The effects of weather conditions on the health of people living in urban and rural environments

Meteorology is an essential part of people's lives. Its influence on every aspect of human life is vast and especially connected to the well-being of an individual. The objective of this paper is to ascertain how meteorologic changes influence the health of people who live in urban and rural environments. The testing was carried out on a sample of 130 respondents. The respondents are of different sex, age and come from various environments. This research was conducted via an anonymous questionnaire. The results point to the fact that meteorological changes affect the health and well-being of both healthy and ill individuals, whether they live in urban or rural environments. The significance of this paper is reflected in the acquiring of data that can be used in medicine as well as health tourism.Publishe

Factors Influencing Dental Fear in Students of Biomedicine

Background: Dental fear is a reaction of an individual to actual or potential painful/harmful procedures in dental practice. There is large variation in reports of dental fear prevalence among university students, implying existence of different factors that influence occurrence of dental fear in various populations. Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate putative factors that may influence extent of dental fear among university students of biomedicine. Methods: This study was designed as cross-sectional investigation. In total, 113 students on study courses on the 3rd, 4th, 5th year of dentistry, and on the 4th, 5th and 6th year of medicine undergraduate program were surveyed at the Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac, Serbia. Fear of dentist was measured by the Dental Fear Survey and other variables were generated by questionnaire with questions about socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. Results: Students of biomedicine surveyed in this study did not suffer from dental fear in great extent (median value on the scale was close to the lower limit: 29.5. The only factor that increased risk for developing dental fear in our study was previous traumatic experience with a dentist. Conclusion: Dental fear is not very prevalent among biomedical students. However, main risk factor for dental fear in general population, previous traumatic experience with a dental intervention, also remains primary risk factor in population of biomedical students

Синтеза и биолошка активност алкилтио и арилтио деривата терц-бутилхинона

Biological activity of 2-tert-butyl-1,4-benzoquinone (TBQ) and its derivatives, 2-tert-butyl-5-(2-propylthio)-1,4-benzoquinone, 2-tert-butyl-5- -(propylthio)-1,4-benzoquinone, 2-tert-butyl-5,6-(ethylenedithio)-1,4-benzoquinone, 2-tert-butyl-5-(phenylthio)-1,4-benzoquinone and 2-tert-butyl-6-(phenylthio)- 1,4-benzoquinone, were tested for their antioxidant, antibacterial, toxic, cytotoxic and genotoxic potential. Using the DPPH test, all derivatives showed good antioxidant activity, better than ascorbic acid, and the 2-tert- -butyl-5-(propylthio)-1,4-benzoquinone derivative showed the strongest effect. Better antibacterial potential was observed against Gram-positive bacteria in the broth microdilution method in which the 2-tert-butyl-5-(phenylthio)-1,4- -benzoquinone derivative showed the strongest activity (MIC = 15.6 μM). The results of toxicity tests, using the Brine shrimp test, indicated that the derivatives lose their toxic potential compared to TBQ, except for 2-tert-butyl-6- -(phenylthio)-1,4-benzoquinone, which showed a 3 times stronger effect. Cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTT assay in 24 and 72 h treatments in MRC-5, HS 294T and A549 cell lines in threefold decreasing gradient (11, 33 and 100 μM). Modifications potentiate the cytotoxic effect, and the strongest effect was observed with the 2-tert-butyl-5,6-(ethylendithio)-1,4-benzoquinone derivative. In addition, the genotoxic potential was examined in the MRC-5 cell line using the comet assay. All tested derivatives of TBQ showed a genotoxic effect at all applied subtoxic concentrations. In general, the chemical modifications of TBQ enhanced its biological activity.Испитана је биолошка активност 2-терц-бутил-1,4-бензохинона (TBQ) и његових деривата: 2-терц-бутил-5-(изопропилтио)-1,4-бензохинона, 2-терц-бутил-5-(пропилтио)-1,4-бензохинона, 2-терц-бутил-5,6-(етиленедитио)-1,4-бензохинона, 2-терц-бутил- -5-(фенилтио)-1,4-бензохинона и 2-терц-бутил-6-(фенилтио)-1,4-бензохинона укључујући њихов антиоксидативни, антибактеријски, токсични, цитотоксични и генотоксични потенцијал. Применом DPPH теста, сви деривати су показали добру антиоксидативну активност, бољу од аскорбинске киселине, а најјаче дејство показао је дериват 2-терц-бутил-5-(пропилтио)-1,4-бензохинон. Бољи антимикробни потенцијал је примећен против Грам-позитивних бактерија методом микродилуције у бујону, где је дериват 2-терц-бутил-5-(фенилтио)-1,4-бензохинон показао најјачу активност (MIC = 15,6 μМ). Резултати испитивања токсичности, применом теста на Artemia salina, показују да деривати губе токсични потенцијал у односу на TBQ, осим 2-терц-бутил-6-(фенилтио)- -1,4-бензохинона, који је показао 3 пута јачи ефекат. Цитотоксичност је испитана МТТ тестом у третманима од 24 и 72 h на ћелијским линијама MRC-5, HS 294T и A549 у троструко опадајућем градијенту (11, 33 и 100 μМ). Модификације појачавају цитотоксични ефекат, а најјачи ефекат је примећен код деривата 2-терц-бутил-5,6-(етилендитио)-1,4-бензохинона. Поред тога, генотоксични потенцијал је испитан на ћелијској линији MRC-5 комет тестом. Сви испитивани деривати су показали генотоксични ефекат при свим примењеним субтоксичним концентрацијама. Генерално, хемијске модификације побољшавају биолошку активност 2-терц-бутил-1,4-бензохинона

IMPROVEMENTS IN WOOD THERMOPLASTIC MATRIX COMPOSITE MATERIALS PROPERTIES BY PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL TREATMENTS

This paper presents a short overview of the developments made in the field of wood thermoplastic composites in terms of surface treatment, flammability, matrix/reinforcement model, properties and application of recycled polymer matrices. The usage of lignocellulosic fibers as reinforcement in composite materials demands well formed interface between the fiber and the matrix. Because of the different nature of reinforcement and matrix components some physical and chemical treatment methods which improve the fiber matrix adhesion were introduced, as well as the improvements of lignocellulosic fibers and thermoplastic polymer matrix based composites flammability characteristics. These physical and chemical treatments influence the hydrophilic character of the lignocellulosic fibers, and therefore change their physical and mechanical properties

Agmatine protection against chlorpromazine-induced forebrain cortex injury in rats

This study was conducted to investigate whether agmatine (AGM) provides protection against oxidative stress induced by treatment with chlorpromazine (CPZ) in Wistar rats. In addition, the role of reactive oxygen species and efficiency of antioxidant protection in the brain homogenates of forebrain cortexes prepared 48 h after treatment were investigated. Chlorpromazine was applied intraperitoneally (i.p.) in single dose of 38.7 mg/kg body weight (BW) The second group was treated with both CPZ and AGM (75 mg/kg BW). The control group was treated with 0.9\% saline solution in the same manner. All tested compounds were administered i.p. in a single dose. Rats were sacrificed by decapitation 48 h after treatment Treatment with AGM significantly attenuated the oxidative stress parameters and restored antioxidant capacity in the forebrain cortex. The data indicated that i.p. administered AGM exerted antioxidant action in CPZ-treated animals. Moreover, reactive astrocytes and microglia may contribute to secondary nerve-cell damage and participate in the balance of destructive vs. protective actions involved in the pathogenesis after poisoning.Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia {[}III41014]; Military Medical Academy {[}MBMA/3/13-15, MBMA/6/15-17

The influence of BCL2, BAX, and ABCB1 gene expression on prognosis of adult de novo acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotype patients

Deregulation of the apoptotic process underlies the pathogenesis of many cancers, including leukemia, but is also very important for the success of chemotherapy treatment. Therefore, the gene expression profile of main apoptotic factors, such as anti-apoptotic BCL2 (B-cell lymphoma protein 2) and pro-apoptotic BAX (BCL2-associated X), as well as genes involved in the multi-drug resistance (ABCB1), could have significant impact on the prognosis and could be used as targets for specific therapy

Somatic mutations of isocitrate dehydrogenases 1 and 2 are prognostic and follow-up markers in patients with acute myeloid leukaemia with normal karyotype

Mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1 and IDH2) genes are frequent molecular lesions in acute myeloid leukaemia with normal karyotype (AML-NK). The effects of IDH mutations on clinical features and treatment outcome in AML-NK have been widely investigated, but only a few studies monitored these mutations during follow-up

Probable Bruxism and Psychological Issues among Dental Students in Serbia during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the routine way of life, having consequences in many segments of life, including dental practice and education. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of probable bruxism in a sample of dental students in Serbia and to estimate the potential association between psychological factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the presence of bruxism. A cross-sectional study included 178 dental students in Serbia, who were interviewed using a specially-designed self-administered online questionnaire, which consisted of three sections, and after that, a clinical examination for the presence of bruxism symptoms in the oral cavity. Psychological status was evaluated using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Saliva samples were taken to analyze salivary cortisol levels. The prevalence of probable bruxism was 34.8%. Respondents with probable bruxism had significantly higher DASS-21 and FCV-19S scores and mean values of salivary cortisol compared to non-bruxers. A history of COVID-19 infection, high stress, and fear of COVID-19 scores were associated with the presence of probable bruxism. The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a great psychological impact and impact on the presence and worsening of bruxism symptoms in a sample of dental students in Serbia