scholarly journals Ecoacoustics and Multispecies Semiosis: Naming, Semantics, Semiotic Characteristics, and Competencies

Biosemiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Almo Farina ◽  
Alice Eldridge ◽  
Peng Li

AbstractBiosemiotics to date has focused on the exchange of signals between organisms, in line with bioacoustics; consideration of the wider acoustic environment as a semiotic medium is under-developed. The nascent discipline of ecoacoustics, that investigates the role of environmental sound in ecological processes and dynamics, fills this gap. In this paper we introduce key ecoacoustic terminology and concepts in order to highlight the value of ecoacoustics as a discipline in which to conceptualise and study intra- and interspecies semiosis. We stress the inherently subjective nature of all sensory scapes (vivo-, land-, vibro- and soundscapes) and propose that they should always bear an organismic attribution. Key terms to describe the sources (geophony, biophony, anthropophony, technophony) and scales (sonotopes, soundtopes, sonotones) of soundscapes are described. We introduce epithets for soundscapes to point to the degree to which the global environment is implicated in semiosis (latent, sensed and interpreted soundscapes); terms for describing key ecological structures and processes (acoustic community, acoustic habitat, ecoacoustic events) and examples of ecoacoustic events (choruses and noise) are described. The acoustic eco-field is recognized as the semiotic model that enables soniferous species to intercept core resources like food, safety and roosting places. We note that whilst ecoacoustics to date has focused on the critical task of the development of metrics for application in conservation and biodiversity assessment, these can be enriched by advancing conceptual and theoretical foundations. Finally, the mutual value of integrating ecoacoustic and biosemiotics perspectives is considered.

2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-124
Author(s):  
Michael Dorfman

In a series of works published over a period of twenty five years, C.W. Huntington, Jr. has developed a provocative and radical reading of Madhyamaka (particularly Early Indian Madhyamaka) inspired by ‘the insights of post- Wittgensteinian pragmatism and deconstruction’ (1993, 9). This article examines the body of Huntington’s work through the filter of his seminal 2007 publication, ‘The Nature of the M?dhyamika Trick’, a polemic aimed at a quartet of other recent commentators on Madhyamaka (Robinson, Hayes, Tillemans and Garfield) who attempt ‘to read N?g?rjuna through the lens of modern symbolic logic’ (2007, 103), a project which is the ‘end result of a long and complex scholastic enterprise … [which] can be traced backwards from contemporary academic discourse to fifteenth century Tibet, and from there into India’ (2007, 111) and which Huntington sees as distorting the Madhyamaka project which was not aimed at ‘command[ing] assent to a set of rationally grounded doctrines, tenets, or true conclusions’ (2007, 129). This article begins by explicating some disparate strands found in Huntington’s work, which I connect under a radicalized notion of ‘context’. These strands consist of a contextualist/pragmatic theory of truth (as opposed to a correspondence theory of truth), a contextualist epistemology (as opposed to one relying on foundationalist epistemic warrants), and a contextualist ontology where entities are viewed as necessarily relational (as opposed to possessing a context-independent essence.) I then use these linked theories to find fault with Huntington’s own readings of Candrak?rti and N?g?rjuna, arguing that Huntington misreads the semantic context of certain key terms (tarka, d???i, pak?a and pratijñ?) and fails to follow the implications of N?g?rjuna and Candrak?rti’s reliance on the role of the pram??as in constituting conventional reality. Thus, I find that Huntington’s imputation of a rejection of logic and rational argumentation to N?g?rjuna and Candrak?rti is unwarranted. Finally, I offer alternate readings of the four contemporary commentators selected by Huntington, using the conceptual apparatus developed earlier to dismiss Robinson’s and Hayes’s view of N?g?rjuna as a charlatan relying on logical fallacies, and to find common ground between Huntington’s project and the view of N?g?rjuna developed by Tillemans and Garfield as a thinker committed using reason to reach, through rational analysis, ‘the limits of thought.’


Author(s):  
Pavel Agapov ◽  
Kirill Stepkin

The article considers the general theoretical foundations of the relationship of sectarianism and religious extremism in the Russian Federation. Practical examples of the role of destructive sects in modern religious extremism in the Russian Federation are given.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 172-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikita Saraswat ◽  
Neetu Sachan ◽  
Phool Chandra

Introduction and Ethnopharmacological relevance: In the Indian Vedic literature, Charakasamhita and Sushritasamhita, the Ajwain is known as Bhootika and in the charaksamhita commentaries, it is termed as Yavanika. The medicinal role of Ajwain fruit is claimed to be very important in the treatment of many ailments in humans. The plant Trachyspermum ammi Linn. is a grassy, aromatic annual plant, which falls in the family Umbelliferae. This plant is grown in India, Iran, Pakistan, Egypt, etc. for its medicinal benefits. Tribals of India use it for the treatment of diarrhea, arthritis, colic and gastrointestinal problems. In the traditional preparations, Indian Vaidya guru’s (Ayurveda Guru’s), the ajwain extract is used as “Admoda Arka”. The Ayurveda doctors, hakims and Vaidya gurus recommend ajwain for treating headaches, cold, flu and even during painful menstrual periods. Aim of the Study: The review paper has compiled the researches conducted on Trachyspermum ammi, which will help in presenting a collective data of the authentic researches conducted on the plant worldwide. It will also present information about the phytoconstituents which can be useful for building up new researches in near future. Materials and Methods: This paper has been prepared by collecting all the information available on the following platforms and the papers were searched from 1975 to 2019. The databases and electronic journals were well searched including Wiley, Springer link, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Pubmed. The key terms used for the search were Ajwain, C. copticum, Trachyspermum ammi and other synonyms of the plant. The search was also done by the names of chemical constituents present in the plant and the pharmacological effect of the plant. Results: The multiple uses of T. ammi are due to the active constituents present in it. As per the phytochemical studies on the fruits of T. ammi, the presence of various phytoconstituents has been found such as saponins, flavonoids, alkaloids, glycosides, fixed oils, thymenes, cumenes, tannins, amino acids, p-cymene, c-terpinene, steroids, etc. Conclusions: This paper is focused on presenting a detailed review on the literature, pharmacological properties, physicochemical studies and the newest researches on the plant. In this paper, we have also compiled the traditional uses of the herb used by Indian peopleon recommendations from their Hakims, Vaidya and use of the herbs by many tribes all across India and Pakistan.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 298
Author(s):  
Andrea Piccioni ◽  
Laura Franza ◽  
Mattia Brigida ◽  
Christian Zanza ◽  
Enrico Torelli ◽  
...  

How can the knowledge of probiotics and their mechanisms of action be translated into clinical practice when treating patients with diverticular disease and acute diverticulitis? Changes in microbiota composition have been observed in patients who were developing acute diverticulitis, with a reduction of taxa with anti-inflammatory activity, such as Clostridium cluster IV, Lactobacilli and Bacteroides. Recent observations supported that a dysbiosis characterised by decreased presence of anti-inflammatory bacterial species might be linked to mucosal inflammation, and a vicious cycle results from a mucosal inflammation driving dysbiosis at the same time. An alteration in gut microbiota can lead to an altered activation of nerve fibres, and subsequent neuronal and muscular dysfunction, thus favoring abdominal symptoms’ development. The possible role of dysbiosis and mucosal inflammation in leading to dysmotility is linked, in turn, to bacterial translocation from the lumen of the diverticulum to perivisceral area. There, a possible activation of Toll-like receptors has been described, with a subsequent inflammatory reaction at the level of the perivisceral tissues. Being aware that bacterial colonisation of diverticula is involved in the pathogenesis of acute diverticulitis, the rationale for the potential role of probiotics in the treatment of this disease becomes clearer. For this review, articles were identified using the electronic PubMed database through a comprehensive search conducted by combining key terms such as “gut microbiota”, “probiotics and gut disease”, “probiotics and acute diverticulitis”, “probiotics and diverticular disease”, “probiotics mechanism of action”. However, the amount of data present on this matter is not sufficient to draw robust conclusions on the efficacy of probiotics for symptoms’ management in diverticular disease.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 133-147
Author(s):  
I.R. LYAPINA ◽  
◽  
T.A. ZHURAVLEVA ◽  
I.V. SKOBLIAKOVA ◽  
◽  
...  

The purpose of the research is to study of the features of the influence of social institutions on the cyclicality and dynamics of economic development in the context of identifying the role of social institutions at individual phases of the cycle of economic development, as well as consideration of the functions and tools of social institutions by phases of economic development. The subject of the research is a set of roles, functions and tools of social institutions related to different phases of the cycle of economic development. The methodological base is formed for the implementation of scientific research tasks. Its tools are methods that allow reflecting the features of the influence of social institutions on the cyclical nature of the economy: the method of theoretical foundations, the method of grouping, the method of analysis, the method of comparison, the method of implication. As a result of the study, it is indicated that the functions of social institutions should be highlighted: the consolidation of emerging social relations, adaptation, regulatory processes, a communication basis and a translational basis. The instruments that influence economic fluctuations are formed in the context of social institutions. Thus, the institution of the family is characterized by the use of an optimization mechanism, the concept of sustainability of social relations, the concept of production and distribution of economic benefits in order to meet the needs of each of the subjects.


2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Falla Wood

The aim of this article is to try to understand why the results of studies on errors in second language learning undertaken for several decades are diverse or even divergent. Some of these studies state that the mother tongue (L1) plays an important role in the learning process not only at the beginning, but also at higher levels of competency while others deny the influence of the mother tongue. The results of 60 studies on errors over a period of 40 years were contrasted to find out if a link existed between the theoretical foundations, and the interpretation of data, and conclusions of those studies. The results of the meta-analysis of studies whose theoretical foundations were related to operational cognitive strategies showed a continuum from partial to an important role of L1, and those related to order of acquisition, universal sequences showed a non-influence of L1. Another possible cause for this discrepancy was found in the method used to classify the errors. Finally, a possible cause could have been the methodological difficulties concerning the reliability and validity of the data. Only one third of the studies applied the control of bias and the triangulation of data.


Author(s):  
Iryna Kalmykova

The article highlights the importance of the role of rural green tourism in restarting the Ukrainian economy, given that the inertia of the surge in domestic tourism caused by the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic will work in the coming years. The importance of recreational activities in the field of rural green tourism is considered. The problems of the conceptual and terminological description of the infrastructure of the recreational industry are outlined. Expansion of the nomenclature of key terms in the field of rural green tourism in the context of highlighting the point elements of the territorial structure is proposed. The concept of “recreational location of rural green tourism” has been introduced for use in the practice of the recreational industry in order to strengthen the territorial aspects of the research of recreational activities. The content of the concept “recreational location of rural green tourism” is characterized as a point element of the territorial infrastructure in the field of rural tourism in the region, which combines the territorial localization of the place of receiving tourist services (rural ecologically clean area), accommodation facility (local object) and indicates the special nature of the activity (recreation). It is indicated that, according to the taxonomic criterion, it is a micro-site, a place, and according to the typological criterion, it is a recreational and tourist object with the functions of accommodation and provision of recreational services. The components of the recreational potential of the Odesa region, which have the necessary properties for the successful functioning of a competitive tourist product in the regional and national tourist markets, have been analyzed. The importance of the classification of recreational locations of rural green tourism in the Odessa region for further systematization of information for the purpose of convenient practical use by specialists from various industries and consumers of recreational services has been substantiated. The classification of the locations of rural green tourism in the Odessa region according to three criteria has been proposed and five types of recreational locations have been identified.


2021 ◽  
pp. 106-124
Author(s):  
O. Mitrofanova

The article is devoted to the study of the experience and peculiarities of reconciliation of contradictions between Germany and France. The positions of the Presidents of France and Chancellors of the Federal Republic of Germany regarding the theoretical foundations and practical steps of the implementation of French-German reconciliation are studied. This paper deals with the problem of Alsace-Lorraine, a region with a border identity, which repeatedly became the cause of Franco-German disputes and passed from one state to another. The role of the individual in overcoming the contradictions between Germany and France is highlighted. The factor of European integration is considered, which not only contributed to the reconciliation of contradictions between Germany and France, but also turned the two states into leaders of a united Europe. The Elysee Treaty and its implementation were analyzed. The military cooperation between France and Germany is investigated. The problem of historical memory and the desire to reconcile the contradictions between Germany and France are revealed. It is proved that the experience and peculiarities of reconciliation of contradictions between Germany and France testify to the fact that the real reconciliation of the two leading states directed their efforts towards a more global goal – the creation of a common Europe. It was concluded that the mechanisms for achieving Franco-German reconciliation are interesting for studying and borrowing, taking into account national characteristics in the reconciliation of other European countries, and regions with borderline identities. The French-German experience may be useful for application in Polish-Ukrainian relations. The main conclusion from the analysis of the experience and the peculiarities of reconciling the contradictions between Germany and France is that their implementation led to unexpected and far-reaching consequences that once seemed just a dream. At the beginning of European integration in the 50s of the twentieth century, it was difficult to imagine the contemporary EU with its common currency, the Schengen area, developed economy, social programs. Franco-German reconciliation was transformed into the fruitful work of the Franco-German tandem, on the success of which depends not only the future of France and Germany, but the evolution of the entire united Europe.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramiro Logares ◽  
Ina M. Deutschmann ◽  
Caterina. R. Giner ◽  
Anders K. Krabberød ◽  
Thomas S. B. Schmidt ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe smallest members of the sunlit-ocean microbiome (prokaryotes and picoeukaryotes) participate in a plethora of ecosystem functions with planetary-scale effects. Understanding the processes determining the spatial turnover of this assemblage can help us better comprehend the links between microbiome species composition and ecosystem function. Ecological theory predicts thatselection,dispersalanddriftare main drivers of species distributions, yet, the relative quantitative importance of these ecological processes in structuring the surface-ocean microbiome is barely known. Here we quantified the role of selection, dispersal and drift in structuring surface-ocean prokaryotic and picoeukaryotic assemblages by using community DNA-sequence data collected during the global Malaspina expedition. We found that dispersal limitation was the dominant process structuring picoeukaryotic communities, while a balanced combination of dispersal limitation, selection and drift shaped prokaryotic counterparts. Subsequently, we determined the agents exerting abiotic selection as well as the spatial patterns emerging from the action of different ecological processes. We found that selection exerted via temperature had a strong influence on the structure of prokaryotic communities, particularly on species co-occurrences, a pattern not observed among communities of picoeukaryotes. Other measured abiotic variables had limited selective effects on microbiome structure. Picoeukaryotes presented a higher differentiation between neighbouring communities and a higher distance-decay when compared to prokaryotes, agreeing with their higher dispersal limitation. Finally, drift seemed to have a limited role in structuring the sunlit-ocean microbiome. The different predominance of ecological processes acting on particular subsets of the ocean microbiome suggests uneven responses to environmental change.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe global ocean contains one of the largest microbiomes on Earth and changes on its structure can impact the functioning of the biosphere. Yet, we are far from understanding the mechanisms that structure the global ocean microbiome, that is, the relative importance of environmentalselection,dispersaland random events (drift). We evaluated the role of these processes at the global scale, based on data derived from a circumglobal expedition and found that these ecological processes act differently on prokaryotes and picoeukaryotes, two of the main components of the ocean microbiome. Our work represents a significant contribution to understand the assembly of marine microbial communities, providing also insights on the links between ecological mechanisms, microbiome structure and ecosystem function.


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