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Indoor air Pollution with Benzene, Formaldehyde, and Nitrogen Dioxide in Schools in Osijek, Croatia
No full textExposure to air pollution and poor indoor air quality is associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes, especially in
schoolchildren. This paper presents results of the pilot study of the formaldehyde, benzene, and nitrogen dioxide measurements in classrooms and at outdoor sites in two schools in Osijek, Croatia, carried out by the Institute of Public Health for the OsijekBaranya County and WHO. Concentrations of formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide in classrooms (formaldehyde average weekly concentration = 8.48 μg/m3, SD = 2.33; NO2 average weekly concentration = 11.12 μg/m3, SD = 2.49) were below the WHO guideline values for indoor air. The concentration of benzene in indoor air in one school (0.44 μg/m3) was similar to the level of this chemical in ambient air (0.65 μg/m3) while the data for another school (1.63 μg/m3) suggested the presence of indoor sources of benzene. The highest concentration of formaldehyde was observed in a room where mold, dampness, and condensation contamination were visible. School power plants and road traffic affected higher values of indoor air NO2 concentration
Differential Expression of TFF Genes and Proteins in Breast Tumors
No full textThe objective of this study was to determine differential expression of TFF1, TFF2 and TFF3 genes and proteins in breast tumor subtypes. In addition, we investigated the correlation between TFF genes within tumor subgroups, and TFF genes with clinical and pathologic characteristics of the tumor. Study group included 122 patients with surgically removed breast tumors. Samples were investigated using qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. TFF1 and TFF3 genes and proteins were expressed in breast tumors, while the levels of TFF2 gene and protein expression were very low or undetectable. TFF1 was significantly more expressed in benign tumors, while TFF3 was more expressed in malignant tumors. Gene and protein expression of both TFF1 and TFF3 was greater in lymph node-negative tumors, hormone positive tumors, tumors with moderate levels of Ki67 expression, and in grade II tumors. A strong positive correlation was found between TFF1 and TFF3 genes, and the expression of both negatively correlated with Ki67 and the level of tumor histologic differentiation. Our results suggest that TFF1 and TFF3, but not TFF2, may have a role in breast tumor pathogenesis and could be used in the assessment of tumor differentiation and malignancy
The role of Weather Conditions and Normal Level of air Pollution in Appearance of Stroke in the Region of Southeast Europe
No full textWe investigated correlation between the normal level of air pollution, weather conditions and stroke occurrence in the region of Southeast Europe with a humid continental climate. This retrospective study included 1963 patients, 1712 (87.2%) with ischemic (IS) and 251 (12.8%) with hemorrhagic stroke (HS) admitted to emergency department. The number of patients, values of weather condition (meteorological parameters) [air temperature (°C), atmospheric pressure (kPa), relative humidity (%)] and concentrations of air pollutants [particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3)], were recorded and evaluated for each season (spring, summer, autumn, winter) during 2 years (July 2008-June 2010). The highest rate of IS was observed during spring (28.9%) (p = 0.0002) and HS in winter (33.9%) (p = 0.0006). We have found negative Spearman's correlations (after Bonferroni adjustment for the multiple correlations) of the number of males with values of relative humidity (%) (day 0, rho = - 0.15), the total number of strokes (day 2, rho = - 0.12), females (day 2, rho = - 0.12) and IS (day 2, rho = - 0.13) with concentrations of PM10 (µg/m3), as well as negative correlations of the number of females (day 2, rho = - 0.12) and IS (day 2, rho = - 0.12) with concentrations of NO2 (µg/m3) (for all p < 0.002). In winter, the number of HS (day 0, rho = 0.25, p = 0.001) positively correlated with concentrations of O3 (µg/m3). The appearance of stroke has seasonal variations, with the highest rates during spring and winter. Positive correlation between the number of HS and values of O3 requires an additional reduction of the legally permitted pollutants concentrations
Radiopaque Gelified Ethanol Application in Lumbar Intervertebral Soft Disc Herniations: Croatian Multicentric Study
No full textObjective. Minimally invasive percutaneous spinal procedures are popular in trying to reduce spinal pain. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the safety of intervertebral disc chemonucleolysis and to report the effectiveness of a percutaneous, minimally invasive treatment for contained herniated intervertebral discs in the lumbar spine using the recently marketed radiopaque gelified ethanol.
Methods. Pain relief before and after the procedure was self-evaluated by each patient using a verbal numeric scale (VNS) ranging from 0 to 10. Patients were also scored prior to procedure and after chemonucleolysis during several follow-up periods using the Roland-Morris low back pain and disability questionnaire (RMQ). Follow-up periods were defined as 0–6, 6–12, 12–18, 18–24, and 24–30 months. Clinically significant functional improvement (CSFI) was defined as a decrease of five or more points on the RMQ scale and a decrease of at least 50% of pain intensity using VNS.
Results. Using the RMQ scale, CSFI was achieved in 20/29 patients in the first follow-up period, 20/27 patients in the second follow-up period, 9/12 patients in the third follow-up period, 8/9 patients in the fourth follow-up period, and 4/4 patients in the last follow-up period. Using the VNS rating, CSFI was accomplished in 19/29 patients in the first follow-up period, 19/27 patients in the second follow-up period, 9/12 patients in the third follow-up period, 8/9 patients in the fourth follow-up period, and 4/4 in the last follow-up period
Povezanost cirkadijalnog ritma s infarktom miokarda
No full textCardiovascular diseases are the world’s leading cause of death. Human physiologic activities and state during illness are under the control of circadian rhythm. The aim of the study was to determine the potential association of chronotype and daytime sleepiness with susceptibility to myocardial infarction. We conducted a case-control study on 200 patients hospitalized due to myocardial infarction and 200 healthy controls. Systematic information on the past and present medical history was obtained from all participants. Chronotype was assessed using the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), and daytime sleepiness was assessed by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). The mean age of the study population was 64±13 years, and 54.5% were male. There was no significant difference in MEQ (58.88±6.52 vs. 58.46±7.78, p=0.601) or ESS (5 (interquartile range, IQR 4-7.5) vs. 6 (IQR 3-8), p=0.912) score between patients and controls. Nevertheless, we found statistically significant differences related to risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. However, there was no association of MEQ and ESS score with myocardial infarction in the study population.Kardiovaskularne bolesti su vodeći uzrok smrtnosti u svijetu. Pod kontrolom cirkadijalnog sata su humana fiziologija i fiziološka stanja tijekom bolesti. Cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je utvrditi potencijalnu povezanost kronotipa i dnevne pospanosti s infarktom miokarda. Provedeno je istraživanje slučajeva i kontrola na 200 bolesnika s infarktom miokarda te 200 zdravih kontrolnih ispitanika. Od svih ispitanika prikupljeni su podaci o prošloj i trenutnoj medicinskoj anamnezi. Kronotip je procijenjen pomoću upitnika MEQ (Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire), a dnevna pospanost pomoću Epworthove ljestvice pospanosti (ESS, Epworth Sleepiness Scale). Prosječna životna dob ispitivane populacije bila je 64±13 godina, a 54,5% ispitanika činili su muškarci. Statistički značajna razlika nije pronađena između bolesnika i kontrola u kronotipu (58,88±6,52 nasuprot 58,46±7,78; p=0,601) i dnevnoj pospanosti (5 (IQR 4-7,5) nasuprot 6 (IQR 3-8); p=0,912). Unatoč tome, pronađena je statistički značajna razlika povezana sa čimbenicima rizika za kardiovaskularne bolesti kao što su hipertenzija, dislipidemija i dijabetes. Međutim, u ovom istraživanju nije utvrđena povezanost kronotipa i dnevne pospanosti s infarktom miokarda
Enfermedad mediada por autoanticuerpos IgA anti-membrana basal glomerular
No full textAnti-glomerular basement membrane disease (anti-GBM) is a rare disease usually mediated by IgG autoantibodies. It usually presents as rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, often accompanied by pulmonary hemorrhage.1 The hallmark of anti-GBM disease are the blood circulating and tissue-bound autoantibodies that target antigenic sites within the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and sometimes alveolar basement membranes. We present a rare case of anti-GBM disease mediated by IgA autoantibody. A 65-year-old-man presented with gross haematuria and nephrotic range proteinuria and was admitted to
the hospital
Everolimus and Papillomavirus Lesions in Female Renal Transplant Recipient: a case Report
No full textWe describe the case of a transplanted patient with high-risk HPV infection that manifested as multiple genital condylomas and abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smear. Her immunosuppressants were corticosteroids, cyclosporine, and azathioprine. Since gynecologic treatments to eradicate condylomas were completely unsuccessful, cyclosporine was replaced by everolimus. Soon after, condylomas disappeared, HPV status became negative, and Pap smear returned to normal and has remained normal since
Multi-lag Tone – Entropy in Neonatal Stress
No full textHeart rate variability (HRV) has been analysed using linear and nonlinear methods. In the framework of a controlled neonatal stress model, we applied tone–entropy (T–E) analysis at multiple lags to understand the influence of external stressors on healthy term neonates. Forty term neonates were included in the study. HRV was analysed using multi-lag T–E at two resting and two stress phases (heel stimulation and a heel stick blood drawing phase). Higher mean entropy values and lower mean tone values when stressed showed a reduction in randomness with increased sympathetic and reduced parasympathetic activity. A ROC analysis was used to estimate the diagnostic performances of tone and entropy and combining both features. Comparing the resting and simulation phase separately, the performance of tone outperformed entropy, but combining the two in a quadratic linear regression model, neonates in resting as compared to stress phases could be distinguished with high accuracy. This raises the possibility that when applied across short time segments, multi-lag T–E becomes an additional tool for more objective assessment of neonatal stress
In Vitro Effect of Subminimal Inhibitory Concentrations of Antibiotics on the Biofilm Formation Ability of Acinetobacter Baumannii Clinical Isolates
No full textThe ability of A cinetobacter baumannii strains to form biofilm is one of the most important virulence factor which enables bacterial survival in a harsh environment and decreases antibiotic concentration as well. Subminimal inhibitory concentrations (subMICs) of antibiotics may change bacterial ultrastructure or have an influence on some different molecular mechanisms resulting in morphological or physiological changes in bacteria itself. The aim of this study was to determine effects of 1/2, 1/4, 1/8 and 1/16 minimal inhibitory concentrationsof imipenem, ampicillin-sulbactam, azithromycin, rifampicin and colistin on biofilm formation ability of 22 biofilm non-producing and 46 biofilm producing A. baumannii strains (30 weak producing strains and 16 moderate producing strains). Results of this study indicate that 1/2-1/16 MICs of imipenem, azithromycin, and rifampicin can reduce bacterial biofilm formation ability in moderate producing strains (p < 0.05), whereas 1/16 MIC of imipenem and 1/4-1/8 MICs of rifampicin reduce the biofilm formation in weak producing strains (p < 0.05). Statisticaly significant effect was detected among biofilm non-producing strains after their exposure to 1/16 MIC of azithromycin (p = 0.039). SubMICs of ampicillin-sulbactam and colistin did not have any significant effect on biofilm formation among tested A. baumannii strains
Utjecaj epiduralnih injekcija steroida s transforaminalnim i interlaminalnim pristupima na kvalitetu spavanja, anksioznost i depresiju kod pacijenata s kroničnom lumbalnom radikularnom boli
No full textChronic lumbar radicular pain is connected with the anxiety, depression and sleep disorders. The aims of this study are to compare the effect of pain on sleep quality, anxiety and depression in patients receiving interlaminar and transforaminal epidural steroids injections. The study is an original scientific-research work, a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial that included 70 patients with lumbar radicular pain at the Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek. The selected patients were divided into two groups considering the approach of administration of epidural steroids, the interlaminar (IL) and transforaminal group (TF). The anxiety, depression and sleep disorders were evaluated with questionnaires "Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)" and "Questions for assessing sleep in chronic pain". In the end 64 patients completed the study, 41 women (64.1%) and 23 men (35.9%). Significantly lower values were recorded during the assessment of the sleep quality in the group with the interlaminar injection of steroids (ANOVA, p = 0.030), compared to the group with the transforaminal injection of steroids (ANOVA, p = 0.002), but there is no difference between the groups. In both groups, there is an improvement in anxiety and depression, but only in the sixth measurement a significantly lower evaluation value of the HADS questionnaire was obtained in transforaminal (TF) group (Mann Whitney test, p = 0.025). Within the TF group, the values of anxiety (Friedman's test, p <0.001) and depression (Friedman's test, p = 0.007) are significantly reduced. In patients who received epidural steroids injection with a transforaminal approach, lower levels of depression and anxiety were observed as there was a greater reduction in pain, compared to an interlaminar group. Sleep quality was higher in patients who received steroids via transforaminal compared to the interlaminar approach.Bol u lumbalnom dijelu kralježnice je povezana sa anksioznošću, depresijom i poremećajem spavanja. Ciljevi ovoga istraživanja su usporediti utjecaj boli kod bolesnika sa boli u lumbalnom dijelu kralježnice na kvalitetu spavanja, te anksioznost i depresiju kod interlaminarne i transforaminalne primjene steroida. Provedena je prospektivna randomizirana studija u KBC Osijek. U studiju je uključeno 70 bolesnika koji su podjeljeni u dvije grupe slučajnim odabirom obzirom na način primjene epiduralnih steroida. Kvaliteta spavanja, anksioznost i depresija su evaluirani »Upitnikom za procjenu spavanja kod kronične boli« i »Bolničkom skalom anksioznosti i depresije (HADS)«. Istraživanje je završilo 64 ispitanika od kojih je 41 bila žena (64.1%) i 23 (35.9%) muškaraca. Značajno su niže vrijednosti u procjeni kvalitete spavanja u grupi s interlaminarnim injiciranjem steroida (ANOVA, p=0,030), u odnosu na grupu s transforaminalnim injiciranjem steroida (ANOVA, p=0,002), no nema razlike među skupinama. U obje skupine dolazi do poboljšanja po pitanju anksioznosti i depresije, no samo su kod šestog mjerenja značajno niže vrijednosti procjene HADS upitnikom kod ispitanika iz TF skupine (Mann Whitney test, p=0,025). Unutar TF skupine značajno se smanjuju vrijednosti kod anksioznosti (Friedmanov test,p<0,001) i kod depresije (Friedmanov test, p=0,007). Kod bolesnika koji su steroide primili transforaminalnim u odnosu na interlaminarni pristup zabilježene su niže razine depresije i anksioznosti jer je bilo veće smanjenje boli. Kvaliteta spavanja bila je veća kod bolesnika koji su steroide primili transforaminalnim u odnosu na interlaminarni pristup