Metabolic syndrome and central retinal artery occlusion

Background. The accumulation of risk factors for central retinal artery occlusion can be seen in a single person and might be explained by the metabolic syndrome. Case report. We presented the case of a 52-year-old man with no light perception in his right eye. The visual loss was monocular and painless, fundoscopy showed central retinal artery occlusion and the laboratory investigation showed the raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 105 mm/h and the raised C-reactive protein of 22 mg/l. Specific laboratory investigations and fluorescein angiography excluded the presence of vasculitis, collagen vascular diseases, hypercoagulable state and antiphospholipid syndrome. Conclusion. The patient met all the five of the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria for the metabolic syndrome: hypertension, abnormal lipid profile, abnormal glucose metabolism, obesity and hyperuricemia. Measurement of C-reactive protein is useful for the assessment of therapeutic systemic effect on any abnormality in the metabolic syndrome. Individual therapy for all risk factors in the metabolic syndrome is necessary to prevent complications such as cardiovascular, retinal vascular diseases and stroke

Utjecaj malčiranja na kontrolu korova i agronomska svojstva salate

Istraživanja su imala za cilj odrediti značaj utjecaja zastiranja tla različitim vrstama malča na kontrolu korova, prinos i kvalitetu dvije sorte salate (Lactuca sativa var. capitata) ‘Mafalda’ i ‘Bataille. Primjena zastiranja se odražava na povećanje temperature tla, Ispod crne polietilenske folije temperature tla je bila za 2˚С viša u usporedbi s temperaturom ispod bijelo/crne folije i agrotekstila, i za 3-5˚С u odnosu na zastiranje organskim malčem (karton, slama, piljevina, kompost) i kontrolu (ne malčirano tlo). U suzbijanju korovnih vrsta, polietilenske folije su pokazale mnogo veću učinkovitost (95,1-97,8 %) u usporedbi s organskim malčem. Najveća prisutnost korova bila je na malču sa slamom (46 biljaka/m²) u usporedbi s kontrolom (23 biljaka/m²). Pri malčiranju kompostom prinos je bio značajno do vrlo značajno veći (‘Bataille’- 4,64 kg/m² ; Mafalda’ 4,98 kg/m²) u odnosu na ostale tretmane. Malčiranje slamom kod sorte ‘Bataille’ doprinijelo je smanjenom prinosu (2,80 kg/m²). Malčiranje kompostom i crnom polietilenskom folijom utječe na značajno povećanje mase po biljci i indeks lisne površine, kao osnovnih parametara prinosa. Sorta ‘Mafalda’ je u uvjetima zastiranja pokazala veću otpornost na fiziološke poremećaje u usporedbi sa sortom ‘Bataille’

Safety and immunogenicity of a seasonal trivalent inactivated split influenza vaccine: a double blind, phase III randomized clinical trial in healthy Serbian adults

This study was a phase III, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a seasonal trivalent split, inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) in healthy Serbian adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years. This egg-based vaccine was manufactured by the Institute of Virology, Vaccines and Sera, Torlak, Belgrade, Serbia. A total of 480 participants were assigned randomly in a ratio of 2:1 to receive a single intramuscular dose (0.5 ml) of the vaccine (15 µg of hemagglutinin per strain) or placebo (phosphate-buffered saline). Participants were monitored for safety, including solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs). No SAEs related to vaccination were reported. Injection site pain (51.3%), injection site tenderness (40.4%), tiredness (17.0%), and headache (15.1%) were the most commonly reported solicited events in the vaccine group. Incidence of related unsolicited AEs was low (1.3%) among vaccinees. Hemagglutinin inhibition (HAI) titers were measured before and 21 days after vaccination in 151 participants. Overall, HAI seroconversion rates to H1 and H3 were observed in 90.1% and 76.2% of vaccinees, respectively. For B antigen, it was 51.5%, likely due to high pre-vaccination titers. Post-vaccination seroprotection rates were in the range of 78.2–95.0% for the three antigens. Post-vaccination geometric mean titers (GMT) were at least 3.8 times higher than baseline levels for all the three strains among vaccinees. Overall, the study showed that the vaccine was safe and well tolerated, and induced a robust immune response against all three vaccine strains., ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02935192, October 17, 201

How to mitigate the negative impact of climate change on vegetable production?

Povećane temperature, sunčevo zračenje, smanjena dostupnost vode za navodnjavanje i salinitet, su ograničavajući činioci u održavanju i povećanju produktivnosti povrća. U izmenjenim klimatskim uslovima često dolazi do umanjenja prinosa i kvaliteta, a uz porast problema sa bolestima i štetočinama još više čine proizvodnju povrća nerentabilnom. Da bi se ublažio negativan uticaj klimatskih promena, potrebno je razviti adekvatne strategije prilagođavanja bilјaka na novonastale uslove. Prednost bi trebalo dati razvoju proizvodnih sistema za pobolјšanje efikasnosti korišćenja vode prilagođenih uslovima toplog i suvog vremena. Razvoj genotipova, tolerantnih na visoke temperature, salinitet i otpornost na izmenjenu klimu, uz nove biotehnologije, je neophodan da bi se odgovorilo na ove izazove. Stoga, cilј ovog rada je uvođenje novih ali i tradicionalnih tehnika, koje se jednostavno primenjuju i nisu previše skupe (senčenje bilјaka, kalemlјenje, malčiranje zemlјišta i primena mikorize), da bi se ublažili negativni efekti klimatskih promena na proizvodnju povrća.Increasing temperatures, sun radiation, reduced water availability, and salinity will be the major limiting factors in sustaining and increasing vegetable productivity. Under changing climatic situations crop failures, shortage of yields, reduction in quality and increasing pest and disease problems are common and they render the vegetable production unprofitable. To mitigate the adverse impact of climatic change on productivity and quality of vegetable crops there is need to develop sound adaptation strategies. The emphasis should be on development of production systems for improved water use efficiency adoptable to the hot and dry condition. Development of genotypes tolerant to high temperature, salinity and climate proofing with new biotechnology are essentially required to meet these challenges. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to introduce new but also traditional techniques that are simple to apply and not too expensive (plant shading, grafting, soil mulching and mycorrhiza application) to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on vegetable production

How to mitigate the negative impact of climate change on vegetable production?

Povećane temperature, sunčevo zračenje, smanjena dostupnost vode za navodnjavanje i salinitet, su ograničavajući činioci u održavanju i povećanju produktivnosti povrća. U izmenjenim klimatskim uslovima često dolazi do umanjenja prinosa i kvaliteta, a uz porast problema sa bolestima i štetočinama još više čine proizvodnju povrća nerentabilnom. Da bi se ublažio negativan uticaj klimatskih promena, potrebno je razviti adekvatne strategije prilagođavanja bilјaka na novonastale uslove. Prednost bi trebalo dati razvoju proizvodnih sistema za pobolјšanje efikasnosti korišćenja vode prilagođenih uslovima toplog i suvog vremena. Razvoj genotipova, tolerantnih na visoke temperature, salinitet i otpornost na izmenjenu klimu, uz nove biotehnologije, je neophodan da bi se odgovorilo na ove izazove. Stoga, cilј ovog rada je uvođenje novih ali i tradicionalnih tehnika, koje se jednostavno primenjuju i nisu previše skupe (senčenje bilјaka, kalemlјenje, malčiranje zemlјišta i primena mikorize), da bi se ublažili negativni efekti klimatskih promena na proizvodnju povrća.Increasing temperatures, sun radiation, reduced water availability, and salinity will be the major limiting factors in sustaining and increasing vegetable productivity. Under changing climatic situations crop failures, shortage of yields, reduction in quality and increasing pest and disease problems are common and they render the vegetable production unprofitable. To mitigate the adverse impact of climatic change on productivity and quality of vegetable crops there is need to develop sound adaptation strategies. The emphasis should be on development of production systems for improved water use efficiency adoptable to the hot and dry condition. Development of genotypes tolerant to high temperature, salinity and climate proofing with new biotechnology are essentially required to meet these challenges. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to introduce new but also traditional techniques that are simple to apply and not too expensive (plant shading, grafting, soil mulching and mycorrhiza application) to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on vegetable production

The Yield, Chemical Composition, and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Different Plant Parts of the Wild and Cultivated Oregano (Origanum vulgare L.)

The present study focuses on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of essential oils from different parts (flowers or leaves/stems) of cultivated plants grown under pearl shade nets with a 40% shaded index or in nonshaded plants and wild-grown oregano. The chemical composition of isolated essential oils was determined by GC/MS and GC/FID. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. The highest yield of oregano essential oils (OEOs) was obtained in cultivated shaded plants (flowers) at 0.35 mL/100 g p.m., in contrast to nonshaded plants (flowers), where the yield of OEOs was low (0.21 mL/100 g p.m.). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the OEOs identified 16–52 constituents that varied with origin and plant organs. The oxygenated sesquiterpene caryophylleneoxide (7.4–49.9%) was predominant in all the essential oil samples. Other major constituents were sesquiterpene hydrocarbon-germacrene D (8.4–22.5%) and (E)-caryophyllene (8.5–10.8%), monoterpene hydrocarbon-sabinene (1.6–7.7%), and oxygen-containing monoterpenes-terpinen-4-ol (1.5–7.0%). The plant part has a significant effect on the antioxidant activity of OEOs, while the influenceof modified light under the shade nets is significantly lower. The OEOs from wild flowers showed the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC50 value of 4.78 mg/mL. OEOs from cultivated nonshaded plants (flowers) recorded the lowest antioxidant activity with an EC50 value of 24.63 mg/mL. The results suggest that the yield and quality of OEOs can be scaled-up by optimizing plant production in comparison with wild-growing plants. The content and quality of OEO can be increased by optimizing its production compared to plants from the spontaneous flora. Adequate cultivation techniques, such as shading, can achieve high-quality oregano yields and better quality parameters in terms of specific OEO components and meet the different requirements of the market and industrial sectors

The Yield, Chemical Composition, and Antioxidant Activities of Essential Oils from Different Plant Parts of the Wild and Cultivated Oregano (<i>Origanum vulgare</i> L.)

The present study focuses on the yield, chemical composition, and antioxidant activity of essential oils from different parts (flowers or leaves/stems) of cultivated plants grown under pearl shade nets with a 40% shaded index or in nonshaded plants and wild-grown oregano. The chemical composition of isolated essential oils was determined by GC/MS and GC/FID. Antioxidant activity was determined using the DPPH assay. The highest yield of oregano essential oils (OEOs) was obtained in cultivated shaded plants (flowers) at 0.35 mL/100 g p.m., in contrast to nonshaded plants (flowers), where the yield of OEOs was low (0.21 mL/100 g p.m.). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of the OEOs identified 16–52 constituents that varied with origin and plant organs. The oxygenated sesquiterpene caryophylleneoxide (7.4–49.9%) was predominant in all the essential oil samples. Other major constituents were sesquiterpene hydrocarbon-germacrene D (8.4–22.5%) and (E)-caryophyllene (8.5–10.8%), monoterpene hydrocarbon-sabinene (1.6–7.7%), and oxygen-containing monoterpenes-terpinen-4-ol (1.5–7.0%). The plant part has a significant effect on the antioxidant activity of OEOs, while the influenceof modified light under the shade nets is significantly lower. The OEOs from wild flowers showed the highest antioxidant activity, with an EC50 value of 4.78 mg/mL. OEOs from cultivated nonshaded plants (flowers) recorded the lowest antioxidant activity with an EC50 value of 24.63 mg/mL. The results suggest that the yield and quality of OEOs can be scaled-up by optimizing plant production in comparison with wild-growing plants. The content and quality of OEO can be increased by optimizing its production compared to plants from the spontaneous flora. Adequate cultivation techniques, such as shading, can achieve high-quality oregano yields and better quality parameters in terms of specific OEO components and meet the different requirements of the market and industrial sectors

Color Shade Nets Improve Vegetables Quality at Harvest and Maintain Quality During Storage

The photoselective, light-dispersive shade nets can be used as an alternative to protect crops from adverse environmental conditions such as; excessive solar radiation, heat and drought stress, wind and hail, birds, flying pests, thus improving crop’s production, yield and quality. The physiological parameters discussed in the review include: vegetable growth parameters (leaf area, leaf chlorophyll), tissue structure, fruit ripening, physiological disorders, pest and disease incidence, fruit quality parameters (soluble solids content and titratable acidity), bioactive compounds (antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid, carotenoid and flavonoid contents) and aroma volatile compounds at harvest. Also, it is evident in the reviewed literature that light quality influences the biosynthesis, accumulation and retention of vegetable phytochemicals, as well as the decay development during storage. These new strategies to modulate light quality should be conveyed to vegetable producing farmers, thus allowing them to preserve the freshness and post-harvest quality of vegetables for an extended period of time, and to meet the consumers demand for vegetables with high nutritional value all year round. Research on light manipulation in horticultural systems is necessary for a sustainable and market-oriented open field and greenhouse vegetable production in the future

Uticaj vremena setve na prinos i kvalitet semena crnog luka (Allium cepa L.) u proizvodnji sistemom 'seme-seme'

The experiments took into account four cultivars origin from different agroclimacteric regions, usually grown in our country (Prizrenski pogačar, Kupusinski jabučar, Trebinjska kapula and Holandski žuti), are The sowings were realized on 15 July (first term), 5 August (second) and 25th August (third). Sowings were carried out in rows 45cm apart and 5cm apart along the row (number of plants 44,8/m2). Experiment was split-plot designed with three replicaties. Gibberellic acid-GA3 sprays were applied with concentration at 50ppm on plants at the 6-7 leaves stage. Yield and its principal components were analyzed (percentage of flowering, capsules/umbel, seed/capsule, 1000 seed weight, germination energy, germination). Flowering percentage in the two years was affected by sowing date. Sowing postponement from July to August caused a reduction in the flowered plant from 90% to 40%, which produced only one umbel per plant. Sowing-flowering-seed ripening was reached almost simultaneously after 405-370 days. Seed production was highest in the first term sowing from 15 July for all cultivars. The cultivars showed differences in both years. Cultivar Kupusinski jabučar obtained the highest yield in the first term sowing - 440,4 kg/ha (in first year), while Holandski žuti obtained significantly lower in the third term from 25 August with only 140,6kg/ha (in first year).U istraživanjima su zastupljene četiri sorte crnog luka poreklom iz različitih agroklimatskih područja u našoj zemlji (Prizrenski pogačar, Kupusinski jabučar, Trebinjska kapula i Holandski žuti). Setva je obavljena 15 jula (I rok setve), 5- avgusta (II) i25. avgusta(III). Setva je vršena u redove na rastojanju od 45cm i pri rastojanju u redu od 5cm (sklop biljaka 44,8/m2). Ogled je postavljen po split-plot metodu u tri ponavljanja. Giberelinaska kiselina GA3 je primenjena u koncentraciji od 50 ppm kada su biljke u fazi 6-7 listova. Analiziran je prinos i glavne komponente prinosa (procenat cvetalih biljaka, plodova/cvasti, semena /plodu, masa 1000 semena, energija klijanja, ukupna klijavost). Procenat cvetanja u toku dvogodišnjeg istraživanja uslovljen je vremenom setve. Odlaganjem setve od jula ka avgustu rezultira redukcijom procenta cvetalih biljaka od 90% -40%, uz produkciju samo jednog cvetonosnog stabla po biljci. Setva-cvetanje-sazrevanje semena prispeva skoro istovremeno nakon 405-370 dana. Najveća proizvodnja semena je ostvarena u i setvenom roku od 15-Jula kod svih sorata. Sorta razlika je prisutna u obe godine proizvodnje. Najveći prinos ostvaren je kod sorte Kupusinski jabučar u I roku setve-440,4 kg/ha (u prvoj godini) i značajno niži u III roku od 25. avgusta kod Holandskog žutog sa svega 140,6 kg/ha (u I godini).

Produktivnost i kvalitet zrna sorti tritikalea pri različitim količinama mineralne ishrane

U radu je prikazan uticaj sorte i različitih doza primenjenog azota na prinos zrna i sadržaj proteina u zrnu ozimog tritikalea. Ogled je bio postavljen u periodu od 2010. do 2012. godine na severu Crne Gore, u okolini Bijelog Polja. Istraživanje je obuhvatalo 5 sorti ozimog tritikalea (Odisej, Kg-20, Trijumf, Rtanj i Tango) i sledeće varijante đubrenja: kontrola (bez đubrenja), samo azot u količini od 60 kg ha-1 i azot u količinama od 60 i 90 kg ha-1 u kombinaciji sa istom količinom fosfora i kalijuma (80 kg ha-1). Najmanji prosečan prinos zrna dobijen je na varijanti bez đubrenja – kontroli. Upotreba đubriva, kod svih ispitivanih sorti, dovela je do vrlo značajnog povećanja prinosa na svim varijantama u poređenju sa kontrolom. Najmanji prosečan prinos ostvarila je sorta Kg-20, a najveći sorta Tango. Najveći sadržaj proteina kod svih sorti ostvaren je na varijanti đubrenja gde je upotrebljen samo azot u količini od 60 kg ha-1. Najveći sadržaj proteina u zrnu, u proseku za sve varijante đubrenja, imala je sorta Trijumf. Podaci o ostvarenim prinosima i sadržaju proteina u zrnu, u zavisnosti od sorte i upotrebljene doze đubriva, govore o odlikama pojedinih sorti i mogu služiti kao kriterijum za izbor najpogodnije sorte za određene agroekološke uslove. Ovo je posebno značajno za gazdinstva orijentisana ka uzgoju stoke kojima obezbeđenje dovoljne količine kvalitetne hrane predstavlja prioritet