27 research outputs found
The Utrecht Questionnaire - Benefits of a Short, Practical Questionnaire to Measure Subjective Perception of Nasal Appearance after Aesthetic Rhinoplasty
Background: The evaluation of surgical outcomes measured by patient satisfaction or quality of life is very important, especially in plastic surgery. There is an increasing interest in self-reporting outcomes evaluation in plastic surgery. The authors tested a short, practically designed questionnaire to assess changes in the subjective perception of nasal appearance in patients before and after aesthetic rhinoplasty.
Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in a group of 121 patients who desired aesthetic rhinoplasty and were operated on by one surgeon. The questionnaire contained five questions (E1-E5) based on a five-point Likert scale and a visual analogue scale (range, 0 to 10). Two questions were designed as trick questions to help the surgeon screen for signs of body dysmorphic disorder.
Results: All patients rated the appearance of their nose as improved after surgery. The visual analogue scale revealed a Gaussian curve of normal distribution (range, 0.5 to 10) around a significant improvement (mean, 4.36 points, p=0.018). Also, question E1, question E2, and the sum of questions E1 through E5 showed a statistically significant improvement after surgery (p=1.74Ć10, p=4.29Ć10, and p=9.23Ć10, respectively). The authors found a linear relationship between the preoperative score on the trick questions and postoperative increase in visual analogue scale score. Test-retest reliability could be investigated in 74 of 121 patients (61 percent) and showed a positive correlation between postoperative (1 year after surgery) and repostoperative response (2 to 4 years after surgery).
Conclusions: The authors concluded that a surgeon performing aesthetic rhinoplasty can benefit from using this questionnaire. It is simple, takes no more than 2 minutes to complete, and provides helpful subjective information regarding patient preoperative nasal appearance and postoperative surgical outcome
High fidelity simulations of ion trajectories in miniature ion traps using the boundary-element method
In this paper we present numerical modeling results for endcap and linear ion
traps, used for experiments at the National Physical Laboratory in the UK and
Innsbruck University respectively. The secular frequencies for Strontium-88 and
Calcium-40 ions were calculated from ion trajectories, simulated using
boundary-element and finite-difference numerical methods. The results were
compared against experimental measurements. Both numerical methods showed high
accuracy with boundary-element method being more accurate. Such simulations can
be useful tools for designing new traps and trap arrays. They can also be used
for obtaining precise trapping parameters for desired ion control when no
analytical approach is possible as well as for investigating the ion heating
rates due to thermal electronic noise.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, changes made to the text according to the
editor's and referee's comment
Possibilities for the Use of Oil Contaminated Solids for Agricultural Purposes
All phases of oil exploitation, from the start of oil-drilling works to construction of the transport system (underground pipeline network) are accompanied by interventions and procedures hazardous to the environment. Although the state-of-the-art technical solutions and modern materials used by INA in all exploitation phases warrant a high level of safety, the possibility of different incidents is unfortunately not fully excluded.
Incidents endanger natural resources, primarily soil and water, and may, depending on their severity, jeopardize for a certain length of time the intended use of the land on which the incident occurred, that is, rule out the possibility of its use for plant or livestock production.
In the last two decades, the staff members of the Faculty of Agriculture Department of General Agronomy participated in the number of studies dealing with the evaluation of the extent of contamination of soil on which an oil incident occurred and drew up studies and plans for remediation of such soils. The paper presents the results of threeyear-long research on growing winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and soybean (Glycine hyspida L.) in pots under different degrees of soil contamination by oil. Research involved monitoring of changes in the soil chemical complex (pH, changes in plant available phosphorus and potassium, content of organic matter); also monitoring of number of plants, achieved yields and studying chemical changes in plant material caused by different degrees of soil contamination
UspjeÅ”no lijeÄenje oklozije gornje mezenteriÄke arterije u 86-godiÅ”nje bolesnice: prikaz sluÄaja
Chronic superior mesentery ischemia often presents a clinically asymptomatic diffuse atherosclerotic process. There are no compelling recommendations on the benefits of early revascularization strategy besides antithrombotic prophylaxis and statin treatment. Conversely, longterm prevalence of symptomatic cases in surgical patient cohorts is rarely reported in the literature. Acutization of chronic ischemia has a severe clinical course, so timely recognition may be considered lifesaving. We present a case of an 86-year-old woman hospitalized for acutized atherosclerotic narrowing of superior mesenteric artery. The patient was urgently operated on by aorto-mesenteric ring prosthesis revascularization. Postoperative course was uneventful and the patient regained 10 kilograms in the next few months.KroniÄna ishemija gornje mezenteriÄke arterije obiÄno predstavlja kliniÄki asimptomatsku pojavu difuznog aterosklerotskog procesa. Trenutno u pogledu medicine zasnovane na dokazima ne postoje jasne preporuke o korisnosti pristupa rane revaskularizacije prema terapiji antitrombocitnim lijekovima ili statinima. Na drugoj strani, studije uÄestalosti uz dugotrajno praÄenje operiranih bolesnika su kroz literaturu oskudno zastupljene. Akutizacija kroniÄne ishemije obiÄno ima vrlo ozbiljne posljedice s visokom stopom smrtnosti, pa veÄa kliniÄka pozornost uza Å”to raniju dijagnostiku i pravodobnu terapijsku intervenciju predstavlja potencijalno spasonosni oblik lijeÄenja. Prikazan je sluÄaj 86-godiÅ”njakinje koja se javila u hitnu službu zbog akutizirane aterosklerotske okluzije gornje mezenteriÄke arterije. Bolesnica je hitno operirana uz primjenu aorto-mezenteriÄke prstenaste proteze. Poslijeoperacijski tijek bio je uredan, bez komplikacija, te je bolesnica povratila oko 10 kg u slijedeÄih nekoliko mjeseci
RJET ā 111: Autonomous Mobile Robot for Water Intake Channel Maintenance in Power Plant Cooling Systems
Autonomous Mobile Robots For Deep And Shallow Hydrodynamic Treatment Of Concrete And Metal Surfaces
THE APPLICATION OF NITROGENāFIXING BACTERIA IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE MINERAL NITROGEN FERTILIZERS IN SUGAR BEET
Cilj je provedenoga istraživanja ispitati moguÄnosti redukcije mineralnih duÅ”iÄnih gnojiva primjenom slobodnih (Azotobacter chroococcum) i asocijativnih (Azospirillum brasilense) duÅ”iÄnih bakterija u kulturi Å”eÄerne repe, uz zadržavanje visokih prinosa i kvalitete korijena. Uz povrÄe, najviÅ”e nitrata skupljaju vrste porodice Chenopodiaceae, kojoj pripada i Å”eÄerna repa. DuÅ”ik je prinosotvorni element, pa se u gnojidbi koristi u velikim koliÄinama; meÄutim on je i najnestabilniji makroelement koji se ispire u dublje slojeve tla i vrlo Äesto dolazi do eutrofikacije podzemnih voda. Brojne bolesti povezuju se s visokom koliÄinom nitrata, nitrita i nitroznih spojeva podrijetlom iz hrane biljnoga izvora, vode i suhomesnatih proizvoda. Rezultati istraživanja pokazali su da je moguÄe reducirati mineralnu gnojidbu duÅ”ikom primjenom nitrofiksirajuÄih bakterija, dapaÄe s dobivanjem veÄe kvalitete istraživanih svojstava Å”eÄerne repe. NitrofiksirajuÄe bakterije nastanile su rizosferu korijena i biljke su se mogle koristiti raspoloživim duÅ”ikom koji im u danome vegetacijskom periodu treba, Å”to nije sluÄaj kod gnojidbe duÅ”iÄnim gnojivima.The aim of this study was to examine the possibilities of reducing the mineral nitrogen fertilizers by applying the freeāliving (Azotobacter chroococcum) and associative (Azospirillum brasilense) nitrifying bacteria in the sugar beet production, without a reduction in the yield and quality of the sugar beet root. Along with the vegetables, most nitrates are collected by the species of the family Chenopodiaceae, to which the sugar beet belongs. Nitrogen is one of the most vital elements in the achievement of high yields, so it is used in large quantities in fertilization. However, it is the most unstable macroelement that flushes into the deeper soil layers, and a groundwater eutrophication is caused very often. Numerous diseases are associated with the high amounts of nitrates, nitrites, and nitroso compounds, i.e., the nitrite and nitroso compounds originating from the foodstuffs having a plant origin, water, and the cured meat products. The results of the study have demonstrated that it is possible to reduce a mineral nitrogen fertilizer quantity by using the nitrogenāfixing bacteria while even obtaining a higher quality of the studied parameters. The nitrogenāfixing bacteria predominate in the rhizosphere, so the plants could use the amounts of nitrogen necessary in a given vegetation period, which is not the case upon a nitrogen fertilization
Provedba populacijskih istraživanja pomoÄu e-Anketa Hrvatskog zavoda za javno zdravstvo
Uvod: Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo (dalje Zavod) veÄ desetljeÄima uspjeÅ”no provodi kvantitativna i kvalitativna populacijska istraživanja u podruÄju životnih navika, bremena rizika i bolesti, zdravstvenog stanja, usluga, ishoda i praviÄnosti, responzivnosti zdravstvenog sustava i drugih. TehniÄki uvjeti provedbe tih istraživanja konstantno se mijenjaju kako bi se pratio razvoj novih rjeÅ”enja, stoga Zavod konstantno teži usvajanju rjeÅ”enja dobre prakse i koriÅ”tenju alata koji omoguÄavaju uÄinkovitiju provedbu anketa i strukturiranja upitnika, ali bez kompromitiranja njihove pouzdanosti i kvalitete (osjetljivost, specifiÄnost, toÄnost, preciznost i validnost).Prednosti novog rjeÅ”enja: PostojeÄe informatiÄko rjeÅ”enje koje se primjenjuje na Zavodu vrlo je prilagodljiv sustav otvorenog koda koji nudi velik broj opcija u proizvodnji i prezentaciji upitnika kojima se potom pristupa putem web-preglednika. Sustav omoguÄuje potpunu kontrolu pristupa administracijskom suÄelju u kojem se može u stvarnom vremenu provjeravati statuse otvorenih anketa te pristupiti rezultatima i izvoziti ih u standardne formate podataka za pregled ili statistiÄku obradu. Sustav takoÄer omoguÄuje kontroliranje pristupa anketi koje može biti potpuno slobodno ili ograniÄeno, a prikupljanje podataka o ispitanicima može varirati od strogo kontroliranog do potpuno anonimnog, ovisno o specifiÄnim potrebama i etiÄkim uvjetima pojedinog istraživanja.MetodoloÅ”ki i tehniÄki izazovi: Ankete koje se provode putem internetskih formulara uz mnoÅ”tvo prednosti sa sobom nose i odreÄene izazove. Osim oÄitih potreba za osiguravanjem tehniÄkih uvjeta za provedbu anketa te obradom podataka koji se njima prikupljaju, potrebno je uvijek imati na umu potencijalne prepreke. Prepoznavanje i preventivno otklanjanje tehniÄkih, ali i metodoloÅ”kih izazova u provedbi e-Anketa se rjeÅ”ava kroz stalnu suradnju autora anketa i Službe za medicinsku informatiku i biostatistiku Zavoda. Ta se praksa do sada pokazala vrlo uspjeÅ”nom u provedbi postojeÄih e-Anketa, ali i tijekom obrade podataka koji se njima prikupljaju. BuduÄi koraci: Kontinuirano se poduzimaju koraci kojima se dodatno optimizira postojeÄe rjeÅ”enje, educira djelatnike Zavoda za samostalno koriÅ”tenje sustava te osigurava tehniÄka i operativna podrÅ”ka. Prezentirana rjeÅ”enja i operativna podrÅ”ka za provedbu populacijskih istraživanja dostupni su svim potencijalno zainteresiranim stranama na koriÅ”tenje u obliku tzv. āshared servicesā kao usluge Hrvatskog zavoda za javno zdravstvo, ponajviÅ”e županijskim zavodima za javno zdravstvo. KljuÄne rijeÄi: informatiÄko rjeÅ”enje, anket
Kultur der Gesundheitsiformationen in Kroatien
Rad stavlja naglasak na informacijsku kulturu kao dio organizacijske kulture koja odreÄuje upravljanje informacijama te naÄine njezina koriÅ”tenja u sustavu. Zdravstvene informacije predstavljaju iznimno važan resurs u planiranju, voÄenju i procjeni zdravstvenog sustava, dok upravljanje informacijama u zdravstvu ima izravan uÄinak na funkcioniranje zdravstvenog sustava kao i na kvalitetu zdravstvene zaÅ”tite. U radu se navodi nekoliko primjera nedostatne informacijske kulture i manjkavog upravljanja informacijama u projektima implementacije informacijsko-komunikacijskih tehnologija u zdravstvu Republike Hrvatske. Uzrok je prepoznat u izostanku sustavnog i strateÅ”kog upravljanja eZdravljem, a navedeni primjeri ukazuju na probleme netransparentnosti sustava i njegovog preskupog održavanja, na institucionalnu fragmentarnost, nedostatak sustavno planiranih ljudskih i financijskih resursa, izostanak definiranih uloga i ovlasti te komunikacije meÄu dionicima, kao i na nepostojanje standarda, procedura i evaluacija. Autori predlažu ozbiljan pristup strateÅ”kim odrednicama upravljanja zdravstvenim podacima i informacijama kao kritiÄan korak ka sustavnom i uspjeÅ”nom upravljanju eZdravljem. Kao moguÄe aktivnosti predlaže se jaÄanje institucijskih kapaciteta, uspjeÅ”nija komunikacija te podjela ovlasti i uloga dionika koji bi informacijama trebali upravljati.In this paper we focus on information culture as part of organizational culture, which controls data management and data use within the system. Health information is an important resource in planning, managing and evaluating the system of health, while health information management can have a direct effect on the functioning of the system of health, as well as the quality of health protection. We use the project of the implementation of information-communication technologies within the health system in Croatia in order to reveal the deficiencies in its information culture and data management. We found several reasons for these deficiencies: the absence of systematic and strategic management of eHealth, the existence of a non-transparent system, a high cost of its maintenance, institutional fragmentation, the lack of planned human and financial resources, defined roles and obligations, communication among the actors, as well as standards, procedures and evaluations. The authors suggest a serious approach to strategic goals of health data and information management as a critical step towards a more systematic and successful management of eHealth. In particular, we suggest the strengthening of institutional capacities, more successful communication, as well as better delegation of power and roles among the actors in charge of information management.In der Arbeit wird der Akzent auf die Informationskultur als ein Teil der Organisationskultur gesetzt, die das Datenmanagement bestimmt, sowie die Art und Weise, wie sie im System genutzt wird. Die Gesundheitsiformationen stellen eine auĆerordentlich wichtige Ressource bei der Planung, FĆ¼hrung und Bewertung des Gesundheitssystems dar, wƤhrend das Datenmanagement im Gesundheitswesen das Funktionieren des Gesundheitssystems sowie die QualitƤt des Gesundheitsschutzes unmittelbar beeinfluĆt. In der Arbeit werden einige Beispiele mangelhafter Informationskultur und mangelhaften Datenmanagements in den Projekten der Implementierung von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien im Gesundheitswesen der Republik Kroatien angefĆ¼hrt. Die Ursache sieht man im Fehlen eines systematischen und strategischen Managements in der e-Gesundheit und die angefĆ¼hrten Beispiele weisen auf das Problem der Nichttransparenz des Systems und dessen zu teurer Wartung hin, auf den institutionellen Fragmentarismus, auf das Fehlen von systematisch geplanten menschlichen und finanziellen Ressourcen, auf das Ausbleiben von definierten Rollen und Befugnissen, auf das Fehlen der Kommunikation unter den Teilnehmern, sowie auf das Nichtbestehen von Standards, Prozeduren und Evaluationen. Die Autoren schlagen seriƶse AnsƤtze der strategischen Determinanten im Management von Gesundheitsdaten und Informationen vor, einen kritischen Schritt in Richtung eines systematischen und erfolgreichen Managements der e-Gesundheit. Als mƶgliche AktivitƤten werden die StƤrkung von institutionellen KapazitƤten, eine erfolgreichere Kommunikation, sowie die Teilung von Befugnissen und Rollen der Teilnehmer vorgeschlagen