Выбор метода факторизации в зависимости от исследовательской ситуации: практические рекомендации

It is a common practice among social scientists to use “factor analysis” and “principal components analysis” interchangeably, even though PCA is not a factor extraction method, but a dimension reduction technique. Most of the recent studies with factor analysis rely solely on PCA or fail to specify which factor extraction method was used. Supposedly, it is caused by the lack of structured and comprehensive guidance on the selection of factor extraction methods. The aim of this study is to develop a theoretically and empirically justified algorithm of factor extraction method selection, depending on a combination of research context features, such as (a) sample size, (b) number of indicators specifying each factor, (c) size, (d) range of communalities, (e) presence of model error and (f) distribution of indicators. Seven factor extraction methods were studied: principal component analysis, weighted and generalized least squares method, maximum likelihood method, principal axis analysis, alpha-factor analysis, and image factoring. Theoretically justified algorithm was created and tested via statistical experiment with Monte Carlo simulation. Following the general outline of previous works’ experimental designs, we specified factor loadings matrices for each research context with nonzero loadings, derived correlation matrices and produced 500 Monte Carlo simulated samples (3000 samples in total) per research context. Every factor extraction method was applied to every sample and the resulting factor loadings matrices and communalities were recorded and summarized. Four criteria of factor analysis extraction adequacy were applied: squared mean errors of factor loadings, squared mean errors and absolute mean errors of communalities, and number of Heywood cases. As a result we formulated four main recommendations: it is advised to use (1) principal axis analysis or alpha-factor analysis, if a model error is suspected, (2) maximum likelihood method or generalized least squares method, if the sample is large enough and indicators are normally distributed, or vice versa, if the sample is not large enough and distribution of indicators differs from normal, (3) maximum likelihood method, if the sample is large enough, but the indicators are not normally distributed, or if the indicators are normally distributed, but the sample size is not large enough and the communalities are small, (4) generalized least squares method, if the indicators are normally distributed and the communalities are large, but the sample size is not large enough

Training the Scientific Personnel in Bashkiria in 1960-1980s

The problem of formation and development of the system of training the scientific personnel in Bashkiria in 1960-1980s is considered. The relevance of the study is determined by the lack of study of this problem in regional historiography. Previously unpublished statistical information about graduate school (own and target) is for the first time introduced into scientific circulation. At the same time other forms of training are characterized: internship, doctoral studies, etc. The growth in the number of students in graduate school off the job and on the job, graduated in the postwar years until 1990, is analyzed. The comparative analysis of regional data with the all Soviet Union data on the composition of graduate students, taking into account specialties and branches of science, the changes in indicators during the period under review are shown. It is concluded that the predominance of graduate students in technical sciences was due to the peculiarities of socio-economic, socio-political, cultural and historical development of both the Republic and the country as a whole. Regional features in the development of the system of training of scientific personnel in Bashkiria in these years are commented. The article also touches upon the problem of efficiency of post-graduate studies, which remains relevant today

Developmental psychology: Parent responsiveness and its role in neurocognitive and socioemotional development of one-year-old preterm infants

Background. It has been demonstrated that preterm birth negatively affects the neurocognitive and socioemotional development of a child. It is therefore important to identify the factors that can decrease potential risks for atypical development in preterm infants. The social environment which surrounds a child is considered to be one such factor. We hypothesize that parent responsiveness positively influences the development of a preterm child. Objective. The purpose of this research is to reveal differences in the development of two one-year-old preterm children whose parents have exhibited opposite types of parent responsiveness. Design. Based on the analysis of video recordings of child-parent interactions, we identified two children whose parents registered opposite patterns of responsiveness. Parent responsiveness was measured based on Parent Responsiveness Markers Protocol methodology. The Bayley-III was used to assess the children's cognitive and socioemotional development. Results. We identified that the preterm child whose parent showed a high level of parental responsiveness had normative levels of neurocognitive development, socioemotional skills and adaptive behavior. The preterm child, whose parent showed a low level of parental responsiveness, scored lower on the Bayley-III. Conclusion. Preterm birth not only affects infant development, but also has a psychological impact on parents, evoking fear and anxiety for their child. This affects parental behavior and their responsiveness towards their child. This study showed that parent responsiveness has a positive effect on the neurocognitive and socioemotional development of a preterm child. Further research should focus on assessing the role of parent responsiveness in child development using a larger sample. © Lomonosov Moscow State University, 2019. Russian Psychological Society, 2019.19-513-92001\19The research was supported by the grant of the Russian Science Foundation RFBR № 19-513-92001\19

UNIVERSITY WEB-SITE’S PRAGMATICAL ADAPTATION AS AN ADDRESSEE’S MOTIVATOR

The paper offers the key principles of successful cloning and localizing Russian web-sites relying on triangulation research method and benchmark analysis of English and Russian language university web-sites. Triangulation research method is seen as a strategy for increasing the validity of evaluation and research findings by combining the benefits of both the qualitative and the quantitative approaches, while benchmark analysis results in benchmarking data used to see how the university web-site being analyzed differs from its "peer" group. The paper researches into the university web-site in terms of six-dimensional Hofstede model (Power Distance, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism / Collectivism, Masculinity / Femininity, Long / Short Term Orientation, and Indulgence / Restraint). Benchmark analysis results in web-site optimization principles and practical guidelines instrumental while translating the web-site content. The university web-site designers and translators should consider the addressee's social and cultural values, social and academic background if they aim at successful pragmatic adaptation of the web-site. This approach relies on a stepwise processing of original web-site contents: 1) "filtering" the original contents; 2) pre-translation analysis; 3) translating the text with its stylistic and pragmatic features in mind. The authors also provide a more accurate interpretation of localization and internationalization with reference to Russian-English translation of the web-site content and its target audience – the addressee

Organizational and Pedagogical Conditions for Training Teachers Under Distance Education Framework

Distance education in a professional higher school is of particular importance in terms of fundamental changes in modern educational institutions. This form of training together with the expansion of information technologies can effectively solve the problem of training students and life-long learning. Distance education is able to solve the problem of teacher training more effectively than any other method of education. In the same context, the opportunities of distance education to develop verbal and cogitative activities and information culture are considered. As a result of the use of network principles, the integrity of educational institutions can be effectively guaranteed and realized in continuity of principles and approaches to the management of different functional and territorial subsystems, and in the more distant future - its equitable integration into the world community

Minimally Invasive Treatment of Benign Thyroid Nodules

Background. Nodular goitre is the commonest pathology of thyroid gland. According to published evidence, the endemic prevalence of iodine deficiency varies within 19–76 % population. The high rates and lack of symptoms at progressive nodules growth warrant the development of effective organ-preserving treatments. Imaging techniques for local precision targeting of individual lesions enable maximum-preserving interventions at thyroid tissue. Today’s world experience of percutaneous ethanol sclerotherapy and radiofrequency ablation is adequate. However, there exist no clear indications for sclerotherapy and radiofrequency ablation, and their consecutive use has not been assessed.Materials and methods. We analyse minimally invasive organ-preserving treatments of benign thyroid nodules (ethanol sclerotherapy, RFA) in 63 patients at the outpatient and general surgery units of BSMU Clinic and MEGI Medical Centre, Ufa, during February 2019 — December 2020.Results and discussion. Ethanol sclerotherapy was highly effective in 46.5 % patients, as evident from discontinued nodule’s blood supply in CDI and B-mode ultrasound, which remained stable in 10.5 % and restored after 3–4 weeks in 25 % patients. Sclerotherapy in colloid goitre was efficient only in 37.5 % patients. Ethanol sclerotherapy was RFA-followed in 25.4 % patients. RFA was favoured at a low-effective sclerotherapy providing for a weak positive dynamics of nodule size, local parietal blood flow preservation and intranodular vessels recanalisation at re-examination.Conclusion. Sclerotherapy was high-effective in cystic nodules. Radiofrequency ablation can be considered most adequate for treating solid nodules. RFA-followed sclerotherapy is a rational choice in treatment of large cystic nodules (>5 cm3 )

First national survey of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance in Azerbaijan and risk factors analysis.

SETTING: Civilian population of the Republic of Azerbaijan. OBJECTIVES: To determine patterns of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance among new and previously treated pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) cases, and explore their association with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. DESIGN: National cross-sectional survey conducted in 2012-2013. RESULTS: Of 789 patients (549 new and 240 previously treated) who met the enrolment criteria, 231 (42%) new and 146 (61%) previously treated patients were resistant to any anti-tuberculosis drug; 72 (13%) new and 66 (28%) previously treated patients had multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Among MDR-TB cases, 38% of new and 46% of previously treated cases had pre-extensively drug-resistant TB (pre-XDR-TB) or XDR-TB. In previously treated cases, 51% of those who had failed treatment had MDR-TB, which was 15 times higher than in relapse cases (OR 15.2, 95%CI 6-39). The only characteristic significantly associated with MDR-TB was a history of previous treatment (OR 3.1, 95%CI 2.1-4.7); for this group, history of incarceration was an additional risk factor for MDR-TB (OR 2.8, 95%CI 1.1-7.4). CONCLUSION: Azerbaijan remains a high MDR-TB burden country. There is a need to implement countrywide control and innovative measures to accelerate early diagnosis of drug resistance in individual patients, improve treatment adherence and strengthen routine surveillance of drug resistance

Observations of Non-radial Pulsations in Radio Pulsars

We introduce a model for pulsars in which non-radial oscillations of high spherical degree (l) aligned to the magnetic axis of a spinning neutron star reproduce the morphological features of pulsar beams. In our model, rotation of the pulsar carries a pattern of pulsation nodes underneath our sightline, reproducing the longitude stationary structure seen in average pulse profiles, while the associated time-like oscillations reproduce "drifting subpulses"--features that change their longitude between successive pulsar spins. We will show that the presence of nodal lines can account for observed 180 degree phase jumps in drifting subpulses and their otherwise poor phase stability, even if the time-like oscillations are strictly periodic. Our model can also account for the "mode changes" and "nulls" observed in some pulsars as quasiperiodic changes between pulsation modes of different l or radial overtone n, analogous to pulsation mode changes observed in oscillating white dwarf stars. We will discuss other definitive and testable requirements of our model and show that they are qualitatively supported by existing data. While reserving judgment until the completion of quantitative tests, we are inspired enough by the existing observational support for our model to speculate about the excitation mechanism of the non-radial pulsations, the physics we can learn from them, and their relationship to the period evolution of pulsars.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figures (as separate png files), Astrophysical Journal, in pres