The Effect of Health Insurance on Savings Outcomes in Individual Development Accounts

The Effect of Health Insurance on Savings Outcomes in Individual Development Account

On Minimal Cut Sets Representation with Binary Decision Diagrams

Since their introduction in form of a canonical representation of logical functions, the Binary Decision Diagrams (BDDs) gained a wide acceptance in numerous industrial applications. This paper summarizes the properties of BDD representation of Minimal Cut Sets (MCS) of Fault Tree (FT) models most typically encountered in nuclear energetics. Cut sets from MCS are defined as paths from the top BDD node to terminal nodes in the BDD, on which a quantitative and qualitative FT analysis (FTA) is performed. The core of the FTA on the BDDs is performed with help of two fundamental algorithms, one for conditional probability evaluation and another for the selection of cut sets. The accuracy of conditional probability evaluation represents an essential feature for an unbiased quantitative analysis, such as the top event probability or the determination of event importance measures. The cut set selection algorithm is shown in a generic version introducing logical predicates for its selection criteria. As it is known, the efficiency of depicted algorithms depends only on the number of BDD nodes used for the FT representation. In order to appraise the compactness of the BDD representation of FT models, their characteristics have herein been evaluated on several real-life models from the Nuclear Power Plant Krško. The extraordinariness of the compactness of the BDD representation reflects in its ability to implement advanced dynamic analysis (i.e. what-if) of FT models. The efficiency of such an approach is recognized by commercial vendors upgrading their FT Tools to new versions by implementing BDD based algorithms

Ausschluss und Zwang in Kollektiven

Mitgliedzwang in Kollektiven wird mit dem Argument verteidigt, dass nur so der gewöhnlich unerfahrene Kunde einer beruflichen Leistung vor schadhafter Arbeit mit eventuell katastrophalen Folgen geschützt sei: die Zwangsmitgliedschaft als typischer Fall zur Aufhebung oder Abmilderung asymmetrischer Informationen. Die Gefahr ist jedoch immer immanent, dass eher berufliche Kartelle zur Absicherung eines gesichert hohen Einkommens der Mitglieder entstehen und die Gesellschaft somit wegen der Einschränkung des Wettbewerbs einen Wohlfahrtsverlust erleidet. In diesem Beitrag wird gezeigt, dass es neben den Grundtypen der Zwangsmitgliedschaft noch viele andere versteckte Typen der Mitgliederexklusivität gibt, die den Kollektivmitgliedern finanzielle und statusmäßige Vorteile gewähren, die insgesamt aber zulasten der Wohlfahrt aller übrigen Gesellschaftsmitglieder gehen. Zum Abschluss wird gezeigt, dass die Ausbeutung der breiten Gesellschaft durch die Berufs- und Parteielite in den Zentralverwaltungswirtschaften ein typischer Fall der angewandten Kollektivgütertheorie ist und längst vorher hätte entdeckt werden können. -- It is often argued that compulsory memberships in collectives can help to protect inexperienced customers of professional service from faulty work and its consequences: Hence, compulsory memberships serve as a typical tool to reduce the harm from asymmetric information. However, there is always some danger of professional cartels to occur that safeguard secured high income among its members and thus might harm welfare by restraining competition. In this contribution we show that, besides standard types, there are several other less obvious types of compulsory memberships. Those usually benefit the collective's members but do harm the remaining members of the society. At last, we will show that the exploitation by professional and political party elites in command economies can serve as a good example of applied public good theory and should have been examined at a far earlier point in time.Zwangsmitgliedschaft in Kollektiven,Compulsory Memberships in Collectives

NARRATION ABOUT HEROISM AS A PART OF COLLECTIVE MEMORY: ORAL AND POPULAR HISTORIC SONGS ABOUT NIKOLA ZRINSKI

Ban Nikola Zrinski, nazivan u usmenim pjesmama i ban Zrinović ili ban Zrinjanin, čest je lik tradicionalne hrvatske usmene poezije, a prisutan je i u pučkoj povijesnoj pjesmi. U radu se analiziraju stilski postupci i narativni obrasci karakteristični za obradu ovoga povijesnog junaka u nekoliko tradicionalnih usmenih pjesmama različitih vrsta i versifikacijskih osobina. Primjeri usmenih pjesama o banu Zrinoviću nastajali su usporedo s književnim tekstovima obrazovanih autora već od kraja 16. stoljeća, a zabilježeni su tekstovi spjevani različitim stihovima: u dvanaestercima, dugom stihu bugaršćice, asimetričnim desetercima i osmercima namijenjenim izvedbi u novljanskom kolu. U zapisima nastalim od 19. stoljeća najzastupljenije su deseteračke pjesme. Kačićeva deseteračka pučka povijesna pjesma pod naslovom Pisma od bana Zrinovića i cara Sulemana trećega, koji obside Seget ungarski i pod njim umri na 1566. detaljno opisuje Sigetsku bitku te povezuje povijesno utemeljene činjenice i stilizacijske postupke karakteristične za deseteračku epsku poeziju. Pjesme u kojima se pojavljuje ovaj tradicionalni junak mogu obrađivati povijesne teme i motive, ali i prizore iz svakodnevnog života tradicijskih zajednica, ljubavnu tematiku i obredne situacije. Kreativna mašta pučkih pjevača oblikovala je priče o ovom omiljenom junaku koje slušateljima pomažu da ga upoznaju i u svakodnevnim situacijama o čemu svjedoče brojne zapisane balade, romance i lirske pjesme.Ban Nikola Zrinski, also known as ban Zrinović or ban Zrinjanin, is a common character in traditional Croatian oral poetry and popular historic songs. The paper analyses stylistic patterns and narrative forms typical for different types of songs about this hero from different historical periods. Oral songs about this popular hero were recorded and collected from the second part of the 16th century until the early 20th century, simultaneously with the literary texts of educated authors. Examples of recorded oral songs about Ban Zrinović were metrically composed in different types of traditional verses such as dodecasyllable verse, long bugarštica verses of mostly fifteen and sixteen syllables with a caesura after the seventh and eighth syllable, octosyllable verse and from the 19th century, the most common was decasyllable verse. The popular historic song by Andrija Kačić Miošić entitled Song About Ban Zrinović and Emperor Suleman III describes the Siege of Szigetvár and connects historically founded facts and traditional decasyllabic stylisation. Songs featuring this traditional hero can cultivate historical themes and motifs, as well as scenes from everyday life of traditional communities, love themes and ceremonial situations. Folk singers also sang numerous stories about this beloved hero presenting his everyday life in ballads, romances, and lyrical songs

Efficacy of Proflosin' in conservative management of ureteral stones

Introduction: Medical expulsion therapy is a first - line for treatment of small ureteral calculi. Tamsulosin is the studied drug, but data received regarding its effectiveness are controversial and its administration is discussible. We aimed to assess the effect of tamsulosin as adjuvant therapy for ureteral calculi. Material and Methods: There were 64 patients examined with primary and recurrent ureterolithiasis. The presence of ureterolithiasis was assessed by ultrasound and/or radiological examination of upper urinary tract. Patients were analyzed for age, gender, stone size (>7 mm excluded) and location (side, upper, medium and lower 1/3 of ureter, kidney stones excluded), presence of UTI, chronic concomitant diseases. The patients were randomly divided into two groups - Group 1 -4 4 patients underwent the standard therapy with addition of Proflosin (Tamsulosin 0,4 mg) Berlin-Chemie/Menarini once a day, and 20 patients (Group II) - standard therapy only. Patients were offered a closely monitored trial for spontaneous stone passage in 4-week period prior to definitive therapy. The stone expulsion rate, VAS score and number of colic attacks, time of stone elimination and possible side effects of medication were observed. Results: All patients completed the study and none was excluded due to side effects. No significant differences were found between the groups for age, gender, stone size and location. Mean patient age was 45±6,8 years. There were 26 females and 38 males. The stone-free rate was 88,6% in Group I (39/44), compared with 70,0% (14/20) in Group II. Mean of colic attacks was 2,6±0,3 in Group I compared with 7,2±0,8 in Group II (p>0,001), and VAS score was 4 and 7 in Group I and II respectively. A mean stone expulsion time of 8,2 and 14,5 days was recorded for Group I and II respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (p<0,001). Conclusions: The adjunction of tamsulosin for conservative management of ureteral calculi decrease the time of stone expulsion, number of colic attacks and amount of analgesics. The Proflosin demonstrated no clinically significant adverse effects, while proving to be a safe and effective treatment option

Basic metabolic disorders in recurrent urolithiasis (Literature review)

Catedra de urologie şi nefrologie chirurgicală, IPU Universitatea de Stat de Medicină şi Farmacie „Nicolae Testemiţanu", Chişinău, Republica Moldova, Al VI-lea Congres de Urologie, Dializă şi Transplant Renal din Republica Moldova cu participare internaţională (21-23 octombrie 2015)Urolitiaza actualmente ocupă unul din locurile de frunte în structura maladiilor urologice. In conformitate cu pronosticul, urolitiaza are o continuă tendinţa ascendentă datorită schimbărilor semnificaţie în natura şi în calitatea alimentelor, acţiunea nefastă a mediului ambiant şi factorilor sociali, metabolici şi infecţioşi. Pentru o diagnosticare multilaterală a cauzelor litogenezei, aprecierea dereglărilor metabolice şi efectuarea activităţilor metafilactice necesare, se impune o examinare completă a pacientului, în special studiul parametrilor biochimici serici şi urinari, determinarea compoziţiei calculului şi analiza factorilor de risc pentru litogeneză.Summary Urolithiasis (UL) is one of the most common urologic diseases in the world. According to forecasts, urolithiasis has a continuing upward trend due to a significant change in the nature and quality of nutrition, increase of negative environmental and social factors. For a multilateral diagnostics of the lithogenesis causes, in assessing metabolic disorders and performing necessary metaphylaxis, it requires a complete examination of the patient, especially serum and urine biochemical study, determining the composition of the stones and analysis of risk factors for lithogenesis

Aspecte actuale ale etiopatogenei litiazei renale (Revista literaturii)

Urolitiaza (UL) actualmente ocupă unul din locurile de frunte în structura maladiilor urologice. Această patologie este descrisă ca formare a calculilor în sistemul urinar. În conformitate cu pronosticul, urolitiaza are o continuă tendinţa ascendentă datorită schimbărilor semnifi caţie în natură şi în calitatea alimentelor, acţiunea nefastă a mediului ambiant şi factorilor sociali, metabolici şi infecţioşi. Scopul lucrării este de a revizui tendinţele în epidemiologia şi conceptele actuale de etiologie şi patogeneză a UL. În studiu au fost analizate datele din literatura de specialitate. Formarea calculilor urinari este un rezultat al diferitelor mecanisme complicate, plăcile lui Randall joacă un rol-cheie în patogeneza UL, sunt declanşate diferite patomecanisme care duc la formarea calculilor. UL este multifactorială, stilul de viată şi dieta sunt factori importanţi care contribuie la dezvoltarea patologiei. Din acest motiv, la momentul actual etiologia şi patogeneza formării calculilor urinari sunt încă incomplet studiate şi necesită evaluare aprofundat

Actualities in metaphilaxy of recurrent urolithiasis (Literature review)

Catedra de urologie şi nefrologie chirurgicală , IPU Universitatea de Stat de Medicină şi Farmacie „Nicolae Testemiţanu", Chişinău, Republica Moldova, Al VI-lea Congres de Urologie, Dializă şi Transplant Renal din Republica Moldova cu participare internaţională (21-23 octombrie 2015)Litiaza renală este o problemă socială şi financiară, determinată de recidivarea ei multiplă. Nu există dubii, că prevenirea recurenţei urolitiazei este la fel de importantă ca şi tratamentul ei. Mai mulţi indici au fost asociaţi cu riscul recurenţei urolitiazei. 0 frecvenţă crescută a tulburărilor metabolice urinare la pacienţii cu nefrolitiază recidivantă accentuează importanţa evaluării metabolice la această categorie de pacienţi. Odată ce evaluarea metabolică s-a finisat, este necesar de a focusa atenţia pe tratamentul medicamentos a dereglărilor determinate. în articol a fost efectuat revizuirea datelor contemporane în eficacitatea metafilaxiei la pacienţi cu urolitiaza recidivantă.Summary Urolithiasis has a significant social and financial burden. There is no doubt that preventing stone recurrence is, therefore, as important as treatment. A lot of indices have been associated with kidney stone disease recurrence. A high frequency of urinary metabolic disorders in recurrent nephrolithiasis highlights the significance of metabolic evaluation in this category of patients. Once metabolic evaluation is complete, attention may be focused on the medical treatment of these disorders. In article was carried contemporary data review of efficacy of metaphylaxis in patients with recurrent urolithiasis