Credibility and creativity in network society

The authors of this article claim that the network society is organised around such flow of information in which each entity constitutes its specific centre. Through the network entities obtain information from other entities. The amount of information and the fact that it is difficult to verify it are the reasons why the issue of credibility plays the key role in such a society. Aiming at being credible within the network society involves various methods and techniques of making other entities acknowledge one’s credibility. In result credibility is strongly related to creativity. In the pragmatic sense, credibility becomes the objective of creativity. In the moral aspect creativity assumes credibility due to the need to shape a person (education and upbringing) in and by the society in such a way that they may become a creative entity, stimulate their creativity and use it through the interaction with other entities. Santrauka Šio straipsnio autoriai tvirtina, kad tinklo visuomenę organizuoja toks informacijos srautas, kurio sąlygomis bet kokia esatis steigia savąjį specifinį centrą. Per tinklą esatys pasiekia informaciją iš kitų esačių. Informacijos kiekis ir faktas, kad sudėtinga ją patikrinti, tokioje visuomenėje atlieka pagrindinį vaidmenį. Siekimas būti patikimu tinklo visuomenėje apima įvairius metodus ir technikas, skirtas tam, kad kas nors būtų pripažintas kaip patikimas. Išplaukia, kad patikimumas yra glaudžiai susijęs su kūrybiškumu. Pragmatiniu požiūriu patikimumas tampa kūrybiškumo tikslu. Moralės aspektu kūrybiškumas įgauna patikimumo dėl poreikio formuoti asmenį (švietimas ir ugdymas) visuomenėje ir pasitelkiant ją taip, kad tai taptų kūrybine esatimi, žadintų asmens kūrybiškumą ir išnaudotų jį sąveikaujant su kitomis esatimis. Reikšminiai žodžiai: kūrybiškumas, patikimumas, etika, informacija, moralinis patikimumas, tinklo visuomenė, pragmatizmas

Low-pressure metamorphism during Archaean crustal growth: a low-strain zone in the northern Nagssugtoqidian orogen, West Greenland

One of the first detailed accounts of Precambrian supracrustal rocks in central West Greenland came from a small group of islands and skerries a few kilometres north-east of Aasiaat (Fig. 1). In 1948, K. Ellitsgaard-Rasmussen spent a few days on the islands and published a metamorphic study of their low-grade greenstones and aluminous clastic rocks (Ellitsgaard-Rasmussen 1954). He observed a striking dissimilarity between these supracrustal rocks and the grey gneisses found in most of the Aasiaat region, although the latter were at that time also assumed to be of supracrustal origin. He furthermore noted that the regional significance of the islands should be pursued, and that the island of Maniitsoq 4 km west of the small islands might hold a key to their interpretation. More than 50 years were to elapse before the islands were surveyed again in July 2003, during field work for the Ikamiut map sheet in the northern Nagssugtoqidian orogen (van Gool et al. 2002). The collision of two Archaean continents during the c. 1850 Ma Nagssugtoqidian orogeny caused intensive structural and thermal reworking at up to granulite facies grade in most of central West Greenland; see Connelly et al. (2000) and van Gool et al. (2002). The small islands north-east of Aasiaat are indeed regionally important, because they document a previously unrecognised low-grade, low-strain domain of presumed Archaean age that has largely escaped the Nagssugtoqidian orogeny, and as predicted by Ellitsgaard-Rasmussen (1954) a clue to their significance was found on Maniitsoq

Geochemistry, zircon U‒Pb and Hf isotopic compositions of lower crustal rocks from the Góry Sowie Massif (Central Sudetes, SW Poland): New insights on the sedimentary origin and tectono-thermal evolution

Devonian HP-UHP lithotectonic associations represent a pivotal element of Paleozoic evolution of the European Variscan belt across the continent from Portugal to Poland. The Góry Sowie Massif (GSM), located in the Central Sudetes, represents one of the best preserved outcrops of lower crustal rocks that experienced a protracted Devonian tectono-metamorphic history at the easternmost extremity of the belt. The area is surrounded by Devonian ophiolite remnants and Devonian to Carboniferous sedimentary basins in the northern and southern part, respectively. The GSM is mainly composed of paragneisses and subordinate orthogneisses, metabasites and granulite. The dominantly sedimentary association and the overall geotectonic setting contrast with the other km-scale granulite complexes in the Bohemian Massif that are dominated by felsic granulites and late Cambrian orthogneisses that experienced 340 Ma HP metamorphism. Weak Carboniferous overprint makes the GSM a key locality to better understand the Devonian stages of formation of HP granulites and provenance of the whole pre-Devonian lithological association. New U-Pb and Lu/Hf analyses were carried out on zircons from 4 migmatitic paragneisses, 3 felsic biotite-poor granulites and 2 biotite-rich granulites in the northern part of the GSM, and combined with geochemical analyses in order to constrain a source provenance and tectono-thermal history of the area. The paragneisses dominated by stromatic migmatite and felsic granulites occur as hundred meter-scale bodies associated with metric lenses of amphibolites, mafic and ultramafic rocks in the northern part of the massif

Crustal architecture of the Laptev Rift System in the East Siberian Arctic based on 2D long-offset seismic profiles and gravity modelling

The Laptev Shelf in the East Siberian Arctic represents a rare tectonic setting where an active oceanic spreading centre, the Gakkel Ridge, intersects a continental margin. The North America–Eurasia plate boundary follows the Gakkel Ridge and passes into a continental shelf; this has resulted in the development of a wide rift system that has been active since the Late Cretaceous. The new long-offset seismic profiles provide a reliable basis for deciphering the structural characteristics of this rift system. We use two new seismic profiles, along with one acquired in the 1990s, to examine the crustal architecture of the rift system. Our approach combines seismic interpretation, time to depth conversion of seismic profiles and 2D gravity forward modelling. The obtained results indicate the presence of hyperextended continental crust beneath the Ust' Lena Rift Basin and exhumed continental mantle at the base of the syn-rift succession along the rift axis. The upper crust was removed by brittle stretching, while the lower crust experienced extreme ductile thinning. Our results show that continental crust can be eliminated in the course of rifting without a considerable heat input from asthenospheric mantle

Atrasentan and renal events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (SONAR): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes. Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. We enrolled adults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)25–75 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 of body surface area, and a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)of 300–5000 mg/g who had received maximum labelled or tolerated renin–angiotensin system inhibition for at least 4 weeks. Participants were given atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily during an enrichment period before random group assignment. Those with a UACR decrease of at least 30% with no substantial fluid retention during the enrichment period (responders)were included in the double-blind treatment period. Responders were randomly assigned to receive either atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily or placebo. All patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was a composite of doubling of serum creatinine (sustained for ≥30 days)or end-stage kidney disease (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 sustained for ≥90 days, chronic dialysis for ≥90 days, kidney transplantation, or death from kidney failure)in the intention-to-treat population of all responders. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01858532. Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and July 13, 2017, 11 087 patients were screened; 5117 entered the enrichment period, and 4711 completed the enrichment period. Of these, 2648 patients were responders and were randomly assigned to the atrasentan group (n=1325)or placebo group (n=1323). Median follow-up was 2·2 years (IQR 1·4–2·9). 79 (6·0%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 105 (7·9%)of 1323 in the placebo group had a primary composite renal endpoint event (hazard ratio [HR]0·65 [95% CI 0·49–0·88]; p=0·0047). Fluid retention and anaemia adverse events, which have been previously attributed to endothelin receptor antagonists, were more frequent in the atrasentan group than in the placebo group. Hospital admission for heart failure occurred in 47 (3·5%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 34 (2·6%)of 1323 patients in the placebo group (HR 1·33 [95% CI 0·85–2·07]; p=0·208). 58 (4·4%)patients in the atrasentan group and 52 (3·9%)in the placebo group died (HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·75–1·59]; p=0·65). Interpretation: Atrasentan reduced the risk of renal events in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who were selected to optimise efficacy and safety. These data support a potential role for selective endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of developing end-stage kidney disease. Funding: AbbVie

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to &lt;90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], &gt;300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of &lt;15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P&lt;0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P&lt;0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Dopamine, serotonin and impulsivity.

Impulsive people have a strong urge to act without thinking. It is sometimes regarded as a positive trait but rash impulsiveness is also widely present in clinical disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), drug dependence, mania, and antisocial behaviour. Contemporary research has begun to make major inroads into unravelling the brain mechanisms underlying impulsive behaviour with a prominent focus on the limbic cortico-striatal systems. With this progress has come the understanding that impulsivity is a multi-faceted behavioural trait involving neurally and psychologically diverse elements. We discuss the significance of this heterogeneity for clinical disorders expressing impulsive behaviour and the pivotal contribution made by the brain dopamine and serotonin systems in the aetiology and treatment of behavioural syndromes expressing impulsive symptoms