Karakteristike znakovnog i govornog jezičkog izraza kod dece predškolskog uzrasta sa kohlearnim implantom i slušnim aparatima

The level of adoption of sign language, from an early age, facilitates the ability of deaf children to familiarize themselves with the world, to develop cognitive abilities, to communicate with their parents and the environment around them. Deaf and hard of hearing children have difficulties in speech and communication, which creates problems for them in their social, emotional and cognitive development. A deaf child learns to pronounce words and their factual meaning, meaning both the word and notion signified by that word. By analyzing the description given by preschool aged children of a picture we can gain insight into what the children see in the picture, what they can explain and interpret and what conclusions they can draw. Depending on their maturity level and the development of their sign and spoken language expression, children will either individually list the entities and activities which can be seen in a picture, or they will form a whole, resulting in a story. The aim of our study was to evaluate the level of adoption sign language and verbal expression in deaf and hard of hearing children of preschool age, when describing pictures. The sample consisted of 11 preschool aged children. Five children had a cochlear implants, whilst six had hearing aids. The study utilized two pictures as stimuli: Autumn in the City and Autumn in the Village. In describing the pictures, the preschool aged children showed better results when using sign language, in comparison with their use of their spoken language. The acquired results showed a higher level of competence when describing the picture Autumn in the City then Autumn in the Village. Deaf and hard of hearing children do not utilize all types of words with equal success. Deaf and hard of hearing children of preschool age utilized on average a larger number of signs than spoken words. In deaf and hard of hearing children of preschool age, it is necessary to develop all functions of verbal and non verbal communication though various spontaneous and directed activities.Usvojenost znakovnog jezika, od najranijeg uzrasta, pomaže gluvom detetu, da upozna svet, da razvija svoje kognitivne sposobnosti, komunicira sa svojim roditeljima i okolinom. Gluva i nagluva deca imaju teškoće u govoru i komunikaciji, što im stvara probleme u socijalnom, emocionalnom i kognitivnom razvoju. Gluvo dete istovremeno uči da izgovara reči i samo značenje te reči, odnosno i reč i pojam koji je tom rečju označen. Analizom opisa slike dece predškolskog uzrasta može se uočiti šta deca vide na slici, šta mogu da objasne i protumače i kakve zaključke mogu da izvedu. U zavisnosti od svoje zrelosti i razvoja znakovnog i govornog jezičkog izraza, deca će ili pojedinačno nabrajati lica i radnje koje se vrše na slici, ili će formirati celinu i oblikovati priču. Cilj našeg istraživanja bio je ispitivanje stepena usvojenosti znakovnog i govornog jezičkog izraza kod gluve i nagluve dece predškolskog uzrasta, pri opisivanju slika. Uzorak je činilo 11 dece predškolskog uzrasta. Petoro dece je bilo sa kohlearnim implantom, a šestoro dece je nosilo slušne aparate. U istraživanju su korišćene dve stimulans slike: Jesen u gradu i Jesen u selu. Pri opisu slika, deca predškolskog uzrasta, postigla su bolja postignuća u okviru znakovnog jezičkog izraza, u odnosu na govorni jezički izraz. Dobijeni rezultati su bolji pri opisu slike Jesen u gradu, u odnosu na sliku Jesen u selu. Gluva i nagluva deca ne koriste sa podjednakom uspešnošću sve vrste reči. Gluva i nagluva deca predškolskog uzrasta upotrebila su u proseku više znakova (gestova) nego govornih reči. Kod gluve i nagluve dece predškolskog uzrasta, kroz razne spontane i usmerene aktivnosti neophodno je razvijati sve funkcije verbalne i neverbalne komunikacije

Biligvalni pristup u obrazovanju gluve i nagluve dece

The bilingualism of deaf and hard of hearing children implies the knowledge and regular use of sign language, which is used by the community of deaf people, and of spoken language, which is used by the hearing majority. At preschool and school age, it is necessary to allow children to continue adopting the language that they started in the family (either sign language or spoken language). Children will adopt both language modalities best through interactions with other fluent speakers. Results of numerous studies indicate that the best approach in the process of development of speech and language and the education of the deaf and hard of hearing children is the bilingual approach. The aim of this approach is to develop communication skills in children, to provide a higher level of education for them, and to include them in the life of the community. It is necessary to improve the existing education system in the direction of developing a kind of a model that will respond to their specificities and limitations caused by their primary impairment.Bilingvizam gluve i nagluve dece podrazumeva poznavanje i redovnu upotrebu znakovnog jezika, koji koristi zajednica gluvih i govornog jezika koji koristi čujuća većina. Na predškolskom i školskom uzrastu, potrebno je omogućiti deci da nastave da usvajaju jezik koja su počela da usvajaju u porodici (znakovni ili govorni). Deca će najbolje usvojiti oba jezička modaliteta kroz interakcije sa drugim fluentnim govornicima. Rezultati mnogobrojnih istraživanja ukazuju da je najbolji pristup u procesu razvoja govora i jezika i obrazovanju gluve i nagluve dece - bilingvalni pristup. Cilj ovog pristupa je razviti komunikacijske veštine kod dece, omogućiti im viši nivo obrazovanja i uključiti ih u život društvene zajednice. Neophodno je usavršavanje postojećeg obrazovnog sistema u pravcu razvijanja takvog modela koji će da odgovori na njihove specifičnosti i ograničenja uzrokovana njihovim primarnim oštećenjem

Communication in a family of deaf and hard of hearing children

Osnovni cilj rada je da se pregledom dostupne literature ukaže na načine komunikacije i neke odlike funkcionisanja porodice sa gluvim i nagluvim detetom. Porodice sa gluvim i nagluvim detetom se u mnogim aspektima razlikuju od drugih porodica. Zbog oštećenja sluha i izmenjenog načina komuniciranja sa okolinom, gluva i nagluva deca razvijaju se pod nepovoljnijim uslovima nego deca koja čuju. Veliki broj gluve i nagluve dece ima specifične probleme na planu komunikacije i interakcije.Detetova nemogućnost da komunicira sa roditeljima i drugom decom ga vremenom izoluju i vode ka dubljim teškoćama na emocionalnom, socijalnom i planu ukupnog razvoja. Komunikacija je jedan od fundamentalnih elemenata življenja, jer služi za sporazumevanje ljudi u određenoj društvenoj zajednici. Komunikacija ili jezik obezbeđuju društvu medijum i sredstvo za socijalizaciju njegovih članova. Primerena i efikasna rana komunikacija bez obzira u okviru kog jezičkog modaliteta se odvija (znakovni ili govorni), zajedno sa prihvatanjem deteta i njegovog oštećenja je osnova uspešnog kognitivnog razvoja i razvoja ličnosti deteta, što predstavlja osnovu komunikacije i izgradnje jezičkih veština. Komunikacija gluve i nagluve dece može biti verbalna (usmena i pisana) i neverbalna (koja obuhvata znakovni jezik, upotrebu prstne azbuke-daktilologije, mimiku i čitanje govora sa usta i lica sagovornika). Koji oblik komunikacije će gluva i nagluva deca koristiti i razviti u velikoj meri zavisi od toga da li potiču iz porodice gluvih ili roditelja koji čuju. Veći broj istraživanja, ukazuje da su porodici gluve i nagluve dece, potrebni različiti oblici socijalne podrške: psihološka, finansijska, informacijska, duhovna i edukativna podrška. Roditeljima je neophodna podrška društvene zajednice; zdravstvenog, obrazovnog i sistema socijalne zaštite. Porodicu je potrebno edukovati o oštećenju sluha, posledicama, modelima amplifikacije, različitim načinima komunikacije, vaspitanju i obrazovanju dece. Neohodno je organizovati različite programe podrške, poboljšati komunikaciju u okviru porodice, kao i saradnju porodice i stručnjaka raznih specijalnosti koji učestvuju u rehabilitaciji i edukaciji gluve i nagluve dece.The main objective of the paper is, by reviewing the available literature, to point to modes of communication and certain characteristics of the functioning of a family with a deaf and hard of hearing child. Families with a deaf or hard of hearing child are different from other families in many respects.Due to hearing impairments and a changed way of communicating with the environment, deaf and hard of hearing children develop under more unfavorable conditions than normal hearing children. A large number of deaf and hard of hearing children have specific problems in the fields of communication and interaction. The child's inability to communicate with family and other children isolates it, with the passage of time, and leads to deeper difficulties in the social and emotional plan and overall development.Communication is one of the fundamental elements of living, because its use is for the communication of people in a certain community. Communication or language provide the society with a medium and means for socializing its members. Appropriate and efficient early communication, regardless of the language modality (sign or speech) within which it takes place, together with accepting the child and its impairment, is the basis for successful cognitive development and the development of the child’s personality, which represents the basis of communication and the development of language skills. Communication of the deaf and hard of hearing children can be verbal (oral and written) and non-verbal (which involves sign language as well as the use of manual alphabet – dactylology, mime and lip-reading). Which form of communication the deaf and hard of hearing children will use and develop depends, to a large degree, on whether they come from a family of deaf parents or of hearing ones. A large number of studies, indicate that families of deaf and hard of hearing children need various forms of social support: psychological, financial, informational, spiritual and educational support. The support of the community - of the health, education and social protection systems is necessary to the parents. The family needs to be educated on hearing impairment, its consequences, amplification models, different ways of communicating with, upbringing and educating deaf and hard of hearing children. It is necessary to organize various support programs, to improve communication within the family as well as the cooperation of the family and experts of various specialties involved in the rehabilitation and education of deaf and hard of hearing children.Peta međunarodna naučna konferencija, Društvene devijacij

Movement of Goc and podgorina population in the second half of XX and on the begging of XXI century

Analysis of movement of Goc and podgorina population in the second half of XX and on the begging of XXI century is elaborated in the paper. Parameters of natural and mechanical movement of population have showed that population number of Goc and podgorina increase because of mechanical movement. In the period between two last censuses, the greater part of immigrants has arrived. Refugees and outcast population from Ex-Yugoslav Republics represents smaller part of immigrants. Greater part of immigrants belongs to population from others municipalities of Republic of Serbia, especially to population from Kosovo and from municipalities of Raska region. According to the results of exploration, there are many differences in the movements of population between twenty six settlements of Goc and podgorina. As consequences of that, among other, there are some geographic factors. Among geographic factors, traffic-geographic position and relief are relieved. Importance of the paper is that it enriches the knowledge about West Morava valley and Goc, which is northernmost mountain of Kopaonik mountain system

Function of sign language expression in the development of language in deaf and hard of hearing children

Знаковни језик је природан и примаран језички израз глувих, док је говорни језик њихов секундарни језик. Знаковни језик има своју структуру и вокабулар и може обављати све функције као и било који други природан људски језик. Знаковни језици су се развили у другачијем биолошком медијуму од говорних језика.Упркос евидентним разликама у модалитету,они су структуирани као говорни језици на фонолошком нивоу, морфолошком, лексичком и синтаксичком нивоу. Основни циљ и задаци истраживања, усмерени су на степен усвојености знаковног и говорног језичког израза код глуве и наглуве деце. Испитиван је утицај различитих варијабли, као што су степен оштећења слуха, узраст, пол, успех из матерњег језика на степен усвојености знаковног и говорног језичког израза; извршена је квантитативна и квалитативна анализа речи и испитана употреба знаковног језика у настави. Истраживање је спроведено у школама за глуву и наглуву децу у Србији. Узорак је чинило 102 испитаника (11 испитаника предшколског и 91 испитаник основношколског узраста). У овом истраживању користили смо следеће инструменте: Речнички тест(В.Лукић); Тест за испитивање способности описивања слике(С.Васић); Стимуланс слике – 6 слика; Стимуланс слике Јесен у граду и Јесен у селу; Листа стимуланс речи (5 лексичких области) за децу предшколског узраста: породица, храна и пиће, занимања, кућа, путовања; Листа стимуланс речи (10 лексичких области) за ученике основношколског узраста: породица, време, занимања, кућа, путовања, менталне активности, комуникација, образовање, емоције, религија; Упитник за наставнике (Н.Димић; Т.Ковачевић). Резултати истраживања указују да степен оштећења слуха делимично утиче на знаковни и говорни језички израз код глуве и наглуве деце предшколског узраста, али нема утицаја код деце основношколског узраста. Узраст, утиче на усвојеност знаковног и говорног језичког израза.Успех из матерњег језика делимично утиче на знаковни и говорни израз.Пол нема утицаја на степен усвојености знаковног и говорног језичког израза.Глува и наглува деца не користе са подједнаком успешношћу све врсте речи. У настави знаковни језик сe користи у комбинацији са говорним језиком. Добијени резултати указују на важност функције знаковног језичког израза у развоју језика глуве и наглуве деце. Глува и наглува деца имају развијенији знаковни језички израз у односу на говорни. За уредан когнитивни, емоционални и социјални развој глуве деце неопходно је рано усвајање знаковног језика. Уочене су извесне специфичности у знаковном и говорном изражавању глуве и наглуве деце. Глува и наглува деца су показала слабо разумевање појмова, тешкоће у разумевању прочитаног и познавању значења речи. Речник глуве и наглуве деце је квантитативно смањен. Глува и наглува деца не познају и не разумеју, право и основно значење великог броја речи. Знати један језик, значи имати богат лексички фонд и умети га користити у комуникацији.Sign language is a natural and primary linguistic expression of the deaf, while the spoken language is their secondary language. Sign language has its own structure and vocabulary, and it can perform all the functions just like any other natural human language. Sign languages have evolved in different biological media from that of vocal languages. In spite of evident differences in modality, they are structured like spoken languages at the phonological, morphological, lexical and syntactic levels. The main aims and objectives of this research are directed at the level of acquisition of sign and spoken language expression in hard of hearing and deaf children. The effect of different variables (such as the degree of hearing loss, age, sex, school success in their native language) on the level of acquisition of sign and spoken language expression was examined; quantitative and qualitative analysis of words was performed and the use of sign language in the classroom was examined. The survey was conducted in schools for the deaf and hard of hearing children in Serbia. There were 102 subjects in the sample group (11 subjects were of pre-school age and 91 were of elementary school age). In this study, we used the following instruments: Vocabulary test (V.Lukić); test for examining the ability to describe images (S.Vasić); stimulus images - 6 images; stimulus paintings "Autumn in the village" and "Autumn in the town"; a list of stimulus words (five lexical fields) for pre-school children: family, food and drink, professions, home, travels; a list of stimulus words (ten lexical fields) for primary school pupils: family, weather, professions, home, travel, mental activities, communication, education, emotions , religion; Questionnaire for Teachers (N.Dimić; T.Kovačević). The results of this research indicate that the degree of hearing loss partially affects the sign and spoken language expression in deaf and hard of hearing children of pre-school age, but it has no influence on children of primary school age. Age influences the acquisition of sign and spoken language expression. School success in mother tongue affects the sign and spoken language expression partially. The sex of the child has no effect on the level of acquisition of sign and spoken language expression.Hard of hearing and deaf children do not use all kinds of words with equal success rate. In teaching, sign language is used in conjunction with spoken language. The results point to the importance of the function of sign language expression in the language development in deaf and hard of hearing children. Deaf and hard of hearing children have a more developed sign language expression, in comparison with vocal language expression. For normal cognitive, emotional and social development of deaf children it is necessary for them to adopt sign language early. Certain specific characteristics were observed in sign language expression and spoken expression of deaf and hard of hearing children. Deaf and hard of hearing children showed little understanding of concepts,difficulty in reading and understanding the read text and difficulty in knowing the meanings of words. Deaf children's vocabulary is quantitatively reduced. Deaf and hard of hearing children do not know and do not understand the right meaning and the basic meaning of a large number of words. To be able to speak a language means to have a rich lexical vocabulary and to be able to use it in communication

Znakovni jezici - nekad i sad

A way of communication on an equal footing with oral and written speech is sign language. Oral speech is a common way of communication, written speech has, with the development of information technologies, been taking up more and more space. In a parallel with them, communication can also take place through sign language, which is, to deaf people, as well as to all those who use it, a natural, simple and easy way to communicate. Relationship towards sign language has changed significantly throughout history from acceptance and isolated use, to complete rejection, and then to encouraging its adoption and emphasizing its importance for the cognitive, emotional, educational, social, and general development of deaf children. Serbian Sign Language (SSL) serves deaf people in Serbia as a means for everyday communication, for expressing desires, willingness, for learning, for intellectual discussions, for expressing personal style. Although the standardization of the Serbian Sign Language was completed in 2015, even nowadays we may still find certain gestures of expression varying in different regions. Different countries have different sign languages that are not reciprocally understood in use. They are distinguished by their own grammar (semantics, morphology, and syntax), different from the grammar of spoken languages. The distinguishing and recognition of sign languages in the world has led to changes in the field of education of deaf children. In bilingual schools, children acquire both sign and spoken languages, and teachers know both of the mentioned languages. The importance of sign language in the education of deaf children is emphasized.Ravnopravan način komunikacije sa usmenim i pisanim govorom jeste znakovni jezik. Usmeni govor je uobičajeni način komunikacije, a pisani govor razvojem informacionih tehnologija zauzima sve više prostora. Paralelno sa njima može se odvijati i komunikacija putem znakovnog jezika, koji je prirodan, jednostavan i lak način komunikacije gluvim ljudima, ali i svima onima koji ga koriste. Odnos prema znakovnom jeziku se kroz istoriju značajno menjao. Od prihvatanja i izolovane upotrebe do potpunog odbacivanja, zatim i do podsticanja njegovog usvajanja i isticanja značaja za kognitivni, emocionalni, edukativni, socijalni i opšti razvoj gluve dece. Srpski znakovni jezik (SZJ) gluvim osobama u Srbiji služi kao sredstvo za svakodnevnu komunikaciju, za iskazivanje želja, volje, za učenje, intelektualne rasprave, izražavanje ličnog stila. Standardizacija srpskog znakovnog jezika završena je 2015. godine i danas imamo mogućnost regionalnih varijacija pojedinih gestova i načina izražavanja. U različitim delovima sveta koriste se različiti znakovni jezici koji nisu međusobno razumljivi. Odlikuju se sopstvenom gramatikom (semantikom, morfologijom i sintaksom) različitom od gramatike govornih jezika. Prepoznavanje i priznavanje znakovnih jezika u svetu dovelo je do promena u sferi vaspitanja i obrazovanja gluve dece. U dvojezičnim školama deca uče oba jezika, i znakovni i govorni, a nastavnici istovremeno vladaju i jednim i drugim oblikom izražavanja. U radu se ističe značaj znakovnog jezika za obrazovanje gluve dece

Social features of the best ranked tennis players since ATP and WTA list formation

Основни циљ овог истраживања биo је да се утврди зависност одабира и опредељења испитаника за бављење тенисом од дефинисаних фактора социјалног статуса, као и утврђивање тачних показатеља о нивоу утицаја појединих социјалних фактора на успешност у врхунском тенису. Узорак у овом истраживању чини 56 испитаника, који су подељени у три субузорка. У првом субузорку налази се 25 тенисера, односно сви тенисери који су најмање седам дана заузимали прву позицију на АТП листи од њеног формирања 1973. године до 1. јануара 2013. године. У другом узорку налази се 21 тенисеркa, односно све тенисерке које су најмање седам дана заузимале прву позицију на ВТА листи од њеног формирања 1975. године до 1. јануара 2013. године. Трећи субузорак чини 10 најбоље рангираних српских тенисера и тенисерки на АТП и ВТА листи, а који нису ушли у претходна два субузорка (пет тенисера и пет тенисерки). Приликом анализе резултата прва два субузорка ће такође бити подељена на два дела и то на тенисере и тенисерке који су били на првим позицијама АТП и ВТА листе до 1992. године и на тенисере и тенисерке који су на тим листама били од 1992. године до 1. јануара 2013. године. Овај узорак представља репрезентативни узорак јер обухвата све тенисере и тенисерке који су бар седам дана заузимали прву позицију од како је формиран систем електронског бодовања у тенису. Такође, треба нагласити чињеницу да у појединачном врхунском спорту нема великих узорака и да се ради о најквалитетнијим појединцима у тенису у поменутом временском периоду. Са аспекта величине, ово је апсолутни узорак. Научни метод који је доминантан у овом истраживању јесте: конкретно историјски метод. Поред конкретно историјског модела, као доминантног, у раду је коришћен и компаративни (упоредни) научни метод. Овом методом су, на систематичан начин, утврђене сличности и разлике међу испитиваним социјалним карактеристикама...The main objective of this study is to determine the correlation between the subject’s selection and orientation to practice of tennis and factors of social status, as well as establishing accurate indicators that can show the level of impact on the success in professional, world-class tennis. Inferences are made due to the sample of 56 subjects who were divided into three subgroups. The first subgroup consists of 25 male tennis players who have been ranked as first for at least seven days by the ATP list, since its formation in 1973 until 1st January 2013. The second subgroup includes 21 female tennis players who have been ranked as first for at least seven days by the WTA list, since its formation in 1975 until 1st January 2013. The third subsample consists of 10 top-ranked Serbian tennis players by the ATP and WTA list who are not subject in the previous two subgroups (5 male and 5 female players). In analysis, the first two subgroups are also divided into two parts – since the formation of ATP and WTA lists until 1992, and since 1992 until 1st January 2013. When speaking about sampling characteristics it is necessary to emphasize that this is a representative sample, as it includes all tennis players who have been ranked as first by ATP or WTA for at least seven days since the formation of electronic scoring in tennis. It should also be emphasized that the individual professional sport has no great samples and that this study analyzes finest tennis individuals in mentioned period. From the standpoint of size, this is an absolute sampling. Specific historical method is dominant scientific method used during this research. Comparative method is also used to underline the differences and similarities among analyzed social characteristics..

The effect of immunoglobulins with specificity significant for antiphospholipid syndrome on expression of characteristic proteins and invasiveness of human extravillous trophoblast in vitro

Antifosfolipidni sindrom (APS) je autoimunsko oboljenje koje klinički karakteriše ponavljana pojava tromboze i/ili poremećaji u trudnoći, a serološki prisustvo antifosfolipidnih antitela (aPL). Prisustvo aPL predstavlja najčešći stečeni faktor rizika za gubitak trudnoće i komplikacije u trudnoći. Smatra se da je glavni antigen u APS β2- glikoprotein I (β2GPI), evolutivno konzerviran protein, koji je po sekvenci i konformaciji sličan velikom broju proteina mikrobskog porekla. Do nedavno se smatralo da su tromboza i inflamacija u placenti najznačajniji mehanizmi kojima aPL ostvaruju patološki uticaj na tok i ishod trudnoće, ali novija saznanja ukazuju da aPL antitela direktno utiču na proces placentacije. U ovom radu je ispitivan uticaj imunoglobulina sa specifičnošću značajnom za antifosfolipidni sindrom na ekstravilusni trofoblast čoveka in vitro. Studija je obuhvatila ispitivanje efekata poliklonskih aPL koja su prečišćena iz seruma pacijenata sa APS i monoklonskog antitela 26 (MAb 26) prema tetanus toksoidu, koje poseduje i specifičnost prema β2GPI. Time je omogućeno bolje razumevanje uloge heterogene populacije aPL koja je prisutna u serumu pacijenata, kao i antitela jasno definisane specifičnosti prema β2GPI u procesima koji dovode do defektne placentacije. Ispitivanjem in vitro uticaja imunoglobulina sa specifičnošću značajnom za APS na invazivnost ekstravilusnog trofoblasta čoveka, testom ćelijske invazije u Matrigel, pokazano je da aPL+ IgG i MAb 26 smanjuju invazivnost trofoblasta. Uočeni efekat nije bio posledica smanjene vijabilnosti i proliferacije ćelija, niti povećane apoptoze. Oba ispitivana antitela su uticala na ekspresiju karakterističnih proteina koji imaju ulogu u ćelijskoj invazivnosti. Efekat aPL+ IgG na trofoblastnu invaziju je posredovan inhibitornim delovanjem na matriksnu metaloproteinazu (MMP)-9, integrinske subjedinice α1, α5 i β1 i sekretovani galektin-1, dok MAb 26 svoje efekte ostvaruje inhibitornim delovanjem na MMP-2 i -9, α1 subjedinicu integrina i galektin-1. Vezivanje aPL+ IgG i MAb 26 za ekstravilusnu trofoblastnu ćelijsku liniju HTR-8/SVneo, kao i vezivanje MAb 26 za citotrofoblast (CT) izolovan iz placente prvog trimestra, je potvrđeno imunocitohemijskom analizom. Ispitivana antitela se vezuju za ćelije trofoblasta i u odsustvu egzogenog β2GPI i drugih faktora prisutnih u fetalnom telećem serumu, ukazujući na ekspresiju endogenog β2GPI ili još uvek nedefinisanog receptora koji bi mogao da direktno vezuje antitela...Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune multisystemic disorder clinically characterized by recurrent thrombosis and pregnancy morbidity, and presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in sera of affected individuals. Presence of aPL is the most common acquired risk factor for pregnancy loss and pregnancyrelated complications. Main antigen in APS is β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI), an evolutionarily conserved protein, which shows similarity in sequence and conformation with a number of microbial proteins. Until recently, thrombosis and inflammation were thought to be the main aPL related mechanisms leading to complications in pregnancy. More recent findings, however, indicate that aPL can exert direct effects of on placentation. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of immunoglobulins with specificity significant for APS on human extravillous trophoblast in vitro. The study included polyclonal aPL derived from APS patients (aPL+ IgG) and monoclonal antibody 26 (MAb 26) raised to tetanus toxoid with additional β2GPI specificity, originating from conformational similarity between tetanus toxoid and β2GPI. Effects of immunoglobulins with specificity important for APS on human extravillous trophoblast invasion in vitro were investigated using Matrigel invasion assay. The test showed that both aPL+ IgG and MAb 26 induce a decrease in trophoblast invasiveness, which did not result from a change in cell viability, proliferation, or apoptosis. Both antibodies, however, did affect the expression of characteristic proteins that are known to act as mediators of cell invasion. The aPL+ IgG induced decrease in trophoblast invasiveness was accompanied by reduction in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, integrin subunits α1, α5 and β1, and in levels of secreted galectin-1. Similarly, the inhibitory effect of MAb 26 on trophoblast invasion was accompanied by a decrease in MMP-2 and -9, integrin subunit α1, and galectin-1 expression. Immunocytochemistry revealed binding of both aPL+ IgG and MAb 26 to extravillous trophoblast cells. The observed binding was persistent in the absence of exogenous β2GPI and other factors derived from fetal calf serum used for cell culture. That implies expression of endogenous β2GPI, or putative receptor(s) that can bind aPL directly..

Progression of Age Related Maculopathy in Phakic Versus Pseudophakic Eyes

Age-related maculopathy (ARM) is one of the leading causes of central visual acuity loss in older western population. Many factors are responsible for the fast development of ARM. One of this is significant increases of optical radiations through artificial lens after removal of the catarctous lens. The aim of this study was to compare progression of ARM in phakic and pseudophakic patients and to calculate the possibility of pseudophakia as a risk factor for faster progression of ARM. Medical records of 76 patients, older than 60 years (32 male and 44 female) with early forms of ARM were randomly evaluated. They had undergone cataract removal by phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation from January 2002 to December 2006 at the Department of Ophthalmology, Rijeka University Hospital, Croatia. Patients were examined two weeks after the surgery and followed up for two years. The control group consisted of 48 patients (21 males and 27 females) with also early forms of ARM, older than 60 years, examined at the Policlinic Department from January 2006 to December 2006 and followed up at least for two years without any cataract surgery. Comparing progression of ARM in these two groups, a total of 19 patients (25%) in pseudophakic group showed progression to late forms of ARM, but only 6 patients (12.5 %) in the control group developed these aggressive ARM forms. More aggressive forms of ARM in pseudophakic group indicate that pseudophakia should be considered as a risk factor for development of ARM

The effect of IL-6 on the trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo

Embryonic development up to the blastocyst stage, implantation into the uterine wall and the development of the functional placenta are steps crucial for the establishment of normal pregnancy. Specific cells of the placenta, the trophoblast cells, invade the uterine stroma and spiral arteries, adapting them to pregnancy. Interleukin-6 is present in the human endometrium during the receptive phase and early pregnancy. Trophoblasts also produce IL-6, which was found to stimulate trophoblast invasion and migration in vitro. Here we show that the activity of MMP-9 may contribute to the observed increased invasion. In addition, in the HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell line IL-6 increases cell proliferation.