Morphological differentiation of the common toad Bufo bufo (Linnaeus, 1758) in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula

This study analyzes the degree of morphological differentiation among populations of the common toad Bufo bufo in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. Variations in a number of morphometric and qualitative characters in 14 population samples were analyzed using univariate and multivariate statistics. We found a high degree of female-biased sexual size dimorphism. Morphological variation among the samples was more expressed in morphometric than in qualitative characters. The significant size differences that exist between northern and southern population groups could be the result of phenotypic plasticity. Our results do not support a clear split between northern and southern populations, contrary to the current taxonomic treatment of these groups as B. b. bufo and B. b. spinosus, respectively. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 173043

Commercial phenotypic tests (API 20E) in diagnosis of fish bacteria

The available data concerning rapid identification of fish bacteria via commercial phenotypic tests demonstrate that there is no agreement regarding the choice of selection of the tests. However, API 20E, an identification system for Enterobacteriaceae and other non-fastidious Gram-negative rods developed for clinical specimens, seems to be increasingly used for the identification of fish pathogens. In this work, adaptation of API 20E for fish bacterial isolates and its distinctiveness for fish bacteria was assessed. For some bacterial fish isolates, their identification must be regarded as only presumptive. Some strains are wrongly identified because they are not included in the database of API 20E system. For comparable results, API 20E has to be adapted for bacterial fish isolates, and there should be a consensus among the fish health professionals regarding the incubation temperature and the duration of the incubation time before performing readings. API 20E reactions should be compared with the diagnostic schemes based on reactions in conventional phenotypic tests. Due to their significance for fish health and impact on the aquaculture, and because of the need for their rapid identification, some important fish bacteria should be included in the API 20E system, such as Yersinia ruckeri, Edwardsiella ictaluri, Vibrio anguillarum

Ideas on adult education in educational novel 'Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship' by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

U radu se analiziraju andragoške ideje i aspekti u romanu Godine učenja Vilhelma Majstera Johana Vo lfganga fon Getea4 (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: 'Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre') i elemente zbog kojih se ovo delo svrstava u kategoriju obrazovnog romana. Godine učenja Vilhelma Majstera bavi se procesom odrastanja i sticanja zrelosti u njenim brojnim aspektima kroz proces učenja i obrazovanja/samoobrazovanja glavnog junaka, istovremeno slikajući građanski obrazovni ideal XVIII veka.This article analyses andragogical ideas and aspects in the novel 'Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship' by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: 'Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre') and elements that place this book in the category of educational novel. 'Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship' deals with the main character's process of maturing and growing up through various aspects of his learning and education/self education, at the same time portraying societal educational ideal of the 18th century

Ispitivanje najčešćih alergena atopičnog dermatitisa pasa - retrospektiva studija

Canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) is one of the most common skin diseases of dogs. It is estimated that 10-15% of the dogs are showing clinical symptoms of this disease. Canine atopic dermatitis is defi ned as genetically predisposed infl ammatory and pruritic allergic skin disease with characteristic clinical symptoms. It is related to the production of IgE antibodies, mostly directed against external allergens. Allergens that can cause canine atopic dermatitis are quite numerous and depend on the geographical characteristics of research location. Th e aim of the study is to determine the most common allergens that can cause canine atopic dermatitis. Th e research was conducted according to medical records of 100 dogs during a period from the beginning of 2008 to the end of 2012 from the Department for skin diseases of small animals of the Clinic of equine, small animal, poultry and wild animal diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Belgrade. According to the clinical documentation, all of the tested dogs had clinically manifested symptoms of CAD. In order to confi rm the diagnosis and detect the causative allergens, intradermal testing has been done. Th is testing has been performed with a standard set of 24 allergens specifi c to the geographical area of the research, produced in the Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera “Torlak”. According to the results, the highest percentage of positive responses was established for the following allergens: house dust mites (Dermatophagoides sp.) 67%, ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) 61%, household dust 60%, cocks foot (Dactylis sp.) 59%, mix of weed pollen 57%.Atopični dermatitis pasa (ADP) je jedno od najčešćih oboljenja pasa. Procenjuje se da 10 do 15% pasa ispoljava kliničke simptome bolesti. Atopični dermatitis pasa se defi niše kao genetički predisponirajuće oboljenje koje prati infl amatorni tok i alergijski svrab. Oboljenje nastaje zbog produkcije IgE antitela usmerenih na alergene iz spoljne sredine. Postoje mnogobrojni alergeni koji uzorkuju atopični dermatitis kod pasa zavisno od geografskih karakteristika lokacija koje se istražuju. Cilj studije je bio da se utvrdi koji su najčešći alergeni koji uzorkuju atopični dermatitis. Istraživanje je urađeno prema medicinskim protkolima za 100 pasa u period od početka 2008 do kraja 2012 godine iz ambulante za oboljenja kože Departmana za bolesti kopitara mesojeda, živine i divljači, na Faklutetu veterinarske medicine, Univerziteta u Beogradu. Prema kliničkoj dokumentaciji, svi testirani psi su imali kliničke manifestacije koje upoućuju na ADP. Kako bi potvrdili dijagnozu i detektovali uzročne alergene, potrebno je da se uradi intradermalni test. Navedeni test je urađen sa standardnim setom od 24 poznata alergena koji su specifi čni za geografsku oblast istraživanja, a proizvedeni su u Institutu za virusologiju, vakcine i serume “Torlak”. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata ustvrđeno je da je najčešći procenat pozitivnih odgovora dobijen kod sledećih alergena: grinja iz kućne prašine (Dermatophagoides sp.) 67%, ambrozije (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) 61%, kućne prašine 60%, mačije trave (Dactylis sp.) 59%, mešavine polena 57%

Legislative framework regarding wastewater treatment in the Republic of Serbia and flow and transport modelling in the determination on effluent quality of wastewater treatment plant of Belgrade central sewerage system

The largest sewerage system in Belgrade is Belgrade Central Sewerage System, which covers the area of about 85% of the sewerage network, with about 1,250,000 inhabitants connected to the sewage infrastructure. The interaction of emission limit values, environmental quality standards, wastewater, effluent and recipient characteristic flows and qualities from the standpoint of environmental impact in the unfavorable environmental conditions was modelled to define the level of wastewater treatment at future Belgrade Central Sewerage System wastewater treatment plant

Time-of-Day and Age Impact on Memory in Elevated Plus-Maze Test in Rats

The purpose of the present study was to establish the effect of daytime and aging on memory in rats in the Elevated Plus-Maze (EPM) test. Young (2-months) and aged (18-months) male Wistar rats were exposed to the EPM test, at the beginning, mid-time or at the end of the light period. On the acquisition trial, the animals were placed individually at the end of one of the open arms of the EPM and the latency to enter in the enclosed arms was registered (cut-off time 60 s). The test was repeated 24 h later on. A longer latency period to reach the enclosed arm indicated poor retention compared to significantly shorter latencies. There were no significant differences between groups on the acquisition trial. In all tested periods, the latency time on the 24 h retention trial was significantly shorter in the young rats compared to the old ones. Furthermore, in the early and mid-time period of the light period, the young rats showed significantly decreased transfer latency (TL) time on the 24 h retention trial in comparison with the acquisition trial. In the aged rats, the TL time on the 24 h retention trial was significantly longer at the end of the light period, in comparison to the two other testing periods. In conclusion, aging significantly affects memory and the more critical period for memory process in both young and old animals, particularly at the end of the light period of the circadian cycle

Breeding potential of maize landraces evaluated by their testcross performance

Significant amounts of crop diversity, especially in out-crossing species like maize (Zea mays L.) is, are often distributed both between and within related groups of accessions. Thus, a detailed characterization and classification of gene bank accessions should be performed prior to use of the best of them for introgression programs to enlarge the genetic base of the elite germplasm pool. Based on performances per se, 40 landraces were chosen out of the wide pool of Western Balkan landraces, previously clustered into 11 homogenous groups. The objective of this study was to evaluate the heterotic pattern of landraces in testcrossing with three divergent elite testers L217, L73B013 and L255/75-5. According to the results of a two-year trial conducted at four locations, landraces 1267, 1346, 197, 1569, 1509 and 2036 expressed the best general combining abilities (GCA) for grain yield. Landraces 1960, 642, 2006, 1945, 1346, 1569, 1450, 1534, 1509 and 1665 performed well in crosses to L217, while landraces 1960, 773, 1798, 1665, 632, 877 and 1569 gave the best results in crosses to inbred tester L73B013. In crosses to inbred tester L255/75-5, the highest heterotic effects were expressed by landraces 467, 773, 1346, 1534, 2249 and 288. Particular attention is to be paid to landraces 1346, 1569 and 1509, having simultaneously high GCA and specific combining abilities (SCA). A certain number of landraces expressed heterosis with two inbred testers, indicating existence of a new unrelated heterotic pattern within the local germplasm pool evaluated