Introduction/purpose: Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is commonly used to calculate the efficiency of similar Decision-Making Units (DMUs), which as such are elements of one set. In the article, it ...is considered that each such element of a set (of similar elements) is at the same time an element of a system (of various elements). An example of DMUs are 27 railway stations in the Republic of Serbia (RS) as an element of a set of railway stations and as an element of the railway transportation system, in the function of transporting goods, after division of the company Serbian Railways in 2015 (into "passengers" and "goods"). For the sake of better service, attraction and retention of clients, in the newly opened, free, transport market, the purpose of this article is to find the efficiency of the RS stations iin the period of 2018-2022. Methods: Set-systemic-model comparative DEA analysis of railway stations as a DMUs. A unit is an element of the set, a unit is an element of the system, and a unit is the subject of the mathematical DEACCR/BCC/SE model. Results: The final efficiency, the average of all average values, is 0.7666, as a result of a triple comparative DEA analysis: 27 DMU, three DEA models and five years of functioning. Conclusion: Stations are functionally different in terms of efficiency and each station functionally differs by years and by model. The final aim is an input-output balance and the 27/27 option which is achieved with corrective actions - reduction/addition, input or output.
The direction in research of the efficiency of decision-making units in this paper is an efficient→multi-inefficient→multi-efficient unit. So, the general purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) ...identification of «hidden» inefficient units within a multi-set, among efficient units of the basic set, and (2) achieving the efficiency in such identified inefficient units. This indicates (warns of!) a negative efficient→inefficient process, so as to provide a timely response and thereby prevent multi-inefficiency. The specific goal is to assess the efficiency of the Serbian railway passenger stations, first within the basic set of the Passenger Transport Section Belgrade, then in the multi-set of the Passenger Transport Sections, and finally in the superset, the Passenger Transport Sector. This is achieved by means of the multi-set DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) method, which is a system for: (i) relative efficiency assessment, in the first iteration, through the basic set analysis, and (ii) decrease in efficiency of potentially inefficient units, in subsequent iterations, through the multi-set analysis. The result is that the efficient stations Požarevac and Pančevo Bridge are at the initial level, and the (newly) efficient Požarevac, Novi Sad and Inđija at the final level. The best practice station remains the Požarevac Station, which is multi-efficient, and therefore the role model to inefficient stations. The conclusion is drawn that the solution resulting from the multi-set DEA analysis is more realistic, and less relative, because it applies to a wider analysed set of decision-making units, i.e., a larger coverage when considering the issue. This is important for fitting into the new era of growing globalization, and therefore our recommendation is the integral multi-set, as opposed to the individual single set approach. / Исследования эффективности единиц принятия решения в настоящей работе проводились в следующем направлении: эффективная→мульти-неэффективная→мульти-эффективная единица. Следовательно, цель настоящей работы – предусмотреть несколько шагов заранее, таких как: (1) идентификация "скрытых" неэффективных единиц в мультимножестве, среди эффективных единиц в основном множестве, (2) осуществление эффективности в случаях идентифицированных неэффективных единиц. Таким образом указывается (предупреждается!) на отрицательный процесс эффективная→неэффективная, и создается возможность для своевременного реагирования, в том числе и для предупреждения мульти-неэффективности. Конкретной целью настоящей работы является оценка эффективности сербских вокзалов и железнодорожных пассажирских станций, прежде всего в основном множестве Секции пассажирского транспорта Белград, а затем в мульти-множестве Секции пассажирского транспорта, и в конце в надмножестве – Секторе пассажирского транспорта. Это осуществляется с помощью применения мульти-множественного АОД метода (Анализ охвата данных), который представляет собой систему: (и) оценки относительной эффективности, в первой итерации, путем анализа основного множества, (ии) снижения эффективности потенциально неэффективных единиц, в последующих итерациях, путем анализа мульти-множества. В результате – эффективные станции Пожаревац и Панчевачки мост находятся на начальном уровне, а (ново)эффективные Пожаревац, Нови Сад и Инджия, на последнем уровне. Станция Пожаревац на практике остается лучшей станцией, и по своей мульти-эффективности является примером для подражания неэффективным единицам. Можно сделать вывод, что решение мульти-множественного АОД анализа в большей степени реалистично и в меньшей степени относительно, поскольку применимо к более широкому анализируемому множеству единиц принятия решения, то есть к большему охвату рассмотрения проблемы. Данные показатели являются весьма значимыми, особенно, если учитывать тенденции возрастающей глобализации, в данной связи мы рекомендуем интегральный мульти-множественный подход, в отличии от индивидуального единично-множественного подхода. / Pravac istraživanja efikasnosti jedinica odlučivanja u ovom radu jeste efikasna→multineefikasna→multiefikasna jedinica, a opšti cilj su dva koraka napred: (1) otkrivanje „skrivenih” neefikasnih jedinica u multiskupu, među efikasnim jedinicama u osnovnom skupu i (2) postizanje efikasnosti kod otkrivenih neefikasnih jedinica. Time se ukazuje (upozorava!) na negativan proces efikasna→neefikasna, kako bi se pravovremeno reagovalo i time predupredila multineefikasnost. Konkretni cilj jeste da se proceni efikasnost železničkih putničkih stanica u Srbiji, najpre u osnovnom skupu Sekcije za prevoz putnika Beograd, zatim u multiskupu Sekcija za prevoz putnika i, na kraju, u nadskupu Sektor za prevoz putnika. To se postiže multiskupovnom metodom DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis), što je sistem za: (i) procenjivanje relativne efikasnosti, u prvoj iteraciji, analizom osnovnog skupa, (ii) smanjenje efikasnosti potencijalno neefikasnih jedinica, u narednim iteracijama, analizom multiskupa. Rezultat je da su efikasne stanice Požarevac i Pančevački most na početnom nivou, a (novo)efikasne Požarevac, Novi Sad i Inđija na krajnjem nivou. Najbolja praksa je u stanici Požarevac, koja je multiefikasna i predstavlja uzor neefikasnim jedinicama. Zaključuje se da je rešenje multiskupovne DEA analize više realno, a manje relativno, jer važi za širi analizirani skup jedinica odlučivanja, tj. veći obuhvat sagledavanja problema. To je značajno za uklapanje u novo doba rastuće globalizacije, te je naša preporuka celovit multiskupovni pristup nasuprot pojedinačnom monoskupovnom pristupu.
Hepatitis C is an important sociomedical problem worldwide due to frequent progression to chronic disease, occurrence of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Standard pegylated interferon ...alfa 2a plus ribavirin therapy results in resolution of infection only in 50% of patients. The aim of this study was to determine the association of various factors with response to the therapy in patients with chronic heptitis C virus (HCV) infection. Age and sex of patients, inoculation risk factors, histopathological changes in the liver, viral load and HCV genotype were analyzed.
The study included a group of 121 patients with chronic HCV infection. The treatment was carried out 24 weeks for virus genotype 2 and 3, and 48 weeks for genotype 1 and 4. The degree of histopathological changes in the liver was determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, whereas polimerase chain reaction was used for HCV genotyping.
In the group of non-responding patients genotype 1 was represented with 100%, while in the other groups, although predominantly present, its percentage was lower. Unresponsiveness to therapy and relapse of disease were associated with higher viral load and advanced fibrosis. Intravenous use of psychoactive substances, as a risk factor, was present in a high percentage in the group of patients with sustained response, while blood transfusion and dialysis were leading risk factors in the group of relapse responders and non-responders.
The results of our study showed that the treatment outcome of chronic HCV infection was associated with baseline HCV ribonucleic acid, HCV genotype, route of infection and the degree of histopathological changes in the liver.
Disorders of sexual development can present isolated or as a part of complex genetic syndromes.
A newborn with ambiguous genitalia and prenatally diagnosed brain malformations was referred to our ...hospital. Prenatal ultrasound examination and MRI showed lissencephaly and absence of the corpus callosum. At admission, physical examination revealed microphallus, hypospadia and complete fusion of labioscrotal folds with nonpalpable gonads, normal blood pressure and serum biochemistry. Cortisol level was normal (201 nmol/L), testosterone elevated (14.4 nmol/L), FSH 0.1 IU/L, LH 0.7 IU/L, estradiol 241 pmol/L. Seizures were noted on the 2
day and the child was started on anticonvulsives. When 17-OHP level results came back elevated (200 nmol/L), ACTH test was performed and the child was started on hydrocortisone and fludrocortisone treatment. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia became unlikely when karyotype result showed normal male karyotype (46, XY, SRY+) with no Mullerian structures seen on ultrasonographic exam. As association of ambiguous genitalia and lissencephaly strongly suggested a mutual genetic background, diagnosis of X-linked lissencephaly with ambiguous genitalia (X-LAG) became apparent.
The presented case highlights the importance of looking at the whole clinical picture instead of separate isolated findings with emphasis on patient-centered approach guided by clinical findings and patient history.
An increase in the prevalence of pediatric type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been reported by numerous studies in the United States during the past two decades. Available data from Europe are ...scarce, but also suggest the rising prevalence of this disease in overweight children. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of previously undiagnosed T2DM, impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in a clinic cohort of otherwise healthy overweight and obese Caucasian children and adolescents living in Serbia. The study group consisted of 301 subjects (176 girls, 125 boys) aged 5.2-18.9 years, with body mass index >90th percentile. Oral glucose tolerance test was performed in all subjects. Previously undiagnosed T2DM was discovered in 0.3% (n=1) and impaired glucose regulation in 15.9% (n=48) of the subjects. Isolated IFG was detected in 4.3% (n=13), isolated IGT in 8.3% (n=25) and combined IFG and IGT in 3.3% (n=10) of the subjects. Disturbances of glucose metabolism were present in a substantial number of the subjects, which emphasizes the need for prevention and treatment of childhood obesity.
U radu je dat pregled polimernih aditiva koji služe za sniženje tecišta i poboljšanje reoloških svojstava nafte i plinskog kondenzata. Opisane su temeljne vrste polimera koji se u te svrhe ...primjenjuju: polimeri na osnovi olefina, posebice etilena, kopolimeri vinil-acetata i alkil-fumarata, esteri akrilne i metakrilne kiseline te polimeri na osnovi anhidrida maleinske kiseline. Prikazan je mehanizam djelovanja aditiva i metode za utvrđivanje njihove djelotvornosti. Dio pregleda obuhvaća rezultate sinteze i primjene vlastitih aditiva za naftu i plinski kondenzat. Posebno je opisan utjecaj kemijske strukture i molekulske mase polimernih aditiva te njihove koncentracije na tecivost i viskoznost. Ispitivanja su provedena na uzorcima nafte s naftnih polja u INI, Števkovica, Obod i Đeletovci i plinsko-kondenzatnih polja Molve, Kalinovac, Stari Gradac i Gola te mađarskog polja Barcs. Rezultati pokazuju da na djelotvornost u primjeni bitno utječu vrste
aditiva i nafte, odnosno plinskog kondenzata. Optimalni su rezultati postignuti primjenom aditiva na osnovi kopolimera dugolančanih estera metakrilne kiseline s vinil-karboksilnim kiselinama.
•Cytokine levels in patients group were heterogeneous, spread in wide range of values.•Grouping data according to disease-relevant factors showed high intragroup diversity.•There was no correlation ...between cytokine levels and each disease-relevant factor.•Inconsistency of literature data is a result of individual differences of patients.
The data addressing cytokine profile in chronically infected HCV patients are conflicting, ranging from Th1 or Th2 cytokine prevalence to the expression of both types of cytokines. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate cytokine profile in these patients. Cytokine sera levels in HCV patients and healthy controls were evaluated using 13plex FlowCytomix Multiplex. Median values of both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines were lower in HCV patients then in controls. In addition, the number of subjects producing detectable quantities of cytokines was significantly lower in the group of HCV patients. Yet, cytokine levels in those patients were remarkably heterogeneous ranging from low to extremely high, much higher than the maximal values in control group. Similarly, grouping data according to HCV genotype, HCV RNA load, ALT/AST ratio and the stage of fibrosis showed marked standard deviations, reflecting high intragroup diversity. No correlation was found between each disease-related factor and cytokine levels. Patients investigated in our and similar studies were disparate pursuant to characteristics of the hosts, pathogen and course of the disease. Therefore, the inconsistency of the literature data regarding cytokine pattern in chronic HCV patients may be a consequence of the disregarded/overlooked heterogeneity of these patients.
During cultivation, wheat is exposed to several abiotic and/or biotic stress conditions that may adversely impact the wheat yield and quality. The impact of abiotic stress caused by nitrogen ...deficiency and biotic stress caused by phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium culmorum on biomarkers of oxidative stress in the flag leaf of nine winter wheat varieties (Ficko, U-1, Galloper, BC Mandica, BC Opsesija, Ingenio, Isengrain, Felix, and Bezostaya-1) was analyzed in this study. Hydrogen peroxide concentration and lipid peroxidation level were measured as indicators of oxidative stress, while the antioxidant response was determined by measuring the concentration of phenolic compounds and activities of antioxidant enzymes. Wheat variety and nitrogen treatment had a significant effect on all examined biomarkers of oxidative stress in the flag leaf, while the impact of Fusarium treatment was less pronounced. The most significant impact on the measured stress biomarkers had a low nitrogen level, which mainly increased hydrogen peroxide concentration and lipid peroxidation level and decreased activities of antioxidant enzymes in most varieties. The obtained results were discussed and compared with the previous study in which biochemical analyzes were performed on the wheat spike. There was no significant strong correlation between flag leaf and spike response in the measured parameters, which, in addition to the variety-specific response, also indicates a tissue-specific antioxidant response.
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