1. The impact of anaemia on treatment outcome in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of anal canal and anal marginIrena Oblak, Monika Češnjevar, Mitja Anžič, Jasna But-Hadžić, Ajra Šečerov Ermenc, Franc Anderluh, Vaneja Velenik, Ana Jeromen, Peter Korošec, 2016, original scientific article Abstract: Radiochemotherapy is the main treatment for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal. Anaemia is reported to have adverse effect on survival in cancer patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of anaemia on radiochemotherapy treatment outcome in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal. Patients and methods. One hundred consecutive patients with histologically confirmed squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal were treated radically with 3-dimensional conformal or intensity-modulated radiation therapy followed by brachytherapy or external beam radiotherapy boost and with concurrent mitomycin C and 5-fluorouracil. The influence on survival of pre-treatment, mean on-treatment and end-of-treatment haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations was studied. Results. The 5-year locoregional control, disease free survival, disease specific survival and overall survival rates for all patients were 72%, 71%, 77% and 62%, respectively. In univariate analysis, patients with pre-treatment and end-oftreatment Hb > 120 g/L survived statistically significantly better compared to patients with Hb % 120 g/L. Patients with mean on-treatment Hb > 120 g/L only had statistically significant better locoregional control and overall survival than patients with Hb % 120 g/L. In multivariate analysis, independent prognostic factors were pre-treatment Hb (> 120 g/L vs. % 120 g/L) for overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.419, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.190%0.927, p = 0.032) and stage (I & II vs. III) for disease specific (HR = 3.523, 95% CI = 1.375%9.026, p = 0.009) and overall survival (HR = 2.230, 95% CI = 1.167%4.264, p = 0.015). Conclusions. The pre-treatment, mean on-treatment and end-of-treatment Hb concentration > 120 g/L carried better prognosis for patients for with squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal treated with radiochemotherapy. The pre-treatment Hb > 120 g/L was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival of patients with anal canal cancer.
Keywords: anaemia, anal canal squamous cell carcinoma, radiochemotherapy
Published in DiRROS: 30.04.2024; Views: 14; Downloads: 5
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2. The prognostic value of whole blood SOX2, NANOG and OCT4 mRNA expression in advanced small-cell lung cancerEva Sodja, Matija Rijavec, Ana Koren, Aleksander Sadikov, Peter Korošec, Tanja Čufer, 2016, original scientific article Abstract: The data on expression and clinical impact of cancer stem cell markers SOX2, NANOG and OCT4 in lung cancer is still lacking. The aim of our study was to compare SOX2, NANOG and OCT4 mRNA expression levels in whole blood between advanced small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients and healthy controls, and to correlate mRNA expression with progression-free survival (PFS) after first-line chemotherapy and overall survival (OS) in advanced SCLC patients. Patients and methods. 50 advanced SCLC patients treated with standard chemotherapy and followed at University Clinic Golnik, Slovenia, between 2009 and 2013 were prospectively included. SOX2, NANOG and OCT4 mRNA expression levels were determined using TaqMan qPCR in whole blood collected prior to chemotherapy. Whole blood of 34 matched healthy individuals with no cancerous disease was also tested. Results. SOX2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in whole blood of SCLC patients compared to healthy controls (p = 0.006). Significant correlation between SOX2 mRNA expression levels and the number of distant metastatic sites was established (p = 0.027). In survival analysis, patients with high SOX2 expression had shorter OS (p = 0.017) and PFS (p = 0.046). In multivariate Cox analysis, an independent value of high SOX2 expression for shorter OS (p = 0.002), but not PFS was confirmed. No significant differences were observed for NANOG or OCT4 expression levels when comparing SCLC patients and healthy controls neither when analysing survival outcomes in SCLC patients. Conclusions. SOX2 mRNA expression in whole blood might be a promising non-invasive marker for molecular screening of SCLC and important prognostic marker in advanced chemotherapy-treated SCLC patients, altogether indicating important role of cancer stem-like cell (CSC) regulators in cancer spread. Further evaluation of SOX2 as a possible screening/prognostic marker and a therapeutic target of SCLC is warranted.
Keywords: small-cell lung cancer, cancer stem cell markers, prognosis
Published in DiRROS: 30.04.2024; Views: 19; Downloads: 3
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3. Revealing subtle active tectonic deformation: integrating lidar, photogrammetry, field mapping, and geophysical surveys to assess the Late Quaternary activity of the Sava Fault (Southern Alps, Slovenia)Petra Jamšek Rupnik, Jure Atanackov, Barbara Horn, Branko Mušič, Marjana Zajc, Christoph Grützner, Kamil Ustaszewski, Sumiko Tsukamoto, Matevž Novak, Blaž Milanič, Anže Markelj, Kristina Ivančič, Ana Novak, Jernej Jež, Manja Žebre, Miloš Bavec, Marko Vrabec, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: We applied an interdisciplinary approach to analyze the late Quaternary activity of the Sava Fault in the Slovenian Southern Alps. The Sava Fault is an active strike-slip fault, and part of the Periadriatic Fault System that accommodated the convergence of Adria and Europe. It is one of the longest faults in the Southern Alps. Using high-resolution digital elevation models from lidar and photogrammetric surveys, we were able to overcome the challenges of assessing fault activity in a region with intense surface processes, dense vegetation, and relatively low fault slip rates. By integrating remote sensing analysis, geomorphological mapping, structural geological investigations, and near-surface geophysics (electrical resistivity tomography and ground penetrating radar), we were able to find subtle geomorphological indicators, detect near-surface deformation, and show distributed surface deformation and a complex fault pattern. Using optically stimulated luminescence dating, we tentatively estimated a slip rate of 1.8 ± 0.4 mm/a for the last 27 ka, which exceeds previous estimates and suggests temporal variability in fault behavior. Our study highlights the importance of modern high-resolution remote sensing techniques and interdisciplinary approaches in detecting tectonic deformation in relatively low-strain rate environments with intense surface processes. We show that slip rates can vary significantly depending on the studied time window. This is a critical piece of information since slip rates are a key input parameter for seismic hazard studies.
Keywords: active fault, lidar, photogrammetry, tectonic geomorphology, structural geology, geophysics, electrical resistivity tomography, ground penetrating radar, slip rate, Sava Fault
Published in DiRROS: 30.04.2024; Views: 17; Downloads: 3
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4. Kartiranje habitatnih tipov in popis morske biodiverzitete na območju koprske občine : končno poročiloLovrenc Lipej, Ana Fortič, Leon Lojze Zamuda, Tihomir Makovec, Borut Mavrič, Valentina Pitacco, Milijan Šiško, Domen Trkov, Martina Orlando-Bonaca, Danijel Ivajnšič, 2022, final research report Keywords: morska biologija, biološke lastnosti, skupine vrst, habitatni tipi, morski ekosistemi, morska biodiverziteta, morska biološka raznovrstnost, Občina Koper, poročila
Published in DiRROS: 24.04.2024; Views: 46; Downloads: 0 |
5. Mesenteric ischemia after capecitabine treatment in rectal cancer and resultant short bowel syndrome is not an absolute contraindication for radical oncological treatmentAna Perpar, Erik Brecelj, Nada Rotovnik-Kozjek, Franc Anderluh, Irena Oblak, Marija Skoblar Vidmar, Vaneja Velenik, 2015, short scientific article Abstract: Thrombotic events, arterial or venous in origin, still remain a source of substantial morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. The propensity for their development in oncology patients is partially a consequence of the disease itself and partially a result of our attempts to treat it. One of the rarest and deadliest thromboembolic complications is arterial mesenteric ischemia. The high mortality rate is caused by its rarity and by its non-specific clinical presentation, both of which make early diagnosis and treatment difficult. Hence, most diagnoses and treatments occur late in the course of the disease. The issue survivors of arterial mesenteric ischemia may face is short bowel syndrome, which has become a chronic condition after the introduction of parenteral nutrition at home. We present a 73-year-old rectal cancer patient who developed acute arterial mesenteric thrombosis at the beginning of the pre-operative radiochemotherapy. Almost the entire length of his small intestine, except for the proximal 50 cm of it, and the ascending colon had to be resected. After multiorgan failure his condition improved, and he was able to successfully complete radical treatment (preoperative radiotherapy and surgery) for the rectal carcinoma, despite developing short bowel syndrome (SBS) and being dependent upon home-based parenteral nutrition to fully cover his nutritional needs. Mesenteric ischemia and resultant short bowel syndrome are not absolute contraindications for radical oncological treatment since such patients can still achieve long-term remission.
Keywords: acute mesenteric ischemia, capecitabine, multiorgan failure, rectal cancer, short bowel syndrome
Published in DiRROS: 23.04.2024; Views: 47; Downloads: 17
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6. Preoperative treatment with radiochemotherapy for locally advanced gastroesophageal junction cancer and unresectable locally advanced gastric cancerIvica Ratoša, Irena Oblak, Franc Anderluh, Vaneja Velenik, Jasna But-Hadžić, Ajra Šečerov Ermenc, Ana Jeromen, 2015, original scientific article Abstract: To purpose of the study was to analyze the results of preoperative radiochemotherapy in patients with unresectable gastric or locoregionally advanced gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer treated at a single institution. Between 1/2004 and 6/2012, 90 patients with locoregionally advanced GEJ or unresectable gastric cancer were treated with preoperative radiochemotherapy at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana. Planned treatment schedule consisted of induction chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin, followed by concomitant radiochemotherapy four weeks later. Three-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy was delivered by dual energy (6 and 15 MV) linear accelerator in 25 daily fractions of 1.8 Gy in 5 weeks with two additional cycles of chemotherapy repeated every 28 days. Surgery was performed 4-6 weeks after completing radiochemotherapy. Following the surgery, multidisciplinary advisory team reassessed patients for the need of adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary endpoints were histopathological R0 resection rate and pathological response rate. The secondary endpoints were toxicity of preoperative radiochemotherapy and survival. Treatment with preoperative radiochemotherapy was completed according to the protocol in 84 of 90 patients (93.3%). Twenty patients (22.2%) did not undergo the surgery because of the disease progression, serious comorbidity, poor performance status or still unresectable tumour. In 13 patients (14.4%) only exploration was performed because the tumour was assessed as unresectable or diffuse peritoneal carcinomatosis was established. Fifty-seven patients (63.4%) underwent surgery with the aim of complete removal of the tumour. Radical resection was achieved in 50 (55.6%) patients and the remaining seven (7.8%) patients underwent non-radical surgery (R1 in five and R2 in two patients). In this group of patients (n = 57), pathological complete response of tumour was achieved in five patients (5.6% of all treated patients or 8.8% of all operated patients). Down-staging was recorded in 49 patients (86%), in one patient (1.8%) the stage after radiochemotherapy was unchanged while in seven patients (12.3%) the pathological stage was higher than clinical, mainly due to higher pN stage. No death was recorded during preoperative radiochemotherapy. Most grade 3 and 4 toxicities were due to vomiting, nausea and bone marrow suppression (granulocytopenia). Twentysix (45.6%) patients died due to GEJ or gastric carcinoma, one died because of septic shock following the surgery and a reason for two deaths was unknown. Twenty-eight patients (49.1%) were disease free at the time of analysis, while 29 patients (50.9%) developed the recurrence, mostly as distant metastases. At two years, locoregional control, diseasefree survival, disease-specific survival and overall survival were 82.9%, 43.9%, 56.9% and 53.9%, respectively. Preoperative radiochemotherapy was feasible in our group of patients and had acceptable toxicity. Majority of patients achieved down-staging, allowing greater proportion of radical resections (R0), which are essential for patientsʼ cure.
Keywords: neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy, perioperative chemotherapy, chemotherapy, adenocarcinoma, carcinoma, surgery
Published in DiRROS: 23.04.2024; Views: 50; Downloads: 13
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8. Why are the Early Gothic murals in St. Jacob’s Church in Ormož, Slovenia, almost entirely black?Anabelle Križnar, Katja Kavkler, Sabina Dolenec, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: In St. Jacob’s parish church in Ormož, Slovenia, mural paintings from around 1350–1370 are partially conserved in the northeastern corner of the main nave. They are almost completely black, indicating a large-scale pigment degradation. They were studied as a part of a larger research project aiming to identify materials applied and their possible degradation. First, they were studied in situ, and next, extracted samples of plaster, pigments, and colour layers were analysed by optical microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, SEM-EDS, and XRD. Haematite, green earth, malachite, azurite, and tenorite were identified, showing that azurite and perhaps also malachite degraded to black tenorite, probably due to their fine grinding and their application directly on the fresh plaster. The plaster is made with small and large amounts of aggregate with mostly quartz with some impurities, which makes it fragile. The original appearance of these murals was of bright blue and green colours.
Keywords: mural painting, medieval painting, Gothic art, St. Jacob's Church, Ormož, Slovenia, pigments, chemical structure, colour degradation, optical microscopy, Raman microspectroscopy, FTIR, XRD
Published in DiRROS: 17.04.2024; Views: 91; Downloads: 46
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9. Enhancing balance in Parkinson’s disease patients : a comprehensive literature review on the efficacy of exercise in an enriched environmentAna Ponebšek, Friderika Kresal, Luka Šlosar, 2023, review article Abstract: Various physiotherapeutic methods and approaches play a significant role in the
treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease, including the use of enriched environments. Virtual reality (VR) as a type of enriched environment has the potential to create
multiple sensory experiences and feedback, influencing various aspects of the patient’s
information processing and response. The suitability for home use and the considerable impact on motivation highlight its advantages over alternative approaches. The
objective of this review is to investigate the impact of VR-based exercise on balance
outcomes among individuals with Parkinson’s disease. The inclusion criteria consisted Parkinson’s disease. The comparable improvements in balance observed between the
experimental and control groups signify the potential effectiveness of VR-based exercises. This underscores the encouragement for further development in this technology,
particularly focusing on fully immersive VR environments, which may yield superior
effects in enhancing balance among individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effects of exercise in a VR
environment on individuals’ static and dynamic balance outcomes. In order to gather
relevant studies, we conducted a comprehensive search across three databases. From a
dataset of 625 records, we conducted a comprehensive full-text screening based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. This process resulted in the inclusion of 14 RCTs
in our review. The emerging evidence regarding exercising in a VR environment does
not definitively prove its superiority over standard exercise routines. However, studies
have demonstrated that both the experimental and control groups showed comparable improvements in enhancing static and dynamic balance among individuals with
Keywords: virtual reality, Parkinson's disease, balance, rehabilitation
Published in DiRROS: 16.04.2024; Views: 72; Downloads: 35
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10. Attitudes towards exercise content on social media and the choice of fitness trainerNikolina Alerić, Ana Penjak, Hrvoje Karninčič, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: The aim of this study was to: a) investigate and determine gender differences to-wards factors influencing gym-goers’ choice of fitness trainer; and b) to identify and explain gender differences in gym-goers’ attitudes towards social media exercise con-tents (SMEC). For this purpose, a questionnaire was created. The study was conducted on a sample of 50 gym-goers (N1=13 male and N2=37 female), all attending a gym in Split, Croatia. The variable sample consisted of five groups of variables. Test-retest overlap was performed to determine the reliability (88.20%) of the questionnaire. The results showed that the affirmative attitudes were statistically significant in contrast to the non-affirmative attitudes (Wilcoxon Matched Pairs Test, T=250.00, Z=3.60, p<0.001). In addition, male gym-goers generally have a significantly more affirmati-ve attitude towards SMEC than female gym-goers (Mann-Whitney U-test, U=119.50, Z=–2.68, p=0.007). Furthermore, there are gender differences in choosing a fitness trainer based on their appearance; but there are no gender differences in the attitude towards the number of fitness trainers’ followers on social media as an indicator of tru-stworthiness. As this study was specifically concerned with the attitudes of gym-goers, future studies should focus on sports professionals and their attitudes toward this topic.
Keywords: social media, fitness trainer, exercise, gender
Published in DiRROS: 16.04.2024; Views: 84; Downloads: 44
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