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Climate change presents a substantial impediment for the global community and prompts policymakers worldwide to prioritize environmental goals when defining national development strategies. Prioritizing these goals is particularly challenging for governments of developing economies still relying on fossil fuels, foreign capital, and industry contribution to GDP. This study examines the relationships between carbon dioxide emissions, industry value added, financial development, and electricity generation in 15 Central and Eastern European countries from 1995 to 2021. To achieve this objective, we examined stationarity and cointegration and employed a vector error correction model to investigate causalities between the variables, along with a variance decomposition analysis. Our findings suggest that the short-run unidirectional causalities exist from industry value-added to carbon dioxide emissions and from carbon dioxide emissions to financial development and electricity generation. Long-term causality exists between carbon dioxide emissions and industry value added. The findings shed light on the challenges and opportunities these countries face in transitioning to climate neutrality and meeting the decarbonization targets. Within this context, the findings underscore the significance of crafting customized strategies for these economies to navigate the complex landscape of climate change while promoting sustainable industrial, electricity and financial sector development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the complex interactions between the economy and the environment is crucial for promoting sustainable development and mitigating the negative impact of human activities on the Planet. The importance of this issue for Serbia is evident as the country strives to balance economic growth and environmental protection to ensure a sustainable and resilient future. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate and model the relationship between CO2 emissions, economic growth, electricity consumption, and trade openness in Serbia. Initially, an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model is used to characterize the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) using data from the period from 1995 to 2019, followed by the construction of a bootstrap logistic regression model to predict environmental quality in Serbia. Long-term estimates of the model confirm an inverted U-shaped relationship, where all three variables exert a statistically significant influence on CO2 emissions. In the short run, however, a causal relationship is only observed between electricity consumption and CO2 emissions. The logistic regression results show that all three factors significantly influence environmental quality. The study proposes policy recommendations for Serbia, such as promoting sustainable economic growth, implementing long-term programs to reduce CO2 emissions, reviewing trade policies to prioritize sustainable practices, and investing in renewable energy sources to reduce emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high rate of injury incidence and its severity is estimated to cause approximately 9% of global mortality, while a large proportion of people surviving their injuries experience temporary or permanent disabilities. To reduce the occurrence of disability and improve general health of survivors, a more comprehensive rehabilitation approach is needed. Motor imagery is recognized as the promising cognitive strategy to counteract impaired functional capacity of the neuromuscular system. Thus, we aimed to provide to the Slovenian-speaking community a valid and reliable version of Motor Imagery Questionnaire – 3 [MIQ-3], that consists of kinaesthetic imagery [KI] and visual [i.e., Internal Imagery [IMI] and external imagery [EVI]] items.

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between speaker self-confidence, test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation in college students, as well as connection of these variables with self-assessment of the preparedness for exam and confidence in their knowledge. There were 221 students (male and female) that participated in the study. The authors applied following scales: Scale of speaker self-confidence, Scale of test anxiety, Scale of fear of negative evaluation, and sociodemographic questionnaire designed for this research (gender, age, college year, level of parental education), as well as self-assessment of preparedness for exam and self-assessment of the confidence in one's own knowledge. The test was carried out during the examination period. The results of the study show that there is a significant correlation between confidence in one's knowledge and test anxiety, readiness for exam and speaker anxiety, as well as test anxiety, speaker anxiety, and fear of negative assessment among tested students.

Geopolitical risks and conflicts wield substantial influence on the global economy and financial markets, fostering uncertainty and volatility. This study investigates the intricate relationship between gold and representatives of green and sustainable stocks in the US and EU during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, employing multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-DCCA) and nonlinear Granger causality. MF-DCCA reveals significant multifractal properties and nonlinear cross-correlations across all time series pairs. Notably, conflict weakened the multifractal cross-correlations between US stocks and gold, except for the TESLA/gold pair. A similar significant change in the EU market's multifractal properties was observed during the conflict. In conjunction with MF-DCCA, Granger causality tests indicate bidirectional nonlinear relationships between gold and green/sustainable stock markets in the USA and EU. Gold's past movements significantly influence changes in all the considered green and sustainable stocks, enabling predictions of their behavior. These findings shed light on multifractal dynamics during geopolitical crises and emphasize the bidirectional relationships between gold and green and sustainable stock markets. This comprehensive analysis informs investors and policy makers, enhancing their understanding of financial market behavior amid geopolitical instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper authors review the issue of relationship between economy, society and environmental protection. This could not be done without the three sustainability principles being incorporated in the concept of sustainable development and later in the concept of green economy. Many definitions of both concepts refer to the fact that these relationships are complex, as economic well-being and environmental protection cannot 'reconcile' in the short run. The aim of green economy is to even economy, society and environment. Green finance was developed within this new economic concept. One instrument of green finance, i.e. socially responsible finance is the Equator principles. This thesis shows the mechanism of action of financial institutions which accepted these new principles, but also points out disadvantages that must be removed over time so that these principles could have a positive impact on society and environment.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between attitudes, motivation, and school sports engagement frequency, using the newly constructed Attitudes and Motivation Toward School Sports Questionnaire (AMTSSQ) inventory as a tool for assessment. The study found a significant effect of attitudes (F = 11.96, p < .001, np² = 0.02) and motivation (F = 19.63, p < .001, np²= 0.03) with strong positive correlation coefficients (r = 0.71) between attitudes, motivation, and school sports engagement frequency. However, Bayesian analyses supported the null hypothesis with moderate to strong evidence (Bayes Factor < 0.33), and credible intervals for effect size and R² were relatively narrow. Additionally, school sports engagement frequency is not significantly related to motivation (b = -0.08 to 0.03, p > .05), and the highest order unconditional interaction of school sports engagement frequency and attitudes was not significant (F = 1.18, p = .315). However, attitudes were strongly related to motivation (R²= .99), suggesting that students who viewed school sports as important and developed had higher motivation toward school sports. Hence, we can conclude that the AMTSSQ reliably and validly assesses students’ attitudes and motivation toward school sports, and we found positive associations between attitudes and motivation. The findings suggest that attitudes towards school sports, like the perceived importance and developmental benefits, are significant predictors of motivation and may influence engagement in school sports. However, school sports engagement frequency did not moderate the relationship between attitudes and motivation. These findings have implications for promoting physical activity and student-school sports participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper gives an overview of the current situation and trends in the CME Group as a leader in the global market of financial derivatives. Special emphasis is placed on CME Globex - the electronic trading platform within the CME Group. The methodology used in this paper is typical for social sciences: a comparative analysis, historical analysis, and analysis of data, which enabled the use of various materials from books, scholarly journals, electronic databases and official documents and reports. The first part of this paper gives an overview of financial derivatives in general. The remaining part of the paper describes CME Group - its genesis, types of trading, permitted types of trading orders, market instruments and trading volume.

As a result of a greater worldwide aspiration for wealth and economic progress, increased use of natural resources for diverse industries resulted in increased pollution emissions, mainly carbon dioxide. Energy security, economic stability, job security, biodiversity loss, climate change, and global warming all require reconciliation and resolution now, more than ever before. This paper explores the causal relationship between CO2 emissions, economic growth, available energy, and employment for a panel of eight South-Eastern European countries from 1995 to 2019. We investigate the relationship using panel unit root tests, panel cointegration methods, and panel causality tests. The results show a short-run bidirectional panel causality between CO2 emissions and employment and between available energy and employment. The results further indicate a unidirectional causality from available energy and employment to GDP. The long-run causal relationship results show that the estimated coefficients of the lagged ECT in the CO2 emissions, GDP, and employment equations are statistically significant, implying that these variables could play a significant role in the system's adjustment process as it departs from long-run equilibrium. We also conducted a variance decomposition analysis, which allowed us to compare the extent of the individual factors' contributions to each other over the next 5 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to balance economic growth with environmental preservation, the implementation of sustainable policies is necessary. As such, it is imperative to have a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationship between the economy and the environment. This study examines the relationship between CO2 emissions and GDP per capita in five WB countries during 1960-2018, using a methodological framework that includes panel unit root testing, cointegration testing, and a Vector Error Correction Model. The study provides robust evidence of a long-term cointegration between CO2 emissions and GDP per capita. Furthermore, the study also reveals a short-run bidirectional causal relationship between CO2 emissions and GDP per capita. In the long run, no statistically significant causality exists from GDP per capita to CO2 emissions, but it is statistically significant from CO2 emissions to GDP per capita. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers to develop comprehensive policies that promote economic growth and environmental sustainability, such as investing in clean energy, implementing stronger environmental regulations, and encouraging environmentally sound management practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Body mass index (BMI) and body image (BI) are constructs worth examining in the context of physical activity (PA), and they are both related to quality of life (QoL). PA, BMI, and BI should all be considered as associated parameters, and their effect on QoL should be examined and understood. This study aimed to determine the moderating role of PA in the relationship of BMI and BI with QoL. The sample of examinees consisted of 500 respondents (307 women; aged 39 ± 6 years). A physical activity self-evaluation questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) was used to estimate PA; BI was evaluated by using the Body Image Dimensional Assessment (BIDA) questionnaire, while QoL was determined with the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. The results showed that vigorous PA moderates the relationship between BMI and social relationships in adults (Sig. = 0.000). Walking and vigorous PA affect the relationship between BMI and environmental health (Sig. = 0.017 and Sig. = 0.049, respectively). Both walking (Sig. = 0.035) and moderate PA (Sig. = 0.032) alternate the relationships between BI and social relationships. Walking (Sig. = 0.000) and vigorous PA (Sig. = 0.016) moderate the relationship between BI and environmental health. The influence of PA on the moderation of the relationship of BMI and BI with physical and psychological health in the working population was not statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photovoltaic power is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy mix of countries worldwide. It is a stochastic energy source, and simulation models are needed to establish reliable risk management. This paper presents a novel approach for simulating hourly solar irradiation and—as a consequence—photovoltaic power based on easily accessible data such as wind, temperature, and cloudiness. Solar simulations are generated via a multiplication factor that scales the maximum possible solar irradiation. Photovoltaic simulations are then derived using formulas that approximate the physical interdependencies. The resulting simulations are unbiased on an annual level and reasonably reflect historic irradiation movements. Interpreting our approach as a descriptive model, we find that error values vary over the year and with granularity. Errors are highest when considering hourly values in wintertime, especially in the morning or late afternoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Facta Universitatis: Series Physical Education & Sport is the property of Facta Universitatis, Series Physical Education & Sport 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 Facta Universitatis: Series Physical Education & Sport is the property of Facta Universitatis, Series Physical Education & Sport 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.)

One of the main goals of sport psychology is to identify those psychological factors that are relevant for sport performance as well as possibilities of their development. The aim of the study was to determine whether the set of specific psychological characteristics [generalized self-efficacy, time perspective, emotional intelligence (EI), general achievement motivation, and personality dimensions] makes the distinction between athletes based on their (non)-participation in the senior national team, that is, their belonging to the subsample of elite or non-elite athletes depending on this criterion. According to the group centroids it can be said that elite athletes are characterized by a positive high score in self-efficacy, emotionality, present fatalistic time perspective, past positive time perspective, and openness to experience. They are also characterized by low past negative time perspective, emotional competence, and future time perspective. Non-elite athletes have the opposite traits. The results have been discussed in the context of their application in the process of talent selection and development in sport as well as the development of life skills in athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sample consisted of 171 elite and 169 non-elite athletes. linear regression analysis was used to test the prognostic role of emotional competence on stress coping strategies, and hierarchical regression analysis was used to test the moderating role of performance in the relationship between emotional competence and coping strategies. The result shows that EI is related to task-oriented strategies and completely unrelated to emotion-oriented strategies. Sport performance moderates the relationship between managing and regulating emotions and using avoidant coping strategies, in a way that non-elite athletes with higher scores on this EI subfactor are more likely to use distraction-oriented coping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Facta Universitatis: Series Physical Education & Sport is the property of Facta Universitatis, Series Physical Education & Sport 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 examines whether a long-run relationship exists between CO2 emissions and selected variables: real gross domestic product per capita, inward stock of foreign direct investments, gross fixed capital formation, industry, value added and energy use per capita for Colombia, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Egypt, Turkey and South Africa countries in the period of 1989–2016. We used panel unit root testing, followed by panel cointegration tests and panel causality. The results clearly prove the existence of a bidirectional long-run causal relationship between all the variables except between CO2 emissions and GDP and CO2 emissions and GFCF. Major finding of the short-run causality analysis is that CO2 emission in the short run does not result in changes of other variables. On the other hand, all variables except foreign direct investments (FDI) cause the changes in the CO2 emissions, and there is a positive bidirectional causal relationship between GDP and FDI, between GFCF and FDI, and between GFCF and IVA. Finally, positive unidirectional causal relationship also exists, running from GDP to IVA, GDP to ENUSE, IVA to FDI and ENUSE to FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to examine whether psychological variables which make up basic dimensions of personality and self-esteem distinguish competitors in combat sports from competitors in team sports. The research included 149 respondents, aged 19 to 27 years. The Self-Esteem Scale questionnaire was used to measure self-esteem. The BFI inventory was used to measure personality traits according to the Big Five model: Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, and Openness to Experience. The basic research question is – does the set of psychological variables which make up basic dimensions of personality and self-esteem statistically significantly distinguish competitors in combat sports from the competitors in team sports? Both mean differences and simple discriminant function analyses for competitors in combat/team sports revealed that self-esteem, neuroticism, and conscientiousness were the most important factors distinguishing the two groups. Practical implications, limitations, and future research directions were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Annales Kinesiologiae is the property of Annales Kinesiologiae 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.)

Since the 1970s, the issue of environmental degradation has received considerable attention. Environmental Kuznets curve is one of the most well-known hypotheses that explains the relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution. It represents an important model that enables policymakers to deliver quality information-based decisions. In this paper, we provide the theoretical framework of the Environmental Kuznets curve and examine existing literature on the EKC hypothesis. The systematic literary survey includes studies conducted for single countries as well as for groups of countries. Most of the studies were empirically testing the existence of an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic growth and carbon dioxide emissions. Due to the different periods, sets of independent variables and methodological frameworks, the results are inconclusive, which is consistent with previous literature surveys on the same topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the relationship between real GDP and CO2 emissions for 17 transitional economies based on a series of annual data from 1997 to 2014. The analysis was conducted using Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) (DOLS) and Fully Modified OLS (FMOLS) approaches. The results clearly suggest the existence of a statistically significant long-run cointegrating relationship between CO2 emissions and real GDP. A 1% change in GDP leads to around a 0.35% change of CO2 emission on average for the considered group of countries. Close values of long-run coefficients for all estimations confirm the robustness of the estimated results. The authors state that transitional economies need to follow global policy incentives, and try to implement new mechanisms and instruments for the purpose of reducing CO2 emissions, such as environmental taxes, emissions-trading schemes, and carbon capture and storage, if they want to achieve future CO2 emission reductions, while attaining economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public sector in developed countries went through various forms of transformation in the twentieth century. The expansion of the public sector resulted in high levels of public spending in developed countries. The financial crisis of 2008 led to recessions in the economies of developed countries, the public debt growth, and actualized the issue of the public sector optimal size and efficiency. This study analysed the public sector efficiency in 19 developed countries. The analysis focuses on the relationship between the size of public expenditure and economic growth in the global financial crisis and the measures implemented. The aim of the research in this paper is a comparison of total and partial efficiency of the public sector in developed countries, in order to determine the characteristics of the public sector operations. The comparison covers the areas of the public sector operations in order to identify sources of inefficiency. Partial and overall efficiency of countries are analysed with different size and concept of the public sector, to determine the relationship between the public sector size, efficiency and welfare of citizens. The research results clearly indicate (un)justified state intervention in developed countries [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper gives an overview of the current situation and trends in the CME Group as a leader in the global market of financial derivatives. Special emphasis is placed on CME Globex - the electronic trading platform within the CME Group. The methodology used in this paper is typical for social sciences: a comparative analysis, historical analysis, and analysis of data, which enabled the use of various materials from books, scholarly journals, electronic databases and official documents and reports. The first part of this paper gives an overview of financial derivatives in general. The remaining part of the paper describes CME Group - its genesis, types of trading, permitted types of trading orders, market instruments and trading volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industry / Industrija is the property of Economics Institute 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.)

The analysis of existing positive prophylactic effects of spending lime outdoors unequivocally imposes the need for organizing certain models of outdoor activities, but also for their further development, with regard to an aim which suits the actual current practical needs. The sample of participants for this study consisted of school children. 151 of them, with a chronological age of i 4. from South-East Serbia (Knjaževac, Zaječar and Niš), who completed a questionnaire consisting of 12 items. Statistical procedures were used which suit the requirements of the study: the t-test and an analysis of variance. Differences were determined in the responses in terms of gender, but also in terms of the cities in which the school children reside. By means of analysis and the feedback received on extracurricular outdoor activities, it is possible, on the basis of the obtained results of the survey of their effects, to determine quality and any further need for their organization, to form concrete suggestions and to build models which satisfy the actual needs of elementary school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examining aggression and emotional control in students of various professional orientations, especially students of sport studies and physical education, is of great practical importance. It is also very important for each society to act in direction of controlling and guiding the aggression in all aspects of life, especially controlling and guiding aggression in students of sport studies and physical education. Aggressive and anti-social behavior has become one of the major issues in modern society and it is placed in the limelight of various institutions and social activities. The sample of this research consists of 130 examinees, students of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education and the Faculty of Electronic Engineering in Nis. The instruments used in the research are: the Aggression Questionnaire (A-87; Zuzul, 1987.) for measuring the level of aggression and the Emotional Competence Questionnaire (ECQ-45; Taksic, 2002. b) for measuring the level of emotional competence. The results obtained in the research reveal that students of sport studies have more pronounced aggression (especially the physical and verbal forms of aggression) when compared toward the students of Engineering, while the students of Engineering have more pronounced indirect aggression, which is characterized by expressing and releasing the negative energy toward the objects which are not directly connected to the situation in which the aggression was accumulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research was conducted on the sample of 160 students of the University of Nis, 60 of whom were students of the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, 60 students of Psychology and 40 students of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. 76 male and 84 female examinees participated in this research. For examining of the self-concept dimensions, the Self Concept Scale (Opacic, 1995.) was used. It measures the following dimensions: emotionality-rationality, rigidness, misanthropy, moral negativity, locus of control, global self-esteem, sex attraction, evaluation by others, physical and intellectual abilities. The results poinedt toward the existence of statistically important differences between the students of sport and physical education and students of psychology regarding the distinctiveness of the following dimensions of selfconcept: misanthropy, moral negativity, global self-esteem, as well as the physical and intellectual abilities. Comparing the dimensions of self-concept the between students of sport and physical education and the future mechanical engineers, a statistically important differences has been distingueshed in regard to the following dimensions: evaluation by others and the physical ability. The overcome results, to a certain extent, could be explained by the knowledge and experience gained during the studying. Statistically important differences in dimensions of self-concept regarding sex differences of the examinees can be considered within the scope of cultural and social influence on the development of the self concept within the individuals. Therefore, these differences can not be neglected during the examination of the overcome results when comparing the students of different study groups, because of specificity of the sex structure of the examinees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research into the psychological characteristics of judokas is not common in sport psychology. This study aimed to examine the differences in the prominence of multiple psychological variables between top judokas and recreational athletes. We examined: emotional competence, anxiety, types of coping with stress, neuroticism, extroversion, aggressiveness, openness and conscientiousness. The participants were top competitors of the Kinezis Judo Club and individuals who often did sports but only recreationally. The obtained results revealed that judokas had more pronounced emotional competence, especially in governing emotions; besides, they were less anxious and neurotic, i.e., they used the task-oriented coping strategy when coping with stress. Not only do the results indicate that it is possible to create a set of psychological predictors of success in judo, but they also provide insight into the very nature of this particular sport. The restriction of this research refers to the sample, which is highly selective albeit of a small number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Facta Universitatis: Series Physical Education & Sport is the property of Facta Universitatis, Series Physical Education & Sport 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.)

The aim of this research was to determine the main motives in children to train skiing. The research aimed at determining whether inner motives are more dominant in comparison to the outer motivation in children of this age.The sample of examinees included 49 children, male and female, between 7 and 11 years, who go in for skiing. The survey was conducted at the Developing Camp of the Skiing Committee of Serbia sponsored by the Ministry of Education and Sport of Serbia and realized at Stara Planina. A questionaire was constructed for this purpose by the authors. The results obtained by the statistical evaluation of the data collected by the questionnaire point to the fact that the most widely spread motive in children is the fact that their parents like them to train skiing. Two social factors follow: making new friends and teamwork at the camps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most challenging endeavors of contemporary research is to describe and analyze the dynamic behavior of time series arising from real-world systems. To address the need for analyzing long-range correlations and multifractal properties of multivariate time series, we generalize the multifractal detrended moving average algorithm (MFDMA) to the multivariate case and propose a multivariate MFDMA algorithm (MV-MFDMA). The validity and performance of the proposed algorithm are tested by conducting numerical simulations on synthetic multivariate monofractal and multifractal time series. The MV-MFDMA algorithm is then utilized to analyze raw, seasonally adjusted, and remainder components of five air pollutant time series. Results from all three cases reveal multifractal properties with persistent long-range correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]