bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The improvement of academic and methodological support of psychological-pedagogical disciplines in the conditions of digitalization of higher education
Authors: Pazukhina Svetlana Vyacheslavovna , Ponomareva Tat'yana Mikhailovna
Published: June 2021

The article discusses the problem of reconsideration of components and improvement of academic and methodological support of university psychological and pedagogical disciplines. The object of this research is the academic and methodological support of psychological-pedagogical disciplines in the digital educational environment of higher education. The subject is the improvement of academic and methodological support of psychological-pedagogical disciplines, taking into account competencies (components of competencies) developed in the course of their study for use in digital educational environment. The author determines the specificity and forms of providing academic and methodological support in transition towards digitalization of higher education. The author summarizes the productive experience of implementing these forms of work in Tula State Lev Tolstoy Pedagogical University. The article suggests the vectors for improvement, gives theoretical substantiation to the new variants of development and provision of academic and methodological support for psychological-pedagogical disciplines demanded in the digital environment. It is established that the process and dynamics of improvement of academic and methodological support are primarily associated with overcoming psychological and qualification barriers that impede the participation of pedagogues in the digital transformation of education, and increasing their readiness to learning and using new information and communication technologies and software, which is most effective when they receive specialized training based on implementation of the principles of system-activity, competency-based, information, and individually-differentiated approaches, interdisciplinary integration, organization of joint activity of the educators of different academic departments.
The analysis the family-type Pavel Shivarev’s (non) school “The Searchers”
Authors: Rozin Vadim Markovich
Published: June 2021

Thus article analyzes the concept and experience of the Kaliningrad (non ) school of Pavel Shivarev. The author lists the key principles of its operation: organizing education outside the classroom system, active participation of the child's family in educational process, activity of children in different age groups, orientation towards individualization of education. The article discusses the attitude of parents to fully invest education of their children and do no enroll them into a public school. The author examines the principal theoretical and pedagogical provisions “The Searchers” (non) school is founded on: revised Montessori system, environmental approach, focus on individualization of education, use of modern methodological and psychological techniques. Attention is given to the important role of environment created in the (non) school. The author believes that namely such environment guides the pedagogues and parents towards development and evolution of children. In The three subsystems are distinguished within this environment: anthropological, object-semiotic, and purely semiotic. The environmental approach allows analyzing the act of learning, which implies actualization of the problem situation, unconscious response of the body to it, conscious activity on building the patterns and solving the problem situation, awareness of the obtained solution. The article reviews two perspectives of culture the students are being introduced to in “The Searchers” (non) school: accepted in the state, and shared by the family and pedagogues of the (non) school. In conclusion, the author raises the three complex topics: the social nature of education, the role of subjective factor of development, and the attitude of new education towards traditional.
Organizational and pedagogical conditions for arranging educational practice in the process of vocational training of future managers
Authors: Pasholikov Mikhail Sergeevich
Published: June 2021

This article is dedicated to determination of organizational and pedagogical conditions for arranging educational practice in the process of vocational training of future managers in the university. The relevance of this topic is substantiated by dissatisfaction of the pedagogues, students and employers’ representatives with the results of educational practice. The author compares the international models of management education, and highlights the key differences in the Russian and foreign approaches towards arranging educational practice for the bachelors in management. The author describes the basic organizational and pedagogical conditions for improving the effectiveness of educational activity, implemented in Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia within the framework of the Bachelor’s Program in Management. The novelty of this research consists in the proposal of criteria and indicators for assessing the results of organization of educational practice from the perspective satisfaction of its subjects, as well in elucidation of the key mechanisms for improving the stages of training and conducting educational practice, such as individualization of the process of vocational training of future managers, establishment of long-term relations between the graduate departments and employers’ representatives, continuous improvement of the content and mechanisms of its organization. Practical importance of this work consists in the possibility of application of the selected organizational and pedagogical conditions for arranging educational practice in development and implementation by the institutions of higher education of the basic programs of vocational education for training future specialists; development of  the programs for educational, industrial and other types of practices; as well as creation of the corporate internship programs.
Gamification as a powerful EFL motivator for law students
Authors: Emirilyasova Susanna Seitbilyalovna
Published: June 2021

This article deals with the main approaches of «gamification» as a new concept in the context of higher education, as well as an exceptional peculiarity of the phenomenon in enhancing motivation of the students majoring in law. Gamification is a relatively new branch of linguistic research. Multicple scientific works are currently dedicated to virtual reality as an integral and perspective part of education, which includes certain motivational mechanisms. Special emphasis is placed on the internal and external educational motivation of students. The ways to increase motivation through gamification in the educational process are introduced. Particular attention in the article is paid to the role of the English language teacher. One of the fundamental tasks of the teacher of the XXI century consists in the introduction of gaming technologies into teaching a foreign language. It is proven that the implementation of gamified teaching methods will lead to student engagement and better attitude towards the English language, since involvement into online educational content allows the students to enjoy the immediate results of their work and feel content for the points earned. The use of gamification tools in the system of learning a foreign language  is an appropriate way to improve attendance and activity of law students.
Image of the Soviet Union in Truman Capote’s work “The Muses Are Heard”
Authors: Konovalova Zhanna Georgievna
Published: June 2021

The subject of this research is the reception of the image of the Soviet Union in the book “The Muses Are Heard" by the American writer Truman Capote. The perception of the image of “foreign” and “foreign culture” is one of the pressing problems within the modern literary studies. The goal of this work is to determine the peculiarities of literary-documentary resemblance of the image of “foreign” country based on the work “The Muses Are Heard”, which is synthetic in its genre nature. The conclusion is drawn on the genre affiliation of the book and the techniques of depicting the image of “foreign culture” therein. The novelty lies in the fact that the research of this literary work are of synoptic nature, and this article is the first attempt of revealing the specificity of the image of the USSR in this work. The author indicates that the specificity of the image of the Soviet Union in the work “The Muses Are Heard is largely determined by its complex literary-documentary nature. T. Capote sets the goal to debunk the stereotypical representations on the USSR, which have formed in the American national mentality. Moreover, the writer refers to the Soviet material as an aesthetic experiment associated with the creation of a peculiar literary-documentary narrative form. The image of the Soviet Union in the work is structured on the factual documentary basis – Capote directly observes the Soviet realities and interviews the Leningrad residents. At the same time, in creating the image of the USSR, T. Capote applies the artistic and cinematographic techniques: stylization of the narrative on behalf of the “naive narrator”, method of “gradual immersion”, cropping, “pointed camera” effect, retardation, and contrast.
Axiological dominants of the rhetorical ideal of modern students in the texts of presidential speeches
Authors: Mashkovich Ol'ga Aleksandrovna
Published: June 2021

  The object of this research is the rhetorical ideal of modern students, while the subject is the means of verbalization of axiological dominants of the rhetorical ideal of modern students. The goal consists in determination of the system of means of explication of value-speech dominants of the rhetorical ideal of Russian students in the texts of public speeches of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, recognized by youth as a successful speaker. The article employs the methods of questionnaire and linguo-axiological interpretation. Special attention is given to the description of the communicative and speech values of modern students formed in the conditions of informatization and globalization of the society, emergence of new communication platforms, which were determined in the course of questionnaire. The analysis of the President's texts revealed the system of means of verbalization of axiological dominants of modern students. It is established that the manifestation of respect for the interlocutor is explicated through the speech act of greeting, etiquette formulas, and selection of particular topics. The axiological dominant of naturalness is explicated on the lexical level, elements of colloquial speech, precedent statements, and figurative language. Inversion serves as the syntactic means of expressing naturalness. Truth is verbalized by means of argumentation. For persuasion effect, the texts of V. Putin contain modal-axiological lexicon and tactic of accentuating the semantic parts of speech. The leading means of dialogueness are targeting and authorization, question and answer forms, rhetorical questions, generalization and concretization techniques, etiquette formulas of welcoming and greetings, complimentary speech acts. The acquired results indicate that the status V. Putin as an effective speaker in communication consciousness of young generation is determined by the use of textual means that verbalize axiological dominants relevant for modern students.  
The road to hell is paved with good intentionality
Authors: Knoop Carin Isabel
Published: June 2021

The dislocation of the pandemic caused social convulsions around the world. Well meaning members of the middle and rule class seem to have rediscovered humans – essential workers, employees, members of under-represented minorities, and children. In our rush to atone our sins and redress imbalances, we are not stopping to define words nor, as the pragmatists would want us to, think through what our moral precepts mean in practice. Teams that do not take the time to establish ground rules and common definitions often get a faster start, but don’t always have the most impact.
Hopeful Provocations for a Dialogue with Critical Pedagogy
Authors: Steinberg Shirley R.
Published: June 2021

In respect for the tentative ways of knowing critical pedagogy, I choose not to define the notion, but rather discuss it from my point of view. It is easier to begin by discussion on what critical pedagogy is not: Critical pedagogy is not prescriptive way of teaching. It is not teacher-proof because it invites teachers to make their own decisions. It is expected to be student-centered but does not prioritize that the student has more to say than the teacher. It is respectful of different traditions, different ways of seeing the world. I would say that critical pedagogy is couched in literacies and, in a non-academic sense, it is couched in the notion of Paulo Freire’s notion of reading the world… the word becomes less important than the world, once one understands the world, cultures, societies, people actually do read the word better. For the purpose of this essay, I embed quotes from Freire’s work to include his voice within the text.
Second-Language Learners from Collectivistic Societies own Self-Efficacy Effects on Performance and Self Perception of Career Success.
Authors: Parra Carlos , Geriguis Mina Nanci
Published: June 2021

In reference to cultural patterns in collectivistic societies, teaching and learning are greatly influenced by the teachers’ collectivistic or individualistic cultural orientation (Kaur & Noman, 2015). However, in dealing with both audiences and their teaching platforms, a chasm appears between methodologies and their applications since collectivistic societies are reluctant to accept methodologies perceived as mere Western innovations. In other words, a seemingly pedagogical incongruence arises where direct individualistic Western influence is perceived as unsuitable to a collectivistic mindset. One must keep in mind that family members in collectivist societies, who view themselves as part of a group rather than independent individuals, seem to feel more interdependent and mutually responsible for each other. In addition to Vygotski’s assertion that children’s cognitive development is enriched through social interaction with more skilled individuals (1978), Bandura (1982) emphasizes that the degree to which learners believe in their own self-efficacy influences their functioning cognitively, motivationally, emotionally, and their decision making process. Also, self-efficacy is perceived to accelerate the process of adapting to a new environment while learners adopt new cultural practices and consent to norms and expectations. In our exploration, second-language learners (SLLs) from collectivistic societies advance academically—English as a second language included—within the frame of sociocultural theory, since they seem to be motivated by their culturally-induced sense of obligation to honor their parents and other group members. These SLLs are positively influenced by their prior experiences with the group’s perceptions and expectations of their capability to learn an additional language (Bandura & Schunk, 1981; Schunk, 1991). Our research seems to indicate that this outcome is significantly affected by the self-efficacy and self-reliance produced by prior successes in challenging tasks that may have been mandated by the SLL’s elders. In addition, SLLs also seem to succeed in accomplishing more challenging goals as they observe their families’ values and traditions even when they are in a society that enforces individualistic values.
Gormenghast: il castello. Il mondo di Mervyn Peake
Authors: Bellotti Silvia
Published: June 2021

Titus Groan (1946) and Gormenghast (1950) are the first two books of the trilogy written by Mervyn Peake. They are set in the ancient and crumbling castle of Gormenghast, a place where time seems to have stopped and where nobody has ever left or come to. The first aim of this essay is the exploration of the representation of the castle of Gormenghast: since it has been defined as the typical gothic structure, it is considered how Gormenghast diverges from the traditional stereotypes of the genre. Mervyn Peake creates a labyrinthine place, isolated in time and space, which gradually seems to expand its volume, multiplying rooms and roofs. It is remarked the symbolic value of the castle and how the inhabitants and the villain relate with this place. In fact, all the characters, except for the protagonist and the villain, are defined in their identity by a room, which becomes their own universe. In the last part of the essay, it is underlined how the metamorphosis of the castle is followed by the metamorphosis of the villain Steerpike as embodiment of pure evil.
Introduzione. Scienza, esplorazione ed eroismo: Robert Falcon Scott al Polo Sud
Authors: Brazzelli Nicoletta
Published: June 2021

The centenary of Scott’s arrival at the South Pole in 1912 and of his tragic death during the return journey has been celebrated through exhibitions and conferences, while a general reassessment of Scott’s figure has been provided by several scholars. In particular, the scientific role of the 1910-12 British Antarctic expedition is now emphasized: Scott’s aim was not only to reach the Pole but especially to collect data and geological specimens of a completely unknown continent. This introduction focuses on the scientific dimension of Scott’s enterprise, giving special attention to the role of photography, employed during the expedition as a tool of scientific exploration, and to the crucial impact of photographs on the modern perception of the Antarctic. Another important point concerns the Scott Polar Research Institute (Cambridge, UK), founded in 1920 to commemorate Scott, that laid the foundations of Polar studies and pioneered scientific research throughout the twentieth century.
Scott of the Antarctic (1948): Geopolitics, film and Britain’s Polar Empire
Authors: Dodds Klaus
Published: June 2021

This paper uses the release of Ealing Studios’ Scott of the Antarctic (1948) to initiate a reflection on how the then UK government was preparing to anticipate and prepare for growing geopolitical and scientific challenges to its polar sovereignty. Two counter-claimants (Argentina and Chile) and one close ally (United States) refused to accept that the Falkland Islands Dependencies were part of the British Empire. While most investment and overall strategy was directed towards mapping and surveying, the Colonial Office did offer support to a filmic project focussing on the heroics of Edwardian polar explorers. The rationale for and the reaction to the film are interwoven with a broader geopolitical assessment, which suggests that celebrating manly character and stoic leadership was not going to be sufficient in a world where British imperial authority was being challenged and indeed corroded south of 60 degrees South.
Virgilio e Orazio in un dialogo a distanza (Verg. Ecl. 4.4; Hor. Epod. 16.1 e Verg. Aen. 1.291)
Authors: Montorfano Tommaso
Published: June 2021

At a ten-year mark, a verse written by Virgil (Aen. 1.291) looks like a longexpected answer to his friend Horace, who had in turn alluded to a Virgil’s poem in epod. 16. During the hundred-year-old discussion about the relationships between eclogue 4 and epode 16, the stylistic element known as "motto" has seemed conclusive to determine the precedence of Virgil’s poem on Horace’s one. At different stages, Alberto Cavarzere argued that Hor. epod. 16.1 was an answer to Verg. ecl. 4.4. In my opinion, the same rhetoric device was used about ten years later by Virgil, answering in turn to Horace’s "motto". As a conclusion, we can indeed relate Hor. epod. 16.1 and Verg. Aen. 1.291, since from several points of view (content, context, style, metric features) Virgil’s verse seems to continue the alexandrine dialogue engaged ten years before by Horace’s epode.
La riscrittura di Ovidio nella Favola di Narcisso di Luigi Alamanni
Authors: Origgi Alessandra
Published: June 2021

My paper deals with the analysis of the mythological short poem La Favola di Narcisso by Luigi Alamanni, focusing on the rewriting of the episode of Narcissus in Ovid’s Metamorphoses. This study takes into account the particular literary devices through which the author aims to reproduce and reinforce the rhetorical richness of the Latin example, such as the amplificatio, the modification of dispositio and the respect of decorum. Furthermore, the intertextual relationships between the Favola and the most important vernacular and Latin writers are highlighted; Petrarca’s poems Rvf 23 and 50, suggesting the idea of painful love, are the primary models for Alamanni and will serve as the main sources. Alamanni’s rewriting of the Ovidian text, as well as the connections between the different parts of the poem, lead to a new interpretation of the story of Narcissus. As the prologue and the conclusion of the Favola clearly point out, the episode of Narcissus represents a negative exemplum of amorous behaviour, in coherence with the author’s poetics and with the poetical culture of the Renaissance. Finally, the Favola is placed in the literary tradition of the mythological short poems, the translations of Ovid and in the tradition of the lyrical-narrative octave.
"Raccontare è monotono": il ritmo della prosa in Feria d’agosto di Cesare Pavese
Authors: Zoppi Matteo
Published: June 2021

Starting with the twenty-five short stories which constitute August Holiday, the paper attempts to analyse the rhythmic and prosodic structures in Pavese’s prose works: the study initially tries to show the main metric structures subtended by each text (principally various length anapaestic verses, seven-syllable lines, octosyllables, decasyllables and hendecasyllables). The prosodic examination also shows a clear formal division between the first parts of the work and the third one: the number of anapaestic structures increases remarkably from the first to the last section. This stylistic evolution can be explained through a passage from The Business of Living written in 1944, where Pavese states that his previous prose works lack a «rhythmic support». To discover the functional reason of this prosodic style, it is necessary to consider that in this period of his life the writer is searching for a type of writing able to "raise reality to the mythic sphere". Pavese’s myth is fundamentally the "repetition" of an element in reality. In fact, from a lexical point of view, the words "monotony", "obsessive recurrence", "emphatic cadence" are those he uses the most to describe the dynamics of myth. Analyzing the passages where Pavese talks about his metric style, a surprising lexical correspondence can be observed: the writer describes the anapaest exactly as "monotony", "rhythm", "cadence" and "recurrence". Therefore, it is possible to suppose that Pavese, in the final part of August Holiday, uses the anapaestic structures as a way to operate the raising of reality to the mythic sphere.
A Survey of Lyric Genres in Hellenistic Poetry: the Hymn. Transformation, Adaptation, Experimentation
Authors: BARBANTANI SILVIA
Published: June 2021

The paper is the first part of S. Barbantani’s contribution Lyric for the Rulers, Lyric for the People: The Transformation of Some Lyric Subgenres in Hellenistic Poetry, in E. Sistakou (ed.), Hellenistic Lyricism: Traditions and Transformations of a Literary Mode (Trends in Classics 9, 2), Berlin - Boston 2017, 339-399 (which discusses encomiastic lyric, epinikion in Callimachus, Posidippus and inscriptional epigram, literary epithalamia, threnoi and epikedeia, poems in stichic lyric meters, Carmina popularia, anthologies for symposiastic use and mimes). This contribution analyses how some of the main lyric genres, developed in archaic and classical Greek poetry, underwent transformation in the Hellenistic period, following social, political and cultural changes. The paper specifically explores lyric poetry produced ‘for the gods’ (hymns, esp. paeans, preserved on stone and on papyrus).
One Belt One Road: la riapertura delle Vie della Seta o un nuovo percorso geopolitico per la Cina?
Authors: Gavinelli Dino
Published: June 2021

With increasing frequency we talk about giving new impulse to the path that, for centuries, has marked the trade between East and West. This New Silk Road would open up not only new socio-economic, geo-political and strategic scenarios but also interesting local development processes in the regions involved. In particular, it would represent an undoubted opportunity for China (now the second economic power in the world), for Europe (in search of new projects) and for Africa (on the fringe of the ‘world system’). The contribution aims to highlight the challenges and opportunities that the different territories and actors involved, first and foremost China, will be called to seize with the revival of the old connections and the opening of new routes through Asia, Europe and Africa.
Tutti cantano Yi Dai Yi Lu? La popolarizzazione del discorso politico sulla Nuova Via della Seta
Authors: Lupano Emma
Published: June 2021

The Belt and Road (BRI) Forum for International Cooperation, held in Beijing in May 2017, was the first event to gather official representatives from almost 60 countries in the name of China’s project to re-enliven the spirit of the ancient Silk Road. Before and during the Forum, music videos were released online, promoting the benefits that the BRI would bring to the many populations involved, reproducing keywords from the institutional discourse on the initiative. Institutionally-inspired music videos and cartoons have become growingly common in the Chinese cyberspace since 2013, with the aim to promote the CCP’s political message among younger citizens. Drawing on the analysis of the videos released in relation to the Belt and Road Forum, the contribution discusses the role of such products in the popularisation of the CCP’s political discourse towards national and international audiences.
A multifunctional method (ERP and fMRI) of analysis on facial expression. Three pilot studies
Authors: Yovel Galit
Published: June 2021

As social primates, one of the most important cognitive tasks we conduct, dozens of times a day, is to look at a face and extract the person's identity. During the last decade, the neural basis of face processing has been extensively investigated in humans with event-related potential (ERP) and functional MRI (fMRI). These two methods provide complementary information about the temporal and spatial aspects of the neural response, with ERPs allowing high temporal resolution of milliseconds but low spatial resolution of the neural generator and fMRI displaying a slow hemodynamic response but better spatial localization of the activated regions. Despite the extensive fMRI and ERP research of faces, only a few studies have assessed the relationship between the two methods and no study to date have collected simultaneous ERP and fMRI responses to face stimuli. In the current paper we will try to assess the spatial and temporal aspects of the neural response to faces by simultaneously collecting functional MRI and event-related potentials (ERP) to face stimuli. Our goals are twofold: 1) ERP and fMRI show a robust selective response to faces. In particular, two well-established face-specific phenomena, the RH superiority and the inversion effect are robustly found with both ERP and fMRI. Despite the extensive research of these effects with ERP and fMRI, it is still unknown to what extent their spatial (fMRI) and temporal (ERP) aspects are associated. In Study 1 we will employ an individual differences approach, to assess the relationship between these ERP and fMRI face-specific responses. 2) Face processing involves several stages starting from structural encoding of the face image through identity processing to storage for later retrieval. This representation undergoes several manipulations that take place at different time points and in different brain regions before the final percept is generated. By simultaneously recording ERP and fMRI we hope to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the timecourse that different brain areas participate in the generation of the face representation.
The iconic representation of metaphor. An event-related potentials (ERPs) analysis of figurative language
Authors: Balconi Michela , Tutino Serafino
Published: June 2021

The aim of the study is to explore the iconic representation of frozen metaphor. Starting from the dichotomy between the pragmatic models, for which metaphor is a semantic anomaly, and the direct access models, where metaphor is seen as similar to literal language, the cognitive and linguistic processes involved in metaphor comprehension are analyzed using behavioural data (RTs) and neuropsychological indexes (ERPs). 36 subjects listened to 160 sentences equally shared in the variables content (metaphorical vs literal) and congruousness (anomalous vs not semantically anomalous). The ERPs analysis showed two negative deflections (N3-N4 complex), that indicated different cognitive processes involved in sentence comprehension. Repeated measures ANOVA, applied to peak amplitude and latency variables, suggested in fact N4 as index of semantic anomaly (incongruous stimuli), more localized in posterior (Pz) area, while N3 was sensitive to the content variable: metaphor sentences had an ampler deflection than literal ones and posteriorly distributed (Oz). Adding this results with behavioral data (no differences for metaphor vs literal), it seems that the difference between metaphorical and literal decoding isn’t for the cognitive complexity of decoding (direct or indirect access), but for its representation format, which is more iconic for metaphor (as N3 suggests).
Digitizing the moving face: asymmetries of emotion and gender
Authors: Desai Ashish
Published: June 2021

In a previous study with dextral males, Richardson and Bowers (1999) digitized real time video signals and found movement asymmetries over the left lower face for emotional, but not non-emotional expressions. These findings correspond to observations, based on subjective ratings of static pictures, that the left side of the face is more intensely expressive than the right (Sackeim, 1978). From a neuropsychological perspective, one possible interpretation of these findings is that emotional priming of the right hemisphere of the brain results in more muscular activity over the contralateral left than ipsilateral right side of the lower face. The purpose of the present study was to use computer-imaging methodology to determine whether there were gender differences in movement asymmetries across the face. We hypothesized that females would show less evidence of facial movement asymmetries during the expression of emotion. This hypothesis was based on findings of gender differences in the degree to which specific cognitive functions may be lateralized in the brain (i.e., females less lateralized than males). Forty-eight normal dextral college students (25 females, 23 males) were videotaped while they displayed voluntary emotional expressions. A quantitative measure of movement change (called entropy) was computed by subtracting the values of corresponding pixel intensities between adjacent frames and summing their differences. The upper and lower hemiface regions were examined separately due to differences in the cortical enervation of facial muscles in the upper (bilateral) versus lower face (contralateral). Repeated measures ANOVA’s were used to analyze for the amount of overall facial movement and for facial asymmetries. Certain emotions were associated with significantly greater overall facial movement than others (p < .0001), beginning with surprise and followed by happy > fear > (angry = sad) > neutral. Both males and females showed this same pattern, with no gender differences in the total amount of facial movement under voluntary conditions. In males, movement asymmetries favoring the lower left side of the face occurred for most emotional expressions. For females, all emotions were symmetric over the lower face. Our findings with computer digitizing techniques support the hypothesis that there are gender differences in facial movement asymmetries during the expression of emotion. They further underscore the view that emotional processing may represent a more widely distributed system throughout the brain in women than in men, corresponding to previous reports that language processes are also less lateralized in women.
Presence of freezing and naming abilities in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Albania Giovanni , Pignatti Riccardo , Mauro Alessandro , Semenza Carlo
Published: June 2021

We found that mildly cognitive impaired patients with PD and freezing are less impaired than comparable patients with PD and no freezing in action naming rather than in object naming. This effect may be attributable to the compensatory activation of Broca’s area. More, the presence of freezing can induce patients to create behavioural strategies, by offering major care on carrying out executive tasks, including verb naming.
Neuropsychological deficits in patients with myocardial infarction
Authors: Antony Sherin P. , Jamuna Rajan , Kini Satish M. , Chakravarthy Murali
Published: June 2021

Myocardial Infarction (MI), commonly known as a Heart Attack, remains a leading cause of death throughout the world. Studies have shown that patients, who had MI, have cognitive impairment affecting attention, problem solving, memory, visuospatial, executive function and even dementia. Since cognition and emotion are integral part of the disease, there are no focused studies addressing this issue in the Indian context. Hence the present study. The objective of the study was to determine the neuropsychological deficits in patients with MI and with MI after cardiac bypass surgery. The sample consisted of 30 patients, 15 MI and 15 MI after CABG. All patients were assessed on. a battery of Neuropsychological tests and Hamilton Rating Scale for depression, The findings revealed impairment in mental speed, sustained attention, Animal Fluency Test, Phonemic Fluency Test, verbal and visual working memory, planning, response inhibition, verbal and visual learning and memory. On comparison with MI patients CABG patients showed significant deficits in Planning.
Integrated cognitive retraining in agenesis of corpus callosum: a single case study
Authors: Reddy Rajakumari P. , Jamuna Rajan , Hemchand Lata
Published: June 2021

Individuals with Agenesis of corpus callosum (ACC) have deficits in areas of cognitive functions, social, emotional processing and communication. The aims of the study were to examine: (a) the neuropsychological profile pre- and post-intervention; (b) to study the effects of the integrated integrative cognitive retraining in patient with ACC. We employed a single case experimental study with pre- and post-assessment. This design enabled evaluation of changes in the patient in response to the intervention. RR, a 25-year-old with diagnosis of ACC was assessed for poor concentration, memory, academic performance, anxiety, and interpersonal issues. Neuropsychological profile indicated deficits. He underwent six months of cognitive retraining (home & hospital based) and brief cognitive behavior therapy. There was significant improvement post intervention. Integrative Cognitive retraining was efficacious in patient with ACC.
Instruments for evalutation of altered states of consciousness
Authors: Sozzi Matteo , Inzaghi Maria Grazia
Published: June 2021

In recent years an increase of interest concerning the altered states of consciousness was observed. In particular literature provided a wide amount of contribution about the scales for measurement of level of responsivity. Our aim is to describe the principale scales used in diagnosis of Disorder of Consciousness (DOC) trying to illustrate administation procedures, specifically assessed aspects, modality of stimulation, reliability, and validity. We divided them in four main different groups: the first one in which descriptive scales are included, that is those scales basically used after a clinical observation; the second group which concerns scales requiring defined stimulation sets; in the third group we considered the scale which refer to diagnostic criteria stated by the Aspen Work Group (Giacino et al., 2002); whilst in the fourth group we describe a battery aimed to assess patients with severe cognitive deficits which are not yet evaluable with neuropsychological tests.
Neuropsychology of facial expressions. The role of consciousness in processing emotional faces
Authors: Balconi Michela
Published: June 2021

Neuropsychological studies have underlined the significant presence of distinct brain correlates deputed to analyze facial expression of emotion. It was observed that some cerebral circuits were considered as specific for emotional face comprehension as a function of conscious vs. unconscious processing of emotional information. Moreover, the emotional content of faces (i.e. positive vs. negative; more or less arousing) may have an effect in activating specific cortical networks. Between the others, recent studies have explained the contribution of hemispheres in comprehending face, as a function of type of emotions (mainly related to the distinction positive vs. negative) and of specific tasks (comprehending vs. producing facial expressions). Specifically, ERPs (event-related potentials) analysis overview is proposed in order to comprehend how face may be processed by an observer and how he can make face a meaningful construct even in absence of awareness. Finally, brain oscillations is considered in order to explain the synchronization of neural populations in response to emotional faces when a conscious vs. unconscious processing is activated.
Cognitive retraining in traumatic brain injury
Authors: Nangia Diya , Kumar Keshav
Published: June 2021

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often associated with cognitive impairments. The psychological sequelae of cognitive deficits and emotional problems contribute significantly to the disability in the patient and to the distress of the family. The study aimed to develop a cognitive retraining programme to enhance cognitive functioning in TBI. 25 years old male presenting with history of left temporal hemorrhagic contusion with cerebral edema underwent 2 months of a cognitive retaining programme, addressing executive functions impairment. A single case experimental design with pre- and postassessment was adopted to evaluate changes in the patient in response to the intervention. Improvements were found in cognitive functioning, and in symptom reduction and behaviour. The 2 months hospital based cognitive retraining programme was found to be efficacious in ameliorating symptoms and improving cognitive, social and occupational functioning post traumatic brain injury.
Nursing creative technology for mutual help group to people with Parkinson’s disease and their families
Authors: Alvarez Angela Maria , Hisako Takase Gonçalves Lucia , Lago Silva Sena Edite
Published: June 2021

The Multicentric study of action research approach had the objective of adapting, testing and evaluating nursing caretive technology of the mutual help group for patients with Parkinson’s disease and their families, in two contexts of Brazilian country: Jequie, BA and Florianópolis, SC, by focusing on social inclusion and network relations. Fourteen patients participated in each context, who were submitted to the study of the forementioned technology. Its development had place during two semesters, in 2007. It was applied the Sluzki Modified Map of Relations of which identifies the relationships as indicative of potential social support. This application was performed in pre and post technology testing for data comparison to measure the changes. Results showed that nursing mutual help group technology contributes to maintain or enlarge the network of social support and favoring the parkinsonians social inclusion.
Valutare la competitività delle regioni come destinazioni turistiche. Proposta e applicazione di un modello praticabile
Authors: Pezzano Antonio , Canove Lorenzo , Giannone Maurizio , Placenti Federica , Pucci Ornella , Sangiorgi Anna
Published: June 2021

This paper suggests a feasible model to evaluate the competitiveness of the tourist regions of the Italian Mezzogiorno and, therefore, from a policy making perspective, the impact of regional policies – primarily those of economic development – that affect tourism. A review of the literature – on the issue of the lack of adequate information to draw and analyse public policies –, has led us to conclude that the reasons for this difficulty are different and have a nature both institutional and technical (OECD, 2005). Dwelling on the technical level, we assume that an information system to evaluate the competitiveness of the tourism sector should be: practical, understandable, based on benchmarking, suggest solutions, timely, systematic and reliable. The paper, aside from explaining the significance and arguments on which we have based the choice of the indicators, proposes a concrete model – meeting the mentioned criteria – to measure the competitiveness of a tourist region, Sicily, benchmarking it to other regions of the Mezzogiorno and, in some cases, to other regions of the Mediterranean. Finally, we have summarized the most significant elements of the model. More specifically, we have explained the reasons of both, the definition of «tourism competitiveness» we have applied, and the selected indicators.
“Narrare” il patrimonio culturale. Approcci partecipativi per la valorizzazione di musei e territori
Authors: Salerno Irene
Published: June 2021

In contemporary multicultural societies, museums must assume a new role and have to renew the relationship with the public. They have to become more and more centres for cultural elaboration «of» territories and «inside» territories, engine for the development of a new culture of social inclusion and participation in the cultural life of societies, especially for the public that still have difficulties to access cultural heritage. Strategic realities for the maintenance and the reinterpretation of cultural identity, the museums, also rooted in specific local contexts, are actually trying to exploit innovative strategies to strengthen and re-enact the relationship with communities and territories of which they express values, history and culture. In this context, of particular importance are some innovative experiences of innovative itineraries to visit museum collections and cultural sites, adopting methodologies such as the «storytelling», with the active cooperation of local communities as «interpreter» of cultural heritage.
Vacinas
Authors: Fernandes Jorlan
Published: June 2021

O livro busca discutir e reforçar o papel das vacinas na prevenção e no controle de doenças infecciosas ao longo da história. Apesar de ter sido idealizada antes da pandemia de Covid-19, a obra é publicada em timing propício e aproveita o alto engajamento da sociedade sobre o tema para aprofundar informações. Integrante da coleção Temas em Saúde, o título reúne pesquisadores e especialistas de diferentes gerações vinculados à Fiocruz. Jorlan Fernandes, Natália Lanzarini, Akira Homma - uma das maiores autoridades em vacinas no mundo - e Elba Lemos abordam questões que se tornaram corriqueiras na agenda pública, como ensaios clínicos, vacina de vetor viral, vacina de mRNA, imunidade de rebanho, hesitação em vacinar, queda na cobertura vacinal e aumento do movimento antivacinas.
Deus salve a rainha e evite engarrafamentos: textos de jornalismo cultural
Authors: Assunção Ademir
Published: June 2021

“Muito se fala em “jornalismo literário”, como se a segunda condição tornasse a primeira mais nobre, e como se a primeira ajudasse a segunda a se tornar mais “popular”, coloquial. Não parece algo que tire o sono de Ademir Assunção: ele não concebe a escrita a partir de um cânone, de uma idealização, de uma vontade externa, mas de sua própria inquietação. Ele também não teme a verdade — e ele a busca em qualquer lugar, seja no morro com Bezerra da Silva, seja caminhando pelas ruas de Porto Alegre a bordo de Mário Quintana. Ademir também escreve ficção, e os pressupostos — não as ferramentas — são parecidos com os de seu jornalismo. Em janeiro de 2004, com Adorável criatura Frankenstein, esculachava os ritos de legitimação de ídolos, marqueteiros, intelectuais e modelos-atrizes-apresentadoras do circo midiático brasileiro. Ele parece crer que a literatura (e também o jornalismo) age no mundo, muda o mundo e não está aí para fixar ou cristalizar as convicções, mas para sacudi-las, abalá-las, estremecer a árvore dos fetiches. O poeta beatnik Gary Snyder disse, certa vez, que a poesia é como um grande corvo sentado num fio de alta tensão, entre dois postes. “Ninguém presta atenção nela, mas ela vê tudo.” O jornalismo cultural praticado pelo Ademir é como aquele corvo do Snyder. Está lá, em todos os fios, com seu olhar escrutador. Os farsantes vão ficando pelos meios fios. Assunção vai enchendo todos os fios.”
Chest X-ray pneumothorax segmentation using U-Net with EfficientNet and ResNet architectures
Authors: Abedalla Ayat , Abdullah Malak , Al-Ayyoub Mahmoud , Benkhelifa Elhadj
Published: June 2021

Medical imaging refers to visualization techniques to provide valuable information about the internal structures of the human body for clinical applications, diagnosis, treatment, and scientific research. Segmentation is one of the primary methods for analyzing and processing medical images, which helps doctors diagnose accurately by providing detailed information on the body’s required part. However, segmenting medical images faces several challenges, such as requiring trained medical experts and being time-consuming and error-prone. Thus, it appears necessary for an automatic medical image segmentation system. Deep learning algorithms have recently shown outstanding performance for segmentation tasks, especially semantic segmentation networks that provide pixel-level image understanding. By introducing the first fully convolutional network (FCN) for semantic image segmentation, several segmentation networks have been proposed on its basis. One of the state-of-the-art convolutional networks in the medical image field is U-Net. This paper presents a novel end-to-end semantic segmentation model, named Ens4B-UNet, for medical images that ensembles four U-Net architectures with pre-trained backbone networks. Ens4B-UNet utilizes U-Net’s success with several significant improvements by adapting powerful and robust convolutional neural networks (CNNs) as backbones for U-Nets encoders and using the nearest-neighbor up-sampling in the decoders. Ens4B-UNet is designed based on the weighted average ensemble of four encoder-decoder segmentation models. The backbone networks of all ensembled models are pre-trained on the ImageNet dataset to exploit the benefit of transfer learning. For improving our models, we apply several techniques for training and predicting, including stochastic weight averaging (SWA), data augmentation, test-time augmentation (TTA), and different types of optimal thresholds. We evaluate and test our models on the 2019 Pneumothorax Challenge dataset, which contains 12,047 training images with 12,954 masks and 3,205 test images. Our proposed segmentation network achieves a 0.8608 mean Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) on the test set, which is among the top one-percent systems in the Kaggle competition.