Tidal variability of the motion in the Strait of Otranto

Various current data, collected in the Strait of Otranto during the period 1994–2007, have been analysed with the aim of describing the characteristics of the tidal motions and their contribution to the total flow variance. The principal tidal constituents in the area were the semi-diurnal (M2) and the diurnal (K1), with the latter one predominant. The total flow was, in general, more energetic along the flanks than in the middle of the strait. Specifically, it was most energetic over the western shelf and in the upper layer along the eastern flank. In spite of the generally low velocities (a few cm s⁻¹) of the principal tidal constituents, the tidal variance has a pattern similar to that of the total flow variance, that is, it was large over the western shelf and low in the middle. The proportion of non-tidal (comprising the inertial and sub-inertial low-frequency bands) to tidal flow variances was quite variable in both time and space. The low-frequency motions dominated over the tidal and inertial ones in the eastern portion of the strait during the major part of the year, particularly in the upper and intermediate layers. In the deep, near-bottom layer the variance was evenly distributed between the low frequency, diurnal and semi-diurnal bands. An exception was observed near the western shelf break during the summer season when the contribution of the tidal signal to the total variance reached 77%. This high contribution was mainly due to the intensification of the diurnal signal at that location at both upper and bottom current records (velocities of about 10 cm s⁻¹). Local wind and sea level data were analysed and compared with the flow to find the possible origin of this diurnal intensification. Having excluded the sea-breeze impact on the intensification of the diurnal tidal signal, the most likely cause remains the generation of the topographically trapped internal waves and the diurnal resonance in the tidal response. These waves were sometimes generated by the barotropic tidal signal in the presence of summer stratification and the strong bottom slope. This phenomenon may stimulate diapycnal mixing during the stratified season and enhance ventilation of the near-bottom layers

Comparison between HF radar current data and moored ADCP currentmeter

A preliminary assessment of accuracy of a two-sites shore-based HF Radar network along the Venice Lagoon littoral was attempted by means of comparison with a 57.5 day-long ADCP current time series for the period September- October 2002. Results showed that radar measurements were accurate (< 7 cm/s) in more than 50% of the times, since more than 50% of the differences between both E-W (U)and N-S (V )comp onents were under 7 cm/s, and more than 50% of direction differences were under 35◦. The main differences between the HF radar and surface ADCP currents can be explained in terms of random errors affecting the measurement technique and the daily sea breeze forcing, since low-pass filtering of current time series significantly improved the correlation and decreased the RMS of the differences between the two measured data set. Comparison of the semidiurnal (M2, S2)tidal band suggested good agreement between tidal ellipse amplitudes. Wind forcing on a daily time-scale (sea-breeze)w as associated with larger differences between radar and ADCP currents at a diurnal band due to the presence of a vertical shear in the surface layer

Comparison of comet assay parameters for estimation of genotoxicity by sum of ranking differences

Genotoxic potential of waters in six rivers and reservoirs from Serbia was monitored in different tissues of chub (Squalius cephalus L. 1758) with the alkaline comet assay. The comet assay, or a single cell gel electrophoresis, has a wide application as a simple and sensitive method for evaluating DNA damage in fish exposed to various xenobiotics in the aquatic environment. Three types of cells, erythrocytes, gills and liver cells were used for assessing of DNA damage. Images of randomly selected cells were analyzed with a fluorescence microscope Leica and image analysis by software (Comet Assay IV Image analysis system, PI, UK). Three parameters (tail length - l, tail intensity - i and Olive tail moment – m) were analyzed on 1750 nuclei per cell type. The procedure for sum of ranking differences (SRD) was implemented to compare different types of cells and different parameters for estimation of DNA damage. Regarding our nine different estimations of genotoxicity: tail length, intensity and moment in erythrocytes (rel, rei, rem), liver cells (rll, rli, rlm) and gill cells (rgl, rgi, rgm) SRD procedure has shown that the Olive tail moment and tail intensity are (almost) equally good parameters; the SRD value was lower for the tail moment and tail intensity than for tail length in case of all types of cells. The least reliable parameter was rel; close to the borderline case were rei, rll, and rgl (~5% probability of random ranking)

Long-term changes in the kinematics of inlets of the Venetian Lagoon (NE Italy)

Long-term variations of the water flow through three Venice lagoon inlets are analysed seeking for the possible impact of structures under construction for the mobile gates for defending Venice against flooding. Time-series of monthly mean flow and standard deviations show long-term variations, mainly on the seasonal time-scale. An important increase in the water flow variance due to an increase in amplitudes of major tidal constituents in the Chioggia inlet can probably be explained as a consequence of the structures constructed recently that narrowed the channel

Seasonal variations of microbiological parameters of water quality of the Velika Morava river Serbia

In this study, we investigated the level of sanitary pollution and organic contamination of the Velika Morava River, the largest river in central Serbia. Samples of water for microbiological analysis were collected at 5 sites, monthly, from April 2010 to February 2011. Sanitary analysis, i.e. enumeration of total and fecal coliforms and intestinal enterococci, indicated moderate to critical fecal contamination, while organic load assessment (oligotroph to heterotroph ratio, index of phosphatase activity) revealed the category of moderately polluted water. We also investigated seasonal variations of these groups of bacteria and the factors that could contribute to these differences. Our results showed that the micro- biological quality of the water in the Velika Morava River during different seasons is affected by numerous factors such as unequal loading of wastewaters, solar irradiation, and relations of flow/dilution and rainfall/runoff. [Acknowledgments. This study was financially supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Serbia: projects No 173025, No 177045 and No 043002.

Floods in the Republic of Serbia-Vulnerability and Human Security

Vulnerability and human security have been changing over time and depended on the physical, social, economic and environmental factors. In modern terms these phenomena have become multi-dimensional, multi-disciplinary, multi-sectoral and dynamic. However, in addition to empirical changes with respect to the nature of security threats, the increase of vulnerability and threatening to human security, there have increased the analytical range in their understand-ing as well as the institutional changes within the security structures. Many countries have aban-doned the attitude that the floods and flash floods as the most important natural hazards can be suppressed or controlled, i.e. that can be fought against or placed under full control. With that regard, the attitude of adoptive management of security and rescue from floods and flash floods be-comes more and more prevalent, as well as flood risk adjustment or the principle of “living with floods”. Accepting such attitude, relating cultural values of the society, economy, institutional and functional possibilities for the purpose of mitigating vulnerability and providing human security proved prominent in the Republic of Serbia. The state has taken a series of reform steps in view of recognizing its own physical exposure to food risks. At the same time, after such great floods which endangered a large part of the country’s territory, the country recognized its social-eco-nomic weaknesses of the community, as well as the necessity to increase the capacity to mobilize the resources in mitigating vulnerability and facilitating human security

Household supplies for natural disaster: factor of influence on the possession of supplies

Purpose –The paper presents the results of the quantitative research of the impact of certain factors on household possession of supplies necessary for the survival of the consequences of natural disasters. Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative research was conducted by using a survey strategy in households with the use of a multi-stage random sample. The first step, which was related to the primary sampling units, included selection of parts of the community for conducting research. The second step, which was related to research cores, included selection of streets or parts of streets at the level of primary sampling units, and finally a selection of households for surveying 2500 citizens in 19 local communities. Findings –It was found that only 24.6% of the respondents have supplies, while 61.5% have no supplies for surviving natural disasters. On the other hand, 37.2% of the respondents possess supplies of food for 4 days, while only 12% have supplies of food for 1 day. It was found that 17.6% of the respondents have a transistor radio, 40% a flashlight, 40.6% a shovel, 25.8% a hack, 33.6% hoe and spade, and 13.2% a fire extinguisher. The results of the inferential statistical analyses show that there is a statistically significant influenceof gender, education, marital status, parenthood, employment, income level, level of religiosity, completed military service on having supplies to survive the consequences of natural disasters. On the other hand, there was no influence of previous experiences on having supplies. Originality/value –research results allow the design of strategies aimed at raising the level of preparedness of households for natural disasters with regard to their supplies

Examination of conection between metabolic syndrom and colorectal cancer

Uvod: Metabolički sindrom (MS) i slični metabolički poremećaji prikazani su kao faktor rizika za nastanak kolorektalnog karcinoma (KRK). Cilj ove studije bio je da se istraži potencijalna uloga MS u patogenezi KRK. Takođe, upoređivani su i nivoi serumskih inflamatornih i tumorskih markera, kao i vrednosti biohemijskih parametara sa prisustvom MS kod pacijenata sa KRK. Metode: Retrospektivna kohortna studija obuhvatila je 194 bolesnika sa dijagnostikovanim KRK, koji su podeljeni u dve grupa na osnovu prisustva MS. Podaci su prikupljani iz istorija bolesti kao i na osnovu merenja bolesnika (telesna težina, visina, obim struka), na odeljenju Opšte hirurgije Kliničko bolničkog centra „Bežanijska kosa“ u Beogradu. Ispitivani su biohemijski parametri, kao i nivoi CEA, CA 19-9, AFP i CRP koji su upoređivani sa prisustvom MS. Rezultati: Vrednosti indeksa telesne mase, obima struka, sistolnog pritiska, glukoze i triglicerida bili su statistički značajno povišeni kod pacijenata sa KRK kog kojih je dijagnostikovan MS, dok su vrednosti HDL-holesterola bili značajno sniženi. Broj komponenti metaboličkog sindroma bio je značajno manji 3 meseca nakon hirurške intervencije. Vrednosti alaninin aminotransferaze, aspartat aminotransferaze, alkalne fosfataze, direktnog i ukupnog bilirubina, ukupnih proteina, uree i kreatinina nisu se značajno razlikovale među ispitivanim grupama. Uočeno je značajno smanjenje vrednosti CRP među ispitivanim grupama tri meseca nakon hirurške intervencije. Vrednosti AFP i CEA bile su povišene i znad graničnih vrednosti među pacijentima sa metaboličkim sindromom, ali uočene razlike nisu bile statistički značajne. Vrednost CA 19-9 bile su statistički značajno veće u grupi sa metaboličkim sindromom i pre i 3 meseca postopeativno, ali vrednosti ispitivanog markera nisu prelazile granične vrednosti. Zaključak: Rezultati ove studije ukazuju na moguću povezanost između prisustva MS i povećanog rizika za nastanak KRK. Potrebno je sprovesti velike prospektivne studije da bi se ispitala potecijalna uloga serumskih markera u skriningu KRK kod pacijenata kod kojih je dijagnostikovan MS.Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS) and related metabolic alteration have been represented as a risks for colorectal carcinoma (KRK) development. This study aimed to evaluate potential role of MS in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. Additionally, the levels of serum - inflammatory and tumor markers, as well as biochemical parameters were correlated with the presence of MS in patients with diagnosed KRK. Methods: The retrospective cohort study consisted of 194 patients diagnosed with KRK, divided into a two groups based on the presence of MS. Medical data were collected from the patients medical records as well as meserment of patients (body high, weight, circumference) at the Department of General Surgery, Clinical Hospital Center ,,Bežanijska kosa”, Belgrade. Biochemical parameters and the levels of inflammatory and tumor markers CEA, CA 19-9, AFP, and CRP were registered and correlated with the presence of MS. Results: The values of BMI, waist circumference, systolic pressure, glucose, and triglycerides were significantly increased in KRK patients with metabolic syndrome, while the values of HDL-C were significantly decreased. A number of MS components were significantly decreased 3 months after the surgical procedure. The values of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, direct and total bilirubin, urea and creatinine were not differed significantly between examined groups. The values of CRP were significantly increased 3 months after surgical procedures in investigated groups. The values of AFP and CEA were increased and above the limit values between patients with MS, but observed differences were not statistically significant. The values of CA 19-9 were significantly increased in the group with MS pre- and postoperatively, but its values were bellowed the limit. Conclusions: This study showed possible correlation among MS and increased risk for KRK. Large prospective population-based studies are needed to establish real benefit of molecular markers for KRK screening in patients with MS

On the impact of the Bimodal Oscillating System (BiOS) on the biogeochemistry and biology of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas (Eastern Mediterranean)

Analysis of 20-year time-series of the vertically averaged salinity and nutrient data in the Southern Adriatic shows that the two parameters are subject to strong decadal variability. In addition, it is documented that nutrient and salinity variations are out of phase. Nutrients in the Ionian and in the Adriatic vary in parallel except that generally the nutrient content in the Adriatic is lower than in the Ionian, a fact that has been attributed to primary producer consumption following the winter convective mixing. As shown earlier, North Ionian Gyre (NIG) changes its circulation sense on a decadal scale due to the Bimodal Oscillating System, i.e. the feedback mechanism between the Adriatic and Ionian. Cyclonic circulation causes a downwelling of the nitracline along the borders of the NIG and a decrease in the nutrient content of the water flowing into the Adriatic across the Otranto Strait, and vice versa. In addition, the highly oligotrophic central area of the Ionian shows annual blooms only during cyclonic NIG circulation. Inversion of the sense of the NIG results in the advection of Modified Atlantic Water or of the Levantine/Eastern Mediterranean waters in the Adriatic. Here, we show that the presence of allochtonous organisms from Atlantic/Western Mediterranean and Eastern Mediterranean/temperate zone in the Adriatic are concurrent with the anticyclonic and cyclonic circulations of the NIG, respectively. On the basis of the results presented, a revision of the theory of Adriatic ingressions formulated in the early 1950s is proposed

Smart grids concept in electrical distribution system

This paper defines key business processes in electrical distribution systems and key elements and priority components that should be (re)defined in these processes in order to enable the goals of smart grids concept to be fulfilled in the cost effective way. Activities undertaken in the Power Distribution Company of “Elektrovojvodina” (Serbia), which provide the basis for fulfilling the Smart Grids goals and thus enable full implementation of smart grids concept are presented in details