bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clustering of European SMEs According to Their Financial Behaviour
Authors: Balog Ádám , Lits Benedek
Published: January 2025

This study carries out a holistic cluster analysis of the financing structure of 13 103 SMEs in 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway, and 9 343 SMEs in the euro area Member States countries based on a dataset provided by the European Central Bank from the Survey on the Access to Finance of Enterprises (SAFE) in the 27th and 28th rounds, respectively. The study approaches the topic through a 2015 EIF research while developing it further in several manners. It defines five distinct types of financing: Self-financed SMEs, Credit-financed and subsidised SMEs, Flexibly financed SMEs, Supplier-financed SMEs and Lease-financed SMEs. Our results revealed different patterns and attitudes towards financing, based on variables such as country, sector, and size, which may support policymakers in finding appropriate measures to deal with the various types of SMEs.
Termelve fogyasztás (prosumption): elméleti alapok és kutatási irányok a fenntartható fejlődés szemszögéből
Authors: Csigéné Nagypál Noémi , Szabó Mariann
Published: January 2025

A termelve fogyasztás (prosumption) mind a termelés, mind a fogyasztás szempontjából egyre elterjedtebb, meghatározóbb jelenség. Ugyan a hagyományos társadalmakban is jellemző volt, hogy a háztartás vagy az egyén maga termelje meg fogyasztási cikkei egy részét, napjaink modern technológiája és intézményei a termelve fogyasztás számos speciális formáját lehetővé teszik, termékek széles skálája esetében. Ilyen termék lehet például a villamos energia (háztartási kiserőmű), élelmiszer (konyhakertek, közösségi kertek), vagy az információ (online közösségek). Tanulmányunkban a fogyasztói oldalra fókuszálva áttekintjük a prosumption térnyerését, formáit, megkülönböztetve a „kényszerű” és a „kifinomult termelve fogyasztást”. Áttekintjük lehetséges hatásait, megállapítva, hogy – a szakirodalom szerint – a pozitív társadalmi és környezeti hatások a meghatározóak. Végezetül ismertetjük az ENSZ Fenntartható Fejlődési céljaival való kapcsolatrendszerét, szintén számos pozitív hatást beazonosítva. Jelentőségének és hatásainak teljesebb körű megismeréséhez elengedhetetlenek a további empirikus kutatások.
Development of Multicultural Education Competency Diagnostic Tool for Secondary School Teachers
Authors:   Multicultural Education Studies, Nam Kyoungjin , Choi Myoungsook , Lee Yeongrae
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that constitute multicultural education competency required for secondary school teachers, develop a diagnostic tool based on these components, and verify its validity. To achieve this, a preliminary competency model was derived by identifying the components of multicultural education competency through a comprehensive literature review and conducting two rounds of Delphi surveys. The draft model was then validated through a survey administered to secondary school teachers in Daegu and Gyeongbuk. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS 29.0 and AMOS 26.0. The results indicated that the final competency model and diagnostic tool comprised 3 competency groups, 7 competencies, and 30 behavioral indicators. The multicultural education competency model and diagnostic tool developed in this study offer secondary school teachers an opportunity to assess their competency levels and provide practical support to identify and strengthen the competencies they need.
Exploring the Types and Predictors of Changes in Life Satisfaction in Immigrant Upper-grade Elementary School Students Using Latent Class Growth Models
Authors:   Multicultural Education Studies, Wei Liu , Choi Jiyoung
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this study is to examine longitudinal patterns of life satisfaction among immigrant upper-grade elementary school students and to identify factors that influence these patterns, categorized into individual, family, and social factors. To analyze the main research questions, a latent class growth model analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis were conducted. First, three trajectory types of life satisfaction among middle-entry adolescents were identified: a low-level increasing group (7.7%), a mid-level stable group (53.2%), and a high-level group (39.1%). Second, an analysis of factors predicting the latent class classification of life satisfaction trajectories indicated that students with lower levels of bicultural acceptance and higher cultural adaptation stress were more likely to belong to the low-level increasing group. Conversely, those with lower levels of cultural adaptation stress and higher levels of parental and teacher support were more likely to be in the high-level group. Based on these findings, educational implications were discussed.
Экологический дискурс в социальных медиа: опыт тематического анализа
Authors: Щекотин Евгений Викторович , Дунаева Дарья Олеговна , Басина Полина Александровна , Вахрамеев Павел Сергеевич
Published: January 2025

Одним из актуальных направлений в экологических исследованиях последних лет стали интернет-экология и экологическая культуромика, отличительной особенностью которых является использование цифровых следов интернет-пользователей (поисковых запросов, постов и реакций в социальных сетях, видеороликов в открытом доступе и т.д.) для изучения взаимодействия человека и природы. Онлайн-данные используются для исследования широко круга вопросов — от анализа поведения животных в естественной среде до оценки экосистемных услуг.
Цель данной работы заключается в тематическом анализе экологического дискурса в социальных медиа. В качестве объекта исследования авторы выбрали сообщества в социальной сети VK Череповца. В результате исследования были выделены 16 тематических блоков экологического дискурса: мусор и свалки; воздух; субботники; мероприятия по озеленению и благоустройству города; проблемы благоустройства городской среды; природные пожары; переработка и утилизация мусора; вода и водоемы; экологические проекты; климатические аномалии; дикие и бездомные животные в городах; паводки и подтопления; браконьерство; рекультивации земельных ресурсов; сохранение и восстановление лесов; борщевик. Также был проведен анализ пользовательских реакций (количества лайков, репостов и комментариев) в отношении выделенных тематических блоков, в результате чего определено, что наибольшим конфликтным потенциалом обладают темы «браконьерство», «проблемы благоустройства городской среды» и «дикие и бездомные животные в городах».
Благодарность. Исследование выполнено при поддержке Программы развития ТГУ (Приоритет-2030), проект НУ 2.3.3.22 ОНГ.
Библиометрические признаки как символические маркеры дисциплинарных границ: социологическая перспектива
Authors: Иванов Данила Владимирович , Девятко Инна Феликсовна
Published: January 2025

С помощью символических маркеров ученые способны сравнительно быстро ориентироваться в растущем корпусе публикаций, тем самым определяя, пересекая и воспроизводя границы научных дисциплин. Для изучения дисциплинарных границ в наукометрии обычно используется библиометрический анализ, который позволяет наблюдать некоторые квантифицируемые характеристики предполагаемых границ. Однако такой подход не дает возможности оценить, насколько соответствующие признаки субъективно заметны для самих ученых. Это ограничивает возможности социологической интерпретации объективно выявленных междисциплинарных различий с точки зрения их сознательного либо имплицитного восприятия учеными и анализа их потенциального воздействия на историческую динамику демаркации дисциплинарных границ.
Для измерения уровня заметности библиометрических признаков мы 1) отобрали «фасадные» квантифицируемые признаки (длины названий, объемы списков литературы, количество соавторов), которые были замерены с помощью анализа метаданных выборки научных статей, опубликованных в российских социологических и психологических журналах; 2) благодаря использованию экспериментальной методики изучения «обыденных» прогнозов, в которой двум группам ученых требовалось угадать значения параметров распределения библиометрических признаков в двух дисциплинарных группах статей, оценили точность угадываний как показатель наличия «фонового» знания об ожидаемых значениях признаков, потенциально используемого в качестве информационных подсказок при дисциплинарном атрибутировании статьи. Для измерения точности сравнивались результаты угадываний и ранее полученные библиометрические данные о средних значениях признаков.
Результаты исследования демонстрируют, что наиболее заметным библиометрическим признаком оказался объем списка литературы, причем именно в психологических статьях. Это дает основания назвать этот признак направленным межгрупповым символическим маркером дисциплинарных границ. Длина названия оказалась заметной для социологов, что позволяет им различать психологические и социологические статьи.
В статье обсуждаются сравнительная значимость и перспективы дальнейшего использования объективно наблюдаемых библиометрических различий для формулирования и проверки гипотез о внутренних принципах демаркации и процессах взаимовлияния научных дисциплин. Апробированная в данном исследовании методика имеет потенциал для получения дополнительного знания относительно результатов проведенных ранее и планируемых наукометрических исследований.
Сценография диалога ученых и публик: к акторно-сетевой теории медианаучной коммуникации
Authors: Ляпугина Наталия Александровна , Кузнецов Андрей Геннадиевич
Published: January 2025

Цель работы — показать, как можно изучать диалог в медианаучной коммуникации на основе акторно-сетевой теории, приняв во внимание ключевые концептуализации из поля исследований научной коммуникации. Для этого анализируются: 1) структура дискуссии о научной коммуникации в свете перехода от модели дефицита к модели диалога; 2) распространение поворота к диалогу на медиапроекты и картография гетерогенного поля проектов медианаучной коммуникации; 3) ключевые концептуализации в исследованиях научной коммуникации диалоговых медиапроектов как мест, процессов и событий; 4) проблемы этой традиции и преодоление их с помощью акторно-сетевой теории.
Диалог российских ученых и заинтересованной публик на примере проекта «Аппетит к науке» был эмпирически исследован с опорой на акторно-сетевую теорию, в результате чего авторы пришли к ряду выводов. Проект «Аппетит» кросс-локален, то есть находится, с одной стороны, на пересечении офлайн- и онлайн-пространств, а с другой — на стыке трех релевантных социальных миров: медиа, науки и институций, поддерживающих проект. Мнимая «естественность» диалога между учеными и публиками, наблюдаемая на мероприятиях «Аппетита», является интеракционным и дискурсивным эффектом кропотливой материальной инсценировки, описываемой в терминах фигуративизации — процесса трансформации абстрактных категорий («наука», «ученый») в более конкретные сущности («тема», «спикер»). Фигуративизация включает в себя артикуляцию спикер-тем, форматирование и о-пределение компетенций спикера. В заключении ставится вопрос о специфике медианаучной коммуникации и обозначаются темы для дальнейшего изучения.
Концепция благополучия в общественных науках
Authors: Аникин Василий Александрович , Нагерняк Мария Александровна , Воронина Наталья Дмитриевна
Published: January 2025

В 2025 г. в издательстве «Прометей» под научной редакцией Л.Н. Овчаровой и В.А. Аникина выходит коллективная монография «Благополучие и развитие человеческого потенциала». Журнал «Мониторинг общественного мнения: экономические и социальные перемены» публикует сокращенную версию главы, посвященной подходам к концептуализации термина «благополучие» с опорой на существующие в российском и зарубежном полях теоретические и эмпирические наработки.
Интерес к теме благополучия в России растет не только со стороны научного сообщества, но и в публичном поле. В последние десятилетия заметно увеличилось число работ о субъективном благополучии, в том числе обзорного характера. Несмотря на это, в научной литературе отсутствует комплексный анализ концепта благополучия, включающий как его объективную, так и субъективную составляющие. Даже в обзорных работах сохраняется терминологическая неоднозначность из-за того, что ряд близких по смыслу понятий используются как синонимы к термину благополучие, а также из-за различий в отраслевой принадлежности авторов. Не претендуя на исключительность, авторы данной статьи предлагают междисциплинарную попытку обобщения и классификации путей концептуализации благополучия в общественных науках, а также систематизируют опыт российских ученых из разных отраслей знания. В работе предлагается рассматривать пять путей концептуализации: (1) благополучие в экономике благосостояния; (2) благополучие как удовлетворение потребностей, (3) благополучие как возможности, (4) когнитивные самооценки собственной жизни, (5) благополучие, рассматриваемое через аффективные оценки.
Благодарность. Материал подготовлен в рамках гранта, предоставленного Министерством науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации (№ соглашения о предоставлении гранта: 075-15-2022-325).
Авторы выражают глубокую благодарность Л.Н. Овчаровой за ценные комментарии на этапе предварительного обсуждения ключевых идей рукописи, участникам секции «Российское общество в «кризисное» десятилетие (к 10-летию социологического мониторинга ИС ФНИСЦ РАН)» в рамках Конференции «Cоциология: вчера, сегодня, завтра. К 50-летию журнала “Социологические исследования”» за обсуждение операционализации объективного благополучия, а также Н. Михайловой и С. Тер-Акопову за ценные идеи, высказанные в процессе подготовки рукописи.
Effect of Nd: YAG Laser on Human Dentin Fluid Flow
Authors: M. Al-Omari Wael , E. Palamara Joseph
Published: January 2025

Objectives: The aim of the current investigation was to assess the rate and magnitude of dentin fluid flow of dentinal surfaces irradiated with neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. Materials and Methods: Thirty extracted intact molars were sectioned, mounted and irradiated with Nd:YAG laser at 2-W power setting. The samples were automatically irradiated at sequential runs until dentin surfaces were completely irradiated. Samples were divided into 3 groups; group 1: the dentinal-fluid flow was measured over 5 minutes after irradiation, group 2: dentinal-fluid flow was measured over 10 minutes after irradiation and group 3: teeth were immersed in 1% sodium hypochlorite, then irradiated and dentinal-fluid flow was measured over 10 minutes after the end of irradiation. Dentinal-fluid flow was measured using fluid-flow apparatus. The rate, magnitude and direction of dentin-fluid flow were recorded at baseline and after irradiation. Results: Non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Ranks repeated-measure t-test and KruskalWallis ANOVA test revealed a statistically significant increase in fluid flow after laser treatment. However, no significant differences were found between the groups. The samples demonstrated a baseline outward flow followed by inward flow due to irradiation followed by increased outward flow. Conclusions: Nd:YAG laser at 2-W power setting has significantly increased dentinal-fluid flow rate. The removal of smear layer with sodium hypochlorite prior to irradiation did not have any effect on the fluid flow rate.
Prevalence of Stress-induced Xerostomia among Libyan Students: A Cross-sectional Study on Exam-related Stress and Its Impact on Oral Health
Authors: Alfitory Ahmed Karima
Published: January 2025

Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence of stressinduced xerostomia among Libyan students during exam periods and explore its association with academic-related stress. Materials and Methods: A total of 700 students from various universities in Libya were selected through convenience sampling. A self-administered questionnaire, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and the Xerostomia Inventory (XI), was used to assess stress and xerostomia symptoms. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, employing Pearson’s correlation coefficient and logistic-regression models to explore the relationship between stress and xerostomia. Results: Xerostomia was reported by 48% of students, with a significant positive correlation (r = 0.58, p < 0.001) between stress levels and xerostomia severity. Health sciences’ students exhibited the highest stress and xerostomia prevalence. Logistic regression identified additional variables associated with xerostomia, including gender, study year, and smoking status. High stress remained the strongest predictor of xerostomia (OR = 3.1, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The study highlights a significant association between exam-related stress and xerostomia among Libyan students. These findings emphasize the need for stressmanagement interventions in educational settings, particularly for students in high-stress disciplines.
Age and Gender Comparisons of Patient-related Factors and Clinical Characteristics of Surgically Removed Mandibular Third Molars among a Cohort of Sri Lankan Patients
Authors: S. Jayasuriya Nadeena
Published: January 2025

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare selected patient-related factors and clinical characteristics of surgically removed mandibular third molars among a cohort of Sri Lankan patients. We hypothesized that age and gender of patients could be significantly associated with their medical conditions, life-style-related risk habits and clinical characteristics of surgically removed mandibular third molars. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 715 patients who underwent mandibular third molar surgeries at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Frequency distributions were presented as descriptive statistics with group comparisons made using chi-square and Fisher’s exact test of statistical significance. Results: There was a significant female preponderance, especially aged ≤ 40 years, among patients who underwent surgical removal of mandibular third molars, of whom 81.1% were impacted. Medical conditions were dominated by hypertension. Smoking was the most prevalent risk habit. These risk habits were significantly higher among patients aged >40 years compared to their younger counterparts (p=0.001). Moreover, beyond 40 years, patients had significantly higher vertical angulation according to Winter’s classification (p=0.002), non-impacted status and Class-1 ramus classification by Pell & Gregory Classification (p=0.001) compared to the younger cohort. Conclusions: There was a significant association between age, gender and life-style-related risk habits, impaction status, angulation and ramus relationship. Therefore, patient-related factors could be useful in ensuring optimal treatment outcomes in surgical removal of mandibular third molars. Studies conducted in other countries would be able to generate more conclusive evidence in this regard.
Cell therapy for spinal cord contusion injury: evaluation of the efficacy of cryopreserved human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells in a preclinical model
Authors: Ryabov S. I. , Zvyagintseva M. A. , Bazanovich S. A. , Morozova Ya. V. , Radaev S. M. , Zuev S. E. , Khvostova M. A. , Karanadze V. A. , Grin A. A. , Smirnov V. A.
Published: January 2025

Objective. To evaluate the effect of systemic application of cryopreserved human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (hUCB-MNCs) in the acute period of spinal cord contusion injury (SCI) on the volume of zone of the spinal cord damage using high-field MRI.

Material and Methods. This study was performed on adult female Sprague-Dowley rats. Severe contusion SCI was modeled using the weight-drop method. Cryopreserved hUCB-MNC concentrate, stored in a cryobank for 3–4 years at –196º°C, was administered intravenously 1 day after injury. Locomotor behavior was assessed when animals moved in an open field using the BBB (Basso – Beatty – Bresnahan) scale for rats. MRI examination of the spinal cord was performed using a Clin Scan 7.0 T device.

Results. At week 6 after injury, a significant increase in the level of restoration of the motor function of the hind limbs (~10 %) was observed in the cell therapy group using hUCB-MNCs relative to the level of the self-healing group (p < 0.05). At the same time, the area of the posttraumatic cystic cavity decreased significantly (~45 %) and statistically significantly (p < 0.05), as well as its transverse (~38%) and longitudinal (~41 %) dimensions.

Conclusion. Cryopreserved hUCB-MNCs may be an effective and affordable means of cell therapy for contusion SCI when used in the acute period of injury.
Effect of Low-Dose Irradiation on Proliferation Dynamics in the Rostral Migratory Stream of Adult Rats
Authors: Bálentová Soňa , Račeková E. , Mišúrová E.
Published: January 2025

Ionizing radiation as one of the strongest cytogenetic factors can induce significant injury to adult brain. In the present study, adult male Wistar rats were exposed to single whole-body gamma irradiation with the dose of 3 Gy. One, 5, 10, 25, 40 or 80 days after irradiation, proliferating cells were labelled using BrdU immunohistochemistry. BrdU-positive cells were counted individually in the three anatomical parts of the brain RMS: the vertical arm, elbow, and horizontal arm. The number of BrdU+ cells decreased rapidly during the 1st day after exposure in the whole extent of the RMS. In course of the following days, considerable increase was observed in the elbow and vertical arm of the RMS with the maximal values on the 5th and 10th days, respectively; until the 40th day after irradiation, the numbers of BrdU+ cells returned to the control level. Contrary to the two previous parts of the RMS, in the horizontal arm, no statistically significant increase was found and the decrease under control values occurred at the longest survival time. Our results suggest that the whole-body irradiation of rats with the sublethal dose of gamma irradiation can induce acute as well as long-lasting changes in the brain regions where proliferation activity is retained during adulthood.
Experimental Therapy with 9-[2-(Phosphonomethoxy)ethyl]-2,6-diaminopurine (PMEDAP): Origin of Resistance
Authors: Zápotocký Michal , Hanzalová J. , Starková J. , Votruba I. , Holý A. , Otová Berta
Published: January 2025

The role of MRP4 and MRP5 transporters in the acyclic nucleoside phosphonate PMEDAP efflux was studied in vitro (CCRF-CEM cells) and in vivo (spontaneous transplantable T-cell lymphoma of SD/Cub inbred rats). The increased resistance against the cytostatic agent PMEDAP during long-term treatment was found to be associated with over-expression of MRP4 and MRP5 genes. The course of both gene activation differs significantly. While the MRP5 function is important in the onset of PMEDAP resistance, the intensity of the relative MRP4 gene expression increases rather continuously. Our data indicate cooperative acting of both MRP4 and MRP5 genes during the PMEDAP resistance development.
Il doppio ruolo di Parmenide nel Parmenide di Platone: obiettare alla teoria delle idee e portarvi aiuto come un nuovo Zenone
Authors: Mazzara Giuseppe
Published: January 2025

Two of the greatest interpreters of Parmenides, Giovanni Casertano and Franco Ferrari, have given opposite interpretations of the role of the character of Parmenides. For Ferrari, Parmenides would only be a critic of ideas, as he equates them with their sensitive participants (thus, he could not be considered one of the prosopa of Plato). For Casertano, on the other hand, Parmenides expresses the ‘metaphysical’ aspects of ideas in accordance with the young Socrates’ discourse on the “prodigy” in the initial part of the dialogue. Neither of the two interpretations presents a Parmenides that represents the figure of Plato adequate for the “dramatic” development of the dialogue. If, on the other hand, we regard them both as integral parts, the image and role of Parmenides could be more appropriate to the bipolar structure of the dialogue and of Plato himself. To this end, I have assumed that Plato unifies in Parmenides his dialectical-deductive method with that of Zeno: the aporetic-paradoxical one that is more open than his to finding ways of escape from any paradoxical arguments. It would be for this reason that Parmenides encourages the young and inexperienced Socrates to follow Zeno’s tropos when defining virtue, also because it was Socrates himself, in the final part of his discourse on the “prodigy,” who praised Zeno for the double courage shown first in criticizing the common sense and the principles of current physics and then in overcoming the contrast between these principles and the more specific mathematizing logic. I identify in this praise of Socrates an assumption, on the part of Parmenides, that the burden of bringing back into ideas the courageous behaviour that Zeno showed in the world of the sensible. I agree with Vlastos in considering Parmenides to be “the manifesto of Plato’s self-criticism,” and in viewing this Parmenides as the prosopon of a Plato that is willing both to level self-criticism at his own stance and to give voice to those who do not think like him and even to those who reject his position.
Senofane DK 21 B 18 sullo sfondo della cultura milesia
Authors: Beconi Marco
Published: January 2025

In this paper, I will first try to refute Lesher’s hypothesis who reads in 18.1 a polemical reference to divination: in the first verse, in fact, Xenophanes merely outlines an exemplum fictum, punctually overturned in 18.2. The fragment must be read, on the contrary, against the historical background that produced it. The language of Xenophanes in B18 is the same as ever and many are the interconnections with the remaining evidences. Here it is enough to recall the link with the two surviving elegies, in which the value of intellectuals is proudly claimed, as opposed to that of the athletes hailed by the masses. It will come as no surprise, therefore, that in B18 the researchers (ζητοῦντες) are celebrated, with a genuine ‘monument’ to what was being discovered at Miletus. I will also try to show how previous interpretations have been vitiated by an unfair devaluation of Xenophanes’ ‘scientific’ activity, seen as a pre-Herodotean ἱστορίη, not as an investigation referring to a methodology that was taking shape and in which Xenophanes largely recognised himself. B18, therefore, is not the first affirmation of coherent ‘philosophical’ interpretation, but the first, brilliant intuition of what enquiry was revealing, in opposition to the mythical tradition, in a passage from μῦθος to λόγος that was gradual, rich in nuances, but irreversible.
Xenophanes DK 21 B 18, a Testimony of the Rising Philosophy
Authors: Galgano Nicola Stefano
Published: January 2025

Greek seafaring between the 10th and 6th centuries BCE gave rise to a technical culture centered around navigation, commerce, and international cultural exchange. The Greeks were not a unified nation in the modern sense, confined to a territory centralized in Attica or the Peloponnese. Instead, they were a collection of independent city-states (poleis) spread across the Mediterranean, from the Iberian Peninsula to the Black Sea. The intense commercial relationships among these Greek settlements and with other peoples wove a Mediterranean cultural web that fostered a genuine spirit of intercultural exchange, leading to a new cultural synthesis that gave the Greeks – and the world to this day – an extraordinary drive for originality. This technical culture, which Rossetti calls the “cultura dell’attendibilità,” was based on observation, objectivity, and rationality. Without these principles, and relying solely on myth, seafaring could never have flourished. This shift away from myths to a new culture is testified by Xenophanes, who, in DK B 18 (LM D53), contrasts the ancient method of gaining knowledge through communication with the gods with a new method of research that in time yields better results.
Où commence la «Voie de la Vérité» et où finit la «Voie de la Doxa» chez Parménide?
Authors: Cordero Nestor-Luis
Published: January 2025

According to the “orthodox” version of Parmenides’ Poem, version generally accepted as vox dei, the “Way of Truth” begins in fragment 2 of the Poem (because fragment 1 is only a kind of introduction) and ends at verse 50 of fragment 8. The “Way of the Doxa”, on the other hand, begins at verse 51 of fragment 8 and ends at fragment 19. We believe it will not an be exaggeration to say that this text could be signed by most specialists interested in the Parmenidean philosophy, even the most eminent ones. Now, apart from a few words, this passage implicitly supposes a whole series of hypotheses, generally accepted without prior justification, hypotheses which, once analyzed, necessarily lead one to support the non-existence in Parmenides of either a “Way of Truth” or a “Way of Doxa”.
Problems of Understanding and Embodiment in Parmenides B 16/D51
Authors: Cherubin Rose
Published: January 2025

Parmenides B 16/D51 presents an account of human cognition and understanding. It is usually taken to form part of the account of the untrustworthy opinions of mortals. Regardless of its proper location within the poem, it invokes difference, movement, and multiplicity — features that the goddess describes as fundamental to mortals’ opinions and as incompatible with what one must say and conceive on the road of inquiry that she recommends. The tale of the journey and both parts of the goddess’s speech use negation, invoke difference and change and multiplicity, and in general conform in many ways to the conceptual framework the goddess attributes to mortals in B8.53-61/D8.58-66 and B9/D13. Does this reflect confidence in the Light-Night conception as a starting-point for an adequate account of what-is? Or does it produce a paradox, wherein the Light-Night conception undermines itself but we would have to use it in order to deny its adequacy? In sum, what kind of a claim about human understanding might the passage represent? What could B16/D51 say about the epistemological status of its own claims, and about the epistemological status of each part of the poem? Why does the passage mention humans (anthrōpoi) specifically, as opposed to all beings that have awareness? These questions will be the focus of this essay.
What’s in a Name? Limits in Parmenides’ Sequentialism
Authors: Guerrieri Marco
Published: January 2025

In this paper, the problem of compatibility between the two parts of the poem by Parmenides of Elea is addressed. This is done on the basis of a number of fragments from the poem – B 8, 9, 12, 16 and others – and a study of their ancient testimonia. In this way, the Parmenidean conception of the world and of human perceptive and gnoseological activity within it is reconstructed. Furthermore, starting from textual clues that show a certain need to go beyond this view of the world, an attempt has been made to argue how τὸ ἐόν can be understood as the All, i.e. as the universe, but seen in its unity. In order to do so, a tempative answer was proposed, using the philosophical category of limit, to recent aporias raised by interpreters.
Il mito di Elena​ e il potere controverso della bellezza.​ Un percorso intertestuale tra Omero, Euripide, Stesicoro, Gorgia, Isocrate e Platone
Authors: De Luise Fulvia
Published: January 2025

The myth of Helen runs through the poetic and philosophical tradition of the ancient world. Her defense is a paradox for legal tradition and the opportunity for a triumph of rhetoric. Through her name Greeks discuss the enchantment of beauty and desire as a driving force, which can have a destructive or constructive effect, or even act as a medium for great ideals. With Helen, a controversial power is at issue, which emanates from beauty and which presents itself differently to the gaze of men and women, raising a “gender” question that has clear traces in ancient texts. All this gives reason to appreciate, once again, the usefulness of intertextual comparison to investigate themes transversally present in poetic, rhetorical, legal, historical and philosophical texts. The revisiting of myths is already an elective place for a consciously intertextual practice on the part of tragic poets, in which Plato finds a model for his philosophical theatre. Among the detectable intersections, it still deserves investigation that precisely the “rewriting (palinodia)” of the myth of Helen offers Plato the opportunity to introduce a decisive turning point in the Phaedrus, where his Socrates deals with the power of eros by dueling with rhetoric: here a poetic quotation becomes a philosophical place, in which the threads of a distant comparison, sometimes explicit, sometimes underground, intertwine between the intellectuals active in the first half of the 4th century. The ambiguity of the myth of Helen is the underlying theme of this essay, which aims to identify connections between the texts and implications that are not always declared. The themes examined are the praise or denigration connected to the image of Helen in Homer, the double rewriting of the myth in Euripides (The Trojan women and Helen), the different virtuosities of its defense in Stesichorus, Gorgias and Isocrates, the philosophical metamorphosis of the myth in Plato’s Phaedrus, where for the first time the quality of desire is questioned together with the type of love that derives from it. This essay is intended to be a tribute to Livio Rossetti, who made intertextual study an indispensable exegetical model for understanding what is talked about in the literature of the ancient world.
Novel Gain-of-Function Mutation in STAT-1 Protein with ALPS-like presentation
Authors: Ibrahim Bashair Mohammed , Alsalamah Mohammad
Published: January 2025

Background: Germline mutations in STAT1 lead to primary immunodeficiency affecting both intrinsic and innate immunity. These immunodeficiencies can manifest as either loss-of-function (LOF) mutations or gain-of-function (GOF) mutations. LOF mutations result in a significant reduction in STAT1 protein functionality and are associated with Mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease. Conversely, GOF mutations occur when a gene undergoes a change that enhances its normal function, resulting in an overactive form of the protein. Heterozygous STAT1 GOF mutations are the predominant cause of Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis (CMC) in individuals with inborn errors of immunity.
Aim: The study aims to report the clinical features, immune profile, and unique characteristics of a 9-year-old female patient with GOF mutations in STAT-1.
Results: We present a case of an 8-year-old female who has been genetically diagnosed with a GOF mutation in the STAT 1 gene. The patient's clinical presentation includes lymphadenopathy, splenomegaly, the presence of non-caseating granulomas, and cytopenia. Notably, there is no evidence of mycobacterial infection typically associated with LOF mutation, nor any indication of fungal, viral, or malignant conditions. Furthermore, there are no signs of endocrine abnormalities such as thyroiditis or diabetes mellitus. The patient's immunological profile reveals evidence of autoimmunity, including symptoms of arthralgia and oral ulcers. Manual calculations of DN T cells showed no increase in their numbers. The patient did not exhibit typical signs of chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) but presented with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome (ALPS)-like features, expanding the clinical spectrum of STAT1 GOF mutations.
Discussion: The clinical and immunological characteristics of GOF mutations in STAT-1 vary considerably among case reports. The current case had no evidence of CMC, thus raising the possibility of ALPS-like syndrome as an extension of the commonly addressed features of GOF mutations.
Statement of novelty: The absence of CMC in a patient with GOF mutations in STAT-1 is a rare presentation that should be considered when evaluating patients with inborn errors of immunity.
Exploring teacher-student interaction in task and non-task sequences
Authors: Zhu Yan , Newton Jonathan , Liu Yue , Shu Dingfang
Published: January 2025

In TBLT research, there is a noticeable lack of attention to the use of tasks with whole classes. This study seeks to address this gap by investigating the discourse of whole-class task-based teacher-student interaction compared to other types of teacher-student interaction in EFL classrooms in a primary school in China. A total of 223 pedagogic sequences from 16 EFL lessons taught by Chinese teachers to Grade 1 to 5 primary school student were recorded, transcribed, and coded as tasks or non-tasks using the four defining features of tasks proposed by Ellis and Shintani (2014. Exploring language pedagogy through second language acquisition research. London: Routledge). The analysis revealed that 95 sequences were task-based, 44 were non-task-based (i.e. they contained none of the four task features) and a further 84 sequences were also non-task-based but contained some but not all the four task features. In terms of the discourse features of task versus non-tasks sequences, task sequences had a higher ratio of teacher talk to student talk, a higher frequency of IRF exchanges, a lower frequency of teacher-class interaction, a lower frequency of teacher-initiated exchanges, a higher frequency of FoM exchanges and a lower frequency of FoFs exchanges, and a higher frequency of both display and referential questions. Overall, the findings provide process-oriented evidence for the distinctiveness of task-based teacher-student interaction.
A generalized version of Halanay inequality applied to a fractional nonlinear Hopfield neural network system
Authors: Kassim Mohammed D. , Al-Mahdi Adel M. , Othmani Sakina , Tatar Nasser-eddine
Published: January 2025

The standard Halanay inequality is generalized by considering fractional derivatives instead of first-order derivatives and also the nonlinear case. Moreover, we shall deal with a large class of kernels in distributed delays. It is then used to prove the Mittag-Leffler stability of a fractional nonlinear Hopfield neural network system with activation functions that are not necessarily Lipschitz continuous. The findings are supported by two explicit classes of admissible kernels and an example.
Analysis of PAPR reduction algorithms for optical OFDM 5G radio waveform system for visible light communication
Authors: Kumar Arun , Sarveswara Rao T.D.N.S.S , C.N. Gireesh Babu , Gaur Nishant , Nanthaamornphong Aziz
Published: January 2025

The integration of Optical Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) with the 5G radio waveforms has lately been attracting special attention toward its possible Visible Light Communication (VLC) systems. On the other hand, however, a key challenge in the Optical OFDM is the presence of very high PAPR, degrading the overall system performance by introducing nonlinear distortions in the optical transmitter. In the present paper, different kinds of PAPR reduction algorithms specifically developed for Optical OFDM in VLC systems are developed and investigated. Analyze techniques like clipping, selective mapping (SLM), partial transmit sequence (PTS), and companding for their PAPR reduction efficiency along with the preservation of spectral efficiency and signal integrity. Based on the above aspects, various performance metrics, such as BER, computational complexity, and SNR, have been considered in order to understand each technique’s trade-off. It can be clearly seen that the hybrid and adaptive approaches achieve greater PAPR reduction without much loss of performance and are thus appropriate for future generation optical communication systems. This analysis underlines the use of optimized PAPR reduction algorithms to achieve robust and efficient systems for 5G VLC applications.
Coexistence of phenylketonuria and tyrosinemia type 3: challenges in the dietary management
Authors: Selamioğlu Arzu , Kozanoğlu Tuğba , Hacıoğlu İlknur , Balcı Mehmet Cihan , Karaca Meryem , Gedikbaşı Asuman , Uyanık Bülent , Gökçay Gülden
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Phenylketonuria (PKU) and tyrosinemia type 3 (HT3) are both rare autosomal recessive disorders of phenylalanine-tyrosine metabolism. PKU is caused by a deficiency in phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), leading to elevated phenylalanine (Phe) and reduced tyrosine (Tyr) levels. HT3, the rarest form of tyrosinemia, is due to a deficiency in 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPD).

Case presentation

We report a 5-year-old girl diagnosed with both PKU and HT3. She presented with elevated Phe levels in neonatal screening, and subsequent biochemical tests revealed both hyperphenylalaninemia and elevated Tyr levels. Genetic analysis confirmed the diagnoses, identifying homozygous mutations in both the PAH and HPD genes. Dietary management to maintain optimal Phe and Tyr levels proved to be challenging due to the presence of these two coexisting pathologies especially during infections and due to dietary non-compliance, necessitating frequent adjustments in the treatment strategy.

Conclusions

This case highlights the importance of considering multiple metabolic disorders in patients with unexplained clinical and biochemical findings. Early diagnosis and stringent dietary management are crucial for preventing neurological damage and ensuring favorable outcomes in patients with concurrent metabolic disorders.
Evaluating the challenges and opportunities for diabetes care policy in Nigeria
Authors: Olatunde Olalekan Isaac
Published: January 2025

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic, non-communicable disease characterized by elevated blood glucose levels resulting from defects in insulin function, secretion, or both. Nigeria has a National Guideline on the Prevention, Control, and Management of Diabetes Mellitus. The guideline was developed in 2021 for healthcare practitioners and facilities to enhance their standard of care for diabetic patients, thereby enhancing the management and control of diabetes in Nigeria. Diabetes accounts for 1.52% of the total deaths in Nigeria. Given the high prevalence of diabetes in the country, there is a need for a national policy on diabetes care. This study evaluates the challenges associated with the formulation and implementation of a diabetes care policy in Nigeria. Identified challenges include inadequate funding of the healthcare system, insufficient human resources, poor health infrastructure, corruption, and low socioeconomic status. This study highlights and alerts policymakers to the challenges associated with diabetes, including its economic burden, the specific obstacles in formulating and implementing diabetes healthcare policy in Nigeria, and how this policy could help ameliorate the rising cases of diabetes in Nigeria. The study recommends that the government prioritize increased healthcare funding, human resource development, and infrastructure improvement while addressing corruption and implementing targeted interventions to improve socioeconomic conditions.
Association between clinical laboratory indicators and WOMAC scores in Qatar Biobank participants: The impact of testosterone and fibrinogen on pain, stiffness, and functional limitation
Authors: Masoud Ovelia , Morris Linzette , Al-Hamdani Mohammed , Al-Haidose Amal , Abdallah Atiyeh M.
Published: January 2025

Objectives

The association between baseline laboratory parameters and experienced well-being in healthy individuals remains uncertain. This study explored the relationship between clinical laboratory profiles and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores for pain, stiffness, and physical functional limitation in healthy individuals in Qatar.

Methods

Clinical laboratory data were collected from 1,764 Qatar Biobank participants who also completed the WOMAC questionnaire: lipid profiles (high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol, and triglycerides), endocrine markers (TSH, T3, T4, estradiol, and testosterone), and two inflammatory markers (CRP and fibrinogen). Multiple linear regression was used with 11 clinical indicators as independent variables and the subscale and total WOMAC scores as dependent variables. Multivariate effects of each indicator on the outcomes were assessed, and univariate effects were examined when significant.

Results

Testosterone had a significant impact on all WOMAC subscales (pain, stiffness, and functional limitation) and the total WOMAC score. Higher testosterone levels were associated with a reduction in pain (β = −0.03, t = −3.505, p < 0.001, 95% CI = −0.052, −0.015), stiffness (β = −0.01, t = −2.265, p = 0.024, 95% CI = −0.018, −0.001), physical dysfunction (β = −0.08, t = −3.265, p = 0.001, 95% CI = −0.135, −0.034), and total WOMAC scores (β = −0.127, t = −3.444, p < 0.001, 95% CI = −0.199, −0.055). Elevated fibrinogen levels were associated with an increase in stiffness (β = 0.155, t = 2.241, p = 0.025, 95% CI = 0.019, 0.290), physical dysfunction (β = 1.17, t = 2.808, p = 0.005, 95% CI = 0.354, 1.997), and total WOMAC scores (β = 1.610, t = 2.691, p = 0.007, 95% CI = 0.437, 2.784).

Conclusion

Testosterone may protect against pain, stiffness, and physical dysfunction, while high fibrinogen levels might be a surrogate of systemic inflammation that enhances stiffness and limits physical function. Measuring multiple clinical and laboratory markers in healthy individuals may enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying pain.
Research on vibration damping of integral squeeze film damper based on fan rotor tester of turbofan
Authors: Zhu Gang , He Lidong , Jia Xingyun , Yan wei  , Tan Zhifu
Published: January 2025

In order to address the issue of excessive vibration and critical speed approaching the operating speed of the aero-engine fan rotor, the integral squeeze film damper (ISFD) was investigated for its impact on the fan rotor tester of turbofan. The static characteristic and dynamic characteristics of ISFD and fan rotor were analyzed through simulation calculation. The results show that ISFD can effectively suppress the vibration, improve the stress distribution within the rotor, and adjust the critical speed of the rotor. Experimental tests were conducted on the fan rotor tester of turbofan, revealing significant reductions in vibration: At 8,000 r/min, the peak-to-peak displacement was reduced by 25.35 %, while the vibration of 1X frequency and 2X frequency was suppressed by 84.48 % and 33.46 %, respectively. It also successfully adjusted critical speed within this system, reducing the critical vibration by 58.81 % with a decrease in critical speed from 7,397 r/min to 3,265 r/min.
Embedding Growth and Maturation Analyses Into the Talent Development Pathways of Youth Weightlifters
Authors: Morris Stephanie J. , Oliver Jon L. , Pedley Jason S. , Radnor John M. , Hill Mark , Haff G. Gregory , Lloyd Rhodri S.
Published: January 2025

Growth and maturation have a significant influence on naturally occurring changes in performance, training-induced adaptations, injury risk, and psychosocial development and should, therefore, be important considerations within talent identification and development pathways for young weightlifters. Key stakeholders in youth weightlifting require an understanding of growth and maturation to support the long-term development of athletes and ensure that future potential is considered rather than making judgments based on enhanced physical qualities synonymous with advanced stages of maturation. This article considers methods of assessing biological maturation and growth rates and then explores how weightlifting performance can be influenced by growth and maturation. The article is accompanied by an Excel template to estimate maturity status and timing. Finally, recommendations are offered to help practitioners embed growth and maturation analysis within youth weightlifting pathways to enhance performance, reduce injury risk, and create optimal training and competition environments.