The Idea of Education: Development or Service Delivery?

Introduction. In recent years, the debates over the education crisis, its essence and the role in the development of a person and culture in general have underlined the need to scientifically define the concept of modern education. The present article is debatable and theoretical; therefore, it explores the idea of education from the perspective of the current trend – the classification of education as a service sector. The aim of the article is to scientifically justify irrelevance of the ideas of education as a “commercial service” through the discussion of consequences of such an interpretation. Methodology and research methods. The research methodology is based on a meta-systemic approach, which allows us to consider education as the system in a number of other social institutes and structures and as an element of a larger system. The logical-semantic analysis, hermeneutic method and synthesis of the views among the representatives in the filed of the humanities were used to study the phenomenon of “educational services”. To determine own position, the authors of the present article used the procedure of separating “social construction paradigms” (as a set of principles of knowledge and transformation of social reality), which make it possible to give diverse definitions of society and to introduce the concepts of the essence and the role of education. Results. The concept of “educational services” is analysed as a speech template, a way of thinking, a legal concept, a call to changing social practice and a probable project. The authors reveal a conceptual, semantic substitution, which negatively affects the result of the educational process: the meaning of profit has taken the place of the sense of personal development and social long-term viability and development of society. It is demonstrated that this semantic substitution is a natural consequence of the market laws, going beyond the social control, in particular, their semi-legitimate expansion into the sphere of education, which is a significant public good. Scientific novelty. It is proved that an established expression “educational services” in modern discourse contributes to destructive transformations of the citizens’ mentality and social space. The concepts of “service” and “education” are characterised according to a set of the following criteria: a subject of activity, its nature, a recipient role, specificity of the methods of activity, its result (or its goal) and quality assessment. It is concluded that the sectors of service and education can be characterised as joint constructive human activities, but they are fundamentally different activities. Practical significance. The obtained results could be applied to provide purposeful adjustment processes for conceptual management of the education sector.Введение. Развернувшийся в последние годы дискурс о кризисе образования и обострившийся спор о его сущности и роли в развитии человека и культуры в целом обусловили необходимость научного определения смысла современного образования. В дискуссионной и теоретической по характеру статье данный вопрос исследуется в ракурсе актуальной тенденции отнесения образования к сфере услуг. Цель работы состояла в научном обосновании нерелевантности представлений об образовании как о «коммерческой услуге» и обсуждении последствий подобной интерпретации. Методология и методики. Исследование выполнялось на базе метасистемного подхода, позволяющего рассматривать образование как систему в ряду других социальных институтов и структур и как элемент системы большего порядка. Изучение феномена «образовательные услуги» проводилось посредством логико-смыслового анализа, герменевтического метода и синтеза мнений представителей разных гуманитарных наук. Для аргументации собственной позиции авторы использовали процедуру разделения «парадигм социоконструирования» (как совокупности принципов познания и преобразования социальной реальности), из которых логически выводятся разные дефиниции общества, определения сущности и роли образования. Результаты. Концепт «образовательные услуги» проанализирован как речевой шаблон, способ мышления, юридическое понятие, призыв к изменению социальной практики и как вероятный проект. Выявлена негативно влияющая на результаты образования концептуальная, смысловая подмена: смысл извлечения прибыли занял место смысла совершенствования личности и обеспечения долгосрочной жизнеспособности и развития всего общества. Показано, что данная подмена – закономерное следствие выхода рыночных законов за рамки социального контроля, в частности их полулегитимного распространения на сферу образования, являющегося общественно значимым благом. Научная новизна. Доказывается, что закрепившееся в современном дискурсе выражение «образовательные услуги» способствует деструктивным трансформациям менталитета граждан и социального пространства. Услуга и образование охарактеризованы по комплексу критериев: предмет деятельности, ее характер, роль акцептора продукта деятельности, особенности методов деятельности, результат (цель) деятельности и оценка качества. Сделан вывод о том, что сфера услуг и образование – это области совместной конструктивной деятельности людей, имеющие принципиальные различия. Практическая значимость. Полученные результаты позволяют целенаправленно корректировать процессы концептуального управления сферой образования.The present research was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research in the framework of the research project No. 19–013–00373 A “Academic Mobility of Students with Disabilities in the Context of the Transformation of Higher Education”.Исследование выполнено при финансовой поддержке РФФИ в рамках научного проекта № 19–013–00373 А «Академическая мобильность студентов с ограниченными возможностями здоровья и инвалидностью в условиях трансформации высшего образования»

Formation of ultracold RbCs molecules by photoassociation

The formation of ultracold metastable RbCs molecules is observed in a double species magneto-optical trap through photoassociation below the ^85Rb(5S_1/2)+^133Cs(6P_3/2) dissociation limit followed by spontaneous emission. The molecules are detected by resonance enhanced two-photon ionization. Using accurate quantum chemistry calculations of the potential energy curves and transition dipole moment, we interpret the observed photoassociation process as occurring at short internuclear distance, in contrast with most previous cold atom photoassociation studies. The vibrational levels excited by photoassociation belong to the 5th 0^+ or the 4th 0^- electronic states correlated to the Rb(5P_1/2,3/2)+Cs(6S_1/2) dissociation limit. The computed vibrational distribution of the produced molecules shows that they are stabilized in deeply bound vibrational states of the lowest triplet state. We also predict that a noticeable fraction of molecules is produced in the lowest level of the electronic ground state

Hydrogen-like nitrogen radio line from hot interstellar and warm-hot intergalactic gas

Hyperfine structure lines of highly-charged ions may open a new window in observations of hot rarefied astrophysical plasmas. In this paper we discuss spectral lines of isotopes and ions abundant at temperatures 10^5-10^7 K, characteristic for warm-hot intergalactic medium, hot interstellar medium, starburst galaxies, their superwinds and young supernova remnants. Observations of these lines will allow to study bulk and turbulent motions of the observed target and will broaden the information about the gas ionization state, chemical and isotopic composition. The most prospective is the line of the major nitrogen isotope having wavelength 5.65 mm (Sunyaev and Churazov 1084). Wavelength of this line is well-suited for observation of objects at z=0.15-0.6 when it is redshifted to 6.5-9 mm spectral band widely-used in ground-based radio observations, and, for example, for z>=1.3, when the line can be observed in 1.3 cm band and at lower frequencies. Modern and future radio telescopes and interferometers are able to observe the absorption by 14-N VII in the warm-hot intergalactic medium at redshifts above z=0.15 in spectra of brightest mm-band sources. Sub-millimeter emission lines of several most abundant isotopes having hyperfine splitting might also be detected in spectra of young supernova remnants.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, accepted by Astronomy Letters; v3: details added; error fixe

Extrafocal transcutaneous transpedicular fixation as the stage of surgical treatment of inflammatory diseases of the spine

Trachelokyphosis and hematogenous osteomielitis of the spine are common and crippling diseases, in most cases leading to disability. Surgical treatment of inflammatory diseases of the spine is a rather complicated problem due to the fact that often in the postoperative period, an increase in spinal deformity, fracture and resorption of the transplants, festering in the area of plastics. The basis of modern surgical treatment of tuberculosis spondylitis (Pott's disease) is a radical reconstruction of the spine, including the complete removal of the damaged vertebral body abscesses, anterior decompression of the spinal cord and anterior spinal fusion The goal was to analyze the short - and long-term results of open and minimally invasive transpedicular fixation of thoracic and lumbar spine in inflammatory diseases of the spine.The material of this work based on 65 cases with tuberculosis spondylitis (Pott's disease) and nonspecific spondylitis of thoracic and lumbar segments of spine, operated in 2008-2010. In to the main group 35 patients were involved with single and double lower thoracic spine and lumbar spine lesions at the age of 25 to 70 years after surgery with minimally invasive transcutaneous transpedicular fixation (TTF). The control group included 30 patients with tuberculosis spondylitis (Pott's disease) of the thoracic and lumbar segments of spine with conventional open transpedicular internal fixation (TIF). Conclusion. Minimally invasive technology can reduce the period of preparation for surgery in patients with concomitant somatic pathology, reduce operational manuals and traumatic blood loss, trauma of a large array of soft tissue, to provide early mobilization patients despite the severity of degradation of the spine and to ensure good quality of life for a period of prolonged antibiotic and / or anti-tuberculosis therapy.Туберкулезный спондилит и гематогенный остеомиелитпозвоночника до настоящего времени остаются распространенными и калечащими заболеваниями, в большинстве случаев ведущими к инвалидности. Хирургическое лечение воспалительных заболеваний позвоночника до настоящего времени представляет достаточно сложную проблему в связи с тем, что нередко в послеоперационном периоде наблюдается увеличение деформации позвоночника, резорбция и перелом трансплантатов, нагноение в зоне пластики. Основу современного хирургического лечения туберкулезного спондилита составляет радикальная реконструкция позвоночника, включающая полное удаление разрушенных тел позвонков, абсцессов, переднюю декомпрессию спинного мозга и передний спондилодез.Цель исследования: анализ ближайших и отдаленных результатов применения открытой и малоинвазивной транспедикулярной фиксации грудного и поясничного отделов позвоночника при воспалительных заболеваниях позвоночника. Материалом для настоящей работы послужили исследования историй болезней 65 пациентов с туберкулезным и неспецифическим спондилитом грудных и поясничных сегментов, оперированных в период с 2008 по 2010 годы. В основную группу включены 35 больных с одно- и двухсегментарным поражением нижнегрудного и поясничного отделов позвоночника в возрасте от 25 до 70 лет, оперированных с применением минимально-инвазивной транскутанной транспедикулярной фиксации (ТТФ). В группу контроля включены 30 пациентов с туберкулезным спондилитом грудных и поясничных сегментов с применением традиционной открытой внутренней транспедикулярной фиксацией (ОТФ).Заключение. Минимально-инвазивная технология позволяет сократить период подготовки к операции у пациентов с сопутствующей соматической патологией, снизить травматичность оперативного пособия и кровопотерю.травматизацию большого массива мягких тканей, обеспечить раннюю активизацию пациента несмотря на выраженность деструкции позвоночника и обеспечить приемлемое качество жизни на период длительной антибактериальной и/или противотуберкулёзной терапии

Formation and interactions of cold and ultracold molecules: new challenges for interdisciplinary physics

Progress on researches in the field of molecules at cold and ultracold temperatures is reported in this review. It covers extensively the experimental methods to produce, detect and characterize cold and ultracold molecules including association of ultracold atoms, deceleration by external fields and kinematic cooling. Confinement of molecules in different kinds of traps is also discussed. The basic theoretical issues related to the knowledge of the molecular structure, the atom-molecule and molecule-molecule mutual interactions, and to their possible manipulation and control with external fields, are reviewed. A short discussion on the broad area of applications completes the review.Comment: to appear in Reports on Progress in Physic

Athlome Project Consortium: a concerted effort to discover genomic and other "omic" markers of athletic performance.

Despite numerous attempts to discover genetic variants associated with elite athletic performance, injury predisposition, and elite/world-class athletic status, there has been limited progress to date. Past reliance on candidate gene studies predominantly focusing on genotyping a limited number of single nucleotide polymorphisms or the insertion/deletion variants in small, often heterogeneous cohorts (i.e., made up of athletes of quite different sport specialties) have not generated the kind of results that could offer solid opportunities to bridge the gap between basic research in exercise sciences and deliverables in biomedicine. A retrospective view of genetic association studies with complex disease traits indicates that transition to hypothesis-free genome-wide approaches will be more fruitful. In studies of complex disease, it is well recognized that the magnitude of genetic association is often smaller than initially anticipated, and, as such, large sample sizes are required to identify the gene effects robustly. A symposium was held in Athens and on the Greek island of Santorini from 14-17 May 2015 to review the main findings in exercise genetics and genomics and to explore promising trends and possibilities. The symposium also offered a forum for the development of a position stand (the Santorini Declaration). Among the participants, many were involved in ongoing collaborative studies (e.g., ELITE, GAMES, Gene SMART, GENESIS, and POWERGENE). A consensus emerged among participants that it would be advantageous to bring together all current studies and those recently launched into one new large collaborative initiative, which was subsequently named the Athlome Project Consortium

Dust in Supernovae and Supernova Remnants II: Processing and survival

Observations have recently shown that supernovae are efficient dust factories, as predicted for a long time by theoretical models. The rapid evolution of their stellar progenitors combined with their efficiency in precipitating refractory elements from the gas phase into dust grains make supernovae the major potential suppliers of dust in the early Universe, where more conventional sources like Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars did not have time to evolve. However, dust yields inferred from observations of young supernovae or derived from models do not reflect the net amount of supernova-condensed dust able to be expelled from the remnants and reach the interstellar medium. The cavity where the dust is formed and initially resides is crossed by the high velocity reverse shock which is generated by the pressure of the circumstellar material shocked by the expanding supernova blast wave. Depending on grain composition and initial size, processing by the reverse shock may lead to substantial dust erosion and even complete destruction. The goal of this review is to present the state of the art about processing and survival of dust inside supernova remnants, in terms of theoretical modelling and comparison to observations

The Idea of Education: Development or Service Delivery?

Introduction. In recent years, the debates over the education crisis, its essence and the role in the development of a person and culture in general have underlined the need to scientifically define the concept of modern education. The present article is debatable and theoretical; therefore, it explores the idea of education from the perspective of the current trend – the classification of education as a service sector.The aim of the article is to scientifically justify irrelevance of the ideas of education as a “commercial service” through the discussion of consequences of such an interpretation.Methodology and research methods. The research methodology is based on a meta-systemic approach, which allows us to consider education as the system in a number of other social institutes and structures and as an element of a larger system. The logical-semantic analysis, hermeneutic method and synthesis of the views among the representatives in the filed of the humanities were used to study the phenomenon of “educational services”. To determine own position, the authors of the present article used the procedure of separating “social construction paradigms” (as a set of principles of knowledge and transformation of social reality), which make it possible to give diverse definitions of society and to introduce the concepts of the essence and the role of education.Results. The concept of “educational services” is analysed as a speech template, a way of thinking, a legal concept, a call to changing social practice and a probable project. The authors reveal a conceptual, semantic substitution, which negatively affects the result of the educational process: the meaning of profit has taken the place of the sense of personal development and social long-term viability and development of society. It is demonstrated that this semantic substitution is a natural consequence of the market laws, going beyond the social control, in particular, their semi-legitimate expansion into the sphere of education, which is a significant public good.Scientific novelty. It is proved that an established expression “educational services” in modern discourse contributes to destructive transformations of the citizens’ mentality and social space. The concepts of “service” and “education” are characterised according to a set of the following criteria: a subject of activity, its nature, a recipient role, specificity of the methods of activity, its result (or its goal) and quality assessment. It is concluded that the sectors of service and education can be characterised as joint constructive human activities, but they are fundamentally different activities.Practical significance. The obtained results could be applied to provide purposeful adjustment processes for conceptual management of the education sector

A Herschel PACS and SPIRE study of the dust content of the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant

Using the 3.5-m Herschel Space Observatory, imaging photometry of Cas A has been obtained in six bands between 70 and 500 μm with the PACS and SPIRE instruments, with angular resolutions ranging from 6 to 37”. In the outer regions of the remnant the 70-μm PACS image resembles the 24-μm image Spitzer image, with the emission attributed to the same warm dust component, located in the reverse shock region. At longer wavelengths, the three SPIRE bands are increasingly dominated by emission from cold interstellar dust knots and filaments, particularly across the central, western and southern parts of the remnant. Nonthermal emission from the northern part of the remnant becomes prominent at 500 μm. We have estimated and subtracted the contributions from the nonthermal, warm dust and cold interstellar dust components. We confirm and resolve for the first time a cool (~35 K) dust component, emitting at 70-160 μm, that is located interior to the reverse shock region, with an estimated mass of 0.075