Influence of initial operating conditions on technological function parameters of servicing systems - machines and devices

U skladišnim i proizvodnim sustavima, svaki novi početak rada uređaja ili stroja poslije otkaza ili na početku nove smjene, dovodi do njihovog nestacionarnog režima rada izazvanog određenim brojem zaostalih neopsluženih jedinica. U skladišnim sustavima nestacionarni režim rada je uobičajena situacija kada je skladištenje paletizirane robe moguće u jednoj ili dvije smjene dok se proizvodnja odvija u dvije ili tri smjene. Opisane situacije utječu na parametre tehnološke funkcije (TFP) skladišnih ili proizvodnih sustava. Nestacionarni režim rada pojedinačnih uređaja ili strojeva može se modelirati kao jednokanalni sustav opsluživanja s ograničenim redom – M/M/1/K. Stoga je opći analitički izraz za integracijske konstante izveden na osnovu proizvoljnih početnih vrijednosti vjerojatnoća stanja sustava. Utjecaj početnog nestacionarnog režima, kao i njegovo trajanje, na TFP skladišnog sustava je kvantificiran uzimajući u obzir radne uvjete u postojećem paletnom visokoregalnom skladištu.In warehousing and production systems, every device or machine re-commissioning after malfunction or at the start of a new shift, leads to their non-stationary operating regime caused by a certain number of residual unprocessed units. In warehouse systems, non-stationary operating regime is common when palletized goods are stored in one (two) shifts while their production runs in two (three) shifts. Such situations influence technological function parameters (TFPs) of production or warehousing systems. On the other hand, non-stationary operating regime of a single device or machine may be modelled as a single server servicing system with a finite waiting room – M/M/1/K. As a result, general analytical integration constants expression was derived based on initial arbitrary system state probability values. Influence of initial non-stationary operating regime and its duration on warehousing system TFPs is evaluated in view of the operating conditions of an existing high bay pallet warehouse

J R SOC INTERFACE

Enzymes are dynamic entities, and their dynamic properties are clearly linked to their biological function. It follows that dynamics ought to play an essential role in enzyme evolution. Indeed, a link between conformational diversity and the emergence of new enzyme functionalities has been recognized for many years. However, it is only recently that state-of-the-art computational and experimental approaches are revealing the crucial molecular details of this link. Specifically, evolutionary trajectories leading to functional optimization for a given host environment or to the emergence of a new function typically involve enriching catalytically competent conformations and/or the freezing out of non-competent conformations of an enzyme. In some cases, these evolutionary changes are achieved through distant mutations that shift the protein ensemble towards productive conformations. Multifunctional intermediates in evolutionary trajectories are probably multi-conformational, i.e. able to switch between different overall conformations, each competent for a given function. Conformational diversity can assist the emergence of a completely new active site through a single mutation by facilitating transition-state binding. We propose that this mechanism may have played a role in the emergence of enzymes at the primordial, progenote stage, where it was plausibly promoted by high environmental temperatures and the possibility of additional phenotypic mutationsDepartment of Chemistry, BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, 751 23 Uppsala, Sweden Departamento de Quimica Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, SpainWallenberg Academy Fellowship to S.C.L.K. from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (KAW 2013.0124)Grant RGP0041/2017 from the Human Frontier Science ProgramFEDER Funds and grant BIO2015–66426-R to J.M.S.R. from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivenes

Ekonomski parametri u proizvodnji mleka na poljoprivrednom gazdinstvu

This article presents the economic analysis of two farms A and B for the period 2013-2015. Based on the data for the three years, the income and value of realized production, variable costs and gross margin were calculated, and values were measured per dairy cow for easier comparison. Efficiency in milk production largely depends on the cost of feeding dairy cows, as well on the selling price of milk. These parameters changed in the research period on both farms and significantly impacted the values of realized gross margin.U radu je data ekonomska analiza dva poljoprivredna gazdinstva A i B za period od 2013-2015. godine. Na osnovu praćenih podataka za tri godine izračunati su prihodi i vrednosti ostvarene proizvodnje, varijabilni troškovi i bruto marža, a radi lakše komparacije iskazani su rezultati po muznom grlu. Efikasnost u proizvodnji mleka u velikoj meri zavisi od troškova ishrane muznih krava, kao i prodajne cene mleka, ovi parametri su bili promenljivi u posmatranom periodu na oba gazdinstva i značajno su uticali na ostvarene vrednosti bruto marže

Dirofilariosis and Leishmaniasis in the Northern Region of Serbia

Research in the field of vector borne diseases and zoonozes became a topic of interest in Serbia, during the last decade. Climate changes as well as higher frequency of human and animal movement and travel, especially of dogs, is rising a threat of dirofilariosis and leismaniasis. The presence of native mosquito and sandfly vectors has already been confirmed in the country and some invasive/previously not detected were found. Dirofilariosis and leishmaniasis, which are found more or less often in dogs, cause clinical symptoms which are not obvious and therefore they represent a danger for public health with dogs acting as reservoirs of the infection

Sleep Organisation in Depression and Schizophrenia: Index of Endogenous Periodicity of Sleep as a State Marker [Retracted]

Background: Sleep disorders are frequent symptoms described in psychiatric patients with major depression or schizophrenia. These patients also exhibit changes in the sleep architecture measured by polysomnography (PSG) during sleep. The aim of the present study was to identify potential biomarkers that would facilitate the diagnosis based on polysomnography (PSG) measurements.Subjects and Methods: 30 patients with schizophrenia, 30 patients with major depression and 30 healthy control subjects were investigated in the present study. The mean age in the group with schizophrenia was 36.73 (SD 6.43), in the group of patients with depression 40.77 (SD 7.66), in the healthy controls group 34.40 (SD 5.70). The gender distribution was as follows: 18 male, 12 female in the group with schizophrenia; in the group of patients with depression 11 male, 19 female; in the control group 16 male and 14 female. All subjects underwent polysomnography (PSG) for a minimum time of 8 hours according to the criteria of Rechtschaffen & Kales (1968). The following polysomnographic (PSG) parameters were analyzed: sleep latency (SL), total sleep time (TST), waking time after sleep onset (WTASO), number of awakenings (NAW), slow wave sleep (SWS), rapid eye movement sleep (REM), rapid eye movement sleep latency (REML), first REM period (REM 1), and first NREM period (NREM 1). We tested the potential of multiple sleep variables to predict diagnosis in different groups by using linear discriminate analysis (LDA).Results: There were significant differences in polysomnography (PSG) variables between healthy control subjects and psychiatric patients (total sleep time, sleep latency, number of awakenings, time of awakening after sleep onset, REM 1 latency, REM 1 and index of endogenous periodicity). Importantly, LDA was able to predict the correct diagnosis in 88% of all cases.Conclusions: The presented analysis showed commonalities and differences in polysomnography (PSG) changes in patients with major depressive disorder and in patients with schizophrenia. Our results underline the potential of polysomnography (PSG) measurements to facilitate diagnostic processes

Fitotoksični efekti hlorpirifosa na ponike ječma i krastavca

Under Directive 2008/105 / EC, chlorpyrifos is one of the priority water pollutants. Its presence is mainly detected by chemical methods, although bioindicators are gaining in importance. The effect of chlorpyrifos (0.05-10 µg L-1) was evaluated on germination energy -GE and germination -G, length, fresh and dry weight of roots and shoots of barley and cucumber seedlings. In the bioassay, chlorpyrifos applied at MAC rate (0.1 µg L-1) caused a significant inhibition of GE and G of barley and at 0.5 µg L-1 of cucumber seeds, compared to control. At 50 % MAC (0.05 1 µg L-1), length, fresh and dry weight of roots and shoots of both tested plants were significantly inhibited, while in treatments with 0.5 µg L-1 and higher rates, there was no formation of hypocotyl and epicotyl of barley, i.e. hypocotyl of cucumber seedlings.Prema Direktivi 2008/105/EC, hlorpirifos je jedan od prioritetnih polutanata voda. Njegovo prisustvo se uglavnom detektuje hemijskim analizama, iako su sve značajnije i metode koje uključuju bioindikatore. U radu je procenjen uticaj hlorpirifosa (0,05-10 µg L-1) na energiju klijanja -EK, klijavost -K, dužinu, svežu i suvu masu korena i izdanka ječma i krastavca, kao potencijalnih indikatora. Hlorpirifos je izazvao značajnu inhibiciju EK i K semena ječma u MDK količini (0,1 µg L-1), a kod semena krastavca u količini 0,5 µg L-1, u odnosu na kontrolu. U količni 50% manje od MDK (0,05 µg L-1), dužina, sveža i suva masa i korena i nadzemnog dela obe test biljke su bili značajno smanjeni, dok u tretmanima sa preko 0,5 µg L-1 hlopririfosa, formiranje hipokotila i epikotila kod ječma, odnosno hipokotila kod krastavca, je izostalo

The Urine-to-Plasma Urea Concentration Ratio is associated with eGFR and eGFR decline over time in a population cohort.

BACKGROUND Evaluation of renal function and of factors associated with its decline are important public health issues. Besides markers of glomerular function (e.g., GFR), those of tubular functions are rarely evaluated. Urea, the most abundant urinary solute, is markedly concentrated in urine when compared to plasma. We explored the urine-to-plasma ratio of urea concentrateions (U/P-urea-ratio) as a marker of tubular functions. METHODS We evaluated the relationship of the U/P-urea-ratio with eGFR at baseline in 1043 participants (48±17y) from the SKIPOGH population-based cohort, using mixed regression. In 898 participants, we assessed the relation between U/P-urea-ratio and renal function decline between two study waves 3 years apart. We studied U/P ratios for osmolarity, Na, K, uric acid for comparison. RESULTS In a transversal study at baseline, eGFR was positively associated with U/P-urea-ratio (βscaled = 0.08, 95%CI[0.04;0.13]) but not with the U/P ratio of osmolarity. Considering separately participants with renal function > or ≤ 90 ml/minx1.73m2, this association was observed only in those with reduced renal function. In the longitudinal study, eGFR declined at a mean rate of 1.2 ml/min per year. A significant association was observed between baseline U/P-urea-ratio and eGFR decline (βscaled = 0.08, 95%CI[0.01;0.15]). A lower baseline U/P-urea-ratio was associated with a greater eGFR decline. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that the U/P-urea-ratio is an early marker of kidney function decline in the general adult population. Urea is easy to measure with well-standardized techniques and at low cost. Thus, the U/P-urea-ratio could become an easily available tubular marker for evaluating renal function decline

Ostaci pesticida u uzorcima povrća iz organske i konvencionalne proizvodnje

The detections of pesticides in organic and conventional productions were compared with the MRLs. Six vegetable samples from organic production, 4 from conventional production and one from the conversion period were analysed. The white potato sample from the organic production contained imidacloprid, propiconazole and piperonyl butoxide residues. Imidacloprid was found to be above the MRL. In the carrot sample from conventional production the azoxystrobin, boscalid, pyraclostrobin and difenoconazole were detected in the regulated limits, while the mandipropamid concentration were above the MRL.Poređene su detekcije pesticida sa propisanim MDK organskih i konvencionalnih proizvoda. Analizirano je šest uzoraka povrća iz organske, četiri iz konvencionalne proizvodnje i jedan iz perioda konverzije. Uzorak belog krompira iz organske proizvodnje sadržavao je ostatke imidakloprida, propikonazola i piperonil butoksid. Imidakloprid je bio iznad propisanih MDK. U uzoraku mrkve iz konvencionalne proizvodnje detektovani su azoksistrobin, boskalid, piraklostrobin i difenokonazol u propisanim granicama, dok je koncentracija mandipropamida bila iznad MDK

Emerging trends in the epidemiology of West Nile and Usutu virus infections in Southern Europe

The epidemiology of West Nile (WNV) and Usutu virus (USUV) has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Since 1999, there have been regular reports of WNV outbreaks and the virus has expanded its area of circulation in many Southern European countries. After emerging in Italy in 1996, USUV has spread to other countries causing mortality in several bird species. In 2009, USUV seroconversion in horses was reported in Italy. Co-circulation of both viruses was detected in humans, horses and birds. The main vector of WNV and USUV in Europe is Culex pipiens, however, both viruses were found in native Culex mosquito species (Cx. modestus, Cx. perexiguus). Experimental competence to transmit the WNV was also proven for native and invasive mosquitoes of Aedes and Culex genera (Ae. albopictus, Ae. detritus, Cx. torrentium). Recently, Ae. albopictus and Ae. japonicus naturally-infected with USUV were reported. While neuroinvasive human WNV infections are well-documented, USUV infections are sporadically detected. However, there is increasing evidence of a role of USUV in human disease. Seroepidemiological studies showed that USUV circulation is more common than WNV in some endemic regions. Recent data showed that WNV strains detected in humans, horses, birds, and mosquitoes mainly belong to lineage 2. In addition to European USUV lineages, some reports indicate the presence of African USUV lineages as well. The trends in WNV/USUV range and vector expansion are likely to continue in future years. This mini-review provides an update on the epidemiology of WNV and USUV infections in Southern Europe within a multidisciplinary "One Health" context