bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flower development and senescence in Narcissus tazetta ‘Kashmir Local’
Authors: Gul Fahima , Tahir Inayatullah , Shahri Waseem
Published: November 2015

Flower development and senescence was studied in Narcissus tazetta ‘Kashmir Local’. Flower development was divided into six stages (I-VI), from the tight bud stage to the senescent stage. Flower fresh and dry weight increased as the flowers progressed from bud to bloom and then declined during senescence. Membrane permeability of tepal tissues increased as the flower progressed through various stages. The content of sugars (reducing and total) increased during flower development and declined thereafter during senescence. The α-amino acid content registered an increase during flower development with a concomitant decrease in soluble protein content. The SDS-PAGE of protein extracts from tepal tissues revealed a general decrease in the expression of some high molecular weight proteins and an increase in low molecular weight proteins during flower development and senescence. It may be suggested that the flower senescence of N. tazetta may be linked to the protein turnover and sugar status of the perianth tissues and that these newly synthesized proteins may be involved in proteolysis. At this stage, it is not known whether these polypeptides play an important role in senescence but revealing the nature of these proteins can provide new insights into the pathways executing senescence in this flower system.
Abattoir survey on extra-cerebral coenurosis in goats
Authors: Schuster R. K. , Sivakumar S. , Wieckowsky T. , Reiczigel J.
Published: November 2015

Out of 19,046 goats aged between 5 and 6 month and slaughtered at an abattoir in Dubai between September 2012 and March 2014, 57 carcasses were objected at meat inspection due to the presence of bladder worms of the coenurus type. The majority showed single cysts that were cut out but 10 carcasses had to be discharged due to the presence of multiple cysts and with a maximum number of 41 coenuri. In the majority of carcasses, cysts were located in the legs (n=45) followed by abdominal muscles (n=16), diaphragm (n=14) and shoulder (n=13). Loin, rack, renal fat, heart, neck, masseter were other cyst locations. The size of the detected parasitic cysts ranged from 0.7 ml to 90 ml. The maximum number of 1,102 scolices was counted in an 86 ml coenurus found in the leg of a goat. Cysticercus tenuicollis was another cestode larval stage found in livers of 302 goats. A mixed infection with both parasites was detected in 35 carcasses.
Impact of photocatalysis on carotenoic acid dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Jöhr Res , Zajac Lukasz , Günzburger Gino , Hug Hubert , Such Bartosz , Szymonski Marek , Meyer Ernst , Glatzel Thilo
Published: November 2015

Sensitized mesoporous titania is of increasing interest for catalysis and photovoltaic devices such as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). For photovoltaic applications, the catalytic properties of TiO2 can cause degradation of the dyes during device fabrication. This is especially the case if natural sensitizers are used. We addressed this issue by fabrication of carotenoic acid sensitized solar cells under inert and ambient assembly conditions. The DSCs were investigated by currentvoltage and quantum efficiency measurements. Further characterization of the cells was made using impedance spectroscopy. The conversion efficiency of the DSCs prepared under inert conditions improved by at least 25% and the devices showed an enhanced reproducibility. The improvement of the DSCs correlated with the conversion efficiency of the sensitizers under inert conditions. We conclude that the photocatalytic bleaching depends on the electron injection efficiency of the sensitizer. Hence carotenoic acids support their own degradation. However, the photocatalytic decomposition of the sensitizers can be avoided by fabrication of the DSCs under inert conditions.
Fundamental Sources of Economic Complexity
Authors: Jakimowicz Aleksander
Published: November 2015

This article analyses the basic sources and types of economic complexity: chaotic attractors and repellers, complexity catastrophes, coexistence of attractors, sensitive dependence on parameters, final state sensitivity, effects of fractal basin boundaries and chaotic saddles. Four nonlinear classic models have been used for this purpose: virtual duopoly model, model of a centrally planned economy, cobweb model with adaptive expectations and the business cycle model. The issue of economic complexity has not been sufficiently dealt with in the literature. Studies of complexity in economics usually focus on identifying the conditions under which deterministic chaos emerges in models as the main form of complexity, while analyses of other forms of complexity are much less frequent. The article has two objectives: methodological and explicative, which are to shed some new light on the issue. The first objective is to make as comprehensive a catalogue of sources of economic complexity as possible; this is to be achieved by the numerical calculations presented in this article. The issue of accumulation of complexity has been emphasized, which is a type of system dynamics which has its roots in coincidence and overlapping of complexity originating in different sources. The second objective involves an explanation of the role which is played in generating complexity by classic laws of economics. It appears that there is another overarching law, which is independent of the type of system or the level of economic analysis, which states that the long-term effect of conventional economic laws is an inevitable increase in the complexity of markets and economies. Therefore, the sources of complexity discussed in this article are called fundamental ones.
Restoration Practices Used on Post Mining Sites and Industrial Deposits in the Czech Republic with an Example of Natural Restoration of Granodiorite Quarries and Spoil Heaps
Authors: Chuman Tomáš
Published: November 2015

Mining of minerals that have significant impact on landscape and landscape functions affects 1% of the land surface worldwide. In the Czech Republic the extent of mining sites is estimated to be more than 800 km2 and according to the state legislation the land affected by mining should be reclaimed. There are several approaches to land restoration, which are shortly reviewed in this article, from pure technical approach to one adopting natural processes. The review shows increasing appeal of scientist and conservationist to use natural processes e.g. natural or directed succession as an alternative method of post-mining sites or industrial deposits restoration due to growing evidence of conservational value of such sites in human dominated landscapes. The natural processes used for land restoration are often argued to be slow therefore the rate of spontaneous vegetation succession was assessed in stone quarries and on spoil heaps using a sequence of panchromatic aerial images. The results showed that natural processes act fast and vegetation can reach 100% cover within 10-15 years in granodiorite quarries and on spoil heaps.
German Tax System: Double Taxation Avoidance Conventions, Structure and Developments
Authors: Dumiter Florin , Turcas Florin , Opret Anca
Published: November 2015

This paper presents the fundamentals of the tax system in general, the basic elements of a tax system as well as the organization of the German tax system analysis, especially throughout the tax levy and how the taxation typology functions. This theme was chosen in order to expose the principles of German taxation system. With a tumultuous and troubled history, mainly caused by the two World Wars‟ destructions, the German state is considered the „economic locomotive” and a pillar of the European Union. Germany‟s economy is mainly driven by the automotive industry, chemical industry, telecommunications, commerce and agriculture. Of particular importance is the qualitative analysis of conventions for the avoidance of double taxation concluded by Germany; and related implications on fiscal policy. The methodology used in this paper consists of presenting literature derived theories and practical analysis of the German tax system in terms of tax legislation and the evolution of double taxation conventions concluded by Germany with different countries. After the study, the conclusions on the size of the national tax system driven by the example of the German tax system were founded.
Involuntary Manslaughter in The New Romanian Penal Code
Authors: Zazula Bela Attila
Published: November 2015

The defense of the person‟s life and health represents a constant concern for all legal systems. The person’s life and health were protected as primary and absolute values of any society in any social regime, and state had the task of creating some mechanisms that would ensure the protection of the social values against some approaches that are not according to the law.
Leveraging Web 2.0 technologies to add value to the IUPAC Solubility Data Series: development of a REST style website and application programming interface (API)
Authors: Chalk Stuart J.
Published: November 2015

This paper details an approach to re-purposing scientific data as presented on a web page for the sole purpose of making the data more available for searching and integration into other websites. Data ‘scraping’ is used to extract metadata from a set of pages on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) website, clean, organize and store the metadata in a MySQL database. The metadata is then used to create a new website at the authors institution using the CakePHP framework to create a representational state transfer (REST) style application program interface (API). The processes used for website analysis, schema development, database construction, metadata scraping, REST API development, and remote data integration are discussed. Lessons learned and tips and tricks on how to get the most out of the process are also included.
Four Species Of Caloplaca S.L. (Lichenized Ascomycota, Teloschistaceae) New For Poland
Authors: Wilk Karina
Published: November 2015

Four calcicolous species of the genus Caloplaca s.l., C. concreticola Vondrák & Khodosovtsev, C. interfulgens (Nyl.) J. Steiner, C. isidiigera Vězda and C. scabrosa Søchting, Lorentsen & Arup, representing various taxonomic groups, are reported as new for Poland, with brief taxonomic remarks and information on their habitat and distribution given.
Continental Atlas of Poland for Automobilists – the first road atlas in the independent Poland
Authors: Rutkowski Jan
Published: November 2015

The 90th anniversary of the appearance of Atlas Polski Continental dla automobilistów (Continental Atlas of Poland for Automobilists) published by Continental Caoutchouc Compagnie Ltd Warsaw is nearing. The Atlas was the first publication of its kind after Poland had regained its independence in 1918.

After mentioning the earlier 19th and the beginning of 20th century road maps, mainly from the region known as the Kingdom of Poland being at the time under the rule of the Russian Empire, the author of the article discusses the Continental road atlas.

The date of publishing the Continental road atlas is not known, therefore in the article the author makes an attempt at establishing it on the basis of the map’s contents: railroad lines, settlement network and administrative borders. Unfortunately, the study does not allow one to unequivocally state the date of publication due to numerous shortcomings in the map’s contents. Nevertheless, the date may be estimated as the beginning of the year 1926.

The atlas consists of 20 single-sided map sheets (foldouts) at the scale of 1:1,000,000, which cover the whole territory of Poland as well as some parts of neighboring countries, and a general map showing the division into sheets. The maps’ main contents consists of five categories of roads marked in red. Their background is composed of railroad lines, towns and villages in seven size classes according to the number of inhabitants, water network, some peaks and passes as well as mountain range names. Explanations of map symbols in the legend are given in five languages: Polish, Russian, German, French, English.

The atlas very clearly shows the differences in the density and quality of roads between the regions of the Prussian and Austrian partitions and the road infrastructure-wise neglected Russian partition, especially its eastern part. Apart from mileage information for roads, the maps do not contain additional information specifically for motorists. They do not even show petrol stations or auto repair shops.

What is really worth praise is the sole idea of creating such an automobile atlas and publishing it in 10,000 copies, a copy for every other Polish driver at the time! The fact speaks for the publisher’s, Continental Caoutchouc Compagnie’s, perspective. Despite numerous shortcomings discussed in the article, the Continental Atlas of Poland for Automobilists remains an unique work, which gave a beginning to a new kind of maps in Poland.
A Hermeneutical Analysis of the InternalistApproachin the Philosophy of Sport
Authors: Frias Francisco Javier Lopez , Monfort Xavier Gimeno
Published: November 2015

In this paper, we make a hermeneutical analysis of internalism, the dominant tradition in the philosophy of sports. In order to accomplish this, we identify the prejudices that guide the internalist view of sports, namely the Platonic-Analytic prejudice introduced by Suits, one of the forefathers of internalism. Then, we critically analyze four consequences of following such a prejudice: a) its reductive nature, b) the production of a unrealistic view of sports, c) the vagueness of the idea of excellence; and d) the leap from the descriptive analysis of the sporting phenomenon to the setting of normative requirements for the practice of sports.
New Paradigm: Science on Aggression with Sport in the Background
Authors: Kosiewicz Jerzy
Published: November 2015

In this work, the author focuses in particular on aggressive behavior in competitive sports (highly ranked professional, spectator, and Olympic sports) and on the behavior of fans accompanying sporting events.

Aggression in sports, when considered from the point of view of the regulations in specific disciplines, has two main variants. The first variant is necessary aggression, which is both instrumental and non-instrumental and is potential in the sense that it allows the manifestation of emotions which are not outlined in the rules of the discipline. Thus, aggression is considered necessary when it results from the rules of a given sport.

The second form of aggression is a non-instrumental and unpredictable aggression which is of an emotional origin. It is reactive, characterized by anger, and aims to cause harm. It is not stimulated by the rules of a given sport, but on the contrary is restricted and punished by the rules.

The author also points out that the aggressive behavior of fans before, during, and outside a sporting event will never be necessary in this respect because the rules, guidelines, or specific regulations of a sport apply to the behavior of players, not fans. Therefore, their aggression is potential, emotional, planned, or spontaneous, but never necessary.
Research on Relative Age in Hungarian Swimming
Authors: Nagy Nikoletta , Ökrös Csaba , Sós Csaba
Published: November 2015

In 2017, the 19th World Swimming Championship will be organized in Hungary. Up to now, many people have already been working with swimmers to achieve good results. However, in the next period they must work even harder to ensure that the national swimmers of a country as small as Hungary can achieve the outstanding results of their predecessors. Since high-level competitions in swimming have become more intense, innovations including scientific studies are needed during preparation for the event. The purpose of this paper is to present the major results of an independent study carried out by the authors about the relative age of the best Hungarian swimmers with the aim of contributing to their preparation. The research population consisted of selected age groups of swimmers registered by the Hungarian Swimming Association (N=400). The method for data collection was an analysis of documents. To evaluate the data, the Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used. The results are presented according to the period of the competitor’s date of birth, gender, and age group. The results confirm only partly the hypothesis that people born in the first quarters of the year play a dominant role in Hungarian national swimming teams. In the conclusion, the authors recommend further research on relative age in swimming and in other sports.
Job Satisfaction of a Physical Education Teacher as Seen by School Community
Authors: Rutkowska Katarzyna , Zalech Mirosław
Published: November 2015

In A high level of satisfaction with a job influences the effectiveness and increases the quality of performed tasks. In the case of physical education teachers it is connected not only with a higher commitment to passing knowledge and skills but also with instilling passion in their students. The aim of the study was to analyse how school community perceives job satisfaction of physical education teachers. The research included 148 teachers and 171 students who were divided into three groups by means of random-purposive sampling. The groups were as follows: physical education teachers (n=22), teachers of other subjects (n=22) and students (n=22). The results obtained from these respondents (n=66) were subjected to further analysis. In the study a modified Polish version of the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) prepared by Juczyński (2001) was used. It made it possible to diagnose the job satisfaction of physical education teachers. The analyses revealed that the subjects assess the job satisfaction of a physical education teacher at an average or low level. This assessment showed significant differences between physical education teachers and teachers of other subjects. The study also revealed differences between groups with regard to two out of five scores in the SWLS.
A Prototype for a Palm-sized Photoacoustic Sensing Unit
Authors: Gao Fei , Feng Xiaohua , Miao Xilin , Zheng Yuanjin
Published: November 2015

Photoacoustic sensing and imaging techniques have experienced tremendous research progress, ranging from fundamental physics and methodologies to various biomedical and clinical applications in recent years. However, the state-of-art photoacoustic systems still suffer from high cost and bulky size, which hinders their potential applications for low-cost and portable diagnostics. In this paper, we propose the design for a palm-size photoacoustic sensor prototype. The design’s lower cost and smaller size would allow it to be used for portable photoacoustic sensing applications like oxygen saturation and temperature. By converting the high-frequency photoacoustic pulse signal to low-frequency photoacoustic DC signal through a rectifier circuit, the proposed photoacoustic receiver could potentially reduce the cost and device size efficiently, compared with the conventional highspeed data acquisition card interfaced with computer solutions. Preliminary testing is demonstrated to show its feasibility for photoacoustic sensing applications.
Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers for Photoacoustic Imaging: Modeling and Simulation of Structural Parameters on Receive Performance
Authors: Xu Qi , Chen Bingzhang , Li Pengye , Liu Jin , Lai Dakun
Published: November 2015

Introduction: Although many piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (pMUTs) with different structures have been presented and fabricated for photoacoustic imaging (PAI), most of them are lack of systemic analysis and optimizations of design parameters. It is of important to explore the internal physical mechanisms and corresponding cause-effect relationships of the receive performance of pMUTs with different structures. The purpose of this study is to present a novel numerical method for an efficient design of the AlN-based pMUT for application in PAI system. Methods: A planar and two curved (dome-shaped and concave) structures of pMUTs based on aluminum nitride (AlN) were modeled numerically in this study. For each pMUT, the performance of receive sensitivity was simulated systemically using the finite elements analysis (FEA). Moreover, the physical parameters of three structureswere analyzed in detail, such as the radius of curvature, the height of SiO2, the height of AlN and the height of polyimide. Results: The obtained results show that the receive performance of three structures in water or air could be ordered as: the dome-shaped > the concave > the planar. Further, several valuable findings of this study would be used to design pMUTs so as to achieve better receive performance, such as: (a) for an optimum radius of curvature almost exists for any curved pMUT, (b) a thinner supporting layer means a better receive performance, (c) the piezoelectric layer in three structures have an optimum thickness, and (d) the height of polyimide affects little the receive performance in all structures. Conclusions: For a pMUT-based ultrasound sensor in photoacoustic imaging (PAI), the dome-shaped pMUT has a better receive sensitivity than that of the planar structure and the concave structure, whose physical parameters combining the work frequency could be optimized efficiently with a numerical method.
Spirituality and the negative and positive effects of traumatic experiences in a group of emergency service workers
Authors: Ogińska-Bulik Nina , Zadworna-Cieślak Magdalena
Published: November 2015

Objective: Studies concerning the importance of spirituality on the negative and positive effects of traumatic experiences are very rare. Our study attempts to determine the role of spirituality in posttraumatic stress disorders, approached as a negative result of facing traumatic events, and profiting from such experiences in the form of posttraumatic growth.

Method: The study covered 116 emergency service workers (only men), including 43 firefighters (37.1%), 43 police officers (37.1%) and 30 paramedics (25.8%), who experienced a traumatic event in their line of work. Those surveyed were between 21 and 57 years of age (M = 35.28; SD = 8.13). The Impact of Event Scale was used to assess the negative effects of traumatic experience, and Posttraumatic Growth Inventory for assessing the positive effects. Spirituality was measured using the Selfdescription Questionnaire.

Results: 61.2% of the workers displayed at least moderate symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, whereas 38.8% displayed low intensity symptoms. Taking into consideration the positive effects of experienced traumatic events, it was discovered that almost 40% of those surveyed displayed low levels of posttraumatic growth, 34.5% average and 25.8% high. Correlation analysis was been performed to establish the relation between spirituality and posttraumatic stress and posttraumatic growth. Posttraumatic growth predictors were determined.

Conclusions: Study results show that spirituality is not related to the intensification of posttraumatic stress symptoms, whereas it contributes to positive posttraumatic changes. Among different aspects of spirituality, harmony plays a major role.
Order effects in attributions of sporting abilities in team handball
Authors: Sobczyk Marcin , Parzelski Dariusz
Published: November 2015

Our study explores the role of order effects when making attributions of ability of a performer in team handball. Participants of the study were asked to view a video footage of a handball player performing a passing and throwing task ten times. Although for everyone the footage consisted of the same ten clips, half the participants viewed a declining (successful to unsuccessful) performance pattern, whereas the other half viewed an ascending pattern. After that, participants rated the observed player’s sporting abilities. The results have shown recency effects in the attributions of ability when the judgment was made by players (for most descriptors) and by coaches (for some descriptors).
Influence of ECR-RF plasma modification on surface and thermal properties of polyester copolymer
Authors: Fray Miroslawa El , Willert-Porada Monika
Published: November 2015

In this paper we report a study on influence of radio-frequency (RF) plasma induced with electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) on multiblock copolymer containing butylene terephthalate hard segments (PBT) and butylene dilinoleate (BDLA) soft segments. The changes in thermal properties were studied by DSC. The changes in wettability of PBT-BDLA surfaces were studied by water contact angle (WCA). We found that ECR-RF plasma surface treatment for 60 s led to decrease of WCA, while prolonged exposure of plasma led to increase of WCA after N2 and N2O2 treatment up to 70°–80°. The O2 reduced the WCA to 50°–56°. IR measurements confirmed that the N2O2 plasma led to formation of polar groups. SEM investigations showed that plasma treatment led to minor surfaces changes. Collectively, plasma treatment, especially O2, induced surface hydrophilicity what could be beneficial for increased cell adhesion in future biomedical applications of these materials.
Distribution and chemical coding patterns of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript-like immunoreactive (CART-LI) neurons in the enteric nervous system of the porcine stomach cardia
Authors: Rękawek W. , Sobiech P. , Gonkowski S. , Żarczyńska K. , Snarska A. , Waśniewski T. , Wojtkiewicz J.
Published: November 2015

The aim of this study was to determine the presence of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript-like immunoreactive (CART-LI) neurons and co-localisation of CART with vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (n-NOS), vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P (SP) and leu-enkephalin (LENK) in the enteric nervous system of the porcine gastric cardia by using a double-labelling immunofluorescence technique. CART-LI neurons were observed in the myenteric plexus (18.2±2.6%). A dense network of CART-LI nerve fibers was mainly observed in the muscular layer. CART showed co-localization mainly with VAChT, n-NOS, VIP and to a lesser degree with LENK and SP. Distribution of CART and its co-localization with other neurotransmitters suggest that this peptide plays an important role in gastric motility in the pig.
Dynamic expression profile of DNA methyltransferases in rat testis development
Authors: Xu H.X. , Qin J.Z. , Zhang K.Y. , Zeng W.X.
Published: November 2015

DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts) are unique and perform specific functions during male germ cell development. To further characterize the significance of Dnmts in the events leading to production of spermatozoa, we investigated whether the expression patterns in Dnmt1, Dnmt3a, Dnmt3b and Dnmt3l were apparent in rat testes at different time points during development. The qRT-PCR results showed that expression levels of Dnmt3a and Dnmt3l were abundant before birth and were present at the highest levels in testes tissue at 18.5 days postcoitus (dpc), and gradually decreased from day 0 postpartum (dpp) to 90 dpp. Expression of Dnmt1 and Dnmt3b reached a peak after birth (P <0.01), and then gradually reduced until adulthood. Western blotting and immunolocalization analysis of Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b further confirmed the differential expression and localization of the two proteins during rat testis development. The dynamic expression profile of Dnmts implies specific and potentially nonredundant roles for each of these enzymes in the developing rat testis.
Determination of the cytotoxic activity of Campylobacter strains isolated from bovine and swine carcasses in north-eastern Poland
Authors: Wysok B. , Uradziński J. , Wojtacka J.
Published: November 2015

The study was carried out to determine the cytotoxin production by Campylobacter spp. isolated from slaughtered cattle and swine in north-eastern Poland. In total three commercial slaughterhouses were sampled during one year. Carcass swabs were taken to detect the level of Campylobacter spp. contamination. Campylobacter spp. was found in 50 (34%) out of 147 swine carcasses examined. PCR analysis revealed 4 (8%) isolates to be C. jejuni, and 46 (92%) to be C. coli. From a total of 373 bovine carcasses, Campylobacter spp. were isolated from 49 (13.1%) samples. The results regarding the occurrence of cdt genes associated with cytotoxicity indicated that 100% of C. jejuni and 67.4% C. coli obtained from pigs had all three cdtA, cdtB and cdtC genes. In case of C. jejuni strains isolated from cattle all cdt genes were confirmed in 93.9% isolates. The isolates possessesing all cdt genes had higher cytotoxic activity against cell lines used. The isolates both from cattle and swine were characterized by the highest cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. The values obtained reached 80.8% for C. jejuni isolates from cattle and 76.2% for C. jejuni and 69.0% for C. coli isolates from swine. High prevalence of cytotoxicity in Campylobacter spp. indicates a significant epidemiological role of this pathogen in human infections.
Circannual changes in serum concentrations of thyroxine, calcitonin and parathormone in immature and mature red deer females (Cervus elaphus)
Authors: Kuba J. , Błaszczyk B. , Stankiewicz T. , Kwita E. , Udała J.
Published: November 2015

The aim of this study was to determine circannual changes in the serum concentrations of thyroxine, calcitonin and parathormone in mature and immature red deer females. Blood samples from 8 hinds were collected monthly for 26 months. Secretions of thyroxine and calcitonin showed circannual rhythms with significantly higher levels in the immature hinds compared to the mature animals (p<0.05). For thyroxine, the concentration was higher in the winter/spring period than in summer/autumn (p<0.05), while for calcitonin the concentration profile was the opposite (p<0.05). The concentration of parathormone was significantly higher in summer/autumn that in the other months of the experiment (p<0.01). These results may indicate that the hormones investigated may be involved in the regulation of seasonal reproductive activity and in processes contributing to entering puberty in red deer females.
The Mediational Role of Relational Psychological Contract in Belief in a Zero-Sum Game and Work Input Attitude Dependency
Authors: Adamska Krystyna , Jurek Paweł , Różycka-Tran Joanna
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mediational role of relational psychological contract in social beliefs and work input attitude dependency. We analyzed data taken from employees (N = 258) in four different organizations operating in the Pomeranian market.

A mediation analysis showed a strongly mediating role of psychological contract in the negative relationship between perception of life as a zero-sum game (BZSG) and work input. The motivational effect of the relational psychological contract, that is the role of job security, interesting work, a career in the company, opportunities for promotion and other HRM practices prevail over the significance of personal beliefs, especially when these are negative. If the company lacks the appropriate HRM systems then day-to-day social exchanges can be crucial in modifying the social beliefs of the employee.
The Minority Stress of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Parents. Specificity of Polish Context
Authors: Wycisk Jowita
Published: November 2015

Previous research on LGB parenting is dominated by comparing the LGB families to traditional families with heterosexual parents. Little is known about personal experiences of LGB parents and psychological consequences of nonheterosexual parenting in a heteronormative environment.

This article presents the conceptualization of lesbian, gay and bisexual parents’ minority stress and focuses especially on it’s sources. LGB parents are considered as a multiple excluded minority group. Using a theoretical framework of minority stress (Meyer 1995) the main stressors are described with reference to parental situation: discrimination and violence, perceived stigma, self-concealment and internalized homophobia. These factors’ possible impact on psychological wellbeing is discussed on the basis of research available. The Polish sociocultural context and its potential influence of LGB parents’ stress is also described.

The specificity of LGB parents’ minority stress is that it challenges the aspect of identity associated with a parental social role. The most common stressors undermine the status and quality of parent-child bond and involves the child himself/ herself. In conclusion, minority stress of LGB parents is recognized as a risk factor for decrease in mental health, but also as an opportunity for personal development based on the stress - related growth.
Psychological perspectives on gifted education – selected problems
Authors: Sękowski Andrzej , Łubianka Beata
Published: November 2015

The present article reviews the psychological literature on selected problems of gifted education. It discusses issues which are particularly important from the point of view of the skills and tools used by psychologists, educational specialists, teachers and tutors in their daily work with gifted children and adolescents. The problems described include diagnosis of giftedness in education, types of educational support provided to the gifted, and the requirements placed on teachers of gifted students. A particular emphasis is put on the contemporary research-related and practical challenges faced by gifted support specialists in schools.
Salts in Masonry: An Overview of the Problem
Authors: Charola A. Elena , Bläuer Christine
Published: November 2015

One of the key deterioration factors for porous inorganic building materials are soluble salts. To be able to remediate or mitigate this problem it is fundamental to understand the principal processes governing their behavior. While the actual mechanisms involved in these processes are still under study, the deterioration can be mitigated or remediated by the long practical experience gained in the field. The paper aims to provide an overview of the basic principles that rule the interaction of salts with the porous inorganic material. Understanding these will allow the development of appropriate procedures to control the deterioration process.
Designing an online learning environment for the qualification of teachers: the case of the PAS in the University of Perugia
Authors: Falcinelli Floriana , De Santis Mina , Filomia Maria
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the experience of blended learning conducted in the special Path Enabling Course (PAS: training course reserved for staff working in schools for at least 3 years), at the University of Perugia. The research presented aims to investigate whether, and to what extent, the proposed online course has enabled students to experience different forms of meaningful learning, both individually and in groups; and in which courses they have been stimulated by critical thinking, creativity and metacognitive skills.
Cultural Identity Through CLIL
Authors: Oprescu Monica
Published: November 2015

The CLIL approach is a modern manner of teaching English, which has been adapted in Romanian schools and universities. An interesting aspect of learning a foreign language is the contact with its culture/s and the changes it produces in terms of identity. Therefore, a challenging question to be answered is whether a CLIL approach focusing on culture influences students' cultural identity.
Deconstructing English Articles A Construction Grammar Approach To Teaching Articles In English
Authors: Vujic Jelena
Published: November 2015

The semantics of the articles is crucial for their proper usage in L2 speakers. However, we believe that for their proper acquisition a pairing of concrete form and concrete meaning must take place. In other words, a schema must be created for various meanings of articles. Therefore, in this paper English articles will be viewed from the aspect of Construction grammar. Working within the framework of CxG we will perceive the noun phrases of the type a/the+ N as lexico-syntactic meaningful constructions where the articles attribute a particular meaning to the noun(s) they determine. Together they constitute Determination (article) Construction. Each particular meaning of the articles can be conceptualized and adequate abstract constructional schemas and subschemas as a schematic pairing of form and meaning can be created. In addition, we will use the Serbo-Croatian semantic equivalents of English articles such as indefinite pronouns neki, poneki, koji, kakav, numerals jedan, ijedan, adverbs nekako and makar, demonstrative determiners onaj, adjectives, negative forms ni, nikakav, possessive pronominals and many more. They will serve as a starting point for offering possible constructional schema models for meaningful constructions a/the +N. Other meanings and usages of the articles will be treated in the same way.

We believe that by initializing the conceptualization and encouraging schema development in ESL/EFL students whose mother tongue is Serbo-Croatian reasonable strategies for article choice in English can be provided This is aimed at enhancing their learning process and facilitating acquisition of articles through their understanding and association with concrete lexemes (which would ideally lead to their conceptualization) rather than through abstract concepts of specificity and (in)definiteness as previous studies have done.
The Drinking Habits of Users of an Alcohol Drinking Screening Website in Slovenia
Authors: Visnovič Poredoš Aleksandra , Kolšek Marko
Published: November 2015

Background

Alcohol consumption in Slovenia is one of the highest in Europe. In Slovenia there were a few epidemiological studies on drinking habits among adult population, but none of them has used the AUDIT questionnaire or the Internet for research.

Objective

The aim of this study was to analyse the drinking habits of the visitors of our website www.nalijem.si, which included an anonymous questionnaire for self-assessment of alcohol drinking.

Methods

A cross sectional survey was conducted between January 2010 and December 2013. The front page of our website included an invitation to fill in the anonymous web-based questionnaire; a part of it was the AUDIT 10 questionnaire. Everyone who filled in the questionnaire completely received an individualized feedback on his drinking.

Results

54.020 persons visited our website, 15.817 (29.3%) of them started to fill in the questionnaire, 12.800 (80.9%) filled it in completely. In the analysis, 9.087 (71.0%) persons were included who completed the questionnaire for themselves. There were 37.1% (N=3.373) women and 62.9% (N=5.714) men. The average age was 33 years, the majority was employed (59.7%, N=5.222). The minority drank alcohol 2-4 times per month (32.8%, N=2.977) and most of them (64.5%, N=5.869) drank more than 3 units of alcohol per one occasion on a typical day. The average AUDIT 10 score was 11.7 for men, 8.1 for women.

Conclusions

A large percentage of participants were identified as hazardous and harmful drinkers, which should be a matter of serious concern.
Being Reasonable
Authors: Botting David
Published: November 2015

Where do the rules of critical discussion get their normative force? What kinds of norms are involved? Unreasonable behaviour in the critical discussion - e.g., continuing to assert the contradictory of a proven standpoint, performing some action pragmatically inconsistent with a proven standpoint, or the same with regard to the starting-points agreed to in the opening stage - is liable to moral sanction. Thus, a moral/ethical norm is involved and the rules must have a moral force. Pragma-dialectics as it stands does not seem to account for this moral force. I will attempt to fill this gap in pragma-dialectical theory.
On the Learnability of Classes of Minimal Grammars With Respect to Some Linear Preordering Relations
Authors: Dziemidowicz-Gryz Barbara
Published: November 2015

In this paper we prove the learnability of the classes of minimal grammars with respect to some linear preorderings on the set of categorial grammars. We give some examples of the linear preordering relations on the set of categorial grammars satisfying necessary conditions.
Ontological Structures in an Editorial as a Mechanism for the Creation of Meaning in Persuasive Press Texts
Authors: Topa-Bryniarska Dominika
Published: November 2015

The aim of this paper is to characterise the manner in which onto- logical structures are created (at the level of text structure and the information layer thereof) in press discourse on the example of French newspaper editorials describing political, socio-economic conflicts between the public and the government. Ontological structures and their conceptualisation refer to one of the stages of development of global meaning in the discourse by journalists selecting and categorising the information they wish to provide to their addressees (gate- keeping). Therefore, according to the methodology proposed by Miczka (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011), connecting psycholinguistics (van Dijk & Kintsch, 1983) with the socio-cognitive perspective (Goffman 1974/1986; Langacker, 1987), this pa- per will attempt to describe the discursive mechanisms of creating a common horizon for interpretation in view of persuasive function of the media language (the media declaratives) (Nowak & Tokarski 2007, p. 12). The paper proceeds with analysis of editorials on the basis of the concept of Goffman’s framework teamed with Langacker’s cognitive event, as cognitive schemata organise the structure of the experimental frame. It should also be noted that the persuasiveness in the information layer of the utterance forces to ask the question of the responsibility of the media addresser towards the addressee.
On the Formal Approach to Describing Natural Language. Notes on the Margin of Leśniewski’s Ontology
Authors: Święczkowska Halina
Published: November 2015

This article is an attempt to recreate the intuitions which accompanied Leśniewski when he was creating his calculus of names called Ontology. Although every reconstruction is to some extent an interpretation, and as such may be defective, still, there are reasons justifying such reconstruction. The most important justification is the fact that both Leśniewski and his commentators stressed that ontology originated from reflections about ordinary language, in which sentences such as A is B appear in one of the meanings associated with them in Ontology, and that the users of the Polish language use such sentences accordingly and properly identify them. Assumed it is so, let us try, based on Leśniewski’s guidelines as well as comments and elaborations on Ontology (Leśniewski 1992: 364-382, 608-609; Kotarbiński 1929: 227-229; Rickey 1977: 414-229; Simons 1992: 244; Lejewski 1960: 14-29), to evaluate the accuracy of this approach, referring also to certain knowledge of the Polish language. To make it clear, this article is not about Ontology as a formal theory of language. It is solely an attempt to assess whether some syntactical constructs of the Polish language and this language’s properties are significant conditions of a proper understanding of Ontology, and whether Ontology is, in fact, in a relationship with the ethnic language of its author.
On Logic, Syntax, and Silence
Authors: Beni Majid Davoody
Published: November 2015

The relationship between Carnap’s Logical Syntax of Language (hereafter LSL) ([1934] 1937) and Wittgenstein’s Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus (TLP) ([1921] 1922) has been interpreted in several ways during past decades. One of the interpretations has gained keen advocates among Carnap scholars. It was originally provoked by what Caranp said in LSL, and it consists of two parts. First, it indicates that in TLP the possibility of speaking about the logical form of a language within the same language (which happens to be the only language that there is) had been foresworn by Wittgenstein, but Carnap proved him wrong by producing a book (LSL) written exactly in the manner which had been proscribed by Wittgenstein. This is the debate about the possibility of speaking about logical form.

Second, Wittgenstein’s dogmatism with regard to the existence of a unique correct grammar at the foundation of the language has been contrasted with Carnap’s open-mindedness in conceiving a boundless ocean of possibilities for constructing logical systems.

Interestingly enough, Wittgenstein rambled with rage in reaction to Carnap’s view about the LSL-TLP relationship. But unlike Carnap’s view, which led to a dominant interpretation of the relationship, Wittgenstein’s testimony about the case has been strangely ignored in the history of analytic philosophy. In this paper, I try to make an inquiry about the grounds for Wittgenstein’s dissatisfaction with the Carnapian reading of the LSL-TLP relationship. I will show that Wittgenstein was not totally unfair in his judgment, and that some salient aspects of LSL (recognized as the anti-Tractarian aspects of the work) could be best understood in the light, or rather the gloom, of TLP, and bear a significant resemblance to it. This, however, does not need to diminish the logical and historical significance of LSL.
Lexical Definitions of Some Performative Verbs
Authors: Hlebec Boris
Published: November 2015

The author upholds Anna Wierzbicka’s opinion that unless strict scientific definitions of performatives are reached, no successful classification of these verbs can be made. The article compares definitions of the verb elect and four performative verbs (appoint, declare, excommunicate and pronounce) as presented in four English dictionaries, as well as in the form of Wierzbicka’s explicatives and the author’s formulations reached by means of the collocational method. This method seeks to gain a realistic insight into the semantic structure of lexemes because most metalinguistic elements are drawn from facts offered by the language itself. The definitions of the performative verbs, like of any other verb, can be marshalled by combining and incorporating semantic definitions of the collocating grammar words and constructions. The latter task is done by extracting the common content of the grammar words and constructions in the relevant meanings as appearing in collocations of their own. The same procedure is carried out for the noun collocates occurring in the subject and object slots of the verbs in question. The performative force within this small lexical field manifests gradation, depending on the presence of a person in authority.
On the origin and development of some notions of entropy
Authors: Balibrea Francisco
Published: November 2015

Discrete dynamical systems are given by the pair (X, f ) where X is a compact metric space and f : X → X a continuous maps. During years, a long list of results have appeared to precise and understand what is the complexity of the systems. Among them, one of the most popular is that of topological entropy. In modern applications other conditions on X and f have been considered. For example X can be non-compact or f can be discontinuous (only in a finite number of points and with bounded jumps on the values of f or even non-bounded jumps). Such systems are interesting from theoretical point of view in Topological Dynamics and appear frequently in applied sciences such as Electronics and Control Theory. In this paper we are dealing mainly with the original ideas of entropy in Thermodinamics and their evolution until the appearing in the twenty century of the notions of Shannon and Kolmogorov-Sinai entropies and the subsequent topological entropy. In turn such notions have to evolve to other recent situations where it is necessary to give some extended versions of them adapted to the new problems.