TiO 2 nanoparticles, obtained by acid catalyzed hydrolysis of titanium isopropoxide, were surface modified by three gallic acid esters with different hydrophobic part length: octyl, decyl and lauryl gallate, and then used to prepare TiO 2 /epoxy nanocomposites. The characterization of the surface modified TiO 2 nanoparticles was performed by FTIR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The influence of different gallic acid esters and content of modified TiO 2 nanoparticles on the glass transition temperature (Tg), rheological, barrier and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites was investigated by DSC, DMA, water vapor permeability test and König pendulum. The presence of the surface modified TiO 2 nanoparticles in epoxy resin caused the increase of Tg and decrease of the water vapor permeability. However, the length of the nonpolar gallate part showed no effect on Tg of the synthesized nanocomposites, while the increase of the nanofiller content resulted in the increase of Tg. With increasing the hydrophobic part chain length of gallate ligand, the water vapor transmission rate decreased, while the hardness of the nanocomposites did not change.

Objective of this paper was to evaluate phenotypic variability of fertility traits of indigenous breeds of Mangalitsa (Swallow-Belly Strain Mangalitsa-SBSM), Moravka breed (M) and Resavka (R). Indigenous pig populations are usually constituted by a quite low number of active boars and sows. Their pedigree information is lacking or absent, complete phenotypic description is usually not available for most of these populations that are very well adapted to specific local agro-climatic environments. In controlled herds in period of four years, the average age at first farrowing (AFF) was 18.5 months with large variability of 5.9 months for Swallow belly Mangalitsa. Less AFF (14.3 months) and less variability (4.4 months), in relation to SBSM, determined for Moravka breed while for Resavka determined age of 14.7 months with at least variability for this trait from 4.4 months. The average number of piglets born alive (for a period of four years) of SBSM was the lowest from 4.37 to 4.81; in case of M and R, this value was significantly (P<0.001) higher (from 5.75 to 8.17 and for R breed 6.40 to 9.00). With average duration of suckling period (duration of lactation-DL) of 52.92 days in the first year for the breed SBSM with the lowest number of reared piglets (NRP=4.10) whereas the DL for M and R breeds was shorter (from 45.75 to 52.03 day) with a higher NRP (from 4.57 to 8.92 reared piglets).

The study included 201 offspring (108 castrated males and 93 females) of Landrace (L), Large White (LW) and Pietrain (P) sires. The studied animals were of following genotype: Landrace (L; n = 48); two breed crosses with 50:50 share of parental breeds (LWxL, n=32; and PxL, n=23), two breed crosses with 75% of paternal breed [Lx(?LWxL), n=35] and [LWx(?LxWL) n=38] and three breed crosses [Px(?LWxL) n=25]. Animals included in this study were born during four seasons: winter (n=38), spring (n=65), summer (n=40) and autumn (n=58). Studies have shown that, at an average weight of warm carcass side of 81.20 kg, the highest average values for the weight of round (RW; 10.204 kg), the weight of intermuscular fatty tissue (RINT; 0.478 kg), bone tissue (RBT; 0.850 kg) and muscle tissue (RMT, 7.552 kg) in the round, were established in three-breed crosses of Px (LWxL) genotype compared to other genotypes. The least skin and subcutaneous fatty tissue (RST; 1.269 kg) was recorded in two breed crosses PxL. They had less skin and subcutaneous fatty tissue by 454 g and 467 grams, respectively, compared to two breed crosses (LWxL) and LWx (?LxLW). Research has shown that there is a genotype on a farm that gives more muscle tissue in the round by 1.521 kg [Px (?LWxL): LWx (?LWxL)] with the same weight of warm carcass side, which is a very large difference. With the same average weight of warm carcass side, female animals had higher average weight of the round and yield of muscle tissue compared to male castrated animals. The effect of genotype (P<0.001) on all investigated traits was recorded, also the effect of the season of birth on the skin and subcutaneous fat tissue and on the weight of intermuscular fat in the round was recorded. The effect of sex/gender was significant (P<0.01) on the weight of skin and subcutaneous fat and on the weight of the muscle tissues in the round but no significant effect on other tested properties (P> 0.05) was observed. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR 31081]

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