Individual behavioural patterns and neural underpinnings of verb processing in aphasia

In this dissertation, we investigated aspects of verb and sentence processing in aphasia – a language impairment that occurs after brain damage in adults (a stroke is one of the common causes). We worked with Russian-speaking population, so we first created and made available a database of research materials for the Russian language – verbs, corresponding action pictures, and various parameters that affect processing (e.g. word frequency, subjective picture complexity etc.). Using these materials, we conducted an experiment which aimed to reveal brain regions responsible for verb processing. A large group of stroke survivors participated in an action naming experiment, in which we investigated how their results corresponded to the lesion location in their brain. We found that various left-hemisphere cortical regions, subcortical grey matter structures, and white-matter pathways are involved in action naming, and placed our results in the context of contemporary picture naming, action semantics processing, and semantic control models. Finally, we moved beyond the single verb to the sentence level. We adapted a linguistic diagnostic battery from Dutch to Russian that was designed to assess deficits in verb and sentence processing in production and comprehension. We then tested a large group of individuals with aphasia to see if there were repeatable patterns of linguistic impairment, and if yes, how they corresponded to the type of aphasia. In our study, we did not find clear repeatable individual patterns, although verb and sentence impairments were prevalent irrespective of the aphasia type

Machine Learning Technologies and Psychological Testing of Pre-School and Primary School-Aged Children in Diagnostics of Perinatal Affection of the Central Nervous System

The present study deals with computer-assisted learning technologies used for the analysis of psychological test results of children to diagnosis perinatal affection of the central nervous system. The mathematical models of logistic regression and gradient boosting give the best results within the accuracy of 81%. Keywords: Machine learning, children, central nervous system, perinatal affection

Numerical Evaluation of Tunnel Portal Slope Stability at Bagong Dam Site, East Java, Indonesia

Geometries of excavated tunnel portal slopes at Bagong Dam site was initially designed without taking into account earthquake load. The excavated slope designs also assumed the rocks consisting the slopes were homogenous. The purpose of this research was to evaluate stability of the excavated tunnel inlet and outlet slopes at the Bagong Dam site under static and earthquake loads using finite element method. Stability of the natural slopes was also analyzed for comparison. The numerical static and pseudostatic analyses of slope stability were carried out using RS2 software (Rocscience, Inc.). Input data used in the numerical analyses were obtained from engineering geological mapping, rock core analyses, and laboratory tests. Seismic coefficient applied in the pseudostatic slope stability analyses was determined following guideline described in Indonesian National Standard. The engineering geological mapping and evaluation of rock cores indicated that the inlet tunnel slope consisted of four types of materials, namely residual soil, poor quality of volcanic breccia, very poor quality of volcanic breccia, and good quality of volcanic breccia. The outlet portal slope consisted of six types of materials, namely residual soil, very poor quality of limestone, poor quality of limestone, very poor quality of volcanic breccia, poor quality breccia, and good quality breccia. Based on the secondary elastic wave velocity (Vs) values, the rock masses in the research area were classified as hard rock (SA). Seismic analyses based on the earthquake hazard source map with 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years provided by the National Earthquake Center (2017) indicated that the PGA and the corresponding amplification factor FPGA in the research area were 0.3 and 0.8, respectively. The calculated seismic coefficient for the pseudostatic slope stability analyses was 0.12. The numerical analysis results showed that, in general, earthquake load reduced critical Strength Reduction Factor (SRF) values of the slopes. However, the natural and excavated tunnel portal slopes were relatively stable under static and earthquake loads. The natural slope at the tunnel inlet with a 40° inclination had critical SRF value of 4.0, while that of at the tunnel outlet with a 51° inclination had critical SRF value of 2.6. Under static load, the excavated slopes at the tunnel inlet and outlet having a 45° inclination had critical SRF values of 2.4 and 5.0, respectively. Under earthquake load, the excavated slopes at the tunnel inlet and outlet had critical SRF values of 2.3 and 3.5, respectively

The impact of the post-procedural elevation in troponin-T level on the outcomes off percutaneous coronary intervention for patients with cardiac ischemia (based on the prospective follow-up)

Objective: to study the relationship between post-procedural levels of Troponin T (TnT) on short-term and long-term survival after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The study population included 128 patients with ischemic heart disease confirmed by coronary angiography and followed up with PCI. For all patients, levels of cardiac necrosis biomarkers (TnT and CK-MB) were assessed three times (prior to PCI, 8 and 24 hours after PCI). Depending on the post-procedural TnT levels, the patients with negative TnT prior to PCI were randomized into 4 groups: no TnT elevation after PCI (n=59); any TnT elevation after PCI (n=65); TnT elevation 0,03 ng/ml after PCI (n=40); elevated ThT>0,1 ng/ml after PCI (n=25). The results were analyzed in early (up to 30 days) and extended (from half a year to 6,8 years) follow-up periods (in average 52,3+23,3 months). The prognostic value of TnT elevation after PCI was assessed against three criteria: 1) cardiac death; 2) non-fatal myocardial infarction (Ml); 3) cardiac death or non-fatal Ml. Significant TnT elevation > 0,1 ng/ml (3 times of the upper boundary value) due to PCI correlated with worsened prognosis for the patients with cardiac ischemic disease in short-term and long-term perspective. Also it was correlated with increase in cumulative frequency of cardiac death events or non-fatal Ml (24.0% versus 1.7%, p=0,0032; 36.0% versus 11.9%, p=0,023, respectively). No impact of post-procedural elevations of TnT level on short-term and long-term survival was identified.Цель исследования состояла в изучении влияния постпроцедурных уровней тропонина Т (ТнТ) на краткосрочный и долгосрочный прогноз после чрескожных коронарных вмешательств (ЧКВ). В исследование включены 128 больных с подтвержденной коронарографией (КАГ) ИБС с последующим выполнением ЧКВ. Всем пациентам трехкратно (до ЧКВ, через 8 и 24 часа после ЧКВ) определялись уровни биомаркеров некроза миокарда (ТнТ и MB-фракции креатинкиназы MB (КК-МВ). В зависимости от постпроцедурных уровней ТнТ, при отрицательном ТнТ до ЧКВ, больные были рандомизированы на 4 группы: отсутствие повышение ТнТ после ЧКВ (n=59); любое повышение ТнТ после ЧКВ (n=65); повышение ТнТ 0,03 нг/мл после ЧКВ (n=40); повышение ТнТ>0,1 нг/мл после ЧКВ (n=25). Результаты анализировались в раннем (до 30 дней) и отдаленном - от полугода до 6,8 лет (в среднем 52,3+23,3 месяца) периодах наблюдения. Оценку прогностической значимости повышения ТнТ после ЧКВ проводили в отношении 3-х критериев: 1) сердечная смерть; 2) нефатальный инфаркт миокарда (ИМ); 3) сердечная смерть или нефатальный ИМ. Значимое > 0,1 нг/мл (в 3 раза выше верхней границы) повышение ТнТ вследствие ЧКВ было сопряжено с ухудшением прогноза больных с ИБС в краткосрочной и долгосрочной перспективе. При зтом отмечалось увеличение кумулятивной частоты сердечных смертей либо нефатальных ИМ (24.0% против 1.7%, р=0,0032; 36.0% против 11.9%, р=0,023, соответственно) и риска нефатальных ИМ (24.0% против 0%, р=0,0006; 32.0% против 5.1%, р=0,003, соответственно). Не выявлено влияния постпроцедурного повышения ТнТ на краткосрочную и долгосрочную выживаемость больных ИБС

Seed morphology of some species in the family Gentianaceae

In this work, we investigated the outer and inner morphological characters of the seeds of 13 species in the family Gentianaceae. We also identified the main morphometric parameters and described the shape, coloration and sculpture of the seed surface. Some aspects of their internal structure were analyzed as well

Retrieval and Encoding Interference: Cross-Linguistic Evidence from Anaphor Processing

The main goal of this paper was to disentangle encoding and retrieval interference effects in anaphor processing and thus to evaluate the hypothesis predicting that structurally inaccessible nouns (distractors) are not considered to be potential anaphor antecedents during language processing (Nicol and Swinney, 1989). Three self-paced reading experiments were conducted: one in German, comparing gender-unmarked reflexives and gender-marked pronouns, and two in Russian, comparing gender-marked and -unmarked reflexives. In the German experiment, no interference effects were found. In the first experiment in Russian, an unexpected reading times pattern emerged: in the condition where the distractor matched the gender of the reflexive's antecedent, reading of the gender-unmarked, but not the gender-marked reflexives was slowed down. The same reading times pattern was replicated in a second experiment in Russian where the order of the reflexive and the main verb was inverted. We conclude that the results of the two experiments in Russian are inconsistent with the retrieval interference account, but can be explained by encoding interference and additional semantic processing efforts associated with the processing of gender-marked reflexives. In sum, we found no evidence that would allow us to reject the syntax as an early filer account (Nicol and Swinney, 1989)

Brechas socioculturales y las formas de su eliminación durante el estudio de lenguas extranjeras

In order to take part in the intercultural communication of students, an idea of ​​national traditions, cultural values, customs, and realities of the studied language country must be developed. Lacunae are the gaps in knowledge of the country and the people culture who speak the language being studied. When you work with lacunae, it is necessary to check the correct understanding of their meaning constantly, as well as introduce them into the active vocabulary of students. This is why this study seeks to address the sociocultural gaps and the ways of transfer during the study of foreign languages.Para participar en la comunicación intercultural de los estudiantes, se debe desarrollar una idea de las tradiciones nacionales, los valores culturales, las costumbres y las realidades del país de la lengua estudiada. Las lagunas son las lagunas en el conocimiento del país y la cultura de las personas que hablan el idioma que se estudia. Cuando trabajas con lagunas, es necesario verificar constantemente la comprensión correcta de su significado, así como introducirlos en el vocabulario activo de los estudiantes. Es por esto que este estudio busca tratar la Brechas socioculturales y las formas de su eliminación durante el estudio de lenguas extranjera

The Priorities of Socio-economic and Financial Development of the North Caucasus Federal District in the Current Geopolitical Situation

The aim of the research is to establish the priorities of the socio-economic and financial development of the North Caucasus macro-region within the boundaries of the federal district in the current geopolitical situation. The results of the research show in details the priorities of socio-economic and financial development of the North Caucasus Federal District in terms of import substitution and finance rationalization under the current financial crisis and international sanctions against the Russian Federation. It is a well-known fact that more than 30 nations declared this territory the area of their strategic interests. The Caucasus became the subject of so-called “pipe wars”; it also became “a buffer zone” in the distribution of the Islamic state model. We have a new strategy of working with migrants in the Islamic regions of Russia (Gabdrafikov et al., 2015). Previously, the Caucasus region has been the outcome for migrants, but today it has become to develop new models for the socio-economic attractiveness of the region (Karepova et al., 2015). Statistical, monographic, sociological methods as well as logical modelling have been used in the research. Keywords: sanctions, strategy, cluster, import substitution, finance rationalization. JEL Classifications: A14, C38, G

Методичний підхід до оцінювання рівня поточної оборонної достатності держави

Мета роботи: полягає у висвітленні тих складових національної сфери економіки, котрі беруть безпосередню участь у забезпеченні потреб сектору безпеки та оборони держави та, на основі отриманих результатів, не тільки надати можливий алгоритм оцінювання поточного рівня оборонної достатності, а й привести до відома читачів основні дефініції його обрахування. Метод дослідження: основними методами дослідження є емпіричний метод (спостереження) та елементарний теоретичний аналіз і синтез. Результати дослідження: в даній роботі за допомогою буквених виразів наведено можливий підхід до оцінювання рівня оборонної достатності держави з урахуванням частин сфер національної економіки, що приймають безпосередню участь у визначенні можливостей задоволення потреб сектору безпеки та оборони країни, а, також, для систематизації даних щодо оцінювання рівня поточної оборонної достатності держав та його складових, за поглядами авторів, наведений відповідний алгоритм. Теоретична цінність дослідження: полягає у спробі авторів звернути увагу широкого кола читачів на важливість визначення поточного рівня оборонної достатності як важливого індикатору стану національної безпеки держави, а також запропонувати можливий алгоритм його розрахунку на основі оцінок його основних складових. Тип статті: описовий та розрахунково-аналітичний