Trends in thyroid cancer incidence and mortality in Central Serbia, 1999-2014

Introduction. Thyroid cancer (TC) is the the most common malignant disease of the endocrine system. The incidence of the TC has been increasing worldwide, especially in female population. However, mortality from TC is low in both males and females. The objective of the paper was to determine and analyze incidence and mortality trends of TC in males and females in the central Serbia in the period 1999-2014. Method. Descriptive study was used. Data were obtained from the Serbian Cancer Registry. Crude and age-adjusted rates (ASR) of incidence and mortality were calculated. Trend and annual percentage change (APC) of the incidence and mortality rate with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by performing Jointpoint regression analyses. Results. A total number of new cases of TC was 3113. TC was diagnosed in 2343 females and 770 males (female-to-male ratio, 3 to 1). A total number of fatal cases was 770 (while 504 female and 266 male died from TC, female-to-male ratio, 2 to 1). TC was not common before 30 years of age. The highest incidence was recorded both in males and females aged 50-59. Joinpoint regression analysis showed the statistically significant increase of ASR of TC incidence in males in 1999-2014 period with APC of 6.2% (95%CI:4.2-8.3, p<0.001) and there was also significant increase of ASR of TC incidence in females in the same study period with APC of 6.1% (95%CI: 4.2-8.0, p<0.001). Joinpoint regression analysis showed an insignificant increase of ASR of TC mortality in males with APC of 2.4% (95%CI:-0.5-5.5, p=0.1). There was an insignificant decrease of ASR of TC mortality in females with APC of -1.3% (95%CI: -4.4-1.9, p=0.4). Conclusion. The increasing trend of age-adjusted incidence rate of TC both in males and females and decreasing trend of age-adjusted mortality rates of TC in during the period were registered. Females had higher age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates than males. Female to male ratio of incidence was 3:1 and for mortality 2:1. Measures of primary and secondary prevention are needed.

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to &lt;90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], &gt;300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of &lt;15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P&lt;0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P&lt;0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Odstopanje magnetnega polja daljnovoda za tri različne definicije tokovnega neravnovesja

An estimation procedure of the public\u27s exposure to the low-frequency magnetic field generated by overhead power lines, according to the international standards, implies measurement and an extrapolation. It is necessary to measure both the magnetic field around the lines and the current in the lines simultaneously. The extrapolation procedure implies the calculation of the maximum magnetic field that will occur when the line current achieves its maximum. The calculation relies on a proportion between the current in the power line and the magnetic field around the power line, which is valid only when the currents are balanced. Unfortunately, the standards do not cover the unbalanced cases. The relation between the current unbalance and magnetic field could improve the estimation procedure. In the literature, several different definitions of the current unbalance could be found. In this paper, a comparison of three different definitions of current unbalance and their relation to the deviation of a magnetic field are considered. The magnetic field is calculated in the vicinity of the bus bar. The same procedure could also be applied around overhead power lines. The definitions for the current unbalance used in this paper are derived from the existing definitions of the voltage unbalance. Only one of these three definitions considers phase unbalance. The relationships between current unbalance and the maximum deviation of the magnetic field are found to be proportional.Po mednarodnih standardih se za izpostavljenost nizkofrekvenčnemu magnetnemu polju, ki ga ustvarjajo nadzemni daljnovodi opravljajo meritve, katere je potrebno ekstrapolirati. Meritve magnetnega polja okoli vodnika in toka v vodniku je potrebno opravljati v enakem časovnem intervalu. Postopek ekstrapolacije pomeni izračun največjega magnetnega polja, ki se pojavi pri največjem linijskem toku. Izračun temelji na razmerju med tokom v daljnovodu in magnetnim poljem okoli daljnovoda, kar velja le, če so tokovi v ravnovesju. Razmerje med tokovnim neravnovesjem in magnetnim poljem bi lahko izboljšalo postopek ocenjevanja, vendar standardi tega ne upoštevajo. V literaturi je moč zaslediti več različnih definicij tokovnega neravnovesja. V tem prispevku je predstavljena primerjava med tremi različnimi definicijami tokovnega neravnovesja in njihovega razmerja do odstopanja magnetnega polja. Magnetno polje se izračuna v bližini zbiralke, pri čemer se lahko enak postopek uporabi pri nadzemnih daljnovodih. Definicija tokovnega neravnovesja je v tem prispevku izpeljana iz napetostnega neravnovesja, pri čemer je ena od treh definicij izpeljana iz faznega neravnovesja. Ugotovitve so pokazale, da je razmerje med tokovnim neravnovesjem in največjim odstopanjem magnetnega polja sorazmerno

Tube Model Predictive Control with an Auxiliary Sliding Mode Controller

This paper studies Tube Model Predictive Control (MPC) with a Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) as anauxiliary controller. It is shown how to calculate the tube widths under SMC control, and thus how muchthe constraints of the nominal MPC have to be tightened in order to achieve robust stability and constraintfulfillment. The analysis avoids the assumption of infinitely fast switching in the SMC controller

Tube Model Predictive Control with an Auxiliary Sliding Mode Controller

This paper studies Tube Model Predictive Control (MPC) with a Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) as an auxiliary controller. It is shown how to calculate the tube widths under SMC control, and thus how much the constraints of the nominal MPC have to be tightened in order to achieve robust stability and constraint fulfillment. The analysis avoids the assumption of infinitely fast switching in the SMC controller

Some negative chemical properties of acid soils

Some important chemical properties of various samples of two types of acid soil from Western Serbia (pseudogley and brown forest) are presented in this paper. Mobile Al was found in elevated and toxic quantities (10–30 mg/100 g) in the more acid samples of pseudogley soil. All samples of brown forest soil were very acid and the quantities of mobile Al were in the range from 12.8 to 90.0 mg/100 g. In a selected number of pseudogley soils, the influence of pH and other soil properties on the mineralization and nitrification processes was investigated. Strong inhibition of nitrification at low soil pH was found to be related to high quantities of mobile Al. At pH values less than 4.0 (in 1 M KCl), processes of chemical nitrification and denitrification of applied nitrites were registered in the pseudogley soils.Istraživanja su obavljena na dva tipa zemljišta Zapadne Srbije (pseudoglej i smeđe šumsko zemljište). Oba ispitivana zemljišta karakteriše niska pH vrednost. Kod svih uzoraka smeđeg šumskog zemljišta utvrđene su toksične količine mobilnog Al za biljke i za mikroorganizme, a kod pseudoglejnog zemljišta toksične količine Al su utvrđene samo za neke uzorke. Na proces nitrifikacije, koji je praćen u odabranim uzorcima pseudogleja, direktno su delovali niska pH vrednost (kiselost) i visok sadržaj mobilnog aluminijuma. Dodavanjem NaNO2 utvrđeno je odvijanje procesa hemijske nitrifikacije i denitrfikacije u pseudoglejnom zemljištu pri pH manjem od 4,0 u 1M KCl

Some negative chemical properties of acid soils

Some important chemical properties of various samples of two types of acid soil fromWestern Serbia (pseudogley and brown forest) are presented in this paper.Mobile Al was found in elevated and toxic quantities (10–30 mg/100 g) in the more acid samples of pseudogley soil. All samples of brown forest soil were very acid and the quantities ofmobile Al were in the range from 12.8 to 90.0mg/100 g. In a selected number of pseudogley soils, the influence of pH and other soil properties on the mineralization and nitrification processeswas investigated. Strong inhibition of nitrification at low soil pH was found to be related to high quantities of mobile Al. At pH values less than 4.0 (in 1 M KCl), processes of chemical nitrification and denitrification of applied nitrites were registered in the pseudogley soils

Evaluation of platelet activation in leukocyte-depleted platelet concentrates during storage

Structural and functional changes in platelets during storage can lead to the loss of platelet reactivity and response. Our aim was to evaluate leukocyte-depleted platelet concentrates on storage days 0, 3 and 5, obtained by in-line filtration. In non-filtered platelet concentrates (NF-PC) group, 180 whole blood units were collected with quadruple blood bags and then compared to another group of 180 whole blood units (leukocyte-depleted platelet concentrates [LD-PC]), collected in Imuflex Whole Blood Filter Saving Platelets (WB-SP) bags with an integrated leukoreduction filter, with regard to the platelet quality and characteristics. The efficacy of the two techniques for platelet concentrate preparation was evaluated by white blood cell (WBC) and platelet count on day 0. The partial pressure of oxygen (pO2), pH, platelets positive for P-selectin (CD62P), CD63, cluster of differentiation 42b (CD42b), phosphatidylserine (PS), and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were analyzed during the storage in both groups. A significantly lower WBC count and higher platelet count was observed in LD-PC compared to NF-PC group, indicating the overall efficacy of the first technique. During the 5-day storage, pH and pO2 decreased in both groups. In LD-PC group, higher pH, increased pO2 and decreased platelet surface expression of CD62P, CD63 and PS were observed compared to NF-PC group. In both groups, the percentage of CD42b positive platelets and MMP did not change significantly during the 5-day period. The assessment of different markers of platelet activation may be an effective tool in evaluating the quality of platelets during storage. A better understanding of platelet activation may provide new insights for developing a novel therapeutic approach in the manipulation of platelet aggregation

LaYO3:Sm3+ Nanocrystalline Phosphor: Preparation and Emission Properties

Samarium doped LaYO3 nanocrystalline phosphor powders are obtained by polymer complex solution method. Stoichiometric quantities of La2O3, Y2O3 and for dopant ions Sm2O3 were dissolved in hot nitric acid. Polyethylene glycol was added in solutions in 1:1 mass ratio to corresponding metal nitrates to form gel. The gel is combusted and annealed at 800 degrees C for two hours to form nanopowder samples. Crystalline structure and phase purity is checked by X-ray diffraction and show that this material is synthesized in cubic bixbyite type structure for the first time. Luminescence properties of Sm3+ doped LaYOL3 exhibited characteristic orange-red emission coming from the intra-4f-shell (4)G(5/2) - GT H-6(J) electron transitions with emission decay of 1.5 ms. Energy level positions are derived from emission and excitation spectra.12th Annual YUCOMAT Conference, Sep 06-10, 2010, Herceg Novi, Montenegr

LaYO3:Sm3+ Nanocrystalline Phosphor: Preparation and Emission Properties

Samarium doped LaYO3 nanocrystalline phosphor powders are obtained by polymer complex solution method. Stoichiometric quantities of La2O3, Y2O3 and for dopant ions Sm2O3 were dissolved in hot nitric acid. Polyethylene glycol was added in solutions in 1:1 mass ratio to corresponding metal nitrates to form gel. The gel is combusted and annealed at 800 degrees C for two hours to form nanopowder samples. Crystalline structure and phase purity is checked by X-ray diffraction and show that this material is synthesized in cubic bixbyite type structure for the first time. Luminescence properties of Sm3+ doped LaYOL3 exhibited characteristic orange-red emission coming from the intra-4f-shell (4)G(5/2) - GT H-6(J) electron transitions with emission decay of 1.5 ms. Energy level positions are derived from emission and excitation spectra.12th Annual YUCOMAT Conference, Sep 06-10, 2010, Herceg Novi, Montenegr