Analysis of risk factors for occlusions of a synthetic femoropopliteal bypass graft

© 2015, Institut za Vojnomedicinske Naucne Informacije/Documentaciju. All rights reserved. Background/Aim. Femoropopliteal bypass is a revasculariza-tion technique of lower extremities with excellent outcome. The great saphenous vein is the best graft material, but if it is not adequate or has been removed, synthetic grafts are an useful al-ternative. Graft occlusion is the most significant complication with the most serious consequences. The aim of this study was to analyse predictive factors for the synthetic femoropopliteal bypass occlusions. Methods. This retrospective case-control study included all patients who underwent synthetic femoropop-liteal bypass due to peripheral arterial occlusive disease at the Vascular Surgery Center, Clinical Center of Kragujevac, Serbia, from 2007 to 2013. The cases group were the patients with femoropopliteal graft occlusion (n = 44), with the control group consisted of the patients without such an outcome (n = 88). Re-sults. Significant effects to occlusion were: concomitant cardio-vascular disease (adjustedOR 27.05; 95% CI 4.74; 154.35), a type of femoropopliteal bypass (adjustedOR 16.50; 95% CI 4.05; 67.24), previous vascular intervention (adjustedOR 4.67; 95% CI 1.20; 18.14), clinical stage of the disease (adjustedOR 3.73; 95% CI 1.94; 7.18), administration of postoperative oral anticoagulant therapy (adjustedOR 0.05; 95% CI 0.01; 0.23) and the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (adjustedOR 0.14; 95% CI 0.03; 0.70). A significant synergism was shown for the following combina-tions of the observed risk factors: type of femoropopliteal bypass and cardiovascular disease, type of femoropopliteal bypass and previous vascular intervention, previous vascular intervention and cardiovascular disease, previous vascular intervention and beta blockers, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, type of femoropopliteal bypass and antiaggregant therapy, clinical stage of disease and cardiovascular disease, previous vascular interven-tion and antiaggregant therapy. Conclusion. Concomitant car-diovascular disease, below-knee femoropopliteal bypass, ad-vanced stage of vascular disease and non-use of anticoagulant therapy and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are the significant predictors of graft occlusion after synthetic femoro-popliteal bypass. Their synergistic effect determines the impor-tance of diabetes, use of beta blockers and platelet antiaggregant therapy

Procena nedeljnog unosa žive preko konzumiranja ribe u srpskoj populaciji

Zahvaljujući sadržaju visoko kvalitetnih proteina, vitamina, makro i mikroelemenata, kao i omega-3 polinezasićenih masnih kiselina, riba predstavlja značajnu namirnicu u ishrani ljudi. Međutim, povećanim unosom ribe unosi se i veća količina kontaminanata, posebno žive. Koncentracija žive određivana je u mišićnom tkivu riba koje imaju veliku zastupljenost u ishrani stanovništva Srbije – osliću, skuši, šaranu i pastrmci, kao i u proizvodima od tune. Svi ispitani uzorci sadrže živu ispod maksimalno dozvoljene količine regulisane evropskim i srpskim regulativama. Procenjeni nedeljni unos žive preko konzumirane ribe, ispod je preporučenog maksimalnog limita Svetske zdravstvene organizacije

The reasons for development of complications in soft contact lenses wearers: A qualitative study

© 2020, Serbian Medical Society. All rights reserved. Objective. To determine reasons and their actual role in occurrence of complications in users of soft contact lenses. Methods. This was a qualitative study in which a constructivist grounded theory approach was used to analyze obtained data. The study population consisted of two groups of subjects: 10 students who were identified as users of soft contact lenses and 4 ophthalmologists. Each of the respondents participated ina single interview. Based on audio recordings of these interviews appropriate transcripts of conversations were made and analyzed. After elimination of waste words 11 key categories were crystallized. Results. Recommendations of the ophthalmologists perhaps have the decisive role in the formation of attitude that users will have regarding the adequate hygiene of soft contact lenses: hand hygiene, proper cleanliness of storage for soft contact lenses and using the solution in the allotted time are imperative for users of soft contact lenses. Sleeping with soft contact lenses for a long period and more frequently than it was specified in the recommendation of an ophthalmologist is one of the greatest reasons for development of dry eye symptoms, while swimming with soft contact lenses increases the risk for occurrence of eye infections. Conclusion. The main reasons for the occurrence of complications in soft contact lenses users are inadequate hygiene and weakening of compliance of soft contact lenses users over time

Comparison of Essential Metals in Different Pork Meat Cuts from the Serbian Market

AbstractPork consumption in Serbia accounts for a large share of total meat consumption. Pork is valuable sources of nutrients. We analyzed metal content in three different cuts of pork collected from the Serbian market during 2014. Analyses of the following isotopes: zinc (66Zn), copper (63Cu) and iron (57Fe) were performed by ICP-MS. Our data show that Zn, Cu and Fe were present in significantly different levels in hind leg, loin and shoulder, and that shoulder meat was richest in the analyzed metals. The differing mineral status of different pork cuts implies differences in their nutritional benefits for the human diet

Comparison of two Analytical Methods (ELISA and LC-MS/MS) for Determination of Aflatoxin B1 in Corn and Aflatoxin M1 in Milk

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to assess the closeness of agreement between results of ELISA and LC-MS/MS methods for determination of aflatoxin B1 in corn and aflatoxin M1 in milk. Samples of corn (n=100) and milk (n=250) were simultaneously analyzed using ELISA and LC-MS/MS methods, after the severe drought that affected Serbia in summer 2012 resulting in occurrence of aflatoxin B1 in corn and aflatoxin M1 in milk. Regression analysis showed higher level of agreement between aflatoxin B1 samples (R2=0.994), compared to aflatoxin M1 samples (R2=0.920). However, both techniques were satisfactory in meeting the requirements for official control purposes

Živa u različitim vrstama morskih riba na srpskom tržištu

Proučavanje žive (Hg) u marinskim sistemima je od velikog interesa, s obzirom da je reč o toksičnom metalu koji ima sposobnost bioakumulacije i biomagnifikacije u lancu ishrane. Vodeni sistemi, a time i ribe, mogu biti kontaminirani živom kao posledicom zagađenja životne sredine prirodnim procesima (vulkanske erupcije, klimatske promene itd.) i antropogenim izvorima zagađenja (industrija, rudarstvo itd.). Živa (Hg) može postojati kao elementarna, neorganska i organska živa. Najtoksičniji oblik žive je metil živa (MetHg) koja čini od 70-100% ukupne Hg u ribi. Naučna ispitivanja ukazuju da velike količine žive u hrani mogu negativno uticati na razvoj fetusa i izazvati oštećenja mozga i jetre. Cilj ovog rada bio je ispitivanje sadržaja žive u jestivim delovima tri vrste morske ribe na tržištu Srbije: oslić - Merluccius merluccius (n=84), skuša - Scomber scombrus (n=35) i papalina - Sprattus sprattus (n=17)). Prosečna potrošnja ribe u Srbiji iznosi oko 5 kg po glavi stanovnika, što je znatno niže u poređenju sa EU prosekom (21 kg po glavi stanovnika). Svi uzorci uzeti su i analizirani tokom 2014. godine. Analiza sadržaja žive urađena je primenom induktivno-kuplovane plazme sa masenom spektrometrijom (ICP-MS), merenjem izotopa 202Hg. Najviša srednja vrednost sadržaja žive utvrđena je u uzorcima skuše (0,056 mg/kg), zatim kod oslića (0,034 mg/kg), a najniža kod papaline (0,016 mg/kg). Maksimalno dozvoljene količine Hg u ispitanim ribama, koje su definisane zakonskom regulativom Srbije [MDK (oslić, papalina) = 500 ng/g, MDK (skuša) = 1000 ng/g] nisu prekoračene u svim ispitanim uzorcima. Statističkom evaluacijom dobijenih rezultata ustanovljeno je da postoji statistički zanačajna razlika (p<0,005) u sadržaju Hg između oslića i skuše, kao i između skuše i papaline. Za procenu unosa Hg konzumiranjem ribe korišćeni su podaci iz „GEMS/Food Consumption Cluster Diets database“. Prema ovom izvoru, procenjena prosečna nedeljna potrošnja morske ribe u Srbiji iznosi 106,4 g. Koristeći podatke iz ove studije izračunat je nedeljni unos Hg, baziran na srednjoj vrednosti sadržaja Hg u konzumiranoj ribi i prosečnoj telesnoj težini čoveka od 70 kg. Na osnovu izračunatih vrednosti za nedeljni unos Hg (oslić: 0,051-0,208 µg/kg telesne težine; skuša: 0,086-0,289 µg/kg telesne težine; papalina: 0,025-0,050 µg/kg telesne težine) može se zaključiti da je unos žive pri konzumaciji oslića, skuše i papaline znatno niži od preporučenih graničnih vrednosti svetske zdravstvene organizacije (1,6 µg MetHg /kg telesne težine)

CLIMATE CHANGE: IMPACT ON MYCOTOXINS INCIDENCE AND FOOD SAFETY

Climate change may have an impact on the occurrence of food safety hazards along the entire agri-food chain, from farm to fork. The interactions between environmental factors and food contamination, food safety and foodborne diseases are very complex, dynamic and difficult to predict. Extreme weather conditions such as floods and droughts which have not occurred previously in Serbia, may be supporting factors to contamination of crops by various species of toxigenic fungi and related mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are a group of naturally occurring toxic chemical substances, produced mainly by microscopic filamentous fungal species that commonly grow on a number of crops and that cause adverse health effects when consumed by humans and animals. Recent drought and then flooding confirmed that Serbia is one of the few European countries with very high risk exposure to natural hazards, as well as that mycotoxins are one of the foodborne hazards most susceptible to climate change.Climate change may have an impact on the occurrence of food safety hazards along the entire agri-food chain, from farm to fork. The interactions between environmental factors and food contamination, food safety and foodborne diseases are very complex, dynamic and difficult to predict. Extreme weather conditions such as floods and droughts which have not occurred previously in Serbia, may be supporting factors to contamination of crops by various species of toxigenic fungi and related mycotoxins. Mycotoxins are a group of naturally occurring toxic chemical substances, produced mainly by microscopic filamentous fungal species that commonly grow on a number of crops and that cause adverse health effects when consumed by humans and animals. Recent drought and then flooding confirmed that Serbia is one of the few European countries with very high risk exposure to natural hazards, as well as that mycotoxins are one of the foodborne hazards most susceptible to climate change

Antimicrobial treatment of Corynebacterium striatum invasive infections: a systematic review

The aim of this study was to establish an evidence-based guideline for the antibiotic treatment of Corynebacterium striatum infections. Several electronic databases were systematically searched for clinical trials, observational studies or individual cases on patients of any age and gender with systemic inflammatory response syndrome, harboring C. striatum isolated from body fluids or tissues in which it is not normally present. C. striatum had to be identified as the only causative agent of the invasive infection, and its isolation from blood, body fluids or tissues had to be confirmed by one of the more advanced diagnostic methods (biochemical methods, mass spectrometry and/or gene sequencing). This systematic review included 42 studies that analyzed 85 individual cases with various invasive infections caused by C. striatum. More than one isolate of C. striatum exhibited 100% susceptibility to vancomycin, linezolid, teicoplanin, piperacillin-tazobactam, amoxicillin-clavulanate and cefuroxime. On the other hand, some strains of this bacterium showed a high degree of resistance to fluoroquinolones, to the majority majority of β-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, lincosamides and cotrimoxazole. Despite the antibiotic treatment, fatal outcomes were reported in almost 20% of the patients included in this study. Gene sequencing methods should be the gold standard for the identification of C. striatum, while MALDI-TOF and the Vitek system can be used as alternative methods. Vancomycin should be used as the antibiotic of choice for the treatment of C. striatum infections, in monotherapy or in combination with piperacillin-tazobactam. Alternatively, linezolid, teicoplanin or daptomycin may be used in severe infections, while amoxicillin-clavulanate may be used to treat mild infections caused by C. striatum

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Non-Opioid Analgesics Consumption At The Surgery Departments Of A Secondary Care Hospital In General Hospital In Kraljevo, Serbia

The aim of this study was to determine the amount of non-opioid analgesics consumed at the surgical departments of a secondary care hospital in Serbia, a developing country undergoing a socioeconomic transition that thus lacks sufficient funds to finance and invest in the healthcare system