INTERDEPENDENCE OF FISCAL CONSOLIDATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN EU COUNTRIES WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF DEVELOPMENT

The concept of fiscal consolidation is most often mentioned during major economic crises, which are usually the result of economic shocks caused by crises such as the one in 2008, but also the last crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In such circumstances, as a rule, high deficit and/or enormous growth of public debt occur. Therefore, many countries need to consolidate fiscally their public finances. In this paper, the focus of the analysis is on the impact of fiscal consolidation on the economic growth of the European Union with different levels of development. It is assumed that countries with low incomes and less developed economies have a special obligation and a need for stable public finances. The same refers to the small and open economies that are largely exposed to the stability/instability of the surrounding countries. Therefore, it is very important that countries with a low level of development pay special attention to the fiscal stability of the country’s public finances

Oxygen sensing in myeloid cells : implications for physiology and cancer

All mammals depend on oxygen in order to produce life-essential energy. They acquire oxygen (O2) through inspiration. In the lungs, O2 is gathered by erythrocytes that consequently deliver it to all cells by the cardiovascular system. O2 levels vary within our bodies. The highest levels are measured in the respiratory system and at lowest in the most peripheral parts of the body, for example skin. Therefore, the physiological levels of O2 are different in different tissues. During pathological events that result in challenged acquisition of O2, such as disturbances in the bloodstream or sudden increases of the cell numbers, the need of O2 often becomes higher than the demand; a condition defined as hypoxia. Because of this, mammals have developed responses that help to manage hypoxia at different levels. Systemically, low O2 levels are sensed by chemoreceptors that activate a chain of reflexes leading to more efficient O2 delivery. Mammalian cells react to hypoxia by increasing O2 independent energy production, which is done through glycolysis. Cells also activate signaling cascades that stimulate more efficient O2 delivery in their environment. Cellular reactions to low O2 are managed by hypoxia inducible factors (HIF), proteins that drive the expression of large amounts of genes necessary for survival in hypoxic environments. O2 sensing is important for all mammalian cell types, however it is particularly crucial for motile cells that move through different tissues with a variable O2 availability. Cells of the immune system need to function also in hypoxic environments. Mononuclear phagocytes (MP) are a group of multifunctional cells of the immune system that are highly dependent on HIF signaling and are also involved in numerous pathological conditions. Previous studies have shown that removal of HIF genes in MP results in dampened disease progression caused by environmental hypoxia, cancer or sepsis. Although the importance of HIF signaling in MP has been shown in several studies, very few of the studies describe the consequences of exaggerated HIF signaling in different states of diseases. The work in this thesis aims to understand the role of myeloid hypoxia in pulmonary edema, cancer and sepsis, that has been described in three different studies attached to this thesis book. We have shown that augmented hypoxic response in MPs is enough to induce highaltitude pulmonary edema (HAPE)-like symptoms to such extent that it could be used as a model for studying pathological effects of environmental hypoxia in mice. In cancer, on the other hand, we showed that MP hypoxic response contributes to immune suppression by blocking cytotoxic lymphocyte proliferation. The MP-driven inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation occurred during antigen presentation, a process important for lymphocyte activation. Finally, in endotoxin induced sepsis, our studies demonstrated that removal of HIF-1α leads to decreased hypoglycemia due to reduced glycolysis. The strongest reduction in glycolysis was observed in the heart and brown fat. In conclusion, HIF signaling in MP plays a complex, yet important role in pathogenesis of several major diseases

GRADUATED PHARMACISTS PROMOTING ORAL HEALTH IN FEDERATION OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Background: Community pharmacists are healthcare professionals that play a crucial role in delivering quality healthcare to people, including oral health-related problems and dental hygiene products, as part of health promotion. In order to better understand these issues in FB&H, this exploratory study aimed at assessing the knowledge, attitude and practice of Pharmacy interns in Federation of B&H in regard to oral health and their educational needs, with the ultimate goal of enhancing their future role in promoting oral health and oral hygiene practices as pharmacists. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among pharmacy interns in 2019 by using self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire. The results were statistically analysed using descriptive statistics. Results: The most frequently reported oral condition/products on which pharmacists provided advice during their practice were: (other) gum related problems like pain, redness, tenderness, inflammation etc.), Toothache and Denture related problems. Mouthwash, Toothbrush and Toothpaste were reported respectively. Regarding the knowledge of participants about prevention oriented oral health behaviours, 80.8% of participant strongly agree and agree to recommended oral health behaviors. Participants showed positive attitudes toward their role in oral health care and willingness to improve their knowledge about this issue. Conclusion: This study shows that pharmacy interns in FB&H have good knowledge about preventive oral health behaviours, average knowledge related to oral health care and have positive attitude to their important role in maintenance of oral health despite all barriers and difficulties. The pharmacist interns expressed their need for education/training to enhance their practice

O stomatalnom aparatu na plodovima nekih sorti Prunus domestica L.

Na temelju provedenih anatomskih istraživanja stomatalnog aparata kod ovih sorti stolnih šljiva: Mirabela (Mirabelle von Nancy), Požegača (Hauszwetschge), Talijanka (Italienische Zwetschge), Ana Špet (Anna Späth), Cimerova râna (Zimmer’s Frühzwetschge), Kraljica Viktorija (Königin Viktoria), Mali zeleni ringlo (Kleine grüne Reineclaude), Levenska (Schöne von Löven) i Alten (Althan’s Reineclaude) došlo se do ovih rezultata: — U epidermi plodova svih istraženih sorti pronađene su puči (sl. 1) dužine (46,20 — 63,28 μ) i širine (35,81 — 51,71 μ) kojih se kreću u uskim granicama ; — Puči su nepravilno raspoređene na plodovima, a njihov raspored i broj na 1 mm2 je prikazan na si. 2 ; — Prosječni brojevi puči na 1 mm2 su maleni (0,90 — 3,62; tab. 1), što govori za kserofitski karakter epiderme; — Determinacija sorti na temelju dobivenih rezultata nije moguća radi male varijabilnosti i preklapanja svojstava; — Istraživanjima je nadalje ustanovljena uloga puči pri stvaranju mikroskopskih pukotina u epidermi, koje se mogu — uz utjecaj ostalih faktora — produbiti čak u subepidermalne slojeve (sl. 3). Razmotreno je značenje ovih pukotina u vezi s kvalitetom i trajnošću te mogućnošću prodiranja patogenih gljiva i bakterija u plodove

Membranska zadebljanja i kristali u perikarpu graha mahunara (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

In the epidermis of some bean legumes of ‘Favorit’ variety of Phaseolus vulgaris L. semi-spherical thickenings of cell walls are formed. Sometimes they are slightly incrusted with calcium carbonate. These thickenings are most frequently found around necrotised epidermal cells and anomal stomata. In the epidermis of ‘Favorit’ legumes irregularly grape shaped and conical cystoliths appear only in the variety described and they might have a taxonomic role too. Calcium oxalate crystals were found in the exocarp and the mesocarp of ‘Favorit’ and ‘Top-crop’. They are much bigger and more numerous in the mesocarp than in the exocarp.Ovim istraživanjima utvrđeno je da se u epiđermi mahuna vrste Phaseolus vulgaris L. sorte ‘Favorit’ stvaraju polukuglasta zadebljanja staničnih stijenki oko nekrotiziranih stanica epiderme i anomalno građenih puči. Ona su katkad inkrustirana kalcijevim karbonatom. U epi- dermi sorte ‘Favorit’ pronađeni su i cistoliti grozdasta ili čunjasta oblika. Kako se cistoliti pojavljuju samo u navedene sorte, oni bi mogli imati i taksonomsko značenje. U perikarpu mahuna sorte ‘Favorit’ i ‘Top-crop’ utvrđeni su u egzokarpu i mezokarpu kristali kalcijeva oksalata. Oni su znatno veći u mezokarpu nego u egzokarpu

PROJEKT "IZBOR VIŠE" KAO RESOCIJALIZACIJSKI RAD S ADOLESCENTIMA U RIZIKU OD OVISNOSTI

Ovaj rad prikazuje ideju, razvoj i realizaciju resocijalizacijskog rada građanske udruge „Kameleon i mreža“ za resocijalizaciju adolescenata u riziku ovisnosti od THC-a kroz projekt „Izbor više“ u Slavonskom Brodu. Projekt je ostvaren dragovoljnim radom cijenjenih osoba prisutnih u njihovom profesionalnom javnom radu u gradu u području astronomije, informatike, art-dizajna, video-arta i sporta, radionicama s vršnjačkom grupnom edukacijom potpomognutom od psihijatra u motivacijskom i organizacijskom pristupu. Postavka malih grupnih radionica jednom tjedno u trajanju od 90 min tijekom šest tjedana mobilizirala je u razdoblju od 2005. do 2009. godine 90 adolescenata. U radu prikazujemo rezultate testova subjektivnih samoprocjena koji su visoko pozitivni i prikazuju vrlo dobru prihvaćenost takvog načina rada s adolescentima

Early medieval burial of woman and fox at the Slog necropolis in Ravna (Timacum Minus) in Eastern Serbia

Na istočnim padinama brda Slog u Ravni, oko 400 m zapadno od rimskog utvrđenja Timacum Minus, u periodu između 1994. i 1996. i između 2013. i 2015. godine, na višeslojnoj nekropoli sprovedena su arheološka istraživanja. Dva glavna horizonta korišćenja nekropole hronološki su opredeljena u kasnorimski i ranosrednjovekovni period. Kasnorimska nekropola sa tri faze datovana je u period od sredine 4. do sredine 5. veka, dok je za ranosrednjovekovnu nekropolu, na osnovu novih arheoloških iskopavanja, utvrđeno da je imala dve faze: raniju - datovanu u period 8-9. veka, i kasniju - od kraja 9. do početka 11. veka. Tokom iskopavanja 2014. godine, u starijem ranosrednjovekovnom horizontu nekropole otkriven je jedan zanimljiv grob (G 159), koji predstavlja jedinstven nalaz na čitavoj nekropoli. Žena u ovom grobu (G 159) bila je sahranjena u jednostavnoj ovalnoj raki, na leđima i s rukama ispruženim pored tela. Grob je bio orijentisan u pravcu zapad-istok, sa devijacijom manjom od 5º ka jugu. Ceo skelet žene bio je slabo očuvan - neke kosti su bile dislocirane, a neke su nedostajale. Posebno zanimljiv nalaz jeste skelet životinje koji je pronađen zapadno od ženine glave, u savijenom položaju, tako što je glava životinje bila naslonjena na levu stranu glave žene. Žena je bila sahranjena sa brojnim grobnim prilozima, na osnovu kojih je TA sahrana opredeljena u period 8-9. veka. Antropološka analiza je pokazala da je žena u trenutku smrti imala između 40 i 45 godina. Uočene patološke promene na njenim kostima svedoče da je patila od osteoartritisa. Te osteoartričine lezije, zajedno sa naglašenim pripojima mišića, upućuju na to da se tokom života bavila teškim fizičkim aktivnostima. Ante-mortem gubitak svih zuba iz njene donje vilice predstavlja veoma zanimljivu i još uvek nerazjašnjenu pojavu. S jedne strane, moguće je da je to stanje posledica nekog dentalnog oboljenja, dok je, s druge, možda i rezultat mutilacije - namernog sakaćenja pokojnice. Međutim, ovo tumačenje treba uzeti sa dozom rezerve budući da adekvatne analogije takve prakse još nisu pronađene. Arheozoološka analiza je pokazala da skelet životinje sahranjene u grobu sa ženom pripada odrasloj lisici, staroj između dve i četiri godine. Budući da se izračunata visina grebena ove jedinke od 41,3 cm nalazi u gornjem opsegu visina grebena lisica, može se pretpostaviti da skelet pripada mužjaku lisice, a nepostojanje tragova glodanja i raspadanja na skeletnim ostacima ukazuje na to da je životinja pohranjena brzo posle smrti. Ako se ima u vidu položaj lisice i njeno mesto u grobu u odnosu na sahranjenu ženu, može se zaključiti da se radi o istovremenom događaju, to jest sahrani. Na osnovu svih podataka kao i detaljne arheološke, antropološke i arheozoološke analize groba 159 (G 159) na nekropoli Slog u Ravni, može se zaključiti sledeće: da je ova sredovečna žena bila istaknutog društvenog statusa u ranosrednjovekovnom naselju u Ravni, da je imala antemortem gubitak svih zuba iz donje vilice (mutilacija ?), da je bila sahranjena sa odraslim mužjakom lisice, s kojim je verovatno imala neku posebnu vrstu veze, i da se ova pogrebna praksa možda može povezati sa šamanizmom. Jedina analogija za takvu pogrebnu praksu kod nas do sada je zabeležena na avarskoj nekropoli Pionirska ulica - Bečej (grob 16) u Vojvodini i datuje se u ranoavarski period. Sahrana u grobu 159 sa nekropole Slog mlađa je jedno stoleće i ukazuje na moguće uticaje stepsko-nomadskih zajednica, pre svega Bugara.On the Eastern slope of Slog Hill in Ravna, some 400 m to the West of the Roman fortification of Timacum Minus, a multilayered necropolis was investigated from 1994 to 1996 and from 2013 to 2015. There are two main horizons of the necropolis - Late Roman and Early Medieval. The late Roman necropolis has three phases dated from the middle of the 4th to the middle of the 5th century. The early medieval necropolis, according to the new excavations, has two phases, the earlier dated to the 8th - 9th centuries and the later from the end of the 9th to the beginning of the 11th century. An interesting grave (G 159), belonging to the earlier medieval phase of necropolis, was discovered in 2014. It is a unique burial of a woman and a fox, which has its only analogy in a disturbed woman and fox grave (grave 16) at the early Avar necropolis in Bečej. The burial with a fox could be interpreted in two ways - that the animal has a cult - ritual - magic meaning or that the fox was a pet of the deceased

Effects of fiscal consolidation in Western Balkan Countries

Svjetska ekonomska kriza zahvatila je zemlje Zapadnog Balkana. Recesija koju je karakteriziralo smanjenje privredne aktivnosti, pad potrošnje i povećanje zaposlenosti bila je praćena smanjenjem javnih prihoda. Posljedica takvog stanja je budžetska neravnoteža koja se manifestirala u vidu strukturnog budžetskog deficita i rasta javnog duga. Fiskalna konsolidacija u svim zemljama bila je neophodna. U procesu fiskalne konsolidacije dolazi do promjene pojedinih elemenata fiskalne politike koji se razlikuju od zemlje do zemlje. U tom procesu , struktura javnih prihoda i javnih rashoda se mijenja. Postavlja se pitanje koliko je fiskalna konsolidacija bila uspješna i u kojoj mjeri. Dinamička panel analiza pomoću PMG procjenitelja u šest zemalja Zapadnog Balkana, za period od 2004-2016. godine pokazala je da fiskalna konsolidacija ima pozitivan utjecaj na ekonomski rast. Dakle, zemlje Zapadnog Balkana moraju voditi odgovorne financije kako bi potakle ekonomski rast.The global economic crisis has not spared the countries of the Western Balkans. The ensuing recession, characterized by a decline in economic activity, a decline in consumption and an increase in unemployment, went hand in hand with drops in public revenues. This in turn resulted in budget imbalances that manifested in structural budget deficits and higher public debt. Fiscal consolidation was deemed necessary across the board. In this process, certain fiscal policy elements varied among countries. The structure of public revenues and public expenditures changed. The question is whether the fiscal consolidation was successful and to what extent. Dynamic panel analysis using PMG estimator in six Western Balkan Countries for the period 2004-2016 has shown that fiscal consolidation has positive impact on economic growth in this region. So, Western Balkan Countries have to conduct responsible public finances in order to encourage economic growth

Oxidation of formic acid on bulk and nanosized Pt-Co alloys

Bulk Pt3Co and nanosized Pt3Co and PtCo alloys supported on XC-72 high area carbon were investigated as the electrocatalysts for the oxidation of formic acid. Cyclic voltammetry in 0.1 M HClO4 and stripping voltammetry of COads in the same electrolyte show a small difference in the potentials of Pt-oxide formation and reduction and COads oxidation. Based on these results, we concluded that electronic modification of Pt by Co atoms, which was theoretically predicted and experimentally proved on solid/gas interface, is exhibited in the electrochemical environment. Promotion of HCOOH oxidation rate on bimetallic Pt-Co surfaces with respect to pure Pt was found to be up to factor of eight in the case of PtCo/XC-72 catalyst. This moderate increase of the reaction rate is ascribed mostly to the ensemble effect, because partial leaching of Co increased Pt:Co ratio at the bimetallic surfaces, diminishing the efficiency of the ensemble effect.Belgrade, Serbia, June 6-10, 2010Related to the published paper in the Proceedings of the Second Regional Symposium on Electrochemistry South-East Europe, [http://cer.ihtm.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3537