Speleological objects of the south and southeast Velebit

Velebit je najprostranija planina u Hrvatskoj i najveće zaštićeno područje. Dijeli se na četiri dijela. Ovaj rad bavi se analizom fizičko-geografskih obilježja južnog i jugoistočnog Velebita, a prvenstveno speleoloških objekata te kratke povijesti dosadašnjih istraživanja nekih važnih objekata (špiljski sustav Kita Gaćešina – Draženova Puhaljka i Cerovačke špilje). Južni i jugoistočni Velebit skriva speleološke objekte koji su od velikog znanstvenog značaja. Rad se temelji na korištenju dostupne literature, speleoloških nacrta i baza podataka, internetskih izvora, te terenskog rada.Velebit is the most widespread mountain in Croatia and the largest protected area. It is divided into four parts. This paper deals with the analysis of the physical and geographical features of the south and southeastern Velebit, primarily speleological objects and a short history of previous research of some important objects (Kita Gaćešina - Draženova Puhaljka and Cerovačka caves). Southern and Southeastern Velebit hides speleological objects that are of great scientific significance. The work is based on the use of available literature, speleological layouts and databases, internet sources, and field work

Je li testosteron prognostički važan u liječenju raka prostate? Urološko stajalište.

Prostate cancer (PC) is known as an androgen-dependent tumor with testosterone as its natural growth factor, its action is mediated by the androgen receptor (AR) important for the biology and progression of PC. During aging a progressive decline in testosterone levels begins, caused by disability of aged Leydig cells to produce testosterone in response to luteinizing hormone. Surgical treatment of PC can influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis with less impact on it compared to patients treated with radiation. Patients with pre-operative low baseline testosterone level had mean Gleason score higher and AR expression was higher; significantly lower testosterone levels were recorded in patients with lymph node metastases. But some data are conflicting, and some results are opposite to those mentioned before. These data show that there is no significant association between all sex hormone in men and lethal PC or total mortality. In patients with metastatic PC, results showed that elevation of baseline androstenedione levels was predictive of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response; higher baseline androstenedione levels were associated with an improved overall survival. In these patients, the relationship between serum testosterone and PC prognosis varies in different clinical settings and according to androgen deprivation therapy administration.Karcinom prostate (KP) je androgen-ovisan tumor kojem je testosteron prirodni faktor rasta, njegovo djelovanje je posredovano putem androgenih receptora (AR) važnih za biologiju i progresiju KP. Tijekom starenja započinje progresivni pad serumske razine testosterona uzrokovan nesposobnošću ostarjelih Leydigovih stanica za stvaranje testosterona kao odgovor na stimulaciju luteinizirajućeg hormona. Kirurško liječenje KP može utjecati na os hipotalamus-hipofiza-gonade, ali s manjim utjecajem u usporedbi s pacijentima liječenim radioterapijom. Kod pacijenata s nižim preoperativnim razinama testosterona bilježe se povišene srednje vrijednosti Gleason zbroja i pojačana ekspresija AR; značajno niže razine testosterona zabilježene su kod pacijenata s metastazama u limfnim čvorovima. Ipak, neki podaci su kontradiktorni i u suprotnosti s prethodno navedenim. Ovi podaci pokazuju da ne postoji značajna povezanost između spolnih hormona u muškaraca i letalnog KP te ukupnog mortaliteta. Kod pacijenata s metastatskim KP, elevacija početnih razina androstendiona se pokazala prediktivnom u odgovoru prostata-specifičnog antigena (PSA) i poboljšanju općeg preživljenja. Kod tih pacijenata, odnos između serumskih razina testosterona i prognoze KP varira u različitim kliničkim okolnostima i ovisno o aplikaciji androgen deprivacijske terapije

Leptospira interrogans serotype hardjo in dairy cows

Data on L. hardjo infection of dairy cows in the world pint out its important role in the occurrence of health and economic problem. L. interrogans serotype hardjo has been described as the cause of miscarriages, stillbirts, or the birhs of poorly vital calves, agalactia, mastitis, and low fertility in cows. Two L. hardjo genotypes have been identified in cows, namely, hardjopraitno and hardjobovis. Serological investigations have established a drastic increase in this leptospiral infection in cows. L. hardjo has become adapted to cattle as the primary host, so that an infection is maintained in herds and becomes deeply rooted because of the permanent presence of the source of infection. It was believed that sheep were accidental hosts, but the latest research suggest that they are yet another, transitory, host for maintining this leptospira serotype. L. hardjo is also important from the aspect of human health, especially of persons who are professionally exposed to this infection. L. hardjo infection is detected using serological tests and by proving the presence of leptospira. The medicine of choice in the therapy of leptospiral infections is streptomycin (DSM). Therapy using oxytetracyclines for clinical mastitis was also proven effective. Treatment is most successful in the early stage of the disease. A single dose of streptomycin administered in infected herds reduces the duration period of leptospira excretion through urine, thus preventing the spread of infection thorugh contaminated urine. The basic components of the plan to contain leptospira are the following: serological investigations, sanitary-higiene measures, the elimination of animals which excrete leptospira through urine, therapy, vaccination, quarantine

Laboratory diagnostic methods, system of quality and validation

It is known that laboratory investigations secure safe and reliable results that provide a final confirmation of the quality of work. Ideas, planning, knowledge, skills, experience, and environment, along with good laboratory practice, quality control and reliability of quality, make the area of biological investigations very complex. In recent years, quality control, including the control of work in the laboratory, is based on international standards and is used at that level. The implementation of widely recognized international standards, such as the International Standard ISO/IEC 17025 (1) and the implementing of the quality system series ISO/IEC 9000 (2) have become the imperative on the grounds of which laboratories have a formal, visible and corresponding system of quality. The diagnostic methods that are used must constantly yield results which identify the animal as positive or negative, and the precise status of the animal is determined with a predefined degree of statistical significance. Methods applied on a selected population reduce the risk of obtaining falsely positive or falsely negative results. A condition for this are well conceived and documented methods, with the application of the corresponding reagents, and work with professional and skilled staff. This process requires also a consistent implementation of the most rigorous experimental plans, epidemiological and statistical data and estimations, with constant monitoring of the validity of the applied methods. Such an approach is necessary in order to cut down the number of misconceptions and accidental mistakes, for a referent population of animals on which the validity of a method is tested. Once a valid method is included in daily routine investigations, it is necessary to apply constant monitoring for the purpose of internal quality control, in order adequately to evaluate its reproducibility and reliability. Consequently, it is necessary at least twice yearly to conduct comparative inter-laboratory investigations of the reproducibility of the used methods. Having in mind the above presented facts, it can be concluded that good laboratory practice, as well as the implementation of a complete program for security quality, will in the near future become necessary for all laboratories which are interested in acquiring national and international certificates

Širokopojasni prijenos podataka elektroenergetskom mrežom

The paper presents an overview to broadband over powe lines. Over the past few years advances in signal processing technology have enabled the advent of modem chips that are able to overcome the transmission difficulties associated with sending communications signals over electrical power lines. There are two predominant types of BPL communications configurations: Access BPL and In-Home BPL. One of the largest commercial markets for BPL is the ability to provide Internet Services by means of the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) protocols. Another significant benefit of BPL is the ability to employ “intelligent” power line networks that make use of SCADA devices.U radu je opisan pregled širokopojasnog prijenosa podataka elektroenergetskom mrežom. Razvoj tehnologije prijenosa signala omogućio je prevladavanje problema prijenosa komunikacijskih signala putem elektroenergetske mreže. Time je omogućen širokopojasni prijenos podataka kojim se osigurava pristup Internetu koristeći postojeću infrastrukturu. Ovakva komunikacija dijeli se na: pristupnu i kućnu. Najveći ekonomski značaj ove tehnologije je mogućnost pružanja pristupa Internetu TCP/IP protokolom. Osim pristupa Internetu omogućava i implementaciju pametne elektroenergetske mreže (SCADA)

How COVID-19 lockdown has impacted demand curves of Croatia and the surrounding countries

Electrical energy is a specific commodity because it can’t be stored in significant quantities, so accurate day-ahead forecasting of total consumption plays a crucial role in stable operation of the whole power system. In order to maintain the adequacy, power generation and electricity consumption have to be constantly in a balance. Electricity demand curve is very sensitive and vulnerable to a lot of different factors that can be categorized in several main groups that include social, stochastic and weather dependent factors. In condition of global pandemic caused by COVID 19, prediction of total consumption is even more challenging task. New restrictive rules, that completely changed behavior of consumers, their daily routine and habits, have been adopted in most of the European countries. Hence, this lockdown restrictive measures affected the volume of electricity consumption and the shape of demand curves as well. This paper analyzes some of the cases with very variable electricity load, due to volatile households’ behavior, on cases of Croatia and countries in the region. Additionally, results are compared with the electricity load of Italy and Sweden whose economy and industry are well developed. Consumption of Sweden was interesting to observe because of its totally different approach of mitigating corona virus, without lockdown restrictions

The Role of Public Libraries in Education

Narodne su knjižnice prisutne po cijelom svijetu. One osiguravaju pristup znanju, informacijama i djelima mašte pomoću niza izvora i službi, te su na raspolaganju svim članovima zajednice. Potreba za općedostupnim posrednikom koji će omogućiti pristup znanju - u tiskanom ili drugim oblicima, a kao podrška formalnom i neformalnom obrazovanju, razlog je osnivanja većine narodnih knjižnica, ali i glavna svrha njihove djelatnosti. Knjižnice, posebno narodne, glavna su čvorišta lokalne zajednice koja potiču učenje na svim razinama. Knjižnice zbog svoje otvorenosti i dostupnosti brzo odgovaraju na potrebe društva koje se mijenja – u ovom slučaju, društva koje uči. U društvu kakvom se danas teži, knjižnice mogu dati jedinstven i specifičan doprinos svojom predodređenošću za podupiranje ključnih ciljeva koji se izravno ili neizravno odnose na pristup i korištenje znanja i informacija te učenje, a koji je moguće tumačiti kroz koncept informacijske pismenosti. Narodne knjižnice potiču razne programe kojima pružaju podršku formalnom i neformalnom obrazovanju, a provode ih u obliku radionica, seminara, raznih tečajeva u kojima korisnica daju priliku da se konstantno obrazuju i rade na svom cjeloživotnom učenju

Sensory evaluation of different walnut species

Orah (Juglans regia L.) je biljka umjerene i subtropske klime koja vrlo povoljno utječe na zdravlje ljudi. Naime, zbog odličnog nutritivnog profila preporuča se njegovo uvođenje u svakodnevnu prehranu u svrhu prevencije raznih bolesti. Senzorska procjena oraha ima značajnu ulogu u određivanju snažnih, stranih okusa i u usporedbi senzorskih svojstava između različitih sorti oraha pomoću 5 osjetilnih organa. Cilj ovog rada bilo je ustvrditi intenzitet senzorskih svojstava 16 različitih sorti oraha te ih međusobno usporediti s obzirom na zemlju podrijetla. Senzorsku procjenu kvantitativnom deskriptivnom analizom provelo je 8 senzorskih ispitivača, a ocjenjivano je ukupno 14 senzorskih parametara – boja ljuske, miris na orah, miris na drvo, čvrstoća i tvrdoća ploda, hrskavost, pastoznost, slatkoća, kiselost, gorkost, aroma na orah, ranketljivost, aroma na ulje i sveukupni dojam. Najbolji sveukupni dojam među ispitivačima su ostvarile sorte podrijetlom iz Republike Francuske.Walnut (Juglans regia L.) is a plant native to temperate and subtropic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is considered to have very good impacts on human health. Thus, many recommend having walnuts in their every-day diet in order to prevent multiple diseases. Sensory evaluation of walnuts holds a significant part in determining the strong and unusual tastes, as well as in comparing the sensor characteristics between different walnut varieties using all five sensory organs. The objective of the study is put on determining the intensity of the sensory characteristics between 16 different varieties, after what they were to be compared regarding to their country of origin. Eight sensory examiners carried out the sensory evaluation using the quantitative descriptive analysis. The examiners measured 14 sensory parameters overall - shell colour, scent on nut, scent on wood, strength and hardness of the fruit, crispness, putty-like consistency, sweetness, acidity, bitterness, aroma on the nut, rancidity, oil aroma and overall impression. The best overall impression among the examiners had the varieties from France

THE STRESS OF WAR AND BREAST CANCER INCIDENCE

Approximately 94.000 persons were killed or disappeared and about 1.8 million people were forced to flee from their homes during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, from April 1992 to December 1995. The Dayton Peace Agreement, signed on November 21, 1995, ended the war. Life and health conditions of the population in B&H characterized with severe disorders caused by severe war and post-war traumatic events. The aim of this work is to establish the connection between breast cancer in women and stress caused by traumatic experiences during the war in B&H. We performed this study of pairs at the Clinic for Oncology, University Clinical Hospital Mostar, from November 2008 to March 2009. Two hundred women from Herzegovina region participated in this research. The study group consisted of 100 women with diagnosed breast cancer. The control group consisted of 100 women without breast cancer diagnosis, of the same age and living in the same area. We have found that women with breast cancer had statistically considerably more war traumatic experiences and thus more stress than the women in control group (p=0.000). The following conclusions are also noteworthy: 39% of women in the study group were under the ages of 50, when diagnosed breast cancer. Only one woman got psychosocially care within breast cancer treatment. High middle age of physiological loss of period (≥50), longer fertile period, as well as the smoking habit are breast cancer risk factors statistically more present. Women with breast cancer have experienced more stress due to significantly more war traumatic experiences, so that warrelated stress considered a risk factor