Effect of reinforcement on mechanical characteristics of A356 alloy nanocomposites

© Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. Nanocomposites with aluminum base reinforced with nanoparticles, have wide application in many industries, for example, aerospace, marine, automobile, due to its lightweight, high tensile strength and high wear resistance, etc. The study of the microstructure, mechanical and tribological properties of the nanocomposite is very important in order to reliably and optimally carry out the design of new materials. In this study for the mechanical characterization of the A356 composites with a ceramic particle reinforcements nanoindentation was performed. Nanoindentaion is largely used for the analysis of mechanical properties. The samples of the nanocomposites were developed using 0, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 wt.% SiC, with an average size of particles of about 50 nm, produced by a compocasting process with pre-processing mechanical alloying. Nanoindentation was carried out based on Berkovich's test method with the indenter in shape of three sided diamond pyramid. The nanocomposite testing showed that the nanocomposites containing 0.5 wt.% of the reinforcement have slightly higher tensile strength and a lower value of the elastic modulus compared to the aluminum alloy base

Demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with cervical cancer screening among women in Serbia

ObjectivesEffective reduction of cervical cancer incidence and mortality requires strategic measures encompassing the implementation of a cost-effective screening technology. Serbia has made significant strides, introducing organized cervical cancer screening in 2012. However, various impediments to screening implementation persist. The aim of the study was to estimate the socioeconomic factors associated with cervical cancer screening among women in Serbia.MethodsData from 2019 National Health Survey of the population of Serbia were used in this study. The study is cross sectional survey on a representative sample of the population of Serbia. Present total number of participants analyzed in survey 6,747.ResultsIn Serbia, 67.2% of women have done a Pap test at any time during their lives, of which 46.1% of women have undergone cervical cancer screening in the past 3 years. About a quarter of women have never undergone a Pap test in their life (24.3%). The probability of never having a Pap test have: the youngest age group (15–24 years) is 1.3 times more likely than the oldest age group (OR = 1.31), unmarried women 0.3 times more often than married women (OR = 0.37), respondents with basic education 0.9 times more often than married women (OR = 0.98), the women of lower socioeconomic status 0.5 times more often than respondents of high socioeconomic status (OR = 0.56).ConclusionEnhancement of the existing CCS would be the appropriate public health approach to decrease the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in the Republic of Serbia

Kvalitet vode u reci Raškoj na osnovu organizama zoobentosa i zooplanktona kao bioindikatora

U cilju ispitivnja kvaliteta vode reke Raške, organizmi zoobentosa i zooplanktona korišćeni su kao bioindikatori. Istraživanje je sprovedeno od aprila 2011. godine do maja 2012. godine, u vremenskim intervalima od dva meseca. Odabrano je ukupno pet lokaliteta na dužinini toka od 2.5 km. Između drugog i trećeg lokaliteta lociran je pastrmski ribnjak, čiji je uticaj na zajednice organizama praćen. Na lokalitetima koji su obuhvaćeni istraživanjima konstatovano je 57 taksona makrozoobentosa (34 vrste, 21 roda, 1 familija i 1 klasa) i 75 taksona zooplanktona (58 vrsta, 15 rodova, 1 red i 1 klasa). Srednje vrednosti indeksa saprobnosti ukazivale su na manje razlike u dobijenim vrednostima korišćenjem zoobentosa i zooplanktona. Na osnovu saprobioloških analiza, kada su kao bioindikatori korišćeni organizmi bentosa, kvalitet vode u reci Raškoj je druge klase kvaliteta, ili na prelazu između prve i druge klase, uglavnom na lokalitetima iznad ribnjaka. Organizmi zooplanktona su pokazali da voda celom dužinom toka pripada prvoj klasi kvaliteta. Najmanje vrednosti indeksa saprobnosti zabeležene su na prvom, referentnom lokalitetu 1.453±0.098 (zooplankton), a najviše na četvrtom lokalitetu 1.88±0.021 (zoobentos). Na lokalitetu ispod ribnjka, gde je zabeležen pad u koncentraciji kiseonika, dominiraju organizmi bentosa koji tolerišu veći stepen organskog zagađenja (Chironomidae, Oligochaeta, Simuliidae). Iako su koncentracije ukupnog fosfora i ortofosfata rasle od trećeg ka petom lokalitetu, njihove koncentracije nisu premašivale dozvoljene vrednosti za salmonidne vode. Međutim, srednje vrednosti koncentracije nejonizovanog amonijaka (NH4+) su iznad referentnih vrednosti na trećem i četvrtom lokalitetu. Razlog nepodudaranja vrednosti indekasa saprobnosti za dve istraživane grupe, može biti usled nestabilnih zooplanktonskih zajednica zbog izraženog efekta drifta, kao i usled činjenice da će zbog procesa sedimentacije dospelih organskih materija, organizmi dna biti izloženiji njihovom uticaju. Zajednice bentosa, kao znatno stabilnije i u vremenu i u prostoru, pogodnije su za procenu kvaliteta tekućih voda

ROOTSTOCK INFLUENCE ON VIGOR AND GENERATIVE POTENTIAL OF YOUNG SWEET CHERRY TREES

The main goal of breeding and testing of rootstocks for sweet cherry is to obtain small and productive trees and to improve precocity. The objective of this study was to examine the influence of six rootstocks on vigor and productive characteristics of young sweet cherry trees. The experimental orchard is situated at the Experimental farm “Radmilovac”, of the Faculty of Agriculture (near Belgrade). Three sweet cherry cultivars: ‘Kordia’, ‘Karmen’ and ‘Regina’ were grafted on six rootstocks: Prunus mahaleb L. seedlings, ‘Colt’, ‘Ma×Ma 14’, ‘Gisela 6’, ‘Gisela 5’ and ‘Oblačinska’ sour cherry. During a two-year period (2015-2016) the following characteristics were studied: scion diameter above the grafting union, rootstock diameter under the grafting union, length and diameter of shoots, height of the tree and the number of spurs per tree. The resultsshowed different influence of rootstocks on the tree vigor, spur formation and precocity. The average diameter of the scion in all tested cultivars was the largest on the Mahaleb rootstock. The largest average number of spurs per tree in the second year was recorded on cherry trees grafted on the rootstocks ‘Gisela 6’ and ‘Oblačinska’ sour cherry (28 and 23 respectively). The lowest average number of spurs (6) was found on trees grafted on the rootstock ‘Colt’

Seasonal dynamics of the rhizosphere phosphorus and citrate exudation by grapevine roots in a low P soil: a field experiment

Low phosphorus (P) availability is a common constraint for crop productivity in both acid and calcareous soils due to formation of insoluble P complexes. As far as we are aware, grapevine is not considered a P-efficient species, whereas P deficiency is rarely reported under the field conditions. We performed a field experiment under extremely low P conditions (Olsen P < 2 mg kg-1) using own-designed rhizotron (80 cm depth), installed in 8-y-old vineyard with cultivar Chardonnay, grafted on 5BB rootstock. The device enables easy access to the new intact roots while preventing root drying. We collected the exudates from root tips every 2 h (during daytime) at the different growth stages (i.e. shoots 10 cm, flowering, berries pea-size and veraison). At the same time, both rhizosphere and bulk soil samples were collected and subjected to the sequential P analyses. The results of HPLC analyses of the root exudates showed that citrate can be considered as the main P-mobilizing compound, with clear seasonal and diurnal patterns: the highest anion exudation rate was recorded at flowering (lower pick) and veraison (higher pick), and at each growth phase in the morning (10 a.m.) and in the afternoon (4 p.m.), with a rapid depression at 1-3 p.m. Consequently, the relative share of soluble P fractions (H2O- and NaHCO3-extractable) in the rhizosphere was very high (20% of the total P fractions), leading to the leaf P concentration of 0.2% DW which is above the critical P-deficient level (0.15% DW) for grapevine leaves at flowering

Gender Dysphoria: Bioethical Aspects of Medical Treatment

Gender affirmation surgery remains one of the greatest challenges in transgender medicine. In recent years, there have been continuous discussions on bioethical aspects in the treatment of persons with gender dysphoria. Gender reassignment is a difficult process, including not only hormonal treatment with possible surgery but also social discrimination and stigma. There is a great variety between countries in specified tasks involved in gender reassignment, and a complex combination of medical treatment and legal paperwork is required in most cases. The most frequent bioethical questions in transgender medicine pertain to the optimal treatment of adolescents, sterilization as a requirement for legal recognition, role of fertility and parenthood, and regret after gender reassignment. We review the recent literature with respect to any new information on bioethical aspects related to medical treatment of people with gender dysphoria

WP4 ‐ Modernization of teaching contents 4.1. Need analysis for knowledge refreshment

This brochure is a result of the TEMPUS project “Building Capacity of Serbian Agricultural Education to Link with Society” (CaSA) 544072-TEMPUS-1-2013-1-RS-TEMPUS-SMHES (2013-4604/001-001). Daniela Šćepanović and Steve Quarrie were responsible for questionnaire construction, assisted by Slavica Čolić. Analysis of questionnaires was coordinated by Daniela Šćepanović, as well as final preparation and presentation of the results. For final document preparation, all CaSA Steering Committee members gave valuable contribution. For brochure final preparation Daniela Šćepanović, Vesna Poleksić and Goran Topisirović were in charge.TEMPUS Project: Building Capacity of Serbian Agricultural Education to Link with Society (CaSA) 544072-TEMPUS-1-2013-1-RS-TEMPUS-SMHES (2013 – 4604 / 001 - 001) Coordinator: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agricultur

Regional differences among female patients with heart failure from the Cardiac Insufficiency BIsoprolol Study in ELDerly (CIBIS-ELD)

Background: The aim of our study was to examine regional differences in the demographics, etiology, risk factors, comorbidities and treatment of female patients with heart failure (HF) in the Cardiac Insufficiency BI soprolol Study in ELDerly (CIBIS-ELD) clinical trial.Methods and results: One hundred and fifty-nine female patients from Germany and 169 from Southeastern (SE) Europe (Serbia, Slovenia and Montenegro) were included in this subanalysis of the CIBIS-ELD trial. Women comprised 54% of the study population in Germany and 29% in SE Europe. German patients were significantly older. The leading cause of HF was arterial hypertension in German patients, 71.7% of whom had a preserved ejection fraction. The leading etiology in SE Europe was the coronary artery disease; 67.6% of these patients had a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (34.64 ± 7.75%). No significant differences were found in the prevalence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors between the two regions (hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, smoking and family history of myocardial infarction). Depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and malignancies were the comorbidities that were noted more frequently in the German patients, while the patients from SE Europe had a lower glomerular filtration rate. Compared with the German HF patients, the females in SE Europe received significantly more angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, loop diuretics and less frequently angiotensin receptor blockers and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists.Conclusions: Significant regional differences were noted in the etiology, comorbidities and treatment of female patients with HF despite similar risk factors. Such differences should be considered in the design and implementation of future clinical trials, especially as women remain underrepresented in large trial populations.

Difficulties in establishing a timely diagnosis of pulmonary artery sarcoma misdiagnosed as chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary disease: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Pulmonary artery sarcomas are rare neoplasms that are often confused with chronic thrombo-embolic disease, as both can have similar clinical and imaging presentation.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>In this report, we present a case of a 50-year-old man initially diagnosed with chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary disease, but who was later found to have pulmonary artery sarcoma with poor survival prognosis. We review the clinical and imaging characteristics of the two diseases and discuss the difficulties in establishing a timely diagnosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Similar clinical features and imaging presentation of pulmonary artery sarcoma and chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary disease make definitive diagnosis difficult. This case report also illustrates and emphasizes that in any case with no predisposition factors for embolism, no evidence of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary emboli, and inadequate relief of symptoms with anticoagulation, an alternative diagnosis of pulmonary artery sarcoma should be considered. If pulmonary artery sarcoma is diagnosed late in the course of the disease, there is usually a poor survival outcome.</p

Cardiopoietic cell therapy for advanced ischemic heart failure: results at 39 weeks of the prospective, randomized, double blind, sham-controlled CHART-1 clinical trial

Cardiopoietic cells, produced through cardiogenic conditioning of patients' mesenchymal stem cells, have shown preliminary efficacy. The Congestive Heart Failure Cardiopoietic Regenerative Therapy (CHART-1) trial aimed to validate cardiopoiesis-based biotherapy in a larger heart failure cohort