bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
Authors: Crane Jonathan L. , Davis Christine S.
Published: September 2016

In this article, we examine the love–death dialectic through a mosaic of story and song. Layering personal narrative and musical chronicles about love, life, and death—from the heroic to the tedious, the passionate to the mundane, the tragic to the contented, the transgressive to the faithful, and fantasy to reality—we consider the marriage of love and loss in narratives where multiple instantiations of the truth mix and mingle. We use these disparate creations to evocatively dramatize the magnetic allure of endless, inexhaustible love in light of our inevitable extinction. The love impulse, says Becker, is the antithesis to the fearful losses that mark our long descent to the grave. Following Becker’s lead, we take the measure of idealized passion in enduring relationships and assert the catalytic dynamism of heroic transcendence in everyday intercourse. From the storybook tales we author with family, lovers, and other close conspirators, sagas of romance, lasting companionship, marriage, hearth and home, birth and death; to the songbook—with a focus on splatter platters—the trite songs of teenage tragedy and mayhem produced in the last half of the 20th century and still popular into the 21st—juxtaposed with German Romantic opera, we examine how celebrated artists, Brill Building songsmiths, and everyday dreamers aestheticize love, life, and death. In pillow talk, in conversational idylls, and in song, what we say about love tells us what it means to live, to desire, and to die.
The Shooting in Orlando, Terrorism or Toxic Masculinity (or Both?)
Authors: Haider Syed
Published: September 2016

News coverage of the shootings in Orlando highlighted a tension between the two frames broadcasters used in their reporting. Was this a homophobic hate crime or was this terrorism? Many elided the difficulty by calling it homophobic terrorism, but this could not resolve the tension. This article contends that because terrorism is closely equated with radicalized Muslims, the tension was sublimated into an existing orientalist frame where homophobia became a marker of fundamentalist Islamic culture. Instead, this article argues, these two frames should not be taken as cause and effect but as problems that share a common ailment: the presence of toxic masculinities. Beginning from a position that sees masculinity as constituted through violence in patriarchal culture, this article works through the idea that when there is a disillusionment with violence, masculinity under patriarchy turns toxic. What emerges then is not merely violence but “rage” as the praxis of toxic masculinities.
Introducing Reflexivity to Evaluation Practice
Authors: van Draanen Jenna
Published: September 2016

There is currently a paucity of literature in the field of evaluation regarding the practice of reflection and reflexivity and a lack of available tools to guide this practice—yet using a reflexive model can enhance evaluation practice. This paper focuses on the methods and results of a reflexive inquiry that was conducted during a participatory evaluation of a project targeting homelessness and mental health issues. I employed an action plan composed of a conceptual model, critical questions, and intended activities. The field notes made throughout the reflexive inquiry were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results clustered in categories of power and privilege, evaluation politics, the applicability of the action plan, and outcomes. In this case study, reflexivity increased my competence as an evaluation professional: The action plan helped maintain awareness of how my personal actions, thoughts, and personal values relate to broader evaluation values—and to identify incongruence. The results of the study uncovered hidden elements and heightened awareness of subtle dynamics requiring attention within the evaluation and created opportunities to challenge the influence of personal biases on the evaluation proceedings. This reflexive model allowed me to be a more responsive evaluator and can improve practice and professional development for other evaluators.
Use of restraint with hospitalized children
Authors: Kirwan Lisa , Coyne Imelda
Published: September 2016

Restraint is often perceived as necessary to ensure that medical procedures are carried out safely. The limited research into nurses’ perceptions of restraint practices with hospitalized children hinders understanding the extent of the problem. A survey design was used to investigate nurses’ perceptions of restraint use from five units in one children’s hospital in Ireland. Findings revealed that restraint is a common practice, with physical and psycho- logical restraints most commonly used and newborn to 4-year-old children most likely to be restrained. Restraint was most often used for cannulation and latterly for administering medication and preventing interference to intravenous lines. To promote the use of thera- peutic holding for the safe delivery of procedures, nurses require education and skills training. Restraint should only be used as a last resort and in all situations, nurses should assess the need to use restraint and explore any alternatives in order to gain the child’s cooperation. More research is needed into the situational variables that can lead to restraint usage in order to identify learning needs and promote the use of alternative interventions.
Cost-effectiveness of telemonitoring of diabetic foot ulcer patients
Authors: Fasterholdt Iben , Gerstrøm Marie , Rasmussen Benjamin Schnack Brandt , Yderstræde Knud Bonnet , Kidholm Kristian , Pedersen Kjeld Møller
Published: September 2016

This study compared the cost-effectiveness of telemonitoring with standard monitoring for patients with diabetic foot ulcers. The economic evaluation was nested within a pragmatic randomised controlled trial. A total of 374 patients were randomised to either telemonitoring or standard monitoring. Telemonitoring consisted of two tele-consultations in the patient’s own home and one consultation at the outpatient clinic; standard monitoring consisted of three outpatient clinic consultations. Total healthcare costs were estimated over a 6-month period at individual patient level, from a healthcare sector perspective. The bootstrap method was used to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, and one-way sensitivity analyses were performed. Telemonitoring costs were found to be €2039 less per patient compared to standard monitoring; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Amputation rate was similar in the two groups. In conclusion, a telemonitoring service in this form had similar costs and effects as standard monitoring.
Normalizing or equalizing? Characterizing Facebook campaigning
Authors: Lev-On Azi , Haleva-Amir Sharon
Published: September 2016

The article analyzes whether Facebook campaigning is consistent with the Normalization or Equalization hypothesis, drawing on data from the election campaigns for the 20th Israeli Parliament in 2015. We looked at six indicators of Facebook activity (number of fans, number of posts, and scope of engagement [likes, comments, shares, and overall engagement]) of all parties running for the Knesset as well as candidates with realistic electability rankings. We found that a comparison between dominant and peripheral parties across all indicators is consistent with the Normalization hypothesis, but when it is framed in terms of expectations and is forward-looking rather than backward-looking, that is, the difference in Facebook performance is between parties that expect to gain a significant number of seats in the parliament, and those that do not anticipate significant parliamentary achievements.
Critical narrative as a framework for professional border crossing in early childhood
Authors: Brown Alice , Grigg John
Published: September 2016

Early childhood educators are regularly confronted by dominant discourses (e.g. ensuring children are prepared for school) and the politics and pedagogy that are embedded in their practice and early childhood contexts. These discourses impact on ways of thinking and engaging with others, and professional behaviour, as well as shaping curriculum documents and policy. Engaging in a process of critical reflection from a post-structuralist perspective helps to disrupt deeply seated beliefs and assumptions, resist tensions of power and regulation, and increase feelings of agency. This article offers educators a rationale for adopting such an approach, and presents a lens with which to view alternative discourses and for thinking otherwise. The authors introduce a framework which includes a range of strategies that educators may choose to add to their tool kit to unpack and make sense of their experiences. An exemplar is offered to showcase engagement with these tools, including the use of critical narrative. Employing strategies and practices such as those outlined in this article opens possibilities to feel more empowered as early childhood educators, and be better equipped to give voice to their thoughts, feelings of hope and potential as active agents.
The association of ACE gene polymorphism with diabetic kidney disease and renoprotective efficacy of valsartan
Authors: Wang Yuying , Peng Wen , Zhang Xiaoxue , Qiao Huibo , Wang Li , Xu Zhigang , Wu Chenguang
Published: September 2016

Introduction:

To investigate the associations between the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphisms in the angiotensin converting enzyme ( ACE) gene and susceptibility to diabetic kidney disease (DKD); and the efficacy of valsartan in reducing the urine protein in Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Materials and methods:

We enrolled 128 T2DM patients in this study, including 54 cases with DKD (DKD+) and 74 controls (DKD–). The ACE polymorphism was assayed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the genotype distribution and allele frequency were analyzed. The DKD+ group was subdivided into the DD, ID and II subgroups, based on their genotypes. In addition, patients with DKD received valsartan treatment for 12 weeks. We determined changes in the urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR) and serum creatinine (SCr).

Results:

The frequencies of the genotypes DD and ID were higher in the DKD+ than in the DKD– group. The frequency of allele D was higher, and of allele I was lower, in the DKD+ than in DKD– group ( p < 0.05). Following valsartan treatment, albuminuria was significantly decreased in subgroups DD and ID ( p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

In T2DM patients, the ACE I/D polymorphism was associated with onset of DKD. Furthermore, the ACE I/D polymorphism influenced the renoprotective response to valsartan: Patients with the DD genotype benefitted the most from this treatment.
Resistances to scientific knowledge production of comparative measurements of dropout and completion in European higher education
Authors: Carlhed Carina
Published: September 2016

The article is a critical sociological analysis of current transnational practices on creating comparable measurements of dropout and completion in higher education and the consequences for the conditions of scientific knowledge production on the topic. The analysis revolves around questions of epistemological, methodological and symbolic types and, in particular, how the social processes in the creation and use of different measures offer researchers different positions in the knowledge production. Descriptions of statistics and measurements from statistics agencies in Sweden and the UK and from the OECD, EUROSTAT and Eurydice, as well as policy texts and data collection manuals from European Union bodies, have been compared and analysed. Particular interest is directed towards examples of measures used in Sweden and the UK. The results suggest that available data on student completion offers only a very limited basis for research-driven comparative analysis. It offers also a problematisation of the notions of researchers seen as users or producers of data and different position takings in statistical reasoning in using statistics as for example different types of evidence for policymaking.
Examining Alphabet Writing Fluency in Kindergarten
Authors: Puranik Cynthia S. , Patchan Melissa M. , Sears Mary M. , McMaster Kristen L.
Published: September 2016

Curriculum-based measures (CBMs) are necessary for educators to quickly assess student skill levels and monitor progress. This study examined the use of the alphabet writing fluency task, a CBM of writing, to assess handwriting fluency—that is, how well children access, retrieve, and write letter forms automatically. In the current study, the alphabet writing fluency task was administered at both the beginning and end of the kindergarten school year. Scores were calculated for two time increments, 15 and 60 s, and compared with an alphabet writing, untimed task. All three scores were compared with criterion measures of writing, including both standardized writing assessments and compositional CBMs of writing. Results indicate that measuring alphabet writing fluency using either timed tasks (15- or 60-s) at the beginning or the end of kindergarten may not be a useful or valid endeavor. In contrast, the alphabet writing, untimed task measure showed stronger correlations to criterion writing measures in comparison with the 15- and 60-s alphabet writing fluency tasks and also showed greater concurrent and predictive validity. Limitations and further areas of study are discussed.
Triquetrohamate Impaction Syndrome: An Unrecognized Cause of Ulnar-Sided Wrist Pain; Its Presentation Further Defined
Authors: Lourie Gary M. , Booth Colin , Nathan Ross
Published: September 2016

Background: The aim of this review was to further define the clinical condition triquetrohamate (TH) impaction syndrome (THIS), an entity underreported and missed often. Its presentation, physical findings, and treatment are presented. Methods: Between 2009 and 2014, 18 patients were diagnosed with THIS. The age, sex, hand involved, activity responsible for symptoms, and defining characteristics were recorded. The physical findings, along with ancillary studies, were reviewed. Delay in diagnosis and misdiagnoses were assessed. Treatment, either conservative or surgical, is presented. Follow-up outcomes are presented. Results: There were 15 male and 3 females, average age of 42 years. Two-handed sports such as golf and baseball accounted for more than 60% of the cases, and these cases were the only ones that involved the lead nondominant hand, pain predominantly at impact. Delay in diagnosis averaged greater than 7 months, with triangular fibrocartilage (TFCC) and extensor carpi ulnaris (ECU) accounting for more than 50% of misdiagnoses. Physical findings of note included pain over the TH joint, worse with passive dorsiflexion and ulnar deviation. Radiographic findings are described. Instillation of lidocaine with the wrist in radial deviation under fluoroscopic imaging with relief of pain helped to confirm the diagnosis. Conservative treatment was successful in 9 of 18 patients (50%), whereas in the remaining, surgical intervention allowed approximately 80% return to full activities without limitation. Conclusion: Triquetrohamate impaction syndrome remains an underreported and often unrecognized cause of ulnar-sided wrist pain. In this report, the largest series to date, its presentation, defining characteristics, and treatment options are further elucidated.
Correlation between NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 C609T polymorphism and increased risk of esophageal cancer: evidence from a meta-analysis
Authors: Diao Jingfang , Bao Jie , Peng Jianxin , Mo Jiaqiang , Ye Qing , He Junming
Published: September 2016

NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) C609T gene polymorphisms have been reported to influence the risk for esophageal cancer (EC) in many studies. However, the results remain controversial and ambiguous. We performed a meta-analysis, which included 13 independent studies with a total of 2357 subjects, to examine the association between NQO1 C609T polymorphism and EC. The association was assessed by five different gene models. The overall analysis suggested that the variant allele and genotypes were significantly related to increased risk of EC (odds ratio [OR] T versus C = 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.95–1.40, probability of rejection [POR] = 0.014; OR TT versus CC = 1.32, 95% CI 1.01–1.73, POR = 0.045; OR TC versus CC = 1.32, 95% CI 0.98–1.21, POR = 0.128; OR TT + TC versus CC = 1.10, 95% CI 1.00–1.20, POR = 0.05; OR TT versus CC + TC = 1.26, 95% CI 0.95–1.57, POR = 0.103). Sensitivity analysis confirmed the reliability of these findings. Our study shows that individuals carrying the NQO1 C609T variant allele and genotypes are more susceptible to EC.
Sociology and Social Justice
Authors: Morris Aldon
Published: September 2016

This article addresses the relationship between the discipline of sociology and social change. It argues that sociology, and its professional associations, are challenged to choose between being a progressive force for change or a legitmator of the status quo. The core focus of the article is the argument that the Association of Applied and Clinical Sociology has a responsibility to assist in the liberation of the oppressed because of its mission to serve the applied and clinical needs of its constituency.
Communicating your research (part 1) – to the scientific community
Authors: Udovicich Cristian , Kasivisvanathan Veeru , Winchester Catherine L
Published: September 2016

Having generated data, an important part of the research process is to effectively communicate your findings to the scientific community. Traditional routes for doing this include publishing an abstract, presenting a poster, giving an oral presentation or publishing a peer-reviewed original research paper. Understanding your audience and delivering a clear message are key elements for effective communication.
Physician Satisfaction With Integrated Behavioral Health in Pediatric Primary Care
Authors: Hine Jeffrey F. , Grennan Allison Q. , Menousek Kathryn M. , Robertson Gail , Valleley Rachel J. , Evans Joseph H.
Published: September 2016

As the benefits of integrated behavioral health care services are becoming more widely recognized, this study investigated physician satisfaction with ongoing integrated psychology services in pediatric primary care clinics. Data were collected across 5 urban and 6 rural clinics and demonstrated the specific factors that physicians view as assets to having efficient access to a pediatric behavioral health practitioner. Results indicated significant satisfaction related to quality and continuity of care and improved access to services. Such models of care may increase access to care and reduce other service barriers encountered by individuals and their families with behavioral health concerns (ie, those who otherwise would seek services through referrals to traditional tertiary care facilities).
Structural alignment of protein descriptors – a combinatorial model
Authors: Antczak Maciej , Kasprzak Marta , Lukasiak Piotr , Blazewicz Jacek
Published: September 2016

Background

Structural alignment of proteins is one of the most challenging problems in molecular biology. The tertiary structure of a protein strictly correlates with its function and computationally predicted structures are nowadays a main premise for understanding the latter. However, computationally derived 3D models often exhibit deviations from the native structure. A way to confirm a model is a comparison with other structures. The structural alignment of a pair of proteins can be defined with the use of a concept of protein descriptors. The protein descriptors are local substructures of protein molecules, which allow us to divide the original problem into a set of subproblems and, consequently, to propose a more efficient algorithmic solution. In the literature, one can find many applications of the descriptors concept that prove its usefulness for insight into protein 3D structures, but the proposed approaches are presented rather from the biological perspective than from the computational or algorithmic point of view. Efficient algorithms for identification and structural comparison of descriptors can become crucial components of methods for structural quality assessment as well as tertiary structure prediction.

Results

In this paper, we propose a new combinatorial model and new polynomial-time algorithms for the structural alignment of descriptors. The model is based on the maximum-size assignment problem, which we define here and prove that it can be solved in polynomial time. We demonstrate suitability of this approach by comparison with an exact backtracking algorithm. Besides a simplification coming from the combinatorial modeling, both on the conceptual and complexity level, we gain with this approach high quality of obtained results, in terms of 3D alignment accuracy and processing efficiency.

Conclusions

All the proposed algorithms were developed and integrated in a computationally efficient tool descs-standalone, which allows the user to identify and structurally compare descriptors of biological molecules, such as proteins and RNAs. Both PDB (Protein Data Bank) and mmCIF (macromolecular Crystallographic Information File) formats are supported. The proposed tool is available as an open source project stored on GitHub (

).
Targeted next-generation sequencing of TP53 in oral tongue carcinoma from non-smokers
Authors: Faden Daniel L. , Arron Sarah T. , Heaton Chase M. , DeRisi Joseph , South Andrew P. , Wang Steven J.
Published: September 2016

Background

Little is known regarding the etiology and genomic underpinnings of Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OTSCC) in patients who lack traditional risk factors, yet the incidence is increasing. In particular, the rate, and role, of TP53 mutations in this cohort has been heavily debated in the literature.

Methods

Tumor DNA from forty-three non-smokers with OTSCC underwent next generation sequencing of TP53.

Results

Sixty percent of samples contained a TP53 mutation. The G > T transversion rate was 5.7 %. TP53 status did not differ by age.

Conclusions

OTSCC in non-smokers have TP53 mutation rates similar to other Head and Neck cancers yet these mutations do not appear related to carcinogen exposure based on the mutational spectrum and clinical history. The mechanisms driving tumorigenesis in this cohort, including mutations in TP53, remain elusive and further studies are needed.
Love and Theft: Plagiarism, Blackface, and Nella Larsen’s “Sanctuary”
Authors: Hochman Barbara
Published: September 2016

When Nella Larsen’s story “Sanctuary” appeared in the Forum in 1930, readers noted its similarity to “Mrs. Adis,” a tale by the popular British writer Sheila Kaye-Smith. Scholars concur that “Sanctuary” turns a story about British class-consciousness into a story of African American race loyalty. This essay suggests that the intertextuality of Larsen’s “Sanctuary” extends beyond “Mrs. Adis” to a neglected 1903 novella by Edith Wharton, also titled Sanctuary, and that in writing her last story Larsen “blackens up”—imitating, mocking, and distortedly mirroring both sources. Larsen’s “Sanctuary” bitterly critiques the triumph of culture, education, and moral agency in Wharton’s tale, while reworking “Mrs. Adis” to expose group solidarity as a poor substitute for autonomy, segregation in another guise. Larsen’s “Sanctuary” reveals the false promises held out to African Americans by a series of values that were much recommended to them: literacy, filial devotion, Christian charity, and group allegiance.
Dogdom: Nonhuman Others and the Othered Self in Kafka, Beckett, and Auster
Authors: Anderton Joseph
Published: September 2016

Focusing on Franz Kafka’s “Investigations of a Dog” (1922), Samuel Beckett’s Molloy (1955), and Paul Auster’s Timbuktu (1999), this essay reflects on how these works represent the fundamental unknowability of animal perspectives while at the same time suggesting how dogs and humans still remain close. I make the claim that, as with speaking in place of another, speaking for oneself also entails the production of an other, and that these efforts to read and give voices to dogs point toward the rupture of the self-reflective human subject. In featuring their failed attempts to write canines, these works succeed in writing the human ignorance of nonhuman animal worlds, but they also expose the fissure within human autobiography itself.
Immortalized Parkinson's disease lymphocytes have enhanced mitochondrial respiratory activity
Authors: Annesley Sarah J. , Lay Sui T. , De Piazza Shawn W. , Sanislav Oana , Hammersley Eleanor , Allan Claire Y. , Francione Lisa M. , Bui Minh Q. , Chen Zhi-Ping , Ngoei Kevin R. W. , Tassone Flora , Kemp Bruce E. , Storey Elsdon , Evans Andrew , Loesch Danuta Z. , Fisher Paul R.
Published: September 2016

In combination with studies of post-mortem Parkinson's disease (PD) brains, pharmacological and genetic models of PD have suggested that two fundamental interacting cellular processes are impaired – proteostasis and mitochondrial respiration. We have re-examined the role of mitochondrial dysfunction in lymphoblasts isolated from individuals with idiopathic PD and an age-matched control group. As previously reported for various PD cell types, the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by PD lymphoblasts was significantly elevated. However, this was not due to an impairment of mitochondrial respiration, as is often assumed. Instead, basal mitochondrial respiration and ATP synthesis are dramatically elevated in PD lymphoblasts. The mitochondrial mass, genome copy number and membrane potential were unaltered, but the expression of indicative respiratory complex proteins was also elevated. This explains the increased oxygen consumption rates by each of the respiratory complexes in experimentally uncoupled mitochondria of iPD cells. However, it was not attributable to increased activity of the stress- and energy-sensing protein kinase AMPK, a regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and activity. The respiratory differences between iPD and control cells were sufficiently dramatic as to provide a potentially sensitive and reliable biomarker of the disease state, unaffected by disease duration (time since diagnosis) or clinical severity. Lymphoblasts from control and PD individuals thus occupy two distinct, quasi-stable steady states; a ‘normal’ and a ‘hyperactive’ state characterized by two different metabolic rates. The apparent stability of the ‘hyperactive’ state in patient-derived lymphoblasts in the face of patient ageing, ongoing disease and mounting disease severity suggests an early, permanent switch to an alternative metabolic steady state. With its associated, elevated ROS production, the ‘hyperactive’ state might not cause pathology to cells that are rapidly turned over, but brain cells might accumulate long-term damage leading ultimately to neurodegeneration and the loss of mitochondrial function observed post-mortem. Whether the ‘hyperactive’ state in lymphoblasts is a biomarker specifically of PD or more generally of neurodegenerative disease remains to be determined.
Localized translation regulates cell adhesion and transendothelial migration
Authors: Bergeman Jonathan , Caillier Alexia , Houle François , Gagné Laurence M. , Huot Marc-Étienne
Published: September 2016

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process by which cancer cells gain the ability to leave the primary tumor site and invade surrounding tissues. These metastatic cancer cells can further increase their plasticity by adopting an amoeboid-like morphology, by undergoing mesenchymal-to-amoeboid transition (MAT). We found that adhering cells produce spreading initiation centers (SICs), transient structures that are localized above nascent adhesion complexes, and share common biological and morphological characteristics associated with amoeboid cells. Meanwhile, spreading cells seem to return to a mesenchymal-like morphology. Thus, our results indicate that SIC-induced adhesion recapitulates events  that are associated with amoeboid-to-mesenchymal transition (AMT). We found that polyadenylated RNAs are enriched within SICs, blocking their translation decreased adhesion potential of metastatic cells that progressed through EMT. These results point to a so-far-unknown checkpoint that regulates cell adhesion and allows metastatic cells to alter adhesion strength to modulate their dissemination.
New electroantennography method on a marine shrimp in water
Authors: Machon Julia , Ravaux Juliette , Zbinden Magali , Lucas Philippe
Published: September 2016

Antennular chemoreception in aquatic decapods is well-studied via the recording of single chemoreceptor neuron activity in the antennule, but global responses of the antennule (or antennae in insects) by electroantennography (EAG) was so far mainly restricted to aerial conditions. We present here a well-established underwater EAG method to record the global antennule activity in the marine shrimp Palaemon elegans in natural (aqueous) conditions. EAG responses to food extracts, recorded as net positive deviations of the baseline, are reproducible, dose-dependent and exhibit sensory adaptation. This new EAG method opens a large field of possibilities for studying in vivo antennular chemoreception in aquatic decapods, in a global approach to supplement current more specific techniques.
The Anthropological Meaning of the Network of Pedagogical Community and Its Implementation Through the Artifact-Pedagogy
Authors: �������  , Alferov M. , �������  , Nevskaya O. , ��������  , Fyedorova Yuliya
Published: September 2016

The article deals with the communication network of pedagogical communities and artifact-pedagogy, the authors pay attention to the meaning of

metasubject interaction of teachers in the teaching of network communities.
PEDAGOGY OF CONSTRUCTIVISM AS A METHODOLOGICAL MODEL FOR CONTEMPORARY CULTURE
Authors: Плужникова Наталья , Pluzhnikova Natalya
Published: September 2016

The article studies the main ideas of constructivist pedagogy and their influence on contemporary culture. The attention is focused on such issues as methodology of the learning process in pedagogy of constructivism. This problem is examined in the context of modern education. The author studies the links of pedagogy and constructivism with philosophical constructivist concepts (P. Watzlawick, H. Maturana and F. Varela). The author examines the positive and negative aspects of the constructivist methodology in the sphere of modern pedagogy. The analysis of constructivist pedagogy shows the semantic content of such principles of constructivism, as the specificity of the learning process as a process of constructing meanings, and problem-based learning, communicative approach to learning. Based on this, the study focuses on the understanding of the interaction of teacher and student in the learning process. The author pays special attention to the fact that according to the constructivist pedagogy the main subject of the process of education is not a teacher, but a pupil. This idea significantly transforms classical model of hierarchical learning. Thanks to the constructivist methodology, the author describes effective teaching methods in contemporary culture. It is noted that important components of the learning process in constructivism is the formation of motivation of the student, as well as a relaxed and creative approach to the learning process of the teacher. The author highlights a problem such as understanding learning as complex process of social interaction of a teacher and a pupil. This process forms value meanings tailored to the specific situations faced by the student. As necessary components of constructivist models of teaching the author highlights the practical orientation of the learning process, and changing requirements for teacher, which is understood in constructivist pedagogy not as much a mentor, but as a moderator of the learning process.
VALUE OF HANDMADE ART IN THE CULTURE OF VOLGOGRAD: COMMUNITY AND PRACTICE
Authors: Елистратова Екатерина , Elistratova Ekaterina , Шипулина Наталья , Shipulina Natalya
Published: September 2016

According to the opinion of the authors, the main component of the urban culture of Volgograd is realogic identity. They argue the idea that being and existence of things in connection with the life of citizens, which is expressed in the creation, exchange, representation of material objects in handmade art format can serve as an important resource for gaining the new city image and culture of the city status. The article reveals the cultural function as a specific phenomenon of handmade artisan creativity and its importance as a special form of activity of the creative community in the culture of modern cities on the example of Volgograd. In addition to the universal (in the urban sense) creative functions and upcycling (empowering new life of old things in the so-called “repair society” by hand makers), as well as self-realization and self-handmade-presentation, the article highlights such previously unexplored handmade functions as communicational, consolidating and accumulative and representational functions associated with the ability to combine creativity handmade urban master craftsmen in community and even the community, successfully contributing to promote the image of the city of Volgograd as a culture and to express the identity of the city, acting as a symbolic and realogic brand Volgograd. They explore the basic directions of handmade in Volgograd in the aspect of micro-urbanism, as well as ways and forms of existence of real practices, folding in the city community and environment in real and virtual cultural and urban space. The authors analyze the handmade practice and Volgograd community, linking them to the specific characteristics of the modern city culture, urban identity and opportunities for urban planning and development in the field of regional cultural policy and tourism and, ultimately, with the prospect of Volgograd become a city of culture on the basis of use realogic resource handicraft handmade creation.
Generalizations of the Cauchy and Fujiwara Bounds for Products of Zeros of a Polynomial
Authors: Pereira Rajesh , Vali Mohammad Ali
Published: September 2016

The Cauchy bound is one of the best known upper bounds for the modulus of the zeros of a polynomial. The Fujiwara bound is another useful upper bound for the modulus of the zeros of a polynomial. In this paper, compound matrices are used to derive a generalization of both the Cauchy bound and the Fujiwara bound. This generalization yields upper bounds for the modulus of the product of $m$ zeros of the polynomial.
SHOULD THE UK HAVE BREXITED THE EUROPEAN UNION?
Authors: Saaty Thomas L. , Wei Lirong
Published: September 2016

This paper is an analysis of Brexit, and asked the question, “Should the UK have Brexited the European Union?” We use the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to model the decision based on Benefit-Opportunities-Costs and Risks (BOCR). The AHP  structure considers various factors that may be taken into consideration from the perspective of the UK (Saaty, 1980). Questionnaires were used to obtain pairwise comparison judgments from experts and used to derive priorities for the factors and final decision to Brexit. The BOCR model results are combined in two ways. Both results show that the UK should remain a member of the EU. The referendum used showed the opposite result. The approach followed here can be used to educate people when voting on similar decisions.
Linear stability and resonance of triangular equilibrium points in elliptic restricted three body problem with radiating primary and triaxial secondary
Authors: Usha T. , Narayan A.
Published: September 2016

The present paper studies the linear stability of the triangular equilibrium points of the system. The system comprises of a radiating primary and a triaxial secondary in elliptic restricted three body problem. The existence of third order resonances has been shown and the linear stability has been analyzed for these resonance cases. For the resonance case,  and   , the conditions of the linear stability are satisfied and the system is stable. But, for the resonance cases and  the system is unstable.
Beyond Dinitrophenol Interaction with Tryptophan-Based Compounds
Authors: Zaharia Marius , Drochioiu Gabi , Zbancioc Gheorghiță , Grădinaru Vasile Robert
Published: September 2016

The effects of 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) on the spectroscopic parameters (UV-Vis or FT-IR absorbance) or fluorescence emission of tryptophan and glycyl-tryptophan were studied. A quenching phenomenon of fluorescence was observed, attributed to interactions between the indole ring of the fluorophore and the aromatic ring of the quencher. The analysis of fluorescence spectra confirms that the quenching is dictated by 2,4-DNP concentration and pH. A combined mechanism of static and dynamic quenching was detected. The quenching phenomenon observed in this work could be employed to explain the mechanism of action of such compounds on large fluorescent peptides or proteins.
Urban agglomerations and transformations of medium-sized towns in Poland
Authors: Runge Anna
Published: September 2016

This analysis investigates medium-sized towns in Poland, i.e. those with a population between 20–100 thousand, located up to 100 km away from the main city of the agglomeration. The aim of this article is to compare the level of socio-economic development of Polish towns depending on their location in relation to the main city in the largest agglomerations in 1998 and 2013. Three zones of distance from the main city of each agglomeration have been taken into consideration: a. the inner zone, reaching up to 25 km from the main city; b. the outer zone located at a distance of 25 to 50 km from the main city, and c. the peripheral zone, located at a distance of 50 to 100 km from the main city and including the medium-size towns located outside the agglomeration system. This analysis of the distribution of medium-sized towns and their level of socio-economic development has shown various levels of changes which depend on the distance from the main city of the agglomeration. In 1998, the highest level of development of the medium-sized towns was recorded in towns outside of these agglomeration systems, i.e. those located most remotely from the main city (peripheral zone). Most of the medium-sized towns are situated at a distance of 50–100 km from Warszawa, Kraków, Łódź, Lublin, Gdańsk and have developed their own local, or even regional labour markets and some of them have even provided administrative functions in the past as voivodeship capitals. Only in the Poznań agglomeration, the level of development of medium-sized towns was higher in the immediate surroundings of the main city (25 km). The medium-sized towns in all zones of the distance from the main city in the Wrocław agglomeration represented a similar level of development. By 2013, the level of development of the medium-sized towns in the peripheral zone in all investigated settlement systems had decreased, with a significant improvement in the level of development of the towns in the immediate surroundings of the main city. Such situation occurs especially in the conurbation of Gdańsk and the agglomerations of Warszawa, Kraków and Poznań. This shows that the largest cities of Poland are the main engines of economic development by stimulating their surroundings and their impact on the surrounding areas. Unfortunately, the towns located in the marginal zones of several agglomerations (the zone 25–50 km away from the main city) experience certain disadvantages, such as the process of “the backwash effect”. Furthermore, the lack of developmental impulses is observed in many medium-sized towns at the distance of 50-100 km from the main city of the agglomeration.
Groundwater renewable resources in karst areas, the case of the Kleśnica River basin (Sudety Mountains, Poland)
Authors: Olichwer Tomasz , Otrębski Adrian
Published: September 2016

The karst-fractured medium constitutes a considerable groundwater capacity, as shown on the example of the Kleśnica River basin. The paleozoic crystalline limestones in the research area are good collectors of the groundwater. The Kleśnica River basin, one of the largest crystalline limestone lens, is situated in the Sudety Mountains. Groundwater renewable resources were distinguished with the use of hydrological methods, on the basis of hydrometric measurements of the flow discharge of the Kleśnica River during the low-flow period (2009–2010). The mean module of the groundwater runoff equals 20.79 dm3/s*km2, and includes the study of the river catchments areas with extremely high groundwater runoff. The groundwater renewable resources in the Kleśnica River basin are almost twice higher than in the neighbouring river basins (the Kamienica and Morawka River basins), in which there are no significant outcrops of carbonate rocks. These considerable renewable resources also provide a high runoff in the spring, 7.98 dm3/s*km2. The high values of the runoffs indicate, that the groundwater is coming from the regional circulation system and, on a smaller scale, from the local system. The groundwater from both systems flows into the fractured system through the karst of carbonate massif rocks and their weathering fringes.
Reduced plantar sole sensitivity facilitates early adaptation to a visual rotation pointing task when standing upright
Authors: Maxime Billot , Normand Teasdale , Léandre Gagné Lemieux , Mathieu Germain Robitaille , Martin Simoneau
Published: September 2016

Humans are capable of pointing to a target with accuracy. However, when vision is distorted through a visual rotation or mirror-reversed vision, the performance is initially degraded and thereafter improves with practice. There are suggestions this gradual improvement results from a sensorimotor recalibration involving initial gating of the somatosensory information from the pointing hand. In the present experiment, we examined if this process interfered with balance control by asking participants to point to targets with a visual rotation from a standing posture. This duality in processing sensory information (i.e., gating sensory signals from the hand while processing those arising from the control of balance) could generate initial interference leading to a degraded pointing performance. We hypothesized that if this is the case, the attenuation of plantar sole somatosensory information through cooling could reduce the sensorimotor interference, and facilitate the early adaptation (i.e. improvement in the pointing task). Results supported this hypothesis. These observations suggest that processing sensory information for balance control interferes with the sensorimotor recalibration process imposed by a pointing task when vision is rotated.
The effect of mobilization techniques by the OMT Kaltenborn-Evjenth Koncept’s therapy for the range of motion and pain of patients with coxarthrosis
Authors: Załoga Karolina , Dudziński Krzysztof
Published: September 2016

Introduction: Degenerative changes are one of the most often appearing causes of the affliction located in the locomotor system where the hip joint is one of the most common locations. One can observe such symptoms as: limited movement, pain and muscle weakness. One of the therapy methods that are aimed at improving movement and reducing the affliction are techniques used in manual therapy (e.g. mobilization). The Kaltenborn-Evjenth method has been applied in physiotherapy practice for many years. The aim of the research was to assess the effectiveness of mobilization techniques directed at the synovial capsule (manual therapy) while treating degenerative changes of the hip joint. In literature no report that refers precisely to the subject mentioned above was found. Being assessed was the influence of therapy on the range of the joints movement and the level of pain.

Material and methods: A group of 20 people with degenerative changes of the hip joint were examined (16 women and 4 men, average age - 65 years). Measurements of the hip joint range movement were performed (the flexion, extension, abduction, adduction and rotation) and the assessment of the level of felt pain (VAS) before and after the therapy. The therapy using mobilization techniques taken from the Kaltenborn-Evjenth concept was conducted in a series of 6 therapy sessions lasting 2 weeks.

Results: In all comparisons of the range of motion in the hip joint an increasing was stated (p < 0.001) after the therapy. In the case of pain level a decreasing was observed (p < 0.001) after the therapy.

Conclusions: It seems right to use manual therapy techniques in physiotherapy proceedings in the course of the degenerative disease of the hip joint, aimed on for e.g. the synovial capsule.
Investigation and optimization of the electro-discharge machining parameters of 2024 aluminum alloy and Al/7.5% Al2O3 particulate-reinforced metal matrix composite
Authors: Daneshmand Saeed , Masoudi Behnam
Published: September 2016

Being newly advanced materials, metal matrix composites enjoy the properties of high service temperature, light weight, high specific strength, good wear resistance, high stiffness, and a low thermal expansion coefficient. However, machining these materials by conventional methods is difficult. A key machining process for difficult-to-machine materials like composites is electro-discharge machining, which is widely used in non-conventional material removal processes. The current work aims to identify different parameters, such as voltage, current, pulse on-time, and pulse off-time, which influence the material removal rate (MRR), tool wear rate (TWR), and surface roughness (SR). By applying regression equations, a mathematical model is adopted to estimate MRR, TWR, and SR. The optimum machining parameters are investigated using the Taguchi method with L9 orthogonal array. The optimum values are also analyzed by multi-objective Taguchi method with calculation of total normalized quality loss (TNQL) and multi-signal to noise ratio (MSNR) included. Analysis of the Taguchi method introduced voltage and pulse off-time as the two main significant factors that influence the value of the material removal rate. The discharge current and pulse off-time also have a statistically significant impact on both tool wear rate and surface roughness.
Wars and Conflicts are Only Randomly Connected with Religion and Religious Beliefs. An Outline of Historical, Cognitive, and Evolutionary Approach
Authors: Szocik Konrad
Published: September 2016

Many scholars that study of religion and religious beliefs find that they affect behavioral patterns. Some of them suggest that this impact is morally wrong because religion and religious beliefs can cause aggression, conflicts, and wars. However, it seems that this topic is more complicated and complex. Here I show that religion and religious beliefs can affect mentioned above morally wrong patterns only in some particular cases. Usually they do not do it. Here I show an outline of philosophical historical approach that was critically oriented against religion and that accused it about conflicts and wars. Then I briefly discuss two current scientific research approaches to the study of religion, cognitive and evolutionary. They falsify these critically oriented philosophers because they treat connection between religious beliefs and conflicts as random and necessary. The core idea of this paper assumes that religious beliefs do not affect aggression and wars directly. They can sometimes strengthen or weaken some biological mechanisms that then can be used to compete by conflicts or by not-violent inter-group competition.