Improvement of City Competitiveness by Re-Mixing of Inner Strengths

Globalization was marked by mobility – mobility of people, goods, capital, ideas and knowledge. As a result, development strategies in many cities have concentrated on the attraction of new investments, multinational headquarters, international events, tourists and high-skilled workforce, on the attraction of part of the global capital. The question is have these strategies been truly successful in the previous decades, can the attraction of foreign capital still be adequate in the challenging times and economical crises. This paper will explore another possible approach to strategies for improvement of city competitiveness, ones that are more based on inner city strengths and possibilities, which might be more suitable for contemporary times. Some of most recent research shows that global capital and workforce are not as mobile as it was considered, that are rooted in the economical path, social and cultural network of the city. The inner values of the city such as – inner social and business networks, identity and living conditions have strong impact on city competitiveness in global market. Local inner strength of city and its citizens can be the source of city’s wealth and resilience in the era of globalization. This paper will try to give a new way of looking on city development strategies for the improvement of its competitiveness on regional and global scale. It will elaborate the possibilities to reuse existing inner strengths of local production, creativity and innovations in the city, to remix existing and new values and qualities, with the aim of creation of city’s growth in the present global conditions

Koncentracije proupalnih citokina u nosnom sekretu kao indikatori težine nosne polipoze

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate whether cytokine levels in nasal secretions may be clinical parameters of severity of nasal polyposis. Forty nasal polyp patients (20 asthmatic and 20 nonasthmatic) requiring surgical treatment were included. Nasal secretion samples were collected from nasal cavities of all 40 subjects. The levels of T-helper type 1 (Th1) proinflammatory cytokines IL -2, IL -12, IFN -g, IL -1β, TNF -α and TNF -β, Th2 cytokines IL -4, IL -5 and IL -6, antiinflammatory cytokine IL -10 and chemokine IL -8 were measured using flow cytometric method. Each of the 40 patients was staged clinically according to global nasal symptom score, endoscopic score, and Lund-Mackay computed tomography (CT) score. Eosinophils were counted in hematoxylin-eosin stained sections of all nasal polyp samples. The concentrations of Th2 proinflammatory cytokines IL -5 and IL -6 were significantly higher (p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively) in patients with nasal polyposis and asthma compared with nasal polyp patients without asthma. Positive correlations were observed between IL -2 concentration in nasal secretions and nasal symptom score, endoscopic score, and Lund-Mackay score only in nasal polyp patients without asthma. We also found positive correlation between Lund-Mackay score and the levels of IL -8, IL -4, and IL -1β in nonasthmatic patients. A positive correlation between IL -5 levels in nasal fluid and endoscopic score was found only in asthmatic patients. Eosinophil counts were higher in asthmatic patients’ polyps compared with nonasthmatic ones, but without statistical significance. Nasal polyposis in asthmatic patients has different immunological patterns compared to those without asthma. The concentrations of cytokines measured in nasal fluid were not sensitive enough to be universal criteria to determine the severity of all forms of nasal polyposis.Cilj ove prospektivne studije bio je ispitati mogu li koncentracije citokina u nosnom sekretu poslužiti kao klinički parametri za procjenu težine nosne polipoze. U studiju je bilo uključeno 40 bolesnika s nosnom polipozom (20 astmatičnih i 20 neastmatičnih) u kojih je bilo potrebno kirurško liječenje. Uzorci nosnoga sekreta bili su sakupljeni iz nosnih šupljina svih 40 bolesnika. Koncentracije T pomoćničkih-1 (Th1) proupalnih citokina IL -2, IL -12, IFN -γ, IL -1β, TNF -α i TNF -β, Th2 citokina IL -4, IL -5 i IL -6, protuupalnog citokina IL -10 i hemokina IL -8 mjerene su primjenom metode protočne citometrije. Svaki od 40 bolesnika klinički je klasificiran prema zbiru nosnih simptoma, endoskopskom zbiru i Lund-Mackayevu zbiru. Eozinofili su se brojili u uzorcima nosnih polipa obojenim tehnikom hematoksilin-eozin. Koncentracije Th2 proupalnih citokina IL -5 i IL -6 bile su statistički značajno više u astmatičnih nego u neastmatičnih bolesnika s nosnom polipozom (P<0,05, P<0,01). Nađena je pozitivna korelacija između koncentracije IL -2 u nosnom sekretu i zbira nosnih simptoma, endoskopskog zbira i Lund-Mackayeva zbira samo u neastmatičnih bolesnika. Također su utvrđene pozitivne korelacije između Lund-Mackayeva zbira i razina IL -8, IL -4 i IL -1β u neastmatičnih bolesnika. Pozitivna koralacija između koncentracije IL -5 u nosnom sekretu i endoskopskog zbira nađena je samo kod astmatičnih bolesnika. Broj eozinofila bio je veći u tkivu nosnih polipa astmatičnih bolesnika nego u neastmatičnih, ali bez statističke značajnosti. Nosna polipoza u astmatičnih bolesnika ima drugačiji imunološki tijek u usporedbi s neastmatičnim bolesnicima. Koncentracije citokina mjerene u nosnom sekretu nisu dovoljno osjetljiv pokazatelj da bi bile univerzalni kriterij za procjenu težine svih oblika nosne polipoze

Natural history of supratentorial low-grade astrocytoma: Case report

Low-grade astrocytomas comprise a group of primary brain neoplasms with relatively low anaplastic potential, although through time they tend to behave more aggressively. They have a very heterogeneous natural course and clinical behavior. This report presents a natural history of a patient with low grade astrocytoma. A 32-year-old male sustained head injury after grand mal seizure. On admission, he was conscious and without neurological deficit. Initial computerized tomography and magnetic resonance of brain revealed oval, 4 cm in diameter, lesion in the left parietal region that was considered as low-grade glioma. The patient refused surgery. Eight years and four months later, he was readmitted. This time, he was subcomatose with right hemiplegia. Repeated computerized tomography showed huge tumor in the left frontoparietal region at the site of previous lesion. Urgent left frontoparietal craniotomy and reduction of tumor were performed. The patient recovered after surgery. Right hemiparesis remained. The described patient with low-grade astrocytoma lived without any oncological treatment eight years and four months from the time when diagnosis was made until intracranial herniation. The natural history of disease in presented patient indicated that rational therapeutic strategy, for low-grade astrocytoma with epilepsy only, would be deferral of surgery until the time of manifestation of neurological or radiological deterioration

Epidural hematomas of posterior fossa

Background. Posterior fossa epidural hematomas represent 7-14% of all traumatic intracranial epidural hematomas. They are most frequently encountered posttraumatic mass lesions in the posterior fossa. The aim of this study was to identify clinical features that could lead to the early diagnosis of posterior fossa epidural hematoma. Methods. Between 1980 and 2002, 28 patients with epidural hematoma of the posterior fossa were operated on at the Institute for Neurosurgery, Belgrade. Clinical course neuroradiological investigations, and the results of surgical treatment of the patients with posterior fossa epidural hematomas were analyzed retrospectively. Results. Almost two thirds of patients were younger than 16 years of age. In 20 cases injury was caused by a fall, in 6 cases by a traffic accident, and in 2 by the assault. Clinical course was subacute or chronic in two thirds of the patients. On the admission Glasgow Coma Scale was 7 or less in 9 injured, 8-14 in 14 injured, and 15 in 5 injured patients. Linear fracture of the occipital bone was radiographically evident in 19 patients, but was intraoperatively encountered in all the patients except for a 4-year old child. In 25 patients the diagnosis was established by computer assisted tomography (CAT) and in 3 by vertebral angiography. All the patients were operated on via suboccipital craniotomy. Four injured patients who were preoperatively comatose were with lethal outcome. Postoperatively, 24 patients were with sufficient neurologic recovery. Conclusion. Posterior fossa epidural hematoma should be suspected in cases of occipital injury, consciousness disturbances, and occipital bone fracture. In such cases urgent CAT-scan is recommended. Early recognition early diagnosis, and prompt treatment are crucial for good neurological recovery after surgery

Estimation of Equivalent Circuit Parameters of Single-Phase Transformer by Using Chaotic Optimization Approach

This paper deals with parameter estimation of single-phase transformer equivalent circuit by using Chaotic Optimization Approach (COA). Unknown transformer equivalent circuit parameters need to be accurately estimated for the best possible matching between the measured and the estimated transformer output characteristics (for example, output power&#8212;load resistance characteristic). Unlike literature approaches which apply different estimation techniques and are based either on the nameplate data or the load data obtained from experiments, in this paper the use of COA is evaluated on both types of input data. For two single-phase transformers, different with respect to machine power and voltage levels, the COA-based parameter estimation is compared to various literature techniques as well as to classical method based on open-circuit and short-circuit tests. The results show that COA outperforms other approaches in terms of average error between the measured and the estimated values of the primary current, secondary current and secondary voltage at full load, or between the measured and the estimated output characteristics. The effectiveness of COA is additionally confirmed through its application on laboratory 2kVA, 220 V/110 V, 50 Hz single-phase transformer

Spontaneous regression of cervical disc herniation in a patient with myelopathy

Introduction. The aim of this work was to present a rare case of spontaneous regression of a herniated cervical disc in a patient with myelopathy. Case outline. A 31-year-old women presented with two weeks’ history of neck pain associated with numbness in her body and all four extremities. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine showed a large posterior medial disc extrusion at the C5–C6 spinal segment, causing myelopathy. The patient refused discectomy that was recommended. She received symptomatic treatment in the form of analgesics, a muscle relaxant, and a hard cervical collar. A follow-up MRI of the cervical spine, performed after 11 months, revealed almost complete regression of disc herniation. The patient’s symptoms subsided completely after one year. Conclusion. In some cases of cervical disc herniation with myelopathy, especially in patients with mild neurological deficit, symptomatic therapy should be considered

Delayed epidural hematoma after mild head injury

Background. Traumatic delayed epidural hematoma (DEH) can be defined as insignificant or not seen on the initial CT scan performed after a trauma but seen on the subsequent CT scan as a “massive” epidural bleeding. Case report. We presented two cases of traumatic DEH after mild head injury. Both patients were conscious and without neurological deficit on the admission. Initial CT scan did not reveal intracranial hematoma. Repeated CT scan, that was performed after neurological deterioration, revealed epidural hematoma in both cases. The patients were operated with a favorable surgical outcome. Conclusion. Traumatic DEH could occur in the patients with head injuries who were conscious on the admission with a normal initial CT scan finding. Early detection of DEH and an urgent surgical evacuation were essential for a good outcome

Design of H∞ proportional-integral thrust controller for ramjet engine

This paper presents the design of a thrust controller for a ramjet engine. The mathematical model for controller synthesis is based on a numerical solution of a set of nonlinear equations. Transfer functions of the engine are found for certain operation points defined by the altitude, Mach number and angle of attack. Local controllers are developed by using H∞ control methodology, finally reduced to proportional-integral (PI) controllers. For gain scheduling, linear interpolation of parameters of the local PI controllers is used. Next, simulations are performed in order to show performances of the presented control algorithm

Modified “in-window” technique for decompressive craniotomy for severe brain injury

Increased intracranial pressure and decreased cerebral perfusion in patients with severe traumatic brain injury are associated with cerebral ischemia and poor outcome. Lowering intracranial pressure is one of the goals of treatment. We analyzed the effects of decompressive craniotomy on intracranial pressure levels and outcome. In addition, we compared the results of decompressive craniotomy performed with our original technique (modified “in-window” technique, with no need for cranioplasty) with results of classic techniques. We formed two groups: 52 patients with TBI (GCS≤8), with monitored intracranial pressure, and the control: 45 patients without intracranial pressure monitoring. In the first group, malignant intracranial hypertension was treated by decompressive craniotomy, using a modified "in-window" technique. Results were analyzed using standard statistical methods. In the first group, with intracranial pressure monitoring, 17/52 had decompressive craniotomy, and significant reduction of intracranial pressure appeared in the early postoperative period (38.82 to 22.76 mmHg, mean), with significant decrease of intracranial pressure at the end of treatment, compared to the control group (mean=25.00, and 45.30 mmHg, respectively). Late complications were similar to results of other studies. Our results were 20% of epileptic seizures, 8% of hydrocephalus, 12% contusion/hematoma progression and 12% subdural hygroma. Outcome (measured with Glasgow Outcome Score-GOS) in the first group, at the time of discharge, was better with decompressive craniotomy than without decompressive craniotomy (GOS=2.47, and GOS=1.00, respectively). Modified "in-window" technique for decompressive craniotomy in severe traumatic brain injury is safe, promising and according to our experience offers a lower rate of complications with no need for additional cranioplastic surgery

Intracranial myopericitoma: A case report of a rare tumour in a rare location in an AIDS patient

Myopericytoma is a benign, soft tissue tumor probably derived from perivascular myoid cells. They are usually found in subcutaneous tissues in the extremities. Intracranial localization of myopericitoma is exceedingly uncommon. We report a 43 years old male patient with incidentally found myopericitoma of the posterior fossa. Patient was operated and tumor was completely removed. Patient was subsequently diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome due to human immunodeficiency virus infection. One year after operation tumor showed no signs of recurrence, but patient developed progressive symptoms of AIDS and started highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Connection of intracranial myopericitoma appearance and HIV/AIDS has been reported before, but clear connection is yet to be elucidated