Infantilism: theoretical construct and operationalization

The aim of the presented research is to define and operationalize theoretically the concept of infantilism and its construct. The content of theoretical construct «infantilism» is analyzed. Methods. The methods of theoretical research involve analysis and synthesis. The age and content criteria are analysed in the context of childhood and adulthood. The traits which can be interpreted as adult infantile traits are described. Results. The characteristics of adult infantilism in modern world taking into account the increasing of information flows and socio-economic changes are defined. The definition of the concept «infantilism» including its main features is given. Infantilism is defined as the personal organization including features and models of the previous age period not adequate for the real age stage with emphasis on immaturity of the emotional and volitional sphere. Scientific novelty. The main psychological characteristics of adulthood are described as the reflection, requirement to work and professional activity, existence of professional self-determination, possession of labor skills, need for selfrealization, maturity of the emotional and volitional sphere. As objective adulthood characteristics are considered the following: transition to economic and territorial independence of a parental family, and also development of new social roles, such as a worker, spouse, and parent. Two options of a possible operationalization of concept are allocated: objective (existence / absence in real human life of objective criteria of adulthood) and subjective (the self-report on subjective feeling of existence / lack of psychological characteristics of adulthood). Practical significance consists in a construct operationalization of «infantilism» which at the moment has so many interpretations. That operationalization is necessary for the further analysis and carrying out various researches. Цель статьи – теоретически определить и операционализировать конструкт «инфантилизм». Исследуется содержание теоретического конструкта «инфантилизм». Использованы методы теоретического исследования: анализ и синтез. Анализируются возрастной и содержательный критерии разделения детства и взрослости. Описаны проявления, трактующиеся как инфантильные для взрослого возраста. Результаты исследования. Установлены характерные признаки инфантилизма взрослого человека в современных условиях с учетом возрастания интенсивности информационных потоков и социально-экономических изменений. Сформулировано определение, которое включает в себя конкретные его характеристики. Инфантилизм определен как личностная организация, включающая черты и модели предыдущего возрастного периода, не адекватные для настоящего возрастного этапа, с акцентом на незрелости эмоционально-волевой сферы. Научная новизна исследования заключается в том, что в качестве основных психологических характеристик взрослости описаны рефлексия, потребность к труду и профессиональной деятельности, наличие профессионального самоопределения, владение трудовыми навыками, потребность в самореализации, сформированность эмоционально-волевой сферы. Объективными характеристиками взрослости выступают переход к экономической и территориальной независимости от родительской семьи, а также освоение новых социальных ролей, таких как работник, супруг, родитель. Выделены два варианта возможной операционализации понятия: объективный (наличие / отсутствие в реальной жизни человека объективных критериев взрослости) и субъективный (самоотчет о субъективном ощущении наличия / отсутствия психологических характеристик взрослости). Практическая значимость статьи заключается в операционализации конструкта «инфантилизм», который в настоящий момент имеет довольно много толкований. Такая операционализация необходима для дальнейшего анализа и проведения различных исследовани

Amyloid Plaques Beyond Aβ: A Survey of the Diverse Modulators of Amyloid Aggregation

Aggregation of the amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide is strongly correlated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent research has improved our understanding of the kinetics of amyloid fibril assembly and revealed new details regarding different stages in plaque formation. Presently, interest is turning toward studying this process in a holistic context, focusing on cellular components which interact with the Aβ peptide at various junctures during aggregation, from monomer to cross-β amyloid fibrils. However, even in isolation, a multitude of factors including protein purity, pH, salt content, and agitation affect Aβ fibril formation and deposition, often producing complicated and conflicting results. The failure of numerous inhibitors in clinical trials for AD suggests that a detailed examination of the complex interactions that occur during plaque formation, including binding of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and metal ions, is important for understanding the diversity of manifestations of the disease. Unraveling how a variety of key macromolecular modulators interact with the Aβ peptide and change its aggregation properties may provide opportunities for developing therapies. Since no protein acts in isolation, the interplay of these diverse molecules may differentiate disease onset, progression, and severity, and thus are worth careful consideration

Higher Education Outcomes at the National Level on the Example of the Project “Collegiate Learning Assessment”

We discuss the interpretation of the concept of “learning outcomes”. Theoretical analysis widely represents the interpretations of the learning outcomes of a high school student: academic skills: understanding, application of knowledge to solve problems, synthesis, analysis and evaluation; basic skills and basic knowledge, and skills of a higher order and advanced knowledge; skills of a higher order represented as a system of critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving and written communication; wide abilities interpreted as verbal, quantitative and spatial thinking, understanding, problem solving and decision making. We conclude that each considered approach distinguishes meta-subjective skills, i.e. skills to interact with the quality of information regardless of the context. The ability to measure the meta-skills is discussed on an example of the “Collegiate learning assessment”, realized in the United State

Scenarios of Business Development in the Agricultural Machinery Market Under Conditions of International Trade Integration

The purpose of the article is to identify and analyze scenarios of business development in the agricultural machinery market under conditions of international trade integration using the case of present-day Russia and to determine the need for state support for domestic production. As a methodological provision, we use the scenario analysis method adapted by the authors for the determination and analysis of possible scenarios of business development in the agricultural machinery market under conditions of international trade integration. From the research results, the authors conclude that the Russian agricultural machinery market develops dynamically under the influence of multiple favorable factors and positive tendencies, which include a population's income growth, increases in crop areas of farm crops, and state agricultural machinery modernization programs, among other. In view of recent events in the currency market, Russian manufacturers of agricultural machinery are presented with better opportunities to export their products. The performed analysis of features of the Russian agricultural machinery market under conditions of international trade integration shows that increased demand and market prices are probable and that this could lead to enterprise income growth. From our scenario analysis of business development in the agricultural machinery market under conditions of international trade integration, we identify the absence of an urgent need for state interference in market processes in the Russian market for agricultural machinery in the next five years

The English (H6R) Mutation of the Alzheimer’s Disease Amyloid-β Peptide Modulates Its Zinc-Induced Aggregation

The coordination of zinc ions by histidine residues of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) plays a critical role in the zinc-induced Aβ aggregation implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathogenesis. The histidine to arginine substitution at position 6 of the Aβ sequence (H6R, English mutation) leads to an early onset of AD. Herein, we studied the effects of zinc ions on the aggregation of the Aβ42 peptide and its isoform carrying the H6R mutation (H6R-Aβ42) by circular dichroism spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, turbidimetric and sedimentation methods, and bis-ANS and thioflavin T fluorescence assays. Zinc ions triggered the occurrence of amorphous aggregates for both Aβ42 and H6R-Aβ42 peptides but with distinct optical properties. The structural difference of the formed Aβ42 and H6R-Aβ42 zinc-induced amorphous aggregates was also supported by the results of the bis-ANS assay. Moreover, while the Aβ42 peptide demonstrated an increase in the random coil and β-sheet content upon complexing with zinc ions, the H6R-Aβ42 peptide showed no appreciable structural changes under the same conditions. These observations were ascribed to the impact of H6R mutation on a mode of zinc/peptide binding. The presented findings further advance the understanding of the pathological role of the H6R mutation and the role of H6 residue in the zinc-induced Aβ aggregation