bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Critical Incident Technique as an Instrument for Assessing the Service Quality in a Chosen E-Shop
Authors: Ingaldi Manuela , Brožová Silvie
Published: August 2020

The development of e-commerce and communication technologies has allowed changes in the traditional trading system, currently customers can use both stationery shops and e-shops. People no longer need to leave their homes to go shopping, even everyday groceries. They can use the e-shop at any time of day or night, at home or at work. There are no queues, they can get to know other people’s opinions, compare products and services with each other. They can shop while sitting on the sofa in front of the TV and sipping tea. Shopping can be done in the e-shop up to thousands of kilometers away. Especially in the current Covid-19 pandemic, online shopping has become very popular. The aim of the paper was to assess the quality of services offered by the research e-shop. During the research the Critical Incident Technique (CIT) was used. A direct interview was conducted with the customers of the research e-shop who, after using its services, agreed to share their impressions and opinions. They were supposed to describe incidents or situations related to the research e-shop, which they have in their memory, and which caused special satisfaction or dissatisfaction. The analysis allowed to indicate that less than 50% of the incidents described by the customers were positive incidents that cause customers’ high satisfaction, which is not a good situation for the research e-shop. Improvement actions are needed.
On the Influence of Parts’ Materials Properties on the Assembly Orientation
Authors: Václav Štefan , Sobrino Daynier Rolando Delgado , Zajačko Ivan , Pokorný Peter
Published: August 2020

The material of a part or component has a decisive impact on the complexity and laboriousness of assembly process. Thus, solid, fragile and flexible parts and components are all handled in a different way. The present paper classifies some of the most common types of materials parts are usually made of, while also analyzing their impact on the assembly process. In mechanical engineering, solid parts are most often used, given that these do not require special measures in known assembly orientation and handling techniques. However, such solid materials pose several challenges as well, and this mainly due to their several specific shapes, which means a specific problem in gripping and especially in their orientation during the assembly process. In this regard, the paper also addresses with one of the most important and assembly-troublesome properties of these solid parts, which the degree of symmetry. The degree of symmetry of solid parts has a direct impact on the complexity and laboriousness of their orientation in assembly. The last part of the paper focuses on the theoretical basis for the calculation of complexity and laboriousness in the assembly of parts.
Cooperation Between Enterprises and Universities in Poland and the United States (Business Perspective)
Authors: Czerwińska-Lubszczyk Agnieszka , Grebski Michalene , Jagoda-Sobalak Dominika , Łapuńka Iwona
Published: August 2020

The aim of the paper is an analysis of cooperation between enterprises and universities from a business perspective in Poland and the United States (USA). The article focuses on selected determinants from a business perspective. The determinants of the enterprises and university cooperation included areas of cooperation as well as the motivations and barriers for cooperation. Extended interviews were conducted in Poland and the USA using a questionnaire as the research tool. The results of the research showed differences between the enterprises and universities cooperation in Poland and the USA.
Assessment of Quality Policy in the Social and Cultural Area of Selected Industrial Enterprises
Authors: Molenda Michał
Published: August 2020

The objective of this article is to present the results of research concerning the assessment of the actually implemented Quality Policy in social and cultural area of selected industrial enterprises. In the first part of the article, the essence of the Quality Policy and its implicational meaning for the functioning of the enterprise in the scope of quality were described. What is more, the study also contains the problems associated with analyzing the quality policy. The main part of the article contains the results of research carried out in the years 2015-2019 among 166 industrial enterprises carrying out their activity in Poland. The objective of the research was the assessment of the actually implemented quality policy in the enterprises. The data was obtained on the basis of survey carried out among representatives of middle management in each enterprise. Statistical analysis of the results allowed to assess the quality policy in groups of enterprises depending on their size, management system and the so-called level of independence in management.
Ergonomics and Efficiency in a New Attempt to Model Work Processes
Authors: Kabiesz Patrycja , Bartnicka Joanna
Published: August 2020

The article presents the relationships between ergonomics and the effectiveness of work processes. A new thematic framework has been developed to evaluate the engineering design of work processes in conjunction with the effectiveness and ergonomics of workplaces. The model presented in the paper takes into account ergonomic factors that have a direct impact on shaping working environment in which a person is located and improving their efficiency. The model was validated in real conditions in the production company. The subject of the research was the work process existing in the plant producing food paper packaging. The main method used to assess working conditions was observation and qualitative and quantitative assessment of operational activities based on video recording. Detailed human actions were analyzed in terms of ergonomic factors to prove the relationship between ergonomics and efficiency. In addition, new technical solutions have been proposed that improve working conditions and the efficiency of the entire work process.
Comparative Analysis of Industry Expectations Related to Engineering Graduates in Poland and the United States
Authors: Czerwińska-Lubszczyk Agnieszka , Grebski Michalene , Jagoda-Sobalak Dominika , Łapuńka Iwona
Published: August 2020

The paper contains a comparative analysis of the competences needed to practice engineering in Poland and the United States (USA). Surveys of industries were conducted in Poland and the USA. Legal background of curricula was discussed. The surveys were done for the purpose of assessing the importance of competences as well as level of mastery those skills and attributes by engineering graduates. The results confirm differences in approach of entrepreneurs to graduates of engineering studies in Poland and the USA. In the USA entrepreneurs have higher expectations and the importance of individual competences is also different. The comparative analysis was done to identify the weaknesses in the engineering curricula and identifying the best practices.
Glioendocrine System: Effects of Thyroid Hormones in Glia and their Functions in the Central Nervous System
Authors: Noda Mami
Published: August 2020

Glial cells play a significant role in the link between the endocrine and nervous systems. Among hormones, thyroid hormones (THs) are critical for the regulation of development and differentiation of neurons and glial cells, and hence for development and function of the central nervous system (CNS). THs are transported into the CNS, metabolized in astrocytes and affect various cell types in the CNS including astrocyte itself. Since 3,3’,5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) is apparently released from astrocytes in the CNS, it is a typical example of glia-endocrine system.

The prevalence of thyroid disorders increases with age. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are reported to increase the risk of cognitive impairment or Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Therefore, understanding the neuroglial effects of THs may help to solve the problem why hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism may cause mental disorders or become a risk factor for cognitive impairment. In this review, THs are focused among wide variety of hormones related to brain function, and recent advancement in glioendocrine system is described.
Numerical Analysis of the Rotor of a 30 kW ORC Microturbine Considering Properties of Aerodynamic Gas Bearings
Authors: Breńkacz Łukasz , Żywica Grzegorz , Bogulicz Małgorzata
Published: August 2020

The paper focuses on the analysis of a 30 kW microturbine operating in the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) with a low-boiling working medium. The nominal speed of the rotor is 40,000 rpm. The investigated microturbine is an oil-free machine, which means that its bearings use the ORC working medium as a lubricant. We created a numerical model, which was used to assess the dynamic properties of the newly designed microturbine. The conducted analyses covered, inter alia, the optimization of some geometrical parameters of each bearing in order to cause the lubricating film to be created at a correspondingly low rotational speed as well as to obtain optimal dynamic properties of the system. The article provides a full dynamic picture of the rotor supported by two aerodynamic gas bearings. The included graphs demonstrate the vibration amplitude of the shaft as a function of the rotational speed as well as the results of the modal analysis in the form of natural vibration modes of the system and their corresponding natural frequencies.
Location-Optimized Aerodynamic Rotor Design of Small Wind Turbines and Lightweight Implementation Using Additive Hybrid Material
Authors: Lehser-Pfeffermann Daniel , Häfele Tobias , Rückert Frank U. , Griebsch Jürgen , Müller Tobias , Joos Franz
Published: August 2020

Wind power plays a crucial role in supplying cities with renewable energy. Combined with short transport routes, it is essential to establish site-specific small wind turbines in the urban environment. An increasing interest in small, decentralized, vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT) can be observed here. However, concepts with low visual and auditory effects and economic efficiencies are largely limited. The project part described in this paper enables a specially developed design software tool of rotor geometries optimized for such boundary conditions. By using fiber-reinforced structures in combination with selective laser sintering, it is theoretically possible to economically produce even the smallest quantities of these geometries for a typical service life of wind turbines. The results presented and discussed in this work can serve as a basis for a subsequent feasibility study.
Numerical and Experimental Investigation of the Fan with Cycloidal Rotor
Authors: Dykas Sławomir , Majkut Mirosław , Smołka Krystian , Strozik Michał , Chmielniak Tadeusz , Staśko Tomasz
Published: August 2020

In this paper, the investigation of the cycloidal rotor fan (CRF) was presented. A CRF with four blades of the NACA0012 profile was used for the analysis. The CFD calculations were carried out by means of Ansys CFX commercial software. The experimental tests were done using velocity field measurement with the LDA technique. Numerical results were compared with experimental measurement in terms of velocity values. The CRF performance characteristic was prepared on the basis of experimental and numerical results.
Advances and Breakthroughs in Diffusers for Compressors and Pumps: A Short History of Diffusers for Centrifugal Machines
Authors: Japikse David
Published: August 2020

The diffuser plays an indispensable role in setting the useable flow range and efficiency for centrifugal machinery. Key aspects of the history and design of such diffusers are overviewed followed by a look at current, novel ideas for better systems. Improved machinery can be expected in the coming years due to decades of development work in this field.
Influence of the Diffuser on the Drag Coefficient of a Solar Car
Authors: Mierzejewska Paula , Cieśliński Artur , Jodko Daniel
Published: August 2020

The purpose of the research was to design a solar vehicle for Bridgestone World Solar Challenge competition which takes place biannually in Australia. The article, however, presents the aerodynamic research on the car body, especially on the exit diffuser. Numerous CFD simulations of different diffuser shapes were performed in ANSYS CFX software. The paper presents the results of pressure distribution on the body and velocity contours. The drag force acting on the car body is dependent on the pressure distribution. The article includes comparison of corresponding drag coefficient values for different cases. Furthermore, the variation of the lift force depending on the shape of the bodywork was also taken into consideration. The research shows that slight differences in the construction of the exit diffuser correspond to noticeable changes in the drag coefficient values (0.138 minimum, 0.168 maximum) and significant changes in the lift force (minimum 71 N, maximum 160 N).
Design and Manufacturing of Micro-Turbomachinery Components with Application of Heat Resistant Plastics
Authors: Żywica Grzegorz , Kaczmarczyk Tomasz , Ihnatowicz Eugeniusz , Bagiński Paweł , Andrearczyk Artur
Published: August 2020

The article discusses issues associated with the use of modern plastics for the construction of high-speed fluid-flow machines. Currently available plastics exhibit high chemical resistance as well as dimensional and shape stability across a wide temperature range. This allows them to be used for manufacturing components of micro turbomachinery, thereby reducing production time and costs. This article discusses the criteria for the selection of plastics suitable for a particular machine, namely micro turbogenerator operating in the organic Rankine cycle (ORC). In addition to the initial selection of materials based on their chemical and physical properties, strength calculations of selected turbogenerator subassemblies were carried out. The obtained results confirmed that some plastics can replace traditional materials used in the manufacture of ORC turbogenerators. This concerns, in particular, the components of the microturbine blade system. After the manufacture of a trial series of such components, it became apparent that, with appropriately chosen plastics, it is possible to shorten the machining time and reduce production costs, all while maintaining the required dimensional tolerances. The results obtained so far prove that it is possible to use plastics to produce components of modern turbomachines, for instance, parts of high-speed microturbines that have to withstand high operating temperatures.
An Interface Anticrack in a Periodic Two–Layer Piezoelectric Space under Vertically Uniform Heat Flow
Authors: Kaczyński Andrzej , Kaczyński Bartosz
Published: August 2020

This paper aims to investigate 3D static thermoelectroelastic problem of a uniform heat flow in a bi-material periodically layered space disturbed by a thermally and electrically-insulated rigid sheet-like inclusion (so-called anticrack) situated at one of the interfaces. An approximate analysis of the considered laminated composite is given in the framework of the homogenized model with microlocal parameters. Accurate results are obtained by constructing suitable potential solutions and reducing to the corresponding homogeneous thermoelectromechanical (or thermomechanical) anticrack problems. The governing boundary integral equation for a planar interface anticrack of arbitrary shape is derived in terms of a normal stress discontinuity. As an illustration, a complete solution for a rigid circular inclusion is obtained in terms of elementary functions and interpreted from the failure perspective. Unlike existing solutions for defects at the interface of materials, the solution obtained displays no oscillatory behavior.
Fourier Variant Homogenization Treatment of Single Impulse Boundary Effect Behaviour
Authors: Kula Dorota , Wierzbicki Ewaryst , Witkowska-Dobrev Joanna , Wodzyński Łukasz
Published: August 2020

Boundary effect behavior understood as near-boundary suppression of boundary fluctuation loads is described in various ways depending on the mathematical representation of solutions and the type of the center. In the case of periodic composites, the homogenization method is decisive here. In the framework of the Tolerance Averaging Approach, developed by prof. Cz. Woźniak leading to an approximate model of phenomena related to periodic composites this effect is described by a homogeneous part of differential equation for fluctuation amplitudes and usually this approximate description of the boundary effect behavior is restricted to a single fluctuation. In this paper, contrary to the previous elaborations, the boundary effect is developed in the variant of the tolerance thermal conductivity model in which the temperature field is represented by the Fourier expansions composed by an average temperature with infinite number of Fourier terms imposed on the average temperature as tolerance fluctuation suppressed in the framework of the boundary effect.
Asymptotic Behavior of Magnetostrictive Elasticity for Microstructured Materials
Authors: Bojarski Jarosław L. , Wierzbicki Ewaryst
Published: August 2020

According to the classical theory of Weiss, Landau, and Lifshitz, in a ferromagnetic body there is a spontaneous magnetization field m, such that ∥m∥ = τ
0 = const in all points of this material Ω. In any stationary configuration, this ferromagnetic body consists of areas (Weiss domains) in which the magnetization is uniform (i.e. m = const) separated by thin transition layers (Bloch walls). Such stationary configuration corresponds to the minimum point of the magnetostrictive free energy E. We are considering an elastic magnetostrictive body in our paper. The elastic magnetostrictive free energy Eδ
depends on a small parameter δ such that δ → 0. As usual, the displacement field is denoted by u. We will show that each sequence of minimizers (ui, mi
) contains a subsequence that converges to a couple of fields (u
0, m
0). By means of a Γ-limit procedure we will show that this couple (u
0, m
0) is a minimizer of the new functional E
0. This new functional E
0 describes the magnetic-elastic properties of the body with microstructure.
Micro-Vibrations and Wave Propagation in Biperiodic Cylindrical Shells
Authors: Tomczyk Barbara , Litawska Anna
Published: August 2020

The objects of consideration are thin linearly elastic Kirchhoff-Love-type circular cylindrical shells having a periodically microheterogeneous structure in circumferential and axial directions (biperiodic shells). The aim of this contribution is to study a certain long wave propagation problem related to micro-fluctuations of displacement field caused by a periodic structure of the shells. This micro-dynamic problem will be analysed in the framework of a certain mathematical averaged model derived by means of the combined modelling procedure. The combined modelling applied here includes two techniques: the asymptotic modelling procedure and a certain extended version of the known tolerance non-asymptotic modelling technique based on a new notion of weakly slowly-varying function. Both these procedures are conjugated with themselves under special conditions. Contrary to the starting exact shell equations with highly oscillating, non-continuous and periodic coefficients, governing equations of the averaged combined model have constant coefficients depending also on a cell size. It will be shown that the micro-periodic heterogeneity of the shells leads to exponential micro-vibrations and to exponential waves as well as to dispersion effects, which cannot be analysed in the framework of the asymptotic models commonly used for investigations of vibrations and wave propagation in the periodic structures.
An Evaluation of On-Tool System for Sanding Dust Collection: Pilot Study
Authors: Dado Miroslav , Lamperová Anna , Kotek Luboš , Hnilica Richard
Published: August 2020

Hazards identification is essential step in framework of occupational health & safety (OH&S) management system. The task of spruce wood sanding with hand-held power belt sander is considered as a significant resource of exposure to wood dust. Dust from spruce wood is hazard that can cause negative health effects such as asthma and chronic bronchitis. A dust collection box is a commonly used technical measure for reducing exposure to wood dust for this task in practice. The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of commercially available dust collection box at reducing exposure to wood dust during the task of sanding spruce wood using hand-held power belt sander. Laboratory experiment involved sanding spruce planks (250 mm × 50 mm × 500 mm) in longitudinal direction using belt sander (Bosch, PBS 75 A) with 120 grit sanding belt. Spruce dust mass concentrations were sampled using an aerosol monitor (TSI Inc., DustTrak DRX 8533) in the breathing zone of operator. Inhalable and respirable dust concentrations were both significantly lower (P < 0.0001) when dust box was attached to belt sander compared with sander without a dust box. Results from this pilot study indicate that dust collection box is efficient technical measure for decreasing exposure to aerosol mass concentration during sanding spruce wood with hand-held belt sander.
Summer–winter contrast in carbon isotope and elemental composition of total suspended particulate matter in the urban atmosphere of Krakow, Southern Poland
Authors: Zimnoch Miroslaw , Morawski Filip , Kuc Tadeusz , Samek Lucyna , Bartyzel Jakub , Gorczyca Zbigniew , Skiba Alicja , Rozanski Kazimierz
Published: August 2020

The city of Krakow located in southern Poland ranks among the most polluted urban agglomerations in Europe. There are persisting controversies with respect to impact of different pollution sources operating in Krakow agglomeration on air quality within the city. The presented pilot study was aimed at exploring the possibilities offered by elemental and carbon isotope composition of total suspended particulate matter (TSPM) for better characterization of its sources in Krakow atmosphere. The analyses of carbon isotope composition of total carbon in the investigated TSPM samples were supplemented by parallel analyses of radiocarbon content in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). This study revealed large seasonal variability of carbon isotope composition in the analysed TSPM samples. This large variability reflects seasonally varying contribution of different sources of fossil and modern carbon to the TSPM pool. The elemental composition of TSPM also reveals distinct seasonal variability of the analysed elements, reflecting varying mixture of natural and anthropogenic sources of those elements. A linear relationship between the fossil carbon load in the TSPM samples and the fossil carbon load in the atmospheric CO2 was found, pointing to the presence of additional source of anthropogenic carbonaceous particles not associated with burning of fossil fuels. Wearing of tyres and asphalt pavement is most probably the main source of such particles.
Tandem: Securing Keys by Using a Central Server While Preserving Privacy
Authors: Lueks Wouter , Hampiholi Brinda , Alpár Greg , Troncoso Carmela
Published: August 2020

Users’ devices, e.g., smartphones or laptops, are typically incapable of securely storing and processing cryptographic keys.We present Tandem, a novel set of protocols for securing cryptographic keys with support from a central server. Tandemusesone-time-use key-share tokensto preserve users’ privacy with respect to a malicious central server. Additionally, Tandemenables users to block their keys if they lose their device, and it enables the server to limit how often an adversary can use an unblocked key. We prove Tandem’s security and privacy properties, apply Tandemto attributebased credentials, and implement a Tandemproof of concept to show that it causes little overhead.
Automatic Discovery of Privacy–Utility Pareto Fronts
Authors: Avent Brendan , González Javier , Diethe Tom , Paleyes Andrei , Balle Borja
Published: August 2020

Differential privacy is a mathematical framework for privacy-preserving data analysis. Changing the hyperparameters of a differentially private algorithm allows one to trade off privacy and utility in a principled way. Quantifying this trade-off in advance is essential to decision-makers tasked with deciding how much privacy can be provided in a particular application while maintaining acceptable utility. Analytical utility guarantees offer a rigorous tool to reason about this tradeoff, but are generally only available for relatively simple problems. For more complex tasks, such as training neural networks under differential privacy, the utility achieved by a given algorithm can only be measured empirically. This paper presents a Bayesian optimization methodology for efficiently characterizing the privacy– utility trade-off of any differentially private algorithm using only empirical measurements of its utility. The versatility of our method is illustrated on a number of machine learning tasks involving multiple models, optimizers, and datasets.
PriFi: Low-Latency Anonymity for Organizational Networks
Authors: Barman Ludovic , Dacosta Italo , Zamani Mahdi , Zhai Ennan , Pyrgelis Apostolos , Ford Bryan , Feigenbaum Joan , Hubaux Jean-Pierre
Published: August 2020

Organizational networks are vulnerable to trafficanalysis attacks that enable adversaries to infer sensitive information fromnetwork traffic—even if encryption is used. Typical anonymous communication networks are tailored to the Internet and are poorly suited for organizational networks.We present PriFi, an anonymous communication protocol for LANs, which protects users against eavesdroppers and provides high-performance traffic-analysis resistance. PriFi builds onDining Cryptographers networks (DC-nets), but reduces the high communication latency of prior designs via a new client/relay/server architecture, in which a client’s packets remain on their usual network path without additional hops, and in which a set of remote servers assist the anonymization process without adding latency. PriFi also solves the challenge of equivocation attacks, which are not addressed by related work, by encrypting traffic based on communication history. Our evaluation shows that PriFi introduces modest latency overhead (≈ 100ms for 100 clients) and is compatible with delay-sensitive applications such as Voice-over-IP.
Privacy Preserving Detection of Path Bias Attacks in Tor
Authors: Watson Lauren , Mediratta Anupam , Elahi Tariq , Sarkar Rik
Published: August 2020

Anonymous communication networks like Tor are vulnerable to attackers that control entry and exit nodes. Such attackers can compromise the essential anonymity and privacy properties of the network. In this paper, we consider the path bias attack– where the attacker induces a client to use compromised nodes and thus links the client to their destination. We describe an efficient scheme that detects such attacks in Tor by collecting routing telemetry data from nodes in the network. The data collection is differentially private and thus does not reveal behaviour of individual users even to nodes within the network. We show provable bounds for the sample complexity of the scheme and describe methods to make it resilient to introduction of false data by the attacker to subvert the detection process. Simulations based on real configurations of the Tor network show that the method works accurately in practice.
Development of individual living space consumption between 1978 and 2013: determinants and transformative potential
Authors: Weber Ines
Published: August 2020

In Germany, the trend towards increasing per capita living space continues. The achievement of the reduction targets with regard to the energy consumption of residential buildings is thereby counteracted. While the structural drivers behind this development – for example shifts in preferences, increasing prosperity and demographic change – have been well-researched individually, their proportional quantitative power of influence remains uncertain. Based on data from the Income and Expenditure Survey (EVS) for the time period of 1978 to 2013, this paper examines to what extent the development of housing consumption in Germany can be explained by socioeconomic and demographic changes over time. The results of a decomposition analysis show that demographic changes, in particular the reduction of the average household size, are the main responsible drivers for the increase in living space consumption per capita. This development is accompanied by rising housing costs, which increasingly burden all income groups, but especially poorer households. In recent years, the housing cost burden dampened a further expansion of living space consumption. In addition, an imbalance between housing supply and demand can be identified on the local level. This could be reduced by building smaller homes, rebuilding existing homes and encouraging the elderly in oversized homes to relocate. For this purpose, regulatory measures and/or incentive mechanisms would have to be implemented.
From the “project within the project” to the “city within the city”? Governance and Management Problems in Large Urban Development Projects Using the Example of the Science City Belval, Luxembourg
Authors: Leick Annick , Hesse Markus , Becker Tom
Published: August 2020

The paper explores the issue of new urban development areas from two specific perspectives: on the one hand, rather than concentrating on housing, we address the question of science and research, in particular university locations and science parks, as a central guiding principle for urban expansion. On the other hand, the paper focuses on the analysis of urban management and governance practices and, more specifically, the disjoining of large projects from their common urban planning context. Emphasis is put on the fact that such undertakings are defined as ‘projects’ and that they are subordinated to a specific management approach. Amid debates concerning large-scale urban development projects and urban governance, we develop the thesis that the risk for projects to unfold as a sort of ‘foreign matter’ in the urban realm increases as the degree to which they are subject to proven planning processes and regulatory practices diminishes. This argument will be empirically illustrated with Belval, the science city in the south of Luxembourg, which is developed ever since 2003 and whose progress is critically assessed here. The general conclusions include planning requirements for dealing with new large-scale development projects.
Lung function testing assessment by impulse oscillometry in chronic lung disease
Authors: Cîrjaliu Roxana Elena , Arghir Ioan Anton , Beitula Enis , Odagiu Ionel , Ion Ileana , Nicolae Maria , Danteș Elena , Arghir Oana Cristina
Published: August 2020

Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a variant of forced oscillation technique described by Dubois 50 years ago, which allows us to measure the reactance of the airways and the resistance of the small and large airways during tidal breathing. It requires minimal patient cooperation from subjects who are unable to perform spirometry, like elders, children and patients with neurologic disorders. IOS can outline the diagnosis of obstructive airway disease, differentiate small airway obstruction from large airway obstruction. It is more sensitive than spirometry for peripheral airway disease in determining the severity of the disease, the exacerbations and evaluate the therapeutic response. Other applications include early evaluation of transplant rejection, cystic fibrosis, vocal cord disorder, bronchiectasis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, obstructive sleep apnea.
The Secret of Our Own Mortality
Authors: Dobrescu Georgiana
Published: August 2020

In this paper, the author tries to underline some aspects about one of the most important secrets: the secret of our own mortality. It is a paradox, all of us know that we will eventually die, but this knowledge is quite unbearable and makes us anxious, which is why it is very difficult for us to represent our death.

This secret of mortality is related to what Freud called “the biological rock” – our supreme and ultimate limit! – which represents the constitutional, biological dimension of the human being in its uniqueness and the way in which our psyche manages this reality, impossible to change.

The first part of paper is an exploration in the nature of secrets, healthy and pathogenic ones, known or unknown, conscious and unconscious. There are secrets which represent the intimate core of every person, what Winnicott called “an incommunicado element”. This is very precious, secret and sacred, and allows us to maintain a constant creative dialogue with ourselves and others while also ensuring our psychic sanity. There are also other secrets, pathogenic ones, which we encounter in the perverse, narcissistic structures and that disturb the relations with others.

There is a third category of secrets which we call ‘The secrets of Polichinelle’. They are like taboo subjects, as nobody touches them, but everybody knows them. In this category we find all the secrets connected to sexuality and, as a normal extension of them, the secrets linked to our own mortality.

In the second part of the paper, the author presents some vignettes from a case, which illustrate the theme of loss and the difficulty in accepting the limits set by the biological rock.
The Couple Object
Authors: Roussillon R.
Published: August 2020

The author argues for a conception of the oedipal complex that excludes the idea of a pre-oedipal phase which, according to him, comes from a confusion with the pre-genital. The author seeks to identify the existence of a “couple object” present early on in the young child whose pre-history he returns to in the first lineaments of a form of “being with”, as in the first form of recording relational models concerning the meeting with the first objects. This matrix will then be made more complex over time and brought into crisis in the “oedipal crisis”, and the way in which the child will be able to meet and go through this crisis, to organize himself and to organize the solutions to the crisis, will configure its model of “oedipal organization”.
Midlife: When the Body Challenges Time
Authors: de Vogelfanger Liliana Singman
Published: August 2020

This paper considers what occurs during midlife when the certainty-uncertainty tension that inhabits every subject is affected. The body with its drives becomes the messenger who announces the passage of time and life’s finitude. Time is challenged by one’s own body, triggering a psychic work that will enable the subject to deal with his/her own transience. Based on Freud’s writings, the author suggests that one’s own body is experienced as an annoying intruder that now bothers, because what is being touched is the idea of his/her own immortality. The emotional state that is generated is one of perplexity and the experience, one of disorientation, accompanied by a feeling of alienation. Each subject’s uniqueness will give him/her (or not) the possibility of passing from a feeling of alienation to the re-appropriation of that foreign-familiar zone. Due to the psychic impact generated, a change of paradigm is also put forward, if the necessary resources are available. Once the limitations of personal time and the uncertainty of living are recognized, the opening up of what-is-to-come can paradoxically take place, enabling the re-launching of one’s own desire.
Encounter with Death (I)
Authors: Popescu Alice
Published: August 2020

The article focuses on psychic mechanisms at work in a life experience of maximum intensity: imprisonment awaiting the death penalty. “Dialogue with death”, the memories of Arthur Koestler on the most traumatic period of his life – his stay in the prison of Seville during the Spanish Civil War – was initially published in 1937, as an important part of the “Spanish Testament”, and was in itself one of the most significant testimonial works of the 20th century on the subject of death. The perspective to which we have subjected it draws on psychoanalysis and is based, more precisely, on the Freudian theory on defenses against traumatic affects.
Trauma of the mesentery. Anatomy and diagnosis
Authors: Slavu Iulian , Tulin Adrian , Păduraru Dan , Socea Bogdan , Braga Vlad , Enciu Octavian , Alecu Lucian
Published: August 2020

Mesenteric lesions in abdominal trauma are encountered in 3% of the cases. Diagnosis of these lesions is difficult, which translates into important delays until surgery that affects patient survival. The short-term consequences of mesenteric lesions translate in bowel ischemia or important blood loss. If a lesion is confirmed after imagistic investigations, one must have complete knowledge of the anatomy and the particular distribution of the main arterial and venous trunks to predict the region of the small bowel that will have to be observed or resected if surgery is required. The aim of our study was to demonstrate this particular distribution of blood vessels through cadaver dissection and to note the resources available to diagnose such lesions.
A Rational Theory of the Rights of Children
Authors: Hersum Ian
Published: August 2020

Libertarianism has often found itself under attack from those with misplaced maternal instincts, who champion the state as the honorable protector of the vulnerable – and there is no one more in need of protection than a helpless infant. Consequently, much of the vitriol aimed at libertarianism and its laissez-faire attitude has included morbid references to child abuse and exploitation which would supposedly result from its implementation. It is therefore imperative that more work be done on the topic of children’s rights in order to reinforce the philosophical framework developed by Murray Rothbard [9] and expanded on by Walter Block and others [2], [3], [5], [6]. The purpose of this paper is to provide an independent rational foundation for the conclusions drawn by Block and co-authors [2], [5] and to expand on parts that are insufficient.
Libertarianism: A Fifty-Year Personal Retrospective
Authors: Thornton Mark
Published: August 2020

This retrospective, covering half a century, is a personal history of modern libertarianism. It provides some historical perspective on the growth of libertarianism and its impact on society, especially for those who were born into an existing libertarian movement, including political and academic paths. As outsiders, Austrians and libertarians can expect more than their share of difficult times and roadblocks, although that situation has improved over time. It also shows the limitations of the political path to liberty and the importance of the Austrian view that society changes via emphasis on sound economic science, its practicality, and its subsequent impact on ideology. Finally, it conveys the importance of solving practical problems and puzzles via the thin, radical version of libertarianism.
Peter Singer’s “Famine, Affluence, and Morality”: Three Libertarian Refutations
Authors: Lester J. C.
Published: August 2020

Peter Singer’s famous and influential article is criticised in three main ways that can be considered libertarian, although many non-libertarians could also accept them: 1) the relevant moral principle is more plausibly about upholding an implicit contract rather than globalising a moral intuition that had local evolutionary origins; 2) its principle of the immorality of not stopping bad things is paradoxical, as it overlooks the converse aspect that would be the positive morality of not starting bad things and also thereby conceptually eliminates innocence; and 3) free markets – especially international free trade – have been cogently explained to be the real solution to the global “major evils” of “poverty” and “pollution”, while “overpopulation” does not exist in free-market frameworks; hence charity is a relatively minor alleviant to the problem of insufficiently free markets. There are also various subsidiary arguments throughout.
Perception of Healthy Lifestyle Among Students of Medical Schools
Authors: Reshetnikov Andrey V. , Prisyazhnaya Nadezhda V. , Reshetnikov Vladimir A. , Efimov Ilya A. , Mikerova Maria S. , Bocharova Maria O.
Published: August 2020

Introduction/Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate ideas and motivational attitudes of medical school students towards a healthy lifestyle and its components.

Methods: The study was conducted from March until August 2017, at the Department of Medical Sociology, Healthcare Economics and Health Insurance and at N.A. Semashko Public Health and Healthcare Department, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. We ran a medical and sociological survey in 984 randomly selected students from eight Russian medical universities.

Results: The article presents the results of the medical and sociological study aimed at assessing the ideas and motivational attitudes of medical students towards healthy lifestyle and its elements. Our research showed that students of medical schools, while recognizing the importance of preserving their own health, are still largely committed to an unhealthy lifestyle, secondly, they refuse sports activities even more often, and, thirdly, they prove not to be active enough when it comes to disease prevention and health preservation.

Conclusion: Taking into consideration the obtained results, healthy lifestyle among students of medical schools is an exception rather than common practice.
CFD Analysis of the Tractor Propulsion Concepts for an Inverted Joined Wing Airplane
Authors: Dziubiński Adam
Published: August 2020

Efficiency is a crucial parameter for an airplane to reduce both cost of operations and emission of pollutants. There are several airplane concepts that potentially allow for increasing the efficiency. A few of them were not investigated thoroughly enough yet. The inverted joined wing configuration, with the upper wing in front of the lower one is an example of such concept. Therefore, a project consisting of development of an experimental scaled demonstrator, and its wind tunnel and flight testing, was undertaken by consortium: Institute of Aviation, Warsaw University of Technology, Air Force Institute of Technology and a MSP company. Results led to a conclusion, that the inverted joined wing configuration allows to build an airplane with excellent performance, but its advantage against the conventional airplane is marginal because of large trimming drag of the configuration with relatively high position of the thrust vector in pusher configuration. It was applied because the demonstrator was a flying model of manned airplane and the tractor configuration would affect the pilot’s field of observation. However, in case of the UAV, this reason becomes insignificant. Therefore two configurations of tractor propulsion were tested to see, if their performance is better than the performance of original design.
The Free Money Index
Authors: Mal'tsev K.V. , Ershov D.E.
Published: August 2020

Subject. The development of modern information technologies determines the emergence of new opportunities for obtaining empirical data on household consumption. This allows the formation of new, alternative indicators characterizing various aspects of the standard of living. The article describes one of these indicators, i.e. the free money index. Objectives. The purpose is to show the possibilities of the free money index in the analysis of living standards of the population. Methods. The empirical basis of the study is the data of the Federal State Statistics Service and Romir Consumer Scan Panel. Results. We calculated the free money index for households in Russia from 2008 to 2019. In general, the index has an upward trend, except 2009 and 2015. It includes cities with different population and takes into account the level of inflation, physical volume of purchases by four selected products, and seasonal fluctuations. Conclusions. The free money index, differing from the purchasing power, the wealth index and other indicators, characterizes the structure and changes in household consumption, and objectively reflects the well-being of the population. The free money index computation is necessary for the current analysis of economic and social policy measures. In more general terms, it can also be used to study the household behavior in micro- and macroeconomic aspects, the public welfare, and the impact of income distribution on economic development.
Return on innovation: Analysis of trends for Russian and foreign companies
Authors: Kuz'min M.S.
Published: August 2020

Subject. The article investigates trends in the value of return on innovation.
Objectives. The study aims to identify changes in return on innovation, using the case of leading Russian and foreign companies, to adjust the innovation management mechanism.
Methods. I employed general scientific methods of research. Company official websites, market reviews and annual financial statements, patent databases of the European Patent Office, the Questel Orbit intellectual property portal, and the Google Patents search engine served as information base.
Results. The study draws on the hypothesis that the value of innovation among Russian companies does not grow, despite the increase in funding for innovation. I tested the hypothesis, based on the working conditions of leading Russian companies in comparison with the performance of foreign companies. The study was conducted in three stages. It revealed divergent dynamics of the value of innovation of domestic and foreign enterprises. However, foreign companies show deviation from the average at a much higher level of the value of return on innovation as compared to Russian companies.
Conclusions. Innovation has not become a factor for sustainable development of Russian companies. To change the current situation, it is necessary to reorient company's development strategy to ensure an increasing return on innovation.
Analyzing trade and financial relations in Russia today
Authors: Smirnov V.V.
Published: August 2020

Subject. The article discusses trading and financial relations of today’s Russia.
Objectives. The article is to determine requirements for trading and financial relations to progress in Russia today and evaluate how they influence the economic growth.
Methods. The study is based on the systems approach and the statistical analysis.
Results. Having analyzed trading and financial relations, I found what can give an impetus to the contemporary economy in Russia, i.e. oil prices, related risks. The article demonstrates that government bonds (federal loan bonds) cushion and set off an increase in the foreign exchange rate. The dynamics of the oil price and the issue of federal loan bonds shape the environment where trading and financial relations evolve in Russia today, i.e. export prices for natural resources outgrowing prices for some commodities; a stalling growth in the acquisition of financial assets, debt instruments and a growth in liabilities, equity and shares of mutual funds; a growing pace of long positions of forward, futures, options contracts due to a slow down in short positions; rising pace of official reserve assets. As long as the international trade slows down and the global recession begins, the existing trading and financial relations resulted in a palpable economic growth.
Conclusions and Relevance. Opportunities for the development of trade and financial relations in contemporary Russia are conditioned by the changing world order, which determines the dynamics of economic growth. The findings expand the knowledge and create new competencies of governmental authorities when making managerial decisions to ensure the effective design of the Russian economy in terms of the current trading and financial policy.