bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-Mention in Science Communication Associated with COVID-19 Research: A Comparison of Computer-Mediated Communicative Practices in the United Kingdom and the United States of America
Authors: Kapranov Oleksandr
Published: August 2021

The article introduces and discusses a corpus-assisted study that sets out to identify and analyse how self-mention is employed in science communication associated with COVID-19 research disseminated to the general public by leading universities in the United Kingdom (the UK) and the United States of America (the USA). The corpus of the study is comprised of computer-mediated communication related to the COVID-19 pandemic on the official websites of Johns Hopkins University (the USA) and University College London (the UK). The corpus was examined quantitatively for the presence of self-mentions, such as I, my, me, mine, myself, and we, our, ours, ourselves, and us. The results of the quantitative analysis indicated that computer-mediated communicative practices associated with COVID-19 discourse and communication by these scientific institutions exhibit similarities in terms of the use of self-mentions. However, in contrast to COVID-19-related discourse communicated by Johns Hopkins University, the self-mention I and its forms were used more liberally in COVID-19-related discourse and communication disseminated by University College London. These findings are further discussed in the article from the vantage point of the current Anglo-Saxon tradition of academic writing in English.
Ferris Wheels, Faust, and Forms of Influence in Malcolm Lowry and Graham Greene
Authors: Stevenson Randall
Published: August 2021

Ferris Wheels seem to fascinate film-directors – notably Carol Reed in The Third Man (1949), based on Graham Greene’s story and script. Though Ferris Wheels figure less conspicuously in twentieth-century novels, Malcolm Lowry provides an exception in Under the Volcano (1947), a novel also comparable to The Third Man in other ways. One explanation might be that Greene simply drew on Lowry’s example when developing his film-script (later published as a novella) – work begun very shortly after Under the Volcano had appeared. More plausibly, each writer might be understood to have responded separately, though similarly, to the unique pressures of their age. Identifying how these stresses were represented in their work, through cognate symbologies, may suggest some productive ways of reading historically.
Homes for Canadians (I)
Authors: Howard David Brian
Published: August 2021

According to Giorgio Agamben, the Greek term for ‘habitual dwelling place,’ or ‘habit,’ is ethos. The rise to prominence in the twentieth century of the modern idea of the suburb, or ‘suburbia,’ held open the door to the potential realization of the American (and Canadian) dream ethos of universal home ownership. The tantalizing appeal of a the ideal of ‘home’ and ‘homeland’ have become key terms in the Post World War Two pursuit of a mode of ‘dwelling’ linked to consumer capitalism. Yet for Frankfurt School critics such as Theodor W. Adorno, the pursuit of this suburban ideal induced a deep sense of ennui such that to feel ‘at home’ in such a suburban environment challenged the very foundations of the dwelling place of Western civilization. “It is part of morality,” Adorno concluded in his book, Minima Moralia, “not to be at home in one’s home.” This text is an exercise in examining this question of “dwelling” and “home” through an allegorical poetical focus (drawn from Walter Benjamin and Charles Baudelaire) focusing on a newly completed suburb in the Canadian city of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Ice phenomena in investigations of Polish lakes
Authors: Skowron Rajmund
Published: August 2021

The paper presents nearly 150 years of history of ice research conducted on Polish lakes. In the first stage, these were observations and expedition studies that had an exploratory purpose. It was not until the 1920s that stationary measurements on several lakes were introduced. Unfortunately, the outbreak of World War II interrupted these observations. After the war, they were resumed in 1946, but the real beginning of investigations of ice phenomena on lakes is taken to be 1960. At present, stationary measurements of ice phenomena are conducted on about 70 lakes located mainly in northern Poland. Besides the purely explorative purpose, experimental research on ice phenomena on lakes has also contributed to the development of a measurement methodology. The author of this paper took part in numerous experimental studies conducted on over 30 lakes for which the ice results are partially presented below.
Application of geospatial technologies in constructing a flash flood warning model in northern mountainous regions of Vietnam: a case study at TrinhTuong commune, Bat Xat district, LaoCai province
Authors: Kieu Quoc Lap , Tran Duc Van
Published: August 2021

The model was constructed based on GIS spatial analyses, combined with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Multi-Criterion Analysis method (MCA). The data gathered for the study were mainly from remote-sensing images, statistical data and surveys. Field experiments were conducted in Trinh Tuong Commune, Bat Xat District, Lao Cai province. This is a typical remote mountainous region of Vietnam in which flash floods often occur. The study analyzes and evaluates six primary factors that incite flash flood, namely: geomorphological characteristics, soil properties, forest and fractional vegetation cover types, local drainage basin slopes, maximum average rainfall of various years, and the river/stream density of the region. The zoning map showing flash flood potentials has determined that 19.91% of the area had an extremely high risk of flash flood occurrence, 64.92% of the area had a medium risk, and 15.17% had a low or very low risk. Based on the employment of daily maximum rainfalls as the primary factor, an online flash flood warning model was constructed for areas with a “high” or “very high” risk of flash flood occurrence.
Meghna riverbank erosion on lives and livelihoods of rural people: impacts and coping strategies
Authors: Halima  , Maria Amima Najnin
Published: August 2021

Riverbank erosion is one of the most hazardous disaster types for Bangladesh. It has both a direct and a negative impact on people and their livelihoods. This study aims to explore the impacts of Meghna riverbank erosion and the coping strategies that have been adopted by the affected people to combat this calamity, considering four unions under Matlab Uttar of Chadpur District. The findings reveal that the occupational status, income and expenditure of the affected people have changed due to erosion. Ninety-one percent of the respondents’ houses were fully damaged and 48% of them are living in shelter houses. The results also show that a large portion of the affected populace lost their assets and most of them are suffering from psychological distress. Around 87% of people borrowed money to cope with this hazard, and a strict law against sand dredging is recommended as one of the effective strategies to prevent Meghna river bank erosion.
Economic impact of the EU Eastern enlargement on New Member States revisited: The role of economic institutions
Authors: Hagemejer Jan , Michałek Jan J. , Svatko Pavel
Published: August 2021

The paper analyses the economic implications of the accession of New Member States (NMS) to the European Union (EU) in 2004 and 2007. The estimation effects of integration with the EU were carried out as a comparative case study using the synthetic control method (SCM) proposed by Abadie and Gardeazabal. Compared to previous studies analysing the effects of accession to the EU (Campos, Coricelli and Moretti), we check for the importance of the quality of economic institutions for the matching process of the analysed economies with their comparators. The results of the econometric analysis show a positive impact on the country performance 6 years and 12 years after accession to the EU. The gains from accession are large but not universal. For 5 of the 10 analysed countries the difference in levels of per capita gross domestic product (GDP) against the counterfactual is at least 30%.
Online Openness and Transparency of Local Budgets in Belarus
Authors: Krivorotko Yuri V. , Sokol Dmitriy V.
Published: August 2021

World experience shows that public participation in the budget process and openness in the public sector are the necessary conditions for a proper economic strategy of the State. Financial openness contributes to the efficient collection and distribution of public resources. It expands the responsibility of governments, strengthens the trust of citizens and prevents opportunities for corruption. Researchers around the world (Alt, Lassen, Skilling, Bernick, Gandía, Yannacopoulos, Darbyshire, Slukhai and others) and international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund, OECD, the World Bank, the International Budget Partnership (IBP), the Global Initiative for Financial Transparency and the Open Government Partnership have shown growing interest in financial openness issues in recent years. This paper attempts to develop and test a methodology for the operational analysis of online information openness and transparency of the budget process at the local level. The developed methodology used two criteria: (1) the level of transparency of the local budget and (2) an assessment of authority's efforts in ensuring transparency of local budgets. It is based on expert assessments of the informational significance of particular elements of websites of local authorities in issues of local finance and budget. We interpret the resulting assessment of the information content of the site with the local budget and finances data as the online openness and transparency of local budgets Online Local Budget Index of Transparency (OLBIT).
Microeconomic Foundation for Phillips Curve with a Three-Period Overlapping Generations Model and Negative Real Balance Effect
Authors: Tanaka Yasuhito
Published: August 2021

We show a negative relation between the inflation rate and the unemployment rate, that is, the Phillips curve using a three-period overlapping generations (OLG) model with childhood period and pay-as-you-go pension for older generation under monopolistic competition with negative real balance effect. In a three-period OLG model, there may exist a negative real balance effect because consumers have debts and savings. A fall (or rise) in the nominal wage rate induces a fall (or rise) in the price, then by negative real balance effect, the unemployment rate rises (or falls), and we get a negative relation between the inflation rate and the unemployment rate. This conclusion is based on the premise of utility maximisation of consumers and profit maximisation of firms. Therefore, we present a microeconomic foundation for the Phillips curve. We also examine the effects of fiscal policy financed by seigniorage, which is represented by left-ward shift of the Phillips curve.
Constructing single-entry stem volume models for four economically important tree species of Greece
Authors: Koulelis Panagiotis P. , Ioannidis Kostas
Published: August 2021

Three different nonlinear regression models were tested for their ability to predict stem volume for economically important native tree species in Greece. Τhe models were evaluated using adjusted R square (Adj Rsqr) root mean square error (RMSE) and Akaike information criterion (AICc), where necessary. In general, the quadratic polynomial and cubic polynomial models and the two-parameter power models fit the data well. Although the two-parameter power function fit best for fir, oak, and beech trees, the cubic polynomial model produced the best fit statistics for black pine. Making forest inventory estimates often involves predicting tree volumes from only the diameter at breast height (DBH) and merchantable height. This study covers important gaps in fast and cost-effective methods for calculating the volume of tree species at national level. However, the increasing need for reliable estimates of inventory components and volume changes requires more accurate volume estimation techniques. Especially when those estimates concern the national inventory, those models must be validated using an entire range of age/diameter and site classes of each species before their extended use across the country to promote the sustainable use of forest resources.
Dispersion of the epigeic fauna groups in the agricultural landscape
Authors: Langraf Vladimír , Petrovičová Kornélia , Krumpálová Zuzana , Svoradová Andrea , Schlarmannová Janka
Published: August 2021

Changes in the structure of epigeic animal groups indicate ecological stability, which are influenced by urbanization, agriculture, and forestry. The aim of the paper was to assess the impact of agrarian land in the vicinity of urban and suburban landscape and non-fragmented forest in the vicinity of rural landscape on the occurrence of epigeic groups. We recorded the pitfall traps - 19, 676 individuals belonging to 20 taxonomic groups at 9 localities representing 7 types of habitat. Our results indicate a year-on-year increase in the number of individuals of epigeic groups in the city, with surrounding agrarian land. We found a correlation between eudominant epigeic groups of Aranea and Hymenoptera and rural landscape with the non-fragmented surrounding. Coleoptera has shown a link between the conditions of urban and suburban landscape with the surrounding developed agriculture. We confirmed a statistically significant effect for luminosity (p = 0.002), humidity (p = 0.025) and pH (p = 0.017).
Distribution patterns and conservation status of Crocus species in Iran, one of the diversity centers of Crocus in the Middle East
Authors: Tabasi Melika , Mehrabian Ahmadreza , Sayadi Sadaf
Published: August 2021

Assessing distribution patterns of valuable taxa plays an important role in the biodiversity conservation of these taxa. The genus Crocus L. (Iridaceae) comprises about 100 species that are distributed mainly in the Mediterranean region and western Asia. The present study purposed to assess the distribution patterns of Iranian Crocus species (including C. sativus L. and 8 wild species) and their conservation status in Iran as one of diversity centers of Crocus in the Middle East. A set of geographic distribution data was compiled through field studies, and reviews of herbarium specimens, iNaturalist, and various Flora. Localities were marked on geo-referenced maps (1/106) of Iran using ArcView version 3.2 (Esri, 2000). The distribution patterns of the taxa were mapped per 0.25° × 0.25° universal transverse Mercator grid cells (25 km2 with the exception of boundary area). Based on the species distribution (SDI) (33%) and species specialization (SSI) (44%) indices, those Iranian Crocus species that are threatened are mainly distributed in Irano-Turanian region. The mountainous ecosystems of Almeh and Western Alborz are important distribution centers of these taxa. Iranian Crocus species with SSI < 0.5 (C. almehensis, C. gilanicus, C. michelsonii, and C. caspius) have the highest conservation value.
Impact of management measures on the European ground squirrel population development
Authors: Petluš Peter , Petlušová Viera , Baláž Ivan , Ševčík Michal , Lešová Andrea , Hapl Ervín
Published: August 2021

In the past, the European ground squirrel represented a common part of Slovakian fauna. During the 20th century, there was a substantial decrease in its number, mainly due to the intensification of agriculture. Currently, several programs focused on the recovery and preservation of ground squirrel colonies have been implemented. The aim in supporting the population of the European ground squirrel is to increase the number of birds of prey and to ensure a food base for them. In this paper, we focus on evaluating the success rate of European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) management measures. The research was realized at two localities in the Protected Bird Area Slovenský kras (Hrhov and Gemerská Hôrka) in the years 2015–2018. Activities were focused on the management of grassland and supplemental feeding during the breeding period. As a result of the management measures and the supplemental feeding, we managed to maintain a positive trend in the populations’ development, as there was an increase observed in all the monitored seasons.
Plasticity in response to soil texture affects the relationships between a shoot and root trait and responses vary by population
Authors: Foxx Alicia J. , Wojcik Siobhán T.
Published: August 2021

The relationships between shoot and root traits can inform plant selection for restoration, forestry, and agriculture and help to identify relationships that inform plant productivity and enhance their performance. But the strength of coordination between above- and belowground morphological and physiological traits varies due to differences in edaphic properties and population variation. More assessments are needed to determine what conditions influence these relationships. So, we tested whether plant population and soil texture affect the relationship between shoot and root traits which have important ecological ramifications for competition and resource capture: shoot height and root tip production. We grew seedlings of two populations of Bromus tectorum due to is fast growing nature in a growth chamber in loam soil, sand, and clay. We found variation in height by plant population and the substrate used (R2
= 0.44, p < 0.0001), and variation in root tip production by the substrate used (R2
= 0.33, p < 0.0001). Importantly, we found that relationships between shoot height and root tip production varied by soil texture and population (R2
= 0.54, p < 0.0001), and growth in sand produced the strongest relationship and was the most water deficient substrate (R2
= 0.32). This shows that screening populations under several environments influences appropriate plant selection.
Nickel in forests – a short review on its distribution and fluxes
Authors: Michopoulos Panagiotis
Published: August 2021

The distribution and cycling of nickel (Ni) in forests is greatly affected by their proximity to emission sources of the metal. The throughfall deposition is always richer in Ni than the bulk deposition. It can be inferred that some dry deposition enriches the throughfall. In remote forested areas, the hydrological fluxes of Ni do not differ a lot from those in litterfall. In addition, the current year needles in conifers have higher concentrations than the older needles, a sign of absorption and mobility of the metal. In contrast, near an industrial Ni source the older needles accumulate much more of the metal. The Ni content in bark tissue can be used to map the deposition distribution of the metal around an area (rural or urban). The concentrations of Ni in forest soils is also dependent on their distances from the Ni emission sources and the nature of the soil parent material. The Ni concentrations increase with soil depth due to the geogenic origin of the metal. Low pH greatly enhances the mobility of the metal in soils, much more than the leachability of organic matter.
Populations of Heracleum sosnowskyi and H. mantegazzianum (Apiaceae) in Kyiv (Ukraine)
Authors: Gubar Lubov , Koniakin Serhii
Published: August 2021

In connection with the increasing negative impact of invasive alien species on biodiversity and the environment in general, their research, as well as throughout the world, is relevant. The distribution of the Heracleum sosnowskyi and H. mantegazzianum of the secondary range on the example of the Kyiv agglomeration is investigated in the work. In our study we aimed to evaluate the possibility of spontaneous spread of giant hogweeds in the secondary range, adaptation of the species to the new conditions of the environment that favor to control of these species’ expansion and reduce the threat to the urban ecosystems and citizens’ health. We hypothesise that in the secondary range H. sosnowskyi and H. mantegazzianum settle sites with relatively high temperature (Tr), lightening (Lc), and soil moisture conditions similar to that in their natural range. 17 populations and four localities (sites) of H. sosnowskyi and H. mantegazzianum were studied. They were found within forest, meadow, riverine and ruderal plant communities. It is indicated that the advent species fully adapted to the conditions of the environment. The difference by ecological indicators Lc2 and Tm1 is pointed out. According to the results of our research, for the area of Kyiv urban agglomeration the growth of H. sosnowskyi and H. mantegazzianum is indicated in the plants communities of six classes. They spread most in ruderal plant communities of the: Robinietea, Artemisietea, Epilobietea classes. The studied species belong to invasive plant species in Ukraine and are characterized by extremely high effect on the environment and high invasive potential.
Power asymmetry and value creation in B2C relationship networks
Authors: Wieczerzycki Marcin
Published: August 2021

The purpose of this paper is to explore the problem of power distribution within networks of relationships between companies and consumers (business-to-consumer (B2C) networks) and to examine the ways in which value is created and captured in such structures. To this end, we applied the network approach to multiple theoretical constructs describing collective consumer phenomena, carried over from the field of sociology to management science. Based on the literature and case study analysis, we managed to define a typology of B2C networks consisting of three types: (1) publics – centered around and dominated by a company, with no relationships between consumers themselves, creating value through crowd-sourcing; (2) communities – also centered around a company, but independent to a degree and more focused on consumer-to-consumer (C2C) relationships, creating value through consumer-managed projects; and (3) tribes – where companies serve only as peripheral actors, and their products – as potential symbols of affiliation, with value being created through creation and reinterpretation of the said products’ meanings (sign value).
Permanent establishment as a foreign direct investment in Poland: identification of tax barriers in the context of new tax development
Authors: Jamroży Marcin , Janiszewska Magdalena
Published: August 2021

The paper aims to identify the significant tax barriers to foreign direct investment (FDI) in Poland, in particular in the form of a permanent establishment (PE), in the context of new developments in international tax law. Due to the recommendations of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project, launched by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to prevent international tax avoidance, the understanding of PE has changed, which could lead to changes in business models. The purpose of the research is also to identify the significant tax barriers to economic activity in Poland, in particular in the form of PE, against the international tax law context. The study conducted by the authors relies on the most current tax rulings and judgments of administrative courts issued between 2017 and 2020. It is concluded that not so much the effective tax burdens but the regulatory ambiguity surrounding the tax obligations may contribute to the reduction of Poland's attractiveness as a location for FDI.
Physicians’ Experience and Willingness to Participate in Non-Interventional Trials in Bulgaria
Authors: Kostov Emil S. , Grigorov Evgeni E. , Lebanova Hristina V.
Published: August 2021

Non-interventional studies (NIS) are conducted to obtain additional information about a medicinal product prescribed in the usual manner in compliance with the conditions determined in the marketing authorization. They are a valuable source of real-world data for the effectiveness and safety of medicines. This study aims to assess physicians‘ knowledge of non-interventional studies in Bulgaria and identify the primary factors and barriers hindering the NIS at a national level. An individual anonymous questionnaire with 16 items was distributed among physicians in inpatient and outpatient settings. The results showed that 81.3% (n=147) of the respondents have no experience with non-interventional studies. Physicians‘ willingness to participate in NIS in the future is high and independent of their previous experience. The main barriers hindering conducting NIS in Bulgaria are related to organization, the conduct and the design of the trials, and, sometimes, the investigators‘ concerns. There is a need for proper training of the researchers and expanding healthcare resources to grow the NIS sector in Bulgaria in line with the tendencies in Europe.
The Role of Triglyceride to HDL Cholesterol Ratio in Sera as a Clinical Surrogate Marker for Cardiovascular Risk and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Ganeva Silviya S. , Rayanova Ginka H. , Todorova Katya N. , Lukanov Tzvetan H. , Blazheva Svetla O.
Published: August 2021

The study aimed to investigate the triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol ratio (Tg/HDL) and the interaction of this ratio with insulin resistance (IR) and insulin secretion indices, with the levels of interleukin - 1(IL-1), interleukin-6 (Il-6), and tumour necrotic factor-α (TNF-α) in sera among patients with metabolic syndrome (MS). A prospective, cross-sectional, comparative study was conducted on 45 patients with MS without data for hyperglycemia and 21 metabolically healthy non-obese controls. The levels of fasting and postprandial glucose, immunoreactive insulin (IRI), total cholesterol, triglycerides (Tg), IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α were measured in all the participants. We calculated the LDL cholesterol levels, Tg/HDL ratio, homeostatic model of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and the homeostatic model of β-cell function (HOMA-b). Patients with MS had higher BMI (38.73±1.84 vs. 24.32±2.71 kg/m2; р<0.05) and waist circumference (115.56 ±4.7 vs. 81.1±8.4cm; р<0.05) than non-obese controls. The same patients had higher LDL cholesterol levels (3.42±0.3 vs. 2.63±0.66 mmol/l; р<0.05) and Tg (1.59±0.22 vs. 1.08±0.31mmol/l; р<0.05), as well as lower levels of HDL-cholesterol (1.03±0.09 vs. 1.27 ± 0.24mmol/l; р<0.05) compared to the controls. The Tg/HDL ratio was 2.03±0.87 among the patients with MS and 0.88±0.27 in controls; р<0.05. The plasma levels of basal IRI (19.32±3.22 mIU/l vs. 9.13±0.73mIU/l; р<0.05), HOMA-IR (4.02 vs. 1.97; р<0.05) and HOMA-b (258.77±57.76 vs. 183.31±17.52; р<0.05) were significantly higher in the MS group. The same patients with MS had higher concentrations of IL-1 (18.37±4.28pg/ml vs. 7.12±1.74pg/ml; p<0.05), IL-6 (1.01±0.3pg/ml vs. 0.1±0.3pg/ml; р<0.05) and TNF-α (2.13±1.43 pg/ml vs. 1.82±0.94pg/ml; р=0.24) too. Positive correlations between the levels of IL-1 and Tg/HDL ratio (r= 0.46; p=0.008), IL-1 and HOMA-%В (r=0.47; p=0.005) were found. The Tg/HDL ratio is a potential, cheap and available surrogate marker for screening for cardiovascular risk and insulin resistance in patients with MS in clinical practice.
Dieulafoy Lesion as a Source of Bleeding: A Report of Two Clinical Cases
Authors: Sarafiloski Goran , Marinova Mimi R. , Tonchev Pencho T.
Published: August 2021

Dieulafoy’s lesion is a rare source of gastrointestinal bleeding. It can be found anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, but is most commonly seen in the proximal third of the stomach. It is a submucosal artery, adjacent to the mucosal surface, with no evidence of superficial ulcers. Lesions are routinely diagnosed and treated endoscopically. Their frequency is currently not well known, because as Dieulafoy lesions can be easily missed during endoscopy, and bleeding lesions are sometimes misidentified. In this article, we describe two cases of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract, manifested by hematemesis and melena. Bleeding was successfully managed endoscopically by means of injection of adrenaline solution and application of an endoscopic hemoclip.
Intrahepatic Hematoma and Haemobilia after Percutaneous Liver Biopsy: A Clinical Case Report
Authors: Sarafiloski Goran , Marinova Mimi R. , Tonchev Pencho T.
Published: August 2021

Assessing the severity of liver disease and predict the response to treatment in clinical practice requires the determination of the degree of inflammation progression and liver fibrosis. Percutaneous liver biopsy is the gold standard for grading and staging liver diseases. Complications are more common in the presence of vascular liver lesions, dilation of the bile ducts, ascites, or whether examination has been performed by less experienced physicians. Bleeding after liver biopsy is considered the most common cause of severe complications. Bleeding usually presents as a subcapsular or parenchymal hematoma, free intraperitoneal hemorrhage, hemobilia, or, rarely, hemothorax. The rarest of hemorrhagic complications is hemobilia, a term used to describe bleeding in the bile ducts. Hemobilia is usually suspected when there is a drop in hemoglobin after the procedure, pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, hyperbilirubinemia, and unexplained gastrointestinal bleeding. The clinical manifestations range from chronic anemia to rapid, massive bleeding with hematemesis and/or melena.
Defence Expenditures of Nato Member States in the Times of Covid and the New US Administration: Selected Observations
Authors: Kozłowski Grzegorz
Published: August 2021

NATO member states have been steadily increasing their levels of defence expenditures since 2015. In 2020, already ten member states met the NATO financial guidelines of spending at least 2% of their gross domestic product (GDP) for defence, including 20% for major equipment. In addition, many other countries were planning to achieve this target by 2024. There are two factors, however, which could slow down this process. First, economic recession as a follow up to COVID-19 will have a negative influence on the state budgets. Defence spending could start decreasing in nominal terms, followed by the challenges in meeting NATO financial guidelines. Second, while President Donald Trump put the Alliance's burden-sharing in the centre of his policy vis-à-vis European allies, the current US administration, represented by the Democratic Party, will put more emphasis on multilateral cooperation as well as soft security instruments, including development and diplomacy. In consequence, even if the White House is going to stand strongly with 2/20% rule, it might lessen the pressure on European allies, especially Germany, to significantly accelerate defence spending, seeing transatlantic relationship in a broader division of risks and responsibilities. In this article, it is suggested that due to the economic crisis of the 2020s and the shift in the policy of the US Government, NATO member states would slow down, in short and mid-term perspectives, the process of increasing defence expenditures.
The experience of adults who were “unschooled” during their youth: A phenomenological approach
Authors: Gaudreau Joëlle , Brabant Christine
Published: August 2021

To better understand the experience of unschooling, non-directive in-depth interviews with five Quebec adults who had experienced it were conducted according to a phenomenological approach, revealing their perceptions of their educational experiences and their families, as well as their views of the world. Certain aspects of the testimonies corroborate the results of previous studies concerning self-directed learning, use of information technology, development of interests, and participation in a support group; others reveal limits when it comes to learning perseverance, pursuit of complex learning goals, school integration, and evaluation. The participants also spoke of family conflicts, parental control, negligence, and the influence of this experience on their views of society, work, the school system, and the role of government in education.
Should educators promote homeschooling? Worldwide growth and learner outcomes
Authors: Ray Brian
Published: August 2021

The purpose is to briefly summarize forty years of research on the learner outcomes of the modern homeschooling movement and address whether educators should be promoting home education. Studies show that homeschooling (home education) is generally associated with positive learner outcomes. On average, the home educated perform better than their institutional school peers in terms of academic achievement, social, emotional, and psychological development, and success into adulthood (including university). Certain pedagogical and familial elements that are systemic to freely chosen parent-led home-based private education homeschooling are may be the keys to the overall better performance and development of most children – not only the home educated – and into their lives as adults. If this is true, should professional educators be promoting homeschooling rather than criticizing it or trying to inhibit its growth? Are there certain categories of families for whom home education would not be a good idea? Is home education a pedagogical choice and approach about which educators should be skeptical and antagonistic or from which they can learn, be better informed about the needs and successes of students, and support according to the findings of empirical evidence?
Getting a risk-free trial during COVID: Accidental and deliberate home educators, responsibilisation and the growing population of children being educated outside of school
Authors: English Rebecca
Published: August 2021

Numbers coming out of education departments in Australia suggest that, even though most Australian schools are open, and families are able to send their children to them, increasing numbers of parents are deciding to keep their children at home for their education (Queensland Government: Department of Education, 2020). It may be that, as the president of Australia’s home education representative body stated during the pandemic, Covid school closures offered a “risk-free trial” of home education (Lever, 2020) by providing an a-posteriori experience of education outside of schools. Building on the Covid experiences, this paper suggests that ‘accidentally falling into’ home education may be significant in understanding parents’ home education choices. Using numbers of home educators from Australia, and the associated data on their location and ages, this paper argues responsibilisation (see Doherty & Dooley, 2018) provides a suitable lens to examine how parents may decide, after an a-posteriori experience such as Covid school closures and previous, often negative, experiences of schooling, to home educate in the medium to long term. This paper proposes that increasing numbers of home educators will be seen in various jurisdictions where families perceive themselves responsibilised to home educate due to Covid as an a-posteriori experiences of home education. The paper proposes these families are ‘accidental’ home educators (English, 2021). By contrast, much more stable is the ‘deliberate’ home education population, those whose choices are based in a-priori beliefs about schooling. The paper proposes that the accidental home education category may be better able to explain the growing numbers of home educators in Australia and across the world, providing a means for governments to respond to the needs of this cohort, and the policies required to manage this population.
Hybrid homeschools: Organization, regulatory environments and reactions to COVID-19
Authors: Wearne Eric
Published: August 2021

This study reports the results of a survey conducted with a set of “hybrid homeschool” leaders (principals or directors) from around the United States who were asked to describe 1. how their families categorize themselves (as homeschoolers, or as members of private schools), 2. the ways in which their schools operate in terms of scheduling, hiring, etc., 3. how their schools are regulated in the various states, and how they work within those regulatory frameworks, and 4. how they were affected by COVID-19, both in the spring of 2020 and the fall of 2020. Respondents provided a variety of names to describe their schools and a split in how families see themselves. In terms of staffing, schedules, tuition, and similar issues, the schools provide several arrangements, within some consistent constraints. Respondents noted a variety of regulatory situations in their respective states, but none felt over-burdened. Neither did any respondents point out particular problems that required regulatory relief. Regarding COVID-19, most schools reported feeling much less disruption compared to nearby conventional (5-day per week) schools.
The gift of homeschooling: Adult homeschool graduates and their parents conceptualize homeschooling in North Carolina
Authors: McCabe Marta , Beláňová Andrea , Machovcová Kateřina
Published: August 2021

Although still a marginalized practice, homeschooling is on the rise internationally and across socio-economic groups. Moreover, the current Covid-19 pandemic has shifted additional attention to homeschooling. However, much of the available research is primarily concerned with the current day-to-day practice of homeschooling and little attention is paid to adult homeschool graduates. This exploratory study, based on qualitative interviews with mothers and adult children from 12 families, examines young adults’ overall evaluation of their past homeschooling experience and aims to understand how parents and children view the pros and cons of homeschooling in hindsight. The data analysis revealed that homeschoolers approach education more broadly than focusing strictly on the academic side and it identified the common theme of “gifting,” which challenges the prevailing conceptualization that homeschooling is a “sacrifice.” Respondents viewed their homeschooling experience as a mutually beneficial process of giving and receiving rather than a unidirectional act of “sacrifice.”
Remote home-based education as a new phenomenon in the time of the covid-19 pandemic – the experience of Czech families
Authors: Kostelecká Yvona , Komárková Tereza , Novotná Veronika
Published: August 2021

In March 2020 a state of emergency was declared in the Czech Republic in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which that resulted in the closures of schools. The provision of education continued through mandatory remote home-based education. The aim of this study is to use in-depth interviews to show how Czech families with children at the primary levels of education have coped with this situation. Based on a qualitative analysis, it is possible to state that the families who participated in the research were coping well with the situation and had come up with effective arrangements both for providing education and for fulfilling other responsibilities. The research also revealed that many families consider this to be very demanding time. At the same time, we identified that the way how families tackled the situation of home-based education depended on several factors. The key role was played by the school factor, namely the quality of remote education offered by school and the communication between the school and the parents. The analysis showed that although the quality of communication and remote education offered by school improved between spring 2020 and autumn 2020, schools still have much room to improve the education provided.
Leadership skills, stakeholder management and execution of fibre-optic infrastructure: intervening influence of government policy
Authors: Akhwaba James
Published: August 2021

Communication technology has drastically evolved in the last 10 years across the globe. With increased demand for data and voice traffic, fibre-optic network is preferred to transmit high-speed broadband. Nonetheless, fibre-optic infrastructure involves huge construction challenges and continues to fail because of ineffective leadership, stakeholder management and government policies. The main purpose of this study was to investigate how government policy intervenes on the joint influence of leadership skills and stakeholder management on execution of fibre-optic infrastructure in Nairobi County, Kenya. This study adopted the pragmatism paradigm approach, with a cross-sectional survey design. Census was used to select 187 respondents from a target population of 187 functional staff in fibre-optic infrastructure departments. A questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data while an interview guide was used to collect qualitative data. Statistical analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. It was demonstrated that government policy has a significant intervening influence on the joint influence of leadership skills and stakeholder management on execution of fibre-optic infrastructure. Therefore, governments should come up with policies to guide and regulate execution of fibre-optic infrastructure, review building code to allow for fibre-optic services in new buildings, develop right of way conduits and establish a centrally coordinated authority to facilitate time-bound issuance of permits and related services. It was suggested that similar studies should be carried out in other countries and target vendors and contractors engaged in supply of equipment and construction of fibre-optic infrastructure.
Analyzing and modeling thermal complaints in a commercial building in France
Authors: Kocaman Ezgi , Kuru Merve , Çalış Gülben
Published: August 2021

Buildings are interactive environments in which their operations and occupants are linked. Although buildings are operated according to the standards, occupant complaints may arise when there is a mismatch between indoor environmental conditions and actual user needs. Therefore, the accuracy of thermal comfort prediction models suggested by the standards and alternative prediction models need to be investigated. This study aims at assessing the performance of the predicted mean vote (PMV) model suggested by the ISO 7730 Standard to detect occupant thermal dissatisfaction. In addition, a multivariate logistic regression model was developed to predict thermal complaints with respect to “too warm” and “too cold.” This case study was conducted in a commercial building located in Paris, France, between January 2017 and May 2018. Indoor environmental conditions were monitored via sensors and an online tool was used to collect occupant thermal complaints. A total of 53 thermal complaints were analyzed. The results showed that all the operative temperature measurements in both the heating and cooling seasons were within the thresholds suggested by the standards. The PMV method suggested that only 4% of the occupants were dissatisfied with the indoor environment whereas the actual dissatisfaction ratio was 100% under these indoor environmental conditions. In addition, the multivariate logistic regression model showed that operative temperature and season have a significant effect on thermal complaints. Furthermore, the accuracy of the developed model was 90.6%.
Providing a framework for optimizing a mixing design of reactive powder concrete (RPC)
Authors: Moghaddam Farid Ghaffari , Akbarpour Abbas , Firouzi Afshin
Published: August 2021

Suitable distribution of particles and the presence of hydration lead to the improved compressive performance and optimum (even reduced) cost in the production of reactive powder concrete (RPC). This study was conducted to obtain a better understanding of RPC and analyze the behavior of modified RPC (MRPC) using the properties of surface resistivity, water penetration, compressive strength, and modulus of elasticity, apart from the cost. The present study was carried out to investigate how to optimize the size and diversity of the aggregate in order to increase the applications and reduce the costs. The options were selected from among the 12 alternatives classified during the construction stages. According to the six weighting parameters used for comparing with the sample, the derived framework can be described as a mixing design for RPC. Five weighting criteria were considered with values of one of the five criteria missing, and in one case, all criteria were taken with equal weights. For the final analysis, the Expert Choice software was used to create a framework for the optimal mix design of RPC and MRPC. The MRPC mixing designs showed good results, with very slight differences compared to RPC. In many cases, MRPC can be used instead of RPC.
Motives of labour migrations of foreign elite athletes to Polish table tennis clubs
Authors: Lenartowicz Michał , Ciok Anna
Published: August 2021

The paper presents results of empirical study on elite foreign athletes working in Polish top table tennis clubs. It focuses on professional migration motives of elite table tennis players. In-depth interviews were carried out with 27 foreign table tennis players from 10 countries, who were playing for two top league clubs in Poland, and with 8 club coaches who were working with foreign players. Research was conducted during the 2014/2015 league season. The surveyed athletes came both from European countries of higher economic status than Poland and from outside Europe, from countries of lower economic status. A significant number of the surveyed players (11) arrived at Poland from China. The reasons why the surveyed players decided to come to Poland were varied and included both pull factors resulting from attractiveness of work abroad and factors pushing the players away from their home country sport system. Among the motives mentioned by the respondents, the major ones seem to be the desire to continue their professional career and to develop as players. Most of the respondents reported a few factors motivating them to come to Poland and play in the Polish table tennis league. Most often they gave several reasons altogether and it is not easy to classify them as exclusively one of the typo-logies of sport migrants presented in the literature. For some of the respondents, the decisive criterion was the high level of the Polish table tennis league, staying only slightly behind the French and German leagues. For others, good financial conditions offered by the Polish clubs and the possibility of improving living conditions were of key importance. Push factors were particularly important in the case of Asian players representing a very high level of sport skills, however slightly lower than the level of the Chinese national team.
Finishing of Tubes using Bonded Magnetic Abrasive Powder in an Abrasive Medium
Authors: Singh Palwinder , Singh Lakhvir , Singh Sehijpal
Published: August 2021

Magnetic abrasive flow finishing (MAFF) is an unconventional process capable of producing fine finishing with machining forces controlled by a magnetic field. This process can be utilized for hard to achieve inner surfaces through the activity of extrusion pressure, combined with abrasion activity of a magnetic abrasive powder (MAP) in a polymeric medium. MAP is the key component in securing systematic removal of material and a decent surface finish in MAFF. The research background disclosed various methods such as sintering, adhesive based, mechanical alloying, plasma based, chemical, etc. for the production of bonded MAP. This investigation proposes bonded MAP produced by mechanical alloying followed by heat treatment. The experiments have been conducted on aluminum tubes to investigate the influence of different parameters like magnetic field density, extrusion pressure and number of working cycles. The bonded magnetic abrasive powder used in MAFF is very effective to finish tubes’ inner surfaces and finishing is significantly improved after processing.