Sexual Dimorphism in the Dimensions of Teeth in a Serbian Population

The study of teeth is of great interest to anthropologists, biologists, orthodontists and forensic scientists. The existence of sexual dimorphism in permanent teeth is a known phenomenon. Aim of this study was to analyze the presence of sexual dimorphism in the mesiodistal and vestibulolingual diameter of permanent teeth in the sample of Serbian population. Measurements were taken on plaster casts of 201 individuals of both sexes, ages between 18-25 years, using a digital caliper with 0.01 mm precision. The mesiodistal and vestibulolingual diameter of each permanent tooth was determined. A Student’s t-test and a Mann-Whitney U test were used to statistically analyze the obtained results. There were no statistically significant differences in the teeth crown diameter between the right and left side of the same dental arch. Majority of the teeth examined were larger in male than in female patients. Statistically significant difference in the mesiodistal diameter of male and female maxillary and mandibular canines was found. The results of this study indicate that there are significant differences in teeth size between sexes in Serbian population. Males have larger diameters in teeth crowns than females. Canines show the greatest dimorphism

Early Changes in Nitrate Uptake and Assimilation Under Drought in Relation to Transpiration

Soil drying combined with nitrogen (N) deficiency poses a grave threat to agricultural crop production. The rate at which nitrate (NO3−) is taken up depends partly on the uptake and transpiration of water. Rapid changes in nitrate assimilation, in contrast to other N forms, may serve as a component of the plant stress response to drought because nitrate assimilation may lead to changes in xylem pH. The modulation of xylem sap pH may be relevant for stomata regulation via the delivery of abscisic acid (ABA) to guard cells. In several factorial experiments, we investigated the interactions between nitrate and water availability on nitrate fate in the plant, as well as their possible implications for the early drought-stress response. We monitored the short-term response (2–6 days) of nitrate in biomass, transport to shoot and reduction in Pisum sativum, Hordeum vulgare, Vicia faba, and Nicotiana tabacum and correlated this with sap pH and transpiration rates (TRs). Cultivation on inorganic substrate ensured control over nutrient and water supply and prevented nodulation in legume species. NO3− content in biomass decreased in most of the species under drought indicating significant decline in NO3− uptake. Hordeum vulgare had the highest NO3− concentrations in all organs even under drought and low NO3− treatment. This species can likely respond much better to the combined adverse effects of low NO3− and water scarcity. Nitrate reductase activity (NRA) was reduced in both roots and leaves of water deficient (WD) plants in all species except H. vulgare, presumably due to its high NO3− contents. Further, transient reduction in NO3− availability had no effect on sap pH. Therefore, it seems unlikely that NRA shifts from shoot root leading to the supposed alkalization of sap. We also did not observe any interactive effects of NO3− and water deficiency on transpiration. Hence, as long as leaf NO3− content remains stable, NO3− availability in soil is not linked to short-term modulation of transpiration.Peer Reviewe

Comparison of Collocation Extraction Measures for Document Indexing

Automatic extraction of collocations from a corpus is a well-known problem in the field of natural language processing. It is typically carried out by employing some kind of a statistical measure that indicates whether or not two words occur together more often than by chance. As there is an aboundance of these measures proposed by various authors, we have compared some of them on a task of extracting collocations from a corpus of Croatian legal documents for the purpose of document indexing. We propose and evaluate extensions of these measures for collocations consisting of three words

Towards specific T–H relationships: FRIBAS database for better characterization of RC and URM buildings

FRIBAS database is an open access database (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6505442) composed of the characteristics of 312 buildings (71 masonry, 237 reinforced concrete and 4 mixed types). It collects and harmonizes data from different surveys performed on buildings in the Basilicata and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions (Southern and Northeastern Italy, respectively). Each building is defined by 37 parameters related to the building and foundation soil characteristics. The building and soil fundamental periods were experimentally estimated based on ambient noise measurements. FRIBAS gave us the opportunity to study the influence of the main characteristics of buildings and the soil-building interaction effect to their structural response. In this study, we have used the FRIBAS dataset to investigate how the building period varies as a function of construction materials and soil types. Our results motivate the need of going beyond a ‘one-fits-all’ numerical period–height (T–H) relationship for generic building typologies provided by seismic codes, towards specific T–H relationships that account for both soil and building typologies

IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE SUCCESSFUL SHEEP BREEDING

Qualitative traits are determined by one or more hereditary factors, and the influence of the environment on their variability is very small. In the case of traits whose hereditary basis is the result of the action of several genes, a qualitative form of inheritance also occurs. On that occasion, one or several genes appear with very clear effects, while the influence of other genes is insignificant. Breeding and selection of sheep depending on the nature of gene interaction, quantitative traits are inherited according to the type of additive, dominant and epistatic principles. Traditional methods of sheep breeding are increasingly complemented by modern selection methods-DNA analyses, in order to detect genes that influence the expression of certain production traits, or are located in the genome near the place responsible for a given trait. We will briefly discuss these problems

Pregled lekovitih biljnih taksona razdela Magnoliophyta na lokalitetu Košutnjak

This work provides a description off collected herbal types that according to their taxonomy belong to the Magnoliophyta division on the locality of Košutnjak (Belgrade). It is determined a significant diverse flora of medicinal herbs. A biological material is collected in a herbarium and it is determined by the keys for plant identification. A treatment effect of medicinal herbs is based on pharmacological active components that mostly belong to a group of secondary metabolites.U ovom radu, dat je prikaz sakupljenih biljnih vrsta, koje taksonomski pripadaju razdelu Magnoliophyta, na lokalitetu Košutnjak (Beograd). Primećen je značajan diverzitet flore lekovitih biljaka. Biološki materijal je herbarizovan i determinisan pomoću ključeva za determinaciju biljaka. Terapijsko dejstvo lekovitog bilja, zasniva se na farmakološki aktivnim sastojcima, koji uglavnom pripadaju grupi sekundarnih metabolita

Use of mineral trioxide aggregate in the treatement of traumatized teeth in children - Two case reports

Introduction. Dental injuries in immature permanent teeth often result in endodontic complications. Apexification technique using calcium hydroxide is associated with certain flaws, such as long treatment time, the possibility of tooth fracture and incomplete calcification. The use of an apical plug employing mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is an alternative treatment option. Case report. We reported the successful treatment of 4 maxillary incisors (in a 7-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl) with open apices and periapical lesions. Apical portions of the canals were filled with MTA plugs in both cases. Coronal parts of the root canals were filled with gutta-percha and sealer. Clinical findings were clear 6 months after the definite obturation with no pathological changes on the radiographs in both cases. Conclusion. The use of MTA for apical plugging appears to be a valid treatment option in traumatized immature teeth with endodontic complications

Brojnost i značaj aktinomiceta u zemljištu u fazi fiziološke zrelosti zrna kukuruza (Zea mays L.)

In this work, it is determined the number of actinomycetes, a very diverse order of microorganisms, which take part in the transformation of the soil organic matter depending on the soil type, the quantity of applied N and the way of the soil treating. The stage of physiological corn kernel maturity shows the higher number of actinomycetes in "cernozem" under the sown maize as well as a stimulating effect of nitrogen.U ovom radu, određena je brojnost aktinomiceta, veoma raznovrsne grupe mikroorganizama, koja učestvuje u transformaciji zemljišne organske materije, u zavisnosti od tipa zemljišta, količine primenjenog azotnog (N) đubriva i načina obrade zemljišta. U fazi fiziološke zrelosti zrna kukuruza, utvrđena je veća brojnost aktinomiceta u černozemu, pod usevom kukuruza, kao i stimulativni efekat azota

Comparison of the effectiveness of kick and sweep hand net and Surber net sampling techniques used for collecting aquatic macroinvertebrate samples

The objective of this work is to analyze the effectiveness of two widely used methods for collecting aquatic macroinvertebrate samples: the semiquantitative kick and sweep (K&S) and quantitative Surber net (SN) techniques. Based on our data, the methods were fully comparable as regards analysis of the macroinvertebrate metrics most often used in ecological status assessment (sensitivity/tolerance parameters), while K&S was found to be more successful in the evaluation of biodiversity. Thus, both methods could be used for routine monitoring of the status of water bodies, according to the recommendation of the EU Water Framework Directive, while for research, K&S is more advanced. K&S is also more effective timewise for material collecting. SN sampling is a quantitative method and could thus be used in studies of aquatic ecosystem productivity.Archives of Biological Sciences (2017), 69(2): 233-23

Antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of methanol extracts of two Athamanta turbith subspecies

The methanol extracts of fruits and leaves of Athamanta turbith subsp. hungarica (Borbas) Tutin (Umbelliferae) and A. turbith subsp. haynaldii (Borbas & Uechtr.) Tutin were analyzed for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Phenolic compounds (flavonoids and phenolic acids) of the extracts were examined using HPLC. All the extracts were characterized by the presence of caffeic acid derivates, luteolin and its glycosides, with luteolin 7-O-glucoside as one of the main compounds. Luteolin 7-O-rutinoside was detected only in A. turbith subsp. haynaldii extracts. Investigation of antimicrobial activity was performed against six bacteria and two fungal strains, using the agar diffusion technique and broth microdilution assay. The extracts of investigated A. turbith subspecies exerted similar antimicrobial activity, whereas the best activity was detected against Candida albicans. In order to investigate antioxidant properties, ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), radical scavenging capacity against 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical (HO.), and the effect on lipid peroxidation (LP) were examined. All the examined extracts showed moderate antioxidant capacity, whereas the fruit extracts were more active than the extracts of leaves. Also, the extracts of A. turbith subsp. hungarica exerted higher antioxidant capacity than corresponding A. turbith subsp. haynaldii extracts. The relationship between estimated activity and chemical composition of the extracts is discussed