Neurocognitive mechanisms for processing inflectional and derivational complexity in English

In the current paper we discuss the mechanisms that underlie the processing of inflectional and derivational complexity in English. We address this issue from a neurocognitive perspective and present evidence from a new fMRI study that the two types of morphological complexity engage the language processing network in different ways. The processing of inflectional complexity selectively activates a left-lateralised frontotemporal system, specialised for combinatorial grammatical computations, while derivational complexity primarily engages a distributed bilateral system, argued to support whole-word, stem based lexical access. We discuss the implications of our findings for theories of the processing and representation of morphologically complex words

SOME ISSUES OF PROCESSING TAX FRAUD IN CRIMINAL LEGISLATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

Tax fraud, the most serious type of tax evasion, is the most frequently committed crime against the economy, both in the context of individual and organized crime. Given that it causes significant damage to the state budget, it occupies a significant place in the substantive and procedural legislative framework. The authors critically analyze tax fraud within the framework of the latest positive legal solutions. Lowering limit of criminal tax evasion opens certain issues of substantive and procedural nature. In addition, the link between tax fraud and corruption necessitates the inclusion of the aforementioned crime in the scope of work of special anti-corruption departments. In the case of high corruption, tax fraud is expected to be treated equally as existing and newly introduced crimes against the economy, which The Republic of Serbia has not bypassed in the National Anti-Corruption Strategy. The paper covers some of the issues of tax fraud processing and in accordance with that, proposals are presented de lege ferenda in the direction of overcoming possible difficulties in practice

TAX CRIMINAL OFFENSES AS A HIGH DEGREE OF THREAT FOR MONEY LOUNDERING

The need to live in a community requires the provision of funds to finance the costs of that community, and taxation is considered legitimate. Because economic power is captured, as disposable income is reduced, taxation can trigger different taxpayer resistance modalities. Often, taxpayers intentionally and deliberately undertake certain activities that are in breach of tax regulations in order to reduce or completely default on their tax liability. Incriminating the most serious forms of illegal behavior of taxpayers as tax crimes is aimed at providing criminal protection of the fiscal system of the state. Against a wide range of highly profitable criminal activities, tax crimes are the focus of this work, because they directly affect the economic as well as national security of the state. The paper points the international and national criminal framework for combating money laundering as a form of organized crime. The authors has been analyzed and investigated case law in relation to reported money laundering offenses, court proceedings initiated (indictments) and convictions issued in the last five years. The jurisprudence testifies to the increasing frequency of committing this category of offenses, as well as to the extremely high profits generated by them. The profits gained in this way can be a source of "dirty money", but proving its origin in practice is difficult. An aggravating circumstance occurs when the illicitly acquired profits are integrated into legal cash flows. Difficulties of this kind can be avoided by closer and continuous cooperation between the judiciary and other competent authorities, which would result in an examination of the origin of money at the initial, investment stage when proof and prosecution are in some way feasible

Trajectory-based interpretation of laser light diffraction by a sharp edge

In the diffraction pattern produced by a half-plane sharp edge when it obstructs the passage of a laser beam, two characteristic regions are noticeable. There is a central region, where it can be noticed the diffraction of laser light in the region of geometric shadow, while intensity oscillations are observed in the non-obstructed area. On both sides of the edge, there are also very long light traces along the normal to the edge of the obstacle. The theoretical explanation to this phenomenon is based on the Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction theory applied to the Gaussian beam propagation behind the obstacle. Here we have supplemented this explanation by considering electromagnetic flow lines, which provide a more complete interpretation of the phenomenon in terms of electric and magnetic fields and flux lines, and that can be related, at the same time, with average photon paths.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

Phenolic Composition, Antioxidant, Anti-Enzymatic, Antimicrobial and Prebiotic Properties of Prunus spinosa L. Fruits

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.) fruit is bluish-black wild fruit traditionally used in nutrition and medicine. It is recently gaining attention as a functional food and an underutilized source of bioactive compounds for application in the food and pharmaceutical industry. This study aimed to assess the health-promoting potential of blackthorn fruits from Serbia by examining their chemical composition and in vitro biological activities. Phytochemical analysis of the blackthorn fruit extracts was performed using LC-DAD-ESI-MS. The total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoid (TFC), total anthocyanin (TAC) content, antioxidant capacity, and enzyme inhibitory activities were determined spectrophotometrically. The antimicrobial and prebiotic properties were tested using the broth microdilution method. Twenty-seven phenolics belonging to the classes of hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids derivatives, flavonoids, and anthocyanins were identified, with caffeoylquinic acid as the most abundant compound. Blackthorn extracts were characterized by notable TPCs, TFCs, and TACs, and free radical scavenging and reducing ability. The enzyme inhibitory effects (IC50 = 0.43–2.16 mg/mL) were observed towards α-amylase, α-glucosidase, acetylcholinesterase, and tyrosinase. Blackthorn fruit extracts in a concentration-dependent manner (0.3–5 mg/mL) stimulated the growth of several probiotic microorganisms and their mixtures, especially the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. Obtained results support further evaluation of the functional food potential of blackthorn fruit

Coherent Beam Splitting by a Thin Grating

The wide use of beam splitters in quantum interferometry, attosecond metrology, modern quantum information processing, foundations of quantum mechanics, has been based on coherence of beams emerging from a beam splitter. Here we further develop the approach in which a beam splitter is regarded as a transformer of an incident wave field (photon field or matter wave field) into a field which has narrow maxima at the points along and in close vicinity of two or more particular lines. This description was derived by considering a thin grating as a model of a beam splitter for photons, atoms and molecules. It is applied to answer some questions raised in the discussions on the interpretation of wave particle duality

Ispitivanje kvaliteta i antimikrobne aktivnosti gajenog nevena, Calendula officinalis L.

Introduction: Marigold flower, Calendula officinalis L, Asteraceae, is traditionally used to treat skin diseases. Marigold flowers contain triterpenoid saponins, carotenoids, flavonoids and essential oil. Extracts and essential oil exhibit anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate quality of cultivated Calendulae flos, to compare flavonoids content in inflorescence and ligulate florets and to determine antimicrobial activity of extract and traditional ointment based on marigold. Material and Methods: Plant material was collected from private gardens in Kikinda, Mokrin and Vrnjacka Banja during September and November 2015. Quality investigation included: macroscopic and microscopic analysis and determination of the specific quality according to the monograph of European Pharmacopoeia 7.0. The identification of flavonoids was carried out by HPLC. Antimicrobial activity of ethanol extracts (1:20) and traditional ointment based on ligulate florets or whole inflorescences was tested against six standard laboratory strains by agar-diffusion method. Results: Macroscopic and microscopic characteristics and content of flavonoids (2.0-2.76%) in the ligulate florets of cultivated marigold corresponded to the requirements of Ph. Eur. 7.0. Separated ligulate florets (2.76 ± 0.01%) contained a higher concentration of flavonoids than whole inflorescence (1.68 ± 0.0%). Also, in ligulate florets differences were found in the flavonoids content during September (2.76 ± 0.01%) and November (1.45 ± 0.01%), while in whole inflorescences concentration didn't significantly change. In all tested samples 3-O-heterosides of quercetin and isorhamnetin were identified. The ethanol extracts of ligulate florets, whole inflorescence as well as traditional ointments showed the antimicrobial activity. The traditional ointment based on ligulate florets showed stronger antimicrobial effect than the ointment based on full inflorescences. Conclusion: Quality investigation showed that cultivated marigold flowers meet the requirements of Ph. Eur. 7.0. Ligulate florets contained more flavonoids than whole inflorescences. Extracts and traditional ointment based on ligulate florets showed antimicrobial activity, which confirmed long-term use of marigold.Uvod: Cvast nevena, Calendula officinalis L., Asteraceae, tradicionalno se koristi za lečenje kožnih bolesti. Cvast nevena sadrži triterpenske saponine, karotenoide, flavonoide i etarsko ulje. Ekstrakti i etarsko ulje cvasti nevena pokazuju antiinflamatornu, antioksidantnu i antimikrobnu aktivnost. Cilj rada: Cilj rada je bio ispitivanje kvaliteta cvasti gajenog nevena, Calendulae flos, upoređivanje sadržaja flavonoida u cvasti i jezičastim cvetovima, kao i utvrđivanje antimikrobne aktivnosti ekstrakata i tradicionalne masti na bazi nevena. Materijal i metode: Biljni materijal je prikupljen iz privatnih bašti u Kikindi, Mokrinu i Vrnjačkoj Banji tokom septembra i novembra 2015. godine. Ispitivanje kvaliteta je obuhvatalo makroskopsku i mikroskopsku analizu i određivanje specifičnog kvaliteta prema monografiji Evropske farmakopeje 7.0. Identifikacija flavonoida je izvršena metodom tečne hromatografije pod visokim pritiskom (HPLC). Antimikrobna aktivnost etanolnih ekstrakata (1:20) i tradicionalnih masti na bazi jezičastih cvetova ili celih cvasti ispitivana je na šest standardnih laboratorijskih sojeva agar-difuzionim matodom. Rezultati: Makroskopske i mikroskopske karakteristike i sadržaj flavonoida (2,0-2,76%) u jezičastim cvetovima gajenog nevena odgovarali su zahtevima propisanom u Ph.Eur. 7.0. Izdvojeni jezičasti cvetovi (2,76 ± 0,01%) sadržali su veću koncentraciju flavonoida od celih cvasti (1,68 ± 0,0%). U jezičastim cvetovima su uočene i razlike u sadržaju flavonoida tokom septembra (2,76 ± 0,01%) i novembra (1,45 ± 0,01%), dok se u celim cvetovima koncentracija nije značajno menjala. U svim ispitivanim uzorcima identifikovani su 3-O-heterozidi kvarcetina i izoramnetina. Antimikrobno delovanje su pokazali etanolni ekstrakti jezičastih i celih cvetova, kao i tradicionalne masti. Tradicionalna mast na bazi jezičastih cvetova pokazala je izraženiji antimikrobni efekat od masti na bazi celih cvasti. Zaključak: Ispitivanje kvaliteta je pokazalo da cvast gajenog nevena odgovara zahtevima Ph.Eur.7.0. Jezičasti cvetovi su sadržali više flavonoida od celih cvasti nevena. Ekstrakti i tradicionalna mast na bazi jezičastih cvetova pokazali su antimikrobnu aktivnost, što potvrđuje dugogodišnju upotrebu nevena

Chemical characterization, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of goji berries cultivated in serbia

Since the fruits of Lycium L. species (Fructus lycii, goji berries) are promoted as a “superfood” with plenty of health benefits, there is extensive research interest in their nutritional and phytochemical composition. In the present study, the nutritional value, minerals, fatty acid composition, and bioactive compounds of L. barbarum L., red, yellow, and black goji berry (L. ruthenicum Murray.) cultivated in Serbia were investigated. Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of their methanol extracts were assessed. Red goji berry had the highest content of fats, dietary fiber, iron, total carotenoids, and 2-O- -d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2 G). The yellow goji berry extract showed the highest level of flavonoids and the most prominent antimicrobial (especially against Gram-negative bacteria) properties. The highest total phenolic content and the most potent antioxidant activity were observed for the extract of black goji berry. Therefore, all goji berries could be a valuable source of bioactive compounds in the food and pharmaceutical industry

Bohmian-Based Approach to Gauss-Maxwell Beams

Usual Gaussian beams are particular scalar solutions to the paraxial Helmholtz equation, which neglect the vector nature of light. In order to overcome this inconvenience, Simon et al. (J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 1986, 3, 536–540) found a paraxial solution to Maxwell’s equation in vacuum, which includes polarization in a natural way, though still preserving the spatial Gaussianity of the beams. In this regard, it seems that these solutions, known as Gauss-Maxwell beams, are particularly appropriate and a natural tool in optical problems dealing with Gaussian beams acted or manipulated by polarizers. In this work, inspired in the Bohmian picture of quantum mechanics, a hydrodynamic-type extension of such a formulation is provided and discussed, complementing the notion of electromagnetic field with that of (electromagnetic) flow or streamline. In this regard, the method proposed has the advantage that the rays obtained from it render a bona fide description of the spatial distribution of electromagnetic energy, since they are in compliance with the local space changes undergone by the time-averaged Poynting vector. This feature confers the approach a potential interest in the analysis and description of single-photon experiments, because of the direct connection between these rays and the average flow exhibited by swarms of identical photons (regardless of the particular motion, if any, that these entities might have), at least in the case of Gaussian input beams. In order to illustrate the approach, here it is applied to two common scenarios, namely the diffraction undergone by a single Gauss-Maxwell beam and the interference produced by a coherent superposition of two of such beams