Indications for Synergetic and Antagonistic Effects between Trace Elements in The Environment to Human Health

The objective of this work was to investigate the interactions between the level of concentrations of Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As and Pb in potable water, soil, vegetation and school children hair and disease incidences of neoplasms, diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, mental and behavioral disorders and diseases of the circulatory system on the population groups which are homogeneously exposed to the environmental conditions. It was found that potable water among the other investigated aspects of the physical environment has the greatest impact on the public health. The environment- disease incidence interactions have been found for all investigated diseases groups. The results reported here emphasize the importance of the observation of the mutual effects of the environmental variables on the human health for the identification of their synergetic as well as antagonistic effects

Biochemical Bone Turnover Markers: Significance in Patients with Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a systemic disease, which is characterized by reduced bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of the bone tissue, resulting in an increased risk of fracture. Since osteoporosis is today a disease with high incidence rate, the aim of this study was to determine a correlation between bone mass density (BMD) and concentration of biochemical bone turnover markers – deoxypyridinoline (DPD) as a marker of bone resorption, and osteocalcin (OC) as a marker of bone formation. The study included 70 women between 33 and 76 years of age. In all women BMD was measured by Dual X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) as a T-score. T-score was defined as the number of standard deviations of the bone mass density from the maximum bone mass density in young adults. According to T-score, patients were divided into three groups: patients with osteoporosis, patients with osteopenia and control group consisting of patients with normal T-score. DPD in urine and OC in serum were measured by a routine procedure. Results: a negative correlation between BMD and concentration of bone turnover marker was discovered. One-way analysis of variance and Pearson correlation were used for statistical analysis, with a P value <0.05 being considered significant. Although a negative correlation was discovered, we concluded that both procedures have a significant role in diagnosis and follow-up of patients with osteoporosis

Investigations of Renal Calculi Using New Methods

Appearance of kidney stones causes numerous problems in functioning of urinary tract. It is necessary to identify its growth mechanism in order to find successful ways of prevention. The main components building kidney stones are already well known. But research of bulk composition is not successful enough to develop useful and universal prevention methods. Such a task demands better and more precise methods for investigation of kidney stones. Established methods for investigation of renal calculi are IR spectroscopy2, X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy. These methods are sufficient and adequate to identify the most frequent and common substances, which can appear in human kidneys. It is important to recognize the most important mechanisms for forming minerals inside the kidneys and to calculate the statistical abundance of each mineral in observed population. Development of different new methods for investigation of solid-state materials permits better insight into specific crystallization and mechanisms of its growth. Further research of renal stones would surely need implementation of additional methods like: scanning electron microscopy, electron dispersive spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and tomography, which can identify new subordinate phases

Urolithiasis and Osteoporosis: Clinical Relevance and Therapeutic Implications

Several clinical and epidemiological studies revealed increased bone turnover and lower bone mass in patients with urolithiasis. Bone mass loss is particularly evident in idiopathic calcium stone formers. However, pathogenetic mechanisms and factors implicated in bone loss in these patients are still unknown. Dietary calcium restriction, increased intake of salt and animal proteins, vitamin D receptor polymorphisms are likely risk factors, while role of inflammatory cytokines, osteopontin and prostaglandin mediated bone resorption is yet to be determined. Regarding treatment and prevention, it has been proven that calcium supplements and high calcium diet with the addition of potassium alkali have an important role in prevention and treatment of both, urolithiasis and osteoporosis. Thiazide diuretics reduce hypercalciuria in renal tubules, and in addition promote osteoblast differentiation. Finally, bisphosphonates, a commonly used drugs in treatement of osteoporosis, show the potential to inhibit calcium stone formation, whereas a possible protective effect of antioxidants in bone loss and renal injurie needs to be investigated further

Metabolic and Physico-chemical Urolithiasis Parameters in the First Morning Urine

The 24-hour urine is golden standard for metabolic assessment of stone formers. However, due to the difficulties in collecting almost 1/3 of the samples can not be used for the analysis. Therefore, we analyzed first morning urine and calculated different risk indexes in order to asses possibility of using it in determining urolithiasis risk. Subjects were divided into 4 groups: male patients (n=31, age 18–64), female patients (n=31, age 25–63), male controls (n=16, age 25–64) and female controls (n=19, age 21–65). First morning urine pH, concentrations of calcium, magnesium, phosphate, sodium, potassium, chloride, citrate, urate, oxalate, creatinine and glycosaminoglycans were determined. Based on them, ionic concentrations and activity products of calcium oxalate and phosphate were calculated by EQUIL 2. In addition, different risk indices were calculated. The results showed that both patients and control groups had metabolic disorders, but the frequencies of occurrence were statistically independent. Significant difference in concentration of urinary constituents between corresponding patient and control groups was observed only for glycosaminoglycans in female subjects. Ca/Cit ratio and Baggio index could differentiate between both corresponding patients and control groups. The results indicate that interplay between stone formation inhibitors and promotors is responsible for urinary stone formation and that the first morning urine could be used in assessing urolithiasis risk and its prevention

Influence of pH, Temperature and Common Ion on Magnesium Hydrogenurate Octahydrate Solubility

Physico-chemical investigation of urolithiasis today is mostly focused on applying physico-chemical description of precipitation processes to the stone formation with the aim to distinguish between stone formers and nonstone formers. This is done by calculating supersaturation for different solid phases which can be formed in urine using data obtained by urine analysis and existing solubility product, dissociation and complexation constants. In order for this approach to succeed it is of utmost importance that system is described as detailed as possible, i.e. that all species that can be formed are taken into account. Magnesium hydrogenurate octahydrate, Mg(C5H3N4O3)2·8H2O (Mg(HU)2·8H2O), is among species which can precipitate in the urine and for which solubility data doesn’t exist. In order to fill this void crystals of Mg(C5H3N4O3)2·8H2O phase I and phase II have been prepared and characterized. Solubility product constant of Mg(C5H3N4O3)2·8H2O phase I in water at 37 °C and phase II at different temperatures, pH and in different solvents have been determined by measuring total concentration of uric acid and magnesium ions in solutions at different time periods. Results show that in water at 37 °C thermodynamically less stable phase I is more soluble (Ksp=(5.64±0.20).10–9 mol3 dm–9) than phase II (Ksp=(1.66±0.13).10–9 mol3dm–9). Solubility of Mg(HU)2·8H2O phase II increases with temperature. At equilibrium the solubility of phase II is the lowest in the presence of excess of magnesium ions, while solubility in the presence of uric acid is comparable with the one obtained in water

Green Technologies-Assumption of Economic Recovery

Green technologies include implementation of technological projects in the field of environmental protection through all associated components, such as: waters, soil, air or biodiversity. Hence, such projects potentially become a driving force of new economic momentum in the conditions of post-crisis recovery. In addition, the support of this segment by the institutions of the European Union, either in terms of organization through the establishment of rules and systems for monitoring and control of environmental protection measures, and most importantly in terms of finances, by supporting the development of infrastructure for environmental protection, is today an indisputable category. The aim of the research is to show the potential of green technologies in the initiation of economic activities based on content analysis of the collected literature, as well as to determine the correlation between green technologies and environmental protection and the measures for the reduction of the impact of energy sector on the greenhouse gas emissions

Influence of Caffeine on Crystallization and Amelioration of Oxidative Stress on in vitro Model of Urolithiasis

Urolithiasis is a disease characterized by formation of solid crystals within the urinary tract. Kidney stone formation is still not clear but it is mostly composed of calcium oxalate which can produce free radicals that are toxic to renal tubular cells. Oxidative stress is an important contributory mechanism in cell damage and is associated with a number of disorders. Several studies have shown antioxidative effects of caffeine, proposing its possible role in stopping the formation of calcium oxalate stones in urinary tract. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate the toxic effects of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals (COM) on renal epithelial cell line; Madin-Darby canine kidney cells subtype I (MDCK I) and Epithelial-like pig kidney cell line (LLC-PK1), and to determine possible inhibition of COM that caused oxidative stress by antioxidant treatment with caffeine in different concentrations in a cell culture model of urolithiasis

Prevalence of Metabolic X Syndrome in the Interior of Croatia: The Baranja Region

Metabolic syndrome (MS), a constellation of metabolic risk factors associated with development of cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, has emerged as a public health problem of enormous proportions in developed and developing countries. We have reported previously its prevalence in several isolated island populations in the Eastern Adriatic coast of Croatia. In spite of leading a relatively traditional life style pattern including the practice of a typical Mediterranean diet, the prevalence of MS in these populations is high and comparable to those in developed nations. However, data on prevalence of the syndrome in mainland Croatia is limited. We have, therefore, conducted a study in an outbred population comprising of Croats, Hungarians and Serbs from the Baranja region of mainland Croatia. Although this is an ethnically heterogenous population, the constituent groups exchange mates and therefore, are not reproductively isolated. The life style patterns are also similar. We observed similar prevalence of MS in these groups. We assessed MS following the definitions prescribed in the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). Overall prevalence is considerably high in this cosmopolitan group, by WHO criteria 26% in males and 38% in females, and by NCEP criteria 84% in males and 71% in females. It is likely that, in addition to genetic risk factors, a host of environmental factors that include dietary habit and relatively urban life style in a modernized society influence the levels of the constituent metabolic traits leading to increase prevalence of MS