Introduction. In May of 2012, we investigated a food-borne Clostridium perfringens outbreak in Slovenia involving a single kitchen and five venues, with 477 exposed persons.
Methods. In order to ...identify the causative agent, vehicle of infection and source of contamination, we conducted microbiological and environmental investigations and an analytical cohort study (n = 138).
Results. The case definition in the outbreak was met by 104 persons. Predominant symptoms were diarrhoea, nausea and abdominal cramps. Median incubation time and duration of illness were 12 and 22.5 hours respectively. Stool samples were collected from 18 persons and in 13 C. perfringens spores were present; enterotoxin was detected in 9 persons. PCR and PFGE analysis of isolates from a cook with earlier onset time, who did not consume the implicated food, and cases from four venues showed the same strain of C. perfringens type A (with cpe-gene), indistinguishable by PFGE analysis. No food samples could be obtained. An analytical study showed that one food item (French salad) was the most likely vehicle of infection (RR: 6.35; 95% CI: 1.62-24.90).
Conclusions. This was the largest C. perfringens outbreak in Slovenia to date. Proper analytical study in combination with detailed laboratory investigation with genotypisation enabled us to identify a causative agent, vehicle of infection and possible source of contamination. Fast response and interdisciplinary collaboration led to timely implementation of control measures. These have led to the kitchen acquiring new equipment and improving staff knowledge of risks and processes, thus reducing the likelihood of future reoccurrences
Uvod. V maju 2012 smo preiskovali izbruh okužb s Clostridium perfringens, prenesenih s hrano, v katerega so bile vpletene ena kuhinja in pet lokaciji s 477 izpostavljenimi osebami.
Metode. Da bi ugotovili povzročitelja, pot prenosa in vir kontaminacije, smo izvedli laboratorijsko in okoljsko preiskavo ter analitično kohortno raziskavo (n = 138).
Rezultati. Definiciji primera v izbruhu so ustrezale 104 osebe. Prevladujoči simptomi so bili: driska, slabost in trebušni krči. Mediana časa inkubacije in trajanja bolezni je bila 12 ur in 22,5 ure. Vzorci blata so bili odvzeti 18 osebam; pri 13 so bile prisotne spore C. perfringens, enterotoksin je bil zaznan pri 9 osebah. PCR- in PFGE-analiza izolatov kuharja z zgodnejšim časom pojava obolenja, ki ni užival impliciranih živil, in primerov s štirih lokacij sta pokazali enak sev C. perfringens tipa A (s cpe genom), ki se ni razlikoval pri analizi PFGE. Vzorcev živil ni bilo mogoče pridobiti. Analitična študija je pokazala, da je bila najverjetnejša pot prenosa okužbe eno izmed živil (francoska solata) (RT: 6,35; 95% IZ: 1,62-24,90).
Zaključek. To je bil največji izbruh s C. perfringens v Sloveniji do zdaj. Ustrezna analitična raziskava v kombinaciji s podrobno laboratorijsko preiskavo z genotipizacijo nam je omogočila identifikacijo povzročitelja, pot prenosa okužbe in mogoč vir kontaminacije. Hiter odziv in interdisciplinarno sodelovanje je pripeljalo do pravočasne implementacije nadzornih ukrepov. Ti so privedli do nabave nove opreme v kuhinji, izboljšanja znanja osebja o tveganjih in procesih ter s tem zmanjšali verjetnost za ponovitve v prihodnje
Environmental Archaeology and Palaeoecology:Palynology, Archaeobotany and ArchaeozoologyPlant and animal remains, which are found on archaeological sites and in lake/marsh sediments, are a good ...source of information about past economy, environment, food procurement, and the adaptation of people to changeable environmental conditions in various archaeological time periods. However, all these data need to be collected and interpreted. With the first manual presenting palynology, archaeobotany and archaeozoology fields of research in Slovenian language, this task should be more easily achievable.
In the last 150 years, 49 raptor species belonging to the families Pandionidae, Accipitridae, Falconidae, Tytonidae, Strigidae and Laniidae have been recorded in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, ...little is known about their populations. In comparison with historical data, their status has changed significantly, while nine species became extinct or probably extinct as breeders. In this paper, data on the present status of raptor populations is presented, as well as problems and the possibilities of developing species monitoring in Bosnia and Herzegovina. So far, no raptor monitoring has been established in the form of a long-term programme. The establishment of such programme is hampered by a number of reasons (lack of observers, lack of financial resources, lack of experience and knowledge, etc.). Monitoring of raptors in Bosnia and Herzegovina is needed to improve knowledge of the local populations as well as to protect these birds and their habitats. Also, this programme would be significant for the studies concerning the construction of various facilities (e.g. wind turbines). One of the important points of the development programme is to mobilize international cooperation and projects to solve current problems
Martina Bofulin offers a fine-grained analysis of complex relationships, practices and representations of Chinese migrants from Qingtian who live in Slovenia, but maintain active and manifold ties ...with their place of origin in southeast China as well as with friends and family living in Europe and beyond. Through her intensive multi-sited ethnographic research she reveals the opportunities and constraints at both ends of migration process that shape the everyday experiences of this group. The book ('Home and away: Chinese migration to Slovenia') goes beyond the mechanistic explanations of migration pull and push factors and describes a complex mix of migration regimes, discursive spaces, forms of consumption, family practices and individual imaginations blurring the line between home and away.
Priljubljenost integracije kvantitativne in kvalitativne metodologije v isti raziskavi je neverjetno narasla v zadnjih letih. Nimamo pa veliko podatkov o uspešnosti njihove uporabe v raziskovalni ...praksi na področju zdravstva. Namen te raziskave je bil analizirati področja, osrednje raziskovalne tematike, vrste raziskovalnih načrtov, uspešnost uporabe in nadaljnja odprta vprašanja integracije metod v raziskavah v zdravstvu.
Raziskava temelji na sistematični pregledni študiji 25 znanstvenih člankov s področja zdravstva, ki so pri svojem raziskovanju uporabili integracijo metod. Vključitvena merila: izvirni znanstveni članek z uporabo in evalvacijo integracije metod, objavljen v obdobju julij 2006-julij 2011 v reviji z recenzijo, ki je vključena v mednarodne baze podatkov: WebSurvey Methodology, CINAHL, MEDLINE in PubMed.
Vseh 25 analiziranih raziskav je potrdilo uspešnost uporabe integracije metod v raziskavah v zdravstvu. Uporaba integracije metod je najpogostejša na področju zdravstvene nege (32%) in promocije zdravja (28%). Prevladuje zaporedni način izvedbe kvantitativne in kvalitativne faze raziskave (64,3%), pri čemer je prva faza v večini primerov dominantna (71,4%). Razmerje med kvantitativnim (57,2%) in kvalitativnim (42,8%) prioritetnim pristopom je uravnoteženo. Najpogosteje uporabljeni nameni integracije metod v raziskavah v zdravstvu so komplementarnost (57,1%), triangulacija (28,6%) in ekspanzija (14,3%).
Dobljene ugotovitve potrjujejo uporabnost integracije metod pri raziskovanju kompleksnih in manj raziskanih problematik v zdravstvu ter izkazujejo potrebe po nadaljnjih raziskovanjih, kot so: konceptualizacija integracije metod v posameznih disciplinah zdravstvenih ved, razvoj meril in standardov ocenjevanja kakovosti raziskav z integracijo metod ter razširitev uvedbe integracije metod v klinično prakso kot podpore pri razvoju na dokazih podprte prakse.
The popularity of integrating quantitative and qualitative methodologies in the same research has grown incredibly in recent years. There is a lack of evidence about the efficiency of mixed methods use in health sciences research practice. The purpose of this study was to analyse the areas, main research themes, mixed methods research design typologies and efficiency of implementation and further open questions regarding mixed methods in health sciences.
A systematic review was made on a sample of 25 scientific articles of health sciences that stated mixed methods use in research. Inclusion criteria: original scientific article with applying and evaluating of mixed methods, published during the period July 2006 - July 2011 in a peer reviewed journal, included in international databases: WebSurvey Methodology, CINAHL, MEDLINE and PubMed.
All 25 studies provided effectiveness of mixed methods use in health science research practice. Mixed methods are the most popular in nursing (32%) and health promotion (28%). Sequential mixed methods research design is prevalent (64.3%), with the first research phase in priority (71.4%). The relation between quantitative (57.2%) and qualitative (42.8%) priority approach is balanced. Complementarity (57.1%), triangulation (28.6%) and expansion (14.3%) are the most common research purposes for using mixed methods in health sciences.
The presented findings confirmed mixed methods applicability for the complex and less studied research problems in health sciences. Conceptualisation of mixed methods in different disciplines of health sciences, development of quality criteria and standards for mixed methods research assessment and expansion of mixed methods in clinical practice as support in evidence based practice development appeared as the most important research questions of mixed methods in health sciences that should be addressed in the future studies.
Within the framework of the basic research project The Župna cerkev Cemetery n Kranj, intended for the publication and research of materials from archaeological excavations of the eponymous burial ...ground, digital primary forms of archival sources are presented.In Slovenian only The first issue presents documentation of the 1953 excavation. The second one brings the files of graves, excavated in 1953, kept in The National Museum of Slovenia. The documentation of the 1964 to 1966 excavation is presented in the third book. In the fourth book is on field documentation of 1969 to 1973 excavation. Milan Sagadin, the excavator of the 1984 campaign, presents the field diary in the fifth issue. The anthropological diaries of the 1964 to 1973 excavations by Tone Pogačnik and Tatjana Tomazzo Ravnik are presented in the sixth book. "