Socio-demographic predictors and reasons for vitamin and/or mineral food supplement use in a group of outpatients in Skopje.

BACKGROUND: Vitamins and/or mineral food supplements (VMS) are mono- or multi-component products prepared in different pharmaceutical forms and categorized as food supplements. Numerous researchers have investigated the epidemiological predictors of use of VMS in population. Data of this kind in our setting are limited. AIMS: This survey aimed to gain information on the prevalence of use, certain sociodemographic predictors and reasons for VMS use in a group of 256 outpatients in Skopje. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was designed as an open-ended, cross-sectional survey. Data on VMS use were collected by survey method with a specially designed questionnaire as an instrument for this research. Appropriate statistical tests were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Data from 256 outpatients from Skopje were analysed. Of them, one hundred and five (41.02%) reported using VMS. Female outpatients (p<0.01) and participants of Macedonian ethnicity (p<0.01), with a higher educational level (p<0.01) and those having their own income (p<0.05) reported significantly higher consumption of VMS. We found a statistically significant difference between the group of users and non-users of VMS regarding smoking status (p<0.05), alcohol consumption (p<0.05) and presence of a chronic disease (p<0.01). Physicians, magazines and friends were the most common source of information on VMS while maintaining good health and prevention of disease was the most common reasons for the use of these products. Only 63% of the users had disclosed the information on taking VMS to their physicians. CONCLUSION: This research provided an insight into VMS in our setting. Predictors on the use of VMS are of interest since these products contribute to total intake of vitamins and minerals in the population and they represent a source of valuable information when planning public health activities.

[Borrelial erythema of the face]. / Erythème borrélien de la face.

BACKGROUND: Borrelial infection is characterized by various skin manifestations that are usually classified into three main types: chronic migratory erythema, borrelial lymphocytoma and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans. We report an unusual case of borrelial cutaneous infection presenting as a mediofacial erythema that cannot be included in any of these three categories. CASE REPORT: A 51-year-old woman presented with infiltrated erythema of the middle of the face extending to the neck and chin. Medical history and physical examination revealed no signs of rosaceae. Infection with Borrelia was suspected on skin biopsy examination, which showed an inflammatory dermal infiltrate containing numerous plasma cells. The diagnosis of B.afzelii infection was confirmed by serology and polymerase chain reaction on the skin biopsy, both of which were positive for B.afzelii. DISCUSSION: Borrelial erythema of the face may represent a special form of cutaneous borrelial infection, which must be considered in the differential diagnosis of facial erythema, especially in areas of endemic borreliosis.

Analog implementation of ANN with inherent quadratic nonlinearity of the synapses.

In real-life applications of multilayer neural networks, the scale of integration, processing speed, and manufacturability are of key importance. A simple analog-signal synapse model is implemented on a standard 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS process requiring no floating-gate capability. A neural-matrix of 2176 analog current-mode synapses arranged in eight layers of 16 neurons with 16 inputs each is constructed for the purpose of a fingerprint feature extraction application. Synapse weights are stored on the analog storage capacitors, and synapse nonlinearity with respect to weight is investigated. The capability of the synapse to operate in feedforward and learning modes is studied and demonstrated. The effect of the synapse's inherent quadratic nonlinearity on learning convergence and on the optimization of vector direction is analyzed. Transistor-level analog simulations verify the hardware circuit. System-level MatLab simulations verify the synapse mathematical model. The conclusion reached is that the proposed implementation is very suitable for large-scale artificial neural networks - especially if on-chip integration with other products on a standard CMOS process is required.

Expression of small proline rich proteins in neoplastic and inflammatory skin diseases.

BACKGROUND: The formation of the cornified cell envelope (CE) during the late stages of epidermal differentiation is essential for epidermal barrier function and protects the body against environmental attack and water loss. Formation of the CE involves the replacement of the plasma membrane by cross-linkage of precursor proteins such as involucrin, small proline rich proteins (SPRR) and loricrin. In normal epidermis, SPRR1 is restricted to appendages, SPRR2 is also expressed in interfollicular areas, while SPRR3 is completely absent; the latter is most abundant in oral epithelium. This differential expression indicates an important part for SPRRs in specific barrier requirements, and reflects their importance in the biomechanical properties of the CE. OBJECTIVES: We report here on the expression of SPRR1, SPRR2 and SPRR3 in a wide range of cutaneous neoplastic and inflammatory diseases. METHODS: We used immunohistochemistry; in addition, Northern blot analysis of malignant tumours was performed. RESULTS: Increased suprabasal expression of SPRR1 and SPRR2, but no SPRR3 expression, was noted in inflammatory dermatoses with orthokeratotic and parakeratotic squamous differentiation. By contrast, differentiating epidermal tumours such as Bowen's disease, keratoacanthoma and squamous cell carcinoma expressed SPRR3. CONCLUSIONS: As SPRRs were originally cloned on the basis of their expression in ultraviolet light-irradiated keratinocytes, the expression of SPRR3 in actinic lesions is of interest, and might serve as a diagnostic tool.

[Work test in acquired heart valve defects]. / Rabotna proba pri pridobiti surdechni klapni porotsi.

The physical working capacity to 34 patients with acquired cardiac valvular defects and right catheterization was determined via bicycle ergometer "Zimermann" (GDR). Reverse correlation was established between the physical capacity and pressure 0,93 +/- 0,13 kPa (7,0 +/- 1,0 mm Hg) in right auricle (p less than 0,01), 0,9 +/- 0,27 kPa (6,75 +/- 2,12 mm Hg)--in right auricle (p less than 0,01), 4,18 +/- 1,21 kPa (31,5 +/- 9,02 mm Hg)--in pulmonary artery (p less than 0,05) and 2,66 +/- 0,26 kPa (9,19 +/- 6,76 mm Hg)--in pulmonary capillaries (p less than 0,5). The data from the study coincide with those of the other researchers who established reverse correlation between the physical working capacity and functional class according to New York Cardiological Association. The degree of mitral-valvular stenosisin "pure" or dominating mitral stenosis, degree and duration of cardiac insufficiency, duration of cardiac defect and auricular fibrillation.

[Cleansing and disinfecting the skin of calves in veal production]. / Izmivane i dezinfektsiia na kozhnata pokrivka na teleta pri dobiv ne teleshko meso.

Investigations were carried out at 6 meat producing combines on calves intended for slaughter. The animals originated from farms of different hygiene conditions. The studies aimed at establishing the extent to which the produced meat was contaminated with organisms coming from the skin cover. The total count of bacteria as well as that of coliforms in samples taken from the coat of calves were determined prior to bathing the animals, after that and after disinfection. Following slaughter the bacteria were studied at the site of separating the skin, in the abdominal muscles and in the croup. The skin of the calves for slaughter was found to be strongly contaminated with bacteria. The bathing and the disinfection with a 2 per cent chloramine solution decreased the number of microbes, however, did not fully inactivate bacteria. This contributed to the additional surface contamination of the meat obtained.

[Intracardiac hemodynamic characteristics in high-degree mitral stenosis and an assessment of the indications for its surgical treatment]. / Osobenosti na intrakardialnata khemodinamika pri visokostepenna mitralna stenoza o otsenka na pokazaniiata za neinoto operativno lechenie.

The data from the right cardiac catheterization, echocardiography M-type and radiocardiography were juxtaposed in 54 patients with "pure" or predominating severe mitral stenosis (MS)(mitral valvular opening under 1 cm2)--confirmed at operation, in the determination of their functional and hemodynamic characteristics. The patients were grouped into three groups depending on the degree of pulmonary--capillary pressure increase (PC)--greater than 2.666, greater than 3.999 and 4.132 kPa(greater than 20, greater than 30 and less than 31 mmHg). The first group covering 28 per cent of the patients with a mean PC--2,399 +/- 0.257 kPa = (18 +/- 1.93 mmHg) are of particular interest. A light to moderate increase of pulmonary arterial pressure, elevated TPVR, absence of right ventricular insufficiency with reduced M. V SI resp. were established in them. It was assessed as a group with hypovolemia and proper preoperation preparation but requiring attention as regards the eventual hypotension, intra- or post operation. The third group covers 22 per cent of the patients and is characterized with increased TPVR, high hypertension in pulmonary artery, elevated telediastolic pressure in right ventricle and normal or lightly increased MO, assessed as a group with an inadequate diuretic therapy pre-operatively. The second group is with typical hemodynamic characteristics of severe MS and includes 50 per cent of the patients. The analysis forces the conclusion, that for an adequate evaluation of hemodynamics and MS severity, the PC pressure is necessary to be always discussed in connection with blood volume and flow, as well as with the other hemodynamic indices, in order to avoid the omissions as regards MS operability.

[Microbiological study in pork production]. / Mikrobiologichno prouchvane pri dobiva na svinsko meso.

Investigations were carried out in production conditions on the sources of surface contamination of pork with regard to sanitary-indicative and pathogenic (Salmonellae) organisms. A total of 74 series of experiments were carried out, every series making use of the following: 10 fecal samples taken on the preslaughter premise; the results of studying the skin cover of 3 animals prior to washing, after washing, and after stunning, employing the method of Dryabina in studying skin areas of 25 cm2; as many as three washings taken from within the path from the place where the animals were washed to the place where they were stunned; the results of studying the surface of the meat produced (from 3 animals in each case) and at the site of starting skin removal, with sampling the abdomen muscles and the group along with sampling the meat itself after cleaning and washing it - taking impression preparations, resp., employing the contact method with a 44 cm2 surface area of the agar. No Salmonella bacteria were found in the 1628 analyses and fecal samples of the skin of pigs intended for slaughter. The washing of the animals lowered more than 70 times the total bacterial contamination of the skin cover. It was found that the site of starting skin removal and the muscles of the abdomen and those of the forelimbs were most strongly contaminated.

[Methods for the control of disinfection in meat-packing plants]. / Dezinfektsiia v mesoprerabotvatelnite predpriiatiia i metodi za kontroliraneto i.

Forty-eight series of experiments were carried out to establish the effect of disinfections with 2% septin, 1% tagonin, 2.5% chloramine and 2% chlorinated lime, all applied in the meat processing shops. Determined were the total count of bacteria and that of coliforms alone, employing the methods of washings and taking impression (contact) samples (Schothorst et al., 1966). It was found that these disinfection agents did not produce a complete disinfection effect. The contact method of determining the total count of bacteria proved readily applicable and suitable to investigate subjects having smooth surfaces. The combined use of the two methods to record the effect of disinfections is, however, suggested because of the diversity of the various subjects in the meat processing shops.

[Structure of the Salmonella from animals, birds and the environment through the period of 1970-1975]. / Struktura na salmonelite po zhivotni, ptitsi i vunshna sreda prez perioda 1970-1975 g.

Studied were biochemically and serologically the species of a total of 8738 Salmonella cultures. Most of the investigated strains belonged to subgenus I--95 species; to subgenus II belonged one species (Salmonella sofia); to subgenus III belonged 4 species: Salmonella arizonae 11:b:1, 7; Salmonella arizonae 35:r:z35; Salmonella arizonae 35:z52:1, 5, 7; Salmonella arizonae 58:rz53:z57 of three serologic groups. The attention was focused on more than 20 (new to this country) Salmonellae among which a Salmonella bulgaria species new to the Salmonella genus. Data are given for the origin of the strains, the biochemical and serologic behaviour, the sensitivity to phage O1 and the phage types of Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis.

[Normal status of Bac. cereus and Cl. perfringens in the body of healthy slaughter animals]. / Normalen status na Bac. cereus i Cl. perfringens v organizma na zdravi klanichni zhivotni

Studied were cattle, pigs, sheep, and young calves intended for slaughter. The experiments were carried out under productional conditions, strictly observing the routinely adopted practice of preslaughter handling. The blood of the animals was sampled prior to slaughter. Samples from the meat (musculature), spleen, kidneys, liver, mesenterial and body lymph nodes as well as feces were taken immediately after slaughter. It was established that Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens were almost lacking in the musculature, mesenterial and body lymph nodes and in some of the parenchymal organs. These organisms were chiefly found in the intestinal tract. Eighty-three up to 100 per cent of the isolated cultures of Cl. perfringens and from 62.5 up to 100 per cent of the isolated cultures of Bac. cereus originated from the feces.

[Sensitivity of E. coli strains to Fredericq-type colicins]. / Vurkhu chuvstvitelnostta na shtamove E. coli kum tipovete kolitsini po Fredericq

Studied was the spectrum of sensitivity of various Escherichia coli strains to the standard types of colicine after Fredericq. The strains were isolated from dead and emergency slaughtered animals as well as from food products of animal origin. It was found that regardless of the type (colicinogenic and noncolicinogenic) and the origin of the strains almost a monotype spectrum of sensitivity is observed. With but few exceptions the strains proved sensitive to colicine of the types V, D, E+I, F, C, I, J+I, K, Sj, S3+I, S4 and S5. The similarity referred to substantiates the expedience in determining the type of colicine of bacteria in epidemiologic and epizootiologic studies.

(Vitamin B-12 in ground meat) / Vitamin B-12 V mlianoto meso

Studied was the vitamin B12 activity of minced meat obtained under productional conditions from freshly cooled (24 hours after slaughter) veal and pork. It was found that the vitamin B12 content of the minced meat one hour after it had been obtained varied within the range of 0.0373 to 0.0432 micrograms per 100 g of dry matter. Later in the production process its activity turned out to be closely related to the temperature and period of storage as well as to the microbial content of meat. Cyanocobalamin is said to be the fraction that is most often established in mined meat, and very rarely some other fractions are found, such as Factor I (B12--Factor III).