Two new, accurate, precise, and sensitive spectrophotometric methods were developed for the assay of L-ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical preparations. The determination of L-ascorbic acid was based on its oxidation by potassium peroxymonosulfate (method A) and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of Cu(II) as a catalyst (method B). The molar absorptivities were found to be 1.48×10 and 1.06×10 L mol cm for methods A and B, respectively. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range of 0.65–11.20 μg mL for method A and 0.51–16.00 μg mL for method B. Other compounds commonly found in vitamin C and multivitamin products did not interfere with the determination of L-ascorbic acid.. The proposed methods were successfully applied for the determination of L-ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations. The results obtained with the proposed methods showed good agreement with those given by the titrimetric method using iodine.

In the countries with developed financial markets, unlike in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and other emerging market countries (EMCs) with the so called bank-centric financial systems, corporate bonds are a rather significant alternative to the usage of bank loans for financing the development needs of the real sector of the economy (corporate sector). The new architecture of world’s financial stability with Basel III as its integral part additionally emphasizes this importance for both banks and companies. Besides, in the countries with developed financial markets it is probably needless to mention the need for high quality debt securities. This is especially true due to the conditions of stronger institutional investors on the market, such as pension funds that can realistically be expected to become the leading financial institutions of the 21st century, and ever increasing need of institutional investors, funds in particular, for high quality forms of assets and portfolio diversification. In EMCs in which pension reforms have still not been completely implemented or completed, considering a drastic fall in the ratio of the insured based on contribution payment and the number of pensioners, the existing situation is almost non-sustainable. Therefore, the transformation of pension funds in accordance to the two or three pillar structure and the emergence of voluntary pension funds as financially powerful institutional investors have no alternative. Certainly, in terms of corporate bonds and their issue on the one hand, and investing in them on the other, in EMCs and thus also in BiH there are some important aspects to be observed when analyzing their influence on the decisions on financing or investing (liquidity, interest rate level, clarity and implementation of regulations, etc.).

For any given polynomial $f$ over the finite field $\mathbb{F}_q$ with degree at most $q-1$, we associate it with a $q\times q$ matrix $A(f)=(a_{ik})$ consisting of coefficients of its powers $(f(x))^k=\sum_{i=0}^{q-1}a_{ik} x^i$ modulo $x^q -x$ for $k=0,1,\ldots,q-1$. This matrix has some interesting properties such as $A(g\circ f)=A(f)A(g)$ where $(g\circ f)(x) = g(f(x))$ is the composition of the polynomial $g$ with the polynomial $f$. In particular, $A(f^{(k)})=(A(f))^k$ for any $k$-th composition $f^{(k)}$ of $f$ with $k \geq 0$. As a consequence, we prove that the rank of $A(f)$ gives the cardinality of the value set of $f$. Moreover, if $f$ is a permutation polynomial then the matrix associated with its inverse $A(f^{(-1)})=A(f)^{-1}=PA(f)P$ where $P$ is an antidiagonal permutation matrix. As an application, we study the period of a nonlinear congruential pseduorandom sequence $\bar{a} = \{a_0, a_1, a_2, ... \}$ generated by $a_n = f^{(n)}(a_0)$ with initial value $a_0$, in terms of the order of the associated matrix. Finally we show that $A(f)$ is diagonalizable in some extension field of $\mathbb{F}_q$ when $f$ is a permutation polynomial over $\mathbb{F}_q$.

Store brands, also known as private labels, own brands or retail brands, are experiencing a remarkable growth in various product categories and their acceptance by consumers seems to be unquestionable. The key drivers of the store brands’ success are the increased concentration in retailing, consumers’ much more positive attitudes towards the quality of store brands and critically, in the current economic downturn, their price, which is significantly lower than that of manufacturer brands. Sales of store brands in the Southeast European markets have not picked up yet, making these markets a compelling space to study, analyze and predict the future of store brand growth and success. Thus, this study focuses on consumer’s attitudes towards store brands in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – an emerging market, which is highly attractive for international retailers. The main objective of this study is to analyze and validate the profile of a consumer of store brands in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the context of personal care products. For the purposes of this study, the mall-intercept survey was carried out at selected hypermarket locations. Based on the extent to which consumers perceive themselves to be consumers of store brands, three consumer segments have been identified: heavy buyers, sometimes buyers and seldom buyers. These segments were then described in terms of perceived quality and price of store brands as well as demographic characteristics of respondents. The findings allow drawing some useful reflection about who are the buyers of store brands in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and what drives their preferences towards store brands. Thus, this study provides valuable information for both retailers and manufacturers toward the SRI

Background This article summarizes the 2012 European Renal Association—European Dialysis and Transplant Association Registry Annual Report (available at www.era-edta-reg.org) with a specific focus on older patients (defined as ≥65 years). Methods Data provided by 45 national or regional renal registries in 30 countries in Europe and bordering the Mediterranean Sea were used. Individual patient level data were received from 31 renal registries, whereas 14 renal registries contributed data in an aggregated form. The incidence, prevalence and survival probabilities of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving renal replacement therapy (RRT) and renal transplantation rates for 2012 are presented. Results In 2012, the overall unadjusted incidence rate of patients with ESRD receiving RRT was 109.6 per million population (pmp) (n = 69 035), ranging from 219.9 pmp in Portugal to 24.2 pmp in Montenegro. The proportion of incident patients ≥75 years varied from 15 to 44% between countries. The overall unadjusted prevalence on 31 December 2012 was 716.7 pmp (n = 451 270), ranging from 1670.2 pmp in Portugal to 146.7 pmp in the Ukraine. The proportion of prevalent patients ≥75 years varied from 11 to 32% between countries. The overall renal transplantation rate in 2012 was 28.3 pmp (n = 15 673), with the highest rate seen in the Spanish region of Catalonia. The proportion of patients ≥65 years receiving a transplant ranged from 0 to 35%. Five-year adjusted survival for all RRT patients was 59.7% (95% confidence interval, CI: 59.3–60.0) which fell to 39.3% (95% CI: 38.7–39.9) in patients 65–74 years and 21.3% (95% CI: 20.8–21.9) in patients ≥75 years.

AIM The aim of this study was to examine whether the termination of long-term clopidogrel therapy results in a proinflammatory state and whether lipid parameters influence the inflammatory response after stopping the drug. METHODS A prospective, multicenter study was conducted among 200 patients with implanted coronary stents who received dual antiplatelet therapy for one year, without ischemic or bleeding events. According to the guidelines, clopidogrel was discontinued after one year. In all patients, the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) and lipid [total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)] levels were measured twice: on the day of cessation of clopidogrel and 45 days after the termination of clopidogrel treatment. RESULTS In men (n=151), the sCD40L serum levels were significantly higher 45 days after the discontinuation of clopidogrel (p=0.007), while the hsCRP levels were not significantly different (p=0.407). Furthermore, when analyzed across the HDL-C quartiles, the hsCRP and sCD40L values were found to be associated with the levels of HDL-C after the discontinuation of clopidogrel in men. In addition, the men in the first HDL-C quartile exhibited the most pronounced increase in the sCD40L levels (p=0.001) and had significantly higher hsCRP levels (p=0.001) compared to the subjects in the other quartiles. Other lipid parameters did not show any associations with the sCD40L or hsCRP levels. CONCLUSIONS The discontinuation of clopidogrel is associated with higher increments in the sCD40L level, and a pronounced proinflammatory response is associated with a lower HDL-C concentration.