Microwave-assisted transformation of natural and synthetic carboxylic acids and their derivatives

Predviđena istraživanja u ovoj doktorskoj disertaciji su usmerena u pravcu  modifikacije klasičnih metoda i postupaka za transformaciju karboksilne grupe  prirodnih i sintetičkih karboksilnih kiselina. Modifikacije su rađene novim,  savremenim, ekonomski i ekološki opravdanim metodama rada u  mikrotalasnom reaktoru. Modifikovanim sintetskim postupcima u  mikrotalasnom reaktoru urađena je sinteza amida, hidroksamskih  derivata,  kao i redukcija individualnih naftnih kiselina i  smeše  prirodnih naftnih kiselina  „Velebit“ do alkohola. Prirodne naftne kiseline korišćene u ovom radu su prvo  izolovane iz gasne frakcije (interval destilacije 168-290 °C) vojvođanske nafte  „Velebit“ a potom prečišćene i razdvojene na uže frakcije na osnovu različite  kiselosti. Nakon toga, izvršena je njihova karakterizacija GC-MS-EI analizom  (čime je potvrđeno da dolazi do strukturne diferencijacije kiselina). U radu je  takođe ispitana biološka aktivnost sintetizovanih derivata. Proučavan je uticaj  prirodnih naftnih kiselina „Velebit“ i njenih derivata na rast  pet sojeva  Pseudomonas sp., kao i uticaj odabranih sintetisanih jedinjenja na proliferaciju  četiri ćelijske linije humanih tumora pri čemu je kao kontrola služila jedna  zdrava humana ćelijska linija.The investigation of this doctoral dissertation is directed toward the modification of the  transformation of the carboxylic group of natural and synthetic carboxylic acids. The dissertation takes into consideration the classical methods and procedures of the reaction and modifies them using microwave reactor. The synthesis of amides, hydroxamic derivatives, as well as the reduction  of individual petroleum acids and acid mixtures of natural oil "Velebit" to alcohol were achieved  by the modifications made to the synthetic methods in the microwave reactor. The natural oil acids used within this study were first isolated from the gas fraction (distillation interval 168-290 °C) of the Vojvodina's crude oil "Velebit", and then purified and separated by the narrow fractions under the different acidity. After that, their characterisation was made by the GC-MS-EI analysis which confirmed that the structural differentiation of   acids had been achieved. Also, the biological activity of the synthesized derivatives are analysed. The impact of natural petroleum acids "Velebit" and its derivatives on the growth of five strains of  Pseudomonas  sp. was studied, as well as the impact of selected synthesized compounds on the proliferation of four human tumor cell lines wherein one healthy human cell lines used as the control

Teritorijalna ili kulturna autonomija za nacionalne manjine? Studija slučaja Republika Srbija

Činjenica je da u mnogim demokratskim državama teritorija predstavlja važan aspekt očuvanja manjinske autonomije. Međutim, u ovom radu želimo izneti i odbraniti pretpostavku da se manjinska prava i nivo manjinske samouprave mogu povećati i unaprediti i putem institucija koje ne moraju nužno sadržati teritorijalnu komponentu. Tvrdimo da je institucije vezane za poboljšanje prava i društveno-političkog položaja nacionalnih manjina korisnije zasnovati na institucionalnim modelima kulturne autonomije, odnosno neteritorijalnim modelima upravljanja, kao i na principu slobodnog udruživanja pojedinaca u cilju delegiranja političke moći i procesa donošenja odluka na manjinsko stanovništvo. Ovu tvrdnju iznećemo u tri koraka, gde prvi korak podrazumeva iznošenje teorijske argumentacije koja oslikava razloge zbog kojih modeli kulturne autonomije pružaju-u odnosu na modele teritorijalne autonomije-potpuniji institucionalni okvir za manjinsku upravu i za integraciju nacionalnih manjina u odnosu na modele teritorijalne autonomije. Drugi korak teži da empirijski ispita ovu tvrdnju na studiji slučaja Republike Srbije, države koja primenjuje i teritorijalni i kulturni model autonomije, što je čini savršenim primerom za uporednu analizu dva modela. Treći korak podrazumeva objedinjavanje teorijskog okvira i empirijskih pronalazaka radi predlaganja najoptimalnijeg modela neteritorijalne kulturne autonomije za samoupravu nacionalnih manjina u Republici Srbiji

Fractionation of complex mixtures of naphthenic acids, their characterization and biological activity

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are complex mixtures of cycloaliphatic and alkyl-substituted acyclic carboxylic acids whose overall characteristics are determined by the composition of the mixture. A complex mixture of NAs from a commercial fraction of atmospheric oil of the Vojvodina naphthenic crude "Velebit" (Serbia) was separated into narrower fractions on the basis of their acidity. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry analysis of the fractions showed the occurrence of structural differentiation of acids. By extraction at pH 3-5, about 50% of the total mass of acids was separated, consisting predominantly of tricyclic and bicyclic structures. Acids of lower acidity, (about 22%), separated at pH 9 and 10, and their dominant constituents were acids with three, four and five rings. A correlation was found between the dominant structure and the biological activity of NAs of the fractions. The fraction extracted at pH 8, also with dominant bicyclic and tricyclic structures, showed the highest auxin and gibberellin activities

HOUSING AND HEALTH

Prikazani su pojedini učinci stanovanja na zdravlje. Posebno su obrađeni biološki, fizikalni i kemijski agensi koji mogu utjecati na pojavu bolesnih stanja u svezi sa stanovanjem. Analizirani su pojedini problemi koji se mogu očekivati u zgradarstvu u svezi sa zdravljem, te je dan kratki prikaz pojedinih bolesti koje se etiološki povezuju sa stanovanjem. Osim toga, opisan je i psihosocijalni aspekt učinka stanovanja. Ističe se da je utjecaj stanovanja na zdravlje multifaktorijalan fenomen koji zahtijeva interdisciplinaran i holistički pristup kako u medicini, tako i u zgradarstvu.SUMMARY: Effects of housing on health have been presented. Biological, physical and chemical agents have been studied which may cause health disorders and conditions related to accommodation. Health problems expected in residential buildings have been analyzed, and a short overview of illnesses etiologically related to housing is given. In addition, the psychosocial aspect of the effects of accommodation has been studied. The emphasis is on the fact that the effect of accommodation on health is a multi-factor phenomenon requiring an interdisciplinary and holistic approach, both in medicine and in residential building construction

HOUSING AND HEALTH

Prikazani su pojedini učinci stanovanja na zdravlje. Posebno su obrađeni biološki, fizikalni i kemijski agensi koji mogu utjecati na pojavu bolesnih stanja u svezi sa stanovanjem. Analizirani su pojedini problemi koji se mogu očekivati u zgradarstvu u svezi sa zdravljem, te je dan kratki prikaz pojedinih bolesti koje se etiološki povezuju sa stanovanjem. Osim toga, opisan je i psihosocijalni aspekt učinka stanovanja. Ističe se da je utjecaj stanovanja na zdravlje multifaktorijalan fenomen koji zahtijeva interdisciplinaran i holistički pristup kako u medicini, tako i u zgradarstvu.SUMMARY: Effects of housing on health have been presented. Biological, physical and chemical agents have been studied which may cause health disorders and conditions related to accommodation. Health problems expected in residential buildings have been analyzed, and a short overview of illnesses etiologically related to housing is given. In addition, the psychosocial aspect of the effects of accommodation has been studied. The emphasis is on the fact that the effect of accommodation on health is a multi-factor phenomenon requiring an interdisciplinary and holistic approach, both in medicine and in residential building construction

The case of hip dysplasia of an adult from the Roman Period site of Velebit (Serbia)

Objective: This study is designed to reveal the diagnosis of a rare hip condition with an estimation of the possible cause of death. Materials: Archaeological site of Velebit dated between the 3rd and 4th century AD is located in northern Serbia. Grave No 24 differs from others in the unusual position of the skeletal remains in situ. Methods: The bioanthropological analyses included an estimation of skeletal preservation, cranial and postcranial skeletal measurements, estimation of sex and age at the moment of death, dental analysis and a paleopathological examination. This skeleton was analysed for signs of bone disease, using diagnostic paleopathological procedures comprising gross examination and CT scanning. Results: The results revealed that the analysed male individual was 40 to 55 years of age. The bioanthropological analyses showed two deformities of the pelvic bones, each on the outer surface, located posteriorly and superiorly of the acetabular area. The observed lesions were characterised as type 4 of developmental dysplasia of the hip. In addition, a sharp lesion was observed in the right posterior region of squama of the occipital bone. Conclusions: Our results clearly suggest that this individual had been suffering from hip dysplasia. The possible cause of death could be the observed head lesion. In addition, there is no skeletal conformation of unfavourable living conditions related to physiological stress and diet

Don't Think That Kids Aren't Noticing: Indirect Pathways to Children's Fear of COVID-19

The present study is couched within Rachman’s three-pathway theory of fear acquisition (Rachman 1977, 1991). Besides the direct contact with the objects of fear, this model also includes two indirect pathways to fear acquisition: negative information transmission and modelling. The study aims to explore the contribution of these three factors to the level of children’s fear of COVID-19. The sample consisted of 376 children (59.6% girls), aged 7 to 19 (Mage = 12.77 SDage = 3.57), and one of their parents (Mage = 42.88, SDage = 6.00). The survey was conducted online during the COVID-19 national state of emergency in the Republic of Serbia. The children assessed their fear of COVID-19, general fearfulness, negative information transmission and modelling by their parents, as well as the level of exposure to negative information outside their home. The parents assessed their own fear of COVID-19 and trait anxiety. Parents’ anxiety, children’s age, and children’s general fearfulness were used as covariates. The results of our path analysis provide support for Rachman’s notion of indirect pathways. The more the parents were afraid of COVID-19, the more they expressed this (either verbally or through their behaviour), which in turn led to an increase in the children’s fear of COVID-19. Furthermore, children’s exposure to negative information related to COVID-19, provided by their teachers and peers or stemming from the media, directly contributed to the level of children’s fear. The results of the study emphasize the importance of caregivers’ behaviour during global health crises and provide some clues as to what caregivers may do to protect their children’s mental health in such circumstances.Supplementary material: [http://ipir.ipisr.org.rs/handle/123456789/356

Supplementary data for article: Radanović, A.; Micić, I.; Pavlović, S.; Krstić, K. Don’t Think That Kids Aren’t Noticing: Indirect Pathways to Children’s Fear of COVID-19. Frontiers in Psychology 2021, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635952.

SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg. 2021.635952/full#supplementary-materialSupplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.635952]Related to published version: [http://ipir.ipisr.org.rs/handle/123456789/355

Pandemic parenting: predictors of quality of parental pandemic practices during COVID–19 lockdown in Serbia

The aim of our study was to explore relations between parents’ and children’s fear of COVID–19, parents’ dispositions (emotion regulation, self-efficacy, the anxiety trait) and their distress (due to the pandemic, the national state of emergency [NSE] and curfews) and how these variables have been affecting the quality of parental pandemic practices during the COVID–19 NSE in Serbia. Our online questionnaire was filled in by 376 parents and one of their children aged 7 to 19 years. Path analysis was used to analyze data. Higher levels of cognitive reappraisal and self-efficacy directly contribute to a higher quality of parental pandemic practices during NSE. Indirectly, parents’ fear, pandemic distress, and parents’ cognitive anxiety symptoms increase children’s fear, consequently raising the quality of parental pandemic practices. Pointing out protective and risk factors that may affect pandemic parenting during NSE as well as mechanisms of their contributions, our findings draw attention to the importance of parents’ negative emotions regulation and the effects of children’s emotions on the quality of parental pandemic practices during an ongoing pandemic

Listeria monocytogenes contamination in ready to eat foods

Listeria monocytogenes is a food-borne pathogen responsible for listeriosis, a sickness with a high mortality rate. Listeriosis is largely associated with ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. It is well established that foods that pose the greatest risk of foodborne listeriosis are those RTE foods that have intrinsic characteristics such as pH and water activity that support the growth of L. monocytogenes. RTE foods can also become re-contaminated during further processing and handling. Increased handling leads to a higher probability of contamination. Sources of contamination can be food contact surfaces, processing machinery and workers. In our research, L. monocytogenes was detected in a RTE salad. Food safety criteria for Listeria monocytogenes in RTE foods have been applied from 2006 (Commission Regulation (EC) 2073/2005). Still, human invasive listeriosis was reported to increase during 2009-2013 in the European Union and European Economic Area. Time series analysis for the 2008-2015 period in this area showed an increasing trend of the monthly notified incidence rate of confirmed human invasive listeriosis of the over 75 age groups and female age group between 25 and 44 years old (probably related to pregnancies)