bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid loss of HBs antigen in patients with HBV reactivation and high level of transaminases during immunosuppressive therapy - case series
Authors: Molagic Violeta , Popescu Cristina , Tiliscan Catalin , Arama Victoria , Arama Stefan Sorin
Published: April 2021

Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been described in patients with HBsAg negative and antiHBc positive (occult hepatitis B infection -OBI) receiving immunosuppressive therapy (IST). The lack of proper monitoring of patients with this HBV infection during IST can result in viral reactivations with high level of transaminases, jaundice and even acute liver failure. In these situations, it is mandatory to start antiviral therapy with nucleot(s) ide analogs (NA) which produce a strong viral suppression. We report a series of five cases of OBI patients with severe HBV reactivation during IST. One patient was diagnosed with hematologic malignancy (non-Hodgkin lymphoma), two with rheumatoid arthritis, one with psoriasis and one patient with renal transplant. All the patients were evaluated and treated for the reactivation of HBV in the Prof. Dr. Matei Bals National Institute of Infectious Diseases, a tertiary care hospital from Bucharest, Romania. At the time of HBV reactivation diagnosis, 3 patients were asymptomatic and two developed jaundice. All had acute ALT flares (more than 10 times the upper limit of normal range - ULN), very high HBV viral loads and anti-HBc serum IgM antibodies. All patients were immediately treated with ETV 0.5 mg/day and if it was possible, IST was stopped. In all cases was obtained quickly HBsAg loss under antiviral therapy.
Difficult to Treat Proteeae strains in high risk Romanian hospital departments
Authors: Musuroi Corina , Licker Monica , Rus Maria , Seclaman Edward , Muntean Delia , Vulpie Silvana , Baditoiu Luminita
Published: April 2021

Introduction: Resistance to first-line antibiotics of the Proteeae strains within the difficult-to-treat (DTR) phenotype is a cause of limitation of therapeutic options. The study aimed to characterize these strains, to identify the factors that influence their acquisition and the predictive factors for the patient’s evolution.

Material and methods: Between July 2017 and January 2019, 400 of Proteeae strains were isolated from samples of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) and surgical wards of a university hospital in Romania. The identification and testing of antibiotic sensitivity was performed using the Vitek 2 Compact system. The DTR phenotype was defined as the resistance (or intermediate resistance) to all categories of β-lactams, carbapenems and fluoroquinolones.

Results: Out of 400 Proteeae strains, 21% were of the DTR type, most of them from the species Providencia stuartii and Proteus mirabilis, identified predominantly on the ICUs. The excess fatality in the DTR subsample compared to the non-DTR subsample was 16.37%. The multivariate analysis identified as independent risk factors: the number of antibiotics administered, the number of days of urinary catheterization, the presence of tracheostomy, nasogastric nutrition, respectively belonging to the species P. stuartii. The probabilities of survival were reduced by the presence of the central venous catheter (CVC), tracheostomy, by the increase of the number of hospitalization days respectively of the number of antibiotics administered.

Conclusion: The DTR phenotype in the case of Proteeae strains has been associated especially with the species P. stuartii, with invasive exogenous factors and with an increased fatality.
Assessment on the influence of TLR4 and DNA repair genes in laryngeal cancer susceptibility: a selective examination in a Romanian case control study
Authors: Cornean Corina Iulia , Necula Violeta , Cosgarea Marcel , Maniu Alma Aurelia , Catana Andreea
Published: April 2021

Background: Tumor characterization through the study of molecular biology has become an invaluable tool in understanding cancer development and evolution due to its relationship with chromosomal mutations, alterations or aberrations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the involvement of genes such as TLR-4 and DNA repair pathways (XRCC1 and XPD) in laryngeal cancer susceptibility in a Romanian population. Method: We performed a case-control study on 157 laryngeal cancer patients and 101 healthy controls. Genetic testing was carried out using Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism. Results: We identified the Gln allele of the XPDLys751Gln polymorphism as an individual risk factor in laryngeal cancer development (Gln vs Lys, adjusted OR=1.65, 95%CI=1.13–2.40, P=0.008). Subjects with the mutant homozygote variant (Gln/Gln) had a two fold increase in cancer risk (adjusted OR=2.18, 95%CI=1.06–4.47, p=0.028) when compared to the reference wild type genotype (Lys/Lys). Stratification by sex and age, identified males under 62 years as the most susceptible group with an almost three fold risk (adjusted OR=2.94, 95%CI=1.31–6.59, p=0.007) for the dominant model (Lys/Gln+Gln/Gln). No associations were found for TLR-4Thr399Ile, XRCC1Arg194Trp and XRCC1Arg399Gln. Conclusion: The results of the study show that the XPDLys751Gln polymorphism may be among other independent risk factors for developing laryngeal cancer where as TLR-4Thr399Ile, XRCC1Arg194Trp and XRCC1 Arg399Gln show no such association. However, we consider the relative small number of the subjects selected for this analyses a possible limitation towards the real influence the obtain results may pertain in laryngeal cancer evolution.
Comparison of the Overall Energy Efficiency for Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles and Electric Vehicles
Authors: Albatayneh Aiman , Assaf Mohammad N. , Alterman Dariusz , Jaradat Mustafa
Published: April 2021

The tremendous growth in the transportation sector as a result of changes in our ways of transport and a rise in the level of prosperity was reflected directly by the intensification of energy needs. Thus, electric vehicles (EV) have been produced to minimise the energy consumption of conventional vehicles. Although the EV motor is more efficient than the internal combustion engine, the well to wheel (WTW) efficiency should be investigated in terms of determining the overall energy efficiency. In simple words, this study will try to answer the basic question – is the electric car really energy efficient compared with ICE-powered vehicles? This study investigates the WTW efficiency of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles ICEVs (gasoline, diesel), compressed natural gas vehicles (CNGV) and EVs. The results show that power plant efficiency has a significant consequence on WTW efficiency. The total WTW efficiency of gasoline ICEV ranges between 11–27 %, diesel ICEV ranges from 25 % to 37 % and CNGV ranges from 12 % to 22 %. The EV fed by a natural gas power plant shows the highest WTW efficiency which ranges from 13 % to 31 %. While the EV supplied by coal-fired and diesel power plants have approximately the same WTW efficiency ranging between 13 % to 27 % and 12 % to 25 %, respectively. If renewable energy is used, the losses will drop significantly and the overall efficiency for electric cars will be around 40–70% depending on the source and the location of the renewable energy systems.
Techno-Economic Analysis of a Stand-Alone Hybrid Wind-Power Fuel-Cell Grid System: A Case Study in Shahryar Region of Tehran
Authors: Hashemi Abozar , Derakhshan Ghasem , Alizadeh Pahlavani M. R. , Abdi Babak
Published: April 2021

Decreasing fossil energy resources and increasing greenhouse gas emissions increase the need for clean and renewable energy sources day by day. One of the sources of renewable energy is wind power, which has been constantly evolving in recent years. Wind power plants are sometimes unresponsive during peak hours, so a backup storage system seems essential for these power plants. In this study, a hybrid system is presented for connection to wind power plants consisting of fuel cell and hydrogen production, to provide reliable power and valuable by-products. In this paper, a case study is conducted for the desired system in the Shahryar County. The techno-economic optimization of the above system indicates that in the best design (consisting of three wind turbines), the annual production capacity of the hybrid system will be 1795 MWh, of which 12 % is the share of fuel cells. The results show that the hybrid system increases the capacity factor of the wind power plant by 2.8 %. The calculated cost of energy (COE) and the net present cost (NPC) for the hybrid system would amount to $ 0.77 and $ 5 235.066, respectively.
The Electrical Conductivity of Fluoroanhydrite Compositions Modified at the Nanoscale Level with Carbon Black
Authors: Yakovlev Grigory , Pervushin Grigory , Smirnova Olga , Begunova Ekaterina , Saidova Zarina
Published: April 2021

The electrical conductivity of fluoroanhydrite compositions modified with different amounts of ultrafine soot was studied. The optimal ratio of additive and binder was determined in terms of both electrical conductivity and compressive strength. The research results have showed that the addition of ultrafine carbon black in the amount of 7 % by the binder mass had a significant influence on the mechanical properties of the composition as well as its electrical conductivity. The strength of the samples with 7 % of ultrafine carbon black decreased up to 23.9 MPa at the age of 14 days whereas the reference sample strength was 40.1 MPa. At the same time the electrical resistance of the modified samples was 99.65 Ω at the age of 14 days whereas the electrical resistance of the reference samples reached 128.1 kΩ. The developed fluoroanhydrite composition was modified at the nanoscale level with carbon black and it can be used as material for the antistatic and grounding conductive flooring.
Hydraulic niche utilization by larvae of the three Drusinae clades (Insecta: Trichoptera)
Authors: Waringer Johann , Vitecek Simon , Martini Jan , Zittra Carina , Handschuh Stephan , Vieira Ariane , Kuhlmann Hendrik C.
Published: April 2021

Hydraulic niche descriptors of final instar larvae of nine Drusus species (Trichoptera) were studied in small, spring-fed, first-order headwaters located in the Mühlviertel (Upper Austria), Koralpe (Carinthia, Austria), and in the Austrian and Italian Alps. The species investigated covered all three clades of Drusinae: the shredder clade (Drusus franzi, D. alpinus), the grazer clade (D. biguttatus, D. chauvinianus, D. dudor, D. monticola), and the filtering carnivore clade (D. chrysotus, D. katagelastos, D. muelleri). Flow velocity was measured at front center of 68 larvae, head upstream, on the top of mineral substrate particles at water depths of 10–30 mm, using a tripod-stabilized Micro propeller meter (propeller diameter = 10 mm). Each data series consisted of a sampled measurement lasting 30 s (measuring interval = 1 s). In total, 2040 single velocity measurements were taken. Instantaneous flow velocities and drag at the sites of the 68 larvae varied from 0 to 0.93 m s−1 and 0 to 8346 *10−6 N, respectively. Flow velocities and drag between the three clades were highly significantly different (p < 0.001); mean velocity (+ 95% confidence limits) for the three clades were 0.09 + 0.00 m s−1 for the shredder, 0.25 + 0.00 m s−1 for the grazer, and 0.31 + 0.01 m s−1 for the filtering carnivore clade; the corresponding data for drag were (85 + 18)*10−6 N, (422 + 61)*10−6 N and (1125 + 83)*10−6 N, respectively. Adhesive friction ranged from (41.07 + 53.03)*10−6 N in D. franzi to (255.24 + 216.87)*10−6 N in D. chrysotus. Except in D. franzi and D. dudor adhesive friction was always well below drag force, indicating that submerged weight alone was not sufficient to stabilize the larvae in their hydraulic environment. Reynolds numbers varied between 0 in D. franzi and D. alpinus, and 12,634 in D. katagelastos, with 7% of the total in the laminar (R < 500), 30% in the transitional (R = 500–2000), and 61% in the fully turbulent stage (R > 2000). Froude numbers (Fr) varied from 0 to 2.97. The two Drusus species of the shredder clade and three out of four species of the grazer clade were exposed to subcritical Fr < 1, one species of the grazer clade and two out of three species of the filtering clade to supercritical Froude numbers >1.
Checklist and red list of hornworts (Anthocerotophyta) and liverworts
(Marchantiophyta) of Slovakia
Authors: Mišíková Katarína , Godovičová Katarína , Širka Pavel , Šoltés Rudolf
Published: April 2021

The presented checklist and red list include 231 liverwort
(Marchantiophyta) and two hornwort species (Anthocerotophyta). Overall,
22.9% of liverworts are evaluated as threatened (CR – 4.3%, EN – 7.8%, VU –
10.8%), while 17 of species (7.4%) are categorized as NT, 11.6% as DD and
3.0% as RE. A total of 128 species (55.4% of the liverwort flora of
Slovakia) were assessed as LC. For the liverwort Lunularia
cruciata the criteria were not applicable (NA), since this
species is not native to Slovakia. Currently, only two hornworts are known
in Slovakia, of which Anthoceros agrestis is
assessed as LC and Phaeoceros carolinianus as NT.
The main factors of the liverwort and hornwort endangerment and retreat are
anthropogenic changes in natural conditions and degradation of the
ecosystems caused by agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, climatic changes,
industry, and traffic pollution.
Integration of Spectral Measurement and UAV for Paddy Leaves Chlorophyll Content Estimation
Authors: Ghazali M. F. , Wikantika K. , Aryantha I N. P. , Maulani R. R. , Yayusman L. F. , Sumantri D. I.
Published: April 2021

In the agriculture sector, proper crop management can enhance yield production. Determination of the chlorophyll content in crop contributes to this significant topic. In this study, the leaves chlorophyll content of local paddy cultivars Inpari 32 and Inpari 33 was estimated and the difference at various days after planting (DAP) was determined. The procedure involved the combination of spectral reflectance data, aerial photographs taken by unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and chlorophyll laboratory analysis data. The chlorophyll content in the cultivars leaves was estimated using the models MCARIspectroradiometer and UAV chlorophyll regression (UCR). The results showed a variation in the chlorophyll content not only between the two cultivars on various DAP, but randomly also in the same cultivar of the same DAP. The MCARIspectroradiometer model indicated a lower chlorophyll content for Inpari 32 than for Inpari 33 while the UCR model gave opposite results. The chlorophyll content raises with increasing DAP, but it gradually decreases through the grain filling period until harvest.
Information in Time Structure in the View of Carl Friedrich Von Weizsäcker
Authors: Drożdż Michał
Published: April 2021

Information in the structure of time according to Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker. These analyzesrelate to the temporal conditioning of information in the context of the information society. Our viewof information is from the perspective of social communica-tion sciences and the media. This viewis intended to show the essential, desirable characteristics of information, important for media com-munication. Our analyzes are intended to signal some aspects of information theory, thus showingselected elements of the semantic-pragmatic platform for understanding and describing informa-tion. In our analyzes, we refer to the rich literature of Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, in order to drawtheoretical and practical conclusions synthesizing by analyzing the content of his texts. Our analyzesare not only an attempt to theoretical description of the specifics and functionality of information,but are intended to provide valuable tips for increasing the informativeness of information in theprocesses of social communication
Polyploidy in Gymnosperms-A Reappraisal
Authors: Ohri Deepak
Published: April 2021

Recent polyploidy in gymnosperms is unusually scarce being present in only 9.80 % of the 714 taxa studied cytologically. Polyploid forms are represented by sporadic seedlings and individual trees, intraspecific polyploidy in cultivation or in wild and entirely polyploid species and genera. Polyploidy shows a non-random distribution in different genera being mostly prevalent in Ephedra and Juniperus, besides the classic examples of Sequoia and Fitzroya. Remarkably, both Ephedra and Juniperus show adaptive radiation by interspecific hybridization followed by polyploidy while in Ginkgo viable polyploid cytotypes are found in cultivation. Induced polyploidy has not provided any tangible results in the past but recent attempts on certain genera of Cupressaceae hold some promise of producing cultivars for horticulture trade. Lastly, various evidences derived from cytological analysis, fossil pollen, guard cells and comparative genomic studies indicating the occurrence of paleopolyploidy have been discussed.
The Effect of Electrochemotherapy on Breast Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Cvetkovic Danijela , Cvetkovic Aleksandar , Filipovic Nenad
Published: April 2021

Despite advances in treatment, breast cancer remains one of the leading causes of death, and obviously new approaches to the treatment are needed. Due to minimal side effects, unlike more aggressive forms of therapy such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the application of irreversible electroporation-electrochemotherapy represents a new modality in the treatment of cancer. Electrochemotherapy uses an electric field (375 V cm -1) to allow increased absorption of chemotherapeutic drugs selectively in tumor cells. Accordingly, the total dose of these agents can be significantly reduced and numerous side effects can be avoided in this way. The Real Time Cell Analysis-RTCA-xCELLigence system was used to monitor the cytotoxic effects of the treatment. The results confirmed the justification of the use of paclitaxel in chemotherapy and showed cytotoxic effects of paclitaxel which were time and dose-dependent in both cell lines. When paclitaxel was administered in combination with an electric field, in both cell lines, the results showed a greater cytotoxic effect compared to the same treatment without electrochemotherapy. MCF-7 cells are more sensitive to electrochemotherapy treatment with paclitaxel compared to MDA-MB-231. Electrochemotherapy using paclitaxel in MCF-7 cells had a 6.4-fold higher cytotoxicity compared to the treatment only with paclitaxel. The results obtained support the current knowledge of the benefits of electrochemotherapy. It has been shown that electrochemotherapy can significantly increase the effects of paclitaxel in the tested cell lines. In this way, a very high concentration of chemotherapeutics in the targeted tissue was achieved, which represents localized chemotherapy.
The Correlations Among Severity of Depression, Level of Observed Expressed Emotions, Perceived Social Support and Psychosocial Functioning in Patients with Unipolar Depression
Authors: Igrutinovic Nevena , Batinic Borjanka , Mihajlovic Goran
Published: April 2021

The aims of the study were to examine the correlations among severity of depression, level of psychosocial functioning, level of observed expressed emotions and perceived social support in patients diagnosed with unipolar depression. The sample included 61 patients. The following study instruments were applied: the Beck Depression Inventory II, the Functioning Assessment Short Test, the Level of Expressed Emotion scale and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Descriptive statistics of the sample have shown the mean age of 42.39years (SD=13.387), moderate severity of depression (AS=22.7, SD=11.984), moderate level of observed expressed emotions (AS=74.70, SD=17.959), moderate level of psychosocial difficulties (AS=26.33, SD=17.207) and high level of perceived social support (AS=5.24, SD=1.395). There were significant positive correlations between severity of depression and psychosocial difficulties (r=0.69) and perceived social support (r=−0.42), as well as between psychosocial difficulties and both levels of observed expressed emotions (r=0.31) and perceived social support (r=− 0.53). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that 47.1% of the psychosocial functioning variance can be predicted by severity of depressive symptoms, and perceived social support explained the additional 7% of variance. The level of observed expressed emotion didn’t show an additional explanation of the psychosocial functioning variance. Our research showed that the severity of depressive symptoms and perceived social support predict difficulties in psychosocial functioning, while the level of observed expressed emotion was not an important predictor.
Nanoplastics as a Potential Environmental Health Factor: From Molecular Interaction to Altered Cellular Function and Human Diseases
Authors: Nikolić Sandra , Živanović Suzana , Papić Miloš , Janković Marina Gazdić , Stojković Miodrag , Ljujić Biljana
Published: April 2021

The problem of plastic pollution is becoming increasingly important and has attracted great interest in the last few years. Polystyrene is one of the most used plastic types in the food and beverage industry, medical and laboratory devices. Increased plastic production and increased food, water, and air pollution and contact with nanoplastics may cause long-lasting changes and predispose to adverse developmental and degenerative diseases through mechanisms that are not yet understood.

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of current knowledge to plastics, especially polystyrene, and their impact on the human health. In particular, we discuss the major sources of plastic waste, polystyrene surface chemistry, as well as mechanisms by which plastics degrade in the environment. We also provide an insight into cellular uptake mechanism and the molecular interaction of polystyrene nanoparticles and human cells. This review offers scientists and clinicians useful information and could be used as a starting point for more in-depth analysis of nanoplastics as a potential environmental health factor.
A Study to Compare Hypolipidemic Effects of Allium Sativum (Garlic) Alone and in Combination with Atorvastatin or Ezetimibe in Experimental Model
Authors: Sil Sudipta , Roy Uttam Kumar , Biswas Supreeti , Mandal Purnendu , Pal Keya
Published: April 2021

Background: Dyslipidemia is a major cause of atherosclerosis and atherosclerosis induced conditions. Atorvastatin is an effective drug for dyslipidemia and reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Ezetimibe is used as an adjunct to statins hypercholesterolemia. Garlic is known for the hypolipidemic effect in traditional medicine. There are very limited studies comparing the additive effects of Allium sativum on atorvastatin and ezetimibe. Aims: To compare the additive hypolipidemic effects of Allium sativum with atorvastatin and ezetimibe. Setting and Design: The experimental study was done in Department of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Burdwan Medical College, Burdwan from February 2014 - October 2015. Material and Methods: Dyslipidemia rat by (induced by atherogenic diet) were randomized into five groups of six rats in each and each cage was labelled for identification of different groups and treated with drugs (atorvastatin, ezetimibe, garlic homogenate, atorvastatin + garlic homogenate, ezetimibe + garlic homogenate) for twelve weeks and assessment of lipid profiles were done. Change of parameters checked for any significant difference by appropriate statistical tests. Results: Significant TC (Total Cholesterol) & TG (Triglyceride) concentrations reduction were maximum among ezetimibe group (51% and 47%) respectively. LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein) & VLDL (Very Low-Density Lipoprotein) concentrations reduction were maximum (62% and 26%) among combination of atorvastatin and garlic group when compared to other treatment groups. HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) concentration was maximally increased (31%) among combination ezetimibe and garlic group which was also statistically significant. Conclusion: Garlic have significant hypolipidemic effect when used in combination with atorvastatin and ezetimibe.
Nursing students’ knowledge of patient safety and development of competences over their academic years: Findings from a longitudinal study
Authors: Bressan Valentina , Causero Giulia , Stevanin Simone , Cadorin Lucia , Zanini Antonietta , Bulfone Giampiera , Palese Alvisa
Published: April 2021

Introduction

Future nurses should possess the knowledge and competences necessary to ensure patient safety. However, little evidence is available on the way in which students learn patient safety-related principles over time. This study explored the progress of a cohort of Italian undergraduate nursing students as they acquired patient safety knowledge and competences from time of enrolment to graduation.

Methods

A longitudinal study carried out between 2015 and 2018 enrolled a cohort of 90 nursing students from two Italian Bachelor of Nursing Science Degree Courses at the Udine University, Italy. The students were followed-up on an annual basis and data collection was performed three times: at the end of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years. The validated Italian version of the Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey tool was used to collect data.

Results

At the end of the 1st year, students reported an average 4.19 out of 5 patient safety knowledge acquired in classrooms (CI 95%, 4.11–4.28), which was stable at the end of the 2nd (4.16; CI 95%, 4.06–4.26) and 3rd years (4.26; CI 95%, 4.16–4.32) and no statistical differences emerged over the years. With regard to the competences acquired in clinical settings, at the end of the 1st year the students reported an average 4.28 out of 5 (CI 95%, 4.20–4.37), which decreased significantly at the end of the 2nd year (4.15; CI 95%, 4.07–4.23; p=0.02) and increased at the end of the 3rd year (4.37; CI 95%, 4.27–4.47; p<0.01).

Conclusions

Nursing students’ competences in patient safety issues increases over time, while their knowledge remains stable. Students are more vulnerable at the end of the 1st year, when they seem to be overconfident about patient-safety issues.
Possibilities of Detection of the Jamming of the GNSS Receiver with the Helical Antenna
Authors: Felski Andrzej , Stopienski Piotr
Published: April 2021

Jamming of GNSS signals is lately treated as essential threat for GNSS users. It is especially dangerous in the face of common usage of GPS-like systems in everyday life, and the great belief of everyday users in the truth of devices indications. In spite of the legal prohibition of using them, jammers are commonly accessible, especially in the Internet. Last years showed however that such threat generated purposely also some governments, what is clearly visible in armed conflicts, and during military exercises. Of course this creates the great threat for civilian users if will be in the vicinity.

Applications and services based upon GNSS are becoming increasingly embedded in modern society, so community have now become critically dependent upon their correct operation. This refers positioning first of all, but telecommunications networks, power grids, financial transactions, whole world of logistics are dependant as well. The main users of GNSS, both professional and non-professional smartphones users are not prepared on such situation, and usually have no technical possibilities to detect of jamming. For operators of critical installations, for example seaports, or airfields, the detection of jamming cases is extremely important. It can be provided with special devices, which are usually based on specific antennas, and deep analysis of signal. In this paper experiments in detection of the jamming with helical antennas are discussed
Descriptive Indexicals, Deferred Reference, and Anaphora
Authors: Kijania-Placek Katarzyna
Published: April 2021

The objectives of this paper are twofold. The first is to present a differentiation between two kinds of deferred uses of indexicals: those in which indexical utterances express singular propositions (I term them deferred reference proper) and those where they express general propositions (called descriptive uses of indexicals). The second objective is the analysis of the descriptive uses of indexicals. In contrast to Nunberg, who treats descriptive uses as a special case of deferred reference in which a property contributes to the proposition expressed, I argue that examples in which a general proposition is indeed expressed by an indexical cannot be treated by assuming that the property is a deferred referent of the pronoun. I propose an analysis of descriptive uses of indexicals by means of a pragmatic mechanism of ‘descriptive anaphora’, which attempts to explain the special kind of contribution of the property retrieved from the context to the proposition that is characteristic of the descriptive interpretation.
The Knowability Paradox and Unsuccessful Updates
Authors: Wójcik Arkadiusz
Published: April 2021

In this paper we undertake an analysis of the knowability paradox in the light of modal epistemic logics and of the phenomena of unsuccessful updates. The knowability paradox stems from the Church-Fitch observation that the plausible knowability principle, according to which all truths are knowable, yields the unacceptable conclusion that all truths are known. We show that the phenomenon of an unsuccessful update is the reason for the paradox arising. Based on this diagnosis, we propose a restriction on the knowability principle which resolves the paradox.
The Duhem-Quine Thesis Reconsidered
Authors: Szałek Piotr K.
Published: April 2021

The high point of the falsification of physical theories in a standard view of the philosophy of science is the so-called crucial experiment. This experiment is a kind of manipulated empirical test, which provides the criterion for distinguishing between two rival hypotheses, where one is an acceptable theory due to passing the test, and the other turns out to be an unacceptable theory as it does not pass the test. The crucial experiment was supposed to play a significant role because, in virtue of an empirical disconfirmation of one theory, the experiment was assumed to confirm the other as true. However, in 1906, in La théorie physique, son object et la structure (hereafter quoted in English translation as The Aim and Structure of Physical Theory (1906/1954)), Pierre Duhem famously argued against this view and stated that crucial experiments in physics are impossible as they are necessarily ambiguous and logically incomplete. His contention rested on the claim that, “[a] physical theory is not an explanation [of true reality in itself in virtue of some broad metaphysical ramification of physics]. It is a system of mathematical propositions, deduced from a small number of principles, which aim to represent as simply, as completely, and as accurately as possible a set of experimental laws” (ibid., p. 19). Furthermore, different theories could be equally suitable to represent a given group of experimental laws. And, assuming holism, no hypothesis could be tested in isolation, but merely as a part of a set of an entire scientific theory. The problem which Duhem identified in 1906 was slightly overshadowed and neglected in mainstream philosophy of science until the appearance of a challenging paper by Willard Van Orman Quine published in 1951 and entitled “Two Dogmas of Empiricism”. Quine’s paper caused a revival of interest in Duhem’s original formulation and gave a new impulse towards the problem in the form of the so-called Duhem-Quine thesis. The aim of this paper is to reconsider whether Duhem was right to argue that there are no crucial experiments in physics. In order to assess the validity of the thesis, first, this paper makes an exposition of Duhem’s arguments in their favour, and analyses the major criticisms of this position offered in the subject-literature of Adolf Grünbaum, who explicitly attacked the arguments for the thesis as inconclusive and false. Then, this paper presents possible modes of defence of the Duhem-Quine thesis and argues that the original formulation of the thesis is well qualified and plausible. Finally, this paper offers a pragmatic interpretation of the theory choice.
The Non-Professional Judge as a Component of Civic Culture in Poland
Authors: Kużelewski Dariusz
Published: April 2021

The objective of the paper is to present the role of the non-professional judge in Poland as an important manifestation of civic culture based on citizens’ activity in the sphere of justice among other things. The paper also highlights the importance of an appropriate selection of citizens who are to adjudicate and possibly place restrictions on access to judicial functions using the example of Polish law. The last part addresses the problem of the gradual reduction of the participation of lay judges in the Polish justice system and the controversial attempts to halt this trend, such as the introduction of lay judges to the Supreme Court and the start of discussions on the introduction of the justice of the peace to common courts.
Correlation Between Car Size, Weight, Power, and Vowel Quality in Model Names
Authors: Stolarski Łukasz
Published: April 2021

This paper focuses on the practical application of the theory of sound symbolism in brand name development and examines which of the two phonetic dimensions of vowel articulation, the vertical articulatory scale or the horizontal one, is utilised to a higher degree in communicating the size of a vehicle to customers. The methodology used in previous studies on size-sound symbolism did not make it possible to separate the two aspects of vowel articulation. In the present paper, these dimensions were categorised by the use of quantitative methods. Each Received Pronunciation vowel was assigned a numerical value separately on both scales. Then, the correlations between the values obtained for horizontal and vertical articulation of the vowels present in the names of cars sold in Great Britain and the physical attributes of the respective vehicles such as size, weight, and power were calculated. The final results reveal that it is only the vertical scale of vowel articulation which is utilised to signal the physical characteristics of the vehicles examined in this project. Although these findings refer directly to British English, they may also have more universal implications for the theory of magnitude sound symbolism.
An Investigation of Affective Reactions to the First-Time Administration of an English Oral Elicited Imitation Test and Oral Narrative Test
Authors: Bielak Jakub , Mystkowska-Wiertelak Anna , Pawlak Mirosław
Published: April 2021

As some language tests may be more anxiety-provoking than others, anxiety, other affective reactions, and related perceptions evoked by the English oral elicited imitation test (EI), a sentence repetition task measuring the implicit knowledge of grammar in a way not resembling natural communication, were investigated during first-time administration by means of a 10-point rating scale and a thought-listing tool. Because anxiety and other emotions cannot be interpreted in absolute terms, the same reactions induced by a special type of an English oral narrative test (ON) were investigated for comparison. A quantitative and qualitative analysis revealed EI to be more anxiety-provoking than ON as it created considerably higher levels of tension and worry. The possible causes include the perception of EI as very difficult, the uncertainty and confusion generated by the oral nature of its instruction and stimuli, and lack of an openly declared focus. Careful administration of EI is recommended to reduce anxiety and unfavorable perceptions. Other, much less frequent affective reactions to the tests and perceptions included satisfaction, curiosity, excitement, hope, confusion, interest, boredom, uncertainty, and concentration.
T/V Pronouns and FTAs inthe Works of Sir Thomas Malory: Medieval Politeness and Impoliteness in Directives, Expressives, and Commissives
Authors: Wiśniewska-Przymusińska Malwina
Published: April 2021

Middle English second person pronounsthouandyou(T/V) are considered to be among the means employed by medieval speakers to express their attitudes towards each other. Along with face-threatening acts, the use of these pronouns could indicate power relations or solidarity/distance between the interactants (Taavitsainen & Jucker 2003; Jucker 2010; Mazzon 2010; Bax & Kádár 2011, 2012; Jucker 2012). Using the tools available in pragmatic research, this paper attempts to provide an analysis of selected fragments fromThe Works of Sir Thomas Malory(Vinaver 1948 [1947]), analysed through the lens of Searle’s speech act theory (1969, 1976). The aim of this paper is to investigate whether the usage of T/V pronouns in polite or impolite contexts depends on the speech act in which they appear or not. Secondly, it looks at the presence of face-threatening acts (FTAs) and their potential influence on polite or impolite pronoun usage. Lastly, the analysis looks at the usage of FTAs within specific speech acts. The fragments used in this article were chosen from five chapters of Malory’s text:The Tale of King Arthur,Lancelot and Guinevere,The Morte Arthur,The Noble Tale, andTristram de Lyones.
To Translate, or Not to Translate: A Cognitive Linguistic Analysis of Selected English and Polish Proverbs
Authors: Mandziuk-Nizińska Justyna
Published: April 2021

Proverbs are often said to be part and parcel of the cultural, social, and cognitive heritage of a given linguistic community. This very specific nature of proverbs poses a challenge for any contrastive paremiological study which looks for “equivalents” in the target language. Especially difficult cases which escape systematic analysis are novel modifications of well-established traditional proverbs. To illustrate this, consider a proverb such as The early bird gets the worm. Based on this traditional saying, we have nowadays a number of modifications such as The early bird gets the worm, but the late one gets the pizza or The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese. Also, a Polish original saying such as Kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bóg daje, lit. “God provides to those who rise early”, now has a number of variants, including Kto rano wstaje, ten idzie po bułki (lit. “Those who rise early go to a shop to buy rolls”) or Kto rano wstaje, ten jest niewyspany (lit. “Those who rise early are sleepy”). One thing is certain: any attempt to develop a viable contrastive paremiological analysis can hardly ignore the complex and intricate relations between the cognitive, linguistic, and cultural aspects of proverbs compared. What is needed is a multifaceted account of such structures. A translation model which seems to be perfectly suited for this purpose is Lewandowska-Tomaszczyk’s theory of reconceptualization (2010). Using as a point of departure Lewandowska-Tomaszczyk’s assertion that that the translation of a proverb from a source language (SL) to a target language (TL) entails “a number of cycles of reconceptualization of the original SL message, expressed eventually in the TL” (2010: 107), we will offer a re-conceptualization-based account of the shift in meaning involving traditional proverbs and their jocular transformations.
Dupont Analysis of Farms in V4 Countries
Authors: Ladvenicová Jana , Bajusová Zuzana , Gurčík Ľubomír , Červený Dávid
Published: April 2021

The paper deals with the analysis of factors that influence the change in return on equity (ROE) in farms of individual V4 countries – in Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. DuPont analysis denotes the decomposition of the ROE indicator and is classified as a basic pyramid decomposition. The pyramid system captures the relationship between indicators, where one synthetic indicator (ROE) is broken down into analytical indicators through linkages. In the case of a multiplicative link between indicators, the functional and logarithmic method is used. The source of data is the Farm Accountancy Data Network for the period 2009–2017. Comparing the first and last year we can conclude that the ROE indicator decreased in farms of all V4 countries (in Slovakia by 155%, in Czech Republic by 133%, in Hungary by 52% and in Poland by 19%). The predominantly positive or negative impact on its development was mainly influenced by two indicators: return on assets and return on sales in all countries.
Tantangan melakukan kajian literatur psikologi di Indonesia: Masalah mendasar dan solusinya
Authors: El Hafiz Subhan , Himawan Karel Karsten
Published: April 2021

Kajian literatur merupakan salah satu metode ilmiah dengan tingkat justifikasi kebenaran yang paling tinggi karena berdasarkan pada kumpulan studi-studi empiris yang telah diuji keabsahannya. Meskipun demikian, terdapat tantangan mendasar dalam melakukan kajian literatur Indonesia, yaitu beragamnya variasi suatu terminologi konseptual yang digunakan - kebanyakan di antaranya karena variabel diterjemahkan bebas tanpa ada kesepakatan istilah. Artikel ini mengulas lebih detail mengenai permasalahan dari ketiadaan kesepakatan terminologi dalam Bahasa Indonesia, serta mengusulkan strategi untuk memitigasi masalah tersebut melalui peran aktif konsorsium dan asosiasi keilmuan.
"Mengapa Tuhan mengambil mereka?" Pengalaman duka dan pemaknaan anak yang kehilangan kedua orang tua secara berurutan
Authors: Ausie Roselli Kezia , Mansoer Winarini Wilman D.
Published: April 2021

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengalaman serta pemaknaan individu terhadap kematian kedua orang tua. Wawancara dengan desain fenomenologi dilakukan terhadap perempuan 23 tahun yang kehilangan kedua orang tua secara berurutan dalam waktu singkat. Data dianalisis menggunakan teknik deskripsi tekstural. Peristiwa meninggalnya ibu didahului dengan proses sakit yang panjang, sehingga muncul firasat buruk dan cemas. Sementara itu, kehilangan ayah yang mendadak memunculkan perasaan bingung dan penyangkalan. Setelah orang tua meninggal, partisipan merasa kosong dan sendirian, serta kehilangan motivasi dan arah. Setelah hampir empat tahun berlalu, marah kepada Tuhan dan kebingungan terhadap agama muncul bersama dengan konflik antar saudara. Secara keseluruhan, tema yang muncul adalah penyangkalan, depresi, dan kemarahan. Partisipan belum dapat menerima dan memaknainya sebagai peristiwa menyakitkan. Studi ini menggambarkan proses pemulihan yang tidak mudah pasca kehilangan yang berurutan, dan dukungan sosial yang tulus dan berkelanjutan, serta ruang untuk mengekspresikan emosi dibutuhkan untuk dapat mengatasi kedukaan secara adaptif.
Growth mindset, instructors scaffolding, dan self-regulated learning pada pembelajaran jarak jauh selama pandemi COVID-19
Authors: Putri Yudith Bernadette Ayu , Royanto Lucia R.M.
Published: April 2021

Pembelajaran jarak jauh semakin banyak digunakan sebagai metode pembelajaran alternatif menggantikan metode belajar tradisional, terutama setelah pandemi COVID-19. Dalam praktiknya, mahasiswa dan dosen akan berjarak, sehingga peranan mahasiswa untuk menampilkan regulasi diri dalam proses belajar menjadi hal yang penting. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk melihat pengaruh growth mindset dan instructors’ scaffolding dalam meningkatkan self-regulated learning mahasiswa, terutama terkait interaksi antara dosen dan mahasiswa yang dimediasi melalui media daring. Subjek penelitian ini terdiri dari 387 mahasiswa sarjana yang tersebar dalam 10 universitas negeri di Indonesia. Hasil menunjukan bahwa growth mindset dan instructors’ scaffolding secara signifikan memengaruhi self-regulated learning mahasiswasebesar 26%, di mana instructors’ scaffolding menjadi determinan yang lebih kuat daripada growth mindset. Studi ini menginformasikan strategi bagi pendidik untuk melakukan intervensi yang lebih berfokus pada instructors’ scaffolding daripada terkait growth mindset dalam membantu mahasiswa mengembangkan self-regulated learning.
Pengaruh dukungan sosial terhadap pertumbuhan pasca trauma pada korban difabel akibat bencana gempa
Authors: Harsono Yudi Tri , Nurmalitasari Femmi , Retnowati Sofia
Published: April 2021

Bencana gempa di Yogyakarta tahun 2006 masih menyisakan banyak permasalahan, terutama bagi mereka yang mengalami difabel akibat gempa. Pertumbuhan pasca trauma merupakan pemaknaan positif dari pengalaman atau perasaan negatif yang terjadi pada individu sebagai hasil dari perjuangan melawan kehidupan yang menantang. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui peran dukungan sosial terhadap pertumbuhan pasca trauma pada difabel akibat gempa. Subjek penelitian merupakan korban gempa bumi Yogyakarta tahun 2006 (N = 51) yang mengalami disabilitias fisik pada anggota gerak, seperti tangan, kaki, dan tulang belakang. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan menggunakan Skala Pertumbuhan Pasca Trauma dan Skala Dukungan Sosial. Hasil analisis regresi penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa dukungan sosial berkontribusi positif terhadap pertumbuhan pasca trauma pada difabel akibat gempa.
Eksplorasi dampak negatif dan positif pengalaman body shaming melalui pendekatan autoetnografi
Authors: Astuti Annisa Dwi , Mansoer Winarini Wilman D.
Published: April 2021

Body shaming, atau mempermalukan seseorang karena bentuk tubuhnya, baik yang dilakukan oleh diri sendiri maupun orang lain, dapat memicu respons negatif terhadap korban. Studi autoetnografi ini bertujuan untuk menggali bagaimana individu memaknai pengalaman malu terkait tubuh. Partisipan adalah peneliti sendiri dan dua orang wanita dewasa muda yang memiliki pengalaman malu terkait tubuh. Hasil studi ini menunjukkan bahwa pengalaman malu terkait tubuh memunculkan emosi negatif pada semua partisipan. Akan tetapi, terdapat dampak yang berbeda di setiap partisipan. Hasil studi dirangkum dalam tujuh tema besar, yaitu kemunculan malu terkait tubuh, alasan melakukan diet, dampak negatif, strategi koping, malu terkait tubuh saat dan setelah diet, dampak positif, dan dukungan menghadapi malu terkait tubuh. Penelitian ini diharapkan dapat meningkatkan pemahaman masyarakat tentang fenomena malu terkait tubuh, dampaknya, dan berbagai strategi untuk mengatasi pengalaman tersebut.
Can Three-Dimensional Rotational Angiography Road Map be used for Individualized Guidance of Uterine Artery Catheterization as in Intracranial Arteries Intervention?
Authors:   Affiliated Hospital Of Hunan Institute Of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Li Wenquan
Published: April 2021

It is widely accepted that Uterine Artery (UA) Embolization (UAE) is an effective, minimally invasive therapeutic strategy for symptomatic uterine fibroids and PPH of various causes along with conventional surgical treatment of hysterectomy and myomectomy. Also it is an effective interventional procedure for the treatment of uterine vascular malformations, pregnancy incisions, denomyosis and cervical cancer with bleeding.
Ultra-Processed Foods, Nutrition and Pregnancy: Characteristics of Food Consumption by HIV-Positive Women during Pregnancy
Authors:   Universidade Federal Do Rio Grande Do Sul, De Oliveira Agostini Clarissa
Published: April 2021

This article aims to provide a commentary on the article “Contribution of Ultra-processed Food to the Daily Food Intake of HIV-positive and HIV-Negative Women during Pregnancy”. Pregnancy causes physiological changes in the woman’s body, modifying her nutritional needs, as well as food intake.