Focus on Results: Attention to Real Needs

2021 ◽  
pp. 204-205
Author(s):  
Anthony Williams
Keyword(s):  
Focus On Results

Soft Power Effectiveness: Problem of Evaluation

2015 ◽  
pp. 48-58
Author(s):  
E. Kharitonova
Keyword(s):  
Soft Power ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
State Agencies ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Past ◽  
Focus On Results ◽  
Need To Evaluate ◽  
Power Concept

The article focuses on the task of measuring and evaluating a state's soft power. While the soft power concept developed by Joseph Nye is currently widely accepted and used, its theoretical understanding and practical application remains challenging. Both international relations scholars and those responsible for soft power in governmental and non-state agencies are looking for the tools to assess their work and the country's standing in the world in terms of soft power. As the author of the concept and other researchers noted, evaluation and measurement may be difficult due to the number of influencing factors including the use of hard power that can overshadow soft power efforts, and also because soft power efforts can bring results only in a distant period of time. However, in response to the researchers' and policy makers' need to evaluate, measure and compare soft power related parameters, a number of international ratings evolved during the past several years, such as various ratings of soft power, nation brands, countries' reputation and presence. At the same time, such rankings have several weaknesses. First of all, they present mainly the western point of view which focuses on the parameters important for western audiences and may overlook characteristics important for other, non-western cultures. They also may be subjective due to financial reasons. Besides that, while some of the ratings aim to evaluate resources or assets of nations' soft power, other focus on results like influence or reputation. Evaluation of instruments used to enhance a country's soft power and their effectiveness is also important. In many cases, even significant resources of soft power do not guarantee strong positions in this context. Comparing certain countries' positions in different ratings helps to understand a country's standing in terms of soft power, identify strong sides and analyze whether a state's soft power potential transforms into the desired outcomes.

Studies of Elastic-Plastic Instabilities

1999 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Tvergaard
Keyword(s):  
Shear Band ◽  
Plastic Flow ◽  
Continuum Mechanics ◽  
Shear Band Formation ◽  
Band Formation ◽  
Elastic Plastic ◽  
Localized Necking ◽  
Focus On Results ◽  
Metal Sheets ◽  
Bifurcation Behavior

Analyses of plastic instabilities are reviewed, with focus on results in structural mechanics as well as continuum mechanics. First the basic theories for bifurcation and post-bifurcation behavior are briefly presented. Then, localization of plastic flow is discussed, including shear band formation in solids, localized necking in biaxially stretched metal sheets, and the analogous phenomenon of buckling localization in structures. Also some recent results for cavitation instabilities in elastic-plastic solids are reviewed.

Features of the development of project activity skills among students in the educational environment of the university

2020 ◽  
pp. 114-122
Author(s):  
Elena I. Grigorieva ◽  
Aleksey P. Efremenko ◽  
Mukhaddas Gabdiyev
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Driving Force ◽  
Creative Thinking ◽  
Educational Environment ◽  
Project Activity ◽  
Condi Tions ◽  
Focus On Results ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
The University ◽  
High Skill

We reveal the features of the development of project activity skills among students in the educational environment of the university. It is substantiated that the project activity, which is used in the teaching process of students, contributes to the development of knowledge, skills, it is able to form the competencies they need, to become a versatile personality. It is proved that in the educational environment, willingness to learn new knowledge, skills, focus on results, hard work is being developed, creative thinking is developing, and most importantly, high skill and qualifica-tion are acquired. It is concluded that the design process is a kind of transition of the student from one state to another, step-by-step conditions that allow you to achieve great educational, practical results in a shorter period of time. The design process is the most effective and comfortable for students, since this process focuses on the individuality of each person, which, in the process of joint, teamwork, undergoes changes in the student himself, by taking a certain role in the design process. It is proved that the creation in the educational environment of the most favorable condi-tions for the development of students’ skills leads to the successful and effective formation of a holistic, informed personality, which, in turn, is the driving force for the development of society as a whole. The skills that a graduate possesses determine the level of development of the educational environment.

scholarly journals Transitional Justice and Theories of Change: Towards evaluation as understanding

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 280-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Gready ◽  
Simon Robins
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Complexity Theory ◽  
Transitional Justice ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Impact Studies ◽  
Focus On Results ◽  
Term Evaluation ◽  
Theories Of Change

Abstract This article has two goals. First, to make explicit the theories of change currently operative within transitional justice and, second, to critically engage with both these theories, and dominant theories in international development. As such, it seeks to replace a focus on results, attribution, and linearity with a privileging of process, contribution and complexity. Developing theories of change for transitional justice is challenging, as it is characterised by diverse interventions, complex and contested contexts, and the need to balance principles and pragmatism. Normative, linear and mechanism-based claims remain dominant, while the evidence base for transitional justice is still weak. This article looks at insights from adjacent fields, some of the challenges facing the development of theories of change within transitional justice, and evidence from impact studies and evaluations. In a final section we propose an alternative, drawing on complexity theory and actor-oriented approaches, which suggest an important set of terms – systems, interaction, contingency, context, encounter, emergence, incrementalism – to inform what we term evaluation as understanding.

scholarly journals Pursuing a Curative Approach in Multiple Myeloma: A Review of New Therapeutic Strategies

Cancers ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattia D'Agostino ◽  
Luca Bertamini ◽  
Stefania Oliva ◽  
Mario Boccadoro ◽  
Francesca Gay
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Residual Disease ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Progression Free Survival ◽  
Hematologic Cancer ◽  
Focus On Results ◽  
Individualize Treatment ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Effective Drugs

Multiple myeloma (MM) is still considered an incurable hematologic cancer and, in the last decades, the treatment goal has been to obtain a long-lasting disease control. However, the recent availability of new effective drugs has led to unprecedented high-quality responses and prolonged progression-free survival and overall survival. The improvement of response rates has prompted the development of new, very sensitive methods to measure residual disease, even when monoclonal components become undetectable in patients’ serum and urine. Several scientific efforts have been made to develop reliable and validated techniques to measure minimal residual disease (MRD), both within and outside the bone marrow. With the newest multidrug combinations, a good proportion of MM patients can achieve MRD negativity. Long-lasting MRD negativity may prove to be a marker of “operational cure”, although the follow-up of the currently ongoing studies is still too short to draw conclusions. In this article, we focus on results obtained with new-generation multidrug combinations in the treatment of high-risk smoldering MM and newly diagnosed MM, including the potential role of MRD and MRD-driven treatment strategies in clinical trials, in order to optimize and individualize treatment.

scholarly journals Comparative Analysis of Apicoplast-Targeted Protein Extension Lengths in Apicomplexan Parasites

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandr V. Seliverstov ◽  
Oleg A. Zverkov ◽  
Svetlana N. Istomina ◽  
Sergey A. Pirogov ◽  
Philip S. Kitsis
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Protein Translocation ◽  
Neospora Caninum ◽  
Signal Peptides ◽  
Model Species ◽  
Apicomplexan Parasites ◽  
Important Region ◽  
Focus On Results ◽  
Species Comparisons

In general, the mechanism of protein translocation through the apicoplast membrane requires a specific extension of a functionally important region of the apicoplast-targeted proteins. The corresponding signal peptides were detected in many apicomplexans but not in the majority of apicoplast-targeted proteins inToxoplasma gondii. InT. gondiisignal peptides are either much diverged or their extension region is processed, which in either case makes the situation different from other studied apicomplexans. We propose a statistic method to compare extensions of the functionally important regions of apicoplast-targeted proteins. More specifically, we provide a comparison of extension lengths of orthologous apicoplast-targeted proteins in apicomplexan parasites. We focus on results obtained for the model speciesT. gondii,Neospora caninum, andPlasmodium falciparum. With our method, cross species comparisons demonstrate that, in average, apicoplast-targeted protein extensions inT. gondiiare 1.5-fold longer than inN. caninumand 2-fold longer than inP. falciparum. Extensions inP. falciparumless than 87 residues in size are longer than the corresponding extensions inN. caninumand, reversely, are shorter if they exceed 88 residues.

scholarly journals Novel treatment options for secondary hyperparathyroidism in end-stage kidney disease patients on hemodialysis therapy

2017 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-38
Author(s):  
Liudmila Y. Rozhinskaya ◽  
Zhanna E. Belaya ◽  
Alexander S. Lutsenko
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Hyperparathyroidism ◽  
Bone Structure ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Cardiovascular Complications ◽  
Calcium Sensing Receptor ◽  
Blood Calcium ◽  
Calcium Sensing ◽  
Focus On Results ◽  
End Stage ◽  
Fgf 23

Pathogenesis of secondary hyperparathyroidism is based on D-hormone deprivation, leading to bone remodeling impairment, increase in FGF-23, PTH levels, changes in blood calcium and phosphorus levels. Taken together with alteration of calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) sensitivity, these changes result in alteration of bone structure and cardiovascular complications. CaSR agonists are one of the most important medications for treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in dialysis patients. Until recently, there was only one CaSR agonist with proven effectiveness – cinacalcet, which is administered per os, daily. Now, a new drug is registered in US, Europe and Russia – etelcalcetide, which is administered intravenously 3 times a week. In this review we focus on results of clinical trials regarding etelcalcetide effectiveness and possible compliance benefits.

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