The aim of this work is to compare the results of estimation of radioiodine uptake using three methods in a study on mice, and to test reliability of the radioiodine uptake estimation by gamma camera. The study is conducted on 21 white, Swiss-type mice of both sex at age of 10 weeks, weighing between 25 g and 34 g. The mice were injected intraperitoneally with 0.37 ± ± 0.03 MBq of radioiodine 131I. After 72 hours the mice were anesthetized, and radioactivity of thyroid region was measured by gamma camera (the 1st method, in situ). After the measurement, the animals were sacrificed, their thyroid glands were carefully excised together with adjacent trachea and placed at the bottom of a test tube. The radioactivity of the excised tissue was then measured by both gamma camera (the 2nd method) and gamma counter (the 3rd method). This method is treated as a standard and the most accurate. In the study we used Siemens e_cam gamma camera and Wallac Wizard 1470 Automatic Gamma counter. The radioiodine fixation determined using those three methods was 25.25 ± 7.32%, 26.08 ± ± 8.55% and 25.74 ± 7.18%, without statisticaly significant difference s between methods (p > 0.05). The high correlation between the three methods of measuring radioiodine fixation in thyroid gland was observed: (1) the correlation coefficient between the fixation rate obtained by gamma camera in situ and the fixation rate obtained by measuring the radioactivity of extirpated thyroids by gamma camera was 0.869 (p < 0.01); (2) the correlation coefficient between fixation rate obtained by gamma camera in situ and the fixation rate obtained by measuring radioactivity of extirpated thyroids by gamma counter was 0.890 (p < 0.01); (3) the correlation coefficient between fixation rate obtained by measuring radioactivity of extirpated thyroids by gamma camera and the fixation rate obtained by measuring radioactivity of extirpated thyroids by gamma counter was 0.835 (p < 0.01).

BACKGROUND/AIM Spinal cord injuries (SCI) could be associated with a significant functional impairment in the areas of mobility, self-care, bowel and bladder emptying and sexuality. The aim of this study was to compare demographic characteristics and functional outcomes of nontraumatic and traumatic spinal cord injury patients. METHODS This study was designed as retrospective case series study. A detailed medical history including sex, age, mode of trauma, and clinical and radiological examination was taken for all patients. Hospital records were used to classify the patients according to the following: mechanism of injury, neurological level of injury, functional outcomes, associated injuries, method of treatment, secondary complications and length of stay. The following clinical scores were measured in the patients: American Spinal Injury Association standards (CASTA), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Modified Aschworth score (MAS). RESULTS Out of totally 441 patients with spinal cord injury, 279 were traumatic patients (TSCI) and 162 nontraumatic patients (NTSCI); 322 men and 119 women. The mean age of the patients was 46.1 +/- 19.9 years. Traumatic and nontraumatic populations showed several significant differences with regard to age, level and severity of lesion. When adjusted for these factors patients with traumatic injuries showed a significantly lower FIM score at admission and significantly better improvement in the FIM score at discharge. The two populations were discharged with similar functional outcome. CONCLUSIONS The NTSCI patients in our study were younger, more frequently female, with less complications before rehabilitation and less frequently treated operatively than the TSCI patients. Hospital rehabilitation of the TSCI patients was longer than that of the NTSCI patients, but their functional gain from admission was also higher, so at discharge. Traumatic and nontraumatic spinal cord lesion patients achieved similar results in regard to neurological and functional status.

INTRODUCTION Hospital infections (HIs), which are frequently associated with hospital treatment, increase morbidity, mortality and treatment costs. The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of HIs in a neurological intensive care unit (nICU), and to determine the most prevalent causative agents and risk factors for HIs. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional study with nested case-control design was conducted between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2010 at an 18-bed neurological intensive care unit at the Clinical Center Kragujevac, Serbia. RESULTS In total, 537 patients were enrolled in the study, with 6,549 patient-days. There were 89 patients with 101 HIs. The incidence of patients with HIs was 16.57%, and incidence of HIs was 18.81%, while density of HIs was 15.42 per 1,000 patient-days. The most frequent anatomical sites of HIs were urinary tract (73.27%), blood (10.89%), and skin and soft tissues (10.89%). The following risk factors were identified: co-morbidity (OR=3.9; 95% CI=1.9-7.9), surgical intervention in the last 30 days (OR=5.6; 95% CI=1.5-20.4), urinary bladder catheterization longer than seven days (OR=3.8; 95% CI=1.8-8.2), value of Glasgow coma scale ≤ 9 (OR=3.7; 95% CI=1-6.9), and longer hospital stay (OR=1.1; 95% CI=1.1-1.2). CONCLUSIONS Hospitalization in an nICU bears high risk of HIs, especially of urinary tract infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, in patients with longer hospital stay or co-morbidities, and in those who have had surgical interventions or prolonged use of a urinary bladder catheter. Special attention should be paid to these patients to prevent HIs.

External application of seabuckthorn oil (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is difficult due to its liquid state in spite of its benefits for damaged skin. In order to overcome this inadequacy the semisolid emulsion with seabuckthorn oil was prepared. Previous research showed that this emulsion possessing an enhanced structure with liquid crystals showed a higher wound healing potential than seabuckthorn oil. The aim of this investigation was to characterize suitability of this emulsion for topical use. The emulsion was prepared by combining emulsifiers that form liquid crystals. Two different quantities of seabuckthorn oil were incorporated. Samples were prepared with 10% and 40% of seabuckthorn oil. Organoleptic characteristics were estimated visually and by smearing samples on a thin glass plate. Type of emulsion was determined by a conductometric method, while a pH value of the emulsion was measured by a pH meter. Samples of seabuckthorn emulsion were orange, semisolid, shiny, easily spreadable on skin, and the smear on the glass plate was homogeneous. There was an absence of smell and the emulsion could be rinsed by water after the application on skin, which is a desired characteristic of oil/water emulsions. Results of an electrical conductivity confirmed that an outer phase is water. Samples possesed an acceptable pH value for an external topical use. This research confirmed that constituents and a method used were suitable for preparing semisolid emulsion with seabuckthorn oil. Organoleptic properties, a pH value and a type of obtained emuslion appear to be adequate for topical use.