Crohn's disease (CD) is a progressive, multifactorial, immune-mediated disease characterized by chronic inflammation of any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Pediatric patients present with a ...more extensive form of the disease, especially in the upper GI tract with various histopathological inflammatory patterns. Our study aims to analyze the clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and histopathological findings in children with diagnosed CD and compare results on the initial and follow-up tests. We have included 100 children and adolescents with CD, with performed endoscopic and histopathological (HP) procedures. The results of multiple biopsies executed in these 8 years were matched and compared. We found a statistically significant frequency reduction in stool changes (65.52% to 18.18%), weight loss (35.24% to 4%), and abdominal pain (41.86% to 6.67%) as presenting symptoms. There was an improvement in all laboratory values: fecal calprotectin (1000 to 60,8 μg/g), C-reactive protein (12.2 to 1.9 mg/L), and albumin (36 to 41 g/L). On esophagogastroduodenoscopy and ileo-colonoscopy 36.59% and 64.86% patients had specific findings, respectively. A total of 32 patients had evidence of Crohn's disease in the upper GI tract. Non-caseating granulomas were found on 9% of oesophageal, 18% of gastric, and 12% of duodenal biopsies. In the lower GI tract, we have observed a disease progression in the rectum (72.29 to 82.22%) and descending colon (73.49 to 80%). There was no registered disease progression in the upper GI tract. Our study demonstrated a significant decline in the frequency of symptoms and an improvement in laboratory values on the follow-up examinations. More than a third of our patients had specific endoscopic and HP findings in the upper GI tract, and an additional 23% had HP findings highly suggestive of CD. We demonstrated the importance of regular clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and histopathological assessments of pediatric CD patients.
This research represents an attempt to systematically introduce the concepts of sustainable agriculture that shall address environmental attitudes and the risks for adoption related to ...agri-environmental practices. The substantial risks posed by climate change, loss of biodiversity, and other forms of pollution within the 21st century regarding global eco-systems, food production, and human health have emphasized the need to investigate this phenomenon. The agri-environmental practices are aimed at mitigating the environmental impacts of intensive agriculture; however, the adoption of these practices calls for a change in the farmers’ behaviors. As farmers are indispensable stakeholders in rural ecological systems, the factors that determine the adoption of agri-environmental practices have been taken into analysis. The research has been carried out on a sample of 246 farmers in the rural areas of the Republic of Serbia. The data has been elaborated on by the SPSS statistical package and PLS SMART software. The findings, in the framework of a farm as a business, point out that the farmers believe that environmental protection is an important segment of production and that good agriculture is a prerequisite for producers’ survival, maximum yields, and profits. The farmers, in the framework of stewardship, agree that good agriculture implies responsible management of the farms’ agricultural and natural areas, as part of the country’s heritage, for the benefit of future generations. The findings also show that the environmental attitudes of farmers in the stewardship frame and factors of risk adoption influence attitudes toward agri-environmental practices. The findings of this paper reveal up-to-date attitudes toward the adoption of further agri-environmental measures, directly contributing to raising awareness of the introduction of new AEM among practitioners in the agricultural sector, decision-makers, and policymakers. The proposed research is significant in the process of transposition of the CAP acquis communautaire in agriculture policy and the implementation of measures under IPARD III.
The primary objective of this research is the development of a prediction model of the compressive strength of geopolymer mortars made with fly ash and granular slag which hardened in different ...curing conditions. Data for the numerical analysis were obtained by experimental research; for this purpose 45 series of geopolymer mortars were made, 9 of which were cured in ambient conditions at a temperature of 22 degreesC, and the remaining were exposed to thermal activation for a duration of 24 h at the temperatures of 65 degreesC, 75 degreesC, 85 degreesC and 95 degreesC. Using machine learning, a Gaussian regression method was developed in which the curing temperature and the percentage mass content of fly ash and granular slag were used as input parameters, and the compressive strength as the output. Based on the results of the developed model, it can be concluded that the Gaussian regression process can be used as a reliable regression method for predicting the compressive strength of geopolymer mortars based on fly ash and granular slag.
The aim of this paper is to present a new experimental approach to creativity studies. As a good example of experimental design, we suggest using the superimposed photographs from the IAPS database, ...as stimuli which should provoke a creative answer in subjects, based on the findings of Rotenberg’s “Janusian process” and homospatial thinking. In order to overcome subjectivity in the creativity response evaluation, the construction of the creativity coefficient was suggested. Attention was drawn on potential of using new technology for experimental purposes in order to increase the speed and accuracy of measurements and system error elimination, as well as in social networks and new media for data collection. This approach allows overcoming subjectivity and empirical verification of theoretical assumptions in the attempt to answer the open questions of the nature of creativity.
Tryptophan (TRP) catabolites exert neuroactive effects, with the plethora of evidence suggesting that kynurenic acid (KYNA), a catabolite of the kynurenine pathway (KP), acts as the regulator of ...glutamate and acetylcholine in the brain, contributing to the schizophrenia pathophysiology. Newer evidence regarding measures of KP metabolites in the blood of schizophrenia patients and from the central nervous system suggest that blood levels of these metabolites by no means could reflect pathological changes of TRP degradation in the brain. The aim of this study was to investigate plasma concentrations of TRP, kynurenine (KYN) and KYNA at the acute phase and remission of schizophrenia in a prospective, case-control study of highly selected and matched schizophrenia patients and healthy individuals. Our study revealed significantly decreased KYN and KYNA in schizophrenia patients (
< 0.001), irrespective of illness state, type of antipsychotic treatment, number of episodes or illness duration and no differences in the KYN/TRP ratio between schizophrenia patients and healthy individuals. These findings could be interpreted as indices that kynurenine pathway might not be dysregulated in the periphery and that other factors contribute to observed disturbances in concentrations, but as our study had certain limitations, we cannot draw definite conclusions. Further studies, especially those exploring other body compartments that participate in kynurenine pathway, are needed.
The aim of this paper is to present a new experimental approach to creativity studies. As a good example of experimental design, we suggest using the superimposed photographs from the IAPS database, ...as stimuli which should provoke a creative answer in subjects, based on the findings of Rotenberg’s “Janusian process” and homospatial thinking. In order to overcome subjectivity in the creativity response evaluation, the construction of the creativity coefficient was suggested. Attention was drawn on potential of using new technology for experimental purposes in order to increase the speed and accuracy of measurements and system error elimination, as well as in social networks and new media for data collection. This approach allows overcoming subjectivity and empirical verification of theoretical assumptions in the attempt to answer the open questions of the nature of creativity.
Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is widely used as a protective coating to encapsulate proteins via biomimetic mineralization. The formation of nucleation centers and further biocomposite ...crystal growth is entirely governed by the pure electrostatic interactions between the protein’s surface and the positively charged Zn(II) metal ions. It was previously shown that enhancing these electrostatic interactions by a chemical modification of surface amino acid residues can lead to a rapid biocomposite crystal formation. However, a chemical modification of carbohydrate components by periodate oxidation for glycoproteins can serve as an alternative strategy. In the present study, an industrially important enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) was selected as a model system. Periodate oxidation of GOx by 2.5 mM sodium periodate increased negative charge on the enzyme molecule, from −10.2 to −36.9 mV, as shown by zeta potential measurements and native PAGE electrophoresis. Biomineralization experiments with oxidized GOx resulted in higher specific activity, effectiveness factor, and higher thermostability of the ZIF-8 biocomposites. Periodate oxidation of carbohydrate components for glycoproteins can serve as a facile and general method for facilitating the biomimetic mineralization of other industrially relevant glycoproteins.
Background: Severe coagulation abnormalities are common in patients with COVID-19 infection. We aimed to investigate the relationship between pro-inflammatory cytokines and coagulation parameters ...concerning socio-demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics. Methods: Our study included patients hospitalized during the second wave of COVID-19 in the Republic of Serbia. We collected socio-demographic, clinical, and blood-sample data for all patients. Cytokine levels were measured using flow cytometry. Results: We analyzed data from 113 COVID-19 patients with an average age of 58.15 years, of whom 79 (69.9%) were male. Longer duration of COVID-19 symptoms before hospitalization (B = 69.672; p = 0.002) and use of meropenem (B = 1237.220; p = 0.014) were predictive of higher D-dimer values. Among cytokines, higher IL-5 values significantly predicted higher INR values (B = 0.152; p = 0.040) and longer prothrombin times (B = 0.412; p = 0.043), and higher IL-6 (B = 0.137; p = 0.003) predicted longer prothrombin times. Lower IL-17F concentrations at admission (B = 0.024; p = 0.050) were predictive of higher INR values, and lower IFN-γ values (B = −0.306; p = 0.017) were predictive of higher aPTT values. Conclusions: Our findings indicate a significant correlation between pro-inflammatory cytokines and coagulation-related parameters. Factors such as the patient’s level of education, gender, oxygen-therapy use, symptom duration before hospitalization, meropenem use, and serum concentrations of IL-5, IL-6, IL-17F, and IFN-γ were associated with worse coagulation-related parameters.
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