bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Radon on the ground floor in the buildings of pre-university education in Montenegro
Authors: Vukotic Perko , Zekic Ranko , Andjelic Tomislav , Svrkota Nikola , Djurovic Andrija , Dlabac Aleksandar
Published: July 2020

A national radon survey was performed recently in all buildings of pre-university education in Montenegro. During the school year 2016/2017, radon (222Rn) was measured with passive detectors (Radosys, RSFV type) in 2855 ground-floor rooms of 468 buildings. The average 9-month radon activity concentrations above the level of 300 Bq/m3 were found in 728 rooms, which belong to 213 buildings, while in 111 rooms, belonging to 47 buildings, they were above 1000 Bq/m3. Radon concentrations in the educational buildings, averaged over all sampled ground-floor rooms in a building, range from 16 Bq/m3 to 2810 Bq/m3, with arithmetic mean (AM) = 275 Bq/m3. They follow a log-normal distribution with geometric mean (GM) = 174 Bq/m3 and geometric standard deviation (GSD) = 2.58. There are 135 buildings with average indoor radon concentrations on the ground floor above 300 Bq/m3 and 18 buildings where they are above 1000 Bq/m3. The influence of the nine factors (climate, urban/rural area, age of building, number of stories, building materials, basement, foundation slab, window frames, and heating) on radon concentrations in the buildings was analysed by univariate (UVA) and multivariate (MVA) methods. The univariate analysis revealed the significant relationship of the four factors: age of buildings, basement, building materials, and window frames with radon concentrations on the ground floor in the buildings, while multivariate analysis added to those factors urban/rural area and number of stories, but excluded building materials as a factor influencing significantly radon concentrations.
Characterizing urban pollution variability in Central Poland using radon-222
Authors: Chambers Scott D. , Podstawczyńska Agnieszka
Published: July 2020

Four years of observations of radon, meteorology and atmospheric pollution was used to demonstrate the efficacy of combined diurnal and synoptic timescale radon-based stability classification schemes in relating atmospheric mixing state to urban air quality in Zgierz, Central Poland. Nocturnal radon measurements were used to identify and remove periods of non-stationary synoptic behaviour (13–18% of each season) and classify the remaining data into five mixing states, including persistent temperature inversion (PTI) conditions, and non-PTI conditions with nocturnal conditions ranging from well mixed to stable. Mixing state classifications were performed completely independently of site meteorological measurements. World Health Organization guideline values for daily PM2.5/PM10 were exceeded only under strong PTI conditions (3–15% of non-summer months) or often under non-PTI stable nocturnal conditions (14–20% of all months), when minimum nocturnal mean wind speeds were also recorded. In non-summer months, diurnal amplitudes of NO (CO) increased by the factors of 2–12 (3–7) from well-mixed nocturnal conditions to PTI conditions, with peak concentrations occurring in the morning/evening commuting periods. Analysis of observations within radon-derived atmospheric mixing ‘class types’ was carried out to substantially clarify relationships between meteorological and air quality parameters (e.g. wind speed vs. PM2.5 concentration, and atmospheric mixing depth vs. PM10 concentration).
National comparison of methods for determination of radon in water
Authors: Mazur Jadwiga , Kozak Krzysztof , Grządziel Dominik , Guguła Szymon , Mroczek Mariusz , Kozłowska Beata , Walencik-Łata Agata , Podgórska Zuzanna , Wołoszczuk Katarzyna , Przylibski Tadeusz A. , Kowalska Agata , Domin Elżbieta , Wysocka Małgorzata , Chałupnik Stanisław , Chmielewska Izabela , Długosz-Lisiecka Magdalena , Szajerski Piotr , Chau Nguyen Dinh , Krakowska Paulina , Pliszczyński Tomasz , Ośko Jakub , Dymecka Małgorzata , Mazurek Daria
Published: July 2020

The article describes three interlaboratory experiments concerning 222Rn determination in water samples. The first two experiments were carried out with the use of artificial radon waters prepared by the Laboratory of Radiometric Expertise (LER), Institute of Nuclear Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków in 2014 and 2018. The third experiment was performed using natural environment waters collected in the vicinity of the former uranium mine in Kowary in 2016. Most of the institutions performing radon in water measurements in Poland were gathered in the Polish Radon Centre Network, and they participated in the experiments. The goal of these exercises was to evaluate different measurement techniques used routinely in Polish laboratories and the laboratories’ proficiency of radon in water measurements. In the experiment performed in 2018, the reference values of 222Rn concentration in water were calculated based on the method developed at LER. The participants’ results appeared to be worse for low radon concentration than for high radon concentrations. The conclusions drawn on that base indicated the weaknesses of the used methods and probably the sampling. The interlaboratory experiments, in term, can help to improve the participants’ skills and reliability of their results.
A new geostatistical tool for the analysis of the geographical variability of the indoor radon activity
Authors: Loffredo Filomena , Scala Antonio , Adinolfi Guido Maria , Savino Federica , Quarto Maria
Published: July 2020

The population is continuously exposed to a background level of ionizing radiation due to the natural radioactivity and, in particular, with radon (222Rn). Radon gas has been classified as the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke [1]. In the confined environment, radon concentration can reach harmful level and vary accordingly to many factors. Since the primary source of radon in dwellings is the subsurface, the risk assessment and reduction cannot disregard the identification of the local geology and the environmental predisposing factors. In this article, we propose a new methodology, based on the computation of the Gini coefficients at different spatial scales, to estimate the spatial correlation and the geographical variability of radon concentrations. This variability can be interpreted as a signature of the different subsurface geological conditions. The Gini coefficient computation is a statistical tool widely used to determine the degree of inhomogeneity of different kinds of distributions. We generated several simulated radon distributions, and the proposed tool has been validated by comparing the variograms based on the semi-variance computation with those ones based on the Gini coefficient. The Gini coefficient variogram is shown to be a good estimator of the inhomogeneity degree of radon concentration. Indeed, it allows to better constrain the critical distance below which the radon geological source can be considered as uniform at least for the investigated length scales of variability; it also better discriminates the fluctuations due to the environmental predisposing factors from those ones due to the random spatially uncorrelated noise.
Radon intercomparison tests – Katowice, 2016
Authors: Chałupnik Stanisław , Skubacz Krystian , Wysocka Małgorzata , Mazur Jadwiga , Bonczyk Michał , Kozak Krzysztof , Grządziel Dominik , Urban Paweł , Tchorz-Trzeciakiewicz Dagmara , Kozłowska Beata , Walencik-Łata Agata , Podstawczyńska Agnieszka , Olszewski Jerzy , Bartak Jakub , Karpińska Maria , Wołoszczuk Katarzyna , Dohojda Marek , Nowak Jakub , Długosz-Lisiecka Magdalena , Foerster Elisabeth , Przylibski Tadeusz A.
Published: July 2020

At the beginning of the year 2016, the representatives of the Polish Radon Centre decided to organize proficiency tests (PTs) for measurements of radon gas and radon decay products in the air, involving radon monitors and laboratory passive techniques. The Silesian Centre for Environmental Radioactivity of the Central Mining Institute (GIG), Katowice, became responsible for the organization of the PT exercises. The main reason to choose that location was the radon chamber in GIG with a volume of 17 m3, the biggest one in Poland. Accordingly, 13 participants from Poland plus one participant from Germany expressed their interest. The participants were invited to inform the organizers about what types of monitors and methods they would like to check during the tests. On this basis, the GIG team prepared the proposal for the schedule of exercises, such as the required level(s) of radon concentrations, the number and periods of tests, proposed potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC) levels and also the overall period of PT. The PT activity was performed between 6th and 17th June 2016. After assessment of the results, the agreement between radon monitors and other measurement methods was confirmed. In the case of PAEC monitors and methods of measurements, the results of PT exercises were consistent and confirmed the accuracy of the calibration procedures used by the participants. The results of the PAEC PTs will be published elsewhere; in this paper, only the results of radon intercomparison are described.
Participating in sports and practicing a religion are related to levels of happiness
Authors: Tejero-González Carlos Mª
Published: July 2020

The objective of this study was to ascertain whether happiness varies depending on sports participation and religious practice. The sample comprised 2,378 participants aged between 18 and 92 years. All analysis were carried out by testing the interaction effects of the variables of sex and age on sports participation, religious practice, and happiness. We found a high average level of happiness (M = 7.299, range 0–10). However, people who do not participate in sports or practice a religion indicated a level of happiness (M = 6.979) that was statistically lower than that of the other groups: people who practice a religion but do not participate in sports (M = 7.135); people who participate in sports but do not practice a religion (M = 7.478); and people who both participate in sports and practice a religion (M = 7.717). We conclude that happiness is associated with sports participation and religious practice, although with small or very small effect sizes (all p< 0.050; η2
p
between 0.008 and 0.020).
Social support and sports participation motivations of female adolescents in India - study of age transition and achievement level
Authors: Ahmed Md. Dilsad , Ho Walter King Yan , Van Niekerk Rudolph Leon , Sulz Lauren , Begum Shaheen
Published: July 2020

Motivation is likely a pivotal factor contributing to sports participation. In India, because of the unsupportive sports/physical education environment, girls participate less in sports and other physical activities than boys. Therefore, embedding a planned healthy environment with good social support may maximize and, consequently, increase their participation in various sports and physical activities. Considering this unabated dialogue and assuming that motivation is a pivotal need for female sports participation, this study examined the differences in motivation to participate in sports among female adolescents across three age categories: early (11–14 years old), middle (15–18 years old), and late (19–21 years old) adolescence. A total of 528 female adolescents from Assam, India participated in the study. Participation in physical education courses was the criterion for the participants, and they were invited to complete the Participation Motivation Questionnaire. A factor analysis with direct oblimin rotation using the maximum likelihood extraction method yielded a 23-item, five-factor structure that exhibited moderate internal consistency. An ANOVA revealed significant differences across all three age categories regarding all the extracted factors. Moreover, t-tests of all sub-factors identified significant differences between the two achievement levels of district-level and inter-district-level athletes. This study provides sound psychometric and comparative results that are useful for education and formative reviews in applied settings and research purposes. It also serves as a measurement tool for embedding motivation to participate in physical activities and sports among female adolescents and the development of strategic ideas to assist female adolescents from less privileged areas to experience healthy growth and a healthy lifestyle.
Determination of radiation doses to the skin due to238U and232Th series for the therapeutic application in the Merzouga sand baths
Authors: Touti Rodouan , Harrass Hicham
Published: July 2020

In this work, we used CR-39 and LR-115 type II solid-state nuclear track detectors to measure238U,232Th,222Rn and220Rn concentrations in Merzouga sand. The measured concentrations of238U and232Th in the studied sand samples vary from (332.59±16.62) mBq·cm−3to (335.54±20.13) mBq·cm−3and (80.43±4.02) mBq·cm−3to (84.75±5.08) mBq·cm−3, respectively. We evaluated the radiation doses to the skin from the application of different sand baths by the patients by using a model based on specific alpha-dose and alpha-particle residual energy concepts. The maximum total equivalent dose to the skin due to the238U and232Th series from the cutaneous application of different sand baths by patients was found equal to (148.12±11.85) µSv y−1cm−2
Evaluation of effective dose and entrance skin dose in digital radiology
Authors: Shamsi Khatereh , Monfared Ali Shabestani , Deevband Mohammad Reza , Mohsenzadeh Behzad , Ghorbani Mahdi , Gorji Kourosh Ebrahimnejad , Niksirat Fatemeh
Published: July 2020

Background: Ionizing radiation has an indispensable role in diagnostic radiology and clinical treatments. Apparently, medical exposure in diagnostic radiology pertains to be the preeminent man-made source of radiation.

Objective: The aim of the present scientific study is to calculate the Entrance Surface Dose (ESD) and Effective Dose (ED) in digital radiography in Mazandaran province.

Materials and methods: The study was performed on 3600 patients in digital X-ray rooms 15 hospitals and the required data were collected from two age groups (10>15 years and adults) in each projection. Based on the results of this study, ESD and ED were calculated for skull (PA), skull (lateral), cervical spine (AP), cervical spine (lateral), chest (PA), chest (lateral), abdomen (AP), lumbar spine (AP), lumbar spine (lateral), pelvis (AP), thoracic spine (AP) and thoracic spine (lateral) examinations. It was calculated using PCXMC software (version 2.0).

Results: In this study, mean ESDs for the 10-15 year group varied from 0.97±0.21 mGy to 3.62±1.38 mGy for chest (PA) and lumbar spine (lateral), respectively. For the adult group varied from 1.05±0.31 to 3.85±1.44 for cervical spine (AP) and lumbar spine (lateral), respectively. And also ED value was from in the range of 10.40 µSv to 378.46 µSv for skull (PA) 10-15 year group and abdomen adults, respectively

Conclusion: This survey revealed a significant variation in the radiation dose of digital radiology examinations among hospitals in Mazandaran province. Application of a dose reference level (DRL) could be an optimization procedure for reducing the patient’s dose in Mazandaran province.
Classification of Structurally Weak Rural Regions: Application of a Rural Development Index for Austria and Portugal
Authors: Hennebry Barraí , Stryjakiewicz Tadeusz
Published: July 2020

This paper aims to analyse to what extent the level and dynamics of development of rural regions located in two firmly different countries, Austria and Portugal, differ. In order to do this, an index to measure the ‘structural strength’ of rural regions was created. This index is a more holistic measure of socio-economic development than the traditional GDP per capita. After the identification of structurally weak regions in both Austria and Portugal, the paper compares them in the context of challenges faced by such regions.
Potential Conflicts in the Land-Use Planning Process: A Case Study of the Rural Commune of Oleśnica (Poland)
Authors: Grochowska Anna , Małecka Martyna
Published: July 2020

The purpose of this study was to identify compatibilities of land-use patterns resulting from adjacent functions within the rural commune of Oleśnica. The analysis was made based on the relevant studies of conditions and directions of spatial planning, as well as a field inventory. The results of the studies show that the applicable planning document became a potential source of spatial conflicts. On these grounds, a negative assessment was given to the functioning spatial planning system, which, according to the premises of spatial order and sustainable development, should prevent them. The existing incompatibilities are the result of issues with coordination of the local spatial policies. As a consequence, they cause an urban development chaos, lack of proper space shaping, environmental damage and lower the residents‘ quality of life.
Spatial Resistivity Mapping of Ureje Dam Floor, Southwestern Nigeria
Authors: Fatoba J.O. , Eluwole A.B. , Sanuade O.A. , Aroyehun M.T.
Published: July 2020

Ureje Dam, Ado-Ekiti has witnessed drastic reduction in the water storage capacity of its reservoir. It became imperative to determine the possible cause(s) of the reduction in storage capacity. Geophysical investigation involving the vertical electrical sounding technique of the electrical resistivity method was conducted in the upstream part of the dam. Five lithologic units that include the mud/suspended materials, such as sandy clay, clay, weathered/fractured bedrock and fresh bedrock, were delineated. The respective resistivity and thickness range of the units are 2–19 ohm-m; 147–206 ohm-m, 2–38 ohm-m; 47–236 ohm-m and 455–1516 ohm-m and 0.4–1.9 m; 0.5–2.5 m; 1.0–12.2 m; 7.3–16.4 m and ∞. The thickness of suspended materials, resistivity/thickness of weathered layer and the presence of near-surface impervious layer were used as the main indices for the spatial demarcation of the dam axis in terms of vulnerability to loss of impounded water. Using the cumulative response of the indices, the study concluded that the eastern to southeastern parts of the dam axis showed the highest indications of vulnerability to loss of impounded water.
Determinants of Industry 4.0 Technology Adaption and Human - Robot Collaboration
Authors: Porubčinová Martina , Fidlerová Helena
Published: July 2020

Aim of the paper is to analyse specific factors of human-robot collaboration and adoption to Industry 4.0 technologies in relation to working in mixed teams and in virtual work environment. Based on literature review and current findings in unified theory of technology acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model and its extensions, new endogenous factors might be included/considered, in a UTAUT model, namely emotional attitude (trust towards technology, perceived threat) and new moderators such as a location of organization and type of workplace-based training in organization. Team identification and self-extension process are intended as drivers for development of positive attitudes in human-robot collaboration and prerequisites of sustainable human-robot interaction. Regarding the findings in human-robot collaboration, the authors suggest including the type of personality and the attitudes towards Human-Robot collaboration among the extended factors of technology adoption within Industry 4.0 strategy. Emotional attachment acts as a relevant factor of successful Human-Robot collaboration that can be maintained by a support of team identification and self-extension process. For the development of positive attitudes in human-robot collaboration, principles of personalized design can be applied, e. g. engaging the workers in designing specific features of the robot. It can be supposed that specific models of technology adoption - as UTAUT/UTAUT2 will require new extensions in a context of work analysis in a virtual work environment, e.g. health and psychological assumptionsIn the paper, subjective assessment of the increase in well-being of the workers after the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies is identified as one of the new Industry 4.0 outcomes within the human capital definition of Industry 4.0.
Covid-19 and Industry 4.0
Authors: Czifra György , Molnár Zsolt
Published: July 2020

Nowadays, the whole world is talking about the corona virus. The world economy has slowed down, large businesses and small businesses as well as private ones struggle to survive. The current situation will affect the lives of all of us. How can we handle this situation? How does business flexibility help us? How can we use modern technology to restore the functioning of the economy? How can losses be reduced? In this paper, we are trying to find answers to these issues. To search for answers, we used the publications of renowned experts. We summarized the overview of their views of this important issue.
Outsourcing Workers in the form of a Subsidiary
Authors: Šantavá Eva , Schmacher Benjamin , Talnagiová Viktória , Sablik Jozef
Published: July 2020

Many production companies have fully adopted a lean management philosophy, but their finances and control departments also need to adapt to this trend. All departments must adapt to the changing requirements and reflect the new challenges in production management. The controlling has undergone a lot of changes. Downloading data is no longer the only task of a controller. Controlling can be integrated into the organizational structure of the company internally as well as externally. Our goal is to define the advantages and disadvantages of using an internal or external controller. To decide whether to outsource some of the process is not just a question of cost reduction or time reduction. Companies very often decide for outsourcing in case of processes, which require special “know how” or are key from the competitiveness point of view. Outsourcing therefore represents a strategic change. Cost savings are only a side effect.
A Web-Based 3D Simulation Platform Aimed at Policy Makers for Estimating the Effects of Urban Heat Islands
Authors: Wurzer Gabriel , Pont Ulrich , Lorenz Wolfgang E. , Swoboda Sigrun , Mahdavi Ardeshir
Published: July 2020

The prediction of microclimate effects within an urban context through simulations has previously been done through elaborate software packages that offer accurate results but require extensive domain knowledge and time for the preparation of a model. In day-to-day policymaking, however, these efforts may turn out to be a major limiting factor: Policymakers and city administrators need a quick tool that can predict the effects of urban interventions in a variety of possible scenarios rather than a full-fledged simulation study for a limited set of specific interventions. In our work, we have been seeking to address this mismatch in expectations by using the best of both worlds: We have approximated results from a full-fledged simulation that uses a Cellular Automaton running within a 3D city visualization. Policymakers can edit the urban context by changing cell types (placement of greenery, etc.), thus leading to scenarios that can be compared to the status quo. As a matter of fact, policymakers can use these comparisons to argue for measures that mitigate the effects of heat islands, without requiring extensive domain knowledge or the effort to prepare a simulation model.
A New Method to Describe the Combined Effect of Draught and Radiant Thermal Asymmetry on Human Work Performance
Authors: András-Tövissi Balázs , Kajtár László
Published: July 2020

Human resources are the most important elements of economic units; thus, the efficiency of human work is of crucial importance. Work efficiency can be achieved only in an environment offering optimal thermal comfort. The present study makes use of human subject experiments in order to investigate the joint effect of draughts and warm ceilings on work performance. During the experiments, 10 thermal environments with 5 radiant thermal asymmetries and 2 draught rates were investigated. The most important outcome of the research is the presentation of the combined effect of a draught and a warm ceiling on work performance.
Detection of Changes in Hydrological Time Series During Recent Decades
Authors: Ďurigová Mária , Hlavčová Kamila , Poórová Jana
Published: July 2020

An analysis of a hydrological time-series data offers the possibility of detecting changes that have arisen due to climate change or change in land use. This paper deals with the detection of changes in the hydrological time data series. The trend analysis was applied at 58 stage-discharge gauging stations that are located throughout Slovakia, with the measurement period from 1962 to 2017. The Mann-Kendall test show a declining trends in the summer and a few rising trends in the winter in discharges. In the town of Banská Bystrica at a station on the Hron River, decades of discharges, air temperatures, and precipitation totals were analyzed. The five decades from the 1960s to the 2000s were used. The hydrological time data series were also analyzed by the Pettitt’s test, which is used to detect change points. The decadal analysis at the Banská Bystrica station shows an increase in the air temperature but insignificant changes in discharges and precipitation. Pettitt’s test identified many change points in the 1990s in the air temperature.
Validation of the Croatian Version of the Sense of Coherence 29-Item Scale in Croatian Nurses
Authors: Smrekar Martina , Zaletel-Kragelj Lijana , Petrak Olivera , Franko Alenka
Published: July 2020

Introduction

The aim of the study was to validate the Croatian version of the Sense of Coherence 29-item instrument (SOC-29) within a nursing population.

Methods

The cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2017 and June 2018 at the University Hospital Centre Sisters of Mercy (UHCSM) in Zagreb, Croatia. A total of 711 nurses participated in this study. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient (α), while the structure of the questionnaire was verified by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) (method of extraction: principal component analysis (PCA)) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Results

The instrument demonstrated high internal consistency (α=0.885). PCA analysis has identified five factors that together account for 48% of the variance. However, the observed factors could not be interpreted. In the CFA, none of the models fitted well, although the fit of the three-factor model (CMIN/DF=4.786, CFI=0.767, RMSEA=0.073) was slightly better in comparison with the one-factor model (CMIN/DF=6.072, CFI=0.685, RMSEA=0.084). As the three-factor model in PCA has been shown to be uninterpretable, and all three factors were mutually positive and significantly correlated (correlation coefficients: 0.365–0.521), this indicated a single factor in the background. All items also showed saturation with the first factor (accounting for 25.7% of the variance).

Conclusions

The Croatian version of the SOC-29 instrument successfully fulfilled the necessary psychometric criteria for being used on the population of Croatian nurses. The study proposes that potential users use the single-factor structure.
Gender Influence on the Perception of Celebrity Endorsement
Authors: Lazăr Laura
Published: July 2020

Celebrity endorsement is a common instrument in marketing. Celebrities are also present in commercials, and this phenomenon is nowadays a trend. This kind of publicity has a high potential since customers are pulled into the VIPs. They are overpowered by their regular daily existence, so they need standards and good examples. This is the motivation for using superstar brand envoys in advertisings as an excellent promoting technique of brands and products. In the period of data and promotions, the tributes can get the consumers’ consideration in publicizing and to expand how the promoted item is being perceived. This is because of their fame, glamour, elegance and charisma. For this reason, the marketers are looking for popular, famous, beautiful, positive testimonials to drive a company’s image and its products. The celebrity brand ambassadors thus play a significant role in a brand’s advertisement and reputation, but also in the consumers’ lives. The stars’ everyday lives, their conduct, the products they use, affect the attitude of the customers of life and the decision to purchase. The purpose of this paper is to determine if celebrity endorsement works for all the consumers or the perception of this trend is different according to the gender of the people. Two groups of customers were asked about celebrity endorsement whether their appearance in ads affects their decision and the desire to purchase a product or not. Recent results have shown that there are still differences between the two categories of customers, men and women, in the perception of celebrity endorsement. All of them think advertising is important, and sometimes they change their choices according to a product’s advertisement. The difference is that women appear to believe more in the endorsements of celebrity brands and their impact effect on the product being marketed than men, who are more pragmatic and reticent about this trend.
The Influence of Oil Price on Renewable Energy Stock Prices: An Analysis for Entrepreneurs
Authors: Vrînceanu Georgiana , Horobeț Alexandra , Popescu Consuela , Belaşcu Lucian
Published: July 2020

This study investigates the relationship between oil price fluctuations and renewable energy stock returns using daily data on Brent crude oil prices and global renewable energy stock market indices between 29 November 2010 and 18 February 2020. The investigation is based on the existing evidence on positive correlations between stock prices and oil prices, but it also considers the shift from non-renewable to renewable sources of energy. A two-stage GARCH(1,1) model and a Granger causality test were applied. Our results show that volatility clustering is present in the renewable energy companies‘ stock prices, but, oil price volatility does not seem to induce any significant effects on returns‘ volatility. This might suggest that oil markets and renewable energy markets are rather disconnected, which means that the development of renewable energy businesses is less affected by potential shocks in the oil prices and markets. As a result, the exposure of companies and entrepreneurs in the renewable sector to an important source of macroeconomic volatility is reduced.
The Impact of Social Media Adoption by Companies. Digital Transformation
Authors: Onețiu Darius Daniel
Published: July 2020

This article highlights the adoption of social media by organizations and its consequences on the company’s performance. These topics of debate are becoming more and more common in the business environment. In fact, it is the main argument for which this paper relates the particularly important aspects of the adoption of social media (social networks) by organizations. In the following, important aspects that bring value to the organization, both by acquiring and by adopting social media in sales performance, have been structured. This research is built on a theoretical study, including as main terms of discussion: social media adoption and digital transformation. In the last part of the article, we have summarized and concluded these factors. We have identified how they can contribute to a more efficient orientation of sales performance, to increase the organizational management of the relationship and the connection between customers and the organization. Referring to the orientation towards “use of social networks” by organizations, we demonstrate that organizations are required to give high importance to understanding the organization’s customers and, of course, a high degree of relational performance. Another factor encountered in this theoretical research is ―digital transformation”. We debated this topic in order to easily make the transition to the adoption of “social media” by organizations. Following the theoretical research, we can say that today, digital transformation has special importance in the organization and the fact that a strong link has been created among social media, reality management and performance in relational sales.
Review of Inventory Control Models: A Classification Based on Methods of Obtaining Optimal Control Parameters
Authors: Jackson Ilya , Tolujevs Jurijs , Kegenbekov Zhandos
Published: July 2020

Inventory control has been a major point of discussion in industrial engineering and operations research for over 100 years. Various advanced numerical methods can be used for solving inventory control problems, which makes it a highly multidisciplinary filed attracting researchers from different academic disciplines. This fact makes it a daunting task to subsume the gargantuan spectrum of literature related to inventory control theory in one treatise. In light of this fact, this paper focuses on the timeline of inventory control models with respect to methodologies behind deriving optimal control parameters. Such methodologies include analytical approaches, optimal control theory, dynamic programming, simulation-based optimization and metamodel-based optimization.
Using an Adapted Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture in the Development of an Industry Methodology of Integrated Supply Chain Planning
Authors: Sergeev Victor , Solodovnikov Vitaly
Published: July 2020

Trends in the digitalization of business open up opportunities for the use of fundamental approaches to the development of enterprise architecture in the creation of appropriate methodologies.

The article discusses the approach to the use of adapted Zachman framework for enterprise architecture as a basis for the systematization and structuring of the industry methodologies of integrated supply chain planning based on SCOR model. A practical example of using the proposed approach for description of one of the target processes - tactical supply chain planning is considered.
A FRAMEWORK TO ADD DEPTH, CAREER RELEVANCE, AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT INTO ASSESSMENT IN A 2ND YEAR DESIGN COURSE
Authors: Balakrishnan Nishant , Balakrishnan Rebecca
Published: July 2020

In a typical engineering classroom, there are many skills that students are expected to learn, develop and apply. Educators struggle on a regular basis to find meaningful ways to get students to develop skills. While it is possible to make large educational reforms in a program, sometimes change can be found in small and meaningful modifications to assessments. This paper focuses on simple, knowledge-based assessments used in accredited programs. An example is provided of a framework used in a second-year design course to transform simple assessments into opportunities for the development of deep skills, while at the same time managing educational resources and maintaining a focus on outcome-based assessment. The primary components of the framework are to tie in long term skills development, aspects of STEAM (specifically the arts elements), as well as aspects of career development and engineering identity into assignments, to allow students to contextualize their skill development into the broader understanding of their own career and identity development as an engineer.
Evaluación de Beauveria bassiana para el control de Monalonion velezangeli (Hemiptera: Miridae) en el cultivo del café
Authors: Góngora Carmenza E. , Laiton-J. Laura A. , Gil Zulma N. , Benavides Pablo
Published: July 2020

Monalonion velezangeli (Hemiptera: Miridae) es una plaga polífaga que en Colombia ataca ornamentales, arvenses, maderables y frutales incluyendo café. Se evaluó la patogenicidad de Beauveria bassiana cepa B a 1 x 107 conidias/ml por inmersión sobre M. velezangeli. La cepa B causó una mortalidad de 84 % sobre el insecto. Se infestaron plantas de Cissus verticillata con M. velezangeli y se aplicó el hongo a una concentración de 4 x 1010 conidias/L. La mortalidad promedio de los insectos, bajo condiciones de laboratorio en el tratamiento con el hongo fue de 84 %. En condiciones de campo, en el departamento del Huila, en un lote de café infestado con M. velezangeli, se aplicaron los tratamientos: cepa B a una concentración de 4 x 1010 conidias/L, insecticida Clorpirifos a 4 cc/L y agua. En un primer ensayo se escogieron grupos de nueve árboles (20 repeticiones). Tanto el insecticida como el hongo causaron mortalidad en los insectos con disminución entre 80 y 90 % de los porcentajes de daños nuevos en los árboles, mientras que en los testigos la disminución del daño fue de 40 %. En un segundo ensayo, se seleccionaron parcelas de 450 árboles en donde se aplicaron los mismos tratamientos. El porcentaje de árboles afectados en el testigo varió entre 19 y 11 %. El lote con aplicación de insecticida, inició con una infestación del 29 % y, al final del experimento, la infestación estaba cercana al 20 % y el mayor daño fue observado en este lote. En el lote donde se aplicó B. bassiana, la infestación inicial fue de 30 % y al final del experimento mostró el menor nivel de infestación, cercano al 5 %. La cepa B de B. bassiana representa una alternativa viable para el control de M. velezangeli en plantaciones de café.
Diversidad de trips (Insecta: Thysanoptera: Thripidae) asociados al cultivo de gladiolo en México
Authors: Quiñones-Valdez Rosalba , Sánchez-Pale Jesús Ricardo , Castañeda-Vildozola Álvaro , Mejorada-Gómez Elizabeth , Johansen-Naime Roberto
Published: July 2020

El gladiolo es una planta ornamental de corte con alta demanda durante todo el año en México, generando una fuerte actividad económica y social. Los trips son la principal plaga que lo afecta, y que mayor control requiere, pero se desconoce la identidad de las especies que lo dañan. El presente estudio tuvo la finalidad de conocer la diversidad de especies de trips asociadas al cultivo de gladiolo en dos regiones productoras del estado de México. Se establecieron dos parcelas: la parcela uno ubicada en Ixtlahuaca, de la región norte, caracterizada por un manejo poco intensivo; en tanto que la parcela dos estuvo en Villa Guerrero, de la región sureste, caracterizada por un manejo intensivo y considerada la principal región productora de ornamentales. Se utilizaron 100 espigas florales por parcela para capturar los trips al final del ciclo de cultivo. Los resultados indicaron la presencia de dos géneros, cinco especies fitófagas presentes en la región norte, y un género depredador; mientras que en la región sureste se presentaron los dos mismos géneros pero con la presencia de 12 especies, una de las cuales es nueva para México. Thrips simplex fue la especie más abundante en las dos parcelas evaluadas.
Comparison of the volatiles composition between healthy and buprestid infected Juglans regia (Juglandaceae)
Authors: Cui Yaqin , Kong Shuqing , Liu Xinhai , Liu Suicun
Published: July 2020

Meliboeus ohbayashii primoriensis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an important pest of the walnut tree Juglans regia (Juglandaceae), but the volatiles mediating this plant–herbivore interaction are unknown. In this study, volatiles emitted by healthy J. regia and by plants infested with M. ohbayashii primoriensis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) were obtained by a dynamic headspace method and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Shanxi, China). We identified 26 major compounds and compared the volatile composition of healthy and buprestid-infected J. regia. Green leaf volatiles were detected in all damaged plants, including the monoterpenoids β-phellandrene and (E)-β-ocimene, the sesquiterpenoids (-)-β-bourbonene, β-ylangene, and (E,E)-α-farnesene, the alcohols linalool, myrtenol, and (E)-(-)-pinocarveol, the ketones (E)-pinocamphone and (Z)-pinocamphone, and the ester methyl salicylate. The major volatiles detected in healthy plants were β-pinene (36.26 %), α-pinene (23.81 %), D-limonene (12.03 %), sabinene (8.63 %), and β-myrcene (4.35 %). The main volatiles from M. ohbayashii primoriensis larva-infested plants were β-pinene (37.82 %), α-pinene (20.36 %), D-limonene (14.71 %), germacrene D (5.24 %), sabinene (4.52 %), and β-phellandrene (3.80 %). These results enrich our understanding of volatiles of healthy plants and plants infested with M. ohbayashii primoriensis. Furthermore, they provide a theoretical basis and scientific foundation for integrated pest management and for effective ecologically sustainable pest control strategies.
Copper Nanowire Array as Highly Selective Electrochemical Sensor of Nitrate Ions in Water
Authors: Patella Bernardo , Russo Roberta , O'Riordan Alan , Aiello Giuseppe , Sunseri Carmelo , Inguanta Rosslinda
Published: July 2020

Contamination of water with nitrate ions is a significant problem that affects many areas of the world. The danger from nitrates is not so much their toxicity, rather low, as their transformation into nitrites and in particular into nitrosamines, substances considered to be a possible carcinogenic risk. For this reason, European legislation has set the maximum permissible concentration of nitrates in drinking water at 44 mg/l. Thus, it is clear that a continuous monitoring of nitrate ions is of high technological interest but it must be rapid, easy to perform and directly performed in situ. Electrochemical detection is certainly among the best techniques to obtain the above requirements. In particular, in this work we have developed a nanostructured sensor based on array of copper nanowires obtained with the simple method of galvanic deposition. The nanostructured sensors have a very short response time with a detection limit less than 10 M. Different interfering species were tested finding a negligible effect except for the chlorine ions. However, this problem has been solved by removing chlorine ions from the water through a simple precipitation of chloride compounds with low solubility. Nanostructured sensors were also used to analyze real water samples (rain, river and drinking water). In the case of drinking water, we have measured a concentration of nitrate ions very close to the that measured by conventional laboratory techniques.
Real-time Detection and Tandem Mass Spectrometry of Secondary Organic Aerosols with a Quadrupole Ion Trap
Authors: Newsome G. Asher , Rosen Elias P. , Kamens Richard M. , Glish Gary L.
Published: July 2020

An aerosol quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer is reported that is sensitive, has unique capabilities to perform chemical ionization, is operated in real-time, and is able to perform tandem mass spectrometry. The instrument samples particles with an aerodynamic lens and volatilizes them within the heated ion trap electrode assembly. Analyte molecules are ionized within the ion trap by proton transfer from reagent ions, and resultant fragmentation is reduced compared to vacuum UV photoionization. Particle concentrations can be detected linearly over two orders of magnitude and as low as 5 μg/m3. To demonstrate the real-time analysis capability of the instrument, secondary organic aerosol particles were produced by reaction of 100 ppb α-pinene and 200 ppb ozone in an aerosol bag and observed in real-time to monitor the progress of the reaction. Pinic acid and pinonic acid are two of the many components of the secondary aerosol mixture that form and gradually decrease in concentration. Individual concentrations are calculated using pinic acid as an internal standard and vary from 4-36 ppb. The identities of analyte ions from both compounds are confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry in real-time.
Coupling 193 nm Ultraviolet Photodissociation and Ion Mobility for Sequence Characterization of Conformationally-Selected Peptides
Authors: Stiving Alyssa , Harvey Sophie , Jones Benjamin J. , Bellina Bruno , Brown Jeffery , Barran Perdita E. , Wysocki Vicki
Published: July 2020

Ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD) has emerged as a useful technique for characterizing peptide, protein, and protein complex primary and secondary structure. We present here the modification of a commercial ion mobility (IM) mass spectrometer to incorporate 193 nm UVPD following IM separation, enabling IM-UVPD to fragment species selected by both their m/z (via quadrupole selection) and conformation (mobility-selection).
New opportunities of renal denervation
Authors: Agaeva Regina A. , Danilov Nikolay M. , Shelkova Galina V. , Matchin Yuri G. , Chazova Irina E.
Published: July 2020

Radiofrequency renal artery denervation (RND) was introduced as a method of interventional treatment of resistant hypertension almost ten years ago. The first studies demonstrated the effectiveness of this procedure. This has led to growing interest in this area and the rapid development of the method. However, the results of the first randomized trial of SYMPLICITY HTN-3 questioned the role of RND in the treatment of resistant hypertension, this fact conducted to the decrease in the recommendation class and level of evidence in the Guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Hypertension in 2018. To date, the medical community is actively discussing the results of recently published trials such as SPYRAL HTN-OFF MED, SPYRAL HTN-ON MED, RADIANCE-HTN SOLO and RADIOSOUND-HTN.
The experience of using the Russian biosimilar of the original drug eculizumab for the treatment of patients with atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome
Authors: Lavrishcheva Yulia V. , Yakovenko Alexander A. , Kudlai Dmitrii A.
Published: July 2020

Atypical hemolytic-uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a chronic systemic disease of a genetic nature, which is based on uncontrolled activation of the alternative complement pathway, leading to generalized thrombosis in the vessels of the microvasculature (complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy). To date, therapy with eculizumab is the most effective and pathogenetically substantiated method of treating patients with ASH. Using the example of three clinical cases of patients with a verified diagnosis of aHUS, the high efficiency and safety of the worlds first bioanalogue of eculizumab in the treatment of adult patients with aHUS (complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathy) was demonstrated.
Thromboembolic complications in nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Bobrova Larisa A. , Kozlovskaya Natalia L.
Published: July 2020

This review devoted to the nephrotic syndrome (NS) subsequent thrombotic outcomes. The pathogenesis of hypercoagulation disorders that cause venous and arterial vascular system thrombosis are studied. Discussed procoagulant and anticoagulant mechanisms imbalance due to the anticoagulants natural urinal loss, affected by disfunction of the glomerular filter selective permeability, leading to high molecular weight liver-derived proteins (at least of the albumin size) leakage, fibrinolysis depression, excessive liver synthesis of plasma clotting cascade factors and platelet activation. Presented new data on the thrombogenesis at NS concerning the role of endothelial microparticles with high prothrombogenic activity that go from damaged glomerulus endothelial capillary cells into the systemic circulation, which can turn the local renal hypercoagulation (concomitant to the kidney immune inflammation process) into the generalized, working towards the thrombosis development. The most frequent adverse variants of arterial and venous thromboses are studied, specified their basic and general risk factors, as well as individual, varying in different patients. Indications and prophylactic anticoagulant therapy regimen and thrombosis treatment duration in patients with NS are discussed. It also stressed that the decision on time and method of anticoagulant therapy for a NS patients is still a challenge for healthcare providers.