Cognitive Efficiency of Slovenian, Indian and Gambian Gifted Students in Performing Mental Tasks

In this paper, we present a comparative analysis between registered gifted Slovenian, Gambian, and Indian students in which we sought to find out how they perform in solving selected mental tasks, where we were focused on logical-mathematical and spatial intelligence as a function of the social environment from which the students came. We found that the results for the test groups differed. Out of ten task sets, Slovenian students performed better than their Indian and Gambian peers in as many as seven task sets; in four tasks we found a statistically significant difference between Slovenian and Indian children, and a comparison between Slovenian and Gambian students shows that Slovenian children scored better on mental task sets in all groups

Quality of life of a patient after liver transplantation

Uvod: Jetra so največji organ v človeškem telesu in imajo veliko nalog. Kadar pride do večje poškodbe na jetrih, lahko ta vodi v njihovo odpoved. Za takšne primere je edina rešitev transplantacija jeter. Namen zaključnega dela je raziskati, kakšna je kakovost življenja pacienta po transplantaciji jeter. Metode: V zaključnem delu smo uporabili deskriptivno metodo in metodo kompilacije, saj smo dela avtorjev med seboj primerjali in analizirali. Za iskanje literature smo uporabili tuje podatkovne baze PubMed in CINAHL. Raziskave so temeljile na odrasli populaciji in opisu kakovosti življenja po transplantaciji jeter. Rezultati: Pacienti po transplantaciji jeter doživljajo pozitivne in negativne učinke transplantacije. Čeprav jim je znova omogočeno, da ponovno normalno zaživijo ter se vrnejo na delo, se srečujejo z novo nastalimi zdravstvenimi težavami ter obveznostmi. Nekatere zdravstvene težave, ki se lahko pojavijo, so depresija, anksioznost, težave s spancem in abdominalna hernija. Do konca življenja morajo pacienti jemati imunosupresivna zdravila, ki jim jih predpiše zdravnik. Diskusija in zaključek: Čeprav transplantacija za nekatere pomeni nov začetek, je za druge preizkušnja. S seboj lahko prinese fizične in psihične težave, ki se jih morajo prejemniki transplantata zavedati. Pomembna je dobra poučenost o zdravem načinu življenja, znakih odpovedi transplantata, samooskrbi ter zdravilih, ki jih pacient jemlje.Introduction: Livers are the biggest organ in the human body with many functions. When it comes to bigger liver damage, it could lead to liver failure. This is a life-threatening condition that is most commonly seen in young people in their thirties with no pre-existing liver problems. The only solution for these people is liver transplantation. Methods: We used descriptive and compilation methods for comparing and analyzing studies from different authors. PubMed and CHINAL databases were used for finding studies and literature relevant to our study. Our research was based on the grown population and the quality of patients\u27 life after liver transplantation. Results: The patients experience positive and negative side effects of liver transplantation. Even though patients can start to live a normal life and return to work, they are met with new health-related issues. The most common ones are depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and abdominal hernia. They will need to take immunosuppressants for the rest of their life. Discussion and conclusion: Although transplantation means a new beginning for patients, it also brings a new set of challenges. It can cause physical and psychological difficulties. Patients must be very well educated about healthy ways of living, signs of graft failure, self-care, and the medications they take

Genska terapija v onkologiji, prvi razvojni koraki v Sloveniji

Gene therapy is also attracting interest in oncology. Probably the most interesting approach is immunostimulation. Plasmid DNA can be constructed, which is coding for a specific immunostimulatory molecule, which is then delivered into the cells, either in tumour or normal tissue. The transfected tissue then becomes the producer of the molecules encoded in the plasmid. The product is then released from the cells, either locally or systemically into the bloodstream. Since plasmids have hampered transport through the plasma membrane, delivery systems are needed that are either viral or nonviral. In our studies we predominantly use the non-viral transfection system, based on electroporation of the cells.Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a cytokine with well-known anti-tumour and anti-angiogenic function. Therefore, in the SmartGene.si project we wanted to construct a plasmid DNA which is coding for IL-12 (plasmid phIL12), and perform all the necessary testing and prepare the documentation for its clinical testing in the treatment of skin tumours. The SmartGene.si consortium comprises partners from academia and industry. In the project it was necessary to prepare the plasmid according to the European Medicinal Agency (EMA) recommendations. For the application for the study approval submitted to the Agency for Medical Products and Medical Devices of the Republic of Slovenia (JAZMP), it was necessary to perform pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and efficiency testing of phIL12. Thereafter, we had to develop the process and the facility, and prepare the drug.During the last three years, we have achieved all the goals and obtained the approval of the JAZMP for clinical testing of the product phIL12 in humans. We also obtained the approval of the National Ethics Committee. Currently, we are testing phIL-12 in a Phase I clinical protocol on head and neck skin tumours, with the aim to test the safety and feasibility of intratumoral gene electrotransfer of the plasmid phIL12. Another goal of the study is to determine a suitable dose of plasmid that could be used in future studies as adjuvant treatment to ablative therapies such as radiotherapy or electrochemotherapy.Genska terapija postaja čedalje bolj zanimiva tudi v onkologiji. Med aplikacijami je morda najzanimivejša imunostimulacija. Pripravimo lahko plazmidno DNA, ki nosi zapis za različne imunostimulatorne molekule, ki jih vnesemo v celice tumorjev ali normalnih tkiv. Ta tkiva postanejo proizvajalci teh molekul, ki lahko delujejo lokalno ali pa se izločajo tudi sistemsko v krvni obtok. Ker plazmidna DNA ne prehaja celične membrane, so potrebni dostavni sistemi, virusni ali nevirusni. V naših študijah uporabljamo predvsem nevirusni dostavni sistem – elektroporacijo.Interlevkin 12 (IL-12) je eden od zanimivih citokinov, za katerega je znano protitumorsko delovanje s spodbujanjem imunskega odziva in antiangiogenim delovanjem. Namen projekta SmartGene.si je bil pripraviti plazmid z zapisom za interlevkin 12 (plazmid phIL12) in pripraviti vse potrebno za njegovo klinično testiranje za zdravljenje kožnih tumorjev. V konzorciju smo združili moči s partnerji z akademskega in industrijskega področja. Treba je bilo pripraviti plazmid za uporabo v humani onkologiji po zahtevah Evropske agencije za zdravila (EMA). Za prijavo klinične študije na Javno agencijo za zdravila in medicinske pripomočke (JAZMP) smo morali izvesti tudi vse neklinične raziskave o varnosti in učinkovitosti zdravila. Nato je bilo treba razviti postopek priprave zdravila, zagotoviti primerne prostore za pripravo in izvedbo postopka priprave zdravila.V treh letih smo dosegli vse te zastavljene cilje in dobili dovoljenje za izvajanje klinične študije na kožnih tumorjih, ki ga je izdala JAZMP na osnovi pozitivnega mnenja Komisije Republike Slovenije za medicinsko etiko. Zdaj poteka klinična študija faze I preizkušanja plazmida phIL12 na kožnih tumorjih glave in vratu z namenom preveriti varnost in sprejemljivost genskega elektroprenosa plazmida v tumorje. Cilj študije je prav tako določiti primeren odmerek zdravila, ki bi ga v nadaljnji klinični študiji uporabili kot adjuvantno zdravljenje k ablativnim terapijam, kot sta radioterapija ali elektrokemoterapija

Gene therapy in oncology, first steps of development in Slovenia

Genska terapija postaja čedalje bolj zanimiva tudi v onkologiji. Med aplikacijami je morda najzanimivejša imunostimulacija. Pripravimo lahko plazmidno DNA, ki nosi zapis za različne imunostimulatorne molekule, ki jih vnesemo v celice tumorjev ali normalnih tkiv. Ta tkiva postanejo proizvajalci teh molekul, ki lahko delujejo lokalno ali pa se izločajo tudi sistemsko v krvni obtok. Ker plazmidna DNA ne prehaja celične membrane, so potrebni dostavni sistemi, virusni ali nevirusni. V naših študijah uporabljamo predvsem nevirusni dostavni sistem – elektroporacijo. Interlevkin 12 (IL-12) je eden od zanimivih citokinov, za katerega je znano protitumorsko delovanje s spodbujanjem imunskega odziva in antiangiogenim delovanjem. Namen projekta SmartGene.si je bil pripraviti plazmid z zapisom za interlevkin 12 (plazmid phIL12) in pripraviti vse potrebno za njegovo klinično testiranje za zdravljenje kožnih tumorjev. V konzorciju smo združili moči s partnerji z akademskega in industrijskega področja. Treba je bilo pripraviti plazmid za uporabo v humani onkologiji po zahtevah Evropske agencije za zdravila (EMA). Za prijavo klinične študije na Javno agencijo za zdravila in medicinske pripomočke (JAZMP) smo morali izvesti tudi vse neklinične raziskave o varnosti in učinkovitosti zdravila. Nato je bilo treba razviti postopek priprave zdravila, zagotoviti primerne prostore za pripravo in izvedbo postopka priprave zdravila. V treh letih smo dosegli vse te zastavljene cilje in dobili dovoljenje za izvajanje klinične študije na kožnih tumorjih, ki ga je izdala JAZMP na osnovi pozitivnega mnenja Komisije Republike Slovenije za medicinsko etiko. Zdaj poteka klinična študija faze I preizkušanja plazmida phIL12 na kožnih tumorjih glave in vratu z namenom preveriti varnost in sprejemljivost genskega elektroprenosa plazmida v tumorje. Cilj študije je prav tako določiti primeren odmerek zdravila, ki bi ga v nadaljnji klinični študiji uporabili kot adjuvantno zdravljenje k ablativnim terapijam, kot sta radioterapija ali elektrokemoterapija.Gene therapy is also attracting interest in oncology. Probably the most interesting approach is immunostimulation. Plasmid DNA can be constructed, which is coding for a specific immunostimulatory molecule, which is then delivered into the cells, either in tumour or normal tissue. The transfected tissue then becomes the producer of the molecules encoded in the plasmid. The product is then released from the cells, either locally or systemically into the bloodstream. Since plasmids have hampered transport through the plasma membrane, delivery systems are needed that are either viral or nonviral. In our studies we predominantly use the non-viral transfection system, based on electroporation of the cells. Interleukin 12 (IL-12) is a cytokine with well-known anti-tumour and anti-angiogenic function. Therefore, in the SmartGene.si project we wanted to construct a plasmid DNA which is coding for IL-12 (plasmid phIL12), and perform all the necessary testing and prepare the documentation for its clinical testing in the treatment of skin tumours. The SmartGene.si consortium comprises partners from academia and industry. In the project it was necessary to prepare the plasmid according to the European Medicinal Agency (EMA) recommendations. For the application for the study approval submitted to the Agency for Medical Products and Medical Devices of the Republic of Slovenia (JAZMP), it was necessary to perform pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and efficiency testing of phIL12. Thereafter, we had to develop the process and the facility, and prepare the drug. During the last three years, we have achieved all the goals and obtained the approval of the JAZMP for clinical testing of the product phIL12 in humans. We also obtained the approval of the National Ethics Committee. Currently, we are testing phIL-12 in a Phase I clinical protocol on head and neck skin tumours, with the aim to test the safety and feasibility of intratumoral gene electrotransfer of the plasmid phIL12. Another goal of the study is to determine a suitable dose of plasmid that could be used in future studies as adjuvant treatment to ablative therapies such as radiotherapy or electrochemotherapy