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The ubiquity and pervasiveness of algorithms across various societal sectors entail risks and opportunities for individuals and social groups prompting critical reflection on how people perceive, understand, and interact with algorithms. This article conceptually addresses algorithm awareness, and methodologically provides a critical appraisal of research approaches for its study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundMethodsResultsConclusionsCyberbullying research has gained considerable attention among scholars due to the proliferation and diversification of the digital media platforms. Although cyberbullying research has a robust empirical nature, the research is more difficult to define and deserves close investigation. In response to the situation, we have examined topics, forms, context, media, predictive factors, outcomes, utilization of methodology, and research trends in cyberbullying research from 2014 to 2023.This study analyzed 3,588 articles to investigate the trend and development of cyberbullying research using the Scopus academic databases.85.87% of research focused on cyberbullying as ‘social issues’. 71.57% of articles focused on cyberbullying itself rather than specific forms of cyberbullying. 50.81% of articles focused on cyberbullying in middle/high school contexts. Most research did not state any predictive factors (39.83%) or outcomes (60.17%) suggested. The predominant research method used in cyberbullying research was via surveys (30.69%), while the second phase of research dominated the cyberbullying research agenda (victims and bullies in cyberbullying).Although Cyberbullying research has increased, broadened, and diversified over time, it still focuses primarily on the first phase of the research agenda of cyberbullying issues. The findings of this study provides a framework for new insights for future cyberbullying research and practices by suggesting exploration to different mechanisms of cyberbullying such as: victims/bullies, effects, and improvement of cyberbullying beyond the issues of cyberbullying itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropsychiatric disorders have an increasing percentage among the current human population, which is why the use of biodiversity elements in their treatment is a key aspect in the process of psychological rehabilitation, based on biophilia. It is currently used as an intermediate VR/AI tool to generate positive emotions and well-being, based on nature images of landscapes and biodiversity. Although there are a number of problems that arise in the use of VR / AI in the biomedical field, mainly due to legislative and ethical aspects, the digitization of the biomedical field represents the opening of new perspectives on the diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, resulting in new directions of scientific research aimed at significantly improving the study and understanding of the healing mechanisms of psychopathologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article delves into the role of digital transformation in bolstering economic security within investment processes, emphasizing the integration of environmental sustainability. It discusses theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches that illuminate how digital technologies can enhance investment practices while ensuring environmental responsibility. The authors emphasize that leveraging digital transformation can not only mitigate risks and vulnerabilities but also bolster efficiency and transparency in investment decisionmaking while promoting sustainable practices. Through a review of pertinent literature, the article scrutinizes the advantages of digitalization in realms such as data analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence, highlighting the dual benefits of economic security and environmental stewardship. The findings enrich the existing knowledge base on economic security and underscore the significance of embracing digital transformation infused with environmental sustainability in the investment arena. This article furnishes valuable insights for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers navigating the evolving landscape of investment processes in an increasingly digitized and environmentally conscious world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Job insecurity, that is, the perceived threat of job loss or of valued job features, is a well‐documented stressor with negative consequences for employees. This lead article proposes to advance the field by going both deeper and broader in linking individual job insecurity experiences to their social context on the microlevel (individual characteristics), the mesolevel (the individual's immediate social context such as organizations) and the macrolevel (the wider context such as countries). Going deeper, we discuss theoretical and methodological approaches to investigate how job insecurity affects employees' experience of work but also their identity and life outside work—essentially, how people view themselves and their place in society. Going broader, we review evidence of macrolevel influences as predictors and moderators of job insecurity, as well as the effects of job insecurity on political attitudes and behaviour. Taken together, we discuss these two streams of research as top‐down and bottom‐up mechanisms in the interplay between individual job insecurity experiences and their socio‐political context. We conclude with suggestions for future research and theory development to move the field forward. We hope to provide a fruitful point of departure to delve into the mechanisms between experiences of job insecurity and the broader social context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metacognitive processing constitutes one of the contemporary target domains in consciousness research. Error monitoring (the ability to correctly report one's own errors without feedback) is considered one of the functional outcomes of metacognitive processing. Error monitoring is traditionally investigated as part of categorical decisions where choice accuracy is a binary construct (choice is either correct or incorrect). However, recent studies revealed that this ability is characterized by metric features (i.e., direction and magnitude) in temporal, spatial, and numerical domains. Here, we discuss methodological approaches to investigating metric error monitoring in both humans and non‐human animals and review their findings. The potential neural substrates of metric error monitoring measures are also discussed. This new scope of metacognitive processing can help improve our current understanding of conscious processing from a new perspective. Thus, by summarizing and discussing the perspectives, findings, and common applications in the metric error monitoring literature, this paper aims to provide a guideline for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to analyze the integration of qualitative-quantitative and quantitative-qualitative approaches in the methodological strategy. The study constitutes a theoretical nature essay, with a descriptive scope, which identifies the main categories used when referring to integration in the methodological strategy. To achieve this, an integrated analysis is carried out, establishing similarities and differences among each of these categories, to conclude with a proposal that identifies the potential of this type of approach in geographical studies. The complexity of the object of study in social sciences (affected by postmodern logics and linked to globalization) challenges the researcher to seek new flexible alternatives, but at the same time rigorous ones, that allow him to capture the essence of the reality under study. The article highlights the importance of incorporating combined approaches that enables a better understanding of the object of study, from a comprehensive viewpoint. Regarding the research techniques, the study applies a documentary analysis that articulates the systematization and analysis of reference studies in the area, which allowed developing a state of the question reconciling approaches from different fields of social sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many researchers study international adoption. However, to date, no systematic analysis has been conducted to characterize this field in the social sciences, in terms of disciplinary origins, methodological approaches and theories used. Therefore, it is difficult to obtain an overall picture of basic trends and of marginal or even incomplete ones. This situation can slow down the development of knowledge regarding international adoption. Our scoping review is based on a systematic survey of studies published from 2000 to 2019 (n = 164). The results demonstrate that: (1) researchers specialized in psychology dominate this field of study; (2) the quantitative approach is most widely used; and (3) cognitive-behavioral, ethnic and racial identity as well as attachment theories are the main perspectives adopted. This article concludes by discussing the consequences of this situation, as well as relevant avenues for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article attempts an author's technology to develop the creative abilities of preschool children in drawing classes. The authors have reviewed the latest neurophysiological aspects of creativity and have taken them into account in modeling the framework model of the development of creative abilities of preschool children in drawing classes. The aim of the article is to pursue two successive theoretical and methodological steps: a natural neurophysiological justification of the educational law of forming the visual development of elementary school children valid for teachers' understanding and use and a framework morphed structuring of reflexive, cognitive, and reflective activity of schoolchildren. It is possible with synergetic and, in fact, parallel realization of sensitivity, figurative assimilation of signals of the surrounding world, acquisition of experience and (as a cumulative result) - spontaneous, but framed by facilitative intervention, creative realization of the child's deep needs. The main result of the article was that we realized: a training module can be represented as a synergy of educationalneurophysiological correlations. That is, training modules consist, on the one hand, of target, content, technological and productive settings and expectations, and on the other hand, these settings are inseparable from associative, sensual-aesthetic, activity and motivational (cognition - satisfaction) manifestations of children's psyche. The international significance of the article lies in the reception of the latest pedagogical and neurophysiological ideas for development of creative abilities in preschool children for development of the author's technology. This can be used by practicing teachers as a model for implementation of pedagogical style in the cultural, social and educational conditions of the Eastern European region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emotion has an essential effect on various cognitive processes in humans including attention, perception, learning, and memory. Long-term memories are affected not only by the emotion experienced during learning but also by the emotional state during retrieval. The term “emotional memory” is often associated with episodic memory and mental time-travel; however, emotion influences every aspect of memory (e.g., both declarative memory and nondeclarative memory). Here the authors discuss the methodological advantages and limitations across the current methods in emotional memory research. Traditional neuropsychological methods use emotionally arousing stimuli; however, such stimuli are often reduced to a simple list of words or pictures. In comparison to these methods, virtual reality (VR) is a relatively new tool, but with growing importance in neuroscience research and clinical practice. VR allows to study human behavior, cognitive functions, and brain activity in ecologically valid situations even under laboratory conditions. Future directions and potential use of virtual reality in emotional memory testing are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present article introduces the issue migration in the context: perspectives, methodology, and cultural issues. International migrations and their changing patterns pose new challenges to community social psychologists and new questions to be explored. Community psychologists' attention is necessary to develop a perspective about migration more suitable to effective interventions in global and local communities. Therefore, methods aimed at study migration issues should be implemented at micro-system, community, and national levels. Through this series of papers, we aim to contribute to the debate about how social and community psychologists can engage in community development strategies aimed at improving migrant well-being too. Indeed, they can give relevant contributions to the deepening of migration issues through research, methodologies, and interventions in different contexts and at different levels of analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One consequence of the securitarian approach against terrorism is the conflictual request both to "spot radicals" and build social cohesion in local communities. As a result, migrants' communities feel discriminated and treated as a "suspect community". The European Project PROVA addressed the prevention of violent radicalization in youth, involving professionals and representatives of local communities, and producing Guidelines in order to contrast the marginalization of suspected communities. The empirical research refers to an innovative way to carry out the Participatory Consensus Conference (PCC), used to define Guidelines aimed at identifying suitable recommendations, costs and benefits for the foreseen policies. Participants were 12 stakeholders (Local Authorities, Juvenile Justice System, NGOs, and Educational Institutions). Methods: the PCC used a scientific process for achieving an agreement with a participatory approach. The final outcomes consisted in the definition of recommendations on the social cohesion among citizens, and the sensitiveness toward migrants' isolation and fear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnic minority and immigrant workers comprise a sizable proportion of the low-wage workforce. They are surprisingly understudied despite their workplace prominence. Factors such as workplace policies, structures, worker-related characteristics, and research designs preclude their comprehensive research participation when studies are conducted in work settings. Consequently, ethnic minority and immigrant workers continue to be under-represented in inquiry and simultaneously over-represented with compromising occupational health risks. The purpose of this paper is to provide strategies to promote the inclusion of ethnic minority and immigrant workers in occupational health research. Using three different research-based examples, we illustrate the benefit of conducting occupational health research in non-workplace settings as a way to ensure research representation of ethnic minority and immigrant workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical analysis of academic production can contribute to improving the quality of research in Education. For this reason, this article presents a review of the scientific productions from 2014 to 2019 of Graduate Program in Education from Higher Education Research line in a University located in the Sorocaba region. The analysis of the internal structures of scientific productions aims to recognize the epistemological characteristics and its respective methodological approaches based on Gamboa's paradigmatic scheme (1998). The content of 34 scientific productions was analyzed. It was considered the following categorization of the works: the context; o research topics and modality; the techniques of data collection by identification of the basic components of the structure of scientific work. The study carried out highlighted the predominance of qualitative research with the Phenomenological-Hermeneutics approach (47%) followed by the Critical-Dialectic approach (32%), compared to 21% with a quantitative approach classified as Empirical-Analytical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introductory paper sets the scene for the present double special issue on degree phenomena. Besides introducing the individual contributions, it positions degree in the overlapping fields of intensity, focus and emphasis. It outlines the wide-ranging means of expressing degree, their possible categorizations, as well as the manyfold uses of intensification with respect to involvement, politeness, evaluation, emotive expression and persuasion. It also decribes the many angles from which degree features have been studied as extending across, e.g., (historical) sociolinguistics, (historical) pragmatics, and grammaticalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of the analysis carried out an important conclusion follows that, in conceptual terms, the mechanism for ensuring the national security of the country is not so much a mechanism for ensuring the interests of the subjects, as a mechanism for ensuring conditions for a safe existence, that is, the conditions that the subject influences and over which he exercises real power. In this regard the article forms a mechanism for ensuring the national security of Ukraine as an object of targeted impact management, it is closed on the process of creating conditions under which the interests of the individual, state and society would be realized, the goals set by them would be based on values. Analysis of the state of national security of the country using a wide range of methodological approaches has proved that the main components of the mechanism for ensuring the national security of Ukraine in the context of transformation are expedient to consider: the goals of the mechanism functioning, which are based on the interests of national security; system of subject-object relations; methods and means of ensuring the national security of the country. It is this understanding of the mechanism for ensuring the national security of Ukraine that will allow it to be considered as an object of targeted impact control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the basic blocks of future musical art teachers' training, which include historical-music, theoretical-music, and music-performing disciplines. In this regard, the didactic potential of their interdisciplinary coordination is revealed, and ways of its realization are suggested. The methodological basis of the study includes the phenomenological approach in which music is positioned as a distinctive phenomenon, an ideal substance that comprehends the immense and creates a sensual picture of the world. It is shown that, in contrast to the competence approach, which directs the efforts of researchers to the formation of professional and personal qualities of the teacher, the interdisciplinary approach primarily involves optimization of the curriculum. Interdisciplinary coordination is considered as flexible and consistent use of all its components in a real learning process. Interdisciplinary coordination, based on the allocation of related elements in the content of subjects of historical-theoretical and music-performing blocks, provides formation of common knowledge and skills in future musical art teachers, ability to use their various activities (educational, performing and didactic) independently, flexibly and creatively. Essential characteristics of future musical art teacher’s music-performing training are presented, which consist of voice training, choral conducting and music-instrumental training, aimed at interpreting composers’ works. The latter requires harmonization of cognitive and emotional components of the experience. For all types of music-performing training (piano, violin, accordion, vocal, choral conducting, etc.), it is important to analyze the performance means of expressiveness, technical difficulties, differences between ideal auditory-figurative representations and real sound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is aimed at defining the border of the suburban zone behind economic approaches and leveling (comparing) the results with certain borders in the General plan. The development of suburban areas is one of the elements of the transformation of the economy of the city and region, determines the pace of their development. Though even today there is no common point of view on the interpretation of the concept of "suburban zone", there is no clear distinction between the definitions of "suburb", "suburban territory", "suburban area". In addition, it is important to define the boundaries of the city and suburban area, since cities tend to "expand" and "capture" adjacent territories. The boundaries of cities change significantly, which requires a corresponding study of the boundaries of the suburban zone, thus, the topic of work is relevant. Methodology. The article considers options for delineating borders according to existing legislative acts that define the outer border of the suburban zone of large cities with an isochronous 45-60-minute accessibility by public transport to the city. In addition, the analysis of research and publications of scientists made it possible to identify other approaches to determining the boundaries of the suburban zone and compare the results with the specified border of the suburban zone in the General plan of Odessa. Thus, calculations were made and the results were visualized, using the ArcGIS Pro software, several options for determining the boundaries of the suburban zone of the city of Odessa, namely: a methodological approach was applied to calculate the population concentration index, the results of which confirmed our assumptions about the concentration of the population in the suburban zone to the place of employment, study, cultural and social development. The second methodological approach is the calculation of the gravitational model based on the distance parameter. The results allowed us to conclude that accessibility of localities to the city center is crucial. In the third approach, using the gravity model of Kareem that combines distance and demographic potential centers of research, defines the borders of suburban zone of the city of Odessa, which are maximally correlated with the specified bounds in the General plan. Practical significance. Therefore, the conducted research makes it possible to assert that one of the important indicators in determining the border of a suburban zone is the temporary isochrone, that is accessibility to the city, which, in most cases, forms a multidimensional relationship between the city and the suburban zone. The delimitation of the borders of suburban areas of cities will allow for targeted planning of the territory, organization of an effective management system, establishment of geographical features of the city development, use of the suburban territorial resources for urban development, and the relationship between the development of the city and its suburban zone. The city center and its suburban area are interconnected objects of spatial planning documentation at the stages of development of master plans for localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green spaces, especially those in the coastal areas, are of great and multiple importance for sustainable urban and tourism development. At the same time, they are endangered by excessive construction caused by the urbanisation process. Increased urbanisation occurs as the consequence of spatial expansion of the built-up land of coastal towns due to strong littoralisation processes, but also as a consequence of an increasing coastal tourism development. Scientific research on the connection between urbanisation and tourism is conducted in various scientific areas and disciplines, representing urban green spaces mainly in a wider context, rarely as immediate objects of research. Understanding and comparison of research results are made difficult due to non-standardised methodology and terminology applied in research. Therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of methods applied in research of urban green spaces and, on its grounds, to select methodological approaches applicable for geographic research on urban green spaces within the context of coastal tourism development. The meaning of "urban green space" and its relationship with tourism were defined. The subject of research, terminology and classification of urban green spaces, spatial and temporal context of research, applied methodology and interpretation of results were analysed. Two most frequent methodological approaches in urban green spaces research in the context of coastal tourism development were identified: a) Comparative spatio-temporal research of transformation of urban green space due to tourism development and b) Research on attitudes and perception of urban green space users within the context of tourism development. The identified approaches are applicable in geographic research of urban green spaces, and they are based on methodological background of the positivist and humanistic- behavioural approach in contemporary geography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the article is to illuminate the influence of Sanskrit drama on the process of traditional Chinese drama genesis, to introduce into a Ukrainian-language scientific turn of a series of information on the history of Chinese culture that is only available in modern and ancient Chinese. The research methodology is to use a combination of historical, structural, typological-comparative research methods. This methodological approach allows us to reveal and analyze the influence of the Indian Sanskrit drama on the formation of Chinese drama. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive coverage of the problems of the genesis of the Chinese traditional drama in the context of the Indian influence on the formation of the genre paradigm of Chinese traditional drama, as well as the systematization of material provided by Chinese researchers in Chinese, which has not yet been translated into the Ukrainian language and, in most cases, not entered into a scientific rush within the framework of the English literary criticism and cultural discourse. Conclusions. The idea of a dramatic action originated in India, and later, during the first millennium AD, the Indian Sanskrit drama was exported to the territory of East Turkestan and to the territory of Southeast Asia. Subsequently, the Uighur theater had a direct influence on the formation of the Chinese civilizational and cultural environment, which can be considered proven in the context of the actual material presented in the works of Chinese researchers, systematized and presented above. In the process of forming a genre paradigm of Chinese drama, in particular, the structure of the system of the role of Indian drama had a direct influence, as well as Indian influence was the structure of drama, there is a significant number of Chinese dramas, which present the motives of Chinese Buddhism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research note is to characterize the qualitative perspective as a theoretical and methodological approach. The study is an essay of theoretical nature, with a descriptive scope, which presents the characteristics that identify the qualitative perspective and configure their main virtues and challenges as methodological perspective. Unlike the quantitative methods that start from a positivist conception, structured from rigid criteria for the analysis of artificial aims, the qualitative ones act on the observation of the actors in their own terrain and language, from the interpretive paradigm. Its approach requires guidelines, which far from limiting the researcher, encourage the emergence of innovative ideas for the construction of new theories based on the observable phenomenon. These characteristics of the qualitative research associated with the application of flexible research designs imply obstacles that are difficult to overcome when complying with the growing formal requirements set forth by the evaluation committees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The English progressive construction is thriving. Even stative verbs, traditionally considered incompatible with the be+-ing form, are being increasingly used in the progressive. To fully understand these emerging uses of the so-called “progressive states,” we must consider the syntactic elements of the construction and the meaning and pragmatics of the so-called “stative” verb. In this paper, I perform a large-scale corpus analysis of love in the progressive (e.g., “I’m loving your blog!”) to investigate the new functions of this construction. My data confirm a tendency toward colloquialization (Mair & Hundt 1995; Mair 1997; Smitterberg 2005; Leech et al. 2009; Collins 2013; Levin 2013) and suggest an ongoing shift toward a more grammatical status. The core phenomenal meaning of the progressive construction and its heavy reliance on contextual information promotes the extension of the be-loving construction to a greater number of contexts and functions, including more subjective readings, which is missing in the corresponding non-progressive construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper emphasizes significance of the problem of noosphere ecology formation in conditions when the region's artistic and aesthetic space is being created; the methodological and theoretical framework of this phenomenon has been defined and direction of its development has been identified: noospheric comprehension of nature, study of the folk art, Orthodox culture and art, contributing to deeper understanding of the emotional and semantic significance of the problem from the perspective of integrity, all-encompassing unity and harmony of the Nature and the Cosmos; a technology of creating a noospheric artistic and aesthetic space at higher school has been presented, and its efficiency has been proven with reliance on the elaborated criteria, diagnostic methods, levels and R. Fisher's angular transformation factor and the future prospects have been determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The textbook is one of the fundamental instruments in the foreign language classroom and affects directly and immediately on how to teach a language, reflecting the conception of language and its teaching. Particularly, we will focus on those that they have involved any changesand its adaptation due to the publication of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of article. The purpose of the article is to improve and formalize methodological approaches to staff recruitment at labour markets. The results of the analysis. The integral result of the study is the following. The author systematized the main problems of the staff recruitment according to the subjects of the employment process (or their place of origin): 1) on the part of the applicants:  inflated / deflated self-esteem;  incorrect understanding of their own capabilities, abilities and aptitudes;  incorrect assessment of their own physical and mental health;  incorrect formulation of expectations from the new position (inflated, deflated or inadequate);  willful false responses in the survey (in order to get a better position);  inaccurate responses in the survey (due to misunderstanding of the nature of questions);  popular or prestigious professions preference, but not those to which the applicant has more talent;  providing inaccurate personal information (false or willful); 2) on the part of employers:  wrong definition of the criteria list to be met by applicants;  inflated requirements to applicants;  the best quality choice among applicants, but not employees for teamwork; 3) on the part of Heads of Labour Markets (as well as employment agencies):  lack of adequate supervision of Labour Market specialists activity (i.e., the quality level in the staff recruitment for specific employers orders);  lack of motivation to improve the skill level of subordinates; 4) on the part of experts on recruitment:  recruitment of the best available applicants, rather than looking for the applicants who fully meet the requirements;  not precise understanding of the requirements for applicants;  the use of inappropriate methods for the applicants recruitment. Such systematization of major problems can determine the direction of management decisions aimed at improving the process of recruitment more accurately. The essential characteristics of methodological approaches that are used while working at Labour Markets are studied. It is indicated that they can determine the following:  professional orientation of a person;  special features of the higher nervous system;  intelligent features;  emotional and volitional sphere of a personality etc. Classification of methodological approaches to staff recruitment enhanced with the classification characteristics «as intended» is improved, allowing everyone to share all methodological approaches to general and specialized. In the future it will allow to differentiate questionnaires and formalize the process of staff recruitment in the first stage. The main directions of formalization of methodological approaches to staff recruitment at the Labour Market is determined:  determination of the recommended list of common procedures to select applicants;  determination of the recommended list of specialized procedures to select candidates for the position;  development of methodological approaches to complex assessment of the applicant. Conclusions and directions for further research. The results of this study can be used in the Labour Markets practical activity as well as employment agencies. Taking into account that the issue of developing integrated universal procedures have not been thoroughly unexplored and exhausted yet, the certain statements of the study can be the basis for further scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viešojo administravimo reformoms, kurioms per pastaruosius metus buvo skiriama daug dėmesio Europos šalių vyriausybių darbotvarkėje, aiškinti gali būti pasitelkiami keli metodiniai požiūriai. Jeigu kiekybinė analizė, pagrįsta dideliu atvejų skaičiumi, leidžia nustatyti bendras reformų tendencijas ir jų skirtumus tarp įvairių šalių grupių, norint giliau suprasti reformas, reikalinga išsamiai išnagrinėti jų kontekstą ir procesą keliose pasirinktose šalyse, taikant lyginamąjį ir procesinį požiūrius. Šiame straipsnyje pristatomos šių metodinių požiūrių galimybės ir apribojimai, nagrinėjant naujausių mokslinių tyrimų rezultatus apie viešojo administravimo reformas Europoje ir Lietuvoje. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the microbial ecology of drinking water distribution systems (DWDS) has traditionally been based on culturing organisms from bulk water samples. The development and application of molecular methods has supplied new tools for examining the microbial diversity and activity of environmental samples, yielding new insights into the microbial community and its diversity within these engineered ecosystems. In this review, the currently available methods and emerging approaches for characterising microbial communities, including both planktonic and biofilm ways of life, are critically evaluated. The study of biofilms is considered particularly important as it plays a critical role in the processes and interactions occurring at the pipe wall and bulk water interface. The advantages, limitations and usefulness of methods that can be used to detect and assess microbial abundance, community composition and function are discussed in a DWDS context. This review will assist hydraulic engineers and microbial ecologists in choosing the most appropriate tools to assess drinking water microbiology and related aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analysis has been conducted of the path taken by research on migration and family in Mexico in the past six years (2007-2012), with the aim of highlighting emerging lines, analytical approaches, main concepts and methodological strategies. The results point to the opening up of new fields of reflection, such as the relationship between emotion, affect and migration, and the problems of migrant children, together with the continued existence of fairly consolidated areas. They also show a degree of mainstreaming of the gender approach and a significant yet uneven presence of transnationalism as the most important analytical framework in recent decades, as well as the predominance of qualitative methodological strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores perceptions of linguistic variation in English in Washington state (WA). Respondents marked on a map of WA the places where they believe people’s English sounds “different” and provided a label for that type of English. The analysis of the results used digital tools to create composite maps consisting of (1) respondents’ spatial perceptions of English in WA, (2) spatial perceptions of English in WA according to different demographic groups, and (3) affective values associated with regions identified by respondents. The results suggest that Washingtonians perceive that urban areas and eastern WA are places where English is different. The results also demonstrate that when respondents are surveyed about variation within their own state rather than variation across the country, local types of organizational categories, such as an urban/rural dichotomy or belief in a regional standard, can emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Whereas there is a wealth of contributions on the topic of continuous innovation (CI) in firms, there is still a clear need for works addressing how the existing knowledge on combining various types of innovation with operational excellence and strategic flexibility in a fruitful manner. Any attempt to generate actionable knowledge about CI that at the same time lives up to the traditional academic requirements of rigor and relevance poses significant challenges to researchers, calling for a more comprehensive and multi-faceted methodological approach, attending to multiple evaluation criteria and possible revisions of research roles and processes. This paper aims to recommend how to produce CI actionable knowledge and to take the first steps in progressing from this form of knowledge to a universal theory of CI. In doing so, the paper calls for a 'continuous innovation' in the way CI research is accomplished, and aims at proposing some key building blocks and evaluation criteria of a basic framework able to overcome the pre-paradigmatic stage in which CI research seems to be stuck. Moreover, it presents four papers from the International CINet Conference held in 2007 at Göteborg (SE) and one from the 2010 Zürich Conference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper looks at Rose Tremain's historical novel Music and Silence (1999) as illustration of an ingenious Postmodernist masterpiece relying on literary representations of music and musicians and aspiring to turn literature into music. On the one hand, our intention is to shed some light on the role and functions of music and musicians at the textual level, on the other hand, our analysis will focus on the multiple narrative voices used to change perspectives and to move backwards and forwards in time and space. The novelty of the approach and the intricate narrative structure have become incredibly appealing to a 21st century reader unawares of what to expect from a novel set in 1629 at the court of the Danish king Christian IV. The same as Jens Ingemann, the Music Master in the novel, Tremain creates a unique symphony out of different types of discourse and points of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on the Belfast dialect of English typically describes it as one that is characterized by a rise-plateau nuclear pattern in declaratives. Informal listening suggests, however, that a falling nuclear pattern is employed in several instances, and its use appears to be gender related, in that it is found more frequently in female speech. A production study is carried out to discover the frequency of production of falling nuclear patterns in male and female speakers, and a perception test on Belfast speakers provides evidence that the use of falling nuclear pattern creates impressions of expressivity, emotional engagement, enthusiasm, and commitment to establishing effective interaction with the participant in the speech event. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Parent Supervision Attributes Profile Questionnaire (PSAPQ), developed to measure aspects of caregiver supervision and protectiveness and previously applied within playgrounds and in the home, was modified for implementation in a beach setting. To assess the test-retest reliability of the PSAPQ beach modification (PSAPQ-BEACH), 20 caregivers completed the PSAPQ-BEACH twice, over a mean interval of 18 days (range 10-24). The test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the PSAPQ-BEACH scores were compared to those of the PSAPQ. All scores on the PSAPQ-BEACH were higher than the PSAPQ, providing evidence that the questionnaire remains reliable after its adaptation to beach settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last decades were marked by the large amount of transborder environmental problems and, consequently, the increase in the number of related international regimes. However, the creation of a regime per se does not guarantee that it be implemented nor that its objectives be fully attained, much less that the issue be solved. This fact has been stimulating an interesting debate: are international regimes really effective to deal with environmental issues? This article discusses the main methods of analyzing environmental regime effectiveness. For that purpose it presents general conceptual issues related to regime effectiveness, discusses the main questions and specific methodological needs in the specific case of international environmental policy, analyses its most important findings, and focuses on the factors that contribute to effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research compares students' and teachers' motivation after the application of an 18-session initiation to athletics that uses both a traditional and an alternative methodology. To achieve this, 3 primary school teachers and 32 fourth-grade students took part in 9 semi-structured group interviews. The main conclusion found after the texts were analysed by the Nudist Vivo software programme was that the "Ludic-tecnique" or playful approach is popular with children because of how much fun it is and how it affects their motivational perception of the task. Thus, this approach has been tested and the result is that it caused fewer cases of inappropriate behaviour. However, primary teachers do not perceive this proposal as useful for stimulating learning in any way and feel that a traditional approach and an ego-involving motivational climate is more recommendable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unexpected empirical findings lead Schwarz () to question current methodological approaches within psychology. He claims that distribution anomalies, which cannot be explained by independent variables, actually prove an error in classical test theory, which then leads him to criticize current scientific conventionalism. In this commentary, it is shown that the current university system not only uses, but often reproduces conventionalism. It is, of course, necessary to teach certain techniques and tools to future psychologists, but using these critically seem to be essential in preventing scientific approaches turn into ideologies that are or must not be questioned—even if this is sometimes less threatening to one’s identity as a scientist/psychologist. This is true for all sciences, but understanding the bio-psycho-social interdependencies of human nature (ambiguities), as Schwarz describes it, seems to be a particular challenge that is in many ways different from other disciplines. Instead of striving to be like them, it is suggested we establish an ambiguity-accepting and critical environment in psychology in which theories and approaches are not considered final but temporary to foster change and progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of biblical feminist interpretations and readings in the last two decades suggests that we may witness the emergence of an autonomous field of studies. In this essay I suggest that in order for such a field to emerge as an autonomous and thriving area of academic inquiry we must begin to think theoretically and critically about the work that has been done, the objectives of this work and the relationships between and among various approaches to the field. In this essay I call for a rigorous and critical biblical feminist epistemology that seeks to address on every turn the question of knowledge production as power; on the other hand I call for a radical democratization of the field and the questioning of any and all orthodoxies and hierarchies that may have already emerged in the field. The first "centripetal" approach insists on clarifying the foundations of the field, establishing genealogies of knowledge and an evolutionary trajectory, crediting and acknowledging theoretical points of origination. Respect for precedence and antecedence is required so as to avoid repetition, imitation and dilution. The second "centrifugal" approach emphasizes the need for interrogating, displacing and destabilizing foundational paradigms in Biblical Studies at large and for the continued questioning of stable identities of "women" as subjects and objects of inquiry. A vigorous field of Feminist Biblical Studies ought to deploy both approaches opening the way to both debate and contestation between various feminist approaches to the Bible on the one hand and to dialogue and alliance between methodologically, theoretically, politically and culturally different approaches on the other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, research on interferon (IFN)-induced depressive symptoms in antivirally treated patients suffering from chronic hepatitis C (CHC) has considerably intensified. Profound scientific knowledge of this complication is of great relevance with regard to adherence, compliance, and premature therapy discontinuation. Presently, there is considerable variability of both, the frequency and extent of IFN-induced depression reported in different cohorts of patients. The aim of the presented study was to systematically review recent literature of research within this field; and particularly (1) to identify to what extent methodological bias contributed to inconsistent results in different studies, (2) to critically appraise methods and results of studies published so far, and (3) to suggest directions for future work, especially with respect to alternative and improved methodological approaches. The results of this critical review suggest that the variability of findings seem to be largely due to different study populations, treatment regimens, methodological approaches, and sometimes arbitrary or at least poorly defined choice of screening instruments for depression, particularly criteria for clinically relevant depression (cut-off criteria). Study designs and methodological approaches to investigate IFN-alfa-induced depression in patients with CHC have been incoherent. Future research in this field needs agreement on the use of standardized assessment of IFN-induced depression in CHC. Furthermore, objective criteria and guidelines for the treatment of IFN-induced depression in these patients are needed in clinical practice. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars continue to respond to Willis's foundational work of the 1960s, and to each other, using a variety of classical and new methodologies to treat questions of unity, coherence, theme, and other aspects of the book of Micah. Sampling works that use literary criticism, text criticism, form criticism, historical criticism, tradition criticism, redaction criticism, rhetorical criticism, feminist and womanist approaches, canonical and intertextual approaches, and inter-disciplinary approaches, as well as innovative combinations of these (both multi-critical and multi-disciplinary), this article follows the progress of methodological trends in Micah scholarship from the I 980s to the present. These trends have generated new questions regarding ideological concepts such as justice; class differences and power; and the book's use in the church. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a consequence of lower standardised hospitalisation rates observed in a recent study on residents of the province of Chieti (Italy) in the period 2005-2014, with statistically significant excesses in risk vs Abruzzo region only for respiratory (7%) and urinary diseases (only women: 4%) out of 11 groups of pre-defined diagnoses, it was considered a priority to extend the study to the other provinces of Abruzzo. In the province of Teramo, standardised hospitalisation rates were significantly lower compared to the regional average, with the exception of congenital anomalies in men. Statistically significant excess in rates of 4%-12% for total tumours, diseases of the nervous system, and digestive system diseases, were instead observed for the provinces of Pescara and L'Aquila. Rates for respiratory and urinary diseases were higher in the province of Pescara, while rates for cardiovascular diseases were higher in the province of L'Aquila. In all the provinces rate ratios for haematological tumours were not significant. This analysis is preparatory for epidemiological studies on environmental and lifestyle-related risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an overview of the development of family violence as a field of study and a discussion of selected factors that can contribute to family and community violence among low-income fathers. Methodological approaches used to study family violence and the challenges encountered with consistency of findings across the various approaches are discussed. Substance abuse and poverty are briefly examined as factors that can contribute, in some instances, to family and community violence among low-income fathers. Recommendations to help reduce and ultimately prevent family and community violence among these fathers are offered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the problems of biodiversity. Biodiversity is not a special scientific discipline, and even less so a special field of knowledge, but only one of the major ecological properties of any living system, including any biocenosis, which should be pondered not by itself, independently of other properties of the community, but rather within the context of the scientific discipline called biocenology, also known as synecology, or community ecology.