1. Use of high- and medium-cut-off membrane hemodialysis for removal of free light chains in patients with multiple myeloma-a single-center experienceMatevž Škerget, Barbara Vajdič Trampuž, Tajda Starman, Jakob Gubenšek, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background/Objectives: Light-chain cast nephropathy remains a major cause of morbidity in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), and rapidly reducing circulating free light chains (FLCs) is considered essential for renal recovery and survival. Methods: We conducted a single-center retrospective study evaluating high- and medium-cut-off hemodialysis (HCO/MCO HD) in newly diagnosed MM patients presenting with acute kidney injury (AKI). Consecutive patients treated at the University Medical Center Ljubljana between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2023 were included. As per institutional protocols, HCO/MCO HD- and myeloma-directed therapy were initiated on the day of diagnosis. Primary endpoints were the magnitude of FLC reduction, renal and hematologic responses at three months, and overall survival. Results: The median FLC concentration at presentation was 9630 mg/L. FLC levels declined rapidly after HCO/MCO HD initiation, reaching 2400 mg/L by day 7, 1083 mg/L by day 14, and 370 mg/L by day 30. MCO HD achieved kapa FLC clearance comparable to HCO HD for the lambda isotype. Despite a median of only four HCO/MCO-HD sessions, the reduction in FLC was rapid, with an additional decline observed over time, while the median FLC concentration fell below 500 mg/L. At three months, the overall hematologic response was 87%, including very good partial response or better in 35% of patients, and renal response in 79% of patients. Achieving a ≥70% FLC reduction by day 7 was associated with superior outcomes, including markedly longer median overall survival (82.5 vs. 23.2 months). Conclusions: Our data show that HCO/MCO-HD treatment alongside anti-myeloma therapy achieves sustained FLC reduction in newly diagnosed MM with AKI and early FLC reduction is highlighted as a key determinant of survival.
Ključne besede: acute kidney injury, free light chains, high-cut-off dialysis, light chain cast nephropathy, medium-cut-off dialysis, myeloma
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 01.06.2026; Ogledov: 151; Prenosov: 96
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2. Targeting protein-bound uremic toxins : a dual approach with medium cut-off membrane dialysis and a dietary intervention - a randomized controlled studyTjaša Herič, Tjaša Vivoda, Špela Bogataj, Aljoša Kuzmanovski, Joško Osredkar, Joanna Giebułtowicz, Jernej Pajek, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Background/Objectives: Protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs), particularly p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) and indoxyl sulfate (IS), are associated with cardiovascular toxicity and increased mortality. Conventional hemodialysis (HD) removes PBUTs poorly, and the efficacy of medium cut-off (MCO) dialyzer membranes remains uncertain. Furthermore, PBUT production is influenced by gut microbial metabolism and can be modified through diet. We hypothesized that MCO dialysis would provide superior clearance of PCS and IS compared with online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF), and that combining MCO dialysis with increased dietary fiber and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) intake would further reduce PBUT levels. Methods: In this prospective randomized trial, 62 maintenance HD patients underwent a 2-week wash-in period with high-flux HD (HF-HD) and were then randomized to MCO-HD (EXP) or OL-HDF (CON). After a 4-week intervention with the assigned dialysis modality, both groups continued with the same dialysis treatment and received an 8-week dietary intervention consisting of 19 g/day fiber and 1 g/day sodium propionate. The study concluded with a 4-week wash-out period on HF-HD. Primary outcomes were total serum PCS and IS levels measured at four timepoints. Results: Fifty-two patients completed the study. No significant changes in PCS or IS were observed after the dialysis-only intervention. PCS levels remained stable throughout the study. When the aligned dialysis regimen was combined with the dietary intervention, IS levels were significantly lower in the CON than in the EXP group (31.5 ± 10.3 vs. 42.0 ± 15.8 µmol/L; p = 0.006), with a partial rebound after wash-out in the CON group (39.6 ± 20.9 µmol/L; p = 0.003). Conclusions: While MCO-HD and OL-HDF had a similar effect on serum PCS and IS concentrations, only OL-HDF combined with the dietary intervention significantly reduced IS levels.
Ključne besede: fiber supplementation, indoxyl sulfate, medium cut-off dialyzer, p-cresyl sulfate, protein-bound uremic toxins
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 24.04.2026; Ogledov: 210; Prenosov: 230
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3. Evaluation of cut slope stability in the Lesser Himalaya of NepalKrishna Kumar Shrestha, Kabi Raj Paudyal, Dinesh Pathak, Alessandro Franci, Prem Bahadur Thapa, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: A spatial inventory of cut slopes in the central and western Lesser Himalaya of Nepal was prepared and characterised to evaluate their stability. The stability of these cut slopes is governed by the geotechnical properties of rock/soil together with slope geometry, groundwater conditions and human interventions. Numerous cut slope failures were observed in areas where slope geometry is modified for engineering developments such as roads, dams, powerhouses, industrial development, etc. Two modelling sites were evaluated using the Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM), Finite Element Method (FEM), and Particle Finite Element Method (PFEM). Pre-failure analyses using LEM and FEM under dry and saturated conditions revealed that the stability of the Lesser Himalayan hillslopes with considerable soil thickness is predominantly controlled by the depth of groundwater level (GWL). Slopes remain stable with a factor of safety (FoS)>1.3 when the GWL lies below 7 m from the surface and gradually become unstable as it approaches the surface. This trend for both slopes confirms that elevated groundwater during the rainy season is the major cause of frequent cut slope failures in the Himalayan regions. The comparison of FoS from LEM and Strength Reduction Factor (SRF) from FEM showed a strong cross-correlation (90–99 %), revealing minimal variation which affirmed the validity of the adopted modelling techniques used in this study. Post-failure simulations of these sites were further analysed using an innovative approach, the robust PFEM modelling technique, to compute the dynamic failure mechanism. Sensitivity analysis of both modelled sites showed that friction angle and cohesion are the most significant parameters for slope stability evaluation. Moreover, forward and back analyses indicated that computed results are in good agreement, thus depicting reliability and performances along with the model validation.
Ključne besede: cut slope, slope stability, numerical modelling, evaluation and validation, Lesser Himalaya, Nepal
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 23.12.2025; Ogledov: 1020; Prenosov: 229
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4. International survey on Phenylketonuria newborn screeningDomen Trampuž, Peter C. J. I. Schielen, Rolf H. Zetterström, Maurizio Scarpa, François Feillet, Viktor Kožich, Trine Tangeraas, Ana Drole Torkar, Matej Mlinarič, Daša Perko, Žiga Iztok Remec, Barbka Repič-Lampret, Tadej Battelino, Urh Grošelj, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: ewborn screening for Phenylketonuria enables early detection and timely treatment with a phenylalanine-restricted diet to prevent severe neurological impairment. Although effective and in use for 60 years, screening, diagnostic, and treatment practices still vary widely across countries and centers. To evaluate the Phenylketonuria newborn screening practices internationally, we designed a survey with questions focusing on the laboratory aspect of the screening system. We analyzed 24 completed surveys from 23 countries. Most participants used the same sampling age range of 48–72 h; they used tandem mass spectrometry and commercial non-derivatized kits to measure phenylalanine (Phe), and had non-negative cut-off values (COV) set mostly at 120 µmol/L of Phe. Participants mostly used genetic analysis of blood and detailed amino acid analysis from blood plasma as their confirmatory methods and set the COV for the initiation of dietary therapy at 360 µmol/L of Phe. There were striking differences in practice as well. While most participants reported a 48–72 h range for age at sampling, that range was overall quite diverse Screening COV varied as well. Additional screening parameters, e.g., the phenylalanine/tyrosine ratio were used by some participants to determine the screening result. Some participants included testing for tetrahydrobiopterin deficiency, or galactosemia in their diagnostic process. Results together showed that there is room to select a best practice from the many practices applied. Such a best practice of PKU-NBS parameters and post-screening parameters could then serve as a generally applicable guideline.
Ključne besede: phenylketonuria, newborn, neonatal, screening, international, survey, laboratory, methods, cut-off
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 04.12.2025; Ogledov: 3797; Prenosov: 342
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5. Nature set : qualitative and quantitative representation of elementsSovan Samanta, Kousik Das, Vivek Kumar Dubey, Leo Mršić, Antonios Kalampakas, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: Classical sets are characterized by ‘well-defined’ objects or elements, but this property is relative and linguistic.Classical sets, like the set of natural numbers, are primarily used for counting and measuring quantitative data. However,the literature does not address the differences in the representation of cardinalities between infinite sets and their infinitesubsets. This study investigates the cardinalities of infinite sets and their finite versions (cut cardinalities) within thefiniteapproximation ofthe real number system. Traditional fuzzy sets measure only belongingness or membership values, thuscapturing qualitative data. In the second part, this study introduces nature sets, which describe both the quantitative andqualitative aspects of elements. Quality measurement is provided by various techniques. Several properties of nature setsare examined, and potential applications are highlighted.
Ključne besede: nature set, qualitative property, quantitative property, cut cardinality
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 04.11.2025; Ogledov: 972; Prenosov: 362
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6. Relaxations and exact solutions to Quantum Max Cut via the algebraic structure of swap operatorsAdam Bene Watts, Anirban Chowdhury, Aidan Epperly, J. William Helton, Igor Klep, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: The Quantum Max Cut (QMC) problem has emerged as a test-problem for designing approximation algorithms for local Hamiltonian problems. In this paper we attack this problem using the algebraic structure of QMC, in particular the relationship between the quantum max cut Hamiltonian and the representation theory of the symmetric group. The first major contribution of this paper is an extension of non-commutative Sum of Squares (ncSoS) optimization techniques to give a new hierarchy of relaxations to Quantum Max Cut. The hierarchy we present is based on optimizations over polynomials in the qubit swap operators. This is in contrast to the "standard" quantum Lasserre Hierarchy, which is based on polynomials expressed in terms of the Pauli matrices. To prove correctness of this hierarchy, we exploit a finite presentation of the algebra generated by the qubit swap operators. This presentation allows for the use of computer algebraic techniques to manipulate and simplify polynomials written in terms of the swap operators, and may be of independent interest. Surprisingly, we find that level-2 of this new hierarchy is numerically exact (up to tolerance $10^{-7}$) on all QMC instances with uniform edge weights on graphs with at most 8 vertices. The second major contribution of this paper is a polynomial-time algorithm that computes (in exact arithmetic) the maximum eigenvalue of the QMC Hamiltonian for certain graphs, including graphs that can be "decomposed" as a signed combination of cliques. A special case of the latter are complete bipartite graphs with uniform edge-weights, for which exact solutions are known from the work of Lieb and Mattis. Our methods, which use representation theory of the symmetric group, can be seen as a generalization of the Lieb-Mattis result.
Ključne besede: Quantum Max Cut, swap operators, noncommutative polynomials, symmetric group, Gröbner bases
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 04.06.2024; Ogledov: 1168; Prenosov: 666
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8. The cut method on hypergraphs for the Wiener indexSandi Klavžar, Gašper Domen Romih, 2023, izvirni znanstveni članek Povzetek: The cut method has been proved to be extremely useful in chemical graph theory. In this paper the cut method is extended to hypergraphs. More precisely, the method is developed for the Wiener index of $k$-uniform partial cube-hypergraphs. The method is applied to cube-hypergraphs and hypertrees. Extensions of the method to hypergraphs arising in chemistry which are not necessary $k$-uniform and/or not necessary linear are also developed.
Ključne besede: hypergraphs, Wiener index, cut method, partial cube-hypergraphs, hypertrees, phenylene, Clar structures
Objavljeno v DiRROS: 15.03.2024; Ogledov: 1318; Prenosov: 688
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