DSpace-CRIS 8

This thesis explores the transformation of athletic capital into an electoral resource through the case studies of Vitali Klitschko and Kevin Johnson. Drawing on social constructivism and institutionalism, the research examines how sports achievements are instrumentalized in political communication to construct candidate legitimacy, emotional appeal, and voter trust. Special emphasis is placed on the role of mediatization in shaping athletes' political image and the contextual differences in the perception of sports capital between stable and transitional democracies. The empirical analysis employs qualitative and quantitative content analysis of Klitschko’s (Kyiv, 2014) and Johnson’s (Sacramento, 2008) mayoral campaigns. The study demonstrates that athletic background can serve as symbolic capital in political campaigns, enhancing public legitimacy and image making.

This study tested the hypothesis that women patients with depression should perform movements more slowly and with greater variability, and their learning rate should be lower compared with age-matched healthy adult women. Three groups of adult women subjects (aged 33–37 years, women patients with mild and major depression and healthy adult women, n = 20 in each group) performed five series (20 repetitions in each series) of a speed–accuracy hand-movement task (SAT). The mean movement speed (Va) of the SAT was lower and more stable (the coefficient of variation of Va was lower) in women patients with major depression compared with those with minor depression and healthy adult women during the first series of the SAT. Only the Va and movement accuracy (path of movement, S) of the SAT varied significantly in the five learning series regardless of the subject group (healthy women subjects and women patients with minor and major depression). The intraindividual variability of reaction time, Va, maximal movement velocity to the target (tVmax), time to tVmax, and S did not change significantly in any of the groups. Our research data showed that although women patients with depression performed speed–accuracy movements more slowly, the stability of the performance of their movements and their learning rate did not differ from those of age-matched healthy adult women.

We hypothesized that endurance athletes have lower muscle power than power athletes due to a combination of weaker and slower muscles, while their higher endurance is attributable to better oxygen extraction, reflecting a higher muscle oxidative capacity and larger stroke volume. Endurance (n = 87; distance runners, road cyclists, paddlers, skiers), power (n = 77; sprinters, throwers, combat sport athletes, body builders), team (n = 64; basketball, soccer, volleyball) and non-athletes (n = 223) performed a countermovement jump and an incremental running test to estimate their maximal anaerobic and aerobic power (VO 2 max), respectively. Dynamometry and M-mode echocardiography were used to measure muscle strength and stroke volume. The VO 2 max (L min −1 ) was larger in endurance and team athletes than in power athletes and non-athletes (p < 0.05). Athletes had a larger stroke volume, left ventricular mass and left ventricular wall thickness than non-athletes (p < 0.02), but there were no significant differences between athlete groups. The higher anaerobic power in power and team athletes than in endurance athletes and non-athletes (p < 0.001) was associated with a larger force (p < 0.001), but not faster contractile properties. Endurance athletes (20.6%) had a higher (p < 0.05) aerobic:anaerobic power ratio than controls and power and team athletes (14.0–15.3%). The larger oxygen pulse, without significant differences in stroke volume, in endurance than power athletes indicates a larger oxygen extraction during exercise. Power athletes had stronger, but not faster, muscles than endurance athletes. The similar VO 2 max in endurance and team athletes and similar jump power in team and power athletes suggest that concurrent training does not necessarily impair power or endurance performance.

Šis vadovėlis skiriamas aukštųjų mokyklų socialinių mokslų edukologijos, psichologijos, sociologijos, antropologijos, viešosios komunikacijos, ekonomikos, viešojo administravimo, vadybos ir politikos mokslų krypčių sudijų studentams.

Vadovėlis „Takas“ skirtas B1 lygio lietuvių kalbos gebėjimams ugdyti. Jį sudaro 8 pamokos – „žingsniai“, – apimantys svarbias šiam lygiui leksikos temas ir dalį gramatikos. Ši knyga – rinkinys įvairių žanrų, skirtingo sudėtingumo tekstų, kad tiek studentai, tiek jų mokytojai galėtų lanksčiai, kūrybingai ir efektyviai naudotis pateikta medžiaga. Tekstų įvairovė – bandymas atsižvelgti į skirtingų mokymosi stilių, pomėgių, socialinių sričių ir interesų besimokančiųjų poreikius. Apskritai vadovėlio išeities taškas – autentiški tekstai ir natūrali kalbos vartosena. Knyga gausiai iliustruota paveikslais ir fotografijomis, atspindinčiomis įvairias gyvenimo realijas, apimančias įvairius socialinius bei kultūrinius lietuvių kalbos vartojimo ir gyvenimo aspektus. Kiekvienoje pamokoje galima rasti ir smulkiosios tautosakos bei sakytinės kalbos, neformaliosios kalbos pavyzdžių. Dalis gramatikos taisyklių pateikta pamokose kaip aktyvios užduotys. Daugiau informacijos ir gramatikos taisyklių pateikta gramatikos priedo įklijoje, kuri suskirstyta ne pagal pamokas, o pagal kalbos dalis. Šią informaciją galima naudoti skirtingose pamokose, kai tik kyla klausimų dėl tinkamos žodžio formos. Atmintuke rasite kiekvienos pamokos koliažus, kuriuos galima rodyti išmaniojoje lentoje interaktyvioms užduotims, klausymo įrašus ir visus vadovėlio tekstus, kad mokytojas panorėjęs galėtų išradingai juos panaudoti kurdamas savo užduotis. Pajuskite, kaip žingsnis po žingsnio lietuvių kalba ir kultūra jums tampa suprantamesnė, įdomesnė, gal net artimesnė.

This teaching aid has grown out from the course Introduction into English Linguistics which I have been teaching at Vytautas Magnus University for a number of years. Its aim is to present students with a concise and up-to-date discussion of some of the main topics that mod-ern linguistics addresses. The teaching guide is provided with exercises for each topic (graded from less difficult to advanced), and questions for discussion. All the exercises have been tested in class. The teaching guide also includes a glossary of the most important terms which students have to know and be able to use not only in this course but also in the other linguistic courses that they take in the programme of English Philology.

Šiuolaikinei organizacijai, norinčiai sėkmingai dirbti rinkoje, būtinos marketingo komunikacijos. Jos yra vienas pagrindinių šiuolaikinio marketingo aspektų. Tai svarbus bet kokios organizacijos veiklos elementas, leidžiantis organizacijai bendrauti su klientais. organizacijos turi mokėti koordinuoti, integruoti, planuoti savo komunikaciją – išmokti naudoti tokį galingą marketingo įrankį kaip marketingo komunikacijos. Mokomoji knyga parengta remiantis marketingo komunikacijų tema parašytais lietuvių ir užsienio autorių darbais ir vadovėliais, taip pat internetu pasiekiamais šaltiniais.

This text serves as an introduction to critical analysis of crime fiction in English. After a brief review of the pre-history of crime fiction in English, the principal focus is on sub-genres such as Golden Age detective stories, American noir thrillers, thrillers in general and police procedurals. For each sub-genre a list of characteristics is provided. Some major authors like Agatha Christie, Raymond Chandler, P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, Ian Rankin and Kathy Reichs are given closer attention. In addition, newer trends in crime fiction are discussed. Exercises for students and advice in carrying out research on crime fiction are also given.

The idea to write this book primarily came from our intention to share what we have discovered about one of the greatest childhood miracles – play. For a number of years we have explored this phenomenon, yet its profound and extraordinary nature still continues to surprise us. Promotes development and, at the same time, is the greatest achievement of the child. Keeping this in mind, we designed our monograph for a few purposes. First, we wanted to present the results of the three-year project “Development of Self-Regulation in Play” attained in play research laboratory of the Lithuanian University of Educational Sciences. Second, we sought for the first time to discuss in Lithuanian language the theory of play based on cultural – historical psychology. Our objective was to formulate and present the key principles of the development of self-regulation through play activities. Finally, we aimed to describe the steps of practical use of joint (adult-child) play activities that help a child to develop a self-regulatory behavior during play. Why did we choose to focus on the development of self-regulation through play activities? Simply that a large number of worldwide studies show (Elkind, 1982, 2007; Singer, Singer, D’Agostino, DeLong, 2008; Frost, 2010) that children’s imaginary play is vanishing and that their imagination and self-regulation skills have deteriorated. Another observed trend is a clear opposition between play and academic learning (Miller & Almon, 2009; Nicolopoulou, 2010). Surveys reveal that currently selfregulation and executive functions are in the center of researchers’ attention worldwide and are among top ten studies in progress. [...]