European Union on the international stage

The EU is facing crucial external challenges for its present and future stability, security and prosperity. The instability in the Middle East, terrorism, the global warming and environmental change issue, the world’s growing economic globalization and its outsiders, or the political and economical competition with the Chinese and Indian giants leading to increasingly rival partnerships must be properly understood and assessed in the full extend of their implications and consequences, and addressed by appropriate policies. But the future of EU’s role as an international actor is also being decisively shaped today by the challenges the EU faces from its Eastern neighborhood which are likely to have fundamental long term economical and political consequences on the EU. These challenges directly influence EU’s stability, security and prosperity and ability to be an international actor capable of identifying its interests, and successfully pursuing or protecting them.Keywords: foreign, relations, enlargement, world, actor.

THE POLICY OF THE EXCHANGE RATE PROMOTED BY NATIONAL BANK OF ROMANIA AND ITS IMPLICATIONS UPON THE FINANCIAL STABILITY

The more profound world economic crisis has strongly marked the evolution of the Romanian financial system. The size of current account deficit, the relatively high external financing needs and the dependence of the banks on it, the high ratio between loans in foreign currency and deposits in foreign currency made of the Romanian economy, a risky destination for investors. In these conditions, since the end of 2008 and throughout 2009, the government's economic program was focused on reducing the external deficit in both public and private sector, on minimizing the effects of recession, on avoiding a crisis of the exchange rate and on cooling the inflationary pressures.monetary policy, exchange rate, external financing, budget deficit

Biocompatibility of Intracortical Microelectrodes: Current Status and Future Prospects

Rehabilitation of sensory and/or motor functions in patients with neurological diseases is more and more dealing with artificial electrical stimulation and recording from populations of neurons using biocompatible chronic implants. As more and more patients have benefited from these approaches, the interest in neural interfaces has grown significantly. However an important problem reported with all available microelectrodes to date is long-term viability and biocompatibility. Therefore it is essential to understand the signals that lead to neuroglial activation and create a targeted intervention to control the response, reduce the adverse nature of the reactions and maintain an ideal environment for the brain-electrode interface. We discuss some of the exciting opportunities and challenges that lie in this intersection of neuroscience research, bioengineering, neurology and biomaterials

Breast implant illness: a step forward in understanding this complex entity and the impact of social media

Introduction. The number of implant-related complaints is constantly rising, a phenomenon probably accentuated by the extensive use of social media by patients. Material and method. A group of signs and symptoms considered to be caused by mammary implants is known as “Breast Implant Illness”. This paper analyzes the increased number of posts by patients on social media in which they describe their symptoms, their disappointment with the decision of using breast implants, and the beneficial effects of explantation. The case of a patient with breast implants who visited our clinic is reported here. The patient complained of two palpable masses, located in the left axilla and in the superolateral quadrant of the left breast. The pathophysiological mechanism by which lymphadenopathy occurred after a long period of time remains uncertain. Discussion. A review of the literature was conducted to identify the underlying causes of implant-related complaints, allowing evaluation of the presence of local complications, cancer with large anaplastic cells, and autoimmune diseases. The possibility of a somatization effect has also been considered. Conclusions. Plastic surgeons must remain the best source of information, taking on the role of educating the patient in order to better understand this condition

Treatment of gram - positive infections in critically ill patients

Gram-positive bacteria to include methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), and enterococci, to include vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), display a remarkable array of resistance and virulence factors, which have contributed to their prominent role in infections of the critically ill. Over the last three decades infections with these pathogens has increased as has their overall resistance to available antimicrobial agents. This has led to the development of a number of new antibiotics for the treatment of Gram-positive bacteria. At present, it is important that clinicians recognize the changing resistance patterns and epidemiology of Gram-positive bacteria as these factors may impact patient outcomes. The increasing range of these pathogens, such as the emergence of community-associated MRSA clones, emphasizes that all specialties of physicians treating infections should have a good understanding of the infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria in their area of practice. When initiating empiric antibiotics, it is of vital importance that this therapy be timely and appropriate, as delays in treatment are associated with adverse outcomes. Although vancomycin has traditionally been considered a first-line therapy for serious MRSA infections, multiple concerns with this agent have opened the door for alternative agents demonstrating efficacy in this role. Similarly, the expansion of VRE as a pathogen in the ICU setting has required the development of agents targeting this important pathogen

What do we know about rubrics used in higher education?

Castellano: Objeto: En este artículo comparamos las estrategias de búsqueda y los resultados de tres revisiones de literatura recientes sobre uso rúbricas en educación. Con todo ello pretendemos identificar qué se sabe, que no se sabe aún y si hay material para lanzar una nueva revisión de literatura en estos momentos. Diseño/metodología/enfoque: Análisis comparado de las tres revisiones de literatura reciente y búsqueda sistemática de literatura. Aportaciones y resultados: De los 142 artículos incluidos en las tres revisiones recientes, pocos se centran en docencia universitaria y los resultados no se presentan desagregados por niveles educativos. Consideramos que no existe una respuesta científica concluyente para cómo crear y validar una rúbrica para evaluación de asignaturas universitarias, ni para qué sirven las rúbricas, ni si vale la pena el esfuerzo de desarrollarlas. Las recomendaciones para el uso adecuado de rúbricas están basadas en evidencias anecdóticas sin una metodología robusta y contrastada. Tampoco es fácil localizar qué asignaturas, ni qué objetos, ni en qué contextos han sido objeto de investigación las rúbricas, ni qué rúbricas validadas hay disponibles para ellos. Originalidad / Valor añadido: Hemos realizado una nueva revisión y comparamos los artículos seleccionados con los utilizados en las revisiones anteriores. Hemos localizado 241 nuevos artículos no incluidos en las revisiones anteriores. Probablemente con todo este nuevo material se pueda realizar en el futuro algún meta-análisis.English: Purpose: In this paper we compare the search strategies and the results of three recent literature reviews on the rubrics use in education. With all this we aim to identify what is known, what it is not known yet and if there is material to launch a new literature review right now. Design/methodology: Comparative analysis of three recen literature reviews and systematic literature review. Findings: Of the 142 papers included in the three recent reviews, few focus on university learning and the results are not broken down by educational level. We believe that there is no conclusive scientific answer to how to create and validate an assessment rubric for university courses, or what purpose they serve , or if it's worth the effort to develop them. Recommendations for the appropriate use of rubrics are based on anecdotal evidence without robust and proven methodology. Nor is easy to find what subjects, or what objects, and in what contexts have been investigated the rubrics or which validated rubrics are available. Originality/value: We conducted a new review and we compare the selected papers with those used in previous reviews. We have located 142 new papers not included in previous reviews. Probably all this new material can be used in the future for a metaanalysis.Peer Reviewe

Mind the Uncertainty: Risk-Aware and Actively Exploring Model-Based Reinforcement Learning

We introduce a simple but effective method for managing risk in model-based reinforcement learning with trajectory sampling that involves probabilistic safety constraints and balancing of optimism in the face of epistemic uncertainty and pessimism in the face of aleatoric uncertainty of an ensemble of stochastic neural networks.Various experiments indicate that the separation of uncertainties is essential to performing well with data-driven MPC approaches in uncertain and safety-critical control environments

Avaliação do processo de intervenção com professores para prevenção a problemas de comportamento infantil

Objective The prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems reaches 30% of school-age Brazilians. Management by teachers can reinforce such difficulties and, therefore, it is essential to assess interventions to provide them with the best tools available. In this study, it was aimed to present the development and implementation of the Facilitating Contact with Students Program was implemented in early grade teachers. Method The process of two modalities of this Program was evaluated: G1 (with a full program) and G2 (with a partial program, without the cognitive model contents, only instruction about behavioral management techniques and socioemotional support). Results The G1 gave better scores to the intervention on the importance and usefulness of the contents. Conclusion The teacher’s knowledge regarding the cognitive model is relevant for the modification of disruptive behaviors of students in the classroom.Objetivo A prevalência de problemas emocionais e de comportamento chega a 30% em brasileiros em idade escolar. O manejo pelos professores pode reforçar tais dificuldades e, portanto, é fundamental avaliar intervenções para instrumentalizá-los. Objetivou-se apresentar o desenvolvimento e a implementação do Programa Facilitando o conVívio com Alunos em docentes de séries iniciais. Método Avaliou-se o processo de duas modalidades desta intervenção: G1, recebeu a intervenção de forma completa, e G2, recebeu a intervenção de forma parcial, priorizando-se a instrução sobre técnicas comportamentais de manejo e apoio socioemocional e excluindo-se o conteúdo do modelo cognitivo. Resultados O G1 avaliou melhor a intervenção quanto a importância e utilidade do conteúdo. Conclusão O conhecimento do modelo cognitivo por parte do professor é relevante para a modificação de comportamentos perturbadores de alunos em sala de aula