Qualitative analysis of economic, innovation and scientific potential in North Macedonia

In 2018, the Republic of North Macedonia launched the process of designing its first Smart Specialisation strategy in accordance with the methodology and guidance provided by the Joint Research Centre. From its outset, the process was regarded to be of utmost importance to the future growth of the economy, strengthening competitiveness based on the country’s innovation potential and unleashing smart growth by defining high-priority domains in which new added value would be created. One of the key goals of this venture is to identify and apply smarter and more competitive solutions within the identified priority domains, taking into account new challenges for digital and green transition, as well as challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. After the quantitative mapping of the country’s economic, innovation and scientific potential, 19 industries have been identified as having potential in terms of Smart Specialisation, and these were grouped into 6 preliminary priority domains. These domains were analysed in-depth in the qualitative mapping phase, which provided the rationale for the final selection of priority domains in North Macedonia and served as a preparatory stage for the stakeholder dialogue within the entrepreneurial discovery process. The findings in this report are based on the input from more than 100 interviews held with the key stakeholders, subsequent focus group meetings and information obtained from additional external analyses

Generalized Poincare Plots-A New Method for Evaluation of Regimes in Cardiac Neural Control in Atrial Fibrillation and Healthy Subjects

Classical Poincare plot is a standard way to measure nonlinear regulation of cardiovascular control. In our work we propose a generalized form of Poincare plot where we track correlation between the duration of j preceding and k next RR intervals. The investigation was done in healthy subjects and patients with atrial fibrillation, by varying j,k LT = 100. In cases where j = k, in healthy subjects the typical pattern was observed by paths that were substituting scatterplots and that were initiated and ended by loops of Poincare plot points. This was not the case for atrial fibrillation patients where Poincare plot had a simple scattered form. More, a typical matrix of Pearsons correlation coefficients, r(j,k), showed different positions of local maxima, depending on the subjects health condition. In both groups, local maxima were grouped into four clusters which probably determined specific regulatory mechanisms according to correlations between the duration of symmetric and asymmetric observed RR intervals. We quantified matrices degrees of asymmetry and found that they were significantly different: distributed around zero in healthy, while being negative in atrial fibrillation. Also, Pearsons coefficients were higher in healthy than in atrial fibrillation or in signals with reshuffled intervals. Our hypothesis is that by this novel method we can observe heart rate regimes typical for baseline conditions and defense reaction in healthy subjects. These data indicate that neural control mechanisms of heart rate are operating in healthy subjects in contrast with atrial fibrillation, identifying it as the state of risk for stress-dependent pathologies. Regulatory regimes of heart rate can be further quantified and explored by the proposed novel method

Investigation of Pressure Pulsations in the Furnace and Flue Gas Tract of the Pulverized Coal Combustion Utility Boiler

The paper presents new experimental method developed and new measuring system developed and installed into flame-gas tract of utility boiler. Investigations have been performed at the steam boiler of unit 2 at TPP Ptolemais. Ptolemais, Greece. which suffered from very unstable combustion and great pressure oscillations Experimental method. based on high-speed acquisition system. was developed and used for detection of pressure oscillations and determination of the origin of boiler unstable operation. Signals were obtained from piezoelectric pressure sensors located along the flame-gas tract of the steam boiler and time and frequency domain analysis were used for post processing of collected data. Investigations of the pressure oscillations in boiler gas tract have contributed to reveal origin of the boiler unstable operation. and have been of the great help in establishing proper boiler operatio

QUALITY AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF PINOT NOIR GRAPEVINE VARIETY UNDER AGROECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF VRŠAC IN SERBIA

This research was focused on the antioxidant properties of grape variety Pinot Noir in the period from 2009-2011 in Vojvodina (location Vršac - 45o 8' 40,80" N; 21º 24' 7,97" E, 199 m a. s. l.). Pinot Noir variety was grown on Berlandieri x Riparia Kober 5BB rootstock, at a distance of 3 x 0.8 m. Mechanical properties of bunch and berry, quality and chemical properties of grapes were analyzed. The contents of monomeric and polymeric anthocyanins in grape berry skin were 11.68 and 94.67 mg of malvidin-3-glucoside/g. Correlative relationship between phenolic content and antioxidant activity of berry skin was r = 0.754, n = 18, p <0.0005. Quality and antioxidant activity of Pinot Noir grape variety was determined to be high under the agroecological conditions of Vršac in Serbia

Assessing the impact of DRGs on patient care and professional practice in Switzerland (IDoC) : a potential model for monitoring and evaluating healthcare reform.

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: The starting point of the interdisciplinary project "Assessing the impact of diagnosis related groups (DRGs) on patient care and professional practice" (IDoC) was the lack of a systematic ethical assessment for the introduction of cost containment measures in healthcare. Our aim was to contribute to the methodological and empirical basis of such an assessment. METHODS: Five sub-groups conducted separate but related research within the fields of biomedical ethics, law, nursing sciences and health services, applying a number of complementary methodological approaches. The individual research projects were framed within an overall ethical matrix. Workshops and bilateral meetings were held to identify and elaborate joint research themes. RESULTS: Four common, ethically relevant themes emerged in the results of the studies across sub-groups: (1.) the quality and safety of patient care, (2.) the state of professional practice of physicians and nurses, (3.) changes in incentives structure, (4.) vulnerable groups and access to healthcare services. Furthermore, much-needed data for future comparative research has been collected and some early insights into the potential impact of DRGs are outlined. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the joint results we developed preliminary recommendations related to conceptual analysis, methodological refinement, monitoring and implementation

Supporting an Innovation Agenda for the Western Balkans - Tools and Methodologies

The Western Balkan region has significantly improved in terms of innovation performance in the last ten years. However, in catching up with other European regions, the focus of innovation efforts should be enhanced. Exports are still far more focused on medium- and low-technology products. Innovative efforts mostly accommodate traditionally strong sectors, which do not necessarily reflect the ideal competitiveness paths for economies in the region. Although some Western Balkan economies record increases in patent activity, patent intensity in the region is still low, while, on the other hand, scientific publication production displays a stable growth trend. While Western Balkan economies are at different stages in the formation of research and innovation (R&I) policy governance systems, national research and innovation policy frameworks are continuously being improved. The enhancement of governance in the area of R&I came as the result of increased capacity building activities in the region, as well as of the real needs emerging as a result of social and economic transformation. On the other hand, R&I systems in the Western Balkan economies need to continue shifting their focus towards businesses to provide better balance between public and private sector orientation. The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission is committed to supporting the shift in innovation policies and improvement of R&I efforts and governance in the Western Balkan economies through a number of tools and activities, allowing policy instruments to be matched with the specific needs of the economy. This approach seeks efficient governance mechanisms for R&I policy by reaching out to the business sector and other important actors of the innovation ecosystem. It determines sustainable development directions for economies and ensures the continuity of policy monitoring and evaluation cycles. This ambitious challenge is translated into four specific lines of activity: (i) the application of the smart specialisation methodology to design and implement innovation strategies; (ii) capacity-building activities for technology transfer, in particular through specialised workshops, tools and instruments specifically designed to assist the academic institutions in the regional economies; (iii) support to transnational collaboration and linkages in the context of EU macro-regional strategies; and (iv) data quality enhancement. The analysis of the development potential of the Western Balkan region in terms of economic, innovative and scientific capabilities in this report is supported with the good practices addressing specific challenges in the region.JRC.B.3-Territorial Developmen