bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health information-seeking behavior and perceived information source credibility among middle-aged and older adults
Authors: Fan Fei , Chan Kara , Tsang Lennon
Published: July 2024

This is the first empirical study to compare the health information-seeking behaviors among the middle-aged groups and older adults. The purpose of this research paper is to explore how middle-aged and older adults use different sources to acquire health information, their perception of information quality, and information processing behaviors. A survey study was conducted among 786 Hong Kong residents aged 40 to 69. The study found that respondents relied heavily on their families and friends to obtain health information. Although professionals were the second least used information source for health information, it was considered the most credible one among the respondents. New media was perceived as the least used as well as the least credible source for health information. Older adults more relied on traditional media and professionals to get health information while middle-aged adults more frequently used new media to obtain health information.
Rainfall-runoff process simulation using HEC-HMS model: Study case of Rhumel Smedou watershed
Authors: Abdelkebir Brahim , Mokhtari Elhadj , Engel Bernard
Published: July 2024

Hydrological modeling is a critical and decisive technique for estimating
hydrological processes and the availability of water resources. In our
research, we used Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS), a 4.4 version, to
achieve the affected goals, and a watershed in the east of Algeria, known as
Rhumel Smedou watershed, was chosen as a case study which covers an area of
1,083 km2. A Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to analyze and
process the Digital Elevation Model 30-meter resolution data accompanied
with Landsat of Land Use Land Cover 10-meter resolution with accuracy to
extract and deduce the basic inputs of the simulation model, which are:
curve number (%), lag time (mn), impermeability (%), and rainfall (Ia) (mm).
The research purpose is to compute runoff depth and volume rate for four
extreme events. Two events are chosen for model calibration and two for
model validation. The results of the statistical tests [NSE (%) RMSE_PBIAS
(%)] proved the success and ability of the model to achieve the research
objectives, and their averages were as follows: [82%_0.45_32.55%] for
calibration phase, and [77%_ 0.45_30.95%] for validation phase. After
calibrating and validating the effectiveness of the model, the volume and
flow were predicted for different return periods (2y, 10y, 50y, and 100y).
Seeking wellness in rural tourism value chain: Evidence from Slovenian farm stay
Authors: Klakocar Tatjana , Pavic Lazar
Published: July 2024

Exploring the connection between agrotourism, rural tourism value chain, and
wellness tourism is essential, as the term agrowellness has not yet been
well-established in professional and scientific literature. This study aimed
to assess the current state of agrowellness offers in farm stays in
Slovenia's Eastern Cohesion Region, a less developed tourist area compared
to other leading destinations in the country. The study focused on
determining if there is a connection between the development of
agrowellness offers and the specialized label of a tourist farm that
provides a healthy living experience. Additionally, the survey aimed to
identify any statistically significant differences in the development of
agrowellness offers based on selected general characteristics of the
farmland, such as the location of the tourist accommodation farm, farm size,
farm self-sufficiency, and the age of the operator of complementary
activities. A quantitative structured observation method was used to assess
the state of development of agrowellness offers on farm stay in Slovenia,
specifically in the Eastern Cohesion Region. Five main themes emerged from
the study, along with some fundamental characteristics of the tourist
accommodation farm. These themes include sports and recreational activities,
healthy diet, mental wellness, healthy lifestyle activities, and wellness
services, as well as other rural tourism offerings. The over-all assessment
of the wellness offer showed that the sampled farm stay underperformed
compared to the average, but still had potential for further development.
The healthy diet and sports and recreational activities segments received
the highest ratings. Statistically significant differences were observed in
the mental wellness segment, where farm stays with more than 34 hectares of
land had more advanced mental wellness offers. Additionally, farm stays
with operators of the complementary activity aged 50 or older had a more
developed wellness offer in the sports and recreational activities segment.
Genome-Wide Polygenic Risk Score Predicts Incident Type 2 Diabetes in Women With History of Gestational Diabetes
Authors: Choi Jaewon , Lee Hyunsuk , Kuang Alan , Huerta-Chagoya Alicia , Scholtens Denise M. , Choi Daeho , Han Minseok , Lowe William L. , Manning Alisa K. , Jang Hak Chul , Park Kyong Soo , Kwak Soo Heon
Published: July 2024

OBJECTIVE

Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). It remains unclear whether genetic information improves prediction of incident T2D in these women.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Using five independent cohorts representing four different ancestries (n = 1,895), we investigated whether a genome-wide T2D polygenic risk score (PRS) is associated with increased risk of incident T2D. We also calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) and continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI) following the incorporation of T2D PRS into clinical risk models to assess the diagnostic utility.

RESULTS

Among 1,895 women with previous history of GDM, 363 (19.2%) developed T2D in a range of 2 to 30 years. T2D PRS was higher in those who developed T2D (−0.08 vs. 0.31, P = 2.3 × 10−11) and was associated with an increased risk of incident T2D (odds ratio 1.52 per 1-SD increase, 95% CI 1.05–2.21, P = 0.03). In a model that includes age, family history of diabetes, systolic blood pressure, and BMI, the incorporation of PRS led to an increase in AUROC for T2D from 0.71 to 0.74 and an intermediate improvement of NRI (0.32, 95% CI 0.15–0.49, P = 3.0 × 10−4). Although there was variation, a similar trend was observed across study cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

In cohorts of GDM women with diverse ancestry, T2D PRS was significantly associated with future development of T2D. A significant but small improvement was observed in AUROC when T2D PRS was integrated into clinical risk models to predict incident T2D.
Facial vs Non-facial Molluscum Contagiosum Infection in Children: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Andre Nicolas , Jurban Eman , Alyagon Adva , Moskovich Chen , Kaplan Or , Test Gidon , Horev Amir
Published: July 2024

Molluscum contagiosum is a common skin infection affecting different body areas, including the face. Previous data have shown cases of atypical lesions, notably on the face, and it was thought relevant to further examine differences between facial and non-facial lesions. All cases of children (0–18) diagnosed with molluscum contagiosum from 2013–2022 at the paediatric dermatology clinic of Soroka University Medical Center were retrospectively reviewed, and 615 children were included in the study. Facial lesions tended to be found in younger children (p = 0.018). Non-facial lesions were more erythematous (p < 0.001), itchier (p < 0.001), and showed similar patterns of ulceration (p = 0.078) and purulence (p = 0.779). The average lesion diameter was similar in patients with or without facial lesions (p = 1). Children with facial lesions were treated differently from patients without facial lesions (p < 0.001); however, there were no differences in treatment response. This research challenges assumptions concerning the severity of facial lesions, including eyelid lesions, by revealing that, overall, they exhibit less inflammation than non-facial lesions. Despite the potential for greater psychosocial burdens and impacts on self-esteem associated with lesions on the sensitive facial area, this study provides evidence that they are not inherently more worrisome and can be managed similarly to lesions found elsewhere in the body.
Predictors of Local Invasion in Infiltrative Basal Cell Carcinoma: Tumour Budding Outperforms the WHO Subtyping
Authors: Fernandez-Figueras Maria Teresa , Perez-Muñoz Noelia , Puig Luis , Posada-Caez Rodolfo , Ballester Victoria Rosa , Henriquez Martha , Musulen Eva
Published: July 2024

Tumour budding (TB) correlates with increased local invasion in various neoplasms. Certain basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) exhibit local aggressiveness. Detecting adverse prognostic factors in partial biopsies could aid in identifying cases with heightened local risk. The absolute number of TB (≤ 3 tumour cells) in excision specimens of 271 infiltrative BCCs (0: absent; 1: 1–2 foci; 2: ≥ 3 foci; 3: ≥ 10 foci), the histopathological subtype and depth of infiltration, perineural invasion, and other histological features were evaluated. A significant correlation was found between TB and both depth of infiltration (rho 0.445, p < 0.001) and perineural invasion (p = 0.009). In the multivariate analysis of depth and perineural invasion (multiple regression, stepwise), TB was identified as a significant covariate together with diameter, inflammation, and perineural invasion for the former, and depth for the latter. Conversely, no correlation existed between the WHO histological subtypes (infiltrating, sclerosing, and micronodular), and depth of infiltration or perineural invasion. This study demonstrates the value of TB as a biomarker for local invasiveness in BCC. In routine practice, a count of ≥ 3 TB foci in lesions incompletely excised or with narrow tumour-free surgical margins would be a straightforward and reproducible method to guide BCC treatment.
Mathematical modeling for assessing the seismic response of buildings in Al Hoceima
Authors:   International University of Casablanca, LMSI, Aaya H. ,   University of Hassan II, ENSAM, LISPSII, Ziraoui A. ,   University of Hassan II, ENSAM, LISPSII, Kissi B. ,   University of Hassan II, ENSAM, LISPSII
Published: July 2024

The purpose of this paper is to apply structural dynamics principles to conduct a comprehensive mathematical analysis of how buildings respond to earthquakes, with a particular focus on the dynamic behavior of a reinforced concrete structure in the city of Al Hoceima, located in the north of Morocco, which is subjected to frequent seismic activity. Considering various parameters such as building configurations, materials, soil characteristics, and seismic conditions, we will build a mathematical model for response of structures to earthquakes and conduct numerical experiments using ETABS software on a typical building in this region with a G+2 house elevation.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of RNA viruses in the presence of immunity and treatment: case of SARS-CoV-2
Authors:   Laboratory of Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (LAMS), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick, Hassan II University of Casablanca, El Karimi M. I. ,   Centre Régional des Métiers de l'Education et de la Formation (CRMEF), Hattaf K. ,   Laboratory of Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (LAMS), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick, Hassan II University of Casablanca; Equipe de Recherche en Modélisation et Enseignement des Mathématiques (ERMEM), Centre Régional des Métiers de l'Education et de la Formation (CRMEF), Yousfi N. ,   Laboratory of Analysis, Modeling and Simulation (LAMS), Faculty of Sciences Ben M'Sick, Hassan II University of Casablanca
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we develop a mathematical model using partial differential equations to investigate the behavior of RNA viruses in the presence of antiviral treatment. The developed model includes both cell-to-cell and virus-to-cell modes of transmission. Initially, we establish the well-posedness of the model by demonstrating the existence and uniqueness of solutions, as well as their positivity and boundedness. Additionally, we identify and analyze the stable equilibrium states, their global stability depending on specific threshold parameters, using Lyapunov functions. To corroborate our theoretical findings, we provide illustrations through numerical simulations.
ANALISIS KINERJA KEUANGAN PEMERINTAH DAERAH KABUPATEN KEPULAUAN SULA
Authors: Sahdan Rinto , Hormati Asrudin , Irham Jumiati
Published: July 2024

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memberikan informasi kepada masyarakat mengenai penyajian laporan keuangan dan kinerja pemerintah daerah dalam mewujudkan pertanggungjawaban. Serta mengetahui kinerja Pemerintah Daerah Kabupaten Kepulauan Sula dengan menggunakan rasio keuangan APBD khususnya rasio efektivitas, rasio efektivitas, rasio kemandirian dan rasio keserasian, dan rasio pertumbuhan. Jenis data yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah data kuantitatif. Data tersebut merupakan dokumentasi dari laporan keuangan APBD Tahun 2019-2021. Objek penelitian yang digunakan adalah Pemerintah Daerah Kabupaten Kepulauan Sula yaitu Dinas Pendapatan Pengelolaan Aset Daerah. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa analisis rasio keuangan pada anggaran pendapatan dan belanja daerah untuk tahun anggaran 2019-2022 yang diukur melalui rasio efektivitas tahun anggaran 2019-2022 cukup efektif, rasio efisiensi tahun anggaran 2019-2022 cukup efisien, rasio kemandirian tahun anggaran 2019-2012 sangat rendah, rasio keserasian tahun anggaran 2019-2022 yang menjelaskan bahwa hasil rasio belanja operasi lebih diprioritas dibandingkan dengan rasio belanja modal, dan rasio pertumbuhan pendapatan asli daerah, rasio pertumbuhan pendapatan, rasio pertumbuhan belanja operasi, dan pertumbuhan belanja modal, adanya peningkatan yang berfluktuasi dari tahun 2019-2022.
A Study on Flexible Bayes Classifier Using K-Nearest Neighbor Density Estimator
Authors:   University of Aleppo, Ahmad Altounji Nizar , Anwar Assaad Mohammad ,   Cihan University-Erbil, Younso Ahmad ,   EPF Graduate School of Engineering, Montpellier, France
Published: July 2024

Naïve Bayes (NB) Classifier is considered one of the most widely used algorithms to solve classification problems due to its simplicity, high performance and fast computational process, which assumes that feature variables are independent and continuous variables follow gaussian distribution. Due to that most real-life applications may have feature variables that can’t be modeled by gaussian distribution, or may violate the independence assumption, Flexible Naïve Bayes (FNB) Classifier becomes more suitable, which estimates the densities using a non-parametric Kernel Density Estimator (KDE). In this paper, we introduce K-Nearest Neighbor Naïve Bayes (KNNB) Classifier, an improved flexible classifier which uses K-Nearest Neighbor Density Estimator (KNNDE) instead of KDE, such classifier would solve both NB problems, where the independence assumption is removed and the likelihood density is estimated for all feature variables together. Practical applications using R programming language on datasets from different fields were made for both FNB and KNNB classifiers with and without the independence assumption using 10-folds repeated cross validation, despite that FNB achieved greater accuracy than KNNB when dealing with the feature variables separately, the results showed that KNNB classifier performs better than FNB when the independence assumption is removed, meaning that KNNB is more efficient and suitable than FNB in real-life applications, where the independence assumption can be dropped.
Image Segmentation and Extraction Regions Based on Single Seed Region Growing and Kmeans Algorithms
Authors:   Cihan University-Erbil, H. Salman Nassir , M. Hadi Gullanar ,   Salahaddin University-Erbil (SUE)
Published: July 2024

In this article, region-growing image segmentation and K-means region extraction were the two techniques utilized to segment and extract regions from an image. As the region grows, determine the position of the chosen pixel, compare it to its neighbors, and label the selected region if the pixel falls inside the range of the threshold value that has been chosen. Continue this process for each subsequent pixel until there are no more pixels inside the threshold range. After extracting the regions and associated edge maps, which included the minimum and maximum intensity values, the number of pixels in the segmented regions was calculated. Convert the image from RGB color space to L*a*b* color space for K-Means clustering segmentation. Two color components (a*, which stands for red and green value) and lightness (L*) utilizing K-Means clustering, automatically divide the colors in the a*b* color space into three clusters by calculating the distance between them using the Euclidean Distance Metric. Then, use the cluster index results from K-Means to label each pixel in the image. then, using pixel labels and the cluster number that only includes the ROI among the three clusters, build an RGB label. Lastly, locate the divided image. Tests have been conducted on a variety of medical photos using both methods. The outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness and viability of the suggested ways by demonstrating how quickly and precisely the methods can extract regions of interest from both grayscale and color images.
An improved vibrating particles system method for many-criteria engineering design applications
Authors: Nejlaoui Mohamed ,   Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qassim University, Buraydah 52571, Saudi Arabia
Published: July 2024

Optimization is getting more and more important due to its application in real engineering problems. Recently, the vibrating particles system algorithm has been developed as an efficient method for mono-objective optimization. However, in multi- and many-objective design problems, the vibrating particles system method is unable to handle simultaneously the conflicting objectives. The second drawback of the vibrating particles system algorithm is the~variability of the obtained results at each independent test, due to its inability to balance exploitation and exploration capabilities. To address these issues, this paper proposes an enhanced vibrating particles system algorithm called the many-objective vibrating particles system algorithm. The proposed many-objective vibrating particles system algorithm uses the Pareto principle to store the non-dominated solutions of multiple conflicting functions. Moreover, the implementation of the particle position enhancement mechanism to boost this algorithm's exploitation and exploration capabilities is another distinctive aspect of the suggested method. A variety of high-dimensional test functions and engineering design problems are used to evaluate the efficiency of the many-objective vibrating particles system algorithm. The obtained results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other popular methods in terms of convergence characteristics and global search ability.
ШЛЯХИ ПОДОЛАННЯ ОСВІТНІХ ВТРАТ У МОЛОДШИХ ШКОЛЯРІВ
Authors: Яременко Наталія ,   Сумський державний педагогічний університет імені А. С. Макаренка
Published: July 2024

У статті автором проаналізовано стан освітніх втрат в Україні та запропоновано шляхи подолання освітніх втрат в учнів початкової школи. Серед можливих шляхів подолання освітніх втрат у молодших школярів окреслено систематичне та постійне визначення та закріплення необхідних навичок; підвищення інтересу та зацікавленість учнів; упровадження навчання через проєкти; персоналізація навчального досвіду; залучення членів родини та громадських організацій до процесу навчання; використання прийому позитивних дій та налагодження міжкласної співпраці
ПЕДАГОГІЧНІ УМОВИ ФАХОВОЇ ПІДГОТОВКИ ТЕХНІКІВ‐ЕЛЕКТРИКІВ У ЗАКЛАДАХ ОСВІТИ АГРАРНОГО ПРОФІЛЮ
Authors: Дьомін Олександр ,   Національний університет біоресурсів та природокористування України
Published: July 2024

У статті встановлено необхідність визначення педагогічних умов підготовки техніків‐електриків для сучасного сільського господарства у вітчизняних закладах освіти аграрного профілю. Ця потреба пояснюється швидкими змінами умов розвитку та впровадженням нових технологій в енергетику сільськогосподарських підприємств та сільськогосподарської техніки. Автори наголошують на необхідності впровадження нової освітньої концепції, що базується на компетентнісному підході, у закладах освіти аграрного профілю. Зміна провідного мислення у підготовці техніків‐електриків сільськогосподарського спрямування пояснюється стрімким зменшенням кількості висококваліфікованих фахівців на сільськогосподарських підприємствах. Така ситуація визначається переходом вітчизняних сільськогосподарських підприємств до ринкових умов господарювання і, як наслідок, значним підвищенням рівня фахової компетентності, що вимагається від випускників закладів освіти аграрного профілю. У статті представлено детальний аналіз наукових результатів вітчизняних та зарубіжних вчених щодо визначення педагогічних умов навчання у закладах освіти аграрного профілю, на основі якого сформульовано педагогічні умови, що мають повною мірою відповідати сучасним вимогам енергетики сільського господарства в процесі фахової підготовки для неї техніків‐електриків.
ВАСИЛЬ ЗЕНЬКОВСЬКИЙ: ЖИТТЄВИЙ ШЛЯХ ТА НАУКОВА СПАДЩИНА
Authors: Вербець Владислав ,   Хмельницька гуманітарно‐педагогічна академія
Published: July 2024

У статті розкрито життєві події відомого філософа, богослова, психолога і педагога Василя Зеньковського, уродженця Проскурова. Він закінчив гімназію у Києві, навчався на фізико‐математичному факультеті, закінчив історико‐ філологічний факультет Київського університету. Був головою Київського релігійно‐філософського товариства. У 1915 р. захистив докторську дисертацію. У 1919 р. змушений покинути Україну і емігрувати на Захід. Його філософське вчення включало метафізику, гносеологію та антропологію. Він слідував християнській традиції розуміння світу і людини. Православний світогляд ученого не входив у протиріччя з академічними студіями, не перешкоджав його діалогу з проблем науки з вченими різних країн. Поєднував релігійні погляди на природу психіки, високу оцінку надавав емоційним елементам психіки. У працях показував особливості психічних явищ та їх закономірностей порівняно з явищами матеріального світу.
THE COMPETENCY‐BASED APPROACH AS A METHODOLOGICAL BASIS OF THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF MUSIC THERAPY SPECIALISTS
Authors: Li Shanyin ,   Lviv Polytechnic National University
Published: July 2024

The article is devoted to highlighting the problem of using the competence approach in the professional training of music therapists. The aim of the article is to substantiate the competency‐based approach as a methodological base of musical therapists’ professional training and education. The article presents the results of the analysis of the scientific and pedagogical literature which highlits the peculiarities of the application of the competency‐based approach in the professional training of specialists, the experience of using the potential of music therapy in education, the use of a competency‐based approach in the training of music therapists. It has been proven that the competency‐based approach involves a shift of emphasis from the process of accumulating normatively defined knowledge to the plane of formation of future specialists’ ability to act effectively as well as creatively use knowledge in various conditions and situations of professional activity. The competency‐based approach directs the educational process to the development of the specialist’s professional competence as an integrative characteristic of his/her personality, which combines knowledge, skills, value orientations, qualities, etc. and, on this basis, ensures readiness to successfully perform professional tasks and duties. It has been concluded that the application of a competency‐based approach to the professional training of music therapists ensures a change in emphasis in the educational process, namely from the usual translation of knowledge from teacher to learner to the formation of the ability to actively search for knowledge and readiness for its creative application in the process of further professional activity. Its implementation contributes to the renewal of the goals and content of professional education programs for music therapy personnel, taking into account the professional direction and modern conditions of activity in the relevant field, which, in turn, will ensure an increase in the competitiveness of graduates of this field of training in the labor market and their chances for successful employment. At the same time, the implementation of this approach in the practice of professional education should be closely related to other methodological approaches, in particular, person‐oriented, interdisciplinary, integrative, etc., in order to strengthen its positive effects and avoid potential risks.
Comparison Of Sentiment Analysis Of Traveloka And Tiket.Com Applications On Twitter Using The Naive Bayes Method
Authors: Agustiana Nathifa , Pratiwi Oktariani Nurul , Fakhrurroja Hanif
Published: July 2024

The country of Indonesia has a strategic geographical position and is also said to be a country that is very rich in natural resources and cultural diversity. One of the supporters of economic growth in Indonesia is tourism. To support the potential of the tourism sector in Indonesia, many online travel agent applications have started to appear. Of the many OTAs, the top two applications were selected, namely the Traveloka and Tiket.com applications. This sentiment analysis requires data from Twitter. This research compares sentiment analysis on the Traveloka and Tiket.com applications in terms of price and service. The method used is naïve Bayes. The goal is to get sentiment information contained in a text with a positive or negative view. With this research, it is hoped that we can see a comparison of sentiment analysis between the Traveloka and Tiket.com applications and be able to find out the level of accuracy of naïve bayes on the Traveloka and Tiket.com applications. The price dataset that gets more positive sentiment is the Traveloka price of 97.2%. In the service dataset that has positive sentiment, Tiket.com is 46.9%. Then, the greatest accuracy was obtained after oversampling the Tiket.com price dataset by 73%, Traveloka prices by 94%, Ticket services by 87% and Traveloka services by 86%.
Enhancing Urban Safety: The Role of Object Detection in Smart City Surveillance Systems
Authors: Dharany Kosal , Trinita Mariam
Published: July 2024

Urban safety is a critical concern in the development and management of smart cities. This article explores the transformative role of object detection technology in enhancing surveillance systems within these urban environments. Object detection, a subset of computer vision, enables the automated identification and tracking of various objects, such as vehicles, pedestrians, and unusual activities, in real-time. By integrating advanced object detection algorithms with existing surveillance infrastructures, smart cities can significantly improve public safety and response times. This paper reviews the current state of object detection technologies, their applications in urban surveillance, and the benefits they offer, including increased situational awareness, crime prevention, and efficient emergency management. Additionally, the article discusses challenges and future directions for research and development in this field, emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations and data privacy in the deployment of these technologies. Through case studies and practical examples, we illustrate how object detection is reshaping urban safety and contributing to the creation of more secure and resilient smart cities.
Origen y Evolución de la Moral
Authors: Corrales Pavía Heraclio
Published: July 2024

Los resultados de la biología evolutiva a menudo son relevantes en ética. Podemos señalar el efecto de esta ciencia en al menos tres niveles de la discusión en ética: el nivel descriptivo, el normativo y el metaético. El objetivo del presente trabajo es mostrar cómo interactúan estas dos disciplinas y cómo es posible justificar el origen de la conducta moral desde el punto de vista de la biología evolutiva. Para ello, será necesario indagar sobre la relación entre genes y entorno, afrontar el reto que supone la falacia naturalista y mostrar las relaciones que se establecen entre las diferentes facultades obtenidas de la evolución.
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Labor Market in Romania
Authors: Ciocodeică David-Florin , Berbece Ștefan-Alexandru , Pestrea Constantin-Daniel
Published: July 2024

In our time, the artificial intelligence is the newest digital distruptor which can have an impact concerning how economics work. Automation and tech-driven layoffs have instilled a feeling of nervousness in some people, the possibility of being replaced with a robot slowly becoming a reality, thing who can impacted the employees. Therefore, this article wants to highlight the labour market and its defining characteristics in the context in which technology is constantly evolving, faster and faster, making people’s work easier.

Attitudes and behaviors of employees have been monitored, with a focus on their stance towards AI tools and the future of these tools within their respective fields of activity. Employees seem to be optimistic of AI’s place in the workplace, viewing it more like a help than a threat, but they do believe regulations should be set in place in order to keep it under control. Few romanians are nervous about losing their job because of AI, some do not even believe they will ever use it in their field of work. Younger people seem to have higher awareness of the AI revolution,but they are not scared, they seem to be confident about their future in the workplace.
Economic Effects of rising Energy Prices
Authors: Cebotari Livia , Paierele Ada
Published: July 2024

Energy is an indispensable resource for everyday activities, both for the population and for economic operators. Being used for heating, cooling, and lighting buildings, driving, and putting into operation various machines, energy is essential for the entire economy. Since energy is a central element of human activity and energy prices are the quasi-permanent component in most costs, its price can be called "the most important price in the economy". The topic of the research is a highly relevant issue for both financial and energy sectors. The research aims to identify and analyse the economic effects of energy price increases. Among the proposed objectives are: to gain in-depth knowledge of the scientific background of the subject under investigation; to determine the role of energy in a country's economy; and to determine the economic and social consequences of energy crises. Using the qualitative research method, this article is the result of an integrative consultation of a large, rich, and recent scientific literature. To achieve the established objectives, official documents of the European Commission and the United Nations, reports of the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank, and the National Bank of Romania, academic articles and studies elaborated by various prestigious think tanks were studied. The first part of the paper briefly outlines the importance of energy for a country's economy. The second part reviews the scientific literature, thus illustrating the distinct opinions of various experts in the field. The third part presents the economic effects of energy crises and analyses the impact of rising energy prices on inflation and economic activity from a theoretical perspective.
The Effect of ESG Scores on Portfolio Performance. Evidence from Europe
Authors: Sandu Diana-Mihaela
Published: July 2024

The purpose of this study is to examine the performance of eight portfolios constructed based on environmental, social and governance scores. The main question I explore is whether portfolios that integrate ESG values generate a significant additional return. The sample consists of 1095 European stocks from 23 countries, and the period analyzed is 2021-2022. To form portfolios, all stocks are first ranked according to one-year lagged ESG scores (Total ESG score, Environmental score, Social score and Governance score) in a decreasing way. Then 10% of the highest-scoring stocks are included in the Top portfolio, while 10% of the lowest-scoring stocks are included in the Bottom portfolio. Portfolio evaluation was performed using two techniques: CAPM and Fama French five-factor regression. In addition, the Sharpe ratios of the portfolios have been calculated. The Sharpe ratio is positive for the top portfolio, showing that investors are compensated more per unit of risk. The Top Environmental portfolio is found to be the best performer for positive values. In contrast, the Sharpe ratio is negative for the Bottom portfolios. This means that these portfolios underperform the risk-free rate. The CAPM results show that all portfolios using ESG-based scores underperformed the market. The results of the Fama-French five-factor model are similar to those of the CAPM. The general findings of this study indicate that using ESG-based scores in the selection investment process does not add a significant additional return. These findings provide additional evidence to the literature on the relationship between ESG and portfolio performance in the recent European context.
Mapping Intellectual Patterns: A bibliometric Incursion into the Nexus between Organizational Culture and Employee Engagement
Authors: Galbenu Andrei , Tărăban Irina , Boncilică Alina Nicoleta , Tilibaşa Maria Andreea , Mujaya Jacqueline Nyalukamo
Published: July 2024

Organizational success factors such as organizational culture and employee engagement, as well as their effects on organizational performance, have recently caught the attention of both business professionals and academics. This study aimed to explore the connection between organizational culture and employee engagement through a bibliometric analysis, using a dataset of 295 documents from Web of Science, analyzed with VosViewer and Bibloshiny. The academic research performance was analyzed in terms of publication performance, author performance and relevance, source production, and country performance. Moreover, the academic research thematic structure regarding keyword topics and their clustering was explored. The two researched concepts resulted to be critical success factors for the organization, being included in the organizational strategy as enablers of innovation and competitive advantage.
Sharing Economy – Solutions for a Sustainable Future
Authors: Suciu Marta-Christina , Bocăneală Ana-Maria , Gherasim Elvira-Alexandra
Published: July 2024

The current interlinked crises (covid, war, earthquakes, global warming, dwindling resources), have accentuated the transition towards new forms of the economy that focus on sustainable development and the need for rapid action to counter the effects of crises. Digitization, digital platforms and new collaborative business models have shaped more environmentally and resource responsible behavior. Thus, the collaborative economy can be a solution for future sustainable development. This paper aims to explore the state of the collaborative economy based on quantitative data from four studies. In terms of research methodology, it includes qualitative research and a comparative analysis of global studies, complemented by the analysis of examples of good practice. The paper focuses on the effects of the collaborative economy, effects that will have an impact on sustainable development. The analysis also looks at Romania, where we have identified the proportion of citizens who have used collaborative platforms. The main purpose of the paper is to highlight some examples of best practices that can contribute to a major change among communities. The results of the study illustrate that the collaborative economy is changing the socio-economic model and presents new challenges for public authorities, which need to adapt and create an optimal space for its development and promotion. The collaborative economy creates new opportunities for all actors involved, e.g. it contributes to the creation of new jobs, the reduction of waste, the integration of people with disabilities into the labor market, leading to sustainable development.
Circular Economy and Recycling of Electronic Products in the European Union
Authors: Mogoş Radu-Ioan , Creţu Raluca Florentina , Dinu Mihai , Gomboş Carina Ilinca
Published: July 2024

The plan proposed within the 2030 Agenda through its specific objectives regarding sustainable development as well as through the approach to achieving a circular economy, is part of a strategy at European level for improving and preserving the environment in a sustainable manner. The recycling process as a component of the strategy has and will have a major impact on the environment. In this article, a data mining analysis is carried out regarding the recycling rate of electronic and electrical products at the European level. The analysis is carried out for two moments of time, namely the year 2018 and the year 2021. Following the clustering process of the countries from the European Union (EU), it is easier to see which countries have similar behavior from this point of view. At the same time, taking into account the two years, it is possible to observe the dynamics of the created clusters and how the European countries succeed to manage the recycling process of electronic and electrical products three years apart. The two moments were chosen taking into account the COVID-19 pandemic, the period in which, the teleworking way has occurred. For this reason, many employees had to purchase the necessary things and transform at least one room into an office. The authors’ contributions consisted in the pre-processing of data sets, the application of data mining algorithms, obtaining the results and their interpretation in the given context, commenting on the results obtained and providing answers to the research questions. The work is structured in five sections, respectively Introduction, Literature review, Methodology, Results and Discussion and Conclusion.
The Use of Forestry and Agricultural Biomass in the Production of Pellets
Authors: Rodino Steliana , Voicilă Daniela Nicoleta , Sterie Cristina Maria
Published: July 2024

The use of forestry and agricultural biomass for pellet production represents a significant opportunity to strengthen a sustainable economy characterized by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and more efficient protection of the environment. The aim of this paper is to improve the understanding of the current state of research on the use of forestry and agricultural biomass for pellets production, fostering awareness of their potential for energy production. In the development of the work, various research stages and techniques were used. These included the analysis of international trade data wood pellets, literature review of research dynamics on agricultural biomass pellet production from last decade, identification of articles from prestigious journals to highlight key trends and concerns in research, analysis of research concentration areas, and investigation and analysis of collaboration networks among researchers and institutions. These methodological approaches have contributed to the creation of a comprehensive and updated work, providing a deeper and clearer understanding of the researched topic. The European Union represents a major force in the global consumption of wood pellets, with demand for this product steadily increasing. Additionally, Romania has significant exports of wood pellets to other European countries, indicating considerable potential for the development of the pellet industry in the country. Furthermore, the literature emphasizes the importance of non-wood biomass, such as agricultural residues, as a crucial source for pellet production. The literature review reveals an increasing focus on biomass pellets in recent years, with research concentrating on various domains such as biotechnology, energy fuels, and sustainable green technology.
Creating a Digital Culture for Digital Transformation: A Literature Review of Practical Steps
Authors: Firican Diana Andreea
Published: July 2024

In the context of a world characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, the digital transformation of organizations has become unavoidable. Digital culture has received increased attention as an essential factor in the success or failure of digital transformation. However, there is no generally accepted digital cultural model for organizations to build upon, nor a clear roadmap to follow on how to change the existing culture into a digital one to facilitate the process of digital transformation. This paper represents a review of the so-far proposed digital cultural models, respectively of the action steps suggested by literature for creating a digital culture. First, the paper combines the dimensions of three existing digital culture models into a more comprehensive model and secondly, it structures the action steps by the new digital culture dimensions. The action steps are further divided into high-level and practical ones. This is the first study comprising a sum of action steps towards a digital culture from published literature up to this point. The findings show firstly that digital cultural models overlap to a high degree. Secondly, the suggested action steps are similar, clear patterns becoming recognizable, however that a lot of them remain high-level, abstract or theoretical. This study represents a good start into creating a roadmap for organizations for creating a digital culture, however more research is required to be able to provide a detailed, practical and actionable set of steps for organizations on their digital transformation and digital culture change journey.
Innovation at the Board Level: Bibliometric Analysis over Three Decades
Authors: Matei Gina , Vavura Nicolae-Marius
Published: July 2024

This study aims to investigate the evolutionary path of the relationship between innovation and board research knowledge over the past thirty years. Its objective is to understand the scientific activity and influence of current research in this field. Furthermore, it aims to outline current theme trends and provide suggestions for future study in this field. This research is a quantitative exploration that involves analyzing an intellectual framework within the field. Using a bibliometric methodology, we carefully chose 184 papers from the Scopus database that are specifically focused on innovation at the board level. These studies were then subjected to thorough examination. The utilization of VOSviewer software enabled the clear and concise representation of the outcomes. The bibliometric study involved identifying research themes, current and future directions, co-occurrences, co-citations, impact, and collaboration tendencies. The methodological framework has four consecutive stages: data acquisition, data examination, data representation, and data interpretation. The data demonstrate a noticeable increase in scholarly interest, especially in the past three years, suggesting a growing field of study. Four main areas of research were identified: the relationship between board diversity and its effect on the innovation process; the interaction between board culture and the effectiveness of innovation; the impact of board structure on innovation; and the growing emphasis on green innovation influenced by boards of directors. The methodology of this study recognizes the complex relationships between innovation and the overall setting of the board of directors, providing useful insights for both academic research and practical decision-making in the field of company performance.
Social Cooperatives – a Tool for a Prosperous National Economy
Authors: Mitov Emil , Arabadzhieva Martina , Vutsova Albena
Published: July 2024

Cooperatives are gaining an increasingly important role in socio-economic development in both developed and developing countries. The article examines the specificity of these organizations. Their main characteristics, similarities and differences with other comparable organizational forms are studied as well. Special emphasis is placed on social cooperatives and their contribution to the social and economic environment. In the last decade, the role of social cooperatives has grown as an alternative solution to social problems of vulnerable groups which the state cannot address effectively due to lack of public resources. A brief comparative analysis of the activities of cooperatives in Bulgaria and Germany has been made, as both countries have long traditions in cooperative movement. The benefits to the national economy are discussed and a new focus for their activities relevant to contemporary economic realities is proposed.
Digital Maturity Models – a Bibliometric Exploration
Authors: Vavura Nicolae-Marius , Matei Gina
Published: July 2024

This paper aims to investigate literature on digital maturity modelling in order to build a better understanding of this field of research which is gaining increased attention from both public as well as private institutions. The objective of the study is to outline a clear vision of what the main areas of research related to digital maturity models are and ultimately map out particular research directions that could benefit from further academic attention in the future. For this purpose, a bibliometric analysis was employed, relying on academic publishing data obtained from the Scopus scientific database. After selection and filtering, 468 pieces of literature were deemed relevant and were subsequently mapped for analysis using co-occurrence and bibliographic coupling. Results show that there is an exponential increase in academic attention for digital maturity modelling in the last 3 years, with recent interest being focused towards the manufacturing sector and small and medium sized enterprises, while other expected sectors such as e-government have fallen behind. It has also been found that digital maturity modelling is in a divergent stage, producing a large amount of different models and only in the last year there are signs of attempts at converging existing knowledge into fewer models with a more rigorous, quantitative development. Consequently, this paper proposes that a key direction of research for digital maturity modelling should be the addition of quantitative based evaluation of digital maturity components and their effectiveness as part of a digital maturity model.