INTERNATIONAL NGOS AS ACTORS OF ELECTORAL GOVERNANCE

The paper discusses the process of formation and development of non-governmentalinternational organizations operating in the field of elections. The classification of theseorganizations by levels and areas of activity is proposed. The main focus of these typesof actors is election observation. The role of Russia in the development of internationalnon-governmental organizations in the field of elections is revealed. The part of particularleading actors, primarily the Global Network of National Election Observers, is defined. Theconclusion was reached that the connection of these organizations with certain countries isweakening, while their support from other international actors is increasing. It is determinedthat at the present stage, non-governmental organizations can influence the organization of theelectoral process, bypassing the national level of government and having a direct impact oninternational structure

Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease:Early, Late, and Combined

Medical therapy in de novo Parkinson’s disease typically starts with a dopamine agonist or levodopa in combination with a decarboxylase inhibitor or if symptoms are still very mild with a MAO-B inhibitor. When patients do not (or no longer) respond satisfactorily to these initial therapies, different drugs can be initiated or combined (i.e., “add-on” treatments). These add-on therapies not only comprise oral agents but also intra-jejunal and intra-cutaneous treatments and functional neurosurgical procedures. This chapter starts with the treatment of de novo Parkinson’s disease whereafter indications and expected effects of the different “add-on” therapies will be described. The “add-on” therapies will be described in a hierarchical way and treatment algorithms will be provided based on prevailing symptoms including non-motor symptoms. The symptoms that will be discussed are: (1) bradykinesia and “wearing-OFF, " (2) tremor at rest, (3) dyskinesia, (4) gait and postural symptoms including freezing of gait, and (5) important non-motor symptoms. Finally, a comprehensive add-on treatment algorithm will be provided that takes into account non-motor symptoms that may limit the efficacy and tolerability of the different add-on therapies.</p

Responsible access to credit for sole-traders and micro-organizations under unstable market conditions with psychometrics

In a context of market volatility, the growing complexity of financial products, and a shift towards self-employment, there is an increasing demand for inclusive financial services for sole traders and micro-organizations. To address this need, we conducted a study using real-time data from a Fintech lender in the Czech Republic to assess the effectiveness of a new financial literacy based psychometric credit scoring model (PSM) in improving access to finance for micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSME) sector, particularly sole traders, and micro-organizations, during volatile market conditions. This study affirms that PSMs play a significant role in responsibly including this underserved sector. Specifically, we observed a 30% higher approval rate and a 23% lower default rate when utilizing the PSM versus the traditional credit scoring model (TCSM). Moreover, during the period of substantial market volatility and instability, such as the state-of-emergency during the COVID-19 pandemic, the PSM exhibited a 13% higher approval rate at a 20% lower default rate than the TCSM. This evidence supports the proposition that PSMs offer a viable option for promoting financial inclusion and targeted financial education among MSMEs in the face of instable financial markets

Selection of planned supply initiatives: the role of senior management expertise

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the selection of planned supply initiatives and the role of senior management expertise. The drivers that influence the selection of particular supply initiatives by firms are of major interest to both practitioners and academics, as choices indicate priorities for resources, potential performance gaps and needs for future research. Moreover, theory indicates that senior management expertise and firm‐level resources might influence the likelihood of selecting particular initiatives. Design/methodology/approach – A synthesis of the literature supported the development of a five‐dimensional framework of major supply initiatives. Logistic regression was conducted with data from a survey of chief purchasing officers at large North American firms. The impact of firm‐level resources and senior management expertise, including background and experience, was assessed for the selection of supply initiatives. Findings – After controlling for general industry‐level factors, both firm resources and senior management expertise were found to systematically affect the likelihood of a firm planning to pursue particular initiatives. First, hiring senior management from outside the firm decreased the likelihood that network‐based initiatives were planned, while senior management who last worked in supply were found to be negatively related to planned supply strategy initiatives. Second, firms with greater use of e‐business technologies favored additional investment in supply networks. Research limitations/implications – This research focused on large firms in developed countries, and additional research is needed to explore the generalizability to small and medium‐sized enterprises and less‐developed countries. Moreover, additional work is needed to explore trade‐offs between planned and emergent initiatives, as only the former were empirically assessed. Originality/value – Senior management expertise has received relatively little attention in prior research, yet was found to be a significant factor influencing strategic, process and network‐related supply initiatives. Moreover, the framework of supply initiatives provides a basis for assessing and benchmarking firm‐level supply chain strategy and investment patterns. Finally, empirical evidence emerged that both firm and individual‐level factors influenced the probability of selecting particular initiatives

Utilizing e-business technologies in supply chains: The impact of firm characteristics and teams

This paper presents findings from an exploratory study that analyzes the drivers and outcomes of e-business technology use in the supply chain. Using a combination of case studies and survey data from a diverse sample of industries, the research examines how industry context, firm characteristics and firm-level strategic resources, such as purchasing teams, influence the exploitation of e-business technologies and the relationship between e-business technology use and firm performance. Based on a synthesis of related literatures from transaction cost economics and the relational view of the supply chain, a two-dimensional framework for e-business technology is proposed with transactional and relational dimensions. However, empirical analysis indicated that transactional technologies can be further subdivided into two factors: dyadic cooperation and price determination. Significant differences were found between the two dimensions in terms of their overall levels of adoption, with dyadic coordination being the most widely adopted. In addition, the development of strategic resources expanded, in particular internal and customer teams, the use of e-business technologies expanded. Purchasing organizational structure and firm size also were positively related to the adoption of transactional e-business technologies. Finally, of particular importance to practitioners, e-business technologies targeted at reducing dyadic coordination costs lead to improved financial performance

Theory of optical generation and detection of propagating magnons in an antiferromagnet

We report a theory of optical generation and detection of the propagating spin waves in antiferromagnetic materials relevant for ultrafast pump-probe experiments. We derive and solve the equations of motion for antiferromagnetic spins in response to the light-induced effective magnetic field in the linear regime. Different forms of the excitation and the properties of the generated spin waves are analyzed. We theoretically show the selective detection of the spin waves by the magneto-optical Kerr effect. The developed formalism is readily applicable to inform future experiments on antiferromagnetic optomagnonics

Human phosphodiesterase 4D7 (PDE4D7) expression is increased in TMPRSS2-ERG positive primary prostate cancer and independently adds to a reduced risk of post-surgical disease progression

background: There is an acute need to uncover biomarkers that reflect the molecular pathologies, underpinning prostate cancer progression and poor patient outcome. We have previously demonstrated that in prostate cancer cell lines PDE4D7 is downregulated in advanced cases of the disease. To investigate further the prognostic power of PDE4D7 expression during prostate cancer progression and assess how downregulation of this PDE isoform may affect disease outcome, we have examined PDE4D7 expression in physiologically relevant primary human samples. methods: About 1405 patient samples across 8 publically available qPCR, Affymetrix Exon 1.0 ST arrays and RNA sequencing data sets were screened for PDE4D7 expression. The TMPRSS2-ERG gene rearrangement status of patient samples was determined by transformation of the exon array and RNA seq expression data to robust z-scores followed by the application of a threshold &gt;3 to define a positive TMPRSS2-ERG gene fusion event in a tumour sample. results: We demonstrate that PDE4D7 expression positively correlates with primary tumour development. We also show a positive association with the highly prostate cancer-specific gene rearrangement between TMPRSS2 and the ETS transcription factor family member ERG. In addition, we find that in primary TMPRSS2-ERG-positive tumours PDE4D7 expression is significantly positively correlated with low-grade disease and a reduced likelihood of progression after primary treatment. Conversely, PDE4D7 transcript levels become significantly decreased in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). conclusions: We further characterise and add physiological relevance to PDE4D7 as a novel marker that is associated with the development and progression of prostate tumours. We propose that the assessment of PDE4D7 levels may provide a novel, independent predictor of post-surgical disease progression