bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stage nature of Raymond Carver’s short stories
Authors: Kharrasova Elvira Alfredovna , Torres Ramirez Jose Valentin
Published: April 2024

The interest of theater directors in R. Carver’s short stories and their adaptability to the demands of the stage opens up new frontiers for the study of his novellas. The texts meet the demands of the stage/screen due to several features. The writer preferred a “dramatized” way of reflecting reality. The aim of this research is to identify the stage characteristics of R. Carver’s texts. The scientific novelty of the paper consists, on the one hand, in identifying the unique thematic and stylistic features of Carver’s writings, his place in American literature, as well as in the context of world literature, and, on the other hand, the paper expands the boundaries of the literary canon, enriching the cultural experience of researchers in Russia. The uniqueness of the research lies in advancing our understanding of the literary genre. By expanding the boundaries of the genre, clarifying its historical evolution, analyzing reader reception, exploring intertextual connections, and assessing literary influence, such a paper makes a valuable contribution to the field of literary studies. The research findings have shown that R. Carver’s experiments with drama and screenplays were reflected in his prose works and manifested themselves in the creation of the “stage story”. The elements of drama used in short stories help recreate an atmosphere of mystery and arouse interest in what is happening off-screen. Dramatic techniques are found at various levels of the narrative: in the composition of the material, in the construction of dialogues of the stories, in attention to the inner life of the characters, expressed in the external, for example, in the description of gestures.
Gender stereotypes in Spanish-language women’s advertising: A translation aspect
Authors: Toporkova Yulia Alexandrovna
Published: April 2024

The aim of the study is to identify gender markers in modern Spanish-language women’s advertising and the ways of their adaptation when translated into Russian. The study is novel in that it is the first to analyze the implementation of gender stereotypes in advertising texts based on Spanish. Gender markers of the original advertisements have been identified: figurative and stylistic means; emotionally evaluative vocabulary; phraseological units with the components “confidence”, “success”. As a result of the study, the manipulative tactics of Spanish women’s advertising have been identified: tactics of persuasion, tactics of suggestion, tactics of affirmation, tactics of addressing. It has been found that the impact on the recipient is carried out through assertive and declarative phrases; modal and imperative forms; rhetorical questions and direct questions to the addressee; as well as through the use of addressing techniques and polite suggestion. Translation techniques for conveying gender markers in Russian translation have been identified: the technique of differentiation, stylistic substitution, addition, omission, descriptive translation, holistic transformation, as well as rewriting tactics. It has been proven that transcreation is an effective tool for adapting women’s advertising for a Russian-speaking audience.
Pragmatic potential of recurrent vocabulary in media texts (based on the news messages about Russia in German-language media)
Authors: Ivanchenko Tatiana Anatolevna
Published: April 2024

The aim of the research is to describe the pragmatic functions of recurrent vocabulary in media texts of a certain thematic orientation, assessing the possibility of its use as a means of influencing the mass consciousness. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that the use of recurrent lexical units in media discourse is considered for the first time from the standpoint of pragmalinguistics as an effective means of manipulating the consciousness of information recipients and forming the linguocognitive space in accordance with the pragmatic interests of the senders of messages. Through the lexical units regularly used and circulated in news messages, there is both an actualization of the social significance of the events, phenomena or concepts designated by them and an imposition of the attitudes and judgments needed by the senders of the texts on the recipients of the messages. As a result of the research, it has been found that the vocabulary of a connotative type recurrently used by German-language media in the news texts about Russia in recent years has a predominantly negative connotation and can act as a linguistic means of influencing the consciousness of German-speaking recipients of the news messages and modeling the linguocognitive space of the news discourse on this topic.
Linguostylistic features of fan fiction (based on the English-language fandom “Pushkin”)
Authors: Smirnova Lyudmila Evgenievna , Kuharuk Maksim Ruslanovich
Published: April 2024

The paper presents a linguostylistic analysis of English-language fan fiction works based on the novel “Eugene Onegin” by Alexander Pushkin. The studied texts are stylistically dependent speech works – stylizations and parodies, and, therefore, the characteristics of the works are considered taking into account the criteria of the theory of secondary texts by M. V. Verbitskaya. The research is comparative in nature and reveals the methods of linguistic transformation of the source text when creating fan fiction works. In addition, the paper touches upon various aspects of “secondariness” as a phenomenon in text linguistics, providing some observations on the place of fan fiction among scientific concepts of derivative texts. The aim of the research is to determine the methods of linguistic transformation of the source text in the creation of fan fiction. The scientific originality of the research is determined by the combination of textual and intertextual approaches to the fanfic. The paper is the first to examine in detail the stylistic aspects of the transformation of Russian classics into an English-language fanfic. As a result, the analysis allowed us to identify the most common approaches to the linguistic realization of amateur interpretations and to expand linguistic knowledge about fan fiction texts.
Features of verbal and cogitative activity in children aged 5-7 in the digital age
Authors: Pustovoitova Olga Vasilevna
Published: April 2024

The aim of the study is to determine the nature of the influence of the digital environment on the development of thinking and speech among modern preschoolers aged 5-7. The scientific novelty of the study lies in presenting the results of a conceptual-inferential and phenomenological analysis of speech material (children’s stories), which showed a slowdown in the ontogenesis of their cognitive development, which, of course, is one of the most important problems of the digital age. According to the data obtained during the diagnostics, the thinking and speech of children in more than 20% cases are at an average level, which is expressed in their ability to logically construct an oral text, grammatically correctly connect words in a sentence, using figurative and expressive means. In 14% of children, the level of cognitive abilities does not correspond to the age norm, which undoubtedly causes some concern among teachers and requires clarification of such an underdevelopment. Consciousness and thinking in such children develop according to a simplified model, through the operation with simple concepts and syntactic constructions. The research findings showed that the active use of digital devices by children for virtual immersion can lead to the formation of a digital worldview in the future, to a simplified model of speech communication.
Symbiosis of the “poetic” and ethical principles in Leo Tolstoy’s autobiographical trilogy
Authors: Tsirulev Alexander Fedorovich
Published: April 2024

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the artistic specifics of Leo Tolstoy’s autobiographical novels “Childhood”, “Adolescence”, “Youth”. The aim of the study is to propose a new interpretation of the artistic structure of Tolstoy’s trilogy, associated with understanding the special role of the symbiosis of the ethical and “poetic” principles. The author proves that the forms of “poetization of the world” found in Tolstoy’s trilogy are an essential element of Tolstoy’s autobiography. These forms most effectively influenced the expression of the writer’s ethical doctrine and predetermined the principles of the unique autobiographical worldview of the text’s creator. The scientific originality of the study stems from a new approach to understanding the autobiographical whole from the point of view of the interaction between two structural and organizing principles, the ethical one, associated with showing the moral growth of a person, and the “poetic” one, which serves as a means of expressing the author’s special ideological position. The main result of the study amounts to the conclusion about the symbiosis of the “poetic” and the ethical, which formed the basis of L. Tolstoy’s aesthetic discovery in his artistic autobiography. Only taking into account the symbiosis of the two principles will reveal the deep philosophical meaning of Tolstoy’s work.
Development of an audiovisual Russian as foreign language course with a national-cultural component within the framework of China’s new educational strategy
Authors: Pak Irina Yakovlevna
Published: April 2024

The research aims to present the experience of developing an audiovisual set of textbooks with a national-cultural component “Two Worlds – Two Souls” for Chinese university students in the “Russian Language” training program. The paper discusses the basic requirements for Russian language textbooks in China, the structure and content of the author’s set. The research is novel in that it is the first to propose a model of a set of Russian language textbooks for Chinese students focused on the development of two competencies (auditory and intercultural) and including texts about Russia and China (culture, history, traditions, people) in equal proportions. As a result, it was proved that at the present stage of development of Chinese education, materials based on the principle of a dialogue between native and foreign cultures are necessary, compiled taking into account a gradual increase in difficulty, including texts on traditional and modern topics and contributing to the development of many competencies.
The linguistic personality of a translator and the pragmatic variability of translation (based on the translations of Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice”)
Authors: Rakhmatullina Dilyara Ravil'evna , Bezmenova Larisa Eduardovna , Mangushev Sergei Vladimirovich
Published: April 2024

The research aims to identify the translation solutions that reflect a translator’s linguistic personality. The translations of Jane Austen’s novel “Pride and Prejudice” by I. S. Marshak, I. G. Gurova, and A. Ya. Livergant served as the research material. The paper examines the notions of “translation variability” and “a translator’s linguistic personality”, investigates the transformations of speech acts in different translation variants taking into account the manifestation of translators’ linguistic personality. The translation process is determined by many factors, including pragmatic ones, which is manifested in the choice of speech acts for the final version of the translation. The research is original in that it considers the transformation of speech acts as a translator’s individual choice based on the analysis of such objective pragmatic components of translation discourse as proposition and presupposition. As a result of the research, it was found that a professional translator is looking for an objective, adequate and harmonious (in cognitive, linguistic, and cultural terms) translation variant, deciphering the pragmatic parameters of the original text taking into account their influence on the addressee, which leads to the transformation of speech acts in the translation process.
Enhancing the Efficacy and Safety of Methotrexate Treatment: A Focus on Drug Interactions (Review)
Authors: Doktorova S. A. , Grabovetskaya Yu. Yu. , Stefanov M. , Rafalskiy V. V.
Published: April 2024

INTRODUCTION. Methotrexate (MTX) is the main disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) and the gold standard for the safety and efficacy evaluation of biologicals and targeted small molecules. However, its narrow therapeutic range, interpatient variability in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and potential clinically relevant drug–drug interactions (DDIs) may lead to treatment failure and increase the risk of adverse drug reactions (ADRs).

AIM. The study aimed to describe the main clinically significant DDIs associated with MTX used in rheumatic disease therapy and determine possible approaches to addressing this issue based on a literature review.

DISCUSSION. MTX is characterised by pharmacokinetic DDIs during absorption, cell penetration, and elimination. Some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), theophylline, sulfasalazine, antibacterial agents, and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) affect MTX elimination and therapeutic effects. The main ADRs associated with MTX include haematotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, lung tissue damage (interstitial pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis), and renal dysfunction. The severity of these ADRs depends on the dose, comorbidities, and concomitant therapy. The toxicity of MTX may be increased by the concomitant administration of medicinal products that exhibit haematotoxicity and affect renal function (impair the elimination of medicines). When co-administering MTX and medicines having clinically significant DDIs described in the literature, healthcare providers should consider the risk factors for each individual patient. The most significant risk factors include moderate to severe renal and hepatic impairment, older age, polypharmacy, and hypoalbuminemia.

CONCLUSIONS. This article describes potential clinically significant interactions between MTX and certain NSAIDs, antibacterial agents, and PPIs that depend on individual patient characteristics and may increase the toxicity or decrease the effectiveness of MTX. MTX deprescribing, short-term withdrawal, and dosing optimisation may be considered as approaches to DDI risk mitigation.
Impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of Beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) in the hilly region of Nepal
Authors: Majhi Soni , Mehata Dipesh , Shah Dipika , Yadav Nand , Chaudhary Pratima , Shah Sunny , Timilsina Umesh , Rijal Prakash
Published: April 2024

The use of both organic and inorganic fertilizers plays a crucial role in farming practices in Nepal, depending on their availability. Applying fertilizers like compost, vermicompost, goat manure, and NPK has shown significant effects on various aspects of plant growth and yield. This study was conducted in Diktel, Khotang district of Nepal, from March 14th to June 7th, 2023, aiming to evaluate how different organic and inorganic sources affect the growth and yield of beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.). The experiment followed a one-factor randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications, involving five treatments: T1: 100% Compost manure, T2: 100% Vermicompost, T3: 100% Goat manure, T4: 100% NPK, and T5: Control. The results clearly showed that both vegetative and reproductive traits were significantly varies among several treatments utilized in the experiments at 0.1% level of significance. Compost application consistently showed better results across most growth and yield parameters assessed. Growth parameters included plant height, leaf count per plant, leaf length, and leaf width, while yield parameters included beetroot diameter, beetroot length, root yield, and leaf yield. Organic compost manure particularly stood out, displaying significantly larger beetroot diameter (4.85 cm) and greater beetroot length (9.3 cm). Additionally, compost manure led to notably increased root yield (13.95 t/ha) compared to the control treatment, which recorded a lower root yield (6.28 t/ha). Overall, all treatments outperformed the control in terms of growth and yield parameters. These findings suggest that organic compost manure is the most favorable choice for achieving high-quality beetroot production in the hilly regions of Nepal.
Bazzania (Lepidoziaceae, Marchantiophyta) diversity and distribution patterns in Pacific Asia with the particular attention to this genus in Vietnam
Authors: Bakalin V. A. , Klimova K. G.
Published: April 2024

The distribution of Bazzania in Pacific Asia excluding Malesia is surveyed. The taxonomic diversity in this genus increases from North to South, while the regional taxonomic composition of Bazzania is rather gradually changes and compared regions are distributed strictly along a latitudinal gradient on the DCA scatter plot. Particular attention is paid to the distribution of Bazzania in Vietnam, for which considerable data were obtained in recent decade. A list of Bazzania of Pacific Asia is provided with distribution by country, as well as more detailed species list for this genus in Vietnam. The world centers of Bazzania species diversity are located in Malesia and Melanesia, where the former is adjacent to Pacific Asia in the northwest. Bazzania siamensis comb. nov. is proposed, the species is treated as different from B. pearsonii with which it was synonymized before. A description and photographs of the species based on lectotype are provided.
Money and monetary circulation regimes: historical aspects
Authors: Anishchenko Alexander , Naumov Yuri , Faybusovich Konstantin
Published: April 2024

The article deals with the historical aspects of the evolution of the world monetary system (WMS) and the results of monetary and financial problems of Russia’s development. The separation of world currencies from the equivalent commodity that materially provides these currencies, which occurred in the second half of the 20th century, has become a source of new threats to both national monetary systems and the stability of the IAM as a whole. The emergence of electronic money at the end of the 20th century, giving rise to a new stage in the development of the WMS, does not solve these problems. Monetary relations in the world economy will continue to change in the future, passing through various stages of its development, including new global financial crises.
On the problem of the legal status of the Soviet peasant in 1945—1953
Authors: Konyshev Denis , Ermakova Tatiana , Travina Irina
Published: April 2024

This article examines the legal status of the Soviet peasant within the collective farm-state farm system and the agrarian policy of the state in the period after the end of the Great Patriotic War and before the beginning of the “Khrushchev thaw”. Attention is paid to the close relationship of the situation of the Soviet peasantry with the collective economy - the collective farm. The general characteristics of the socio-economic situation of peasants, the influence of legal status on the standard of living and the main elements of everyday life are given. The main indicators of incomes of peasant families and the level of food consumption in the first post-war years are analyzed. The role of personal subsidiary farming as a system of stimulating peasant labor is shown. The main measures of legal and social responsibility of peasants in the system of agricultural production and collective farm life are given.
The main problems of the modern historical science (based on the materials of polls of Kazakhstani experts)
Authors: Lapin Nikolay , Sheriyazdanov Baurzhan , Akanov Kuanysh
Published: April 2024

The article conducts a study of the results of the survey in the form of a questioning of historians of Kazakhstan to identify modern problems of historical science in the republic. The work is based on the analysis of preliminary results obtained in the course of surveys of scientists from the years. Nur-Sultan and Almaty (Alma-Ata). This survey has become a part of an extensive program, purpose of which is a comprehensive study of the current state of historical science in Kazakhstan and the development on its basis of a new scientifically based concept of the formation of modern historical science in Kazakhstan. The result of this program should be the development of practical recommendations on the formation of a new paradigm of national history.
Vietnam’s diplomatic efforts to avoid disputes with Democratic Kampuchea (1975—1978)
Authors: Hue Pham Thi , Tien Nguyen Thi Kieu , Quyet Luu Van
Published: April 2024

In 1975, the Pol Pot - Ieng Sary group took control of Cambodia and established the Democratic Kampuchea using the policy of domestic genocide and tough foreign policy. This article focuses on presenting Vietnam’s efforts to avoid conflicts with Democratic Kampuchea in two aspects: State-level diplomacy and diplomacy at border provinces of Vietnam. Then, the article provides comments and assessments on this issue.
The Chinese vector of the strategy “Turning Russia to the East” in the political discourse of Russia
Authors: Ting Wu
Published: April 2024

The article is devoted to the political discourse of the Russian Federation in relation to the role of China in the strategy of “Turning Russia to the East”. The author assesses the effectiveness of “information and explanatory work”, which allows informing the population of both countries about the causes and goals of national foreign policy and cooperation. The author comes to the conclusion that China’s foreign policy concepts have a significant constructive influence on Russia’s position, as a result of which the Russian Federation has “changed for the better” its attitude towards the “Eastern neighbor”.
70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia: experience and prospects
Authors: Bo Yang , Liwei Zhang
Published: April 2024

The year 2019 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations between the PRC and the Russian Federation. The article considers various issues of Russia-China strategic partnership in the context of the anniversary, analyses the main stages of China-Russia interaction, characterises the key components of the two countries' relations in the new era. On the basis of summing up the experience of the past, tasks are outlined and prospects for interstate relations are built.
The role of education in the structure of values of students
Authors: Kulik Alla , Tarasova Elena , Sergeeva Olga , Makoeva Fatima
Published: April 2024

The article is devoted to the analysis of the role of education in the structure of values of students. The authors pay special attention to the problem of spiritual and cultural development of the student’s personality, the disclosure of his talents and creative abilities, self-realization and self-improvement of the individual.
Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking according to Compromise Solution (MARCOS) Method: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Analysis
Authors:   Vocational School of Health Services, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Türkiye, Demir Gülay , Chatterjee Prasenjit ,   Department of Mechanical Engineering, MCKV Institute of Engineering, Howrah, West Bengal- 711204, India, Kadry Seifedine ,   Department of Applied Data Science, Noroff University College, Norway, Abdelhadi Abdelhakim ,   Engineering Management Department, College of Engineering, Prince Sultan University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Pamučar Dragan ,   Széchenyi University in Győr, Hungary
Published: April 2024

This paper explores the evolution, applications, and prospective developments of a very popular multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method called Measurement of Alternatives and Ranking according to COmpromise Solution Method (MARCOS). Employing an extensive bibliometric analysis, the study examines 115 pertinent articles sourced from the Scopus database spanning over the years from 2020 to 2024. This study also provides an evaluation of the methodological significance and outlines potential future directions of MARCOS method. The outcomes indicate "Sustainable supplier selection in healthcare industries using a new MCDM method: Measurement of alternatives and ranking according to COmpromise solution (MARCOS)" by Stević et al. (2020) as the most cited paper. Journals such as "Sustainability (Switzerland)", "Mathematics" and "Expert Systems with Applications" stand out among the most cited journals. "University of East Sarajevo" is an institution distinguished for its prolific research in this field. "Stević Ž." Has been identified as the most cited and published author. The most frequently used keywords are "MARCOS", "MARCOS method", and "MCDM". CRiteria Importance Through Intercriteria. Correlation (CRITIC) method is a weighting model often integrated with MARCOS method. The results of the study provide researchers and practitioners in the field of MCDM with an important insight into the current state of the MARCOS methodology, highlighted studies and potential future developments. It also provides a comprehensive overview of the importance of this method in the multi-criteria decision-making literature, shedding light on future research directions.
The linked complexity of coseismic and postseismic faulting revealed by seismo-geodetic dynamic inversion of the 2004 Parkfield earthquake
Authors: Schliwa Nico , Gabriel Alice-Agnes , Premus Jan , Gallovič František
Published: April 2024

Several regularly recurring moderate-size earthquakes motivated dense instrumentation of the Parkfield section of the San Andreas fault, providing an invaluable near-fault observatory. We present a seismo-geodetic dynamic inversion of the 2004 Parkfield earthquake, which illuminates the interlinked complexity of faulting across time scales. Using fast-velocity-weakening rate-and-state friction, we jointly model 3D coseismic dynamic rupture and the 90-day evolution of postseismic slip. We utilize a parallel tempering Markov chain Monte Carlo approach to solve this non-linear high-dimensional inverse problem, constraining spatially varying prestress and fault friction parameters by 30 strong motion and 12 GPS stations. From visiting >2 million models, we discern complex coseismic rupture dynamics that transition from a strongly radiating pulse-like phase to a mildly radiating crack-like phase. Both coseismic phases are separated by a shallow strength barrier that nearly arrests rupture and leads to a gap in the afterslip. Coseismic rupture termination involves distinct arrest mechanisms that imprint on afterslip kinematics. A backward propagating afterslip front may drive delayed aftershock activity above the hypocenter. Analysis of the 10,500 best-fitting models uncovers local correlations between prestress levels and the reference friction coefficient, alongside an anticorrelation between prestress and rate-state parameters b−a. We find that a complex, fault-local interplay of dynamic parameters determines the nucleation, propagation, and arrest of both, co- and postseismic faulting. This study demonstrates the potential of inverse physics-based modeling to reveal novel insights and detailed characterizations of well-recorded earthquakes.
An analysis of the dynamic range of Distributed Acoustic Sensing for Earthquake Early Warning
Authors: van den Ende Martijn , Trabattoni Alister , Baillet Marie , Rivet Diane
Published: April 2024

Owing to its deployment and sensing characteristics, Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) has been touted as a promising technology for low-cost and low-latency Earthquake Early Warning (EEW). While preliminary experiments conducted by several research groups have yielded encouraging results, it must be acknowledged that these EEW feasibility studies were performed only on low-magnitude events. When exposed to the wavefield of a large magnitude earthquake (being the prime subject of EEW), the DAS strain rate recordings are likely to become highly distorted ("saturated") due to cycle skipping of the optical phase measurements, to an extent that the recorded data start to degrade to uniform random noise. This clearly poses a major challenge to EEW, as neither amplitude nor phase information can be readily extracted from saturated DAS data. In this study, we perform a detailed analysis of the dynamic range of DAS, both from theoretical and practical perspectives. We offer a set of criteria that need to be met for matching the DAS dynamic range with EEW targets, and we propose a computationally convenient method to quantify the information content of saturated recordings. We apply these methods to DAS data recorded offshore Chile, and identify several avenues for future research to improve the feasibility of DAS for EEW.
Introducing semantic loadings in factor analysis: Bridging network psychometrics and cognitive networks for understanding depression, anxiety and stress
Authors: Perinelli Enrico , Stella Massimo
Published: April 2024

A psychometric scale reports experiences in terms of items/sentences rated by individuals. We investigate whether psychometric item ratings reflect semantic/syntactic associations between concepts in items. To this aim, we introduce semantic loadings as a semantic counterpart of psychometric factors, i.e. clusters of items obtained by correlations between item ratings. Semantic loadings quantify how clusters of semantically related concepts, as expressed in the texts of items, are allocated across psychometric factors as identified by ratings. As a case study, we focus on 39775 individual responses to the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) with 42 items on a 4-point Likert scale. To identify communities of semantically related concepts, we exploit the cognitive network framework of Textual Forma Mentis Networks (TFMNs), which reconstruct semantic/syntactic links encoded in the texts of items (e.g. "feel" and "sad" in the item "I usually feel sad"). To identify factors we compare eigenvector-based exploratory analysis with Graph Exploratory Analysis (EGA), which can both cluster items (and their texts) according to user ratings. We find that EGA is better at reconstructing the psychological organisation of DASS along the dimensions of anxiety, stress and depression. Following dual coding theory and the Deep Lexical Hypothesis, we posit that the act of reading items activates interconnected concepts and this influences user ratings and their expressed psychological constructs. Our results show a quantitative match: TFMN-based semantic loadings can identify specific aspects of emotional dysregulation, emotional exhaustion, physical distress and tension states of EGA-based psychometric factors, in non-random ways (up to p < 0.001). We discuss our results in view of relevant mental distress literature, psychometric scale designing and links with episodic and semantic memories.
Cognitive flexibility and stability at the task-set level: A dual-dimension framework
Authors: Nack Corey , Chiu Yu-Chin
Published: April 2024

Metacontrol coordinates goal-directed information processing, giving rise to cognitive flexibility and stability. However, the structure of flexibility and stability in metacontrol has long been subject to an overlooked assumption that these states vary on a single spectrum. This unidimensional structure gives rise to an obligatory flexibility-stability tradeoff: Becoming more flexible must come at the cost of lower stability. Although a “unidimensional” framework such as this has intuitive appeal, a great deal of recent work reveals that flexibility and stability can vary independently. Here, we review evidence that is challenging for the unidimensional framework to account for. As an alternative, we propose a dual-dimension framework (DDF) whereby flexibility and stability are assigned to separate dimensions, each ranging from low to high and capable of varying independently. In addition, we describe processes by which people shift along both dimensions. Theoretical benefits of adopting the DDF include a more fine-grained explanation of observed variability in behavior. Possible applications include strategies for better aligning metacontrol states with situational demands. In light of these implications, combined with the available data, we propose that the DDF might offer a better way to describe the structure of flexibility-stability metacontrol.
Genuine beta bursts in human working memory: controlling for the influence of lower-frequency rhythms
Authors: Rodriguez-Larios Julio , Haegens Saskia
Published: April 2024

Human working memory is associated with significant modulations in oscillatory brain activity. However, the functional role of brain rhythms at different frequencies is still debated. Modulations in the beta frequency range (15–40 Hz) are especially difficult to interpret because they could be artifactually produced by (more prominent) oscillations in lower frequencies that show non-sinusoidal properties. In this study, we investigate beta oscillations during working memory while controlling for the possible influence of lower frequency rhythms. We collected electroencephalography (EEG) data in 27 participants who performed a spatial working-memory task with two levels of cognitive load. In order to rule out the possibility that observed beta activity was affected by non-sinusoidalities of lower frequency rhythms, we developed an algorithm that detects transient beta oscillations that do not coincide with more prominent lower frequency rhythms in time and space. Using this algorithm, we show that the amplitude and duration of beta bursts decrease with memory load and during memory manipulation, while their peak frequency and rate increase. Together, our results show that human beta rhythms are functionally modulated during working memory and that these changes cannot be attributed to lower frequency rhythms with non-sinusoidal properties.
A systematic review of mindset theory
Authors: Buchanan Ash
Published: April 2024

A broad range of mindset theories co-exist around the world today. This systematic review is the first of its kind to study this diverse range of mindset theories, to get a sense of how coherent or incoherent they are with one another, and with people’s direct experience of mindset. It was found that at present, most mindset theories seldom acknowledge or compare themselves to one another, nor do they examine how all theories belong to a coherent and comprehensive theory of mindset. It is recommended more studies are undertaken to better understand all of the theories that co-exist in the mindset field and how these theories relate to people’s direct experience. You are invited to participate in this process of shared learning, so that the mindset field can develop more coherent and comprehensive theories of mindset.
The effects of omitted variables and measurement error on cross-sectional network psychometric models
Authors: Henry Teague R
Published: April 2024

Network psychometric approaches in clinical psychology seek to model the relations between symptoms of a psychological disorder as a network. This approach allows researchers to identify central symptoms, examine the dynamic structure of a disorder, and propose targeted intervention strategies. However, little work has been done assessing the consequences of two core limitations of most network psychometric models: a) that these models do not protect against omitted variable bias and b) these models rarely explicitly model measurement error. Measurement error or the omission of important variables could lead to decreased power and/or increased false positive rates with respect to hypotheses tested using a network psychometric framework, as they have in more traditional psychometric modeling frameworks. In the present study, we evaluate two methods for estimating cross-sectional psychometric networks, EBICglasso and LoGo-TMFG with respect to their robustness to measurement error and omitted variable bias. We found that overall, EBICglasso tends to be more robust to the negative impacts of omitted variables/miss-measured variables and that the relative performance of the two methods tend to equalize with larger network sizes. Notably, sample size did not change the magnitude of the impact or omitted variables/measurement error, with large sample sizes showing similar performance to smaller sample sizes.
A Mechanics of Human Attraction?
Authors: Khan Tariq
Published: April 2024

A short informal essay discussing the results of two small proof of concept tests on ten male subjects to attempt to identify an algorithmic or mechanically visual basis for human attraction in the choice of a female partner. One test involved choosing the most attractive female facial image from a random collection of twenty different beautiful female faces, comparing its metrics of thirteen attributes to those of facial images of past relationships of each male subject, to identify an algorithmic or Bayesian foundation for attraction versus choices assumed to be based on free will. The second test was the presentation of an image of hidden female outlined forms to ten men and ten women as a proof of concept for how to possibly identify how the human male brain identifies female forms and fitness intimating an epigenetic grammar of forms.
Trying to unplug for 24 hours: Conspiracy mentality predicts social isolation and negative emotions when refraining from internet use
Authors: Jetten Jolanda
Published: April 2024

Imagine that you pledge to not go online for 24 hours. How would you feel? And is your unplugging experience affected by the extent to which you believe in conspiracy theories? In two studies, we invited participants to unplug for 24 hours from all digital media and online content (e.g., internet-based television, radio, digital newspapers, smart phones, and social media apps). In a Chinese sample (Study 1, N = 97) we found that feeling less socially supported and more isolated during the unplugging experience did not affect positive emotions and that unplugging was associated with more negative emotions and lower life satisfaction. This association was replicated for negative emotions in an Australian sample (Study 2, N = 102). Furthermore, there was evidence in both studies that believing more strongly in conspiracy theories was associated with more negative emotions during the unplugging experience. Higher social isolation and lower social support mediated the relationship between conspiracy beliefs and negative emotions during unplugging. Our results suggest that part of the reason people feel negative about unplugging is because they feel they are cut off from social support — an aversive experience that is particularly prevalent among those who embrace conspiracy theories to a greater extent.
An Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model of pandemic risk and prevention
Authors: Fisher Jeffrey D. , Fisher William
Published: April 2024

COVID-19 will be with us well into the future, and four years into the pandemic, it continues to cause serious individual and public health consequences and economic impact worldwide. Mindful of the staggering continuing costs of the COVID-19 pandemic, calls are urgently being made to “prepare now for the next pandemic.” Containing future pandemics will require at the very core widespread, voluntary, and sustained behavior change to prevent spread of pandemic disease. Such efforts must be based upon well-validated behavioral science models of health behavior change articulated to foreseeable future pandemic contexts. We present an Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model of Pandemic Risk and Prevention as a conceptual foundation for understanding the determinants and dynamics of pandemic risk and preventive behavior and as a systematic framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of interventions to promote and maintain pandemic preventive behavior. Our model is highly generalizable across pandemic scenarios. It is currently testable in the context of COVID-19, and can be tested in future localized epidemics and in pandemic simulation studies. The IMB model of Health Behavior Change, upon which our new model is based, is an empirically well validated and supported multivariate model utilized successfully for decades to understand and promote behavior change in multiple health domains. Our introduction of the IMB Model of Pandemic Risk and Prevention aims to contribute to theoretically- and empirically-based efforts to reduce risk and promote prevention in future pandemics and in the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.
'How the fuck am I supposed to know?': Good Practice and Bad Results in the Care of the Dying
Authors: Elder Timothy B
Published: April 2024

Clinicians in Hospice and Palliative Medicine (HPM) specialize in the care of the terminally ill, whose treatment is often considered a failure of medical intervention. The practice of HPM is distinct from their colleagues in other areas because of this unique patient population and the interventions they use. Considering that they are commonly treating patients who are likely to be considered failures of medical intervention by their colleagues, how do these clinicians understand how they have done a good job? In this paper, I explore the unique strategies used by clinicians in HPM to promote success and avoid failure. Rather than longevity or cure, HPM clinicians define good practice as the coordination of all clinical stakeholders (patients, family and colleagues) to a shared goal which they construct from the achievable medical outcomes and the stated preferences of patients.
Plurilingual Perspectives, Pluricultural Contexts
Authors: Rodriguez Blanco Natalia
Published: April 2024

The present article is concerned with the multilingual news coverage from Agence-France Presse (AFP) about the South American country of Bolivia. Firstly, the theoretical and methodological approaches are outlined in order to characterise the plurality of contexts giving rise to AFP’s coverage of the Bolivian 2020 general elections. Secondly, an analysis is proposed that contrasts these multilingual versions in terms of framing devices and translation shifts, aiming at exploring the ways in which media stakeholders represent the Bolivian reality. Thirdly, the findings of this analysis are contextualised with reference to a cross-linguistic comparison of newspaper corpora. When comparing the Spanish, French, and English versions, the first two are found to be more aligned at the level of discourse patterns. The ultimate purpose of this case-study is to observe the presence of translation in plurilingual news settings, where the role of translators often goes unacknowledged within
Voices and/of Places
Authors: Peligra Cristina
Published: April 2024

After Indonesia’s independence was officially recognised by the Netherlands in 1949, several former members of the colonial élite repatriated. Many among the Indies-born repatriatees’ generation used writing to come to terms with their own controversial, multifaceted identity. While they belonged to the colonial élite, they can be studied as writers geographically and temporally displaced as their colonial land of birth no longer exists. Their desire for belonging is arguably exemplified in the way their novels’ protagonists’ linguistic identity is depicted. While these authors write in Dutch, their characters are embedded in local cultures, languages, traditions, questioning fixed labels and dichotomies. Taking as example Helga Ruebsamen’s 1997 novel Het lied en de waarheid [The song and the truth], this article explores how linguistic identity is represented in Dutch literature of repatriation and how this is tackled in translation into English. This novel is chosen not only because it allows to explore plurality in literature and translation in the selected context, but also because it takes the issues of linguistic plurality in literature and translation a step further: the five-year-old Dutch protagonist leaves the tropical (colonial) environment with its enchanting nature behind and arrives with her family in the Netherlands in 1939 as the daughter of a Jewish doctor, unveiling a third identity layer beyond the Dutch-East Indian dichotomy. After positioning this novel within Dutch literature of repatriation by means of a close reading analysis, this article discusses why and how it can be studied as a heterolingual, diasporic (in this specific case, neither colonial, nor postcolonial) text. The translation strategies used to tackle representations of cultural and linguistic hybridity into English are then analysed by means of a comparative textual analysis. Looking for recurring trends, the results are finally briefly related to the findings of a doctoral project about the English and Italian translations of Dutch-East Indian novels by Hella S. Haasse, which suggest that shared tendencies to generalisation may risk distorting images of linguistic hybridity.
Translating Ramayana
Authors: Vishwakarma Alka
Published: April 2024

Embedded contexts and improvisations in bhasha Ramayanas with its nuances of plurality attribute to its influences of respective linguistic and culture  of multinational and multicultural countries: Ram-story of Ramayana, considered primarily a work of smriti , has travelled a long journey in the land of multilingual and heterogeneous cultural spheres. Indian bhashas – Assamese, Thamizh, Malayalam, Oriya, Bengali, and so on – have rendered Rama-katha within the very Indian society under different paradigms which have overshadowed the original,  i.e. Valmiki’s Ramayana in Sanskrit. In lieu of assimilation of original text in another language that relevant  translation promotes, bhasha Ramayanas presents different renderings or retellings , instead of variants or versions of Valmiki, colored with heterogeneous cultural ethos. Discussing three bhasha Ramayana(s) – 12th century Kampar’s Ramavataram in Thamizh , 15th century Krttivasi Ramayana or Sriram Pacali in Bengali, and 16th century Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi – this essay explores social and literary function of translation strategies in its poly-lingual and multinational world. Questioning the idea of original and relevant Ramayana, it also reflects on how bhasha Ramayanas co-exist in multilingual and multicultural society with its distinguished autonomy and differences. The tripartite comparative project of this article critically investigates their structures, sequential arrangements, bhasha cultural color, and story overlaps. It also calls attention to coalescence of Rama-story through plurilingual renderings with respect to its pluricultural valences in South Asia. Focusing on the polyvalences, it also argues that such retellings problematize the relevance of a genuine translation by questioning translational canonical principles for bhasha texts.
Pushing the Boundaries of Reflection
Authors: Pope Mark , Hauke Elizabeth , Davis Nadia , Kale Rasika , Kolesnikova Anastasia , Lee Ting
Published: April 2024

This article presents a correspondence project completed during the 2019-2020 academic year. To encourage reflection and create divergent modes of expression, teaching staff paired undergraduate students across modules and gave them a blank postcard each week. The students’ brief was an open one - to reflect on their educational experience surrounding the modules with textual and visual representations.  The emotionality and expressions of identity that flowed through the postcards were striking.  This lent itself to a personally impassioned criticality, meaningful dialogue and more holistic observations on how learning took place.
Postdisciplinary Knowledge, Edited by Tomas Pernecky
Authors: Greenacre Liam
Published: April 2024

Where does postdisciplinarity stand in relation to the other forms of non-disciplinarity? What critiques of academia does it launch? Postdisciplinary Knowledge edited by Tomas Pernecky, aims to theorise postdisciplinarity as a rebellious and subversive movement. This article reviews this work with the aim of finding out what makes postdisciplinarity unique and whether there is a need for it? It also provides an evaluative description of the individual chapters of the book. I conclude that the input of postdisciplinarity is a necessary contribution to discussions surrounding the nature of academia and the university.
Exchanges Discourse Podcast
Postdisciplinarity, Ontologies & Futures: In Conversation with Liam Greenacre [12:58]