SPIDERS (ARANEAE) OF THE DELIBLATO SANDS (SERBIA)

The Special Nature Reserve “Deliblato Sands” in Serbia is the largest European continental sand area situated between the Danube River and western Carpathian slopes. Forestation, agriculture and fire are the main threats to this landscape. While plants and vertebrates are well known in this area, spiders were researched for the first time. Collecting with pitfall traps, sweep nets and beating in four different habitat types during a whole vegetation period yielded 1120 adult specimens and 96 species. Eight species represent first records for the Serbian fauna: Atypus muralis Bertkau, 1890, Gnaphosa muscorum (L. Koch, 1866), Zelotes segrex (Simon, 1878), Mecopisthes peusi Wunderlich, 1992, Oxyopes heterophthalmus (Latreille, 1804), Heliophanus lineiventris Simon, 1868, Simitidion simile (C. L. Koch, 1836) and Xysticus mongolicus Schenkel, 1963. In our study, six of these species were restricted to the open sandy habitat, highlighting the special importance of this unique habitat type

Spectral and fractal analysis of cerebellar activity after single and repeated brain injury

The cerebellum, even when not directly damaged, is potentially interesting for understanding the adaptive responses to brain injury. Cerebellar electrocortical activity (ECoG) in rats was studied using spectral and fractal analysis after single and repeated unilateral injury of the parietal cortex. Local field potentials of cerebellar paravermal cortex were recorded before brain injury, in the acute phase (up to 2.5 hours) after a first injury of anesthetized rats, and then before and after second, third, and, in some cases, fourth injury. Relative gamma power (32.1-128.0 Hz) and fractal dimension of ECoGs were temporarily increased after the first injury. However, there was a permanent mild increase in gamma activity and a mild increase in the fractal dimension of cerebellar activity as a chronic change after repeated remote brain injury. There was a negative linear correlation between the normalized difference in fractal dimensions and normalized difference in gamma powers of cerebellar activity only in the case of repeated brain injury. This is the first study showing that correlation between the parameters of spectral and fractal analyses of cerebellar activity can discriminate between single and repeated brain injuries, and is, therefore, a promising approach for identifying specific pathophysiological states

Diversity of Terrestrial Cyanobacteria Colonizing Selected Stone Monuments in Serbia

The presence of biofilms on stone monuments can lead to biodeterioration processes that significantly lower not only the aesthetic value of cultural heritage sites but also cause considerable physical and chemical damage to stone surfaces. In terrestrial environments, cyanobacteria have a significant role in biofilm formation on a variety of natural and artificial stone substrata, including granite, sandstone, limestone, lime mortar, etc. Studies on cyanobacterial diversity and estimation of biodeteriorative activity on stone cultural heritage objects can be very important for conservators and restorers, and cyanobacteria removal from stone monuments is currently a great challenge for conservation science. In that sense, the diversity of terrestrial cyanobacteria was investigated at six localities in Serbia. Samples for cyanobacterial analyses were taken from surface biofilms covering different substrata: granite and lime mortar (The Monument to the Unknown Hero), sandstone (Branko's Bridge, Eiffel's Lock) and carbonate rock (Medieval tombstones from Mramorje and Rastite, Gradac Monastery). A total of 18 cyanobacterial taxa were identified. The highest diversity was found on carbonate rock, followed by sandstone. Cyanobacteria were also recorded on an artificial substratum - lime mortar, while cyanobacteria were not found on granite. All detected cyanobacteria seriously impaired the structural and aesthetic integrity of the studied monuments via mechanical and chemical actions, so their presence must not be overlooked

Characteristics of reproductive health of women in their generative age

Introduction Any research of reproductive health has to encompass the relevant connotations of this complex term. In order to establish relevant multidimensional characteristics, it is necessary to assess intercorrelations of the characteristics most commonly used to describe it. Objective Our aim was to describe the characteristics of reproductive health and to establish their significance in describing this term. Methods Within the study of health of adult inhabitants of Serbia, on the sample of 2,817 women aged 20-49 years, the data on different reproductive health characteristics were collected by way of a structured questionnaire. By way of factorial analysis (principal components method, Kaisser Varimax criterion), representative characteristics (factors) were selected out of a large number of characteristics, describing reproductive health of women in a multidimensional way, interrelationships of the factors were explained, and carriers - the most important individual characteristics - were selected for further analysis. Results The characteristics of female reproductive health in Serbia are poor, both from the health policy standpoint and in comparison with other countries. Reproductive health describes 7 relevant factors and their carriers (characteristics which best reflect the variability of characteristics involved in a factor). These involve sexual behaviour (self-assessed HIV infection risk), contraception (use of contraceptive devices on one's own initiative), adequate protection of reproductive health (usage of gynaecological services even when healthy), abortions (pregnancy outcome), HIV control (HIV testing usage), postpartal protection (visits of field nurses after being discharged from maternity ward) and reproductive period (doctor visits after being discharged from maternity ward). Conclusion All the characteristics of reproductive health used in various studies are not equally important in the description of this complex phenomenon. Factorial analysis can explain intercorrelations of the studied characteristics and make possible the selection of those most representative