Use of Rapid Cytochemical Staining to Characterize fish blood granulocytes in Species of Special Concern and Determine Potential for Function Testing

Studies of innate immunity in fish species of special concern are essential for better understanding of their health status during hatchery rearing conditions. The cytochemical and morphological characterizations of blood granulocytes have been used to provide information about phylogenetic differences and determine the potential use of neutrophil function assays. Rapid, simple, cytochemical staining kits used routinely for staining mammalian granulocytes have been used to characterize granulocytes from blood of four fish species: Arctic grayling, cutthroat trout, June sucker, and shovelnose sturgeon. Blood smears were stained with Peroxidase 391 (myeloperoxidase, MPO), alkaline phosphatase (AP), Periodic Acid Schiff (PAS) and Diff-quick stain; examined using bright field and differential interference contrast microscopy. Granulocytes on blood smears were evaluated based on the cell morphology, and presence or absence of the specific chromogen. Presence of lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets/thrombocytes and granulocytes was determined in all fish species. Arctic grayling, June sucker, and cutthroat trout had MPO positive granulocytes, while shovelnose sturgeon heterophils had positive reaction for leukocyte AP, but not MPO. Presence of MPO indicated potential to measure oxidative burst and degranulation of neutrophil primary granules in Arctic grayling, cutthroat trout and June sucker. Absence of MPO in shovelnose sturgeon suggested use of different enzyme marker (AP) in degranulation assay for this species. Standardization of cytochemical techniques allowed forrapid screening of leukocyte types, reducing the number of fish, time and effort to select adequate neutrophil function assays to be used in studies of health status in species of special concern

Some more amplituhedra are contractible

The amplituhedra arise as images of the totally nonnegative Grassmannians by projections that are induced by linear maps. They were introduced in Physics by Arkani-Hamed \& Trnka (Journal of High Energy Physics, 2014) as model spaces that should provide a better understanding of the scattering amplitudes of quantum field theories. The topology of the amplituhedra has been known only in a few special cases, where they turned out to be homeomorphic to balls. The amplituhedra are special cases of Grassmann polytopes introduced by Lam (Current Developments in Mathematics 2014, Int.\ Press). In this paper we show that that some further amplituhedra are homeomorphic to balls, and that some more Grassmann polytopes and amplituhedra are contractible.Comment: 7 pages, to appear in Selecta Mathematic

Empirical Analysis of the Elasticity of Employment to Output Gap in the Republic of Croatia

This article deals with the impact of cyclical activity of GDP on employment in the Republic of Croatia in the period from 2000 to 2020. According to the prevailing economic paradigm, employment growth follows GDP growth in the long run, but cyclical changes in GDP are also an important factor in monitoring economic developments and require adjustments by economic policy makers in the short term. Okun’s law, based on the natural unemployment rate, is often used as a guide for the purpose of determining corrective economic policy measures. In practice, the unemployment rate is not a particularly reliable labour market variable, so this study sought to empirically examine how cyclical GDP activity affects a much more reliable labour market variable - the number of employed. Empirical studies of the impact of the income gap on employment are very rare compared to those dealing with the impact of GDP growth on employment, so this study on the example of the Republic of Croatia aimed to show that employment elasticity with respect to income gap can serve as a measure of the impact of cyclical economic activity on the number of employees. Empirical analysis of the impact of the income gap on employment was conducted using the vector error correction model (VEC). The results of the analysis indicate a statistically significant impact of the cyclical component of GDP on cyclical employment in the Croatian economy and therefore the authors suggest that this approach should be used as a complementary to Okun’s law

THE HYPO BANK CASE: HOW THE CROATIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT (MIS)INTERPRETED THE HISTORICAL MEANING OF THE PRINCIPLE OF LEGALITY

Croatia has undergone significant infrastructural changes since the 1990s. The difficult process of transition to statehood caused far-reaching consequences of unemployment, increase of domestic and foreign debt, and growth of systemic corruption. In 2010 the Croatian Parliament amended the Constitution and abolished the statute of limitations for privatization and ownership transformation crimes committed during the Homeland War and peaceful reintegration. The abolition of the statute of limitations enabled Croatian justice to prosecute former Prime Minister Ivo Sanader for his part in war profiteering during the early 1990s, with the result that he was sentenced to long-term imprisonment in the Hypo bank case. However, in 2015 the Constitutional Court overruled this ruling, arguing that the abolition of retroactivity cannot be applied to those criminal offences for which the statute of limitations has expired before the Constitutional amendment entered into force. This decision made all criminal proceedings against war profiteers legally impossible, since in almost every case the statute of limitations had already expired in 2010. In this text, authors will analyze the decision of the Constitutional Court in the Hypo bank case, critically examining the reasoning of the Constitutional Court in the context of historical interpretation of the nullum crimen sine lege, nulla poena sine lege principle – as one of the most esteemed values of enlightenment philosophy – concluding with an explanation of their own standpoint on the topic.     &nbsp

Rich student, happy student: The case study of Croatia

This research paper delves into a comprehensive analysis of the financial and life satisfaction levels among the youth in Croatia, with a keen focus on understanding the intricate relationship between these two constructs. The primary objective of this study is to assess the significance of individual financial satisfaction as a key predictor of overall happiness and satisfaction levels. By leveraging a robust dataset collected from both university and high-school students in Croatia, and employing rigorous regression analysis techniques, we have uncovered compelling evidence that underscores the substantial influence of financial satisfaction on bolstering one\u27s life satisfaction. Our findings underscore the critical role of improving financial satisfaction and exercising effective control over personal finances in augmenting overall happiness levels. Through a nuanced exploration of these dimensions, this study paves the way for actionable insights and strategies to enhance well-being among the youth in Croatia

ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IMPLEMENTATION IN DIGITAL MARKETING ACTIVITIES

Rapid development of artificial intelligence is transforming the world we live in. Advancement in technology and consumer\u27s needs creates the urge for rapid adaptation by companies operating in a volatile and uncertain marketing environment in order to adequately shape their marketing decisions and achieve the best results on the market. The availability of information to consumers is greater than ever before causing an increase in the needs and demands they expect when buying and consuming a product or a service which results in higher efforts of personalization and individualization while creating marketing messages. This is precisely what innovative and disruptive technologies, such as intelligent self-learning systems based on artificial intelligence, allow companies to gain a better insight into the consumer\u27s needs and create marketing content that will result in higher engagement and conversion rates. This study investigates and analyses set of examples of best practices of artificial intelligence implementation and the benefits of its usage in marketing activities and campaigns in automotive, retail and hospitality industry through predicting, testing and optimizing. Study shows the way artificial intelligence systems make an exceptional contribution to the optimization of marketing activities and overall marketing performance efficiency. The paper ends with the conclusions and recommendations how to implement some of the presented AI solutions into the Croatian business practice

Rich student, happy student: The case study of Croatia

This research paper delves into a comprehensive analysis of the financial and life satisfaction levels among the youth in Croatia, with a keen focus on understanding the intricate relationship between these two constructs. The primary objective of this study is to assess the significance of individual financial satisfaction as a key predictor of overall happiness and satisfaction levels. By leveraging a robust dataset collected from both university and high-school students in Croatia, and employing rigorous regression analysis techniques, we have uncovered compelling evidence that underscores the substantial influence of financial satisfaction on bolstering one\u27s life satisfaction. Our findings underscore the critical role of improving financial satisfaction and exercising effective control over personal finances in augmenting overall happiness levels. Through a nuanced exploration of these dimensions, this study paves the way for actionable insights and strategies to enhance well-being among the youth in Croatia

Mapping the teaching of aquatic animal veterinary medicine in the European Union and European Free Trade Area

Aquatic animal production is the fastest growing food sector globally. Aquaculture and fisheries are very dynamic sectors in the EU and the number of ornamental aquarium pets is increasing. Veterinarians have a fundamental role to play by ensuring health and welfare of aquatic species, productivity and profitability of fish farming, public health and ecosystem conservation. This study investigates how the undergraduate curriculum prepares future veterinarians for such roles by analysing data from the 77 European veterinary education establishments based in EU and the European Free Trade Area. Over 95 per cent of these establishments incorporate teaching in aquatic animal veterinary medicine in their curriculum, while the great majority do so within the core curriculum. Almost half of the establishments provide teaching in aquatic animal veterinary medicine as separate subjects. Many establishments (>40 per cent) provide such training as elective option in their undergraduate curricula or as postgraduate opportunities to enhance Day One Competences. The veterinary education establishments integrating adequately aquatic animal veterinary medicine in their curriculum are evenly distributed in all regions of Europe. Veterinarians are trained and empowered by legislation to assess health of aquatic animals, to diagnose, to prescribe medicines, to notify for diseases and to ensure safe food for the consumers. Veterinary education establishments should encourage training of veterinarians to follow a career in aquatic animal veterinary medicine