Introduction: Cigarette smoking is associated with severe health problems, especially cancers. In addition, cigarette smoking causes different genotoxic effects. Chromosome aberrations are one of well-known intermediate end points in carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to compare frequencies of chromosome aberrations in peripheral blood lymphocytes between young smokers and non-smokes groups.Methods: The study was conducted with 30 smokers (average age 26.93 years) and 30 non-smokers (average age 26.96 years), and included the analysis of 100 metaphases per each blood sample. Differences in the arithmetic means of determined frequencies of chromosome aberrations were tested by two-tailed t-test for independent samples with the significance level of p < 0.05.Results: The results showed a significant increase in the frequencies of chromatid-type aberrations and total structural chromosome aberrations in smoker group. Frequencies of numerical aberrations did not differ significantly between two groups.Conclusions: This study confirmed genotoxicity of cigarette smoking and provided new evidence about its clastogenic activity.

AbstractObjectivesTo investigate the additional value of transmural perfusion ratio (TPR) in dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging for detection of haemodynamically significant coronary artery disease compared with fractional flow reserve (FFR).MethodsSubjects with suspected or known coronary artery disease were prospectively included and underwent a CT-MPI examination. From the CT-MPI time-point data absolute myocardial blood flow (MBF) values were temporally resolved using a hybrid deconvolution model. An absolute MBF value was measured in the suspected perfusion defect. TPR was defined as the ratio between the subendocardial and subepicardial MBF. TPR and MBF results were compared with invasive FFR using a threshold of 0.80.ResultsForty-three patients and 94 territories were analysed. The area under the receiver operator curve was larger for MBF (0.78) compared with TPR (0.65, P = 0.026). No significant differences were found in diagnostic classification between MBF and TPR with a territory-based accuracy of 77 % (67-86 %) for MBF compared with 70 % (60-81 %) for TPR. Combined MBF and TPR classification did not improve the diagnostic classification.ConclusionsDynamic CT-MPI-based transmural perfusion ratio predicts haemodynamically significant coronary artery disease. However, diagnostic performance of dynamic CT-MPI-derived TPR is inferior to quantified MBF and has limited incremental value.Key Points• The transmural perfusion ratio from dynamic CT-MPI predicts functional obstructive coronary artery disease • Performance of the transmural perfusion ratio is inferior to quantified myocardial blood flow • The incremental value of the transmural perfusion ratio is limited

Introduction: Treatment of cancer has been subject of great interest. Researchers are continuously searching for new medicines. In this sense, ruthenium complexes have big potential. Some evidences suggest that ruthenium compounds possess anticancer activities. We synthesized two recently published ruthenium(III) complexes with bidentate O,N and tridentate O,O,N Schiff bases derived from 5-substituted salicylaldehyde and aminophenol or anilineare. These compounds showed affinity for binding to the DNA molecule, however, insufficient data are available regarding their possible toxic effects on biological systems.Methods: In the present study we evaluated genotoxic, cytotoxic, and cytostatic effects of Na[RuCl2(L1)2] and Na[Ru(L2)2], using the Allium cepa assay.Results: Different toxic effects were observed depending on the substance, tested concentration, and endpoint measured. In general, the tested compounds significantly lowered the root growth and mitotic index values as compared to the control group. Additionally, a wide range of abnormal mitotic stages, both clastogenic and non-clastogenic were observed in the treated cells. Na[RuCl2(L1)2] significantly increased the frequency of sticky metaphases, chromosome bridges, micronuclei, impaired chromosome segregation, as well as number of apoptotic and necrotic cells over the controls. In contrast, Na[Ru(L2)2] did not show significant evidence of genotoxicity with regard to chromosome aberrations and micronuclei, however, significant differences were detected in the number of apoptotic and necrotic cells when the highest concentration was applied.Conclusions: In this study we demonstrated antiproliferative effects of Na[RuCl2(L1)2] and Na[Ru(L2)2]. At clinical level, these results could be interesting for further studies on anticancer potential of the ruthenium(III) complexes using animal models.

Introduction: Plasmapheresis also known as a therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is extracorporeal procedure by which individual components of plasma that are harmful or blood cells can be removed from organism by using a blood separation technology. Aim: To present the results of the implementation of plasmapheresis in children in the Department of Pediatric Intensive Care of Pediatric Clinic, Clinical center of Sarajevo University, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Patients and methods: Research (period from December 2011 to June 2016) analyzed 66 plasmapheresis (11 patients–6 plasmapheresis per patient). Results: Out of 11 patients, 7 (63.6%) were girls and 4 (36.4%) were boys. The average age of patients was 11.6 ± 3.9 years (the youngest patient had 4 years and 7 months, while the oldest had 16 years and 10 months). Plasmapheresis were significantly more often done in the winter and summer. Underlying disease was in 54.5% of cases of neurological origin. The treatment was in form of receiving IVIG in 7 patients, or the application of mechanical ventilation in 6 patients. The most common complication was hypotension, which occurred in 45.5% of patients, followed by bleeding in 36.3%, hypercoagulability in 27.2% of patients and hematoma in 27.2% of patients. Lethal outcome occurred in 3 (27.2%) patients. Conclusion: Plasmapheresis represents an invasive method due to need for placement of centralized venous catheter that provides adequate blood flow during the procedure. Although complications can be serious, they are rare and are mainly related to the presence of central venous catheter, hemostasis disorders due to use of anticoagulant therapy, and hypotension of the cardiovascular system. It should be noted that for success of plasmapheresis in children multidisciplinary approach is necessary (children’s nephrologist, neuropediatrician, intensive care doctor) as well as well-trained team of doctors and nurses with the acquired knowledge and skills.

1 Department of chemistry, Faculty of Science, Zmaja od Bosne 33-35, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Hercegovina 2 University of Belgrade Faculty of Physical Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, 11158 Belgrade, Serbia 3 Laboratory for Micro and Nanotechnology, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland. 4 Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Knez Mihajlova 35, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia * E-mail: slavko@ffh.bg.ac.rs