Levels of Presepsin and Midregion-Proadrenomedullin in Septic Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease after Cardiovascular Surgery: 1-Year Follow Up Study

Background: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a marker for sepsis diagnosis, identification of bacterial infection and monitoring of antibiotic therapy. It has been shown that PCT is not a good choice in patients with hemodialysis. Therefore, we have explored two biomarkers: a) presepsin, and, b) midregion-proadrenomedullin (MR-proADM) in patients having End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Patients and Methods: We prospectively enlisted 20 patients, who underwent cardiovascular surgery and had been on dialysis. The diagnosis of sepsis has been established clinically and confirmed by PCT. Blood samples were taken before and after dialysis. Additionally, plasma and sera of 10 healthy blood donors without any complications were used as controls. Results: Presepsin plasma concentrations (4368 ± 3088 vs. 694.1 ± 239.1 pg/mL) were significantly higher in patients with sepsis compared with controls (p0.05) with no significance between alive and deceased (p=0.53) patients. Adjustments have shown that the difference for MR-proADM level is due to the random sampling variability (p=0.989), whereas difference for presepsin remained highly significant (p<0.001). Conclusions: Our results indicate that the accuracy of new biomarkers is equal to that of PCT in patients with ESRD. Presepsin might be as good marker in repeated measurements, before and after dialysis, as it is PCT. © 2014 Maravic-Stojkovic V, et al

Problem pušenja među mladima u Crnoj Gori - rezultati GYTS (Global Youth Tobacco Survey) istraživanja

Smoking is a burning healthcare and economy issue, especially in underdeveloped countries. The aim of this study was to determine the number of smokers among elementary school students in Montenegro and to assess the correlates of tobacco use. The study was done in 2003 using the World Health Organization Global Youth Tobacco Survey. Our data showed that children as young as ten years smoked. There were 3.6 % permanent smokers and one in three students (30.6 %) experimented with smoking. More than two thirds who smoked agreed that they should quit smoking, and three fourths tried to quit. This study has also shown that children talk too little about smoking in schools and are exposed to passive smoking at home and elsewhere. Activities to solve the elementary school smoking problem should include preventive programs to be introduced into regular school curricula because this is the only way to address the issue properly. In addition, legislation prohibiting indoor tobacco smoking should be implemented rigorously to protect children from passive smoking in public places.Pušenje duhana velik je zdravstveni i ekonomski problem, posebno u zemljama u razvoju. Istraživanje je provedeno radi utvrđivanja broja pušača u populaciji učenika osnovnih škola, kao i utvrđivanja stavova, znanja i ponašanja učenika u vezi s pušenjem. Istraživanje o potrošnji duhana kod djece u osnovnim školama u Crnoj Gori provedeno je 2003. godine po jedinstvenoj metodologiji Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije - Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Podaci dobiveni istraživanjem pokazali su da u osnovnim školama Crne Gore postoji evidentan problem pušenja, i to već kod djece prije navršene desete godine života. U osnovnim školama postoji 3,6 % stalnih pušača, dok je jedan od troje (30,6 %) učenika eksperimentirao s cigaretama. Više od dvije trećine djece koja puše suglasno je da treba prestati s pušenjem, a tri četvrtine njih su pokušavale prestati s pušenjem. Osim toga, istraživanje je pokazalo da djeca malo govore u školama o problemu pušenja, da su osnovci konstantno izloženi utjecaju pasivnog pušenja u vlastitim kućama, kao i izvan kuće. Problem pušenja u osnovnim školama postoji i treba definirati aktivnosti za njegovo rješavanje. Prije svega, treba omogućiti uključivanje preventivnih programa u redovite obrazovne programe u školama, da bi se o problemu pušenja govorilo na adekvatan način. Također, mora se inicirati striktno provođenje “Zakona o ograničenju upotrebe duhanskih proizvoda” da bi djecu zaštitili od pasivnog pušenja

The politics of performance: transnationalism and its limits in former Yugoslav popular music, 1999–2004

This paper examines transnational relations between the Yugoslav successor states from the point of view of popular music, and demonstrates how transnational musical figures (such as Djordje Balaševi?, Mom?ilo Bajagi?-Bajaga and Ceca Ražnatovi?) are interpreted as symbolic reference points in national ethnopolitical discourse in the process of identity construction. Another symbolic function is served by Serbian turbofolk artists, who in Croatia serve as a cultural resource to distance oneself from a musical genre associated by many urban Croats with the ruralization (and Herzegovinization) of Croatian city space. In addition, value judgements associated with both Serbian and Croatian newly composed folk music provide an insight into the transnational negotiation of conflicting identities in the ex-Yugoslav context. Ultimately the paper shows how the ethnonational boundaries established by nationalizing ideologies created separate cultural spaces which themselves have been transnationalized after Yugoslavia's disintegration

Sorption of selected pharmaceuticals and pesticides on different river sediments

In the present work, the sorption ability of 17 pharmaceutical compounds, two metabolites, and 15 pesticides (34 target compounds in total) onto four different river sediments was investigated separately. Selected compounds present the most frequently prescribed pharmaceuticals in human and animal medicine and the most frequently used pesticides in agriculture. Their presence into the surface, ground, and waste waters was confirmed into the numerous papers in literature, as well as their presence into the river sediments (for some of them). However, investigations of their sorption onto the river sediments, as major natural protection from potential pollution of ground water by them is missing. Sorption in this study was investigated onto river sediments taken from rivers in the Republic of Serbia, where only less than 10 % of total generated waste water passes through mainly basic treatment processes. Experiments were based on batch equilibrium procedures and obtained solutions were analyzed by previously developed and validated sensitive high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) analytical methods. All results were modeled by Freundlich isotherms. Obtained results have shown that Kf coefficient values are in correlation with organic carbon content. Kd sorption coefficient values were relatively low and ranged in wide ranges for almost all compounds and sediments. That implicates on the conclusion that capacities of the investigated sorbents are not large for those compounds

Chemical characterization and in vitro immunomodulatory effects of different extracts of moss Hedwigia ciliata (Hedw.) P. Beauv. from the Vršačke Planine Mts., Serbia.

Bioactive compounds from natural sources are of great importance because of their potential pharmacological activity and tremendous structural diversity. In this study, the chemical composition of different moss extracts of Hedwigia ciliata P. Beauv. have been examined, as well as their antioxidant, antineurodegenerative/anti-neuroinflammatory, antidiabetic, and antiproliferative potential. The extracts were prepared by Soxhlet extractor using solvents of different polarity. Chemical characterization of the extracts revealed the presence of phenolics and flavonoid compounds, together with triterpenoids as secondary metabolites of high biological activity. Significant antioxidant properties of all the extracts were exhibited using the β-carotene assay. The highest activities were found for water:ethanol extract (with the highest inhibition rate of 96%), but also significant inhibition was measured for ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts (80% and 70%, respectively). Confirmation of biocompatibility of investigated moss extracts has been performed using normal human fibroblast cell line, MRC-5. The H. ciliata extracts exhibited significant antiproliferative activity (~ 50%) against the MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinoma cell line), which has not previously been reported elsewhere. The Griess assay confirmed the potential anti-neuroinflammatory activity of the extracts, as significant effects in reducing NO production by LPS-stimulated BV2 (normal murine microglia cell line) was observed. This data is in line with noted antineurodegenerative potential measured by the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (with the highest inhibition rate of 60% for ethyl acetate extract) and tyrosinase (with the highest inhibition rate of 70% for ethanol extract). Additionally, the H. ciliata extracts exhibited significant antidiabetic effect mediated by α-glucosidase inhibition (with the highest inhibition rate of 80% for ethyl acetate extract). The obtained data suggest the presence of immunomodulatory effects of the moss extracts in vitro, which allows the design of new experiments aimed at detecting and characterizing bioactive compounds of the extracts and additionally elucidate detailed mechanisms of their effects

Algal Communities Along the Sava River

Field analysis of phytoplankton and phytobenthos communities of the river Sava has been performed, from Slovenia to Serbia, in August 2011 and September 2012 at 20 localities. A total number of 256 taxa have been determined, from eight divisions: Cyanobacteria (20), Rhodophyta (1), Dinophyta (6), Cryptophyta (1), Chrysophyta (1), Bacillariophyta (152), Chlorophyta (67) and Euglenophyta (8). In the phytoplankton samples, 188 taxa have been identified and in the phytobenthos samples 153 taxa. The most diverse divisions of phytoplankton of the river Sava were Bacillariophyta (46.28 % of total taxa number) and Chlorophyta (34.57 % of total taxa number). Biomass of phytoplankton was low, and the abundance of phytoplankton communities varied between 65,000 and 412,000 Ind L−1. The biomass of phytoplankton of the river Sava was in the range of 41 to 564 μg fr. wt. L−1. The phytobenthos dominated by the division of Bacillariophyta, making 81.7 % of the community. Visible macroaggregations were composed of Cladophora glomerata (Chlorophyta) and Thorea hispida (Rhodophyta).Milačić R, Ščančar J, Paunović M, editors. The Sava River. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag; 2015. p. 229-48

Massive outbreak of viral gastroenteritis associated with consumption of municipal drinking water in a European capital city

International audienceOn 24 August 2008, an outbreak alert regarding cases of acute gastroenteritis in Podgorica triggered investigations to guide control measures. From 23 August to 7 September, 1699 cases were reported in Podgorica (population 136 000) and we estimated the total size of the outbreak to be 10 000–15 000 corresponding to an attack rate of ~10%. We conducted an age- and neighbourhood-matched case-control study, microbiologically analysed faecal and municipal water samples and assessed the water distribution system. All cases (83/83) and 90% (89/90) of controls drank unboiled chlorinated municipal water [matched odds ratio (mOR) 11·2, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1·6–∞]. Consumption of bottled water was inversely associated with illness (mOR 0·3, 95% CI 0·1–0·8). Analyses of faecal samples identified six norovirus genotypes (21/38 samples) and occasionally other viruses. Multiple defects in the water distribution system were noted. These results suggest that the outbreak was caused by faecally contaminated municipal water. It is unusual to have such a large outbreak in a European city especially when the municipal water supply is chlorinated. Therefore, it is important to establish effective multiple-barrier water-treatment systems whenever possible, but even with an established chlorinated supply, sustained vigilance is central to public health

Formation of oxygen complexes in controlled atmosphere at surface of doped glassy carbon

The effects of boron and phosphorus incorporation in phenolic resin precursor to the oxidation resistance of glassy carbon have been studied. In order to reveal the nature and composition of the oxygen complexes formed at the surface of doped glassy carbon, under controlled atmosphere, the surface of the samples was cleaned under vacuum up to 1273 K. Specific functional groups, subsequently formed under dry CO2 or O-2 atmosphere on the surface of boron-doped and phosphorus-doped glassy carbon samples, were examined using the temperature-programmed desorption method combined with mass spectrometric analysis. Characterization of surface properties of undoped and doped samples has shown that in the presence of either boron or phosphorus heteroatoms, a lower amount of oxygen complexes formed after CO2 exposure, while, typically, higher amount of oxygen complexes formed after O-2 exposure. It has been concluded that the surface of undoped glassy carbon has a greater affinity towards CO2, while in the presence of either boron or phosphorus heteroatoms, the glassy carbon surface affinity becomes greater towards O-2, under experimental conditions