bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Financial Potential of Czech Employees from the Perspective of Gender Statistics
Authors: Bílková Diana
Published: October 2023

In the third quarter of 2022, the average gross monthly nominal wage rose by 6.1 percent compared to last year, but in real terms it fell by 9.8 percent due to inflation. The decline is the same as in the previous quarter. Inflation and a real drop in average wages have already forced three quarters of employees significantly to reduce some expenses. Considering the current situation, the biggest savings relate to holidays, eating out in restaurants, culture or sports activities. In general, people save by limiting purchases of better or better quality products or services, as well as branded products. The aim of this paper is to capture the situation regarding the development of the wages of Czech men and women since the last financial and subsequently economic crisis, through a period of significant economic conjuncture, which was followed by the coronavirus crisis, ensued by the current energy crisis, which is largely related, among other things, to the war conflict in Ukraine. For this purpose, not only statistics measuring the level of wages in the individual years 2009–2021 were calculated, but for this purpose models of the entire wage distribution were constructed and their development in the monitored period was captured. The three-parameter lognormal curves became the basis of these models, the parameters of which were estimated by the maximum likelihood method ensuring the minimum variance of the obtained estimates. Predictions of the entire wage distributions of men and women were constructed for the period 2022–2026 in order to specify the expected development of wage distributions. As part of these predictions, exponential smoothing of time series was applied, which assigns the highest weight to the most recent observations, and the weights of individual observations decrease exponentially towards the past.
ROSI and Tools for Monetizing Sustainability (ESG) Measures
Authors: Svermova Pavla , Sander Maik
Published: October 2023

Environmental, social and governance impacts of expenditures are part of every management decision. Investments in sustainability and CSR comply with ESG factors. Following the approval of the CSRD Directive by the EC, ESG issues are set to grow. We want to explain to companies that the ROSI issue is significant concerning the above and that there are methods to help them monetize sustainability in the future. Mention is made of the 5-step methodology by The NY University Stern Center for Sustainable Business and the Impact-Weighted Accounts method by the Harvard Business School. Both are set in a study from the automotive industry. Sustainability is not only about the environmental, societal and economic aspects; companies must keep track of financial performance. Therefore, it is essential to implement tools for monetizing sustainability measures - the future of sustainable business is about to turn from being a necessary evil to being remunerative good.
Knowledge of the Regional Brand in Liberec Region: Case Study
Authors: Beran Vojtěch , Dědková Jaroslava
Published: October 2023

The issue of regional product brands is still a relatively unexplored topic, however, it has recently been gaining popularity among researchers. This scientific article focuses on the question of brand awareness of a selected regional producer from the syrup segment. The article also contains the results of qualitative marketing research focusing on the analysis of students' attitudes and preferences towards the examined regional brand. The questionnaire survey was implemented using the CAWI method and took place in the period from March to May 2022. During the period under review, the answers were obtained from a total of 303 student respondents. The main research question of this article is whether there is a dependence between selected socio-economic indicators (gender, income and size of residence) of the respondents and knowledge of the examined regional brand of the producer from the Liberec region. Based on the research question posed in this way, three sub-hypotheses were subsequently established that focus on verifying the dependencies between selected socio-economic indicators and knowledge of the brand of the regional manufacturer. The statistical software IBM SPS Statistics was subsequently used for data calculation and analysis. As part of testing the hypotheses, a statistical method called Pearson's chi-square test and descriptive statistics tools were used. Based on the statistical calculations made, dependence was proven in the case of the first two of the mentioned socio-economic indicators. The outcomes are continuously commented on in the results section. The last part of the article is dedicated to discussion and drawing additional conclusions.
The Impact of Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence on Employees in the Accounting Profession
Authors: Petrová Pavlína
Published: October 2023

The article discusses data and information based on selected research and definitions drawn from the professional literature related to robotic process automation (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI) and their impact on employment in the accounting profession. The article incorporates a review of the literature on the given topic. This article serves companies as a basis for further research, deeper processing of the given topic and as a scholarly basis for creating the research component. The issue addressed in the article is presented in the introductory part. The first part of the article deals with the collection of RPA definitions and the benefits of implementing RPA in companies. The next part of the article discusses the relationship between RPA and AI. The third part of the article summarizes the results of research previously conducted. In the selected studies, of primary interest was whether and to what extent the jobs of accountants are threatened by automation and whether AI helps accountants. The following part of the article is devoted to the discussion. Here, individual authors' views on job loss due to RPA and whether human labour is irreplaceable in accounting jobs are presented and discussed. The final part of the article is devoted to the findings.
ICT Professionals Wages Development – Is the Economy in Resilence Period?
Authors: Maryska Milos , Nedomova Lea , Doucek Petr
Published: October 2023

EU countries are trying to rationalise the processing of many agendas at both international and national level. The holy grail being sought is the digitisation of all available agendas.. In our paper, we address the issues of wages of workers who work in the field of information and communication technologies - ICT Professionals. We deal with the development of their number in the Czech economy over the last five years and also with the development of their nominal wages. In addition, we also look at the issue of gender pay gap in ICT. For the data analysis, we used a set of surveys for the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs on wages, which are conducted annually by Trexima Ltd. For data analysis we used mainly MS Excel tools - statistical functions and Python as well. The results show that the number of ICT Professionals in the Czech economy is permanently growing. The identified wage growth trends show that wages are growing fastest for ICT Manager and ICT Specialists positions - here the growth is faster than the overall wage growth in the Czech Republic. For ICT Technicians, although wages show an increasing trend, but it is lower than the wage growth trend in the Czech economy. In the Gender Pay Gap question, we concluded that it is minimal for ICT Professionals in public and state administration, but still very high in the business sphere. A positive phenomenon is that the Gender Pay Gap is decreasing permanently.
Options for Measuring Legal and Financial Literacy
Authors: Zahrajová Katarzyna , Krügerová Martina , Kozieł Michal , Bučková Michaela , Štverková Hana
Published: October 2023

The definition of financial and legal literacy is still evolving. In today's uncertain times, it is particularly important to define and understand financial and legal literacy correctly. Their focus is seemingly different but they have much in common. Lack of legal literacy can affect financial behaviour and contribute to increasing financial insecurity. According to research, respondents with different levels of legal literacy exhibit different legal behaviours. A properly established measurement of these two areas is the basis for their awareness and proper use in future decision-making. However, we need to know whether and which methods can be used to examine the level of financial and legal literacy in society, and for what purpose they will be composed. The aim is to help quantitative research to find a method of investigation such that its measures assess the level of both financial and legal literacy. The methods are presented to highlight the possible shortcomings and limitations of these methods, and the interpretation of the indicators and results.
Crowdfunding and Sustainability. UN SDG Goalsversus Campaign Goals in Developing and Developed Countries. Does it Matter?
Authors: Mačí Jan , Krtička Tomáš
Published: October 2023

Sustainability can be perceived as a life belief as well as a way to impress when presenting a business plan, or a combination of both. Cr owdfunding can be the way to finance such a business plan linked to sustainability. For example, the UN has established 17 sustainability goals, the so-called Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the several sources, especially the World Economic Forum survey, it was possible to indirectly deduce that in developing countries the goals perceived in the survey as top-ranked are accentuated, while in developed countries rather the goals perceived as least-important. In view of the above, the aim of this contribution is to identify and describe how crowdfunding campaigns work with the concept of sustainability with regard to the SDG goals, using the case of a selected crowdfunding platform (indiegogo). The monitored variables were the nature of the campaign in relation to the SDG goal being met, the degree of development of the economy in which the campaign was launched, and the percentage of the received amount from the target amount. The work concludes that the analyzed campaigns do not systematically communicate their intention with regard to the SDGs, which are perceived as important for their environment. I.e. the dependence between the nature of the campaign fulfilling the SDG goal and the degree of economic development was not identified. On the other hand, it is still possible to observe that campaigns respecting the SDGs in relation to their economy are more successful in terms of the amount collected.
Dual Focus on Systemic Risk in Portfolio Management
Authors: Neděla David , Tichý Tomáš
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we examine a complex portfolio selection strategy with a dual emphasis on systemic risk. This strategy or only its elements are advisable for both portfolio managers as well as macroprudential regulators. In particular, first, we present the concept of an early warning system (alarm) employing selected entropy measures, which allow us to detect systemic risk in financial markets. Secondly, we apply the two-phase optimization framework to determine the optimal composition of the portfolio. Essentially, the first phase of this strategy includes the reward‒risk ratio maximization part and the following phase aims at systematic risk minimization. Furthermore, we approximate the returns using a dynamic set of components obtained from the principal component analysis and the classical ordinary least squares regression. In the empirical analysis using US market data, the wealth paths and statistics of different portfolio strategies are compared with each other. Ex-post results confirm higher profitability of the early warning system with double optimization, even if the transaction costs are taken into account. However, the main benefit lies in the significantly better risk properties of the proposed strategy.
Correlation of Indicators of Development in the Insurance Market in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and the EU Average
Authors: Benetti Karina , Izáková Katarína , Khalil Dalia
Published: October 2023

In 2004 the Czech and Slovak Republics became part of the European Union, which brought many changes influencing the financial markets, including the insurance industry. Czech, Slovak, and European markets are constantly evolving, and they respond to the changes in the environment in which they operate. Given these facts, the paper focuses on analysing the interdependence of the insurance market in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and the EU insurance market (the EU average) and on identifying the conditions of this dependence. The successfully functioning financial sector has a significant positive impact on economic growth; for this reason, the paper will pay attention to the issue of how insurance influences economic growth. To capture the insurance market, many insurance indicators can be used, among which are, in particular, gross premiums written, insurance penetration and density. In comparing the development of the insurance market in the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and other European countries or the EU average, it is necessary to select the appropriate indicator given. The development of the global insurance market and the individual insurance markets is influenced not only by events in the world economy (economic development, development of the financial markets, the impact of economic or financial crisis), but it is also influenced by many factors that can be divided into two groups according to how on the insurance market act. In our article, we will focus mainly on extrinsic factors. Data for the analyses were drawn from SwissRe (Sigma journal), Eurostat and OECD databases.
Knowledge Management as a Necessity for the Digitalisation of Processes Among Tax Advisors– A Survey of German Tax Firms 2022
Authors: Krieger Alexander , Hector Heiko , Lange Jürgen
Published: October 2023

Digitalisation requirements are the challenge for tax firms in the 21st century. Reserved tasks should become more automated, communications should expand to digital channels and core competences should be expanded to include more consulting. Since digitisation and the necessary technology and its application are not among the core competences of tax consultancies, the transformation of services is slow. A survey of tax firm owners shows that the digitalisation of services and processes has only been implemented to a limited extent in the firms. Furthermore, the data shows that due to the lack of digital transformation, the majority of tax consultants are unable to offer new services to clients. This is attributed to the fact that the lack of internal knowledge management does not allow the transformation to take place in a structured framework and therefore many tax consultants are still in the planning phase, even though client requirements have been tending to be offered digital options in tax advice for some time. This paper deals with the need for internal knowledge management, which forms the basis for the necessary transformation. For this purpose, the knowledge areas that are necessary for comprehensive knowledge management are presented. In addition, the model of Büren et al. provides a framework for the development of coordinated knowledge management that can be adapted by tax consultancies. For this purpose, basic requirements are presented in a self-created integrated management approach as an example in which tax firms can start a knowledge management for digitalisation.
Development of the Office Space Prices on the Czech Market
Authors: Matoušková Michaela
Published: October 2023

The price developments in the commercial real estate market can affect the financial stability of countries, particularly through the level of lending by companies operating in this area. In the literature, research can be found dealing mainly with residential real estate, while commercial real estate stands rather in the background. The aim of this paper is to analyse the price development of the office space (CRECVI index) in the Czech market between years 2005 to 2022. As part of the cointegration analysis, an ADL model is constructed to describe how commercial real estate prices respond to changes in selected macroeconomic indicators. The results of the analysis show that office space prices are mainly influenced by the evolution of gross domestic product, unemployment and the level of inflation and interest rates.
Generation Z as Employees in Public Pharmacies in Germany – Difficulties for the Health Care System in the Area of Pharmaceutical Supply due to the Absence of Skilled Workers
Authors: Koczian Bernhard , Gubíniová Katarína , Wick Alexander
Published: October 2023

Generation Z is the workforce generation for the next 20 years and poses a problem for some industries. One of these is the pharmaceutical sector of pharmacies, which performs the important task of providing medicines and related advice. The shortage of skilled workers in pharmacies is not a new problem and was already recognised in the 1990s, but due to the generative characteristics of the members of Generation Z, it poses a new challenge. Pharmacies need the next generation and must also adapt to demands of Generation Z, which, however, does not seem ready for this in many areas due to the structure and processes of pharmacy services. Pharmacies have undergone some changes in their areas of service delivery and some have already gone relatively far digital and are planning with part-time models. Nevertheless, there is still a shortage, which shows that pharmacy is not a preferred career field of the generation. For the personnel management of pharmacies, it is necessary to find the parameters that appeal to the representatives of the generation and adapt them to the personnel search. In this paper, the Big Five personality traits and the behavioural economics of Generation Z will be compared with the requirements of the pharmacy profession in order to determine some parameters.
Euthanathic Homicide: Ending of Life or Shortening of Dying?
Authors: Małecki Mikołaj
Published: October 2023

The subject of the article is the analysis of Art. 150 of the Polish Criminal Code – criminal liability for euthanasia. The paper presents arguments indicating a narrow understanding of Art. 150 of the Polish Criminal Code that it penalizes only extreme cases of shortening the dying of a human being. Some arguments for the claim that Art. 150 of the Polish Criminal Code covers a wide spectrum of situations, not limited to accelerating the dying process of the victim, has been also presented. As a result, it has been clarified that the provision of Art. 150 of the Polish Criminal Code applies to all situations of ending the human life at the request of he or she and under the influence of compassion for her or him.
Property Protection of the Patient’s Right to Die in Peace and Dignity
Authors: Janiszewska Beata M.
Published: October 2023

The issue of protecting the patient’s right to die in peace and dignity is presented in this paper. The following were analysed: the concept of patients’ rights, the content of the patient’s right to die in peace and dignity, and Art. 4 Sec. 2 of the Act of 6 November 2008 on Patient Rights and the Ombudsman for Patients’ Rights. In addition, the legal entities who are entitled to claims in the event of a culpable violation of the patient’s right to die in peace and dignity have been defined.
The Right to Dignified Death: A Comparative Legal Discussion of Euthanasia and Assisted Termination of Life
Authors: Michałkiewicz-Kądziela Ewa , Šimić Goran
Published: October 2023

The discussion of legal aspects of euthanasia and assisted termination of life has been going on for many years. It touches upon complex topics such as legal, moral, health, religious or societal issues. In terms of human rights, it focuses primarily on juxtaposing the right to life with other rights, such as the right to privacy, the right to decide for oneself, or freedom from torture and inhumane treatment. At the level of international law, the European Court of Human Rights has not decided to establish uniform standards for the protection of the right to life regarding euthanasia and assisted termination of life, allowing the application of the principle of freedom of assessment by the signatory states of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The consequence of this is the establishment by individual countries of non-uniform legal regulations, which leads to a differentiation in the legal situation of their citizens. The purpose of this article is to determine whether it is possible to derive a universal right to dignified death, and what the consequences of a lack of an international standard on legal regulations in the field of euthanasia and assisted termination of life are for the protection of human rights.
Selected Aspects of Testaments Made by Elderly People in Chilean and Polish Law
Authors: Balwicka-Szczyrba Małgorzata , Zamorano Marcelo B. , Kurowski Witold
Published: October 2023

The subject of this study is an analysis of the Chilean and Polish legal orders in terms of ensuring the correctness (and thus the validity and effectiveness) of making a will, with particular emphasis on the legal situation of elderly people with old-age dysfunctions. This issue has an important social dimension in the face of the global ageing trend and age-related progressive senile dementia. Showing the legal solutions regarding testamentary inheritance in Chilean law, as a law based on the Roman tradition, as well as the positions of jurisprudence, has not only a cognitive value. It should be assumed that the analysis of both legal orders will allow for the formulation of conclusions regarding the applicable legal regulations in the field of inheritance law in relation to the phenomenon of ageing societies on a global scale. This article also provides a comment on the law applicable to the capacity to make a will in Chilean and Polish law. Similarity between regulations pertaining to the capacity to make a will in Chilean and Polish law does not eliminate the obligation to determine the law applicable in this regard.
Polarization of Government and NGO Orientation towards Eco-Rural Tourism Development in Kerinci Region, Jambi Province, Indonesia
Authors: Bonanza Occy , Avenzora Ricky , Malihah Elly , Hermawan Rachmad
Published: October 2023

Rural is an area that should be conserved. Conservation in the sense that its development must be in accordance with the concepts and potentials that have been passed down from generation to generation. The success of rural area development is strongly influenced by the orientation of stakeholders, including the government and NGOs. The purpose of this study is to analyze the polarization of the government and NGOs orientation towards the development of eco-rural tourism in Kerinci Regency, Jambi Province. This study used an instrument in a closed questionnaire with a One Score One Indicator Scoring System assessment pattern, with aspects assessed including socio-cultural, conservation and environmental aspects, ethnic politics, economics, regional development, tourism, and landscape ecology in six villages. The polarization of government and NGO orientations is measured by perception, then analyzed using the Kruskal Wallis statistical test by quantitative and comparative descriptive methods. The results showed that the government and NGOs stated that the concept of eco-rural tourism was relevant to be built and developed in rural areas. The direction of polarization from the orientation of the government and NGOs shows the same direction, namely a positive direction and a strong polarization scale. This means that the government and NGOs have agreed to develop their rural areas into eco-rural tourism by meeting the indicators that have been formulated. The perception of the government and NGOs will strengthen the application of this concept. This study concludes that the government and NGOs have an excellent opportunity to create collaboration in developing rural areas in accordance with the concept of eco-rural tourism.
Building Children's Awareness with Local Knowledge-Based Mangrove Literacy Models in Coastal Areas
Authors: Wicaksono Harto , Wijaya Atika , Luthfi Asma , Fajar Fajar
Published: October 2023

Degradation of coastal environment that occurs in parts of Indonesia's coastal areas is generally caused by erosion, climate change, development, and loss of mangrove forests. This degradation also has an impact on the reduction of the land area inhabited by the community. Bedono Village in Sayung District, Demak Regency, Central Java is one of the areas with the worst conditions, where a third of its area was lost due to tidal floods. One alternative solution that can be done is to restore the function of mangroves in a sustainable manner which is carried out on a local basis and inclusive awareness. This paper aims to discuss the concept of conscientization from Paulo Freire which emphasizes the presence of consistency and inclusiveness as the fruit of full self-awareness to solve the problem of the decrease of the quality of the coastal environment and the reduce of Indonesia's coastal areas. The research approach used is qualitative and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). PRA is used to map the problems and potentials of coastal communities and children's groups, including the local wisdom values of the community. The data collection technique uses interviews, observation, documentation, and group discussions from August to November 2021. Through a socio-cultural approach, and collaboration with formal and informal educational institutions, the result of this study can be a repressive and preventive model in alleviating environmental problems, especially coastal problems. By formulating and applying the Paulo Freire consientizacio model based on local potential, it was found that the reconstruction of mangrove conservation education was able to build children's critical and transformative awareness that would be able to solve problems in coastal areas. Based on an inclusive mangrove literacy approach, the application of education is targeted at the children of this generation as conservation agents capable of caring for and innovating to improve the environment with awareness that has been formed through mangrove literacy education from an early age.
A narrative review of treatment strategies for major glenoid defects during primary reverse shoulder arthroplasty, with a focus on the use of structural bone graft
Authors: Rachuene Pududu Archie , Dey Roopam , Sivarasu Sudesh , du Plessis Jean-Pierre , Roche Stephen , Vrettos Basil
Published: October 2023

Structural glenoid defects are common during primary reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) and are often associated with poor outcomes.

The lack of pre-operative imaging protocols for determining the depth and degree of glenoid wear hinders our ability to accurately plan and correct these defects.

Although bone grafting has been reported to be effective in reducing glenoid wear during RSA, there is limited information on when to utilise it and how to prepare the graft.

We conducted this review to assess the evidence for the management of glenoid defects, with an emphasis on bone grafts to treat structural glenoid bone loss in primary RSA patients.
Ciganos como povos e comunidades tradicionais
Authors: Dolabela Helena
Published: October 2023

Neste artigo apresentamos uma reflexão sobre o processo de visibilização e o reconhecimento de direitos para povos ciganos no Brasil a partir de casos etnográficos junto aos calon de Minas Gerais. Intenta-se mostrar que o reconhecimento dos ciganos como povos e comunidades tradicionais deu sentido às demandas práticas dos ciganos, especialmente, em relação a direitos territoriais, o que representa uma conquista inédita para os povos ciganos no Brasil.
Fazer família e ser parente
Authors: Monteiro Edilma Nascimento Jacinto
Published: October 2023

A proposta deste artigo é uma reflexão das noções de “fazer família”, “ser família” e “ser parente” na perspectiva dos calon. Para tal, faço uma construção empírica sobre os matrimônios entre as famílias calons brasileiras e como suas configurações direcionam relações de descendência e afinidade ao produzirem família e parentes na perspectiva calon. Costuro a escrita deste texto em momentos subsequentes, nos quais, escrevo sobre o deixar de ser criança e os ritos de matrimônios, e um caso de separação entre matrimônio de calon com não cigana; posteriormente, analiso as possibilidades de matrimônios; e, finalizo ao escrever sobre as redes familiares e sua importância na elaboração processual da pessoa calon no processo de fazer entre ‘família’. Por isso, a importância de pensar como os matrimônios se inscrevem na vida das crianças. Os dados analisados são parte de uma pesquisa de longa duração, entre os anos de 2013 e 2019, momento em que estive etnograficamente envolvida com redes familiares calons.
The Patterns of Socio-Perceptual Determination and Maternal Resilience
Authors: Strelenko Anna A.
Published: October 2023

Introduction. The issue of socio-perceptual determination and resilience of the family is relevant to the implementation of state family policies in many countries. Family policy focuses on the family organization of orphans and children deprived of parental care, which contributes to the development of the institution of professional families. The problem is that the foster family system itself is very different from adoption and guardianship. And this due to the formation of the identity of the foster mother, who plays the main role in such a family. However, few studies have been conducted to determine the structure and content of the I-images of foster mothers. There is even less research on foster child images in foster mothers.
Materials and Methods. The work was carried out with the participation of 295 women, from 19 to 71 years old, adoptive mothers (n = 86), biological mothers (n = 99), future mothers (no parenting experience) (n = 110). The study used the method “The structure of the image of a person (hierarchical)” (V. L. Sitnikov), and test “Resilience of an adult human” (A. V. Makhnach).
Results. The functional relationship of socio-perceptual determination and resilience of mothers was defined. Mothers’ self-perception identifies cognitive and regulatory components that influence coping and adaptation. In biological and future mothers, self-perception will include attitude. The perception of children by fostering mothers is that their resilience is linked to the regulatory, behavioral components of the social perception, neutrality or negative attitude. In childhood images, biological mothers relate their resilience to the cognitive, regulatory, behavioral components of social perception, positive or negative attitudes. In childhood images, expectant mothers relate their resilience to the cognitive, regulatory, behavioral components of social perception and negative attitudes.
Discussion and Conclusion. The findings contribute to the development of perceptions of patterns of socio-perceptual determination and viability of different types of mothers.
The Alternative for Germany and the Left Parties in the Eastern States: Transformation of Electoral Preferences
Authors: Lisenkova Alena D.
Published: October 2023

Introduction. The separate existence of East Germany over the years has led to the formation of unique electoral preferences of citizens. In eastern federal states the Left as the heir to the Socialist Unity Party of Germany remained one of the leaders for a long time. However, in recent years its traditional electorate has increasingly begun to choose the Alternative for Germany. The aim of this article is to identify the main reasons for this shift in preferences in East Germany.

Materials and Methods. The main materials were the results of the elections to the Bundestag and Landtags. The statistics illustrating the performance of the Left on the national average and separately in East Germany in the national elections since 2009 was processed with the help of comparative analysis, the same was done with regard to the subnational elections since 2009 and 2011. The results of the Alternative for Germany were evaluated from its inception in 2013. Additionally, the data was used on preferences among voters of various age groups, the rating of the National Democratic Party of Germany before and after the advent of the Alternative for Germany, as well as GDP per capita indicators.

Results. It is confirmed that it was the Alternative for Germany that mainly occupied the former niche of the Left. The main reasons that comprehensively influenced electoral preferences include the generational change, the unsuccessful adaptation of the left forces to Western values, the unpopularity of anti-capitalist rhetoric, the presence of more influential opponents on key left-wing topics, the demand for conservative and opposition ideology (e.g. in migration policy), as well as the ability of right-wing populists to work with protest voters.

Discussion and Conclusion. The decline in the ratings of the left has become a rather stable phenomenon in recent years, while the performance of the right-wing populists strongly depended on the reaction of the party to a particular political crisis. However, this was more about the general popularity of the Alternative for Germany, which did not imply real prerequisites for the return of the electorate to the Left. The results of this paper can be applied in expert-analytical and research activities aimed at explaining electoral processes.
The Problem of the Socio-Cultural Integration of Regions through the Prism of the Concept of the Estate Class Structure of Russian Society
Authors: Nemirovskiy Valentin G.
Published: October 2023

Introduction. The motivation for this research is the social contradiction between the need of the modern Russian state for effective socio-cultural integration of various regions of the country, on the one hand, and yet insufficient consideration of the peculiarities of their estate social structure in this process. The purpose of the article is to consider the estate class structure of the regions of Russia as one of the factors of their socio-cultural integration.

Materials and Methods. The object of the study is the socio-cultural integration of Russian regions. The subject is the role of the estate class structure of regions in the process of their socio-cultural integration. A number of general scientific methods are used in this study: analysis, synthesis, induction, formalization, idealization, hypothetical-deductive method, analysis of scientific literature, secondary analysis of empirical studies, analysis of state statistics. As the main was used estate structure approach and variants of the socio-cultural approach. Structural and functional concepts were also used.

Results. It was found that the elements of estate class structure such as titular or non-titular estates are not equally represented in different regions of the country. The definition of the concept of socio-cultural integration of regions is introduced. The role of the estate class structure of the regions in the process of their socio-cultural integration is determined. It is concluded that the combination of estate and stratification (class) structures of society, due to the inevitable contradictions between them, can lead to the emergence of institutional, value and other social conflicts that act as an obstacle to effective socio-cultural integration of regions. This may lead to the socio-cultural fragmentation and disintegration of regions.

Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the study can be used to enhance the effectiveness of the socio-cultural integration of Russian regions, as well as to improve regional social policy. Further analysis of this problem involves the conducting of comparative studies based a special technique that makes it possible to identify people’s belonging to certain estates, social classes and strata.
A new type of laboratory microdevice for distillation of lavender and herb raw materials
Authors: Dobreva A. , Todorova M.
Published: October 2023

Abstract. Bulgaria is known for its essential oils and medicinal plants, which occupy increasing parts in the agricultural areas. In recent years, the boom in lavender production has made our country the largest producer of lavender oil in the world. This intensified the scientific work with it and led to the creation of new lavender varieties and lines that are used in production. All research and tests on an industrial scale go through the laboratory distillation of small amounts of plant material to determine the quantity and quality of essential oil. In laboratory practice, micro-apparatus for water distillation is widely used, which does not reflect the real results for the yield and quality of the product. This necessitated the creation of a new laboratory device for determining the content of essential oil in raw materials with labile (rich in esters) oil by the application of steam distillation. The design of this apparatus mirrors industrial installations, thus the results it produces accurately simulate those of industrial production. Tests with herbal raw materials, like Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Salva sclarea L. and Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don showed that the model is effective and applicable. The oils obtained by the new apparatus retained an ester content of 40.2%, 75.0% and 4.8%, respectively; these figures represent a significant improvement over previous methods.
Crowdfunding in the production of video games in Spain: Evolution and success on Kickstarter
Authors: Victoria-Mas Juan-Salvador , Ramos-Ábalos Eva-María , Arjona-Martín José-Borja
Published: October 2023

This research addresses the use of crowdfunding platforms for the development of video games in Spain. It is part of the group of platform-centred research in order to develop a quantitative analysis of the data contained in them. Specifically, the data provided by Kickstarter for Spanish video game development projects is analysed. Normality tests indicated that the variables do not follow a normal distribution, hence non-parametric tests were used. The success rate of Spanish campaigns is 28.4% for the total number of cases, 40.8% in 2020, which is a steady growth since 2015. The average funding is €16,586.76, €50,056.67 for successful campaigns; however, the median indicates that 50% of the sample does not exceed €1,653 in funding. Regression models are used to develop equations to calculate the amount of funding needed to publish on PC and console, and the number of backers needed to achieve a given amount of funding.
Populist strategies on Twitter: analysis of the political discourse during the campaign for the general elections in Spain on November 10th, 2019
Authors: Abuín-Vences Natalia , García-Rosales Daniel-Francisco
Published: October 2023

In recent years we have witnessed a resurgence of populism, which has relied on the virality of social networks to deepen its roots in society and spread its ideas. This paper analyses the populist strategies used by all parties to viralise their messages in the online environment, regardless of ideology. The present research has also examined the possible existence of complementary strategies used by the parties’ organisational profiles and those of their leaders. To this end, a content analysis has been carried out regarding the publications made on Twitter during the 2019 election campaign. The posts have been delimited to those made by the parties and candidates that attained the highest percentage of representation in the Congress of Deputies, which include the PSOE, PP, Vox, and Unidas Podemos. The findings show that all the parties under study resorted to this type of strategy. The parties closest to centre of the political spectrum, both right and left, used mostly a populist strategy aimed predominantly at attacking their adversaries, while Vox and Unidas Podemos articulated their discourse beyond this argument, with Vox appealing to the emotions of the nation and Podemos positioning itself as the peoples’ advocate. Furthermore, a complementary strategy used by both the parties and their leaders has been identified, which fosters the expansion of these kinds of populist ideas.
Carlos A. Scolari, On the evolution of media: understanding media change, Published by Routledge, Oxford/New York (2023), 302 pp.
Authors: Negredo Samuel
Published: October 2023

Book Review
GASTOS PARTIDÁRIOS E A FRAGMENTAÇÃO DO SISTEMA: A ALOCAÇÃO DE RECURSOS PELOS PARTIDOS POLÍTICOS BRASILEIROS DE 1996 A 2021
Authors: Roeder Karolina , Schaefer Bruno Marques
Published: October 2023

Os partidos políticos são atores centrais na alocação de recursos financeiros em eleições. Mesmo quando as doações de pessoas jurídicas eram permitidas no Brasil, os partidos já se apresentavam como mediadores, recebendo as doações de empresas e distribuindo aos candidatos. Com o fim do financiamento empresarial e a criação do Fundo Especial de Financiamento de Campanha, em 2017, isso ficou ainda mais evidente, e os partidos passaram a gerir quase a totalidade dos recursos financeiros eleitorais. O Fundo Partidário, destinado à manutenção dos partidos, também é gerido pelo diretório nacional, que concentra a maior parte dos recursos. Esse movimento é acompanhado pela literatura, que vem chamando a atenção sobre a importância da análise dos gastos e alocação de recursos pelos partidos políticos como uma forma de identificar o seu comportamento. O presente artigo tem como objetivo analisar se o aumento da fragmentação do sistema partidário muda o padrão de gastos dos partidos.
CAPACIDADES ESTATAIS: O PERFIL METODOLÓGICO DA PRODUÇÃO EMPÍRICA NACIONAL (2010-2023)
Authors: Santos Jaedson Gomes dos , Grin Eduardo José
Published: October 2023

O objetivo deste artigo é mapear a produção nacional sobre o tema das capacidades estatais, a fim de apresentar um perfil metodológico dos trabalhos elaborados. A amostra do estudo consiste em 74 artigos de natureza empírica publicados em periódicos nacionais no período entre 2010 e 2023. Dentre esse total, 54 artigos foram publicados em periódicos indexados na base de dados bibliográficos Scielo. Os demais trabalhos foram incluídos em uma coleta posterior, realizada a partir de outras revistas importantes na área de administração pública e políticas públicas que não estavam indexadas na Scielo. Para traçar o perfil metodológico da produção, foram analisadas questões como a abordagem de pesquisa, a direção analítica das explicações, a unidade de análise, os estilos analíticos, as dimensões teóricas das capacidades estatais mobilizadas e as principais técnicas e variáveis de interesse, dentre outros. Os resultados indicam que a maioria dos artigos segue uma abordagem quantitativa, tendo o município como a principal unidade analítica e a capacidade administrativa como a dimensão principal mobilizada. Além disso, também foi observada diversidade nas variáveis e categorias de interesse, e foi constatada uma maior variação no uso de técnicas de análise quantitativas em comparação com as técnicas empregadas nas análises qualitativas.
MINIMUM EXPLOSIBLE CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENTS OF HYBRID ROCKET SOLID FUEL DUST
Authors: Tsubokura Subaru , Takahashi Akiyo , Takahashi Kenichi , Saburi Tei , Usuba Shu , Takahashi Yoshiaki , Kubota Shiro
Published: October 2023

Hybrid rockets are considered safe because there is no affinity between the fuel and oxidizer. However, if the solid fuel turns to dust, the dust might cause rapid combustion. Therefore, the dustification of fuel has been evaluated using crushing tests. In an earlier study by the authors, wax was used as a specimen. It was crushed by explosives in a balloon filled with air and oxygen. Then pressure waves near the balloon were measured. Results show that the pressure fluctuation in the oxygen-filled case was greater than that in the air-filled case, but it could not be ascertained whether this result was attributable to the combustion of the wax that had become dust or to the combustion of the wax surface which the explosive contacted. Therefore, the authors measured the lower explosion limit concentration of wax dust under atmospheric conditions and in an atmosphere with a high oxygen concentration to obtain knowledge related to the wax dust mixture flammability. A blow-up type dust explosion test apparatus was used to measure the lower explosion limit. The specimens were produced by grinding and sieving the wax pellets. Powders of four types were produced: 850 μm, 500 μm, 212 μm, and 53 μm. The dust concentration was calculated by dividing the sample mass by the volume of the explosion cylinder. Based on the test results, the lower explosion limits were identified for 212 μm and 53 μm, but not for 850 μm and 500 μm.
Afterword
Authors: Zieger Susan
Published: October 2023

The afterword draws out the political stakes of the recent expansion of critical infrastructure studies. Describing the articles’ interventions, it explains how nineteenth-century studies is well positioned to engage infrastructure to perform vital progressive scholarship. 
Light Sheet Fluorescence Microscopy of Human Kidney Using Active Clearing with the SHIELD Reagent v1
Authors: Mclaughlin Liam , Knoten Amanda , Jain Sanjay
Published: October 2023

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) is a method to cover micro-mesoscale (µm-cm) areas of tissue while achieving depth of several millimeters to enable 3D-volumetric imaging of tissue structures or organs. By using fluorescence tagged primary or secondary immunofluorescence it is capable of provides cellular resolution and anatomical maps. Compared to traditional laser confocal microscopy imaging LSFM, LSFM provides rapid acquisition of images over large optically cleared tissues while maintaining high resolution. As compared to serial 3D reconstruction, In toto imaging by LSFM provides a more accurate 3D dataset that captures the spatial relationships between structures and cells. Application of LSFM to adult human tissues, particularly solid tissues such kidney, is challenging due to its complex anatomical organization and composition, heterogeneity and interstitium. The relationships between extracellular and extrarenal structures have not been defined. This knowledge is critical to understand how different functional tissue units of the kidney are organized in 3D as key interactions and signaling necessary for its physiological roles cannot be correctly derived from 2D images. Here we describe a protocol we developed to aid in 3D visualization of kidney cells, functional tissue units and their relationship with nerves, vasculature and lymphatics as a goal in HuBMAP consortium to create 3D reference maps. After testing several protocols, here we describe a clearing method on tissue slices in conjunction with immunofluorescence staining o visualize deep kidney volumes (1-3mm depth) when imaged by light sheet microscope. We provide several tips during tissue preparation for clearing, clearing procedure and an example of imaging the tissue using LSFM. We also briefly discuss various outputs of imaging and metadata files that can be used for data submission or for publishing or hosting on external servers. The imaging section contains the following: 1)Refractive Index (RI) matching tissue with Refractive Index Matching Solution (RIMS), 2) Capturing a full-volume 5x image, 3) Capturing 20X images of regions of interest (ROIs), 4) Stitching and down sampling images prior to analysis, 5) Different file formats. All imaging was completed using a Zeiss Lightsheet 7 microscope.