Molecular Hydrogen in Drinking Water Protects against Neurodegenerative Changes Induced by Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in its various forms has emerged as a major problem for modern society. Acute TBI can transform into a chronic condition and be a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, probably through induction of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Here, we examined the ability of the antioxidant molecular hydrogen given in drinking water (molecular hydrogen water; mHW) to alter the acute changes induced by controlled cortical impact (CCI), a commonly used experimental model of TBI. We found that mHW reversed CCI-induced edema by about half, completely blocked pathological tau expression, accentuated an early increase seen in several cytokines but attenuated that increase by day 7, reversed changes seen in the protein levels of aquaporin-4, HIF-1, MMP-2, and MMP-9, but not for amyloid beta peptide 1–40 or 1–42. Treatment with mHW also reversed the increase seen 4 h after CCI in gene expression related to oxidation/carbohydrate metabolism, cytokine release, leukocyte or cell migration, cytokine transport, ATP and nucleotide binding. Finally, we found that mHW preserved or increased ATP levels and propose a new mechanism for mHW, that of ATP production through the Jagendorf reaction. These results show that molecular hydrogen given in drinking water reverses many of the sequelae of CCI and suggests that it could be an easily administered, highly effective treatment for TBI.     

FTO gene variants are associated with growth and carcass traits in cattle

An important aim in animal breeding is the improvement of growth and meat quality traits. Previous studies have demonstrated that genetic variants in the fat mass and obesity associated (FTO) gene have a relatively large effect on human obesity as well as on body composition in rodents and, more recently, in livestock. Here, we examined the effects of the FTO gene variants on growth and carcass traits in the Slovenian population of Simmental (SS) and Brown (SB) cattle. To validate and identify new polymorphisms, we used sequencing, PCR‐RFLP analysis and TaqMan assays in the SS breed and FTO gene variants data from the Illumina BovineSNP50 v1 array for the SB breed. Sequencing of the eight samples of progeny‐tested SS sires detected 108 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the bovine FTO gene. Statistical analyses between growth and carcass traits and 34 FTO polymorphisms revealed significant association of FTO variants with lean meat percentage in both breeds. Additionally, FTO SNPs analyzed in SS cattle were associated with fat percentage, bone weight and live weight at slaughter. The FTO gene can thus be regarded as a candidate gene for the marker‐assisted selection programs in our and possibly other populations of cattle. Future studies in cattle might reveal novel roles for the FTO gene in shaping carcass traits in livestock species as well as body composition control in other mammals.     

Genetic analysis of tumorigenesis: IV. Chromosome reduction and marker segregation in progeny clones from Chinese hamster cell hybrids.

Hybrid cells produced by the fusion of pairs of cells, one a tumorigenic derivative of CHEF/16 and the other a nontumorigenic derivative of CHEF/18, give rise to clones which are largely tetraploid, but rare reduced hybrids with chromosome counts in the diploid range have been recovered from tumors of hybrid origin. This paper describes the recovery in cell culture of reduced hybrids in the diploid range by selection with 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) or methylcellulose as well as by growth in culture of cells from excised tumors. All selected subclones were tumorigenic and resistant to BrdU, but they segregated for resistance to 6-thioguanine. Unselected subclones were tetraploid, nontumorigenic, and sensitive to both drugs. These data show that chromosome reassortment as well as extensive chromosome reduction both occur in a small fraction of the population during growth of each hybrid clone.     

Implant prosthetic rehabilitation of the patients with mandibular resection following oral malignoma surgery

Patient underwent mandibular resection due to surgical therapy of oropharingeal malignoma. Facial asymmetry and cosmetic distortion are frequent consequences of such interventions, which may also include deviation and intrusion of the mandible, motor and sensory disorders, abnormal intermaxillary relations and malocclusion. Implant-supported prosthesis could be an optimal solution to prosthodontic treatment of such patients. However, there is a problem in determination of stable (interocclusal) intermaxillary relations. This article describes the choice of therapy and procedures undertaken in prosthetic rehabilitation of a patient who underwent mandibular resection and radiotherapy with supported prosthesis retained with four implants.     

Overweight and obesity in Slovenian schoolgirls, 1991-2006

The proportion of overweight children and adults has been growing rapidly in the last few years in many European and other countries. Certain consequences of overweight are already manifested in youth; in adulthood they are one of the main causes of death and several diseases. The study examined the proportion of overweight and obese Slovenian girls aged 7 to 18 with the use of an annually repeated cross-sectional study. The study lasted from 1991 to 2006 and was based on the body mass index according to IOTF norms. The results show that in this period the proportion of overweight girls increased by almost 30% (from 13.5% to 18.8%), whereas the proportion of obese girls doubled (from 2.3% to 4.6%). The prevalence of overweight and obesity is highest in childhood and early adolescence where it is around two to three times higher than at the age of 18.     

Morphometric characteristics of thyroid cartilage in people of Eastern Croatia

The aim of this research was to describe thyroid cartilage morphometry in the population of Eastern Slavonia in detail. The research was carried out on 68 samples of adult thyroid cartilages. There was statistically significant difference between all analysed parameters in male and female samples, except for the distance between the superior horns tips. All parameters had greater values in men, except for the thyroid angle, which was greater in women. There was significant correlation between most of the measured parameters. The strongest correlation was noticed in the distance between the horns at all measured levels and between the pairs of parameters measured for the left and right side respectively. The difference of our results in comparison to the results obtained by other researchers is probably caused by the fact that the measurements were taken on the samples obtained from different populations.     

Quality of life in people with physical disabilities

The aim of this study was to examine the possible differences in self-reported quality of life of people with physical disabilities with regard to both socio-demographic and disability-related characteristics. Testing was conducted on 153 respondents with physical disabilities, residents of the City of Zagreb. Positive correlations were found between the quality of life and income satisfaction, residence size (per capita floor area) and level of residence equipment. Multivariate analysis of variance showed statistically significant differences in quality of life among respondents with regard to the marital status, work status and home ownership. Statistically significant differences in the quality of life were found among the participants depending on their level of physical mobility and type of physical disability. The level of physical mobility is associated with general satisfaction with the accomplishment of goals, aspirations and hopes. The type of physical disability is related to the satisfaction with leisure activities, with the material status, expectations to achieve in the future what has not formerly been achieved. There was also a significant relation between the type of physical disability and general satisfaction with life in the past year. Positive correlations between duration of disability and quality of life were found. Membership in associations of persons with physical disability and related benefits were shown to contribute to the quality of life.