Clues from Darwin

How shall we view our existence when we accept the realization that mankind is not the most important part of the universe? Will the wars that plague us, or the political hierarchies that control us, hold as much significance as they do now? For more than a thousand years, man has had the inkling that perhaps a greater force exists in the universe beside us. By about 520 BC, humans began observing that living organisms changed through the generations to become more suitably adapted to their environment; thus was spawned the idea of evolution. Early theories arose to describe this observed evolution of organisms, with notable contributions from the likes of Aristotle in 350 B.C. He studied marine animals and developed an epigenetic model of evolution. Further contributions, by others, would include systems for the classification of living things and developments in the fields of evolutionary biology and genetics. It wasn’t until Charles Darwin, however, that a viable mechanism for the evolution of living things was described. His theories marked the beginning of an era of scientific discovery, which has brought us to where we are today

Decentralization in Educational Disparity of the Southeast Sulawesi Province

Educational disparity is a public issue that continues to be an endless subject matter of discourse due to the highly centralistic process of education policy in the government bureaucracy. This research aims to understand the pattern of educational disparity occurring in the islands of Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The role of political actors in the success of education policy is a vital element in the policy process, and this is apparent in the significance of the political aspect in the education policy process, which emphasizes more on political approaches rather than actual social, economic, and geographical conditions. This study was conducted using the descriptive qualitative approach with data collection techniques that included observations, in-depth interviews, and document analysis in Buton and South Buton Regencies. Study results indicate that the education policy pattern developing in island regions is inclined to using the spatial approach with a central area priority scale, and the structural elite approach, which is political lobbying employed by structural elites (school principals) targeting education bureaucracy in the region. The education policy pattern developing in the region actually has an impact on educational disparity in the public, both at the district and regency levels. In general, the education decentralization policy has yet to run optimally on account of educational resources in the region being distributed by using the spatial and structural elite approaches which have, consequently, created a pathological behavior in the education bureaucracy that is chockfull of vested interests

Financial Development, Investment and Economic Growth: Evidence from Nigeria

The paper evaluates the relationship among financial development, investment and economic growth in Nigeria. It also examines the role of investment in financial development and how it influences economic growth in Nigeria. The paper applies the standard Vector autoregression (VAR) framework of Johansen, the Inoue (1999) cointegration framework with endogenous structural break model and Johansen et al. (2000) cointegration test with exogenous structural breaks, respectively. After accounting for structural breaks in the series, the study establishes a long-run relationship among financial development, investment and economic growth. This indicates that failure to account for structural breaks in the series may lead to bias estimates and may mislead policy conclusion. It further reveals that investment is a critical channel that influences economic growth through financial development

Вступ до теорії мімічних масок: значення афективно-когнітивних взаємозв’язків. (Introduction to the theory of facial masks: the importance of affective-cognitive interactions.)

Сучасна психологія все більше схиляється до думки, що когнітивні та емоційні процеси знаходяться у тісному взаємозв'язку. У статті показаний їх взаємовплив у рамках запропонованої теорії мімічних масок, для якої вони мають першочергове значення. Мімічна експресія розглядається як результат усталення мімічних проявів певних емоцій під впливом когнітивних структур, що провокують ці емоції. Обґрунтовуються деякі теоретико-методологічні засади теорії мімічних масок з позицій системного підходу. Дається огляд процесів, які сприяють їх оформленню. (Contemporary psychology inclines to acknowledge cognitive and affective processes highly dependent on each other. This review shows their interference within the newly proposed mimic masks theory. Slow facial movements as facial expression are considered as a result of fixed expression of emotions arisen under the influence of cognitive structures that caused such emotions. Some methodological and theoretic principles are justifiedfrom the position of the system approach. A review ofprocesses that contribute to the shaping of mimic masks is given as well.

Comparative TMJ imaging accuracy using iCAT cone beam computerized tomography.

A blinded observational cross-sectional in vitro study was conducted to compare the diagnostic accuracy of observers viewing images made using cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT), panoramic radiography and linear tomography. The sample consisted of 37 TMJ articulations from 30 human skulls demonstrating either normal condylar morphology (n=19) or erosion of the lateral pole (n=18). The articulations were imaged using corrected angle linear tomography, normal and TMJ specific panoramic radiography and CBCT. Images and 10 re-reads were presented to 10 observers. Multiple CBCT multi-planar images were presented both statically and interactively. Intra-observer reliability was determined by weighted kappa (Kw) and diagnostic accuracy by the fitted area under the ROC curve (Az). Means were compared using ANOVA (piÜ.05). Our results show CBCT images provide superior reliability and greater accuracy than corrected angle linear tomography and TMJ panoramic projections in the detection of condylar cortical erosion

Quantity and Composition of Stream Dissolved Organic Matter in the Watershed of Conesus Lake, New York

The watershed of Conesus Lake, New York is drained by more than 18 unique streams and several smaller tributaries and has multiple land uses, varying from highly agricultural to primarily wooded, making the lake an ideal study site for analysis of the effects of land use on various water quality parameters. Previous water quality and watershed-health studies at Conesus Lake have focused on the delivery of inorganic nutrients to the lake. We know much less, however, about the effects of watershed land use on the quantity and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) exported to the lake. We sought to determine how stream DOM quantity and composition varied with space and time within the watershed during 2011. The concentrations of dissolved organic carbon and inorganic and organic nitrogen and phosphorus were measured seasonally in 7 streams, with a more detailed analysis of water chemistry in 12 streams during the growing season. The composition of DOM entering Conesus Lake was assessed with a suite of optical indices and with fluorescence excitation-emission matrices (EEMs) with parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), a chemometric technique for the decomposition of characteristic fluorescence peaks. A 4-component PARAFAC model showed one allochthonous, humic-like component (C1), one semi-labile component with allochthonous and/or autochthonous origin (C2), and two autochthonous, protein-like components (C3 & C4). We showed seasonality in the composition and quantity of DOM that is consistent with abiotic seasonal controls and principle components analyses (PCA) suggest that agriculturally-dominated streams are associated with increased nitrate and phosphate, a greater proportion of protein-like PARAFAC components (C3 & C4), and that the DOM tends to be less humified. These results imply that a) seasonal controls on DOM govern the abundance of protein-like DOM and can alter the quantity of bulk DOM, b) agricultural land use may augment autochthonous production in a stream, particularly in the spring and summer, thus creating a more labile pool of DOM that is exported to the lake, and c) stream order can alter DOM quantity and composition, possibly through instream processing and variations in light availability

Slow facial signs and their psychodiagnostic value

Визначення наукової основи психодіагностики через постійні вирази обличчя є проблемою, якій присвячено це дослідження. Метою дослідження є аналіз зв'язків між повільними сигналами обличчя (ПСО) та емоційними рисами особистості з урахуванням віку та статі у вибірці східних українців (201 учасник). Щоб виявити ПСО були зняті фотографії нейтральних облич учасників. Рівень рис оцінювався за допомогою Опитувальника тривожності Спілбергера, шкали тривожності Тейлор, тесту ворожості Басса-Дарки, опитувальника соціальної фрустрації Вассермана, шкали нейротизму Вассермана, особистісного диференціалу, проективних тестів «Намалюй людину» та «Намалюй людину під дощем». Для виявлення значень ПСО з фотографій була застосована Система кодування обличчя (Ekman, Friesen, & Hager). Було виявлено, що більша частина виявлених ПСО відноситься до гніву (12) та суму (11). Найменша кількість виявлених ПСО належить до огиди / презирства (5), страху (4) та щастя (4). З віком на обличчі людей зростає кількість ПСО, що передають сум (найвищий ступінь), гнів (трохи менше), страх (менше) і щастя (найрідше). Відсутні суттєві відмінності у прояві ПСО між чоловіками та жінками. Виявлено значні кореляції відповідних ПСО з тестовими показниками тривожності, депресії та агресивності (у її аспектах почуття провини та образи). Ключові слова: вирази обличчя, повільні сигнали обличчя, емоційні риси, тривожність, депресія, агресивність, щастя.The current study is devoted to the identification of the scientific basis of permanent facial expression as a psychodiagnotic measure. The aim of the research is to investigate relationships between slow facial signs (SFS) and emotional personality traits with taking into account age and gender on the sample of Eastern Ukrainians (201 participants). To that end, we measured participants’ personality traits levels and photographed their neutral faces in order to identify any SFS on the photographs of their faces. The test battery included the Spielberger state-trait anxiety inventory, Taylor manifest anxiety scale, Buss-Durkey hostility inventory, Vasserman social frustration questionnaire, Vasserman neuroticism scale, Personal differential inventory, “Draw-A-Person” and “Draw-A-Person-In-The-Rain” projective tests. We applied Facial Action Coding System (Ekman, Friesen, & Hager) to identify and interprete SFS on the photographs. We found that the most part of revealed SFS relates to anger (12) and sadness (11). The fewest number of revealed SFS relates to disgust / contempt (5), fear (4) and happiness (4). The elder a person becomes the more increasing number of SFS of sadness (highest rates), anger (lower rates), fear (still lower) and happiness (lowest rates) is expected in one’s face. There are no significant differences in manifesting SFS between men and women. We found significant correlations between relevant SFS and traits anxiety, depression, and agressiveness (in its guilt and resentment aspects)