Równania mądrzejsze od swych odkrywców

This article aims to critically analyse the concept of the development of science, as proposed by Wojciech Sady in the work Struktura rewolucji relatywistycznej i kwantowej w fizyce [The Structure of the Relativity and Quantum Revolution in Physics]. The author uses Ludwik Fleck’s concept of thought styles and thought collectives to analyse the problem of how two great scientific revolutions took place in 20th-Century physics in terms of the rise of quantum theory and special relativity. Sady argues that the way of thinking of scientists is determined by the particular thought style in which they were educated, and that great scientific discoveries are not the result of “creative imagination”, but a product of deductive reasoning, in which scholars closely adhere to the formalism of mathematical theory and the results of experiments. Therefore, scientific discovery in physics is made “on paper” rather than “in the mind of a scientist.” In the “battle of equations with the imagination,” equations always win, and scientific discovery is more a result of the work of a scientific community than solitary geniuses, and can only be made at the right time in history, called the “discoverygenic situation.” The concept of the development of science presented in The Structure is directed against the incommensurability thesis and the indeterminacy thesis.

Towards the Development of the Decolonized Pedagogy for Higher Education in South Africa: A Students’ Perspective

This chapter presents views, opinions, and perceptions about the curriculum theories that propagate educational perspectives of social injustice, cultural exclusion, supremacy, socio-economic inequality, and inequity. The data collection method was question and answer and deductive reasoning conducted in small groups in education studies classes. Pieces of information recorded in video clips during the COVID-19 lockdown were analysed through qualitative procedures, transcribing verbal data, and sorting coded categories of data. First, the frequencies of statements indicating trends in thoughts form themes classified as convergent and divergent perspectives. The interpretation of themes identified during data analysis seeks to address the problem statement in this chapter, which is the paradigm shift for a conceptualised decolonised curriculum in South Africa. Thus, the research question asked in the study is “what principles should underpin pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) of pre-service teacher education and training?” The source of data was interviews and document analysis. The synthesis of the results drawn from the raw data was based on the theoretical and conceptual framework established from the works of scholarship researchers on decolonised education. The interpretation of the findings addressing the problem statement and the research question was presented through convergent and divergent perspectives that characterise the beliefs and thoughts of students about curriculums for decolonised education in South Africa. The study highlights uncertainties about the concepts, divergent conceptual stances on decolonised education, and the lack of uniformity in the perceptions of philosophical principles or foundations of perspectives on decolonised education.

A Joint Assessment of Reasoning about General Statements in Mathematics and Biology

This contribution belongs to a larger empirical study that focuses on issues related to the implementation of inquiry-based learning and formative assessment in science and mathematics education, while it also refers to the issue of STEM education. Here, we discuss the two topics from the perspective of professional preparation of primary school teachers. We employ an educational tool called Concept Cartoons and perceive it as a common diagnostic tool for investigating modes of reasoning about general statements in arithmetic, geometry and biology. The presented qualitative exploratory empirical study maps and codes various kinds of reasoning that can be identified with the tool and investigates possibilities of a joint coding procedure. As a result, it provides a conversion table between various modes of reasoning in the three subject domains. The arisen code categories cover the field of generic examples, including the initial stages so that they can be used for scaffolding the process of learning the foundations of deductive reasoning. The joint approach to reasoning in mathematics and biology shows how argumentation and formative assessment can be understood equally and developed simultaneously in both school subjects. It helps us to see how the two school subjects can be integrated didactically.

Aging-related Resiliency Theory Development

As a dynamic developmental process, the older population further displays the capacity to resist change over time, improve resilience, and keep a basis for the continuity working and progress over positive management of detrimental consequences of life risks and difficulties. This study aims at developing a theory that endeavors to explore the process of developing aging-related resiliency in people’s later in life that can lead to a successful aging experience. In the development of a theory, this study utilized a deductive reasoning approach specifically, using the axiomatic approach. Aging-related Resiliency Theory was efficaciously developed by three propositions generated from four axioms that were derived after reviewing several sets of literature and studies. This developed theory implies that various deleterious events in life activate older persons to respond, adapt, and recover effectively. Acceptance emerges as they acknowledge the natural effects of aging while taking adaptive strategies and supportive resources to be resilient to one’s environment. In this sense, it impacts their optimistic outlook towards successful aging. Based on the extraction of axioms, such propositions denoted those older adults call to respond with their total capacity to accept, adapt, recover, and continuously resist deleterious life experiences while using enriched coping strategies and resources towards an optimistic outlook in achieving successful aging. Therefore, emphasizing to improve their capacity to respond to natural decline to essential processes could benefit them at promoting a healthier life span.

Changes in Brain Volume Resulting from Cognitive Intervention by Means of the Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment Program in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI): A Pilot Study

There is increasing interest in identifying biological and imaging markers for the early detection of neurocognitive decline. In addition, non-pharmacological strategies, including physical exercise and cognitive interventions, may be beneficial for those developing cognitive impairment. The Feuerstein Instrumental Enrichment (FIE) Program is a cognitive intervention based on structural cognitive modifiability and the mediated learning experience (MLE) and aims to promote problem-solving strategies and metacognitive abilities. The FIE program uses a variety of instruments to enhance the cognitive capacity of the individual as a result of mediation. A specific version of the FIE program was developed for the cognitive enhancement of older adults, focusing on strengthening orientation skills, categorization skills, deductive reasoning, and memory. We performed a prospective interventional pilot observational study on older subjects with MCI who participated in 30 mediated FIE sessions (two sessions weekly for 15 weeks). Of the 23 subjects who completed the study, there was a significant improvement in memory on the NeuroTrax cognitive assessment battery. Complete sets of anatomical MRI data for voxel-based morphometry, taken at the beginning and the end of the study, were obtained from 16 participants (mean age 83.5 years). Voxel-based morphometry showed an interesting and unexpected increase in grey matter (GM) in the anterolateral occipital border and the middle cingulate cortex. These initial findings of our pilot study support the design of randomized trials to evaluate the effect of cognitive training using the FIE program on brain volumes and cognitive function.

Quintilian on Invention and Disposition

The chapter deals with the precepts of Invention and Disposition as treated by Quintilian in Books 3–7, first the theory of the Issues, then the parts of the speech, and finally the Topics for the argumentation of the single issues. Referring to the Issues, Quintilian mentions several sources and the differences of their theories, focusing in particular on the distinction between rational and legal Issues. As to the parts of the speech, he takes into account prooemium, narrative, digression, proposition, partition, argumentation, and peroration. The precepts are more or less consistent with those of the Greek and Latin handbooks, sometimes in a brief survey, sometimes in a more detailed description. Particular attention is devoted to argumentation, with discussion of the Aristotelian division of the means of persuasion or proofs into pisteis atechnoi (‘non-technical proofs’) and pisteis entechnoi (‘technical proofs’), of the value of the signs, of the deductive reasoning, and of the topics suitable to build it. As to inductive reasoning Quintilian mentions Examples, Similars, and Dissimilars or Contraries. In relation to the arousing of feelings Quintilian then discusses in great detail the peculiar topic of the different kinds of laughter. The last part of the chapter is devoted to Quintilian’s long treatment of the disposition of arguments within his analysis of the single Issues.

300 PCSK9 induces a prothrombotic response by activation of NFKB signalling pathway in mononuclear cells

Aims Strong evidence both experimental and clinical studies point out to an involvement of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9), as an important player in hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis pathophysiology, identifying it, as a key molecule in the development of new cholesterol-lowering drugs and therapeutic target for atherosclerosis and related diseases. Emerging evidence shown that PCSK9 is straight implicated in inflammatory process where it may directly influence the activity of various cell types through NFkB activation, a key transcription factor involved in the induction of both pro-inflammatory cytokines and Tissue Factor (TF) expression, a major regulator of haemostasis and thrombosis in monocytes. Deductive reasoning makes therefore plausible to investigate a mechanistic link between circulation PCSK9 levels and TF expression, both in monocytes as well as on the surface of microparticles (MPs) generated from the same cells, with NFkB acting as the chain in the link. To investigate the involvement of NFkB signalling pathway in PCSK9-induced TF expression. Methods THP-1 cell line were stimulated with human (h) PCSK9 (5 μg/mL) or pre-incubated with BAY-117082 (BAY, 10−5M) an NFκB inhibitor, CLI-095 (3 × 10−6M), a highly TLR-4 signalling specific inhibitor and LPS-RS(5 μg/mL) a TLR-4 antagonist. TF procoagulant activity (PCA) was assessed by one-stage clotting assay using a STart Max semi-automated coagulation analyser. Concentration of TF-bearing MPs was determined using the Zymuphen MP-activity kit. Results hPCSK9 stimulated TF activity in THP-1 (PCA: from 50 ± 20 to 120 ± 20 ρg/mL, n = 10, P < 0.01). BAY, an NFkB inhibitor (PCA: −71 ± 23%, n = 5, P < 0.01) and CLI-095, a TLR-4 signalling inhibitor, (PCA: −86 ± 26%, n = 3, P < 0.05) and LPS-RS (PCA: −71 ± 23%, n = 5, P < 0.01) down-regulated PCSK9-induced TF activity completely. Furthermore THP-1stimulation with hPCSK9 causes the release of prothrombotic MPs-TF+ (MPs release from: 0.13 ± 0.07 to 0.42 ± 0.1 nM PS, n = 7, P < 0.05; PCA-MP+ from: 14 ± 3 to 44 ± 28 ρg/mL, n = 5, P < 0.05). Conclusions These data confirm the pivotal role of monocytes in the response PCSK9-induced TF-expression as well as the involvement of PCSK9 in inflammatory-thrombotic diseases through a direct stimulation of TF procoagulant activity and by the release of TF-bearing MPs. The possible mechanism of action involves recognition of PCSK9 by TLRs 2 and/or 4, on monocytes membrane surface, leading to activation of the transcription factor NFκB via an intracellular signalling cascade. Further studies will be needed to better understand the regulatory mechanisms underlying this complex set of biological responses that bind PCSK9, and coagulation events.

Low-rank Gallus gallus domesticus chicks are better at transitive inference reasoning

A form of deductive reasoning, transitive inference, is thought to allow animals to infer relationships between members of a social group without having to remember all the interactions that occur. Such an ability means that animals can avoid direct confrontations which could be costly. Here we show that chicks perform a transitive inference task differently according to sex and rank. In female chicks, low-ranking birds performed better than did the highest ranked. Male chicks, however, showed an inverted U-shape of ability across rank, with the middle ranked chicks best able to perform the task. These results are explained according to the roles the sexes take within the group. This research directly links the abilities of transitive inference learning and social hierarchy formation and prompts further investigation into the role of both sex and rank within the dynamics of group living.