The Quality of Fired Aleppo Pine Wood (Pinus Halepensis Mill.) Biomass for Biorefinery Products

Open-air fires or forest fires are becoming a key factor in reducing the forest surface areas and they are one of the major factors of devastation and degradation of forests and forest land and their ecosystems in the Mediterranean, mainly in coastal karst. They cause extreme material and economic damage, and they negatively affect biological and landscape diversity. After the forest fire, significant quantities of fired trees are left behind, representing a significant amount of lignocellulosic biomass available for conversion into a variety of biobased products. The question arises as to what degree they are chemically degraded, or whether they still have the properties required for further application in mechanical or chemical processing. The main aim of this paper was to study the group chemical composition as a biomass chemical property of the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) sapwood before and after the impact of low ground fire and high fire of the treetops at tree height of 0, 2 and 4 m. Therefore, the impact of forest fires on the Allepo pine sapwood group chemical composition was studied in terms of quality for further application in production of biorefinery products. In addition, research results on group chemical composition of the same unfired and fired Aleppo pine wood bark from previous study were used for comparison with sapwood from this study. The obtained results show that the distribution of the main chemical components of Aleppo pine unfired wood bark and sapwood is similar to the results of previous studies for different wood species. That means that the bark contains a significantly higher content of ash, accessory materials (extractives) and lignins, and a significantly lower content of polysaccharides cellulose and polyoses (hemicellulose) than sapwood. The bark results from previous studies show a significant difference in reduced ash, cellulose and lignin content, and in the increased accessory materials and wood polyoses (hemicellulose) content between the unfired and fired wood. Furthermore, the content of individual chemical components of fired bark at different forest fires heights of 0, 2 and 4 m for each sample did not differ significantly. Contrary to fired bark, no significant differences have been observed in the chemical composition of sapwood between unfired and fired wood, not even resulting from different forest fires heights. It can be concluded that the forest fire did not have any effect on Aleppo pine sapwood, where the fired wood bark took over all the damage caused by high temperature during the forest fire. In addition, the fired sapwood still retains the chemical properties required for further application in biorefinery biobased products

The Quality of Fired Aleppo Pine Wood (Pinus Halepensis Mill.) Biomass for Biorefinery Products

Open-air fires or forest fires are becoming a key factor in reducing the forest surface areas and they are one of the major factors of devastation and degradation of forests and forest land and their ecosystems in the Mediterranean, mainly in coastal karst. They cause extreme material and economic damage, and they negatively affect biological and landscape diversity. After the forest fire, significant quantities of fired trees are left behind, representing a significant amount of lignocellulosic biomass available for conversion into a variety of biobased products. The question arises as to what degree they are chemically degraded, or whether they still have the properties required for further application in mechanical or chemical processing. The main aim of this paper was to study the group chemical composition as a biomass chemical property of the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) sapwood before and after the impact of low ground fire and high fire of the treetops at tree height of 0, 2 and 4 m. Therefore, the impact of forest fires on the Allepo pine sapwood group chemical composition was studied in terms of quality for further application in production of biorefinery products. In addition, research results on group chemical composition of the same unfired and fired Aleppo pine wood bark from previous study were used for comparison with sapwood from this study. The obtained results show that the distribution of the main chemical components of Aleppo pine unfired wood bark and sapwood is similar to the results of previous studies for different wood species. That means that the bark contains a significantly higher content of ash, accessory materials (extractives) and lignins, and a significantly lower content of polysaccharides cellulose and polyoses (hemicellulose) than sapwood. The bark results from previous studies show a significant difference in reduced ash, cellulose and lignin content, and in the increased accessory materials and wood polyoses (hemicellulose) content between the unfired and fired wood. Furthermore, the content of individual chemical components of fired bark at different forest fires heights of 0, 2 and 4 m for each sample did not differ significantly. Contrary to fired bark, no significant differences have been observed in the chemical composition of sapwood between unfired and fired wood, not even resulting from different forest fires heights. It can be concluded that the forest fire did not have any effect on Aleppo pine sapwood, where the fired wood bark took over all the damage caused by high temperature during the forest fire. In addition, the fired sapwood still retains the chemical properties required for further application in biorefinery biobased products

The Outcome of the Surgical Treatment in the Patients with the Penetrating Chest Wounds

The aim of this paper is to present the treatment evaluation of the chest penetrating wounds in our hospital during the Patriotic war in Croatia. Due to the war situation, all the patients were treated with the aggressive surgery- thoracotomy. We compared the treatment outcome of these patients with those treated after the war who were treated with the standard procedure, meaning that the thoracotomy was performed only if the indications were clear and most of the minor chest wounds were treated with the thoracic drain. The compared parameters were: age, gender, thoracotomy percentage in comparison to total number of wounded, incidence of multiple wounds needing surgery, total follow up period, infection incidence, period of hospital treatment, blood transfusions, spirometry finding minimum one year after the hospital treatment. None of the parameters showed any significant statistical difference suggesting that one treatment was better than the other

Plasma leptin in obesity related hypertension

Background and Purpose: It is well known that obesity is related to hypertension through several mechanisms, such as sympathetic overactivity and excess renal sodium reabsorption. Obesity and hypertensionmay also be linked by leptin, a peptide that is elevated in obese individuals. Leptin is an adipocyte derived hormone that acts in hypothalamus to regulate appetite, energy expenditure and sympathetic nervous system outflow, as well as in peripheral tissues, such as blood vessels and kidneys. The aim of our research was to determine plasma leptin in hypertensive and normotensive obese patients with the same body mass index (BMI) and show a possible difference between leptin levels in these two groups of patients. Materials and Methods: The research was carried out on 21 hypertensive and 19 normotensive patients (20 men and 20 women) with BMI in range 30–35 kg/m2, normal values of fasting plasma glucose, urea and creatinine. Leptin was determined using Elisa method. Results and Conclusion: The results showed that men had significantly higher waist to hip ratio (W/H). Plasma leptin was significantly higher in hypertensive women as well as in hypertensive men (p=0.03) in relation to normotensive patients. There was also significant difference in serum craetinine and creatinine clearance between normotensive and hypertensive women, although creatinine was within normal range. There was a significant difference in serum tryglicerides between men and women in general, where men had higher values (p=0.016). This confirmed that leptin correlates with hypertension in both men and women

Recognition and management of systemic toxicity of local anesthetics

Simptomi sistemske toksičnosti lokalnih anestetika (LA) mogu oponašati druga klinička stanja. Ponekad ih je teško razlikovati od epileptičkih napada, hipovolemije ili srčanih bolesti. U ovom članku prikazujemo dvije bolesnice koje su razvile simptome kardiotoksičnosti nakon primjene lokalnih anestetika. Kod prve, vaskularne pacijentice, nakon epiduralne anestezije levobupivakainom došlo je do duboke hipotenzije koja je oponašala anafilaktičku reakciju, ali nije bilo nikakvog odgovora na bolusu primjenu adrenalina. Kod druge pacijentice, liječene na Zavodu za intenzivnu medicinu, došlo je do srčanog zastoja nakon intravenske injekcije lidokaina, koji je bio primijenjen za liječenje aritmije. U oba slučaja intravenska primjena lipidne emulzije pomogla je brzom oporavku pacijenata. Dobar odgovor na primjenjenu lipidnu emulziju pridonio je razlikovanju kardiototoksičnosti od alergijske reakcije i srčane dekompenzacije. Usprkos mogućim komplikacija terapije lipidnom emulzijom, istu treba rano primijeniti kod pojave kardiotoksičnosti LA u operacijskoj dvorani i u Jedinici intenzivnog liječenja. Primjereni hemodinamski monitoring može pomoći u njihovom ranom prepoznavanju i ocjeni uspješnosti primijenjene terapije.Systemic toxicity of local anesthetics (LA) may mimic other comorbid conditions. It may be difficult to differentiate from seizures, hypovolaemia, or heart disease. We present two patients who developed severe cardiotoxicity after LA injection. The first was a vascular patient who had severe hypotension after epidural levobupivacaine mimicking an anaphylactic reaction, which did not respond to repeated epinephrine injections. Another patient experienced cardiac arrest after intravenous lidocaine during arrhythmia treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU). In both cases, the lipid emulsion had a beneficial effect in the treatment of refractory hypotension after LA. The lipid emulsion helped to distinguish cardiotoxicity from an allergic reaction and cardiac decompensation. Despite the possible complications of intralipid therapy, it should be considered early in the treatment of systemic cardiotoxicity of local anesthetics, both in surgical theater and intensive care. Appropriate hemodynamic monitoring can also help in the early detection of cardiotoxic effects of local anesthetic and the evaluation of applied therapies

Outcome elaluation of eversion endarterectomy of carotid artery by modified incision method - clinical study and computed model

UVOD: Everzivna endarterektomija karotidne arterije operacijski je zahvat kojim se bolesniku s hemodinamski značajnim suženjem smanjuje rizik nastanka moždanog udara. Modifikacijom oblika reza operacijski zahvat postaje jednostavniji i na osnovu iskustava kirurga s Odjela za vaskularnu kirurgiju, Klinike za kirurgiju Kliničkog bolničkog centra Osijek, pokazuje dobre poslijeoperacijske rezultate. CILJEVI ISTRAŽIVANJA: Cilj je kliničkog istraživanja utvrditi incidenciju komplikacija primjene modificirane kirurške tehnike te incidenciju hemodinamski značajnih restenoza. Dobiveni rezultati uspoređeni su s rezultatima standardne tehnike iz relevantne svjetske literature. Klinička studija nadopunjena je računalnim modelom koji pokazuje poslijeoperacijske hemodinamske uvjete na mjestu endarterektomije, prigodom modificirane i standardne operacijske tehnike u idealnim uvjetima, bez restenoze na šavnoj liniji i u uvjetima razvijene restenoze različitog stupnja. REZULTATI: Klinička je studija pokazala da nema statistički značajne razlike između incidencije komplikacija u našoj studiji, u kojoj je korištena modificirana operacijska tehnika, i incidencije komplikacija objavljene u svjetski relevantnim istraživanjima, gdje je korištena standardna tehnika. Broj restenoza u našoj studiji je značajno manji, no ovaj se podatak mora uzeti s rezervom, jer je naš uzorak manji od uzorka u velikim svjetskim studijama. Računalni model, koji uspoređuje hemodinamske parametre na mjestu endarterektomije prigodom standardne i modificirane tehnike u uvjetima razvoja restenoze, pokazuje znatno bolje rezultate pri upotrebi modificirane operacijske tehnike. ZAKLJUČAK: Modificirana everzivna endarterektomija karotidne arterije je zahvat koji se može primijeniti za gotovo sve bolesnike s hemodinamski značajnom stenozom karotidne arterije. Ova je tehnika jednostavnija za izvođenje od standardne procedure. Klinička je studija pokazala da modificirana everzivna endarterektomija ima jednak broj komplikacija kao i standardna tehnika, a vjerojatno ima manji broj restenoza. Klinička studija i računalni model pokazuju nam da everzivna endarterektomija karotidne arterije s modificiranim oblikom incizije ima svoje mjesto u svakodnevnoj praksi, zbog očigledne dobrobiti za bolesnike. Kako bi se definitivno potvrdile prednosti ove operacijske modifikacije, potrebno je provesti daljnja istraživanja.INTRODUCTION: Eversion endarterectomy of carotid artery is a surgical procedure that lowers the incidence of stroke in patients with hemodinamically significant stenosis of carotid artery bifurcation. By modification of the shape of incision, surgical procedure becomes easier to perform and based on current experience of vascular surgeons from Department of Vascular Surgery, Clinic for Surgery, Clinical Hospital Centre Osijek, it gives good postoperative results. AIM: The major goal of this study was to determine the incidence of complications when applying modified surgical technique and the incidence of hemodinamically significant restenoses. Gathered data was compared to the results from the relevant world literature when standard surgical technique was performed. Clinical study was supplemented and supported by a computer model that is showing postoperative hemodinamical conditions at the site of endarterectomy with modified and standard surgical technique, in ideal conditions with no restenosis at the site of suture line and in conditions of different grades of restenoses. RESULTS: The study showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of complications between our study where modified surgical technique was used and the data from the studies in which standard surgical technique was performed. The number of restenoses in our study was significantly lower. Computer model that is comparing hemodinamical parameters at the site of endarterectomy with standard and modified surgical procedure and the development of restenosis, showed significantly better results with modified surgical technique. CONCLUSION: Eversion endarterectomy with modified shape of incision could be performed in almost all patients with carotid artery stenosis as it is technically easier to perform than a standard technique. Clinical study showed that modified surgical technique has the same incidence of complications as standard technique and probably smaller incidence of restenoses. This clinical and computer based research showed that modified eversion technique has a place 60 in everyday practice because of the benefit for the patients. To establish definite advantages of this technique, further studies need to be conducted. KEY WORDS: carotid endarterectomy, modified eversion technique, clinical trail, hemodinamic model, restenosis 6

Does the type of Anesthesia Administered Affect Theefficacy of Medicinal Leech Therapy After Fingerreplantation: Clinical Observations in a 6-year-old boy

SIR — A surgical technique for the replantation andmicrovascular repair of amputated fingers has beenpreviously described Recently, medicinal leecheshave been increasingly used for venous decongestion,which is a common problem after the replantation surgery. This method is based on reducing venous conges-tion by ‘blood-letting’ and on the antithromboticproperties of hirudin in leech saliva. Anestheticmanagement for the treatment with leeches in childrenhas not been described until now