Escherichia coli: Old problem, new pathology

Even though the presence of Escherichia coli in the organism of humans and animals as a commensal has been known for a long time, attention has been paid to it only recently as the cause of diseases in humans and animals. The disease that is caused by this bacteria is linked to new variants-strains (eg. Verotoxic 0157:H7) which have, due to the toxic effects, a pathogensis and clinical picture that differs from those which have so far been linked to the conventional E.coli. Namely, it has been proved that there is a connection between the presence of certain strains of this bacteria in animals in which there is no occurrence of clinical symptoms, and diseased humans who had come into contact with these animals. Since infection with E.coli is transferred also through food items of animal origin, and in keeping with the valid regulations on hygiene safety of food items, increasing importance is placed on the isolation and identification of this bacteria on the slaughter line. It has also been accepted that it is necessary to apply screening among animal populations, as the basic step in the control and eradication of pathogens. There are few data on the distribution of verotoxic E.coli and the number of reported cases of infection in humans in Serbia, and they do not provide the real picture of the epizootiological-epidemiological situation. Verotoxic E.coli occurred over the past two decades as an important cause of morbidity and mortality in humans and animals. Due to the large number of cases that are linked, directly or indirectly, with food items of animal origin, there have been major economic losses as well

Hearts and ovens in the Neolithic of the Central Balkans - building techniques and usage

Predmet istraživanja disertacije je utvrđivanje načina izrade i funkcije peći i ognjišta u neolitu centralnog Balkana, zanemarenih u dosadašnjim istraživanjima. Cilj istraživanja, pored definisanja tehnika korišćenih za izradu ognjišta i peći i njihove funkcije u ranom i kasnom neolitu ovih prostora, jeste i sistematizacija tipova termalnih struktura. Tehnike izrade predstavljaju društveno uslovljene kategorije i nemoguće je odvojiti ih od ostalih kulturnih aspekata, te su u ovoj disertaciji ponuđeni potencijalni društveni razlozi odabira konkretnih tehnika izrade. Na osnovu podataka iz publikovane literature i nepublikovane terenske dokumentacije, određeni su tipovi ognjišta i peći. U određivanju tehnika izrade, ključnu ulogu ima pravilno detektovanje materijala od kojeg su izrađene strukture. Kod ognjišta, u funkcionalnom smislu, odabir materijala ne predstavlja značajan podatak, dok je kod peći krucijalan, pošto određuje njene akumulativne sposobnosti i način pripreme hrane. Pretpostavlja se da su peći, između ostalog, služile za pripremu hleba. Pretpostavljene tehnike izrade i upotreba, testirane su eksperimentalnom izradom i upotrebom ognjišta i peći. Pored utvrđivanja tehnika izrade, rezultati eksperimenata su ukazali na mogućnost pripreme dva različita tipa hleba – lepinja u ranom i hleba od kiselog testa u kasnom neoltu. Predložena je i nova metodologija iskopavanja peći, putem koje je moguće odrediti tačne tehnike njene izrade. Primenom ove metodologije tokom iskopavanja peći sa lokaliteta Vinča, utvrđeno je da je peć izrađena u tehnici pločica, tehnici koja do sada nije razmatrana prilikom rekonstrukcija načina izrade vinčanskih peći. Upoređivanje karakteristika termalnih struktura sa ostalim kulturnim aspektima, pokazalo je da su na izbor tehnika izrade ognjišta i peći značajnu ulogu mogli imati stepen mobilnosti u ranom i sedentarnosti u kasnom neolitu. Obradom ranoneolitskih peći sa Lepenskog vira, utvrđen je jedinstven tip peći na Balkanu i šire, koji je mogao biti posledica kulturnog kontakta između dve populacijeThe aim of this research, besides defining building techniques and usage of hearths and ovens in the Early and Late Neolithic of this territory, is the systematization of thermal structure types. Building techniques are social constructs and one cannot separate them from other cultural aspects. With that in mind, this dissertation explores potential social phenomena which influenced these technical choices. Hearth and oven types were determined based on the data collected both from published literature and unpublished field documentation. Accurate detection of thermal structure building material plays the key role in the determination of building techniques. Material type does not pay a significant role in hearth function, while it is crucial when ovens are concerned. Oven material determines its ability to store heat, which affects its performance in food preparation. It is supposed that ovens, inter alia, were used for bread baking. Experimental hearths and ovens were made in order to test their assumed building techniques and usage. Besides determining construction techniques and usage, experiment results showed that during the Neolithic, two different bread types could have been prepared – flatbread during the Early, and sourdough bread during the Late Neolithic. New oven excavation methodology was proposed. This methodology allows the archaeologists to determine exact building techniques used for oven construction. By applying this methodology during the excavation of an oven from the site of Vinča, we were able to detect its building technique. The oven was built in the slab technique, which, up until now,was not considered as a Vinča culture oven construction method. After comparing thermal structure characteristics with other cultural aspects, certain social elements for hearth and oven technical choices emerged. These technical choices could have been influenced by the higher mobility rate in the Early and the pronounced sedentism in the Late Neolithic. At the site of Lepenski Vir, a unique oven type was detected. This unique technical choice could have been a result of cultural contact between two different population

Суочавање са варијацијама животне средине у раном неолиту Централног Балкана: диверзификација, складиштење, размена и мобилност

The first farming communities appeared during the Neolithic period. The life of Neolithic and other non-industrial communities depended on environmental variations – precipitati on and temperature patterns. Even minor changes in those patterns could have caused bad harvests and the lack of animal fodder, potentially leading to periods of food scarcity. To overcome periods of food scarcity, non-industrial communities applied different social buffering strategies: diversification, storage, exchange, and mobility. In this paper, social buffering strategies that Early Neolithic communities applied to overcome the environmental variability in the new territory are examined and the most plausible ones are considered.Неолит је доба првих земљорадничких и сточарских заједница. Живот припадника неолитских, али и других неиндустријских заједница, зависио је од варијација у животној средини – количине и врсте падавина и температуре. Чак и неочекиване падавине и мање промене у теператирним обрасцима могле су довести до лоших жетви и мањка хране за стоку, што је утицало на количину доступне хране. Неиндустијске заједнице примењивале су различите социјалне стратегије како би избегле или се пак суочиле са периодима недостатка хране: диверзификацију, складиштење, размену и мобилност. У овом раду су приказане социјалне стратегије које су ранонеолитске заједнице централног Балкана користиле како би спречиле или превазишле неповољне периоде, а посебно су истакнуте доминантне стратегије

What We Do for Food

Food is essential for survival, but how humans obtain and manage it is regulated socially. The life of Neolithic and other non-industrial communities depended on environmental variations – temperature patterns and precipitation. For farming communities, even minor changes in those patterns could have led to periods of food scarcity. In order to overcome and prepare for periods of scarcity, non-industrial communities applied different social buffering strategies. In this paper, the social buffering strategies Early/Middle Neolithic Starčevo and Late Neolithic Vinča culture communities applied in overcoming the environmental variability are tested and the most plausible ones are considered

Hearts and ovens in the Neolithic of the Central Balkans - building techniques and usage

Predmet istraživanja disertacije je utvrđivanje načina izrade i funkcije peći i ognjišta u neolitu centralnog Balkana, zanemarenih u dosadašnjim istraživanjima. Cilj istraživanja, pored definisanja tehnika korišćenih za izradu ognjišta i peći i njihove funkcije u ranom i kasnom neolitu ovih prostora, jeste i sistematizacija tipova termalnih struktura. Tehnike izrade predstavljaju društveno uslovljene kategorije i nemoguće je odvojiti ih od ostalih kulturnih aspekata, te su u ovoj disertaciji ponuđeni potencijalni društveni razlozi odabira konkretnih tehnika izrade. Na osnovu podataka iz publikovane literature i nepublikovane terenske dokumentacije, određeni su tipovi ognjišta i peći. U određivanju tehnika izrade, ključnu ulogu ima pravilno detektovanje materijala od kojeg su izrađene strukture. Kod ognjišta, u funkcionalnom smislu, odabir materijala ne predstavlja značajan podatak, dok je kod peći krucijalan, pošto određuje njene akumulativne sposobnosti i način pripreme hrane. Pretpostavlja se da su peći, između ostalog, služile za pripremu hleba. Pretpostavljene tehnike izrade i upotreba, testirane su eksperimentalnom izradom i upotrebom ognjišta i peći. Pored utvrđivanja tehnika izrade, rezultati eksperimenata su ukazali na mogućnost pripreme dva različita tipa hleba – lepinja u ranom i hleba od kiselog testa u kasnom neoltu. Predložena je i nova metodologija iskopavanja peći, putem koje je moguće odrediti tačne tehnike njene izrade. Primenom ove metodologije tokom iskopavanja peći sa lokaliteta Vinča, utvrđeno je da je peć izrađena u tehnici pločica, tehnici koja do sada nije razmatrana prilikom rekonstrukcija načina izrade vinčanskih peći. Upoređivanje karakteristika termalnih struktura sa ostalim kulturnim aspektima, pokazalo je da su na izbor tehnika izrade ognjišta i peći značajnu ulogu mogli imati stepen mobilnosti u ranom i sedentarnosti u kasnom neolitu. Obradom ranoneolitskih peći sa Lepenskog vira, utvrđen je jedinstven tip peći na Balkanu i šire, koji je mogao biti posledica kulturnog kontakta između dve populacijeThe aim of this research, besides defining building techniques and usage of hearths and ovens in the Early and Late Neolithic of this territory, is the systematization of thermal structure types. Building techniques are social constructs and one cannot separate them from other cultural aspects. With that in mind, this dissertation explores potential social phenomena which influenced these technical choices. Hearth and oven types were determined based on the data collected both from published literature and unpublished field documentation. Accurate detection of thermal structure building material plays the key role in the determination of building techniques. Material type does not pay a significant role in hearth function, while it is crucial when ovens are concerned. Oven material determines its ability to store heat, which affects its performance in food preparation. It is supposed that ovens, inter alia, were used for bread baking. Experimental hearths and ovens were made in order to test their assumed building techniques and usage. Besides determining construction techniques and usage, experiment results showed that during the Neolithic, two different bread types could have been prepared – flatbread during the Early, and sourdough bread during the Late Neolithic. New oven excavation methodology was proposed. This methodology allows the archaeologists to determine exact building techniques used for oven construction. By applying this methodology during the excavation of an oven from the site of Vinča, we were able to detect its building technique. The oven was built in the slab technique, which, up until now,was not considered as a Vinča culture oven construction method. After comparing thermal structure characteristics with other cultural aspects, certain social elements for hearth and oven technical choices emerged. These technical choices could have been influenced by the higher mobility rate in the Early and the pronounced sedentism in the Late Neolithic. At the site of Lepenski Vir, a unique oven type was detected. This unique technical choice could have been a result of cultural contact between two different population

Искуствена археологија и презентација археолошких истраживања у Србији.

Поред траидционалних начина презентације разултата ахеолошких истраживања широј јавности, попут уређених археолошких локалитета, музеја, тематских изложби и дечјих радионица, у Србији се, последњих година, увиђа значај археолошких музеја на отвореном. Пракса музеја на отвореном и археолошких паркова у иностранству постоји већ скоро пола века и постали су стандардни вид презентације археолошких истраживања. У архолошким музејима на отвореном, посетиоци се „транспортују“ у прошлост, те из прве руке могу доживети другачији начин живота. У музејима на отвореном, пренос знања се врши преко искуства које посетиоци носе са собом. Међутим, неопходно је доћи до публике. У данашње време медији, а пре свега друштвене мреже,омогућавају лако пласирање информација. Путем друштвених мрежа, могуће је не само привући нестручну јавност да посети музеје, музеје на отвореном или изложбе, већ вршити и свакодневну едукацију. У овој презентацији, отворићемо питања о значају архолошкох музеја на отвореном у презентацији археолошких истраживања и дискутоваћемо о могућностима које нуде друштвене мреже у едукацији шире јавности.У: Црнобрња, А. и Филиповић, В. (ур.), XLV скупштина и годишњи скуп Српског археолошког друштва: програм извештаји и апстракти, 26. – 28. мај 2022, Прокупље, Србија (стр. 61-62). Београд и Прокупље: Српско археолошко друштво; Народни музтеј Топлице. (ISBN 978-86-80094-19-9

Seroepizootiological investigations of animals from Obedska bara locality for presence of Avian influenza virus

The disease caused by Influenza viruses has been well known for a very long time. In the recent period there has been noted an occurrence of pandemics caused by Influenza viruses type A with a high rate of mortality. The ongoing pandemic caused by avian influenza virus serotype H9N9 began in Hong Kong in 1992, and another pandemic caused by serotype H5N1 began in China (Hong Kong) in 1999. The world wide spreading of these viruses occurred due to migratory birds. Avian influenza was confirmed in Serbia in 2007. The goal of this study was to examine whether the avian influenza viruses type A circulate in the region of the Obedska bara marsh, which is a famous resort for many birds in Serbia, as well as many birds migrating from Europe to Africa and vice versa. The samples of blood sera of many animal species (123 samples from fowl, 64 samples from donkeys, 40 samples from horses) were tested by serologic reaction of inhibition of haemmaglutination (IHA) for the presence of antibodies to influenza A subtypes H5N1, H5N2, H5N3, H7N1 and H7N2. Also, the samples of blood sera of experimental chicken exposed to wild life in Obedska bara (sentinel species) were tested. Antibodies to subtypes H5N1, H5N2, H5N3, H7N1 and H7N2 were found in chicken from Dec, Boljevci, Petrovcic and Kupinovo villages but no antibodies were found in blood sera from hams from Dobanovci, Jakovo, Becmen and Surcin villages. From 23 samples from ducks antibodies were detected in 3 samples, and from 22 geese blood sera antibodies were found in 4 samples. From a total of 40 horse blood sera tested one was tested positive, and from 64 donkey sera 17 were positive for the presence of antibodies for avian influenza type A. In blood sera of experimental chicken antibodies were found by subtype H5N1 with corrections with H5N2 and H7N1

Flora, conservation value and ecological potential of the cer boundary channel (Šabac, Serbia)

Channels can represent significant areas of plant diversity in urban ecosystems. The aim of this paper is to determine recent flora of aquatic macrophytes as well as determining the conservation values and ecological potential based on the macrophyte in one part of the Cer boundary channel. Field research conducted during the summer of 2020 of total lenghth of 5km upstream from the estuary. Macrophute data was collected according to the standard UKTAG LEAFPACS method. A total of 13 macrophyte species were recorded out of which three species are on the list of endangered and protected species. The ecological potential of the researched part of the channel flow was graded as good and better. Based on the results can conclude that the Cer boundary channel represents an optimal habitat for the development of aquatic vegetation and thus other hydrobionts, as well as for the development of other rare and endangered types of macrophytes. Results confirm the fact that artificial water bodies can play a significant role in biodiversity conservation in urban ecosystems

Place and role of experimental and experiential archaeology in the reconstruction of the past

Eksperimentalna arheologija je kao poddisciplina arheologije definisana šezdesetih godina 20. veka, međutim, njeni začeci se mogu videti još u 19. veku. Razvoj eksperimentalne arheologije odslikava i teorijsko-metodološke promene kroz koje je prolazila celokupna arheologija. Eksperimentalna arheologija je prošla kroz brojne transformacije - od pojedinačnih eksperimenata u 19. veku i prvoj polovini 20. veka, preko definisanja teorijsko-metodološkog okvira, sve do današnjih dana. Budući da se najpotpuniji podaci mogu dobiti prilikom sprovođenja kompleksnih eksperimenata, u kojima učestvuje veliki broj stručnjaka iz različitih oblasti arheologije, u drugoj polovini 20. formiraju se istraživački centri eksperimentalne arheologije. U ovakvim centrima, eksperimentalni arheolozi prave čitava naselja iz različitih perioda prošlosti. Atraktivnost ovih naselja i mogućnost praktičnog prenosa znanja na širu javnost otvara ova naselja za posetioce. Stvara se novi koncept muzeja - arheološki muzej na otvorenom, čiji broj raste iz godine u godinu. Interesovanje za otkrivanje života u prošlosti raste, te pored muzeja na otvorenom, javljaju se i brojne emisije, a u poslednjih neokoliko godina, i specijalizovani jutjub kanali koji se bave tradicionalnim zanatima. Na taj način, iz eksperimentalne arheologije nastaje iskustvena arheologija, čiji je fokus upravo u prenosu znanja preko ličnih doživljaja, kako arheologa, tako i šire javnosti. Cilj ovog rada je da se prikaže razvoj eksperimentalne i iskustvene arheologije, kako u svetu, tako i u Srbiji.Experimental archaeology, as a sub-discipline of archaeology, was defined in the second half of the 20th century, but its origins date back to the 19th century. The beginnings of experimental archaeology can only be defined as individual small-scale experiments, without any theoretical base. Those experiments were conducted for the sake of the experiments alone and their results were not compared with other research data. Changes in experimental archaeology follow theoretical and methodological changes in archaeology. Therefore, logical positivism of the processual archaeology was the perfect base for the establishment of experimental archaeology. The hypothetico-deductive method of the new archaeology has remained the main methodological approach in experimental archaeology up until today. In this paper, the formation and changes in experimental archaeology were presented, illustrating different stages that this sub-discipline went through. The first examples of experimental archaeology in Serbia date back to the late 1970s and the early 1980s, but those experiments were isolated cases. The real emergence of experimental archaeology in Serbia occurred during the first and second decade of the 21st century. Experiments were more frequent in the last decade, and several experimental archaeologists have obtained formal education in this field. Unfortunately, these experiments are still small-scale research activities, conducted without proper funding, fuelled mostly by individual enthusiasm. Examples from the rest of the world have shown that experimental archaeology has to be institutionalised in some way, so that the research could reach its full capacity and so that new generations of experimental archaeologists could be produced. In order for the experimental archaeology in Serbia to grow and develop further, there is a necessity for institutionalisation of experimental archaeology, by opening either an independent research centre or a department within some of the existing institutions. During the second half of the 20th century, large scale and long-lasting experiments started to be conducted, involving not only experimental archaeologists, but specialists from different fields of archaeology. As the number of experimental archaeologists and the complexity of experiments grew, the need for the foundation of formal institutions emerged. Research centres for experimental archaeology were formed in different European countries. In those centres, whole settlements were being reconstructed, including houses, farms, workshops and objects. Opening those centres for the public made a major impact on archaeology and presentation of the past. A new museum type was born - archaeological open-air museum. Those museums consisted of reconstructed settlements from different time periods, showing a variety of activities that people conducted in the past, including, but not limited to: pottery, basketry, textile, stone tool production and metal smelting. In a short period of time, a number of archaeological open-air museums appeared all over Europe, gaining popularity with the public. Seeing the appeal of the mysteries of the past, television houses started making television series which showed different aspects of life, from Prehistory to the Middle Ages and beyond. Now, there is a number of shows and specialised television channels dedicated exclusively to the past - events, intriguing people or everyday activities. The considerable technological progress and the emergence of YouTube gave birth to specialised YouTube channels, which demonstrate various traditional crafts all over the world. However, open air museums, television shows and YouTube channels cannot be considered experimental archaeology, as they lack the theoretical base and obligatory methodological approach. They do offer the experience of the past, so they cannot be classified as experimental, but rather as experiential archaeology