This paper presents an implementation of adaptive dual current mode control (ADCMC) on non-inverting buck-boost converter. An experimental verification of the converter operation with the proposed ADCMC has been performed in steady state and during the step disturbances in the input voltage and the load resistance. The given experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed control method.

polymorphism prevalence in general population of six Balkan The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of RR, RX and XX genotypes of rs1815739 single nucleotide polymorphism of ACTN3 gene in general population of six Balkan countries. This SNP is currently thought to give genetic predisposition for advantageous sport performance, with its R allele positively correlating with better performance in strength/power sports, and X allele being present in higher frequency in elite athletes in endurance disciplines. A total of 483 individuals (281 males and 202 females) from seven populations from six countries was tested. Samples were collected by buccal swabbing method, DNA was isolated according to salting-out protocol and genotyping was performed using PCR and RFLP analysis. Obtained results suggest that RR and RX genotypes (43.7% and 44.1%, respectively) are overrepresented when compared to XX genotype (12.2%). The XX genotype in the study samples is present in lower frequency when compared to the global (16-18%) and European (18%) average. This study reports the first population data on genotype prevalence in sports-related genes for this part of Europe and is the beginning of research interests that intend to investigate genetic predispositions of elite athletes from this region competing internationally in different disciplines.

Racemic ketorolac clearance (CL) is significantly higher at delivery, but S-ketorolac disposition determines the analgesic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pregnancy and postpartum period on enantiomer-specific (S and R) intravenous (IV) ketorolac pharmacokinetics (PKs). Data in women shortly following cesarean delivery (n=39) were pooled with data in a subgroup of these women that was reevaluated in the later postpartum period (postpartum group, n=8/39) and with eight healthy female volunteers. All women received single IV bolus of 30 mg ketorolac tromethamine. Five plasma samples were collected at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours and plasma concentrations were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. Enantiomer-specific PKs were calculated using PKSolver. Unpaired analysis showed that distribution volume at steady state (Vss, L/kg) for S- and R-ketorolac was significantly higher in women shortly following cesarean delivery (n=31) compared to postpartum group (n=8) or to healthy female volunteers (n=8). CL, CL to body weight, and CL to body surface area (CL/BSA) for S- and R-ketorolac were also significantly higher in women following delivery. In addition, S/R-ketorolac CL/BSA ratio was significantly higher at delivery. Paired PK analysis in eight women shortly following delivery and in postpartum group showed the same pattern. Finally, the simultaneous increase in CL and Vss resulted in similar estimates for elimination half-life in both unpaired and paired analysis. In conclusion, pregnancy affects S-, R-, and S/R-ketorolac disposition. This is of clinical relevance since S-ketorolac (analgesia) CL is even more increased compared to R-ketorolac CL, and S/R-ketorolac CL ratio is higher following delivery compared to postpartum period or to healthy female volunteers.

Abstract Diversification potential enables investors to manage their risk and decrease risk exposure. Good diversification policy is a safety net that prevents a portfolio from losing its value. A well-diversified portfolio consists of different categories of property with low correlations, while highly correlated markets have the feature of low possibilities for diversification. The biggest riddle in the world of investments is to find the optimal portfolio within a set of available assets with limited capital. There are numerous studies and mathematical models that deal with portfolio investment strategies. These strategies take advantage of diversification by spreading risk over several financial assets. Modern portfolio theory seeks to find the optimal model with the best results. This paper tries to identify relationships between returns of companies traded in South-East European equity markets. A Markowitz mean-variance (MV) portfolio optimization method is used to identify possibilities for diversification among these markets and world leading capital markets. This research also offers insight into to the level of integration of South-East European equity markets. Principal component analysis (PCA) is used to determine components that describe the strong patterns and co-movements of the dataset. Finally, we combined MV efficient frontier and equity, which represent PCA components, to draw conclusions. Our findings show that PC analysis substantially simplifies asset selection process in portfolio management. The results of the paper have practical applications for portfolio investors.

Abstract This paper presents linear and goal programming optimization models for determining and analyzing the food basket in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) in terms of adequate nutritional needs according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards and World Bank (WB) recommendations. A linear programming (LP) model and goal linear programming model (GLP) are adequate since price and nutrient contents are linearly related to food weight. The LP model provides information about the minimal value and the structure of the food basket for an average person in BiH based on nutrient needs. GLP models are designed to give us information on minimal deviations from nutrient needs if the budget is fixed. Based on these results, poverty analysis can be performed. The data used for the models consisted of 158 food items from the general consumption of the population of BiH according to COICOP classifications, with average prices in 2015 for these products.

Entrepreneurs play an important role nowadays as well as in the history of economic thought - entrepreneur used to be the one bearing the risk of buying at certain prices and selling at uncertain prices, protagonist of economic activity and innovating so the new combinations of inputs are used in order to create new output. Nevertheless, relationship between entrepreneurial activity and national growth is not so straightforward. This study aims to contribute to the stream of research that tries to uncover the ultimate results of entrepreneurship. This paper seeks to explore influence of TEA in countries that belongs to different categories regarding ‘uncertainty avoidance’ cultural dimension. Our results could not confirm that entrepreneurial activity increases with increase of per capita income. We argue that entrepreneurial activity could contribute to GDP growth regardless of current level of development. We find that the entrepreneurial activity can increase or decrease GDP growth rates depending on level of preferences for uncertainty avoidance. We argue that TEA in countries with lower and higher preferences for uncertainty avoidance will negatively influence the GDP growth. Possible explanation is that less innovative ventures are created in countries with lower preference for uncertainty avoidance thus no considerable influence on GDP could be expected while more ventures fail as the entrepreneurs starts riskier business in the countries with higher preferences for uncertainty avoidance. Countries in the middle of these two extreme values can expect positive effect of TEA on GDP growth since preference for uncertainty is neither too high nor too low. Nevertheless, these results should be taken with caution since not all results were statistically significant. The main limitation is lack of data on entrepreneurial activity for all countries so instead of using TEA in the period preceding the GDP growth, average TEA for 2010-2011 was used.