Preliminarni rezultati istraživanja populacija linjaka (tinca tinca) u vodenim ekosistemima Srbije

A tench (Tinca tinca) is an important fishing species in the mainland water ecosystems. In the geographical sense, it’s characterised as a broadly diffused Euro-Asian species (and was also induced into the water ecosystems of the north and south Africa, north America, Tasmania, Australia, New Zealand, India and Chile). Regardless to the wide geographic diffusion , literature emphasis the endangerement of this species of fish at the level of the local populations, before all because of engeneering works on rivers. (K o t t e l a t & F r e y h o v 2007). Researches of the population of the tench in the water ecosystems of Serbia indicate a significant lowering of natural populations in the part of Serbia south of the Sava and the Danube, and that the measures of conservation and repopulation are necessary, to enable a long-term protection of this important species of fish

Organic composition of Igalo bay peloid (Montenegro)

837-848Igalo peloid is known for a number of therapeutic properties (resort of healing, cosmetic or aesthetic application) and its closeness of the sea, which makes the peloid extremely valuable. So far, the organic composition of the Igalo peloid was not investigated or determined. Also, there are studies for its medical application and biological activity, which are directly related to its chemical composition. In this paper we analyzed the content of organic compounds (fatty acids, proteins, amino acids, sugars) and we also listed their main and well-known biological, pharmaceutical and medical roles and purposes. For the purpose of this study, different analytical techniques were applied to the collected peloid, including extraction, chromatographic, electrophoretic and NMR techniques

Organic composition of Igalo bay peloid (Montenegro)

Igalo peloid is known for a number of therapeutic properties (resort of healing, cosmetic or aesthetic application) and its closeness of the sea, which makes the peloid extremely valuable. So far, the organic composition of the Igalo peloid was not investigated or determined. Also, there are studies for its medical application and biological activity, which are directly related to its chemical composition. In this paper we analyzed the content of organic compounds (fatty acids, proteins, amino acids, sugars) and we also listed their main and well-known biological, pharmaceutical and medical roles and purposes. For the purpose of this study, different analytical techniques were applied to the collected peloid, including extraction, chromatographic, electrophoretic and NMR techniques

Anti-Tumor Activity vs. Normal Cell Toxicity: Therapeutic Potential of the Bromotyrosines Aerothionin and Homoaerothionin In Vitro

Novel strategies to treat cancer effectively without adverse effects on the surrounding normal tissue are urgently needed. Marine sponges provide a natural and renewable source of promising anti-tumor agents. Here, we investigated the anti-tumor activity of Aerothionin and Homoaerothionin, two bromotyrosines isolated from the marine demosponge Aplysina cavernicola, on two mouse pheochromocytoma cells, MPC and MTT. To determine the therapeutic window of these metabolites, we furthermore explored their cytotoxicity on cells of the normal tissue. Both metabolites diminished the viability of the pheochromocytoma cell lines significantly from a concentration of 25 µM under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Treatment of MPC cells leads moreover to a reduction in the number of proliferating cells. To confirm the anti-tumor activity of these bromotyrosines, 3D-pheochromocytoma cell spheroids were treated with 10 µM of either Aerothionin or Homoaerothionin, resulting in a significant reduction or even complete inhibition of the spheroid growth. Both metabolites reduced viability of normal endothelial cells to a comparable extent at higher micromolar concentration, while the viability of fibroblasts was increased. Our in vitro results show promise for the application of Aerothionin and Homoaerothionin as anti-tumor agents against pheochromocytomas and suggest acceptable toxicity on normal tissue cells

The catalytic effect of honey on formation of reducing sugars during sucrose hydrolysis

© 2017, Association of Chemists and Chemical Engineers of Serbia. All rights reserved. In commercial apiculture, beekepers usually remove honey from hives and replenish food reserves with sugar syrup. When honeybees use sugar syrup (sucrose solution), they break down sucrose into glucose and fructose. These processes exhaust and weaken bees. In order to prevent bee exhaustion resulting from this processing, bees should preferably be supplied with ready made food before winter, i.e., with syrup in which sucrose has already been inverted. Feeding with inverted syrups is the most popular way of honeybee feeding. Beekeepers usually prepare inverted syrups by adding a weak organic acid (citric, oxalic, acetic or lactic acid) to sucrose solution at elevated temperatures. Inverted syrup production under uncontrolled pH, temperature and time conditions can cause the formation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde (HMF), a compound harmful to bees. High quality inverted syrup can be obtained through the hydrolytic decomposition of sucrose by the enzyme invertase. Due to its invertase content, honey can be used as a biocatalyst for sucrose inversion. Invertase activity depends on the type, method and time of honey storage. This study evaluates the catalytic effect of acacia honey on formation of reducing sugars during hydrolysis of 50 wt.% sucrose solution. The ratio of reducing sugars and sucrose at 40 °C, after 5 days of hydrolysis at a concentration of honey and 10 wt.% was 0.30 g reducing sugars/g of sucrose. The highest content of reducing sugars was achieved at a temperature of 35 °C, after 48 h of invertion. In all samples of hydrolysates obtained at different temperatures (35–65 °C), HMF was detected at concentrations of less than 4.32 mg kg–1. A high degree of negative correlation (coefficient of linearity –0.94) was established between parameters of volumetric and polarimetric measurements during the hydrolysis of sucrose

Anti-Tumor Activity vs. Normal Cell Toxicity: Therapeutic Potential of the Bromotyrosines Aerothionin and Homoaerothionin In Vitro

Novel strategies to treat cancer effectively without adverse effects on the surrounding normal tissue are urgently needed. Marine sponges provide a natural and renewable source of promising anti-tumor agents. Here, we investigated the anti-tumor activity of Aerothionin and Homoaerothionin, two bromotyrosines isolated from the marine demosponge Aplysina cavernicola, on two mouse pheochromocytoma cells, MPC and MTT. To determine the therapeutic window of these metabolites, we furthermore explored their cytotoxicity on cells of the normal tissue. Both metabolites diminished the viability of the pheochromocytoma cell lines significantly from a concentration of 25 µM under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Treatment of MPC cells leads moreover to a reduction in the number of proliferating cells. To confirm the anti-tumor activity of these bromotyrosines, 3D-pheochromocytoma cell spheroids were treated with 10 µM of either Aerothionin or Homoaerothionin, resulting in a significant reduction or even complete inhibition of the spheroid growth. Both metabolites reduced viability of normal endothelial cells to a comparable extent at higher micromolar concentration, while the viability of fibroblasts was increased. Our in vitro results show promise for the application of Aerothionin and Homoaerothionin as anti-tumor agents against pheochromocytomas and suggest acceptable toxicity on normal tissue cells

Prevalence of and contributing factors to overweight and obesity among the schoolchildren of Podgorica, Montenegro

Introduction/Objective. Childhood obesity is an emerging public health problem. The national prevalence of child overweight/obesity in Montenegro has increased by one third in the last decade. As the overwhelming majority of Montenegrin population is urban, investigation of obesity and correlates among urban children is of special public health interest. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of and contributing factors to obesity among schoolchildren of Podgorica. Method. The sample included 1,134 schoolchildren (49.8% boys) aged 7–12 years, from 10 elementary schools in Podgorica. We measured children’s body mass, body height, and waist circumference to calculate body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio. The research instrument was a closed type of the original questionnaire. Nutritional status was assessed according to the criteria recommended by the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and International Obesity Task Force. Results. Among the investigated children there were 21.2% and 6% overweight and obese children, respectively. Obesity was more frequent among boys (7.6%) compared to girls (4.4%). In a multiple regression, childhood obesity was positively related to the following: male gender, younger age, lower number of siblings, parental obesity, and low physical activity. Conclusion. One out of five urban Montenegrin schoolchildren is overweight/obese, with obesity being twice as frequent among boys compared to girls. A program against obesity among urban Montenegrin children should focus on the revealed contributing factors