Effects of short- and long-term physical activity on DNA stability and oxidative stress status in young soccer players.

AIM: The aim of the study was to determine whether single soccer training is able to cause oxidative stress and DNA instability. We have also sought to investigate if adaptive response will be developed during 45 days training period and to what extent. METHODS: This study was conducted on 16 soccer players aged 18.13±0.35 years. We used single cells gel electrophoresis (comet assay) to investigate leukocyte DNA stability. The results were presented as DNA score and percent of cells with medium and high damage. Oxidative status of our subjects was estimated through blood levels of superoxide anion, the thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARs), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), prooxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) and sulfhydryl-groups (SH-groups). RESULTS: During single soccer training, DNA score and percent of the cells with medium and high damage were increased after training but without significance. Sulphydryl-groups (P=0.033), TOS (P=0.002) and PAB (P=0.045) were significantly lower after training. After 45 days training period DNA score was decreased but with no significance. However, percent of cells with medium and high damage was significantly lower (P=0.01). TOS (P=0.001) and MDA (P=0.038) levels were also significantly lower, while sulphydryl-groups levels were significantly higher (P=0.006). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that single soccer training had not compromised DNA stability. Possible development of oxidative stress was effectively neutralized by very well preserved antioxidative mechanisms. It was also shown that during 45 days adaptive response was induced. All measured parameters should be considered as useful information on oxidative status of trainees.

Effect of astaxanthin supplementation on muscle damage and oxidative stress markers in elite young soccer players.

AIM: The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of Astaxanthin (Asx) supplementation on muscle enzymes as indirect markers of muscle damage, oxidative stress markers and antioxidant response in elite young soccer players. METHODS: Thirty-two male elite soccer players were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to Asx and placebo (P) group. After the 90 days of supplementation, the athletes performed a 2 hour acute exercise bout. Blood samples were obtained before and after 90 days of supplementation and after the exercise at the end of observational period for analysis of thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), superoxide anion (O2•¯), total antioxidative status (TAS), sulphydril groups (SH), superoxide-dismutase (SOD), serum creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). RESULTS: TBARS and AOPP levels did not change throughout the study. Regular training significantly increased O2•¯ levels (main training effect, P<0.01). O2•¯ concentrations increased after the soccer exercise (main exercise effect, P<0.01), but these changes reached statistical significance only in the P group (exercise x supplementation effect, P<0.05). TAS levels decreased significantly post- exercise only in P group (P<0.01). Both Asx and P groups experienced increase in total SH groups content (by 21% and 9%, respectively) and supplementation effect was marginally significant (P=0.08). Basal SOD activity significantly decreased both in P and in Asx group by the end of the study (main training effect, P<0.01). All participants showed a significant decrease in basal CK and AST activities after 90 days (main training effect, P<0.01 and P<0.001, respectively). CK and AST activities in serum significantly increased as result of soccer exercise (main exercise effect, P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively). Postexercise CK and AST levels were significantly lower in Asx group compared to P group (P<0.05) CONCLUSION: The results of the present study suggest that soccer training and soccer exercise are associated with excessive production of free radicals and oxidative stress, which might diminish antioxidant system efficiency. Supplementation with Asx could prevent exercise induced free radical production and depletion of non-enzymatic antioxidant defense in young soccer players.

Prognostic value of survivin expression in Wilms tumor.

PURPOSE: To determine survivin expression patterns in Wilms tumor (WT) and compare it with the expression in normal renal tissue. Also, to analyse cytoplasmic and nuclear survivin expression in relation to histological type, prognostic group and tumor stage. METHODS: Immunohistochemical expression of survivin was analysed in 59 cases of primary WT and in 10 normal kidney specimens, taken from the same patients, but distant from the tumor. RESULTS: 51 out of 59 cases of WT (86.44%) showed decreased cytoplasmic survivin expression and 4 out of 59 cases of WT (6.78%) showed nuclear overexpression of survivin. There was statistically significant difference in the frequency of decreased cytoplasmic expression of survivin in individual components of WT (p=0.005). Decreased cytoplasmic expression of survivin in epithelial, blastemal and stromal component was found significantly more often in low stage WT compared to high stage WT (Fisher exact test, p=0.0002, p=0.002, p=0.002, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in the frequency of survivin nuclear overexpression between different stages of WT (Fisher exact test, p=0.564), histological types (Fisher exact test, p=0.915), or between different prognostic groups (Fisher exact test, p=1). CONCLUSION: Decreased survivin cytoplasmic expression or nuclear overexpression may be related to favorable prognosis of WT.

[Injuries of the cervical spine in motorcycling and bicycling traffic accidents].

Due to the vehicle characteristics neck injuries are common in motorcycle and moped users involved in traffic accidents. We are reporting on neck injuries amongst 502 fatalities of drivers and passengers of motorcycles and mopeds, and cyclists. Cervical spine injuries were found in 124 cases (24.7%). Cervical spine injury was statistically significantly more frequently in passengers (61.9%) compared to the drivers (20.7%) of motorcycle and moped (chi2 = 13.384; p < 0.01), the lesions are usually localized in the upper cervical spine (52.4%), the most frequently at atlantoocciptal region (F = 25.835; p); these injuries were most frequently caused by frontal (31.45%) or rear (50.81%) axial collisions. Almost all cases of cervical spine injuries were present without apparent external injuries; they were associated with lesions of neck muscles, blood vessels and/or neck organs, and in 79 cases (63.7%) there was a lesion of the cervical spinal cord. The research results indicate a large incidence of neck injuries in traffic accidents especially in motorcycle, moped and bicycle axial collision with the possible absence of external injuries, which may represent a clinical and forensic problem.

[The important role of professor doctor Milovan Milovanovitsh in contemporary suicidology]. / Znacaj prof. dr Milovana Milovanovica u savremenoj suicidologiji

The paper deals with the important role of professor Milovan Milovanovitsh in contemporary suicidology. His monograph "Suicide", published in 1929, is a classical and excellent book in which medicolegal, psychosocial, statistical and preventive aspects of suicide are analyzed. His visionary ideas characterize this suicidologic manual, and many of his statements are widely accepted in modern science, e.g. definition of suicide, necessity of multidisciplinary approach in suicidological studies, analysis of suicidal predisposition and motives, concept of "appeal" phenomenon in suicidal behaviour, importance of suicidal announcements and attempts, characteristics of suicides in different periods and social conditions, making of the autopsy-anamnestic method for diagnosis of suicide, problems of prevention of suicide, etc. The work of Milovan Milovanovitsh was the important and primary basis for further suicidologic studies.

[Suicide among narcotic addicts]. / Samoubistvo narkomana.

The majority of deaths occurring from acute or chronic narcotism declined as accidental are often termed as "overdose". But in some cases, the evidence found at the scene or the other data indicate intent of suicide. This report presents an analysis of suicide victims classified as drug or narcotic abusers. The cause and manner of death, the postmortem toxicologic and histopathologic findings are discussed.