What counts? Volunteers and their organisations in the recording and monitoring of biodiversity

There is a pressing need for volunteer amateur naturalists to participate in data collection for biodiversity monitoring programmes in Europe. It is being addressed in some countries, but less so in others. This paper discusses the results from qualitative research using semi-structured interviews, focus groups and participant observation within nine Participatory Monitoring Network (PMN) organisations in six European countries. The paper examines the features that facilitate recruitment, retention and motivations of volunteers to participate in biodiversity monitoring, including the social and cultural milieus in which they operate. The paper concludes that volunteers place a high degree of significance on their social experience within PMNs. Successful creation and management of PMNs thus requires that similar levels of attention be paid to social aspects of the organisation as are paid to the generation and management of data.     

Large-gauge needle biopsy in diagnosing malignant breast neoplasia

This paper is concerned with large-gauge needle biopsies of suspicious breast neoplasia performed within a three-year period (22nd June 1999 through 21st December 2001). Within that time 262 large-gauge needle biopsies as well as cytological punctions were performed with the aim of diagnosing benign and malignant neoplasia. In the same three-year period 29 malignant breast tumors were diagnosed. In one of the patients a clinically and PHD verified alteration was found which pointed to Mb. Padget, while in another patient an atypical ductal hyperplasia was confirmed by a pathohistological test.     

Flow and image cytometric DNA ploidy,including 5c exceeding cells,of serous borderline malignant ovarian tumors. Correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics

OBJECTIVE: To analyze DNA ploidy of serous borderline ovarian tumors by flow cytometry (FCM) and image cytometry (ICM), with 5c exceeding cells also analyzed, and to evaluate their correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics of patients and tumors. STUDY DESIGN: Cell suspensions were prepared according to a modified Hedley method from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 43 tumors. One part of the suspension was used for flow cytometric measurement; from the other part, filter slides were prepared for ICM. RESULTS: FCM and ICM found 2 aneuploid (peridiploid) serous borderline ovarian tumors, and FCM found 1. ICM found 3 tumors with 5c exceeding cells and 2 tumors with octaploid cells. There was no correlation between DNA aneuploidy and presence of 5c exceeding cells with tumor size, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage or survival. CONCLUSION: The results confirm a good correlation between FCM and ICM DNA ploidy and the ability of ICM to detect 5c exceeding cells. The prognostic value of DNA ploidy and 5c exceeding cells in serous borderline malignant ovarian tumors warrant further evaluation.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Neobisium babinzub</Emphasis> sp. n. and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neobisium tarae</Emphasis> sp. n. (Neobisiidae,Pseudoscorpiones) from the central Balkan Peninsula (Serbia)

Two new pseudoscorpion species, Neobisium babinzub sp. n., and N. tarae sp. n. (Neobisiidae, Pseudoscorpiones), were collected in soil and leaf-litter on Mt. Stara Planina and Mt. Tara, Serbia, diagnosed and thoroughly illustrated. The main morphological characteristics of the two taxa clearly demonstrate their adaptation to life in soil.     

Lifestyle habits and the risk of head and neck cancer in Zagreb region

In 2002, International Agency for Research on Cancer launched a multicentric case-control study of head and neck cancer in 15 centres in 11 European countries, Croatia included. The Alcohol-related Cancers and Genetic Susceptibility in Europe (ARCAGE) study database with approximately 2500 case-control pairs is currently the largest head and neck cancer patients database in Europe. The aim of the present study was to estimate the risk of smoking and alcohol consumption in head and neck cancer patients from Zagreb region recruited in scope of the ARCAGE study. The cases (45 males, 9 females) and the controls (37 males, 9 females) were recruited from University Hospital Dubrava and Merkur University Hospital. A blood sample and a lifestyle questionnaire were collected from all study subjects. Data were analysed by logistic regression analysis. The distribution of cases was: 43 oral, 9 pharyngeal and 2 laryngeal cancer cases. Ever-smokers had a 4-fold higher cancer risk (adjusted OR 4.3 (CI 1.20-15.4)) compared to never-smokers. The adjusted odds ratio for alcohol consumption more than once a week was 4.1 (CI 1.5-11.2). The results are in keeping with previously published data from other countries.     

Esomeprazole versus pantoprazole for healing erosive oesophagitis

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of esomeprazole and pantoprazole with regard to healing and relief from gastroesophageal reflux disease-related symptoms. I this multicentre, randomized, single-blind study 180 patients (ITT population) diagnosed with endoscopically proven GERD grade A,B,C received esomeprazole (40 mg once daily (o.d.), n = 90) orpantoprazole (40 mg o.d., n = 90). Healing and relief from GERD-related symptoms were assessed at first and final visit (after 4 or 8 weeks of treatment). Esomeprazole 40 mg provided significantly greater healing than pantoprazole 40 mg after 4 weeks of treatment in patients with EE (77.8% vs. 72.2%). Esomeprazole-treated patients were healed after up to 8 weeks of treatment similar those treated with pantoprazole (92.2% vs. 91.1%). The proportion of heartburn-free days was similar in patients treated with esomeprazole and to those treated with pantoprazole.     

Palliative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with percutaneous ethanol injection using tumor's feeding artery occlusion under the ultrasonic color Doppler guidance

We evaluate the efficacy of PEIT in patients with HCC using duplex color Doppler US. The study included 27 HCC patients admitted to the University Hospital Centre Zagreb, between 1993 and 1997. PEIT was performed for ablation of tumor supplying vessels in HCCs of < 5 cm in diameter, and as a palliative measure for tumor feeding vessel obliteration in larger tumors. The efficacy of PEIT was evaluated with duplex color Doppler US, and controlled by dynamic CT scan (16 patients) or selective angiography of hepatic artery (11 patients). All patients had well vascularized tumors before PEIT, and after therapy 25 of them showed absent or minimal tumor vascularization. Recanalization of the tumor feeding vessel was detected with Doppler US within 9 months after therapy. Study results suggested that duplex color Doppler US should be the method of choice in the evaluation of PEIT as well as in the follow-up of HCC patients after PEIT.     

Multiple sclerosis and neuro-ophthalmologic manifestations

The authors report clinical features of ocular manifestations in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), those that affect the visual sensory system and those that affect the ocular motor system. Disturbances of visual sensory function may precede, manifest coincidentally or follow the neurologic manifestations. Visual disturbances are common in MS and often a result of acute demyelinating optic neuropathy. Careful examination of MS patients, who have never suffered optic neuritis, may also reveal asymptomatic visual loss. Asymptomatic visual loss seems to be a universal feature of MS. Patients with multiple sclerosis may develop disorders of fixation, ocular motility and ocular alignment. Disorders of ocular motor system are frequently the initial sign of multiple sclerosis and occur as its presenting sign weeks, month, or years before other neurologic symptoms and signs develop.