Risk factors for the appearance of minimal pathologic lesions on vocal folds in vocal professionals

Background/Aim. An excessive use or misuse of voice by vocal professionals may result in symptoms such are husky voice, hoarse voice, total loss of voice, or even organic changes taking place on vocal folds - minimal pathological lesions - MAPLs. The purpose of this study was to identify the type of MAPLs which affects vocal professionals, as well as to identify the risk factors that bring about these changes. Methods. There were 94 vocal professionals who were examined altogether, out of whom 46 were affected by MAPLs, whereas 48 of them were diagnosed with no MAPLs, so that they served as the control group. All these patients were clinically examined (anamnesis, clinical examination, bacteoriological examination of nose and pharynx, radiography of paranasal cavities, allergological processing, phoniatric examination, endo-video-stroboscopic examination, as well as gastroenterologic examination, and finally endocrinological and pulmological analyses). Results. The changes that occurred most often were identified as nodules (50%; n = 23/46) and polyps (24%; n = 11/46). Risk factors causing MAPLs in vocal professionals were as follows: age, which reduced the risk by 23.9% [OR 0.861 (0.786-0.942)] whereas the years of career increase the risk [OR 1.114 (1.000-1.241)], as well as the presence of a chronic respiratory disease [OR 7.310 (1.712- 31.218)], and the presence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease [OR 4.542 (1.263-16.334)]. The following factors did not contribute to development of MAPLs in vocal professionals: sex, a place of residence, irritation, smoking, endocrinologic disease and the presence of poly-sinusitis. Conclusion. It is necessary to introduce comprehensive procedures for prevention of MAPLs, particularly in high-risk groups. Identification of the risk factors for MAPLs and prevention of their influence on vocal professionals (given that their income depends on their vocal ability) is of the highest importance

Primena novih sorbenasa u D-µ-SPE TEhnici pripreme uzoraka za GC – MS analizu PAU u vodi

The aim of this paper is application of novel sorbents in dispersive micro solid phase extraction (D-μ-SPE) as a technique for sample preparation of water, for the analysis of 16 PAHs by gass chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). D-μ-SPE proved to be an effective technique consuming a small amount of the solvent for the analysis. D-μ-SPE is characterized by its rapidity (7 minutes per sample including all preparation of standard solutions and measuring of sorbents) and cheapness as well. Low values of the detection limit and limit of quantification, acceptable accuracy and precision values propose this method for routine water analysis for the determination of PAHs.Cilj istraživanja ovog rada je primena novih sorbenasa u disperzivnoj mikroekstrakciji čvrstom fazom (D-µ-SPE) kao tehnikom pripreme uzoraka vode za analizu 16 prioritetnih PAU gasnom hromatografijom sa masenom spektrometrijom (GC-MS). D-µ-SPE se pokazala kao efikasna i ekonomična tehnika pripreme uzoraka vode pri čemu se troši mala količina rastvarača za ekstrakciju i koristi jeftin pribor za pripremu uzoraka koja traje 7 minuta (uključujući pripreme standardnih rastvora i odmeravanje sorbenasa). Niske vrednosti granice detekcije i kvantifikacije, prihvatljive vrednosti tačnosti i preciznosti predloženu metodu analize 16 prioritetnih PAU kvalifikujuje za rutinsku analizu vode

Primena disperzivne mikroekstrakcije čvrstom fazom kao tehnike pripreme uzoraka za GC – MS analizu PAU u vodi

The aim of this paper is to determine the efficiency of D-µ-SPE with application of novel sorbents as a technique for sample preparation of water samples for the analysis of 16 priority PAHs by GC-MS. The sample preparation technique proved to be very fast, efficient and economical. The results of the proposed method demonstrate that this technique can be applied for routine analysis of PAHs in water. The advantages of this method are characterized by low values of limit of detection (from 0.147 ppb for benzo [a] anthracene to 0.784 ppb for naphthalene) and the limit of quantification (0.717 ppb for naphthalene to 9.459 ppb for benzo [k] fluorantene.Ciljevi istraživanja ovog rada su određivanje efikasnosti disperzivne mikroekstrakcije čvrstom fazom (D-µ-SPE) kao tehnike pripreme uzoraka vode za analizu 16 prioritetnih PAU gasnom hromatografijom sa masenom spektrometrijom, primenom novih sorbenasa. Tehnika pripreme uzoraka pokazala se kao veoma brza, efikasna i ekonomična. Rezultati predložene metode dokazuju da se ova tehnika može primeniti kao tehnika pripreme uzoraka za rutinsku analizu PAU u vodi. Prednosti ovakovog načina analize odlikuju se niskim vrednostima granice detekcije (od 0.147 ppb za benzo[a]antracen do 0.784 ppb za naftalen) i granice kvatifikacije (0.717 ppb za naftalen do 9.459 ppb za benzo[k]fluoranten)

Određivanje sadržaja mikro i makro elemenata u lekovitoj biljci Seseli pallasii Besser

Metals, whether from natural and anthropogenic sources, can migrate between different parts of the environment and accumulate in flora and fauna, and in this way can finally reach people through the food chain. The possibility of contamination of plants by metals limits their use both in the pharmaceutical and food industry, because the increased concentration of some metals can have a negative impact on the health of humans and animals. The medicinal herbaceous species Seseli pallasii Besser is used in traditional medicine, but also as a spice in nutrition, so the assessment of the presence of metals is essential to ensure its safe application. For the estimation of the contents of the micro (Al, B, Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, V, Zn) and macroelenates (Ca, K, Mg and Na) in vegetative parts of plant species Seseli pallasii Besser (root, leaf, flower and fruit) from Southeast Serbia the method of induced coupled plasma with optical emission spectrometry (ISP-OES) was applied. The content of micro and macroelements in the studed medicinal plant species is below the recommended limits, which confirms that Seseli pallasii Besser can be safely used in traditional medicine and nutrition.Metali, bilo da su iz prirodnih i antropogenih izvora, mogu da migriraju između različitih delova životne sredine i akumuliraju se u floru i faunu, i na taj način konačno mogu dospeti do ljudi putem lanca ishrane. Mogućnost kontaminacije biljaka metalima ograničava njihovu upotrebu kako u farmaceutskoj tako i u prehrambenoj industriji, jer povećana koncentracija nekih metala može imati negativan uticaj na zdravlje ljudi i životinja. Lekovita biljna vrsta Seseli pallasii Besser koristi se u tradicionalnoj medicini, ali i kao začin u ishrani, pa je procena prisustva metala od suštinske važnosti kako bi se osigurala njena bezbedna primena. Za procenu sadržaja mikro (Al, B, Ba, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, V, Zn) i makroelenenata (Ca, K, Mg i Na) u delovima biljke S. pallasii Besser (koren, list, cvet i plod) iz jugoistočne Srbije korišćena je metoda indukovano spregnute plazme sa optičkom emisionom spektrometrijom (ISP-OES). Sadržaj mikro i makroelemenata u proučavanoj lekovitoj biljnoj vrsti je ispod preporučenih granica, što potvrđuje da se S. pallasii Besser može sigurno koristiti u tradicionalnoj medicini i ishrani

Synthesis and characterization of thermosensitive hydrogels and the investigation of modified release of ibuprofen

The method of the synthesis of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) hydrogels obtained by radical polymerization is described. Their characterization was carried out by the determination of the quantity of residual monomers and by investigating their structure using FTIR. Three glass transitions were detected by DSC method. The porous surfaces of hydrogels with incorporated ibuprofen were shown in SEM micrographs. The swelling ratio of hydrogels decreased with the temperature increase and the swelling transport mechanism changed from non-Fickian to Fickian. Ibuprofen was incorporated in the hydrogel as a drug carrier and the released quantity depending on the temperature was monitored by HPLC. The hydrogel with the lower cross-linker content had the highest swelling degree (α = 34.72) at 10°C and released the largest amount of ibuprofen (64.21 mg/gxerogel) at 40C.Prikazan je metod sinteze hidrogelova poli(N-izopropilakrilamid-ko-2-hidroksi-propilmetakrilata), p(NIPAM-ko-HPMet), sa 5 mol% monomera HPMet-a dobijenih radikalnom polimerizacijom. Karakterizacija sintetisanih hidrogelova je izvedena određivanjem količine rezidualnih monomera i izvršena je njihova strukturna analiza pomoću infracrvene spektroskopije (FTIR), diferencijalne skenirajuće kalorimetrije (DSC) i skenirajuće elektronske mikroskopije (SEM). FTIR spektri sintetisanih hidrogelova p(NIPAM-ko-HPMet)-a sa različitim sadržajem umreživača EGDM-a pokazuju uzajamnu sličnost u strukturi. Površinska struktura liofilizovanih hidrogelova je porozna i uočavaju se čestice uklopljenog ibuprofena. Termička svojstva kserogelova p(NIPAM-ko-HPMet)-a pokazuju tri staklasta prelaza sa endotermnim pikovima slabog intenziteta. Sadržaj rezidualnih monomera dovodi do zaključka da je konverzija monomera tokom sinteze gotovo kompletna. Kine-tika bubrenja hidrogelova pokazuje da se pri povećanju temperature od 20 na 40 °C mehanizam transporta tečnosti menja iz ne-Fikovog (proces bubrenja kontroliše difuzija tečnosti i relaksacija polimernih lanaca) u Fikov (kontrolisan samo difuzijom tečnosti). Mogućnost primene hidrogelova p(NIPAM-ko-HPMet)-a kao nosača lekova ispitivana je u zavisnosti od temperature. Ibuprofen, korišćen kao model lekovita supstanca, uklopljen je u hidrogel i količina oslobođene aktivne supstance određena je HPLC metodom. Utvrđeno je da uzorak hidrogela p(NIPAM-ko-HPMet)-a sa sadržajem umreživača od 1 mol% EGDM-a dostiže najveći stepen bubrenja (α = 34,72) na 10°C i otpušta najveću količinu ibuprofena na 40 °C (64,21 mg/gkserogel). Ispitana svojstva predstavljaju dobru osnovu za potencijalnu primenu hidrogelova kao nosača lekovitih supstanci sa modifikovanim oslobađanjem

Semi-Crystalline Copolymer Hydrogels as Smart Drug Carriers: In Vitro Thermo-Responsive Naproxen Release Study

In this study, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) hydrogels were synthesized using free radical initiated copolymerization method. Four hydrogels with different cross-linker concentrations were prepared. Semi-crystalline, cross-linked copolymer networks were confirmed by FTIR, SEM and XRD analysis. Variation of swelling behaviour was monitored gravimetrically and thermo-responsiveness has been noticed. An application of synthesized thermo-responsive hydrogels as carriers for the modulated release of anti-inflammatory model drug was investigated. Moreover, naproxen loading into these hydrogels was also determined using FTIR, SEM and XRD techniques and release was analyzed using HPLC method at simulated physiological conditions. Swelling kinetic and mechanism of water transport, as well as diffusion of naproxen through the hydrogels were analyzed. Thus, the aim of this work was to study various compositions of obtained hydrogels and their possibility of application as a thermo-responsive carrier for prolonged naproxen release in order to evaluate as a potential candidate for drug carrier in future pharmaceutical applications

Risk factors for the appearance of minimal pathologic lesions on vocal folds in vocal professionals

Background/Aim. An excessive use or misuse of voice by vocal professionals may result in symptoms such are husky voice, hoarse voice, total loss of voice, or even organic changes taking place on vocal folds - minimal pathological lesions - MAPLs. The purpose of this study was to identify the type of MAPLs which affects vocal professionals, as well as to identify the risk factors that bring about these changes. Methods. There were 94 vocal professionals who were examined altogether, out of whom 46 were affected by MAPLs, whereas 48 of them were diagnosed with no MAPLs, so that they served as the control group. All these patients were clinically examined (anamnesis, clinical examination, bacteoriological examination of nose and pharynx, radiography of paranasal cavities, allergological processing, phoniatric examination, endo-video-stroboscopic examination, as well as gastroenterologic examination, and finally endocrinological and pulmological analyses). Results. The changes that occurred most often were identified as nodules (50%; n = 23/46) and polyps (24%; n = 11/46). Risk factors causing MAPLs in vocal professionals were as follows: age, which reduced the risk by 23.9% [OR 0.861 (0.786-0.942)] whereas the years of career increase the risk [OR 1.114 (1.000-1.241)], as well as the presence of a chronic respiratory disease [OR 7.310 (1.712- 31.218)], and the presence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease [OR 4.542 (1.263-16.334)]. The following factors did not contribute to development of MAPLs in vocal professionals: sex, a place of residence, irritation, smoking, endocrinologic disease and the presence of poly-sinusitis. Conclusion. It is necessary to introduce comprehensive procedures for prevention of MAPLs, particularly in high-risk groups. Identification of the risk factors for MAPLs and prevention of their influence on vocal professionals (given that their income depends on their vocal ability) is of the highest importance