Reform of the School System as an Anthropological Problem – An Example from the History Education

The article is a longitudinal review of experimental research of high didactic systems effects in history teaching over the last 30 years. The aims of research are to evaluate: 1. position of adolescent, especially neurotic pupils in the teaching process; 2. possibilities to enhance the level of restructured matter (historical anthropology) in programmed and problem-solving teaching; 3. influence on the anxiety, attitudes and success of pupils with changes in the teaching process. Authors conclude, that the teaching process can influence the emotional state of the neurotic pupil. Higher didactic systems in a short time can influence the enhanced level of knowledge in relation to the traditional teaching systems. In the new systems, the attitudes of the pupils towards the teaching can change positively. Experiments carried out point to the possibility of changes of national identity and the necessity of an anthropological approach to reform the educational system

Senile Cataract and the Absorption Activity of Cytochrome C Oxidase

The aim of the study was to determine the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondrial fractions of cataractogenic epithelial cells of lenses of 60 patients (34 females and 26 males). According to clinical criteria patients were divided into three groups: group 1 – patients with senile cataract, group 2 – active smokers with senile cataract, and group 3 – diabetic patients with cataract as diabetic complication. In the extracted lenses we determined the absorption activity of mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome c oxidase. Biochemical researches using the method of Yonetani and Ray13 were applied. We also applied the statistical Student t-test (p < 0.05) and the variance analysis (R. Fisher) with three parameters and Snedecor F distribution (s = p < 0.001). The activity of cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondrial fraction of lens epithelial cells is twice as low in patients who are active smokers than in the non-smoking patients with senile cataract. We measured a significantly different activity of cytochrome c oxidase between active smokers and the non-smoking patients with senile diabetic cataract (tp < 0.05, sp < 0.001). Cigarette smoke decreases the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondrial fraction of lens epithelial cells. This enzyme is a terminal oxidase in the synthesis of ATPs. We suggest that smoking decreases the synthesis of energy in the lens of cigarette smokers. This emphasizes the significance of giving up smoking in order to preserve the structure and function of the lens

A Case of Visceral Leishmaniasis in the Northern Adriatic Region

A 33-year-old male patient with fever, splenomegaly, pancytopenia and lymphocytosis was admitted to the Department of Hematology in Rijeka. Laboratory findings, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy excluded hemoblastosis and aplastic anemia. To exclude primary splenic lymphoma we performed splenic aspiration where Leishmania amastigotes were found. No cases of visceral leishmaniasis have been previously described in the Northern Adriatic region. Considering epidemiology, a contraction of the disease in the Velebit mountain range could be possible despite the current non-endemic status of the region

Syndroma: Glaucoma Pigmentatum Primarium – Pigmented Glaucoma

In this study pigmented glaucoma was diagnosed in 29 out of 4350 patients suffering from glaucoma. In clinical analysis of those cases main attention was put on Krukenberg spindle with emphasis on the process and reason of its development. In all cases of Krukenberg spindle moderate myopia and myopic astigmatism were present. The main axis of the spindle lies in the principal meridian of corneal astigmatism. The principal meridian of the anterior cornea surface corresponds with the axis of the principal meridian of the posterior corneal surface. The higher degree of astigmatism more pronounced Krukenberg spindle. This corresponds to a number of cases in which the spindle is hardly recognisable in the astigmatism, of only 0.25 to 0.50 Dcyl. The axis of meridian corresponds to direct astigmatism (from 110° to 70°). The authors conclude that there is no pigmented Krukenberg spindle without myopic astigmatism. It is for this reason and because of the inheritance factor that this type of glaucoma should be considered primary glaucoma and a separate clinical entity

Acute Angle-Closed Glaucoma and Meteorological Factors in Split, Croatia

This study is a retrospective analysis of medical findings of patients treated at the Department of Ophthalmology, Clinical Hospital Split, Croatia in the period of 1995– 1999. Seventy-three cases of acute closed-angle glaucoma were analyzed and compared in relation to the meteorological factors – hours of sunshine, air temperature and atmospheric pressure. No significant statistical correlation was found between the development of acute closed-angle glaucoma and air temperature, atmospheric pressure and mean sunshine hours in all months, except in November (z = 2.1; p = 0.03). The mean daily sunshine hours on the day of the acute closed-angle glaucoma onset were found to be lower than the mean monthly sunshine hours. An increased incidence of acute closedangle glaucoma was found in the winter months (2 = 14.4; p < 0.01). Seasonal variations of the incidence of acute closed-angle glaucoma in Split cannot be directly attributed to the meteorological factors, although the correlation between acute glaucoma and sunshine seems to have a slightly inverse ratio

Senile Cataract and the Absorption Activity of Cytochrome C Oxidase

The aim of the study was to determine the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondrial fractions of cataractogenic epithelial cells of lenses of 60 patients (34 females and 26 males). According to clinical criteria patients were divided into three groups: group 1 – patients with senile cataract, group 2 – active smokers with senile cataract, and group 3 – diabetic patients with cataract as diabetic complication. In the extracted lenses we determined the absorption activity of mitochondrial enzyme cytochrome c oxidase. Biochemical researches using the method of Yonetani and Ray13 were applied. We also applied the statistical Student t-test (p < 0.05) and the variance analysis (R. Fisher) with three parameters and Snedecor F distribution (s = p < 0.001). The activity of cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondrial fraction of lens epithelial cells is twice as low in patients who are active smokers than in the non-smoking patients with senile cataract. We measured a significantly different activity of cytochrome c oxidase between active smokers and the non-smoking patients with senile diabetic cataract (tp < 0.05, sp < 0.001). Cigarette smoke decreases the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in mitochondrial fraction of lens epithelial cells. This enzyme is a terminal oxidase in the synthesis of ATPs. We suggest that smoking decreases the synthesis of energy in the lens of cigarette smokers. This emphasizes the significance of giving up smoking in order to preserve the structure and function of the lens