Quality of Honey Bee Bread Collected in Spring

Pollen is the only source of protein that honey bees collect from nature. It is very important for the development of brood, and consequently, for the development of the colony. Honey bee bread is the pollen which the bees collect from flowers and store in honeycomb cells. Honey bee bread has a modified structure due to the fermentation process under the influence of enzymes it passes through. For this study, ten honey bee colonies were selected. Honey bee bread was sampled from the combs. The quality of pollen and honey bee bread was determined by the chemical composition, using standard methods used in food analysis. Total nitrogen was determined by Kjeldahl method. Micro- and macroelements were determined by spectrophotometric method. The pollen collected from two sites had rich protein content (29.93 % and 27.63 % on average)

Роль фактора некроза опухоли-альфа в прогнозировании тяжести и исхода сепсиса у пациентов неотложного отделения с системным воспалением

Aim of the study was to determine whether the TNF-a levels, proximal inflammatory mediator, in septic patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are associated with progression to severe sepsis, septic shock or death. Material and methods. A retrospective observational study was performed on a sample of one hundred adult subjects presenting to the ED with systemic inflammatory response syndrome of 2 etiologies: presumed (and later confirmed in the ICU and/or operating room) severe acute pancreatitis or generalized peritonitis. Blood TNF-a samples measurements were taken shortly after ED admission. TNF-a was measured by commercial ELISA test in plasma. Results. Mean values of TNF-a on admission (day zero, in ED) were 191,5-fold lower in group with septic shock compared to severe sepsis group and were 63-fold higher in survivors (p<0.01). The area under the curve (AUC) for the TNF-a plots for severity of clinical status was 0.813 and for outcome 0.834. Patients with TNF-a levels lower than 7.95 pg/mL had a 3.2-fold higher probability of septic shock development than those with higher values, at the cutoff level sensitivity was 83,9% and specificity 72,5%. Patients with TNF-a levels higher than 10.5 pg/mL had a 4.8-fold higher probability to survive than those with lower values, at the cutoff level sensitivity was 83,0% and specificity 77,4%. Conclusion: Decreasing in TNF-a concentration leads to the septic shock development and fatal outcome. TNF-a is very good predictor of sepsis severity and outcome. Key words: sepsis, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, emergency medical services, survival rate, severity of illness index.Цель исследования — определить, связаны ли уровни ФНО-a, ключевого медиатора воспаления, у пациентов с сепсисом, поступающих в отделение неотложной помощи и переводящихся в отделение реанимации, с прогрессированием его до тяжелого сепсиса, септического шока и смерти. Материал и методы. Ретроспективное обсервационное исследование было выполнено на выборке в 100 взрослых человек, поступивших в неотложное отделение с признаками системного воспаления двух возможных этиологий: тяжелый острый панкреатит (предполагаемый, а затем подтвержденный в отделении реанимации и/или операционной) или общий перитонит. Производили измерения ФНО-a в крови сразу после поступления. ФНО-a измеряли коммерчески доступным ELISA-методом в плазме крови. Результаты. Средние уровни ФНО-a при поступлении (день 0, в неотложном отделении) были в 191,5 раз ниже в группе с септическим шоком по сравнению с группой тяжелого сепсиса и в 63 раза выше у выживших (

A measure of majorisation emerging from single-shot statistical mechanics

The use of the von Neumann entropy in formulating the laws of thermodynamics has recently been challenged. It is associated with the average work whereas the work guaranteed to be extracted in any single run of an experiment is the more interesting quantity in general. We show that an expression that quantifies majorisation determines the optimal guaranteed work. We argue it should therefore be the central quantity of statistical mechanics, rather than the von Neumann entropy. In the limit of many identical and independent subsystems (asymptotic i.i.d) the von Neumann entropy expressions are recovered but in the non-equilbrium regime the optimal guaranteed work can be radically different to the optimal average. Moreover our measure of majorisation governs which evolutions can be realized via thermal interactions, whereas the nondecrease of the von Neumann entropy is not sufficiently restrictive. Our results are inspired by single-shot information theory.Comment: 54 pages (15+39), 9 figures. Changed title / changed presentation, same main results / added minor result on pure bipartite state entanglement (appendix G) / near to published versio

Supplementary data for the article: Stojković, D. L. J.; Bacchi, A.; Capucci, D.; Milenković, M. R.; Čobeljić, B.; Trifunović, S. R.; Andelković, K.; Jevtić, V. V.; Vuković, N.; Vukić, M.; et al. Synthesis and Characterization of Palladium(II) Complexes with Glycine Coumarin Derivatives. Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society 2016, 81 (12), 1383–1392. https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC160915087S

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC160915087S]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2392

Cytotoxicity of Platinum(Iv) and Palladium(Ii) Complexes with Meso-1,2-Diphenyl-Ethylenediamine-N,N -Di-3-Propanoic Acid. Crystal Structure of [Pd(1,2-Dpheddp)] Complex

The syntheses of tetradentate ligand, meso-1,2-diphenyl-ethylenediamine-N,N-di-3-propanoic acid (H-2-1,2-dpheddp) and corresponding platinum(IV) and palladium(II) complexes are reported here. The spectroscopically predicted structure of the obtained palladium(II) complex was confirmed by X-ray analysis. Singe crystals suitable for X-ray measurements were obtained by slow crystallization from a DMSO-water mixture. Cytotoxic effects of platinum(IV), palladium(II) complexes and cisplatin on the 4T1 and Bl6F1 cell lines were determined using the MTT colorimetric technique. The complexes showed a dose dependence on cytotoxic effect toward both cell lines. Both complexes were less active than cisplatin, the exception was concentrations above 62.5 mu M of platinum(IV) complex in the B16F1 cell line

The HEV Ventilator Proposal

We propose the design of a ventilator which can be easily manufactured and integrated into the hospital environment to support COVID-19 patients. The unit is designed to support standard ventilator modes of operation, most importantly PRVC (Pressure Regulated Volume Control) and SIMV-PC (Synchronised Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation) modes. The unit is not yet an approved medical device and is in the concept and prototyping stage. It is presented here to invite fast feedback for development and deployment in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure

Synthesis and characterization of palladium(II) complexes with glycine coumarin derivatives

A Pd(II) complex with methyl 2-([1-{2,4-dioxochroman-3-ylidene}ethyl]amino)acetate was synthesized. The structures of both the ligand and its Pd(II) complex were determined by elemental analysis, and IR and NMR spectroscopy. Recrystallization of the Pd(II) complex from DMF/water solution resulted in its hydrolysis and the formation of the dimethylamine (2-[{1-(2,4-dioxochroman-3-ylidene) ethyl} amino] acetato) palladium(II) complex, the structure of which was determined by elemental analysis, IR, H-1- and C-13-NMR spectroscopy and X-ray analysis.Supplementary material: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3626

Supplementary data for the article: Stojković, D. L. J.; Bacchi, A.; Capucci, D.; Milenković, M. R.; Čobeljić, B.; Trifunović, S. R.; Andelković, K.; Jevtić, V. V.; Vuković, N.; Vukić, M.; et al. Synthesis and Characterization of Palladium(II) Complexes with Glycine Coumarin Derivatives. Journal of the Serbian Chemical Society 2016, 81 (12), 1383–1392. https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC160915087S

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.2298/JSC160915087S]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2392

Discovertebral (Andersson) lesions in severe ankylosing spondylitis: a study using MRI and conventional radiography

The objective of this study is to investigate the prevalence of Andersson lesions (AL) in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients who will start anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) treatment. Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine were performed before therapy with anti-TNF. ALs were defined as discovertebral endplate destructions on MRI, associated with bone marrow edema and fat replacement or sclerosis, a decreased signal on T1, enhancement after contrast administration (gadolinium diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA)), and increased signal on T2 and short tau inversion recovery (STIR). Additionally, conventional radiography showed a fracture line, irregular endplates, and increased sclerosis of adjacent vertebral bodies. Fifty-six AS patients were included, 68% males, mean age of 43 years, and mean disease duration of 11 years. The mean bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index was 6.4, and 24% of all patients had ankylosis. Only one patient showed a discovertebral abnormality with bone marrow edema of more than 50% of the vertebral bodies adjacent to the intervertebral disk of T7/T8 and T9/T10, a hypodense signal area on T1, and a high signal on STIR. Irregular endplates were depicted, and T1 after Gd-DTPA demonstrated high signal intensity around the disk margins. However, no fracture line was visible on conventional radiology, and therefore, this case was not considered to be an AL. No AL was detected in our AS patients, who were candidates for anti-TNF treatment. One patient showed a discovertebral abnormality on MRI, without a fracture line on conventional radiology. The relative small proportion of patients with a long-established disease might explain this finding for, particularly, an ankylosed spine is prone to develop an AL

The HEV Ventilator

HEV is a low-cost, versatile, high-quality ventilator, which has been designed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The ventilator is intended to be used both in and out of hospital intensive care units, and for both invasive and non-invasive ventilation. The hardware can be complemented with an external turbine for use in regions where compressed air supplies are not reliably available. The standard modes provided include PC-A/C(Pressure Assist Control),PC-A/C-PRVC(Pressure Regulated Volume Control), PC-PSV (Pressure Support Ventilation) and CPAP (Continuous Positive airway pressure). HEV is designed to support remote training and post market surveillance via a web interface and data logging to complement the standard touch screen operation, making it suitable for a wide range of geographical deployment. The HEV design places emphasis on the quality of the pressure curves and the reactivity of the trigger, delivering a global performance which will be applicable to ventilator needs beyond theCOVID-19 pandemic. This article describes the conceptual design and presents the prototype units together with their performance evaluation.Comment: 34 pages, 18 figures, Extended version of the article submitted to PNA