Risk factors for the occurrence of cardovascular system diseases in students

Background/Aim. Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death in the majority of developed, as well as in many developing countries. The aim of this study was to determine cardiovascular risk factors in student population and to suggest possible measures for prevention. Methods. The study was carried out during 2007-2008 at the School of Medicine, University of Niš. It included 824 students in their final year (220 males, 604 females). Results. There was no significant difference in prevalence of hypertension among the male (1.81%) and female students (0%). The prevalence of obesity (Body Mass Index - BMI > 30 kg/m2) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in the male (7.27%) than in the female population (1.32%). Abdominal obesity was also more frequently encountered (p < 0.01) in the male (9.09%) than in female population (1.32%). Every fourth student smoked cigarettes with no significant difference between the male and female students. Alcohol consumption was a significantly higher problem (p < 0.001) in the male population (18.18%) than in the female one (2.65%). Physical inactivity was more often found (p < 0.001) in the female students (65.56%), than in male ones (36.36%). By the bivariate correlation of cardiovascular risk factors, it was determined that in the male student population systolic blood pressure correlated significantly with diastolic blood pressure, BMI and waist size, whereas age correlated with sistolic blood pressure, waist size and smoking. In the female students sistolic blood pressure correlated with diastolic blood pressure, BMI and waist size; diastolic blood pressure correlated with BMI and physical inactivity; cigarette smoking correlated with alcohol consumption and age. Conclusion. Cardiovascular risk factors are present in the final-year students of the School of Medicine, University of Niš. It is necessary to insist on decreasing obesity prevalence, cigarette and alcohol consumption, and on increasing physical activity of students in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases

Anacreonitica у поезији балканских народа

En tant que la base de la continuité des chants anacréontiques, la philosophie de la vie du poète hellénique Anacréon (VIe siècle avant notre ère), avait inspiré les poètes des temps ulté rieurs à écrire leurs vers sur son modèle. Outre son écho dans les littératures d'Europe occidentale et russe, la poésie d'Anacréon était souvent traduite et même imitée par certains poètes des Balkans — chez les Grecs (Ath. Hristopoulos), les Roumains (N et J Vacàrescu), les Bulgares (A. Kipilovski, P. Slavejkov) et les Serbes (L. MuSicki, V. Radiäic. P. P. Njegoä, V. RaSi

Effects of use of riboflavin and ultraviolet light for pathogen inactivation on quality of platelet concentrates

Background/Aim. Pathogen inactivation in blood and blood products is one of the major means to achieve a zero risk blood supply and improve transfusion safety. Riboflavin (vitamin B2) activated by ultraviolet (UV) light, produces active oxygen which damages cell membrane and prevents replication of the carrier of diseases (viruses, bacteria, protozoa) in all blood products. The aim of this study was to establish the influence of the process of pathogens photoinactivation using riboflavin and UV rays on the biochemical and functional characteristics of platelet concentrates prepared from “buffy coat”. Methods. The examination included 80 platelet concentrates prepared from “buffy coat”, which was separated from whole blood donated by voluntary blood donors around 6 hours from the moment of collection. Concentrates were pooled, filtered and separated unton two groups: one consisted of 10 control units and the other of 10 examined units (pooled platelet concentrates). Examined units of the platelets were treated by riboflavin (35 mL) and UV rays (6.24 J/mL, 265-370 nm) on Mirasol aparature (Caridian BCT Biotechnologies, USA) in approximate duration of 6 min. A total of 35 mL of saline solution was added to the control units. The samples for examining were taken from the control and examined units initially (K0, I0), after the addition of saline (K1) and riboflavin (I1), after illumination (I2), first day of storage (K3, I3) and the fifth day of storage (K4, I4). The following parameters were measured: platelet count and platelet yield, residual erythrocyte and leukocyte count, pH, pO2, pCO2 and bacterial contamination. Results. All the measured parameters showed a statistically significant decrease comparing to K0 and I0; all the results of the first day of platelet storage showed statistically significant decrease comparing to K1 and I1, and all the results of the fifth day of platelet storage (K4, I4) showed a statistically significant decrease comparing to K1 and K3 and to I1 and I3. There was no the mentioned difference in the measured parameters between K4 and I4 (the end of storage - the fifth day). All the platelet units were sterile till the seventh day, when the investigation ended. Conclusion. Platelet concentrates inactivated by riboflavin and UV rays (Mirasol PRT sistem, Caridian BCT, USA) keep all the characteristics assessed by the Guide to the preparation, use and quality assurance of blood components (Council of Europe), during the whole storage period (five days). The obtained data were correlated with existing up to date literature and demonstrated that Mirasol treated platelets were safe and could be incorporated effectively in the routine blood bank and transfusion setting

Maternal smoking during pregnancy and socioeconomic factors as predictors of low birth weight in term pregnancies in Niš

Background/Aim. Low birth weight (LBW) is a result of preterm birth or intrauterine growth retardation, and in both cases is the strongest single factor associated with perinatal and neonatal mortality. It is considered that socioeconomic factors, as well as mothers bad habits, play the most significant role in the development of LBW, which explains notable number of researches focused on this particular problem. The aim of this study was to characterize socioeconomic factors, as well as smoking habits of the mothers, and their connection with LBW. Methods. The questionnaire was carried out among mothers of 2 years old children (n = 956), born after 37 gestational weeks. The characteristics of mothers who had children with LBW, defined as < 2 500 g, (n = 50), were matched with the characteristics of mothers who had children ≥ 2 500 g, (n = 906). For defining risk factors, and protective factors as well, we used univariant and multivariant logistic modeles. Results. As significant risk factors for LBW in an univariant model we had education level of the mothers, smoking during pregnancy, smoking before pregnancy, the number of daily cigarettes, the number of cigarettes used during pregnancy, paternal earnings and socioeconomic factors. In a multivariant model the most significant factors were socioeconomic factors, education level of the mothers, paternal earnings and mothers smoking during pregnancy. Conclusion. Smoking during pregnancy and socioeconomic factors have great influence on LBW. Future studies should be carried out in different social groups, with the intention to define their influence on LBW and reproduction, as well. This should be the proper way of adequate health breeding planning for giving up smoking, the prevention of bad habits and melioration of mothers and children health, as the most vulnerable population

One–pot synthesis of hydrophobic hydroxyapatite nano particles

A highly hydrophobic oleic acid functionalized hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were obtained by the solvothermal method. Water solutions of reactants were added in mixture of oleic acid, triethanolamine and ethanol, which was then treated in Teflon lined autoclave. The chemical composition, size and morphology of as obtained particles were determined using XRD, FT IR, FE SEM and LD PSA. In addition, sintering behaviour and microstructure of prepared material were also examined

Study on a standard for grounding systems realization

Grounding systems of objects inside power facilities are very often realized as structures consisting of protective electrodes’ system placed in the object foundation, and neutral electrodes’ system placed at a specified distance from the object. Official standards and publications recommend a minimal value for the distance between the protective and the neutral part of grounding structures, so that the influence of one on another can be neglected. We analyze several practical implementations of grounding structures and demonstrate that the minimal distance is actually much smaller than that recommended by the standards

Designing of dense nanostructured calcium-phosphate-based bioceramics

Poster presented at the conference JUNIOR EUROMAT, Lausanne, Switzerland, 26–30. jul 2010

Influence of heating rate on two-step sintering behaviour of different hydroxyapatite nanopowders

Poster presented at the 12th Annual Conference of the Materials Research Society of Serbia - YUCOMAT 2010, Herceg Novi, Montenegro, September 6–10, 201

THE INFLUENCE OF DAILY LOAD PROFILE ON THE HEATING OF SINGLE-CORE XLPE CABLES BURRIED IN THE GROUND

This paper presents and discusses the results of the transient heating analysis of single core cables laid directly in the ground. In order to analyze transient heating of cables a daily load diagram with three levels, which can be described by two parameters is used. These parameters are duration of high level loading and load factor. In order to analyze daily temperature variation of the cable the ratio of high level current loading to rated current of the cable is also required. Parameters that affect results are varied in analysis: thermal conductivity and diffusivity of soil, the distance between adjacent cables, temperature of referent soil, cross-bonding of metal sheets, etc. The results of analysis are ranges of conductor temperature variation, i.e. daily minimum and maximum temperature of the conductor for different laying and ambient conditions. The presented results can be used in estimation of cable overloading capability as well as for estimation of aging of cables exposed to cyclic loading

Uticaj dugotrajnog zvučnog stresa na histološku građu nadbubrežne žlezde brojlera

The aim of this paper is to examine the effect of different sound stress duration on adrenal gland of broiler chickens of different age. The experiments were conducted on 90 HYBRO broiler chickens, divided into nine groups (each group consisting of 10 birds) by different age and lenght of sound stress duration. The chickens were exposed to sound stress in sound attenuated building using a fire alarm bell (95 dB) for stress sessions lasted 120 min every day. The histological structure of adrenal gland was analyzed by light microscopy. The results indicate that adrenal gland is sensitive on this kind of stress and sound as stressor could introduce organism in stress reaction. Adrenal glands of broilers exposed to sound stress characterized by marked hyperemia, hypertrophy of interrenal cells, smaller affinity for staining of chromaffin cells compared with control groups. According to our results, degree of histological changes of adrenal gland under the influence of sound stress depends on the length of exposure and age of chickens.Cilj ovog rada je da ispita uticaj različite dužine trajanja zvučnog stresa na histološku građu nadbubrežnih žlezda brojlerskih pilića u različitim uzrastima. Ogled je izveden na 90 HYBRO brojlerskih pilića, podeljenih u 9 grupa u skladu sa uzrastom i dužinom izlaganja stresu. Pilići su zvučnom stresu bili izlagani u zvučno izolovanim objektima uz korišćenje požarnog alarmnog zvona (95dB) u trajanju od 120 min svakog dana. Histološka građa nadbubrežnih žlezda je analizirana svetlosnim mikroskopom. Rezultati ukazuju da je nadbubrežna žlezda osetljiva na ovu vrstu stresa i da zvuk, kao stresor, može da uvede organizam u stresnu reakciju. Nadbubrežne žlezde pilića izlaganih zvučnom stresu karakteriše značajna hiperemija, hipertrofija interrenalnih ćelija, manji afinitet prema bojenju hromafinih ćelija u odnosu na kontrolnu grupu. U skladu sa ovim rezultatima, stepen histoloških promena nadbubrežne žlezde pod uticajem zvučnog stresa zavisi i od dužine izlaganja i uzrasta pilića