Bulgarian Academy Of Sciences Research Articles

Altered electroencephalographic networks in developmental dyslexia after remedial training: a prospective case-control study.

Electroencephalographic studies using graph theoretic analysis have found aberrations in functional connectivity in children with developmental dyslexia. However, how the training with visual tasks can change the functional connectivity of the semantic network in developmental dyslexia is still unclear. We looked for differences in local and global topological properties of functional networks between 21 healthy controls and 22 dyslexic children (8-9 years old) before and after training with visual tasks in this prospective case-control study. The minimum spanning tree method was used to construct the subjects' brain networks in multiple electroencephalographic frequency ranges during a visual word/pseudoword discrimination task. We found group differences in the theta, alpha, beta and gamma bands for four graph measures suggesting a more integrated network topology in dyslexics before the training compared to controls. After training, the network topology of dyslexic children had become more segregated and similar to that of the controls. In the θ, α and β1-frequency bands, compared to the controls, the pre-training dyslexics exhibited a reduced degree and betweenness centrality of the left anterior temporal and parietal regions. The simultaneous appearance in the left hemisphere of hubs in temporal and parietal (α, β1), temporal and superior frontal cortex (θ, α), parietal and occipitotemporal cortices (β1), identified in the networks of normally developing children was not present in the brain networks of dyslexics. After training, the hub distribution for dyslexics in the theta and beta1 bands had become similar to that of the controls. In summary, our findings point to a less efficient network configuration in dyslexics compared to a more optimal global organization in the controls. This is the first study to investigate the topological organization of functional brain networks of Bulgarian dyslexic children. Approval for the study was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Institute of Neurobiology and the Institute for Population and Human Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (approval No. 02-41/12.07.2019) on March 28, 2017, and the State Logopedic Center and the Ministry of Education and Science (approval No. 09-69/14.03.2017) on July 12, 2019.

The type specimens of Papilionoidea in the collection of the National Museum of Natural History, Sofia (Lepidoptera)

This paper comprises a catalogue of the type material of true butterflies (Papilionoidea) kept in the National Museum of Natural History at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia. The collection contains types of nine nominal species group taxa, described by S. Abadjiev, S. Beshkov, I. Buresch, H. Rebel, and K. Tuleschkow. Lectotypes have been designated for Colias myrmidone balcanica Rebel, 1901, Erebia tyndarus macedonica Buresch, 1919, E. gorge pirinica Buresch, 1919, Euchloe gruneri macedonica Buresch, 1921, Sathyrus [sic] arethusa strumata Buresch, 1919, and Doritis apollinus var. thracica Buresch, 1915. One new synonym has been established: Papilio arethusa arethusa [Denis et Schiffermüller], 1775 = Sathyrus [sic] arethusa strumata Buresch, 1919, syn. nov.

Corrigendum: An Experimentally Established Key Intermediate in Benzene Nitration with Mixed Acid

In this Communication the authors reported a detailed theoretical modeling on the mechanism of nitration of benzene by mixed acid. In addition, they also reported some qualitative experimental UV spectroscopic data reflecting the course of the process. Additional NMR experiments of this reaction have now revealed that under the concentrations of reactants employed no stable π-complex is formed, opposite to the assumption in the earlier study. In particular, the absorption in the UV spectrum at 320 nm (in Figure 3 of the original Communication), which was recorded almost immediately after mixing the reactants, was incorrectly assigned to an early reaction complex. The authors are indebted to Professor Svetlana Simova, Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, for recording and analyzing the NMR spectra.

NON-LINEAR RECEIVER REACTION OF IRRADIATION WITH COMPLEX SPECTRAL COMPOSITION

One of the basic problems in elaboration of spectro-photometer for atmospheric ozone exploration at the Space Research Institute - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences seems to be the necessity of calculation of output signal of the irradiating receiver by fixed spectral composition and intensity. The calculation wouldn’t be difficult if the intensity values range is situated on the linear part of the irradiating receiver energetic characteristic. To the end, the absolutely spectral characteristic of receiver sensibility and spectral density of the treated receiver intensity has to be known. The paper is dedicated to the elaboration and the obtained results by offering and creating a method for definition the non-linear irradiating receiver output signal by fixed spectral composition and intensity. In the paper the obtained schemes and equations in the process of elaboration are presented characterizing the reaction of the photo-receiver complex spectral composition with nonlinear energetic characteristic.

Historical Notes on the Development of Geographic Science in Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

The article traces the development of geographic research in Bulgarian Academy of Sciences since the creation of the Bulgarian Literary Society until today. The purpose of this study is to show that from the time of historical and political vicissitudes in Bulgaria after the Liberation, the Bulgarian geographic science has always been at the height of the public needs and its achievements was highly valued by world geographical community and the Bulgarian state. The development of geographic science after the establishment of the Institute of Geography at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences was traced in three conditional periods of development, which shows the strong influence of the socio-political changes in the country on the priorities and objectives of the geographical research.

Gesho Geshev – Innovation and Contributions

The article deals with the research and professional activity of Prof. Gesho Geshev in the field of demography, regional planning, transnational cooperation, territorial and urban planning, urban geography and urban ecology. The author has more than 100 scientific publications, most of which have been published abroad. In addition, Gesho Geshev participates and manages dozens of projects in which he applies his theoretical knowledge in practice. As the head of two scientific institutes at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (Institute of Demography and Geographical Institute), he applies his management skills as well. There, he has been able to form a large team of experts in different fields with whom he works on topical geographical issues. Prof. Geshev combines his research work with teaching activity at South-West University “Neofit Rilski” and University of Veliko Tarnovo “St. Cyril and St. Methodius”. He has been a chairman of the National Geography Committee of the International Geographical Union. Its name remains well known among scholars from Poland, Hungary, Russia, Greece, the Netherlands, Angola and many more, and the applicability of its works is relevant to contemporary geography.

Monte Carlo Simulations for Shielding Analysis of the TR-24 Cyclotron at INRNE-BAS

The Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is building an accelerator laboratory to operate a TR-24 cyclotron. Thus, a preliminary radiation shielding analysis of the accelerator bunker is required. For this purpose Monte-Carlo simulations have been performed and dosimetric (Dose equivalent) quantities have been estimated in two model geometries - simplified spherical geometry and full-scale bunker, respectively during operation and after the end of the cyclotron life. Our current efforts are directed to the production of 18F thus in all the conducted simulations a water target enriched with 18O is considered. NiGa3 as a target for production of 68Ge has also been simulated and a comparison of the radiation shielding characteristics of the bunker for the two targets has been made.

Preface

VEIT 2019 The International Summer School on Vacuum, Electron and Ion Technologies (VEIT) has been organized biennially since 1978, when the series of VEIT Schools was launched by the Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, with the aim to act as a forum for exchange and dissemination of knowledge and ideas on the latest developments in electron-, ion-, and plasmaassisted technologies. The organizers of the 2019 edition of the event were the Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria and the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. While the school has initially been providing a meeting place for researchers mainly from Eastern and Central European countries, its importance has grown issue by issue. The school is now a major scientific event and a meeting place for young scientists from Eastern and Western Europe involved in research and development associated with high-tech industries. Many former school participants have gone on to become leading scientists in research establishments and companies throughout the world. Leading international companies, such as High Voltage Engineering, Balzers, Varian, and Hauzer have used the VEIT forum to present their products through oral presentations, poster contributions or exhibits. The School Proceedings have been published in special issues of the international journals Vacuum, Plasma Processes and Polymers, Journal of Physics: Conference Series.The twentieth-first edition of VEIT was held in the Black Sea resort Sozopol, Bulgaria, from 23 to 27 September 2019. It was attended by 126 participants (32 students and young researchers) from 17 countries on three continents: Algeria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden, The Czech Republic, The Netherlands, Turkey, Ukraine, UK.List of Guest Editors are available in this pdf.

Z-equilibria in Bi-matrix games with uncertain payoffs

The concept of Z-equilibrium has been introduced by Zhuk-ovskii (Mathematical Methods in Operations Research. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia (1985) 103–195) for games in normal form. This concept is always Pareto optimal and individually rational for the players. Moreover, Pareto optimal Nash equilibria are Z-equilibria. We consider a bi-matrix game whose payoffs are uncertain variables. By appropriate ranking criteria of Liu uncertainty theory, we introduce some concepts of equilibrium based on Z-equilibrium for such games. We provide sufficient conditions for the existence of the introduced concepts. Moreover, using mathematical programming, we present a procedure for their computation. A numerical example is provided for illustration.

За макроикономическата политика в България след въвеждането на паричния съвет

This fundamental and very important for our country economic topic is the subject of the monograph by Assoc. Prof. Dimitar Zlatinov1 from the Department of Economics of the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski and the International Economics Section of the Institute of Economic Studies at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The aim of the author is "to trace the channels of macroeconomic impact of fiscal and monetary policy in Bulgaria in the short and long term, taking into account the stages of cyclical development of the country in the post-2000 period" (pp. 7-8). The main scientific thesis that is defended is that despite the fiscal rules imposed by EU membership and the Monetary Council in place since 1997, the country "has pursued a discretionary and countercyclical fiscal policy. However, it is characterised by low effectiveness and efficiency and cannot have a real impact on accelerating catching-up economic development" (p. 8). The chosen research method is modelling macroeconomic dependencies and effects of fiscal and monetary policy on actual and potential GDP.

The Balkan archaeological and ethnographic expedition of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union in 1946 and its influence on the development of Soviet-Bulgarian relations in archaeology

Within the framework of the Balkan archaeological and ethnographic expedition of the Soviet Union Academy of Sciences in January-February of 1946 scientists of the Institute for the History of Material Culture and the Institute of Ethnography carried out works in Bulgaria to establish scientific contacts and to organize joint archaeological researches. This country was considered as a region, the study of which will give new information about the early stage of the history of the Slavs, and was also important in view of the increased importance of Byzantium for Soviet historical science. The Bulgarian authorities paid great attention to the visit of Soviet scientists. They were supported by state and scientific organizations, and the press covered their trip around the country. Members of the expedition gave public lectures in Sofia, then published a separate collection of articles. On his return, the head of the expedition, P. N. Tretyakov submitted a closed report to the Presidium of the Soviet Union Academy of Sciences, in which he rather critically assessed the level of Bulgarian archaeology. This, however, can be explained by opportunistic reasons. Although the results of the expedition were approved by the leadership of the Soviet Union Academy of Sciences and the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the planned joint archaeological research did not take place. Despite this, the conduct of the Balkan expedition was of great importance for both the Soviet side and the Bulgarian scientists, despite of the factfinding character of the Balkan expedition and the unrealized plans for the joint archaeological research. The expedition laid the foundation for further cooperation in archaeology field. Later it came true in several joint expeditions to the territory of the USSR and Bulgaria, they had a diverse scope of work goals. The article also informs of the Bulgarian archaeology achievement before the visit of Soviet delegation, its preparatory stage and investigation in Bulgaria.

Tourism Management in Azerbaijan Under Sustainable Development: Impact of COVID-19

The article is devoted to the current issue of 2020 on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry in general, Azerbaijan in particular, and overcoming this crisis, taking into account the main aspects and goals of sustainable development. The primary purpose of the article is to form recommendations for compliance with the goals of sustainable development in the tourism industry of Azerbaijan with the levelling of events caused by the influence of COVID-19. A review of the scientific literature concluded that the issue of tourism marketing in crisis conditions is always complicated and multifaceted. The development of the tourism sector is a positive change for the host countries, which helps to solve problems in other areas of the economy. The article presents the dynamics of development of the tourism industry in recent years in the world, in the group of Middle East countries, which respectively includes Azerbaijan. The leading quantitative indicators of tourism development in Azerbaijan, neighbouring countries, and Ukraine were compared. The relevance of this study is that a systematic restart of the tourism sector after the end of quarantine measures is a necessary condition to take into account all the preferences, requests, and concerns of citizens who are direct participants in the economic component of tourism. During the preparation of the material, a marketing survey of Azerbaijani citizens was conducted to study the potential impact of COVID-19 on the tourism industry. The survey was conducted on April 13-21, 2020, by a team of researchers from the University of Northampton (UK), the National Institute of Geophysics, Geodesy and Geography at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, University of National and World Economy (Bulgaria). The article highlights the main results of this study, based on which the critical inquiries of Azerbaijani citizens regarding the restart of tourism in the country were formed. The analytical method of the article analyzes the goals of sustainable development, announced following the Resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 25, and which become most relevant in the context of 2020 and are a challenge for modern society and Azerbaijan in particular. As a result of this study, recommendations were made to restart the tourism sector in Azerbaijan, given compliance with and implementation of sustainable development goals. The results of this study can be useful for the governing institutions of Azerbaijan and other countries in which the tourism industry has developed dynamically and rapidly over the past few years. Keywords tourism, sustainable development goals, COVID-19 impact, social aspects of tourism, tourist choice, restart of tourism, health of citizens.

State, Efficiency and Factors for Development of AKIS in Bulgaria

Unlike in many other countries, in Bulgaria there are no comprehensive analysis of the state and evolution of the system of knowledge sharing, innovation and digitalization in agriculture (AKIS). The goal of this paper is to fill the gap and analyze the state, efficiency and factors of the agricultural knowledge sharing, innovation and digitalization in Bulgaria at current stage of development. Analysis is based on 2019 expert assessment with 32 leading experts from research institutes of the Agricultural Academy, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, agrarian and other universities, National Agricultural Advisory Service, and major professional associations of agricultural producers. The study has found out that AKIS of the country consists of diverse and numerous organizations, for which activities and complex relations have no sufficient official or other reliable information. The expert assessments in that study let us identify the state, and major achievements and challenges in development in of that complex system. The lack of data however, only partially can be compensated by experts’ assessments of these type. It is also necessary to carry out in-depth and representative surveys of individual components and the AKIS as a whole. Furthermore, it is necessary to institutionalize and regulate collection of official statistical, report, etc. information for the state and efficiency of that important system.

Relevance of interdisciplinary approach in humanities: The Thing. Conceptual and Cultural Aspects (2018) as an example of cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural research

The purpose of this article is to discuss the merits of interdisciplinary research in the humanities. The discussion is conducted on the example of the volume entitled The Thing. Conceptual and Cultural Aspects, edited by Teresa Dobrzyńskaand Raya Kuncheva (2018). The volume approaches the issues of perception and presence of material objects in the linguistic picture of the world, viewed from the perspective of various humanistic disciplines, such as philosophy, semiotics, linguistics and literature. This interdisciplinary research is also cross-cultural in character, being the result of the studies of Bulgarian, Polish and Slovenian scholars from the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the New Bulgarian University, the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts. This effective mode of research provides a common ground for discussion and opens the space for dialogue between respective scholars, the disciplines they represent and the readers, going beyond the limitations of specific research areas and producing an overall picture of the object.

Reviewer Acknowledgements

Business and Management Studies (BMS) would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether BMS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issue. Reviewers for Volume 5, Number 4 Dalia Susniene, Kaunas University of Technology, LithuaniaFlorin Peci, University of Peja, KosovoGabriela O. Chiciudean, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaIulia Cristina Muresan, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaJason Caudill, King University, USAJulia Stefanova, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BulgariaLucie Andreisová, University of Economics in Prague, CzechMr. Abdul-Kahar Adam, University of Education, Winneba, GhanaProf. Martin Sung, Hubei Economic and Finance University, ChinaRaimundo Lima Filho, University of State of Bahia, BrazilRocsana Tonis, Spiru Haret University, RomaniaSandeep Kumar, Tecnia Institute of Advanced Studies, Affiliated to GGSIP University Delgi, IndiaTetiana Paientko, Kyiv National Economic Univercity, Ukraine Ellery WillianmsEditorial AssistantOn behalf of,The Editorial Board of Business and Management StudiesRedfame Publishing9450 SW Gemini Dr. #99416Beaverton, OR 97008, USAURL: http://bms.redfame.com

Transdisciplinarity and the New Ways for Preservation and Investigation of the Cultural and Historical Heritage

The main objective of the paper is to present the latest developments and achievements of the scientific field Cultural and Historical Heritage (CHH) and National Identity of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) for digitization and preservation of the Bulgarian cultural and historical heritage by using transdisciplinary approaches.

New Forms of Literacy and Transformation of Reading Practices in Bulgaria

The study presents the results of a survey on the reading practices in Bulgaria based on up-to-date library statistics. The statistical data cover the dynamics of using the traditional library collections and the databases in the Bulgarian National Library and the Library of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The study found that reading habits have been transformed due to changes in the information environment. Terms like “digital” and “mobile literacy” have emerged underlying the differences in user experiences and technical skills that are required when using new technologies to locate, evaluate, and use information. Reading in the library is regarded in the study as specialized reading with its institutional characteristics. Common tendencies and features in the change of reading practices have been established by using quantitative methods based on comparative analysis. These quantitative methods help in determining the changes in reading practices as a result of the development of technology, thus leading to new forms of literacy. There is a productive interaction between reading practices and the introduction of new technologies. The results of the study can help in defining the role of the library in this process, and predict future tendencies.

Икономическото развитие на България и Румъния като държави-членки на ЕС и мястото им в глобалното стопанство

The international scientific workshop “Bulgaria and Romania: Member Countries of the EU, Part of the Global Economy” was held on the 10th of December 2018 at the Economic Research Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (ERI-BAS) in Sofia, Bulgaria. The worshop was organized by the International Economics Department at the ERI-BAS and the Institute for World Economy at the Romanian Academy (IWE-RA) as a closing event of the joint interacademy project “Bulgaria and Romania: Member Countries of the EU, Part of the Global Economy” carried out by the two institutions. It was also a sequel to the Inernational Conference with the same title, which was held in 2017. The worshop aimed and managed to bring together esteemed researchers, young scholars, post-doctoral researchers and PhD students working in the field of International Economics and International Finance to share their views on some contemporary aspects of Bulgarian and Romanian economic development – either in comparison with each other, or as part of the global economy. There were participants from various Bulgarian and foreign academic institutions – the Economic Research Institute at the BAS, the University for national and world economy, New Bulgarian University, Sofia University, Tracian University, the Institute for World Economy and the Institute for National Economy at the Romanian Academy, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, etc.

Състояние и перспективи на икономическото развитие

The Institute of Economic Research (IER) at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) was the organizer and host of the traditional autumn international scientific conference held on 29-30 November 2018. The conference was attended by researchers from Bulgaria, Macedonia, Slovenia, Poland and Kazakhstan. During the two-day forum, 48 papers were presented by 65 authors - representatives of 5 foreign academic institutions, 3 subdivisions of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS, BAS, RAS, Ruse), the Agricultural Academy, 14 universities from the country, as well as from the business and non-profit sectors, which enabled a multidisciplinary exchange of ideas, opinions and results of analyses of the state and prospects for the development of the economy of Bulgaria and other countries. Young scientists showed a keen interest in the conference theme - nearly half of the papers were prepared individually or in co-authorship with habilitated scientists and lecturers and presented by senior assistants, assistant professors and PhD students from the country and abroad.

Notes on the distribution of some species of Lepidoptera in Kazakhstan

The paper presents results of an entomological expedition carried out in the southern parts of Kazakhstan in May 2015. This expedition was conducted within a joint team project of the Department of Entomology, Faculty of Biology, Saint Petersburg State University, and the National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The paper includes a list of 17 recorded species of Lepidoptera with comments on their distribution.