bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spindle Cell Epithelioma of the Vagina
Authors: Berdugo Jérémie , Gauthier Philippe , Provencher Diane , Matte Claire , Piché Jean , Rahimi Kurosh
Published: May 2015

Spindle cell epitheliomas of the vagina are rare benign tumors of uncertain histogenesis. It has been hypothesized that they originate from a pluripotent cell population. Here, we report 2 cases of spindle cell epitheliomas of the vagina. Both patients presented with a painless vaginal nodule. The resected lesions were solid, well circumscribed, and composed of a proliferation of epithelioid or epithelial cells admixed with spindle cells without atypia. The 2 cellular populations expressed epithelial and mesenchymal markers. Based on these morphologic and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of spindle cell epithelioma was rendered in both cases. Furthermore, we describe for the first time the expression of WT-1 (Wilms’ tumor protein 1) and calretinin in addition to the previously defined immunohistochemical profile.
Factors Affecting the Outcomes of Uncomplicated Primary Open Ankle Arthrodesis
Authors: Chalayon Ornusa , Wang Bibo , Blankenhorn Brad , Jackson J. Benjamin , Beals Timothy , Nickisch Florian , Saltzman Charles L.
Published: May 2015

Background:

The objective of this study was to identify factors influencing operative outcomes in straightforward, uncomplicated open ankle fusions.

Methods:

We reviewed all primary open ankle fusions conducted at 1 institution over an 11-year period to identify straightforward, uncomplicated open ankle fusions. Inclusion required a minimum of 6 months follow-up. Patients were excluded for neuropathic arthropathy, insensate limb, failed total ankle replacement, simultaneous arthrodesis of the subtalar joint, or fusions performed within 1 year of injury to salvage failed fixation and painful function due to (1) open fractures, (2) segmental bone loss greater than 1 cm, (3) infection, or (4) talar body fractures. The primary outcome variable was radiographic union at 6 months. Other operative complications were analyzed as secondary outcomes. Five hundred twenty-eight ankle fusion surgeries were performed on 440 patients at 1 institution during the study period. Two hundred fifteen surgeries met inclusion/exclusion eligibility criteria for uncomplicated open ankle fusions.

Results:

The overall union rate was 91%. In this cohort of uncomplicated open ankle fusions, bivariate analysis over a broad range of potential factors and further focused multivariate analysis found that nonunion was more than 3 times more likely to occur after previous subtalar fusion, and 2 times more likely to occur in patients with preoperative varus ankle alignment. The rate of reoperation was 19%, with nonunion revision as the leading reason, followed by hardware removal and incision and drainage for presumed infection. Diabetes was not a significant risk factor of either deep or superficial infection.

Conclusion:

Open ankle fusion failed in 9% of uncomplicated ankles with arthritis. Patients who had an open ankle fusion done after previous subtalar joint fusion, as well as those who had preoperative varus ankle alignment, had a significantly higher rate of nonunion.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative study.
A Place at the Table
Authors: Connor Steven A. , Wang Yu Tian
Published: May 2015

Resolving how our brains encode information requires an understanding of the cellular processes taking place during memory formation. Since the 1970s, considerable effort has focused on determining the properties and mechanisms underlying long-term potentiation (LTP) at glutamatergic synapses and how these processes influence initiation of new memories. However, accumulating evidence suggests that long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic strength, particularly at glutamatergic synapses, is a bona fide learning and memory mechanism in the mammalian brain. The known range of mechanisms capable of inducing LTD has been extended to those including NMDAR-independent forms, neuromodulator-dependent LTD, synaptic depression following stress, and non-synaptically induced forms. The examples of LTD observed at the hippocampal CA1 synapse to date demonstrate features consistent with LTP, including homo- and heterosynaptic expression, extended duration beyond induction (several hours to weeks), and association with encoding of distinct types of memories. Canonical mechanisms through which synapses undergo LTD include activation of phosphatases, initiation of protein synthesis, and dynamic regulation of presynaptic glutamate release and/or postsynaptic glutamate receptor endocytosis. Here, we will discuss the pre- and postsynaptic changes underlying LTD, recent advances in the identification and characterization of novel mechanisms underlying LTD, and how engagement of these processes constitutes a cellular analog for the genesis of specific types of memories.
Real-World Medical Cost Avoidance When New Oral Anticoagulants are Used Versus Warfarin for Venous Thromboembolism in the United States
Authors: Amin Alpesh , Bruno Amanda , Trocio Jeffrey , Lin Jay , Lingohr-Smith Melissa
Published: May 2015

Objective:

Real-world medical cost avoidances from a US payer perspective were estimated when new oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are used instead of warfarin for the treatment of patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Methods:

Reductions in real-world event rates of recurrent VTE and MB were obtained by applying rate reductions from the NOACs versus warfarin trials to the Worcester population. Incremental annual medical costs among patients with VTE and MB from a US payer perspective were obtained from the literature or claims databases. Differences in total medical costs for patients treated with NOACs versus warfarin were then estimated. Univariate and Monte Carlo sensitivity analyses were additionally carried out.

Results:

The annual total medical cost avoidances versus warfarin were greatest for VTE patients treated with apixaban (−US$4440 per patient-year [ppy]), followed by those treated with rivaroxaban (−US$2971 ppy), edoxaban (−US$1957 ppy), and dabigatran (−US$572 ppy). The medical cost avoidances remained consistent under sensitivity analyses.

Conclusion:

Based on real-world data, when any of the evaluated NOACs are used instead of warfarin for treatment of patients with acute VTE, annual medical costs are reduced. Of the NOACs, apixaban has the greatest real-world medical cost avoidance, as its use is associated with substantial reductions in both VTE and MB event rates.
Taking ambiguity seriously: Explaining the indeterminacy of the European Union conventional arms export control regime
Authors: Hansen Susanne Therese
Published: May 2015

The reduction of ambiguous language is a commonly proposed strategy to remedy non-compliance with international obligations. The European Union conventional arms export control regime is a case in point; here, eliminating ambiguity has stood at the forefront among the strategies that have been proposed to remedy poor implementation. The point of departure of this article, however, is the observation that language-addressing strategies are largely inattentive to the underlying dynamics that caused ambiguity in the first place. Through tracing the formation and evolution of the regime, the article argues that the ambiguity of the export control regime is attributable to a configuration of underlying heterogeneity and resistance that is not conducive to a more precise language. Furthermore, the article argues that in order to explain the adoption, evolution and ambiguity of the regime, we need a theoretical model that moves away from the strong emphasis on norm dynamics prevalent in recent research on arms export control. While norm dynamics and a preference for export restraint have certainly influenced the adoption, evolution and design of the regime, the article highlights how the material interests of export promotion, security and sovereignty feature as more critical variables. This casts new light on the gap between export control commitments and export practice, and provides important clues about the prospects for efficient multilateral arms export control. Pushing the research agenda forward therefore hinges on bringing material interests back into the equation.
Investigating the effect of cable force on winch winding accuracy for cable-driven parallel robots
Authors: Schmidt Valentin , Pott Andreas
Published: May 2015

This paper focuses on the winch winding properties of typical driving mechanisms of cable-driven parallel robots. While cable properties have already been studied, the accuracy of winding mechanisms to control cable robots and the interaction with cable properties have yet to be investigated. To initiate this, some properties believed to affect the winding accuracy are outlined. It was found that cable force can have a significant effect, generally because of finite stiffness causing ovalisation and elongation effects on the rope. Experimental investigations showed that cable force was the most significant factor contributing to a change in cable length. This effect can change the accuracy of winding mechanisms by 0.3% to 1.2%. The accuracy is not affected by winding speed, and only minimally affected by variable cable forces. This implies that when investigating cable robot accuracy, the winch winding properties cannot be ignored and an accurate winding model will need to take into account different winding states.
Researching young people’s orientations to the future: the methodological challenges of using arts practice
Authors: Lyon Dawn , Carabelli Giulia
Published: May 2015

Visual and arts-based methods are now widely used in the social sciences. In youth research they are considered to promote engagement and empowerment. This article contributes to debates on the challenges of using arts-based methods in research with young people. We discuss the experience of a multidisciplinary project investigating how young people imagine their futures – Imagine Sheppey – to critically consider the use of arts-based methods and the kinds of data produced through these practices. We make two sets of arguments. First, that the challenges of participation and collaboration are not overcome by using apparently ‘youth-friendly’ research tools. Second, that the nature of data produced through arts-based methods can leave researchers with significant problems of interpretation. We highlight these issues in relation to the focus of this project on researching the future.
Influences on state–society relations in France: Analysing voluntary associations and multicultural dynamism, co-option and retrenchment in Paris, Lyon and Marseille
Authors: Downing Joseph
Published: May 2015

French governance's ad hoc pluralism has offered scope for the emergence of increasing policy dynamism, particularly at the local level. Important in this process is the relationship between the local state and voluntary associations. However, it still remains little understood what external, exogenous factors shape, challenge and facilitate this relationship between the local state and voluntary associations. This paper seeks to contribute to filling this gap with a comparative analysis of three voluntary associations across Paris, Lyon and Marseille. These were chosen for their varying experiences of exogenous influences on their relationship to the local state and the analysis demonstrates that, while offering public recognition to migrant communities has become increasingly possible at the local level, the process remains very much contested, even subject to retrenchment.
Understandings of biological kinship ties in social workers’ accounts: A cross-cultural study of out-of-home placements in Norway and France
Authors: Picot Aurélie
Published: May 2015

Although kinship has been the object of growing anthropological interest since the mid-1980s, few studies have concentrated on the cultural understandings of biological kinship ties in the context of out-of-home placements. Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with professionals in Norway and France, this article compares the meanings attributed to biological ties where children are in out-of-home placements. Applying theoretical perspectives from the new kinship studies, the analysis reveals that while a reference to biological ties underlies both the Norwegian and the French accounts, these biological ties are expressed differently. Moreover, these different understandings of biological ties impact on social work practice, for example in respect of parent–child contact. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for social work practice with children and families.
Polymorphisms in TLR9 but not in TLR5 increase the risk for duodenal ulcer and alter cytokine expression in the gastric mucosa
Authors: Trejo-de la O Alejandra , Torres Javier , Sánchez-Zauco Norma , Pérez-Rodríguez Martha , Camorlinga-Ponce Margarita , Flores-Luna Lourdes , Lazcano-Ponce Eduardo , Maldonado-Bernal Carmen
Published: May 2015

Colonization of the gastric mucosa by Helicobacter pylori can lead to peptic ulcer and gastric adenocarcinoma. TLRs are signaling receptors involved in the recognition of microorganisms, and polymorphisms in their genes may influence the innate and adaptive immune response to H. pylori, affecting the clinical outcomes of the infection. We assessed the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in TLR9 and TLR5 and gastroduodenal diseases. All patients were genotyped by allelic discrimination in regions 1174C > T and 1775A > G of TLR5 and −1237T > C and 2848G > A of TLR9. The 2848A allele of TLR9 was more frequent in duodenal ulcer and showed an association of risk with this pathology. Polymorphisms in TLR5 were not found to be associated with disease. Patients with polymorphisms in TLR9 and TLR5 expressed significantly lower levels of IL-1β and TNF-α, whereas polymorphisms in TLR5 also decreased the expression of IL-6 and IL-10. Our findings suggest that 2848G > A polymorphism in TLR9 increases the risk for the development of duodenal ulcer probably by modifying the inflammatory response to H. pylori infection. This is the first study to show an association of 2848A allele of TLR9 with duodenal ulcer and with altered expression of inflammatory cytokines in the gastric mucosa.
Monoclonal antibodies in acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Jabbour Elias , O’Brien Susan , Ravandi Farhad , Kantarjian Hagop
Published: May 2015

With modern intensive combination polychemotherapy, the complete response (CR) rate in adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is 80% to 90%, and the cure rate is 40% to 50%. Hence, there is a need to develop effective salvage therapies and combine novel agents with standard effective chemotherapy. ALL leukemic cells express several surface antigens amenable to target therapies, including CD20, CD22, and CD19. Monoclonal antibodies target these leukemic surface antigens selectively and minimize off-target toxicity. When added to frontline chemotherapy, rituximab, an antibody directed against CD20, increases cure rates of adults with Burkitt leukemia from 40% to 80% and those with pre-B ALL from 35% to 50%. Inotuzumab ozogamicin, a CD22 monoclonal antibody bound to calicheamicin, has resulted in marrow CR rates of 55% and a median survival of 6 to 7 months when given to patients with refractory-relapsed ALL. Blinatumomab, a biallelic T cell engaging the CD3-CD19 monoclonal antibody, also resulted in overall response rates of 40% to 50% and a median survival of 6.5 months in a similar refractory-relapsed population. Other promising monoclonal antibodies targeting CD20 (ofatumumab and obinutuzumab) or CD19 or CD20 and bound to different cytotoxins or immunotoxins are under development. Combined modalities of chemotherapy and the novel monoclonal antibodies are under investigation.
Influence of erythropoietin on microvesicles derived from mesenchymal stem cells protecting renal function of chronic kidney disease
Authors: Wang Yan , Lu Xingyan , He Juan , Zhao Weihong
Published: May 2015

Introduction

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play a central role in the remediation of cell and tissue damage. Erythropoietin (EPO) may enhance the beneficial influence of MSCs during recovery from tissue and organ injuries. Microvesicles (MVs) released from MSCs contribute to the restoration of kidney damage. We studied the influence of EPO on MVs derived from MSCs, and the protective effects of these factors in subjects with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods

The MVs derived from untreated MSCs (MSC-MVs) or from MSCs incubated in different concentrations of EPO (1, 10, 100, and 500 IU/ml EPO-MVs) were used to treat renal injury of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in vivo, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced fibrosis in a human renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK2) cell line in vitro. Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analyses were used to evaluate the expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers in the renal tissue and HK2 cells. Flow cytometry was used to assess apoptosis within the HK2 cells, and microRNA (miRNA) microarray assays were used to determine the expression profiles of miRNA in the MSC-MVs and EPO-MVs.

Results

Compared to MSC-MVs (untreated), there was a significant increase in the number of EPO-MVs derived from MSCs treated with 1–100 IU/ml EPO, and these EPO-MVs had a greater benefit in UUO mice on days 7 and 14. Moreover, the EPO-MVs had a better restorative effect following TGF-β1-induced fibrosis in HK2 cells at 24 h and 48 h. The flow cytometry results revealed that both types of MVs, especially EPO-MVs, play an important anti-apoptotic role in HK2 cells treated with TGF-β1. The miRNA profiles of the MVs revealed that EPO-MVs changed 212 miRNAs (fold-change ≥ 1.5), including miR-299, miR-499, miR-302, and miRNA-200, and that 70.28 % of these changes involved upregulation. The changed miRNA in EPO-MVs may have contributed to their enhanced protective effects following renal injury compared to MSC-MVs.

Conclusions

There was a dose-dependent increase in the level of EPO-MVs within the range of 1–100 IU/ml EPO. Although both MSC-MVs and EPO-MVs protect the kidney from fibrosis-related damage, there is a superior effect of EPO-MVs.
Nck adaptor proteins modulate differentiation and effector function of T cells
Authors: Lu Kun-Hui , Keppler Selina , Leithäuser Frank , Mattfeldt Torsten , Castello Angelo , Kostezka Ulrike , Küblbeck Günter , Schmitt Sabine , Klevenz Alexandra , Prokosch Sandra , Pougialis Georg , Pawson Tony , Batista Facundo , Tafuri Anna , Arnold Bernd
Published: May 2015

Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating T cell reactivity is required for successful reprogramming of immune responses in medical conditions, characterized by dysfunctions of the immune system. Nck proteins are cytoplasmic adaptors mediating diverse cellular functions, including TCR signaling. By enhancing TCR signal strength, Nck proteins influence thymic selection and regulate the size and sensitivity of the peripheral T cell repertoire. Here, we investigated the contribution of Nck proteins to CD4+ T cell differentiation and effector function using Nck.T−/− mice. Impaired GC formation and reduced Tfh were observed in Nck.T−/− mice after immunization with T cell-dependent antigens. Th2/Tfh-related cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-10, and IL-21, were decreased in Nck.T−/− mice T cells. Moreover, an increased susceptibility to cell death of Tfh cells in Nck.T−/− mice was associated with decreased levels of Akt phosphorylation. As a result of this dysregulation in Tfh cells of Nck.T−/− mice, we found impaired production and affinity maturation of antibodies against T cell-dependent antigens. Thus, Nck proteins not only participate in thymic selection and generation of the peripheral T cell repertoire but also are involved in the differentiation and effector functions of CD4+ T cells.
Agomelatine or placebo as adjunctive therapy to a mood
stabiliser in bipolar I depression: Randomised double-blind
placebo-controlled trial
Authors: Yatham Lakshmi N. , Vieta Eduard , Goodwin Guy M. , Bourin Michel , de Bodinat Christian , Laredo Judith , Calabrese Joseph
Published: May 2015

Background

Adjunctive antidepressant therapy is commonly used to treat acute bipolar
depression but few studies have examined this strategy.

Aims

To examine the efficacy of agomelatine v. placebo as
adjuncts to lithium or valproate in bipolar depression.

Method

Patients who were currently depressed despite taking lithium or valproate
for at least 6 weeks were randomised to treatment with agomelatine
(n = 172) or placebo (n = 172) for 8
weeks of acute therapy and 44 weeks of continuation therapy (trial
registration: ISRCTN28588282).

Results

No significant differences in improvement of depressive symptoms were
observed between the two groups either at 8 weeks or 52 weeks on the
primary efficacy measure of change in Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating
Scale scores from baseline to end-point. Adverse events including
switches into mania/hypomania were low and similar in both groups.

Conclusions

Agomelatine adjunctive therapy was not superior to placebo adjunctive
therapy for acute bipolar depression.
Once Again on Personnel Management Paradigm and Philosophy
Authors: Кибанов  , Kibanov Ardalon
Published: May 2015

Basic features of the personnel management paradigm are considered along with the groups of management theories on which the paradigm is based.

A suggestion is made to rename in Russian professional literature the group of “human resources” theories into “resources of human” to avoid ambiguity in

the interpretation of the essence of these theories. The terminology of the personnel management sphere is clari ed.The substitution of “personnel management”

concept with “human resources management” distorts the content of the personnel management process; hence sometimes equates person to the resource.

Essentially the person is not a resource, but the bearer of resources (intellectual resources). A human is the creator of the resources he produces for constructive

activity. The article characterizes the factors in uencing personnel in the process of labor activity, reveals the essence of the concept of “hard management”,

and provides basic features of philosophy of personnel management in Russian organizations. The development of science and training system in personnel

management is evaluated.
Improvement of Personnel Office Administration As an Anti-Recessionary Measure of Reduction of Expenses and Potential Losses of Organization
Authors: Рязанцева  , Ryazantseva Margarita , Субочева  , Subocheva A.
Published: May 2015

This article assesses the problem of organizations’ compliance to labor legislation. It demonstrates results of the analysis which was carried out to evaluate the

dynamics of the employers’ violations of the labor legislation revealed by the State Labor Inspection of Moscow. The data of 2011-2014 suggests that the number

of violations had increased. Moreover, the article speci es several changes in the legislation regulating responsibility of employers at labor law. Attention is

drawn to the fact that one of the possible ways to prepare for revisions carried out by State Labor Inspection is the audit of the Personnel Office administration.

Taking into account a signi cant increase in the size of penalties for violations of the labor legislation, the article substantiates the anti-recessionary role of

Personnel Office administration and the necessity of its audit; and gives practical recommendations for procedures of Personnel Office administration audit.
Communication in the Organizational Environment of the Firm (Personal Experience of Management Consulting)
Authors: Красовский  , Krasovskiy Yuriy
Published: May 2015

The fi rst part of the article describes specifi c paradoxes of pseudo-managerial situations, that arise at industrial enterprises, and suggests an algorithm for case study from the perspective of business communication and its informational and communicative peculiarities. Communication can be manageable, unmanageable, and self-managing. They appear in businesses as interlevel, unilevel, and intralevel communications. One or another type of communication can become central and form a managerial position. Leader’s management in the system of his/her communications can be: unprofessional, when problems are solved at the expense of moral and economical losses; weak, when secondary issues are solved instead of prior ones; pseudo-managerial, when solving one problem leads to new problems, issues, confl icts; formal, when those in charge keep aloof from common goals and stick to personal duties. The second part of the article describes methodological and theoretical variants of personnel’s info-communication in business enterprises and typical reasons of confl icts.
Scientific and Practical Approaches to Management of Labor Productivity (Lecture 4)
Authors: Эсаулова  , Esaulova Irena
Published: May 2015

This article continues the abstract of lectures on discipline «Economics of personnel management» under the bachelor program. Thechange in the principles of labor productivity management in the context of management evolution is displayed.Thefeatures of labor productivity managementdependent on the type of management are reviewed.The article reveals distinctive features of high performance organizations focused on noneconomic factors of productivity growth:increasing of commitment, involvement; development of competencies and multitasking of employees; support of creativity and teamwork. Areas of labor productivity management are identifi ed: performance management, managing costs of labor, management of labor factors, and management of people as bearers of ability to productive labor. Management processes of successful companies, that provide stable labor performance, are characterized.
What Is the American Myth Really Like?
Authors: Bogdanowicz Mateusz
Published: May 2015

This article sets out to establish the main characteristics of the American Myth. The phenomenon is defined here as “the sum of views, visions, images, values, beliefs and opinions presenting the United States as a positive country, and Americans, as a people, in a good light.” The article also addresses the concept (after W. Blum) of the American Nightmare or American Demon that encompasses all the opposites of the positive connotations of the term American Myth.The main questions posed here are: How is it possible that the culture, civilization and society of a relatively young country can currently shape and effectively influence the world to such an extent? Why not an older and more “esteemed” civilization and culture? The author tries to establish the impact that “Americanness” has had on the rest of the world. The main elements of the American Myth seem to be: the promise of a better “something,” wealth in the American way, the American mythical millionaire, optimism and individualism, success the American way, remoteness and distance, modernity and progress, freedom and democracy and – finally – a supportive attitude towards war and violence. The paper attempts an analysis and evaluation of these from the perspective of cultural and political studies.Myth is not a lie. A myth is a story, compounded of fact and fiction, which expresses something fundamental about the worldview and the values of the people who tell it: what they assume about how the world is and how people should and do live in it. The people who tell a myth do not judge it by whether it can be proven factually true. Rather, it shapes their view of truth; it tells them what they can accept as factually true and what they must consider false. A mythic story can be told explicitly, or it can be merely implied by a few brief words or an image or action. Either way, a myth evokes powerful emotions because it expresses something essential about the identity of the group and its members, as they see it (Chernus).
Coming Out and Beyond: Polish and American Representations of Sexual Minorities
Authors: Basiuk Tomasz
Published: May 2015

This article looks at the “coming out” category in a broad political sense as the work of making the particular subject positions of LGBT minorities legible to those subjects themselves and to the public at large. Coming out thus understood includes, but is not limited to, the rhetorical act of announcing one’s sexual identity; it likewise includes aesthetic representations such as memoirs and films. This broad definition of coming out, based on Jacques Rancière’s political philosophy, enables a comparison between the political‑cum‑aesthetic work of sexual minorities in the US, especially after the Stonewall Inn riots and up to the AIDS epidemic and its aftermath, and some developments in post‑1989 Poland.
Polish Immigrant Women’s Encounter with the New World
Authors: Dmuchała Joanna
Published: May 2015

This article analyzes the situation of Polish women immigrants in the United States in the 19th century who did not restrict their activities to the domestic sphere, fulfilling solely the role of mother and wife. In order to break down stereotypes, the text shows women in America as economically, socially and culturally active members of society who were able to organize themselves into coalitions and fight for shared values. As a result, they formed a joint women’s organization in 1898 – the Polish Women’s Alliance in America. This association, inter alia, provided insurance to single women, organized courses, and tried to maintain contact with Poland. As a result of these activities, other Polish organizations changed their attitude towards women immigrants.
The Last Best West: A Canadian Myth of Success
Authors: Albański Łukasz
Published: May 2015

This paper demonstrates how social myths play an important role in creating the collective imagination and provides a more detailed look at the Canadian frontier myth. At the turn of the twentieth century, Canada was actively promoted as the Last Best West. The idea that Canada would follow the American experience (or even that the twentieth century would be “Canada’s century”) lies behind the characteristic settlement propaganda around the turn of the twentieth century, which also lies at the core of one of the most familiar social myths – the American Dream. This paper constitutes a sociological examination of such propaganda.
Cold War Propaganda, US Prestige and the Eisenhower Administration: Implications From a Case Study Approach
Authors: Lialiouti Zinovia
Published: May 2015

Scholarly research in recent years has emphasized the elements of ideology and propaganda in the understanding of the nature and the features of the Cold War. As far as the US was concerned, the importance of cultural diplomacy and propaganda mechanisms grew as the Cold War began to consolidate. The Eisenhower administration elevated government propaganda mechanisms into an indispensable branch of US foreign policy. It is in this context that the present article examines a US government research project on the decline of US “prestige” abroad designed and implemented in 1953. Our aim is to explore the conceptual structure of the research project and its implications based on archival material of the Eisenhower administration. Our assumption is that the development of propaganda techniques was a gradual and evolutionary process associated with the acknowledgement that perceptions of policies may be as important as the policies themselves. Though in an embryonic form, the reports that are examined in the present article try to address complex issues relating to US image in the world and the appeal of Americanism incorporating working assumptions and methodological principles from the rapidly developing at the time social sciences.
Wstęp do obiektowej analizy czasownika aller w konstrukcjach z określnikami temporalnymi dla celów tłumaczenia automatycznego francusko- polskiego
Authors: Hrabia Michał
Published: May 2015

Introduction to object analysis of the verb aller in constructions with temporal markers, for the purposes of French-Polish machine translation

The paper presents the preliminary results of an object-oriented disambiguation of the French verb aller ‘to go’, performed for the purpose of machine translation. The first part introduces the theoretical foundations of the object-oriented method proposed by Wiesław Banyś, and the principles of word sense disambiguation. The second part is an analysis of the different uses of the verb aller accompanied by temporal markers (weekdays, specific temporal markers and frequency markers). By using concrete examples, the author tries to discover the linguistic conditions which determine whether the translation of the analyzed verb should be jechać (the semelfactive form) or jeździć (the iterative form). The results of the research are presented in four syntactic-semantic schemes, i.e. in one of the descriptive formats used in the object-oriented approach.
Jak badać samogłoski metodami akustycznymi?
Authors: Rybka Piotr
Published: May 2015

How to study vowels using acoustic methods? A proposal of a method based on relative formant frequencies and the cardinal vowels model

The first part of the paper proposes a method of studying (or, more precisely, of recognizing) oral vowels, using the so-called relative formant frequencies. First, we describe the traditional method of acoustic study of oral vowels, together with its limitations. Next, we introduce the assumptions of the proposed method where, unlike in the traditional approach, a set of fixed models is used. The comparison, instead of being reduced to establishing whether two sets of vowels match, requires a distance to be calculated between each vowel and each model. The paper introduces the notion of relative formant frequency (denoted f′) which was used in the comparisons to minimize the impact of individual articulatory variation on the outcome of the analysis. It was defined as the proportion between, on the one hand, the difference between the absolute frequency of the given formant, and its minimal value observed in actual pronunciations, and on the other hand, the difference between the minimal and the maximal frequency of the formant, as observed in pronunciations. In order to establish the f′ of model vowels, we used the cardinal vowels pronounced by several British phoneticians (including Daniel Jones).
Czy fajny jest fajny? Współczesne leksemy młodzieżowe o znaczeniu ‘taki, który mi się (bardzo) podoba’
Authors: Ochmann Donata
Published: May 2015

Is fajny ‘cool’ cool? Modern teenage lexemes meaning ‘such that I like (a lot)’

The paper examines the functioning of a very numerous group of lexemes synonymous to the adjective fajny ‘such that I like (a lot)’, which can be found in the language of contemporary teenagers, e.g. fajowy, super, spoko, cool, słit (sweet), odjazdowy, wypasiony, epicki, zajebisty, zacny. It analyses the conditions and methods used to multiply this category of lexemes in the teenage slang – which has these days a powerful impact on general Polish. The points of reference are the phenomena characteristic of slang: expressiveness, fashion, richness of synonyms and tautonyms. These questions are considered against the background of current cultural and linguistic changes (structural processes, borrowing, colloquialization, vulgarization and devulgarization, word play).
Raczył Łukasza Górnickiego w świetle teorii kultury języka autora Dworzanina polskiego
Authors: Tutak Kinga
Published: May 2015

Łukasz Górnicki’s Raczył ‘He deigned’ in the light of the linguistic culture theory of the author of Dworzanin polski ‘The Polish courtier’

The paper consists of three parts. The first one introduces the basic assumptions of the linguistic culture theory, the first Polish linguistic guide, as it was reconstructed on the basis of Łukasz Górnicki’s Dworzanin polski ‘The Polish courtier’ (1566). The second part discusses Górnicki’s miniature Raczył ‘He deigned’ (1598) which, too, is evidence of his interest in linguistic matters. The paper draws attention to the rhetoric shape of the work which, as a whole, follows the convention of a judicial speech. The third part of the paper presents the results of a study of the verb raczyć, based on a dictionary query.
Методика и критерии идентификации полонизмов литовского языка
Authors: Kregždys Rolandas
Published: May 2015

The methodology and criteria of identification of Polish loanwords in Lithuanian

The article examines the methodology and criteria of identification of Polish loan words in Lithuanian. Also etymology, peculiar developments, and trends in the infiltration of these borrowings are discussed. The following conclusions are proposed based on our analysis: 1) Polonisms in Lithuanian can be divided into three groups, based on the principles of (α) establishing the primary source of the variants of the Lithuanian word (through areal distribution), and (β) the words’ phonetic, morphological and semantic identity (correlated with the modulation of α). Also taken into account are peculiarities in the usage of the primary forms (not necessarily in the inherited layer) on the West Slavic ground, and their secondary variants in the East Slavic languages (based on the influence of factors α and β). The resulting three groups are: I. mo n o g e n i c (i.e. homogenous, not represented in the vocabulary of the East Slavic languages (based on factor α)), II. i n d e t e r m i n a t e (due to the presence of variants of loanwords from Polish in East Slavic vocabulary (factor α) in different time periods), III. a l t e r n a t i v e (III.1. forms belonging to the inherited layer, characteristic of Polish and one of the East Slavic languages (with regard to factor α); III.2. doublet variants of foreign origin, derived from a different primary source; III.3. Semipolonisms). 2) The kg digraph is one of the crucial characteristics that allows Polish loanwords in Lithuanian to be divided into the monogenic, indeterminate, and alternative. It is attested in the structure of Old Belorussian lexemes, and it reflects the phonetic feature of the Belorussian explosive velar consonant г /g/ in loanwords and in words of the inherited layer, in combinations with other consonants: зг, дзг, and джг. 3) Spirantization of the West Slavic sonant *ȓ (> ř /ź/ or /ś/), when the temporal factor is taken into account (the process operated till the 17th c.), is a feature of paramount importance as it allows Lithuanian words to be identified and attributed to either Polish or Belorussian. 4) The phenomenon of vocalization of the Polish lateral sonant ł (the shift to /ṷ/), also known as vavation, is reflected in those loanwords in Lithuanian which belong to a later period, in dialectal forms, and also in Belorussian lexemes, and it regulates the division of borrowings into Polonisms and Belorussianisms. 5) When attributing loanwords based on differences in vowels, it is their place in the system that should be considered, not their pronunciation. 6) The etymological status of the borrowing is determined by a match between the semantic value of the word in Lithuanian, and the original form in the West and/or East Slavic languages. 7) The fact that the Polish etymon is itself of East Slavic origin, has no influence on the establishing of the status of Polonism for a borrowing into Lithuanian (so-called secondary Polonisms).
Projekt akustycznej bazy danych gwar mazowieckich
Authors: Garczyńska Justyna
Published: May 2015

A project of an acoustich data base of Mazovian dialects

The paper presents a project of an acoustic data base of Mazovian dialects, and shows how modern research methods of acoustic phonetics can be employed in dialectological practice. The projected data base is going to contain objective data, independent of the researcher’s hearing, in the form of target values of the first two formants for both stressed and unstressed oral vowels in various consonant contexts. The base is going to contain about 60,000 realizations. It is also going to be supplied with rich metadata, such as dialect, subdialect, place of birth of the speakers, their age, gender and education, the date and source of the recording. The base is going to be accessed through a search engine capable of executing complex queries, and it is going to contain a library of graphs and statistical data illustrating the informants’ pronunciation. These data will allow for automated comparisons to be performed between the dialectal and the general Polish realizations of vowels, thus revealing the contemporary state of the vocalism of Mazovian dialects, and making it possible to verify the previous findings.
Pies wierny, ale uciążliwy, czyli rzecz o metaforze (Leśmiana i nie tylko)
Authors: Muskat-Tabakowska Elżbieta
Published: May 2015

A dog loyal but tiresome: on metaphor in Leśmian’s poetry and beyond

The paper is a polemical commentary on Wacław Cockiewicz’s monograph Metaforyka Leśmiana (Analiza lingwistyczna). [Metaphors in Leśmian’s poetry (A linguistic analysis)]. It is claimed that although the author of the book rejects as inadequate the cognitive theory of metaphor developed by George Lakoff and his followers, some of his tacit assumptions actually follow its premises. On the other hand, lack of coherent methodology and erroneous treatment of metaphor as the relation of equivalence (A equals B) result in incoherent or downright incorrect interpretation of many metaphors selected for analysis. Individual items from the corpus are presented in alphabetical order, without concern for either the level of their specificity or their semantic cognation. In effect, their systematicity is often missed. Moreover, in some cases Cockiewicz finds himself unable to interpret Leśmian’s metaphors, and thus his final conclusions – though intuitively correct and partially corroborated by some of the analyses – are undermined.
O kontekstach kulturowych polskich przekładów powieści Les Misérables Wiktora Hugo (publikowanych w latach 1862‑2012)
Authors: Warchoł Jadwiga
Published: May 2015

The Cultural Contexts of the Polish Translations of V. Hugo’s Novel Les Misérables (Published in the Years 1862‑2012)
The article discussed both extra– and intra‑textual cultural contexts of translation. Very important extra‑textual cultural context for Polish translations of V. Hugo’s Les Misérables has to do with the the way they have been published and whom for: initially in the press, then in a paper book as complete versions or truncated ones, as a paraphrase, finally, since 2000, as well as e‑books and audio‑books; for simple or rather intellectual readers. Recreating the chronology of series of published translations since the first one in 1862, we can observe the primary role of publishers and editors in relation to translators, the more they were among them well‑known writers – J.I. Kraszewski (publisher) and J. Iwaszkiewicz (editor). The first translation was collective, because of the publishing cycle serialized in press and the length of the original. But the names of translators were given, including in the first book released. In the next editions often the names of translators were omitted and sometimes the published text was a compilation of several translations. So first the translation of E. Sulicki and F. Faleński, the one by W. Limanowska coexist in 2000th years with the new one of K. Byczewska, first time published in 1956 in the PIW. Then we try to perceive the cultural intra‑textual contexts by analyzing how many culturally significant elements of the original have been translated in diachronico‑synchronic series of Polish translations. This analysis seems to confirm that the type of publishers has a major impact on cohesion (integral or abridged version), semantic and linguistic quality of those translations. The sign of intersection of extra- and intra‑textual factors is undoubtedly censorship interference in translations, at first with a predominance of the socio‑political one, until, in the Iskry edition of 1954, in which there is a noticeable censorship of the author’s convictions including religious and moral ones.
Trzy niby‑odsłony – trudności Petroniuszowego Satyrikonu z odbiorem w kulturze polskiej
Authors: Arndt Aleksandra
Published: May 2015

Three Kind of Views: The Difficulties of Petronius’ Satyricon Presence in Polish Culture
The Satyricon of Petronius (first century AD) is one of the masterpieces of world literature. While in Europe it was regularly translated from the seventeenth century, these translators in Poland caught him until the early twentieth century. First the most famous part of the work, The Banquet of Trimalchio, translated Leopold Staff. Subsequently, Satyricon was translated by Mieczysław Brożek (1968) and Leszek Wysocki (2011). Unfortunately, the translations will not be permanently engraved in Polish culture. The causes of this condition were the lack of ability of some translators, improper practices of publishing and finally the excessive conservatism of the critics.
O przekładach Boskiej komedii Dantego na język rosyjski
Authors: Ziomek Marcin
Published: May 2015

On Translations of The Divine Comedy Into Russian
The article attempts to present the most significant translations of Dante’s The Divine Comedy into Russian. The translations of the poem functioning in Russian literary culture form a kind of a system of communication acts, in which the translation by Mikhail Lozinsky occupies the central place. This is because, on the one hand, this translation invalidates the earlier attempts at adapting The Divine Comedy for the Russian audience while on the other hand constituting a stylistic point of reference for later translations done by Alexander Ilyushin and Vladimir Marancman. Each of the translations demonstrates the diversity of possible interpretations of the original in another language.
Litera jako nośnik kultury (o trudnościach z tłumaczeniem cyrylicy)
Authors: Ochniak Magdalena
Published: May 2015

Letter as a Carrier of Culture (on Problems with Cyrillic Translation)
It may seem that a letter, being a graphic sign, should not be an element causing difficulties in the process of translation. For every graphic sign appearing in a given alphabet, there are long-established patterns of transliteration, and for every sound, there are patterns of transcription allowing one to render its form in another language. However, it seems that this elementary unit of the alphabet begins to cause problems in translation from Russian into Polish, when words are combined to form collocations; it disappears from the alphabet at different stages of the historical development of a language, being retained, however, in older editions of texts that are still present and translated within a culture; it becomes an element of language games; the graphic form is of crucial importance for a given work and it is the key to understanding it. In situations of this kind, a translator’s task does not consist in a mechanical process of finding the graphic equivalents of letters among the set of letters (formal translation) but in providing a translation which adapts the original text to the target culture (functional translation). This article presents methods of translation which attempt to adapt the original text to the linguistic standards and to the culture of the target language, as exemplified by Russian authors of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries such as Leskov, Gorki, Tsvetaeva, Bulgakov and others.
Taras Bulba Mikołaja Gogola a tłumaczenie kozackiej przestrzeni kulturowej
Authors: Bednarczyk Anna
Published: May 2015

Cossack culture in Translation of Taras Bulba by Nikolai Gogol
The author analyzes Cossack culture in the original Russian text of Taras Bulba, a novella by Nikolai Gogol and in the Polish translation of this text. The analysis is based on two editions of the original version and on a contemporary translation of the work by Aleksander Ziemny. The author takes into consideration various components which illustrate the Cossacks’’ point of view and presents Cossack culture in both the source and the target texts.