Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common malignancy of the brain with a relatively short median survival and high mortality. Advanced age, high socioeconomic status, exposure to ionizing radiation, and ...other factors have been correlated with an increased incidence of GBM, while female sex hormones, history of allergies, and frequent use of specific drugs might exert protective effects against this disease. However, none of these explain the pathogenesis of GBM. The most recent WHO classification of CNS tumors classifies neoplasms based on their histopathological and molecular characteristics. Modern laboratory techniques, such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry, enable the comprehensive metabolic analysis of the tissue sample. MALDI imaging is able to characterize the spatial distribution of a wide array of biomolecules in a sample, in combination with histological features, without sacrificing the tissue integrity. In this review, we first provide an overview of GBM epidemiology, risk, and protective factors, as well as the recent WHO classification of CNS tumors. We then provide an overview of mass spectrometry workflow, with a focus on MALDI imaging, and recent advances in cancer research. Finally, we conclude the review with studies of GBM that utilized MALDI imaging and offer our perspective on future research.
: The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on medical practice worldwide. In this study, we aimed to investigate the trends of elective spine surgery in our department before and during the ...pandemic.
: Total number of spine procedures due to disc herniation (DH) or spinal stenosis (SS) was collected during 2019-2021 in the Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center Osijek, Croatia. In order to elucidate potential risk factors in the post-pandemic period, demographic data were collected for patients who underwent surgery during 2021.
: In 2020, there was a 22.1% decrease in the number of surgeries compared to 2019 (205 vs. 263), but during 2021 we observed an increase of 36.1% compared to 2020 (279 vs. 205). The mean age of patients in 2021 was 53.14 years (53.14 ± 13.05) with body mass index of 28.31 kg/m
(28.31 ± 4.89). There were 179 overweight patients (74%) and 103 smokers (42.6%). Although male and female patients were equally represented (121 each), there was a significant interaction of weight class and sex (
= 0.013). Patients younger than 65 were more likely to undergo surgery due to DH (
< 0.001), whereas older patients were more likely to suffer from SS (
< 0.001).
: The volume of elective spine surgeries decreased in the first year of the pandemic and increased the following year. Our results suggest that public health policies in the early pandemic period reduced elective surgical procedures, which was followed by a compensatory increase in the following period.
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive glial tumor of the central nervous system. Despite intense scientific efforts, patients diagnosed with GBM and treated with the current standard of care have ...a median survival of only 15 months. Patients are initially treated by a neurosurgeon with the goal of maximal safe resection of the tumor. Obtaining tissue samples during surgery is indispensable for the diagnosis of GBM. Technological improvements, such as navigation systems and intraoperative monitoring, significantly advanced the possibility of safe gross tumor resection. Usually within six weeks after the surgery, concomitant radiotherapy and chemotherapy with temozolomide are initiated. However, current radiotherapy regimens are based on population-level studies and could also be improved. Implementing artificial intelligence in radiotherapy planning might be used to individualize treatment plans. Furthermore, detailed genetic and molecular markers of the tumor could provide patient-tailored immunochemotherapy. In this article, we review current standard of care and possibilities of personalizing these treatments. Additionally, we discuss novel individualized therapeutic options with encouraging results. Due to inherent heterogeneity of GBM, applying patient-tailored treatment could significantly prolong survival of these patients.
Telemedicine is a rapid tool that reduces the time until treatment for patients, which is especially useful for neurosurgical trauma. The aim of our study was to evaluate the use of telemedicine in ...neurosurgery during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with the pre-pandemic era. We assessed the utilization of telemedicine at the Department of Neurosurgery at University Hospital Center Osijek in Croatia over a timespan of one year prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the first year of the pandemic, starting with the date of first lockdown in Croatia. For each time period, the total number of consults and specific clinical inquiries were recorded and adequately grouped as well as comprehensive patient characteristics. There were 336 consults in the pre-pandemic period and 504 in the pandemic period. The number of trauma-related consults during COVID-19 measures was significantly higher than the pre-pandemic era (288 and 138, respectively, p < 0.0001). Neurosurgical trauma patients requiring consults in the pandemic period were significantly older than before the pandemic (64.9 ± 18.5 and 60.6 ± 19.1, respectively, p = 0.03). Significantly, the number of admissions to our center and urgent surgeries did not significantly differ between these periods. Telemedicine is a cost-effective tool in the neurosurgical evaluation of patients, especially for trauma. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated telemedicine implementation and improved neurosurgical trauma treatments.
Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that can manifest in a wide range of forms, but the most common symptoms are ...fever, headache, fatigue, respiratory problems, lost sense of smell and taste, sore throat, muscle pain and malaise.
In patients with COVID-19, the inflammatory response of the organism affects iron homeostasis. Severe COVID-19 infections may lead to a hyperinflammatory condition, characterised by elevated ferritin levels that correlate with the severity of the clinical course, prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay, development of acute respiratory distress syndrome and a fatal outcome. As a result of iron metabolism disorders in inflammation, decreased erythropoiesis and reduced biological activity of erythropoietin, the erythrocyte half-life is shortened, leading to anaemia of chronic inflammation. Cytokine IL-6 plays the most crucial role in regulating iron concentration. It affects iron metabolism by producing hepcidin via STAT 3. Hepcidin produces regulatory effects on iron by binding with ferroportin, the only known transmembrane iron exporter.
Anaemia has long been characterised as a significant risk factor contributing to increased mortality and poorer clinical outcomes for various infections. The most severe forms of COVID-19 infection result in pneumonia, causing a reduced supply of oxygen to the circulation, ultimately leading to ischemia of vital organs. Anaemia of chronic disease is more common in COVID-19 positive patients and is associated with a poorer clinical outcome. A higher ferritin/transferrin ratio indicates an advanced inflammatory condition and may be a predictive factor of ICU admission.
Cilj: Klinički bolnički centar (KBC) Osijek najmlađe je transplantacijsko središte za bubreg u Hrvatskoj. Prva presadba (TX, od engl. transplantation) u Osijeku učinjena je 2007. godine, u godini ...ulaska Hrvatske u Eurotransplant. Cilj istraživanja je prikazati rezultate transplantacije bubrega u KBC-u Osijek, od prve transplantacije učinjene 2007. godine do siječnja 2020. godine. Ispitanici i metode: U istraživanje su bili uključeni svi ispitanici (144) kojima je učinjena transplantacija bubrega u KBC-u Osijek. Iz medicinskih zapisa prikupljeni su demografski i medicinski podatci, vremenski podatci o dijalizi i TX-u te kreatininemiji kao mjeri funkcije presatka. Analiza preživljenja učinjena je Kaplan-Meierovim testom. Rezultati: Jednogodišnje preživljenje presatka cenzurirano za smrt s funkcionirajućim presatkom bilo je 93,8 %, a petogodišnje 88,9 %. Tijekom medijana praćenja od 7 godina (interkvartilni raspon, IQR, od engl. interquartile range, 4 – 9 godina), od min. 0 godina do maks. 13 godina, preživljenje pacijenata s funkcionirajućim presatkom bilo je 86,8 %. Medijan kreatininemije godinu dana nakon TX-a bio je 132 μmol/l (IQR 100 – 174 μmol/l ), od min. 48 μmol/l do maks. 492 μmol/l, a nakon pet godina 120 μmol/l (IQR 103 – 161 μmol/l), od min. 53 μmol/l do maks. 341 μmol/l. Zaključak: Rezultati bubrežnog TX-a u KBC-u Osijek bili su na razini europskih rezultata.
Aim: University Hospital Centre (UHC) Osijek is the youngest kidney transplantation center in Croatia. The first transplantation (TX) was performed in 2007, the same year when Croatia joined Eurotransplant. The aim of this study is to present results of kidney TX in UHC Osijek from the first TX in 2007 till January 2020. Patients and methods: The study included all 144 patients that underwent kidney TX in UHC Osijek. Data on demographics, medical, dialysis and TX times data and creatininemia (as the measure of kidney transplant function) were taken from medical records. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier test. Results: Kidney transplant survival censored for death with functioning transplant was 93.8 % at 1 year and 88.9 % at five years. During the median follow-up time of 7 years (interquartile range, IQR, 4 – 9 years), from min. 0 years to max. 13 years, survival of patients with functioning transplant was 86.8 %. Median creatininemia at 1 year after TX was 132 μmol/l (IQR 100 - 174 μmol/l), from min. 48 μmol/l to max. 492 μmol/l, and 120 μmol/l (IQR 103 - 161 μmol/l), from min. 53 μmol/l to max. 341 μmol/l, at 5 years. Conclusion: Results of kidney TX in UHC Osijek were similar to European results.
Rapporten innefattar ett examensarbete för ingenjörsprogrammet i maskinteknik vid Karlstads universitet. Uppdraget gjordes för voestalpine Precision Strip AB, Munkfors. I fabriken i Munkfors så ...kallvalsas bandstål för diverse applikationer. Detta stål bearbetas mekaniskt i valsningen. För att mäta materialets egenskaper så används röntgendiffraktion. Metoden går ut på att bestråla stålet med röntgenstrålar och avläsa mätvärden på en dator. I dagsläget finns enbart en fixtur för att mäta plana testobjekt. Uppdragsgivaren önskar att kunna mäta testobjekt som utsätts för spänningar. Detta för att kunna mäta elasticitetsmodulen och poisson´s ratio hos ett stål Målet med arbetet har således varit att konstruera en fixtur som kan åstadkomma en varierande böjlast på ett testobjekt. Projektet har följt produktutvecklingsprocessen som beskrivs i Johannesson et al. Projektet resulterade i en fixtur som applicerar en bestämd last hos ett testobjekt. Den applicerade lasten kan varieras av operatören och diverse inställningsmöjligheter finns. Fixturen är utrustad med en kraftgivare och ett mätdon för att säkerställa korrekt mätning. Lösningen anses klara av de krav som ställs med undantag till ett krav. Detta krav är att klara hela tjockleksintervallet av testobjekt på 0,06-0,4 mm.
The report includes a thesis for the engineering program in mechanical engineering at Karlstad University. The assignmenst was made for voestalpine Precision Strip AB, Munkfors. In the factory in Munkfors band steel is cold rolled for various applications. The steel is machined mechanically in the rolling process. X-ray diffraction is used measure the properties of the steel. The method is to irridate the steel with X-rays and decode the measurement values with a computer. At present, there only exits a fixture to measure flat test objects. The client wishes to be able to measure test object that are subject to stress during the course of the test. This is to be able to measure the modulus of elasticity and poisson´s ratio of the steel. The aim of the work has thus been to construct a fixture that can produce a variable bending load on a test object. The project has followed the product development process described in Johannesson et al. The project resulted in a fixture that applies a certain load to a test object. The applied load can be varied by the operator and various adjustment options are available. The fixture is equipped with a power sensor and a measuring device to ensure correct measurement. The solution is considered to meet the requirements made except for one requirement. This requirement is be able to bend all test objects within the specified thickness range of 0,06-0,4 mm.
Crystal and molecular structure of poly(1,4-phenyleneazine-N,N-dioxide) (PDNB, 1), obtained from polymerization of 1,4-dinitrosobenzene, is investigated by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and DFT ...calculations. Starting with the determined crystal structure, we have calculated the electronic structure of the polymer, which reveals that 1 is potentially a wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor with a band gap of 2.3 eV. Its calculated electronic spectrum with the absorbance at 400 nm is in good agreement with the experimental data. A highly organized crystal structure with linear chains of polymer indicates possible anisotropic electronic properties that could be useful in molecular photoelectronics (e.g OLEDs). Photolysis of 1 at cryogenic temperatures yields dinitrosobenzene monomers, which re-polymerize at higher temperatures. After this reversible photo-thermal cycle, the starting polymorph of 1 is recovered. Thermal analysis (TG/DSC/DTA) and in situ XRPD measurements show the high thermal stability of 1 until around 150 °C.
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•The crystal structure is determined via X-ray powder diffraction.•The ON-OFF polymerization mechanism is studied at low temperature.•Reversible polymerization always gives the same polymorphic form.•Calculation of electronic properties reveals wide-bandgap semiconductivity.•Thermal analyses and in situ studies show stability up to circa 150 °C.
U ovom radu opisan je matematički model vozila s četiri stupnja slobode gibanja tzv. polovinski model vozila te postupak modeliranja umjetne izbočine. Dimenzije izbočina propisane su Pravilnikom i ...ovise o ograničenjima brzine. Za izabrani tip automobila provedene su potrebne simulacije kako bi se prikazao utjecaj dodatnog tereta na gibanje težišta vozila pri prelasku preko umjetne izbočine. Sve numeričke simulacije provedene su u
programskom paketu Matlab/Simulink. Rezultati simulacija prikazani su tablično, gdje je dana usporedba maksimalnih vrijednosti pomaka i ubrzanja vozila i kotača pri brzinama vožnje 20 km/h, 30 km/h i 50 km/h u
dva promatrana slučaja, tj. bez i s dodatnim teretom. U vremenskoj domeni prikazani su odzivi vertikalnih i kutnih pomaka i ubrzanja vozila
pri brzinama 30 i 50 km/h.
In this paper a mathematical model of a vehicle with four degrees of freedom i.e. half vehicle model and a procedure for modelling artificial bumps are described. The dimensions of the artificial bumps are prescribed by the Rulebook and depend on speed limits. To show the influence of additional cargo on vehicle movement when driving across artificial bumps, for the selected type of car, required numerical simulations are carried out. All numerical simulations are carried out in the Matlab/Simulink software package. The simulation results are presented in the table form, where the comparison of the maximum values of vehicle and wheel displacements and accelerations for three vehicle speeds(v = 20 km/h, v = 30 km/h and v = 50 km/h) and for two cases, i.e. without and with additional cargo, is given. Vertical and angular displacements and accelerations of the vehicle are also shown in the time domain for speeds 30 and 50 km/h.
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