„Quo vadis?” Dwa kazania Sebastiana Piskorskiego z okazji święceń kapłańskich, obłóczyn i profesji zakonnej potomków Franciszka Szembeka – struktura i problematyka

[“Quo vadis?” Two sermons by Rev. Sebastian Piskorski on the occasion of ordination, vesture and taking vows of Franciszek Szembek’s children – the structure and main issues] This study is devoted to two sermons by Rev. Sebastian Piskorski delivered during the ceremonies of the first mass of Michał Szembek and taking the veil and religious vows by Teresa Franciszka Szembekówna, Nun of the Visitation – both children of Franciszek Szembek. The paper analyzes the roles of particular elements of the sermons in creating a persuasive message whose aim is to accompany the young in their rites of passage. The preacher shows them what the way they have chosen will look like. He makes them realize the significance of the mission they undertake as well as possible difficulties; he introduces them into the special nature of the clergy, showing them what they give up and what they let themselves in for. Those deliberations, referring to the motifs of mystical meal and mystical way, are supposed to assist them in making a free and conscious decision. What is remarkable is the exceptional skill of the preacher, who has based his discussion on Gospel pericopes devoted to certain days of the liturgical calendar. The invention base for the sermons is the Bible and the writings of the Church Fathers. What is also important is estate-related factors: the significance and consequences of the vows taken and the mission Michał and Teresa Franciszka are to undertake once they become part of the clergy. Time showed that it was particularly Teresa Szembekówna that fulfilled her task, as a promoter of the worship of the Heart of Jesus in Poland; her zeal contributed to Pope Clement XIII sanctioning the worship.

Conclusions and Policy Implications

The work presented in this volume is a compilation of research highlights that represent numerous studies carried out by researchers within the Energy Governance Work Package (WP4) of the Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research, Society and Transition (SCCER CREST). As our Introduction has illustrated in detail, these researchers worked together under common scientific interests in providing recommendations to overcome governance challenges in the course of the energy transition in Switzerland. Despite the variety of disciplines involved in this group, the conscious decision not to over-precise the shared notion of governance has successfully guided this challenging but fruitful four-year collaboration. These findings should help identify basic designs and structural principles of good energy governance, i.e., governance that is more effective, efficient, and transparent. The conclusion chapter summarizes these guiding principles and further challenges that emerged from our research in the context of Swiss energy governance.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: AI in the higher education

Higher education institutions face the Janus dilemma, on the one hand, universities are asked to be more open, transparent, and easily accessible, so they can be better scrutinized by the public. On the other, they need to limit transparency and guard privacy. The article explores how AI slowly but heavily penetrates the domain of the higher education institutions; it provides various applications of AI in the domain of higher education. This paper argues that AI, big data, and learning analytics can become a powerful tool for advancing higher education institutions further, but at the same time, AI can have a detrimental effect without a vigilant eye. The paper does not aim to minimize the value and virtue of AI, rather problematize the implications and promote conscious decision-making. The article aims to stimulate the discussion among the relevant stakeholders.

Public Libraries Marketing to Teens: a Study of Two New Zealand Libraries

<p>Marketing in libraries has been widely discussed in literature, but is often limited to either prescriptive writing on the application of marketing theory to libraries, or descriptions of marketing at individual libraries with little theoretical basis. The purpose of this research was to compare the teen marketing practiced by public libraries with library marketing theory, and to discover whether the application of theory is a conscious decision by libraries. Staff were interviewed at two New Zealand public library networks to discover whether they considered marketing targeting theory and the marketing mix when marketing to teens. It was found that while both library networks did do some formal teen marketing, the majority of marketing was conducted more informally by individual community libraries. Libraries struggled in particular with defining their teen users, and the marketing mix was dealt with in an ad hoc manner. Overall, library marketing was more tactical than strategic.</p>

Public Libraries Marketing to Teens: a Study of Two New Zealand Libraries

<p>Marketing in libraries has been widely discussed in literature, but is often limited to either prescriptive writing on the application of marketing theory to libraries, or descriptions of marketing at individual libraries with little theoretical basis. The purpose of this research was to compare the teen marketing practiced by public libraries with library marketing theory, and to discover whether the application of theory is a conscious decision by libraries. Staff were interviewed at two New Zealand public library networks to discover whether they considered marketing targeting theory and the marketing mix when marketing to teens. It was found that while both library networks did do some formal teen marketing, the majority of marketing was conducted more informally by individual community libraries. Libraries struggled in particular with defining their teen users, and the marketing mix was dealt with in an ad hoc manner. Overall, library marketing was more tactical than strategic.</p>

From Idea to Realisation: The architecture of Jovan Stefanovsk

Although not widely acknowledged, the Republic of North Macedonia boasts a number of prolific architects who were often engaged in architectural education. Jovan Stefanovski, the author of the Millennium Cross and the National Theatre, both in the capital Skopje, is one such personality. Similar to former generations of architects, his design style conceptually recalls the traditional architecture of his homeland. Researching the Jovan Stefanovski Archive, a number of projects were identified – a sample from the case-studies covered in his doctorate thesis – and discussed with respect to the themes of ‘idea’ and ‘realisation’ in architecture. His notion of the former is akin to ‘concept’ as used in architectural design. While an idea is an expression of the unconscious, realisation is the conscious decision to execute the design idea. Stefanovski was a prolific architect and educator. His interest in traditional architecture was in line with the trends which developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Furthermore, in line with the architectural approaches being developed by Stefanovski’s teachers, the regionalist idiom which emerged in Macedonia, is contemporaneously evident in his work both in form and function.

Ozonioterapia: fatores que interferem na escolha do tratamento

A ozonioterapia é utilizada para regular o efeito oxidante e promover efeitos anti-inflamatórios, antissépticos e desinfetantes no organismo, oferecendo benefícios para diversas condições patológicas. Alguns trabalhos relacionam a ozonioterapia com a redução do stress oxidativo, da resposta inflamatória, melhoria da vascularização e como agente antimicrobicida e antiviral, diminuindo assim a degeneração de tecidos do organismo e consequentemente inibindo a patogênese de diversas enfermidades, especialmente as osteomusculares. Considerando a relevância da técnica faz-se necessário realizar discussões mais aprofundadas sobre o tema de forma a disseminar informações sobre o assunto e permitir uma decisão consciente do paciente.Descritores: Ozônio, Terapêutica, Medicina, Antioxidantes. Ozonio therapy: aspects that interfere in choosing treatmentAbstract: Ozone therapy is widely used as a way to regulate the oxidizing effect and promote anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and disinfectant effects on human body, offering benefits for various pathological conditions. Some studies report that ozone therapy reduces oxidative stress and inflammatory response, improves vascularity and acts as microbicides and antivirals, thus decreasing the degeneration of body tissues and consequently inhibiting the various diseases pathogenesis, especially musculoskeletal disorders. Developing the relevance of the technique makes it necessary to conduct more in-depth discussions on the topic in order to disseminate information on the subject and allow a conscious decision by the patient.Descriptors: Ozone, Therapeutics, Medicine, Antioxidants. Ozonoterapia: factores que interfieren en la elección del tratamientoResumen: La ozonoterapia se utiliza para regular el efecto oxidante y promover efectos antiinflamatorios, antisépticos y desinfectantes en el organismo, ofreciendo beneficios para diversas afecciones patológicas. Algunos estudios relacionan la ozonoterapia con la reducción del estrés oxidativo, respuesta inflamatoria, mejora de la vascularización y como agente antimicrobiano y antiviral, reduciendo así la degeneración de los tejidos corporales y consecuentemente inhibiendo la patogenia de diversas enfermedades, especialmente las musculoesqueléticas. Dada la relevancia de la técnica, es necesario realizar discusiones más profundas sobre el tema con el fin de difundir información sobre el tema y permitir una decisión consciente por parte del paciente.Descriptores: Ozono, Terapéutica, Medicina, Antioxidantes.

Confusions regarding stochastic fluctuations and accumulators in spontaneous movements

Experiments on choice-predictive brain signals have played an important role in the debate on free will. In a seminal study, Benjamin Libet and colleagues found that a negative-going EEG signal, the readiness potential (RP), can be observed over motor-related brain regions already a few hundred ms before a participant makes a conscious decision to move. If the onset of the readiness potential is taken as an indicator of the "brain's decision to move" this could mean that this decision to move is made early, by unconscious brain activity, rather than later, at the time when the subject believes to be deciding. However, an alternative interpretation has recently been discussed, the stochastic decision model (SDM), that takes its inspiration from models of perceptual decision making. It suggests that the RP originates from an accumulation of stochastic internal fluctuations. In this view the decision happens only at a much later stage when an accumulated noise signal reaches a threshold. Here we address a number of confusions regarding both the evidence for the stochastic decision model as well as its interpretation. We will show: (a) that the evidence for the role of stochastic fluctuations is highly indirect; (b) that there is little direct support for the SDM from animal studies; (c) that deterministic (non-random) processes can explain the data in a similar way; (d) that the relative components of the model have been mischaracterized leading to an over-emphasis on the role of random fluctuations and an under-emphasis of deterministic aspects of the model; (e) that there is confusion regarding the role of "urgency" and "evidence" in the SDM and its link to perceptual decision making; (f) that the question whether the decision happens early or late depends on the nature of the noise fluctuations, specifically, whether they reflect "absolute" or "epistemic" randomness; (g) finally, that the model does not explain the temporal relationship between conscious decision and neural decision. Our aim is not to rehabilitate the role of RPs in the free will debate. Rather we aim to address some confusions and premature conclusions regarding the evidence for accumulators playing a role in these preparatory brain processes.

“I Was Worried I Wouldn't Be Believed”: Sexual Assault Victims' Perceptions of the Police in the Decision to Not Report

Most sexual assault victims make the conscious decision to not report to the police. Concerns about the police appear to be prominent in victims' decision-making, but we do not know specifically what these concerns entail, and therefore cannot address them. A qualitative inquiry is needed to understand perceptions of the police in reporting decisions, from the voices of victims themselves. Participants (N = 175) responded to an open-ended survey question about their decision to not report to the police following sexual victimization. Analyses revealed that police perceptions shaped the decision to not report for 36% (n = 63) of participants. Nonreporting decisions related to the police fell into two themes: concerns of police treatment and previous/vicarious negative experiences with the police. We include recommendations for police and a call for alternative reporting options.

Movement-Preceding Neural Activity under Parametrically Varying Levels of Time Pressure

Self-initiated movements are known to be preceded by the readiness potential or RP, a gradual increase in surface-negativity of cortical potentials that can begin up to 1 second or more before movement onset. The RP has been extensively studied for decades, and yet we still lack a clear understanding of its functional role. Attempts to model the RP as an accumulation-to-bound process suggest that this signal is a by-product of time-locking to crests in neural noise rather than the outcome of a pre-conscious decision to initiate a movement. One parameter of the model accounts for the imperative to move now, with cued movements having a strong imperative and purely spontaneous movements having no imperative. Two different variants of the model have been proposed, and both predict a decrease in the (negative) amplitude of the early RP as the imperative grows stronger. In order to test this empirically, we conducted an experiment where subjects produced self-initiated movements under varying levels of time pressure, and we investigated the amplitude, shape, and latency of the RP as a function of the imperative to move, operationalised as a time limit. We identified distinct changes in the amplitude of the early RP that grew non-linearly as the time limit grew shorter. Thus these data did not support the prediction made by the model. In addition, our results confirm that the shape of the RP is not stereotypically negative, being either positive or absent in about half of the subjects.