bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
One Belt, One Road: China's Strategy for a New Global Financial Order
Authors: Tsui Sit , Wong Erebus , Chi Lau Kin , Tiejun Wen
Published: January 2017

In late 2013, Chinese premier Xi Jinping announced a pair of new development and trade initiatives for China and the surrounding region: the "Silk Road Economic Belt" and the "Twenty-First-Century Maritime Silk Road," together known as One Belt, One Road (OBOR). Along with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the OBOR policies represent an ambitious spatial expansion of Chinese state capitalism, driven by an excess of industrial production capacity, as well as by emerging financial capital interests. The Chinese government has publicly stressed the lessons of the 1930s overcapacity crisis in the West that precipitated the Second World War, and promoted these new initiatives in the name of "peaceful development." Nevertheless, the turn to OBOR suggests a regional scenario broadly similar to that in Europe between the end of the nineteenth century and the years before the First World War, when strong nations jostled one another for industrial and military dominance.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
A Theory of China's 'Miracle': Eight Principles of Contemporary Chinese Political Economy
Authors: Enfu Cheng , Xiaoqin Ding
Published: January 2017

China's rapid economic development in recent years is often characterized as "miraculous." Talk of a "Beijing Consensus" or "China model" has become commonplace in academic debates. But as we have written elsewhere, "theoretical problems have started to emerge with regards to the very existence, content, and prospects of the China model." The key question, then, is what kind of economic theory and strategy underpin this "miracle."… [W]e hold that the country's major recent developmental gains are the achievements of theoretical advances in political economy, originating in China itself, while the main problems that have accompanied China's development reflect the damaging influence of Western neoliberalism.… We hope to clarify the official theoretical model behind China's economic "miracle," using the terms and concepts prevalent in China today.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
The Story of Why I Am Here: Or, A Woman Connects Oppressions
Authors: Walker Alice
Published: January 2017

Alice Walker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, poet, and activist. Her most recent book is The World Will Follow Joy (New Press, 2013). This article was originally a speech delivered at a Peace for Cuba Rally on February 1, 1992, and first published in MR in June 1994. Walker's words remain as relevant today as when they were first spoken.Click here to purchase a PDF version of this article at the Monthly Review website.
The effect of organizational socialization on organizational commitment: Mediation role of psychological empowerment
Authors: Ulukapı Yılmaz Hande , Yılmaz Abdullah
Published: January 2017

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between organizational socialization and organizational commitment and the mediation role of psychological empowerment. For this aim the survey applied to 150 employees operating in the 3rd Organized Industrial Zone in Konya. SPSS 22 was used to analyze the results. According to results, it has been found that the level of organizational socialization of employees has a positive and significant effect on organizational commitment and a partially mediation role of psychological empowerment in this relationship. It was also determined that employees’ psychological empowerment perceptions has a positive and significant effect on organizational commitment.
Ethnobotanical plants of Veligonda Hills, Southern Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India
Authors: Bhasha S K M , Reddy P Siva Kumar
Published: January 2017

The Veligonda range which separates the Nellore district from Kadapa and Kurnool is the back bone of the Eastern Ghats, starting from Nagari promontory in Chittoor district. It runs in a northerly direction along the western boarders of the Nellore district, raising elevation of 3,626 feet at Penchalakona in Rapur thaluk. Veligonda hill ranges have high alttudinal and deep valley. These hills have rich biodiversity and many rare, endangered, endemic and threatned plants are habituated in these hills. The present paper mainly deals with the ethanobotanical plants used by local people.
Molecular characterization of two AP2/ERF transcription factor genes from Egyptian tomato cultivar (Edkawy)
Authors: Mosa Kareem , Heb El-din Eslam , Ismail Ahmed , El- Feky Fawzy , El-Refy Ali
Published: January 2017

The tomato is ranked first amongst vegetable crops in Egypt in relation to surface area and production. The Egyptian tomato cultivar Edkawy has shown abiotic stress tolerance characteristics. However, there is not much information about the molecular characterization of this cultivar. Furthermore, information regarding the identification of abiotic stress tolerance genes from the Edkawy tomato cultivar is lacking. Here, we investigated the ability of the Edkawy cultivar to tolerate drought stress. Two varieties were used as a control in this study; Peto86 (sensitive variety) and Strain B (tolerant variety). Edkawy, Peto86 and Strain B varieties were exposed to drought stress by reducing the water supply gradually. Interestingly, Edkawy demonstrated a remarkable tolerance phenotype to drought stress. Furthermore, we identified and isolated two members of the AP2/ERF transcription factor family from Edkawy which are associated with abiotic stress, particularly drought, i.e. ERF1 and ERF5. Protein prediction, validation and active site prediction of ERF1 and ERF5 were also determined. In addition to the domain obtained by the pfam online tool, the interaction between Edkawy ERFs proteins and other proteins in the Solanaceae family was obtained. Furthermore, subcellular localization was determined by the ngLOC and Plant-mPLoc online tools. Characterization of the Edkawy tomato cultivar and isolation and identification of such transcription factors will help in the engineering of tomato plants with abiotic stress tolerance.
In vitro conservation protocol of Ceropegia bulbosa: An important medicinal and threatened plant species of Western Rajasthan
Authors: Parihar Suman
Published: January 2017

In vitro regeneration protocol has been standardized for highly medicinal and threatened succulent Ceropegia bulbosa Roxb. The paper focuses on morphogenic response of nodal explant when cultured on MS media. Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA) (2.0 mgl-1) was found optimum for axillary shoot bud induction with 83.4 % response. Further shoots were multiplied through repetitive (3-4 times) transfer of the original explant and by subculture of the in vitro generated shoots. Maximum number of shoots 5.7±0.78 with shoot length of 3.6±0.82 cm was achieved on MS medium augmented with combination of 0.25 mgl-1 BA + 0.25 mgl-1 KN + 0.1 mgl-1 IAA and additives (50.0 mgl-1 ascorbic acid, 25 mgl-1 each of citric acid, arginine and adenine sulphate). For ex vitro rooting, pulse treatment of IBA 250 mgl-1 for 3 min was found optimum. The rooted shoots were successfully hardened in the green house condition (RH 75-80% at 26-28˚C) and about 80 % shoots were transferred to the garden.
Amelioration of salinity stress by NaCl pretreatment with reference to sugar metabolism in legumes Cajanas cajan L. and Vigna mungo L.
Authors: Chatterjee Paramita , Biswas Sabarni , Biswas Asok Kumar
Published: January 2017

The effect of salinity stress and its amelioration by pretreatment with low concentration of NaCl (50mM) on growth and sugar metabolism in arhar (cv. T120) and maskalai (cv. WBU109) seedlings were studied. Salinity was found to be more toxic for root growth than shoot growth. Fresh weight and dry weight of the seedlings gradually decreased with increasing concentrations of NaCl treatment. It was demonstrated that direct germination on NaCl solution increased both reducing sugar and non-reducing sugar contents while decreased the starch contents which were to some extent decreased by pretreatment of seeds with 50mM NaCl prior to germination in salt solutions. Salinity stress also affected the activites of different sugar metabolizing enzymes. The increase in the activities of starch phosphorylase, sucrose phosphate synthase, sucrose synthase and decrease in the activities of acid invertase were observed in directly salt treated test seedlings that were altered by pretreatment with sublethal concentration of NaCl in both the cultivars arhar (cv. T120) and maskalai (cv. WBU109) seeds. Thus the application of pretreatment by sublethal concentration of NaCl in both arhar (cv. T120) and maskalai (cv. WBU109) seeds exhibited significant alteration of all the partinent parameters tested under salinity stress and the effect of pretreatment in most of the parameters were more prominent in arhar (cv. T120) with compared to maskalai (cv. WBU109) seedlings.
Bryophyte diversity of Thamarassery pass (Wayanad pass) in the Western Ghats of Kerala
Authors: Venugopal Mithun , Nair Manju C
Published: January 2017

The bryophyte diversity in the Thamarassery pass (Wayanad pass) a historically important place of Kozhikode district is documented. This report represents many interesting finds such as Taxiphyllum giraldii (C.Muell.) M.Fleisch., Taxithelium laeviusculum Dixon are new records for Peninsular India.
Constrained BV functions on covering spaces for minimal networks and Plateau’s type problems
Authors: Amato Stefano , Bellettini Giovanni , Paolini Maurizio
Published: January 2017

We link covering spaces with
the theory of functions of bounded variation,
in order to study minimal networks in the plane and Plateau’s problem
without fixing a priori the topology of
solutions. We solve
the minimization problem
in the class of (possibly vector-valued) $\mathrm{BV}$ functions defined on a covering space of the complement of
an ${(n-2)}$-dimensional compact embedded Lipschitz manifold S without
boundary. This approach has several similarities
with
Brakke’s “soap films” covering construction.
The main novelty of our method stands
in the presence of a suitable constraint on the fibers, which couples together the
covering sheets. In the case of networks, the constraint is defined using a suitable subset of
transpositions of m elements, m being the number of points of S. The model avoids all issues
concerning the presence of the boundary S, which is automatically attained.
The constraint is lifted in a natural way to Sobolev spaces, allowing also an approach based on Γ-convergence.
‘Reddish Green’ – Wittgenstein on Concepts and the Limits of the Empirical
Authors: Ritter Bernhard
Published: January 2017

A “concept” in the sense favoured by Wittgenstein is a paradigm for a transition between parts of a notational system. A concept-determining sentence such as “There is no reddish green” registers the absence of such a transition. This suggests a plausible account of what is perceived in an experiment that was first designed by Crane and Piantanida, who claim to have induced perceptions of reddish green. I shall propose a redescription of the relevant phenomena, invoking only ordinary colour concepts. This redescription is not ruled out by anything the experimenters say. It accounts for certain peculiarities in both their descriptions and their subjects’, and suggests that instead of discovering forbidden colours the experimenters introduced a new use of “-ish”. Still, there is a point in speaking of “reddish green” in their context, which can be motivated by invoking what Wittgenstein calls a “physiognomy”.
Stroud on Logical Necessity and General Facts of Nature
Authors: Gierlinger Frederik
Published: January 2017

What makes the denial of a necessary truth impossible or unintelligible? Barry Stroud argues that there is an answer to this question which avoids Platonism, yet does not force us to adopt Conventionalism about logical necessity. In Part 1, I give a brief characterization of Platonism and Conventionalism and sketch some of the difficulties that arise when trying to explain logical necessity along either of those lines. In Part 2, I will summarize the main points of what Stroud has to say on the matter and raise what I believe to be serious difficulties for his account.
Objectivity and Idealism
Authors: MacDonald Andrew
Published: January 2017

This paper takes up a more so-called ‘austere’ argument for objectivity derived, for the most part, from P. F. Strawson’s Bounds of Sense. It is austere in the sense that its conclusion is reached by transcendental means but without transcendental idealism. Readers familiar with Henry Allison’s Kant’s Transcendental Idealism will know that in his view arguments of this general kind cannot be separated from Kant’s idealism. The motivation for this position and for Allison’s interpretation and defense of transcendental idealism more generally is, I argue, the threat of a particular kind of scepticism. I go on to explore how we might retrospectively understand the more austere argument as one meant to uncover the indispensability of objectivity for the very possibility of thought or experience. Such a status would not guarantee the truth of objectivity, but it would provide a kind of invulnerability against the scepticism Allison is worried about.
Wittgenstein, Wissen und die Gnade der Natur
Authors: Tolksdorf Stefan
Published: January 2017

This paper is an attempt to explain Wittgenstein’s remark that „It is always by favor of Nature that one knows something.“ In this regard, two positions are distinguished. The first one is the standard interpretation within analytic epistemology. Alternatively, I will suggest another possibility to interpret Wittgenstein’s remark, which is inspired by John McDowell’s epistemological disjunctivism. As I am going to show, the alternative is the better choice.
Concept of Situational Management of Safety Critical Infrastructure of State
Authors: Wiśniewski Michał
Published: January 2017

This article presents a synthesis of knowledge about safety management procedures for critical
infrastructure (CI) in the context of risk management theory and the provisions of the Polish law
on emergency management of 26 April 2007. In this paper, the inadequacy of the accepted procedures
at present is highlighted, as well as their continuous improvement and adaptation to prevailing political,
legal, social and economic conditions. It proposes using the concept of scenario approach and situational
management approach and technique analysis of interconnected decision areas (AIDA) and casebased
reasoning (CBR) to develop integral situational resource model CI. The considerations presented
in this paper lead to a proposed a new method for predicting, preventing and responding to emerging
crises within the CI.
Experimental and Numerical Study on PDMS Collapse for Fabrication of Micro/Nanochannels
Authors: Yin Zhifu , Zou Helin
Published: January 2017

PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) collapse method is a simple and low cost approach for micronanochannel fabrication. However, the bonding pressure which influences the size of the final PDMS micro/nanochannels has not yet been studied. In this study, the effect of the bonding pressure on the size and maximum local stress of the PDMS micronanochannels was investigated by both experimental and numerical simulation method. The results show that when the bonding pressure is lower than 0.15 MPa the experiment results can agree well with the simulation results. The fluorescent images demonstrate that there is no blocking or leakage over the entire micro/nanochannels.
Requirements on Needed Frequency Bandwidth Depending on Pulse Waveforms and Their Allowed Distortion
Authors: Sigmund Milan , Brancik Lubomir
Published: January 2017

This paper deals with pulse signals influenced by loss of energy in high frequency band. Five types of pulses were tested and evaluated under various conditions. Achieved results can be helpful for some specific tasks in signal transmission. An example presents highest frequency of periodic pulse signals processed on printed circuit board.
On projectively Krylov transitive and projectively weakly transitive Abelian p-groups
Authors: Chekhlov Andrey R. , Danchev Peter V.
Published: January 2017

We define the concepts of projectively Krylov transitive and strongly projectively Krylov transitive Abelian p-groups. These concepts are non-trivial expansions of the projectively fully transitive and strongly projectively fully transitive Abelian p-groups, respectively, defined by the second author and Goldsmith in [13]. Some results concerning them and various other notions of transitivity are established as well, thus also generalizing achievements of Danchev–Goldsmith from [11]. Certain relationships between these classes are also obtained.
Waste and Pollution in the Ancient Roman Empire
Authors: Havlíček Filip , Morcinek Miroslav
Published: January 2017

This article describes select examples of waste management from the Roman Empire (27 BCE to 365 CE). Classical written sources and anthropological and archeological literature were studied. The central theme of this paper is ancient man’s relationship with waste and his responses to pollution.
Water Sensitive Landscape Case Study: Public Open Green Spaces in Naser City, Egypt
Authors: Abd El Aziz Noha Ahmed
Published: January 2017

The purpose of this paper is to reveal measures to lower water demand and consumption of public green spaces in arid environments such as Cairo city while maintaining a pleasant appearance. The Water Sensitive Urban Design approach is adopted to formulate a checklist in order to evaluate the extent to which public green spaces in “Naser City” district, participate in preserving water quality and quantity. After analyzing six case studies, the study concluded that the main problems are using high-quality water to irrigate green spaces, and the gardeners’ reckless irrigation and maintenance techniques. Short term solutions were proposed, such as utilizing low flow irrigation system, minimizing the lawn areas, integrating water meters, using mulching and incorporating a competent maintenance schedule. Long term solutions mainly focused on replacing potable water with treated wastewater, which is estimated to cover irrigation needs for all green areas in the district.
Study of decomposition products of film forming amines under conditions of 570°C and 17 MPa
Authors: Rudasová P. , Sajdl P.
Published: January 2017

In this work, the main aim is focused on the decomposition products of film-forming amines which are used as corrosion protection of devices against surface corrosion at frequent short outages. Filming amines are a mixture of volatile alkaline and contact organic amines, which protect both the water and the steam environment. It was confirmed, the organic matter is not stable at high temperature and decomposes to organic acids with short chain (acetic, formic) which decrease pH value and increase conductivity value.
Trends in the Development of Hybrid Drives
Authors: Morkus Josef
Published: January 2017

The hybridization of motor vehicle drives is one of the major trends of recent years. This paper deals with the growth in sales of vehicles with hybrid propulsion, the directions of their technological development, new solutions for transmission systems, the capacity and location of the batteries and more sophisticated forms of hybrid drive control. Specific trends include the charging of electric or hybrid buses at bus stops and the regulation-influenced development of competitive and racing vehicles. Hybrid drives also appear in commercial vehicles, off-road applications, boats etc.
The Activity of Cell-Wall Modifying β-1,3-Glucanases in Soybean Grown in Presence of Heavy Metals
Authors: Bardáčová Monika , Maglovski Marína , Gregorová Zuzana , Konotop Yevheniia , Horník Miroslav , Moravčíková Jana , Kraic Ján , Mihálik Daniel , Matušíková Ildikó
Published: January 2017

Cell walls represent the first barrier that can prevent the entrance of toxic heavy metals into plants. The composition and the flexibility of the cell wall are regulated by different enzymes. The ß-1,3-glucanases control the degradation of the polysaccharide callose as a flexible regulation mechanism of cell wall permeability and/or its ability to bind metals under stress conditions. The profile and activity of ß-1,3-glucanases in the presence of heavy metals, however, has rarely been studied. Here we studied these enzymes in four soybean varieties (Glycine max) grown in the presence of cadmium ions. These analyses revealed three acidic and one basic enzyme isoforms in each soybean variety, but only two of the acidic isoforms in the variety Moravians were substantially responsive to the presence of Cd2+. Since the responses of certain glucanases were detected mainly in the varieties sensitive to metal and accumulating high amounts of metals, we assume their role in the defense rather than strategic metal sequestration.
Comparison of Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Polysaccharides from Eggshells Membranes
Authors: Ürgeová Eva , Vulganová Katarína
Published: January 2017

AHyaluronic acid (HA) is part of the extracellular matrix of connective, epithelial and neural tissues, as well as the synovial fluid, skin, and cartilage. It is composed of repeating disaccharide units of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl glucosamine. Hyaluronic acid is used in abdominal surgery, ophthalmology, dermatology, rhinology; it is usable for the osteoarthritis treatment. The membranes of eggshell are a natural source of hyaluronic acid, collagen, glycosaminoglycan and collagenous proteins. In paper, we tested the possibility of extraction hyaluronic acid from the eggshell membranes by enzymatic hydrolysis. We identified optimal conditions of hydrolysis with trypsin at reaction temperature of 37 °C and pH 8; with pepsin at 40 °C and pH 3, as well as with papain at 60 °C and pH 7.5. The content of hyaluronic acid in samples was determined spectrophotometrically using the carbazole method. The experimental results showed a yield of ~ 4 -4.5 % hyaluronic acid per 1 g of dry eggshell membranes.
In Silico Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the Anopheles gambiae Odorant Binding Protein 20
Authors: Janairo Jose Isagani B. , Bravo Patricia Isabel K. , Morano Ninna Louise G. , Yu Derrick Ethelbhert C.
Published: January 2017

The Anopheles gambiae is a highly anthropophilic mosquito which is the leading vector for malaria. This disease has affected more than 500 million people worldwide. The Anopheles gambiae targets its hosts through the odors of the human skin and sweat where odorant molecules radiate. These odors elicit specific responses from the insect through the odorant – binding proteins (OBP). Recently, a specific type of OBP has been characterized which is known as the Anopheles gambiae odorant – binding protein 20 (AgamOBP20). This OBP is highly expressed in the female mosquito antennae during the peak of its host – seeking behavior and thus may play a role in olfactory perception. The binding site of the AgamOBP20 is composed primarily of hydrophobic residues wherein the importance of each residue is herein analysed to further understand the properties of AgamOBP20. This was carried out through computer – aided site – directed mutagenesis coupled with homology modelling and docking simulations wherein each residue in the binding site was changed to alanine and serine. Probable key amino acid residues were identified as LEU106, LEU107, and MET53 which are hypothesized to play a significant role in the protein – ligand interaction. These residues had the greatest impact in the binding free energy when mutated with alanine and serine. The presented results suggest that steric hindrance and hydrophobic interaction are crucial factors to consider on the manner in which the ligand binds with AgamOBP20. The molecular features and parameters obtained may be utilized for the development of new pesticides and repellents that are able to block the function of AgamOBP20 and may result to the disarray of the host – seeking behavior of the Anopheles gambiae.
Molybdate-reducing and SDS-degrading Enterobacter sp. Strain Neni-13
Authors: Rahman M.F. , Rusnam M. , Gusmanizar N. , Masdor N.A. , Lee C.H. , Shukor M.S. , Roslan M.A.H. , Shukor M.Y.
Published: January 2017

Toxicants removal through microorganism’s action is intensely being sought due to economic reasons. The aim of this paper is to isolate a bacterium that is able to reduce molybdenum blue and at the same time can grow on the detergent Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS). Biochemical analysis resulted in a tentative identification of the bacterium asEnterobactersp. strain Neni-13. Growth on SDS showed a 100 % removal at 800 mg/L SDS within 12 days. The removal of SDS from media was confirmed through Methylene Blue Active Substances Assay. Molybdenum reduction using sodium molybdate as a substrate was characterized using a microplate assay. The optimum pH and temperature for molybdenum reduction was between 6.0 and 6.5, and at 37 °C, respectively. Glucose was the best electron donor for molybdate reduction. Phosphate and molybdate concentrations of between 2.5 and 5.0 mM and at 15 mM, were optimal for molybdate reduction, respectively. Molybdate reduction was inhibited by the heavy metals mercury, silver, copper and chromium at 2 ppm. The ability of this bacterium to detoxify molybdate and degrade the SDS makes this bacterium an important tool for bioremediation of toxicants in soil.
Redetermination of Zero-Field Splitting in [Co(qu)2Br2] and [Ni(PPh3)2Cl2] Complexes
Authors: Lomjanský Dominik , Varga Filip , Rajnák Cyril , Moncoľ Ján , Boča Roman , Titiš Ján
Published: January 2017

A mononuclear CoII complex, [Co(qu)2Br2], and NiII complex, [Ni(PPh3)2Cl2], (qu = quinoline, PPh3 = triphenylphosphine) have been reinvestigated. Their crystal and molecular structures are reported along with IR and UV-Vis spectra. Magnetism of both complexes has been studied by using the DC SQUID magnetometry. These complexes exhibit a moderate magnetic anisotropy expressed by zero-field splitting parameter D. The D-value is positive for both complexes with D/hc = +5.94 cm−1 and D/hc = +12.76 cm−1, that is also confirmed by ab initio calculations.
Openness and Transparency in (Slovene) Administrative Procedures as Fundamental European Principles
Authors: Kovač Polonca
Published: January 2017

Openness and transparency are general administrative principles, closely related to lawfulness, accountability, responsiveness, participation and other elements of good administration. Despite their long existence in theory and legal documents, both at the European and national levels, the content and the relation of and among the respective principles is blurred. This applies even in single-case administrative procedures through the classic rights of defense, such as the right to access to information or the right to be heard. The paper explores these dimensions based on comparative analyses of the EU Charter, the OECD principles on good administration and governance and the Slovene law on administrative procedures, proving compliance between Slovene and European regulation. Furthermore, a consistent definition is proposed. Transparency is thus understood as parallel to participation. Both are seen as subcategories of openness which, as the sum of the rights of defense, is based on lawfulness and leads to accountability and ethics. However, as revealed by an empirical survey in 2015, the Slovene public administration sees these issues in a rather formal way. Finally, suggestions are made for future legislation and its implementation in terms of open and good administration.
The Ambiguous Meaning of the Ethical Issue in a Context of NPM Reforms: Insights from the OECD, Canada and France
Authors: Scapin Thomas
Published: January 2017

An important interest in public-administration ethics has been expressed in OECD member states since the 1990s in reaction to the development of New Public Management (NPM) reforms. However, the meanings attached to the ethical issue in a context of managerial modernization remain ambiguous depending on the country and / or time period studied. Therefore, this article aims at underlining the main characteristics of administrative ethics thanks to the creation of a theoretical concept which summarizes them. The latter can also serve as an analytical grid to engage in further research and especially comparisons between varying national cases.

For that purpose, the analysis is divided in two parts and draws insights from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Canada and France, through a review of major official reports and a series of interviews with public officials and experts in charge of these questions. First of all, it concentrates on the OECD’s historical activities on public-sector ethics in order to devise a theoretical concept of administrative ethics. The utility and relevance of this concept is then tested while being implemented to compare the Canadian and French governments’ overall interest in ethics in their process of public-management reform.

The article distinguishes two key dimensions of public-administration ethics, namely the managerial and normative ones, which are strongly intertwined. On the one hand, the managerial dimension focuses on the management of civil servants’ daily behaviors and combines the compliance-based and integrity-based approaches to govern conducts in public administration. On the other hand, the normative dimension refers to the normative framework incorporating the core principles and values which define civil servants’ professional identities and guide their specific missions and goals within the democratic system.

The historical comparison of major trends in terms of administrative ethics in Canada and France shows, finally, that, despite national characteristics, the two countries have tended progressively to deal with the ethical issue in a more comprehensive way. They are trying to take into account, for example, problems due to conflicts of public values and combine compliance-based and integrity-based instruments of ethics management. These evolutions shed light more generally on the movement of hybridization, incorporating elements from traditional public administration and New Public Management, which seems to develop in both states.
Exploring the Determinants of Transparency of Slovak Municipalities
Authors: Sičáková-Beblavá Emília , Kollárik Martin , Sloboda Matúš
Published: January 2017

This paper focuses on the transparency of Slovak municipalities. It identifies the main trends in the transparency of the 100 largest Slovak municipalities between 2010 and 2014. It shows that there are different degrees of transparency in Slovak municipalities, and it applies regressions to explore correlates and identify the main factors behind this state. This research is descriptive and explanatory and adds to literature by examining political, structural factors related to the political supply of the transparency of the municipalities and the convergence effect. The regression analysis identifies the convergence effect, according to which the transparency of municipalities improves inversely to their initial score. It also finds a negative incumbency effect that indicates lower improvement for incumbent mayors than for new ones. The size of a municipality is also one of the factors that determine the transparency level of that municipality. This relationship is positive – greater size of a municipality increases the level of its transparency.
An Analysis of the Ethics Infrastructure and Ethical Climate in Slovenian Public Administration
Authors: Stare Janez , Klun Maja
Published: January 2017

In consideration of the fact that public administrations worldwide face a number of challenges, many governments are dedicated to improving the ethical climate in public administrations. The same issue is also the focus of the attention of many transnational associations. The basic goal is to ensure the development of comparable ethical climates, ethical behaviour in different public administrations and to develop comparable, suitable ethics infrastructures to enable this. Modern public administrations must bring ethical conduct to the fore and resist unethical behaviour. There are different ideas on how to build ethics infrastructures in public administrations, and examples of good practice that could facilitate the development of such infrastructures are found in the public and private sectors of different countries. In this paper, we connect ethics infrastructures and ethical climates. The evaluation of Slovenia’s ethics infrastructures is based on the framework prepared by the OECD, using its questionnaire developed by Victor and Cullen. The results show that there is no general relationship between ethics infrastructures and ethical climates in public administrations. Nevertheless, some determinants of ethics infrastructures correlate to a high degree to the ethical climate, the strongest impact on ethics climates being the ethical infrastructure’s determinant “public involvement and scrutiny”.
Access to Socio-Cultural Life inside Assisted Care Homes?
Authors: Riekkinen Mariya , Kozhabek Kanat , Zhatkanbayeva Aizhan , Riekkinen Pekka
Published: January 2017

This is a comparative survey of two national legal frameworks in Finland and Kazakhstan providing the elderly in assisted care homes with an opportunity of socio-cultural inclusion. The study departs from the evolving international standards of ageing, which dictate legal obligations to provide the elderly in residential care with access to socio-cultural activities. Our analysis continues with explorations how these standards are reflected in legislation of two selected states. We deliberately selected these two jurisdictions, different in many respects, the most significant of which are the current state of the welfare system and the approach towards elderly care. The residential care in Finland is the primary responsibility of the state, a common modern solution adapted to meet the realities of the modern volatile labor market, career and self-oriented life style and hectic differentiating global economy. In Kazakhstan such care is provided by the state only for those older persons who are in difficult life situation, whereas the able relatives are legally responsible for providing care for the elderly in need of 24 / 7 assistance. Respectively Kazakhstan’s social order relies extensively on family ties.

Our analysis covers the status of the elderly residing both in 24 / 7 institutional care and in the so-called serviced apartments where the elderly are not in constant care. Rather than drawing on the generalized status of dependency we keep up with the premise that the elderly are special-rights holders. This limitation leaves studying the position of other individuals under public custody out of the present research agenda. Relying extensively on legal analysis, we employ, in particular, a comparative law method and empirical studies, i.e. the interviews with the aged rights holders.

After we examined how the opportunities for socio-cultural inclusion of the elderly are implemented in two selected jurisdictions with principally different welfare systems, we found that the problem in question is topical for each of the states under consideration. In light of the evolving international law standards institutional practices in both jurisdictions must be sensitive to the issue of socio-cultural inclusion. The socio-cultural dimension of the wellbeing of the elderly, especially with respect to those who are in 24 / 7 care, should be incorporated in the legal system of Kazakhstan just as it exists in the statutory law of Finland.
Local Governments and Local Waste Management in the Czech Republic: Producers or Providers?
Authors: Soukopová Jana , Klimovský Daniel
Published: January 2017

Local governments are responsible for the delivery of a large variety of very different public services. The article is focused on two issues: 1) we try to discover whether the local governments in the Czech Republic prefer to be “producers” or “providers” of the waste-collection services; 2) we test and compare the efficiency of “production” and the efficiency of “provision”, and for this purpose we take into account various factors, inter alia inter-municipal cooperation, the existence of hybrid organizations, economies of scale etc. A main goal is to find out what the local governments in the Czech Republic prefer if they decide on the delivery of local services linked to waste management and what factors are the most important ones from the perspective of their potential influence on efficiency. Concerning the data, we analyse linked open data on municipal solid waste expenditure collected by the Ministry of Finance of the Czech Republic and data relating to features of waste collection obtained via a questionnaire-based survey which was carried out at the turn of 2015 – 2016. The results of the presented analysis show a clear relationship of dependence between the inter-municipal cooperation and the relevant costs, and it confirms the assumption that the Czech local governments undoubtedly prefer the position of “providers” in the field of the local waste management. Paradoxically, the results show that neither internal nor external provision of waste-collection services is a key factor of cost-efficiency.
What can VAT Statistics Tell Politicians? (with a Focus on EAEU Data)
Authors: Tyutyuryukov Vladimir
Published: January 2017

While policymakers use taxes for the regulation of the economy, tax authorities constantly monitor the amount of revenues from different taxes, and sometimes the tax benefits in use. However, the author believes that policymakers neglect the feedback mechanism, offered by the tax statistics – the signal function of the taxes. The author shows, on the example of tax policies and VAT statistics, how these outline the trends in the development of the Eurasian Economic Union – signs of tax competition, dependence on import and tax loss due to policy gap. The paper further suggests the possible course of action for the policymakers.
Illegal Detectorism and Archaeological Heritage: Criminal and Administrative Punitive Systems in Spain
Authors: Yáñez Ana
Published: January 2017

This paper details the punitive responses that Spain’s legal system has established for attacks
on archaeological goods through the use of metal detectors. These responses to illegal acts are not the
same across the board; sometimes they stem from the criminal justice system (in the most serious cases)
and sometimes from the Public Authorities. Below, I have analysed these responses and their scope in
an aim to provide a broad view of the different instruments related to the fight against archaeological
looting.
Influence of expanded graphite coming from the electrochemical oxidation of phenol on cement-polymer matrix
Authors: Ślosarczyk Agnieszka , Krawczyk Piotr
Published: January 2017

In presented article the polymer-modified cement mortars with expanded graphite covered by the oligomer film, being a by-product of phenol electro-oxidation, were investigated. The changes in the morphology of EG and EG/oligomer as well as in the microstructure of cement-polymer composites modified with EG/oligomer were verified using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The evaluation of adhesion between EG/oligomer and cement-polymer mortar based on the mechanical tests, especially their flexural behavior. It was shown that the oligomer film formed on EG surface made graphite flakes more durable and resistant to bending. Moreover, the oligomer due to the interaction with polymer network in cement-polymer mortar led to the improvement of flexural toughness of composite.
Content of PAHs, activities of γ-radionuclides and ecotoxicological assessment in biochars
Authors: Gondek Krzysztof , Mierzwa-Hersztek Monika , Smreczak Bożena , Baran Agnieszka , Kopeć Michał , Mróz Tomasz , Janowski Paweł , Bajda Tomasz , Tomczyk Anna
Published: January 2017

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of thermal conversion temperature and plant material addition to sewage sludge on the PAHs content and the activity of selected γ-radionuclides in biochars, and to conduct an ecotoxicological assessment. The pyrolysis of the mixtures of sewage sludge and plant materials at 300°C and such temperature caused an increase in the contents of 2- and 3-ring hydrocarbons. During the pyrolysis of organic materials at 600°C, the amount of the following compounds was reduced in biochars: benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, indeno[1,2,3c,d]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]anthracene, and benzo[g,h,i]perylene. Among γ-radioisotopes of the elements, natural radiogenic isotopes were dominant. 137Cs was the only artificial radioactive isotope. The pyrolysis of the mixtures of municipal sewage sludge and plant materials revealed that isotope 40K had the highest radioactive activity. In the case of other analysed nuclides, activities of 212Pb, 214Pb, 214Bi, and 137Cs were determined after the sample pyrolysis. The extracts from the mixtures of sewage sludge and plant materials were non-toxic to Vibrio fischeri.
Model development of integrated CPOx reformer and SOFC stack system
Authors: Pianko-Oprych Paulina , Hosseini Seyed Mehdi , Jaworski Zdzislaw
Published: January 2017

The main purpose of this study was to develop a mathematical model, in a steady state and dynamic mode, of a Catalytic Partial Oxidation (CPOx) reformer – Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) stack integrated system in order to assess the system performance. Mass balance equations were written for each component in the system together with energy equation and implemented into the MATLAB Simulink simulation tool. Temperature, gas concentrations, pressure and current density were computed in the steady-state mode and validated against experimental data. The calculated I–V curve matched well the experimental one. In the dynamic modelling, several different conditions including step changes in fuel flow rates, stack voltage as well as temperature values were applied to estimate the system response against the load variations. Results provide valuable insight into the operating conditions that have to be achieved to ensure efficient CPOx performance for fuel processing for the SOFC stack applications.
Water-borne pressure-sensitive adhesives acrylics modified using amorphous silica nanoparticles
Authors: Czech Zbigniew , Maciejewski Zbigniew , Kondratowicz-Maciejewska Krystyna
Published: January 2017

The application of water-borne pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSA) based on acrylics is increasing in a variety of industrial areas. The have been used for manufacturing of double sided and carrier free mounting tapes, splicing tapes, marking and sign films, self-adhesive labels, packaging tapes, protective films and diverse high quality medical materials. Nano-sized inorganic fillers can modify diverse adhesive and self-adhesive coating properties such as tack, peel adhesion, shear strength at 20°C and 70°C, and removability Amorphous synthetic silica nanoparticles in form of water dispersions: Ludox PX-30 (30 wt.% silica stabilizing with counter ion sodium), Ludox PT-40 (40 wt.% silica stabilizing with counter ion sodium), Ludox PT-40AS (40 wt.% silica stabilizing with counter ion ammonium), and Ludox PW-50 (50 wt.% silica stabilizing with counter ion sodium) (from Grace) in concentrations between 1 and 5wt.% were used for modifying of water-born pressure-sensitive adhesive acrylics: Acronal 052, Acronal CR 516 (both BASF) and Plextol D273 (Synthomer) properties. It has been found in this study that the nano-technologically reinforced system containing of Acronal 052 and amorphous silica Ludox PX-30 showed a great enhancement in tack, peel adhesion and shear strength. In this paper we evaluate the performance of Acronal 052 modified with amorphous silica Ludox PX-30.
Serum level of apelin-13 negatively correlated with NT-proBNP in heart failure patients
Authors: Goidescu Cerasela Mihaela , Anton Florin Petru , Leucuța Daniel Corneliu , Mircea Petru Adrian , Vida-Simiti Luminița Animarie
Published: January 2017

Background: Apelin is a potent endogenous inotropic peptide with a major role in counteracting the aldosterone and angiotensin II and their negative effects on the cardiovascular system. The exact role of apelin in the patho-physiology of this disease is not well understood. We aimed to investigate the possible associations of apelin-13 with clinical and paraclinical characteristics in HF patients as well as studying its dynamics during the course of the heart failure.

Method: We performed a prospective observational cohort single-center study. We compared the baseline serum levels of apelin-13 and NT-proBNP level in 53 heart failure patients (acute heart failure, chronic compensated heart failure and chronic decompensated heart failure). We divided the patients according to the apelin-13 level: above and below the median, and we analyzed the relationship between serum apelin-13 and the clinical, echocardiographic, electrocardiographic and biological parameters. Twenty patients were followed-up (after an average time interval of 9 months), investigating the same parameters.

Results: The median of apelin-13 was 495pg/mL (IQR 276-845pg/mL). We found strong, negative correlation between the serum levels of apelin-13 and NT-proBNP (Spearman rho= −0.83, p<0.001). For the reassessed patients the median apelin level was significantly higher at follow-up (460 pg/mL, IQR 342-871 pg/mL) as compared with the baseline level (395 pg/mL, IQR 270-603 pg/mL), p=0.019, and maintained the negative correlation with NT-proBNP level (Spearman’s rho −0.7, p<0.001. The Low Apelin-13 group have higher NT-proBNP levels and also contains all the patients in NYHA IV class heart failure, 71% of the acute HF patients, and 7 of 8 patients who died before follow-up.

Conclusion: Apelin-13 was negatively correlated with NT-proBNP. The Low Apelin-13 group contained the majority of the patients with a negative outcome (death before follow-up), most of the patients who presented with acute HF and all the patients in NYHA IV class.
Genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S transferase and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia
Authors: Daniel Mureșan , Cătană Andreea , Popp Radu Anghel , Dumitraș Diana Elena , Stamatian Florin , Buzoianu Anca Dana , Rotar Ioana Cristina
Published: January 2017

Aim: The present study aim to analyze the relationship between GST M/T genotypes of glutathione S-transferases and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Materials and Methods: A prospective case-control study has been designed including 69 cases with different degrees of cervical dysplasia and 107 controls. All patients had been examined colposcopically. For every patient both cervical and blood specimen have been obtained. The peripheral blood was used for GST M/T genotyping. The statistical analysis was performed using OR and chi-square at a level of significance inferior to 0.05.

Results: No statistically significant differences had been found between cases and controls for GST T-/M- geno-type (T-/M-, χ2=0.03, p= 0.8610) and T+/M+ χ2=0.65, p = 0.4197. Patients with in situ carcinoma had significant GST genotype association for T-/M+ genotype (OR=4.66, CI 95% [0.6528,24.9725], χ2=4.6, p=0.0314) and for T+/M- genotype (OR=0.12, CI 95% [0.0027,0.9465], χ2=0.05, p=0.0219).

Conclusion: The combination of GST genotypes can be included in a predictive score for patients with cervical carcinoma.