An optical solution for the set splitting problem

We describe here an optical device, based on time-delays, for solving the set splitting problem which is well-known NP-complete problem. The device has a graph-like structure and the light is traversing it from a start node to a destination node. All possible (potential) paths in the graph are generated and at the destination we will check which one satisfies completely the problem's constrains.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figure

THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF SMES. A SYNTHETIC ANALYSIS OF THE DECISIONAL FACTORS AND PROCESS

Having an increased complexity, the internationalization process of small and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs) becomes, in the context of globalization and of the freedom of circulation of goods, services, and capital, a decisive factor of both the evolution of the company and the economic force distribution report on the market. The evolution of the world economic system opened a wide action field for small and medium sized companies, who had to adapt to new rules. The internationalization of SMEs is no longer an option, but it becomes a condition of their existence. A high importance in this process belongs to the way decisions are made, both regarding the target market and the entry option, the way entry barriers are overcome and the promotional techniques in this extended business environment. A synthetic analysis of the decisional factors and process is needed in order to fully and correctly understand the internationalization strategies adopted by SMEs. This paper is built around three major objectives, with the scope of determining the SMEs’ internationalization decisions, as well s the impediments met in the process. The paper contributes to the literature in the field of the internationalization of SMEs through the analysis and interpretation of the results acquired during the study regarding their behavior towards the activity expansion on international markets

Modulators of alternative splicing as novel therapeutics in cancer

Alternative splicing (AS), the process of removing introns from pre-mRNA and re-arrangement of exons to give several types of mature transcripts, has been described more than 40 years ago. However, until recently, it has not been clear how extensive it is. Genome-wide studies have now conclusively shown that more than 90% of genes are alternatively spliced in humans. This makes AS one of the main drivers of proteomic diversity and, consequently, determinant of cellular function repertoire. Unsurprisingly, given its extent, numerous splice isoforms have been described to be associated with several diseases including cancer. Many of them have antagonistic functions, e.g., pro- and anti-angiogenic or pro- and anti-apoptotic. Additionally several splice factors have been recently described to have oncogene or tumour suppressors activities, like SF3B1 which is frequently mutated in myelodysplastic syndromes. Beside the implications for cancer pathogenesis, de-regulated AS is recognized as one of the novel areas of cell biology where therapeutic manipulations may be designed. This editorial discusses the possibilities of manipulation of AS for therapeutic benefit in cancer. Approaches involving the use of oligonucleotides as well as small molecule splicing modulators are presented as well as thoughts on how specificity might be accomplished in splicing therapeutics

The image of the Jews in the Romanian collective mentality and their past and present situation in Romania

The Jews of Romania were a particular ethnic group which, during history, had to bear a lot of discriminations. In modern epoch they could attend schools only by paying substantial fees, very few of them had the Romanian citizenship until 1918 and they could not be active in all professions. The interwar period meant for the Jews the time when they had the most rights in Romania, while, during the war, the anti-Jewish laws, forced labour, deportations in Transnistria were established, and the Jews from North-West Transylvania were sent by Hungarian authorities in German concentration camps. Romanians often displayed feelings of hostility towards the Jews, mostly in periods when the situation of their country was precarious. This paper will also present a few negative features used by Romanians in order to define the Jews. Last, but not least, the author wanted to show how the Holocaust was regarded by historians and politicians. And here, I noticed that in communist times, when the political elites had the intention to assimilate the Jews, it was considered that during the Holocaust several democratic groups were persecuted or, later, the responsability for Holocaust was put only on Germans. During post-1989 period, integral or partial negation of Holocaust, or its trivialization by comparison, continued to exist