Demographic and Socioeconomic Predictors of Prehypertension and Hypertension in the Adult Population: Serbian National Health Survey.

: Prehypertension and hypertension are the most common cardiovascular disorders worldwide and are increasingly considered one of the most serious public health problems, particularly in developing countries. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency and demographic and socioeconomic predictors of prehypertension and hypertension in the adults in Serbia, and to examine the relationship between prehypertension and hypertension and health behavior determinants (smoking, alcohol use, physical activity) and individual aspects of health (a health self-assessment, multimorbidity, BMI, depressive symptoms). : The research is part of the fourth National Population Health Survey conducted in 2019, which was conducted by the Republic Institute of Statistics, in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia.

Predicting the survival probability of functional neuroendocrine tumors treated with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy: Serbian experience.

Introduction: Peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is a treatment option for well-differentiated, somatostatin receptor positive, unresectable or/and metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Although high disease control rates seen with PRRT a significant number NET patients have a short progression-free interval, and currently, there is a deficiency of effective biomarkers to pre-identify these patients. This study is aimed at determining the prognostic significance of biomarkers on survival of patients with NETs in initial PRRT treatment.

Its all about IFN-λ4: Protective role of IFNL4 polymorphism against COVID-19-related pneumonia in females.

Despite the pivotal role of IFN-λs in the innate immune response, the data on its genetic polymorphism in relation to COVID-19 severity are scarce and contradictory. In the present study, we aimed to determine if the presence of the most frequent functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the two most important IFN-λs coding genes, namely IFNL3 and IFNL4, alters the likelihood of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients to develop more severe form of the disease. This observational cohort study involved 178 COVID-19 patients hospitalized at the University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Serbia.

Notch is Not Involved in Physioxia-Mediated Stem Cell Maintenance in Midbrain Neural Stem Cells.

Background And Objectives: The physiological oxygen tension in fetal brains (∼3%, physioxia) is beneficial for the maintenance of neural stem cells (NSCs). Sensitivity to oxygen varies between NSCs from different fetal brain regions, with midbrain NSCs showing selective susceptibility. Data on Hif-1α/Notch regulatory interactions as well as our observations that Hif-1α and oxygen affect midbrain NSCs survival and proliferation prompted our investigations on involvement of Notch signalling in physioxia-dependent midbrain NSCs performance.

IFNL3/4 polymorphisms as a two-edged sword: An association with COVID-19 outcome.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been ranked among the most fatal infectious diseases worldwide, with host's immune response significantly affecting the prognosis. With an aim to timely predict the most likely outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we investigated the association of IFNL3 and IFNL4 polymorphisms, as well as other potentially relevant factors, with the COVID-19 mortality. This prospective observational case-control study involved 178 COVID-19 patients, hospitalized at Corona Center or Clinic for Infectious Diseases of University Clinical Centre Kragujevac, Serbia, followed up until hospital discharge or in-hospital death.

IL 33 Correlates With COVID-19 Severity, Radiographic and Clinical Finding.

The increased level of interleukin (IL)-33 is considered as a predictor of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, but its role at different stages of the disease is still unclear. Our goal was to analyze the correlation of IL-33 and other innate immunity cytokines with disease severity. In this study, 220 patients with COVID-19 were included and divided into two groups, mild/moderate and severe/critical.

Predicting Severity and Intrahospital Mortality in COVID-19: The Place and Role of Oxidative Stress.

SARS-CoV-2 virus causes infection which led to a global pandemic in 2020 with the development of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Therefore, this study was aimed at examining its possible role in predicting severity and intrahospital mortality of COVID-19, alongside with other laboratory and biochemical procedures, clinical signs, symptoms, and comorbidity. This study, approved by the Ethical Committee of Clinical Center Kragujevac, was designed as an observational prospective cross-sectional clinical study which was conducted on 127 patients with diagnosed respiratory COVID-19 viral infection from April to August 2020.

SARS-CoV-2 infection induces mixed M1/M2 phenotype in circulating monocytes and alterations in both dendritic cell and monocyte subsets.

Clinical manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection range from mild to critically severe. The aim of the study was to highlight the immunological events associated with the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, with an emphasis on cells of innate immunity. Thirty COVID-19 patients with mild/moderate symptoms and 27 patients with severe/critically severe symptoms were recruited from the Clinical Center of Kragujevac during April 2020.

Thy-1 (CD90) promotes bone formation and protects against obesity.

Osteoporosis and obesity result from disturbed osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation and present emerging challenges for our aging society. Because of the regulatory role of Thy-1 in mesenchyme-derived fibroblasts, we investigated the impact of Thy-1 expression on mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) fate between osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation and consequences for bone formation and adipose tissue development in vivo. MSCs from Thy-1-deficient mice have decreased osteoblast differentiation and increased adipogenic differentiation compared to MSCs from wild-type mice.

Platelet Count Trends and Prevalence of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia in a Cohort of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenator Patients.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and to study platelet count trends potentially suggestive of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in a population of extracorporeal membrane oxygenator patients.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A total of 926-bed teaching hospital.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HEAD POSTURE AND PARAMETERS OF SAGITTAL POSITION AND LENGTH OF JAWS.

Introduction: Head posture in relation to the cervical spine is correlated with the morphology of the face and jaw, the position and the mutual relationship of the maxilla and mandible, their length and inclination. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the head posture and parameters of the sagittal position and length of the jaws.

Material And Methods: The study included 90 subjects (30 for I, II and II skeletal class each) between the ages of 8 and 14 years, who were examined at the Department of Dentistry of Vojvodina inNovi Sad.

Orthodontic-surgical treatment of four impacted canines in an adult patient: A case report.

Introduction: Full impaction of canines, in both jaws, is a rare phenomenon. It is usually coupled with the persistence of deciduous canines, or any other irregularity in the dental arch.

Case Report: Panoramic radiograph of a 24-year-old female patient showed bilateral canine impaction in both jaws.

Valproic acid enhances neuronal differentiation of sympathoadrenal progenitor cells.

The antiepileptic drug valproic acid (VPA) has been shown to influence the neural differentiation and neurite outgrowth of neural stem cells. Sympathoadrenal progenitor cells share properties with neural stem cells and are considered a potential cell source in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The present study therefore aims at modulating the neural differentiation potential of these cells by treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor VPA.

Adrenomedullary progenitor cells: Isolation and characterization of a multi-potent progenitor cell population.

The adrenal is a highly plastic organ with the ability to adjust to physiological needs by adapting hormone production but also by generating and regenerating both adrenocortical and adrenomedullary tissue. It is now apparent that many adult tissues maintain stem and progenitor cells that contribute to their maintenance and adaptation. Research from the last years has proven the existence of stem and progenitor cells also in the adult adrenal medulla throughout life.

A defined, controlled culture system for primary bovine chromaffin progenitors reveals novel biomarkers and modulators.

We present a method to efficiently culture primary chromaffin progenitors from the adult bovine adrenal medulla in a defined, serum-free monolayer system. Tissue is dissociated and plated for expansion under support by the mitogen basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The cultures, although not homogenous, contain a subpopulation of cells expressing the neural stem cell marker Hes3 that also propagate.

Isolation, characterization, and differentiation of progenitor cells from human adult adrenal medulla.

Chromaffin cells, sympathetic neurons of the dorsal ganglia, and the intermediate small intensely fluorescent cells derive from a common neural crest progenitor cell. Contrary to the closely related sympathetic nervous system, within the adult adrenal medulla a subpopulation of undifferentiated progenitor cells persists, and recently, we established a method to isolate and differentiate these progenitor cells from adult bovine adrenals. However, no studies have elucidated the existence of adrenal progenitor cells within the human adrenal medulla.

Differentiation of chromaffin progenitor cells to dopaminergic neurons.

The differentiation of dopamine-producing neurons from chromaffin progenitors might represent a new valuable source for replacement therapies in Parkinson's disease. However, characterization of their differentiation potential is an important prerequisite for efficient engraftment. Based on our previous studies on isolation and characterization of chromaffin progenitors from adult adrenals, this study investigates their potential to produce dopaminergic neurons and means to enhance their dopaminergic differentiation.

Modulation of dopaminergic neuronal differentiation from sympathoadrenal progenitors.

The capacity of sympathoadrenal progenitors from adrenal medulla to generate dopaminergic neurons in vitro makes them an attractive source for replacement therapies of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease. Dopaminergic cells constitute one percent of the adult adrenal medulla only. Thus, isolation of sympathoadrenal progenitors and enhancement of their capacity to derive dopaminergic neurons is a strategy to be considered.

Chromaffin cells: the peripheral brain.

Chromaffin cells probably are the most intensively studied of the neural crest derivates. They are closely related to the nervous system, share with neurons some fundamental mechanisms and thus were the ideal model to study the basic mechanisms of neurobiology for many years. The lessons we have learned from chromaffin cell biology as a peripheral model for the brain and brain diseases pertain more than ever to the cutting edge research in neurobiology.

Chromaffin progenitor cells from the adrenal medulla.

Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla are neural crest-derived cells of the sympathoadrenal lineage. Different lines of evidence suggest the existence of a subpopulation of proliferation-competent progenitor cells even in the adult state. The identification of sympathoadrenal progenitors in the adrenal would greatly enhance the understanding of adrenal physiology and their potential role in adrenal pathogenesis.

Genetic instability and diminished differentiation capacity in long-term cultured mouse neurosphere cells.

The potential use of neural stem cells in basic research, drug testing and for development of therapeutic strategies requires large scale in vitro amplification, increasing the probability of genetic instability and transformation. Little is known, however, about potential correlations between long-term culture of neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs), changed differentiation and self-renewal capacities, and the occurrence of chromosomal instability. This study investigates the effect of extended culture time on self-renewal, differentiation capacity, cell cycle phase distribution, telomere length, telomerase activity and chromosomal stability on fetal brain-derived cells that form floating sphere colonies (neurospheres).

Age-dependent neuroectodermal differentiation capacity of human mesenchymal stromal cells: limitations for autologous cell replacement strategies.

Background Aims: Human adult bone marrow (BM)-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSC) are reported to break germ layer commitment and differentiate into cells expressing neuroectodermal properties. Although it is of pivotal interest for cell replacement therapies for neurologic disorders, no data exist on the influence of the donor's age on this multipotent differentiation behavior.

Methods: We evaluated various epigenetic neuroectodermal conversion protocols in adult hMSC derived from older donors (>45 versus 18-35 years of age) using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry.

Isolation of neural crest derived chromaffin progenitors from adult adrenal medulla.

Chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla are neural crest-derived cells of the sympathoadrenal lineage. Unlike the closely-related sympathetic neurons, a subpopulation of proliferation-competent cells exists even in the adult. Here, we describe the isolation, expansion, and in vitro characterization of proliferation-competent progenitor cells from the bovine adrenal medulla.

[New therapy strategies for treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock in intensive care unit of clinical centre in Kragujevac].

Introduction: Despite numerous advances in medicine, the mortality rate of severe sepsis and septic shock remains high, 30-50%. New therapy strategies include: early goal-directed therapy, fluid replacement, early and appropriate antimicrobials, source of infection control, use of corticosteroids, vasopressors and inotropic therapy, use of recombinant activated protein C, tight glucose control, low-tidal-volume mechanical ventilation. They have been shown to improve the outcomes.