ASSESSMENT OF MARKETING ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT IN TERRITORIAL UNITS: THEORETICAL-METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH

The subject of the study is a set of theoretical and methodological aspects of the development of organizational and economic relations that arise in the process of interaction of economic subjects while shaping the potential of territorial marketing as a factor of its socio-economic development. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the methodology for assessing the integral indicator of the territorial marketing functioning. The methodology of the presented study of marketing management in territorial units is based on the multivariate assessment of various economic entities that clearly shows the priorities and unevenness in the areas’ development. Area economic entities themselves are interested in the area development and determine the direction of area development. Economic entities’ direct residence and economic activity conducted by them in the area should be taken into account. This makes them serious experienced experts who are really interested in the effective and rapid development of their area. Economic entities themselves determine the measurable criteria for assessing the directions that they were originally offered. The “brainstorming” is used where the experts in the area development are involved. There is a joint process aimed at obtaining the most concrete and measurable results that actual state is assessed from 0 to 10 by the process participants based on personal observations and statistics. The evaluation of marketing results is based on the multicriteria socio-economic approach. The evaluation criteria should include the economic mechanism formation. This mechanism provides an effective interaction of market institutions and business entities in the area; selection of wholesale and retail organizational and economic forms, financial and credit and business services, as well as organizational and legal forms of trade and economic interregional ties; the markets system creation that is based on the priority provision of consumers and small owners interest; the choice of the most effective channels for goods movement, transportation, warehousing, material, financial, and information flows rationalization. The methodology for estimating the integral indicator of territorial marketing functioning that is presented in the work is based on the next indicators: financial stability, business activity, profitability, technical and technological stability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability that allows monitoring the functioning of the territorial marketing system. This methodology is universal since it allows evaluating areas of different industrial orientations and comparing them in order to identify the greatest functioning stability. Methodology for marketing research of areas potential is based on the system approach, complex consideration of conceptual principles of areas’ marketing potential formation and development; key features of territorial marketing allow carrying out purposeful actions for the sustainable development of area marketing potential, within the framework of which the conditions of its formation are determined, and their aggregate acts as a point of growth of market marketing component of the economic potential of the territory and is the basis for constructing the model of infrastructure of the marketing potential of the territory, used to make sound and balanced management decisions; developed a methodology for assessing the integral indicator of the functioning of territorial marketing. Research conclusion: grounded methodology of research of territorial marketing potential that is based on the system approach, complex consideration of concepts of area marketing potential formation and development. The key features of territorial marketing are distinguished that allow carrying out purposeful actions for the stable development of the area marketing potential, within the framework of which the conditions for its forming are determined, and their complex serves as a point of growth of market marketing component of the area economic potential and is the basis for the creation of the infrastructure model for the area marketing potential that is used to make substantiated and balanced management decisions; a methodology for assessing the integral indicator of territorial marketing is developed

Patulin and patulin producing Penicillium spp. occurrence in apples and apple-based products including baby food

Introduction: Patulin has raised the international attention because of its health risk. In fact, it has mutagenic, neurotoxic, immunotoxic, genotoxic and gastrointestinal effects in animals. In the present work, patulin and patulin-producing Penicillium spp. in apple and apple-based products marketed in Qatar were analysed. Methodology: Sampling was carried out using apple fruits and apple-based products. Fungi were isolated from undamaged apples, apple juice and baby apple food. DNA extraction was carried out with DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (QIAGEN, Valencia, USA). The molecular identification of fungal isolates was carried out using ITS1-ITS4 PCR. PCR products were sequenced and blasted. Patulin was extracted and analyzed by LC/MS/MS, then quantified using Agilent 1290UHPLC coupled to 6460 triple quadruple mass spectrometer. Results: Forty-five samples of undamaged fresh apple fruits, apple juice and apple-based baby food products sold in different markets in Qatar were surveyed for both fungal and patulin contamination using Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometery (LC/MS/MS). Twenty-five Penicillium spp. isolates were selected, including 23 P. expansum and one isolate each of P. brevicompactum and P. commune. All the tested Penicillium spp. isolates produced patulin in vitro (from 40 to 100 μg/g on Malt Yeast Extract agar medium). Patulin was detected in 100% of apple juice samples at levels ranging from 5.27 to 82.21 μg/kg. Only 5 samples contained patulin levels higher than European Union recommended limit (50 μg/kg). The average patulin contamination was 30.67 μg/kg and 10.92 μg/kg in baby apple juice and in baby apple compote, respectively.This publication was made possible by NPRP grant # NPRP 4-259-2-083 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are solely the responsibility of the authors

The association between thyroid function and nutritional status in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis

Introduction: Malnutrition is common in patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis (HD) which significantly affects their quality of life. ESRD is associated with thyroid dysfunction which may affect morbidity and mortality. Changes in thyroid function in this population could be a marker of malnutrition. Our aim was the assessment of the nutritional status of patients with ESRD on HD and its association with thyroid function. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 84 patients with ESRD on HD. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric measurements and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) Score. Serum FT3, FT4, and TSH concentrations were determined. CBC, kidney function tests, serum albumin, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, serum cholesterol, and CRP were measured. Patients’ comorbidity status was determined using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI). Results: The mean SGA score for studied patients was 13.73 ± 4.4, mean values of thyroid functions were: TSH 2.99 ± 2.93uIU/ml; FT4 1.08 ± 0.21 ng/dl and FT3 2.55 ± 0.52 pg/ml. According to SGA score, 26.2% of patients had normal nutritional status, 69% had mild to moderate malnutrition and 4.8% had severe malnutrition. SGA had significant negative correlation with FT3, while there was no significant correlation between it and FT4 or TSH. Serum FT3 concentration inversely correlated with age (r = −0.25, P= 0.02), CCI (r = −0.48, P= 0.0001), CRP (r = −0.46, P= 0.0001), and SGA (r = −0.49, P= 0.0001), and positively correlated with serum albumin (r = 0.47, P= 0.0001). In multivariate regression analysis, SGA was independently associated with FT3 (β, −1.36; 95% confidence interval, −2.5 to −0.2, P= 0.02) Conclusions: Malnutrition is prevalent among patients with ESRD on HD. FT3 is a marker of malnutrition and could be used as an accessible and reproducible periodical method to detect such states

Assessment of marketing activity management in territorial units: theoretical-methodological approach

Growing role of territorial marketing areas and changes in the strategies of territorial management are associated with a number of factors: change in the philosophy, principles, objectives of the area development, identification of the population as a real participant in the system of area planning, as well as change of the area authorities nature who become the main responsible persons for the area socio-economic development, including its improvement, safety and social protection of the population. The problems of territorial marketing are extremely relevant in Ukraine as far as they relate to such important areas as state and local government, investment attractiveness, European integration, competitiveness and strategic development of regions. The implementation of a regional policy aimed at eliminating disproportions between regions and their integrated development is strategically important for Ukraine. A progressive change in the socio-economic structure of the region that ensures the economical use of its resources and best satisfaction of area production needs means the development of the region. Territorial marketing allows to look at the territorial unit from the point of view of its consumer value and, therefore, takes into account the needs and interests of the population. Territorial marketing becomes an integral part of the expanded reproduction process of area economic entities that is related with the production, promotion, distribution, and sale of products produced within the economic, geographical, and natural specifics of certain territorial units. Development of territorial marketing that is involved into the production process and goods and services circulation requires the study of the modern marketing theory, methodology and practice, as well as its consideration through the prism of economic entities’ interests which are an integral part of the algorithm of decision-making. All it allows to purposefully affect the consumers’ behaviour and stimulation mechanisms.The subject of the study is a set of theoretical and methodological aspects of the development of organizational and economic relations that arise in the process of interaction of economic subjects while shapingthe potential of territorial marketing as a factor of its socio-economic development. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the methodology for assessing the integral indicator of the territorial marketing functioning. The methodology of the presented study of marketing management in territorial units is based on the multivariate assessment of various economic entities that clearly shows the priorities and unevenness in the areas’ development. Area economic entities themselves are interested in the area development and determine the direction of area development. Economic entities’ direct residence and economic activity conducted by them in the area should be taken into account. This makes them serious experienced experts who are really interested in the effective and rapid development of their area. Economic entities themselves determine the measurable criteria for assessing the directions that they were originally offered. The “brainstorming” is used where the experts in the area development are involved. There is a joint process aimed at obtaining the most concrete and measurable results that actual state is assessed from 0 to 10 by the process participants based on personal observations and statistics. The evaluation of marketing results is based on the multicriteria socio-economic approach. The evaluation criteria should include the economic mechanism formation. This mechanism provides an effective interaction of market institutions and business entities in the area; selection of wholesale and retail organizational and economic forms, financial and credit and business services, as well as organizational and legal forms of trade and economic interregional ties; the markets system creation that is based on the priority provision of consumers and small owners interest; the choice of the most effective channels for goods movement, transportation, warehousing, material, financial, and information flows rationalization. The methodology for estimating the integral indicator of territorial marketing functioning that is presented in the work is based on the next indicators: financial stability, business activity, profitability, technical and technological stability, social sustainability, environmental sustainability that allows monitoring the functioning of the territorial marketing system. This methodology is universal since it allows evaluating areas of different industrial orientations and comparing them in order to identify the greatest functioning stability. Methodology for marketing research of areas potential is based on the system approach, complex consideration of conceptual principles of areas’ marketing potential formation and development; key features of territorial marketing allow carrying out purposeful actions for the sustainable development of area marketing potential, within the framework of which the conditions of its formation are determined, and their aggregate acts as a point of growth of market marketing component of the economic potential of the territory and is the basis for constructing the model of infrastructure of the marketing potential of the territory, used to make sound and balanced management decisions; developed a methodology for assessing the integral indicator of the functioning of territorial marketing. Research conclusion: grounded methodology of research of territorial marketing potential that is based on the system approach, complex consideration of concepts of area marketing potential formation and development. The key features of territorial marketing are distinguished that allow carrying out purposeful actions for the stable development of the area marketing potential, within the framework of which the conditions for its forming are determined, and their complex serves as a point of growth of market marketing component of the area economic potential and is the basis for the creation of the infrastructure model for the area marketing potential that is used to make substantiated and balanced management decisions; a methodology for assessing the integral indicator of territorial marketing is developed

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

On the spatial resolution of uncoated optical-fiber probes in internal reflection near-field scanning optical microscopy

Bu çalışma, 9-13 Şubat 1997 tarihlerinde İsrail'de düzenlenen 4. International Conference on Near-Field Optics and Related Techniques'de bildiri olarak sunulmuştur.We present conclusive experimental quantitative evidence of the resolution limit of uncoated optical fiber probes in the internal reflection mode. Additionally, we present a new technique for unambiguously determining the resolution of a near-field scanning optical microscope without topographical influences. A sample with nearly no topography but with a large dielectric step junction was created by evaporating a thin chromium layer on a silicon wafer and subsequently cleaving the wafer. The cleaved edge is then scanned over the step junction, allowing a quantitative determination of the lateral resolution without topographical influences

Baltic Journal of Economic Studies

https://doi.org/10.30525/2256-0742/2018-4-4-326-33