EU conditionality or crisis-induced compromises: Why Serbia agreed to be Cooperative in Kosovo negotiations

Is EU conditionality most effective at times of heightened “demand” by a would-be member state

Non-EU interest groups in Brussels: explaining the lobbying success of foreign interest groups in EU energy policy

Although the number of non-EU interest groups seeking to exert political influence in Brussels has been rising, research examining factors behind their success is scarce. This thesis contributes towards filling this gap by examining the success of foreign groups in the energy policy domain. Specifically, it examines how the European Commission’s initial preferences on both - the policies under consideration as well as the involved non-EU interest groups - affect the groups’ prospects of lobbying successfully. Employing process-tracing and cross-case comparison, the thesis explores four cases of Commission proposals covering the main aspects of the EU energy policy: competitiveness, sustainability and security. The extant literature on lobbying as information exchange assumes that the Commission has strong preferences regarding outcomes, but not on policy measures generating the desired outcomes. Interest groups, in return, shape a Commission’s proposal by providing expertise on which policies will lead towards the outcomes. The thesis complements this literature by arguing that in some cases, decision-makers have strong preferences concerning both - the outcomes and means necessary to achieve them - thus making interests groups’ attempts to alter their positions less likely to succeed. However, in the absence of the Commission holding strong views on policies, there is no guarantee that an interest group will be successful. Instead, a group’s success is affected by its status within the Commission. Drawing on research on the insider/outsider status of lobbyists, the thesis finds evidence that insiders are more likely to lobby successfully than outsiders. It contributes to this strand of literature by introducing an additional criterion underpinning the insider/outsider distinction, which concern specifically non-EU interest groups. Thus, the research suggests that a foreign interest group’s prospect of lobbying successfully is affected by the Commission’s positions on policies and involved lobbyists: how strong its initial view on issues under consideration is, as well as whether it sees interest groups as “insiders” or “outsiders”

Procena trofičkog statusa akumulacije očaga (Lazarevac, Srbija) posredstvom Carlsonovog indeksa

Trofički status se može definisati kao ukupna težina živog biološkog materijala (biomase) u nekom vodenom telu na određenom lokalitetu i u određeno vreme. Trofički status nekog vodenog tela može se proceniti na osnovu merenja specifičnih parametara i predstavlja biološki odgovor na spoljašnje faktore, kao što su količina nutrijenata, sezonske promene, ispaša, mešanje vode itd. Procena trofičkog statusa jezera ili akumulacije je od velikog značaja. Postoje različiti kriterijumi za procenu trofičkog stanja jezera, kao što su: koncentracija nutrijenata, produktivnost, kvantitativni i kvalitativni sastav flore i faune, dostupnost kiseonika i morfometrija jezera. Međutim, imajući u vidu da je multiparametarski indeks nepraktičan, Carlson je predložio indekse trofičkog stanja (TSIs) koji su znatno jednostavniji za upotrebu od multiparametarskog indeksa. Ovi indeksi kao bazu za klasifikaciju trofičkih stanja koriste algalnu biomasu. U tom smislu koriste se tri parametra za izračunavanje ovih indeksa: koncentracija hlorofila a, ukupni fosfor i providnost izmerena Secchi diskom. Svaka od ove tri promenljive se može koristiti za klasifikaciju statusa vodenog tela, ali je hlorofila a najznačajniji parametar s obzirom da je direktni pokazatelj algalne biomase. Opseg Carlson-ovog trofičnog indeksa obuhvata vrednosti od 0 do 100. Vrednosti ispod 40 odgovaraju oligotrofnim, od 40 do 50 mezotrofnim, od 50 do 70 eutrofnim, a preko 70 hipereutrofnim jezerima i akumulacijama. Glavna prednost ovog indeksa je što odnos između tri parametra može ukazati na određene uslove koji vladaju u datom jezeru ili akumulaciji, a tiču se faktora koji limitiraju algalnu biomasu ili utiču na izmerene parametre. Iako određivanje trofičkog statusa vode nekog vodenog tela ne treba poistovećivati sa samim kvalitetom vode, ono, svakako, predstavlja značajan aspekt istog. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je određivanje trofičkog statusa jezera Očaga na osnovu Carlson-ovog trofičnog indeksa i ispitivanje veze između izračunatih indeksa za hlorofil a (TSI(CHL)), ukupni fosfor (TSI(TP)) i providnost merenu Secchi diskom (TSI(SD)). Veštačko jezero Očaga nalazi se u blizini Lazarevca i isključivo se koristi za rekreaciju. Ispitivanje vode rađeno je jednom nedeljno tokom jula i avgusta, od 2012. do 2014. godine. Sve analize urađene su u Zavodu za javno zdravlje iz Beograda. Vrednosti dobijenih indeksa (TSIs) varirale su od 41 do 86.25, u ispitanom periodu, a jezero je menjalo status od mezotrofnog, preko eutrofnog do hipereutrofnog, pri čemu su eutrofni uslovi preovladavali. Hipereutrofija je zabeležena tokom avgusta 2013. Godine, kada su bile izmerene i najveće vrednosti sva tri parametra, što je, verovatno, rezultat organskog opterećenja vodenog ekosistema i vremenskih uslova. Prema podacima RHMZ-a, 2013. godina je bila jedna od najtoplijih i najsušnijih godina još od 1951. godine. Nasuprot tome, u avgustu 2014. godine izmerene su najmanje vrednosti svih parametara, što ukazuje na mezotrofne uslove u jezeru te godine. Mezotrofni status jezera je, verovatno, posledica velike količine padavina u prvoj polovini te godine, ali i pražnjenja i ponovnog punjenja jezera nakon majskih poplava

Combined Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of Perk Toxicity Pathways.

In Drosophila, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress activates the protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (dPerk). dPerk can also be activated by defective mitochondria in fly models of Parkinson's disease caused by mutations in pink1 or parkin. The Perk branch of the unfolded protein response (UPR) has emerged as a major toxic process in neurodegenerative disorders causing a chronic reduction in vital proteins and neuronal death. In this study, we combined microarray analysis and quantitative proteomics analysis in adult flies overexpressing dPerk to investigate the relationship between the transcriptional and translational response to dPerk activation. We identified tribbles and Heat shock protein 22 as two novel Drosophila activating transcription factor 4 (dAtf4) regulated transcripts. Using a combined bioinformatics tool kit, we demonstrated that the activation of dPerk leads to translational repression of mitochondrial proteins associated with glutathione and nucleotide metabolism, calcium signalling and iron-sulphur cluster biosynthesis. Further efforts to enhance these translationally repressed dPerk targets might offer protection against Perk toxicity

N-Glycan profiling of lung adenocarcinoma in patients at different stages of disease

Lung adenocarcinoma (LAC) is the most common form of lung cancer that increases in non-smokers at younger age. Altered protein glycosylation is one of the hallmarks of malignancy, its role in cancer progression is still poorly understood. In this study, we report mass spectrometric (MS) analysis of N-glycans released from fresh or defrosted tissue specimens from 24 patients with LAC. Comparison of cancerous versus adjacent healthy tissues revealed substantial differences in N-glycan profiles associated with disease. The significant increase in paucimannose and high-mannose glycans with 6-9 mannose residues and decline in the sialylated complex biantenary core fucosylated glycan with composition NeuAcGal(2)GlcNAc(2)Man(3)GlcNAc(2)Fuc were general features of tumors. In addition, 42 new N-glycan compositions were detected in cancerous tissues. The prominent changes in advanced disease stages were mostly observed in core fucosylated N-glycans with additional fucose (Fuc) residue/s and enhanced branching with non-galactosylated N-acetyl-glucosamine (GlcNAc) units. Both of these monosaccharide types were linked preferably on the 6-antenna. Importantly, as compared with noncancerous tissues, a number of these significant changes were clearly detectable early on in stage I. Application of N-glycan data obtained from tissues was next assessed and validated for evaluation of small sized biopsies obtained via bronchoscopy. In summary, observed alterations and data of newly detected N-glycans expand knowledge about the glycosylation in LAC and may contribute to research in more tailored therapies. Moreover, the results demonstrate effectiveness of the presented approach for utility in rapid discrimination of cancerous from healthy lung tissues

Organic composition of Igalo bay peloid (Montenegro)

837-848Igalo peloid is known for a number of therapeutic properties (resort of healing, cosmetic or aesthetic application) and its closeness of the sea, which makes the peloid extremely valuable. So far, the organic composition of the Igalo peloid was not investigated or determined. Also, there are studies for its medical application and biological activity, which are directly related to its chemical composition. In this paper we analyzed the content of organic compounds (fatty acids, proteins, amino acids, sugars) and we also listed their main and well-known biological, pharmaceutical and medical roles and purposes. For the purpose of this study, different analytical techniques were applied to the collected peloid, including extraction, chromatographic, electrophoretic and NMR techniques

Populacioni atributi Apodemus Agrarius Pallas 1771 u fragmentiranim staništima

The aim of the study is to present the population attributes: population density, sex ratio and age groups in striped field mouse populations at small areas of fragmented habitats. During an one-year study, 108 individuals were captured: 58 females and 50 males. The highest population density was found in the spring in the agroecosystem, and the lowest in the summer in the meadow ecosystem. The highest value of the sex index was calculated for the forest ecosystem in the spring. The highest numbers in all ecosystems and in all periods of study have had specimens of the medium reproductive period, which could be explained by an active search for food, partner or shelter.Cilj rada je da prikaže populacione atribute: gustinu, odnos polova i starosne grupe u populacijama prugastog miša u fragmentiranim staništima na malim površinama. Tokom jednogodišnjeg istraživanja izlovljeno je 108 jedinki, 58 ženki i 50 mužjaka. Najveća gustina populacije konstatovana je tokom prolećnog aspektu u agroekosistemu, a najmanja tokom letnjeg u livadskom ekosistemu. Najviša vrednost seksualnog indeksa izračunata je za šumski ekosistem u prolećnom aspektu. Najveću brojnost u svim ekosistemima i svim periodima ispitivanja imale su jedinke srednjeg reproduktivnog perioda, što se može objasniti aktivnom potragom za hranom, partnerom ili skloništem

Impact of the semi-leafless field pea on dry matter yield

The field pea breeding at the Agricultural Institute Osijek has primarily been aimed at continued development of new cultivar types with high yield, potential early group maturity and resistance to lodging. Letin is a new semi-leafless -winter field pea (Pisum sativum) with purple flowers and a mottled light brown seed coat. Semi- leafless and leafed genotypes were evaluated for plant height, lodging, maturity, forage yield and quality in two locations. The forage yield of pea genotypes has an average of 32.21 t*ha-1. Higher yield was obtained from semi-leafless genotype (34.48 t*ha-1 ). The leafed genotype has achieved better nutritive characteristics. The obtained results point to a need for new tests and the possible introduction of semi- leafless cultivars in the production as a pea-cereal mixture or as pure crops to be utilized by cutting

Gamma-Glutamyltransferase and C-Reactive Protein in Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Systemic inflammation and oxidative stress are the most important features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The presence of oxidative stress in the airways of smokers, the largest population of COPD patients, is a consequence of direct inhalation of cigarette smoke and increased inflammation-related production of reactive oxygen species. On the other hand, oxidative stress appears to be the key component of many processes associated with chronic inflammation. We intend to examine whether serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) activity might be used as auxiliary markers in monitoring level of oxidative stress and inflammation in clinically stable COPD. We also investigated influence of cigarette smoking on these two systemic parameters. Catalytic activity of GGT and concentration of CRP were determined in sera of COPD patients (N=109) and in healthy controls (N=51) by using standard spectrophotometric method and immunoturbidimetric method, respectively. Concentration of CRP and activity of GGT were increased in COPD patients, as compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). We found a significant positive correlation between those two parameters in COPD patients (r=0.202, p=0.0371). Our results showed no difference in GGT activity (p=0.606) or CRP concentration (p=0.573) between groups of patients when subdivided according to the severity of the disease. Smoking did not have a significant impact on CRP and GGT values in COPD patients and healthy controls. We showed an increase of serum CRP and GGT values in COPD patients, and we suggest that serum GGT activity might also represent an inflammation/oxidative stress marker. It seems that COPD patients present higher serum CRP and GGT values than healthy subjects independently from their smoking habits

Molar-mass distribution of urea-formaldehyde resins of different degrees of polymerisation by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

This paper describes some results obtained in an investigation of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins of different degrees of polymerisation by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS). MALDI-TOF MS proved to be an appropriate technique for analyzing these types of polymers, bearing in mind that the results of the analysis correspond with previous physical and chemical measurements. This technique enables a relatively swift determination of the degree of polymerrisation through the monitoring of key changes in the structure of a polymer. Thus, in the analysis of UF resins, it may be possible to monitor a decrease in the intensity of the monohydroxymethyl urea (MMU) signal, which corresponds to an increase of the mass spectra values in the mass range of higher homologues, above 1000 g mol(-1). A noticeable difference concerns the signal intensities in the higher mass ranges (up to 1400 g mol(-1)), which corresponds to more branched and longer homologues of the polymers. Especially, a significantly more intensive signal of MMU was registered. The average molecular weight (MW) of the examined samples was between 936 and 1324 g mol(-1), with a maximal deviation of 20 %, depending on the ratios of the reactants