Comparison of Custodiol® and modified St. Thomas cardioplegia for myocardial protection in coronary artery bypass grafting

Background/Aim. Custodiol® is a hyperpolarizing cardioplegic solution which has been used in our national cardiac surgical practice exclusively for the heart transplant surgery. Owing to its numerous advantages over the standard depolarizing solutions, Custodiol® became cardioplegic solution of choice for all other cardiac surgical procedures in many cardio-surgical centers. This study evaluated myocardial protection by Custodiol® compared to modified St. Thomas cardioplegic solution in coronary artery bypass surgery. Methods. In a prospective four-month study, 110 consecutive adult patients who underwent primary isolated elective on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were randomized into the Custodiol® group (n = 54) and the St. Thomas groupa (n = 50), based on the type of administered cardioplegia; six patients were excluded. Cardiac protection was achieved as antegrade cold crystalloid cardioplegia by one of the solutions. Myocardial preservation was assessed through following outcomes: spontaneous rhythm restoration post cross-clamp, and postpoperative cardiac specific enzymes level, ejection fraction (EF) change, inotropic support, myocardial infarction (MI), atrial fibrillation (AF), and death. Results. Preoperative and intraoperative characteristics of patients in both groups were similar except for a considerably longer cross-clamp time in the Custodiol® group (49.1 ± 19.0 vs. 41.0 ± 12.9 minutes; p = 0.022). The Custodiol® group exhibited a higher rate of return to spontaneous rhythm compared to the St. Thomas group (31.5% vs. 20.0%, respectively; p = 0.267), lower rates of AF (20.4% vs. 28%, respectively; p = 0.496), MI (1.8% vs. 10.0%, respectively; p = 0.075) and inotropic support (9.0% vs. 12.0%, respectively; p = 0.651), albeit not statistically significant. There was an insignificant difference in peak value of troponin I between the Custodiol® and Thee St. Thomas group (5.0 ± 3.92 μg/L vs. 4.5 ± 3.39 μg/L, respectively; p = 0.755) and creatine kinase-MB (26.9 ± 15.4 μg/L vs. 28.5 ± 24.2 μg/L, respectively; p = 0.646) 6 hours post-surgery. EF reduction was comparable (0.81% vs. 1.26%; p = 0.891). There were no deaths in both groups. Conclusions. Custodiol® and modified St.Thomas cardioplegic solution have comparable cardioprotective effects in CABG surgery. The trends of less frequent MI, AF and ino-tropic support, despite the longer cross-clamp time in the Custodiol® group may suggest that its benefits could be ascertained in a larger study

Chrysomyxa pirolata G. Wint in Rabenh: New parasitic fungus on the cones and seeds of spruce

The new spruce disease known as "spruce cone rust" was discovered for the first time in Serbia and Montenegro. The fungus was detected in spruce forests only in the mountains regions (Kopaonik, Zlatar, Durmitor). This rust periodically damages the cones in localised forest areas and can be a serious problem. Usually seeds are not formed in diseased cones, and even when they are produced, malformation and resinosis of the cones hinder seed dispersal or extraction. Those seeds that are formed tend to weigh less and have poor germination. As this disease is a serious problem, care must be taken to prevent the spread of the disease to the new uninfected regions

The distribution, hosts, epidemiology, impact and control of fungus Mycosphaerella pini E. Rostrup apud Munk in Serbia

M. pini is one the most widespread and dangerous pathogenic fungi in the plantations of Pinus species in the world. This fungus has been observed on more than fifty Pinus species, and on European Larch, Douglas Fir, Norway Spruce, Serbian Spruce and Sitka Spruce. In Serbia, M. pini caused greatest damage in plantations of Austrian pine (P. nigra Arn). In Serbia both states of the fungus have been observed, i.e. conidiomata and ascostromata. Conidia are far more significant in the infection process. The critical period for infections is May - June. Of the all tested fungicides, the best results have been obtained by copper protectants. In heavily infected plantations of Austrian pine the protections should be carried out in the period when the plantations are 5-20(25) years old

The most frequent powdery mildews on forest woody species and their impact

The most frequent fungus species known as powdery mildews, causing the diseases of forest trees, were studied. Among forest woody species, oaks are especially susceptible to powdery mildew attack, and among them pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L) is highly endangered. This paper reports 49 species of powdery mildews. However, Microsphaera alphitoides has the greatest significance in forest economy, causing the decline of seedlings in nurseries and also aggravating the natural regeneration of pedunculate oak. This fungus, together with gypsy moth and honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) participates in the dying of old oak trees. Powdery mildews can be successfully controlled by fungicides, and sulphur fungicides Karatan and Rubigan are especially effective

Gremmeniella abietina (Lagerb.) Morelet: Distribution in Serbia and Montenegro, significance and control

Fungus G. abietina is one of the most dangerous pathogenic fungi occurring in conifer plantations and Pinus species are especially at risk. Among pines, the most susceptible species is Austrian pine, and particularly endangered plantations are between 8 and 25 years of age. This fungus was found in Serbia and Montenegro on Austrian pine, Scots pine and spruce, but it was only in mountainous regions (Kopaonik, Vlasina, Goč, Durmitor). G. abietina forms both stages (anamorph and teleomorph) in its development. The imperfect form is far more significant for the infection process, i.e. the pycnidial stage and generally all infections are caused by conidia (pycnospores). Apothecia will be formed on the bark only two years after tree dying. In the severely infected plantations, all dead trees should be felled and removed, and the remaining trees should be treated with copper fungicides

Hypoxylon species on beech and other broadleaves

Fungi in the genus Hypoxylon cause wood decay and most of them are saprophytes on dead wood or parasites of weakness. The following species in this genus were identified in this study performed at several localities in Serbia and Montenegro: H. deustum, H. fragiforme, H. nummularium, H. multiforme, H. rubiginosum and H. fuscum. Among them the most significant species is H. deustum, the fungus causing root and butt rot of standing beech trees. It was recorded from all coppice and high forests of beech. This paper presents the morphological characteristics of the recorded fungi their range, plant hosts and significance

Aleppo pine defense against Sphaeropsis sapinea, Cronartium flaccidum and other fungal pathogens in the Mediterranean part of Montenegro

Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) is the most widely disturbed conifer tree in native forest and plantations throughout the Adriatic coast of Montenegro. However, pathogenic fungi in the region are extremely diversified and constitute the principal threat to healthy tree growth: 15 pathogenic fungal species have beden identified in the Eumediterranean zone - a typical habitat of Aleppo pine, whereas 21 fungal pathogens occurred in northern Submediterranean zone - an atypical habitat for Aleppo pine in Montenegro. Greatest damages are inflicted by Sphaeropsis sapinea, a pathogenic generalist on pine, and Cronartium flaccidum, causal agent of rust disease on pine. The following relates, for the first time, the presence of hypersensitive response (HR) in young needles and shoots (organs rich in nitrogen) as a specific defense mechanism in Aleppo pine against Sphaeropsis sapinea, an otherwise very harmful pathogen for Austrian pine (Pinus nigra Arn.) and other pines in the Mediterranean part of Montenegro. Thus, better understanding of the ecology of S. sapinea, of C. flaccidum, as well as of associated mycobiota and mechanisms of host defense are essential for establishing measures and tools for protection of Aleppo pine ecosystems

Biology of forest tree protection: its tasks and perspectives

The logical conclusion of the short analysis of criteria on natural resource planning and management in situ and ex situ (scale, number, intraspecific variability, ecology of communities, policy, economy, organisation of research, recreation), referring to active biological protection of trees, is as follows: biological resources of trees in situ and ex situ should be large, diverse and geographically and ecologically distributed throughout the country. Their number and scale depend on our potentials. At the beginning of the new century, we have to create an active (functional) strategy of the protection of tree biology, especially endemic and relic species. Accordingly, the biologists interested in tree resource protection should already exercise their influence in solving these issues (organisation of active protection, more or less directed reproduction, of economically significant species, etc). The biological protection of trees has an intensive development in the developed countries of the world, while the developing countries are trying to follow the trend, depending on their material sources, culture and attitude of their state government Biological protection of trees is an open, new, and very wide area of further research in already set aside natural resources in situ and ex situ. This is a new field of research, without a long tradition. Along with the scientific value of this approach of the systematic and systemic solution of more or less directed tree reproduction, we also need an economic stimulation. The scope and the complexity of this field of research requires further scientific work of a greater number of teams, some of which should be supported by forestry profession and the society in general The introduction of the model of tree recombination system enables a completely new approach to quality control of the successive generations of trees. This means that all current and planned measures in the model must be clearly scientifically defined, integrally (ecosystem) understood and, most importantly, efficiently realized. Also, their definition and realisation must be synchronised and continual both in case of short-term and long-term measures, which are interdependent and inter-conditioned

RAZLIKE U MOTORIČKIM SPOSOBNOSTIMA ODBOJKAŠA I NETRENIRANIH UČENIKA

Volleyball is a typical sport of polistructural motion. It is abundant in fast and varied body motions such as jumping, half-roll, rolling and throwing with fast reactions to various situations. This study was conducted with the aim of determining the difference between general motor skills of young volleyball players and untrained boys of the same age. The sample of examinees for this survey was taken from the population of boys aged 15 and 16 years. The experimental group was comprised of 16 male players from VC “Buducnost PB”.. The control group was comprised of 15 eighth grade boys from elementary school "Vuk Karadzic" from Podgorica. Testing of motor abilities in this study was conducted using the following variables: japan test, sargent’s test, standing long jump, throwing a medicine ball from lying position, raising the trunk from the ground, push-ups on the ground, hand taping, and a deep bend on the bench. From the area of comparative parametric statistics, for independent samples, T-test was applied. It was found that between the two groups (trained young volleyball players and their untrained peers in the control group), generally, there is no significant statistical difference in terms of basic motor skills. Statistically significant difference was found only in the test of raising the trunk from the ground which was used to hypothetically evaluate the repetitive potential of abdominal muscles. Only in this test, namely, the realized level of significance was below the theoretical limit (Sig. <.05).. We can assume that volleyball training has an abundance of stimulus that aim on development of abdominal muscle

The most significant parasitic and saprophytic fungi on common mistletoe (Viscum album L) and their potential application in biocontrol

Common mistletoe (Viscum album L) is a semiparasitic angiosperm, which attacks a great number of broadleaf and coniferous tree species. Especially high damage is caused by subspecies V. album subsp. abietis, which infests fir trees. This paper presents the most frequent parasitic and saprophytic fungi occurring on common mistletoe. There are altogether 22 identified species, of which the most significant are Botryosphaeria dothidea Gibberidea visci and Sphaeropsis visci. Further study should be focused on testing their potential use in the biocontrol of common mistletoe