bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Small choroidal melanoma and pseudomelanomas: methods of differential diagnostics (literature review). Part 2
Authors: Myakoshina E. B.
Published: May 2020

The first part of the literature review described the ophthalmoscopic picture of the small choroidal melanoma and pseudomelanomas [ROJ, 2019; 12 (4): 99–108]. This is the second part of the review, which describes the features characteristic of small uveal melanoma and pseudomelanomas, revealed by fluorescence angiography and autofluorescence. Typical properties of fluorescence and autofluorescence are presented for every disease of the eye fundus studied: small choroidal melanoma, choroidal nevus, circumscribed choroidal hemangioma, melanocytoma, choroidal metastatic carcinoma, congenital hypertrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium, late-stage age-related macular degeneration, focal retinochoroiditis of the posterior pole, organized subretinal hemorrhage, retinal hemangioma. The attention was focused on the similarity of angiographic and autofluorescence symptoms of the diseases under study. The need for new differential diagnostic criteria was emphasized.
Complex topical treatment of patients with infectious and inflammatory pharyngeal pathology
Authors: Svistushkin V. M. , Nikiforova G. N. , Merkushina A. V. , Zolotova A. V.
Published: May 2020

Pharyngalgia is one of the most common complaints in both children and adults seeking medical advice. The causes of throat discomfort and pain vary and are explained by anatomo-physiological characteristics of pharynx. The lesion of pharyngeal mucosa and mucosal associated lymphoid tissue develops in 80% of acute respiratory disease cases. Detailed history taking and additional tests are required to confirm the etiology of pharyngalgia that is not related to respiratory infection and to provide appropriate treatment for the patient. Fixed topical combination with complex effectiveness established itself as a leading choice of inflammatory pharynx diseases treatment. Such treatment has the following advantages: the precise point of drug effect, minimal amount of side effects or its complete absence and risk reduction of general micro biome affection. The treatment should also be able to reach hard-to-reach areas and have good sensory properties. The purpose of topical treatment in patients with pharyngeal pathology is to relieve pain quickly, to reduce the inflammation and to prevent secondary infection of mucosa. The drug containing tyrothricin as antibiotic, benzocaine as antiseptic provides antibacterial and benzalkonium chloride as antiseptic, antiviral and analgetic effects. Not only do the early diagnosis and treatment meet the need of the patient to relieve the symptoms quickly but also have a positive impact on disease course and prevent the development of complications.
Biofilms and сhronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Shilenkova V. V.
Published: May 2020

Introduction. A biofilm is a community of bacteria embedded in a matrix consisting of polysaccharides, nucleic acids, and proteins. Biofilms are resistant to antibiotics, antiseptics, and immune defense factors of the human body. Currently, the role of bacterial biofilms in the pathogenesis of chronic infections is known. There are a lot of articles confirming the detection of biofilms in diseases of the upper respiratory tract and ear: adenoiditis, recurrent and chronic otitis, laryngitis.

Biofilms and Chronic Rhinosinusitis (CRS). Biofilms can play a significant role in prolonging inflammation in the paranasal sinuses. Biofilms are found in 76.7% of patients with CRS. This fact can serve as one of the explanations for the refractoriness of drug therapy and recurrent inflammations after surgical treatment.

Methods for Controlling Biofilms. Is there a Way Out? As part of the strategy of removing biofilm, it is important to destroy its structure to planktonic forms, which will allow for the process of managing CRS progress. Antibiotic therapy alone is considered insufficient. Nasal irrigation can provide a violation of the biofilm integrity due to the mechanical destruction of its matrix and have a significant impact on the outcome of the disease. The nasal irrigation preparation containing isotonic sea water solution added with carbon dioxide (CO2-0.4%) has such an effect. In an experimental study, it was shown that 98% of the bacteria were non-viable when processing Staphylococus aureus biofilm.

Conclusion. The impact on biofilms should be complex, including medication, physical means, irrigation of the nasal cavity.
Inside environmental Clostridium perfringens genomes: antibiotic resistance genes, virulence factors and genomic features
Authors: Fourie Johannes Cornelius Jacobus , Bezuidenhout Cornelius Carlos , Sanko Tomasz Janusz , Mienie Charlotte , Adeleke Rasheed
Published: May 2020

Until recently, research has focused on Clostridium perfringens in clinical settings without considering environmental isolates. In this study, environmental genomes were used to investigate possible antibiotic resistance and the presence of virulence traits in C. perfringens strains from raw surface water. In silico assembly of three C. perfringens strains, DNA generated almost complete genomes setting their length ranging from 3.4 to 3.6 Mbp with GC content of 28.18%. An average of 3,175 open reading frames was identified, with the majority associated with carbohydrate and protein metabolisms. The genomes harboured several antibiotic resistance genes for glycopeptides, macrolide–lincosamide–streptogramin B, β-lactam, trimethoprim, tetracycline and aminoglycosides and also the presence of several genes encoding for polypeptides and multidrug resistance efflux pumps and 35 virulence genes. Some of these encode for haemolysins, sialidase, hyaluronidase, collagenase, perfringolysin O and phospholipase C. All three genomes contained sequences indicating phage, antibiotic resistance and pathogenic islands integration sites. A genomic comparison of these three strains confirmed high similarity and shared core genes with clinical C. perfringens strains, highlighting their health security risks. This study provides a genomic insight into the potential pathogenicity of C. perfringens present in the environment and emphasises the importance of monitoring this niche in the future.
Solar inactivated Vibrio cholerae induces maturation of JAWS II dendritic cell line in vitro
Authors: Ssemakalu Cornelius Cano , Ubomba-Jaswa Eunice , Motaung Keolebogile Shirley Caroline Mamotswere , Pillay Michael
Published: May 2020

Solar disinfection (SODIS) has been shown to reduce the risk associated with the contraction of water borne diseases such as cholera. However, little or no research has been undertaken in exploring the role played by the immune system following the consumption of solar inactivated water pathogens. This study investigated the potential for solar inactivated Vibrio cholerae to induce the maturation of dendritic cells in vitro. Dendritic cells are professional antigen presenting cells found in mammals. However, only in their mature form are dendritic cells able to play their role towards a long lasting immune response. Three strains of V. cholerae were solar irradiated for 7 hours. Thereafter, the solar irradiated, non-solar irradiated, phosphate buffered saline prepared and heat/chemically inactivated cultures of V. cholerae as well as lipopolysaccharide and cholerae toxin-β subunit were used to stimulate immature dendritic cells. After 48 hours, the dendritic cells were assessed for the expression of CD54, CD80, CD83, CD86, MHC-I and MHC-II cell surface markers. Results show that solar inactivated V. cholerae was able to induce maturation of the dendritic cells in vitro. These findings suggest that there may be an immunological benefit in consuming SODIS treated water.
Distribution and characteristics of geosmin and 2-MIB-producing actinobacteria in the Han River, Korea
Authors: Lee Eun-Sook , Kim Yu-Na , Kim Sae-Bom , Jung Jong-Soon , Cha Yeoung-Seop , Kim Bog-Soon
Published: May 2020

Actinobacteria can be one of the causes of earthy and musty odors in drinking water. In this study, the distribution and odor producing ability of actinobacteria isolated in the Han River as a source of tap water were investigated. Actinobacteria were detected in low concentration from December to February and this gradually increased in March and April. The number of actinobacteria detected was particularly high in April (63 CFU/mL), July (45 CFU/mL), and October (39 CFU/mL) due to the influence of rainfall. Actinobacteria with geosmin-producing genes were detected mainly in March and July. In contrast, actinobacteria with 2-MIB-producing genes were detected mainly in October. There was a difference in the time when actinobacteria with the geosmin and 2-MIB-producing gene were highly detected in the river. Also, the types of actinobacteria with the geosmin and 2-MIB-producing gene were different. More than 70% of the geosmin inducer gene was isolated in Streptomyces, but the 2-MIB inducer gene was detected in various genera of actinobacteria as well as Streptomyces. The detection of odorous substances in March and October when cyanobacteria were not detected, or the detected number was low, suggested that actinobacteria could be a cause of odor inducers in the Han River.
Effects of temporary external voltage on the performance and community of microbial fuel cells
Authors: Guo Jing , Cheng Jianping , Wang Jiaquan , Zhang Zerui , Xie Xiaoyun , Chu Pengpeng
Published: May 2020

This study evaluated the effects of temporary external voltage on the performance of two-chambered microbial fuel cells (MFC) that use nitrate wastewater as a substrate. Results indicate that the external voltage affected the performance of the MFC during their operation, and this effect remained even after the voltage was removed. The degradation efficiency of the chemical oxygen demand increased in the MFC under external voltages of 0.5, 0.8, and 1.1 V, and the optimal applied voltage was 1.1 V. Compared with the control group without external voltages, the MFC under a voltage of 1.1 V achieved higher current densities and efficiency of nitrate removal during their operation. The MFC with an applied voltage of 1.1 V also achieved the highest maximum power density of 2,035.08 mW/m3. The applied voltages of 0.5 and 0.8 V exerted a positive effect on the performance of the MFC. High-throughput sequencing was used to explore the anode and cathode biofilms. Results showed that the influence was highly associated with microbial community in bio-anode. The predominant functional family changed from Methanotrichaceae during start-up to Flavobacteriaceae in a steady phase.
Analysis of eutrophication potential of municipal wastewater
Authors: Preisner M. , Neverova-Dziopak E. , Kowalewski Z.
Published: May 2020

One of the main factors of the increased eutrophication level of surface waters is the high anthropogenic loads of biogenic substances discharged into water bodies. Municipal wastewaters, containing large amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus play one of the key roles in the acceleration of eutrophication intensity. The main direction in the prevention of eutrophication caused by wastewater discharge has become the reduction of nutrient loads introduced to wastewater receivers in accordance with strict legal requirements achievable only in advanced technologies. The treated wastewater quality standards are actually developed for total nitrogen and total phosphorus content, disregarding the fact that eutrophication potential of treated wastewater is determined by the content of non-organic nutrient forms directly bioavailable for water vegetation. That is why the currently used energy-consuming and expensive technologies do not always guarantee effective protection against eutrophication and its consequences. The goal of the study was to analyze the most widely used wastewater treatment technologies for enhanced biological nutrients removal in treated wastewater eutrophication potential. For this purpose, an analysis of the operation of 18 wastewater treatment plants based on different technologies in Finland, Canada, Poland, Russia and the United States was realized. The analysis concluded that the eutrophication potential of treated wastewater to a large extent is conditioned by the applied technology. The results of the research concluded that the eutrophication potential can serve an important criterion for decision-making regarding the proper selection of wastewater treatment technologies aimed at eutrophication mitigation.
Graphene Oxide Membrane: Recent Advancement in Waste Water Treatment and its Applications
Authors: Sahiba Nusrat , Teli Pankaj , Prajapat Prakash , Agarwal Shikha
Published: May 2020

World water resources are barely alive due to various factors such as rise
in population, adverse changes in the environment and the effects of pollutants,
which increase the demand for fresh-water. Numerous techniques have been
developed to solve the problem of water inadequacy, but most of them are adverse
with respect to the environment and economy. Graphene-oxide (GO) nanopore
materials may be an effective solution for water-purification due to its properties of
easy fabrication and modification. This next-generation membrane has high waterflux,
selectivity, and permeability to selected molecules. In this discussion, we have
covered the latest technologies and potential applications of GO for waterpurification,
which shall help researchers to get quick ideas for future research to
design and fabricate multi-layered GO membranes. This article gives a snapshot of
current status and proposed strategies of graphene-membranes for water treatment
with earlier information to wastewater management and stimulated progress in this
area from 2017 to date. The future challenges and opportunities in this field have
also been highlighted.
Trends in the Internet of Things (IoT) and Influence on the Industries’ Progress
Authors: Zeynvand Lorestani Vahid
Published: May 2020

This research aims to investigate the critical role of the Internet of Things in the future of industries’ progress. For this purpose, a survey of 250 top managers across 13 industries has conducted. The objective was to find their view of point about what short and mega trends, in which sector will have the most considerable influence in the five years as well as 30 years ahead. Moreover, various technologies are also identified that will have the most importance in the future according to the majority of the respondents, such as Internet of things, Automation and Artificial Intelligence, and, on the other hand, the segments that capital expenditure is currently being directed towards, such as Energy Efficiency and Personalisation of Services.
Digitalizáció hatása a hazai kereskedelmi stratégiákra
Authors: Kontor Enikő , Kiss Marietta , Fehér András
Published: May 2020

Tanulmányunk célja, hogy feltérképezzük a digitális tér illeszkedését napjaink és a jövő kereskedelmébe és meghatározzuk a digitalizáció hatását a hazai kereskedelmi stratégiákra. A fogyasztók információszerzési és vásárlási szokásai drámaian megváltoztak. A ma fogyasztója számára elsősorban a kényelem, a hatékonyság (a termékhez való gyors, kényelmes hozzáférés a megfelelő ár-érték arányban) és az élmény jelentik azokat a kulcstényezőket, melyek alapján döntését meghozza. A kereskedők igazodva ezekhez újszerű kereskedelmi stratégiákat alakítottak ki, melyeknek szerves része a digitalizáció vívmányainak felhasználása. Ennek egyik vetülete az e-kereskedelem egyre erőteljesebb globális fejlődése. A hazai online kereskedelem is évről évre jelentősen bővül. 2018. évi adatok alapján a belföldi és külföldi online értékesítés volumene meghaladta az 1000 milliárd forintot. A hazai online fogyasztók egyre gyakrabban és egyre nagyobb értékben vásárolnak az interneten. Az online bevásárlás virtuális valóság platformokon való megvalósulása pedig élményszerűbbé teheti ezt a vásárlási módot. A webshopoknak újabb fogyasztói igényeknek kell megfelelni és a megrendelt árut mielőbb, lehetőleg 24 órán belül kiszállítani. A csomagok kézbesítésének számos változata kezd egyre népszerűbbé válni (pl. csomagautomaták, pick pack pontok). A hagyományos csatornákat sem szabad azonban eltemetni. Óriási előnyük, hogy a vásárló több érzékszerven keresztül válogathat a termékek között és az impulzusvásárlásnak is nagyobb teret enged. Ezt a kor követelményeinek megfelelő digitális technológiával kombinálva teljes körű vásárlási élmény nyújtható. Felismerve ezt az igényt az online és hagyományos csatornák manapság sok esetben már keverednek (pl. multichannel, omnichannel, crosschannel) és rengeteg lehetőséget nyújtanak a fogyasztóknak a vásárlási folyamat során. A vásárlók kényelmét szolgálja a hagyományos üzletek eladóterének optimalizálása és a vásárlói útvonalak digitális technológiákkal (pl. digitális polccímke) való támogatása is. Az újabb innovációk a vásárlási folyamat automatizációját vonják maguk után és szenzorok (pl. Amazon Go) vagy robotok (pl. Pepper) segítségével teszik kényelmesebbé és személyre szabottabbá a vásárlási folyamatot. A digitális személyi asszisztensek az eladószemélyzet digitális változataként fognak feltűnni a jövőbeli vásárlásaink során.
Menedzsment módszerek az Ipar 4.0 tükrében
Authors: Filep Roland
Published: May 2020

A negyedik ipari forradalom a technológiai szempontok mellett menedzsment oldalról nézve is komoly kihívások elé állítja a szervezeteket. A megfelelő irányítás létfontosságú, segíthet leküzdeni a képzett munkaerőhiány és a költségcsökkentési nyomás támasztotta nehézségeket, valamint javítani az erőforrás-hatékonyságot. Az újítások megvalósításához olyan menedzsment módszerek szükségesek, amelyek támogatják az ipar 4.0-nak a bevezetését. Szakirodalmi feldolgozásommal arra keresem a választ, hogy ennek az új területnek a jelenlegi kidolgozottsági foka milyen segítséget tud nyújtani a KKV-k vezetői számára ahhoz, hogy a szervezet jobban tudja fogadni a változásokat. Az áttekintett irodalmak alapján menedzsment oldalról nézve a szervezeti struktúra, a vezetési stílus és a HR gyakorlatok kulcsfontosságúak a tanuláshoz és az innovációhoz megfelelő légkör kialakításában. Struktúra vonatkozásában a kutatók nem tesznek javaslatot egyetlen feltétlenül alkalmazandóra, viszont hangsúlyozzák, hogy az ipar 4.0-t instabil, változó környezet jellemzi, ezért olyan struktúrát érdemes kialakítani, amelyet decentralizáció, kevés szabály, horizontális kommunikáció és együttműködő csapatmunka jellemez, azaz sokkal inkább organikus, mint mechanikus. Vezetési stílus tekintetében a transzformációs vezetés kerül említésre a leggyakrabban, viszont az ipar 4.0 esetében ennél is többre van szükség, mert különböző korlátai lehetnek. A szakirodalom az ipar 4.0 előtt is kiemelte, hogy a transzformációs és a tranzakciós vezetés megfelelő kombinációjaként határozható meg az ajánlott vezetési stílus, az utóbbi évek ipar 4.0-val kapcsolatos kutatásai is azt hangsúlyozzák, hogy a kettő elegyeként előálló tudás orientált vezetési stílus kibővített konstrukciója könnyítheti meg leginkább az innovációt és a tanulást. A vezetők különféle HR gyakorlatokkal alakíthatják a dolgozók készségeit, javíthatják tanulási képességeiket. A megfelelő struktúra, a vezetési stílus és a HR tehát felkészítik a szervezetet az ipar 4.0-re azáltal, hogy megkönnyítik a tanulást, javítják a képességeket és az innovációt.
A technológiai fejlődés lehetséges munkahelyteremtő-, és romboló hatásai
Authors: Boros József
Published: May 2020

A történelem során a technológiai változások gyakran a munkavállalói szorongások alapját szolgálták. 1811 és 1816 között Angliában a munkavállalók egy csoportja – akik „Luddistáknak” nevezték magukat – tönkretették azokat a gépeket, amelyekről azt gondolták, hogy veszélyeztetik a munkahelyüket. A 19. századi gondolkodók és közgazdászok, mint Karl Marx és David Ricardo azt jósolták, hogy a gazdaság gépesítése végső soron a munkavállalói körülményeket rontaná, megfosztva őket attól, hogy egy elfogadható szintű bérből élhessenek. Az elmúlt évszázadban John M. Keynes (az 1930-as években) és Wassily Leontief (az 1950-es években) azon félelmüket fogalmazták meg, hogy egyre több és több munkást váltanak ki gépi megoldásokkal, amely munkanélküliséghez vezet. Az utóbbi években Brynjolfsson és McAfee (2014) állította, hogy a jelenlévő technológiák csökkentik a munkaerő iránti keresletet és az emberi munkaerő egy részét tartós hátrányba sodorják. Azonban számos kompenzációs mechanizmus létezik, amelyek ellensúlyozhatják az automatizálás és általában a folyamatinnováció kezdeti munkaerő-kiszorító  hatásait (Vivarelli, 2015). Először is, miközben a munkavállalókat kiváltják azokban az iparágakban, amelyekben bevezetik az új gépekbe épített technológiát, további munkavállalókra van szükség az új gépeket gyártó iparágakban. Másodszor, az automatizálás (és általánosságban a folyamatinnováció) csökkenti az átlagos költségeket. Acemoglu és Restrepo (2017) azt állapították meg, hogy ez egyrészről ár-termelékenységi („priceproductivity”) hatást eredményez (mivel a termelési költségek csökkennek, az iparág kibővítheti és növelheti munkaerő-igényét); és másrészről a termelés méretgazdaságossági hatásához vezet (az automatizálás miatti költségcsökkenés a teljes kibocsátás növekedéséhez vezet, és minden iparágban növeli a munkaerő iránti igényt). Hasonlóképpen, Vivarelli (2015) azzal érvel, hogy az alacsonyabb átlagköltségek alacsonyabb árakat eredményezhetnek (ha az ipar piaci struktúrája tökéletesen versenyképes), stimulálják a termékkeresletet, vagy extra nyereséget eredményezhetnek (ha az ipar szerkezete nem tökéletesen versenyképes). Ha ezeket az extra nyereségeket újra befektetik a cégbe, ez a beruházás új munkahelyeket teremthet. Az előadás ezen ellensúlyozó eseteket szándékozik bemutatni és valós példákkal alátámasztani a szakirodalom alapján.
A millenniumi generáció munkatapasztalatai
Authors: Liskuné Vathy Veronika , Bognár István Ádám , Kőmíves Péter Miklós , Körösparti Péter , Nagy Adrián Szilárd
Published: May 2020

Ha nyitott szemmel járunk a mindennapok során, akkor nem kerülheti el figyelmünket a hallgatói munkavégzés jelensége. Ezen tanulmány keretein belül az volt a célunk, hogy megvizsgáljuk a Debreceni Egyetem Gazdaságtudományi Karán első évfolyamon tanulmányaikat megkezdő hallgatók munkatapasztalatainak meglétét, későbbi elhelyezkedési terveit, jövedelmi igényeit. Emellett szakirodalmi vizsgálatok keretében elemezzük a hallgatói munkavégzéssel kapcsolatos legfontosabb forrásokat.

A felsőoktatásba újonnan belépő hallgatók szemléletének változására fontos figyelmet fordítani, mivel tanulmányaik befejezése után aktív munkakeresővé válnak. A Debreceni Egyetem Gazdaságtudományi Karán a 2019/2020-as tanévben mintegy 2000 fő került felvételre, akik közül 1700 meg is kezdte a tanulmányait. A kutatásunkat ezen hallgatók bevonásával végeztük.

Az adatfelvétel a Debreceni Egyetem által szervezett gólyatáborában résztvevő hallgatók körében történt. A felmérés kiterjed többek között a kezdő fizetési igények felmérésére, az eddigi munkatapasztalatokra, a jövőbeni tervekre, ehhez kapcsolódóan a külföldi munkavállalással kapcsolatos hajlandóságra, valamint arra, hogy mely tényezőket veszik figyelembe a munkahely választás során.
Az innováció lehetséges hatása a sportágak versenyképességére
Authors: Madarász Tamás
Published: May 2020

A sportágakhoz kapcsolódó innovációs és fejlesztő tevékenységek, illetve a folyamatok során létrejövő eszközök elősegítik a teljesítménykényszerben lévő sportági szereplőket (sportoló, edző, sportvezető), hogy szakágukban kiemelkedő eredményeket érjenek el.

A sportági eredményesség nagymértékben kihathat a sportágak társadalmi megítélésére és a gazdasági potenciáljukra, ezáltal a szakágak jövőjére is. Tanulmányomban arra vállalkozom, hogy bemutassam   a versenysporthoz kapcsolódó innovációs folyamatokat, továbbá ezen újító tevékenységek során létrejövő termékeket, majd megvizsgáljam, hogy ezen kellékek hogyan és milyen mértékben befolyásolják a vizsgált sportágak gazdasági és sportszakmai eredményességét.
A modern járművekben alkalmazott hajtásrendszerek áttekintése
Authors: Szántó Attila , Mankovits Tamás , Szíki Gusztáv Áron
Published: May 2020

Jelen közleményben áttekintjük a modern elektromos és hibrid rendszerű járműhajtásokat. Továbbá áttekintjük az azokban alkalmazott villanymotorok, akkumulátorok és üzemanyagcellák típusait, valamint a felépítésükkel és jellemző tulajdonságaikkal foglalkozó szakirodalmat. Továbbá, mivel a hibrid járművek fontos része a belsőégésű motor, áttekintjük azok hatékonyságának növelésére, valamint emissziójuk csökkentésére alkalmazott eljárásokat.
A stressz és a szabadidősport jelenléte a mai emberek életében
Authors: Kinczel Antónia
Published: May 2020

A mai embereket rendkívűl sok dolog lefoglalja, mint például a munka, a család, a tanulás, ezért a szabadidejüket olyan tevékenységekkel próbálják eltölteni, amelyek elősegítik őket a relaxációban, megnyugvásban, feltöltődésben.  Elmondható, hogy a mai világ emberei le vannak terhelve, sokkal stresszesebbek és idegesebbek, próbálnak a legjobban teljesíteni, hogy megfelelően éljenek. Sok embernek nehezére esik a kommunikáció, a közösségi élet. Rengetegen vannak, akik rákényszerűlnek arra, hogy otthonról is dolgozzanak, mivel a projektek és többhetes határidők nem várnak. Ezek mellett még rengeteg dolgot el kell végezni, kell foglalkozni a gyermekekkel, kell szórakozni, figyelni kell az egészségre, háztartást kell irányítani stb., így kevés idő marad arra, hogy azt végezzék az emberek amit igazából szeretnek. A kutatásomban felmértem a romániai és magyarországi lakosok szabadidős szokásait, a sportban való aktivításukat ugyanakkor az aktív rekrációs tevékenységekhez  való hozzáállásukat (N=273). Az eredmények azt mutatják, hogy még mindig a passzív szabadidős tevékenységek (tv nézés, olvasás, zenehallgatás, internetezés) a legnépszerűbbek az emberek körében, bár legtöbben ülő munkát végeznek. Azok az emberek, akik szabadidejükben sportolnak, sokkal felfrissültebbnek érezték maukgat, továbbá jobb volt a hangulatuk, pozitívabban gondolkodtak. Főleg azok a sportok kerülnek előtérbe, amelyeket az emberek a szabadban, a parkokban űzhetik.
Polylactic Acid as a Potential Alternatives of Traditional Plastic Packagings in Food Industry
Authors: Horváth Tibor , Szabó Tamás József , Marossy Kálmán
Published: May 2020

Huge quantity of synthetic polymers is used as packaging materials in different fields of food industries. A significant part of these polymers applied as a primary, direct food contact construction. The scoped application area is the sweet industry. In this field Polystyrol (PS), Polypropylene (PP) and Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have used but during the last fifteen years the usage of PET has been grown. In one hand the price of this material is efficient, form other hand the PET is the one of the most safe (for food industrial applications) petrol chemical plastic that can be used as primary or secondary food contact packaging material. To maximize the customer safety and minimize the environmental impact of traditional PET, a new bio-sourced and bio-degradable alternative polymer aimed to be used in this special food industrial segment. One of the potential alternatives is the Polylactic acid (PLA) that would be a possible substitute as it is compostable and produced from renewable sources and has good physical and mechanical properties [1].
Casting Issues of Thick-Walled High Pressure Die Castings
Authors: Molnár Dániel , Kiss Ádám , Majoros Csaba
Published: May 2020

Die casting is a manufacturing process for producing accurately dimensioned, sharply defined, smooth or textured surface metal parts. It is accomplished by injecting liquid metal at fast velocity and under high pressure into reusable steel dies. Compared to other casting processes, die casting is at the top end of both velocity and pressure. The high velocity translates into a very turbulent flow condition. The process is often described as the shortest distance between raw material and the finished product.

Pre-fill is a process technique that is the result of significantly delaying the start of fast shot beyond the “metal at the gate” position. It can be stated as a percentage of cavity fill or as a distance beyond metal at the gate.
Compliant Mechanisms in Progress and Development Of Modern Technology
Authors: Lates Daniel , Casvean Marius
Published: May 2020

In this paper, the compliant mechanisms will be presented. There will be presented some representative works that have brought progress and development in modern technology. Examples will be presented from simple concepts such as a tweezers, staples, to mechanical clutches, pointer and micro-compliant mechanical structures.
Design of Manufacturing Process of Mould for Die Casting by EDM Technology with the Computer Aided
Authors: Straka Luboslav , Dittrich Gabriel
Published: May 2020

At present, we cannot imagine a modern production process without computer support. At the same time, its integral part is the implementation of advanced and highly sophisticated production processes and technologies. Their aim is first and foremost to ensure quality production of products with high economic efficiency of the production process. EDM technology is one of the currently active progressive technologies. This is a technology that in practice is characterized by high product quality. The high quality of products not only through this progressive technology, but also other, whether conventional or progressive, is difficult to achieve without computer support. The aim of the paper is therefore to demonstrate the process of manufacturing a die-casting mould using progressive EDM technology using computer support.
Missing-Data Handling Methods for Lifelogs-Based Wellness Index Estimation: Comparative Analysis With Panel Data (Preprint)
Authors: Kim Ki-Hun , Kim Kwang-Jae
Published: May 2020

BACKGROUND

A lifelogs-based wellness index (LWI) is a function for calculating wellness scores based on health behavior lifelogs (eg, daily walking steps and sleep times collected via a smartwatch). A wellness score intuitively shows the users of smart wellness services the overall condition of their health behaviors. LWI development includes estimation (ie, estimating coefficients in LWI with data). A panel data set comprising health behavior lifelogs allows LWI estimation to control for unobserved variables, thereby resulting in less bias. However, these data sets typically have missing data due to events that occur in daily life (eg, smart devices stop collecting data when batteries are depleted), which can introduce biases into LWI coefficients. Thus, the appropriate choice of method to handle missing data is important for reducing biases in LWI estimations with panel data. However, there is a lack of research in this area.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to identify a suitable missing-data handling method for LWI estimation with panel data.

METHODS

Listwise deletion, mean imputation, expectation maximization–based multiple imputation, predictive-mean matching–based multiple imputation, k-nearest neighbors–based imputation, and low-rank approximation–based imputation were comparatively evaluated by simulating an existing case of LWI development. A panel data set comprising health behavior lifelogs of 41 college students over 4 weeks was transformed into a reference data set without any missing data. Then, 200 simulated data sets were generated by randomly introducing missing data at proportions from 1% to 80%. The missing-data handling methods were each applied to transform the simulated data sets into complete data sets, and coefficients in a linear LWI were estimated for each complete data set. For each proportion for each method, a bias measure was calculated by comparing the estimated coefficient values with values estimated from the reference data set.

RESULTS

Methods performed differently depending on the proportion of missing data. For 1% to 30% proportions, low-rank approximation–based imputation, predictive-mean matching–based multiple imputation, and expectation maximization–based multiple imputation were superior. For 31% to 60% proportions, low-rank approximation–based imputation and predictive-mean matching–based multiple imputation performed best. For over 60% proportions, only low-rank approximation–based imputation performed acceptably.

CONCLUSIONS

Low-rank approximation–based imputation was the best of the 6 data-handling methods regardless of the proportion of missing data. This superiority is generalizable to other panel data sets comprising health behavior lifelogs given their verified low-rank nature, for which low-rank approximation–based imputation is known to perform effectively. This result will guide missing-data handling in reducing coefficient biases in new development cases of linear LWIs with panel data.
VOJNA I BEZBEDNOSNA SARADNJA KINE I SRBIJE: POKAZATELJ NOVE ULOGE KINE U EVROPI
Authors: Trailovic Dragan
Published: May 2020

Saradnja Narodne Republike Kine i Republike Srbije se u okviru postojećeg sveobuhvatnog strateškog partnerstva poslednjih nekoliko godina, pored dosadašnjih polja partnerskih odnosa, proširila i na sferu vojne i saradnje u oblasti bezbednosti. Ta saradnja se odvija u dva dela sistema nacionalne bezbednosti Republike Srbije i to u vojnom domenu i u domenu policijske saradnje. U osnovi ovakvog angažmana NR Kine u Srbiji bi se mogli naći, mogući pokušaj njenog ulaska na bezbednosno i odbrambeno tržište Evrope sa jedne strane, kao i njena potreba da zaštiti svoja ulaganja i projekte duž novog Puta svile, sa druge. Stoga je cilj ovog rada da prikaže oblike ostvarene i dogovorene saradnje između Narodne Republike Kine i Republike Srbije u ovim oblastima, a kao pokazatelja potencijalnih formi saradnje Kine i sa drugim državama Evrope, te tako i ostvarenja njene nove uloge u Evropi kao bezbednosnog aktera.
Citizenship Ceremonies in Germany: A More Universalist Kulturnation
Authors: Jacob Maria
Published: May 2020

After 2000, a profound liberalization of naturalization criteria in Germany was followed by culturalist setbacks: language requirements were tightened, a civics test, a pledge of allegiance, and citizenship ceremonies were introduced. Can these developments be termed a liberal assimilationist turn in what it means to be a citizen or is this a revival of the old notion of a German cultural identity as Kulturnation (cultural nation)? The qualitative study of German citizenship ceremonies presented herein, provides an in-depth analysis of the logics of “liberal assimilation” and the nexus between culture, citizenship, and national belonging. At the ceremonies, “culture” is referenced as a universally human feature that binds people together. Conversely, culture is also presented as an individual folkloristic asset that can be used for profit and for contributing to the value of diversity. This twofold conceptual specification of “culture” is then discussed as an adaptation of the originally universalist Kulturnation idea and as a modern solution to the problem of societal integration.

Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v11i1.256
Re-Discovering the Importance of Citizenship Through Immigrants' Experiences: Naturalization and Political Integration in Padua, Italy
Authors: Shkopi Eriselda , Vathi Zana
Published: May 2020

This paper focuses on processes of political integration for immigrants in the Italian context, constituting as it does an understudied topic. It does so by looking at one specific community, Albanian immigrants, who have been typically heavily stigmatized. While Albanian immigration in Italy has been a focus of previous research, no consideration so far has been given to naturalization and its influence on other political processes at the level of immigrants’ daily lives. Through the meanings which participants of this research attribute to citizenship and their acting as political agents, the paper unpacks the relations between this "status passage" (Glaser and Strauss 1971) and the political integration of immigrants. The findings show a very complex picture in which multiple factors and interactions play an important role. Legally speaking, Italian citizenship is a pre-condition for immigrants to enjoy the right to vote in elections at all levels, which participants considered a significant indicator of their political integration. Therefore, the political integration of immigrants is heavily conditioned by naturalization, which gives access to political rights, voice and representation as regulated at the state level. However, when considering the role of age and social capital in processes of political integration, there is also reason to believe that the political mobilization and participation of the youngest and most well-educated participants is not as exclusively attached to such formal recognition as a political subject.

 

Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v11i1.258
Introduction: Integration Through Crises
Authors: D'Erman Valerie , Verdun Amy
Published: May 2020

The introductory paper to this Special Issue discusses the idea of crisis in relation to European integration from a historical perspective in order to contextualize four different current events in the European Union (EU) in turn – euro area crisis, migration crisis, Brexit, and the rise of populist responses to EU governance. We turn to the wider scholarly concept of ‘crisis’ and apply it to large-scale events affecting the EU, in order to relate events to broader theoretical discussions about the progression of the EU. Existing literature on the topic highlights different varieties of crisis scenarios: those that undermine the basic integrity of the undertaking; those that threaten certain domains or the activities of certain groups; and those that reflect short-term, but acute dangers that may be overcome without structural damage. This introductory contribution situates each of the four above-mentioned ‘crises’ in the context of these varieties and offers suggestions for how each crisis might influence the future direction of European integration by using illustrations from each of the articles in this special issue.

 

Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v12i1.1230
The Union of Laughter and Forgetting? The European Union and the Construction of its own History
Authors: Tesler-Mabe Hernan
Published: May 2020

As recently as one year ago, the European Union was seemingly on a direct path toward its avowed goal of "ever closer union." In numerous publications, EU authorities asserted that they had the confidence of European peoples desirous only of further integration. In the wake of the failed referenda for a European Constitution, however, enthusiasts of European Union can no longer be certain that their enterprise will succeed. The European Union, once strong and united, seems now an entity teetering on the edge of collapse. The reasons for such a dramatic shift are, of course, wide-ranging. Yet I would suggest that a great part of the general European disillusionment with European Union has come about as a result of the actions of the Europeanists themselves. Over the last decades, European officials have exhibited a frightfully high incidence of revisionism in their literature. This practice, I argue, has caused many Europeans to question the integrity of the project of European Union. For my presentation, I intend to undertake a close study of a selection of documents published by the European Communities. In this endeavour, I will compare and contrast the messages imparted in different editions of these works and consider the semiotic significance of the textual and non-textual language appearing therein. In this manner, I hope to achieve two aims. First, I mean to add a corrective element to a literature that, guided by a teleological interpretation of integration, endows integration with”logic" to be found only in hindsight. Second, I intend to examine the many meanings that the EU has had over its history and assess how closely policy has adhered to the ideological goals of prominent Europeanists. In sum, I hope to shed light on the fundamental disconnect between advocates of Europe and the "man on the street" and help establish a dialogue which may contribute to resolving the current impasse within the European Union.

Full text available: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v2i4.178
Propaganda Instruments in Contemporary Campaigns: Comparison of Estonian Political Television Advertisements and Modern Television Commercials
Authors: Uudelepp Agu
Published: May 2020

The author argues in the present article that although propaganda is considered mostly a tool of ideological communication suitable for use during wars or in totalitarian states, it is still used in contemporary democratic societies at peacetime and there are no major differences between employing instruments of propaganda in the public or the private sectors. The present analysis is based on the similarities and differences between Estonian political television advertisements and modern television commercials with an emphasis on the application of propaganda instruments. The author employed content analysis when studying the sample in which were 100 non-political and 84 political advertisements. This research shows that Estonian political television advertisements and international non-political television advertisements share some significant similarities: cognitive propaganda instruments are more widely employed than social ortechnological ones. The role oftechnological propaganda instruments is diminishing and such instruments are replaced by structural ones. A major difference is that, on average, there are more propaganda instruments per advertisement in political television advertisements than in non-political television advertisements, and technological propaganda instruments are not employed in non-political television advertisements.

Full text available: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v3i1.182
Money, Security, and the Relationships of Trust: Toward an Integrated Understanding of Gorbachev's Role in German Unity
Authors: Eedy Sean
Published: May 2020

Constructivist theory has been part of the historiography of the Cold War's end and the unification of Germany since the late 1990s. However, much of the literature on the subject of Gorbachev and German unity interprets events using security and economics as having dictated Soviet policy of the period. This paper discusses Materialist, Realist, and Constructivist theories and their necessary interaction to provide a more thorough analysis of Gorbachev's role in German unity. It argues not only that German Unification was the unforeseen byproduct of Gorbachev's policies meant to revitalize the Soviet economy, but also that German unity was not possible until Gorbachev's economic and security concerns for the USSR's future were allayed. These concerns were not addressed by traditional measures, but through the trust developed between Gorbachev, West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and the Federal Republic of Germany. Constructivist theory adds significant dimensions to the existing interpretations of Materialist and Realist theories in explaining how Gorbachev addressed Soviet concerns and policies of reform during the process of German unification where earlier confrontationist policies failed.

 

Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v6i1.207
Five Lessons from European Democracy
Authors: Matijasevich David
Published: May 2020

Outside of some states still struggling with post-communist transitions, Europe itself may be the first European democracy to collapse in decades. Though never a bastion of participatory democracy and even subject to continuous criticism due to its democratic deficit, the European Union (EU) has provided hope to those who envision a post-national democratic political community. As such, whether the EU survives its present crisis or not, cosmopolitan democrats will look to the EU as a vindication of their ideals. Though perhaps surprising given their track record, this paper will argue that political scientists, especially those concerned with democratization, can also be optimistic about what the EU has brought to the table in terms of how we conceive processes of democratic development. Throughout the paper it will be demonstrated that the creation and maintenance of the European democracy has challenged much of the literature's fundamental assumptions of what makes democracy work. Five key lessons from the European democratic experience will be presented in an attempt to disrupt some of these assumptions including lessons regarding the diversity of the demos, the contingency of democratic upkeep, the challenges of the state, the role of elites in political transformation, and the necessity of exclusion within inclusive spaces. Though a general theory of democracy will not be presented, suggestions will be made as to how we can incorporate some of these lessons into the dominant approaches to democracy found in the literature.

 

Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v7i1.214
Mental Models and the Europe 2020 Strategy: Neo-schumpetarian Ideas in Innovation and Education
Authors: King Conrad
Published: May 2020

This article asks how ideas have mattered for the establishment of policy goals for the Europe 2020 Strategy. I argue that despite the specification of new environmental and social targets, the overall policy goals of Europe 2020 remain consistent with the 2000 Lisbon Agenda because the European Council and the European Commission have had resilient causal beliefs about the challenges of globalization, as well as the appropriate responses to these challenges. Using Alan Jacobs's theory of mental models and attention heuristics, this article describes the connection between neo-schumpetarian ideas and the policy outcomes of Europe 2020, particularly in the domains of innovation and education policy. Establishing this connection is an essential first step to explain precisely how ideas can determine and maintain the policy preferences of particular EU actors, a direction for future research.

 

Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v7i2.217
Has the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) Been Able to Promote Economic Diversification?
Authors: Yücesoy Vahid
Published: May 2020

Oil-rich countries have oftentimes been confronted with the challenge of diversifying their economies away from oil dependence given the exhaustible nature of these fossil fuels. Investing in sovereign wealth funds has been one of the most ubiquitous ways of preparing for the post-oil period. Investing in sovereign wealth funds rather than directly injecting the oil revenues in the economy not only precludes the outbreak of the Dutch Disease (which is known for giving rise to an exchange rate appreciation, crowding out non-oil industries and keeping the economy reliant on oil), but it also saves for future generations. Yet, in the case of Azerbaijan, the Sovereign Wealth Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), founded in 1999, has only increased this reliance on oil. Using the rentier states theoretical framework, this paper will argue that the direct control over SOFAZ exercised by the president and the lack of consultation with the NGOs have made corruption easier, making the task of economic diversification more difficult. This has been possible because through corruption the president has often resorted to oil money to buy peace rather than invest it in economic diversification. As a result, since the foundation of SOFAZ, the country is more reliant, not less, on oil.

 

Full text available at: https://doi.org/10.22215/rera.v8i1.223