Methodological Problems Research Articles

Методологические проблемы функционирования современной институциональной экономической теории

в данной статье рассматривается важность корректировки и оценки институтов в контексте современного институционализма, акцентируя внимание на методологических аспектах и проблемах при анализе их функционирования и влияния на экономическую динамику. Авторы анализируют взаимосвязь между институциональными правилами и экономическими процессами, подчеркивая роль институтов в изменении ценовой динамики и возможной институциональной инфляции. Статья предлагает использование одинаковых методов оценки до и после внесения изменений в правила для более точного учета изменений в функциях и затратах. Особое внимание уделяется разработке стратегий минимизации убытков и увеличения общего благополучия через оптимизацию институциональных стратегий. Исследование призвано способствовать уточнению методологических подходов и формулировке конкретных рекомендаций для экономической политики. this article discusses the importance of adjusting and evaluating institutions in the context of modern institutionalism, focusing on methodological aspects and issues when analyzing their functioning and impact on economic dynamics. The study reveals the reasons for the correlation between institutionalization processes and economic trends, which makes it possible to actualize the importance of institutions as a factor in price dynamics and potential institutional inflation. The article proposes the use of the same evaluation methods before and after changes in rules to more accurately account for changes in functions and costs. Special attention is given to developing strategies to minimize losses and increase overall welfare through optimizing institutional strategies. The study aims to contribute to clarifying methodological approaches and formulating specific recommendations for economic policy.

Purpose and objectives of linguo-didactic training in the Military İnstitute

The article deals with Instilling the teaching of the taught foreign language following the linguo-didactic basis­ still remains one of the most important and not properly s­ol­ved problems of modern methodology. Talking about the instillation of speech habits in the specialty language in ­military­ schools the special importance of instilling reading habits in­ students at this stage of training should be noted. It should also be empha­sized that by properly organizing teaching in English here, we create the appropriate conditions for the more effective development of speaking, writing and hearing-understanding skills and habits in the cadets. The main features of conducting training on a metholodogical basis is a progress of informative, creative solution of problems, understanding, analyzing abilities during the learning-teaching process with cadets. This type of teaching can provide interactivity in the process of live communication.

The analysis of economics of industries, inter-industry complexes and regions: In search of general patterns (On the book “System-oriented modeling of the real sector of the Russian mesoeconomy” edited by G. B. Kleiner)

The results of empirical studies of a number of Russian industries and production complexes, based on the methodology of system-oriented modeling and the concept of mesoeconomic systems, are characterized and evaluated. The analysis of theoretical foundations for regulating mesoeconomic systems proposed in the monograph has been carried out. The economic and sociological methodological interpretations of understanding such systems are compared, and the advantages of the first one are substantiated. The unsolved methodological problems of mesoeconomics are formulated.

Asymmetry in Body Composition Variables of Youth Athletes

Assessing bilateral differences in paired anthropometric features is an important methodological problem in sports anthropology. The present study included 128 adolescent female athletes (59 rhythmic gymnasts, 58 tennis players, and 11 swimmers). Body composition components were determined using multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance measurements (analyzer InBody 170). Asymmetry coefficients of muscle and fat mass accumulation in the upper (AA) and lower (AL) limbs were calculated using the Nacheva` equation (1986). The percentiles method was applied to distribute the bilaterally studied anthropometric features according to the mean values of the units of asymmetry (UA). Wilkoxon-test was used to assess the statistically significant differences in paired variables. Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to determine the differences in UA between three assessed athlete groups, depending on their age. The differences in body composition components between rhythmic gymnasts (RG), tennis players (TP), and swimmers (SW) were well expressed in all assessed age groups. The most considerable inter-group differences were observed in terms of the asymmetry coefficient in the lean body mass (LBM) with a right direction and body fat mass with a left direction for upper limb fat mass (%, kg), which have signed the highest values in the tennis players group, followed by the RG on the same age. Swimmers had significantly the lowest values of UA for all body segments. A close relation was found between asymmetry in body composition variables and the type of sports activity. Tennis was found as a sport with more pronounced inter-limbs asymmetry.

Этические аспекты создания клинических рекомендаций для практикующих врачей

Clinical guidelines represent documents that contain structured information based on scientific evidence on prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation, and regulate professional activities of the medical community. Starting from January 1, 2025, it is planned to switch to the mandatory use of clinical recommendations approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, while the year of 2024 is an interim period for their application. However, various methodological and ethical issues arise while developing and discussing clinical recommendations. They include a conflict of interests of the authors, as well as aspects of its disclosure and settlement, accessibility of clinical recommendations for patients, as well as the discrepancy between the provisions of the recommendations and their evidence base such as results of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Resolution of these problems will significantly improve the quality of clinical recommendations, and increase patient awareness of diseases and treatment approaches. This review analyzes a wide range of methodological problems related to the development of clinical recommendations, examines regulatory acts and ethical principles issued by government agencies, professional communities and international organizations, and makes suggestions to reduce the level of bias and, as a result, to increase the degree of evidence of clinical recommendations.

Estimating the proportions and latencies of reaction time outliers: A pooling method and case study of lexical decision tasks

A methodological problem in most reaction time (RT) studies is that some measured RTs may be outliers—that is, they may be very fast or very slow for reasons unconnected to the task-related processing of interest. Numerous ad hoc methods have been suggested to discriminate between such outliers and the valid RTs of interest, but it is extremely difficult to determine how well these methods work in practice because virtually nothing is known about the actual characteristics of outliers in real RT datasets. This article proposes a new method of pooling cumulative distribution function values for examining empirical RT distributions to assess both the proportions of outliers and their latencies relative to those of the valid RTs. As the method is developed, its strengths and weaknesses are examined using simulations based on previously suggested ad hoc models for RT outliers with particular assumed proportions and distributions of valid RTs and outliers. The method is then applied to several large RT datasets from lexical decision tasks, and the results provide the first empirically based description of outlier RTs. For these datasets, fewer than 1% of the RTs seem to be outliers, and the median outlier latency appears to be approximately 4–6 standard deviations of RT above the mean of the valid RT distribution.

Examining Hadith In The Light of The Holy Qur’an: “The Method of ‘Ard”

This method takes its place in the literature as an important subject of Islamic methodological sciences due to the debates about whether the ‘ard method can be a criterion when obtaining judgments in the science of Fiqh and determining the degree of authenticity of hadiths in the science of Hadith. The presentation of the ‘ard method by some schools as the only criterion in determining the belonging of the Hadiths to the Prophet (peace be upon him) brings with it allegations of subjective Quran-Sunnah contradiction. This situation leads to neglecting scientific data by ignoring the findings of studies examining the chain of transmission of Hadiths and results in the rejection of certain Hadith narrations attributed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) based on personal opinions. Moreover, drawing subjective conclusions that Hadith contradicts Quranic principles poses a methodological problem. To resolve this issue and approach the matter of ‘ard as a scientific method, it is necessary to clearly define the nature of the arz method, consider the evidence for its application as a method, examine the historical development of arz practices, and establish the principles of its application. The study first defines the arz method and explains the difference between the terms 'teârud' and 'muarada' to prevent conceptual confusion. It then addresses the starting points of debates related to the questions "Can there be contradictions between the Quran and Hadith?" and "Did the Prophet (peace be upon him) ever make statements contrary to the Quran?" In the subsequent sections of the research, it analyzes when the ‘ard method began, how it was practiced during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), the period of the companions, and later periods, as well as how scholars of Hadith and jurists of various schools such as Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali approached this method. The principles of the ‘ard method, its rational and narrational evidence, examples of its application, and considerations necessary to preserve its scientific integrity are then examined.

The logic of idealization in political theory

AbstractThe role of ideals and idealizations is among the most vigorously debated methodological questions in political theory. Yet, the debate seems at an impasse. This paper argues that this reflects a fundamental ambiguity over idealization's intended inferential logic: the precise way in which idealizations might yield normative knowledge. I identify two tacit understandings of idealization—a dominant “telic” understanding and a less overt “heuristic” understanding—which, though importantly different, are rarely distinguished. I argue that delineating these understandings, and shifting from telic to heuristic idealization, recasts various unresolved methodological problems for political theorists, while productively connecting their discussions to work on idealization in political science and the practice and philosophy of science more broadly. I then provide a systematic account of how idealization might be used heuristically in normative reasoning and explicate the advantages of such an approach for promoting rigorous, relevant, and inclusive methodologies in political theory.

Hans Jonas and biological engineering: Between the methodological problem and the ethical challenge

Hans Jonas and biological engineering: Between the methodological problem and the ethical challenge

On the discussion of the confrontation between Lamarckism and Mendelism in Russia (Novosibirsk Academgorodok, methodological seminars and social embedding of knowledge)

The article aims at providing grounds for the analysis of the confrontation of scientific views in the context of E. Agassi’s famous thesis: “science is always socially engaged, but it should not be socially dependent”. This socio-epistemological analysis focuses on the clash between Lysenko’s interpretation of the Lamarckian methodology of H. Spencer’s views and representatives of the Russian school of classical Mendelian genetics. A distinctive feature of Akademgorodok in the 1970s-1980s was that almost every academic institute had a person responsible for organizing a specialized scientific-methodological seminar on philosophical and methodological problems of a particular field of knowledge. Recollections of the participants of these seminars and reconstruction of the issues discussed at that time are rich empirical material, providing an opportunity to test modern conceptions in the field of social anthropology, social epistemology, and sociology of science. The revival of genetics in our country began with the founding of the Institute of Cytology and Genetics of the Siberian Branch of the USSR Academy of Sciences/SB RAS. It is shown that this confrontation between Lamarckism and Mendelism in 1930s-1960s develops from the denial of the theses of the ideological opponents to the emergence of accompanying interdisciplinary research. At the same time, a special role is given to the specification of the methodological function of philosophy and to those forms of its realization that scientists personally participating in scientific-methodological seminars, were more inclined to associate with “substantive” rather than “sociological” aspects of the description of the situation.

Chinese National Character and Peculiarities of Chinese Thinking: Towards a Methodology of Philosophical Research

The study reveals methodological approaches to the philosophical analysis of the Chinese national character and the peculiarities of the Chinese thinking. The author shows the difference between the concepts of national mentality and national character, which partly coincide and partly differs. The author suggests that national character and its salient features make up an essential aspect (level) of the national Chinese mentality. The research examines a methodological problem of whether it is possible to define Chinese thinking as predominantly figurative, in contrast to the predominantly logical one of Europeans. The author hypothesizes and supports the idea that the emergence and formation of the Chinese mentality is auditory. The explanation clarifies the reasons for the birth of an “imbalanced individual” with clip consciousness. The Chinese have a longstanding tradition of developing practices in response to sound, without distinguishing between the material and the ideal, as they have never faced the problem of subject and object.

Epistemological and Methodological Problems of Modern Linguistics

Epistemological and Methodological Problems of Modern Linguistics

3-Dimensional versus standard 2-D laparoscopy for benign hysterectomy: A randomized clinical trial

ObjectiveOur aim was to evaluate possible short and long-term benefits of 3-dimensional (3-D) compared to 2-dimensional (2-D) laparoscopy for benign hysterectomy.Primary outcomes were long-term quality of life and postoperative pain. Secondary outcomes were operative time, surgical complications, time to return to work and length of hospitalization. Study designA randomized controlled trial conducted at two Danish university hospitals. In each arm, 190 patients were needed for an alpha of 3.3 % and a power of 90 %. For various reasons, however, the study was prematurely terminated after including 97 patients. Patients were randomized to either 2-D (n = 48) or 3-D (n = 49) laparoscopy. A laparoscopic hysterectomy was performed. Quality of life was assessed by the Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36) questionnaire at the time of inclusion and 6 weeks postoperatively. Postoperative pain was assessed using a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) and by monitoring the amount of analgesic consumption. ResultsOut of the 97 randomized patients, 77 patients completed both SF-36 questionnaires. No significant differences in mental (p = 0.5) and physical status (p = 0.9) were found. The 2-D group had significantly higher pain-score registered in the post anesthesia care unit (PACU) (p = 0.004) and higher consumption of oral morphine equivalent dose (MEqD) (p = 0.003) than the 3-D group. This regardless a higher rate of minilaparotomies in the 2D (n = 7) than in the 3D (n = 1) group (p < 0.03). The 2-D group had also higher rate of Clavien-Dindo 2 (CD2) (n = 2) and Clavien-Dindo 3 (CD3) complications (n = 3) (p = 0.03) than 3-D (n = 0). The other secondary outcome parameters did not vary between groups. ConclusionsThe results are severely hampered by the premature termination of the study, as less than 25 percent of the patients were recruited. Thus, no firm conclusions can be drawn regarding the quality of life and many of the secondary outcomes, as the lack of difference may be attributed to a type 2 error. However, the significant differences in postoperative pain and in complication rates suggest a greater advantage of 3-D laparoscopy than originally expected. Despite the methodological problems, the current data deserve attention in a sparsely investigated field, emphasizing the urgent need for further studies.

Philosophical and Methodological Foundations of Civil Identity Formation

Today, the Kyrgyz Republic faces the acute question of forming sustainable foundations for consolidating societal civil identity. Addressing this issue occurs amidst an identity crisis, caused not only by global processes but also by the dissolution of the previous society. This necessitates the development of philosophical and methodological foundations and socio-philosophical reflection on the processes occurring in the sphere of Kyrgyz civil identity, which also justifies the legitimacy of scientific inquiry in the chosen direction. This article examines theoretical and methodological approaches and problems in studying civil identity and the factors influencing its formation in society.

The ‘Useful Man’ in the Political System of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the Vasas – New Perspectives and Methodological Problems in Research into the Careers of Małopolska Noblemen

In the article I point to the need for conducting research into the political careers of activists from the lesser nobility, whose families were not part of the power elite. In contemporary historiography, lesser nobility activists have only attracted the attention of historians to a limited extent. Yet the development of research and the availability of sources have made it possible to carry out a broader analysis, encompassing activists from the lesser nobility who stood out by virtue of the level of their involvement in the country’s political life.

METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF CRIMINOLOGY

METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OF CRIMINOLOGY

Тестирование коммуникативных компетенций владения русским языком

The article discusses the problem of methodology and methods for assessing the communicative competencies of adult native speakers of Russian. Communication skill is one of the major soft skills within university education. To assess the development of this skill, a valid and convenient tool is needed. The aim is to to create a set of tasks to assess the communication skills of adult native speakers of Russian, to test it on a focus group of students, as well as to study sociolinguistic factors affecting test results (age, major, etc.). This article describes the principle of creating a methodological complex, which includes: an algorithm for assessing communicative competencies, sets of test tasks to assess the level of spoken and written speech proficiency, a scale for assessing test results. General scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, and the modeling method were used. The algorithm for assessing communicative competencies includes: assessment component (linguistic, discursive and stylistic, rhetorical and pragmatic, ethical); assessment criteria; rating scale; rating levels; types of tasks (editing defective text according to the norms of the Russian language and its stylistics; programmed control, tests, writing, public speaking – monologue, debate, etc.). As the result, the developed methodological complex could be used for assessing the communicative competencies of university students. With this complex it is possible to monitor and assess the quality of educational programs in terms of the communication skills development among students. For educational purposes, it is planned to involve students in the implementation of the project, which will give them the opportunity to develop professional skills using the presented parameters for assessing communication competencies.

Variability and Effectiveness of Methods for Assessing Regional Tax Potential

This study is devoted to generalizing the varieties of approaches (resource, productive, reproductive and institutional) to understanding the “tax potential of the region”, the author’s version of this term is presented, taking into account the influence of financial, economic, socio-demographic, natural and environmental factors. The methodological problems of assessing the tax potential of the region are investigated. The calculation and analysis of the tax potential of the Central Federal District regions based on absolute and relative values, according to the methodology used by the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation. Systematic and complex approaches, dialectical method of cognition, scientific abstraction, analysis and synthesis, comparison methods, statistical models (correlation and regression analysis: t-statistics criterion; P-values; Darbin-Watson criterion), etc. were used as a methodological basis. The study tested various hypotheses for the correspondence of factor dependencies of increasing the tax potential of the region. The implementation and variability of the proposed methodological and practical approaches to the assessment of tax potential is focused on the formation and improvement of highly effective and efficient replenishment of the budget of the region, its planning and management in modern conditions.

Phenotyping in clinical laterality research: a comparison of commonly used methods to determine mixed-handedness and ambidexterity

ABSTRACT An increased prevalence of mixed-handedness has been reported in several neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, there is high between-study variability in the definition of mixed-handedness, leading to a major methodological problem in clinical laterality research and endangering replicability and comparability of research findings. Adding to this challenge is the fact that sometimes researchers use the concepts of mixed-handedness and ambidexterity interchangeably. Therefore, having a consensus on how to determine mixed-handedness and how to distinguish it from ambidexterity is crucial for clinical laterality research. To this end, hand preference and hand performance data from more than 600 participants from the Dortmund Vital Study (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05155397), a population-based study in Germany, was analyzed to ascertain an optimal classification to determine mixed-handedness and ambidexterity. Using a combination of latent class analyses, effect size determination, and comparisons with the existing literature, we establish that an LQ cut-off criterion of +/−60 for mixed-handedness is optimal for future clinical laterality studies. Moreover, we show that mixed-handedness and ambidexterity are not identical and that the terms should not be used interchangeably. We further highlight the need for a consensus on how to mathematically determine ambidexterity as results of existing categorization schemes largely differ. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05155397; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05155397.

EVIDENCE FOR THE EFFECT OF EXERCISE ON PHYSICAL CAPACITY, FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE, AND FATIGUE IN BRAIN CANCER SURVIVORS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

INTRODUCTION &amp; AIMS Physical capacity, functional performance, and fatigue status have prognostic value and protective benefits against all-cause mortality and future adverse health events in prostate, breast, and colon cancer survivors. However, the effects of exercise on these parameters in cancers with disproportionately high rates of mortality and morbidity remain unclear. Therefore, this systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of exercise on aerobic fitness, muscle strength, balance, gait, and fatigue symptoms among adult brain cancer survivors. METHODS Following PRIMSA guidelines, databases were searched using subject MESH headings for papers published before June 2023. Studies involving adults with a primary brain cancer diagnosis where exercise interventions were applied with the intent to treat and where pre- and post-intervention outcome measures were available. The risk of bias tool for non-randomised trials was used and the overall strength of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS Ten studies from 367 retrieved papers were eligible for inclusion. A total of 293 participants aged 18-82 years, all diagnosed with gliomas, who were on-treatment or &amp;lt;62 months post-treatment were involved. Interventions varied substantially across studies regarding duration (4-26 weeks), assessments, prescriptions (frequencies, intensities, modalities, and durations), and delivery. Findings were consistent, reporting significant positive effects of exercise on submaximal aerobic capacity, upper and lower limb strength, balance, fatigue scores, 30s sit-to-stand, and gait speed. However, all studies had a serious risk of bias with numerous methodological problems. Overall certainty of the evidence was rated as very low for each outcome. CONCLUSION Results from these preliminary studies are encouraging and suggest that exercise may improve health and functional outcomes and potentially reduce the risk of all-cause mortality in adult brain cancer survivors. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the small body of literature, high risk of bias, and weak evidence available.