Methods and devices for registration of road microprofiles

The vehicle presents a dynamic system performing vibrations under the influence of certain stimulus. Information driver receives from the environment and the vehicle is: macro and micro texture of the road, vibrations and noise of the vehicle's subsystem and so on. The road is usually evaluated according to its macro and micro texture. Microroughness of the roads is of great importance for the study of vehicle's oscillatory movements, reliable computation of vehicle systems, safety etc. Therefore, a special attention must be given to them during the analysis of dynamics, strength and safety of the vehicle. Microroughness that characterize the microprofile of the road in longitudinal and transverse direction have random character and can be established by experimental study of the road with utilization of devices. Accordingly, a variety of devices have been developed for measurement of macro- and micro profiles of the road as well as numerous mathematical and experimental procedures, which with certain approximation satisfy the given requirements, and with the increasing use of computer technology

Uticaj različitih materijala koji oblažu hidroksiapatit koštanog nosača na uspeh regeneracije koštanih defekta kalvarije zeca: histomorfometrijska i histološka analiza

Background/Aim. The materials used nowadays for bone replacement do not fully meet the requirements for complete regeneration, which is why new ones are being tested. Despite numerous attempts to improve bone tissue regeneration, no fulfilling material has been found yet. This study investigated the influence of poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI) as coatings for hydroxyapatite (HAP) bone carriers on bone tissue regenerative potential in rabbits? calvarial defect. Methods. Calvarial defects measuring 6 mm in diameter were made in 19 skeletally mature rabbits. Defects were filled with one of the following materials: PLGA coated HAP (HAP + PLGA), PEI coated HAP (HAP + PEI), and bovine HAP ? Bio-Oss? (positive control). Unfilled defects represented negative control. Histological analysis was performed in order to determine the inflammatory response of the host tissue. The formation of the new bone was evaluated using histomorphometric analysis. All analyses have been conducted in samples obtained 3, 6, and 9 weeks after implantation. Results. Three weeks post-implantation, a trend toward increased healing in the HAP + PLGA group compared to other investigated materials was noticed, with no statistically significant difference between the study groups (p > 0.05). However, after 6 and 9 weeks, significant healing was observed in favor of the HAP coated with PLGA compared to other groups (pUvod/Cilj. Materijali koji se u današnje vreme koriste za nadoknadu koštanog tkiva ne dovode do kompletne regeneracije, zbog čega se ispituju novi. Uprkos mnogobrojnim pokušajima da se poboljša regeneracija koštanog tkiva, još uvek nije pronađen materijal koji ispunjava sve kriterijume. Cilj rada bio je da se utvrdi uticaj poli(laktid-ko-glikolida) (PLGA) i polietilenimina (PEI), kao premaza za oblaganje hidroksiapatita (HAP), na regenerativni potencijal koštanog tkiva u defektu kalvarije zeca. Metode. Kod 19 zečeva „zrelog” skeleta načinjeni su defekti kalvarije dijametra 6 mm. Defekti su potom ispunjeni jednim od sledećih materijala: HAP obložen PLGA (HAP + PLGA), HAP obložen PEI (HAP + PEI) i goveđi HAP – Bio-Oss® (pozitivna kontrola). Prazni defekti su predstavljali negativnu kontrolu. Inflamacijska reakcija tkiva domaćina je ispitana histološkom analizom. Formiranje nove kosti je procenjivano histomorfometrijskom analizom. Analizirani su uzorci dobijeni 3, 6 i 9 nedelja nakon implantacije. Rezultati. Tri nedelje nakon implantacije, uočena je tendencija boljeg zarastanja u HAP + PLGA grupi, bez statistički značajne razlike između ispitivanih grupa (p > 0.05). Međutim, 6 i 9 nedelja nakon implantacije, primećeno je značajno formiranje koštanog tkiva u korist HAP + PLGA grupe (p < 0,05). Oblaganje HAP sa PLGA dovelo je do boljeg koštanog zarastanja u poređenju sa HAP+PEI i Bio-Oss®. Zaključak. U pogledu stimulisanja osteogeneze u rekonstruktivnoj hirurgiji kostiju, PLGA je pokazao veći potencijal prekrivanja defekta od PEI

Scenario planning as communicative action: lessons from participatory exercises conducted for the Scottish livestock industry

AbstractBased on Habermas' Theory of Communicative Action, this paper critiques the transparency and legitimacy of participatory scenario planning, considering a case study of scenario development for the livestock industry within Scotland. The paper considers the extent to which the case study approximates the conditions for ‘ideal speech situations’ and how these conditions could be applied more widely in participatory scenario planning. The authors explore the rationale for participatory scenario planning within the science–policy interface with critical reference to the corporate context in which scenario planning has evolved. The aim is to optimise the potential for its use in the context of socio-technical and environmental governance. Researcher co-reflections on the case study are mapped within a matrix of indices representing conditions for ideal speech situations. Further analytical categories highlight the extent to which ideal speech was approximated. Although many of the constraints on achieving ideal speech situations reflect intransigent, practical logistics of organising participatory exercises, our novel approach enables the systematic identification of some important issues and provides a conceptual framework for understanding how they interrelate that may prove useful to practitioners and theorists alike

Inhibition by blueberries (bilberries) and extract from milk thistle of rat forestomach hyperplasia induced by oral smokeless tobacco (Swedish snus)

The aim of this study was to identify palatable additives which have a significant protective action against soft tissue changes in the oral cavity caused by Swedish smokeless tobacco (snus), and that satisfy existing legal requirements. Although the cancer risk from snus is extremely low, long term use may result in highly undesirable keratotic lesions and associated epithelial abnormalities in the oral cavity. The rat forestomach, which is vulnerable to the irritative action of non-genotoxic compounds like butylated hydroxyanisole, propionic acid as well as snus, was chosen as an experimental model. Studied toxicological endpoints included histopathology and cellular proliferation based on DNA incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine. After 6 weeks exposure, blueberries (bilberries) and an extract from the common milk thistle were found to exert a highly significant inhibition of cell proliferation induced by snus in the rat forestomach epithelium, indicating a potential protection with respect soft tissue changes in the human oral cavity. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Significance of the structural properties of CaO catalyst in the production of biodiesel: An effect on the reduction of greenhouse gases emission

The influence of the physicochemical properties of a series of CaO catalysts activated at different temperatures on the biodiesel production was investigated. These catalysts show dissimilar yields in the transesterification of triglycerides with methanol. We have found significant relationships between structural properties (the type of the pore system, the typical CaO crystal phase and the sizes of crystallites (up to 25 nm), the minimal weight percentage of CaO phase, the total surface basicity and potential existence of two types of basic active sites) of CaO prepared and activated by means of thermal treatment at highest temperature and catalytic efficiency. Benefits of this catalyst are short contact time, standard operating temperature and atmospheric conditions, relatively low molar ratios and small catalyst loading. These all together resulted in a very high biodiesel yield of high purity. The properties of different biodiesel (obtained with the use of the prepared CaO catalyst) blends with different diesel and biodiesel ratios indicate that the higher the fraction of biodiesel fuel the better the achieved fuel properties according to the EU standards. A significant reduction of CO2 and CO emissions and only a negligible NOx increase occurred when blends with an increased biodiesel portion was used. The use of biodiesel derived blends, and the eventual complete replacement of fossil fuels with biodiesel as a renewable, alternative fuel for diesel engines, would greatly contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. ON 172061 i TR 34008