Methodological Discrepancies Research Articles

Studying the Swallow using Surface Electroencephalography: A Systematic Review

Background: Swallowing is an important function for life sustenance but our understanding of its neural organization in the human cortex is not yet fully explored. Electroencephalography is a functional neuroimaging modality that already has and could further contribute to that direction. In this review, we have sought to gather and present findings from studies that used the EEG on healthy individuals for the investigation of the cortical mechanisms that moderate deglutition. Methods and Materials: Four databases were searched for studies that used the EEG as their main research modality on healthy individuals and administered various stimuli for them to swallow. The risk of bias assessment of the studies was conducted using the NIH rating scale for observational studies. Results: Our search yielded 393 studies in total and nine of them were included in the final discussion. The risk of bias assessment showed good quality of the studies. The nine studies were presented in a table following an adapted PICOS outline depicting the population, the comparisons, the means of measurement and the outcomes. Conclusions: Researchers studied the morphology of the signal before, during and after the swallow and its discrepancies in frequency in relation to stimuli alterations. Discrepancies in methodology and concordance with previous research are discussed.

О научном обеспечении импортозамещения в национальной безопасности России

The study of national economic and financial security in the context of sanctions and import substitution revealed the lack of a unified methodology in the economic block of the Russian Federation, manifested in the form of discrepancies in the methodological approaches of regulatory institutions of the ministerial level. The presence of such theoretical and methodological discrepancies in the work of the regulatory institutions of Russia indicates the lack of a unified national state ideology for the formation of the development strategy of individual territories and the country as a whole. Effective and stable development of the country is impossible without strong science, the results of which are implemented in public practice. Declaring a serious large-scale import substitution project, there is actually no task to develop an appropriate theoretical and methodological basis for it, to define a paradigm that is designed to reflect national interests. The presence of developed theories and methodology as the basis of the scientific foundation in the country’s economy, including economic security as an integral part of Russia’s national security, allows us to develop effective strategies that constitute a unique intellectual base for the development of the country’s economic sectors. If import substitution is based only on the initial level, without a scientific basis that takes into account the national interests of Russia, the preservation of the country’s sovereignty turns out to be an impossible task. To verify the assertions made, letters were sent containing questions about the use by institutions of domestic or foreign theoretical and methodological tools in their work. The correspondence covered 7 ministries and the Bank of Russia, which form the economic bloc of the RF Government. The analysis of the responses allows us to conclude: import substitution in Russia is defined narrowly, only in relation to groups of goods, technology and equipment without taking into account scientific domestic developments in theory and methodology; it is not clear what domestic/foreign tools are used in the economic block of Russia; there is no constructive interaction between representatives of the scientific and educational community and managerial practitioners. Import substitution in Russia should start from the theoretical and methodological level, where the strategy is defined and the integrity in the activities of the institution and the relevant sector of the economy of the country is set.

Microplastics in European sea salts – An example of exposure through consumer choice and of interstudy methodological discrepancies

Microplastics are contaminants of emerging concern, not least due to their global presence in marine surface waters. Unsurprisingly, microplastics have been reported in salts harvested from numerous locations. We extracted microplastics from 13 European sea salts through 30% H2O2 digestion and filtration over 5-µm filters. Filters were visually inspected at magnifications to x100. A subsample of potential microplastics was subjected to Raman spectroscopy. Particle mass was estimated, and human dose exposure calculated. After blank corrections, median concentrations were 466 ± 152 microplastics kg-1 ranging from 74 to 1155 items kg-1. Traditionally harvested salts contained fewer microplastics than most industrially harvested ones (t-test, p < 0.01). Approximately 14 µg of microplastics (< 12 particles) may be absorbed by the human body annually, of which a quarter may derive from a consumer choosing sea salt. We reviewed existing studies, showing that targeting different particle sizes and incomplete filtrations hinder interstudy comparison, indicating the importance of method harmonisation for future studies. Excess salt consumption is detrimental to human health; the hazardousness of ingesting microplastics on the other hand has yet to be shown. A portion of microplastics may enter sea salts through production processes rather than source materials.

The effect of extended shift work on autonomic function in occupational settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

To examine the effect of 24-h shift work on autonomic nervous system function via heart rate variability (HRV) methodologies. Electronic databases (indexed in either PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, or OpenDissertations) were searched from January 1964 to March 2023. A modified Downs and Black checklist was used for assessing methodological quality and the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Study design, study population, study sample, shift work description, and assessment of HRV metrics and methods were extracted from each study. A total of 58 478 study articles were identified, of which 12 articles met inclusion criteria. Sample sizes varied from eight to 60 participants, with the ratio of low- to high-frequency HRV (LF/HF) as the most common frequency-domain variable reported. Of the nine included studies that observed LF/HF, three (33.3%) demonstrated a significant increase after 24-h shift work. Moreover, of the five studies that reported HF, two (40%) noted a significant decrease after 24-h shift work. When observing risk of bias, two (16.6%) studies were low quality, five (41.7%) were moderate quality, and five (41.7%) were high quality. There were inconsistent findings demonstrating an effect of 24-h shift work on autonomic function, with a suggested shift away from parasympathetic dominance. Discrepancies in HRV methodologies, such as the duration of recordings and hardware used for measurement, may have contributed to the disparity in findings. In addition, differences in roles and responsibilities across occupations may explain the incongruence in findings across studies.

A Qualitative Perspective on the Status of the Master's Thesis in Higher education - A Commentary on 'Social Normativity of Research Methods and the Methodological Discrepancy Between Mainstream Psychological Research and Danish Psychology Students' Master's Thesis Projects'.

In this paper, the findings and conclusions from a previous study concerning Danish psychology students' Master thesis projects are discussed. By conducting eight qualitative semi-structured interviews with nine psychology students, shortly after they had handed in their Master's theses, we attempted to uncover and challenge some of our previous findings. We set out to deepen our previous conclusions concerning (1) why there is a seeming discrepancy between the use of certain methods and theories amongst the students and psychology as a discipline writ large, (2) whether their use of qualitative methods indicated a routine-like relationship to methods, and (3) whether a unification of methods and theories can be identified. Based on the interviews conducted for this commentary, we conclude that the students do indeed take an active stance when it comes to choosing their methods and topics, and that they are fully aware of the discrepancy between their interests and psychology as a discipline.

A systematic review of orthographic learning via self-teaching

Orthographic learning is the process that supports children in becoming skilled word readers. How orthographic learning occurs has been one of the central questions in the scientific studies of reading. The present systematic review focuses on experimental studies of orthographic learning via self-teaching. It explains and discusses the universality and specificity of the Self-Teaching Hypothesis concerning written word learning among young children. To advance the Self-Teaching Hypothesis with existing empirical evidence, methodologies and critical findings on the roles of phonological recoding, context, and word property are reviewed and analyzed systematically across target languages and types of learners. Sixty-two experimental studies from 45 articles (1995–2022) were included in the current analysis. Ample discrepancies in methodologies exist across studies. Across writing systems, language-specific word properties affect children’s self-teaching outcomes, yet evidence consistently suggests that the presence of phonological recoding supports self-teaching. Enhanced phonological recoding improves orthographic learning, whereas reduced phonological recoding hinders orthographic learning. In contrast, findings on the effect of meaningful context are mixed. Our findings advance the original Self-Teaching Hypothesis, reveal the gaps in the self-teaching research, and point out new directions for future work. Our findings also inform educational practices for enhancing written word learning.

The effects of fatigue on perceptual-cognitive performance among open-skill sport athletes: A scoping review

ABSTRACT Perceptual-cognitive performance is fundamental for the anticipation and decision-making demands of open-skill sports but may be disrupted by fatigue. This scoping review aimed to describe what is known about the effects of fatigue on perceptual-cognitive performance among open-skill sport athletes. Six databases were systematically searched. Articles were included if they involved open-skill sport athletes, a perceptual-cognitive task assessed on two or more occasions, and induction of acute fatigue confirmed by a manipulation check. Sixty-seven studies, chapters, and reviews were included. In 51% of studies, fatigue was induced through physical exertion, with the rest by mental exertion (27%), or a combination of physical and mental exertion (22%). Only 35% of studies involved sport-specific exertion to induce fatigue, and 29% included measures of participants’ subjective ratings that confirmed the presence of fatigue. Forty-seven percent of perceptual-cognitive tasks were sport-specific, and just 19% assessed perceptual-cognitive performance simultaneous to the fatigue-inducing exertion. Negative, positive, and no effects of fatigue on perceptual-cognitive performance were reported, and these equivocal findings may be attributable to methodological discrepancies between studies. Future research should include more sport-specific designs, as well as stressors other than fatigue, such as environmental and psychosocial stressors.

MHC II – EGFP knock-in mouse model is a suitable tool for systems and quantitative immunology

Immunology is a rapidly evolving field of research with sophisticated models and methods. However, detailed data on total immune cell counts and population distributions remain surprisingly scarce. Nevertheless, recently established quantitative approaches could help us understand the overall complexity of the immune system. Here, we studied a major histocompatibility complexclass II – enhanced green fluorescent protein knock-in mouse model to precisely identify and manipulate lymphoid structures. By combining flow cytometry with light sheet microscopy, we quantified MHC II+ populations of the small intestine and associated individual mesenteric lymph nodes, with 36.7 × 106 cells in lamina propria, 3.0 × 105 cells in scattered lymphoid tissue and 1.1 × 106 cells in Peyer's patches. In addition to these whole-organ cell counts, we assessed approximately 1 × 106 total villi in the small intestine and 450 scattered lymphoid tissue follicles. By direct noninvasive microscopic observation of a naturally fully translucent mouse organ, the cornea, we quantified 12 ± 4 and 35 ± 7 cells/mm2 Langerhans- and macrophage-like populations, respectively. Ultimately, our findings show that flow cytometry with quantitative imaging data analysis enables us to avoid methodological discrepancies while gaining new insights into the relevance of organ-specific quantitative approaches for immunology.

Sodium Nitrite Intoxication and Death: Summarizing Evidence to Facilitate Diagnosis.

Over the years, forensic pathology has registered the spread of new methods of suicide, such as the ingestion of sodium nitrite. Sodium nitrite causes increased methemoglobin, resulting in systemic hypoxia, metabolic acidosis, and cyanosis. Since sodium nitrite is a preservative, the ingestion of foods containing an excessive amount of this substance can also cause acute intoxication up to death. The present review is aimed at guiding health professionals in the identification and management of sodium-nitrite-related intoxications and deaths. A systematic literature search was carried out on PubMed by following the PRISMA statement's criteria. A total of 35 studies with 132 cases were enrolled, and the data were cataloged in Microsoft Excel. To establish the causal correlation between sodium nitrite ingestion and death, the Naranjo Adverse Drug Reaction Probability Scale was used. In addition to the small number of cases that have currently been published, the study demonstrated that there was a general methodological discrepancy in the diagnostic process. However, some interesting results have emerged, especially in post-mortem diagnostics. Sodium-nitrite-related deaths represent a challenge for forensic pathologists; therefore, it is important to promptly recognize the essential features and perform the necessary and unrepeatable examinations for the correct diagnosis of the cause of death.

The Psychiatric Consequences of Long-COVID: A Scoping Review

The COVID-19 pandemic has represented a new form of traumatic event, affecting the general population worldwide and causing severe disruption of daily routine. A new urgent concern is related to the burden associated with COVID-19 symptoms that persist beyond the onset of infection, the so-called long-COVID syndrome. The present paper aims to: (1) describe the most frequent psychiatric symptoms reported by patients affected by long-COVID syndrome; (2) evaluate methodological discrepancies among the available studies; (3) inform clinicians and policy-makers on the possible strategies to be promoted in order to manage the psychiatric consequences of long-COVID syndrome. Twenty-one papers have been included in the present review, mostly with a cross-sectional or cohort design. Significant heterogeneity of long-COVID syndrome definitions was found. The presence of psychiatric symptoms was evaluated with very different assessment tools. The most common psychiatric symptoms of the long-COVID syndrome included fatigue, cognitive disturbances/impairment, depression, and anxiety symptoms. The rate of fatigue varied from 93.2-82.3% to 11.5%, cognitive impairment/cognitive dysfunction from 61.4% to 23.5% and depressive-anxiety symptoms from 23.5%to 9.5%.

Outcome of transurethral resection of bladder tumour under spinal anaesthesia combined with obturator nerve block.

Regional differences in thyroid hormones are noted, especially during pregnancy. Establish reference values for thyroid function tests for Sri Lankan pregnant women and to determine their comparability with regional data; and determine the prevalence of 2. Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) antibody positivity and 3. Iodine deficiency among pregnant women with uncomplicated clinical history. A cross-sectional study conducted in antenatal clinics of a tertiary care maternity center recruited a minimum of 56 women in each trimester in a multistep approach to derive an "ideal-reference population"; Participants with clinically manifested thyroid disease, followed by subjects with sonographically abnormal thyroids and finally those at high risk for thyroid disease as shown by positive TPO levels and urine iodine deficiency were excluded in sequence. Thyroid hormones were measured by chemiluminescence in the ideal reference population. Reference ranges were derived using median and 5th and 95th centiles. Final sample included 369 women. TSH reference ranges of the first (n=64), second (n=188) and third (n=117) trimesters were 0.014-2.77mIU/L, 0.31-3.2 mIU/L and 0.34-3.4 mIU/L, respectively. TPO antibody level showed a weak but significant correlation with TSH (r=0.10,p 0.021) in the final sample. No significant association was found between urine iodine and thyroid function tests. TSH reference ranges observed in this study are concordant with the Caucasian reference values more than the regional values. Discrepancies in study methodology, defining and selection of reference population and methods employed in measuring thyroid hormones in different studies may have accounted for these differences.

Food taboos during pregnancy: meta-analysis on cross cultural differences suggests specific, diet-related pressures on childbirth among agriculturalists.

Pregnancy is the most delicate stage of human life history as well as a common target of food taboos across cultures. Despite puzzling evidence that many pregnant women across the world reduce their intake of nutritious foods to accomplish cultural norms, no study has provided statistical analysis of cross-cultural variation in food taboos during pregnancy. Moreover, antenatal practices among forager and agriculturalists have never been compared, despite subsistence mode being known to affect staple foods and lifestyle directly. This gap hinders to us from understanding the overall threats attributed to pregnancy, and their perceived nutritional causes around the world. The present study constitutes the first cross-cultural meta-analysis on food taboos during pregnancy. We examined thirty-two articles on dietary antenatal restrictions among agricultural and non-agricultural societies, in order to: (i) identify cross-culturally targeted animal, plant and miscellaneous foods; (ii) define major clusters of taboo focus; (iii) test the hypothesis that food types and clusters of focus distribute differently between agricultural and non-agricultural taboos; and (iv) test the hypothesis that food types distribute differently across the clusters of taboo focus. All data were analysed in SPSS and RStudio using chi-squared tests and Fisher’s exact tests. We detected a gradient in taboo focus that ranged from no direct physiological interest to the fear of varied physiological complications to a very specific concern over increased birth weight and difficult delivery. Non-agricultural taboos were more likely to target non-domesticated animal foods and to be justified by concerns not directly linked to the physiological sphere, whereas agricultural taboos tended to targed more cultivated and processed products and showed a stronger association with concerns over increased birth weight. Despite some methodological discrepancies in the existing literature on food taboos during pregnancy, our results illustrate that such cultural traits are useful for detecting perception of biological pressures on reproduction across cultures. Indeed, the widespread concern over birth weight and carbohydrate rich foods overlaps with clinical evidence that obstructed labor is a major threat to maternal life in Africa, Asia and Eurasia. Furthermore, asymmetry in the frequency of such concern across subsistence modes aligns with the evolutionary perspective that agriculture may have exacerbated delivery complications. This study highlights the need for the improved understanding of dietary behaviors during pregnancy across the world, addressing the role of obstructed labor as a key point of convergence between clinical, evolutionary and cultural issues in human behavior.

Comparison of Existing Methods for Characterizing Bi-Linear Natural Ankle Quasi-Stiffness.

Natural ankle quasi-stiffness (NAS) is a mechanical property of the ankle joint during dynamic motion. NAS has been historically calculated as the average slope (linear regression) of the net ankle moment versus ankle angle during discrete phases of stance. However, recent work has shown that NAS is nonlinear during the stance phase. Specifically, during the loading phase of stance (∼10 to 60% of total stance), plantarflexion moment increases at an accelerating rate compared to dorsiflexion angle. Updated models have been developed to better capture this inherent nonlinearity. One type of model called bi-linear NAS (BL-NAS) divides the loading phase of stance into two subphases, called early loading (EL) and late loading (LL) NAS. Two papers, written by Crenna and Frigo (2011, "Dynamics of the Ankle Joint Analyzed Through Moment-Angle Loops During Human Walking: Gender and Age Effects," Hum. Mov. Sci., 30(6), pp. 1185-1198) and Shamaei et al. (2013, "Estimation of Quasi-Stiffness and Propulsive Work of the Human Ankle in the Stance Phase of Walking," PLoS One, 8(3), p. e59935), outline different BL-NAS models. Both models fit measured data better (lower root-mean-squared error (RMSE)) than standard single linear NAS (SL-NAS) models but have not been widely adopted, possibly because of methodological discrepancies and lack of applicability to physical devices at the time. This paper compares and contrasts these existing BL-NAS models and translates those findings to possible orthotic device designs. Results showed that both BL-NAS models had lower RMSE than SL-NAS, EL-NAS was not significantly different across walking speeds, and LL-NAS increased significantly at faster walking speeds. These improved models of NAS much better approximate natural human movement than commonly used SL-NAS models, and thus provide a basis to design ankle-foot devices with multiple stiffness properties to emulate and facilitate natural human motion.

Towards a practical methodology for assessment of the objective occlusion effect induced by earplugs.

The occlusion effect (OE) occurs when the earcanal becomes occluded by an in-ear device, sometimes leading to discomforts experienced by the users due to the augmented perception of physiological noises, or to a distorted perception of one's own voice. The OE can be assessed objectively by measuring the amplification of the low-frequency sound pressure level (SPL) in the earcanal using in-ear microphones. However, as revealed by methodological discrepancies found in past studies, the measurement of this objective occlusion effect (OEobj) is not standardized. With the goal of proposing a robust yet simple methodology adapted for field assessment, three experimental aspects are investigated: (i) stimulation source and the stimulus's characteristics to induce the phenomenon, (ii) measurement method of the SPL in earcanal, (iii) indicator to quantify the OEobj. To do so, OEobj is measured on human participants in laboratory conditions. Results obtained with a specific insert device suggest using the participant's own voice combined with simultaneous measurements of the SPLs based on the noise reduction method and using a single value indicator leads to a simple yet robust methodology to assess OEobj. Further research is necessary to validate the results with other devices and to generalize the methodology for field assessment.

Cyclists’ exposure to air and noise pollution, comparative approach in seven cities

Cyclists’ exposure to air and noise pollution is a growing field of study. A situation of transport injustice has been largely documented, showing that cyclists are more exposed than other road users to pollutions they do not produce themselves. Modeling cyclists’ exposures became an important issue to understand how to reduce them and how to include that issue in planning. However, many gaps are currently characterizing the field of cyclists’ exposure modeling studies: methodological discrepancy, few comparison analyses, cities in the Global South and noise exposure are both under-studied. This study fits in these gaps by proposing a comparative analysis of seven cities (Paris, Lyon, Copenhagen, Delhi, Mumbai, Montreal and Toronto) considering both noise and exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and applying a uniform methodology allowing for comparison and generalization of the results. The built models are critically analyzed, and used to map cyclists’ exposure. These maps of relative potential exposure provide interesting perspectives for planning at both the regional and local levels. We found a weak correlation between cyclists’ exposure to environmental noise and NO2. Noise depends more on characteristics of the micro-scale environment in which exposure occurs than NO2. Thus, planning to reduce cyclists’ exposure to noise can have significant effects. For NO2, the micro-scale environment only has a significant impact in Mumbai and Delhi. However, our results suggest that it might be difficult to systematically combine several dimensions of the quality of a bicycle network such as straightness, connectivity, safety, and reduced air and noise exposure.

Metamorphosis of neutrophil transcriptional programme during Leishmania infection.

The role of neutrophils in the course of Leishmania infection remains controversial, displaying tremendous variability depending on the species of parasite, stage of infection, host genetic background, and methodological discrepancies among studies. Although neutrophils have long been categorized as short-lived cells with limited capacity to express proteins de novo, recent advances have revealed significant plasticity in neutrophil transcriptional programmes and intrapopulation heterogeneity, which can be regulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors that together determine the profile of neutrophil effector response. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of neutrophil transcriptional plasticity, neutrotime, evidence of Leishmania-mediated alterations in neutrophil transcriptome leading to the rise of subpopulations, and finally, functional implications of those findings to the course of Leishmania infection.

Mobile learning and communication: educational change?; a systematic review

PurposeThe authors of this research present a study on Mmobile learning (ML) and the communication processes that are generated in different educational and professional contexts through a systematic review.Design/methodology/approachThis is descriptive research that analyzes a total of 201 results present in Web of Science and SCOPUS, with the criteria established by the PRISMA protocol, giving special relevance to the following categories: country of origin, date of publication, main objectives, methodological design, variables analyzed and considered, size and details of the samples; and their respective scientific contributions in relation to their area of research.FindingsThe results show significant methodological discrepancies with respect to the established criteria. Five blocks of action are apparent: technical issues, influence on learning, impact on satisfaction and motivation, impact on communicative processes and new forms of interaction.Originality/valueThe value of this research lies on offering a critical view based on an in-depth analysis of the existing scientific production between ML and communication in education.

Learning research in a laboratory classroom: a reflection on complementarity and commensurability among multiple analytical accounts

With the myriad theories generated through research over the years, a continuing challenge for researchers is to navigate the multitude of theories in order to communicate their research, integrate empirical results, and make progress as a field by building upon empirical research. The Social Unit of Learning project was purposefully designed so that researchers from multiple disciplines with different theoretical perspectives could work together to examine the complexity of the mathematics classroom. In this paper, we reflect on the multiple analytical accounts generated from the project, drawing from the notions of complementarity and commensurability. Two parallel analyses, applying the commognitive framework and the theory of representations respectively, are used as illustrative examples for discussion regarding complementarity and commensurability. The paper addresses two focal questions, as follows: in what ways do divergence or contradiction in incommensurable analytical accounts reflect methodological discrepancies or fundamental differences in the underpinning theories? Furthermore, in what ways do the accounts generated by the parallel analyses predicated on different theories lead to differences in instructional advocacy? The answers to these questions provide empirically-grounded insights into the consideration of incommensurability in educational research, and suggest ways in which researchers and practitioners might apply the notion of complementarity to reconcile or exploit incommensurable analytical accounts that have resulted in different instructional advocacies.

Developing Nutrition Knowledge and Attitude Measures for Athletes With the Knowledge–Attitude–Behavior Model

ABSTRACT Purpose: Nutrition education programmes are often created to improve dietary intake in athletes. Unfortunately, the inconsistent link between nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior suggests that nutrition knowledge may not be a key influencer of dietary behavior. The Knowledge–Attitude–Behavior (KAB) model has been used in nutrition education although studies that evaluated this model were largely compromised by poorly constructed instruments and methodological discrepancies. Method: To improve understanding of the model, a Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire (NKQ) and Athlete’s Perspective on Nutrition (APN) instrument was developed using the theory of planned behavior as its theoretical framework. Validity and reliability were examined for 193 Sports Science students and 11 elite netballers. Content and face validity of the 48-item NKQ was confirmed by expert sport dietitians. Discriminant validity of the NKQ and factorial validity of the APN was established. Both instruments demonstrated acceptable internal consistency and good test-retest reliability. The final instruments were administered to elite athletes in a pilot study to understand the KAB model. Results: Correlation between nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior was significant (r = .811, p = .01). Nutrition knowledge was a positive predictor of netballers’ dietary behavior (β = .8, t(2) = 3.899, p = .005) but attitude was not (β = −.097, t(2) = −.471, p = .65). Conclusion: Two psychometrically sound instruments developed in this study can be used to measure nutrition knowledge and attitude in an Asian group of athletes. The pilot study with athletes showed that nutrition knowledge predicted dietary behavior.

On Qualification of the Phenomenon of Hybridism of the Use of Force and the Problem of Interference in Internal Affairs of a State

The purpose of this article is to eliminate methodological discrepancies in the definition of the problem of “hybrid” use of force and the possibility of using this construct when interfering in the internal affairs of states. In any conflict situation, the behavior of states in moving towards their national goals can be explained through how they do combine and synchronize (as it is often defined at the present time — «hybrid») the use of means of compellence and coercion available to them. In general, conceptually «hybrid war» can be described as “the synchronized use of multiple instruments of national power, specially selected to obtain mutually reinforcing effects on specific vulnerabilities across the entire spectrum of social processes. The substance of the modern security environment has led to an increase in the number of areas of conflict of interests of actors, the complexity and dynamism of conflicts, and the unpredictability of their outcomes. The formation of the practice of attribution of international responsibility, and the development of the international institutions supporting it, took place gradually and, ultimately, led to such a development of the international security environment, which made an appeal to «hybridity» to promote national interests in the process of political competition of social groups or individuals with divergent interests for power inevitable. The problem of terminology is one of the main obstacles to a clear understanding of the operation of the «hybridity» construct in political competition. The active use of the definition «hybrid» by propaganda in combination with the terms «war», «threats», «hostilities in the gray zone», «operations», «tactics», «competition does not turn into a state of war» political discourse, since these terms are almost never linked to the definition of the desired state of international relations by the state leadership. And if we are talking about the outcome of the collision of interests of actors in competition or conflict, then this desired result is «historically» defined by the term «victory». Thus, the definition of the substance of «victory» is a necessary initial point to onset analyzing the possibilities of turning to any of the instruments of national power in a «hybrid» confrontation.