University of Ljubljana

About: University of Ljubljana is a education organization based out in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Liquid crystal. The organization has 17210 authors who have published 47013 publications receiving 1082684 citations. The organization is also known as: Univerza v Ljubljani.

Negative impact of endocrine-disrupting compounds on human reproductive health

Abstract: There is increasing concern about chemical pollutants that are able to mimic hormones, the so-called endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), because of their structural similarity to endogenous hormones, their ability to interact with hormone transport proteins or because of their potential to disrupt hormone metabolic pathways. Thus, the effects of endogenous hormones can be mimicked or, in some cases, completely blocked. A substantial number of environmental pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, dioxins, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalates, bisphenol A, pesticides, alkylphenols and heavy metals (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury), have been shown to disrupt endocrine function. These compounds can cause reproductive problems by decreasing sperm count and quality, increasing the number of testicular germ cells and causing male breast cancer, cryptorchidism, hypospadias, miscarriages, endometriosis, impaired fertility, irregularities of the menstrual cycle, and infertility. Although EDCs may be released into the environment in different ways, the main sources is industrial waste water. The present paper critically reviews the current knowledge of the impact of EDCs on reproductive disorders in humans.

Searches for Higgs boson pair production in the hh →bbττ, γγWW∗, γγbb, bbbb channels with the ATLAS detector

Abstract: Searches for both resonant and nonresonant Higgs boson pair production are performed in the hh -> bb tau tau, gamma gamma WW* final states using 20.3 fb(-1) of pp collision data at a center-of-m ...

Antivascular effects of electrochemotherapy: implications in treatment of bleeding metastases

Abstract: Solid tumors of various etiologies can be treated efficiently by electrochemotherapy (ECT), a combined use of electroporation (EP) and chemotherapeutic drugs, such as bleomycin and cisplatin. EP alone and ECT in particular, induce a profound reduction in tumor blood flow, which contributes to the antitumor effect. After EP and ECT, the time course of blood flow changes and follows the same two-phase pattern. The first rapid and short-lived vasoconstriction phase is followed by the second much longer-lived phase resulting from disrupted cytoskeletal structures and a compromised barrier function of the microvascular endothelium. In the case of ECT, however, tumor vascular endothelial cells are also affected by the chemotherapeutic drug, which leads to irrecoverable damage to tumor vessels and to a further decrease in tumor blood flow within hours after application of ECT. Tumor cells surviving the direct effects of ECT are consequently exposed to lack of oxygen and nutrients and are pushed into the secondar...

Evaluation of Molecular Typing Methods in Characterizing a European Collection of Epidemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strains: the HARMONY Collection

Abstract: We analyzed a representative sample of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from 11 European countries (referred to as the HARMONY collection) using three molecular typing methods used within the HARMONY group to examine their usefulness for large, multicenter MRSA surveillance networks that use these different laboratory methodologies. MRSA isolates were collected based on their prevalence in each center and their genetic diversity, assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE groupings (≤3 bands difference between patterns) were compared to those made by sequencing of the variable repeats in the protein A gene spa and clonal designations based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST), combined with PCR analysis of the staphylococcal chromosome cassette containing the mec genes involved in methicillin resistance (SCCmec). A high level of discrimination was achieved using each of the three methodologies, with discriminatory indices between 89.5% and 91.9% with overlapping 95% confidence intervals. There was also a high level of concordance of groupings made using each method. MLST/SCCmec typing distinguished 10 groups containing at least two isolates, and these correspond to the majority of nosocomial MRSA clones described in the literature. PFGE and spa typing resolved 34 and 31 subtypes, respectively, within these 10 MRSA clones, with each subtype differing only slightly from the most common pattern using each method. The HARMONY group has found that the methods used in this study differ in their availability and affordability to European centers involved in MRSA surveillance. Here, we demonstrate that the integration of such technologies is achievable, although common protocols (such as we have developed for PFGE) may also be important, as is the use of centralized Internet sites to facilitate data analysis. PFGE and spa-typing data from analysis of MRSA isolates from the many centers that have access to the relevant equipment can be compared to reference patterns/sequences, and clonal designations can be made. In the majority of cases, these will correspond to those made by the (more expensive) method of choice—MLST/SCCmec typing—and these alternative methods can therefore be used as frontline typing systems for multicenter surveillance of MRSA.