Volatility spillover effect in Western Balkans

This article examines volatility spillover among Western Balkan’s stock markets and selected developed markets. If there is an evidence of weak linkage between various markets, then there are potential benefits that could arise from international diversification. However, if we analyse the relationship between two markets that are different in terms of their economic development, and if there is a strong connection between them, market shocks from the developed markets can have an impact on the frontier/emerging markets. Market integration can be indicated with returns linkage and transmission of shocks and volatility between markets. Hence, this can have implications for investment strategies. It is found that there is statistically significant regional spillover between countries of the Western Balkan region. Also, there is global spillover between developed markets and this region as well. Furthermore, there is evidence that Western Balkan’s markets are late in response to important market events, and that can be used when formulating investment strategy

A comparative analysis of development in Southeast European countries

There are different kinds of indicators which measure levels of development. The use of varying methods could alter the ranking of a particular country. In this paper, Southeast European countries are ranked according to the World Bank, the UNDP and the I-distance method. The aim of the paper is to provide a comparison between the ranking results obtained with those methods for the period 2007–2012. The principal objective of the study is the ranking of SEE countries using the I-distance technique – a multivariate statistical method for ranking entities – and to discover whether this method gives a better ranking of countries than income per capita and the HDI. To answer this question, similar variables of economic development are used within the research methods. Due to the observed period, some government finance variables are also included. Despite certain limitations, such as lack of data for SEE countries, the results show that the ranks of countries are highly similar regardless of the method used. Nevertheless, there are some differences in the countries’ rankings in some years: there are small differences from year to year both in terms of HDI and GNI per capita. However, the I-distance method shows greater differences between countries. First published online 26 January 2017

CTCF-mediated topological boundaries during development foster appropriate gene regulation

The genome is organized into repeating topologically associated domains (TADs), each of which is spatially isolated from its neighbor by poorly understood boundary elements thought to be conserved across cell types. Here, we show that deletion of CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor)-binding sites at TAD and sub-TAD topological boundaries that form within the HoxA and HoxC clusters during differentiation not only disturbs local chromatin domain organization and regulatory interactions but also results in homeotic transformations typical of Hox gene misregulation. Moreover, our data suggest that CTCF-dependent boundary function can be modulated by competing forces, such as the self-assembly of polycomb domains within the nucleus. Therefore, CTCF boundaries are not merely static structural components of the genome but instead are locally dynamic regulatory structures that control gene expression during development

Illness perception in tuberculosis by implementation of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire : a TBNET study

How patients relate to the experience of their illness has a direct impact over their behavior. We aimed to assess illness perception in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) by means of the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (BIPQ) in correlation with patients’ demographic features and clinical TB score. Our observational questionnaire based study included series of consecutive TB patients enrolled in several countries from October 2008 to January 2011 with 167 valid questionnaires analyzed. Each BIPQ item assessed one dimension of illness perceptions like the consequences, timeline, personal control, treatment control, identity, coherence, emotional representation and concern. An open question referred to the main causes of TB in each patient’s opinion. The over-all BIPQ score (36.25 ± 11.054) was in concordance with the clinical TB score (p ≤ 0.001). TB patients believed in the treatment (the highest item-related score for treatment control) but were unsure about the illness identity. Illness understanding and the clinical TB score were negatively correlated (p < 0.01). Only 25% of the participants stated bacteria or TB contact as the first ranked cause of the illness. For routine clinical practice implementation of the BIPQ is convenient for obtaining fast and easy assessment of illness perception with potential utility in intervention design. This time saving effective personalized approach may improve communication with TB patients and contribute to better behavioral strategies in disease control

REDESIGNING THE GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INDEX: A MULTIVARIATE COMPOSITE I-DISTANCE INDICATOR APPROACH

tract The topic of food security has gained significant attention and importance due to its impact on political, economic, and humanitarian decisions governments make. Although composite indexes that measure food security have proliferated in the last decade, many questions regarding their methodologies remain unanswered. Among several composite indexes that aim to measure food security, the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) stands out for its solid methodology and reliable data sources. However, its weighting scheme can be categorized as biased. This paper attempts to overcome the issue of subjectively assigned weights to indicators and categories within the GFSI. Namely, we propose a statistical methodology, the Composite I-distance Indicator (CIDI), which is based on the I-distance method, for obtaining an unbiased weighting scheme. Our approach can serve as a foundation for future research on weighting schemes, which are enveloped with subjectivity

REDESIGNING THE GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY INDEX: A MULTIVARIATE COMPOSITE I-DISTANCE INDICATOR APPROACH

The topic of food security has gained significant attention and importance due to its impact on political, economic, and humanitarian decisions governments make. Although composite indexes that measure food security have proliferated in the last decade, many questions regarding their methodologies remain unanswered. Among several composite indexes that aim to measure food security, the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) stands out for its solid methodology and reliable data sources. However, its weighting scheme can be categorized as biased. This paper attempts to overcome the issue of subjectively assigned weights to indicators and categories within the GFSI. Namely, we propose a statistical methodology, the Composite I-distance Indicator (CIDI), which is based on the I-distance method, for obtaining an unbiased weighting scheme. Our approach can serve as a foundation for future research on weighting schemes, which are enveloped with subjectivity

Electricity reform in Serbia

According to the Agreement on Stabilization and Integration to European Union, Serbia is obligatory to implement reforms in power sector and its power policy must be in accordance with the European Union power policy. Power sector reforms in Serbia have been started, and certain results were achieved. But, electric power infrastructure became technologically obsolete, and for its reconstruction significant investments and the active part of the state are necessary. Operative efficiency is at very low level. Also, Serbia has not yet decided whether Serbian Electric Power Industry will be privatized or not and if it is privatized which model will be applied and when.Electricity Restructuring Competition Investments Prices

Vrste roda Monilinia na jabučastim i koštičavim vrstama voćaka

Different species of the genus Monilinia are common plant pathogens that endanger pome and stone fruit production worldwide. In Serbia, two species of this genus are widely distributed – M. laxa and M. fructigena, while M. fructicola, which is officially on the A2 EPPO List of quarantine pest organisms in Europe and on the 1A part I List of quarantine pest organisms in Serbia, has so far been detected only on stored apple and nectarine fruits. The most important control measures against these pathogens include chemical control in combination with adequate cultural practices, particularly under favourable conditions for disease development. Concerning that species of this genus can cause significant economic losses, knowledge of the pathogen biology, disease epidemiology and pathogen-host interactions is a necessary prerequisite for stable and profitable production of pome and stone fruits.Različite vrste roda Monilinia dobro su poznati biljni patogeni koji ugrožavaju proizvodnju jabučastog i koštičavog voća širom sveta. U našoj zemlji široko su rasprostranjene dve vrste ovog roda – M. laxa i M. fructigena, dok je M. fructicola koja se zvanično nalazi na A2 EPPO listi karantinskih štetnih organizama u Evropi i na A1 listi karantinskih štetnih organizama u našoj zemlji, do sada detektovana samo na uskladištenim plodovima jabuke i plodovima nektarine. Najznačajnija mera borbe protiv ovih patogena je hemijsko suzbijanje uz primenu adekvatnih agrotehničkih mera, naročito u godinama povoljnim za razvoj oboljenja. S obzirom da vrste ovog roda mogu prouzrokovati velike ekonomske gubitke, stepen poznavanja biologije patogena, epidemiologije bolesti i odnosa parazit-domaćin predstavljaju neophodan preduslov stabilne i profitabilne proizvodnje jabučastog i koštičavog voća