Features of volitional self-regulation of convicts preparing for parole

Modern society is characterized by a large number of emergencies or situations, under the influence of which a person activates special mechanisms that help not only adapt in society, but also adapt to any situation that has arisen, often a conflict-gene. One of the internal resources that allows a person to overcome difficult, stressful situations in modern society is the volitional sphere of the personality. It seems that the study of the volitional sphere of convicts can become the basis for psychological support of convicts to imprisonment at all stages of serving their sentences, contribute to the development and implementation of effective programs to prepare for parole. The purpose of the study was to study the features of the volitional sphere of convicts preparing for parole. According to the results of the study, it was possible to establish that convicts preparing for parole, serving sentences in a strict regime colony to a greater extent, are characterized by a superficial attitude to affairs, a tendency to take thoughtless risks, weak volitional processes, unwillingness to apply physical and mental efforts, emotional instability and severe anxiety, which probably increases the likelihood of committing repeated crimes. At the same time, convicts preparing for parole, serving sentences in a settlement colony, are largely characterized by the ability to control their emotions and show initiative and perseverance when making a responsible decision. It seems that, to a sufficient degree, self-confidence frees from the fear of the unknown, increases the readiness to accept the new, the unexpected, and, as a rule, is combined with freedom of opinion, a tendency to innovation.

Determination of the Geometric Parameters of Electrode Systems for Electrical Impedance Myography: A Preliminary Study

The electrical impedance myography method is widely used in solving bionic control problems and consists of assessing the change in the electrical impedance magnitude during muscle contraction in real time. However, the choice of electrode systems sizes is not always properly considered when using the electrical impedance myography method in the existing approaches, which is important in terms of electrical impedance signal expressiveness and reproducibility. The article is devoted to the determination of acceptable sizes for the electrode systems for electrical impedance myography using the Pareto optimality assessment method and the electrical impedance signals formation model of the forearm area, taking into account the change in the electrophysical and geometric parameters of the skin and fat layer and muscle groups when performing actions with a hand. Numerical finite element simulation using anthropometric models of the forearm obtained by volunteers’ MRI 3D reconstructions was performed to determine a sufficient degree of the forearm anatomical features detailing in terms of the measured electrical impedance. For the mathematical description of electrical impedance relationships, a forearm two-layer model, represented by the skin-fat layer and muscles, was reasonably chosen, which adequately describes the change in electrical impedance when performing hand actions. Using this model, for the first time, an approach that can be used to determine the acceptable sizes of electrode systems for different parts of the body individually was proposed.

Investigation of piston ring wear engines by the mathematical statistics method

Improving the reliability and durability of internal combustion engines makes it possible to increase productivity and reduce the cost of operation. The study of nature and magnitude of piston rings wear is relevant and represents a scientific novelty. During the operation of internal combustion engines, it is almost impossible to determine the influence of various factors on the wear rate and the resource of piston rings. One of the most accurate ways to study the wear intensity and the service life values of internal combustion engines piston rings during operation is the statistical method. The method of mathematical statistics allows us to study the nature and magnitude of individual parts wear with a sufficient degree of accuracy, to determine the main causes of wear, to outline ways of increasing the parts wear resistance, to establish durability criteria, to reasonably assign standard service life of parts and plan the parts need for any period with a given probability, with climatic conditions being taking into account. The article presents the collected statistical material on the internal combustion engines piston rings wear of construction and road vehicles operated at construction sites of Rostov region. It has been processed according to the normal Gauss law and data on the wear and service life of piston rings are obtained. The obtained experimental data on the wear of piston rings in height are reliable to the distribution law and can be used to determine the intensity of engines piston rings wear at repair enterprises.

Innovative Activity: State Regulatory Legal Acts and Possibilities of Their Application in Library Practice

Innovative ways of the development of libraries is a topic that has a sufficient degree of elaboration. However, the documents that provide regulatory and strategic support for the creation and implementation of innovations, as well as the boundaries of their applicability in the library sphere, are not sufficiently examined. The article presents the regulatory legal acts and documents of the strategic planning system that influence the development of libraries and can be used to create and implement sectoral library development programs. Most of these documents have status of regulatory legal acts. They can be used as a conceptual and methodological basis for creating programs and strategies for the development of libraries, given that the availability of such documents has already become mandatory for many branches and organizations, not only in the industrial or commercial spheres of the economy.

Evolution of phenotypic fluctuation under host-parasite interactions

Robustness and plasticity are essential features that allow biological systems to cope with complex and variable environments. In a constant environment, robustness, i.e., insensitivity of phenotypes, is expected to increase, whereas plasticity, i.e., the changeability of phenotypes, tends to diminish. Under a variable environment, existence of plasticity will be relevant. The robustness and plasticity, on the other hand, are related to phenotypic variances. As phenotypic variances decrease with the increase in robustness to perturbations, they are expected to decrease through the evolution. However, in nature, phenotypic fluctuation is preserved to a certain degree. One possible cause for this is environmental variation, where one of the most important “environmental” factors will be inter-species interactions. As a first step toward investigating phenotypic fluctuation in response to an inter-species interaction, we present the study of a simple two-species system that comprises hosts and parasites. Hosts are expected to evolve to achieve a phenotype that optimizes fitness. Then, the robustness of the corresponding phenotype will be increased by reducing phenotypic fluctuations. Conversely, plasticity tends to evolve to avoid certain phenotypes that are attacked by parasites. By using a dynamic model of gene expression for the host, we investigate the evolution of the genotype-phenotype map and of phenotypic variances. If the host–parasite interaction is weak, the fittest phenotype of the host evolves to reduce phenotypic variances. In contrast, if there exists a sufficient degree of interaction, the phenotypic variances of hosts increase to escape parasite attacks. For the latter case, we found two strategies: if the noise in the stochastic gene expression is below a certain threshold, the phenotypic variance increases via genetic diversification, whereas above this threshold, it is increased mediated by noise-induced phenotypic fluctuation. We examine how the increase in the phenotypic variances caused by parasite interactions influences the growth rate of a single host, and observed a trade-off between the two. Our results help elucidate the roles played by noise and genetic mutations in the evolution of phenotypic fluctuation and robustness in response to host–parasite interactions.

Vagal stimulation in heart failure

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) has a strong pathophysiological rationale as a potentially beneficial treatment for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. Despite several promising preclinical studies and pilot clinical studies, the two large, controlled trials—NECTAR-HF and INOVATE-HF—failed to demonstrate the expected benefit. It is likely that clinical application of VNS in phase III studies was performed before a sufficient degree of understanding of the complex pathophysiology of autonomic electrical modulation had been achieved, therefore leading to an underestimation of its potential benefit. More knowledge on the complex dose–response issue of VNS (i.e., pulse amplitude, frequency, duration and duty cycle) has been gathered since these trials and a new randomized study is currently underway with an adaptive design and a refined approach in an attempt to deliver the proper dose to a more selected group of patients.

The SMOOTH-Robot: A Modular, Interactive Service Robot

The SMOOTH-robot is a mobile robot that—due to its modularity—combines a relatively low price with the possibility to be used for a large variety of tasks in a wide range of domains. In this article, we demonstrate the potential of the SMOOTH-robot through three use cases, two of which were performed in elderly care homes. The robot is designed so that it can either make itself ready or be quickly changed by staff to perform different tasks. We carefully considered important design parameters such as the appearance, intended and unintended interactions with users, and the technical complexity, in order to achieve high acceptability and a sufficient degree of utilization of the robot. Three demonstrated use cases indicate that such a robot could contribute to an improved work environment, having the potential to free resources of care staff which could be allocated to actual care-giving tasks. Moreover, the SMOOTH-robot can be used in many other domains, as we will also exemplify in this article.

The theoretical-praxiological warm-up model (PPAT) for entertainer singers

The following article presents physical exercises and the theoretical-praxiological model for singers’ warm-up. The purpose of this paper is to streamline the warm-up for entertainer singers by using PPAT means. The development of technical and interpretive skills, implementation of PPAT relevant to the field and their improvement throughout the activity are some of the most important concerns of each entertainer singer. The complex method of physical and vocal training includes body gymnastics exercises, exercises of the muscular systems that participate in the emission of sound and vocal exercises. Complex exercises are recommended for maintaining mental and physical qualities, improving general motor skills and phono-articulatory movements. These are basic not just for the development of sound emission, but also for the prevention of the so-called professional diseases. The creative development of PPAT for future specialists has a benefic effect on intellectual, emotional-volitional and practical activity. The means, methods and forms of PAPT are aimed at optimally meeting the requirements of the educational, professional, social and daily life spheres of vocalists. PPAT, as a training factor for singers, includes the following: the greater the motor experience and perceptions of the vocalist are, the more perfect the coordination of movements determines a good physical training, the faster the new action is developed, because man can previously create a preliminary model of any motor act in his mind and reproduce it quickly. The essence of PPAT is the optimal use of resources, methods and forms of physical training, in order to achieve and maintain mental and physical qualities. The artistic activity of a vocalist has possibilities to integrate the influence on his spiritual growth and, in particular, on the improvement of his personality. It is important that the specialist in the field acts with interest, with a sufficient degree of independence, in other words creative, and the creative approach to actions is the basis of education.

The use of pedagogical W-technology for the formation of the research potential of students

Substantiated is the expediency of using universal pedagogical W-technology to form the research potential of the students, by taking into account the conceptual ideas of culture-centricity in education. The approaches to the development of technology are argued as a systemic combination of all parts of the proposed author’s model, which, with a sufficient degree, made it possible to take into account the identified factors, structural blocks and their influence at different pedagogical levels. The constructive need for its use as a pedagogical toolkit in the process of student research has been updated.

Kindergarten Teacher Students’ Knowledge Regarding Crucial Environmental Challenges

Global warming and a decline in pollinating insects are among the most crucial challenges today and a sufficient degree of scientific literacy is required for citizens in order to understand these issues and take action for sustainable development in general. Several studies have investigated knowledge associated with the greenhouse effect and the effect of the ozone layer. These have deduced that despite improvement in teaching tools, a high proportion of pupils and students still confuse these two phenomena. Previous research has also shown that plant biology is a neglected subject and students struggle to differentiate between pollination and seed dispersal. This study investigates the understanding regarding the mechanisms underlying global climate change and pollination by conducting a survey with four classes of Norwegian kindergarten teacher students, at the beginning of the academic year (n = 103), and by asking follow-up questions after completed teaching (n = 111). It was observed that approximately 40 percent of the students confused the greenhouse effect with the effect of the hole in the ozone layer. One fifth of the students mentioned photosynthesis while describing the importance of the Sun for life on Earth. About one third of them connected pollen to plant reproduction and two thirds believed that pollen is seeds. A survey at the end of the academic year showed that a substantial proportion of the students displayed teaching resilience. These results can be interpreted in the light of constructivist learning theory and might partly be explained by the role mass media play in influencing scientific literacy. For future citizens to make informed decisions, ecological issues should be prioritised in education.