bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Número de unidade de terapia intensiva no Brasil entre 2009 a 2016
Authors: Domingues Pinheiro Leisson , Macedo Ramalho Mauricia , Moraes Bastos Damasceno Athos Ricardo
Published: December 2018

Este trabalho desperta uma análise de como vem se estruturando o sistema de saúde no Brasil e aplicação dos recursos na assistência de alta complexidade. O objetivo da pesquisa é realizar um levantamento dos estabelecimentos de saúde que prestam serviços em unidade de terapia intensiva ao sistema único de saúde. A metodologia empregada foi à busca na base de dados do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística e censo da Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira. Foi obtido um total de 1057 estabelecimentos em 2009 no IBGE e 1961 estabelecimentos em 2016 no censo de AMIB, observando um aumento médio de 76% em sete anos o número de estabelecimento de saúde em todo território brasileiro. A região sudeste tem uma representatividade maior em relação a outras regiões. Apesar do aumento médio geral dos estabelecimentos há necessidade da manutenção da satisfação e segurança assistencial para os usuários do sistema único de saúde.
Qualitative study of owner perceptions of chronic pain in their dogs
Authors: Davis Kelly N. , Hellyer Peter W. , Carr Eloise C. J. , Wallace Jean E. , Kogan Lori R.
Published: December 2018

OBJECTIVE To understand the experiences of owners of dogs with chronic pain and explore owner perceptions of their pets' pain.

DESIGN Observational study.

SAMPLE 10 owners of dogs with chronic pain.

PROCEDURES Owners were interviewed by means of a semistructured and conversational technique. Interviews were then transcribed and analyzed with standard qualitative methodology to code for major themes.

RESULTS Major themes that were identified included changes in owner schedule, effects on owner relationships, and necessary resources when owning a pet with chronic pain. Owners discussed their perceptions of their pets' pain, and several participants referred to empathizing with their pet owing to their own experiences with pain. Owners also suggested ways that veterinarians can support them during the experience of owning a dog with chronic pain.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE By understanding the impact of chronic pain on dog owners and appreciating how owners perceive pain in their pets, veterinarians may be able to provide better care for patients and clients.
Rhabdomyolisys as a Cause of Acute Renal Injury
Authors: Nikolova M. , Guerguinova N. , Tsocheva T. , Vasilieou D. , Hristova M. , Hubanov N. , Papazov V. , Kirilov Al. , Mushekov V. , Manov E. , Vlahov Y. , Bogdanova V. , Petkov K. , Davidov K. , Yosifov D. , Ivanova D. , Krasteva R. , Bogov B.
Published: December 2018

Rhabdomyolysis (RM) is defined as striate muscle-cell damage with disintegration of skeletal muscles and release of intracellular constituents to the circulation, with or without subsequent kidney injury. RM is one of the leading causes of acute kidney injury and is associated with substantial morbidity. The major signs of acute kidney injury in rhabdomyolysis are: pain, weakness and swelling of the injured muscle or muscle groups and myoglobinuria with reddish discoloration of the urine and decrease in urine output to anuria. The authors describe three cases of rhabdomyolysis with acute renal injury and discuss the current knowledge on the etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of this condition.
An attempt to reconstruct selected elements of the original site topography of the Teutonic castles at Unisław and Starogród (Chełmno Land, Northern Poland) based on archaeological and cartographic data
Authors: Molewski Paweł , Wasik Bogusz , Wiewióra Marcin
Published: December 2018

The article presents an attempt to reconstruct the original site topographies of 13th-century Teutonic castles at Unisław and Starogród, which have not been preserved in the surface terrain. The archaeological remains of both castles are located in the west of Chełmno Land, on the edge of a moraine plateau 30 to 50 metres above the floor of the Vistula valley. The reconstruction used a research approach known as Historical GIS (HGIS), which, besides archaeological data, employs digitised historical cartographic sources. The research showed that changes in the original site topography are associated with anthropogenic transformations in the plateau surface, mainly due to agricultural use, and with retreat of the plateau edge resulting from natural and man-made landslide processes. The authors believe that the reconstruction of the castles’ original site topographies could be used to verify detailed hypotheses related to the conditions of their construction and operation.
Hydromorphological and physicochemical conditions of the Parsęta River
Authors: Szpikowski Józef , Szpikowska Grażyna
Published: December 2018

Rivers are hydromorphologically assessed in line with the Water Framework Directive. In order to assess the quality of the Parsęta River environment, the River Habitat Survey method was applied. The research studies, conducted in June 2016, provided an overview of hydromorphological issues, and also covered measurements and laboratory analyses on the quality of its waters. There were 24 measuring sections selected along the whole river. The selection of these sections took into account the representativeness of genetically various types of river valley, its size and discharge, and the variability of anthropogenic pressure. The assessment showed that the Parsęta River varies in natural quality (its HQA index ranged from 17 to 61) and that the modification of its valley is variable but generally low (its HMS index ranged from 0 to 33). Seventy-nine percent of the analysed sections were classified to the second (II) and third (III) hydromorphological classes, 8% to the first (I), and 13% to the fourth (IV). The central section of the Parsęta River has the highest degree of naturalness and the lowest degree of transformation. The river valley sections of kettle-hole origin are more transformed than those of fluvial origin. The quality of the Parsęta River waters assessed on the grounds of their physicochemical parameters indicates that the river is in good condition. The individual river water parameters are most often within the first (I) and second (II) classes. Any instances of the quality of waters being below the “good” level are due to phosphate concentrations exceeding the second (II) class and are contained within a 15-km stretch of the river below Białogard. A river section with a high degree of hydromorphological naturalness has the worst quality of waters.
An attempt at a typology of karst lakes in the Połaniec Basin (Małopolska Upland)
Authors: Stachura Michał , Wieczorek Dariusz , Zieliński Artur
Published: December 2018

The main goal of the paper is to attempt a typology of karst lakes in the Połaniec Basin (Małopolska Upland). The typology was conducted on the basis of a dependence analysis of several essential morphometric parameters of lake basins. The considered data comprised 23 lakes with respect to 15 morphometric features. The correlation analysis, mainly of a group of lakes located in single karst sinkholes, revealed that the length and width of basins are strongly correlated. It is also noticeable that basin shape determines lake volume, even though pools of similar water volume may differ in area. Moreover, an increase in the maximum depth of basins does not necessarily imply any increase in volume. Likewise, there is no prevalent dependence between basin area and maximum depth. The cluster analysis, among reasonable indications, generally identified a division of the considered lakes into two sets. One of the sets comprises Duży Staw and Dziki Staw, while the other consists of all the other lakes. Less frequent divisions into three indicated Duży Staw, Dziki Staw, and Czwarty Staw as the leading lakes. Divisions into 19–22 clusters were also suggested, but this does not seem to be reliable. As a consequence, the cluster analysis showed that Duży Staw and Dziki Staw stand out the most from the other lakes. This remainder constitutes rather close to each other, but not an ideally uniform group of lakes.
Mineralogy and deformation structures in components of clastic sediments from the Morasko meteorite lake (Poland)
Authors: Duczmal-Czernikiewicz Agata , Choiński Adam , Ptak Mariusz , Muszyński Andrzej
Published: December 2018

The paper presents a mineralogical analysis of sediments of the biggest lake in the Morasko Meteorite Reserve (Poland). The lake is filled by phytogenic sediments at the top, while at the bottom there are Neogene clays. The main components are: clay minerals in fine fraction and quartz and feldspars in coarse sandy fractions. The presence of disturbed ferrous zones suggests the existence of a dynamic factor that caused deformations in the sediments. Cavities, crevices, cracks, and traces of parching or fragmentation of mineral material can be interpreted as deformations related to the impact of meteorite fragments in non-consolidated soft sediments in the Morasko meteorite nature reserve. Meteorite fragments that left numerous deformed structures were most probably consituted meteorite debris that originated from the fragmentation of the meteorite before its impact.
Measuring the Value of the Assets of the Monument Building When Assessing the Insured Value of an Object
Authors: Tsatsulin Alexander
Published: December 2018

The forthcoming transfer of St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg being a UNESCO World Heritage Site to the Russian Orthodox Church ignites a heated debate within the Russian society. The cathedral being part of the State Museum Complex stands out as a pearl of the world’s iconic architecture. Furthermore, it is the second most visited museum after the Hermitage, boasts an outstanding exhibition potential, and it regularly hosts church services and ritual events. Museum collections exceed twenty-four thousand items of storage, and they continue to be replenished with found rarities and newly restored objects with the status of a relic to be protected. The aim of the article is to measure the value of the assets of the monument building, assessing the insured value of the object. Uncertainty of the future use of the disputed object, however, allows us to consider the calculation capabilities and methodical tools of valuation activities to measure the market and insurance value of such a real estate object and land plot, for example, in order to practice damage compensation and transfer the object from the balance sheet of one owner to balance of another owner. The latter circumstance determines the main discourse of this study. The present article is devoted to questions of an expert estimation of the insured value of the object of research in the form of St. Isaac’s Cathedral. The article is a continuation of a series of previously published works by the author.
Mobile Communications, physical distance and access to follow-up healthcare service in Lagos Metropolis
Authors: Aiyegbajeje Femi Ola , Ajayi Dickson Dare
Published: December 2018

The widespread use of mobile communications has resulted in a new practice in family and social life, with significant implications for physical distance. This is because mobile communication allows users to overcome spatial issues such as distance to healthcare services, shift to person-to-person connectivity, and the blur boundaries between one point and another. The uneven distribution of healthcare facilities and distances among them has compounded the provision of follow-up care services to healthcare seekers. Therefore, this paper examined the relationship between the use of mobile telephone to access follow-up health-care services and physical distance separating out-patients from healthcare centres. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model provided the framework for the study. Using a systematic random sampling technique, a structured questionnaire focusing on socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age, and income), mobile telephone usage for follow-up healthcare services and its effect on physical distance, was administered on 370 respondents at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba, Lagos. Pearson correlation was used to determine the relationship between the physical distance of patients from the hospital and mobile telephone calls for follow-up healthcare services, and the result revealed a strong positive relationship between them (r = 0.898, p ≤ 0.05). The result indicates that 134 patients used mobile telephone to access follow-up health-care services. It was also found that physical distance is responsible for 89.8% of mobile telephone calls for follow-up healthcare services. Continuous use of mobile telephone technology to improve the quality of follow-up health care service provision for patient satisfaction is recommended.
Cooperation between China and Romania under Belt and Road Initiative
Authors: Yu Linna
Published: December 2018

China’s greatest international economic aspiration is the “Belt and Road” Initiative (BRI), to stimulate economic corporation in a wide region including sub regions in Asia, Africa and Europe. This paper does researches for the cooperation between China and Romania at the background of BRI. It shows a short introduction of BRI and analyses import and export trade data included China with Europe, Europe Union and Romania to make a prediction about future development. It makes a comparison to different countries in BRI by Belt and Road Index (BARI). We will analyze Romanian basic economic situation, main factors about BARI and potential risks.
The Influence and Application of Artificial Intelligence &Blockchain on Financial Service
Authors: Chang Shu-Han , Shih Chien-Ping
Published: December 2018

The advances in science and technology have benefited many industries. In recent years, we have witnessed the rapid development of financial technology. All of them worked hard in this area, such as Amazon, UPS, and Wal-Mart International. In China, leading e-commerce platforms such as Alibaba and Tencent actively provided services to SMEs in their ecosystems; Taiwan also make efforts to develop it. The emergence of networking account scientific and technological AMIS provides various payment companies, lending platform, financial robots. Although Taiwan’s innovation industry faces many restrictions on its development, it will still go through it. Therefore, Taiwan has continued to update laws and regulations related to financial technology. The latest rule “Financial Science and Technology Development and Innovation Experiments Regulations” regards the development of Taiwan’s financial technology. FinTech has gradually replaced the traditional financial service model. Through mobile payments, cloud platforms, and artificial intelligence, the technology industry has gradually penetrated into the financial industry. We are willing to make more progress in Taiwan’s financial technology to deepen the understanding of FinTech as a study.
Is There Relationship between Renewable Electrical Consumption and Economic Growth in Romania?
Authors: Liu Lu
Published: December 2018

This study probes the causal link between renewable electrical consumption (REC) and economic growth (EG) in Romanian. In recent years, the development of renewable energy in Romania has achieved basic results, but it also faces many problems, such as funding, technical policies and so on. This paper reviews the development motivation, characteristics and main problems of renewable energy in Romania. And put forward strategies such as increasing investment in research and development, adapting to local conditions and sustainable development.
Prevalence of Chondral Lesions in Knee Arthroscopy
Authors: Fodor Pál , Sólyom Árpád , Ivănescu Adrian , Fodor Raluca , Bățagă Tiberiu
Published: December 2018

Background: Chondral and osteochondral injuries of the knee joint are undervalued in subjects undergoing orthopedic surgery. Chondral lesions are difficult to diagnose as they do not present specific clinical signs. The objective of the study was to establish the prevalence of cartilage injuries in patients undergoing arthroscopy of the knee for knee pain or instability.

Materials and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 355 consecutive knee arthroscopies. Chondral lesions were found in 247 (69.6%) cases. Regarding their location, chondral lesions were more likely to be located on the medial femoral condyle (53.8%), while lesions on the lateral femoral condyle alone (0.8%) were the least frequent ones. Chondral injuries were frequently found with associated articular findings such as meniscal lesions (56.68%) and anterior cruciate ligament tears (2.84%) or both menisci and anterior cruciate ligament tear (15.38%). The ICRS grade II cartilage lesions were most frequently diagnosed (56.3%) while grade IV was the least frequent type (6.9%).

Conclusions: Chondral damage is frequently diagnosed during knee arthroscopy, present in more than 50% of the arthroscopies performed for various indications, and an important part of cartilage injuries were linked with other intraarticular findings, such as anterior cruciate ligament tear and medial meniscus tear.
Comparison of Dental Flossing and Oral Health Status among Dental Students and High School Students
Authors: Benedek Csilla Bukhari , Lazăr Luminița , Buka Imola Zsuzsa , Vlasa Alexandru
Published: December 2018

Background: Along with brushing, using dental floss is an important part of tooth cleaning. This adjunctive method helps remove the bacterial plaque mainly from the interdental area and from the gingival sulcus.

The aim of the study was to compare the correct and incorrect methods of using dental floss among students from different high schools and students from the Faculty of Dentistry.

Material and methods: A total number of 96 young adults with a mean age of 21 years (range 18–25 years) were admitted in the study, being divided into three groups: students from Baia Mare (Group 1), students from Odorheiu Secuiesc (Group 2), and the control group consisted of students from the Faculty of Dental Medicine from Tîrgu Mureș (Group 3). The students were invited to complete a questionnaire regarding the use of dental floss. In the second part of the study, a total number of 30 students (10 students from each group) were examined using the Williams periodontal probe, a dental mirror, and a dental probe, and the following parameters were recorded: the papilla bleeding index (PBI), the tartar index (TI), and the DMF-S index.

Results: The lowest gingival bleeding during brushing was observed in Group 3 (p = 0.0070). The majority of people who regularly use dental floss were in Group 3 (p <0.0001). There were no significant differences between groups regarding gender in the use of dental floss: Group 1 (p >0.9999), Group 2 (p = 0.3358), and Group 3 (p = 0.3303).

Conclusions: Regarding the used periodontal indices (TI, PBI), the highest peak was achieved by students from Group 2, and the lowest values were recorded among students from Group 3. The DMF-S index was the highest among students from Group 1 and lowest among students from Group 3.
Favorable Postoperative Evolution after Late Surgical Repair of Truncus Arteriosus Type 1: A Case Report
Authors: Toma Daniela , Șuteu Carmen Corina , Togănel Rodica
Published: December 2018

Truncus arteriosus communis (TA) is a rare cyanotic congenital heart defect, in which the aorta and the pulmonary artery have not been separated during the normal development of the fetal heart, so a single truncal artery is arising from the base of the heart. Most patients with TA present within the first weeks of life with heart failure. This anomaly is an important cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Corrective surgery is indicated in the first 3 months of life, to avoid the development of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension. We report the case of a 12-month-old male infant diagnosed by echocardiography with truncus arteriosus type 1 in whom, based on hemodynamic data, surgical treatment could be performed at the age of 1 year.
Knowledge and Attitude of Dentists Regarding Patients Undergoing Bisphosphonate Treatment: a Comparative Questionnaire
Authors: Albu-Stan Ioana-Aurița , Petrovan Cecilia , Cerghizan Diana , Eremie Lia Yero , Crăciun Adriana Elena , Copotoiu Constantin
Published: December 2018

Background: Osteonecrosis of the jaw is an uncommon but serious complication related to oral and intravenous bisphosphonate (BP) therapy. Its pathogenesis is not well understood, and there are no universal protocols accepted to treat it.

The aim of our study was to use the same questionnaire as four years ago to evaluate the awareness of dentists in Tîrgu Mureș regarding the dental treatments that can be applied in patients on BP therapy, and to assess how their knowledge on the subject has evolved over these years.

Material and method: We used the same questionnaire-based study as four years ago among dentists in Tîrgu Mureș, raising important issues such as: is the patient asked about current or previous treatments with BPs, do they perform surgical treatment in these patients, do they know under what conditions they can perform this treatment, or do they deem it necessary to contact the prescriber before surgical treatment.

Results: One-hundred twenty questionnaires were returned. The majority of respondents (n = 113, 94.2%) included the question regarding the use of BPs in their medical records. Of all respondents, 48 (40%) perform dental or surgical treatments on patients undergoing BP therapy, 68 (56.7%) do not perform dental or surgical treatments on these patients, and four of the respondents (3.3%) did not know the answer. One hundred (83.3%) respondents always contact the prescriber prior to surgery in these patients, regardless of how BPs are administered.

Conclusions: According to the findings of the present study, many of the respondent doctors have heard about BPs and their complications, but they are not aware of the fundamental concepts of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw prevention and treatment protocols. In the absence of appropriate protocols, the quality of life of these patients is compromised.
Malnutrition and Metabolic Changes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Cernea Simona , Roiban Andrada Larisa , Both Emőke
Published: December 2018

Background/Aim: In patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), malnutrition has been recognized as a serious health problem mainly in hospitalized conditions, but there is little data regarding malnutrition outside hospital settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of malnutrition and associated metabolic changes in ambulatory patients with T2D.

Material and methods: This analysis used data collected from 161 patients with T2D enrolled in a larger cross-sectional study. Several anthropometric and metabolic parameters were obtained. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score. Correlations between nutritional status and metabolic and anthropometric parameters of interest were examined.

Results: Of all T2D patients, 29.8% had mild malnutrition (CONUT score 2–4). These patients presented lower triglyceride (124.8 ± 42.3 mg/dL vs. 165.7 ± 84.3 mg/dL, p <0.01) and LDL cholesterol concentrations (62.7 ± 20.0 mg/dL vs. 104.9 ± 30.6 mg/dL, p <0.0001), higher leptin levels (10.2 [1.6–44.9] ng/mL vs. 7.3 [0.9–49.8] ng/mL, p <0.05) and free leptin index (0.65 [0.04–2.88] vs. 0.36 [0.01–3.98], p <0.05) compared with patients with normal nutritional status. They also had higher total body adiposity. In patients with obesity, triglycerides levels were lower in those with mild malnutrition vs. those without malnutrition (mean difference: 27.26 mg/dL, p <0.05). Serum C peptide/leptin ratio was higher in T2D patients with normal nutritional status without obesity, the differences being significant vs. the two groups with obesity (with or without malnutrition, 0.71 ± 0.53, 0.42 ± 0.33, and 0.49 ± 0.68, respectively). HOMA-IR was lower in patients with normal nutritional status without obesity vs. those with obesity (mean difference: −0.7126, p <0.05), while in patients with mild malnutrition, HOMA-IR values were higher, but no differences were noted between the groups with or without obesity.

Conclusion: In patients with T2D, malnutrition associated with lower triglycerides concentrations, even in the presence of obesity. Malnutrition and/or obesity associated with higher HOMA-IR, serum leptin levels and lower C peptide/leptin ratio.
Widely Accepted Credibility Criteria for Online Health-related Information Are Not Correlated with Content Quality of Stroke Webpages in Two Languages of Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Popescu Septimiu Daniel , Popescu Alex Otniel , Maior David , Dănilă Mihaela , Dobria Mihaela , Nădăşan Valentin
Published: December 2018

Background: Finding accurate health-related information on the Internet may be a real challenge for users lacking the critical skills necessary to assess the validity of online content, even if they browse websites that are compliant with credibility criteria. The aim of the study was to check whether an overall high website credibility or compliance to any of the individual criteria for credibility are correlated/associated with a higher quality of health-related information on a sample of Romanian and Hungarian stroke-related websites.

Methods: The cross-sectional study included a sample of 50 websites presenting stroke for the general population in Romanian and Hungarian language. The websites’ compliance with 12 widely recognized credibility criteria, and the completeness and accuracy of the stroke-related articles found on the respective sites were systematically assessed by two independent evaluators applying a common evaluation procedure.

Results: The mean value of the credibility score was 4.3 points (95% CI: 3.9–4.8), the mean value of the completeness score was 4.8 points (95% CI: 4.2–5.5), and the mean value of the accuracy score was 6.6 points (95% CI: 6.3–6.8). Correlation coefficients between the credibility score and completeness/accuracy score did not reach statistical significance (Spearman rho = 0.038, p = 0.793 and Spearman rho = 0.156, p = 0.278, respectively). With a few exceptions, the t-tests for independent sample comparison have shown no significant differences between websites that complied and those that did not comply with each individual credibility criterion.

Conclusions: The mean credibility score of the Romanian and Hungarian stroke-related websites was poor and it was not correlated with neither completeness nor accuracy of the information displayed on the respective pages. With a few, practically irrelevant exceptions, compliance with individual credibility criteria was not associated with higher content quality on the investigated sample.
CTA Evaluation of Bioresorbable Scaffolds versus Metallic Coronary Stents – a Feasibility Study
Authors: Ferenț Ioan , Mester András , Chițu Monica , Benedek Annabella , Rațiu Mihaela , Hodas Roxana , Benedek Imre
Published: December 2018

Background: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) presents important limits in in-stent restenosis (ISR) evaluation in case of metallic coronary stents, due to the artifacts determined by stent struts, which alter in-stent plaque analysis. In case of bioresorbable scaffolds, stent strut resorption allows accurate evaluation of the vessel wall. Aim of the study: This study aims to compare the feasibility of CTA as a follow-up imaging method for ISR diagnosis following elective PTCA procedures, between bioresorbable scaffolds and metallic coronary stents.

Material and methods: We conducted a prospective, observational study on 73 patients with elective PTCA procedures in their medical history, in whom 113 stents were assessed via CTA in order to diagnose ISR. Based on stent type, the patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 – patients with bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) (n = 30); and Group 2 – patients with bare metal stents (BMS) (n = 43). Plaque analysis was possible only in the BVS group with a post-processing research-dedicated software, Syngo.via Frontier, which identified plaque morphology and virtual histology composition.

Results: After CTA evaluation, the BVS group presented a significantly higher incidence of severe coronary artery disease (CAD) (Group 1 – 73% vs. Group 2 – 30%, p <0.0001). The proximal part of the right coronary artery (RCA) presented a significantly higher percentage of metallic stents (14% BMS vs. 2% BVS, p = 0.0029). The comparative analysis of CTA sensibility for the visual evaluation of ISR identified a significantly higher percentage of diagnostic CT evaluations in the BVS group (Group 1 – 94% vs. Group 2 – 76.19%, p = 0.0006). CTA evaluation provided the most accurate results for the 3.0 and 3.5 mm devices. Regarding CTA sensibility for ISR diagnosis, the BVS group presented the smallest incidence of non-diagnostic CT evaluations.

Conclusions: CTA evaluation of bioresorbable scaffolds is superior to metallic stent assessment, the latter being influenced by numerous sources of error dependent mainly on the presence of the metal structure.
Crowd Behavioural Analysis at a Mass Gathering Event
Authors: Yugendar Poojari , Ravishankar K.V.R.
Published: December 2018

Religious occasions, gathering at fairs and terminals, are the events of crowd gatherings. Such gatherings act as severe threats for crowds because of high density in less space, which ends up in adverse outcomes resulting in crowd stampedes. The movement of an individual person in a crowd is influenced by the physical factors. In the present study, characteristics like age, gender, group size, child holding, child carrying, people with luggage and without luggage are considered for crowd behaviour analysis. The average speed of the crowd movement was observed as 0.86 m/s. The statistical analysis concluded that there was a significant effect of age, gender, density and luggage on the crowd walking speed. Multi-linear regression (MLR) model was developed between crowd speed and significant factors observed from the statistical analysis. Location 1 data was used for the model development. This developed model was validated using Location 2 data. Gender has more significant effect on speed followed by luggage and age. This study helps in proper dispersal of crowd in a planned manner to that of diversified directional flow that exist during crowd gathering events.
The Concept of a Method Improving the Process of Aeronautical Geospatial Data Creation
Authors: Dudek Ewa , Kozłowski Michał
Published: December 2018

This article is a continuation of the Authors’ study on the ways to ensure the quality and safety of aeronautical data and information. This time, however, the legal requirements for aeronautical data and information were briefly described and then the concept of purpose and scope of Shewhart control charts’ implementation, presented in [2], was broadened and it was proposed to refer the calculated upper (GLK) and lower (DLK) control limits to the requirements set out in the legal specification including in particular the accuracy values out of the Harmonised List from the Eurocontrol Specification [13]. In order to illustrate the proposed modification, an example of such a card for the measured aeronautical obstacles was presented, considering two cases: that these obstacles are located in Area 3 and in Area 2. Analysed issues will be the subject of Authors’ further study.
Optimisation of the Municipal Waste Collection Process in a Small Size and Scarcely Populated Municipality
Authors: Rychlicki Mariusz , Kasprzyk Zbigniew , Jaśkiewicz Konrad
Published: December 2018

The paper presents a review of legal conditions regarding the process of municipal waste collection. An analysis of systems and solutions for the management and monitoring of a fleet of vehicles that can be used in the operation of means of transport during the implementation of the municipal waste process was carried out. The paper presents a coherent concept of ICT system for the optimization of the municipal waste collection process in a small-sized municipality. The proposed system can be used by companies responsible for waste collection, transport and service companies participating in the waste collection process. By basing the system on commonly available elements and services (Internet, GSM and GPS), its installation and operation is fast, simple and does not require large financial outlays.
Mechanical Systems of Cosserat–Zhilin
Authors: Cheremensky Al.
Published: December 2018

Mechanical systems of Cosserat–Zhilin are introduced as the main object of rational (non-relativistic) mechanics on the base of new notions of vector calculus—sliders and screw measures (bi-measures).
Study of Radial Vibrations in an Infinitely Long Fluid-Filled Transversely Isotropic Thick-Walled Hollow Composite Poroelastic Cylinders
Authors: Bandari Sandhyarani , Jakkula Anand Rao , Perati Malla Reddy
Published: December 2018

In this paper, radial vibrations of an infinitely long fluid-filled transversely isotropic thick-walled hollow composite poroelastic cylinder are investigated in the framework of poroelasticity. The cylinder consists of two concentric cylindrical layers namely, core (inner one) and coating (outer one), each of which retains its own distinctive properties. A comparative study has been made between the thick-walled hollow composite poroelastic cylinder and that of fluid-filled one. Frequency is computed against the ratio between the thickness to inner radius of the composite cylinder at various anisotropic ratios. Another comparative study is made between the results of current case and that of isotropic case by making Young’s modulus and Poisson ratio values of isotropic and that of transversely isotropic in the transverse direction equal. Numerical results are depicted graphically and then discussed.
Academic and Literary Communication: Addressability, Statuses, and Functioning
Authors: Kolegaeva Irina , Strochenko Lesia
Published: December 2018

The article addresses the issue of creation and functioning of each link in the communication chain addresser/sender-message-addressee/recipient in three communicative statuses: external, internal, and potential. Personal and transpersonal communication is analyzed. Semantic and functional features of academic vs literary communication are considered.
A Model for evaluating strategic maturity of the local government
Authors: Szumowski Witold , Cyfert Szymon
Published: December 2018

A significant level of uniqueness and variability of the carried out tasks compel the management of contemporary organizations to continuously search for methods and concepts allowing to increase flexibility in adapting their organizations to ongoing changes. One of such concepts oriented at increasing the levels of flexibility of an organization is strategy, which up to the end of the last century was used mainly in organizations driven by financial results. Yet the analysis of the phenomena taking place in both the closer and more removed environment of the local administration allows us to observe that these entities, operating under public scrutiny and political pressure, have to face up to increasingly complex requirements regarding the reduction of time spent on the realization of tasks in hand having limited financial resources at their disposal and ensuring the high quality of the services rendered which is possible, among others, due to locating their activities in strategic space. However it should be noted that in order to obtain results expected from the strategy, it is necessary to adjust the level of its advancement to both external and internal conditions, which in turn demands evaluating its strategic maturity. The aim of this article is to present the authors’ proposal of a model for evaluation of strategic maturity of the local government, based on the assumptions of the good governance concept. On the basis of the analysed subject literature, the authors addressed the essence of the concept of good governance, pointed out the role of maturity models in the process of improving an organization and discussed the importance of strategy in the local administration. The demonstrated need for conducting evaluation of the levels of maturity in the strategy of local government, as well as the advisability of including in the process of evaluation the main assumptions of the good governance concept raised in this study, provided the basis for the proposed model of evaluating strategic maturity of the local government.
Factorial analysis of the elements that compose the training in the small and medium enterprises of the Industrial sector
Authors: del Carmen Vásquez-Torres María
Published: December 2018

The most important factor in small and medium-sized enterprises is undoubtedly the training; intellectual capital directly impacts the growth and productivity of the organization, so the preparation given to employees is vital. The study carried out a factorial analysis to identify the components to be considered in the training of the SMEs in the industrial sector of Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, México. The considered variables were: training, legal aspects of training, training budget, training course instructors, training culture and seniority in the company. As a result, the analysis of communalities allows us to observe that of these variables, the one that produces the lowest percentage of the variance is the age of the company, so it could be dispensed as a component of the training.
The research on work engagement: theoretical aspects and the results of researches in the company operating in the IT sector
Authors: Wójcik-Karpacz Anna
Published: December 2018

The aim of this article is to exemplify the results of researches on work engagement in the company operating in the IT sector. The research methodology includes the studies of scientific literature and the quantitative method (survey questionnaire). The sample in the study comprises 509 employees of a company operating in the IT sector. Work engagement was measured with of the original 17-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Using in the research a standardized tool gives the opportunity to compare different results obtained in subsequent periods of time in the company, as well as, it can be the point of reference in the assessment of work engagement in other companies of the IT and other sectors. The results of the research show a relatively high level of work engagement in the composite aspect and its individual dimensions and subdimensions in the company operating in the IT sector. The scientific literature studies provide the managers with information on how various issues are related to the level of work engagement and on the usefulness of periodic researches in the company. However, the results of the empiric research help the managers to diagnose of the work engagement and to take more conscious decisions how to improve or maintain it on the same level. The research findings give the overview on the topic of work engagement level in a big IT company.
Servitization as a Concept for Managing the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
Authors: Lachiewicz Stefan , Matejun Marek , Pietras Paweł , Szczepańczyk Maciej
Published: December 2018

The aim of the article is to present the key features, stages, advantages and threats of servitization as a concept for managing the development of small and medium-sized enterprises. A literature review and empirical research carried out in the form of a case study of the medium-sized company Mikomax sp. z o.o. from Poland served to achieve the aim of the article. The obtained results indicate a significant role of servitization in the development of the analyzed company. A phased approach to the implementation of this concept has been identified, requiring a number of changes to be made in the management systems of the enterprise. Servitization is a source of strategic, marketing and financial benefits for the company, and the management plans to further develop servitization activities aimed at expanding its market offer and building a sustainable competitive advantage.
Marketing strategies of Polish companies on foreign markets
Authors: Grzegorczyk Wojciech
Published: December 2018

In the years 2017-2018 the Marketing Faculty of Łódź University conducted a research project “Marketing strategies of companies based in Łódź Voivodeship on foreign markets”. The aim of this text is to present the initial research findings strategies implemented by surveyed companies on foreign markets. The examined companies seldom attempted to conduct the foreign market research and the marketing strategy that they used was strictly related to the prevailing form of expansion into foreign markets, i.e. export. Both the product and the pricing policy were adapted to the specific character of the foreign market. Activities in the area of distribution were limited to indirect export and they were not initiated by the examined companies. The prevailing majority of companies used the Internet, trade fairs and exhibitions in their promotional activities. The intermediaries in the distribution channel were responsible for subsequent promotional activities. They involve marketing strategies typical for small and medium companies and their content depends on the intermediaries in the distribution channel on foreign markets.
Modeling of value flows in logistics networks. Comparison of basic tools
Authors: Mazur Karolina , Milewski Radosław
Published: December 2018

The article presents the necessity of introducing modern systems for analyzing value flows in modern logistics networks. The essence of logistic networks and requirements for analytical systems have been presented. The main available approaches to analyzing value flows in the network have been identified: e3-value modeling, c3-value modeling framework, Value Network AnalysisTM, SimulValor, Modified SimulValor. These approaches (called models) were subjected to a critical analysis on the basis of which the basic directions of their development were indicated.
Technical dynamic capabilities in the opinion of Polish producers from the agricultural machines sector1
Authors: Nogalski Bogdan , Niewiadomski Przemysław , Szpitter Agnieszka
Published: December 2018

The main aim of this paper is to develop a model of key technical dynamic capabilities providing implementation flexibility of manufacturing companies of the Polish agricultural sector. Achieving the main target required to formulate sub-targets, to which the following have been included: the query of subject literature remaining in a direct relation to the topic of the research, which, in the authors’ intention, will find its expression in the developed definition of technical dynamic capabilities. At the design level, it is essential to search for the answer to the question: what technical capabilities imply dynamic flexibility of the Polish manufacturers of the agricultural machinery sector?, while, at the empirical level, to prioritize individual technical dynamic capabilities and determine what deficiencies in this area are characteristic for the studied companies.
The socio-economic approach to the study of modern economic systems. Post-capitalism. Part 2.
Authors: Akulich Maria , Kaźmierczyk Jerzy
Published: December 2018

This article examines modern economy and society taking the formational approach, which is based on the concept that for the modern world and the predicted future, the economy will remain the foundation of society. An understanding of modern society as a post-capitalist society is proposed and justified. The definition of post-capitalism is determined as a stage of capitalism. Humankind would enter its last stage, a stage of liberal democracy and global capitalism. The major features of post-capitalistic society are examined and analyzed: economic, political, spiritual, cultural and domestic.

The economic determinism in its pure form is supplemented with informational determinism in modern society, although the economy remains the primary determinant of social development. Post-capitalism is not a new concept but rather is a new stage in the development of a capitalist socioeconomic formation. An important distinction between capitalism and post-capitalism is that capitalism is characteristic of a society that is engaged in industrial and commercial development. A society has reached the post-capitalism stage when it has passed the industrial stage and entered the information era.
Revising the Importance of Factors Pertaining to Student Satisfaction in Higher Education
Authors: Jereb Eva , Jerebic Janja , Urh Marko
Published: December 2018

Background and purpose: Competition among higher education institutions is intensifying and such institutions are increasingly directing efforts towards improving their ranking. In this context, both high-quality programmes and student satisfaction have become major goals of universities. In our study, we tried to identify the importance of various factors influencing student satisfaction in higher education institutions.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A paper-and-pencil survey was carried out in the 2017/18 academic year at the University of Maribor in Slovenia. Students were verbally informed of the nature of the research and invited to freely participate. They were assured of anonymity. Mean values and standard deviations of the responses were calculated. Friedman test was conducted to assess which satisfaction factors were a priority for the students. Independent samples t-test was used to examine whether a significant difference exists between specific groups. The correlations between satisfaction factors and selected study variables (age, average grade and readiness to spread information) were tested using Pearson correlation coefficients.

Results: The study results revealed that the most important factors influencing student satisfaction were teaching staff, followed by administrative support, programme issues, physical environment, location of the institution, social life and support facilities. Significant differences between the genders were found for two satisfaction criteria, i.e. programme issues and administrative support, both being more important to women than men. We also found that the higher the level of the class, the lower was the importance of the satisfaction factors.

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that higher education institutions need to focus efforts on improving the quality of teaching aspects so as to respond to the needs of their students, but also that they should not neglect non-teaching factors, especially regarding the physical environment. With improving these factors institutions can raise students’ satisfaction, gain on the reputation and impact future enrolment.
The Average Citizen Vs. The Court: Polish Citizens Trust in the Judiciary in the Period of Judicial Reforms (From 2015 to the Present)
Authors: Wacławska Weronika
Published: December 2018

The Constitutional Crisis, which started in 2015 and has resulted in several bills aiming to “repair” the functioning of this institution, has undermined Polish citizens’ trust not only in political institutions such as the Sejm and the President but also in the judiciary. The level of trust in public institutions in general tends to be low in Polish society, but recent events and the circumstances in which the bills regarding the Constitutional Tribunal, common courts, the National Council of the Judiciary and the Supreme Court were passed, has led to a politicization of judicial institutions. Society, though, is very divided and opinions of the judiciary may vary and may depend on political preferences as well as many other factors.

The aim of this paper is to examine the attitude of Polish society towards the judiciary in the period of time from 2015 until now. I will also analyze the public campaign Just courts (Sprawiedliwe sądy) in the context of media content’s influence on public perception of the judiciary. The findings of this analysis could also contribute to the explanations of government’s ability to pass the bills with decreasing protest from the population even though the bills were deemed unconstitutional.