bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fast discrimination of avocado oil for different extracted methods using headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy with PCA based on volatile organic compounds
Authors: Liu Yi-Jun , Gong Xiao , Jing Wei , Lin Li-Jing , Zhou Wei , He Jin-Na , Li Ji-Hua
Published: March 2021

To establish a method for fast discrimination of avocado oil for different extracted methods, the headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy (HS-GC-IMS) combined with principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze non-target volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The results showed that 40 VOCs were identified, and the VOCs of the extraction method had a significant difference and had been well distinguished in PCA. The species and content of avocado oil obtained by squeeze method were more than the aqueous methods and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction methods (SC CO2). In addition, the different avocado oil had their characteristic compounds: the 2-acetylthiazole and ethyl propionate were the unique compounds in the avocado oil obtained by SC CO2. A rapid method for the determination of avocado oil obtained by different extraction methods based on HS-GC-IMS had been established, and the method was fast and simple and had a good application prospect in the prediction of avocado oil processing methods.
Gamification in nursing literature: an integrative review
Authors: Sarker Upinder , Kanuka Heather , Norris Colleen , Raymond Christy , Yonge Olive , Davidson Sandra
Published: March 2021

Objective

Gamification is an increasingly popular instructional strategy in nursing. The purpose of this integrative review is to explore gamification as it has been applied in nursing literature. This integrative review seeks to ask the question – What aspects of gamification have been explored in nursing literature and what aspects require further exploration?

Method

Whittemore, R., & Knafl, K. (2005). The integrative review: Updated methodology. Methodological Issues in Nursing Research, 52(5), 546–553 integrative review framework guided this review. Seventeen articles were reviewed and a quality appraisal tool (developed by Hawker, S., Payne, S., Kerr, C., Hardey, M., & Powell, J. (2002). Appraising the evidence: Reviewing disparate data systematically. Qualitative Health Research, 12(9), 1284–1299) was also used to evaluate the articles.

Results

Following the data analysis stage outlined in Whittemore and Knafl’s integrative review framework, six themes emerged: construct conceptualization; relationship between engagement, satisfaction, and knowledge retention; knowledge translation, motivation, role of technology, and gamification elements.

Conclusion

Gamification is of interest to the nursing profession. More study is needed to better ascertain the relationship between gamification and several of the main themes identified in this review.
Numerical analysis of geometrical nonlinear aeroelasticity with CFD/CSD method
Authors: Nie Xueyuan
Published: March 2021

A nonlinear static aeroelastic methodology based on the coupled CFD/CSD approach has been developed to study the geometrical nonlinear aeroelastic behaviors of high-aspect-ratio or multi-material flexible aerial vehicles under aerodynamic loads. The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes solver combined with the three-dimensional finite-element nonlinear solver is used to perform the fluid-structure coupling simulation. The interpolation technique for data transfer between the aerodynamic and structural modules employs radial basis function algorithm as well as dynamic mesh deformation. A high-aspect-ratio structure with multi-material is modeled by the finite element method to investigate the effects of geometrical nonlinearity on the aeroelastic behavior. Numerical simulations of the linear and nonlinear static aeroelasticity were conducted at transonic regime with different angles of attack. By comparing the aeroelastic behaviors of linear and nonlinear structure, it shows that geometrical nonlinearity plays an important role for flexible high-aspect-ratio wings undergoing the large static aeroelastic deformation and should be taken into account in aeroelastic analysis for such structures.
Application of moving least squares algorithm for solving systems of Volterra integral equations
Authors: Matinfar Mashallah , Taghizadeh Elham , Pourabd Masoumeh
Published: March 2021

The numerical method developed in the current paper is based on the moving least squares (MLS) method. To this end, the MLS approximation method has been used, and a program has been made which can solve the system of Volterra integral equations (VIEs) with any number of equations and unknown functions. And then the proposed method is implemented on the system of linear VIEs with variable coefficients. The numerical examples are given that show the acceptable accuracy and efficiency of the proposed scheme.
COVID-19 and Financial Markets: A Panel Analysis for European Countries
Authors: Klose Jens , Tillmann Peter
Published: March 2021

In order to fight the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, monetary and fiscal policymakers announced a large variety of support packages which are often unprecedented in size. In this paper, we provide an empirical analysis of the responses of European financial markets to these policy announcements in the spring of 2020. We assemble a granular set of more than 400 policy announcements, both at the national and the European level. We also differentiate between the first announcement in a series of policies and the subsequent announcements because the initial steps were often seen as bad news about the state of the economy. In a panel model, we find that monetary policy, in particular, through asset purchases, is effective in easing the pressure on governmental finances. Stock prices are particularly sensitive to the suspension of the Stability and Growth Pact. Fiscal policy becomes more effective when monetary announcements fall on the same day. We also find sizable cross-border effects of policy announcements.
On the causative and passive morphology in Japanese and Korean
Authors: Aoyagi Hiroshi
Published: March 2021

Drawing on the layered verb phrase hypothesis, the unexpected adversity imposed on the subject of causative–passives in Japanese will be explained by the loci of-saseand-rare, both of which may instantiate more than one functional heads. This hypothesis also gives an account of the marginal status of passive–causatives whose passivized subject (=causee) is animate. Turning to Korean, /Hi/ is univocally causative, and its apparent use as passive is the result of Voice–Cause bundling. Furthermore, the possible and impossible uses of /Hi/ and /Hu/ as passive morphology result from their selectional properties.
Role of the gut microbiome in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Chok Kian Chung , Ng Khuen Yen , Koh Rhun Yian , Chye Soi Moi
Published: March 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, affecting millions of individuals each year and this number is expected to significantly increase. The complicated microorganisms residing in human gut are closely associated with our health. Emerging evidence has suggested possible involvement of human gut microbiome in AD. Symbiotic gut microbiomes are known to maintain brain health by modulating host’s barriers integrity, metabolic system, immune system, nervous system and endocrine system. However, in the event of gut dysbiosis and barriers disruption, gut pathobionts disrupt homeostasis of the metabolic system, immune system, nervous system, and endocrine system, resulting in deterioration of neurological functions and subsequently promoting development of AD. Multiple therapeutic approaches, such as fecal microbiome transplant, antibiotics, prebiotics, probiotics, symbiotic, and diet are discussed as potential treatment options for AD by manipulating the gut microbiome to reverse pathological alteration in the systems above.
Autonomic dysregulation and impairments in the recognition of facial emotional expressions in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain
Authors: Chaves Anna C. S. , Reis Felipe J. J. , Bandeira Pamela M. , Fernandes Orlando , Arruda Sanchez Tiago
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Emotions are involved in the identification of safety cues in the environment, and are also related to social interaction through recognition of emotional facial expressions. Heart rate variability (HRV) can be an indicator of the adaptive response of the autonomic nervous system to stressful conditions, including pain. This study aimed to investigate the emotional processing in a sample of patients with chronic musculoskeletal by measuring the resting-state HRV and the ability to recognize facial emotion expressions.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was composed of 40 participants with chronic musculoskeletal pain and 40 asymptomatic participants. Resting HRV was measured for 10 min. The facial emotion recognition task was presented in videos and included modification from a neutral expression to faces of fear, anger, sadness, happiness, and disgust. For the facial emotion recognition task, the hit rate (%) and response time for each emotional category were measured.

Results

The symptomatic group had a mean high frequency (HF) lower (mean = 34.14; SD = 16.95; p<0.001) than the asymptomatic group (mean = 51.11; SD = 13.01; p<0.001). The emotional facial expressions of disgust (H (1, 80)=7.82; p<0.01), anger (H (1, 80)=13.56; p<0.01), sadness (H (1, 80)=6.58; p=0.01), and happiness (H (1, 80)=12.68; p<0.01) were those for which volunteers from the symptomatic group had a lower hit rate of correct answers compared to the asymptomatic group. The response time to corrected answers showed a major group effect (F (1.77)=21.11; p<0.001) and emotional category (F (4.308)=174.21; p<0.001), without presenting any interaction between the factors (F (4.308)=0.446; p=0.775). The symptomatic group was slower to perform the task of identifying facial emotional expression (7.066 s; SD = 1.188) than the participants in the asymptomatic group (6.298 s; SD = 1.203) for all emotional categories.

Conclusions

Participants with chronic musculoskeletal pain presented a lower vagal activity evidenced by HRV. Participants in the symptomatic group showed lower ability to recognize faces of disgust, anger, and sadness when compared to asymptomatic participants. Considering that individuals with low resting HF-HRV have difficulties with regulating their emotions, the lower vagal activity and lower ability to recognize faces of emotional expressions observed in chronic musculoskeletal pain may suggest alterations in emotional processing. This study may shed light on changes in the emotional processing and in the autonomic nervous system in this population.
Health-related quality of life and pain interference in two patient cohorts with neuropathic pain: breast cancer survivors and HIV patients
Authors: Sipilä Reetta , Kemp Harriet , Harno Hanna , Rice Andrew S. C. , Kalso Eija
Published: March 2021

Objectives

Persistent pain is common in HIV patients and breast cancer (BC) survivors. The aim of this study was to compare two patient groups with neuropathic pain (NP) regarding several psychological variables and Health-related Quality of Life. Although, treatment of pain is always planned individually, the knowledge of the differences and similarities between the patient groups may help us to understand more precisely the targets of the interventions for pain.

Methods

Eighty nine BC and 73 HIV patients with symptoms of neuropathic pain (patients with ≥3/7 in the Douleur Neuropathique four interview part (DN4i)) participated in a cross-sectional study. Patients completed questionnaires about mood (HADS), symptoms of insomnia (ISI), pain catastrophizing (PCS), personality (TIPI), Mental and Physical Health-related Quality of Life (M/PHrQoL, RAND/SF-36), and pain intensity and interference (BPI). Analyses were applied by using t-tests and linear regression to assess associations between the studied factors.

Results

HIV patients reported higher anxiety (p<0.001), depressive symptoms (p<0.001), pain catastrophizing (p<0.001) and pain interference (p<0.001), poorer sleep (p<0.001), and lower HrQoL in all dimensions compared with BC survivors. There were significant differences in personality traits extraversion, emotional stability, and agreeableness between the two patient groups. In HIV patients, pain interference (β=−0.344, p<0.001) and mood (β=−0.580, p<0.001) and in the BC group, mood (β=−0.591, p<0.001), extraversion (β=0.229, p=0.005) and sleep (β=−0.154, p=0.042) associated with MHrQoL. Pain interference (HIV β=−0.645, p<0.001, BC β=−0.491, p<0.001) and age (HIV β=−0.016, p=0.042 and BC β=−0.018, p=0.019) associated with PHrQoL in both groups, and catastrophizing in the BC group (β=−0.303, p<0.001).

Conclusions

HIV patients and BC survivors with neuropathic pain, measured with DN4i, have significant differences in various health-related variables and Health-related Quality of Life with both patient groups reporting low HrQoL. The differences in low HrQoL may reflect the fundamental differences between these diseases, BC survivors in remission and HIV patients living with a chronic disease that is under control. This study brings information about the diversity of different patient populations with symptoms of neuropathic pain, and how neuropathic pain associates with wide range of health-related factors. Interventions to support better coping with the symptoms of neuropathic pain could be tailored more individually if the background disease is taken into account.
“No more little boxes” – Poetic Positionings in the Literary Field
Authors: Mueller Stefanie
Published: March 2021

My article’s title borrows a line from Thomas Sayers Ellis’s poem “Skin, Inc.” (2010), a poem which uses the metaphor of incorporation in terms of its economic and formal affordances: formally as signifying upon a container, a box, in which the poet/lyric persona finds himself trapped as he is trying to create and to write; and economically, as signifying upon the poet as entrepreneur, who has to sell a brand and a product in the literary marketplace. Based on Pierre Bourdieu’s work on the theory of the literary field, I think of the poem as a form of poetic position-taking in the literary field in the Unites States in 2010. In my reading, I explore the literary marketplace as presented in the poem, and I argue that we can use this image of the market to think about the role of race in the literary field in the US, in particular with regard to what has been called the “post-soul aesthetic.”
Możliwości wykorzystania grywalizacji w zdalnej edukacji
Authors:   SGH Warsaw School of Economics, Para Anna
Published: March 2021

The article deals with using game mechanisms (gamification) to increase students' motivation and involvement in remote educational activities. Distance learning has become the dominant form of learning at various levels of education during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is very likely that also in the future, remote courses will constitute a considerable part of the educational offer of universities as well as other educational institutions. Along with the popularization and mass implementation of distance learning, the role of educators and the importance of their digital competences increased. In a relatively short time, teachers and educators had to adapt the course content and materials to the needs and technical possibilities of distance learning. One of the greatest challenges was maintaining the participants' involvement and motivation in remote classes, supported by gamification. This article aims to explain the concept of gamification and discuss game mechanisms along with their possible applications in distance education. The author discusses the effectiveness of gamification in light of selected psychological theories in the context of distance learning and its technological conditions. The article provides examples of selected applications and platforms that may help gamify remote classes at the higher education level.
The Influence of Competitiveness on Start-up in SMES Segment
Authors: Dvorský Ján , Čepel Martin , Simionescu Mihaela , Ďurana Pavol
Published: March 2021

The paper aims to identify important factors for competitiveness (CF – Competitive environment, FF – Narrower business environment), which impact start-up in a segment of SMEs. In regards to the defined aim, survey-based research was conducted with enterprises operating in the SME segment. Three 312 enterprises in the Czech Republic and 329 enterprises in the Slovak Republic were approached during this research. The multiple linear regression was used: (a) to quantify the relationship between the variables, (b) to identify the most critical indicator of QBE, and also to verify the scientific hypothesis. The competitive environment has a significant impact on the quality of the business environment in the SME segment. The authors found that the selected factors (CF and FF) were statistically significant. The competitive environment (CF) has a greater impact on the quality of the business environment than the narrower business environment (FF). Human capital represented by employees and the adequacy of supplier prices are indicators that have a significant impact on the quality of the business environment in the SME segment. The most critical CF indicator is that the suppliers of SMEs demand reasonable prices for their products and services. On the contrary, the least significant indicator is the intensity of competition in the sector. The most important indicator of a narrower business environment is the contribution of employees in achieving business goals. On the opposite, the least important indicator of a narrower business environment is the support of suppliers to meet the business goals of SMEs.
Performance Evaluation Framework under the Influence of Industry 4.0: The Case of the Czech Manufacturing Industry
Authors: Hedvičáková Martina , Král Martin
Published: March 2021

The current economic situation creates general pressure to increase performance. Any inefficient use of production factors will lead to problems and long-term economic unsustainability in many industries. The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will also have a negative impact on all sectors of the economy and the faster onset of the fourth industrial revolution. The article, therefore, proposes a new framework for the performance evaluation of the manufacturing industry, which is based on the composite performance indicator. This indicator is obtained by a cross-sectoral comparison of all sub-key performance indicators. Using cluster analysis and analysis of variance, a total of 6 indicators to evaluate performance in the manufacturing industry were selected as statistically significant. The added value of the whole concept is its direct independence on the economic situation, which eliminates short-term economic oscillations that would be reflected in classical methods of performance evaluation otherwise. The results show that some industries are more efficient in the long run due to their effective investments in the capital, which replaces the labour factor and creates room for the realization of relatively higher profits. By contrast, some sectors, despite high investments, do not achieve the desired level of performance – these investments are not efficient or they are complementary to the labour factor, thus denying the principles of Industry 4.0. It thus creates preconditions for increasing dependence on external factors and, at the same time, makes the given sectors in a freely competitive environment economically unsustainable in the long run.
ANÁLISE CUANTITATIVA DOS CENTROS DE INICIATIVAS EMPRESARIAIS MEDIDA A TRAVÉS DO MÉTODO DA BALANZA FISCAL: O CASO GALEGO
Authors: FERREIRO SEOANE Francisco Jesús , CAMINO SANTOS Marta
Published: March 2021

A presente comunicación ten por obxectivo estudar a contribución dos centrosde iniciativas empresariais á economía galega e analizar a través do Método Balanza Fiscalse o investido se recupera mediante ingresos públicos derivados da actividade xeradaneses centros. A comunicación estrutúrase partindo dunha introdución e afonda noconcepto e evolución do centro de iniciativa empresarial. A continuación, realízase unhaanálise do caso galego (España) para logo afrontar a contribución a Galicia. No últimoapartado, estudaremos a rendibilidade dos centros galegos centrándonos no método daBalanza Fiscal.
International entrepreneurship in agribusiness
Authors: Leite Yákara Vasconcelos Pereira , Moraes Walter Fernando Araújo de , Salazar Viviane Santos
Published: March 2021

This paper proposes an analytical framework for international entrepreneurship in fruit production companies. A multiple case study is developed with qualitative approach. Thirty managers and consultants participated in the research that used semi-structured interviews for data collection. Content analysis was adopted with the support of ATLAS.ti software. The presence of eight international entrepreneurship dimensions in this process is noted, most of these are present in the literature (attitude towards risk, ability to innovate, competitive resources development, opportunity, propensity to adapt, and relationship networks), while two emerged from the data (bold commercialisation and international entrepreneur). International entrepreneurship develops from a range of dimensions that have a continuous and intermittent nature.
Quantitative impacts of basic income grant on income distribution in Cote d’Ivoire: Time to change our societies
Authors: Aka Bédia François
Published: March 2021

This paper tries to engage the economic and political debate around the proposition of a basic income grant (BIG) in Côte d’Ivoire. We simulate the economic wide and distributional impact of a universal basic income grant (BIG) in Cote d’Ivoire. How the BIG is financed is investigated. We use a microsimulated computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to analyze the effects of a universal basic income grant on the economy and on households. The model is performed using a Côte d’Ivoire’s 2003 social accounting matrix (SAM) based on the 1998 household survey composed of 4,200 households, and 2003 national accounts data. The paper uses a value added tax (VAT) financing approach to provide a reasonable feasible scenario, as we are all consumers. The results suggest that the macroeconomic impacts of the basic income grant are a powerful social protection tool in fighting poverty and inequality towards a welfare state.
Representatives of neighbouring countries and their national character as reflected in the world outlook of the Lithuanian
Authors: Papaurėlytė-Klovienė Silvija
Published: March 2021

The paper sets out to discuss character features attributed to Byelorussians, Latvians, Poles, Russians, Germans, i.e. representatives of neighbouring nations or those most prominent in the history of Lithuania as identified in the world outlook of the Lithuanian language. In other words, the paper aims at identifying ethnical stereotypes entrenched in the world outlook of the Lithuanian language. The data includes all collocations with all the words baltarusiškas (-a), latviškas (-a), lenkiškas (-a), rusiškas (-a), vokiškas (-a) in all their forms collected from the Corpus of Contemporary Lithuanian compiled at the Centre of Computer Linguistics of Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas. The results of the analysis into actual usage have been supplemented by the results of the content analysis of international anecdotes. The methodology of research is based on conceptual analysis.The results of investigation have shown that the closest neighbours are unlikely to be the best known. Representatives of Latvia and Belarus, or countries bordering on Lithuania, have been only fragmentary reflected in the world outlook of the Lithuanian language. Poles, Russians or Germans, the latter are usually not treated as neighbours, are much better known. The language world outlook has identified Polish patriotism and sometimes self-esteem going to the extremes. Russians are thought of as open, ingenuous people whose patriotic feelings might overstep certain boundaries and pose danger. The dominant feature of German national character is their inclination to order, sometimes also rather extreme.Such features might be due to several causes. Russians and Poles make up a large part of the population of national minorities of Lithuania, which is why they are seen as slightly closer. On the other hand, Lithuania is historically related to Poland, Russia and Germany.The language world outlook tends to provide more details on negative features. The tendency also applies when discussing the national character of representatives of other nations. Most outstanding features are verbalised hyperbolically and ironically.
Expressing evidentiality in Lithuanian
Authors: Ruskan Anna
Published: March 2021

Evidentiality in Lithuanian, like in some other European languages, can be expressed both grammatically and lexically; a large inventory of grammatical and lexical means make up a continuum, which is introduced and defined by B. Wiemer (2008). Constructions based on active and passive participles that function in the main clause as predicates are regarded as grammatical markers of evidentiality while parentheticals (e. g. matyt, girdi), particles (e. g. esą, neva, tarsi) and adverbs (e. g. akivaizdžiai, aiškiai) can be qualified as lexical. There are also evidential markers that take an intermediate position in the continuum of lexical and grammatical means. While the evidential constructions based on participial morphology have been thoroughly researched in Lithuanian linguistics, the exploration of lexical markers of evidentiality is fairly new and its inventory has not been fully identified and described yet. The main sources of lexical evidential markers are verbs, neuter adjectives, nouns, adverbs related to perception, cognition or communication. The integration of lexical markers into the study of evidentiality helps to see the coding of the source of information in language more holistically as well as to more precisely describe the structure of lexical and grammatical markers, shades of meaning and their development.
A tentative semantic map of depictives and other secondary participant-oriented predicates in the Lithuanian language
Authors: Čižik-Prokaševa Veslava
Published: March 2021

The article sets out to analyse the similarities and differences of free secondary predicates (predicative adjuncts) in the Lithuanian language and secondary predicates in other languages. The study has been carried out relying on the universal semantic map for participant-oriented modifiers drawn by N. P. Himmelmann and E. Schultze-Berndt (2005) and on the basis of the elements of its composition. The analysis has demonstrated that the majority of Lithuanian language modifiers which have usually been analysed as circumstantials, i.e. as event-oriented modifiers, are in fact also participant-oriented. Their semantic link with the participant is reflected not only by the secondary predicates of physical, mental or emotional condition, function, role, association, collective or life stage but also by those of manner, concomitance, distributivity, time and even location and atmospheric condition. As a result, a tentative semantic map of participant-oriented modifiers in the Lithuanian language has been composed and it is provided in the article. This map is different from the universal map of Himmelmann and Schultze-Berndt because of the specificity of the Lithuanian language (secondary predicates of time, collective, distributivity, order, frequency and emphatic pronoun in the map of the Lithuanian language have fallen into different places; the denotation of location of event has been eliminated) and because of different theoretical principles selected for this study (the denotations of comparison and benefactive / malefactive are eliminated, circumstantial secondary predicates are added). With respect to the possible denotations of free secondary predicates in different languages of the word as proposed by Himmelmann and Schultze-Berndt, the Lithuanian language only lacks those of comparison, benefactive / malefactive and location of event; however, it is possible to distinguish additional categories of causal, temporal, conditional and concessive circumstantials. On the basis of the investigation, the following tentative semantic map of participant-oriented modifiers in the Lithuanian language has been drawn.
An uncommon formation type of adjectives that denote an incomplete degree of quality: ʿpãjuodis’ and ʿpasaũsis’
Authors: Tamulionienė Aurelija
Published: March 2021

The article deals with adjectives that denote an incomplete degree of quality and that are made of a base adjective plus the prefix pa- plus an ending -is and that belong to the first and second accentual paradigms. The study focuses on the following aspects: geographical distribution, accentuation, word formation and semantics. In some cases of this formation type, the dominant intensifying prefix pa- acquires stress and maintains or intensifies the strength of the base stem, whereas in other cases it intensifies the base stem but remains unstressed. Despite the differences in accentuation the derivatives of this kind can be ascribed to the same word-formation type as their accentuation has most probably been affected by the geographical distribution. The study has shown that they are used in different regions that are remote from each other, i.e. in the sub-dialects of Northern Žemaitian kretingiškiai, Southern Žemaitian varniškiai and Eastern Aukštaitian panevėžiškiai. The same derivatives of the word-formation type of adjectives under investigation are also used in ancient writings. They usually have only one meaning. In the Lithuanian Language Dictionary their meaning is typically explained by providing synomyms, in less common cases – by giving reference to another word or by means of description. The majority of the adjectives under investigation retain the core meanings of the base.
B. Ryvitytė. Lingvistinės pragmatikos įvadas
Authors: Hilbig Inga
Published: March 2021

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Three questions regarding the prosodic system of the Lithuanian language
Authors: Kardelis Vytautas
Published: March 2021

This article addresses more questions than suggested by its title (those mentioned in the title are the most relevant and common ones) and provides very few answers. However, the key aim of this article is exactly that – to shed some light to the aspects of Lithuanian prosody which have been at the periphery of linguistic research and which have only scarcely been discussed. There are three most significant questions and points of discussion, namely what constitutes the basis of a linguistic phenomenon known as Lithuanian pitch accent levelling and what difficulties occur in its linguistic analysis. Thus the study raises terminological questions, the relationship between different research paradigms (phonetic, phonological, perceptive) and the issue of the scope of empirical data. The second question addressed in the article is of a terminological nature, i.e. Lithuanian pitch accents or tones? On the basis of the typology of tonal languages, taking into consideration the state of the Lithuanian language, it is suggested that the term tone should be introduced to the terminology of Lithuanian linguistics. In addition, it is also proposed that some other terms should be introduced to refer to specific tones in Lithuanian traditionally referred to as the falling pitch accent (tvirtapradė priegaidė) and the rising pitch accent (tvirtagalė priegaidė). One of the suggestions is to use the terms acute and circumflex tones to refer to these Lithuanian prosodic phenomena. The third question is whether Lithuanian has pitch accents (or tones) in diphthongs. There is an established opinion that in standard Lithuanian pitch accents in diphthongal and mixed diphtongal syllables are clearly distinguished. This article provides phonological arguments which allow raising a working hypothesis that the status of the phonological prosody of diphthongs might be in need of reviewing. Alongside the conventional view that diphthongs feature a phonological contrast between the acute and circumflex, it is also possible to consider an alternative perspective which argues that the differential function in such cases is performed not by the prosodic element of pitch accent (priegaidė) but rather another prosodic element, i.e. stress. In principle, such an idea is neither original, nor is it new since it is based on the arguments of Jonas Kazlauskas which in this article are consolidated. This article does not draw any final conclusions but rather is an invitation to discuss these matters among the research community.
What are you, allusion?
Authors: Valotka Audrius
Published: March 2021

The article deals with issues of allusion theory and provides “demarcation lines”, i.e. features that allow distinguishing allusion from other types of intertext. Allusion is commonly defined as an indirect, implied, or covert reference, but here it is defined as an element of text which has certain features. This is in line with conventional terminological practice which requires a proper definition to entail a hypernym superordinate by one or two levels. Allusion is intertext, therefore its definition must include the categories of “intertext” or “text”. The essential features of an allusion are the following: a) Allusion is made of two texts: the text in praesentia and the text in absentia. The text in absentia is widely perceived as a work of art, a historical fact, a person, etc. It is always prior, except for Jason Holt’s interpretation of ex ante allusions. b) The texts in absentia and in praesentia are bound by a covert, indirect reference the purpose of which is to link both texts and to establish allusive connection between them. The question whether meta-comments made by the author about the connection distort the allusion remains open. c) The connection between the text in praesentia and the text in absentia is enabled by the same or similar elements, i.e. representants. The elements of the text in praesentia which aggravate the recognition of the text in absentia are transformants. Context may also perform the function of transformants. d)  When the text in absentia affects only part of the text in praesentia, such an allusion is referred to as a local allusion. If the internal links of the text in absentia affect the internal links of the text in praesentia, such an allusion is referred to as a structural allusion (extension, imitation, parody, plagiarism). e) From the structural perspective, parody, plagiarism, imitation, and extension are not independent intertexts since they differ from allusions only in their function (i.e. irony, secret copying and open mimicking, respectively), therefore they are considered variations of allusion. f) Allusion is an open, incomplete structure since its meanings are created not only by the author but also by the addressee. If the author and the addressee have common background knowledge, the addressee recognises the allusion and is able to interpret it in accordance with the author’s intention. If the background knowledge of the author and the addressee differ, the addressee does not notice the allusion or she/he interprets it in her/his own way.
LENKĖ in the corpus of the contemporary Lithuanian language
Authors: Čižik-Prokaševa Veslava
Published: March 2021

The article examines the concept of a Polish woman in the Lithuanian language on the basis of nouns lenkė (Polish woman) and lenkaitė (young Polish woman). Based on the text from the Corpus of the contemporary Lithuanian language, it’s analyzed how the word lenkė is verbalized in the minds of Lithuanian language users, what kind of picture of a Polish woman consists of the selected material, what features characterizes her, how she differs from women of other nationalities.The article is based on an analysis of 158 sentences: 154 sentences are from the Corpus of the contemporary Lithuanian language and 4 sentences are from the Dictionary of the Lithuanian language. The majority of sentences shows, that people of Lithuania appreciate Polish women very well – 92 sentences; 40 sentences shows negative opinion, in 15 sentences are narrated about wrong, that Polish women suffer, and in 11 sentences Lithuanian and Polish women are appreciated as equivalent.In the Corpus of the contemporary Lithuanian language the basic features of a Polish woman are revealed in several crucial semantic aspects: mental, psychosocial, social, physical and domestic. The research showed that lenkė is a Polish nation woman, who is beautiful, educated, sporty, generous, deeply religious, talented, merciful, authoritative, and sometimes - when it’s talking about an older Polish woman - timid, angry, ugly and slovenly.
Quality estimation of stochastic control system using simulation methods
Authors: Aidokas Linas , Telksnys Laimutis Adolfas
Published: March 2021

The stochastic control system is investigated.  The article solves the problem of human-robot humanoid communication.  The problem arises in the development of human behavior formation management systems. They describe human behavior in terms of probabilistic characteristics. Such control systems are stochastic. The management system of human behavior formation and its functioning is described quality assessment. The problem is solved by simulation modeling. The software implementing the method is described. The results of experimental research are presented.
Morphology, taxonomy and distribution of the rare species Aulacoseira cataractarum (Hustedt) Simonsen (Bacillariophyta) in Russia
Authors: Genkal S.I. ,   I.D. Papanin Institute for Biology of Inland Waters of RAS,     Settle Borok, Nekouz District, 152742 Yaroslavl Region, Russia
Published: March 2021

This scanning electron microscopy study was undertaken to reanalyze frustule samples of the centric diatom algae Aulacoseira cataractarum, collected earlier from a swamp in the Uzon volcanic caldera (Kamchatka). This species, under the name of Melosira cataractarum, was reported before from a number of waterbodies in Russia. Later it was transferred to the genus Aulacoseira Thwaites – A. cataractarum (Hustedt) Simonsen (Simonsen, 1979), and then – to the genus Pseudostaurosira (A.Grunow) D.M.Williams & F.E.Round, under the name of P. seudostaurosira cataractarum (Hustedt) Wetzel, Morales et Ector. In this study we specify perforation of intercalary bands, the shape of the valves and spines as well as the number of valve face and mantle areolae per stria and their shape. Based on the original and published data an extended diagnosis of P. cataractarum is presented. Scanning electron microscope images of frustules of the centric diatom algae.
Smart Cities - New Urban Areas
Authors: Marinov Petar
Published: March 2021

According to forecasts provided by the UN by 2050, approximately 70% of the world's population will live in cities. In digital terms, urban areas will have 6.5 billion inhabitants, compared to 3.5 billion people in 2010. In recent years, the terminology that attempts to describe the “Smart City” has become more and more pronounced. Intelligent technologies, the development of the Internet system - as a global network for all kinds of communications and a range of other innovations - provide opportunities for the development of a smart urban environment in this direction. Improving the quality of life of a much larger number of inhabitants in urbanized areas will be a priority by applying to a great extent the new technologies. Concentration and movement of the population's needs in all forms will be the subject of intelligent technologies that support life in cities. Till now there is no precise definition of "Smart City". Improving the way of life in urbanized areas at this stage, as a key element emerging the introduction of new technologies. Challenges will be based on several areas - ecology, social and economic activities, administrative governance, infrastructure development and social mobility.
The study of the effectiveness of actography in the risk group of placental dysfunction in the third trimester of pregnancy
Authors:   Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kуiv, Ukraine, Zhuk S.I. , Oshovskiy V.I. ,   Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kyiv, Ukraine, Solovey Ye.G. ,   Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kуiv, Ukraine
Published: March 2021

The objective: was to compare the frequency of diagnosis of fetal pathological conditions in the risk group of placental dysfunction (PD) in the III trimester of pregnancy. Patients and methods. In a randomized controlled study, 240 pregnant women in the III trimester of pregnancy with risk factors for PD development participated. In group I (intervention group, n=115), instruction was given on the daily actography. Patients were advised to consider fetal movements after 28 weeks of pregnancy in the evening peak of emotional activity (from 20 to 22 hours) – at least 10 movements within 2 hours. In the absence of sufficient movements, it was recommended to record CTG in the morning peak of emotional activity (7–11 H). In the 2nd (control) group (n=125), the patients received standard prenatal care. Results. The features of the course of the III trimester, childbirth and the early postpartum period were analyzed. It was revealed that the calculation of fetal movements in the evening peak of emotional activity does not affect perinatal indices, however it allows to improve detection of fetal growth retardation and does not increase the use of medical resources. Conclusion. Increasing maternal awareness of the calculation of motor activity in the fetus ensures the optimization of antenatal monitoring. The correct application of the fetal counting technique will allow the use of additional diagnostic methods in the presence of alarm signals, which, in turn, may have economic feasibility for the healthcare system. Key words: actography, fetal monitoring, placental dysfunction, fetal growth retardation.
Optimization of treatment of patients with follicular ovarian cysts
Authors:   Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine, Lakhno I.V. , Tkachov A.E. ,   Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine, Segal O.S. ,   Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine, Zhdanyuk S.O. ,   Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine, Ablyazova A.O. ,   Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine, Nesmiyan N.V. ,   Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Ukraine
Published: March 2021

The reason of tumor-like ovarian cysts are functional disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis which leads to hyperestrogenocity. Medical preparations containing indole-3-carbinol have an evident antiestrogenic effect. The objective: to study the efficacy of using Mastofemin for the treatment of patients with ovarian cysts. Patients and methods. The study involved 110 patients of reproductive age, 30 of them were healthy and were included in Group I. There were 38 women with follicular cysts in Group II whom 30 мg of ethinylestradiol-containing combined oral contraceptives in cyclic regimen for 3 months were prescribed. There were 42 patients in Group III who were additionally to combined oral contraceptives prescribed Mastofemin for 1 capsule 2 times daily. Results. The presence of combined breast pathology and clinical symptoms associated with hyperestrogenocity has been noted in patients with follicular ovarian cysts. The operative treatment due to the lack of effectiveness of the conservative approach was performed in 21.1% of patients in Group II and 7.1% of women in Group III. There was no recurrence of ovarian cysts during further observation within six months in the main Group of patients receiving Mastofemin. 10.5% of women have the reappeared ovarian retention cysts in the Group II. Conclusion. The use of Mastophemin in addition to combined oral contraceptives for treating women with follicular ovarian cysts contributed to increased compliance and therapeutic efficacy. Key words: ovarian follicular cysts, indole-3-carbinol, Mastofemin.
Peculiarities of hormonal homesostasis and its role in implementation of profilative processes of exo-endocervix in the background cervical lesions associated with functional ovarian cysts
Authors:   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine, Matviykiv N.I. , Makarchuk O.M. ,   Ivano-Frankivsk National Medical University, Ukraine
Published: March 2021

It is known that the cervix is a hormone-dependent organ, indicating a certain unity of pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the development of the background cervical lesions. The objective: to evaluate the peculiarities of the hormonal status of the background cervical lesions in women of reproductive age with benign ovarian tumours. Patients and methods. It has been performed an assessment of the hormonal homeostasis state by studying the steroid and gonadotropic hormones in the blood of women with the background cervical lesions (BCL) and functional ovarian cysts (the main group (60 patients) and women with surgical interventions on the ovaries with tumours (comparative group (60 patients). The control group consisted of 20 healthy women. Results. The bacteriological and bacterioscopic examination revealed high rates of contamination with urogenital infection in women of both groups (94.2%); special attention should be paid to the high degree of infection of the urogenital mucous membrane in the patients of the first group under study. The extended colposcopy showed that patients of the first group had ectopy of cylindrical epithelium 2.9 times more often, endometriosis of the cervix and polyps – twice as often, 13.3% of women had condylomatous cervicitis as a manifestation of papillomavirus infection. While in patients of the second group endocervicitis was diagnosed 2.5 times more often, and erosive uterine cervical ectropion – 1,8 times more often (p<0.05). It should be noted that in 94 cases (78.9%), cytological smears were classified according to type II cytograms – inflammatory type of smear, in 32.5% of which the proliferative epithelial changes were detected. In both groups patients tended to increase the prolactin concentration in their blood by 1,8 times and testosterone by 1,6 times, indicating functional hyperprolactinemia and hyperandrogenemia in this category of women. Conclusion. Patients with endocrine dysfunction on the background of ovarian tumour formations and BCL suffer more often from ectopy of the cylindrical epithelium, proliferating endocervicosis and endometriosis of the cervix, which is obviously associated with a significant percentage of infections in this group, including viral aetiology, and also with prolonged dyshormonal changes in the reproductive sphere of the female body. Key words: benign tumours of ovaries, background cervical lesions, hormonal state, vaginal microbiocenosis.