Combined Use of BSC and DEA Methods for Measuring Organizational Efficiency

Although financial indicators are most often used to measure organizational efficiency, contemporary research suggests that more consideration should be given to non-material factors that can be enveloped by different non-parametric techniques. However, there is no method powerful enough to cover all the relevant aspects of the efficiency problem, i.e. each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. The paper discusses possible combined use of Balanced Scorecard (BSC) method and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in the measurement of organizational efficiency, starting from the deficiencies of the single method use. The main goal of the research in the paper is to show that by combining these methods certain deficiencies in their independent application are eliminated, as well as to indicate the possibilities and limitations, advantages and disadvantages of their combined application. The paper explains that if BSC method is applied first, as a framework for defining goals and performance measures, and then four interactive DEA models are developed, in order to evaluate efficiency in each of the perspectives, relevant synergetic effects will be achieved. This work is licensed under a&nbsp;Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.</p

Do we need broad immunological work-up in all patients with CIS?

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of altered immunological tests and their clinical significance in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) suggestive of multiple sclerosis (MS). ----- PATIENTS AND METHODS: The information was gathered from medical records of patients hospitalized in the Referral Center for Demyelinating Diseases in the 2008-2010 period. All patients had ANA, ENA profile, ANCA, aCl IgG and IgM, C3, C4, CH50, anti-TPO, AST and RF antibodies tested. ----- RESULTS: From 726 patients with CIS that were reviewed, the complete battery of immunological tests was performed in 418 of them (57.6%), representing our cohort. Altered tests were found in 235 patients (56.2%); 73 (17.4%) had positive antinuclear antibodies, 14 (3.3%) had positive ENA, 47 (11.2%) had positive aCl IgG, 83 (19.8%) had positive aCl IgM, and 13 (3.1%) had anti TPO antibodies. We found no correlation between ANA, aCl IgG or IgM positivity (ANA vs aCL IgG p=0.554; ANA vs aCL IgM p=0.19; aCL IgG vs aCL IgM, p=0.155). None of the patients had any clinical manifestations other than MS symptoms. ----- CONCLUSION: These results indicate that significant number of patients with CIS have altered immunological tests but nevertheless none of them had clinical expression of any other autoimmune disease making them clinically insignificant. In conclusion there is no need to perform extensive immunological work-up in all patients with CIS. Contrary, our results argue for more focused testing rather than a battery of screening tests

Promoting bio-based building materials as a means of bridging the urban-rural divide in Serbia

Due to the difficult economic situation within Serbia, rural areas find themselves on the margins of investment and development, creating a deep rural-urban divide. Much of Serbia can be characterized as rural with a large segment of the population living in rural settlements defined by socio-economic stagnation or degradation. Revitalizing rural regions is thus important for the socio-economic wellbeing of the entire country and mitigating the rural-urban divide can be key to the sustainable development of urban areas. Much of the built environment in Serbia has a low level of energy efficiency and though public perception has improved, the focus is on improving operational energy, while the embodied environmental impact of building materials is rarely considered. This paper details and analyses the main problems facing rural areas in Serbia. As agriculture is still the primary economic activity in rural areas, it suggests that the development and application of bio-based building materials created from the by-products of agriculture, can be an important element of further strategies for sustainable development in Serbia. In particular industrial hemp, which was once an important and abundant crop in Serbia, is currently experiencing a significant resurgence. This paper demonstrates that hemp-lime concrete may be a particularly suitable building material for encouraging new economic activity in rural areas and promoting sustainable design in both rural and urban areas

T-STANDPOINT ASSISTS THE WAITING OF PREDATORY BIRDS IN LUCERNE

Field rodents can cause considerable economic losses in perennial crops, especially lucerne. Predatory birds can provide biological control of field rodent populations. However, modern arable landscape usually provides few or no natural standpoints for predatory birds to wait for their prey. According to the old farmers in eastern Croatia, T-standpoints installed into lucerne were traditional implements assisting the bird predation over field rodents. Aim of this study was to check whether the T-standpoints really are appropriate installations for the predatory birds to wait for their prey on the ground or not. The research has confirmed that predatory birds (Buteo buteo and Falco tinnunculus) descended on the installed T-standpoints (in average 1.35 arrivals per day of observation), waited (average period of stay was 17 minutes in the morning and 34 minutes in the afternoon) and landed on the ground, most probably to catch the prey (in average 13 % of arrivals to T-standpoints ended with landing to the ground, likely for the prey attack). Small forest restoration in arable landscapes and less chemical rodent control would probably improve the predatory bird populations, thus enhancing the biological control of field rodents. There remains the need for further investigation of efficiency of field rodent control by predatory birds

NAČINI INFORMIRANJA O TURISTIČKOJ DESTINACIJI SA SOCIODEMOGRAFSKOG ASPEKTA

Media choice is an element of promotion mix. Its purpose reflects in creation of first impression i.e. image of a tourism destination and is directed toward a certain profile of tourists. Media and sociodemographic characteristics of tourists are among the most important elements in creating image of a particular tourism destination. The main purpose of this paper is to determine relationship between sociodemographic characteristics of tourists and media choice in obtaining information on tourism destination. The data on media choices was collected as a part of a research on tourists’ interests for consumption of organic food, which was conducted from August through September 2008. Data was processed using chi-square test.Odabir medija je element promocije. Svrha mu je stvaranje prvog utiska, odnosno imidža turističke destinacije te je stoga usmjeren na određen profil turista. Mediji i socio-demografske karakteristike turista su među najvažnijim elementima u stvaranju imidža određene turističke destinacije. Osnovni cilj ovog rada je određivanje veze između socio-demografskih karakteristika turista i odabira medija pri dobivanju informacija o turističkoj destinaciji. Podaci o odabiru medija su prikupljeni u sklopu istraživanja interesa turista za konzumiranjem organske hrane koje je provedeno u kolovozu i rujnu 2008. Podaci su obrađeni hi-kvadrat testo

KLINIČKI I PATOFIZIOLOŠKI PRIKAZ BOLESNIKA S OROFARINGEALNIM RAKOM PLOČASTIH STANICA POZITIVNIH NA HUMANI PAPILOMAVIRUS – ISTRAŽIVANJE U JUŽNOJ HRVATSKOJ

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of human papilloma virus (HPV) in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) from southern Croatia on survival, clinical outcomes, and pathological features. Methods: We analyzed HPV DNA presence and p16 immunohistochemistry staining in 68 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples from patients diagnosed with OPSCC at the Split University Hospital Center between 2013 and 2017. Histologic features were analyzed using a light microscope. Clinical data were retrospectively collected from patient records and analyzed for HPV status. Results: In this study, 10.29% of patients were HPV positive (HPV+). Lymphocyte invasion was more prominent in p16 positive OPSCC. Overall survival (OS) was better in HPV+ and p16+ patients. HPV status is a significant prognostic variable for patients from south Croatia with OPSCC. Conclusion: HPV seems to have a minor influence on OPSCC in south Croatia in comparison to other Western European countries and the USA. Although the influence of HPV on survival was significant, traditional risk factors were more important in the carcinogenesis of OPSCC in our population.Cilj: Svrha ovog istraživanja bila e analizirati utjecaj humanog papilomavirusa (HPV) na preživljavanje, kliničke pokazatelje i patohistološke značajke u ispitanika oboljelih od orofaringealnog raka pločastih stanica (OPSCC) u južnoj Hrvatskoj. Metode: Istražili smo prisutnost HPV DNK i imunohistokemijsko bojanje na p16 u 68 u parafinske blokove uklopljenih uzoraka tkiva ispitanika oboljelih od OPSCC-a i liječenih u Kliničkom bolničkom centru Split u razdoblju od 2013. do 2017. godine. Svjetlosnim mikroskopom utvrđene su histološke značajke tkiva. Retrospektivno smo prikupili kliničke podatke ispitanika i proučili ih s obzirom na HPV status. Rezultati: U ovom je istraživanju 10,29% pacijenata pozitivno na HPV (HPV+). Invazija limfocita značajnija je u ispitanika s p16 pozitivnim (p16+) OPSCC-om. Ukupno preživljavanje (OS) bolje je u HPV+ i p16+ ispitanika. HPV je značajan prognostički čimbenik u ispitanika koji boluju od OPSCC-a iz južne Hrvatske. Zaključak: Čini se da je HPV manje utjecajan uzročni čimbenik nastanka OPSCC-a u južnoj Hrvatskoj u usporedbi sa zapadnoeuropskim zemljama i SAD-om. Iako je HPV značajan čimbenik preživljavanja, tradicionalni čimbenici rizika pokazali su se važnijim karcinogenima za nastanak OPSCC-a u našoj populaciji

Synthesis of crystaline silicon oxynitride composites

Silicon oxynitride / silicon nitride (Si2N2O/Si3N4) ceramics have been prepared from Si3N4 powder and amorphous silica (SiO2) by hot pressing at different temperature. It was found that material sintered at lower temperature exhibit fine composite structure composed of equiaxed α-Si3N4 grains and Si2N2O crystals. At higher temperature the growing of Si2N2O particles as well as phase transformation from α-Si3N4 to β-Si3N4 phase take place.Physical chemistry 2006 : 8th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 26-29 September 200

Cymbopogon citratus essential oil: an active principle of nanoemulsion against Enterococcus faecalis root canal biofilm

Aim: The objective was to formulate and characterize the nanoemulsion based on Cymbopogon citratus oil, intended for use in infected teeth root canal therapy. The investigation of the antioxidant and antibiofilm potential toward Enterococcus faecalis was aimed as well. Materials & methods: Characterization of oil (by GC/MS analysis) and nanoemulsion (by dynamic light scattering instrument), and determination of antibacterial (by microdilution assay), antibiofilm (by crystal violet assay) and antioxidant properties (by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate and thiobarbituric acid assay methods) were provided. Antibiofilm efficacy of irrigation procedure including nanoemulsion was screened on extracted teeth (by CFU-counting assay). Results: Notable antibacterial and antibiofilm activity, both against forming and preformed biofilms of oil, was observed. Irrigation involved nanoemulsion showed remarkable antibiofilm potential. Both substances induced some antioxidant activity. Conclusion: Results encourage further research with the aim of application of the nanoemulsion in dental practice

Development of Novel Approaches for Tumour Therapy based on Nanostructured Materials - MagBioVin Project

Research advancements and opportunities by the FP7-ERA Chairs project MagBioVin are spotlighted.[1] Topic of the project is the design of different novel magnetic nanoarchitectures (e.g. bimagnetic and polymeric core-shell systems, nanoparticles embedded in mesoporous silica structures, and radiolabeled nanostructures)[2–4] for application in targeted treatment and diagnostics of cancer. These nanomaterials posses the ability for selective treatment of tumor tissues by the targeting with magnetic field.[5,6] Alternating magnetic field also provides the means for hyperthermia-induced cancer treatment.[7]Attachment of radionuclides to the synthesized nanoparticles is explored for the purpose of imaging and internal radiotherapy.[8,9] Magnetic characteristics of the prepared nanomaterials is done by SQUID magnetometry and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Structural characterization of the investigated nanomaterials is performed by XRD, TEM imaging, DRIFT spectroscopy, and nitrogen sorption analysis. Magnetic hyperthermia effects are monitored by using commercial setup (nB nanoScale Biomagnetics) which includes applicators for cell cultures and small animals. In vitro and in vivo (animal model) applicability of the synthesized nanomaterials regarding toxicity, biodistribution and anticancer efficacy is explored for targeted cancer treatment.1st International Symposium: program and the book of abstracts : March 29-31, 2016; University of Central Lancashire, Preston, U