Sperm whale long-range echolocation sounds revealed by ANTARES, a deep-sea neutrino telescope.

Despite dedicated research has been carried out to adequately map the distribution of the sperm whale in the Mediterranean Sea, unlike other regions of the world, the species population status is still presently uncertain. The analysis of two years of continuous acoustic data provided by the ANTARES neutrino telescope revealed the year-round presence of sperm whales in the Ligurian Sea, probably associated with the availability of cephalopods in the region. The presence of the Ligurian Sea sperm whales was demonstrated through the real-time analysis of audio data streamed from a cabled-to-shore deep-sea observatory that allowed the hourly tracking of their long-range echolocation behaviour on the Internet. Interestingly, the same acoustic analysis indicated that the occurrence of surface shipping noise would apparently not condition the foraging behaviour of the sperm whale in the area, since shipping noise was almost always present when sperm whales were acoustically detected. The continuous presence of the sperm whale in the region confirms the ecological value of the Ligurian sea and the importance of ANTARES to help monitoring its ecosystems.

The importance of the blood levels of homocysteine, folic acid and vitamin B12 in children with malignant diseases.

PURPOSE: Hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with carcinogenesis. Since only little research exists on hyperhomocysteinemia and malignancy in children, the possible relationship between homocysteine and childhood malignancies remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine the serum levels of homocysteine, folic acid and vitamin B12 in children with malignant and benign tumors prior to therapy (surgical treatment and/or chemotherapy), and after treatment of malignant diseases as well. METHODS: Forty-six children with newly diagnosed malignant diseases (solid tumors and lymphoproliferative/myeloproliferative (LP/MP) malignancies) and 6 children with benign tumors were included in the present study. The patient age ranged between 2 months and 18 years. RESULTS: Significantly increased homocysteine concentrations were identified in children with malignant diseases compared with those with benign tumors (p<0.01). The plasma concentration of homocysteine in children with malignant diseases decreased significantly following treatment (p<0.05). Before treatment, the concentration of folic acid in children with malignant solid tumors was significantly higher than in children with malignant LP/MP diseases (p<0.01). Following treatment, the concentration of folic acid was significantly decreased (p<0.05) in children with malignant solid tumors, while it was not significantly increased in children with malignant LP/MP diseases (p<0.05). The concentration of vitamin B12 in children with malignant diseases (solid tumors and LP/MP diseases) increased significantly following treatment (p<0.01), while it increased substantially (p<0.01) in patients with solid malignancies following treatment. CONCLUSION: Homocysteine could be a marker of malignancy in children. Further research is needed to establish the importance of homocysteine, folic acid and vitamin B12 in pediatric malignant diseases.

Risk factors associated with anemia among Serbian non-pregnant women 20 to 49 years old. A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Representative national data of prevalence of anemia and casual factors are missing for population group of reproductive aged non-pregnant females in Serbia. The purpose of the current study was to assess the prevalence and grades of anemia and its association with risk factors among non-pregnant women of childbearing age in Serbia. METHODS: Data were collected as part of the first "National Health Survey", a cross-sectional, multistage cluster survey, conducted on 677 households in Serbia. A total of 708 females 20-49-year-old were recruited. Socioeconomic, anthropometric, dietary and reproductive data have been collected and hemoglobin levels were determined. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of anemia was 27.7% (196/708) [95% Confidence Interval (CI), 24.5-31.1%], and more precisely mild (21.9%), moderate (5.1%) and severe (0.7%) anemia. Belgrade residential area [odds ratio 2.11 (95% CI 1.27-3.50), p=0.004], shortage of living space per person (<16m(2)) [2.18 (1.17-4.03), p=0.014], body mass index (<25) [1.55 (1.04-2.29), p=0.029], alcohol intake [0.52 (0.33-0.81), p=0.004], lack [2.48 (1.31-4.70), p=0.005] or fruit juice consumption 1-2 [2.76 (1.46-5.23), p=0.002] times a week and previously diagnosed, but treated [2.62 (1.29-5.35), p=0.008] or not treated [3.57 (1.71-7.45), p<0.001] anemia were independent predictors of low hemoglobin levels. Deficit of electricity supply and insufficient living space in households, increased risk of moderate anemia, while likelihood of being mild and moderately anemic, augmented with previously diagnosed but, treated or not treated anemia and lack or juice consumption 1-2 times a week. CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of anemia among non-pregnant women and its association to casual factors needs continuous monitoring and control efforts for anemia in Serbia.

Magnetoelectric coupling in single crystal Cu2OSeO3 studied by a novel electron spin resonance technique.

The magnetoelectric (ME) coupling on spin-wave resonances in single-crystal Cu2OSeO3 was studied by a novel technique using electron spin resonance combined with electric field modulation. An external electric field E induces a magnetic field component µ0H(i)=γE along the applied magnetic field H with γ=0.7(1) µT/(V/mm) at 10 K. The ME coupling strength γ is found to be temperature dependent and highly anisotropic. γ(T) nearly follows that of the spin susceptibility J(M)(T) and rapidly decreases above the Curie temperature T(c). The ratio γ/J(M) monotonically decreases with increasing temperature without an anomaly at T(c).

Risk factors associated with anemia among Serbian school-age children 7-14 years old: results of the first national health survey.

BACKGROUND: Anemia in school-age children is an important public health problem and available data of its prevalence and existing risk factors are essential for planning preventive strategies. The purpose of the current study was to assess the prevalence of and the risk factors associated with anemia among the school-age children 7-14 years years old in Serbia. METHODS: In the 2000 National Health Survey, a cross-sectional, multistage cluster survey, performed in 1688 private and refugee campuses households across the territory of Serbia a total of 525 cases were recruited. Socioeconomic, nutritional, physical activities and lifestyle data have been collected and hemoglobin levels were determined. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of anemia was 18% (94/525) [95% CI 15-21]. Age of 12-14 yrs (odds ratio 3.56 [95% CI 2.17-5.85], p=0.000), male gender (3.22 [1.92-5.42], p=0.000), refugee campuses residence (1.98 [1.22- 3.23], p=0.000), lunch skipping (3.43 [1.40-8.33], p=0.007), defective poultry intake (1.65 [1.01-2.62], p=0.047), lack of fish consumption (1.84 [1.07-3.18], p=0.028), disagreement that sport contributes protecting health (3.80 [2.02-6.95], p=0.000), absence of learning (1.80 [1.12-2.90], p=0.016) and defective book reading in free time (2.18 [1.03-4.61], p=0.04), were independent risk factors of anemia. The frequency of anemia was highest in schoolaged of male gender adolescent males 12-14 years old (46/105, 44%); in 12-14 years aged participants living in refugee campuses' households (22/63, 35%); in refugees of 7-14 yrs old male gender (32/101, 32%); in subjects with defective fish and poultry intake (35/118, 30%) and in participants who escaped reading and learning as lifestyle practices in free time (53/204, 26%). CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic, nutritional, physical and lifestyle risk factors could be considered by introducing preventive strategies of anemia in school-age children in Serbia.

Particle size analysis: 90Y and 99mTc-labelled colloids.

Colloidal particle size is an important characteristic to consider when choosing a radiopharmaceutical for diagnosis and therapeutic purposes in nuclear medicine. Photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to determine the particle-size distribution of (90)Y- and (99m)Tc-labelled antimony trisulfide (Sb(2)S(3)) and tin colloids (Sn-colloid). (90)Y-Sb(2)S(3) and (99m)Tc-Sb(2)S(3) were found to have a diameter of 28.92 +/- 0.14 and 35.61 +/- 0.11 nm, respectively, by PCS. By TEM, (90)Y-Sb(2)S(3) particles were measured to be 14.33 +/- 0.09 nm. (90)Y-labelled Sn colloid were found to exist with a d(v(max1)) of 805 nm and a d(v(max2)) of 2590 nm, by PCS, whereas (99m)Tc-Sn colloid was shown to have more than 80% of radioactive particles of approximately 910 nm by PCS. For (90)Y-labelled Sb(2)S(3) and Sn colloid, a comparison of TEM and PCS indicates that these techniques found significantly different mean diameters. TEM has an excellent resolution necessary for radiocolloid particle-sizing analysis, and it is a desirable size-measuring technique because it is more reliable than PCS.

[The characteristics of mediastinal neuroblastoma and perspectives on surgical excision]. / Osobine neuroblastoma medijastinuma i perspektive hirurskog lecenja.

Thoracic (mediastinal) neuroblastomas (NB) have been reported to differ from abdominal (suprarenal and retroperitoneal) NB and to be associated with better prognosis. The comparison between them is rarely published. In this retrospective study, the characteristics of thoracic NB (17 cases) are investigated and compared with abdominal NB (51 cases). Regarding the diagnosis, thoracic NB presented in lower clinical stages I and II in 35.3% of cases, compared to 11.7% of abdominal NB in stages I and II (p<0.001). The disease was initially diagnosed at less than one year of age in 7/17 (41.2%) of thoracic NB and in 12/51 (23.5%) in abdominal cases (p<0.001). The median age at the time of initial diagnosis was 15.3 months for thoracic NB and 27.6 months for abdominal neuroblastoma (p<0.05). The cases with an elevated vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and homovanyillic acid (HVA) excretion were 9/17 (52.9%) in the mediastinal NB, and 43/51 (84.3%) in the abdominal NB, respectively (p<0.05). The quantitative values of tumour markers were significantly lower in thoracic NB (0.85 vs. 2.14, p<0.001). Regarding surgery, complete tumour resection was achieved in 15/17 thoracic NB (88.2%) compared to 36/51 (70.6%) radicality in abdominal NB. Surgical complications developed in 5/17 thoracic procedures (29.4%) without a lethal outcome. The mean tumour mass of thoracic NB was 56.5 g vs. 106.3 g of abdominal neuroblastoma (p<0.001). The incidence of ganglioneuroblastoma in mediastinal tumours was 3/17 (17.6%) compared to 8/51 (15.7%) in abdominal NB (non significant). A favorable histology based on Shimada classification was found in 37% of the mediastinal neuroblastoma cases and in 22% in the abdominal NB cases (p<0.05). Regarding the biological properties, genetic malformations associated with NB were identified in 2 thoracic cases (1p deletion and polyploidy). Genetic changes were identified in 12 cases of abdominal NB (1p deletion in 4 cases, DNA ploidy in 6 cases, N-myc amplification in 1 case). One additional abdominal NB had 1p deletion, DNA ploidy and N-myc amplification. This study supports results of other investigations that thoracic NB differs significantly in many aspects from abdominal NB. Important differences in favorable histology and biological properties of thoracic NB have changed the concept of surgical treatment, although unnecessary attempts of surgical radicality still lead to serious complications. Complete excision remains the mainstay of therapy of localised thoracic NB, while in most abdominal tumours the aim of an initial operation should be sampling of tumour tissue for histology and molecular biological examination, with complete excision of the mass as the second priority.

99Tcm-p-aminohippuric acid as a new renal agent.

99Tcm-p-aminohippuric acid (99Tcm-PAH) is a new renal radiopharmaceutical prepared from a lyophilized kit by the addition of sodium pertechnetate (Na99TcmO4). Each vial contains PAH, the calcium trisodium salt of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (CaNa3DTPA) and stannous chloride (SnCl2.2H2O) in an inert atmosphere. It is a stable radiopharmaceutical with high radiochemical purity (> 95%). Its protein binding is very similar to that of 131I-OIH, but it is hydrophilic in character. Animal studies using 99Tcm-PAH have indicated that it provides renal images of satisfactory quality with no external background. Despite its almost identical radiochemical purity and HPLC analysis results to 99Tcm-DTPA, 99Tcm-PAH is rapidly secreted by the kidneys in a manner consistent with tubular secretion, as confirmed by rat probenecid studies, whereas 99Tcm-DTPA is excreted by glomerular filtration. The pharmacokinetic parameters of 99Tcm-PAH (t1/2(alpha)) = 2.5 min, t1/2(beta) = 41.7 min, Cl = 5.22 ml.min-1, Kel = 5.1 x 10(-4) min-1) differ from those of 99Tcm-DTPA. Evaluation of 99Tcm-PAH in two human volunteers confirmed its good renal characteristics: rapid disappearance from the vascular system, high uptake in kidneys followed by its very fast elimination, and low residual activity 20 min after its intravenous administration.

[Transmission of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among intravenous drug abusers in Belgrade]. / Sirenje sindroma stecene imunodeficijencije u Beogradu medju osobama koje koriste droge intravenskim putem.

The prevalence of HIV infection among intravenous drug addicts (IVDAs) was 11% in Belgrade in 1997 (500 IVDAs). There are only two ways of transmission of HIV infection among IVDAs: the use of contaminated needles and syringes and sexual intercourse with an infected partner. We established in the counselling office for IVDAs that only 47.8% of them were injected with their own devices, 43% shared somebody's equipment, and 9.2% used other routes for drug taking. Condoms or safe sex were exceptional. Only 10.17% used condoms regularly; 12.5% from time to time and 77.32% never. Among 391 interviewed IVDAs 7% were not sexually active during the last year, 40% had one constant partner, 32% had intercourses with 2 to five partners, and 21% were promiscuous (more than 5 partners over one year). Fifty five were seropositive against HIV. Ten of them were promiscuous and used no condom. There is some evidence that the majority of IVDAs after twelve years of post seroconversion (average age between 35 and 45), stopped their sexual activity. The prostitution of female IVDAs in order to finance their own and their partners supply of drugs is found in 3% of cases. This study can be helpful in implementing a selective and individual approach to some IVDAs with risk behaviour, who accept treatment, to prevent the spreading of infection.

Protein interactions with bivalent tin. 1. Hydrolysis and complexation of tin(II) ion with glycine.

The complexation between tin(II) ion and glycine was studied in 0.15 mol/dm3 NaCl medium at 310 K using potentiometric glass electrode titrations. In the pH range 1.1-4.5 and concentration range of the tin(II) between 0.2 and 5.0 mmol/dm3, with variable glycine-to-tin molar ratio up to 10:1, the experimental data were explained by the formation of the following complexes and their overall stability constants: log(beta +/- sigma): Sn(HGly)+, (12.78 +/- 0.08); Sn(Gly)+, (10.02 +/- 0.07); Sn(OH)Gly, (7.34 +/- 0.03), as well as the pure hydrolytic complex Sn4(OH)2+(6), whose stability constant was determined in separate experiments and found to be -4.30 +/- 0.08, under the same experimental conditions as for complexation study. The precipitate formed in tin(II)-glycine system at pH ca. 5.0 was characterized by chemical and TG analysis, I. R. spectra, X-ray powder diffraction, and electron scanning microscopy measurements. It has been shown that the precipitate has the composition Sn(OH)Gly and crystallizes in a tetragonal system with unit cell dimensions a = b = 1.584 nm, c = 0.597 nm. The mechanism of the complex formation in solution is discussed.

[National strategy and AIDS prevention health promotion and education]. / Nacionalna strategija i prevencija AIDS. Unapredjenje zdravlja i edukacija.

Ten years after AIDS was first recognized, education as the most effective weapon to prevent infection remains valid, and not only as a transitory strategy; it will be valid evan if and when effective drugs and vaccines are developed. Concerned by the rapid spread of AIDS, affecting people in all regions of the world, WHO has developed a Global strategy for the prevention and control of AIDS, and also, guidelines for the development of a national AIDS prevention and control programme to assist countries in the formulation of their medium-term programms. The present paper sets out some of the key aspects of AIDS prevention and control programmes.

Synthesis of p-aminohippuric acid analog and its labeling by technetium-99m.

A procedure is described for the synthesis of p-[(bisacarboxymethyl)aminomethyl carbamino] hippuric acid (PAHIDA). The compound was identified by i.r. and NMR spectroscopy. A lyophilized complex was prepared and labeled with 99mTc. The purity of the preparation is better than 98%. The stability of the 99mTc-PAHIDA complex is achieved 8 h after labeling. Biodistribution tested on white rats shows a maximum accumulation in kidneys of 6-10% within 2 min after injection, while the accumulation in the liver is 2-4% of the administrated dose. Preliminary clinical studies of 99mTc-PAHIDA on patients and its comparison with 131I-hippuran showed that the 99Tc-PAHIDA preparation has excellent characteristics for visualization of kidneys. However, it has slightly slower urinary elimination compared to hippuran, which it makes possible to use PAHIDA as a replacement of hippuran to a certain extent.

Chemical and biological properties of 2,6-diisopropyl IDA labelled with 99mTc.

A procedure is described for the synthesis of 2,6-diisopropyl IDA (DISIDA) and for preparation of the radiopharmaceutical by "instant technique". The chemical parameters affecting the formation of the Sn(II)-DISIDA complex were also determined. Biological studies involved lyophylic measurements, determination of binding constants as well as rate of binding to proteins and biodistribution. Clinical investigation demonstrated good hepatobiliary features of this radiopharmaceutical.

Synthesis and quality control of 99mTc-p-butyl IDA.

A procedure is described for synthesis of p-butyl IDA and for identification of the product by i.r. and NMR spectroscopy and by chemical analysis. A method for preparing this compound by "instant" technique and for its labelling with 99mTc is also given, as well as a procedure for control of the chemical and biological properties of the radiopharmaceutical. Radiochemical study shows a high labelling yield of 95%. Investigation of the biodistribution proves that this preparation is a good hepatobiliary reagent, suitable for use in investigation of the liver functions and for quantitative visualization of the hepatobiliary system.

Preparation and quality control of 99mTc-calciumgluconate.

A procedure for the labelling of lyophilised Sn-Ca-Gluconate by a 99mTc instant technique was developed. Paper and TLC chromatography and low-voltage electrophoresis were used for the determination of the labelling yield which reached between 95 to 98%. The biodistribution was followed in white (albino) rats. About 25 to 35% of the total activity of the compound was retained in the kidneys one hour after its i.v. injection.