Perception of Implementation Processes of Green Logistics in SMEs in Slovakia

AbstractGreen logistics focuses on the impact of corporate processes on the environment. The implementation of the green logistics processes into SMEs is a way of building good reputation while at the same time ensuring sustainable development of business. This paper deals with green logistics in Slovak small and medium enterprises, and presents the results of a survey the main objective of which was to explore the initiatives of green logistics in the conditions of Slovak SMEs, and to identify the opportunities and the barriers of implementing the logistics processes into SMEs in Slovakia. On basis of the survey results, we would like to suggest an algorithm of implementation of the green logistics processes in the conditions of the Slovak SMEs

Consumers´ Perception of Responsible Companies and Using of Cause-Related Marketing in their CSR Practice

The importance to integrate principles of social responsibility has also penetrated the field of marketing. The paper focuses on the topic of cause-related marketing (CrM), an innovative tool of corporate social responsibility (CSR), that allows for a balance between the company´s interest, consumer satisfaction, and the long-term prosperity of society as well. The main aim is to examine consumers´ perceptions of using cause-related marketing as a part of the socially responsible activities of companies in Slovakia. This aim is preceded by a partial aim – to examine the consumers´ perception of socially responsible companies in general. The selected results of the pilot questionnaire survey are presented. The obtained data from a sample of 415 respondents were evaluated by selected statistical methods (Chi-Square, Spearman´s correlation coefficient). Generally, consumers positively perceive the importance of socially responsible behavior of companies. According to research results, CSR is a differentiation point on market, when socially responsible companies are perceived as more trustworthy and attractive than competitors. Engagement in cause-related marketing is relatively high when almost 80 % of the respondents indicated that they have already participated in a campaign of this type. On the other hand, skepticism towards CrM exists. Research results indicated that CrM can create a competitive advantage for companies that adopt it and help enhance better image and reputation of a socially responsible company

Financial Support to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Slovakia

The purpose of the paper is to examine the system of small and medium-sized enterprises´ support in Slovakia and to analyze how this support is perceived by the enterprises themselves. In general, there are two forms of government support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – financial and non-financial – and the main focus of this paper is on the financial support, which matters more to entrepreneurs. In the first part, the paper deals with financial support and SMEs from a theoretical point of view. Then the selected results of the questionnaire survey focused to the perceiving of the financial support by Slovak entrepreneurs are presented. The survey realized by the end of 2016 at the sample of selected small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Slovakia, which in the past received financial support from public sources and used it to raise their business in the global environment reveal deficiencies in the system of providing financial support to SMEs and point to a lack of financial resources for this support

Viral delivery of C9ORF72 hexanucleotide repeat expansions in mice lead to repeat length dependent neuropathology and behavioral deficits.

Intronic GGGGCC repeat expansions in C9orf72 are the most common genetic cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Two major pathologies stemming from the hexanucleotide RNA expansions (HREs) have been identified in postmortem tissue: intracellular RNA foci and repeat-associated non-ATG dependent (RAN) dipeptides, though it is unclear how these and other hallmarks of disease contribute to the pathophysiology of neuronal injury. Here we generated two novel lines of mice that overexpress either 10 pure or 102 interrupted G4C2 repeats mediated by adeno-associated virus (AAV) and characterized relevant pathology and disease-related behavioral phenotypes. Similar levels of intracellular RNA foci developed in both lines of mice, but only mice expressing 102 repeats generated c9-RAN pathology, neuromuscular junction (NMJ) abnormalities, dispersal of the hippocampal CA1, enhanced apoptosis, and deficits in gait and cognition. Neither line of mice, however, showed extensive TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) pathology or neurodegeneration. Our data suggests that RNA foci pathology is not a good predictor of c9-RAN dipeptide formation, and that RAN dipeptides and NMJ dysfunction are drivers of c9-disease pathogenesis. These AAV-mediated models of C9orf72 ALS/FTD will be useful tools for studying disease pathophysiology and developing new therapeutic approaches

Nucleoside Analogue Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Differentially Inhibit Human LINE-1 Retrotransposition

Intact LINE-1 elements are the only retrotransposons encoded by the human genome known to be capable of autonomous replication. Numerous cases of genetic disease have been traced to gene disruptions caused by LINE-1 retrotransposition events in germ-line cells. In addition, genomic instability resulting from LINE-1 retrotransposition in somatic cells has been proposed as a contributing factor to oncogenesis and to cancer progression. LINE-1 element activity may also play a role in normal physiology. LINE-1 retrotransposition reporter assay, we evaluated the abilities of several antiretroviral compounds to inhibit LINE-1 retrotransposition. The nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (nRTIs): stavudine, zidovudine, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and lamivudine all inhibited LINE-1 retrotransposition with varying degrees of potencies, while the non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor nevirapine showed no effect.Our data demonstrates the ability for nRTIs to suppress LINE-1 retrotransposition. This is immediately applicable to studies aimed at examining potential roles for LINE-1 retrotransposition in physiological processes. In addition, our data raises novel safety considerations for nRTIs based on their potential to disrupt physiological processes involving LINE-1 retrotransposition

Molecular, clinical, and muscle studies in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) associated with novel variant CCG expansions

We assessed clinical, molecular and muscle histopathological features in five unrelated Italian DM1 patients carrying novel variant pathological expansions containing CCG interruptions within the 3'-end of the CTG array at the DMPK locus, detected by bidirectional triplet primed PCR (TP-PCR) and sequencing. Three patients had a negative DM1 testing by routine long-range PCR; the other two patients were identified among 100 unrelated DM1 cases and re-evaluated to estimate the prevalence of variant expansions. The overall prevalence was 4.8 % in our study cohort. There were no major clinical differences between variant and non-variant DM1 patients, except for cognitive involvement. Muscle RNA-FISH, immunofluorescence for MBNL1 and RT-PCR analysis documented the presence of ribonuclear inclusions, their co-localization with MBNL1, and an aberrant splicing pattern involved in DM1 pathogenesis, without any obvious differences between variant and non-variant DM1 patients. Therefore, this study shows that the CCG interruptions at the 3'-end of expanded DMPK alleles do not produce qualitative effects on the RNA-mediated toxic gain-of-function in DM1 muscle tissues. Finally, our results support the conclusion that different patterns of CCG interruptions within the CTG array could modulate the DM1 clinical phenotype, variably affecting the mutational dynamics of the variant repeat

Cerebellar ataxias: β-III spectrin’s interactions suggest common pathogenic pathways.

Spinocerebellar ataxias (SCAs) are a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders all characterised by postural abnormalities, motor deficits and cerebellar degeneration. Animal and in vitro models have revealed β‐III spectrin, a cytoskeletal protein present throughout the soma and dendritic tree of cerebellar Purkinje cells, to be required for the maintenance of dendritic architecture and for the trafficking and/or stabilisation of several membrane proteins: ankyrin‐R, cell adhesion molecules, metabotropic glutamate receptor‐1 (mGluR1), voltage‐gated sodium channels (Na(v)) and glutamate transporters. This scaffold of interactions connects β‐III spectrin to a wide variety of proteins implicated in the pathology of many SCAs. Heterozygous mutations in the gene encoding β‐III spectrin (SPTBN2) underlie SCA type‐5 whereas homozygous mutations cause spectrin associated autosomal recessive ataxia type‐1 (SPARCA1), an infantile form of ataxia with cognitive impairment. Loss‐of β‐III spectrin function appears to underpin cerebellar dysfunction and degeneration in both diseases resulting in thinner dendrites, excessive dendritic protrusion with loss of planarity, reduced resurgent sodium currents and abnormal glutamatergic neurotransmission. The initial physiological consequences are a decrease in spontaneous activity and excessive excitation, likely to be offsetting each other, but eventually hyperexcitability gives rise to dark cell degeneration and reduced cerebellar output. Similar molecular mechanisms have been implicated for SCA1, 2, 3, 7, 13, 14, 19, 22, 27 and 28, highlighting alterations to intrinsic Purkinje cell activity, dendritic architecture and glutamatergic transmission as possible common mechanisms downstream of various loss‐of‐function primary genetic defects. A key question for future research is whether similar mechanisms underlie progressive cerebellar decline in normal ageing. [Image: see text

Innovation support and economic development at the regional level: panel data evidence from Visegrad countries

The paper deals with the problem of innovation support and economic development at the regional level. The innovation potential still differs significantly among the EU regions. Perhaps the key factor determining innovation potential and performance of a region is R&D expenditure. The main aim of the paper is to test the potential relationship between gross domestic expenditure on R&D and economic development of the regions. Our dataset consists of the data on the regions of four Visegrad countries during the period of 2001-2014. We assume the existence of non-linear relationship and expect that R&D expenditures are significantly lower in less developed regions. Using the panel Granger causality and panel regression analysis based on these data, we provide insight into the potential relationship between regional economic development measured in terms of GDP per capita and investments in R&D controlling for the number of R&D employees. Our results strongly suggest that higher regional GDP per capita is associated with higher regional gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) per inhabitant. GERD per capita appears to be exponentially rising with regional GDP per capita. We have also found significant regional disparities in terms of innovation performance