New insights on commemoration of the dead through mortuary and architectural use of pigments at Neolithic Çatalhöyük, Turkey.

The cultural use of pigments in human societies is associated with ritual activities and the creation of social memory. Neolithic Çatalhöyük (Turkey, 7100-5950 cal BC) provides a unique case study for the exploration of links between pigments in burials, demographic data and colourants in contemporary architectural contexts. This study presents the first combined analysis of funerary and architectural evidence of pigment use in Neolithic Anatolia and discusses the possible social processes underlying the observed statistical patterns. Results reveal that pigments were either applied directly to the deceased or included in the grave as a burial association. The most commonly used pigment was red ochre. Cinnabar was mainly applied to males and blue/green pigment was associated with females. A correlation was found between the number of buried individuals and the number of painted layers in the buildings. Mortuary practices seem to have followed specific selection processes independent of sex and age-at-death of the deceased. This study offers new insights about the social factors involved in pigment use in this community, and contributes to the interpretation of funerary practices in Neolithic Anatolia. Specifically, it suggests that visual expression, ritual performance and symbolic associations were elements of shared long-term socio-cultural practices.

Heart rate dynamics in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy.

The clinical use of doxorubicin, an effective chemotherapeutic is hampered by the development of irreversible cardiotoxicity. Here we test time-frequency analysis of heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) for early detection of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Experiments were conducted in adult male Wistar rats treated for 15 days with doxorubicin (DOXO, total dose 15 mg kg(-1), i.p.) or saline (CONT). DOXO rats exhibited cardiotoxicity confirmed by histological examination without developing heart failure as estimated by echocardiography. However, HR variability increase reflected subtle microscopic changes of cardiac toxicity in DOXO rats. The results recommend time-frequency analysis of HRV for early detection of doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy.

First Report of Penicillium polonicum Causing Blue Mold on Stored Onion (Allium cepa) in Serbia.

Penicillium polonicum K. Zaleski is an economically important airborne fungus with a broad host range including cereals, peanuts, onions, dried meats, citrus fruits, and yam tubers (2,4). Secondary metabolites produced by this species include harmful mycotoxins penicillic acid, verucosidin, and nephrotoxic glycopeptides, which may play a role in Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (2,5). In January 2013, decayed onion bulbs (Allium cepa L. cv. Meranto) with blue mold symptoms were found causing significant economic losses at a storage facility in Stara Pazova, Serbia, and were collected. The decayed area of the bulbs was pale yellow to light brown, and tissue was soft and watery. Bluish green sporulation was abundant on the surface and inside the bulb, between decayed scales. Two isolates (designated L1a and L4p) were obtained and further characterized using morphological and molecular methods. Colonies on potato dextrose agar (PDA), Czapek yeast autolysate agar (CYA), malt extract agar (MEA), and yeast extract sucrose agar (YES) media at 25°C after 7 days were blue green, velutinous, with clear exudate present on CYA. Colony reverse color on CYA and YES for both isolates were cream to yellow brown. The mean colony diameter on PDA for L1a was 29.89 ± 0.96 mm, and for L4p was 26 ± 0.37 mm; on CYA 32.56 ± 0.53 mm for L1a and 30.11 ± 2.42 mm for L4p; and on YES 33.86 ± 1.59 mm for L1a and 31.17 ± 1.83 mm for L4p. No growth was observed on CYA when isolates were incubated at 37°C. Conidiophores of both isolates were terverticillate, stipes were septate with smooth to finely roughened walls, and phialides were ampulliform. Conidia were globose to subglobose, smooth-walled, and borne in columns. Conidial dimensions for L4p were 2.72 to 3.82 (3.26) × 2.36 to 3.42 (2.95) µm, and for L1a were 2.87 to 4.39 (3.58) × 2.53 to 3.79 (3.16) µm (n = 50). Both isolates tested positive for the production of cyclopiazonic acid and other alkaloids, as indicated by a violet reaction for the Ehrlich test. Morphological characters of L1a and L4p were in accordance with those described for P. polonicum K. Zaleski (2). Genomic DNA was isolated using CTAB extraction method (1) and molecular identification was completed using gene specific primers for the ß-tubulin locus (Bt-LEV-Up4/Bt-LEV-Lo1) via conventional PCR (3). The nucleotide sequences of amplified products (~800 bp) have been assigned to GenBank (KJ570971 and 72). MegaBLAST of obtained sequences showed a 99% similarity with several sequences of P. polonicum deposited in GenBank, which confirmed the morphological identification. Pathogenicity was tested by wound inoculation of 10 surface sanitized onion bulbs cv. Meranto with 50 µl of a 105/ml conidial suspension from isolates grown on PDA. Ten control onion bulbs were wound-inoculated with Tween-treated sterile distilled water. After 30 days incubation in plastic containers, under high humidity at 22°C, typical symptoms of blue mold developed on inoculated bulbs, while non-inoculated controls remained symptomless. Isolates recovered from inoculated bulbs showed the same morphological characteristics as the original isolates, thus completing Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. polonicum on stored onion in Serbia. Results from this study indicate that a holistic approach to control this fungus should be implemented that may include one or all of the following: increased sanitation methods to eliminate inoculum, breeding for resistant onion cultivars, and integration of additional control methods to maintain onion quality during storage. References: (1) J. P. Day and R. C. Shattock. Eur. J. Plant Pathol 103:379, 1997. (2) J. C. Frisvad and R. A. Samson. Stud. Mycol. 49:1, 2004. (3) S. N. de Jong et al. Mycol. Res. 105:658, 2001. (4) W. K. Kim et al. Mycobiology 36:217, 2008. (5) P. G. Mantle. Facta Univ. Ser. Med. Biol. 9:64, 2002.

Comparative structural and optical properties of different ceria nanoparticles.

Herein a comparative study of five nanocrystalline cerium oxides (CeO(2-delta)) synthesised by different methods and calcined at 500 degrees C is reported. XRPD analysis showed that stoichiometry parameter delta, crystallite size/strain and lattice constant were only slightly affected by the method utilized. All ceria nanoparticles are nearly spherical in shape with faceted morphology, free of defects and with a relatively uniform size distribution. The average microstrain was found to be approximately 10 times higher than that of bulk counterpart. The absorption edge of nanocrystalline materials was shifted towards a higher wavelengths (red shift) in comparison with bulk counterpart, and band gap values were in the range 2.7-3.24 eV (3.33 eV for bulk counterpart).

First Report of Botryosphaeria dothidea Causing White Rot of Apple Fruit in Serbia.

Botryosphaeria dothidea (Moug.: Fr.) Ces. & De Not has a worldwide distribution infecting species from over 80 genera of plants (1). Apart from being an important pathogen of apple trees in many countries, B. dothidea can cause pre- and postharvest decay on apple fruit (2). It has been known to cause canker and dieback of forest trees in Serbia (3), but has not been recorded either on apple trees or apple fruit. In December 2010, apple fruit cv. Idared (Malus × domestica Borkh.) with symptoms of white rot were collected from one storage in the area of Svilajnac in Serbia. The incidence of the disease was low but the symptoms were severe. Affected fruit were brown, soft, and almost completely decayed, while the internal decayed tissue appeared watery and brown. A fungus was isolated from symptomatic tissue of one fruit after surface sterilization with 70% ethanol (without rinsing) and aseptic removal of the skin. Small fragments of decayed tissue were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) and incubated in a chamber at 22°C under alternating light and dark conditions (12/12 h). Fungal colonies were initially whitish, but started turning dark gray to black after 5 to 6 days. Pycnidia were produced after 20 to 25 days of incubation at 22°C and contained one-celled, elliptical, hyaline conidia. Conidia were 17.19 to 23.74 µm (mean 18.93) × 3.72 to 4.93 µm (mean 4.45) (n = 50). These morphological characteristics are in accordance with those described for the fungus B. dothidea (4). Genomic DNA was isolated from the fungus and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA was amplified with the primers ITS1/ITS4 and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence has been assigned to GenBank Accession No. KC994640. BLAST analysis of the 528-bp segment showed a 100% similarity with several sequences of B. dothidea deposited in NCBI GenBank, which confirmed morphological identification. Pathogenicity was tested by wound inoculation of five surface-sterilized, mature apple fruit cv. Idared with mycelium plugs (5 mm in diameter) of the isolate grown on PDA. Five control fruit were inoculated with sterile PDA plugs. After 5 days of incubation in plastic containers, under high humidity (RH 90 to 95%) at 22°C, typical symptoms of white rot developed on inoculated fruit, while wounded, uninoculated, control fruit remained symptomless. The isolate recovered from symptomatic fruit showed the same morphological features as original isolate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. dothidea on apple fruit in Serbia. Apple is widely grown in Serbia and it is important to further investigate the presence of this pathogen in apple storage, as well as in orchards since B. dothidea may cause rapid disease outbreaks that result in severe losses. References: (1) G. H. Hapting Agriculture Handbook 386, USDA, Forest Service, 1971. (2) A. L. Jones and H. S. Aldwinckle Compendium of Apple and Pear Diseases. APS Press, St. Paul, MN, 1990. (3) D. Karadzic et al. Glasnik Sumarskog Fakulteta 83:87, 2000. (4) B. Slippers et al. Mycologia 96:83, 2004.

First Report of Brown Rot Caused by Monilia polystroma on Apple in Serbia.

Monilia polystroma van Leeuwen is a new Japanese species, similar to M. fructigena but distinguishable based on morphological and molecular characteristics (3). After its first discovery on apple in Japan, occurance of M. polystroma in Europe has been reported in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland (2,3,4). In October 2011, during a survey for apple fungal pathogens in the Bela Crkva district, 15 apple fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.) cv. Golden Delicious were collected. Two isolates of Monilinia polystroma were obtained from apple fruit showing brown rot, covered with small yellowish sporodohia. The pathogen was identified as M. polystroma based on morphological and molecular features (1,3). Upon isolation, colonies cultivated on PDA were white to grayish and the mycelium grew 8.85 mm per day at 22 ± 1°C in 12-h light/12-h dark regime. After 6 to 8 days of incubation, black stromatal plates were observed on the reverse sides of the inoculated petri dishes. Conidia were one-celled, limoniform, hyaline, 14.7 to 21.88 µm (16.2 mean) × 7.85 to 12.92 µm (10.8 mean), and were produced in branched monilioid chains on inoculated apple fruit. Morphological identification was confirmed by PCR (1) using genomic DNA extracted from the mycelium of pure cultures, and amplified products of 425 bp in length, specific for M. polystroma were amplified as expected with primers MO368-5 and MO368-8R. For one isolate, the ribosomal ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region was obtained, using primers ITS1 and ITS4, and deposited in GenBank (Accession No JX315717). The sequence was 498 bp in length and showed 100% identity with sequences deposited for M. polystroma in NCBI GenBank (JN128835, AM937114, GU067539). Pathogenicity was confirmed by wound-inoculating five surface-sterilized, mature apple fruit with mycelium plugs (5 mm in diameter) of both isolates grown on PDA. Control fruit were inoculated with sterile PDA plugs. After 3 days of incubation in plastic containers, under high humidity (RH 90 to 95%) at 22 ± 1°C, typical symptoms of brown rot developed on inoculated fruit, while control fruit remained symptomless. Isolates recovered from symptomatic fruit showed the same morphological and molecular characteristics as original isolates. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of M. polystroma in Serbia. Further studies are necessary to estimate the economic importance and geographic distribution of this organism in Serbia. References: (1) M.-J. Côté et al. Plant Dis. 88:1219, 2004. (2) M. Hilber-Bodmer et al. Plant Dis. 96: 146, 2012. (3) G. C. M. van Leeuwen et al. Mycol. Res. 106: 444, 2002. (4) OEPP/EPPO Reporting Service. Retrieved from http://archives.eppo.int/EPPOReporting/2011/Rse-1106.pdf.

First Report of Brown Rot Caused by Monilinia fructicola on Stored Apple in Serbia.

Monilinia fructicola (G. Winter) Honey is a causal agent of brown rot of stone fruits, occasionally affecting pome fruits as well. The pathogen is commonly present in North and South America, Oceania, and Asia, but listed as a quarantine organism in Europe (4). After its first discovery in France in 2001, its occurrence has been reported in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Austria, and the Slovak Republic (1). In February 2011, during a survey for fungal postharvest pathogens in cold storage conditions, apple fruits (Malus domestica Borkh.) grown and stored in the Grocka Region, Serbia, were collected. All pathogens from symptomatic fruits were isolated on potato dextrose agar (PDA). One isolate from apple fruit cv. Golden Delicious with brown rot symptoms was identified as M. fructicola based on morphological and molecular characters. Colonies cultivated on PDA at 22°C in darkness were colorless, but later became grayish, developing mass of spores in concentric rings. Colony margins were even. Conidia were one-celled, limoniform, hyaline, measured 12.19 to 17.37 (mean 13.8) × 8.62 to 11.43 µm (mean 9.9), and were produced in branched monilioid chains (3). Morphological identification was confirmed by PCR (2) using genomic DNA extracted from the mycelium of pure culture, and an amplified product of 535 bp, specific for the species M. fructicola, was obtained. Sequence of the ribosomal (internal transcribed spacer) ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region was obtained using primers ITS1 and ITS4 and deposited in GenBank (Accession No. JN176564). Control fruits were inoculated with sterile PDA plugs. After 3 days of incubation in plastic containers with high humidity at room temperature, typical symptoms of brown rot developed on inoculated fruits, while control fruits remained symptomless. The isolate recovered from symptomatic fruits showed the same morphological and molecular features of the original isolate. To our knowledge, this is the first report of M. fructicola in Serbia. Further studies are necessary for estimation of economic importance and geographic distribution of this quarantine organism in Serbia. References: (1) R. Baker et al. European Food Safety Authority. Online publication. www.efsa.europa.eu/efsajournal . EFSA J. 9(4):2119, 2011. (2) M.-J. Côté et al. Plant Dis. 88:1219, 2004. (3) J. E. M. Mordue. CMI Descriptions of Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria. No. 616, 1979. (4) OEPP/EPPO. EPPO A2 List of Pests Recommended for Regulation as Quarantine Pests. Online publication. Version 2010-09. Retrieved from http://www.eppo.org/QUARANTINE/listA2.htm , June 27, 2011.

Towards the re-introduction of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) in the West Balkan Countries: the case of Serbia and Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Vetchlings (Lathyrus spp.) are widely distributed in both Serbia and Srpska, and represent a valuable component of local floras all over the Balkan Peninsula. Despite this and the existence of a traditional Serbian name for grass pea (Lathyrus sativus L.), sastrica, and a pan-Slavic name for all vetchlings, grahor, today they are almost forgotten crops. The joint action of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops and the Faculty of Agriculture is aimed at re-introducing grass pea and other vetchlings as multifunctional crops. Within the legume collection in the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, a small Lathyrus spp. collection, including about 100 accessions of 16 species, most of them being grass pea, was established in 2002. The landraces of grass pea were collected in several regions of Serbia and Srpska, where they are used for human consumption. Grass pea is commonly used boiled and along with other pulses, with no reports on lathyrism among the local people. The first Serbian breeding programme in Novi Sad produced already two grass pea lines that were registered in November 2009 under the names of Studenica and Sitnica, developed from the crosses of Polish cultivars and local Serbian landraces.

Optimization of photoluminescence of Y(2)O(3):Eu and Gd(2)O(3):Eu phosphors synthesized by thermolysis of 2,4-pentanedione complexes.

Spherical shaped nanoparticles of series Y(2 - x)Eu(x)O(3) (x = 0.06, 0.10, 0.20, and 2) and Gd(2 - x)Eu(x)O(3) (x = 0.06, 0.10) were prepared by thermolysis of 2,4-pentanedione complexes of Y, Gd, and Eu. The bixbyite phase of Gd(2 - x)Eu(x)O(3) samples was formed at 500 degrees C, whereas the thermal decomposition of Y and Eu complexes' mixtures occurred at higher temperatures. Linearity in the concentration dependence on lattice parameter confirmed the formation of solid solutions. The distribution of Eu(3+) in Gd(2 - x)Eu(x)O(3) was changed with thermal annealing: in the as-prepared sample (x = 0.10) the distribution was preferential at C(3i) sites while in the annealed samples, Eu(3+) were distributed at both C(2) and C(3i) sites. Rietveld refinement of site occupancies as well as emission spectra showed a random distribution of cations in Y(2 - x)Eu(x)O(3). The photoluminescence (PL) measurements of the sample showed red emission with the main peak at 614 nm ((5)D(0)-(7)F(2)). The PL intensity increased with increasing concentration of Eu(3+) in both series. Infrared excitation was required to obtain good Raman spectra. The linear dependence of the main Raman peak wavenumber offers a non-destructive method for monitoring the substitution level and its homogeneity at the micron scale.

Vocal fold masses removal--the sub epithelial micro flap technique.

Vocal fold mass removal techniques were significantly modified back in 1970s by Hirano's laminar vocal structure and physiology of phonation works, as well as Titze's vibratory vocal cycle works. New methods were to come. Removing the lession by maximum preservation of vocal laminar microstructure (lamina propria and epithelium) and minimal damage of surrounding normal vocal tissue, was pointed out. Microflap technique is based on presenting the superficial layer of lamina propria with the lesion and removing the lession without damage of the mucosa. Preserving of the mucosal layer provides the shield for vibratory substructures. There are two elementary approaches for microflap: lateral and medial. Lateral microflap technique enables better identification of vocal ligament and lowers the risk of it's injury, particulary when scars and tightly adherent lessions are present. This technique has been used in case of big or diffuse lesions, such as vocal oedema or vocal lygament identification difficulties (e.g. vocal scarification). Medial microflap technique seems to be appropriate in removing smaller, localised lessions, such as cysts and vocal polyps. Our 45 patients experience is presented in this article, in 30 patients lessions were removed by lateral microflap technique (46 vocal cords in total), while 15 patients were treated by medial microflap technique. The outcome was assumed by endovideolaryngostroboscopic analysis of glottal occlussion and mucosal wave prior and following to the procedure. Reinke oedema management results were analysed separately.

[Verrucous carcinoma of the larynx]. / Verukozni karcinom larinksa.

In spite of a small percentage of laryngeal cancer, verrucous carcinoma of the larynx is an important diagnostic and therapeutic issue, due to its specific biological behavior and reaction to different therapeutic procedures. Verrucous carcinoma is free of histologic characteristics of malignancy, the lymph node and visceral metastasis. In our series of laryngeal cancer, we had 2.47% of verrucous carcinoma. The glottis was involved in all cases, and the treatment was surgical. Histologic characteristics of the tumour are discussed, and our clinical material analysed. The importance of a precise diagnosis for the correct selection of the therapeutic approach, is stressed.