The basis of science is the hypothetico-deductive method and the recording of experiments in sufficient detail to enable reproducibility. We report the development of Robot Scientist "Adam," which advances the automation of both. Adam has autonomously generated functional genomics hypotheses about the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and experimentally tested these hypotheses by using laboratory automation. We have confirmed Adam's conclusions through manual experiments. To describe Adam's research, we have developed an ontology and logical language. The resulting formalization involves over 10,000 different (...) research units in a nested treelike structure, 10 levels deep, that relates the 6.6 million biomass measurements to their logical description. This formalization describes how a machine contributed to scientific knowledge. (shrink)

As a result of the epidemiological situation in Poland that occurred as a consequence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, all classroom study was suspended in March 2020 and schools were required to deliver online education. There number of teachers who create educational resources for medical e-education, also those including interactive elements, is still insufficient. Teachers’ IT skills must be continuously improved and they have to take part in e-learning course design training programmes, taking into account the characteristics of the teaching process (...) in medical sciences and health studies. The existing examples of effective e-classes, particularly for medical training, are important sources of knowledge on how to build e-learning courses for beginners and an inspiration for others in subsequent implementations. This knowledge is needed immediately, and the time available for acquiring it is shorter than previously, as the epidemic does not allow for full-range training schemes. This paper presents such results, collected from the period from March to June 2020 at the Poznan University of Medical Sciences by teachers who had started working on e-learning resources in 2019 and are successfully implementing these in the educational offer made available to their students as part of various curricula. (shrink)

This paper presents considerations on altruism and prosocial behaviour formulated on the basis of some experiments with the ultimatum game. In the first part it will discuss relations between expected utility theories, the characteristics of homo oeconomicus and a modern understanding of altruism. It will focus in particular on conceptual differences, indicating that we can find more than one definition of altruism in modern literature. The second part of the text will provide an overview of selected behavioural theories of prosocial (...) behaviour. It will also present the manner in which needs, social determinants, norms, and individual psychological features affect the propensity to behave in a prosocial fashion. (shrink)

Chaos theory is beginning to find applications in the field of medicine. The theory of chaos should be introduced to students to help them as they make the transition from learning the scientific literature to actually applying this newly acquired knowledge in clinical situations. Chaos theory will give the students a powerful conceptual framework from which they can better understand the limits of predictability in clinical situations. Failure to understand the limits of predictability in chaotic natural systems will invariably lead (...) to frustration in both patients and physicians. (shrink)

Yet many in the USA and Europe are not familiar with his important work; this book seeks to rectify that gap.In Globalization, Ethics and Islam, Jewish, ...

Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie i analiza różnic między ustanawianymi przez miasta na prawach powiatu jednostkami pomocniczymi (osiedla, dzielnice) a podziałami przestrzeni miast stosowanymi przez uczestników rynku nieruchomości. Te różnice są bowiem dobrym wskaźnikiem odmiennych perspektyw: administracyjnej, stosowanej przez jednostki samorządu terytorialnego, i perspektywy życia codziennego mieszkańców, do której blisko jest podziałom stosowanym przez rynek nieruchomości. Dobre zrozumienie tych różnic, a w konsekwencji lepsze rozumienie funkcjonalnych podziałów miasta, daje władzom lokalnym szansę na lepsze prowadzenie zadań z zakresu polityki przestrzennej, mieszkaniowej czy (...) transportowej, a także tworzenie lepszych warunków partycypacji społecznej. Badane zagadnienie wpisuje się w podejmowaną od czasów szkoły chicagowskiej tematykę morfologii miasta, a także w badania nad znaczeniem przestrzeni w tworzeniu i wykonywaniu polityk publicznych. Badanie oparto na zestawieniu podziałów administracyjnych 19 miast na prawach powiatu województwa śląskiego z używanymi na lokalnych rynkach nieruchomości nazwami poszczególnych części miasta innymi od określeń administracyjnych. Analiza tych różnic prowadzi do wskazania ich głównych przyczyn: traktowania przez mieszkańców podziału administracyjnego jako sztucznego, wyróżniania przez perspektywę rynkową najbardziej prestiżowych pod względem mieszkaniowym części miasta, ale także miejsc o obniżonej jakości zasobów mieszkaniowych, jak również podkreślania przez nią złożoności dużych jednostek osiedlowych, budowanych w różnym okresie, z mieszkaniami różnej jakości. Te rezultaty potwierdzają możliwość stosowania informacji pochodzących z rynku nieruchomości do analizy podziałów przestrzeni miasta na użytek polityk publicznych. (shrink)

Do Morals Matter? is an accessible and informed guide to contemporary ethical issues that reflects upon the intersection of religion and morality. An informal yet informed guide through the key ethical issues we are facing today, from moral decision making in business and medicine, to the uncertainty of war and terrorism, and the condition of our environment. Reflects on religion’s intersection with morality, exploring the challenge of pluralism in major world religions, and the question of Humanism and God’s role in (...) ethics. Considers the forecast of future situations that will be affected by today’s ethical decisions. Questions what accounts for the variances in ethical beliefs in different cultures, and how we properly reassess our conceptions of ethical standards as new issues arise. Written by the internationally regarded Ian Markham, Dean of Hartford Seminary and author of numerous books on world religions and ethics. (shrink)

Logical realism is the view that there is logical structure in the world. I argue that, if logical realism is true, then we are deeply ignorant of that logical structure: either we can’t know which of our logical concepts accurately capture it, or none of our logical concepts accurately capture it at all. I don’t suggest abandoning logical realism, but instead discuss how realists should adjust their methodology in the face of this ignorance.

Celebrated performer Giulio Caccini's life as a court musician throws light on the ways in which the soloist formulated and reformulated his/her own identity in order to fit within each of the spaces used for music. Tracing the documented performances associated with Caccini, one can map them onto a continuum of spaces from the most public to the most private. Caccini's successful passage into the more intimate spaces required him to re-form himself as the inheritor of the century-old tradition of (...) the intimate vocal improvvisatori, a stylistic and physical transformation that was, in a sense, his life's work. This performative conception of his musical work is a potent reminder of the ambiguous status of solo song at the beginning of the Seicento, perched between the abstract space of the printed score and the traditional space of the court chamber. (shrink)

Background International electives are often considered a valuable learning opportunity for medical students. Yet, as travelling to lower and middle income countries (LMICs) becomes more common, ethical considerations of such practices emerge. We conducted a scoping review to assess the extent to which five ethical themes were addressed in existing literature about electives, with the aim of investigating the ethical impacts of medical student electives on local resources, patients and clinicians in LMICs. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Global Health and (...) Embase databases using the search terms “(ethics) AND (medical electives)”. Thematic content analysis was undertaken using a combination of deductive and inductive themes. The deductive themes included: exceeding clinical competence, use of limited local resources, respect for patients and local culture, collaboration with local community/colleagues, and one-sided benefits in partnership. In addition, we also allowed for emerging themes within the data, and conducted a narrative synthesis of the results. Results A total of 37 papers discussed ethical issues relating to medical student international electives to LMICs. More publications were written from the medical student perspective (n = 14), than by the host-institution (n = 5), with nearly half written from third-party perspectives (n = 18). Negative impacts on local host students and impact upon patient care were identified as additional ethical considerations. Conclusions Our review demonstrated that while there is a degree of awareness in the existing literature of the potential negative impacts of medical electives to local LMIC students’ access to medical education and patient care, continued work is needed to ensure equitable partnerships. We recommend that these ethical themes should be further explored in pre-departure elective teaching courses and post-elective debriefs to increase medical students’ awareness of the impact of their presence on host communities. (shrink)

This article discusses the philosophy of Alain Badiou from the perspective of a formulation that we believe represents it succinctly: the dialectic of formalization. The main thesis of the article is that Badiou’s doctrine of the four truth procedures can be understood as a doctrine of a dialectical realization of new and universal forms in the world. The dialectic of formalization announces a double procedure – an autonomous and creative procedure for the production of a new true form in the (...) world and a process of the formation of continuity in discontinuity. Moreover, the dialectic of formalization represents a connection between Badiou’s mature work and his early writings from the late 1960s. Even though in the 1960s and 1970s Badiou had not yet introduced the concepts of subject and truth in the sense that he understands them today, it is possible to support the thesis that there is an indisputable connection between Badiou’s early concept of formalization and his later concept of generic truth procedure. We will try to show that the dialectic of formalization designates the continuity between Badiou’s early and mature work. (shrink)

Too many parts of the world testify to the difficulties religions have in tolerating each other. It is often concluded that the only way tolerance and plurality can be protected is to keep religion out of the public sphere. Ian Markham challenges this secularist argument. In the first half of the book, he advances a careful critique of European culture which exposes the problem of plurality. His analysis of the Christendom Group is contrasted with the outlook found in the (...) USA, where a religiously informed culture may be seen to be tolerant. In the second half of the book, the author argues that plurality is better safeguarded by a theistic, rather than a secularist, foundation. He submits that too often secularists use relativist arguments, while theists want to appeal to the complexity of God's world. He concludes that in our post-modern world the religious affirmation of diversity offers genuine political possibilities for cultural enrichment. (shrink)

ObjectiveThe coronavirus pandemic affects all areas of life. Performing arts and music studies have also experienced considerable changes, with university closures and a fluctuating return to normal and more limited operations. Prior studies detail the impact of the pandemic on college students, but we do not yet know what specific consequences it has for music students. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on music students’ health, practicing behavior, and everyday life.MethodsIn July 2020, (...) we conducted an online survey of 80 students enrolled in performance and music education programs at a German music university and compared these data with data from a survey of 75 students at the same music university carried out in summer 2019.ResultsThe survey revealed that the coronavirus pandemic led to a decrease in practicing hours and an increase of stressful thoughts and feelings. Students were mostly satisfied with Corona-measures taken by the university. Of analyzed determinants, only general fear of health problems was identified as a significant predictor of mental health status. Mental health status did not significantly differ between students surveyed in 2019 and 2020.ConclusionKnowledge about the specific challenges the pandemic poses for music students can help conservatories to better respond to the needs of their students. Specifically, this study will inform future measures supporting music students in coping with difficult situations like a pandemic. (shrink)

IntroductionSimilarities in morphology, physiological function, and neurophysiological findings between median and ulnar nerves are not unequivocal. Our previous study confirmed differences in motor fiber parameters between these nerves in healthy persons. We made an attempt to assess and compare the physiological parameters of different sensation modalities in median and ulnar nerves.MethodsThe study was performed in 31 healthy, right-handed volunteers: 17 women, 14 men, mean age 44.8 ± 15.5 years. Standard sensory conduction tests in the median and ulnar nerves were performed (...) together with the estimation of vibratory, temperature, and warm- and cold-induced pain thresholds in the C7 and C8 dermatomes on the palm, using quantitative sensory testing.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in the standard sensory conduction test in the median and ulnar nerves across the whole group: between right and left hands, and between women and men. We revealed differences in the temperature and pain thresholds between these nerves, mainly in low temperature perception. There were no differences in estimated thresholds between sides or in female and male groups. The vibratory limits did not differ significantly between nerves, and subgroups.ConclusionThe study confirmed the differences in the physiological sensory perception between the median and ulnar nerves. The median nerve is more sensitive to temperature stimulation than the ulnar nerve, but simultaneously less sensitive to pain-inducing temperature stimuli. These findings should be considered during the examination of hand nerve pathology. (shrink)

XIV Zimowe Igrzyska Olimpijskie, które odbyły się od 8 do 19 lutego 1984 r., wciąż budzą nostalgiczne wspomnienia mieszkańców Bośni i Hercegowiny, a zwłaszcza mieszkańców stolicy. Choć był to schyłkowy moment trwania Jugosławii, władze komunistyczne włożyły wiele wysiłku w promowanie atmosfery „braterstwa i jedności”. Wkrótce jednak wybuchła wojna, a powojenny kształt, jaki przybrało państwo bośniackie, spowodował permanentny kryzys polityczny, społeczny i gospodarczy. W rezultacie Serbowie, Chorwaci i Bośniacy nie mogą się zgodzić co do wspólnej historii i wspólnych bohaterów. Jednym z (...) nielicznych miejsc wspólnych jest mit XIV Zimowych Igrzysk Olimpijskich, w związku z czym ówcześni idole sportu mogliby wypełnić luki w prawie pustym bośniackim aparacie symbolicznym. (shrink)

Tematem artykułu jest twórczość Manuela Vázqueza Montalbána (1939–2003), przedstawiciela generacji pisarzy rozczarowanych przemianami demokratycznymi zachodzącymi w Hiszpanii w latach siedemdziesiątych XX wieku oraz autora jednej z najważniejszych serii kryminalnych napisanych w języku hiszpańskim. Autorka przeprowadza analizę cyklu powieściowego o przygodach detektywa Pepe Carvalho, który stanowi kulturowy i pokoleniowy manifest a także przykład oryginalnego wykorzystania konwencji literatury gatunkowej jaką jest powieść kryminalna. Celem artykułu jest wskazanie tych cech twórczości autora, które mogą utrudniać jego odbiór przez czytelników z innego niż hiszpański kręgu (...) kulturowego. (shrink)

Changes that occurred in Poland between 2015 and 2019 have not spared the civil society, here understood broadly as NGOs, activist groups, independent academic organisations and minority communities. This paper is an attempt at reconstructing key ideological arguments that took place within it during that time, as well as their significance and effects on particular organisations both internally and in relation with other participants in the civil society. Also investigated are divisions that arose and their potential consequences in the future. (...) The analysis is based on research by Magdalena Arczewska and Magdalena Dudkiewicz and published as Strategie czy przystosowanie? Sytuacja organizacji pozarządowych w Polsce po 2015 [Strategies or Adaptation? The Situation of Non-governmental Organizations in Poland after 2015]. (shrink)

I explore the view that metaphysics is essentially imaginative. I argue that the central goal of metaphysics on this view is understanding, not truth. Metaphysics-as-essentially-imaginative provides novel answers to challenges to both the value and epistemic status of metaphysics.

According to Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills model, accurate Information, strong Motivation and adequate Behavioural skills are prerequisites of treatment adherence. This model has been verified among chronically ills patients, usually suffering from one particular disorder. No studies report how the model fits data from a more diverse group. The aim of the study was to analyze adherence and its barriers in a group of three hundred patients suffering from various, common chronic disorders. They filled out IMB and Adherence Questionnaire. Information and Motivation (...) correlated moderately. Behavioural Skills was the strongest predictor of adherence. An additional relationship was found: Information and Motivation interacted and the role of either of these dimensions vanished if the indices of the other were high enough. The relationships between IMB dimensions and adherence were confirmed in a varied clinical sample. Behavioural skills must be considered when working with non-adherent patients, as they are the strongest predictor of adherence. Other interventions may be limited to either Information or Motivation only if there is a chance of raising one of them to extreme levels. This may be useful with special cases, when increasing both is problematic. (shrink)

Masculinity ideology is defined as a blend of cultural beliefs, types of behavior, and roles generally associated with men and boys. Previous studies have showed mixed effects of adherence to masculine ideology on men’s subjective well-being, indicating negative but also positive relationships. The present study focuses on agency, that is the core of stereotypic masculinity, and its relationship to subjective well-being by analyzing data from a representative Polish sample of the European Social Survey. Participants were 1751 adults, aged 17 years (...) and older. A structural equation model was applied. The results demonstrated that agentic values were good predictors of male and female subjective well-being. That is, the less men and women valued their own power and achievements, the lower their subjective well-being was. As expected, this association was stronger for men. Additionally, regardless of gender, we demonstrated that age was a negative predictor and that number of years of education a positive predictor of subjective well-being. This association was stronger for men. (shrink)