Significance of molecular diagnostics in human papilloma virus (HPV) determination

HPV infection is considered to be the most important etiologic factor in cervical cancer development. In this retrospective study, which included the period from 2000 to 2012, the results of two molecular techniques used in the detection of HPV infection among women of the South Bačka District were analyzed. By using the technique of in situ hybridization and the rPCR method, the proportion of high-risk HPV among women with normal cytology was determined to be 19.8% and 32.7%, respectively, and among women with abnormal cytology 43.1% and 61%, respectively. Among the analyzed women, HPV type 16 was the most prevalent, followed by HPV types 31, 51 and 18. Application of molecular HPV diagnosis is valuable because it increases the sensitivity of the screening test, so that the application of both tests to detect cervical cancer is a true prevention of malignancy

Modified direct orthodontic bonding metod: Effectiveness in orthodontic therapy: A retrospective clinical study

Background: The aim of the study was to determine the percentage of bond failures of placed brackets with a modified direct method in patients of both genders, different ages and malocclusion types during 12 months of initial bonding. Material and Methods: The retrospective clinical study covered the period from November 2019 to December 2022 and included thirty patients with an average age of 17.07±5.35 8 males,(average age 18.77±7.87), and 22 females, (average age 16.45±4.17) who met the criteria. A total of 600 brackets with a 0.022" slot size (Mini Sprint ® , Forestadent, Germany) were placed by a modified direct method using thin paste adhesive (Reliance Light Bond™, Itasca, USA) by one operator. The observation of bond failures lasted 12 months. Results: The total number of bond failures was 10 (1.67%), where eight patients (26,7%) experienced unwanted debonding. The number of failed brackets in relation to age and malocclusion did not show statistical significance. There was a clinical difference between the genders, in 18.2% of women and in 50% of men. Statistical significance in number of failed brackets was not significant (HR=0.343; 95% CI: 0.084-1.394; p=0.135). Conclusion: The modified direct bonding method did not show differences at the level of age, gender and type of malocclusion, but it can be one of the methods of choice during direct bonding

Influenza A and B viruses in the population of Vojvodina, Serbia

At present, two influenza A viruses, H1N1pdm09 and H3N2, along with influenza B virus co-circulate in the human population, causing endemic and seasonal epidemic acute febrile respiratory infections, sometimes with life-threatening complications. Detection of influenza viruses in nasopharyngeal swab samples was done by real-time RT-PCR. There were 60.2% (53/88) positive samples in 2010/11, 63.4% (52/82) in 2011/12, and 49.9% (184/369) in 2012/13. Among the positive patients, influenza A viruses were predominant during the first two seasons, while influenza B type was more active during 2012/13. Subtyping of influenza A positive samples revealed the presence of A (H1N1)pdm09 in 2010/11, A (H3N2) in 2011/12, while in 2012/13, both subtypes were detected. The highest seroprevalence against influenza A was in the age-group 30-64, and against influenza B in adults aged 30-64 and >65. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31084

Addressing climate change with behavioral science:A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Effectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions' effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior-several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people's initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors.</p

Addressing climate change with behavioral science: a global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Effectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions’ effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior—several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people’s initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors

Addressing climate change with behavioral science:A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Effectively reducing climate change requires marked, global behavior change. However, it is unclear which strategies are most likely to motivate people to change their climate beliefs and behaviors. Here, we tested 11 expert-crowdsourced interventions on four climate mitigation outcomes: beliefs, policy support, information sharing intention, and an effortful tree-planting behavioral task. Across 59,440 participants from 63 countries, the interventions' effectiveness was small, largely limited to nonclimate skeptics, and differed across outcomes: Beliefs were strengthened mostly by decreasing psychological distance (by 2.3%), policy support by writing a letter to a future-generation member (2.6%), information sharing by negative emotion induction (12.1%), and no intervention increased the more effortful behavior-several interventions even reduced tree planting. Last, the effects of each intervention differed depending on people's initial climate beliefs. These findings suggest that the impact of behavioral climate interventions varies across audiences and target behaviors.</p

Metabolomics study of the desiccation and recovery process in the resurrection plants Ramonda serbica and R. nathaliae

Introduction Ramonda serbica and R. nathaliae are resurrection plants that have the remarkable ability to survive the complete desiccation of their vegetative organs (i.e. leaves, stem, roots) during periods of drought and rapidly revive when rewatered and rehydrated. Objective To investigate metabolic changes in R. serbica and R. nathaliae during their desiccation and recovery process Methods Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS)-based metabolomics approach coupled with multivariate data analysis was utilised to identify the metabolomes of the plants from 90 biological replicates. Results Sucrose and the polyphenolic glycoside myconoside were predominant in almost equal amounts in all samples studied, regardless of their water content at sampling. During the dehydration process, a decrease in the relative content of fructose, galactose, and galactinol was observed while the contents of those metabolites were preserved in the partially rehydrated plants. Raffinose and myo-inositol were accumulated in dry samples. Conclusion Using 1H-NMR and GC–MS as two complementary analytical platforms provided a more complete picture of the metabolite composition for investigation of the desiccation and recovery process in resurrection plants

Viral gastrointestinal syndrome in our environment

Viral gastrointestinal syndrome is a cause of morbidity and death worldwide. Infection is spread through contact with an infected person, as well as through contaminated food and water. A lethal outcome is possible in infants and young children due to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. The study included 141 patients with gastroenteritis from Vojvodina. Real-Time PCR method in stool samples was used to determine the presence of rota-, noro-, and astrovirus nucleic acid. Out of 141 patients with gastroenteritis, 60.3% were confirmed to have one of the three viruses. Rotavirus was significantly more common in children up to 3 years of age (43.3%). Norovirus was more frequently detected in patients older than 20 (50%). These infections started in collectives. Astrovirus was detected in four patients (2.8%). The results confirm the necessity to implement PCR in routine diagnostics for the proper treatment of patients

West Nile virus infection in humans and other vertebrates

The West Nile virus is an arthropod borne or ARBO virus from the Flaviviridae family, which is maintained in nature in the transmission cycle between hosting birds and ornithophilic mosquito vectors. The virus is capable of infecting different vertebrate species and 60 mosquito species. The infection in humans can be asymptomatic or it can have different clinical manifestations ranging from light febrile diseases to fatal meningoencephalitis. This paper presents recent findings on the activity of the West Nile virus in Europe, the USA and Serbia. Presented are the results of serological testing of human populations and animals in Serbia, and the methods of molecular diagnostics to prove the existence of the virus. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. TR31084 i br. TR43007