To the Environmental Responsibility among Students through Developing their Environmental Values

AbstractThis research explores interconnection between environmental values and environmental responsibility among young people. Basic question of this study was whether and to which degree the environmental values influence the development of the environmental responsibility? By answering on this question, we want to provide guidelines for educational activities in schools which aim to develop environmental awareness among the young people of Serbia. The survey covered a sample of 252 students from primary and secondary government schools from Belgrade. Students were tested on a five point Likert type scales which examined environmental responsibility and environmental values. To assess the reliability and validity of the scales standard statistical procedures were used. The results of our study confirmed positive linear dependence between environmental values and environmental responsibility. On the basis of students’ environmental values 48% of their environmental responsibility can be predicted On the basis of our results, it is possible to conclude that students who believe that efficient functioning of society and the survival of life on the Earth is unimaginable without environmental protection, display desirable attitudes towards environmental responsibility. The obtained results may help to identify future directions of formal education activities regarding the improvement of personal environmental responsibility among young people

Fruit quality of cherry and large fruited tomato genotypes as influenced by water deficit

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of long term moderate drought stress on fruit yield and quality of four parents of the MAGIC TOM population and to gain insight into the differences in sensitivity to drought between large fruited and cherry tomatoes. Results showed that long term water deficit had a negative effect on fresh mass and fruit diameter that were more expressed in cherry tomatoes than in large fruited ones. Long term moderate water deficit can improve fruit taste in large fruited tomato genotypes by active metabolic accumulation of soluble sugar and organic acid (sucrose and citric acid), which are also osmotic active compounds. The reduction in fruit growth of cherry tomatoes compared to large fruits could be compensated for by improving fruit nutritional value (ascorbic acid, carotenoids and antioxidant activity) through both concentration and metabolic responses

Mycotoxins and Mycotoxin Producing Fungi in Pollen: Review

Due to its divergent chemical composition and good nutritional properties, pollen is not only important as a potential food supplement but also as a good substrate for the development of different microorganisms. Among such microorganisms, toxigenic fungi are extremely dangerous as they can synthesize mycotoxins as a part of their metabolic pathways. Furthermore, favorable conditions that enable the synthesis of mycotoxins (adequate temperature, relative humidity, pH, and a(w) values) are found frequently during pollen collection and/or production process. Internationally, several different mycotoxins have been identified in pollen samples, with a noted predominance of aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, and T-2 toxin. Mycotoxins are, generally speaking, extremely harmful for humans and other mammals. Current EU legislation contains guidelines on the permissible content of this group of compounds, but without information pertaining to the content of mycotoxins in pollen. Currently only aflatoxins have been researched and discussed in the literature in regard to proposed limits. Therefore, the aim of this review is to give information about the presence of different mycotoxins in pollen samples collected all around the world, to propose possible aflatoxin contamination pathways, and to emphasize the importance of a regular mycotoxicological analysis of pollen. Furthermore, a suggestion is made regarding the legal regulation of pollen as a food supplement and the proposed tolerable limits for other mycotoxins

A biochemical and proteomic approach to the analysis of tomato mutant fruit growth [Biohemijski i proteomički pristup u analizi rastenja plodova mutanta paradajza]

To assess the effects of ABA deficiency on tomato fruit growth, the ABA mutant flacca was grown in an optimal soil water regime and various analyzes were performed, including morphological (fruit number, diameter and fruit biomass), physiological (duration of growth and fruit growth rate), biochemical (ABA accumulation, enzyme cell wall peroxidase activity) as well as proteomics. The fruit growth analysis showed that the slower fruit growth rate and development resulted in smaller flacca fruits in comparison to the wild-type fruits. The comparison of the temporal dynamics of cell wall peroxidase activity and ABA content in our experiment indicated an opposite relationship during fruit development. Proteomic analysis and the down-regulation of most proteins from carbon and amino acid metabolism, the translation and processing of proteins, energy metabolism and cell wall-related metabolism in the flacca fruits compared to the wild type, indicated reduced metabolic flux which reflected a slower fruit growth and development and reduced fruit size in the ABA mutant. These findings also indicated that ABA limited carbon sources, which could be responsible for the reduced fruit growth and size of ABA-deficient tomato fruits. The up-regulation of sulfur and oxygen-evolving enhancer proteins in the flacca fruits implicated the maintenance of photosynthesis in the late expansion phase, which slows down transition to the ripening stage. The majority of antioxidative and stress defence proteins were down-regulated in the flacca fruits, which could be related to the role of ABA in the activity of different antioxidative enzymes as well as in regulating cell wall expansion and the cessation of fruit growth

Statistical causality and adapted distribution

summary:In the paper D. Hoover, J. Keisler: Adapted probability distributions, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 286 (1984), 159–201 the notion of adapted distribution of two stochastic processes was introduced, which in a way represents the notion of equivalence of those processes. This very important property is hard to prove directly, so we continue the work of Keisler and Hoover in finding sufficient conditions for two stochastic processes to have the same adapted distribution. For this purpose we use the concept of causality between stochastic processes, which is based on Granger's definition of causality. Also, we provide applications of our results to solutions of some stochastic differential equations

Parametri kvaliteta plodova kod različitih genotipova paradajza u organskoj proizvodnji

The aim of this study was to examine the content of total soluble solids, organic acids and lycopene in fruits of different tomato genotypes grown in organic production. Four different genotypes (Volovsko heart Red cherry, Tigrella and Viva) were used during this experiment. The quality of tomato fruits was analyzed based on the measurement of total soluble solids, organic acids and lycopene in fresh weight of the fruit. The values obtained for the analyzed parameters of fruit quality were as follows: total soluble solids 4.98, 5.26, 5.28 and 4.70 (° Brix), organic acids 160.67, 110.34, 132.77 and 116 (citric acid µmol g-1 FW), lycopene, 8.22, 5.70, 7.61, 9.21 (mg kg-1 FW) in genotypes Volovsko srce, Red cherry, Tigrella and Viva. Oscillations in the obtained parameters, especially in the content of lycopene in different genotypes were probably the result of genetic resources, but also the influence of abiotic factors.Cilj ovog istraživanja je bio da se ispita sadržaj ukupnih rastvorljivih suvih materija, organskih kiselina i likopena u plodovima različitih genotipova paradajza gajenog u organskoj proizvodnji. Četiri različita genotipa (Volovsko srce, Red cherry, Tigrella i Viva) su korišćeni tokom ovog eksperimenta. Kvalitet plodova paradajza analiziran je na osnovu merenja ukupnih rastvorljivih suvih materija, organskih kiselina i likopena u svežoj masi plodova. Dobijene vrednosti za analizirane parametre kvaliteta plodova su iznosile: ukupne rastvorljive materije 4.98, 5.26, 5.28 i 4.70 (oBrix), organske kiseline 160.67, 110.34, 116 i 132.77 (citric acid µmol g-1 FW), likopen 8.22, 5.70, 7.61, 9.21 (mg kg-1 FW) kod analiziranih genotipova Volovsko srce, Red cherry, Tigrella i Viva. Variranje u dobijenim parametrima, a naročito u sadržaju likopena kod različitih genotipova su bile posledica genetskog potencijala, ali i uticaja abiotičkih faktora

Investigation of kernel oils of Quercus robur and Quercus cerris

The kemel oils of Quercus robur and Quercus cerris were obtained by Soxhlet extraction using petroleum ether. Oil yields were found to be 5.2-5.6% and 4.3-4.8% for Q. robur and Q. cerris kemel, respectively (expressed in g per 100 g of dried plant material). The physical and chemical constants, unsaponiflable matter and total fatty acids were determined. The total fatty acid composition of oils was determined by GC in the methyl ester form. Considering the composition and content of fatty acids, the examined kemel oils were very similar. Seven fatty acid components were identified in both oils: palmitic, stearic, arachidic, palmitoleic, oleic, linoleic, and alpha-linolenic. In Q. robur and Q. cerris kernel oils the principal acids were oleic (44.3% and 43.0%, respectively) and linoleic (37.2% and 32.6%, respectively), followed by a significant amount of palmitic acid

To the environmental responsibility among students through developing their environmental values

This research explores interconnection between environmental values and environmental responsibility among young people. Basic question of this study was whether and to which degree the environmental values influence the development of the environmental responsibility? By answering on this question, we want to provide guidelines for educational activities in schools which aim to develop environmental awareness among the young people of Serbia. The survey covered a sample of 252 students from primary and secondary government schools from Belgrade. Students were tested on a five point Likert type scales which examined environmental responsibility and environmental values. To assess the reliability and validity of the scales standard statistical procedures were used. The results of our study confirmed positive linear dependence between environmental values and environmental responsibility. On the basis of students' environmental values 48% of their environmental responsibility can be predicted On the basis of our results, it is possible to conclude that students who believe that efficient functioning of society and the survival of life on the Earth is unimaginable without environmental protection, display desirable attitudes towards environmental responsibility. The obtained results may help to identify future directions of formal education activities regarding the improvement of personal environmental responsibility among young people