The Economic Impact of Cash-for-Clunkers

The Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) program, more commonly referred to as "Cash-for-Clunkers", was created to stimulate the economy and to have more fuel-efficient cars on our nation's roadways. In the summer of 2009, in what may turn out to be the worst period of the housing/credit crisis related recession; the Federal Government appropriated a total of $2.88 billion in vendor rebates for the purchase of new fuel-efficient automobiles with the trade-in to be destroyed. The goal of my research is to examine how the Cash-for-Clunkers program impacts different groups of people, from the family buying a new car to the U.S. and Foreign automobile manufacturers. I also examine the first-level of indirect groups, such as used car buyers and the U.S. taxpayer. Finally, I describe whether or not the goals of the Cash-for- Clunkers program were met.B.S. (Bachelor of Science

Deconstructing divisions : cultural schismogeneses as sources of creativity in organizations

Drawing on Gregory Bateson’s theory of cultural schismogenesis, the authors analyse such processes within two organizations: the Birdwatching and Bird Study Association of Slovenia and VU University Amsterdam. Both cases illustrate internal cultural divisions typical for non-profit organizations whose goals go beyond optimizing financial profits and can thus be interpreted in various, sometimes conflicting, ways. The article demonstrates how organizational members, through continuous processes of creative deconstruction, transform organizations by simultaneously creating both schisms and coalitions. This shows that, although cultural divisions may at first glance seem destructive, they are at the same time sources of creativity that permit organizational renewal and growth

Tuberculous Orchiepididymitis, Meningoencephalitis and Hydrocephalus

Tuberculous meningoencephalitis (TBM) is a rare and serious, often fatal presentation of active tuberculosis and account for about 1% of cases. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of TBM is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. Here, we report a case of TBM in 60-year-old man. TBM was considered on the basis of clinical presentation, laboratory findings (hyponatraemia), cerebrospinal fluid studies, radiological findings (hydrocephalus on multi-slice computed tomography), and history of orchiepididymitis of unknown origin one year earlier, together with information that the patient originated from Kosovo where incidence of tuberculosis is still high. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured from cerebrospinal fluid on Lowenstein-Jensen medium confirming diagnosis of TBM. Subsequently, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) staining on samples obtained after orchiectomy a year ago was performed, revealing AFB. Anti-tuberculosis therapy is still in course. This is the second case of tuberculous meningoencephalitis with the same disease pattern (i.e. tuberculous orchiepididymitis – meningoencephalitis) in our Department, and this fact was crucial for the presumptive diagnosis and urgent treatment of TBM. The former case was described five years ago

Tuberculous Orchiepididymitis, Meningoencephalitis and Hydrocephalus

Tuberculous meningoencephalitis (TBM) is a rare and serious, often fatal presentation of active tuberculosis and account for about 1% of cases. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of TBM is essential to reduce morbidity and mortality. Here, we report a case of TBM in 60-year-old man. TBM was considered on the basis of clinical presentation, laboratory findings (hyponatraemia), cerebrospinal fluid studies, radiological findings (hydrocephalus on multi-slice computed tomography), and history of orchiepididymitis of unknown origin one year earlier, together with information that the patient originated from Kosovo where incidence of tuberculosis is still high. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured from cerebrospinal fluid on Lowenstein-Jensen medium confirming diagnosis of TBM. Subsequently, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) staining on samples obtained after orchiectomy a year ago was performed, revealing AFB. Anti-tuberculosis therapy is still in course. This is the second case of tuberculous meningoencephalitis with the same disease pattern (i.e. tuberculous orchiepididymitis – meningoencephalitis) in our Department, and this fact was crucial for the presumptive diagnosis and urgent treatment of TBM. The former case was described five years ago

Psychotropic medication use among elderly nursing home residents in Slovenia: cross-sectional study

Aim To determine the prevalence of psychotropic medication prescribing in elderly nursing home residents in Slovenia and to explore the residents’, physicians’, and nursing home characteristics associated with prescribing. Methods In a cross-sectional study, we collected the data for 2040 nursing home residents aged 65 years and older in 12 nursing homes in Slovenia between September 25 and November 30, 2006. Prescribed medications lists were retrieved from patients’ medical records. Psychotropic medications were coded according to Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification 2005, which we adjusted for the purposes of the study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the residents’, physicians’, and nursing home characteristics associated with prescribing. Results Residents were from 65 to 104 years old (median, 83 years) and 1606 (79%) of them were female. A total of 970 (48%) residents had dementia and 466 had depression (23%). In 1492 (73%) residents, at least one psychotropic medication was prescribed. Nine hundred sixty residents were prescribed hypnotics and sedatives (47%), 572 (28%) antipsychotics, 460 (23%) antidepressants, and 432 (21%) anxiolytics. Residents’ characteristics associated with psychotropic medication use were female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-1.80), age (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95-0.98), permanent restlessness (OR, 2.54; 95% CI, 1.71-3.78), dementia (OR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.33-2.34), depression (OR, 5.51; 95% CI, 3.50-7.58), and the number of prescribed medications (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.23-1.35). Of physicians’ characteristics (sex, age, specialization in general practice, years of working experiences as a general practitioner, and years of experiences working in a nursing home), male sex was associated with psychotropic medication prescribing (OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.17-2.76). Conclusion Frequency of psychotropic medication prescribing in elderly nursing home residents in Slovenia is high and is comparable to Western European countries. Our next step should be optimizing the prescribing in patients with the highest prescription rate

Molecular mechanisms of microglia- and astrocyte-driven neurorestoration triggered by application of electromagnetic fields

Aim To propose potential mechanisms of action of electromagnetic fields (EMF) on astrocytes and microglia and to elucidate the role of heat shock proteins (HSP), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), calcium ions (Ca2+), and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) in neurorestoration following the application of EMF. Methods We reviewed the existing studies within the public domain and cross-evaluated their results in order to conclude on the molecular mechanisms of microgliaastrocyte crosstalk at work during EMF treatment. Results The existing studies suggest that EMF induces the increase of HSP70 expression and inhibition of HIF1α, thus decreasing inflammation and allowing the microgliaastrocyte crosstalk to initiate the formation of a glial scar within the central nervous system. Furthermore, by potentially up-regulating A2A and A3 adenosine receptors, EMF increases cAMP accumulation from astrocytes and reduces the expression of inflammatory cytokines TNF α and IL-8, thus initiating neurorestoration. Conclusion The microglia-astrocyte crosstalk during EMF treatment is crucial for the initiation of neurorestoration. Elucidating the exact mechanisms of EMF actions upon microglia and astrocytes, and its role in neurorestoration could be a key step in further research of the therapeutic potential of EMFs in various neurological disorders

Coupled electronic and morphologic changes in graphene oxide upon electrochemical reduction

Peer reviewedPostprin

Word Formation in the Croatian Language

U radu se opisuje mocijska tvorba u hrvatskom jeziku. Na samom su početku postavljena neka teorijska stajališta preuzeta iz gramatika hrvatskog jezika. Prije svega, razjašnjena su značenja riječi, tj. terminologija: mocija, mocijska tvorba te mocijski parnjaci, uzimajući to kao polazne pojmove tijekom izrade ovoga rada. Također su u radu navedene definicije roda i spola s naglaskom na bitnost razjednačavanja njihova značenja. Sufiksalna tvorba, kao temeljni tvorbeni način kojim nastaju mocijski parnjaci, navedena je i opisana s posebnim osvrtom na sufikse koji sudjeluju u tvorbi muških, ali i u tvorbi ženskih imenica. Nakon toga govori se o temeljnim mocijskim sufiksima, ali i njihovim značenjima i to posebice pri semantičkoj analizi pojedine riječi. Poseban je naglasak u ovom radu stavljen na položaj imenica koje označavaju ženski spol u mocijskoj tvorbi, osvrćući se na obilježavanje muških i ženskih naziva za isto zanimanje te (ne)isticanje ženskog spola na javnim natpisima, oglasima i natječajima uz posebna objašnjenja zašto je tomu tako. Treba napomenuti da je imenica oblika u muškom rodu osnovna kada se ne stavlja naglasak na spol osobe pa tako i pri javnom oglašavanju, o čemu će se detaljnije govoriti u narednim poglavljima. Kao dva posebna potpoglavlja spomenuta su kolebanja između sufikasa -telj i -lac te njihove prednosti i nedostatci. U drugom je potpoglavlju petog poglavlja naglasak na imenicama kao što su pastor, mornar te tvorbi njihovih ženskih mocijskih parnjaka. Kako se i dalje u jeziku i svakodnevnom govoru često raspravlja i o nastavcima koji dolaze pri tvorbi ženskog profesijskog mocijskog parnjaka u odnosu na imenice koje završavaju na -(l)og, bit će poneka riječ i o tome. Pri pisanju zadnja dva potpoglavlja korišteni su i jezični savjetnici u tiskanom i mrežnom obliku da bi se uočila učestalost i prednost pojedinih oblika

Odnosi urbanog planiranja i zaštite spomenika u zagrebačkom Donjem gradu od 1945. do 1965. godine

U radu se kroz četiri veće teme promatra odnos prema Donjem gradu, odnosno prema povijesnom ambijentu u poslijeratnom razdoblju zaključno sa 1965. godinom. U prvom dijelu se promatra položaj Donjeg grada u urbanističkim planovima (od 1949. do 1965. godine) te prijedlozi urbanističkih intervencija modernističkih arhitekata. Istovremeno, pojavili su se brojni tekstovi i knjige popraćeni istraživanjima istaknutih pojedinaca koji pridonose valorizaciji devetnaestostoljetnog Zagreba. Predstavljeni su najznačajniji kongresi održani tih godina gdje se raspravljalo o temi povijesnog ambijenta. Uvidjela se nužnost usklađivanja suvremenog načina života i starih spomenika. U skladu s europskim strujanjima djelovala je i konzervatorska struka u Zagrebu. Osnovan je Zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture grada Zagreba 6. siječnja 1961. godine. Važna je uloga direktorice Marije Baltić, čijim zalaganjem je 1962. godine izdano Rješenje o zaštiti i registraciji Donjeg grada i Vlaške ulice kao spomenika kulture. To je prvi dokument u nas kojim se zaštićuje gradska cjelina 19. stoljeća. Zadnji dio rada bavi se reakcijama na odluku o zaštiti urbanističke cjeline Donji grad

Узроци непроменљивости редослeда клитика у српскохрватском

При образовању клитичког низа српскохрватске клитике се распоређују по одређеном редоследу за који се зна какав је, али не и зашто је такав. Овај рад нуди одговор на ово досад занемаривано питање. Треба, пре свега, имати у виду да се клитике, као комуникативни сигнали недовољно упечатљивог изговорног волумена, смештају тамо где су најмањи ИЗГЛеди да ће њихова сигнална функција промаћи пажњи примаоца реченичне поруке — та пажња је, по природи ствари, најмање посустала онда кад реченица почиње. Строгим утврђивањем поретка по којем се клитике постројавају у низ удовољено је, у ствари, познатој људској тежњи ка „рашчитавању“ реченичне поруке са што мање напора. Што се тиче избора места које ће та и та конкретна клитика заузети у низу, он је усклађен са једним од универзалних принципа људског доживљавања света и себе у њему. Језици, наиме, на различите начине потврђују исто: да је за људе, при саопштавању о догађајима, изузетно важно експлицирање хијерархије која, међу учесницима догађаја, постоји у односу на њихову делотворну улогу у њему — вршилац радње је хијерархијски изнад њеног објекта, онај коме се тај објекат намењује, односно уручује, такође из над објекта, али испод вршиоца. Редослед по којем се распоређују клитичке форме српскохрватских заменица у суштини верно одсликава примену таквог принципа хијерархизовања. Водећи рачуна не само о том принципу већ и о свему ономе што је њиме имплицирано, аутор посебно осветљава однос рефлек сивног се према осталим заменичким енклитикама. С друге стране, разлике у смештању клитичких облика помоћног глагола јесам у односу на заменичке (је иза 1 остали глаголски облици испред заменичких клитика) аутор сагледава као потврду деловања принципа људске егоцентричности: облик је је, за разлику од осталих форми помоћног глагола, изразито често саставни део предиката реченице под чијим се субјектом не подразумева људски створ, па је очигледно због тога одстрањен из иницијалне реченичне позиције (која је маркирана као елитно „људска“) и постављен у најмање „људску“ — финалну