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The genus Physa (= Physella) includes the most abundant and diverse freshwater gastropods native to North America. Due to their invasive nature, many species occur throughout the world. The most abundant species, Physa acuta, has been introduced to Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia by human commerce and migrating birds. This species is widely distributed throughout Serbia. The aim of this study was to explore the genetic diversity of P. acuta from Serbia, and to determine the evolutionary relationships among native Physidae populations from North America, Mexico and Cuba and populations from Europe, using sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rDNA gene. The ML (Maximum Likelihood) tree revealed two clades within Physidae, and two clades that correspond to the families Planorbidae and Lymnaeidae. In the Physidae clade there are two separate clades: one includes the species Physa spelunca, and the second includes samples of P. acuta. We determined three different haplotypes within specimens from Serbia. One haplotype is genetically closest to Physa heterostrofa (synonym of P. acuta) from Philadelphia, while the other two are very close to P. acuta specimens from New Mexico. Together with other samples, our findings corroborate the notion that we are dealing with one panmictic population of P. acuta and not with several separate species, despite the high genetic diversity between and among the populations. Our results indicate that in the same population in Serbia, there is high genetic distance between samples. Despite the small number of analyzed samples, our findings point to multiple introductions of P. acuta from different locations in America.

In modern industrial production, every manufacturing and assembly process should be assessed with respect to its influence on the environment. For a company that invests in a new process, a careful analysis of HSE problems (Health, Safety and Environment) is very important. Friction stir welding (FSW) process offers numerous advantages regarding health protection, environmental effects and work safety in comparison with other welding procedures, such as arc welding. Arc welding produces a broad spec-trum of UV radiation, harmful for human health (skin, eyes). Exposure to this radiation without an adequate protection can lead to severe injuries. If appropriate protective measures are undertaken, the welder can easily be exposed to heat injuries. This is especially pronounced for arc welding of aluminium alloys, because high material conductivity of Al requires a high-energy arc, and also because its surface has more pronounced reflection than steel. This work deals with the FSW welding process and its advantages in comparison with arc welding processes with respect to health protection, environmental problems and work safety.

Electroconducting polymers are promising materials to be used in various fields including: batteries, capacitors, electronic devices, corrosion, biosensors and sensors[1,6]. Polyaniline is probably the most investigated electroconducting polymer, due to low cost monomer, conductivity, environmental stability. Polyaniline can be obtained by chemical or electrochemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. Electrochemical synthesis is performed in anodic process directly from acidic aqueous electrolyte containing aniline. Polyaniline can be used as electrode material for electrochemical determination of ascorbic acid based on electrocatalytic oxidation of ascorbic acid.

Lifetime milk production is a key success factor in fulfilling the production potential of high-yielding cows. Lifetime milk production traits are pronouncedly variable. The life expectancy and the length of productive life of dairy cows are repeatedly limiting factors for improving lifetime milk production. Lifetime milk production is greatly depended on age at first calving and the number of lactations during productive life. Previous researches have implied there are real chances for improving the lifetime milk production of high-yielding cows. The goal of this research was to investigate the significance of key systematic factors on the lifetime production of high-yielding Black-and-White cows. The animals included in the sample had different share of Holstein genes. The researchers determined systematic factors that caused some significant phenotypic variations of the investigated trait. The average lifetime milk production was 25,002.66±7,755.39 kg. When observed by cow genotypes, the mean values of the lifetime milk production varied from 27,061.37 kg ( (lt) 58% HF) and 24,761.26 kg (58-73% HF) to 23,185.36 kg (>73% HF). The differences in lifetime milk production determined among the animals were due to a highly significant (p≤0.01) impact of the bulls - the sires of the cows and the year of culling; the impact of the class of HF genes was significant (p≤0.05), whereas the impact of the reason for culling was non-significant (p>0.05)., Osobine životne proizvodnje visokomlečnih krava imaju veliki ekonomski značaj. Crno-bela goveda imaju značajan genetski potencijal za proizvodnju mleka. Visokoproizvodne krave crno-bele rase izložene su tokom produktivnog veka velikom broju složenih uticaja koji intenzivno deluju na nivo relizacije njihovog genetskog potencijala. Uslovi sredine često nisu u saglasnosti sa potrebama ove visokomlečne rase goveda. Povećanjem učešća gena holštajn-frizijske rase, tokom procesa oplemenjivanja evropskog tipa crno-belih goveda, došlo je do povećanja prinosa mleka. Dosadašnja istraživanja ukazuju na mogućnost za značajnije povećanje životne produktivnosti crno-belih krava. Poznavanje broja i nivoa uticaja faktora sredine, na životnu proizvodnju visokomlečnih krava, važno je zbog njihovog uključivanja u model. U skladu sa značajem pojedinih sistematskih faktora u okviru istraživanja je obavljena njihova objektivna procena. Cilj rada je bio da se primenom odgovarajuće metodologije ispita značajnost razlika, u ostvarenoj životnoj proizvodnji mleka kod visokoproizvodnih crno-belih krava, preko najvažnijih sistematskih uticaja. Prosečna životna proizvodnja mleka iznosila je 25002.66±7755.39 kg litara. Posmatrano po genotipovima krava prosečne vrednosti životne proizvodnje mleka iznosile su 27061.37 kg ( (lt) 58% HF), 24761.26 kg (58-73% HF) i 23185.36 kg (> 73% HF). Utvrđene razlike između grla u pogledu ostvarenog nivoa životne proizvodnje mleka nastale su kao posledica visoko značajnog uticaja (P≤0.01) bikova-očeva krava i godine izlučenja krava, klasa HF gena krava imala je značajan uticaj (p≤0.05), dok razlog izlučenja nije imao značajan uticaj (P>0.05).

We describe the first reported outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) infection in humans in Serbia in August to October 2012 and examine the association of various variables with encephalitis and fatal outcome. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for detection of WNV-specific IgM and IgG antibodies in sera and cerebrospinal fluid. A total of 58 patients (mean age: 61 years; standard deviation: 15) were analysed: 44 were from Belgrade and its suburbs; 52 had neuroinvasive disease, of whom 8 had meningitis, while 44 had encephalitis. Acute flaccid paralysis developed in 13 of the patients with encephalitis. Age over 60 years and immunosuppression (including diabetes) were independently associated with the development of encephalitis in a multivariate analysis: odds ratio (OR): 44.8 (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.93-408.59); p=0.001 (age over 60 years); OR: 10.76 (95% CI: 1.06-109.65); p=0.045 (immunosuppression including diabetes). Respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation developed in 13 patients with encephalitis. A total of 35 patients had completely recovered by the time they were discharged; nine patients died. The presence of acute flaccid paralysis, consciousness impairment, respiratory failure and immunosuppression (without diabetes) were found to be associated with death in hospital in a univariate analysis (p lt 0.001, p=0.007, p lt 0.001 and p=0.010, respectively).

Common ragweed (Ambrosia atremisiifolia) is one of the most frequent causes of pollen-induced allergic reactions both in humans and dogs. It has not been defined yet, what is the major allergen(s) to which most dogs allergic to ragweed show a positive result on intradermal skin test (IDST). In the present study sensitization to Ambrosia artemisiifolia pollen allergens in dogs with atopic dermatitis was examined with both in vivo and in vitro tests, including IDST and serum allergen specific IgE test. Detection of specific-IgE antibodies against ragweed allergens by immunoblotting in the sera of allergic dogs was optimized, as well. Dogs that were positive, as judged by IDST reactions to ragweed pollen allergens, also had alergen specific IgE antibodies in their sera. Results indicate that major allergens of A. artemisifolia pollen in dogs are Amb a 1 and Amb a 2. Further characterization of ragweed allergens is needed before they could potentially be used in intradermal testing or allergen immunotherapy in affected dogs. Also, we evaluated new Favrots diagnostic criteria for canine atopic dermatitis in dogs allergic to Ambrosia atremisiifolia pollen. It might be concluded that proposed criteria are of great assistance for seting up suspected diagnosis of canine atopic dermatitis, after ruling out other pruritic dermatoses., Kratka ambrozija (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) je jedan od najčešćih uzročnika alergijskih reakcija izazvanih polenom kod ljudi i pasa. Još uvek nije definisano koji je glavni alergen (i), na koji, većina pasa alergičnih na polen ambrozije, ispoljava pozitivnu reakciju na intradermalnom testu. U ovoj studiji je ispitana senzibilizacija na polen ove biljke kod pasa sa simptomima atopijskog dermatitisa in vivo i in vitro testovima, uključujući intradermalni test i dokazivanje prisustva alergen specifičnih IgE antitela u serumu. Optimizovani su uslovi za detekciju IgE specifičnih antitela iz seruma pasa alergičnih na polen ambrozije imunoblot tehnikom. Psi koji su imali pozitivnu reakciju na polen ove biljke na intradermalnom testu, takođe su imali specifična IgE antitela u serumu. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju da su glavni alergeni Ambrosia artemisiifolia kod pasa Amb a 1 i Amb a 2. Neophodna je dalja karakterizacija alergena ambrozije kako bi se oni mogli primeniti pri rutinskom intradermalnom testiranju ili u alergen specifičnoj imunoterapiji obolelih pasa. Takođe je razmatrana i validnost Favrotovih dijagnostičkih kriterijuma kod pasa alergičnih na polen ambrozije. Može se zaključiti da su predloženi kriterijumi od velike pomoći u postavljanju suspektne dijagnoze atopijskog dermatitisa pasa, nakon isključenja drugih pruritičnih dermatoza.

Despite being described as the safest antiepileptic drug of first choice the presented literature data are much varied as far as dog blood serum biochemical parameters are considered. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of phenobarbitone at different per os doses on the values of selected blood serum biochemical parameters in dogs during both short and long term application. The study was conducted on 30 dogs of different races, both sexes, ranging from 2 to 8 years of age. A total of 15 healthy and 15 dogs suffering from idiophatic epilepsy were observed. During the short term per os application of phenobarbitone (given at 3 week intervals) to the healthy population in varied doses a statistically significant increase in ALT and AP was recorded. Application of 16 mg/kg/day of phenobarbitone to the healthy population during 14 days resulted in a significant increase of ALT and AP. This increase was dependant on the duration of the treatment. During chronic application of phenobarbitone to dogs suffering from idiopathic epilepsy a significant increase in values of AP and ALT depending on the given dose was recorded. In two of the studied epileptic dogs treated with high therapeutic doses of phenobarbitone clinical signs of hepatotoxicity were recorded. Hepatotoxicity resulted in decreased albumin and total protein concentrations, as well as increased blood serum total bilirubin, AST, ALP and AP. The obtained results indicate that a long term application of phenobarbitone at high therapeutic doses can cause hepatotoxicity. However, there was no relationship between phenobarbitone dosage and duration of therapy and blood glucose, urea, creatinine, total proteins, albumins, total bilirubin, triglycerides and cholesterol., Iako označen kao antiepileptik prvog izbora i veoma bezbedan lek, u literaturi su prezentovani različiti podaci o uticaju fenobarbitona na vrednosti biohemijskih parametara krvnog seruma kod pasa. S obzirom na to, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se ispita uticaj fenobarbitona pri različitim per os dozama na vrednosti biohemijskih parametara krvnog seruma kod pasa, tokom kratkotrajne i dugotrajne aplikacije. Istraživanje je sprovedeno na 30 pasa različitih rasa, oba pola, starosne kategorije od dve do osam godina, od kojih su 15 bili zdravi psi a 15 psi oboleli od idiopatske epilepsije. Tokom kratkotrajne per os aplikacije fenobarbitona (intervali od po tri nedelje) zdravoj populaciji pasa pri različitim per os dozama, u krvnom serumu je registrovano značajno povećanje aktivnosti ALT i vrlo značajno povećanje aktivnosti AP u zavisnosti od doze leka. Aplikacija fenobarbitona u dozi od 16 mg/kg/dnevno tokom 14 nedelja zdravoj populaciji pasa ukazala je, na vrlo značajno povećanje aktivnosti ALT i AP u zavisnosti od dužine trajanja aplikacije. Tokom hronične aplikacije fenobarbitona psima obolelim od idiopatske epilepsije, ustanovljeno je statistički vrlo značajno povećanje aktivnosti AP i ALT u krvnom serumu u zavisnosti od doze leka. Kod dve jedinke u bolesnoj grupi pasa pri visokim terapeutskim dozama fenobarbitona registrovana je hepatotoksičnost, što je dovelo do statistički značajnog smanjenja koncentracije albumina i ukupnih proteina, statistički značajnog povećanja koncentracije ukupnog bilirubina, statistički značajnog povećanja aktivnosti AST i statistički vrlo značajnog povećanja aktivnosti ALT i AP u krvnom serumu Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju da dugotrajna aplikacija fenobarbitona, pri visokim terapeutskim dozama može izazvati hepatotoksičnost. Nije ustanovljeno postojanje veze između koncentracije glukoze, uree, kreatinina, ukupnih proteina, albumina, ukupnog bilirubina, triglicerida i holesterola u krvnom serumu pasa sa per os dozom fenobarbitona, niti sa d

Pollens from Ambrosia species have a strong allergenic potential and they represent a complex mixture of at least 52 different antigens. This weed is widespread in Serbia and has a long pollination period (appr. 100 days). Pollens are present in very high concentrations during the pollination season (up to 300 pg/m3 of air). Fifty dogs with a clinical diagnosis of canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) and positive intradermal skin test (IDST) reactions to other environmental allergens were included in this study along with 30 dogs without clinical signs of CAD. Both groups were tested intradermally with Ambrosia artemisiifolia extract in concentration of 1000 PNU/mL (provided by ''Institute of virology, vaccines and sera - Torlak''). We have found that Ambrosia extract was second most common allergen to yield positive intradermal test reactions just after house dust mites. The positive reaction of IDST was observed in 66% of the atopic dogs and in 10% of clinically healthy dogs. Dogs that had a positive reaction on intradermal skin test to Ambrosia pollens, mostly showed secondary skin lesions on the pads and perioral skin. In 88% of cases, Malassezia pachydermatis have been isolated from the skin in an increased number and 64% of dogs had otitis externa. These results indicate, that allergens from Ambrosia artemisifolia are of great importance in the etiopathogenesis of atopic dermatitis in dogs originating from the Belgrade region., Polen ambrozije ima jaka alergijska svojstva i sastoji se od kompleksne mešavine od do sada poznatih 52 antigena. Ova korovska biljka je znatno rasprostranjena u Srbiji i ima dugačak period polinacije od prosečno 100 dana. Polen je prisutan u izrazito visokim koncentracijama tokom avgusta i septembra ide i do 300 polenovih zrna u m3 vazduha. Ovim ispitivanjem obuhvaćeno je 50 pasa kod kojih je dijagnostikovan atopijski dermatitis na osnovu kliničkih simptoma i pozitivne reakcije na intradermalnom testu, kao i 30 pasa bez klinički manifestnih simptoma atopijskog dermatitisa. Kod obe grupe pasa uradjeno je intradermalno testiranje standardnim rastvorima proizvođača Instituta za imunologiju i virusologiju Torlak, kao i vodenim rastvorom alergena ambrozije u koncentraciji 1000 PNU/ml. U našem ispitivanju polen ambrozije predstavlja drugi alergen po učestalosti pozitivne reakcije na intradermalnom testu kod ispitivanih pasa, odmah posle kućnih grinja. Pozitivna reakcija zabeležena je kod 66% pasa iz grupe atopičara i kod 10% klinički zdravih pasa. Kod pasa koji su pokazali pozitivnu reakciju na intradermalnom testu na polen ambrozije, sekundarne lezije kože su se najčešće javljale na šapama i oko usana. Kod 88% ovih pasa na koži je u povećanom broju dijagnostikovana Malassezia pachydermatis, a kod 64% jedinki je registrovan otitis externa različite etiologije. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata se može zaključiti da je alergen biljke Ambrosia artemisiifolia veoma značajan u indukciji atopijskog dermatitisa kod populacije pasa sa šireg područja Beograda.