трехмерного каркаса из графеноподобного углерода с удельной поверхностью 2136 м2/г. Рамановские спектры ГПУ-КО определили наличие D и G колебательных мод углерода, а также наличие пика 2D, характерного для многослойного графена с многочисленными структурными дефектами. Электрохимические характеристики собранного суперконденсатора соответствуют следующим значениям: удельная емкость – 223 Ф/г при плотности тока 0,5 А/г, циклическая стабильность с сохранением емкости – не менее 95 % после 5000 циклов. Полученные результаты демонстрируют эффективность применения полученного пористого ГПУ-КО в качестве активного материала электродов в суперконденсаторах с высоким рабочим напряжением.
DIURNAL PREFERENCES AND SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS
Authors: Skorvagova Eva , Vlckova Andrea
Published: October 2024

Diurnal preferences, also known as chronotypes, are individual differences in biological rhythms that influence physical and mental activity during certain parts of the day. This study investigates the relationship between diurnal preferences and school achievement in students in vocational engineering subjects, with a focus on the practical implications for educational strategies. The research population comprised 209 (100%) pupils from a vocational engineering school. We identified chronotypes (morning, evening and neutral chronotypes) using the Morning and Evening Types Questionnaire - The Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) (Horne, Östberg, 1976). We assessed school achievement (study results) by the arithmetic mean of school grades in vocational engineering subjects. The results showed that pupils with the morning chronotype performed significantly better in school achievement than those with the evening chronotype (p = 0.015). These findings underscore the need to consider individual biological rhythms in educational strategies.