Search

This paper investigates changes in political participation following a disaster. Drawing on the electoral results and flood declarations after the 2010 flood in Slovakia, a dataset was constructed that illustrates when and how often each municipality was affected by disastrous conditions before the elections. The analysis revealed that experiencing a flood significantly increased the level of political participation in a municipality. However, the effect of flooding on elections is conditional. First, significantly higher turnout occurs only when a flood affects the municipality on election day. Second, repeated flooding before the elections does not change the overall participation rate. In contrast, it is the one‐time, continuous extreme weather event that most mobilises voters. Third, only severely affected municipalities demonstrated a significant turnout effect. Lastly, the timing variable is crucial in determining the impact of repetition and severity. This paper distinguishes between different kinds of flood events that can influence disaster behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides new empirical evidence on the transformation of the structure of production in the Visegrád (V4) countries—the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia—using a multi‐regional version of the subsystem approach to global input‐output tables. In particular, the paper analyses structural change in these countries, with a focus on the integration of market services in manufacturing. Moreover, using an input‐output structural decomposition analysis (SDA), we evaluate the role of some key determinants of employment changes in manufacturing. The results indicate that an increasing amount of intermediate demand comes from producer services. Further, a substantial portion of manufacturing employment is generated by foreign final demand, and the SDA demonstrates that labour intensity and final demand play a determining role in the change in the number of hours worked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies two processes of civil service reform in Slovakia during the period of 2014–2015 in order to reflect on the involvement of an 'outsider‐academic' and her strategies to achieve policy impact. The context of such involvement are multi‐level processes permeated by political interests and poor on evidence, which favour strategic interests, bargaining and political pressure and contestation (the mode of 'powering') and a mode of legal‐based 'puzzling' as opposed to a conceptual, intellectual search for solutions friendly towards outside academics—and achieving only incremental results. We theorise on the success of these strategies (including helping serendipity, throwing ideas to see what sticks, mobilising allies, anchoring a non‐binding concept, and finding and developing long‐term connections) and sketch analogies and differences between the position of an outsider‐academic and a policy entrepreneur. We rely on auto‐ethnographic data and documentation of the work of the committees involved and their outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper demonstrates why and how a fuller geographical perspective extends contemporary scholarship on human trafficking within and beyond the discipline. We employ a relational approach and draw on in‐depth qualitative research with trafficked persons and a range of stakeholders in Slovakia and the United Kingdom (UK), to depict how the processes underpinning human trafficking are non‐linear and operate instantaneously at multiple intersecting scales and temporalities and through diverse mobilities. The analysis problematises the discrete and homogeneous notion of space coupled with a linear conceptualisation of time and, more specifically, the normative portrayals of recruitment, transit and exploitation as distinct and sequential phases of human trafficking. Instead, the individuated experiences of trafficked persons are examined in relational geographies of inequality, manoeuvring and mobilities. Such a conceptual shift ensures that efforts to understand and combat human trafficking address its effects as well as the wider social relations and structural conditions that facilitate exploitation. We conclude the paper by outlining how a relational‐geographic perspective has the potential to foster new forms of dialogue and inquiry within and beyond the discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we determine the role of knowledge in the development and consolidation of social innovation (SI) on the revitalisation of traditional farming in marginalised rural settings. We seek to address the following questions: (i) how the co‐production of knowledge in SI initiatives for the revitalisation of traditional farming might influence its development path, and (ii) how the networking of local and external actors accelerates knowledge co‐production and triggers the reconfiguration of social practices towards sustainability transformation. To answer these questions, we applied mixed‐method approach by investigating the example of SI initiative (the case of Vlkolínec UNESCO site in Slovakia). We conducted a focus group, semi‐structured and structured interviews, historical analysis and social network analysis with the actors involved in the SI. Based on the empirical results we revealed how mix of local and external knowledge and knowledge co‐production can enhance the development of SI through the networking of numerous local stakeholders, particularly science and policy representatives. This knowledge sharing and knowledge co‐production strengthened the development path of the SI in seeking to initiate effective measures for local people to return to traditional small‐scale farming, supporting traditional crafts, creating new green jobs and conditions for improving the quality of life for local people, and new services for sustainable tourism. Our results highlight the importance of external knowledge in the expansion of bonding social capital, and the establishment of a regional knowledge network of local and external actors to trigger SI in rural areas. The analyses reveal that multi‐actor networks that support knowledge exchange play an important role in SI development paths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the early 1950s, the first‐generation of precast prestressed bridges was built in Europe. The prestressing technology was still relatively new and bridges were sometimes executed questionably. The consequences of poor detailing and inadequate maintenance are shown as a practical example of a 59‐years old road precast bridge in Slovakia that recently reached a near collapse state. The behavior of the damaged prestressed precast structure was verified by the full‐scale load test. In the case of advanced corrosion of the tendons, it is often very difficult to accurately determine the actual resistance of a structure. The test results published in the paper may help to find a practical method for the assessment of similar aged existing prestressed bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a rapidly globalising world, food nationalism has been the subject of research in many fields. The paper discusses food nationalism, in relation to the social and spatial aspects of consumers' shopping behaviour. According to the results of a two‐step cluster analysis, food nationalism has no significant relationship with permanent residence of consumers. Economic status, however, was the only factor to demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between consumers and food nationalism. Compared to unemployed people and pensioners, employed people and entrepreneurs show significantly higher levels of food nationalism. In the study, the assumption that consumers who prefer quality will visit stores with a higher share of domestic food was not confirmed. In contrast, a marginally significant relationship was found between consumer preference for quality and support for domestic producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to explain the under‐researched phenomenon of why the European Commission (the Commission), as 'guardian of the Treaties', tolerates member states' noncompliance with the EU law. While major accounts of selective enforcement depict the Commission as a self‐serving political entrepreneur, this paper assumes that it is a trustee guardian of EU treaties that aims to safeguard the stability and integrity of the EU legal order. For this purpose, the Commission is theorized to strategically utilize toleration of noncompliance to evade jurisdiction overlap and norm collision. Relying on the detailed tracing of the Commission's enforcement leniency towards Slovakia regarding pharmaceutical parallel trade, this illustrative case study indicates that toleration of noncompliance is a necessary evil for the Commission and other stakeholders to navigate through a legal and political impasse. And it simultaneously preserves the delicate integrity of the existing legal order of EU free movement law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the impact of Europeanization on bureaucratic autonomy in the new EU member states using as a case study the Agricultural Paying Agency in Slovakia. The paper shows that Europeanization had limited sustained impact on the personal autonomy of senior officials; however, it requires and sustains the personal autonomy of an extensive cadre of mid-level and junior civil servants. At the same time, it necessitates and continues to sustain significant change in the way agricultural subsidies are distributed, with a high level of autonomy in implementation and a lower, but still significant, measure of autonomy in policy-making. These conclusions can also generally be supported by evidence from Lithuania and Poland. In addition, the coercive elements of Europeanization interacted with the temporarily high bureaucratic autonomy in Slovakia to ‘open’ non-coercive channels of Europeanization of agricultural subsidies and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently more attention has been paid to ageing infrastructure under increased traffic on the roads in Slovakia. As a result, selected prestressed concrete bridges have been inspected. Evidence of their poor technical condition has been discovered including serious faults such as large permanent deflection, wide cracks, extensive prestressing degradation, and others. The original conceptual design and poor quality of prestressing steel protection are often the decisive factor. This paper provides an example of bridge rehabilitation design of the concrete precast segmental bridge in an emergency condition. The bridge in question which is located over the water reservoir Ruzin was built in 1967 as one of the first‐generation precast segmental bridges in Slovakia. Its service life was successfully extended using structural system modification and strengthened using external prestressing. The initial assumptions for the rehabilitation have been based on the detailed analysis of the defects, and assessment of existing conditions including the analytical approach of residual prestressing determination. This concept represents the potential solution for achieving enhanced service life of similar bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2009 and 2010, a rescue excavation at Nitra‐Selenec II (Slovakia) was carried out by the Institute of Archaeology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. A medieval cemetery dated to the end of 11th century was discovered, yielding 72 individuals, including the skeleton of young female manifesting skeletal changes consistent with leprosy. The lesions of rhino‐maxillary syndrome (facies leprosa) were observed together with atrophied/tapered metatarsal bones of "licked candy" appearance. In addition, cribra orbitalia, cribra cranii, bilateral periostitis of distal ends of the tibiae and fibulae, and vertebral hypervascularization were recorded. The results of light microscopic investigation agreed with the macroscopic diagnosis of leprosy. Reported cases of leprosy from eastern central Europe are few, coming mostly from the region of present‐day Hungary. Until recently, only three probable cases of leprosy (all dated to pre‐Crusade Middle Ages) were discovered in the area of former Czechoslovakia, all of them discovered in the modern Czech Republic. The case from the late 11th century, presented in this paper, can be considered the first evidence of the disease in the region of Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Regional Science Policy & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Regional Science Policy & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents the seismic response analysis of a cylindrical container made of laminated composite. The analytical homogenization is used for calculation of the material properties of unidirectional fiber‐reinforced composite layer. Constitutive relations for laminate within the classical laminate theory are considered. Effective modulus of elasticity is obtained and put into a calculation of internal forces of the laminated composite cylindrical tank. The seismic analysis of liquid storage facilities has to have different approaches as the analysis of typical structures. Because of an earthquake, the hydrodynamic impulsive and convective pressures are generated in addition to hydrostatic pressure. The solved liquid‐filled container made of the laminated composite was situated for the region of Slovak Republic and was analyzed in respect of Eurocode 8 recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT This paper examines the relationships between ethnicity and regional economic transformation in Slovakia. It takes as its focus the position of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia in the uneven process of regional change. The paper places these issues within the context of struggles over ethnicity and 'nation' in post-independence Slovakia. The paper argues that ethnicity has been a thoroughly contested issue since the collapse of 'communism' in Slovakia and a variety of struggles have been waged over enhancing the rights and position of the Hungarian minority population. The concentration of the Hungarian minority in the southern Slovak border regions with Hungary is examined within the context of the uneven economic impacts of the 'transition to capitalism'. It is argued that, while the economic decline seen in many of these 'Hungarian' regions has impacted negatively on the local populations, the roots of these changes lie within the ways in which such regions were integrated into the state socialist regional division of labor. In particular, the role of peripheral industrialization in such regions prior to 1989, in attempting to reduce economic differences among various ethnic groups, resulted in the establishment of branch plant economies which have had difficulty in surviving since 1989. It is therefore the interweaving of the economics of regional decline and the politics of ethnicity that help us to understand the complex place of the Hungarian minority in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents results from monitoring the chute cutoff in the meander bend of the Ondava River in Eastern Slovakia. An avulsion channel was formed in the central part of the meander neck during 2010 flood events, and here we describe the mechanism of evolution and post‐cutoff avulsion channel adjustment using drones, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry and field survey. Monitoring by UAV images began on 15 June 2012 with 78 processed images, followed by 259 images during April 2014 and 375 from 18 July 2014. The majority of UAV digital elevation model (DEM) errors in the study area were associated with vegetation cover, with the average vertical root mean square error (RMSE) of the UAV‐DEM on bare ground at 0.209 m compared with 0.673 m in vegetated areas. The chute cutoff was formed by floodplain headcutting during meander neck overflow and headcut migration was directed by floodplain sediment structure and land use. Although low river discharge after the 2010 floods stabilised the avulsion channel by vegetation succession, recurrent two‐yearly interval flooding increased the avulsion channel bank erosion from 36.9 m3/month (June 2012–April 2014) to 425.6 m3/month (April 2014–July 2014). We describe the mechanism of evolution and post‐cutoff avulsion channel adjustment using drones, UAV photogrammetry and field survey. We estimated erosion/deposition areas due to channel erosion. The chute cutoff was formed by floodplain headcutting during meander neck overflow, and headcut migration was directed by floodplain sediment structure and land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of fertility and family behaviour in post‐socialist countries was quick and the changes were striking. An account of the changes is the subject of dispute and the mechanisms have still not been explained in a fully satisfying manner. Relatively little attention has been paid to the changes in spatial aspects concerning the broadening of changes in family behaviour. The aim of this paper is to answer the question as to whether changes spread stochastically in post‐socialist countries or if there are obvious spatial patterns. The study tries to answer the questions whether there are any cores of changes which may be understood as innovations, if there is any spatial clustering and if the extent is hierarchically arranged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Regional Science Policy & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Regional Science Policy & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aims to describe the Pentecostal Church in Slovakia in the scope of current ecumenical cooperation and dialogue. The Apostolic Church is a member of the Union of Evangelical Churches in Slovakia, which established the Department of Theology and Christian Education (DETM) at the University of Matej Bel. Since 1994, individual churches have continued together in ecumenical cooperation in the education of their young spiritual workers. The curriculum includes academic interpretation and missiological reflection on selected parts of mission. It offers the practical efforts of the teachers and students, especially from the viewpoint of the churches' common witness in diversity. The curriculum of the study programme for theologians interprets the two mission documents Together towards Life (TTL) and The Cape Town Commitment (CTC) from a Slovakian evangelical theological view and applies it practically in context. This paper introduces DETM's educational programme in mission and ecumenism and examines how it embodies the values and concepts of those two mission documents through its activities. Special interest is focused on the topic of the practice of common witness in a spirit of partnership and cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assisted voluntary return (AVR) is a new approach to return of irregular immigrants aiming at combating unlawful migration, and thus strengthening national immigration systems. AVR lowers risks of the violation of human rights and preserves migrants’ dignity and safety. In addition, it carries fewer political and financial costs. AVR of irregular immigrants is an integral part of migration management in some European countries, including the Slovak Republic. This paper provides a general understanding of the issue of irregular migration and an analysis of policies and practices in assisted voluntary return of irregular migrants in the Slovak Republic. The paper concludes with a discussion of the major issues that need to be addressed in order to achieve sustainable and effective AVR management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most empirical studies on price setting that use micro data focus on advanced industrial countries. In this paper we analyze the experience of an emerging economy, Slovakia, using a large micro-level dataset that accounts for a substantial part of the consumer price index (about 5 million observations). We find that market structure is an important determinant of pricing behavior. The effect of market structure on persistence of inflation results from two conflicting forces. Increased competition may reduce persistence by increasing the frequency of price changes. On the contrary, higher competition may increase persistence through inertial behaviour induced by the strategic complementarity among price setters. In our case study, we find that the latter effects dominate. Indeed, the dispersion of prices is higher while persistence is lower in the non-tradable sectors, suggesting that higher competition is not conducive to lower persistence. Furthermore, we find that the frequency of price changes depends negatively on the price dispersion and positively on the product-specific inflation. These results seem consistent with predictions of Calvo's staggered price model. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand for counterfeits has become a major headache for brand name manufacturers across the globe. This paper investigates two key demand drivers: (1) corporate image, in the form of evaluative and descriptive judgments of the original manufacturer and the counterfeiter, and (2) product attributes, split into physical, beneficial, and symbolic aspects, and their impact on consumers' intentions to buy fakes, based on the tripartite model of attitudes and by applying Peabody's concept of unconfounding evaluative and descriptive judgments (Peabody, 1984; Peabody & Goldberg, 1989; Saucier, 1994; Saucier, Ostendorf, & Peabody, 2001). In total, 1846 consumers were surveyed in six different countries: the United States, Austria, Mexico, Sweden, Slovakia, and the Ukraine. According to the results, corporate image and product characteristics show a strong impact on the consumers' intention to buy fakes. The relative importance of the concepts' sub-dimensions, however, differs substantially across the countries selected. With respect to the corporate image, respondents use mainly emotional responses to describe the image of original manufacturers and counterfeiters, and they clearly distinguish them based on image. Product-level comparisons revealed that looks, functionality, image, and physical appearance differed between originals and fakes across countries, whereas quality and durability of originals and fakes are perceived very similarly. The paper closes with managerial implications and avenues for future research. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the transformations of urban labour markets in two central European cities: Bratislava, Slovakia and Kraków, Poland. It highlights the emergence of in-work poverty and labour market segmentation, which together are leading to a reconfiguration of the livelihoods and economic practices of urban households. The focus of the paper is on the growing phenomenon of insecure, poor-quality, contingent labour. It examines the ways in which those who find themselves in, or on the margins of, contingent and insecure labour markets sustain their livelihoods. We ask how such workers and their households negotiate the segmentation of the labour market, the erosion of employment security and the emergence of in-work poverty and explore the diverse economic practices of those who cannot rely solely on formal employment to ensure social reproduction. Further, we assess the articulations between labour market participation and exclusion, and other spheres of economic life, including informal and illegal labour, household social networks, state benefits and the use of material assets. We argue that post-socialist cities are seeing a reconfiguration of class processes, as the materialities and subjectivities of class are remade and as the meaning of work and the livelihoods different forms of labour can sustain are changing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National strategies for sustainable development are gaining increasing recognition as an instrument to reconcile needs of development and environmental protection by improving policy-making procedures. The paper assesses the Slovak sustainable development strategy in the context of two key documents, the National Strategy for Sustainable Development of the Slovak Republic (MESR, 2001a) and the Action Plan for Sustainable Development of the Slovak Republic for 2005–2010 (OGSR, 2005). Focus is mainly placed on horizontal policy integration, but institutional arrangements and mechanisms for implementation, monitoring and review, stakeholder participation and vertical integration are also assessed. Based on the results of a series of interviews with ministerial planners and utilizing the example of the Working Group for Environmental Education, the paper identifies barriers to horizontal policy integration. The main conclusion is that improvement of mechanisms for horizontal policy integration is offset by recession in other areas, including public participation. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an analytical methodology, the Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) can be used to provide indicators of the incentives faced by producers in a given policy and institutional environment. However, the methodology suffers from the limitation that the analyst is unable to attach any level of confidence to the results, other than that generated through sensitivity analysis. In this paper the technique of bootstrapping is introduced as a general method for assessing the degree of uncertainty surrounding indicators derived from PAMs. The example of wheat production in Slovakia is used to demonstrate the usefulness of the additional information generated by this approach. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wound‐QoL assesses the impact of chronic wounds on patients' health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). A 17‐item and a shortened 14‐item version are available. The Wound‐QoL‐17 has been validated for multiple languages. For the Wound‐QoL‐14, psychometric properties beyond internal consistency were lacking. We aimed to validate both Wound‐QoL versions for international samples representing a broad range of European countries, including countries for which validation data had yet been pending. Patients with chronic wounds of any aetiology or location were recruited in Austria, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine. Psychometric properties were determined for both Wound‐QoL versions for the overall sample and, if feasible, country‐wise. We included 305 patients (age 68.5 years; 52.8% males). Internal consistency was high in both Wound‐QoL‐17 (Cronbach's α: 0.820–0.933) and Wound‐QoL‐14 (0.779–0.925). Test–retest reliability was moderate to good (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.618–0.808). For Wound‐QoL‐17 and Wound‐QoL‐14, convergent validity analyses showed highest correlations with global HRQoL rating (r = 0.765; r = 0.751) and DLQI total score (r = 0.684; r = 0.681). Regarding clinical data, correlations were largest with odour (r = −0.371; r = −0.388) and wound size (r = 0.381; r = 0.383). Country‐wise results were similar. Both Wound‐QoL versions are valid to assess HRQoL of patients with chronic wounds. Due to its psychometric properties and brevity, the Wound‐QoL‐14 might be preferrable in clinical practice where time is rare. The availability of various language versions allows for the use of this questionnaire in international studies and in clinical practice when foreign language patients are being treated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variation in the legal status and management of wolves (Canis lupus) across EU Member States provides a good opportunity to test the effectiveness of different practices to reduce livestock losses. This opportunity for testing is particularly useful for lethal interventions, as they are among the most controversial actions within the large carnivore management toolbox. We aimed to test a conservation compromise adopted in Slovakia, based on a public wolf‐hunting scheme and annual hunting quotas between 2014 and 2019, and partially justified to reduce livestock losses. We assessed whether this hunting scheme influenced livestock depredation levels (at the district level). Wolves in the area fed mainly on wild ungulates (98.9% of consumed biomass). While domestic sheep comprised only 0.5% of the diet, they were dominant among the reported livestock killed by wolves (91.1%). Using two different approaches, we did not observe a relationship between the number of killed wolves and livestock losses. Alternatively, a negative relationship between wild prey biomass and livestock losses was found. Since 2021, public wolf hunting has not been conducted in Slovakia, and there is no merit in the previous justification for this conservation compromise to reduce livestock losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the possibilities of creating quantified models of past human activities in both time and space. The study area lies in the south-eastern Czech Republic and western Slovakia. The spatio-temporal model of behavioural categories was calculated with the help of Monte Carlo simulations and statistical testing. One of the main advantages of our approach is that it admits the probabilistic nature of input data, quantifies them and provides probabilistic results comparable with other proxies. It also presents a less biased way of how archaeological data from regions and periods with low numbers of 14C datings can be incorporated into models of past population dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing the issues of land shortage and growing concerns for protecting natural lands, installers and project developers, with the help of scientists and engineers, continuously try to locate alternative spots for photovoltaic (PV) system installations. In the present paper a novel approach is suggested and analysed: installing solar PV systems on the downstream face of existing dams. This approach provides advantages that could favour even large-scale systems with a capacity of several MWp. First, produced energy could cover water reservoirs' needs supporting energy-intensive processes as water pumping and treatment in a sustainable manner. Moreover, energy provision to inhabited areas near the dams and the subsequent creation of independent mini grids could mitigate energy poverty. In the case of hydroelectric dams, the so-created hybrid system (PV-hydro) could become notably efficient, because the intermittent solar energy would be counterbalanced by the flexibility of hydropower. Finally, we found a notable number of existing water reservoirs in Africa that are either under-utilized or non-powered. That unexploited energy potential can also be amplified by PV-system installation. The analysis included data collection from various sources. Datasets have been cross-checked and extended in the newly created GIS-based model, enabling the selection of the most suitable sites in South Africa, taken as case studies. Following their identification, the selected dams have been analysed using the PVGIS tool in order to estimate the annual energy production. The results have been very encouraging, indicating that PV systems on the face of dams are an advantageous option for renewable energy production. © 2015 The Authors. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bratislava Harbor Bridge is an important part of Slovak highway and railway network. The authorities of the bridge (Railways of the Slovak Republic and National Motorway Company) cannot afford to close it. In the case of closure, traffic in Bratislava would be paralyzed, as up to 100,000 vehicles pass the bridge daily. Because of that, only dynamic tests during operation are possible, but the mentioned companies do not possess a sophisticated measurement system for structural health monitoring purposes. Therefore, a preliminary proposal of a measuring system has been prepared, in accordance with the fact that the bridge is one of the most complex structures in Slovakia. An initial and subsequent validated and verified FEM model have been used for numerical calculations. Time history analysis has also been used for verification and validation of the FEM model. This article also presents a comparison of current results of operational modal analysis and results of numerical analysis. It includes the recommendations for the fib Model Code 2020 (MC2020) as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In critically ill patients nucleated red blood cells (NRBC) and immature granulocytes (IG) appear in the peripheral blood as the consequence of stress haematopoesis. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of NRBC and IG and to propose a model of improved mortality prediction including these parameters in the assessment of critically ill patients. Methods: The study included 338 critically ill adult patients hospitalized at Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Medicine, Louis Pasteur University Hospital in Kosice. As NRBC positive patients were considered patients with peripheral NRBC > 0.01 × 109/L and IG positivity as >0.03 × 109/L. Apache II index was calculated 24 hours after admission and Systemic Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) on the day with the worst clinical condition. Results: NRBC positivity was found in 27.6% of patients. The mortality of NRBC positive patients was 48.38%, significantly higher than 23.7% of NRBC negative patients. IG positivity was 79.0% and their mortality was also higher as compared with that of IG negative patients (69.3% vs 33.8%). Three regression models predicting mortality including stress haematopoiesis markers, APACHE II, SOFA scores and age had sufficient level of sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: The presence of NRBC in the peripheral blood and the IG increase are available early risk predictors of mortality in critically ill patients. Regression models designed by combination of SOFA, APACHE II, and the new haematological parameters increase the accuracy and effectivity of diagnostic process in predicting prognosis and risk of mortality with high sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past decades, several models that predict the concentration profiles after a discharge of pollutants in a river have been developed. A model that predicts nitrogen concentrations in a river has been developed and is presented in this paper. The developed model that determines nitrogen concentrations in a water stream is based on a dimensional analysis. Fundamentals of the modelling of the pollutant predictions in a water stream consist of a derivation of function dependency from expressed non-dimension arguments. Non-dimension arguments are stated from variables, which influence the occurrence of pollutants. The model for the prediction of nitrogen concentrations in water streams has been developed for the Laborec River (eastern Slovakia). The differences between the nitrogen concentrations predicted from developed models and measured concentrations in the river are also discussed here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Non-word repetition (NWR) tasks have been found to correlate with language skills and to discriminate between groups of typically developing (TD) children and children with specific language impairment (SLI) across languages. Aims The main aim was to develop an easily-administered NWR screening test that could discriminate between Slovak-speaking TD children and children with SLI. The second aim was to establish if the novel scoring methods for NWR tasks were equally effective at differentiating between the TD versus SLI groups. As Slovak vowels are not reduced in unstressed syllables, it was also sought to establish whether scoring vowels (in addition to the consonants usually assessed in English language tests) would be informative. Methods & Procedures The paper evaluated the performance of a new NWR task for Slovak-speaking children. Study 1 compared the performance of 60 TD children in three age groups: 3-year-olds ( N = 20), 4-your-olds ( N = 20) and 5-year-olds ( N = 20). Five types of scoring methods were examined: whole-item, number of syllables, syllable structure, consonants, and vowels. Study 2 compared performance on the NWR task administered in Study 1 across three groups of child participants: an SLI group ( N = 16), a TD age-matched group ( N = 16), and a TD language-matched group ( N = 14). Outcomes & Results Study 1 found an age effect in the TD sample for three out of five of the scoring methods tested (number of syllables, syllable structure, and consonants). Study 2 showed that all five of the scoring methods discriminated between: (1) the group of children with SLI and the TD language-matched (TDLM) sample and (2) the group of children with SLI and the TD age-matched (TDAM) group. Conclusions & Implications The novel NWR tool reliably differentiated between children with SLI and TD children. Scoring cut-off points which demonstrated high rates of success at verifying true-positives (93.75%) and true-negatives (100%) are provided. The most informative scoring methods for Slavic languages (whole-item scoring and vowels correct) are identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper investigates the dynamic interplay between farm exit and entry of single-holder farms (SF) in a dualistic farm structure in the Nitra region of the Slovak Republic. Our focus is on economic and noneconomic reasons for farm exit. The impact of varying both the likelihood of succession and the initial farm operator age distributions is studied. An agent-based simulation model of structural change in agriculture is applied, which brings together farm-internal and -external determinants and creates a set of endogenous adjustment reactions. We show that the stepwise introduction of direct payments of the Common Agricultural Policy in Slovakia has a strong impact on its structural development. In the short- to medium-term, the dualistic farm structure together with a specific age structure of farms still persists as a response to the policy. The phasing-in of payments persuades SF to stay and potential successors to enter. In the longer run, the initially heterogeneous farm structure becomes increasingly homogeneous toward larger SF. The prevalence of small SF in the medium- to long-term is not necessarily a given. This may lead decision makers to reconsider the role of individual farms in rural development. Dans le présent article, nous avons étudié la relation entre l'entrée en agriculture de fermes à propriétaire unique et leur sortie dans un contexte d'agriculture dualiste dans la région de Nitra, en Slovaquie. Nous nous sommes concentrés sur les raisons économiques et non économiques qui motivent la sortie. Nous avons étudié l'impact liéà la possibilité de relève et à la répartition par âge des agriculteurs. Pour évaluer le changement structurel en agriculture, nous avons utilisé un modèle de simulation multi-agent qui réunit les facteurs internes et externes et crée un ensemble de réactions d'adaptation endogènes. Nous avons montré que l'introduction progressive des paiements directs accordés dans le cadre de la Politique agricole commune en Slovaquie a des répercussions considérables sur son développement structurel. À court et à moyen termes, l'agriculture dualiste, combinée à la structure de l'âge des exploitations agricoles, demeure une réaction à la politique en place. La mise en place progressive des paiements persuade les exploitations à propriétaire unique de demeurer dans le secteur et encourage les successeurs potentiels à y entrer. À plus long terme, la structure agricole qui était hétérogène au départ devient de plus en plus homogène et compte de plus grandes fermes à propriétaire unique. À court et à moyen termes, la prévalence de petites fermes à propriétaire unique ne va pas nécessairement de soi. Cette situation pourrait amener les décideurs à réexaminer le rôle des exploitations individuelles dans le développement rural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper looks at the public policy response to dealing with strategic change in the case of a trio of automotive industry closures in the West Midlands, the outcome of restructuring in the auto industry. It shows that what is essentially a reactive response is related to the scale of the closure and the character of the closure. • Falling sales and exchange rate volatility, plus production inefficiency, led to Jaguar moving production from Coventry to Castle Bromwich in Birmingham. Neither the scale of job loss at Browns Lane, nor the impact on the supply chain, was as great as it was at Peugeot's Ryton factory when production was moved to a low labour cost location in Slovakia. In the case of MG Rover, its long-term failure to develop new models, among other factors, saw MG Rover being sold to Nanjing Auto and its machinery shipped to China. A Task Force swung into action to deal with the loss of 6000 jobs and the loss of business to firms in the supply chain. Its budget was bigger than in the case of the other two closures. • However, it is not only the difference in public policy response that is of interest, but also the challenge the closures pose for the understanding of structural change. While the classic reasons for closure are to be found in the closures, in the aftermath Ford is continuing to shed its European acquisitions. This questions the process of capital concentration. The loss of production capability to the West Midlands also blows wide the auto cluster in the West Midlands and makes it more likely that we can see a merging filiere developing in the ever-changing geography of production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To demonstrate the role of space and time in social movements, the paper analyses the evolution and context of the environmental movement in the Czech and Slovak republics from 1948 to 1998. It shows that the movement's identity was formed under socialism and that political opportunity and resource availability changed markedly over time, as did its organisational and spatial structure. The movement played a significant part in the collapse of the socialist regime, but in the 1990s was marginalised in the interests of building a market economy and an independent Slovakia. Nevertheless a diverse and flexible range of groups existed by the late 1990s. The successive space-times allow analysis of the multiple and changing variables that influence the geography of social movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The retrieval of Snow Water Equivalent (SWE) from remote sensing satellites continues to be a very challenging problem. In this paper, we evaluate the accuracy of a new SWE product derived from the blending of a passive microwave SWE product based on the Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit (AMSU) with a multi-sensor snow cover extent product based on the Interactive Multi-sensor Snow and Ice Mapping System (IMS). The microwave measurements have the ability to penetrate the snow pack, and thus, the retrieval of SWE is best accomplished using the AMSU. On the other hand, the IMS maps snow cover more reliably due to the use of multiple satellite and ground observations. The evolution of global snow cover from the blended, the AMSU and the IMS products was examined during the 2006 snow season. Despite the overall good inter-product agreement, it was shown that the retrievals of snow cover extent in the blended product ate improved when using IMS, with implications for improved microwave retrievals of SWE. In a separate investigation, the skill of the microwave SWE product was also examined for its ability to correctly estimate SWE globally and regionally. Qualitative evaluation of global SWE retrievals suggested dependence on land surface temperature: the lower the temperature, the higher the SWE retrieved. This temperature bias was attributed in part to temperature effects on those snow properties that impact microwave response. Therefore, algorithm modifications are needed with more dynamical adjustments to account for changing snow cover. Quantitative evaluation over Slovakia in central Europe, for a limited period in 2006, showed reasonably good performance for SWE less than 100 mm. Sensitivity to deeper snow decreased significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a large literature evaluating job-training programmes. In this paper, we evaluate three such job-training programmes that are used in Slovakia. Individuals participating in a job-training programme during their unemployment spell are usually not a random subsample of the population. To determine the treatment effect of a job-training programme on unemployment duration, one has to correct for this selection effect. Therefore, we use a multivariate mixed proportional hazard-type model to describe the hazard of getting a job simultaneously with the hazard of entering a programme. We allow for a heterogeneous treatment effect and for the treatment effect to vary over time. Furthermore, we add the monthly unemployment rate as a time-varying explanatory variable. The estimation results show that two of the three programmes shorten the unemployment duration quite substantially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International student migration remains an under‐researched field in migration studies, and this is especially true of return migration. This paper analyses students from Slovakia who have studied in the UK, both on degree courses and language/vocational courses, and have subsequently returned to their country of origin. It analyses their motivations, their acquisition of human capital in the UK, and the extent to which they have been able to realise individual welfare gains after returning to Slovakia. Their evaluations of their experiences are highly positive, with substantial numbers also reporting improvements in their jobs and incomes, even following relatively short stays abroad. The study emphasises the importance of the specific competences acquired by the students, rather than broad skill categories, or qualifications. It highlights the value attached to language competence, in particular, but also to learning, attitudinal and interpersonal competences, as well as networking. The paper concludes that there is a need to pay more attention to individual social biographies when understanding the relationship between migration and learning. At the same time, it also stresses structural parameters to individual agency, including the specific economic conditions in a transition economy, and the market value of competence in English as a world language. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis (RVVC), defined as three or more episodes of vulvovaginal candidosis per year, significantly impairs quality of life (QoL) and sexual health. Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess health‐related QoL in women with RVVC using validated questionnaires before and after treatment. The secondary objective was to analyse the effect of RVVC on women's sexual health. Patients/Methods: This was a sub‐analysis of a randomised, controlled, double‐blinded study titled 'A phase IIb/III, parallel‐arm, randomized, active‐controlled, double‐blind, double‐dummy, multicenter, non‐inferiority study in patients with recurrent vulvovaginal candidosis to compare the clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of topically administered ProF‐001 (Candiplus®) to oral fluconazole, which was conducted at 35 study sites in Austria, Poland and Slovakia. QoL was assessed using the European Quality of Life (EQ) five‐dimension five‐level scale (EQ‐5D‐5L) and visual analogue scale (EQ‐VAS) questionnaires, followed by specific questions regarding sexuality. Results: From 2019 to 2021, 360 of 432 (83.3%) women with RVVC had accomplished a 6‐months maintenance treatment and were enrolled in this sub‐analysis. The EQ‐5D‐5L and EQ‐VAS scores demonstrated improved QoL in 137 (65.2%) and 159 (75.4%) women after 6 months of maintenance treatment. Each individual aspect of sexual health significantly improved (all p <.05). A reduction in pain frequency during or after sexual intercourse in the 6‐month period occurred in 124 (66.3%) women. Conclusions: Women with RVVC had high QoL and sexual health impairment; however, a 6‐months maintenance treatment resulted in effective improvement in QoL and sexual health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slovakia is one of the Central European countries in transformation from a centralized command system to a decentralized market economy. This paper studies the labour market position of Slovak job losers. Using data from labour force surveys we analyse exit rates out of unemployment. We find that male, young, higher educated job losers in districts with low unemployment rates have substantially shorter unemployment durations than their counterparts. There is evidence that for some job losers it is very hard to find a new job. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to examine meanings of the terms ‘individual’, ‘the community’ and ‘local community’ in Slovakia and Scotland. The social, cultural, political and economic histories of these two small European nations are quite different. Slovakia is one of the post-communist countries in which rapid changes have recently taken place. In contrast, Scotland has enjoyed a relatively stable parliamentary democracy within the UK. Two groups of respondents, 200 from Slovakia and 200 from Scotland, were presented with a word association task which included 38 political and economic terms and with two scales containing the same list of terms. They rated phenomena referring to these terms with respect to their importance for the well-being of the individual and to the well-being of the community. The results suggest that for Scots but not for Slovaks, the term ‘local community’ evokes positive associations and that local community is a meaningful concept. The data suggest that local attachments and loyalties were destroyed in Slovakia during communism. (© 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Phytopathology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A total of 1185 passerine birds representing five species were examined for chewing lice in reed beds in southwestern Slovakia in spring (April) 2008, 2009 and 2016. Additional collecting focused only on chewing lice from Panurus biarmicus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Passeriformes: Panuridae) was carried out in spring (April), summer (July) and autumn (October) 2019. A total of 283 (24%) birds were parasitized by 10 species of chewing lice of four genera: Penenirmus, Menacanthus, Philopterus, and Brueelia. Most birds showed only very light (1–10 lice/host; 74%) to light infestations (11–20 lice/host; 16%). The authors found significantly higher prevalences and mean abundances of chewing lice on residents/short‐distance migrants, that is, P. biarmicus, Acrocephalus melanopogon (Temminck, 1823) (Passeriformes: Acrocephalidae), than on long‐distance migratory birds, that is, Acrocephalus scirpaceus (Hermann, 1804), Acrocephalus schoenobaenus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Passeriformes: Acrocephalidae), Locustella luscinioides (Savi, 1824) (Passeriformes: Locustellidae). No significant difference was found in the total mean intensity of chewing lice between these two groups of birds. Ischnoceran lice were more prevalent and abundant than amblyceran lice on residents and short‐distance migrants, whereas the opposite was found on bird species that migrate long distances. A total of 146 (58%, n = 251) P. biarmicus were parasitized by 1490 chewing lice. Males of P. biarmicus showed higher prevalence and mean abundance than females with gradually descending values of prevalence, mean abundance and mean intensity from spring to autumn. The knowledge of the occurrence and population dynamics of lice on wild passerine birds can be useful in endangered species conservation programs and can also be applied to captive passerine birds, which may be analogous to resident birds in this sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In recent decades, a surge in the number of significant and uncontrolled wildfires has occurred worldwide. Global warming may amplify this trend and threaten most ecosystems worldwide. Deciduous forests are characterized by high plant diversity, and understanding their long‐term dynamics is crucial to anticipate changes in these ecosystems during ongoing global warming. The aim of this study is to understand how European beech forests have colonized the inner Eastern Carpathians and how changes in fire regime and human activities have affected their biodiversity. Location: Inner Eastern Carpathian Mountains, Slovakia. Taxon: Plantae, gymnosperms, angiosperms. Methods: Peat core was extracted from the centre of Ďurova mláka mire in 2018. A multi‐proxy approach has been applied to investigate the development of beech forest. Charcoal analysis has been done each centimetre to reconstruct the fire signal. Pollen analysis has been done at 2 cm resolution to reconstruct the vegetation composition and dynamics, and the variation in palynological richness (PRI), evenness and turnover has been analysed. Macro‐remains analysis has been performed at 10 cm resolution to add more information about the local vegetation. Results: Low diversity spruce forest was dominant until 5200 cal. BP during a fire‐prone period due to specific climatic conditions (drier climate than the following period). The higher fire frequency and intensity following this period is simultaneous with the first expansion of Fagus which indicate that Fagus could occupy post‐fire habitats, at least at the local scale. However, its dominance coincided with major gaps in fire events from 3900 cal. BP. The PRI has increased during the transition from spruce to beech forest highlighting the importance of beech forests in maintaining plant biodiversity. However, the stronger increase in the richness is synchronous with the increase in human activities around 2000 cal. BP, and then 350 cal. BP. Main Conclusions: Climate‐driven fire frequency has been a natural driver of vegetation changes in the Carpathians by promoting the emergence of high diversified beech forest. These changes were significantly modified by later increase in human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study investigates both offline and online bullying perpetration and victimization in association with problematic internet use (PIU) and problematic smartphone use (PSU), while also considering the related psychosocial difficulties. Methods: A total of 3939 adolescents (49.4% boys, aged 13–15 years) from a representative sample of schools in Slovakia was obtained from the Health Behavior in School‐aged Children (HBSC) project in 2018. Due to the lack of similar complex research and the expected mutual associations among the constructs, we compared exploratory network models that provided separate estimates for boys and girls. Results: The constructs formed similarly clustered networks for both genders, with a few notable differences. Unlike PIU, PSU was not associated with bullying experiences in boys or girls; however, PSU and PIU were partially related in girls. Bullying experiences formed a strong cluster in both networks. Two strong bridges were identified, and they are potential candidates for intervention in both boys and girls: first, traditional bullying victimization connected the cluster of bullying experiences to psychosocial difficulties; and, second, frequently missing sleep or meals due to internet use (behavioral salience) that is connected to the bullying cluster with PIU. Conclusions: The findings offer an indication for the preventive and interventive work of practitioners who deal with adolescents, as well as complex gender comparisons for the mutual relations of problematic internet and smartphone use, bullying experiences, and the psychosocial difficulties of youth. This study provides evidence that problematic digital media can play a role in bullying experiences irrespective of whether bullying happens offline or online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effect of increased erosion events and decreased management intensity on the degradation of traditional vineyards. The study area is located near Vráble, Slovakia, in an area with warm dry climate with mild winters, and Luvisol and Regosol soils. For the erosion measurements, we used the pole height method, which uses vineyard poles as a passive soil‐surface marker. The erosion of a tilled vineyard increased from 33.47 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in the period 1983–2010 to 55.34 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in the period 2010–2021. In comparison, the erosion of the hoed and grassed vineyard has not changed significantly. We also quantified the regeneration of soil in abandoned vineyards. An average increase in level of the soil surface level after abandonment in 2010 was 0.56 mm yr−1. A control plot showed minimal change in the average exposed pole height over 10 years and confirmed the reliability of the pole height method. Land cover and management practices have dramatically changed in the study area over the last decade. Only 27.16% of the total vineyard area is currently tilled and potentially threatened by soil erosion. On the other hand, 35.73% of the vineyards are abandoned; abandonment is expected to continue into the future. Therefore, the loss of management associated with vineyard abandonment is more strongly linked to their degradation than increased soil erosion intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to introduce a novel view on how to evaluate the share of power held by judges in judicial governance. Its contribution to court administration and the regulation of judges is three‐fold. First, it provides a novel empirically tested conceptualization of judicial governance that includes 60 competences grouped into eight dimensions (ranging from selection and education of judges to case allocation and publication of judicial decisions). Second, it proposes a new Judicial Self‐Governance (JSG) Index that measures how much power domestic judges hold in these eight dimensions of judicial governance. Third, by applying the JSG Index to the longitudinal data for Germany, Italy, Czechia, and Slovakia this article demonstrates that the Judicial Council model is not the only institutional model of judicial governance leading to the empowerment of judges. This means that judges can hold many powers without the existence of judicial councils and even in the Ministry of Justice model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]