bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a template-based algorithm for markerless lung tumour localization on single- and dual-energy kilovoltage images
Authors: Block Alec M , Patel Rakesh , Surucu Murat , Harkenrider Matthew M , Roeske John C
Published: October 2016

Objective:

To evaluate a template-based matching algorithm on single-energy (SE) and dual-energy (DE) radiographs for markerless localization of lung tumours.

Methods:

A total of 74 images from 17 patients with Stages IA–IV lung cancer were considered. At the time of radiotherapy treatment, gated end-expiration SE radiographs were obtained at 60 and 120 kVp at different gantry angles (33° anterior and 41° oblique), from which soft-tissue-enhanced DE images were created. A template-based matching algorithm was used to localize individual tumours on both SE and DE radiographs. Tumour centroid co-ordinates obtained from the template-matching software on both SE and DE images were compared with co-ordinates defined by physicians.

Results:

The template-based matching algorithm was able to successfully localize the gross tumor volume within 5 mm on 70% (52/74) of the SE images vs 91% (66/74) of the DE images (p < 0.01). The mean vector differences between the co-ordinates of the template matched by the algorithm and the co-ordinates of the physician-defined ground truth were 3.2 ± 2.8 mm for SE images vs 2.3 ± 1.7 mm for DE images (p = 0.03).

Conclusion:

Template-based matching on DE images was more accurate and precise than using SE images.

Advances in knowledge:

This represents, to the authors' knowledge, the largest study evaluating template matching on clinical SE and DE images, considering not only anterior gantry angles but also oblique angles, suggesting a novel lung tumour matching technique using DE subtraction that is reliable, accurate and precise.
Análise da sistemática de controle interno do município de Três Rios
Authors: Henrique Juscilei Carlos , Chagas Leila , Guimarães Vanessa De Almeida , Leal Junior Ilton Curty
Published: October 2016

Este trabalho versa sobre o controle em uma instituição pública municipal, com objetivo de verificar quais os mecanismos de controle interno adotados no município de Três Rios - RJ e se estes estão aderentes ao regimento legal. Além disso, analisou-se o perfil dos responsáveis pelos controles interno e externo e, especialmente, se eles compreendem a sistemática que os envolve. Por meio de entrevista, levantaram-se os mecanismos de controle interno adotados pela prefeitura e, pela aplicação de questionários, avaliou-se o controle externo exercido pela Câmara. Tendo em vista que os mecanismos de controle adotados são importantes para o desenvolvimento das atividades administrativas no município, pode-se notar que a prefeitura e a Câmara de Três Rios desempenham de forma satisfatória suas atribuições, mas há pontos a serem melhorados. Sugerem-se como soluções às principais limitações detectadas: o treinamento e contratação de pessoal e a criação de departamentos específicos para auditoria e controle.
Avaliação da capacitação profissional na prefeitura de Manaus
Authors: Dias Diego Melo , Vitório Guimarães Maria Da Glória
Published: October 2016

A capacitação profissional é arma poderosa na busca pelo desenvolvimento das competências humanas no trabalho. Na administração pública os órgãos responsáveis pelo aperfeiçoamento profissional são as Escolas de Governo, que atuam junto aos funcionários públicos na melhoria da máquina estatal, que tem o dever de prestar serviços públicos de qualidade. Sendo assim, o estudo objetiva avaliar o impacto da capacitação profissional do servidor na Prefeitura de Manaus. A análise se deu por meio da adaptação do Modelo IMPACT de avaliação do treinamento, aplicado aos servidores egressos de atividades de capacitação promovidas pela Escola de Serviço Público da Prefeitura de Manaus (ESPI). Os resultados sugerem que há forte impacto positivo da capacitação administrada pela ESPI nas atividades laborais dos servidores, no entanto, o suporte dado pelas chefias ao treinamento necessita de ajustes para que possa proporcionar um melhor aproveitamento dos conhecimentos adquiridos pelos servidores.Palavras-chave: capacitação profissional, avaliação de treinamento, servidor público, Prefeitura de Manaus, ESPI.
Empirical Test of the Know, See, Plan, Do Model for Curriculum Design in Leadership Education
Authors: Martin Beth Ann , Allen Scott J.
Published: October 2016

This research assesses the Know, See, Plan, portions of the Know, See, Plan, Do (KSPD) model for curriculum design in leadership education. There were 3 graduate student groups, each taught using 1 of 3 different curriculum designs (KSPD and 2 control groups). Based on apre- test, post-test design, students’ performance was measured to assess their knowledge, and application skills of the course material. Results indicated MBA students taught based on a KSPD curriculum (Group 1) performed significantly better than students in the two control groups on 3 post-test dependent measures designed to capture the effectiveness of the Know, See, Plan curriculum design model, (basic leadership information (K1), recognition of leadership concepts in practice (S1), and developing a plan of action (P1)). Group 1 also performed significantly better on all 3 post-test measures than they performed on the 3 pre-test measures. The non-MBA control group (Group 2) improved significantly from pre-test to post test on P1 but not on S1 or K1. The MBA control group (Group 3) had no significant changes in performance from pre-test to post-test on any of the three dependent measures. These findings are discussed in terms of their support for the KSPD model and in regard to limitations of this study.
Examining Leadership Style Influence on Engagement in a National Change Process: Implications for Leadership Education
Authors: Lamm Alexa J. , Lamm Kevan W. , Rodriguez Mary T. , Owens Courtney T.
Published: October 2016

Individuals expected to offer leadership are often chosen based on their power position within the field of interest and specialization in the context area being addressed and not on their leadership style. Leadership education curriculum often focuses on change as a product of leadership and leadership styles but places little emphasis on how the leadership styles of those chosen to lead change can influence the change process. In order to inform the development of curriculum targeting this aspect of leadership, research needs to be done to determine if leadership style impacts level of engagement in change. This research examined how transformational and transactional leadership styles impacted engagement in a national change process when 39 department chairs of universities across the United States were selected by the National Science Foundation to lead science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) educational reform at the undergraduate level. The findings revealed transformational leadership style positively predicted engagement in change and transactional leadership style negatively predicted engagement in change. While the small sample size makes the findings exploratory in nature and should be used with caution, they imply leadership education curriculum should include lessons on the impact these two styles have on engagement in change since there were statistically significant differences.
Farmer perceptions of climate change risk and associated on-farm management strategies in Vermont, northeastern United States
Authors: Schattman Rachel E. , Conner David , Méndez V. Ernesto
Published: October 2016

Little research has been conducted on how agricultural producers in the northeastern United States conceptualize climate-related risk and how these farmers address risk through on-farm management strategies. Two years following Tropical Storm Irene, our team interviewed 15 farmers in order to investigate their perceptions of climate-related risk and how their decision-making was influenced by these perceptions. Our results show that Vermont farmers are concerned with both ecological and economic risk. Subthemes that emerged included geographic, topographic, and hydrological characteristics of farm sites; stability of land tenure; hydrological erosion; pest and disease pressure; market access; household financial stability; and floods. Farmers in our study believed that these risks are not new but that they are significantly intensified by climate change. Farmer responses were heavily focused on adaptation activities, with discussion of climate change mitigation activities notably absent. Psychological distance construal theory and hyperbolic discounting emerged as well-suited frames to explain why farmers reported adaptation activities but not mitigation strategies. Farmers will probably experience an increasing severity of climate-related impacts in the northeast region; therefore, information about climate-related risks coming from farmers’ personal experience should be integrated with forecasting data to help farmers plan effective adaptation strategies.
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND TRUST: A CASE STUDY
Authors: Zaharia Adriana , Huţu Carmen-Aida
Published: October 2016

According to previous research, an employee’s trust in his/her leader has been linked to: increased individual efficiency and commitment; increased organizational performance; effective team and organizational functioning where the tasks are complex and unstructured. Considering these findings concerning the positive influence of trust on various aspects of organizational performance, we used relevant theories in literature relating to trust in organizational settings and transformational leadership to devise our research framework that aimed at gaining a better understanding of leadership behaviors leading to higher degrees of trust by followers in their leader. The results of our pilot study in a Romanian small-to medium-sized enterprise show that leader’s behaviors such as enforcing observance of organizational rules, professional objectivity in employee appraisal processes, keeping promises and commitments, fairness, as well as leader’s professional competency are essential for achieving higher degrees of trust in intra-organizational relationships. In assuming the inherent limitations of a pilot case study leading to the necessity to f{0>Dezvoltarea metodologică ulterioară, precum şi realizarea unor studii follow-up cu finanţare suficientă pentru a permite minimizarea erorilor de eşantionare sunt fără îndoială necesare pentru a confirma corelaţia dintre cele două abordări, din perspectiva societăţii „deschise” popperiene.<}0{>Further urther the methodological developments and follow-up studies, our research confirmed obvious relationships between the targeted domains, transformational leadership and trust. Also, our findings confirmed that the trust element in organizational leadership has a critical impact on building long-term employee commitment and drive for achieving higher individual and organizational performance and success.
KNOWLEDGE-INTENSIVE BUSINESS SERVICES AS IMPORTANT SERVICES FOR INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN SLOVAKIA
Authors: Čorejová Tatiana , Al Kassiri Mario
Published: October 2016

This paper illustrates the importance of Knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) as a source of innovation and economic growth. In the article, we explain the impact of KIBS on innovation, the importance of KIBS as a support in economic growth, its positive impact on employment and important role in the knowledge-based economy of Slovakia. This paper shows KIBS as important for innovation processes provided by institutions, such as universities, where the most important part involves research and development. Low support in services such as KIBS may cause decreases in availability of highly qualified employees and output of knowledge for innovation. Productivity and economic growth are largely dependent on fast growing technological progress and transfer of knowledge. Innovation can lead to a reduction in manual workers on one hand, while on the other  qualified employees will be needed for processes in the new applied technology. In order to fully understand the rapid growth of innovation and KIBS, we analyzed the correlation and number of scientists of its population in the EU countries.
THE INTEGRATION OF BUSINESS MODELS AS PART OF PRE-MERGER AND ACQUISITIONS IN THE POLISH SECTOR OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Authors: Wartini-Twardowska Jolanta , Twardowski Zbigniew
Published: October 2016

This paper presents the methodology of assessing opportunities and threats related to the combining of heterogeneous business models in complex organizations (enterprise groups) from the point of view of added value. The main objective was to develop a methodology for assessing the risk of including a company with a specific business model within a complex organization. The authors carried out an in-depth analysis of mutual influences for fifteen typical business models. Guided by their original approach to classifying business models in the sector for management information systems, the authors used the cross-impact method to rank models in the value chain of this sector. The operational processes of the business models were also identified. The proposed methodology allows for a relatively accurate assessment of the impact of particular operational processes of one model upon the strategic objectives of another. The study established a set of data enabling the determination of the potential risks of combining two distinct sector models, the ‘integrator’ and the ‘added value reseller’, as an enterprise group. The methodology presented in this paper could be used to develop a computer system supporting strategic decisions regarding the allocation of resources in complex organizations.
ECONOMIC CRISIS AND POLANYI’S DOUBLE MOVEMENT
Authors: Üşenmez Özgür , Duman Levent
Published: October 2016

As experts discuss the causes and results of the 2008 financial crisis and ensuing Great Recession, economists of various strands, led mainly by Keynesians, are slowly beginning to question the supposed wisdom of unfettered markets. Since Keynesian-liberal disputes revolve around the symptoms of the crisis, rather than the historical and structural features of market economies, we consider a fresh approach about Polanyi’s ideas on market, and his concept of double movement in regards to the effects of neo-liberalism on societies, as a timely intervention to these debates.
CONSUMER MISBEHAVIOR IN TOURISM MARKET
Authors: Grybś-Kabocik Marta
Published: October 2016

The activities of misbehaving customers represent a significant problem for organizations across diverse sectors and industries. Their need for satisfaction is the most important driver of consumer behavior with the consumer choosing how they fulfill this need. Unfortunately, consumer decisions often lead to consumer misbehavior and negative effects on the service provider or on other consumers. Consumer misbehavior is difficult to control. First, it is not always possible to prove misbehavior of a particular consumer. On the other hand, preventive actions, like social campaigns, may not always reach the target audience. Moreover, neither service provider regulations nor monitoring of infrastructure sufficiently prevents consumers from misbehaving in every case. It seems, however, that the consumers who reject the fraudulent behavior of others have a crucial role in the fight against consumer misbehavior, as they are constant observers of this phenomenon and can react immediately. The aim of this article, therefore, is to present the concept of consumer misbehavior with examples relating to the tourism market. Moreover, the attitudes of consumers towards consumer misbehavior are examined through nethnographic research.
ORGANIZATIONAL KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION - STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE OF ORGANIZATION
Authors: Luca Alina , Lupu Luminita Mihaela , Herghiligiu Ionut Viorel
Published: October 2016

Knowledge is now considered the most important resource of an organization, with organizational knowledge acquisition identified in literature as a process that can determine the difference between success and failure of an organization. It is considered necessary for each organization to manage the acquisition of knowledge as a central element in business continuity planning, optimizing costs, and organizational objectives. The main goal of this paper is to develop a framework for organizational knowledge acquisition. This purpose is relevant because, until now, the literature encompasses the problem of organizational knowledge acquisition through human resources, from the perspective of staff ability to learn and implement new concepts, but not from the perspective of an organizational strategy. An organization is stressed by economic and financial alliances and by clients and suppliers. These constrain managers from identifying new solutions to problems. This study is relevant for business because it analyzes an important direction for the development of strategies in the context of market globalization and for academic research because there has been little research previously in this direction.
CREDIT AND ECONOMIC REGENERATION AFTER THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN CESEE
Authors: Stafai Bekim , Ademi Rilind
Published: October 2016

The global financial crisis terminated lending growth rates in CESEE countries, and seven years after financial global crisis, bank credit still continues with depression rate.  Demand and supply for bank credit are contracted, as a results of various factors. The paper tries to find the level of credit contraction and factors that may have affected it, as well as policy action which are being taken to improve bank performance. Economic activity on the other hand, despite the depressed credit growth rates seem to show a trend of regeneration. This phenomenon of increasing economic activity without the support of the loan seems is happening in this post-crisis period in CESEE countries, although we must say that it remains undesirable phenomenon.
BUSINESS CAPABILITIES AND HR KNOWLEDGE’ AS THE CRITICAL FACTOR OF DUE DILIGENCE IN PRE-ACQUISITION PHASE
Authors: Sacek Alen , Šavriņa Baiba
Published: October 2016

Previous theoretical research has argued that due diligence in the pre-acquisition phase is traditionally oriented towards legal and financial matters. However, in the innovation-driven market environment, where firms need to maintain competitive strength, business skills and knowledge play important roles. Despite this difference, the due diligence research continues in traditional areas, e.g., financial history, legal and commercial liabilities, and tax issues. Hence, the problem may arise in acquirers overpaying or mistakenly rejecting a target firm. There is a need for assessing ‘Business Capabilities and Human Resources Knowledge’ for due diligence in the pre-acquisition phase. Based on a fundamental review of critical factors in mergers and acquisitions, this study seeks to examine the inclusion of this factor in due diligence during pre-acquisition. The research method includes a cross-sectional survey among firms with cross-border acquisition experience. The results of the empirical research provide reasonable support towards the organizational learning theory, suggesting that the more the acquirer learns about the critical factor, “Business Capabilities and Human Resources Knowledge”, the better the acquisition success. These results highlight the importance of expanding the traditional due diligence view by including this critical factor as the integral part of the pre-acquisition investigation.
PROBLEMS IN FORMING COST ESTIMATES FOR CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Authors: Oparin Sergey , Chepachenko Nikolay , Yudenkо Marina
Published: October 2016

Problems of forming cost estimates for the construction industry is relevant in Russia, where many construction organizations face the issue of a current pricing system that does not consider new technologies in construction. This leads to underestimations of costs in construction and limits opportunity for competitive pricing between construction companies. This article aims to provide recommendations for improving reliability in calculating construction costs and enhance efficiencies in capital investments by construction participants. The article provides an analysis of the existing system of pricing in construction, and the peculiarities of the system of pricing in both Russia and the United States. Results indicate the need for expediency in applying certain provisions of the foreign system into that of Russia’s for determining the cost of construction. These measures would help minimize the presence of contractors in the construction market who do not actually perform the construction and installation work on their own, and to achieve the desired level of profitability of 8 to 10%.
ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF HEALTH CARE UTILIZATION IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Authors: Haramiová Zuzana , Malovecká Ivona , Koblišková Zuzana , Minárikova Daniela , Foltán Viliam
Published: October 2016

Due to the economic changes and fast progress in health technologies countries face the challenge of rapidly growing health expenditures. Drug policies focus on identification of the most problematic areas for implementation of cost-effective measures. For this purpose, they need to be provided with accurate analyses of health expenditures and drug utilization.Primary aim of this study was to analyze health expenditures of Slovak Republic in regards to factors, which are considered to have the largest influence on provision of health care. Secondarily we focused on providing a brief drug utilization analysis. Our study confirmed that since 2000 Slovakia invests a larger share of GDP in health care, while in 2013 overall health expenditure amounted 5.6 million EUR (7.6% of GDP). Despite recent growth (233.6 % since 2000), Slovakia remains under OECD average in regards to health expenditures per capita (PPP, USD). However, it is on the 2nd place among V4 countries. Patients’ share of the overall health expenditures is increasing 12.8 times faster than public reimbursement. Up to 1.5 million EUR was spent on pharmaceuticals in 2013. The most utilized group of drugs in terms of DIDs and sales were cardiovascular drugs.
A FACTORIAL ANALYSIS OF INFORMACION SOURCES THAT INFLUENCE UNIVERSITY CHOICE IN ALBANIA
Authors: Manoku Elfrida
Published: October 2016

These days Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Albania are operating in a highly dynamic environment. The aim of this study is to examine the sources of information that influence the student’s selection between public or private university in Albania by identifying the role of marketing communication in this selection. The data was gathered through self-administered questionnaires in 17 public and private universities throughout Albania. The factorial analysis conducted using the evaluations from 28 different sources of information, concluded that mainly four factors influenced university choice. These were, public relations, advertising, reference groups and internet marketing. Most of the Albanian Universities need a better understanding of the entire process the prospective students undergo during their university selection process. They also should try adopting a new orientation in their marketing communication strategies based on the students’ need for information.
ADAPTATION TO THE INFORMATION SOCIETY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN SLOVAKIA
Authors: Ondrejková Anna
Published: October 2016

The information and communication technology (ICT) is an important phenomenon of contemporary society, in particular in developed countries. The massive use of ICT has created an information society. Changes caused by the increasing importance of information and ICT are not only technological or economic, but are social, directly affecting the lives of citizens. The ICT usage offers a great opportunity for people with disabilities. Important factors for enhancing quality of life for this part of the population include mapping the current state and the increasing level of digital literacy. The aim of this paper is to view digital literacy in the context of social and digital integration for people with disabilities in the society of the Slovak Republic and especially present results of social research in digital literacy of this minority in Slovakia. The study involves a quantitative type of social research. The techniques of data collection for the research included an electronic questionnaire form. The technology for developing the questionnaire involved Google forms. The results of this research show how people with disabilities could adapt to the information society.
SHAPING SWIFT’S EXPRESSIVENESS THROUGH THE TRANSLATION OF HIS METAPHORS IN ALBANIAN LANGUAGE
Authors: Karasaliu Alma
Published: October 2016

Metaphors have become the focus of a wide variety of discussions in the field of translation theory and practice. They are important rhetorical devices with cognitive function that have been thoroughly studied and considered important by various scholars. Taking into consideration the difficulties implied with identifying and translating such devices, this article aims to identify the procedures employed in translating some of the metaphors present in “A Tale of a Tub” and “Gulliver’s Travels”, two of the most prominent satires of Jonathan Swift. In this context, based on the translation procedures suggested by Raymond van den Broeck, special attention is given to the formal characteristics and efficiency of the relevant devices in the target language and the degree to which the originality of the message intended by the author in the source language is conserved and conveyed in the target language, with focus on the culture compatibility between both target and source languages. Finally, the high level of naturalness and presence of various translation procedures employed in the conveyance of metaphors in both works is stated, emphasizing the use of an additional approach, not mentioned in either the procedures suggested by van den Broeck or those suggested by Newmark.
MODERN LANGUAGE TRAINING METHODS AND THEIR APPLICATION IN CZECH AND SLOVAK BUSINESSES: A LITERATURE REVIEW
Authors: Dékány Adam
Published: October 2016

This literature review outlines modern language-teaching methods used in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It attempts to identify the current level of English proficiency in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. In addition, it aims to summarize modern methods of language teaching that became available with advent of information technologies. The review has three major parts. The first part examines the current level of English proficiency in Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The second part describes the commonly recognized language proficiency levels established by the Council of Europe. The last part of the review introduces some of the most recent language-training methods that have become widely available due to the development of IT in the last few years. The conclusion includes recommendations about the use of IT for language training. This paper provides an overview of the subject, focusing mainly on readers who are either new to the topic or looking for a simple overview of the present situation. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the Czech Republic and Slovakia have an average level of English proficiency and at least nine modern teaching methods can be used to improve an individual’s language skills.
DEFINING CRITERIA FOR EVALUATING CULTURAL AND DIALOGIC DEVELOPMENT OF BILINGUAL PRESCHOOLERS
Authors: Ulzytuyeva Alexandra , Voronchenko Tatiana , Vinogradova Nina
Published: October 2016

This paper examines an issue of cultural and dialogical development of bilingual children. The preschooler period is an essential time for learning a second language and forming ethnical and cultural components of education. The need for bicultural and bilingual education is urgent and vivid in Transbaikal Siberia region of Russian Federation as it is a multinational territory. Russian is the official language, and numerous members of the indigenous group of Buryat speak Buryat (minority) language. The study focuses on the Transbaikal Agin-Buryat preschooler institutions. Linguistic, cultural, and person-oriented approaches are used. The authors discuss criteria for evaluating cultural and dialogic development of bilingual preschoolers, taking into consideration that such a process is determined by a child’s identification of self in social relations and his or her ability to construct interactive dialogue using native and non-native languages. The study shows that cultural and dialogic development of a preschooler can be successful in a bilingual educational environment.
MODELS OF STRUCTURES IN DIDACTICSMODELS OF STRUCTURES IN DIDACTICS
Authors: Niewitecki Stefan
Published: October 2016

The final aim of teaching students subjects, such as structural mechanics, reinforced concrete, and steel structures is to teach them how structures work in a given building as well as to provide them with skills enabling them to calculate and design structures. The behavioral model of the structure, contrary to the architectural model, which focuses mainly on the external form of the building, shows workings from both the static and dynamic points of view (e.g., the influence of the wind load, dead loads, and imposed loads) A series of fifteen behavioral models constructed of organic glass (poly-methyl methacrylate, also called Plexiglas® or metaplex) was built for didactic purposes for the academic staff of the Department of the Technical Fundamentals of Architectural Design at the University of Technology in Gdansk. This article presents the characteristics of these models, as well as their application in didactics. The usage of the models in specific educational subjects at the Department of the Technical Fundamentals of Architectural Design has been adopted as a classification criterion.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE CHOICE OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS BY PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS IN LATVIA
Authors: Rika Nadezda , Roze Jana , Sennikova Irina
Published: October 2016

Because of increasing competition among Latvian higher education institutions (HEIs), the administrators of these institutions are becoming increasingly interested in understanding how their potential students choose their institution. Comprehensive knowledge of consumer behavior allows institutions to become more effective at making good strategic marketing decisions and to better respond to customers’ needs. The purpose of this study is to understand what factors affect the decision of secondary school leavers in choosing a particular higher education provider and the variables that might predict a student’s choice. The research is based on data collected by the means of a survey distributed among final year students of Latvian secondary schools, with 644 responses analyzed using Spearman correlation and stepwise regression analysis. Analysis of four major groups of factors: cultural, social, psychological, and organizational, revealed that psychological and organizational factors are the best predictors of the choice of HEI. These explained 48% of the variance of the dependent variable (R2 = 0.48; F (1; 641) = 293.46; p < 0.001). The results provide details of the factors with great importance to young people of Latvia in choosing their higher education provider. The HEI can use these factors for designing various student attraction strategies, and thus increase their market share and competitiveness.
TURKEY BETWEEN SECULARIZATION AND PIETISM
Authors: Karaca Taha Niyazi
Published: October 2016

In Turkey, the secularization process has continued for over two hundred years without a successful conclusion. While part of the administrative group demands secularization, the other rigorously objects to this process. The main problem examined by this study is the conflict between these two groups. The core factors against secularization and the philosophical, juridical, and religious reasons influencing the process are discussed. The study focuses on past examples to analyze the secularization process. The study examines the main patterns in the process, starting with reflections on Nizam-1 Alem (Order of Universe), the philosophy of the foundation of Ottoman Empire, and the invariance principle. It continues with conclusions of the imperial edict of Gulhane (Tanzimat Fermani); then discussions on differences of civilization and culture in Turkey; and finally Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s beliefs on unique civilization and secularization. As a result, this paper presents the main problems of secularization in today’s Turkey.
THEORETICAL AND EMPIRICAL FOUNDATION FOR INTEGRATION OF LANGUAGE EDUCATION IN CLASSES OF OTHER DISCIPLINES
Authors: Jakavonytė-Staškuvienė Daiva
Published: October 2016

Recently, Lithuania and other European Union member states experienced a marked deterioration of pupils’ linguistic skills (especially reading and writing), according to data from the 2006 and 2011 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study. This article analyzes the possibilities of integrating the education of linguistic skills into classes of other disciplines, in terms of the planning and organization of integrated linguistic education, how to begin, and what to expect. To solve these issues, the experience of such matters in Switzerland was studied by analyzing the results of qualitative research.
WORK STRESS AND SUBJECTIVE/PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF EMPLOYEES OF STATE HOLDING COMPANY IN TIMES OF CHANGE
Authors: Blumberga Solveiga , Voronova Solvita
Published: October 2016

State Holding Company makes a number of improvements, followed by a process of changes each year. This study was conducted to understand how the changes in the company affect the employees working in it and how the employees deal with the stress caused by such changes. The purpose of the study was to investigate the links between personnel work stress, subjective and psychological well-being of employees during changes in State Holding Company. The research undertakes issues such as: the levels of employee stress and subjective well-being, the levels of employee psychological well-being, links, if any, between subjective and psychological well-being and work stress, and the methods used in the research study. The survey was created with reference to works of other authors such as “Professional Life Stress Scale”, “Life Satisfaction Scale” and “Psychological Well-being Survey”. It was concluded that the employees had medium levels of stress, medium levels of life satisfaction, and medium levels of overall psychological well-being. There are statistically significant links between subjective well-being, psychological well-being and work stress. Recommendations were prepared for the Human Resources Department to reduce stress levels of personnel working and successful management of changes.
THE CONCEPTUAL STRUCTURE OF PHYSICS TEXTBOOKS FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Authors: Králiková Petra , Teleki Aba
Published: October 2016

Textbooks are an essential part of the learning process, therefore they need to be written in a way that is easy to understand. In real life, we often come across complex systems with scale invariant (power law) distributions, which display a surprising degree of tolerance against errors, i.e. degree of robustness. We are confident that knowledge organized in this manner is better for usage in textbooks and promotes easier learning as content would be more intelligible. Initially, we talk about the evolution of some networks, and then we deal with the differences between Poisson and scale invariant distribution in real networks. In conclusion, we are looking for connection between scale invariant distribution and Zipf’s law.
TEACHER’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE INCLUSION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN REGULAR SCHOOLS
Authors: Lika Rovena
Published: October 2016

The inclusion of children with disabilities in general schools depends on teachers and pupils. The aim of this study is to evaluate the teachers’ role in the inclusion of children with disabilities in general schools. Taking their role into consideration, we will be able to understand factors that influence the positive or negative attitude towards the inclusion of children with disabilities in general classrooms. 146 teachers participated in this study. The instrument used (created by Jeffrey Bailey) for data collection consisted on a self-reporting questionnaire divided into two sections. In the first section, demographic information from teachers is required. In the second section, teachers’ attitude towards the inclusion of children with disabilities in general schools is measured. According to the results: Teacher’s gender [t (144) = 0,503, P = 0,616] did not affect their attitudes towards the inclusion of children with disabilities in regular schools. Training on inclusive education [r = 0.75, n = 146 and p = 0.001] positively affected the attitudes of the teachers. It was concluded that development of trainings for teachers should be focused on because it creates professionals with knowledge of specific techniques.
ESTABLISHING IMMUNIZATION SAFETY SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM IN ALBANIA
Authors: Mehmeti Irsida , Bino Silva
Published: October 2016

INTRODUCTION: While vaccine use increases, adverse events following immunization are becoming a public concern with the rate of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) increasing with the number of administered doses of vaccines. The safety of vaccines is ensured during clinical studies before the licensure of the vaccine. However, clinical trials have limitations, such as, rare events that cannot be detected and events occurring in specific groups of people. The consequences of AEFI influence public health policies and the incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases, although these might not be related directly to vaccines themselves.OBJECTIVES: The objective of this article is to examine the evolution of vaccine safety issues in Albania by mapping stakeholders involved in vaccine safety control and analyzing the different periods when changes in the vaccine safety system has taken placeMETHODS: A grey literature review, by searching the archive of IPH, provided a list of different stakeholders involved in vaccine safety in Albania. By reviewing all documents of the various organizations included in vaccine safety, we differentiated and characterized the roles of each in this area.RESULTS: The main stakeholders involved in AEFI and vaccine safety in Albania are; the Institute of Public Health (IPH), which manages the National Immunization Program (NIP), the Directorate of Public Health (DPH) at the Ministry of Health (MoH), the 36 District Public Health Directories each with a microbiological laboratory for the assessment of AEFI, the pharmacovigilance center and National Regulatory Authority in the National Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (NAMMD),National Immunization Safety Expert Committee in MoH and the Secretariat that supports the national AEFI committeeCONCLUSIONS: Despite huge progress over the last decade in Albania regarding vaccine safety, much remains to be achieved. The changes in the vaccine safety system have enforced and increased public trust on vaccination, leading to a strengthened National Immunization Program.
FALLS’ RISK ANALYSIS OF OLDER PATIENTS IN NURSING DEPARTMENTS: ONE MONTH STUDY
Authors: Jakavonytė-Akstinienė Agnė , Macijauskienė Jūratė
Published: October 2016

BACKGROUND: Falls are a major public health problem, especially in the elderly. Of people who suffer falls, 20- 30% experience mild to severe injuries. Timely assessment of risk factors can prevent some of these falls occurring.PURPOSE OF STUDY: To assess the falls risks factors of patients in nursing departments.METHODS: The study was conducted January to September, 2015 in a Lithuanian long-term care and treatment hospital. The Morse Fall Scale was used for assessment of falls risk, which were evaluated within 48 hours and then after one month of admission to the hospital.RESULTS: The study involved 177 respondents. After one month of admission to the hospital, 129 participants took part in the survey. During the first stage of the study, the difference in falls between the age groups and falls risk was statistically significant (p = 0.019). In addition, statistically significant differences (p = 0.004 and p = 0.000) were found between the patients’ cognitive impairment, falls within the past 1-year period, and the risk of falls during 48 hours after hospitalization. After one month of admission to the hospital, it was found that differences in falls risk was not statistically significant among age groups (p = 0.360) or the patients’ cognitive impairment (p = 0.200).CONCLUSION: An assessment of patients within 48 hours of hospitalisation revealed a statistically significant difference between the patients having suffered a fall within the past year and the current risk of falls.
MICROWAVE PROPAGATION IN TOOTH AND DENTAL DEFECT
Authors: Papezova Maria , Faktorova Dagmar
Published: October 2016

INTRODUCTION:The most common method of conventional dental diagnosisinvolves X-rays, such as Radio Tomography (RT) or Computer Tomography (CT). Such methods are used for diagnosing pores in dental material that can lead to premature failure of dental material. Diagnosis by X-ray provides an objective analysis. However, repeated radiation from X-rays can cause biological damage to human tissues. From this point of view, there is a significant need to progress to quantitative non-invasive and non-destructive testing (NDT) methods to measure dental material and improve treatment options. This article focuses on applying microwave technology to characterize teeth and teeth replacements. Knowledge of microwave propagation in biomaterial with no defects, using a defined microwave frequency range, and subsequently comparing the result with defective material could provide a means of dental diagnosis without the risk of radiation for the patient, i.e. without X-ray. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective of this study was to examine microwave technology in the field of dental medical diagnosis as a new NDT method. METHODS: The basic concept of applying microwave technology to characterize teeth in dental diagnosis was examined using a basic algorithm designed in the MATLAB programming language. Tests used dielectric properties of tooth and tooth decay and propagated electromagnetic (EM) waves to show different characteristics of chosen materials.RESULTS: The analyses of frequency dependent reflection and transmission coefficients of the chosen material, specificallyteeth, atfrequency range 0 GHz to 30 GHz, computed differences between healthy and defective dental material.CONCLUSION: Thus, this could be used in providing a dental diagnosis without exposing patients to radiation, i.e. without X-ray. The next stage will involve creating a complete model of a jaw with teeth, and designing a sensor for crack detection for comparisons using this basic algorithm.
ISSUE OF YOGA ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
Authors: Horváthová Silvia , Petríková Rosinová Iveta
Published: October 2016

The effect of yoga on human health has long term interest. In this regard, we view the effect on physical health, not only mental, in terms of the sensory input. This paper attempts to present a position on whether yoga affects human health status and limits an increase in lifestyle diseases. In this work, we collect data and use inductive reasoning methods with the aim of generalizing conclusions. Our findings indicate the effect of yoga, not only on mental health, but also in terms of physical health, in particular in reducing obesity. It is concluded that to find a completely healthy person is rare, but with various relaxation techniques of yoga, one can eliminate a variety of ailments and benefit overall in health.
WORK ABILITY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN HOSPITAL STAFF
Authors: Sandeva Gergana , Koleva Kasimira
Published: October 2016

Healthcare is an economic sector characterized by unfavorable working conditions, such as psychosocial stress, shift work, and manual handling of loads. It is important to opportunely assess the work ability and psychological well-being of hospital staff to evaluate workers’ functional capacity and plan appropriate preventive measures.Objectives: To assess the work ability and psychological well-being in hospital staff and to determine factors that might influence them.Methods: Work Ability Index Questionnaire, Psychological Well-being Questionnaire, and statistical analyses.Results: The mean Work Ability Index (WAI) score was 40.8 ±4.8, which corresponded to suitable work ability. The lowest mean WAI score was registered for the physical therapists (38 ±3.8), and was significantly lower than the WAI score for nurses (41.6 ±4.8). The mean Psychological Well-being score for all subjects was 187.6 ±18.4. The youngest workers (200.8 ±14.7), and those with shortest length of service (196.7 ±18.4) had significantly higher mean Psychological Well-being scores than older (180.8 ±19.9) and more experienced workers (180.3 ±18.3). A positive correlation was found between WAI and Psychological Well-being scores (r = 0.37, p = 0.003).Conclusion: Hospital managers should consider implementing strategies focused on the work ability of hospital staff, as well as on their psychological well-being, to keep workers fit and healthy for longer.
PRESENT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE ON THE STRATEGIES EMPLOYED BY MYCOPLASMA CONTAMINATION OF THE HUMAN CELL CULTURES
Authors: Velickova Nevenka , Milev Misko , Sumanov Gorgi , Petrova Biljana
Published: October 2016

Introduction: Mycoplasma species often contaminate cell cultures and other cell-derived biological substances, leading to detrimental effects on the host that include changes in growth, morphology, metabolism and protein synthesis. In cell cultures, mycoplasma are extracellular parasites, usually attached to the external surface of a cell membrane. Many researchers use a mixture of penicillin and streptomycin in the cell culture to prevent contamination. Material and methods: We prepared cell cultures of lymphocytes from peripheral blood of 12 subjects and used micronucleus, assay which is the standard method, for detection of micronuclei in binuclear lymphocytes.Results: Use of standard antibiotics does not protect cell cultures against mycoplasma contamination. Penicillin has no effect on mycoplasma since mycoplasma lack cell wall. Streptomycin inhibits about half the mycoplasma strains but is ineffective against others. In fact, mycoplasma is generally resistant to most antibiotic mixtures commonly used in cell culture. We didn’t find any mycoplasma contamination in the cell culture where penicillin-streptomycin mixture was absent, but confirmed infection in the culture containing mixture of antibiotics.Conclusion: Antibiotics and mixture of antibiotics like penicillin-streptomycin mixture does not protect the cell culture against mycoplasma contamination. Hence, contamination can spread rapidly to other cell lines through aerosol droplet dispersion.