Diagnostics of Metabolic Bone Disease in Extremely Preterm Infants-Clinical Applicability of Bone Turnover Biochemical Markers and Quantitative Ultrasound.

Background: Significant improvement in neonatal care has enabled increasing survival of preterm infants. Metabolic bone disease of prematurity is often overlooked due to other comorbidities of preterm birth. The best approach is screening and prevention of the disease in high-risk infants such as preterm infants.

The burden of viral lower respiratory tract infections during the neonatal period: six-year experience at a tertiary referral hospital.

Aim: To identify the epidemiological and clinical features of acute viral lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) caused by respiratory syncytial virus and other respiratory viruses, and to determine the risk factors for the severe disease among neonates.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of neonates aged up to 44 postconceptional weeks who were hospitalized at a tertiary referral hospital due to confirmed viral LRTI between January 2015 and December 2020.

Results: Of 228 neonates with viral LRTI, one-third were born prematurely.

Comparison of prediction methods for oxygen-18 isotope composition in shallow groundwater.

Groundwater is the most important source of drinking water in the world. Therefore, information on the quality and quantity is important, as is new information related to the characteristics of the aquifer and the recharge area. In the present study we focused on the isotope composition of oxygen (δO) in groundwater, which is a natural tracer and provides a better understanding of the water cycle, in terms of origin, dynamics and interaction.

Passive sampling as a tool for identifying micro-organic compounds in groundwater.

The paper presents the use of a simple and cost efficient passive sampling device with integrated active carbon with which to test the possibility of determining the presence of micro-organic compounds (MOs) in groundwater and identifying the potential source of pollution as well as the seasonal variability of contamination. Advantage of the passive sampler is to cover a long sampling period by integrating the pollutant concentration over time, and the consequently analytical costs over the monitoring period can be reduced substantially. Passive samplers were installed in 15 boreholes in the Maribor City area in Slovenia, with two sampling campaigns covered a period about one year.

Carbonate chemistry and isotope characteristics of groundwater of Ljubljansko polje and Ljubljansko Barje aquifers in Slovenia.

Ljubljansko polje and Ljubljansko Barje aquifers are the main groundwater resources for the needs of Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. Carbonate chemistry and isotope analysis of the groundwater were performed to acquire new hydrogeological data, which should serve as a base for improvement of hydrogeological conceptual models of both aquifers. A total of 138 groundwater samples were collected at 69 sampling locations from both aquifers.

The isotope altitude effect reflected in groundwater: a case study from Slovenia.

This paper presents the stable isotope data of oxygen (δ(18)O) and hydrogen (δ(2)H) in groundwater from 83 sampling locations in Slovenia and their interpretation. The isotopic composition of water was monitored over 3 years (2009-2011), and each location was sampled twice. New findings on the isotopic composition of sampled groundwater are presented, and the data are also compared to past studies regarding the isotopic composition of precipitation, surface water, and groundwater in Slovenia.