Standardization in the field of composites

The modern era of composite materials begins at the end of the 19th century with the production of the first polymer–based artificial resins. Since then, the types and technologies of composite materials have been continuously developed and improved, until today. Their use in modern industry is progressively growing. That is why orderliness and regularity are necessary for the development, production, meeting of market requirements, exploitation and recycling of these materials. It can only be achieved through standards and standardization. Within the technical committee TC 61 of the International Organization for Standardization – ISO, the subcommittee ISO/TC 61/SC 13, which deals with composites and reinforcing fibres, operates. The American Society for Testing and Materials – ASTM International also publishes international standards. The D30 committee for composite materials operates within this organization. ISO/TC 61/SC 13 has existed since 1985, and ASTM/D30 since 1964. In this paper, an analysis of the number, types and dynamics of the publication of standards in the field of composites and related fields was carried out. Based on the analysis carried out, it was concluded that a large number of significant standards have been published, that the number of standards is increasing following the development of new composite materials, as well as that further expansion of the concept of standardization in the field of composites can be expected. The results shown here are the result of research supported by COST action CA21155 – Advanced Composites under HIgh STRAin RaTEs Loading: a route to certification–by–analysis (HISTRATE)

Loss of autophagy protein ATG5 impairs cardiac capacity in mice and humans through diminishing mitochondrial abundance and disrupting Ca2+Ca^{\text{2+}} cycling

Aims Autophagy protects against the development of cardiac hypertrophy and failure. While aberrant Ca2+ handling promotes myocardial remodelling and contributes to contractile dysfunction, the role of autophagy in maintaining Ca2+ homeostasis remains elusive. Here, we examined whether Atg5 deficiency-mediated autophagy promotes early changes in subcellular Ca2+ handling in ventricular cardiomyocytes, and whether those alterations associate with compromised cardiac reserve capacity, which commonly precedes the onset of heart failure. Methods and results RT–qPCR and immunoblotting demonstrated reduced Atg5 gene and protein expression and decreased abundancy of autophagy markers in hypertrophied and failing human hearts. The function of ATG5 was examined using cardiomyocyte-specific Atg5-knockout mice (Atg5−/−). Before manifesting cardiac dysfunction, Atg5−/− mice showed compromised cardiac reserve in response to β-adrenergic stimulation. Consequently, effort intolerance and maximal oxygen consumption were reduced during treadmill-based exercise tolerance testing. Mechanistically, cellular imaging revealed that Atg5 deprivation did not alter spatial and functional organization of intracellular Ca2+ stores or affect Ca2+ cycling in response to slow pacing or upon acute isoprenaline administration. However, high-frequency stimulation exposed stunted amplitude of Ca2+ transients, augmented nucleoplasmic Ca2+ load, and increased CaMKII activity, especially in the nuclear region of hypertrophied Atg5−/− cardiomyocytes. These changes in Ca2+ cycling were recapitulated in hypertrophied human cardiomyocytes. Finally, ultrastructural analysis revealed accumulation of mitochondria with reduced volume and size distribution, meanwhile functional measurements showed impaired redox balance in Atg5−/− cardiomyocytes, implying energetic unsustainability due to overcompensation of single mitochondria, particularly under increased workload. Conclusion Loss of cardiac Atg5-dependent autophagy reduces mitochondrial abundance and causes subtle alterations in subcellular Ca2+ cycling upon increased workload in mice. Autophagy-related impairment of Ca2+ handling is progressively worsened by β-adrenergic signalling in ventricular cardiomyocytes, thereby leading to energetic exhaustion and compromised cardiac reserve

CaMKII delta C Drives Early Adaptive Ca(2+)Change and Late Eccentric Cardiac Hypertrophy

Rationale: CaMKII (Ca2+-Calmodulin dependent protein kinase) delta C activation is implicated in pathological progression of heart failure (HF) and CaMKII delta C transgenic mice rapidly develop HF and arrhythmias. However, little is known about early spatio-temporal Ca(2+)handling and CaMKII activation in hypertrophy and HF. Objective: To measure time- and location-dependent activation of CaMKII delta C signaling in adult ventricular cardiomyocytes, during transaortic constriction (TAC) and in CaMKII delta C transgenic mice. Methods and Results: We used human tissue from nonfailing and HF hearts, 4 mouse lines: wild-type, KO (CaMKII delta-knockout), CaMKII delta C transgenic in wild-type (TG), or KO background, and wild-type mice exposed to TAC. Confocal imaging and biochemistry revealed disproportional CaMKII delta C activation and accumulation in nuclear and perinuclear versus cytosolic regions at 5 days post-TAC. This CaMKII delta activation caused a compensatory increase in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)content, Ca(2+)transient amplitude, and [Ca2+] decline rates, with reduced phospholamban expression, all of which were most prominent near and in the nucleus. These early adaptive effects in TAC were entirely mimicked in young CaMKII delta TG mice (6-8 weeks) where no overt cardiac dysfunction was present. The (peri)nuclear CaMKII accumulation also correlated with enhanced HDAC4 (histone deacetylase) nuclear export, creating a microdomain for transcriptional regulation. At longer times both TAC and TG mice progressed to overt HF (at 45 days and 11-13 weeks, respectively), during which time the compensatory Ca(2+)transient effects reversed, but further increases in nuclear and time-averaged [Ca2+] and CaMKII activation occurred. CaMKII delta TG mice lacking delta B exhibited more severe HF, eccentric myocyte growth, and nuclear changes. Patient HF samples also showed greatly increased CaMKII delta expression, especially for CaMKII delta C in nuclear fractions. Conclusions: We conclude that in early TAC perinuclear CaMKII delta C activation promotes adaptive increases in myocyte Ca(2+)transients and nuclear transcriptional responses but that chronic progression of this nuclear Ca2+-CaMKII delta C axis contributes to eccentric hypertrophy and HF

Prospective Risk Assessment of Medicine Shortages in Europe and Israel: Findings and Implications

Introduction: While medicine shortages are complex, their mitigation is more of a challenge. Prospective risk assessment as a means to mitigate possible shortages, has yet to be applied equally across healthcare settings. The aims of this study have been to: 1) gain insight into risk-prevention against possible medicine shortages among healthcare experts; 2) review existing strategies for minimizing patient-health risks through applied risk assessment; and 3) learn from experiences related to application in practice. Methodology: A semi-structured questionnaire focusing on medicine shortages was distributed electronically to members of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action 15105 (28 member countries) and to hospital pharmacists of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) (including associated healthcare professionals). Their answers were subjected to both qualitative and quantitative analysis (Microsoft Office Excel 2010 and IBM SPSS Statistics®) with descriptive statistics based on the distribution of responses. Their proportional difference was tested by the chi-square test and Fisher's exact test for independence. Differences in the observed ordinal variables were tested by the Mann-Whitney or Kruskal-Wallis test. The qualitative data were tabulated and recombined with the quantitative data to observe, uncover and interpret meanings and patterns. Results: The participants (61.7%) are aware of the use of risk assessment procedures as a coping strategy for medicine shortages, and named the particular risk assessment procedure they are familiar with failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) (26.4%), root cause analysis (RCA) (23.5%), the healthcare FMEA (HFMEA) (14.7%), and the hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) (14.7%). Only 29.4% report risk assessment as integrated into mitigation strategy protocols. Risk assessment is typically conducted within multidisciplinary teams (35.3%). Whereas 14.7% participants were aware of legislation stipulating risk assessment implementation in shortages, 88.2% claimed not to have reported their findings to their respective official institutions. 85.3% consider risk assessment a useful mitigation strategy. Conclusion: The study indicates a lack of systematically organized tools used to prospectively analyze clinical as well as operationalized risk stemming from medicine shortages in healthcare. There is also a lack of legal instruments and sufficient data confirming the necessity and usefulness of risk assessment in mitigating medicine shortages in Europe. © Copyright © 2020 Miljković, Godman, Kovačević, Polidori, Tzimis, Hoppe-Tichy, Saar, Antofie, Horvath, De Rijdt, Vida, Kkolou, Preece, Tubić, Peppard, Martinez, Yubero, Haddad, Rajinac, Zelić, Jenzer, Tartar, Gitler, Jeske, Davidescu, Beraud, Kuruc-Poje, Haag, Fischer, Sviestina, Ljubojević, Markestad, Vujić-Aleksić, Nežić, Crkvenčić, Linnolahti, Ašanin, Duborija-Kovačević, Bochenek, Huys and Miljković

Proizvodnja i percepcija govora

Zbornik radova okupio je 57 domaćih i inozemnih autora/ica, koji/e kroz 33 rada, iz različitih istraživačkih kutova, obrađuju recentne teme o proizvodnji i percepciji govora, te o njihovoj međuovisnosti u govornom procesu. Knjiga je posvećena profesoru Damiru Horgi povodom njegova sedamdesetog rođendana. Uz svaki rad naveden je sažetak na hrvatskom i engleskom jeziku. Zbornik je objavljen u suizdavaštvu Odsjeka za fonetiku Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Odjela za fonetiku Hrvatskoga filološkog društva i FF-pressa.Zbornik radova okupio je 57 domaćih i inozemnih autora/ica, koji/e kroz 33 rada, iz različitih istraživačkih kutova, obrađuju recentne teme o proizvodnji i percepciji govora, te o njihovoj međuovisnosti u govornom procesu. Knjiga je posvećena profesoru Damiru Horgi povodom njegova sedamdesetog rođendana. Uz svaki rad naveden je sažetak na hrvatskom i engleskom jeziku. Zbornik je objavljen u suizdavaštvu Odsjeka za fonetiku Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Odjela za fonetiku Hrvatskoga filološkog društva i FF-pressa

Proizvodnja i percepcija govora

Zbornik radova okupio je 57 domaćih i inozemnih autora/ica, koji/e kroz 33 rada, iz različitih istraživačkih kutova, obrađuju recentne teme o proizvodnji i percepciji govora, te o njihovoj međuovisnosti u govornom procesu. Knjiga je posvećena profesoru Damiru Horgi povodom njegova sedamdesetog rođendana. Uz svaki rad naveden je sažetak na hrvatskom i engleskom jeziku. Zbornik je objavljen u suizdavaštvu Odsjeka za fonetiku Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Odjela za fonetiku Hrvatskoga filološkog društva i FF-pressa.Zbornik radova okupio je 57 domaćih i inozemnih autora/ica, koji/e kroz 33 rada, iz različitih istraživačkih kutova, obrađuju recentne teme o proizvodnji i percepciji govora, te o njihovoj međuovisnosti u govornom procesu. Knjiga je posvećena profesoru Damiru Horgi povodom njegova sedamdesetog rođendana. Uz svaki rad naveden je sažetak na hrvatskom i engleskom jeziku. Zbornik je objavljen u suizdavaštvu Odsjeka za fonetiku Filozofskog fakulteta Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Odjela za fonetiku Hrvatskoga filološkog društva i FF-pressa

Assessment of Beef Manure Economic Value by the Method of Equivalent Green and Mineral Fertilizer Substitution

The imperative of sustainable agricultural development, coupled with growing challenges related to climate change reaffirms the importance of manure and increases the demand for it. Due to the underdeveloped market for manure, there is a problem in assessing its economic value, requiring appropriate research on this topic. Thus, this research aimed to assess the manure’s economic value using the method of equivalent substitution. For this purpose, the chemical composition of manure was determined by standard agrochemical analyses concerning the content of the most important mineral elements—nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P2O5), and potassium (K2O). These elements ranged from 0.49–0.60%, 0.15–1.10%, and 0.70–1.07%, respectively, and the content of organic matter ranging from 20.88 to 27.00%. Subsequently, the cost of equivalent substitution was calculated taking into account market prices for commercial fertilizers and organic matter based on the cost of an adequate quantity of white mustard—Sinapis alba L. fresh mass. The average cost of equivalent substitution for manure was determined to be 28.60 USD/t. The results of the applied t-test indicate that there is no statistically significant difference between the market prices of beef manure and the calculated prices of its substitution (t = −1.4069; df = 12; p = 0.1848), which implies that white mustard green manure could replace the deficit in animal-derived manure. Since both animal and green manures unambiguously should be prioritized over chemical fertilizers, future studies will reveal which other crops are applicable for further increments of green manure to make up for insufficient availability of animal manure

Overview of Erasmus+ NETCHEM project: ICT networking for overcoming technical and social barriers in instrumental analytical chemistry education

The paper briefly presents goals, main activities, challenges and outcomes of the NetChem project (http://www.netchem.ac.rs/) that was co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of European Union (project no. 573885-EPP-1-2016-1-RS-EPPKA2- CBHE-JP). The project has been started in October 2016 and with extension lasts until April 2020. Western Balkan region has been targeted by upgrading capacities for education in environmental and food analysis of Albania and Serbia in cooperation with partners from France, United Kingdom and Czech Republic. Dedicated NETCHEM platform and SQL database were created to improve the cooperation and educational capacities of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) involved