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Abstract\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONPurpose:Unaided (e.g., speech and gestures) and aided (e.g., symbol corpuses) communication modes facilitate older adults’ expression and comprehension. Adults aged 65 years and above constituted 18.27% of Taiwan’s total population in 2023; hence, prioritizing high-quality healthcare for older adults becomes critical. Commercial symbol corpuses, such as Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) and Voice Symbols (VS), play a vital role in aiding older adults with expression and comprehension in Taiwan. Previous studies on iconicity and preference of symbol corpuses have primarily been conducted in Western and South Asian cultural communities. However, these findings may not apply to all Asian communities. Hence, studies investigating these aspects in specific communities are needed. Through quantitative nonexperimental observations, we explored the iconicity of and preference for PCS and VS among 30 healthy older adults in Taiwan.Materials and Methods:A total of 12 practice words and test words each, familiar to the participants and socially and culturally validated, were selected for the developed VS–PCS iconicity and preference measurement. Verbal choices were made to select one line drawing in both measurements.Results & Conclusions:The findings revealed that VS is significantly more transparent and preferred than PCS. Accounting for the iconicity of and preferences for symbol corpuses is pivotal for symbol selection.Awareness about the learnability of the symbol corpuses being influenced by iconicity and preference, in addition to considering the needs and capabilities of older adults, within Taiwanese cultural communities is raised.Perceptions of iconicity cannot be generalized from one cultural community to another community, but transparency in symbol corpuses leads to higher preferences in similar cultural communities.Healthy older adults in Taiwan believed VS is more transparent and preferred.Awareness about the learnability of the symbol corpuses being influenced by iconicity and preference, in addition to considering the needs and capabilities of older adults, within Taiwanese cultural communities is raised.Perceptions of iconicity cannot be generalized from one cultural community to another community, but transparency in symbol corpuses leads to higher preferences in similar cultural communities.Healthy older adults in Taiwan believed VS is more transparent and preferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early days of the COVID‐19 pandemic, people in England stepped outside their doors once a week to clap the National Health Service. What does this have to do with nationalism? On the face of it, nothing much: clapping exercised local, and not, national solidarities. I will show, however, that local solidarities performed in clapping rituals led to the regeneration of national imaginaries via the symbols on display and the national institutions through which pandemic experiences were channelled. My argument has three parts. First, I show that helping practices during the pandemic shaped local solidarities that found collective expression through clapping. Second, I explain how the local experiences of clapping merged with national imaginaries when performed on a national canvas with symbols that marked an imagined community of national clappers. Third, I argue that clapping was subsumed into a nascent national imaginary via nationally scoped institutions that were exercised to fight the pandemic. Whilst the local has long been appreciated as a site and source for nationalism, I have added how non‐national local practices can also be constitutive of nationalism. A global pandemic led to national imaginaries via the local solidarities that were formed by clapping for carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The result of the 1922 referendum saw the white settlers in Southern Rhodesia vote for ‘responsible government’ rather than become the fifth province of the Union of South Africa. Prior to the granting of responsible government in September 1923, the territory had been governed by the British South Africa Company. It was the company’s arms and flag which were first used in the territory. These remained true to the prescripts of the company’s charter by reflecting its British origins and character. This nascent settler identity would evolve and consolidate around an essentially British character which highlighted allegiance to the Crown. This article shows how these, and the set of national symbols subsequently adopted by the colony, were a visible manifestation of the settlers’ ‘exceptional attachment’ to Britain and a reflection of their identity as being primarily British rather than Rhodesian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alex Garland's 2024 film Civil War exemplifies how film can be considered a modern mythology, using a war movie to tell the story of the hero's journey with a mother archetype as the hero. Through an audience's shared morals and values, an impartial point-of-view, symbolism, the Jungian mother archetype, transformational imagery, ethical dilemmas and collective fears, the film functions in the way mythology does while leaving viewers questions for their own lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this essay the author describes some of the transformations that occur as one moves from preverbal functioning to verbally symbolic language. In preverbal experience, there is a direct connection between the sign and what is signified. An infant or child signifies displeasure by throwing his food or other objects to the floor. Much of the emotional tie between mother and infant and patient and analyst is communicated in this way. When a transformation occurs from preverbal to verbally symbolic language, as occurs in early development and as one interprets a dream, meaning is not merely translated, meaning is created. On acquiring verbally symbolic language, a "space" mediated by an interpreting subject opens between the symbol (for instance, the word guilt) and the symbolized (the experience of guilt) and a new subjectivity is created. On entry into verbally symbolic language, one becomes able to experience oneself in a qualitatively different way; one becomes both subject and object, I and me; one becomes able to experience a far broader range of feelings and types of thinking. Helen Keller's account of her experience of acquiring verbally symbolic language is drawn upon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methodism came to Zimbabwe in 1891. The church expanded through Eurocentric theology taught to the locals. As the mission continued to grow the indigenes became part of the Methodist ethos and theology through the contextualisation of the gospel, the localisation of worship, and the indigenisation of leadership, however, the church did not have a visible identity. When the church finally designed its logo in 1987, there was no deliberate effort to explain the meaning and significance of the insignia to its congregants. Coupled with this lack of knowledge, the logo later became the church's trademark through kitchen utensils with the logo, clothing material, designed in different fashions of women, men, and youth regalia, billboards, and branding of different items and properties. This paper aimed to contribute to Methodist theology and scholarship by providing literature that explains the meaning and significance of the Methodist logo which is represented by a circle, the map of Zimbabwe, the cross, a scallop shell, and a dove. The paper started by presenting the methodology used to gather data. This was followed by a historical development of the logo. The paper also analysed the significance of the logo as a fundraising tool, a form of identity and a quasi-uniform in the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe. In this paper, we argued that the Methodist logo represents the indelible theological insignia that directs its congregants to a deep theology of a church located within the global Wesleyan Methodist and in particular the "connexionality" of Zimbabwe. The paper concluded by forwarding that, logo(s) remain central to the identity of any organisation and members of each organisation need to have an appreciation of their identity and the meaning of their emblems if the organisation has to be theologically impactful to its congregants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the intersection of folklore and literature, specifically examining how a methodology developed for interpreting wondertales can be applied to a complex literary corpus, such as Marcel Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time). The discussion proposes a case study for the use of allomotifs, or interchangeable motifs, to understand symbolic patterns in Proust's literary work. The paper lays bare a widespread metaphorical field in wondertales, then follows its complications in the Proustian corpus. It suggests that Proust's œuvre, much like folklore, operates within a symbolic universe where binary oppositions, such as good and evil or male and female, are fluid and dynamic. The discussion shows that Proust's literary imagination aligns surprisingly well with the workings of folklore. This hybrid space of the imagination challenges conventional distinctions between folklore and literature, and brings to mind Lévi-Strauss' erstwhile ruminations on the pensée sauvage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Within the framework of the presented research, the question of the manipulative potential of mass culture as a tool of political influence is raised. The methodology of the work is built based on a combination of elements of comparative, structural and descriptive analysis. The author concludes that popular culture products, even if their creators have purely commercial motives, play the role of a tool for promoting meanings and values and, due to this, are a resource for regulating the behavior and perception of the target audience. The latter turns mass culture into a product of the functioning of the orientational level of the political system. The potential of works of popular culture to develop the effect of emotional contagion contributes to the fact that the impact of broadcast content becomes as wide as possible. The high degree of dependence of the content of cultural narratives on the context and the possibility of free commentary contributes to an increase in the options for their interpretation. The result is the loss by authors and customers of works of full control over the dissemination of transmitted meanings and their interpretation.

National flags embody their nations' core values and beliefs but they may be perceived differently in today's increasingly polarized societies. We conducted two studies (N = 768) in the United States to examine partisan differences between Democrats and Republicans, and a third study in the United Kingdom (N = 509) between supporters of the Labour and Conservative parties. Across all three studies, we consistently found that Democrat and Labour participants (compared to their Republican and Conservative counterparts) associated their respective national flags with less positive and more negative affect and concepts. Studies 2 and 3 further showed that these partisan divides were driven by how much people associated their national flags with their political outgroup. For Democrats and Labour participants, associating their national flags with their political outgroup predicted less positive and more negative affect, but associating the flags with their political ingroup predicted more positive and less negative affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, I study Guy Debord's critical discourse, particularly his landmark essay The Society of the Spectacle. He underlines here the symbolic desert produced by modern societies. I stress the uniqueness of his perspective, to the extent that such desert stems from a situation of overabundance and excess, and not from a specific void or absence. This desert constitutes a space saturated with images and signs: it asserts the rule of the superfluous and the inconsequential. Moreover, this discourse was rooted in the Glorious Thirties, which were characterized by a strong economic growth. It must therefore be placed within a historical and social context that is quite different from twenty first Century French society. Contemporary France is marred by contrast by unemployment and precariousness as well as by huge socio-economic inequalities. The endless production of media images contradicts therefore the deep shortcomings of social reality. Finally, the concept of the Spectacle, for Debord, did not include yet the overwhelming power of new technologies. These technologies have greatly expanded the influence of images within the social and cultural sphere by making them instantaneous and readily available. The same process has also increased significantly the potential alienation and isolation of man. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Military service members (SMs) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI or concussion) frequently report cognitive and behavioral difficulties. Currently, military clinical guidelines recommend clinician-run, manualized cognitive rehabilitation (CR) to treat these symptoms; however, it is unclear whether this approach adequately addresses the unique needs of warfighters. Computerized cognitive training (CCT) programs represent an innovative, promising approach to treating cognitive difficulties; however, whether these programs can effectively remediate cognitive impairment in individuals with mTBI remains unclear. Materials and Methods A total of 65 SMs with a history of at least 1 diagnosed mTBI were recruited from a military hospital. Participants received 1 of 2 interventions: Clinician-run, manualized CR (Study of Cognitive Rehabilitation Effectiveness [SCORE]; n  = 37), consisting of 60 total intervention hours over 6 weeks, or CCT (n  = 28), in which participants trained with either a commercial CCT (n  = 14) or noncommercial CCT (n  = 14), for a total of 12 hours over 4 weeks. Participants were assessed pre- and postintervention, using a combination of self-report and objective outcome measures: Key Behaviors Change Inventory (KBCI), a self-report measure of functional difficulties; Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), an objective cognitive assessment that measures both information processing speed and sustained and divided attention; and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), an objective cognitive assessment that measures information processing speed. Results Mixed ANOVA revealed no interaction effect between intervention type and time (pre- and postassessment) on the PASAT (P  = .643, ηp2 = 0.003), SDMT (P  = .423, ηp2 = 0.010), or KBCI (P  = .434, ηp2 = 0.010); however, there was a significant within-group main effect (time) on all 3 outcome measures (PASAT P  < .001, ηp2 = 0.54; SDMT P  < .001, ηp2 = 0.25; and KBCI P  = .001, ηp2 = 0.15). On average, participants showed improvement over baseline on the PASAT (SCORE delta = 6.98, SD = 7.25, P  < .001; CCT delta = 7.79, SD = 6.45, P  < .001), SDMT (SCORE delta = 4.62, SD = 8.82, P  = .003; CCT delta = 6.58, SD = 10.81, P  = .003), and KBCI (SCORE delta = −3.22, SD = 7.09, P  = .009; CCT delta = −2.00, SD = 4.72, P  = .033). Additional analysis comparing the relative effectiveness of the 2 different CCTs revealed that while training with either program resulted in improved performance on the PASAT (P  < .001, ηp2 = 0.627), SDMT (P  = .003, ηp2 = 0.286), and KBCI (P  = .036, ηp2 = 0.158), there was no interaction effect of CCT program type and change over time for any measure (PASAT P  = .102, ηp2 = 1.00; SDMT P  = .317, ηp2 = 0.038; and KBCI P  = .719, ηp2 = 0.005). Conclusions We showed that CCT programs do not differ in efficacy compared to clinician-run, manualized CR for treating symptoms associated with mTBI; however, exploratory analyses suggest that each approach may have distinct advantages for treating specific symptoms. Additionally, we showed that the improvement in the CCT intervention did not differ between those who trained using the commercial program vs. those who trained with the noncommercial program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Logos: A Journal, of Religion, Philosophy Comparative Cultural Studies & Art (08687692) is the property of Logos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Al-Adab / Al-ādāb is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sequences formed by symbols are found in diverse fields, including genome sequences, written texts and computer codes. An interesting question is whether a sequence of symbols contains correlated structures. Existing methods to characterize correlations require a numerical representation of the sequence. In this regard, mapping a sequence of text into a sequence of numerical values is a key step for assessing correlation analysis. This work proposes a methodology to study correlations in a sequence of symbols. In the first step, the sequence of symbols is mapped in a multivariate numerical sequence formed by unit vectors in a vectorial space. The main feature of such mapping is that symbols are equally weighted, thus avoiding the numerical overrepresentation of symbols. In the second step, a multivariate version of the detrended fluctuation analysis is used to quantify correlations in the numerical sequence. Genome sequences (first COVID-19), written English texts and comovements between Bitcoin and gold markets were used to illustrate the proposed methodology's performance. The results showed that the balanced numerical mapping of symbolic sequences and the multivariate DFA provides valuable insights into the correlations in a sequence of symbols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure full participation of people with disabilities in research, accessibility of the instruments employed is essential. This paper describes an exploratory research which included the adaptation of the AIR Self-Determination Scale and the Promotion of Autonomous Decision-Making Scale. The adaptation was designed to enable Hebrew-speaking young adults with physical disability, autism, psychosocial disability, complex learning disabilities, deafness or hearing impairment, or blindness or visual impairment, to complete a self-report questionnaire. It included extensive wording simplifications. In addition, original Likert scales were reduced, and symbols were added to improve accessibility. The forms were modified to a coloured format with more visible headings, including use of a screen reader and additional visual adaptations. The adaptation process included three phases: questionnaire adaptation, examination of face and content validity, and a reliability assessment of the final version. The process was informed by input from young adults with disabilities. We conclude that simplified language, symbols, and visual effects should be considered when adapting questionnaires for people with disabilities. In addition, consulting with individuals with disabilities as experts by experience, should be integral to the adaptation of instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role that symbols play in facilitating or hindering institutional transformation efforts on campuses is underexplored. Through this embedded, multiple case study, we examine interview data from 52 participants at four private postsecondary institutions to investigate how power dynamics influence symbols to advance or hinder these institutional agents' work in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The findings highlight the contested nature of symbols and symbolic acts, which include (a) a disproportionate emphasis on positional leaders as symbols of opportunity, (b) complicating the idea of diversity centers as symbols of commitment, and (c) struggles to engage frameworks and strategic plans as symbols of shared vision and ownership. Specifically, we attend to how power dynamics may play a role in who/what becomes a symbol, and how symbols are interpreted in contradictory ways by different campus constituents, which have implications for how institutions can unite campus efforts toward DEI. Together, these findings present the tensions that universities must contend with as they use symbols to encourage a collective effort to advance DEI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a Semiotic Study of Sarnath Banerjee's Graphic Novels through the lens of Psychology. Sarnath Banerjee, an eminent graphic writer, is known for creating perplexing stories that investigate complex social and social topics. Using semiotic examination, this study analyzes the signs, symbols, and metaphors present in his attempts to unwind the mental elements of the characters and their connections. The investigation dives into the depiction of characters and their prototype portrayals, revealing insight into their inspirations, battles, and mental changes. Through the recognizable proof of repeating symbols and metaphors, the review plans to disclose the more profound implications and close to home effect they carry on perusers' minds. The account design of Banerjee's graphic novels is investigated to evaluate what it means for perusers' mental commitment. The utilization of flashbacks, dream arrangements, and nonlinear narrating is examined for reflecting mental states and feelings inside the narratives potential. Moreover, the examination investigates the social and social editorials inserted inside the novels, looking at their mental ramifications on perusers' points of view and feelings. The subjects of character, memory, injury, selfrevelation, and emotional wellness are broke down, trying to understand their depiction and effect on perusers' mental understanding. The profound commitment of perusers with the graphic novels is explored, taking into account how the fine art, character improvement, and narrating strategies inspire explicit close to home reactions. The review explores how the graphic novels' substance reverberates with perusers and how their mental foundations impact the translations of the works. Eventually, this semiotic investigation offers a more profound understanding of the mental elements of Sarnath Banerjee's graphic novels. By investigating the exchange of signs, symbols, and metaphors, and their mental ramifications on characters and perusers, this examination adds to a more extensive enthusiasm for the mental profundity of graphic stories and their effect on perusers' brains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the visual and verbal representation of the Holocaust in Israeli schoolbooks. The relations between images and texts or captions are revealed through a multimodal discourse analysis. Most photographs were transposed to Israeli schoolbooks, unattributed and de-contextualized, from Nazi archives and amateur albums. These photographs have become the icons of the Holocaust, and even the Holocaust itself, or its simulacra, for post-memory generations. Therefore, the perpetrator’s perspective often comes through as objective and factual. Schoolbooks transform these photographs to educational resources, or to means by which the state educates its young to remember. The question is, how do these images construct what the students need to remember or rather, what meaning are students prompted to make of them? In the schoolbooks, the photographs illustrate the Zionist narrative “from Holocaust to resurrection” in which the state of Israel is presented as the alternative to another Holocaust. The annihilation is graphically described in detail, but the annihilated are not narrated. Most are presented only as icons of the “final solution” and specimens of categories. This representation attests to an interest to traumatize, not to inspire mourning or arouse empathy and reverence towards the victims “we don’t want to become again”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to excavate the archaeological value of the symbols in porcelain during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1580~1710 AD) and provide a reference for modern clothing design, it is necessary to excavate the artistic connotation of porcelain symbols. In this paper, three pieces of Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain excavated in Dongxi kiln in 2015 were used as research objects, using a 4K electron microscope B105 (Shandong, China) and a DONZy 3D scanner K2002 (Guangdong, China) from Shuguang Optics Take the test. First, the depth, pattern, material, and color of the porcelain were observed with a 4K electron microscope, and then the porcelain symbols were extracted with the DONZy 3D scanner. Finally, through the comparison of data and the in-depth classification of patterns, the symbolic meaning, culture and art of porcelain in the Ming and Qing dynasties are summarized, and the influence of porcelain on modern clothing design is analyzed. The results show that the late Ming Dynasty (1580~1644 AD) and the early Qing Dynasty (1644~1710 AD). The porcelain materials of that period were coarse, with relatively light patterns and large metal particles in color. The porcelain symbols are multi-directional, with bold patterns that incorporate dots, lines, and circles. Therefore, the porcelain symbols of the Ming and Qing dynasties not only inherited the pattern drawing characteristics of the official kiln, but also carried out innovation in shape and style, which can provide avant-garde design inspiration for modern clothing design, and have a high non-genetic heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have examined the performance of recalling Arabic letters. Some studies suggest that the low recall performance of Arabic letters may be attributed to the inherent visual complexity of Arabic script, while others highlight poor visual attention abilities among Arabic readers.In this context, the presentstudy focuses on investigating immediate memory and the factors influencing its capacity among young Arabic readers. Immediate memory refers to the number of letters an observer can recall in a free recall task. Three experiments were conducted to examine the effects of exposure time (50, 100, and 200 ms), letter spacing (0.04°, 0.36°, and 1°), and stimulustype (acquired vs. non-acquired). Acquired stimuli consisted of Arabic and Latin letters, whereas non-acquired stimuli included Amazigh letters. It is noteworthy that our participants had no prior exposure to the Amazigh language. The results revealed significant effects of exposure time, letter spacing, and stimulus type on performance in the free recall task. In light of these findings, the study provides a discussion of factors that may account for the low recall performance observed in previous research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dreams and temptations: Unveiling the journey to self-discovery This thesis documents the long-term psychoanalytic therapy of an adolescent patient who developed a severe depressive episode and post-traumatic stress disorder following a serious traumatic event - an abduction and experience of sexual violence. Over a period of several years, the therapeutic work is described, which not only addresses the patient's individual symptoms, but also sheds light on profound family dynamics and the development of the therapist's psychoanalytical identity. The therapy focused on processing the traumatic experience and aimed to create corrective relational experiences, strengthen self-representation and promote the ability to self-care and build supportive social relationships. The case study illustrates the complexity and challenges of psychoanalytic work with traumatized adolescents and emphasizes the need for an individually tailored approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of The L N Gumilyov Eurasian National University Political Science Regional Studies Oriental Studies Turkology Series is the property of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Babylon Center for Humanities Studies is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article underscores the unique characteristics of Krolevets woven towels, a cultural treasure long crafted in the artistic weaving centers of Krolevets in the Sumy Region. It details how these distinct features can be introduced to modern 7th-grade students in art lessons, particularly through the hands-on experience of creating a sketch of a Krolevets woven towel fragment. The article explores the possibilities of using information about artistic weaving in art lessons, offering suggested directions for introducing primary, middle, and high school students to Krolevets woven towels. It provides examples of practical tasks for different age groups, adapted from personal teaching experience in the integrated course "Art" during art lessons. The article concludes that by studying the features, structure, and symbols of the Krolevets towel and using this knowledge in their own artistic and practical activities, students connect with the history, traditions, culture, and decorative and applied arts of Ukraine. They understand the uniqueness of folk crafts from various regions and their value to modern society. Student feedback can be achieved by viewing masterworks at art exhibitions and by preparing individual and group sketches for decorating festive events, greeting cards, and invitations using Krolevets woven towel motifs. The possibility of using computer graphics in students' creative work in a remote learning format is also noted. The tasks proposed in this article are not only useful for studying art education topics but also for teaching other school subjects. The development of further recommendations in this area could be a promising avenue for future research, as the use of folk art heritage in education is a significant contribution to preserving our cultural memory, identity, unity, and our self-awareness as a Ukrainian nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkic Studies Journal is the property of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper analyses various symbols used in the select novels of Mitali Perkins. The primary texts examined for the study include You Bring the Distant Near and The Not-So-Star-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen. The paper also attempts to prove that the writing itself is a symbolic action using the concept put forward by Kenneth Burke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tropelías: Revista de Teoría de la Literatura y Literatura Comparada is the property of Prensas Universitarias de Zaragoza and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of AmeSea International Journal is the property of Africa & Middle East Society for Education through Art and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Makassar Kelong Performance (henceforth abbreviated as MKP) is an oral literary performance presented in the wedding tradition of the Makassar community to convey moral messages. This study aims to narratively and visually highlight the symbolic meaning of the MKP, that represent the values and characteristics of the cultural identity of the Makassar community. Within a qualitative approach, semiotic study was applied to examine the formation of meaning through signs. The research findings emphasized the values representation tied with the MKP’s symbolic meaning, including politeness, sincerity, tenderness, and commitment to the tradition. Additionally, the MKP symbolically portrayed characters of courage, persistence, religiosity, endurance, loyalty, cooperation, and heroism, reflecting the cultural identity of the Makassar community. Symbolic meaning is narratively represented through word forms, tones, music, lights, and sound effects. Furthermore, the visual symbolic meanings of the performance are represented through facial expressions, gestures, attire, movements, costumes, equipment such as rebana, gendang, kecaping, kannong-kannong, bamboo, plates and spoons, fire wicks, and settings. The MKP also has an impact on enhancing the moral values of the Makassar community. This study contributes to the preservation of oral literary traditions and the understanding of local Makassar culture. The contribution offers opportunities to revitalize oral literature and local Makassar culture to ensure their existence.

For at least 150,000 years, the human body has been culturally modified by the wearing of personal ornaments and probably by painting with red pigment. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to explore the brain networks involved in attributing social status from face decorations. Results showed the fusiform gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex, and salience network were involved in social encoding, categorization, and evaluation. The hippocampus and parahippocampus were activated due to the memory and associative skills required for the task, while the inferior frontal gyrus likely interpreted face ornaments as symbols. Resting-state functional connectivity analysis clarified the interaction between these regions. The study highlights the importance of these neural interactions in the symbolic interpretation of social markers on the human face, which were likely active in early Homo species and intensified with Homo sapiens populations as more complex technologies were developed to culturalize the human face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dreams are a central feature of the extended realism of Ralph Ellison’s second novel, some drafts of which have been published as Three Days Before the Shooting . . . . In this novel, dreams help Ellison’s characters realize or present truths that cannot be presented in the language of straightforward realism. In a quasi- Freudian manner, Ellison’s dream narrations reveal his characters’ and novels’ most fundamental preoccupations. In this article I analyze part of a dream sequence from Book I of Three Days. This dream, had by a white liberal character, is centered on the figure of an iron groom (or hitching-post boy) who cannot be removed from the doorway to a house. I analyze the construction and function of this dream figure and narrative through the lens of (1) Ellison’s ritualist social criticism, (2) his extended-realist, tragicomic, and syncretic aesthetics, and (3) his allusive and narrative poiesis. The iron groom is constructed as a stereotype of blackness, linked to the major black characters of the novel and to figures in Ellison’s first novel. The groom-as-stereotype is subverted through verbal “signifying” and through the development of a tragicomic narrative rhythm. The dream functions to excavate the dreamer’s (and possibly the reader’s) “self-concealed racism” and to point the way toward what Ellison has called “the mystery of our unity-within- diversity.” [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the influence of literary figures on the poetry of Azad Kashmir shows that there are influences of Sanskrit, Kashmiri, Persian, Arabic, Urdu and other regional languages as well as classical and modern poetry on the literature of Azad Kashmir. There are intellectual and artistic influences on the poetry of Azad Kashmir from to the present period. Some thoughts are prominent, some artistic imitation is visible. There is similar style; there is also the use of similar tone. However, all these influences despite this, the poetry of Azad Kashmir has its own individuality and its own style. Azad Kashmir's poetic capital, while being a part of the poetic tradition of Urdu language, has interesting, unique experiences and individual characteristics in terms of theme, theme, style innovation, new symbols, techniques, untouched and unique creative experiences and many other aspects. Azad Kashmir's own regional symbols and some unique experiences give its distinctive color to the poets of Azad Kashmir. Happily, the influence of movements, ideologies and personalities in the footsteps is less visible in the new generation. The poets of the new generation are actively and diligently engaged in creating their own special point of view, their own tone, their own style, and their own color. In spite of the influence of literary movements, critical schools, literary theories, poetic styles and poet personalities in the poetry of Azad Kashmir, its own color and harmony exist with all the beauty, rather, the colors and styles of the poets of Azad Kashmir are different from those of many other regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio sensing is a key envisioned feature for next-generation wireless systems, allowing the use of communication infrastructure and air interface components to also perceive the environment. Enabling efficient use of radio access network (RAN) resources to meet various communication and sensing use case requirements is a primary goal in such systems. This article bridges the gap among RAN architecture requirements, along with radio and signal processing techniques to realize the integration of radar sensing into next-generation cellular systems, e.g., the open RAN (O-RAN) framework. Motivated by the O-RAN disaggregated architecture, this article introduces a framework to analyze sensing processing from the perspective of the radio unit (RU)–distributed unit (DU) functional split and the fronthaul throughput requirements of interfaces between RUs and DUs. Accordingly, the feasibility of adopting sensing in current architectures while meeting fronthaul throughput limitations is demonstrated. Further, it is shown that receiver (Rx) processing techniques tailored for cellular system (e.g., to enable wideband sensing over disjoint bandwidths) can efficiently fit into the DU processing framework. Evaluation results revealing detection performance gains are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) systems, communication signals are supposed to provide high-resolution sensing services. Toward this goal, multiband sensing has recently emerged as a promising technology that jointly utilizes multiple noncontiguous communication bands to improve the sensing performance of ISAC systems. In this article, we first introduce the multiband signal model in the presence of phase-distortion factors, discussing the challenges and benefits of multiband sensing to reveal its intrinsic properties. Then, we investigate the resolution limit and discuss a specific sensing algorithm design of multiband sensing technology, which is designed to leverage multiband gains to achieve high-resolution sensing performance. Finally, a series of open research topics is discussed, which may bring new insights for future research on multiband sensing for ISAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines a recurrent and well documented social phenomenon: the usage of national flags is intensified in periods of social instability and in contexts of marked political polarisation. Through a critical review of theoretical efforts that opened avenues to explain this phenomenon, it identifies the main theoretical barriers that have prevented its convincing explanation. One of these barriers is sustained by theoretical perspectives that disregard the search for causalities in social analysis; another barrier is erected by theoretical decisions that detach the study of the function of political symbols from the the analysis of the morphological base of society, and from social conflict and power struggles. This article argues that the explanation of the intensified usage of flags in periods of instability requires a theorisation of the function of these symbols in relation to processes of recognition and (re) constitution of strucutures of social authority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use Goncharov's coproduct of multiple polylogarithms to define a Lie coalgebra over an arbitrary field. It is generated by symbols subject to inductively defined relations, which we think of as functional relations for multiple polylogarithms. In particular, we have inversion relations and shuffle relations. We relate our definition to Goncharov's Bloch groups, and to the concrete model for L (F) ≤ 4 by Goncharov and Rudenko. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is intended to obtain a description of (a) the meaning of verbal and nonverbal symbols of the values contained in the Momayango Bele process, (b) the meaning of nonverbal symbols in the Momayango Bele process, and (c) the implications for learning local wisdom in schools. The study employed a descriptive method with a type of qualitative research that is used to reveal and describe how the payango tradition determines people's houses in Gorontalo and the extent to which the payango tradition is applied as well as the stages of traditional procedures in building a house. The data were obtained from informants/speakers through the interview, the recording and observation of data obtained then analyzed. Based on the research results, the Momayango Bele procession is a process of measuring and making foundation patterns and laying the first stone for house building in the Gorontalo community. The symbols in the Momayango Bele procession contain complex and deep meanings. The impact of the Momayango Bele procession on the local community is to preserve their cultural identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first two centuries of our era constitute a period devoid of sacred images, and this aniconic phase of Christianity was not only determined by the observance of the Old Testament prohibition. The lack of interest of Jesus and the apostles towards the idea of preaching through images, the absence of information about the appearance of Christ, but also the precarious economic situation of the Christian community before the legalization of Christianity, are important factors that must be taken into account when discussing this absence of cultic representations characteristic of the first two Christian centuries. However, despite the initial aniconism, the development of the new cult in the Greco-Roman world, where images of divinities were omnipresent, led to the emergence of a Christian art. The first spaces dedicated to visual representations of the sacred are the catacombs. On the walls of the underground cemeteries, the adherents of the new religion depicted various symbols taken from the funerary repertoire of pagan imagery, which they adapted to acquire Christian significance, the cross, the fish, the vine and the lamb, included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]