COMPONENTS OF THE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR EDUCATORS WORKING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MATHEMATICALLY GIFTED STUDENTS POTENTIAL

The article is devoted to the formation and improvement of competencies of teachers and psychologists of secondary schools to identify and develop mathematically gifted students. It has been identified the components of the training program of basic competencies that psychologists and subject teachers must have to recognize and develop mathematical talent. The results of an empirical study of an educational project are online training for educators to deepen their theoretical knowledge of mathematical talent and the development of practical skills of organizing the educational process for students with a high level of ability in the field of exact sciences. It was found that training in the development of competencies is an effective way to improve the skills of teachers to understand the essence of talent, the peculiarities of its detection in students, prevention of loss of potential, development of individual educational trajectories, use of new learning technologies and ways to develop personal skills.The article is devoted to the formation and improvement of competencies of teachers and psychologists of secondary schools to identify and develop mathematically gifted students. It has been identified the components of the training program of basic competencies that psychologists and subject teachers must have to recognize and develop mathematical talent. The results of an empirical study of an educational project are online training for educators to deepen their theoretical knowledge of mathematical talent and the development of practical skills of organizing the educational process for students with a high level of ability in the field of exact sciences. It was found that training in the development of competencies is an effective way to improve the skills of teachers to understand the essence of talent, the peculiarities of its detection in students, prevention of loss of potential, development of individual educational trajectories, use of new learning technologies and ways to develop personal skills

Panafricanism, African Boundaries and Regional Integration

The paper argues that the adoption of the “Uti possedetis” Froze African boundaries making them to function as barriers. Though this division was denounced by African Heads of States and Governments little was done to revise these boundaries. This is understandable as this could have led to another “balkanization” of the continent. It is indicated that this division has led to the emergence of small states with small market economics competing rather than completing each others economy. It is argued that regional economic integration cannot take place with boundaries as obstacles. The Pan African idea of closer unity is examined. Regional economic integration is a stand of the Pan African perspectives is presented as a major way out of the deep and worsening economic crises bedeviling African economics. Attempts have been made since the 1960s to create and re-create institutions for regional economic integration in the continent. However, and in spite of the encouragement and boost given to sub-regional integration efforts as a first step towards continental integration, not much as been achieved. It is suggested that vigorous efforts should be made to reorientate the mind set of African leaders, scholars, and policy makers alike to the reality of economic integration and the near obsolescence of boundaries as barriers. The European experience of achieving continental unity through transboundary regionalism. (or Europe of the regions) (Eurogios) as evidence in the European union is instructive. It is concluded that like in Europe, potentials for regional economic integration, and African regions (or “Afregious”) can be converted to poles of economic development and integration. This would enhance not only economic development but would improve the standard of living of the citizens.Keywords: Panafricanism; Regional integration; Economic co-operation; Uti possedetis; International boundarie

Long-term programme of biophysical monitoring of the personnel involved in the construction of the new safe confinement

The international Shelter Implementation Plan (SIP) foresees a step-by-step transformation of the Chornobyl site into the safe condition. The New Safe Confinement (NSC), is an unprecedented 108-meter tall structure over the destroyed Unit 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and is a central element of SIP. Many workers involved in SIP may have a direct contact with fragments of the irradiated fuel, fuel-containing aerosols, and other contaminated material at the Chornobyl industrial site. Isotopes of plutonium, americium, strontium, and cesium are dominating in internal exposure of SIP workers. The safety of workers is a high priority of SIP. Starting from 2004 the Ukrainian Radiation Protection Institute (RPI) is performing a large-scale Internal Dosimetry Program as an integral part of SIP. Pu contents in fecal and urine samples and the whole-body counters‟ (WBC) data and are the main source of the quantitative data used for the dose assessment. The RPI radiochemical laboratories in Kyiv and at the Chornobyl site employed the standard radiochemical technique and equipped with ninety six alpha-spectrometers. The range of WBCs includes the scanning low-background WBC, four Canberra FastScan WBCs, and four chair-type WBCs. The car-borne WBC is located in Kiev and reserved for the emergency purposes. As on September 2017 the Internal Dosimetry Program has covered more than 17 000 workers, which undergone 1 230 000 measurements of ¹³⁷Cs on WBCs, 87 000 measurements of ²³⁹⁺²⁴⁰Pu contents in fecal samples and 4 400 measurements of ²³⁹⁺²⁴⁰Pu contents in urine samples. Such a large-scale programme ensured a reliable monitoring of intakes of the insoluble radioactive material.У міжнародному Плані здійснення заходів (ПЗЗ) передбачається поетапне перетворення чорнобильського майданчика у безпечний стан. Новий безпечний конфайнмент є безпрецедентною структурою заввишки 108 м над зруйнованим 4-м блоком ЧАЕС, він є центральним елементом ПЗЗ. Багато працівників, залучених у ПЗЗ, можуть мати прямий контакт із фрагментами опроміненого палива, паливовмісними аерозолями та іншими забрудненими матеріалами на промисловому майданчику в Чорнобилі. Ізотопи плутонію, америцію, стронцію і цезію домінують у внутрішньому опроміненні працівників ПЗЗ. Безпека працівників має високий пріоритет у ПЗЗ. Починаючи з 2004 р., Науково-дослідний інститут радіаційного захисту АТН України (ІРЗ) здійснює великомасштабну програму дозиметрії внутрішнього опромінення як невід‟ємну частину ПЗЗ. Дані вмісту плутонію у пробах калу і сечі та лічильників випромінювань людини (ЛВЛ) і основним джерелом кількісних даних, що використовуються для оцінки дози. Радіохімічні лабораторії ІРЗ у Києві і на майданчику в Чорнобилі використовували стандартну радіохімічну методику, вони оснащені 96 альфа-спектрометрами. Номенклатура ЛВЛ включає в себе скануючий низькофоновий ЛВЛ, чотири ЛВЛ Canberra FastScan і чотири ЛВЛ типу “крісло”. Мобільний ЛВЛ розташований у Києві і зарезервований для надзвичайних цілей. Станом на вересень 2017 р. рамками програми дозиметрії внутрішнього опромінення було охоплено понад 17 000 працівників, які пройшли 1 230 000 вимірювань ¹³⁷Cs на ЛВЛ, 87 000 вимірювань вмісту ²³⁹⁺²⁴⁰Pu у пробах калу і 4 400 вимірювань вмісту ²³⁹⁺²⁴⁰Pu у пробах сечі. Така великомасштабна програма забезпечила надійний контроль надходжень нерозчинного радіоактивного матеріалу.В международном Плане осуществления мероприятий (ПОМ) предусматривается поэтапное преобразование чернобыльской площадки в безопасное состояние. Новый безопасный конфайнмент – это беспрецедентная структура высотой 108 м над разрушенным 4-м блоком ЧАЭС, он является центральным элементом ПОМ. Многие работники, вовлеченные в ПОМ, могут иметь прямой контакт с фрагментами облученного топлива, топливосодержащими аэрозолями и другими загрязненными материалами на промышленной площадке в Чернобыле. Изотопы плутония, америция, стронция и цезия доминируют во внутреннем облучении работников ПОМ. Безопасность работников имеет высокий приоритет в ПОМ. Начиная с 2004 г., Научно-исследовательский институт радиационной защиты АТН Украины (ИРЗ) осуществляет крупномасштабную программу дозиметрии внутреннего облучения как неотъемлемую часть ПОМ. Данные содержания плутония в пробах кала и мочи, а также счетчиков излучений человека (СИЧ) являются основным источником количественных данных, используемых для оценки дозы. Радиохимические лаборатории ИРЗ в Киеве и на площадке в Чернобыле использовали стандартную радиохимическую методику, они оснащены 96 альфа-спектрометрами. Номенклатура СИЧ включает в себя сканирующий низкофоновый СИЧ, четыре СИЧ Canberra FastScan и четыре СИЧ типа “кресло”. Мобильный СИЧ расположен в Киеве и зарезервирован для чрезвычайных целей. По состоянию на сентябрь 2017 г. в рамках программы дозиметрии внутреннего облучения было охвачено более 17 000 работников, которые прошли 1 230 000 измерений ¹³⁷Cs на СИЧ, 87 000 измерений содержания ²³⁹⁺²⁴⁰Pu в пробах кала и 4 400 измерений содержания ²³⁹⁺²⁴⁰Pu в пробах мочи. Такая крупномасштабная программа обеспечила надежный контроль поступлений нерастворимого радиоактивного материала

The cultural and creative function of moving image literacy in the subject of English in the Greek secondary school

Teaching media literacy as a separate school subject or as part of another school subject is lacking from the Greek educational reality, despite the international academic research and the development and application of media literacy teaching models. This thesis is an analysis of two case study research projects carried out in groups of students in two Greek secondary schools with the aim to study the students’ response to media projects, which are totally new for the Greek educational reality, realized in the English as a Foreign Language class. The data is analyzed according to Burn and Durran’s 3-Cs model of media literacy, and more precisely its Cultural and Creative functions are the aspects used that include the concepts of Cultural Taste, Identity, and Creativity. These concepts are interpreted within the framework of Cultural Studies and Psychology theories. Important theoreticians considered are Bourdieu, Bennett, Giddens, Vygotsky, Jenkins and Bakhtin. The examination of students’ participation in the media projects and their production work suggest that their cultural taste is a combination of global and local influences, a glocal result, in which the family, the peers, the media and the education play an important role. Their identity is multi-faceted, as a reflection of various aspects of their selves, and it is closely related to their cultural taste and their cultural capital. Students’ creativity is also expressed as a complex process, affected both by the guidance of the official educational context and the youth popular culture tendencies. The tensions that emerge in the expression of the students’ cultural taste, identity and creativity during moving image projects characterize the Greek adolescents’ response to the newly-learnt moving image literacy, and raise important questions for educators and researchers

Structural analysis of the PATZ1 BTB domain homodimer

PATZ1 is a ubiquitously expressed transcriptional repressor belonging to the ZBTB family that is functionally expressed in T lymphocytes. PATZ1 targets the CD8 gene in lymphocyte development and interacts with the p53 protein to control genes that are important in proliferation and in the DNA-damage response. PATZ1 exerts its activity through an N-terminal BTB domain that mediates dimerization and co-repressor interactions and a C-terminal zinc-finger motif-containing domain that mediates DNA binding. Here, the crystal structures of the murine and zebrafish PATZ1 BTB domains are reported at 2.3 and 1.8 Å resolution, respectively. The structures revealed that the PATZ1 BTB domain forms a stable homodimer with a lateral surface groove, as in other ZBTB structures. Analysis of the lateral groove revealed a large acidic patch in this region, which contrasts with the previously resolved basic co-repressor binding interface of BCL6. A large 30-amino-acid glycine- and alanine-rich central loop, which is unique to mammalian PATZ1 amongst all ZBTB proteins, could not be resolved, probably owing to its flexibility. Molecular-dynamics simulations suggest a contribution of this loop to modulation of the mammalian BTB dimerization interface

Public exposure formed by atmospheric discharges of nuclear power plants in ukraine

Ukrainian Radiation Protection Institute has developed system for calculation of doses to the population living in the supervision zone of the NPP from atmospheric discharges of Nuclear Power Plants during normal operation. The system analyses daily meteorological data, and also daily and monthly atmospheric discharges of radionuclides. The developed system is applied for dose calculation for Ukrainian population and identification of radionuclides, which form considerable contribution to total doses (noble gases, H-3, I-131). A special attention has been given for variability of actual meteorological conditions and discharges. For example, it has been revealed the case when I-131 discharge from a Ukrainian NPP during 4 consecutive days has made 34 % of annual discharge (and 72% during 3 weeks). Variability of actual discharges is a result of changes in an operation mode of NPP unit and it is a typical situation for Ukrainian NPPs. Apparently, the similar situation can be typical for NPPs in another countries. Such results lead to necessity to consider possible variations of meteorological conditions and discharges for establishment of permissible levels (for example, by introduction of variability factor)

Cross-Border Trade: An Analysis of Trade and Market Integration along the Nigeria-Cameroon Borderlands

The focus of this paper is on unrecorded trade as opposed to the recorded in the Cross River, (Nigeria) segment of the borders with western Cameroon. Empirical data derived from the borderland indicate that the development of border markets, twin towns and their transformation is traceable to the trading activities across borders. These border areas have become the convergence of internationality and locality. Along and astride the borders, the Nigerian currency (Naira) and Cameroonian franc are openly exchanged unofficially to purchase manufactured goods, pharmaceuticals and food stuff in the presence of security agents and government officials who have become participants in the trade across-borders. The twin towns and border markets have become sanctuaries for social miscreants, criminal elements, human traffickers, including those involved in the ‘sins businesses. An assessment of cross-border trade and market integration reveal that inhabitants of the border areas have become economically, socially and politically integrated in spite of the conflict over the Bakassi Peninsula. Based on empirical analysis, bilateral agreements between Nigeria and Cameroon have made negligible positive impact on the process of trade and market integration. While the process of trade liberalization should be intensified as a means of fast-tracking the tempo of formal trade expansion between the two, recognition should be given to the unrecorded trade and market integration processes. It is concluded that the two governments should lay emphasis on the provision of basic infrastructures and security which cross-border trade, investment and market integration can be based. The micro-integration formalities taking place along and astride the Nigeria-Cameroon borderlands are a wide spread phenomenon, characteristic of African borders. These micro-integration formalities are based on the realities of African history and could be galvanized and utilized for wider economic and market integration in the continent

Cross-Border Trade: An Analysis of Trade and Market Integration along the Nigeria-Cameroon Borderlands

The focus of this paper is on unrecorded trade as opposed to the recorded in the Cross River, (Nigeria) segment of the borders with western Cameroon. Empirical data derived from the borderland indicate that the development of border markets, twin towns and their transformation is traceable to the trading activities across borders. These border areas have become the convergence of internationality and locality. Along and astride the borders, the Nigerian currency (Naira) and Cameroonian franc are openly exchanged unofficially to purchase manufactured goods, pharmaceuticals and food stuff in the presence of security agents and government officials who have become participants in the trade across-borders. The twin towns and border markets have become sanctuaries for social miscreants, criminal elements, human traffickers, including those involved in the ‘sins businesses. An assessment of cross-border trade and market integration reveal that inhabitants of the border areas have become economically, socially and politically integrated in spite of the conflict over the Bakassi Peninsula. Based on empirical analysis, bilateral agreements between Nigeria and Cameroon have made negligible positive impact on the process of trade and market integration. While the process of trade liberalization should be intensified as a means of fast-tracking the tempo of formal trade expansion between the two, recognition should be given to the unrecorded trade and market integration processes. It is concluded that the two governments should lay emphasis on the provision of basic infrastructures and security which cross-border trade, investment and market integration can be based. The micro-integration formalities taking place along and astride the Nigeria-Cameroon borderlands are a wide spread phenomenon, characteristic of African borders. These micro-integration formalities are based on the realities of African history and could be galvanized and utilized for wider economic and market integration in the continent

International Boundaries and “Split Personalities”: The Experience of the Boki Ethnic Nationality in the Cross River Region and South West Region of Cameroon

The paper submits that international boundaries, have divided not only kith and kin but cultural coherent areas, natural regions and the sea bed, thus, placing them in one or two states. International boundaries in the perception of state-centric scholars are intended to function as barriers or limits of their states administrative and jurisdictional competence, thereby conforming to the classical attributes of the nationstate, a product of the 19th Century Nationalism in Europe. This study of the Boke, splintered by the 1913 Anglo-German boundary, utilized the micro or grassroots levels of analysis. It is argued that comparative border studies underscore certainpatterns of “universalism” that can be applied to the behavioural pattern orborderlanders. In spite of this universalism, it is indicated that European boundaries are being decomposed into bridges of co-operation and development as opposed to their earlier perception as barriers. The study concludes by way of policy recommendations that Nigeria – Cameroon stakeholders should imbibe this new thinking, and embark on transborder regionalism in order to develop their borderlanders and reverse the status of the border from its conflictual litigation profile to bridges of co-operation for integration and development

BRIDGES ACROSS AFRICA'S INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES: SOCIO-CULTURAL, POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS ALONG AND ASTRIDE THE NIGERIA CAMEROON BOUNDARY

The empirical data for this paper is drawn from the ethnic minorities divided along and astride the Cross River borderlands with southern Cameroon. Scholars who have studied the Nigeria Cameroon Boundary tend to lay more emphasis on the state centric perspective that continues to operate largely within the framework of the nineteenth century European notions of sovereignty of states and the sanctity of national boundaries. By comparison to the state-centric perspective, the trans-national stance is unconventional and understandably less known to existing scholarly literature and policy-making tradition. Nevertheless, the transnational model has been more responsive to the realities of border regions and has won increasing number of adherents in Europe and America where the tempo of trans-boundary co-operation, planning and development is being felt. It is indicated that even more potently, the cultural bonds, which have emerged to cement peoples in these areas together over the centuries, are too strong to be destroyed by the reality of the relatively new colonial boundary. The sovereignty percolating realities along and astride the borderlands have eventuated into various micro-integration at the grassroots level waiting to be formalised at the state centric level. (Humanities Review: 2001 1(1): 81-87