Goal-Directed Acupuncture in Sports—Placebo or Doping?

The modern pentathlon (MP), sports discipline including fencing, swimming, steeplechase and a cross-country run, requires a rapid change of central nervous and peripheral neuromuscular activity from one sport to another in order to achieve the best possible results. We describe the case where a top MP athlete was supported by a program of acupoint stimulation, which was directed to relieve the symptoms, preventing him from effective performance. Although the fact of acupoint stimulation was associated with improvement of his results, other factors like training effect, placebo and nonspecific physiological effects and their mechanisms in sports are discussed in a literature review. The popularity of complementary and alternative medicine methods among the athletes raises the question of their potential misuse as a doping in competitive sports

Cultural intelligence and work-related outcomes:A meta-analytic examination of joint effects and incremental predictive validity

This meta-analysis provides a synthesis of 70 studies on the relationship between cultural intelligence (CQ) and six work-related outcomes. By applying the mutualism perspective and using commonality analysis, we propose a theoretical perspective and empirically explore the joint effects of two and three sets of CQ dimensions on workrelated outcomes. We find that the CQ dimensions mediate the relationships between personality traits and workrelated outcomes, and that they have incremental validity beyond these traits and a comprehensive set of established predictors for all outcomes. We discuss the implications of these findings for theory development and provide directions for future research

Association of biochemical, cytokine and echocardiographic markers of cardiovascular injuries with t894g polymorphism of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene in patients with nonviral liver cirrhosis

Background & Aims: Alterations of vascular endothelium play an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, the occurrence of liver cirrhosis and the progression of its complications. Little is known about the impact of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene mutations on the development of cardiovascular disease in patients with liver cirrhosis. The aim of the study was to investigate the possible association of the T894G gene polymorphism of eNOS with biochemical, cytokine blood indices, structural and functional parameters of heart in patients with nonviral liver cirrhosis. Methods: Investigation of eNOS gene polymorphism (T894G) was performed in 50 patients with nonviral liver cirrhosis and in 10 healthy volunteers. Furthermore, biochemical blood analysis, estimations of tumor necrosis factor-α, transforming growth factor-β1, interleukin-4, atrial natriuretic propeptide (proANP) plasma levels, echocardiographic studies were performed. Results: It was established that the presence of T-allele of eNOS gene in patients with liver cirrhosis was associated with increased activity of aspartate aminotransferase, higher plasma content of proANP, larger left atrium diameter and increased left ventricular myocardium mass. In males with liver cirrhosis, T-allele was also associated with increased left ventricular myocardium mass index compared with patients with GG-genotype. Conclusion: The presence of T-allele of eNOS gene in patients with nonviral liver cirrhosis is associated with occurrence of more severe cardiovascular alterations

HIGHER SCHOOL TEACHERS’ DIGITAL COMPETENCE: STRATEGIES FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT AND IMPROVEMENT

The paper was aimed at examining higher school teachers’ strategies for self-assessing and improving digital competence and finding out the range of the most effective and innovative ones. The research sample consisted of 115 higher school teachers from four higher educational establishments in Ukraine. The research sample was selected with the use of a non-random sampling technique. Personal data of research sample were taken into consideration i.e. demography, gender balance, age and specialty. The research strategy for collecting empirical data combined a web-based questionnaire, individual interviews, conversations with respondents and analysis of reflexive texts. The collected empirical data were then analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The data were processed by means of Microsoft Excel 2016 and verified by Chronbach’ Alfa (An Index of Reliability). During the development of a web-based questionnaire the authors defined seven cognitive content-components of higher school teachers’ digital competence and each of them was given a synthetic index. The obtained findings showed that higher school teachers had different levels of digital competence: ranging from low to high, and revealed the diversity in peculiarities of its manifestations and ways of thinking when operating the competence mentioned. The research results served as the basis for offering innovative strategies for self-assessing and improving higher school teachers’ digital competence.

Synthesis some 4-substituted 9,10-anthraquinones

New 4-substituted 9,10-anthraquinones (6 compouds) with amino derivations fragments were synthesized through the substitution of the bromaminic acid by amines using the Ullmann coupling reaction. The structures of the synthesized compounds were determined using LC-MS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis data

THE DICHOTOMY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IN PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF FUTURE IT SPECIALISTS: THE SUBJECT AND THE MEANS OF INSTRUCTION

The study shows some preferences in the choice of training and learning strategies in university educational process aimed at forming future IT-specialists’ digital competence as the main indicator of their professionalism in IT-sphere considering information technologies as being the subject and the means of instruction. The use of information technologies results in rethinking of existing approaches to organizing the educational process of higher school especially when it comes to training future IT-specialists. Information technologies integrated into all spheres of human activities and widely applied to support different industries in commercial, private and public sectors cause ever-growing demand for highly-qualified IT-specialists. In the study the authors consider the range of learning strategies used in the educational process for boosting effectiveness of IT-specialists’ digital competence formation as the main indicator of their professionalism in IT-sphere. The study was carried out among 164 future IT-specialists at three higher education institutions in Ukraine from February to May 2019. The researchers found out that all the respondents used contemporary information technologies for learning IT-disciplines, namely, all the students (100.00%) use contemporary information technologies in their formal learning, 68.80% − in their non-formal learning, 18.30% − in a wide range of educational activities that could be regarded as informal learning and only 13.20% − combining informal and non-formal learning. The obtained data were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. As the core result of conducted research the component matrix of learning strategies was developed showing their hierarchy depending on three factors chosen i.e. traditional, self-directed and collaborative learning.

Effects of Cultural Diversity on In-Class Communication and Student Project Team Dynamics: Creating Synergy in the Diverse Classroom

Most colleges and universities around the world have experienced an increasing cultural diversification of their student body. Foreign student enrollment has been especially high in North American, West European and Australian institutions of higher education where in some classes the number of international students sometimes surpasses the number of locals. The benefits of diversity for international groups are great and undisputable, but if not managed properly cultural differences can have adverse effects on in-class discussions and student project team dynamics. This paper discusses the challenges that international student groups may experience, with the focus on the issues related to communication across cultures. The article offers guidelines for educators for creating synergy in the diverse classroom and in student project teams, and provides an important context for those managing internationalisation of universities at all levels from the classroom to the whole institution