High Inflation, Hyperinflation and Explosive Roots: The Case of Yugoslavia

The focus is on ’explosive root VAR’ modelling of money, prices, wages, and exchange rates applied to the Jugoslav high inflation/hyperinflation transition period from a centrally planned economy to a more market oriented economy. The I(2) model, which has previously been used to estimate the Cagan model for hyperinflation, is shown to yield incorrect inference when there are explosive roots in the data. The paper develops an econometric framework for the empirical analysis of hyperinflationary episodes and illustrates the importance of exploiting the system dynamics of all the variables in the system for a full understanding of the hyperinflationary mechanisms. The empirical results suggest that excessive nominal wage claims, inflationary expectations and the rate of currency depreciation were the main causes to the Yugoslav hyperinflation rather than the financing of government debt by money printing.Explosive roots; Hyperinflation; Polynomial Cointegration; Transition Economies

Patient-controlled intravenous morphine analgesia combined with transcranial direct current stimulation for post-thoracotomy pain: A cost-effectiveness study and a feasibility for its future implementation

This prospective randomized study aims to evaluate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of combining transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) with patient controlled intravenous morphine analgesia (PCA-IV) as part of multimodal analgesia after thoracotomy. Patients assigned to the active treatment group (a-tDCS

The ability to use sugars and sugar substitutes as prebiotics by Serbian autochthonous lactic acid bacteria

The purpose of this study was the investigation of the growth ability of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), isolated from traditionally made cheese from Southeastern Serbia, in the presence of different percent of sugars and sugar substitutes (fructose, lactose, inulin, and mannitol). Dextrose was included for comparative purposes. The results indicated that fructose and lactose stimulated the growth of Lactobacillus strains, with exceptions of Lactobacillus plantarum KGPMF62 and Lb. plantarum LP 299v. Lactose showed similar effects like dextrose on the growth of Lactococcus strains, while higher growth rates of Enterococcus hirae KGPMF9, E. durans KGPMF10, E. faecium KGPMF14, and E. faecalis KGPMF47 were observed for lactose and mannitol. The results indicated the potential use of tested sugars and sugar substitutes as prebiotic compounds for the development of symbiotics with tested LAB, in medical or food industry.Publishe

Quality assessment, antimicrobial activity organic sunflower honey and use of Maldi-tof mass spectrometry for the identification bacteria isolated from honey

The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical parameters of quality, microbiological safety and antimicrobial potential of four samples of organic sunflower honey from the Banat area (northeastern Serbia). Humidity, ash, pH, free acidity, electrical conductivity, hydroxymethylfurfural content, sugar content and diastase activity were measured. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, coliforms, aerobic endospores, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and a good number of molds and yeasts. The isolate identification was carried out using Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The antimicrobial effect of organic sunflower honey was investigated on five ATCC strains of bacteria: Staphilococcus aureus ATCC 29213; Escherichia coli ATCC 25922; Salmonella enterica ATCC 10708; Yersinia enterocolitica ATCC 23715; and Bacillus subtilis ATCC 23857. The results of the study showed that all honey samples meet international quality standards for all physicochemical parameters. Microbiological analysis of Sunflower honey confirmed the total bacterial counts for all samples ranged from1.80 to 1.85 x10-2cfu/g-1, whereby no presence Clostridium spp., coliform bacteria, as well as molds was detected. Investigation of the antimicrobial activity of honey samples revealed that all bacteria showed clear zones of inhibition in honey concentrations of 40-100%, which is a satisfactory result for flower honey

In vitro evaluation of antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of Oleum Hyperici: An original product from Goč Mountain (Serbia)

This study observed the preliminary investigation of Oleum Hyperici, an original product made from Hypericum perforatum flowers, collected from Goč Mountain (Serbia). Some of the chemical properties (pH, the content of metals and metalloids - As, Cr, Pb, Cd, Ni, Hg) and the microbiological safety of the product including the total count of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, coagulase positive staphylococci, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus sp., as well as fungi: molds and yeasts) were evaluated. Antimicrobial activity of H. perforatum oil against 18 species of bacteria was determined using the disc diffusion and microdilution methods, by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The antibiofilm activity of Oleum Hyperici was evaluated using the biofilm formation assay. The results indicated that oil did not contain potentially pathogenic microorganisms. Oleum Hyperici product showed the antimicrobial activity on the most of tested bacteria (inhibition zone was in a range from 14 - 24 mm), except on Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 70063, K. pneumoniae, E. coli ATCC 25922, P. mirabilis, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 and B. subtilis IP 5832. According to the obtained results, tested bacteria (planktonic and biofilm form) showed sensitivity up to 10-2 dilution of Oleum Hyperici. Based on the obtained preliminary results, it could be concluded that Oleum Hyperici can be used in traditional medicine for development control of some potential human pathogens.Publishe

Comparison of the Intensity of Postoperative Pain Between Open and Laparoscopic Access of Ventral Hernioplasty with IPOM (Intraperitoneal Onlay Mesh) Technique

Introduction: Despite the numerous advantages of laparoscopic ventral hernioplasty over the open access hernioplasty, described in the literature, the general clinical experience is that patients have severe pain in the first few days, hence early postoperative pain is a challenge in this procedure.The aim of this study was to compare early postoperative pain and whether there was statistically significant difference in the intensity of postoperative pain among patients operated with open and laparoscopic approach with IPOM hernioplasty during resting and activity.Material and methods: A randomized, prospective, comparative study was performed on 63 patients who met the inclusion criteria, operated with the IPOM technique and divided into two groups: open access in 32 patients and laparoscopic approach in 31 patients. In both groups, postoperative pain was compared at eight time intervals during rest and activity, quantified using VAS. The statistical processing and analysis of the data was done in the statistical programme SPSS version 23.0.Results: The results of the study showed that at rest and activity, patients in both groups had significantly different pain intensities on the day of the intervention, the first and second day after the intervention (p<0.0001). At these time points, the intensity of pain was significantly stronger in patients undergoing laparosopic hernioplasty. On the third and seventh postoperative days, as well as one and six months after the intervention, there was no significant difference in pain intensity between the two methods during rest and activity.Discussion: The general clinical experience confirmed in our study is that patients after laparoscopic ventral hernioplasty suffer from severe pain in the early postoperative period and it is the biggest challenge and problem after these operations. The explanation is that it is the result of transfascial sutures for mesh fixation in both groups and additionally multiple lesions of the parietal peritoneum in the laparoscopic method due to the numerous fixations of the mesh with tackers. Future research should focus on developing new non-traumatic methods for mesh fixation (Fibrin Glue) and studies that will analyse in detail the impact of postoperative pain on quality of life. Keywords: Laparoscopic IPOM technique, open IPOM technique, absorbable tackers, transfascial sutures, postoperative pain. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/80-08 Publication date:September 30th 2020

Broth depending production of extracellular enzymes by enterobacteria isolated from dairy food (Serbian cheese)

In this paper, we investigated, for the first time, the enzyme activity of enterobacteria from cheese from Southeastern Serbia (Sokobanja), which was produced in a traditional way. The tested bacteria were selected from the spring, summer, and autumn collections and grown in two different broths. The enzyme activity was investigated in the two broths and measured using spectrophotometry method. It was concluded that there were differences in the amount of extracellular enzymes depending on the broths. A statistically significant rise in the amount of enzymes was demonstrated in Tripton soy broth. Bacteria in cheese do not possess the ability to produce extracellular enzymes in large amounts. Therefore, they do not change the organoleptic characteristics of the cheese. There is a possibility that if they are found outside their natural environment (cheese), without interactions with antagonists, they may exhibit stronger enzyme activity.Publishe

Detection of enzymes produced by lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditionally made Serbian cheese and their role in the formation of its specific flavor

Nine species (sixteen isolates) of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from traditionally made Serbian cheese were evaluated for their enzymatic activities in order to select indigenous strains of technical interest for the manufacture of cheese. These strains were selected based on their previously determined biochemical and physiological characteristics, as well as their antimicrobial activity, and were identified as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (one isolate), Lc. lactis subsp. lactis biovar. diacetylactis (five isolates), Lactobacillus fermentum (two isolates), Lb. plantarum (one isolate), Lb. brevis (one isolate), Enterococcus faecalis (three isolates), E. faecium (one isolate), E. durans (one isolate) and E. hirae (one isolate). The enzymatic activities (acid and alkaline invertases, alkaline phosphatase, alkaline protease, a-amylase) were measured by using the spectrophotometric method. The results indicated that all Lactobacillus isolates showed protease, amylase, and alkaline phosphatase activities, while the activities of acid and alkaline invertases were not observed. The Lactococcus isolates showed protease, acid invertase and alkaline phosphatase activities, except the KGPMF50 isolate, which showed no alkaline phosphatase activity. The tested Enterococcus isolates showed weakly and strain-specific enzymatic activity. The results indicated that the enzymes produced by the investigated strains have a role in the formation of the specific flavor of cheese and that these isolates, especially Lactobacillus isolates, showed the potential for use in the dairy industry or applied biotechnology.Publishe

The influence of environmental factors on the planktonic growth and biofilm formation of Escherichia coli

In this study, the effects of environmental factors (different media, temperature, pH, salt and sugar concentrations) on the planktonic growth, biofilm formation and formed biofilm of Escherichia coli KGPMF 16 and Escherichia coli KGPMF 17 were investigated. Tested bacteria were isolated from traditionally made cheese produced in Southeastern Serbia (Sokobanja region). The influence on planktonic growth, biofilm formation and formed biofilm was determined using spectrophotometric method. The limiting factors for the planktonic growth and biofilm formation were temperature of 4 °C and all tested concentrations of salt. The growth of tested bacteria was higher in media enriched with lactose than in media containing glucose. TSB was more congenial media to the planktonic growth of bacteria than MHB broth. None of the tested bacteria demonstrated the ability to form biofilm at 4 °C and 44 °C. Only E. coli KGPMF 17 showed ability to form biofilm in TSB at 37 °C. Different concentrations of salt, glucose and lactose exhibited inhibitory effect on biofilm formation, but all tested concentrations of lactose showed stimulating effect on formed biofilm of E. coli KGPMF 17. These results contribute to better understanding of the effects of environmental factors on the development of E. coli in cheese.Publishe