CONSTITUTIONAL BOUNDARIES OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER AND GENERAL LEVEL OF POLITICAL CULTURE. THE CASE OF SERBIA

The general level of democratic, political culture in one country is the important determinant that should be taken into consideration both when analyzing its constitutional order as well as when considering its future shaping and direction. Countries that have had a substantial discontinuity in their historical-democratic development face special challenges when returning to the paths of liberal-democratic constitutionality, perhaps the biggest of which is raising the general level of political culture and(re)building a constitutional, democratic tradition. During this process particular systematic distortions may occur, among others, those regarding the mutual control and influence of the highest state authorities. In the Republic of Serbia, there is a noticeable inconsistency in what is generally perceived by the general public (as well as by the constitutional law scholars) as the level of powers and the authority of the President of the Republic. Constitutional framework is often being interpreted without taking the wider scope of the problem into consideration, which includes the immaturity of the democratic culture. This leads to (apparent) inconsistency between the presidential powers by the Constitution and how they really manifest themselves in reality. In this paper the author analyses Serbian constitutional omissions in this regard and offers possible solutions

Climate change modifies carbon sequestration in copper-polluted forest soils

Soil carbon (C) storage is a key ecosystem function which can provide globally important services such as climate regulation. The effect of climate change on the restoration of soil C storage potential on post-mining land, where the development of both soil and vegetation starts de novo, is still insufficiently understood. In this work we discuss how the recent changes of climate, effectuating temperature increase and overall habitat xerophytization have, during about 40 years, markedy modified the course of spontaneous succession and concomitantly the soil C sequestration potental in a model floodplain severely altered by long-term deposition of sulphidic waste from a copper (Cu) mine. Excessive Cu strongly reduces turnover of soil organic matter and adversely affects the revegetation process. Natural floods in this complex geomorphic setup on the other hand bring both pollutants and deficient nutrients to the affected floodplain. As the recent climate changes reduce the intensity of natural floods, two very different but highly specialized forest types are developing along the microelevation gradient (transects perpendicular to water channel) with up to 3-fold different topsoil C sequestration. This work shows how climate change can increase the vunerability of spontaneous restoration process primarily by reducing nutrient fluxes

Adult non-urethral complications after hypospadias repair in childhood: presentation, treatment and outcomes

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate a group of adult patients with non-urethral complications after hypospadias repair in childhood, their surgical treatment, and outcomes.Materials and methodsWe analyzed 97 patients, mean age 22.5 years, who were treated in our center between January 2009 and December 2020, for non-urethral complications after previous hypospadias repair in childhood. Non-urethral complications were defined as glans deformity, residual curvature and trapped penis due to insufficient penile skin. A radical surgical approach was used to correct all deformities, in a one-stage or a two-stage procedure. A successful outcome was defined as a straight penis with good length, anatomically regular glans, and cosmetically acceptable appearance, without need for additional surgeries. Sexual function was evaluated using International Index of Erectile Function.ResultsMean follow-up was 75 months (ranged from 24 to 168 months). One-stage and two-stage repair were performed in 85.5% and 14.5% of cases, respectively. A higher success rate was noted after one-stage repair (94% compared to 86%). Complications included four cases of penile curvature with late onset, one case of glans dehiscence and partial skin necrosis. Erectile dysfunction was determined in 24% of patients.DiscussionNon-urethral complications may occur many years after primary hypospadias repair, with a strong impact on the quality of life. Treatment is individualized and usually involves a radical surgical approach to correct all associated deformities and to achieve successful cosmetic and psychosexual outcomes

Acute or chronic stress induce cell compartment-specific phosphorylation of glucocorticoid receptor and alter its transcriptional activity in Wistar rat brain

Chronic stress and impaired glucocorticoid receptor (GR) feedback are important factors for the compromised hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity. We investigated the effects of chronic 21 day isolation of Wistar rats on the extrinsic negative feedback part of HPA axis: hippocampus (HIPPO) and prefrontal cortex (PFC). In addition to serum corticosterone (CORT), we followed GR subcellular localization, GR phosphorylation at serine 232 and serine 246, expression of GR regulated genes: GR, CRF and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), and activity of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Cdk5 kinases that phosphorylate GR. These parameters were also determined in animals subjected to acute 30 min immobilization, which was taken as ‘normal’ adaptive response to stress. In isolated animals, we found decreased CORT, whereas in animals exposed to acute immobilization, CORT was markedly increased. Even though the GR was predominantly localized in the nucleus of HIPPO and PFC in acute, but not in chronic stress, the expression of GR, CRF, and BDNF genes was similarly regulated under both acute and chronic stresses. Thus, the transcriptional activity of GR under chronic isolation did not seem to be exclusively dependent on high serum CORT levels nor on the subcellular location of the GR protein. Rather, it resulted from the increased Cdk5 activation and phosphorylation of the nuclear GR at serine 232 and the decreased JNK activity reflected in decreased phosphorylation of the nuclear GR at serine 246. Our study suggests that this nuclear isoform of hippocampal and cortical GR may be related to hypocorticism i.e. HPA axis hypoactivity under chronic isolation stress

DIRECTIONS IN THE EVOLUTION OF CERVICAL L-SIL LESIONS

Molecular activities in the basic cytopathological substratum of the lesions on utherus cervicus, in case of HPV infection in form of squamous intraepithelial lesions of the low (L - SIL) and high (H - SIL) level, are defined by bathesda therminological system. More frequent, L - SIL changes include CIN I, coil atypia and condilomata lata and can be recognized by cellular abnormalities in the basal and parabasal layer with minor cellular structural changes , nuclei hyperhromasia with hromatin condensation, acantosis, paraceratosis with well differentiated cells and faster exfoliation. Women more prone to develop L-SIL are those older than 41, with III degree of vaginal secretion, with the colposcopic finding of aceto-white epithelium and Papa-Nicholaus test of III group. The control cervical, colposcopically controlled biopsy was resumed after four control medical check-ups done every three months after the L-SIL diagnosis. The results showed that lesions remained at the same stage (41,67%), whereas regression appeared in every third examinee (33,33%), slight progression in every eight examinee (12,50%), and significant progression in every twelfth examinee (8,33%).Our conclusion was that L-SIL lesions do not require the ablativ therapy a priory, and what is needed is a regular colpocytological check-up every three months and cervical biopsy, if necessary. Diagnosis of HPV infection certainly changes one’s attitude and requires loop diameter because of the additional diagnostic indications and final therapy

Penile Curvature Incidence in Hypospadias: Can It Be Determined?

The aim was to retrospectively determine the real incidence of congenital penile curvature in various forms of hypospadias, in order to indicate intraoperative assessment and correction of curvature. We analyzed 842 patients with hypospadias who underwent surgery from 2003 to 2010, classified into two groups. First group was intraoperatively checked for curvature as a routine procedure, while a curvature in the second group was assessed mostly in severe hypospadias. Results are analyzed using Fisher's and chi-square tests. In total, 238 cases (28.3%) of associated curvature were confirmed. Curvature was significantly more frequent in the first group, regarding hypospadias in general (P<0.01), as well as distal (P<0.05) and midshaft forms (P<0.01). Penile curvature is common figure in hypospadias, including distal types. Intraoperative testing for associated curvature should be considered as a routine procedure in hypospadias repair

Poređenje kvaliteta mesa linjaka i šarana

U poslednje dve godine postoje veliki problemi u plasmanu slatkovodnih riba proizvedenih na našim ribnjacima. Zahvaljujući nekontrolisanom uvozu, došlo je do toga da se na našem tržištu nađe velika količina jeftinih vrsta riba, pre svega Pangasius pangasius iz Vijetnama , čiji je uvoz zabranjen u mnogim razvijenim zemljama, pre svega SAD, Kanadi i većem broju zemalja Evropske Unije. Velprodajna cena šarana je veoma niska, pa je doveden u pitanje opstanak naše ribarske privrede, u čijoj strukturi šaran učestvuje najvećim delom. Stoga je potrebno razmišljati o uvođenju drugih slatkovodnih vrsta koje bi se mogle plasirati na tržište Evropske Unije, što se pre svega odnosi na linjaka. Takođe, treba razmišljati i o organskoj proizvodnji riba i o kreatnju ka ekstenzivnijim metodama gajenja. Neophodno je voditi računa i o nutritivnom kvalitetu mesa jer se od ribarske privrede očekuje proizvod sa niskim sadržajem masti i povoljnim odnosom nezasićenih masnih kiselina, pre svega ω-3 i ω-6 masnih kiselina. Poznat je povoljan uticaj ω-3 polinezasićenih masnih kiselina (PNMK) iz mesa ribe na zdravlje čoveka, kao i da povećana potrošnja ribe utiče na sprečavanje nastanka oboljenja kardiovaskularnog sistema, kao i u prevenciji inflamatornih, autoimunih i malignih oboljenja, dijabetesa i drugih bolesti. Literalni podaci o randmanu dvogodišnjih riba linjaka i šarana su veoma oskudni, dok su dostupne informacije o konzumnim ribama koje su starosti tri i više godina. Kako kvalitet mesa zavisi od starosti jedinke, neophodna su istraživanja i o kvalitetu mesa mlađih kategorija riba. Osim randmana analizirani su i hemijski sastav mesa dvogodišnjeg linjaka i šarana sa akcentom na zastupljenost masnih kiselina i poređenje odnosa ovih vrednosti kod linjaka i šarana. Uzorci dvogodišnjeg linjaka i šarana uzeti su na oglednom ribnjaku "Mošorin". Proizvodnja ovih riba odvijala se u ekstenzivnom sistemu, gde je povećanje organske produkcije vršeno pregorelim goveđim i ovčijim stajnjakom. Ishrana dodatnim hranivima nije vršena. U pripremi objekta i tokom vegetacionog perioda korišćen je hidratni kreč. Analize hemijskog sastava i masnokiselinskog sastava lipida ribe su izvršene u Institutu za higijenu i tehnologiju mesa, Beograd. Analizom morfometrijskih karakteristika ribe utvrđena je dobra kondicija. Randman mesa linjaka povoljniji je od istoga kod šarana što se može objasniti manjom masom digestivnog trakta ove vrste. Razlog za niži procenat proteina kod linjaka i kod šarana nego što je to prikazivano u klasičnoj literaturi je što se radi o mesu dvogodišnjih riba dok se pomenuti literaturni podaci odnose na starije kategorije koje imaju manji sadržaj vode. Veći sadržaj vode kod dvogodišnjih riba doprinosi boljem gastronomskom kvalitetu mesa. Po sadržaju masti meso linjaka je približno vrednostima tolstolobika i amura, iz čega se može zaključiti da je veoma pogodno kao dijetalna hrana za potrebe posebnih zdravstvenih kategorija ljudi. I dvogodišnji šaran ima nizak procenat masti iz čega se može zaključiti da šaran ne spada u masne ribe jer ima niži procenat sadržaja masti od pastrmke. Tehnologija gajenja odnosno vrsta dodatne ishrane je najodgovornija za procenat masti. Odnos nezasićenih masnih kiselina kod linjaka povoljniji je nego kod šarana i pastrmke i u sličnom nivou je sa istim kod morskih vrsta riba. Meso dvogodišnjih riba po svom hemijskom sastavu ima prednost u odnosu na meso riba gajenih u trogodišnjem i višegodišnjem sistemu gajenja. Ekstenzivni sistem ima prednost u kvalitetu mesa ali treba analizirati njegovu ekonomsku opravdanost. Kvalitet mesa linjaka je izuzetnih nutritivnih vrednosti što je razlog za njegovu reintrodukciju i repopulaciju. Meso riba visoke nutritivne vrednosti ima perspektivu kao izvozni artikal u zemlje Evropske Unije i druge razvijene zemlje