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Ioannis Vogindroukas,1 Margarita Stankova,1 Evripidis-Nikolaos Chelas,2 Alexandros Proedrou1 1New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria; 2Research and Education Institute of Speech Therapy, Ioannina, GreeceCorrespondence: Ioannis Vogindroukas, New Bulgarian University, Montevideo str. 21, Sofia, 1618, Bulgaria, Email ioannisvogindroukas@gmail.comAbstract: The aim of this paper is to provide information regarding diversity in speech and language profiles of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and try to classify these profiles according to the combination of the communication difficulties. Research findings confirm the existence of heterogeneity of communication challenges in ASD across the lifespan. A lot of children with ASD experience communication challenges and strengths across all language sub-systems including pragmatics, grammar, semantics, syntax, phonology, and morphology in both oral and written language, while some children with autism demonstrate exceptional language abilities incl. linguistic creativity. Communication issues vary on a continuum of severity so that some children may be verbal, whereas others remain non-verbal or minimally-verbal. The diversity of profiles in speech and language development stem from either the presence of comorbid factors, as a core symptom of autistic behavior without comorbidity or both, with the development of complex clinical symptoms. Difficulties with the semantic aspect of language affect the individual’s skills in abstract thinking, multiple meanings of words, concept categorization, and so on. Finally, the coexistence of ASD with other communication difficulties such as a Language Disorder, Apraxia of Speech, Speech Sound Disorders or/and other neurodevelopmental disorders raises the need for examining more carefully the emergence of new clinical profiles and clinical markers useful in performing differential diagnosis and different intervention.Keywords: autism, language, speech, language profiles

This paper deals with a quantitative assessment of the production efficiency of the forestry sector in EU countries, which is largely neglected in the literature. Only a few studies have been conducted so far, processing data mainly in the first half of the last decade. In contrast to these studies, in this article we focus on the period between 2016 and 2020. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to compare the efficiency of the forest sector to fill the gap. The empirical results of this study show that the leaders in this sector are Germany, Finland, and the Czech Republic. These countries are fully efficient throughout the period under review. In contrast, Bulgaria lags far behind, with an efficiency score typically around 35%. The results of the cluster analysis show that although countries have similar characteristics, their efficiency scores are not necessarily at the same level.

This article assesses the production efficiency of automotive sector companies in the V4 countries. The automotive sector has undergone dramatic changes in recent years, and its future development is still unclear. The assessment of company efficiency thus represents an important tool that could support decision-making on the future of this sector. Unfortunately, comprehensive studies based on micro-data on companies are not yet available. This article evaluates production (technical) efficiency based on accounting data of individual companies in the V4 countries using the parametric method of stochastic frontier analysis. In these analyses, efficiency is examined not only from the point of view of a country but also with respect to the size of a company. The empirical results show that not only country but also the size of a company are factors that have a statistically significant effect on company efficiency. Small companies struggle to keep up with their competitor and in general have the lowest efficiency ratings.

This article deals with the assessment of the technical efficiency of the automotive industry in European countries. Unlike other studies, the paper will focus on international comparisons of efficiency while taking account company size. The analysis is thus based on the accounting data of individual companies. The content of the analysis covers the period between 2015 and 2019. In total, companies from 20 European countries shall be analysed. The results show that the level of efficiency in this sector is related to the size of the enterprise. In general, small enterprises turn out to be the least efficient. However, there is also a difference in the level of efficiency in the different size groups of enterprises depending on their geographical location, where in general, irrespective of the size category, Ukrainian enterprises appear to perform worst.

This article deals with determining statistically significant factors affecting the sale of battery electric vehicles in different European countries. Typical representative countries were selected on the basis of cluster analysis. The input data for multiple regression models and vector autoregressive models include data for the last decade and thus essentially cover the complete history of the electric car market. Attention is paid not only to the European leader but also to countries with a lower share of electric cars. The results of this study show the existence of a common factor in the countries with different development trends in the battery electric vehicle market. However, differences among individual countries are generally so significant that the identified factors vary from country to country.

We present four cases of proctitis in HIV-infected men having sex with men (MSM) living in the Czech Republic. The causative agent in all cases was the lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) biovar of Chlamydia trachomatis. The spread of proctitis caused by C. trachomatis serovars L1-3 among MSM has been observed in several European countries, the United States and Canada since 2003. To our knowledge, no LGV cases in eastern Europe have been published to date [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Thin films of either pure or doped tungsten oxide were grown by radiofrequency (rf) sputtering onto silicon micromachined substrates. Up to 7 different dopant materials (noble metals or metal oxides) were deposited by rf sputtering or by evaporation onto the tungsten oxide films. The responsiveness of the resulting micromachined sensors towards sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide was studied. Other pollutants in CO2 such as ethylene and methane were also tested. It was found that Au-doped tungsten oxide sensors were highly sensitive to H2S, poorly sensitive to SO2 and almost insensitive to hydrocarbons. On the other hand, Pt-doped tungsten oxide was highly sensitive to SO2, poorly responsive to H2S and nearly insensitive to hydrocarbons. By applying a principal component analysis (PCA), we show that it would be possible to selectively detect traces of H2S and SO2 in a CO2 stream using doped WO3 microsensors. These sensors could be used in a low-cost analyzer of beverage-grade CO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Active layers consisting of rf sputtered WO3 were deposited on microhotplate substrates. The films were doped with seven different materials (Pt, Au, Ag, Ti, SnO2, ZnO and ITO (indium tin oxide)). The eight types of sensors (including pure tungsten oxide ones) were tested in the presence of ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane. It was found that gold improved the sensitivity to H2S. On the other hand, doping with Ag and Pt led to higher responses to NO2 and NH3, respectively. No response to CH4 was observed. The sensitivity to CO was very low. The influence of the working temperature on the sensor response was also studied. Our study proves that selective gas detection is possible combining a few tungsten oxide sensors with different dopants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The sensing properties of WO3 thin films deposited by rf sputtering onto silicon substrates have been investigated. After deposition, the films underwent an annealing process in dry air that lasted 24 h. Three different annealing temperatures (350, 400 and 450 °C) were used to analyze the influence of this parameter on the sensor response. The morphology and composition of the films were studied by AFM and XPS. The films were found to be essentially inhomogeneous. The oxygen-to-tungsten atomic ratio of the active layers reveals that, irrespective to the annealing temperature used, the WO3 active layers were close to their stoichiometric formulation, although a tendency to loose oxygen atoms at the higher annealing temperatures tested was inferred. The sensitivity of the films to ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, ethanol, benzene, methane and carbon monoxide was studied at three different operating temperatures (300, 350 and 370 °C). By selecting the appropriate annealing and operating temperatures, it was found possible to selectively detect nitrogen dioxide in the presence of ethanol and ammonia, or to detect ammonia in the presence of ethanol. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Active layers of pure and Pt doped WO3 were deposited by rf magnetron sputtering on micro-hotplate substrates. SEM was used for active layer morphology characterization. The obtained devices can be used to detect traces of pollutant gases in a CO2 stream, showing reversible responses. The pure WO3-based sensors were sensitive to low concentrations of SO2 (1 ppm) in carbon dioxide while the Pt doped detected very low concentrations of H2S (100 ppb). The influences of the operating temperature and the electrode geometry have been analyzed. The results are promising for using these sensors in a low cost beverage grade carbon dioxide monitoring system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract Background It is mandatory to confirm the absence of mutations in the KRAS gene before treating metastatic colorectal cancers with epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, and similar regulations are being considered for non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) and other tumor types. Routine diagnosis of KRAS mutations in NSCLC is challenging because of compromised quantity and quality of biological material. Although there are several methods available for detecting mutations in KRAS, there is little comparative data regarding their analytical performance, economic merits, and workflow parameters. Methods We compared the specificity, sensitivity, cost, and working time of five methods using 131 frozen NSCLC tissue samples. We extracted genomic DNA from the samples and compared the performance of Sanger cycle sequencing, Pyrosequencing, High-resolution melting analysis (HRM), and the Conformité Européenne (CE)-marked TheraScreen DxS and K-ras StripAssay kits. Results and conclusions Our results demonstrate that TheraScreen DxS and the StripAssay, in that order, were most effective at diagnosing mutations in KRAS. However, there were still unsatisfactory disagreements between them for 6.1% of all samples tested. Despite this, our findings are likely to assist molecular biologists in making rational decisions when selecting a reliable, efficient, and cost-effective method for detecting KRAS mutations in heterogeneous clinical tumor samples.

The data available for changes in the behavior and emotional state of children with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) in lockdown situations are controversial and scarce. In our research, we compare results before the first COVID-19 lockdown of 21 children with ASD and 21 typically developing children, four to five years of age with those obtained immediately after. The study attempts to answer the question of whether there are changes in the levels of emotional and behavioral problems in children with ASD after the lockdown and how these new living conditions affect some aspects of their functioning. The instruments used for data analysis are the Childhood Autism Spectrum Test (CAST); Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL); Survey on the consequences of COVID-19 on the life and development of the participants. No significant differences in the emotional and behavioral state of the participants were found, except for attention deficit/hyperactivity problems where ASD children showed lower levels after the lockdown. ASD group parents' answers to the survey pointed towards more positive consequences of staying at home. Some reported they had more time for learning together, communicating, playing, and assisting the learning process through online therapy. As negatives, the parents of ASD children reported low physical activity, increased time with electronic devices, and time spent with the same people. Caregivers of typically developing children agreed that the lockdown had only negative effects. To conclude, for children with ASD in the study, the lockdown period demonstrated that more time spent with parents in structured everyday activities is an opportunity that can lead to positive results in their behavior.

Background: The cultural and language diversity across many European countries presents a range of challenges and opportunities for speech and language therapists and other practitioners working with children with developmental language disorders (DLD) and their families., Objective: The aim of this study was to explore practitioners' perceptions of cultural and linguistic differences in response to children with DLD across different countries., Methods: A survey was developed by practitioners and researchers working with children with DLD across Europe and beyond as part of the work of Cost Action IS1406. Data from 1,358 practitioners from 8 European countries - Ireland, UK, Bulgaria, Poland, Croatia, Spain, Norway and Sweden - and 2 neighbour countries - Turkey and Lebanon - were included in the present analyses, which address two groups of questions. The first focuses on practitioners' perceptions of the way that parents think about cultural differences and their relationship to language development in their children. The second concerns the extent to which practitioners consider themselves to have the skills to work with children from other cultures and using different languages., Results/conclusions: Most countries present a similar profile with intermediate results about their perception of cultural issues, but Lebanon and Turkey are the group with the most positive responses. In terms of bilingual issues most practitioners indicated that they only worked in their country's primary language. The only country where this was not the case was Lebanon. Professionals from Spain and Lebanon form a subgroup in terms of their confidence to work with different cultural/language groups. The paper highlights both the universal importance of cultural and linguistic competence in managing young children's needs and indicates that in most cases professionals do not think they have the necessary expertise to work with cultural and linguistic diversity., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)