Real convergence and the determinants of growth in EU candidate and potential candidate countries - a panel data approach

The EU candidate and potential candidate countries have made considerable progress in economic transition and integration into the world economy within less than two decades. Nevertheless, gaps in terms of income per capita relative to the euro area remain large. This suggests that the challenges of real convergence will remain relevant for the region even in the medium and long term. This paper therefore focuses on real convergence and its determinants in the candidate and potential candidate countries. The analysis reveals that total factor productivity growth has been the main driver of convergence, followed by capital deepening, whereas labour has contributed only marginally to economic growth. There is evidence of conditional convergence in the transition countries of central, eastern and south-eastern Europe. More specifi cally, controlling for the quality of institutions, the extent of market reforms and macroeconomic policies, there is a significant and negative link between the initial level of GDP and subsequent growth. Labour productivity has improved in most countries, while employment and participation rates have been falling. Structural changes have resulted in, at least temporarily, increasing labour market mismatches. Investment rates have been rising rapidly in recent years, and foreign direct investment has been found to have a positive impact on total investment. Investment in human capital is still at a relatively low level compared with the euro area average. Thus, in order to sustain the positive developments observed in the past, further improvements are needed in terms of labour productivity and utilisation, as well as in terms of physical and human capital accumulation. JEL Classification: F15, F43, O16, O43, O47, O52.Real convergence, conditional convergence, determinants of growth, total factor productivity, labour markets, capital accumulation, EU candidate and potential candidate countries.

Child's Exposures to Emotional Neglect in Drug users Families

AbstractThis study approaches a less common theme in specialized literature, the influence of the family, in which the parent is addicted to drugs. This study tries to capture this influence on child comportment in time, therefore the selection of subjects was made taking into account that they have reached the age of 18. The results obtained showed that subjects showing aggressive behavior correspond to their low tolerance to frustration, while those who have a low level of aggression; it corresponds to a high level of tolerance to frustration

SITUATION AND TRENDS OF TERRORIST ACTS WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION

The main subject of interest of this paper is the current situation and the trend of international terrorism in the European Union explained thorough security analysis of the committed terrorist attacks and their influence on the European security and stability. Also, it will be shown the measures and the activities of the anti and contrary terroristic fight against the risks and the threats from terrorism as a result of the recent terroristic attacks. Even though on the international level there isn’t a common definition of terrorism as a criminal act, the European Union and the Council of Europe through their most important documents set the concept for terrorism which has helped in the process of creating national security systems for the fight against the terrorism. This paper will go through the circumstances of terrorist attacks (failed, foiled, and completed) in the European Union Member States, as well as the conditions of the criminal acts through analysis of the statistical data about the court proceedings and the verdicts

Offshore Production, Labor Migration and the Macroeconomy

Thesis advisor: Fabio GhironiIn Chapter 1, I analyze the cross-country transmission of business cycles when firms relocate production abroad, at locations with lower labor costs. In the model, I distinguish between fluctuations in the number of offshoring firms (the extensive margin) and the value added per offshoring firm (the intensive margin) as separate transmission mechanisms. Firms are heterogeneous in labor productivity. They face a sunk entry cost at home and an additional fixed cost to produce offshore. The model replicates the extensive and intensive margin dynamics that I document for Mexico's maquiladora sector. Offshoring enhances the co-movement of output between the countries involved. Offshoring also reduces price dispersion across countries, because it dampens the real exchange rate appreciation that follows improvements in domestic productivity. In Chapter 2, I estimate the conditional correlations and impulse responses of three indicators of offshoring to Mexico (total value added, value added per plant, and the number of plants) for U.S. permanent technology shocks. Using data from U.S. manufacturing and Mexico's maquiladora sector, I identify U.S. permanent technology shocks in a structural VAR model with long-run restrictions. Following a positive shock, offshore production in Mexico exhibits an immediate increase along its intensive margin, but returns to its initial level over time. The extensive margin does not adjust on impact, but increases gradually towards a permanently higher level. The model of offshoring in Chapter 1 matches qualitatively the business cycle dynamics of offshoring to Mexico. In Chapter 3 (co-authored with Federico Mandelman), we analyze the dynamics of labor migration and the insurance role of remittances in a two-country, real business cycle framework. Emigration increases with the expected stream of future wage gains, and is dampened by the sunk cost reflecting border enforcement. During booms in the destination economy, the scarcity of established immigrants enhances the volatility of the immigrant wage and remittances. The welfare gain from the inflow of unskilled labor increases with the complementarity between skilled and unskilled labor, and with the share of the skilled among native labor. The model matches the cyclical dynamics of the unskilled immigration into the U.S. and remittances sent back to Mexico.Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009.Submitted to: Boston College. Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.Discipline: Economics

Modification and application of multiwalled carbon nanobutes for the separation of arsenic from water

Predmet istraživanja u okviru izrade ove doktorske disertacije bio je razvoj novih, efikasnijih adsorbenata za uklanjanje arsena iz vode. Ispitivanja su uključivala razne vrste modifikacija višeslojnih ugljeničnih nanocevi. U prvom delu ispitivanja je izvršena priprema dva adsorbenta na bazi višeslojnih ugljeničnih nanocevi (MWCNTs), koje su najpre modifikovane oksidacijom (o-MWCNTs), a zatim su aminofunkcionalizovane (e-MWCNTs) i ispitivane kao potencijalni adsorbenti za uklanjanje As(V) iz vode. Takođe, o-MWCNTs i e-MWCNTs su dalje modifikovane u cilju poboljšanja njihovih adsorpcionih karakteristika. Na e-MWCNTs je naneseno gvožđe(III)-oksid u formi goetita na dva načina, vezivanjem Fe3+ jona, kao i vezivanjem Fe2+ jona, koji su zatim oksidovani pomoću KMnO4; na ovaj način dobijeni su e- MWCNTs/Fe 3+ i e-MWCNTs/Fe2+ adsorbenti. o-MWCNTs su naknadno funkcionalizovane sa SOCl2 i aminovane amino-polietilenglikolom (PEG); na taj način je dobijen još jedan novi adsorbent, MWCNTs-PEG. Svi adsorbenti, dobijeni modifikacijom MWCNTs, su detaljno okarakterisani, primenom brojnih instrumentalnih tehnika: FTIR, XRD, BET, SEM, TEM, EDS i ispitivanjem elementarnog sastava, pre i posle adsorpcije, čime su dobijeni podaci značajni za opisivanje mehanizma adsorpcije. U drugom delu istraživanja su ispitivane adsorpcione karakteristike sirovih i modifikovanih MWCNTs, za izdvajanje As(V) i As(III) iz vode, eksperimentima u šaržnom sistemu. Ispitivan je uticaj pH vrednos6 ti rastvora, vremena kontakta, početnih koncentracija arsena i temperature. U okviru ispitivanja adsorpcionih karakteristika sirovih i modifikovanih MWCNTs, kao adsorbenta za As(V) iz vodenog rastvora, eksperimentalno dobijene vrednosti su upoređivani sa šest ravnotežnih i četiri kinetička teorijska modela. Maksimalni adsorpcioni kapaciteti ispitivanih adsorbenata, određeni prema modelu Langmuirove adsorpcione izoterme, su bili u opsegu od 3,55 mg g-1 za MWCNTs bez modifikacije do 23,47 mg g-1 za e-MWCNTs/Fe2+. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata ispitivanja zaključeno je da je najefikasniji adsorbent e-MWCNTs/Fe2+, koji se može uspešno koristiti za uklanjanje anjonskih vrsta As(V) iz vodenih rastvora, kako pri niskim, tako i pri visokim koncentracijama. Kod ovog adsorbenta su dobijena dobra slaganja između eksperimentalnih rezultata i vrednosti dobijenih modelom, pomoću nekomercijalnog računarskog programa MINTEQ, što omogućava modelovanje sistema i predviđanje rezultata adsorpcije.The research goal of this Ph.D thesis is development of new, more efficient adsorbents for arsenic removal from water. The research was conducted on two modified multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). In the first part, two adsorbents based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were synthesized. These adsorbents were prepared by oxidation (o-MWCNTs) following by amination (e- MWCNTs), and examined as potential adsorbents for arsenic removal from water. Moreover, o-MWCNTs and e-MWCNTs were further modified in order to improve their adsorption capacities. Iron(III) oxide, in the form of goethite, was incorporated in the e-MWCNTs surface in two different ways. The first approach was addition of Fe3+ ions, while the second was oxidation of incorporated Fe2+ ions using KMnO4, hence giving both e-MWCNTs/Fe 3+ and e-MWCNTs/Fe2+ adsorbents, respectively. Also, o-MWCNTs were functionalized with SOCl2 and aminated with amino-polyethylene glycol (PEG), making thus one new adsorbent, MWCNTs-PEG. All adsorbents were characterized in detail using numerous instrumental techniques: FTIR, XRD, BET, SEM, TEM, EDS. Elementary composition was determined before and after adsorption. These results gave useful information for characterization of adsorbent before and after adsorption, as well as for the description of adsorption mechanism. In the second part, the adsorption characteristics of raw and modified MWCNTs were determined using the batch system adsorp8 tion experiments. The influence of pH, contact time, initial concentrations and temperature was examined. The kinetic and equilibrium data for the arsenate ion adsorption on synthesized adsorbents were determined by using six equilibrium and four kinetic theoretical models, applying linear and nonlinear fitting methods, in order to evaluate the adsorption mechanism. The maximum adsorption capacities of investigated adsorbents for the removal of arsenate species, determined from the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, were in the range from 3.55 mg g-1 for raw-MWCNTs to 23.47 mg g-1 for e-MWCNTs/Fe2+. Based on presented results, the study showed that the e- MWCNTs/Fe2+ is the most promising adsorbent for the successful removal of As(V) species from aqueous solutions at low and high concentrations. Good agreement of experimental and calculated data was obtained for e-MWCNTs/Fe2+, using non-commercial software MINTEQ. This method enables accurate, swift and efficient modeling system and prediction of adsorption results

Evaluation of adsorption performance of phosphates removal using cell‐mg hybrid adsorbent

Abstract: Due to the high accumulation of nutrients in water (primarily phosphates) because of increased use of fertilizers and plant protection products, it is necessary to apply various techniques for their detection, and then removal. Adsorption is one of the promising techniques to removing them. Magnetite (MG) modified cellulose membrane (Cell-MG), obtained by reaction of 3-aminosilane and subsequently with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid dianhydride functionalized waste Cell fibers (Cell-NH2 and Cell-DTPA, respectively), and amino-modified diatomite was used for phosphate ions removal from water. Cell-MG membrane was structurally and morphologically characterized using SEM and TEM techniques. The influences of operational parameters, i.e. pH, contact time, temperature, and the mass of adsorbent on adsorption and kinetics were studied in a batch system. The calculated capacities of 79.08 mg/g at 45 °C for phosphate ions were obtained from non-linear Langmuir model fitting. The reusability of adsorbent and results from wastewater purification showed that Cell-MG could be used as general-purpose adsorbent. Based on the kinetic studies the adsorption process follow the pseudo second-order model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorption process is endothermic and spontaneous

Criminalistics and operative aspects of the attacks on the cash in transit vehicles in the Republic of Macedonia

Cash in transit is a term used to describe the banknotes in the process of transfer from one location to another. During this process, a whole array of risks, threats, dangers and vulnerabilities arise. As much as the value of the assets is greater, the more the transport is the tempting target of attack by criminal, primarily, bandit groups. Cash in transit vehicles attacks are criminal activities that are carried out for the purpose of acquiring illegal property and they contain elements of violence, brutality and aggression. From a criminal and legal point of view, cash in transit vehicles attacks are classifed as crimes against property, or rather as criminal offenses of robbery. Studying the circumstances of the crime through the chronological and logical connection of the discovered facts provides an opportunity for understanding the crime, i.e. to create a criminalistics version of the events, on the basis of which the further operational procedures of criminal prosecution authorities will be based. The general goal of this paper is a criminal and operational analysis of the cash in transit vehicles attacks, which should contribute to recognizing the shortcomings, defciencies and weaknesses in the manner of securing, as well as the ways of their detection, clarifcation and proving by the criminal prosecution authorities.The paper will present the results of the researched criminological, victimological and criminal-operational aspects of the cash in transit vehicles attacks in the Republic of Macedonia in the period from 2005 to 2016. In this regard, in order to review the criminaloperational acting after detection of the committed attack on a cash in transit vehicle, an analysis of a specifc individual case will be made by describing the situation that had previously passed, the criminal situation, the measures and activities undertaken for its clarifcation and the consequences that arose from it.Through the security analysis applied in the paper, the basis for improvement and the creation of more efcient and effective ways of planning and performing of the cash in transit and other valuable goods should be created

Analysis of Road Traffic Safety through Direct Relative Indicators for Traffic Accidents Fatality: Case of Republic of Macedonia

In the absence of a detailed profile and assessment of the road traffic safety situation in the Republic of Macedonia, the paper will show the analysis by calculating and comparing the direct relative indicators for deaths from traffic accidents in relation to the total population (public risk), the total number of vehicles (traffic risk) and the total number of passenger-kilometres (dynamic traffic risk). Their established trends in the period 2005-2014 will also be shown and then compared with the levels in other European countries. Within the risks, there is additionally the risk of suffering that takes into account the consequences of accidents to people (human losses, heavy and light bodily injuries), which will be calculated and analysed for the area covered by the eight Sectors for Internal Affairs (SIA) in the Republic of Macedonia. For this purpose maps of the public risk of suffering from accidents on the roads will be made, which will closely show the traffic safety situation in the country. The diagnosing of the traffic safety situation will contribute to the creation of new measures and activities or improving the existing ones by the competent authorities in order to promote the road traffic safety.</p

Supplementary data for the article: Perendija, J.; Veličković, Z. S.; Cvijetić, I.; Rusmirović, J. D.; Ugrinović, V.; Marinković, A. D.; Onjia, A. Batch and Column Adsorption of Cations, Oxyanions and Dyes on a Magnetite Modified Cellulose-Based Membrane. Cellulose 2020, 27 (14), 8215–8235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-020-03352-x

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1007/s10570-020-03352-x]Related to published version: [https://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/4204