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This review aims to explore the role of professional diagnostic rapid testing of acute respiratory infections (ARIs), especially COVID-19 and influenza, ensuring proper disease management and treatment in Europe, and particularly in Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania. The paper was constructed based on a review of scientific evidence and national and international policies and recommendations, as well as a process of validation by four experts. The development of new testing technologies, treatment options, and increased awareness of the negative multidimensional impact of ARI profiles transformed differential diagnosis into a tangible and desirable reality. This review covers the following topics: (1) the multidimensional impact of ARIs, (2) ARI rapid diagnostic testing platforms and their value, (3) the policy landscape, (4) challenges and barriers to implementation, and (5) a set of recommendations illustrating a path forward. The findings indicate that rapid diagnostic testing, including at the point of care (POC), can have a positive impact on case management, antimicrobial and antibiotic stewardship, epidemiological surveillance, and decision making. Integrating this strategy will require the commitment of governments and the international and academic communities, especially as we identified room for improvement in the access and expansion of POC rapid testing in the focus countries and the inclusion of rapid testing in relevant policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aimed to analyze utilized agricultural area (UAA), number of agricultural holdings (NAH), average holding size (AHS), standard output per holding (SOH) in Romania and other EU countries with large UAA in the period 2005-2020 using the data from Eurostat and National Institute of Statistics in order to identify the trends and actual situation. Fixed basis indices, regression equations, R square, Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), Gini Struck Coefficient(GSC), structural indices, comparisons with the EU average and among the selected EU countries: Romania, Poland, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, United Kingdom were used as processing methods for reflecting the changes farmland and farm structures. In 2020, Romania had 12,763 thousand ha UAA, representing 7.6% of the EU's UAA and coming on the 6th position, after France, Spain, Germany, Poland and Italy. In 2020, Romania had 2.88 million AH and together with Poland, Italy, Spain, France and Germany, had 6.89 million AH (75.7% of the EU's 9.1 million NAH). The farms smaller than 5 ha represent: 90.3% in Romania, 64.1% in Italy, 52.3% in Poland, 51.6% in Spain, 19.6% in France and 8.2% in Germany, while the farms with 50 ha and over account for 7.5% at the EU level, 1% in Romania, 3.1% in Poland, 4.5% in Italy, 11.6% in Spain, 31.5% in Germany and 45.9% in France. To the EU's SO, all these six countries contribute by 71% to the EU's SO. In the EU, less than Euro 2,000 SO was produced by 35.7% farms, while Euro 50,000 and over was achieved by 12.9% farms. In Romania, 71.5% farms produce less than Euro2,000, while 0.9% achieve Euro 50,000 and over. Regarding the concentration of farms by SO size class, HHI and GSC reflected a high concentration in Romania, relatively moderate at the EU level, moderate in Poland and Italy, and a lack of concentration in Spain, France and Germany. The SO/AH in Romania was Euro 4,029, compared to Euro 38,703 at the EU level, Euro 19,680 in Poland, Euro 57,681 in Italy, Euro 44,124 in Spain, Euro 158,430 in France and Euro 167,631 in Germany. As a final conclusion, the gaps among these countries are caused by the unbalanced farm structure with the highest share belonging to the farms with less than 2 ha. Farms with 50 ha and over could assure a higher SO/farm. To diminish NAH and grow AHS has to continue for increasing the economic power in terms of standard output. Small and medium-sized farms have to be sustained to join their efforts for a higher concentration of land, production and economic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a parameter identification methodology of the SIRD model, an extension of the classical SIR model, that considers the deceased as a separate category. In addition, our model includes one parameter which is the ratio between the real total number of infected and the number of infected that were documented in the official statistics. Due to many factors, like governmental decisions, several variants circulating, opening and closing of schools, the typical assumption that the parameters of the model stay constant for long periods of time is not realistic. Thus our objective is to create a method which works for short periods of time. In this scope, we approach the estimation relying on the previous 7 days of data and then use the identified parameters to make predictions. To perform the estimation of the parameters we propose the average of an ensemble of neural networks. Each neural network is constructed based on a database built by solving the SIRD for 7 days, with random parameters. In this way, the networks learn the parameters from the solution of the SIRD model. Lastly we use the ensemble to get estimates of the parameters from the real data of Covid19 in Romania and then we illustrate the predictions for different periods of time, from 10 up to 45 days, for the number of deaths. The main goal was to apply this approach on the analysis of COVID-19 evolution in Romania, but this was also exemplified on other countries like Hungary, Czech Republic and Poland with similar results. The results are backed by a theorem which guarantees that we can recover the parameters of the model from the reported data. We believe this methodology can be used as a general tool for dealing with short term predictions of infectious diseases or in other compartmental models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors compare the energy consumption and CO2 emissions from vehicles using internal combustion engines (ICE), battery electric vehicles (BEV), fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV), and two types of hybrid vehicles, BEV-ICE hybrid and BEV-FCEV hybrid. This paper considers several scenarios for four countries' electricity production from primary energy sources to estimate total CO2 release. Energy consumption of the vehicle per 100 km, emissions during manufacturing, battery production, and lifecycle of the vehicle are considered in the total amount evaluation of CO2 released. The results show that with current technologies for battery manufacturing, and a significant proportion of national grid electricity delivered by fossil fuels, BEV is the best choice to reduce carbon emissions for shorter driving ranges. In the case of electricity generation mainly by low-carbon sources, FCEV and BEV-FCEV hybrid vehicles end up with lower carbon dioxide emissions. In contrast, with electricity mainly generated from fossil fuels, electric vehicles do not reduce CO2 emissions compared to combustion cars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Romania was the third apple grower in the European Union in 2018, after Poland and Italy, the country's apple production accounted for only 4.6% of total European production. The paper presents the evolution of the production of apples and the number of apples grown in the Macroregions of Romania, during the period 2010- 2018, emphasizing the values registered in the Macroregion Four. Establishing the restrictions and recommendations for the improvement of the land and of the apple orchards was the main purpose of this paper. The experiments were made at Domaşnea farm, Caraş Severin County (Macroregion Four) on apple trees orchards, Golden Delicious and Starkrimson varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This present research brings into focus the figure of the prefect and wojewód seen at the crossroads between career public servants representing the interests of the Government and political agents, appointed and dismissed at the whim of the Prime Minister. This paper approaches the issue of the holder of the prefect's office in Romania and Poland employing a prosopographic analysis and applies a Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) on select items in order to identify the general trend and particularities of their profiles. This institution was structured and articulated at the confluence of some administrative and political actions and integrated in the national institutional framework as a key actor, which continues to connect the institutional capacity of the state and the political capacity of the Government. Moving beyond the legal framework and institutional design of each country, we look at the profile - involving educational, professional and political affiliation - of the people actually appointed to this position in order to ascertain the weight of each of these factors when called to serve in office. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main aim of this paper is to analyse the exposure to exchange rate risk of 24 financial and energy companies from 4 Central and Eastern European countries, i.e., Romania, Hungary, Poland and Czechia, using datasets covering the period between January 2010 and December 2017. The largest listed companies from financial and energy industries were selected by market capitalization and based on available data for this period. This study investigates the link between stock prices and a number of variables, such as stock market indices, monthly changes in the exchange rate of the domestic currencies to the EUR and USD, real GDP growth rate, Brent crude oil prices and 1-year bond yields. Applying the panel data methodology, the findings indicate that for both types of companies, when considering the stock market index, significant exposure to this variable is discovered. When excluding this variable from the equation at the financial companies, there is a significant exposure to the change in the exchange rate of the domestic currencies to the both EUR and USD and unexpectedly, to the oil price changes, fact that displays a remarkable result for the financial companies. The price of crude oil had a much greater impact on the stock prices of the financial companies than it was expected and at the same time, it seemed to be a risk factor. For the energy companies, when removing the stock market index from the equation, significant exposure is found to the change in the exchange rates of domestic currencies to the EUR and to the change in the price of oil. The exposure to Brent crude oil price turned out to be positive in both situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the relations between Poland and Belarus in the 21st century in the light of the recent events showing the re-rapprochement between the two countries. The aim of the paper is to present the importance of economic cooperation and the development of trade relations for the strengthening of the relations between these countries. The author emphasizes cooperation in the energy sector. He describes how crucial trade and economic cooperation is in overcoming crises in political relations. The author stresses the role of Poland in supporting the economic transformation of Belarus creating an alternative to the cooperation between Belarus and Russia. In this article the author uses descriptions, as well as the predictive methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to identify good practices in epidemic risk management. Thus, by knowing and applying these good practices, results can be obtained to mitigate the negative consequences produced by extremely risky events such as epidemics. In order to achieve the proposed goal, the following were specified as objectives of the article: identification of measures adopted in the four countries analyzed, namely Spain, Italy, Romania and Poland, to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and of solutions taken to reduce economic losses which arose as consequences of the imposition of these measures in the field of tourism. This paper combines elements of qualitative research, namely the use of methods such as data processing and analysis, comparative analysis, documentation of reports, and the presentation of conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims at pointing out the evolution in real and financial plans in order to adhere to the EMU, using a comparative approach, on the example of Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. The main results of the study are the following: the four countries have made notable progress in the years preceding the current crisis; however, considerable efforts are still needed in order to comply with the euro zone, in terms of living standards, economic structure, degree of openness of the economy, etc.; refer the financial convergence, directions are needed to increase the financial intermediation and financial depth in Romania and Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary recording slightly more favourable indicators. On the other hand, central banks, except the Polish one, should significantly improve the transmission mechanism of monetary policy upon the financial and real sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the agri-food export dynamics in the New Member States and the Old Member States of the European Union during the enlargement process. The analysis relies on two different approaches based on the similarity and the sophistication indices of exported goods using a disaggregation at 95 items. The analysis shows that different and somehow divergent paths are in place. On the one side, the Czech Republic and Poland are involved in a quality catching up process and increase their competitiveness. On the other side, Bulgaria and Romania seem to be still trapped in the low-quality segment of the agri-food market with a decreasing competitiveness performance in the richest segment of the European market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the validation results of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) retrieved from the Spinning Enhanced Visible Infrared Radiometer (SEVIRI) data using the near-real-time algorithm further developed in the frame of the Satellite-based Monitoring Initiative for Regional Air quality (SAMIRA) project. The SEVIRI AOD was compared against multiple data sources: six stations of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) in Romania and Poland, three stations of the Aerosol Research Network in Poland (Poland–AOD) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data overlapping Romania, Czech Republic and Poland. The correlation values between a four-month dataset (June–September 2014) from SEVIRI and the closest temporally available data for both ground-based and satellite products were identified. The comparison of the SEVIRI AOD with the AERONET AOD observations generally shows a good correlation (r = 0.48–0.83). The mean bias is 0.10–0.14 and the root mean square error RMSE is between 0.11 and 0.15 for all six stations cases. For the comparison with Poland–AOD correlation values are 0.55 to 0.71. The mean bias is 0.04–0.13 and RMSE is between 0.10 and 0.14. As for the intercomparison to MODIS AOD, correlations values were generally lower (r = 0.33–0.39). Biases of −0.06 to 0.24 and RMSE of 0.04 to 0.28 were in good agreement with the ground–stations retrievals. The validation of SEVIRI AOD with AERONET results in the best correlations followed by the Poland–AOD network and MODIS retrievals. The average uncertainty estimates are evaluated resulting in most of the AOD values falling above the expected error range. A revised uncertainty estimate is proposed by including the observed bias form the AERONET validation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]