Secret History: Return of the Black Death Channel 4, 7-8pm In 1348 the Black Death swept through London, killing people within days of the appearance of their first symptoms. Exactly how many died, and why, has long been a mystery. This Secret History documentary follows experts as they pick through the evidence and reveal why the plague killed on such a scale. And they ask, what might be coming next?

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Lehrbuch der Anthropologie in systematischer Darstellung: mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der anthropologischen Methoden ; für Studierende, Ärzte und Forschungsreisende ; mit 460 Abbildungen im Text, 3 Tafeln und 2 Beobachtungsblättern

Retinopathy of prematurity: a review of risk factors and their clinical significance

https://www.perinatology.theclinics.com/article/S0095-5108(13)00026-2/pdf

Retinopathy of Prematurity-Incidence Today

BACKGROUND\nRetinopathy of prematurity is a disease affecting the blood vessels of the retina in premature infants that may result in scarring, retinal detachment, and loss of vision. An association between this condition and the exposure of premature infants to supplemental oxygen has been postulated, but the relation between retinopathy of prematurity and blood oxygen levels has not been defined. The purpose of this study of a cohort of preterm infants was to correlate the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity with the duration of exposure to different ranges of oxygen tension as measured by transcutaneous monitoring (tcPO2).\n\n\nMETHODS\nOne hundred one premature infants (birth weight, 500 to 1300 g) requiring supplemental oxygen had continuous monitoring of tcPO2. The number of hours during which the tcPO2 was 80 mm Hg or higher was tabulated for each infant during the first four weeks of life.\n\n\nRESULTS\nThere was a significant association between the amount of time that the tcPO2 was greater than or equal to 80 mm Hg and the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity. The odds ratio for each 12-hour period in which the tcPO2 was greater than or equal to 80 mm Hg was 1.9 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.2 to 3.0) after adjustment for the following factors: birth weight less than or equal to 1300 g (odds ratio, 2.3 [95 percent confidence interval, 1.6 to 3.4]), five-minute Apgar score of 7 or less (odds ratio, 7.2 [95 percent confidence interval, 2.5 to 21]), and exposure to inspired oxygen at a concentration greater than or equal to 0.4 (odds ratio, 1.0 [95 percent confidence interval, 0.97 to 1.05]). The association was stronger for tcPO2 values of greater than or equal to 80 mm Hg occurring from the second through the fourth week of life; during this period, the adjusted odds ratio for a 12-hour period of such exposure was 3.1 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.6 to 6.1).\n\n\nCONCLUSIONS\nThis study supports an association between the incidence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity and the duration of exposure to arterial oxygen levels of 80 mm Hg or higher, measured transcutaneously.

A Cohort Study of Transcutaneous Oxygen Tension and the Incidence and Severity of Retinopathy of Prematurity

The aim of this study was to determine the craniofacial parameters in the population of the central part of Serbia. The research was conducted on 700 persons (360 males and 340 females), aged 18-65 years, selected randomly. The mea- sured parameters were morphological facial height and breadth. The standard spreading caliper with scale was used for the measurement of facial parameters. There were significant differences in the facial parameters of male compared to female subjects in all observed parameters. The mean value of the morphological facial height in the study population was 116.8 mm ± 7.28, maximum facial breadth 124.12 mm ± 8.44, while the mean value of the total facial index was 93.68 ± 6.86. The total facial index was calculated according to the formula and the obtained results were analyzed statistically using the t-test. The dominant phenotype in the studied population was leptoprosopic. The data obtained in our study may be useful in anthropological research, forensics, genetic research, as well as in medical clinical practice.

/pdf/anthropometric-study-of-the-facial-index-in-the-population-xtxvszh559.pdf

Anthropometric study of the facial index in the population of central Serbia

SUMMARY Introduction Infective mononucleosis is most commonly caused by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and in smaller percentage by cytomegalovirus (CMV). Objective The aim of this paper was to determine the clinical and laboratory differences between EBV and CMV infectious mononucleosis in children. Methods Cohort retrospective analytical research was conducted. We used data from medical history in six years period and monitored anamnestic data, frequency of inspection and palpation obtained data during physical examination, several laboratory tests, abdomen ultrasonography examination finding and emergence of disease complications. Statistical processing of data has been performed using SPSS 20. Results Total number of examined children was 137, out of which 85.4% were with EBV and 14.6% with CMV infection. Affected children were most commonly younger than eight years. Boys were affected more often. There was no difference in frequency of high temperature, sore throat, bad breath, and respiratory symptomatology between examined children. Differences were discovered in frequency of stomachaches, eyelid swelling, skin rash and fatigue. Differences were not proven in the frequency of angina, lymphadenopathy and splenohepatomegaly between the groups. Values of transaminases and lactic dehydrogenases significantly decreased after seven days of hospitalization in both groups. In children with EBV, values of transaminases declined faster than in children with CMV. Anemia and bacte- rial superinfection of pharynx were most common disease complications. Thrombocytopenia was more common in children with CMV infection. Average duration of hospitalization was 6.7 days. Conclusion In children with CMV abdominal pain, eyelid swelling, skin rash, fatigue and thrombocyto- penia were more common. In children with EBV values of transaminases declined significantly faster.

/pdf/clinical-and-laboratory-differences-between-epstein-barr-and-2oda9vd2pn.pdf

Clinical and laboratory differences between Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus infectious mononucleosis in children.

Introduction. Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a multifactorial disease
 that occurs most frequently in very small and very sick preterm infants, and
 it has been identified as the major cause of childhood blindness. Objective.
 The aim of this study was to evaluate ROP incidence and risk factors
 associated with varying degrees of illness. Methods. The study was conducted
 at the Centre for Neonatology, Paediatric Clinic of the Clinical Centre
 Kragujevac, Serbia, in the period from June 2006 to December 2008.
 Ophthalmologic screening was performed in all children with body weight lower
 than 2000 g or gestational age lower than 36 weeks. We analyzed eighteen
 postnatal and six perinatal risk factors and the group correlations for each
 of the risk factors. Results. Out of 317 children that were screened, 56
 (17.7%) developed a mild form of ROP, while 68 (21.5%) developed a severe
 form. Univariate analysis revealed a large number of statistically
 significant risk factors for the development of ROP, especially the severe
 form. Multivariate logistical analysis further separated two independent risk
 factors: small birth weight (p=0.001) and damage of central nervous system
 (p=0.01). Independent risk factors for transition from mild to severe forms
 of ROP were identified as: small birth weight (p=0.05) and perinatal risk
 factors (p=0.02). Conclusion. Small birth weight and central nervous system
 damage were risk factors for the development of ROP, perinatal risk factors
 were identified as significant for transition from mild to severe form of
 ROP.

/pdf/analysis-of-risk-factors-in-the-development-of-retinopathy-1a1ttzkjls.pdf

Analysis of risk factors in the development of retinopathy of prematurity.

Introduction. Hypocalcemic seizures are uncommon in the post-neonatal period.
 We report an infant with hypocalcemic seizures caused by severe deficiency of
 vitamin D. Case Outline. A five-month-old male infant was admitted to
 hospital in March 2013 with recurrent generalized afebrile seizures resistant
 to clonazepam therapy. At the clinical examination, the infant showed
 characteristic rachitic signs, so that after a blood sample was taken for
 laboratory testing, the infant was given infusion of 2 ml/kg of 10% of
 calcium gluconate at a rate of 0.5 ml/min. The treatment resulted in
 immediate termination of seizures and normalization of the consciousness of
 the infant. Blood sample analysis showed extremely low levels of free and
 total calcium (0.36/1.24 mmol/l) and 25(OH)D (<3 ng/ml), elevated alkaline
 phosphatase (878 U/l) and parathyroid hormone (283 pg/ml), and low
 calcium/creatinine ratio (mg/mg) in a portion of urine (0.03), while the
 levels of serum phosphorus, pH, total protein, albumin and creatinine were
 within the reference range. Wrist X-ray showed typical signs of rickets. In
 order to fully stabilize calcium homeostasis, along with 2,000 IU of vitamin
 D3 daily and standard cow’s milk formula, calcium gluconate (80 mg/kg daily)
 was given orally over a period of two weeks. The treatment resulted in
 complete stabilization of the infant’s condition and rapid improvement in
 laboratory, radiological and clinical findings of rickets. Conclusion.
 Generalized convulsions in the afebrile infant represent a serious and
 etiopathogenically very heterogeneous problem. Extremely rare, as in the case
 of our patient, it may be due to severe hypocalcemia caused by a deficiency
 of vitamin D.

/pdf/case-report-of-an-infant-with-severe-vitamin-d-deficiency-buldwkrvjp.pdf

Case report of an infant with severe vitamin D deficiency rickets manifested as hypocalcemic seizures.

Severe perinatal asphyxia can cause multiple organ dysfunction and early neonatal mortality. This prospective study was conducted at the Regional University Hospital Neonatology Center in Serbia. The aim of this study was to compare fullterm asphyxiated newborn infants (n=55) with (n=13) and without (n=42) mortality outcome and healthy full-term newborns (n=36) regarding biochemical (cardiac troponin I, creatine kinase (total and MB fraction) and C-reactive protein), echocardiographic (ejection fraction, fractional shortening, mitral regurgitation, significant tricuspid regurgitation, and patent ductus arteriosus) and electrocardiographic (ST segment elevation/depression, T wave inversion and corrected QT interval) markers of myocardial damage in order to assess their predictive value in the clinical outcome. Statistically significant differences in the majority of the tested markers of ischemic myocardial lesion were found between perinatal asphyxia survivors and the control group. However, among the biochemical indicators, only the level of cardiac troponin I was significantly higher in the group of neonates who died compared to the group of asphyxiated neonates who survived (p: 0.000), with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.821 and cutoff value for lethal outcome of 0.135 μg/L (sensitivity 0.85; specificity 0.69). In addition, differences in ejection fraction, fractional shortening and significant tricuspid regurgitation (≥2+) were also found between the two subgroups of asphyxiated newborns. Cardiac troponin I is the most sensitive ischemic myocardial lesion biochemical marker in the prediction of early mortality in perinatal asphyxia patients.

Aleksandra Simovic

Papers

Anthropometric study of the facial index in the population of central Serbia

Clinical and laboratory differences between Epstein-Barr and cytomegalovirus infectious mononucleosis in children.

Analysis of risk factors in the development of retinopathy of prematurity.

Case report of an infant with severe vitamin D deficiency rickets manifested as hypocalcemic seizures.

Predictive value of biochemical, echocardiographic and electrocardiographic markers in non-surviving and surviving asphyxiated full-term newborns.