The Possibility of Application Services Based on Users Location

Usluge temeljene na lokaciji daju mogućnost dvosmjerne komunikacije i interakcije. LBS usluge su informacijske usluge dostupne mobilnim uređajima putem mobilne mreže i koriste mogućnosti korištenja lokacije mobilnog uređaja. Postoji širok raspon različitih usluga temeljenih na lokaciji korisnika. Stalan rast broja različitih aplikacija i mogućnosti dovodi do širokog područja primjene LBS usluga. Određivanje lokacije je srce svake lokacijsko bazirane usluge te se LBS kvaliteta usluge prvenstveno bavi performansama određivanja lokacije uključujući pogreške pri određivanju lokacije, metodama određivanja lokacije i vremenu odgovora jednog lokacijskog senzora ili kombinacije više njih. Kvaliteta usluge identificirana je kao jedan o glavnih izazova u razvoju LBS-a. Pozicioniranje i infrastruktura pozicioniranja može se klasificirati s obzirom na različite kriterije: integrirane i samostalne infrastrukture pozicioniranja, pozicioniranja baziranog na terminalu i mreži kao i satelitske, ćelijske i unutarnje infrastrukture. LBS je heterogena tehnologija i sadrži niz pod arhitektura opća podjela Klijent , LBS poslužiteljem, Mreža, Web aplikacije,GIS i prostorne baze podataka, kartografija.Location-based services provide two-way communication and interaction. LBS services are information services available to mobile devices via the mobile network and use the possibilities of location of a mobile device. There is a wide range of different services based on the user's location. The steady increase in the number of different applications and opportunities leads to a wide area of application of LBS services. Determining the location is the heart of any location-based services and LBS quality of services is principally engaged in the performance of location measurement, including errors in determining the location, methods of determining the location and the response time one of location sensors or a combination of them. Te quality of service has been identified as one of the major challenges in the development of LBS. Positioning and positioning infrastructure can be classified based on different criteria: integrated and stand-alone infrastructure positioning, positioning based on the terminal and the network as well as satellite, cellular and internal infrastructure. LBS is a heterogeneous technology and contains a number of general architecture of the client division, LBS server, network, Web applications, GIS and spatial databases, cartography

Harmful Elements in Estuarine and Coastal Systems

Estuaries and coastal zones are dynamic transitional systems which provide many economic and ecological benefits to humans, but also are an ideal habitat for other organisms as well. These areas are becoming contaminated by various anthropogenic activities due to a quick economic growth and urbanization. This chapter explores the sources, chemical speciation, sediment accumulation and removal mechanisms of the harmful elements in estuarine and coastal seawaters. It also describes the effects of toxic elements on aquatic flora and fauna. Finally, the toxic element pollution of the Venice Lagoon, a transitional water body located in the northeastern part of Italy, is discussed as a case study, by presenting the procedures adopted to measure the extent of the pollution, the impacts on organisms and the restoration activities

Konstrukcija mehaniziranih naprava za demontažu kugličnih ležaja

U ovom radu proučili smo različite postupke demontaže ležaja te projektirali dvije naprave sa različitim stupnjem mehanizacije i automatizacije. Najpovoljniju varijantu odabrali smo nakon cjelokupne tehnološko-ekonomske analize tih varijanti. Za odabranu varijantu smo zatim izradili projekt sa cjelokupnom dokumentacijom

Liver Unidentified Bright Object in a Septic Patient

The typical sonographic appearance of liver hemangiomas is a well-demarcated hyperechoic mass with homogeneous echodensity. Focal liver lesions may change their ultrasound characteristics over time. We present a case of dynamic pattern of liver hemangiomas during a state of systemic inflammation

Prostate specific antigen expression does not necessarily correlate with prostate cancer cell growth

PURPOSE: The antiproliferative effects of pharmacological agents used for androgen ablative therapy in prostate cancer, including goserelin, bicalutamide and cyproterone acetate (Fluka Chemie, Buchs, Switzerland), were tested in vitro. It was determined whether they affected prostate specific antigen mRNA and protein expression independent of growth inhibition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Goserelin, bicalutamide (AstraZeneca, Zug, Switzerland) and cyproterone acetate were added to prostate specific antigen expressing, androgen dependent LNCaP and androgen independent C4-2 cell line (Urocor, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) cultures. Proliferation was determined by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay (Roche, Mannheim, Germany). Prostate specific antigen mRNA expression was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Secreted prostate specific antigen protein levels were quantified by microparticle enzyme-immunoassay. RESULTS: Goserelin inhibited cell growth and prostate specific antigen protein secretion in LNCaP and C4-2 cells. Prostate specific antigen mRNA expression was not decreased. Bicalutamide did not affect cell growth or prostate specific antigen mRNA expression in LNCaP or C4-2 cells, although it significantly decreased prostate specific antigen protein secretion in LNCaP and to a lesser extent in C4-2 cells. Cyproterone acetate decreased the growth of C4-2 but not of LNCaP cells. It did not affect prostate specific antigen mRNA or protein expression in either cell line. CONCLUSIONS: Prostate specific antigen expression does not necessarily correlate with cell growth. Without a substantial effect on cell growth bicalutamide lowers prostate specific antigen synthesis, whereas cyproterone acetate decreases cell growth with no effect on prostate specific antigen secretion. Prostate specific antigen expression may be influenced by growth inhibition but also by altered mRNA and protein levels depending on the agent, its concentration and the cell line evaluated. For interpreting clinical trials prostate specific antigen is not necessarily a surrogate end point marker for a treatment effect on prostate cancer cell growth

Cancer cachexia, sarcopenia and biochemical markers in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer-chemotherapy toxicity and prognostic value

Cancer cachexia and sarcopenia are frequently observed in non-small lung cancer patients and associated with poor survival. The purpose of our study was to evaluate prevalence of cachexia and sarcopenia in patients with diagnosed advanced NSCLC and their impact on chemotherapy toxicity and time to disease progression, as well as predictive value of several biochemical markers. One hundred patients with advanced IIIB or IV stage of NSCLC that were to start with systemic chemotherapy were recruited in the study. We provided anthropometric and biochemical data and body composition measurements for each patient. Muscle mass was measured by the analysis of electronically stored CT images using lumbar vertebral landmark (L3). Measured muscle area in this region correspond to whole-body tissue quantities. The prevalence of cachexia in our study was 69%, and sarcopenia was present in 47% of patients. We found statistically significant difference between CRP, IL-6 and albumin concentration in cachectic patients and non-cachectic patients. In our study, cachexia and sarcopenia were not predictors of chemotoxicity and survival, but albumin concentration has been shown to be the predictive factor of both chemotoxicity and survival. Biochemical parameters, such as CRP and albumin level have shown to be of more important predictive value in chemotherapy toxicity and survival probability than cachexia and sarcopenia

Agents used for chemoprevention of prostate cancer may influence PSA secretion independently of cell growth in the LNCaP model of human prostate cancer progression

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory growth effects of different potential chemopreventive agents in vitro and to determine their influence on PSA mRNA and protein expression with an established screening platform. METHODS: LNCaP and C4-2 cells were incubated with genistein, seleno-L-methionine, lycopene, DL-alpha-tocopherol, and trans-beta-carotene at three different concentrations and cell growth was determined by the MTT assay. PSA mRNA expression was assessed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR and secreted PSA protein levels were quantified by the microparticle enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Genistein, seleno-l-methionine and lycopene inhibited LNCaP cell growth, and the proliferation of C4-2 cells was suppressed by seleno-L-methionine and lycopene. PSA mRNA expression was downregulated by genistein in LNCaP but not C4-2 cells. No other compound tested altered PSA mRNA expression. PSA protein expression was downregulated by genistein, seleno-L-methionine, DL-alpha-tocopherol in LNCaP cells. In C4-2 cells only genistein significantly reduced the secretion of PSA protein. CONCLUSIONS: In the LNCaP progression model PSA expression depends on the compound, its concentration and on the hormonal dependence of the cell line used and does not necessarily reflect cell growth or death. Before potential substances are evaluated in clinical trials using PSA as a surrogate end point marker, their effect on PSA mRNA and protein expression has to be considered to correctly assess treatment response by PSA

Pleural and pericardial effusions combined with ascites in a patient with severe sunitinib-induced hypothyroidism

To best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of pericardial and pleural effusions combined with ascites, precipitated with severe sunitinib-induced hypothyroidism. A 58-year-old man presented in our emergency department due to dyspnoea and dry cough. Sixteen months earlier, the patient underwent left nephrectomy due to metastatic renal cell adenocarcinoma (RCC), and therapy with sunitinib was initiated postoperatively. Thyroid function was not assessed during the therapy. On admission, all laboratory findings were within normal range. Computed tomography of the chest detected voluminous bilateral pleural effusions and mild pericardial effusion, and echocardiography revealed pericardial effusion. Thoracocentesis was carried out three times, and cytological examination showed no signs of malignant cells. After assessment of the thyroid function, neglected hypothyroidism was registered. Substitution therapy with levothyroxine was initiated, and thyroid function normalised 2 weeks later. Few days after the last thoracocentesis, his condition suddenly got worse. Thoracocentesis was repeated, and microbiological analysis of the exudate came positive for Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Despite the implemented therapeutic measures, his clinical condition progressively deteriorated. The patient died 27 days after the admission, hospital-acquired pneumonia was identified as the cause of death. Our case emphasises the necessity of careful monitoring and management of side-effects in patients who receive sunitinib. Hypothyroidism is a known cause of pleural, pericardial and abdominal effusions, as reported in several case reports. Timely initiation of substitution levothyroxine therapy can decrease unnecessary pauses in the therapy with sunitinib, as well as prevent development of severe symptoms