Critical Position Research Articles

AGN-201K educational and research reactor benchmark analyses by McCARD Monte Carlo calculations

In this study, a benchmark model for the AGN-201K educational and research reactor was newly developed based on its Final Safety Analysis Report data, with any unclear or missing specifications obtained from different AGN-201 reactors. The AGN-201K benchmark model was verified for criticality problems at various critical rod positions, the approach-to-criticality experiment problem, the fine rod worth measurement problem, and the flux distribution problem. The model was evaluated by comparing experimental values with calculated results by the McCARD Monte Carlo neutronic transport code, with the McCARD results of the AGN-201K benchmark showing good agreement with the experimental results. The most noteworthy point is that the recently developed McCARD TDMC (Time-Dependent Monte Carlo) transient module was successfully demonstrated through AGN-201K transient benchmark analyses. It is also noted that the reactor periods from McCARD results were very similar to the experimental results, confirming the suitability of TDMC analysis for realistic applications. Furthermore, the new AGN-201K benchmark model is expected to serve as a practical and useful tool for verifying and validating newly developed neutronic codes through various steady-state and transient analyses.

Spiritual capital and spiritual entrepreneurship: The new spiritualities and the processes of subjectivation

AbstractThis paper critically examines the constructs of spiritual capital and spiritual entrepreneurship/entrepreneur. These concepts have recently become widespread in the social sciences and the psychology of the New Age, or the new spiritualities, and they are also increasingly present in business literature, organizational management, and personal improvement in managerial terms. From a critical social psychology position, the paper will consider the usefulness of these concepts in revealing how the field of spirituality currently seems to be a favoured space of governmentality and subjectivation for neoliberalism.

Концептуальная инженерия: идея и проблемное поле

The article analyzes the ideas and methods of conceptual engineering, its goals, problem field and opportunities. Conceptual engineering as a philosophical di­rection arises at the intersection of descriptive and normative approaches, repre­senting a revisionist strategy. Emphasizing the correlation between science and social life, the developers of the idea draw attention to the need for a conscious attitude to conceptual representation and terminological choice. Particular atten­tion is paid to the analysis of the name of the direction: the engineering perspec­tive is associated with the idea of ​​managing the scientific process. Theoretical and methodological origins of conceptual engineering are considered: the ideas of J. Dewey on the development of “conscious thinking”, R. Carnap on explica­tion, S. Haslanger on the importance of a critical attitude towards significant so­cial theoretical constructs. It is shown that conceptual engineering as a revi­sionist epistemological project is aimed at changing specific forms of social interaction through the revision of current ideas about the world and about one­self. Given the paramount importance of language in organizing everyday intel­lectual practices, conceptual engineering focuses on concepts and their meaning. In essence, it represents another attempt to eliminate linguistic ambiguity, but no longer with the help of a special symbolic language, but by manipulating mean­ing and sense. The problems of semantic modifications of concepts associated with semantic drift, linguistic intuition and communication, knowledge transfer are analyzed

Ecocritical Analysis of Tte Marine Ecosystem in the "Documentary: Seaspiracy (2021)” Movie by Ali Tabrizi

The writer thinks to make the above topic as a matter that must be researched further because the writer sees something that can be used as material for analysis and can be an additional scientific value for knowledge and new learning in this literary science. The problem discussed in this research is what kind of ecocriticism is presented in the film "Documentary: Seaspiracy (2021)" by Ali Tabrizi? In this study the writer wants to provide ecocriticism of marine ecosystems with the title "ecocritical analysis of marine ecosystems" this research discusses literary ecocriticism, namely the relationship between nature and humans which focuses on the film "documentary: Seaspiracy". The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative, which describes the results of the research verbally. The writer also uses an ecological approach to focus and present the findings. The results of this study show that there are many criticisms that this movie wants to convey, and the images presented have many specific criticisms to show ecological damage, especially in the marine area. In this film, the author also uses Greg Garrard's theory of ecocriticism to clarify and dig deeper into the attitude of environmental criticism by the players in the form of images and conversations conveyed in through the "Documentary: Seaspiracy (2021)" movie.

Biopolitics in "The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil", by George Saunders

In this article, I analyze George Saunders’s novella The Brief and Frightening Reign of Phil (2005) from the perspective of biopolitics, following the theoretical frameworks established by Michel Foucault, Giorgio Agamben, and Frédéric Lordon. I focus on two aspects of biopolitics: one linked to the extermination of the enemy, and the other to the manipulation of the passions of the governed. Regarding the first aspect, I discuss the strategies that Phil, the sovereign dictator in the story, uses to kill or displace the Other. In the second aspect, I study the use of desire and affect as biopolitical technologies that contribute to maintaining and reinforcing power. Finally, I examine the critical position of various characters in relation to Phil’s biopolitical regime and the political dimension of the novella itself.

Nested travelling wave structures in elastoinertial turbulence

Elastoinertial turbulence (EIT) is a chaotic flow resulting from the interplay between inertia and viscoelasticity in wall-bounded shear flows. Understanding EIT is important because it is thought to set a limit on the effectiveness of turbulent drag reduction in polymer solutions. Here, we analyse simulations of two-dimensional EIT in channel flow using spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD), discovering a family of travelling wave structures that capture the sheetlike stress fluctuations that characterise EIT. The frequency-dependence of the leading SPOD mode contains distinct peaks and the mode structures corresponding to these peaks exhibit well-defined travelling structures. The structure of the dominant travelling mode exhibits shift–reflect symmetry similar to the viscoelasticity-modified Tollmien–Schlichting (TS) wave, where the velocity fluctuation in the travelling mode is characterised by large-scale regular structures spanning the channel and the polymer stress field is characterised by thin, inclined sheets of high polymer stress localised at the critical layers near the channel walls. The travelling structures corresponding to the higher-frequency modes have a very similar structure, but are nested in a region roughly bounded by the critical layer positions of the next-lower-frequency mode. A simple theory based on the idea that the critical layers of mode $\kappa$ form the ‘walls’ for the structure of mode $\kappa +1$ yields quantitative agreement with the observed wave speeds and critical layer positions, indicating self-similarity between the structures. The physical idea behind this theory is that the sheetlike localised stress fluctuations in the critical layer prevent velocity fluctuations from penetrating them.

Allosteric Communication of the Dimerization and the Catalytic Domain in Photoreceptor Guanylate Cyclase.

Phototransduction in vertebrate photoreceptor cells is controlled by Ca2+-dependent feedback loops involving the membrane-bound guanylate cyclase GC-E that synthesizes the second messenger guanosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate. Intracellular Ca2+-sensor proteins named guanylate cyclase-activating proteins (GCAPs) regulate the activity of GC-E by switching from a Ca2+-bound inhibiting state to a Ca2+-free/Mg2+-bound activating state. The gene GUCY2D encodes for human GC-E, and mutations in GUCY2D are often associated with an imbalance of Ca2+ and cGMP homeostasis causing retinal disorders. Here, we investigate the Ca2+-dependent inhibition of the constitutively active GC-E mutant V902L. The inhibition is not mediated by GCAP variants but by Ca2+ replacing Mg2+ in the catalytic center. Distant from the cyclase catalytic domain is an α-helical domain containing a highly conserved helix-turn-helix motif. Mutating the critical amino acid position 804 from leucine to proline left the principal activation mechanism intact but resulted in a lower level of catalytic efficiency. Our experimental analysis of amino acid positions in two distant GC-E domains implied an allosteric communication pathway connecting the α-helical and the cyclase catalytic domains. A computational connectivity analysis unveiled critical differences between wildtype GC-E and the mutant V902L in the allosteric network of critical amino acid positions.

Ментально-поведенческие особенности поколений россиян (по социологическим материалам)

In the context of the social transformation of Russian society, various contradictions (obvious and latent) took place in different spheres of society. In particular, there are noticeable differences in the mental and behavioral characteristics (traits, characteristics, mentality) of Russians generations causing destructive effects and social conflicts, including in intergenerational relationships. The article is based on the analysis of the problem situation: which positive and negative features are most characteristic of Russians, according to the estimates of respondents of different age and generational groups? The general assessment of their generation by the majority of respondents is generally quite positive. The distribution of positive and negative traits of generations, compiled on the basis of respondents' assessments, shows noticeable mental and behavioral differences between the younger, middle and older generations, especially the younger generation. However, the mental autonomy of the younger generation cannot be considered as a semblance of complete (especially absolute) isolation and separation of youth from other generations. At the same time, according to the sociological data, despite the critical attitude towards the state of large masses of Russians, the potential of patriotism and citizenship is very high and predominant in all age-generational groups.

Methods, Methodologies, and Perspectives in the Humanities and Social Sciences with Particular Reference to Islamic Studies: A Critical Rationalist Interpretation by Ali Paya

Methods, Methodologies, and Perspectives in the Humanities and Social Sciences with Particular Reference to Islamic Studies: A Critical Rationalist Interpretation by Ali Paya

Effect of the cone-beam CT acquisition trajectory on image quality in spine surgery: experimental cadaver study

BACKGROUNDIntraoperative 3D imaging with cone-beam CT (CBCT) improves assessment of implant position and reduces complications in spine surgery. It is also used for image-guided surgical techniques, resulting in improved quality of care. However, in some cases, metal artifacts can reduce image quality and make it difficult to assess pedicle screw position and reduction. PURPOSEThe objective of this study was to investigate whether a change in CBCT acquisition trajectory in relation to pedicle screw position during dorsal instrumentation can reduce metal artifacts and consequently improve image quality and clinical assessability. STUDY DESIGNExperimental cadaver study. METHODSA human cadaver was instrumented with pedicle screws in the thoracic and lumbar spine region (Th11 to L5). Then, the acquisition trajectory of the CBCT (Cios Spin, Siemens, Germany) to the pedicle screws was systematically changed in 5° steps in angulation (−30° to +30°) and swivel (−25° to +25°). Subsequently, radiological evaluation was performed by 3 blinded, qualified raters on image quality using 9 questions (including anatomical structures, implant position, appearance of artifacts) with a score (1–5 points). For statistical evaluation, the image quality of the different acquisition trajectories was compared to the standard acquisition trajectory and checked for significant differences. RESULTSThe angulated acquisition trajectory significantly increased the score for subjective image quality (p<.001) as well as the clinical assessability of pedicle screw position (p<.001) with particularly strong effects on subjective image quality in the vertebral pedicle region (d=1.61). Swivel of the acquisition trajectory significantly improved all queried domains of subjective image quality (p<.001) as well as clinical assessability of pedicle screw position (p<.001). CONCLUSIONSIn this cadaver study, the angulation as well as the swivel of the acquisition trajectory led to a significantly improved image quality in intraoperative 3D imaging (CBCT) with a constant isocenter. The data show that maximizing the angulation/swivel angle towards 30°/25° provides the best tested subjective image quality and enhances clinical assessability. Therefore, a correct adjustment of the acquisition trajectory can help to make intraoperative revision decisions more reliably. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCEThe knowledge of enhanced image quality by changing the acquisition trajectory in intraoperative 3D imaging can be used for the assessment of critical screw positions in spine surgery. The implementation of this knowledge requires only a minor change of the current intraoperative imaging workflow without additional technical equipment and could further reduce the need for revision surgery.

A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Factors Promoting Intergenerational Resilience in Adolescent Youth With Refugee Status.

Adolescent youth occupy a critical and complex position in refugee families who resettle in a third country. We examined the potential impact of health- and family-related factors on the social and behavioral adjustment outcomes of refugee adolescent youth. Situated within an explanatory sequential mixed methods study, we used unadjusted and adjusted multinomial logistic regression to identify trauma, health, and socioecological characteristics of war-affected families associated with social and behavioral adjustment in 72 Karen adolescent youth resettled in the United States. Factors related to the health and well-being of war-affected families, including parent mental and physical health, youth-reported family function, housing, and parent employment demonstrated important associations with youth adjustment. These findings, originating within the complex dynamics of resettled war-affected families, demonstrated the interconnectedness of adolescent and parent experiences and opportunities to advance resilience in youth navigating integration and supporting their families through those same processes.

Profiling vaccine hesitancy in nursing to tailor public healthcare policies: A cross-sectional international study.

Vaccine hesitancy is a complex issue of global concern. As nurses play a vital role in delivering patient care and shaping public opinions on vaccines, interventions to address vaccine hesitancy in nursing are imperative. As such, identifying profiles of characteristics and attitudes contributing to hesitancy may help identify specific areas of focus to target tailored global vaccination uptake campaigns. The purpose of this study was to profile the characteristics and attitudes contributing to hesitancy toward COVID-19 and Influenza vaccines in the nursing community. This multisite, cross-sectional study recruited 1967 registered nurses and 1230 nursing students from the United Kingdom, Finland, and Italy between March and September 2023. Data collection involved an online survey adopting the Vaccination Attitudes Examination (VAX) Scale, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and questions pertaining to sociodemographic and occupational characteristics. A k-means cluster analysis was used to identify various clusters of hesitancy based on the VAX Scale. One-way ANOVA and chi-square tests were used to identify significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics, occupational factors, vaccination attitudes, and social media usage between the clusters. Three distinct clusters were identified. Profile A showed high vaccine confidence, profile B displayed slight hesitancy, and profile C reported high levels of hesitancy. In profile C, higher levels of vaccine hesitancy were identified in younger, less experienced nurses with lower educational attainment. While older nurses with higher educational attainment, who were in senior roles, were more vaccine-confident and had a consistent history of accepting the Influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations (profile A). The study found Italian nurses highly hesitant (profile C), British nurses highly confident (profile A), and Finnish nurses evenly distributed between confident, slightly hesitant, and highly hesitant (profiles A, B, and C, respectively). In addition, more frequent usage of Instagram and TikTok was associated with vaccine hesitancy (profiles B and C), and LinkedIn and X were more common among vaccine-confident individuals (profile A). This study has identified specific sociodemographic and occupational factors that are related to vaccine hesitancy in an international sample of nurses. Additionally, attitudes contributing to hesitancy were identified, with worries about unforeseen future effects of the vaccine being identified as a critical attitude that may undermine confidence and increase hesitancy in nursing. This study also sheds light on the influence that social media platforms have on vaccine hesitancy and, as such, indicates which platforms are effective to disseminate vaccination campaigns to global nursing communities. Global vaccination campaigns should focus on specific profiles and clusters to promote vaccination in the international nursing community. Empowering nurses early in their careers will help to instill positive vaccination behaviors, ensuring a sustained uptake of vaccinations throughout the individual's career and beyond, with an impact on promoting vaccination at the public health level as well.

Comparison of Pore Structure Characteristics of Shale-Oil and Tight-Oil Reservoirs in the Fengcheng Formation in Mahu Sag

Despite the abundance of shale-oil and tight-oil reserves in the Fengcheng Formation within the Mahu Sag, exploration and development efforts for both types of reservoir are still in their early stages. A comprehensive examination and comparison of the pore structures of these reservoirs can establish rational classification and evaluation criteria. However, there is a dearth of comparative analyses focusing on the pore structures of shale-oil and tight-oil reservoirs within the Fengcheng Formation. This study addresses this gap by systematically analyzing and comparing the pore structures of these reservoirs using various techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), low-temperature nitrogen adsorption, and mercury intrusion capillary pressure experiments (MICP). The results show that the shale oil within the Fengcheng Formation exhibits a higher content of carbonic acid compared to the tight-oil samples. Furthermore, it demonstrates smaller displacement pressure and median pressure, a larger sorting coefficient, and superior permeability in contrast to tight oil. Notably, the shale oil within the Fengcheng Formation is characterized by abundant striated layer structures and micro-fractures, which significantly contribute to the microstructural disparities between shale-oil and tight-oil reservoirs. These differences in microstructures between shale oil and tight oil within the Fengcheng Formation in the Mahu Sag region delineate distinct criteria for evaluating sweet spots in shale-oil and tight-oil reservoirs.

Coercion in psychiatry: psychometric validation of the Portuguese Staff Attitudes to Coercion Scale (SACS)

BackgroundThere is a growing recognition that staff attitudes toward coercion in mental health care may influence its application. This study presents the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Staff Attitudes towards Coercion Scale (SACS) and describes mental health professionals’ attitudes towards coercion in Portugal.MethodsMental health professionals working in five Portuguese mental health services in urban and rural regions of Portugal were invited to complete a questionnaire comprising the SACS and a socio-demographic form. Psychometric analyses including construct validity and internal consistency were carried out using R software.ResultsA total of 91 out of 119 questionnaires completed were valid for analysis. Fifty-seven (62.64%) respondents were female, with an age range of 24 to 69 years (M = 39.33; SD = 11.09). More than half of them were nurses (52.75%, n = 48), and a third were psychiatrists (36.26%, n = 33). A three-factor structure was confirmed and showed the best fit compared to previously proposed models with a cumulative explained variance of 59%. The Portuguese SACS exhibited adequate internal consistency for both the full-scale and subscales. The highest mean score was in the pragmatic attitude domain (20.60; SD = 3.37). A negative correlation was observed between the critical attitude domain and both age and years of experience (p < 0.05).ConclusionA three-factor structure was confirmed and showed the best fit compared to previously proposed models. The Portuguese SACS showed excellent psychometric properties and is acceptable for assessing staff attitudes towards coercion.

Information Gathering for Online News Publications: A Multidimensional Issue for Media Professionals and Educators

The purpose of this study is to reveal some current issues concerning the gap between the education and practice of Romanian online news reporting, especially regarding the activity of information gathering, critical event reporting and fulfilling the role of exposing reality in an objective manner. Several observations from previous studies showed a discrepancy between the educational standards of journalism schools in the matter of news documentation and the reality on the ground. We tried to see what skills the faculties of future journalists must train in order to ensure a return of the media to a more critical attitude, necessary for a democratic society, starting from the qualitative analysis of several local and national media platforms in Romania. Our main interest was the degree to which reporters that publish news on online media platforms use filed documentation, interviews and other news gathering techniques in their activity, compared to simply publish institutional PR briefings or third-part articles. The conclusions of our research are that the vast majority of news is based solely on curated information and lacks not only a critical approach, but also the personal input of reporters.

Village Self-Government in the Period 1944-1955 in an Anthropological Perspective: The Example of the Village of Dobri Do

Rural self-government is an insufficiently researched topic in domestic and foreign anthropological literature. What is more, the extent to which archives of local self-government bodies can be useful as sources for anthropological research has not been sufficiently studied. For this reason, an attempt was made to provide a contribution to a better understanding of these scientific issues on the example of the village of Dobri Do in the vicinity of Pirot, and on the basis of material in the Historical Archive of Pirot that refers to the work of the Local People's Committee in this village. The period after the Second World War was chosen, due to the state of the materials in the archival collections and the fact that the period was marked by numerous processes that highlighted scientific problems more clearly. It started from the assumption that the local self-government, as a mediator between the rural community and state authorities, was primarily directed towards protecting the interests of the rural community itself. The analysis showed that MNO archives can be very useful sources, and that they can be combined with classical anthropological research methods (participant observation, interview, biographical method). Nevertheless, a critical attitude must be taken towards this archival material, because it is incomplete, insufficiently conscientiously collected and organized. Based on the available material, it is possible to see many questions that have not been raised so far about the relationship between the local community and state institutions. Further research will show to what extent it is possible to improve the use of this material within ethnological and anthropological research.

Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine Position Statement: Approach to a Patient with Poisoning in the Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit.

Rungta N, Ray B, Bhalla A, DP Samaddar, Paul G, Prasad S, et al. Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine Position Statement: Approach to a Patient with Poisoning in the Emergency Room and Intensive Care Unit. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(S2):S217-S232.

The Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine Position Statement on the Management of Sepsis in Resource-limited Settings.

Juneja D, Nasa P, Chanchalani G, Cherian A, Jagiasi BG, Javeri Y, et al. The Indian Society of Critical Care Medicine Position Statement on the Management of Sepsis in Resource-limited Settings. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(S2):S4-S19.

Social Criticism Da’wah Through Visual Works of @Terasdakwah During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study aims to analyze the preaching message containing social criticism on the Instagram account @terasdakwah through a semiotic approach. The @terasdakwah account is a digital platform that actively spreads preaching content in a creative style relevant to current social issues. This descriptive qualitative study analyzes the meaning of the preaching message of social criticism (Tafriq) in a Visual Communication Design (VCD) work. The dissection of meaning in visual works uses the semiotic analysis knife of Sumbo Tinarbuko's visual communication and Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis. The results of this study show that: First, the connotative meaning revealed is that these visual works are a form of criticism of the government and society in general for the phenomena that occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The connotative level of meaning also found myths contained in the visual works studied, including the death of elderly Hajj pilgrims, the death of expertise, and prolonged frustration threatening mental health. Second, the message of social criticism (Tafriq) preaching contained in the three visual works uploaded by the Instagram account @terasdakwah is included in the first and second points in Alamsyah's theory. The first point is preaching as a correction for the reconstruction of social order, and the second point is preaching as an effort to institutionalize critical attitudes in Islamic society. Third, this study also shows that preaching is not only limited to religious rituals and formalities but can also be done by conveying social criticism. This research is hoped to provide scientific contributions to the study of preaching and communication science so that it can be a reference for further research on similar topics and discussions according to different contexts and objects of study.

Local shear fracture properties in heat-affected zone of resistance spot-welded advanced high-strength steel

In the process of resistance spot welding of advanced high-strength steel (AHSS), the development of heat-affected zones (HAZs) considerably modifies the mechanical properties of the weld region. However, the limited reporting in the study of shear behavior in the HAZ hinders the accurate prediction of joint fracture and failure behavior. This study focused on the shear fracture behavior of resistance spot-welded AHSS. Given the limited extent of the HAZ, a miniature shear test was designed and shear fracture tests were conducted on JSC590, JSC980, and JSC1180. These tests facilitated the acquisition and compilation of data regarding the shear mechanical properties of diverse steel grades and their respective HAZs. A hardness-based empirical model for the strength coefficient and the strain-hardening exponent in Hollomon's law was introduced, and this model was subsequently integrated into finite element method calculations. The accuracy of the model was validated by shear strength reproductions, exhibiting errors within the range of 5.4%–13.5% and the averaged error was less than 10%. Further analyses confirmed that stress triaxiality at critical positions varied from 0 to 0.33, indicative of shear-dominant stress conditions. Moreover, the evolution of stress states revealed a notable association between the fracture surfaces across different stress states and steel grades. These findings fill the gap regarding the shear behavior of localized HAZs and expand the understanding of their mechanical behavior under various stress states. It will contribute to accurate fracture prediction by stress triaxiality based fracture criteria, such as Modified Mohr-Coulomb (MMC) model, applied to AHSS.