Family is one of the most important socio-demographic factors when it comes to understanding health differences between individuals. Despite significant changes in family structure in recent decades, the influence of family as a social determinant of...

Down syndrome (DS), the most common human aneuploidy, is associated with oxidative stress, which contributes to morphological abnormalities, immune dysfunction, cognitive impairment and accelerated ageing. This article aims to provide an overview of the studies on oxidative stress in DS, in particular the investigation of endogenous and exogenous antioxidants, with a focus on endogenous systems. A literature search in MEDLINE and Scopus based on the PRISMA 2020 criteria revealed 41 relevant studies that mainly analysed blood samples (plasma or serum) and occasionally saliva or urine. The findings suggest that oxidative stress in DS is multifactorial and results from an imbalance of superoxide dismutase activity, overexpression of genes on chromosome 21, mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation. Despite extensive studies over the decades, new sources and mechanisms for oxidative stress in DS continue to emerge, further highlighting the complexity of DS. The recognition that oxidative stress is a hallmark of DS emphasises the need to develop more sensitive and specific methods to detect it and to investigate the associated metabolic pathways in DS in more detail. The expansion of in vivo studies could facilitate the development of targeted interventions aimed at mitigating oxidative damage and ultimately improving outcomes for individuals with DS.

By 2045, approximately 783.2 million people are projected to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition, obesity is expected to affect up to 22% of the world’s population or one in four people. The diabesity epidemic, a worrying trend in which T2DM and obesity co-occur, is becoming increasingly evident and could be the most significant epidemic of non-communicable chronic diseases in human history. The salutogenic pattern of health, which emphasises well-being and resistance resources, could be a promising solution to address this alarming worldwide problem. The salutogenic pattern of health has numerous positive effects on the health of persons with T2DM. These include reducing the risk of it, lowering some biomarkers and laboratory parameters related to its control, and promoting a better lifestyle, ultimately improving the overall quality of life. The salutogenic pattern of health offers an effective and evidence-based approach to address the growing global problem of chronic non-communicable diseases such as T2DM. Integrating this theory into standard modern medical practice has the potential to significantly improve health outcomes and overall patient well-being, making it an important direction for modern medicine. Accordingly, the aim is to explore and analyse the salutogenic pattern of health associated with T2DM in order to prevent it, but also the better management of it.

The mobility of rare-earth elements (REE) in low-grade diagenetic regimes, potentially leading to their clay-mediated fractionation, remains poorly understood. This study draws evidence from the argillitized Miocene tuff of the Southwestern Pannonian Basin (SPB) and adjacent Dinarides intramontane basins (DIB) to investigate the role of illite-smectite (I-S) in controlling early diagenetic REE behavior. The present research relies on detailed mineralogical, geochemical, and gas adsorption characterization of altered tuff, focusing on comparative analyses of the REE chemistry obtained by in situ laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry of glass shards and that of spatially related authigenic clay minerals. The depositional environment, in which the volcanic glass alteration took place, gave rise to the composition of secondary paragenesis, revealing a dominance of I-S. The normalized REE geochemistry of clay separates show similarities to unaltered glass, but notable differences indicate fluctuations in fluid/rock ratio environments. The redox conditions during glass alteration are reflected in Ce and Eu anomalies and indicate the ranges from oxic to anoxic across the analyzed tuffs. The results showed that I-S, formed through volcanic glass diagenesis, inherits magmatic REE signatures but also fractionates REE based on more reducing physiochemical conditions. The strong correlation between smectite content of I-S and a total budget of fractionated REE posits the smectite interlayers as prime factors controlling the REE fractionation during volcanic ash diagenesis. Furthermore, greater specific surface area values and development of slit-shaped porosity along the non-basal edges of I-S particles contributed to REE adsorption. These findings contribute to our understanding of REE behavior in low-temperature diagenetic environments, emphasizing the significance of clay minerals in retaining and fractionating these elements which may lead ultimately to the formation of economically viable ion-adsorption clay deposits.

Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common abnormalities occurring in 40% -60% of Down syndrome (DS) patients. The 5-methyltetrahydrofolate homocysteine methyl transferase reductase (MTRR) is one of the key regulatory enzymes involved in folate pathway. Disrupted folate pathway due to MTRR polymorphism could be a risk factor for CHD in DS. The aim of the study was to determine the association between polymorphism MTRR 66A> G and CHD in DS. Additionally, the impact of maternal endogenous factors on CHD was analyzed, intake of folate through diet, periconceptional folic acid supplementation, smoking and alcohol drinking. A total of 155 children with DS and 148 their mothers have been enrolled in this study. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP. The frequency of alleles and genotypes of MTRR 66A> G polymorphisms was not significantly different between a group with CHD compared to a group without CHD among DS subjects as well as in their mothers. The mothers with mutated homozygous genotypes who have taken folic acid preparations from the fourth week before pregnancy to eight weeks of pregnancy were more likely to have DS-CHD+ child. The study results suggested that maternal MTRR 66A> G polymorphisms associated with their lifestyle habits such as folic acid intake could altered individual risk for CHD in DS child.

Whether recreational or professional, sport is an integral part of human life, so its daily impact on society is undeniable. It is, therefore, important to recognise the role of moral values and ethics in sport, which can help to ensure fairness and preserve the integrity of professional sports. In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the importance of implementing these values in professional sport, as it is crucial to enable physical performance without compromising the very essence of sport. However, using prohibited substances and methods in professional sports today has become an increasingly worrying ethical issue, particularly in sports medicine. The primary aim of sports science, especially sports physiology, is to help athletes improve their performance and prevent and overcome injuries, while the primary goal of sports management and some athletes is often to win, which can lead to unethical means to achieve this goal. This behaviour raises many ethical doubts and highlights the need for a framework to address these contemporary challenges increasingly facing professional sport today. Bioethics can effectively address these challenges by examining medical and scientific advances’ ethical, social, moral, and legal implications. By considering the values, principles, and norms underlying medical and scientific practices, bioethics in the context of sport can provide guidance and recommendations for bioethical decision-making concerning (bio)ethical doubts or controversies that may arise, such as the use of performance-enhancing drugs, non-therapeutic use of gene therapy and ethical considerations related to using new technologies. This paper, therefore, aims to emphasise the importance of bioethics as a bridging science in sport in the context of the (bio)ethical challenges that increasingly characterise the professional practice of sport today.