The Effects of euro Adoption on the Slovak Economy

In this study we assess the effects of euro adoption from an economic perspective. The benefits and disadvantages of Slovak entry to the euro area were discussed already when the euro adoption strategy was adopted. This analysis utilizes the latest information, using the set euro adoption date and the chosen euro adoption scenario. We attempt to quantify the most important effects, so that the costs and benefits can be compared. The costs and risks related to the euro area entry will depend on economic conditions and policies. Therefore we analyze the economic policies, which should support euro adoption, the issues of optimal timing of euro area entry and the impacts of euro adoption on citizens, businesses and the state administration.

Prevalence of donor-transmitted atherosclerosis—Clinical utility of intracoronary ultrasound early after heart transplantation. A single-center study

AbstractIntroductionCoronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is one of the main factors limiting long-term survival following orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx). Whether or not and, if so, how donor-transmitted atherosclerosis (DCA) affects the post-transplant course of the allograft recipient is still unclear. Conventional coronary angiography is a moderately accurate technique for DCA detection as it will reveal only the more gross morphological lesions. By contrast, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been shown to be a much more sensitive technique for CAV and DCA detection. In our study we sought to determine the prevalence of DCA in our HTx patient population and identify main risk factors of DCA based on donor characteristics.Patients and methodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of data of 119 patients (92 men, 27 women) undergoing transplantation in our center from August 2006 through September 2012, who had survived their first post-transplant month and had coronary angiography and IVUS.ResultsDCA was present in 39 patients, and not documented in 80 patients. The main risk factors for DCA included donor age, cigarette smoking, and hypertension; the other parameters were not shown to be statistically significant. In-hospital mortality was low in both groups (DCA positive and DCA negative), with one patient dying in either group. One-year mortality rates post-HTx were likewise almost identical in both groups (15.4% and 15% in DCA positive and negative, respectively).ConclusionThe prevalence of DCA in our patients was 32.8%, with major risk factors for DCA including donor age, cigarette smoking, and hypertension. As age seems to be the strongest predictor, coronary angiography should be a routine examination in individuals aged over 40 years; the examination should be considered in younger individuals with a cluster of several of risk factors. The 1-year survival in this selected patient population was identical in both groups, the implication being that the diagnosis of DCA had no effect on 1-year survival post-HTx

Níveis séricos elevados de homocisteína em pacientes pediátricos com fenômeno de Raynaud primário

INTRODUÇÃO: O fenômeno de Raynaud (FR) é uma isquemia acral recorrente resultante de resposta vasoespástica arterial anormal ao frio ou ao estresse emocional. A homocisteína, um aminoácido sulfurado, foi relacionada a doenças cardiovasculares e neurodegenerativas, diabetes mellitus, trombose e fragilidade óssea. Também foi relacionada à patogênese do FR, por terem sido observadas elevações nos níveis séricos de homocisteína (S-homocisteína) em pacientes com FR. OBJETIVO: Considerando que todas as publicações concernentes à S-homocisteína em casos de FR envolviam apenas pacientes adultos, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a S-homocisteína em crianças e adolescentes com FR. MÉTODOS: Foram recrutados 19 pacientes (dois meninos e 17 meninas; idade média 16,1 ± 2,2 DP) com FR primário. Como controles, foram recrutados 51 crianças e adolescentes (21 meninos e 30 meninas; idade média 15,1 ± 1,8 DP). RESULTADOS: O nível de S-homocisteína estava significativamente mais elevado no grupo FR, em comparação com os controles (11,2 ± 2,4 vs. 8,0 ± 2,0 µmol/L; P = 0,00001). Os níveis de S-homocisteína nos participantes com FR não dependeram da idade. CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes pediátricos com FR apresentam níveis elevados de S-homocisteína, sugerindo que a homocisteína desempenha papel importante no desenvolvimento da disfunção vascular, mesmo em pacientes muito joven

Potential of Age-management in the Construction Digitalization Process

Research background: The article deals with the issue of intergenerational cooperation of different age categories. It follows up on the outputs of the research task “Intergenerational management to support digitization in construction” funded by TACR. Purpose of the article: The aim of the article is to determine the main problems of intergenerational cooperation and to analyse the current situation from the point of view of solving the necessary changes by introducing digitization in the construction industry. Methods: When modelling mutual cooperation between generations, it turns out that the key problem is the willingness to cooperate. Interpretation of the results obtained from the research was made through logical deduction and synthesis of previous knowledge in the field. Findings & Value added: The findings of the article are in the form of determining the main attributes preventing effective intergenerational cooperation with the aim of sharing digital competencies. The outputs of the article are the cornerstone for the model of intergenerational cooperation based on improving communication between generations, mutual sharing of competencies and thus the use of the strengths of individual cooperating generations (digital competence vs. long-term experience in the field). The research project shows a way to deal with the situation in companies and offers a relatively simple solution that aims to improve intergenerational cooperation and sharing competencies in order to increase the competitiveness of companies. It also offers a way to make effective use of older employees and offer them job satisfaction

Two-phonon assisted exciton spin relaxation due to exchange interaction in spherical quantum dots

Spin relaxation in undoped quasi-spherical CdS quantum dots at zero magnetic fields is investigated using time- and polarization-resolved transient absorption measurements. Unlike in previous studies of these systems, the measured signals were corrected for spin-insensitive contributions to the exciton bleaching dynamics, {allowing us to determine} the pure spin-related exciton dynamics. To explain the observed room-temperature spin-relaxation time of several nanoseconds, we propose a novel mechanism based on intralevel exciton transitions with the emission of one LO phonon, the absorption of another LO phonon, and an electron spin flip, which is driven by the electron-hole exchange interaction. The transition rates, calculated in the present work for different sizes of quantum dots and temperatures, are in fair agreement with our experimental results.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure