1. Prognostic factors of choroidal melanoma in Slovenia, 1986-2008Boris Jančar, Marjan Budihna, Brigita Drnovšek-Olup, Katrina Novak-Andrejčič, Irena-Hedvika Brovet-Zupančič, Dušica Pahor, 2016, original scientific article Abstract: Introduction. Choroidal melanoma is the most common primary malignancy of the eye, which frequently metastasizes. The Cancer Registry of Slovenia reported the incidence of choroid melanoma from 1983 to 2009 as stable, at 7.8 cases/million for men and 7.4/million for women. The aim of the retrospective study was to determinate the prognostic factors of survival for choroidal melanoma patients in Slovenia. Patients and methods. From January 1986 to December 2008 we treated 288 patients with malignant choroidal melanoma; 127 patients were treated by brachytherapy with beta rays emitting ruthenium-106 applicators; 161 patients were treated by enucleation. Results. Patients with tumours thickness < 7.2 mm and base diameter < 16 mm were treated by brachytherapy and had 5- and 10-year overall mortality 13% and 32%, respectively. In enucleated patients, 5- and 10-year mortality was higher, 46% and 69%, respectively, because their tumours were larger. Thirty patients treated by brachytherapy developed local recurrence. Twenty five of 127 patients treated by brachytherapy and 86 of 161 enucleated patients developed distant metastases. Patients of age >/= 60 years had significantly lower survival in both treatment modalities. For patients treated by brachytherapy the diameter of the tumour base and treatment time were independent prognostic factors for overall survival, for patients treated by enucleation age and histological type of tumour were independent prognosticators. In first few years after either of treatments, the melanoma specific annual mortality rate increased, especially in older patients, and then slowly decreased. Conclusions. It seems that particularly younger patients with early tumours can be cured, whereby preference should be given to eyesight preserving brachytherapy over enucleation. Keywords: choroidal melanoma, therapy, brachytherapy, prognostic factors Published in DiRROS: 09.05.2024; Views: 80; Downloads: 43
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2. Prognostic value of some tumor markers in unresectable stage IV oropharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with concomitant radiochemotherapyErika Šoba, Marjan Budihna, Alojz Šmid, Nina Gale, Hotimir Lešničar, Branko Zakotnik, Primož Strojan, 2015, original scientific article Abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate how the expression of tumor markers p21, p27, p53, cyclin D1, EGFR, Ki-67, and CD31 influenced the outcome of advanced inoperable oropharyngeal carcinoma patients, treated with concomitant radiochemotherapy. Patients and methods. The pretreatment biopsy specimens of 74 consecutive patients with inoperable stage IV oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with concomitant radiochemotherapy were in retrospective study processed by immunochemistry for p21, p27, p53, cyclin D1, EGFR, Ki-67, and CD31. Disease-free survival (DFS) was assessed according to the expression of tumor markers. Results. Patients with a high expression of p21 (%10%), p27 (>50%), Ki-67 (>50%), CD31 (>130 vessels/mm2) and low expression of p53 (<10%), cyclin D1 (<10%) and EGFR (<10%) (favorable levels - FL) had better DFS than patients with a low expression of p21 (<10%), p27 (%50%), Ki-67 (%50%), CD31 (<130 vessels/mm2) and high expression of p53 (%10%), cyclin D1 (%10%) and EGFR (%10%) (unfavorable levels - UL). However, statistical significance in survival between FL and UL was achieved only for p27 and cyclin D1. DFS significantly decreased with an increasing number of markers with an unfavorable level per tumor (1%4 vs. 5%7) (78% vs. 32%, respectively; p = 0.004). The number of markers per tumor with UL of expression retained prognostic significance also in multivariate analysis. Conclusions. Statistical significance in survival between FL and UL emerged only for p27 and cyclin D1. The number of markers per tumor with UL of expression was an independent prognostic factor for an adverse outcome . Keywords: oropharynx, radiochemotherapy, tumor markers Published in DiRROS: 22.04.2024; Views: 74; Downloads: 18
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3. Identification of plasma biomarker candidates in glioblastoma using an antibody-array-based proteomic approachKlemen Zupančič, Andrej Blejec, Ana Herman, Matija Veber, Urška Verbovšek, Marjan Koršič, Miomir Knežević, Primož Rožman, Tamara Lah Turnšek, Kristina Gruden, Helena Motaln, 2014, original scientific article Abstract: Background. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a brain tumour with a very high patient mortality rate, with a median survival of 47 weeks. This might be improved by the identification of novel diagnostic, prognostic and predictive therapy-response biomarkers, preferentially through the monitoring of the patient blood. The aim of this study was to define the impact of GBM in terms of alterations of the plasma protein levels in these patients. Materials and methods. We used a commercially available antibody array that includes 656 antibodies to analyse blood plasma samples from 17 healthy volunteers in comparison with 17 blood plasma samples from patients with GBM. Results. We identified 11 plasma proteins that are statistically most strongly associated with the presence of GBM. These proteins belong to three functional signalling pathways: T-cell signalling and immune responses; cell adhesion and migration; and cell-cycle control and apoptosis. Thus, we can consider this identified set of proteins as potential diagnostic biomarker candidates for GBM. In addition, a set of 16 plasma proteins were significantly associated with the overall survival of these patients with GBM. Guanine nucleotide binding protein alpha (GNAO1) was associated with both GBM presence and survival of patients with GBM. Conclusions. Antibody array analysis represents a useful tool for the screening of plasma samples for potential cancer biomarker candidates in small-scale exploratory experiments; however, clinical validation of these candidates requires their further evaluation in a larger study on an independent cohort of patients. Keywords: glioblastoma, proteomics, biomarker Published in DiRROS: 16.04.2024; Views: 300; Downloads: 320
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5. Metal–support interaction between titanium oxynitride and Pt nanoparticles enables efficient low-Pt-loaded high-performance electrodes at relevant oxygen reduction reaction current densitiesArmin Hrnjić, Ana Rebeka Kamšek, Lazar Bijelić, Anja Logar, Nik Maselj, Milutin Smiljanić, Jan Trputec, Natan Vovk, Luka Pavko, Francisco Ruiz-Zepeda, Marjan Bele, Primož Jovanovič, Nejc Hodnik, 2024, original scientific article Published in DiRROS: 04.03.2024; Views: 170; Downloads: 74
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6. Quality checking of polymer modified bitumens in SloveniaMarjan Tušar, Lidija Ržek, Mojca Ravnikar Turk, 2021, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: For many years the properties of bitumen have been determined based on mechanical tests as needle penetration, Ring&Ball and Fraass fracture temperature. For elastomer (styrene-butadiene-styrene) polymer modified bitumens these tests are not sufficient to show the important differences in bitumens. Elastic recovery and cohesion provide better insight, but rheological properties cannot be adequately described with conventional test. The requirements of the polymer modified bitumens (PmB) in Europe were defined in EN14023 in 2010 [1]. Since then several new tests were introduced in the research field and their procedures improved. In the European Standards Committee (CEN) TC 336, there is on-going work to develop performance related specifications. New laboratory test methods from American standards were adapted and transformed into EN standards (bitumen laboratory aging methods and rheological tests). These test methods are not yet employed in the cur-rent PmB European standard, however, the draft prEN 14023, April 2020 [2] suggests these new tests. In the recent years at ZAG Laboratory for asphalts and bitumen-based products long-term aging of bitumen by pressure aging vessel (PAV) and rheological tests were introduced. Traditional bitumen test methods are performed together with new rheological testse.g. Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) testing, to characterize complex modulus and phase angle, and Multiple Stress Creep Recovery Test (MSCRT) in order to develop a preliminary data base on PmB’s, which are frequently used in Slovenia. The paper presents the current requirements for PmB’s in Slovenia and test results on PmB 45/80-65, original, laboratory aged and extracted from produced asphalt mixtures. Keywords: polymer modified bitumen, recovered bitumen, laboratory ageing, dynamic shear rheometer, multiple stress creep recovery test Published in DiRROS: 28.02.2024; Views: 159; Downloads: 113
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8. Volumetric view on asphalt mixtureMarjan Tušar, Mojca Ravnikar Turk, Lidija Ržek, 2023, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: An asphalt layer consists of stone aggregates, binder and air voids. The content of air voids (Vmin and Vmax), the voids filled with bitumen (VFBmin and VFBmax), the content of air voids in stone aggregates (VMAmin and VMAmax) and volume content of bitumen (VBmin) should be determined for each type of asphalt mixture. The volumetric properties of asphalt layer listed above are important parameters for assessing the properties of asphalt and are usually first presented in the requirements for produced asphalt mixtures and built in asphalt layers. Visualization of volumetric properties is important for understanding the composition of the produced asphalt mixture. The most appropriate is a triangular representation of the volumetric requirements for three main components of asphalt layer (stone, bitumen and air). Keywords: volumetric representation, asphalt mixture, void content, voids in aggregate Published in DiRROS: 22.02.2024; Views: 145; Downloads: 72
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9. Rheological behaviors of waste polyethylene modified asphalt binder : Statistical analysis of interlaboratory testing resultsDi Wang, Andrea Baliello, Gustavo Pinheiro, Lily D. Poulikakos, Marjan Tušar, Kamilla Vasconcelos, Muhammad Rafiq Kakar, Laurent Porot, Emiliano Pasquini, Gaspare Giancontieri, Chiara Riccardi, Marco Pasetto, Davide Lo Presti, Augusto Cannone Falchetto, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: This article investigated the effect of waste polyethylene (PE) on the modified asphalt binders’ rheological behavior from a statistical point of view. The interlaboratory testing results from the RILEM Technical Committee 279 Valorization of Waste and Secondary Materials for Roads Task Group 1 were used for this purpose. First, an unaged 70/100 penetration graded neat binder was selected as the reference material. Next, a single 5 % content of waste PE additives (PE-pellets and PE-shreds) was mixed with a 95 % neat binder to prepare two PE modified binders. Then, dynamic shear rheometer–based temperature-frequency sweep tests were performed over a wide range of temperatures and frequencies to evaluate the rheological properties of these three binders. Different rheological behaviors were observed in the isochronal plots at high temperatures. Based on a reproducibility precision requirement proposed for phase angle, 28°C was set as the transition temperature across the rheological behaviors. Next, according to the three rheological behaviors defined in a previous study by the authors, statistical analysis was introduced to identify sensitive rheological parameters and determine the thresholds. Results indicate that the phase angle measured above 28°C and 1.59 Hz can be used as a sensitive parameter to discriminate the three rheological behaviors of PE modified binders. The thresholds among different behaviors were also calculated as an example for phase angle measured at the highest common testing temperature of 70°C. Additional experimental evaluations on more types of PE modified binders, especially at intermediate and high temperatures, are recommended to better understand their influence on the rheological behavior of PE modified binders. Keywords: bitumen, polietilen, reologija, medlaboratorijska primerjava Published in DiRROS: 20.02.2024; Views: 146; Downloads: 66
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10. Rejuvenator obtained by pyrolysis of waste tires for use in asphalt mixtures with added reclaimed asphaltLidija Ržek, Mojca Ravnikar Turk, Marjan Tušar, 2022, independent scientific component part or a chapter in a monograph Abstract: Although in recent years, big progress has been made in the field of recovering waste tires, they still represent an unwanted waste and their production is constantly increasing. We can use waste tires as a raw material for a new product. In our study, multiple liquid products were produced by pyrolysis of waste tires. After extensive testing of their properties, we selected the most suitable pyrolytic product for the purpose of rejuvenation. Rejuvenators are designed to soften the old, brittle and stiff aged bitumen in reclaimed asphalt. Bitumen with its viscoelastic characteristics is the most important component of asphalt and dictates its behaviour. Commonly bitumen, after adding rejuvenator, becomes less viscous, more ductile and its coating properties are restored. By using a pyrolytic rejuvenator, the proportion of reclaimed asphalt added to the asphalt mixture was increased. The reuse of reclaimed asphalt and waste tires means a reduction in waste material and is therefore important for the preservation of the environment and sustainable development. Keywords: pyrolyse, rejuvenator, bitumen, reclaimed asphalt, waste tires Published in DiRROS: 31.01.2024; Views: 185; Downloads: 78
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