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Aspects of economic sustainability in traditional and organic agriculture : a comparative analysis of methods aimed at improving management, marketing activities and business performance
No full textIn this research on the economic sustainability of organic agriculture in comparison with conventional agriculture, the costs and benefits of organic production were analyzed, while also considering farmers’ attitudes, with the aim of improving management and marketing activities and overall business performance. The results show potential advantages of organic agriculture, such as lower variable costs and improved yields, but also challenges, including higher initial investments. The respondents evaluated the economic sustainability of organic agriculture differently, although the majority perceived a positive impact on the environment and the local economy. This research provides useful guidelines for understanding and supporting organic agriculture, emphasizing the need for further research and education on this topic
Predicting PCBs and PBDEs in cedar needles and soils using artificial neural networks based on OCPs and metals data
No full textArtificial neural networks (ANNs) have demonstrated strong predictive capabilities in environmental assessment. However, their application in biomonitoring is still limited. The aim of this study is to develop ANN models to predict the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in Cedrus atlantica needles and associated soil samples using organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and metals content data as input variables. Multilayer perceptron (MLP) models, specifically MLP 20-13-13 and MLP 11-13-9, were trained and validated and achieved perfect predictive performance at all stages with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 1.000 and root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.000. Sensitivity analysis identified δ-HCH, endrin, 4,4′-DDT and methoxychlor as the most influential predictors of PCB and PBDE levels in soil and needles. Of the metals, Fe and Mn were positively associated with PCB and PBDE accumulation in needles, while Cd showed a suppressive effect. In soil, Zn, Pb and Co were found to be key factors influencing the distribution of these pollutants. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of ANNs in modelling complex, non-linear relationships in biomonitoring datasets and highlight the potential of integrating conifer-based biomonitoring with machine learning in environmental assessment. This modelling strategy provides a cost-effective and rapid screening tool for biomonitoring of persistent organic pollutants and reduces the reliance on labour-intensive and expensive direct measurements
Organic Agriculture : Global and Serbian Perspectives
No full textOrganic agriculture represents a cornerstone of sustainable food systems, as it addresses key environmental, economic, and social challenges of modern agriculture. By reducing dependence on synthetic inputs and maintaining biodiversity, soil fertility, and carbon sequestration, it contributes to climate change mitigation and long-term preservation of natural resources. At the same time, it supports rural development and responds to growing consumer demand for safe and high-quality food. For this reason, this paper aimed to present the current state of organic agriculture both worldwide and in the Republic of Serbia. In 2023, organic farming was practised in 188 countries on more than 98 million hectares, with global retail sales exceeding €136 billion. Oceania, Europe, and South America had the largest areas of organic agriculture, while India, Uganda, and Ethiopia had the highest number of producers. In Serbia, there were about 29.000 ha under organic production. The largest areas were under fruit species, followed by areas with cereals and industrial plants, while the smallest areas were under vegetable species.Urednici zbornika : prof. dr Andrea Andrejević Panić, prof. dr Jelena Ješić, prof. dr Simonida Vukadinović i doc. dr Zoran Brlja
The Role of the Security Services in Preventing Political Coups
No full textStates achieve their foreign policy goals and intentions in different ways, including methods contrary to the norms of international law. Namely, suppose one wants to destabilize a country’s economic, political, security and social-social system to implement one’s own will, intentions, and interests. In that case, subversive activity is one of the most effective mechanisms. Such activities often cause and maintain various crises, including coups, which aim to impose one’s own will on other countries and direct their socio-political flows according to national interests. Countries that carry out coups and other secret actions implement them through their intelligence institutions, which is why the target countries must have strong security and counterintelligence organizations which will prevent such activities. States that seek to maintain their sovereign domestic and foreign policies often become the target of coups and other subversive activities. Therefore, their security apparatus must continuously detect and stop such activities with preventive and repressive methods. Accordingly, the security services have always been a decisive support factor in realising internal political goals and protecting the holders and institutions of state power. Bearing that in mind, the subject of this paper is the research and analysis of the role of the security service as an important segment of the state’s security-intelligence system in opposing subversive activity towards the home state with an emphasis on preventing a political coup. The paper examines the ways and means of the security services that oppose political coups factor in realising internal political goals and protecting the holders and institutions of state power. Bearing that in mind, the subject of this paper is the research and analysis of the role of the security service as an important segment of the state’s security-intelligence system in opposing subversive activity towards the home state with an emphasis on preventing a political coup. The paper examines the ways and means of the security services that oppose political coups.Државе спољнополитичке циљеве и интенције остварују на различите начине, између осталог и методама супротним нормама међународног права. Наиме, уколико се жели дестабилисати економски, политички, безбедносни и социјално-друштвени систем у једној земљи, ради спровођења сопствене воље и сопствених намера и интереса, један од најделотворнијих механизама свакако јесте субверзивна делатност. Оваквим активностима најчешће се изазивају и одржавају разни облици криза, у које се свакако убрајају и политички преврати, чији је циљ наметање сопствене воље држави и усмеравање друштвено-политичких токова, сходно сопственим националним интересима. Због тога безбедносни апарат мора непрекидно радити на откривању и спрачавању таквих активности превентивним и репресивним методама.Дакле, безбедносне службе су одувек биле моћан фактор подршке како у реализацији унутрашњих политичких циљева, тако и у заштити носиоца и институција државне власти. Имајући то у виду, циљ овог рада јесте да се у оквиру безбедносних теорија и обавештајно-безбедносних студија истражи и анализира улога безбедносних служби, као значајног сегмента безбедносно-обавештајног система државе, у супростављању субверзивној делатности према матичној држави са акцентом на спречавање политичког преврата.У раду су изложениначини и средства безбедносних служби којима се супротстављају политичким превратима, сагледани применом аналитичких и синтетичких метода, од којих је анализа садржаја најважнији и најчешће примењени метод прикупљања и обраде података
Улога израелских безбедносно-обавештајних установа у супротстављању пандемији ковидa 19
No full textПандемија ковида 19 показала је како у савременом свету једна јавноздравствена криза глобалне дистрибуције
може еволуирати у економско, политичко и безбедносно питање
које захтева не само национални већ и глобални колективитет
у супротстављању и борби. Глобална реакција на пандемију није
била адекватна и због тога је свака држава, у складу са својим националним ресурсима, креирала сопствени системски одговор на
претећу здравствену кризу.
Држава Израел, попут многих других земаља у свету, није показала завидан ниво биолошке приправности, па је глобалну експанзију пандемије дочекала релативно неспремно. Почетком 2020.
године, у условима растућег броја тешко оболелих пацијената,
држава се окренула ка мобилисању свих националних капацитета
у циљу спречавања даљег ширења заразе и стављања здравствене
кризе под контролу. У том смислу није изузета ни обавештајнобезбедносна заједница.
Предмет овог рада јесу сагледавање и анализа системског одговора државе Израел на кризу изазвану ковидом 19, са посебним
акцентом на улози и доприносима његових безбедносно-обавештајних установа. Да би се приказао допринос израелских безбедносно-обавештајних институција у борби против ковида 19,
неопходно је разумети њихов значај и улогу у друштву. У том контексту, указујемо на јединствена историјска искуства, као и на
врло специфично политичко и безбедносно окружење ове државе,
те на чињеницу да Израел представља високомилитаризовано друштво са снажним утицајима безбедносно-обавештајног сектора у
свакодневном животу његових грађана.The Covid-19 pandemic showed how in the modern world
a globaly distributed public health crisis can evolve into an economic,
political and security issue, which required not only national but also global
collectivity in oppositing and struggle. The response at the global level was
not adequate, which is why each country, in accordance with its national
resources, created its own systemic response to the impending health crisis.
The state of Israel, like many other countries in the world, did not show
an enviable level of biological preparedness, so it met the global spread of
Covid-19 relatively unprepared. At the beginning of 2020, in the conditions
of the growing number of seriously ill patients, the state turned to the
mobilization of all national capacities in order to prevent the further spread
of the infection and bring the health crisis under control. In this sense, the
intelligence and security community is not exempt either.
The subject of this paper is an overview and analysis of the systemic
response of the State of Israel to the crisis caused by Covid-19, with a special
emphasis on the role and contributions of its security and intelligence
institutions.
In order to present the contribution of the Israeli security-intelligence
structures in the fight against Covid-19, it is necessary to understand their
importance and role in society. In this context, we point to the unique
historical experiences, as well as the very specific political and security
environment of this country, and the fact that Israel represents a highly
militarized society with strong influences of the security and intelligence
sector in the daily life of its citizens
Вештачка интелигенција у настави математике
No full textТоком последњих неколико година, вештачка интелигенција (ВИ) је тема у скоро свим сегментима живота, па тако није заобишла ни образовање. Неке од апликација, заснованих на вештачкој интелигенцији, нашле су примену и у математичком образовању, док су неке наменски креиране како би се користиле у учењу математике. Поједини ученици радо користе овакве апликације, како би себи олакшали рад. Досадашња примена апликација заснованих на вештачкој интелигенцији (ВИ апликације) показала је да уношење оваквих иновација у процес наставе и учења има и добре и лоше стране. Од начина њихове примене зависи да ли ће преовладати предности или недостаци
The oral bioaccessibility of potentially toxic elements of illegal landfills’ soil and health risk assessment for field workers
No full textBased on their adverse impact on the environment and human health, landfills represent one of the biggest environmental issues. In this study, the soil samples (two depths, 0–30 and 30–60 cm) from 6 illegal landfills located in the agricultural areas in the Autonomous Vojvodina (AP) Province in Serbia were investigated to assess the bioaccessibility of potentially toxic elements (PTEs: As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and health risk for field workers. All PTEs, except Pb, in some of the studied soils exceeded the threshold value (TV) prescribed by the national regulation. To assess their bioaccessibility, in vitro gastrointestinal test, the Unified BARGE Method (UBM), was used. The UBM test simulates the three phases of the gastrointestinal tract: saliva (S), gastric (GE), and intestinal (IE) by the appropriate fluids. For most of the analyzed PTEs, higher concentrations were extracted in the gastric (GE) phase due to the acidity of the fluid. The bioaccessibility of the investigated PTEs does not exceed 50%, and the highest bioaccessibility from the soil was observed for Cu (40.54%). The workers' health risk assessment (WHRA) indicated no high risk (HI HId: 9.24 × 10−3 > HIi: 1.09 × 10−3; Ro: 1.89 × 10−5 > Rd: 6.97 × 10−6 > Ri: 3.86 × 10−8). Utilizing Both scenarios, the worst-case scenario and the “more realistic” based on bioaccessible concentrations, showed that exposure of the field workers to these soil samples has adverse effects on their health
Effects оf аn Unsupervised Home Exercise Program to Improve Volunteer Firefighter Fitness аnd Occupational Performance : A Pilot Study
No full textVolunteer firefighters perform the same job tasks as professional firefighter but may have lower levels of fitness and may be at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an 8-week unsupervised home exercise program on the physical fitness and occupational performance of volunteer firefighters. Firefighters (n = 15 male) volunteered to participate. Outcome measures included measures of stature, health (blood pressure and percent- age body fat – %BF), fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, power and endurance, flexibility) movement skills (i.e., Functional Movement Screen – FMS) and occupational perfor- mance (stair climb, hose drag, equipment carry and victim drag). Between data collection points, participants undertook an unsupervised 8-week home exercise training program of 3 sessions per week plus corrective exercises based on FMS scores. Of the five firefighters that completed the pro- gram the compliance rates were 47% (33–70%). Right hand grip strength and FMS scores improved significantly (p < 0.05) with a trend towards improved blood pressure (p = 0.054), and %BF (p = 0.084). Given difficulties in providing a supervised exercise program for volunteer firefighters, an unsupervised home exercise program did lead to some improvements in their health and fitness. An unsupervised home exercise program may improve the elements of firefighter fitness but par- ticipation rates and compliance are major challenges. Provision of an unsupervised home exercise program alone will potentially be of limited value. Future research should investigate the means of improving unsupervised exercise program compliance in this population
Psychometric Validation of the Modified, Short Version of the Problematic Pornography Consumption Scale in Serbian
No full textPornography is used worldwide, and 3% of individuals may
experience problematic pornography use (PPU, i.e. poorly controlled
use resulting in significant distress and negative consequences).
Therefore, instruments gauging PPU are needed in
nation-specific languages. This study aimed to validate a modified
version of the Problematic Pornography Consumption
Scale-6 (PPCS-6) in the Serbian language among 1413 adults
(52.9% males) aged from 18 to 54 (Mage = 24.96, SD = 4.46).
Exploratory factor analysis on the sample’s random half yielded
a single factor explaining 43% of the total variance. Confirmatory
factor analysis on the sample’s other half revealed an acceptable
model fit. Internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) was
acceptable. The scale exhibited configural and partial metric
invariance across genders and convergent validity. Latent profile
analysis identified that 8.1% of the participants were at risk
of experiencing PPU. In comparison, this value was 9.6% based
on a calculated cutoff score (≥ 19) with acceptable values (.69
and .96) of sensitivity and specificity. To conclude, the Serbian
modified version of the PPCS-6 appears to be a valid and reliable
scale for screening PPU
Microplastics in Agriculture : Linking Environmental Pollution to Animal Health Challenges
No full textMicroplastic pollution is a growing environmental concern, with increasing impacts on agricultural ecosystems and animal health. The ECO(RE)ACT project addresses this issue by developing a strategic framework for microplastics reduction, monitoring cintamination in irrigation water, soil, and animal feed, and establishing a Centre for Microplastics to advance research and public awareness. While the project focuses on contamination pathways and mitigation, emerging avidence suggests direct riscs to anlimal health, requiring further study of physiological effects. Microplastic likely enter animal systems trough contaminated feed, water and inhalation. Once ingested, they may accumulate in the gastrointetinal tract, potentialy disrupting the gut microbiome, nutrient absirption, and immune function, incerasing the risc of inflammation and digestive disorders. Additionally, mycroplastics can carry toxics additives and pollutants, such as bisphenols and phthalates, which may act as endosrine siruptors, interfering with metabolsm, growth and reproduction. Prolonged exposure could impair liver and kidney function, disrupt lipid metabolism, and induce oxidative stress, contributing the metabolic disorders. Microplastics have also been detected in reproductive tissues, with potential likns to reducing fertility and developmental issues in livestock. These disruption not only affect animal health and productivity but also pose food safety concerns, and microplastics and associated toxins could enter the human food chain. Investigating the effects of microplastics and animal physiology is crucial for unerstanding their lon-term conesquences. Through the ECO(RE)ACT projects cross-border collaboration, we aim to bridge the knowledge gap between environmental contamination and animal health, providing evidence-based solutions for sustainable agriculture and food safety