bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electoral Activity of Political Parties During the Election Campaign on September 8, 2019 in the Altai Krai
Authors: Sharapov Alexey V.
Published: November 2020

On September 8, 2019, a single voting day was held. Elections were held mainly at the local level in a difficult socio-economic situation. The effectiveness of the parties in the pre-election period is represented by three ratings. It should be noted that the elections did not bring sensations, and there were no new political players. The United Russia party received a significant majority of parliamentary mandates and heads of rural settlements. The turnout turned out to be average.
Russia-US-EU Relations: Crisis of the International Security System
Authors: Cherkashina Tatyana N.
Published: November 2020

This article is about the crisis of the international security system associated with relations between Russia and the West. The complexity and multidimensionality of this crisis is shown. Its components are distinguished: the crisis of transatlantic relations, relations between Russia and Europe, Russia and the USA. The main aspects of each of the crises are highlighted. The author's vision of an attempt to resolve this crisis is outlined.
Social Credit System Construction Plan as Road Map for the Reform of Social Management in China in the 2010s
Authors: Popov Dmitry I.
Published: November 2020

The article is devoted to a policy document that defines the main directions and principles of creating a social credit system in China. It is shown that the reform plan and the ongoing changes are quite consistent with the Chinese bureaucratic traditions of coercion and paternalism, and are associated with the use of a social regulator that forms the appropriate behavioral incentives, such as reputation. Ultimately, the new model of social governance is aimed at ensuring social and political stability in China and proactively addressing the development problems of Chinese society.
“Probably in a Week Both My Volumes Will Go on Sale”. Anton V. Kartashev’s Letters to George I. Novitskii. 1958-1960
Authors: Antoshchenko Aleksandr V.
Published: November 2020

This publication completes the readers' acquaintance with letters written by the historian and professor of the St. Sergius Theological Institute in Paris A. V. Kartashev to his friend G. I. Novitsky, who lived in New York. The historian focused on preparing for the publication of his final works, “Essays on the History of the Russian Church” and “Ecumenical Councils”, which he wrote and dictated during the summer vacations. No less space in the letters was given by their author to traditional questions - about the financial condition of the institute and the peculiarities of training students in it, as well as about the relationship of its professors with the hierarchs of the West European Exarchate of Russian Parishes of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The text of the letters is brought into line with modern spelling standards while preserving some features of the author’s spelling of individual words and punctuation. Comments include data on newly mentioned persons, and information on re-meeting ones can be found in previous journal publications for 2016-2019.
The Phenomenon of the Cinema of the Third Reich in the Focus
of Modern European Historical Studies
Authors: Filenko Kristina V. , Polinovskaya Evgenia A.
Published: November 2020

The article discusses scientific theories and approaches to the analysis of the Third Reich cinema. At the same time, the authors updated political trends in the modern world. A consequence of these tendencies was the difficulty facing researchers in studying topics of a politically engaged nature. In their article, the authors sought to consider the most modern research of historians.
“In Absolutely Free Flight”: Interview with Valentina Yu. Voloshina
Authors: Gruzdinskaya Victoriya S.
Published: November 2020

Published interview with Valentina Yu. Voloshina completed a journey through the professor’s scientific and pedagogical career. It reveals the main milestones of the interviewee's professional career.
The Role of the China Association of Regional Studies in the Development of Spatial Regional Development of China (1991 – Present)
Authors: Makeeva Svetlana B.
Published: November 2020

The article defines the role of the China Association of Regional Studies (established in 1991) in the process of studying and analyzing regional problems of the spatial organization of the economy in China after the start of the policy of “reform and openness”. The consolidation of the scientific potential of Chinese scientists in the field of economics, geography, history, sociology, philosophy, cultural studies within the framework of the Association made it possible to develop high-quality recommendations on the regional development of China. The main aspects of the regional development of the PRC, considered within the framework of the Association, were issues related to the regional economy and regional policy (theory and practice), regional economic development strategies, a comprehensive assessment of the PRC regional policy after 1978, the regional economy in the border regions, and industrial agglomeration and industrial clusters in China.
Socio-Economic Landscape of Modern Russia and Constitutional Initiatives of the Russian President
Authors: Popova Yulia V.
Published: November 2020

This article reveals the relationship between the socio-economic and political initiatives of the President of the Russian Federation, indicated in his Message to the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of January 15, 2020, and the current socio-economic needs of the population, available in Russia for this period of time. The text of the Message is characterized in its structural and content aspects as a populist document.
Local Government in Siberia in the 18th – Early 20th Century (Source Studies and Specific Historical Aspects)
Authors: Tolochko Anatoly P. , Konovalov Igor A.
Published: November 2020

The paper systematizes sources on the problem of formation and development of the local government in Siberia of the imperial period. The following groups of sources are highlighted: regulatory and legal acts; office materials; statistical materials; periodicals; sources of personal origin. The regional specificity in the content and structure of sources on the studied topic is presented. Taken together, the above sources allow characterizing the history of local government in Siberia in the 18th - early 20th century. The paper allows to present the problem of one of the important aspects of the Siberian history of the pre-revolutionary period in the interaction of sociopolitical, personal and departmental conflicts.
Instrumental Masters of the Second Expedition to Kamchatka
Authors: Lupanova Yevgenia M.
Published: November 2020

The second expedition to Kamchatka constantly drags the researchers' attention as one of the greatest scientific events of the 18th century. The success of V. Bering's team strongly depended on the accurate work of instruments - compasses, sundials, sand- and spyglasses. All those breakable and expensive devices was to be kept in steady functional condition, in cases of damage - have an opportunity to repair it quickly or to get another analogue. That is why form the very beginning the staff included an instrumental master. During the all years of the expedition there were three of them - two academic employees (G. Kobylin, S. Ovsyannikov) and one from the Admiralty (S. I. Kuznetsov). The author reveals the equipment used for routing, land-surveying and mapping; characterizes the role of these scientific and nautical instruments as well as the general state of Russian instrument-making of that period. A list of materials and equipment which an instrument-maker took with him is included in the article too. Especially interesting is the data of S. I. Kuznetsov's participation, whose name has not been mentioned in historical works yet. Further search of sources which provide the information of biographical details, characters and scopes of their work is a good prospect of the developing the topic.
Pengaruh Vanity Seeking, Purchase Experience, Dan Celebrity Endorser, Pada Minat Beli Ulang Dengan Sikap Terhadap Laneige Sebagai Variabel Mediasi
Authors: Maridjo Herry , Amelia Povy
Published: November 2020

This research aims to determine: 1) the influence of vanity seeking on repurchase intention with attitude toward laneige as a mediating variable, 2) the influence of purchasing experience on repurchase intention with attitude towards laneige as a mediating variable, 3) the influence of celebrity endorser on repurchase intention with attitude toward laneige as a mediating variable. The population in this research is Laneige consumers who have already bought Laneige with a total sample of 96 respondents. The sampling technique used is convenience sampling. The sampling technique used is convenience sampling. The validity test uses the construct validity test of convergent and discriminant constructs, and reliability test uses the formula of composite reliability and Cronchbach’s alpha. The data analysis technique used in this research is SEM using Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The results showed that: 1) Vanity seeking did not have a positive influence on repurchase intention with attitudes toward Laneige as a mediating variable, 2) Purchase experience had a positive influence on repurchase intention with partial mediation by attitudes towards Laneige, 3) Celebrity endorser had positive influence on repurchase intention with full mediation by the attitude towards Laneige.
Diplomasi Ekonomi Indonesia di dalam Rezim Ekonomi G20 pada Masa Pemerintahan Joko Widodo
Authors: Astuti Wiwiek Rukmi Dwi , Fathun Laode Muhamad
Published: November 2020

Penelitian ini menjawab bagaimana strategi diplomasi ekonomi Indonesia di dalam forum ekonomi global G20. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, studi kepustakaan serta konsep diplomasi ekonomi untuk menganalisis data. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa strategi diplomasi Indonesia yang diimplementasikan  melalui rencana strategis nasional dalam forum G20 membentuk  pola diplomasi ekonomi menyangkut perdagangan, komersial dan finansial. Kebaruan dari penelitian ini adalah membuktikan akan karakter diplomasi ekonomi Indonesia di forum G20 sebagai negara yang berada dalam kluster evolving. Manajemen ekonomi eksternal dan kebijakan melalui koordinasi antar kementerian; promosi perdagangan yang merupakan integrasi dari upaya politik dan ekonomi; promosi investasi secara aktif oleh Kemlu, khususnya melalui duta besar dan BKPM. Peran dan diplomasi ekonomi Indonesia ini merupakan komitmen untuk menjaga stabilitas ekonomi nasional, regional dan internasional sebagai bentuk kepentingan nasional dan kepentingan internasional.
Protesa obturator definitif resin akrilik pada pasien systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pasca maksilektomi
Authors: Aditama Pramudya , Sugiatno Erwan , Indrastuti Murti , Wahyuningtyas Endang
Published: November 2020

ABSTRAKPendahuluan: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) merupakan inflamasi kronis yang dapat melibatkan sistem saraf, membran mukosa, dan organ lain dalam tubuh. Avascular bone necrosis (AVN) merupakan gejala yang muncul pada penderita SLE. Maksilektomi dilakukan pada tulang maksila yang mengalami AVN. Penutupan celah pasca maksilektomi tersebut dilakukan dengan cara  menggunakan protesa maksilofasial intraoral yaitu obturator. Tujuan laporan kasus ini mengkaji rehabilitasi prostetik menggunakan protesa obturator definitif resin akrilik pada penderita SLE pasca maksilektomi. Laporan kasus: Seorang wanita berusia 21 tahun datang ke Poli Gigi dan Mulut RSUP Dr. Sardjito dengan keluhan bau mulut, hilangnya gusi pada langit-langit, dan kegoyahan gigi rahang atas. Pasien didiagnosis SLE sejak lebih dari 1 tahun yang lalu. Pada pemeriksaan intraoral, selain lesi pada mukosa palatum, ditemukan juga nekrosis pada tulang palatum, kehilangan gigi 14, 15, 16, dan 25, serta kegoyahan derajat 3 pada seluruh gigi rahang atas yang tersisa. Pasien dirawat dengan obat Myfortic (2 x 180 mg/hari) dan Fluconazole (1x150 mg/hari) kemudian dirujuk ke Poli Bedah Mulut untuk dilakukan maksilektomi, dilanjutkan dengan pembuatan protesa obturator oleh tim prostodonti. Pasien dibuatkan obturator pasca bedah untuk menutup celah palatum pasca maksilektomi. Pencetakan menggunakan bahan hydrocolloid irreversible sebelum operasi untuk pembuatan obturator pasca bedah. Insersi obturator menunjukkan celah palatum tertutup rapat oleh plat akrilik. Retensi didapatkan menggunakan kawat stainless pada titanium wire mesh pengganti tulang maksila. Tidak ada keluhan saat kontrol, penelanan baik. Tiga bulan pasca pemakaian obturator pasca bedah dilakukan pemasangan obturator definitif resin akrilik rahang atas. Pemeriksaan klinis menunjukkan suara sengau berkurang, estetis, dan pengunyahan baik. Simpulan: Protesa obturator definitif resin akrilik pada pasien SLE pasca maksilektomi dapat mengembalikan fungsi estetik, mengurangi suara sengau (mengembalikan fungsi bicara), mengembalikan fungsi penelanan, dan pengunyahan.
Pendekatan bidang ortodontik-periodontik pada perawatan migrasi gigi patologis
Authors: Damayanti Aulia , Supandi Shafira Kurnia
Published: November 2020

ABSTRAKPendahuluan: Periodontal abses dapat menyebabkan migrasi gigi patologis (ekstrusi) dan defek intraoseus. Pada kondisi ini perawatan ortodontik-periodontik merupakan pendekatan terapeutik yang dapat memposisikan kembali gigi yang telah mengalami migrasi patologis dan memperbaiki kondisi periodontal. Terapi multidisiplin sangat penting dalam praktik kedokteran gigi untuk mencapai hasil yang optimal. Tujuan laporan kasus ini adalah untuk menggambarkan pendekatan bidang ortodontik-periodontik  pada perawatan migrasi gigi patologis. Laporan kasus: Laki-laki, 35 tahun dengan keluhan utama gigi inisisivus kanan atas abses, goyang, dan nyeri. Secara klinis pada gigi 11 terdapat kegoyangan derajat tiga, poket periodontal bagian mesial 7mm, resesi 3mm, dan kontak prematur pada gigi 41. Pemeriksaan radiografi terlihat kerusakan tulang yang parah. Penatalaksanaan kasus, pada kunjungan pertama, pemberian medikasi oral sebagai terapi darurat, kunjungan kedua adalah scaling dan root planing, occlusal adjustment, dan splinting pada kunjungan ketiga. Kemudian pemasangan ortodontik cekat pada rahang atas dilakukan pada kunjungan berikutnya, untuk mengembalikan posisi gigi insisivus lateral yang ekstrusi. Setelah mencapai posisi yang sesuai, dilakukan bone graft pada gigi. dapat mengembalikan posisi gigi yang mengalami ekstrusi, mengurangi kegoyangan gigi dan mengembalikan fungsi estetik pasien. Simpulan: pendekatan bidang ortodontik-periodontik pada perawatan migrasi gigi patologis menunjukkan keberhasilan setelah kontrol enam bulan pasca bedah ditandai dengan gambaran panoramik adanya penambahan densitas serta tinggi tulang yang signifikan pada daerah defek, gigi insisivus sentral atas kembali ke posisi normal dan kepuasan pasien tercapai.
Salivary pH before and after cranberry juice consumption
Authors: Marunduri Dwiana Lisany , Wihardja Rosiliwati , Yohana Winny
Published: November 2020

Introduction: Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) is commonly consumed as a source of antioxidants. The cranberry juice has a sour and a little bit of bitter taste that can affect the salivary pH. The sour taste is a result of its high content of proanthocyanidin. Cranberry juice plays a role in maintaining oral and dental health. Cranberries’ flavonol and proanthocyanidin content play a role in preventing dental caries by preventing the growth of Streptococcus mutans. This study was aimed to compare the salivary pH before and after cranberry juice consumption. Methods: This research was quasi-experimental. The research population was the students from the Faculty of Dentistry Universitas Padjadjaran, and the sampling method was purposive sampling. Thirty-five male and female students with no history of systemic disease and drug administration, no orthodontics appliance and denture, were involved in this experiment. Students with lesions on oral mucosa were also excluded from this study. The pH measurement was performed with a digital pH meter to record the salivary pH ratio before and after consumption of cranberry juice. Before salivary pH comparison analysis was performed, the normality test was conducted, then the analysis was continued using the paired t-test. Statistical analysis was determined at α=0.05. Results: The average values of salivary pH ratio before and after consumption of cranberry juice were 6.714 and 7.246, respectively. The normality test showed that the p-value before and after consumption of cranberry juice were 0.143 and 0.285, respectively (p-value>0.05), which categorised in the normal distribution. The paired t-test statistical analysis showed the p-value of 0.001 (p-value<0.05), which considered as significant. This result indicated that there was a significant difference in the salivary pH before and after consumption of cranberry juice. Conclusion: The salivary pH is increasing after cranberry juice consumption.
Capacitar y motivar a las niñas para su participación futura en el sector TIC. Propuesta de cinco países.
Authors: Fernandez-Morante Carmen , Cebreiro López Beatriz , Casal Otero Lorena
Published: November 2020

En la actualidad observamos que la brecha digital de género en cuanto al acceso, uso y formación en TIC (Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación) está presente desde los primeros años de vida de los niños y las niñas, siendo, la adolescencia, la etapa en la que repercute sobre importantes decisiones futuras. En este artículo presentamos las aportaciones para la intervención educativa en la adolescencia, generadas en el marco del proyecto europeo «ICT Go Girls!», dirigidas a romper con los estereotipos de género en el uso de las TIC y conseguir que las niñas sean capaces de aprovechar futuras oportunidades de empleo en el sector TIC. Los resultados evidencian que hemos logrado romper con estereotipos y promover en las niñas una reflexión profunda sobre su futuro profesional. Con el Proyecto proporcionamos una metodología útil para que centros escolares y comunidades educativas puedan aplicar esta iniciativa de forma autónoma.
Evaluation of a dual-purpose contrast medium for radiography and ultrasonography of the small intestine in dogs
Authors: Kang Jiwon , Oh Donghyun , Choi Jeongwoo , Kim Kyeonga , Yoon Junghee , Choi Mincheol
Published: November 2020

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate a contrast medium that could be used for radiographic and ultrasonographic assessment of the small intestine in dogs.

ANIMALS

8 healthy adult Beagles.

PROCEDURES

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC; 0.5% solution) was combined with iohexol (300 mg of iodine/mL) to yield modified contrast medium (MCM). Dogs were orally administered the first of 3 MCMs (10 mL/kg [9.5 mL of CMC/kg plus 0.5 mL of iohexol/kg]). Radiographic and ultrasonographic assessment of the small intestine followed 10 minutes after administration and every 10 minutes thereafter, until MCM was seen within the ascending colon. Minimally, 1 week elapsed between dosing of subsequent MCMs (10 mL/kg [9 mL of CMC/kg plus 1 mL of iohexol/kg and 8.5 mL of CMC/kg plus 1.5 mL of iohexol/kg]) and repeated radiography and ultrasonography.

RESULTS

Radiographic contrast enhancement of the small intestine was best with MCM that combined 8.5 mL of CMC/kg and 1.5 mL of iohexol/kg. Mean small intestinal transit time for all MCMs was 86 minutes. All MCMs did not interfere with ultrasonographic assessment of the small intestine and may have improved visualization of the far-field small intestinal walls.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

An MCM that combined 8.5 mL of 0.5% CMC/kg and 1.5 mL of iohexol/kg could be an alternative to barium or iohexol alone for contrast small intestinal radiography in dogs, especially when abdominal ultrasonography is to follow contrast radiography.
Beta-Casein Gene Polymorphism in Serbian Holstein-Friesian Cows and Its Relationship with Milk Production Traits
Authors: Marko Ristanic , Uros Glavinic , Branislav Vejnovic , Milan Maletic , Danijela Kirovski , Vlado Teodorovic , Zoran Stanimirovic
Published: November 2020

The most common types of beta-casein in cow’s milk are A1 and A2, which differ in one amino acid. During the gastrointestinal proteolysis of A1 beta-casein in humans this difference results in the release of beta-casomorphin-7, an opioid which may lead to severe effects on human health, causing various ailments (type-1 diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease, arteriosclerosis, sudden infant death syndrome, autism, schizophrenia, gastrointestinal digestive discomfort, as well as increased gastrointestinal transit time). By contrast, A2 beta-casein cannot exert these effects owing to its different composition and metabolism. Furthermore, studies have shown that it can influence milk productivity traits. Our research aimed to screen the frequency of A1 and A2 alleles of beta-casein gene in a population of Serbian Holstein-Friesian cows and to detect how the genotypes influence milk production, and milk protein and fat yields. Out of 106 animals, 13 (12.26%) were of A1A1 genotype, 58 (54.72%) of A1A2, and 35 (33.02%) of A2A2 genotype. Milk yield was significantly (P<0.01) higher in A2A2 compared to both A1A1 and A1A2 genotypes. Milk protein concentrations were significantly (P<0.01) higher in A2A2 compared to A1A2 genotype, while milk fat concentrations were significantly (P<0.01) higher in A2A2 compared to both A1A1 and A1A2 genotypes.
The Influence of Hempseed Cake on Production Traits, Metabolic Profile and Antioxidant Status of Merinolandschaf Lambs
Authors: Antunović Zvonko , Šalavardić Željka Klir , Steiner Zvonimir , Đidara Mislav , Ćavar Suzana , Ronta Mario , Šabić Andrijana Modić , Pavić Valentina , Novoselec Josip
Published: November 2020

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hempseed cake on production traits, metabolic profile and antioxidant status of lambs. The research was conducted on 20 Merinolandschaf lambs of similar live body weight (24.03 kg ± 2.22 and 24.06 ± 1.84 kg in control and experimental group, respectively). The experiment started after the weaning of lambs at their average age of 70 days. Lambs were divided by gender (50% male: 50% female) and then allocated in two groups. The research lasted for 30 days during the fattening period. Lambs in the control group were fed with feed mixtures, where main protein source was soybean meal and extruded soybean (SB), while lambs in the experimental group were fed feed mixtures in which soybean was replaced by hempseed cake (HSC) at 12% of dry matter. Higher values of daily weight gain (P<0.05) compared to SB lambs were observed from days 15 to 30. HSC lambs showed no significant differences in hematology and biochemical blood parameters, except for lower (P<0.001) urea concentrations on days 15 and 30, as well as higher (P<0.05) Mg concentrations in serum on day 30. Hempseed cake in lambs’ diets did not influence (P>0.05) activity of the enzymes like AST, ALT, ALP, GGT and CK, as well as SOD and GPx enzymes, thus not affecting the antioxidant status of lambs’ blood. Concentrations of DHA and n-3 fatty acids were higher (P<0.05) in HSC group than in SB group. The present study confirmed that the inclusion of HSC as soybean replacement up to 12% in the lambs’ diet is justified when considering production traits, metabolic profile and antioxidant status of Merinolandschaf lambs.
Raising Collocational Awareness with Humour
Authors: Nagy Tünde
Published: November 2020

Despite the increased interest that collocations have received in EFL methodology lately, making language learners aware of these multiword constructions continues to represent a challenge for teachers. While there may be different ways of teaching collocations, finding activities that raise collocational awareness efficiently is no easy task. Collocational awareness can be defined as the ability of language learners (and users) to use and acknowledge word combinations in their entirety. Humour can be useful in this regard as it not only ensures a more relaxed atmosphere in the classroom but can also help students to acknowledge and remember specific linguistic structures (among them, also collocations) more easily. In line with Construction Grammar (Goldberg 1995, 1997, 2006), it is believed that collocations are to be treated as constructions, pairings of form with a specific meaning and varying degrees of predictability – teaching them as such can contribute to a better understanding and acquisition of these constructions. After offering a brief overview of the characteristics of collocations and reflecting on the possible advantages of using humour in class, the paper shows possible ways of teaching collocations with humour. The exercises and activities suggested focus on both the productive and receptive competence of language learners and also incorporate the necessary skills required in the language learning process: listening, reading, writing, and speaking.
V. Voiculescu’s Novel: A Modern Depository of the Traditional Beliefs
Authors: Suciu Sorin Gheorghe
Published: November 2020

Part of a larger research, initially thought and written as an essay, our paper is a transdisciplinary approach on Elmar Salmann’s idea of the novel as the modern depository of humanity’s religious and philosophical legacy, which would otherwise not find a way to express itself nowadays. As a support, we are using the one and only novel of a profound religious Romanian writer – V. Voiculescu’s Zahei Orbul (Zahei the Blind) –, trying to reveal Jean-Luc Marion’s concept of “distance” but also Milan Kundera’s view regarding the matter as it is discussed in The Art of the Novel. As stated before, in our deductive approach, we are using Basarab Nicolesco’s “the hidden third”, the basic concept in transdisciplinary research. Our conclusion is that Voiculescu’s novel is constructed on the grounds of God’s “absence”, as He retreats in the “distance”. This “absence” is supported by a net of Christian symbols on which the modern world’s elements are being interwoven in Midrash style, as Constantin Jinga states.
Hungarian Dialectology. From the Beginnings until the Division of Hungary (1920)
Authors: Both Csaba Attila
Published: November 2020

Dialect islands in Hungarian dialectology have been a marginalized segment of research. Although the very first observations on different Hungarian dialects appeared in the 17th century, a systematic and detailed monographic description of Hungarian dialect islands in the Carpathian Basin has not been published yet. As we can conclude, several important historical events happened, institutions and researchers emerged. All of them had a significant impact on this research area, and based on their emergence the research history of Hungarian dialect islands can be divided into different periods. With regard to the research history of Hungarian dialect islands in Romania, a research was conducted in 2019. The results showed that the research history of these islands cannot be understood without an adequate global image of the history of the Hungarian dialectology. Thus, the present article gives a general historical overview of the research on Hungarian dialects from the beginnings up until 1920, when, following the Treaty of Trianon, the Hungarian nation was divided into five different parts.
Economic analysis of corruption at the company level
Authors: Bąk Paulina
Published: November 2020

Corruption is a factor that affects a company severely either directly or indirectly. It may have a positive or negative impact on the economic situation of the company. This article verifies the hypothesis about the corporate perception of corruption as an obstacle to business performance. It also identifies which factors do have a substantial effect on the perception of corruption by companies. The study was carried out using the logit model. The data used were obtained from the Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey (BEEPS) database for 2016.
Tax revenue and economic growth in developing country: an autoregressive distribution lags approach
Authors: Maganya Mnaku Honest
Published: November 2020

Tanzania, like most other developing countries, faces numerous economic challenges in striving to achieve sustainable economic growth and development through taxation. In the literature, the debate on how effective taxes are as a tool for promoting economic growth and economic development remains inconclusive, as various research have reported mixed effects of tax on economic growth. This article investigates the effect of taxation on economic growth in Tanzania using the recently developed technique of autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL) bounds testing procedure for the period from 1996 to 2019. Various preliminary tests were conducted including stationary tests as well as the pair-wise Granger causality test. According to the results obtained, domestic goods and services (TGS) taxes are positively related to GDP growth and are statistically significant at 1% level. Income taxes, on the other hand, were found to be negatively related to GDP growth and to be statistically significant at 5% level. The pair-wise Granger causality results indicated that there is bidirectional Granger causality between TGS and GDP growth at 1 % significance level. The government should aim at growing, nurturing and sustaining tax base to positively drive economic growth even further.
Alien and native woody plants in scattered vegetation in agricultural landscape
Authors: Supuka Ján , Tóth Attila , Bihuňová Mária , Verešová Martina , Šinka Karol
Published: November 2020

The woody plant species composition has been evaluated in three cadastral territories of southwestern Slovakia, together in 77 habitats of non-forest woody vegetation (NFWV). A total of 43 tree species have been identified; 8 of them were alien and 5 species were cultural fruit trees. In total 20 shrub species were identified, out of which 3 were alien. Three woody species are classified as invasive according to the law in Slovakia: Acer negundo L., Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, and Lycium barbarum L. They occurred only in 2, maximum in 4 of the evaluated habitats. The most occurring alien tree species Robinia pseudoacacia L. was generally identified in 58 habitats and in 48 habitats, with an incidence over 40% and dominance index of 70.6. The second most occurring alien tree Populus × canadensis had a dominance index of 8.3. The dominant native trees in NFWV were Acer campestre L., Fraxinus excelsior L., Quercus robur L., Salix fragilis L. with the dominance index of 1–5 only.
Invasive terrestrial plant species in the Romanian protected areas. A review of the geographical aspects
Authors: Grigorescu Ines , Kucsicsa Gheorghe , Dumitraşcu Monica , Doroftei Mihai
Published: November 2020

Geographical factors play an essential role in the occurrence and spread of invasive species worldwide, and their particular analysis at regional and local scales becomes important in understanding species development patterns. The present paper discusses the relationships between some key geographical factors and the Invasive Terrestrial Plant Species (ITPS) distribution, and their environmental implications in a few protected areas in Romania. The authors focused their attention on three of the foremost invaders (i.e. Amorpha fruticosa, Ailanthus altissima and Fallopia japonica) making use of the information provided by the scientific literature and some illustrative examples developed in the framework of the FP7 enviroGRIDS project. The study is aimed to increase the knowledge of the ITPS and, specifically, to contribute to the geographical understanding of the role played by the driving factors in their distribution and spread in various habitats and ecosystems. The results will further support the control efforts in protected areas where, often, valuable native species are at risk of being replaced by non-native species.
AirBnB: Managing trust and safety on a platform business
Authors: Walsh Caoimhe , Saxena Deepak , Muzellec Laurent
Published: November 2020

AirBnB has become a preferred accommodation marketplace for the travellers around the world. AirBnB is a two-sided digital platform that connects guests and hosts. In so doing, it creates value for both sides of the platform. Guests save money on the accommodation and hosts get earnings from their otherwise idle space. The case follows the company from the inception to its growth and current challenges with wider community. The case helps to understand the key features of digital platforms: how do they create value for all users; how do they shape value propositions for two sides, and how does the community become a stakeholder in the platform business. It also focuses on the issue of trust and the need for the company to integrate the concerns of other stakeholders such as communities and local authorities. Finally, the case highlights the impact of Covid-19 on the company and the travel industry.
Traffic Survey Analysis: Implications for Road Transport Planning In Nigeria
Authors: Salisu Umar Obafemi , Oyesiku Olukayode O.
Published: November 2020

Efficient traffic survey analysis is a catalyst for achieving an efficient and advanced transport planning and sustainable urban development. Unfortunately, the obvious decline in the traffic survey on Nigerian urban roads has left the road transport system to be handicap of traffic data, quality service deliveries and characterized by traffic-related quagmires with devastating socio-economic consequences including congestion, crime and crash incidences. This paper examined traffic survey analysis on major highways in Ogun State, Nigeria using manual traffic count method for estimation of traffic volume and flow pattern. The traffic data gathered were presented and analyzed using descriptive and inferential (ANOVA and Student ‘t’ test) techniques to determine variations in vehicular traffic volume and flow situation (inbound and outbound). Findings revealed that Car/SUV is the most dominant traffic relative to others. Meanwhile, ANOVA results show significant variation in traffic volume on the selected highways (p. value < 0.05), while, the Student ‘t’ test shows no significant difference between traffic inbound and outbound. Findings also revealed that the physical condition of the highways is relatively poor. Based on these findings, the study recommended improvement measures and strategies to curtail traffic-related issues towards achieving efficient, safe, and quality road transport planning in Nigeria.
Allotment gardening in Poland – new practices and changes in recreational space
Authors: Mokras-Grabowska Justyna
Published: November 2020

Allotment gardening in Europe, including in Poland, is a century-long tradition that has been cultivated by each new generation. The idea derived from the rapid industrialization of large cities and is currently gaining new meaning. Apart from the economic and recreational roles played by allotment gardens (AGs), emphasis is increasingly being placed on their function as community, social, ecological and even creative and entertainment spaces. AGs constitute an important place for inhabitants of cities to spend their free time. Hence, it has been postulated more and more often that AGs should be preserved as productive and ‘living’ spaces for leisure and social integration. The numerous initiatives of the Polish Allotment Association, whose aim is to protect AGs against liquidation, and to be used for public and non-public purposes, include the Open Social Programme of Allotment Gardens Development. Through pro-social, innovative activity, the programme helps to redefine and change the perception of AGs in Poland as well as contribute to their infrastructural development.
Urbanisation processes in zones threatened by volcanic activity: The case of Latacunga at the foot of Cotopaxi in Ecuador
Authors: Czerny Mirosława , Czerny Andrzej
Published: November 2020

Where abrupt and dangerous natural phenomena unfold in highly populated areas, they destroy buildings and infrastructure and, above all, cause death and injury among local inhabitants. In the case of the active Ecuadorean volcano Cotopaxi, eruptions have already posed considerable threats to nearby towns and cities due to activated mudslides (lahars) that flow rapidly down its slopes. Interviews conducted with inhabitants of vulnerable residential areas of the town of Latacunga have led the authors to conclude that – in danger zones associated with possible mudslides – the lack of building land, inappropriate management of the allocation of building plots and still-inadequate early warning and monitoring systems have favoured the chaotic spread of built-up areas and thus pose a threat to the lives of inhabitants should Cotopaxi erupt again.
Effect of Cd precursor on structure and optical properties of spin coated Zn0:9Cd0:1O films for optoelectronics applications
Authors: Arora Isha , Kumar Praveen , Sathiaraj T.S.
Published: November 2020

The development of transparent conducting oxide materials has gained an increased interest in the scientific community for developing efficient low cost optoelectronic devices. The effect of Cd precursor on structural and optical properties of sol-gel synthesized Zn0:9Cd0:1O nanostructured films has been studied by using XRD, AFM, optical absorption and emission spectroscopic techniques. X-ray diffraction confirms the hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure of the deposited films and the relative intensity of diffraction peaks has been observed with different cadmium salts. The granular surface morphology of the synthesized films has been observed from AFM measurements. The optical transmission, band gap and luminescence intensity was found to change for different cadmium salts. These results are very important for developing new materials for optoelectronic applications.
Out-of-Class English Language Learning Among Upper-Intermediate Level Students
Authors: Daukšaitė-Kolpakovienė Aurelija
Published: November 2020

This article discusses a small scale research project that investigated how students learn and use English outside the classroom. It was conducted during the 2019–2020 academic year and completed by administering a questionnaire to 47 students enrolled in the B2-level English language course offered at Vytautas Magnus University in the fall semester of 2019. The data were collected through an online survey. The participants were asked to choose the ways which helped them to learn English outside of the classroom and to comment on them based on how useful they were in terms of learning English. The students were also asked to indicate the frequency of such out-of-classroom (OOC) activities, in other words, how often they engage in the chosen OOCs. The results showed that most of the activities that the research participants engaged in outside the classroom were related to popular culture and their free time activities that were fun and entertaining rather than consciously chosen activities with the purpose of learning English. These activities helped to expand vocabulary and listening, but they did not help to practice speaking and writing (productive skills).
Realizing Emergent Configurations in the Internet of Things
Authors:   , Alkhabbas Fahed
Published: November 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a fast-spreading technology that enables new types of services in several domains such as transportation, health, and building automation. To exploit the potential of the IoT effectively, several challenges have to be tackled, including the following ones that we study in this thesis. First, the proposed IoT visions provide a fragmented picture, leading to a lack of consensus about IoT systems and their constituents. To piece together the fragmented picture of IoT systems, we systematically identified their characteristics by analyzing existing taxonomies. More specifically, we identified seventeen characteristics of IoT systems, and grouped them into two categories, namely, elements and quality aspects of IoT systems. Moreover, we conducted a survey to identify the factors that drive the deployment decisions of IoT systems in practice. A second set of challenges concerns the environment of IoT systems that is often dynamic and uncertain. For instance, due to the mobility of users and things, the set of things available in users' environment might change suddenly. Similarly, the status of IoT systems’ deployment topologies (i.e., the deployment nodes and their interconnections) might change abruptly. Moreover, environmental conditions monitored and controlled through IoT devices, such as ambient temperature and oxygen levels, might fluctuate suddenly. The majority of existing approaches to engineer IoT systems rely on predefined processes to achieve users’ goals. Consequently, such systems have significant shortcomings in coping with dynamic and uncertain environments. To address these challenges, we used the concept of Emergent Configurations (ECs) to engineer goal-driven IoT systems. An EC is an IoT system that consists of a dynamic set of things that cooperate temporarily to achieve a user goal. To realize ECs, we proposed an abstract architectural approach, comprising an architecture and processes, as well as six novel approaches that refine the abstract approach. The developed approaches support users to achieve their goals seamlessly in arbitrary environments by enabling the dynamic formation, deployment, enactment, and self-adaptation of IoT systems. The approaches exploit different techniques and focus on different aspects of ECs. Moreover, to better support users in dynamic and uncertain environments, we investigated the automated configuration of those environments based on users' preferences.
ANALISIS PENGARUH KETEBALAN WEB TERHADAP KEAMANAN BOX GIRDER AKIBAT VARIASI SUDUT KELENGKUNGAN HORIZONTAL PADA JEMBATAN
Authors: Michael Michael , Supartono FX
Published: November 2020

In general, bridges are made in a straight shape, but with complex geometries, topographic factors, and efforts to prevent congestion, horizontal curved bridges are used at highways and toll roads. In building a bridge, good planning is needed especially in terms of strength. However, the use of improper dimensions will cause a bridge to be over-designed or under-designed. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to determine the effect of web thickness on the safety of prestressed concrete box girder due to variations in the horizontal curvature angle on the bridge. The span length of the analysed bridge is 60 m with a roller-joint placement and a single span bridge type. The angular variation of the horizontal curved bridge used are 0°, 15°, and 30°. The analysis was carried out using the Midas Civil 2020 program in accordance with the SNI 1725 : 2016 loading standard. The results of this analysis indicate that with increasing the thickness of prestressed concrete box girder web, it will cause increased stress and deflection on the bridge. Pada umumnya jembatan dibuat dengan bentuk lurus, namun dengan adanya geometri yang kompleks, faktor topografi, dan upaya untuk mencegah terjadinya kemacetan, jembatan lengkung horizontal digunakan pada simpang susun jalan raya dan jalan tol. Dalam membangun suatu jembatan, diperlukan perencanaan yang baik terutama dari segi kekuatan. Akan tetapi, dengan penggunaan dimensi yang tidak tepat akan menyebabkan suatu jembatan menjadi over-designed atau under-designed. Oleh karena itu, tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh dari ketebalan web terhadap keamanan prestressed concrete box girder akibat variasi sudut kelengkungan horizontal pada jembatan. Panjang bentang jembatan yang dianalisis adalah 60 m dengan perletakan sendi-rol dan jenis jembatan single span. Variasi sudut jembatan lengkung horizontal yang digunakan adalah 0°, 15°, dan 30°. Analisis dilakukan dengan menggunakan program Midas Civil 2020 sesuai dengan standar pembebanan SNI 1725 : 2016. Hasil dari analisis ini menunjukkan bahwa dengan meningkatnya ketebalan web prestressed concrete box girder, akan menyebabkan meningkatnya tegangan dan juga defleksi pada jembatan.
PRODUKTIVITAS PEKERJA DALAM PEKERJAAN PLESTERAN DINDING BATA DENGAN METODE CREW BALANCE CHART
Authors: Suharto Indra Pratama , Sulistio Hendrik
Published: November 2020

The productivity of workers is one of the parameters for the success of a project. With the crew balance chart method, every worker's activity in the field will be displayed, and the results of the observations will be optimized. Observations were made on brick wall plastering in Cempaka Baru residential construction project, which consisted of 2 work groups. The results volume of plastering done by the 1st group, the productivity on the first day was 1.195 m2/hour, and the second day was 3.987 m2/hour, where if the worker was in ideal conditions the volume that could be produced was 1.647 m2/hour on the first day and 6.869 m2/hour on day 2. Whereas in the second group the productivity on the first day was 0.451 m2/hour, and on the second day it was 1.812 m2/hour, where if the worker was in ideal conditions the volume that could be produced was 0.643 m2/hour on the first day and 2.489 m2/hour on the second day. The low productivity of workers caused the contractor to suffer a loss of Rp. 339,782.00 on wall plastering work were observed. ABSTRAKProduktivitas pekerja pada proyek konstruksi merupakan salah satu parameter keberhasilan suatu proyek. Dengan metode crew balance chart akan ditampilkan setiap kegiatan pekerja yang dilapangan, dan dari hasil pengamatan tersebut akan dilakukan optimasi, untuk meningkatkan produktivitas pekerja. Pengamatan dilakukan pada pekerjaan plesteran dinding bata pada proyek pembangunan rumah tinggal Cempaka Baru, yang terdiri dari 2 group kerja. Dari hasil volume plesteran yang dikerjakan group ke-1, produktivitas dihari pertama sebesar 1,195 m2/jam, dan dihari ke-2 sebesar 3,987 m2/jam yang dimana bila pekerja dalam kondisi ideal, volume yang dapat dihasilkan sebesar 1,647 m2/jam dihari pertama dan 6,869 m2/jam dihari ke-2. Sedangkan pada group ke-2 produktivitas dihari pertama sebesar 0,451 m2/jam, dan dihari ke-2 sebesar 1,812 m2/jam, yang dimana bila pekerja dalam kondisi ideal volume yang dapat dihasilkan sebesar 0,643 m2/jam dihari pertama dan 2,489 m2/jam dihari ke-2. Rendahnya produktivitas yang dihasilkan pekerja mengakibatkan kontraktor mengalami kerugian sebesar Rp. 339.782,00 pada pekerjaan plesteran dinding yang diamati.