The Impact of Education on Youth Employability: The Case of Selected Southeastern European Countries

This paper focuses on the processes of school-to-work transitions in a selected group of countries from South-eastern Europe (SEE), namely: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Croatia; Montenegro; North Macedonia; Serbia; and, Slovenia. Each of these countries display the same roots of development in their educational systems: however, due to their transition and integration processes within the European Union, they implemented different concepts of reforms within their educational systems. In addition, the challenges of youth employability are a common problem for each of the selected countries, and the effectiveness of the processes of school-to-work-transition varies across the countries. By using panel data and multiple linear regression models, this paper estimates the impact of different educational levels on youth employability and changes in the rates of NEET population (aged 15–24) in the selected group of countries over the period 2009 to 2019. The results suggest that the impact of the attained level of education has an ambiguous effect on the rates of youth employment; moreover, the relationship with changes in NEET rates are statistically significant and negative in most of the selected group of countries.

Poverty alleviation and state building in peripheral areas: evidence from China

The literature suggests that the distributive allocations of local public goods help politicians secure support and thus contribute to political survival. We argue that the selective assignment of state-led infrastructure projects can bolster political control in peripheral areas by inducing the government's investment in essential administrative and security apparatus for project implementation and long-term state building. Drawing on a unique county-level dataset, we study the effects of poverty alleviation transfers in Xinjiang. We find that poverty alleviation was associated with significant increases in government spending on public management and security. In contrast, these alleviation transfers had a small and ambiguous effect on increasing agricultural production and reducing ethnic violence in the province. Our findings highlight the importance of comparing the capacity and welfare implications of distributive politics, as fiscal subsidies may change the actions of the leader's local agents more than altering the behaviors and attitudes of those who may benefit from these transfers.

Russian Education underway towards the market: conceptual grounds and administrative objectives

The scientific and technological progress substantiates significant economic and social changes, and imposes specific requirements on the sphere of education, first and foremost, with regards to preparation of modern specialists. Actualization of such requirements is mediated by the state educational policy and corresponding administrative decisions and measures. The article examines the problems of Russian higher education in the context of proliferation of the ideas and practices of new public management (NPM). The theoretical framework of this research is comprised of the theory of human capital in its historical context and critical perspective. Special attention is given to the problem of adaptation of the sphere of education to the market economy and its values – competition, individualism, and social inequality. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that the theory of human capital is used for criticizing the methods and results of NPM in educational sphere. It is revealed that the effectiveness of education and its contribution to the economy remains low. The currently implemented model of public administration model in accordance with the concept of NPM has an ambiguous effect. On the one hand, the pursuit of making education open, modern, and economically justified; while on the other hand, the impact of noneconomic factors is neglected. The conclusion is made on the importance of the quality of administrative impact aimed at not only the output of education, but primarily, the development of human capital.

Pathogenetic rationale for using an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase and an antioxidant coenzyme Q10 in the treatment and prevention of cardiovascular disease

The review discusses atherosclerosis-related mechanisms of car-diovascular disease development, as well as the optimization of their prevention and treatment methods. Recent experimental and clinical studies have shown the important role of vascular endothelium in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Myocardial ischemia, activation of free-radical processes and impaired bioenergetics initiate a decrease in production of nitric oxide, which plays major vasodilator role. In this regard, the scientists is interested in the search for new drugs that can affect the main pathogenetic links of coronary artery disease. Statins are currently the drugs of choice. However, they are not always effective and have an ambiguous effect on oxidative potential of myocardial cells and endothelial function. Moreover, inhibition of mevalonic pathway for cholesterol synthesis is accompanied by a deficiency of coenzyme Q10, which is the central cellular antioxidant that protects phospholipids of cell membranes from free radicals. Rationale of using coenzyme Q10 in the complex treatment and secondary prev ention of cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery di sease, is discussed.

Detecting Jump Risk and Jump-Diffusion Model for Bitcoin Options Pricing and Hedging

In this paper, we conduct a fast calibration in the jump-diffusion model to capture the Bitcoin price dynamics, as well as the behavior of some components affecting the price itself, such as the risk of pitfalls and its ambiguous effect on the evolution of Bitcoin’s price. In addition, in our study of the Bitcoin option pricing, we find that the inclusion of jumps in returns and volatilities are significant in the historical time series of Bitcoin prices. The benefits of incorporating these jumps flow over into option pricing, as well as adequately capture the volatility smile in option prices. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to analyze the phenomenon of price jump risk and to interpret Bitcoin option valuation as “exceptionally ambiguous”. Crucially, using hedging options for the Bitcoin market, we also prove some important properties: Bitcoin options follow a convex, but not strictly convex function. This property provides adequate risk assessment for convex risk measure.

The effect of a single inbreeding on the growth and development of fast-growing tree species, Betula pendula and Betula pubescens

The aim of the research is to study parameters of seed reproduction systems in Betula pendula and B. pubescens, find possibilities for producing viable inbred plants, and analyze their growth and development and hybrid heterosis at crossing the selected forms in generations F1 and I1. Differentiation in deciduous trees by self-fertility level was established. By this feature the progeny of different tree groups have different genetic and selection value depending on pollination method of parent trees: at open pollination the progeny of self-sterile and transitional forms (cross-pollinating) are the most fast-growing and resistant to unfavorable environmental factors, whereas at self-pollination – the progeny of self-fertile forms. Accordingly parent trees were classified into three groups: self-fertile, self-sterile and transitional forms. Frequency of self-fertile forms and preservation of inbred plants in downy birch are higher than the similar indicators in silver birch. Thus an ambiguous effect of closely related crossing in tree species on the growth and development of their seed progeny was revealed. The effect of inbreeding on some trees is positive, on other negative, and there is the third group, in which the growth deflections caused by inbreeding are inessential. Such trees are suggested for use in various selection programs.

Croatia’s Knowledge Production on Kosovo around 1989

In socialist Yugoslavia in 1989 the extremely sensitive matter of Kosovo had an ambiguous effect on the League of Communists of Croatia, which was then still caught in the so-called “Croatian silence”. It did however provoke much turbulence in the Croatian media, which made pointed comments on the larger Yugoslav crisis, on the situation in Kosovo, and on the politics of Serbian president Slobodan Milošević. An intense dynamic could be also found in the field of knowledge production which encompassed scholars, historians, and intellectuals. Who produced knowledge about Kosovo? What were their political and intellectual agendas? How did they intervene in the dominant discourses and media coverage, what debates and reactions did they spark? Within the frames of the history of knowledge, the history of books and intellectual history, the author here assesses the works on Kosovo of a number of Croatian and Yugoslav intellectuals, chiefly Darko Hudelist and Branko Horvat.

Effect of Post-Process Curing and Washing Time on Mechanical Properties of mSLA Printouts

The article discusses the influence of the post-process on the mechanical properties of elements produced with the use of the mask stereolithography (mSLA) method. Printed samples were subjected to the following post-process steps: Washing and post-curing, at various times. Then, static tensile and static bending tests were carried out, as well as Shore D hardness measurements for the inner and surface part of the sample, as well as profilographometric analysis of the surface. The post-curing time has been found to strongly affect the tensile and bending strength of printouts, and to improve their surface quality. Washing has an ambiguous effect on the strength of the printouts, but, in the end, it was found that extended washing slightly reduces the strength. Washing significantly affects the quality of the printout surface. A washing time that is too short results in a surface that strongly resembles the printing process, with high roughness. Increasing the washing time to 10 min lowers the roughness by one order of magnitude. Post-curing has also been shown to be beneficial for the cured sample with the application of shielding water. This approach results in an improvement in the flexural strength of the printouts. In general, the obtained research results indicate that, for printouts with cross-sectional dimensions of several mm, the optimal washing time is no more than 10 min and the post-curing time is at least 30 min.

The United States in Kazakhstani public opinion: Double-edged cultural influence and the collateral damage of foreign policy

This article employs surveys by Gallup, the Central Asia Barometer, and the Barometer of Eurasian Integration, as well as focus groups that were commissioned as part of this research, to argue (1) that Kazakhstani perceptions of the United States compare unfavorably to perceptions of China and especially of Russia; (2) that Russian influence is a minor or nonexistent cause of the United States’ poor image; (3) that US cultural influence has an ambiguous effect on the country’s image in Kazakhstan, due to a “clash of values” between conservative Kazakhstani society and relatively liberal US cultural exports; (4) that the United States’ foreign policy, especially its violation of other states’ sovereignty, has an unambiguously negative effect on its image among Kazakhstanis; and (5) that the resulting relatively negative image of the United States translates into reluctance to build or maintain ties with it. In conclusion, we highlight areas in which the United States–Kazakhstan cooperation is likely to receive a better reception.

Post-pandemic transformation of the labor market

Subject. One of the most important effects of the pandemic on the economy is the labor market transformation. It is projected that there will be a structural transformation of the map of in-demand professions and competencies. The labor market will adapt to the requirements of maximum digitalization of the labor functions process implementation. Objectives. The aim is to study the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the labor market. Our tasks are to investigate the impact of the pandemic on various sectors of the economy, identify new professions in the new environment, find out the skills demanded by employers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. The study employs dialectical and systems approaches, general scientific methods of logical and comparative analysis to achieve the intended objective and solve the problem of determining the post-pandemic changes in the labor market. Results. We identified short-term and long-term market transformations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. They result in changes in basic competencies and systemic restructuring of the structural and professional component of workforce. Conclusions. The pandemic has a complex and ambiguous effect on the labor market. Companies are committed to accelerating the digitalization of work flows, education, expanding the remote work, and automating tasks within the organization. The impact of the pandemic should be addressed by supporting the displaced workers and monitoring the new opportunities in the labor market.