Risk factors for postoperative acute kidney injury after major abdominal surgery.

AIM: Acute kidney injury (AKI) worsens the outcome in a significant number of hospitalized patients. Risk models mainly address cardiac surgery, while significantly less attention is paid to AKI after major abdominal surgery (MAS). This study aims to evaluate the incidence, along with risk factors, and intrahospital outcomes of AKI after MAS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Our retrospective study included 200 adult patients treated with MAS (in the same institution). Exclusion criteria were obstructive nephropathy, contrast-induced nephropathy, and dialysis dependence whether due to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or AKI before MAS. Data on preoperative, intraoperative, as well as postoperative variables were collected from patients' medical history and electronic medical records. RESULTS: AKI was diagnosed in 33 (16.5%) patients, with 2 patients treated with hemodialysis. The multivariate logistic regression model showed that the number of intraoperative blood transfusions (p = 0.01), pneumonia (p < 0.001), and vasoactive drug use (p = 0.02) were independently associated with postoperative AKI. Each blood transfusion administered increased the risk of developing AKI by 1.41, vasoactive drug use by 4.13, and the risk of AKI in those with pneumonia was 15.32 times higher. The lethal outcome was observed significantly more frequently in patients with AKI (39.4 vs. 4.8%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Identification of independent predictors of AKI after MAS such as the number of transfusions during surgery, sepsis, pneumonia, and the need for vasoactive drug therapy could help prevent AKI and lower the probability of lethal outcomes after MAS.

Cuticular Wax Variability of Abies alba, A.×borisii-regis and A.†cephalonica from the Balkans: Chemophenetic and Ecological Aspects.

This is the first study on cuticular wax variability of Abies alba, A.×borisii-regis and A. cephalonica, using 18 native populations from the assumed hybrid zone in the Balkan Peninsula. Presence of 13 n-alkanes with chain-lengths ranging from C21 to C33 , one primary alcohol, two diterpenes, one triterpene and one sterol was determined in hexane extracts of 269 needle samples. The multivariate statistical analyses at the population level entirely failed in supporting circumscription of Balkan Abies taxa and therefore, in identifying hybrid populations. However, performed at the species level, these analyses revealed a certain tendency of differentiation between A. alba and A. cephalonica, while individuals of A.×borisii-regis were largely overlapped by the clouds of both parent species. Finally, the correlation analysis suggested that the observed variation of wax compounds was probably genetically conditioned and that it does not represent an adaptive response to various environmental factors.

Expression Patterns of Serotonin Receptors 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT3A during Human Fetal Lung Development.

We analyzed the expression of the serotonin receptors 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT3A at four different stages of fetal lung development from 12 to 40 weeks of gestation, divided into four groups: the pseudoglandular stage (12-16th week of development; n = 8), the canalicular stage (16th-26th week of development; n = 7), the saccular stage (26th-36th week of development; n = 5), and the alveolar stage (36th-40th week of development; n = 5). The strongest expression of all three receptor types was found in the epithelium of the proximal airways during the pseudoglandular, canalicular, and saccular stages and in a vascular wall. 5-HT1A was also strongly expressed in the smooth muscle cells of the proximal airway. Vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelium occasionally showed a strong expression of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A. In the alveolar stage, the expression of 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT3A was detected in both type I (p1) and type II (p2) pneumocytes, with a stronger expression in p2. A significant decrease in percent the 5-HT2A area and in the integrated density was observed at the alveolar stage. On the other hand, a significant decrease in the percentage area but an increase in the integrated density was observed for 5-HT3A toward the alveolar stage, suggesting that a smaller number of cells expressed 5-HT3A but that they (p1 and p2) significantly increased their 5-HT3A expression at the alveolar stage. The results presented provided us with new data on the development and function of the serotonin system in the human fetal lung and gave us insight into their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of lung pathology, particularly that characteristic of the neonatal period.

Selected fungi of the genus Lactarius - screening of antioxidant capacity, antimicrobial activity, and genotoxicity.

It is well-known that mushrooms of the genus Lactarius constitute a natural food resource providing health benefits as a nutritient. This genus contains 4 mushrooms identified as L. deliciosus, L. volemus, L. sanguifluus, L. semisanguifluus and L. piperatus which were collected in Serbia. The aim of this study aimed was to identify and characterize the content of phenolic compounds and examine the antioxidant potential of 5 wild edible mushrooms. L. sanguifluus contained the highest content of total phenol compounds (75.25 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per g dry extract weight (GAE/g DE) and exhibited the greatest antioxidant activity through the ability to remove radicals as evidenced by ABTS assay (8.99 mg of trolox equivalents (TE) per g dry extract weight (mg TE/g DE); total reducing power (TRP) assay mg ascorbic acid equivalents per mg of dry extract weight (0.42 mg AAE/g DE) and CUPRAC (14.23 mg TE /g DE). L. deliciosus methanolic extract produced greatest scavenging of the DPPH radical (46%). The methanol mushroom extracts were screened for in vitro antimicrobial activity against a panel of pathogenic bacterial strains using the microdilution method. Of all the extracts tested, L. sanguifluus extract showed the best antibacterial properties. The cytokinesis block micronucleus assay results for the examined mushrooms demonstrated that extracts at a concentration of 3 µg/ml decreased the number of micronuclei (MN) in the range of 19-49% which is significant bearing in mind that radioprotectant amifostine reduced the frequency of MN by only 16.3%. Data thus demonstrate that the 5 wild edible mushrooms of genus Lactarius contain constituents that are beneficial not only as nutrients but also have the potential as antioxidants, antibacterial and antigenotoxic properties.

Essential Oils of Three Balkan Abies Species: Chemical Profiles, Antimicrobial Activity and Toxicity toward Artemia salina and Drosophila melanogaster.

This study focused on the essential oils (EOs) isolated from needles with twigs of three indigenous Balkan Abies species (A. alba, A. × borisii-regis and A. cephalonica) regarding their chemical composition, antimicrobial activity and toxicity toward crustaceans and insects. Even though distinct phytochemical profiles of dominant volatiles were revealed for each species, ß-pinene and α-pinene represented the first two major volatiles in all three EOs. Antimicrobial activity of EOs has shown inhibitory effect against all 17 studied strains (ATCC and respiratory isolates) in the range of 0.62-20.00 mg/mL (MICs). Further, all three EOs exhibited strong toxicity (LC50 <100 µg/mL) in Artemia salina lethality bioassay, but with significant differences that depended on the EO type. Additionally, tested EOs have shown a certain level of toxicity against Drosophila melanogaster, mostly at the highest tested concentration (3 %) which caused significant prolongation of developmental time, larvicidal effect and pupal mortality. In the three biological assays performed, there was no observed inhibitory effect or weakest activity for A. alba EO. Further, A. cephalonica EO has shown the highest levels of antimicrobial activity and toxicity toward A. salina, while in relation to the insecticidal potential, A. cephalonica and A. × borisii-regis EOs exhibited similar level of toxicity against D. melanogaster.

Europe-Wide Atmospheric Radionuclide Dispersion by Unprecedented Wildfires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, April 2020.

From early April 2020, wildfires raged in the highly contaminated areas around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP), Ukraine. For about 4 weeks, the fires spread around and into the Chernobyl exclusion zone (CEZ) and came within a few kilometers of both the CNPP and radioactive waste storage facilities. Wildfires occurred on several occasions throughout the month of April. They were extinguished, but weather conditions and the spread of fires by airborne embers and smoldering fires led to new fires starting at different locations of the CEZ. The forest fires were only completely under control at the beginning of May, thanks to the tireless and incessant work of the firefighters and a period of sustained precipitation. In total, 0.7-1.2 TBq 137Cs were released into the atmosphere. Smoke plumes partly spread south and west and contributed to the detection of airborne 137Cs over the Ukrainian territory and as far away as Western Europe. The increase in airborne 137Cs ranged from several hundred µBq·m-3 in northern Ukraine to trace levels of a few µBq·m-3 or even within the usual background level in other European countries. Dispersion modeling determined the plume arrival time and was helpful in the assessment of the possible increase in airborne 137Cs concentrations in Europe. Detections of airborne 90Sr (emission estimate 345-612 GBq) and Pu (up to 75 GBq, mostly 241Pu) were reported from the CEZ. Americium-241 represented only 1.4% of the total source term corresponding to the studied anthropogenic radionuclides but would have contributed up to 80% of the inhalation dose.

Whether the Support Region of Three-Bit Uniform Quantizer Has a Strong Impact on Post-Training Quantization for MNIST Dataset?

Driven by the need for the compression of weights in neural networks (NNs), which is especially beneficial for edge devices with a constrained resource, and by the need to utilize the simplest possible quantization model, in this paper, we study the performance of three-bit post-training uniform quantization. The goal is to put various choices of the key parameter of the quantizer in question (support region threshold) in one place and provide a detailed overview of this choice's impact on the performance of post-training quantization for the MNIST dataset. Specifically, we analyze whether it is possible to preserve the accuracy of the two NN models (MLP and CNN) to a great extent with the very simple three-bit uniform quantizer, regardless of the choice of the key parameter. Moreover, our goal is to answer the question of whether it is of the utmost importance in post-training three-bit uniform quantization, as it is in quantization, to determine the optimal support region threshold value of the quantizer to achieve some predefined accuracy of the quantized neural network (QNN). The results show that the choice of the support region threshold value of the three-bit uniform quantizer does not have such a strong impact on the accuracy of the QNNs, which is not the case with two-bit uniform post-training quantization, when applied in MLP for the same classification task. Accordingly, one can anticipate that due to this special property, the post-training quantization model in question can be greatly exploited.

First Report about Mineral Content, Fatty Acids Composition and Biological Activities of Four Wild Edible Mushrooms.

The goal of this research was a comprehensive analysis of four wild edible mushroom species, Cantharellus cinereus, Clavariadelphus pistillaris, Clitocybe nebularis and Hygrocybe punicea, which have not been analyzed so far. Extracts of different polarities have been prepared and evaluated for their antioxidant activities by DPPH, ABTS, FRAP, TRP and CUPRAC methods. For all extracts, total phenolic content was determined. Based on the analysis, it was shown that solvent type had a significant effect on the antioxidant capacities of mushroom extracts, so water extracts showed the highest activity. Furthermore, the analysis includes determination of mineral composition, fatty acid profiles and antimicrobial activity. Unsaturated fatty acids, which are very important for human health, are dominant in the studied mushroom species. Linoleic and oleic acid consist of over 50 % of the total fatty acid composition. Seventeen biologically important and toxic elements have been analyzed by ICP-OES and ICP-MS and results showed that the element concentrations were species-dependent. Also, it has been found that analyzed mushrooms did not show any antimicrobial activity. Chemometric analysis was used to understand the connection between the extracts of different polarities.

Epicuticular Waxes Provide Insights into Phytochemical Differentiation of Natural Populations of Pinus mugo Turra sensu stricto.

Phytochemical diversity and differentiation of nine native populations of Pinus mugo sensu stricto from Julian Alps, Southern Carpathians and Balkan Peninsula were analyzed in regard to their epicuticular wax compounds. GC/MS and GC-FID analyses of the hexane extracts of needle samples, collected from 118 individuals of P. mugo, revealed the presence of six diterpenes, three primary alcohols and 10 n-alkanes ranging from C19 to C29 (except n-alkane C21 ). According to simple linear regression, the contents of epicuticular wax compounds showed generally weak correlations with tested bioclimatic, orographic and geographic parameters, leading to assumption about their genetic conditioning. The multivariate statistical analyses suggested the existence of two chemical entities: the Alpine and the South Carpathian, while the Balkan populations appeared heterogeneous as three of them belonged to the Alpine and one to the South Carpathian group. The obtained results are largely consistent to those previously published in reference to morpho-anatomical and molecular characters of P. mugo, supporting the hypothesis of colonization of Balkan Peninsula from two different glacial refugia: from the Alps (across the Dinarides) and from the Southern Carpathians. Extending this study to the entire range of P. mugo complex should provide a clearer picture of its phytochemical diversity and differentiation.

Comparative Study of Fatty Acids Profile in Eleven Wild Mushrooms of Boletacea and Russulaceae Families.

Eleven species of wild mushrooms which belong to Boletaceae and Russulaceae families were examined by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis for the presence of fatty acids. As far as we know, the fatty acid profiles of B. purpureus and B. rhodoxanthus were described for the first time. Twenty-six fatty acids were determined. Linoleic (19.5 - 72%), oleic (0.11 - 64%), palmitic (5.9 - 22%) and stearic acids (0.81 - 57%) were present in the highest contents. In all samples, unsaturated fatty acids dominate. Agglomerative hierarchical clustering was used to display the correlation between the fatty acids and their relationships with the mushroom species. Based on the fatty acids profile in the samples, the mushrooms can be divided into two families: Boletaceae and Russulaceae families, using cluster analysis.

Dispersive micro-solid phase extraction of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from water by using thermally treated clinoptilolite, and their quantification by GC-MS.

The authors report on a novel sorbent (thermally treated natural zeolite; clinoptilolite) for use in dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-µ-SPE) of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from water samples. The method was applied to the D-µ-SPE of 16 priority PAHs which then were quantified by gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS). The method was validated in terms of specificity and selectivity, linearity and linear range, accuracy, precision, uncertainty, limits of detection and quantification. Figures of merit include (a) linear analytical ranges between 2.08 and 208 ppb, and (b) detection limits in the range from 0.01 to 0.92 ppb. The method was successfully applied to the determination of PAHs in river waters. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of dispersive micro-solid phase extraction (D-µ-SPE) of trace levels of PAHs in water samples by using thermally treated clinoptilolite as sorbent prior to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis (GC-MS).

Natural radionuclides in waste water discharged from coal-fired power plants in Serbia.

Investigation of the natural radioactivity levels in water around power plants, as well as in plants, coal, ash, slag and soil, and to assess the associated radiation hazard is becoming an emerging and interesting topic. This paper is focused on the results of the radioactivity analysis in waste water samples from five coal-fired power plants in Serbia (Nikola Tesla A, Nikola Tesla B, Kolubara, Morava and Kostolac), which were analyzed in the period 2003-2015. River water samples taken upstream and downstream from the power plants, drain water and overflow water were analyzed. In the water samples gamma spectrometry analysis was performed as well as determination of gross alpha and beta activity. Natural radionuclide 40K was detected by gamma spectrometry, while the concentrations of other radionuclides, 226Ra, 235U and 238U, usually were below the minimum detection activity (MDA). 232Th and artificial radionuclide 137Cs were not detected in these samples. Gross alpha and beta activities were determined by the α/ß low level proportional counter Thermo Eberline FHT 770 T. In the analyzed samples, gross alpha activity ranged from MDA to 0.47 Bq L-1, while the gross beta activity ranged from MDA to 1.55 Bq L-1.

PPV Polymerization through the Gilch Route: Diradical Character of Monomers.

Despite various studies on the polymerization of poly(p-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) through different precursor routes, detailed mechanistic knowledge on the individual reaction steps and intermediates is still incomplete. The present study aims to gain more insight into the radical polymerization of PPV through the Gilch route. The initial steps of the polymerization involve the formation of a p-quinodimethane intermediate, which spontaneously self-initiates through a dimerization process leading to the formation of diradical species; chain propagation ensues on both sides of the diradical or chain termination occurs by the formation of side products, such as [2.2]paracyclophanes. Furthermore, different p-quinodimethane systems were assessed with respect to the size of their aromatic core as well as the presence of heteroatoms in/on the conjugated system. The nature of the aromatic core and the specific substituents alter the electronic structure of the p-quinodimethane monomers, affecting the mechanism of polymerization. The diradical character of the monomers has been investigated with several advanced methodologies, such as spin-projected UHF, CASSCF, CASPT2, and DMRG calculations. It was shown that larger aromatic cores led to a higher diradical character in the monomers, which in turn is proposed to cause rapid initiation.

Local aromaticity in naphtho-annelated fluoranthenes: can the five-membered rings be more aromatic than the six-membered rings?

All Kekulé-structure-based theories predict that the central five-membered ring in fluoranthene and naphtho-annelated fluoranthenes is nonaromatic. In the present work, a detailed study of the local aromaticity in a series of naphtho-annelated fluoranthene derivatives was performed by means of the following aromaticity indices: the energy effect (ef), bond resonance energy (BRE), multicenter delocalization indices (MCI), harmonic oscillator model of aromaticity (HOMA) index, nucleus-independent chemical shifts (NICS), and ring current maps. It was found that, according to the ef, BRE, MCI, and HOMA values, the pentagonal rings in some naphtho-annelated fluoranthenes can be even more aromatic than some hexagonal rings in the respective molecules. The magnetic indices do not support the results obtained by the energetic, electron delocalization, and geometrical aromaticity indices.

Clinical and immunologic outcomes of HAART-treated HIV-infected women in resource constrain settings: the Belgrade Study.

We performed a study to identify factors related to favorable response to highly active-antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-infected women. A retrospective study was performed on 216 women who had initiated HAART from January 1, 1998 to December 31, 2012, at the HIV/AIDS Center, Belgrade, Serbia. Participants were followed-up for 8.2 ± 3.4 years. The mean age was 37 ± 9.7 years. During follow-up, it was found that 26 patients had died. Clinical AIDS at initiation of HAART was observed in 43.9% patients, while 64.8% had a CD4+ T-cell count below 200 cells/µL. Multivariate analyses revealed that the single factor independently related to a favorable response to HAART was good compliance (odds [OR] ratio for survival = 2.9, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.0-8.6, p = 0.03), while a baseline CD4+ T-cell count below 100 cells/µL, hepatitis C virus coinfection, and aged 40 years and older were all associated with an unfavorable response to HAART (OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.15-0.52, p < 0.001; OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.22-0.8, p = 0.008; OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.21-0.79, p = 0.008, respectively). The estimated 14-year-survival was 100% in patients with sustained viral suppression, regardless of the CD4+ counts achieved (p = 0.6, log-rank). If women with advanced HIV-related immunodeficiency reach and maintain optimal viral suppression during HAART, regardless of the level of immune recovery, and if they continue to maintain this suppression for up to a mean 8 years of treatment, their prognosis may be fairly good, even in resource-limited settings.

Foam glasses made from green bottle glass and sugar beet factory lime as a foaming agent.

Great waste production alongside limited natural resources represents huge environmental and economic problems worldwide. Sustainable waste management and industrial production can reduce pollution and gain some economic benefits. Eco-friendly thermal insulators such as foam glasses can be produced using secondary raw materials in open-loop recycling. Foam glasses were successfully produced using green bottle glass and sugar beet factory lime (SBFL), CaCO3-rich waste as a novel foaming agent. Glass powder was mixed with different amounts of SBFL, uniaxially pressed at 20 MPa, and sintered at different temperatures. The influence of sintering temperature and the addition of a foaming agent was examined. Obtained samples were mechanically, thermally, and microstructurally characterized. Results showed that samples sintered at 800 °C have the best properties. Obtained foam glasses can be used in a variety of industries where thermal insulation, non-flammability, and non-toxic materials are required.

Sorption Capacity of Polydimethylsiloxane Foams Filled with Thermal-Treated Bentonite-Polydimethylsiloxane Composite Foams for Oil Spill Remediation.

The spillage of oil causes severe and long-lasting impacts on both the environment and human life. It is crucial to carefully reconsider the methods and techniques currently employed to recover spilled oil in order to prevent any possible secondary pollution and save time. Therefore, the techniques used to recover spilled oil should be readily available, highly responsive, cost-effective, environmentally safe, and, last but not least, they should have a high sorption capacity. The use of sorbents obtained from natural materials is considered a suitable approach for dealing with oil spills because of their exceptional physical characteristics that support sustainable environmental protection strategies. This article presents a novel sorbent material, which is a composite siloxane foam filled with bentonite clay, aimed at enhancing the hydrophobic and oleophilic behavior of the material. The thermal treatment of bentonite optimizes its sorption capacity by eliminating water, and increasing the surface area, and, consequently, its interaction with oils. In particular, the maximum sorption capacity is observed in kerosene and naphtha for the bentonite clay thermally treated at 600 °C, showing an uptake at saturation of 496.8% and 520.1%, respectively. Additionally, the reusability of the composite foam is evaluated by squeezing it after reaching its saturation point to determine its sorption capacity and reusability.

Verification of the sampling procedure for radioactivity analysis of waste and industrial material.

In accordance with ISO/IEC 17025:2017, the testing laboratory needs to verify its ability to properly perform methods. For radiological testing, the sampling does not affect the results directly, but it has to ensure that sample adequately represents the tested material. To verify the procedure, a sampling of red mud and bauxite ore was conducted. All samples were measured in identical geometry by HPGe spectrometer. The counting rates per unit mass in the recorded spectra were compared. For each measurement series, the mean and standard deviations of respected peaks were calculated, as well as average and standard deviation of all series. The obtained results of each individual series were considered satisfactory, i.e. sampling procedure ensures the representativeness of the bulk material, if it is within ± two standard deviations of the average of the mean values.

Anticancer assessment and antibiofilm potential of Laetiporus sulphureus mushroom originated from Serbia.

Laetiporus sulphureus (Bull.) Murrill is a well-known edible mushroom consumed in nutrition as delicacy. It has been used in traditional medicine because of its beneficial effects on human wellness, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anticancer potential. The present study determined the phenolic profile of Laetiporus sulphureus ethanolic extract (LSE) by high-performance liquid chromatographic method. Tolerance of two probiotic bacterial strains Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 229v, Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis and probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii on LSE was analyzed in terms of viability and biofilm formation. Effects of extract on colorectal (HCT-116) and cervical (HeLa) cancer cells viability was determined using MTT test in concentration range: 1-500 µg/mL after 24 and 72 h. Redox parameters (superoxide anion radicals, nitrites, and reduced glutathione) were evaluated using NBT, Griess, and GSH assays in the concentration range of 1-500 µg/mL after 24 and 72 h. Antimigratory activity was determined by wound healing method using selected concentrations of 10 and 50 µg/mL after 24 h. Untreated cells were considered as control. As control cell line, we used healthy fibroblasts (MRC-5). Our results demonstrated abundance of LSE in phenolics, with rosmarinic acid as the main component. LSE induced low tolerance of tested planktonic probiotic strains, with no affection on their ability to form biofilm. No significant cytotoxicity on tested cancer cells was observed, with prooxidative and antimigratory effects noticed. Extract exerted significant antimigratory activity on cancer cells without effect on planktonic and probiotic cultures in biofilm. These results indicate potential application of Laetiporus sulphureus ethanolic extract as natural protector of probiotics with prominent ability to suppress cancer cell motility.