Advanced Filtering Waveguide Components for Microwave Systems

Microwave filter design is a popular topic in the area of modern microwave engineering. Novel technologies, novel applications and more demanding component miniaturization are some of the key drivers for the development of novel microwave filters. For the systems operating with high power and low losses, waveguide filters represent sustainable solutions, in spite of their size. Herein, a method for the advanced bandpass and bandstop waveguide filter design is presented. Properly designed printed-circuit inserts, with simple resonators, are used as resonating elements inside a standard rectangular waveguide. In this manner, multi-band bandpass or bandstop waveguide filters are developed. Multiple resonant frequencies can be obtained using single insert, with properly positioned resonators. Filter design is exemplified by numerous three-dimensional electromagnetic models of the considered structures, equivalent microwave circuits and fabricated devices. Some of the advantages of the proposed design are simplicity, ease of implementation, possibility of miniaturization and experimental verification. The waveguide filters considered here are designed to operate in the X frequency band, so their application is recognized with the radar and satellite systems. Further improvement of the proposed method is possible, according to the future use of the presented devices

Popular culture as a framework for storytelling in the novels Bend sinister, Lolita and Pnin by Vadimir Nabokov Популярная культура как основа рассказывания в романах Под знаком незаконнорождённых, Лолита и Пнин Владимира Набокова

Rad se fokusira na tri romana koje je Vladimir Nabokov napisao u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama, U znaku nezakonito rođenih (1947), Lolita (1955) i Pnin (1957). Cilj rada je prikazati fenomen popularne kulture kao zajednički okvir i bitan faktor za nastanak i razvoj priče u svakom od ovih romana. Posmatrajući popularnu kulturu kao pokretač radnje skreće se pažnja na aspekte kao što su aktuelna socio-politička i socio-kulturna pitanja, građenje likova i razumevanje uzroka njihovog ponašanja. Takođe, naglašava se uloga književnosti kao koncepta od značaja kako za čuvanje, tako i za prenošenje značenja u okviru popularne kulture. Pored toga, u radu se objašnjava zašto je pitanje popularne kulture i danas relevantno i ukazuje se na činjenicu da upravo zbog toga svi ovde pomenuti romani zavređuju podjednaku pažnju, a ne samo Lolita koja je najčešće prva asocijacija kada se pomene ime Vladimira Nabokova. Koristeći se relevantnom teorijskom građom i ukrštajući je sa primerima iz romana, uz adekvatno komentarisanje odabranih ilustrativnih primera, nastoji se da se analiziraju elementi popularne kulture poput ideologije, masovne proizvodnje i potrošnje, odnosa prema obrazovanju, rodne ravnopravnosti, rodnih stereotipa, načina provođenja slobodnog vremena, značaja razvoja različitih vidova masovnih medija za širenje uticaja popularne kulture. Na ovaj način pruža se bliži uvid u sam pojam i način funkcionisanja mehanizma popularne kulture koji pre svega počiva na izazivanju želje za proizvodima koje stvara kod velikog broja ljudi. Takođe, pruža se i dobar razlog za detaljnije proučavanje Nabokovljevog života i motivacije koja prethodi nastanku ovih romana, što je jedan od preduslova za kritički pristup odnosno njihovo adekvatno razumevanje.The focus of the paper is on three novels written by Vladimir Nabokov in the United States of America, Bend Sinister (1947), Lolita (1955) and Pnin (1957). The aim of the paper is to present the phenomenon of popular culture as a common framework and an essential factor for the origin and development of the story in each of these novels. Considering that popular culture is the plot initiator, attention is drawn to aspects such as current socio-political and socio-cultural issues, character building, and understanding of the causes of their behavior. Also, the role of literature as a concept of importance for the preservation and transmission of meaning within popular culture is emphasized. In addition, the paper explains why the issue of popular culture is still relevant today, and points to the fact that this is why all the novels mentioned here deserve equal attention, not just Lolita, which is often the first association when the name of Vladimir Nabokov is mentioned. Using relevant theoretical material and crossing it with examples from novels, with adequate commentary on selected illustrative examples, the paper seeks to analyze elements of popular culture such as ideology, mass production and consumption, attitudes toward education, gender equality, gender stereotypes, leisure activities, the importance of developing various forms of mass media to spread the influence of popular culture. This method provides a closer look at the very notion and mechanism of popular culture which primarily rests on the desire for products that it creates with a large number of people. It also provides a good reason for a more detailed study of Nabokov's life and the motivation that precedes the emergence of these novels, which is one of the prerequisites for a critical approach, or an adequate understanding of them

Risk assessment of non-native fishes in the Balkans Region using FISK, the invasiveness screening tool for non-native freshwater fishes

A high level of freshwater fish endemism in the Balkans Region emphasizes the need for non-native species risk assessments to inform management and control measures, with pre-screening tools, such as the Fish Invasiveness Screening Kit (FISK) providing a useful first step. Applied to 43 non-native and translocated freshwater fishes in four Balkan countries, FISK reliably discriminated between invasive and non-invasive species, with a calibration threshold value of 9.5 distinguishing between species of medium and high risk sensu lato of becoming invasive. Twelve of the 43 species were assessed by scientists from two or more Balkan countries, and the remaining 31 species by a single assessor. Using the 9.5 threshold, three species were classed as low risk, 10 as medium risk, and 30 as high risk, with the latter category comprised of 26 moderately high risk, three high risk, and one very high risk species. Confidence levels in the assessments were relatively constant for all species, indicating concordance amongst assessors

SATURN D6.5 - Final Report

The objective of the SATURN (Strategic Allocation of Traffic Using Redistribution in the Network) project is to make novel and credible use of market-based demand-management mechanisms to redistribute air traffic in the European airspace. This reduces congestion and saves the airspace users operational costs. The project is motivated by frequent demand and capacity imbalances in the European airspace network, which are forecast to continue in the near future. The present and foreseen ways of dealing with such imbalances mainly concern strategic and tactical capacity-side interventions, such as resectorisation and opening of more sectors to deal with excess demand. These are followed by tactical demand management measures, if needed. As a result, not only do substantial costs arise, but airspace users are also typically left with no choice but to comply with imposed air traffic flow management measures. The project shows how economic signals could be given to airspace users and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) to improve capacity-demand balancing, airspace design and usage, and what the benefits would be of a centralised planner compared with those of decentralised maximisation of self interests (by the ANSPs and/or airspace users)

Improvement of sorption properties of natural clay pyrophyllite by ultrasonic treatment

Pyrophyllite, a naturally abundant clay material, exhibits remarkable physicochemical characteristics. Its minimal electrical and thermal conductivity, low expansion rate, strong mechanical properties, and outstanding heat resistance make it a valuable resource across diverse industries. Pyrophyllite finds applications in sectors such as paper and plastic manufacturing, brick production, ceramics, cosmetics, rubber processing, and wastewater treatment. Furthermore, its versatility extends to the production of ceramic membranes for efficient water filtration. This paper presents the characterization of natural pyrophyllite ore subjected to ultrasonic treatment at varying time intervals. The ultrasonic treatment aims to eliminate hard phases such as quartz and calcite within the ore, thereby improving its sorption capabilities. The treated samples were subjected to analysis using SEM and XRD techniques. Morphological and structural analysis revealed that as the duration of ultrasonic treatment increased, the proportion of hard phases in the sample decreased. Additionally, this study evaluated the sorption properties of pyrophyllite. A comparative analysis was conducted between a raw clay sample containing various admixtures and a sample that underwent a 30-minute ultrasonic treatment. The sorption of a methylene blue solution after 24 hours in water was assessed, with UV-Vis analysis revealing that the efficiency of the sonically treated pyrophyllite exceeded 97%, whereas the raw ore exhibited approximately 89% efficiency over the same duration. These findings suggest that the removal of hard phases from pyrophyllite ore enhances its sorption propertiesTwenty-First Young Researchers’ Conference - Materials Science and Engineering: Program and the Book of Abstracts; November 29 – December 1, 2023, Belgrade, Serbi

Pine Pitch Canker and Insects: Regional Risks, Environmental Regulation, and Practical Management Options

Producción CientíficaPine pitch canker (PPC), caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium circinatum (Nirenberg and O’ Donnell), is a serious threat to pine forests globally. The recent introduction of the pathogen to Southern Europe and its spread in Mediterranean region is alarming considering the immense ecological and economic importance of pines in the region. Pines in forests and nurseries can be infected, resulting in severe growth losses and mortality. The pathogen is known to spread in plants for planting and in seeds, and results from recent studies have indicated that F. circinatum may also spread through phoretic associations with certain insects. With this review, we aim to expand the current understanding of the risk of insect-mediated spread of PPC in different parts of Europe. Through the joint action of a multinational researcher team, we collate the existing information about the insect species spectrum in different biogeographic conditions and scrutinize the potential of these insects to transmit F. circinatum spores in forests and nurseries. We also discuss the impact of environmental factors and forest management in this context. We present evidence for the existence of a high diversity of insects with potential to weaken pines and disseminate PPC in Europe, including several common beetle species. In many parts of Europe, temperatures are projected to rise, which may promote the activity of several insect species, supporting multivoltinism and thus, further amplifying the risk of insect-mediated dissemination of PPC. Integrated pest management (IPM) solutions that comply with forest management practices need to be developed to reduce this risk. We recommend careful monitoring of insect populations as the basis for successful IPM. Improved understanding of environmental control of the interaction between insects, the pathogen, and host trees is needed in order to support development of bio-rational strategies to safeguard European pine trees and forests against F. circinatum in future.European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Action FP1406 PINESTRENGTH)Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project AGL2015-69370-R)Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (contract IF/00471/2013/CP1203/CT0001)Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 17-04-01486)Saint Petersburg State Polytechnical University (project 2019-0420

Notes for genera: basal clades of Fungi (including Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota)

Compared to the higher fungi (Dikarya), taxonomic and evolutionary studies on the basal clades of fungi are fewer in number. Thus, the generic boundaries and higher ranks in the basal clades of fungi are poorly known. Recent DNA based taxonomic studies have provided reliable and accurate information. It is therefore necessary to compile all available information since basal clades genera lack updated checklists or outlines. Recently, Tedersoo et al. (MycoKeys 13:1--20, 2016) accepted Aphelidiomycota and Rozellomycota in Fungal clade. Thus, we regard both these phyla as members in Kingdom Fungi. We accept 16 phyla in basal clades viz. Aphelidiomycota, Basidiobolomycota, Blastocladiomycota, Calcarisporiellomycota, Caulochytriomycota, Chytridiomycota, Entomophthoromycota, Glomeromycota, Kickxellomycota, Monoblepharomycota, Mortierellomycota, Mucoromycota, Neocallimastigomycota, Olpidiomycota, Rozellomycota and Zoopagomycota. Thus, 611 genera in 153 families, 43 orders and 18 classes are provided with details of classification, synonyms, life modes, distribution, recent literature and genomic data. Moreover, Catenariaceae Couch is proposed to be conserved, Cladochytriales Mozl.-Standr. is emended and the family Nephridiophagaceae is introduced

Popular culture as a framework for storytelling in the novels Bend sinister, Lolita and Pnin by Vadimir Nabokov Популярная культура как основа рассказывания в романах Под знаком незаконнорождённых, Лолита и Пнин Владимира Набокова

Rad se fokusira na tri romana koje je Vladimir Nabokov napisao u Sjedinjenim Američkim Državama, U znaku nezakonito rođenih (1947), Lolita (1955) i Pnin (1957). Cilj rada je prikazati fenomen popularne kulture kao zajednički okvir i bitan faktor za nastanak i razvoj priče u svakom od ovih romana. Posmatrajući popularnu kulturu kao pokretač radnje skreće se pažnja na aspekte kao što su aktuelna socio-politička i socio-kulturna pitanja, građenje likova i razumevanje uzroka njihovog ponašanja. Takođe, naglašava se uloga književnosti kao koncepta od značaja kako za čuvanje, tako i za prenošenje značenja u okviru popularne kulture. Pored toga, u radu se objašnjava zašto je pitanje popularne kulture i danas relevantno i ukazuje se na činjenicu da upravo zbog toga svi ovde pomenuti romani zavređuju podjednaku pažnju, a ne samo Lolita koja je najčešće prva asocijacija kada se pomene ime Vladimira Nabokova. Koristeći se relevantnom teorijskom građom i ukrštajući je sa primerima iz romana, uz adekvatno komentarisanje odabranih ilustrativnih primera, nastoji se da se analiziraju elementi popularne kulture poput ideologije, masovne proizvodnje i potrošnje, odnosa prema obrazovanju, rodne ravnopravnosti, rodnih stereotipa, načina provođenja slobodnog vremena, značaja razvoja različitih vidova masovnih medija za širenje uticaja popularne kulture. Na ovaj način pruža se bliži uvid u sam pojam i način funkcionisanja mehanizma popularne kulture koji pre svega počiva na izazivanju želje za proizvodima koje stvara kod velikog broja ljudi. Takođe, pruža se i dobar razlog za detaljnije proučavanje Nabokovljevog života i motivacije koja prethodi nastanku ovih romana, što je jedan od preduslova za kritički pristup odnosno njihovo adekvatno razumevanje.The focus of the paper is on three novels written by Vladimir Nabokov in the United States of America, Bend Sinister (1947), Lolita (1955) and Pnin (1957). The aim of the paper is to present the phenomenon of popular culture as a common framework and an essential factor for the origin and development of the story in each of these novels. Considering that popular culture is the plot initiator, attention is drawn to aspects such as current socio-political and socio-cultural issues, character building, and understanding of the causes of their behavior. Also, the role of literature as a concept of importance for the preservation and transmission of meaning within popular culture is emphasized. In addition, the paper explains why the issue of popular culture is still relevant today, and points to the fact that this is why all the novels mentioned here deserve equal attention, not just Lolita, which is often the first association when the name of Vladimir Nabokov is mentioned. Using relevant theoretical material and crossing it with examples from novels, with adequate commentary on selected illustrative examples, the paper seeks to analyze elements of popular culture such as ideology, mass production and consumption, attitudes toward education, gender equality, gender stereotypes, leisure activities, the importance of developing various forms of mass media to spread the influence of popular culture. This method provides a closer look at the very notion and mechanism of popular culture which primarily rests on the desire for products that it creates with a large number of people. It also provides a good reason for a more detailed study of Nabokov's life and the motivation that precedes the emergence of these novels, which is one of the prerequisites for a critical approach, or an adequate understanding of them