Silicosis of the region of Bela Voda

Opisani su geografski, geomorfološki, hemijski i petrografski elementi od značaja za razumevanje pojave silikoze u selima Bela Voda, Brajkovac, Konjusi, Šašilovac i Krvavice. Dat je kratak opis majdana, sela, tipova kuća i naselja, a izneti su i najvažniji podaci o poreklu stanovništva i najznačajniji istorijski momenti ovoga kraja. Prikazan je broj stanovništva i njegova struktura, vrsta kamenorezačkih radnika i njihovi materijalni uslovi života (imovno stanje, stambene prilike, odeća, ishrana i t. d.). Obraćena je pažnja i na plodnost, pismenost, porodični život, i na rad dece, omladine i žena. U najkraćim je crtama opisan kamenorezački rad, radni staž i godine starosti, prosečan vek i vjerojatni uzroci smrti. Izneseni su podaci o pojavi silikoze, silikotuberkuloze i tuberkuloze među kamenorescima. Zasebna glava posvećena je klasifikovanju radiografija, a u cilju da prikaže, šta se može očekivati u jednom ovakvom konkretnom radu od projekta za internacionalnu klasifikaciju silikoze iz 1950. godine. Potanko su opisane radiološke osobenosti belovodske silikoze. Radiografijama po tehnici Zorna kao i profilnim snimcima dokazana je segmentarna lokalizacija većine radioloških manifestacija belovodske silikoze. Najzad su u najkraćim crtama izneseni ostali klinički i laboratorijski podaci kod 206 pregledanih kamenorezaca i pri tom je naročito istaknuta vrednost palpacije grudnog koša. U zaključku je istaknuta važnost izučavanja silikoze kod kamenorezaca.For a better understanding of the occurrence of silicosis in the villages of Bela Voda, Brajkovac, Konjusi, Šašilovac and Krvavice, the authors set forth main geomorphological and mineralogical characteristics of this region, as well as the most important ethno-biological and historical data. They give a brief description of the mine, and the type of settlements and houses in this part of the country, analysing the social structure of the inhabitants, with particular reference to the stonecutters: their differentiation, living conditions (housing, clothing, nutrition), birth rate, literacy, family life, and participation of children, youth and women in stonecutting. The methods of stonecutters\u27 work, the duration of stonecutting activity as to the age, average life expectancy and apparent causes of death are also presented. A detailed description is given of the occurrence of silicosis, silicotuberculosis, and tuberculosis in stonecutters. A special chapter deals with the classification of radiographic pictures. A comment is given on the international classification as proposed in 1950 and its limitation regarding the classification of silicosis in stonecutters. Radiographic features of silicosis in the region of Bela Voda are presented in detail. Segmental localization, confirmed by the Zorn technique and profile X-ray pictures, was present in most of radiographic appearances. Clinical pictures and laboratory findings of 206 examined stonecutters are presented, and the value of the chest palpation is specially pointed out. In the last chapter the authors emphasize the importance of the study of silicosis in stonecutters

Solving of constraint satisfaction problems by reduction to SAT

Mnogi realni problemi se danas mogu predstaviti u obliku problema zadovoljenja ogranicenja (CSP) i zatim rešiti nekom od mnogobrojnih tehnika za rešavanje ovog problema. Jedna od tehnika podrazumeva svođenje na problem SAT, tj. problem iskazne zadovoljivosti. Promenljive i ogranicenja problema CSP se prevode (kodiraju) u SAT instancu, ona se potom rešava pomocu modernih SAT rešavaca i rešenje se, ako postoji, prevodi u rešenje problema CSP. Glavni cilj ove teze je unapređenje rešavanja problema CSP svođenjem na SAT. Razvijena su dva nova hibridna kodiranja (prevođenja u SAT formulu) koja kombinuju dobre strane postojecih kodiranja. Dat je dokaz korektnosti jednog od kodiranja koji do sada nije postojao u literaturi. Razvijen je sistem meSAT koji omogucava svođenje problema CSP na SAT pomocu cetiri osnovna i dva hibridna kodiranja, kao i rešavanje problema CSP svođenjem na dva problema srodna problemu SAT, SMT i PB. Razvijen je portfolio za automatski odabir kodiranja/rešavaca za ulaznu instancu koju je potrebno rešiti i pokazano je da je razvijeni portfolio uporediv sa najefikasnijim savremenim pristupima. Prikazan je novi pristup zasnovan na kratkim vremenskim ogranicenjima sa ciljem da se znacajno smanji vreme pripreme portfolija. Pokazano je da se ovim pristupom dobijaju rezultati konkurentni onima koji se dobijaju korišcenjem standardnog vremena za pripremu. Izvršeno je poređenje nekoliko tehnika mašinskog ucenja, sa ciljem da se ustanovi koja od njih je pogodnija za pristup sa kratkim treniranjem. Prikazan je jedan realan problem, problem raspoređivanja kontrolora leta, kao i tri njegova modela. Veliki broj metoda rešavanja i raznovrsnih rešavaca je upotrebljeno za rešavanje ovog problema. Razvijeno je više optimizacionih tehnika koje imaju za cilj pronalaženje optimalnih rešenja problema. Pokazuje se da je najefikasnija hibridna tehnika koja kombinuje svođenje na SAT i lokalnu pretragu. Razmotren je i problem sudoku, kao i postojece tehnike rešavanja sudoku zagonetki vecih dimenzija od 9 x 9. Pokazuje se da je u rešavanju ovih zagonetki najefikasnije vec postojece svođenje na SAT. Unapređen je postojeci algoritam za generisanje velikih sudoku zagonetki. Pokazano je da jednostavna pravila preprocesiranja dodatno unapređuju brzinu generisanja sudokua.Many real-world problems can be modeled as constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) and then solved by one of many available techniques for solving these problems. One of the techniques is reduction to SAT, i.e. Boolean Satisfiability Problem. Variables and constraints of CSP are translated (encoded) to SAT instance, that is then solved by state-of-the-art SAT solvers and solution, if exists, is translated to the solution of the original CSP. The main aim of this thesis is to improve CSP solving techniques that are using reduction to SAT. Two new hybrid encodings of CSPs to SAT are presented and they combine good sides of the existing encodings. We give the proof of correctness of one encoding that did not exist in literature. We developed system meSAT that enables reduction of CSPs to SAT by using 4 basic and 2 hybrid encodings. The system also enables solving of CSPs by reduction to two problems related to SAT, SMT and PB. We developed a portfolio for automated selection of encoding/solver to be used on some new instance that needs to be solved. The developed portfolio is comparable with the state-of-the-art portfolios. We developed a hybrid approach based on short solving timeouts with the aim of significantly reducing the preparation time of a portfolio. By using this approach, we got results comparable to the ones obtained by using preparation time of usual length. We made comparison between several machine learning techniques with the aim to find out which one is the best suited for the short training approach. The problem of assigning air traffic controllers to shifts is described and three models of this problem are presented. We used a large number of different solving methods and a diverse set of solvers for solving this problem. We developed optimization techniques that aim to find optimal solutions of the problem. A hybrid technique combining reduction to SAT and local search is shown to be the most efficient one. We also considered sudoku puzzles and the existing techniques of solving the puzzles of greater size than 9x9. Amongst the used techniques, the existing reduction to SAT is the most efficient in solving these puzzles. We improved the existing algorithm for generating large sudoku puzzles. It is shown that simple preprocessing rules additionally improve speed of generating large sudokus

Digital Manufacturing in SMEs based on the context of the Industry 4.0 framework-one approach

Serbia is rapidly working on the development and implementation of digital manufacturing models in SMEs, through the national Industry 4.0 Platform. The aim is to create a pilot intelligent workshop which would be used to develop and showcase examples of best practice for digital manufacturing. Currently, most SMEs use CAD, CAM, ERP models, which form the basis for the development of the concept of digital manufacturing through cloud computing, BDA, IIoT and smart supply-chains, as elements of Industry 4.0. This paper gives a practical example of an SME with all the above-mentioned elements of digital manufacturing

Digital Manufacturing in SMEs based on the context of the Industry 4.0 framework-one approach

Serbia is rapidly working on the development and implementation of digital manufacturing models in SMEs, through the national Industry 4.0 Platform. The aim is to create a pilot intelligent workshop which would be used to develop and showcase examples of best practice for digital manufacturing. Currently, most SMEs use CAD, CAM, ERP models, which form the basis for the development of the concept of digital manufacturing through cloud computing, BDA, IIoT and smart supply-chains, as elements of Industry 4.0. This paper gives a practical example of an SME with all the above-mentioned elements of digital manufacturing

Ispitivanje zavarljivosti i osjetljivosti mikrolegiranog čelika na pojavu lamelarnih pukotina

In this work are given the testing results of mechanical properties welded joints and microstructure of micro alloyed steel as well as its sensitivity to lamellar cracks appearance. The obtained results show that steel has good resistance to lamellar cracks appearance and with an appropriate wire choice for welding, a good combination of mechanical properties could be obtained at room (ambience) temperatures as well as at low temperatures.U radu su dani rezultati ispitivanja mehaničkih svojstava i mikrostrukture zavarenih spojeva mikrolegiranog čelika, kao i njegove osjetljivosti prema pojavi lamelarnih pukotina. Dobiveni rezultati ukazuju da čelik ima dobru otpornost prema pojavi lamelarnih pukotina i da se, izborom adekvatnih elektroda za zavarivanje, može dobiti dobra kombinacija mehaničkih svojstava, kako na sobnoj, tako i na niskim temperaturama

Non-invasive screening: The probability of events

Congenital anomalies are the cause of 20.0-25.0% of cases of perinatal death, while 3.0% of children are born with malformations of varying size. We examined the predictive values and defined the credibility ratio of the combined test results. Sensitivity of the test is 94.0%, and specificity is 99.0%. The positive likelihood ratio [likelihood ratio test (LR+)] is 94.00; a negative likelihood ratio [likelihood ratio test (LR-)] is 0.06. The pretest probability that pregnant women carry a fetus with chromosomal abnormality is 1:250. Posttest odds after the combined test to discover this abnormality are 0.3760, and probability of the same case is 0.2732 if it happens that the test result is positive. The result of our study confirms the justification of combined test usage in routine clinical practice, since the posttest odds rate in the case of a positive screening increases several times over (almost 90 times); the probability of detecting a chromosomal abnormality was about 70 times

The comparison of gamma-radiation and electrical stress influences on oxide and interface defects in power VDMOSFET

The behaviour of oxide and interface defects in n-channel power vertical double-diffused metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors, firstly degraded by the gamma-irradiation and electric field and subsequently recovered and annealed, is presented. By analyzing the transfer characteristic shifts, the changes of threshold voltage and underlying changes of gate oxide and interface trap densities during the stress (recovery, annealing) of investigated devices, it is shown that these two types of stress influence differently on the gate oxide and the SiO2-Si interface. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI171026

Automatic control of haul truck travel speed on open pits

Expanding raw materials production demands necessitates higher exploitation rates and capacities. Therefore, open pit mines resort to increasing their overall depth and hence introduce further machine related technical problems. Haul trucks experience intensified dynamic effects during traveling, resulting in a significant maintenance cost increase. The most influencing effects occur during the truck braking and stopping process, especially when heavily loaded. Current technical solutions in most haul truck configurations disregard plethora of these effects to lower their production cost. The dynamic effects should be defined according to specific conditions on an open pit and applied for modifying currently employed systems for automatic truck speed control (ASC). It is the purpose of this paper to present the ASC system employed on the haul truck and key points for further modification and development. Firstly, the paper presents basic aspects of the truck braking/stopping process. Secondly, a description of the BelAZ 75306 traction drive and braking systems is provided, followed by key features of the BelAZ 75306 ASC system. Finally, presented information is summarized, indicating flaws and recommendations for further improvement of the BelAZ 75306 ASC system employed on the open pit - 'Veliki Krivelj', Bor, Serbia

Do Freezing and Heating Cycles Influence Differently on Soil Elements Leaching?

Research in forest ecosystems is focused on recent and past extreme events caused by drought, heat, storms and frost [1,2]. This research aims at exploring soil-specific processes of element leaching in relation to the impact of soil wetting cycles after freezing and heating. Loosely bound nutrients (ions/elements) react differently to thermodynamic conditions, which are interesting to analyze associated with climate change and soil water depletion. Soil drying is related to the increase in air temperature. Repeated drying and wetting increases mineralization of the organic matter, and thus increases the availability and losses of nutrients. The effect of freezing-wetting alters solution fluxes. Both processes are far from being predictable, and there is a lack of knowledge on this subject. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of soil freezing-wetting and heating-wetting cycles on soil leaching processes. Our hypothesis is that freezing and heating of the soil, change the quality of the soil solute, i.e. mineral ions (Na+ , K+ , Ca2+, Mg2+, Al3+, Fe3+, Mn2+, NO2 - , SO4 2-, NO3 - , PO4 3-) concentrations in leachate. Two forest soil profiles, in European beech dominated stand on Mt Bjelašnica in Bosnia and Herzegovina (18˘15’44”E, 43˘42’25”N) were sampled. Soil type corresponded to Calcaric Cambisol (CA) and Chromic Cambisol (CH) according to IUSS Working Group WRB (2015). Soil was sampled by horizons (O, Ah, A/Brz, Brz1, Brz2). Porous plastic glasses were filled with 120g of air-dried soil, two representing different treatments (rewetting-freezing vs. rewetting-heating) and one representing the control. Treatments involved: a) four cycles of wetting the soil (2% intensity, 30’, 120cm3 ) and freezing (-10˘C) vs b) four cycles of wetting the soil (2% intensity, 30’, 120cm3 ) and heating for 3 hours at 40˘C. Control state involved wetting and drying at room temperature. After each wetting cycle, leachate was captured and left in freezer until determining concentrations of cations using Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (Thermo scientific iCAP 6000 series) and anions using Dionex ICS 3000. We analyzed 16 samples per profile and per treatment, and 14 control samples, in total 78 samples. The results obtained through this study point that different thermodynamic conditions influence different leaching intensity of soil ions. On the one hand, higher intensity of leaching of Al, Fe and Mn in CH soil was linked with heating-wetting treatments. On the other hand, more intense leaching of Ca, Mg and Na in CC soil was observed after freezing-wetting treatment. The experiment also showed lower leaching intensity of anions after heating-rewetting compare to freezing-wetting. Freezing-wetting cycles, like in our experiment, seems to have higher effect on the ion losses from temperate forest soils

Comparison of ICP-MS, ICP-OES, INAA, and WDXRF Techniques in Measuring Elements in Coniferous Needles Samples

The elemental composition of plant matrices has been conventionally determined by spectrometric techniques such as Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) [1]. Wet mineralization (digestion) of samples requires time, equipment, and usage of aggressive and toxic chemicals which are the main drawbacks of those routinely used techniques [2]. The need for suitable analytical methods for direct and multi-elemental analysis of plant samples has been increased in recent years [3]. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) is one of the techniques for direct analysis which has been previously applied in environmental studies, nevertheless it is not a commonly used technique for plant samples. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is another technique with the possibility of performing multi-element analysis directly on solid samples with numerous advantages. Although non-destructive techniques (INAA and XRF) are widely accepted in various fields of screening tests regarding the analytical approach, their performance needs to be evaluated in plant sample analysis. The main aim of this research was to assess how reliable non-destructive techniques are in detecting elements in conifer needles regarding routinely used spectrometric techniques. A total of 49 plant samples of four conifer species (Pinus nigra, Abies alba, Taxus baccata, and Larix decidua) were measured using two routinely used (ICPMS and ICP-OES) and two non-destructive instrumental techniques (WD-XRF and INAA). A quality control program included NIST pine needles certified reference material (1575a) analysis using all examined techniques. The techniques were compared by examination of relative ratio (element concentration measured using investigated analytical techniques divided by concentration determined by ICP-MS (figure 1)) and by correlation. Precision of all examined techniques was additionally investigated. This study confirmed that non-destructive spectroscopic techniques can be successfully applied on plant samples since sample preparation for these techniques is fast and in good accordance with the principles of green chemistry. Investigated standardless XRF method can also produce well-correlated results, compared to other techniques based on calibration standards. Obtained results suggest that the high accuracy of the analysis can be ensured by additional analytical and quality control steps (the use of internal standards, standard addition, etc.)