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Abstract: Background The prices of energy resources are important determinants of sustainable energy development, yet associated with significant unknowns. The estimates of the impact of prices of energy products in the domestic market (for domestic consumers) are rare—hence the importance and novelty of this research. Therefore, the main goal of the paper is to assess the impact of domestic prices of gasoline, gas, coal, and solar energy on sustainable and secure energy future. Methods The research includes 14 countries (of which 7 are developed and 7 are developing countries) and a period of 5 years (2014–2018). The model also includes discrete variables: level of development (developing or developed), and the fact as to whether the country is an energy exporter or not. For the purposes of analysis, the following elements were used: Panel Data Analysis, Linear regression (with random and fixed effects), Durbin–Wu–Hausman test, and Honda test, with the use of R-studio software for statistical computing. Results The research showed that the biggest negative impact on energy sustainability was recorded by an increase in the price of coal and the smallest one by an increase in the price of solar energy. An increase in the price of gasoline has a positive impact, while an increase in the price of gas has no impact. The basic methodological result showed that the fixed effects linear model is more accurate than the random effect model. Conclusions The results of the paper, important as a sustainable energy policy recommendation, showed that the impact of changes in energy product prices is significantly greater in developing countries, but that the status of the country as an energy exporter has no significance. In addition, the paper points to the need to intensify the research on the assessment of the impact of energy product prices for domestic consumers on their ability to pay that price, because with a certain (so far undefined) increase in energy product prices, a certain group of domestic consumers moves into a category that is not in line with sustainable energy development and is extremely undesirable in every respect—energy poverty.
Keywords: sustainable energy development, conventional energy prices, solar prices, developing countries, R-studio
Published in DKUM: 26.06.2024; Views: 133; Downloads: 14
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Abstract: In the present article the significance and the role of art appreciation are dealt with. The ways and procedures of developing art appreciation of pupils in primary school are presented. With the support of the procedure of gradual uncovering of an artwork, in which two different methods were employed, namely increasing the sharpness and fragmentary image, the response and experience of 14 - 15 years old pupils were investigated in this study. In this, focus was on the examination of appropriateness of the procedures according to the type of the selected artworks. The procedures were examined on two sets, namely on a set of artworks with realistically depicted motifs and on a set of abstract paintings. We have found the selected procedures were to a certain extent more appropriate for dealing with realistic motifs, and to a lesser extent for abstract motifs. For pupils it is more difficult to accept an unknown, alien image, they much more easily identify themselves with recognisable forms and motifs. The latter motivate and inspire them more; they activate communication and in consequence raise the level of the development of art appreciation.
Keywords: art appreciation, communication, artworks, methods of developing art appreciation
Published in DKUM: 06.07.2017; Views: 1232; Downloads: 414
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Abstract: For some students developing listening skills can be very challenging. This diploma paper deals with the importance of teaching and developing listening skills effectively in a foreign language classroom. In most cases when students listen to a text in a foreign language, they rarely think about how they listen and what can they do to improve their listening skills. For this reason, Listening Logs are presented in this thesis as a tool for developing listening skills. The thesis is divided into two parts. The first part is theoretical and the second one is empirical. In the theoretical part listening process is described as well as the process of planning listening activities in the classroom. In addition, uncertainties and problems causing learners demotivation to listen are discussed. Finally, Listening Logs are presented as a tool to encourage students to listen outside the classroom. In the empirical part, the results of how students reflect on their listening are presented. This is followed by an interpretation of Listening Log forms which were completed by the students. The results show that Listening Logs are a useful tool for developing listening skills and that students' grade in English does not affect on the opinion that Listening Logs are an effective activity for developing listening skill. This was investigated by forming five hypotheses, two of which were rejected and three were confirmed. The results also show that Listening Logs develop learner's autonomy.
Keywords: developing listening skills, planning, pre-listening stage, while-listening stage, post listening stage, Listening Logs.
Published in DKUM: 22.09.2016; Views: 1474; Downloads: 143
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Abstract: The aim of this study was to define when an insulin-positive cell becomes functional in vivo and starts to exocytose insulin in a regulated nutrient-dependent manner. Insulin-positive cells appear in embryonic life (midgestation) and complete their maturation, presumably around birth. In order to work with embryonic and newborn endocrine pancreas, we used organotypic slices. The mouse embryonic pancreas slices show high basal insulin release that is not further elevated by high glucose levels. Despite the presence of functional voltage-activated ion channels, the cells are not electrically active in the presence of secretagogues. At birth, the high basalinsulin release drops and, after postnatal day 2, the insulin-positive cells show both adult-like bursting electrical activity and hormone release induced by high glucose levels. These properties allowed us to define them as beta cells. Despite the apparent stability of the transcription factor profile reported in insulin-positive cells during late-embryonic life, functional beta cells appear only 2 days after birth.
Keywords: cell biology, insulin release, embrios, newborn, beta-cell maturation, developing pancreas
Published in DKUM: 07.06.2012; Views: 1556; Downloads: 28
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Abstract: This paper examines information and communication technology (ICT) and socioeconomic indicators associated with Internet use based on income level across countries. Although some literature deals with cross-country indicatorsof Internet use, no known study quantitatively examines which indicators are superior or how they differ across countries with different income level. We extract factors with the most important indicators and evaluate their impact on Internet use for four income groups: low, lower middle, upper middle, and high. The results show that Internet use can be stimulated by educated people, available computers, telecommunications connections and increasing income per capita. However, prices of telecommunications services, international trade, investment, population density, unemployment rate or GDP growth rate do not affect Internet use.
Keywords: technology gap, developing countries, digital divide, internet access, information technology, communication technology
Published in DKUM: 31.05.2012; Views: 2356; Downloads: 30
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