Mechanically activated ceria

The reduction of comercial and mechanically activatedCeO2 powder at 1200 °C in an argon atmosphere was examined by XRD. Mechanical activation of oxide powder was performed by milling in a vibratory mill for different lengths of time. During 30 min of milling it came to the greatest change in crystallite size, as well as of lattice distortion of CeO2 while after 60 min of activation effect of milling on the CeO2 properties was negligible. Fired CeO2 was partly reduced but firing of 60 min milled CeO2 produced only CeO2-x with lattice parameter a = 0,550 nm.Physical chemistry 2004 : 7th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 21-23 September 200

Synthesis of apatite-type Ce4.67(SiO4)3O via glycinenitrate combustion

The pure Ce4.67(SiO4)3O with the apatite-type of structure was obtained for the first time from cerium nitrate, glycine and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) through the self-combustion of the gel. The solution of the reactants with the molar ratio of TEOS to water 1: 42 and glycine to NO3 ¯ 1: 3 was transformed into gel. During combustion of the gel the ash containing nanostructured CeO2 and noncrystalline SiO2 was formed. The phase identification and the measurement of the crystallite size was done by XRD diffraction. Ce4.67(SiO4)3O was synthesized from the ash subsequently fired in argon at 1200 °C.Physical chemistry 2008 : 9th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 24-28 September 200

The study of cognitive functioning and psychosocial aspects of children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis

Multipla skleroza (MS) je hronična autoimunska inflamatorna bolest centralnog nervnog sistema, sa diseminovanim demijelinacionim lezijama CNS. Ova bolest je jedno od najčešćih uzroka onesposobljenosti kod mladih odraslih osoba. Oko 2 -5% obolelih prve simptome bolesti ima pre 18. godine, a kod oko 1% obolelih ova bolest počinje pre 10. godine života. Procena težine bolesti samo na osnovu objektivnog kliničkog nalaza nije dovoljna, jer ne daje uvid u subjektivni doživljaj simptoma bolesti i teškoće sa kojima se ovi bolesnici sreću u svakodnevnom životu. Merenje kvaliteta života je sveobuhvatnije u proceni zdravlja u odnosu na testove koji procenjuju samo neurološki deficit bolesnika sa multiplom sklerozom. Cilj: Cilj ove studije je bila procena kognitivnih funkcija i kvaliteta života kod dece i adolescenata obolelih od multiple skleroze, kao i njihova korelacija sa kliničko-demografskim obeležjima bolesti. Metodologija: Ova studija je dizajnirana kao studija preseka kod dece i aodolescenata sa dijagnozom MS. Demografske i kliničke podatke prikupili smo za 26 bolesnika, a podatke o kvalitetu života, anksioznosti, depresiji i osećaju hroničnog zamora dobili smo od 21 ispitanika uzrasta od 14 do 18 godina. U proceni kvaliteta života korišćeni su KIDSCREEN-52 upitnici za decu i roditelje. Revidirana skala za anksioznost i depresiju dece (Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale - RCADS) je korišćena da bi se procenili anksiozni i depresivni simptomi, a zamor je procenjivan primenom PedsFACIT-F upitnika za funkcionalnu procenu terapije hronične bolesti u pedijatriji (Pediatric - Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue - PedsFACIT-F). Rezultati: Svi ispitanici su imali blagi stepen neurološkog deficita, sa EDSS (Proširena skala funkcionalne onesposobljenosti) skorom u opsegu od 0 do 3,5. U poređenju sa nacionalnim podacima za zdrave adolescente, skorovi procene fizičkog funkcionisanja su bili značajno niži kod adolescenata sa MS, prema podacima dobijenim kako od samih ispitanika, tako i od njihovih roditelja. Pet (23,8%) adolescenata je imalo RCADS skor unutar kliničkog značaja...Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS), with disseminated demyelinating lesions of the CNS. Multiple sclerosis is one of the most common causes of severe disability in young adult people. Approximately 2 -5% of patients have the first symptoms of the disease before the age of 18 and in about 1% of patients the disease begins before the age of 10. Evaluation of disease severity based only on objective clinical findings is not sufficient, because it does not provide insight into the subjective experience of the symptoms of the disease and the difficulties that these patients have in everyday life. Measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) are considered to be more comprehensive in health outcome assessments than the scales assessing only the degree of neurological deficit of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate cognitive functions and HRQOL and its correlates with clinical and demographic characteristics of the disease among children and adolescents with MS. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in children and adolescents with diagnosis of MS. Demographic and clinical data were collected for 26 patients, and we received the data on quality of life, anxiety, depression and chronic fatigue from 21 subjects with MS, aged 14 to 18 years. The KIDSCREEN-52 measures for children and parents were used in HRQOL assessments. Anxiety and depressive symptoms were identified by the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS), while fatigue was assessed by the Pediatric - Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (PedsFACIT-F)..

Oxidative stress is reduced in Wistar rats exposed to smoke from tobacco and treated with specific broad-band pulse electromagnetic fields

There have been a number of attempts to reduce the oxidative radical burden of tobacco. A recently patented technology, pulse electromagnetic technology, has been shown to induce differential action of treated tobacco products versus untreated products on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo. In a 90-day respiratory toxicity study, Wistar rats were exposed to cigarette smoke from processed and unprocessed tobacco and biomarkers of oxidative stress were compared with pathohistological analysis of rat lungs. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was decreased in a dose-dependent manner to 81% in rats exposed to smoke from normal cigarettes compared to rats exposed to treated smoke or the control group. These results correspond to pathohistological analysis of rat lungs, in which those rats exposed to untreated smoke developed initial signs of emphysema, while rats exposed to treated smoke showed no pathology, as in the control group. The promise of inducing an improved health status in humans exposed to smoke from treated cigarettes merits further investigation

Estimation of photovoltaic power generation potential in Serbia based on irradiance, air temperature, and wind speed data

This study is devoted to the research of spatial-temporal variation of electricity generation from the kilowatt-peak photovoltaic system made of crystalline silicon solar cells. The research was conducted in the territory of Serbia using the model for estimation photovoltaic performances as a function of incident irradiance and module temperature. Preparation of input data and calculation of the final results was done within the geographical information system. Some of the required raster data, like solar irradiance and wind speed, were already available, while air temperature raster was created from discrete set of observed data using the regression-kriging model. Obtained results were presented in the form of raster maps that enabled further analysis and discussion about new findings. The analysis of seasonal variations reveals that during spring and summer months photovoltaic systems are producing up to 70% of total annual electricity yield. In terms of the spatial distribution, the most promising areas for electricity generation are located in the south part of Serbia and along main river valleys. In addition, discussion part addresses the issue of data imperfection caused by the accuracy of the selected model, as well as quality and availability of data series

Tehno-funkcionalne osobine izolata proteina graška

Due to high nutritive quality, good techno-functional properties and low cost, legume protein products are becoming the most appropriate alternative to protein products of animal origin. In food industries, these products are usually used as techno-functional additives which provide specific characteristics of final food products. Legume proteins are commonly used as flour, concentrates, and isolates. The greatest application on industrial scale has soy proteins, and to a lesser extent, in the past 20 years, pea protein isolates. The modest use of pea protein is partly a result of insufficient information relating to their techno-functional properties. This paper is an overview of techno-functional properties of pea proteins and their isolates. Also, the paper deals with the possible use of limited enzymatic hydrolysis as a method for the improvement of their techno-functional properties.Zahvaljujući visokoj nutritivnoj vrednosti, dobrim tehno-funkcionalnim karakteristikama i niskoj ceni, proteini leguminoza postaju najprihvatljivija alternativa za proteinske proizvode animalnog porekla. U industriji hrane ovi proizvodi najčešće se koriste kao tehno-funkcionalni aditivi kojima se obezbeđuje neka od karakteristika finalnog proizvoda. Proteini leguminoza najčešće se koriste kao proteinska brašna, koncentrati i izolati. U industrijskim razmerama najveću primenu imaju proteini soje i u znatno manjoj meri, u poslednjih 20 godina, proteinski izolati graška. Ređa upotreba proteina graška delom je posledica još uvek nedovoljno informacija o njihovim tehno-funkcionalnim karakteristikama. Ovaj rad predstavlja pregled tehno-funkcionalnih karakteristika proteina graška i njegovih izolata. Takođe, u ovom radu razmatra se i delimična proteoliza kao metod za poboljšanje tehno-funkcionalnih karakteristika proteina graška

The presence of undesirable mould species on the surface of dry sausages

Transition from manufacture to the industrial way of meat production and processing, as well as contemporary concept of food quality and safety, have led to the application of starter cultures. Their application leads towards the streamlining of the production process in the desired direction, quality improvement and its harmonization, and thereby to its standardization. Application of moulds in the meat industry is based on positive effects of their proteolytic and lipolytic egzoenzymes which, as a consequence, leads to the creation of characteristic sensory properties ('flavor') of fermented products. Penicillium nalgiovense is a typical representative of moulds used in the production of fermented sausages-salamis from our region. Samples of 'zimska salama' (dry sausage), produced with Penicillium nalgiovense, were evaluated as hygienically unacceptable. Their sensory properties changed due to contamination of this mould during the ripening process. Micological analysis discovered the presence of Penicillium aurantiogriseum, which is a frequent mould contaminant in the meat industry. At the same time, thin layer chromatography revealed no possibility of metabolic activity of this mould in the creation of mycotoxins. However, the presence of this mould on the surface of 'zimska salama' is considered as undesirable due to formation of 'off flavor' in products. Such product is considered as hygienically unacceptable and cannot be used for the human consumption

Air quality and impact on food safety

© Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. Air is an important potential source of contamination in different areas of human endeavor (medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food industry etc.). During the various technological procedures of producing and processing food, its contamination by polluting substances contained in air, such as suspended particles (physical contamination), combustion products and volatile organic substances (chemical contamination) and biological pollutants (bacteria, viruses, molds and mites) very often occurs. Although the sources of air contamination are numerous (poor construction aspects of the building, improper air conditioning and ventilation, etc.), basic and common sources are people and their activities in food production plants. The task of responsible food production is to adequately and continuously implement good production practices, and thereby, prevent potentially harmful practices, to ensure environmental health and safety for the life and work of the staff in that environment, and to create conditions for safe food production, while protecting the environment

Glutathione as a suitable biomarker in hepatopancreas, gills and muscle of three freshwater crayfish species

We determined the contents of total glutathione (tGSH), reduced glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and values of the glutathione redox index (GSH RI) in hepatopancreas, gills, and muscle of three freshwater crayfish species: noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) from the Southern Morava River, stone crayfish (Austropotamobius torrentium) from the Krajkovačka River, and spinycheek crayfish (Orconectes limosus) from the Danube River. The obtained data show strong tissue and species specifity of investigated parameters: tGSH, GSH, GSSG, and GSH RI in the hepatopancreas, gills, and muscle of the indicated crayfish species. Our work represents the first study of its kind and showed that the investigated parameters can be considered suitable biomarkers of the cellular glutathione redox status in of freshwater crayfish species.Određivan je sadržaj ukupnog glutationa (tGSH),redukovanog glutationa (GSH),oksidovanog glutationa (GSSG)i glutation redoks indeksa (GSH RI)u hepatopankreasu, škrgama i mišićima tri vrste slatkovodnih rakova: rečnog raka (Astacus astacus) iz reke Južna Morava, raka kamenjara (Austropotamobius torrentium) iz Krajkovačke reke i američkog raka (Orconecteslimosus) iz reke Dunav. Dobijeni podaci pokazuju značajnu tkivnu i specijes specifičnost ispitivanih parametara: GSH, GSSG i GSHRI u hepatopankreasu, škrgama i mišićima kod rakova. Naš rad predstavlja prvu studiju ove vrste i pokazuje da ispitivani parametri mogu biti pogodni biomarkeri ćelijskog redoks statusa glutationa kod slatkovodnih vrsta rakova.Projekat ministarstva br. 143035