Photocatalytic activity induced by zinc phthalocyanine synthesized by microwave irradiation

Zinc phthalocyanine, synthesized under microwave irradiation proved to be an interesting photocatalyst. The degradation of Rose Bengal, as model organic dye, under visible light irradiation was used to study the adsorption/photocatalytic activity. The huge potential of the synthesized molecule for the removal of organic pollutants was demonstrated by its absorption capacity, which was far larger than that of dye degradation

A fast and efficient synthesis of gamma rays dosimeters based on metalophthalocyanines

The area of radiation protection has gained significant relevance due to the fast advancement of radiation technology and its utilization in scientific research. In order to meet the low doses of nuclear radiation, such as gamma (γ)-rays, development of great fineness, stable, and reliable sensors are required. The heterocyclic compounds known as metallophthalocyanines (MPcs) won considerable research interest owing to their exceptional thermal, chemical and photo-stability, and long wavelength absorption compatible with biological window, spreading their potential applications in technology and medicine. As a result, finding the ideal method for creating such molecules is always in the spotlight. In this work, we designed a novel and efficient microwave-assisted synthetic method for preparation of innovative sensor materials base on MPcs (M = Zn, Mn or Fe). A zinc phthalocyanine has been evaluated as model compound in preparing ZnPc/PVA composites as a new, effective chemical-based dosimeter for low-dose measurement of γrays within the dose range from 1-25 kGy. A microwave-enhanced synthetic approach has been evaluated as an impressive chemical-based dosimeter designer. A modest decrease in absorbance intensity, followed by color bleaching in the dose range of 1-25 kGy, enabled the preparation of ZnPc/PVA composites as fine, glossy surface films with impressive application in gamma-ray dosimetryTwenty-First Young Researchers’ Conference - Materials Science and Engineering: Program and the Book of Abstracts; November 29 – December 1, 2023, Belgrade, Serbi

Assessment of the Suitability of the Delphi Method for Assessing the Needs of Pharmacoeconomic Studies in the Decision-Making Process

Background: Increasing need for control in healthcare spendings and for publicly available services, opens new areas and topics that needs to be discussed. The aim of this paper is assessment of the technic adequacy for evaluation of knowledge level in the subject territory. Materials and Methods: Systematic review has been performed with electronic database PubMed and MEDLINE. The SPIDER model (Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, Research Type) was used to create the search strategy, which is more suitable for qualitative research. Results: After the initial check by title and the introductory part of the abstract, 1,282 published articles were eliminated due to inadequate study design. 249 articles that were checked by abstract with a focus on methodology and sample went for additional checking. During this step, 50 articles were selected for checking the complete research, i.e., the published content. Given results has enabled us insight in Delphi method with assessment of advantages and disadvantages

The Significance ofBacillusspp. in Disease Suppression and Growth Promotion of Field and Vegetable Crops

Bacillusspp. produce a variety of compounds involved in the biocontrol of plant pathogens and promotion of plant growth, which makes them potential candidates for most agricultural and biotechnological applications. Bacilli exhibit antagonistic activity by excreting extracellular metabolites such as antibiotics, cell wall hydrolases, and siderophores. Additionally,Bacillusspp. improve plant response to pathogen attack by triggering induced systemic resistance (ISR). Besides being the most promising biocontrol agents,Bacillusspp. promote plant growth via nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and phytohormone production. Antagonistic and plant growth-promoting strains ofBacillusspp. might be useful in formulating new preparations. Numerous studies of a wide range of plant species revealed a steady increase in the number ofBacillusspp. identified as potential biocontrol agents and plant growth promoters. Among different mechanisms of action, it remains unclear which individual or combined traits could be used as predictors in the selection of the best strains for crop productivity improvement. Due to numerous factors that influence the successful application ofBacillusspp., it is necessary to understand how different strains function in biological control and plant growth promotion, and distinctly define the factors that contribute to their more efficient use in the field

Kombinirajuće sposobnosti sorti uljane repice (Brassica napus L.)

The global acreage under rapeseed increases steadily. Rapeseed is grown for oil for human consumption, feed and biodiesel production. For faster advances in breeding, it is necessary to know variability and combining ability of selection material i.e. modes of inheritance of certain traits. General (GCA) and specific combining abilities (SCA) of five rapeseed varieties as well as the mode of inheritance of plant height, height to the first lateral branch, number of lateral branches and seed yield per plant were analyzed in this paper. Positive heterosis for plant height was found in five cross combinations, for the height to the first lateral branch in two combinations and for the number of lateral branches in only one combination and for seed yield in three cross combinations. .Površine pod uljanom repicom u svetu su u stalnom porastu. Uljana repica se gaji za dobijanje ulja za humanu konzumaciju, za proizvodnju stočne hrane i biodizela. Za brži napredak u oplemenjivanju neophodno je poznavanje varijabilnosti i kombinacionih sposobnosti selekcionog materijala, odnosno načina nasleđivanja pojedinih svojstava. U radu su analizirane opšte (OKS) i posebne (PKS) kombinacione sposobnosti pet sorti uljane repice i način nasleđivanja visine biljke, visine prve bočne grane, broja bočnih grana i prinosa semena po biljci. Pozitivni heterozis ispoljio se za visinu biljke kod pet, za visinu prve bočne grane kod dve, broj bočnih grana kod jedne i prinosa semena kod tri kombinacije ukrštanja.

Mikrobiološka svojstva zemljišta

Zemljište je kompleksan i dinamičan ekosistem u kome se većina bioloških procesa odvija zahvaljujući mikroorganizmima. Osnovni biogeni elementi u zemljištu se nalaze pretežno vezani u organskim i neorganskim jedinjenjima i u tom obliku nisu direktno dostupni biljkama. Mineralizacija organskih jedinjenja do neorganskih i mobilizacija teško rastvorljivih neorganskih jedinjenja, odvija se zahvaljujući delovanju mikrobioloških enzima, a hranljivi elementi prevode se u oblike koje biljke mogu da usvajaju. Na taj način, mikroorganizmi obezbeđuju biljke asimilativima, a direktno su uključeni i u formiranje prinosa gajenih biljaka. Plodnost zemljišta određena je njegovim sastavom i svojstvima. Osobine zemljišta najviše utiču na raznovrsnost, brojnost i enzimatsku aktivnost mikroorganizama, a za sve tipove zemljišta karakteriše smanjena brojnost i aktivnost mikroorganizama na većim dubinama

Aktivnost antioksidativnih enzima u ponicima grahorica u uslovima suše

Drought greatly affects normal plant growth, endangering physiological and biochemical processes in plants. Under the influence of unfavorable environmental conditions, antioxidant protection systems in plant cell can be activated regardless of the stage of growth and development of plants. The experiment was conducted on three vetches species (V. sativa, V. villosa and V. pannonica) under PEG-induced drought stress. Activity of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APx, EC 1.11.1.1) and catalase (CAT, EC 1. 11. 1. 6), was determined in shoots and roots of 10-day-old seedlings. Lack of water during germination period activated all the examined antioxidant enzymes in both organs of all tested Vicia species. The activity of SOD and APx generally increased at higher stress levels, while the enzyme CAT showed different patterns of action in all tested species. The results of this study suggest that drought stress causes the production of oxygen radicals that lead to oxidative stress in plants.Suša značajno utiče na normalan rast i razvoj biljaka ugrožavajući fiziološke i biohemijske procese. U nepovoljnim uslovima spoljašnje sredine, antioksidantni sistemi zaštite u biljnim ćelijama mogu se aktivirati bez obzira na fazu rasta i razvoja biljaka. Ovaj eksperiment je sproveden na tri vrste grahorica (V. sativa, V. villosa i V. pannonica) u uslovima suše indukovane PEG-om. Aktivnost antioksidantnih enzima superoksid dismutase (SOD), askorbat peroksidaze (APx) i katalaze (CAT) merena je u nadzemnom delu i korenu ponika starim deset dana. Nedovoljna količina vode u početnim fazama rasta aktivirala je sve ispitivane antioksidativne enzime u nadzemnom delu i u korenu ponika svih ispitivanih vrsta roda Vicia. Aktivnost SOD i APx se povećala na višim nivoima stresa, dok su se kod enzima katalaza uočili različiti obrasci delovanja u svim testiranim vrstama. Rezultati ovog eksperimenta ukazuju na povećanu produkciju radikala kiseonika u sušnim uslovima koji dovode do oksidativnog stresa u biljkama

Tolerantnost prema osmotskom stresu, PGP osobine i RAPD analiza sojeva Bradyrhizobium japonicum

The osmotic stress tolerance of B. japonicum strains assessed according to their persistence in PEG solution. The lowest tolerance to osmotic stress was observed in strain 511 (43.3%), and the highest tolerance was observed for strain D216 (3.3% growth reduction in presence of PEG). PGP traits of B. japonicum strains were tested. None of five B. japonicum strains produced siderophore, strains 511 and 518 had the urease ability, and only B. japonicum 518 strain showed the ability to solubilize insoluble tricalcium phosphate. RAPD analysis, using AP10, BC318, AF14 and SPH1 primers, indicated genetic differences between Bradyrhizobium strains. The first group (strains 3, 6 and 518) showed more than 80% similarity. Strains 511 and D216 formed separate clusters. Difference between strains D216 and the other strains were more than 60%, with maximum value of 72% in comparison with strain 511. Plant-growth promoting (PGP) traits, osmotic stress tolerance and RAPD analysis highlighted strain D216 as useful for further investigation of B. japonicum impact on drought reduction in symbiosis with soybean.Tolerantnost sojeva B. japonicum prema osmotskom stresu ispitana je na osnovu preživljavanja sojeva u rastvoru PEG-a. Najmanju tolerantnost prema osmotskom stresu pokazao je soj 511 (43.3%), dok je najtolerantniji bio soj D216 (sa 3.3% smanjenja rasta u prisustvu PEG-a). Ispitane su PGP osobine sojeva B. japonicum. Nijedan od pet sojeva B. japonicum nije produkovao siderofore, ureaznu aktivnost pokazali su sojevi 511 i 518, a sposobnost solubilizacije neorganskog tri-kalcijum fosfata imao je samo soj B. japonicum 518. RAPD analiza, prajmerima AP10, BC318, AF14 i SPH1, ukazala je na genetske razlike između sojeva Bradyrhizobium. Prva grupa (sojevi 3, 6 i 518) pokazala je više od 80% sličnosti. Sojevi 511 i D216 formiraju zasebne klastere. Razlika između soja D216 i ostalih sojeva bila je veća od 60%, a maksimalna divergentnost od 72% zabeležena je u poređenju sa sojem 511. PGP osobine, tolerantnost prema osmotskom stresu i RAPD analiza izdvojili su soj D216 kao veoma značajan za dalja istraživanja B. japonicum u smanjenju negativnih posledica suše na simbioznu zajednicu sa sojom

Bacillus isolates as potential biocontrol agents of Fusarium clove rot of garlic

Clove rot caused by Fusarium spp. is a very important disease of common garlic (Allium sativum L.) occuring in many areas of the world. However, there is a lack of data about biocontrol of these pathogens. Bacillus species are attractive for research due to their potential use in the biological control of fungal diseases. The aim of this study was to select effective biocontrol agents from a series of indigenous Bacillus spp. isolated from soil. Bacterial isolates positive for hydrolytic enzymes production were screened for antifungal activity against Fusarium spp. isolated from infected garlic cloves. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were used for molecular identification of bacterial (16S rDNA gene) and fungal (EF-1 alpha gene) isolates, and detection of biosynthetic genes for antimicrobial lipopeptides (surfactin, iturin, bacillomycin D and fengycin) in Bacillus spp. The obtained results confirmed the presence of Fusarium tricinctum, F. oxysporum f. sp. cepae, F. proliferatum, F. acuminatum and F. verticillioides as the causal agents of garlic clove rot. Four bacterial isolates identified as Bacillus subtilis exhibited the highest antagonistic effect during in vitro testing of antifungal activity (up to 71% reduction in fungal growth), and caused a significant suppression of garlic clove infection (up to 58% reduction in rot symptoms) in situ. Analysis of the antifungal compounds involved in the antagonistic activity of the examined isolates revealed their ability to produce the antibiotic lipopeptide surfactin. The most effective isolates of B. subtilis could be used as potential biocontrol agents of garlic clove rot