bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Potential for Development of Russian Youth Social Activity
Authors: Savotina Nataliya 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The article deals with scientific and applied topicality of studying the problem of children and youth social activity. Spheres of social activity display in European tradition, in particular, the European Charter, Great Britain, have been revealed. Comparative analysis of understanding the essence of such a phenomenon in Western theories and scientific pedagogical thought in Russia has been given. The changes occurred in the context of the analysis of the notion during last decades and connected with the development of volunteering, motivation and forms of youth services have been emphasized. The most important tasks in developing social activity of Russian youth have been stated. Different scientific approaches to studying the notion of “social activity” enriching its characteristics have been analyzed. Based on the analysis of results on the organized events the drawbacks, neglects and causes of poor quality of working on the development of youth social activity have been shown. The experience in choosing activities and technologies demonstrated by teachers and pupils from different regions of Russia has been presented. Theoretical analysis of foreign and domestic experience in education has enabled to offer suggestions for the expansion of pupils and students’ social activity in the frame of different models presenting a wide scope for mastering and developing social competency of children and youth. These models have become the foundation for creating a general algorithm for the expansion of children and youth social activity. Pedagogical conditions and perspective directions for solving the problem of social activity development have been outlined in the article.
Forming of Future Teachers’ ICT-Competence: Canadian Experience
Authors: Demchenko Iryna 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe article deals with the phenomenon of digital divide in the education in Canada. The domestic and foreign scientific and educational publications have been studied and analyzed. It has been found out that traditional means for training pedagogical specialists are gradually losing their relevance due to lack of educational dialogue between a teacher and a student. Information and communication technologies have entered today’s youth everyday life and become an essential means of communication, receiving and transmitting information. Based on the source study, the essence and reasons of digital divide have been revealed. Canadian researchers consider that it is possible to overcome this problem by revising the approach to teacher training which will focus on the forming of future teachers’ information and communication competence. Various definitions of the terms “information competence”, “ICT competence”, “digital literacy”, “e-literacy” have been described. The model of ICT competence, its structure and the process of its integration into education have been analyzed. The examples of forming future teachers’ ICT competence in universities of Canada have been given. It has been revealed that the problem of effective ICT implementation into educational activities is in the range of many Canadian studies, but in fact the phenomenon of digital divide in education is still topical due to insufficient activity of teachers of pedagogical faculties and students’ ignoring the problem. A number of studies have been examined, the authors of which give practical recommendations aimed at enhancing the role of new technologies in teacher training in Canada.
Diabetes mellitus: in search of an improved classification and treatment algorithm
Authors: Cernea Simona , Cahn Avivit 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Our current clinical doctrine and practice is based upon a classification of diabetes which relies mainly on some clinical manifestations/criteria, rather than markers of the pathophysiological mechanisms of the disease. An improved classification based on such biological markers (i.e. of insulin resistance, beta cell dysfunction, autoimmunity) may assist in clinical decision and may offer the opportunity of an optimized therapeutic strategy. We address here some important questions that have not yet been clarified, e.g. which markers/indicators best define the main pathogenic mechanisms of the disease in a patient with diabetes and what threshold values are relevant for this purpose.
Decreased serum levels of sex steroids associated with osteoporosis in a group of Romanian male patients
Authors: Popa Florina Ligia , Stanciu Mihaela , Bighea Adrian , Berteanu Mihai , Totoianu Ioan Gheorghe , Rotaru Maria 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Introduction. With age, sex hormone deficiency leads to reduced bone mineral density (BMD) in men. The aim of our research is to analyze the role of serum sex steroids in assessing BMD in the men included in this study. Materials and methods. This cross-sectional study included 146 men aged 65-85 years old with osteopenia or osteoporosis (study group) and 121 men with normal BMD (control group). Serum levels of total testosterone (Tt) and free testosterone (Tf) were measured by immunoassay, and estradiol (E2) levels were measured by the immunoenzymatic method. Femoral neck and lumbar spine BMD was examined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results. Tf and E2 deficiency was significantly associated with low BMD (p=0.007). No association was found between Tt deficiency and reduced BMD. Tf levels (p<0.001) and E2 levels (p=0.003) were significantly lower in patients with reduced BMD compared to those with normal BMD. Significant more cases with low levels of Tf (p=0.015) and E2 (p<0.001) were found in patients with osteoporosis compared to those with osteopenia. Conclusions. Sex hormones deficiency in men was significantly correlated with the decrease of BMD. Determination of serum Tf and E2 levels is important in assessing the risk of osteoporosis in male subjects.
Sustainability of the Public Water Supply and Sewerage Services Operating System: A Case Study on the Example of the Czech Republic
Authors: Hájek M. , Petružela L. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Water services, as a necessity for natural ecosystem functions and a key output from public governance, play a crucial role in forming sustainable relationships between natural, economic, and social factors in the development of society. Primarily, these relationships relate to the natural impacts of weather and climate on the variability of the hydrological cycle. Secondary relationships exist between providers and consumers of the services. Services provided by operators of public water supply and sewerage systems are a specific segment of water services. Their sustainability is controlled on the one hand by public regulation and and on the other by a combination of economic, social, and environmental objectives and the means by which they are achieved. The aim of this paper is, based on the parameters of supply and demand, to quantify the most important aspects of sustainable management of water supply and sanitation enterprises in connection with the current model for state regulation. The methodology is based on an examination of consumer behaviour indicators which can be interpreted from ‘water bills’. The comparison of household expenditure on water services in the Czech Republic shows that some are already approaching, and even exceeding, the limit of what is considered social acceptability.
Openness and Financial Development in Central and Eastern European Countries
Authors: Bayar Yilmaz , Akyuz Fatma , Erem Isil 
Published: May 2018

AbstractGreat numbers of countries have made the limitations loose on the transnational goods, services and capital flows and begun to follow a policy of export-oriented growth. Total value of global financial asset flows exceeded the value of global trade over time and financial markets have experienced considerable expansions in almost every country. This paper investigates the interaction between openness and financial development in 9 Central and Eastern European countries during 1996-2014 period employing cointegration test of Westerlund and Edgerton (2007) and causality test of Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012). We reached that openness affected financial sector development positively in the long term. Furthermore, there was one-way causality from financial openness to financial sector development.
The Complexity of Risk and Uncertainty Assessment
Authors: Drăghici Dalis Maria 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Risk reduction means diminishing uncertainties and strengthening the knowledge. There are many ways in which undesirable surprises can be understood and controlled, but the dominating one is the risk approach, on the basis of risk conceptualization, evaluation and risk management. Across time, many progresses have been accomplished in the field of risk, connected not only to the conceptual part, but also to the empirical procedures. Despite this, the premise of this domain is being represented to a substantial extend by theories and practices. This is why it is indispensable to search for trends in the risk framework, to reveal whether further development should be desired and if uncertainties’ consequences are measured properly. The aim of this article is to present an analysis of some fundamental breakthroughs developed in the risk field, with a particular attention on the fundamental concepts. In addition, I also pursued to provide you with new insights on how to assess, perceive, describe and manage the unforeseen situations altogether with analyzing the uncertainty component of risk. To understand the risk has to be in continuous harmony with the acknowledgement element of the same concept.
The occurrence of hot weather in the Lublin-Felin and Czesławice in relation to atmospheric circulation (1966–2010)
Authors: Bartoszek Krzysztof , Węgrzyn Alicja 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The occurrence of hot weather in the Lublin-Felin and Czesławice in relation to atmospheric circulation (1966−2010). The paper describes the occurrence of hot (tmax 25.1−30.0°C) and very hot days (tmax >30°C) in Lublin-Felin and Czesławice in the years 1966−2010. The analysis covers the long-term variability of such days, and duration of heat waves. Their circulation conditions were also determined, with indication of circulation types during which the probability of occurrence of hot and very hot days was the highest. In the study area, hot days occurred from April to September, and very hot days from May to August, with the highest frequency in July in both cases. In the period from 1991 to 2010, a considerably higher number of cases of very hot days were recorded than in the 1970s and 1980s. Moreover, they occurred in increasingly long sequences, contributing to more frequent occurrence of unfavourable thermal and humid conditions during the growing season of plants. The highest probability of occurrence of hot and very hot days was determined for circulation types with airflow from the southern sector, and the lowest from the northern sector. Should the upward trend in the frequency of very hot days continue, the risk of the effect of such unfavourable thermal conditions on the health and well-being of tourists and patients of the health resort in Nałęczów will also increase
Pachyonychia Congenita - Can a Specific Phenotype be a Clue to a Genetic Defect? - a Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Lalošević Jovan , Gajić-Veljić Mirjana , Stojković-Filipović Jelena , Bosić Martina , Nikolić Miloš 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a rare inherited disorder of keratinization characterized by hypertrophic nail dystrophy, painful palmoplantar blisters, cysts, follicular hyperkeratosis and oral leukokeratosis. These pathological clinical features are resulting from mutations in keratin proteins including KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT6C, KRT16, and KRT17. We present a 6-year-old girl with hypertrophic nail dystrophy, follicular hyperkeratosis, circumscribed plantar keratoderma and oral leukokeratosis. The features were consistent with the diagnosis of PC. The patient has been registered in the International Pachyonychia Congenita Research Registry (IPCRR) and is waiting for a detailed genetic analysis. The IPCRR has contributed to publication of numerous papers which emphasized the importance of the mutation type affecting various clinical presentations of PC. Based on recent data, a new classification system has been developed for PC, and it is gradually replacing the earlier classifications. It is based almost exclusively on the mutated genes. In this report we have raised the hypothesis that distinctive clinical features may be highly suggestive of a specific keratin mutation.
Public Health and the New Law of Public Health in Republic of Serbia
Authors: Djonovic Nela , Vukomanovic Ivana Simic , Stajic Dalibor 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The new Law on Public Health was published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 15 dated 25 February 2016. Comparing to the previous Law, the biggest changes have been made in the domain of monitoring the indicators of the environment and population health. The responsibility of controlling the quality and safety of food was given back to the Ministry of Health. This paper presents the principal regulations regarding the main functions, principals and organizational features of the public health system in Serbia.
The Dagestani Security Paradigm in the View of Historical Perspective
Authors: Hanuliak Juraj 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The paper is focused on the largest and ethnically most heterogeneous entity in the North Caucasus – Dagestan. After the consolidation of the security situation in neighboring Chechnya, Dagestan has become a primary security threat as well as a challenge of the North Caucasus region. Because of the ethnic and linguistic heterogeneity, the society based on primarily clan and tribal structures and weak local governments that cannot reasonably control the substantial part of the Dagestani territory, Dagestan has become an ideal base for an expansion of influence of radical Islam in the form of Wahhabism in the North Caucasus. Because of the spread of the Wahhabi ideology in Dagestan, terrorist attacks spread increasingly and the Dagestani society has become fragmented and disrupted. The paper is a case study aiming to describe and analyze the Dagestani security paradigm and its changes in the course of history, with emphasis on the neighboring actors influence.
Extraordinary Measures: Drone Warfare, Securitization, and the “War on Terror”
Authors: Romaniuk Scott Nicholas , Webb Stewart Tristan 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The use of unmanned aerial vehicles or “drones,” as part of the United States’ (US) targeted killing (TK) program dramatically increased after the War on Terror (WoT) was declared. With the ambiguous nature and parameters of the WoT, and stemming from the postulation of numerous low-level, niche-, and other securitizations producing a monolithic threat, US drone operations now constitute a vital stitch in the extensive fabric of US counterterrorism policy. This article employs the theories of securitization and macrosecuritization as discussed by Buzan (1991, 2006), and Buzan and Wæver (2009) to understand targeted killing, by means of weaponized drones, as an extraordinary measure according to the Copenhagen School’s interpretation. An overarching securitization and the use of the “security” label warrants the emergency action of targeted killing through the use of drones as an extraordinary measure. We argue that the WoT serves as a means of securitizing global terrorism as a threat significant enough to warrant the use of drone warfare as an extraordinary use of force. By accepting the WoT as a securitization process we can reasonably accept that the US’ response(s) against that threat are also securitized and therefore become extraordinary measures.
Factors of Voluntary Mergers of Municipalities: a case study of the Czech Republic
Authors: Musilová Karolína , Heřmánek Jan 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Territorial fragmentation is considered as one of the most problematic characteristics of the Czech municipal system, however, there are no effective ways how to encourage small units to amalgamate. This paper focuses on cases of voluntary mergers that occured in 2002 and 2003, as the number of amalgamated units had no comparison in last 20 years. Through the analysis of documents, data from statistical office, press and interviews with actors we examine the aspect of those mergers such as main causes, process of the merger itself and actors involved. The analysis reveals the amalgamation was not a result of long-term process but more likely an ad hoc solution of problematic situation caused by administrative, economic and socio-demographic factors.
This paper was supported by PRVOUK Project No. 17 – Vědy o společnosti, politice a médiích ve výzvách doby [Sciences of Society, Politics, and Media under the Challenge of the Times], Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Political Studies.
Mgr. Pavel Maškarinec, Ph.D., Determinants of Women’s Descriptive Representation on the City Boards of the Czech Statutory Cities after the Local Elections of 2014
Authors: Maškarinec Pavel 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
This paper focuses on question why is descriptive (or numerical) representation of women as local political leaders higher in some cities than in others? The paper focuses on the analysis of the determinants of women’s political representation on city boards of the Czech statutory cities after the last local elections of 2014. We test some hypothesis, concerning two groups of factors that can potentially affect the success of women (socioeconomic and demographic, and political contextual), thus aiming to expand theoretical and empirical research which is in the case of determinants of women’s representation at the local level underdeveloped. Overall, the analysis reveals that regression models explaining presence of women on the city boards were not generally too successful, with slightly better performance of the model using socioeconomic and demographic factors. Specifically, Moravia and municipality size proved as very strong predictors of presence of women on the city boards in negative, or positive direction, respectively (although in full model municipality size variable lost its significance), supplementing by the proportion of female councillors in same elections, which increased successfulness of women as well. In contrast, the share of women in local councils and on city boards in the previous electoral term was not proven as statistical significant, similarly as party affiliations’ of city boards.
Selling the Arc of Crisis: Promoting Foreign Policy Change during the Carter Presidency
Authors: da Vinha Luis 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe Carter Administration came to Office seeking to continue a policy of détente. However, the Administration’s policy vis-à-vis the Soviets became more assertive throughout the Presidency, culminating in the Carter Doctrine. The current paper applies a conceptual framework for “issue selling” to argue that a more assertive foreign policy was being promoted by the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and his NSC staff since the early days of the Carter Presidency. By applying an assortment of issue selling strategies, Zbigniew Brzezinski and the NSC staff were able to exploit the communicative interactions amongst the political leadership to continuously promote a more forceful US policy towards the Soviets. By being able to interpret and define the problem representation facing the Administration, the APNSA was able initiate and continuously promote a wholesale policy transformation leading to the development of the Carter Doctrine.
U.S. and the Arctic in the Last Two Decades
Authors: Czarny Roman S. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The United States became an Arctic country by virtue of purchasing Alaska from Russia in 1867. For a variety of reasons, discussed in this work, the Arctic used to be a focal point for the US during the Cold War, but later on this country paid much less attention to the region, including somewhat dubious awareness of America actually being an Arctic state. The aim of this article is to present some opportunities and challenges posed by governing the Arctic, and in particular a brief outline of the U.S. approach towards the region through its track record in the span of about last two decades, until the year 2015. It also attempts to present the expectations connected with American chairmanship of the Arctic Council, as well as the reasons for the country’s inability to ratify one of the fundamental international instruments, i.e. the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS.
Differentiation of fen bedrock in the Ełk Lakeland (NE Poland) in relation to late Pleistocene terrain morphogenesis
Authors: Lemkowska Bożena 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The Ełk Lakeland (NE Poland) with the area of 263 100 ha was formed during Vistulian glaciation. More than 66% of this region was shaped during the Leszno phase, 15% during the Poznań phase, and 19% during the Pomeranian phase. There are 1854 fens which cover the area of 7.3 % of the Ełk Lakeland mesoregion. Fens have an area of 10.3 ha on average. About 82.5% of the studied fens is located on gyttja deposits, which suggests post-lacustrine origin of the wetlands. Primary the lakes had covered 11% of the Ełk Lakeland, and 6.3% was transformed into fens. Most of them (60%) was formed on organic gyttja, 16% on calcareous gyttja, and 6% on clay gyttja. About 17.5% of fens was formed as a result of paludification. The types of bedrock underlying peats differ depending on the phases of glaciation.
Selected properties of organic soils under boreal mire spruce forest in the Romincka Forest, NE Poland
Authors: Bijak Szymon 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The paper presents selected properties of the organic soils developed in boreal mire spruce forests (Sphagno girensohnii-Piceetum) in the Romincka Forest (NE Poland). Additionally, the relationship between soil fertility and forest stand productivity was investigated. Data from 12 soil profiles, differing in terms of peatland ecological type (raised bog, transitional bog and fen) was used. The significance of the differences in soil properties among peatland types was assessed with the Kruskal-Wallis test. Soil fertility was described using soil trophic index (SIGo), whereas stand productivity according to site index (SI) value. The properties of the analysed soils varied significantly in terms of peatland type. Soils from fens were more fertile (SIGo 25–31), less acidic (pH > 5.7), with lower total potential acidity (36–40 cmol(+)·kg−1), higher base saturation (77–79%), Ca2+ content (116–136 cmol(+)·kg−1) and base exchange capacity (123–145 cmol(+)·kg−1) than soils from transition or raised bogs. No significant effect of soil fertility on the site index of stands growing on analysed soils was observed (r = 0.385, p = 0.216).