Containers and grains: food storage and symbolism in the Central Balkans (Vinča period)

Since Flannery, who showed that types and locations of storage facilities provide a variety of associations for explaining social change, the economic and social role of storage has been reviewed numerous times. So far, no research pertaining to storage practice has been conducted in the Central Balkans. However, storage strategies play an important role in the agricultural history of the region. Similar, or exactly the same storage techniques have been practiced from the Early Neolithic until modern times, and even today some are practiced by traditional farming communities. Hence this article, which is intended to lay the foundations for understanding the relation between economic and social processes as reflected by storage behaviour in the Late Neolithic-Early Eneolithic in the Central Balkans region.Gospodarska in družbena vloga skladiščnih prostorov je bila že večkrat pregledana, odkar je Flannery pokazal, da zagotavljajo tipi in lokacije shramb raznolika združevanja za pojasnitve družbenih sprememb. Do sedaj ni bila opravljena še nobena raziskava praks skladiščenja za področje centralnega Balkana. Podobne ali celo povsem enake tehnike skladiščenja so v uporabi od zgodnjega neolitika do sodobnega časa, nekatere tehnike se še danes uporabljajo v tradicionalnih poljedelskih skupnostih. V članku nameravam postaviti temelje za razumevanje odnosov med gospodarskimi in družbenimi procesi, kot so izraženi v vedenju pri skladiščenju v poznem neolitiku – zgodnjem eneolitiku v centralni balkanski regiji

Role of obsidian in the Neolithic: Utilitarian objects or means of prestige

Ležišta opsidijana na centralnobalkanskom prostoru nisu poznata i lokalne neolitske zajednice su ga nabavljale iz najbližih izvora u Karpatima. Sa druge strane, geološka struktura centralnog Balkana nudi brojne mogućnosti za eksploataciju sličnih sirovina i neposredna potreba za opsidijanom nije postojala. Prilog predstavlja pokušaj autora da utvrdi kakvim je motivima pokrenuto učešće opsidijana u razmeni i kakvu je vrednost imao za neolitske zajednice. Ideja o opsidijanu kao robi prestižnog karaktera testirana je kontekstualnom analizom u neolitskim kulturama centralnog Balkana i ponuđena su neka alternativna rešenja. Prema autoru, njegova vrednost je generalno definisana u procesu neolitizacije evropskog prostora i proistekla je iz istorijskog i kulturnog ambijenta u kojem se javlja.We presented in this work how the value of obsidian could be examined from different standpoints even within such general category as is the principle of general relation to the Neolithic cultures and that acquired results do not essentially stand out and do not negate each other. The idea of obsidian as the means of prestige had been tested by contextual analysis in the Neolithic cultures of the central Balkans. The acquired result did not confirm the assumption that obsidian was used as the means to denote the status and distinction of the individuals among the other members of the community. However, it has been indicated that wish for obsidian, need to acquire it, participation in the exchange system and large distance from which it was obtained could be the indication of the certain system of values and beliefs that was generally appreciated within the Neolithic communities. Therefore, we examined the alternative hypothesis by analyzing the value of obsidian in the ideological contexts which could be most easily designated by the expressions as 'ancestral stone', 'stone from the past', 'mythical stone' etc. Understood in such a way obsidian represented a metaphor of the new, Neolithic way of life and its realization in all segments, the model for that being the populations from the East by means of which they got acquainted with it. The essential difference is, however, in the comprehension of the historic role of the obsidian. It represented, in Anadolia and the Near East, mechanism or one of the mechanisms of the process of Neolitization while in Europe, in certain regions such function has also been indicated. Value of obsidian could and should be verified in different ways and in other cultures. It is probable that new data and different initial viewpoints could influence making of certain new assumptions. So, I think that we should not insist definitely on any of the solutions especially if there is great potentiality for further investigations. But in the course of the future investigations the following scenarios should be taken as premises: Obsidian had not been prestigious good. Its frequent occurrence at the sites near the sources is the consequence of the relatively easy access and intensive exploitation. In the regions out of the zones of origin it does not occur so often and it is the confirmation for trade in the Neolithic. Obsidian had been prestigious good. Its rather rare occurrence, good mechanical characteristics, highly esteemed aesthetic values and difficult conditions of procurement are just some of the reasons why obsidian had been treated as means of prestige within Neolithic communities. Along with other kind of similar goods obsidian had been main object of exchange but at the same time it stimulated the exchange of goods necessary in everyday life. There is the question whether it should have been apparent also by large deposits (grave, hoard, etc) within archaeological context. Experience that we have so far does not speak in favor of such an assumption. There has been the need for every Neolithic culture at least within its larger centers to possess certain amount of obsidian but not as prestigious value and not as the object used to confirm individual identities. The need for obsidian appeared as the result of the information about the ways of introduction of the new forms of existence 'somewhere in the east' and an attempt to create identical history. In that sense the obsidian besides its utilitarian function might has had distinct and explicit symbolic concept. It used as metaphor, as medium by which history had been imitated and complemented should denote Ncolitization on the psychological level. Therefore there was no need for its contextualization, as by narrative transmission the value of obsidian had not been connected to concrete, particular things or events but to the general principles. Its main purpose for the community had been achieved already by the very act of procurement and its further biography had been attained through the activities of physical utilization

Suvremene preporuke za primjenu krvi kod artroplastike zglobova

Hip and knee replacement surgery are a common and effective procedure for the relief of pain and loss of function. The number of procedures is increasing and great interest is given how to improve outcome following hip and knee replacement surgery. Last two decades have been characterized by many innovations in hip and knee replacement surgery including minimally invasive technique but also by improvements in anesthetic technique and blood management. The patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery are commonly elderly and have cosexisting organ dysfunctions. These procedures are characterized by great perioperative disturbances including cardiovascular complications, high incidence of thromboembolic complications, possible significant perioperative blood loss, possible bone cement effect and high level of postoperative pain. Anesthetic assessment of patients include preoperative preparations, intraoperative and postoperative care. In this article, all problems of perioperative blood management are discussed. The recent data of advantages of blood management for every patient are outlined. Blood management include preoperative preparation, use of autologous blood in perioperative period and administration of drugs for minimizing intraoperative blood loss. The final result of improvements in blood management is reducing in blood loss and need for allogeneic blood and significant reduction in perioperative morbidity.Ugradnja umjetnih zglobova kuka i koljena je česta i uspješna metoda liječenja kod poremećaja velikih zglobova praćenih boli i gubitkom normalne funkcije. Broj ovih operacija je u stalnom porastu te se velika pažnja posvećuje poboljšanju perioperacijskog liječenja. U zadnja dva desetljeća mnoge inovacije kao minimalno invazivna kirurška tehnika su uvedene u kliničku praksu, a došlo je i do znatnog napretka u aneteziološkom i transfuzijkom liječenju. Bolesnici kojima se ugrađuje endoproteza kuka i koljena su često starije životne dobi i imaju značajan komorbiditet. Operacijski zahvat karakteriziraju značajni perioperacijski poremećaji kao kardiovaskularne promjene, velika učestalost tromboembolijskih komplikacija, moguće je značajno perioperacijsko krvarenje, poremećaji uzrokovani koštanim cementom te visok nivo postoperacijske boli. Posebna pažnja posvećuje se problemima značajnog perioperacijskog krvarenja i provođenju metoda kojima se smanjuje perioperacijsko krvarenje te potrošnja alogene krvi. U ovom članku pokazuju se postupci koji se provode prijeoperacijski (korekcija anemije postupci prijeoperacijske autologne donacije), intraoperacijski (akutna normovolemička hemodilucija i intraoperacijska autrotransfuzija) te postoperacijski (postoperacijska autotransfuzija). Posebno se opisuje primjena lijekova (antifibrinolitici) koji smanjuju intraoperacijsko i postoperacijsko krvarenje. Konačan rezultat napretka u anesteziji i transfuzijskom liječenju je smanjenje perioperacijskog krvarenja i potrošnje alogene krvi, te posljedično smanjenje perioperacijskog morbiditeta, kraće vrijeme hospitalizacije kao i brži oporavak bolesnika

Uloga gena nm23 u kolorektalnom karcinomu

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of immunohistochemical expression of nm23 gene in colorectal cancer cells with tumor stage according to Dukes, tumor differentiation, occurrence of distant metastases and patient survival. This retrospective study included 100 colorectal cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment. Both pathological and clinical data were analyzed according to sex, age, immunohistochemical expression of nm23, tumor stage, tumor differentiation, occurrence of distant metastases and patient survival. Overexpression of nm23 gene was related to both good tumor differentiation and Dukes’ stage A, whereas no significant correlation was found between the occurrence of metastases and nm23 gene expression. There was no significant correlation between nm23 gene expression and 5-year survival of colorectal cancer patients either. Although the results of this study suggested that higher expression of nm23 gene correlated with an early stage of tumor and its good differentiation, this parameter cannot yet be taken as an independent and reliable prognostic indicator in colorectal cancer.Cilj ovoga rada bio je istražiti povezanost između promjene ekspresije gena nm23 u stanicama kolorektalnog karcinoma sa stadijem tumora po Dukesu, diferenciranosti tumora, pojavom udaljenih metastaza i petogodišnjim preživljenjem. U ovom istraživanju obrađeno je 100 bolesnika oboljelih od karcinoma debelog crijeva koji su operirani u Klinici za kirurgiju KBC Split. Patohistološki i klinički podaci analizirani su prema spolu, dobi, imunohistokemijskoj ekspresiji gena nm23, stadiju tumora po Dukesu, stupnju histološke diferenciranosti tumora, pojavi udaljenih metastaza i petogodišnjem preživljenju. Utvrđeno je da dobro diferencirani karcinomi pokazuju statistički značajnu prekomjernu ekspresiju gena nm23. Isto tako, nađena je prekomjerna ekspresija gena nm23 u stadiju tumora Dukes A. Nije nađena povezanost između promjene ekspresije gena nm23 i pojave udaljenih metastaza ni petogodišnjeg preživljenja. Promjena ekspresije gena nm23, prema rezultatima ovoga istraživanja, ne može se rabiti za predviđanje pojave metastaza i procjenu petogodišnjeg preživljenja, ali povezanost prekomjerne ekspresije gena nm23 s ranim kliničkim stadijem (Dukes A) i dobrom diferencijacijom tumora upućuje na mogućnost zaštitnog djelovanja gena nm23 u ranom procesu tumorigeneze

The origin and exchange of obsidian from Vinča-Belo Brdo

Regionalni značaj lokaliteta Belo brdo u Vinči i njegova aktivna uloga u mreži razmene najbolje se ogledaju u velikom broju 'egzotičnih' dobara koji u različitom stepenu karakterišu sve vinčanske nivoe. I dok su nalazi od bakra ili nakit od marinskih školjaka u poslednje vreme detaljno proučavani opsidijan je, kao važan simbol komunikacije i kontakata nadregionalnog značaja, ostao ograničen na tipološku analizu unutar okresane industrije naselja. Zbirka opsidijana iz Vinče, međutim, predstavlja jednu od tri najbrojnije zbirke na teritoriji današnje Srbije, i daleko najbrojniju zbirku južno od Save i Dunava. Njeni nedostaci su više kontekstualne prirode ogledajući se u nepostojanju preciznih istraživačkih podataka o sistemskom kontekstu većine artefakata, što je uostalom slučaj i sa većinom drugih objekata iz Vinče, i stoga će mnoga pitanja oko njihove vezanosti za određene objekte (odnosno domaćinstva), ili načina depozicije zauvek ostati otvorena. Ipak, za razliku od naselja oko Vršca u jugoistočnoj Panoniji, odakle za velike opsidijanske zbirke postoji malo podataka o uslovima nalaza zahvaljujući studioznom radu Miloja Vasića za nalaze iz Vinče postoje precizni podaci o stratigrafskoj poziciji i, prema tome, o relativnoj frekventnosti artefakata kroz sve stratigrafske nivoe. To je važno naglasiti jer vertikalne i slojevite sekvence vinčanskog naselja dozvoljavaju poređenje ne samo frekventnosti opsidijana kroz vreme, već i poređenje sa drugim vrstama importovanih ili lokalno izrađivanih dobara, trasirajući puteve i istorijski kontekst kojim su opsidijan i druga roba regionalnog i interkulturnog značaja dospeli na ovo važno nalazište evropske praistorije. Od vremena revolucionarne karakterizacije opsidijana šezdesetih godina 20. veka, analizi hemijskog sastava podvrgnut je tek neznatan broj uzoraka sa teritorije današnje Srbije, od čega najmanje sedam iz naselja u Vinči. Postojeći rezultati ukazali su da opsidijan sa centralnog Balkana vodi poreklo iz karpatskih ležišta što, s jedne strane, predstavlja dobru osnovu za odbacivanje nekadašnjih romantičarskih ideja o postojanju lokalnih izvora opsidijana negde na centralnom Balkanu, nudeći, s druge strane, dobro utemeljenje zaključke o mreži razmene interregionalnog značaja tokom kasnog neolita, čiji je važan deo bio i opsidijan. Ipak, neophodno je primetiti da dosadašnje karakterizacije, urađene na neadekvatnom broju uzoraka, iskazuju potrebu da se kompleksne stratigrafske sekvence naselja u Vinči, ali i drugih naselja u okruženju, protumače i kroz odgovarajući broj karakterisanih opsidijanskih uzoraka. Stoga je 2006. pokrenut veliki projekat karakterisanja opsidijanskih artefakata sa centralnog Balkana i u tu svrhu, iz okresane industrije naselja u Vinči izdvojeno je 60 uzoraka, što predstavlja oko 4% referentne zbirke. S obzirom na moćnu stratigrafsku sekvencu lokaliteta napravljena je kompleksna strategija selekcije uzoraka, sa jasnim metodološkim ishodištima: a) da izdvojeni uzorci reprezentuju celu neolitsku sekvencu i b) da se testira mogućnost buduće makroskopske autopsije porekla opsidijanskog artefakta. Nakon analize opsidijanskih uzoraka EDXRF metodom pokazalo se da svi artefakti iz Vinče potiču iz ležišta Karpatski 1 u današnjoj Slovačkoj (DIJAGRAM 1), što je potpuno u skladu sa svim ranijim karakterizacijama vinčanskih opsidijana u regionu, uključujući i one iz rumunskog dela Banata. S obzirom na broj karakterisanih uzoraka i kompleksnu proceduru uzorkovanja, stvorene su za dalji rad dve važne analitičke pretpostavke: prva, isključivo tehničke prirode, predstavljala je važan korak ka afirmaciji buduće makroskopske autopsije opsidijana iz izvora Karpatski 1 na centralnom Balkanu; i druga, u spekulativnom smislu dalekosežnija, da svi primerci iz opsidijanske zbirke sa lokaliteta Belo brdo u Vinči potiču iz samo jednog, dakle istog izvora. Ako se druga pretpostavka u budućnosti pokaže kao tačna, onda posedujemo nedvosmislenu potvrdu da je zajednica u Vinči, uostalom kao i druge zajednice u okruženju, prepoznavala, cenila i vrednovala uglavnom opsidijan iz današnjeg ležišta Karpatski 1. Za razumevanje broja opsidijanskih artefakata i porekla sirovine, najvažnija su pitanja koja se odnose na karakter kontakata zajednice iz Vinče sa zajednicama na severu, preko kojih su taj opsidijan dobavljale. Tradicionalno se prihvata da su stanovnici naselja u Vinči intenzivne i dugoročne interkulturne kontakte održavali sa potiskim zajednicama u Karpatskom basenu o čemu svedoče ne samo mnogobrojni opsidijanski artefakti, nego i sporadična pojava keramike i drugog materijala iz potiskog kulturnog kruga. Osim toga šira zona srednjeg Podunavlja, zajedno sa Vinčom i jugoistočnom Panonijom deo je interaktivnog kulturnog kruga, u kome cirkulišu druge vrste kulturno nespecifičnih artefakata, npr. nakit od alabastera, mermera i marinskih školjaka. Opsidijan je svakako bio jedna od spona i razlog komunikacije i kontakata vinčanske i zajednica u Potisju, te se njegova dominacija u okresanoj industriji Vinče, nekoliko stotina kilometara od izvora, može razumeti kao proizvod efektne mreže razmene, koja je morala biti i bila je manifestovana i pojavom drugih egzotičnih dobara. Broj opsidijanskih artefakata u Vinči pokreće pitanje na koji način je nabavka opsidijana uglavnom iz samo jednog izvora uticala na njegovu dalju distribuciju u druge delove centralnog Balkana. Kako je primećeno, ukupna težina artefakata iz Vinče relativno je niska i mada je naselje moralo nekako uticati na količine opsidijana u naseljima južno od Save i Dunava, veliko je pitanje da li se može govoriti o organizovanoj i društveno stimulisanoj mreži razmene od Podunavlja prema unutrašnjosti Balkana. Opsidijanski artefakti na lokalitetima južno od Save i Dunava, naročito u dolinama Velike i Južne Morave, javljaju se u ograničenom obimu, pojedinačno ili do nekoliko desetina komada, ne uklapajući se najbolje u staru ideju Kolina Renfrua o proporcionalnom opadanju broja opsidijana tokom 'razmene duž puta'. Zadržavanje većine opsidijana u Vinči, kao i dalja razmena veoma ograničenog broja sečiva (i/ili jezgara?) ukazuju na to da je u mreži razmene postojalo više interaktivnih nivoa, te da su neka naselja svakako bila isključena iz nje. Takođe, u vreme kada frekventnost opsidijana u Vinči drastično opada neka naselja sadrže veoma ograničen broj opsidijanskih artefakata (npr. Gomolava, Divostin, Banjica), što pokazuje neki poremećaj u aktivnoj i dugo vremena praktikovanoj mreži razmene, i možda reflektuje šire kulturne promene u karpatskom basenu. U isto vreme, većina drugih na- selja na centralnom Balkanu, naročito ona južno od Save i Dunava, okrenuta su upotrebi lako dostupnih izvora kamenih sirovina u neposrednom okruženju naselja. Stoga bi u budućnosti pregled i karakterizacija opsidijanskih zbirki iz drugih naselja mogli ukazati na kompleksnost delovanja mreže razmene tokom kasnog neolita na centralnom Balkanu. Za sada, ne bi bilo na odmet pretpostaviti da najjužniji opsidijani iz Karpatske oblasti, otkriveni u Mandalo u Egejskoj Makedoniji i verovatno, nešto severnije u Žitkovcu na Kosovu, reprezentuju alternativne rute i obrasce kretanja različitih dobara, uključujući i kretanje pojedinaca van uobičajenih tokova recipročne razmene.Since the time of the revolutionary characterization of obsidian in the 1960's only a small number of artefacts from the Serbian sites have been analyzed, of which at least seven samples come from the site of Vinča. These results showed that obsidian was coming from Carpathian sources, disproving old romantic ideas of the existence of local obsidian sources in the central Balkans. These results allowed for the development of ideas about exchange networks of interregional importance during the Late Neolithic in which obsidian was an integral component. In this paper we will be discussing the results of the characterization of 60 obsidian samples, representing ca. 4% of the entire obsidian assemblage from the site. The samples were taken from the whole Neolithic sequence at Vinča selecting macroscopically different obsidian types

Rak debelog crijeva u Splitsko-dalmatinskoj županiji

Colorectal cancer was the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the Split-Dalmatia County during the 1993-2005 period. The primary aim of this study was to analyze recent trends in the mortality caused by colorectal cancer in the Split-Dalmatia County. Secondly, the aim was also to analyze data on colorectal cancer patients operated on at Split University Hospital Center according to sex, age, localization of cancer and Dukes staging, in the period from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2004. The colorectal cancer death rate was found to be on an increase in both men and women; however, it was higher in men in both study years. The colorectal cancer death rate was also found to increase with age in both men and women. Analysis of data on patients operated on for colorectal cancer yielded a 2:1 male to female ratio. Analysis of histopathologic staging according to Dukes produced a statistically significant difference (P<0.0001). Dukes B or C was diagnosed in 84.3% and Dukes A in 9.3% of cases. According to cancer localization, sigmoid colon and rectum were involved 1.8 times more frequently than other sites of the colon. The data obtained in this study indicated that only 9.3% of patients were treated in the early stage of disease (Dukes A), pointing to the need of organized medical examinations for early detection of colorectal cancer in order to reduce the mortality rate associated with the disease.Rak debelog crijeva bio je drugi vodeći uzrok smrti od raka u Splitsko-dalmatinskoj županiji u razdoblju od 1993. do 2005. godine. Glavni cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je ispitati novija kretanja smrtnosti od raka debelog crijeva u ovoj županiji. Drugi cilj je bio analizirati podatke o bolesnicima s rakom debelog crijeva koji su operirani u Kliničkom bolničkom centru Split prema dobi, spolu, lokalizaciji raka i stadiju prema Dukesu za razdoblje od 1. siječnja 2003. do 31. prosinca 2004. godine. Utvrđena je povećana stopa smrtnosti zbog raka debelog crijeva za oba spola. Stopa umrlih muškaraca bila je viSa od stope umrlih žena s ovim oblikom raka za obje godine. Također je utvrđena povećana stopa smrtnosti prema dobi za oba spola. Analiza podataka o bolesnicima koji su operirani zbog raka debelog crijeva pokazala je kako je bilo dvaput vise muškaraca nego žena. Analiza histopatoloških rezultata prema Dukesu pokazala je statistički značajnu razliku (P<0,0001). Stadij Dukes B ili C dijagnosticiran je u 84,3% slučajeva, a Dukes A u 9,3% slučajeva. Prema lokalizaciji karcinoma sigmoidni kolon i rektum su bili zahvaćeni 1,8 puta češće negoli ostale lokalizacije na kolonu. Podatci dobiveni u ovom ispitivanju pokazali su kako je samo 9,3% bolesnika liječeno u ranom stadiju bolesti (Dukes A), što ukazuje na potrebu organiziranih medicinskih pregleda radi ranog otkrivanja raka debelog crijeva kako bi se snizila stopa smrtnosti povezana s ovom bolešću

Spondylus and Glycymeris bracelets: trade reflections at Neolithic Vinča-Belo Brdo

In the provision, production and exchange of prestigious items and materials in prehistoric Europe, marine shell ornaments play important role. The marine shell collection at the Vinča-Belo Brdo site is the largest in the central and northern Balkans. More than 300 ornament items manufactured from marine shells have been collected since the first excavations in 1908 up until the most recent campaign. The majority of ornaments were made using recent shells that were obtained through trade with contemporaneous Neolithic communities; few ornaments were made of fossil bivalve shells. Bracelets were the most common type. Two bivalve genera, Spondylus and Glycymeris, were used in their production. These are easily recognizable when complete valves are compared, but difficult to distinguish in highly modified items where shell morphology is obscured. The defining characteristics for shell identification are presented, particularly to differentiate ornaments manufactured from the Spondylus and Glycymeris genera, as well as those made of recent and fossil shells. The possible exchange routes for these are discussed, as well as their diachronic distribution at the Vinča site.Okraski iz morskih školjk so igrali pomembno vlogo pri pripravi, izdelavi in menjavi prestižnih predmetov in materialov v prazgodovinski Evropi. Zbirka morskih školjk iz najdišča Vinča Belo Brdo je največja na centralnem in severnem Balkanu. Od prvih izkopavanj leta 1908, do danes so našli več kot 300 okrasnih predmetov, izdelanih iz morskih školjk. Večino okrasnih predmetov so izdelali iz recentnih školjk, ki so jih dobili z menjavo s sočasnimi neolitskimi skupnostmi, nekaj pa so jih izdelali iz fosilnih dvolupinskih školjk. Najpogostejše so bile zapestnice. Za njihovo izdelavo so uporabljali dva rodova školjk, Spondylus in Glycymeris. Te rodova sta lahko prepoznavna, če primerjamo cele lupine, težko pa ju razločujemo pri močno spremenjenih predmetih, kjer je školjčna morfologija nejasna. Predstavljamo ključne elemente, ki omogočajo razpoznavo školjk, iz katerih so izdelani okrasni predmeti. Analiziramo poti njihove menjave in diahronično distribucijo na najdišču Vinča

Quality of the blood sampled from surgical drainage after total hip arthroplasty

Several methods have been found to be successful in reducing the need for allogeneic transfusion among the patients undergoing total hip replacement. The purpose of this prospective study was to analyse the quality and evaluate the effect of postoperative autotransfusion on the need for allogeneic transfusion following total hip replacement. The prospective study was performed in two groups of patients undergoing total hip replacement. Before the operative procedure all patients in both groups predonated two doses of autologous blood. In GROUP 1. the system for postoperative collection and transfusion of shed blood was used. In GROUP 2. the patients underwent total hip replacement without blood salvage system. Standard suction collection sets were used postoperatively. In this group shed blood was not transfused to the patients. The samples of preoperative donated autologus blood, allogeneic blood and postoperative collected autologous blood were analysed for number of red cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelets, white blood cells, values of potassium, sodium, free hemoglobin and acid base status. The postoperatively blood salvage significantly reduced the use of allogeneic transfusion among patients managed with total hip replacement (allogeneic transfusion received 12% patients in Group 1 and 80% patients in Group 2; p<0.001). The values of red blood cells are significantly lower in postoperative collected autotransfusion blood compared with preoperative collected autologous blood and allogeneic blood (p<0.001). The values of potassium and acid base status were in normal range in postoperatively collected autotransfusion blood. These values in preoperatively collected autologous blood and allogeneic blood were out of normal range; (p<0.001). In addition to reducing the risk of complications that are associated with allogeneic transfusion, postoperative blood salvage may offer benefits including reducing the need for allogeneic blood. Our study confirmed that postoperative collection and transfusion of drainaged blood is simple and safe method that significantly reduce the need for allogeneic transfusion in patients underwent total hip replacement. The blood collected and transfused postoperatively has lower values of red blood cells and normal values of potassium and acid base balance. The transfusion of this blood caused no complications in our patients

Uloga gena nm23 u kolorektalnom karcinomu

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of immunohistochemical expression of nm23 gene in colorectal cancer cells with tumor stage according to Dukes, tumor differentiation, occurrence of distant metastases and patient survival. This retrospective study included 100 colorectal cancer patients who underwent surgical treatment. Both pathological and clinical data were analyzed according to sex, age, immunohistochemical expression of nm23, tumor stage, tumor differentiation, occurrence of distant metastases and patient survival. Overexpression of nm23 gene was related to both good tumor differentiation and Dukes’ stage A, whereas no significant correlation was found between the occurrence of metastases and nm23 gene expression. There was no significant correlation between nm23 gene expression and 5-year survival of colorectal cancer patients either. Although the results of this study suggested that higher expression of nm23 gene correlated with an early stage of tumor and its good differentiation, this parameter cannot yet be taken as an independent and reliable prognostic indicator in colorectal cancer.Cilj ovoga rada bio je istražiti povezanost između promjene ekspresije gena nm23 u stanicama kolorektalnog karcinoma sa stadijem tumora po Dukesu, diferenciranosti tumora, pojavom udaljenih metastaza i petogodišnjim preživljenjem. U ovom istraživanju obrađeno je 100 bolesnika oboljelih od karcinoma debelog crijeva koji su operirani u Klinici za kirurgiju KBC Split. Patohistološki i klinički podaci analizirani su prema spolu, dobi, imunohistokemijskoj ekspresiji gena nm23, stadiju tumora po Dukesu, stupnju histološke diferenciranosti tumora, pojavi udaljenih metastaza i petogodišnjem preživljenju. Utvrđeno je da dobro diferencirani karcinomi pokazuju statistički značajnu prekomjernu ekspresiju gena nm23. Isto tako, nađena je prekomjerna ekspresija gena nm23 u stadiju tumora Dukes A. Nije nađena povezanost između promjene ekspresije gena nm23 i pojave udaljenih metastaza ni petogodišnjeg preživljenja. Promjena ekspresije gena nm23, prema rezultatima ovoga istraživanja, ne može se rabiti za predviđanje pojave metastaza i procjenu petogodišnjeg preživljenja, ali povezanost prekomjerne ekspresije gena nm23 s ranim kliničkim stadijem (Dukes A) i dobrom diferencijacijom tumora upućuje na mogućnost zaštitnog djelovanja gena nm23 u ranom procesu tumorigeneze