The Incidence and Seasonal Variations of Acute Primary Angle-Closure Glaucoma

The incidence and seasonal variations of acute primary angle-closure glaucoma (APACG) was studied. It was based on a retrospective chart review of 121 hospital patients in Split, Croatia for the fifteen-year period from 1985 through 1999. The average incidence was 4.1 cases per 100,000 per year in the total population and 7.1 per 100,000 in those aged 30 years and older. APACG affects women almost twice more often than men. The incidence rate increased with age. No seasonal variations in the occurrence of APACG and no correlation with the mean duration of light exposure per season were found

Fruit and vegetables as vehiculi of salmonelosis

U ovom radu izneseni su podaci o rezultatima višegodišnjeg praćenja salmoneloza kojima su vektori bili kontaminirano povrće, sjemenke, klice i voće. Najpoznatije epidemije u SAD-u i Zapadnim zemljama javile su se kao posljedica kontaminacije klica alfalfa (lucerna – djetelina sedmača), rajčica, salate, kikirikija, lubenica, dinja, riže i sl. Uobičajeno mišljenje kako salmonele kontaminiraju povrće i voće samo površinski, napušteno je u svjetlu otkrića da ovi mikroorganizmi, kao i drugi patogeni mogu penetrirati u stabljiku, lišće i plodove kroz neoštećeni korjenski sustav ali i zbog oštećenja ovih struktura. Istraživanja su pokazala da je na molekularnoj razini potreban sustav TTSS efektorskih proteinskih molekula pomoću kojega različiti patogeni prodiru kroz neoštećeni korjenski sustav u biljku. U fazi klijanja sjemena, zbog otpuštanja hranjivih spojeva, bakterijski biofilm na sjemenju i klicama može postići invazivne koncentracije od 106–107 CFU/g biljne mase. Temeljni je izvor patogena u poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji kontaminirana voda, pa se preporučuju postupci njenog kondicioniranja prije navodnjavanja poljoprivrednih kultura, ali i postupci dezinfekcije voća i povrća koje se konzumira bez termičke obrade i to uranjanjem u otopine Na hipoklorita, H2O2 i sl.The results of a long term study of salmonelosis caused by contaminated vegetables, seeds, sprouts and fruit have been reported in the paper. The most famous outbreaks in the USA and the Western countries resulted from the contaminated alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, cantaloupe, lettuce, peanuts, etc., were described. Common opinion that Salmonella can be found only on the surfaces of fruit and vegetables has recently been abandoned due to the discovery of the fact that Salmonella as well as the other pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate stem, leaves and fruites of the plant through both damaged and undamaged roots. Molecular researches have proved that type III protein secretion system (TTSS) is necessary to the pathogenic microorganisms while penetrating the undamaged roots of the plant. During the phase of seed germination, nutrients are released enabling the bacterial biofilm on seeds and sprouts to reach the invasive concentrations of 106–107 CFU/g of sprouts biomass. The main source of pathogenic microorganisms in agriculture is, obviously, contaminated water so the procedure of its conditioning prior to the irrigation together with the desinfection of fruit and vegetables using Na hypochlorite or H2O2 has been strongly suggested

Fruit and vegetables as vehiculi of salmonelosis

U ovom radu izneseni su podaci o rezultatima višegodišnjeg praćenja salmoneloza kojima su vektori bili kontaminirano povrće, sjemenke, klice i voće. Najpoznatije epidemije u SAD-u i Zapadnim zemljama javile su se kao posljedica kontaminacije klica alfalfa (lucerna – djetelina sedmača), rajčica, salate, kikirikija, lubenica, dinja, riže i sl. Uobičajeno mišljenje kako salmonele kontaminiraju povrće i voće samo površinski, napušteno je u svjetlu otkrića da ovi mikroorganizmi, kao i drugi patogeni mogu penetrirati u stabljiku, lišće i plodove kroz neoštećeni korjenski sustav ali i zbog oštećenja ovih struktura. Istraživanja su pokazala da je na molekularnoj razini potreban sustav TTSS efektorskih proteinskih molekula pomoću kojega različiti patogeni prodiru kroz neoštećeni korjenski sustav u biljku. U fazi klijanja sjemena, zbog otpuštanja hranjivih spojeva, bakterijski biofilm na sjemenju i klicama može postići invazivne koncentracije od 106–107 CFU/g biljne mase. Temeljni je izvor patogena u poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji kontaminirana voda, pa se preporučuju postupci njenog kondicioniranja prije navodnjavanja poljoprivrednih kultura, ali i postupci dezinfekcije voća i povrća koje se konzumira bez termičke obrade i to uranjanjem u otopine Na hipoklorita, H2O2 i sl.The results of a long term study of salmonelosis caused by contaminated vegetables, seeds, sprouts and fruit have been reported in the paper. The most famous outbreaks in the USA and the Western countries resulted from the contaminated alfalfa sprouts, tomatoes, cantaloupe, lettuce, peanuts, etc., were described. Common opinion that Salmonella can be found only on the surfaces of fruit and vegetables has recently been abandoned due to the discovery of the fact that Salmonella as well as the other pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate stem, leaves and fruites of the plant through both damaged and undamaged roots. Molecular researches have proved that type III protein secretion system (TTSS) is necessary to the pathogenic microorganisms while penetrating the undamaged roots of the plant. During the phase of seed germination, nutrients are released enabling the bacterial biofilm on seeds and sprouts to reach the invasive concentrations of 106–107 CFU/g of sprouts biomass. The main source of pathogenic microorganisms in agriculture is, obviously, contaminated water so the procedure of its conditioning prior to the irrigation together with the desinfection of fruit and vegetables using Na hypochlorite or H2O2 has been strongly suggested

Aspects of the hybrid finite discrete element simulation technology in science and engineering

In this paper, the state of the art in the Combined Finite-Discrete Element Method (FDEM) has been summarized together with the fast emerging hybrid finite discrete element based simulation technology for multiphysics problems ranging from traditional engineering disciplines to biosciences and medical engineering. The key algorithmic aspects of FDEM have been summarized. The relationship between FDEM and virtual experimentation has been explained in more detail

Sagittal osteotomy of the patella after Morscher

The aim of this study was to present long-term results of sagittal osteotomy of the patella after Morscher. The study included 70 patients treated for patellar dysplasia with a postoperative follow-up from nine to 20 years. There were 59 females and 11 males with an average age of 21 years at the time of operation. Results were evaluated for the entire group of 70 patients and then presented separately for the 30 patients in whom sagittal osteotomy of the patella was performed as a single procedure and 40 patients in whom, in addition to sagittal osteotomy of the patella, medialisation and ventralisation or distalisation of the tibial tuberosity were also performed. The mean value of the Wiberg patellar angle was 112 degrees preoperatively and 140 degrees postoperatively. In the whole group of patients excellent results were obtained in 24 (35%), good results in 30 (42%), fair results in 13 (19%) and poor results in three (4%) patients. In 30 patients with sagittal osteotomy as a single operation excellent results were obtained in 13 (43%), good results in 14 (47%) and fair results in three (10%) patients, while in the 40 patients with sagittal osteotomy and additional surgical procedures, 11 (27%) were excellent, 16 (40%) good, ten (25%) fair and three (8%) had poor results. Sagittal osteotomy of the patella after Morscher is an enrichment of the spectrum of the secondary-causal and preventive procedures for the treatment of patello-femoral disorders

Updated overall survival and final progression-free survival data for patients with treatment-naive advanced ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer in the ALEX study.

The ALEX study demonstrated significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) with alectinib versus crizotinib in treatment-naive ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) at the primary data cut-off (9 February 2017). We report mature PFS (cut-off: 30 November 2018) and overall survival (OS) data up to 5 years (cut-off: 29 November 2019). Patients with stage III/IV ALK-positive NSCLC were randomized to receive twice-daily alectinib 600 mg (n = 152) or crizotinib 250 mg (n = 151) until disease progression, toxicity, withdrawal or death. Primary end point: investigator-assessed PFS. Secondary end points included objective response rate, OS and safety. Mature PFS data showed significantly prolonged investigator-assessed PFS with alectinib [hazard ratio (HR) 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32-0.58; median PFS 34.8 versus 10.9 months crizotinib]. Median duration of OS follow-up: 48.2 months alectinib, 23.3 months crizotinib. OS data remain immature (37% of events). Median OS was not reached with alectinib versus 57.4 months with crizotinib (stratified HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.46-0.98). The 5-year OS rate was 62.5% (95% CI 54.3-70.8) with alectinib and 45.5% (95% CI 33.6-57.4) with crizotinib, with 34.9% and 8.6% of patients still on study treatment, respectively. The OS benefit of alectinib was seen in patients with central nervous system metastases at baseline [HR 0.58 (95% CI 0.34-1.00)] and those without [HR 0.76 (95% CI 0.45-1.26)]. Median treatment duration was longer with alectinib (28.1 versus 10.8 months), and no new safety signals were observed. Mature PFS data from ALEX confirmed significant improvement in PFS for alectinib over crizotinib in ALK-positive NSCLC. OS data remain immature, with a higher 5-year OS rate with alectinib versus crizotinib. This is the first global randomized study to show clinically meaningful improvement in OS for a next-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor versus crizotinib in treatment-naive ALK-positive NSCLC. NCT02075840