The increase of rural development measures efficiency at the micro-regions level by cluster analysis. A Romanian case study

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the role of cluster analysis of rural localities as the basis for a more efficient way of choosing the rural development measures to be used to stimulate rural socio-economic growth. We present evidence of the typologies of rural localities determined by hierarchical cluster using the Ward method. We used five groups of criteria: 1. characterising labour force supply (10 indicators); 2. those which describe the structure of employment via economic activities (5 indicators); 3. characteristics of living standards (7 indicators), 4. labour force, natural resources and local income characteristics (11 indicators). All of these indicators, used in the first stage of factor analysis, and in the second stage in the cluster analyses, permit classification of rural localities in different clusters, which, generally need different measures for rural employment growth. We offer a short description of the groups of localities which belong to different clusters. This information can help local, county and regional level decision makers to identify the most efficient approaches to stimulating rural development.global-local, rural localities typologies, factor analysis, cluster analysis, North-West region, Bistriþa-Nãsãud county of Romania

The increase of rural development measures efficiency at the micro-regions level by cluster analysis. A Romanian case study

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the role of cluster analysis of rural localities as the basis for a more efficient way of choosing the rural development measures to be used to stimulate rural socio-economic growth. We present evidence of the typologies of rural localities determined by hierarchical cluster using the Ward method. We used five groups of criteria: 1. characterising labour force supply (10 indicators); 2. those which describe the structure of employment via economic activities (5 indicators); 3. characteristics of living standards (7 indicators), 4. labour force, natural resources and local income characteristics (11 indicators). All of these indicators, used in the first stage of factor analysis, and in the second stage in the cluster analyses, permit classification of rural localities in different clusters, which, generally need different measures for rural employment growth. We offer a short description of the groups of localities which belong to different clusters. This information can help local, county and regional level decision makers to identify the most efficient approaches to stimulating rural development

PARAPHRASING IN ESAP: TEACHER-GUIDED, AI-ASSISTED OR COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES

Paraphrasing in ESAP: Teacher-Guided, AI-Assisted or Communicative Activities. At the heart of progress in academia lies the principle of building upon other people’s ideas, linguistic expressions and/or scientific endeavours by taking note of invariably crediting the original author (Mori 2018). One way of doing this is by the usage of paraphrasing. Though paraphrasing is regarded as the prerogative of successful academic thinking and writing, what it means exactly is still ambiguous to some extent. After undertaking to formulate some working definitions, we discuss paraphrasing techniques and activities in the context of teaching English for Specific Academic Purposes to students majoring in Biology. The activities considered are grouped into three main categories with respect to the procedure involved: teacher-guided (with a focus on certain parts of a sentence/text as selected by the teacher), AI-assisted (linked to the usage of automated paraphrasing tools) and communicative (tasks having a connection to real-world communicative needs). Some examples are discussed with the purpose of determining their appropriateness in a teaching context. The article sketches an initial paraphrasing teaching toolkit, developing mainly the first category, and ends with considerations regarding future research, such as the development and implementation of AI-assisted tasks and the analysis of inferential and rhetorical processes. REZUMAT. Parafrazarea în engleza pentru scopuri academice și specifice: activități de predare dirijate de profesor, cu sprijinul inteligenței artificiale sau comunicative. În centrul progresului în mediul academic se află principiul dezvoltării cunoașterii prin întrebuințarea ideilor, expresiilor lingvistice și/sau întreprinderilor științifice ale altor oameni, făcând referire în mod invariabil la autorul inițial (Mori 2018). Una din modalitățile prin care se realizează acest fapt este prin intermediul parafrazării. Deși parafrazarea este considerată a fi apanajul gândirii și scrierii academice de succes, însemnătatea sa este încă înconjurată de o anumită ambiguitate. După ce elaborăm câteva definiții de lucru, vom discuta despre tehnici și activități de parafrazare în contextul predării limbii engleze pentru scopuri specifice și academice studenților de la profilul Biologie. Activitățile discutate sunt grupate în trei categorii în funcție de procedura aplicată: dirijate de profesor (axate pe anumite părți ale unei propoziții/unui text selectat(e) de profesor), cu sprijinul inteligenței artificiale (având o legătură cu instrumente automate de parafrazare) și comunicative (sarcini care au o legătură cu necesitățile de comunicare din lumea reală). Se discută câteva exemple cu scopul stabilirii funcționalității lor într-un context de predare. Articolul propune un instrumentar pedagogic inițial, dezvoltând mai ales prima categorie și se încheie cu considerații privind cercetări viitoare, cum ar fi dezvoltarea și implementarea unor activități cu sprijinul inteligenței artificiale și analiza proceselor de tip inferențial și retoric. Cuvinte-cheie: parafrazare, engleza pentru scopuri specifice și academice, predarea limbii engleze ca a doua limbă, activități de predare în ESP, inteligența artificială în educație. Article history: Received 20 July 2023; Revised 15 November 2023; Accepted 29 November 2023; Available online 20 December 2023; Available print 31 December 2023

From light to heavy alkali metal tetraphosphonates (M = Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs): cation size-induced structural diversity and waterfacilitated proton conductivity

A family of alkali metal-based frameworks containing the tetraphosphonate ligand hexamethylenediamine- N,N,N′,N′-tetrakisIJmethylenephosphonic acid), HDTMP, is reported. A cation size-induced structural diversity, from monodimensional solids (Li+ and Na+) through layered (K+) to pillared-layered (Rb+ and Cs+) structures, was found. The proton conductivity properties of the Li compounds (hydrated and dehydrated) are reported and the influence of dehydration/rehydration processes in enhancing proton transfer processes is highlighted. Reversible changes in the dimensionality occurred upon full dehydration/rehydration with minor rearrangements in the framework, implying variations in the Li+–ligand connectivity but preserving the tetracoordination of the metal ion. The reversibly dehydrated–rehydrated sample displayed the highest proton conductivity (5 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 80 °C and 95% RH), a behavior attributed to reversible formation/ reformation of P–OIJH)–Li bonds that, in turn, provoked changes in the acidity of acid groups and water mobility in the temperature range of impedance measurements.Proyecto MAT2016-77648-R del ministerio y proyecto P12-FQM-1656 de la Junta de Andalucía Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad por el contrato Ramon y Cajal (RyC2015-17870)

Micromechanical Properties of Injection-Molded Starch–Wood Particle Composites

The micromechanical properties of injection molded starch–wood particle composites were investigated as a function of particle content and humidity conditions. The composite materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. The microhardness of the composites was shown to increase notably with the concentration of the wood particles. In addition,creep behavior under the indenter and temperature dependence were evaluated in terms of the independent contribution of the starch matrix and the wood microparticles to the hardness value. The influence of drying time on the density and weight uptake of the injection-molded composites was highlighted. The results revealed the role of the mechanism of water evaporation, showing that the dependence of water uptake and temperature was greater for the starch–wood composites than for the pure starch sample. Experiments performed during the drying process at 70°C indicated that the wood in the starch composites did not prevent water loss from the samples.Peer reviewe

Proximity to overhead power lines and childhood leukaemia: an international pooled analysis

© 2018, Cancer Research UK. Background: Although studies have consistently found an association between childhood leukaemia risk and magnetic fields, the associations between childhood leukaemia and distance to overhead power lines have been inconsistent. We pooled data from multiple studies to assess the association with distance and evaluate whether it is due to magnetic fields or other factors associated with distance from lines. Methods: We present a pooled analysis combining individual-level data (29,049 cases and 68,231 controls) from 11 record-based studies. Results: There was no material association between childhood leukaemia and distance to nearest overhead power line of any voltage. Among children living < 50 m from 200 + kV power lines, the adjusted odds ratio for childhood leukaemia was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.92–1.93). The odds ratio was higher among children diagnosed before age 5 years. There was no association with calculated magnetic fields. Odds ratios remained unchanged with adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusions: In this first comprehensive pooled analysis of childhood leukaemia and distance to power lines, we found a small and imprecise risk for residences < 50 m of 200 + kV lines that was not explained by high magnetic fields. Reasons for the increased risk, found in this and many other studies, remains to be elucidated

Bericht über die Hauskrankenpflege der Caritas Rumänien

Babes-Bolyai Universität Cluj-Napoca, Fakultät für Soziologie und Sozialarbei

Expression and possible significance of vascular endothelial growth factor in non-Hodgkin lymphoma

There is little information about the exact trigger mechanisms of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in hematolymphoid malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of VEGF in malignant non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), in terms of its immunohistochemical distribution and clinicopathological significance. We evaluated the distribution in tumor cells, macrophages and in non-tumoral cells. VEGF immunoreactivity was estimated according to this score: 0 (0% positive cells); 1 (<10%); 2 (10-30%); 3 (>30%). Histopathological evaluation revealed 18 cases of diffuse type lymphoma and 3 cases of follicular type lymphoma. VEGF was positive in 95.23% of cases and in one case, VEGF was negative in all cell types. We noticed a significant correlation in VEGF expression between tumor cells and macrophages (p=0,001), tumor cells and non-tumoral cells (p=0,002). In non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the main mechanism of angiogenesis seems to be dependent on the VEGF pathway and its expression particularly by stromal cells

The evaluation of Caritas’ home-care services: development, targets, and methods

Caritas is one of the best known charity organizations active in Europe. Established in Romania immediately after the political shift in 1990, it developed services for the needy in different areas of Romania, among them a large network of medical home-care for dependent people (elderly, sick and with disabilities). At the request of Caritas International, the main founder of the Romanian Caritas home-care services, the Department of Social Work (Babes-Bolyai University) has evaluated the project from the point of view of clients, their relatives/helpers, the professionals working within Caritas, and outside collaborators, including volunteers. Data were gathered by questionnaires with closed and open ended questions and interviews. In these pages we present the data gathered on a sample of 826 (out of the total of 8000) cared for people and their family members (564 respondents). The answers of these groups were compared. The cared-for people are in majority elderly people, women (71%), roman-catholic (59%), pensioners (83%), many with the caring family members/or the helpers pensioners themselves (44%). The quality of life and housing are generally poor, especially for those living in rural areas, which represent 41% of the clients. The average income is 63 Euro, while 50% have less then 50 Euro and 25% less then 38 Euro/month. Both the clients and their helpers are very much satisfied with the home-care services offered by Caritas and consider them respectful, honest, competent, serious, friendly and optimist. They also report that the cared-for people feel much better, or better duet o the care received. Relatives/helpers appreciate they have some more free time and also feel understood by professionals. Though very appreciative, clients and family members expect more help for themselves, especially medication and financial means, as well as more time spent by their side, offering some entertainment. What is important from the point of view of administration is that the majority of the dependent persons considered home care as being better for them compared to that received in the hospital. This shows the need to extend the home-care services to more clients, served with a larger area of services. In a following article we shall also present the analysis of the organizational structure and status-quo of the care-force of this service, as well as its fit within the actual socio-medical service system of Romania