Risk factors for coronary heart disease and actual diagnostic criteria for diabetes mellitus

Background/Aim. Recent studies indicate that the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2 is increasing in the world. Chronic hyperglycemia in DM is associated with a long term damage, dysfunction and failure of various organs, especially retina, kidney, nerves and, in addition, with an increased risk of cardiovasclar disease. For a long time the illness has been unknown. Early diagnosis of diabetes could suspend the development of diabetic complications. The aim of the study was to establish risk for the development of coronary disease in the patients evaluated by the use of new diagnostic criteria for DM. Methods. The study included 930 participants without diagnosis of DM, hypertension, dyslipidemia, nor coronary heart disease two years before the study. The patients went through measuring of fasting plasma glycemia, erythrocytes, hematocrit, cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. In the group with hyperglycemia the 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test was performed. We analyzed ECG and made blood pressure monitoring, and also measured body mass, height, waist and hip circumference. We analyzed life style, especially smoking, and exercise and family history. Results. Diabetes prevalence was 2.68%, and prevalences of impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and DM were 12.15%. Average age of males and females was 38 and 45 years, respectively. In the healthy population there was higher frequency of smokers (55% vs 42%), but in the population with hyperglycemia there were more obesity (23% vs 10.5%), hypertension (39% vs 9%), hypercholesterolemia (76% vs 44.1%), lower HDL-C (52.2% vs 25.7%). Cummulative risk factor in healthy subjects, and those with hyperglycemia were 5.6% and 14%, respectively. Conclusion. Subjects with hyperglicemia without diagnosis of DM have higher risk factors for coronary heart disease

Karst geoheritage and geotourism potential in the Pek River lower basin (eastern Serbia)

Karst areas, as areas with attractive geological and geomorphological features are an important and integral part of geoheritage. They possess huge tourism potential and can be used for the development of geotourism. The Pek River basin is a highly dominant karst terrain with numerous geological and geomorphological features, especially caves. However, their geotourism potential still remains fully unrevealed. In this paper, we analyzed several geosites that represent significant karst geoheritage formations and as such they can be the backbone of future geotourism development in this area. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the geotourism potential of the Pek River lower basin and to determine the current state and geotourism potential of these geosites by applying the modified geosite assessment model (M-GAM)

Relationship of adipokine to insulin sensitivity and glycemic regulation in obese women: The effect of body weight reduction by caloric restriction

Bacground/Aim. Visceral fat is highly active metabolic and endocrine tissue which secretes many adipokines that act both on local and systemic level. It is believed that adipokines and "low-grade inflammatory state" represent a potential link between obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. Leptin and adiponectin are considered to be the most important adipokines with the potential metabolic and cardiovascular effects. Body weight loss improves insulin sensitivity and decreases risk for most complications associated with obesity. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of moderate loss of body weight on the level of leptin and adiponectin, insulin sensitivity and abnormalities of glycoregulation in obese women, to determine whether and to what extent the secretory products of adipose tissue, leptin and adiponectin contribute to insulin sensitivity, as well as to assess their relationship and influence on glycemia and insulinemia during the period of losing body weight using a calorie restricted diet. Methods. The study involved 90 obese female subjects (BM

A novel fully fast recovery EMG amplifier for the control of neural prosthesis

Ovaj članak predstavlja novo EMG (elektromiografsko) brzo oporavljivo pojačalo, koje se može koristiti kao sučelje za kontrolu neuronskih proteza. Osnova predloženog električnog kruga je standardno instrumentacijsko pojačalo implementirano pomoću tri operacijska pojačala s integratorom u negativnoj povratnoj petlji diferencijalnog pojačala. Standardno instrumentacijsko pojačalo s tri operacijska pojačala je modificirano uvođenjem analogne linije za kašnjenje između prvog stupnja (diferencijalni ulaz - diferencijalno izlazno pojačalo) i drugog stupnja (diferencijalno pojačalo). Glavna svrha analogne linije za kašnjenje je kašnjenje EMG signala i poticaj artefakta između prvog i drugog stupnja. Uvođenjem linije za kašnjenje u standardnom instrumentacijskom pojačalu s tri operacijska pojačala, pokazano je da se poticaj artefakta može otkriti prije nego što se pojavi na izlazu iz pojačala. Na taj način kontrolni sklopovi pojačala imaju dovoljno vremena da onemoguće integrator u diferencijalnom pojačalu, i spriječe nakupljanje naboja u kondenzatoru integratora. Također je pokazano da ova konfiguracija EMG pojačala ima ultra brzo vrijeme oporavka, tako da se može koristiti kao sučelje za kontrolu neuronskih proteza.This paper presents a novel EMG (electromyography) fast recovery amplifier, which can be used as a neural prosthesis control interface. The basis of the proposed circuit is standard three op-amp amplifier with integrator in the negative feed-back loop of the differential amplifier. The Standard three op-amp instrumentation amplifier has been modified by introducing analog delay line between the first stage (differential input - differential output amplifier) and the second stage (differential amplifier). The main purpose of the analog delay line is to delay EMG signal and the stimulus artifact between the first and the second stage. It is shown that by introducing a delay line in the standard three op-amp instrumentation amplifier, stimulus artifact can be detected before it appears at the output of the amplifier. Thus the control circuits of the amplifier have enough time to disable the integrator in the differential amplifier, and prevent charge accumulation in the integrators capacitor. It is also shown that this configuration of the EMG amplifier has ultrafast recovery time, so it can be used as a control interface of the neural prosthesis

Supplementary data for the article: Bodner, M.; Vagalinski, B.; Makarov, S. E.; Antić, D. Ž.; Vujisić, L. V.; Leis, H.-J.; Raspotnig, G. “Quinone Millipedes” Reconsidered: Evidence for a Mosaic-Like Taxonomic Distribution of Phenol-Based Secretions across the Julidae. Journal of Chemical Ecology 2016, 42 (3), 249–258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-016-0680-4

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-016-0680-4]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1924

The analysis of the impact on the safety of traffic participants and causing the accidents of working machines – tractors

U radu su analizirane prometne nezgode u kojima je jedan od sudionika traktor u razdoblju od jedanaest godina (2002. – 2012.) na teritoriji Srbije. Cilj rada je istraživanje posljedica, broja i vrsta uzroka kod ovog tipa nezgoda, kako bi se stvorile baze znanja neophodne za unapređenje konstrukcije i označavnje traktora s aspekta bezbjednosti. Analiza podataka provedena je na uzorku od n=13246 prometnih nezgoda u kojima je jedan sudionik traktor. Autori su koristili jednosmjernu analizu varijance (ANOVA) uključujući i post hoc test (Scheffe). Značaj studije je u preciznijem otkrivanju veza između posljedica, broja i vrste uzroka kod ovog tipa nezgoda uz naglašavanje potrebe za detaljnijim pristupom u prevenciji nezgoda.The paper analyses traffic accidents in which one of the participants were tractors, in the period of eleven years (2002 – 2012) on the territory of the Republic of Serbia. The aim of the research is the exploration of the consequences, number and type of causes of these type accidents, in order to create a knowledge base that is needed for the improvement of the construction and identification of tractors, from the aspect of safety. Data analysis was performed on the sample of n=13246 traffic accidents in which one of the participants was a tractor. The authors used one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) including post hoc test (Scheffe). The significance of the study lies in the precise detection of the connection between the consequence and the number and types of causes in this aspect of accidents, while stressing the need for a more detailed approach in the prevention of accidents

Assessing speleoarcheological geoheritage: Linking new Paleolithic discoveries and potential cave tourism destinations in Serbia

The aim of this paper is to perform a tourist assessment of the representative speleoarchaeological geoheritage in Serbia for the purposes of establishing new cave tourism destinations in Serbia. Seven caves have been selected based on their speleoarcheological values. However, only two of them are currently available for visiting. The research results were obtained by using the M-GAM model and they indicate exceptional tourist potential which still remains mainly untapped. To maximize this potential and develop this type of tourism in the future, an initiative strategy for the inclusion of speleoarchaeological values into contemporary tourism flows was also proposed. The focus is set on the establishment of speleoarchaeological visitor centers and a unique tourist affirmation of the researched scientific and educational potential. The presented strategy must be set as a priority in the future in order to contribute to further sustainability of scientific and socio-economic progress through speleotourism development

"Quinone Millipedes" Reconsidered: Evidence for a Mosaic-Like Taxonomic Distribution of Phenol-Based Secretions across the Julidae

The defensive chemistry of juliformian millipedes is characterized mainly by benzoquinones ("quinone millipedes"), whereas the secretions of the putative close outgroup Callipodida are considered to be exclusively phenolic. We conducted a chemical screening of julid secretions for phenolic content. Most species from tribes Cylindroiulini (15 species examined), Brachyiulini (5 species examined), Leptoiulini (15 species examined), Uncigerini (2 species examined), Pachyiulini (3 species examined), and Ommatoiulini (2 species examined) had non-phenolic, in most cases exclusively benzoquinonic secretions. In contrast, tribes Cylindroiulini, Brachyiulini, and Leptoiulini also contained representatives with predominantly phenol-based exudates. In detail, p-cresol was a major compound in the secretions of the cylindroiulines Styrioiulus pelidnus and S. styricus (p-cresol content 93 %) and an undetermined Cylindroiulus species (p-cresol content 51 %), in the brachyiulines Brachyiulus lusitanus (p-cresol content 21 %) and Megaphyllum fagorum (p-cresol content 92 %), as well as in an undescribed Typhloiulus species (p-cresol content 32 %, Leptoiulini). In all species, p-cresol was accompanied by small amounts of phenol. The secretion of M. fagorum was exclusively phenolic, whereas phenols were accompanied by benzoquinones in all other species. This is the first incidence of clearly phenol-dominated secretions in the Julidae. We hypothesize a shared biosynthetic route to phenols and benzoquinones, with benzoquinones being produced from phenolic precursors. The patchy taxonomic distribution of phenols documented herein supports multiple independent regression events in a common pathway of benzoquinone synthesis rather than multiple independent incidences of phenol biosynthesis.Supplementary material: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3323

Supplementary data for the article: Bodner, M.; Vagalinski, B.; Makarov, S. E.; Antić, D. Ž.; Vujisić, L. V.; Leis, H.-J.; Raspotnig, G. “Quinone Millipedes” Reconsidered: Evidence for a Mosaic-Like Taxonomic Distribution of Phenol-Based Secretions across the Julidae. Journal of Chemical Ecology 2016, 42 (3), 249–258. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-016-0680-4

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-016-0680-4]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1924

Chemical Ecology of Cave-Dwelling Millipedes: Defensive Secretions of the Typhloiulini (Diplopoda, Julida, Julidae)

Cave animals live under highly constant ecological conditions and in permanent darkness, and many evolutionary adaptations of cave-dwellers have been triggered by their specific environment. A similar "cave effect" leading to pronounced chemical interactions under such conditions may be assumed, but the chemoecology of troglobionts is mostly unknown. We investigated the defensive chemistry of a largely cave-dwelling julid group, the controversial tribe "Typhloiulini", and we included some cave-dwelling and some endogean representatives. While chemical defense in juliform diplopods is known to be highly uniform, and mainly based on methyl- and methoxy-substituted benzoquinones, the defensive secretions of typhloiulines contained ethyl-benzoquinones and related compounds. Interestingly, ethyl-benzoquinones were found in some, but not all cave-dwelling typhloiulines, and some non-cave dwellers also contained these compounds. On the other hand, ethyl-benzoquinones were not detected in troglobiont nor in endogean typhloiuline outgroups. In order to explain the taxonomic pattern of ethyl-benzoquinone occurrence, and to unravel whether a cave-effect triggered ethyl-benzoquinone evolution, we classed the "Typhloiulini" investigated here within a phylogenetic framework of julid taxa, and traced the evolutionary history of ethyl-benzoquinones in typhloiulines in relation to cave-dwelling. The results indicated a cave-independent evolution of ethyl-substituted benzoquinones, indicating the absence of a "cave effect" on the secretions of troglobiont Typhloiulini. Ethyl-benzoquinones probably evolved early in an epi- or endogean ancestor of a clade including several, but not all Typhloiulus (basically comprising a taxonomic entity known as "Typhloiulus sensu stricto") and Serboiulus. Ethyl-benzoquinones are proposed as novel and valuable chemical characters for julid systematics.Supplementary material: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3085