Pattern recognition methods for classification of soils based on their radionuclide content

Multivariate data analysis methods were used to recognize and classify soils of unknown geographic origin. A total of 103 soil samples were differentiated into classes, according to regions in Serbia and Montenegro from which they were collected. Their radionuclide (226Ra, 238U, 235U, 40K, 134Cs, 137Cs, 232Th and 7 Be) activities detected by gamma-ray spectrometry were then used as the inputs in different pattern recognition methods. The prediction ability of linear discriminant analysis (LDA), k-nearest neighbours (KNN), soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA) and artificial neural network (ANN) were 82.8%, 88.6%, 60.0% and 92.1%, respectively.Physical chemistry 2006 : 8th international conference on fundamental and applied aspects of physical chemistry; Belgrade (Serbia); 26-29 September 200

Uticaj promene načina korišćenja zemljišta na strukturu livadske crnice u zapadnoj Srbiji

Changes in land use can significantly affect aggregate distribution and water stability of structural aggregates. This study was conducted in the Kolubara River Valley, Western Serbia, to determine the effects of land use changes on composition and water stability of aggregates in humus horizons (0-30 cm) of noncarbonated Gleyic Fluvisols. This study was conducted at nine sites, where each site contained two adjacent land uses of natural grassland and arable land which underwent crop rotation for >100 years. Soil samples were taken from depths of 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm for each land use. When the grassland was converted into arable land, the content of the agronomically most valuable aggregates (0.25-10 mm) of cultivated soils for a depth of 0-30 cm was significantly reduced by 22-40%, while the percentage of cloddy aggregates (>10 mm) increased by 41-68%, compared to grassland. In addition, the long-term arable soil had significantly (p lt 0.05) lower aggregate stability, determined by wet sieving, than grassland. The lowest aggregate stability was found in aggregates > 3 mm. Their content is ≈ 2.3 times lower in arable soil (12.6%) than in grassland (28.6%) at a depth of 0-10 cm. In addition, meanweight diameters of dry and wetstable aggregates and structure coefficient showed significant differences between land use at a depth of 0-30 cm. The results showed that the conversion of natural grassland to arable land in the lowland ecosystems of Western Serbia degraded aggregate distribution and stability.Istraživanja su sprovedena u dolini reke Kolubare da bi se utvrdili efekti promene načina korišćenja zemljišta na agregatni sastav i vodootpornost strukturnih agregata u humusnom horizontu (0-30 cm) beskarbonatne livadske crnice. Izabrano je devet lokacija koje su na bliskom rastojanju imale površine pod prirodnom livadskom vegetacijom i oranice koje su stvorene pre više od 100 godina razoravanjem prirodnih livada. Nakon razoravanja prirodnih livada i njihovog pretvaranja u oranice, sadržaj agronomski najpovoljnijih strukturnih agregata (prečnika 0,25-10 mm) u oranicama na dubini 0-30 cm, značajno je smanjen, za 22-40%, dok je sadržaj grudvastih agregata (>10 mm) povećan za 41-68 %, u poređenju sa livadom. Pored toga, višegodišnje oranice imaju značajno (p lt 0,05) manju vodootpornost strukturnih agregata, određenih mokrim prosejavanjem, od livada. Najmanju vodootpornost pokazali su strukturni agregati prečnika >3 mm. Takođe, prosečni maseni prečnici suvih i vodootpornih agregata i koeficijent strukture pokazali su značajne razlike između različitih načina korišćenja zemljišta na dubini 0-30 cm. Razoravanje livadskih crnica pod prirodnom livadskom vegetacijom istraženog područja i njihova višegodišnja obrada doveli su do značajnih negativnih promena agregatnog sastava i smanjenja vodootpornosti strukturnih agregata

A review of multi-objective optimization of container flow using sea and land legs together

Intermodalni transport je sistem koji podrazumeva prevoz 'od vrata do vrata' pod odgovornošću jednog prevoznika tj. operatora intermodalnog transporta, uz učešće najmanje dva vida transporta (u prevozu tereta bez promene tovarno manipulativne jedinice). Kontejnerski transport je glavna komponenta intermodalnog transporta i međunarodne trgovine. Kontejnerski transportni tok bi trebalo da bude optimalan kako bi se osiguralo pravilno korišćenje resursa i kako bi se omogućila profitabilnost korisnika. Razni višekriterijumski evolucioni algoritmi su razvijeni da efikasno reše probleme optimizacije u kontejnerskom transportu. Ovaj rad predstavlja kratak pregled problema optimizacije u intermodalnom transportu posmatrajući jedan transportni lanac u kome se transport kontejnera obavlja morem i kopnom uzimajući u obzir tri najčešće razmatrana optimizaciona kriterijuma (transportni troškovi, tranzitno vreme i emisija ugljen-dioksida).Intermodal freight transportation refers to a multi-modal chain of container-transportation services which usually links the initial shipper to the final consignee of the container (door-to-door service) and takes place over long distances. Container transportation is a major component of intermodal transportation and international commerce. Container flow should be optimal to ensure proper resource utilization and profitability to players. Various multi-objective evolutionary algorithms have been developed to efficiently solve optimization problems in container flows. This paper presents a short review of optimization problems in intermodal transport using sea and land legs together regarding three mostly observed objectives (transport cost, transit time and CO2 emissions)

A review of multi-objective optimization of container flow using sea and land legs together

Intermodalni transport je sistem koji podrazumeva prevoz 'od vrata do vrata' pod odgovornošću jednog prevoznika tj. operatora intermodalnog transporta, uz učešće najmanje dva vida transporta (u prevozu tereta bez promene tovarno manipulativne jedinice). Kontejnerski transport je glavna komponenta intermodalnog transporta i međunarodne trgovine. Kontejnerski transportni tok bi trebalo da bude optimalan kako bi se osiguralo pravilno korišćenje resursa i kako bi se omogućila profitabilnost korisnika. Razni višekriterijumski evolucioni algoritmi su razvijeni da efikasno reše probleme optimizacije u kontejnerskom transportu. Ovaj rad predstavlja kratak pregled problema optimizacije u intermodalnom transportu posmatrajući jedan transportni lanac u kome se transport kontejnera obavlja morem i kopnom uzimajući u obzir tri najčešće razmatrana optimizaciona kriterijuma (transportni troškovi, tranzitno vreme i emisija ugljen-dioksida).Intermodal freight transportation refers to a multi-modal chain of container-transportation services which usually links the initial shipper to the final consignee of the container (door-to-door service) and takes place over long distances. Container transportation is a major component of intermodal transportation and international commerce. Container flow should be optimal to ensure proper resource utilization and profitability to players. Various multi-objective evolutionary algorithms have been developed to efficiently solve optimization problems in container flows. This paper presents a short review of optimization problems in intermodal transport using sea and land legs together regarding three mostly observed objectives (transport cost, transit time and CO2 emissions)

Population doses from terrestrial gamma exposure in Serbia

Background: Terrestrial radiation emitted from naturally occurring radionuclides, such as 40K and radionuclides from the 238U and 232Th series and their decay products represent the main external source of irradiation to the human body. The purpose of this study was to provide a preliminary assessment of the doses from terrestrial exposure of population in Serbia and to estimate a potential radiation hazard for population inhabiting investigated areas. Methods: The gamma dose rates, external hazard indexes, and annual effective doses due to terrestrial naturally occurring radionuclides (238U, 232Th and 40K) were calculated based on their activities in soil samples in Serbia as determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. Results: The total absorbed gamma dose rate due to these radionuclides varied from 16.9 to 125 nGy h-1, with a mean of 62.8 nGy h-1. Assuming a 20% occupancy factor, the corresponding annual effective dose varied from 2.07 to 15.4×10-5 Sv with the mean value of 7.7×10-5 Sv, i.e. annual effective dose was in range of the world wide average values. Conclusion: According to the values of external hazard index obtained in this study (mean Hex = 0.35), the radiation hazard was insignificant for the population living in investigated areas

Uticaj različitog načina korišćenja zemljišta na infiltraciju vode u peskovito-ilovastim zemljištima

Human activity can significantly alter land cover characteristics and subsequently hydrological and other processes in river basin. The aim of this study was to determine infiltration of surface (0-30 cm) sandy loamy Fluvisol under natural meadow vegetation and adjacent Fluvisol which is used more than 10 years as the arable soil, with similar conditions of pedogenesis in the Nišava River Valley, in the vicinity of Pirot (Serbia). The other conditions of pedogenes were similar. Measurement of infiltration was performed by double cylindrical infiltrometer. Three infiltration runs were carried out for each location. The results showed that the in the arable soil compared with meadow, constant (steady state) infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration were about 699% and 447% higher, respectively. The change in soil structure caused by loosening of the plowing layer because of tillage is the main factor causing the increase in infiltration of water into the soil after conversion of natural grassland to arable soil. These results can be used in predicting surface runoff, saturated hydraulic conductivity of the surface layers and groundwater recharge, and also in the development or selection of the most efficient methods of irrigation sandy loam soils.Delatnost ljudi može znatno izmeniti osobine zemljišnog pokrivača, a zatim hidrološke i druge procese u rečnom slivu. U vezi s tim, obavljena su uporedna terenska istraživanja u cilju utvrđivanja infiltracije vode u površinskom horizontu (0-30 cm) bestrukturnog, peskovito-ilovastog, slabo humoznog distričnog fluvisola pod prirodnom livadskom vegetacijom i sličnog fluvisola koji se koristi više od 10 godina kao njivsko zemljište, u dolini reke Nišave, u okolini Pirota (Srbija). Ostali uslovi pedogeneze bili su im slični. Merenje infiltracije vršeno je pomoću duplih cilindričnih infiltrometara. Na svakoj lokaciji obavljena su po tri merenja infiltracionih karakteristika istraženih zemljišta. Rezultati su pokazali da su u obrađivanom zemljištu konstantna (ustaljena) brzina infiltracije i kumulativna infiltracija veće za oko 699%, odnosno 447% u poređenju sa prirodnom livadom. Promena građe zemljišta uzrokovana rastresanjem oraničnog horizonta pri obavljanju agrotehničkih operacija glavni je faktor koji je uzrokovao povećanje brzine infiltracije vode nakon prevođenja prirodnih livada u oranice. Rezultati ovog istraživanja mogu se koristiti u predviđanju površinskog oticanja, zasićene hidrauličke provodljivosti površinskh slojeva zemljišta i popunjavanja zaliha podzemnih voda, a takođe i u razvoju ili odabiru najefikasnijih metoda za navodnjavanje peskovito ilovastih zemljišta

CSR in the textile and clothing industry

Corporate social responsibility is becoming a concept whose various aspects are increasingly explored in the textile and clothing industry. The paper focuses on the key features of the concept, its main components and considers some problems of applying the concept in the textile industry of developing countries as well as in the developed part of the world. This text proposes the use of a qualitative methodology that limits the available definitions through an analysis determined by their frequency of use in Google Scholar

Efficiency and Capacity of Ba2+ Ions Sorption by Zeolite 4A and Natural Klinoptilolite and Influence of Competing Sr2+ Ions

Radioaktivni izotop barijuma Ba-133 (t1/2 = 10,55 god.), generisan u nuklearnim reaktorima, testiranjem nuklearnog oružja, drugim nuklearnim aktivnostima i akcidentima, dospeva u životnu sredinu atmosferskom emisijom, putem kontaminiranih voda i izluživanjem iz otpada. Uzimajući u obzir da efikasnost separacije polutanta iz vodene sredine zeolitima zavisi od niza procesnih faktora, neophodni su testovi koji osiguravaju njihovu optimalnu upotrebu u specifičnim uslovima. U ovom radu je izučavano uklanjanje jona Ba prirodnim klinoptilolitom i sintetičkim zeolitom 4A iz jednokomponentnih rastvora i dvokomponentnih smeša jona Ba i Sr, u ravnotežnim uslovima. Rezultati su pokazali da se joni Ba preferentno vezuju u odnosu na Sr nezavisno od tipa zeolita, ali su kapaciteti i efikasnost sorpcije Ba, kao i oba katjona u uslovima kompeticije, značajno veći primenom Z4A. Ukupni kapacitet sorpcije jona se povećava u dvokomponentnim sistemima, što ukazuje na učešće dodatnih aktivnih centara zeolita u prisustvu jona Sr.The radioactive barium isotope Ba-133 (t1/2 = 10.55 y), generated in nuclear reactors, nuclear weapons testing, other nuclear activities, and accidents, reaches the environment through atmospheric emission, contaminated water and leaching from waste. Considering that the efficiency of pollutant separation from aqueous media using zeolites depends on many process factors, tests are necessary to ensure their optimal use in specific conditions. This work studied the removal of Ba ions by natural clinoptilolite and synthetic zeolite 4A from one-component solutions and two-component mixtures of Ba and Sr ions, under equilibrium conditions. The results showed that Ba ions bind preferentially compared to Sr regardless of zeolite type. However, the capacity and efficiency of Ba sorption and sorption of both cations under competing conditions are significantly higher with the use of Z4A. The total ion sorption capacity increases in two-component systems, indicating the participation of additional active zeolite centers in the presence of Sr ions.XXXII Simpozijum Društva za zaštitu od zračenja Srbije i Crne Gore, 4-6. oktobar 2023; Budva, Crna GoraProceedings: [https://vinar.vin.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/11602

Uticaj režima navodnjavanja na prinos i komponente prinosa soje

This study examines the effects of different irrigation regimes on seed yield and yield components of sprinkler-irrigated soya bean [(Glycine max (L.) Merr.] under field conditions in 2006, 2007 and 2008 in Zemun Polje (Srem, Srbija). Four irrigation regimes: 80-85% (T1), 70-75% (T2), 60-65% (T3) of field capacity, and non-irrigated regime (T0) were evaluated each experimental year. The experimental design was a randomised complete block with four replications on a Calcaric Chernozem. Water stress (drought) during growing season in the non-irrigated treatment (T0) decreased plant physiological activity, vegetative growth, and productivity of soya bean. Irrigation treatments significantly (P lt 0.01) influenced soya bean seed yield and yield components. The treatment T2 produced higher seed yield than T1 and T3. Irrigation regimes had statistically significant different effects on yield components such as the plant height at harvest, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per plant, mass of pod with seeds per plant, 1,000 seed mass and hectoliter mass of soya bean seeds. Yield reduction was mainly due to a lower number of pods and seeds per plant and lower seed mass. The T1 treatment had the highest plant height of soya bean in all three growing years. The results have shown that under water scarcity, the treatment T3 is an acceptable irrigation strategy to stabilize and increase soya bean yield in Srem and neighboring countries in the region, provided that this practice is not prevented by economic constraints.U ovom radu ispituje se uticaj različitih režima navodnjavanja orošavanjem na prinos i komponente prinosa semena soje [(Glycine max (L.) Merr.] u poljskim uslovima u 2006, 2007. i 2008. godini u Zemun Polju (Srem, Srbija). Svake godine istraživana su po tri režima navodnjavanja, i to sa 80-85% (T1), 70-75% (T2), 60-65% (T3) poljskog vodnog kapaciteta i prirodni vodni režim bez navodnjavnja (T0). Ogled je izveden po metodi slučajnog blok sistema u četiri ponavljanja na karbonatnom černozemu. Deficit vode u toku vegetacionog perioda u nenavodnjavanom tretmanu (T0) smanjio je fiziološku aktivnost biljaka, vegetativni rast i produktivnost soje. Navodnjavani tretmani su vrlo značajno (P lt 0,01) uticali na prinos zrna soje i komponente prinosa. Na tretmanu T2 postignut je veći prinos semena nego na tretmanima T1 i T3. Iako je tretman T2 dobio oko 37% manje vode za navodnjavanje u poređenju sa T1, prinos soje povećan je u proseku za 11%. Navodnjavani režimi imali su statistički značajno različite uticaje na komponente prinosa kao što su visina biljaka u vreme žetve, broj mahuna i zrna po biljci, masa mahuna po biljci, masa zrna po biljci, masa 1.000 zrna i zapreminska masa zrna. Smanjenje prinosa je uglavnom posledica manjeg broja mahuna i zrna po biljci i manje mase 1.000 zrna. Tretman T1 imao je najveću visinu biljaka u sve tri godine ispitivanja. Rezultati su pokazali da je tretman T3 prihvatljiva strategija navodnjavanja za stabilizaciju i povećanje prinosa soje u Sremu i susednim zemljama regiona u uslovima ograničenih vodnih resursa, pod uslovom da ova praksa nije sprečena ekonomskim ograničenjima

Possibilities of nontoxic autonomous thyroid nodules treatment by percutaneous ethanol injection

Background/Aim. According to the current principles, autonomous functional thyroid nodules are treated by surgery or by radioiodin therapy. Ultrasound guided percutaneous ethanol injection into solid tumors of the soft tissues was a starting point in attempts to treat the thyroid nodules by the same method. The aim of the study was to assess the efficiency of percutaneous injection in treating solitary, nontoxic, autonomous thyroid nodules of up to 15 mL volume. Methods. In 25 patients with solitary nontoxic autonomous thyroid nodules diagnosed by tehnetium-99m scanning as an intensive area having a complete supremacy in the paranodal tissue, an ultrasound guided percutaneous ethanol injection was applied. The procedure was carried out repeatedly once a week until the reduction in nodule size to 50% of the initial size was achieved. Results. An average size of the nodule before curing was 9.68 ± 5.01 mL. An average quantity of the injected ethanol was 9.52 ± 5.08 mL, ie 1.06 ± 0.48 mL/mg of the tissue. The regression of the nodule size in the successfully (Δvol% u = - 57.09 ± 13.75%, p < 0.001) and partly successfully cured (Δvol du = -48.45 ± 14.35%, p < 0.05) was statistically significant compared to the size before the treatment. After ceasing ethanol injection, 18 months later, a further size regression (Δvol% = -79.20 ± 9.89%) compared to the initial one (p < 0.001) was noticed. Soon, after the procedure was finished, a statistically significant concentration increase of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) was noticed compared to the initial values (0.18 ± 0.16 vs 0.34 ± 0.31 mU/L, p < 0.01). According to the given criteria, in two female patients satisfactory results were not achieved, but, a year later, in one of them the nodule was not seen by repeated scintigram. The number and frequency of side effects were insignificant. Conclusion. Repeated percutaneous ethanol injections into nontoxic solitary autonomous thyroid nodules result in disappearing of authonomy. The regression of the nodule size of more than 50% compared to its initial volume, as well as the increase in concentration of TSH for more than 50% are the signs of a successful treatment