A predictive model for e-commerce consumer expenditure in EC countries

Describing and predicting consumer expenditure on a country or cross-national level has a long tradition in theoretical and applied economics and econometrics. This paper is a first attempt in describing aggregate eCommerce consumer expenditure among European Commission (EC) countries. After brief introduction of possible theoretical models which explain the variation in eCommerce consumer expenditure among observed countries, a list of important predictors has been discussed. The results generated by regression analysis show that non-traditional factors such as online time (measured by “Average online time per citizen per month”) and consumer lack of confidence, i.e. mistrust (measured by “Effects of security concerns on eCommerce”) are more reliable predictors of aggregate eCommerce consumer expenditure in EC countries than the traditional factors such as disposable income and price of the products.E-Commerce; Consumer Expenditure; European Commission

Descendentni nekrotični medijastinitis kao posljedica retrofaringealnog apscesa

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis secondary to a nontraumatic retropharyngeal abscess is very rare. This form of mediastinitis in the era of potent antibiotics often ends up with lethal outcome. It usually occurs in immunocompromised patients and requires intensive multidisciplinary treatment approach. We report a case of nontraumatic retropharyngeal abscess complicated by descending necrotizing mediastinitis in a 70-year-old man with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. The patient was admitted to our hospital after clinical and radiological diagnosis of retropharyngeal abscess. During treatment for retropharyngeal abscess with antibiotic therapy and transoral incision, the patient showed mild clinical improvement but his condition suddenly aggravated on day 4 of hospital stay. He had high fever, chest pain with tachypnea, tachycardia, hypotension, and showed signs of occasional disorientation. Emergency computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck and thorax showed inflammation in the retropharyngeal space, as well as thickening of the upper posterior mediastinum fascia with the presence of air. Emergency surgery including cervicotomy and drainage of the retropharyngeal space and posterior mediastinum was performed. The patient promptly recovered with improvement of the clinical status and laboratory findings. After 16 days of treatment he was discharged from the hospital in good condition. Descending necrotizing mediastinitis can be a serious and life threatening complication of deep neck infection if the diagnosis is not quickly established. Besides inevitable application of antimicrobial drugs, good drainage of the mediastinum is necessary. We believe that transcervical approach can achieve high-quality drainage of the upper mediastinum, especially if it is done timely as in this case. Its efficacy can be verified by intensive monitoring of the patient clinical condition, by CT scan of the thorax, and by laboratory tests. In the case of inefficacy of this type of drainage, subsequently some other, more aggressive transthoracic methods of drainage can be done.Descendentni nekrotični medijastinitis uzrokovan netraumatskim retrofaringealnim apscesom je jako rijedak. Ovaj tip medijastinitisa i u eri jakih antimikrobnih lijekova često završava smrtnim ishodom. Obično se javlja kod imunokompromitiranih bolesnika i zahtijeva intenzivni multidisciplinarni pristup liječenja. Prikazuje se slučaj netraumatskog retrofaringealnog apscesa i njegove komplikacije, descendentnog nekrotičnog medijastinitisa, u 70-godišnjeg muškarca s dijabetesom ovisnim o inzulinu. Bolesnik je primljen na bolničko liječenje nakon klinički i radiografski postavljene dijagnoze retrofaringealnog apscesa. Tijekom liječenja retrofaringealnog apscesa antimikrobnim lijekovima i transoralnom incizijom, uz kratkotrajno kliničko poboljšanje, četvrtog dana liječenja nastupilo je pogoršanje općeg stanja bolesnika. Postao je opet visoko febrilan, tahipneičan s bolovima u prsima, tahikardičan uz hipotenziju te je pokazivao znakove dezorijentiranosti. Kompjutorska tomografija (CT) vrata i toraksa pokazala je i dalje prisutnu upalu retrofaringealnog prostora uz zadebljanje fascijalnih prostora gornjega stražnjeg medijastinuma uz prisutnost zraka. Napravljen je hitan kirurški zahvat u smislu cervikotomije i drenaže retrofaringealnog prostora i medijastinuma. Stanje bolesnika se ubrzo popravilo u kliničkom smislu i laboratorijskim nalazima te je 16. dana liječenja otpušten na kućnu njegu u dobrom općem stanju. Descendentni nekrotični medijastinitis je ozbiljna komplikacija dubokih upala vrata i predstavlja opasnost za život bolesnika, naročito ako se dijagnoza ne postavi rano. Uz primjenu antimikrobnih lijekova osobito je važna visoko kvalitetna drenaža medijastinuma, pogotovo ako je napravljena pravodobno, kao u ovom slučaju. Njenu učinkovitost se može procijeniti pojačanim praćenjem kliničkog stanja bolesnika, primjenom CT toraksa i laboratorijskim testovima. U slučaju kad ovaj tip drenaže nije učinkovit moguće je uvijek napraviti mnogo agresivnije transtorakalne metode drenaže

Necrotic ulcerative stomatitis in a patient with long-standing celiac disease: a case report

Celiac disease is the most common chronic gastroenterological disease. One of the extraintestinal manifestations of this multifaceted disease are changes in the oral mucosa. However, ulceration leading to the destruction of the soft and hard tissues of the orofacial region has not been reported so far. We report on the development of necrotizing ulcerative stomatitis in a 41-year-old woman with celiac disease. The initial ulcerative lesion was located in the lower lip mucosa. Necrosis of all layers of the left side of the lip and oral commissure progressed very quickly. The resulting defect required plastic reconstructive surgery. We successfully compensated for the defect by applying a combination of two flaps from the remaining tissue of the lower lip. Oral competence was established immediately after the operation, and a very good esthetic appearance two months later

Music in early Christianity. Highlihts of patristic literature

Ovaj članak prikazuje osnovne karakteristike poimanja glazbe u ranokršćanskoj literaturi i smjernice oblikovanja glazbene prakse u ranom kršćanstvu, u bogoslužju i izvan njega. Istaknuta karakteristika fragmenata o glazbi u patrističkoj literaturi polemika je protiv poganskih glazbenih običaja, osobito protiv upotrebe glazbenih instrumenata. Ranokršćanski oci gotovo su jednodušno isključili instrumente iz kršćanske upotrebe. Instrumenti su, ipak, integrirani u teologiju kao sredstvo u alegorijskoj interpretaciji i duhovnoj pouci. U teologiji se bogoslužno pjevanje shvaća kao duhovna žrtva prema ispraznim krvnim i materijalnim žrtavama antičkih religija, a jednoglasje postaje simbol i odraz jedinstva kršćanske zajednice u Bogu, i stoga ideal oblikovanja bogoslužnog pjevanja. Svrha bogoslužnog pjevanja ne smije biti estetski užitak, jer on dovodi u pitanje duhovnu vrijednost čina. Ranokršćanski oci u potpunosti su prihvatili antički sustav naobrazbe u kojemu je glazba bila važan sastavni dio, kao obrazovni predmet intelektualnog, a ne praktičnog karaktera. Sv. Augustin napisao je djelo De musica, traktat o glazbi kao obrazovnoj disciplini. U tom djelu on iz razlaganja o glazbenim strukturama postupno dolazi do teoloških zaključaka. Autor ovoga članka smatra da poimanje glazbe u ranom kršćanstvu rasvjetljuje temeljne principe po kojima se razvilo gregorijansko pjevanje. Važnost istraživanja ranokršćanske glazbe dolazi iz važnosti uloge gregorijanskog pjevanja u povijesti zapadnoeuropske glazbe.This article presents the basic characteristics of the concept of music in Early Christian literature, and guidelines for shaping the musical practice in Early Christianity, in liturgy and outside. Notable characteristic of fragments on music in patristic literature is the controversy against heathen musical customs, especially against using musical instruments. Early Christian fathers almost unanimously excluded instruments from the usage in Christianity. However, instruments were integrated into theology as the device in allegorical interpretation and spiritual message. In theology, liturgical singing is seen as a spiritual sacrifice against frivolous blood and material victims of ancient religions. Monophony becomes a symbol and reflection of the unity of the Christian community in God, and, hence, the ideal of shaping the liturgical singing. The purpose of liturgical singing must not be an esthetic pleasure, because it brings into question the spiritual value of the act. Early Christian fathers entirely accepted the ancient stance of education in which the music was integral part, as educational subject of intellectual, rather than practical character. St. Augustine wrote the work called De musica, a treatise on music as educational discipline. In this work, he offers explanation on musical structures, and slowly reaches theological conclusions. Author of this article believes that the concept of music in Early Christianity sheds light on fundamental principles according to which the Gregorian chant developed. The importance of the Early Christian music comes from the importance of the role of Gregorian chant in the history of Western European music

Dugopoljski žrtvoslov (1941.-1948.)

Prikaz knjige: Blanka Matković – Josip Dukić, Dugopoljski žrtvoslov (1941.-1948.), Samostalni istraživački projekt “Hrvatska povijest 1941.-1948.”, knj. 1., fotografije Zoran Alajbeg, nakladnik Općina Dugopolje, Dugopolje, 2011., 192 stranice

Fotografija i film

Cilj ovog završnog rada je objasniti sličnosti i razlike fotografije i filma. Tu se konkretno misli na alate koje koriste, tehnike snimanja, načine obrade do konačnog proizvoda, efekte koji se koriste te kako su bili povezani kroz prošlost tj. kako su utjecali jedno na drugo od samih začetaka do danas. Kako bi se mogli analizirati, potrebno je prvo definirati pojam fotografije kao djelatnosti i industrije te pojam filma kao industrije te vizualno auditivnog podražaja. Fotografija je prethodila filmu, ali znači li to nužno da je ona majka filma? Svaka djelatnost se bavila onime u čemu je najbolja. Filmovi su snimali pokret dok je fotografija bilježila zamrzavala pokrete i očuvala neki događaj u vremenu