The aim of this study was to compare the tannin concentration of young common and tartary buckwheat plants. Tannins are a group of polyphenols, formed as secondary metabolites in plants. Tannins are known as antioxidants and have chemoprotective potential. They occur in many fruits and drinks, such as tea, beer, wine and juices, making them significant in human nutrition. Concentration of tannins was high in upper leaves of tartary buckwheat and in young plants of common buckwheat cv. Bosanka. There are interesting differences between tannin concentration in Bosanka young plants and tartary and Darja buckwheat young plants.

The application of intelligent controllers such as neural networks and fuzzy controllers in technical systems is increasing. The main reason for this lies in the fact that intelligent controllers do not require knowing the exact mathematical model parameters of the controlled process. On the other hand, a great downside to this type of control is that stability cannot be proved. Technical systems often exhibit nonlinear behaviour which can be described with elementary nonlinear elements such as hysteresis and/or dead zones. This paper presents the use of the describing function as a means of analysis of systems with neural networks and dominant nonlinearities. The equivalent describing function can then be used for stability analysis using, for example, the Popov criterion.

The mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases is high in Serbia. Analysis of antihypertensive drugs utilization is the basis for assessment of cardiovascular pharmacotherapy appropriateness. The aim of this study was to analyze the trend in antihypertensive drugs utilization among outpatients in Niš region, South Serbia compared to some Nordic countries (Norvay, Sweden) and Australia as well as to analyze trends in educational and drug promotion activities directed to primary healthcare workers within the same region. Using the ATC/DDD methodology, we analyzed the utilization of antihypertensive drugs dispensed on prescription in the Nis region over the 2003–2007 period. The study was retrospective, based on data obtained from Central City Pharmacy Nis. Educational and drug promotion activities were noted from the records of Medical Faculty, University of Nis, and from the records of local branches of pharmaceutical companies active in Serbia. Wilcoxon’s test was used in order to calculate the statistical significance of difference. A significant increase of 79.8% (153.8/ 276.6 DDD/inhabitants/day) in antihypertensive drug consumption was observed in the same period. This analysis showed there were substantial increases in the use of diuretics (134.7%), ACE inhibitors (79.5%) and calcium channel blockers (116.1%), especially amlodipin (241.2%). During the observed period, annual numbers of educational activities and of pharmaceutical sales representatives employed within the region increased for almost one fourth. This analysis pointed to a significant increase in the use of antihypertensive drugs in the Nis region, which was matched with increase in educational and drug promotion activities within the region, so that in 2006–2007 total consumption was approximate to some referential countries (Norvay, Sweden).

This study has been conducted in an effort to establish more suitable and accurate scoring model we use in everyday practice. Among the specific outcome prediction models, in 1989 Parsonnet et al elaborated a method of uniform risk stratification for evaluation of the results of cardiac surgery procedures. We have tested two forms of the Parsonnet score, Initial and Modified Parsonnet score, in our patients. In the first half of the year 2007, 145 patients were operated in Sarajevo Heart center. All operated patients in that period, have participated in this study. The overall hospital mortality was 4,13 (6 deaths). This study shows that the initial and modified Parsonnet's scores are predictive for operative mortality in adult cardiac surgery patients.

Advanced maternal age is known to be a risk factor for placental dysfunctions. The most common obstetric complications among older women would be considered as follows: gestational diabetes; pre-eclampsia; placenta praevia; preterm premature rupture of membranes and the risk of preterm delivery. The aims of research were to determine the impact of maternal age on the structure of terminal villi. The study was conducted on 60 human placentae of term pregnancy divided into two groups: the control group (30 placentae in pregnant women of age between 20 and 34) and the experimental group (30 placentae in pregnant women of 35 years of age and older). Stereological methods were applied to determine the volume density, surface density, total volume and total capillary surface area in terminal villi of placenta. The mean value of volume density of capillaries in terminal villi of placentae in older pregnant women is: Vvkks = (0,376 +/- 0,033) mm(0), and the mean value of total volume is: Vkks = (157,047 +/- 25,022) cm(3). The mean value of surface density is: Svkks = (64,783 +/- 2,543) mm(-1), and the mean value of total surface area is: Skks = (29,959 +/- 7,873) m(2). Volume density of capillaries in terminal villi of placentae is significantly lower in older pregnant women (p<0.001) in comparison to the younger pregnant women. The total volume, surface density and total capillary surface area in terminal villi of placentae are also significantly lower in older pregnant women (p<0.005) in comparison to the younger pregnant women. Statistically significant lower values of volume density, total volume, surface density and total capillary surface area indicate that there is a decreased metabolic transfer between mother and foetus.

Although many aspects of stroke are similar at both sexes, however, there are some differences and characteristics as well. The aim of this study was to analyze sex differences in patients with acute ischemic stroke (IS) regarding to risk factors, subtypes, stroke severity and outcome. From January 1st 2001 to December 31st 2005 at the Department of Neurology Tuzla 2833 patients were admitted with acute ischemic stroke (IS). We were analyzed risk factors, subtypes, stroke severity (Scandinavian Stroke Scale), and thirty-day outcome. There were 1484 (52.3%) female, and they were older than male (67.8 +/- 10.6 vs. 65.7 +/- 10.5, p<0.0001). Hypertension (78% vs. 67%, p<0.0001), heart diseases (50% vs. 45%, p=0.009), atrial fibrillation (22% vs. 14%, p<0.0001) and diabetes mellitus (33% vs. 21%, p<0.0001) were frequently in female, while smoking (45% vs. 14%) and alcohol overuse (18% vs. 0,6%) in male (p<0.0001). Atherothrombotic type of ischemic stroke was frequently in male (37.4% vs. 31.6%, p=0.0013) and cardioembolic in female (21.7% vs. 15.5%, p<0.0001). At admission female had lower SS (SS 31.0 +/- 15 vs. 34.0 +/- 15, p<0.0001). Thirty-day mortality was significantly higher in female (23.3% vs. 18.4%, p=0.0015), and favourable outcome within one month (Rankin Scale <or= 2) had 58% male and 51% female (p=0.001). The frequency of ischemic stroke is higher in female who are older than male. There are some sex differences according to the distribution of risk factors and subtypes of ischemic stroke. Stroke severity at admission, thirty-day mortality, and disability are higher in female.