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In this study, we used leaf geometric morphometrics to quantify the differences among Quercus cerris L. and Quercus frainetto Ten. and their populations in the Sumadija region in Serbia. We sampled 2200 leaves from eight populations and on each leaf recorded 13 landmarks. To analyze how leaf morphology varies across species and populations, we used Procrustes ANOVA, a two-block partial least-squares analysis, a principal component analysis and a canonical variate analysis. The results showed a clear discrimination between species, followed by different levels of leaf shape variability in Q. cerris and Q. frainetto. The leaves of Q. cerris displayed higher levels of variability and higher differences among populations compared to Q. frainetto. The patterns of population grouping in the two species greatly differed, indicating that in these species different factors contribute to intraspecific variability. This study provides preliminary results of the leaf morphometric variability of oak species in the Sumadija region in Serbia. Future studies should include genetic and environmental analyses to understand the origins of phenotypic differences between species and populations, and to fully recognize which factors mostly determine relationships between taxa.

Leaf morphology is at a certain level defined by the ways in which plants adapt to different habitats, especially in large trees. In this study, morphological variations in leaf size and shape of the Hungarian oak (Quercus frainetto Ten.) growing on different soil types (lithic leptosol, vertisol, cambisol) were investigated in the central part of Serbia (Sumadija). The information on soil type was obtained using a digitalized soil map of the Republic of Serbia, while leaf traits were characterized by geometric morphometric methods. Landmark analysis and leaf measurements showed significant differences among the analyzed groups, with individuals growing on nutrient-poor, shallow soils having smaller leaves with greater lobation. The observed differences suggest that the levels of soil productivity influence variations in leaf patterns. More studies on a larger sample size and along a broader spatial scale are needed to fully understand the differences in the patterns of leaf morphological variation in Q. frainetto.

In this work, a blend of gelatin A (GA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP K30) was used for semi-solid 3D printing of bone scaffold for ibuprofen (IBU) delivery. The cross-linking of the obtained scaffold was performed with a 1% glutaraldehyde (GTA) solution, followed by lyophilization. The thermal and mechanical properties, as well as drug release profiles, and drug kinetics of prepared scaffolds were investigated. The cross-linked and lyophilized scaffold has shown good thermal stability, mechanical properties, and prolonged release of IBU following the Fickian diffusion process. Nosač za dostavu ibuprofena (IBU) u koštanom tkivu dobijen je metodom 3D štampe ekstruzijom iz paste uz korišćenje smeše polimera želatina A (GA) i polivinilpirolidona (PVP K30). Dobijeni nosač je umrežen sa 1% rastvorom glutaraldehida (GTA), nakon čega je usledio proces liofilizacije uzoraka. Ispitivana su mehanička i termička svojstva, profili i kinetika oslobađanja ibuprofena iz dobijenih nosača. Umrežen i liofilizovan nosač pokazao je dobru termičku stabilnost i mehanička svojstva, kao i produženo oslobađanje IBU-a koje prati kinetiku po Fikovom zakonu difuzije.

The chapter demonstrates that the human right not to be trafficked is an implied but stand-alone prohibition within the right to be free from slavery, servitude, and forced labour. The reason for that is to be found in the notion of exploitation, which represents a unique wrong this right is meant to protect against, and which underlines different practices that fall under the umbrella term of ‘modern slavery’. The discussion explores the conceptual boundaries of the prohibition of ‘modern slavery’ and elucidates the meaning and relationships between both expressly prohibited and implied concepts in order to determine situations in which the right is or is not engaged. This analysis exposes common misunderstandings about the relationship between human trafficking and practices of slavery, servitude, and forced labour.

The notions of ‘modern slavery’ and state responsibility for suppressing it have been both overused and underexplained in the public discourse and academic scholarship. Its legal nature remains contested. Why is a practice committed predominantly by private individuals considered a human rights violation—a concept that implies state wrongdoing—and not merely a crime, although a very serious one? The book answers this question by painting a more nuanced view of the complex phenomenon of ‘modern slavery’ which includes a range of exploitative practices. It emphasises its hybrid nature as both a crime and a human rights violation, with different implications resulting from its operationalisation in these different legal contexts. The book therefore offers a comprehensive account of the right not to be trafficked and the human rights prohibition of ‘modern slavery’ overall, which includes the analysis of its scope and the rules for assessing states’ responsibility in human rights law. The introduction presents a case for introducing a right not to be trafficked within the ‘absolute’ human rights prohibition of slavery, servitude, and forced labour, explains how the same definition applies in different legal domains, and outlines the structure and scope of the book.

This chapter presents a historical evolution of the notion of human trafficking in international law. The analysis reveals the concept’s unequivocal grounding in transnational criminal law and explains how human rights law emerged as a competing legal framework to address this phenomenon only recently. The chapter considers competing narratives on the relationship between human trafficking and human rights law before proceeding to outline its hybrid legal nature and explain the value of framing it as a human rights issue. The discussion considers how establishing state responsibility under human rights law is qualitatively different from establishing criminal law responsibility of an individual perpetrator, yet it shows that both legal frameworks draw on the same definition of the phenomenon.

The book analyses the role and responsibility of states for addressing ‘modern slavery’—a diverse set of practices usually perpetrated by non-state actors—against the backdrop of international human rights law. In doing so it explores the dynamic and cross-pollination between criminal law and human rights law, revealing the differences in the ways these legal domains work to secure justice for victims. The book considers the ‘absolute’ nature of the prohibition of ‘modern slavery’ in human rights law, the range of practices covered by this umbrella term, and their mutual relationships, positive obligations of states established by international human rights tribunals owed to individuals subject to ‘modern slavery’, and standards for assessing state responsibility in these situations. By engaging with the concept of exploitation in human rights law, which glues together diverse practices of ‘modern slavery’ into a coherent concept, the book elucidates the theoretical foundations of this fundamental human right and explains why human trafficking has an independent place within it. In addition to providing a comprehensive account and critique of the existing human rights jurisprudence, the book offers a roadmap for the future development of law on this subject, emphasising the limits of human rights law as a tool for addressing ‘modern slavery’.

The chapter offers a comprehensive analysis of the concept of exploitation in human rights law. The notion of exploitation is central for the understanding of ‘modern slavery’, but has never been defined in international law and has been neglected in the human rights scholarship. Drawing on the international legal instruments and jurisprudence, and the literature on moral philosophy, the chapter distils and explains the necessary and sufficient conditions for a practice to qualify as exploitation of a sufficient gravity thus engaging the human rights prohibition of ‘modern slavery’. These conditions distinguish exploitation from other wrongs, and connect the diverse practices of ‘modern slavery’ into a coherent concept. This discussion provides a critical contribution to an understanding of the theoretical foundations of the prohibition of slavery and the right not to be trafficked.

The chapter clarifies the mechanism for establishing state responsibility for ‘modern slavery’ in human rights law, which is grounded in the doctrine of positive obligations. It explains how positive obligations apply in the context of rights which are considered ‘absolute’, especially when the interference with such rights stems from the conduct of non-state actors. The discussion considers positive human rights obligations in general, their origins, rationale, nature, and scope. Particular attention is paid to the difference between rights infringements by state and non-state actors and the often neglected distinction between positive obligations and remedies for established human rights violations. The chapter finally explores several taxonomies of positive obligations proposed in the literature, and explains why the matrix comprising of general and specific obligations serves as the best analytical lens for examining the evolving human rights jurisprudence on state responsibility to address ‘modern slavery’.

The chapter sheds light on the potential of human rights law to provide effective protection to victims of ‘modern slavery’. Grounded in the case law of international tribunals, the chapter conducts a comprehensive analysis of positive obligations arising out of the prohibition of ‘modern slavery’. By analysing general and specific obligations imposed by the human rights prohibition of ‘modern slavery’, as well as the methods for establishing when such obligations have been breached or fulfilled, the chapter outlines the scope of state responsibility to address ‘modern slavery’ and explores the remedies owed to victims. This analysis complements the rich commentary on states’ positive obligations in cases concerning the right to life and the prohibition of torture and other degrading treatment, highlighting in particular the situations where these rights are threatened by actions of private individuals—a distinction often overlooked in both human rights jurisprudence and academic work.

The chapter reflects on the range of legal domains relevant for addressing ‘modern slavery’, stressing out the limits of human rights law as the ultimate response to such serious forms of exploitation. The conclusion emphasises the discrete agenda of the book, which sought to explain the responsibility of states for ‘modern slavery’ in human rights law by considering their obligations to protect individuals from such grave forms of exploitation. It then points to another dimension of state responsibility for ‘modern slavery’ that is broader, more elusive, and harder to establish in the strictly legal sense, and which remains outside the scope of this enquiry. This second dimension of state responsibility for ‘modern slavery’ concerns wider legal structures that create conditions in which practices of ‘modern slavery’ are allowed to flourish, despite a number of instruments and initiatives designed to address it. While the book focused on the role of law, and human rights law in particular, as part of the solution to the problem of ‘modern slavery’, the chapter reminds that the full account of the relationship between the state, law, and slavery in the twenty-first century must also consider the ways in which law creates and perpetuates structural conditions that allow slavery to persist.

The chapter evaluates specialised anti-trafficking instruments and their potential to inform the interpretation of obligations arising out of the human rights prohibition of ‘modern slavery’. It explores the range of obligations enshrined in these instruments and emphasises the importance of a distinction between human rights of victims of ‘modern slavery’ and correlative state obligations, on one hand, and duties that stem from other international law domains and do not confer any justiciable rights on victims, on the other. Drawing on such a ‘key distinction’ between victim protection measures and victims’ human rights, which are not interchangeable, the chapter explains how the specialised anti-trafficking instruments can inform human rights law while maintaining the normative distinction between these different domains of international law.

Tooth preparation for a metal-ceramic crown with a subgingival finish line can lead to inflammatory changes in the gingival tissue, often accompanied by cell damage. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical signs of inflammation and the cytomorphological status of the gingival tissue before and after tooth preparation. The research included a homogeneous group of 19 patients with an indication for upper canine preparation. Before and after treatment, the gingival and the gingival bleeding indexes were determined, gingival swabs were taken, and direct smears prepared on slides for cytomorphometric analysis. The values of the measured gingival indexes were statistically significantly higher (p < 0.001) after tooth preparation. They decreased over time, which indicated the reversibility of the resulting changes. Cytological examination showed no statistically significant difference between the values of nuclear area, perimeter, Feret diameter, Feret angle, integrated optical density, MinFeret, and roundness, before and after the treatment. Significantly higher values of circularity, integrated optical density, MinFeret (p < 0.05), as well as roundness (p < 0.001) were found after 72 h, compared to those taken 15 min after tooth crown preparation. This study is a pioneering attempt to show gingival changes during fixed prosthodontic treatment and may shed new light on pathogenetic events in prosthodontic patients.

The European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have developed fundamentally different regional regimes to address human trafficking despite both drawing on the framework established by the U.N. Palermo Protocol. These regimes have been deployed to achieve different missions: crime control animates the European framework whereas migration management informs the ASEAN regime. These different regional agendas have led to all central elements of the respective antitrafficking regimes being addressed differently including, the legal authority of the regional regime over domestic legislation, the allocation of responsibility between “sending” and “receiving” countries, their approaches to subjects of human trafficking, and the connectedness of each antitrafficking instrument to the wider regional regimes. The two regional responses challenge general assumptions about the universality and coherence of the growing international legal framework on human trafficking.

Hematological neoplastic mass lesions of the sellar region are rare. We identified five cases of hematological malignancy with first presentation in the sellar region from our departmental database of 1,405 patients (0.36%) with sellar lesions diagnosed over the 17-year period (2005-2021). All patients were females (mean age 55.2 ± 3.4 years). One patient had multiple myeloma (MM), one patient had acute myeloid leukemia (AML), while three other patients had lymphoma (intravascular lymphoma (IVL, n = 1) or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL, n = 2). Most patients presented with ophthalmoplegia, and one patient with diabetes insipidus (DI), with short duration of symptoms (median 30 days). All patients had an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and altered blood count, while patients with lymphoma had elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Sellar mass was demonstrated in three patients while the patient with IVL had an empty sella and in the AML patient posterior lobe T1W hyperintensity was lost. Two patients (IVL and NHL) presented with multiple anterior pituitary deficiencies and one patient (AML) had DI. All patients were treated with chemotherapy. Two patients responded well to treatment (one had reversed hypopituitarism), while three patients died. Differential diagnosis of sellar-parasellar pathology should include suspicion of hematological malignancy, particularly in patients with short duration of nonspecific symptoms, neurological signs (ophthalmoplegia), blood count alterations and LDH elevation, pituitary dysfunction and imaging features atypical for pituitary adenoma. Early diagnosis is crucial for timely initiation of hematological treatment aimed at inducing disease remission and partial or full recovery of pituitary function.

The aim of this study was to analyze the trends in diabetes in pregnancy in Belgrade, Serbia for the period of the past decade and forecast the number of women with pre-gestational diabetes for the years 2030 and 2050. The study included the data on all pregnant women with diabetes from the registry of the deliveries in Belgrade, by the City Institute of Public Health of Belgrade, Serbia for the period between 2010 and 2020 and the published data on the deliveries on the territory of Belgrade. During the examined period the total number of live births in Belgrade was 196,987, and the prevalence of diabetes in pregnancy was 3.4%, with the total prevalence of pre-gestational diabetes of 0.7% and overall prevalence of GDM of 2.7%. The average age of women in our study was significantly lower in 2010 compared to 2020. The forecasted prevalence of pre-gestational diabetes among all pregnant women for 2030 is 2% and 4% for 2050 in our cohort. Our study showed that the prevalence of pre-gestational diabetes has increased both among all pregnant women and among women with diabetes in pregnancy in the past decade in Belgrade, Serbia and that it is expected to increase further in the next decades and to further double by 2050.

The aim of this study was to examine the differences in pregnancy complications, delivery characteristics, and neonatal outcomes between women with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study included all pregnant women with diabetes in pregnancy in Belgrade, Serbia, between 2010 and 2020. The total sample consisted of 6737 patients. In total, 1318 (19.6%) patients had T1DM, 138 (2.0%) had T2DM, and 5281 patients (78.4%) had GDM. Multivariate logistic regression with the type of diabetes as an outcome variable showed that patients with T1DM had a lower likelihood of vaginal delivery (OR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.64–0.83), gestational hypertension (OR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.36–0.62), higher likelihood of chronic hypertension (OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.55–2.29),and a higher likelihood ofgestational age at delivery before 37 weeks (OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.18–1.63) compared to women with GDM. Multivariate logistic regression showed that patients with T2DM had a lower likelihood ofgestational hypertension compared to women with GDM (OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.15–0.92).Our results indicate that the highest percentage of diabetes in pregnancy is GDM, and the existence of differences in pregnancy complications, childbirth characteristics, and neonatal outcomes are predominantly between women with GDM and women with T1DM.

Background A greater number of patients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) may be identified and treated as indications for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) are expected to expand to younger patients. We evaluated the contemporary frequency and management of symptomatic patients with stenotic BAV in a multicenter European registry. Methods Between November 2017 and February 2018, all consecutive patients admitted for symptomatic aortic stenosis across six high-volume European hospitals were prospectively enrolled in the BiTri registry. Results Of the 832 patients, 17% (n = 138) had a BAV. The most frequent BAV phenotypes were type 1 (left--right coronary cusps fusion 64%) and type 1 (right-noncoronary cusps fusion 17%). Type 0 and type 2 accounted for 12 and 2%, respectively. When compared with tricuspid patients (n = 694), BAV patients were younger, with lower surgical risk. The transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) identified BAV in 64% of patients. Multisliced computed tomography (MSCT) additionally completed the diagnosis in 20% of patients. Surgical inspection finally identified the remaining undiagnosed 16% of BAV. A combination of TTE and MSCT was the most common diagnosis method for BAV. Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) was the predominant therapeutic option for BAV (70%) whilst TAVI was performed in 26%. Conclusion BAV is frequently observed in symptomatic patients with aortic stenosis. These patients are younger, have a lower risk profile and are predominantly treated with SAVR as compared with tricuspid patients. However, TAVI is performed in almost one-third of BAV patients in contemporary European practice. TTE combined with MSCT identified 84% of BAV.

The modern slavery discourse has brought attention to the idea of ‘human exploitation’, which underpins a range of practices comprised by this popular umbrella term. Despite its extensive use, the concept of exploitation has never been defined in international law. This article articulates the necessary and sufficient conditions for the notion of exploitation in the context of the human rights prohibition against slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking. This is done by examining international legislation, jurisprudence and the philosophical discussions of this concept. Articulating the parameters of exploitation sets firm boundaries of this right while leaving enough room for its further refinement in light of the new and emerging forms of modern slavery. Such analysis is a pioneering effort at elucidating the theoretical foundations of the prohibition of slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour and human trafficking.

Carotid atherosclerotic plaque growth leads to the progressive luminal stenosis of the vessel, which may erode or rupture causing thromboembolism and cerebral infarction, manifested as stroke. Carotid atherosclerosis is considered the major cause of ischemic stroke in Europe and thus new imaging-based computational tools that can improve risk stratification and management of carotid artery disease patients are needed. In this work, we present a new computational approach for modeling atherosclerotic plaque progression in real patient-carotid lesions, with moderate to severe degree of stenosis (50%). The model incorporates for the first time, the baseline 3D geometry of the plaque tissue components (e.g. Lipid Core) identified by MR imaging, in which the major biological processes of atherosclerosis are simulated in time. The simulated plaque tissue production results in the inward remodeling of the vessel wall promoting luminal stenosis which in turn predicts the region of the actual stenosis progression observed at the follow-up visit. The model aims to support clinical decision making, by identifying regions prone to plaque formation, predict carotid stenosis and plaque burden progression, and provide advice on the optimal time for patient follow-up screening.

Il contributo si inserisce nell'ambito della Cost Action CA18110 Underground4Value, incentrato sulla valorizzazione dei beni del sottosuolo attraverso il coinvolgimento della comunità locale. In linea con tali presupposti, il capitolo presenta un piano di valorizzazione di un Parco Minerario ubicato a La Union (Spagna) elaborato facendo riferimento alla Design Thinking Methodology e ad appositi processi di coinvolgimento ed engagement della comunità locale.

The poster reports a strategic plan elaborated to support a Mining Park located in La Union (Spain) in becoming more attractive for European tourists. The strategic vision was to develop -based on the Design Thinking Methodology- an interactive park which offers creative experiences to families with children.

Artificial neuronal network (ANN) in classification of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) recurrence from treatment effects using advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques was evaluated. In 56 patients with treated GBM, normalised minimal and mean apparent-diffusion coefficient (ADC) values, vessels number on susceptibility-weighted images (SWI) and Cho/Cr ratio were analysed statistically and by ANN. Significant correlation exists between normalised minimal and mean ADC values, and no correlation between ADC and Cho/Cr values. Cut-off values for tumour presence were: 1.14 for normalised minimal ADC (54% sensitivity, 71% specificity), 1.13 for normalised mean ADC (51% sensitivity, 71% specificity), 1.8 for Cho/Cr ratio (92% sensitivity, 82% specificity), grade 2 for SWI (87% sensitivity, 82% specificity). An accurate prediction of ANN to classify patients into GBM progression or treatment effects group was 99% during the training and 96.8% during the testing phase. Multi-parametric ANN allows distinction between GBM recurrence and treatment effects, and can be used in clinical practice.

State of the art applications for reproduction of multimedia content have an increasing demand for recording of broadcasted content for later playback. Goal of our work was to add this functionality to Android Oreo operating system using ExoPlayer library for HLS adaptive streaming. Paper also covers support for content encryption.

To compare arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion technique with the clinically established dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced (DSC) perfusion weighted-imaging (PWI), and to determine its value in routine MRI evaluation of disease progression in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).A prospective intraindividual study was performed in 31 patients with histologically proven GBM who had clinical and/or radiological deterioration after treatment, including surgery, radiotherapy and therapy with temozolomide. Conventional brain protocol with ASL and DSC techniques was performed on 3T MRI unit. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) maps were analyzed by means of regions of interest (ROI). Each ROI average value was normalized to the contralateral normal brain parenchyma ROI value. Neuroradiologists analyzed CBF and CBV maps separately, and classified patients into progression or pseudoprogression group. Radiological diagnosis was confirmed by clinical-radiological follow-up for at least three months after patient deterioration.High linear correlation existed between DSC-PWI and ASL in the tumor ROI (r=0.733; p0.001). 92% of ASL CBF maps were informative. ASL detected all lesions as well as DSC MRI. Both techniques provided perfusion values closely correlated.ASL allows distinction between GBM progression and pseudoprogression, and it can be used as reliable alternative to DSC-PWI.

Combustion of coal results in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions which cause detrimental impacts on the environment and human health. Electric power generating units account for the majority of SO2 emissions in Serbia. Environmental regulations in Serbia require gradual implementation of flue gas treatment technologies for control the emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. As far as Serbian thermal power plants are concerned, the basic design of systems for flue gas desulphurisation has been developed for two thermal power plants. As wet limestone-based FGD technologies dominate in the world because of high SO2 removal efficiency, cost effectiveness, and gypsum as the by-product, it is expected that Serbian thermal power plants will use this technology. This paper presents a review of commercially available FGD technologies, as well as legal and economic perspective of the process. U.S. EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory has published the Coal Utility Environmental Cost Workbook which provides the rough-order-of-magnitude budgetary cost estimates as the starting point for the limestone forced oxidation cost model that might be a good starting point for cost estimates for Serbian electric utilities.