The Topic of this Issue

Animals’ collective mind

Can animals, warm-blooded or amphibians, birds, fishes or insects… think? If they cannot, wherefrom, with some living species, inclination to order and hierarchy in work and collective life? They move together, feed and bring up their offspring, they defend themselves togetherand hide, they mutually help each other, they manage to survive, even become extinct together. By following life patterns of some species, scientists repeatedly noticed something that could be called collective „mind” of animals. This fact was more or less confusing for them; however, it presented a challenge for further research.

CONQUEST OF THE UNIVERSE

First people on Mars

Intensive development of the military missile technology by the end of the WW II and in the course of the following decade resulted with launching of the first artificial satellites, which presented a scientific and technological basis for by far more ambitious space projects such as the flight to the Moon and the expedition to Mars. In the course of the last two decades the concepts of direct landing on Mars were proposed, omitting the interorbital spaceship (Mars direct). Projects were developed which included production of return-flight fuel on the very Mars, which would enable multifold decreasing of the spaceship mass launched from the Earth. The latest projects provoke even moral dilemmas for they imply traveling to Mars with no possibility of return (Mars to stay, Mars one)

DESALINIZATION OF WATER

Merely 2.53 %

Water covers a majority of the Earth’s surface. A total quantity of water on our planet is estimated at around 1,400 million km3. It covers 72% of the planet’s surface. Out of it 1,351 million km3 (97.47%) goes for sea water, and only 35 million km3 (2.53%) is fresh water. The share of renewable fresh waters on Earth stands at merely 40,000 km3, but they are not evenly disposed in time and space. Out of that quantity a significant portion (26,000 km3) is being lost in floods and in other ways, one portion runs through uninhabited areas (5,000 km3), therefore around 9,000 km3 (23%) remains available for filtration and disinfection to become usable for human needs. Since mid-20th century, the desalinization treatment, namely elimination (decrease) of minerals from sea water becomes more and more significant as a potential way of water supply for drinkable and technical water. Using of some particular desalinization treatment depends on the chosen location, geology and the ecological conditions of the selected locations, as well as the financial costs of the process.

MEDICA 2016.

Joachim Schafer,executive manager of the „Medica”

During each of the four days of the „Medica” Fair in Dusseldorf, experts from numerous areas of medical technology from all around the globe had an opportunity to provide enlightenments in various areas of medical treatment. More than 127,800 visitors visited the Fair and attended the presentations of medical equipment producers in 19 exhibition halls. This year presence of a growing number of simple devices has been obvious as well as a practice of direct negotiation between equipment suppliers with health care institutions, regarding the long term use of medical devices for the latest, extremely optimized procedures of diagnosis and therapeutic process. Prominently more than in previous years, medical equipment producers focused at hospitals as direct users of modern technology. Even 80 % of visitors were those who are directly responsible for medical treatment of patients. More than 5000 exhibitors from 135 countries of the world made thisyear’s Fair the largest thus far, with an increased participation of exhibitors from Asia.”

MEDICINE

Unquestionable therapeutic power of stem cells

For a number of decades orthopedics has been using artificial joints and implants made of more and more sophisticated materials, however, with a limited duration period. Therefore, it is beyond doubt that its future is with regenerative methods, primarily in the therapeutic use of stem cells. On regenerative orthopedics speaks Prof. Goran Tulić, Ph.D., consultant of the Bel Medic Hospital, orthopedic surgeon, who emphasizes that regenerative methods of treatment present outstanding scientific privilege, but also require equally outstanding professional responsibility

MEDICINE

Macula lutea,guardian of the clear eye sight

Until few decades ago many retinal disturbances were not curable. However, nowadays the state-of-the-art surgery of retina makes it possible. The experience vitreoretinal surgeon Dr. sc. med. Miroslav Stamenković, head of the ophthalmology clinic of the Zvezdara Health Center and the Bel Medic consultant, explains the vitrectomy pars plana method which can prevent eye sight loss and renew clear eye sight. Until few decades ago, many retinal disturbances were not curable. Today, however, it can be done, thanks to the latest surgical interventions on the retina. A precondition for their successful outcome is the patient’s visit at the early stages of eye sight disorder.

MEDICINE

The key tool of neurologic diagnostic

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is almost inevitable diagnostic method in neurology. For this area of medicine medical imaging is generally of great importance, primarily some of the latest methods like computer tomography (CT) – scanner, and MRI which is complementary to CT. However, it is true that MRI is unmatched in imaging the brain and spinal cord tissue. This is confirmed by Dr. Ivana Krdžić, neurologist of the Belgrade-based general hospital Bel Medic. She explains that scanner diagnostic is being applied in urgent neurologic situations, where MRI use has certain limitations. On the other hand, MRI is completely harmless for the patient and can be repeated numerous times with no danger of ionizing radiation.

LECTURES

Dalj, at the Milanković home

Mihajlo Pupin, Nikola Tesla and Milutin Milanković – can they stand together, in the same place, at the same time? This great trio of globally significant scientists and inventors, made the decades of their work become golden decades of ingenuity of this people here. With them the Serbian society made itself visible to the world at its best, and continues doing so through studies of their scientific legacy and the endeavor of many people to learn about their work and follow their steps. What is it that was common to all the three? Is it just science, their origin or something else? All the three were emotionally „afore the science”, all the three, apart from their scientific work, expressed outstanding literary talent, they were all confirmed by the reality, none of them ever forgot his Serbian origin, all they achieved they handed over to the humanity which most intensively applies today their inventions. All the three studied antiquity, they all quoted their own cultural heritage, they all considered that once established and confirmed scientific principles, whenever and wherever achieved, remain valid and can always be useful…