Energy efficiency of residential buildings in Serbia

In this paper, presented is the stale-of-the-art of energy Efficiency of residential buildings in Serbia. Special attention is paid to energy efficiency in already existing buildings. The average energy consumption in residential buildings in Serbia is over 150 kWhm(-2) per year, while in developed European countries it is about 50 kWm(-2) per year. In this paper examined is the contribution of ventilation losses, through the windows of low quality, regardless whether they are poorly made, or made from bad materials, or with no adeguate glass. Besides ventilation losses, which are of major importance in our buildings, special attention is paid to transmission losses, which are conseguence of the quality and energy efficiency of the facade. All of the above statements are proved by measurements obtained on a representative building of the Block 34 in New Belgrade, built in the eighties of the last century. In addition to measurements performed the calculation of energy consumption for heating during winter has been made. The results of two different methods of calculation of energy consumption for heating are compared with the values obtained by measuring

The orbital period -- mass ratio relation of wide sdB+MS binaries and its application to the stability of RLOF

Wide binaries with hot subdwarf-B (sdB) primaries and main sequence companions are thought to form only through stable Roche lobe overflow (RLOF) of the sdB progenitor near the tip of the red giant branch (RGB). We present the orbital parameters of eleven new long period composite sdB binaries based on spectroscopic observations obtained with the UVES, FEROS and CHIRON spectrographs. Using all wide sdB binaries with known orbital parameters, 23 systems, the observed period distribution is found to match very well with theoretical predictions. A second result is the strong correlation between the orbital period (P) and the mass ratio (q) in the observed wide sdB binaries. In the P-q plane two distinct groups emerge, with the main group (18 systems) showing a strong correlation of lower mass ratios at longer orbital periods. The second group are systems that are thought to be formed from higher mass progenitors. Based on theoretical models, a correlation between the initial mass ratio at the start of RLOF and core mass of the sdB progenitor is found, which defines a mass-ratio range at which RLOF is stable on the RGB.Comment: accepted for publication in MNRAS, 16 pages, 16 figure

Effect of alirocumab on lipids and lipoproteins in individuals with metabolic syndrome without diabetes: Pooled data from 10 phase 3 trials.

AimsThis analysis assessed the efficacy and safety of alirocumab, a proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitor, in patients with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS) using pooled data from 10 phase 3 ODYSSEY trials.Materials and methodsData from 4983 randomized patients (1940 with MetS; 1642 with diabetes excluded) were assessed in subgroups by MetS status. Efficacy data were analysed in 4 pools per study design: 2 placebo-controlled pools (1 using alirocumab 150 mg every 2 weeks [Q2W], 1 using 75/150 mg Q2W) with background statin, and 2 ezetimibe-controlled pools (both alirocumab 75/150 mg Q2W), 1 with and 1 without background statin. Alirocumab 75/150 mg indicates possible dose increase from 75 to 150 mg at Week 12 based on Week 8 LDL-C.ResultsLDL-C percentage reduction from baseline at Week 24 with alirocumab was 63.9% (MetS) and 56.8% (non-MetS) in the pool of alirocumab 150 mg Q2W, and 42.2% to 52.2% (MetS) and 45.0% to 52.6% (non-MetS) in 3 pools using 75/150 mg Q2W. Levels of other lipid and lipoprotein parameters were also improved with alirocumab treatment, including apolipoprotein B, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), lipoprotein(a) and HDL-C. Overall, the percentage change at Week 24 in LDL-C and other lipids and lipoproteins did not vary by MetS status. Adverse event rates were generally similar between treatment groups, regardless of MetS status; injection-site reactions occurred more frequently in alirocumab vs control groups.ConclusionsAcross study pools, alirocumab-associated reductions in LDL-C, apolipoprotein B, and non-HDL-C were significant vs control, and did not vary by MetS status

Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (KPB) Fish Clay at Højerup (Stevns Klint, Denmark): Ni, Co, and Zn of the black marl

The black marl of the Fish Clay at Højerup is mainly made up of biogenic calcite and cheto-Mg-smectite. We suggest that the formation of the smectite occurred during the latest Maastrichtian (or earlier) and that it represents a short period of rapid redeposition through coastal erosion occurring at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (KPB) sea level lowstand. The smectite of the black marl shows enhanced concentrations of Ni, Co, and Zn. The predominant source of these metals was probably the impact-ejecta fallout deposited on the top of nearby soil which was leached by the impact-induced-acidic surface waters. Most of the content of Ni and Co in the smectite is derived from the chondritic component of the fallout, but the ultimate origin of Zn may have been the impact-target rocks. Incorporation of the metals into the smectite took place during the KPB but before its redeposition at the Fish Clay site. The biogenic calcite-rich fraction of the black marl also shows high concentrations of Ni, Co, and Zn. The ultimate source of the metals was also probably the impact-ejecta fallout on the nearby soil at Stevns Klint. Enrichments of Ni in the biogenic calcite-rich/smectite fractions of the black marl represent the sudden input of the metal into the seawater at the KPB

Fungi in the legislation of the Republic of Serbia

Conservation and protection of fungi have lately been considered as extremely important elements of the environmental conservation, and numerous environmental, scientific, medical, economic, cultural, ethical, and other reasons for such attitude exist today. This paper presents an overview of official regulations on the protection of fungi in the Republic of Serbia from the Act of Protection of 1991 until today. The paper lists and analyses the good and bad provisions of individual legal regulations. It registers the effects of the adopted regulations on the actual efficiency of protection of endangered species of fungi (macrofungi, mushrooms), and considers the impact of chronological development of legislation on the population of fungi in nature, and presents general measures to improve protection of mushrooms in the future. These measures primarily include reliable information and study of fungi as a basis for their effective protection based on scientific knowledge. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI-179079

Present status of the NET IBK computer code package for in-core fuel management and related core parameter calculations

This paper presents and discusses the current status of the NET IBK (Nuclear Engineering Department of the Boris Kidric Institute of Nuclear Sciences) computer code package for nuclear analysis of power reactors and in-core fuel management The standard scheme for reactor fuel burnup analysis comprises the WIMS code and several 2 D (RZ or XY) and 3 D (XYZ) codes for overall reactor core calculations and criticality search They are coupled and modified to compute neutron flux, power density distribution and burnup taking into account spatial variations of temperature and xenon poisoning, as well as the reactivity changes due to xenon transients during the start-up and shut-down Presently, codes for overall reactor calculations are based on finite difference solution of group diffusion equations Efforts are being made to improve reactor cell and fuel assembly parameters calculations, and to develop advanced methods for solving diffusion equations Also, an optimization model, based on coarse zonal discretization of a reactor core is being developed for optimal fuel loading pattern search The NET IBK computer code package has been extensively used to study advanced fuel utilization schemes in different types of power reactors, as well as for solving in-core fuel management problems of the own research reactors Particular attention has been paid to experimental verification of the calculational procedures In this paper, a number of interesting results is presented and discussed 15 refs, 6 figs, 7 tabsINIS record: [http://inis.iaea.org/search/search.aspx?orig_q=RN:22023261

Antifungalna aktivnost ekstrakata makrogljiva na fitopatogene sojeve gljiva rodova Fusarium sp. i Alternaria sp.

During the last decades, intensive application of synthetic fungicides in the agricultural crop protection practice caused growing concern for the existence of toxic chemical residues in food as well as in the whole environment. Instead of using synthetic fungicides, it is suggested that crop protection be carried out by using preparations based on compounds of natural origin (secondary metabolites of plants or microorganisms, including macrofungi from Basidiomycota) as biological control agents. The potential of macrofungal species as biocontrol agents was analyzed in this investigation of eight autochthonous species from different locations in Serbia. Both the terricolous species: Coprinus comatus, Coprinellus truncorum, Amanita strobiliformis, Hydnum repandum and the lignicolous species: Flammulina velutipes, Stereum subtomentosum, Trametes versicolor and Bjerkandera adusta were examined, with an aim to detect some novel sources of antifungal agents. This study surveyed antifungal activity of selected macrofungal extracts (MeOH, EtOH and CHCl3) against phytopathogenic Fusarium and Alternaria strains isolated from garlic, soybean and rice: F. proliferatum, F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, F. graminearum and A. padwickii. Microdilution method in 96 well micro-plates was applied for the estimation of antifungal effects of macrofungi extracts in the range from 24.75 to 198.00 mg/ml and determination of minimal inhibitory (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC). EtOH extract of mychorhizal species H. repandum showed antifungal activity against all analyzed phytopathogenic strains, with the strongest effect on Fusarium strains (MIC 24.75 mg/ml; MFC 24.75 mg/ml). Among others, MeOH extracts of S. subtomentosum and C. micaceus showed similar effects while only B. adusta showed slight effect on Fusarium strains (MIC 24.75-99.00 mg/ml; MFC 24.75-99.00 mg/ml) and none effect on A. padwickii. The obtained results indicate the possibility of using examined extracts as efficient antifungal agents and provide the basis for the new formulations of biocontrol agents against phytopathogenic fungi in the future.Tokom poslednjih decenija intezivna primena sintetičkih fungicida u zaštiti poljoprivrednih useva izaziva sve veću zabrinutost ljudi zbog prisustva toksičnih hemijskih ostataka u prehrambenim proizvodima kao i celoj okolini. Umesto korišćenja sintetičkih fungicida, preporučuje se da se zaštita useva vrši korišćenjem preparata na bazi jedinjenja prirodnog porekla (sekundarni metaboliti biljaka ili mikroorganizama uključujući i makrogljive iz razdela Basidiomycota) kao agense biološke kontrole. U ovom radu istraživan je potencijal agenasa biološke kontrole za osam autohtonih vrsta makrogljiva s različitih lokaliteta u Srbiji. Obe, terikolne vrste: Coprinus comatus, Coprinellus truncorum, Amanita strobiliformis, Hydnum repandum i lignikolne vrste: Flammulina velutipes, Stereum subtomentosum, Trametes versicolor i Bjerkandera adusta su istražene s ciljem da se otkriju neki novi izvori antifungalnih agenasa. U okviru ovog rada istražena je antifungalna aktivnost odabranih ekstrakata makrogljiva (metanolni, etanolni i hloroformski) protiv fitopatogenih sojeva Fusarium i Alternaria izolovanih s belog luka, soje i pirinča: F. proliferatum, F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, F. graminearum i A. padwickii. Za procenu antifungalnog efekta ekstrakata makrogljiva upotrebljena je mikrodiluciona metoda mikrotitar pločama s 96 velova u opsegu koncentracija od 24,75 do 198,00 mg/ml i determinaciju minimalne inhibitorne (MIC) i minimalne fungicidne koncentracije (MFC). Etanolni ekstrakt mikorizne vrste H. repandum pokazao je atifungalnu aktivnost prema svim analiziranim fitopatogenim sojevima, sa najjačim efektom prema sojevima Fusarium (MIC 24,75 mg/ml; MFC 24,75 mg/ml). Između ostalog, sličan efekat pokazali su i metanolni ekstrakti S. subtomentosum i C. micaceus, dok je samo B. adusta imala blagi efekat na sojeve Fusarium (MIC 24,75-99,00 mg/ml; MFC 24,75-99,00 mg/ml), ali ne i na A. padwickii. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju na mogućnost korišćenja ispitanih ekstrakata kao veoma efikasnih antifungalnih agenasa i samim tim oni predstavljaju osnovu za nove formulacije biokontrolnih agenasa protiv fitopatogenih gljiva u budućnosti