GDP rate in the European Union: Simulations based on panel data models

The objective of this paper is to provide more details regarding the evolution of real GDP growth in the countries of the European Union (EU-28) in the period from 2004 to 2015 based on a panel data approach. According to the estimations based on some dynamic panel data models, an any increase in the real GDP rate in the previous period by one percentage point, the real GDP rate in the current period will increase by 0.3 percentage points up to 0.5 percentage points. According to the Fixed Effects Model with time and individual effects, the real GDP growth is explained by the employment. According to simulations for 2016 and 2017 based on Dynamic Model and the Fixed Effects Model, the last model predicting higher GDP rates with respect to dynamic models. The result of this study is the estimation of the real GDP rates in EU-28 countries, which are based on presented econometrics models. The annual average of employment as the main factor of GDP growth is taken into account. © Foundation of International Studies, 2016

The safety risks related to bank cards and cyber attacks

In accordance with the rise and rapid growth in e-commerce in thepastfewdecades, the use of payment cards for online purchases has significantly increased in the payment cards market. This situation has led to an explosion in payment card fraud and it is costing billions of euros and dollars in losses in the card payment industry. The understanding of security has thereforeundergone a significantdevelopment. Due to the inaccurate evaluation of their personal security status, people tend to underestimate the safety features related to the protection of their financial data on the internet. This claim is supported by the high level of interest that cyber attackers show in persons operating in the public and economic spheres. The collection and data analysis carried out suggests that the target sample group has not had experience with cyber-attacks, predominantly because this group was made up of 'ordinary' people, presumably outside of the cyber attackers' sphere of interest. It is therefore important to further investigate the opinion and consumer approach to security and payment card fraud. As a result of rising losses, financial institutions and card issuers are constantly searching for new technologies and innovations in payment card fraud detection and prevention. This article provides several views on personal safety and quality of security to payment cars and cyber- attacks.The data collection and analysis was carried out in Slovakia via electronic sample surveys. With sample surveys the data is collected from a base sample unit, which in this case consisted of a sample of residents of the Slovak Republic. The research sample for this investigation consisted of 287 respondents, out of which there were 164 men (57,14%) and 123 women (42,86%). For the purposes of the analysis, the respondents were divided into categories, based on their age, level of education and occupation. The study results can help the issuers of payment cards and banks as well as clients using payment cards, especially in order to improve the prevention against fraud and the unauthorised use of payment cards

A Szlovák Köztársaság 1993-1997 között

Az 1993 január 1-én megalakult független Szlovák Köztársaság gazdasági helyzetét és fejlődési lehetőségeit az elemzők meglehetősen borúlátóan ítélték meg. Előrejelzéseik szerint a Szövetségi Köztársaság felbomlását sokkal jobban megsínyli a Szlovák, mint a Cseh Köztársaság. Az itt következő tanulmány e becsléseknek némileg ellentmondva kívánja az olvasók elé tárni a fiatal Szlovák Köztársaság gazdasági fejlődésének néhány alapvető makroökonómiai jellemzőjét

The impact of COVID-19 and the conflict in Ukraine on the return and risk of DJIA stocks

Every crisis has an impact on the global economy, on national economies and also causes disruptions in the financial market. Economic theory expects repeated economic crises. In the past, economic crises were mostly a rare phenomenon. Currently, the frequency of their outbreaks is higher. Therefore it can be assumed with certainty that the crisis caused by Covid-19 and the crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine are not the last global crises that will affect the global economy and, therefore, the world financial and stock markets. In history, every recession in the stock markets was only temporary, so investing during a crisis is also of great opportunity, even if it has its peculiarities. When investing, the investor must emphasize a certain level of risk and the expected returns. The contribution aims to present the possible use of income and risk analysis in investment operations by investors so that an unquestionable certainty of the invested financial amount and a satisfactory return are ensured. The analysis of these indicators was carried out on historical data of selected components of the stock index Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) in the pre-crisis period, in the crisis period caused by the Covid-19 virus, and in the crisis period caused by the war conflict in Ukraine. The presented approach of analysing the returns and risk of DJIA index shares provides the investor with an effective tool for deciding on the placement of available funds on the financial market in individual segments in all three monitored periods

Landscape of somatic single nucleotide variants and indels in colorectal cancer and impact on survival

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a biologically heterogeneous disease. To characterize its mutational profile, we conduct targeted sequencing of 205 genes for 2,105 CRC cases with survival data. Our data shows several findings in addition to enhancing the existing knowledge of CRC. We identify PRKCI, SPZ1, MUTYH, MAP2K4, FETUB, and TGFBR2 as additional genes significantly mutated in CRC. We find that among hypermutated tumors, an increased mutation burden is associated with improved CRC-specific survival (HR=0.42, 95% CI: 0.21-0.82). Mutations in TP53 are associated with poorer CRC-specific survival, which is most pronounced in cases carrying TP53 mutations with predicted 0% transcriptional activity (HR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.21-1.94). Furthermore, we observe differences in mutational frequency of several genes and pathways by tumor location, stage, and sex. Overall, this large study provides deep insights into somatic mutations in CRC, and their potential relationships with survival and tumor features. Large scale sequencing study is of paramount importance to unravel the heterogeneity of colorectal cancer. Here, the authors sequenced 205 cancer genes in more than 2000 tumours and identified additional mutated driver genes, determined that mutational burden and specific mutations in TP53 are associated with survival odds

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

CAR SCRAP YARDS NETWORK IN SLOVAKIA

The paper is focused on specific location-allocation problem aimed to determine a set of scrap yardsfor vehicle decommissioning in Slovakia. The goal is to determine scrap yards network so that itis not prohibitive to pass old car for dismantling and further processing wherever former ownerlives. Two approaches are considered. Once we consider the case when it is necessary to constructa completely new network of scrap yards, which results to setting of their minimum numbers andalso their location. In the latter case, the already existing network of scrap yards is considered,while the model provides its extension, in order to achieve the desired values of accessibility forall residents. The results were applied to an existing network of scrap yards identifying locationsto build new scrap yards. Areas where whole new network of scrap yards must be built were alsoidentified

Why people overestimate their bullshit detection abilities: Interplay of cognitive factors, self-esteem, and dark traits

The main aim of this paper was to examine overconfidence in the domain of bullshit detection and the contributing factors that explain why some people have the blind spot about their own incompetence. To verify whether people's lack of metacognitive awareness of their bullshit detection abilities is the result of self-enhancement motivation, we exposed one group of participants to a self-esteem threat scenario (by providing them with negative feedback on their cognitive abilities, i.e. intelligence) and compared it with two control groups (no feedback and positive feedback). The sample consisted of 596 adult Slovaks (47.1 % of women) aged 18 to 70 (M = 43.92, SD = 14.11). However, our manipulation had an effect only on overplacement. Bullshit detection predicted both overestimation and overplacement. Overconfidence was slightly associated with worse cognitive abilities (the relationship was mediated by bullshit detection ability) and higher self-esteem, but no relationships with dark traits were found. This finding is yet another evidence of the double curse of the Dunning-Kruger effect, i.e. the lack of comprehension of people´s own cognitive limitations

Analysis of changes in concentration slovak banking sector based on goal programming

One of the most widely used indices for measuring the concentration of industry is the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI). The analysis of its changes enables examines changes in the concentration of the market in case of new business entity entry. The analysis is based on the assumption that after entering the relevant market a new business entity receives a proportion of its total volume, with the advent of a new business entity to market its total volume expands in a proportional reduction in the volume of the market for operating entities. Analysis was applied to the task of goal programming which is based on the methodology of the European Union, that allows characterize the changes in the concentration of the relevant market. In this paper data about Slovak Republic banking sector were used to calculate limits for number of clients for Slovak banking market entering bank. Limits represent boundaries of clients between banks in case of banking sector concentration change in Slovak Republic

The impact of COVID-19 and the conflict in Ukraine on the return and risk of DJIA stocks

Every crisis has an impact on the global economy, on national economies and also causes disruptions in the financial market. Economic theory expects repeated economic crises. In the past, economic crises were mostly a rare phenomenon. Currently, the frequency of their outbreaks is higher. Therefore it can be assumed with certainty that the crisis caused by Covid-19 and the crisis caused by the conflict in Ukraine are not the last global crises that will affect the global economy and, therefore, the world financial and stock markets. In history, every recession in the stock markets was only temporary, so investing during a crisis is also of great opportunity, even if it has its peculiarities. When investing, the investor must emphasize a certain level of risk and the expected returns. The contribution aims to present the possible use of income and risk analysis in investment operations by investors so that an unquestionable certainty of the invested financial amount and a satisfactory return are ensured. The analysis of these indicators was carried out on historical data of selected components of the stock index Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) in the pre-crisis period, in the crisis period caused by the Covid-19 virus, and in the crisis period caused by the war conflict in Ukraine. The presented approach of analysing the returns and risk of DJIA index shares provides the investor with an effective tool for deciding on the placement of available funds on the financial market in individual segments in all three monitored periods