bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Quality of Pupils’ Financial Literacy
Authors: Lukáč Jozef , Danková Lenka , Stašková Slavomíra , Meheš Marek , Kudlová Zuzana
Published: January 2021

Introduction:
Education is an important tool for improving many aspects of life, including socio-economic status or well-being. The paper is aimed at monitoring the financial literacy of pupils in Eastern Slovakia.

Methods:
The contribution will contain the results of the survey. We analyse in detail the theoretical definition of financial literacy, strategy and measures of the state administration bodies in the field of improving financial literacy of more than 2000 pupils.

Results:
The result of the research paper is an analysis of the achieved data and their characteristics.

Discussion:
This part of the research paper deals with the areas of financial literacy of pupils in Slovakia. Education is an important tool for improving many aspects of life, including socio-economic status or well-being.

Limitations:
Participants of the electronic questionnaire participated in the answers according to the activities and projects prepared by a particular elementary school.

Conclusion:
Higher life expectancy, pension reforms, the availability of a more comprehensive range of financial products and services mean that the ability to make well-informed financial decisions is increasingly considered an important life skill. If a school fails at certain points during a child’s study, it is assumed that this will have a negative long-term impact on the child’s life in the future, as ending a school without sufficient qualifications can lead to difficulties in ensuring equal participation in the financial, civil and social aspects of modern society. Education is an important tool for improving many aspects of life, including socio-economic status or well-being.
Existence and stability of solutions for a system of quadratic integral equations in Banach algebras
Authors: Baghdad Said
Published: January 2021

The aim of this paper is to prove the existence and stability of solutions of a system of quadratic integral equations in the Banach algebra of continuous and bounded functions on unbounded rectangle. The main tool used in our considerations is the multiple fixed point theorem which is a consequence of Darbo’s fixed point theorem and the technique associated with measures of noncompactness. We also present an illustrative example.
PM10 concentration reduction due to the wet scavenging in the Ciuc Basin, Romania
Authors: Bodor Katalin , Bodor Zsolt , Keresztesi Ágnes , Szép Róbert
Published: January 2021

The PM10 concentration reduction caused by large-scale precipitation in the Ciuc Basin was studied under no-wind conditions. The PM10 concentration changing before, during, and after the rainfall was followed up from 2008 to 2019. After the rainfall episode, the PM10 concentrations were lower in the cold and warm periods with 2.8 μg/m3, and 2 μg/m3 respectively. The highest PM10 concentration reduction was detected in the cold season, by the moderate and light rain intensity, after 6 hrs of continuous rain (35.61%, 32.46%), and the average PM10 concentration reduction in the cold and warm periods was 22.3% and 16.1% respectively.
Comparative analysis of relevant climate change, landscape and regional development strategies regarding the areas pertaining to Debrecen (Hajdú-Bihar County)
Authors: Bánóczki Krisztina , Csorba Péter
Published: January 2021

Today, the countries of the world have to face several global challenges with regard to the plans they have developed together. The protection of the natural values of our country and their sustainable use is receiving more and more attention in today’s society. In order to achieve the above, a change of perspective in social strategy built on knowledge and professional training is inevitable. An environmental strategy paradigm shift emphasizing the protection of biodiversity, resources, and landscape cultivation is also necessary. The need for documents providing a basis for the paradigm shift is indubitable; however, more efforts are needed to induce fundamental changes by plans detailed in the documents.

The aim of this study is to review the current environmental protection initiatives in Hajdú-Bihar County and to assess the degree to which the relevant plans are harmonized and that the objectives outlined in the documents overlap.
Seedling and adult plant resistance to Pyricularia oryzae in Ethiopian rice cultivars
Authors: Gerema Geleta , Mengistu Girma , Kebede Megersa , Lule Dagnachew , Desalegn Kebede , Birahanu Chemeda , Debela Megersa
Published: January 2021

Two separate experiments were done for seedling and adult resistance in rice varieties against blast. Each experiment consists of 20 varieties and is evaluated under artificial inoculation with blast. The result of the study confirmed that NERICA varieties have shown low disease infection at the seedling stage whereas the varieties Chewaka and Edget have shown adult plant resistance. Severe yield reduction and highly diseased grain were obtained from Superica-1, which is highly susceptible at adult plant stage. In contrast, the maximum grain yield was obtained from the Chewaka and Edget varieties, these having a high level of adult resistance. Therefore, Chewaka and Edget are promising candidates for utilization in yield and blast resistance in rice improvement.
The analytical assessment of the weaknesses of the agriculture of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County based on empirical research results
Authors: Takács István , Fenyvesi Adrien , Sinóros-Szabó Botond
Published: January 2021

In our empirical research, we examined the agriculture of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County. We surveyed the situation of agriculture through farmers using certain criteria to rank the situation within the framework of a SWOT analysis. The responses received from farmers in the county were quantified and evaluated on the basis of what these farmers have considered to be true. The interdisciplinary study of agriculture is a timely and important task. It can be enforced on the basis of systemic contexts studying not only food production but also environmental issues, preservation of rural habitats, employment, and regional development.
Economic Development and International and Interregional Tourism
Authors: Zhang Wei-Bin
Published: January 2021

Subject and purpose of work: Tourism was the fastest growing industry until the outbreak of Covid-2019. Nevertheless, there are a few studies on how the industry interacts with the rest of economies within a comprehensive analytical framework. The main concern of this study is how international and interregional tourism interacts with national economic development and economic structural change. Tourism and economic growth are investigated in a multi-regional small open economy which is perfectly competitive.

Materials and methods: National economy consists of multiple regions and each region has three sectors: industry, service, and housing. Production side is the same as in the neoclassical growth theory. Households move freely between regions, equalizing utility level between regions by selecting housing, goods, tourism, and saving. A region’s amenity is endogenously related to the region’s population.

Results: We explicitly solve the dynamics of the multi-regional economy. The system has a unique stable equilibrium point.

Conclusions: We simulate the motion of the model and examine the effects of changes in the rate of interest, foreigners’ preference for visiting a region, a region ‘s total productivity of the service sector, domestic consumers’ preference for visiting a region, as well as the propensity to save, the propensity to consume regional services and housing.
Macroeconomic Conditions of the Financial Efficiency of Food Industry Enterprises
Authors: Juszczyk Sławomir , Balina Rafał , Bąk Maksymilian , Juszczyk Juliusz
Published: January 2021

Subject and purpose of work: The subject of this research was the financial efficiency of large food industry enterprises in Poland, and its aim was to determine the strength and direction of the impact of key macroeconomic factors on the level of financial efficiency of those enterprises.

Materials and methods: Data from the Central Statistical Office, the results of own research as well as literature on the problem were used. The research period covered the years 2005-2018. Dynamic panel models were applied in the study.

Results: The results of the statistical analysis showed, inter alia, that the explanatory variable responsible for the increase in financial efficiency in the food industry was primarily the consumption dynamics in the preceding year. Its growth by 1 pp. ceteris paribus was related to an increase in the EBITDA margin of food industry enterprises by over 0.23 pp on average.

Conclusions: The main conclusion concerned the statement that the rise in the inflation rate had a negative impact on the financial efficiency of food industry enterprises, while the increase in GDP, consumption and accumulation had a positive effect.
Development and Revitalization of Industrial Areas
Authors: Krasuski Sebastian
Published: January 2021

Subject and purpose of work: The basic challenge for post-industrial areas is their inclusion in the socio-economic circulation and assigning them new functions in urban structures.

Materials and methods: This paper focuses on the analysis of selected cases of transformation of post-industrial areas for the following purposes: service, housing, cultural and educational.

Results: Despite a significant possibility of developing post-industrial areas for housing, cultural and educational or service purposes, as shown by the present case study, many barriers for land redevelopment can still be found. They include, among others, information, financial or system barriers.

Conclusions: Unregulated legal status, insufficient technical infrastructure, existing buildings, existing ecological contamination, and above all, limited availability of data and information on the condition of a given area.
Impact of Promotional Activities on Choosing a Place to Study by the Students of Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska
Authors: Kozak Agnieszka , Taradaniuk Andrei , Shevchenko Elvira
Published: January 2021

Subject and purpose of work: The article deals with the issues of promotion and its impact on the students’ decisions to choose a place to study. The problem seems to be important due to the changes on the educational market that have been taking place for several years. On the one hand, we have a large supply of academic institutions, and, on the other, an ongoing demographic decline. Such a situation requires the implementation of marketing activities which can establish and maintain permanent relationships between higher education institutions and the recipients of their offers.

Materials and methods: This study used a non-random selection. It included 100 randomly selected students of Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska (PSW). Its aim was to answer two basic research questions, namely what impact on students’ choice of a place to study have promotional activities undertaken by higher education institutions, and which forms of promotion have the greatest and the least impact on students’ choices.

Results: The survey of respondents’ opinions was conducted at the turn of January and February 2020 by the method of a diagnostic survey using a questionnaire. The main source of information on academic institutions to choose from, as stated by the respondents, were their friends and family. Such an answer was given by as many as 40% of the respondents. The research also showed that the greatest impact on students’ decisions were: the information on the website of a higher education institution (24%), open days (19%), as well as leaflets and guides (16%).

Conclusions: The arguments for the choice of Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska, and not some other academic institution, were primarily a convenient location, its prestige, the possibility of foreign trips and the positive opinions of their friends. The respondents positively assess the image of their study place, but they find its promotional activities to be insufficient.
Reproductive Biology of the Arborescent Seed-Fern Linopteris obliqua: Implications for Taxonomy (Medullosales, Late Pennsylvanian Sydney Coalfield, Canada)
Authors: Zodrow Erwin L. , Pšenička Josef , Zhou Wei-Ming
Published: January 2021

A shaley slab (65 x 45 x 7 cm) from the Sydney Coalfield, Canada, Cantabrian age, on splitting apart revealed 2 – 3 layers each entombing thousands of abscised pinnules of Linopteris obliqua and eight dispersed compound-synangial structures. The campanulary-ventral-sporal micromorphology of the best preserved structure of these compares sufficiently well with previously reported structures from the Sydney Coalfield named Potoniea krisiae. Earlier studies involving larger sampling suites furthermore contributed to the observation that Hexagonocarpus sp. (female organ) and P. krisiae (male organ) usually co-occur with abscised L. obliqua pinnules; however, these two organs do not co-occur on isochronous bedding planes. In the absence of confirmatory organic attachments, the presented data provide as yet the strongest support for the hypothesis of the organs’ connectivity, but whether female-male trees existed or not, and the mode of attachment of the organs remain unknown. Hypothesized for the latter is pinnate attachment.
Corporate board vigilance and insolvency risk: a mediated moderation model of debt maturity and fixed collaterals
Authors: Yassir Hussain Rana , Xuezhou Wen , Hussain Haroon , Saad Muhammad , Qalati Sikander Ali
Published: January 2021

Studies indicate that a consistent rise in insolvency risk should be addressed at the strategic level. Vigilant boards can use leverage maturity structure as a tool to control insolvency risk. However, according to the information asymmetry theory, leverage acquisition is subject to the presence of fixed assets which can be used as collateral. The current study focuses on the relationship between board vigilance and insolvency risk, mediated by debt maturity and moderated by fixed collaterals in Pakistan based non-financial firms. A data set of 284 firms is constructed between the years 2013 and 2017. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis is used to test the proposed hypothesis using ordinary least squares (OLS) and panel corrected standard errors (PCSE) regression estimators. The results indicate that debt maturity mediates the relationship between board vigilance and insolvency risk. New information is generated about the fixed collaterals, and these negatively moderate the relationship between leverage maturity and emerging market z-score indicating inefficiency in the usage of fixed assets as collaterals. These results are robust to both regression techniques confirming that the non-productive fixed collaterals overshadow the positives of tangible assets in asset structure.
Sustaining a prolonged pivot: Appraising challenges facing higher education stakeholders in switching to online learning
Authors: Egan Kieran , Crotty Yvonne
Published: January 2021

An Irish Government directive to close colleges amid the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in a switch to emergency remote teaching. Many lecturers unused to practicing online began teaching students who were unfamiliar with online learning. Completion of the semester does not necessarily indicate that it is practicable for a more extended period. This paper queries four aspects of the sustainability of emergency remote teaching: its acceptance by stakeholders; its impact upon student motivation and faculty workload; and its effect upon learning outputs. Questionnaires administered to undergraduate design students and faculty captured their respective experiences of emergency remote teaching. Acceptance of an extended pivot to online learning is not guaranteed, but will surely form a central facet of academic continuity. Increased working hours associated with online teaching endangers the work-life balance of lecturers, yet the same staff must find ways to support student motivation. Faculty’s reduced expectations of student output places strain upon the sustainability of online education founded upon an unplanned pivot. The experience of emergency remote teaching has created an opportunity for all parties to leverage the affordances of online learning – the challenge will be to ensure that all aspects of any extended switch to online are sustainable.
‘Meitheal Múinteoirí’: Planning for an Online Community of Practice (OCoP) with post-primary teachers in the Irish-medium (L1) sector
Authors: Beaglaoich Pádraig Ó , Crotty Yvonne
Published: January 2021

This paper will set out the key planning considerations regarding the establishment of a dedicated online portal for Gaeltacht and Irish-medium schools at post-primary level as detailed in the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022 (PGE). The research topic is intrinsically linked with action points highlighted within strategy and policy papers concerning the improvement of online supports for teachers in recent years by the Department of Education (DE) in Ireland. The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 refers to the objective of establishing digital communities of practice and the PGE highlights the need for a ‘dedicated online portal’ for Irish-medium schools. Embracing a problem-solving spirit, forging coalitions, building inter-agency collaboration, and ensuring teacher buy-in from the outset are all critical factors in the necessary planning process. Through the adoption of a mixed-methods approach, questionnaire and focus group respondents verified the most important thematic issues for L1 (Irish-medium) post-primary teachers respecting the establishment of what has the capacity to become a flourishing online community of practice (OCoP). The research process cast a spotlight upon how best to serve the teachers’ professional needs, confirmed the need for a collaborative approach that prioritised the significance of the collective, ascertained the existence of greater teacher openness to systemic change, and the centrality of transformative digital solutions in the L1 educational sphere.
An Exploration of an Induction Programme for Newly Qualified Teachers in a Post Primary Irish School
Authors: Nally Michael , Ladden Brian
Published: January 2021

The Irish Teaching Council introduced a new model of school-based and National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT) called Droichead (meaning ‘bridge’ in Gaelic) in 2013/14. The Droichead process is an integrated professional induction framework for newly qualified teachers. It was designed to provide whole-school support for teacher induction in both primary and post-primary schools. This study explores the implementation of Droichead in a post-primary school, and to gain insights as to its effectiveness and the potential to bring about improvements.

The study found that NQTs are un-prepared to assume full teaching duties after initial teacher education (ITE), and can benefit greatly from having mentors from within the school to guide them through their first year of teaching. The benefits of the process include emotional support for NQTs, practical help in terms of learning new teaching strategies, the promotion of reflective practice and assisting the professional development of teachers. Droichead was found to promote peer observation and can help leaders change the culture of an organisation to better embrace and support peer observation and review. The programme also promoted and developed leadership skills among the mentors, who cited a renewed enthusiasm for teaching from their involvement in Droichead. There were conflicting views on the involvement of the senior leadership team in the programme, and it would seem that the success of their inclusion depends largely on the individual style of leadership. The negative aspects of the Droichead process related to the ‘Cluster meetings’

which are compulsory for NQTs and were seen as being too similar to their initial teacher education.
Differential Diagnosis of Myocardial Injury in the SARS-CoV-2 Era – Myocarditis Versus Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: Ţolescu Cosmin , Gerculy Renata , Libenciuc Camelia , Kovacs Istvan
Published: January 2021

COVID-19 is a disease caused by the new coronavirus discovered in 2019, which may lead to a severe acute respiratory syndrome and has a major impact on public health worldwide, being declared a pandemic by World Health Organization. In Italy, and especially in the region of Lombardia, the healthcare system has faced a huge overload, which led to significant consequences on cardiology resources. The accessibility to cardiology care units has been drastically reduced, and scheduled interventions, such as elective primary percutaneous coronary interventions, have been significantly delayed. During this time, there was a global concern regarding the management of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, but also the management of main cardiovascular emergencies. Under usual circumstances, the differential diagnosis of myocardial injury does not confront many difficulties. Unfortunately, there are several limitations in the management of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the current pandemic state. The aim of the present manuscript is to provide an overview on the main causes of myocardial injury during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Effectiveness of Different P2Y12 Inhibitors on Coronary Flow in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Seker Onur Osman , Cerik Idris Bugra , Coksevim Metin , Yenercag Mustafa , Soylu Korhan
Published: January 2021

Background: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a clinical syndrome with high mortality. The main purpose of STEMI treatment is to achieve optimal revascularization for tissue perfusion. Besides the innovations in revascularization strategies, developments in antithrombotic therapy resulted in a significant reduction in STEMI-related mortality. Reperfusion can be demonstrated by resolution of ST-segment elevation (STR), TIMI frame count (TFC), and myocardial blush grade (MBG). Aim of the study: In our study, we investigated the effects of P2Y12 inhibitors clopidogrel, prasugrel, and ticagrelor on reperfusion parameters such as TFC, MBG, and STR, after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) in STEMI.

Material and Methods: The study was a retrospective analysis of STEMI patients who underwent successful pPCI. A total of 120 patients were included in the study as 3 equal groups according to the type of P2Y12 inhibitor administered in loading dose in the acute phase, and reperfusion parameters were compared between the groups.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of baseline demographic, clinical, and angiographic parameters. Evaluation of reperfusion parameters indicated that STR, MBG, angina relief after pPCI and corrected TFC (cTFC) were significantly different between the groups (p <0.05). In post-hoc analysis, the percentage of change in STR, MBG, angina relief after pPCI, and cTFC was significantly higher in the prasugrel group (p <0.017).

Conclusion: In STEMI patients undergoing pPCI, the analysis of tissue level reperfusion parameters indicates a superior effect of prasugrel compared with other P2Y12 inhibitors used to achieve reperfusion.
Determinants of Bank Profitability: Case of Latvia
Authors: Krumina Dace , Lejniece Ilona , Skvarciany Viktorija
Published: January 2021

Research purpose. The goal of the current paper is to investigate the impact of internal factors on bank performance. All the performance indicators and explanatory factors have been distinguished from the scientific literature.

Design/methodology/approach. To investigate if there was an effect of the distinguishing factors on Latvian banks’ performance, correlation-regression analysis was applied. To test the developed models’ accuracy, determination coefficient, Durbin–Watson coefficient, variance inflation factor (VIF), Cook’s distance and p-value were computed.

Findings. The findings revealed that there was a relationship between all the dependent and independent factors, except return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE). ROA has a significant positive relationship only with net commission income, and ROE, with net interest margin and net commission income. Moreover, two regression models were developed and showed that total assets and number of automated teller machines (ATMs) affect the profitability, represented by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBIDTA) and bank value.

Originality/value/practical implications. The current findings contribute to the scientific literature dealing with commercial banks’ performance issue and could be used by the banks to develop strategies for maximising profitability.
Efficiency of Gaseous Ozone in Disinfection of Mushroom Growing Rooms
Authors: Szumigaj-Tarnowska Joanna , Szafranek Piotr , Uliński Zbigniew , Ślusarski Czesław
Published: January 2021

Fungal diseases are a persistent problem in the cultivation of white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). The chemical control of pathogens is becoming less effective and less desirable, so new ways to limit these infections are urgently required. What is more, the disease is mostly controlled through cultural practices and good hygiene on mushroom farms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the fungicidal effects of ozone on fungal pathogens of common mushrooms. Experiments with the use of ozone gas for disinfection of growing rooms after the completion of the mushroom growing cycle were carried out. The fungicidal effectiveness of ozone fumigation was evaluated on the basis of the survival rate of the spores of the pathogens tested (Lecanicillium fungicola, Cladobotryum dendroides, Mycogone perniciosa, and Trichoderma aggressivum). Spore suspension was applied to aluminum plates and then was exposed to gaseous ozone. The assessment of the growth of colonies of fungal isolates obtained from infected surfaces was carried out using Rodac contact test plates. The results showed that L. fungicola, M. perniciosa, and C. dendroides isolates were sensitive to the gas ozone. In order to achieve 100% efficacy against Mycogone strains, a minimum of 6 hours of ozonation had to be applied, whereas for Cladobotryum strains, a minimum of 8 hours had to be applied. The Lecanicillium species was the most sensitive to ozonation because 30 minutes of ozonation was enough to gain 100% inhibition of its growth. No satisfactory results were obtained in the case of the pathogenic species of Trichoderma, regardless of the experimental conditions. Nevertheless, this study has demonstrated the usefulness of ozone as a disinfectant for empty growing rooms after the completion of the mushrooms’ cultivation cycle.
Influence of Microbial Consortium in the Production of China Aster and Gaillardia Seedlings
Authors: Fernandez Marysovia , Nachu Nikhil Sai , Revanna Ashwin , Bagyaraj Joseph Davis
Published: January 2021

China aster and gaillardia are flowering plants with high economic importance in floriculture. In the present investigation, response of China aster and gaillardia seedlings to inoculation with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Funneliformis mosseae + the plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium Bacillus sonorensis was studied by growing in multipots (pro trays). The germination percentage and plant growth parameters: length of shoots, roots and whole seedlings, stem diameter, biovolume index, plant strength, vigor index, dry weight and nutrient uptake, were analyzed 60 days after sowing. The microbial parameters, mycorrhizal root colonization and spore count, and the population of B. sonorensis in the substrate were also determined. The results brought out that growth of inoculated seedlings was significantly improved as compared to uninoculated seedlings. Based on the plant growth and microbial parameters studied, it was concluded that inoculating the substrate in pro trays with the microbial consortium results in producing vigorously growing seedlings.
Democratisation of Defence Policies and Systems in Slovenia and Montenegro: Developmental and Comparative Aspects
Authors: Prezelj Iztok , Injac Olivera , Kolak Anja
Published: January 2021

The democratisation of national defence policies and systems plays a vital role in making any country more democratic. The democratic transition of this sector in Slovenia and Montenegro has experienced a challenging reform process and it is now time for reflection. This paper aims to identify the main characteristics and issues of the democratisation process in the field of national defence in both countries and, by comparing them, to look for key similarities and differences. The paper argues and confirms that the Slovenian and Montenegrin national defence and security systems were initially faced with serious post-socialist democratic deficits, but gradual democratisation then brought drastic improvements to the quality of their democracy. The process of joining NATO and the change from a military threat perception to a non-military threat perception created space for many reforms. Greatest steps forward in democratisation in both countries entailed nominating civilian defence ministers, having a reasonable number of civilian defence experts involved in the military business, establishing working parliamentary monitoring committees, reducing defence budgets and reallocating funding to other sectors. Progress was also observed in reducing the total number of soldiers, establishing a fully professional armed force, assuring that women in the armed forces were properly represented and increasing the deployment of soldiers to foreign stabilisation operations in a sign of becoming security providers.
Application of the Methods for Comprehensive Reliability Analysis of District Heating Systems
Authors: Postnikov Ivan
Published: January 2021

The general idea of the methodology for the comprehensive reliability analysis of district heating systems (DHS), developed earlier by the author of this paper, is a joint considering and modelling of each technological processes, including fuel supply to heat sources (HS), generation of heat energy by these HS and its distribution on district heating network (HN). For solving this problem different methods and models are applied: statistical testing method, Markov random processes, methods of the theory of hydraulic circuits, basic laws of district heating and heat transfer processes, etc. In this paper the main attention is paid to the results of the practical application of methods and models of a comprehensive reliability analysis of DHS using the example of calculations performed for the actual DHS scheme of the Shelekhov city (Irkutsk region, Russia). Different stages of the case study are considered, including preparation of initial data, simulation modelling of fuel supply to HS, modelling of the Markov random process describing operate of DHS, calculation of post-failure modes in HN, evaluation of nodal reliability indices (RI), decomposition analysis of reliability. Based on the analysis of calculation results some preliminary directions are formulated to the increase of reliability for studied DHS. These data are the basis for a comprehensive reliability synthesis (optimization) of DHS, the solution of which is the subject of special perspective stage in development of the research.
Temporal Trends in Nitrogen Concentrations and Losses from Agricultural Monitoring Sites in Latvia
Authors: Siksnane Ieva , Lagzdins Ainis
Published: January 2021

Water quality in small agricultural catchments is affected by anthropogenic (crops, field management operations, fertilizer application) and natural (soil texture, topography, meteorological and hydrological conditions) factors. It is important to estimate long-term (1995–2018) trends of nitrogen losses from small agricultural catchments and subsurface drainage fields to surface water bodies in order to evaluate the impacts of anthropogenic and natural factors and to cover management needs such as implementation of national legislation and the EU directives. The content of the Common Agricultural Policy is currently under development, therefore, there is a need to consider existing monitoring results to address water quality goals within the next planning period. This study examines temporal trends in water discharge, total nitrogen (TN) and nitrate–nitrogen (NO3-N) concentrations and losses from three agricultural runoff monitoring sites in Latvia including Berze, Mellupite, and Vienziemite. The yearly data series of TN and NO3-N concentrations and loss were tested for statistical trends using the Mann-Kendall test. The study results show high variations in TN and NO3-N concentrations and losses among monitoring sites both in subsurface drainage field and small catchment scale. For TN and NO3-N losses five out of six monitoring sites showed an upward trend, while for TN concentrations three out of six monitoring sites and NO3-N four out of six monitoring sites showed an upward trend. The results of this study indicate that the upward trends in TN losses are affected by hydrological conditions at the study sites.
Biochar from Waste Derived Fuels as Low-Cost Adsorbent for Waste Hydrocarbons
Authors: Porsnovs Dmitrijs , Ansone-Bertina Linda , Kviesis Jorens , Âriņa Dace , Klavins Maris
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study is to prove technical feasibility of combined refuse derived fuel (RDF) torrefaction and oily wastewater treatment approach by using RDF derived biochar as a sorption media. Biochars prepared from refuse derived fuels in torrefaction, carbonization and pyrolysis modes were analysed as fuels and as hydrocarbon sorbents. Changes of elemental composition and properties of material during thermal treatment and subsequent washing process have been analysed. Experimental evaluation of sorption behaviour of toluene and diesel fuel on obtained biochar performed. Our results show that torrefaction/carbonization of RDF coupled with the subsequent washing of biochar is a method allowing to overcome absolute majority of the quality problems of waste derived fuels, including the most important one: high chlorine content. In spite the fact that optimal temperatures for upgrading waste derived fuels and to produce high quality sorbent does not coincide, technically it is possible to combine the washing of torrefied/carbonized waste derived fuels with the treatment of wastewaters that are polluted with oils or hydrocarbons.
Quantitative and Financial Aspects of Resilience Bonds in the Context of Recursive Insurance Contracts. A Cost Benefit Analysis
Authors: Pagano Andrea Jonathan , Romagnoli Francesco , Vannucci Emanuele
Published: January 2021

It is now well known that the world community must share the risks and hazards deriving from climate change and, more generally, from the environment. At the end of summer 2019, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) issued the World’s first dedicated climate resilience bond and this confirms the thesis according to which financial, social and economic instruments are always most necessary for the development of society and to avoid that natural hazards can, as occurred in the past, cause extremely heavy damage with negative repercussions on every single area of a community. Starting from the characteristics of resilience bonds and reinsurance, the paper seeks to highlight the potential advantages that would derive from a systematic application of recursive contractual instruments (smart contracts). The authors focused on the study of the projection of financial and quantitative data of resilience and catastrophe bonds on the basis of a determined timeline, a fixed insurance premium, mitigation works related and connected to the main contract (insurance). In particular, the study concerns the correlation of the urban implementation of risk mitigation works with the specific catastrophic flood risk. The paper implements a purely economic and social cost-benefit analysis (ACB) in the sense that includes, among others, a public approach and the goal of maximizing social welfare, according to efficiency economic criteria. In a nutshell, the authors highlight as the main result not only the possibility, but also the convenience of the joint and multidisciplinary application of the quantitative method (resilience bonds) to infrastructure resilience.
TiO2 Application for the Photocatalytical Inactivation of S. enterica, E. coli and M. luteus Bacteria Mixtures
Authors: Kuliesiene Neringa , Sakalauskaite Sandra , Tuckute Simona , Urbonavicius Marius , Varnagiris Sarunas , Daugelavicius Rimantas , Lelis Martynas
Published: January 2021

Water contamination by various bacteria, viruses and other pathogens is a great threat to human health. Amongst other Advanced Oxidation Processes TiO2 photocatalysis is considered as one of the most efficient treatment for the polluted wastewater disinfection. Usually, the wastewater produced by higher risk objects, such as hospitals, implicates diverse contaminants, but efficiency of most of the Advanced Oxidation Processes is tested by using only single pathogens and information on inactivation of bacteria mixtures is still limited. In this study, photocatalytical inactivation of three commonly found bacterial pathogens (gram-positive (Micrococcus luteus) and gram-negative (Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli)) was investigated. Efficiency of traditional photocatalytic disinfection process using single bacterial pathogens was compared to the one observed for their mixtures. The impact of photocatalytical process parameters and treatment time on bacteria disinfection efficiency was studied. Photocatalytic disinfection efficiency testing with bacteria mixtures revealed, that in the presence of TiO2 photocatalyst and UV irradiation tested gram-positive cells were inactivated slower than gram-negative cells. Another important finding was that an overall photocatalytic disinfection efficiency of bacteria mixtures is not a straight forward sum of inactivation rates of individually tested pathogens but has a strong relationship to the properties of their competitive growth.
Optimal Design and Dispatch of Electrically Driven Heat Pumps and Chillers for a New Development Area
Authors: Pieper Henrik , Ommen Torben , Elmegaard Brian , Volkova Anna , Markussen Wiebke Brix
Published: January 2021

Large-scale heat pumps (HPs) and refrigeration plants are essential technologies to decarbonise the heating and cooling sector. District heating and cooling (DHC) can be supplied with low carbon footprint, if power generated from renewable energy sources is used. The simultaneous supply of DHC is often not considered in energy planning, nor the characteristics of the heat source and sink. Simplified approaches may not reveal the true potential of HPs and chillers. In this paper, different heat sources and sinks and their characteristics were considered for the simultaneous supply of DHC based on large-scale HPs and refrigeration plants. An optimization model was developed based on mixed-integer linear programming. The model is able to identify ideal production and storage capacities, heat sources and sinks based on realistic hourly operation profiles. By doing so, it is possible to identify the most economical or sustainable supply of DHC using electricity. The optimization model was applied to the Nordhavn area, a new development district of Copenhagen, Denmark. The results show that a combination of different heat sources and sinks is ideal for the case study. A HP that uses the district cooling network as a heat source to supply DHC was shown to be very efficient and economical. Groundwater and sewage water HPs were proposed for an economical supply of district heating. The Pareto frontier showed that a large reduction in annual CO2 emissions is possible for a relatively small increase in investments.
Multi-Criteria Analysis of Lignocellulose Substrate Pre-Treatment
Authors: Vamza Ilze , Valters Karlis , Blumberga Dagnija
Published: January 2021

Due to growing topicality of indirect land use change, greater shift towards second generation biofuels should be observed. In order to help smaller biogas and bioethanol producers, multi-criteria analysis of lignocellulose pre-treatment is conducted to elucidate the most preferable approach for lignocellulose pre-treatment. There are four main pre-treatment groups – biological, chemical, physical and physochemical pre-treatment. In this article three pre-treatment types were described by highlighting their specific approaches; using multi-criteria analysis a conclusion was reached that the most preferable pre-treatment option for lignocellulose biomass like corn stover or sugarcane is microbiological pre-treatment, as it showed the closest proximity to ideal solution.
Is Cluster Analysis the Appropriate Statistical Method for Planning the Optimal Locations for Automated External Defibrillators?
Authors: Milewski Rafał , Sokołowska Gabriela , Jankowiak Barbara , Kowalewska Beata , Milewski Marcin , Lewko Jolanta
Published: January 2021

The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is an intuitive device used by witnesses of an incident without medical training in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. Its operation consists in delivering an electrical pulse to the cardiac conduction system, as a result of which normal heart rate is restored. The lack of awareness in society concerning the usefulness of the device and the inadequate deployment of AEDs result in their too infrequent application by witnesses of incidents. The aim of this paper is to verify whether cluster analysis is the appropriate statistical method to determine the appropriate deployment of AED devices on the basis of cases of sudden cardiac arrest in out-of-hospital conditions. The initial cluster analysis showed the validity of using the method in question for planning the appropriate locations of AEDs.
Using “Text Mining” Analysis for the Assessment of the Health Quality of Dietary Supplements
Authors: Wróbel Kacper , Milewska Anna Justyna
Published: January 2021

Techniques of text data analysis have been known for many years and commonly used in many areas of life. Text mining enables, among others, the acquisition of information from the text, its filtering, and studying of similarities and relationships. The aim of this paper is to design a method that would make it possible to assess the health quality of dietary supplements, on the basis of text mining techniques. A fictional plant-based product was used in the study, which was compared with other products containing at least one of the tested ingredients registered in the years 2007–2019 in the register of dietary supplements kept by the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate (GIS), which were given either the “consistent” or “to be clarified” status. The obtained results concern the frequency of occurrence of the individual ingredients (St John’s wort/Hypericum, melissa, rose root/Rhodiola) in other products, considering their status in the register. The data thus obtained was subjected to classical statistical analysis in order to find correlations between the presence of a given ingredient and the product status. In view of the obtained results, the text mining analysis may be considered as a helpful tool in the process of internal risk assessment performed by manufacturers of dietary supplements.
Correspondence Analysis in the Assessment of the Influence of Lifestyle on Infertility of Various Origins
Authors: Zańko Adrianna , Milewska Karolina , Milewski Robert
Published: January 2021

Approx. 60–80 million couples globally are affected by the problem of infertility. The issue is important both for the couple trying to conceive and for the whole society in which the couple lives. Lifestyle, including nutrition, may have both a positive and a negative impact on the outcomes of infertility treatment. The aim of this paper is to assess the relationship between knowledge in the area of fertility diet and its actual use, and types of fertility disorders among women undergoing treatment in a fertility clinic. A group of women was analyzed statistically, divided into 3 groups according to their couple’s cause of infertility – the causes of infertility were described as: the male factor, the female factor, and the idiopathic factor. The study group answered questions that comprised a fertility diet knowledge test; the frequency of consumption of particular food products in a individual groups was also analyzed. Correspondence analysis showed differences between the groups in the number of points scored in the fertility diet knowledge test, as well as in the consumption of sweets, crisps and sticks, and nuts and seeds. Women among whom the main cause of infertility was defined as the male factor scored the highest numbers of points in the fertility diet knowledge test, women with the idiopathic cause of infertility scored slightly lower numbers of points, while women whose main cause of infertility was defined as the female factor scored the lowest numbers of points. Women from couples with idiopathic infertility consumed sweets, crisps and sticks the most often, followed by women with the cause of infertility identified on their side, with the lowest frequency of consumption of sweets identified among women whose partner was infertile. Nuts and seeds were consumed the most frequently by women whose partners were infertile, followed by women with the cause of infertility identified on their side, while women with the idiopathic cause of infertility consumed nuts and seeds the least frequently. These examples show that correspondence analysis is well suited to the assessment of the influence of lifestyle on fertility; in addition, it makes it possible to recognize certain correlations that may not be observed in standard statistical tests.
Communicating with Elderly People in Suicidal Crisis in the Light of Helpline Worker Experience
Authors: Czabański Adam , Baum Ewa
Published: January 2021

The increase in suicidal behaviour among elderly people makes it necessary to take action in the field of broadly understood prevention. This includes helplines, which play an essential role in anti-suicidal measures. The aim of this study was to obtain information about the experience of Polish helpline workers in communicating with older people in suicidal crisis. The study was conducted among 106 helpline workers from various helpline centres across Poland. It proved that helpline workers in Poland have considerable experience in communicating with elderly people in suicidal crisis, albeit the majority of respondents feel they need additional training in the area of broadly understood suicidology.