"Sleight of hand" or "Selling our sou"?: surviving and thriving as critical qualitative health researchers in a positivist world

The commodification and corporatization of research within the academy, research institutes, and professional and political sectors has ignited much attention within the critical qualitative health field. Of particular concern is that the ascendance of neoliberal rationality is increasingly making critical qualitative research transgressive and difficult to practice. We reflect on this concern by deconstructing our experiences collaborating with large teams of interdisciplinary researchers. We offer interpretation of key events, interactions, processes, and existential and material consequences, and discuss lessons learned and productive strategies for working at the margins of the health sciences. We argue for the need to engage in a comprehensive resistance agenda in order for critical qualitative health researchers to not only survive but also thrive in the health field.Die Kommodifizierung und Verkörperschaftlichung der Hochschulen, Forschungseinrichtungen und von Praxis und Politik hat im Bereich qualitativer Gesundheitsforschung sehr viel Aufmerksamkeit erfahren. Besonders kritisch ist, dass das Überhandnehmen neoliberaler Rationalität eine kritische qualitative Forschungspraxis zunehmend erschwert. Wir reflektieren dies durch den Rückgriff auf eigene Erfahrungen im Rahmen großer interdisziplinärer Forschungsteams, indem wir Schlüsselereignisse, Interaktionen und Verläufe sowie deren existenzielle und materielle Konsequenzen interpretieren und produktive Strategien an den Rändern der Gesundheitswissenschaften diskutieren. Uns liegt am Herzen, uns für eine umfassende Widerstandsagenda zu engagieren, die nicht nur das Überleben, sondern auch die Blüte qualitativer Gesundheitsforschung zum Ziel hat

An Exploration of Experiences of Transdisciplinary Research in Aging and Technology

Transdisciplinary research (TDR) involves academics/scientists collaborating with stakeholders from diverse disciplinary and sectoral backgrounds. While TDR has been recognized as beneficial in generating innovative solutions to complex social problems, knowledge is limited about researchers' perceptions and experiences of TDR in the aging and technology field. We conducted a qualitative study to address this knowledge gap by exploring how members of a pan-Canadian research network on aging and technology perceived and experienced TDR. Thirty members participated in semi-structured interviews. Interview data were analyzed thematically. Participants identified benefits that can be gained from implementing TDR, including mutual learning, improved capacity to understand and solve problems, and community engagement and empowerment. Participants also identified challenges to implementing TDR: communication issues and conflicting priorities among team members; tensions between traditional and TDR approaches; and difficulties identifying partners and developing partnerships. In addition, contradictions between TDR principles and participants' understanding of them became apparent. Nevertheless, some participants described successful strategies for implementing transdisciplinary principles in their projects: stakeholder engagement; language and goal sharing; and open, respectful communication. We offer recommendations to support TDR in aging and technology that focus on education and reform of the culture and values that can constrain efforts to practice TDR.Im Rahmen transdisziplinärer Forschung (TDF) arbeiten Wissenschaftler*innen mit Stakeholdern unterschiedlicher disziplinärer und sektoraler Herkunft zusammen. Während es mittlerweile akzeptiert scheint, dass TDF hilfreich ist, um innovative Lösungen für komplexe soziale Probleme zu generieren, ist das Wissen um Wahrnehmungen und Erfahrungen transdisziplinärer Forscher*innen im Bereich Alter(n) und Technologie vergleichsweise gering. Mittels einer qualitativen Studie mit Mitgliedern eines Pan-Kanadischen Forschungsnetzwerks haben wir versucht, diese Wissenslücke zu schließen. Mit 33 Mitgliedern des Netzwerkes wurden teilstrukturierte Interviews geführt, die thematisch analysiert wurden. Zu den berichteten Benefits von TDF gehörten u.a. wechselseitiges Lernen, verbesserte Möglichkeiten zum Verstehen und Lösen von Problemen  sowie Zugehörigkeit zu und Einbettung in die jeweilige Community. Erlebte Herausforderungen betrafen insbesondere kommunikative Schwierigkeiten und Prioritätskonflikte im Team, Spannungen zwischen Vertreter*innen von traditionellen vs. TDF-Ansätzen sowie Hindernisse beim Identifizieren von potenziellen Partner*innen. Zusätzliche waren Widersprüche zwischen TDF-Prinzipien und deren Verständnis durch die Interviewten offensichtlich. Einige der Gesprächspartner*innen haben gleichwohl Strategien beschrieben, die auf eine erfolgreiche Implementierung transdisziplinärer Prinzipien verweisen, nämlich das Engagement von Stakeholdern, das Teilen von Zielen und Sprachen sowie eine offene, respektvolle Kommunikation. Hiervon ausgehend bieten wir Empfehlungen für TDF zu Alter(n) und Technologie mit einem Fokus auf Bildung und auf eine Reform von Kulturen und Werten, die in der Praxis Bemühungen um TDF entgegenstehen

Diagnosis Aerobic Component of Operational Preparedness Skill Players

Важливе значення для системи керування, відбору й орієнтації футболістів на етапах багаторічної підготовки відіграє добір ефективних методик тестування різних компонентів функціональної підготовленості спортсмена для отримання своєчасної, об'єктивної інформації про стан футболістів. Використання достовірних ефективних наукових методик контролю за станом спортсмена сприяє подальшому вдосконаленню майстерності, зростання спортивних досягнень. Метою даної статті є опис та узагальнення сучасних методів та розробок діагностики аеробного компонента функціональної підготовленості футболістів високої кваліфікації.В статті описані методики які активно та ефективно використовуються в провідних футбрльних командах Європи. Зокрема Yo-Yo тест, Човниковий тест (beep-тест), Тест Bangsbo, тест Hoff-Helgerud, тест Conconi, Wingate-тест. Дані тести мають високий рівень достовірності та надійності для оцінки аеробних механізмів енергозабезпечення футболістів.Considerable importance for the control system, selection and orientation of the players on the stage long-term preparation plays a selection of effective methods of testing the various components of functional fitness athlete for timely, objective information about the players.The use of reliable scientific methods of effective monitoring of the athlete contributes to the further improvement of skills, increase athletic achievements. The purpose of this article is to describe and summarize modern methods of diagnosis and development of aerobic component of operational preparedness players qualifications. This article describes methods that actively and effectively used in leading European football teams. Specifically Yo-Yo test, test Shuttle (beep-test), Bangsbo test, test Hoff-Helgerud, test Conconi, Wingate-test. These tests have a high level of reliability and security mechanisms for assessing aerobic power players

Development of thermal LED Model

One of the main tasks of modern lighting technology is to increase the reliability of LED technology. In order to solve this problem, it is necessary to ensure an effective cooling of LEDs, since the values of their parameters depend substantially on the temperature of a crystal. This dependence makes a significant effect on the reliability of a lamp or a luminaire. Thus, in order to increase the reliability of LED technology, it is necessary to calculate the thermal operating conditions of LEDs at the design stage, taking into account a cooling system in use. There are many programs designed to simulate thermal processes, however, such programs use primitive, substantially simplified LED models, and do not allow to recreate electrical and thermal regimes close to real ones. In order to conduct a more accurate simulation, it is required to create new electric and thermal models of LEDs, which are based on real values of the electric-physical and geometric parameters of the instruments. The article considers the thermal model of LED produced by the company SemiLEDs developed in the Multisim program. They performed the calculation of the processes taking place in the light-emitting diodes during their work in a luminaire. The obtained results indicate the possibility of the used approach application for the analysis of various LED light sources. The created models will allow to reveal unfavorable thermal operating modes for LEDs and, accordingly, to take measures to increase the reliability of fixtures.Keywords: temperature dependence of characteristics, high-power LED, current-voltage characteristic, flux-current characteristic

Spirochona americana sp. n. (Ciliophora, Chonotrichia) – a New North American Freshwater Chonotrich Species from the Amphipod Gammarus lacustris

Spirochona americana Dovgal, sp. n. is described from specimens collected in Pyramid Lake, Alberta, Canada. The chonotrich was found colonizing the gills of the gammarid amphipod Gammarus lacustris. S. americana differs from eight other species of the genus Spirochona in the ratio of cell length to cell width, cell body shape, size and morphology of the peristomal funnel, maximum cell size, and geographical distribution.Описана Spirochona americana Dovgal, sp. n. по материалам из оз. Пирамида, провинция Альберта, Канада. Инфузория была обнаружена на жабрах гаммариды Gammarus lacustris. От восьми других видов рода Spirochona S. americana отличается пропорциями и формой тела, размером и морфологией предротовой воронки, максимальной длиной тела и географическим распространением

Recovery of low-carbon ferrochrome with multi-component aluminum-silicon-chrome (Al - Si - Cr) alloy

The paper describes pilot smelting of low-carbon ferrochrome (LCFC) with new type of reductant – multi-component aluminum-silicon-chrome alloy (FASCh). Provisional calculations confirmed by results of pilot smelting show that use of FASCh alloy helps to stabilize LCFC slag and prevent its decomposition. Due to high Al content in FASCh the phase area of slag shifts from dicalcium silicate (larnite- Са2SiO4) area into the helenite area (2 CaO ∙ Al2O3 ∙ SiO2)

Seasonal and Vertical Distribution, Food Web Dynamics and Contaminant Biomagnification of Cercopagis pengoi in Lake Ontario

During the early growth season of 1999 to 2001, Cercopagis abundance in offshore waters of Lake Ontario remained low (less than 30 individuals/m3). From late July, its abundance increased rapidly until it peaked during August. After first appearing in 1998, maximum offshore abundance in Lake Ontario decreased each year since 1999 (1999:1759/m3; 2000: 679/m3; 2001: 355/m3). Cercopagis appears not to migrate below the thermocline and is restricted to the epilimnion. A comparison of pre- and post-invasion average abundance of Daphnia retrocurva, Bosmina longirostris and Diacyclops thomasi suggests that Cercopagis is having a major effect on zooplankton composition and abundance in Lake Ontario. Abundance of all three species has decreased significantly in the offshore waters since the invasion of Cercopagis. Preliminary results also suggest that insertion of Cercopagis pengoi into the Lake Ontario food web will not elevate levels of hydrophobic organic compounds in salmonids through biomagnification