Risk analysis of the proxy life-cycle investments in the second pillar pension scheme in Croatia

In this article we analyze the expected risk of pension funds with different risk profiles in the proxy life-cycle model of investments for the 2nd pillar pension scheme in Croatia. The benefits of implementing proxy life-cycle investments, compared to the previous model of mandatory pension funds investments, are clearly visible in the total expected amount of accumulated savings from the risk/return perspective. However, those benefits are partially diminished by the fact that the expected risk of a pension fund with the lowest risk profile is not substantially different from the expected risk of a pension fund with a medium risk profile, due to the lack of diversification. Additionally, we analyze the robustness of the proxy life-cycle model to a sudden and severe market shock, where we determine the presence of risk for those members who choose to switch to a pension fund with a lower risk profile at an unfavorable moment

Investigating the Impacts of Winds on SO2 Concentrations in Bor, Serbia

Air pollution is one of the most important environmental problems in the town of Bor, situated in the eastern of Serbia. The main source of air pollution with sulphur dioxide, heavy metals and other toxic and carcinogenic elements present in particulate matter (PM) and aero sediments is the Copper Mining and Smelting Complex Bor. The distribution of air pollutants is mainly determined by the copper smelter operation mode, as well as by meteorological parameters such as wind speed and direction. While information on air pollution with heavy metals and carcinogenic elements in the form of PM has been monitored and reported for longer period, availability of data related to the relationship between air pollutants and meteorological parameters in the Republic of Serbia is still limited. In the present study, the relationships between daily mean concentrations of SO2 and the speed and wind direction were analysed. The analysis includes data collected in 2011 from the four monitoring stations (Park, Jugopetrol, Institute, and Brezonik) situated in a wider town area. Pearson correlation coefficients between daily average SO2 and daily average speed and direction of winds are calculated. High wind speed reduces SO2 concentration due to the dilution effect. Hence, correlations between SO2 and the speed and direction of winds at almost all monitoring stations were negative, with one exception (Jugopetrol). This could be explained by the fact that winds, blowing from the north-west (NW) direction, carry polluted air towards this station. Moderate negative correlation found between SO2 and wind direction at monitoring station Park. Generally, the observed correlations between SO2 and wind speed and direction are weak, due to frequent changes in SO2 emissions, wind speed and direction during the day

The content and composition of respirable particles in the urban area of Bor

U radu je analizirano ukupno 416 uzoraka frakcija respirabilnih čestica (PM10 i PM2.5), sakupljenih tokom 2009. i 2010. godine sa lokaliteta obdaništa "Boško Buha" u Boru koje se nalazi u neposrednoj blizini industrijskog kompleksa za proizvodnju bakra, Rudarsko-topioničarskog basena Bor. Uzorkivači su postavljeni i unutar obdaništa, i spolja, radi prikupljanja podataka o kvalitetu kako vazduha u spoljašnjoj sredini tako i unutrašnjem prostoru, radi analiziranja uticaja zagađenja iz spoljašnje sredine kao i detektovanja eventualno prisutnih izvora zagađenja u unutrašnjm prostoru...In this study, the total of 416 samples of respirable particles (PM10 and PM2.5) collected during 2009 and 2010 from the kindergarten Bosko Buha in Bor, located in the vicinity of Copper Smelter Complex RTB, were analyzed. Samplers were placed indoor and outdoor in order to collect the data about air quality, both indoor and outdoor, to analyzed the influence of ambient air to the indoor pollution and to detect a possible sources of indoor pollution..

Priča o klorokinu u prvoj godini pandemije COVIDA-19

The emergence of COVID-19 has caused worldwide concern due to its high infectivity and mortality. Research groups around the world have prioritised drug development against COVID-19. Repurposing of already approved drugs, including the antimalarial drug chloroquine, has attracted considerable attention. The aim of this article is to (i) provide an overview of the recent chemical methods used to synthesise chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, and (ii) provide insight into the data collected in 2020 on their efficacy against COVID-19. Unfortunately, the promising early results have not been confirmed and a clear and unambiguous conclusion on their clinical efficacy has not yet been drawn.Pojava COVIDA-19 uzrokovala je globalnu zabrinutost zbog visoke zaraznosti i mortaliteta. Stoga je razvoj lijekova protiv COVIDA-19 postao prioritet istraživačkim skupinama diljem svijeta. Pri tom je posebnu pozornost privukla moguća prenamjena prethodno odobrenih lijekova, uključujući i antimalarijski lijek klorokin. Cilj ovog rada je (i) prikazati pregled recentnih kemijskih metoda primijenjenih za sintezu klorokina i hidroksiklorokina te (ii) dati uvid u podatke o njihovoj učinkovitosti protiv COVIDA-19 prikupljene tijekom 2020. Nažalost, početni obećavajući rezultati nisu potvrđeni, a jasni i nedvosmisleni zaključci o kliničkoj učinkovitosti klorokina i hidroksiklorokina još nisu postignuti

The biometrics techniques for the assessment of the degree of adoption of toxic and essential elements

Fokus ove studije je na biometrijsku klasifikaciju biljaka, biljnih organa, lokaliteta i vremena uzorkovanja, u smislu praćenja stepena usvajanja toksičanih (As, Cd, Hg i Pb) i esencijalnih elemenata (Cu i Zn), i mogućnost primene u fito-remedijaciji. Stepen usvajanja elemenata zavisi od biljne vrste i njenih morfoloških i fizioloških osobina. Usvajanje toksičnih i esencijalnih elemenata u ovom radu je praćeno kod tri vrste biljaka (podbel, maslačak i kopriva). Uzorkovanje biljaka i zemljišta je vršeno u priobalnom regionu Kriveljske reke, Srbija. Analiza glavnih komponenti i analiza varijanse su korišćene za procenu efekasnosti usvajanja toksičnih i esencijalnih elemenata kod pomenutih biljnih vrsta, biljnih organa (korena, stabla i lišća), lokaliteta i vremena uzorkovanja (april, maj, jun). Dobijeni rezultati su pokazali da je razlika u usvajanju toksičnih i esencijalnih elemenata najviše zavisi od sorte i tipova biljnih organa. Biometrijske tehnike pružaju mogućnost za bolje razumevanje ponašanja biljaka i dobijanja mnogo korisnih informacija iz izvornih podataka.The focus of this study is on the biometric classification of plants, plant organs, sampling sites and sampling time, in terms of toxic (As, Cd, Hg and Pb) and essential elements (Cu and Zn) monitoring, and possible the application in phyto-remediation. The degree of adoption of elements depends on the plant species and its morphological and physiological properties, therefore the adoption of toxic and essential elements in three plant species (coltsfoot, dandelion and nettles) was investigated. Vegetation experiments were carried out in the coastal region of river Kriveljska, Serbia. Principal component analysis and analysis of variance were used for assessing the effect of plant types, plant organs (root, shoot and leaves), and sampling sites and sampling time (April, May, June) on toxic and essential elements uptake. Obtained results showed that a difference in toxic and essential elements uptake depends mostly upon the cultivar and the plant organ types. Biometric techniques provided a good opportunity for a better understanding the behaviour of plants and obtaining much more useful information from the original data

Function of the Stomatognathic System in Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Svrha ovoga istraživanja bila je utvrditi zastupljenost temporomandibularnih disfunkcija (TMD) u veterana Domovinskoga rata koji boluju od posttraumatskog stresnog poremećaja (PTSP). Ispitivanu je skupinu činilo 100 ispitanika muškoga spola, sudionika rata s dijagnozom PTSP-a, a kontrolnu je skupinu činilo 94 ispitanika iste dobi i spola koji nisu sudjelovali u ratu i u kojih je psihijatrijskom dijagnostikom isključen PTSP. Istraživanje se sastojalo od anamnestičog i kliničkoga pregleda Anamnestičko ispitivanje provedeno je upitnikom u kojem su ispitanici odgovarali na postavljena pitanja izborom da−ne odgovora. Kliničkim je pregledom procijenjeno stanje čeljusnih zglobova (zvukovi, osjetljivost i bol prigodom palpacije čeljusnoga zgloba ) i žvačnih mišića (osjetljivost i bol prigodom palpacije žvačnih mišića), te je utvrđena funkcijska sposobnost stomatognatoga sustava (maksimalno otvaranje, maksimalna laterotruzijska kretnja u desno i lijevo, te maksimalna protruzija uz registraciju možebitne pojave boli ili zvuka). Statistički znatna razlika utvrđena je u gotovo svim mjerenim parametrima. Oboljeli od PTSP-a mnogo češće imaju subjektivne simptome i kliničke znakove TMD-a. 82% oboljelih od PTSP-a imalo je najmanje jedan simptom, a 98% najmanje jedan znak disfunkcija u usporedbi s 23,91% odnosno 50% ispitanika kontrolne skupine. Najčešći znak u objema skupinama bio je zvuk u temporomandibularnom zglobu (TMZ), i to u 64% ispitanika s PTSP om i 17,31% ispitanika kontrolne skupine. Statistički znatna razlika postoji i u granicama maksimalno mogućih kretnji jer ispitanici s PTSP-om znatno češće imaju ograničene kretnje otvaranja, desne i lijeve laterotruzije i protruzije. Najveće razlike među skupinama jesu u vezi s parametrima boli. 52% ispitanika s PTSP-om imalo je bolne TMZ-ove, a 91% imalo je bolnu najmanje jednu mšićnu lokaciju. Može se zaključiti da postoji povezanost između PTSP-a i TMD-a.The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) in veterans of the War for Independence, who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD. The examined group consisted of 100 male subjects with a diagnosis of PTSD, who had participated in the war, and a control group of 94 subjects of the same age and sex who had not participated in the war and in whom psychiatric diagnosis excluded PTSD. The study consisted of case history data and a medical examination. The examination included a questionnaire in which subjects answered questions with yes−no answers. During the medical examination the condition of the jaw joints (sounds, sensitivity and pain during palpation of the jaw joint) and mastication muscles (sensitivity and pain during palpation of the masticatory muscles) was assessed and the functional ability of the stomatognathic system determined (maximal opening, maximal laterotrusion movement left and right and maximal protrusion with registration of eventual occurrence of pain or sound). Statistically significant difference was determined in almost all measured parameters. The subjects with PTSD had subjective symptoms and clinical signs of temporomandibular disfunction (TMD) significantly more frequently. Eighty-two percent (82%) of those with PTSD had at least one symptom and 98% at least one sign of dysfunction, compared with 23.91% and 50% respectively of the subjects in the control group. The most frequent sign in both groups was sound in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which occurred in 64% of subjects with PTSD and 17.3% of subjects in the control group. Statistically significant difference was also found in the limitation of maximal possible movements, i.e. the subjects with PTSD had significantly more often restricted movements in opening, left and right laterality and protrusion. The greatest differences between the groups related to parameters of pain. Namely, 52% of subjects with PTSD had painful TMJ and 91% had at least one painful muscular location. It can be concluded that correlation exists between PTSD and TMJ

Multi-criteria analysis of soil pollution by heavy metals in the vicinity of the Copper Smelting Plant in Bor (Serbia)

This study highlights the consequences on soil pollution of one hund­red years of manufacturing in the Copper Mining and Smelting Complex RTB-Bor (Serbia). Soil sediments were taken via a probe from the surface layer of the soil at twelve different measuring points. The measuring points were all within 20 km of the smelting plant, which included both urban and rural zones. Soil sampling was performed using a soil core sampler in such way that a core of a soil of radius 5 cm and depth of 30 cm was removed. Subsequently, the samples were analyzed for pH and heavy metal concentrations (Cu, Pb, As, Cd, Mn, Ni and Hg) using different spectrometric methods. The obtained results for the heavy metal contents in the samples show high values: 2,540 mg kg-1 Cu; 230 mg kg-1 Pb; 6 mg kg-1 Cd; 530 mg kg-1 Ni; 1,300 mg kg-1 Mn; 260 mg kg-1 As and 0.3 mg kg-1 Hg. In this study, critical zones of polluted soil were iden­tified and ranked according to their metal contents by the multi-criteria deci­sion method Preference Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluation/Geo­metrical Analysis for Interactive Assistance – PROMETHEE/GAIA, which is the preferred multivariate method commonly used in chemometric studies. The ranking results clearly showed that the most polluted zones are at locations holding the vital functions of the town. Therefore, due to the high bioavail­abi­lity of heavy metals through com­plex reactions with organic species in the sediments, consequences for human health could drastically emerge if these metals enter the food chain

UMJETNA INTELIGENCIJA U RAČUNALNIM IGRAMA

Today, the highly developed and competitive computer games industry needs to make better and better computer games and beat the competition. In order to keep the players entertained with computer games, manufacturers use a variety of techniques to make games interesting and challenging. This is largely aided by research in the field of artificial intelligence that is extremely well suited for computer games. Games need to be made as complex and unpredictable as possible to provide as much fun as possible. This article explores and gives an overview of all the most popular techniques that can be applied.Danas, visoko razvijena i konkurentna industrija računalnih igara mora proizvoditi sve bolje računalne igre kako bi bila bolja od konkurencije. Kako bi igrače nagnali na što dulje sudjelovanje u igri, proizvođači koriste razne tehnike kako bi one bile zanimljive i izazovne. Ovome u velikoj mjeri pomaže istraživanje u području umjetne inteligencije koja je izuzetno pogodna za razvoj računalnih igara. Igre moraju biti što je više moguće složene i nepredvidljive kako bi pružile igraču zabavu. Ovaj članak istražuje i daje pregled svih najpopularnijih tehnika koje se mogu primijeniti u ovom područj

Oral Health Status and Temporomandibular Disorders in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of unknown etiology involving the central nervous system. Certain clinical manifestations affect the oro-facial region. Three in particular should be of interest to the dentist: trigeminal neuralgia, sensory neuropathy of the trigeminal nerve and facial palsy. The aim of this study was to determine the oral health status, the frequency of subjective symptoms and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) subtype according to Research diagnostic criteria for temporomandibular disorders (RDC/TMD) among MS patients. Examinees in this study were 50 patients suffering from MS, who were at least once treated during their disease in the Clinic Hospital Center, Rijeka, Clinic for Neurology. All examinees had to meet the diagnostic criteria for clinically and laboratory confirmed MS, according to Poser. The results show the difference in mean DMFT (decayed, missing, filled teeth) between MS and the control group. The number of decayed and missing teeth was higher, but the number of filled teeth was significantly lower in MS group. Eighty-two per cent of the subjects with MS had a least one symptom of dysfunction compared with 24% of the subjects in the healthy control group. In the present study, pain, the pain during mouth opening, the difficulty with mouth opening and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) sounds were more commonly reported in the MS group than in the control group. This study shows a statistically significant excess of dental caries and temporomandibular disorders among MS patients compared with the control group. These results suggest that MS is a possible etiological factor in temporomandibular disorders

Factors influencing a patient's decision to choose the type of treatment to improve dental esthetics

Backgroung/Aim. Interest in dental esthetics has increased rapidly during the last few decades among both patients and dentists, and the creation of a natural dental appearance has become an important task in all fields of dentistry, especially in prosthodontics and restorative dentistry. The aim of this research was to investigate factors influencing a patient's decision to choose the type of treatment to improve dental esthetics. Methods. A total of 700 Caucasian subjects participated in the crosssectional study (261 men, 439 women, aged 18-86 years, mean age 46.2 ± 18.6). The study included clinical examination and a self-administrated questionnaire based on self-perceived esthetics, satisfaction with the appearance of their maxillary anterior teeth and previous dental experience. Multiple logistic regression was used in statistical analysis. Results. Hiding teeth during smile was the most important predictor for choosing fixed prosthetic restorations (OR 9.1), followed by self-perceived bad fixed prosthesis, malpositioned teeth and female gender (OR 2.9, 2.4, and 1.5, respectively). The increase in satisfaction with dental appearance and previous orthodontic therapy reduced chances for seeking prosthetic therapy (each OR 0.4). The significant predictors for bleaching choosing were hiding teeth during smiling, already done bleaching, female gender, lower levels of satisfaction with dental appearance and the absence of the previous orthodontic therapy (OR 5.8, 2.4, 1.8, 0.5 and 0.4, respecitively). Hiding teeth during smile, self-perceived malposition and crowding, and lower levels of satisfaction, were significant predictors for choosing orthodontic treatment (OR 3.1, 2.4, 2.2 and 0.6, respectively). None of current dental statuses was statistically significant predictor for choosing prosthodontic, bleeching nor orthodontic therapy. Conclusion. The psychological elements and female gender are the main predictors of seeking dental therapy. Understanding the prevalence of dissatisfaction with the present esthetics and desired treatments to improve esthetics can be a guide for strategies for intervention to improve esthetics