New outlook on the minimal model program, I

We give a new and self-contained proof of the finite generation of adjoint rings with big boundaries. As a consequence, we show that the canonical ring of a smooth projective variety is finitely generated.Comment: to appear in Duke Math.

Birational automorphism groups of projective varieties of Picard number two

We slightly extend a result of Oguiso on birational or automorphism groups (resp. of Lazi\'c - Peternell on Morrison-Kawamata cone conjecture) from Calabi-Yau manifolds of Picard number two to arbitrary singular varieties X (resp. to klt Calabi-Yau pairs in broad sense) of Picard number two. When X has only klt singularities and is not a complex torus, we show that either Aut(X) is almost cyclic, or it has only finitely many connected components.Comment: title slightly changed to this; some proof simplified; submitted to the Proceedings of Groups of Automorphisms in Birational and Affine Geometry, 28 October - 3 November 2012, C.I.R.M., Trento, Ital

Oral Status, Aesthetic Materials and Frequency of Crowns and Bridges in Patients with Fixed Prosthetic Appliances Living in the Metkovi} Region

The aim of the study was to examine oral status in patients of the Metkovi} region with fixed prosthodontic appliances. The aim was also to evaluate aesthetic materials used, and difference between the frequency of crowns and bridges dependent on patient’s age and frequency of visits to dentist. The examination was performed on 212 dental patients with fixed prosthetic appliances, from the Public Health Center »Metkovi}«. A questionnaire was created for the purpose of this study and was filled in by the patients. The dentist registered oral status. Descriptive statistics and 2 tests were used for the data analysis. Following conclusions were made: 1. The examined patients had relatively high caries (tooth decay), gangrene and residual roots prevalence, the oral hygiene was not appropriate, calculus and gingivitis were diagnosed in all patients (100%) and these facts point out to the insufficient preventive oral health care in the Metkovi} region, as well as to the insufficient self-perception on the proper oral hygiene maintenance. 2. Patients who visit their dentist regularly (once a year or more) have significantly more crowns than bridges than the patients who visit their dentist irregularly or when in pain (p < 0.01). 3. Almost all fixed prosthetic appliances not older than 10 years were made of porcelain (98%), while acrylic veneer crowns (or chromasite) were more frequent in appliances older than 10 or 15 years (p < 0.01). There was no gender difference dependent on the material used (p > 0.05). High frequency of porcelain was attributed to the high economic status of this region, as well as to a dentist’s preference

Distribution of Craniofacial Variables in South Dalmatian and Middle Croatian Populations

The objective of the present work was to determine some relevant craniofacial parameters, particularly in relation to sex, for the study of the distribution of basic head and face types, and to investigate craniofacial and morphological differences between two population samples. The study sample comprised 100 subjects of both sex aged 18 to 30 from South Dalmatia and 200 subjects from Middle Croatia. Eight basic craniofacial variables were measured to obtain head, forehead and face indexes. The data indicate that average values of all variables can be used as standard craniofacial parameters for the examined population groups. All the craniofacial variables are considerably higher in men than in women (p < 0.05). In the South Dalmatian population mesocephalia (48.0%) and leptoprosopia (82.0%) prevail, while in the Middle Croatian population the brachycephalia (62.0%), and euriprosopia (73.5%) are present to a greater degree. The most significant craniofacial and morphological differences between the examined study samples are head width (Eu–Eu), face width (Zy–Zy), and forehead height (Tr–N). They were found to be statistically significant in the examined Middle Croatian population (p < 0.05). The presented measurements are highly relevant to orthodontic diagnostics and therapy

Structure and immunohistochemistry of the human lenticulostriate arteries

Background: Data about the structure and immunohistochemistry of the lenticulostriatearteries (LSAs), although very important for medical research and clinicalpractice, have been rarely reported in literature.Materials and methods: Fourty serially sectioned LSAs were stained with hematoxilinand eosin, and prepared for immunohistochemistry.Results: Our examination revealed a typical endothelial lining and a narrow subendothelialspace with subintimal smooth muscle cells occasionally. The internalelastic lamina was fragmented or absent in the smallest LSAs branches. The mediacoat, with a mean diameter of 148.5 μm, contained typical smooth muscle cellswhich formed 14.2 layers on average and showed a positive immune reactions foralfa-actin, desmine, laminin and collagen IV. The thin adventitial coat containedfibroblasts, collagen fibers, and nerve bundles, with the strongest immunopositivityto thyrosin hydroxilase. The immune reactions against CD31 and CD34 proteins,endothelial nitric oxide synthase, S 100 protein, neurofilament protein and synaptophysin,seem to be performed in the LSAs wall for the first time. Similarly,the thickness of the LSAs wall and its coats have never been reported, nor thenumber of the smooth muscle cell layers.Conclusions: Our results related to the structure and immunohistochemistry ofthe LSAs could be important in cerebrovascular pathology, neurology and neurosurgery

Improvement of water vapor barrier properties of chitosan-collagen laminated casings using beeswax

Collagen casings are commercially used in sausage production. In this paper, collagen film that is used for sausage casings was laminated with chitosan film to produce barrier casing film. Chitosan coating was prepared by dissolving chitosan powder in 1% acetic acid. After dissolving chitosan, caraway essential oil, wetting agent Tween 20 and different amounts of beeswax, from 0 to 25 g were added to the solution. The solution was coated on collagen film surface in three layers, using a sponge brush to make laminated films. Films were air dried at temperature t =23 °C ± 2 °C. Uncoated collagen film was used as reference. Film thickness, water vapor barrier properties and FTIR spectra were determined. With growing amount of beeswax added to the chitosan layer, film thickness grew from 112 µm for laminated film with 5 g of beeswax to 225 µm for film with 25 g of beeswax, compared to 83 µm for collagen film. Water vapor barrier properties improved with growing amount of beeswax in chitosan layer, ranging from 130.71 g/m2 24h for laminated film with added 5 g of beeswax to 66.96 g/m2 24h for the film with 25 g of beeswax, compared to 290.64 g/m2 24h for collagen film. Addition of beeswax showed great potential in lowering water vapor permeability of laminated collagen-chitosan film. FTIR spectra could be used to determine quantitative law dependency between added amount of beeswax and spectra absorption values,as well as to prove compactness of chitosan-beeswax layer

Supplementary material for the article: Lazić, A. M.; Mašulović, A. D.; Lađarević, J. M.; Valentić, N. V. Assessing the pharmacological potential of selected xanthene derivatives. Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society 2023, 88(9), 811-824. https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC230131035L

A convenient and efficient approach toward the synthesis of seven aromatically substituted xanthendiones 1‒7 and one structurally-related xanthenone 8 through condensation of dimedone and the appropriate aromatic aldehyde is reported. Further, their chemical structure was confirmed by melting points, elemental analysis, FT-IR, 1H-, 13C-NMR and UV–Vis spectroscopic methods. The relationship between the chemical structure and pharmacological activity was determined empirically using appropriate software packages and in vitro using the 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) method. The results of in silico prediction suggested that all investigated compounds possess good oral bioavailability. The results of the ABTS assay indicate that five compounds possess the ability to scavenge the ABTS•+ radical cation. Based on the comparison of the IC50 values, the activity of the compounds was found to be as follows: 6 > 1 > 7 > 2 > 8. The effects of solvent dipolarity/polarizability and solute solvent–hydrogen-bonding interactions on the shifts of the absorption maxima were rationalized by means of the linear solvation energy relationship concepts proposed by Kamlet–Taft and Catalán.Related to: [https://technorep.tmf.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/6809]Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC230131035L