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The popular mindset and widespread narrative, at least until not so long ago, was that in outer space affairs the fiefdom belongs, politically and economically, to governments and big businesses. An array of alliances between few states and their privileged partners from the corporate world constituted the highly exclusivist space ecosystem. Little room was supposed to be available to non-full-fledged spacefaring nations and enterprises originated from them, a configuration furthermore jammed by the fact that international agreements – i.e., the “Outer Space Treaty” (1967) an the “Moon Treaty” (1979) – seem to be rather dismissive of extensive exploitation of celestial bodies, adding to the already prohibitive costs of such endeavours if legitimized. Devoted mainly to scientific exploration paired with exploitation only of planetary proximities – viz., the large satellite population orbiting the Earth, with their support and serviced industries, all estimated at half a trillion dollars –, the space economy, in its high-tech dimension, steadily democratized itself, becoming more competitive, and collaborative too, opening up to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), many coming from emerging spacefaring nations. The literature covering SMEs contribution to the development of the space economy is on track of consolidation, as the process itself is unfolding, with data covering only the most powerful space players (e.g., US, EU). Valuable insights are added starting from the common wisdom that institutions (channelling economic information and incentives) are the main drivers in space development, rather than business size, even more in a competitive- collaborative global economy. A case study is dedicated to the Romanian experience (that of a relatively new and little player in European/global space affairs). A conclusion is that in an economy of unbounded creativity and borderless capital, visionary enterprises, big or small, fit even into the space industry value chains, if a pro-market, pro-business climate is secured.

Introduction: Graves' disease (GD) is an autoimmune disorder affecting the thyroid gland, leading to systemic manifestations such as hyperthyroidism, Graves' orbitopathy, and pretibial myxedema. Contrary to previous beliefs that hyperthyroidism protects against thyroid cancer, recent studies reveal an increased incidence of thyroid malignancies in GD patients, particularly differentiated thyroid carcinomas and, in rare cases, medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC). Case series: This case series presents three female GD patients diagnosed with MTC, highlighting the complexities of diagnosis and management. All patients exhibited thyroid nodules with suspicious ultrasonographic features, elevated plasma calcitonin levels, and required total thyroidectomy. Histological examination confirmed MTC. Discussion: These cases underscore the importance of routine calcitonin screening in GD patients with thyroid nodules to facilitate early detection and improve prognosis. Our findings suggest that while the coexistence of GD and MTC is likely incidental, vigilant monitoring and comprehensive evaluation are crucial for timely intervention. Conclusions: This study advocates for integrating calcitonin testing into the standard diagnostic protocol for GD patients presenting with thyroid abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of cultural heritage covers the tangible and intangible things bequeathed from the past generations along with a spiritual signification, beyond any other serviceableness. Anthropologists, sociologists, philosophers and aesthetes are the critical reviewers of the field, while legalists and economists contribute with their own concerns: regulation and evaluation. Be it of tangible nature – i.e., buildings, sites, paintings, sculptures or various other artefacts – or of an intangible one – i.e., traditions, practices, beliefs, literary or musical compositions –, the cultural heritage has challenged the economists urging them to offer sophisticated tools to assess its value, to make cost-benefit analyses with respect to its preservation, restoration or reuse. The supporters of regulation in the cultural goods market justify it through the fact that the market cannot provide in an efficient manner this type of goods, the solution being national government intervention – i.e., for the regulation and finance of cultural/heritage goods – or even international government regulation, in cases when national states’ failure is encountered. A widespread opinion is that heritage is communal, par excellence, this view implicitly adjusting the acceptation that private property has in the cultural realm. The present paper addresses the reality and the necessity of ownership and movement of heritage goods especially in the international markets, considered as a dangerous vacuum for national cultural treasuries.

In this paper, we investigated how policy rate modifications – the main instrument used by central banks to provide liquidity during the current health crisis – influenced the evolution of the exchange rate, which is a key element within macro-stabilization policies. We documented that foreign exchange markets in European countries responded asymmetrically to monetary policy interventions devoted to the encouragement of spending and the stimulation of the economy. However, this only occurred during extreme events, which is a side-effect of the monetary policy on the foreign exchange market. These results contribute to the assessment of the space for manoeuvres by monetary policymakers regarding key policy rate modifications as a response to pandemic shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact that education, particularly higher education, has on individuals - with direct influence on their standard of living, but also on society as a whole - on the community’s economic development, requires concern towards the necessary resources fo

Periosteal chondrosarcoma, also known as juxtacortical chondrosarcoma, is a rare malignant cartilaginous tumor that can appear on the external surface of bone. This tumor represent less than 2% of all chondrosarcomas and 0.2% of all bone tumors. Periosteal chondrosarcoma has been reported more frequently in males and in the fourth decade of life.Their clinical presentation is non-specific but there may be pain, swelling and loss of function and usually affects the metaphyses of the long bones, especially the femur and humerus. The diagnostic is established imagistically (Rx, CT, MRI) which describe aspects characteristic of the tumor and of course based on histopathological examination with a specific description: a solid lobulated tumor, with focally myxoid stroma and chondroid cells with a variable degree of atypia. The treatment of choice is wide surgical resection. The prognosis for these patients is relatively good, with 80-90% long term survival and a low rate of metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a survey in Peceneaga, Tulcea county in Dobruja, several settlements and mounds (necropolises) from the 4th century were discovered. Topographic and geophysical surveys of the “Breazu tumulus” and its surroundings have revealed a partially destroyed tumular necropolis, where the barrow with the statue had a stone ring. The presence of a burial chamber below the embankment could not be proven; another burial structure was probably present. On the largest tumulus lay a Scythian stone statue from the 4th century BC. The bearded left-handed warrior was represented with a belt, a gorythos and protective armor on his right thigh. In this time the North Pontic Scythians under Ataias, migrating westward, became increasingly sedentary. A Scythian center of power may have emerged there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the expression and value of the smoothelin marker in control cases, to standardize the working method, and to analyze its application in pathologic staging process of problematic transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) cases. Material and Methods: Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed on tumor-free bladder wall sections, tumor-free large bowel sections, TURBTs with unequivocal tumor stage, and TURBTs with equivocal stage. The IHC staining of muscularis mucosa (MM), muscularis propria (MP), and blood vessels was evaluated semiquantitatively. Results: Smoothelin IHC staining pattern ranged from negative (30% to 67% cases) to 2+ (0% to 15% cases) in MM and from 1+ (10% to 50% cases) to 3+ (9% to 48% cases) in MP. When compared on the same slide, the smoothelin expression of MP showed a stronger staining intensity than the one of the MM in all the analyzed cases. Blood vessel muscle cells stained in a constant intensity as the MM (r = 0.9808; r = 0.9604). Smoothelin determined restaging of 33% of the problematic TURBT cases. Conclusion: Smoothelin is an IHC marker that shows differential staining between coexistent MM and MP; however, variations in staining intensity and pattern may occur, aspects that can be influenced by different technique variables. We recommend using this marker as a diagnostic tool in problematic TURBT cases only when there is sufficient experience in control cases with this antibody. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend" is an iconic dictum of the early Maoist era, when the free speech was nominally encouraged in order to determine intellectuals to debate and develop socialism, though soon proved to be some perverse strategy to encourage the self-signalling of the too critical stances on the system and to ease their shutting up. The Deng Xiaoping's U-turn consecrated the "seeking (of) truth from facts", marking a process of gradually finding the right path towards the "socialism/capitalism with Chinese characteristics" and since then a worldwide competition among the explanations for the "successfulness" or "sustainability" of China's transformations has spurred in the academic community of social scientists. Nowadays the Chinese unique hybrid model is under siege, with the turmoil installed in its financial markets calling for explanations of whether too much capitalism or too much socialism/interventionism is responsible for this. Our paper will propose a scrutiny of the theories standing behind Chinese realities, calling for a strategy we named "seeking truth from principles". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even if a full-fledged analysis of capitalism is absent from his remarkable bibliography, significant pieces from a capitalist economics puzzle are to be found in his 2013 book, Dynamism, Rivalry, and the Surplus Economy. Two Essays on the Nature of Capitalism, which benefited from an enriched translation in Romanian by incorporating two more essays ("Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité: Reflections on the Changes following the Collapse of Communism" and "Marx through the Eyes of an East European Intellectual"). Issued at Curtea Veche Publishing House, with the support of the National Bank of Romania, Dinamism, rivalitate şi economia de surplus offers the Romanian reader the testimony of a both Easterner and Westerner economist whose quest was, more than just witnessing from a safe distance, to be an honest judge of both socialism and capitalism from inside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]