University of Zagreb

About: University of Zagreb is a education organization based out in Zagreb, Grad Zagreb, Croatia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & European union. The organization has 21769 authors who have published 50267 publications receiving 783239 citations. The organization is also known as: Zagreb University & Sveučilište u Zagrebu.

Autologous haematopoietic stem cell mobilisation in multiple myeloma and lymphoma patients: A position statement from the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation

Abstract: Autologous haematopoietic SCT with PBSCs is regularly used to restore BM function in patients with multiple myeloma or lymphoma after myeloablative chemotherapy. Twenty-eight experts from the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation developed a position statement on the best approaches to mobilising PBSCs and on possibilities of optimising graft yields in patients who mobilise poorly. Choosing the appropriate mobilisation regimen, based on patients' disease stage and condition, and optimising the apheresis protocol can improve mobilisation outcomes. Several factors may influence mobilisation outcomes, including older age, a more advanced disease stage, the type of prior chemotherapy (e.g., fludarabine or melphalan), prior irradiation or a higher number of prior treatment lines. The most robust predictive factor for poor PBSC collection is the CD34(+) cell count in PB before apheresis. Determination of the CD34(+) cell count in PB before apheresis helps to identify patients at risk of poor PBSC collection and allows pre-emptive intervention to rescue mobilisation in these patients. Such a proactive approach might help to overcome deficiencies in stem cell mobilisation and offers a rationale for the use of novel mobilisation agents.

The effect of the brand on perceived quality of food products

Abstract: The chosen marketing strategy (including the branding as its integral parts) is highly important in this process. Nowadays, the brand becomes one of the basic motives for the consumers’ choice of a particular food product. The importance of the product brand shall be seen primarily in its impact on consumers’ choice and their loyalty through identifying and differentiating quality and origin, as well as creating additional values. The aim of this paper is to research the extent to which the consumer perceives the brand and how much it affects the evaluation of the functional characteristics of the product, primarily product quality. This paper analyzes the sales of tin cans (pates) as well as explores the effect of the product brand on sales. The main conclusions of the paper are that consumers do not value products based exclusively on their physical characteristics and that in the process of making a purchasing decision when choosing an alternative, consumers will first perceive the brand as “a sign of quality” and then other evaluation criteria (physical appearance and packaging, price, the reputation of the retail network).

Transmission of HIV Drug Resistance and the Predicted Effect on Current First-line Regimens in Europe

Abstract: Background. Numerous studies have shown that baseline drug resistance patterns may influence the outcome of antiretroviral therapy. Therefore, guidelines recommend drug resistance testing to guide the choice of initial regimen. In addition to optimizing individual patient management, these baseline resistance data enable transmitted drug resistance (TDR) to be surveyed for public health purposes. The SPREAD program systematically collects data to gain insight into TDR occurring in Europe since 2001. Methods. Demographic, clinical, and virological data from 4140 antiretroviral-naive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals from 26 countries who were newly diagnosed between 2008 and 2010 were analyzed. Evidence of TDR was defined using the WHO list for surveillance of drug resistance mutations. Prevalence of TDR was assessed over time by comparing the results to SPREAD data from 2002 to 2007. Baseline susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs was predicted using the Stanford HIVdb program version 7.0. Results. The overall prevalence of TDR did not change significantly over time and was 8.3% (95% confidence interval, 7.2%-9.5%) in 2008-2010. The most frequent indicators of TDR were nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) mutations (4.5%), followed by nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) mutations (2.9%) and protease inhibitor mutations (2.0%). Baseline mutations were most predictive of reduced susceptibility to initial NNRTI-based regimens: 4.5% and 6.5% of patient isolates were predicted to have resistance to regimens containing efavirenz or rilpivirine, respectively, independent of current NRTI backbones. Conclusions. Although TDR was highest for NRTIs, the impact of baseline drug resistance patterns on susceptibility was largest for NNRTIs. The prevalence of TDR assessed by epidemiological surveys does not clearly indicate to what degree susceptibility to different drug classes is affected.

Pharmacologic cholinesterase inhibition improves survival in experimental sepsis.

Abstract: Objective:Lethal sepsis occurs when an excessive inflammatory response evolves that cannot be controlled by physiologic anti-inflammatory mechanisms, such as the recently described cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. Here we studied whether the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway can be activat

Kubelka-munk theory in describing optical properties of paper (ii)

Abstract: One of the greatest simplifications of the transfer equation is where all incident and scattered light is assumed to be perfectly diffuse, only two opposite directions of light transport are considered, and the light intensity is assumed to vary along one axis only. Such two-flux approximations have been presented by many authors, starting with a paper by Schuster [1]. One of the most famous two-flux approximations is the approximation presented by Kubelka and Munk[2] in 1931 and further developed by Kubelka[3, 4]. Kubelka and Munk gave a comprehensive formulation and a treatment with a clear aim towards practical methods of measurement. It was quickly adapted for use by the papermaking industry[5-8] and has now been in widespread use for decades in the measurement and prediction of colour, brightness and opacity of paper sheets. Most of the information reported here is taken from the references cited at the end of the article which should be consulted for a more in-depth study.