Specific Scientific Knowledge Research Articles

Трансдисциплинарность современной науки как форма социального консенсуса

Introduction. Transdisciplinarity can be reinterpreted from a scientific and philosophical category to a socio-philosophical one by referring to the theoretical constructions of social consensus. In this case, its general social functions are emphasized, which are the social and communication effect of transdisciplinary interactions between science and society. Theoretical analysis. The socio-philosophical analysis of transdisciplinarity is formed in the field of categories of sociality, time, object, truth and values. They are revealed in the autopoietic analysis of the society made by N. Luhmann, which continues the Weberian traditions in relation to the study of scientific rationality. Linking the logical, axiological and social plans of the formation of truth into a single whole in the dialogue between science and society is actualized in the real context of social time. The growth of scientific specialization, which breaks the unified image of science, determines the axiologization and ethicization of scientific knowledge. Transdisciplinarity, based on the social recognition of specific scientific knowledge in everyday life, becomes a tool for gathering disparate academic groups into a symbolic social subject of science. Conclusion. Transdisciplinary science as a hybrid social subject is capable of autonomous communicative behavior, which allows it to act as an agent of policy related to the application of scientific knowledge and thereby legitimize its claims to social authority.

Metadisciplinarity at the intersection of modern philosophical and philological practices

The article explores the relationship between inter-, trans-, and polydisciplinarity in contemporary humanities. It highlights philosophy's role in fostering critical thinking and methodological reflection. The phenomenon of intersubjectivity/interculturality is discussed in today's network society, emphasizing the ongoing exchange between individual consciousness and interpersonal perception within metadisciplinary philosophical studies. The article illustrates the practical application of metadisciplinarity through a PhD program at Kyiv National Linguistics University, advocating for the reintroduction of philosophy into modern education. It proposes an interdisciplinary segment, "Philosophy of Science and Methodology of Humanitarian Knowledge," integrating philological and professional teaching with philosophy to cultivate reflective and critical skills. The program aims to equip postgraduate students with knowledge of logical, methodological, and epistemological shifts, applicable in teaching. Ultimately, it asserts that combining specific scientific knowledge with philosophical principles in education shapes a flexible and deep conceptual framework, enhancing modern scientific and philosophical discourse. This multimodal approach to metadisciplinary philosophy fosters innovative paradigmatic trends.

LATENT VARIABLE MODELING FOR BIOLOGICALLY INFORMED PROGNOSIS IN STUDIES OF PHYSICAL RESILIENCE

Abstract Physical resilience – rebound in relevant functioning and biomarkers following a health stressor – is hypothesized to be rooted in the level of fitness of stress-response physiology defining one’s “physiological resilience capacity” (PRC). This physiology forms a dynamical system comprising specific modules (the individual stress response systems and their underlying components) and their dynamic interactions with each other via feedback and other protocols. Such a system can be modeled using differential equations whose parameters may then define the PRC. We do not yet know how to measure these parameters directly, however. Rather, they are conceptually defined “constructs” which must be inferred using indirect measures—ideally, stimulus response data probing multiple aspects of the relevant physiology. Latent variable models are ideally suited to this setting. Two challenges for their application in studies of resilience are presented: (1) Integrating specific scientific knowledge on the dynamical systems in modeling the co-distribution of the indirect measures. (2) Synergizing such models’ advantages for construct measurement with advantages of machine learning approaches to optimize accuracy for predicting resilient outcomes by inferred PRC. Challenges and their proposed solutions are illustrated using multifaceted stimulus response data being collected in an ongoing investigation on the physiological basis of resilience to clinical stressors in older adults, the Study of Physical Resilience in agING. The work aims to produce physiologically rooted measures providing effective risk predictors for older adults facing impending stressors as well as intervention candidates by which to promote PRC in the longer term.

An integral approach to the study of problems of philosophical anthropology

The article examines an integral approach to the study of issues in philosophical anthropology. Research pertaining to realms such as philosophical anthropology necessitates a comprehensive approach, or, in contemporary terms, an integral approach. The requirement for employing this approach arises from the realities faced by humanity in the modern stage of its development. The fundamental principle of the integral approach is its comprehensiveness, which entails the understanding of not only oneself but also others, humanity, and nature. There are several schools conducting integral studies, yet these investigations, including in the philosophical understanding of humanity, are not fully substantiated. Consequently, there arises a need for a more detailed examination of the integral approach in the philosophical understanding of humanity. Philosophical anthropology, representing conceptual knowledge about the human, with the ability to synthesize various scientific knowledge, brings together different spheres of science that study the human and society. As a result of this integration, there is an exchange between philosophical anthropology and specific sciences, resulting in the enrichment of theoretical and specific scientific knowledge about the human. The conducted research has established the necessity of applying an integral approach to address contemporary human and societal issues, particularly in philosophical anthropology.

Optimal Methodology for Addressing the Social Impact Component within Project Proposals and Curriculum Vitae

The scientific and grey literature have highlighted the increasing relevance of the social impact of research. More and more, funding and evaluation agencies are using social impact as a required criterion when assessing the excellence of research proposals and researchers’ CV. However, research has identified elemental confusions about what social impact is in most research proposals, CVs and consulting companies. Based on the communicative methodology which co-led the creation and elaboration of the priorities of social impact and co-creation, the study presented in this paper includes the knowledge co-created along years of dialogues with scientists and citizens and a documentary analysis of four official documents on social impact and researcher evaluation. Results identify the first scientific six guidelines to date on how to include researchers’ actual or potential social impact in the research proposals and CVs1) To avoid confusing social impact with dissemination or transference; 2) To identify the concrete social impact of the specific scientific knowledge created by the authors; 3) To precise the concrete indicators of each social impact; 4) To specify the concrete sources; 5) To identify the interactive social impact; 6) To include the potential social impact.

The "Grant" Category as a Legal Homonym

Introduction. The need for precise and high-quality legal regulation of the scientific sphere is predetermined by the current reality and the Russian Federation's public policy. Nevertheless, despite the significance of this direction, the current legal system and legal science still contain mistakes, gaps, and inconsistencies that cause discrepancies in the views and legal provisions on scientific matters. The lack of a precise definition of the "grant" legal category is one of the theoretical issues that negatively af­fect the law-application field. Methods. The study's methodology is based on specific scientific knowledge methods (historical, comparative legal, and formal legal) as well as analysis, synthesis, and dialectics. Results and Discussion. The provisions of the Russian Federation's financial, tax, civil, and scientific laws that use the "grant" legal category are examined in this article. Despite the fact that the same "grant" legal category is used, it has a different meaning in each regulatory legal act. This content cannot be brought to uniformity. As a result, the term "grant" has evolved into a legal homonym of sorts, wherein the same term can have a variety of contents and meanings depending on the area of law in which it is used. Legisla­tive changes are necessary in light of this situation's detrimental impact on the regulatory framework. Conclusion. The approach to the norma­tive consolidation of the "grant" legal category in the Russian Federation needs to be changed in order to eliminate the circumstance wherein it acts as a legal homonym of sorts. The article outlines the fundamental ideas behind the new approach as well as specific regulatory suggestions to update the law as it currently stands.

The temporal value of local scientific expertise

Abstract Inventors located in a vibrant scientific community enjoy faster access to relevant publications. The key role of the local scientific community is to provide access to global knowledge and not necessarily to feed the colocated inventors with direct inputs. We develop the logic for these effects and provide empirical tests using dyads of publication and patent data. We develop a model that links scientific knowledge, codified through publication, to industry’s inventive activity. Our analysis includes three key steps. First, we characterize the knowledge profile of local expertise for French NUTS3 jurisdictions. Second, we match scientific publications to industrial patents to consider the specific scientific knowledge useful to industrial invention. Finally, we examine the extent to which the presence of a local related scientific knowledge base provides utility for local inventions. Specifically, we consider the ability of local inventions to more rapidly avail themselves of scientific knowledge when located in a munificent location. We find that location reduces the timing to access to relevant worldwide publications by almost 1 year. Thus, colocation with scientific experts provides inventors a timing advantage by allowing earlier exploitation of recent global scientific discoveries.

DIGITALIZATION OF HERBARIUM COLLECTIONS AS A TOOL FOR THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE

Digitalization of socio-economic processes is an inevitable phenomenon of the modern economy. Digitalization also applies to scientific knowledge. Herbaria are examples of large data sets that, thanks to the available technology, can be digitized and then digitalized. The question that this study answers is the following: can the digitalization of herbarium collections be perceived as a tool for the commercialization of scientific knowledge. The presented case study of Herbarium Pomeranicum gives a full picture of the digitalization of such specific scientific knowledge as collections of herbarium specimens. The case study shows that thanks to the use of specialist IT solutions about half a million of the most valuable specimens from Pomeranian collections will be made available to a wide audience of stakeholders, which constitutes the commercialization of scientific knowledge. The study advances the academic research on digitalization and commercialization of herbaria's specimens.

A Survey on Undergraduate Medical Students' Perception of COVID-19 Vaccination.

The objectives of this study were to obtain information on medical students’ attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and to identify the main barriers to its acceptance. We conducted an anonymous online survey on a sample of undergraduate medical students from one main Italian University. The questions were aimed at exploring their attitudes toward vaccination to prevent COVID-19, their perceptions of the risk/threat of COVID-19 and the factors associated with their attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination. A high percentage of students in our sample stated that they had been vaccinated or that they intended to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 coronavirus. A total of 239 questionnaires were analyzed. Age, social, geographic and demographic characteristics, health conditions and interest in vaccination were recorded; 93% of the students declared that they encouraged vaccination and 83% stated that the reason was “Moral responsibility towards the community”. Four students had not yet been vaccinated, mainly because of “Contradictory information on efficacy and safety”. The Likert-type questions revealed high agreement on the importance of vaccination and whether it should be made mandatory (“indispensable tool” and “ethical duty” were cited to explain this position). The results show a high level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among these medical undergraduates who, being halfway through their training and involved in clinical practice, are already in possession of specific scientific knowledge and, to a small extent, come from different areas of Italy.

STUDYING OF THE GEOPOLITICAL ISSUES IN THE UPDATED CONTENT OF SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY

This article examines the essence of geopolitics as a science and its importance for improving the educational level of learners in the context of geographic education. There are many definitions and interpretations of this concept, the essence of which is as follows: geopolitics is a science, a system of knowledge about the control over space (territory). It also analyzes the origins and modernity of geopolitical thoughts, the views of researchers and thinkers on this field of ​​science. As we know, over the past four years, the educational process of schools in Kazakhstan is focused on the updated program. It was revealed that the updated content makes changes, in particular, in the main areas of activity of the content of secondary education, the content of the subject, methods of assessment and is manifested in the principle of the spirality of the school program. The main task of updating the content is not only to instill in students theoretical knowledge, but also to teach them how to apply the acquired knowledge in practice. At the same time, this work focuses on the significance of the formation of pupils' geopolitical thinking, which is formed on the basis of systematized specific scientific knowledge through a theoretical, conceptual understanding of the relationship between the political activity of society and geospace, its results - geopolitical phenomena. Taking this into account, in this article the authors try to analyze the state of geographic education in the context of the updated content of education, and also to characterize the process of studying geopolitics in geography from the seventh to eleventh grades.

STEM Approach as a Means for Students’ Science Learning

This article aims to describe the outcomes of a STEM project implemented in five different school clusters. It involved the delivery of STEM curriculum projects and its bottom line was the contextualization of the curriculum to the students’ reality (i.e., it aimed to increase the comprehension of scientific phenomena and the science knowledge to provide a sense to local and global realities). The study aims to describe the students’ learning during the development of the project. The research reported in this study is qualitative, adopting an interpretative orientation. Participants were 1097 students belonging to five school clusters from distinct regions of Portugal. The students came from 52 different primary classrooms (n=941), mostly from Year 3 and Year 4, and 9 lower secondary classrooms (n=156), aged between 8 and 15 years-old. Due to the diversity of school clusters and local contexts, the curriculum projects had many differences, even though they were based in the same curriculum matrix. The data sources used in this study were group interviews and written documents. The results showed that all curriculum projects allowed students to have positive learning experiences and to develop a significant number of competencies. Namely, they mobilize specific scientific knowledge related to the developed activities, as well as transversal competencies such as, formulate questions, appreciate, justify and evaluate different perspectives, plan and deliver an investigation, communicate findings to their classmates and the community, in order to create awareness to social problems and acting in and with the community.

Snakes as Novel Biomarkers of Mercury Contamination: A Review.

Mercury (Hg) is an environmental contaminant that has been reported in many wildlife species worldwide. The organic form of Hg bioaccumulates in higher trophic levels, and thus, long-lived predators are at risk for higher Hg exposure. Although ecological risk assessments for contaminants such as Hg include pertinent receptor species, snakes are rarely considered, despite their high trophic status and potential to accumulate high levels of Hg. Our current knowledge of these reptiles suggests that snakes may be useful novel biomarkers to monitor contaminated environments. The few available studies show that snakes can bioaccumulate significant amounts of Hg. However, little is known about the role of snakes in Hg transport in the environment or the individual-level effects of Hg exposure in this group of reptiles. This is a major concern, as snakes often serve as important prey for a variety of taxa within ecosystems (including humans). In this review, we compiled and analyzed the results of over 30 studies to discuss the impact of Hg on snakes, specifically sources of exposure, bioaccumulation, health consequences, and specific scientific knowledge gaps regarding these moderate to high trophic predators.

TEACHERS’ VERBAL AGGRESSION: ITS CORE, REASONS, TYPES, WAYS TO COUNTERACT

The increase in acts of verbal aggression in pedagogical environment is one of the main issues of pedagogical communication. Teachers verbal aggression (conscious or nonconscious) leads to communicative instability and becomes a destructive speech model for students to emulate, so that has a negative impact on educational process, teachers psychic health and causes students neurotization. The article analyzes the core of teachers verbal aggression, its reasons and mechanisms; organizes its types and effects in pedagogical communication. Methodology: analysis and synthesis of specific scientific knowledge; generalization and systematization of facts and statements; pedagogical observation on teachers verbal aggression in practice. The study identifies the main types of teachers verbal aggression: imperative request, intention to punish, interdiction, mockery as a way of assessment, ironic comments, clear or hidden thread, censure, hostile comments. The author proves the necessity to implement a practical-oriented system of teachers communicative competence development aimed to harmonize pedagogical communication through certain ways and methods to counteract verbal aggression. The article defines the means to develop teachers communicative potential: to improve the knowledge how to reach communicative balance in pedagogical communication with the suitable partnership strategies; to investigate the understanding of linguistic manipulation and its impact; to update teachers reflective abilities in situations of heated conflict; to develop skills in useful criticism.

Adaptive humoral immune responses to type III capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Abstract Capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) are important vaccine candidates given that they are located on the outermost surface of bacteria and have distinct structures. To induce CPS specific adaptive immune responses (i.e., T cell-mediated B cell responses), CPSs are conjugated with carrier proteins, to make glycoconjugate vaccines. The production of the current generation of glycoconjugate vaccines does not make use of specific scientific knowledge to maximize stimulation of critical immune cells (i.e., helper T cells) involved in producing protective IgG antibodies. Our previous discovery demonstrated that the mammalian CD4+ T cell repertoire contains a population of carbohydrate-specific T cells (i.e., Tcarbs) that recognize carbohydrate epitopes. Here, we investigate the interactions of carbohydrate epitopes with the key molecules of the adaptive immune system, MHCII proteins and T cell receptors (TCRs). This knowledge will have fundamental biological implications in our comprehension of how the adaptive immune system functions, and in future knowledge-based vaccine design. We employed a model bacterial polysaccharide antigen (capsular polysaccharide of type 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pn3P) and its protein or peptide conjugates. We have collected evidence for the presence of a Tcarb repertoire that recognizes MHCII-presented Pn3P epitopes and drives Pn3P-specific IgG production by B cells. We have also generated Pn3 oligosaccharides through controlled depolymerization of Pn3P to be used in interation studies. Building on our expertise in these systems, we will define the MHCII and TCR interactions of processed Pn3P epitopes, and characterize immune responses that result from these interactions.

Carbohydrate specific T cell stimulation by HIV envelope glycoprotein

Abstract HIV has been a major threat to human health and a protective AIDS vaccine has not as yet been developed. The design of the current generation of vaccines does not make use of specific scientific knowledge to maximize stimulation of critical immune cells (i.e., helper T cells) involved in producing protective antibodies. HIV-1 surface is decorated with a heavily glycosylated envelope protein called gp120, whose interaction with the CD4 molecule is the key step for the virus’s entry into CD4+ T cells. Gp120 glycans have been shown to play critical roles in Env structure, viral infectivity, antigenicity, receptor binding and HIV-1 transmission. Our goal is to identify CD4+ T cell repertoires recognizing the glycan shield of HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein, gp120. We have gained significant evidence for glycan/glycopeptide presentation on the antigen presenting cell (APC) surfaces serving as potential epitopes to induce carbohydrate-specific T cells (Tcarb) response. Additionally, we demonstrate that certain populations of CD4+ T cells differentiate between glycosylated and non-glycosylated gp120 epitopes, suggesting carbohydrate recognition by CD4+ T cells. Using the discovery of such Tcarbs and their glycan epitopes, we can design and develop knowledge-based, new-generation HIV vaccines that will elicit strong and long lasting immune response to protect from HIV. We believe our study will yield a new platform to develop a new-generation of protective HIV vaccines.

Voluntary non-monetary approaches for implementing conservation

The voluntary non-monetary approach to conservation refers to actions that citizens or organizations could voluntarily implement in their area of influence without the incentive of monetary compensations. To be effectively implemented by untrained actors, actions should be clearly defined, straightforward to implement and not require specific scientific knowledge. The costs of actions should also be sufficiently affordable to be widely applied without monetary incentives. A voluntary non-monetary approach has so far not been clearly described as a distinct group of tools for nature conservation. Here we review the scarce scientific literature on the topic. To illustrate the applicability of a voluntary non-monetary approach to conservation, we then investigate its potential for farmland conservation. We considered a list of 119 actions available from “conservation-evidence”, a source of systematically collected evidence on effectiveness of conservation actions. Among 119 actions, 95 could be scored for feasibility of implementation, costs, and existence of evidence in UK, Spain and Finland. Sixteen to seventeen actions were potentially suitable for implementation by a voluntary non-monetary approach. This implies that the voluntary non-monetary approach could be widely applicable across many countries and environments. It is our hope that this study will represent a clarion call for conservation scientists to clearly recognize the voluntary non-monetary approach, its characteristics, and its potential for addressing conservation issues on private land. Adoption of such voluntary measures may be more dependent on encouragement (‘nudging’) than on the usual coercive or financial emphasis (‘shoving’).

Looking inside the brain: the power of neuroimaging

Looking inside the brain: the power of neuroimaging

As to the grounds for singling out the historical-law comparative method

The article deals with the influence of the subject field of science of the state and the law history on its methodology. The conclusions are drawn concerning the integrative character of the historical-law science as well as the necessity of working out the new resources of specific scientific knowledge –historical-law comparative method. The options of important methodological problems solution, connected with more well-defined singling out the subject and the method of the historical, law science and the science of the state and the law history, are concerned.

Sickness Absence following Coronary Revascularisation. A National Study of Women and Men of Working Age in Sweden 1994–2006

BackgroundEvidence based and gender specific knowledge about sickness absence following coronary revascularisation is lacking. The objective was to investigate sickness absence after a first coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among women and men in a national Swedish study.Materials and MethodsAll patients 30–63 years of age, who underwent a first CABG (n = 22,985, 16% women) or PCI (40,891, 22% women) in Sweden between 1994 and 2006 were included. Information on sickness absence, co-morbidity, and other patient characteristics was obtained from national registers. Long-term sickness absence (LTSA) was defined as >180 and >90 sick-leave days in the first sick-leave spell following CABG and PCI, respectively. Prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of LTSA were calculated.FindingsLTSA followed the interventions in 41% and 36% for CABG and PCI patients, respectively. Women had more often LTSA compared with men, (CABG PR = 1.23: 95% CI 1.19–1.28 and PCI PR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.16–1.23). A history of sickness absence the year before the intervention increased the risk for LTSA after the intervention in both genders. Among women, older age, or being self employed or unemployed was associated with a lower risk for LTSA. Among men previous cardiovascular disease, diabetes and low socio-economic position increased the risk. During the observation period, there was no change in sickness absence rates among PCI patients but an increase among CABG patients adjusting for patient characteristics.ConclusionThis national study covering a 13-year period shows that long-term sickness absence following coronary revascularisation is common in Sweden, especially among women, and is associated with socio-economic position, co-morbidity, and sickness absence during the year before the intervention. Gender specific scientific knowledge about use and effects of sickness absence following coronary revascularisation is warranted for the patients, the treating physicians, the healthcare sector, and the society.

Standing-up Vineyards: The Political Relevance of Tuscan Wine Production

This paper investigates the philosophical and political assumptions supporting the commonly held view of ‘place identity’, exemplarily represented by the Tuscany region in Italy and its wine. It focuses on the production process of one of the most expensive and highly rated Italian wines, the Brunello di Montalcino, produced in the southeast of Tuscany. The Brunello di Montalcino wine area in Tuscany has a leading role in Italian wine production, and it represents an enormously successful example of place authenticity protection, promoting high-quality standards of economic solidarity and a fulfilling sense of well-being. This paper puts into question the romantic and fascinating image of Tuscany by offering an alternative portrait of the material-semiotic networks constituting the specificity of this place. The case for the analysis is provided by the diplomatic impasse between Italy and the United States in 2008. Anomalies in the wine production process were detected by a massive use of technological control devices; this put in ‘danger’ the reputation of the Italian wine makers and overturned the tradition, local authenticity, and identity of Tuscan wines—and eventually the identity of the Tuscany region itself. In reconstructing the way in which Brunello di Montalcino wine materially shapes politics, economic relations, social behaviours, landscape, cultural production and international narratives, the paper analyses the related material-semiotic networks. These analyses show that local identity does not naturally grow out of the soil but is generated and preserved by a long retinue of global-based practices and connections. Brunello, a symbol of authentic Tuscany, only exists as Brunello and can be enjoyed as such through the mediation of a large apparatus of very specific scientific knowledge, laboratory practices and protocols, administrative procedures at different geographical scales, and certificates and licences. Paradoxically, we need the global to protect the local.