Analysis of the Reasons of the Suport for the Far-right Parties in Western Europe: Case of the Elections to the European Parliament

Darbo problema nusako tai, kas nulemia kraštutinių dešiniųjų partijų populiarumo augimą arba net tokių partijų atsiradimą. Taigi tyrimo objektas yra kraštutinių dešininųjų partijų populiarumo priežastis, kurias siekiama gerai įsivardinti ir stebėti bendrą ryšį. Šio tyrimo tikslas yra noras pastebėti, kaip Europos parlamento rinkimai ir vietinė rinkimų sistema galėjo padaryti įtaką kraštutinių dešiniųjų partijų populiarumo augimui. Kad būtų pasiektas šis tikslas yra iškelta keletas uždavinių: 1) Paaiškinti politinių partijų šeimų raidą socialinių takoskyrų teorijos kontekste įvertinant pasikeitimus tarp politinių partijų atstovaujančių joms įprastus interesus; 2) Įvardinti bei paaiškinti dažniausiai pateikiamas kraštutinių dešiniųjų partijų sėkmės priežastis; 3) Paaiškinti skirtingų rinkimų sistemų poveikį naujų politinių partijų atsiradimui valstybės valdyme; Atrinkti tyrimui tinkamus Vakarų Europos valstybių atvejus bei atlikti empirinį tyrimą; 4) Plačiau panagrinėti charakteringiausių tyrimo valstybių (Austrija, Prancūzija ir Belgija) atvejus; Interpretuojant tyrimo rezultatus patikrinti hipotezę ir taip įvertinti rinkimų institucijų poveikį kraštutinių dešiniųjų partijų sėkmei Europoje. Šio darbo metodologijoje vyrauja trys pagrindiniai metodai: deduckinės logikos metodas (aprašant teorijas, analizuojant kitų mokslininkų tekstus); lyginamosios analizės metodas (analizuojant teorijų ir tezių sąveikas bei sintetinant savarankiškus teiginius, taip pat empirinio tyrimo rezultatų interpretavimui lyginant atskirų šalių skirtingus atvejus); statistinės analizės metodas (naudojamas atliekant empirinį tyrimą su regresijos modeliu). Atlikus tyrimą paaiškėjo, kad nedarbo lygis nėra toks stiprus faktorius kraštutinių dešiniųjų partijų paramai. Hipotezėje buvo manoma, kad kuo mažesnė partinės sistemos fragmentacija, tuo labiau laikas praėjęs nuo pirmųjų rinkimų į Europos Parlamentą darys teigiamą įtaką naujų kraštutinių dešiniųjų partijų atsiradimui. Laiko kintamasis tokį poveikį, kaip ir tikėtasi turi, tačiau iškelta hipotezė iš dalies paneigiama, kadangi paaiškėjo, jog esant dideliam partinės sistemos fragmentacijos lygiui, begant laikui nuo pirmųjų rinkimų į Europos Parlamentą naujoms kraštutinėms dešiniosioms partijoms yra dar lengviau atsirasti ir veikti. Buvo prieita išvados, jog taip nutinka veikiausiai dėl to, kad didesnės fragmentacijos šalyse tokios partijos jau turi patirtį (įsikūrimo ir veiklos), o ten, kur dėl Europos Parlamento rinkimų fragmentacija padidėja, naujos kraštutinės dešiniosios partijos tik pradeda savo veiklą. Todėl jų sėkmė auga ne taip žymiai.Labour problem describes what determines the popularity of far-right parties in growth or even the appearance of such parties. Thus, the object of the study is far-rights‘ reasons of the popularity of parties, with the aim to identify them well and monitor the overall connection. The aim of this study is to see how the European Parliament elections and local elections in the system could cause the popularity growth of extreme right-wing parties. Few tasks are formed to achieve this goal: 1) Explain the development of political parties families’ in the context of social divides theory evaluating changes between the political parties representing their usual interests; 2) Identify and explain the most commonly presented reasons for the success of the far-right parties; 3) Explain the impact of different electoral systems on the emergence of new political parties in the government; select the adequate cases of Western European countries and study them empirically; 4) Analyse the cases of study’s characteristic countries (Austria, France and Belgium); according to the results of the study check the hypothesis and evaluate the impact of electoral authorities for the success of far-right parties in Europe. The methods used in this study are: deductive logic method; comparative analysis method; statistical analysis method. The research showed that the unemployment rate is not such strong factor in support of extreme right-wing parties. The hypothesis suggested that the smaller the fragmentation of the party system, the more positive impact the time that has passed since the first elections to the European Parliament will have on the emergence of new far-right parties. The time variable has such an effect as expected, but the hypothesis is partially denied as it turned out, that at high level of fragmentation of the party system, over time since the first elections to the European Parliament, new extreme right-wing parties emerge and act even easier. It was concluded that this happens probably due to the fact that countries of larger fragmentation such parties already have experience (installation and operation), and in countries where fragmentation increases because of the European Parliament elections new extreme-right parties are in their infancy. Therefore, their success is growing not so distinctly.Politikos mokslų ir diplomatijos fakult.Vytauto Didžiojo universiteta

Invoice data migration management system development

In this paper presents the process of designing an invoice data migration management system. The purpose of the study is to design an invoice data migration management system that allows to automate invoice submissions process from “B1” to “E. Sąskaita”. While designing the system was described the problematic and subject areas of the product being developed, and created a rich picture. In order to determine the functions provided by the system, a use case diagram has been drawn and by using use case diagram was created functional and non-functional requirements. Also a static image of the system was created and the systems architectural solution was described. A graphical user interface has been created, which is linked to target user. A dynamic view of the program is prepared, main operating algorithms are presented at several levels of detail using sequence and activity diagrams

Long-term Survival of Patient with Ampulla of Vater Metastasis of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Ampulla of Vater metastases from renal cell carcinoma are rare. The time between detection of the primary tumour and its metastasis may extend to years. Management should be aggressive, since the prognosis of renal cell carcinoma is unpredictable and curative surgery of metastases may extend patient survival and even lead to definite cure. Herein we report a case of long-term survival after successful surgical treatment of a renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the ampulla of Vater. A 62-year-old man with a history of renal cell carcinoma in the left kidney underwent a successful left nephrectomy. Eight months later duodenoscopy showed a tumour at the site of papilla of Vater. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of carcinoma. Contrast enhanced computer tomography scan verified the periampullary mass, dilatation of the pancreatic and the common bile duct. No radiological signs of either local advancement or distant metastases were present. Pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy with lymphadenectomy was performed. Pathology report disclosed metastatic lesions in the papilla of Vater from the clear cell carcinoma of the kidney. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient lived for 14 years after pancreatoduodenectomy and, following thorough investigations, was free from local and systemic recurrence. Pancreatoduodenectomy can provide long-term survival in selected cases with solitary papilla of Vater metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. Favourable long-term survival rates suggest that these patients should be considered candidates for pancreatoduodenectomy if experienced pancreatic surgeon is available and no other metastases are found

Lymph node retrieval after resection of rectal cancer following preoperative chemoradiotherapy

Background. According to the current guidelines of proper TNM staging, 12 lymph nodes per specimen are crucial. This study assessed the role of preoperative radiochemotherapy on the number of lymph nodes detected in the tumor-bearing specimen. Material and methods. Retrospective data of 138 patients who underwent surgery for stage II and III rectal cancer without preoperative radiochemotherapy during the period of 2004–2006 (control group) were compared with prospective data of 38 patients who received preoperative radiochemotherapy during the period of 2007–2008 (study group). The number of patients with metastatic lymph nodes, number of lymph nodes per specimen, number of metastatic lymph nodes per specimen, and the size of the tumor between the groups were compared. Results. Positive lymph nodes were detected in 88 (64%) patients in the control group as compared with 9 (21%) patients in the study group (P<0.05). The mean number of lymph nodes per specimen in the control group was 13.5, while in the study group, the mean number of lymph nodes per specimen was 6.29 (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the mean number of metastatic lymph nodes per specimen between the groups (5.12 in the control group versus 2.11 in the study group; P<0.05). The mean size of the tumor was 4.37 cm in the control group and 2.45 cm in the study group (P<0.01). Conclusions. Preoperative radiochemotherapy for advanced rectal cancer significantly decreased the number of lymph nodes detected in the tumor-bearing specimen. This also resulted in a significant decrease in the number of metastatic lymph nodes detected in the specimen, and fewer patients with stage III (N+) cancer were diagnosed. Preoperative radiochemotherapy could induce a significant downsizing and downstaging of advanced rectal cancer, but great care in operative and pathologic examination techniques must be taken to ensure appropriate staging

Perkutaninio transhepatinio tulžies latakų stentavimo pirmoji patirtis ir rezultatai Kauno medicinos universiteto klinikose

Malignant biliary obstruction may be caused by cholangiocarcinoma and other nonbiliary carcinomas. At the time of diagnosis, 90% of patients with malignant obstructive jaundice may benefit from palliative treatment only. The objective of palliation is to relieve jaundice-related symptoms, prevent cholangitis, prolong survival, and improve quality of life. Percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting is a well-established procedure used in patients with malignant obstruction of intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts. Twelve patients (9 women, 3 men; mean age, 68 years; range, 44–88 years) with inoperable malignant biliary obstruction were selected for percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting with metallic stents in the period from January to December 2007. Technical and clinical success rate in this patient series was 83% and 80%, respectively. Minor and major complications occurred in 17% and 8% of cases, respectively, which is in the range reported by the others. This is our first experience of percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting at the Hospital of Kaunas University of Medicine and, to our knowledge, the first reported patient series in Lithuania. These first results encourage expanding effective palliation by the employment of the percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting in patients with nonresectable malignant biliary obstruction or in case of a recurrent disease after curative surgery. The cost effectiveness of percutaneous transhepatic biliary stenting against percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage has yet to be evaluated in a prospective manner. However, immediate clinical benefits and positive short-term outcomes are unequivocal

The Role of VEGFA, COX2, HUR and CUGBP2 in predicting the response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancer patients

Background and objectives: The e ectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy, which is commonly used for stage II-III rectal cancer (RC) treatment, is limited. Genes associated with the pathogenesis of RC could determine response to this treatment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential predictive value of VEGFA, COX2, HUR and CUGBP2 genes and the associations between post-treatment changes in gene expression and the e cacy of neoadjuvant therapy. Materials and Methods: Biopsies from RC and healthy rectal tissue of 28 RC patients were collected before neoadjuvant therapy and 6-8 weeks after neoadjuvant therapy. The expression levels of VEGFA, COX2, HUR, CUGBP2 genes were evaluated using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The results reveal a significantly higher expression of VEGFA, COX2 and HUR mRNA in RC tissue compared to healthy rectal tissue (p<0.05), and elevated VEGFA gene expression in pre-treatment tissues was associated with a better response to neoadjuvant therapy based on T-stage downstaging (p<0.05). The expression of VEGFA, HUR and CUGBP2 genes significantly decreased after neoadjuvant therapy (p<0.05). Responders to treatment demonstrated a significantly stronger decrease of VEGFA and COX2 expression after neoadjuvant therapy than non-responders (p<0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the pre-treatment VEGFA gene expression might have predictive value for the response to neoadjuvant therapy, while the post-treatment decrease in VEGFA and COX2 gene expression could indicate the e ectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy in RC patients

Predictors of Quality of Life Six Years after Curative Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Results of the Prospective Multicenter Study

Background and objectives: Improving early diagnosis and advances in colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment leads to longer survival of these patients. The purpose of this study was to identify the main surgical factors affecting long-term Quality of life (QoL) among colorectal cancer patients after surgery. Materials and Methods: QoL was prospectively evaluated in patients undergoing elective colorectal cancer resection operations in three CRC surgery centers of Lithuania using EORTC generic (QLQC-30) and disease-specific (QLQ-CR29) questionnaires at the time of preoperative admission and 1, 24, and 72 months after surgery. QoL was evaluated among different patient groups, diagnostic and treatment modalities, disease, and postoperative complications. Non-parametric tests and multivariate logistic regression models were used for statistical analysis. Results: Eighty-eight consecutive CRC patients from three institutions were included in the study over a three-month inclusion period, 42 (47.73%) women and 46 (52.27%) men, mean age 64.2 &plusmn; 11.5 years. Most tumors were localized in the sigmoid colon and rectum. The largest number of patients had stage III cancer. Twenty-nine patients died&mdash;a 6-year survival rate was 67%. 50 of 59 live patients (84.8%) responded to the questionnaire 6 years after their operation. Evaluating changes in quality of life 72 months after surgery with assessments before surgery, both questionnaire responses revealed good long-term CRC surgical treatment results: improved general and functional scale estimates and decreased symptom scale ratings. The multivariate analysis found that age, stoma formation, and rectal cancer were independent risk factors for having worse QoL six years after surgical intervention. Conclusions: Six years after surgery, QoL returns to preoperative levels. Age, stoma formation, adjuvant treatment, and rectal cancer reduce long-term QoL

Short-term results of quality of life for curatively treated colorectal cancer patients in Lithuania

Background and objective Treatment options for colorectal cancer patients create the need to assess the quality of life (QoL) of colorectal cancer patients in the early postoperative period when changes are potentially greatest. The aim of the current study was to assess the QoL of colorectal cancer patients following open and laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Materials and methods A total of 82 consecutive patients requiring elective open or laparoscopic colorectal surgery were recruited to the study for three months in the three colorectal surgery centers of Lithuania. Patients completed the EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3.0) questionnaire before surgery, 2 and 5 days, 1 and 3 months after operation. The EORTC QLQ-CR29 questionnaire was completed before surgery and at 1 and 3 months after operation. Analysis was done according to the manual for each instrument. Results EORTC QLQ-C30 reflected the postoperative recovery of QoL. The global health status, cognitive and emotional functioning came back to the preoperative level in one month after operation. Physical and role functioning for laparoscopic group was significantly improved in one month after operation and in three months for open surgery group respectively. Colorectal module EORTC-QLQ-CR29 found that future perspective increased significantly in laparoscopic group 1 month after operation. Conclusions The present study showed that majority of functional scale scores came back to the preoperative level during the first 3 months after colorectal cancer surgery. Differences in QoL according to surgical approach are mostly expressed on this period

Patients with Crohn's disease have longer post-operative in-hospital stay than patients with colon cancer but no difference in complications' rate

BACKGROUNDRight hemicolectomy or ileocecal resection are used to treat benign conditions like Crohn's disease (CD) and malignant ones like colon cancer (CC).AIMTo investigate differences in pre- and peri-operative factors and their impact on post-operative outcome in patients with CC and CD.METHODSThis is a sub-group analysis of the European Society of Coloproctology's prospective, multi-centre snapshot audit. Adult patients with CC and CD undergoing right hemicolectomy or ileocecal resection were included. Primary outcome measure was 30-d post-operative complications. Secondary outcome measures were post-operative length of stay (LOS) at and readmission.RESULTSThree hundred and seventy-five patients with CD and 2,515 patients with CC were included. Patients with CD were younger (median = 37 years for CD and 71 years for CC (P &lt; 0.01), had lower American Society of Anesthesiology score (ASA) grade (P &lt; 0.01) and less comorbidity (P &lt; 0.01), but were more likely to be current smokers (P &lt; 0.01). Patients with CD were more frequently operated on by colorectal surgeons (P &lt; 0.01) and frequently underwent ileocecal resection (P &lt; 0.01) with higher rate of de-functioning/primary stoma construction (P &lt; 0.01). Thirty-day post-operative mortality occurred exclusively in the CC group (66/2515, 2.3%). In multivariate analyses, the risk of post-operative complications was similar in the two groups (OR 0.80, 95%CI: 0.54-1.17; P = 0.25). Patients with CD had a significantly longer LOS (Geometric mean 0.87, 95%CI: 0.79-0.95; P &lt; 0.01). There was no difference in re-admission rates. The audit did not collect data on post-operative enhanced recovery protocols that are implemented in the different participating centers.CONCLUSIONPatients with CD were younger, with lower ASA grade, less comorbidity, operated on by experienced surgeons and underwent less radical resection but had a longer LOS than patients with CC although complication's rate was not different between the two groups