Improving Wealth Management Strategies Through the Use of Reinforcement Learning Based Algorithms. A Study on the Romanian Stock Market

In the context of the growing pace of technological development and that of the transition to the knowledge-based economy, wealth management strategies have become subject to the application of new ideas. One of the fields of research that are increasing in influence in the scientific community is that of reinforcement learning-based algorithms. This trend is also manifesting in the domain of economics, where the algorithms have found a use in the field of stock trading. The use of algorithms has been tested by researchers in the last decade due to the fact that by applying these new concepts, fund managers could obtain an advantage when compared to using classic management techniques. The present paper will test the effects of applying these algorithms on the Romanian market, taking into account that it is a relatively new market, and compare it to the results obtained by applying classic optimization techniques based on passive wealth management concepts. We chose the Romanian stock market due to its recent evolution regarding the FTSE Russell ratings and the fact that the country is becoming an Eastern European hub of development in the IT sector, these facts could indicate that the Romanian stock market will become even more significant in the future at a local and maybe even at a regional level

The current crises are negatively affecting the business and macroeconomic stability

The authors of this article aim to highlight how current crises (health, economic and financial, energy, food, etc.) have an effect on domestic and, especially, international affairs. At the same time, the aim is to identify and specify how the crises we are facing are jeopardizing macroeconomic stability. A number of study authors on the trend of the world economy have already stated that the world economy is practically in recession. This conclusion was reached based on the fact that, in addition to the crises affecting the world situation, the effect of the pandemic Corona virus, and the Russian-Ukrainian war (Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict) which is xpected to be long-lasting. The prospect of a Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict leads to the conclusion that, at the European Union and individual level, each and every state will face difficulties with negative effects on maintaining macro-stability and the development of domestic and international affairs at a convenient pace. In order to determine these aspects, we set out to use the widest possible methodology of international comparisons, the use of statistical indicators calculated and obtained from the European Union, Eurostat, the National Institute of Statistics and the application of statistical-econometric methods / models to obtain the parameters that will form the basis of the future comparison and, especially, of establishing the evolutionary trend of the world, European economy and, especially in this case, of Romania

The current crises are negatively affecting the business and macroeconomic stability

The authors of this article aim to highlight how current crises (health, economic and financial, energy, food, etc.) have an effect on domestic and, especially, international affairs. At the same time, the aim is to identify and specify how the crises we are facing are jeopardizing macroeconomic stability. A number of study authors on the trend of the world economy have already stated that the world economy is practically in recession. This conclusion was reached based on the fact that, in addition to the crises affecting the world situation, the effect of the pandemic Corona virus, and the Russian-Ukrainian war (Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict) which is xpected to be long-lasting. The prospect of a Russian-Ukrainian armed conflict leads to the conclusion that, at the European Union and individual level, each and every state will face difficulties with negative effects on maintaining macro-stability and the development of domestic and international affairs at a convenient pace. In order to determine these aspects, we set out to use the widest possible methodology of international comparisons, the use of statistical indicators calculated and obtained from the European Union, Eurostat, the National Institute of Statistics and the application of statistical-econometric methods / models to obtain the parameters that will form the basis of the future comparison and, especially, of establishing the evolutionary trend of the world, European economy and, especially in this case, of Romania

Enhanced Internalization of Nanoparticles Following Ionizing Radiation Leads to Mitotic Catastrophe in MG-63 Human Osteosarcoma Cells

This study aims to investigate whether ionizing radiation combined with doxorubicin-conjugated iron oxide nanoparticles (NP-DOX) improves the internalization and cytotoxic effects of the nano-carrier-mediated drug delivery in MG-63 human osteosarcoma cells. NP-DOX was designed and synthesized using the co-precipitation method. Highly stable and crystalline nanoparticles conjugated with DOX were internalized in MG-63 cells through macropinocytosis and located in the perinuclear area. Higher nanoparticles internalization in MG-63 cells previously exposed to 1 Gy X-rays was correlated with an early accumulation of cells in G2/M, starting at 12 h after treatment. After 48 h, the application of the combined treatment led to higher cytotoxic effects compared to the individual treatment, with a reduction in the metabolic capacity and unrepaired DNA breaks, whilst a low percent of arrested cells, contributing to the commitment of mitotic catastrophe. NP-DOX showed hemocompatibility and no systemic cytotoxicity, nor histopathological alteration of the main organs

Nitrogen functionalization of CVD grown three-dimensional graphene foam for Hydrogen evolution reactions in Alkaline media

Abstract: Three-dimensional graphene foam (3D-GrFoam) is a highly porous structure and sustained lattice formed by graphene layers with sp2 and sp3 hybridized carbon. In this work, chemical vapor deposition (CVD)—grown 3D-GrFoam was nitrogen-doped and platinum functionalized using hydrothermal treatment with different reducing agents (i.e., urea, hydrazine, ammonia, and dihydrogen hexachloroplatinate (IV) hydrate, respectively). X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) survey showed that the most electrochemically active nitrogen-doped sample (GrFoam3N) contained 1.8 at % of N, and it exhibited a 172 mV dec−1 Tafel plot associated with the Volmer– Heyrovsky hydrogen evolution (HER) mechanism in 0.1 M KOH. By the hydrothermal process, 0.2 at % of platinum was anchored to the graphene foam surface, and the resultant sample of GrFoamPt yielded a value of 80 mV dec−1 Tafel associated with the Volmer–Tafel HER mechanism. Furthermore, Raman and infrared spectroscopy analysis, as well as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were carried out to understand the structure of the samples

Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing and Cardiac Biomarker Measurements in Young Football Players: A Pilot Study

Constant and intense physical activity causes physiological adaptive changes in the human body, but it can also become a trigger for adverse events, such as sudden cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death. Our main objective was to assess the use of combined cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and cardiac biomarker determinants in young professional athletes. We conducted a study which involved the full examination of 19 football players, all male, aged between 18 and 20 years old. They underwent standard clinical and paraclinical evaluation, a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), and transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Afterwards, a tailored CPET was performed and peripheral venous blood samples were taken before and 3 h after the test in order to determine five biomarker levels at rest and post-effort. The measured biomarkers were cardiac troponin I (cTnI), myoglobin (Myo), the MB isoenzyme of creatine-kinase (CK-MB), the N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and D-dimers. While cTnI and NT-proBNP levels were undetectable both at rest and post-effort in all subjects, the variations in Myo, CK-MB and D-dimers showed significant correlations with CPET parameters. This highlights the potential use of combined CPET and biomarker determinants to evaluate professional athletes, and encourages further research on larger study groups