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Introduction/Objective. Rib fractures are common in blunt chest trauma (BCT), and when they are associated with pleural complications (PC) – pneumothorax, hemothorax and hemopneumothorax – the treatment of these patients is prolonged and difficult. Without the ability to predict PC after rib fractures in BCT, most doctors are forced to initially treat these patients through observation and conservative treatment. The goal of this research is to determine which of the investigated biomarkers of inflammation – fibrinogen, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and C-reactive protein (CRP) – are significantly associated with the occurrence of PC after rib fracture in BCT, and whether they can be used in stratifying patients for hospitalization and further treatment. Methods. The prospective study included 90 patients with rib fractures caused by BCT. The test group comprised 45 patients with rib fractures and the presence of PC, and the control group consisted of 45 patients with rib fractures without PC. Blood sampling was performed on admission, on the second, third, and fifth day after the injury, and PC were monitored until the seventh day after the injury. Results. Serum values of IL-6 on the second day and fibrinogen and CRP on the second and third day after injury were statistically significantly higher in patients with PC, and IL-6 showed a good discriminative ability in assessing the occurrence of PC on the second day after a rib fracture in BCT. Conclusion. The investigated biomarkers of inflammation – fibrinogen, IL-6, and CRP – can be used as predictors of PC after rib fracture in BCT, and their application can significantly replace clinical observation.

Depopulation of mountains has been an intense and lengthy process in Serbia. This paper will analyze the potential of Kopaonik mountain for the development of tourism, which can be one of the key factors for the demographic revitalization of the entire mountain. In tourism development so far, Kopaonik mountain stands out as one of the most important carriers of mountain tourism in Serbia. The limiting factor in the development so far is the pronounced seasonality of tourism promotion. The aim of the research in the paper will be to identify the factors that influence seasonality phenomena as the main limiting factor for achieving better economic effects.

Introduction/Objective. In this study, we have pointed out the immunohistomorphometric characteristics of somatotropic (GH) and folliculostellate (FS) cells of the male pituitary gland during ageing. Methods. On histological sections of the pituitary gland of 14 male cadavers of different ages, the GH and FS cells were immunohistochemically labeled with corresponding antibodies, monoclonal anti-GH antibody, and polyclonal anti-S100 antibody, respectively. Immunopositive GH- and FS-cells were further morphometrically analyzed using ImageJ software. Results. The obtained results of morphometric analysis showed that the surface area of GH cells increased significantly with age. In these cells, the nuclear–cytoplasmic ratio gradually decreased and became significantly higher after the age of 70 years. The volume density of GH cells has not changed during ageing, while in FS cells this parameter significantly increased in the cases older than 70 years. The nuclear–cytoplasmic ratio of GH cells is negatively correlated with the volume density of FS cells. Conclusion. Based on the obtained results, we concluded that hypertrophy of GH and FS cells occurs in men with ageing and that correlation between the morphometric parameters of these two cell types indicates their mutual interaction.

In the process of loop formation, the weft knitting phase has a dominant place, both from the aspect of forming the loop as well as determination its length and geometric shape. The loop length is the most important technological parameter in the knitted fabrics structure analysis and it is directly a function of sinking depth. The yarn tension in the weft knitting phase is determined by the following parameters: values of yarn tension at the entrance to the knitting system, yarn friction with knitting needles, yarn guiding speed, yarn bending stiffness and yarn angle coverage with knitting needles. Determination the value of yarn tension in the weft knitting phase is extremely important for the reliability of the knitting process. The obtained results show that the maximum values of yarn tension in the loop formation process occur in the weft knitting phase and that they must not be greater than the forces of the elastic limit of the used yarn.

Elodea nuttallii represents non-native and highly invasive species in Europe that significantly influence freshwater plant communities by decreasing the diversity of native species. This study aimed to determine whether the morphological and anatomical features of Potamogeton gramineus, a native species in Vlasina Lake, differ between sites where it coexists with E. nuttallii and those where E. nuttallii is not present. Environmental variables such as water depth, temperature, pH, conductivity, saturation, and O2 concentration were included in the analysis. Analyses were conducted on 32 morphological and anatomical features of P. gramineus collected from six sites within Vlasina Lake, comprising three sites where E. nuttallii was present and three sites where it was absent. The datasets containing morphometric and environmental variables underwent analysis using standard univariate techniques (Descriptive, ANOVA), Tukey's Honest Significant Difference (HSD) test, Student's t-test, and the Mann–Whitney U test, as well as multivariate statistical methods such as Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA). The results show the presence of morphological differentiation among P. gramineus individuals across the analyzed sites. These findings suggest that morphological and anatomical features, such as epidermis, mesophyll, palisade, and aerenchyma tissue thickness in floating leaves, number, length, width, and the surface area of stomata, as well as the width of submersed leaves and stem aerenchyma tissue thickness, effectively differentiate individuals that coexist with E. nuttallii and individuals that growth without its presence. Moreover, they indicate that P. gramineus exhibits a notable ability to modify its morphological traits in response to invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Bolboschoenus has been intensively studied from the morphological, ecological and physiological aspects, however, anatomical features of stems, leaves and epidermal structures of leaves have not been investigated sufficiently yet. The main objective of this study was to compare the four Bolboschoenus species growing in Serbia at the anatomical level and to define the most important anatomical characteristics for distinguishing these species. Descriptive, nonmetric multidimensional scaling and canonical discriminant analysis of the anatomical characters of leaves, stems and epidermal structures have been conducted for these purposes. The number and position of sclerenchyma strands in the leaves, the presence of bulliform cells in the epidermis, the number of translucent cell layers under the adaxial epidermis in the midrib area of the lamina, the number of aerial cavities in leaves and stems were the most significant anatomical characters for differentiation of species. The most differentiated species was B. glaucus, while B. laticarpus occupied an intermediate position between B. maritimus and B. planiculmis, on the one hand, and B. glaucus on the other. The combination of the anatomical features of leaves and stems and the epidermal structures had a more excellent taxonomic value than these three individual groups of features individually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/Objective. This 10-year prospective study’s primary objective was to evaluate the incidence of complications of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP). The secondary objective was to analyze how RRP affects lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and quality of life (QoL) by using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Methods. We analyzed 254 patients who underwent RRP in the period 2009–2018. All complications were graded according to the Clavien–Dindo classification. To assess urinary symptoms and the QoL, all the examinees filled out the IPSS and the International Prostate Symptom Score for QoL (IPSS QoL) questionnaires during preoperative preparation and three, six, and 12 months after surgery. Results. The incidence of complications Clavien–Dindo grade ≤ II and grade ≥ III were 26.4% and 16.5%, respectively. The mean overall IPSS for the entire group of patients after 12 months of follow-up was significantly different from the preoperative baseline value (p < 0.001). Patients with preoperative moderate (IPSS 8–19) and severe urinary symptoms (IPSS 20+) had a statistically significant reduction of urinary symptoms after RRP (p < 0.001). After 12 months, IPSS QoL was statistically significantly lower than the preoperative one (p < 0.05). Conclusion. For patients with clinically localized prostate cancer, RRP is a safe and effective treatment option. It is associated with a higher rate of complications from the Clavien–Dindo grade ≤ II group. RRP has clinically beneficial effects on LUTS in patients with moderate and severe urinary symptoms and the QoL related to LUTS.

Yarn length in a loop is one of the most important technological parameters in knitwear structure analysis. Therefore, determination of the accurate values of yarn length in a loop is of great importance in knitwear structure parameters projection. This paper presents comparative results of the determination of yarn length in a loop based on the loop row height, loop row width and calculated yarn diameter, as well as determination of loop length based on machine technological parameters taking into account needle pace, platinum and needle diameter, platinum and needle curved radius, span angle of yarn with needle and platinum and projected cooling depths. The results obtained show various values of yarn length in a loop.

Background/Aim. Duodenogastric reflux occurs after gastroenteroanastomosis, with or without resection of the stomach (Billroth I, Billroth II), after vagotomy and pyloroplasty, gastroduodenostomy as well as in conservatively treated patients. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds (MNNG) influence in conjunction with duodenogastric reflux, in the function of time for precancerous lesions development in gastric mucosa. A particular purpose of the study has been to suggest some effective surgical procedures, which could prevent the harmful effects of duodenogastric reflux on gastric mucosa, as a potential activator of carcinogenesis. Methods. The research included 90 experimental, male Wistar rats, divided into 3 groups. The two experimental groups were subjected to two surgical procedures: Billroth II gastric resection (group B2), and the Roux-en-Y reconstruction (group RY), respectively. The control group (group C) animals did not receive any surgical treatment. All groups were administered per os chemical cancerogen MNNG. All anastomoses were performed by extra mucosal suture with monofilament polypropilene 7–0, and 8–0. The animals were sacrificed consecutively, and subjected to total gastrectomy after 8, 16 and 24 weeks. Results. Pathohistological analysis was performed on defined regions of the rat stomach in three time period. The B2 group, at the end of our experiment, showed predominant incidence of severe lesions: hyperplasia (0%), gastritis (0%), metaplasia (6.7%), dysplasia (46.7%), early carcinoma (20%) and carcinoma (26.7%). At the end of our experiment, the RY and C groups showed the similarities of the obtained results related to time with predominant incidence of mild lesions: hyperplasia (13.3% vs 0%, respectively), gastritis (13.3% vs 13.3%, respectively), metaplasia (6.7% vs 13.3%, respectively), dysplasia (66.7% vs 66.7%, respectively), with an extremely low incidence of early carcinoma (0% vs 6.7%, respectively) and no incidence of carcinoma (0% vs 0%, respectively). Conclusion. Without the presence of duodenogastric reflux, MNNG causes a low degree of precancerous gastric lesions. However, direct contacts of MNNG with gastric mucosa, including the presence of duodenogastric reflux, induce precancerous lesions and carcinoma. The percentage of reversible changes decreases with time, while the percentage of irreversible lesions and carcinoma increases. A lack of distinction in the findings between the RY and C groups confirms a gastroprotective role of the Roux-en-Y procedure.

Introduction/Objective. The ideal reconstruction procedure after total gastrectomy should replace all lost functions of the stomach. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of preserving the duodenal passage in subsequent improvement of body weight (BW) and body mass index (BMI) in patients with gastric cancer after total gastrectomy. Methods. A total of 30 patients with gastric cancer were prospectively randomly divided into a group of reconstruction with double-tract (n = 15) and a group of reconstruction with simple Roux-en-Y after total gastrectomy. They were stratified by sex, age, their anthropometric measurements (BW, BMI), primary tumor localization, Lauren’s classification, TNM stage classification, length of hospital stay, operation duration, postoperative complications, and mortality. Postoperatively, BW and BMI were measured at three, six, and 12 months and compared between the two groups. Results. The clinical group of double-tract patients had significantly higher the values of BW in the postoperative period after six (66.6 ± 4.9 vs. 61.7 ± 7.6; p < 0.05 paired Student’s t-test) and after 12 months (67.0 ± 4.9 vs. 62.3 ± 7.2; p < 0.05 paired Student’s t-test) compared to the group of Roux-en-Y patients. On the other hand, the clinical group of double-tract patients also had significantly higher the values of BMI in postoperative period after 12 months (23.6 ± 1.1 vs. 22.5 ± 1.6; p < 0.05 paired Student’s t-test) in relation to the Roux-en-Y group of patients. Conclusion. Reconstruction procedure carried out after total gastrectomy which implies preserving the duodenal passage has significant increase of BW and BMI, compared to reconstruction procedure without the preservation of the duodenal passage.

Copyright of Knowledge: International Journal is the property of Institute for Knowledge Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Knowledge: International Journal is the property of Institute for Knowledge Management and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background/Aim. Rectal cancer is a major health problem throughout the world, despite the great progress in the treatment and control of the disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of mesorectal excision type on local recurrence in patients operated on for rectal cancer within a 3- year period. Methods. The clinical retrospective study was conducted at the Clinic for General Surgery at the Clinical Center in Niš, Serbia, and included 225 patients with rectal cancer. Postoperatively, the patients were observed 36 months. Total mesorectal excision (TME) method was used in 129 (57.33%) patients, and partial mesorectal excision (PME) in 96 (42.66%). There were 145 (64.44%) man and 80 (35.55%) women, average age 66.8 years. Results. In 58 (25.77%) of the patients cancer was localized in the proximal third of the rectum, in 99 (44%) in the medium third, in 68 (30.22%) it was 8 cm of the anocutaneous line. In 167 (74.22%) patients rectal cancer was in T3 stadium. TME was performed in all the patients with cancer in the distal third of the rectum and in 61.61% of the patients with cancer in the medium third of the rectum. PME was performed in all the patients with localized cancer in the proximal third and in 38.38% of the patients with cancer in the medium third of the rectum. Local recurrence occurred in 20 (8.88%) patients, 12 (9.30%) in the TME group and 8 (8.33%) in the PME group, which was not a statistically significant difference. In 75% of the cases, relapse occurred in the patients in T3 stage. Relapse occurred in 55% of the cases in the second year after the surgery. The median survival of all the patients amounted to 35 months. The total mortality of all respondents in a 3-year period amounted to 5.3%. Conclusion. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of local recurrence and survival among patients who underwent TME and those underwent PME. The type of mesorectal excision does not affect the incidence of local recurrence in node-negative disease stages.

The concentrations of fifteen metals (Mg, Na, Ca, K, Se, Zn, Mn, Fe, Pb, Cr, Cu, Cd, Sb, Ni, Co) were determined in water from ten artesian wells (AW) in Semberija to obtain a general metal profile of water in this region. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used in this classification. Using principal component analysis two factors controlling the metal variability were obtained, which accounted for nearly 71.5% of the total variance. Natural (lithogenic) factor is represented by PC1, while anthropogenic factor is represented by PC2. PC1 with high contribution of Mn, Mg, Na, K, Ca, Zn and Se accounting for 41.84% of the total variance, while PC2 exhibits high loading for Cd, Ni, Sb, Cr and Pb (29.66%). Three general areas (clusters) with different metal characteristics were detected. Water from artesian wells in first cluster (AW1, AW2, AW3, AW4, AW5 and AW6) had much higher metal concentration compared with those in the second (AW7, AW8 and AW9) and third cluster (AW10). That is as a result of anthropogenic inputs. Also, the analysis of water demonstrated slightly elevated values for Mn (concentrations up to 0.176 mg/L), while concentrations of the other investigated elements are below the values recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 172047]

Copyright of Biologica Nyssana is the property of University of Nis, Department of Biology & Ecology, Faculty of Sciences & Mathematics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the light of the findings presented in this paper, among the volcanic products of the Upper Cretaceous, referred to as "the first volcanic phase" (Drovenik, 1961), two lithostratigraphic units can be singled out within the Timok Magmatic Complex (TMC): - The lower one, consisting of volcanogenic, subaerial, dominantly hornblende andésite volcaniclastic, formed on land, and less abundant volcanic and sub-volcanic-hypoabyssal rocks. It is the main source of sulfide mine­ralization in Bor. It was formed before the Upper Turonian and consists of hornblende andésite and occasionally low biotite. Minor constituents are biotite-hornblende dacite and some andésite and dacite materials con­taining augite in addition to hornblende and biotite. - The upper one, from the Upper Turonian period when the volcanic activity of the region had ended, is marine deposited and epiclastic. Intercalated with Senonian marls, it is composed of land deposited Turonian volcanogenic material of all generations. Fresh material mostly consisting of hornblende andésite volcanoclastics prevails in it. Fresh epiclastics include ore mineral epiclasts. Epiclastics composed of epiclasts of hydro thermally altered rocks were observed which also include ore epiclasts. The ore epiclasts originate from copper ore. The boundary between the volcanogenic Turonian and the epiclastic deposits is a well-recognized unconformity. Table 1 in the text summarizes the main characteristics of the Turonian volcanogenic rocks, primarily those of volcaniclastics, as well as those of epiclastic deposits.

The impact of nutrients and turbidity on the grazer-periphyton interactions was investigated monthly at ten sites along the Nišava River (Balkan Peninsula). Based on the grazers densities, the studied sites were divided into three groups. There was significant difference in average grazer density between these three groups of sites. Our study revealed that the negative effect exerted by grazers on periphyton was statistically significant only at the localities of the site group II, characterized by the highest density of scraper assemblages. The results of SIMPER analysis revealed that the grazer assemblage of the site group II was mostly determined by Stagnicola palustris. We found that more diverse assemblages decrease the negative impact of grazers on periphyton biomass. The responses of grazing pressure were not influenced by river order, nor sensitive to season. Our findings show that the high levels of total nitrogen, and to a lesser extent of total phosphorus, led to the decrease of the negative impact that grazers have on periphyton. On the other hand, turbidity increased the impact that scrapers have on the periphyton biomass to the more significant level (from p=0.028 to p=0.015). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Medica Medianae is the property of Acta Medica Medianae and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Medica Medianae is the property of Acta Medica Medianae and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Medica Medianae is the property of Acta Medica Medianae and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Acta Medica Medianae is the property of Acta Medica Medianae and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Tekstil: Journal of Textile & Clothing Technology is the property of Croatian Association of Textile Engineers and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Yarn tensioning forces in the compensation and knitting zones of the machine, at various knitting and yarn sinking depths, are analysed in knitting double-jersey fabric from the 20 tex fineness cotton yarns on a Terot RH 116 circular knitting machine. Tension is measured at the point of yarn unwinding from the bobbin, at the balloon top, at the compensation zone and at the entrance into the knitting system and continuous increase of yarn tension is recorded, until it reaches maximum value, adequate for undisturbed knitting. The variations of yarn length in the loop at maximum and minimum yarn tension are examined. The input yarn tension is reduced in order to obtain lower yarn stretching values during the knitting process, so that the differences between the real and nominal yarn lengths are as small as possible. Special attention is paid to yarn tension measuring at the very entrance into the knitting system, at the maximum rate of the cylinder and the increased yarn speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]