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Background & Aims: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have been linked to changes in amino acid (ΑΑ) levels. The current observational study sought to investigate the relationship between plasma AA concentrations in a NAFLD population and MRI parameters reflecting inflammation and fibrosis, inflammatory and oxidative stress markers, and disease-related anthropometric and biochemical indicators. Approach & Results: Plasma AA levels were quantified with liquid chromatography in 97 NAFLD patients from the MAST4HEALTH study. Medical, anthropometric and lifestyle characteristics were collected and biochemical parameters, as well as inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured. In total, males and subjects with higher MRI-proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) exhibited higher plasma AA levels compared to females and subjects with lower PDFF respectively. Several associations of AAs with disease related markers were revealed, with the more prominent ones being those of aromatic amino acids with log-PDFF (beta: 1.190E-02, p-Value: 0.001) and log-ALT (beta: 7.55E-03, p-Value: 0.001), of branched amino acids with log-insulin (beta: 1.97E-03, p-Value: 1.16E-04) and of ethanolamine (beta: 0.036, p-Value: 3.65E-04) and L-ornithine (beta: 5.4E-04, p-Value: 0.021) with log-total antioxidant status (TAS). Conclusions: Plasma AA levels varied according to sex, BMI, and several MRI clinical factors. Furthermore, significant relationships were demonstrated between AA and several disease indicators, such as MRI parameters, biochemical and oxidative stress indices, showing the potential utility of AAs as diagnostic dis-ease-related indicators activity.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of stress among international medical students and factors associated with higher levels of student's stress during the COVID-19 epidemic in Serbia. Material and methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted using a five-section online questionnaire during January, 2021 among international medical students attending the Faculty of Medicine University of Belgrade, Studies in English in Serbia, using snowball sampling method. Results: A total of 52 international medical students with a mean age of 21.0 ± 2.2 years, 58% female, were enrolled. Stress level was rated higher than usual in 65% of students. The predictors of higher level of stress were: not being prepared for full online courses (p = 0.058), worry about own health (p = 0.04), worry about the health of loved ones (p = 0.058), concern about finances (p = 0.004) and exams/future study plans (p = 0.033), lack of energy (p = 0.012), strong emotions or mood swings (p = 0.004) and inability to get needed things from stores (p = 0.054). Fear or worry about the health of their loved ones, concern about money, as well as concern about exams or future study plans were independent predictors of the respondents' higher level of stress in multivariate analysis. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increase in the level of stress among the international medical students in Serbia. A higher level of stress was associated with fear about health of loved ones, concern about finances and exams/future study plans.

Humans are exposed to the variety of emerging environmental pollutant in everyday life. The special concern is paid to endocrine disrupting chemicals especially to triclosan which could interfere with normal hormonal functions. Triclosan could be found in numerous commercial products such as mouthwashes, toothpastes and disinfectants due to its antibacterial and antifungal effects. Considering the excessive use and disposal, wastewaters are recognized as the main source of triclosan in the aquatic environment. As a result of the incomplete removal, triclosan residues reach surface water and even groundwater. Triclosan has potential to accumulate in sediment and aquatic organisms. Therefore, the detectable concentrations of triclosan in various environmental and biological matrices emerged concerns about the potential toxicity. Triclosan impairs thyroid homeostasis and could be associated with neurodevelopment impairment, metabolic disorders, cardiotoxicity and the increased cancer risk. The growing resistance of the vast groups of bacteria, the evidenced toxicity on different aquatic organisms, its adverse health effects observed in vitro, in vivo as well as the available epidemiological studies suggest that further efforts to monitor triclosan toxicity at environmental levels are necessary. The safety precaution measures and full commitment to proper legislation in compliance with the environmental protection are needed in order to obtain triclosan good ecological status. This paper is an overview of the possible negative triclosan effects on human health. Sources of exposure to triclosan, methods and levels of detection in aquatic environment are also discussed.

The gut microbiota-brain axis has been recognized as a network of connections that provides communication between the gut microflora and both central and autonomic nervous system. The gut microbiota alteration has been targeted for therapy in various neurodegenerative and psychiatric disbalances. Psychobiotics are probiotics that contribute beneficially to the brain function and the host mental health as a result of an interaction with the commensal gut bacteria, although their mechanism of action has not been completely revealed. In this state-of-art review, the findings about the potential therapeutic effects of the psychobiotics alone or in combination with conventional medicine in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, as well as in some psychiatric diseases like depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, have been summarized. The evidence of the psychobiotics therapeutic outcomes obtained in preclinical and clinical trials have been given respectively for the observed neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders.

Background Bisphenol A (BPA), a widespread industrial substance is recognized as endocrine disrupting chemical and therefore could be associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) related metabolic disturbances. Patients In this study 29 women of reproductive age with diagnosed PCOS were enrolled. Methods BPA in urine samples was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Results BPA was detected in urines of 48.28% participants. The waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) was statistically significant higher in PCOS BPA+ in comparison to PCOS BPA− women (p = 0.046). PCOS BPA+ women had 6.88 times (95%Cl 1.3481–35.0600, z = 2.319, p = 0.020) higher risk for waist circumference above 80 cm and 4.95 odds (95%Cl 1.0169–24.096, z = 1.981, p = 0.048) to have WtHR over 0.5 when compared to PCOS BPA−. Statistically significant positive association between BPA urine concentrations and insulin serum levels (p = 0.038) was obtained. BPA urine values were associated with elevated HOMA-IR values and reduced HDL levels with moderate significance (p = 0.079 and p = 0.061, respectively). Also, there was 3.75 times (95%Cl 0.7936–17.7203, z = 1.668, p = 0.095) higher risk for PCOS BPA+ women to have testosterone levels above reference values. Conclusion The obtained results suggested that the BPA exposition in PCOS women was followed by increased metabolic risk through promotion of obesity, especially the visceral type, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and elevated androgen levels.

Hyperlipidemia is currently listed as one of the leading problems associated with the increased risk of coronary and extra-coronary atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases worldwide. Since the effectiveness of the existing medications differ, the potential use of herbs and their effects on the hyperlipidemia is of great interest. This review summarizes observations on the efficacy of plant bioactive compounds in the management of hyperlipidemia. Based on the available randomized controlled clinical trials and meta-analysis data, garlic, turmeric, artichoke, green tea, grape, mastiha, red yeast rice and olive leaf have shown the promising lipid lowering effects. However, there is an urgent need for well-designed randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multi-center clinical trials with the standardized dose of bioactive components to confirm the efficacy of these plant bioactive compounds in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia.

Pharmaceuticals (PhCs) are a specific group of emerging environmental contaminants, because there are designed to influence biochemical processes in non-target organisms even at low concentrations. In this study, phosphorised carbonaceous adsorbent (CScPA) was prepared from lignocellulosic biomass through thermochemical functionalisation. Phosphorus (P) doped microparticles were evaluated for the removal of emerging pharmaceutical contaminants such as sulfamethoxazole (SMX), carbamazepine (CBZ) and ketoprofen (KP) from aqueous solution. Characterisation of the adsorbent with the detailed mechanism study was carried out using pHpzc, SEM, BET, FTIR and XRD instruments. The influence of initial pH, adsorbent dose, contact time, initial pharmaceutical concentration and temperature on adsorption efficiency and capacity was evaluated in batch studies. CScPA exhibited excellent removal efficiency (≈99%) for all tested pharmaceuticals. According to FTIR results, the P containing groups showed obvious positive effects on pharmaceutical removal. The Langmuir isotherm (with maximal adsorption capacity of 19.181, 21.895 and 19.675 mg/g for SMX, CBZ, and KP, respectively) and the pseudo second-order kinetic model were suitable for describing the adsorption process. Adsorption mechanisms were mainly governed by π-π and n-π EDA interactions and H-bonds. It was demonstrated that presence of metal ions did not significantly influence pharmaceutical removal.

Polymer - surfactant aqueous systems are important for a variety of industrial applications. The properties of those systems among other depend on the interactions between them. The aim of this work was to determine interactions between anionic polymer - xanthan gum and anionic surfactant - SDS or nonionic surfactant - Tween 80. In order to get better insight into the occurrence and possible mechanism of interactions several techniques were used such as FTIR, viscometry, conductometry, tensiometry, fluorimetry as well as SEM analysis. The results obtained by the combination of all those techniques showed that xanthan gum – SDS/Tween 80 interactions existed. Structural changes of xanthan gum molecules in presence of both surfactants were obtained by viscometry and SEM. The characteristic interaction points (CAC and PSP) were determined by measuring surface tension and specific conductance of pure surfactant aqueous solutions and their mixtures with xanthan gum. The values of PSP were proportional to the polymer concentration. After overcoming electrostatic repulsion between xanthan gum and SDS, they form complexes through hydrophobic mechanism and enhance adsorption of SDS molecules at the water – air interface. Unlike SDS, Tween 80 mainly interacts with xanthan gum in the bulk creating hydrogen bonds as well as by hydrophobic interactions. The results of fluorescence measurements expressed as I1/I3 ratio additionally confirmed that the mechanism of interactions between xanthan gum and examined surfactants was mainly through hydrophobic interaction and by creation the hydrogen bonds with Tween 80 as through electrostatic repulsion with SDS.

Background/Aim. Plant polyphenols are well known to show antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic, antiviral and antioxidative activity. The aim of this study was to investigate bio-active potential of Armoracia rusticana root juice and extracts: their polyphenol content, as well as in vitro antitumor activity and cell-death mechanism. Methods. Liquid-liquid extraction of polar and non-polar compounds was used and poly-phenolic compounds were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chomatography (HPLC) analysis. Anti-proliferative activity was examined in vitro on human cervix carcinoma (HeLa), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7, MDA-MB-231), colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29), lung adenocarcinoma (A549), prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3), melanocyte carcinoma (Hs 294T), hepatocyte carcinoma (Hep G2), as well as rat hepatocyte carcinoma (H-4-II-E), and normal human fetal lung (MRC-5) cell line using sulforhodamine B assay. The mechanism of cell-death in cell line was determined using Cell Death Detection ELISAPLUS kit. Results. Dichloromethane extracts had the highest content of cate-chin, p-hydroxybenzoic, syringic and gallic acid (pulp, E1), and epicatechin (juice, E3). The results showed strong and non-selective antiproliferative activity of chloroform and di-chloromethane extracts and root juice ? highest being to-wards liver, breast and lung tissue cells. IC50 values of ex-tracts and juice had low range of concentrations (IC50 = 3.49?26.5 ?g/mL) and high range of dilutions (IC50 = 418?1,590). High and unfavorable potential of horseradish juice and chloroform juice extract (E4) to induce necrotic cell death was detected. Conclusion. Strong and non-selective in vitro antiproliferative activity of chloroform and dichloromethane extracts and root juice of horseradish was detected, with necrosis as a main mechanism of induced cell death. In order to utilize horseradish root bioactive potential further investigations that will pinpoint active components with more favourable apoptosis/necrosis inducing properties are needed.

Pinus nigra Arn. bark extracts from Mokra gora (MG) and Tara mountains were analyzed with regard to their polyphenolic profile and antioxidative and antiproliferative activity. The ethanol extract from MG showed the highest phenolic, flavonoid, tannin, and proanthocyanidin content when compared with the acetone and methanol extracts from both sites. The same extract exhibited the highest ABTS (2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) radical scavenging ability and total antioxidant activity (TAA). On the basis of high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, catechin, caffeic, syringic, p-coumaric, and ferulic acids were predominantly present in the MG extracts. The ethanol extract from MG was rich in syringic acid, epicatechin and its derivatives, and ferulic acid and its derivatives. The bark extracts also exerted a high cytotoxic bioactivity against all evaluated cell lines (HeLa, MCF7, HT-29, and MRC-5). The antiproliferative activity of P. nigra bark is probably related to the ferulic acid content and its synergistic activity to caffeic acid and taxifolin. The antioxidative role of the presented phenols was confirmed through the obtained significant linear correlation between the total phenolic content and DPPH (r = .934) as well as the FRAP% of the extracts (r = .948). Also, the TAA significantly depended on the proanthocyanidins (r = .902) and tannin contents (r = .914). The composition of the presented compounds could be related to promising antioxidant and antiproliferative efficacy of MG bark.

Nonprenylated rotenoids isolated from Boerhaavia diffusa are identified as new class of breast cancer resistance protein inhibitors (ABCG2). The recent determination of high-resolution structure of ABCG2 (with chemotherapeutics mitoxantrone or Ko143) enables the investigation of molecular interaction capacities of boeravinones. In this research pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship of 17 boeravinones considering their molecular properties, ADMET profile and binding energies for ABCG2 was studied for the first time. All 17 compounds met the requirements of empirical rules for drug-likeness. Based on the obtained results lipophilicity was determined as the key property of boeravinones for the intestinal absorption, total clearance and acute and chronic toxicity in rats while polarity was the limiting factor for blood brain barrier permeation. Both lipophilicity and the fraction of sp3 hybridized carbon atoms influenced the binding affinity of boeravinones to ABCG2 proteins (6XVI and 6FFC) expressed as ChemPLP and GOLD Score. The performed in silico analysis implies that boeravinones could be used as potent safe leads to human ABCG2.

The development and optimization of systems consist of polymers and surfactants are strongly related to the presence of interactions between them. Therefore, the interpolymer complexes between biopolymer xanthan gum and synthetic polymer Carbopol 940 were investigated before and after the addition of surfactant. The mechanism of interactions in ternary system consisted of xanthan gum, Carbopol 940 and anionic surfactant (sodium dodecylsulfate) as well as nonionic surfactant (Tween 80) was studied by the combination of different techniques such as viscometry, conductometry, tensiometry, spectrophotometry and fluorimetry. Xanthan gum and Carbopol 940 formed complexes through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Therefore, the calculated specific viscosities of polymer blends were much lower than experimentally determined values. Namely, both polymers participated in the association process with sodium dodecylsulfate or Tween 80. In case of anionic surfactant hydrophobic interactions between sodium dodecylsulfate and xanthan gum-Carbopol 940 complexes exist together with electrostatic repulsive forces between the same charged groups. Tween 80 interacts with xanthan gum-Carbopol 940 complexes through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The formed xanthan gum-Carbopol 940 complexes with sodium dodecylsulfate or Tween80 could find their application by optimizing the interactions in the system of xanthan gum and Carbopol 940 using the appropriate concentration of surfactant.

© 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Having in mind that there is a general lack of monitoring plans and precaution measures in the developing countries and that the Danube is the second longest river in Europe, the estimation of the relevant concentration levels of unregulated xenobiotics is a topic of interest both on local and international level. The selected pharmaceuticals, caffeine, and benzotriazole presented in the collected water samples from seven representative locations around the territory of Novi Sad, Serbia, during 1-year period, were analyzed with the use of solid-phase extraction followed by the liquid chromatography coupled with triple quad tandem mass spectrometry. The most frequently detected compounds were caffeine and carbamazepine in the concentrations up to 621 and 22.2 ng/L, respectively, while the maximum concentration of the analyzed pharmaceuticals was obtained for ibuprofen (60.1 ng/L). The presence of benzotriazole along the analyzed section of the river was confirmed in the concentration levels up to 26.7 ng/L. Although sulfamethoxazole and desmethyldiazepam were detected at trace levels (0.22 and 3.41 ng/L, respectively); the presence of these pharmaceuticals in complex mixtures should not be neglected. Due to the frequent detection caffeine, carbamazepine, ibuprofen, and benzotriazole could be proper candidate for hydrophilic anthropogenic markers for quantification of wastewater contamination in surface water in the analyzed Danube section.

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is estimated to affect 25% of adult people worldwide. Nowadays, there is no definite treatment for NAFLD. International guidelines define an approach based on lifestyle changes, included a health alimentary regimen. The Mediterranean diet (MD) represents the gold standard in preventive medicine, probably due to the harmonic combination of many elements with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Its prescription is also recommended in patients with NAFLD. Olive oil, as part of MD, is associated with benefits on human health especially regarding the cardiovascular system, obesity, diabetes and related metabolic disorders. Areas covered: An overview of the beneficial effects of olive oil in the prevention and treatment of NAFLD is given. Expert opinion: A large body of evidence emphasizes that olive oil, used as primary source of fat in MD, may play a crucial role in the health benefits of NAFLD patients. However, there are still scarce clinical data that evaluate the direct effect of olive oil in human with NAFLD.

The roles of the pharmacist were transformed throughout the history and modern pharmacist as we know now beside providing products and playing in optimization of medicines has a crucial role in ensuring the efficacy and safety of applied drugs. A better life quality, global health and safety is the major goal of the 21st century and to achieve that great span of roles pharmacy profession involves now. The paper highlighted new roles of the pharmacist today in order to better understand the transition of the pharmacy profession.

Caffeine is odorless, bitter taste substance which can be naturally found in coffee, cocoa, tea leaves, and is intentionally added in food and pharmaceutical products. It can also be found in surface water in small concentrations where is often used as an excellent indicator of human waste. The aim of the work is determination of caffeine content in food, beverages, analgesics and surface water using solidphase extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Caffeine content was determined in 12 commercial tea and coffee products, non-alcoholic energy drinks and food, 5 combined preparations of analgesics and the Danube samples collected from 7 representative locations. The results showed that caffeine content in food ranged 5,6-158 mg/100 g, tea samples 24,71-30,81 mg/100 ml, coffee samples 1328-3594 mg/100 g, energy drinks 9,69-30,79 mg/100 ml and in the Danube samples 15,91-306,12 ng/l. Caffeine content in combined commercial formulations of non-narcotic analgesics of all brands did meet specifications. The data suggested that the proposed HPLC method can be used for routine determination and control of caffeine content in different matrices.

Seasonal variations of bisphenol A (BPA) were investigated in the Danube along the Novi Sad bank, Serbia using solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatographic mass spectrometric method. The obtained results confirmed the presence of BPA above the limit of quantification (6 ng/L) in 22 out of 32 water samples at all eight sampling sites. Тhe BPA concentration varied from 1) for autumn, spring and summer. The high potential risk which is attributed to the elevated summer concentrations is probably the result of the increased human activates and weather conditions. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III46009]

The emission of untreated or insufficiently treated wastewater is very common in developing countries and consequently has harmful effects on the environment. The aim of this study was to analyse 24 physico-chemical parameters in raw wastewater and effluent after tertiary treatment (denitrification and disinfection) derived from meat-processing plants in Serbia during four sampling campaigns conducted for one year. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were measured at high concentrations up to 6,960 and 14,160 mg/L, respectively, indicating a large amount of uncollected blood, solubilized fat, urine and faeces in discharged wastewater. Required limits of emission in all samples according to the European and national legislation for most of the studied parameters were exceeded. According to the obtained results, there is an imperative need for pretreatment of wastewater from meat industry before discharging it into the sewer. The applied wastewater treatment improve...

Mixtures of a cross-linked polyacrylic acid (Carbopol® 940) and two types of surfactants, namely anionic sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and nonionic Tween® 80, were investigated by viscometry, conductometry, tensiometry, spectrophotometry, fluorimetry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The addition of nonionic surfactant decreased the reduced viscosity and the transmittance of the Carbopol® polymer aqueous solutions. Furthermore, the interaction between Carbopol® 940 and SDS was characterized by two significant concentration values: the critical aggregation concentration of SDS was particularly independent of Carbopol® polymer concentration while the polymer saturation point of both surfactants increased with the increase in polymer content. The values of critical aggregation concentration and polymer saturation point obtained using various techniques confirmed the occurrence of Carbopol® polymer–surfactant associations. The effect of different SDS and Tween® 80 concentrations on the conformation of Carbopol® 940 in aqueous solution could be explained through hydrophobic association between surfactant micelles and Carbopol® polymer tails and through hydrogen bonding in the case of Tween® 80. Additionally, the surfactant-induced structural changes were confirmed in Carbopol® 940–SDS and Carbopol® 940–Tween® 80 aqueous solutions by SEM measurements.

The aim of this paper is to present results of the influence of different xanthan gum concentrations (from 0.01% to 0.2% w/w) on properties of the oil-in-water emulsions by applying different techniques. The octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) starch was used as emulsifier at constant concentration 10%. Rheology, microphotography, SEM and creaming studies were used in order to obtain the emulsions' characteristics. The results showed that the increase in xanthan gum concentration led to the decrease in droplets Sauter mean diameter and made droplet size distribution of the emulsions narrower. All determined emulsions showed shear-thinning flow behavior. The increase in xanthan gum concentration led to the decrease in flow behavior index n as well as the increase in consistency index K. Presence of xanthan gum in the emulsions with OSA starch as emulsifier enhances their stability due to formation of oil droplets network as consequence of depletion flocculation as well as due to modification of continuous phase viscosity.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a global problem and one of the most common liver diseases in the world. Various pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies seem to be non-effective and the patients are often advised not to expect a positive outcome. Hence, even in the modern Western society many patients reach for traditional herbal products. Silymarin, a lipophilic extract derived from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used in liver and bile disorders for centuries. Strong antifibrotic, antioxidant, antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities of silymarin joined with its metabolic effect proven in vitro make it ideal as a drug candidate in the therapy of NAFLD. Several recent randomized clinical studies have demonstrated that silymarin versus placebo significantly contributes to amelioration of the liver condition affected by NAFLD since it reduces steatosis severity, liver ballooning and fibrosis, followed by lowered aminotransferase levels in both short and long lasting therapies. Silymarin is also as efficient as an insulin sensitizer in the NAFLD therapy, but with less adverse effects. Phase III clinical trials have confirmed silymarin to be currently the best medication for the NAFLD patients, but the problems associated with its standardization, formulation and dosage are yet to be solved. However, green tea (Camellia sinensis) and licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root extracts have also been studied in the clinical trials in the therapy of NAFLD patients. Some other herbal products, which have been tested on animals and have the potential to be used in clinical trials, are briefly summarized in this paper.

Seasonal variations of caffeine and antibiotic concentrations were investigated along the selected sites of the Danube using solid-phase extraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The potential risks on the aquatic organisms were evaluated. HPLC methods for caffeine and antibiotic determination were modified and validated showing good accuracy, repeatability, selectivity, and robustness. The obtained results confirmed the presence of caffeine at four sampling points, near the wastewater discharges. The mean caffeine concentrations for summer, autumn, winter, and spring were 24.78, 26.83, 24.61, and 86.29 ng/L, respectively. The analyzed antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, and tiamuline) were under the limit of detection in all tested samples taken from the Danube. The maximum risk indexes (MaxRIs) were calculated for caffeine at each sampling site. Four out of seven selected sampling sites showed sublethal effects on the aquatic organisms with 10

In the recent time, considerable interest has grown concerning the presence of the emerging industrial chemicals, EmIC. They are contaminants that have possible pathway to enter to the environment and they are dominantly released by industrial and anthropogenic activities. EmIC are applied in different fields using as industrial chemicals (new and recently recognized), global organic contaminants (flame retardant chemicals), pharmaceuticals (for both human and animal uses), endocrine-modulating compounds, biological metabolites, personal care products, household chemicals, nanomaterial (energy storage products, lubricants), anticorrosive and agriculture chemicals and others that are applied to a wide variety of everyday items such as clothing, upholstery, electronics and automobile interiors. NORMAN (Network of reference laboratories for monitoring of emerging environmental pollutants) has established an open, dynamic, list of emerging substances and pollutants. EmIC have been recently detected in the environment due to their long-term presence, pseudo-persistence and increased use. Improvements in sophisticated analytical methods and time integrative passive sampling have enabled the identification and quantification of EmIC, in very low concentrations (ppb, ppt and lower), which likely have been present in all environmental mediums for decades. Passive technology is an innovative technique for the time-integrated measurement of emerging contaminants in water, sediment, soil and air. Passive samplers are simple handling cost-effective tool that could be used in environmental monitoring programmes. These devices are now being considered as a part of an emerging strategy for monitoring a range of emerging industrial chemicals and priority pollutants in the aquatic environment. EmIC are substances that are not included in the routine monitoring programmes and whose fate, behaviour and (eco)toxicological effects are still not well understood. Emerging pollutants have no regulatory standards based on peer-reviewed science. EmIC might jeopardize aquatic environment. The first screening analyses of emerging industrial and priority organic contaminants in the Danube surface water, in the vicinity of Novi Sad, have been done and approximately more than 140 compounds have been registered. The new sampling campaign, screening and target analyses are in progress. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III46009]

Bromelain is a complex mixture of different thiol endopeptidases which is derived from the pineapple stems (Ananas comosus, fam. Bromeliaceae). Bromelain is used in food industry for meat tenderizing, beer purification etc. A great number of studies conducted on cell cultures and experimental animals indicate that bromelain possesses antiedematous, analgesic, anti-coagulant, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and hepatoprotective effect. However, there are only a few clinical studies which, under the clinical conditions, undoubtedly prove the therapeutic effects of bromelain in obesity treatment, sinusitis, tooth extraction pain, osteoarthritis, pityriasis rosea, burns and cardiovascular diseases such as angina pectoris, transient ischemic attack (TIA) or thrombophlebitis. The studies of chemoprotective activity have just been started, while the studies on humans have not been conducted yet. All studies confirm that bromelain is well tolerated as well as that it causes few side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct new studies that would confirm the role of bromelain in the therapy of certain pathological changes. An overview of the clinical studies in which some bromelain pharmacological effects have been confirmed is presented in this paper as well as selected in vitro and in vivo studies which are the base for further clinical research.

The present study is concerned with the determination of the critical micelle concentration (cmc) of mixed micelles of sodium dodecyl sulfate with one of five nonionic surfactants (Triton X-100, Tween 20, Tween 60, Tween 80 or Tween 85) from conductance measurements. Based on the calculated values of the ? parameters we have noticed that SDS-nonionic surfactants mostly showed strong synergistic effect. It was found that nonionic surfactants with mainly longer and more hydrophobic tail show stronger interactions with hydrophobic part of SDS, thus expressing stronger synergism. In SDS-Tween 80 binary system the strongest synergistic effect was noticed. SDS-Tween 85 micellar system showed antagonistic effect, most probably because the presence of the double bond in its three hydrophobic tails (three C18 tails) makes it sterically rigid.

The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of fermented dairy beverage production by the application of kombucha cultivated on thyme tea in combination with a probiotic starter and to evaluate the quality of the new functional product. Fermented dairy beverages are produced from milk with 1.6% milk fat at three fermentation temperatures: 37?C, 40?C and 43?C.Chemical quality, rheological properties and products of added starter cultures metabolism were determined in the fermented dairy beverages after production and after10 days of storage. Produced fermented dairy beverages have reduced milk fat content and good textural characteristics. Besides the highly valuable milk components, they contain numerous compounds which have pronounced therapeutic properties. These products could be used as functional food in the diet of different populations for health improvement.

Polyphenols, including anthocyanins, flavonoids and stilbenes, which constitute one of the most abundant and ubiquitous groups of plant metabolites, are an integral part of the human diet. Resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene), a naturally occurring polyphenol produced by some plants as a self-defence agent, has an antifungal activity. Resveratrol has been found in some plants (such as grapevine, pine and peanuts) and is considered to have beneficial effects also on human health. The number of studies on resveratrol greatly increased in PubMed database since 1997, after the anticancer effect of this molecule was first reported. The interest in resveratrol in grape was originally sparked by epidemiological studies indicating an inverse relationship between long-standing moderate consumption of red wine and the risk of coronary heart disease; this effect has been ascribed to resveratrol, which possesses diverse biochemical and physiological properties, including antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory proprieties, and provides a wide range of health benefits ranging from chemoprevention to cardioprotection. Recently, resveratrol has been described as an anti-aging compound. The consumption of resveratrol (red wine) together with a Mediterranean diet or a fast-food meal (“McDonald'sMeal”) had a positive impact on oxidized (ox-) LDL and on the expression of oxidative and inflammatory genes. Therefore, this review summarized the most important scientific data about healing and preventive potential of resveratrol, acting as cardioprotective, neuroprotective, chemopreventive and antioxidant agent.

The goal of this cross-sectional study was to examine the occurrence of bisphenol A (BPA) in the morning spot urine taken from 145 female volunteers of various ages. Total urine BPA concentration was detected in 38.6% samples in the 0.92-70.96 μg/g Cr range. The majority of BPA + women belonged to the 25 + body mass index (BMI) group (54.5% were overweight and 43.4% were obese women). Occurrence of BPA in the urine samples was higher at 40 + ages. The maximum BPA concentration of 70.96 μg/g Cr was detected in the urine sample of an obese woman. It is known that BPA is highly toxic in vitro. In this study BPA impaired significantly the growth of all investigated cell lines, i.e. the EC50 values were reached at very low concentrations, in the range from 3.24 to 34.85 μg/mL. The obtained in vivo results suggest that a higher exposure to BPA could contribute to weight problems in women and the absence of the BPA in vitro selective toxicity studies indicates to its general toxic mode of action and raises awareness of the health risks associated with its ubiquitous presence in the environment.

Herbicides, which are ubiquitously present in soil and food, have been proven to cause human health hazard effects, hence development of new herbicide-active compounds is recommended. In this paper, nine 2,4-bis(cycloalkyl)-6-chloro-s-triazines were considered as herbicide candidates and their pharmacokinetics and toxicity were reviewed on the basis of in silico descriptors. Both, pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictors were presented as functions of their lipophilicity, quantified with retention constants that were obtained by liquid chromatography. None of the candidates investigated has functional groups for genotoxicity hazards and endocrine disruptions; they have acceptable toxicity and favorable pharmacokinetic properties based on computer-aided analyses. Two candidates have been selected as lead compounds for further research.

The occurrence of pharmaceutical residues in the environment has become a subject of growing concern. Due to the constant input of the emerging contaminants in the surface water via wastewater which leads to the long-term adverse effects on the aquatic and terrestrial organisms, special attention is being paid to their presence in the aquatic environment. Most of the emerging substances, especially pharmaceuticals, could not be completely removed using the wastewater treatment. Pharmaceuticals are usually water soluble and poorly degradable. They can pass through all natural filtrations and then reach the groundwater and, finally, the drinking water. The trace levels of antibiotics could have a negative impact on the environment and public health because of their inherent bioactivity. This article is an overview of the presence of the antibiotic residual concentrations, methods and levels of detection and possible risks to both health and environment.

Tip 1 šećerna bolest (T1ŠB) nastaje zbog samorazaranja beta stanica gušterače. Uzrok nastanka T1ŠB-a je međudjelovanje nasljednih čimbenika i čimbenika okoliša. Primjenom inzulinske pumpe u oboljelih od T1ŠB-a poboljšava se kakvoća života i postiže se bolja regulacija glikemije, što smanjuje rizik razvoja komplikacija.U ovom radu istražena je promjena vrijednosti glikoliziranog hemoglobina (HbA1c) prije i nakon primjene inzulinske pumpe, njen utjecaj na promjenu indeksa tjelesne uhranjenosti (BMI-SDS), učestalost pojave teških hipoglikemija i ketoacidoza (DKA). Vrijednosti HbA1c-a su se statistički značajno smanjile nakon primjene inzulinske pumpe. BMI-SDS je očekivano značajno porastao nakon primjene inzulinske pumpe s obzirom na slobodu unosa namirnica. Učestalost pojave teških hipoglikemijskih kriza i DKA u naših ispitanika vrlo je mala, s obzirom na rezultate istraživanja drugih centara u svijetu., Diabetes type 1 (T1D) originates from beta cell destruction. Heredity and environmental factors influence the genesis of T1D. The use of an insulin pump in patients with T1D improves their quality of life and attains better regulation of glycaemia, which reduces the risk of complications. In this study we documented the variation in HbA1c values before and after using insulin pumps and its influence on body mass index (BMI-SDS) changes, the frequency of severe hypoglycaemia and ketoacidosis (DKA). HbA1c values were greatly reduced after insulin pump use. BMI-SDS confirmed the expected significant growth using the insulin pump in regards to free eating habits. The frequency of severe hypoglycaemia and DKA in our patients was very small compared to results published in other diabetic centres throughout the world.

Alcoholism is currently listed as the third leading cause of death. Chronic alcohol consumption brings serious medical complications like gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, respiratory system disorders. Liver can be seriously damage by alcohol misuse. Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) is the first important warning sign of alcohol abuse. Since effective therapies for ALD are still limited, natural products in the treatment of ALD become very important. In this regard, there have been done very few clinical trials with poor results. Silymarin, glycyrrhizin, garlic show some promising results in ALD patients while the in vivo and in vitro studies with green tee, quercetin and curcumin indicate positive effect on patients with ALD.