Innovation in frastructure in Serbia

National Innovation System in Serbia (NIS) is not functional, and it should be an actuator of transition and development. NIS is shaped by past and current social, cultural, and even political factors as well as the current economic environment in Serbia. The work is a part of a wider research of the factors shaping the national innovation system. The goal of this paper is to point out who are the actuators of innovation infrastructure in Serbia, such as the activity of the participants in the organizing the infrastructure, to check whether commercial enterprises are generators and carriers of innovation activities, and to find out whether small and medium enterprises are interested in using innovation infrastructure. One of the goals of this paper is the review of innovation infrastructure concepts in Serbia and review of strategy for development of science and technology

Meshless methods in dual analysis: theoretical and implementation issues

This paper presents a meshless implementation of dual analysis for 2D linear elasticity problems. The derivation of the governing systems of equations for the discretized compatible and equilibrated models is detailed and crucial implementation issues of the proposed algorithm are discussed: (i) arising of deficiencies associated with the independent approximation field used for the imposition of the essential boundary conditions (EBC) for the two parts of the boundary sharing a corner and (ii) determination of the Lagrange multipliers functional space used to impose EBC. An attempt to implement the latter resulted in an approximation which is nothing more than the trace on the essential boundary of the domain nodal functions. The difficulties posed by such approximation are explained using the inf-sup condition.  Several examples of global (energy) and local (displacements) quantities of interest and theirs bounds determination are used to demonstrate the validity of the presented meshless approach to dual analysis. Numerical assessment of the convergence rates obtained for both models is made, for different polynomial basis degree

A Rare Clinical Case of Urachal Adenocarcinoma: Diagnostic Picture Peculiarities According to Radiological Data

The article presents the clinical observation of a patient born in 1965, who was examined and treated at the Russian Scientific Center of Roentgenoradiology for tumor of anterior bladder wall detected in May 2023 according to the results of radiation diagnostic methods (ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging). Analysis of biopsy material obtained during cystoscopy revealed a highly differentiated mucinous urachal adenocarcinoma. Based on the diagnosis of malignant neoplasm of primary urinary tract (urachus) pT3N0M0 stage II, the surgical treatment was proposed. In June 2023, the Bricker procedure was performed: laparoscopic anterior pelvic exenteration with formation of intestinal reservoir. Control examination 3 months after showed no progression of the disease. Asymptomatic development of urachal carcinoma in early stages, peculiarities of its location in pelvic cavity and propensity to metastasis, as well as the rarity of such neoplasm indicate the need for earlier and more accurate verification of the diagnosis. This clinical case demonstrates characteristic clinical and imaging features of urachal adenocarcinoma, which may help radiologists, oncologists, and urologists in making diagnosis and choosing correct treatment tactics

The history of Drosophila studies: steps in the development of genetics

Experimental genetic studies of Drosophila were initiated by T.H. Morgan in 1910, when he discovered the sex-linked white-eyed mutation, white. This discovery commenced the transformation of Mendel’s “hereditary factors” to more specific but no less enigmatic W.L. Johanssen’s “genes”. Owing to Drosophila’s biologic features, it became a universal eukaryotic model for genetic, embryological, morphological, physiological, molecular, and cellular studies. Actually, the history of discoveries done on Drosophila species reflects the course of genetics development. That was Drosophila studies to lay foundation for genetic notions of the nature of genes, genetic linkage, mitotic and meiotic chromosome segregation, mechanisms governing mutagenesis and recombination, genetic instability, mobile genetic elements, regularities and genetics of individual development, and microevolutionary processes in populations. The paper considers steps and milestones of genetics development by examples of the American and Russian genetic schools. The American genetics was characterized by “reductionism”, whereas the Russian genetics was inclined to “cosmism”, where emphasis was placed on the understanding of macroevolutionary processes. Drosophila has become a test ground to try new genetic methods, and its studies contribute much to biomedical science. The paper outlines several top priority fields in modern Drosophila studies

Oncological and Functional Results of Orthotopic Urine Derivation after Radical Cystectomy on Bladder Cancer

Purpose: To evaluate the results of radical cystectomy with orthotopic urine derivation in respect of disease recurrence, survival, as well as early and late complications and quality of life. Materials and methods: the series of 290 bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy with urine derivation during the period from 1995 to 2011 year were included in our study. The mean patient age was 58.2 (26-87) year. The calculation of the survival rates according to time periods was done using Kaplan-Meier analysis. The quality of life was assessed using modified version of scale MOS-SF-36. Results: the orthotopic urine derivation using intestine was performed in 142 patients with preoperative creatinine level <200 micromoles/l, Hb - at least, 10 g/l and normal preoperative bowel function. The different early postoperative complications were seen in 43.7% patients. The postoperative mortality rate was 4.9% during 1995-1998, 2.1% during 1999-2002, 1.4% during 2003-2006 and 0% from 2007 to 2011 years, respectively. Late complications were found in 27.4%. Local and distant recurrence rates were 7.0% and 15.5%, respectively. The 5-years overall and cancer-specific rates in patients undergoing orthotopic urine derivation was 72% and 83%, respectively. Daily continence was seen in 72.5% patients, while in 44.2% men erectile function was preserved. Summary: Orthotopic urine derivation using intestine segment can be performed in effective and safe fashion, with low complications rate and good long-term functional results

Prognostic significance of NT-proBNP and sST2 in patients with heart failure with preserved and mildly reduced ejection fraction

Aim. To study the prognostic significance of cardiobiomarkers - NT-proBNP and soluble suppression of tumorigenecity (sST2) in patients with CHF with preserved (CHFpEF) and mildly reduced EF (CHFmrEF).Material and methods. Along with a clinical examination, 207 patients (111 men and 96 women), mean age - 72.6 ± 11.4 years, underwent tests for the level of NT-proBNP and sST2 in serum. All patients were divided into 3 groups: 1 - CHFpEF (n=85), 2 - CHFmrEF (n=50); 3 (comparison group)- CHFrEF (n=72). All patients signed informed consent to participate in the study. The primary endpoint was all-cause death in 12 months. Statistical processing of the results was carried out using the Statistica 12.0 and Medcalc programs.Results. The initial values ​of NT-proBNP in patients with CHFmrEF were 691.9 [248; 1915.5] pg/ml and were significantly higher than those of CHFpEF - 445.8 [214.6; 945.7] pg/ml, but significantly lower than in CHFrEF - 1131.4 [411.5;3039.5] pg/ml, p<0.05. sST2 values ​​in group 1 (23.21 [12.17;48.7] ng/ml and group 2 (27.11 [16.98;53.76] ng/ml) did not differ, but were significantly lower than in patients with CHFrEF (44.6 [21.1; 93.5] ng/ml). After a median of 12 months 51 patients reached the primary endpoint.  All-causes mortality in patients with HFpEF was 11.8%, HFmrEF - 31.9% (p <0.05), and HFrEF – 36%. A retrospective analysis of the data showed that in patients independent of their initial ejection fraction, who survived for 12 months, the levels of NT-proBNP and sST2 were significantly lower than those of the deceased.  In survivors and deceased patients with CHFpEF the values ​​of NT-proBNP and sST2 were 443 [154;862,8] vs 1143,2 [223,9;2021,9] pg/ml (p=0.009) and 22,8 [12,3;33,8]  vs 26,8 [9,6;74,8] ng/mL (p<0.05). In survivors and deceased patients with CHFmrEF the values ​​of NT-proBNP and sST2 were 397.4 [128.9;1088.5] vs 1939.7 [441.9;2536] pg/ml (p=0.009) and 18.6 [14.9;30.27.1] vs 59.9 [53.76;84.4] ng/mL (p=0.002). There were no significant differences in NT-proBNP and sST2 values ​​in patients with cardiac and non-cardiac causes of death. sST2 parameters in deceased patients with CHFpEF (26.8 [9.6;74.8] ng/mL) and CHFmrEF (59.9 [53.76;84.4] ng/mL) also had no significant differences (p >0.05). At ROC analysis to one-year adverse events, both NT-proBNP and sST2 showed a significant predictive value in patients with EF >40% with an optimal cut-off value of 746 pg/ml (AUC 0.709; p = 0.005, sensitivity 62%, specificity 69%) and 27.1 ng/ml (AUC 0.742; p = 0.03, sensitivity 80%, specificity 75.8%) respectively.Conclusion: NT-proBNP levels >746 pg/ml and sST2 >27.1 ng/ml should be considered as predictors of poor prognosis in CHF patients with LVEF >40%

Possible evidence for electromagnons in multiferroic manganites

Magnetodielectric materials are characterized by a strong coupling of magnetic and dielectric properties and in rare cases simultaneously exhibit both, magnetic and polar order. Among other multiferroics, TbMnO3 and GdMnO3 reveal a strong magneto-dielectric (ME) coupling and as a consequence fundamentally new spin excitations exist: Electro-active magnons, or electromagnons, i. e. spin waves which can be excited by ac electric fields. Here we show that these excitations appear in the phase with an incommensurate (IC) magnetic structure of the manganese spins. In external magnetic fields this IC structure can be suppressed and the electromagnons are wiped out, thereby inducing considerable changes in the index of refraction from dc up to THz frequencies. Hence, besides adding a new creature to the zoo of fundamental excitations, the refraction index can be tuned by moderate magnetic fields, which allows the design of a new generation of optical switches and optoelectronic devices.Comment: 4 Pages, 2 figure

Neuron‐specific expression of CuZnSOD prevents the loss of muscle mass and function that occurs in homozygous CuZnSOD‐knockout mice

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154306/1/fsb2028004015.pd