121. Towards a holistic approach to the geochemistry of solid inorganicparticles in the urban environmentMartin Gaberšek, Mateja Gosar, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Airborne particulate matter (PM) has a major impact on the biogeochemical cycles of chemical elements in theurban environment. Anthropogenic-derived PM emissions are the cause of some of the most severe environmen-tal and health problems. The presented study aims to improve our knowledge of PM dynamics by introducing amulti-media, multi-analytical and multi-elemental holistic approach to geochemical studies of inorganic PM inthe urban environment. The importance of the holistic approach is highlighted and its application in a casestudy of Maribor (Slovenia) is presented. The chemical composition and individual particulate characteristicsof street, attic and household dust were determined and compared with the characteristics of airborne PM,and PM deposited in snow, together with the chemical composition of the soil. We found that the mineralogicaland chemical composition and the individual solid particle characteristics of the studied media differ consider-ably. Nevertheless, minerals of geogenic origin are present in all media. The highest levels of potentially toxic el-ements (PTEs) in all media, except household dust, are typical for industrial areas. Street dust primarily reflectsthe influence of winter road maintenance and industrial activities, while characteristics of household dust arepredominantly influenced by indoor activities and properties of dwellings. The comparison of the chemical com-position of attic and street dust indicates that emissions of As, Cd, Pb, S and Zn were higher in the past. The char-acterisation of airborne PM and PM deposited in snow is essential for the identification of the mostrecentsourcesof PTE-bearing particles. Several industrial sources and the fate of some particle types in the environment havebeen determined based on thefindings of the SEM/EDS analyses. This study confirms that various environmentalmedia are carriers of diverse geochemical information and highlights the importance of a holistic approach ingeochemistry of PM in urban areas.
Keywords: Street dust, attic dust, household dust, airborne particulate matter, potentially toxic elements, SEM/EDS
Published in DiRROS: 06.01.2021; Views: 1703; Downloads: 840
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122. Cultivation and utilization of Poplars, Willows and other fast-growing trees in Slovenia : report of the National Poplar CommissionGregor Božič, Andreja Ferreira, Anže Martin Pintar, Gordana Beltram, Marko Kovač, Darja Istenič, Špela Ščap, Marjana Westergren, Marko Bajc, Daniel Zorko, Simon Verebič, Nikica Ogris, Hojka Kraigher, 2020, treatise, preliminary study, study Keywords: Poplar, Willow, Black Walnut, Black Locust, international commission, FAO, national report, questionnaire, genetics, forest protection, legislation, categorisation, forest products, ecology, Slovenia
Published in DiRROS: 11.12.2020; Views: 1349; Downloads: 417
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123. Questionnaire on poplars and other fast-growing trees sustaining people and the environment 2016 - 2019 : report of the National Poplar CommissionGregor Božič, Andreja Ferreira, Anže Martin Pintar, 2020, treatise, preliminary study, study Keywords: Poplar, Willow, Black Walnut, Black Locust, international commission, FAO, national report, questionnaire, genetics, forest protection, legislation, categorisation, forest products, ecology, Slovenia
Published in DiRROS: 11.12.2020; Views: 1308; Downloads: 412
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124. Mast cell activation test in the diagnosis of allergic disease and anaphylaxisRajia Bahri, Adnan Custovic, Peter Korošec, Marina Tsoumani, Martin Barron, Jiakai Wu, Rebekah Sayers, Alf Weimann, Monica Ruiz-Garcia, Nandinee Patel, Mira Šilar, 2018, original scientific article Abstract: Background. Food allergy is an increasing public health issue and the commonest cause of life-threatening anaphylactic reactions. Conventional allergy tests assess for the presence of allergen-specific IgE, significantly overestimating the rate of true clinical allergy resulting in over-diagnosis and adverse impact on health-related quality of life. Objective. To undertake initial validation and assessment of a novel diagnostic tool, the mast cell activation test (MAT). Methods. Primary human mast cells (hMCs) were generated from peripheral blood precursors, and sensitized using patient sera and then incubated with allergen. Mast cell degranulation was assessed by flow cytometry and mediator release. We compared the diagnostic performance of MAT to existing diagnostic tools to assess in a cohort of peanut-sensitized individuals undergoing double-blind, placebo-controlled challenge. Results. hMCs sensitized with sera from peanut, grass pollen and hymenoptera- (wasp venom) allergic patients demonstrated allergen-specific and dose-dependent degranulation by both expression of surface activation markers (CD63 and CD107a) and functional assays (prostaglandins D2 and ß-hexosaminidase release). In this cohort of peanut-sensitized individuals, MAT was found to have superior discrimination performance compared to other testing modalities including component-resolved diagnostics and basophil activation test. Using functional principle component analysis, we identified 5 clusters or patterns of reactivity in the resulting dose-response curves, which at preliminary analysis corresponded to the reaction phenotypes seen at challenge. Conclusion. MAT is a robust tool which may confer superior diagnostic performance compared to existing allergy diagnostics, and may be useful to explore differences in effector cell function between basophils and mast cells during allergic reactions.
Keywords: allergy and immunology -- diagnosis, anaphylaxis, immunologic tests, mast cells, food hypersensitivity, basophil activation test, BAT, mast cell activation test
Published in DiRROS: 30.11.2020; Views: 1710; Downloads: 1602
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125. Comparison of European ICU patients in 2012 (ICON) versus 2002 (SOAP)Jean Louis Vincent, Jean-Yves Lefrant, Katarzyna Kotfis, Rahul Nanchal, Ignacio Martin-Loeches, Samir G. Sakka, Xavier Wittebole, Peter Pickkers, Rui P. Moreno, Yasser Sakr, 2018, original scientific article Abstract: Purpose: To evaluate differences in the characteristics and outcomes of intensive care unit (ICU) patients over time. Methods: We reviewed all epidemiological data, including comorbidities, types and severity of organ failure, interventions, lengths of stay and outcome, for patients from the Sepsis Occurrence in Acutely ill Patients (SOAP) study, an observational study conducted in European intensive care units in 2002, and the Intensive Care Over Nations (ICON) audit, a survey of intensive care unit patients conducted in 2012. Results: We compared the 3147 patients from the SOAP study with the 4852 patients from the ICON audit admitted to intensive care units in the same countries as those in the SOAP study. The ICON patients were older (62.5 +/- 17.0 vs. 60.6 +/- 17.4 years) and had higher severity scores than the SOAP patients. The proportion of patients with sepsis at any time during the intensive care unit stay was slightly higher in the ICON study (31.9 vs. 29.6%, p = 0.03). In multilevel analysis, the adjusted odds of ICU mortality were significantly lower for ICON patients than for SOAP patients, particularly in patients with sepsis [OR 0.45 (0.35-0.59), p < 0.001]. Conclusions: Over the 10-year period between 2002 and 2012, the proportion of patients with sepsis admitted to European ICUs remained relatively stable, but the severity of disease increased. In multilevel analysis, the odds of ICU mortality were lower in our 2012 cohort compared to our 2002 cohort, particularly in patients with sepsis.
Keywords: intensive care units -- analysis -- epidemiology -- mortality, sepsis, severity of disease
Published in DiRROS: 30.11.2020; Views: 1635; Downloads: 1129
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126. Synthesis and advanced electrochemical characterization of multifunctional electrocatalytic composite for unitized regenerative fuel cellLeonard Moriau, Marjan Bele, Alen Vižintin, Francisco Ruiz-Zepeda, Urša Petek, Primož Jovanovič, Martin Šala, Miran Gaberšček, Nejc Hodnik, 2019, original scientific article Keywords: electrocatalysis, bifunctional electrocatalysts, oxygen evolution reaction, oxygen reduction reaction, IL-TEM, IL-SEM, EFC-ICP-MS
Published in DiRROS: 24.11.2020; Views: 1449; Downloads: 984
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129. Comparison of Pt-Cu/C with benchmark Pt-Co/C : metal dissolution and their surface interactionsMatija Gatalo, Primož Jovanovič, Urša Petek, Martin Šala, Vid Simon Šelih, Francisco Ruiz-Zepeda, Marjan Bele, Nejc Hodnik, Miran Gaberšček, 2019, original scientific article Keywords: oxygen reduction reaction, proton exchange membrane fuel cell, platinum alloy, metal dissolution, electrochemical flow cell coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer
Published in DiRROS: 23.11.2020; Views: 1448; Downloads: 1085
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