Long-term consequences of environmental lead exposure in Kosovo: effects of pre and postnatal lead exposure in early adulthood

Between May 1985 and December 1986, a cohort of 1,502 pregnant women was recruited at two government clinics in Kosovo (formerly a province of Yugoslavia) for a study of the relationship between environmental lead (Pb) exposure and birth outcomes. Subsequently, a representative group of 541 of their children were selected for long-term follow up. The children were followed longitudinally at six-month intervals for 12 years to examine the effects of environmental Pb exposure on a variety of health outcomes including cognitive and motor function, anemia, endocrine function and growth. This work produced numerous landmark publications (Popovac et al, 1982; Graziano et al., 1990, 1991, 2004; Murphy et al., 1990; Factor-Litvak et al, 1993, 1996, 1998, 1999; Wasserman et al,. 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000) that contributed to the modification of environmental policies to reduce Pb exposure worldwide. The long-term study ultimately linked environmental Pb exposure from the Trepca mining and smelting operations in Mitrovica to adverse effects on intelligence, motor function, blood pressure, renal, endocrine and hematological functioning. Follow up rates over time were excellent in that 70% of the total cohort was evaluated at 6 years of age, and 65% were evaluated at 12 years of age, at which point the study was - until now - concluded. For the present study, we located 101 members of the original study cohort and requested their participation in a follow-up study in which participants were evaluated to assess their current blood lead (BPb) levels and health outcomes as follows: a) blood pressure; b) biomarkers of endothelial cell function that are associated with cardiovascular disease; c) and measurements of erythropoietin, a glycoprotein hormone produced in the kidney that regulates the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. The participants, whose environmental exposure history is very well documented from 12 weeks of gestation through 12 years of age, were between 25-26 years of age during the follow-up study. We found a statistically significant association between BPb and systolic blood pressure (sBP), and a marginally significant association between BPb and diastolic blood pressure (dBP), which is consistent with a multitude of studies and meta-analyses referenced in this dissertation. These results provide further evidence that recent circulating dose, as estimated by BPb, or as estimated by lifetime cumulative exposure, is associated with slight increase in sBP. Furthermore, we detected a suggestive relationship between BPb and levels of circulating serum intercellular adhesion molecules (sICAM-1) and serum intravascular adhesion molecules (sVCAM-1), possibly a mechanism by which Pb may lead to increased BP. These findings support the hypothesis that the exposure to Pb either prenatally or in early adulthood, may lead to increased BP and increased circulating levels of sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1 later in life. Lastly, the results regarding the serum erythropoietin (EPO) production presented here resemble the findings reported in this cohort at 4.5 and 6.5 years of age and in contrast with the findings in this cohort when the study participants were 9.5 and 12 years of age (Graziano et al., 2004). In addition, they also contrast the findings reported in the anemic mothers of this study cohort (Graziano et al., 1991) where serum-EPO levels were lower in those with higher BPb levels

Optimisation of a road construction using 3D visualisation

The main purpose of this work presented in this paper, is the possibility to optimisea road construction using visualisation in 3D, in a scale 1:1. With virtual realitytechnology, we can visualise the whole road and the environment around. Therefore thepossibility to control the position of traffic signals, SOS telephone cabs, noise-protectionroad walls, safety exits, tunnels height or eventual bridges during the virtual visit of theroad. In the same time, we can control the visibility of the road by driver, from start till theend of the road. Doing this, we can help architects, technicians and civil engineeringgroup to modify their plans before they start to construct the real road.In this sense, we can contribute to make the work properly from the beginning,instead of doing several interventions to modify the road that are usually done once theroad is over. Of course, the cost of such interventions is very high and in the same timethe traffic is stopped.Concretly, we realised the A5 highway application. Besides the modelisation withtextures and visualisation of the road, we added the interactivity in real time through adriver of a virtual car. This application run very well, presenting a high degree of virtualreality

Facebook As A Campaign Tool During The 2012 Elections: A New Dimension To Agenda Setting Discourse

The social networking site Facebook has risen to become an important campaign tool for politicians while also raising new questions about how its use is reshaping the agenda setting paradigm. This research examines the extent to which the Facebook messages of presidential nominees during the 2012 U.S. presidential campaign were transferred to the online public on Facebook and, via a two-step flow, to the greater citizen’s agenda. Findings demonstrate that in their political campaigns on Facebook, politicians are successfully transferring their first- and, to a lesser extent, second-level agendas to the Facebook public agenda, which largely mirrors the greater public agenda.

AKSIONET DHE INDEKSET BURSIERE

”Aksionet dhe indekset bursiere” do të jetë tema e cila do të shtjellohet gjatë këtij punimi seminarik në të cilën do të flitet fillimisht rreth nocioneve të ndryshme si aksionet, llojet e aksioneve dhe investimeve dhe klasifikimeve të investimeve, analiza financiare, si zhvillohen analizat dhe kujt i duhen ato analiza financiare, letrat me vlerë, përshkrimin e indekseve më të njohura siç janë Standard and Poor’s, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Russell 2000, dhe nga Dow Jones janë marr si shembull 3 kompani nga lista e paraqitura dhe janë bërë analiza duke përdorur modelin CAPM, i cili na tregon vendimmarrjen investuese në aksionet e duhura gjithashtu informacione të detajuara si dhe figura të ndryshme rreth uljeve dhe ngritjeve të çmimeve të aksioneve, aksione këto që klasifikohen në indekset e lartpërmendura. Si pikënisje e konkretizimit të këtij diskursi do të jetë mbledhja e opinioneve dhe teorive nga personalitete, për t’i dhënë kaheje pozitive zhvillimore, ngjarjeve të caktuara problematike. Si vazhdim tek pjesa e analizës së të dhënave janë marrë 3 kompanitë më të njohura Apple, Microsoft dhe Intel ku janë analizuar në bazë të vlerave të marruar nga Dow Jones, nëse janë nënvlerësuar apo mbivlerësuar aksionet e të tre kompanive. Në fund janë paraqitur rekomandimet, diskutimet dhe konkluzionet e nxjerra si përfundim i rezultateve të marrura nga hulumtimi. Krejt në fund, tek referencat mund të gjeni emërtimin e burimeve të dhënave që kanë shërbyer për pasurimin e substancialitetit e asaj që është diskutuar

CHARGING RAILWAY INFRASTRUCTURE MODELS AND THEIR IMPACT TO COMPETITIVENESS OF RAILWAY TRANSPORT

Summary. The paper deals with the impact the charging railway infrastructure access has on the competitiveness of railway transport in the selected European countries. It researched into the development of indicators that indicate the competition in the railways transport market, such as volume of transport, traffic performances, and number of trains of private railway operators compared with national operators. It used the new approach for research of the share of railway transport in the transport market. The research was based on a comparative analysis of models of charging railway infrastructure, subsidies to rail infrastructure, and development of transport performances of all rail operators. The results of research are presented in terms of freight and passenger railway transport

Pojavnost aflatoksina M1 u uzorcima jogurta pronađenima na tržištu u Kosovu tijekom proljeća 2023.

Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), a toxic byproduct of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) produced by Aspergillus fungi, is a carcinogenic mycotoxin that can contaminate various agricultural commodities. It can be transferred from AFB1-contaminated feed to milk and dairy products, including yogurt, posing a potential health risk to consumers. In spring 2023, a total of 74 yogurt samples were collected from the largest food suppliers in Kosovo for analysis, including samples produced in Kosovo and seven other countries: Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Greece, Italy, and Germany. A rapid and sensitive analytical method, Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), was used for the analysis. The results of the study highlight discernible differences in the maximum tolerable levels of AFM1 between the countries. More specifically, yogurt samples from Slovenia and Germany had lower levels than those from other countries. Additionally, the median levels of AFM1 in samples from Slovenia and Germany were significantly lower. The mean concentrations of AFM1 in yogurt samples from Kosovo and other countries were 0.071 μg/kg and 0.080 μg/kg, respectively. Out of all samples, 66 (89%) exceeded the maximum tolerable limit of 0.05 μg/kg. Among the exporting countries, Albania had the highest median AFM1 level of 0.085 μg/kg and the highest maximum level of 0.195 μg/kg. Slovenia had the lowest median AFM1 level, while Germany had the lowest maximum AFM1 level. All samples from Albania, Greece, and Bosnia and Herzegovina exceeded the maximum tolerable limit. High prevalence was also observed in samples from Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Slovenia. Considering the average daily consumption of about 250 grams of yogurt, and the total median value of Aflatoxin M1 concentration (0.071 μg/kg), the estimated daily intake was calculated to be 0.017 μg. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring and enforcing regulatory limits to ensure yogurt safety and to protect public health. Efforts should be focused on mitigating AFM1 contamination and implementing measures to minimise its presence in dairy products, especially in regions where levels exceed the established limits.Aflatoksin M1 (AFM1), toksični nusproizvod aflatoksina B1 (AFB1) kojeg proizvode gljivice Aspergillus kancerogeni je mikotoksin koji može kontaminirati različite poljoprivredne proizvode. Može se prenijeti iz hrane za životinje kontaminirane s AFB1 na mlijeko i mliječne proizvode, uključujući jogurt, predstavljajući potencijalni rizik po zdravlje potrošača. U proljeće 2023. godine prikupljeno je ukupno 74 uzoraka jogurta od najvećih dobavljača hrane na Kosovu za analizu, uključujući uzorke proizvedene na Kosovu i u sedam drugih zemalja: Albaniji, Sjevernoj Makedoniji, Bosni i Hercegovini, Sloveniji, Grčkoj, Italiji i Njemačkoj. Za analizu je rabljena brza i osjetljiva analitička metoda, Enzimski povezani imunosorbentni test (ELISA). Rezultati studije ukazuju da nalazi ove studije naglašavaju zamjetne razlike u maksimalno dopuštenim razinama AFM1 između različitih zemalja. Točnije, u uzorcima jogurta iz Slovenije i Njemačke zamijećene su niže razine od onih iz drugih zemalja. Uz to, srednje razine AFM1 u uzorcima iz Slovenije i Njemačke bile su značajno niže. Srednje koncentracije AFM1 u uzorcima jogurta s Kosova i iz drugih zemalja bile su 0,071 μg/kg, odnosno 0,080 μg/kg. Od svih uzoraka, 66 (89 %) prekoračilo je maksimalno dopušteno ograničenje od 0,05 μg/kg. Od zemalja izvoznica, Albanija je imala najveću srednju razinu AFM1 od 0,085 μg/kg i najveću maksimalnu razinu od 0,195 μg/kg. Slovenija je imala najnižu srednju razinu AFM1, a Njemačka najnižu maksimalnu razinu AFM1. Svi uzorci iz Albanije, Grčke i Bosne i Hercegovine prekoračili su maksimalnu dopuštenu razinu. Visoka prevalencija zamijećena je i u uzorcima s Kosova, iz Sjeverne Makedonije i Slovenije. Razmatrajući prosječnu dnevnu konzumaciju od jedne čašice od oko 250 g jogurta i ukupnu srednju vrijednost koncentracije aflatoksina M1 (0,071 μg/kg), izračunat je procijenjeni dnevni unos od 17,75 μg. Ovi nalazi naglašavaju važnost nadziranja i provođenja regulatornih ograničenja kako bi se osigurala sigurnost jogurta i zaštitilo javno zdravlje. Potrebno je uložiti napore za smanjenje kontaminacije AFM1 i provedbu mjera za smanjenje njegove prisutnosti u mliječnim proizvodima, posebice u regijama gdje razine prekoračuju utvrđena ograničenja

EFEMP1 binds the EGF receptor and activates MAPK and Akt pathways in pancreatic carcinoma cells

The EGF-related protein EFEMP1 (EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1) has been shown to promote tumor growth in human adenocarcinoma. To understand the mechanism of this action, the signal transduction activated upon treatment with this protein has been investigated. We show that EFEMP1 binds EGF receptor (EGFR) in a competitive manner relative to epidermal growth factor (EGF), implicating that EFEMP1 and EGF share the same or adjacent binding sites on the EGFR. Treatment of pancreatic carcinoma cells with purified EFEMP1 activates autophosphorylation of EGFR at the positions Tyr-992 and Tyr-1068, but not at the position Tyr-1048. This signal is further transduced to phosphorylation of Akt at position Thr-308 and p44/p42 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) at positions Thr-202 and Tyr-204. These downstream phosphorylation events can be inhibited by treatment with the EGFR kinase inhibitor PD 153035. The observed signal transduction upon treatment with EFEMP1 can contribute to the enhancement of tumor growth shown in pancreatic carcinoma cells overexpressing EFEMP1

Commentaries

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/67348/2/10.1177_00030651970450031204.pd