Ecotourism management for development countries

The development of eco-tourism plays a major role in the tourist offer of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as mass tourism is losing in importance and gives way to a segmental tourism and guest structure changes and age. Provides an overview of future activities, and where the potential of the tourist offer lies, as well as an overview of the current situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The main objective of this paper is to determine whether eco-tourism impact on economic development, the possibility of evaluation of natural resources and adaptation to the demands of modern tourism. Based on the foregoing subject of research will consider the possibility of organizing modern forms ecotourism. The paper tested the null hypothesis where H0- There are no statistically significant differences between the group 'Employees' and the 'Unemployed' in terms of their attitude in terms of ecotourism. H1 - There are significant differences between the group 'Employees' and the 'Unemployed' in terms of their attitude in terms of their position on the eco-tourism

The effect of alpha-lipoic acid supplementation on oxidative stress markers and antioxidative defense in patients with schizophrenia

U odnosu na opštu populaciju, oboleli od shizofrenije imaju kraći životni vek i povećani rizik za razvoj somatskih pratećih bolesti. Visoka prevalenca metaboličkog sindroma u shizofreniji predstavlja značajan faktor rizika za razvoj koronarne bolesti i dijabetes melitusa tip 2. Iako su odnosi između metaboličkog sindroma i shizofrenije kompleksni i još uvek nedovoljno proučeni, pretpostavlja se da oksidativni stres predstavlja mehanizam koji ima integrativnu ulogu kako u razvoju metaboličkog sindroma, tako i njegovih komplikacija. Zbog toga su ciljevi ovog istraživanja bili da se odrede parametri oksidativnog stresa i antioksidativne zaštite kod obolelih od shizofrenije i zdravih ispitanika, kao i da se ispita nivo oksidativnog stresa u odnosu na prisustvo metaboličkog sindroma kod obolelih od shizofrenije. Iako rezultati dosadašnjih istraživanja ukazuju na izmenjenu enzimsku antioksidativnu aktivnost, redukovani nivo neenzimskih antioksidanasa, kao i povećani stepen lipidne peroksidacije, ograničen je broj studija koje ukazuju na mogućnost modulacije oksidativno-stresnog statusa u shizofreniji primenom antioksidanasa. Suplementacija dijetarnim antioksidansima može pružiti značajnu podršku endogenom antioksidativnom zaštitnom sistemu u prevenciji oksidativnih oštećenja, kao i regulaciji redoks osetljivih signalnih puteva. Uzimajući u obzir činjenicu da se alfa-liponska kiselina smatra jednim od najsnažnijih antioksidanasa, njenu sposobnost da prolazi krvno-moždanu barijeru i povećava nivo endogenih antioksidanasa, posebno glutationa, koji predstavlja glavni endogeni antioksidans u centralnom nervnom sistemu, kao i potencijalne pozitivne metaboličke efekte, pretpostavljeno je da suplementacija alfa-liponskom može imati potencijalno povoljne efekte kao dodatak antipsihotičnoj terapiji kod klinički stabilnih pacijenata sa shizofrenijom. U istraživanju je učestvovalo ukupno 60 pacijenata sa shizofrenijom, oba pola, starosti od 18 do 60 godina, u stabilnoj fazi bolesti. Kontrolna grupa je obuhvatila 60 zdravih ispitanika, sličnih godina i pola. Ispitivanjem uticaja suplementacije alfa-liponskom kiselinom na parametre oksidativnog stresa i antioksidativne zaštite, obuhvaćena je grupa od 18 obolelih od shizofrenije, kao i grupa od 38 zdravih ispitanika...Patients with schizophrenia have a reduced life expectancy and increased rates of physical illness compared with the general population. Metabolic syndrome is highly prevalent in individuals with schizophrenia and conveys a significantly increases risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Although it may not be the main cause, increasing evidence indicate that oxidative stress may play an integral role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome, as well as the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome-related conditions. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the oxidative stress in the schizophrenia. However, up to now, there have been no studies investigating the association between oxidative stress status and metabolic syndrome in schizophrenia. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the presence of metabolic syndrome and evaluate the oxidative stress status, as well as possible associations amongst them in schizophrenic patients. Recent years, increasing interest exists in using nonenzymatic antioxidants as adjunctive or supplements to prevent oxidative damage and to improve some of the psychopathology and treatment-related side effects of antipsychotic drugs. Alpha-lipoic acid is recognized as a powerful antioxidant. The ability of alpha-lipoic acid to cross the blood-brain barrier and increases levels of endogenous antioxidants, especially glutathione, who presents a major endogenous antioxidant in the brain, may have particular importance for schizophrenia. The study group consisted of 60 patients with schizophrenia and 60 sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Eighteen medicated patients with schizophrenia and 38 healthy subjects (control group) received daily supplements of alpha-lipoic acid (500 mg/day) for three months. Analysis of oxidative stress parameters showed significantly higher lipid peroxidation and higher plasma total antioxidant status in patients with schizophrenia than in the control group. In contrast, their PON1 activity was lower compared to control subjects. There were no significant differences between the patients and controls when plasma superoxide dismutase activity and serum prooxidant-antioxidant balance levels were compared..

Induction of peroxidase isoforms in the roots of two Verbascum thapsus L. populations is involved in adaptive responses to excess Zn2+ and Cu2+

To investigate metal specific responses of root class III peroxidases (POD, EC 1.11.1.7), two populations of Verbascum thapsus L. were exposed to excess Zn2+ or Cu2+ for three weeks in hydroponic culture. One population originating from an uncontaminated area (NMET) and one from an industrial disposal area for jarosite residues from zinc refining (MET) were chosen to test the capacity of V. thapsus to adapt to excess metal in the soil. Exposure to 60 μM Zn2+ led to increased levels of protein carbonyl groups only in the roots of NMET, which was accompanied by higher increase of POD activity and NADH-oxidase activity compared with MET plants. New anionic and cationic POD isoforms were induced in the roots of both populations in response to Zn2+ treatment, while IAA-oxidase activity decreased. On the other hand, root growth was more affected by Cu2+ than Zn2+ in both populations, which was correlated with increased auxin-oxidase (IAA-oxidase) activity. Cu2+ induced an increased activity of anionic POD isoforms in the roots of both populations, yet the ratio of NADH-oxidative to peroxidative POD activity remained higher in NMET than in MET plants. Overall results show differential effects of Zn2+ and Cu2+ on POD activity in the roots of V. thapsus L. In addition, higher tolerance to Zn2+ in MET plants than in NMET indicated that these plants have developed an adaptive mechanism to cope with Zn2+ excess

Words and Deeds: From Incompatibilities to Outcomes in Anti-Government Disputes

Dissidents can choose among different tactics to redress political grievances, yet violent and nonviolent mobilization tend to be studied in isolation. We examine why some countries see the emergence of organized dissident activity over governmental claims, and why in some cases these organizational claims result in civil wars or nonviolent campaigns, while others see no large-scale collective action. We develop a two-stage theoretical framework examining the organized articulation of political grievance and then large-scale violent and nonviolent collective action. We test implications of this framework using new data on governmental incompatibilities in a random sample of 101 states from 1960- 2012. We show that factors such as demography, economic development and civil society have differential effects on these different stages and outcomes of mobilization. We demonstrate that the common finding that anocracies are more prone to civil war primarily stems from such regimes being more prone to see maximalist political demands that could lead to violent mobilization, depending on other factors conducive to creating focused military capacity We find that non-democracy generally promotes nonviolent campaigns as anocracies and autocracies are both more likely to experience claims and more prone to nonviolent campaigns, conditional on claims

Macrophytes of the Grlište reservoir (Serbia): Fifteen years after its establishment

A large number of macrophytes, often in dense populations, have developed on the Grlište Reservoir, Serbia over a period of 15 years. Fast development of vegetation is a consequence of anthropogenic impact in lake management. The methodology used in this research covered 100% of the water body, including all areas with or without aquatic plants. The results indicate that plant communities are still in the early phase of development. This leaves space for future development of competitor macrophyte species (Najas marina, Eleocharis palustris, Typha latifolia, Typha angustifolia, Phragmites australis, etc.) capable of endangering stability of the lake, which will tend toward eutrophication

Efekti hrane obogaćene ribljim brašnom i mlekom u prahu na antioksidativne enzime i lipidnu peroksidaciju u jetri ženki pacova Wistar soja - pilot studija

Background/Aim. Recently, there has been an increased interest in novel dietary antioxidants, including omega-3 fatty acids and bioactive proteins present in milk. The aim of this study was to examine potential antioxidant effects of four-weeks long fish-based and milk-based diets in female Wistar rats. Methods. Four-months old rats were divided into three groups receiving either: control diet, diet enriched with fish meal, or diet enriched with milk. The activities of antioxidant enzymes: glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were determined in liver homogenates obtained at the end of the treatment period. Results. Statistically significant higher activities of GPx (3.52 ± 0.73 U/mg) and CAT (147.25 ± 15.93 U/mg) were detected in rats fed with fishbased meal in comparison with both the control (GPx: 1.93 ± 0.11 U/mg; CAT: 99.37 ± 10.03 U/mg) and the group fed with milk-based diet (GPx: 1.72 ± 0.52 U/mg; CAT: 104.18 ± 37.49 U/mg). Despite somewhat lower concentration of TBARS in the milk-treated group (0.88 ± 0.23 nmoL/mg), no significant differences were detected in comparison with other groups (the control group: 1.00 ± 0.08 nmoL/mg; the fish-based diet group: 1.13 ± 0.15 nmoL/mg). Conclusion. Diet enriched with fish could improve one's oxidative status by enhancing activities of antioxidant enzymes in the liver tissue. On the contrary, we failed to obtain results suggesting that milk could serve as a source of dietary antioxidants.Uvod/Cilj. U poslednje vreme povećano je interesovanje za istraživanja novih antioksidanasa u ishrani, uključujući omega-3 masne kiseline i bioaktivne proteine prisutne u mleku. Cilj ove studije bio je ispitivanje potencijalnih antioksidativnih efekata hrane obogaćene ribljim brašnom i hrane obogaćene mlekom u prahu kod ženki Wistar pacova, u trajanju od četiri nedelje. Metode. Pacovi, starosti četiri meseca, podeljeni su u tri grupe koje su bile hranjene standardnom hranom (kontrolna grupa), hranom obogaćenom ribljim brašnom i hranom obogaćenom mlekom u prahu. U homogenatima jetre, posle četiri nedelje, određene su aktivnosti antioksidativnih enzima: glutation peroksidaze (GPx), superoksid dismutaze (SOD) i katalaze (CAT), kao i koncentracija reaktivnih supstanci tiobarbiturne kiseline (TBARS). Rezultati. Statistički značajno veće aktivnosti GPx (3,52 ± 0,73 U/mg) i CAT (147,25 ± 15,93 U/mg) nađene su kod pacova koji su dobijali hranu obogaćenu ribljim brašnom u odnosu na kontrolu (GPx: 1,93 ± 0,11 U/mg; CAT: 99,37 ± 10,03 U/mg) i grupu koja je hranjena hranom obogaćenom mlekom u prahu (GPx: 1,72 ± 0,52 U/mg; CAT: 104,18 ± 37,49 U/mg). Uprkos nešto nižoj koncentraciji TBARS u grupi koja je primala hranu obogaćenu mlekom u prahu (0,88 ± 0,23 nmoL/mg), nisu utvrđene statistički značajne razlike u poređenju sa drugim grupama (kontrola: 1,00 ± 0,08 nmoL/mg; grupa na ishrani obogaćenoj ribljim brašnom: 1,13 ± 0,15 nmoL/mg). Zaključak. Ishrana bogata ribom mogla bi delovati povoljno na oksidativni status preko poboljšanja aktivnosti antioksidativnih enzima jetre. Sa druge strane, rezultati ne pokazuju da bi mleko moglo biti dobar izvor dijetarnih antioksidanasa

Two-photon final states in peripheral heavy ion collisions

We discuss processes leading to two photon final states in peripheral heavy ion collisions at RHIC. Due to the large photon luminosity we show that the continuum subprocess $\gamma \gamma \to \gamma \gamma$ can be observed with a large number of events. We study this reaction when it is intermediated by a resonance made of quarks or gluons and discuss its interplay with the continuum process, verifying that in several cases the resonant process ovewhelms the continuum one. It is also investigated the possibility of observing a scalar resonance (the $\sigma$ meson) in this process. Assuming for the $\sigma$ the mass and total decay width values recently reported by the E791 Collaboration we show that RHIC may detect this particle in its two photon decay mode if its partial photonic decay width is of the order of the ones discussed in the literature.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Utjecaj vremena čekanja na ishode liječenja bolesnika s karcinomom grkljana

Uvod i cilj rada: Karcinom grkljana čini oko 30% svih karcinoma glave i vrata, te predstavlja značajan uzrok smrtnosti od onkoloških bolesti. Prema dosadašnjim spoznajama nije utvrđeno optimalno vrijeme tijekom kojega bolesnik može čekati do početka liječenja, bez utjecaja na preživljenje. Prema smjernicama, dva tjedna od pojave alarmantnih simptoma bolesnik treba biti upućen na otorinolaringološki pregled, jer je cilj liječiti bolest u ranom stadiju. Cilj ovoga rada bio je analizirati utjecaj vremena čekanja na dijagnostičke i terapijske postupke kod oboljelih od karcinoma grkljana. Materijali i metode: Istraživanje je provedeno retrogradnom analizom podataka o bolesnicima s karcinomom grkljana liječenim na Klinici za otorinolaringologiju i kirurgiju glave i vrata KBC-a Rijeka, u razdoblju od 2011. do 2023. godine. U retrospektivno istraživanje uključeno je 299 kirurški liječenih bolesnika, od kojih je njih 169 imalo potpune kliničke podatke. Statističke analize bile su izvedene uz pomoć́ statističkog programa MedCalc. Rezultati: Medijan dobi kod prvog posjeta otorinolaringologu bio je 65 godina. Analizom su utvrđeni medijani u danima za različite interesne točke, pa tako od pojave prvih simptoma do prvog ORL pregleda medijan iznosi 93 dana, od prvog pregleda do postavljanja dijagnoze 23 dana, a od prvog pregleda do početka liječenja 44 dana. Promuklost je u ovoj studiji najčešći prvi simptom zbog kojega su se bolesnici javili na pregled. Onkološki ishod prikazan je KaplanMeierovim krivuljama ukupnog preživljenja i preživljenja vezanog uz bolest, a u odnosu na vrijeme čekanja od prvog simptoma, odnosno prve posjete otorinolaringologu, pa do kirurškog liječenja. Utjecaj vremena čekanja do kirurškog zahvata, a od pojave prvih simptoma ili prve posjete otorinolaringologu, nije se pokazao statistički značajnim u odnosu na ukupno preživljenje. Kaplan-Meierove krivulje preživljenja vezane uz bolest pokazale su da bolesnici koji su klinički obrađeni u vremenskom razdoblju kraćem od 35 dana imaju lošije preživljenje u odnosu na bolesnike čija je obrada trajala dulje od navedenog razdoblja. Zaključak: Vrijeme čekanja od prvih simptoma bolesti, kao i čekanje na dijagnostičke i terapijske postupke kod karcinoma grkljana treba razmatrati kao bitne čimbenike koji utječu na onkološki ishod bolesnika

UV-B radiation alters interactions between photosynthesis and secondary metabolism in variegated Plectranthus coleoides

This study is based on the results obtained from the experiments conducted within two Short Term Science Missions (STSMs) in the Research Unit Environmental Simulation, Helmholtz Zentrum München during 2011 and 2012. Our aim was to investigate the effects of realistic UV-B doses on photosynthesis and secondary metabolism in variegated leaves. Variegated Plectranthus coleoides plants were exposed to UV-B radiation (0.90 W m-2) under two photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) intensities (LL: 395 and HL: 1350 μmol m-2 s-1) for nine days in the sun simulators at the Helmholtz Zentrum München. In the green leaf portions, UV-B radiation stimulated photosynthetic rates in P. coleoides at both PAR intensities and doubled the size of plastoglobuli whereas the contents of photosynthetic pigments were slightly increased at HL. The concentrations of phenylpropanoids, catechins and hydroxybenzoic acids, were preferentially accumulated in green leaf portions, independently on radiation regimes. A hallmark of UV-B induced changes in plant metabolism, the induction of flavonoid pathway, was evidenced in P. coleoides by accumulation of apigenin and cyanidin glycosides in the whole leaf at both background PARs. UV-B induced accumulation of apigenin and cyanidin glycosides was more pronounced in the white leaf portions, compared to green one. Moreover, we observed differential response of H2O2 scavenging system to high PAR and UV-B in relation to tissue type. Alteration of linear electron flow, provoked by acclimation to UV-B at HL was associated with decreased ascorbate redox state and APX activity. In summary, UV-B radiation stimulated CO2 assimilation and increased fixed carbon flow into photosynthetic pigments, phenylpropanoids and flavonoids/anthocyanins which might be important for photoprotection of photosynthetic machinery under high light intensity.Abstracts of the Final Netwotk Meeting of COST Action FA0906 UV4growth - Bled, Slovenia, 30 March - 2 April 2014