Indoor air quality (IAQ) is rated as a serious public health issue. Knowing children are accounted as more vulnerable to environmental health hazards, data are needed on air quality in schools. ...Methods A project was conducted from 2007 until 2009 (SEARCH, School Environment and Respiratory Health of Children), aiming to verify links between IAQ and children’s respiratory health. Study was conducted in ten primary schools on 735 children, in 44 classrooms. Children were randomly selected. Research tools and indicators used for children’s exposure to school environment were indoor and outdoor pollutants, two standardized questionnaires for school and classroom characteristics. In both classroom air and ambient air in front of them we measured, during a 5-day exposure period for continuous 24h measuring: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, indoor air temperature, relative humidity, and PM10 during classes. Results PM10 concentrations were significantly most frequent in an interval of ≥80.1μg/m3, that is, in the interval above 50μg/m3. Mean PM10 value was 82.24±42.43 μg/m3, ranging from 32.00μg/m3 to of 197.00μg/m3. Conclusion The increase of outdoor PM10 concentration significantly affects the increase of indoor PM10. A statistically significant difference exists for average IAQ PM10 concentrations vs. indicators of indoor thermal comfort zone (p<0.0001); they are lower in the classrooms with indicators within the comfort zone. Moreover, dominant factors for the increase of PM10 are: high occupancy rate in the classroom (<2m2 of space per child), high relative humidity (>75%), and indoor temperature beyond 23°C, as well as bad ventilation habits (keeping windows shut most of the time).
Mining and mineral processing is still a vital source of income in Serbia, due to mineral abundance in copper, lead, zinc, antimony. Copper mining and metal-processing are located in the east: Bor, ...Veliki Krivelj, Cerovo, Majdanpek. Abandoned sites from antimony mining and processing and secondary lead smelter are at the western border: Zajača, Krupanj, Stolice. Coal mining and power plants are surrounding Belgrade: Obrenovac (2 power plants), Grabovac (plant ash landfill), Kolubara and Kostolac. Main objective is to focus on potential public health hazards from industrial contamination in Serbia. Key public health issue is presence of As and Cd in ambient air PM10 close to industrially contaminated sites due to the fact that ores have high naturally occurring contents of heavy metals and metalloids. Data originate from Serbian Environmental Protection Agency, Mining and Metallurgy Institute Bor, Belgrade Institute of Public Health, as part of continuous measurement of air quality within State network of automatic stations. Concentration of As in PM10 are extremely above the limit value in Bor and Lazarevac, with Cd values slightly increased in Bor. Serbia lacks the legal framework for continuous and institutionalized follow-up of population groups vulnerable to hazardous environmental exposure, although measured concentration indicate urgent need for such activities.
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is rated as a serious public health issue. Knowing children are accounted as more vulnerable to environmental health hazards, data are needed on air quality in schools.
A ...project was conducted from 2007 until 2009 (SEARCH, School Environment and Respiratory Health of Children), aiming to verify links between IAQ and children's respiratory health. Study was conducted in ten primary schools on 735 children, in 44 classrooms. Children were randomly selected. Research tools and indicators used for children's exposure to school environment were indoor and outdoor pollutants, two standardized questionnaires for school and classroom characteristics. In both classroom air and ambient air in front of them we measured, during a 5-day exposure period for continuous 24h measuring: carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, indoor air temperature, relative humidity, and PM
during classes.
PM
concentrations were significantly most frequent in an interval of ≥80.1μg/m
, that is, in the interval above 50μg/m
. Mean PM
value was 82.24±42.43 μg/m
, ranging from 32.00μg/m
to of 197.00μg/m
.
The increase of outdoor PM
concentration significantly affects the increase of indoor PM
. A statistically significant difference exists for average IAQ PM
concentrations vs. indicators of indoor thermal comfort zone (p<0.0001); they are lower in the classrooms with indicators within the comfort zone. Moreover, dominant factors for the increase of PM
are: high occupancy rate in the classroom (<2m
of space per child), high relative humidity (>75%), and indoor temperature beyond 23°C, as well as bad ventilation habits (keeping windows shut most of the time).
Coal burning power plants, household solid fuel combustion, industrial contamination, traffic, and topography of urban settings are key reasons for labelling air pollution as a serious public health ...threat for urban population in Republic of Serbia, where air quality (AQ) is monitored by both National and Local network of measuring stations. The research tool in this cross-sectional study is a database formed by the Institute of Public Health of Serbia (IPHS) as a part of continuous AQ monitoring process for the Ministry of Health, through regular reporting of local IPHs, from the Network of Public Health Institutes (Network). Depending on the Local AQ monitoring Program, sources of continuous air pollution and pollutants' chemical nature, local IPHs monitor among the following: SO2, black carbon (BC), NO2, total atmospheric deposited matter, BeToXy, PM10 and PM2.5. SO2 and BC are measured daily. In 2018, 18 out of 25 Network IPHs monitored AQ for any of the given parameters: SO2 at 76 measuring points in 33 urban settlements; both BC and NO2 at 70 measuring points in 31 settlements. The pollutants most needed to be monitored are PM10 and PM2.5 particles, but are still monitored with the least frequency within the Network. Only 8 out of 25 IPHs monitors PM10 in 15 settlements at 28 measuring points. Local programs of AQ monitoring in Serbia, conducted with the participation of the IPHs Network, give an incomplete coverage of potential public health threats for quantifying the burden of disease originating from urban air pollution.
Exposing children to environmental pollutants during periods significant for their physiological development can lead to long-lasting health effects, dysfunction, and disease. The aim of this paper ...was to focus on a relatively scarce ambient AQ monitoring practice at the locations of preschol and school institutions in Serbia, within the local network of AQ monitoring stations. This was a cross-sectional study covering period 2015 to 2020. Measuring points (SO2, NO2, soot, PM10) were in front of kindergardens, primary and secondary schools in urban settlements. Results originate from the continuous public health programme conducted by the Institute of Public Health of Serbia. Only PM10 and B(a)P values at some points have exceeded annual limit values in front of chosen facilities in 2020. In sum, both the absolute number of urban ambient AQ measuring points monitored by the local network of Institutes of Public Health and those in front of the educational facilities have increased in this period: from 73/17 to 172/26. In a percentual view, these facilities are chosen more seldom within this time frame, dropping from 23.29 to 15.12% of all AQ monitoring points. As such facilities are mainly located at important city intersections, in order to assess the exposure to air pollution of vulnerable population groups (children from preschool to adolescence age), there is a need to locate measuring points near them.
Objective of this cross-sectional study was to determine blood lead concentrations in children, living in the vicinity of the Zajača lead-antimony mining-milling-smelting complex. Other aims were to ...compare blood lead levels (BLLs) of exposed children to those of partially exposed and non-exposed, and correlate values of BLLs from two consecutive sampling series in 2012 and 2013. Performed laboratory method was atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Statistical significance of comparisons was tested by univariate methods and non-parametric tests for the attributable variables: Hi-square test, proportion test. In the case of non-parametric variables, following tests were used: Kolmogorov-Smirnov Z test for testing distribution's normality; ANOVA for the normal distribution, while a Kruskal Wallis Test was used in cases without normal distribution. 142 participants were tested on lead in blood: exposed, partially exposed, and non-exposed). Mean BLLs in children living at less than 1 km from the smelter was 18.98 µg/dl , at first test series, and 12.21 µg/dl, in the second round. For those living further than 3 km mean BLLs at first series was 8.30, and at the second series it was 5.85). Blood lead concentrations in children from Zajača are highest.
Cardiovascular and reproductive health of women have been going hand in hand since the dawn of time, yet links have been poorly studied. Still, once basis of their connections started to be ...established, it depended on local regional abilities and level of progressive thinking to afford women comprehensive care beyond the ?bikini medicine?. Further research identified different associations rendering more conditions sex-specific and launching therefore a slow, yet initial turn around in clinical trials? concept as the majority of global cardiovascular guidelines rely on the results of research conducted on a very modest percentage of women and even less on the women of color. Currently, the concept of women?s heart centers varies depending on the local demographics? guided needs, available logistics driven by budgeting and societal support of a broad-minded thinking environment, free of bias for everyone: from young adults questioning their gender identity, via women of reproductive age both struggling to conceive or keep working part time when healthy and line of work permits it during pregnancy, up to aging and the elderly. Using ?Investigate-Educate-Advocate-Legislate? as the four pillars of advancing cardiovascular care of women, we aimed to summarize standing of women?s health in Serbia, present ongoing projects and propose actionable solutions for the future.
Purpose: The study evaluates the changes in quality of life (QOL) six months after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) related to the patients’ age.Methods: The total of 243 consecutive patients ...completed the Nottingham Health Profile Questionnaire part 1 before and six months after CABG. Postoperative questionnaire was completed by 226 patients. Patients were divided into four examined groups (<50, 50–59, 60–69 and ≥70 years), according to their age.Results: Six months after CABG, the quality of life in different sections has been significantly improved in most patients.The analysis of the relation between the age and the changes in QOL of patients six months after CABG showed a significant correlation among the patients’ age and the improvement of QOL in the sections of physical mobility (r = 0.18, p = 0.008), social isolation (r = 0.17, p = 0.01) and energy ( r = 0.21, p = 0.002). The most prominent improvement was found in older patients. The age was not an independent predictor of QOL deterioration after CABG.Conclusions: The most noticeable improvement of QOL six months after CABG was found in older patients. Age is not the independent predictor of deterioration of QOL after CABG.
Serum parameters of calcium homeostasis were measured based on previously published evidence linking osteoporotic fractures and/or bone/mineral loss with antipsychotics.
Prospective, four-week, ...time-series trial was conducted and study population consisted of patients of both genders, aged 35-85 years, admitted within the routine practice, with acute psychotic symptoms, to whom an antipsychotic drug was either introduced or substituted. Serial measurements of serum calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone, calcitonin, osteocalcin and C-telopeptide were made from patient venous blood samples.
Calcium serum concentrations significantly decreased from baseline to the fourth week (2.42±0.12 vs. 2.33±0.16 mmol/L, p=0.022, n=25). The mean of all calcemia changes from the baseline was -2.6±5.7% (-24.1 to 7.7) with more decreases than increases (78 vs. 49, p=0.010) and more patents having negative sum of calcemia changes from baseline (n=28) than positive ones (n=10) (p=0.004). There were simultaneous falls of calcium and magnesium from baseline (63/15 vs. 23/26, p<0.001; OR=4.75, 95% CI 2.14-10.51), phosphorous (45/33 vs. 9/40, p<0.001; 6.06, 2.59-14.20) and 25(OH)D concentrations (57/21 vs. 13/35, p<0.001; 7.31, 3.25-16.42), respectively. Calcemia positively correlated with magnesemia, phosphatemia and 25(OH)D values. Parathyroid hormone and C-telopeptide showed only subtle oscillations of their absolute concentrations or changes from baseline; calcitonin and osteocalcin did not change. Adjustment of final calcemia trend (depletion/accumulation) for relevant risk factors, generally, did not change the results.
In patients with psychotic disorders and several risks for bone metabolism disturbances antipsychotic treatment was associated with the decrease of calcemia and changes in levels of the associated ions.
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