Hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy.

In the initial stage, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is adaptive, but in time, it transforms to maladaptive LVH which is specific for the development of various phenotypes that cause heart failure, initially with preserved, but later with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. Pathophysiological mechanisms, which are characteristic for remodeling procedure, are numerous and extremely complex, and should be subjected to further research with the aim of making a comprehensive overview of hypertensive heart disease (HHD) and discovering new options for preventing and treating HHD. The contemporary methods, such as cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and computed tomography (CT) provide very accurate morphological and functional information on HHD.

Left ventricular mechanics in patients with hematological malignancies before initiation of chemo- and radiotherapy.

Objective We sought to investigate left ventricular (LV) structure, function and mechanics in the patients with leukemia and lymphoma before initiation of chemotherapy, as well as the relationship between hematological malignancies and reduced LV longitudinal strain. Methods This retrospective investigation included 71 patients with leukemia and lymphoma before chemotherapy and 36 healthy controls. All participants underwent echocardiographic examination before initiation of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Variability of Myocardial Strain During Isometric Exercise in Subjects With and Without Heart Failure.

Fast strain-encoded cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI, fast-SENC) is a novel technology potentially improving characterization of heart failure (HF) patients by quantifying cardiac strain. We sought to describe the impact of isometric handgrip exercise (HG) on cardiac strain assessed by fast-SENC in HF patients and controls. Patients with stable HF and controls were examined using cMRI at rest and during HG.

Multilayer myocardial strain improves the diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: The diagnostic and treatment of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are both hampered by an incomplete understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease. Novel imaging tools to adequately identify these patients from individuals with a normal cardiac function and respectively patients with HF with reduced EF are warranted. Computing multilayer myocardial strain with feature tracking is a fast and accurate method to assess cardiac deformation.

β-Adrenoreceptor Autoantibodies in Heart Failure: Physiology and Therapeutic Implications.

Antibodies that activate the β-AR (β-adrenoreceptor) can induce heart failure in animal models. These antibodies are often found in patients with heart failure secondary to varying etiologies. Their binding to the β receptor leads to prolonged receptor activation with subsequent induction of cellular dysfunction, apoptosis, and arrhythmias.

CMR Tissue Characterization in Patients with HFmrEF.

The characteristics and optimal management of heart failure with a moderately reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF, LV-EF 40-50%) are still unclear. Advanced cardiac MRI offers information about function, fibrosis and inflammation of the myocardium, and might help to characterize HFmrEF in terms of adverse cardiac remodeling. We, therefore, examined 17 patients with HFpEF, 18 with HFmrEF, 17 with HFrEF and 17 healthy, age-matched controls with cardiac MRI (Phillips 1.

Biatrial Remodeling in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis Running Title: Atrial Function in Cystic Fibrosis.

Background: Previous studies have focused on left and right ventricular remodeling in cystic fibrosis (CF), whereas atrial function has not been assessed in detail so far. We sought to investigate left and right atrial (LA and RA) function in patients with CF.

Methods: This retrospective investigation included 82 CF patients (64 survivors and 18 non-survivors) who were referred to CF department over the period of four years, as well as 32 control subjects matched by age and gender.

Phasic Left Atrial Function in Cancer Patients Before Initiation of Anti-Cancer Therapy.

We aimed to explore left atrial (LA) remodeling in the patients with solid cancer before initiation of chemo- or radiotherapy. This retrospective investigation included 92 chemo- and radiotherapy-naive cancer patients and 40 age- and gender-matched controls with a similar cardiovascular risk profile as the cancer group. All participants underwent comprehensive echocardiographic examination before the start of chemo- or radiotherapy.

Selection of recycling centre locations by using the interval type-2 fuzzy sets and two-objective genetic algorithm.

In the sense of contemporary industrial challenges, it may be said that many issues in the field of recycling may be analysed. In this paper, the model for choosing locations for construction of recycling centres equipped with new technology is proposed. The considered problem may be stated as a two-objective optimization problem, if the optimization criteria are presented as total distance and the overall suitability index sum.

Distribution of natural and artificial radionuclides in chernozem soil/crop system from stationary experiments.

The present paper focuses on the determination of radiological characteristics of cultivated chernozem soil and crops from long-term field experiments, taking into account the importance of distribution and transfer of radionuclides in the soil-plant system, especially in agricultural cropland. The investigation was performed on the experimental fields where maize, winter wheat, and rapeseed were cultivated. Analysis of radioactivity included determination of the gross alpha and beta activity as a screening method, as well as the activities of the following radionuclides: natural ((210)Pb, (235)U, (238)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K, (7)Be) and artificial ((90)Sr and (137)Cs).

Depth distribution of (137)Cs in anthrosol from the experimental field "Radmilovac" near Belgrade, Serbia.

This is a preliminary study of the depth distribution of (137)Cs radionuclides in cultivated anthrosol soil of a 15-year old peach tree plantation at the experimental field "Radmilovac" near Belgrade. Before planting, the soil was ploughed at the depth of 1 m. The soil had not been annually ploughed, irrigated and treated with mineral fertilizers for three years before sampling.

Near-infrared spectroscopy study for determination of adsorbed acetochlor in the organic and inorganic bentonites.

NIR spectroscopy is used to determine acetochlor herbicide adsorption on Na-montmorillonite (NaP) and organically modified montmorillonite (NaOM). Both montmorillonites NIR spectra shows bands at 7061 and 6791 cm(-1). Organo-montmorillonite is characterised by two emphasized bands at 5871 and 5667 cm(-1) that are attributed to the fundamental overtones of the mid-IR bands at 2916 and 2850 cm(-1).

Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma: our clinico-pathological experience and dilemmas in 25 cases.

Background: Dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma represents a special form of the chondrosarcoma characterized by the presence of well-differentiated cartilaginous component in juxtaposition with the malignant mesenchymal tumor of high-malignancy grade.

Methods: The study was performed on 25 tissue samples obtained by biopsy of the primary malignant bone tumors.

Results: Out of the total of 25 patients, 13 were males and 12 were females.

Tissue-protective effects of fullerenol C60(OH)24 and amifostine in irradiated rats.

Polyhydroxylated fullerenes, named fullerenols (C(60)(OH)(n); n=12-26) are excellent antioxidants. Harmful effects of ionizing radiation on living organism are mainly mediated by free radical species and fullerenols attract an attention as a potential radioprotectors. Our preliminary investigations on mice and rats subjected to radiation injury show that fullerenol C(60)(OH)(24) provides high survival rate of irradiated small rodents.

Modulating activity of fullerol C60(OH)22 on doxorubicin-induced cytotoxicity.

Paper presents the effects of the newly synthesized fullerol C60(OH)22 on the growth of tumor cells in vitro and its modulating activity on doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cytotoxicity in human breast cancer cell lines. Cell growth inhibition was evaluated by tetrazolium colorimetric WST1 assay. Electron spin resonance (ESR) "trapping" method was used to investigate OH-radical scavenger activity of fullerol during Fenton's reaction.