HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT BASED ON ANTHROPOMETRIC INDICATORS IN MEN IN NEW BELGRADE

Introduction: There is little data on the association of metabolic syndrome and health status in Serbian men, so our intention was to investigate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in men with no history of diabetes or cardiovascular disease in New Belgrade, Serbia; to determine which of the anthropometric parameters (body mass index—BMI and waist circumference—WC) is best for the evaluation of health risks in primary care, especially the risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Research Methods and Procedures: The study involved 132 healthy men ages 44.73 ± 9.37 years. Anthropometric values were measured in all the patients. Blood pressure, blood biochemistry (high-density lipoprotein- cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, blood glucose) and analysis of their medical records were also done. Analysis of consistency has been used in testing hypothesis. Results: The sample consisted of 132 patients with mean age 44.73 ± 9.37 years. The prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was 44.7%. Analysis of consistence showed differences in the combined predictive ability of anthropometric indicators and other factors of MetS. Conclusions: BMI andWCare the simple measures of adiposity most strongly associated with metabolic abnormalities. Our findings suggest that WC can not be used as a complementary measurement to identify health risks in any group of me

Involvement of the Renin‐Angiotensin System in Atherosclerosis

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a well known for its role in the regulation of the blood pressure (BP). Angiotensin II (Ang II), the main mediator of the RAS, may act either, as a systemic molecule or a locally produced factor. Within the vessel wall it has significant proinflammatory role by inducing the oxidative stress, secretion of inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules. Ang II could trigger proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and its migration to the outer layer of the vessel wall. It could induce the release of matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs), from human VSMC and thus increase susceptibility to rupture of atherosclerotic lesions. Binding of Ang II to AT1R/AT2R could have opposing actions in vascular injury. The ACE2/Ang (1-7)/Mas axis of the RAS also opposes the unfavourable actions of ACE/Ang II/ATR1 axis. Inhibition of RAS could reduce inflammation-associated processes in vasculature, independently of lowering BP. RAS is significantly modulated by the genes coding for this system. Certain genetic variants (SNPs) in the RAS genes have been denoted as the functional ones and have been associated with hypertension, cardiovascular phenotypes and atherosclerosis. Also, the genetic components of the RAS interfere with the regulators of gene expression by microRNAs (miRs)

Polyphenol-Rich Aronia melanocarpa Juice Consumption Affects LINE-1 DNA Methylation in Peripheral Blood Leukocytes in Dyslipidemic Women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is associated with alterations in DNA methylation and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) profile, both modulated by dietary polyphenols. The present parallel, placebo-controlled study (part of the original clinical study registered as NCT02800967 at www.clinicaltrials.gov) aimed to determine the impact of 4-week daily consumption of polyphenol-rich Aronia melanocarpa juice (AMJ) treatment on Long Interspersed Nucleotide Element-1 (LINE-1) methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes and on plasma PUFAs, in subjects (n = 54, age range of 40.2 ± 6.7 years) at moderate CVD risk, including an increased body mass index, central obesity, high normal blood pressure, and/or dyslipidemia. The goal was also to examine whether factors known to affect DNA methylation (folate intake levels, MTHFR C677T gene variant, anthropometric and metabolic parameters) modulated the LINE-1 methylation levels upon the consumption of polyphenol-rich aronia juice. Experimental analysis of LINE-1 methylation was done by MethyLight method. MTHFR C677T genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism method, and folate intake was assessed by processing the data from the food frequency questionnaire. PUFAs were measured by gas–liquid chromatography, and serum lipid profile was determined by using Roche Diagnostics kits. The statistical analyses were performed using Statistica software package. In the comparison after vs. before the treatment period, in dyslipidemic women (n = 22), we observed significant decreases in LINE-1 methylation levels (97.54 ± 1.50 vs. 98.39 ± 0.86%, respectively; P = 0.01) and arachidonic acid/eicosapentaenoic acid ratio [29.17 ± 15.21 vs. 38.42 (25.96–89.58), respectively; P = 0.02]. The change (after vs. before treatment) in LINE-1 methylation directly correlated with the presence of MTHFR 677T allele, average daily folate intake, and the change in serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol but inversely correlated with the change in serum triacylglycerols (R = 0.72, R2 = 0.52, adjusted R2 = 0.36, P = 0.03). The current results imply potential cardioprotective effects of habitual polyphenol-rich aronia juice consumption achieved through the modifications of DNA methylation pattern and PUFAs in subjects at CVD risk, which should be further confirmed. Hence, the precision nutrition-driven modulations of both DNA methylation and PUFA profile may become targets for new approaches in the prevention of CVD

Serous borderline tumor of the fallopian tube presented as hematosalpinx: a case report

BACKGROUND: Compared with their ovarian counterparts, serous borderline tumors of the fallopian tube are uncommon, with limited experience about their clinical behaviour. We present a case of serous borderline tumor of the fallopian tube with unusual presentation and summarise all the published cases to date. CASE PRESENTATION: A case of serous borderline tumor of the fallopian tube in a 34-year old patient is presented, incidentally found during routine gynecologic examination. At laparoscopy the tumor was unusualy presented as hematosalpinx and was treated by salpingectomy. Cell-cycle analysis of the tumor tissue revealed a diploid DNA content and a low S-phase fraction. There was no evidence of the disease during the follow-up period of 4.6 years. CONCLUSION: The current case and review of the literature suggest salpingectomy as the optimal treatment for patients with serous borderline tumor of the fallopian tube

Genetic Factors Underlying Susceptibility to Acute Pyelonephritis and Post-infectious Renal Damage

Chapter of the book "Recent Advances in the Field of Urinary Tract Infections" [https://doi.org/10.5772/46044

LINE-1 DNA METHYLATION AND CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS IN DOWN SYNDROME

DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism that plays a significant role in regulating gene activity during cardiac development. Congenital heart defects (CHD) are one of the most common abnormalities occurring in 40% -60% of cases with Down syndrome (DS). The main aim of this study was to establish the association of long interspersed nucleotide element-1 (LINE-1) DNA methylation in children with DS and the presence of CHD. The LINE-1 DNA methylation was investigated in peripheral blood lymphocytes on a sample of 42 people with DS by quantification of LINE-1 methylation using the MethyLight method. No significant differences in global DNA methylation were found according to the presence of CHD (P=1.000), but values of LINE-1 DNA methylation were significantly influenced by gender (R2=19.1%; P=0.025). Significant probability of 19.1% was found in women with DS who had lower LINE-1 DNA methylation values than DS male. Gender was a statistically significant predictor of LINE-1 DNA methylation, although the difference was not statistically significant, female subjects had lower LINE-1 DNA methylation values (P=0.068). Further research will clarify the role of lower LINE-1 DNA methylation in the formation of CHD among DS females

Efekti različitih vrsta organskog đubriva na veličinu tela i produkciju daphnia magna

U akvakulturi se već decenijama masovno proizvodi zooplankton kao živa hrana za gajenje mlađi riba, rakova i mekušaca. Za slatkovodne ribe se osim naupliusa artemije i rotatorija može koristiti i veliki broj drugih organizama, naročito iz grupe Cladocera (Daphnia magna, D. carinata i dr.). Korišćenje organiskog đubriva (stajnjaka) za proizvodnju žive hrane, može biti ekološki (uklanjanje nutrijenata) i ekonomski isplativo. Stajnjak je bogat izvor azota, fosfora i ugljenika kao i organskih materija i kao takav se može koristiti kao alternativni izvor nutrijenata za gajenje žive hrane za potrebe akvakulture. Cilj ovog istraživanja je bio ispitivanje efekata 4 različite vrste stajnjaka (goveđi, ovčiji, koziji i riblji) na produkciju i veličinu tela D. magna. Eksperiment je realizovan u laboratorijskim uslovima, u 1L čašama, u dozi od 1g/L stajnjaka. Pored praćenja hemijskih parametara (kiseonik, elektroprovodljivost, pH, ukupan fosfor, nejonizovani amonijak), određivana je i ukupna brojnost dafnija kao i njihova veličina iz celih uzoraka. Tri veličinske klase dafnija (mala, srednja i velika) su ispitivane da bi se dobio uvid u populacionu strukturu i reproduktivni potencijal dafnija za čije su gajenje korišćeni različiti stajnjaci. Značajno veća brojnost dafnija (P<0.05) dobijena je u tretmanu sa goveđim stajnjakom, u odnosu na tretmane sa ovčijim i kozijim stajnjakom. Između ostalih nije bilo značajnih razlika. Kada se razmatraju veličinske klase, statistički značajno najveću brojnost su imale male D. magna u svim tretmanima u odnosu na velike. Na osnovu dobijenih rezultata, može se reći da je tretman sa goveđim stajnjakom pokazao najbolje rezultate i kada je u pitanju ukupna brojnost, ali i brojnost po veličinskim klasama (prosečna brojnost malih, srednjih i velikih dafnija je bila najveća). Osim toga ovaj tretman se izdvajao od ostalih i po svim hemijskim parametrima. U njemu je izmerena najveća prosečna koncentracija kiseonika, elektroprovodljivosti i pH, a najmanja koncentracija ukupnog fosfora i nejonizovanog amonijaka. U zaključku se može reći da je goveđi stajnjak obezbedio najbolje uslove za rast i reprodukciju D. magna

LINE-1 DNA METHYLATION AND CONGENITAL HEART DEFECTS IN DOWN SYNDROME

DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism that plays a significant role in regulating gene activity during cardiac development. Congenital heart defects (CHD) are one of the most common abnormalities occurring in 40% -60% of cases with Down syndrome (DS). The main aim of this study was to establish the association of long interspersed nucleotide element-1 (LINE-1) DNA methylation in children with DS and the presence of CHD. The LINE-1 DNA methylation was investigated in peripheral blood lymphocytes on a sample of 42 people with DS by quantification of LINE-1 methylation using the MethyLight method. No significant differences in global DNA methylation were found according to the presence of CHD (P=1.000), but values of LINE-1 DNA methylation were significantly influenced by gender (R2=19.1%; P=0.025). Significant probability of 19.1% was found in women with DS who had lower LINE-1 DNA methylation values than DS male. Gender was a statistically significant predictor of LINE-1 DNA methylation, although the difference was not statistically significant, female subjects had lower LINE-1 DNA methylation values (P=0.068). Further research will clarify the role of lower LINE-1 DNA methylation in the formation of CHD among DS females

Uloga i značaj zooplanktona u poluintenzivnom sistemu gajenja šarana

Jedan od svetski najzastupljenijih sistema za gajenje riba je poluintenzivni sistem koji čini više od 80% (Tacon and De Silva, 1997). U najtradicionalnijem obliku, prisutnom uglavnom u Aziji, veći deo nutritivnih potreba riba se zadovoljava iz prirodne hrane, prisutne u jezeru, dok se manji deo zadovoljava kroz dodatnu hranu. Osnovna ideja ovog sistema je da se potrebe riba u proteinima zadovoljavaju konzumiranjem zooplanktona, zoobentosa i druge prirodne hrane, dok se energetske potrebe zadovoljavaju žitaricama i drugim lokalnim proizvodima u obliku dodatne hrane. Poslednjih godina u zemljama jugoistočne Evrope (Srbiji, BiH, Bugarskoj, Rumuniji) sve se više koristi peletirana i ekstrudirana hrana, umesto žitarica ili u kombinaciji sa žitaricama uz iskorišćavanje prirodne hrane iz samog ribnjaka. Zooplankton predstavlja važanu prirodnu hranu za larve i odrasle stadijume mnogih vrsta riba koje se gaje u akvakulturi. On je i glavna prirodna hrana za larve i mesečnjake šarana, a zajedno sa faunom dna, predstavlja hranu za mlađ i gajenog konzumnog šarana. Zooplankton je značajan izvor proteina, amino kiselina, lipida, masnih kisenina, minerala i enzima (Kibria et al., 1997). U novim ribnjacima zooplankton je uglavnom poreklom iz vode za vodosnabdevanje, dok u starijim objektima, deo ovih organizama potiče iz banke trajnih jaja koja se nalaze u sedimentu, najčešće do dubine od 2 do 10 cm, odakle se jedan deo svake sezone razvija i prelazi u vodu. Razvitak zooplanktonskih organizama (Rotatoria, Cladocera, Copepoda), ima izraženu sezonalnost, pa je maksimum produkcije karakterističan za maj i jun (Paterson, 1993). Na žalost, tokom letnjih meseci (jul i avgust), kada postoje optimalni temperaturni uslovi za rast šarana, najčešće se javlja značajan pad uglavnom svih grupa zooplanktona a naročito kladocera i kopepoda. Ovaj pad u produktivnosti je pre svega rezultat sezonalnosti zooplanktonskih organizama a može biti i posledica velikog pritiska riba na zooplankton u uslovim gustog nasada riba. Do izvesne mere se produkcija prirodne hrane može podstaći upotrebom veštačkih đubriva ili stajnjaka, koji zapravo dovode do porasta produkcije fitoplanktona koji je osnov ishrane za zooplanktonske organizme. Larve šarana mogu da konzumiraju manje oblike zooplanktona kao što su rotatorije i nauplius larve kopepoda. Sa porastom, šaran počinje da konzumira krupnije oblike kladocera i kopepoda, a potom i organizme faune dna, hironomide i oligohete. Za šarana i druge vrste Teleostea, krupniji oblici zooplanktona, naročito krupne kladocere (Daphni magna i D. pulex) predstavljaju lako uočljiv plen, ne samo zbog dimenzija tela, već i zbog dobro pigmentisanog i krupnog oka. Osim toga, starije uzrasne kategorije šarana imaju tako razvijeni usni aparat koji je prilagođen za sakupljanje hrane koja je veća od 250 μm (Sibbing et al., 1986). Usled ovoga, na početku proizvodne sezone, na većini ribnjaka nasađenih sa jedno- i dvogodišnjom mlađi, vrlo brzo dolazi do istrebljenja krupnih zooplanktonskih organizama, što dovodi do dominacije rotatorija, larvi kopepoda kao i malih kladocera, kao što je Bosmina longirostris, jer više nema kompeticije za hranom. U slučajevima kada postoji niska produkcija prirodne hrane, a ne postoji mogućnost đubrenja, usled npr. visoke temperature vode, dodatni objekti kao što su neupotrebljiva ribnjačka jezera, jame ili pak veliki tankovi, mogu poslužiti za dodatnu produkciju prirodne hrane – zooplanktonskih organizama. Masovna proizvodnja prirodne hrane na ovaj način može biti relativno jeftina posebno kada se kao đubrivo koristi stajnjak. Za manje količine zooplanktona, sakupljanje se može obaviti pomoću velikih planktonskih mreža zakačenih za čamac ili se mogu vući sa obale. Ukoliko su u pitanju veći objekti u kojima se gaji zooplankton, za sakupljanje se može koristiti adaptiran čamac po ugledu na "Baleen sistem" koji je poseduje deo koji zahvata vodu i mrežu za proceđivanje, nakon čega se organizmi propuštaju kroz seriju mrežica čime se raspoređuju po veličinskim klasama. Razmatrajući svetski problem nedostatka vode i potrebe za održivom upotrebom vode i nutrijenata u akvakulturi neophodno je unapređenje dosadašnje prakse poluintenzivnog gajenja šarana. Prirodna hrana predstavlja obnovljiv izvor proteina, amino kiselina, masti i masnih kiselina, za gajene ribe i zato usavršavanje poluinteinzivnog sistema između ostalih mera unapređenja treba da ide i u pravcu njihovog većeg korišćenja bilo iz samih ribnjačkih objekata za gajenje šarana ili iz planktonskih jama, jezera ili tankova za njihovo gajenje. Na ovaj način će se omogućiti ekonomičnije iskorišćavanje prirodne hrane, a u kombinaciji sa optimalnom dodatnom hranom će nutritivne potrebe riba biti u potpunosti zadovoljene

Ultrastructural characteristics of the vascular wall components of ruptured atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysm

The aim of this study was to determine the ultrastructural characteristics of cell populations and extracellular matrix components in the wall of ruptured atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). We analyzed 20 samples of ruptured AAA. For orientation to the light microscopy, we used routine histochemical techniques by standard procedures. For ultrastructural analysis, we applied transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Our results have shown that ruptured AAA is characterized by the remains of an advanced atherosclerotic lesion in the intima followed by a complete absence of endothelial cells, the disruption of basal membrane and disruption of internal elastic lamina. On plaque margins as well as in the inner media we observed smooth muscle cells (SMCs) that posses a euchromatic nucleus, a well-developed granulated endoplasmic reticulum around the nucleus and reduced myofilaments. The remains of the ruptured lipid core were acellular in all samples; however, on the lateral sides of ruptured plaque we observed a presence of two types of foam cells (FCs), spindle- and star-shaped. Fusiform FCs possess a well-differentiated basal lamina, caveolae and electron dense bodies, followed by a small number of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. Star-shaped FCs contain a large number of lipid droplets and do not possess basal lamina. On the inner margins of the plaque, we observed a large number of cells undergoing apoptosis and necrosis, extracellular lipid droplets as well as a large number of lymphocytes. The media was thinned out with disorganized elastic lamellas, while the adventitia exhibited leukocyte infiltration. The presented results suggest that atherosclerotic plaque in ruptured AAA contains vascular SMC synthetic phenotype and two different types of FCs: some were derived from monocyte/macrophage lineage, while others were derived from SMCs of synthetic phenotype. The striking plaque hypocellularity was the result of apoptosis and necrosis of different cell populations