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The aim of the research is to illustrate how the degree of effectiveness of fiscal policy measures varies depending on the level of public debt within a group of Central and Eastern European (CEE) states. To this end, a T-SVAR (Threshold Structural Vector Autoregressive) model was implemented, based on two regimes, calibrated as a function of the evolution of public debt. The results illustrate that, in most of the countries analysed, increasing government expenditure generates a stronger increase in economic growth under the low public debt regime in comparison with the situation at the level of the high public debt regime. Thus, the effectiveness of fiscal policy measures declines as the level of government debt rises. Another result obtained within the analysis highlights that the positive effect of public debt reduction on economic growth is more strongly felt in the higher public debt regime than under a low public debt regime. On the basis of these results, it is recommended that the CEE countries continue their efforts to reduce public debt in order to increase the effectiveness of fiscal policy measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing volatility and product individualization are leading to higher complexity in manual assembly. At the same time, production and processes must become more flexible, and humans have to adapt to new products more often and even faster. Industry 5.0 will increasingly focus on human-centric approaches, on the collaboration of humans and machines intensively using cognitive assistance systems. The design of an innovative cognitive assistance system is a complex task due to the many technological opportunities and their interrelationships. In the framework of this research, a method was developed enabling the systematic design of cognitive assistance systems that integrates business and worker requirements aiming at improving productivity, quality, worker satisfaction and well-being. The research question was approached by design science research having, as the main output, a systematic and innovative method for the design of cognitive assistance systems based on quality function deployment (QFD), referred to as cognitive assistance system-QFD (CAS-QFD). The developed methodology is divided into six phases and includes the iterative design of a cognitive assistance system starting from the assembly process. The method considers the information needs of the workers, the definition of the appropriate assistance functions and the selection of the interaction technologies. The exemplarily industrial evaluation highlighted the relevance of CAS-QFD for systematically designing cognitive assistance systems based on holistic requirements, identified at the worker, workplace, production area and, finally, at the enterprise level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agile product innovation method Lean Startup Approach is used by startups to quickly adapt to the fast changing market conditions and customer needs. The authors carried out a preliminary study which showed that global challenges such as digital transformation are urging companies to become more dynamic and flexible, and that this method is already used by large companies to meet the needs. Based on the preliminary study, the authors conducted in-depth interviews with experts to examine the procedure for introducing the Lean Startup Approach in large manufacturing companies, and examined the feasibility of applying the method to SMEs.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a holistic methodology for planning, optimization and integration of exoskeletons for human-centered workplaces, with a focus on the automotive industry. Parts of current and future challenges in this industry (i.e., need of flexible manufacturing but as well having demographic change) are the motivation for this article. This challenges should be transformed in positive effectiveness by integrating of exoskeletons regarding this article. Already published research work from authors are combined in a form of summary, to get all relevant knowledge, and especially results, in a coherent and final context. This article gives interested newcomers, as well as experienced users, planners and researchers, in exoskeleton technology an overview and guideline of all relevant parts: from absolute basics beginning until operative usage. After fixing the motivation with resulting three relevant research questions, an introduction to the exoskeleton technology and to the current challenges in planning and optimizing the ergonomics and efficiency in manufacturing are given. A first preselection method (called ExoMatch) is presented to find the most suitable exoskeleton for workplacesm by filtering and matching all the important analyzed attributes and characteristics under consideration to all relevant aspects from environments. The next section treats results regarding an analysis of influencing factors by integrating exoskeletons in manufacturing. In particular, ergonomic-related and production-process-related (especially time-management) influences identified and researched in already published works are discussed. The next important step is to present a roadmap as a guideline for integration exoskeleton. This article gives relevant knowledge, methodologies and guidelines for optimized integrating exoskeleton for human-centered workplaces, under consideration of ergonomics- and process-related influences, in a coherent context, as a result and summary from several already published research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (allo-HSC) transplantation is used in the treatment of malignant hematological diseases. An important tool in monitoring post-transplantation evolution is represented by the percentage of donor's blood cells found in recipient's blood, known as chimersim. This is useful in predicting the graft rejection and the risk of disease relapse. In this study, we present the importance of multiplex STR markers in chimerism monitoring of a 8 year old girl diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Methods: In the pre-transplant stage, saliva on buccal swabs and blood samples in EDTA were collected from the donor and recipient and used as reference samples. The DNA extraction from saliva and blood samples was done using the Pure Link Genomic DNA kit (Invitrogen, USA). For the DNA quantification, the Quantifiler Human DNA kit (Applied Biosystems, USA) was used on an ABI 7500 Real-time PCR system (Applied Biosystems, USA). Amplification of the STR markers was performed using the AmpFLSTR NGM SElect kit (Applied Biosystems, USA) on a ProFlex PCR System. The PCR products were separated and detected on an ABI 3500 Genetic Analyzer (Applied Biosytems, USA). Results: One month post-transplantation of HSC, a mixed chimerism (MC) containing 38% of donor's cells was obtained from a bone marrow aspiration sample. On the 45th day, a new transplantation was performed. On the 15th day after 2nd transplantation, a MC with 91% donor's cells was obtained. On the 21st day after the 2nd transplantation, a complete chimerism (CC) with 100% donor's cells was obtained. Conclusions: Chimerism monitoring is useful in identifying those patients in risk for relapse or graft rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human personality, still is a continuum object of interest for specialists in social-sciences. From experts in special education studying human personality of persons with deficiencies is related not only to reveal the main features, but also to emphasize it the implications to interpersonal relationships in social environment. Recent studies have pointed that the process of interpersonal relationships is mark not only by the type of deficiency and the level of deficiency that a person has, but also by the personal significance assigned by persons with deficiencies to Alter. This paper, tries to revel the differential modalities that the self-imagine is objectified in social interaction at preadolescents with hearing impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is among the most widely used safety analysis procedures in the various industries. The procedure is generally perceived as complex and time-consuming, hindering an effective reuse of previous knowledge. In this paper we present an innovative usage of knowledge system into FMEA process using the Case-based reasoning to reduce the time and effort associated with this analysis. Knowledge system is built to serve multi-projects work that nowadays are in place in any manufacturing or services provider, and knowledge must be retained and reused at the company level and not only at project level. Collaboration is assured trough web-based GUI that supports multiple users access at any time. Initial results confirm the viability of this system for industrial application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure a robust mass production, the automotive industry relies on computer aided tolerancing to guarantee the dimensional quality of the vehicles’ body-in-white. One of the challenges for computer aided tolerancing is the accurate modelling of the positioning for joining processes in the body-in-white production. The research work presented in this paper analyses three use-cases, on which different approaches of modelling of the so-called geo-stations are investigated, aiming at improving the deviation prediction based on the geo-station modelling. The examples show that the measurement values are met most accurately, if the positioning processes of the geo-station are taken into account as the dominant impact factor in the simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A population study on 13 tetra- and pentameric STR loci (D3S1358, VWA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, THO1, FGA, ACTBP2 (SE33), Penta D and Penta E) was performed with Romanians from the Bucharest area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]