"Financial Development and Economic Growth in Transition Economies: Empirical Evidence from the CEE and CIS Countries"

We examine the role of financial development in economic growth in the former Communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States during the first two decades since the beginning of transition. These countries, which had undeveloped financial systems under Communism, provide an interesting test of the relationship between financial development and growth. We show that credit to the private sector had a positive effect on growth in these countries; however, high levels of inflation can render the positive effect of private credit insignificant. High interest rate spreads and reduced banking competition hampered economic growth.transition economies, CEE, CIS, financial sector development, economic growth, panel data

Phase locked harmonic generation in the opaque region of GaAs

We demonstrate second and third harmonic generation from a GaAs substrate, well-below the absorption edge, in both transmission and reflection geometries. The pump is tuned at 1064 nm, in the transparency range, while the SH and the TH signals are tuned in the opaque spectral range of GaAs, at 532 nm and 355 nm, respectively. As expected, we find that the polarization of the generated signals is sensitive to the polarization of the pump. In our experiment, we work far from the phase matching condition and we account for both surface and bulk contributions, and show that the surface-generated SH components can be more intense than bulk-generated SH signals. The experimental results are contrasted with numerical simulations that include these two factors, using a hydrodynamic model that accounts for all salient aspects of the dynamics, including surface and bulk generated harmonic components.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Differentiation in the Atlantic salmon industry: A synopsis

The value chain for farmed salmon has experienced substantial changes over the past decades as a result of innovation in production technology, logistics, distribution and marketing that have helped facilitate the rapid production growth. The high level of control over the production environment in principle makes it possible for Atlantic salmon to be tailored on a number of product attributes or dimensions in response to requirements from different customer groups. However, when compared to meat production, differentiation in farmed salmon remains limited, pointing to a still immature industry. Based primarily on interviews with Norwegian producers, we offer an overview of the prominent differentiation strategies today and discuss barriers to further differentiation.acceptedVersio

Electrodynamics of Conductive Oxides: Intensity-dependent anisotropy, reconstruction of the effective dielectric constant, and harmonic generation

We study electromagnetic pulse propagation in an indium tin oxide nanolayer in the linear and nonlinear regimes. We use the constitutive relations to reconstruct the effective dielectric constant of the medium, and show that nonlocal effects induce additional absorption resonances and anisotropic dielectric response: longitudinal and transverse effective dielectric functions are modulated differently along the propagation direction, and display different epsilon-near-zero crossing points with a discrepancy that increases with increasing intensity. We predict that hot carriers induce a dynamic redshift of the plasma frequency and a corresponding translation of the effective nonlinear dispersion curves that can be used to predict and quantify nonlinear refractive index changes as a function of incident laser peak power density. Our results suggest that large, nonlinear refractive index changes can occur without the need for epsilon-near-zero modes to couple with plasmonic resonators. At sufficiently large laser pulse intensities, we predict the onset of optical bistability, while the presence of additional pump absorption resonances that arise from longitudinal oscillations of the free electron gas give way to corresponding resonances in the second and third harmonic spectra. A realistic propagation model is key to unraveling the basic physical mechanisms that play a fundamental role in the dynamics

Vegetal products used in dermatological practice

INTRODUCERE Cel mai mare organ al corpului uman, pielea, menţine un echilibru între diverși parametri ai organismului și este prima barieră care ne apără împotriva agresiunii factorilor externi, cum ar fi agentii infectioși: bacterii, paraziţi, virusuri. SCOPUL LUCRĂRII Cercetarea produselor vegetale, plantelor medicinale și a principiilor active utilizate în practica dermatologică. MATERIALE ȘI METODE Studiul și sinteza articolelor știinţifice privind utilizarea produselor vegetale și plantelor medicinale în practica dermatologică. REZULTATE În practica dermatologică se utilzează pe larg produsele vegetale cu conţinut de poliholozide ce pot fi aplicate local, sub formă de cataplasme, pentru umectarea tegumentelor, ca emolient: Plantaginis majoris folia (Plantago major L.); Lini semina (Linum usitatissimum L.), Echinaceae herba (Echinacea purpurea L.) Produsele vegetale bogate în vitamine au rol de a stimula regenerarea și epitelizarea rănilor, intensifică metabolismul glicoproteidelor, inhibă procesele inflamatorii, infiltraţia leucocitară și cresc activitatea fagocitară: Calendulae flores (Calendula officinalis L.); Bidentis herba (Bidens tripartita L.); Gnaphalii uliginosi herba (Gnaphalium uliginosum L.); Hippophaes rhamnoides fructus (Hippophae rhamnoides L.).Oleum Hippophaes manifestă acţiune antiinflamatoare, iar în asociere cu rostopasca este utilizat în tratamentul dermatozelor și micozelor. Acţiunea cicatrizantă și antiinflamatoare a uleurilor volatile se datorează compușilor care stimulează aparatul reticulo-endotelial prin histamina eliberată din ţesut și proprietăţi antibacterine: Chamomillae flores (Chamomilla recutita L.); Salviae folia (Salvia officinalis L.). Din grupul alcaloizilor, extractele din părţi aeriene de rostopască: Chelidonii herba (Chelidonium majus L.) au efecte cicatrizante și pot fi utilizate în tratarea rănilor, psoriazisului prin coptizină, iar rădăcinile de tătăneasa: Symphyti radices (Symphytum officinale L.) se utilizează ca consolidant și cicatrizant prin conţinut de alantoină. CONCLUZII. Produsele vegetale sunt utilizate în practica dermatologică prin conţinut bogat de mucilagii cu prorpietăţi emoliente, produse vitaminizante regeneratoare, uleiuri volatile cu proprietăţi antihistaminisce și antibacteriene, produse vegetale cu conţinut de alcaloizi cu proprietăţi cicatrizante. Complexitatea leziunilor, precum și multitudinea de soluţii terapeutice disponibile, crează noi provocări cărora farmacistul urmează să le facă faţă.INTRODUCTION The largest organ of the human body, the skin, maintains a balance between various parameters of the body and is the first barrier that protects us against the aggression of external factors, such as infectious agents: bacteria, parasites, viruses. THE AIM OF THE STUDY Research of vegetal products, medicinal plants and active principles used in dermatological practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS Study and synthesis of scientific articles on the use of vegetal products and medicinal plants in dermatological practice. RESULTS In dermatological practice are widely used vegetal products containing polyholosides that can be applied locally, in the form of poultices, to moisturize the skin, as an emollient: Plantaginis majoris folia (Plantago major L.); Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.), Echinaceae herba (Echinacea purpurea L.) Vitamin-rich vegetal products have the role of stimulating wound regeneration and epithelialization, intensifying glycoprotein metabolism, inhibiting inflammatory processes, leukocyte infiltration and increasing phagocytic activity: Calendulae flores (Calendula officinalis L.); Bidentis herba (Bidens tripartita L.); Gnaphalii uliginosi herba (Gnaphalium uliginosum L.); Hippophaes rhamnoides fructus (Hippophae rhamnoides L.). Oleum Hippophaes has an anti-inflammatory action, and in combination with Celandine is used in the treatment of dermatoses and fungal infections. The healing and anti-inflammatory action of essential oils is due to compounds that stimulate the reticuloendothelial apparatus through histamine released from the tissue and antibacterial properties: Chamomillae flores (Chamomilla recutita L.); Salviae folia (Salvia officinalis L.). From the group of alkaloids, extracts from aerial parts of Celandine: Chelidonii herba (Chelidonium majus L.) have healing effects and can be used to treat wounds, psoriasis by coptisyne, and Comfrey roots: Symphyti radices (Symphytum officinale L.) are used as a strengthening and healing remedy thanks to its allantoin content. CONCLUSIONS Vegetal products are used in dermatological practice thanks to their rich content of mucilages with emollient properties, regenerating vitamin products, essential oils with antihistaminic and antibacterial properties, vegetal products with alkaloids with healing properties. The complexity of the lesions, as well as the multitude of therapeutic solutions available, create new challenges that the pharmacist will have to face

Study of second and third harmonic generation from an indium tin oxide nanolayer: Influence of nonlocal effects and hot electrons

We report comparative experimental and theoretical studies of the second and third harmonic generation from a 20 nm-thick indium tin oxide layer in proximity of the epsilon-near-zero condition. Using a tunable optical parametric amplifier, we record both spectral and angular dependence of the generated harmonic signals close to this particular point. In addition to the enhancement of the second harmonic efficiency close to the epsilon-near-zero wavelength, at oblique incidence, third harmonic generation displays an unusual behavior, predicted but not observed before. We implement a comprehensive, first-principles hydrodynamic approach able to simulate our experimental conditions. The model is unique, flexible, and able to capture all major physical mechanisms that drive the electrodynamic behavior of conductive oxide layers: nonlocal effects, which blueshift the epsilon-near-zero resonance by tens of nanometers; plasma frequency redshift due to variations of the effective mass of hot carriers; charge density distribution inside the layer, which determines the nonlinear surface and magnetic interactions; and the nonlinearity of the background medium triggered by bound electrons. We show that, by taking these contributions into account, our theoretical predictions are in very good qualitative and quantitative agreement with our experimental results. We expect that our results can be extended to other geometries where epsilon-near-zero nonlinearity plays an important role.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

IN VITRO EVALUATION OF 5-FLUOROURACIL DISSOLUTION PROFILES FROM VAGINAL BIOADHESIVE TABLETS

Abstract The paper assesses the dissolution profiles for twelve original formula of vaginal bioadhesive tablets containing 100mg of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/tablet. For the quantitative determination of 5-FU from the vaginal bioadhesive tablets, as well as for its in vitro release using the dissolution test, a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was used; the method was elaborated and validated. The results of the research pointed out that P1, P4, P5, P6 formulations, consisting of acrylic acid derivatives with various reticular degrees, in the first three hours released 80-99% of the total 5-FU, while the formulations including cellulose derivatives of various viscosity degrees, P7-12 released the substance slower, reaching the concentration level of 35-60% in 6 hours and 60-80% in 10 hours. Rezumat Obiectivul lucrarii a constat în evaluarea profilurilor de dizolvare pentru douăsprezece formule originale de comprimate bioadezive vaginale cu 100 mg 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/comprimat. Pentru determinarea cantitativă a 5-FU din comprimatele bioadezive vaginale cât și pentru evaluarea cedării in vitro a acestuia prin testul de dizolvare, s-a folosit o metodă de analiză prin cromatografie de lichide de înaltă performanță (HPLC) elaborată si validată de autori. Rezultatele cercetărilor au evidenţiat faptul că formulările P1, P4, P5, P6, care conţin derivaţi de acid acrilic cu grade diferite de reticulare, în primele 3 ore cedeaza între 80-99% din totalul canitităţii de 5-FU, în timp ce formularile ce conţin derivaţi de celuloză cu vîscozitate diferită, P7-12 cedează mai lent, atingând la 6 ore concentraţii de 35-60%, iar la 10 ore de 60-80%

Phytotherapeutic approaches in atopic dermatitis

Skin diseases occur worldwide and affect about 3.5% of the population of all ages, from newborns to elders. Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin condition, which consists of 3 sequential phases: infantile, juvenile and adult, with clinical manifestations and negative effects on patients’ quality of life, and treatment includes both non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions. Vegetal and phytotherapeutic products are used in the treatment of dermatitis, due to their content of essential oils, vitamins, tannins, mucilages and alkaloids. They account for 1.4% of the number of authorised products and included in the State Nomenclature of Medicinal Products, with a 68% in community drug stores.Bolile de piele apar la nivel mondial și afectează cca 3,5% din populaţia de toate vârstele, de la nou-născuţi până la vârstnici. Dermatita atopică este o afecţiune cutanată inflamatorie, clasificată în 3 faze secvenţiale: infantilă, juvenilă și adultă, care manifestă constatări fizice caracteristice și efecte negative asupra calităţii vieţii pacienţilor, iar tratamentul include atât intervenţiile nefarmacologice, cât și farmacologice. Produsele vegetale și fitoterapeutice sunt utilizate în tratamentul dermatitelor, prin conţinut de ulei volatil, vitamine, substanţe tanante, mucilagii și alcaloizi. Ele deţin o cotă de 1,4% raportate la numărul de produse autorizate și incluse în Nomenclatorul de Stat al Medicamentelor, cu o prezenţă de 68% în farmaciile comunitare