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The role of oil and gas in the modern economy is undeniable. That is why oil-exported countries have a good chance to wealth. But if the economy doesn't have diversification or there is no political stability this revenue cannot become welfare for the long run. As well as the changing of oil prices doe in the world market can impact the revenues of oil-exported countries. The purpose of the research is to assessthe impact of the oil price shocks on economic growth in oil-exporting Arab countries. As a methodology, there were chosen VAR models and Granger causality tests. The practical importance of the research is to predict economic growth in other oil-exporting countries. The authors came to the conclusion that oil-price change has positive impacts on GDP growth in oil-rich Arab countries and there is the strong dependency from oil prices. The originality and scientific novelty of the research connected with this argue that oil revenues have impacts on economic growth only in economic and political stability.

Effect of dipyridamole (DIP) at concentrations up to 1 mM on fluorescent characteristics of light-harvesting complexes LH2 and LH1, as well as on conditions of photosynthetic electron transport chain in the bacterial chromatophores of Rba. sphaeroides was investigated. DIP was found to affect efficiency of energy transfer from the light-harvesting complex LH2 to the LH1-reaction center core complex and to produce the long-wavelength ("red") shift of the absorption band of light-harvesting bacteriochlorophyll molecules in the IR spectral region at 840-900 nm. This shift is associated with the membrane transition to the energized state. It was shown that DIP is able to reduce the photooxidized bacteriochlorophyll of the reaction center, which accelerated electron flow along the electron transport chain, thereby stimulating generation of the transmembrane potential on the chromatophore membrane. The results are important for clarifying possible mechanisms of DIP influence on the activity of membrane-bound functional proteins. In particular, they might be significant for interpreting numerous therapeutic effects of DIP.

The paper examines comparatively the impact of the financial system development on the poverty rate in three countries, in Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Iran. The authors have calculated aggregately all four aspects of financial development by developing four new indices. The effects of these indicators on poverty, as well as the effects of the annual change of these indicators on the annual change in the poverty rate, were analyzed by the OLS method. The econometric analysis used to check the stationarity of the time series, the cointegration method, and the ADF test. The main result is that the financial system has a weak effect on poverty in Azerbaijan, where traditional banking is fully implemented, and in Turkey, where Islamic banking is partially implemented. However, in Iran, where only Islamic banking is practiced, the indices of the financial system's efficiency and stability have a strong negative impact on poverty.

Rationale: Household air pollution and secondhand tobacco smoke are known carcinogens for lung cancer, but large-scale estimates of the relationship with lung cancer mortality are lacking. Objectives: Using the large-scale cohort China Kadoorie Biobank, we prospectively investigated associations between these two risk factors and lung cancer death among never-smokers. Methods: The Biobank recruited 512,715 adults aged 30–79 years from 10 regions in China during 2004–2008. Self-reported never-smoking participants were followed up to December 31, 2016, with linkage to mortality data. Total duration of exposure to household air pollution was calculated from self-reported domestic solid fuel use. Exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke was ascertained using exposure at home and/or other places. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for associations between these two exposures and lung cancer death were estimated using Cox regression, adjusting for key confounders. Measurements and Main Results: There were 979 lung cancer deaths among 323,794 never-smoking participants without a previous cancer diagnosis during 10.2 years of follow-up. There was a log-linear positive association between exposure to household air pollution and lung cancer death, with a 4% increased risk per 5-year increment of exposure (hazard ratio = 1.04; 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.06; P trend = 0.0034), and participants with 40.1–50.0 years of exposure had the highest risk compared with the never-exposed (hazard ratio = 1.53; 95% confidence interval = 1.13–2.07). The association was largely consistent across various subgroups. No significant association was found between secondhand smoke and lung cancer death. Conclusions: This cohort study provides new prospective evidence suggesting that domestic solid fuel use is associated with lung cancer death among never-smokers.

Women tend to survive a lung cancer diagnosis longer than men; however potential drivers of this sex-related disparity remain largely elusive. We quantified factors related to sex differences in lung cancer survival in a large prospective cohort in Australia.Participants in the 45 and Up Study (recruited 2006-2009) diagnosed with incident lung cancer were followed up to December 2015. Prognostic factors were identified from questionnaire data linked with cancer registrations, hospital inpatient records, emergency department records, and reimbursement records for government-subsidized medical services and prescription medicines. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for lung cancer death for men versus women were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression in relation to key prognostic factors alone and jointly.A total of 488 women and 642 men were diagnosed with having lung cancer. Women survived significantly longer (median 1.28 versus 0.77 y; HR for men = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.25-1.64, p0.0001). The survival disparity remained when each subgroup of major prognostic factors was evaluated separately, including histologic subtype, stage at diagnosis, treatment received, and smoking status. Multivariable analyses revealed that treatment-related factors explained half of the survival difference, followed by lifestyle and tumor characteristics (explaining 28%, 26%, respectively). After adjusting for all major known prognostic factors, the excess risk for men was reduced by more than 80% (HR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.96-1.18, p = 0.26).The sex-related lung cancer survival disparity in this Australian cohort was largely accounted for by known prognostic factors, indicating an opportunity to explore sex differences in treatment preferences, options, and access.

The characteristics of prosthetic group of hemoglobin – heme at different values of the oxygen saturation (sO2) was studied in human whole blood of patients with various clinical forms of coronary heart disease using the method of Raman spectroscopy. Correlation between the values of ratios of Raman spectra bands (1375 and 1355 & 1588 and 1552 cm–1, correspondingly) and oxygen saturation was shown. Based on the analysis of the Raman spectra, it is directly shown that at low sO2 the streatching of the heme ring comes before the binding of the bivalent iron atom to the oxygen molecule. It is probably caused by the cooperative effect (the attachment of a ligand to one heme leads to a change in of the protein and therefore the conformations of other hemes without ligands).

Background Household air pollution (HAP) has been classified as a major risk factor for lung cancer (LC) among never-smokers, however, evidence is largely from case-control studies. Using the prospective cohort China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB), we investigated the association of HAP with LC death among never-smokers. Methods The CKB, a large-scale cohort study, recruited 512,715 adults aged 30–79 years from ten regions in China during 2004-2008. Self-reported never-smoking participants were followed up to 31/12/2016 with linkage to mortality data. Total duration of HAP exposure was calculated from self-reported solid fuel use in domestic cooking and slow-burning stoves in participants’ three most recent residences, and self-reported coal-smoky home in winter during their lifetime. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of LC death associated with HAP exposure were estimated using Cox regression, adjusting for key confounders including several demographic, environmental and lifestyle factors. Results There were 979 LC deaths among 323,794 never-smokers without prior cancer during a median follow-up of 10.2 years. There was a log-linear positive association between HAP exposure and LC death (p-trend=0.0034), with 4% increased risk per 5-year longer exposure (HR = 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.06); and participants with 40.1-50.0 years of exposure had the highest risk compared to the never-exposed (HR = 1.53; 95% CI 1.13-2.07). Conclusions This study provides new prospective evidence that HAP exposure is associated with LC death among Chinese never-smokers, and strengthens the previous evidence largely based on case-control studies. Key messages This study supports HAP as an important risk factor for LC development among never-smokers.

Background Lung cancer in never-smokers (LCINS), if considered as a distinct type, would rank as Australia’s eighth most deadly cancer. We investigated several demographic, lifestyle and health-related risk factors for LCINS in Australia. Methods Using the longitudinal 45 and Up Study cohort with 267,153 New South Wales (NSW) residents aged ≥45 years at recruitment (2006-2009), we quantified the relationship of 20 potential risk factors with LCINS. Self-reported never-smoking participants who were cancer-free at baseline were followed for incident lung cancer (LC), and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox regression. The NSW Cancer, Lifestyle and Evaluation of Risk (CLEAR) Study, a case-control study including 10,781 NSW residents aged ≥18 years, was also used to examine 16 potential risk factors for LCINS. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI for LC were estimated using logistic regression. Results In the 45 and Up Study, there were 226 LC cases among 132,354 cancer-free never-smokers with a median follow-up of 5.41 years. In the CLEAR Study, there were 58 LCINS cases and 1316 cancer-free never-smoking controls. After adjusting for potential confounders, analyses of both datasets showed that Asian-born participants had a higher risk of LCINS than those born elsewhere: cohort HR = 2.83 (95% CI: 1.64-4.89) and case-control OR = 3.78 (95% CI: 1.19-12.05). Conclusions Our findings support the growing evidence that never-smokers born in Asia are at higher risk of developing LC than those born elsewhere. Key messages Region of birth could be considered when assessing potential LC risk among never-smokers.

Purpose Lung cancer (LC) in never-smoking individuals would rank as Australia’s eighth most deadly cancer, yet risk factors remain uncertain. We investigated demographic, lifestyle and health-related exposures for LC among never-smoking Australians. Methods Using the prospective 45 and Up Study with 267,153 New South Wales (NSW) residents aged ≥ 45 years at recruitment (2006–2009), we quantified the relationship of 20 potential exposures with LC among cancer-free participants at baseline who self-reported never smoking. Adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for incident LC were estimated using Cox regression. The NSW Cancer, Lifestyle and Evaluation of Risk (CLEAR) Study, a case–control study including 10,781 NSW residents aged ≥ 18 years (2006–2014), was used to examine 16 potential LC exposures among cancer-free never-smoking participants. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI of LC were estimated using logistic regression. Results There were 226 LC cases among 132,354 cancer-free 45 and Up Study participants who reported never smoking, with a median follow-up of 5.41 years. The CLEAR Study had 58 LC cases and 1316 cancer-free controls who had never smoked. Analyses of both datasets showed that Asian-born participants had a higher risk of LC than those born elsewhere: cohort, adjusted HR = 2.83 (95% CI 1.64–4.89) and case–control, adjusted OR = 3.78 (1.19–12.05). No significant association with LC was found for other exposures. Conclusion Our findings support the growing evidence that never-smoking, Asian-born individuals are at higher risk of developing LC than those born elsewhere. Ethnicity could be considered when assessing potential LC risk among never-smoking individuals.

A Barangay is the smallest governmental sector in the Philippines and is the local Filipino name for a village or community. It is governed by elected officials, the topmost being the Punong Barangay or the Barangay Chairperson and assisted by the Sanguniang Barangay or Barangay Councilors. Due to faster-growing modernization and advanced technologies, barangay operations must keep pace with this new kind technology in order to provide a better service. Unfortunately, most of the barangay are still not prepared to incorporate this kind of new technology. One of them is Barangay Labas as one of the 18 barangays of the City of Santa Rosa, Province of Laguna, the barangay is using manual processing of the document and manual processing of delivering information to its residents. The SMS Notification Implementing Internet of Things for Barangay Labas, City of Santa Rosa, Laguna is system will help the barangay in processing documents request and delivering the fastest information to its residents. This system can process a documents request in a fastest and convenient way and delivering information to its residents in the fastest way through the help of Short Message Services Technology (SMS).

Binding of dinitrosyl iron complex (DNIC) to albumin was studied using time-resolved fluorescence (TRF) and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. It was found that the fluorescence lifetime of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and human serum albumin (HSA) decreases with binding and depends on DNIC concentration. The observed biexponential pattern of the BSA tryptophan (Trp) fluorescence decay is explained by the presence of two tryptophan residues in the protein molecule. We believe that DNIC forms stable complexes with the cysteine (Cys34) residue in the domain I of albumin. It was shown that the lifetime of albumin tryptophan fluorescence decreased during co-incubation of BSA with DNICs and glutathione. Effects of DNIC on the binding of specific spin-labeled fatty acids with albumin in human blood plasma were studied in vitro. The presence of DNIC in blood plasma does not change conformation of albumin domains II and III. We suggest that the most possible interaction between DNICs and albumin is the formation of a complex; and nitrosylation of the cysteine residue in the albumin domain I occurs without the changes in albumin conformation.

Neonicotinoid insecticides are used against the wide range of pests to protect plants. The influence of neonicotinoids on target and non-target insects is well understood. Hence, there are controversial opinions about the effect of neonicotinoids on the plants. We investigated pigments and photosynthetic primary reactions in two maize genotypes (the inbred line zppl 225 and hybrid zp 341) under thiamethoxam (TMX) treatment by root irrigation. It was found that the effect of TMX depended on pesticide application techniques and selection of maize genotype. TMX was added to the soil by root irrigation on the 4th and 8th days after planting, and photosynthetic characteristics monitored on the 10th and 12th days after planting. The primary photochemical reactions in PSII (Fv/Fm) of both maize genotypes were not affected under two variants of TMX treatment during all growing period. The hybrid zp341 was shown to be more susceptible to both TMX treatments, demonstrating a decrease in photosynthetic characteristics (JIP-test parameters) as well as changes in the content of pigments and in the conformation of the carotenoid molecule. Our findings suggest that the combination of fluorescence method and Raman spectroscopy is a perspective tool for monitoring plant state under pesticide application.

The prolonged stagnation bank credit expansion, following the outbreak of recent economic and financial crises of 2008, and now the complex situation during the pandemic, has produced a significant impact on the availability of new and long-term sources of business financing, mainly related to mid and large-size companies, but also to start-ups. Currently, all such categories of businesses find difficulties in obtaining long-term financing from banks and this has major implications on financing their investments and projects in the pipeline. In a time when, paradoxically, bank credit is becoming increasingly complex and difficult and therefore, to score a significant influence on the economy and investment financing, and regardless of the existing liquidity abundance, establishing and developing Private Equity/Venture Capital Funds (PE/VC) can play an important contribution in this regard. Despite the fact that such type of institutional investor is currently lacking within the Albanian capital market, some basic legal, institutional and economic premises do exist within the Albanian financial landscape, and which could provide grounds for such an actor to play its role in providing an alternative source of long - term financing for Albanian businesses. Consequently, their existence could pave the way for revitalization of the idea and attempts to put into operation a functioning capital market in Albania, which is still rudimentary and non-active, and furthermore, helping in ensuring a sustainable long-term economic growth.

BackgroundGlobally, radon is the leading risk factor for lung cancer in never-smokers (LCINS). In this study, we systematically reviewed and meta-analysed the evidence of the risk of LCINS associated with residential radon exposure.MethodsMedline and Embase databases were searched using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify relevant studies published from 1 January 1990 to 5 March 2020 focused on never-smokers. We identified four pooled collaborative studies (incorporating data from 24 case–control studies), one case–control study and one cohort study for systematic review. Meta-analysis was performed on the results of the four pooled studies due to different measures of effect and outcome reported in the cohort study and insufficient information reported for the case–control study. In a post hoc analysis, the corresponding risk for ever-smokers was also examined.ResultsRisk estimates of lung cancer from residential radon exposure were pooled in the meta-analysis for 2341 never-smoker cases, 8967 never-smoker controls, 9937 ever-smoker cases and 12 463 ever-smoker controls. Adjusted excess relative risks (aERRs) per 100 Bq·m−3 of radon level were 0.15 (95% CI 0.06–0.25) for never-smokers and 0.09 (95% CI 0.03–0.16) for ever-smokers, and the difference between them was statistically insignificant (p=0.32). The aERR per 100 Bq·m−3was higher for men (0.46; 95% CI 0.15–0.76) than for women (0.09; 95% CI −0.02–0.20) among never-smokers (p=0.027).ConclusionThis study provided quantified risk estimates for lung cancer from residential radon exposure among both never-smokers and ever-smokers. Among never-smokers in radon-prone areas, men were at higher risk of lung cancer than women.

Governments have periodically turned to tax amnesties, as a mechanism used in the frame of their fiscal programs, or partly to activate more capital in the national economy and establishing the fiscal rule to a new higher level. As a non-traditional instrument, it can be used to smooth out inconsistencies, arising from the existence of a tight tax regulatory framework, in an economic environment that experiences highly dynamic changes, within a short period of time. The implementation of the fiscal amnesty is not mainly related more to a country’s stage of economic development, or to the level and professional competence of the bodies collecting fiscal obligations, than to the practical objective that is required to be achieved. In Albania, various governments have made several efforts, back in 2011 and 2017, to implement the fiscal amnesty but, unfortunately, they were partial and failed to meet their initial goals and objectives. This is because they were not comprehensive and, above, all did not contain the key element, that of legal amnesty and secrecy. For an amnesty to be successful in Albania, it is proposed that, along standard elements of tax amnesty, it must also consider the legalization of all real assets built without permission, or illegal ones, as well as the formalization of various business activities, combined with the legal amnesty. Combining these elements would create an advantageous synergy, in terms of maximizing the expected economic effect, thus using amnesty not just as a classic instrument of collecting some more budget revenues and increasing fiscal discipline in the future, but as a lever that produces an efficient moment for the country’s economic development.