Long-term Effects of Oxidative Stress in Volleyball Players

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of long-term training on elite female volleyball players and to determine parameters that could discriminate them according to the level of oxidative stress-associated adaptation. Fifty-four elite female volleyball players were divided into 3 groups (1: below-average training experience lt 8.0 years, 2: average training experience between 8.0 and 10.5 years and 3: above-average training experience > 10.5 years). The measured parameters were reactive oxygen metabolites, biological anti-oxidative potential, superoxide anion, malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein products, lipid hydroperoxides, paraoxonase activity, superoxide-dismutase activity and sulphydryl groups. Multiple discriminant analysis of the oxidative stress status parameters between the three groups of athletes indicated a statistically significant difference (Wilks' lambda=0.458, X-2=35.898, p=0.031). The most important discriminant variables, superoxide-dismutase and superoxide anion, were the best indicators of differences between groups with different training experience. The significantly higher values were found in Group 3 compared with Group 1 in superoxide-dismutase activity (141 +/- 32 vs. 86 +/- 46; p=0.002), sulphydryl groups (p=0.031), and reactive oxygen metabolites (p = 0.042). The significantly lower superoxide anion was found between Group 3 and Group 1 (377 +/- 187 vs. 1183 +/- 905; p=0.001). Oxidative stress status parameters adequately discriminated 68.5% of athletes with different training experience

Oxidative stress biomarker monitoring in elite women volleyball athletes during a 6-week training period

Martinovic, J, Dopsaj, V, Kotur-Stevuljevic, J, Dopsaj, M, Vujovic, A, Stefanovic, A, and Nesic, G. Oxidative stress biomarker monitoring in elite women volleyball athletes during a 6-week training period. J Strength Cond Res 25(5): 1360-1367, 2011-The objectives of this study were to determine (a) if reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) are a reliable parameter for monitoring oxidative stress in athletes alone or in association with other parameters of oxidative stress and depending on whether antioxidant supplements are taken or not; (b) the level of oxidative stress in athletes before the competition season; an

OD SUKOBA DO SARADNJE - INTEGRACIJA NEFORMALNIH RECIKLERA I OPERATORA PONOVNOG KORIŠĆENJA OTPADA U EVROPI: PREGLED

THE European Union (EU) hosts some of the world’s most developed waste management systems and an ambitious policy commitment to the Circular Economy. The existence of informal recycling and re-use activities in Europe has been vigorously denied until quite recently, and remains a very challenging subject for the European solid waste management sector, as well as for European government and private institutions. In countries ranging from Malta to Macedonia and from France to Turkey, informal recyclers excluded from legal recycling niches increasingly collide with formalised and controlled EU approaches to urban waste management, packaging recovery schemes, formal re-use enterprises, and extended producer responsibility systems.This review focuses on the period from 2004 through the first half of 2016. The 78 sources on European (and neighbouring) informal recycling and re-use are contextualised with global sources and experience. The articles focus on informal recovery in and at the borders of the European Union, document the conflicts and collisions, and elaborate some constructive approaches towards legalisation, integration, and reconciliation. The overarching recommendation, to locate the issue of informal recovery and integration in the framework of the European Circular Economy Package, is supported by four specific pillars of an integration strategy: documentation, legalisation, occupational and enterprise recognition, and preparation for structural integration.Evropska unija ima jedan od najrazvijenijih sistema upravljanja otpadom na svetu i ambiciozno postavljenu politiku cirkularne (kružne) ekonomije. Postojanje neformalnih oblika reciklaže, tretiranja i ponovnog korišćenja otpada u Evropi je do nedavno osporavano, tako da ove aktivnosti i dalje predstavljaju veliki izazov za evropski sektor upravljanja čvrstim otpadom, kao i za evropske vlade i privatne institucije. U mnogim zemljama Evropske unije, od Malte do Makedonije, od Francuske do Turske, neformalni recikleri (sakupljači i prerađivači otpada) su potpuno isključeni iz reciklažnog sektora, pa se sve više suočavaju i sukobljavaju sa prilično formalizovanim i kontrolisanim pristupom koji Evropska unija ima u pogledu upravljanja otpadom u urbanim sredinama, programa za reciklažu ambalaže, formalnih preduzeća za preradu otpada i proširenih sistema odgovornosti proizvođača.Ovaj rad pokriva period od 2004. godine do prve polovine 2016. godine. U radu se daje pregled 78 dokumenata koji regulišu pitanje neformalne reciklaže i prerade otpada u Evropskoj uniji i susednim državama, u kontekstu globalnih smernica i iskustava. Nakon pregleda izvora koji se odnose na neformalne vidove reciklaže u Evropskoj uniji i na granicama Evropske unije, u radu se evidentiraju sporna pitanja i sukobi nastali u ovoj oblasti, i prikazuju neki konstruktivni pristupi legalizaciji, integraciji i pomirenju sukobljenih strana. Ključne preporuke u pogledu adekvatnog pozicioniranje pitanja neformalnih vidova reciklaže i njihovog uključivanja u Evropski paket mera za uvođenje kružne ekonomije nedvosmisleno su utvrđene u okvirima četiri stuba strategije integracije: dokumentacija, legalizacija, priznavanje zanimanja i preduzeća, i priprema za strukuralnu integraciju

Proxidant antioxidant balance in supplemented elite female volleyball athletes during a six week training period

Aim. The objectives of this study were: 1) to evaluate pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) associations with the commonly measured parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidative defence in elite female volleyball athletes; 2) to investigate changes in the parameters of oxidative stress during a period of intense training and dietary antioxidant supplementation. Methods. Twenty-seven female volleyball players participated in this study. Blood samples were collected the day before the pre-competitive mesocycle training period began. After the first blood sample donation and during the next six weeks fourteen players (supplemented group) received a cocktail of antioxidants while thirteen of them (control group) received no dietary supplementation. The following parameters were measured: reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), superoxide anion (O(2)(-)), malondialdehyde (AIDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), biological antioxidative potential (BAP), paraoxonase activity toward paraoxon (POase) and diazoxon (DZOase), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total sulphydryl group concentration (SH groups) and pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance. Results. Significant associations were observed between biomarkers of oxidative damage with PAB in multiple linear regression model in the supplemented and the control groups (82.3% vs. 83.1%) before training and in the control group (82.1%) after training. Significant associations between anti-oxidative defence parameters and PAB values were found in the supplemented group after six-weeks of training (57%). Conclusion. In the absence of antioxidant supplementation, PAB values were dependent on the association with biomarkers of oxidative damage before and after training. After a six-week training period and the applied antioxidant supplementation, PAB values were under the influence of nonenzymatic anti-oxidative defence

Tailoring the physico-chemical and antimicrobial properties of agar-based films by in situ formation of Cu-mineral phase

New agar-based composite films with increasing Cu-carbonate and Cu-phosphate mineral phase content were prepared by in situ mineralization and solvent casting method. SEM and optical analysis revealed that Cu-carbonate phase had better compatibility with agar matrix than Cu-phosphate phase. Incorporation of both mineral phases improved mechanical and water vapor barrier properties of the obtained mineralized films, in concentration dependent manner. When 5 mM of carbonate precursor was incorporated into agar matrix, mechanical resistance was enchanced for 44% and water vapor barrier property for 40%. The release of Cu (II) was higher in acidic conditions for both mineralized composites and remained in the range of specific release limits for this metal. In addition, both mineralized composite films exhibited distinctive antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria. Overall, the Cu-carbonate and Cu-phosphate mineralized agar films showed potential to be used for food packaging materials, agriculture or medical purposes

Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of full-genome HBV subgenotype D3 sequences from Serbia

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is classified into 8 genotypes with distinct geographical distribution. Genotype D (HBV/D) has the widest distribution area and is comprised of 7 subgenotypes. Subgenotypes D1, D2 and D3 appear worldwide, while D4-D7 have a more restricted distribution. Within the Mediterranean area, HBV/D and subgenotype D3 are the most prevalent. The purpose of this study was to characterize the full genome of Serbian HBV/D3 isolates by comparison and phylogenetic analysis with HBV/D3 sequences (66 samples) found in GeneBank/DDBJ databases from different parts of the world. Isolates were obtained from three patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B (HBsAg +). All three isolates have two very rare nucleotide substitutions, A929T and T150A, which indicate the same ancestor. Phylogenetic analysis of HBV/D3 genome sequences throughout the world follows an ethno-geographical origin of isolates with rare exceptions, which could be explained by human travelling and migration. The geographically close but ethnically different Serbian and Italian isolates clustered in the same subnode, and on a common branch with strains from Northern Canada. To test the apparently close HBV phylogenetic relationship between completely separated patients from Serbia and Northern Canada we analyzed in depth a 440 bp region of the HBsAg from Canadian (n = 73) and Serbian (n = 70) isolates. The constructed parsimony tree revealed that strains from Serbia and Northern Canada fell along the same branch which indicates independent evolution within regions of each country, Considering that HBsAg sequence has limited variability for phylogenetic analyses, our hypothesis needs further confirmation with more HBV complete genome sequences. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved,Ministry of Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia [173003, 173049