Complementarity of Multifunctional Agriculture and Rural Development with Rural Tourism and Possibilities for their Implementation in the Republic of Serbia

Rural economy is not strictly related to agriculture, but also includes the so-called non-agricultural income genereting activities in rural areas.. Rural areas in Serbia are characterised by spatial-geographic diversification, socio-economic devastation and relatively good ecological, cultural and historical preservation. Thus, the concept of sustainable development imposes itself as an imperative in strategic planning and is in line with the increasing demands for the development of rural tourism, because it is rural tourism provides opportunities and has the capability to connect a larger number of economic activities in rural areas. The concept of rural tourism cover two complex because it touches upon two important economic sectors: agriculture and tourism. The key question for the Republic of Serbia is determining the “gap” between the current situation and the desired objective. To this end, the paper approaches the complex problem through phases. The first step shows theoretical and methodological approach to the concept of multifunctional agriculture. Later on, the concept of rural tourism is explained with a review of the current situation, and in the end complementarity within the development of rural tourism (between agriculture and tourism) is indicated as well as the significance it would have on initiating the overall economic activities in rural areas. Expectations, based on particular countries’ experiences in the European Union, are that the application of the model of multifunctional agriculture and within it the implementation of rural tourism in areas that possess the necessary conditions, could reinforce the overall economic activities and contribute to ending the current negative trends. The state with its institutional mechanisms and development policy should play an important role in this process

Evaluation of single-cell gel electrophoresis data: Combination of variance analysis with sum of ranking differences

Specimens of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis were collected from five sites in the Boka Kotorska Bay (Adriatic Sea, Montenegro) during the period summer 2011-autumn 2012. Three types of tissue, haemolymph, digestive gland were used for assessment of DNA damage. Images of randomly selected cells were analyzed with a fluorescence microscope and image analysis by the Comet Assay IV Image-analysis system. Three parameters, viz, tail length, tail intensity and Olive tail moment were analyzed on 4200 nuclei per cell type. We observed variations in the level of DNA damage in mussels collected at different sites, as well as seasonal variations in response. Sum of ranking differences (SRD) was implemented to compare use of different types of cell and different measure of comet tail per nucleus. Numerical scales were transferred into ranks, range scaling between 0 and 1; standardization and normalization were carried out. SRD selected the best (and worst) combinations: tail moment is the best for all data treatment and for all organs; second best is tail length, and intensity ranks third (except for digestive gland). The differences were significant at the 5\% level. Whereas gills and haemolymph cells do not differ significantly, cells of the digestive gland are much more suitable to estimate genotoxicity. Variance analysis decomposed the effect of different factors on the SRD values. This unique combination has provided not only the relative importance of factors, but also an overall evaluation: the best evaluation method, the best data pre-treatment, etc., were chosen even for partially contradictory data. The rank transformation is superior to any other way of scaling, which is proven by ordering the SRD values by SRD again, and by cross validation. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Ministry of Science of Montenegro; OTKA (Hungarian Scientific - Research Foundation) {[}K112547]This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Héberger K, Kolarević S, Kračun-Kolarević M, Sunjog K, Gačić Z, Kljajić Z, Mitrić M, Vuković-Gačić B. Evaluation of single-cell gel electrophoresis data: Combination of variance analysis with sum of ranking differences. Mutat Res Toxicol Environ Mutagen. 2014;771:15–22. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mrgentox.2014.04.028

Genotoxic potential and heart rate disorders in the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to Superdispersant-25 and dispersed diesel oil

The effects of ex situ exposure of Mytilus galloprovincialis to Superdispersant-25 (S-25), diesel oil and dispersed diesel oil mixtures were studied by the impact on level of DNA damage in haemocytes (comet assay) and the cardiac activity patterns of mussels. Specimens were exposed for 72 h in a static system to diesel oil (100 mu L/L and 1 mL/L), S-25 (5 and 50 mu L/L), and dispersed diesel oil mixtures M1 (diesel oil 100 g mu L/L + S-25 5 mu L/L) and M2 (diesel oil 1 mL/L + S-25 50 mu L/L). For positive control 40 mu M CdCl2 was used. The comet assay results indicated genotoxic potential of S-25 while the effects of diesel oil alone were not observed. The highest response was detected for M1 while the effects of M2 were not detected. The heart rate disorders were recorded for the diesel oil (1 mL/L), S-25 (50 mu L/L) and both dispersed diesel oil mixtures. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Comparative assessment of cardiac activity and DNA damage in haemocytes of the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in exposure to tributyltin chloride

This study gives an insight in sensitivity of heart rate (Hr) of Mytilus galloprovincialis as a physiological biomarker. Impact of tributyltin chloride (TBT-Cl) on Hr was studied in parallel with evaluation of mutagenic, genotoxic and cytotoxic potential of TBT-Cl (10,100 and 1000 mu g/L) within 96 h treatment in static conditions. Mutagenic potential was assessed by SOS/umuC assay while genotoxicity was assessed in haemocytes of M. galloprovincialis by using the comet assay and the micronucleus test. Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) was used as a positive control. Hr variations detected in TBT-Cl treatments can be linked to data obtained in the genotoxicological assays indicating that Hr can be considered and used as a reliable physiological biomarker for detecting the presence of organotin compounds. However despite the observed genotoxic potential of B(a)P, a noteworthy Hr response was not observed which further questions the potential of Hr in the detection of different types of pollutants

Synthesis and biological activity of derivatives of the marine quinone avarone

Nine alkyl(aryl)thio derivatives of the marine sesquiterpene quinone avarone were synthesized by nucleophilic addition of thiols or thiophenol to avarone. In most cases only one regioisomer was obtained. Their cytotoxic activities, brine shrimp lethality and antibacterial activity were evaluated, as well as those of some previously synthesized avarone derivatives. Anti-HIV activity of two derivatives was tested. Electrochemical properties were determined for all the derivatives in Order to obtain more accurate information on structure-activity relationships. Most derivatives showed cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines, with IC50 values less than 10 mu M for some of them, in particular those with electron-donating substituents. The most active Compound was 4'-(methylamino)avarone, with IC50 value of 2.4 mu M to melanoma Fem-X cells, and no cytotoxicity to normal lymphocytes

MeDir-OP, a Mediterranean directory for operational oceanography developed within the MAMA Project

The Mediterranean network to Assess and upgrade the Monitoring and forecasting Activity (MAMA), a 3-year thematic network project shared by leading marine research institutions from all the Mediterranean countries, has contributed to strengthening the institutional and scientific platform for the establishment of operational oceanography in the region. A key task in the MAMA project consisted in the stocktaking of activities and identifi- cation of current capabilities in operational oceanography on a country basis with a focus on availability of technological infrastructures, human resources and funding, applica- tions and product needs. The information was collected by: 1. Country Profiles on the operations of institutes/agencies/organisations dealing with marine monitoring; national structures supporting such activities and marine affairs in general; relevance of marine sectors in the economic activities of each country 2. a structured questionnaire targeting a comprehensive inventory on the routine marine monitoring activities in the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean Directory on Operational Oceanography (MeDir-OP) presents this information through the use of a user-friendly internet-based graphical interface allowing easy viewing of the metadata according to a number of categories. Specific information sets are collated into searchable mini-databases. MeDir-OP provides the basis for assessing the needs and potentials for operational oceanography in the region. It serves as an essential step to identifying gaps in infrastruc- tures, to underpin further research and technological developments specific to the region, and to designing an observing system that meets the needs of end-users.peer-reviewe