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A novel quantitative analysis employing the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of containership traffic in the Black Sea from 2018 to 2021 is performed. The study uses a matrix covering five ship size classes from A to E for four years of operation, from 2018 to 2021, accounting for ship traffic, CO2, fuel consumption (FC), shipping intensity, and eco and traffic efficiency. Only the first two principal factors are analysed because of their total variation weight. Shipping intensity, FC intensity, and CO2 intensity plays a significant role in the first factor, while Eco efficiency, FC efficiency, and Traffic efficiency are considered for the second factor. Notably, the set of parameters pertains to time and is strongly associated with DWT. Two principal components were identified, F1 and F2, where F1 integrates efficiency and intensity. At the same time, F2 separates the intensity from the efficiency conditional on the ship size and the year of operations. In the principal component F1 the activities of ships A and C differ from B, D and E, separating more efficiently from less efficiently used ships, and in F2, the activities of class sizes of ships C and D and E contrast A and B ships, distinguishing the big-size class ships from small ones. It was concluded that the most intensively used ships are the ship size classes C and D, and the most efficient are ship size classes A and B. The most intensive use of the ships was in 2020, followed by 2021, and the most efficient were in 2018, 2019. Based on the ship activities and using the Within-class variance, ships are grouped into two clusters of similar activities, where the first one, with lower variance and more homogeneous, includes only the ship size class A. The second one with a relatively large variance consists of the rest size of the ships. Linear relationships considering the intensity and efficiency are derived as a function of the main variables, where the factor loading represents the variable’s coefficient, given as a relative weight to any factor.

A study about the requirements and cargo transportation demand in the Black Sea as part of a multimodal transportation frame is performed, estimating the potential need of a ship fleet of multipurpose ships. The study performs conceptual multipurpose vessel design and fleet sizing using the long-time experience and statistics in defining main dimensions of the ship and her hull form, resistance and propulsion, weights, stability, free-board, seakeeping and manoeuvrability, capital, operational and decommissioning expenditure, where the optimal design solution is obtained based on the energy efficiency, shipbuilding, operation, and resale costs at the end of the service life. A discussion about possible applications of a different fleet of ship sizes in improving the cargo transportation efficiency considers the vessel's typical operational profile in such a way to maximise the economic impact conditional of the unsteady cargo flow and environmental impact.

Plant tissue cultures have been widely used in both fundamental and applied types of research on various biological species, and the scientific interest to transfer that technology in industrial scale has been rapidly growing. The use of in vitro technology for commercial propagation of different plant species and the production of bioactive compounds from them has become profitable industry worldwide. In the past decades, the progress in plant tissue culture technology was directed towards the introduction of the liquid medium for cultivation under submerged conditions in different bioreactor types, and automation of the entire process. Some applications of modified bioreactor systems and their importance for the advancement of plant biotechnology in the fields of agriculture, medicine, and pharmacy are discussed in this review.

The aim of this paper was to analyze the degree of change in price and co- movement of prices between markets. The distinctiveness of the study is that it introduced a single product (highly perishable product) price relationship analysis between a pair of spatially separated markets in the countries of the Western Balkan. This study attempts to comprehend to what extent the Macedonian domestic market is integrated into the regional markets, as well as to understand the relationship between the spatially separated regional markets. The data refer to the domestic Macedonian market and four different regional markets (Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo and Montenegro), as major importers of Macedonian fresh tomatoes. These countries were part of a common market until the 1990s and in the past period transited to a market economy. The method used is common time series analysis through unit root test, co-integration test and causality test. The study showed that the Macedonian economy, especially in terms of the tomato industry, is highly vulnerable and dependant on external markets. Future developments do not only depend upon the advances in the country, but also on developments in the export destinations. This also applies to the other concerned countries in the regions. The main finding is that a small country such as Macedonia is absorbed by developments in other countries in the region. This finding is supported by the results of the study that demonstrated a high level of co-integration between the domestic and regional markets.

This paper puts forward the knowledge of the immigration itineraries of the ancestors of five extant salmonid species on Balkan Peninsula which are the following: Acantholingua ohridana (Steindachner, 1892), Hucho hucho (Linnaeus, 1758), Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758, Salmothymus obtusirostris Heckel, 1851 and Thymallus thymallus (Linnaeus, 1758). The thesis for the migration itineraries is based on the anatomical, molecular and zoogeographical facts recently published. These latest facts complement or reject the previous thesis that considered the origin of separate species, which in this paper are analyzed together. A new position on the origin of some S. trutta populations inhabiting the Mediterranean Sea watershed is proposed. The new thesis is that they did not inhabit it from the west, through the Atlantic Ocean and Gibraltar, but from the North, through the branches of the former Sarmatian Sea, using the continental way. A. ohridana and S. obtusirostris, the only endemic Balkanean salmonids, have developed here from the mutual ancestor with the extant Siberian Brachymystax lenok (Pallas, 1773). This ancestor came first, together with the S. trutta lineage known as »marmorata«. Using the same migration way, the T. thymallus population of Soča River, the North.West boundary of Balkan Peninsula remained restricted at that corner of Adriatic Sea watershed. In the Black Sea watershed (the Danube River flow extension on Balkan Peninsula) the distribution of T. thymallus coincides with the distribution of H. hucho. The thesis which has been proposed for this, largest contemporary Balkan Peninsula salmonid fish was that it came here last, after the connections between the Mediterranean Sea basin and once existent Sarmatian Sea disappeared. This occurred after the end of the last glaciations. This has been concluded on the basis of the exclusion of the areas of the »marmorata« lineage of S. trutta (Mediterranean Sea watershed) and H. hucho (Black Sea watershed). Their extensions touch just at the water-separation between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea on the Dinarid Mountains. The idea for this thesis originates from the distribution of the small cobitid Cobitis elongata Heckel & Kner, 1858 given in the work of K a r ama n, S., (1952). The thesis that the endemic salmonids came in the Adriatic Sea watershed through the Adriatic.Pannonian connection is supported by the zoogeographical distribution of some mutual marine, brachic or freshwater fish species for Adriatic Sea itself or the Adriatic Sea watershed and Ponto.Caspian depression (Black Sea and Caspian Lake). These fish belong to the families Acipenseridae and Cobitidae, some endemic Cyprinidae representatives from the Adriatic Sea watershed belong to widely extended genera in the central Europe, mainly in the Danube river flow.

This paper considers the length–weight relationship of six out of eight most commonly found fish species inhabiting the Vardar River biotope, the largest riverine system in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula: Alburnoides bipunctatus (Bloch, 1782); Alburnus alburnus (Linnaeus, 1758), Barbus macedonicus Karaman, 1928; Barbus peloponnesius Valenciennes, 1842; Chondrostoma vardarense Karaman, 1928 and Leuciscus cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758), two of which are endemic. Satisfactory results for all the length groups have been determined only for B. peloponnesius whereas for the other fish species exceptions were noted for some of the length classes. The rational behind this can be sought in two reasons: insufficient number of individuals in a concrete length class or sexual maturation causing the prespawning or postspawning influence on the change of the weight of the fish.

Hereby are presented some ecological features of the fish inhabiting the Mavrovo Reservoir, one indigenous and six brought in; Salmo trutta (Linnaeus, 1758), Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum, 1796), Leuciscus cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758), Pachychilon pictum (Heckel & Kner, 1858), Phoxinus phoxinus (Linnaeus, 1758), Barbus peloponnesius Valenciennes, 1844 and Alburnus alburnus (Linnaeus, 1758). The Ph. phoxinus species has disappeared in the course of the investigation. The most commonly found population is A. alburnus, followed by the P. pictum, an endemic species for the watershed and a benthal one, as the B. peloponnesius is. L. cephalus when young is a littoral and a free–swimming fish, and when adult it becomes benthal. The population of the indigenous S. trutta is devastated. Data on the condition coefficient, the l–w relationship, the coefficient of the maturity, nutrition, shows that all the species, with exception to the Ph. phoxinus that disappeared, enjoy favorable ecological conditions, in spite of the height of the reservoir of about 1233 m above the sea level and the harsh climate conditions during the winter time.

The investigation was focused on the water quality in a 60–kilometer long area in the upper part of the River Vardar (the Polog Valley geographical unit). Sixty samples of bio–indicators were seasonably collected from five profiles in the period from 1987 until 1990. It was concluded that the water quality decreases from the spring, which is a xenosaprobic zone to the α–mesosaprobic one when leaving the valley, and the β–mesosaprobic zone is mostly present. The anthropogenic factor has caused large changes in the natural rhythm of water quantity, as well as to the riverbed essence. The same factor has caused severe communal, industrial and agrochemical pollution. These circumstances have caused deterioration of the water quality. In spite of this, the River Vardar in this part of the cross has an enormous power for self–purification, and therefore it still represents a salmonid ecosystem.

Systematic characteristics of chub L. cephalus are given by an analysis of eight meristic (on 550 specimen) and 23 plastic characteristics (on 588 specimen), of both genders including the non-mature examples from the river of Babuna, right tributary stream of the Vardar river (Aegean sea river-basin). The measurements were carried out according to the Pravdina scheme. The results were compared with the data of former researches of the material from the same river basin, the main river of Vardar or its major tributary streams, as well as on different materials belonging to various populations living in various biotops: small brooks, big lowlands rivers; in still biotops of both types, oligotrophic and eutrophic lakes; and finally in accumulation lakes. The author faced great difficulties while unifying and comparing the plastic characteristics of chub from various biotops, mainly because of lack of complete data made by various authors. The author claims that making a diagnosis regarding the belonging of chub on the level of sub-species only by a morphometric analysis is tricky since such results, when isolated from other systematic criteria such as the zoo-geographic, cito-genetic, bio-chemical ones and so on, can have a dubious scientific value.

The Vardar river is the biggest free flow ecosystem in the central Balkan peninsula. The aim of the study is to define actual state of ichthyocenosis in the Vardar river from the aspect of some species being relatively represented in certain parts of the flow as well as the longitudinal changing of the fish colony. The method of relative share of species approximation according to T i m m e r m a n s (1957) was used. 3019 fish specimen of 24 species, of which 19 autochthonous, collected on 12 profiles showed slight changes compared to the state two decades ago. However, the changes are quite significant if compared to the state seven decades ago. The human factor effect on the autochthonous ichthyofauna in the last five decades is significant. Tectonic, orographic and mineralogical conditions of the river basin cause longitudinal ichthyofaunal zoning of the Vardar river that differs from the standards determined for big European rivers. The actual Vardar river ichthyofauna is dominated by eight autochthonous fish species of the Cyprinidae family: B. peloponnesius, L. cephalus, G. gobio, A. bipunctatus, Ch. nasus, V. vimba, A. alburnus and B. barbus. All these species belong to the broad European range, they are primarily reophylic and ecologically eurivalent. Mediterranean climatic influence has limited effect on ichthyofauna and longitudinal fish arrangement.

This article presents data and analysis of the fish catch in the part of the lake of Ohrid under the concession of »Letnica« company from Struga in the period from 1986 to 1997. There are general tendencies of total catch decrease on one side, and great catch fluctuations of particular fish species in particular years. In the year 1988 a catch of 102 tons was recorded, while in 1997 only 26 tons were caught. All this indicates that this part of this biotop* and ecosystem of exclusive geographic, hydrographic, ecological, biological, taxonomic-evolutionary, phytogeographic, zoogeographic, ichthyologic and on its coasts cultural-civilisatory characteristics has not been managed reasonably.

on the total number of 550 fish being caught in 1978 on three parts of the river Babuna there was investigated quantitative composition of the food seasonally and on the age classes. Chub from the river Babuna is omnivorous with the predominance of the floristic compound in his nutrition. The main mass of the food has autochtonous character. In the spring time the main mass of the food has autochtonous character. In the spring time, the main component are algues from Chrysophyceae plant group and Ephemeroptera by the animal part, along all the habitat of L. cephalus when Plecoptera are present in the upper and meddle part of the river. In the summer period, the dominant plant group is Conjugatophyceae different animal component from the river. Chrysophyceae are dominant also in the autumn period from the plant composition, group s by the animal composition vary from part to part, while Pisces can be found in the meddle part. In the winter time, dominant plant particle are Bacillariophyceae. Animal particles are also different from part to part. Pisces are present in the meddle part, too. Young fish are fed by Diatomeae and Chironomidae. Fish old er than 1+ principally take the food of plant origin and Conjugatae, also insects larves, partially detritus, and the oldest age classes are fed by Pisces.

This paper describes the general importance of this fish species and deals with its first registration in the waters of Macedonia in 1997. Its basic ichthyological parameters are presented, as well as the ichthyofauna of the reservoir where it was found. Based on available data it was tried to trace the origin of this species in Macedonia.

Studies that deal with the problem of comparing two or more groups of handball players of different ages, are not so frequent. A number of Croatian authors contributed to these studies In a way that they have analyzed the differences between handball players at defferent levels of competition. In this study, a survey was conducted in order to determine whether there are differences between handball cadets and junior cadets in the motor and the specific motor skills. The sample in this study consisted of 30 handball players split in this way : the cadets (15), aged 16-17 years old and younger cadets (15) aged 13-14 years. There were 12 tests ( of measuring instruments) for estimating general motor abilities and 4 tests for estimating specific-motor skills. Basic statistical parameters were calculated for all the results in the variables. Statistically significant difference between the arithmetic means of cadets and junior cadets was determined by t-test for small independent samples. The data obtained from the testing of differences between group of handball cadets and junior cadets showed that the handball cadets had significantly better results in the four variables (long jump in here, throwing a handball ball from the gray straddle the ground, throwing a medicine ball from lying on back and the accuracy of jump shot from 9 m), while the younger cadets achieved significantly better results in the two variables (side steps and slalom in the area between 6-9 m). Since the results showed that handball cadets had better results (in a number of variables) than younger cadets, this study was consistent with the previous studies attempted to analyze the differences between handball players of different ages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The research was conducted on 100 young handball players aged from 14 to15, from Montenegro. They were divided into two groups of 50 students each due to the regions they belong to (continental and Mediterranean). They were tested with 26 tests, 21 of which are related to basic motor abilities, and 5 are for estimating situational motor efficiency. The aim of the research is to compare the basic motor and situational motor abilities between the handball players from the two regions. After processing the data by t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), the drawn conclusion is that, within the treated space of basic motorics and situational motorics, the handball players from the continental region scored better results than those from Mediterranean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]