Ferramentas modernas de regulação e gestão do sortimento da empresa

The article proposes a number of tools for managing the assortment of the multinomenclature enterprise; the method of forming the assortment policy is improved. The role and importance of forming the assortment which is adequate to the market requirements and production capabilities are disclosed. Based on the results of leading economists, the necessity to formulate a comprehensive methodology for managing the assortment is concluded. The method of forming the assortment, proposed in the article, is adapted to the modern conditions of management. The assortment policy formation is proposed to be carried out step by step, with the using accounting data and primary information which is obtained through field research and modern Internet technologies. The indexes for estimating the assortment of the production enterprise are listed. The algorithm of an estimation of adequacy of an existing assortment to market requirements and to production possibilities is described. It is proposed to compare the stage of the product life cycle with the level of return of unrealized products and the level of production equipment loading. The integration of modern Internet technologies into the mechanism of the assortment formation is offered. The main emphasis is on calculating the coefficients of adequacy of goods to the market, corrected in real time by statistical data of the firm's website. The using of the assortment list as an instrument of assortment control at points of sale is considered. The article is of an applied nature.El artículo propone una serie de herramientas para gestionar el surtido de la empresa multinomenclatura; el método para formar la política de surtido se mejora. Se describe el papel y la importancia de formar el surtido adecuado a los requisitos del mercado y las capacidades de producción. Con base en los resultados de los principales economistas, se concluye la necesidad de formular una metodología integral para administrar el surtido. El método de formación del surtido, propuesto en el artículo, se adapta a las condiciones modernas de gestión. La formación de la política de surtido se propone llevar a cabo paso a paso, con el uso de datos contables y la información primaria que se obtiene a través de la investigación de campo y las tecnologías modernas de Internet. Se enumeran los índices para estimar el surtido de la empresa de producción. Se describe el algoritmo de una estimación de la adecuación de un surtido existente a los requisitos del mercado y a las posibilidades de producción. Se propone comparar la etapa del ciclo de vida del producto con el nivel de retorno de los productos no realizados y el nivel de carga del equipo de producción. Se ofrece la integración de las modernas tecnologías de Internet en el mecanismo de la formación del surtido. El énfasis principal está en el cálculo de los coeficientes de adecuación de los bienes al mercado, corregidos en tiempo real por los datos estadísticos del sitio web de la empresa. Se considera el uso de la lista de surtido como un instrumento de control del surtido en los puntos de venta. El artículo es de naturaleza aplicadaO artigo propõe uma série de ferramentas para gerenciar o sortimento do empreendimento multinomenclatura; o método de formar a política de sortimento é melhorado. O papel e a importância de formar o sortimento adequado às exigências do mercado e às capacidades de produção são divulgados. Com base nos resultados dos principais economistas, conclui-se a necessidade de formular uma metodologia abrangente para gerenciar o sortimento. O método de formação do sortimento, proposto no artigo, é adaptado às modernas condições de gestão. Propõe-se que a formação da política de sortimento seja realizada passo a passo, com o uso de dados contábeis e informações primárias obtidas por meio de pesquisa de campo e modernas tecnologias da Internet. Os índices para estimar o sortimento da empresa de produção são listados. O algoritmo de uma estimativa de adequação de um sortimento existente aos requisitos do mercado e às possibilidades de produção é descrito. Propõe-se comparar o estágio do ciclo de vida do produto com o nível de retorno de produtos não realizados e o nível de carregamento do equipamento de produção. A integração de tecnologias modernas da Internet no mecanismo da formação de sortimento é oferecida. A principal ênfase é no cálculo dos coeficientes de adequação dos bens ao mercado, corrigidos em tempo real pelos dados estatísticos do site da empresa. O uso da lista de sortimento como um instrumento de controle de sortimento em pontos de venda é considerado.O artigo é de natureza aplicada

Hybrid Spider Silk with Inorganic Nanomaterials

High-performance functional biomaterials are becoming increasingly requested. Numerous natural and artificial polymers have already demonstrated their ability to serve as a basis for bio-composites. Spider silk offers a unique combination of desirable aspects such as biocompatibility, extraordinary mechanical properties, and tunable biodegradability, which are superior to those of most natural and engineered materials. Modifying spider silk with various inorganic nanomaterials with specific properties has led to the development of the hybrid materials with improved functionality. The purpose of using these inorganic nanomaterials is primarily due to their chemical nature, enhanced by large surface areas and quantum size phenomena. Functional properties of nanoparticles can be implemented to macro-scale components to produce silk-based hybrid materials, while spider silk fibers can serve as a matrix to combine the benefits of the functional components. Therefore, it is not surprising that hybrid materials based on spider silk and inorganic nanomaterials are considered extremely promising for potentially attractive applications in various fields, from optics and photonics to tissue regeneration. This review summarizes and discusses evidence of the use of various kinds of inorganic compounds in spider silk modification intended for a multitude of applications. It also provides an insight into approaches for obtaining hybrid silk-based materials via 3D printing

The holistic effects of medical cannabis compared to opioids on pain experience in Finnish patients with chronic pain

Background: Medical cannabis (MC) is increasingly used for chronic pain, but it is unclear how it aids in pain management. Previous literature suggests that MC could holistically alter the pain experience instead of only targeting pain intensity. However, this hypothesis has not been previously systematically tested. Method: A retrospective internet survey was used in a sample of Finnish chronic pain patients (40 MC users and 161 opioid users). The patients evaluated statements describing positive and negative phenomenological effects of the medicine. The two groups were propensity score matched to control for possible confounding factors. Results: Exploratory factor analysis revealed three experience factors: Negative Side Effects, Positive Holistic Effects, and Positive Emotional Effects. The MC group (matched n = 39) received higher scores than the opioid group (matched n = 39) in Positive Emotional Effects with large effect size (Rank-Biserial Correlation RBC =.71, p <.001), and in Holistic Positive Effects with medium effect size (RBC =.47, p <.001), with no difference in Negative Side Effects (p =.13). MC and opioids were perceived as equally efficacious in reducing pain intensity. Ratings of individual statements were exploratively examined in a post hoc analysis. Conclusion: MC and opioids were perceived to be equally efficacious in reducing pain intensity, but MC additionally positively affected broader pain-related factors such as emotion, functionality, and overall sense of wellbeing. This supports the hypothesis that MC alleviates pain through holistically altering the pain experience.Peer reviewe

The Model of Innovative Activities Management in a Competitive Market Conditions

Market competition in all sectors of the economy calls for maximum use, activation, optimal implementation of the results of scientific and technical progress - innovations. This is necessary not discrete implementation of innovative projects and development of a new system of interaction of innovative processes in all areas. Purpose of the article is modeling of innovative activities' processes management and development of recommendations to improve its productivity. The authors analyzed the theoretical and methodological aspects of innovative activities' implementation, revealed the structure of innovative activities and the parameters of its implementation. A mathematical model for innovative activities' managing, defining the hierarchy of its connections is proposed. This article is intended for regional leaders, top managers of enterprises, scientists and researchers involved in the innovative development of an economic sector. Keywords: innovations, innovative activities, management, modeling, investment JEL Classifications: С15, С51, O3

Inventing a herbal tradition: The complex roots of the current popularity of Epilobium angustifolium in Eastern Europe

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Currently various scientific and popular sources provide a wide spectrum of ethnopharmacological information on many plants, yet the sources of that information, as well as the information itself, are often not clear, potentially resulting in the erroneous use of plants among lay people or even in official medicine. Our field studies in seven countries on the Eastern edge of Europe have revealed an unusual increase in the medicinal use of Epilobium angustifolium L., especially in Estonia, where the majority of uses were specifically related to “men's problems”. The aim of the current work is: to understand the recent and sudden increase in the interest in the use of E. angustifolium in Estonia; to evaluate the extent of documented traditional use of E. angustifolium among sources of knowledge considered traditional; to track different sources describing (or attributed as describing) the benefits of E. angustifolium; and to detect direct and indirect influences of the written sources on the currently documented local uses of E. angustifolium on the Eastern edge of Europe. Materials and methods: In this study we used a variety of methods: semi-structured interviews with 599 people in 7 countries, historical data analysis and historical ethnopharmacological source analysis. We researched historical and archival sources, and academic and popular literature published on the medicinal use of E. angustifolium in the regions of our field sites as well as internationally, paying close attention to the literature that might have directly or indirectly contributed to the popularity of E. angustifolium at different times in history. Results: Our results show that the sudden and recent popularity in the medical use of E. angustifolium in Estonia has been caused by local popular authors with academic medical backgrounds, relying simultaneously on “western” and Russian sources. While Russian sources have propagated (partially unpublished) results from the 1930s, “western” sources are scientific insights derived from the popularization of other Epilobium species by Austrian herbalist Maria Treben. The information Treben disseminated could have been originated from a previous peak in popularity of E. angustifolium in USA in the second half of the 19th century, caused in turn by misinterpretation of ancient herbals. The traditional uses of E. angustifolium were related to wounds and skin diseases, fever, pain (headache, sore throat, childbirth), and abdominal-related problems (constipation, stomach ache) and intestinal bleeding. Few more uses were based on the similarity principle. The main theme, however, is the fragmentation of use and its lack of consistency apart from wounds and skin diseases. Conclusions: Historical ethnobotanical investigations could help to avoid creating repeating waves of popularity of plants that have already been tried for certain diseases and later abandoned as not fully effective. There is, of course, a chance that E. angustifolium could also finally be proven to be clinically safe and cost-effective for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, but this has not yet happened despite recent intensive research. Documented traditional use would suggest investigating the dermatological, intestinal anti-hemorrhagic and pain inhibiting properties of this plant, if any

Subjective effects of medical cannabis compared to opioids on pain experience in patients with chronic pain

Medical cannabis (MC) has become a popular treatment option for the management of chronic pain, and is a safer alternative to commonly prescribed opioid medications. However, it is not clear what exactly makes MC effective as a pain medication. Existing literature suggests that MC acts in a holistic manner, affecting the pain experience beyond just reducing pain intensity. Holistic dimensions of the pain medication experience were herein assessed via an online questionnaire and reduced to three factors in a factor analysis. Effect sizes for these factors were compared between chronic pain patients in Finland and the United States who reported about their experiences with either MC or opioid treatment (N = 343). MC was found to have a greater effect on Emotional and Holistic factors, and a lesser effect on the Negative effects factor. In conclusion, MC is perceived to more positively affect the pain experience, improving both emotional and holistic aspects to a greater extent than do opioids, while causing less experienced negative effects

Mikroskopische Untersuchungen von Inhomogenitäten und Metastabilität-Effekten in Cu(In,Ga)Se2-Solarzellen

Although Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin- film solar cells exhibit power conversion effciencies of more than 23%, there are still open questions concerning factors limiting the photovoltaic performance of the record devices. Band-gap and electrostatic potential fuctuations can be considered as possible reasons of deteriorated photovoltaic performance of CIGS solar cells via enhanced recombination. In the present work, these fuctuations were investigated in various devices with different buffer layer materials as well as deposition methods of a buffer, with low and high Ga concentration (resulting on a narrow and wide band-gap CIGS), with/without Na and with different durations of RbF post-deposition treatment (PDT). By applying cathodoluminescence (CL) and electron-beam induced current (EBIC) measurements in scanning electron microscopy on cross-sectional specimens, the scale of inhomogeneities in the local band-gap energy and potential distributions was estimated. By evaluating CL peak-energy distribution maps, it was revealed that band-gap energy fuctuations are more pronounced in solar cells with [Ga]/[Ga]+[In] = 0.66 as well as with RbF PDT as compared with the devices with [Ga]/[Ga]+[In] = 0.3 and without PDT. However, the estimated open-circuit voltage (Voc) losses resulting from these variations are rather small, with respect to the actual Voc de cit. In contrast, electrostatic potential fuctuations can be identi ed as a substantial loss mechanism for CIGS solar cells with certain buffer layer material/deposition method combinations and with RbF PDT. By means of EBIC measurements, it was shown that the dominant effect of potential fuctuations can be attributed to the local variations in the space-charge region width, wSCR, caused by fuctuations in the doping density ND and/or in the interface state density NIF. Finally, solar cells with CBD-Zn(O,S) buffer layer, exhibiting substantial fuctuations in the wSCR, were exposed to light-soaking, dark heating and reverse bias treatments. It was revealed that fuctuations in the wSCR are signi cantly decreased after light-soaking. Based on these results, a model involving changes of charge states of defects and following redistribution of free charge carriers was proposed.Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS)-Dünnschichtsolarzellen weisen Effizienzen von mehr als 23% auf. Es gibt noch immer offene Fragen bezüglich der limitierenden Faktoren für die Wirkungsgrade der Rekordzellen. Bandlücken- und elektrostatische Potentialfluktuationen können als mögliche Gründe für eine verschlechterte photovoltaische Leistung von CIGS-Solarzellen durch erhöhte Rekombination angesehen werden. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurden die mikroskopischen Ursachen dieser Fluktuationen untersucht. Es wurden Solarzellen mit verschiedenen Pufferschichten, mit niedriger und hoher Ga-Konzentration im CIGS-Absorber, mit/ohne Na und mit/ohne RbF-Nachbehandlung (PDT) charakterisiert. Hierfür kamen Kathodolumineszenz- (CL) und elektronenstrahlinduzierte Strommessungen (EBIC) an Querschnittsproben zum Einsatz. Die Auswertung der CL-Intensitätsverteilungen ergab, dass die lateralen Fluktuationen der Bandlückenenergie sowohl bei Solarzellen mit [Ga]/[Ga]+[In] = 0.66 als auch bei der mit RbF PDT stärker ausgeprägt sind. Die Fluktuationen in den Geräten mit [Ga]/[Ga]+[In] = 0.3 und ohne PDT sind vernachlässigbar klein. Allerdings sind die geschätzten Verluste in der Leerlaufspannung (Voc), die sich aus den Bandlückenfluktuationen ergeben, im Vergleich zum tatsächlichen Voc-Defizit eher gering. Im Gegensatz dazu können elektrostatische Potentialschwankungen bei CIGS-Solarzellen mit bestimmten Kombinationen von Pufferschichtmaterial/ Herstellungsmethode und mit RbF PDT als substantieller Voc-Verlustmechanismus identifiziert werden. Mit Hilfe von EBIC-Messungen konnte gezeigt werden, dass der dominante Effekt von Potentialfluktuationen auf die lokalen Variationen in der Breite der Raumladungszone, wSCR, zurückzuführen ist, die durch Fluktuationen in der Dotierungsdichte ND und/oder in der Grenzflächenzustandsdichte NIF verursacht werden. Schließlich wurden Solarzellen mit CBD-Zn(O,S)-Pufferschicht, die erhebliche Fluktuationen in der wSCR aufweisen, längerer Zeit einer Lichtbestrahlung ausgesetzt und im Dunkeln geheizt. Außerdem wurde eine Spannung in Sperrrichtung angelegt und eine Weile gehalten. Es zeigte sich, dass die Fluktuationen in der wSCR nach der Lichtbestrahlung signifikant verringert sind. Auf der Grundlage dieser Ergebnisse wurde das Modell mit Änderung des Ladungszustands von Defekten und anschließender Umverteilung freier Ladungsträger vorgeschlagen, um zu erklären, warum sich die Leerlaufspannung der Solarzelle nach der Lichtbehandlung deutlich verbessert

Native Spider Silk-Based Antimicrobial Hydrogels for Biomedical Applications

Novel antimicrobial natural polymeric hybrid hydrogels based on hyaluronic acid (HA) and spider silk (Ss) were prepared using the chemical crosslinking method. The effects of the component ratios on the hydrogel characteristics were observed parallel to the primary physicochemical characterization of the hydrogels with scanning electron microscopic imaging, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements, which confirmed the successful crosslinking, regular porous structure, exact composition, and hydrophilic properties of hyaluronic acid/spider silk-based hydrogels. Further characterizations of the hydrogels were performed with the swelling degree, enzymatic degradability, viscosity, conductivity, and shrinking ability tests. The hyaluronic acid/spider silk-based hydrogels do not show drastic cytotoxicity over human postnatal fibroblasts (HPF). Hydrogels show extraordinary antimicrobial ability on both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. These hydrogels could be an excellent alternative that aids in overcoming antimicrobial drug resistance, which is considered to be one of the major global problems in the biomedical industry. Hyaluronic acid/spider silk-based hydrogels are a promising material for collaborated antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory drug delivery systems for external use. The rheological properties of the hydrogels show shear-thinning properties, which suggest that the hydrogels could be applied in 3D printing, such as in the 3D printing of antimicrobial surgical meshes