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In the study, the impact of five macroeconomic factors on the capital market of the Republic of Serbia was explored. The focus was on factors that have been identified as significant for the development of the capital market but with differing opinions regarding their direction of influence. Specifically, the focus was on GDP, inflation, money supply, interest rate, and exchange rate. The research results indicate that the Belex15 index does not show long-term cointegration with GDP, IPC (inflation), and M3 (money supply). However, there is a significant influence of previous interest rate values and the exchange rate on the capital market of the Republic of Serbia. More precisely, there is a positive impact on interest rates and a negative impact on the exchange rate.

The occurrence of a new coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), quickly became a global threat after it had spread across the continents in just a few months. Over the next three years, it caused infections in over 646.6 million people and resulted in over 6.6 million deaths. As a novel disease, Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) became the subject of intensive research. Due to various clinical manifestations of the infection with possible fatal outcomes, it became evident that a finer understanding of COVID-19 pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and complications is necessary. Investigation of acute-phase reaction as a component of the immune system response to infection can be very helpful. Serum amyloid A (SAA) was investigated for this purpose as one of the acute-phase reactants primarily synthesized by the hepatocytes in response to pro-inflammatory cytokines. It has been found that elevated SAA levels were independent factors for gastrointestinal manifestations and liver injury during COVID-19 but also one of the factors in COVID19-associated coagulopathy. Studies showed that SAA levels positively correlate with disease severity and prognosis. Patients with severe infection demonstrated significantly higher levels of SAA. Higher SAA levels were observed in COVID-19 patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cerebrovascular diseases, and obesity, all recognized as independent risk factors for critical disease and poor prognosis. Patients with COVID-19 who died had higher levels of SAA than survivors. This short review will summarize current studies and knowledge about SSA in COVID-19, its role in the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and its clinical usefulness in COVID-19 patients.

Background: The unpredictable course of Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) is making good severity assessment tools crucial. This study aimed to assess the usefulness of serum amyloid A (SAA) and other acute-phase reactants (APRs) in ambulatory care COVID-19 patients and identified relationships between these markers and disease outcomes. Methods: From August to November 2020, patients seen in the outpatient department of the Clinic for Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Belgrade, Serbia) with confirmed COVID-19 were included. Patients were classified into mild, moderate, and severe disease groups based on World Health Organization criteria. SAA, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), procalcitonin (PCT), ferritin, fibrinogen, D-dimer, albumin, and transferrin were measured. The median values of all APRs were compared between COVID-19 severity groups, hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients, and survivors and non-survivors. The Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used for the classification characteristics assessment of individual APRs for the severity of illness, hospitalization, and survival. Results: Higher levels of SAA, CRP, IL-6, PCT, and lower levels of transferrin and albumin were observed in severe cases, hospitalized patients, and non-survivors. Based on ROC curve analysis AUC for SAA has fair classification performance for disease severity (0.794) and death (0.732) and good performance for hospitalization (0.853). Conclusion: SAA is a valuable marker in everyday practice for assessing COVID-19 severity and prognosis in ambulatory patients.

The paper examines the determinants of bank business success by applying panel analysis to a sample of former Yugoslavia countries. The study spans the 2010-2020 period. This paper's primary goal is to find the most important factor influencing bank business success in former Yugoslavia using the proper panel analysis econometric model. The analysis's findings suggest that non-performing loans are the microeconomic component that has the biggest influence on bank business performance and that macroeconomic factors do not have a statistically significant impact on bank business success.

Background: The investigation of the prevalence of the IgG and the IgM isotypes of anticardiolipin (aCL) and antib2glycoprotein I (ab2gpI) Abs in healthy Serbian middleaged subjects was the main goal of our study. In addition, we analyzed the potential associations of above-mentioned Abs with serum proteins and lipids/lipoproteins. Methods: Forty healthy subjects were included in our study. Obesity (BMI 30 kg/m2) was present in 8/40 (20%) subjects. Titers of analyzed Abs were measured by ELISA. Results: The prevalence of IgG and IgM ab2gpI Abs was 5% and 12.5%, respectively, while the prevalence of IgM aCL was 10%. The IgG ab2gpI Abs were significantly different between subjects with normal triglycerides levels and those with hypertriglyceridemia (Mann-Whitney, P = 0.014). The significant difference in hsCRP concentrations was observed between subjects with the increased levels of the IgM isotype of aCL Abs and those with normal IgM aCL values (Mann-Whitney, P = 0.028). Conclusions: Dyslipidemia and BMI ≥30 were associated with aPL Abs and therefore, the correction of BMI and lipid status might be beneficial in reduction or elimination of predisposing factors that might trigger thrombotic events in otherwise healthy middle-aged subjects. Larger national study is necessary to confirm our findings.

Background: Thyrotropin receptor autoantibodies (TSH-RAb) are indispensable biomarkers in the laboratory assessment of thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO). Clinical sensitivity of three different assays for TSH-R-Ab determination was evaluated in patients with TAO. Methods: 87 consecutive TAO patients were enrolled and their serum samples analyzed in parallel with three assays. An ECLIA competitive binding and a chemiluminescent bridge immunoassay were used to measure total and binding TSH-R-Ab concentration, while their functional activity was determined using a stimulatory TSH-R-Ab (TSAb) cellbased bioassay. Results: Compared to the two binding assays (ECLIA p

Previous research suggests that point-of-care (POCT) determination of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a diagnostic test that can be an adequate alternative to measuring HbA1c in the laboratory. The main goal of this study was to examine the analytical characteristics of the novel INCLIX POCT method for HbA1c determination in order to test its performance before introducing this method into routine use. HbA1c is measured in a duplicate in 44 EDTA blood samples parallel on INCLIX POCT device (Sugitech, Inc.) and using automated turbidimetric immunoinhibition test on Olympus AU400 (Beckman Coulter). The within run imprecision was 7.58%, between runs imprecision was 6.63% and 6.22%, and day-to-day imprecision was 8.80% and 7.51%. Total laboratory imprecision was in agreement with those stated by the manufacturer. A statistically significant Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated (r = 0.871, P < 0.01; linear R2 = 0.757). Using Deming regression analysis, the following equation was obtained: y = - 1.80 + 1.304x. Our results indicate statistically significant correlation, linear relationship, and a significant degree of compatibility between the two analyzed methods. However, the negative bias of the HbA1c values determined on the POCT analyzer compared to the Olympus AU400 was confirmed, highlighting the need to standardize the INCLIX method.

Background: Literature data indicate the benefit of magnesium (Mg) supplementation. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of short-term Mg supplementation on iron status in healthy female participants. Methods: One hundred healthy female students of the University of Belgrade - Faculty of Pharmacy participated the study during eleven intervention days. Students ingested Mg preparations with the same dose of the active substance. The analysis included the measurement of serum iron, unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), total Mg (tMg), ionized Mg (iMg), complete blood count, met-, carboxyand oxy-haemoglobin (metHgb, COHgb, O2Hgb). Transferrin concentrations and percentage of transferrin saturation (SAT) were calculated manually. The association among the analyzed biochemical parameters was examined using polynomial regression. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used for the evaluation of interdependence between the analyzed parameters. Results: A statistically significant trend for change in O2Hgb (%) by tertiles of iMg concentrations was found (P = 0.029). Serum tMg reached significant positive correlation with the SAT at concentration levels greater than 0.9 mmol/L, after 11 days of intervention (R2=0.116). Ionized Mg in a concentration higher than 0.6 mmol/L is positively correlated with SAT and serum Fe (R2=0.214; 0.199, respectively). PCA revealed variability of 64.7% for two axes after 11 days. Conclusions: Mg supplementation leads to an improvement in the certain iron status parameters even in individuals with optimal levels of these indices. However, caution should be exercised when supplementing Mg, and laboratory monitoring of the interaction is required.

Background: Problem of the variability between the different methods using for bone alkaline phosphatase (bALP) determination greately influences the clinical significance of bALP as direct marker of bone metabolism. The aim of this study was to compare immunoassay with electrophoresis technique for bALP determination. Methods: We measured bALP in 71 patients on hemo - dialysis with agar gel electrophoresis (ISO-PAL, SEBIA) and immunoassay (OSTASE, Beckman Coulter). Results: The analyzed methods showed significant correlation (Spearman's rho: 0.776, P < 0.01), but we found statistically significant (P < 0.01) positive bias (27%) for the results measured by immunoassay. In support of this, using electrophoresis technique we have detected presence of the intestinal isoenzymes of alkaline phosphatase in 55% of patients with median value of 30% of the total alkaline phoshatase and presence of liver-2 alkaline phosphatase isoform in 42% of patients with median value of 16.6%. The Kendall's W of 0.787 (P

Background: Some observational studies indicate an association of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) insufficiency and atherogenic cholesterol concentrations. The aim of this study was to investigate relationship between 25(OH)D concentrations and lipid parameters in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, separately for predialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients. Methods: We have adjusted 25(OH)D concentrations for seasonal variability with cosinor analysis, and performed all further analysis using these corrected 25(OH)D concentrations. Concentrations of 25(OH)D and the lipid parameters were determined in 214 ESRD patients and 50 control group participants. The analysis included the measurement of 25(OH)D by HPLC, apolipoprotein (Apo) AI, ApoB and Lp(a) by nephelometry, total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglyceride (TG) by spectrophotometry and manually calculated ApoB/ApoAI and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio. Results: ESRD patients with adjusted 25(OH)D concentrations of 50 nmol/L had significantly higher TC (P = 0.005) and ApoAI (P = 0.049). Significantly higher HDLC (P = 0.011) and ApoAI (P = 0.020) were found in hemodialysis patients with the 25(OH)D concentrations of 50 nmol/L. The other analyzed lipid parameters differed significantly between predialysis, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients with 25(OH)D concentrations of < 50 nmol/L. Conclusions: Our study indicate the significant relationship between 25(OH)D repletion and optimal concentrations of lipid parameters in ESRD patients. Further research is necessary to explain whether joint evaluation of vitamin D status and lipid abnormalities could improve cardiovascular outcome in ESRD patients.

Literature data indicate that increased uric acid (UA) levels are an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to examine the association of UA with cardiovascular risk factors in patients with hemodialysis using retrospective analysis. In 110 patients, we studied the values of basic renal function parameters, bone metabolism and cardiovascular risk factors in the period from 2010 to 2017. The results indicate a significant increase in urea (P=0.004), creatinine (P=0.028) and inorganic phosphate (P=0.001), as well as significant differences in gender (P=0.013), in risk categories defined on the basis of the UA decision limit (cut off

An adequate assessment of the measurement uncertainty in a laboratory medicine is one of the most important factors for a reliable interpretation of the results. A large number of standards and guidelines indicate the need for a proper assessment of the uncertainty of measurement results in routine laboratory practice. The available documents generally recommend participation in the proficiency schemes/ external quality control, as well as the internal quality control, in order to primarily verify the quality performance of the method. Although all documents meet the requirements of the International Standard, ISO 15189, the standard itself does not clearly define the method by which the measurement results need to be assessed and there is no harmonization in practice regarding to this. Also, the uncertainty of measurement results is the data relating to the measured result itself, but all factors that influence the interpretation of the measured value, which is ultimately used for diagnosis and monitoring of the patient's treatment, should be taken into account. So in laboratory medicine, an appropriate assessment of the uncertainty of the measurement results should have the ultimate goal of reducing diagnostic uncertainty. However, good professional laboratory practice and understanding analytical aspects of the test for each individual laboratory is necessary to adequately define the uncertainty of measurement results for specific laboratory tests, which helps to implement good clinical practice. Also, setting diagnoses in medicine is a decision with a certain degree of uncertainty, rather than statistically and mathematically calculated conclusion.

Background: A number of risk behaviours, such as smoking, overweight, excessive alcohol intake, insufficient physical activity, excessive and frequent intake of salt, reduced fruit and vegetable intake, increased fat intake, which constitute living habits of an individual can influence the occurrence of hypertension and hyperglycaemia. The changing of these lifestyles can reduce the risk of developing prehypertension and prediabetes. Methods: The survey was conducted at student's campuses. The respondents were subjected to the height, weight, blood glucose and blood pressure. Respondents filled in previously created questionnaire that was approved by the Ethics Committee for Biomedical Research Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade. Results: The percentage of respondents with a glucose value above the reference value was 14.6% (n = 19), 2.4% (n=3) had values greater than 7 mmol/L without being diagnosed with diabetes, and accordingly, 2.4% (n=3) had elevated HbA1c values (above 42 mmol/mol or 6.0%). The percentage of respondents with elevated systolic and diastolic blood pressure was 14.9% and 7.4% respectively. Regarding calculated risk scores, they showed parallel increase with increasing of BMI (HPS), systolic and diastolic pressure (OHS), and glucose concentration (OPS). Conclusions: When analysing all the factors that could cause the later development of diabetes, which is associated with hypertension as well, it is observed that the student population is very much exposed to those factors. The results of this study cannot be representative for the general population of students, but they can provide recommendations for further research.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a cardiometabolic disorder whose features include dyslipidemia, increased oxidative stress (OS, oxy) and chronic inflammation. The aim of this study was to investigate the ability of a summary score for dyslipidemia, OS and inflammation (the DOI score) to discriminate PCOS patients from healthy individuals and to evaluate the effect of obesity on individual scores and the DOI score in patients. Methods: Lipid status parameters, OS status parameters (advanced oxidation protein products; total oxidative status; prooxidant-antioxidant balance; malondialdehyde; total protein sulphydryl groups and paraoxonase 1 activity) and CRP were measured in 114 patients and 50 controls using standardised assays. The DOI score was calculated as the sum of dyslipidemia, oxy and inflammation scores, determined as Z-score values for every subject in relation to the controls. Results: PCOS patients had significantly higher oxy-score compared to controls (P0.9, P

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with reproductive and metabolic abnormalities. The aim of this study was to analyse risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in PCOS, to define individual risk factors and assess their ability to predict risk. Methods: Fifty-four young women with PCOS (22 obese and 32 normal weight) were compared to 46 respective controls (17 obese and 29 normal weight). Anthropometric parameters, lipid status parameters, inflammation markers, concentrations of glucose, transaminases, sex and anterior pituitary hormones, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and androgens were measured. Cardiovascular Risk Score (CVRS), indices for identifying Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and the Index of Central Obesity (ICO) were calculated. Results: Significantly higher CVRS values (p< 0.05) were found in obese PCOS women compared to normal weight control and normal weight PCOS groups. Anthropometric parameters, lipid status parameters and fibrinogen (p< 0.001, p< 0.01) were higher in women with higher CVRS. The most significant CVRS predictors in all PCOS women were SHBG, androstenedione, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS). ICO and all NAFLd indices exhibited significant positive correlation with CVRS and a model consisting of these indices provided good diagnostic accuracy (AUC>0.8) in identifying patients with increased cardiovascular risk (CVR). Conclusions: Obesity is a higher risk for developing CVD than PCOS alone. Anthropometric parameters, lipid parameters, fibrinogen, NAFLD indices and ICO increase CVR in PCOS women. For the prediction of CVR in PCOS, we suggest a combination of NAFLD indices and ICO.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the reference values for thyrotropin (TSH), thyroid hormones (total and free thyroxine, T4 and fT4; total and free triiodothyronine, T3 and fT3), thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid antibodies (thyroid peroxidase, TPOAb and thyroglobulin antibody, TgAb) in the population of the Republic of Srpska. Methods: A total of 250 euthyroid subjects were enrolled in this study. A direct method for choosing reference subjects was used to establish reference intervals. The hormones and thyroid antibodies were measured by an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay method (ECLIA, Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany). We calculated the reference intervals by MedCalc, version 12.1.4.0 (MedCalc software, Belgium) as recommended by the IFCC (CLSI C28-A3). Results: Using guidelines recommended by the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry (NACB) and based on standard statistical approaches, the reference intervals derived for TSH, fT4, T4, fT3, T3 were 0.75-5.32 mIU/L, 12.29-20.03 pmol/L, 73.49-126,30 nmol/L, 4.11-6.32 pmol/L, 1.15-2.32 nmol/L and for Tg, TPOAb, TgAb were 3.63-26.00 mg/L,

Background/Aim. Preeclampsia (PE) belongs to the group of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy with the global average incidence of 2.16%. It is considered as one of the leading causes of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The goal of this study was to assess the potential association between Val158Met catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) -857 C>T, tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) 36 A>G, interleukin-1alpha (IL-1α) 4845 G>T and interleukin-10 (IL-10) -1082 A>G polymorphisms and risk of early-onset preeclampsia (PE) and its complications. Methods. The study included 47 early-onset PE patients, which were grouped by disease severity and by size for gestational age and 47 control cases. The Val158Met polymorphism was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction – restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis and inflammatory cytokine polymorphisms by the Sanger sequencing method. Results. The COMT Met allele as well as IL-1α T showed a protective role, decreasing the risk of early-onset PE after age and body mass index (BMI) adjustments. The detected interactions between the COMT Met and IL-10 A alleles, as well as between the COMT Met and TNF-α T alleles were insignificant after age and BMI adjustments. Conclusion. COMT and IL-1α may be used as candidate genes for early-onset PE and its severe form and small for gestational age (SGA) complications.

Background: Physical exercise activates the hypothalamopituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and induces the body's inflammatory response. Due to contemporary dietary habits and increased energy expenditure, athletes are susceptible to depletion of magnesium ions. The aim of our study was to investigate, through assessment of plasma ACTH, serum IL-6, and salivary/serum cortisol levels, if chronic magnesium supplementation might reduce damaging stress effects in amateur rugby players. Methods: Rugby players (N = 23) were randomly assigned to intervention and control group. Basal samples were collected before intervention group started a 4-week-long supplementation with magnesium (500 mg Mg/d). Blood and saliva sampling were done a day before the match (Day-1), on the morning of competition (Game), and during a six-day-long recovery period (Day1, Day3 and Day6). ACTH, serum/salivary cortisol, IL-6 and total/differential leukocytes counts were determined at each time point. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in ACTH concentration in intervention group compared to control group, while reductions in cortisol concentrations between the two groups were the greatest at Day-1 (p< 0.01) and at the day of competition (Game) (p< 0.01). Our results revealed that magnesium completely abolished the increase in IL-6 level noted in control group on Day1 and Day3 vs. Day-1 (p< 0.01) and also diminished the rise in neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in intervention group vs. control group (p< 0.01). Conclusions: These results suggest the possibly important influence magnesium supplementation might have on the change of parameters of HPA axis activity and reduction of immune response activation following strenuous physical exercise such as a rugby game.

Physical effort is known to alter the blood levels of many hormones, but there are only a few studies about the biological changes of salivary hormones. The aim of this work was to determine whether salivary testosterone and salivary cortisol levels, measured two weeks before a half-marathon race, relate to running performance in male recreational athletes. A group of eleven male recreational athletes preparing for a half-marathon was included in the study. Saliva for testosterone and cortisol determinations was collected before and immediately after a 15-km training run, two weeks before the half-marathon. Individual official half-marathon times, expressed in hours, were used as a measure of performance. Mean testosterone concentrations were 1.07±0.33 nmol/L before the run and 0.88±0.35 nmol/L after the run (p

Introduction: The pharmacists played an important role in the development of biochemistry as applied chemistry in Serbia. What is more, the first seven state chemists in Serbia were pharmacists. State chemists performed the chemicaltoxicological analysis as well as some medical and biochemical ones. When it comes to the education of medical biochemists as health workers, the period after the beginning of the second half of the twentieth century should be taken into account because that is when the training of pharmaceutical staff of the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, begins on the territory of Serbia. This paper presents the development of medical biochemistry through the development of curriculum, personnel and literature since the foundation of the Faculty of Pharmacy in Serbia until today. Objective: The aim of this paper is to present the historical development of biochemistry at the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade, through analysis of three indicators: undergraduate and postgraduate education of medical biochemists, teaching literature and professional associations and trade associations. Method: The method of direct data was applied in this paper. Also, desktop analysis was used for analyzing of secondary data, regulations, curricula, documents and bibliographic material. Desktop research was conducted and based on the following sources: Archives of the University of BelgradeFaculty of Pharmacy, Museum of the History of Pharmacy at the University of Belgrade-Faculty of Pharmacy, the Society of Medical Biochemists of Serbia and the Serbian Chamber of Biochemists. Results and conclusion: The curricula, the Bologna process of improving education, the expansion of the range of subjects, the number of students, professional literature for teaching biochemistry, as well as professional associations and trade associations are presented through the results.

Background: Despite the proven clinical effect of oral antiplatelet drugs, a considerable number of patients do not have an adequate response to clopidogrel. The aim of our study was to determine the influence of CYP2C19*2 loss-of-function variant allele on clopidogrel responsiveness in patients with carotid artery stenosis. Methods: One hundred and twelve patients with carotid artery stenosis undergoing endarterectomy were included in this one-year prospective study. All of them received clopidogrel (75 mg daily) for at least 30 days after the intervention. They were followed from the moment of hospital admission. CYP2C19*2 genotyping was performed by TaqMan Assay. The influence of c Yp 2C 19*2 variant allele on clopidogrel platelet reactivity was determined using multiple-electrode aggregometry (MEA). Results: Genotyping results showed that 82 (73.2% ) patients were homozygous for wild type, 29 (25.9%) were heterozygous for the CYP2C19*2 allele and 1 (0.9%) was CYP2C19*2 homozygous. After 24 hours, among those with the wild type 29.3% were clopidogrel responders, and in those with the CYP2C19*2 alleles 10%. In the wild type group, 74.4% were clopidogrel responders after 7 days of taking the drug; 82.9% after 30 days of clopidogrel introduction, respectively. In patients with the CYP2C19*2 alleles the number of responders increased up to 46.7% after 7 days; 53.3% after 30 days of taking the drug, respectively. The risk for being a low-responder is higher for the patients heterozygous for the c Yp 2C 19*2 allele vs. wildtype (OR 4.250, 95% CI 1.695 -10.658 , P< 0.01). Conclusions: The CYP2C19*2 loss-of-function variant allele has significant influence on clopidogrel response in patients with carotid artery stenosis undergoing endarterectomy.

Background: Up until now there have been contradictory data about the association between p.Val158Met catecholO-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphism and risk of preeclampsia (PE). The goal of this study was to assess the potential correlation between p.Val158Met COMT polymorphism and risk of early-onset PE, risk of a severe form of early-onset PE, as well as risk of small-for-gestationalage (SGA) complicating PE. Methods: The study included 47 early-onset PE patients and 47 control cases. Forty-seven early-onset PE patients were grouped by disease severity (33 patients with a severe form and 14 patients without severe features) and secondly by size for gestational age (12 patients with appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) and 35 patients with SGA size). p.Val158Met polymorphism was genotyped by PCR-RFLP analysis. Results: Allele analysis showed significant difference in COM T allele distribution between early-onset PE and control group as well as early-onset PE SGA and controls (p= 0.04057 and p=0.0411 respectively). A statistically significant distribution difference between the severe form and form without severe features of early-onset PE patients was not observed (p> 0.05). The highest difference observed was in the allele recessive model where COMT MetMet genotype was associated with decreased risk of early-onset PE (O R = 0.281; 95%CI = 0 .092-0.7836) and PE complications including severe early-onset PE (OR= 0.304; 95% C I= 0.086-0.944) and SGA early-onset PE (O R = 0.284; 95% C I= 0.081-0.874). Conclusions: COMT may be used as a candidate gene for early-onset PE and its severe form and SGA complications.

Background: An increased homocysteine (Hey) concentration may represent a metabolic marker of folate and vitamin Bi2 deficiency, both significant public health problems. For different reasons, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are prone to these deficiencies. The study evaluates the reliability of Hey concentration in predicting folate or vitamin B12 deficiency in these patients. Methods: A group of 50 COPD patients (28 males/22 females, age (x±S D = 49.0±14.5) years was enrolled. A chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay was applied for homocysteine, folate and vitamin B12 concentration. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Mann-Whitney U and x2 tests, Spearman's correlation and ROC analysis were included in the statistical analysis, with the level of significance set at 0.05. Results: Average (SD) concentrations of folate and vitamin B12 were 4.15 (2.16) pg/L and 465.6 (271.0) ng/L, whereas only vitamin B12 correlated with the Hey level (P =-0.510 (R=0.029)). Gender related differences were not significant and only a borderline significant correlation between age and folate was confirmed (R = 0.279 (P=0.047)). The incidence of folate and vitamin B12 deficiency differed significantly (P=0.000 and PcO.OOO for folate and vitamin B12 respectively), depending on the cutoff used for classification (4.4, 6.6 and 8.0 pg/L - folate; 203 and 473 ng/L - vitamin B12)-ROC analyses failed to show any significance of hyperhomocysteinemia as a predictor of folate or vitamin B12 deficiency. Conclusion: Reliability of the Hey concentration as a biomarker of folate or vitamin B12 depletion in COPD patients is not satisfactory, so their deficiency cannot be predicted by the occurrence of HHcy.

Background: Metabolic bone disease in patients with chronic liver disease is called hepatic osteodystrophy and is primarily a sequel to osteopenia/osteoporosis, and rarely secondary to osteomalacia. The aim of this work was to define the influence of vitamin D3 and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the pathogenesis of hepatic osteodystrophy, as well as the predictive significance of biochemical bone markers. Methods: This prospective study included 58 male patients with alcoholic (49) and viral (9) cirrhosis. The concentrations of serum vitamin D3, PTH, osteocalcin and ß-carboxy-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (ß-CTX) were determined. Bone density was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry in the L1-L4 spinal segment and the femoral neck. Results: Lower bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 41 patients (70.7%). There was no significant correlation between PTH and vitamin D3 values and T score in the femoral neck (p = 0.51; p = 0.063) and lumbar spine (p= 0.49; 0.064). Also, no significant correlation was found between the osteocalcin values in lumbar spine BMD (p= 0.944) and femoral neck (p= 0.161), or with ß-CTX values and BMD in the lumbar spine (p=0.347) and femoral neck (p=0.73). Statistically significant difference was confirmed between the stage A osteocalcin (p=0.000) and ß-CTX (p=0.008) values in relation to advanced stages B and C. Conclusions: PTH and vitamin D3 do not influence the development of hepatic osteodystrophy. In patients with cirrhosis, osteocalcin and ß-CTX are not valid indicators of decreased BMD, but their values correlate with the degree of liver insufficiency.

Consumers are the starting point and the focus of all activities of companies that want to survive in the long term and do business profitably on the market. However, even in the most developed economies in the world do not have all the companies awareness about the importance of social responsible business and ethical marketing. Therefore there is a need for institutional protection of consumers from unfer and unethical business of companies, on the one hand, but on the other hand, they have to encourage themselves to be more involved in the protection of their rights. The purpose of this paper is the analysis of the components of consumer attitude about the degree of protection of consumer rights in the Republic of Serbia in order to conclude on which way consumers can be encouraged to participate more actively in the exercise of rights. The aim of this study is to determine whether the cognitive, affective and behavioral component of the attitude are intercorelated and to what extent, and whether cognitive or affective component has dominant influence on forming behavioral component of the consumer attitude. Based on the results of the research about the corelation and influence of the analyzed components of the attitude we draw conclusions on which way it can be possible to affect on the consumer intention to be more engaged in its rights protection as well as on which way it can be possible to improve the consumer protection in the Republic of Serbia, generally speaking.

Background: Sleep deprivation, malnutrition and lack of physical activity are contemporary stress-related factors present in the student population. Stress activates the HPA and often suppresses the HPG axis, but also influences cytokine synthesis and consequently regulates immune response. Since magnesium deficiency facilitates negative pathophysiological consequences, a reasonable question imposes, whether Mg supplementation might correct the adrenal/gonadal hormone balance and immuno-endocrine function. Methods: Fifteen male students were given 2 x 250 mg Mg for four weeks. Serum levels of FSH, LH, testosterone (T), ACTH and cortisol (C) were measured before and after supplementation and the T/C ratio was calculated. Furthermore, IL-6, red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cells (WBC) and the WBC differential were measured. Results: Despite no change in the serum level of ACTH, a statistically significant (p

Vitamin D has an important role in numerous physiological functions. Vitamin D receptors are characterized by polymorphisms and presence in different tissues including a number of cells of the immune system. The role of vitamin D as a biological inhibitor of inflammatory hyperactivity is of particular importance. Hypovitaminosis D has been associated with many serious chronic diseases, such as autoimmune, infectious and cardiovascular diseases as well as some types of cancer. Vitamin D has an influence on the immune response to tuberculosis. Calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol), the major active form of vitamin D, has shown in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It has been found that susceptibility to chronic mycobacterial infections is strongly correlated with a low vitamin D intake and particular VDR alleles. Vitamin D deficiency might predispose the individuals infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis to develop tuberculosis. Calcitriol binds to vitamin D receptors and modulates immune responses by regulating the transcription of genes responsive to vitamin D. Faster conversion of sputum mycobacterial culture in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis is associated with being a carrier of the t allele of the TaqI vitamin D receptor polymorphism. On the contrary, slower sputum culture conversion in pulmonary tuberculosis has been found in the carriers of the f allele of the FokI vitamin D receptor polymorphism. The results of in vitro studies, clinical research and population studies indicated that vitamin D deficiency might be a strong risk factor for developing TB. Vitamin D is an inexpensive, easily accessible vitamin, relevant for the prevention of tuberculosis. In addition, vitamin D could contribute to the success of tuberculosis treatment.

Introduction. Every clinical trial has to meet all ethical criteria in addition to the scientific ones. The basic ethical principles in the clinical trials are the following: nonmaleficence, beneficence, respect for autonomy and the principle of justice. Objective. The aim of the study was to analyze clinical cases with the outcomes leading to the changes in regulatory­ethical framework related to the clinical trials, as well as the outcomes of key clinical trials that influenced the introduction of the ethical principles into clinical trials. Methods. This was a descriptive research (methods of analysis and documentation; desk analysis of the secondary data). Results. By analyzing the cases from the secondary sources as well as clinical and ethical outcomes, it may be noticed that the codes, declarations and regulations have been often preceded by certain events that caused their adoption. Moral concern and public awareness of the ethical issues have initiated not only the development of numerous guidelines, codes, and declarations, but also their incorporation into the legislative acts. Conclusion. It is desirable that ethical instruments become legally binding documents, because only in this way will be possible to control all phases of the clinical trials and prevent abuse of the respondents. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175036 i br. 41004]

Background/Aim. Identification of patients with arterial hypertension and a possible onset of heart failure by determining the concentration of N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) enables timely intensification of treatment and allows clinicians to prescribe and implement optimal and appropriate care. The aim of this study was to evaluate NT-proBNP in patients with longstanding hypertension and in patients with signs of hypertensive cardiomyopathy. Methods. The study involved 3 groups, with 50 subjects each: “healthy” persons (control group), patients with hypertension and normal left ventricular systolic function (group 1) and patients with longstanding hypertension and signs of hypertensive cardiomyopathy with impaired left ventricular systolic function (group 2). We measured levels of NT-proBNP, Creactive protein and creatinine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. All the patients were clinically examined including physical examination of the heart with blood pressure, pulse rate, electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram. Results. Our results showed that the determined parameters generally differed significantly (Student’s t-test) among the groups. The mean (± SD) values of NT-proBNP in the control group, group 1 and group 2 were: 2.794 (± 1.515) pmol/L, 9.575 (± 5.449) pmol/L and 204.60 (84,93) pmol/L, respectively. NTproBNP correlated significantly with the determined parameters both in the group 1 and the group 2. In the group 1, the highest correlation was obtained with Creactive protein (r = 0.8424). In the group 2, the highest correlation was obtained with ejection fraction (r = - 0.9111). NT-proBNP showed progressive increase in proportion to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. The patients in thegroup 2 who belonged to the II and III NYHA class had significantly higher levels of NTproBNP than those in the NYHA class I (ANOVA test, p = 0.001). Conclusion. The obtained results suggest that NTproBNP is a useful biomarker in the treatment of patients with longstanding hypertension who are at risk for heart failure. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175036]