Clusters as stimulators of businesses and regional development

Socio-economic development of a region depends on the number of prosperous and profitable businesses. Local authorities provide proper development potential and facilitate the establishment and operation of business entities by creating business-friendly environment. The Polish and EU regions achieving high rates of efficiency are characterized by the fact that they “combine”, both in formal and informal way, all socio-economic entities in a region in order to gain mutual benefits. Clusters are examples of such networks. Competitive capabilities of autonomous business entities, institutions and research centres in regions with high unemployment, small investments and capital are significantly reduced. The only effective way is to combine their potentials in order to obtain a cumulative advantage over the competition. One such region is Warmia-Masuria Province, which is seeking its chance for development in cluster initiatives. The present article is an attempt to answer the question: What benefits has the Warmia-Masuria region obtained after free years of cluster initiatives

Start-up as an innovative economic entity

Основна умова виживання та розвитку компанії в умовах мінливого та конкурентного середовища – потреба у широких, спеціалізованих знаннях та широкому спектрі навичок і ресурсів. Постійно мінливе середовище викликає інший погляд на механізми, що створюють конкурентну перевагу. Швидкі темпи змін, зростаюча складність навколишнього середовища і, перш за все, відсутність адекватного потенціалу можуть обмежити молодих, амбітних «підприємців-початківців». Тому вони шукають свій шлях розвитку бізнесу, де їх найбільша стурбованість – це брак капіталу, який вони могли б виділити для інвестицій та інновацій у галузі ринкової ніші. Стартапи – це ідеальна форма стимулювання підприємництва, а найбільшими перевагами, безумовно, є низькі витрати. Бізнес створений, насамперед, для клієнта, а торговці часто про це забувають. Саме унікальні цінності, які компанія може запропонувати споживачеві, є найважливішими. Стартапи дозволяють за принципом експерименту й дослідження ринку реального споживача уточнити кінцевий продукт відповідно до вимог та очікувань потенційного отримувача. Стартап – це тимчасове підприємство, яке знаходиться на початку свого життєвого циклу. Стартапи створені для визначення найоптимальнішої, масштабованої бізнес-моделі, в якій частка ринку компанії є відносно стабільною. Мета такої організації – відкриття нових ринків розвитку свого продукту й досягнення швидкого фінансового успіху, не виділяючи при цьому власні ресурси на цю модель підприємництва. Стартапи – це підприємницькі, інноваційні та найважливіші конкурентоспроможні форми ведення бізнесу, а також нові моделі управління або технології виготовлення відомого продукту. Великий інтерес, переважно молодих підприємців до цих підприємницьких структур, випливає з прийнятих припущень про стартапи: мінімізація витрат на підприємство, ризик та залучення ресурсів інвесторів, які підтримують новостворене підприємство. Це новий, інноваційний спосіб ведення бізнесу, альтернатива традиційним бізнес-моделям.The basic condition for the survival and development of the company under variable and competitive environment is the need for broad, specialized knowledge and a wide range of skills and resources. The ever-changing environment requires another focus on the mechanisms that create a competitive advantage. The rapid changes, the increasing complexity of the environment and, above all, the lack of adequate potentials, can limit young, ambitious «novice entrepreneurs». So they are looking for their own way of business development, where the lack of capital that they could allocate for investment and innovation in the market industry niche is of their greatest concern. Startups are an ideal form of entrepreneurship stimulation, and the biggest advantages are certainly low costs. Business is created primarily for the customer, and traders often f orget about this. These exactly unique values that the company can offer to the consumer are the most important ones. Startups allow, on the principle of experimenting and real consumer market research to define the final product according to the requirements and expectations of the prospective recipient. Startup is a temporary enterprise that is at the beginning of its life cycle. Startups are established in order to identify the most optimal, scaled business model where the company's market share is relatively stable. The aim of such organization is to discover new markets for the development of its product and to achieve rapid financial success, herein not allocating its own resources for this entrepreneurship model. Startups are entrepreneurial, innovative and the most important competitive forms of business operation as well as new management models or the known product manufacturing technologies. The great interest of young people and entrepreneurs in these business ventures results from the adopted assumptions of startups: minimizing the venture and risk costs and involving the investor resources supporting newly -formed enterprise. This new, innovative method of business operation is the alternative to the traditional business models. The objective of the article is to present this innovative form of business operation by modern enterprises. The article is beneficial to all concern with economy and practice. We would greatly appreciate your comment

Reaction of street trees to adverse environmental conditions in the centre of Warsaw

The present study aimed atanalysing the trees growing along the four main streets of Warsaw - Marszałkowska, Świętokrzyska, Jana Pawła II and Solidarności Avenues - in order to evaluate the condition of each of them. The observations made in 1973 and in 2007 revealed that in this time the trees passed from 1631 to 1014, which stands for 40.3% of the original number. The biggest loss was noted for species: Sorbus aucuparia L. (94%), Acer pseudoplatanus L. (83%), Tilia cordata Mill. (65%) and Tilia ‘Euchlora’ (62%). None of the species, that were growing in 1973, could have been more tolerant to the specific environmental conditions in the vicinity of the road. The observations made in September had shown that the most frequent average value of the leaf damage index was above 3. The growing of this index showed that as vegetation period was passing by the condition of the trees was getting worse.The comparison of the leaf damage index carried out in September showed that in 2007 the health condition in 2007 was slightly better than in 1973

Effect of salt stress on prenol lipids in the leaves of Tilia ‘Euchlora’

Soil contamination caused by the NaCl used to de-ice slippery roads in winter is now recognized as one of the major causes of nutrient disorders and death in urban trees. It is believed that polyisoprenoids may have a specific role in the adaptation of plants to adverse conditions and habitats; it is further believed that in the cell, they may exhibit a protective effect in response to biotic and abiotic stress. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of salt stress on the content of prenol lipids in the leaves of Crimean linden (Tilia ‘Euchlora’). The Cl content in the slightly damaged (“healthy”) leaves averaged 0.96%, while that in the heavily damaged (“sick”) leaves averaged 2.02%. The leaves of control trees contained on average 0.57% Cl. The Na contents in the healthy and damaged leaves were 208 mg/kg and 1038 mg/kg, respectively, and the Na content in the control areas was 63 mg/kg. A mixture of polyprenols consisting of four compounds, prenol-9, prenol-10, prenol-11 and prenol-12, was identified in the leaves of Crimean linden. This mixture was dominated by prenol-10 (2.16–6.90 mg/g). The polyprenol content was highest in the leaves of “healthy” trees (approximately 13.31 mg/g), was lower in the case of “sick” trees (approximately 9.18 mg/g), and was the lowest in the control trees (mean 4.71 mg/g). No changes were observed in the composition of the mixture of polyprenols under these conditions. The results suggest that polyprenols may affect the accumulation of Cl in leaves. This phenomenon is evidenced by the high content of prenols in the leaves of trees considered “healthy” but growing under conditions of increased soil salinity and the lower content of prenols in the leaves of the “sick” and control trees. It is advisable to further investigate the role of prenol lipids in the leaves of trees subjected to salt stress. BACZEWSKA A., DMUCHOWSKI W., JÓŹWIAK A., GOZDOWSKI D., BRĄGOSZEWSKA P., DĄBROWSKI P., ŚWIEŻEWSKA E

Quantitative and qualitative characteristics of cell wall components and prenyl lipids in the leaves of Tilia x euchlora trees growing under salt stress

The study was focused on assessing the presence of arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) and pectins within the cell walls as well as prenyl lipids, sodium and chlorine content in leaves of Tilia x euchlora trees. The leaves that were analyzed were collected from trees with and without signs of damage that were all growing in the same salt stress conditions. The reason for undertaking these investigations was the observations over many years that indicated that there are trees that present a healthy appearance and trees that have visible symptoms of decay in the same habitat. Leaf samples were collected from trees growing in the median strip between roadways that have been intensively salted during the winter season for many years. The sodium content was determined using atomic spectrophotometry, chloride using potentiometric titration and poly-isoprenoids using HPLC/UV. AGPs and pectins were determined using immunohistochemistry methods. The immunohistochemical analysis showed that rhamnogalacturonans I (RG-I) and homogalacturonans were differentially distributed in leaves from healthy trees in contrast to leaves from injured trees. In the case of AGPs, the most visible difference was the presence of the JIM16 epitope. Chemical analyses of sodium and chloride showed that in the leaves from injured trees, the level of these ions was higher than in the leaves from healthy trees. Based on chromatographic analysis, four polyisoprenoid alcohols were identified in the leaves of T. x euchlora. The levels of these lipids were higher in the leaves from healthy trees. The results suggest that the differences that were detected in the apoplast and symplasm may be part of the defensive strategy of T. x euchlora trees to salt stress, which rely on changes in the chemical composition of the cell wall with respect to the pectic and AGP epitopes and an increased synthesis of prenyl lipids

Strategies for sustainable socio-economic development and mechanisms their implementation in the global dimension

The authors of the book have come to the conclusion that it is necessary to effectively use modern approaches to developing and implementation strategies of sustainable socio-economic development in order to increase efficiency and competitiveness of economic entities. Basic research focuses on economic diagnostics of socio-economic potential and financial results of economic entities, transition period in the economy of individual countries and ensuring their competitiveness, assessment of educational processes and knowledge management. The research results have been implemented in the different models and strategies of supply and logistics management, development of non-profit organizations, competitiveness of tourism and transport, financing strategies for small and medium-sized enterprises, cross-border cooperation. The results of the study can be used in decision-making at the level the economic entities in different areas of activity and organizational-legal forms of ownership, ministries and departments that promote of development the economic entities on the basis of models and strategies for sustainable socio-economic development. The results can also be used by students and young scientists in modern concepts and mechanisms for management of sustainable socio-economic development of economic entities in the condition of global economic transformations and challenges

Clinical outcomes and survival surrogacy studies of prostate-specific antigen declines following enzalutamide in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer previously treated with docetaxel.

Background In the AFFIRM trial, enzalutamide significantly increased overall survival (OS) for men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) after chemotherapy versus placebo and significantly decreased prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. The goal of this post hoc analysis was to associate levels of PSA decline from baseline after enzalutamide with clinical outcomes in the postchemotherapy mCRPC setting.Methods Men in the AFFIRM trial (n = 1199) were grouped by maximal PSA decline in the first 90 days of treatment. Kaplan-Meier estimates evaluated the association of defined PSA changes from baseline with OS, progression-free survival (PFS), radiographic PFS (rPFS), and pain response. Each PSA decline category was assessed for OS surrogacy using Prentice criteria, proportion of treatment effect explained (PTE), and proportion of variation explained.Results Men treated with enzalutamide had improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.63; P 19.0; P .20).Conclusions PSA declines of any, ≥30%, and ≥50% following enzalutamide were associated with greater clinical and pain response and improvements in PFS and OS. Surrogacy of PSA decline for OS was not fully established, possibly due to lack of PSA declines with placebo, and discordant results between PSA and imaging responses over time, and because some declines were not durable due to rapid resistance development. However, a lack of PSA decline by 90 days following enzalutamide treatment was a poor prognosis indicator in this setting. Conclusions from sensitivity analyses of maximal PSA decline from baseline over the entire treatment period are consistent with PSA declines restricted to the first 90 days. Cancer 2017;123:2303-2311. © 2017 American Cancer Society

Effect of salt stress in urban conditions on two Acer species with different sensitivity

Background. The benefits of trees in urban areas include the following: an increase in ecosystem health, an increase in human health, the mitigation of the effects of heat and drought at microclimate level, the storage and sequestration of carbon, and a reduction in air pollution and noise. These ecosystem services can be provided only by trees that are in good health. The main cause of salt stress in urban environments is the use of deicing salts on the streets in winter. Salt stress is a complex process that includes changes in plants on the physiological, histological, cellular and molecular levels, leading to limitations in nutrient uptake, disrupting the ionic balance of trees and resulting in the death of roadside trees. In response to salinity, trees have developed a variety of defence mechanisms that allow them to minimize the effects of stress and maintain homeostasis. Methodology. The reactions of two species Acer species: A. platanoides and A. campestre, which have different sensitivities to the unfavourable conditions of the urban environments (mainly salt stress), were investigated. The research included two experiments: a field experiment with city trees and a controlled pot experiment with young trees treated with increasing doses of salt. In both experiments, the following were performed: an assessment of the health condition of the trees and the content of macroelements as well as the Cl and Na in leaves and a qualitative and quantitative analysis of polyprenols. Results. A. campestre had a more specific strategy than A. platanoides for dealing with Na and Cl, which resulted in undamaged leaves. Under the same conditions, A. platanoides leaves contained more Cl and Na and were severely damaged. The disruption of the ion balance due to salt stress was lower in A. campestre than in A. platanoides. Compared with A. platanoides, A. campestre synthesized more polyprenols in the field experiment. This ability was acquired during the process of acclimation, because it occurred only in the mature trees in the field experiment and not in the young trees in the pot experiment. Conclusions. The use of two experimental methods (i.e., the field and pot experiments) allowed for a more complete assessment of tree strategies to mitigate salt stress. A. campestre displayed a more specific strategy than A. platanoides. This strategy was based on several elements. A. campestre limited Cl and Na transport to the leaves, which resulted in a lack of damage to those organs. Under the same conditions, A. platanoides individuals contained more Cl and Na in their leaves and were seriously damaged. A. campestre synthesized larger amounts of polyprenols, which probably have the ability to mitigate salt stress. This ability was acquired during the process of acclimation, because it occurred only in the mature trees in the field experiment and was not observed in the young trees in the pot experiment

New trends in the economic systems management in the context of modern global challenges

New trends in the economic systems management in the context of modern global challenges: collective monograph / scientific edited by M. Bezpartochnyi, in 2 Vol. // VUZF University of Finance, Business and Entrepreneurship. – Sofia: VUZF Publishing House “St. Grigorii Bogoslov”, 2020. – Vol. 1. – 309 p

Spectrum of pheochromocytoma in the 131 I-MIBG era

131 I-metaiodobenzylguanidine ( 131 I-MIBG) scintigraphy allows for both functional diagnosis and anatomical localization of pheochromocytoma. The spectrum of pheochromocytoma since the routine use of preoperative 131 I-MIBG scan was studied. From 1980 to 1986, a total of 34 patients were primarily diagnosed and treated at the University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S.A. There were 16 males and 18 females. The mean age was 38 years and 4 patients (11.8%) were under 18 years of age. Six patients (17.6%) had family history of pheochromocytoma or multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) II syndrome. The presenting symptoms were hypertension in 29 patients (85.3%); attacks of headache, palpitation, sweating, and flushing in 4 (11.8%), and 1 patient presented with a neck mass. Plasma catecholamines were elevated in 97% of patients while urinary catecholamines and metabolites were elevated in 93.5%. 131 I-MIBG was accurate in 82.3%, partly positive in 11.8%, and false-negative in 5.9% of patients. CT scan was accurate in 80%, partly positive in 10%, but failed to show the tumor in another 10% of patients. At operation, extraadrenal lesions were found in 38.2% of the patients and among these, one-third were extraabdominal. Multiple tumors occurred in 5 (14.7%), and bilateral adrenal lesions occurred in 4 patients (11.8%). Malignancy was diagnosed in 3 patients (8.8%) after an average follow-up period of 2 years. We conclude that the use of routine preoperative 131 I-MIBG scanning improves localization of pheochromocytoma and earlier diagnosis is possible in patients with MEN II syndrome. Multiple tumors, extraadrenal and extraabdominal lesions occur more often than commonly believed. The low rate of confirmed malignancy is probably related to the short period of follow-up. La scintigraphie à l' 131 I-MIBG permet de diagnostiquer et de localiser les phéochromocytomes. Toute la gamme de types de phéochromocytomes reconnu depuis l'utilisation préopératoire systématique de la scintigraphie à l' 131 I-MIBG est présentée. Entre 1980 et 1986, 34 patients ont été explorés et traités au Centre Médical de l'Université de Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Il y avait 16 hommes et 18 femmes. L'âge moyen était de 38 ans, et 4 patients (11.8%) avaient moins de 18 ans. Six patients (17.6%) avaient des antécédents familiaux de phéochromocytome ou de néoplasmes endocrines multiples (MEN) du type II. Les symptômes amenant à consulter étaient l'hypertension chez 29 patients (85.3%), des crises de céphalées, des palpitations et un flush chez 4 patients (11.8%); un patient présentait une masse cervicale. Les catécholamines plasmatiques étaient élevées chez 97% des patients alors que les catécholamines et leurs métabolites étaient en quantité élevée chez 93.5% des patients. La scintigraphie à l' 131 I-MIBG était positive chez 82.3%, partiellement positive chez 11.8%, et faussement négative chez 5.9% des patients. La tomodensitométrie était positive chez 80%, partiellement positive chez 10%, et faussement négative chez 10% des patients. A l'intervention, des lésions extra-surrénales étaient présentes dans 38.2% des cas, et parmi celles-ci, un tiers étaient extra-abdominales. Les tumeurs étaient multiples dans 5 cas (14.7%), et bilatérales surrénales dans 4 cas (11.8%). Une tumeur maligne était diagnostiquée chez 3 patients (8.8%), après une période de suivi de 2 ans en moyenne. Nous concluons que l'utilisation systématique de la scintigraphie à l' 131 I-MIBG améliore la localisation des phéochromocytomes, permettant un diagnostic plus précoce chez les patients présentant un syndrome MEN II. La multiplicité tumorale et les localisations extra-médullosurrénales ou extra-abdominales se voient beaucoup plus fréquemment qu'on le pensait auparavant. Le taux de malignité peu élevé était probablement en rapport avec la courte période de suivi. La escintigrafía con 131 I-MIBG permite tanto la localización anatómica como el diagnóstico funcional del feocromocitoma. Las características o espectro del feocromocitoma a partir del uso rutinario de 131 I-MIBG han sido estudiadas.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41282/1/268_2005_Article_BF01655447.pd