Influence of liquid-nitrogen freezing of gas-bearing shale rocks on their compressive strength

Any definable relation between falling temperature and the compressive strength of shale rocks should provide a useful predictive tool aiding optimization of the results of hydraulic fracturing. In this research, an auto-measuring hydraulic press, a thermo-camera and the Fluent ANSYS software were used. The results of laboratory simulations, and the effects of experiments conducted on shale rocks to determine permanent changes in compressive strength, are presented. As both frozen rocks and rocks returned to room temperature show diminished compressive strength. It is suggested that prior freezing of rocks can increase the efficiency of fracturing

Pilot Study: Program Evaluation of Peanut Oral Immunotherapy in a Private Clinic

The privilege of providing a therapy perceived by patients and families as “life changing” has seasoned physicians describing food oral immunotherapy (OIT) as one of “the most impactful and rewarding thing that they have done in medicine” (Wasserman, Jones, & Windom, 2018). OIT is a medical treatment that allows the immune system to become desensitized to a food to which it may otherwise be allergic. This is not a cure for food allergies but a way to decrease the incidence of anaphylaxis due to accidental ingestion. Living with food allergies can be distressing due to the daily fear of exposures. The decreased quality of life for food allergic children and their families has prompted numerous OIT research projects over the past two decades. This evidence-based research is now being used in OIT treatment programs within hospitals and private practice allergy clinics. A pilot study program evaluation was completed for a newly implemented OIT program within a private allergy clinic. The focus of this study was two-fold: First, it shows how private practice OIT success and safety statistics compare to those reported from academic medical centers; Second, it examines parental anxiety and elements found helpful during their child’s OIT process. Finally, useful information will be offered for OIT implementation within private practices during the program evaluation recommendations section

SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Cities are the biggest challenge for judging the validity and applicability of concepts of and policies for sustainable development. The importance of cities is based not solely on demographic grounds, but on economic, political and social grounds as well. Cities around the world are growing at a never experienced rate. Over the past thirty years, the number of people living in cities in the developing countries has grown with more than 200%. Explosive urban migration, high birth rates, high unemployment rates, increasing crime, limited or ineffective health and education services, crumbling or missing infrastructure, and unfavourable business climates have created inhospitable cities. The cities suffer from widespread air and water pollution and soil contamination. Health conditions in many cities are often far below decent standards. Even in more flourishing countries, many health disorders are related to the negative effects of the urban environment. Nevertheless, cities will largely influence the social, cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability of our societies and the earth in the future. If cities are not only to survive but also to prosper in the 21st century, they must undergo a major transformation, which in developing countries cannot be carried out without global plans and commitments. In my paper I will (i) summarize the current situation of and future challenges for cities in developing countries, (ii) assess the impact of them on global welfare and sustainable development, (iii) review the role of developed countries (with focus on the EU) in promoting development; and (iv) delineate some possible directions for the future.sustainable development, city, demographic grounds, urban migration

The impact of EU-accession on farming and agricultural employment in Cluj County

This paper reveals some consequences of Romania’s accession to the EU on farming and agricultural employment in Cluj County. EU15 countries have a different farm structure and a higher agricultural labour productivity than Romania and the Common Agricultural Policy in its present form responds primarily to their needs. Based on the interviews carried out in 2005 and in 2009 with farmers and experts from Cluj County, the paper presents the expectations towards EU accession as well as its short-term effects. Results of the interviews suggest that, in Cluj County, EU-accession leads to the disappearance of semi-subsistence farms and to the decrease of the number of agricultural workers. Farmers are still not sufficiently informed about CAP and the complexity of the administrative procedures, and the lack of professionalism of agency staff and the delays of payments caused many disappointments in the first two years after EU accession.EU-accession of Romania, Common Agricultural Policy, rural employment, agricultural employment

Eastern European Equity Markets and the Subprime Crisis Does Emerging Europe Still Offer Diversification Benefits?

The stock markets in Eastern Europe went through a period of rapid growth. Those which joined the EU had to integrate with Western Europe on various levels, which had important implications for their equity price development during the subprime mortgage crisis. The aim of the paper is to analyze the developments in the stock markets of Eastern European countries before and during the subprime crisis and to evaluate the hypothesis of disappearing portfolio diversification opportunities in the region. Through the application of correlation analysis, Markowitz mean variance approach and portfolio optimisation strategy based on the Sharpe ratio, it is shown that diversification opportunities for a US investor in the Eastern European region have largely disappeared.

An analysis of food-economy companies’ environmental behaviour in North-East Hungary

After outlining environmental problems regarding food-economy2 companies and clarifying the concept of environmental behaviour, I will present the results of my questionnaire survey which focussed on food-economy companies in the Northern Great Plain region (Region). Based on solid data, the survey was designed to evaluate the companies’ commitment toward environmental protection. Sometimes the observed value systems conformed with the results of other national surveys (e.g. environmental behaviour factors; environmental protection’s rank among business aims), but at times I observed that in certain areas they truly lagged behind: for example, this held true for . the number of companies with a certified environmental-management system (EMS) and also for companies which were producing environmental reports and publishing them. It can be concluded that in the Region companies with higher revenues – and thus higher capability – do not try to do better at environmental management than companies with small or medium revenues.food-economy, environmental challenges, environmental behaviour, environmental-conscious management., Agribusiness, Environmental Economics and Policy, Marketing, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,