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The primary objective of this research was to evaluate boar ejaculate variability and the occurrence of anomalies in spermatozoa, considering climatic factors during spermatogenesis breed, and utilization frequency. This study involved 17 boars (n=129 ejaculates) and fertility testing was conducted during the most critical period of the year, from August to October. The observed sperm characteristics included: ejaculate volume (VOL), sperm concentration (CON, spermatozoa/ml), total number and number of functional spermatozoa (NT, NF), percentage of sperm motility in the native ejaculate and after dilution (MOTN, MOTD), number of produced doses (NPD), percentage of dead and live spermatozoa (PM, PZ), and sperm anomalies. The assessment of the effect was performed using a General Linear Model procedure. The breed did not influence sperm variability, while the frequency of boar utilization impacted on the occurrence of secondary anomalies. The determined regression coefficient indicated that extending the interval by one day increased PPPK by 0.340-0.348%. The maximum daily temperature during semen collection (model 1) and the value of the TH index during semen collection (model 3) influenced ejaculate volume. An increase of one ℃ in temperature, or one unit in THI value, led to a (p

Enhancing diet quality is a recognized strategy for reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), making it a primary focus of public health policies worldwide. The Nutri-Score, a front-of-pack labeling logo utilizing five color-coded letters (A, B, C, D, E), has been established as a means to assist consumers in promptly identifying healthier prepackaged foods within a given food category. It has a positive influence in terms of consumer awareness, perception, comprehension, and purchasing behavior and potentially contributes to a decrease in the prevalence of NCDs. The objective of this research was to assess the NutriScore of finely and coarsely ground cooked sausages available in the Serbian market. To accomplish this, a total of 189 packaged cooked sausages from the eight largest supermarket chains in the Belgrade region of the Republic of Serbia were analyzed. The sausages were evaluated using the Nutri-score method and categorized accordingly. The results of the Nutri-Score analysis revealed that only 1.1% of the cooked sausages fell into Group C, while 62.4% were classified as Group D, and 36.5% were classified as Group E. The reduction of sodium and saturated fatty acids, which are major contributors to unfavorable Nutri-scores in cooked sausages, is crucial due to their significant presence, often leading to their classification as "unhealthy foods."

Background: Evidence regarding the performance-related effects of Actovegin is limited, despite legislated restrictions being in place for this supplement within sport settings. Objectives: Our study examined the effects of Actovegin on physiological responses and performance during maximal cardiopulmonary exercise in collegiate athletes. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled experimental design was adopted. Moderately trained collegiate athletes from various sports were randomly allocated to placebo (n = 8) or Actovegin (n = 8) groups. All athletes consumed three capsules across each day for seven days of loading. Athletes underwent two separate cardiopulmonary exercise tests one week apart. Separate 2 × 2 mixed ANOVAs and effect sizes ( η p 2 ) were used to assess for between- and within-group differences. Results: A significant time * group effect (p = 0.036, η p 2 = 0.278) was observed in systolic blood pressure. Significant main effects were only observed for time in several variables, with increases in peak oxygen uptake (VO2) (p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.893), peak minute ventilation (p = 0.004, η p 2 = 0.456), ventilatory equivalents for carbon dioxide (p = 0.002, η p 2 = 0.517), oxygen pulse (p = 0.006, η p 2 = 0.434), VO2 at first ventilatory threshold (p = 0.002, η p 2 = 0.520), velocity at second ventilatory threshold (p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.997), VO2 at second ventilatory threshold (p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.628), and peak velocity (p = 0.010, η p 2 = 0.386), and a decrease in respiratory exchange ratio (p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.695). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that although physiological and performance alterations were evident with Actovegin supplementation during cardiopulmonary exercise, no further benefits beyond those obtained with a placebo were attained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study was conceived with the aim of translating the experience and knowledge of the research group into the design and creation of multi-active phytocomplex cocktails from lyophilised winery by-products (Grape Pomace—GP) and weeds (Sambucus ebulus L., Dwarf Elder—DE). Methods: Quantification of bioactive molecules was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. Results: In the extract obtained from lyophilised GP, the most dominant component that was quantified was petunidin-3-glucoside. Prominent compounds that were quantified in DE extract were cyanidin derivatives. The total number of microorganisms in lyophilisates is low, but some of them still survive lyophilisation. Antibacterial activity was determined by microdilution, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the tested bacteria ranged from 0.78 mg/mL to 25.00 mg/mL. Antibacterial susceptibility testing (AST) revealed that Klebsiella spp. and Acinetobacter baumannii complex are extensively drug-resistant (XDR). Conclusions: The GP + DE cocktail showed very strong AB power against both tested XDR bacteria. The total phenolic content and antioxidative effect (determined spectrophotometrically) indicate their linear correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extract of the plant species Satureja hortensis L. (often used as traditional ethno-therapy and in food processing) was prepared using the ultrasonic extraction technique, and contains a large quantity of secondary metabolites, with scientific evidence for antioxidant, antimicrobial, sedative, antispastic and antidiarrheal activities. Process optimization was carried out using a mathematical–statistical method (response surface methodology—RSM), which models and examines the effects of three levels and three variables on the observed response. The investigated responses were the content of total phenolic components (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC), as well as tests of antioxidant activity at the level of radicals. The independent variables were ethanol concentration (40–80%), temperature (40–80 °C) and the liquid–solid ratio (10–30 mL/g). Results from this study were entered into a second-degree polynomial with multiple non-linear regression. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to find the most favorable environment for assessing the model's performance and effectiveness with an ethanol concentration of 20%, temperature of 80 °C and LSR of 21.4 mL/g. ANOVA assessed the model's significance, and a second-order polynomial model described the relationships between variables and responses. Diagnostic plots confirmed the model's adequacy and reliability. The estimated values were 4.11 mg chlorogenic acid equivalents per gram of dry weight (CEA/g), 2.18 mg of rutin equivalents per gram of dry weight (RE/g), and 0.030 mg/mL and 0.030 mg/mL for TPC, TFC, IC50 and EC50, respectively. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) examination revealed that the prominent substance in the tested extract is rosmarinic acid (46,172 µg/mL), followed by chlorogenic acid (1519 µg/mL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trial was conducted on 108 piglets of crossbreeds Landrace x Large White. Aim of this study was to determine influence of this aroma on production parameters of growing pigs. Whole trial was in total 57 days, and it was split in three trial periods. Piglets were weaned on day 27, when the trial started. First trial period was 18 days (27-44 day), second was 28 days (45-72 day) and third was 11 days (73-83 day). The control groups received standard farm mixtures, and the trial groups had added aroma Vanilla Sweet in different concentrations (0.02; 0.04%, respectively). During the first period, there was statistical difference (p

The study of the production traits of 22 genotypes of fattening pigs was carried out on two pig farms (Farm A and Farm B) in Central Serbia, under the influence of the following factors: farm, genotype and sex of fattening pigs, and pre-slaughter weight. The characteristics of fattening animals included in the research are: warm carcass side growth (WCSG); bacon thickness - rump (FTR); bacon thickness - back (FTB); bacon thickness - rump + back (FTRB); meat yield - carcass sides (JUSKG) and meat yield in percentage (JUSPRO), as well as weight and ratio of French dressing in warm carcass sides (FDKG and FDPRO). Animals of both sexes were used in the trial (female non-castrated rats and surgically castrated males). Total of 1166 fattening animals were included in the trials. Statistical data processing was performed using the Harvey software package. All included factors in the used models show a highly statistically significant effect on the variation of fattening traits (P

Background/Aim: Optimal intake of magnesium minerals is essential in maintaining the coordinated physiological functions of cells, tissues and organs. The importance of this element is reflected in the fact that it is the fourth most abundant cation in the human body, participating as a cofactor in more than three hundred enzymatic reactions. Its presence is necessary for the proper functioning of a number of vital functions, such as glycaemic control, the work of the heart and the vascular system and it can potentially play a role in the regulation of body weight. Aim of this study was to investigate the effects of subchronic intake of magnesium hydrocarbonate-rich water on changes in body weight, organ weight and cardiovascular variables in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Methods: Wistar rats (n = 28) were divided into 4 groups: two control groups, on tap water (TW-C, n = 7) and magnesium hydrocarbonate-rich water (MW-C, n = 7); and two experimental groups with streptozotocin-induced diabetes, on tap water (TW-DM, n = 7) and magnesium hydrocarbonate-rich water (MW-DM, n = 7). The values of body weight, organ weight and cardiovascular parameters were compared after 6 weeks between control groups of rats on subchronic treatment with tap water (TW-C) and magnesium hydrocarbonate-rich water (MW-C) and between groups with streptozotocin-induced diabetes on tap water (TW-DM) and with magnesium hydrocarbonate-rich water (MW-DM). Results: By comparing the values of cardiovascular parameters between groups, significant (p < 0.05) positive effects of magnesium hydrocarbonate-rich water were registered on the values of systolic and pulse blood pressure in diabetic rats fed with magnesium hydrocarbonate-rich water (MW-DM) compared to those fed with tap water (TW-DM). In contrast, no significant effect of magnesium hydrocarbonate on changes in body weight and organ weight was observed. Conclusion: Based on the results, the beneficial effects of magnesium hydrocarbonate-rich water in the regulation of blood pressure can be clearly observed. Potential effects on other cardiovascular variables and body weight and organ weight should be further investigated.

Introduction. Herein we present an illustrative case from the Forensic Museum collection made by Professor Milovan Milovanović (1884–1948). Museum specimen No. 465 represents a jar containing three glass syringes and two small bottles of 10–20 ml, sealed with corks, found in the pockets of the deceased whose autopsy was performed in 1929. Case outline. It was a 30-year-old male, found dead in a tavern shed, a former medical student, lieutenant, and Russian emigre who came to Belgrade, Serbia in 1921 following the commanding general of the anti-Bolshevik White Army, Pyotr Nikolayevich Wrangel. He was an alcoholic, a drug user, and a member of the so-called Russian cocaine quartet gang. In the autopsy report, Professor Milovanović described a textbook example of a drug user: extremely malnourished body, skin covered with scabs, multiple „purulent abscesses” and „livid infiltrations,” and attenuated nasal septum with mucosa covered with scabs. Internal autopsy findings included fatty liver, pneumonia, and anemia of all internal organs. At the time, the whole brain, tissue of internal organs, and contents of the stomach and intestines were used for the analysis (“the Stas–Otto method for extraction of alkaloids”). Qualitative analyses showed “the presence of cocaine” in all the examined organs, and the analysis of the content from the “cloudy, colorless liquid” found in the dark bottle showed that it contained “0.0113 g of morphinum hydrochloricum.” Conclusion. Contemporary analyses of the material from one of the syringes and the transparent glass bottle performed 90 years later showed the presence of cocaine, morphine, and codeine, confirming that the cause of death was drug-related.

Background/Aim. Type IV collagen belongs to the group of nonfibrillar collagens and is an important component of the basement membranes, where it accounts for approximately 50% of its structural elements. The aim of the study was to describe the expression and distribution of collagen type IV in the embryonic and fetal metanephric kidney and to determine the volume density of collagen type IV in kidney tissue in each trimester of development. Methods. The material consisted of 19 human embryos/fetuses, in the gestational age from 8th to 37th week. Kidney tissue specimens were routinely processed to paraffin molds, stained immunohistochemically using polyclonal anti-collagen IV antibody and counterstained with Mayer hematoxylin and eosin. Stained slides were examined using a light microscope, and images of the selected areas under different lens magnification were captured with a digital camera. Volume density of collagen type IV was determined using ImageJ 1.48v and a plugin of the software, which inserted a grid system with 336 points. For the data comparison, the One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used. Results. Strong collagen IV immunopositivity was seen in all specimens, with a distribution in the basement membranes of urinary bud, parietal leaf of Bowman’s capsule, glomerular basement membrane, basement membrane of interstitial blood vessels, and basement membranes of nephron tubules and collecting ducts. No statistically significant difference in the volume density of type IV collagen was found among the different trimesters of the embryonic and fetal development. Conclusion. The synthesis and secretion of collagen type IV simultaneously follow the development of nephron structures, collecting system and blood vessels. The volume density of collagen type IV remains constant throughout all the trimesters of metanephric kidney development, indicating that it plays a crucial role in the normal development of nephron and collecting system structures, as well as in maintaining the normal kidney function.

Background/Aim. Since the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of thrombophilia in pregnancy has still not been clarified, the aim of the study was to assess the redox status of pregnant women with thrombophilia. Methods. The study involved 120 pregnant women divided into two groups: pregnant women with thrombophilia (n = 60) and women with normal pregnancy (n = 60). Blood samples for biochemical analysis were collected at the end of the first, second, and third trimester of pregnancy. Concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitrites (NO2-), and the index of lipid peroxidation measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) were measured in plasma. Levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were measured in erythrocytes. Results. In women with thrombophilia, NO2- values were increased in the first and third trimester compared to healthy pregnant women (p < 0.05). The higher levels of TBARS and H2O2 were noticed in women with thrombophilia in the first trimester compared to healthy pregnant women (p < 0.05). The values of SOD and CAT were lower in women with thrombophilia in the third and GSH in the first trimester compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion. Our results suggest an increased generation of prooxidants in thrombophilia at the beginning of gestation, which declines as gestation progresses and reaches similar values as in normal pregnancy at the end of pregnancy. Generally viewed, pregnant women with thrombophilia was associated with impaired antioxidant capacity – activities of SOD and CAT were lower in the third and GSH in the first trimester compared to their values in healthy pregnant women.

Today, food scientists are interested in more rational use of crops that possess desirable nutritional properties, and buckwheat is one of the functional pseudocereals that represents a rich source of bioactive compounds (BACs) and nutrients, phytochemicals, antimicrobial (AM) agents and antioxidants (AOs), which can be effectively applied in the prevention of malnutrition and celiac disease and treatment of various important health problems. There is ample evidence of the high potential of buckwheat consumption in various forms (food, dietary supplements, home remedies or alone, or in synergy with pharmaceutical drugs) with concrete benefits for human health. Contamination as well as other side-effects of all the aforementioned forms for application in different ways in humans must be seriously considered. This review paper presents an overview of the most important recent research related to buckwheat bioactive compounds (BACs), highlighting their various functions and proven positive effects on human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim. Energy drinks (EDs) are widely used by athletes as ergogenic agents and Red Bull® is one of the most consumed EDs among them. The aim of this study was to determine the acute and chronic effects of Red Bull® on cardiodynamics and parameters of oxidative stress in physically trained rats. Methods. Rats were subjected to a swimming practice (1h a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks). They were divided into 4 groups: rats that did not consume ED either before swimming or prior to sacrificing; rats that did not consume ED before swimming but did consume ED 30 min prior to sacrificing; rats that consumed ED 30 min before every swimming training but did not consume ED prior to sacrificing; rats that consumed ED 30 min before every swimming training and 30 min before sacrificing. After sacrificing, the hearts of the rats were isolated and perfused according to the Langendorff technique. The parameters of cardiac function were recorded, and also the levels of prooxidants were measured in the coronary effluent during coronary autoregulation. Results. Acute administration of the ED had a positive inotropic effect (manifested as a significantly higher level of the maximum and minimum rate of pressure development in the left ventricle), while chronic administration affected the isolated increase in systolic left ventricular pressure. The prooxidative effect of the ED was observed, which was more pronounced in chronic consumption. Conclusion. The main conclusion of our study is that chronic consumption of ED changes the cardiovascular response and redox status in acute consumption ED.

Background/Aim. Oxidative stress is an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular atherosclerotic diseases in the population of patients treated with regular hemodialysis. Bioincompatibility of the dialysis membrane and increased concentration of endotoxin in the hemodialysis solution are two main factors that can trigger oxidative stress. This paper was intended to examine the effect of a vitamin E-coated membrane on oxidative stress during a single session of on-line hemodiafiltration. Methods. Twenty-four patients undergoing hemodiafiltration with vitamin E-coated polysulfone dialysis membrane (Leoceed 21H) were examined, followed by a polysulfone dialysis membrane treatment without vitamin E (FX800). The following parameters of oxidative stress were measured: superoxide anion radical (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), thiobarbutyric acid reactive substances (TBARS), nitric oxide (NO2-), catalase (CAT), superoxide dizmutase (SOD), and reduced glutathione (GSH) activity. Statistical analysis included the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Student-t test and Wilcoxon test. Results. On-line hemodiafiltration using a high-flux polysulfone vitamin E-coated membrane led to significant reduction of TBARS concentration and SOD activity, while the on-line hemodiafiltration session using a high-flux polysulfone membrane that is not vitamin E-coated induced a significant increase in H2O2 concentration in the serum and a decrease in SOD activity. There was no statistical significance among the other parameters of oxidative stress. Conclusion. A single session of on-line hemodiafiltration using a vitamin E-coated polysulfone membrane significantly affects oxidative stress. After a single session of on-line hemodiafiltration using a vitamin E-coated membrane, the concentration of TBARS has significantly decreased. The decreased activity of superoxide dismutase could be a consequence of an increased loss of microelements during an on-line hemodiafiltration session using a high-flux polysulfone membrane. Patient selection, continuous on-line hemodiafiltration using a vitamin E-coated polysulfone membrane over a 3–6 month period and increased antioxidant protection capacity could possibly reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients treated by hemodialysis.