Three Poems

Three Poems by Biljana D. Obradovic Update: January Appointment Postponed I’ve Been Here Before Safe in the US of

Inequality and development

Inequality can be analyzed from various aspects. In this paper our attention is drawn to economic inequality, most frequently manifested through income and wealth. The measurement of economic inequality is a complex task. The Lorenz curve and a number of numerical indices are applied, and let us mention the following ones: the Gini coefficient, the coefficient of variation, the Theil index and the Atkinson measure. These indices do satisfy the criteria (principles) presenting, according to general consent an appropriate measure of economic inequality: anonymity (symmetry) principle, population principle, relative income principle and the Dalton principle of transfer. In recent times, the problem of inequality has been attracting a lot of attention. The explanation should be sought in the widening of income differences (within individual countries and between them) and also in new knowledge about the relationship between inequality and development. The attitude to inequality being determined mainly by the economic development level (as presented in the Kuznets hypothesis) is gradually being replaced by the attitude to inequality being the determinant of income and its growth. Contrary to previous beliefs about the stronger income inequalities being favorable to the economic growth, more recent research has pointed to the fact that a more equal distribution of income through various channels, can possibly act as an efficient stimulus of growth

Problemi normativne snage i kritike agonističke participacije - ka mogućoj komplementarnosti agonističke i participativne demokratije

In this article I argue that there are grounds for considering agonistic democracy and participatory democracy complementarity in order to institutionalize agonism which has thus far lacked an elaborate articulation of its institutional dimension. The two democratic theories share a commitment toward widening the scope of the political as a way of inclusion of citizens and their subsequent political subjectivation and empowerment. Furthermore, there are authors on both sides who think democracy does not need foundations. Agonistic participation and contestation, on the one hand, and the broadening and strengthening of various sectors of political participation, on the other, both open up new possibilities for critique and change, but also create new risks. Building on a redefinition of agonisitic participation, I aim to attenuate an objection that agonism is normatively weak in terms of lacking resources to motivate citizens and justify their critique of practices of domination and oppression. The article concludes that we need to embrace agonistic participation as a means towards the development of democratic political judgement, as there are no other guarantees, i.e. secure foundations, for our ability to distinguish between democratic and non-democratic agon.U članku se tvrdi da postoje osnovi komplementarnosti agonističke demokratije i participativne demokratije u pogledu mogućnosti institucionalizacije agonizma koji dosad nije imao razrađenu institucionalnu dimenziju. Dve demokratske teorije dele težnju za širenjem političkog kao načina uključivanja građana i njihove političke subjektivizacije i osnaživanja. Takođe, ima autora na obe strane koji dele shvatanje da demokratiji nisu potrebni temelji. Agonističkom participacijom kao osporavanjem, s jedne strane, i širenjem i jačanjem različitih oblasti političke participacije, s druge, otvaraju se mogućnosti za kritiku i promenu, ali se prostor otvara i za rizike. Oslanjajući se na redefinisanu agonističku participaciju, želim da ublažim prigovor da agonizam nema normativnu snagu u smislu neposedovanja resursa za motivisanje građana i opravdanje njihove kritike praksi dominacije i ugnjetavanja. Zaključak je da je potrebno prihvatiti agonističku participaciju kao sredstvo razvijanja demokratskog političkog rasuđivanja jer nema drugih garancija, tj. nema sigurnosti temelja, koji bi nam omogućili da razlikujemo demokratski od nedemokratskog agona

Lišeni diskursa legitimacije - zazidane zemlje Centralne Evrope i politički subjektiviteti u nastajanju

In this paper I want to compare rare theoretical justifications of border walls with discourses on boundaries and walls by Central and Eastern European political actors in dealing with refugee crisis in 2015. I analyze three such discourses: consequentiality, discourse of responsibility for fair distribution of cosmopolitan duties, and nationalistic discourse. This comparison allows me to question applicability of Wendy Brown's argument that the states with waning sovereignty display symbols of force in building border walls aimed at defending fragile egos built around national and religious identities. Finally, I want to elucidate what type of political subjectivity is produced and legitimated by these acts of fortification within and around CEE 'walled' states.U ovom članku želim da uporedim retka teorijska tumačenja i opravdanja zidova na granicama sa diskursima o granicama i zidovima centralnoevropskih i istočnoevropskih političkih aktera koji se tiču izbegličke krize iz 2015. godine. Analiziram tri diskursa: konsekvencijalistički, diskurs odgovornosti za pravednu raspodelu kosmopolitskih dužnosti i nacionalistički diskurs. To poređenje treba da mi pomogne u preispitivanju primenjivosti argumenta Vendi Braun da države čiji su suvereniteti na izmaku pokazuju simbole moći i snage izgradnjom zidova koji treba da odbrane njihov krhki ego sagrađen oko nacionalnog ili religijskog identiteta. Najzad, želim da ocrtam političke subjektivitete koji bivaju proizvedeni i legitimisani činovima fortifikacije unutar i izvan zazidanih zemalja Centralne i Istočne Evrope

Assessment of Liquefaction Potential Relevant to Choice of Type and Depth of Foundations in Seismically Active Areas

There is evidence of great increase of pore pressures in saturated sand soils during cyclic loading caused by earthquakes. These increased pore pressures can often increase to effective stresses in soil. Dependant on sand density, this can lead to a total loss of shear strength, liquefaction or greater deformability of soil. Emergence of liquefaction or great deformations within soil can cause significant damage or total destruction of constructions on the ground, even when they have been correctly designed. For this reason, it is very important to perform detailed geotechnical and seismic investigations of ground conditions and evaluate liquefaction potential for saturated sand soil in seismically active terrain. It is not possible to design stable constructions in certain types of terrain without the analyses of liquefaction potential. This paper refers to the comparative cost-analyses of two possible ways of the foundations of the business complex: shallow foundations with stabilization of potentially liquefiable sand deposit using vertical gravel drains versus deep pile foundation on unliquefiable soil

Bryophyte flora of the Uvac river gorge (Southwest Serbia)

In the examined area, 165 taxa were found and identified: 139 taxa from the class Bryopsida and 26 taxa from the class Marchantiopsida. Nine species are red-listed in Serbia. Material was collected from 62 localities, which were analyzed for similarity of chorological and ecological features using the Jaccard similarity index. Analysis of floristic elements and phytogeographic distribution showed that the greatest number of taxa are temperate elements with Holarctic distribution. Results of ecological analysis showed that in regard to the substratum aspect, terricolous, basophilous, and indifferent species were dominant. In relation to the ecological parameter humidity, most species were mesophilous. The majority of identified bryophytes were sciophilous taxa.

Endokrini i metabolički profil junica holštajna i crvenog holštajna u peripartalnom periodu

The aim of this stady was to examine the relationship between triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxin (T4), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and blood serum liver function biomarkers concentrations in Holstein and Red Holstein heifers during the peripartal period. In the first experimental group (I) were heifers of Holstein Friesian breed (n=10), and in the second experimental group (II) were Red Holstein heifers (n=10). Blood samples were taken from the vena coccygea three times during the short peripartal period (5 days before delivery, at delivery and 5 days after delivery), and blood serum samples were separated after spontaneous coagulation. Blood serum T3, T4 and IGF-I concentrations were determinated using radioimmunoassay (RIA). Blood serum concentrations of glucose (G), total protein (TP), albumin, (Alb), urea, total bilirubin (tBil) and aspartate aminotrasferase (AST) were determined using commercial ELISA kits. The statistical significance between means was determined using Student t-test. Blood serum T3 concentration in Group II was significantly lower after delivery, and T4 concentration was significantly higher before delivery (p lt 0.05), compared to Group I. Mean blood serum IGF-I concentrations between the two experimental groups were not significantly different at all time intervals. Relationships between the determined hormones showed a median positive correlation between T3, and T4 (r=0.74) in Group I and highly positive correlation in Group II (r=0.81). Blood serum thyroid gland hormones and IGF-I concentrations in healthy heifers during peripartal period vary considerably, the lowest values being determined immediately after calving in both experimental groups. Blood serum G, TP, Alb and urea concentrations were significantly higher in Group I at all investigated time intervals. Blood serum tBil concentration was significantly higher after partus in Group I (11.02 ± 3.33 : 8.49 ± 3.35 μmol/L, Group I vs. II, respectively), and AST activity was not significantly different at all intervals.Cilj ovih istraživanja je bio određivanje koncentracije triijodtironina (T3), tiroksina (T4), insulinu sličnog faktora rasta-I (IGF-I) i biomarkera, pokazatelja funkcionalnog stanja jetre u krvnom serumu dva varijeteta junica Holštajn rase u peripartalnom periodu. Prvu eksperimentalnu grupu (I) činile su junice crno belog holštajna (n=10), a drugu grupu (II) junice crvenog holštajna (n=10). Krv za analize je uzimana iz repne vene, tri puta u peripartalnom periodu (5 dana pre partusa, na dan partusa i do 5 dana posle partusa), a krvni serum je odvajan nakon spontane koagulacije. U krvnom serumu je radioimunološkom metodom (RIA, INEPZemun) određivanja koncentracija trijodtironina (T3), tiroksina (T4) i insulinu sličnog faktora rasta-I (IGF-I). Koncentracija glukoze (G), ukupnih proteina (TP), albumina, (Alb), ureje, ukupnog bilirubina (tBil) i aktivnost aspartat aminotrasferaze (AST) je određivana upotrebom komercijalnih ELISA kitova. Statistička značajnost razlika srednjih vrednosti ispitivanih endokrinih i metaboličkih parametara je određena Studentovim t-testom. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju na vrlo različite koncentracije hormona štitne žlezde u krvnom serumu junica oba varijeteta holštajna pre i posle partusa. Koncentracija T3 je bila statistički značajno niža u grupi II nakon partusa, a T4 značajno viša pre partusa (p lt 0.05) u odnosu na nivo hormona u grupi I. Za prosečne vrednosti koncentracija IGF-I, između isptivanih grupa nije ustanovljena statistički značajna razlike ni u jednom od tri perioda ispitivanja. Utvrđena je srednje pozitivna korelacija između koncentracije T3 i T4 (r=0,74) u krvnom serumu junica grupe I, i vrlo visoka pozitivna korelacija u grupi II (r=0,81). Koncentracija TP, Alb i ureje bila je statistički značajno viša kod junica grupe I u sva tri perioda ispitivanja. Nivo tBil u krvnom serumu je takođe bio povišen kod junica grupe I u sva tri perioda ispitivanja, ali su statistički značajne razlike između srednjih vrednosti ustanovljene samo u periodu nakon partusa. Aktivnost AST u krvnom serumu junica oba varijeteta značajno je varirala u svim periodima ispitivanja i nisu ustanovljene statistički značajne razlike između srednjih vrednosti

Benefits of inoculation with azotobacter in the growth and production of tomato and peppers

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of Azotobacter chroococcum in tomato and pepper growth and production by using two types of inoculation - seed inoculation and seedling inoculation. The effect of inoculation was observed thirty days after sowing, thirty days after transplanting, and in the phase of technological maturity. The following were measured: height of the plants, dry matter of the plants and number and the weight of the fruits. Inoculation had a positive effect on these in both plants. With tomato, better results were achieved when seedlings were inoculated. With pepper, the length of the plant and the dry matter were greater with seedling inoculation, whereas the number and the weight of the fruits were greater with seed inoculation

Aurivillius BaBi4Ti4O15 based compounds: Structure, synthesis and properties

The discovery of some Aurivillius materials with high Curie temperature or fatigue-free character suggests possible applications in high temperature piezoelectric devices or non-volatile ferroelectric random access memories. Furthermore, increasing concerns for environmental issues have promoted the study of new lead-free piezoelectric materials. Barium bismuth titanate (BaBi4Ti4O15), an Aurivillius compound, is promising candidate to replace lead-based materials, both as lead-free ferroelectric and high temperature piezoelectric. In this review paper, we report a detailed overview of crystal structure, different synthesis methods and characteristic properties of barium bismuth titanate ferroelectric materials