Knowledge-based entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe: myth and reality

This paper summarises results of a survey of 304 knowledge based firms in six central and east European (CEE) countries. Knowledge-based entrepreneurs in CEE are not ‘gazelles’ (i.e., fast growing new technology based firms which have the potential to reshape the industrial landscape). They consist of distinct types of companies, of which new technology based firms (NTBFs) are only one. The key factor in KBE firms’ growth is most often firm specific capabilities which do not always involve R&D. Based on factor analysis we develop several taxonomies of KBEs which all point to a specific nature of knowledge based entrepreneurship in CEE. The networks of KBEs are broader and more frequently involve innovation system actors, including professional networks. For different types of KBEs different networks are important

Finance pathways for young innovative small‐ and medium‐size enterprises: a demand‐side examination of finance gaps and policy implications for the post‐global financial crisis finance escalator

The paper addresses the persistent finance gaps facing young, innovative SMEs, by examining the financing pathways of 40 UK businesses in a post global financial crisis (GFC) environment. Using a unique combination of finance escalator and resource-based view theories four propositions are tested by examining: (i) early and growth stage development; (ii) innovation R&D investment horizons; (iii) the management resource base; (iv) finance gaps and their implications. The paper finds that successful financing strategies are emerging, using a mix of bootstrapping, collaboration and new emerging post-GFC finance escalator funding, which is heavily reliant on government interventions. It also pinpoints remaining finance gaps and the need for more cohesive financing and support policy to address these

Evidence for coordinated induction and repression of ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73) and the A2a adenosine receptor in a human B cell line

In the human B cell line P493-6 two mitogenic signals, the EpsteinBarr virus nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA2) and myc, can be independently regulated by means of an estrogen receptor fusion construct or an inducible expression vector, respectively. Shut off of EBNA2, either in the presence or absence of myc, leads to a significant increase in enzymatic activity and surface expression of ecto-5nucleotidase (CD73) as well as an increased adenosine receptor response in cyclic AMP formation. Shut off of myc expression has a small additional positive effect on CD73 activity. Among the four different subtypes of adenosine receptors, the A2a receptor exclusively is subject to regulation in this system, which is substantiated by pharmacologic data (specific agonists and inhibitors), as well as on the mRNA level. With upregulated CD73 and A2a, cells also respond to 5AMP with increased cyclic AMP formation. Turn on of EBNA2 has the reverse effect of repression of CD73 and A2a expression. The time course of both induction and repression of CD73 and A2a is rather slow

Patterns of Northern Ireland trade by destination, product and business characteristics: 2012 to 2016

New figures show that Northern Irish businesses conducted most international trade with the Republic of Ireland, accounting for around 27% of exports and 23% of imports; however, a separate data source, which includes intra-country trade, highlights that the rest of the UK remains Northern Ireland’s biggest market. More than 50% of Northern Ireland’s goods exports went to just two countries, the Republic of Ireland and the USA; the Republic of Ireland was the most important destination for food and live animals, while the USA was the most important destination for machinery and transport. Food and live animals represented around 33% of the total Northern Irish exports going to the Republic of Ireland, of which the top sub-category was milk and cream products. Almost 70% of exporting businesses in Northern Ireland were small (employing 0 to 49 workers), selling a small number of products to a few markets. Domestic businesses in Northern Ireland were less diversified in terms of products and markets compared with foreign-owned businesses. The biggest proportion of two-way trade in similar products was in food and live animals, suggesting integration of supply-chains in this category

New Evidences on Domestication of the Horse (Equus Ferus Caballus) and Origine of Domestic Mountain Pony

The results of draft genome research of permafrost horse bone dated approximately 560-780 (kyr BP) have been published recently. According to the data representing the oldest full genome sequence compared to the modern genomes of domesticated horse, Przewalskii and donkey it was suggested that the Equus lineage gave rise to contemporary horses, zebras and donkeys some 4.0 to 4.5 million years ago, twice increasing the assumed time to the common ancestor. Upon the phylogenetic and divergence analyses it was estimated that the Przewalskii and domestic horse populations diverged some 38-72 kyr BP and that there are no evidences that admixtures between Przewalskii and domestic horse populations occurred post-divergently thus Przewalskii’s involvement in the process of horse domestication has been excluded. The new data on ancient equide genome question the conventional theory on the origin of Domestic mountain pony. Upon the protein variability of the Domestic mountain pony the influence of diluvial genome on the population was confirmed and this finding differed from the conventional theory stating E. f. Przewalskii and E. ferus caballus as ancestors of the autochthonous population. The role of different ancestral horses in evolution of our autochthonous population is therefore unclear. The questions emerging from the most recent genetic and proteomic research in concern with the autochthonous populations are presented in the paper

The Assessment of Breeding Value of First Farrowed Sows by the Method of Selection Indices

The goal of this research paper was to assess the breeding value of first farrowed Swedish Landrace sows by the means of selection indices method. The traits on the basis of which the breeding value of animals was assessed are following: daily liveweight gain, average thickness of collected back fat measured at five sites and number of liveborn piglets in the first litter. The liveweight gain and carcass quality traits determined at the end of performance test were corrected for the body mass of 100kg by the method of basic indexes and following mean values were determined: for corrected daily liveweight gain (KZDP) 499.92g/day and for corrected average collected backfat thickness (KSL) 20.01mm. The first farrowed sows on average produced 8.09 liveborn piglets in the litter. Studying the effect of the gilts` birth year and season on KZDP and KSL it was determined that the gilts` birth year and season had no statistically significant influence (P>0.05) on KZDP variation but they had a statistically significant effect on KSL (P0.05) on BZPL, while the KZDP class and the age at first farrowing had a statistically significant effect on the variability of these trait (P<0.05; P<0.01). All studied traits varied statistically significantly (P<0.01) under the impact of the gilts` sire or dam. Heritability coefficients were: h2= 0.402 for KZDP, h2= 0.261 for KSL and h2= 0.177 for BZPL. The relation between KZDP and KSL was of a medium strength both at phenotype and genetic levels (rph=0.491; rg=0.411), while the relation of these traits with BZPL did not exist, except for the genetic relationship between KSL and KZDP which was of a medium strength (rg=0.252). Three equations for the selection indexes were constructed among which as the most optimal was chosen the one which includes all three traits (KZDP, KSL and BZPL) and whose correlation coefficent of selection index and aggregate genotype was rIAG = 0.5473

Anisotropy and internal field distribution of MgB2 in the mixed state at low temperatures

Magnetization and muon spin relaxation on MgB2 were measured as a function of field at 2 K. Both indicate an inverse-squared penetration depth strongly decreasing with increasing field H below about 1 T. Magnetization also suggests the anisotropy of the penetration depth to increase with increasing H, interpolating between a low Hc1 and a high Hc2 anisotropy. Torque vs angle measurements are in agreement with this finding, while also ruling out drastic differences between the mixed state anisotropies of the two basic length scales penetration depth and coherence length.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

The Possibility of Organizing an Organic Sheep Breeding in the Municipality of Žagubica

Žagubica Municipality, in Eastern Serbia, is one of the most undeveloped municipalities in Serbia. It accounts for only 0.067% of the total GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of the Republic of Serbia. A large number of people migrated from this area to big cities or countries of the EU, mainly because of the economic underdevelopment and the lack of production and processing capacities. Nowadays agriculture has a major role in the economy of Žagubica, contributing to the total value created with 59.33%, which clearly speaks of its dominance, while far behind it is the manufacturing industry with 8.23% and commerce with 6.93%. Geographical position of the Žagubica Municipality, the Homolje territory, is an important natural resource of great potential, with specific characteristics of HNV (High Nature Value) region. Region of Homolje has a long tradition of sheep breeding and the quality of products has become well-known. However, depopulation of villages caused a decline in the production and closure of a number of processing facilities. The development of organic farming is one of the possible ways to revitalize the village and the development of this region rich in natural resources. This paper analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) in the organization of organic sheep production in order to apply the necessary measures on the field for the organization of a new production system. The significant "advantages" of Žagubica Municipality are its herbal resources and the fact that the arable agricultural land makes 48.5% of the municipality area (42.9% of meadows and 26% of pastures) which is a good basis for the organization of the production. The issue of animal genetic resources is particularly analyzed and discussed. Under the "possibility" the attention is focused on various aspects of education in this field and its significance

Estimation of the Variance Components of the Sow Litter Size Traits Using Reml Method - Repeatability Model

Variance components for sow litter size traits were estimated using the REML method. Number of live born piglets (NBA), number of still born piglets (NSB), number of total born piglets (NTB) and number of weaned piglets (NW) were treated as traits which repeated several times during sow lifetime - repeatability model. Results of the fertility of Swedish Landrace sows realized on three pig farms in the Republic of Serbia were presented in four data sets DS1 (farm 1), DS2 (farm 2), DS3 (farm 3) and DS23 (farms 2 and 3 together). Fixed part of the model for litter size traits at farrowing (NBA, NSB and NTB) included parity, mating season as year-month interaction, litter genotype and weaning to conception interval as class effects. The age at farrowing was modelled as a quadratic regression nested within parity, whereas preceding lactation length was included as linear regression. In case of NW the model included parity, weaning season as year-month interaction, number of piglets in litter subsequent to crossfostering and litter genotype as class effects. The age at farrowing was included into the model in the same way as in case of previous traits. Random part of the model was the same for all analysed traits and represented as effect of common environment in litter where sows had been born, permanent effect of environment in sows’ litters and direct additive genetic effect. Heritability of NBA varied between 0.050 (DS2) and 0.076 (DS3), NSB between 0.004 (DS3) and 0.027 (DS2), NTB between 0.065 (DS2) and 0.073 (DS3) and of NW between 0.010 (DS2) and 0.028 (DS1). Share of permanent environment of sow in phenotypic variance was higher than share of litter effect and mostly lower than share of direct genetic effect