Economic Growth and Cycles in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia: A comparison with Spain, Austria and other EU countries, 1950-2002

We present an international comparison of economic development of 5 Central European countries, with special reference to Poland and Hungary, with some European Union Countries for the period 1950-2002. We analyse different stages of their evolution: 1) In 1950-60 the evolution of production per inhabitant and rates of growth of this variable, in comparison with Spain, where very alike. 2) In 1960-75 the differences increased dramatically in favour of Spain. 3) In 1975-85 the differences diminished with a better performance of Hungary in comparison with Poland. 4) In 1985-91 the differences in the evolution of economic development increased again in favour of Spain. 5) Since 1991 to 2002 the evolution of these Central European countries generally improved and their rates of growth were more similar to those of Spain. We analyse the main factors that have explained the lower average rate of growth of production per inhabitant in Central Europe as a whole in comparison with Spain, Austria and other EU countries. We focus on human capital, manufacturing capacity, foreign trade and other relevant factors of production, mainly from a supply side approach. We also analyse the differences among Central European countries, outstanding the special case of Slovenia, country which has reached a position very similar to that of Spain in the level of income per inhabitant.Growth, Development and Cycles in Central Europe

Black families as embodied policy : politics of dignity transforming colonized policy procedures

Drs. Sarah Diem and Lisa Dorner, Dissertation Supervisors.Field of Study: Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis."May 2018."Family involvement in U.S. public schools continues to value functional strategies (e.g., homework help, financial contribution, time spent in the classroom) as supports for the school, denying differentiated involvement (e.g., cultural-based practices, caring for a student; Calabrese et al., 2004; Cooper, 2009). In turn, public educators such as practitioners, researchers, and policymakers can perpetuate systemic violence (Bourdieu & Wacquant, 2004) unto racial, ethnic, and language minoritized families by devaluing families' actual contributions to their children's schooling (Boncana & Lopez, 2010). In conceptualizing the educational violence experienced by the families as a Westernized colonial power, a postcolonial approach (Anzaldua, 2007) was used to ask the overarching research question for this dissertation: How do Black families and I become and act as policy agents in the process of policy development? The purpose aimed to explore how three Black mothers and I disrupted and exerted horizontal power and, in turn, developed new educational policy, through a Politics of Dignity. The dissertation was situated in a Midwestern, mid-sized town with one public school district. Data production included 3 local maps and 6 graphs utilized to analyze the geopolitics of the city. Also produced as data were 15 go-along interviews, 42 pages of field notes, 300 pages of handwritten and electronic journals, with access to three years of archival data that included minutes from board meetings, two recorded board meetings, and strategic planning documents. The westernized methodological process was deconstructed using Anzaldua's (2007) >>, creating, in turn, a postcolonial, performative case. Specifically, the analysis took on a postcolonial process called reflective action: a relational tension between interview-text-analysis. In exploring how Black mothers and I created postcolonial narratives and humanized our experience as families and policy agents, this postcolonial process helps educators understand the need for the simultaneous deconstruction and construction of one's being to engage in humanizing education. For example, Chapter 4 shows my transition from Educator, Re-searcher into an Activist-Inquirer, enabling me to challenge my own racist attitudes to work with the mothers in a more humane manner. Chapters 5 and 6 demonstrate the mothers' postcolonial survival strategies that confronted local dehumanizing geopolitics, demanding more of their personal situation, while ordering for equitable change from the school district and the city itself. The reconstructions shared herein depict the transformation that the Black parents and I underwent before working collaboratively with the school district. To conclude, I propose a postcolonial process that requires a complete reconceptualization in the following: educational power as horizontal, theory and research as practice, and policy development as inclusive of families as policy entrepreneurs.Includes bibliographical references (pages 264-293)

Latino newcomers in Missouri : cultural adaptation and ethnic identity

Immigrants have slowly stopped migrating to traditional coastal states (i.e., California, Florida, New York, etc.) and have begun settling more in the Midwest. Over 120,000 Latinas/os reside in the state of Missouri, a figure that is double the amount from the 1990 census figures. The migration shift has presented unique challenges for Midwestern communities that have not had diverse populations. These challenges may affect the settlement of these newcomers. This qualitative study will examine the ethnic identity and adaptation process of Latina/o newcomers in three rural communities in Missouri, and will assess the relation of identity and adaptation to their settlement and integration patterns in the host community. Three participants (1 female, 2 male) were recruited and interviewed from three rural Missouri communities through local community gatekeepers. ATLAS.ti software package was used to store, organize, and assist in the analysis of the interview data. Six themes were extracted from the interviews including, networking in community, community life, perceptions and experiences, language, ethnic identity, and challenges. Implication of the findings for practice interventions and community building will be discussed.Includes bibliographical references

The role of generation status and acculturation in the academic achievement of Latina/o college students

Abstract only availableOf the 2.9 million Latinas/o students (17% of all high school students in the U.S.) enrolled in secondary education, only 53.2% of these students are expected to graduate from high school, and only 28.2% of these graduates were expected to attend higher education. In hopes of promoting the college success of Latina/o students, researchers have identified factors related to their educational attrition rate in secondary and college education. Although acculturation is widely viewed as a critical factor, research has yielded inconsistent findings about its role in Latinas/o student adjustment. Some studies have suggested that integration is associated with better academic outcomes whereas others support the importance of assimilation. One potential explanation for the conflicting findings regarding optimal acculturation patterns is that most prior research has failed to consider the role of generational status. For instance, one recent study found that identifying as bicultural (having a strong sense of both their ethnic identity and their American identity) was especially important for first and second generation students. In the present study, we investigated the interrelationships among acculturation, generation status, college self-efficacy, and achievement in a sample of 472 (268 female, 204 male) Mexican American college students. We hypothesized that acculturation would interact with generation status to determine student outcomes. Specifically, we expected strong Mexican and Anglo Orientation to be most beneficial in determining GPA for first generation students. Using hierarchical linear regression we found evidence of an interaction between generation status and Mexican Orientation but not Anglo Orientation. The findings help expand the limited research on the impact of generational status on college achievement in Mexican American students. Additionally, the discussion will focus on implications for evolving theories intended to explain the academic achievement and attrition among Latino/a students.MU Undergraduate Research Scholars Progra

Pulsed Electric Field System Development for Algae Biofuel Extraction

The search for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels proves necessary due to the effects fossil fuels have on Earth’s environment. These alternatives must have a minimum ecological footprint and cause no long-term harm to the environment. An environmentally friendly fuel is necessary to usher in a generation of renewable green energy. The production of algae refined biofuels becomes a possible solution to this growing issue. Algae absorb CO2from the atmosphere during their reproduction and growth cycles, yielding a positive environmental impact. As the biofuel is refined and becomes suitable for use, the combustion of the finished fuel generates an equal amount of CO2. Thus, yielding a net zero environmental impact. Algae biofuel is fabricated from the intracellular materials of algae cells. This report describes the application of pulsed electric fields (PEF) to algae for intracellular extraction. PEF treatments rupture the algae cell membrane allowing a centrifuge to extract lipid-rich contents from the interior cell

Ingeniería básica de una subestación eléctrica de 400 KV

Se pretende realizar la ingeniería básica de una subestación de 400 kV. Dicha subestación constará de un parque de 400 kV y un parque de 220 kV conectados entre sí por dos bancos de transformadores monofásicos de 400/220 kV. La configuración del parque de 400 kV responderá a un esquema tipo “interruptor y medio”, con una capacidad total de tres calles completas: una con dos bancos de tres transformadores, otra con dos líneas de transporte y la última, de reserva para futuros accesos a la Red de Transporte. La configuración del parque de 220 kV adoptará una configuración de “doble barra con acoplamiento”, con una capacidad de siete calles completas con sus correspondientes posiciones: dos con líneas de demanda, dos con dos bancos de transformadores, una destinada al acoplamiento y las otras dos destinadas a líneas de transporte. Para cada uno de los parques, se explicará de forma descriptiva cada una de las partes que los componen: embarrados, aparamenta, sistema de protecciones… Dichas elecciones, tanto eléctrica como mecánicamente, quedarán justificadas gracias a los cálculos pertinentes, que nos ayudarán a definir tanto la red de tierras como los pararrayos de toda la subestación. Se adjuntarán las hojas de características de cada uno de los elementos de la aparamenta y se realizará un presupuesto aproximado del coste total de la subestación. En este proyecto queda detallado todo lo que se necesita para la comprensión de este estudio. Esto se hará a partir de los documentos básicos para un proyecto técnico: memoria, cálculos, pliego de condiciones y planos.Ingeniería Técnica en Electricida

Short term doxycycline treatment induces sustained improvement in myocardial infarction border zone contractility.

Decreased contractility in the non-ischemic border zone surrounding a MI is in part due to degradation of cardiomyocyte sarcomeric components by intracellular matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2). We recently reported that MMP-2 levels were increased in the border zone after a MI and that treatment with doxycycline for two weeks after MI was associated with normalization of MMP-2 levels and improvement in ex-vivo contractile protein developed force in the myocardial border zone. The purpose of the current study was to determine if there is a sustained effect of short term treatment with doxycycline (Dox) on border zone function in a large animal model of antero-apical myocardial infarction (MI). Antero-apical MI was created in 14 sheep. Seven sheep received doxycycline 0.8 mg/kg/hr IV for two weeks. Cardiac MRI was performed two weeks before, and then two and six weeks after MI. Two sheep died prior to MRI at six weeks from surgical/anesthesia-related causes. The remaining 12 sheep completed the protocol. Doxycycline induced a sustained reduction in intracellular MMP-2 by Western blot (3649±643 MI+Dox vs 9236±114 MI relative intensity; p = 0.0009), an improvement in ex-vivo contractility (65.3±2.0 MI+Dox vs 39.7±0.8 MI mN/mm2; p<0.0001) and an increase in ventricular wall thickness at end-systole 1.0 cm from the infarct edge (12.4±0.6 MI+Dox vs 10.0±0.5 MI mm; p = 0.0095). Administration of doxycycline for a limited two week period is associated with a sustained improvement in ex-vivo contractility and an increase in wall thickness at end-systole in the border zone six weeks after MI. These findings were associated with a reduction in intracellular MMP-2 activity

Perceptions concerning intergenerational education from the perspective of participants

This article presents an evaluation of an intergenerational education experience at the University of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). For this evaluation, following a review of the literature regarding the state of the issue, we undertake an analysis of benefits and disadvantages from the perspective of the participants. Among the benefits we find that the majority of those questioned would repeat the program, and that classroom atmosphere improved notably. Participants listed the exceptional nature of the program and the teachers needing to make methodological adjustments to improve the experience (the pace of teaching, adaptation to the profile of the participants) among the disadvantages.Depto. de Trabajo Social y Servicios SocialesFac. de Trabajo SocialTRUEpu

Coordinated Multicast/Unicast Transmission on 5G: A Novel Approach for Linear Broadcasting

Linear broadcasting services, with a scheduled programming, constitute a paramount tel-ecommunication service for today’s society. Although the existing technology is mature, current linear broadcast systems have serious limitations when providing service to moving users or users placed in areas with complex orography and poor signal quality. To over-come these limitations, 3GPP 5G standard has included a work item to support 5G mul-ticast/broadcast services for future Release 17. This paper investigates the integration of point-to-point (unicast) communication with cellular multicast/broadcast on 5G technology to extend the current support of linear broadcasting services. This integration relies on the use mobile edge computing (MEC) at the 5G base station (gNB) to host a dynamic adap-tive streaming over HTTP (DASH) server that is coordinated with the multicast transmis-sion to complement the broadcast service. This approach join the reliability of point-to-point communications, with dedicated resources for each user, with the spectrum efficiency of multi-cast communications, where a set of users share common resources. The coopera-tion between those unicast and multicast schemes allows those users whose coverage is not good enough, to complete the linear broadcast flow through the point-to-point transmission via MEC. The benefits of such approach have been assessed with simulations in a realistic scenario that considers a vehicle moving across a sparsely populated region in southern Spain. Results reveals that throughput and bitrate playback (reproduction rate) are greatly improved when unicast/multicast integration is enabled since the number of stalling events is reduced significantly.This work has been partially supported by Radio Televisión Española through Impulsa Visión RTVE grant and by the Universidad de Málaga. We are grateful to Pere Vila, Esteban Mayoral Campos, Adolfo Muñoz Berrón and Miguel Ángel Bona San Vicente for their support and collaboration during the development of the project. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBU

Multi-segmented maxillary ortho-surgical treatment in Class II patients with maxillary protrusion and open bite: a concise systematic review

Introduction: Anterior open bite is the lack of vertical contact or negative overbite between the anterior teeth of the upper and lower arches when the posterior teeth are in occlusion. Its etiology is multifactorial, including heredity, oral habits, unfavorable growth patterns, and increased lymphatic tissue along with mouth breathing and functional oral matrices. The characteristics of individuals with anterior open bite include excessive gonial, mandibular, and occlusal plane angles, mandibular small body, and ramus increased lower anterior facial height, decreased upper anterior facial height, retrusive jaw, Class II tendency, divergent cephalometric planes, lingual position, and inadequate lip seal. Objective: To carry out a concise systematic review of multi-segmented maxillary ortho-surgical treatment in class II patients with maxillary protrusion and open bite. Methods: Experimental and clinical studies (case reports, retrospective, prospective and randomized) with qualitative and/or quantitative analysis were included, following the rules of the systematic review-PRISMA. A total of 289 articles were initially found and, after selection, 17 articles were used to compose this study. Results and conclusion: Significant improvement in anterior occlusion can be expected in most patients when maxillary or mandibular surgery is used for Class II open bite correction. However, there will be individual patients in whom there will be considerable post-treatment changes in the anteroposterior and vertical dimensions. Although individual morphology needs to be taken into account, it appears that both short-term and long-term stability are likely to be greater after Le Fort I surgery compared to bilateral sagittal split osteotomy