Slowing probe and conjugate pulses in potassium vapor using four wave mixing.

We present an experimental study on ultraslow propagation of matched optical pulses in nondegenerate four wave mixing (FWM) in hot potassium vapor. The main figures of merit, i.e. fractional delay and fractional broadening, are determined to be 1.1 and 1.2, respectively. The latter two are approximately constant for the broad range of the two photon detuning. Input probe pulses between 20 ns and 120 ns can be delayed within broad range of the gain. The results are compared with the preceding works for Rb and Na.

Risk characterization for mercury, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and polychlorinated biphenyls associated with fish consumption in Serbia.

The aim of this work was to assess the risk due to mercury (Hg), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (ndl PCBs) intake via fish consumption in Serbia. We have developed 24 scenarios using four concentration levels (mean, maximum, 50th and 95th percentile) of contaminants, determined in 521 samples of fish products available on Serbian market; two consumption levels (Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization data and recommendation of American Heart Association); and three body weights (5th, 50th and 95th percentile). All the values concerning the intake of DDT are below the corresponding health based guidance value. Calculated weekly intake of Hg using maximal concentration, intake of 340g/week and 5th percentile of body weight exceeded the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). When maximal and 95th percentile concentration of ndl PCBs was used, weekly intakes exceeded a "guidance value" with one exception i.e., when 95th percentile of concentration along with 95th percentile of body weight were used. Concerning Hg and ndl PCBs, when extreme concentrations were used, HIs exceeded the value of 1, indicating that fish and fishery products may pose a threat to consumer's health.

Conventional microsurgical treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms: state of the art with the use of the selective extradural anterior clinoidectomy SEAC.

Surgical treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms is considered to be difficult due to their complicated anatomical location in the vicinity of important neural, vascular and bony structures. We present our clinical experience of the past 10 years of conventional microsurgical treatment of 81 paraclinoid aneurysms in 75 patients with the use of selective extradural anterior clinoidectomy SEAC and discuss the method of therapy option by reviewing recent reports on results of endovascular coiling method and the combination of these with conventional microsurgical therapy. The favorable surgical results with the use of SEAC and no recurrence of the treated aneurysm after clipping procedure in our series indicate that direct surgery can still be a standard technique for paraclinoid aneurysms in view of the fact that the endovascular aneurysm coiling methods are still associated with a considerable percentage of incomplete occlusion and present the problem of coil packing.

Three cases of AVM at eloquent areas finally treated with conventional microsurgical method.

Three special cases of AVM finally treated with conventional microsurgical method are presented. Two cases of medium sized AVMs were located at the central region, one of them was primarily treated with Gamma-knife followed by endovascular embolization having been complicated with growing cyst formation followed ultimately by microsurgical removal. The AVM of another case was embolized three times, followed by removal of the residual nidus under awake surgery. The third AVM located at the hypothalamus in the vicinity of the optic nerve was considered unsuitable for embolization and Gamma-knife therapy, and therefore removed by microsurgery using special approaches after a trial of embolization. In terms of microsurgical removal, preoperative embolization, embolization material, awake surgery and selection of special approaches are discussed.

Supracerebellar transtentorial approach to posterior temporomedial structures.

The supracerebellar transtentorial (SCTT) approach, a modification of the infratentorial supracerebellar approach, facilitates simple and minimally invasive access to posterior temporomedial structures without requiring retraction of the temporal or occipital lobe. The SCTT approach was used in 16 patients over a 3-year period. Eleven patients harbored tumors confined to, or located mainly within, the posterior hippocampal formation, three patients harbored aneurysms (one ruptured posterior cerebral artery [PCA] aneurysm at the P2-P3 junction, one ruptured giant PCA [P2] aneurysm, and one giant basilar artery-superior cerebellar artery aneurysm), one patient had juvenile-type moyamoya disease, and one patient suffered from medically intractable epilepsy. In these patients, the SCTT approach enabled tumor removal, aneurysm clipping, and vascular bypass procedures. The authors' experience suggests that this approach can be used routinely in treating lesions in the posterior temporomedial region.

[Pharmacies and pharmacists in Senta from 1816-1966]. / Apoteke i apotekari u Senti od 1816. do 1966. godine.

INTRODUCTION: This paper reviews historical data on the beginnings of pharmacy and first pharmacies in the world, with special emphasis on pharmacies at the territory of Vojvodina, as well as laws regulating education of pharmacists in the 19th century and work of pharmacies of that time. OUR INVESTIGATIONS: The first data on pharmacies of Senta date back to 1816 when Jozef Samanic submitted an application to open a pharmacy in Senta. The first pharmacy in Senta was founded in 1818 and was called "Kod crnog orla" (At the Black Eagle), whereas Jozef Helbling was the first pharmacist. He sold his pharmacy to Jozef Diener who then sold it to Ferenc Hajsler in 1826. The Hajslers owned this pharmacy in Senta for four generations. They were prominent and respected citizens of Senta. The second pharmacy in Senta was called "Narodna apoteka" (The Public Pharmacy) and was opened by Menjhart Muci in 1883, but was rented several times till 1935 when Lajos Herman bought it. In 1894 Kalmar Cizer got a permission to open the third pharmacy in Senta, but a year later he sold it to Vojislav Jovanovic. In 1929 he sold it to Mor Glikstal. In 1911 the fourth pharmacy was opened by Dula Banfi and was called "Apoteka nada" (The Pharmacy of Hope). It was inherited by Boldizar Banfi, a prominent pharmacist in Senta. The fifth pharmacy was founded by Zvonimir Tolovic and was called "Kod svetog Antuna" (At Saint Antun's). In 1929 he sold it to Laslo Husag. The sixth pharmacy was opened in 1938 by Obrad Popov. After the end of World War II in 1945, the first Public Pharmacy was founded. After that five public pharmacies were founded and they merged into one Public pharmacy in 1963. In 1966 there was a referendum and The Public Pharmacy became a part of the Medical Center founded on January 1, 1966. At the end, names of all registered pharmacists who used to work in Senta from 1818 to 1966 are listed, as well as dates when they began and finished working in our town.

[Suicides and attempted suicides with corrosive substances 1968-2000]. / Pokusana i izvrsena samoubistva korozivnim sredstvima od 1968. do 2000. godine.

The authors analyzed attempted and committed suicides with corrosive substances registered at the Department of the General Hospital of the Health Center "Dr. Gere Istvan" in Senta in the period 1968-2000. Out of 42 registered, there were 33 attempted and 9 committed suicides with corrosive substances. In regard to the total number of suicides attempted and committed with poisoning, these poisonings take the last place, that is they come after suicides by drug intoxication, organophosphorus compounds and rodenticides. Data analysis included substance, sex, education level, marital status, occupation and underlying disease. It has been established that in regard to attempted suicides there is no difference in sex distribution, but in committed suicides females prevailed. Most subjects were married, had elementary education and by profession most were housewives, workers and agricultural workers. The most common motives for suicide were family and marital conflicts as well as alcohol consumption. Depression and alcoholism were most frequent underlying diseases. According to gathered data, authors conclude that suicide attempts with corrosive substances are decreasing from year to year. Suicides are mostly attempted with concentrated alkalies, but committed with concentrated acids. Depression and alcoholism are the commonest underlying diseases in patients attempting suicide. Esophageal stenosis is the most common complication in attempted suicides, whereas gastric perforation with peritonitis and esophageal perforation with mediastinal abscess are the most frequent complications in committed suicides.

[Suicide and attempted suicide with rodenticides from 1968 to 2000]. / Pokusana i izvrsena samoubistva rodenticidima od 1968. do 2000. godine.

INTRODUCTION: The paper reviews rodenticides in use in Yugoslavia, their mechanism of action, typical clinical picture as well as general and specific treatment of poisoning. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to present interventions performed in urgent treatment considering the fact that the mortality rate in rodenticide poisoning, especially with zinc phosphide is really small. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included history data of patients who attempted and committed suicide with rodenticides. Data analysis was done in regard to the poison, sex, qualification, marital status, motives, underlying disease and interventions performed. RESULTS OF INVESTIGATION: The total number of attempts was 88, out of which 85 were attempted and 3 committed suicides, mostly with zinc phosphide: 34 attempted (40%) and 3 committed (100%). There were 66 (75%) patients with elementary school, 61 (69%) patients were married, 36% were workers and 35% housewives, while marital or family conflicts were motives for suicide in 52 (59%) patients. There were 30 (34%) patients with depression, 28 (32%) were alcoholics and 23 (26%) patients suffered from neurosis. In 17 patients (19%) ambulatory gastric lavage was done, while in 56 (64%) patients it was done in the hospital. DISCUSSION: Attempted and committed suicides were most commonly done with zinc phosphide, and then come rat poisons. A considerably small number of interventions were recorded in the surrounding outpatient clinics, but it is only natural, because the furthest outpatient clinic is about 40 km away, so patients can make it to the hospital within 20 minutes and get adequate medical care. Although gastric lavage was excessive with activated charcoal and laxans, most lavages were inadequate and performed with water, not solution of sodium-bicarbonate. CONCLUSIONS: Suicides with rodenticides are still actual in medicine. Women attempt and commit suicide with rodenticides more often. Zinc phosphide is the most frequently used poison. These patients must be admitted to hospital and observed for at least three days. Zinc phosphide poisoning requires excessive gastric lavage with sodium bicarbonate solution, application of charcoal, laxanes, calcium preparations with excessive osmotic diuresis, whereas in poisoning with coumarin preparations, apart from gastric lavage, application of charcoal and laxanes as well as excessive osmotic diuresis, vitamin K and Dicynone are necessary.

[Dr. Koloman (Kalman) Kalivoda, a physician from Senta and a participant in the first congress of Serbian physicians and naturalists in 1904]. / Dr Koloman (Kalman) Kalivoda, lekar iz Sente, ucesnik prvog kongresa Srpskih lekara i prirodnjaka 1904. godine.

INTRODUCTION: The first congress of Serbian physicians and naturalists was held in Belgrade from September 5-7, 1904. There were 433 active registered participants listed in the Collection of Congress Papers. A great number of physicians from Vojvodina took part in the work of Congress. There is an authentic list of 27 physicians participants from Vojvodina. Although they made only 6% of all participants, their attendance was of utmost importance due to delicate political situation of that time. However, there is no explanation why only one physician from Vojvodina read his paper at this meeting. It was Dr. Koloman Kalivoda from Senta and his paper was tittled "Alcoholism and People". CONGRESS REPORT: Dr. Koloman (Kalman) Kalivoda was probably born between 1870 and 1875. He moved to Senta in 1901 and in September 1901 started working as a regional physician in the third area. From 1908 he was a member of the Medical Board in Senta. He worked in Senta till October 31, 1918 when he submitted resignation from the post of a regional physician at the Assembly meeting. Then he moved from Senta and started civil service as a Hungarean Royal Resort physician. This paper presents Dr. Koloman's paper in complete, published in the Collection of Congress Papers. This paper received great attention and praises were found at several places such as: journal of "Czech Physicians", number 44 from 1904; "Serbian Literary Herald", volume XIII, number 3 and in journal called "Pozor" from Moravska, number 146 from 1904. Further on, authors comment on Dr. Koloman's attitudes to alcoholism and treatment of alcoholics. Some were estimated as drastic: "the role of alcohol in rase cleansing"; how to "exterminate" alcoholics; suggestions for "interning drunkards overcome by fury" and suggestions for passing a law which would forbid drunkards to get married. Such attitudes of Dr. Koloman Kalivoda towards alcoholism may be associated with the circumstances of that time in Senta, because there are reliable data according to which in 1894 there were 26,648 inhabitants in Senta, whereas one brandy taproom or tavern came on every 213 inhabitants. Contrary to these attitudes, authors think that Dr. Koloman had very progressive ideas in regard to prevention of alcoholism as well as some suggestions and measures that should be undertaken by the society from the aspect of public hygiene.

[Surgeons, midwives and physicians in Senta in the 18th and 19th centuries]. / Ranari, babice i lekari u Senti u XVIII i XIX veku.

INTRODUCTION: Authors present history data on development of the medical profession in Prussia, Germany, Austria and Hungary, that is countries from which surgeons, midwives and physicians most often came to work in Senta. It has been established that mostly junior physicians and "surgeons" came to our country, and from the forties till nineties of the 19th century they made a considerable number of our first medical professionals. In 1872 a law was passed according to which only doctors of medicine with university degrees were allowed to practice medicine, and so junior physicians gradually disappeared. OUR INVESTIGATIONS AND DATA: The earliest data on health care of Senta date back to the tax register for 1771 according to which the expenditure for November contained expenses for bread and half of the allowance for fodder which were paid to the city surgeon. According to the census from 1774/75 the first registered barber surgeon was Mihalj Nad, whereas four years later he was advertised as a surgeon in the tax register. In the following years more surgeons were registered: Janos Grubanovic, Jozef Forgac, Antal Kovac and Johan Brun. The first city midwife registered in the city court record in 1794 was Doroteja Gubik. During 18th century at the territory of Senta only barbers and surgeons were known, and there were no graduated physicians. The first city physician who received a degree from the School of Medicine was Samuel Borod who started working in Senta on April 24, 1822. After that, during 19th century the following physicians worked in Senta: Dr. Laslo Eres, Dr. Jozef Cendic, Dr. Simon Slezinger, Dr. Janos Nepomuki Revai, Dr. Zigmund Veksler, Dr. Adolf Glikstal, Dr. Jozef Kelner, Dr. Mor Lendvai, Dr. Sandor Meri, Dr. Jozef Havel and Dr. Jozef Rejcer. Dr. Janos Nepomuki Revai was at the head of the public health care of our town for 40 years, whereas his predecessor Dr. Jozef Cendic was engaged in this honorable profession for 30 years. Dr. Janos Revai was an outstanding person who introduced vaccination against smallpox and diphtheria, prevented further spreading of trachoma, stopped a great epidemic of cholera in 1892/93 and continually worked on promotion and improvement of health care in Senta. During 19th century the following surgeons worked in Senta: Istvan Budai, Mihajlo Zivkovic, Jozua Veksler, Istvan Kalman, while the last surgeon working in Senta was Lajos Kuti. In the 19th century the following midwives were registered in Senta: Apolonija Hauser, Verona Kremzer, Regina Zinger, Jozefa Vig, Apolonija Bauc, Apolonija Hauber and Rozalija Huska. At the end, authors list all surgeons, midwives and physicians with complete data on them from all available documents.

Smallpox vaccination in Senta County in the early 19th century.

The objective of this paper was to report data on vaccination against smallpox in the first decades of the 19th century in the documentation of the historical archives of Senta. The most important documents regulating smallpox vaccination, its control and way of conducting it are presented in complete. One of the most important documents is a poster proclamation from 1814 by which vaccination of children against smallpox was requested. Another document from 1817 was found and it certifies, with great certainty that at that time (or since that time) vaccination against smallpox was present at the territory of Senta. Authors consider that these documents are of utmost importance and that they represent documents enriching history of medicine in our regions.

[Cerebellar infarct with complications]. / Infarkt malog mozga sa komplikacijama.

INTRODUCTION: Symptoms of circulatory disorders depend on the volume and localization of the cerebellar infarction. An isolated blood vessel occlusion may have various symptoms due to numerous anastomoses in the cerebellar hemispheres. Dominant symptoms are vertigo, vomiting, nausea and balance disorders. Due to a great number of anastomoses between the three cerebral arteries, if only one of them is occluded, expected symptoms rarely occur, so that vertebral angiography performed in the first 24 hours from the onset of clinical picture, points to a lesion of the cerebellar parenchyma on the basis of radiologic signs of occlusion. Further on, brain computerized tomography solves the diagnostic dilemma, but unfortunately, ischemic cerebellar lesions are often detected only in pathoanatomic findings. Development and course of cerebellar malformation are of great importance for occurrence of symptoms. Cerebellar symptoms often occur in cases of brain-stem lesions. In dorsal hemisection lesions the following symptoms occur: vertigo, vomiting, nystagmus, taste disorders and secretory trophic disorders in the gastrointestinal tract. In cases of spreading to the pyramidal neurons the following symptoms occur: a soft palate and vocal cord paresis, swallowing difficulties and disorders of phonological as well as hemiplegia and sensibility disorders. CASE REPORT: This is a case of a male patient, 60 years of age. He was admitted to the Neuropsychiatric Department because of high blood pressure, severe headache in the back of the head, vertigo and nausea, without vomiting. He complained about weakness in the left side of the body. The somatic status was normal. In regard to neurologic status he had a slow photomotoric reaction of pupils to light, swallowing difficulties, hoarse voice, decreased pharyngeal reflex, symmetrically fast reflexes, walk on wide basis, in Romberg position unstable, whereas other findings were normal. Psychically average. The reaction to therapy was good. Subjectively the patient felt-well, but swallowing difficulties persisted. On the seventh day from admission his status suddenly aggravated, with severe vertigo, vomiting on several occasions, weakness and high temperature, hypotension, tachycardia, left eyelid ptosis with horizontal nystagmus when looking to the left. Lung radiography revealed bilateral pneumonia; computerized tomography of the brain revealed a great ischemic zone in the left cerebellar hemisphere discretely dislocating the brain mass to contralateral side. Resistant hypotension persisted. Surgical findings of the rectum revealed a dark content. Gastroscopy revealed esophageal candidiasis; mucus bleeding was spontaneous and at touch, whereas in the lower third of esophagus there was a mucous lesion. Haematinised blood was found in the stomach and duodenum. The patient's state continually aggravated and after massive stool blood loss a surgery was performed. A great penetrating ulcer was detected at the back duodenal wall 30 mm of size, visualizing the pancreas. A final surgical procedure was performed at the Clinic for Abdominal Surgery in Novi Sad. The postoperative course was good, but on the 7th postoperative day unexpected fatal outcome occurred due to massive lung embolism. Pathoanatomic examination revealed a postencephalomalacic pseudocyst in the left cerebellar hemisphere. CONCLUSION: This is a case report of a patient with lateral medullar syndrome associated with complications which can only partly be explained by the basic disease. Pneumonia and a secretory trophic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract are frequent complications that can be life threatening is spite of intensive management.

[Military hospitals in Senta (1944-1945)]. / Vojne bolnice u Senti (1944-1945).

Authors have reviewed data on the history of the Soviet Army Military Hospital in Senta during 1944 and activities of the Military Hospital in Senta in the period 1944-1945. The paper also contains a list of the deceased in the Military Hospital with all available data.

Posterior circulation aneurysms. Technical strategies based on angiographic anatomical findings and the results of 60 recent consecutive cases.

Ninety-eight patients with aneurysms of the posterior circulation were admitted to our department from 1993 to 1997. Sixty of them underwent microsurgical treatment, mostly in the acute stage of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Peri- and intraoperative management were carried out according to a structured treatment strategy. Special aspects of surgical technique included extradural selective anterior clinoidectomy for basilar head aneurysms, lateral suboccipital craniotomy and partial condylectomy without laminectomy for aneurysms of the vertebral artery or posterior inferior cerebellar artery, and a trans-Sylvian approach, as used in selective amygdalohippocampectomy, for aneurysms of the posterior cerebral artery. A careful angiographic evaluation of the aneurysms in relation to the neighboring important arteries and bony structures was essential for optimal surgical planning. Forty-nine patients (82%) made a good recovery by 3 months after surgery. The mortality was 7%.

[A case of attempted suicide with an enormous quantity of food]. / Prikaz pokusaja samoubistva sa enormnom kolicinom hrane.

Presented is a suicide attempt with an enormous amount of food in a young female affected with Anorexia mentalis of symptomatic alcoholism. Reacting to a conflict situation with her boyfriend, in a fit of anxiety and depression on a principal of a "short circuit reaction" she took an uncontrollably large amount of food. After an attempt of gastric lavage which was unsuccessful, a laparotomy and gastrotomy was carried out because of vital reasons. Eight kilograms of various types of undigested food and mushy contents were removed from the stomach. The surgical treatment lasted for 26 days, and treatment was resumed at the department for neuropsychiatry and the patient was released to go home as recovered after 84 days of treatment. The authors have presented this case as a very rare suicide attempt, because they have not found a description of a suicide attempt with food in domestic nor available world literature.

Total removal of craniopharyngiomas. Approaches and long-term results in 144 patients.

The clinical features, perioperative course, and postoperative outcomes of 144 patients who underwent microsurgical resection of craniopharyngioma were reviewed. Overall, 90% of the tumors were completely resected and 7% recurred. Evaluation of those patients who underwent primary resection revealed much better results. The operative techniques and approaches are reviewed in detail. The results of this series suggest that primary total removal of craniopharyngiomas yields the best long-term outcome for the patient. Experience has shown that the larger the tumor the greater will be the damage, both preoperatively and intraoperatively, to vital intracranial structures. Consequently, early diagnosis, at a stage when the tumor is still small, improves the chances of accomplishing complete removal and of achieving good operative results. The early diagnosis of craniopharyngioma, before it can produce devastating neurological defects, continues to be the principal goal of our medical and pediatric colleagues.

[Psychological crises and the urban environment]. / Psihicke krize i urbana sredina.

The influence of urbanization of psychic crises of the individuals was investigated in this paper. The investigation was performed in the framework of telephone services intended for giving help to people drawing to a crisis. These services are as follows: "Tele-apel" in Belgrade, "Klic v dusevni stiski" in Ljubljana, "SOS telephone" in Subotica and "Tele-apel" in Sarajevo. The introductory part of this paper dealt with the short history of the development of the idea concerning the influence of social environment on psychic health and the appearance of crises. The most frequent urban and other social factors which brought about the psychic health disturbances were cited. Summing up the results of the investigation in all four services, the author put forward the ten most frequent actual problems which were responsible for the appearance of crises in investigated persons, such as: health problems, loneliness, partner problems, marital and familial problems, suicidal crises, problems between parents and children, alcohol as a problem, sexual problems, tablets and drugs as a problem and the loss of an important person. The influence of the urbanization factor is particularly emphasized in the appearance of loneliness, partner problems, marital and familial problems, suicidal crises, health problems, problems arising between parents and children as well as in sexual problems.

Auditory brain stem responses in patients with posterior fossa tumors.

Twenty patients suffering from space-occupying lesions of the posterior fossa were investigated with the help of brain stem auditory evoked potentials. The results were compared with the findings of computerized tomography (CT) and with the operative findings. In large cerebellopontine angle tumors, there was severe attenuation of all components ipsilateral to the lesion, which may or may not include wave I. In patients with intrinsic pontine tumors, severe degradation of the components subsequent to wave III was found. In cerebellar tumors, caudal distortion of the brain stem seems to cause an increase of the interpeak separation of III-V, whereas rostral compression did not alter the responses. No consistent pattern appears to be recorded in extrinsic brain stem tumors. In only 2 of 8 patients in whom postoperative observations were made did the postoperative responses parallel the overall clinical course of the early postoperative period.