Critical Point Of View Research Articles

Bridging the gap between clinical and critical sociological perspectives in dementia

SUMMARYThere is a widening gap between the medical model of dementia and critical sociological perspectives of the condition. Given the relative failure of reductionism in dementia and its rising prevalence, consideration of the utility of these critical viewpoints is warranted. This article considers how these ideas, which challenge some prevailing assumptions about dementia, can be meaningfully applied in conjunction, rather than in competition, with conventional clinical ideas. To illustrate this, current perspectives on selfhood, biopolitics, citizenship and post-humanism are discussed. This article may also help to articulate sociologically oriented approaches already used by some clinicians and legitimise the time and attention needed to explore and deliver these. We support the view that dementia is an episteme in the making and that different traditions and dispositions can fruitfully collide to enliven interdisciplinary conversations about dementia and dementia care.

Critical View of Safety: A Pathway for Safe Execution of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

The best method for treating gall bladder lithiasis is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This original study objective was to assess the safety pathway's critical viewpoint from a standpoint of laparoscopic cholecystectomy implementation safety. Material: Data was collected from patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the surgical divisions of Karachi. To gather information on the preoperative evaluation, surgical maintenance, and postoperative care of patients, as well as to determine whether the elements were isolated following the CVS after the process, a questionnaire was forwarded to the Digestive Pathologist Community. Records about icons were acquired and eventually examined by an auditor. Results: Information from 300 patients was analyzed. The selection of participants was separated into 2 groups based on the proof (A; n = 5) or lack (B; n = 295) of bile duct injury and intraoperative hemorrhage. The non-use of CVS was detected in 56.6% of operations in group A, and 26.8% in group B, and analyzing the operator-related factors the implementation of CVS was linked with a considerably reduced occurrence of bile duct injury and perioperative hemorrhage. Conclusion: The CVS has been proven that it is the safest method for identifying the Calot triangle's components, and when used appropriately, it has a considerable effect on reducing intraoperative problems. To prevent extreme circumstances that might necessitate extra treatments, it would be beneficial to offer more instructional sessions on how to correctly apply CVS in medical care. Keywords: Cholecystectomy, laparoscopic, bile duct injury, surgery, bleeding, safety, gallbladder

A Review of Evolving Paradigms in Youth Studies

This article focuses on the changes experienced by European youth because of the neoliberal globalised model. It analyses the impact of these socio-economic changes on school-to-work transitions and explores different theoretical perspectives (from the linear to pinball models) to understand them from a critical point of view centred on the individual. These transformations have caused the traditional markers of passage to adulthood to become diluted, generating de-standardised trajectories with possible “round-trip” states. The aim is to provide an understanding of youth-related phenomena under models described with the sociology of transition, exploring aspects such as reversibility and contextual influence on their life course.

Electrospinning of poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(vinyl alcohol)/tannin solutions: A critical viewpoint about crosslinking

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a hydrophilic and cytocompatible polymer used in biomedical, pharmaceutical, food, and environmental applications. However, the PVA aqueous solubility restricts its direct application. To overcome this disadvantage, PVA chains can be chemically crosslinked to impart stability and durability to the engineered materials. This work presents PVA/Tanfloc (PVA/TN) electrospun fibers for the first time. TN is an amino-functionalized polyphenolic tannin derivative. PVA/TN materials were created from PVA/TN blends in water (W)/acetic acid (HAc) (99/1 v/v) and W/formic acid (FA) (50/50 v/v) mixtures. FA and glutaraldehyde (GA) were evaluated as crosslinkers for the electrospun fibers. GA vapor was also tested as a crosslinker. PVA and PVA/TN materials (before and after crosslinking) were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The as-prepared PVA/TN fibers quickly dissolved in ethanol and water but not in acetone. Fiber durability increased in acetone when the TN content was at least 20 wt%. PVA/TN fibers were crosslinked in acetone containing GA (1.0 wt%) and HAc (1.0 % v/v). However, GA-crosslinked fibers had no stability in water after washing. The stability of PVA-based electrospun fibers after GA crosslinking has not been previously reported in the literature. PVA/TN fibers were also crosslinked by thermal treatment. This strategy maintained the fiber structure after water immersion over 15 days. This study presents a critical viewpoint concerning strategies to crosslink PVA-based fibers, focusing on fiber durability and stability after crosslinking. The thermal treatment is by far the best method to crosslink PVA-based fibers because it can maintain fiber morphology, promoting aqueous durability.

A Deep Reinforcement Learning Design for Virtual Synchronous Generators Accommodating Modular Multilevel Converters

The deep reinforcement learning (DRL) technique has gained attention for its potential in designing “virtual network” controllers. This skill utilizes a novel solution that can avoid the specific parameters and system model required in classical dynamic programming algorithms. However, addressing the issue of system uncertainties and performance deterioration remains a challenge. To overcome this challenge, the authors propose a new control prototype using a twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient (TD3)-based adaptive controller, which replaces the conventional virtual synchronous generator (VSG) module in the modular multilevel converter (MMC) control. In this approach, an adaptive programming module is developed using a critic fuzzy network point of view to determine the optimal control policy. The modification presented in this framework is able to improve the system stability and resist disruptions while retaining the merits of the conventional VSG control model. The proposed approach is implemented and tested using the DRL toolbox in MATLAB/Simulink.

Male Chauvinism and Complex Thinking: A Study of Mexican University Students

This article presents the results of a study conducted on a sample of students at a techno-logical university in western Mexico, in which the aim was to identify a possible relationship between the presence of male chauvinistic behaviors and complex thinking. The argument that motivates this analysis focuses on the assumption that a person with high levels of complex thinking should have a more integrated vision of the capabilities of people beyond their gender, as well as a tendency to question, from a critical point of view, the possible stereotypes rooted in their environment. This article describes the study, its methodology, analyses, results, and the conclusion that high levels of complex thinking result in lower levels of male chauvinistic attitudes. Although it is recognized that this work is not exhaustive, its results are valuable for further educational, social, and gender studies research.

Social and Political Corruption in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart (1958): A Critical Study

This paper studies the idea of the social and political corruption in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart (1958) from a critical view point. It focuses on Okonkow's characterization levels, and highlights the ontological, individualistic, political, and social aspects of the main character's aspects. Achebe's novel is a rich example of the social and political corruption of the tribal system that is built on myths, tribal mentality and physical prowess. Such a masterpiece by the Nigerian Novelist, China Achebe, serves as an authentic representation of a particular time period and setting when Nigeria was under colonial oppression. It is thematically and stylistically rich in colonial accounts of Africa in terms of language use, traditional African lore, and cultural history.

Soaring electricity prices in the day-ahead Iberian market: policy insights, regulatory challenges and lack of system flexibility

PurposeThis study is a targeted review of some of the major changes in European regulation that guided energy policy decisions in the Iberian Peninsula and how they may have aggravated the problem of lack of flexibility. This study aims to assess some of the proposed short-term solutions to address this issue considering the underlying root causes and suggests a different course of action, that in turn, could help alleviate future market strains.Design/methodology/approachThe evolution of the most important (macro) energy and price-related variables in both Portugal and Spain is assessed using market and grid operator data. In addition, the authors present critical viewpoints on some of the most recent EU and national regulation changes (official document analysis).FindingsThe Iberian energy policy and regulatory agenda has successfully promoted a rapid adoption of renewables (main goal), although with insufficient diversification of generation technologies. The compulsory closings of thermal plants and an increased tax (mainly carbon) added pressure toward more environmentally friendly thermal power plants. However, inevitably, this curbed the bidding price competitiveness of these producers in an already challenging market framework. Moving forward, decisions must be based on “a bigger picture” that does not neglect system flexibility and security of supply and understands the specificities of the Iberian market and its generation portfolio.Originality/valueThis work provides an original account of unprecedented spikes in energy prices in 2021, specifically in the Iberian electricity market. This acute situation worries consumers, industry and governments. Underlining the instability of the market prices, for the first time, this study discusses how some of the most important regulatory changes, and their perception and absorption by involved parties, contributed to the current environment. In addition, this study stresses that if flexibility is overlooked, the overall purpose of having an affordable and reliable system is at risk.

THE POSITION OF THE RECIPIENT IN THE BOOK “THE MIRACLE OF THE QUR’AN” BY AL-BAQLANI

The recipient/reader occupied a wide space in Al-Baqlani’s critical viewpoint. Where he attended as a case of questioning, which leads to a deepening of understanding and the consolidation of its pillars, within his talk about the miraculousness of the Noble Qur’an, in an attempt to enable this reader to understand the issues of miraculousness. If the author has the authority to say, which has an effective rhetorical function, then the reader/recipient according to Al-Baqlani is not a passive reader, but rather a productive critic, exchanging reading with the author, and participating in the analysis of the discourse and the production of knowledge, through his actual or implicit presence, participating with him in the various stages of text creation. The research raises a number of questions, including: -Can the recipient be considered an element of the literary text in ancient critical theories? - What is the space occupied by the implicit reader in the critical viewpoint of Al-Baqlani? - Is it possible to talk about an experienced active reader through the questioning cases that Al-Baqlani raised in his book? Based on the foregoing, a number of goals can be set: Researching the image of the reader/recipient in Al-Baqlani's critical thought. - Seeking to prove the presence of this reader through the various stages of text creativity. The research adopts the descriptive approach, which takes the analysis as a mechanism for it to reveal Al-Baqlani's view of the recipient

THE PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE IN HIKMET BY KHOJA AHMED YASAWI

The article deals with the issues of life, life in the Hikmet of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. One of the directions, which is a kind of hill inside Islam, filled not only with consciousness and faith, but also with mystery and miracle, is Sufism. No matter how many reflections and research papers have been written about life in Sufi knowledge, it is filled with subtleties that require study in linguistic, literary, philosophical, psychological, pedagogical terms. Even with established views, you can meet conflicting opinions and critical points of view. Divani Hikmet focuses on four things. These are: sharia, tarikhat, hakihat, magrifat. "Sharia" is a collection of laws and customs of Islam, "tarikhat" is the idea of Sufism, the path to Sufi interests, "hakihat" is unification with God, "magrifat" is knowledge and study of the path of religion. According to Ahmet Yasawi, "without Sharia", "without history", "without Magrif" there can be no "hakikat" [1.162]. It is normal for Muslims to understand that in this life we are guests, that we are all temporary people. When the person who opened the doors of the world left this life in o, with the same preparation as when visiting, he expected the same preparation from the Pende in the world, that is, it is better to go with spiritual preparation. Spiritual preparation is the enrichment of the inner soul of a person.

Manifestations of Nostalgia in the Poetry of Nizar Al-Nadawi - a Study in the Office of Stolen Kingdoms -

This research examines the manifestations of nostalgia in the product of the expatriate Iraqi poet Nizar Al-Nadawi in its various manifestations, according to the mechanisms of the descriptive and analytical method, describing nostalgia as a phenomenon that has received the attention of Iraqi writers. The research studies some of the poetic texts selected in the Diwan of Stolen Kingdoms, to clarify the manifestations of nostalgia in selected titles such as, nostalgia and spatial estrangement, nostalgia and spiritual estrangement, the estranged poet's nostalgia for the beloved and the cities in which he lived, and other different phenomena of nostalgia from a critical point of view, as well as shedding light on an important aspect of the poet’s biography and approaching his creative spaces.

Impact of COVID-19 on the Rights of Informal Workers in Bangladesh

COVID-19 is a devastating global crisis leading to unprecedented challenges in public health, food systems, the workforce, etc. The calamity has aggravated the situation for informal workers by putting them at risk of economic fallout. The informal workers remain exceptionally vulnerable as their livelihood depends on in-person daily labor. As the pandemic unfolds worldwide, informal workers face tremendous socio-economic challenges and health-related vulnerabilities. This research sheds light on this terrain to explore the impact of COVID-19 on informal workers in Bangladesh from a socio-economic perspective. At the same time, it also analyzes the legal aspects from a critical point of view. It employs a qualitative research methodology. Primary data were collected through 30 in-depth interviews with informal laborers such as taxi-driver, street vendors, domestic workers, hotel and restaurant stewards, and private tuition providers. Ten key informant interviews were conducted with trade union leaders, relevant practitioners, and researchers. It finds that informal workers face diverse challenges, such as the inability to manage family expenditure, drop-out of their children from education, lack of information on health protection, internal migration, etc. It also reveals a significant policy implementation gap in crisis management by analyzing fiscal and monetary policy, non-therapeutic measures, and social safety programs.

Dharmakīrti’s Dual Philosophical Identity

Abstract In the paper, the author addresses the question of Dharmakīrti’s philosophical identity afresh. While acknowledging both the elements, external realism of Sautrāintika and idealism of Yogācāra, the author does disagree with the claim which is sometimes made, that Dharmakīrti’s idealism as his ultimate position and accepts realism only at conventional level. The author shows how Dharmakīrti in Pramāṇavārttika oscillates between the two positions and that he must have been attracted to both the positions for different reasons. He was attracted to idealism from critical point of view, when he was critical about the limitations of Sautrāntika realism (which itself can be called critical realism). He was attracted to realism for its capacity to explain the diverse phenomena and lead human beings to their goals. The author denies the claim made by some scholars that Dharmakīrti’s idealism can be called just an epistemic one. He argues that it did have a metaphysical dimension which is hard to defend. The author shows that Dharmakīrti’s idealist stance has adverse implications to the realist epistemology and logic which constitute his mainstream position; the implications, which Dharmakīrti does not take up for discussion.

How Natural Are the “Natural” Materials? Proposal for a Quali-Quantitative Measurement Index of Naturalness in the Environmental Sustainability Context

The overall purpose of the paper is overcoming the misunderstanding of the “naturalness” attribute of materials. This is due to the always-increasing innovative materials considered “environmentally sustainable” and “natural” by producers, material libraries, and designers. The investigated research problem is: how to simply and effectively evaluate the degree of naturalness of a material, preventing a complete and complex LCA analysis? The basic design of the study was focused on (i) creating a multicriteria quali-quantitative method—Material Naturalness Index (MNI)— in order to assess materials’ naturalness scientifically, and (ii) test it by running the evaluation on 60 innovative materials. MNI was set considering the least number of parameters of the Material Life Cycle (i.e., resource kingdom, material resource, material processing, post-use processing). The 60 latest materials selected from the “natural” material family of six international material libraries were selected to test the index. The data analysis was based on the Theory of Attractive Quality, considering attractive, must-be, or reverse qualities. Major findings concerning the index utility were found as a result. MNI was demonstrated to support different actors with different aims: (i) designers, in independently evaluating naturalness of materials using real evidence and pursuing a critical point of view not influenced by marketing claims; (ii) producers, in facing the challenge of naturalness; (iii) material libraries, which are collocated between the two other actors, in proposing measurable information concerning naturalness. In conclusion, the study demonstrated how the key-concept of “naturalness” should be assumed as an attribute rather than as a material family.

A Review of Maite Correa’s Article on Forensic Linguistics: An Overview of the Intersection and Interaction of Language and Law

This review article attempted to provide readers with a valuable, informative, and critical summary of a specific topic or area in the field of forensic linguistics. Maite Correa’s article entitled Forensic Linguistics: An Overview of the Intersection and Interaction of Language and Law is the subject of this study. The article presents a summary of the expansive field of forensic linguistics (FL) and shows the various ways in which the discipline might help to a criminal justice system. A synopsis of some of the most famous and widely discussed legal cases is provided, as well as an explanation of the intersections between applied linguistics and other academic fields. In a critical point of view, the author has thoroughly discussed each point of the debate. The problem of various types is mentioned and clearly analyzed. The problems were described first, followed by explanations to help readers understand the issues being discussed. Nevertheless, the article lacks compatibility, so readers might only get its explanation without knowing what kind of methodology was used to analyze the data.

Time to Think "Meta": A Critical Viewpoint on the Risks and Benefits of Virtual Worlds for Mental Health.

The metaverse is gaining traction in the general population and has become a priority of the technological industry. Defined as persistent virtual worlds that exist in virtual or augmented reality, the metaverse proposes to afford a range of activities of daily life, from socializing and relaxing to gaming, shopping, and working. Because of its scope, its projected popularity, and its immersivity, the metaverse may pose unique opportunities and risks for mental health. In this viewpoint article, we integrate existing evidence on the mental health impacts of video games, social media, and virtual reality to anticipate how the metaverse could influence mental health. We outline 2 categories of mechanisms related to mental health: experiences or behaviors afforded by the metaverse and experiences or behaviors displaced by it. The metaverse may benefit mental health by affording control (over an avatar and its virtual environment), cognitive activation, physical activity, social connections, and a sense of autonomy and competence. However, repetitive rewarding experiences may lead to addiction-like behaviors, and high engagement in virtual worlds may facilitate and perpetuate the avoidance of challenges in the offline environment. Further, time spent in virtual worlds may displace (reduce) other determinants of mental health, such as sleep rhythms and offline social capital. Importantly, individuals will differ in their uses of and psychological responses to the metaverse, resulting in heterogeneous impacts on their mental health. Their technological motivations, developmental stage, sociodemographic context, and prior mental health problems are some of the factors that may modify and frame the positive and negative effects of the metaverse on their mental health. In conclusion, as the metaverse is being scaffolded by the industry and by its users, there is a window of opportunity for researchers, clinicians, and people with lived experience to coproduce knowledge on its possible impacts on mental health and illness, with the hope of influencing policy-making, technological development, and counseling of patients.

Epidemiology of News: Doom Scrolling, Information Overload, and Other “Media Pathologies” in Our Infected Society

Along with the Covid-19 pandemic, a new type of 'disease' has spread just as rapidly, affecting the world of journalism and information. In addition to the concept of 'infodemic', first proposed by David J. Rothkopf in 2003 in relation to SARS, then taken up by a World Economic Forum study in 2006 to explain the fairness of information in emergencies, and finally used by the World Health Organisation itself to refer to the spread of false, tendentious or incorrect information during the Covid-19 pandemic. 2020 was also the year of a new word: doom scrolling.This term refers to when a person constantly reads and searches for negative news online, and the consequences this has on our mental health. It is still a relatively new phenomenon, but several experts have already pointed out that doom scrolling is predictably detrimental to a person's mental well-being.The pandemic has thus confirmed the already known risks of overexposure to a constant flow of information, a problem that affects media professionals, their audiences and institutions, and that can trigger social and psychophysical pathologies such as depression, mood swings, isolation and paranoia.An attempt will be made here to discuss the issue from a critical point of view and to reconstruct the phenomenon of 'doom scrolling'. Finally, an attempt will be made to define the main lines of public discussion based on the most recent literature available in this period of global crisis.

Cultural Depiction Of China By Pakistani Travelogue Writers

Travelogue is one of the most popular genre of Urdu Literature in which reality is kept in focus instead of imaginative or hypothetical aspects of life. The foremost condition of writing a travelogue is to travel to some city, country, or continent and to observe the culture and customs, living conditions, habits, norms, values, and traditions of the people of that particular area. A travelogue provides political, social, cultural, educational, and historical information. History is an important feature in travelogue and it is given a lot of importance to perceive the traditions and customs of a social group. Travelogues not only safeguard the customs of any particular group or age but they are the means through which these customs are transferred from one generation to another. Pakistani travelogue authors who focus on the illustration of tradition and custom-based travelogue are more successful and effective than any other writers. Every author presented cultural aspects of other countries by focusing on their racial, lingual, and historical features. These travelogues not only fulfill the demand of the present age but also highlight the critical point of view. China is believed to be one of the biggest cultural countries whose historical evidence resembles the age Before Christ. The world's largest population is present in China and which is approximately 1.40 billion. This article will delineate the cultural and traditional aspects of China, provide a critical view of China’s customs and provide a comparison of culture and tradition between China and Pakistan.

PARA QUÊ SE LÊ NA EDUCAÇÃO EM QUÍMICA? UMA ANÁLISE DE PUBLICAÇÕES EM PERIÓDICOS DE EDUCAÇÃO EM CIÊNCIAS ENTRE 2010 E 2021

WHAT ARE THE PURPOSES FOR READING IN EDUCATION IN CHEMISTRY? ANALYSIS OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JOURNALS OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE EDUCATION BETWEEN 2010 AND 2021. This work investigated Brazilian academic production about reading in chemistry classes published in journals of research in science education. To this end, a literature review was conducted from sixteen journals between 2010 and 2021. Two main aspects were analyzed: indicators of production (papers per year and per journals, education level, geographic region and institutions of the study) and the purposes of the activities of reading. In terms of the indicators of production, the results pointed out a consistent interest on this issue in the last decade with papers published in diverse journals, regional predominance from the Southeast and concentration of publications in high school or university levels. Regarding the purposes of reading, three main categories were identified: reading for information, reading for the development of skills and reading for scientific communication. Besides, different genre of texts has been employed in reading practices. Among the challenges are the reduction of regional asymmetries, the addressing of studies for other levels of education, as well as the increasing of research and systematic practices of reading based on a critical point of view.

АҲОЛИ БАНДЛИГИ СОҲАСИДАГИ ДАВЛАТ СИЁСАТИНИ ТАКОМИЛЛАШТИРИШНИНГ АСОСИЙ ЙЎНАЛИШЛАРИ

The article reflects the results of the research conducted on the development of the priorities for the regulation of employment by the state. Approaches and suggestions of various economists-scientists in this regard have been studied from a critical point of view. By conducting a survey among the experts working directly in the state employment service bodies in Uzbekistan, the existing problems in the state regulation of population employment in the republic were identified, and scientific proposals and practical recommendations were developed for its improvement