Genotoksični efekat metanolskog ekstrakta biljke Cotinus Coggygria Scop. kod Drosophila Melanogaster

Plant extracts that appear to have favorable properties, may contain chemical compounds with mutagenic, teratogenic and/or carcinogenic activity, and it is of great importance to the inclusion of genotoxic approaches to toxicological evaluation of plant extracts. Using a comet assay on eukaryotic model organism Drosophila melanogaster in in vivo condition, potential genotoxic activity of the methanol extract of plant Cotinus coggygria Scop. was determined. Treatment with the methanol extracts, at a concentration of 1%, caused no significant changes compared to the negative control. Based on the distribution of comet class and selected quantitative parameters (% DNA in tail and tail length) it can be concluded that a methanol extract obtained from C. coggygria at a concentration of 1% does not shows genotoxic activity.Uključivanje genotoksičnog pristupa u toksikološku evaluaciju biljnih ekstrakata, koji i pored povoljnih svojstava mogu da sadrže komponente sa mutagenim, teratogenim i/ili kancerogenim aktivnostima, je od velike važnosti. Primenom Komet testa kod eukariotskog model organizma Drosophila melanogaster u in vivo uslovima ispitivana je genotoksična aktivnost metanolskog ekstrakta biljke Cotinus coggygria Scop. Тretman sa ekstraktom u koncentraciji od 1% nije uzrokovao statistički značajne promene u odnosu na negativnu kontrolu. Na osnovu raspodela komet klasa i odabranih kvantitativnih parametara može se zaključiti da ekstrakt biljke C. coggygria ne pokazuje genotoksičnu aktivnost

Mental Health Assessment of Cancer Patients: Prevalence and Predictive Factors of Depression and Anxiety

Background: Patients with oncological diseases often have mental disorders in the form of comorbidity. The aim of this study was to research the association of cancer with the presence of symptoms of depression and anxiety in primary health care patients.Methods: This prospective observational study done in 2020 included adult users of health care at the Health Center Trstenik, Central Serbia, aged 19 and over, both sexes, with a diagnosis of oncological disease. A research instrument to assess depressive symptoms is used PHQ-9 (The Patient Health Questionnaire) questionnaire, derived from PRIME MD- and (The Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders), and the Beck Anxiety Scale (BAI) to register the presence of certain anxiety symptoms.Results: The largest percentage of patients had symptoms of mild (27.2%) or moderate depression (22%), while 18% reported symptoms of major depression. The level of depression was higher in older subjects, in the presence of chronic diseases with greater limitations of activity and the presence of difficulties in performing daily activities, with a more pronounced effect of pain on activity, the presence of stress. All subjects were characterized as persons with severe anxiety (score 26-63). The level of anxiety was higher in older respondents, in the presence of long-term illness, with greater limitations of activities and difficulties in performing daily activities, with a more pronounced influence of pain on performing activities and the influence of the media.Conclusion: Caring for the mental health of cancer patients must occupy a significant part of each country's national health policy

Genotoxic potential of Cotinus coggygria Scop. (Anacardiaceae) stem extract in vivo

The intention was to evaluate the possible in vivo genotoxic potential in different cell-types, of a methanol extract obtained from the plant stem of Cotinus coggygria Scop., using the sex-linked recessive lethal (or SLRL) test and alkaline comet assay. The SLRL test, revealed the genotoxic effect of this extract in postmeiotic and premeiotic germ-cell lines. The comet assay was carried out on rat liver and bone marrow at 24 and 72 h after intraperitoneal administration. For genotoxic evaluation, three concentrations of the extract were tested, viz., 500, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg body weight (bw), based on the solubility limit of the extract in saline. Comet tail moment and total scores in the group treated with 500 mg/kg bw, 24 and 72 h after treatment, were not significantly different from the control group, whereas in the groups of animals, under the same conditions, but with 1000 and 2000 mg/kg bw of the extract, scores were statistically so. A slight decrease in the comet score and tail moment observed in all the doses in the 72 h treatment, gave to understand that DNA damage induced by Cotinus coggygria extract decreased with time. The results of both tests revealed the genotoxic effect of Cotinus coggygria under our experimental conditions

Key factors determining indoor air PM10 concentrations in naturally ventilated primary schools in Belgrade, Serbia

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is rated as a serious public health issue. Knowing children are accounted as more vulnerable to environmental health hazards, data are needed on air quality in schools

Efficiency of Small Scale Manually Fed Boilers —Mathematical Models

This study reviews test results for a biomass-fired hot water boiler with a nominal boiler thermal power of 120 kW. In the experiments, prismatic wheat straw bales were used as biomass. The impact of the quantity (220, 290, 360 and 430 m<sup>3</sup> h<sup>−1</sup>) of inlet air fed to the boiler firebox was continuously monitored. This was to examine the influence of the quantity of inlet air and recirculation (0, 16.5 and 33%) of combustion products on the boiler thermal power and boiler energy efficiency. Thus, the following mathematical models and formulas were presented: correlation between boiler thermal power and bale residence time; bale mass loss during the combustion process; correlation between boiler energy efficiency and bale residence time. Mathematical models were obtained by using experimental data and by applying nonlinear regression analysis. Adjustment evaluation of mathematical models with experimental data was performed based on the determination coefficient, <em>t</em>-test and <em>F</em>-test. Increase the amount of air throughout the firebox produced boiler thermal power increase and bale residence time decrease. It was shown that combustion products recirculation of 16.5% partly improved boiler characteristics, while the recirculation of 33% did not, comparing with the case without recirculation

Inovação tecnológica e design em empresas moveleiras

Este trabalho teve como objetivo buscar compreender o comportamento de micro e pequenos empresários no setor de móveis do município de Curitiba em relação a investimentos em inovação ecnológica e design. Inicialmente, foi identificada a importância da microrregião (MR) de Curitiba para o setor moveleiro no Estado do Paraná, sendo classificada como de média importância para o Estado, além de ser a MR com maior concentração de empresas moveleiras. No entanto, o setor analisado foi considerado de pouca importância para a microregião, não se sobressaindo sobre os demais setores existentes. Posteriormente, realizou-se entrevistas com empresários produtores de móveis no município de Curitiba por meio de um questionário estruturado para conhecer características tecnológicas que impactam nas empresas e identificar gargalos que eles consideram relevantes para a indústria. Dessa forma, foram identificados gargalos que dificultam a ocorrência de investimentos em inovações tecnológicas e design em micro e pequenas empresas moveleiras no município de Curitiba, sendo os principais: 1. Baixa qualidade da mão de obra; 2. Falta de interação entre as empresas moveleiras e instituições de pesquisa e ensino e entre as próprias empresas do setor; 3. Falta de conhecimento sobre as inovações tecnológicas e os ganhos proporcionados por elas. Por último, foram identificados programas e linhas de ações em instituições públicas e privadas que incentivassem empresários a investir em inovações tecnológicas e design, abrangendo desde palestras até cursos profissionalizantes, além de legislação específica sobre inovações tecnológicas e incentivos. No entanto, foi constatado que os empresários não utilizavam de forma frequente esses incentivos. Concluiu-se, também, que os empresários analisados reconheciam a importância da inovação tecnológica e design para sua competitividade, porém, não havia grande intensidade de investimentos. Os principais impactos resultantes das inovações foram em aspectos ligados ao mercado – manter ou aumentar participação no mercado –,além da melhoria na qualidade. Em geral, os empresários adotavam a estratégia de atuarem de forma isolada, com poucas cooperações entre empresas e instituições do setor moveleiro. Em relação ao design, os empresários reconhecem a importância dessa ferramenta como valorização dos móveis, contudo, a inovação ocorreu basicamente na estética do móvel - muitas vezes por meio da cópia de produtos de concorrentes expostos em revistas, mostras e feiras -, não dando a devida importância a outros aspectos do design. Por último, foram sugeridas diretrizes por meio dos instrumentos de política para minimizar ou solucionar os gargalos