Towards Explaining Growth of Private and Public services in the Emerging Market Economies

The employment in public and private services in Emerging Market Economies (EME) has undergone disparate patterns of change during the transition. The paper reveals the main determinants of employment growth in different service groups in the period 1995-2008. Standard variables (per capita income, productivity gap and government expenditure) provide insufficient explanation for the increasing share of services employment while transition reforms indicators exert statistically significant influence. Estimations differ substantially for public, mixed and private services. Deviations from the theoretical framework and patterns in developed economies are observed that need to take into account path dependency of the convergence process of emerging market economies in major service groups. The findings are inconclusive and call for the extension of research towards additional explanatory factors and improvement of data set.employment growth, tertiarisation, public services, private services, transition

The impact of a project organisational culture and team rewarding on project performance

The purpose of this paper is to identify the level of project organisational culture in Slovenian enterprises and the impact of that culture on team motivation and project execution compared with monetary rewards for finalising projects in time and within budget. The research showed a high level of project organisational culture and that only one-third of enterprises have implemented reward systems, while the results of the analysis proved that a project organisational culture along with rewards increase the motivation of team members and consequently reduces project delays and cost overruns.Der Zweck dieses Artikels ist es, das Niveau der Projekt-Organisationskultur in slowenischen Unternehmen und die Auswirkungen dieser Kultur auf Team- Motivation und Projektabwicklung im Vergleich zu Geldprämien für pünktlich und budgetgerecht abgeschlossene Projekte zu identifizieren. Die Untersuchung zeigt eine hohe Stufe der Projekt-Organisationskultur und dass nur ein Drittel der Unternehmen Vergütungssysteme umgesetzt hat. Währenddessen zeigen die Analysenergebnisse, dass die Projekt-Organisationskultur zusammen mit Belohnungen die Motivation der Teammitglieder fördert und dadurch Projektverzögerungen und Kostenüberschreitungen reduziert

Usporedba električkih nadomjesnih shema ljudskog zuba korištenih za mjerenje duljine korijenskog kanala

An accurate determination of the root canal length, which is the most critical procedure in the endodontic treatment of a tooth, is commonly performed nowadays by electronic apex locators which are based on electrical impedance measurements. In this paper tooth impedances were measured in vitro on extracted tooth in alginate material using HP 4284A LCR meter and a specially designed stalk with a micrometer for precise file positioning. In order to develop a more accurate measurement procedure human tooth was modeled by electrical equivalent circuit. Four new equivalent circuits comprising of resistors, capacitors and constant-phase elements were proposed in this paper and compared with four previously suggested circuits. Elements of equivalent circuits were determined by complex nonlinear least squares fitting using LEVM software. Different quality factors were defined to describe the fit quality of a certain equivalent circuit at each file position. The overall fitting efficiency in the region of file positions of interest was calculated as well. A detailed discussion was given on equivalent circuit parameters that can be used to measure the root canal length. Upon these results the most appropriate equivalent circuit was selected and a new measurement procedure was proposed.Točno određivanje duljine korijenskog kanala zuba, što je najkritičniji postupak u endodontskom tretmanu, se uobičajeno danas provodi elektroničkim detektorima apeksa koji se temelje na mjerenju električne impedancije. U ovoj studiji su impedancije zuba izmjerene in vitro na izvađenom zubu uronjenom u alginat. Korišten je HP 4284A LCR metar i posebno izrađeni stalak s mikrometrom za precizno pozicioniranje endodontskog instrumenta u kanalu. U svrhu razvoja točnije mjerne metode ljudski je zub modeliran električkom nadomjesnom shemom. Četiri nove nadomjesne sheme sastavljene od otpora, kapaciteta i elemenata s konstantnom fazom su predložene u ovom radu i uspoređene s četiri ranije predložene nadomjesne sheme. Elementi nadomjesnih shema su izračunati metodom kompleksnih nelinearnih najmanjih kvadrata korištenjem programa LEVM. Definirano je više faktora kvalitete kako bi se usporedilo svojstvo nadomjesnih shema da modeliraju izmjerenu impedanciju na pojedinim položajima endodontskog instrumenta u kanalu. Izračunati su i faktori kojima se uspoređuje sveukupna efikasnost nadomjesne sheme. Detaljno su objašnjeni parametri nadomjesnih shema koji se mogu koristiti za mjerenje duljine korijenskog kanala. Temeljem dobivenih rezultata odabrana je najpogodnija nadomjesna shema te je predložen novi mjerni postupak

Explained variation of excess hazard models.

The availability of longstanding collection of detailed cancer patient information makes multivariable modelling of cancer-specific hazard of death appealing. We propose to report variation in survival explained by each variable that constitutes these models. We adapted the ranks explained (RE) measure to the relative survival data setting, ie, when competing risks of death are accounted for through life tables from the general population. RE is calculated at each event time. We introduce weights for each death reflecting its probability to be a cancer death. RE varies between -1 and +1 and can be reported at given times in the follow-up and as a time-varying measure from diagnosis onward. We present an application for patients diagnosed with colon or lung cancer in England. The RE measure shows reasonable properties and is comparable in both relative and cause-specific settings. One year after diagnosis, RE for the most complex excess hazard models reaches 0.56, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.58 (0.58 95% CI: 0.56-0.60) and 0.69, 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.70 (0.67, 95% CI: 0.66-0.69) for lung and colon cancer men (women), respectively. Stage at diagnosis accounts for 12.4% (10.8%) of the overall variation in survival among lung cancer patients whereas it carries 61.8% (53.5%) of the survival variation in colon cancer patients. Variables other than performance status for lung cancer (10%) contribute very little to the overall explained variation. The proportion of the variation in survival explained by key prognostic factors is a crucial information toward understanding the mechanisms underpinning cancer survival. The time-varying RE provides insights into patterns of influence for strong predictors

A Contribution to the Examination of the Oral Mucosa Membrane Bioimpedance

U namjeri da ustanove osnovne vrijednosti bioimpedancije na zdravoj oralnoj sluznici autori su u 19 zdravih osoba uz pomoć posebno prilagođenoga mjernog uređaja mjerili vrijednosti modula i faznoga kuta bioimpedancije u deset referentnih točaka u usnoj šupljini. Mjerenje je izvršeno na deset frekvencija kvazilogaritamski rasprostranjenih u rasponu od 30 Hz do 1 MHz. Mjerenje je u svakoj točki trajalo 30 sekundi. Izmjerene vrijednosti pokazale su uočljive sličnosti distribucije rezultata za skupine mjernih točaka. Autori zaključuju da je dovoljno mjeriti na sluznici dorzuma jezika, nepca i obraza kao reprezentativnim područjima, a vrijednosti za ostala teže dostupna područja bitno se ne razlikuju od predloženih točaka. Također ja utvrđeno da se na visokim i niskim frakvencijama rezultati mjerenja grupiraju te se predlaže da se raspon frekvencija suzi na 103 do 105 Hz.Asample of 19 healthy persons were tested by means of a specially adapted measuring device in order to obtain module values and bioimpedance phase angles in ten reference points distributed along the oral mucosa. The measurements were carried out at ten approximately logarithmic frequencies set out within the range of 30 Hz to 1 MHz. Each measurement lasted 30 seconds. The results showed significant similarities on the group distribution of measuring points. This lead to the conclusion that the relevant measuring points were at lingual dorsum mucosa, hard palate and buccal mucosa, whereas the values for other less accessible regions did not significantly differ from the former. It was also found that the measuring results were concentrated at low and high frequencies. Therefore, it is advisable to narrow down the measuring range to 103 - 105 Hz

Network modeling unravels mechanisms of crosstalk between ethylene and salicylate signaling in potato

To develop novel crop breeding strategies, it is crucial to understand the mechanisms underlying the interaction between plants and their pathogens. Network modeling represents a powerful tool that can unravel properties of complex biological systems. In this study, we aimed to use network modeling to better understand immune signaling in potato (Solanum tuberosum). For this, we first built on a reliable Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) immune signaling model, extending it with the information from diverse publicly available resources. Next, we translated the resulting prior knowledge network (20,012 nodes and 70,091 connections) to potato and superimposed it with an ensemble network inferred from time-resolved transcriptomics data for potato. We used different network modeling approaches to generate specific hypotheses of potato immune signaling mechanisms. An interesting finding was the identification of a string of molecular events illuminating the ethylene pathway modulation of the salicylic acid pathway through Nonexpressor of PR Genesi gene expression. Functional validations confirmed this modulation, thus supporting the potential of our integrative network modeling approach for unraveling molecular mechanisms in complex systems. In addition, this approach can ultimately result in improved breeding strategies for potato and other sensitive crops

IR Spectrum of the O-H......O Hydrogen Bond of Phthalic Acid Monomethylester in Gas Phase and in CCl4_4 Solution

The absorption spectrum of the title compound in the spectral range of the Hydrogen-bonded OH-stretching vibration has been investigated using a five-dimensional gas phase model as well as a QM/MM classical molecular dynamics simulation in solution. The gas phase model predicts a Fermi-resonance between the OH-stretching fundamental and the first OH-bending overtone transition with considerable oscillator strength redistribution. The anharmonic coupling to a low-frequency vibration of the Hydrogen bond leading to a vibrational progression is studied within a diabatic potential energy curve model. The condensed phase simulation of the dipole-dipole correlation function results in a broad band in the 3000 \cm region in good agreement with experimental data. Further, weaker absorption features around 2600 \cm have been identified as being due to motion of the Hydrogen within the Hydrogen bond.Comment: Contribution to Horizons in Hydrogen Bond Research Conference, Paris 200

Light smoking at base-line predicts a higher mortality risk to women than to men; evidence from a cohort with long follow-up

BACKGROUND: There is conflicting evidence as to whether smoking is more harmful to women than to men. The UK Cotton Workers’ Cohort was recruited in the 1960s and contained a high proportion of men and women smokers who were well matched in terms of age, job and length of time in job. The cohort has been followed up for 42 years. METHODS: Mortality in the cohort was analysed using an individual relative survival method and Cox regression. Whether smoking, ascertained at baseline in the 1960s, was more hazardous to women than to men was examined by estimating the relative risk ratio women to men, smokers to never smoked, for light (1–14), medium (15–24), heavy (25+ cigarettes per day) and former smoking. RESULTS: For all-cause mortality relative risk ratios were 1.35 for light smoking at baseline (95% CI 1.07-1.70), 1.15 for medium smoking (95% CI 0.89-1.49) and 1.00 for heavy smoking (95% CI 0.63-1.61). Relative risk ratios for light smoking at baseline for circulatory system disease was 1.42 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.98) and for respiratory disease was 1.89 (95% CI 0.99 to 3.63). Heights of participants provided no explanation for the gender difference. CONCLUSIONS: Light smoking at baseline was shown to be significantly more hazardous to women than to men but the effect decreased as consumption increased indicating a dose response relationship. Heavy smoking was equally hazardous to both genders. This result may help explain the conflicting evidence seen elsewhere. However gender differences in smoking cessation may provide an alternative explanation

Explained variation of excess hazard models.

The availability of longstanding collection of detailed cancer patient information makes multivariable modelling of cancer-specific hazard of death appealing. We propose to report variation in survival explained by each variable that constitutes these models. We adapted the ranks explained (RE) measure to the relative survival data setting, ie, when competing risks of death are accounted for through life tables from the general population. RE is calculated at each event time. We introduce weights for each death reflecting its probability to be a cancer death. RE varies between -1 and +1 and can be reported at given times in the follow-up and as a time-varying measure from diagnosis onward. We present an application for patients diagnosed with colon or lung cancer in England. The RE measure shows reasonable properties and is comparable in both relative and cause-specific settings. One year after diagnosis, RE for the most complex excess hazard models reaches 0.56, 95% CI: 0.54 to 0.58 (0.58 95% CI: 0.56-0.60) and 0.69, 95% CI: 0.68 to 0.70 (0.67, 95% CI: 0.66-0.69) for lung and colon cancer men (women), respectively. Stage at diagnosis accounts for 12.4% (10.8%) of the overall variation in survival among lung cancer patients whereas it carries 61.8% (53.5%) of the survival variation in colon cancer patients. Variables other than performance status for lung cancer (10%) contribute very little to the overall explained variation. The proportion of the variation in survival explained by key prognostic factors is a crucial information toward understanding the mechanisms underpinning cancer survival. The time-varying RE provides insights into patterns of influence for strong predictors