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Across many countries of Central and Eastern Europe the emigration of skilled professionals since 1990 has become a serious problem of the loss of specialised human capital. This paper on Albanian doctors is one of the first to study in depth an example of this broader phenomenon of brain drain from the CEE region. There is a global demand for medical doctors which exceeds supply, leading to international competition in which the richer countries, with higher salaries and better working conditions, attract medical graduates and trained doctors from poorer countries. The migration of doctors from Albania is set within this globalised and hierarchised market for medical expertise. On the one hand, the movement of doctors to richer countries helps to plug the deficit in their supply in such countries and enables the individuals concerned to improve their incomes and life conditions. On the other hand, the loss of medical professionals severely harms the structure and quality of the health service in the sending country. This paper addresses three main questions. First, what are the characteristics of the Albanian medical brain drain in terms of its size, socio-demographics and destination countries? Second, what are the causes and consequences of Albania’s loss of medical doctors? Third, what are the prospects of the migrant doctors returning to Albania or contributing their expertise from abroad? Answers are provided via a dual methodology of an online survey of Albanian doctors currently working abroad (N=301) and follow-up interviews with 25 of them. More than half of the survey respondents do not intend to return to Albania and a further third are undecided. Interview data indicate that the doctors are well-integrated abroad and see ‘no future’ for themselves and their families in Albania. There is, however, a greater willingness to share expertise with the home country via cooperation and short visits. Obstacles to return are partly income-related but, to a greater extent, reflect the poor working conditions and career prospects in Albania, including endemic corruption – the same factors that caused emigration in the first place. The policy implications of our findings are challenging; one solution is to mandate a period of work in Albania for newly qualified doctors before they are allowed to go abroad.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the central nervous system (CNS), marked by inflammation, demyelination, and significant oligodendrocyte injury. This disease arises from a complex interplay of genetic predispositions and environmental triggers that drive immune-mediated damage to oligodendrocytes and myelin proteins. This research paper explores the multifaceted aspects of oligodendrocyte injury in MS, ranging from underlying pathophysiological mechanisms to potential therapeutic interventions and translational implications for clinical practice. Oligodendrocyte damage in MS occurs via multiple mechanisms, including metabolic stress, oxidative damage, and cytokine-induced apoptosis, mainly mediated by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) signaling. This process exacerbates neuroinflammation and contributes to disease progression. Emerging therapeutic strategies, such as targeting metabolic pathways, reducing oxidative stress, and enhancing autophagy, have demonstrated potential in preclinical studies. Furthermore, stem cell therapies are being explored for their ability to regenerate oligodendrocytes and restore myelin integrity. Conclusions: The intricate interplay among oligodendrocyte injury, demyelination, and neuroinflammation is central to multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. Oligodendrocytes safeguard myelin in the CNS, facing challenges from immune attacks to metabolic stress. Understanding oligodendrocyte dysfunction is vital for targeted therapies that suppress immune damage and promote remyelination and CNS repair. MS's etiology,

Abstract Background Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) present an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease and excess CV-related mortality. Beyond the established role of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and cardiac troponins (cTn), other non-cardiac-specific biomarkers are emerging as predictors of CV outcomes in T2DM. Methods Serum levels of soluble suppression of tumorigenesis 2 (sST2), high-sensitivity (hs)-cTnI, and N-terminal (NT)-proBNP were assessed in 568 patients with T2DM and 115 healthy controls (CTR). Their association with all-cause mortality and the development of diabetic complications was tested in T2DM patients over a median follow-up of 16.8 years using Cox models and logistic regressions. Results sST2 followed an increasing trend from CTR to uncomplicated T2DM patients (T2DM-NC) to patients with at least one complication (T2DM-C), while hs-cTnI was significantly higher in T2DM-C compared to CTR but not to T2DM-NC. A graded association was found between sST2 (HR 2.76 [95% CI 1.20–6.33] for ≥ 32.0 ng/mL and 2.00 [1.02–3.94] for 16.5–32.0 ng/mL compared to

This case presents the typical scenario in a medium-sized municipality when it appears the economy is headed into a recession. The organization must make spending choices while also considering city council priorities. In this case, Karl Meier, the chief financial officer of River City, has just received some updated economic forecasts at a recent professional development conference. He calls upon his principles of cutback budgeting and citizen engagement to position the organization for the next fiscal year. The expected budget deficit is about $7.5 million. River City will need to consider both revenues and expenditures to achieve a projected budget balance, mindful of the council's strategic goals and priorities. Students assume a budgeting actor role and use the Balancing Act simulation to propose a balanced budget to the city council reflective of the budgeting actor's community perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main global problems related to the environment is air pollution which not only affects the environment and the ecosystem but also affects human health. Many countries of the world did research on how to reduce air pollution so that the concentrations do not exceed the permissible thresholds which are set at that level so that neither human health nor the environment are exposed to further damage. One of the issues regarding air pollution is the concentrations of PM particles 2.5 and 10, PM particles are a big problem in developing countries such as the Republic of North Macedonia. The research paper was focused in processing the data that has been collected for daily averages of PM 2,5 and PM10 particles that contribute in air pollution. All analyzes and processing of the results are done in compliance with the current laws of the Republic of North Macedonia and with Directive 2008/50/EC, all for µg/m3. In the city of Skopje, numerous exceedances of the permissible thresholds of PM particles 2.5 and 10 were recorded at the two measurement stations where the results were obtained for the months of January, February, March, April, May and June of 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the effect of government fiscal stimulus on nonprofit performance during the COVID‐19 pandemic. More specifically, it investigates whether access to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) increased the ability of nonprofit organizations operating in the crisis context conditions to continue supplying funds for payroll and maintain effective delivery of services and programs after the initial revenue shock. The study findings are derived from the analysis of survey data collected from 160 Wisconsin nonprofit organizations in July and August 2020 linked to publicly available Internal Revenue Service tax filings. Regression analysis reveals a strong positive connection between the PPP loans and the nonprofit capacity to continue funding payroll and providing services within the next months of the pandemic. The empirical results suggest that the government stimulus policies offering direct economic assistance can indeed contribute to the continuity of nonprofit services and payroll in times of fiscal uncertainty, albeit the policy may not yield equally significant results across all types of organizations. This study increases the understanding of nonprofit performance during an extended revenue crisis, offering answers to policymakers, researchers, and practitioners interested in learning more about the efficacy of federal stimulus funding in enabling private organizations to mitigate the financial consequences of the COVID‐19 crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across many countries of Central and Eastern Europe the emigration of skilled professionals since 1990 has become a serious problem of the loss of specialised human capital. This paper on Albanian doctors is one of the first to study in depth an example of this broader phenomenon of brain drain from the CEE region. There is a global demand for medical doctors which exceeds supply, leading to international competition in which the richer countries, with higher salaries and better working conditions, attract medical graduates and trained doctors from poorer countries. The migration of doctors from Albania is set within this globalised and hierarchised market for medical expertise. On the one hand, the movement of doctors to richer countries helps to plug the deficit in their supply in such countries and enables the individuals concerned to improve their incomes and life conditions. On the other hand, the loss of medical professionals severely harms the structure and quality of the health service in the sending country. This paper addresses three main questions. First, what are the characteristics of the Albanian medical brain drain in terms of its size, socio-demographics and destination countries? Second, what are the causes and consequences of Albania's loss of medical doctors? Third, what are the prospects of the migrant doctors returning to Albania or contributing their expertise from abroad? Answers are provided via a dual methodology of an online survey of Albanian doctors currently working abroad (N=301) and follow-up interviews with 25 of them. More than half of the survey respondents do not intend to return to Albania and a further third are undecided. Interview data indicate that the doctors are well-integrated abroad and see 'no future' for themselves and their families in Albania. There is, however, a greater willingness to share expertise with the home country via cooperation and short visits. Obstacles to return are partly income-related but, to a greater extent, reflect the poor working conditions and career prospects in Albania, including endemic corruption - the same factors that caused emigration in the first place. The policy implications of our findings are challenging; one solution is to mandate a period of work in Albania for newly qualified doctors before they are allowed to go abroad. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (CAIs) are prescription drugs also used in doping to dilute urine samples and tamper with urinalyses. Dorzolamide, brinzolamide, and acetazolamide are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Detecting CAIs and their metabolites in biological samples is crucial to documenting misuse in doping. We quantified dorzolamide, brinzolamide, acetazolamide, and their metabolites in the urine and hair of 88 patients under treatment for ocular hypertension or glaucoma. Samples of the patients’ relatives were analyzed to assess potential for accidental exposure. After washing, 25 mg hair was incubated with an acidic buffer at 100 °C for 1 h. After cooling and centrifugation, the supernatant was analyzed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Urine (100 μL) was diluted and centrifuged before UHPLC-MS/MS analysis. Run time was 8 min through a reverse-phase column with a mobile phase gradient. MS/MS analysis was performed in a multiple-reaction monitoring mode after positive electrospray ionization. Median urinary concentration was 245 ng/mL (IQR: 116.2–501 ng/mL) for dorzolamide, 81.1 ng/mL (IQR: 35.9–125.3 ng/mL) for N-deethyl-dorzolamide, 0.77 ng/mL (IQR: 0.64 ng/mL–0.84 ng/mL) for N-acetyl-dorzolamide, 38.9 ng/mL (IQR: 20.4–79.2 ng/mL) for brinzolamide, and 72.8 ng/mL (IQR: 20.7–437.3 ng/mL) for acetazolamide. Median hair concentration was 0.48 ng/mg (IQR: 0.1–0.98 ng/mg) for dorzolamide, 0.07 ng/mg (IQR: 0.06–0.08 ng/mg) for N-deethyl-dorzolamide, 0.40 ng/mL (IQR: 0.13–1.95 ng/mL) for brinzolamide. Acetazolamide was detected in only one hair sample. Dorzolamide and brinzolamide were detected in the urine of three and one relatives, respectively. Cutoff concentrations of urinary dorzolamide and brinzolamide are necessary to preclude false positives due to contamination or passive exposure. We reported the first concentrations of brinzolamide in hair.

Teachers, including the subjects involved in the education process, are the key factors in the continuous implementation of socio-emotional learning, as well as responsible for promoting the learning and well-being of their students. Since teachers are on the front line of the battle as the main leaders in managing emotions and building a balance of these feelings, their competencies should also include promoting these skills in an organized way within the classroom. In the school year 2022/2023, a significant number of schools in RNM were involved in training where, in addition to being introduced to the concepts of socio-emotional learning, they were introduced to methods to recognize, understand, treat, express, and learn appropriately emotions. The study conducted among primary school teachers in North Macedonia aimed to examine and present the real situation regarding teachers' competencies. 110 teachers from the country participated in the study as a random sample, a sample which will be organized in the study to answer the research questions. Through the relevant statistical tests Levene's Test and Anova, the findings show statistically significant patterns for their attitude regarding socio-emotional learning, organized and voluntary involvement for the development of the necessary competence, self-initiative for improving the opportunities and conditions for improving their practice, as well as promoting the benefits of integrating this practice into classroom management. Negative attitudes turn out to be closely related to environmental and other associated factors. Our findings indicate the need for greater attention to social-emotional learning in both initial teacher preparation programs and continuing professional development initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tolerance has long been identified as a crucial feature of liberal democracies. Although the limits of tolerance are debated, the extent to which citizens are open and willing to accommodate others who are different from them is often regarded as a sign of a healthy and well‐functioning liberal democracy. The goal of this paper is to empirically investigate the state of political tolerance in Europe today. The main questions we ask are: What explains the different levels of tolerance across individuals in various countries? Which groups in society are the most likely targets of intolerance? We understand political tolerance as the willingness to allow the free articulation of interests and ideas in the political system of groups one opposes. Previous research emphasizes education, civic activism and threat perceptions as important determinants of tolerance. We redirect the debate to a set of novel correlates of tolerance. We argue that conspiratorial thinking and cosmopolitanism are critical factors that explain levels of tolerance among Europeans. The analysis employs original survey data collected as part of a mass survey conducted in 2017 in 10 European Union member states: Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom. Our descriptive analysis shows that far‐right groups (i.e., fascists and neo‐Nazis) and Muslims are the most disliked groups in Europe. When it comes to the level of tolerance towards these groups, we find that more than half of the respondents in each country are willing to deny their most disliked group parliamentary representation. Moreover, we find that even after controlling for traditional determinants of tolerance, conspiratorial thinking and cosmopolitanism emerge as the most important predictors of political tolerance. Our analysis suggests that the recent rapid spread of various conspiracy theories related to the COVID‐19 pandemic is likely to have far‐reaching implications for tolerance as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current students represent the generation that has experienced numerous changes during their education due to the progression of new technologies. Reading, as one of the most reliable form of learning transformed its form. Many school and university textbooks are now available in both printed and electronic/digital formats. The problem of this research was to find out the preferences of students regarding the form of reading, as well as the reality in what form they read to acquire knowledge. The research was conducted in May 2022, with a sample of 50 students randomly selected from different academic years. The research results show that 96% of the surveyed students prefer reading from printed books, and only 4% prefer reading from electronic/digital books. The other dependent variable was dedicated to reality which the students mostly read from. In this case, the results were different, namely 54% of the surveyed students stated that they mostly read electronic/digital books. The testing of the dependent variables resulted in a value of p=.000, which proves that there is a significant difference between the students' preferences concerning the form of text (digital or printed) and the reality concerning the form of reading. The results from the research show that there is no significant difference between the students' averages, depending on the academic year, since the value p=.694. Regardless of their academic year, students prefer literature in printed form, while they mostly read digital literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Republic of Macedonia (RM) is on its way to the European Union (EU), we consider it important to analyze the level of rule of law as one of the preconditions for membership. The issue of rule of law in the RM has been debated by other scholars over the years, but not from a ten-year perspective involving the evaluation of relevant international authorities. The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the shortcomings in the functioning of the rule of law in RM. As a framework of this research, the relevant data on the rule of law in the countries of Southeast Europe, the annual progress reports of the European Commission on the rule of law in the RM, the evaluations of other international actors, the results of previous research, such as government documents and institutional reforms devoted to the rule of law are used. The critical assessment of the functioning of the rule of law in the RM in this research should create a positive and motivating effect for the political authorities to reform the justice system in accordance with the needs of the citizens and the key Eurointegration processes. Finally, we will draw conclusions and make suggestions to serve the wider academic community, policymakers, and stakeholders who may raise issues as a problem that requires appropriate treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]