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Abstract Many species use chemical messengers to communicate a remarkable range of information. Mice appear to make particular use of chemical messengers, including effects on estrous cycling and initiation, pregnancy, aggression, stress and of course attraction. Behavioral studies have helped identify several candidate messengers, or pheromones, that mediate attraction in mice. One question is whether attractive chemical messengers induced a physical vaginal secretory response. The preparation hypothesis posits that increased vaginal secretion would lubricate and protect the vagina in response to the prospect of imminent coitus, but this has been difficult to assess experimentally, particularly in mice. We developed a rapid, sensitive, minimally invasive method of quantifying vaginal moisture in mice and used this model to test vaginal secretory responses to male bedding. We report that female mice experience an increase in vaginal moisture after exposure to male, but not female, bedding. This response is induced by either physical or airborne exposure to male urine, to preputial gland extract, and to the preputial gland-derived pheromone alpha/beta farnesenes. This vaginal response is diurnally regulated, seen only during their active phase. The response is sensitive to the estrous phase, with a clear response during estrus but not during metestrus. We conclude that mice may serve as a model for aspects of vaginal function and that this assay will be readily applicable to other small animals. The identification of a pheromone-mediated vaginal secretory response offers a window into the regulation of the vaginal environment and the neurobiology of sexual responses in mice.

This article explores models of information use for activity, highlighting the role of information in typical activities. It proposes that altering activity is the primary mechanism through which information is used. Three types of models are presented as essential for researching these alterations: Models of information delivery: These models address questions about the message delivered, the information added to the state of a specific activity, and the nature of the information itself; Models of changes in activity: These models focus on understanding what changes occur as a result of information received, how these changes manifest, and the reasons behind them; Models of changed activity fulfillment: These models address questions about how changes in activity are realized and how the results of the altered activity align with evolving demands. Examples of such models are provided, including diagrammatic, algebraic, and measure-theoretic models. These models are expected to pave the way for future research, potentially leading to the development of a contemporary theory of information application for activity, with implications for various fields, including business informatics, applied informatics, cybernetics, and organizational theory.

Abstract Although DNA extraction is a crucial step before polymerase chain reaction (PCR), attempts to perform PCR without DNA isolation have been ongoing since the 1990s. While partial success has been achieved with direct conventional PCR, the DNA isolation step has remained indispensable for real-time PCR. Here, we developed a method that does not require complete DNA isolation by lysing EDTA-treated whole blood samples through the application of osmotic pressure and heat, followed by centrifugation to get a clear lysate. Blood samples were mixed with distilled water, incubated at 95 °C for 20 min before centrifugation at 14,000 rpm for 5 min. The resulting lysates were used as templates for real-time PCR. Real-time PCRs were performed under identical conditions with lysates and DNA samples using 9 different primer sets. Target genes were successfully amplified using 1:10 and 1:5 diluted blood lysates both at 60 °C and 61 °C. The PCR efficiency for ACTB and PIK3CA differed by 20% and 14%, respectively, between the DNA samples and blood lysates. We successfully amplified all selected genes using “GG-RT PCR”, greater temperature, greater speed method, without the need for additional enzymes or buffers. GG-RT PCR presents a cost effective option for applications such as SNP analysis and deletion detection if appropriate primer designs are made.

This study compares the neo-institutional studies published by researchers in North American institutions in leading management and organization journals based in North America with those published by researchers in European institutions in leading management and organization journals based in Europe. The comparison is based on methodological preferences employed in studies that reveal differences in researchers' approaches to organizational analysis in the two geographic regions and tendencies to reference prominent European thinkers, referred to as "European-ness." The findings confirm significant differences in methodological approaches and referencing of prominent thinkers in the neo-institutional studies conducted by academics in both geographic regions. The findings indicate that dominant research traditions in those geographies shape theories adopted in different geographies.

Abstract Background Systematic reviews (SRs) are time-consuming and labor-intensive to perform. With the growing number of scientific publications, the SR development process becomes even more laborious. This is problematic because timely SR evidence is essential for decision-making in evidence-based healthcare and policymaking. Numerous methods and tools that accelerate SR development have recently emerged. To date, no scoping review has been conducted to provide a comprehensive summary of methods and ready-to-use tools to improve efficiency in SR production. Objective To present an overview of primary studies that evaluated the use of ready-to-use applications of tools or review methods to improve efficiency in the review process. Methods We conducted a scoping review. An information specialist performed a systematic literature search in four databases, supplemented with citation-based and grey literature searching. We included studies reporting the performance of methods and ready-to-use tools for improving efficiency when producing or updating a SR in the health field. We performed dual, independent title and abstract screening, full-text selection, and data extraction. The results were analyzed descriptively and presented narratively. Results We included 103 studies: 51 studies reported on methods, 54 studies on tools, and 2 studies reported on both methods and tools to make SR production more efficient. A total of 72 studies evaluated the validity (n = 69) or usability (n = 3) of one method (n = 33) or tool (n = 39), and 31 studies performed comparative analyses of different methods (n = 15) or tools (n = 16). 20 studies conducted prospective evaluations in real-time workflows. Most studies evaluated methods or tools that aimed at screening titles and abstracts (n = 42) and literature searching (n = 24), while for other steps of the SR process, only a few studies were found. Regarding the outcomes included, most studies reported on validity outcomes (n = 84), while outcomes such as impact on results (n = 23), time-saving (n = 24), usability (n = 13), and cost-saving (n = 3) were less often evaluated. Conclusion For title and abstract screening and literature searching, various evaluated methods and tools are available that aim at improving the efficiency of SR production. However, only few studies have addressed the influence of these methods and tools in real-world workflows. Few studies exist that evaluate methods or tools supporting the remaining tasks. Additionally, while validity outcomes are frequently reported, there is a lack of evaluation regarding other outcomes.

急性缺血性卒中是全球成人残疾和死亡的主要原因之一。随着对急性缺血性卒中病理生理机制的深入理解和对诊疗方法的创新，近年来急性缺血性卒中诊疗技术取得显著进展。从多模态影像到生物标志物的应用，从静脉溶栓到机械取栓，从免疫调节到神经保护策略，从干细胞疗法到纳米医学，从最初的单纯药物治疗发展到药物结合机械取栓的综合性治疗，急性缺血性卒中诊治领域正朝着个体化、精准化、有效和全面管理的方向发展。应用多样化的先进诊疗技术和方法，有助于提高急性缺血性卒中的早期诊断水平和治疗效果，最终改善患者预后。 Abstract: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is one of the leading causes of disability and death among adults worldwide. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of AIS, driven by a deeper understanding of its pathophysiological mechanisms and innovations in therapeutic methods. These advancements range from multimodal imaging to the applications of biomarkers, from intravenous thrombolysis to mechanical thrombectomy, from immunomodulation to neuroprotective strategies, and from stem cell therapy to nanomedicine. The field has evolved from drug treatments alone to comprehensive therapeutic models that combine medication with mechanical thrombectomy. The management of AIS is increasingly moving towards individualized, precise, effective, and holistic approaches. Through applying diverse and advanced diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, the early diagnosis level and treatment efficacy of AIS can be enhanced, and ultimately the patients’ outcomes can be improved.

The study examined Undergraduates’ awareness of the use of technological tools for information collection and analysis. Specifically, the study is focused on: (i) examining how often final-year undergraduates have heard about the different methods used to collect information about a respondent or participants (ii) investigating how commonly final-year undergraduates believe technological tools are used to collect information (iii) examining how frequently final-year undergraduates have heard about technological tools used to analyze information collected. The sample of the study comprised 100 undergraduates selected using Krejcie and Morgan sample size determination table. The results revealed that the respondents are aware of the common methods (questionnaire, experiment, and interview) used to collect information, except for focused group discussion, which is occasionally used as a method to collect information. Also, it was revealed that the use of computer-assisted tools, social media, and audio-visual tools are common technological tools used to collect information, with low awareness of the use of Google Forms and email. The use of SPSS and Microsoft Excel for information analysis is common amongst undergraduates, which showed high awareness whereas, the use of ACTIVITY INSIGHT, STATA, and NVIVO is not frequent, which showed low awareness. Awareness and practical teachings be organized for undergraduates on the different methods as well as technological tools that can be to collect and analyze information respectively.

Abstract Background Occipital nerve blocks are essential in diagnosing and treating headache disorders such as migraine, cervicogenic headache, occipital neuralgia, and cluster headache. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential compression points of the greater occipital nerve (GON), third occipital nerve (TON), and lesser occipital nerve (LON) which are targeted to block in occipital nerve blocks and to develop a method to detect these points easily. Methods To identify potential compression points of the GON, TON, and LON, we dissected 43, 41, and 26 cadavers, respectively. A rigid, transparent tool divided into 1 × 1 cm sections was placed on the external occipital protuberance to measure the determined points. The cadaveric head was viewed from above, vertically, and the coordinates corresponding to each point were noted separately. Results Six, four, and one potential entrapment points were detected for the GON, TON, and LON, respectively. The distances of the point where the GON arose from the lower border of the obliquus capitis inferior muscle and the emerging point of the TON from the C2-C3 vertebrae to the posterior midline were statistically significant in terms of the sides (p = 0.040). Similarly, there was a statistical significance between genders for the distance of the point where the LON arose from the posterior edge of the sternocleidomastoid muscle to the posterior midline (p = 0.002). Conclusions We believe that with the method developed, the GON, TON, and LON compression points can be easily localized and blocked in diagnosing and treating patients experiencing headaches such as migraines, cervicogenic headaches, occipital neuralgia, and cluster headache.

Abstract Microplastics accumulate in the environment but methods to extract particles from sediment for quantification and identification often lack accuracy and reproducibility. Existing methods vary greatly and many do not achieve adequate microplastic separation. During method development for extraction procedures, spike-recovery experiments (positive controls) are essential to ensure accurate and reproducible results from each sample matrix. Furthermore, the large variability in grain size and organic matter can affect the extraction of microplastics from the matrix. Scientists have used density separation to separate microplastics from matrices for decades, but apparatuses are often made of plastic, need to be custom made, and require multiple sample transfers from one apparatus to another. This study presents an affordable, easily accessible, and simple to use Density Separation Device (DSD) to remove plastics from deep-sea sediments. Eight polymers were spiked into replicates of environmental sediment, including six fragments: high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), nylon (PA6), and crumb rubber (CR) and two fibers: cellulose acetate (CA) and polyester (PEST). Two size classes of polymers were used: 100 μm to 300 μm and > 300 μm. Using a sodium polytungstate solution at a density of 1.9 g/mL and reflectance FTIR microscopy for particle identification, mean recoveries of all fragments exceeded 78% (CR: 92.7% ± 30.8%, PP: 78.4% ± 34.0%, HDPE: 93.8% ± 13.5%, PS: 86.9% ± 25.7%, PA6: 98.4% ± 63.2%, PVC: 100.0% ± 12.4%). Fiber recovery was much lower (PEST: 28.1% ± 28.1% and CA: 25.9% ± 17.3%) because they aggregated, passed through sieves vertically, or were obscured under other particles. The fragment recovery success, accessibility (available online, all parts under $200) and ease of use of this DSD should facilitate widespread use, thus helping to standardize sample preparation methods for microplastic metrology.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine a current approach to en bloc para-aortic lymphadenectomy and to compare the results of this new approach performed by way of laparotomy and endoscopically. Methods: This study was conducted on 191 patients with endometrial cancer (EC) who had undergone para-aortic lymph node (PaLN) dissection with the current method (en. bloc paraaortic lymphadenectomy; protect inferior mesenteric artery and superior hypogastric plexus) between January 2015 and September 2019. A description of the paraaortic lymphadenectomy technique was made in this study. Harvested lymph node counts, operational information, pathological features, postoperative complications, recurrence were presented. Results: A total of 191 EC patients were analyzed in two separate groups with regard to surgical approach. Open and minimally invasive surgery was composed of 141 and 50 patients, respectively. There was no difference between the groups in respect of age, body mass index, menopausal status, anesthesia time, chylous ascites, the presence of recurrence. We found in open surgery group that pre-operative CA125 level, amount of intraoperative bleeding, erythrocyte suspension transfusion, number of PaLNs, metastatic PaLN counts, and early postoperative complications were significantly higher than the other group. Conclusion: The current method has some advantages such as protecting normal body structures, resulting in the same lymph node counts with published articles by other authors previously, and having lower recurrence rates. Two approaches of the current technique are feasible, easy to perform and effective.

Few studies have examined how to strengthen the muscles around the pelvis after trauma and none mention the trunk. This narrative review focuses on rehabilitation after pelvic trauma and discusses it from the perspective of muscle strengthening. The literature was searched to identify methods for strengthening muscles around the pelvis (i.e., the trunk to the lower extremities). We also examined the reference lists of the papers captured by our literature search to identify additional potentially relevant research. Our review proposes methods for strengthening each muscle around the pelvis. At present, it is not possible to establish a clear strengthening method for the diaphragm and pelvic floor muscles. We recommend exercise within the bodyweight range starting immediately after pelvic fracture surgery. Muscle strengthening exercises should be started after about 12 weeks when the sutured muscles have fused.

The problem at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 2 Langkat is that there are still many students who consider learning Arabic to be a boring and monotonous lesson, resulting in students lacking mastery of the material, especially in vocabulary mastery. Researchers try to solve this problem by using the Index Card Match learning model. This study aims to determine the application of Index Card Match learning in students' mastery of Arabic vocabulary. This study uses a descriptive qualitative approach, this study method includes classroom observation, documentation and interviews with teachers and students. The Index Card Match method in class XI MAN 2 Langkat allows students to play an active role in group learning by competing with each other in finding the right card pair. The results of the study show that the application of the Index Card Match method can have a positive impact on students' active learning of Arabic vocabulary and also increase from before. Students are more active in asking the teacher about their own ideas and other people's ideas and answering questions, more enthusiastic about paying attention to the teacher when explaining the lesson, listening to the description, enthusiastic and responsive in looking for pairs of question cards and answers.

The mechanism of criminal activity consists of various elements that require a thorough study in the process of understanding the event of a criminal offence, i.e. during the pre-trial investigation. It consists of a large number of elements that are determined by the type of criminal offence and the specifics of the criminal activity of a particular person or group of persons. An obligatory element that requires a thorough study during theoretical research and in the course of cognitive activity of an investigator, detective or coroner is the method of committing a criminal offence. The method is an independent and compulsory element of the forensic characterisation of any type of criminal offence, and the need to cognise it is due to the need to present the information model of the illegal activity (actions) of a raider or a group of raiders, on the basis of which other elements of certain forensic techniques will be built. Given that the method embodies the objective side of a criminal offence, the complexity of its establishment and proof in the cognitive activity of an investigator, detective, coroner, therefore, in the context of cognition of raiding, it is subject to a thorough study. Based on the textual analysis of criminal law provisions, generalisation of theoretical developments, statistical data and law enforcement practice, the article establishes that criminal offences related to raiding are numerous, and the methods of their commission are mostly two-component and include actions related to preparation and direct commission. The mandatory features of each of the criminal offences under study are: 1) the use of pseudo-legal mechanisms, which may include the use of forged documents, seals, stamps, conclusion of fictitious transactions, etc.; 2) the focus, which is not on the simple acquisition of objects or certain assets of a business entity, but on the rights to an enterprise, institution, organisation with its production facilities, etc. The peculiarities of preparation for a raider seizure, peculiarities of preventive activities of this type of illegal activity are determined, and the role of the Office for Combating Raiding in this area is defined. Prospects for further research within the framework of the studied issues are outlined.

Background. Development of a creative personality is considered among the priority tasks for the modern education system of the Russian Federation. The article presents a critique of the education system imposed on Russia, which can be represented in the image of “up the stairs leading down”. The author emphasizes the relevance of providing the rationale for the essential factors in the educational process in order to ensure the development of students' creative abilities, which should not be reduced only to the development of their intelligence. Objective. Identification and justification of the dominant factors in the educational process aimed at developing the students’ creative abilities. Study Participants. Children (from older preschoolers to school graduates), university students, and specialists of various occupations took part in the long-term research. The studies were carried out in Moscow and the Moscow region, as well as in other regions of the Russian Federation and abroad. Method. The author's method “Creative Field” was implemented in a number of relevant techniques taking into account the age characteristics of the subjects. The techniques are based on different materials, which made it possible to conduct cross-sectional experimental studies on a large sample of subjects of different ages and professions, as well as a number of longitudinal studies lasting from 10 to 54 years. Results. The analysis of experimental studies shows that creativity as the ability to develop activity on one’s own initiative is possible only if there is a unity of the level of intelligence development corresponding to the task and the dominance of cognitive motivation in the personality structure. The integration of these factors determines the mechanism of creativity. The author has substantiated the dominant factors of the educational process aimed at developing the students’ creative abilities. Conclusions. The development of intelligence increases the possibility of mastering complex activities, and the dominance of cognitive needs gives rise to the ability to be creative. The decisive role in the development of a student as a creative personality is the teacher’s position as of researcher and the value of knowledge.

The investigation into the foundations of social critique has increasingly gained importance in the tradition known as Critical Theory. In this context, I will analyze Lukács’ work, particularly History and Class Consciousness, to comprehend the foundation he provides for social critique, rooted in the adoption of Marxism as a method. I posit that the escalating disjunction between the critique of the object and the critique of theory is attributable to the deepening social fragmentation engendered by capitalist structures. This inherent characteristic underscores the imperative for a cohesive amalgamation of epistemic and socio-ontological critique. To elucidate Lukács’ model of critique, I will give particular attention to the chapter “What Is Orthodox Marxism?”. By doing this, I aim to elucidate Lukács’ assertion that the Marxist method facilitates a harmonious integration between the epistemic and socio-ontological dimensions of life, once it incorporates crucial categories such as historicity, totality, reciprocal action, and mediation. Furthermore, his method underscores the symbiotic relationship between some elements of the political economy and the German philosophical tradition, which shapes Lukács’ conceptualization of critique.

The article deals with translation strategies implemented in English-Ukrainian rendering of dualnumber quantifiers ‘both,’ ‘either,’ ‘neither’ that occur in modern fantasy fiction. The study aims to identify local and global translation strategies and methods of their adequate rendering at the post-translation stage of generalizing the translator’s experience. The research objectives are: 1) to compile a complete register of the lexemes under investigation based on J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” and its authorized Ukrainian translation produced by V. Morozov.; 2) to determine their semantic and functional characteristics and direct translation equivalents; 3) to identify their semantic roles and syntactic functions in the source text; 4) to specify the types of grammatical shifts and methods of their rendering into Ukrainian; 5) to identify and analyze the translation strategies applied by the translator to reach equivalence and adequacy of translation. The research material comprises 96 dual-number quantifiers used in the original text and their translations in the corresponding Ukrainian text fragments. In the course of the study, the following methods were employed: 1) entire sampling to compile a register of the lexemes and accomplish the source and target text levelling; 2) dictionary entries’ analysis to establish the lexical-semantic and functional properties of the quantifiers and their direct Ukrainian translation equivalents; 3) contextual analysis and immediate constituents’ analysis to identify their semantic roles and syntactic functions in the source text; 4) comparative-contrastive translation transformational analysis to specify the translation methods and types of grammatical shifts applied in their rendering; 5) to identify and analyze the translation strategies implemented by the translator; 6) quantity calculations to determine the frequencies of the analyzed phenomena. As a result, based on dictionary entries’ analysis, the main functional-semantic classes of the quantifiers have been found to be the determiner, pronoun, conjunction and pronominal adverb. By means of immediate constituents’ and contextual analysis, 17 pure and blended semantic roles of the lexemes’ referents in ‘state of affairs’ situations have been identified, the most frequent being the agent (36.4%), locative (14.6%) and experiencer (11.4%). By way of sentence parsing, 19 combinations of the semantic roles and syntactic functions have been established, the most frequent one being the agent subject (37.5%), the others showing frequencies around 10%. With the aid of translation transformational analysis, the most common methods of rendering the dual-number quantifiers into Ukrainian have been found to be omission (62.5%), equivalent (literal) translation (21.9%) and lexical substitution (15.6%). Correspondingly, the main translation strategies, including ST-oriented and TToriented ones, have been proved to be 1) communicative translation (68.8%) by omission with emphasis decrease, related and unrelated-word paraphrase, clause/sentence structure change and explicitness decrease, and by equivalent with emphasis change and clause/sentence structure change and/or addition; 2) literal translation (15.6%) including direct translation (4.2%) by pure equivalent and oblique translation (11.4%) by blended equivalent. i.e. with emphasis change and/or clause/sentence change; 3) semantic translation (15.6%) involving synonymy, emphasis change, phrase structure change, modulation, clause/ sentence structure change and explicitness decrease, 4) domestication (100%) incorporated in the above three strategies, all applied to ensure equivalence and adequacy of the translation.

The article deals with literary riddles and their role in the educational process. Currently, in the teaching methodology, the questions of working on a folk riddle are most fully developed, while the methodology of working on a literary riddle is studied only in separate works. Therefore, the main attention in our work is devoted to the study of literary riddles, their types and methods of correct solving. The use of various types of literary riddles in the educational process, along with folk riddles, allows to build a consistent system of working on riddles in elementary school. We have attempted to reproduce a generalized classification of Lezghin literary riddles, including a methodological aspect. The proposed classification, in combination with the thematic classification, expands the teacher's opportunities in preparing for work with the puzzle in lessons and extracurricular activities. It has been proven that the use of all types of riddles, especially riddles with comparison and metaphorical riddles, contributes to the development of imagery and metaphorical speech of younger schoolchildren, allows to consciously introduce literary examples, figurative expressions into children's speech, to inculcate the habit of using metaphors in speech. It is indicated that guessing riddles is an important stage in the development of a child.

ABSTRACT: Objective, robust, and repeatable assessments of fear responses of poultry can lead to improvements in research techniques, the validity of test results, and ultimately bird welfare. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of 2 different holding methods on broiler fear responses during the inversion test, a standardized method of assessing fear in poultry. On D15 and D34 mixed-sex broilers (N = 80) were inverted and held either by their shanks (N = 40) or feet (N = 40) at arm's length away from the experimenter for 30 s. The frequency of wing flapping, head movement, attempts to right, and vocalizations were observed from video recordings collected during the inversion test. Vocalizations at D15 and D34 were not different when comparing holding methods. Frequency of attempts to right and wing flapping at D15 were greater (P < 0.001) for birds held by their feet (0.90 and 16.6, respectively) than when they were held by their shanks (0.20 and 0.73, respectively). Similarly, on D34 wing flapping remained greater (P < 0.001) for birds held by their feet (23.8) compared to their shanks (8.1). Conversely, head movements were greater (P = 0.05) for birds held by their shanks (9.2) compared to their feet (6.3) on D15. Within both the shank and feet holding method, vocalizations at D15 were greater (30.7 and 35.6, respectively) compared to D34 (11.93 and 15.38, respectively) (P < 0.001). There was no holding method effect on head movements within each age. These results suggest that behaviors observed during the inversion test can be influenced by the inversion holding method and that handling should be standardized while conducting behavioral tests to assess fear in poultry.

Innovation, a growth catalyst, often lacks structure. Unlike science, innovation lacks a comparable, structured method. While tools, frameworks, and practices exist, none precisely mirror the scientific method. The article introduces the Progressia method, leveraging the Technical Readiness Level (TRL) ladder, initially developed by NASA, along with a Need/Market Assessment Ladder, forming an "innovation matrix." Tested in a plant-based protein project by Cereal Docks Group, the method aligns technology advancements with market needs, ensuring a smooth transition to industrialization and market readiness. Showcasing effectiveness in reducing uncertainty, the Progressia method propels successful technical innovation projects also in a corporate environment.

One of the most important functions of law is the resolution of disputes. However, legal means of dispute resolution, such as judicial settlement and arbitration, are often not chosen by the parties involved in international disputes. This can be explained by several reasons. In legal doctrine, it is a common view that parties avoid legal means due to the binding nature of the decisions rendered, yet this is far from the only reason why parties refuse these methods. In particular, one of the main reasons they avoid legal means is the uncertainty regarding whether the decision based on law will be equitable. There are many grounds for this, as legal norms contained in international legal documents, adopted several decades ago, may not correspond to modern realities. Therefore, the application of such norms can quite reasonably raise concerns among the parties about the potential for an inequitable decision based on them. In such cases, the method of ex aequo et bono may prove to be a practical tool for excluding the possibility of an inequitable decision based on legal norms. Contrary to popular misconception, the use of the ex aequo et bono method does not imply a complete rejection of legal norms. When applying this method, basic legal norms are often used to provide a legal foundation for decisions and to enhance their overall objectivity. However, in the application of the method ex aequo et bono, those legal norms that may lead to an inequitable decision are not applied. In this case, an equitable decision is often determined based on an analysis of the goals and principles of legal documents regulating the relevant issues, including an analysis of the document containing the legal norm whose application could have led to an inequitable decision. Thus, the ex aequo et bono method is a rather flexible peaceful means, combining valuable features of both equity and law. There is a deficit of information regarding the ex aequo et bono method in international legal documents. In particular, the lack of a clear definition, conditions, and rules for applying the ex aequo et bono method presents a significant obstacle to its extensive use in international practice. Therefore, appropriate lawmaking work should be undertaken in this area to fill legal gaps. The goal of the scientific article is to study the legal aspects of the ex aequo et bono method and identify the main problems negatively affecting the practice of its application. The results of the research showed the high practical value of the ex aequo et bono method in dispute resolution, especially in modern conditions when the use of flexible means is becoming increasingly relevant. The article aimed to condense, specify and expand legal knowledge about the ex aequo et bono method and may present significant scientific value for lawyers interested in judicial and arbitration practices; legal scholars; practicing judges and arbitrators; parties with unresolved disputes; as well as philosophers researching the relationship between equity and law.

The aim of this research is to explore the Islamic educational methods contained in Surah Hud, verses 61-68. Current phenomena indicate that there are still many errors in teaching methods, both within and outside of school environments. One notable issue is that teachers often hesitate to administer punishment to students due to concerns about being perceived as engaging in violence. Therefore, this study seeks to revisit appropriate educational methods based on the guidance of the Qur'an. This research is a qualitative library research using content analysis as the analysis method. Focus of this research is on Surah Hud, verses 61-68, which is analyzed based on the interpretations of Tafsir Al-Azhar by Buya Hamka, Tafsir An-Nur by Teungku Hasbi Ash-Shidiqi, and Tafsir Al-Misbah by Quraish Shihab. The findings reveal that there are five Islamic educational methods in Surah Hud, verses 61-68, namely: a) the lecture method, b) the question and answer method, c) the demonstration method, d) the assignment method, and e) the Targhib (reward) and Tarhib (punishment) method. These methods can serve as a model that can be applied in contemporary education. Their relevance remains strong today, although their application may require adjustments and modifications in line with modern developments.

Context: Observation is an increasingly popular method for care home research. However, there are challenges associated with the use of this method in this context. As researchers, what we bring, what we do, and what we leave behind when using this method can have a significant impact on the lives and work of people in care homes. Perspective: Drawing on the experiences of two research teams, we share real-world examples of the ethical, methodological, and practical concerns when using the non-participant observation method in a care home context. Four key areas for observational research in care homes are considered: privacy and confidentiality; managing consent; observation activities and the role and skills of the researcher; and sensitivity, reflexivity, and relational aspects of observational research. We offer examples from our work to guide researchers on: i) making a case for ethics; ii) the observational ‘gaze’ (or focus); iii) including people who lack capacity; iv) addressing concerns about care or practices; v) the role of the researcher; and vi) addressing observational sensitivities. Implications: This paper highlights the opportunities and challenges of the non-participant observation method for care home research. In particular, we highlight the unique contextual and ‘people’ factors for researchers to consider. Our paper addresses a significant gap in the existing literature. It will be of interest to researchers world-wide, generating discussions that will support the research community to undertake research that appropriately uses observational methods to address questions that matter for the sector and to generate high-quality evidence with the potential to benefit those living and working in care homes.

Abstract Background Abdominal perineal resection (APR) of rectal cancer, also known as Mile’s procedure, is a classic procedure for the treatment of rectal cancer. Through the improvement of surgical skills and neoadjuvant therapy, the sphincter-preserving rate in rectal cancer patients has improved, even in patients with ultralow rectal cancer who underwent APR in the past. However, APR cannot be completely replaced by low anterior resection (LAR) in reality. APR still has its indications, when the tumor affects the external sphincter, etc. Good perineal exposure in APR is difficult and can seriously affect surgical safety and the long-term prognosis. Methods We reviewed the records of 16 consecutive patients with rectal cancer who underwent APR at Anqing Municipal Hospital from January 2022 to April 2023, including 11 males and 5 females, with an average age of 64.8 ± 10.3 years. The perineal operation was completed with the Lone-Star® retractor-assisted (LSRA) exposure method. After incising the skin and subcutaneous tissue, a Lone-Star® retractor was placed, and the incision was retracted in surrounding directions with 8 small retractors, which facilitated the freeing of deep tissues. We dynamically adjusted the retractor according to the plane to fully expose the surgical field. Results All 16 patients underwent laparoscopic-assisted APR successfully. Thirteen procedures were performed independently by a single person, and the others were completed by two persons due to intraoperative arterial hemostasis. All specimens were free of perforation and had a negative circumferential resection margin (CRM). Postoperative complications occurred in 4 patients, including urinary retention in 1 patient, pulmonary infection in 1 patient, intestinal adhesion in 1 patient and peristomal dermatitis in 1 patient, and were graded as ClavienDindo grade 3 or lower and cured. No distant metastasis or local recurrence was found for any of the patients in the postoperative follow-up. Conclusions The application of the LSRA exposure method might be helpful for perineal exposure during APR for rectal cancer, which could improve intraoperative safety and surgical efficiency, achieve one-person operation, and increase the comfort of operators.

Abstract Multiomic droplet-based technologies allow different molecular modalities, such as chromatin accessibility and gene expression (scATAC-seq and scRNA-seq), to be probed in the same nucleus. We develop EmptyDropsMultiome, an approach that distinguishes true nuclei-containing droplets from background. Using simulations, we show that EmptyDropsMultiome has higher statistical power and accuracy than existing approaches, including CellRanger-arc and EmptyDrops. On real datasets, we observe that CellRanger-arc misses more than half of the nuclei identified by EmptyDropsMultiome and, moreover, is biased against certain cell types, some of which have a retrieval rate lower than 20%.

Nematodes play a vital ecological role in soil and marine ecosystems, but there is limited information about their dietary diversity and feeding habits. Due to methodological challenges, the available information is based on inference rather than confirmed observations. The lack of correct dietary requirements also hampers rearing experiments. To achieve insight into the prey of mononchid nematodes, this study employed high-throughput Illumina paired-end sequencing using universal eukaryotic species 18S primers on 10 pooled mononchid nematode species, namely Mylonchulus brachyuris, M. brevicaudatus, Mylonchulus sp., Clarkus parvus, Prionchulus sp. M. hawaiiensis, M. sigmaturellus, M. vulvapapillatus, Anatonchus sp. and Miconchus sp. The results indicate that mononchids are associated with a remarkable diversity of eukaryotes, including fungi, algae, and protists. While the metabarcoding approach, first introduced here for mononchids, proved to be a simple and rapid method, it has several limitations and crucial methodological challenges that should be addressed in future studies. Ultimately, such methods should be able to evaluate the dietary complexity of nematodes and provide a valuable avenue for unraveling the dietary requirements of previously unculturable nematodes. This can contribute to the methodology of understanding their feeding habits and contributions to ecosystem dynamics.

Abstract Background As co-design and community-based participatory research gain traction in health and disability, the challenges and benefits of collaboratively conducting research need to be considered. Current literature supports using co-design to improve service quality and create more satisfactory services. However, while the ‘why’ of using co-design is well understood, there is limited literature on ‘how’ to co-design. We aimed to describe the application of co-design from start to finish within a specific case study and to reflect on the challenges and benefits created by specific process design choices. Methods A telepractice re-design project has been a case study example of co-design. The co-design was co-facilitated by an embedded researcher and a peer researcher with lived experience of disability. Embedded in a Western Australian disability organisation, the co-design process included five workshops and a reflection session with a team of 10 lived experience and staff participants (referred to as co-designers) to produce a prototype telepractice model for testing. Results The findings are divided into two components. The first describes the process design choices made throughout the co-design implementation case study. This is followed by a reflection on the benefits and challenges resulting from specific process design choices. The reflective process describes the co-designers’ perspective and the researcher’s and organisational experiences. Reflections of the co-designers include balancing idealism and realism, the value of small groups, ensuring accessibility and choice, and learning new skills and gaining new insights. The organisational and research-focused reflections included challenges between time for building relationships and the schedules of academic and organisational decision-making, the messiness of co-design juxtaposed with the processes of ethics applications, and the need for inclusive dissemination of findings. Conclusions The authors advocate that co-design is a useful and outcome-generating methodology that proactively enables the inclusion of people with disability and service providers through community-based participatory research and action. Through our experiences, we recommend community-based participatory research, specifically co-design, to generate creative thinking and service design.

The article's subject is models and methods for ranking candidates for an IT project team with uncertainty regarding competencies and requirements. The aim is to improve the quality of the IT project team by creating and applying models and a method for formalizing the task of multi-criteria ranking of candidates for the team, taking into account the uncertainty of the initial information. Tasks: to analyze the relevance of the task of creating models and methods for ranking candidates for the IT project team under conditions of uncertainty; to develop a method for multi-criteria ranking of candidates for the IT project team in a fuzzy formulation; and to solve an example of the task of multi-criteria ranking of applicants for further formation of the IT project team. The methods used are the analytic hierarchy process, the line method, and the fuzzy arithmetic method. The following results have been obtained. A method of multi-criteria ranking of candidates for an IT project team has been developed, which differs from existing methods by using fuzzy numbers to set the preferences of candidates and assess the generalized competence of each candidate based on comparisons with the reference competence, which improves the ability to evaluate candidates. This method can be used in the first stage of creating an IT project team when candidates for the team are ranked. The task of selecting candidates for further formation of the IT project team has been solved. Conclusions. The scientific novelty of the method of multi-criteria ranking of candidates for the project team is that, unlike existing methods, it uses fuzzy ideas about the preferences of candidates when assessing the generalised competence of each candidate based on comparisons with the reference competence, which allows to improve the ability to evaluate candidates. This article considers an example of using the proposed method to solve the problem of selecting candidates to further solve the problem of forming an IT project team under fuzzy evaluation.

Abstract Background Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is the most promising candidate to become the first migraine biomarker. However, literature shows clashing results and suggests a methodological source for such discrepancies. We aimed to investigate some of these methodological factors to evaluate the actual role of CGRP as biomarker. Methods Previous to the experimental part, we performed a literature review of articles measuring CGRP in migraine patients. Using our 399 bio-bank sera samples, we performed a series of experiments to test the validity of different ELISA kits employed, time of sample processing, long-term storage, sampling in rest or after moderate exercise. Analysis of in-house data was performed to analyse average levels of the peptide and the effect of sex and age. Results Literature review shows the high variability in terms of study design, determination methods, results and conclusions obtained by studies including CGRP determinations in migraine patients. CGRP measurements depends on the method and specific kit employed, also on the isoform detected, showing completely different ranges of concentrations. Alpha-CGRP and beta-CGRP had median with IQR levels of 37.5 (28.2–54.4) and 4.6 (2.4–6.4)pg/mL, respectively. CGRP content is preserved in serum within the 24 first hours when samples are stored at 4°C after clotting and immediate centrifugation. Storages at -80°C of more than 6 months result in a decrease in CGRP levels. Moderate exercise prior to blood extraction does not modulate the concentration of the peptide. Age positively correlates with beta-CGRP content and men have higher alpha-CGRP levels than women. Conclusions We present valuable information for CGRP measurements in serum. ELISA kit suitability should be tested prior to the experiments. Alpha and beta-CGRP levels should be analysed separately as they can show different behaviours even within the same condition. Samples can be processed in a 24-h window if they have been kept in 4°C and should not be stored for more than 6 months at -80°C before assayed. Patients do not need to rest before the blood extraction unless they have performed a high-endurance exercise. For comparative studies, sex and age should be accounted for as these parameters can impact CGRP concentrations. Graphical Abstract

The analytic method of theological inquiry has been around (in name) long enough to be identified by certain literary patterns. One such pattern appears in the liberal use of the term “worry.” More than some trivial terminological tic, in this article, I argue that “worry” names a methodological problem, which, left unaccounted for, increases the risk that analytic theologians will, as Westerholm suggests, “[drift] further and further into constructed abstraction.”

Enterprises carry out financial and economic activities under constant changes, which directly or indirectly affect the content, volume and structure of information flows arising from identifying, measuring and formalising data related to economic operations and their results. The article aims to identify the elements of the preparation method of integrated reporting, the application of which by the accountant will help increase the degree of satisfaction of users' information needs. It was established that the preparation of integrated reporting includes three stages: determining users' information needs, obtaining relevant information for forming indicators, and directly filling out forms of integrated reporting. The first stage's goal is to establish the characteristics that should be concise, understandable for most users, and meaningful enough to make adequate management decisions on their basis. An essential aspect of the second stage is the determination of the sources of obtaining the necessary data with the identification of factors that contribute to reducing the cost of acquiring data, ensuring their relevance in terms of the time of receipt and intended purpose, as well as availability and a high level of trust. The preparation of integrated reports involves the selection of an acceptable conceptual basis that would consider the branch and territorial aspects of the functioning of business entities, their organisational and functional structure, policies and procedures for implementing individual financial and economic operations, and segments of activity. An accountant's application in practical activities of the approach to the preparation of integrated reporting disclosed in the article will allow the assessment of the expediency of obtaining individual data based on their importance for users, the ratio of benefits from receiving them, and related costs. Qualitatively prepared integrated reporting will give users confidence that formalised and properly systematised indicators characterise the enterprise's economic activity, taking into account the influence of quantitative, qualitative and cost factors.

Abstract Currently, the use of digital technology for the protection and research of cultural heritage has become a trend in this field. Rockeries in Chinese classical gardens have become an important cultural heritage type because of their unique shape, ingenious skills and rich connotations. Based on relevant historical information and 3D digital technology, this paper puts forward a multi-level quantitative analysis method on the scale, shape and quantity of rockeries in Chinese classical gardens, aiming at exploring the objective description and quantitative analysis path of rockeries at different levels. This method develops four levels: overall, regional, hierarchical, and individual and their corresponding quantitative contents, which in turn enable data extraction and analysis of the rockery through the different levels. The proposed method was applied to seven different Chinese classical garden rockeries, and taking Wanfang Anhe Rockery in the Old Summer Palace as an example for objective and comprehensive quantitative analysis and verification. The results show that this method is feasible and effective for quantitative analysis of the scale, shape and quantity of rockeries, which can help understand the basic background of stone rockeries and enhance a refined understanding of stone rockery construction, thereby providing data for preventive protection and informatization management of stone rockeries. The 3D rockery model database based on the overall, regional, hierarchical and individual quantitative analysis and numbering method brings a good application prospect for preventive protection and informatization management of the rockery.

The skills of reading and memorizing the Quran are skills that are commonly emphasized in Islamic Education institutions. The methods used also vary. One method that can be implemented is the Ummi method as has been implemented at SD 02 Pucung Lor. This study aims to describe and analyze the implementation of the Ummi method in the Tahfidzul Qur'an program at SD 02 Pucung Lor. This research is a qualitative research with the type of case study. The results showed that the implementation of the Ummi method in the Tahfidzul Qur'an program at SD 02 Pucung Lor was carried out by tahfidz teachers who already had the Ummi method teacher certification. Learning is carried out after teaching and learning activities are completed with different targets for each class. The learning process is carried out in a classical way (all students) and one-on-one (one by one facing the teacher) and combined with games and tones. This makes learning fun. The implication of the implementation of the Ummi method at SD 02 Pucung Lor is to maximize the results of the Quran tahfidzul program.

AbstractMarket women in rural communities need health information and due to their work and settlement, looking into health information disseminating methods are critical to understand how they can be effectively reached. Hence, this study investigated the health information needs and dissemination methods available to market women in rural communities. The study employed a qualitative research approach to investigate the phenomenon among market women within the Keta Municipality of Ghana. Three rural communities within the Keta municipality were employed for the study. The study employed the interpretivist research paradigm, semi-structured interview and focus group discussion for the collection of qualitative data from market women and public health professionals. The convenience sampling technique was used for the selection of market women and the purposive sampling for the selection of health professionals who participated in the study. The findings of the study revealed that the rural market women needed health information on personal hygiene, nutrition, rest and illness to take care of themselves. Particularly, the study established that the dissemination of health information to market women in their local dialect enabled the dissemination efforts to be effective. For implication, the study highlights the crucial need for targeted health information dissemination by stakeholders to help reach market women in rural communities and the need for further research to look into strengthening health dissemination efforts in other rural communities and also include women in other occupations such as farmers among others.

Abstract Mussels (Mytilus spp.) are abundant in the North Atlantic, sessile, and sensitive to environmental change, and suitable as sentinels of environment and climate change of costal ecosystems. We aimed to determine the baseline for the Northeast Atlantic (58–70°N) Mytilus species complex, and to show the present distribution to surveys conducted 60 years ago. Baseline was obtained by investigating a total of 509 stations in the intertidal zone, in four regions comprising the environmental gradient from head of fjord to coast, and distributed over the latitudinal gradient from 58 to 70°N. The baseline shows a range in continuous abundance of mussels from 12% to 36%, patchy abundance from 26% to 57% and no or very limited mussel abundance from 26% to 46% between the four regions. The presence of mussels in the southeast and west region was visualized to previous surveys conducted 60 years ago. The data points to similar past and present presence of mussels in both regions, yet past major mussel fields in the inner section of region southeast was not detected in this study. The baseline of Mytilus spp. in the Northeast Atlantic (58–70°N) is now available for future reference. The baseline, plotted to surveys conducted 60 years ago, points to awareness of the population situated in the southeast section of the investigated region. Continued monitoring and modeling are needed to clarify drivers of temporal and spatial variation in the mussel populations along the Northeastern Atlantic coast.

This work is part of the extensive series of semiotic studies that, from the late 1980s to the present, have dialogued with the most diverse areas of marketing, up to the most recent digital marketing. It proposes a path that is not only concerned with academic research, whether theoretical or applied, but also takes a professionalizing perspective, according to which various concepts from generative and interpretive semiotics, enunciation theory, compositional semantics, up to visual semiotics, can be functional in designing digital marketing campaigns.

Historiography regularly encounters a crisis. This is mainly due to methodological reasons. History is not a representation of the past based on some archival materials because, firstly, the past is not available, secondly, the past, and therefore the present and the future, cannot be thought anew, and the historical research will not find new facts. New methods are needed to rethink the idea of the past. Recently, indicators of the development of science are in academic journals. Therefore, their analysis will allow through comparison to highlight the lacks of the historiography’s current state and identify the perspectives of their correction.

It is determined that one of the priorities in any national economy is the problem of forecasting and assessing the level of transparency of development, quality and reliability of functioning of industrial enterprises, their technological and economic subsystems. This has a direct impact on the level of investment, the nature of financing, the distribution of costs for the production of finished products with the achievement of a given quality and reliability, as well as on the financial condition and image. In addition, it has a direct proportional effect on the well-being of society and the quality of life of the population. On the other hand, investing in the real sector of the economy requires banks and other investors not only to optimize investment programs, but also to take into account the specifics of financial, production, economic and socioeconomic activities of industrial enterprises as market participants, and, accordingly, application of models that appropriately link investments with sales policies, production, management, staff, location of production facilities, taxation, etc. It is concluded that the positive level of management of transparency of development of industrial enterprises in the context of convergence of investment processes is inseparable from the processes of planning, regulation, control and forecasting of production and technological processes, as well as the allocation of resources in the process of performing certain complex tasks. Determining the optimal options for current and future development is often associated with solving large-dimensional optimization problems with a large number of different conditions and constraints (for example, requirements for the completeness of variables combined with requirements for the absence of time losses), which, due to their extreme nature, complicate the solution of such problems. Effective methods for optimizing multi-purpose investment decisions in managing the transparency of the development of industrial enterprises in the context of convergence of investment processes include methods for analyzing the usefulness of goals, criteria and alternatives, including those with several vectors; methods of hierarchy of goals, taking into account a number of advantages; information about the chosen strategy, alternatives, their parameterization, stochasticity, substitution ratios, and other characteristics. All these factors can be taken into account for the classification of models of multi-purpose and program-target solutions and the use of the most effective of them when choosing the optimal investment solution in managing the transparency of the development of industrial enterprises in the context of convergence of investment processes.

The article is dedicated to the research approach of аcademician S. S. Averintsev, which is widely discussed in modern humanitarian science. Averintsev’s “method” is one of the problems in modern theory and history of culture. In this article it is considered basing on the principles of his approach outlined by famous modern scientists. Averintsev’s “method” is one of the problems in modern theory and history of culture. In this article it is considered basing on the principles of Averintsev’s approach outlined by famous modern scientists. The purpose of the article is to consider a symbol, the central concept of Averintsev, the interpretation of which, according to the scientist, is the main aim of a humanitarian researcher. The research methods used in the article are: comparative — so that to identify the peculiarities of understanding the symbol relative to other concepts (for example, Paul Tillich); contextual — to define disciplinary boundaries (or their absence) of the concept symbol; theological — to identify the doctrinal foundations of Averintsev’s definitions; structural-practical — to show the effectiveness of Averintsev’s approach and the correspondence of the methodological vector given by him to the specific study of one of the basic symbols of Russian spiritual culture — Sophia the Wisdom. The concept of a symbol in Averintsev’s representations turns out to be not just a universal unit of aesthetics, but also a method of Christian thinking that expresses its dogmatic basis. The essence of the phenomenon of the “symbol” turns out to be the “conjugation” of the material and the otherworldly in the image of God’s descent into the world, that is, it corresponds to the Chalcedonian dogma. The composition and structure of the symbol, thus, sets a methodological and ethical norm for the humanitarian, philologist, culturologist, philosopher or theologian. As an illustration, the article provides an analysis of the article by S. S. Averintsev “To clarify the meaning of the inscription over the konha of the central apse of Sofia of Kyiv”, which shows the relevance and fruitfulness of Averintsev’s symbolology.

Abstract Background Simulation is a technique used to create an experience without going through the real event. Competency-based medical education focuses on outcomes and ensures professionals have the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The purpose of this study was to develop a set of competencies for the instructors providing basic and advanced levels of simulation-based training in healthcare. Methods We conducted a qualitative study in three steps, with each next step building on and influenced by the previous one. First, we conducted a literature review, then a consensus development panel, and finally a three-step Delphi process. The participants were experts in the fields of healthcare, education, and simulations. Results The six main competencies identified for the instructor providing simulation-based training at the basic level in healthcare include knowledge of simulation training, education/training development, education/training performance, human factors, ethics in simulation, and assessment. An instructor providing simulation-based training at an advanced level in healthcare should also possess the following five competencies: policies and procedures, organisation and coordination, research, quality improvement, and crisis management. Conclusion The identified competencies can serve as a valuable resource for simulation educators and organisations involved in simulation education, to plan curriculum and implement a continuous train-the-trainers programme.

Relevance. Prosthetics of the lower limb after amputation restores the patient's ability to move and self-care. Preparation and prosthetics in the early stages after amputation, in the absence of contraindications, improves the physical, psycho-emotional state of patients, reduces the risk of complications due to forced exercise and exacerbation of concomitant somatic pathology, as well as increases exercise tolerance, restores mobility, functioning after amputation.The aim of the work is to improve the quality of life of patients with mobility disabilities.Materials and methods. The information base of the study was the normative legal acts of the Russian Federation, standards, clinical recommendations defining the existing system of providing rehabilitation services for prosthetics of the lower limb.Conclusion. Unsatisfactory prosthetics of the limb after amputation negatively affects the quality of life of the patient. For this reason, the assessment of the rehabilitation service of prosthetics of the lower limb, including using the tools of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, is both relevant and necessary.

Fire, as a process of uncontrolled burning and very often as a process with tragic epilogue in the sense of human lives and material properties demands very detail and serious approach. One of the most important tasks in the fire controlling and fire elimination is a prevention. There are different ways of prevention related to fire. One of them is an evaluation and calculation of a fire risk. In many countries, related to their rules, regulations and laws, the calculation of fire risk, for some types of objects, presents the law obligation. Related to accessible information, the first fire risk procedures dated from sixties from the last century. Today, there are more methods for calculation of fire risk, with their advantages and disadvantages. This paper was written to present the importance and meaning of fire risk evaluation and calculation and to present the example of fire risk calculation with Euroalarm method.

Данное исследование посвящено анализу педагогического термина и феномена «методическое кредо». Выявлены существующие виды кредо по отношению к деятельности учителя. Сгруппированы синонимы к терминам «метод» и «кредо», «педагогическое кредо» и «методическое кредо». Названы слова, наиболее близкие по значению к словосочетанию «методическое кредо». Представлены авторские предположения относительно причин вероятного роста интереса к методическому кредо в современной отечественной педагогической науке.

The most advanced form of public relations is represented by scientifically guided processes of solving organizational problems and change processes. This paper discusses some of the methods used to gather quantitative and qualitative information to define the problematic situation as accurately as possible. The primary purpose of research in public relations, like other business functions, is to reduce uncertainty in decision-making. This paper first examines the place of research in various models of public relations. It then explains the first phase in the PR management process-situation analysis-where research activities are particularly emphasized. The second part of the paper focuses on methods, both formal and informal, commonly used in PR practice.

Phosphate is a nontoxic element but a limiting element for productivity. Several methods have been established to analyze the phosphate concentration in water. This study aims to analyze phosphate concentration in water using the voltammetry method using cyclic voltammetry. Cyclic voltammetry is an electroanalytical method that measures the current outcome of oxidation-reduction reactions in response to the potential. The current outcome is directly proportional to the phosphate concentration in the solution. The calibration curve was formed from the KH2PO4 standard solution using concentrations of 0.1 mg/L, 0.2 mg/L, 0.4 mg/L, 0.8 mg/L, and 1.6 mg/L. The voltammogram showed that the analyte does not have an anode peak current (Ipa), which means that the analyte solution did not have an oxidation reaction, so the cathode peak current (Ipc) value was used. Based on the calibration curve, the linear regression graph with a straight-line equation is y = -0,00000645632x - 0,000208737 with R2 of 0,99737. Meanwhile, this cyclic voltammetry method was validated by calculating the LOD and LOQ values; the results are 0.1034 mg/L and 0.3134 mg/L, respectively. Hence, based on the analysis of phosphate concentration in water samples, this method works satisfactorily and is suitable for routine analysis because of its advantages.

This research aims to improve the quality of children's memorization in acquiring Arabic vocabulary using singing techniques. Basically, in all circles, children are happy and interested when invited to listen to and sing songs. They will find it easier when they are invited to memorize and understand the Arabic vocabulary contained in the songs they sing. Therefore, in general music is an important and influential thing in the teaching and learning process for students. The results show that early age students enjoy learning Arabic with singing techniques. Because this really helps students remember the vocabulary taught by the teacher. So, it can be concluded that singing techniques can improve students' mastery of Arabic vocabulary from an early age, especially Madrasah Ibtida’iyah students.

The lack of mastery in students' vocabulary greatly influences the objectives of learning Arabic, as students lack interest in following Arabic lessons, which are considered boring. This study aims to determine the Arabic vocabulary mastery of fifth grade students at the elementary school (SD) using the total physical response (TPR) method. The type of research used is quantitative research with an experimental research process. Data collection techniques used in the form of observation, interviews, and tests The data obtained showed that this study used normality test techniques, hypothesis testing, and one-sample t tests on Arabic vocabulary mastery. The sample in this study was 23 students in class V, using the pretest and posttest. The results of this study showed significant results: mastery of Arabic vocabulary before treatment was carried out using the total physical response (TPR) method obtained an average value of 69.35 with a standard deviation of 9.208. While the students' mastery of Arabic vocabulary improved after the total physical response (TPR) method was applied, the average value was 80.87, with a standard deviation of 10.407. There was an increase in Arabic vocabulary mastery after the total physical response (TPR) method was applied. So it can be concluded that the Total Physical Response (TPR) method is influential and suitable for increasing fifth grade students' mastery of Arabic vocabulary. Abstrak Faktor kurangnya penguasaan kosakata Arab siswa adalah kurangnya minat siswa dalam mengikuti pelajaran bahasa Arab yang dianggap membosankan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui penguasaan kosakata bahasa Arab siswa kelas V Sekolah Dasar dengan menggunakan metode Total Physical Response (TPR). Penelitian ini adalah penelitian kuantitatif dengan metode eksperimen. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan berupa tes, observasi, dan wawancara. Data kuantitatif penelitian diperoleh berdasarkan pretest dan posttest yang diuji normalitas, uji hipotesis dan uji one-sample t test terhadap penguasaan kosakata bahasa Arab. Sampel penelitian adalah siswa kelas V berjumlah 23 siswa. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa penguasaan kosakata bahasa Arab sebelum dilakukan treatment menggunakan metode TPR diperoleh nilai rata-rata sebesar 69.35, dengan standar deviasi sebesar 9.208. Kemudian setelah diterapkan metode TPR nilai rata-rata siswa menjadi 80.87, dengan standar deviasi sebesar 10.407. Berdasarkan hasil tersebut terdapat peningkatan penguasaan kosakata bahasa Arab setelah diterapkanya metode TPR. Sehingga dapat disimpulkan bahwa metode TPR berpengaruh dan cocok digunakan untuk meningkatkan penguasaan kosakata bahasa Arab siswa SD.

Tefsirin yöntemine ilişkin önemli detayları tefsir mukaddimelerinde bulmak mümkündür. Bu da tefsir mukaddimelerinin incelenmesini ve derinlikli ele alınmasını önemli kılmaktadır. Bu sebeple de tefsir mukaddimelerinden yararlanmak, tefsir usulü meselelerinin daha iyi anlaşılmasına katkı sağlamaktadır. İbn Cüzey’in tefsir mukaddimesi de bu açıdan zengin bir içeriğe sahiptir. Bu çalışma, İbn Cüzey’in tefsir mukaddimesinde ele aldığı önemli meselelerden olan tefsirin mahiyeti, ilişkili olduğu ilimler ve tefsir ihtilafları meselelerine ışık tutmaktadır. Zira bu meseleler, onun tefsir anlayışını yansıtan önemli konular arasında yer almaktadır. Ayrıca o, bu konuları doğrudan tefsir usulüyle irtibatlandırmaktadır. Bu açıdan bakıldığında onun bu meselelere yaklaşımının ortaya çıkarılması, zikredilen meselelerin tefsir usulü açısından öneminin anlaşılmasına katkı sağlamasının yanı sıra, onun mukaddimesinde ele aldığı bu meseleleri pratik anlamda tefsirine ne denli yansıtabildiği konusuna da açıklık getirmektedir. Bu bağlamda İbn Cüzey’in tefsir mukaddimesinde irdelediği mezkûr konulara dair tespit ve iddialarını, tefsirine ne denli yansıtabildiğinin ortaya çıkarılması için tümevarım yöntemine başvurulmuştur. Tespit edildiği kadarıyla İbn Cüzey’in mukaddimesinde tefsirin mahiyetine ilişkin ortaya koyduğu mefhumun, onun tefsirinde pratik karşılığı mevcuttur. Bunun yanı sıra tefsirin ilişkili olduğunu belirttiği fıkıh usulü ve hadis gibi ilimleri amelî anlamda tefsirine yansıtırken; tasavvuf gibi ilimlerin ise tefsirle nasıl ve ne şekilde ilişkili olduğuna dair tefsirinde ortaya koymadığı görülmüştür. Ayrıca tefsir ihtilaflarının sebepleri ve çözüm yollarıyla ilgili ortaya koymuş olduğu yönteme tefsirinde ağırlıklı olarak bağlı kaldığı tespit edilen noktalar arasındadır.

The way management accounting is organized is at the discretion of each economic entity, depending on the specifics of the activity and its own needs. This study deals with the development stages of the order costing method, which is influenced by the peculiarities of the organization and production technology, as well as the complexity of the manufactured products. From a theoretical and applied point of view, the methodological steps taken in management accounting and the calculation of the costs of the products obtained by an economic entity specialized in the production of specific equipment for the sorting and recycling of household waste are addressed. The traditional costing method fails to reflect the realities of the manufacturing process and ignores external factors, which inhibits the orientation of the economic entity towards changing the market, processes, and technologies, on the way to improve the response to customer needs, so new possibilities are constantly sought maintaining and increasing the company’s competitiveness on the domestic and foreign markets. The authors of this study present how the order method can contribute to improving the performance of a company in the field. The article ends with the authors’ conclusions regarding the application of the method on order costing in this company.

Kıraat ilminin konusu, Kur’an kelimelerinin telaffuzundaki farklılıklarla hazf, isbat, fasl, vasl, idgâm, işmâm ve imâle gibi eda keyfiyetlerini ihtiva eden Kur’an lafızlarıdır. Kıraat ilminin amacı ise, sahih ile şâz kıraati birbirinden ayırmak, Kur’an kelimelerinin eda keyfiyetini ve bu kelimelerdeki okuyuş farklılıklarını nakledenlere isnat etmek suretiyle orijinalliği muhafaza ederek sonraki nesillere intikalini sağlamaktır. Bin dört yüz yıl öncesinden günümüze kadar her asırda kıraat ilmi ile iştigal eden âlimler vesilesiyle Kur’an kelimeleri hiçbir değişikliğe uğramadan günümüze intikal etmiştir. Gerek ülkemizde gerekse İslâm coğrafyasında kıraat ilmi eğitim ve öğretiminde çeşitli yöntemler uygulanmaktadır. Bunlardan biri de on kıraat imamı ve râvilerinin ihtilaflarını içeren ve “aşru’s-suğra” olarak ifade edilen yöntemdir. Aşere olarak da ifade edilen bu eğitim yönteminin -Mısır tariki üzere- kâideleri, tanıtılan eserin ana konusunu oluşturmaktadır.