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Research and development are important sources of economic growth and social welfare and play a key role in creating new knowledge, products and technological processes. In our paper we focused on the analysis and evaluation of research and innovation potential in the European Union countries in 2010 and 2015 using Data Envelopment Analysis. For the evaluation, seven indicators were selected, as starting point for the evaluation of research activities and the measurement of the innovation performance and of competitiveness of the individual countries. Input capital indicators were – R&D expenditure in the higher education sector and in the business enterprise sector as % of GDP. Input human labour indicators were total researchers (FTE), human resources in science and technology (HRST) as % of active population and employment in total service intensive sectors as % of total employment. Output indicators were the number of scientific publications and high‑tech export as % of total export. On basis of DEA super‑efficiency analyses results we can make following conclusions. The best group of five countries is characterized by efficient status in both analysed periods 2010 and 2015 (Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus, Croatia and United Kingdom). The second group contains two countries Germany and Italy. This countries improved status from inefficient in 2010 to efficient in 2015. In the third group are five countries that worsened their status from efficient in 2010 to inefficient one in 2015: Portugal, Malta, Poland, Luxembourg and Netherlands. In last fourth group are all other EU28 countries that were inefficient in both analysed periods 2010 and 2015. In group of V4 countries situation is not optimistic. Poland worsened its status from efficient in 2010 to inefficient one in 2015 and three remaining countries – Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia stagnated in inefficient status in both periods. On the opposite there was not significant difference in super‑efficiencies in 2010 and in 2015 and in their differences between capitalist and post‑socialist EU28 countries.

On the basis of online survey (made in 2017) about entrepreneurship environment we wanted to find out which entrepreneurship conditions are different from the viewpoint of Czech university students (156 men and 252 women) and Slovak university students (216 men and 352 women). From 40 available questionnaire items about two-thirds of them were different in a group of Czech university students compared with Slovak university students (p

The European space-economy represents a complex system with a great internal heterogeneity, intensive socioeconomic interactions and differential growth trajectories among countries and regions. The present study aims to investigate the connectivity between spatial competitiveness and resilience in Europe and seeks to design an operational framework for concerted strategies of competitive and resilient regions. To assess the linkage between resilience and competitiveness, we have developed a new measure, viz. the Resilience and Competitiveness Index (RACI) as a function of two constituent sub-indices: Resilience and Competitiveness. This approach is tested on the basis of detailed data on European regions. The empirical results from 268 EU NUTS2 regions offer a solid anchor point for the proposed operational framework for concerted development strategies of competitive and resilient regions. Our research distinguishes and proposes several systematic types of concerted regional strategies according to the performance of a region measured by Resilience and Competiveness sub-indices. A key result of the study is the design of an operational constellation for strategic regional policy evaluation, with a major added value for policy- and decision-making purposes. The use of official data from Eurostat and of standard indicators in our research assures continuity and consistency with the official Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI) classification and measurement, so that policy makers are able to compare the performance of their regions over time and to develop proper concerted strategies accordingly. The clear evidence of a connectivity between regional competitiveness and resilience may help to develop a governance approach that balances competitiveness (mainly represented by productive assets) with resilience (mainly represented by sustainability and ecological awareness) and thus to deal with the complexity in socioeconomic systems.

Across the world, millions of people are incarcerated every year, while hundreds of thousands of them are released back into their home communities. Despite several alternatives within the criminal justice system, incarceration is still considered as the most natural method of correction. This can lead to different types of unsustainable pathways within a society. Despite the growing importance and increasing use of digital technologies, there are relatively few scientific studies related to the implementation of digital technologies in corrections. Therefore, the present paper aims to assess the sustainable policy measures based on the implementation of digital technologies in corrections, namely electronic monitoring (EM). The ooriginality of our paper is supported by unique primary data gathered during the first national survey on the assessment of sustainability measures of EM in Slovakia. Our research reveals that EM implementation contributes to individual and institutional resilience in a socio-economic context, the requirements for a conditional release of serious offenders with mandatory EM seem to have created sustainable conditions for the use of this form of the EM &ldquo, back door&rdquo, scheme. EM programs are aimed at suppressing crime through increased accountability and monitoring, which leads to their sustainability. Maintaining social and family ties, reducing risk of imprisonment and undesirable new ties, and keeping working habits are the main sustainable policy measures of EM that support better social inclusion of offenders. Assessment of the sustainable policy measures based on the implementation of digital technologies in corrections, namely electronic monitoring (EM) uncovered in the present paper, creates space for further research and policy implications. Data protection, automated data processing and artificial intelligence in the implementation of digital technologies in corrections are important topics that deserve much more attention in research.

The paper focusses on the concept of a smart city and its specific components in relation to size of the city. Smart cities are a topic whose key importance is being increasingly recognised across both academic disciplines and urban planning. The idea of a smart city is a dream of urban planners all over the world, and a subject of many research and business initiatives as well as policy debates. As cities vary considerably in size, it is important to ask if the size influences the level of selected indicators of smart cities. Our main presumption is that the development level of indicators of smart cities varies in cities of different size. Our scientific objective is to find a simple understandable model linking the categorical variable “city size” to a group of smart city indicators. Our data set contains 26 smart city indicators for 158 European smart cities, divided into two sizes: medium-sized cities and larger cities. We draw from the methodology of “European Smart Cities” elaborated by the Vienna University of Technology (Project ID: 314704 ) that classify European smart cities and smart city indicators by considering their size. Analysing the statistics by using decision tree modelling, we identify the most significant indicators of smart cities that can divide smart cities into size categories with impressive 96.2% correct classification. Besides excellent classification result based on real empirical data, several research results overturn common assumptions about smart cities. Based on the research results the paper also highlights intriguing future challenges in smart city research and policy development. Several research results have policy implications and might be useful for urban planners, policy representatives and decision makers.

Protected mountain areas are attractive tourist destinations, and the number of visitors to these areas is increasing. The extension of cable car operations into the summer season is a challenge for some protected areas. Our study focuses on visitor profiles and is based on the characteristics of socio-demographic and spatial behavior of cable car users of the Chopok area (Slovakia). The methods used involve recording visitors’ itineraries through the use of GPS loggers and conducting post-trip interviews with the study participants. In order to better understand visitors’ spatial behavior, the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and trip itinerary parameters was analyzed. Additionally, three distinct visitor profiles based on cluster analysis were found in the investigated sample. The results can be used to enrich our knowledge concerning the spatial behavior of tourists in mountain environments, and more directly, for the management of cable car destinations located within protected areas.

The present study aims to test relative welfare differences among regions in Europe, so as to examine whether the post-communist era has led to more socio-economic cohesion in Europe. The performance of European regions is analysed, compared, and assessed by using the Regional Competitiveness Index (RCI) and stylised fixed nominal categories. The current status of regional cohesion is tested on the basis of detailed data on 268 NUTS 2 European regions by using a robust methodology oriented towards univariate comparison of location parameters, multivariate classification by the decision tree and CHAID algorithm, and comparison of nominal variables with four values based on density plots. Multivariate classification appears to offer statistically excellent results with an overall correct prediction rate for post-socialist and capitalist regions in Europe of 99.6%. The research results from the Higher education and Innovation pillars, reveal a convergence of capitalist and post-socialist regions with capital cities and a divergence of regions with administrative capitals and other regions. Relatively, the two groups which perform best are both groups with capitals, while the group of capitalist regions with a capital city is significantly better in almost all pillars. The key message is that the transition of post-socialist regions is not yet over. Capitalist regions in Europe perform better than post-socialist regions in eight of the nine pillars of regional competitiveness. Our research results also reveal that the group of post-socialist regions without capital cities are significantly lagging behind the rest of the regions in Europe, and thus form the most vulnerable group of European regions. As there is data continuity in the official RCI classification and measurement, policy makers will be able to compare the performance of their own regions over time and to design appropriate concerted strategies accordingly. From this perspective, our study draws several interesting lessons and results for policy makers at various levels. Place-based regional planning and policy based on our analysis framework may be helpful in developing effective measures to cope with the socio-economic legacy of the “Iron Curtain” and get closer to regional cohesion in Europe.

The main objective of this paper was to find similarities among eight Slovak regions from the viewpoint of five specialized day surgery fields and among specialized day surgery fields from the viewpoint of Slovak regions on the basis of day surgery operated and hospitalized patient counts. Day surgery data of paediatric patients and of adult patients from the National Health Information Centre during the years 2009&ndash, 2017 were used. Correspondence analysis in two dimensions of the Slovak regions and of specialized day surgery fields was applied in order to achieve the paper&rsquo, s objective. The Ko&scaron, ice Region differs most from the overall national average in both groups of paediatric day surgery. This is caused by its largest proportions in the fields of Gynaecology (29.7%) and Urology (48.0%) (operated patients), and in the fields of Gynaecology (60.5%) and Surgery (21.6%) (hospitalized patients). The most different specialized day surgery fields from overall average are: Urology (operated paediatric patients), Gynaecology (hospitalized paediatric patients), Otorhinolaryngology (operated adult patients) and Ophthalmology (hospitalized adult patients). Urogenital system day surgery procedures (Gynaecology, Urology) are separated from other three fields (i.e., Surgery, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology) either in the first or in the second dimension of the singular value matrix decomposition.

Since the last decades, natural disturbances in forests including protected areas have intensified. They have the potential to impact visual quality and safety of visitors as well as spread beyond protected area boundaries. While economic and ecological impacts are well studied, there is still a lack of work focused on human dimensions and social aspects. This study examines visitor perceptions towards bark beetle infestation in Tatra National Park, Poland. The findings, based on visitor surveys collected during the summer of 2014, indicate the significance of different factors influencing visitor attitudes towards the bark beetle. Age of visitors and importance of the bark beetle issue for them (based on subjective ratings of importance of bark beetle issue for respondents) are the most prominent variables. Also place of origin and environmental worldview were recognized as significantly important variables in accordance with similar studies. Results suggest management implications for park authorities including public relations and environmental education in order to increase knowledge and support for natural disturbance and ecological integrity policies in the national park.

Healthcare management is a very complex problem in each country. There are different conditions as well as economic, health and social bonds in the countries, while a constant emphasis on healthcare system efficiency is the common feature in each country. Specific and current field of healthcare is day surgery. It is less costly and its savings are in the most of rationally functioning economic systems used for financing more complex surgeries. The paper reflects on the above-mentioned aspects and its primary aim is to evaluate the day surgery efficiency during 2009 – 2013 by applying Malmquist indices. So the object of our case study is group of day surgery facilities in Slovak regions. The subject is dynamic data envelopment analysis on basis of Malmquist indices. Results of our case study offer valuable information for health and social policies’ managers, and especially for setting up stabilization and regulation mechanisms in a process of healthcare system development in Slovakia.

The Cu-dump field Piesky is an important historical abandoned mining area in the region of central Europe, well known for the high content of heavy metals in its soil, especially copper, the content of which varies from 933.40 to 1485.40 mg kg−1. Floristic and phytosociological research was carried out here during the vegetation seasons in 2011–2014. Altogether a total of 156 taxa of vascular plants were found. The most common species were Acetosella vulgaris, Agrostis capillaris, A. stolonifera, Arabidopsis arenosa and Festuca rubra, which were important constituents of all mine heaps in central Slovakia. We examined a total of 11 phytosociological relevés at various sites, which were selected to capture the variability of plant communities throughout topographical and ecological variability, various successional stages and impacts from humans. They were classified into five habitats: initial successional stages, grasslands, forest stands, wetland and feeding grounds for wild animals. Each site was evaluated in terms of its species richness, index of diversity and the representation of metallophytic, alien invasive species, synanthrophytes and native non-apophytes. This representation is based on species number and abundance, and their ratios to all taxa abundance and species richness are reflected by several indicators, which we have called indexes of metallophytization, synanthropization and naturalness of the vegetation (community) composition. In addition, indexes of invasive alien taxa and native non-apophytes proportion were used. Furthermore, each of the 11 sites was characterized by its basic topographic properties and climatic and edaphic variables, using the phytoindication approach based on the Ellenberg indicator values. The correlation analysis has uncovered several important and significant associations between some of these indicators and the climatic and edaphic variables. The negative correlations between the number of native non-apophytes and temperature (and between their relative abundances in the individual habitats and light) partially confirm that on mine heaps the numbers of synanthrophytes retreat into climax forest stands. Other correlations confirm that synanthropisation of the vegetation at a site is also higher in more eutrophic and less acidic soils for mine heaps. The species richness was highest in the grasslands and wetland and lowest in the initial succession stages, while beta diversity decreased in an opposite direction. Most synanthrophytes were found on grasslands, attracted by higher amount of nutrients in the soil, brought by sewage sludge from water treatment plants during partial recultivation of this mine heap in the years 2000 and 2010. The idea behind it was to support and accelerate the succession, however the use of the sludge may not have been the best option. Despite strict control of its chemical content, a high input of nutrients inevitably increases numbers of synanthrophytes in the vegetation cover. Finally, planting deciduous trees on young mine heaps as a method of directed succession is a better option than planting coniferous ones. The latter trees create acidic litter, increasing heavy metal mobility in the soil. We have found the dump heap Piesky to be a very suitable locality for studying processes of primary and directed succession in extreme environments and their impacts on the floristic composition of vegetation.

This paper examines impacts of increased visitation leading to human trampling of vegetation and soil along several trails in Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) to understand how abiotic factors and level of use can influence trail conditions. RMNP is one of the most visited national parks in the USA with 3.3 million visitors in 2012 across 1075 km2 and 571 km of hiking trails. 95 % of the park is designated wilderness making the balance between preservation and visitor use challenging. This research involves the application of trail condition assessments to 56 km of trails to determine prevailing factors and what, if any, connection between them exist. The study looked at a variety of inventory and impact indicators and standards to determine their importance and to develop a baseline condition of trails. The data can be used for future comparison and evaluation of development trends. We found that trail widening (mean trail width 88.9 cm) and soil loss (cross sectional area 172.7 cm2) are the most visible effects of trail degradation. Further statistical analyses of data identified the role and influence of various factors (e.g. use level and topography). Insights into the influence of these factors can lead to the selection of appropriate management measures to avoid or minimize negative consequences from increased visitation.

Aim: Knowledge of the causes of deaths in Slovakia is lacking. This is significant because diet and lifestyle factors are different in central Europe compared to Western, Northern and Southern Europe. This study aims to discern trends of age-adjusted mortality rates caused by various diseases in relation to demographic factors. The aim of our study was to find certain statistical aspects including trends of age-adjusted mortality rates caused by neoplastic (Chapter II) and circulatory diseases (Chapter IX) in the Slovak population in relation to available demographic factors (sex, region and calendar year of death). Methods: Dataset of individual deaths in Slovakia with certain demographic factors (sex, region and calendar year of death) during 1996-2013 were provided by the Slovak National Center of Health Informatics. Regression and correlation analyses and analyses of variance and of covariance were used to yield the level of significance. Results: We found significant differences of age-adjusted mortality rates between men and women, between Chapter II and Chapter IX and among Slovak regions. Age-adjusted mortality rates decline significantly in most regions for both sexes with the exception of stagnation in four regions in a group of Chapter II women (Kosice, Nitra, Trencin and Žilina) and one region in Chapter IX, also in group of women (Žilina). Conclusions: Mortalities caused either by Chapter II or Chapter IX diseases are significantly dependent on chapter, sex and region with mortalities either declining or stagnating.

Aim: Access to primary health care is highly connected to the prevention of cancer mortality, since the risk factors threatening health can be early identified. The aim of this paper is, firstly, to explore similarity within and between the regions of the Slovak Republic and cancer mortality patterns, and secondly, to reveal if similar regions are characterised by the similar access to health care or risk factors occurrence. Methods: Data on deaths by sex, type of cancer death and region from 1996 to 2014 is provided by the National Health Information Centre of Slovakia. The relationships between 8 regions and 16 cancer types are described by correspondence analysis for both sexes. Results: The most similar cancer mortality patterns among Slovak regions are between the Nitra and Trnava regions for both sexes, and the Kosice region for males. The Presov region is showed as an outlier from other regions for females, likely due to the highest concentration of Roma marginalised communities. As for access to health care, the Trnava region as well as Nitra region report the lowest densities of physicians, 2.4 and 2.6 per 1,000 inhabitants, respectively. The most serious cancer types mortality is attributed to the digestive organs (C15-C26) in each Slovak region for both sexes with the average proportion of 35.56%. Observed high association between the Nitra region and respiratory cancer (C30-C39) in males may be confirmed by the increased incidence of radon in this region. Similarly, a tight relationship between the Bratislava region and cancer of male genital organs (C60-C63) can relate to the highest proportion of drug users in the Bratislava region. Conclusions: Based on the findings of similar regions in cancer mortality patterns, we recommend to set the same prevention programs in the Trnava and Nitra regions, on the other hand, different preventive interventions should be introduced in the Presov region.

Aim: The aim of our study was to find statistical associations including trends of standardised rate ratio of age-adjusted mortality rates for the male population as compared to the female population, in relation to available demographic factors (Chapter II - neoplasms vs. Chapter IX - Diseases of the circulatory system, Slovak region and calendar year of death). Methods: Dataset of individual cases of death in Slovakia with some demographic factors during 1996-2013 were provided by Slovak National Health Information Center. We used regression and correlation analyses, as well as analyses of variance and covariance along with descriptive statistics. Results: The standardised rate ratio of age adjusted mortality rates of men versus age-adjusted mortality rates of women differs between Chapter II and Chapter IX (mean 2.08 vs. 1.35, p < 0.001). There are also significant differences of standardised rate ratio among regions (p < 0.05). Trends show that the standardised rate ratio has significant regional decline for Chapter II: Kosice (p < 0.01), Trencin (p < 0.001) and Žilina (p < 0.05) whereas in Chapter IX Žilina region (p < 0.01) is implicated. In other Slovak regions standardised rate ratio stagnates. Conclusions: Standardised rate ratios of age-adjusted mortality rates for the male population compared to the female population are significantly dependent on chapter, sex and region. Standardised rate ratios either decline or stagnate.

In developed countries, day surgery has been used as a significant tool of efficiency increase in the health care system over the last few decades. However, its development is not sufficient in the Slovak conditions in spite of the support of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic. Its use in the unstable conditions of the Slovak health system represents the main reason. The paper presents a partial output of the research that focuses on day surgery development in order to increase an efficiency of the health system in Slovakia. Its primary aim is to highlight a significance of Malmquist indices' application in evaluation of day surgery processes of adult patients. The outputs represent a valuable platform for health and social policies' creators.

During the transition from deconfined to hadronic stage the firaball in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions can fragment. We propose a method which uses the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to identify whether the fireball has fragmented or not. We test the method on artificial data generated by a Monte Carlo event generator which simulates particle emission from a fragmented fireball.

We propose an application of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test for rapidity distributions of individual events in ultrarelativistic heavy ion collisions. The test is particularly suitable to recognise non-statistical differences between the events. Thus when applied to a narrow centrality class it could indicate differences between events which would not be expected if all events evolve according to the same scenario. In particular, as an example we assume here a possible fragmentation of the fireball into smaller pieces at the quark/hadron phase transition. Quantitative studies are performed with a Monte Carlo model capable of simulating such a distribution of hadrons. We conclude that the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test is a very powerful tool for the identification of the fragmentation process., Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures