Explaining political attention allocation with the help of issue character: Evidence from the European Council

Policy issues compete for the attention of political actors, and the size of the agenda an issue can occupy is largely determined by the way in which it is defined. This logic constitutes a simple agenda-setting model in which factors related to the participants in the policy process and their context influence the attention a single issue receives after being problematised. In order to be able to apply this model to the construction of a whole agenda, we need to add an intermediate step. This study proposes to do so by incorporating the notion of issue character and offers an empirical application of the adapted model to the European Council, a crucial informal player in European Union (EU) agenda setting. Using a dimensionality reduction technique, the composition of the agenda is broken down to two constitutive dimensions - core vs. non-core themes of government and economic vs. non-economic character. Since the first structuring element is in line with existing knowledge and the role expectations for the European Council, the analysis concentrates on the second type. Changing saliency levels of the economic issue character of the agenda are used as a dependent variable in a model, including predictors related to the nature of the institution and contextual factors. The results show that leftist European Council party ideology and growing government deficit in the EU contribute to the increasing prominence of the economic dimension, which in turn explains rising levels in attention to various issues, especially of the non-core themes type. © 2015 European Consortium for Political Research

Photo-driven Molecular Wankel Engine B13+_{13}^+

We report a molecular Wankel motor, the dual-ring structure B13+, driven by circularly-polarized infrared electromagnetic radiation, under which a guided uni-directional rotation of the outer ring is achieved with rotational frequency of the order of 300 MHz.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Well-Being and Pluralism

It is a commonly expressed sentiment that the science and philosophy of well-being would do well to learn from each other. Typically such calls identify mistakes and bad practices on both sides that would be remedied if scientists picked the right bit of philosophy and philosophers picked the right bit of science. We argue that the differences between philosophers and scientists thinking about well-being are more difficult to reconcile than such calls suggest, and that pluralism is central to this task. Pluralism is a stance that explicitly drives towards accommodating and nurturing the richness and diversity of well-being, both as a concept and as an object of inquiry. We show that well-being science manifests a contingent pluralism at the level of methodology, whereas philosophy of well-being has largely rejected pluralism at the conceptual level. Recently, things have begun to change. Within philosophy, conceptual monism is under attack. But so is methodological pluralism within science. We welcome the first development, and bemoan the second. We argue that a joined-up philosophy and science of well-being should recognise the virtues of both conceptual and methodological pluralism. Philosophers should embrace the methodological justification of pluralism that can be found in the well-being sciences, and scientists should embrace the conceptual reasons to be pluralist that can be found in philosophical debate

Overweight and obesity prevalence in schoolchildren and evaluation of their healthy nutrition knowledge

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate over weight and obesity prevalence and healthy nutrition knowledge in adolescents aged 11-14 years, living in the town of Parvomai in district of Plovdiv.Material and methods: The over weight and obesity prevalence was assessed according to the international cut off points for body mass index for over weight and obesity proposed by Cole et al, 2000. A questionnaire of V. Duleva, 2005 was used for evaluation of healthy nutrition knowledge.Results: The results show that 20% of the studied boys and 12% of the girls are with over weight and obesity. The questionnaire's data show that a considerable part of the adolescents have not good information about healthy nutrition. Conclusion: Recommendations about elaboration of adequate educational programs for nutrition in the schools were made. The aim of this strategy is the development of healthy nutritional behavior in adolescents.Scripta Scientifica Medica 2009; 41(2): 187-189

Maintenance with the use of statistical control charts

The possibility of using statistical process control methods for detection of an abnormal condition of the process equipment at early stages of an emergency is shown in the paper. The authors of the paper has concluded that with the use of Shewhart charts it is possible to monitor the real dynamics of the process equipment condition and make decisions on its maintenance and repair

Agenda Setting in the European Council

The European Council, the institution bringing together the Heads of State and Government of the European Union member states, has played an important role in steering the European integration process. This dissertation analyses the nature of the European Council’s agenda in relation to the institution’s standing in the EU policy-making framework, focusing on the magnitude and level of attention changes. The studies then delve into on specific aspects which could potentially act as agenda determinants and critically evaluate their role in analyses covering long-term periods. Factors belonging to three broad categories are considered – institutional conditions (the Presidency), external stakeholders’ effect (public opinion) and the ‘problem stream’ (economic indicators and focusing events).The politics and administration of institutional chang

Aromaticity in a Surface Deposited Cluster: Pd4_4 on TiO2_2 (110)

We report the presence of \sigma-aromaticity in a surface deposited cluster, Pd$_4$ on TiO$_2$ (110). In the gas phase, Pd$_4$ adopts a tetrahedral structure. However, surface binding promotes a flat, \sigma-aromatic cluster. This is the first time aromaticity is found in surface deposited clusters. Systems of this type emerge as a promising class of catalyst, and so realization of aromaticity in them may help to rationalize their reactivity and catalytic properties, as a function of cluster size and composition.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

ANÁLISE E DESENVOLVIMENTO DO MECANISMO DE POTENCIAL DE INVESTIMENTO DA REDE TURÍSTICA EM UMA PANDEMIA

Transformation of the mechanism for increasing the investment potential of the territories of Russia in the context of the COVID-2019 pandemic repeatedly strengthens the importance of an active policy in the field of forming the concept of promoting territories in general and in particular in the interregional market of tourist services. In the current conditions of the pandemic, fundamentally new goals and objectives of regional policy create the basis for the search for new tools and technologies in the field of promoting territories in the interregional market of tourist services. At the heart of formation of the concept of promoting the territory in the market of tourist services lies the effective use of its tourist potential and formation of inter-organizational relations in the tourist-recreational network of the territory, which contributes to an increase in the attractiveness of a city, a region on the inter-regional market of tourist services. When forming the concept of promoting domestic regions in the interregional tourism services market, in addition to the consequences of the pandemic, it is necessary to take into account the current long-term trends: insufficient popularization of domestic territories in the tourism services market. The unsatisfactory quality of tourist services provided is confirmed by the contribution of tourism to the gross domestic product of the Russian Federation, which amounted to only 5.0% in 2019, with an average global value of this indicator of 10.2%.La transformación del mecanismo para aumentar el potencial de inversión de los territorios de Rusia en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-2019 refuerza repetidamente la importancia de una política activa en el campo de la formación del concepto de promoción de territorios en general y en particular en el mercado interregional de servicios turísticos. En las condiciones actuales de la pandemia, metas y objetivos fundamentalmente nuevos de la política regional sientan las bases para la búsqueda de nuevas herramientas y tecnologías en el campo de la promoción de territorios en el mercado interregional de servicios turísticos. En el corazón de la formación del concepto de promoción del territorio en el mercado de servicios turísticos se encuentra el aprovechamiento efectivo de su potencial turístico y la formación de relaciones interorganizacionales en la red turístico-recreativa del territorio, que contribuya al aumento de la atractivo de una ciudad, una región en el mercado interregional de servicios turísticos. Al formar el concepto de promoción de las regiones nacionales en el mercado de servicios turísticos interregionales, además de las consecuencias de la pandemia, es necesario tener en cuenta las tendencias actuales a largo plazo: insuficiente popularización de los territorios nacionales en el mercado de servicios turísticos. La calidad insatisfactoria de los servicios turísticos prestados se confirma por la contribución del turismo al producto interno bruto de la Federación de Rusia, que ascendió a solo el 5,0 % en 2019, con un valor global promedio de este indicador del 10,2 %.A transformação do mecanismo de aumento do potencial de investimento dos territórios da Rússia no contexto da pandemia de COVID-2019 reforça repetidamente a importância de uma política ativa no campo da formação do conceito de promoção de territórios em geral e em particular no mercado inter-regional de serviços turísticos. Nas condições atuais da pandemia, fundamentalmente novas metas e objetivos da política regional criam as bases para a busca de novas ferramentas e tecnologias no campo da promoção de territórios no mercado inter-regional de serviços turísticos. No cerne da formação do conceito de promoção do território no mercado de serviços turísticos está a utilização efetiva do seu potencial turístico e a formação de relações interorganizacionais na rede turístico-recreativa do território, o que contribui para um aumento da atratividade de uma cidade, uma região no mercado inter-regional de serviços turísticos. Ao formar o conceito de promoção das regiões domésticas no mercado de serviços turísticos inter-regionais, além das consequências da pandemia, é necessário levar em conta as tendências atuais de longo prazo: popularização insuficiente dos territórios domésticos no mercado de serviços turísticos. A qualidade insatisfatória dos serviços turísticos prestados é confirmada pela contribuição do turismo para o produto interno bruto da Federação Russa, que ascendeu a apenas 5,0% em 2019, com um valor médio global deste indicador de 10,2%

ANÁLISE E DESENVOLVIMENTO DO MECANISMO DE POTENCIAL DE INVESTIMENTO DA REDE TURÍSTICA EM UMA PANDEMIA

Transformation of the mechanism for increasing the investment potential of the territories of Russia in the context of the COVID-2019 pandemic repeatedly strengthens the importance of an active policy in the field of forming the concept of promoting territories in general and in particular in the interregional market of tourist services. In the current conditions of the pandemic, fundamentally new goals and objectives of regional policy create the basis for the search for new tools and technologies in the field of promoting territories in the interregional market of tourist services. At the heart of formation of the concept of promoting the territory in the market of tourist services lies the effective use of its tourist potential and formation of inter-organizational relations in the tourist-recreational network of the territory, which contributes to an increase in the attractiveness of a city, a region on the inter-regional market of tourist services. When forming the concept of promoting domestic regions in the interregional tourism services market, in addition to the consequences of the pandemic, it is necessary to take into account the current long-term trends: insufficient popularization of domestic territories in the tourism services market. The unsatisfactory quality of tourist services provided is confirmed by the contribution of tourism to the gross domestic product of the Russian Federation, which amounted to only 5.0% in 2019, with an average global value of this indicator of 10.2%.La transformación del mecanismo para aumentar el potencial de inversión de los territorios de Rusia en el contexto de la pandemia de COVID-2019 refuerza repetidamente la importancia de una política activa en el campo de la formación del concepto de promoción de territorios en general y en particular en el mercado interregional de servicios turísticos. En las condiciones actuales de la pandemia, metas y objetivos fundamentalmente nuevos de la política regional sientan las bases para la búsqueda de nuevas herramientas y tecnologías en el campo de la promoción de territorios en el mercado interregional de servicios turísticos. En el corazón de la formación del concepto de promoción del territorio en el mercado de servicios turísticos se encuentra el aprovechamiento efectivo de su potencial turístico y la formación de relaciones interorganizacionales en la red turístico-recreativa del territorio, que contribuya al aumento de la atractivo de una ciudad, una región en el mercado interregional de servicios turísticos. Al formar el concepto de promoción de las regiones nacionales en el mercado de servicios turísticos interregionales, además de las consecuencias de la pandemia, es necesario tener en cuenta las tendencias actuales a largo plazo: insuficiente popularización de los territorios nacionales en el mercado de servicios turísticos. La calidad insatisfactoria de los servicios turísticos prestados se confirma por la contribución del turismo al producto interno bruto de la Federación de Rusia, que ascendió a solo el 5,0 % en 2019, con un valor global promedio de este indicador del 10,2 %.A transformação do mecanismo de aumento do potencial de investimento dos territórios da Rússia no contexto da pandemia de COVID-2019 reforça repetidamente a importância de uma política ativa no campo da formação do conceito de promoção de territórios em geral e em particular no mercado inter-regional de serviços turísticos. Nas condições atuais da pandemia, fundamentalmente novas metas e objetivos da política regional criam as bases para a busca de novas ferramentas e tecnologias no campo da promoção de territórios no mercado inter-regional de serviços turísticos. No cerne da formação do conceito de promoção do território no mercado de serviços turísticos está a utilização efetiva do seu potencial turístico e a formação de relações interorganizacionais na rede turístico-recreativa do território, o que contribui para um aumento da atratividade de uma cidade, uma região no mercado inter-regional de serviços turísticos. Ao formar o conceito de promoção das regiões domésticas no mercado de serviços turísticos inter-regionais, além das consequências da pandemia, é necessário levar em conta as tendências atuais de longo prazo: popularização insuficiente dos territórios domésticos no mercado de serviços turísticos. A qualidade insatisfatória dos serviços turísticos prestados é confirmada pela contribuição do turismo para o produto interno bruto da Federação Russa, que ascendeu a apenas 5,0% em 2019, com um valor médio global deste indicador de 10,2%

Anisotropy of Solar Wind Turbulence between Ion and Electron Scales

The anisotropy of turbulence in the fast solar wind, between the ion and electron gyroscales, is directly observed using a multispacecraft analysis technique. Second order structure functions are calculated at different angles to the local magnetic field, for magnetic fluctuations both perpendicular and parallel to the mean field. In both components, the structure function value at large angles to the field S_perp is greater than at small angles S_par: in the perpendicular component S_perp/S_par = 5 +- 1 and in the parallel component S_perp/S_par > 3, implying spatially anisotropic fluctuations, k_perp > k_par. The spectral index of the perpendicular component is -2.6 at large angles and -3 at small angles, in broad agreement with critically balanced whistler and kinetic Alfven wave predictions. For the parallel component, however, it is shallower than -1.9, which is considerably less steep than predicted for a kinetic Alfven wave cascade.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, replaced to match published versio