University of Maribor

About: University of Maribor is a education organization based out in Maribor, Slovenia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & KEKB. The organization has 3987 authors who have published 13077 publications receiving 258339 citations. The organization is also known as: Univerza v Mariboru.

The effect of platelet-derived growth factors on knee stability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective randomized clinical study

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic reconstruction is a standard surgical procedure in cases of symptomatic knee instability due to rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. Bone-tendon-bone and hamstring tendon grafts are both in use for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. There are no significant differences between the two types of graft in relation to function scores, but there is a difference in anteroposterior stability when measured on the KT-2000 arthrometer: knee joints after reconstruction with bone-tendon-bone autografts are more stable than those reconstructed with hamstring tendon autografts. PURPOSE: To improve knee stability after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with a hamstring graft and use of platelet-derived growth factors. BASIC PROCEDURE: Platelet-leukocyte gel was produced from platelet-leukocyte-rich plasma prepared from a unit of whole blood in an autologous platelet separator. The gel was applied locally, after hamstring graft placement. Fifty patients were included in the study: 25 in the platelet gel group, 25 in a control group. We evaluated anteroposterior knee stability with the KT-2000 arthrometer before surgery and at 3 and 6 months after surgery. MAIN FINDINGS: Patients treated with the gel demonstrated significantly better anteroposterior knee stability than patients in the control group. The calculated improvements in knee stability at 6 months were 1.3 ± 1.8 mm in the control group and 3.1 ± 2.5 mm in the platelet gel group (P = 0.011). PRINCIPAL CONCLUSION: Platelet-leukocyte gel, applied locally, can improve knee stability in surgery for reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Methodological advances in educational effectiveness research

Abstract: Methodological advances in educational effectiveness research, by Bert P.M. Creemers, Leonidas Kyriakides, and Pam Sammons, Abingdon, UK, Routledge, 2010, 362 pp., £30.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-41...

Virtual Laboratory in the Role of Dynamic Visualisation for Better Understanding of Chemistry in Primary School

Abstract: Understanding chemistry includes the ability to think on three levels: the macroscopic level, the symbolic level, and the level of particles – sub-microscopic level. Pupils have the most difficulty when trying to understand the sub-microscopic level because it is outside their range of experience. A virtual laboratory enables a simultaneous demonstration of all three levels of a chemical concept along with dynamic visualisation at the submicroscopic level. This study presents the effective usage of a virtual laboratory that can overcome the gap between the previously-mentioned conceptual levels. We carried out a didactic experiment to test the effectiveness of a virtual laboratory that enables dynamic visualisation. The experiment involved seventh-grade pupils (N = 109) from five different primary schools in Slovenia. We asked ourselves the question as to whether the learning outcomes of pupils are better when they use a virtual laboratory rather than in science classes without a virtual laboratory where dynamic visualisation at the submicroscopic and sub-micro levels are only explained by means of static demonstrations. A virtual laboratory has many significant advantages. The results of the didactic experiment showed that, in terms of knowledge acquisition, using a virtual laboratory is better than science classes without visualisation elements.