The Convergence Degree of Innovation Potential of Romanian Economy, by Comparison with the Developed Economies of the EU Member States

In this paper we analyze the convergence degree of innovation potential of Romanian economy, by comparison with the developed economies of the economical and monetary union, on one hand, and with the last wave of integration countries – in most cases, economies in process of development, therefore with an economical development trajectory like our country – on the other hand. The European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) is the instrument developed at the initiative of the European Commission, under the Lisbon Strategy, to evaluate and compare the innovation performance of the EU Member States. The EIS includes innovation indicators and trend analyses for the EU Member States, plus the two new Member States: Bulgaria and Romania, as well as for Croatia, Turkey, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, the US and Japan. The Summary Innovation Index gives an “at a glance” overview of aggregate national innovation performance. It measures 5 key innovation dimensions: Innovation drivers, Knowledge creation, Diffusion, Applications and Intellectual property.innovation; Summary Innovation Index; research; knowledge creation

Bilayer Properties of 1,3-Diamidophospholipids

A series of 1,3-diamido phosphocholines was synthesized, and their potential to form stable bilayers was investigated. Large and giant unilamellar vesicles produced from these new lipids form a wide variety of faceted liposomes. Factors such as cooling rates and the careful choice of the liposome preparation method influence the formation of facets. Interdigitation was hypothesized as a main factor for the stabilization of facets and effectively monitored by small-angle X-ray scattering measurements

Against the rules: pressure induced transition from high to reduced order

Envisioning the next generation of drug delivery nanocontainers requires more in- depth information on the fundamental physical forces at play in bilayer membranes. In order to achieve this, we combine chemical synthesis with physical–chemical analytical methods and probe the relationship between a molecular structure and its biophysical properties. With the aim of increasing the number of hydrogen bond donors compared to natural phospholipids, a phospholipid compound bearing urea moieties has been synthesized. The new molecules form interdigitated bilayers in aqueous dispersions and self-assemble at soft interfaces in thin layers with distinctive structural order. At lower temperatures, endothermic and exothermic transitions are observed during compression. The LC1 phase is dominated by an intermolecular hydrogen bond network of the urea moieties leading to a very high chain tilt of 52°. During compression and at higher temperatures, presumably this hydrogen bond network is broken allowing a much lower chain tilt of 35°. The extremely different monolayer thicknesses violate the two-dimensional Clausius–Clapeyron equation

The IDENTIFY study: the investigation and detection of urological neoplasia in patients referred with suspected urinary tract cancer - a multicentre observational study

Objective To evaluate the contemporary prevalence of urinary tract cancer (bladder cancer, upper tract urothelial cancer [UTUC] and renal cancer) in patients referred to secondary care with haematuria, adjusted for established patient risk markers and geographical variation. Patients and Methods This was an international multicentre prospective observational study. We included patients aged ≥16 years, referred to secondary care with suspected urinary tract cancer. Patients with a known or previous urological malignancy were excluded. We estimated the prevalence of bladder cancer, UTUC, renal cancer and prostate cancer; stratified by age, type of haematuria, sex, and smoking. We used a multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression to adjust cancer prevalence for age, type of haematuria, sex, smoking, hospitals, and countries. Results Of the 11 059 patients assessed for eligibility, 10 896 were included from 110 hospitals across 26 countries. The overall adjusted cancer prevalence (n = 2257) was 28.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 22.3–34.1), bladder cancer (n = 1951) 24.7% (95% CI 19.1–30.2), UTUC (n = 128) 1.14% (95% CI 0.77–1.52), renal cancer (n = 107) 1.05% (95% CI 0.80–1.29), and prostate cancer (n = 124) 1.75% (95% CI 1.32–2.18). The odds ratios for patient risk markers in the model for all cancers were: age 1.04 (95% CI 1.03–1.05; P < 0.001), visible haematuria 3.47 (95% CI 2.90–4.15; P < 0.001), male sex 1.30 (95% CI 1.14–1.50; P < 0.001), and smoking 2.70 (95% CI 2.30–3.18; P < 0.001). Conclusions A better understanding of cancer prevalence across an international population is required to inform clinical guidelines. We are the first to report urinary tract cancer prevalence across an international population in patients referred to secondary care, adjusted for patient risk markers and geographical variation. Bladder cancer was the most prevalent disease. Visible haematuria was the strongest predictor for urinary tract cancer

LONG CYCLES AND THE CURRENT GLOBAL CRISIS

This paper identifies some special characteristics of the current recession. First, it began as a crisis of debt and of asset price inflation. Second, it represents a regulatory crisis. The explosion of complex (and unregulated) financial instruments in a high debt environment exacerbated the crisis of debt. Following immediately from this and, third, it represents a massive imbalance in the global economy and a credit crunch. Forth, it represents a collapse of demand and, following from that rising unemployment. Finally, the rising unemployment exacerbates the debt crisis. This completes a vicious cycle. This paper, also, explains the crisis in the view of Kondratieff cycle. It identifies also some possible response to the financial crisis. The current cycle most likely peaked in 2000 with a possible winter phase beginning in late 2008.global financial crisis, debt crisis, Kondratieff wave cycle

INFLUENCE OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL STATE ON THE MINERAL STATUS OF CATTLE HAIR

The mineral status of the cattle hair was assayed in 20 hair samples from pregnant cows and in 20 hair samples from lactating cows from the same farm. Calcium was determined with the complexonometric method; phosphorus was determined with the colorimetric method with ammonium molibdovanadate; magnesium was determined with the colorimetric method with titan yellow. The following values were determined: calcium 177.64± 19.44 mg⁄100g in pregnant cows and 151.86±13.06 mg⁄ 100g in lactating cows; phosphorus 15.92±3.84 mg⁄100g in pregnant cows and 10.70± 4.24 mg⁄100g in lactating cows; magnesium 47.89±6.32 mg⁄100g in pregnant cows and 40.21±2.08 mg⁄100g in lactating cows. The values for the three minerals were significantly lower in the hair samples from lactating cows than in the hair  samples from the pregnant cows, which shows that these minerals are used intensely during lactation, sometimes exceeding the homeostatic capacity for retention in the skeleton and, implicitly, in the hair. Key words: cattle, hair, physiological stat

DIAGNOSIS OF DISMINERALOSES IN CATTLE BY DETERMINATION OF SOME MINERALS IN HAIR. METHODS AND REFERENCES VALUES

In order to elaborate the work technology and establish reference values of some minerals in hair, 50 hair samples were drawn from cows in two farms with best production and reproduction parameters and good sanitary veterinary state. The following parameters were determinated in hair: ash, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, cupper, manganes, zinc. Analyses were performed by colorimetric and complexometric methods. Zinc was determined by spectrophotometry in atomic absorbtion. The following reference values for minerals in cattle hair were established: ash 1000-2600 mg/100g; calcium 100-230 mg/100g; phosphorus 13-19 mg/100g; magnesium 40-85 mg/100g; iron 30-107 ppm; copper 10-18 ppm; manganes 6-40 ppm; zinc 92-120 ppm. The values of mineral in cattle hair were compared and analyzed with those in blood serum (serum mineral prophile). Key words: dismineraloses, cattle, hair analyses