Strengthening the Social Sustainability of Super-Blocks: Belgrade's Emerging Urban Hubs

Focusing on the social aspect of sustainability, this article provides insight into the process of spatial and functional reconsideration of open public spaces in two selected super-blocks in Belgrade, Serbia. Although their spatial typology is similar, one of them was created during the 1960s in New Belgrade, a new administrative center of the city based on the principles of functionalism, while the other one was built during the 1970s, as a part of urban reconstruction conducted in the central areas of Belgrade (Vračar municipality). The beginning of the 21st century has brought new challenges to open public spaces, reflecting the post-transitional changes of the Serbian socio-economic context, as well as the contemporary urban needs of inhabitants. Consequently, both blocks have developed new gathering places for their local communities, although applying two different approaches, spontaneous/informal (New Belgrade) and formal (Vračar). Considering the specificities of both initiatives and the relationship between local communities and the open public spaces of super-blocks, the comparative analysis is conducted in order to identify the occurring social, spatial, and functional modifications, and the achieved level of social sustainability

Gljive i pseudogljive prouzrokovači bolesti vrežastih kultura

Fungal diseases of cucurbits are caused by various fungi and fungus-like organisms which are frequent limiting factor in the production of cucurbit crops all over the world. Mycoses of cucurbits are usually categorized into three overlapping groups, disease of subterranean parts, diseases of aerial parts and fruit rots. Although each group comprises numerous, nonrelated fungal species with different taxonomic position, they share several epidemiological features demanding similar control strategies which can be successfully applied. Diseases of subterranean organs of cucurbits are caused by several soil-borne fungi and fungus-like organisms. The most frequent diseases of this group are seed rot and seedling root rot (caused by Pythium spp.), seedling damping-off and root and crown rot (Phytophthora spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Sclerotinia sclerotiorum), fusarium wilt (Fusarium spp.), verticilium wilt (Verticillium albo-atrum i V. dahliae) and other. The most common diseases of aerial parts, also known as diseases of cucurbits leaves are alternaria leaf spot and leaf blight (caused by Alternaria cucumerina, A. alternata), gummy stem blight (Didymella bryoniae), anthracnose (Colletotrichum orbiculare), downy mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis), powdery mildew (Podosphaera xanthii and Golovinomyces cichoracearum), cercospora leaf spot (Cercospora citrullina) and others. Diseases of cucurbit fruits are economically very important and are caused either as fi nal stage of several diseases of leaves or by fruit infection and colonization by soil-borne fungi. The most common causing agents worldwide are Phytophthora capsici, several Fusarium spp., Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, Didymella bryoniae, Sclerotium rolfsii and others. Managing strategies for successful control of cucurbit diseases are based to target disease prevention, on one hand, and to slow down disease spreading. Starting the production with pathogenfree seed is crucial fi rst step in disease prevention coupled with growing disease resistant cultivars and using wide crop rotation schedule. The disease spread can be slowed by direct application of chemical or biological fungicide when necessary.Mikoze vrežastih kultura mogu biti izazvane raznorodnim vrstama gljiva i pseudogljiva i čest su ograničavajući faktor u proizvodnji u mnogim delovima sveta. Uobičajeno je da se svrstavaju u tri osnovne grupe, bolesti podzemnih organa, bolesti nadzemnih organa i bolesti ploda pre i posle berbe. U svakoj od ovih grupa gljive i pseudogljive prouzrokovači su brojni i taksonomski veoma udaljeni, ali među njima postoje izvesne sličnosti u epidemiologiji zbog čega se za suzbijanje mogu primeniti neke relativno slične strategije. Više vrsta gljiva i pseudogljiva koje se održavaju u zemljištu (eng. soilborne fungi) obično su prouzrokovači bolesti podzemnih organa vrežastih kultura. Uobičajene bolesti podzemnih organa su: rano propadanje tokom klijanja i nicanja (prouzrokovači vrste roda Pythium spp.), propadanje ili topljenje sejanaca (Phytophthora spp., Rhizoctonia spp., Sclerotinia sclerotiorum), fuzariozno uvenuće i sušenje biljaka (Fusarium spp.), verticiliozna uvelost (Verticillium alboatrum i V. dahliae) i druge. Bolesti lista vrežastih kultura javljaju se ili isključivo na listovima ili tu započinju razvoj, a potom napadaju i vrežu i ostale biljne organe. Među značajnije bolesti lista vrežastih kultura ubrajaju se alternarijska pegavost lista (prouzrokovači Alternaria cucumerina, A. alternata), gumozno sušenje stabla (Didymella bryoniae), antraknoza (Colletotrichum orbiculare), plamenjača (Pseudoperonospora cubensis), pepelnica (Podosphaera xanthii i Golovinomyces cichoracearum), pegavost lista (Cercospora citrullina) i druge. Bolesti ploda vrežastih kultura su ekonomski veoma značajne i nastaju usled zaraze listova i stabla ili gljiva i pseudogljiva poreklom iz zemljišta sa kojima plod može biti u direktnom kontaktu. Najčešći prouzrokovači su Phytophthora capsici, vekoliko vrsta Fusarium spp., Alternaria alternata, Rhizoctonia solani, Didymella bryoniae, Sclerotium rolfsii i druge. Efi kasna kontrola bolesti vrežastih kultura zasniva se pre svega na preventivnim i agrotehničkim merama koje sprečavaju nastanak ili usporavaju širenje bolesti. Setva zdravog semena i gajenje otpornih genotipova i plodored, svakako su najznačajnije, kao i direktna primena hemijskih ili bioloških fungicida

Effects of Pelargonium sidoides extract vs roxithromycin on chemokine levels in nasal secretions of patients with uncomplicated acute rhinosinusitis

Background: Previous investigations suggest the use of extract from the roots of Pelargonium sidoides (EPs 7630) for the therapy of uncomplicated rhinosinusitis. The aim of this prospective study was to compare the effects of herbal drug EPs 7630 and antibiotic roxithromycin on chemokine production in nasal mucosa and clinical parameters in patients with uncomplicated acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS). Methods: Seventy-eight ABRS patients were divided into 26 patients receiving EPs 7630 tablets, 3 × 20 mg/day per os (group 1), 26 patients receiving roxithromycin tablets, 2 × 150 mg/day per os (group 2), both for 10 days, and 26 patients who received no therapy (Control group). We measured chemokine levels in nasal secretions by flow cytometry and assessed clinical parameters on day 0 and day 10 of investigation. Results: EPs 7630 increased concentrations of MCP-1 (P =.001) and IP-10 (P =.049) and decreased levels of MIP-1α (P <.001), ENA-78 (P <.001), and IL-8 (P <.001). Roxithromycin increased levels of IP-10 (P =.049) and decreased levels of MCP-1 (P <.001), MIP-1α (P <.016), ENA-78 (P <.001), and IL-8 (P <.001). Comparison of the non-treated patients' group with groups 1 and 2 revealed significant improvement of all clinical parameters in treated patients (P <.001), but therapy with roxithromycin resulted in better improvement in nasal symptoms and endoscopic findings than therapy with EPs 7630. Conclusion: Our results suggest the presence of similar modulatory effects of both therapies on production of chemokines that regulate the function of neutrophils and monocytes in nasal mucosa. Roxithromycin shows better clinical efficacy than EPs 7630 in patients with uncomplicated ABRS. Level of Evidence: 1b

Onion Solid Waste as a Potential Source of Functional Food Ingredients

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the most basic and most consumed vegetables in human diet with a long tradition of use in food and medicine. It is grown and traded worldwide for culinary purpose because of its distinctive aroma and high nutritive value. Nowadays, onion production is increasing as well as the demand for processed onion, leading to the generation of a substantial amount of industrial waste. The waste biomass is mainly composed of outer scales, skin, roots, tops of the bulbs, and deteriorated bulbs. The use of onion waste as a potential source of functional food ingredients is one way of its valorization, highly in line with the current trends in the food industry to improve by waste reuse while responding to the increasing demand for functional food. Onion waste components exhibiting functional potential are: (i) flavonols – quercetin and quercetin glucosides, known for antioxidant activity; (ii) fructooligosaccharides, well-established prebiotics; (iii) cell-wall polysaccharides, as a part of dietary fibre, or specifically pectin as a known food additive and/or a potential source of prebiotic oligomers; and (iv) organosulfuric compounds. The use of onion waste in food production is still in the research stage, but shows promising results in the incorporation of powdered onion waste concentrates and extracts into various food matrices to obtain innovative products with improved antioxidant and prebiotic quality

Impact of dental implant insertion method on the peri-implant bone tissue: Experimental study

Background/Aim. The function of dental implants depends on their stability in bone tissue over extended period of time, i.e. on osseointegration. The process through which osseointegration is achieved depends on several factors, surgical insertion method being one of them. The aim of this study was to histopathologically compare the impact of the surgical method of implant insertion on the peri-implant bone tissue. Methods. The experiment was performed on 9 dogs. Eight weeks following the extraction of lower premolars implants were inserted using the one-stage method on the right mandibular side and two-stage method on the left side. Three months after implantation the animals were sacrificed. Three distinct regions of bone tissue were histopathologically analyzed, the results were scored and compared. Results. In the specimens of one-stage implants increased amount of collagen fibers was found in 5 specimens where tissue necrosis was also observed. Only moderate osteoblastic activity was found in 3 sections. The analysis of bone-to-implant contact region revealed statistically significantly better results regarding the amount of collagen tissue fibers for the implants inserted in the two-stage method (Wa = 59 < 66,5, α = 0.05), but necrosis was found in all specimens, and no osteoblastic activity. Histopathological analysis of bone-implant interface of one-stage implants revealed increased amount of collagen fibers in all specimens, moderate osteoblastic activity and neovascularization in 2 specimens. No inflammation was observed. The analysis of two-stage implants revealed a marked increase of collagen fibers in 5 specimens, inflammation and bone necrosis were found in only one specimen. There were no statistically significant differences between the two methods regarding bone-implant interface region. Histopathological analysis of bone tissue adjacent to the one-stage implant revealed moderate increase of collagen tissue in only 1 specimen, moderate increase of osteoblasts and osteocytes in 3 specimens. No necrotic tissue was found. The analyzed specimens of bone adjacent to two-stage implants revealed a moderate increase in the number of osteocytes in 3 and a marked increase in 6 specimens respectively. This difference was statistically significant (Wb = 106.5 > 105, α = 0.05). No necrosis and osteoblastic activity were observed. Conclusion. Better results were achieved by the two-stage method in bone-to-implant contact region regarding the amount of collagen tissue, while the results were identical regarding the osteoblastic activity and bone tissue necrosis. There was no difference between the methods in the bone-implant interface region. In the bone tissue adjacent to the implant the results were identical regarding the amount of collagen tissue, osteoblastic reaction and bone tissue necrosis, while better results were achieved by the two-stage method regarding the number of osteocytes

Konvencionalni i real-time PCR protokoli za detekciju i identifikaciju Rhizoctonia solani AG-2-2 prouzrokovača truleži korena šećerne repe u Srbiji

Soil-borne fungi belonging to the genus Rhizoctonia are considered to be among the most destructive sugar beet pathogens. Although multinucleate R. solani AG-2-2 is frequently detected as the main causal agent of root rot of sugar beet worldwide, several binucleate (AG-A, AG-E and AG-K) and multinucleate Rhizoctonia (R. solani AG-4, AG-5 and AG-8) have also been included in the disease complex. Due to their soil-borne nature and wide host range, the management of Rhizoctonia root rot of sugar beet is highly demanding. Identification of Rhizoctonia AG associated with root rot of sugar beet is the essential first step in determining a successful disease management strategy. In this paper we report a highly specific and sensitive real-time PCR protocol for detection of R. solani AG-2-2 which showed a high level of specificity after testing against 10 different anastomosis groups and subgroups, including AG-2-1 as the most closely related. Moreover, a similar conventional PCR assay showed the same specificity but proved to be at least a 100 times less sensitive. Future research will include further testing and adaptation of this protocol for direct detection and quantification of R. solani AG-2-2 in different substrates, including plant tissue and soil samples.Smatra se da su gljive iz roda Rhizoctonia koje se održavaju u zemljištu, najdestruktivniji patogeni šećerne repe. Mada je širom sveta višejedarna R. solani AG-2-2 najčešće označena kao najvažniji prouzrokovač truleži korena šećerne repe, nekoliko dvojedarnih (AG-A, AG-E i AG-K) kao i višejedarnih Rhizoctonia (R. solani AG-4, AG-5 i AG-8) takođe mogu da učestvuju u kompleksu bolesti. Kako se održavaju u zemljištu i imaju širok krug domaćina, suzbijanje vrsta Rhizoctonia koje izazivaju trulež korena šećerne repe veoma je zahtevno. Identifikacija anastomoznih grupa prouzrokovača oboljenja predstavlja neophodan prvi korak u uspostavljanju uspešnog suzbijanja. U ovom radu razvijen je visokospecifičan i osetljiv real-time PCR protokol za detekciju i identifikaciju R. solani AG-2-2 koji se pokazao kao visokospecifičan nakon testiranja koja su obuhvatila 10 različitih AG grupa i podgrupa, uključujući i AG-2-1 kao najsrodniju. Sličan konvencionalni PCR protokol ispoljio je istu specifičnost, ali i najmanje 100 × manju osetljivost. Buduća istraživanja uključiće dalje testiranje i adaptaciju ovog protokola za direktnu detekciju i kvantifikaciju R. solani AG-2-2 u različitim uzorcima, uključujući biljno tkivo i zemljište

Molekularna identifikacija i karakterizacija dvojedarnih Rhizoctonia spp. prouzrokovača crne truleži korena jagode u Srbiji

Strawberry production is a popular, fast-growing agricultural business in Serbia. Its cultivar selection has been changing fast, following market demands. One of the limiting factors of strawberry production worldwide is black root rot, primarily caused by binucleate Rhizoctonia. Recently, outbreaks of black root rot of strawberry have occurred in Serbia and the estimated disease incidence was up to 30%. Isolates of binucleate Rhizoctonia AG-A were recovered from symptomatic strawberry plants, and characterized on the bases of morphological, molecular and pathogenic features. Despite their uniform morphological characteristics, the isolates demonstrated genetic variability within ITS rDNA, grouping into three different phylogenetic sub-clusters which comprise AG-A isolates originating from Italy, Israel, Japan and the USA. The binucleate Rhizoctonia AG-A from Serbia exhibited uniform virulence on strawberry after inoculation of daughter plants and detached leaf petioles, as well as on seedlings of bean, carrot and sunflower, while they were non-pathogenic to wheat, maize, tomato, pepper, tobacco, cucumber, lettuce, peas, cabbage, rapeseed and sugar beet.Proizvodnja jagode je popularna grana poljoprivrede u Srbiji koja se brzo razvija. Sastav sorti uključenih u proizvodnju podleže stalnim promenama u skladu sa zahtevima tržišta. Jedan od ograničavajućih faktora u proizvodnji jagode širom sveta je crna trulež korena, bolest koju najčešće izazivaju dvojedarne vrste roda Rhizoctonia. U Srbiji je poslednjih godina nekoliko puta zabeležena pojava crne truleži jagode uz učestalost koja je iznosila do 30%. Iz biljaka jagode sa simptomima izdvojeni su izolati dvojedarne Rhizoctonia AG-A i okarakterisani na osnovu morfološih i molekularnih osobina i patogenosti. Uprkos uniformnim morfološkim osobinama, izolati su ispoljili genetičku varijabilnost na osnovu sekvence ITS rDNK, grupišući se u tri različita filogentska sub-klastera koji su obuhvatali isolate iz Italije, Izraela, Japana i SAD. Izolati dvojedarnih Rhizoctonia AG-A poreklom iz Srbije ispoljili su uniformnu virulentnost na jagodi nakon inokulacija živića i fragmenata lisnih peteljki, kao i na sejancima pasulja, mrkve i suncokreta, dok nisu bili patogeni za pšenicu, kukuruz, paradajz, papriku, duvan, krastavac, salatu, grašak, kupus i šećernu repu

An insight into the chemical composition of ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea L.) by means of macrocomponent analysis and fractionation of phenolic compounds

Ground ivy (Glechoma hederacea L.) has been used for generations in folk medicine to treat various diseases. Up until today, the information about its chemical and bioactive composition is still rather incomplete. The aim of this study was to evaluate macro- and microcomposition of ground ivy including the polyphenolic profile. In the present study, different phenolic fractions (free soluble, esterified, glycosylated and insoluble-bound phenolic fractions) of ground ivy were prepared and analysed using spectrophotometric methods (total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity) and HPLC-PAD methodology. Regarding the macrocomposition, the results revealed that most of the ground ivy dry matter was composed of insoluble dietary fibre (48.96% dmb) followed by proteins (17.92% dmb). Minerals also markedly contributed to the dry matter (12.74% dmb) with potassium as the main macroelement (48.49 mg/g dmb). Dominant phenolic compounds in ground ivy extract were: rosmarinic (6.64 mg/g dmb) and chlorogenic acid (1.11 mg/g dmb), and flavonol rutin (1.87 mg/g dmb). Fractionation of phenolic compounds from ground ivy confirmed that dominant esters were indeed those of caffeic acid, while glycosides those of quercetin, which corresponded to the majority of identified compounds in the initial extract. Insoluble-bound phenolics were not represented in notable content. This study provided additional reference for macro- and microcomponent and phenolic composition of rather underutilized but valuable medicinal plant – ground ivy, to be used in further research of its health properties