Main Message Research Articles

The role of variant anatomy in neurosurgery

Variants of atypical structure and location of anatomical structures always complicate the course of surgical access and admission and are often the causes of surgical errors and complications. This article presents an overview of some features of variant anatomy in areas of interest to neurosurgeons, including those leading to the development of intraoperative problems and postoperative neurological deficits.The main message of the article is not only that neurosurgeons should plan surgery taking into account individual anatomical variability starting with the shape of the skull, but also that in cases of adverse perioperative events, atypical anatomy should be taken into account as an objective risk factor and have a mitigating value in the evaluation of the neurosurgeon’s performance.The aim of this paper is to present and analyse scientific publications on variant anatomy, determining its role in the development of surgical errors and complications in neurosurgery.

Christianity in North America

“Diversity” predominates as the main message of the book Christianity in North America, the seventh in a series from Edinburgh University Press on Christianity in the world’s regions. It includes extensive demographic data from the World Christian Database (Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary), twenty-nine chapters on US regions, ethnic groups, ecclesiastical traditions, and specific themes (such as Faith and Culture, Theology, Immigration and Xenophobia, Media)—with some of these chapters including comparisons with the material presented in the six chapters devoted to Canada, St. Pierre and Miquelon, Greenland, and Bermuda. Reckoning with a history of White oppression of Natives and Blacks features prominently in many of the chapters.

A collaborative endeavour to integrate leadership and person-centred ethics: a focus group study on experiences from developing and realising an educational programme to support the transition towards person-centred care

BackgroundEnsuring the transition towards person-centred care is a growing focus in health and social care systems globally. Presented as an ethical framework for health and social care professionals, such a transition requires strong leadership and organisational changes. However, there is limited guidance available on how to assist health and social care leaders in promoting person-centred practices. In response to this, the Swedish Association of Health Professionals and the University of Gothenburg Centre for Person-Centred Care collaborated to develop an educational programme on person-centred leadership targeting health and social care leaders to support the transition towards person-centred care in Sweden. The aim with this study was to explore programme management members’ experiences from the development and realisation of the programme.MethodsFocus group discussions were conducted, involving 12 members of the programme management team. Data from the discussions were analysed using a structured approach with emphasis the collaborative generation of knowledge through participant interaction.ResultsThe analysis visualises the preparations and actions involved in programme development and realisation as a collaborative endeavour, aimed at integrating leadership and person-centred ethics in a joint learning process. Participants described the programme as an ongoing exploration, extending beyond its formal duration. Leadership was thoughtfully interwoven with person-centred ethics throughout the programme, encompassing both the pedagogical approach and programme curriculum, to provide leaders with tangible tools for their daily use.ConclusionsAccording to our analysis, we conclude that a person-centred approach to both development and realisation of educational initiatives to support person-centred leadership is essential for programme enhancement and daily implementation of person-centred leadership. Our main message is that educational initiatives on the application of person-centred ethics is an ongoing and collaborative process, characterised by an exchange of ideas and collective efforts.

მედია როგორც ხელოვნება და ხელოვნება როგორც მედია (ჟურნალები: „თეატრი“, „არილი“, „Art in America“, „ARTFORUM“)

Media and culture, two influential and important spheres of public life, have a long history of coexistence. There is no media art and no art without media. It is especially important to research the forms of impact on the formation of public consciousness in these areas, as well as the results. British media theorist Dennis McQuail in his work Journalism and Society notes that all theories that study the relationship between media, culture, and society, despite conceptual differences, agree that the media can serve to liberate and unify society, as well as to fragment and divide it – both development, advancement and retreat. Despite a kind of indeterminacy, the media, which shapes and reflects society, is the main message about society. (McQuail, 1992) Culture and art are a fundamental part of public life, which creates values, develops and strengthens public relations, together with the media, forms public consciousness. “Political confrontations and wars do not cause a cultural crisis, but, on the contrary, incompatibility, aggression and wars are the result of a cultural crisis” - this conclusion of European researchers is a kind of postulate, which says everything about the role of culture in the process of improving society.

Abstract 2159: Testing of an educational tool kit for the Community Genetic Navigation Engagement Specialists, COGENES, Training Program

Abstract Introduction: There is a lack of culturally sensitive materials to educate the Hispanic/Latino/a/x (H/L) community on colorectal cancer (CRC), which is the second and third leading cause of cancer deaths among H/L men and women in the United States, respectively. For these reasons, an Educational Tool Kit was created for the Community Genetic Navigation Specialists (CoGENEs) program at the Center for Optimizing Engagement of Hispanic Colorectal Cancer Patients in Cancer Genomic Characterization Studies (COPECC) at the University of Southern California (USC). CoGENES is a train the trainer program geared towards the development of a local workforce of trained community engagement specialists, promotores de salud (community health workers) that will act as liaison agents to increase knowledge and create community awareness on genetic research, clinical genetic testing, counseling, biospecimen donation and participation in clinical trials for H/Ls CRC patients, and community at large. Methods: The Tool Kit consisted of a newly developed educational handbook focused on CRC prevention, genetics, counseling, tumor testing, and patient navigation, as well as existing materials with resources for CRC and counseling. To test the handbook, five focus groups in Spanish/English were conducted with 44 participants, recruited via community agencies/clinics serving Los Angeles. Optimization probes focused on readability, knowledge, acceptability, barriers, and recommended changes. Content analysis was conducted with focus group transcripts to inform how to optimize the handbook. A Materials Review Optimization Scorecard was developed to evaluate materials on content, literacy, graphics, layout and typography, learning, stimulation and motivation, and cultural and language appropriateness. Fifteen pieces in the handbook were each rated by three community health workers. A final suitability score was calculated for each piece. Results: Overall, the materials were well received, and participants understood the overall main message of the materials. Feedback included refining terminology, providing additional headings and subtitles, and clarifying images to optimize the illustration of mutations. Final suitability scores from community health educators ranged from 80 to 99% for all materials, translating into “superior materials.” Conclusion: Overall materials were well received, and they were rated as “superior materials.” Participants’ feedback from CoGENES is shared with the Engagement Optimization Unit (EOU) and Patient Engagement Unit (PEU) to optimize ongoing education and research at COPECC. The MR-OS tool will be shared with other PEU’s at other center’s to encourage it use when developing educational materials. Citation Format: Yaneth L. Rodriguez, Janet Rodriguez, Charité Ricker, Julie Culver, Daisy Hernandez, Natalia Guierrez, Yvonne Cardona, Rosa Barahona, Bianca Rosales, Mariana Stern, Lourdes A. Baezconde-Garbanati. Testing of an educational tool kit for the Community Genetic Navigation Engagement Specialists, COGENES, Training Program [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2159.

Сommunicative Discourse of Tattvasaṅgrāha by Śāntarakṣita

The study provides an insight into the structural features of the famous VIII century Buddhist treatise Tattvasaṅgrāha by Śāntarakṣita with regard to the text’s main purpose ( prayojana ) as it is treated in Kamalaśīla’s commentary Pañjikā . Any text along with its referential (representational) function of conveying message - meaning to the addressee, or its expressive function, reflecting the author's attitude to what is communicated, also performs the ‘appellative’ function, encouraging the recipient of the message to act. This function which could also be called praxiological was always significant in Indian text culture, since from the times of Veda-s it was embedded in its very core. This function is of paramount importance in the case of Indian religious and philosophical texts, whose main aim is to convince and transform the consciousness of their percipients. Along with linear models of message transfer, Sanskrit texts could demonstrate non-linear semantic structures, transmitting the main idea of the text indirectly. It is exactly how one should perceive the message of Śāntarakṣita’s Tattvasaṅgrāha according to the suggested by Śāntarakṣita’s prominent student Kamalaśīla in his Pañjikā -commentary to the treatise. He proposes to consider Tattvasaṅgrāha not as a thematically heterogeneous encyclopaedic or doxographic work, whose main objective is to refute different non-Buddhist views (as it is often treated by scholars now), but as a text, which by its very design exposes one of the most important Buddhist principles - the law of the dependent origination ( pratītyasamutpāda ). The themes, discussed in a number of the chapters of Tattvasaṅgrāha, indeed, appear to have direct correlation with the characteristics of pratītyasamutpāda given to it in Śālistamba-sūtra - an early Mahāyāna text, which explains this universal law. Kamalaśīla suggests looking at Tattvasaṅgrāha as at one big unit-sentence - mahāvākya , with the exposition of pratītyasamutpāda as its unitary purpose-meaning ( abhidheya ). In this context, the treatise functions as a praxiological tool for the ‘installing’ into the consciousness of the text’s addressee the knowledge of ‘true principles’ (tattva-s) of pratītyasamutpāda . This interpretation of the main message of the text raises also a question of the adequate translation of the name of the treatise into other languages, because, according to Kamalaśīla, ‘ Tattvasaṅgrāha’ means the ‘Assembly of Principles-(tattva’-s)’ which specify precisely pratītyasamutpāda (pratītyasamutpāda-viśeṣaṇāni tattvāni).

Analisis Unsur Intrinsik Dalam Komik Lookism Karya Park Tae-Jun

The comic "Lookism," is a narrative that follows the journey of Park Hyung Seok, a teenager who experiences bullying because of his appearance. His decision to change houses and schools brings about a drastic transformation when he wakes up with a perfect new body. Despite gaining a popular social life at a new school, Park Hyung Seok is still faced with the challenge of adapting to changes in his body and environment. The uniqueness of this story lies in the ability to return to one's original body, reminding that physical appearance is not everything. The main message of "Lookism" is the importance of self-acceptance and the realization that success in life does not only depend on appearance, but also on personality and abilities. This comic illustrates that every change brings new adventures. Life is a journey full of mysteries and challenges that shape a person's character. The comic "Lookism" teaches that true happiness and success in life lies in self-acceptance and the development of true personality and abilities.

Bubble economics

This article provides a self-contained overview of the theory of rational asset price bubbles. We cover topics from basic definitions, properties, and classical results to frontier research, with an emphasis on bubbles attached to real assets such as stocks, housing, and land. The main message is that bubbles attached to real assets are fundamentally nonstationary phenomena related to unbalanced growth. We present a bare-bones model and draw three new insights: (i) the emergence of asset price bubbles is a necessity, instead of a possibility; (ii) asset pricing implications are markedly different between balanced growth of stationary nature and unbalanced growth of nonstationary nature; and (iii) asset price bubbles occur within larger historical trends involving shifts in industrial structure driven by technological innovation, including the transition from the Malthusian economy to the modern economy.

Постклассическая трансформация онтологии уголовного права и необходимость ее институционального переосмысления

The article examines crisis phenomena of a social and legal nature in the functional and substantive foundations of objective criminal law, which occurred in the post-classical period, which are associated with the unreasonable expansion of coercive methods in the system of positive regulation of social relations, and in criminal law — with the loss of exceptional certainty and criminal law dimensions in the policy of recognizing what should be criminal and punishable. The need to eliminate the state of exceptional uncertainty and emergency in criminal and judicial policy is the main message of this narrative.

Investigating adolescents’ historical reasoning skills when analyzing and interpreting an image

This study investigated adolescents’ (secondary school students, N = 145, M age 13.9 years) historical reasoning skills when analyzing and interpreting an image. Presumably, historical reasoning can be fostered when engaging in inquiry-based writing. However, in past research using inquiry-based writing tasks, textual sources rather than images prevailed. The present research investigated students’ writing skills when interpreting a historical image. Participants were presented with a historical photograph and were asked to write a structured text about their analysis and interpretation of this image. A scoring rubric was developed to assess the quality of students’ historical reasoning skills, specifically: (1) asking and answering historical questions, (2) reasoning about images, and (3) reasoning with images. Findings show that the factor structure of the scoring rubric largely overlaps with theoretically distinguished components of historical reasoning. Students were able to ask historical questions and write a well-structured text. However, most students did not describe and analyze the source of the image and did not refer to the main message of the image. Further, many students could not identify the image’s relevance for the present. Importantly, the findings imply that students’ methodological competencies to critically analyze and interpret the used image were not elaborated. Possibly, they do not receive sufficient training addressing these skills. This seems problematic, not only in history education but also when deriving meaning from images in everyday life.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Alzheimer's Studies.

In this chapter, we describe the use of quantitative metrics of white matter obtained from the diffusion tensor model based on diffusion-weighted imaging in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our description synthesizes insights not only frompatient populations with AD dementia but also from participants at risk for AD dementia (e.g., amnestic mild cognitive impairment, subjective cognitive decline, or familial AD mutation carriers). A reference to studies examining correlations with behavioral variables is also included. Our main message is to caution against the overinterpretation of diffusion metrics and to favor analyses that focus on regions of interest or major white matter tracts for biomarker studies in AD.

"Being Simple on Complex Issues" - Accounts on Visual Data Communication about Climate Change.

Data visualizations play a critical role in both communicating scientific evidence about climate change and in stimulating engagement and action. To investigate how visualizations can be better utilized to communicate the complexities of climate change to different audiences, we conducted interviews with 17 experts in the fields of climate change, data visualization, and science communication, as well as with 12 laypersons. Besides questions about climate change communication and various aspects of data visualizations, we also asked participants to share what they think is the main takeaway message for two exemplary climate change data visualizations. Through a thematic analysis, we observe differences regarding the included contents, the length and abstraction of messages, and the sensemaking process between and among the participant groups. On average, experts formulated shorter and more abstract messages, often referring to higher-level conclusions rather than specific details. We use our findings to reflect on design decisions for creating more effective visualizations, particularly in news media sources geared toward lay audiences. We hereby discuss the adaption of contents according to the needs of the audience, the trade-off between simplification and accuracy, as well as techniques to make a visualization attractive.

Duchowość jako ścieżka odnowy według Stanisława Hadyny

<p>Stanisław Hadyna was a versatile artist – he composed music, gave concerts on the piano, created theatre plays, and authored plenty of books. In the collective conscience, however, he remains the founder of the band “Śląsk”, which now bears his name. The aim of the article is to present his interests in spirituality, which were related to concepts of renewal – of man and the world. In Stanisław Hadyna’s search for spirituality he combined two visions of reality, which at first glance seem irreconcilable. The foundation of the first was the mythology of childhood, containing stories about happy times and glorified nature. The second vision, on the other hand, led to the darkness of a world devastated by wars and totalitarianism, where gloomy cities and machines reign; people forget about the most important values, and survival turns out to be virtually impossible. Both images, however, are integrated by a myth that combines the story of an idyllic beginning with the tragedy of the characters who are looking for freedom, despite everything that happens around them. Creating a new world, as if against all odds, also became the main message of his work in “Śląsk”.</p>

Increasing the effectiveness of anti-corruption as a condition for ensuring national security

The presented article, based on the identification of the multifaceted impact of corruption manifestations on the parameters of national security, identifies areas for improving the effectiveness of measures aimed at leveling the threats produced by this negative phenomenon. The subject of the study is a set of forms and methods of strategic anti-corruption used in the activities of public authorities of the Russian Federation, which is ensured by using methods of systemic, structural, comparative legal, historical and genetic analysis. The main message of the article is to substantiate the close relationship between the processes of ensuring national and public security in the context of countering corruption threats, which significantly reduce the level of both of these manifestations of security as a complex, multidimensional concept. In this regard, the emphasis is on the need to strengthen public participation in anti-corruption activities. Among the most important manifestations of such participation is the implementation of mechanisms of public anti-corruption control, the effective implementation of which implies the need for the formation of a set of so-called "anti-corruption competencies" among those who carry it out. Based on the analysis, it is stated that one of the most important conditions for ensuring national security is the activation of the role of society as a whole and citizens, in particular, which should be ensured by a well-formed anti-corruption worldview. Persons who must have competencies can be divided into the following two groups: basic competencies, which presuppose the possession of key knowledge, skills to ensure the formation of an anti-corruption worldview, its implementation in one’s life. Professional competencies that allow you to successfully perform functions that are directly related to combating corruption, including as part of the implementation of public anti-corruption control procedures.

From Invisible to Visible: Impacts of Metadata in Communicative Data Visualization.

Leaving the context of visualizations invisible can have negative impacts on understanding and transparency. While common wisdom suggests that recontextualizing visualizations with metadata (e.g., disclosing the data source or instructions for decoding the visualizations' encoding) may counter these effects, the impact remains largely unknown. To fill this gap, we conducted two experiments. In Experiment 1, we explored how chart type, topic, and user goal impacted which categories of metadata participants deemed most relevant. We presented 64 participants with four real-world visualizations. For each visualization, participants were given four goals and selected the type of metadata they most wanted from a set of 18 types. Our results indicated that participants were most interested in metadata which explained the visualization's encoding for goals related to understanding and metadata about the source of the data for assessing trustworthiness. In Experiment 2, we explored how these two types of metadata impact transparency, trustworthiness and persuasiveness, information relevance, and understanding. We asked 144 participants to explain the main message of two pairs of visualizations (one with metadata and one without); rate them on scales of transparency and relevance; and then predict the likelihood that they were selected for a presentation to policymakers. Our results suggested that visualizations with metadata were perceived as more thorough than those without metadata, but similarly relevant, accurate, clear, and complete. Additionally, we found that metadata did not impact the accuracy of the information extracted from visualizations, but may have influenced which information participants remembered as important or interesting.

The ‘Loose Use’ of Figurative Language in Pakistani TEDx Talks A Perspective of Relevance Theory

The current study utilised a qualitative approach to implement thematic analysis of the ‘loose use’ of figurative language in TEDx Talks, focusing on irony, hyperbole, and metaphor, within the framework of Relevance Theory by Wilson and Sperber, which states that the successful interpretation of figurative language depends on its own optimal relevance to the context. Two speeches from TEDx Pakistan, delivered in English, serve as the data sources. This qualitative study attempts to identify whether figurative utterances used in public speaking facilitate an appropriate interpretation of ideas. The study found that metaphor, hyperbole, and irony enhance communication without complicating interpretation. Metaphors connect details to the main message, hyperboles convey emotions vividly, and irony, when used appropriately, maintains meaningful communication. Also, strong implicatures are communicated instantly based on context and speaker attitude. This research suggests that mindful use of figurative language can empower public speakers to connect with audiences more deeply, paving the way for more impactful and memorable communication. There is a wide scope for future research in the public discourse of Pakistani English.

Nation Building and Religion

The leader cult built up around Miklós Horthy, the Regent of Hungary between 1920 and 1944, was one of the leader cults that appeared after World War I as a response to the critical social and political conditions. According to the main message of Horthy’s selectively constructed image, he was the only one who could achieve the national goals and restore the lost national glory. In my paper, I analyze religion, primarily Christianity, as a domain from which the cult-makers selected, (mis)used, and manipulated symbols, elements, and concepts, such as ‘resurrection’, ‘rebirth’, ‘salvation’, ‘the Passion of the Christ’, ‘selectness’, ‘the promised land’, and references to the will of divine providence for justifying the leadership of Horthy. Religious symbols also shaped and strengthened the national identity. It is shown that the traditional churches, because of the cooperation between them and the state, made a significant contribution to strengthening the leader’s legitimacy in this way. This is the reason why the term ‘politicized religion’, introduced by Juan J. Linz, seems appropriate in this context. Naturally, this was a wider phenomenon in Hungary, but the Horthy cult is its striking example.

Revisiting the debate: documenting biodiversity in the age of digital and artificially generated images

Abstract. This study examines the risks associated with relying solely on images for documenting new species records, rediscoveries, taxonomic descriptions, and distribution expansions. We highlight concerns regarding image authenticity, especially in cases where images may be altered, adulterated, or AI (artificial intelligence)-generated, potentially leading to inaccuracies in biodiversity documentation. To illustrate the evolving challenges, we conducted an experiment with 621 participants who assessed nine AI-generated images. Surprisingly, six were deemed authentic, while three raised doubts, highlighting the difficulty in discerning AI-generated content. Our main message emphasizes the critical role of trust in biodiversity documentation, particularly for taxonomy and conservation, and how eroded trust can hinder conservation efforts. Improved communication and collaboration between taxonomists and conservationists are needed, emphasizing scientific integrity. We urge a reevaluation of journal policies concerning data validation, especially in articles relying on images as primary evidence, to preserve the credibility of scientific research amidst technological advancements.

Applying the Boot Camp Translation Method to Increase Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness in the Houston Hispanic/Latino Community

AbstractBackgroundDespite increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), Hispanics/Latinos (H/Ls) continue to be underrepresented in ADRD research. H/Ls comprise over 40% of the population in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area. We engaged Houston H/L middle‐ and older‐age community members through a “Boot Camp Translation” (BCT), a community engaged strategy, to co‐create culturally‐responsive materials on ADRD awareness and risk reduction.MethodTwenty ADRD stakeholder organizations yielded 12 participants 35 y/o and older (Median age: 50 y/o). Participants met in three, 4‐hour virtual sessions and several phone conferences from February to June 2021. After an informative kick‐off session on ADRD clinical manifestations, epidemiology and risk reduction, participants answered these questions throughout the process: 1) main message(s) on AD for the Houston H/L community, 2) targeted audience, and 3) best method(s) to convey the message. After the process, BCT participants were invited to become part of a Community Action Board (CAB).ResultNine adults completed the BCT process. Compared to baseline, participants demonstrated improved subjective understanding and objective knowledge of ADRD at the end of the process. Local messaging centered around brain health to reduce AD stigma, importance of geriatric education for care providers, and self‐care in caregiving. Targeted audiences were the general H/L population across the lifespan, care providers and caregivers. Dissemination strategies focused on family and intergenerational relationships, with imagery and colors reflecting the diversity and vibrancy of the Houston H/L community. Final products included a “telenovela‐style” educational video series, and other graphic/ printed materials. Four of the nine participants remain active in the CAB at one year post BCT.ConclusionBoot Camp Translation is an effective way to build community trust, and design culturally relevant AD messaging. Experience was positive overall; participants developed a sense of ownership of the process, and created an atmosphere of cooperation and solidarity.

Young People’s Recommendations for Accessible, Engaging, and Relevant COVID-19 Research Communication in Australia

Research is often communicated in ways that fail to reach young people. This participatory study explored young people’s recommendations for making COVID-19 research communication accessible, engaging, and relevant for young people in Australia. We held eight online Zoom workshops with nine young people (18–21 years). Participants recommended researchers share their findings on platforms young people already use, particularly social media. Young people were more likely to engage with research communicated by trusted sources, particularly medical professionals. To keep young people engaged, researchers needed to clearly communicate one main message and simplify evidence using audio-visual formats. To make research communication more relevant, young people recommended sharing findings that related to their experiences throughout the pandemic and providing young people with opportunities to shape research communication and provide feedback. Findings suggest there are opportunities to make COVID-19 research communication more accessible, engaging, and relevant for young people by incorporating their ideas.