Background: The 17q21.31 band is one of the most structurally complex and evolutionarily dynamic region of the genome. Frequencies of two SNPs: rs9468 and rs1800547 determine worldwide distribution of H1 and H2 haplotypes. Recent studies have demonstrated that H2 haplotype is ancestral in hominoids and under positive selection in European populations. The role of non-inverted orientation (H1 haplotype) and inverted orientation (H2) remains unclear, i.a. it is suggested that mothers who are H1H2 heterozygotes, tend to have more children than H2H2 homozygotes on average. Materials and methods: We investigated the prevalence of haplotypes of the 17q21 inversion in 154 women with pregnancy loss and 154 mothers with at last one live-born child, mean age: 33.0 (±5.4) y/o and 31.4 (±6.7) y/o, respectively. Following DNA extraction from buccal swabs, the genotyping was performed. All tests were performed using the R CRAN statistical software. Haplotypes were compared between groups. Results: In women with and without pregnancy loss we identified: 74.7% and 79.2% H1H1, 24.0% and 17.5% H1H2 and 1.3% and 3.3% H2H2 of haplotypes, respectively. There were no significant differences between the distributions of haplotypes in women with and without pregnancy loss. Statistically significant difference between the average number of children in women with H1H2 haplotype (navg. = 1.54) compared to women with H2H2 haplotype (navg. = 1.29), was not found. Conclusion: Haplotype H2 of the 17q21.31 inversion was not linked to pregnancy loss and number of children in Bosnian women.

The post-war period (1996 to presence) in the Western Balkans is colored by a kind of competition among (pseudo) scientists and self-proclaimed experts in search for the deepest roots of a particular ethnic group. General conclusions have been reached based of the distribution of a single or only few genetic markers, with no reference to the specific pheno-genotype system studied. The conclusions were all biased by earlier misconceptions and myths about the successive colonization of the Balkans and the inter-genetic relationships among regional populations. In this paper we elaborate methodology and limitations and misconceptions that arise from unsubstantiated use thereof.

© The Author 2020. Published by ARDA. Abstract The effectiveness of a firm mostly depends on the capability of the managers to obtain flexible credits for the implementation of sustainable innovations. The aim of this study is focused on the impact of access to credit on process innovations in SMEs. Data from the manufacturing and the service sectors of the economies of Africa and the Middle East are collected from the World Bank’s Enterprise Survey database. The survey employs random sampling to select firms in each country and they are stratified based on the number of employees. The sampled observations are scaled down from 136,887 to 33,977 firms covering 53 countries due to the scope of this research. The factors of access to credit are the independent variables of this research: the working capital from a commercial bank, overdraft facility, lines of credit, external auditing of accounts, and working capital from suppliers. The dependent variable is process innovation. The results show that there are significance levels of p-values below 1% although some of the Pearson correlation coefficients of the independent variables with the dependent variable are not too high. The factors of access to credit used in the regression model have a significant impact on process innovation. The findings from the analysis help the policy directions of managers.

SAŽETAK: Uporaba drvenih lameliranih nosača posljednjih desetljeća sve je veća zahvaljujući upravo karakterističnim prednostima ovih nosača u odnosu na nosače od drugih materijala – mala vlastita težina (od 400 do 600 kg/m3), dobra mehanička svojstva u odnosu na težinu (tlačna čvrstoća od 40 do 80 MPa, vlačna čvrstoća i do 180 MPa), mogućnost proizvodnje izrazito dugih nosača (dužine i do 100 m), te mogućnost različitog oblikovanja (nosači mogu biti ravni, zaobljeni, kružni). Proces proizvodnje drvenih lameliranih nosača razlikuje se u zavisnosti od primijenjenog tipa tehnologije – klasična ili sofisticirana (automatizirana) tehnologija. Linije za proizvodnju drvenih lameliranih nosača primjenom klasične i sofisticirane tehnologije prikazane su u ovom radu. Također su predstavljeni aspekti zaštite na radu pri izradi drvenih lameliranih nosača primjenom spomenutih tehnologija s težištem na zaštitu zdravlja i sigurnost na radu pri proizvodnji drvenih lameliranih nosača u Bosni i Hercegovini. Analiziran je proces proizvodnje drvenih lameliranih nosača i za svaku navedenu tehnologiju detektirana su moguća mjesta rizika i tip opasnosti za zdravlje i sigurnost na radu za radnike koji sudjeluju u procesu. U ovome radu prikazani su važni i potrebni koraci te specifične mjere zbog osiguranja zaštite zdravlja i sigurnosti na radu u procesu proizvodnje drvenih lameliranih nosača. Njihova primjena utječe na smanjenje troškova proizvodnje, pravnih sporova i stope bolovanja.

Laminar flow of ethylene glycol-based silicon nitride (EG-Si3N4) nanofluid in a smooth horizontal pipe subjected to forced heat convection with constant wall heat flux is computationally modeled and analyzed. Heat transfer is evaluated in terms of Nusselt number (Nu) and heat transfer coefficient for various volume fractions of Si3N4 nanoparticles in the base fluid and different laminar flow rates. The thermophysical properties of the EG-Si3N4 nanofluid are taken from a recently published experimental study. Computational modelling and simulation are performed using open-source software utilizing finite volume numerical methodology. The nanofluid exhibits non-Newtonian rheology and it is modelled as a homogeneous single-phase mixture, the properties of which are determined by the nanoparticle volume fraction. The existing features of the software to simulate single-phase flow are extended by implementing the energy transport coupled to the fluid flow and the interaction of the fluid flow with the surrounding pipe wall via the applied wall heat flux. In addition, the functional dependencies of the thermophysical properties of the nanofluid on the volume fraction of nanoparticles are implemented in the software, while the non-Newtonian rheological behavior of the nanofluid under consideration is also taken into account. The obtained results from the numerical simulations show very good predicting capabilities of the implemented computational model for the laminar flow coupled to the forced convection heat transfer. Moreover, the analysis of the computational results for the nanofluid reflects the increase of heat transfer of the EG-Si3N4 nanofluid in comparison to the EG for all the considered nanoparticle volume fractions and flow rates, indicating promising features of this nanofluid in heat transfer applications.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different percentage of seminal plasma proteins with different molecular weight on sperm motility and fertility parameters (farrowing rate (FR), number of live-born pigs (PBA) per litter and percentage of unsuccessful insemination). A total of 50 sperm-rich ejaculate fractions were collected (one per boar) using the gloved hand method. The quality parameters of the semen samples were first evaluated at the farm. Further assessment of sperm quality was performed on a CASA - computer assisted semen analysis by two competent operators. Seminal plasma protein fractions were obtained by AOAC - Association of Official Analytical Chemists as a chemical method. The assessment of reproductive performance was carried out based on collected data of three parameters in selected 9696 sows: FR, PBA per litter and percentage of unsuccessful insemination. Protein fractions were divided in to three groups (10 – 20kDa, 21 – 30kDa and 31 – 40kDa) Proteins with 10 – 20kDa did not have significant effect and correlation with analyzed parameters. Significant differences were recorded in farrowing rate between samples with up to 80 % compared to samples with 10% of proteins with 21 – 30kDa. Significant differences were recorded in unsuccessful insemination between samples with different percentage of proteins with 31 – 40kDa. Results of this study have shown the effect of different percentage of certain fraction of seminal plasma proteins on boar ejaculates fertility potential. Key words: boars; semen quality; seminal plasma proteins; reproductive results VPLIV VSEBNOSTI BELJAKOVIN SEMENSKE PLAZME RAZLICNIH MOLEKULARNIH TEŽ NA NEKATERE PARAMETRE PLODNOSTI V EJAKULATIH MERJASCEV Povzetek: Cilj opisane raziskave je bil prouciti vpliv prisotnosti beljakovin semenske plazme z razlicno molekulsko maso na gibljivost semencic in parametre plodnosti kot so: stopnja prasitev, stevilo živorojenih prasicev na leglo in odstotek neuspesnih osemenitev. Po metodi z orokaviceno roko je bilo zbranih 50 frakcij ejakulata, bogatih s semencicami (1 na merjasca). Na kmetiji smo najprej ocenili parametre kakovosti vzorcev semena. Nadaljnja ocena kakovosti semencic je bila izvedena z racunalnisko podprto analizo semena (CASA), ki sta jo izvedla dva usposobljena operaterja. Semenske frakcije beljakovin v plazmi so bile pridobljene s pomocjo AOAC - metode. Ocena reproduktivne ucinkovitosti je bila izvedena na podlagi zbranih podatkov treh parametrov pri izbranih 9696 svinjah. Proteinske frakcije so bile razdeljene v tri skupine (10 – 20 kDa, 21 – 30 kDa in 31 – 40 kDa). Beljakovine velikosti 10 - 20 kDa niso imele znacilnega ucinka in soodvisnosti z analiziranimi parametri. Ugotovili pa smo statisticno znacilne razlike v stopnji prasitve med vzorci z do 80 % beljakovin velikosti 21 - 30kDa v primerjavi z vzorci s samo 10 % beljakovin velikosti 21 - 30kDa. Statisticno znacilne razlike so bile ugotovljene tudi pri uspesnosti osemenitev med vzorci z razlicnim odstotkom beljakovin velikosti 31 - 40kDa. Rezultati te studije kažejo vpliv razlicnega odstotka dolocenega deleža beljakovin iz semenske plazme na potencial plodnosti merjascev. Kljucne besede: merjasci; kakovost semena; semenske beljakovine v plazmi; reprodukcijski rezultati

O artigo compartilha os resultados de uma pesquisa de mestrado que objetivou compreender como o brincar esta inserido na educacao infantil de um municipio da Regiao do Grande ABC Paulista/SP. A opcao metodologica foi por uma pesquisa qualitativa que teve como procedimentos: analise documental, estudo exploratorio e realizacao de grupos focais com professoras e formadoras. O trabalho dialogou com os estudos e pesquisas da pedagogia e da sociologia da infância. A analise dos dados revelou poucos momentos do cotidiano destinados ao brincar, sendo tal fato justificado em funcao de uma organizacao que privilegia atividades voltadas a alfabetizacao e a matematica, demarcando um modelo escolarizado que termina por marginalizar a iniciativa, a expressao e a criatividade de meninos e meninas. Conclui com a necessidade de se pensar uma formacao docente dialogica, sendo esta uma reivindicacao das professoras, de modo a construir praticas pedagogicas brincantes que primem pelas descobertas, criatividade e maravilhamento.

In the previous issue of the Netherlands Heart Journal, Rijlaarsdam-Hermsen et al. describe the prognostic value of the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score in patients with suspected stable coronary artery disease [1]. In their study, the researchers correlated clinical outcome with the CAC scores of 644 stable chest pain patients who underwent CAC scoring as part of their diagnostic work-up. Their results show that increasing CAC scores are associated with an increased risk of mortality and adverse cardiac events. A large body of literature has accumulated since the introduction of CAC scoring in the late 1980s [2]. Large, multicentre studies have established the strong prognostic value of CAC scoring in asymptomatic individuals [3, 4]. Absence of CAC, in particular, correlates with a very favourable outcome. In a meta-analysis including more than 70,000 study participants, absence of CAC was correlated with an event rate of less than 0.5% during a follow-up of 4 years [5]. This ‘power of zero’ was also encountered in a symptomatic population, albeit with a slightly higher incidence of cardiovascular events (i.e. 1.8%). Given the excellent prognosis, the additional value of further diagnostic testing of symptomatic patients in the absence of CAC can be debated, especially those with a low pre-test probability and longstanding complaints that correspond to a steady plaque build-up with calcification [6]. Once CAC is present, however, the story becomes more complicated with regard to how to apply the CAC results in clinical