ULOGA FISKALNIH PRAVILA

Fiscal rules are an important instrument of restricting public debt accumulation and expanding. Research of characteristics and examples of fiscal rules, with special review of European monetary union rules, has created pre-conditions for analysis of adopted fiscal rules in Serbia.Fiskalna pravila predstavljaju važan instrument ograničavanja zaduživanja države i akumulacije javnog duga. Istraživanjem obeležja i primera fiskalnih pravila, uz poseban osvrt na fiskalna pravila Evropske monetarne unije, je omogućeno razmatranje usvojeni fiskalnih pravila u Srbiji

Income convergence between Southeast Europe and the European Union

Ovaj rad analizira prosječnu bruto per capita dohodovnu konvergenciju osam zemalja Jugoistočne Evrope (JIE) prema prosjeku EU-a. Cilj je utvrditi koji faktori doprinose konvergenciji zemalja JIE regije kao i opisati kretanje konvergencije u periodu 2000.-2018. godine, s posebnom pozornošću na dva pod perioda, prije i nakon Svjetske ekonomke krize. Koristimo pri tome kombinaciju parametarskih i neparametarskih metoda i linearne panel regresije fiksnih efekata s robusnim standardnim greškama. Rezultati sugeriraju da je konvergencija bila podstaknuta procesom EU integracija, obrazovnim nivoom stanovništva, investicijama (stranim, domaćim i javnim), kreditnom ekspanzijom u privatnom sektoru, kao i rastom javnih rashoda. S druge strane, ekonomska kriza, nezaposlenost i inflacija bili su glavni faktori koji su utjecali na divergenciju procesa. Zaključujemo na kraju i da je post-tranzicijski model rasta dominantan u regiji SEE, temeljen na stranim direktnim investicijama, nedovoljan, i da su domaće privatne investicije kritično-nedostajući faktor brže dohodovne konvergencije.This paper investigates the average gross per capita income convergence of eight Southeast European economies towards the EU average. Our goal is to analyse which factors have driven that convergence in the SEE region and describe convergence paths in the 2000-2018 period, concerning two sub-periods, before and after the economic crisis. We use a combination of parametric and nonparametric methods and a fixed effects linear panel regression with robust standard errors. Results suggest that the EU integration process drove convergence, education level, investment (FDI, private domestic and public investments), and private sector lending, as well as by government expenditures. Economic crisis, unemployment, and inflation were the main factors which have influenced the divergence process. We also concluded that the post-transition growth model dominant in the SEE region, based on an FDI inflow, has not sufficient for income convergence in this region. Private domestic investments are a critical missing factor for faster income convergence

Fluid bed drying as upgrading technology for feasible treatment of Kolubara lignite

An overview of the current status of low-rank coal upgrading technologies is presented in the paper, particularly with respect to drying and dewatering procedures. In order to calculate the significant parameters of the moisture removal process, a model of convective coal drying in a fluid bed, based on the two-phase (bubbling) fluidization model proposed by Kunii and Levenspiel, is developed and presented. Product-specific data (intraparticle mass transfer, gas-solid moisture equilibrium) related to the particular coal variety addressed here (Kolubara lignite) are obtained through preliminary investigations. Effective thermal conductivity of the packed bed as defined by Zehner/Bauer/Schlünder is used to define heat transfer mechanisms occurring in the suspension phase of the fluid bed. A completely new set of experimental data obtained has been successfully used to validate the model additionally. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR33050 i III42010

Position estimation with a millimeter-wave massive MIMO system based on distributed steerable phased antenna arrays

Abstract In this paper, we propose a massive MIMO (multiple-input-multiple-output) architecture with distributed steerable phased antenna subarrays for position estimation in the mmWave range. We also propose localization algorithms and a multistage/multiresolution search strategy that resolve the problem of high side lobes, which is inherent in spatially coherent localization. The proposed system is intended for use in line-of-sight indoor environments. Time synchronization between the transmitter and the receiving system is not required, and the algorithms can also be applied to a multiuser scenario. The simulation results for the line-of-sight-only and specular multipath scenarios show that the localization error is only a small fraction of the carrier wavelength and that it can be achieved under reasonable system parameters including signal-to-noise ratios, antenna number/placement, and subarray apertures. The proposed concept has the potential of significantly improving the capacity and spectral/energy efficiency of future mmWave massive MIMO systems

Direct Wideband Coherent Localization by Distributed Antenna Arrays

We address wideband direct coherent localization of a radio transmitter by a distributed antenna array in a multipath scenario with spatially-coherent line-of-sight (LoS) signal components. Such a signal scenario is realistic in small cells, especially indoors in the mmWave range. The system model considers collocated time and phase synchronized receiving front-ends with antennas distributed in 3D space at known locations connected to the front-ends via calibrated coaxial cables or analog radio frequency over fiber links. The signal model assumes spherical wavefronts. We propose two ML-type algorithms (for known and unknown transmitter waveforms) and a subspace-based SCM-MUSIC algorithm for wideband direct coherent position estimation. We demonstrate the performance of the methods by Monte Carlo simulations. The results show that even in multipath environments, it is possible to achieve localization accuracy that is much better (by two to three orders of magnitude) than the carrier wavelength. They also suggest that the methods that do not exploit knowledge of the waveform have mean-squared errors approaching the Cramér–Rao bound

Socio-Economic Differences in Cardiovascular Health: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Study in a Middle-Income Country.

A relatively consistent body of literature, mainly from high-income countries, supports an inverse association between socio-economic status (SES) and risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Data from low- and middle-income countries are scarce. This study explores SES differences in cardiovascular health (CVH) in the Republic of Srpska (RS), Bosnia and Herzegovina, a middle-income country.We collected information on SES (education, employment status and household's relative economic status, i.e. household wealth) and the 7 ideal CVH components (smoking status, body mass index, physical activity, diet, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose) among 3601 participants 25 years of age and older, from the 2010 National Health Survey in the RS. Based on the sum of all 7 CVH components an overall CVH score (CVHS) was calculated ranging from 0 (all CVH components at poor levels) to 14 (all CVH components at ideal levels). To assess the differences between groups the chi-square test, t-test and ANOVA were used where appropriate. The association between SES and CVHS was analysed with multivariate linear regression analyses. The dependent variable was CVHS, while independent variables were educational level, employment status and wealth index.According to multiple linear regression analysis CVHS was independently associated with education attainment and employment status. Participants with higher educational attainment and those economically active had higher CVHS (b = 0.57; CI = 0.29-0.85 and b = 0.27; CI = 0.10-0.44 respectively) after adjustment for sex, age group, type of settlement, and marital status. We failed to find any statistically significant difference between the wealth index and CVHS.This study presents the novel information, since CVHS generated from the individual CVH components was not compared by socio-economic status till now. Our finding that the higher overall CVHS was independently associated with a higher education attainment and those economically active supports the importance of reducing socio-economic inequalities in CVH in RS

Change in mean CVHS among health survey participants by SES indicators in models variously standardized.

<p>CVHS—Cardiovascular health score; SES—socio-economic status; ULR—Univariate linear regression; MLR—Multivariate linear regression. Economically active − employed and unemployed); Economically inactive—people looking after a home or family, retired, students and disabled.</p><p>*additionally significant: Middle age x High educational level (-0.12 (-0.20 to -0.04)); Middle age x Economically active (0.08 (0.06 to 0.27)); Female x Middle educational level (0.14 (0.06 to 0.22)) and Female x High educational level (0.08 (0.01 to 0.16)).</p><p>Change in mean CVHS among health survey participants by SES indicators in models variously standardized.</p

The distribution of Cardiovascular Health Score in survey participants.

<p>Smoking status (current, former, or never smokers) was derived from interviews. Physical activity as described previously [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0141731#pone.0141731.ref018" target="_blank">18</a>] was self-reported. Those who participated in physical activity four times or more a week for at least 30 minutes were categorized as physically active, those who exercised less than four times a week but at least 2–3 times a month were categorized as moderately active and those who exercised several times a year or did not exercise at all were categorized as physically inactive.</p

90Y-CA/SPIONs for dual magnetic hyperthermia-radionuclide nanobrachytherapy of solid tumours

Radiolabelled superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are a promising nanomaterial for the development of dual radiation/hyperthermia cancer therapy. To that purpose, flower-shaped SPIONs with an exceptional heating capability were synthesised and coated with citrate, dextran or (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. Both non-coated and coated SPIONs were nontoxic to CT-26 mouse colon cancer cells up to 1.0 mg ml−1 in vitro. In an oscillating magnetic field, citrate-coated SPIONs (CA/SPIONs) displayed the highest heating rate (SAR ∼ 253 W g−1) and the strongest hyperthermia effects against CT-26 cells. Labelling of the CA/SPIONs by the 90Y radionuclide, emitting β− radiation with an average/maximum energy of 0.94/2.23 MeV, and deep tissue penetration generated 90Y-CA/SPIONs intended for the therapy of solid tumours. However, intravenous injection of 90Y-CA/SPIONs in CT-26 xenograft-bearing mice resulted in low tumour accumulation. On the contrary, intratumoural injection resulted in long-term retention at the injection site. A single intratumoural injection of 0.25 mg CA/SPIONs followed by 30-min courses of magnetic hyperthermia for four consecutive days caused a moderate antitumour effect against CT-26 and 4T1 mouse tumour xenografts. Intratumoural application of 1.85 MBq/0.25 mg 90Y-CA/SPIONs, alone or combined with hyperthermia, caused a significant (P ≤ 0.01) antitumour effect without signs of systemic toxicity. The results confirm the suitability of 90Y-CA/SPIONs for monotherapy or dual magnetic hyperthermia-radionuclide nanobrachytherapy (NBT) of solid tumours