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This study seeks to test the existence of the crowding-out (or- in) hypothesis in a sample of 17 Emerging Europe countries divided in two panels. The study employs a panel autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model based on three estimators, Mean Group Estimator (MG), Pooled Mean Group (PMG) and Dynamic Fixed Effect (DFE), in order to evaluate the of stability of short run and long run coefficients using consistently compiled public borrowing and private investment data between 2000 and 2019. The empirical findings of the paper generally confirm the existence of a crowding out effect in both long run and short run in European post-transition countries, and in the long run for European transition countries. More specifically, elasticity of private investment with respect to public debt is greater in the European transition countries than in the European post-transition countries. However, the findings on the crowding out (in) effect of government spending and economic growth on private investment are mixed and conflicting in both the long run and the short run. Accordingly, the study recommends that selected countries should reassess their austerity agendas employed for lowering debt levels, and follow new strategies for managing public debt burden.

The purpose of this STEM Teaching Fellowship was to teach K-6 students about the human body and to encourage and inspire curiosity about STEM. The one-hour session took place via Zoom with 12 first grade students at the Boys and Girls Club STEM Lab. The students were presented with an interactive PowerPoint presentation explaining the anatomy and physiology of the human digestive system. Following the presentation, the students were given the opportunity to ask questions before moving on to the hands-on activity. The purpose of the activity was to actively engage the students in learning about the role and importance of the digestive system. The students remained together in one room and they were put in groups of 2-3 around a large rectangular table. The STEM director was on-site to assist. The activity consisted of different stations where each station represented one component of the digestive system. To measure the students? comprehension, they were asked several questions before moving on to each new station and this continued throughout the duration of the activity. The students were taught about the important of keeping their digestive system healthy and ways to achieve this goal. As a homework assignment they were asked to tell one person about something the learned during the session. Outreach for K-6 students, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, is important because the students need to be exposed to STEM related subjects frequently for them to learn. It is important to continuously intellectually engage and interact with students via virtual learning and not wait until Face-to-Face opportunities are available.

Macroeconomic stabilization of every country depends largely upon the conduct of appropriate economic policy, which comprises both fiscal and monetary policy; therefore, it is of great importance to choose the most adequate and productive ones. Many countries across the board have employed monetary policy in their attempt to ease the consequences of economic crises in the aftermath of global financial meltdown, and in the search for sustainable economic development. This paper was confined to the monetary policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina specifically, and its aim was to address the current Currency Board Regime along with the available monetary policy instruments and to determine whether an opportunity for the improvement of economic growth and consequently economic development lies within it. The importance of Central Bank was stressed out, as it represents the anchor of the monetary system. The paper comprises the analysis of the implemented CBR, its brief history, monetary policy instruments available and its consequences on the economy of BH therefore, it is thought that abandoning the arrangement either by joining the EMU or by making the Central Bank more independent is necessary. Key words: Macroeconomic Stabilization Monetary Policy Instruments;BH Economic Development; Monetary Easing

We have investigated a series of phenolic diaryl amino piperidine delta opioid receptor agonists, establishing the importance of the phenol functional group and substitution on the piperdine nitrogen for delta agonist activity and selectivity versus the mu and kappa opioid receptors. This study uncovered compounds with improved agonist potency and selectivity compared to the standard, non-peptidic delta agonist SNC-80. In vivo anti-nociceptive activity of analog 8e in two rodent models is discussed, demonstrating the potential of delta agonists to provide a novel mechanism for pain relief.

Galanin is a 29-aa neuropeptide with a complex role in pain processing. Several galanin receptor subtypes are present in dorsal root ganglia and spinal cord with a differential distribution. Here, we describe a generation of a specific galanin R2 (GalR2) agonist, AR-M1896, and its application in studies of a rat neuropathic pain model (Bennett). The results show that in normal rats mechanical and cold allodynia of the hindpaw are induced after intrathecal infusion of low-dose galanin (25 ng per 0.5 μl/h). The same effect is seen with equimolar doses of AR-M1896 or AR-M961, an agonist both at GalR1 and GalR2 receptors. In allodynic Bennett model rats, the mechanical threshold increased dose-dependently after intrathecal injection of a high dose of AR-M961, whereas no effect was observed in the control or AR-M1896 group. No effect of either of the two compounds was observed in nonallodynic Bennett model rats. These data indicate that a low dose of galanin has a nociceptive role at the spinal cord level mediated by GalR2 receptors, whereas the antiallodynic effect of high-dose galanin on neuropathic pain is mediated by the GalR1 receptors. Thus, a selective GalR1 agonist may be used to treat neuropathic pain.

A series of 1-aminotetralin scaffolds was synthesized via metal-catalyzed ring-opening reactions of heterobicyclic alkenes. Small libraries of amides and amines were made using the amino group of each scaffold as a handle. Screening of these libraries against human opioid receptors led to the identification of ( S )–( S )- 5.2a as a high-affinity selective μ ligand (IC 50 μ = 5 nM, κ = 707 nM, δ = 3,795 nM) displaying μ-agonist/antagonist properties due to its partial agonism (EC 50 = 2.6 μM; E max = 18%).