Colposcopy and cytodiagnosis in the prevention of cervical malignancies

Background: The aim of this study was to establish the value of cytology, colposcopy, and pathohistology in the prevention of cervical malignancies. Methodology: A prospective study involving 750 patients hospitalized in the Obstetric-Gynecologic department during the period between January 2008 to January 2009 for different reasons in whom cervical dysplasia were noted on speculum examination or who showed typical clinical symptoms, direct biopsy was also obtained from 117 patients. Results: 272 of the 750 patients (36.27%) showed clinical symptoms of cervical pathology. Atypical epithelial changes noted during colposcopy were more frequent in patients 31-40 years of age (60 patients, 32.09%) and 41- 50 years of age (59 patients, 31.55%). Histopathological changes were noticed in 19 cases (16.24%) of cervical dysplasia at different stages, six cases (5.13%) of carcinoma in situ, and three cases (2,56%) of invasive carcinoma. Conclusions: The correct clinical evaluation of cervical epithelial alterations enables a prompt diagnosis and the timely implementation of appropriate therapeutic measures.Key words: colposcopy, cytodiagnosis, cervi

Characterisation of a phantom for multiwavelength quantitative photoacoustic imaging

Quantitative photoacoustic imaging (qPAI) has the potential to provide high- resolution in vivo images of chromophore concentration, which may be indicative of tissue function and pathology. Many strategies have been proposed recently for extracting quantitative information, but many have not been experimentally verified. Experimental phantom-based validation studies can be used to test the robustness and accuracy of such algorithms in order to ensure reliable in vivo application is possible. The phantoms used in such studies must have well-characterised optical and acoustic properties similar to tissue, and be versatile and stable. Polyvinyl chloride plastisol (PVCP) has been suggested as a phantom for quality control and system evaluation. By characterising its multiwavelength optical properties, broadband acoustic properties and thermoelastic behaviour, this paper examines its potential as a phantom for qPAI studies too. PVCP's acoustic properties were assessed for various formulations, as well as its intrinsic optical absorption, and scattering with added TiO2, over a range of wavelengths from 400-2000 nm. To change the absorption coefficient, pigment-based chromophores that are stable during the phantom fabrication process, were used. These yielded unique spectra analogous to tissue chromophores and linear with concentration. At the high peak powers typically used in photoacoustic imaging, nonlinear optical absorption was observed. The Grüneisen parameter was measured to be $\Gamma$   =  1.01  ±  0.05, larger than typically found in tissue, though useful for increased PA signal. Single and multiwavelength 3D PA imaging of various fabricated PVCP phantoms were demonstrated

Test materials for characterising heating from HIFU devices using photoacoustic thermometry

High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive thermal therapy during which a focused ultrasound beam is used to destroy cells within a confined volume of tissue. Due to its increased use and advancements in treatment delivery, various numerical models are being developed for use in treatment planning software. In order to validate these models, as well as to perform routine quality checks and transducer characterisation, a temperature monitoring technique capable of accurately mapping the temperature rise induced is necessary. Photoacoustic thermometry is a rapidly emerging technique for non-invasive temperature monitoring, where the temperature dependence of the Gruneisen parameter leads to changes in the recorded photoacoustic signal amplitude with temperature. In order to use this technique to assess heating induced by HIFU in a metrology setting, a suitable test material must first be selected that exhibits an increase in the generated photoacoustic signal with temperature. In this study, the temperature dependence of the photoacoustic conversion efficiency (μaΓ) of several tissue-mimicking materials was measured for temperatures between 22 °C and 50 °C. Materials included were agar-based phantoms, copolymer-in-oil, gel wax, PVA cryogels, PVCP and silicone. This information provided a basis for the development of a volumetric phantom, which was sonicated in a proof-of-concept integrated photoacoustic thermometry system for monitoring of HIFU-induced heating. The results show the suitability of agar-based phantoms and photoacoustic thermometry to image the 3D heat distribution generated by a HIFU transducer

Characterisation of a PVCP based tissue-mimicking phantom for Quantitative Photoacoustic Imaging

Photoacoustic imaging can provide high resolution images of tissue structure, pathology and function. As these images can be obtained at multiple wavelengths, quantitatively accurate, spatially resolved, estimates for chromophore concentration, for example, may be obtainable. Such a capability would find a wide range of clinical and pre-clinical applications. However, despite a growing body of theoretical papers on how this might be achieved, there is a noticeable lack of studies providing validated evidence that it can be achieved experimentally, either in vitro or in vivo. Well-defined, versatile and stable phantom materials are essential to assess the accuracy, robustness and applicability of multispectral Quantitative Photoacoustic Imaging (qPAI) algorithms in experimental scenarios. This study assesses the potential of polyvinyl chloride plastisol (PVCP) as a phantom material for qPAI, building on previous work that focused on using PVCP for quality control. Parameters that might be controlled or tuned to assess the performance of qPAI algorithms were studied: broadband acoustic properties, multiwavelength optical properties with added absorbers and scatterers, and photoacoustic efficiency. The optical and acoustic properties of PVCP can be tuned to be broadly representative of soft tissue. The Grüneisen parameter is larger than expected in tissue, which is an advantage as it increases the signal-to-noise ratio of the photoacoustic measurements. Interestingly, when the absorption was altered by adding absorbers, the absorption spectra measured using high peak power nanosecond-pulsed sources (typical in photoacoustics) were repeatably different from the ones measured using the low power source in the spectrophotometer, indicative of photochemical reactions taking place

STUPANJ OBRAZOVANJA MLIJEČNIH FARMERA NA KOSOVU

A study was conducted to assess the impact of farmers’ education on dairy farming knowledge, national food safety standards, animal diseases, and farm production practices. Farmers’ lack of awareness is likely a contributing factor to food standards not being met in most cases. The data are collected from 150 respondents randomly selected from farmers’ municipality database, in two regions of Kosovo (Gjilan and Ferizaj). The data were collected through face to face interviews and personal visits based on a structured questionnaire. Significant differences were found among farmers (higher level of education compare with primary education) in regard with food safety standards, animal diseases, milk yield, use of milking machine, milk cooling tanks, animal identification, farm register, feeding the animals according to the production level, etc. Awareness, teaching and training programs for dairy farmers can improve: animals feeding, cows’ milk yield, diseases control in animals and reduce the public health risk of milk-borne zoonosis. Also public and donor support schemes for farmers should be strongly linked to food safety standard implementation.Provedeno je istraživanje radi procjene utjecaja obrazovanja farmera na poznavanje rada mliječne farme, nacionalnih standarda sigurnosti hrane, bolesti životinja i postupaka u proizvodnji farme. Pomanjkanje znanja farmera u većini slučajeva vjerojatno doprinosi nepoštivanju standarda hrane. Podaci su prikupljeni od 150 ispitanika nasumce izabranih iz općinskih podataka o farmerima u dva područja na Kosovu (Gjilan i Ferizaj). Podaci su dobiveni u osobnim razgovorima i osobnim posjetima na temelju pripremljenih anketa. Dobivene su značajne razlike među farmerima (viši stupanj obrazovanja u usporedbi s osnovnoškolskim obrazovanjem), s obzirom na standarde sigurnosti hrane, bolesti životinja, prinos mlijeka upotrebu strojeva za mužnju, posuda za hlađenje mlijeka, identifikaciju životinja, registar farme, hranidbu životinja prema stupnju proizvodnje, itd. Svijest, programi obrazovanja i prakse za mliječne farmere mogu poboljšati hranidbu životinja, prinos mlijeka krava, nadziranje bolesti životinja i smanjiti rizik zdravlja ljudi mlijekom prenosivim zoonozama. Također, planove za poticaje javnosti i darovatelje farmerima treba usko povezati s provođenjem standarda sigurnosti hrane

Sensitivity of quantitative photoacoustic tomography inversion schemes to experimental uncertainty

The ability to accurately quantify chromophore concentration from photoacoustic images would have a major impact on pre-clinical and clinical imaging. Recent years have seen significant advances in the theoretical understanding of quantitative photoacoustic imaging and in the development of model-based inversion strategies that overcome issues such as non-uniqueness and non-linearity. Nevertheless, their full in vivo implementation has not successfully been achieved, partially because experimental uncertainties complicate the transition. In this study, a sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the impact on accuracy of having uncertainty in critical experimental parameters such as scattering, beam diameter, beam position and calibration factor. This study was performed using two virtual phantoms, at one illumination and four optical wavelengths. The model-based inversion was applied in 3 variants - one just inverting for chromophores and two others further inverting for either a scaling factor or the scatterer concentration. The performance of these model-based inversions is also compared to linear unmixing strategies - with and without fluence correction. The results show that experimental uncertainties in a priori fixed parameters - especially calibration factor and scatterer concentration - significantly affect accuracy of model-based inversions and therefore measures to ameliorate this uncertainty should be considered. Including a scaling parameter in the inversion appears to improve quantification estimates. Furthermore, even with realistic levels of experimental uncertainty in model-based input parameters, they outperform linear unmixing approaches. If parameter uncertainty is large and has significant impact on accuracy, the parameter can be included as an unknown in model-based schemes

The effect of curing temperature and time on the acoustic and optical properties of PVCP

Polyvinyl chloride plastisol (PVCP) has been increasingly used as a phantom material for photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging. As one of the most useful polymeric materials for industrial applications, its mechanical properties and behaviour are well-known. Although the acoustic and optical properties of several formulations have previously been investigated, it is still unknown how these are affected by varying the fabrication method. Here, an improved and straightforward fabrication method is presented and the effect of curing temperature and curing time on PVCP acoustic and optical properties, as well as their stability over time, is investigated. Speed of sound and attenuation were determined over a frequency range from 2 to 15 MHz, while the optical attenuation spectra of samples was measured over a wavelength range from 500 to 2200 nm. Results indicate that the optimum properties are achieved at curing temperatures between 160 °C and 180 °C, while the required curing time decreases with increasing temperature. The properties of the fabricated phantoms were highly repeatable, meaning the phantoms are not sensitive to the manufacturing conditions provided the curing temperature and time are within the range of complete gelation-fusion (samples are optically clear) and below the limit of thermal degradation (indicated by the yellowish appearance of the sample). The samples’ long term stability was assessed over 16 weeks and no significant change was observed in the measured acoustic and optical properties

Measurement of the temperature-dependent speed of sound and change in Gruneisen parameter of tissue-mimicking materials

Knowledge of the temperature dependence of the material properties of tissue-mimicking materials is useful or essential for many applications. This includes photoacoustic thermometry where the temperature dependence of the Grüneisen parameter of tissues leads to changes in the recorded photoacoustic signal amplitude with temperature. Here, a setup is described that can measure the temperature dependence of the speed of sound and photoacoustic conversion efficiency (μ a Γ) of tissue-mimicking materials. Agar-based phantoms, copolymer-in-oil, gel wax, PVCP, silicone and water were characterised in the newly developed setup for temperatures between 22°C and 50°C. This information provides a valuable resource for material characterisation and future development of tissue-mimicking materials

Preparation of Lime by Roasting the Limestone Deposits of Strezovci (Republic of Kosovo) and Its Use for the Aluminothermic Production of Calcium Metal

Cilj proizvodnje i prerade vapnenca (pretežno CaCO3) dobivanje je visokokvalitetnih vatrostalnih materijala na osnovi vapna (CaO). Vapno je sirovina za dobivanje metalnog kalcija, kao strateške i temeljne komponente u metalurgiji olova (proizvodnja rafiniranog olova, legura Pb-Ca u akumulatorskoj i kabelskoj industriji, proizvodnja ferolegura uz dodatak silicija i kalcija, proizvodnja legiranih čelika i proizvodnja visokokvalitetnih čelika). U ovom radu su prikazani rezultati istraživanja priprave vapna prženjem vapnenca iz ležišta Strezovci (Kosovo) i njegove uporabe za dobivanje kalcija aluminotermijskim postupkom. Istraživanjima i analizom kemijskog sastava određenih vrsta vapna utvrđena je njegova podobnost za dobivanje metalnog kalcija, a analizom uzoraka nastale šljake utvrđena je potencijalna mogućnost njezine uporabe u proizvodnji vatrootpornog cementa, za što je potrebna valorizacija. Na temelju prethodnih istraživanja odabrani su: optimalan sastav šarže, tj. količina dodanog reducensa i uvjeti izvođenja redukcije: temperaturno-vremenski i polazni vakuum. Prema saznanjima autora takva metoda do sada nije primijenjena nigdje u zemljama jugoistočne Europe, a obuhvaća i mogućnost uporabe nusproizvoda (šljake), koji može izazvati onečišćenje okoliša. Cilj istraživanja ovog rada priprava je vapna prženjem vapnenca za dobivanje metalnog kalcija aluminotermijskim postupkom. Tijek proizvodnje kalcija obuhvaća sljedeće operacije: dekarbonatizacija vapnenca (CaCO3), usitnjavanje dobivenog vapna (CaO), homogeniziranje CaO i aluminija, briketiranje, i aluminotermijska redukcija u peći pod vakuumom. Za učinkovitost procesa najvažnije su tehnološke operacije dekarbonatizacija i redukcija, pod uvjetom da su i ostale operacije korektno izvedene. Procjene ukupnog svjetskog godišnjeg kapaciteta za proizvodnju metalnog kalcija iznose 25 000 - 27 000 tona. U proizvedenom kalciju maseni udjel kalcija je najmanje 97%. Posljednjih godina u nekim se zapadnim zemljama, procesima redestilacije i zonske rafinacije, proizvodi metalni kalcij čistoće 99,99 %. U zemljama jugoistočne Europe i zemljama bivše SFRJ najveći su potrošači metalurgija olova, akumulatorska i kabelska industrija i industrija čelika te se upotrebljava za proizvodnju tarnih legura. Na temelju dobivenih rezultata očekuje se da se proizvedeni metalni kalcij može plasirati i na druga svjetska tržišta.The goal of producing and processing limestone ore (mostly CaCO3 ) is to obtain high-quality refractory materials based on lime (CaO). Lime is the raw material for obtaining calcium metal as a strategic and fundamental component in lead metallurgy (production of refined lead, Pb-Ca alloys in the battery and cable industry, ferroalloys production with the addition of silicon and calcium, production of alloy steel and high-quality steel). This paper explores the preparation of lime by roasting the limestone deposits of Strezovci (Republic of Kosovo) and its use for obtaining calcium through the aluminothermic process. Through research and analysis of the chemical composition of certain types of lime, its suitabi- lity for obtaining calcium metal was determined, and by analyzing the samples of the slag, determined was the possibility of its use in the production of fire-resistant cement for which the evaluation is needed. Based on previous research, the following was chosen: optimal composition of the cast, volume of added reducing agents, and conditions of the reduction process performance: temperature- -time and initial vacuum. According to the authors’ knowledge, not one Southeast European country has applied this method, and it includes the use of by-products (slag), which can cause environmental pollution. The goal of this research was to prepare lime by roasting limestone of domestic origin in order to obtain calcium metal through the aluminothermic process. The procedure of calcium metal production includes the following operations: decarbonatization of limestone ore (CaCO3 ), grinding of the obtained lime (CaO), homogenization of CaO and alumina, agglomeration, and aluminothermic reduction in vacuum furnaces. For the efficiency of the process, the most important technological operations are decarbonatization and reduction, provided the other operations are performed correctly. The estimated total world capacity for production of calcium metal is 25 000 – 27 000 tons/year. The mass fraction of calcium in manufactured calcium metal is minimum 97 %. In recent years, some western countries are producing calcium metal with 99.99 % of Ca, through redistillation and zonal refining. In the countries of Southeastern Europe and former Yugoslavia, the largest consumers were lead metallurgy, battery and cable industries, the steel industry and the producers of friction alloys. Based on the given results, the manufactured calcium metal can also be placed on other world markets. These studies have shown that the preparation of lime by roasting the limestone depo- sits of Strezovce (Republic of Kosovo) and its use for the aluminothermic obtaining of calcium metal is possible. This would stop imports and initiate exports, as well as create conditions for serious research into the application of calcium metal for industrial purposes, and thus keep pace with global technological development trends

Thermoreversible gels for the encapsulation of macrophages: evaluation of polymer type on rheology and cytocompatibility

© 2023 The Author(s). Published by the Royal Society of Chemistry. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Thermoresponsive polymers have become a highly sought-after “smart material” due to their ability to modify their physical characteristics due to temperature changes. This research aimed to determine the biocompatibility of specific thermoreversible gels for immunocompetent cell models containing ImmuPHAGETM, human alveolar macrophage-like cells. Four polymers were selected based on their transition temperatures, including three commercially available pharmaceutical excipients, namely poloxamer 407, soluplus, and methylcellulose. The fourth system, poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide), was synthesised in-house. Initially, the phase behaviour of these four polymers was evaluated visually by warming the polymer solutions and determining the state of the solution by vial inversion. Subsequently, a combination of rheological measurements was employed to compare the properties of these thermoreversible gels in culture media. The physical characterisation was followed by conducting cytocompatibility tests using human alveolar macrophages to assess their suitability as a scaffold for cell culture in vitro and to determine the cell response to different culturing environments. The study concluded that methylcellulose is the most promising and cost-effective material worth further exploration as a responsive matrix for immune cell encapsulation. Keywords: Thermoresponsive, Thermogelling, Alveolar macrophages, Foamy macrophages, immunocompetent in vitro models.Peer reviewe