Smoking habits, knowledge about and attitudes toward smoking among employees in health institutions in Serbia.

Background/aim: According to the number of active smokers, Serbia occupies a high position in Europe, as well as worldwide. More than 47% of adults are smokers according to WHO data, and 33.6% according to the National Health Survey Serbia in 2006.

Circulating ribonucleic acids and metabolic stress parameters may reflect progression of autoimmune or inflammatory conditions in juvenile type 1 diabetes.

The sensing of ribonucleic acids (RNAs) by the monocyte/macrophage system occurs through the TLR7/8 Toll-like receptor family, the retinoic acid-inducible protein I (RIG-I), and the melanoma differentiation-associated protein-5 (MDA-5). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of circulating RNAs, isolated from juvenile type 1 diabetic patients and healthy control children, on the inflammatory, apoptotic, and antiviral response in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from a healthy donor. Obtained effects were compared to the effects of metabolic stress parameters (hyperglycemia, oxidative and nitrosative stress).

Circulating nucleic acids as possible damage-associated molecular patterns in different stages of renal failure.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is a condition associated with the risk of cardiovascular complications. Systemic inflammatory response, initiated by the pathogen-associated molecular-pattern (PAMP) molecules, exerts many similarities with the damage-associated molecular-pattern (DAMP) molecule-induced systemic response. Up to now, a number of DAMP molecules were identified.

[Maternal smoking during pregnancy and socioeconomic factors as predictors of low birth weight in term pregnancies in Nis].

Background/aim: Low birth weight (LBW) is a result of preterm birth or intrauterine growth retardation, and in both cases is the strongest single factor associated with perinatal and neonatal mortality. It is considered that socioeconomic factors, as well as mothers bad habits, play the most significant role in the development of LBW, which explains notable number of researches focused on this particular problem. The aim of this study was to characterize socioeconomic factors, as well as smoking habits of the mothers, and their connection with LBW.