Serbia: is the freedom of the press endangered?

The devastating floods that hit the Balkans recently have put authorities under great pressure throughout the region. There are concerns, recently voiced by the OSCE, that the Serbian government has not responded to criticism with openness and transparency, instead trying to hush down voices of disapproval. Milica Popović goes through the suspected cases of censorship

Regional characteristics of individual housing units in Serbia from the aspect of applied building technologies

Individual housing units in Serbia have been studied from the aspect of applied technical solutions. Analyzed data have been collected during a field research in accordance with the current administrative regional division, and they represent a basis for definition of regional typology of individual housing units. Characteristic types of objects of each region’s typology have been further analyzed. Upon these analyses regional characteristics of individual housing units regarding applied construction types, building technologies and materials have been defined and presented. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR 36034: Investigation and Systematization of Serbian Housing in Context of Globalization and European Integration in the Framework of Quality and Living-Standard Improvement

Plod kivija kao izvor alergena hrane

Since its first appearance on the market, kiwifruit has become very popular in the human diet due to its pleasant taste, low caloric value and high content of vitamin C. However, kiwifruit allergy has become a frequent cause of type I hypersensitivity in the western society. The molecular basis for kiwifruit allergy has been ascribed to up-to-now 11 identified IgE reactive molecules. They are proteins and glycoproteins with a molecular mass between 10 and 50 kDa. The major kiwifruit allergen is a cysteine protease denoted as Act d 1, which represents 50 % of the soluble protein extract. Due to differences in the abundance of the protein components and biological activity, the quality of kiwifruit extracts intended for allergy diagnosis can vary in content and amount of IgE reactive molecules. In addition, the quality of allergen extracts for allergy diagnosis depends on the fruit ripening stage and storage conditions. In terms of clinical reactivity, it has become evident that kiwifruit allergy is not a homogeneous disorder. Different patterns of IgE reactivity accompany several clinical subgroups that have been identified in different geographical regions. In the last decade, enormous progress has been made in the isolation and characterization of kiwifruit allergens. This paper presents an overview of the structural features of kiwifruit allergens.Od prvog pojavljivanja na tržištu plod kivija je postao izuzetno popularan sastojak humane ishrane usled prijatnog ukusa, niske kalorijske vrednosti i visokog sadržaja vitamina C. Međutim, alergija na kivi je postala učestali uzrok preosetljivosti tipa I u zapadnom društvu. Do sada je otkriveno 11 IgE vezujućih molekula koji čine molekulsku osnovu alergije na kivi. To su proteini i glikoproteini molekulskih masa između 10 i 50 kDa. Glavni alergen kivija je cistein-proteaza označena kao Act d 1, koja sačinjava 50 % rastvornih proteina ploda kivija. Usled razlike u zastupljenosti proteinskih komponenti i biološkoj aktivnosti, kvalitet proteinskih ekstrakata kivija koji se upotrebljavaju u dijagnostifikovanju alergije može varirati u sadržaju i količini IgE reaktivnih molekula. Takođe, kvalitet alergenih ekstrakata zavisi od stepena zrelosti voća prilikom branja, kao i od uslova skladištenja voća nakon branja. Po pitanju kliničke reaktivnosti postalo je očigledno da alergija na plod kivija ne predstavlja homogeni poremećaj. Različiti obrasci IgE reaktivnosti uočeni su kod nekolicine kliničkih podgrupa koje su identifikovane u različitim geografskim regijama. Tokom poslednje decenije načinjen je veliki napredak u izolovanju i karakterizaciji IgE vezujućih proteina kivija. U okviru ovog rada daćemo pregled strukturnih osobina alergenih proteina kivija

Hepcidin levels in patients on chronic hemodialysis

Hronična bubrežna bolest (HBB) je globalni zdravstveni problem ne toliko zbog svoje masovnosti, koliko zbog hroničnog, progresivnog toka i udrženosti sa značajnim komorbiditetima. Anemija u sklopu HBB povezana je sa smanjenim kvalitetom života, povećanjem kardiovaskularnog morbiditeta, kognitivnim poremećajima, povećanjem broja hospitalizacija i sa povećanim mortalitetom. Incidencija anemije raste sa napredovanjem HBB, tako da u petom stadijumu zahvata gotovo sve obolele. Hepcidin je centralni regulator metabolizma gvožđa u organizmu, koji može uticati na razvoj i lečenje anemije u sklopu HBB. Cilj istraživanja je bio da se utvrdi nivo hepcidina kod ispitivanih bolesnika, kao i njegova povezanost sa parametrima metabolizma gvožđa, markerima inflamacije i odgovorom na agense za stimulaciju eritropoeze (ESA). Istovremeno smo želeli da utvrdimo koji faktori utiču na nivo hemoglobina u ispitivanoj populaciji, kao i šta utiče na indeks rezistencije na eritropoetin (ERI). U ispitivanje je uključeno 77 bolesnika koji su lečeni hroničnim programom hemodijalize, tokom najmanje tri meseca pre uključivanja u ispitivanje. Ispitanicima je metodom ELISA određen nivo hepcidina u serumu. Ostali ispitivani podaci su dobijeni anamnezom, fizikalnim pregledom, analizom medicinske dokumentacije i standardnim laboratorijskim ispitivanjima. Sprovedenim ispitivanjem smo utvrdili postojanje pozitivne korelacije između serumskog nivoa hepcidina i interleukina-6, dok ostali ispitivani parametri inflamacije nisu korelirali sa nivoom hepcidina. Od parametara metabolizma gvožđa, sa serumskim nivoom hepcidina pozitivno su korelirali nivo gvožđa u serumu, feritin i saturacija transferina, dok je utvrđena negativna korelacija sa transferinom i ukupnim kapacitetom za vezivanje gvožđa. Serumski nivo hepcidina pozitivno je korelirao sa prosečnom nedeljnom dozom ESA. Nije utvrđena korelacija sa ERI, ukupnom dužinom lečenja sa ESA, kao ni sa vrstom ESA. Od svih ispitivanih parametara koji su značajno korelirali sa nivoom hepcidina u serumu, multivarijantna analiza je izdvojila jedino nivo feritina kao signifikantan i nezavisan činilac. Hemoglobin u krvi bolesnika koji su uključeni u ispitivanje nezavisno pozitivno korelira sa vrednostima leukocita i albumina u serumu. Vrednosti ERI u ispitivanoj grupi pozitivno koreliraju sa paratiroidnim hormonom, a negativno sa vrednostima leukocita i indeksom telesne mase.Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem not so much because of its massiveness, as a chronic, progressive course and association with significant comorbidities. Anemia associated with the CKD leads to reduced quality of life, increase in cardiovascular morbidity, cognitive impairment, an increase in the number of hospitalizations and increased mortality. The incidence of anemia increases with the progression of CKD, and in the fifth stage affects almost all the patients. Hepcidin is a central regulator of iron metabolism in the body, which may affect the development and treatment of anemia in CKD. The aim of this study was to determine the level of hepcidin in the patients, as well as its association with parameters of iron metabolism, markers of inflammation and response to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA). Also, we wanted to determine what factors influence the level of hemoglobin in the study population, as well as what affects the erythropoietin resistance index (ERI). The study included 77 patients who were treated with chronic hemodialysis for at least three months prior to inclusion in the study. Serum hepcidin levels were determined by the ELISA procedure. Other test data were obtained by anamesis, physical examination, analysis of medical history and standard laboratory tests. In our study we have found a positive correlation between serum levels of hepcidin and interleukin-6, while the other parameters of inflammation did not correlate with the level of hepcidin. Serum hepcidin levels were positively correlated values of serum iron, ferritin, transferring saturation, and negatively correlated with transferring and total iron binding capacity. Serum hepcidin levels positively correlated with average weekly dose of ESA. There was no correlation with ERI, the total length of treatment with ESA, as well as the type of ESA. Of all the tested parameters that were significantly correlated with the level of hepcidin in serum, multivariate analysis has allocated only ferritin level as a significant and independent factor. The hemoglobin in the blood of the patients involved in the study, positively correlated with the values of the white cell count and serum albumin. ERI values in the study group positively correlated with parathyroid hormone, and negatively with the values of leukocytes and body mass index

Hepcidin levels in patients on chronic hemodialysis

Hronična bubrežna bolest (HBB) je globalni zdravstveni problem ne toliko zbog svoje masovnosti, koliko zbog hroničnog, progresivnog toka i udrženosti sa značajnim komorbiditetima. Anemija u sklopu HBB povezana je sa smanjenim kvalitetom života, povećanjem kardiovaskularnog morbiditeta, kognitivnim poremećajima, povećanjem broja hospitalizacija i sa povećanim mortalitetom. Incidencija anemije raste sa napredovanjem HBB, tako da u petom stadijumu zahvata gotovo sve obolele. Hepcidin je centralni regulator metabolizma gvožđa u organizmu, koji može uticati na razvoj i lečenje anemije u sklopu HBB. Cilj istraživanja je bio da se utvrdi nivo hepcidina kod ispitivanih bolesnika, kao i njegova povezanost sa parametrima metabolizma gvožđa, markerima inflamacije i odgovorom na agense za stimulaciju eritropoeze (ESA). Istovremeno smo želeli da utvrdimo koji faktori utiču na nivo hemoglobina u ispitivanoj populaciji, kao i šta utiče na indeks rezistencije na eritropoetin (ERI). U ispitivanje je uključeno 77 bolesnika koji su lečeni hroničnim programom hemodijalize, tokom najmanje tri meseca pre uključivanja u ispitivanje. Ispitanicima je metodom ELISA određen nivo hepcidina u serumu. Ostali ispitivani podaci su dobijeni anamnezom, fizikalnim pregledom, analizom medicinske dokumentacije i standardnim laboratorijskim ispitivanjima. Sprovedenim ispitivanjem smo utvrdili postojanje pozitivne korelacije između serumskog nivoa hepcidina i interleukina-6, dok ostali ispitivani parametri inflamacije nisu korelirali sa nivoom hepcidina. Od parametara metabolizma gvožđa, sa serumskim nivoom hepcidina pozitivno su korelirali nivo gvožđa u serumu, feritin i saturacija transferina, dok je utvrđena negativna korelacija sa transferinom i ukupnim kapacitetom za vezivanje gvožđa. Serumski nivo hepcidina pozitivno je korelirao sa prosečnom nedeljnom dozom ESA. Nije utvrđena korelacija sa ERI, ukupnom dužinom lečenja sa ESA, kao ni sa vrstom ESA. Od svih ispitivanih parametara koji su značajno korelirali sa nivoom hepcidina u serumu, multivarijantna analiza je izdvojila jedino nivo feritina kao signifikantan i nezavisan činilac. Hemoglobin u krvi bolesnika koji su uključeni u ispitivanje nezavisno pozitivno korelira sa vrednostima leukocita i albumina u serumu. Vrednosti ERI u ispitivanoj grupi pozitivno koreliraju sa paratiroidnim hormonom, a negativno sa vrednostima leukocita i indeksom telesne mase.Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem not so much because of its massiveness, as a chronic, progressive course and association with significant comorbidities. Anemia associated with the CKD leads to reduced quality of life, increase in cardiovascular morbidity, cognitive impairment, an increase in the number of hospitalizations and increased mortality. The incidence of anemia increases with the progression of CKD, and in the fifth stage affects almost all the patients. Hepcidin is a central regulator of iron metabolism in the body, which may affect the development and treatment of anemia in CKD. The aim of this study was to determine the level of hepcidin in the patients, as well as its association with parameters of iron metabolism, markers of inflammation and response to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESA). Also, we wanted to determine what factors influence the level of hemoglobin in the study population, as well as what affects the erythropoietin resistance index (ERI). The study included 77 patients who were treated with chronic hemodialysis for at least three months prior to inclusion in the study. Serum hepcidin levels were determined by the ELISA procedure. Other test data were obtained by anamesis, physical examination, analysis of medical history and standard laboratory tests. In our study we have found a positive correlation between serum levels of hepcidin and interleukin-6, while the other parameters of inflammation did not correlate with the level of hepcidin. Serum hepcidin levels were positively correlated values of serum iron, ferritin, transferring saturation, and negatively correlated with transferring and total iron binding capacity. Serum hepcidin levels positively correlated with average weekly dose of ESA. There was no correlation with ERI, the total length of treatment with ESA, as well as the type of ESA. Of all the tested parameters that were significantly correlated with the level of hepcidin in serum, multivariate analysis has allocated only ferritin level as a significant and independent factor. The hemoglobin in the blood of the patients involved in the study, positively correlated with the values of the white cell count and serum albumin. ERI values in the study group positively correlated with parathyroid hormone, and negatively with the values of leukocytes and body mass index

Bojana Videkanić, Nonaligned Modernism: Socialist Postcolonial Aesthetics in Yugoslavia, 1945-1985

Standing together with a new generation of scholars who are bringing to light the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and its relevance for the political and social history of the twentieth century, Bojana Videkanić delivers a well-researched, strongly argued and, moreover, inspiring work. Dedicating her book to “all true Yugoslavs,” Videkanić does not shy away from positioning her excellent theoretical insights within a political outlook onto the future and a call for solidarity across the Global Maj..

Theodora Vetta, Democracy Struggles. NGOs and the Politics of Aid in Serbia

Dans le champ des études des réformes mises en place dans les pays postsocialistes, les approches transitologiques, qui visent à simplifier les réalités de chaque pays, ont été largement critiquées. Néanmoins, les analyses approfondies des processus de démocratisation dans les pays post-yougoslaves restent rares. L’ouvrage de Theodora Vetta fournit une nouvelle et importante réflexion sur le champ de l’aide internationale et des ONG en Serbie contemporaine, qui contribue à la compréhension de..