Minerals of rocks

We live in technically oriented time with computers, internet and mobile phones all around us which leads to the fact that we have less and less time. Any information whether from science, technology, medicine, sport, politics, life etc. could be easily assessed at any time and at any place on the planet Earth. The same is with geology: volcanic eruptions, new minerals, ore exploitation, stock prices, etc. In spite of a numerous data concerning minerals, petrology, and geology is “disseminated” all over internet, the written word still have the key role in the education of youth. This was the reason for writing this publication, Minerals of rocks. It briefly presents and describes minerals, which take part in rock-forming processes, along with their physical and chemical properties, genesis and the most common associations. Photos included, are made by authors themselves or were "borrowed" from available websites. All of it was modified using graphic software and adjusted to the text to illustrate things better. Publication is meant for students of geology and mining, students of archeology, biology, geography, civil-engineering, architecture, ecology, etc. It will be of great value for studying minerals and rocks either when they take part in different geological, physico-chemical, biological and ecological processes, or when they are used for building, producing, living, for shelter and protection of mankind`s diverse items since the very first days of their existence. Publication requires at least a basic knowledge of mineralogy, as a number of data, such as symmetry of crystals, structural and optical properties and systematic of minerals, are shortly-given. Otherwise, this publication would be incomprehensible. A significant positive impact on the content, volume and a way of presentation had the questions and discussions of students during lectures and exercises from mineralogical, petrological and geological subjects along with directions that arose either during student`s seminar, final, and diploma works or master and doctor thesis. Neither less important were official and unendorsed discussions with our colleagues and scientists of other branches. No similar publication appeared or has been published prior to this. The author hope that it will be helpful for students, explorers, for adornments of minerals, rocks, geology and other earth sciences, i.e. for all whose study, exploration, job, and inspiration encompasses even a bit of rock-forming minerals. My deepest appreciation and thanks to Vidojko Jović, Ljiljana Karanović, Nebojša Vasić, Rade Jelenković and Nataša Gerzina whose valuable advice and help contributed to the quality and accuracy of this publication

A systematic review of case-series studies on the effectiveness of interventions to reduce polypharmacy and its adverse consequences in the elderly

Background. Aging is frequently accompanied by chronic diseases; as a consequence, older people are often exposed to polypharmacy that has been associated with negative health-consequences. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the literature reporting on the effectiveness of different approaches to reduce polypharmacy in the elderly. Methods. We conducted a comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE, Scopus and ISI Web of Knowledge databases. Eligible studies were case-series reporting outcomes of interventions aimed at reducing polypharmacy and its consequences in the elderly. A quality appraisal of the studies included was performed. Results. Nineteen studies were included, of which six conducted in community setting, seven in hospital setting, and six in nursing homes. Seventeen of them were judged as moderate quality, and two of them as poor quality. The majority of the interventions were carried out by pharmacists, alone (35%) or with other professionals (40%). Interventions consisted in pharmacotherapy reviews based on various tools and software; in some cases educational interventions were performed for review-performers and patients. Studies conducted in community-setting provided also a feedback to primary care physician. The outcomes included five categories: therapy’s characteristics (e.g. number of drugs, appropriate prescriptions), quality of life, health-related outcomes, costs, healthcare services’ utilization. Therapy-related outcomes were those more affected by all types of interventions. Conclusion. Interventions aimed at reviewing patients’ therapy are effective in optimizing the use of drugs, and could be considered also  in improving quality of life, healthcare costs, services’ utilization, and health-related outcomes

Occupational exposures and genetic susceptibility to lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma: a systematic review

Background The risk of occupationally related lung cancer, as well as pleural mesothelioma, in association with genetic polymorphisms, has been investigated with contradictory results. This systematic review aims to summarize the current knowledge on the relationship between genetic polymorphisms, occupational exposures, and lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma. Methods We searched MEDLINE, ISI Web of science, and SCOPUS online databases for all articles published in English language up to September 2016. Studies were considered eligible if they had assessed the association between occupational exposures and lung cancer/pleural mesothelioma in relation to genetic polymorphisms. Results Sixteen studies were included, of which eleven on lung cancer and six on mesothelioma, of which one was in common. NAT2 slow acetylator genotype confers an increased risk of pleural mesothelioma in subjects exposed to asbestos (OR=2.10; 95% CI=1.10-4.10), especially in combination with the GSTM1 null genotype (OR=3.60; 95% CI=1.30-9.60). GSTT1 null and CYP1A1 Msp1 T6235C (T/C+C/C) genotype carriers exposed to arsenic, uranium, asbestos and other chemical agents have an increased risk of lung cancer respect to not exposed wild type genotypes (OR=1.33; 95% CI=0.67-2.64, OR=2.20; 95% CI=1.11-4.35, respectively). Conclusion Genetic polymorphisms might modulate individual susceptibility to lung cancer and pleural mesothelioma in occupationally exposed subjects

A high fat diet induces sex-specific differences in hepatic lipid metabolism and nitrite/nitrate in rats

This work is supported by the grants No.173033 and III41028 from the Ministry of Science, Republic of Serbia.Men and women differ substantially in regard to the severity of insulin resistance (IR) but the underlying mechanism(s) of how this occurs is poorly characterized. We investigated whether a high fat (HF) diet resulted in sex-specific differences in nitrite/nitrate production and lipid metabolism and whether these variances may contribute to altered obesity-induced IR. Male and female Wistar rats were fed a standard laboratory diet or a HF diet for 10 weeks. The level of plasma nitrite/nitrate, as well as free fatty acid (FFA), in both plasma and liver lysates were assessed. The levels of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS), p65 subunit of NFκB, total and phosphorylated forms of Akt, mTOR and PDK-1 in lysates, and the levels of glucose transporter 2 (Glut-2) and fatty acid translocase/cluster of differentiation 36 (FAT/CD36) in plasma membrane fractions of liver were assessed. HF-fed male rats exhibited a significant increase in plasma nitrite/nitrate, and hepatic FFA and FAT/CD36 levels compared with controls. They also displayed a relative decrease in iNOS and Glut-2 levels in the liver. Phosphorylation of Akt (at Ser473 and Thr308), mTOR and PDK-1 was also reduced. HF-fed female rats exhibited increased levels of NFκB-p65 in liver compared with controls, while levels of Glut-2, FAT/CD36 and Akt phosphorylation at Thr308 and PDK-1 were decreased. Our results reveal that altered lipid and glucose metabolism in obesity, lead to altered iNOS expression and nitrite/nitrate production. It is likely that this mechanism contributes to sex-specific differences in the development of IR.PostprintPeer reviewe

Methodological issues in the observational studies conducted in older population: a narrative review

Introduction Well-conducted observational studies may represent valuable tools for getting insight to disease etiology, detecting the effect of age-related changes, and providing an important perspective on health risk factors and disabilities in an aging population. Nevertheless, this kind of research poses several challenges for researchers. The main aim of this narrative review was to address the potential methodological issues in performing the observational studies in the elderly, the factors that influence their participation, and the possible solutions for overcoming the barriers to research in this population. Methods Comprehensive search for the papers published in the period from January 1st 1980 until 31st July 2016 in English or Italian was conducted through MEDLINE, Scopus and Web of Science electronic databases. Findings from the included papers were finally summarized. Results In cohort studies, the following barriers were addressed: sample size calculation, ascertainment of the target population, frequency of data collection, exposure determination, multifactorial loss to follow-up (drop-outs), cognitive impairment, definition of confounders, and ethical aspects. Case-control studies were reported to be prone to the issues like ascertainment of cases and controls, willingness to participate, data accuracy, recall bias, issues related to patients’ multimorbidity, and cognitive impairment. Conclusions Important factors to consider in research in elderly people include: precise definition of the study population, well conducted recruitment process, engagement with family and home care staff, cognitive impairment assessment and the consequent relevant ethical and legal issues, relief of participant burden in order to minimize withdrawal, and engagement with the media

17ß-Estradiol protects against the effects of a high fat diet on cardiac glucose, lipid and nitric oxide metabolism in rats

This work is supported by the grant No.173033 (to E.R.I.) from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia.The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo effects of estradiol (E2) on myocardial metabolism and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression/activity in obese rats. Male Wistar rats were fed with a normal or a high fat (HF) diet (42% fat) for 10 weeks. Half of the HF fed rats were treated with a single dose of E2 while the other half were placebo-treated. 24h after treatment animals were sacrificed. E2 reduced cardiac free fatty acid (FFA) (p<0.05), L-arginine (p<0.01), iNOS mRNA (p<0.01), and protein (p<0.05) levels and translocation of the FFA transporter (CD36) (p<0.01) to the plasma membrane (PM) in HF fed rats. In contrast, Akt phosphorylation at Thr308 (p<0.05) and translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 (p<0.05) to the PM increased after E2 tretment in HF rats. Our results indicate that E2 acts via PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to partially protect myocardial metabolism by attenuating the detrimental effects of increased iNOS expression/activity in HF fed rats.PostprintPeer reviewe

Genetic Aspects of Micronutrients Important for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are complex diseases whose etiology is associated with genetic and environmental risk factors, among which are diet and gut microbiota. To date, IBD is an incurable disease and the main goal of its treatment is to reduce symptoms, prevent complications, and improve nutritional status and the quality of life. Patients with IBD usually suffer from nutritional deficiency with imbalances of specific micronutrient levels that contribute to the further deterioration of the disease. Therefore, along with medications usually used for IBD treatment, therapeutic strategies also include the supplementation of micronutrients such as vitamin D, folic acid, iron, and zinc. Micronutrient supplementation tailored according to individual needs could help patients to maintain overall health, avoid the triggering of symptoms, and support remission. The identification of individuals’ genotypes associated with the absorption, transport and metabolism of micronutrients can modify future clinical practice in IBD and enable individualized treatment. This review discusses the personalized approach with respect to genetics related to micronutrients commonly used in inflammatory bowel disease treatment

Influence of a high-fat diet on cardiac iNOS in female rats

Overexpression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is a key link between high-fat (HF) diet induced obesity and cardiovascular (CV) disease. Several studies have reported that oestradiol has cardioprotective effects that may be mediated through reduction of iNOS activity/expression. In the present study, female Wistar rats were fed a standard diet or a HF diet (balanced diet for laboratory rats enriched with 42% fat) for 10 weeks. Gene and protein expression of iNOS were measured in heart tissue. HF diet-fed rats exhibited a significant increase in cardiac iNOS mRNA by 695% (p<0.05), iNOS protein level by 248% (p<0.01), without changes in nitrate/nitrite levels. Expression of CD36 protein in plasma membranes was increased by 37% (p<0.05), while the concentration of free fatty acids (FFA) was reduced by 25% (p<0.01) in HF diet-fed rats. Expression of the p50 subunit of nuclear factor-κB (NFκB-p50) in heart lysate was increased by 77% (p<0.01) in HF diet-fed rats. Expression and phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) in control and HF diet-fed rats were also examined. Expression of Akt and ERK1/2 were unchanged between the groups. There was a significant increase in the ratio of phospho-Akt/total Akt but not for phospho-ERK1/2/total ERK1/2/ in HF-fed rats. Estrogen receptor-α levels (by 50%; p<0.05) and serum oestradiol concentrations (by 35%; p<0.05) were examined and shown to be significantly reduced in HF diet-fed rats. Our results revealed that a HF diet led to increased iNOS expression, most likely via a mechanism involving Akt and NFκB-p50 proteins. Decreased levels of oestradiol and ERα protein in the HF-fed group, in combination with increased iNOS levels are consistent with the hypothesis that oestradiol has a cardioprotective effect through its ability to regulate iNOS expression.PostprintPeer reviewe

Workplace health promotion for older workers: A systematic literature review

Background: Aging of the workforce is a growing problem. As workers age, their physical, physiological and psychosocial capabilities change. Keeping older workers healthy and productive is a key goal of European labor policy and health promotion is a key to achieve this result. Previous studies about workplace health promotion (WHP) programs are usually focused on the entire workforce or to a specific topic. Within the framework of the EU-CHAFEA ProHealth65+ project, this paper aims to systematically review the literature on WHP interventions specifically targeted to older workers (OWs). Methods: This systematic review was conducted by making a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, SCOPUS, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL and PsychINFO databases. Search terms included ageing (and synonyms), worker (and synonyms), intervention (and synonyms), and health (and synonyms). The search was limited to papers in English or Italian published between January, 1st 2000 and May, 31st 2015. Relevant references in the selected articles were also analyzed. Results: Of the 299 articles initially identified as relating to the topic, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. The type, methods and outcome of interventions in the WHP programs retrieved were heterogenous, as was the definition of the age at which a worker is considered to be 'older'. Most of the available studies had been conducted on small samples for a limited period of time. Conclusion: Our review shows that, although this issue is of great importance, studies addressing WHP actions for OWs are few and generally of poor quality. Current evidence fails to show that WHP programs improve the work ability, productivity or job retention of older workers. In addition, there is limited evidence that WHP programs are effective in improving lifestyles and concur to maintain the health and well-being of older workers. There is a need for future WHP programs to be well-designed so that the effectiveness and cost-benefit of workplace interventions can be properly investigated

Minerals of rocks

We live in technically oriented time with computers, internet and mobile phones all around us which leads to the fact that we have less and less time. Any information whether from science, technology, medicine, sport, politics, life etc. could be easily assessed at any time and at any place on the planet Earth. The same is with geology: volcanic eruptions, new minerals, ore exploitation, stock prices, etc. In spite of a numerous data concerning minerals, petrology, and geology is “disseminated” all over internet, the written word still have the key role in the education of youth. This was the reason for writing this publication, Minerals of rocks. It briefly presents and describes minerals, which take part in rock-forming processes, along with their physical and chemical properties, genesis and the most common associations. Photos included, are made by authors themselves or were "borrowed" from available websites. All of it was modified using graphic software and adjusted to the text to illustrate things better. Publication is meant for students of geology and mining, students of archeology, biology, geography, civil-engineering, architecture, ecology, etc. It will be of great value for studying minerals and rocks either when they take part in different geological, physico-chemical, biological and ecological processes, or when they are used for building, producing, living, for shelter and protection of mankind`s diverse items since the very first days of their existence. Publication requires at least a basic knowledge of mineralogy, as a number of data, such as symmetry of crystals, structural and optical properties and systematic of minerals, are shortly-given. Otherwise, this publication would be incomprehensible. A significant positive impact on the content, volume and a way of presentation had the questions and discussions of students during lectures and exercises from mineralogical, petrological and geological subjects along with directions that arose either during student`s seminar, final, and diploma works or master and doctor thesis. Neither less important were official and unendorsed discussions with our colleagues and scientists of other branches. No similar publication appeared or has been published prior to this. The author hope that it will be helpful for students, explorers, for adornments of minerals, rocks, geology and other earth sciences, i.e. for all whose study, exploration, job, and inspiration encompasses even a bit of rock-forming minerals. My deepest appreciation and thanks to Vidojko Jović, Ljiljana Karanović, Nebojša Vasić, Rade Jelenković and Nataša Gerzina whose valuable advice and help contributed to the quality and accuracy of this publication