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Comparison of Slovenian Traditional Plum Materials with Genetic Resources from the Slovenian Plant Gene Bank
Full text linkThe Slovenian Plant Gene Bank (SPGB) of the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences houses approximately 250 accessions of stone fruit, with most of the material belonging to the species Prunus domestica L. and Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. The main objectives of this study using a set of 11 SSR primers were: 1. to determine the genetic structure of the traditional Slovenian in situ plum material in comparison to the ex situ the SPGB collection; 2. to identify unique material among the in situ collected accessions; 3. to gain insight into the genetic relationship between the two studied species. The genetic structure of 60 plum samples was analyzed using Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) and Bayesian model-based analysis. PCoA separated the P. cerasifera and P. domestic accessions, while Bayesian model-based analysis revealed that many accessions of P. domestica and P. cerasifera shared a common ancestral history. The ex situ material showed greater genetic diversity as it was distributed over more populations than the in situ material. Promising in situ genotypes, especially from the Prekmurje and Lower Styria, were identified as valuable additions to enrich the existing collection.Primerjava slovenskih tradicionalnih genotipov sliv z genskimi viri iz Slovenske rastlinske genske banke. Rastlinska genska banka Fakultete za kmetijstvo in biosistemske vede hrani poleg drugih vrst tudi okrog 250 akcesij koščičarjev, pri čemer večina materiala pripada vrstama Prunus domestica L. in Prunus cerasifera Ehrh. Z uporabo 11 mikrosatelitskih lokusov smo v raziskavi želeli: 1. oceniti genetsko strukturo slovenskih tradicionalnih genotipov sliv nabranih in situ v primerjavi z ex situ materialom iz kolekcije genske banke koščičarjev; 2. prepoznati edinstven material med in situ nabranimi akcesijami; 3. raziskati genetske odnose med dvema proučevanima vrstama. Genetska struktura 60 genotipov sliv je bila analizirana s pomočjo Principalne koordinatne analize (PCoA) ter Bayesove analize. PCoA analiza je razdelila akcesije glede na pripadnost preučevanima vrstama (P. cerasifera oz. P. domestica ), medtem ko je Bayesova analiza pokazala, da si številne akcesije tako iz vrste P. domestica , kot P. cerasifera delijo pripadnost znotraj specifične populacije. Material nabran ex situ je pokazal večjo genetsko raznolikost, saj je bil razdeljen na več populacij v primerjavi z materialom nabranim in situ . Med slednjim smo identificirali unikatne genotipe sliv, predvsem iz Prekmurja in Štajerske, ki bi jih bilo smiselno vključiti v obstoječo kolekcijo rastlinske genske banke
POSLEDICE ZA OKOLJSKO-INŽENIRSKI KOMPROMIS ZARADI OPTIMIZACIJE DIZELSKEGA MOTORJA
Full text linkNew IC engines contain many systems that ensure better engine performance, while satisfying increasingly strict environmental norms and exhaust emission standards in what is known as an environmental-engineering compromise. However, controlling, calibrating, and subsequently optimizing high-performance engines in which the trade-offs between performance, economy and emissions take precedence, is a challenge for even the most experienced automotive engineers, as it includes major implications. With the rise of fuel prices however, in recent years, more and more transport companies and fleet owners have looked to improve their vehicles’ economy through different aftermarket optimizations of the vehicles` engines, rarely taking into account the impact of such changes on the overall balance imposed through the environmental-engineering compromise. This paper investigates the required changes into the engines` electronic control units to achieve higher power output and lower fuel consumption, while analyzing the benefits and shortcomings brought by these optimizations on the engines` short and long-term operation.Novi motorji z notranjim zgorevanjem imajo številne sisteme, ki zagotavljajo boljše delovanje, hkrati pa izpolnjujejo vse strožje okoljske norme in standarde emisij izpušnih plinov v tako imenovanem okoljsko-inženirskem kompromisu. Vendar so krmiljenje, umerjanje in posledično optimiziranje visokozmogljivih motorjev, pri katerih imajo prednost kompromisi pred zmogljivostjo, ekonomičnostjo in emisijami, izziv tudi za najbolj izkušene avtomobilske inženirje. Zaradi dviga cen goriva si v zadnjih letih vse več prevozniških podjetij in lastnikov voznih parkov prizadeva izboljšati ekonomičnost svojih vozil z različnimi poprodajnimi optimizacijami motorjev vozil, pri čemer le redko upoštevajo vpliv takih sprememb na splošno ravnotežje, uvedeno s kompromisom okoljskega inženiringa. Ta prispevek raziskuje potrebne spremembe v elektronskih krmilnih enotah motorjev za doseganje večje izhodne moči in manjše porabe goriva, hkrati pa analizira prednosti in pomanjkljivosti, ki jih prinašajo te optimizacije na kratkoročno in dolgoročno delovanje motorjev
PREGLED UPORABE UMETNE INTELIGENCE V JEDRSKIH ELEKTRARNAH
Full text linkNuclear power plants are recognised as complex systems, where maintenance is critical for ensuring safety and operational stability. Time-based preventive maintenance programmes are employed in most nuclear power plants, relying on periodic inspections to prevent equipment failures. However, this method is considered resource-intensive and not always efficient. An alternative is offered by Artificial Intelligence and condition-based maintenance, which allow early fault detection, reduce unnecessary maintenance tasks, and lower operational costs. The potential of Artificial Intelligence in nuclear power plants is vast, ranging from operational improvements to predictive maintenance. Techniques such as Supervised and Unsupervised Learning are highlighted as essential tools for fault detection, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling. In Supervised Learning, known input-output pairs are used to train models, while Unsupervised Learning is employed to identify hidden patterns in unlabelled data, which is particularly useful in the large, unstructured datasets found commonly in nuclear power plants. The challenges in integrating Artificial Intelligence into nuclear power plant operations shall be noted, including the lack of standardised procedures for selecting and applying algorithms. Despite these challenges, AI-driven tools, including Deep Learning and hybrid models, have shown promising results in fault detection and prediction in nuclear power plants. These advancements support the broader goal of improving safety and operational efficiency. In conclusion, although Artificial Intelligence has not yet been adopted fully across all nuclear power plants, it is seen as a promising advancement for the future of nuclear energy operations. Its implementation enhances fault detection, reduces operational risks, and ensures more reliable energy production.Jedrske elektrarne so poznane kot kompleksni sistemi, njihovo vzdrževanje pa je ključno za zagotavljanje varnosti in zanesljivega obratovanja. Trenutno se v jedrskih elektrarnah uporablja princip časovno zasnovanega vzdrževanja, ki temelji na periodičnih pregledih za preprečevanje okvar. Pomembno je poudariti, da takšen pristop zahteva veliko porabo sredstev in ni vedno učinkovit. Alternativno lahko uvedemo vzdrževanje na podlagi stanja opreme z uporabo umetne inteligence ob predčasnem zaznavanju okvar, s čimer zmanjšamo stroške vzdrževanja in obratovanja. Potencial umetne inteligence v jedrski industriji je velik, od zagotavljanja zanesljive proizvodnje do vzdrževanja. Tehniki, kot sta nadzorovano in nenadzorovano učenje, sta izpostavljeni v članku, saj sta ključno orodje za zaznavanje napak, vzorcev in razvoja preventivnih modelov. Pri nadzorovanem učenju algoritem učimo z znanimi podatki, ki so klasificirani. Pri nenadzorovanem učenju algoritem učimo z veliko količino neklasificiranih podatkov, iz katerih model izlušči vzorce in zaznava odstopanje. Za integracijo umetne inteligence v jedrske elektrarne pa ostaja še veliko izzivov, med drugim tudi pomanjkanje standardnih pristopov. Ne glede na ponujene izzive pa orodja z uporabo umetne inteligence, globokega učenja in hibridnimi modeli obetajo pozitivne rezultate na področju zaznavanja napak in napovedovanja v jedrskih elektrarnah. Takšni napredki izboljšujejo varnost in omogočajo zanesljivo obratovanje. Čeprav umetna inteligenca še ni bila temeljno vpeljana v jedrsko industrijo, prikazuje pozitivne napredke za njeno prihodnost. Njena implementacija povečuje zaznavanje napak, zmanjšuje obratovalna tveganja ter zagotavlja stabilno in zanesljivo proizvodnjo električne energije
Endocrine activity assessment approaches: From mechanistic bioassays to adverse pathway outcomes: Pristopi za ocenjevanje endokrine aktivnosti: od mehanističnih bioloških testov do poti neželenih izidov
No full textPurpose: To provide an integrated overview of current approaches for detecting and characterizing endocrine activity in chemicals by emphasizing the relationship between mechanistic in vitro assays, in vivo models, and regulatory frameworks.
Methods: Recent developments in high-throughput screening (HTS) platforms, validated Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) test guidelines, and effect-based bioassays were critically compared. The review covers representative assays for estrogenic, androgenic, thyroid, and steroidogenic pathways and evaluates the complementarity within adverse outcome pathway (AOP) frameworks. Attention was given to data integration, bioavailability considerations, and regulatory adoption under the European Union Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program.
Results: Mechanistic assays, such as YES, E-Screen, HeLa-9903, and H295R, provide rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective screening for receptor-mediated and steroidogenic effects. In contrast, in vivo systems, including vitellogenin induction, Daphnia reproduction, amphibian metamorphosis, and zebrafish assays, yield organism-level confirmation. Integrating both tiers within AOP and quantitative in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation (QIVIVE) frameworks increases predictive reliability. Despite advances in standardization, challenges remain concerning metabolic competence, inter-laboratory variability, and harmonized effect thresholds.
Conclusion: Endocrine testing science is transitioning toward mechanistically anchored, animal-reduced strategies that combine HTS, computational modeling, and effect-based monitoring. Harmonized validation criteria and performance standards will further enhance regulatory acceptance and facilitate the efficient identification of substances with endocrine activity across both human health and environmental contexts.Namen: Predstaviti celovit pregled sodobnih pristopov za odkrivanje in karakterizacijo endokrine aktivnosti kemikalij ter poudariti povezavo med mehanističnimi in vitro testi, in vivo modeli in regulatornimi okviri.
Metode: Primerjane so bile novejše raziskave na področju visokozmogljivega presejanja (HTS), validiranih OECD preskusnih smernic in efektivno zasnovanih bioloških testov. Pregled zajema reprezentativne teste za estrogene, androgene, ščitnične in steroidogene poti ter ocenjuje njihovo dopolnjevanje znotraj okvira Poti neželenih izidov (AOP). Posebna pozornost je bila namenjena integraciji podatkov, upoštevanju biološke uporabnosti in regulatornemu sprejemanju testov v okviru uredb REACH ter ameriškega programa Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP).
Rezultati: Mehanistični testi, kot so YES, E-Screen, HeLa-9903 in H295R, omogočajo hitro, občutljivo in stroškovno učinkovito presejanje receptorsko posredovanih in steroidogenih učinkov, medtem ko in vivo sistemi, kot so indukcija vitelogenina, reprodukcijski testi pri vodnih bolhah, metamorfoza pri dvoživkah in testi na zebricah, zagotavljajo potrditev učinkov na ravni organizma. Integracija obeh pristopov v okviru AOP ter kvantitativne ekstrapolacije in vitro-in vivo (QIVIVE) povečujejo napovedno zanesljivost testov. Kljub napredku v standardizaciji pa ostajajo izzivi, povezani z učinki metabolitov, med-laboratorijsko variabilnostjo in usklajenimi določitvami mejnih učinkov.
Zaključek: Znanost o preskušanju endokrine aktivnosti se usmerja v mehanistično bazirane pristope, ki zmanjšujejo porabo živali za testiranje in združujejo visokozmogljivo presejanje, računalniško modeliranje in efektivno zasnovano spremljanje. Usklajeni kriteriji za validacije in standardizirani izidi bodo dodatno okrepili regulatorno sprejemanje testov ter omogočili učinkovitejšo identifikacijo snovi z endokrino aktivnostjo v širšem kontekstu zdravja ljudi in okolja
Two siblings with late infantile form of Metachromatic leukodystrophy – a case report: Prikaz primera dveh sorojencev s pozno infantilno obliko metakromatske levkodistrofije
No full textMetachromatic leukodystrophy is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disease. The underlying mechanism of disease is the lack of arylsulphatase A, which leads to the accumulation of sulphated glycosphingolipids. Three forms of disease are recognized based on clinical onset, including infantile, juvenile, and adult forms. Until recently, metachromatic leukodystrophy was untreatable. In this article, we present the cases of a sister and brother with the late infantile form. The female was diagnosed when the disease was at an advanced stage, and thus, was treated palliatively. Her younger brother was diagnosed at the pre-symptomatic stage and experimental genetic treatment was conducted, which markedly Improved the course of disease.Metakromatska levkodistrofija je avtosomno recesivna nevrodegenerativna bolezen. V osnovi gre za pomanjkanje encima arylsulfatase A oz. njegove aktivnosti, zaradi česar pride do kopičenja sulfiranih glikosfingolipidov v beli možganovini. Glede na pojav kliničnih znakov ločimo pozno infantilno, juvenilno in odraslo obliko bolezni. Bolezen je bila do nedavnega neozdravljiva. V prispevku prikazujemo primer sestre in brata, ki imata pozno infantilno obliko bolezni. Pri deklici je bila diagnoza postavljena, ko je bila bolezen že v napredovali fazi, zato je bila usmerjena v program paliativne oskrbe. Pri mlajšem bratu je bila bolezen ugotovljena v predsimptomatski fazi. Uvedeno je bilo eksperimentalno genetsko zdravljenje, ki je znatno spremenilo potek bolezni
Uživanje flupiradifurona, piraklostrobina in fluksapiraksada spremeni vedenje pri Melipona scutellaris ter povzroča prezgodnjo smrtnost posameznih osebkov
No full textPesticides are widely used in Brazilian agriculture to protect crops from target organisms. Nevertheless, pesticide use has also been shown to harm beneficial insects, such as bees. Considering the knowledge gap regarding the effects of pesticides on non-Apis species and the importance of stingless bees for ecosystems and human food production, the research aimed to evaluate the survival and behavior of Melipona scutellaris after ingestion of the active ingredients flupyradifurone, pyraclostrobin, and fluxapyroxad, individually and in combination. Therefore, foragers were collected and assigned to experimental groups according to three diets: flupyradifurone 6 ng/μL (IS), pyraclostrobin 0.1 ng/μL and fluxapyroxad 0.05 ng/μL (FN); flupyradifurone 3 ng/μL, pyraclostrobin 0.05 ng/μL, and fluxapyroxad 0.025 ng/μL (IF). The results showed that active ingredients caused early mortality in M. scutellaris foragers. Moreover, just four hours of exposure to IS was sufficient to induce symptoms similar to those caused by neonicotinoids (stumbles, uncoordinated movements, and uncontrolled proboscis extension), whereas exposure to the FN combination induced lethargy in the individuals. The data highlight that even short-term exposure to these active ingredients can cause severe damage to foragers’ physiology, compromising their ability to gather resources for the colony and affecting its overall health.Pesticidi se v brazilskem kmetijstvu pogosto uporabljajo za zaščito posevkov pred ciljnimi organizmi. Kljub temu pa je bilo dokazano, da njihova uporaba škoduje tudi koristnim žuželkam, kot so čebele. Glede na vrzel v znanju o učinkih pesticidov na žuželke, ki ne pripadajo rodu Apis in na pomen neželatih čebel za ekosisteme ter za pridelavo hrane za ljudi, smo si zadali cilj oceniti preživetje in vedenje vrste Melipona scutellaris po zaužitju aktivnih snovi flupiradifurona, piraklostrobina in fluksapiraksada, posamezno in v kombinaciji. V ta namen smo vzorčene pašne čebele razdelili v eksperimentalne skupine glede na tri diete: flupiradifuron 6 ng/μL (IS), piraklostrobin 0.1 ng/μL in fluksapiraksad 0.05 ng/μL (FN); flupiradifuron 3 ng/μL, piraklostrobin 0.05 ng/μL in fluksapiraksad 0.025 ng/μL (IF). Rezultati so pokazali, da so aktivne snovi povzročile prezgodnjo smrtnost pašnih čebel M. scutellaris. Poleg tega je že štiriurna izpostavljenost kombinaciji IS zadostovala za pojav simptomov, podobnih tistim, ki jih povzročajo neonikotinoidi (nekoordinirani gibi in nenadzorovano izproženje rilčka), medtem ko je izpostavljenost kombinaciji FN povzročila letargijo. Rezultati kažejo, da lahko že kratkotrajna izpostavljenost tem aktivnim snovem povzroči hude fiziološke poškodbe pri pašnih čebelah, kar oslabi njihovo sposobnost zbiranja prehranskih virov za družino čebel in posledično vpliva na njeno splošno zdravje
Razumevanje izgub družin medonosne čebele (Apis mellifera): večfaktorska perspektiva
No full textBees play an essential role as pollinators of crops and wild plants thereby contributing to biodiversity. Beekeeping is an important economic and agricultural activity. However, beekeepers are faced with numerous external factors, including climate change, intensive agricultural production, the extensive use of pesticides and the high incidence of honey bee diseases. In researches’ work to date, numerous potential factors have been identified that contribute to colony population decline, reduced colony health, and colony losses. This review summarizes the most important factors affecting honey bee colonies and their health. The main causes of colony loss include pests and pathogens, environmental and beekeeping stressors, apiculture practices and pesticide residues. Reducing honey bee colony losses requires an integrated approach that recognises the multifactorial nature of the problem. Coordinated strategies should consider both direct biological threats, such as parasites and pathogens, and indirect influences, such as environmental changes, pesticide exposure and forage quality.Čebele imajo ključno vlogo kot opraševalke kulturnih in divjih rastlin ter tako pomembno prispevajo k biotski raznovrstnosti. Čebelarstvo predstavlja pomembno gospodarsko in kmetijsko dejavnost. Čebelarji se soočajo s številnimi zunanjimi dejavniki, med katerimi so podnebne spremembe, intenzivna kmetijska pridelava, raba pesticidov ter visoka pojavnost bolezni medonosne čebele. Doslej izvedene raziskave so opredelile številne potencialne dejavnike, ki prispevajo k zmanjševanju populacije v družinah, zmanjšani vitalnosti ter k izgubam čebeljih družin. Ta pregledni članek povzema najpomembnejše dejavnike, ki vplivajo na medonosne čebele in njihovo zdravje. Med glavnimi vzroki izgube družin so škodljivci in povzročitelji bolezni, okoljski dejavniki, čebelarske prakse ter ostanki pesticidov. Zmanjševanje izgub družin medonosne čebele zahteva celosten pristop, ki upošteva večfaktorsko naravo problema. Usklajene strategije morajo upoštevati neposredne biološke grožnje, kot so paraziti in patogeni, kakor tudi posredne vplive, med katere sodijo okoljske spremembe, izpostavljenost pesticidom ter kakovost pašnih virov
Besede za izražanje razmerij v slovenščini
No full textThe article examines words that express and thereby establish syntactic relationships. These words, namely parts of speech such as prepositions, conjunctions, and particles, play a key role in the formation of syntactic relationships, mediating the transition from meaning to expression while representing syntactic relations at the level of linguistic form. Adverbs are discussed in their connective function, that is, as elements that link prepositions, conjunctions, and particles in terms of relational and modal meaning. The article also addresses the extent to which relational meanings are syntactic in nature and the extent to which they have become lexicalized.Članek obravnava besede, ki izražajo in s tem tudi vzpostavljajo skladenjska razmerja. Te besede oz. besedne vrste so predlogi, vezniki in členki, ki pri nastajanju skladnje iz pomena v izraz vzpostavljajo skladenjska razmerja in jih na izrazni ravni tudi zastopajo in posredujejo. Prislovi so predstavljeni v prislovni povezovalni vlogi, tj. kot besede, ki razmerijsko in naklonsko povezujejo predloge, veznike in členke. Obravnava odpira tudi vprašanje, do katere mere so razmerijski pomeni skladenjski in do katere mere leksikalizirani
Obrazilna razvrstitev istopodstavnih poklicnih feminativov v izbranih južnoslovanskih jezikih
No full textThis paper presents a comparison of randomly selected samples of occupational feminatives in four South Slavic languages: Slovenian, Croatian, Serbian, and Macedonian. The starting point of the comparison was Slovenian, namely 104 randomly collected Slovenian feminatives, mostly referring to professional occupations. Equivalents of these feminatives, such with the same base, were sought for in relevant online dictionary resources also for the other three languages. The sources used were limited to online dictionary resources available for the languages in question. Although these sources differ in lexicographic concept and scope, we were also able to gain some sociolinguistic insight into the status and the level of attention given to the systematic lexicographic treatment of female-gendered equivalents in each language.V prispevku predstavljam sondažno primerjavo poklicnih feminativov v štirih južnoslovanskih jezikih: v slovenščini, hrvaščini, srbščini in makedonščini. Izhodiščni jezik primerjave je slovenščina, zato sem paberkovalno zbrala 105 slovenskih feminativov, ki se večinsko nanašajo na poklicno dejavnost, in zanje v ustreznih spletno dostopnih slovarskih virih drugih jezikov poiskala istopodstavne ustreznice. Kot vir sem uporabila le spletno dostopne slovarske vire primerjanih jezikov. Čeprav se medsebojno razlikujejo po leksikografskem konceptu in obsegu, sem hkrati pridobila tudi sociolingvistični uvid o statusu in namenjeni pozornosti sistemskemu uslovarjanju ženskospolskih vzporednic v posameznem jeziku
