78 FR 65220 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: New Designated Country-Croatia (DFARS Case...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... GPA). Croatia joined the European Union, which is a party to the WTO GPA, on July 1, 2013. DATES.... Telephone 571-372-6093; facsimile 571-372-6101. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The European Union... member states. On July 1, 2013, Croatia became a member of the European Union. Therefore, the European...

[Usutu virus: a novel flavivirus in Croatia].

PubMed

Vilibić-Čavlek, Tatjana; Barbić Ljubo; Stevanović, Vladimir; Mlinarić-Galinović, Gordana

2015-01-01

Usutu virus (USUV) belongs to the family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus, Japanese encephalitis serocomplex. The virus was discovered in 1959 in South Africa and has emerged since 1996 causing epizootics with high avian mortality in Europe. The importance of USUV in humans is not fully understood. However, several human clinical cases of USUV infection described so far indicate the role of this virus as an antropozoonotic agent. In Croatia, serologic evidence of USUV was first documented in 2011 in two horses from Zagreb and Sisak-Moslavina County. In 2012, USUV neutralizing antibodies were found in one human sample from a resident of a Vukovar-Srijem County. Human clinical cases of USUV infection were detected for the first time during the West Nile virus outbreak from July to September 2013. Three patients with USUV neuroinvasive disease were detected in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. Our results indicate USUV circulation in Croatia. Further human cases could be expected in the next transmission seasons.

Volatiles of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don from Croatia.

PubMed

Zeljković, Sanja Ćavar; Šolić, Marija Edita; Maksimović, Milka

2015-01-01

Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don is a flowering plant of the family Asteraceae. It is rich in oil that is used for different medicinal purposes and in fragrance industry. Volatile profile of four populations of H. italicum, collected from natural habitat in Dalmatia (Croatia), was analysed by capillary GC-MS. Sample from BraČ Island had α-trans-bergamotene (10.2%) and β-acoradiene (10.1%) as the majors, whereas sample collected on Biokovo Mt. was rich in neryl acetate (8.1%). β-Acoradiene was also the main constituent of sample collected near Tijarica, whereas rosifoliol (8.5%) was the most abundant constituent in sample collected near Makarska. Presented results show the influence of environmental conditions on chemical differentiation of the volatiles of H. italicum from Croatia.

[Are there counterfeit medicines in Croatia?].

PubMed

Tomić, Sinisa; Milcić, Neven; Sokolić, Milenko; Sucić, Anita Filipović; Martinac, Adrijana Ilić

2010-01-01

Counterfeit medicines are a growing problem in the world, for their use may endanger patient's health and therefore they pose an enormous public health risk. The manufacture of counterfeit medicines usually involves organised crime groups which place the counterfeit medicines on the market for reasons of profit. Detection and prevention of trade in counterfeit medicines requires close cooperation between medicine regulatory authorities, police, customs, judiciary and pharmaceutical industry. To this day, there have been no recorded cases of counterfeit medicines in the legal supply chain in Croatia. However, medicines without marketing authorisation in Croatia, originating from different countries, could be found on the illegal market. Most frequently, this includes medicines for the treatment of erectile dysfunction such as: sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil. In this study, 26 medicines for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, seized in illegal supply chain, were tested. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for identification and quantification of active substances in the tested samples. It was determined that 13 out of 26 samples did not comply with declared composition of medicine and quality specification. Furthermore, two samples did not contain declared active substance vardenafil and that may indicate that these medicines are counterfeit.

[Pharmacoeconomic indicators of cardiovascular drug utilization in the Republic of Croatia and city of Zagreb in 2008].

PubMed

Stimac, Danijela; Stambuk, Ivanka

2010-12-01

In comparison with original drugs, generic drugs have the same efficacy but considerably lower price and should therefore be preferred to original drugs on prescribing. The aim of the present study was to assess outpatient utilization and rationality of cardiovascular drug prescribing in the City of Zagreb and Republic of Croatia based on the generic to original drug prescribing ratio. Data on the financial indicators and number of cardiovascular drug packages issued in 2008 were obtained from the Croatian Institute of Health Insurance. These data were used to calculate the number of defined daily doses (DDD) and number of DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day (DDD/1000/day). The index of generic/original drug utilization was determined for Zagreb and Croatia as a measure for assessment of prescribing rationality; the significance of difference was determined by X2-test. The rate of prescribing original cardiovascular drugs was significantly higher in Zagreb as compared with Croatia as a whole. The index of prescribing generic versus original drugs was 1.20 (249/208 DDD/1000/day) in Zagreb and 1.65 (249/151 DDD/1000/day) in Croatia. Difference in the utilization of generic drugs between Zagreb and Croatia as determined by X2-test (the level of statistical significance was set at P<0.05) was statistically significant (P=0.021). The highest differences were recorded in the most widely prescribed drug groups, i.e. ACE inhibitors with the generic/original drug index of 1.38 in Zagreb and 2.02 in Croatia; and hypolipemics with the generic/original drug index of 0.96 in Zagreb and 1.34 in Croatia. According to financial indicators, the generic/original drug index was 1.44 in Croatia and only 0.96 in Zagreb. The significantly greater influence of pharmaceutical industry marketing in Zagreb entailed the significantly higher rate of original drug prescribing, which is associated with considerably greater drug expenses. Measures to stimulate prescribing generic drugs should be

[Health system research in the Republic of Croatia 1990-2010].

PubMed

Kovacević, Jasmina; Sogorić, Selma; Dzakula, Aleksandar

2010-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine the scope and contents of peer-reviewed scientific publications that bring the results of the Health System Research (HSR) in the Republic of Croatia during the 1990-2010 period. The basic guidelines are in line with the research project, Health Services Research into European Policy and Practice (HSREPP). This project is being implemented with the aim of identifying, evaluating and improving the contribution of Health System Research to the development of Health Policy in Europe. This study included scientific publications indexed in the PubMed database and master theses and doctoral dissertations published at Schools of Medicine in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka and Split during the 1990-2010 period. In accordance with the project methodology, scientific publications indexed in PubMed (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed) were searched for by the key words "Croatia AND (Health Care System OR Health System OR Healthcare System)". Then, the database of scientific publications indexed in PubMed was narrowed by key words divided into 4 groups according to HSREPP instructions. The search for master theses and doctoral dissertations was carried out by direct inspection of the completed works in the library of Andrija Stampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb. Access to master theses and doctoral dissertations at the other three medical schools was done by the Internet. We analyzed the collected summaries of all publications, master theses and doctoral dissertations and excluded all those that did not correspond to our research. Using this method, we found a total of 536 publications indexed in PubMed-in, 70 master theses and 22 doctoral dissertations meeting the study criteria. For further analysis, we separately considered master theses and doctoral dissertations on the one side, and scientific publications indexed in PubMed on the other side. All papers were listed by the year of publication, the author

Preliminary Estimation of Kappa Parameter in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanko, Davor; Markušić, Snježana; Ivančić, Ines; Mario, Gazdek; Gülerce, Zeynep

2017-12-01

Spectral parameter kappa κ is used to describe spectral amplitude decay “crash syndrome” at high frequencies. The purpose of this research is to estimate spectral parameter kappa for the first time in Croatia based on small and moderate earthquakes. Recordings of local earthquakes with magnitudes higher than 3, epicentre distances less than 150 km, and focal depths less than 30 km from seismological stations in Croatia are used. The value of kappa was estimated from the acceleration amplitude spectrum of shear waves from the slope of the high-frequency part where the spectrum starts to decay rapidly to a noise floor. Kappa models as a function of a site and distance were derived from a standard linear regression of kappa-distance dependence. Site kappa was determined from the extrapolation of the regression line to a zero distance. The preliminary results of site kappa across Croatia are promising. In this research, these results are compared with local site condition parameters for each station, e.g. shear wave velocity in the upper 30 m from geophysical measurements and with existing global shear wave velocity - site kappa values. Spatial distribution of individual kappa’s is compared with the azimuthal distribution of earthquake epicentres. These results are significant for a couple of reasons: to extend the knowledge of the attenuation of near-surface crust layers of the Dinarides and to provide additional information on the local earthquake parameters for updating seismic hazard maps of studied area. Site kappa can be used in the re-creation, and re-calibration of attenuation of peak horizontal and/or vertical acceleration in the Dinarides area since information on the local site conditions were not included in the previous studies.

Sex ratio at birth and war in Croatia (1991-1995).

PubMed

Polasek, O; Kolcic, I; Kolaric, B; Rudan, I

2005-09-01

We have investigated sex ratio at birth (expressed as the proportion of males) in Croatia before, during and after the war (1991-1995). Data for each of 21 counties in Croatia (861 516 births) were collected and pooled into two groups: the first, consisting of the counties unaffected by the war, and the second, comprising the counties affected by war events. Odds ratios of being born as a male were calculated, with being born in a county exposed to war defined as the risk factor. No significant deviations from the expected ratio of 0.514 were found in pre-war, wartime or post-war period at the national level. The ratio was 0.515 during the pre-war and wartime periods, and 0.514 in the post-war period. Comparison of the ratios in the three periods in both affected and unaffected counties revealed no significant increase in the sex ratio. The only significant increase in the sex ratio was registered in two counties unaffected by the warfare. This study indicates that warfare did not cause a detectable increase of the sex ratio at birth in Croatia, in contrast to what might have been predicted based on earlier reports in the literature.

Introduction of Participatory Conservation in Croatia, Residents' Perceptions: A Case Study from the Istrian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sladonja, Barbara; Brščić, Kristina; Poljuha, Danijela; Fanuko, Neda; Grgurev, Marin

2012-06-01

Croatia, like many other transition countries has undergone radical changes in its nature protection models. This paper discusses a historical overview, present situation and future possibilities for nature conservation in Croatia. A conservative top-down approach to nature protection was applied in the past in Croatia and is now being replaced by a prevalent bottom-up approach. Social context is crucial to introducing participatory conservation, therefore special concern is given to the perception of the local population towards protected area management in Istria as a case study in Croatia. Survey data were used to assess the conservation knowledge of local populations and their perception towards Protected Areas (PAs), leadership activities and management authorities in Istria County. This paper examines the perceptions of 313 residents living in and around six natural PAs located in Istria. The results revealed a moderate general knowledge about PAs in Istria and environmental issues, and a low awareness of institutions managing PAs, eagerness to participate in the activities of PAs and general support for the conservation cause. Understanding the perception of local residents enables the creation of feasible, long-term strategies for the implementation of participatory conservation. The research identifies the need for greater human, technical and financial efforts to strengthen the management capabilities of local agencies responsible for PAs. The process of participatory conservation optimization in Croatia is underway and world experiences must be observed in order to create a congruent, site-specific model with the best possible results.

The potential of bioash for utilization in road construction in eastern Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zagvozda, Martina; Dimter, Sanja; Rukavina, Tatjana

2017-12-01

In recent years usage of biomass as energy source has intensified in eastern Croatia. Newly built biomass power plants generate great amounts of bioash that is being disposed at landfills. Due to its favorable properties bioashes could be reused as alternative materials in road construction or road fundation. Therefore, research on application of bioashes in construction industry is being conducted at Faculty of Civil Engineering in Osijek. The main motivation behind this research, in a form of biomass and bioash production in eastern Croatia as well as international research on potential application of this types of bioashes, is show in this paper.

Cost-effectiveness of pneumococcal conjugate vaccination in Croatia.

PubMed

Vučina, V Višekruna; Filipović, S Kurečić; Kožnjak, N; Stamenić, V; Clark, A D; Mounaud, B; Blau, J; Hoestlandt, C; Kaić, B

2015-05-07

Pneumococcus is a known cause of meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, and acute otitis media in children and adults globally. Two new vaccines for children have the potential to prevent illness, disability, and death, but these vaccines are expensive. The Croatian Ministry of Health has considered introducing the vaccine in the past, but requires economic evidence to ensure that the limited funds available for health care will be used in the most effective way. Croatia appointed a multidisciplinary team of experts to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of introducing pneumococcal conjugate vaccination (PCV) into the national routine child immunization program. Both 10-valent and 13-valent PCV (PCV10 and PCV13) were compared to a scenario assuming no vaccination. The TRIVAC decision-support model was used to estimate cost-effectiveness over the period 2014-2033. We used national evidence on demographics, pneumococcal disease incidence and mortality, the age distribution of disease in children, health service utilization, vaccine coverage, vaccine timeliness, and serotype coverage. Vaccine effectiveness was based on evidence from the scientific literature. Detailed health care costs were not available from the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance at the time of the analysis so assumptions and World Health Organization (WHO) estimates for Croatia were used. We assumed a three-dose primary vaccination schedule, and an initial price of US$ 30 per dose for PCV10 and US$ 35 per dose for PCV13. We ran univariate sensitivity analyses and multivariate scenario analyses. Either vaccine is estimated to prevent approximately 100 hospital admissions and one death each year in children younger than five in Croatia. Compared to no vaccine, the discounted cost-effectiveness of either vaccine is estimated to be around US$ 69,000-77,000 per disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) averted over the period 2014-2033 (from the government or societal perspective). Only two alternative scenarios

[Comparative follow-up study of unselected male population with congenital defective color vision from inland and Mediterranean areas of Croatia].

PubMed

Rogosić, Veljko; Bojić, Lovro; Karaman, Ksenija; Rogosić, Lucija Vanjaka; Titlić, Marina; Poljak, Nikola Kolja; Plestina-Borjan, Ivna; Smerdelj, Andro; Duplancić, Darko; Alpeza-Dunato, Zvjezdana

2011-03-01

The aim of this ten-year study (from the end of 1998 to the end of 2008) was to assess the prevalence of congenital dyschromatopsia in unselected healthy male population aged 15-45 from two Croatian regions, i.e. inland and Mediterranean parts of Croatia. Results collected in these two regions were compared and respective conclusions drawn. The results primarily referred to the prevalence of color vision disturbances and their differences according to the main color groups (dichromacy and anomalous trichromacy) and subgroups (protanopia, deuteranopia, protanomaly, deuteranomaly, and others). To our knowledge, no such a long-term study in a large population sample has been carried out in southeast Europe to date. Color vision was examined after complete ophthalmologic examination in all subjects presenting for examination required for amateur driver license. Color vision examination was performed by use of pseudoisochromatic Ishihara tables, Nagel II anomaloscope and Panel D-15 color test at industrial medicine offices and ophthalmology departments in the two regions. There were 12,974 and 9,974 subjects in inland and Mediterranean Croatia, respectively. The results confirmed the hypothesis and clinical perception of a lower prevalence of color vision disturbances in southern parts, i.e. in Mediterranean Croatia (8.50%) as compared with inland Croatia (8.90%). The rate of dichromacy was higher in Mediterranean Croatia (2.40%), while the rate of anomalous trichromacy was greater in inland Croatia (6.93%). The results of this study provide better insight in the status of color vision disturbances and possible differences between the relatively close areas of north (inland) and south (Mediterranean) Croatia.

Plants and geographical names in Croatia.

PubMed

Cargonja, Hrvoje; Daković, Branko; Alegro, Antun

2008-09-01

The main purpose of this paper is to present some general observations, regularities and insights into a complex relationship between plants and people through symbolic systems like geographical names on the territory of Croatia. The basic sources of data for this research were maps from atlas of Croatia of the scale 1:100000. Five groups of maps or areas were selected in order to represent main Croatian phytogeographic regions. A selection of toponyms from each of the map was made in which the name for a plant in Croatian language was recognized (phytotoponyms). Results showed that of all plant names recognized in geographical names the most represented are trees, and among them birch and oak the most. Furthermore, an attempt was made to explain the presence of the most represented plant species in the phytotoponyms in the light of general phytogeographical and sociocultural differences and similarities of comparing areas. The findings confirm an expectation that the genera of climazonal vegetation of particular area are the most represented among the phytotoponyms. Nevertheless, there are ample examples where representation of a plant name in the names of human environment can only be ascribed to ethno-linguistic and socio-cultural motives. Despite the reductionist character of applied methodology, this research also points out some advantages of this approach for ethnobotanic and ethnolinguistic studies of greater areas of human environment.

Epidemiologic characteristics and military implications of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in croatia.

PubMed

Mulić, Rosanda; Ropac, Darko

2002-10-01

To analyze epidemiologic characteristics of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Croatia, including military implications of the disease and measures for its prevention. We analyzed data from obligatory infectious disease reports and notification of deaths due to infectious diseases, data on the hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome epidemics in Croatia, and data collected by survey of the population, serological findings, and studies of wild rodents serving as reservoirs of the infection. During the 1987-2001 period, 235 cases of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome were recorded in Croatia, with 147 (62.6%) of them among Croatian Army soldiers. Mortality rate was up to 15.4% (mean 2.2%) (5/235). The highest number of cases was recorded in months of June and July, ie, during the warm season characterized by increased activity of both the animals acting as infection reservoirs and humans as hosts. The known natural foci of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome have been Plitvice and Slunj areas, Velika and Mala Kapela mountains, Zagreb area (Velika Gorica and Jastrebarsko), west Slavonia, Novska area, and Dinara Mountain. The disease has not been recorded in the littoral area and Adriatic islands. The identified causative agents include Dobrava and Puumala viruses of the genus Hantavirus, whereas rodents Clethrionomys glareolus, Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus agrarius, and Apodemus sylvaticus serve as the main reservoirs of the infection. Typical biotopes of the infection in Croatia are deciduous woods. The measures of prevention in Croatia include pest control, disinfection, hygienic waste disposal, preventing rodent access to food and water, proper choice of camping sites, and health education. Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome occurs predominantly in soldiers, in a sporadic or epidemic form. Because of the course of disease and potentially lethal outcome, the disease has a considerable impact on the field task performance and combat readiness of

Quantification of climate tourism potential of Croatia based on measured data and regional modeling.

PubMed

Brosy, Caroline; Zaninovic, Ksenija; Matzarakis, Andreas

2014-08-01

Tourism is one of the most important economic sectors in Croatia. The Adriatic coast is a popular travel destination for tourists, especially during the summer months. During their activities, tourists are affected by atmospheric conditions and therefore by weather and climate. Therefore, it is important to have reliable information about thermal conditions as well as their impacts on human beings. Here, the climate tourism potential of Croatia is presented and quantified on the basis of three selected stations in different climatic regions. The physiologically equivalent temperature is used for analysis as well as other climatic parameters relevant for tourism and recreation. The results already point to hot conditions for outdoor activities in summer during afternoons, especially along the coast but also for continental regions, resulting in a reduction of the climate tourism potential. In the future, this trend looks set to increase, possibly leading to a changing tourism sector in Croatia requiring adaptation and new strategies.

Technical assistance development soil management policy in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spruyt, Eva; Helsen, Stefan; Hambach, Patrick; Cuyvers, Lars

2014-05-01

As from the first of July 2013, Croatia became a EU member country and therefore has to comply with all the EU-rules (the "acquis") as defined in the European Council in Copenhagen in 1993. One of the aspects of this acquis is the protection and conservation of the soil and groundwater and the remediation of contaminated sites that cause human and environmental risks. On behalf of the Department of Environment, Nature and Energy of the Flemish government together with the Public Waste Agency of Flanders(OVAM), ECOREM was assigned to carry out this study. The scope of this study therefore focuses on the aspect of soil management that can be divided into two main policies, beïng the policy for the prevention of soil contamination from new activities(1) and the policy for the management and remediation of historical soil contamination from local sources like industrial sites(2). To form a soil management policy, Croatia must start from the legal obligations enforced by the European Union. One of the European Directives regulating the monitoring and protection of soil and groundwater is the new Industrial Emission Directive ('IED' - 2010/78/EU) from the 24th of November 2010. Whereas the framework of the Directive is larger than contamination of soil , the focus of this study was limited to soil contamination only. In order to comply with the existing EU policy contributing to soil protection, the regulations in the IED, the Croatian government needs to adapt existing legislations or apply new regulations regarding soil monitoring for the industrial activities. Also other EU Directives enforce actions contributing to soil protection. Therefore, a questionnaire with different sorts of questions was sent to the different stakeholders (environmental institutes, agencies, ministries,…). The results were interpreted and allowed Ecorem, being the environmental consultant, to evaluate the gaps in the environmental and soil management policy. This study gives advice on how

Readability and Content Assessment of Informed Consent Forms for Medical Procedures in Croatia

PubMed Central

Vučemilo, Luka; Borovečki, Ana

2015-01-01

Background High quality of informed consent form is essential for adequate information transfer between physicians and patients. Current status of medical procedure consent forms in clinical practice in Croatia specifically in terms of the readability and the content is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the readability and the content of informed consent forms for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures used with patients in Croatia. Methods 52 informed consent forms from six Croatian hospitals on the secondary and tertiary health-care level were tested for reading difficulty using Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) formula adjusted for Croatian language and for qualitative analysis of the content. Results The averaged SMOG grade of analyzed informed consent forms was 13.25 (SD 1.59, range 10–19). Content analysis revealed that informed consent forms included description of risks in 96% of the cases, benefits in 81%, description of procedures in 78%, alternatives in 52%, risks and benefits of alternatives in 17% and risks and benefits of not receiving treatment or undergoing procedures in 13%. Conclusions Readability of evaluated informed consent forms is not appropriate for the general population in Croatia. The content of the forms failed to include in high proportion of the cases description of alternatives, risks and benefits of alternatives, as well as risks and benefits of not receiving treatments or undergoing procedures. Data obtained from this research could help in development and improvement of informed consent forms in Croatia especially now when Croatian hospitals are undergoing the process of accreditation. PMID:26376183

Trends in incidence of lung cancer in Croatia from 2001 to 2013: gender and regional differences

PubMed Central

Siroglavić, Katarina-Josipa; Polić Vižintin, Marina; Tripković, Ingrid; Šekerija, Mario; Kukulj, Suzana

2017-01-01

Aim To provide an overview of the lung cancer incidence trends in the City of Zagreb (Zagreb), Split-Dalmatia County (SDC), and Croatia in the period from 2001 to 2013. Method Incidence data were obtained from the Croatian National Cancer Registry. For calculating incidence rates per 100 000 population, we used population estimates for the period 2001-2013 from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. Age-standardized rates of lung cancer incidence were calculated by the direct standardization method using the European Standard Population. To describe incidence trends, we used joinpoint regression analysis. Results Joinpoint analysis showed a statistically significant decrease in lung cancer incidence in men in all regions, with an annual percentage change (APC) of -2.2% for Croatia, 1.9% for Zagreb, and -2.0% for SDC. In women, joinpoint analysis showed a statistically significant increase in the incidence for Croatia, with APC of 1.4%, a statistically significant increase of 1.0% for Zagreb, and no significant change in trend for SDC. In both genders, joinpoint analysis showed a significant decrease in age-standardized incidence rates of lung cancer, with APC of -1.3% for Croatia, -1.1% for Zagreb, and -1.6% for SDC. Conclusion There was an increase in female lung cancer incidence rate and a decrease in male lung cancer incidence rate in Croatia in 2001-20013 period, with similar patterns observed in all the investigated regions. These results highlight the importance of smoking prevention and cessation policies, especially among women and young people. PMID:29094814

Clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine in Croatia: regulation of the profession.

PubMed

Simundic, Ana-Maria; Topic, Elizabeta; Cvoriscec, Dubravka; Cepelak, Ivana

2011-01-01

Heterogeneity exists across Europe in the definition of the profession of clinical chemistry and laboratory medicine and also in academic background of specialists in this discipline. This article provides an overview of the standards of education and training of laboratory professionals and quality regulations in Croatia. Clinical chemistry in Croatia is almost exclusively practiced by medical biochemists. Although term Medical biochemist often relates to medical doctors in other European countries, in Croatia medical biochemists are not medical doctors, but university degree professionals who are qualified scientifically. Practicing the medical biochemistry is regulated by The Health Care Law, The Law of the Medical Biochemistry Profession and The Law of the State and Private Health Insurance. According to the law, only medical biochemists are entitled to run and work in the medical biochemistry laboratory. University degree is earned after the 5 years of the studies. Register for medical biochemists is kept by the Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemists. Licensing is mandatory, valid for 6 years and regulated by the government (Law on the Health Care, 1993). Vocational training for medical biochemists lasts 44 months and is regulated by the national regulatory document issued by the Ministry of Health. Accreditation is not mandatory and is provided by an independent, non-commercial national accreditation body. The profession has interdisciplinary character and a level of required competence and skills comparable to other European countries.

Can Croatia Join Europe as Competitive Knowledge-based Society by 2010?

PubMed Central

Petrovečki, Mladen; Paar, Vladimir; Primorac, Dragan

2006-01-01

The 21st century has brought important changes in the paradigms of economic development, one of them being a shift toward recognizing knowledge and information as the most important factors of today. The European Union (EU) has been working hard to become the most competitive knowledge-based society in the world, and Croatia, an EU candidate country, has been faced with a similar task. To establish itself as one of the best knowledge-based country in the Eastern European region over the next four years, Croatia realized it has to create an education and science system correspondent with European standards and sensitive to labor market needs. For that purpose, the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education, and Sports (MSES) has created and started implementing a complex strategy, consisting of the following key components: the reform of education system in accordance with the Bologna Declaration; stimulation of scientific production by supporting national and international research projects; reversing the “brain drain” into “brain gain” and strengthening the links between science and technology; and informatization of the whole education and science system. In this comprehensive report, we describe the implementation of these measures, whose coordination with the EU goals presents a challenge, as well as an opportunity for Croatia to become a knowledge-based society by 2010. PMID:17167853

Hail characteristics of different regions in continental part of Croatia based on influence of orography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Počakal, Damir; Večenaj, Željko; Štalec, Janez

Settled in the mid latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, Croatia is exposed to the frequent occurrence of severe thunderstorms and hail, especially in the continental part between Sava, Drava and Mura rivers (Panonian basin). On the basis of hail data collected in continental part of Croatia (26,800 km 2) in period 1981-2006, it is found that in this area of Croatia which is protected from hail, two different areas can be identified: western (hilly) part with the greatest number of days with hail, and eastern (generally flat) part which has mostly minimum days with hail. Through spatial distribution of hailfall duration, it is shown that majority of quadrants with longer average duration of hailfall is in front of the mountain, and concerning the analysis of Cb-cells movement, it is also found that the areas with greater diameter of hail can be found in front of the mountain.

Development of river sediment monitoring in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frančišković-Bilinski, Stanislav; Bilinski, Halka; Mlakar, Marina; Maldini, Krešimir

2017-04-01

Establishment of regular river sediment monitoring, in addition to water monitoring, is very important. Unlike water, which represents the current state of a particular watercourse, sediment represents a sort of record of the state of pollution in the long run. Sediment monitoring is crucial to gain a real insight into the status of pollution of particular watercourses and to determine trends over a longer period of time. First scientific investigations of river sediment geochemistry in Croatia started 1989 in the Krka River estuary [1], while first systematic research of a river basin in Croatia was performed 2005 in Kupa River drainage basin [2]. Up to now, several detailed studies of both toxic metals and organic pollutants have been conducted in this drainage basin and some other rivers, also Croatian scientists participated in river sediment research in other countries. In 2008 Croatian water authorities (Hrvatske Vode) started preliminary sediment monitoring program, what was successfully conducted. In the first year of preliminary program only 14 stations existed, while in 2014 number of stations increased to 21. Number of monitored watercourses and of analysed parameters also increased. Current plan is to establish permanent monitoring network of river sediments throughout the state. The goal is to set up about 80 stations, which will cover all most important and most contaminated watercourses in all parts of the country [3]. Until the end of the year 2016, regular monitoring was conducted at 31 stations throughout the country. Currently the second phase of sediment monitoring program is in progress. At the moment parameters being determined on particular stations are not uniform. From inorganic compounds it is aimed to determine Cd, Pb, Ni, Hg, Cu, Cr, Zn and As on all stations. The ratio of natural concentrations of those elements vs. anthropogenic influence is being evaluated on all stations. It was found that worse situation is with Ni, Hg and Cr, who

Usage of Alternative, Environmentally Acceptable Materials—Experience from Eastern Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barišić, I.; Zagvozda, M.; Dimter, S.

2015-11-01

The concept of sustainability should be the main guiding principle in the construction industry today. It mandates conservation of natural resources and thus lower impact on the environment. In road construction, part of construction industry that consumes largest quantities of natural materials, sustainable building and maintenance of roads is possible trough application of secondary materials. Usage of industrial and construction waste presents energy, ecologically and financially effective alternative. Republic of Croatia, even as a new member of the European Union, still lags behind the well-established practices of the application of alternative materials in different European countries. The reasons for this can be found in the current legal and technical regulations for alternative materials. In this paper, the existing regulations for alternative materials and the impact they have on the application of these materials in practice in the region of eastern Croatia will be shown.

Transparency and public accessibility of clinical trial information in Croatia: how it affects patient participation in clinical trials.

PubMed

Šolić, Ivana; Stipčić, Ana; Pavličević, Ivančica; Marušić, Ana

2017-06-15

Despite increased visibility of clinical trials through international trial registries, patients often remain uninformed of their existence, especially if they do not have access to adequate information about clinical research, including the language of the information. The aim of this study was to describe the context for transparency of clinical trials in Croatia in relation to countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and to assess how informed Croatian patients are about clinical trials and their accessibility. We assessed the transparency of clinical trials from the data available in the public domain. We also conducted an anonymous survey on a convenience sample of 257 patients visiting two family medicine offices or an oncology department in south Croatia, and members of national patients' associations. Despite legal provisions for transparency of clinical trials in Croatia, they are still not sufficiently visible in the public domain. Among countries from Central and Eastern Europe, Croatia has the fewest number of registered trials in the EU Clinical Trials Registry. 66% of the patients in the survey were aware of the existence of clinical trials but only 15% were informed about possibilities of participating in a trial. Although 58% of the respondents were willing to try new treatments, only 6% actually participated in a clinical trial. Only 2% of the respondents were aware of publicly available trial registries. Our study demonstrates that there is low transparency of clinical trials in Croatia, and that Croatian patients are not fully aware of clinical trials and the possibilities of participating in them, despite reported availability of Internet resources and good communication with their physicians. There is a need for active policy measures to increase the awareness of and access to clinical trials to patients in Croatia, particularly in their own language.

The 10th Joint Meeting on Medicinal Chemistry (JMMC 2017) Held in Dubrovnik, Croatia.

PubMed

Perković, Ivana; Stepanić, Višnja; Marković, Vesna Gabelica

2018-01-08

The Croatian Chemical Society was established in 1926 and has developed over the decades into a society that actively supports all chemical activities in Croatia. The Society has eight divisions, the youngest of which, the Division of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, was established in 2012 and immediately became a member of the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry (EFMC). The mission of the Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Division is the promotion and development of scientific, professional, and educational activities within the medicinal chemistry community in Croatia, as well as to build partnerships and collaborations with other primarily EU-based medicinal chemistry societies. In Croatia, medicinal chemistry research is ongoing at several institutes, including the University of Zagreb (Faculty of Science, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, and Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology), national institutes of science (Ruđer Bošković Institute), and private-sector drug discovery companies (CRO Fidelta Ltd.). In order to effectively exchange knowledge, ideas, and scientific results, Croatian medicinal chemists meet twice annually. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Epidemic spread of OXA-48 beta-lactamase in Croatia.

PubMed

Bedenić, Branka; Slade, Mia; Starčević, Lidija Žele; Sardelić, Sanda; Vranić-Ladavac, Mirna; Benčić, Ana; Zujić Atalić, Vlasta; Bogdan, Maja; Bubonja-Šonje, Marina; Tomić-Paradžik, Maja; Tot, Tatjana; Lukić-Grlić, Amarela; Drenjančević, Domagoj; Varda-Brkić, Dijana; Bandić-Pavlović, Daniela; Mihaljević, Slobodan; Zarfel, Gernot; Gužvinec, Marija; Conzemius, Rick; Barišić, Ivan; Tambić-Andraševic, Arjana

2018-06-21

A dramatic increase in OXA-48 β-lactamase was observed recently not only in large hospital centres, but also in smaller suburban hospital centres in geographic areas bordering Croatia. The aim of the study was to analyse the epidemiology, the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and the routes of spread of OXA-48 carbapenemase in Croatia. Carbapenemase and other β-lactamase and fluoroquinolone resistance genes were detected by PCR and sequencing. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on five representative isolates. The isolates were genotyped by PFGE. Forty-eight isolates positive for OXA-48, collected from seven hospital centres in Croatia from May 2016 to May 2017, were analysed (40 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 5 Enterobacter cloacae, 2 Escherichia coli and one Citrobacter freundii). Thirty-three isolates were ESBL positive and harboured group 1 CTX-M 1 β-lactamases. In addition to the β-lactam resistance genes detected by PCR (blaSHV-1, blaOXA-48 and blaOXA-1), WGS of five representative isolates revealed the presence of genes encoding aminoglycoside resistance, aadA2 and aph3-Ia, fluoroquinolone resistance determinants aac(6)Ib-c, oqxA and oqxB, the sulfonamide resistance gene sul1, and fosA (fosfomycin resistance). IncL plasmid was found in all isolates. Two K. pneumoniae isolates belonged to ST16, two E. cloacae to ST66 and E. coli to ST354. K. pneumoniae isolates were allocated to five clusters by PFGE which occured in different hospitals, indicating epidemic spread. The OXA-48-positive organisms found in this study showed wide variability in antibiotic susceptibility, β-lactamase content and PFGE banding patterns. This study revealed a switch from the predominance of VIM-1 in 2012-2013 to that of OXA-48 in the 2015 to 2017.

Academic Marginalism in Western Balkans: The Case of Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brajkovic, Lucia

2016-01-01

This qualitative study relies on document analysis and in-depth, open-ended interviews with university leaders and government officials in a post-socialist and a recent European Union entrant country, Croatia. The study seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the Croatian academic sector, as well as to unpack the top academic officials'…

Ethnic Conflict, Group Polarization, and Gender Attitudes in Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunovich, Robert M.; Deitelbaum, Catherine

2004-01-01

We examine the sources of traditional gender attitudes during a period of social conflict and change. Using survey data from Croatia (Center for the Investigation of Transition and Civil Society, 1996; N=2,030) we explore the relationships between war-related experiences, in-group and out-group polarization, and two dimensions of gender attitudes:…

[Diagnosis and treatment of Gaucher disease in Croatia].

PubMed

Mrsić, Mirando

2007-05-01

Gaucher disease is the most common lysosomal storage disorder. Incidence of disease is around 1:40-60,000 inhabitants and it is assuming that in Croatia we have 20-30 patients with Morbus Gaucher. Morbus Gaucher is recognized in three types. Type I or so called non-neuropatic from is most common in Europe while so called neuropatic forms (type II and III) are much rare (5-10%). Type II and III are characterized by central nervous system involvement and usually are diagnosed in childhood. Disease manifestations are observed in various human organs. The most common disease features are involved liver, spleen, bones, lungs and brain. Enzyme replacement therapy with imiglucerase (Cerezyme) is now day's therapeutic gold standard. Imiglucerase prevents progressive manifestation of disease and patients have normal life. Cost of the treatment is high due to the cost of the recombinant technology which was used to product imiglucerase. The cost of the enzyme replacement therapy is 150-200,000 EUR per year for imiglucerase in a typical adult patient. Because of high cost for the patient treatment Ministry of Health of Republic of Croatia, and Croatian Health Insurance Company in year 2002. established a special program for so called "Expensive drug treatment". This program covering treatment costs for patients with inherited metabolic disorders, adenosine deaminase deficiency, chronic myeloid leukemia, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, juvenile arthritis and ovarian cancer. Until now 11 adult patients and 2 children with Gaucher disease were diagnosed in Croatia and all are on enzyme replacement therapy with imiglucerase. According to our experience administration of imiglucerase decreased spleen and liver size and number of bone pain crisis as well as normalization of platelet and red blood cells. Administration of the imiglucerase do no revert bone changes e.g. avascular hip necrosis or vertebra collapses, but prevent further bone deterioration. According to this, treatment with

Learning Wellness: A Water Exercise Class in Zagreb, Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberson, Donald N., Jr.

2007-01-01

The research reported in this article investigated the dynamics of a water exercise class with older adults in Zagreb, Croatia. It focused on 3 classes of older swimmers at a community exercise center. A total of 105 participants were asked to complete a short questionnaire. The questionnaire contained items on demographics, use of free time, and…

Schizophrenia in Croatia: interregional differences in prevalence and a comment on constant incidence.

PubMed Central

Folnegović, Z; Folnegović-Smalc, V

1992-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim was to examine why differences exist in schizophrenia prevalence and risk in some areas of Croatia, when schizophrenia incidence rates do not appear to vary. DESIGN--Areas differing by schizophrenia admission rates in patients born in 1953 and admitted by the age of 31 years are compared using a number of indicators relating both to general population characteristics and to those of schizophrenic cases in these populations. SETTING--The study covers the whole of Croatia (4,601,469 inhabitants, 1981 census). SUBJECTS--By the age of 31 years, out of 80,445 individuals born in Croatia in 1953, 464 were admitted for and diagnosed as having schizophrenia. MAIN RESULTS--Admission risk rates are higher in those parts of Croatia where emigration rates are high and lower where immigration rates are high. There is also a positive correlation with schizophrenia prevalence and manic depressive psychosis rates. There is a negative correlation with age of onset of schizophrenia and with schizophrenic reproduction rates. In the study areas, hospital incidence rates are not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS--Economic migration and negative selection in the domestic population are likely to be the most significant factors leading to differences in schizophrenia prevalence. The approximately equal incidence rates in the population, with different prevalence and admission risks, are linked to differences in the disease onset among schizophrenics with a positive family history for this condition. In other words, these patients, when part of the population with a greater prevalence and a greater hereditary loading, experience the onset more often at an earlier age. Thus they have a lower reproduction rate than in a population with a lower prevalence and a lower hereditary loading. Thus incidence rates in populations with different prevalences and different hereditary loads are maintained roughly equal over generations. Images PMID:1645081

National survey of pain clinics in Croatia: Organization and services.

PubMed

Fidahić, Mahir; Dogan, Katarina; Sapunar, Damir; Puljak, Livia

2015-01-01

To analyze organization and therapeutic procedures administered in tertiary outpatient pain clinics in Croatia. Data about organization of pain clinics, its personnel, equipment, continuing medical education, therapeutic procedures, research activities and relations with pharmaceutical industry were collected using questionnaires. Twenty-two Croatian pain clinics were included in the study. Most of the pain clinics employ exclusively anesthesiologists and nurses. The most frequently prescribed therapeutic procedures in pain clinics were pharmacotherapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, acupuncture and trigger point injections. Almost all pain clinics provide educational material for patients. Most of the pain clinics have regular interactions with pharmaceutical companies. Prescribing decisions were based mostly on information from scientific meetings, research articles and consultations with colleagues. Information sources which are considered to be the gold standard--the systematic reviews of The Cochrane Collaboration--were used less frequently (n=12; 57%) than advertising materials from pharmaceutical companies (n=16; 76%). Few physicians and other pain clinics staff had scientific degrees or academic titles or were involved in a research project. The national study about pain clinics in Croatia pointed out that there is room for improvement of their organization and services. Pain clinics should employ health-care professionals with diverse backgrounds. They should offer treatments backed by the highest-level of scientific evidence. Since pain is a major public health issue, pain clinic staff should engage more in research to contribute to the growing field of pain research, to enhance capacities for pain research in Croatia, to incorporate scientific evidence into their daily decision-making and to enable evidence-based practice. Copyright © 2015 by Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Modelling of maize production in Croatia: present and future climate

PubMed Central

VUČETIĆ, V.

2011-01-01

SUMMARY Maize is one of the most important agricultural crops in Croatia, and was selected for research of the effect of climate warming on yields. The Decision Support System for the Agrotechnology Transfer model (DSSAT) is one of the most utilized crop–weather models in the world, and was used in this paper for the investigation of maize growth and production in the present and future climate. The impact of present climate on maize yield was studied using DSSAT 4.0 with meteorological data from the Zagreb–Maksimir station covering the period 1949–2004. Pedological, physiological and genetic data from a 1999 field maize experiment at the same location were added. The location is representative of the continental climate in central Croatia. The linear trends of model outputs and the non-parametric Mann–Kendall test indicate that the beginning of silking has advanced significantly by 1·4 days/decade since the mid-1990s, and maturity by 4·5 days/decade. It also shows a decrease in biomass by 122 kg/ha and in maize yield by 216 kg/ha in 10 years. Estimates of the sensitivity of maize growth and yield in future climates were made by changing the initial weather and CO2 conditions of the DSSAT 4.0 model according to the different climatic scenarios for Croatia at the end of the 21st century. Changed climate suggests increases in global solar radiation, minimal temperature and maximal temperature (×1·07, 2 and 4°C, respectively), but a decrease in the amount of precipitation (×0·92), compared with weather data from the period 1949–2004. The reduction of maize yield was caused by the increase in minimal and maximal temperature and the decrease in precipitation amount, related to the present climate, is 6, 12 and 3%, respectively. A doubling of CO2 concentration stimulates leaf assimilation, but maize yield is only 1% higher, while global solar radiation growth by 7% increases evapotranspiration by 3%. Simultaneous application of all these climate changes

Citizenship Education in Croatia: At the Margins of the System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kekez, Anka; Horvat, Martina; Šalaj, Berto

2017-01-01

Purpose: This paper unfolds the ways in which Croatia, as a young post-communist democracy, has aligned its transition and consolidation with the development of education programs that would support the protection of human rights and the creation of a democratic political culture. Design/methodology/approach: By combining the existing studies with…

Epidemiology of hepatitis C in Croatia in the European context

PubMed Central

Vilibic-Cavlek, Tatjana; Kucinar, Jasmina; Kaic, Bernard; Vilibic, Maja; Pandak, Nenad; Barbic, Ljubo; Stevanovic, Vladimir; Vranes, Jasmina

2015-01-01

We analyzed prevalence, risk factors and hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype distribution in different population groups in Croatia in the context of HCV epidemiology in Europe, with the aim to gather all existing information on HCV infection in Croatia which will be used to advise upon preventive measures. It is estimated that 35000-45000 of the Croatian population is chronically infected with HCV. Like in other European countries, there have been changes in the HCV epidemiology in Croatia over the past few decades. In some risk groups (polytransfused and hemodialysis patients), a significant decrease in the HCV prevalence was observed after the introduction of routine HCV screening of blood/blood products in 1992. Injecting drug users (IDUs) still represent a group with the highest risk for HCV infection with prevalence ranging from 29% to 65%. Compared to the prevalence in the Croatian general population (0.9%), higher prevalence rates were found in prison populations (8.3%-44%), human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients (15%), persons with high-risk sexual behavior (4.6%) and alcohol abusers (2.4%). Low/very low prevalence was reported in children and adolescents (0.3%) as well as in blood donors (0%-0.009%). In addition, distribution of HCV genotypes has changed due to different routes of transmission. In the general population, genotypes 1 and 3 are most widely distributed (60.4%-79.8% and 12.9%-47.9%, respectively). The similar genotype distribution is found in groups with high-risk sexual behavior. Genotype 3 is predominant in Croatian IDUs (60.5%-83.9%) while in the prison population genotypes 3 and 1 are equally distributed (52.4% and 47.6%). Data on HCV prevalence and risk factors for transmission are useful for implementation of preventive measures and HCV screening. PMID:26327756

Achievements and Perspectives of the Adult Education in Croatia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klapan, Anita

Historical development of adult education in Croatia can be identified in seven phases: (1) the beginning of the 20th century and the period between the two World Wars; (2) World War II; (3) period from 1945 to the early 1950s; (4) early 1950s to 1965; (5) period between 1965 and 1980; (6) 1980s; and (7) period after the fall of the Berlin…

The first report on mushroom green mould disease in Croatia.

PubMed

Hatvani, Lóránt; Sabolić, Petra; Kocsubé, Sándor; Kredics, László; Czifra, Dorina; Vágvölgyi, Csaba; Kaliterna, Joško; Ivić, Dario; Đermić, Edyta; Kosalec, Ivan

2012-12-01

Green mould disease, caused by Trichoderma species, is a severe problem for mushroom growers worldwide, including Croatia. Trichoderma strains were isolated from green mould-affected Agaricus bisporus (button or common mushroom) compost and Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) substrate samples collected from Croatian mushroom farms. The causal agents of green mould disease in the oyster mushroom were T. pleurotum and T. pleuroticola, similar to other countries. At the same time, the pathogen of A. bisporus was exclusively the species T. harzianum, which is different from earlier findings and indicates that the range of mushroom pathogens is widening. The temperature profiles of the isolates and their hosts overlapped, thus no range was found that would allow optimal growth of the mushrooms without mould contamination. Ferulic acid and certain phenolic compounds, such as thymol showed remarkable fungistatic effect on the Trichoderma isolates, but inhibited the host mushrooms as well. However, commercial fungicides prochloraz and carbendazim were effective agents for pest management. This is the first report on green mould disease of cultivated mushrooms in Croatia.

Influence of the Inherited Glucose-6-phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency on the Appearance of Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia in Southern Croatia.

PubMed

Cherepnalkovski, Anet Papazovska; Marusic, Eugenija; Piperkova, Katica; Lozic, Bernarda; Skelin, Ana; Gruev, Todor; Krzelj, Vjekoslav

2015-10-01

Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a common clinical manifestation of the inherited glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the inherited G6PD deficiency on the appearance of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in southern Croatia. The fluorescent spot test (FST) was used in a retrospective study to screen blood samples of 513 male children who had neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, of unknown cause, higher than 240 μmol/L. Fluorescence readings were performed at the beginning and at the fifth and tenth minute of incubation and were classified into three groups bright fluorescence (BF), weak fluorescence (WF) and no fluorescence (NF). Normal samples show bright fluorescence. All NF and WF samples at the fifth minute were quantitatively measured using the spectrophotometric method. Bright fluorescence was present in 461 patients (89.9%) at the fifth minute. The remaining 52 (10.1%) were quantitatively estimated using the spectrophotometric method. G6PD deficiency was observed in 38 patients (7.4%). Prevalence rate of G6PD deficiency among male newborns with hyperbilirubinemia in southern Croatia is significantly higher (p < 0.01) compared with the previously reported prevalence rate among male in general population of southern Croatia (0.75%). We recommend FST to be performed in hyperbilirubinemic newborns in southern Croatia.

Budget Impact Analysis of Biosimilar Trastuzumab for the Treatment of Breast Cancer in Croatia.

PubMed

Cesarec, August; Likić, Robert

2017-04-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and has considerable impact on healthcare budgets and patients' quality of life. Trastuzumab (Herceptin ® ) is a monoclonal antibody directed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2) for the treatment of breast cancer. Several trastuzumab biosimilars are currently in development. In 2015, trastuzumab was the drug with the highest financial consumption among all drugs in Croatia. This model estimates the 1-year budget impact of the introduction of biosimilar trastuzumab in Croatia. A budget impact model, based on approvals for trastuzumab treatment in 2015, was developed for the introduction of biosimilars. Two biosimilar scenarios were developed: biosimilar scenario 1, based on all approvals in 2015, and biosimilar scenario 2, based on approvals after February 2015 and the reimbursement of the subcutaneous formulation of trastuzumab in Croatia. Only trastuzumab-naïve patients and drug-acquisition costs were used in the model. Uptake of biosimilar was assumed at 50 %. Scenarios were calculated with price discounts of 15, 25 and 35 %. The robustness of the model was tested by extensive sensitivity analyses. The projected drug cost savings from the introduction of biosimilar trastuzumab range from €0.26 million (scenario 2, 15 % price discount) to €0.69 million (scenario 1, 35 % price discount). If budget savings were reinvested to treat additional patients with trastuzumab, 14 (scenario 2, 15 % price discount) to 47 (scenario 1, 35 % price discount) additional patients could be treated. Sensitivity analyses showed that the incidence of breast cancer had the highest impact on the model, with a 10 % decrease in incidence leading to an 11.3 % decrease in projected savings. The introduction of biosimilar trastuzumab could lead to significant drug cost savings in Croatia.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in the old institutionalized people in Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Nevajda, Branimir; Havelka-Mestrović, Ana; Bilić, Morana; Nevajda, Andreja Podvez; Romić, Dominik; Vuletić, Vladimira; Cukljek, Snjezana; Sicaja, Mario; Bocina, Zeljko

2013-03-01

Metabolic syndrome (MeS) is defined by a cluster of abnormalities comprising obesity, hypertension, carbohydrate intolerance and dyslipidemia. MeS increases the risk of developing various diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral angiopathy and type 2 diabetes. In our study, the subjects were 561 persons, residents of 11 homes for the elderly in Zagreb, Croatia. There were 160 men (28.5%) and 401 women (71.5%), aged from 56 to 96 years (the average being 79 years). Physical examination was conducted, which included blood pressure measurement, and body height and weight. Blood samples were taken for biochemical analysis. Along with other biochemical parameters, the levels of glucose, triglycerides and cholesterol (LDL, HDL-C) were also measured. The results have shown the prevalence of MeS in the elderly instutionalised people to be in the range of 20.8%, according to WHO criteria. The most common MeS component was hypertension, and it was significantly more frequent in women than in men; also, the elevated triglyceride levels were more often found in women; the difference between men and women was also statistically significant. MeS is a serious and growing health problem not only in Croatia but worldwide as well. Further studies are needed to verify the prevalence of MeS in Croatia, as it is a major risk for CVD and many other severe diseases.

Molecular Survey of Zoonotic Agents in Rodents and Other Small Mammals in Croatia

PubMed Central

Tadin, Ante; Tokarz, Rafal; Markotić, Alemka; Margaletić, Josip; Turk, Nenad; Habuš, Josipa; Svoboda, Petra; Vucelja, Marko; Desai, Aaloki; Jain, Komal; Ian Lipkin, W.

2016-01-01

Croatia is a focus for many rodent-borne zoonosis. Here, we report a survey of 242 rodents and small mammals, including 43 Myodes glareolus, 131 Apodemus flavicollis, 53 Apodemus agrarius, three Apodemus sylvaticus, six Sorex araneus, four Microtus arvalis, one Microtus agrestis, and one Muscardinus avellanarius, collected at eight sites in Croatia over an 8-year period. Multiplex MassTag polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for detection of Borrelia, Rickettsia, Bartonella, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Francisella tularensis, and Coxiella burnetii. Individual PCR assays were used for detection of Leptospira, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, orthopoxviruses, flaviviruses, hantaviruses, and Toxoplasma gondii. Of the rodents, 52 (21.5%) were infected with Leptospira, 9 (3.7%) with Borrelia miyamotoi, 5 (2%) with Borrelia afzelii, 29 (12.0%) with Bartonella, 8 (3.3%) with Babesia microti, 2 (0.8%) with Ehrlichia, 4 (1.7%) with Anaplasma, 2 (0.8%) with F. tularensis, 43 (17.8%) with hantaviruses, and 1 (0.4%) with an orthopoxvirus. Other agents were not detected. Multiple infections were found in 32 rodents (13.2%): dual infections in 26 rodents (10.7%), triple infections in four rodents (2.9%), and quadruple infections in two rodents (0.8%). Our findings indicate that rodents in Croatia harbor a wide range of bacteria and viruses that are pathogenic to humans. PMID:26711522

Health care professionals' and students' attitude toward collaboration between pharmacists and physicians in Croatia.

PubMed

Seselja-Perisin, Ana; Mestrovic, Arijana; Klinar, Ivana; Modun, Darko

2016-02-01

As traditional roles of pharmacists and physicians seem nowadays insufficient to ensure patient safety and therapy effectiveness, interprofessional collaboration has been suggested to improve health outcomes. To assess and compare the attitudes of physicians and pharmacists, as well as medical and pharmacy students in Croatia, toward interprofessional collaboration in primary health care. The study included 513 pharmacists and physicians, and 365 students of pharmacy and medicine from Croatia. The validated questionnaire, Scale of Attitudes Toward Physician–Pharmacist Collaboration, was translated in Croatian and completed, anonymously and voluntarily, by all participants. Results Pharmacists showed a more positive attitude toward collaboration than physicians (53.8 ± 4.8 vs. 50.7 ± 5.0). Pharmacy students expressed the most positive attitude (56.2 ± 4.9), while medical students showed the remarkably lowest attitude toward collaboration (44.6 ± 6.2). Pharmacists and physicians in Croatia expressed a relatively positive attitude toward their collaboration, comparable with their colleges in the USA. On the other hand, medical students expressed a 21 % less positive attitude than pharmacy students which could have an effect on interprofessional collaboration in the future when those students start working as health care professionals. Future studies, focusing on the promotion of this collaboration, on both under-graduated and post-graduated level, are warranted.

Brief communication: additional cranial remains from Vindija cave, Croatia.

PubMed

Smith, F H; Ahern, J C

1994-02-01

Two additional cranial specimens from Vindija cave, Croatia, are described. One specimen is a zygomatic, providing the first information about the midfacial anatomy of the Vindija hominids. The other specimen is a frontal/supraorbital torus fragment. Both specimens exhibit morphology typically associated with Neandertals. They derive from level G1 and provide further indication that both the level G3 and G1 hominids at Vindija represent Neandertals.

Understanding of Words and Symbols by Chemistry University Students in Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vladušic, Roko; Bucat, Robert; Ožic, Mia

2016-01-01

This article reports on a study conducted in Croatia on students' understanding of scientific words and representations, as well as everyday words used in chemistry teaching. A total of 82 undergraduate chemistry students and 36 pre-service chemistry teachers from the Faculty of Science, University of Split, were involved. Students' understanding…

Challenges for health care development in Croatia.

PubMed

Ostojić, Rajko; Bilas, Vlatka; Franc, Sanja

2012-09-01

The main aim of the research done in this paper was to establish key challenges and perspectives for health care development in the Republic of Croatia in the next two decades. Empirical research was conducted in the form of semi-structured interviews involving 49 subjects, representatives of health care professionals from both, public and private sectors, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, drug wholesalers, and non-governmental organisations (patient associations). The results have shown that key challenges and problems of Croatian health care can be divided into three groups: functioning of health care systems, health care personnel, and external factors. Research has shown that key challenges related to the functioning of health care are inefficiency, financial unviability, inadequate infrastructure, and the lack of system transparency. Poor governance is another limiting factor. With regard to health care personnel, they face the problems of low salaries, which then lead to migration challenges and a potential shortage of health care personnel. The following external factors are deemed to be among the most significant challenges: ageing population, bad living habits, and an increase in the number of chronic diseases. However, problems caused by the global financial crisis and consequential macroeconomic situation must not be neglected. Guidelines for responding to challenges identified in this research are the backbone for developing a strategy for health care development in the Republic of Croatia. Long-term vision, strategy, policies, and a regulatory framework are all necessary preconditions for an efficient health care system and more quality health services.

Access to war weapons and injury prevention activities among children in Croatia.

PubMed Central

Kopjar, B; Wiik, J; Wickizer, T M; Bulajic-Kopjar, B; Mujki-Klaric, A

1996-01-01

To investigate the exposure of children in Croatia to war weapons, we surveyed random samples of children (n=986) aged 11 to 16 years and of parents (1469) of children aged 7 to 16 years in April 1994 in four war-affected districts in Croatia. The children's survey indicated that 57% of the boys and 36% of the girls had access to weapons at home, at some other place, or at both. Eighteen percent of the boys and 5% of the girls reported playing with weapons. The parents' survey showed that 68% of the households possessed weapons, with 19% of the children having access to weapons at home. Influenced by preliminary findings of these surveys, the Croatian government modified its national campaign (one partially supported by international aid) to prevent war-related injuries among children. This study demonstrates the feasibility of scientific evaluation of humanitarian aid programs. PMID:8604767

Serological, Bacteriological, and Molecular Diagnosis of Brucellosis in Domestic Animals in Croatia

PubMed Central

Špičić, Silvio; Zdelar-Tuk, Maja; Račić, Ivana; Duvnjak, Sanja; Cvetnić, Željko

2010-01-01

Aim To present the surveillance data on Brucella melitensis, B. suis, and B. ovis infection in cattle, sheep, goats, and swine in Croatia obtained in 2008 by serological, bacteriological, and molecular methods for diagnostics of brucellosis in domestic animals. Methods We serologically tested 42 785 cattle serums, 22 686 sheep and goat serums, and 28 520 swine serums using the Rose Bengal test, complement fixation test, and various immunosorbent assays. We also tested 10 173 ram blood samples for B. ovis infection using the complement fixation test. Bacteriological examination was conducted on 214 samples collected from 34 serologically positive animals. Different molecular methods were employed in the identification and typing of 20 isolates from the samples. Results B. melitensis biovar (bv.) 3 was confirmed with different identification methods in 2 flocks in 2 Croatian counties and B. suis bv. 2 in 3 herds in 3 counties. B. melitensis in cows was confirmed for the first time in Croatia. Infection with B. ovis was serologically confirmed in 202 rams in 12 counties. Conclusions In 2008, the size of the brucellosis-affected area in Croatia and the efficiency of detection and prevention of brucellosis in sheep, goats, and swine were satisfactory. Infection with B. melitensis in cattle was confirmed for the first time and possible links for infection in humans were detected. More efficient measures for suppression and control of ovine epididymitis are required and a new strategy may be necessary for complete eradication of this disease. PMID:20718085

Sellar Region Surgery in Croatia in the First Half of 20th Century

PubMed Central

Fatović Ferenčić, Stella; Gnjidić, Živko

2006-01-01

We reconstructed the historical development of surgical approaches to the pituitary gland, which were used in Croatia in the first half of the 20th century, on the basis of earliest clinical case reports and descriptions of initial surgical attempts. The first published case report on surgical treatment of acromegaly was described, as well as the review of 11 patients with pituitary disease admitted to the Ophthalmology Clinic in Zagreb in the period 1925-1927. The earliest 5 reports on pituitary surgery dating from 1925 were analyzed to reveal the circumstances that led to the development of transsphenoidal approach as a method of choice in Croatia, when this technique was becoming obsolete in other parts of the world. Frequent modifications of surgical approaches to sellar region have been shown a suitable historical-medical model for analysis of changes in surgical trends. PMID:16625698

Project Northland in Croatia: A Community-Based Adolescent Alcohol Prevention Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abatemarco, Diane J.; West, Bernadette; Zec, Vesna; Russo, Andrea; Sosiak, Persis; Mardesic, Vedran

2004-01-01

War and social transition in Croatia have increased unemployment and rates of substance abuse. A decrease in prevention programs places adolescents at an increased risk. Data collected from the 2002 Split Youth Behavior Risk Survey (YRBS) showed that adolescents are at risk for alcohol use and related problems. Thus, there is a need to strengthen…

Serologic survey for leptospirae in European brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Croatia.

PubMed

Modrić, Z; Huber, D

1993-10-01

From 1981 to 1991, sera of 42 European brown bears (Ursus arctos) from three areas in Croatia were tested for antibodies against 12 Leptospira interrogans serovars: grippotyphosa, sejroe, australis, pomona, canicola, icterohaemorrhagiae, tarassovi, saxkoebing, ballum, bataviae, poi, and hardjo. Diagnostic levels of antibody were found in 17 (40%) of 42 sera. Evidence of exposure to at least one of the serovars was found in seven of 14 free-ranging bears from the Lika region, four of 12 free-ranging bears from the Gorski Kotar region, zero of six orphaned cubs from the Gorski Kotar region, and six of 10 captive bears from the Zagreb Zoo. Based on the antibody titers, we implicated the following serovars: australis in five bears, sejroe in two bears, canicola in one bear, and icterohaemorrhagiae in one bear. There was a strong correlation between serovars implicated by this survey and serovars previously isolated from small mammals in Croatia.

Trends of absenteeism in Croatia: a longitudinal study from 2000 to 2012.

PubMed

Ban-Toskić, Nataša; Tabak, Vesna; Tiljak, Hrvoje

2014-12-01

The aim of this article is to determine the trends in absenteeism from 2000 to 2012 in Croatia and to examine if the observed trends could be related to the regulations implemented to keep the absenteeism on low level. In Croatia only family doctors keep the responsibility for sick leave and were always been targeted by many regulations to keep absenteeism on appropriate level. A study was observational and retrospective based on the official CHIF data available from the web-page. Although the average number of sick leave days had been bisected (from 30.58 to 15.08 days per patient) sick leave rate only slightly fell down (from 3.32% to 3.11%). It seems that the restrictive measures did not significantly affect the number of sick leave cases. Such a results and other European research studies indicates that without reduction of the institutional rights there will be no reducing of sick leave rates.

Nutrition Counselling Practices among General Practitioners in Croatia

PubMed Central

Dumic, Albina; Mujkic, Aida; Miskulin, Maja

2017-01-01

Chronic non-communicable diseases are a significant public health problem and imbalanced nutrition is one of the most significant risk factor for them. The objective of this study was to examine Croatia’s general practitioners’ nutrition counselling practice and determine the factors that influence such practice. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 444 (17.0%) randomly selected general practitioners (GPs) in Croatia from May to July 2013 via a 32-item anonymous questionnaire. Study showed that 77.0% of participants had provided nutrition counselling exclusively to patients with specific health risks; 18.7% participants had provided nutrition counselling for all patients, regardless of their individual risks, while 4.3% had not provide nutrition counselling. As the most significant stimulating factor for implementing nutrition counselling in their daily work with patients, 55.6% of the participants identified personal interest regarding nutrition and the effects it has on health. The latter factor was more frequently emphasized among female general practitioners (p < 0.001) and general practitioners without chronic diseases (p < 0.001). The most significant barrier for nutrition counselling was lack of time (81.6%). It is necessary to make additional efforts to increase the frequency of nutrition counselling provided by general practitioners in Croatia. The majority of Croatian general practitioners could increase their nutrition counselling practice in order to promote balanced nutrition and improve the overall health status of their patients. PMID:29207514

Multiple criteria approach to site selection of radioactive waste disposal facility in the Republic of Croatia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schaller, A.; Skanata, D.

1995-12-31

Site selection approach to radioactive waste disposal facility, which is under way in Croatia, is presented in the paper. This approach is based on application of certain relevant terrestrial and technical criteria in the site selection process. Basic documentation used for this purpose are regional planning documents prepared by the Regional Planning Institute of Croatia. The basic result of research described in the paper is the proposal of several potential areas which are suitable for siting a radioactive waste repository. All relevant conclusions are based on both data groups -- generic and on-field experienced (measured). Out of a dozen potentialmore » areas, four have been chosen as representative by the authors. The presented comparative analysis was made by means of the VISA II computer code, developed by the V. Belton and SPV Software Products. The code was donated to the APO by the IAEA. The main objective of the paper is to initiate and facilitate further discussions on possible ways of evaluation and comparison of potential areas for sitting of radioactive waste repository in this country, as well as to provide additional contributions to the current site selection process in the Republic of Croatia.« less

Creating an Intercultural Learning Opportunity: Zagreb, Croatia and Plattsburgh, New York

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mountcastle, Amy

2011-01-01

In the spring of 2009 I embarked on a teaching experiment in which I joined an online SUNY-Plattsburgh class taking my Anthropology of Human Rights course with a conventional class at the University of Zagreb, Croatia, where I was a visiting professor teaching the same course. My motivations were several, but prominent among them was to test the…

Building a Team of Passionate Callers to Enrich Education in Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gojsic, Jasenka; Magzan, Masa

2010-01-01

This article is about a group of eight people joined by a common idea--a strong call to enrich education in Croatia so that it motivates leadership and empowers children. Through use of philosophy and methodology of Appreciative Inquiry, this informal group of people has gradually developed into the core team of a potential national movement.…

Next Generation Access Network Deployment in Croatia: Optical Access Networks and Current IoT/5G Status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breskovic, Damir; Sikirica, Mladen; Begusic, Dinko

2018-05-01

This paper gives an overview and background of optical access network deployment in Croatia. Optical access network development in Croatia has been put into a global as well as in the European Union context. All the challenges and the driving factors for optical access networks deployment are considered. Optical access network architectures that have been deployed by most of the investors in Croatian telecommunication market are presented, as well as the architectures that are in early phase of deployment. Finally, an overview on current status of mobile networks of the fifth generation and Internet of Things is given.

Small karstic Dobra River (Croatia) suggested as natural laboratory for impactite research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frančišković-Bilinski, Stanislav; Bilinski, Halka; Sikder, Arif M.

2016-04-01

An unexpected anomaly of magnetic susceptibility (MS) was observed in stream sediments of the upper course of the karstic Dobra River (Croatia). Preliminary results pointed to a possible impactite, formed by a shock event caused by a meteorite impact or by volcanic processes [1]. In addition to geophysical experiments, petrological and geochemical studies are reported [2, 3]. The multidisciplinary work for identification and confirmation of impact structure is still in progress. Results will be presented and the difficulties due to weathering and transport processes will be discussed and compared with recent literature [4, 5]. In reported results numerous evidences exist, which are in support of impact origin, such as vesicular glass with quench texture, ballen textures in the lechatelierite, presence of Troilite, etc. We suggest that the Dobra River from its source to the abyss in Ogulin (Upper Dobra) is a possible natural laboratory for studying processes of mixing between impactite material and fluvial sediments within a small area, including spherules exposed to water and in the overbank sediments. Especially the introduction of isotope studies in this research and enlargement of multinational team of experts are suggested. Literature: [1] Franči\\vsković-Bilinski, S., Bilinski, H., Scholger, R., Tomašić, N., Maldini, K. (2014): Magnetic spherules in sediments of the sinking karstic Dobra River (Croatia). Journal of soils and sediments 14(3), 600-614. [2] Franči\\vsković-Bilinski, S., Sikder, A.M., Bilinski, H., Castano, C.E., Garman, G.C. (2015): Traces of meteorite impact in the sediments of karstic Dobra River (Croatia). 15th International multidisciplinary scientific geoconference SGEM 2015 Conference proceedings, Vol. 1, 507-514. [3] Sikder, A.M., Franči\\vsković-Bilinski, S., Bilinski, H., Castano, C.E., Clifford, D.M., Turner, J.B., Garman, G.C. (2015): Petrographic analysis of the magnetic spherules from the sediments of karastic Dobra River

Introduction of Digital Storytelling in Preschool Education: A Case Study from Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Preradovic, Nives Mikelic; Lesin, Gordana; Boras, Damir

2016-01-01

Our case study from Croatia showed the benefits of digital storytelling in a preschool as a basis for the formal ICT education. The statistical analysis revealed significant differences between children aged 6-7 who learned mathematics by traditional storytelling compared to those learning through digital storytelling. The experimental group that…

Involvement of Roma Parents in Children's Education in Croatia: A Comparative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pahic, Tea; Vidovic, Vlasta Vizek; Miljevic-Ridicki, Renata

2011-01-01

This article compares Roma and mainstream parents' involvement in the education of their children, based on Epstein's six-dimensional model of parent-school partnership. The survey was conducted in Croatia on two sub-samples: 60 Roma parents and 908 mainstream parents. Results suggest that Roma parents show lower interest in participating in…

A Language Academy by Any Other Name(s): The Case of Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langston, Keith; Peti-Stantic, Anita

2011-01-01

There are three main institutions in Croatia today that are actively engaged in language management activities on the national level: The Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, The Council for the Norms of the Croatian Standard Language, and the Institute for the Croatian Language and Linguistics. Their efforts are focused on establishing the…

Assessing Clinical and Life Sciences Performance of Research Institutions in Split, Croatia, 2000-2006

PubMed Central

Puljak, Livia; Vukojević, Katarina; Lovrić Kojundžić, Sanja; Sapunar, Damir

2008-01-01

Aim To evaluate publications of clinical and life scientists from research institutions in Split, Croatia, and the publication output from government-funded research projects of the University of Split School of Medicine. Methods We analyzed the number of publications from research institutions in Split, Croatia, in the 2000-2006 period, relative impact factors, predominant research fields, output of researchers from the University of Split School of Medicine receiving government research grants, and the average price of published article. Results From 2000 to 2006, clinical and life scientists published 350 articles indexed in Thomson Scientific database Current Contents. The number of articles increased from 30 in 2000 to 76 in 2006, and the average impact factor of journals where these articles were published increased from 2.03 in 2000 to 2.89 in 2006. Twenty percent of articles (72/350) were published in the Croatian Medical Journal. Principal investigators of the 12 research projects receiving government grants published 0 to 8 articles related to the project topic in the 2002-2006 research grant cycle. The research grantees published 78 original research articles, with an average price per article of € 29.210. Conclusion Although the number and impact factor of research articles published by clinical and life scientists from Split, Croatia, is increasing, it is still low when the number of scientists is taken into account. There should be better mechanisms of control and evaluation of research performance of government-funded research projects. PMID:18461671

Assessing clinical and life sciences performance of research institutions in Split, Croatia, 2000-2006.

PubMed

Puljak, Livia; Vukojević, Katarina; Lovrić Kojundzić, Sanja; Sapunar, Damir

2008-04-01

To evaluate publications of clinical and life scientists from research institutions in Split, Croatia, and the publication output from government-funded research projects of the University of Split School of Medicine. We analyzed the number of publications from research institutions in Split, Croatia, in the 2000-2006 period, relative impact factors, predominant research fields, output of researchers from the University of Split School of Medicine receiving government research grants, and the average price of published article. From 2000 to 2006, clinical and life scientists published 350 articles indexed in Thomson Scientific database Current Contents. The number of articles increased from 30 in 2000 to 76 in 2006, and the average impact factor of journals where these articles were published increased from 2.03 in 2000 to 2.89 in 2006. Twenty percent of articles (72/350) were published in the Croatian Medical Journal. Principal investigators of the 12 research projects receiving government grants published 0 to 8 articles related to the project topic in the 2002-2006 research grant cycle. The research grantees published 78 original research articles, with an average price per article of euro 29.210 euros. Although the number and impact factor of research articles published by clinical and life scientists from Split, Croatia, is increasing, it is still low when the number of scientists is taken into account. There should be better mechanisms of control and evaluation of research performance of government-funded research projects.

Human leptospirosis in Croatia: current status of epidemiology and clinical characteristics.

PubMed

Topic, Mirjana Balen; Habus, Josipa; Milas, Zoran; Tosev, Elvira Celjuska; Stritof, Zrinka; Turk, Nenad

2010-03-01

This study presents the current status of human leptospirosis in Croatia from an epidemiological and clinical viewpoint. Data from annual reports of the Croatian Institute for Public Health as well as archives of the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases 'Dr Fran Mihaljevic' (UHID) in Zagreb were used in this retrospective cohort analysis. The mean yearly incidence of leptospirosis from 1990 to 2007 was 1.83/100 000 inhabitants, with an incidence >2.5/100 000 inhabitants recorded approximately every 3-4 years, making Croatia one of the countries with the highest incidence of human leptospirosis in Europe. In addition to the majority of sporadic cases, two minor outbreaks were recorded. The clinical burden and more detailed epidemiology of 130 patients hospitalised at UHID in the period 1997-2007 were also studied. Clinical presentations were as expected, with an overall case fatality rate (CFR) of 0.77%. The most commonly established infective serovars were Australis followed by Saxkoebing and Grippotyphosa. In comparison with previous periods, the mean yearly number of patients with leptospirosis hospitalised at UHID decreased, but among them a rather higher rate of patients with Weil's disease and a higher CFR was observed.

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OF HEALTH TOURISM SERVICE PROVIDERS IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA.

PubMed

Vrkljan, Sanela; Hendija, Zvjezdana

2016-03-01

Health tourism can be generally divided into medical, health spa and wellness tourism. Health spa tourism services are provided in special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts, and include under medical supervision controlled use of natural healing factors and physical therapy in order to improve and preserve health. There are 13 special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts in Croatia. Most of them are financed through the state budget and lesser by sale on the market. More than half of their accommodation capacity is offered for sale on the market while the rest is under contract with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund. Domestic overnights are several times higher than foreign overnights. The aim of this study was to analyze business performance of special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts in Croatia in relation to the sources of financing and the structure of service users. The assumption was that those who are more market-oriented achieve better business performance. In proving these assumptions, an empirical research was conducted and the assumptions were tested. A positive correlation was proven in tested indicators of business performance of the analyzed service providers of health-spa tourism with a higher amount of overnight stays realized through sales on the market in relation to total overnight stays, with a greater share of foreign overnights in total of overnights and with a higher share of realized revenue on the market out of total revenue. The results of the research show that special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts that are more market-oriented are more successful in their business performance. These findings are important for planning the health and tourism policies in countries like Croatia.

Analysis of 12 X-STR loci in the population of south Croatia.

PubMed

Mršić, Gordan; Ozretić, Petar; Crnjac, Josip; Merkaš, Siniša; Račić, Ivana; Rožić, Sara; Sukser, Viktorija; Popović, Maja; Korolija, Marina

2017-02-01

The aim of the study was to assess forensic pertinence of 12 short tandem repeats (STRs) on X-chromosome in south Croatia population. Investigator ® Argus X-12 kit was used to co-amplify 12 STR loci belonging to four linkage groups (LGs) on X-chromosome in 99 male and 98 female DNA samples of unrelated donors. PCR products were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis. Population genetic and forensic parameters were calculated by the Arlequin and POPTREE2 software, and an on-line tool available at ChrX-STR.org. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was confirmed for all X-STR markers in female samples. Biallelic patterns at DXS10079 locus were detected in four male samples. Polymorphism information content for the most (DXS10135) and the least (DXS8378) informative markers was 0.9212 and 0.6347, respectively. In both male and female samples, combined power of discrimination exceeded 0.999999999. As confirmed by linkage disequilibrium test, significant association of marker pair DXS10074-DXS10079 (P = 0.0004) within LG2 and marker pair DXS10101-DXS10103 (P = 0.0003) within LG3 was found only in male samples. Number of observed haplotypes in our sample pool amounted 3.01, 7.53, 5 and 3.25% of the number of possible haplotypes for LG1, LG2, LG3 and LG4, respectively. According to haplotype diversity value of 0.9981, LG1 was the most informative. In comparison of south Croatia with 26 world populations, pair-wise [Formula: see text] values increase in parallel with geographical distance. Overall statistical assessment confirmed suitability of Investigator ® Argus X-12 kit for forensic casework in both identification and familial testing in the population of south Croatia.

[Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Croatia--historical review].

PubMed

Petricević, Ivan; Kuzman, Ilija

2003-01-01

Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) has been known from ancient times as a disease with many names, which raised great interest during the Korean war (1951-1954), occurring as a large epidemic (Korean hemorrhagic fever). Therefore, the subsequently discovered causative agent was named after the Hantaan River which runs along the 38th parallel and divides North Korea from South Korea. A similar disease was described in 1934 in Scandinavian countries (epidemic nephrosonephritis or nephropathy). During the Second World War, the disease was also registered as wartime nephritis in several European south-eastern countries. Since 1982, similar clinical manifestations of the disease, differently named in various parts of the world, have been assigned one unique name--hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, as recommended by the World Health Organization. In Croatia, the first patient with HFRS was diagnosed in 1952 and the paper describing the case was published in 1954 (Radosevic and Mohacek). Since then, the disease has been regularly occurring in our country, especially in sporadic form, with only two smaller epidemics recorded until 1995. The first epidemic with 14 forestry workers involved occurred in 1967 at the Plitvice Lakes, and the second with the same number of soldiers in 1989 around the Pieso-Airport near Zagreb. Simultaneously, in 1967 and 1989 two large-scale epidemics of HFRS occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina with 144 cases each. Until the first large epidemic of HFRS in Croatia during the Croatian War in 1995, occurring at several localities (Mala Kapela, Dinara mountain, west Slavonia), it was considered that there were only several natural foci of the disease in Croatia (around Ogulin and Slunj, Plitvice Lakes, Zagreb surroundings). A total of 125 cases were reported to the Croatian National Institute of Public Health in 1995. Fifty patients, 45 of them soldiers, were hospitalized at Dr. Fran Mihaljević University Hospital for infectious

Civil war, social integration and mental health in Croatia.

PubMed

Kunovich, R M; Hodson, R

1999-12-01

Research has shown that social relationships are generally beneficial for mental health (Thoits 1995). However, few scholars have examined this association after the occurrence of a significant shock to the social system as a whole. The purpose of this article is to examine the relationship between social integration and war-related distress in Croatia immediately following the recent civil war. Does social integration decrease war-related distress? Does social integration buffer the effect of traumatic events on war-related distress? We analyze these questions using nationally representative survey data collected in Croatia in 1996. Results suggest that social integration has both positive and negative direct effects on distress. Being a member of informal organizations, such as sports clubs, and participating in social activities are beneficial for mental health. On the other hand, being a member of some formal organizations, such as church organizations and unions, is detrimental to mental health. There is little support for the idea that social integration buffers the effect of traumatic events on distress. Only one of thirty-six possible interactions is significant and supports the buffer hypothesis. Frequent participation in social activities buffers the effect of experiencing violence on war-related distress. Also, some forms of social integration appear to aggravate the effect of traumatic events on war-related distress. In sum, social integration does affect war-related distress after a system shock, but in complex and sometimes unexpected ways.

The rescue of Jewish physicians in the independent state of Croatia (NDH), 1941-1945.

PubMed

Gitman, Esther

2009-01-01

Despite the murder of three-fourths of Croatia's Jews, Croatian doctors, representatives of the Ministry of Health, and other government figures saved 142 Jewish physicians by mobilizing them for a mission to alleviate endemic syphilis in Bosnia. Twenty-seven others were recruited into the Home Guard. Along with members of their families, these Jews were granted "Aryan rights." In 1942 some began defecting to the partisans; others followed after the capitulation of Italy in 1943. Many died in battle, succumbed to typhus, or were murdered by the Nazis, the Croatian fascist Ustae, or the Serbian nationalist etniks. But the story recounted below shows how much better they fared than the Jewish population generally: sixty-two percent survived, thanks to courageous efforts by Croatian civilians and officials. Their rescue demonstrates both that popular attitudes influenced events in Yugoslavia, and that common stereotypes of Croatia during the war should be reconsidered.

Chlamydia trachomatis in Cervical Lymph Node of Man with Lymphogranuloma Venereum, Croatia, 20141.

PubMed

Gjurašin, Branimir; Lepej, Snježana Židovec; Cole, Michelle J; Pitt, Rachel; Begovac, Josip

2018-04-01

We report an HIV-infected person who was treated for lymphogranuloma venereum cervical lymphadenopathy and proctitis in Croatia in 2014. Infection with a variant L2b genovar of Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in a cervical lymph node aspirate. A prolonged course of doxycycline was required to cure the infection.

Seed-borne fungi and ochratoxin A contamination of dry beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Domijan, A-M; Peraica, M; Zlender, V; Cvjetković, B; Jurjević, Z; Topolovec-Pintarić, S; Ivić, D

2005-03-01

The study was designed to identify seed-borne fungi on bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) crops grown in 13 counties of the Republic of Croatia and their association with ochratoxin A (OTA) production. Bean samples (N=45) were collected in Croatia in 2001 shortly after the harvest and were stored at -20 degrees C for mycological and mycotoxin analyses. The most common fungi isolated were Cladosporium spp. (98%) Alternaria spp. (75%), Aspergillus spp. (73%), Rhizopus spp. (73%), Penicillium spp. (69%), Fusarium spp. (38%), Botrytis spp. (27%), Trichothecium spp. (24%), and Chaetomium spp. (18%). OTA was found only in samples contaminated with Penicillium and Aspergillus spp. Using HPLC (detection limit 0.25 microg/kg), OTA was found in 17 out of 45 samples (38%), and the mean concentration in positive samples was 0.41+/-0.21 microg OTA/kg. Beans from south Croatia (Adriatic coast) were OTA-free and the least mould-infected, while the mean OTA concentration and mould infection of samples from other regions were similar. The OTA contamination of beans in our country is low. Although beans are not severely contaminated with OTA, their consumption may contribute to the exposure to OTA from other commodities.

Chlamydia trachomatis in Cervical Lymph Node of Man with Lymphogranuloma Venereum, Croatia, 20141

PubMed Central

Lepej, Snježana Židovec; Cole, Michelle J.; Pitt, Rachel; Begovac, Josip

2018-01-01

We report an HIV-infected person who was treated for lymphogranuloma venereum cervical lymphadenopathy and proctitis in Croatia in 2014. Infection with a variant L2b genovar of Chlamydia trachomatis was detected in a cervical lymph node aspirate. A prolonged course of doxycycline was required to cure the infection. PMID:29553338

Comparison of twinning rates for villages in Makarska region, Croatia.

PubMed

Sunde, Jadranka; Borić, Matija; Urlić, Natalija; Urlić, Lara

2013-11-01

A detailed database on the genealogy of the Makarska region in Croatia has been created. The twinning rate for three villages in the region (Podgora, Tučepi and Brela) were analysed over the period 1870 to 1940 and factors such as mother's age and birth order are discussed. Of the three villages, Podgora was identified as having the highest twinning rate and consequently records for Podgora were examined further to include almost 400 years of historical data (from 1621 to 1950).

Cultural Capital--A Shift in Perspective: An Analysis of PISA 2009 Data for Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puzic, Saša; Gregurovic, Margareta; Košutic, Iva

2016-01-01

Using PISA 2009 data for Croatia, this paper addresses the relationship between socio-economic background, cultural capital and educational attainment. Following Bourdieu, we emphasized the importance of interpreting cultural capital effects as effects of family habitus. The results indicated that the material and the relational dimension of…

Molecular detection of Theileria annae and Hepatozoon canis in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in Croatia.

PubMed

Dezdek, Danko; Vojta, Lea; Curković, Snjezana; Lipej, Zoran; Mihaljević, Zeljko; Cvetnić, Zeljko; Beck, Relja

2010-09-20

An epizootiological field study on tick-borne protozoan infections in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) was carried out in different parts of Croatia. Spleen samples of 191 carcasses of red foxes killed in sanitary hunting, were examined for the presence of hematozoa by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent sequencing. The investigation revealed four species of hematozoa in 57 foxes (30%), namely Theileria annae, Theileria sp. 3182/05 and Hepatozoon canis. T. annae was found in 10 foxes (5%), Theileria sp. 3182/05 in a single animal (1%), H. canis in 44 (23%) and Hepatozoon sp. was detected in two foxes (1%). T. annae and H. canis were distributed through all the studied regions, while Theileria sp. 3182/05 and Hepatozoon sp. were restricted to the Zagreb and Zagorje, and Istria regions, respectively. Detection of T. annae in all regions of Croatia indicates the presence of the natural cycle of the parasite and raises the possibility of other vectors other than the proposed Ixodes hexagonus.

Gaps in tuberculosis knowledge among primary health care physicians in Croatia: epidemiological study.

PubMed

Jurcev Savicević, Anamarija

2009-06-01

High level of tuberculosis (TB) knowledge among physicians is important in order to achieve high case-finding and efficient case-management. Few attempts on how to measure physicians' TB knowledge and understanding of national TB guidelines in middle-TB incidence countries such as Croatia have been reported. Related surveys were carried out mostly in high or low incidence countries. The aim of this study was to investigate TB knowledge among general practitioners (GPs) and paediatricians in Split and Dalmatian County, Croatia and need for TB education through cross-sectional survey based on anonymous questionnaire sent to all of them and completed by 160 (60.8%) subjects. Although the median percentage of correct responses was not low (70.3%), several areas of concern were revealed. Particularly low knowledge about normal breathing as usual physical chest examination finding in pulmonary TB (43.1%), proper drugs combination in initial phase of treatment (35%), and duration of treatment (61.9%) were found. Need for education in TB control was reported in 87.9% of physicians. TB knowledge score was obtained by the number of correct answers to 14 selected questions and it was 8.18 +/- 1.84. Scores according to years of experience, number of treated TB patients and need for education, were not different from each other. Higher score was correlated with paediatricians (p = 0.025) and familiarity with existence of National guidelines (p = 0.002). This study showed gaps in knowledge among physicians being the cornerstone of TB control in Croatia. Given that the most successful intervention in TB control is early detection and early and appropriate treatment, efforts should be done to increase TB knowledge. Majority of participants were willing to take a part in education. This could be a good starting point for organisation of education activities as one of the approaches to reduce tuberculosis burden in middle incidence countries.

Health care reform in Croatia: for better or for worse?

PubMed Central

Chen, M S; Mastilica, M

1998-01-01

Along with the rest of Central and Eastern Europe, Croatia has begun to dismantle its long-standing socialist health care system and to replace it with a market-based approach. Marketization's advocates maintain that the market will bring efficiency and quality to the Croatian health care system. Nevertheless, data from consumer surveys and official statistics reflect the reform's hidden costs: limited access to care, heightened costs, growing inequality, and the deemphasis of preventive and proactive care in favor of costly therapeutic medicine. PMID:9702140

Application of hailpad data by construction of anti-hail nets in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pocakal, D.; Vrljicak, Z.

2010-09-01

Croatia is because of his location in the mid latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, especially in the summer months exposed to the frequent occurrence of severe thunderstorms, especially in the continental part where modest climate, orography and rich soil enable intensive agricultural production. Hail is frequent with a high possibility of doing heavy damage in agriculture and other mobile and immobile property. Measuring of hail parameters on the ground is because of spatial and temporal variability, as well as short duration very complex. For receiving objective and exact hail data on the ground, several measuring instruments were developed. Very good results in practical measuring of hail stones where received from a simple and cheap measuring device, a hailpad. The most important data received from hailpads are number and size of hailstones and the kinetic energy, as indicators of the intensity of the hailfall which is directly connected with the grade of damage on different agriculture plants. In order to receive precise and objective hailstone data, hailpads were installed during the season 2001 on each main meteorological and hail suppression station in continental part of Croatia. On that way, a dense network with a 730 hailpads was obtained. Received results can be used for evaluation and climatology studies, also for the design and construction of passive protection devices (anti-hail nets). By nets design, the most important parameters are maximum kinetic energy, mass and number of stones per square meter, as there spatial distribution. In this paper will be shown the maximum hailstone parameters together with the construction and characteristics of protecting nets types which are used for protection of important agricultural plants in Croatia. In addition will be shown different armature types where the nets are placed in horizontal, vertical and at different angle. Depending of frequency and intensity of hail it is considering the economic validity of

External quality assessment of medical laboratories in Croatia: preliminary evaluation of post-analytical laboratory testing.

PubMed

Krleza, Jasna Lenicek; Dorotic, Adrijana; Grzunov, Ana

2017-02-15

Proper standardization of laboratory testing requires assessment of performance after the tests are performed, known as the post-analytical phase. A nationwide external quality assessment (EQA) scheme implemented in Croatia in 2014 includes a questionnaire on post-analytical practices, and the present study examined laboratory responses in order to identify current post-analytical phase practices and identify areas for improvement. In four EQA exercises between September 2014 and December 2015, 145-174 medical laboratories across Croatia were surveyed using the Module 11 questionnaire on the post-analytical phase of testing. Based on their responses, the laboratories were evaluated on four quality indicators: turnaround time (TAT), critical values, interpretative comments and procedures in the event of abnormal results. Results were presented as absolute numbers and percentages. Just over half of laboratories (56.3%) monitored TAT. Laboratories varied substantially in how they dealt with critical values. Most laboratories (65-97%) issued interpretative comments with test results. One third of medical laboratories (30.6-33.3%) issued abnormal test results without confirming them in additional testing. Our results suggest that the nationwide post-analytical EQA scheme launched in 2014 in Croatia has yet to be implemented to the full. To close the gaps between existing recommendations and laboratory practice, laboratory professionals should focus on ensuring that TAT is monitored and lists of critical values are established within laboratories. Professional bodies/institutions should focus on clarify and harmonized rules to standardized practices and applied for adding interpretative comments to laboratory test results and for dealing with abnormal test results.

Psychosocial Adjustment to Sex Reassignment Surgery: A Qualitative Examination and Personal Experiences of Six Transsexual Persons in Croatia

PubMed Central

Jokić-Begić, Nataša; Jurin, Tanja

2014-01-01

In Croatia, transgender individuals face numerous social and medical obstacles throughout the process of transition. The aim of this study was to depict the factors contributing to the psychosocial adjustment of six transsexual individuals living in Croatia following sex reassignment surgery (SRS). A combination of quantitative and qualitative self-report methods was used. Due to the specificity of the sample, the data were collected online. Standardized questionnaires were used to assess mental health and quality of life alongside a series of open-ended questions divided into 4 themes: the decision-making process regarding SRS; social and medical support during the SRS process; experience of discrimination and stigmatizing behaviors; psychosocial adjustment after SRS. Despite the unfavorable circumstances in Croatian society, participants demonstrated stable mental, social, and professional functioning, as well as a relative resilience to minority stress. Results also reveal the role of pretransition factors such as high socioeconomic status, good premorbid functioning, and high motivation for SRS in successful psychosocial adjustment. During and after transition, participants reported experiencing good social support and satisfaction with the surgical treatment and outcomes. Any difficulties reported by participants are related to either sexual relationships or internalized transphobia. The results also demonstrate the potentially protective role that a lengthier process of transition plays in countries such as Croatia. PMID:24790589

Report of the Third Heart Surgery Forum Scientific Sessions: Zagreb, Croatia December 6-8, 2017: Conference Highlights.

PubMed

Firstenberg, Michael S; Nguyen, Tom C; Roberts, Harold; Levinson, Mark M; Rudez, Igo

2018-02-26

The Heart Surgery Forum is an online community dedicated to topics related to all aspects of cardiothoracic surgery. It consists of an informative website (www.hsforum.com), a traditional indexed journal both in print and online, and an email-based "list-serv" for discussion of surgical cases and techniques. The email list-serv, "OpenHeart-L" (The Forum) is composed of surgeons and allied specialties (perfusion, anesthesia, nursing). Dr. Mark Levinson (USA) started The Forum originally in 1995. He also served as the first Editor-in-Chief of the print journal for many years. Coinciding with the popularity of The Forum, and the desire by many members to meet in person, the First Heart Surgery Forum Conference (#1 HSF) was held in Savudrija, Istria, Croatia in 2010. The overwhelming success of this meeting, in terms of attendance and scientific content, resulted in #2 HSF being held in Split, Croatia in 2014. Recently, the #3 HSF meeting was held in Zagreb, Croatia on December 6-8th, 2017. This report highlights the scientific events of this meeting, and more importantly aims to inspire greater involvement by the international cardiothoracic community. Substantial increasing attendance was seen at each subsequent meeting, not only in terms of the number of participants and lectures, but also in the number of countries represented.

Waters in Croatia between practice and needs: public health challenge.

PubMed

Vitale, Ksenija; Marijanović Rajcić, Marija; Senta, Ankica

2002-08-01

To describe waters monitoring in Croatia and legislation status for their evaluation, and to present health-relevant data and long-term analysis of the Drava river water, which is used in drinking water production. Survey of databanks of various Croatian institutions related to waters, and physical and chemical analysis of 13 surface water pollutants, applying HRN ISO laboratory methods. Since 1992 until 2000, water systems had 10% of contaminated samples, whereas local community and private water sources had 30% of such samples. Since 1981, 84 waterborne epidemics have been registered, affecting 7,581 people with predominantly gastrointestinal problems. The Drava river monitoring revealed that lead, cadmium, and mercury concentrations have constantly exceeded, whereas nickel and copper remained within allowed values for the Drava river to be classified into the second category of surface waters. Both nitrates and nitrites have been increasing with time, nitrates exceeding and nitrites remaining within guideline values. Total phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations also increased with time, still being below allowed maximum values. Chemical oxygen demand has been decreasing. Alkalinity has been satisfactory. Salt burden has been increasing. Both drinking water quality assessment and surface water monitoring in Croatia use less parameters then recommended by World Health Organization or signed conventions. The quality of Drava water has been improving, but still does not fully conform to the second category of surface water. More parameters should be used in its monitoring, as recommended by EU conventions and laws.

Teaching Classification To Fit a Modern and Sustainable LIS Curriculum: The Case of Croatia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slavic, Aida

Library classification at the Croatian library school of the Department of Information Sciences, University of Zagreb (Croatia) has an important place in the department's curriculum. This is due to the fact that classification is the most important indexing language in Croatian libraries and documentation centers and services, and its role has not…

Reflections on a Visit to the Union of the Blind of Croatia, Zagreb, Yugoslavia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cylke, Frank Kurt; Hanke, Peter

The paper reports a visit to the Union of the Blind in Croatia, an organization serving the needs of 4,500 blind individuals in this part of Yugoslavia. Briefly considered are personnel, financial support, and services (such as braille and talking book production). A separate section describes the organization's library, recorded and braille…

The Characteristics of Religious Education Teachers and Respecting Diversity in Religious Education in Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filipovic, Ana Thea; Rihtar, Stanko

2017-01-01

The first part of the article deals with the European and, specifically, Croatian sociopolitical and cultural framework of inclusive pedagogy and presents its basic postulates. The second part contains answers to questions linked to the treatment of differences in religious education in Croatia and characteristics of teachers that can be linked to…

ESD Professional Development of University Educators in Serbia, Croatia and Macedonia: A Comparative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikolic, Vesna; Milutinovic, Slobodan; Nedanovski, Pece; Mrnjaus, Kornelija

2017-01-01

Purpose: The paper aims to deal with the education for sustainable development (ESD) competences of university educators. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of opportunities for the development of ESD competences in higher education (HE) institutions in Serbia, Croatia and Macedonia. In addition, the paper explores the…

Application of multi-criteria decision-making on strategic municipal solid waste management in Dalmatia, Croatia.

PubMed

Vego, Goran; Kucar-Dragicević, Savka; Koprivanac, Natalija

2008-11-01

The efficiency of providing a waste management system in the coastal part of Croatia consisting of four Dalmatian counties has been modelled. Two multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, PROMETHEE and GAIA, were applied to assist with the systematic analysis and evaluation of the alternatives. The analysis covered two levels; first, the potential number of waste management centres resulting from possible inter-county cooperation; and second, the relative merits of siting of waste management centres in the coastal or hinterland zone was evaluated. The problem was analysed according to several criteria; and ecological, economic, social and functional criteria sets were identified as relevant to the decision-making process. The PROMETHEE and GAIA methods were shown to be efficient tools for analysing the problem considered. Such an approach provided new insights to waste management planning at the strategic level, and gave a reason for rethinking some of the existing strategic waste management documents in Croatia.

Some characteristics of social interactions among adolescents in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia

PubMed Central

Klarin, Mira; Pororoković, Ana; Šašić, Slavica Šimić; Arnaudova, Violeta

2012-01-01

Introduction The bioecological model refers to the basic social needs that a person has satisfied through social interactions. In individualist cultures, the need for independence is emphasized with the aim of self-realization and personal achievement. In collectivist cultures, togetherness is encouraged and it prevails over individuality. Aim The aim of this study was to determine whether there were differences in adolescents (n = 1033) from three different cultural environments (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia) with regard to the various aspects of the social interactions and behaviors these adolescents exercise with their parents and friends. Methods Three groups of questionnaires were used: those that measure family interactions (the quality of family interactions, loneliness in the family, and family influence); those that assess peer interactions (quality of friendships, social loneliness, and influence of friendships); and those that examined behavioral variables (self-esteem, aggression, and prosocialness). Results Discriminant analysis has shown that there are two significant functions that differentiate subjects from the three different cultural environments. The first discriminant function that adequately discriminates between subjects in all three cultural environments is related to social and family loneliness and the influence of friends. Loneliness in the family, social loneliness, and influence of friends are most prevalent among adolescents in Macedonia and least among adolescents in Croatia. The second function that distinguished adolescents in Croatia from those in the other two cultural environments was primarily connected with the quality of family interactions, aggressiveness, parent influence, and self-esteem. Finally, it was found that adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina were more likely to engage in family interactions, have greater levels of parental influence, and appeared to be less aggressive and had lower self

Spread and character of Tomostethus nigritus F. outbreaks in Croatia during the last decade

Treesearch

Dinka Matosevic; Boris Hrasovec; Milan Pernek

2003-01-01

The larvae of Tomostethus nigritus F. (Hym.: Tenthredinidae) began causing severe defoliation on ash along avenues and tree lines in Zagreb, Croatia since 1997. The phenomenon of population outbreaks in periurban and urban environments is known but poorly documented in the literature; the fact that it has not yet been recorded in Croatian forests has...

International Trends in Health Science Librarianship Part 19: The Balkan States (Bulgaria and Croatia).

PubMed

Kirilova, Savina; Skoric, Lea

2016-09-01

This is the 19th in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the 21st century. The focus of the present issue is the Balkan Region (Bulgaria and Croatia). The next regular feature column will investigate two other Balkan states - Serbia and Slovenia. JM. © 2016 Health Libraries Group.

Entrepreneurial Management Education Needs in the Republic of Croatia, Poland and the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dabic, Marina; Vlajcic, Davor; Novak, Ivan

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to take the emergence of the knowledge mobilization as an opportunity to develop an understanding of needs for catching up appropriate knowledge application in SMEs in the Republic of Croatia, Poland and the UK. It draws upon the "frame mobilization" literature, which illuminates the role that acts…

Lead and cadmium content in human milk from the Northern Adriatic area of Croatia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frkovic, A.; Kras, M.; Alebic-Juretic, A.

Though occupational exposure to toxic metals (lead, cadmium) is well documented, harmful effects of environmental exposure to lower levels of these two metals is still under investigation. Most toxic metals are emitted by human activities and the atmosphere is the main transport route for these elements. According to some authors, 332 358 t of lead and 7570 t of cadmium were emitted in the atmosphere from anthropogenic sources in 1983. The principle source of lead is traffic, e.g. leaded petrol, still widely used in Croatia, as well as coal combustion, iron and steal production. Volcanic activity, zinc production and wastemore » incineration are the main sources of cadmium. Recent study indicates that traffic could also be the main source of cadmium found along busy streets. Chronic lead exposure at low levels is associated with adverse health effects especially in fetus and young children. This study examines lead and cadmium levels in breast milk from nursing women living in the Northern Adriatic area of Croatia. 15 refs., 2 tabs.« less

Young People in Croatia in Times of Crisis and Some Remarks about Citizenship Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mrnjaus, Kornelija; Vrcelj, Sofija; Zlokovic, Jasminka

2014-01-01

In this paper, the authors address the youth as a research phenomenon and present the current position of young people in the Croatian society. The authors exhibit interesting results of a recent study of youth in Croatia and present the results of their research conducted among Croatian students aiming to explore the attitudes of young people and…

Monitoring of nitrates in drinking water from agricultural and residential areas of Podravina and Prigorje (Croatia).

PubMed

Nemčić-Jurec, Jasna; Konjačić, Miljenko; Jazbec, Anamarija

2013-11-01

Nitrates are the most common chemical pollutant of groundwater in agricultural and suburban areas. Croatia must comply with the Nitrate Directive (91/676/EEC) whose aim is to reduce water pollution by nitrates originating from agriculture and to prevent further pollution. Podravina and Prigorje are the areas with a relatively high degree of agricultural activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was, by monitoring nitrates, to determine the distribution of nitrates in two different areas, Podravina and Prigorje (Croatia), to determine sources of contamination as well as annual and seasonal trends. The nitrate concentrations were measured in 30 wells (N = 382 samples) in Prigorje and in 19 wells (N = 174 samples) in Podravina from 2002 to 2007. In Podravina, the nitrate content was 24.9 mg/l and 6% of the samples were above the maximum available value (MAV), and in Prigorje the content was 53.9 mg/l and 38% of the samples above MAV. The wells were classified as correct, occasionally incorrect and incorrect. In the group of occasionally incorrect and incorrect wells, the point sources were within 10 m of the well. There is no statistically significant difference over the years or seasons within the year, but the interaction between locations and years was significant. Nitrate concentrations' trend was not significant during the monitoring. These results are a prerequisite for the adjustment of Croatian standards to those of the EU and will contribute to the implementation of the Nitrate Directive and the Directives on Environmental Protection in Croatia and the EU.

Good reasons to implement quality assurance in nationwide breast cancer screening programs in Croatia and Serbia: results from a pilot study.

PubMed

Ciraj-Bjelac, Olivera; Faj, Dario; Stimac, Damir; Kosutic, Dusko; Arandjic, Danijela; Brkic, Hrvoje

2011-04-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the need for and the possible achievements of a comprehensive QA programme and to look at effects of simple corrective actions on image quality in Croatia and in Serbia. The paper focuses on activities related to the technical and radiological aspects of QA. The methodology consisted of two phases. The aim of the first phase was the initial assessment of mammography practice in terms of image quality, patient dose and equipment performance in selected number of mammography units in Croatia and Serbia. Subsequently, corrective actions were suggested and implemented. Then the same parameters were re-assessed. Most of the suggested corrective actions were simple, low-cost and possible to implement immediately, as these were related to working habits in mammography units, such as film processing and darkroom conditions. It has been demonstrated how simple quantitative assessment of image quality can be used for optimisation purposes. Analysis of image quality parameters as OD, gradient and contrast demonstrated general similarities between mammography practices in Croatia and Serbia. The applied methodology should be expanded to larger number of hospitals and applied on a regular basis. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electroconvulsive therapy - general considerations and experience in Croatia.

PubMed

Mihaljević-Peleš, Alma; Bajs Janović, Maja; Stručić, Ana; Šagud, Marina; Skočić HanŽek, Milena; Živković, Maja; Janović, Špiro

2018-06-01

Despite controversy, ECT has been recognized as significantly effective for the treatment of mental disorders since 1938, when Cerletti and Bini introduced ECT in clinical psychiatric practice for treatment of schizophrenia. In the next period, indication for ECT switched more toward depression and catatonia. ECT was even banned from psychiatric training in 1960's, due to the anti-psychiatric movement, which were fortified by Oscar winning movie "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest". Due to its robust effectiveness, ECT revived in the early 1980's and today holds its position in clinical psychiatric practices around the world. Mechanism of ECT on brain and psychopathology is still not fully understood. Main theories have been neurotransmitter, post-receptor, neurophysiological and neuroendocrine theory. Regarding best clinical practices and evidence reported in the literature, ECT today is considered a treatment option for, traditionally, depression, suicidality and catatonia, and also schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, malignant neuroleptic syndrome, postpartal depression and psychosis, obsessive compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, dementia, etc. Recent evidence of ECT efficacy is growing stronger also in the treatment resistant cases, for depression and psychosis. Great advantage of ECT is lack of absolute contraindications. ECT in Croatia was introduced in clinical psychiatric practice in 1960's in four institutions. Mainly due to stigma, but also a tendency for shifting toward hypothesized action mechanism, ECT in Croatia has been re-named to electrostimulative therapy or electroneuromodulatory treatment. In recent decades, the Department of psychiatry in the University Hospital Centre Zagreb (KBC Zagreb), has continuously been practicing ECT. Our department is considered a regional leader, regarding number of patient cases and overall experience in homeland and neighbouring countries. In the 2016, Croatian expert group

Occupational Health Problems among Dentists in Croatia

PubMed Central

Vodanović, Marin; Sović, Slavica; Galić, Ivan

2016-01-01

Aim To assess the health status among dentists in Croatia regarding the symptoms of musculoskeletal, dermatological, sight, hearing and neurological disorders. Methods The anonymous online survey was conducted among 506 Croatian dentists. Results It was found that over 78.18% of the surveyed dentists experienced work related pain in upper back, 76.97% of them in lower back. Work-related skin problems were reported by 29.29% of dentists. Vision problems were reported by 46.87% and hearing problems by 19.03% of participants. Neurological disorders were reported by 15.76% of dentists. Conclusion This study is the first to report on the overall health status of Croatian dentists and, unfortunately, it showed undesirable results. Numerous health hazards, increased professional requirements and limited ergonomics in the work environment of Croatian dental practitioners cause various health disorders, and the prevalence of occupational diseases is very high. PMID:28275278

Investigating Parents' Attitudes towards Digital Technology Use in Early Childhood: A Case Study from Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mikelic Preradovic, Nives; Lešin, Gordana; Šagud, Mirjana

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate perceptions of parents in Croatia towards advantages and disadvantages of computer use in general as well as their children's computer use and to reveal parents' concerns and opinions about digital technology (DT) education in kindergarten. The paper reports on research findings from one of the large public…

Irradiation treatment for the protection and conservation of cultural heritage artefacts in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katušin-Ražem, Branka; Ražem, Dušan; Braun, Mario

2009-07-01

The application of irradiation treatment for the protection of cultural heritage artefacts in Croatia was made possible by the development of radiation processing procedures at the Radiation Chemistry and Dosimetry Laboratory of the Ruđer Bo\\vsković Institute. After the upgrading of the 60Co gamma irradiation source in the panoramic irradiation facility in 1983 it became possible to perform both research and pilot plant-scale irradiations for sterilization, pasteurization and decontamination of various materials, including medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and foods, but also for disinfestation of cultural heritage artefects. The demand for irradiation treatment of cultural heritage objects has particularly increased as the increasing number of these objects, especially polychromic wooden sculptures, were requiring salvation, restauration and conservation as a consequence of direct and indirect damages inflicted to them during the war in Croatia, 1991-1995. The irradiation facility at the Ruđer Bo\\vsković Institute is briefly described and an account of its fifteen years' activities in the irradiation treatment of cultural heritage objects is given. Some case studies performed in cooperation with the Croatian Conservation Institute and other interested parties are presented, as well as some cases of protective and curative treatments for disinfestation and decontamination. International cooperations and activities are also mentioned.

Medical education changes students' attitudes on psychiatry: survey among medical students in Croatia.

PubMed

Flajsman, Ana Medic; Degmecic, Dunja; Pranjkovic, Tamara; Rogulja, Stanislav; Bošnjak, Dina; Kuzman, Martina Rojnic

2017-12-01

In Croatia, psychiatric disorders are the leading group of disorders by days of hospitalization and they are in second place according to the number of hospitalizations in the period of working age. Nevertheless, psychiatry in Croatia, as well as in the world, is one of the least attractive specialties for medical students. In this paper we determined the impact of compulsory education in psychiatry on the attitudes of medical students of the fourth year of the Zagreb school of medicine and Osijek school of medicine. We tested attitudes toward psychiatry, psychiatric treatment and attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help using questionnaires that were filled out twice, at the beginning of psychiatry placement and at the end of psychiatry placement. Questionnaires were completed by 239 students from the Zagreb school of medicine and Faculty of medicine Osijek (response rate 78.4%). After the placement, students had significantly more positive attitudes about psychiatry and psychiatric treatment, as well as the attitudes toward seeking professional psychological help. Attitudes towards psychiatry, seeking psychological help and attitude towards psychiatric medication and psychotherapy correlated with the evaluation of the quality of psychiatric education. Additional forms of education in psychiatry should be offered, in order to maintain and increase the impact of education on students' attitudes.

Methylisothiazolinone contact allergy in Croatia: Epidemiology and course of disease following patch testing.

PubMed

Ljubojević Hadžavdić, Suzana; Uter, Wolfgang; Ilijanić Samošćanec, Maja; Johansen, Jeanne D

2018-05-30

Methylisothiazolinone (MI) caused an epidemic of contact allergy in Europe, as shown by data from many countries, but no studies from Croatia exist. Also, data are lacking on the severity of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) caused by MI, and its impact on quality of life and prognosis. To determine the frequency of MI contact allergy among Croatian dermatitis patients, identify causative exposures, assess the impact of disease, and study the prognosis. Data were collected for consecutive dermatitis patients with MI contact allergy patch tested in Croatia between November 2, 2015 and November 3, 2016. MI contact allergy was diagnosed in 13.2% of 798 tested patients. The most frequent dermatitis locations were the hands (76%) and face (61%). In 89.3% of patients, MI contact allergy was found to be of current relevance. Considerable severity and impact on daily life of disease was found at the first consultation, but this significantly decreased until follow-up 3 months later. Patch testing is the standard method for the diagnosis of ACD, and it has been shown to have an important beneficial effect on prognosis. The severity of MI ACD and the impact on daily life emphasize the need for prevention. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Activities of Students in Leisure Time in Sisak-Moslavina County (Republic of Croatia)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ðuranovic, Marina; Opic, Siniša

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to explore the prevalence of activities in leisure time of the young. A survey was conducted on 1062 students in 8 primary (n = 505; 47,6%) and high schools (n = 557; 52,4%) in Sisak-Moslavina County in the Republic of Croatia. The questionnaire of spending leisure time used was made up of 30 variables on a five-degree…

Differences in the Fitness Levels of Urban and Rural Middle School Students in Croatia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Novak, Dario; Bernstein, Eve R.; Podnar, Hrvoje; Vozzolo, Yolanda

2015-01-01

Background: It is known that suburban youth are more fit than urban youth in Croatia. Method: Differences (p < 0.05) in fitness levels and motor abilities of 9,164 (F = 4,671, M = 4,493) Croatian children (age range: 11-14 years) from urban (F = 1,380, M = 1,268), mixed rural-urban (F = 274, M = 289), and rural (F = 3017, M = 2936) areas were…

Twenty years of radiation sterilization in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ražem, Dus̆an

2004-09-01

The development of radiation processing in Croatia is described from its inception 20 years ago up to the present time. Annual throughputs of treated materials are given by the categories of materials and pertaining volumes. The pasteurization of hard gelatine capsules occured during the early stages, while sterilization of disposable medical supplies has been dominant in the later stages. Irradiation of foods and of cosmetics and toiletries has been a minor fraction of the total throughput. Since the recovery of everyday life and economy of the country after the war, the total throughput has increased steadily to reach 13,000 m 3 kGy in 2002, 90% of which are medical supplies. Estimates of the present maximum capacity of 30,000 m 3 kGy and of future needs indicate that the present rate of growth could be sustained for the next several years only, unless a major upgrading is undertaken. An estimate of potential future needs is made.

What Is the Real Public Health Significance of Iron Deficiency and Iron Deficiency Anaemia in Croatia? A Population-Based Observational Study on Pregnant Women at Early Pregnancy from Eastern Croatia.

PubMed

Banjari, Ines; Kenjerić, Daniela; Mandić, Milena L

2015-06-01

Studies imply that significance of iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) for pregnancy outcomes is especially highlighted in the early pregnancy. Prevalence around the world varies widely, however, no data is available up to date for Croatia or neighbouring countries. Therefore, the objective was to determine the prevalence of ID and IDA among pregnant women from Croatia at the first trimester. Also, the aim was to compare two criterions; the World Health Organization (WHO) one and the clinical one. Randomised observational population based study was set up and 265 pregnant women at the first trimester were enrolled. Based on the WHO criteria, 17.7% on haemoglobin basis and 18.5% on haematocrit basis had either ID or IDA. Clinical criteria showed that even 32.8% had either ID or IDA (transferrin saturation <20.0%). The WHO criterion shows less sensitivity, especially in detecting less severe stages of IDA. Regardless of the criteria used, ID and IDA present a mild to moderate public health problem in pregnant women population. This high share of pregnant women who are starting their pregnancy as iron deficient, presents a potentially high risk for the pregnancy outcomes, especially in terms of a newborn, and it is fully justified to treat them as diseases of public health significance. Copyright© by the National Institute of Public Health, Prague 2015.

Implications of the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union for Croatian health care system.

PubMed

Ostojić, Rajko; Bilas, Vlatka; Franc, Sanja

2012-09-01

The Republic of Croatia's accession to the European Union (EU) will affect all segments of economy and society, including the health care system. The aim of this paper is to establish the potential effects of joining the EU on Croatian health care, as well as to assess its readiness to enter this regional economic integration. The paper identifies potential areas of impact of EU accession on Croatian health care and analyzes the results of the conducted empirical research. In this research, a method of in-depth interviews was applied on a sample of 49 subjects; health professionals from public and private sectors, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, drug wholesalers, and non-governmental organisations (patient associations). Once Croatia joins the EU, it will face: new rules and priorities in line with the current European health strategy; the possibilities of drawing funds from European cohesion funds; labour migrations; new guidelines on patient safety and mobility. From the aspect of harmonising national regulations with EU regulations in the area of health care, Croatian system can be assessed as ready to enter the EU. Croatia's accession to the EU can result in a better information flow, growth of competitiveness of Croatian health care system, enhanced quality, inflow of EU funds, development of health tourism, but also in increased migration of health care professionals, and potential increase in the cost of health care services. Functioning within the EU framework might result in adaptation to the EU standards, but it could also result in the concentration of staff and institutions in larger cities.

95th Anniversary of Pathophysiology in Croatia.

PubMed

Kovač, Zdenko

2017-12-01

University level of Pathophysiology research and teaching in Croatia had started with the third year of Medical School of Zagreb in academic year 1919./20. Ever since, despite historical changes of the main university stake holder, the state of Croatia, Department of Pathophysiology development progressed and has made visible academic achievements, with a broader effect in medical community. The first 95 years of academic tradition and major achievements are shortly described in this paper. Professor Miroslav Mikuličić envisioned Pathophysiology in close relations with Pharmacology and made the pioneering steps of establishing the "double" department at Šalata. His group was academically very pro-active, with strong international scientific participation and recruitment of professionals. The group published the first voluminous textbook of Pharmacology and Pathophysiology, in Croatian. In fifties, professor Pavao Sokolić established clinical pathophysiology within the Hospital Centre at Rebro. Out of "double" department two new departments were founded, the Pathophysiology one was completed with the clinical ward. That institutional move from Šalata hill to the Rebro hill was a necessary gigantic step and a prerequisite for the proper further development. It was in accordance with the concept of the Mikuličić's program of Pathophysiology from 1917. Pavao Sokolić has been remembered for his visions, deep insights into etiopathogenesis, ability to transfer knowledge and friendly relations to students. Sharp intellectual power, emanating charisma, academic erudition and unique clinical competencies made the legendary image of the "Teacher" - as students used to refer to him with admiration. He was second to no one when complex patient issues were to be resolved. Clinical Hospital Centre Zagreb and his Department at Rebro have become a referral point to whom to go to despair. Students recognized in their Teacher the landmark of Croatian medicine, which made a

Mental Health Consequences in Men Exposed to Sexual Abuse during the War in Croatia and Bosnia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loncar, Mladen; Henigsberg, Neven; Hrabac, Pero

2010-01-01

In the research project on sexual abuse of men during the war in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, detailed information from 60 victims of such crimes was gathered. The aim of the research was to define key attributes of sexual abuse of men in war as well as consequences it had on the victims. A method of structured interview was used. Also, the…

Prevalence and Geographic Distribution of Vector-Borne Pathogens in Apparently Healthy Dogs in Croatia.

PubMed

Mrljak, Vladimir; Kuleš, Josipa; Mihaljević, Željko; Torti, Marin; Gotić, Jelena; Crnogaj, Martina; Živičnjak, Tatjana; Mayer, Iva; Šmit, Iva; Bhide, Mangesh; Barić Rafaj, Renata

2017-06-01

Vector-borne pathogens (VBPs) are a group of globally extended and quickly spreading pathogens that are transmitted by various arthropod vectors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence against Babesia canis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Leishmania infantum, Dirofilaria immitis, and Ehrlichia canis in dogs in Croatia. We investigated 435 randomly selected apparently healthy dogs in 13 different locations of Croatia for antibodies to B. canis by indirect immunofluorescence using a commercial IFA IgG Antibody Kit. All samples were also tested for qualitative detection of D. immitis antigen and for antibodies to A. phagocytophilum, B. burgdorferi sensu lato, L. infantum, and E. canis with two point-of-care assays. Overall, 112 dogs (25.74%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 21.70-30.12) were serologically positive for one or more of the pathogens. B. canis was the most prevalent pathogen (20.00%, 95% CI 16.34-24.07), followed by A. phagocytophilum (6.21%, 95% CI 4.12-8.90), L. infantum, (1.38%, 95% CI 0.51-2.97), and B. burgdorferi sensu lato (0.69%, 95% CI 0.01-2.00). The lowest seroprevalence was for D. immitis and E. canis (0.46%, 95% CI 0.01-1.65). Coinfection was determined in 12 dogs (2.76%, 95% CI 1.43-4.77), of which 10 were positive to two pathogens (7 with B. canis and A. phagocytophilum and 1 B. canis with B. burgdorferi sensu lato or L. infantum or E. canis). One dog was positive to three pathogens and another dog to four pathogens. Seroprevalence for babesia was age, breed, and lifestyle/use dependent. Purebred dogs had almost half the chance of developing disease than crossbred (OR = 0.58, p < 0.026, 95% CI 0.37-0.94). Seropositivity to B. canis was 3.41 times higher for dogs that lived outdoors/shelter (p < 0.006) or 4.57 times higher in mixed/hunting (p < 0.001) compared to indoor/companion dogs. This is the first comprehensive survey of VBP seropositivity conducted in Croatia. Some

PATHS in Croatia: A school-based randomised-controlled trial of a social and emotional learning curriculum.

PubMed

Novak, Miranda; Mihić, Josipa; Bašić, Josipa; Nix, Robert L

2017-04-01

This study represents the first rigorous evaluation of a social-emotional learning curriculum, PATHS (Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies; Kusché & Greenberg, 1994), in elementary schools in Croatia. This study randomly assigned 29 schools to receive the universal preventive intervention or continue with usual practices. Within those schools, this study included 57 classrooms and 568 children. Teachers rated nine child behaviours in the middle of first grade (pre-intervention) and near the end of second grade (post-intervention). Hierarchical linear models, nesting children within classrooms, revealed few changes in behaviour across the sample as a whole or among higher risk children. However, there were changes on eight of the nine behaviours for lower risk children. The findings are considered in the context of the classroom culture and teachers' preparation and readiness to implement a social-emotional learning curriculum in Croatia. This study highlights the need to supplement universal preventive interventions with selective preventive interventions that can provide more intensive and targeted skill practice for higher risk children. This study also highlights the nuanced effects of a universal preventive intervention in helping different children in different ways. © 2016 International Union of Psychological Science.

Bluetongue virus in Oryx antelope (Oryx leucoryx) during the quarantine period in 2010 in Croatia.

PubMed

Bosnić, Sanja; Beck, Relja; Listeš, Eddy; Lojkić, Ivana; Savini, Giovanni; Roić, Besi

2015-01-01

Bluetongue (BT) is a viral infectious non‑contagious disease of domestic and wild ruminants. Insect species of the genus Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) serve as biological vectors that transmit bluetongue virus (BTV) to susceptible hosts. The infection is present in the Mediterranean region. Recently, it has also been reported in Central, Western, and Northern Europe where BTV‑8 was recognised as the causative serotype. In the meantime, BTV‑14 has appeared in the North‑Eastern part of Europe. In the present study, BTV serotype 16 (BTV‑16) was detected by virus neutralisation (VNT)‑assay and real‑time reverse transcription‑PCR (rRT‑PCR) in 1 antelope and BTV‑1 in 3 of 10 Oryx antelopes (Oryx leucoryx) imported in Croatia from the Sultanate of Oman. No BTV vectors were collected during the antelope quarantine on the Veliki Brijun Island. Also, no BTV antibodies were detected in sheep, cattle, and deer on the Island. Entomological studies did not reveal any new vector species that may have been introduced with the infected antelopes on their transportation. It was the first time that BTV was demonstrated in animals imported in Croatia. It involved BTV‑1, which had never been demonstrated before and BTV‑16, which had been previously recorded in domestic ruminants.

Childhood vaccine refusal and hesitancy intentions in Croatia: insights from a population-based study.

PubMed

Repalust, Anja; Šević, Sandra; Rihtar, Stanko; Štulhofer, Aleksandar

2017-10-01

Considering that programmatic data suggest a recent rise in vaccine refusal in Croatia, this study, first of its kind in Southeast Europe, aimed to estimate the prevalence, and sociodemographic, and sociocultural determinants of childhood vaccine refusal and hesitancy (CVRH) intentions among Croatian adults. Multi-stage stratified population-based survey included 1000 individuals aged 18-88 years (M age  = 47.7, SD = 17.8), of whom 51.7% were women. The outcome, a categorical indicator, distinguished among individuals who would approve vaccinating their children (vaccine accepting), those who would approve some but not all vaccines (vaccine hesitant), and those who would refuse vaccination (vaccine refusing). A sizeable minority of participants was characterized by childhood vaccine refusal (10.6%) and hesitancy intentions (19.5%). In a multivariate assessment controlling for parenthood, the odds of vaccine hesitancy were significantly increased by a younger age (AOR = 1.96-3.03, p < .01). Religiosity (AOR = 1.12, p < .05) and the use of alternative medicine (AOR = 2.85, p < .001) increased the odds of vaccine refusal. However, individual characteristics seem to be relatively poor predictors of CVRH intentions in Croatia. Following the social contagion model, future research should move beyond individual-level approach and take into account social interaction and social network effects.

Does corruption undermine trust in health care? Results from public opinion polls in Croatia.

PubMed

Radin, Dagmar

2013-12-01

Health and health care provision are one of the most important topics in public policy, and often a highly debated topic in the political arena. The importance of considering trust in the health care sector is highlighted by studies showing that trust is associated, among others, with poor self-related health, and poorer health outcomes. Similarly, corruption has shown to create economic costs and inefficiencies in the health care sector. This is particularly important for a newly democratized country such as Croatia, where a policy responsive government indicates a high level of quality of democracy (Roberts, 2009) and where a legacy of corruption in the health care sector has been carried over from the previous regime. In this study, I assess the relationship between health care corruption and trust in public health care and hypothesize that experience with health care corruption as well as perception of corruption has a negative effect on trust in public care facilities. Data were collected in two surveys, administered in 2007 and 2009 in Croatia. Experience with corruption and salience with corruption has a negative effect on trust in public health care in the 2007 survey, but not in the 2009 survey. While the results are mixed, they point to the importance of further studying this relationship. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organization and functioning of primary healthcare for pre-school children in Croatia: a longitudinal study from 1995 to 2012.

PubMed

Buljan, Josip; Prljević, Gordana; Menegoni, Martina; Bralić, Irena

2014-12-01

Primary health care for children in Croatia are mostly provided by primary pediatricians (PP) in the urban and by family doctors in rural areas. During past decades, as apart of health care reforms, primary pediatric care experiences several changes. This study was undertaken in order to investigate the trends in organizational structure and functioning of the PPs, based on routinely collected data from Croatian Health Service Yearbooks, 1995 to 2012. The results have consistently shown a shortage of PPs in Croatia. The shortage obviously affects the average number of children per PP; number increased from 994 in 1995, to 1556 children in 2010, which was far above the standard. The shortage of PPs is also related to the high number of visits (30 to 40) per PP and per working day. The obtained results clearly show only the trends, therefore further research is needed for a full understanding of the PHC for pre-school children.

Psychological Consequences of Rape on Women in 1991-1995 War in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina

PubMed Central

Lončar, Mladen; Medved, Vesna; Jovanović, Nikolina; Hotujac, Ljubomir

2006-01-01

Aim To explore the short- and long-term psychological consequences of rape on women victims of rape during the 1992-1995 war against Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods The study included 68 women victims of rape and was conducted at the Medical Center for Human Rights, Zagreb, Croatia, from 1992 to 1995. Testimony method and a questionnaire were used to obtain the description of rapes and symptoms women suffered immediately after rape and at the time of the study, ie, 11.9 ± 2.4 months after the trauma. Structured clinical interviews were conducted to diagnose psychiatric disorders that were present at the time of study, according to the third edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Results The raped women were Croatian and Muslim (Bosniak) women, residents of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Forty-four of them were raped more than once, 21 were raped every day during their captivity, and 18 were forced to witness rapes. Most of the rapes (n = 65) were accompanied by physical torture. The most frequent psychological symptoms felt immediately after the rape were depressiveness (n = 58), avoidance of thoughts or conversations associated with the trauma (n = 40), and suicidal ideas (n = 25). Although none of the women had a psychiatric history before the rape, at the time of study 52 suffered from depression, 51 from social phobia, 21 from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 17 had sexual dysfunctions. These disorders were often comorbid. Out of 29 women who got pregnant after rape, 17 had artificial abortion. The decision to have an abortion was strongly predicted by suicidal thoughts and impulses (odds ratio, 25.8; 95% confidence interval, 2.53-263.2). Conclusion War-time rapes had deep immediate and long-term consequences on the mental health of women victims of rapes and their social and interpersonal functioning. PMID:16489699

Application of spatial methods to identify areas with lime requirement in eastern Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogunović, Igor; Kisic, Ivica; Mesic, Milan; Zgorelec, Zeljka; Percin, Aleksandra; Pereira, Paulo

2016-04-01

With more than 50% of acid soils in all agricultural land in Croatia, soil acidity is recognized as a big problem. Low soil pH leads to a series of negative phenomena in plant production and therefore as a compulsory measure for reclamation of acid soils is liming, recommended on the base of soil analysis. The need for liming is often erroneously determined only on the basis of the soil pH, because the determination of cation exchange capacity, the hydrolytic acidity and base saturation is a major cost to producers. Therefore, in Croatia, as well as some other countries, the amount of liming material needed to ameliorate acid soils is calculated by considering their hydrolytic acidity. For this research, several interpolation methods were tested to identify the best spatial predictor of hidrolitic acidity. The purpose of this study was to: test several interpolation methods to identify the best spatial predictor of hidrolitic acidity; and to determine the possibility of using multivariate geostatistics in order to reduce the number of needed samples for determination the hydrolytic acidity, all with an aim that the accuracy of the spatial distribution of liming requirement is not significantly reduced. Soil pH (in KCl) and hydrolytic acidity (Y1) is determined in the 1004 samples (from 0-30 cm) randomized collected in agricultural fields near Orahovica in eastern Croatia. This study tested 14 univariate interpolation models (part of ArcGIS software package) in order to provide most accurate spatial map of hydrolytic acidity on a base of: all samples (Y1 100%), and the datasets with 15% (Y1 85%), 30% (Y1 70%) and 50% fewer samples (Y1 50%). Parallel to univariate interpolation methods, the precision of the spatial distribution of the Y1 was tested by the co-kriging method with exchangeable acidity (pH in KCl) as a covariate. The soils at studied area had an average pH (KCl) 4,81, while the average Y1 10,52 cmol+ kg-1. These data suggest that liming is necessary

Importance of bottom-up approach in water management - sustainable development of catchment areas in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavic, M.; Cosic-Flajsig, G.; Petricec, M.; Blazevic, Z.

2012-04-01

Association for preservation of Croatian waters and sea SLAP is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that gathers more than 150 scientist, hydrologist and civil engineers. SLAP has been established in 2006 and since then had organized many conferences and participated in projects dealing with water management. We have started our work developing plans to secure water supply to the 22 (21) villages in the rural parts of Dubrovnik (Pozega) area and trough the years we have accumulated knowledge and experience in dealing with stakeholders in hydrology and water management. Within this paper we will present importance of bottom-up approach to the stakeholders in water management in Croatia on two case studies: (1) Management of River Trebizat catchment area - irrigation of the Imotsko-Bekijsko rural parts; (2) Development of multipurpose water reservoirs at the River Orljava catchment area. Both projects were designed in the mid and late 1980's but due to the war were forgotten and on halt. River Trebizat meanders between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and acquires joint management by both countries. In 2010 and 2011 SLAP has organized conferences in both countries gathering all the relevant stakeholders from representatives of local and state governments, water management companies and development agencies to the scientist and interested NGO's. The conferences gave firm scientific background of the topic including presentation of all previous studies and measurements as well as model results but presented in manner appropriate to the stakeholders. The main result of the conference was contribution to the development of joint cross-border project sent to the EU Pre-Accession funds in December 2011 with the aim to strengthen capacities of both countries and prepare larger project dealing with management of the whole Trebizat catchment area to EU structural funds once Croatia enters EU in 2013. Similar approach was taken for the Orljava catchment in the northern

HIV risks and HIV prevention among female sex workers in two largest urban settings in Croatia, 2008-2014.

PubMed

Štulhofer, Aleksandar; Landripet, Ivan; Božić, Jasmina; Božičević, Ivana

2015-01-01

Harm reduction-based HIV prevention has been in place among female sex workers (FSWs) in Croatia for more than a decade. However, little is known about how well the existing programs meet the needs of FSWs in an environment where sex work remains criminalized and highly stigmatized. This study aims to assess changes in FSWs' vulnerability to HIV infection in the 2008-2014 period. Using convenience samples of FSWs in Croatia's two largest urban settings, behavioral data were collected in 2007-2008 and 2014. Outreach workers interviewed 154 FSWs in the first wave of the survey and 158 in the second. The period under observation was characterized by a stable prevalence of most HIV-relevant risk behaviors and experiences. Significant changes in client-based victimization and HIV knowledge were observed only among FSWs in the capital city. Substantial and mostly sustained levels of sexual and nonsexual victimization call for more research into the limits of the current behavior-based harm reduction approach to HIV prevention in the country.

Cervical HPV type-specific pre-vaccination prevalence and age distribution in Croatia.

PubMed

Sabol, Ivan; Milutin Gašperov, Nina; Matovina, Mihaela; Božinović, Ksenija; Grubišić, Goran; Fistonić, Ivan; Belci, Dragan; Alemany, Laia; Džebro, Sonja; Dominis, Mara; Šekerija, Mario; Tous, Sara; de Sanjosé, Silvia; Grce, Magdalena

2017-01-01

The main etiological factor of precancerous lesion and invasive cervical cancer are oncogenic human papillomaviruses types (HPVs). The objective of this study was to establish the distribution of the most common HPVs in different cervical lesions and cancer prior to the implementation of organized population-based cervical screening and HPV vaccination in Croatia. In this study, 4,432 cervical specimens, collected through a 16-year period, were tested for the presence of HPV-DNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with three sets of broad-spectrum primers and type-specific primers for most common low-risk (LR) types (HPV-6, 11) and the most common high-risk (HR) types (HPV-16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58). Additional 35 archival formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue of cervical cancer specimens were analyzed using LiPA25 assay. The highest age-specific HPV-prevalence was in the group 18-24 years, which decreased continuously with age (P<0.0001) regardless of the cytological diagnosis. The prevalence of HR-HPV types significantly increased (P<0.0001) with the severity of cervical lesions. HPV-16 was the most common type found with a prevalence (with or without another HPV-type) of 6.9% in normal cytology, 15.5% in atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, 14.4% in low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, 33.3% in high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, and 60.9% in cervical cancer specimens (P<0.0001). This study provides comprehensive and extensive data on the distribution of the most common HPV types among Croatian women, which will enable to predict and to monitor the impact of HPV-vaccination and to design effective screening strategies in Croatia.

Laboratory diagnostics of chronic kidney disease in Croatia: state of the art

PubMed Central

Honović, Lorena; Matica, Jasminka; Knežević, Branka; Vojak, Sanela Šimić

2015-01-01

Introduction Early identification and management of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly cost-effective and can reduce the risk of kidney failure progression and cardiovascular disease. In 2014, the Joint Croatian Working Group (JCWG) for laboratory diagnostic of CKD on the behalf of Croatian society of medical biochemistry and laboratory medicine (CSMBLM) and Croatian chamber of medical biochemists (CCMB) conducted a survey across Croatian medical-biochemistry laboratories to assess the current practice in this area of laboratory medicine. The aim of this study was to present the data collected through the survey and to give insight about laboratory diagnostics of chronic kidney disease in Croatia. Materials and methods An invitation to participate in the survey was sent to all Croatian medical-biochemistry laboratories (N = 196). The questionnaire was designed in a form of questions and statements, with possible multiple answers, comprising 24 questions. Results The response rate was 80/196 (40.8%). 39 answers were from primary medical-biochemistry laboratories. 31/78 (0.40) laboratories measure creatinine with non-standardized method (uncompensated Jaffe method). 58/78 (0.74) of laboratories that measure creatinine do not report eGFR values. Similar number of laboratories (58/80, 0.73) do not measure urine albumin or protein. Conclusions There is a large heterogeneity among Croatian laboratories regarding measuring methods, reporting units and reference intervals (cut-off values), both for creatinine and urine albumin or protein. The two key prerequisites for CKD screening, automatic reporting of eGFR and albuminuria or proteinuria assessment, are not implemented nationwide. There is a need for harmonization in laboratory diagnostics of CKD in Croatia. PMID:25672470

Ambulatory care sensitive conditions at out-of-hospital emergence services in Croatia: a longitudinal study based on routinely collected data.

PubMed

Kostanjšek, Diana; Benčić, Miro; Keglević, Mladenka Vrcić

2014-12-01

Conditions for which a hospital and emergency utilization can be considered avoidable are often referred as ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs). Until now, there has been no published research related to ACSCs in Croatia. This study was undertaken with the aim of determining the trends relating to ACSCs in out-of-hospital ES from 1995-2012. The study is based on data from the Croatian Health Service Yearbooks. Five chronic and three acute conditions were chosen: diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, angina pectoris, asthma and COPD, bacterial pneumonia, urinary tract infections and skin infections. The results indicate that the ES in Croatia is overused, and consequently ACSCs are over-represented; 23.3% Croatian citizens visited the ES and around 15% of all diagnoses belonged to the ACSCs, with decreased trend. The leading diagnosis is hypertension, followed by asthma and COPD. For a better understanding of the importance of ACSC within the Croatian context, further research is needed.

The Miocene "Pteropod event" in the SW part of the Central Paratethys (Medvednica Mt., northern Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bošnjak, Marija; Sremac, Jasenka; Vrsaljko, Davor; Aščić, Šimun; Bosak, Luka

2017-08-01

Deep marine Miocene deposits exposed sporadically in the Medvednica Mt. (northern Croatia) comprise pelagic organisms such as coccolithophores, planktic foraminifera and pteropods. The pteropod fauna from yellow marls at the Vejalnica locality (central part of Medvednica Mt.) encompasses abundant specimens of Vaginella austriaca Kittl, 1886, accompanied with scarce Clio fallauxi (Kittl, 1886). Calcareous nannoplankton points to the presence of NN5 nannozone at this locality. Highly fossiliferous grey marls at the Marija Bistrica locality (north-eastern area of Medvednica Mt.) comprise limacinid pteropods: Limacina valvatina (Reuss, 1867), L. gramensis (Rasmussen, 1968) and Limacina sp. Late Badenian (NN5 to NN6 nannozone) age of these marls is presumed on the basis of coccolithophores. Most of the determined pteropods on species level, except V. austriaca have been found and described from this region for the first time. New pteropod records from Croatia point to two pteropod horizons coinciding with the Badenian marine transgressions in Central Paratethys. These pteropod assemblages confirm the existence of W-E marine connection ("Transtethyan Trench Corridor") during the Badenian NN5 nannozone. Limacinids point to the possible immigration of the "North Sea fauna" through a northern European marine passage during the Late Badenian (end of NN5-beginning of NN6 zone), as previously presumed by some other authors.

Gender and age differences in prevalence and incidence of child sexual abuse in Croatia

PubMed Central

Ajduković, Marina; Sušac, Nika; Rajter, Miroslav

2013-01-01

Aim To examine age and gender differences in the prevalence and incidence of child sexual abuse, the level of acquaintance of the child and the perpetrator, and correlations between experiencing family violence and sexual abuse on a nationally representative sample of 11, 13, and 16 years old children. Method A probabilistic stratified cluster sample included 2.62% of the overall population of children aged 11 (n = 1223), 13 (n = 1188), and 16 (n = 1233) from 40 primary and 29 secondary schools. A modified version of ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool – Children's Version was used. Five items referred to child sexual abuse (CSA) for all age groups. Results In Croatia, 10.8% of children experienced some form of sexual abuse (4.8% to 16.5%, depending on the age group) during childhood and 7.7% of children experienced it during the previous year (3.7% to 11.1%, depending on the age group). Gender comparison showed no difference in the prevalence of contact sexual abuse, whereas more girls than boys experienced non-contact sexual abuse. Correlations between sexual abuse and physical and psychological abuse in the family were small, but significant. Conclusion Comparisons with international studies show that Croatia is a country with a low prevalence of CSA. The fact that the majority of perpetrators of sexual abuse are male and female peers indicates the urgent need to address risks of sexual victimization in the health education of children. PMID:24170726

Gender and age differences in prevalence and incidence of child sexual abuse in Croatia.

PubMed

Ajdukovic, Marina; Susac, Nika; Rajter, Miroslav

2013-10-28

To examine age and gender differences in the prevalence and incidence of child sexual abuse, the level of acquaintance of the child and the perpetrator, and correlations between experiencing family violence and sexual abuse on a nationally representative sample of 11, 13, and 16 years old children. A probabilistic stratified cluster sample included 2.62% of the overall population of children aged 11 (n=1223), 13 (n=1188), and 16 (n=1233) from 40 primary and 29 secondary schools. A modified version of ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool - Children's Version was used. Five items referred to child sexual abuse (CSA) for all age groups. In Croatia, 10.8% of children experienced some form of sexual abuse (4.8% to 16.5%, depending on the age group) during childhood and 7.7% of children experienced it during the previous year (3.7% to 11.1%, depending on the age group). Gender comparison showed no difference in the prevalence of contact sexual abuse, whereas more girls than boys experienced non-contact sexual abuse. Correlations between sexual abuse and physical and psychological abuse in the family were small, but significant. Comparisons with international studies show that Croatia is a country with a low prevalence of CSA. The fact that the majority of perpetrators of sexual abuse are male and female peers indicates the urgent need to address risks of sexual victimization in the health education of children.

Emigration-related attitudes of the final year medical students in Croatia: a cross-sectional study at the dawn of the EU accession

PubMed Central

Kolčić, Ivana; Čikeš, Mihaela; Boban, Kristina; Bućan, Jasna; Likić, Robert; Ćurić, Goran; Đogaš, Zoran; Polašek, Ozren

2014-01-01

Aim To investigate the emigration-related attitudes of final year medical students in Croatia at the dawn of the EU accession in 2013. Methods All final-year medical students at four Croatian medical schools (Zagreb, Rijeka, Split, and Osijek) were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey on emigration attitudes. Results Among 260 respondents (response rate 61%), 90 students (35%) reported readiness for permanent emigration, expecting better quality of life (N = 22, 31%), better health care organization (N = 17, 24%), more professional challenges (N = 10, 14%), or simply to get a job (N = 8, 11%), while the least common expectation were greater earnings (N = 7, 10%). The most common target countries were Germany (N = 36, 40%), USA and Canada (N = 15, 17%), and UK (N = 10, 11%). In a multivariate analysis, readiness for permanent emigration was associated with an interest in undertaking a temporary training abroad (odds ratio [OR] 6.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.83-16.72), while the belief that the preferred specialty could be obtained in Croatia appeared protective against emigration (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.12-0.59). Conclusion Despite shortages of health care workers in Croatia, the percentage of students with emigration propensity was rather high. Prevalent negative perception of the Croatian health care and recent Croatian accession to the EU pose a threat of losing newly graduated physicians to EU countries. PMID:25358878

First Epigravettian Ceramic Figurines from Europe (Vela Spila, Croatia)

PubMed Central

Farbstein, Rebecca; Radić, Dinko; Brajković, Dejana; Miracle, Preston T.

2012-01-01

Recent finds of 36 ceramic artifacts from the archaeological site of Vela Spila, Croatia, offer the first evidence of ceramic figurative art in late Upper Palaeolithic Europe, c. 17,500–15,000 years before present (BP). The size and diversity of this artistic ceramic assemblage indicate the emergence of a social tradition, rather than more ephemeral experimentation with a new material. Vela Spila ceramics offer compelling technological and stylistic comparisons with the only other evidence of a developed Palaeolithic ceramic tradition found at the sites of Pavlov I and Dolní Věstonice I, in the Czech Republic, c. 31,000–27,000 cal BP. Because of the 10,000-year gap between the two assemblages, the Vela Spila ceramics are interpreted as evidence of an independent invention of this technology. Consequently, these artifacts provide evidence of a new social context in which ceramics developed and were used to make art in the Upper Palaeolithic. PMID:22848495

Frontal sinus osteoma in a 16th century skeleton from Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Premužić, Zrinka; Rajić Šikanjić, Petra; Mašić, Boris

2013-03-01

The analysis of 16th century graves from Zagreb, Croatia, revealed a case of frontal sinus osteoma in a middle-aged female. This lesion was discovered during visual examination, due to postmortem breakage of the frontal bone. The significance of this finding is based on the fact that frontal sinus osteomas are very rarely reported in the palaeopathological literature, despite the fact that they account for 80% of all paranasal sinus osteomas in modern populations. This paper presents results of macroscopic and radiographic analyses of the lesion, accompanied by a detailed differential diagnosis. Although tumours are commonly considered diseases of modern lifestyles, the described case confirms their occurrence in the past. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of Psychotropic Drug Prescribing Quality between Zagreb, Croatia and Sarajevo, B&H.

PubMed

Polić-Vižintin, Marina; Štimac, Danijela; Čatić, Tarik; Šostar, Zvonimir; Zelić, Ana; Živković, Krešimir; Draganić, Pero

2014-12-01

The purpose of this paper was to compare outpatient consumption and quality of psychotropic drug prescribing between Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina 2006-2010. Data on drug utilization from Zagreb Municipal Pharmacy and Sarajevo Public Pharmacy were used to calculate the number of defined daily doses (DDD) and DDD per 1000 inhabitants per day (DDD/TID) using the WHO Anatomical-Therapeutic-Chemical methodology. Total utilization of psychopharmaceuticals increased in both cities; however, it was higher in Zagreb than in Sarajevo throughout the study period. The utilization of psycholeptics increased in Zagreb by 2.4% (from 74.5 to 76.3 DDD/TID) and in Sarajevo by 3.8% (from 62.4 to 64.8 DDD/TID). The utilization of anxiolytics decreased in Zagreb by 2.1% and in Sarajevo by even 18.7%. The utilization of antidepressants increased in both cities with predominance of SSRI over TCA utilization, greater in Sarajevo (96.6%) than in Zagreb (10.2%). The anxiolytic/antidepressant ratio decreased by 11.1% in Zagreb (from 2.87 to 2.55) and by 58.7% in Sarajevo (from 5.66 to 2.34). Outpatient utilization of antipsychotics increased significantly in Sarajevo, predominated by typical ones, whereas in Zagreb the utilization of antipsychotics was stable, predominated by atypical ones. In Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, there was an obvious tendency to follow western trends in drug prescribing, as demonstrated by the increased use of antidepressants and reduced use of anxiolytics. Despite some improvement observed in the prescribing quality, high use of antipsychotics with dominance of typical antipsychotics in Sarajevo points to the need of prescribing guidelines for antipsychotics.

Consumer knowledge and attitudes toward healthy eating in Croatia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ljubičić, Marija; Sarić, Marijana Matek; Barić, Irena Colić; Rumbak, Ivana; Komes, Draženka; Šatalić, Zvonimir; Guiné, Raquel P F

2017-06-27

Unlike fast and restaurant food, diet rich in fibre is known to contribute significantly to health. The aim of our study was to assess eating habits such as consumption of fibre-rich, fast, and restaurant food of the general population in Croatia. For this purpose we used a validated survey designed by the Polytechnic Institute Viseu in Portugal, which includes questions about demographics, good eating habits related to the consumption of the main sources of dietary fibre (fruit, vegetables, and whole grains), and unhealthy eating habits related to the consumption of fast food and restaurant meals. Between October 2014 and March 2015 we received answers from 2,536 respondents aged between 18-70 years, of whom 67.4 % were women and 32.6 % were men. Most respondents reported consuming one serving of vegetables and one piece of fruit a day, and whole grains every other day. Women and urban residents reported consuming larger amounts of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains than men (p<0.001). Men, in turn, reported eating out and eating fast food more often than women (p<0.001). Eating out highly correlated with eating fast food, which translates to lower consumption of dietary fibre (p<0.001). Higher education correlated positively with the consumption of fibre-rich food, but it also correlated positively with the consumption of fast and restaurant food (p<0.001). While eating fast food is not the predominant dietary practice in Croatia, over 50 % of respondents have reported eating fast food at least once a week. Our data also indicate that consumption of fruit, vegetables, and whole grains falls below the national and international dietary recommendations.

Functional ability of the elderly in institutional and non-institutional care in Croatia.

PubMed

Tomek-Roksandić, Spomenka; Tomasović-Mrcela, Nada; Narancić, Nina Smolej; Sigl, Gina

2010-09-01

Gerontology-public health indicators of functional ability of the elderly in institutional and non-institutional health care in Croatia were determined by use of expert methodology developed at Department of Gerontology, Dr. Andrija Stampar Institute of Public Health in Zagreb, with the aim to upgrade the Program of Health Care Measures and Procedures in Health Care of the Elderly. Comparison of functional ability between the users of selected Old People's Homes (institutional care; N = 5030) and Gerontology Centers (non-institutional care; N = 2112) yielded highest between-group difference in the proportion of "fully movable" and "fully independent" categories in favor of the latter, thus steering the program of health care for the elderly accordingly. In addition, study results showed greater difference in the proportion of categories describing mental status of institutional and non-institutional care users as compared with the categories describing their physical status, suggesting that mental status plays a more important role than physical status in the geriatric user's stay in non-institutional care versus institutional care. This issue requires additional studies. The results obtained by this indicator analysis pointed to the preventive and geroprophylactic measures to ensure efficient health care for the elderly and to develop the program of mental health promotion and preservation. According to 2007 estimate, there were 759,318 (16.9%) persons aged > or = 65 in Croatia. Data collected at gerontology database kept at Department of Gerontology, Dr. Andrija Stampar Institute of Public Health (September 2008) showed 2% of the elderly (N = 14807) to be accommodated at Old People's Homes, which is below the European average of 4%.

Proceeding of the International Scientific Colloquium: MATHEMATICS AND CHILDREN (How to Teach and Learn Mathematics) (Osijek, Croatia, April 13, 2007)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavlekovic, Margita, Ed.

2007-01-01

The main aim of the Organisational Committee of the international scientific colloquium Mathematics and Children is to encourage additional scientific research in the field of mathematics teaching in Croatia. The development of science and education is a part of a long-term Education Sector Development Plan 2005-2010. Following the example of…

Phylogenetic comparison of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and porcine reproductive respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) strains detected in domestic pigs until 2008 and in 2012 in Croatia.

PubMed

Prpić, Jelena; Keros, Tomislav; Bedeković, Tomislav; Brnić, Dragan; Cvetnić, Zeljko; Roić, Besi; Jemeršić, Lorena

2014-01-01

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) have been present for the last 2 decades in Croatia, causing large economical losses in the pig production. The clinical features of the infections are mostly manifested by the development of respiratory problems, weight loss and poor growth performance, as well as reproductive failure in pregnant sows. Even though the infections are continuously recognized in some regions in Croatia, the heterogeneity of the detected viral strains from 2012 has not yet been investigated. The objective of this study was to compare virus strains of PCV2 and PRRSV detected until 2008 in Croatia with strains isolated in 2012 to gain a better epidemiological understanding of these two infections. PCV2 and PRRSV strains detected in 2012 in fattening pigs from regions where these two diseases have been previously described were compared to strains that have been detected in the same regions within the past two decades. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that the circulating PCV2 and PRRSV strains are distantly related to the previously described Croatian viral strains. However, when compared to known isolates from the GenBank a high genetic identity of PRRSV isolates with isolates from Hungary, Denmark and the Netherlands was found. The results of this study reveal that even though PCV2 and PRRSV are constantly present in the investigated regions in Croatia, the viral strains found in 2012 genetically differ from those detected in earlier years. This indicates that new entries into the pig population appeared with regard to both infections, probably as a result of pig trade.

Dental stigmata and enamel thickness in a probable case of congenital syphilis from XVI century Croatia.

PubMed

Lauc, Tomislav; Fornai, Cinzia; Premužić, Zrinka; Vodanović, Marin; Weber, Gerhard W; Mašić, Boris; Rajić Šikanjić, Petra

2015-10-01

To analyse the dental remains of an individual with signs of congenital syphilis by using macroscopic observation, CBCT and micro-CT images, and the analysis of the enamel thickness. Anthropological analysis of human skeletal remains from the 16th century archaeological site Park Grič in Zagreb, Croatia discovered a female, 17-20 years old at the time of death, with dental signs supportive of congenital syphilis: mulberry molars and canine defects, as well as non-specific hypoplastic changes on incisors. The focus of the analysis was on three aspects: gross morphology, hypoplastic defects of the molars, canines and incisors, as well as enamel thickness of the upper first and second molars. The observed morphology of the first molars corresponds to the typical aspect of mulberry molars, while that of the canines is characterised by hypomineralisation. Hypoplastic grooves were observed on the incisal edges of all incisors. The enamel of the first molars is underdeveloped while in the second molars a thick-enamelled condition is observed. Our observations for the dental and skeletal evidence are supportive to a diagnosis of congenital syphilis for this specimen from XVI century Croatia. The use of CT imaging helped documenting the diagnostic features and quantifying the effect of the dental stigmata on first molars. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Karst flash floods: an example from the Dinaric karst (Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonacci, O.; Ljubenkov, I.; Roje-Bonacci, T.

2006-03-01

Flash floods constitute one of the deadliest and costliest natural disasters worldwide. This paper explains the karst flash flood phenomenon, which represents a special kind of flash flood. As the majority of flash floods karst flash floods are caused by intensive short-term precipitation in an area whose surface rarely exceeds a few square kilometres. The characteristics of all flash floods are their short duration, small areal extent, high flood peaks and rapid flows, and heavy loss of life and property. Karst flash floods have specific characteristics due to special conditions for water circulation, which exist in karst terrains. During karst flash floods a sudden rise of groundwater levels occurs, which causes the appearance of numerous, unexpected, abundant and temporary karst springs. This paper presents in detail an example of a karst flash flood in the Marina bay (Dinaric karst region of Croatia), which occurred in December 2004.

Abortion in Croatia and Slovenia.

PubMed

1992-01-01

In Slovenia abortion will continue to be available during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy as it has been since 1978. The Slovenian Constitutional Court passed this decision in December, 1991 calling the right to abortion a basic human right. T he ruling was a setback both for the government's conservative parties and the Catholic church. In Croatia, where the Catholic church is campaigning against abortion, the situation is quite different. Zagreb is full of stickers and posters with anti-abortion messages branding abortion murder and spreading inaccurate information in announcements. In 1990, there were 56,000 abortions. For every child that was born, one was aborted. The largest Croatian newspaper publicizes the Catholic view. They want pro-choice women of the volunteer group Tresnjevka to stop their struggle. The church and conservative women's groups press for inclusion of abortion in the Constitution. They are very powerful, and the fear is that might soon succeed in restricting or outlawing abortion. Tresnjevka is making efforts to organize a coordination and information center for women in Zagreb where there are 350,000 women and children refugees. Informative brochures are printed on natural healing methods in gynecology, as drugs are very scarce, and addresses for gynecological emergency care are also provided. Abortion has been legally available on demand during the 1st 10 weeks of pregnancy since 1978. Fore year Tresnjevka has worked for women, trying to raise funds from personal donations and from the government for their activities. Funds from foreign countries have never been received. At present many of the group's activities are on hold because of lack of funds, nevertheless the determination to continue fighting is alive.

Current practice in laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases in Croatia. 
Survey of the Working group for laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

PubMed

Kuna, Andrea Tešija; Đerek, Lovorka; Kozmar, Ana; Drvar, Vedrana

2016-10-15

With the trend of increasing incidence of autoimmune diseases, laboratories are faced with exponential growth of the requests for tests relating the diagnosis of these diseases. Unfortunately, the lack of laboratory personnel experienced in this specific discipline of laboratory diagnostic, as well as an unawareness of a method limitation often results in confusion for clinicians. The aim was to gain insight into number and type of Croatian laboratories that perform humoral diagnostics with the final goal to improve and harmonize laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases in Croatia. In order to get insight into current laboratory practice two questionnaires, consisting of 42 questions in total, were created. Surveys were conducted using SurveyMonkey application and were sent to 88 medical biochemistry laboratories in Croatia for the first survey. Out of 33 laboratories that declared to perform diagnostic from the scope, 19 were selected for the second survey based on the tests they pleaded to perform. The survey comprised questions regarding autoantibody hallmarks of systemic autoimmune diseases while regarding organ-specific autoimmune diseases was limited to diseases of liver, gastrointestinal and nervous system. Response rate was high with 80 / 88 (91%) laboratories which answered the first questionnaire, and 19 / 19 (1.0) for the second questionnaire. Obtained results of surveys indicate high heterogeneity in the performance of autoantibody testing among laboratories in Croatia. Results indicate the need of creating recommendations and algorithms in order to harmonize the approach to laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases in Croatia.

31 CFR 585.524 - Humanitarian aid and trade in United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia and those areas of the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Humanitarian aid and trade in United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia and those areas of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina controlled by Bosnian Serb forces. 585.524 Section 585.524 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF...

Antimicrobial Use and Indication-based Prescribing Among General Practitioners in Eastern Croatia: Comparison with Data from the European Surveillance of Antimicrobial Consumption Project

PubMed Central

Vojvodić, Željko

2010-01-01

Aim To investigate antibiotic consumption in a sample of physicians from Osijek-Baranja county in Eastern Croatia and to determine the volume of prescribed antimicrobials and assess the appropriateness of prescribing practices. Methods Analysis of routine prescribing data was carried out in 30 primary care practices in both urban and rural communities of eastern Croatia, corresponding to a total population of 48 000 patients. Prescribing practices were studied over a period of 3 years, from 2003 to 2005. Both the quantity of antimicrobials and differences and similarities between individual practitioners were analyzed. Results Urban and rural practices did not significantly differ in regard to the volume of antimicrobials prescribed. However, significant differences were found between individual physicians. Total consumption was 17.73 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per day or 6456.85 defined daily doses per 1000 inhabitants per year. The 10 most frequently used antimicrobials (93.70% of the total quantity) were amoxicillin, co-amoxiclav, co-trimoxazole, cephalexin, norfloxacin, penicillin V, azithromycin, cefuroxime, doxycycline, and nitrofurantoin. Sore throat was the most frequent reason for prescribing antibiotics. Conclusion Prescription of medicines in Osijek-Baranja county was characterized by high consumption of broad-spectrum penicillins, combined penicillins, combined sulfonamides and long-acting macrolides (azithromycin), together with disproportionately low use of doxycycline and erythromycin. The use of combined sulfonamides and azithromycin in this part of Croatia was among the highest in Europe. Great differences between prescribers in regard to indication-based prescribing have been found, and future studies should examine the factors behind these heterogeneous practices. PMID:21162165

Origin of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) from swine affected by PCV2-associated diseases in Croatia.

PubMed

Novosel, D; Tuboly, T; Csagola, A; Lorincz, M; Cubric-Curik, V; Jungic, A; Curik, I; Segalés, J; Cortey, M; Lipej, Z

2014-04-26

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) causes some of the most significant economic losses in pig production. Several multisystemic syndromes have been attributed to PCV2 infection, which are known as PCV2-associated diseases (PCVDs). This study investigated the origin and evolution of PCV2 sequences in domestic pigs and wild boars affected by PCVDs in Croatia. Viral sequences were recovered from three wild boars diagnosed with PCV2-systemic disease (PCV2-SD), 63 fetuses positive for PCV2 DNA as determined by PCR, 14 domestic pigs affected with PCV2-SD (displaying severe interstitial nephritis) and five domestic pigs with proliferative and necrotising pneumonia. Seventeen complete PCV2 genomes were recovered. Phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses based on median-joining phylogenetic networks, amino acid alignments and principal coordinate analysis were performed using complete genomes, as well as complete and partial ORF sequences for ORF1 and ORF2. Two of the 17 PCV2 sequences belonged to PCV2a, 14 to PCV2b and one was unclustered. PCV2b was the predominant genotype in Croatia and has been linked to international trade as a route of introduction. Correlation between particular viral strains with PCVDs is lacking.

Physical and chemical properties of pomegranate fruit accessions from Croatia.

PubMed

Radunić, Mira; Jukić Špika, Maja; Goreta Ban, Smiljana; Gadže, Jelena; Díaz-Pérez, Juan Carlos; MacLean, Dan

2015-06-15

The objective was to evaluate physical and chemical properties of eight pomegranate accessions (seven cultivars and one wild genotype) collected from the Mediterranean region of Croatia. Accessions showed high variability in fruit weight and size, calyx and peel properties, number of arils per fruit, total aril weight, and aril and juice yield. Variables that define sweet taste, such as low total acidity (TA; 0.37-0.59%), high total soluble solids content (TSS; 12.5-15.0%) and their ratio (TSS/TA) were evaluated, and results generally aligned with sweetness classifications of the fruit. Pomegranate fruit had a high variability in total phenolic content (1985.6-2948.7 mg/L). HPLC-MALDI-TOF/MS analysis showed that accessions with dark red arils had the highest total anthocyanin content, with cyanidin 3-glucoside as the most abundant compound. Principal component analysis revealed great differences in fruit physical characteristics and chemical composition among pomegranate accessions. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water consumption in Iron Age, Roman, and Early Medieval Croatia.

PubMed

Lightfoot, E; Slaus, M; O'Connell, T C

2014-08-01

Patterns of water consumption by past human populations are rarely considered, yet drinking behavior is socially mediated and access to water sources is often socially controlled. Oxygen isotope analysis of archeological human remains is commonly used to identify migrants in the archeological record, but it can also be used to consider water itself, as this technique documents water consumption rather than migration directly. Here, we report an oxygen isotope study of humans and animals from coastal regions of Croatia in the Iron Age, Roman, and Early Medieval periods. The results show that while faunal values have little diachronic variation, the human data vary through time, and there are wide ranges of values within each period. Our interpretation is that this is not solely a result of mobility, but that human behavior can and did lead to human oxygen isotope ratios that are different from that expected from consumption of local precipitation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The newest findings on Red Lake (Dinaric karst of Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrić, Ivo; Jukić, Branimir

2014-05-01

Red Lake in the Dinaric karst (Croatia) is of the deepest karst lakes in the world. Even so, through the history of Red Lake's research there were many controversies in the conclusions and the theories concerning its genesis, geomorphology and hydrology. This work has for a goal to present the newest research results won with the help of emerging technologies based on LiDAR and SoNAR methods. The measurements took place during September 2013. New generation of equipment developed to advance the geoscientific research has been deployed during the field work and the gathered data enabled the analysis which led to a new understanding of the lake's morphology. Some of the results confirmed already known and well documented features of Red Lake whereas others disputed widely accepted assumptions in the scientific community and general public. The objective of this paper is also groundwork for further research in the field of karst hydrology and a new insight on local and regional scale.

Problems with drugs in Croatia.

PubMed

Vrhovac, B

1997-01-01

Croatia has 4.8 million inhabitants, 11,800 physicians, 2000 pharmacists, two now shareholding, pharmaceutical companies (about 6500 employees, total sales of about 350 million US dollars). There are a number of problems due to the war (GNP fell from 3800 to about 1500 US dollars), occupation of 25% of its territory, 0.5 million refugees and lack of resources (139 US dollars/capita for health, about 40 US dollars i.e. 30%!! for drugs)--about three times less than before the aggression. The drug situation is controlled with the help of: (1) donations (approximate value of 600 million US dollars since 1991 from Europe and US), (2) (essential) drug formularies--250 for outpatients, and 580 generic names for various levels of hospital use, (3) special efforts to purchase drugs of good quality at a reasonable price (a kind of tender), (4) control of prescribing (prescriptions, specialists referral) especially by GPs. A new Medicines Act is in preparation and about 1000 generic names are on the market. DRUG EDUCATION: Pharmaca: the Croatian journal of pharmacotherapy has been published since 1962, there are several Drug bulletins (one published since 1975); special chapters on clinical pharmacology in textbooks, translation of three editions of Laurence's textbook with special commentary and adaptation to local needs; ADR spontaneous and intensive monitoring (WHO programme) with a personal feedback to the reporters and regular articles on drug use in a number of periodicals. Data on drug consumption indicates that there is room for improvement of prescribing. There is an enthusiasm for 'vasoactive drugs'--after dipirydamole came oxpentifylline and antimicrobials are always overprescribed. All these problems will hopefully decrease when the war finally stops and when industry (especially tourism) starts being fruitful again. In any case the importance of teaching of pharmacotherapy at the under- and postgraduate level should be recognized. Copyright 1997 by John Wiley

Risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis in Croatia: a matched case-control study.

PubMed

Jurcev-Savicevic, Anamarija; Mulic, Rosanda; Ban, Bozica; Kozul, Karlo; Bacun-Ivcek, Ljiljana; Valic, Jasna; Popijac-Cesar, Gordana; Marinovic-Dunatov, Snjezana; Gotovac, Majda; Simunovic, Aleksandar

2013-10-21

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a necessary, but not sufficient, cause of tuberculosis. A number of studies have addressed the issue of risk factors for tuberculosis development. Croatia is a European country with an incidence rate of 14/100 000 which is slowly decreasing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural and biological risk factors for tuberculosis in Croatia in comparison to other high-income, low-incidence European countries. A total of 300 tuberculosis patients were matched for age, sex and county of residence to 300 controls randomly selected from general practitioners' registers. They were interviewed and their medical records were evaluated for variables broadly described as potential risk factors. In multiple logistic regression, the following factors were significant: parents born in a particular neighbouring county (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (OR = 3.90, 95% CI 2.01-7.58), the lowest level of education (OR = 3.44, 95% CI 1.39-8.50), poor household equipment (OR = 4.72, 95% CI 1.51-14.76), unemployment (OR = 2.69, 95% CI 1.18-6.16), contact with tuberculosis (OR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.27-3.77), former (OR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.19-4.33) and current smoking habits (OR = 2.35, 95% CI 1.27-4.36), diabetes (OR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.05-5.38), a malignant disease (OR = 5.79, 95% CI 1.49-22.42), being underweight in the previous year (OR = 13.57, 95% CI 1.21-152.38). In our study, the identified risk groups for tuberculosis reflect a complex interaction between socioeconomic conditions, lifestyle and non-communicable diseases. Interventions focused on poverty will undoubtedly be useful, but not sufficient. Tuberculosis control would benefit from a combination of broad public health activities aimed at the prevention and control of risky lifestyles and non-communicable diseases, interventions outside the health sector, and efforts to constantly improve the Croatian national tuberculosis programme.

Risk factors for pulmonary tuberculosis in Croatia: a matched case–control study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a necessary, but not sufficient, cause of tuberculosis. A number of studies have addressed the issue of risk factors for tuberculosis development. Croatia is a European country with an incidence rate of 14/100 000 which is slowly decreasing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential demographic, socioeconomic, behavioural and biological risk factors for tuberculosis in Croatia in comparison to other high-income, low-incidence European countries. Methods A total of 300 tuberculosis patients were matched for age, sex and county of residence to 300 controls randomly selected from general practitioners’ registers. They were interviewed and their medical records were evaluated for variables broadly described as potential risk factors. Results In multiple logistic regression, the following factors were significant: parents born in a particular neighbouring county (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (OR = 3.90, 95% CI 2.01-7.58), the lowest level of education (OR = 3.44, 95% CI 1.39-8.50), poor household equipment (OR = 4.72, 95% CI 1.51-14.76), unemployment (OR = 2.69, 95% CI 1.18-6.16), contact with tuberculosis (OR = 2.19, 95% CI 1.27-3.77), former (OR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.19-4.33) and current smoking habits (OR = 2.35, 95% CI 1.27-4.36), diabetes (OR = 2.38, 95% CI 1.05-5.38), a malignant disease (OR = 5.79, 95% CI 1.49-22.42), being underweight in the previous year (OR = 13.57, 95% CI 1.21-152.38). Conclusion In our study, the identified risk groups for tuberculosis reflect a complex interaction between socioeconomic conditions, lifestyle and non-communicable diseases. Interventions focused on poverty will undoubtedly be useful, but not sufficient. Tuberculosis control would benefit from a combination of broad public health activities aimed at the prevention and control of risky lifestyles and non-communicable diseases, interventions outside the health sector, and efforts to constantly

Genetic Diversity and Symbiotic Efficiency of Indigenous Common Bean Rhizobia in Croatia.

PubMed

Pohajda, Ines; Babić, Katarina Huić; Rajnović, Ivana; Kajić, Sanja; Sikora, Sanja

2016-12-01

Nodule bacteria (rhizobia) in symbiotic associations with legumes enable considerable entries of biologically fixed nitrogen into soil. Efforts are therefore made to intensify the natural process of symbiotic nitrogen fixation by legume inoculation. Studies of field populations of rhizobia open up the possibility to preserve and probably exploit some indigenous strains with hidden symbiotic or ecological potentials. The main aim of the present study is to determine genetic diversity of common bean rhizobia isolated from different field sites in central Croatia and to evaluate their symbiotic efficiency and compatibility with host plants. The isolation procedure revealed that most soil samples contained no indigenous common bean rhizobia. The results indicate that the cropping history had a significant impact on the presence of indigenous strains. Although all isolates were found to belong to species Rhizobium leguminosarum , significant genetic diversity at the strain level was determined. Application of both random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC- -PCR) methods resulted in similar grouping of strains. Symbiotic efficiency of indigenous rhizobia as well as their compatibility with two commonly grown bean varieties were tested in field experiments. Application of indigenous rhizobial strains as inoculants resulted in significantly different values of nodulation, seed yield as well as plant nitrogen and seed protein contents. The most abundant nodulation and the highest plant nitrogen and protein contents were determined in plants inoculated with R. leguminosarum strains S 17/2 and S 21/6 . Although, in general, the inoculation had a positive impact on seed yield, differences depending on the applied strain were not determined. The overall results show the high degree of symbiotic efficiency of the specific indigenous strain S 21/6 . These results indicate different symbiotic

31 CFR 585.218 - Trade in United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia and those areas of the Republic of Bosnia and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Trade in United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia and those areas of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina under the control of Bosnian Serb forces. 585.218 Section 585.218 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) OFFICE OF FOREIGN ASSETS...

Current practice in laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases in Croatia. 
Survey of the Working group for laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine

PubMed Central

Kuna, Andrea Tešija; Đerek, Lovorka; Kozmar, Ana; Drvar, Vedrana

2016-01-01

Introduction With the trend of increasing incidence of autoimmune diseases, laboratories are faced with exponential growth of the requests for tests relating the diagnosis of these diseases. Unfortunately, the lack of laboratory personnel experienced in this specific discipline of laboratory diagnostic, as well as an unawareness of a method limitation often results in confusion for clinicians. The aim was to gain insight into number and type of Croatian laboratories that perform humoral diagnostics with the final goal to improve and harmonize laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases in Croatia. Materials and methods In order to get insight into current laboratory practice two questionnaires, consisting of 42 questions in total, were created. Surveys were conducted using SurveyMonkey application and were sent to 88 medical biochemistry laboratories in Croatia for the first survey. Out of 33 laboratories that declared to perform diagnostic from the scope, 19 were selected for the second survey based on the tests they pleaded to perform. The survey comprised questions regarding autoantibody hallmarks of systemic autoimmune diseases while regarding organ-specific autoimmune diseases was limited to diseases of liver, gastrointestinal and nervous system. Results Response rate was high with 80 / 88 (91%) laboratories which answered the first questionnaire, and 19 / 19 (1.0) for the second questionnaire. Obtained results of surveys indicate high heterogeneity in the performance of autoantibody testing among laboratories in Croatia. Conclusions Results indicate the need of creating recommendations and algorithms in order to harmonize the approach to laboratory diagnostics of autoimmune diseases in Croatia. PMID:27812306

The endemic mollusks reveal history of the long-lived Pliocene Lake Slavonia in NW Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandic, Oleg; Kurečić, Tomislav; Neubauer, Thomas A.; Harzhauser, Mathias

2015-04-01

The present investigation deals with the fossil mollusk record of the long-lived Pliocene Lake Slavonia settled in the southern Pannonian Basin. The samples originate from Vukomeričke gorice, a low hill-range situated north of the Kupa River in the area between the towns of Zagreb, Sisak and Karlovac in NW Croatia. Representing the SW margin of the Lake Slavonia the freshwater deposits alternate there with the alluvial series, providing altogether about 400-m-thick, Pliocene continental succession, known in literature by informal name Paludina beds (acc. to a junior synonym of Viviparus). The endemic fauna of the Lake Slavonia became particularly well-known in the late 19th century after Melchior Neumayr demonstrated that the gradual evolutionary change of the mollusk phenotypes toward more complex morphology represents a function of adaptation to environmental change in the paleolake. Even Charles Darwin commented that result as by far the best case which I have ever met with, showing the direct influence of the conditions of life on the organization. The deposition in the Lake Slavonia (~4.5 to ~1.8 Ma) coincides with the Pliocene Climate Optimum (PCO), but captures also the transition into the Pleistocene climate marked by the initial Ice Age pulse at 2.59 Ma. The increase of polar temperatures resulted during PCO in a significant melting of the ice caps leading to a global sea level rise tentatively getting up to 25 m higher than today. Coincidence of the climate and geodynamic settings in southeastern Europe provided conditions supporting extended settlement of lacustrine environments including Lake Slavonia, Lake Kosovo, Lake Transylvania and Lake Dacia, all characterized by explosive adaptive radiations of viviparid snails. In particular, the latter adaptive radiations resulted in the regional phylostratigraphy of Lake Slavonia Viviparus species enabling excellent stratigraphic control for the investigated deposits. Hence, based on this evidence, the

Detection and genetic characterization of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) derived from ticks removed from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and isolated from spleen samples of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Croatia.

PubMed

Jemeršić, Lorena; Dežđek, Danko; Brnić, Dragan; Prpić, Jelena; Janicki, Zdravko; Keros, Tomislav; Roić, Besi; Slavica, Alen; Terzić, Svjetlana; Konjević, Dean; Beck, Relja

2014-02-01

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a growing public health concern in central and northern European countries. Even though TBE is a notifiable disease in Croatia, there is a significant lack of information in regard to vector tick identification, distribution as well as TBE virus prevalence in ticks or animals. The aim of our study was to identify and to investigate the viral prevalence of TBE virus in ticks removed from red fox (Vulpes vulpes) carcasses hunted in endemic areas in northern Croatia and to gain a better insight in the role of wild ungulates, especially red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the maintenance of the TBE virus in the natural cycle. We identified 5 tick species (Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes hexagonus, Haemaphysalis punctata, Dermacentor reticulatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus) removed from 40 red foxes. However, TBE virus was isolated only from adult I. ricinus and I. hexagonus ticks showing a viral prevalence (1.6%) similar to or higher than reported in endemic areas of other European countries. Furthermore, 2 positive spleen samples from 182 red deer (1.1%) were found. Croatian TBE virus isolates were genetically analyzed, and they were shown to be closely related, all belonging to the European TBE virus subgroup. However, on the basis of nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis, 2 clusters were identified. Our results show that further investigation is needed to understand the clustering of isolates and to identify the most common TBE virus reservoir hosts in Croatia. Sentinel surveys based on wild animal species would give a better insight in defining TBE virus-endemic and possible risk areas in Croatia. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Internal and external factors in professional burnout of substance abuse counsellors in Croatia.

PubMed

Tatalović Vorkapić, Sanja; Mustapić, Jelena

2012-01-01

In this study, burnout and its internal and external factors were investigated among substance abuse counsellors (no. = 68) who worked in Centres for Prevention and Substance Abuse Treatment (no. = 18) in Croatia. Maslach Burnout Inventory was used which measured three burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment; and questionnaire of internal and external burnout factors. The higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and the higher level of personal accomplishment were determined. Factors such as work conditions, emotions about us and work, work organization and certain personality traits showed significant relationship with three burnout dimensions. Overall, findings implicated a certain specificity of professional burnout in substance abuse counsellors, and the need for specific design of mental health care for them.

Some deep caves in Biokovo Mountain (Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garasic, Mladen; Garasic, Davor

2014-05-01

The investigation of 3 caves explored more than 1000 meters in depth in the Dinaric karst area in Croatia, has been in progress for a considerable period of time. These are complex speleological features situated in the longest mountain range of the Dinaric karst, i.e. at the Northern Velebit mountain range. In fact, these caves have been studied for over two decades now. The first one is a cave system of Lukina jama (Luke's Cave) - Trojama cave, which has been investigated until the depth of 1421 meters (Jalžić, 2007; Šmida, 1993). Its total length is 3731 meters and a new expedition will soon continue to investigate this pit through speleodiving in siphons. The second greatest cave by depth is Slovačka jama (Slovak Cave), 1320 meters in depth, with cave chanals measuring 5677 meters in total length. The third greatest cave by depth is the Cave system of Velebita, reaching down to 1026 m in depth, with the chanal length of 3176 meters (Bakšić, 2006a; 2006b). However, another 3 speleological sites, which can rightly be added to those deeper than 1000 m, have recently been discovered. These are three caverns that were discovered during construction of the Sveti Ilija Tunnel that passes through Mt. Biokovo, in the Dinaric karst area. These caverns undoubtedly point to the link with the ground surface, while the rock overburden above the tunnel in the zone where the caverns were discovered ranges from 1250 and 1350 meters. Bats from the ground surface were found in the caverns and, according to measurements, they are situated in the depth from 200 and 300 meters below the tunnel level. This would mean that the depth of these newly found caves ranges from 1450 and 1650 m, when observed from the ground surface. There are several hundreds of known caves in Biokovo, and the deepest ones discovered so far are Jama Mokre noge (Wet Feet Cave) 831 m in depth, and Jama Amfora (Amphora Cave) 788 m in depth (Bockovac, 1999; Bakšić & all, 2002; Lacković & all, 2001

Assessing the quality of mental health promotion and prevention in Croatia: the case of Istria.

PubMed

Mihic, Josipa; Novak, Miranda; Hosman, Clemens; Domitrovich, Celene

2017-06-01

While the availability of mental health promotion and prevention programs worldwide is growing, there is divergence in their level of effectiveness that has led to increasing interest in the development of 'effect management' strategies. Mental health promotion and prevention science and practice has a relatively young history in Croatia, but major investments towards its development have been made over the last decade. This paper reports on a research project that took place within the Istrian Region. The long-term goal of the initiative is to establish quality assurance indicators for mental health promotion and prevention interventions. The current study involved adapting the Dutch Preffi 2.0 instrument for use in Croatia. The content of the Preffi reflects the literature regarding research-based effect predictors. An instrument allows users to assess whether programs have been designed and implemented in ways that maximize their ability to be effective. The Preffi scores can be used for improving a program and the quality with which it is implemented. The first aim of the study is to determine if independent researchers can use the Preffi reliably as a quality assessment instrument. The second aim is to use the Preffi to describe the quality of one cohort of mental health promotion and prevention programs. The study represents the first steps toward developing a strategy for quality assurance that strengthens community capacity for effective service delivery and that could inform other countries whose mental health promotion and prevention efforts are in early stages of development. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Discriminant function sexing of fragmentary and complete femora: standards for contemporary Croatia.

PubMed

Slaus, Mario; Strinović, Davor; Skavić, Josip; Petrovecki, Vedrana

2003-05-01

Determining sex is one of the first and most important steps in identifying decomposed corpses or skeletal remains. Previous studies have demonstrated that populations differ from each other in size and proportion and that these differences can affect metric assessment of sex. This paper establishes standards for determining sex from fragmentary and complete femurs in a modern Croatian population. The sample is composed of 195 femora (104 male and 91 female) from positively identified victims of the 1991 War in Croatia. Six discriminant functions were generated. one using seven variables, three using two variables, and two employing one variable. Results show that complete femora can be sexed with 94.4% accuracy. The same overall accuracy, with slight differences in male/female accuracy, was achieved using a combination of two variables defining the epiphyses, and with the variable maximum diameter of the femoral head.

Citrinin in cereals and feedstuffs coming from Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

PubMed

Pleadin, Jelka; Frece, Jadranka; Kudumija, Nina; Petrović, Danijela; Vasilj, Višnja; Zadravec, Manuela; Škrivanko, Mario; Perković, Irena; Markov, Ksenija

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of citrinin in different cereals (n = 341) and feedstuffs (n = 67) coming from farms and feed factories established in Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The highest mean citrinin concentration (103 ± 102 µg/kg) was observed in cereals sampled in Bosnia & Herzegovina during 2014, although significantly different levels between the two countries were not observed. Across the cereal samples, the maximal citrinin concentration was determined in wheat (429 µg/kg), while across the feedstuffs, the highest concentration was found in pig feed (63 µg/kg). Despite of the increased citrinin levels found in some samples, especially wheat, the obtained values cannot be compared against the maximum limits, since no such levels are stipulated under the applicable legislation. But, given that data on citrinin are very scarce, they can serve as an indicator of cereal and feed contamination in this part of Europe.

Brijuni Conference (10th), Imaging in Space and Time. Held in Brijuni, Croatia on 28 August-1 September 2006

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-01

Solitons in Photonic Lattices 9.40-10.00 discussion 10.00-10.40 S. Tsai: Imaging the quantum coherence: Readout for superconducting multi-qubit system...dynamics in the few-cycle pulse limit 11.40-11.50 discussion 11.50-12.10 T. Ban: Manipulations of the atom velocity with femtosecond laser frequency comb...Conference X, Brijuni, Croatia, 28.08.-01.09.2006. MANIPULATION OF THE ATOM VELOCITY WITH FEMTOSECOND LASER FREQUENCY COMB Ticijana Ban, D. Aumiler, H

Repeat HIV Testing at Voluntary Testing and Counseling Centers in Croatia: Successful HIV Prevention or Failure to Modify Risk Behaviors?

PubMed Central

Matković Puljić, Vlatka; Kosanović Ličina, Mirjana Lana; Kavić, Marija; Nemeth Blažić, Tatjana

2014-01-01

HIV testing plays a critical role in preventing the spread of the virus and identifying infected individuals in need of care. Voluntary counseling and testing centers (VCTs) not only conduct testing but they also provide counseling. Since a proportion of people who test negative for HIV on their previous visit will return for retesting, the frequency of retesting and the characteristics of those who retest may provide insights into the efficacy of testing and counseling strategies. In this cross-sectional, retrospective study of 1,482 VCT clients in Croatia in 2010, 44.3% had been tested for HIV before. The rate of repeat HIV testing is lower in Croatia than in other countries. Men who have sex with men (MSM) clients, those with three or more sexual partners in the last 12 months, consistent condom users with steady partners, and intravenous drug users were more likely to be repeat testers. This finding suggests that clients presenting for repeat HIV testing are those who self-identify as being at a higher risk of infection. Our data showed that testing positive for HIV was not associated with repeat testing. However, the effects of repeat testing on HIV epidemiology needs to be explored. PMID:24705595

Influenza vaccination prevalence and demographic factors of patients and GPs in primary care in Austria and Croatia: a cross-sectional comparative study in the framework of the APRES project.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Kathryn; Paget, John; Wojczewski, Silvia; Katic, Milica; Maier, Manfred; Soldo, Dragan

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to compare influenza vaccination coverage rates in Austria and Croatia, countries with missing data in the Eurosurveillance and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports. In addition, we assessed demographic factors of GPs and patients and calculated associations regarding vaccination rates. This cross-sectional study was conducted within the context of thethe appropriateness of prescribing antibiotics in primary health care in Europe with respect to antibiotic resistance (APRES) project. Between November 2010 and July 2011, 40 GP practices attempted to recruit 200 patients to complete questionnaires about their influenza vaccination status and demographics. Statistical analyses included subgroup analyses and logistic regression models. Data from 7269 patient questionnaires could be analyzed (3309 Austria and 3960 Croatia). The vaccination coverage rates were low (2009/2010: A 18.2 vs. C 20.9%, P < 0.001; 2010/2011: A 13.7 vs. C 18.6%; P < 0.001). The rates were found to be highest in persons aged 65 years and older (2009/2010: A 35.1 vs. C 49.5%, P < 0.001; 2010/2011: A 31.1 vs. C 45.7%, P < 0.001) and lowest in children (2009/2010: A 8.5 vs. C 2.0%, P < 0.001; 2010/2011: A 4.3 vs. C 1.6%, P = 0.002). Besides, demographics in the adjusted regression model for Austria being vaccinated was associated with consulting a female GP (OR, 4.20; P < 0.001) and in Croatia with five or more GP consultations per year (OR, 4.41; P < 0.001). The vaccination coverage rates for Austria and Croatia were low, with the highest rates found in persons aged 65 years and older, showing that public coverage of the vaccination costs might increase vaccination rates. However, other factors seem to be relevant, including the engagement of GPs. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Construction of the bridge in the cavern in the Vrata tunnel (Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garasic, Mladen; Sasa Kovacevic, Meho; Juric-Kacunic, Danijela

2010-05-01

In the Dinaric karst system in Croatia some 11500 speleological objects have been explored so far, more than 1000 of which were discovered during construction works. Such speleological objects without natural entrance on the terrain surface (which are called "caverns") have been discovered on the construction sites of the highways. Over the past twenty years they have been systematically investigated and treated. A special kind of remediation was conducted in the cavern's large hall of the "Vrata" tunnel on the Zagreb - Rijeka highway. Due to size, shape, cavern's position and hydrogeological parameters (fissured and karstified aquifers) within the karst system it was necessary to design and construct a 58 m bridge over the cavern. In addition, the cavern's vault had to be reinforced and stabilized, as the overburden was very thin. The beam-and -stringer grid with special anchors was used. The cavern's rehabilitation in the "Vrata" tunnel was a unique undertaking, and the bridge (without piers) is the cavern's longest bridge in the world. A speleological object of large dimensions was discovered in the "Vrata"tunnel's right tube on the Rijeka-Zagreb highway. Speleological, geotechnical, engineering geological and hydrogeological investigation works were carried out for the purpose of preservation the speleological object (cavern). On the basis of classification results of rock masses and conducted numerical analyses the support system for the cavern's vault stabilization was selected. The support system's elements include the beam-and-stringer grid constructed on the terrain's surface above the cavern, tendons and geotechnical anchors. To ensure stability of the speleological object, and to conduct the backward numerical analyses the measurement of vertical deformations from the terrain's surface along the rock's mass by means of sliding micrometers was undertaken. Backward numerical analyses combined with geotechnical measurements enable safer and more rational

The late Neandertal supraorbital fossils from Vindija Cave, Croatia: a biased sample?

PubMed

Ahern, James C M; Lee, Sang-Hee; Hawks, John D

2002-09-01

The late Neandertal sample from Vindija (Croatia) has been described as transitional between the earlier Central European Neandertals from Krapina (Croatia) and modern humans. However, the morphological differences indicating this transition may rather be the result of different sex and/or age compositions between the samples. This study tests the hypothesis that the metric differences between the Krapina and Vindija supraorbital samples are due to sampling bias. We focus upon the supraorbital region because past studies have posited this region as particularly indicative of the Vindija sample's transitional nature. Furthermore, the supraorbital region varies significantly with both age and sex. We analyzed four chords and two derived indices of supraorbital torus form as defined by Smith & Ranyard (1980, Am. J. phys. Anthrop.93, pp. 589-610). For each variable, we analyzed relative sample bias of the Krapina and Vindija samples using three sampling methods. In order to test the hypothesis that the Vindija sample contains an over-representation of females and/or young while the Krapina sample is normal or also female/young biased, we determined the probability of drawing a sample of the same size as and with a mean equal to or less than Vindija's from a Krapina-based population. In order to test the hypothesis that the Vindija sample is female/young biased while the Krapina sample is male/old biased, we determined the probability of drawing a sample of the same size as and with a mean equal or less than Vindija's from a generated population whose mean is halfway between Krapina's and Vindija's. Finally, in order to test the hypothesis that the Vindija sample is normal while the Krapina sample contains an over-representation of males and/or old, we determined the probability of drawing a sample of the same size as and with a mean equal to or greater than Krapina's from a Vindija-based population. Unless we assume that the Vindija sample is female/young and the

[Clinical picture of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in Croatia].

PubMed

Kuzman, Ilija

2003-01-01

Among many viral hemorrhagic fevers, only hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) occurs in Croatia. HFRS is a natural focus zoonosis with sudden onset, characterized by high fever and other clinical symptoms, renal insufficiency and hemorrhages. In Croatia, HFRS is caused by two types of hantaviruses--Puumala (PUU) and Dobrava (DOB). The basic pathologic and patophysiologic disorder in HFRS is capillary damage (vasculitis). Incubation of HFRS has not been precisely determined, it is most frequently around two weeks. The disease onset is usually abrupt. At the beginning, general symptoms include high fever and myalgias, especially in the lumbar region, and abdominal pain, as well as strong headaches, malaise and nausea, and often vomiting or diarrhea. In half of the patients respiratory symptoms occur. Later on, some patients may experience hypotension, oliguria and other signs of renal failure, and apart from petechial, severe hemorrhages may also occur in other organs. During typical clinical presentation of the disease, some characteristic symptoms are clearly distinguished in particular stages of the disease. Therefore, the course of HFRS is usually divided into five distinct stages (febrile, hypotensive, oliguric, polyuric and convalescent). Such a course of the disease is more commonly present in case of DOB virus than PUU virus infection. The febrile stage with sudden onset usually lasts from 3 to 7 days, when thrombocytopenia and hemoconcentration, as well as albuminuria and hematuria are almost always recorded. The hypotensive stage lasts from one to 2 days on an average and is characterized by lower blood pressure and signs of renal failure. The oliguric stage usually starts at the beginning of the second week of the disease, when extensive hemorrhage may occur and urea and creatinine reach their highest values. The oliguric stage is followed by the polyuric stage which can last for up to two weeks, and is characterized by excretion of a large

Laboratory testing of extravascular body fluids in Croatia: a survey of the Working group for extravascular body fluids of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

PubMed

Kopcinovic, Lara Milevoj; Vogrinc, Zeljka; Kocijan, Irena; Culej, Jelena; Aralica, Merica; Jokic, Anja; Antoncic, Dragana; Bozovic, Marija

2016-10-15

We hypothesized that extravascular body fluid (EBF) analysis in Croatia is not harmonized and aimed to investigate preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical procedures used in EBF analysis in order to identify key aspects that should be addressed in future harmonization attempts. An anonymous online survey created to explore laboratory testing of EBF was sent to secondary, tertiary and private health care Medical Biochemistry Laboratories (MBLs) in Croatia. Statements were designed to address preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical procedures of cerebrospinal, pleural, peritoneal (ascites), pericardial, seminal, synovial, amniotic fluid and sweat. Participants were asked to declare the strength of agreement with proposed statements using a Likert scale. Mean scores for corresponding separate statements divided according to health care setting were calculated and compared. The survey response rate was 0.64 (58 / 90). None of the participating private MBLs declared to analyse EBF. We report a mean score of 3.45 obtained for all statements evaluated. Deviations from desirable procedures were demonstrated in all EBF testing phases. Minor differences in procedures used for EBF analysis comparing secondary and tertiary health care MBLs were found. The lowest scores were obtained for statements regarding quality control procedures in EBF analysis, participation in proficiency testing programmes and provision of interpretative comments on EBF's test reports. Although good laboratory EBF practice is present in Croatia, procedures for EBF analysis should be further harmonized to improve the quality of EBF testing and patient safety.

Laboratory testing of extravascular body fluids in Croatia: a survey of the Working group for extravascular body fluids of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine

PubMed Central

Kopcinovic, Lara Milevoj; Vogrinc, Zeljka; Kocijan, Irena; Culej, Jelena; Aralica, Merica; Jokic, Anja; Antoncic, Dragana; Bozovic, Marija

2016-01-01

Introduction We hypothesized that extravascular body fluid (EBF) analysis in Croatia is not harmonized and aimed to investigate preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical procedures used in EBF analysis in order to identify key aspects that should be addressed in future harmonization attempts. Materials and methods An anonymous online survey created to explore laboratory testing of EBF was sent to secondary, tertiary and private health care Medical Biochemistry Laboratories (MBLs) in Croatia. Statements were designed to address preanalytical, analytical and postanalytical procedures of cerebrospinal, pleural, peritoneal (ascites), pericardial, seminal, synovial, amniotic fluid and sweat. Participants were asked to declare the strength of agreement with proposed statements using a Likert scale. Mean scores for corresponding separate statements divided according to health care setting were calculated and compared. Results The survey response rate was 0.64 (58 / 90). None of the participating private MBLs declared to analyse EBF. We report a mean score of 3.45 obtained for all statements evaluated. Deviations from desirable procedures were demonstrated in all EBF testing phases. Minor differences in procedures used for EBF analysis comparing secondary and tertiary health care MBLs were found. The lowest scores were obtained for statements regarding quality control procedures in EBF analysis, participation in proficiency testing programmes and provision of interpretative comments on EBF’s test reports. Conclusions Although good laboratory EBF practice is present in Croatia, procedures for EBF analysis should be further harmonized to improve the quality of EBF testing and patient safety. PMID:27812307

Manuscript containing a collection of medical recipes written in 1776 by a Catholic priest Petar Kastelan of Croatia.

PubMed

Kujundzic, Nikola; Glibota, Milan; Skrobonja, Ante; Gasparac, Petra

2008-01-01

Over the past centuries, manuscripts containing collections of folk recipes for the treatment of diseases were written mostly by Catholic priests in Croatia. They were used to prepare remedies and gave directions for their use. These writings provide valuable information for ethnographers and historians of pharmacy and medicine. They describe the types and frequency of diseases afflicting humans and domestic animals in the past, development of ethnopharmacology, folk medical terminology, names of medicinal herbs, and the interaction between folk and science medicine. This is why they need a multidisciplinary approach to be evaluated properly. This paper presents the 1776 Medicine Book by a priest Petar Kastelan from southern Croatia (Dalmatia). It was found in a private archive and has not yet been published. The collection is written in the Croatian Cyrillic script, which was mostly used from the Middle Ages to the second half of the 19th century by Catholic priests when they wanted to write in Croatian. The collection contains 250 recipes for human medical practice and 10 recipes for veterinary medical practice. Thirty recipes contain household advice. Materia medica of the manuscript is mostly composed of drugs of plant origin. Remedies of animal and mineral origin are also included, but to a smaller extent. Valuable information is given about the folk names for diseases and medicinal plants as well as descriptions of the ways of preparing remedies. Prayers for healing, void of sorcery and magic, are also included.

Test and evaluation of Japanese GPR-EMI dual sensor systems at Benkovac test site in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishikawa, J.; Furuta, K.; Pavković, Nikola

2007-04-01

This paper presents an experimental design and the evaluation result of a trial that were carried out from 1 February to 9 March 2006 using real PMA-1A and PMA-2 landmines at the Benkovac test site in Croatia. The objective of the Croatia- Japan joint trial is to evaluate dual sensor systems, which use both ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electromagnetic inductive (EMI) sensors. A comparative trial was also carried out by Croatian deminers using an existing EMI sensor, i.e., a metal detector (MD). The trial aims at evaluating differences in performance between dual sensors and MDs, especially in terms of discrimination of landmines from metal fragments and extension of detectable range in the depth direction. Devices evaluated here are 4 prototypes of anti-personnel landmine detection systems developed under a project of the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the supervising authority of which is the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The prototypes provide operators with subsurface images, and final decision whether a shadow in the image is a real landmine or not is left to the operator. This is similar to the way that medical doctors find cancer by reading CT images. Since operators' pre-knowledge of locations of buried targets significantly influences the test result, three test lanes, which have 3 different kinds of soils, have been designed to be suitable for blind tests. The result showed that the dual sensor systems have a potential to discriminate landmines from metal fragments and that probability of detection for small targets in mineralized soils can be improved by using GPR.

Initiatives to improve prescribing efficiency for drugs to treat Parkinson's disease in Croatia: influence and future directions.

PubMed

Brkicic, Ljiljana Sovic; Godman, Brian; Voncina, Luka; Sovic, Slavica; Relja, Maja

2012-06-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurological disease affecting older adults. Consequently, this disease should be a focus among payers, with increasing utilization of newer premium-priced patent-protected add-on therapies to stabilize or even improve motor function over time. However, expenditure can be moderated by reforms. Consequently, there is a need to assess the influence of these reforms on the prescribing efficiency for drugs to treat PD in Croatia before proposing additional measures. Prescribing efficiency is defined as increasing the use of add-on therapies for similar expenditure. An observational retrospective study of the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance database of drugs to treat patients with PD in Croatia from 2000 to 2010 was carried out, with utilization measured in defined daily doses (defined as the average maintenance dose of a drug when used in its major indication in adults). The study years were chosen to reflect recent reforms. Only reimbursed expenditure is measured from a health insurance perspective. Utilization of drugs to treat PD increased by 218% between 2000 and 2010. Reimbursed expenditure increased by 360%, principally driven by increasing utilization of premium-priced patent-protected add-on therapies, including ropinirole and pramipexole. However, following recent reforms, reducing expenditure/defined daily dose for the different drugs, as well as overall expenditure, stabilized reimbursed expenditure between 2005 and 2010. Treatment of PD is complex, and add-on therapies are needed to improve care. Reimbursed expenditure should now fall following stabilization, despite increasing volumes, as successive add-on therapies lose their patents, further increasing prescribing efficiency.

Volatiles from a rare Acer spp. honey sample from Croatia.

PubMed

Jerković, Igor; Marijanović, Zvonimir; Malenica-Staver, Mladenka; Lusić, Drazen

2010-06-24

A rare sample of maple (Acer spp.) honey from Croatia was analysed. Ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) using: 1) pentane, 2) diethyl ether, 3) a mixture of pentane and diethyl ether (1:2 v/v) and 4) dichloromethane as solvents was applied. All the extracts were analysed by GC and GC/MS. The most representative extracts were 3) and 4). Syringaldehyde was the most striking compound, being dominant in the extracts 2), 3) and 4) with percentages 34.5%, 33.1% and 35.9%, respectively. In comparison to USE results of other single Croatian tree honey samples (Robinia pseudoacacia L. nectar honey, Salix spp. nectar and honeydew honeys, Quercus frainetto Ten. honeydew as well as Abies alba Mill. and Picea abies L. honeydew) and literature data the presence of syringaldehyde, previously identified in maple sap and syrup, can be pointed out as a distinct characteristic of the Acer spp. honey sample. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with GC and GC/MS identified benzaldehyde (16.5%), trans-linalool oxide (20.5%) and 2-phenylethanol (14.9%) as the major compounds that are common in different honey headspace compositions.

Urinary analysis reveals high deoxynivalenol exposure in pregnant women from Croatia.

PubMed

Sarkanj, Bojan; Warth, Benedikt; Uhlig, Silvio; Abia, Wilfred A; Sulyok, Michael; Klapec, Tomislav; Krska, Rudolf; Banjari, Ines

2013-12-01

In this pilot survey the levels of various mycotoxin biomarkers were determined in third trimester pregnant women from eastern Croatia. First void urine samples were collected and analysed using a "dilute and shoot" LC-ESI-MS/MS multi biomarker method. Deoxynivalenol (DON) and its metabolites: deoxynivalenol-15-glucuronide and deoxynivalenol-3-glucuronide were detected in 97.5% of the studied samples, partly at exceptionally high levels, while ochratoxin A was found in 10% of the samples. DON exposure was primarily reflected by the presence of deoxynivalenol-15-glucuronide with a mean concentration of 120 μg L(-1), while free DON was detected with a mean concentration of 18.3 μg L(-1). Several highly contaminated urine samples contained a third DON conjugate, tentatively identified as deoxynivalenol-7-glucuronide by MS/MS scans. The levels of urinary DON and its metabolites measured in this study are the highest ever reported, and 48% of subjects were estimated to exceed the provisional maximum tolerable daily intake (1 μg kg(-1) b.w.). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in Croatia between 1986 and 2005.

PubMed

Puljiz, Ivan; Begovac, Josip

2006-12-01

A retrospective medical chart review was performed on 65 HIV-infected patients with tuberculosis hospitalized between 1986 and 2006 at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases "Dr. Fran Mihaljević", Zagreb. Thirty two patients presented with pulmonary involvement, 13 with extrapulmonary, and 20 patients had disseminated tuberculosis. Forty five patients had an abnormal chest X-ray. Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified in 35 (53.9%) patients. Ten (15.3%) of 65 patients had already been receiving antiviral therapy, while another 31 (47.7%) initiated antiviral therapy after antituberculosis therapy. Tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome was observed in 11/27 (40.7%) patients. Forty one patient received the standard six month course of antituberculous therapy, while in 12 patients the therapy was prolonged. Twenty one patient (32%) experienced an adverse event to antituberculosis drugs. Twelve patients died (18.5%). After the introduction of highly active antiviral therapy (HAART) the mortality decreased. The incidence of tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in Croatia is increasing, and tuberculosis is still an important opportunistic infection in our HIV-infected patients.

Conflict between work and family roles and satisfaction among nurses in different shift systems in Croatia: a questionnaire survey.

PubMed

Simunić, Ana; Gregov, Ljiljana

2012-06-01

The objective of this study was to examine the perception of conflict between work and family roles and job, family, and life satisfaction among nurses in Croatia. One hundred and twenty-nine nurses (married mothers) working in hospitals in Zadar, Šibenik, and Split were divided in four groups according to their worktime schedule. The participants completed a survey, which included a set of sociodemographic-type questions, questions about the level and allocation of family responsibilities between spouses, and scales measuring the perceived negative effects of worktime, psychological demands of the work, work-family conflict, and semantic differential scales for measuring the affective and cognitive-evaluative component of job, family, and life satisfaction. This was the first study in Croatia to deal with work-family conflict among nurses or workers with different shift systems.The results of this study indicate that nurses working morning shifts only experienced less conflict between work and family than other groups of nurses, who worked the morning, afternoon, and the night shift. The cognitive-evaluative component of job satisfaction was the highest among morning shift nurses and the lowest in nurses who worked 12-hour shifts, while the affective component of life satisfaction was the lowest in nurses working irregular and backward rotated shifts. These results confirm that shiftwork makes the work-family role conflict even worse. They also support the view that the type of shift rotation matters.

Secular trend of menarche in Zagreb (Croatia) adolescents.

PubMed

Veček, Nenad; Veček, Andrea; Zajc Petranović, Matea; Tomas, Zeljka; Arch-Veček, Branka; Skarić-Jurić, Tatjana; Miličić, Jasna

2012-01-01

To study the secular trend of menarche in high-school urban adolescent girls (Zagreb, Croatia) over the last two decades, and to evaluate the possible impact of worsening of socio-economic conditions on age at menarche during the Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995). Three surveys of female adolescents aged 15-19 years: (a) 523 girls interviewed in 1990, (b) 888 girls interviewed in 1997, and (c) 399 girls interviewed in 2010. Self-reported age at menarche (in decimal years) was presented by age groups and year of interview. Differences in mean age at menarche between adolescent age groups as well as between surveys were tested using One-way ANOVA. The mean age at menarche was 12.82 years in 1990, 12.92 years in 1997 and 12.31 years in 2010. It increased by 0.10 years from 1990 to 1997 (p=0.290) and then declined by 0.61 years from 1997 to 2010 (p<0.001). Over the 20-year period, the overall mean age at menarche declined by 0.51 years (p<0.001). The age at menarche in Zagreb adolescents continued to decline significantly from 1990 to 2010 (p<0.001), in spite of a statistically insignificant initial increase between 1990 and 1997. When put in broader context, age at menarche mirrored socio-economic changes in the war period. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Primary healthcare information system--the cornerstone for the next generation healthcare sector in Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Koncar, Miroslav; Gvozdanović, Darko

2006-01-01

At no time in the history of medicine has the growth in knowledge and technologies been so profound [Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, Institute of Medicine (IOM), 2001. ISBN 0-309-07280-8]. However, healthcare delivery systems today are not able to keep up with the pace. Studies have shown that it takes an average of about 17 years for new knowledge generated by randomized trials to be incorporated into practice [B. Andrew, S. Boren, Managing clinical knowledge for health care improvement, in: Yearbook of Medical Informatics, National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MD, 2000, pp. 65-70]. It is safe to say that today healthcare systems "have the data, but not information". In order to provide highest quality patient care, Republic of Croatia has started the process of introducing enterprise information systems to support business processes in the healthcare domain. Two major requirements are in focus: to provide efficient healthcare related data management in support of decision-making processes; and to support continuous process of healthcare resources spending optimization. The first initiated project refers to Primary Healthcare Information System (PHCIS) that provides domain of primary care with state-of-the-art enterprise information system that connects General Practitioners, Pediatricians and Gynecologists offices with the Croatian Institute for Health Insurance and Public Health Institute. In the years to come, PHCIS will serve as the main integration platform for connecting all other stakeholders and levels of healthcare (e.g. hospitals, pharmacies, laboratories) into single enterprise healthcare network. This article gives an overview of PHCIS, explains challenges that were faced in designing and implementing the system, and elaborates PHCIS role as the cornerstone for the next generation healthcare provisioning in Republic of Croatia.

History of Orthodontic Treatment, Treatment Needs and Influencing Factors in Adolescents in Croatia.

PubMed

Špalj, Stjepan; Katić, Višnja; Vidaković, Renata; Šlaj, Martina; Šlaj, Mladen

2016-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the orthodontic treatment needs of adolescents in Zagreb, Croatia, in relation to their orthodontic treatment history, caries experience and socio-demographic parameters. The study sample comprised 1,289 adolescents from 12 randomly selected public schools in Zagreb, Croatia. The subjects were 15-18 years old (mean age 16.3±1.4), and 51% of them were girls. The Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI), the sum of the numbers of decayed, missing and filled teeth (DMFT index), and a questionnaire (covering socio-demographic issues, oral health-related attitudes and behaviours) were employed in this study. The data was analyzed by means of Chi-square test, analysis of variance, and multiple logistic regression models. The DMFT score was higher in adolescents with no orthodontic history (5.2±3.7) than in those who were under orthodontic treatment at the time of the research (4.5±3.2; p=0.043). More than 60% of the adolescents have never undergone any orthodontic treatment, around 24% previously undergone treatment and 15% were under treatment at the time of the research. Overall, 85% of the adolescents' orthodontic appliances were removable, and the girls were more often under orthodontic treatment. One fifth of the studied population had severe or very severe malocclusion. Adolescents with previous orthodontic treatment were more often interested in better teeth alignment, changes in their teeth positioning and continuing orthodontic treatment. Multiple logistic regression model demonstrated that previously treated adolescents, in comparison with their untreated peers, were on average older (p=0.002), were less satisfied with the appearance of their teeth (p=0.001), they had higher malocclusion severity (p=0.046), and fewer dental caries (p<0.001), changed toothbrushes more often (p=0.012), and their mothers attained higher education (p<0.001). Although many adolescents received orthodontic treatment, the severity of their malocclusion was

Attributions of poverty among social work and non-social work students in Croatia.

PubMed

Ljubotina, Olja Druzić; Ljubotina, Damir

2007-10-01

To investigate how students in Croatia perceive causes of poverty and to examine the differences in attributions of poverty between students of social work, economics, and agriculture. The study included 365 participants, students of social work (n=143), economics (n=137), and agriculture (n=82). We used the newly developed Attribution of Poverty Scale, consisting of 4 factors, as follows: individual causes of poverty (eg, lack of skills and capabilities, lack of effort, poor money management, alcohol abuse); micro-environmental causes (eg, poor family, region, single parenthood); structural/societal causes (eg, poor economy, consequences of political transition, war); and fatalistic causes (eg, bad luck, fate, God's will). We also used a questionnaire that measured 5 dimensions of students' personal values: humanistic values, family values, striving for self-actualization, traditional values, and hedonistic values. In both questionnaires, items were rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale. Students of all three faculties put most emphasis on structural causes of poverty (mean+/-standard deviation=3.54+/-0.76 on a 1-5 scale), followed by environmental (3.18+/-0.60), individual (2.95+/-0.68), and fatalistic causes (1.81+/-0.74). Social work students perceived individual factors as significantly less important causes of poverty (ANOVA, F-value=12.55, P<0.001) than students of economics and agriculture. We found a correlation between humanistic values and perceived structural (r=0.267, P<0.001) and micro-environmental causes of poverty (r=0.185, P<0.001), and also between traditional values and structural (r=0.168, P<0.001), micro-environmental (r=0.170, P<0.001), and fatalistic causes of poverty (r=0.149, P<0.001). Students see structural/societal factors, such as poor economy and political transition as main causes of poverty in Croatia. Individual factors connected with individual's personal characteristics were considered less important, while luck and fate were

The town of Cabar, Croatia, familiar pseudocluster for multiple sclerosis--descriptive epidemiological study.

PubMed

Perković, Olivio; Jurjević, Ante; Antoncić, Igor; Dunatov, Sinisa; Bralić, Marina; Ristić, Smiljana

2010-04-01

Previous descriptive surveys in the town of Cabar, Croatia carried out by our own epidemiological research group, have established that this area is at high risk for MS. To confirm the above assumption and to update MS frequency in this area we conducted a community-based intensive prevalence and incidence study. On December 31st 2001, the average prevalence was 205.7 per 100,000 with prevailing age-specific prevalence in the group of patients between 30 and 49 years of age. The average incidence (1948-2004) was 5.52/100.000 population per year (95% CI = 3.27-8.72), average mortality in the year was 2.76/100 000 inhabitants (95% CI = 1.26-5.24). Sexual index stood at 1:11, starting time was 10:04 +/- 28.53 in the year, and the average duration of the disease to the prevalence 11:11 +/- 27.26 years.

Development of the competitive business in the context of environmental legislation in Croatia.

PubMed

Matesić, Mirjana; Kalambura, Sanja; Bacun, Dubravka

2014-03-01

Environmental protection has a key role in the context of crisis management. It is not just about development of the industry of environmental protection and implementation of new ways of management in innovative solutions in solving problems. Important area of improvement is also revision of environmental legislation aiming at simplification and reduction of costs of procedures for the business. This paper discusses problems of business sector in Croatia related to transposition of demanding environmental EU regulation, it suggests improvements such as simplification of special waste management systems, of environmental impact assessments processes, environmental permitting etc. The paper considers revision of environmental protection not by lowering environmental standards, but by introducing transparent and compromising models between business and environmental protection, based on sustainable development, with control mechanisms which don't impact functioning of business sector (and its competitiveness), therefore allowing successful protection of environment and its renewable and non-renewable resources.

The impact of implementation of the requirements of Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and financial costs in the Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Palačić, Darko

2017-06-01

This article contains the results of research into the impact of implementation of the requirements mentioned in Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and the financial costs incurred in this way. The study was conducted on a determined sample by a written questionnaire survey method in the Republic of Croatia. The objective of the empirical research is to determine the impact of implementation of the requirements of Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and financial costs in Croatia in business organizations that implement these requirements. To provide a broader picture, the research included the collection and analysis of data on the impact of the Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 on accidents and fatalities at work. Research findings are based on the analysis of performed statistical data where correlation and regression analysis has been applied.

Distribution of trace elements in the coastal sea sediments of Maslinica Bay, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikulic, Nenad; Orescanin, Visnja; Elez, Loris; Pavicic, Ljiljana; Pezelj, Durdica; Lovrencic, Ivanka; Lulic, Stipe

2008-02-01

Spatial distributions of trace elements in the coastal sea sediments and water of Maslinica Bay (Southern Adriatic), Croatia and possible changes in marine flora and foraminifera communities due to pollution were investigated. Macro, micro and trace elements’ distributions in five granulometric fractions were determined for each sediment sample. Bulk sediment samples were also subjected to leaching tests. Elemental concentrations in sediments, sediment extracts and seawater were measured by source excited energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF). Concentrations of the elements Cr, Cu, Zn, and Pb in bulk sediment samples taken in the Maslinica Bay were from 2.1 to over six times enriched when compared with the background level determined for coarse grained carbonate sediments. A low degree of trace elements leaching determined for bulk sediments pointed to strong bonding of trace elements to sediment mineral phases. The analyses of marine flora pointed to higher eutrophication, which disturbs the balance between communities and natural habitats.

Preventive health care for women in Croatia: ongoing trends from 1995 to 2012.

PubMed

Pavlov, Renata; Babič, Ivana; Trstenjak, Vlatka Hajdinjak; Srček, Igor; Sošić, Zvonko

2014-12-01

The privatization of gynecological services and the introduction of additional reimbursements to capitation fees are ongoing mini reforms in Croatia. In order to evaluate the outcomes of this, study was performed with the main aim of determining trends in preventive activities carried out in public and private gynecological practices from 1995 to 2012. The Croatian Health Service Yearbooks served as the basis for data collection. Data were collected on the number of general check-ups, the number of targeted check-ups, and the number of follow-up check-ups. The results indicate a trend of continuous decline in the number of general and follow-up check-ups, as well as breast examinations and Pap smears, in public gynecological practices even after the introduction of contractual obligations and additional reimbursements and fee-for-service payments. One important note is that many resources were invested in general checks-up interventions, which proved to be ineffective, while fewer resources were invested in the more effective Pap smear interventions.

Forecasting ozone concentrations in the east of Croatia using nonparametric Neural Network Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovač-Andrić, Elvira; Sheta, Alaa; Faris, Hossam; Gajdošik, Martina Šrajer

2016-07-01

Ozone is one of the most significant secondary pollutants with numerous negative effects on human health and environment including plants and vegetation. Therefore, more effort is made recently by governments and associations to predict ozone concentrations which could help in establishing better plans and regulation for environment protection. In this study, we use two Artificial Neural Network based approaches (MPL and RBF) to develop, for the first time, accurate ozone prediction models, one for urban and another one for rural area in the eastern part of Croatia. The evaluation of actual against the predicted ozone concentrations revealed that MLP and RBF models are very competitive for the training and testing data in the case of Kopački Rit area whereas in the case of Osijek city, MLP shows better evaluation results with 9% improvement in the correlation coefficient. Furthermore, subsequent feature selection process has improved the prediction power of RBF network.

[Delays in diagnosing and treating tuberculosis in Croatia].

PubMed

Jurčev-Savičević, Anamarija; Popović-Grle, Sanja; Mulić, Rosanda; Smoljanović, Mladen; Miše, Kornelija

2012-09-01

The aim of this study was to determine factors causing delay in tuberculosis diagnosis and treatment in Croatia. It included 240 adults with pulmonary tuberculosis, who were interviewed for demographics, socioeconomic, lifestyle, and personal health data. Total delay was defined as a number of days from the onset of symptoms to the initiation of therapy. The median and the 75th percentile of the total delay were 68 and 120 days, respectively: 16.7 % of the patients initiated treatment within the first month, 23.8 % within the second month, 23.3 % within the third month, 12.9 % within the fourth month, and 23.3 % more than four months after the symptoms appeared. Long delay (exceeding median delay) was strongly associated with drug abuse (p=0.021). Extreme delay (75th percentile of delay) was significantly associated with the lowest level of education (p=0.021), below minimal income (p=0.039), minimal to average income (p=0.020), current smoking (p=0.050), and co-morbidity (p=0.048). In the multivariate model, long delay remained associated with drug abuse, while extreme delay was associated with the lowest level of education (p=0.033) and current (p=0.017) and ex-smoking (p=0.045).In a setting with decreasing TB incidence, the reported delay can be reduced by increasing health education, not only about tuberculosis per se, but about health in general and attitudes towards prevention and early care. It is also important to increase tuberculosis knowledge among healthcare workers as well as their diagnostic skills.

Rethinking the relationship between medicine and media: two examples from Croatia.

PubMed

Jergović, Blanka

2004-08-01

The communication between medicine and media is an important component within the complex process of changes in post-communist transition countries. It reflects not only organizational and legislative state of the society but its cultural adaptability and character. In that respect, media communication could be a tool for shifting the existing attitudes to innovative evaluation of physician's responsibility. Adapting to the democratic society necessitates more effective communication and improvement of all components of communication process: medicine, media, and the public sphere. Existing communication strategies in Croatia were recognized as inefficient and proved damaging for the health care system and society in general. As a demonstration, two representative examples were analyzed in this paper: the case of deaths related to Baxter dialyzers, and the case of pediatric cardiac surgery at the Zagreb University Hospital Center. The cases illustrate the lack of communication within the medical profession and physicians with the executive government, and the public. There is a great need for more effective communication and skillful professionals in transition countries. The future concept of the communication should be characterized by contextual and "cross-talk' approach.

Getting some insight into the home care nursing service in Croatia.

PubMed

Kostanjšek, Diana; Nižetić, Vlatka Topolovec; Razum, Zeljko; Kovačić, Luka

2014-12-01

Croatia, as the other Western societies are facing with the increasing share of the population over 65 years and consequently with more care-dependant people. Community living and care, including home care, is stimulating not just because of efficiency of care but also because of the peopleis preferences that home is a place of emotional and physical associations, memories and comfort. The aim of the study was to see if there is lack or surplus of Home care nursing services within the health care system. Data from the Croatian Health Insurance Fond Data base were analysed. The results of this research indicated that the number of inhabitants per one home nurse and physiotherapist contracted by the Croatian Health Insurance Fond was below the defined Standard. The average number of inhabitants per one home care nurse contracted by the CHIF for 2013 was 3373.9 compared to 3500 defined by the Standard. There was found also the huge regional differences in their distributions. The average number of contracted home physiotherapists for the same year was 9805.2 in comparison to the Standard, which was setup at the level of 15000 inhabitants per one physiotherapist.

First recorded case of paramyxovirus infection introduced into a healthy snake collection in Croatia.

PubMed

Prpic, Jelena; Keros, Tomislav; Balija, Maja Lang; Forcic, Dubravko; Jemersic, Lorena

2017-04-08

In the present study, we describe the first paramyxovirus infection in a snake collection in Croatia caused by an introduction of new snakes that were not previously tested and didn't show any signs of disease. In less than a month after introduction into a healthy colony, new snakes began to show respiratory symptoms (i.e. mouth opening, wheezing, etc.) and died within a month and a half after antibiotic therapy was applied. The same symptoms and a high mortality rate were then observed in in-contact snakes from other collections belonging to different snake families. Two entries of new snakes in different time periods were recorded and recognized as possible sources of infection. We stress the need for veterinary health control and monitoring of snakes prior to transportation as well as implementing obligatory quarantine measures to minimize the risk of infection among newly established snake groups.

Hazard assessment of landslide and debris flow in the Rjeina river valley, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chunxiang; Watanabe, Naoki; Marui, Hideaki

2013-04-01

The Rječina River extends approximately 18.7km long and flows into the Adriatic Sea at the center of Rijeka City, Croatia. Landslide, debris flow and rockfall are main geohazards in the middle part of the Rječina river basin. The zone between the Valići reservoir dam and the Pasac Bridge is particularly the most unstable and hazardous area in the river basin. The Grohovo landslide in the middle part of the river basin is located on the valley's slope facing southwest and situated at just downstream of the Valići dam. This landslide is the largest active landslide along the Adriatic Sea coast in Croatia. Assuming that serious heavy rainfall or earthquake occurs, it is most likely to occur two types of geohazard event. One scenario is that the debris deposited on the Grohovo landslide will move down to the channel of the Rječina River and dam up the river course. Another scenario is that the slope deposits on the landslide will be mixed with water and subsequently turn into a debris flow reaching to Rijeka City. We simulate both two cases of the formation of landslide-dam and the occurrence of debris-flow by two integrated models using GIS to represent the dynamic process across 3D terrains. In the case of the formation of landslide-dam, it is assumed that slope deposits will move downhill after failing along a shear zone. GIS-based revised Hovland's 3D limit equilibrium model is used to simulate the movement and stoppage of the slope deposits to form landslide-dam. The 3D factor of safety will be calculated step by step during the sliding process simulation. Stoppage is defined by the factor of safety much greater than one and the velocity equal to zero. The simulation result shows that the height of the landslide-dam will be nine meters. In case of debris flow, the mixture of slope deposits and water will be differentiated from landslide by fluid-like deformation of the mobilized material. GIS-based depth-averaged 2D numerical model is used to predict the

Radiocarbon application in environmental science and archaeology in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krajcar Bronić, I.; Obelić, B.; Horvatinčić, N.; Barešić, J.; Sironić, A.; Minichreiter, K.

2010-07-01

Radiocarbon is a cosmogenic radioisotope equally distributed throughout the troposphere and biosphere. This fact enables its most common application—radiocarbon dating. Natural equilibrium of radiocarbon has been disturbed by diverse anthropogenic activities during the last ˜150 years, enabling also the use of 14C in various environmental applications. Here we present three types of studies by using 14C that were performed in the Zagreb Radiocarbon Laboratory. 14C in atmospheric CO 2 has been monitored at several sites with various anthropogenic influences and the difference between the clean-air sites, the industrial city and the vicinity of a nuclear power plant has been established. 14C has been applied in geochronology of karst areas, especially in dating of tufa, speleothems and lake sediments, as well as in studies of geochemical carbon cycle. 14C has been used in various archaeological studies, among which the dating of the early Neolithic settlements in Croatia is presented. In these studies 14C was measured by radiometric techniques, i.e., by gas proportional counting and more recently by liquid scintillation counting (LSC). Two sample preparation techniques for LSC measurement were used: benzene synthesis for archaeological dating and other applications that require better precision, and direct absorption of CO 2 for monitoring purposes. The presented results show that various studies by using 14C can be successfully performed by the LSC technique, providing a large enough sample (>1 g of carbon).

Treatment of migraine and tension-type headache in Croatia.

PubMed

Vuković, Vlasta; Plavec, Davor; Lovrencić Huzjan, Arijana; Budisić, Mislav; Demarin, Vida

2010-06-01

The aim of this study was to assess the treatment patterns of migraine and tension-type headache in the Croatian population. Analysis included the proportion of patients who were taking specific antimigraine therapy and the number of tablets per attack per month, the proportion of patients who were taking prophylactic therapy or using alternative treatment methods and their satisfaction with the treatment. The design of the study was a cross-sectional survey. Self-completed questionnaires were randomly distributed to adults >18 years of age in the Croatian population. A total of 616 questionnaires were analyzed: 115 patients with migraine (M), 327 patients with tension-type headache (TTH), and 174 patients with probable migraine (PM) and TTH. Specific antimigraine therapy was taken by half of patients with migraine: 35.7% of patients used triptans and 21.7% ergotamines. Prophylactic treatment had been used by 13.9% of M, 1.2% of TTH, and 6.9% of PM patients. Alternative methods of treatment were tried by 27% of M and TTH patients. Only 16.8% of patients with M pay regular visits to physicians, while 36.3% never visited a physician. More than half of TTH patients have never visited a physician. The majority of patients are only partially satisfied with their current treatment, and almost one-third are not satisfied. Results of this study indicate that the treatment of primary headaches in Croatia should be improved.

Molecular characterization of class b carbapenemases in advanced stage of dissemination and emergence of class d carbapenemases in Enterobacteriaceae from Croatia.

PubMed

Bedenić, Branka; Sardelić, Sanda; Luxner, Josefa; Bošnjak, Zrinka; Varda-Brkić, Dijana; Lukić-Grlić, Amarela; Mareković, Ivana; Frančula-Zaninović, Sonja; Krilanović, Marija; Šijak, Dorotea; Grisold, Andrea; Zarfel, Gernot

2016-09-01

Carbapenemases involved in acquired carbapenem resistance in Enterobacteriaceae belong to Ambler class A serin β-lactamases, class B metallo-β-lactamases (MBL) or class D OXA-48-like β-lactamases. The aim of the present study was to analyse the molecular epidemiology and the mechanisms and routes of spread of class B and class D carbapenemases in Croatia. In total 68 isolates were analyzed. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by broth microdilution method. PCR was used to detect antibiotic-resistance genes. Genotyping was performed by rep-PCR and MLST. Sixty-five isolates were found to harbour VIM-1 carbapenemase, seven of which were positive also for NDM-1, while two strains harboured only NDM-1. OXA-48 was detected in three isolates, two of which coproduced VIM-1. Thirty-six strains possessed additional CTX-M-15 β-lactamase whereas 64 were positive for TEM-1. CMY was found in 18 Citrobacter freundii isolates and DHA-1 in one Enterobacter cloacae isolate. Four different plasmid-incompatibility groups were found: A/C, L/M, N and FIIAs. Unlike C. freundii and E. cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae showed high diversity of rep-PCR patterns. E. cloacae and C. freundii predominantly belonged to one large clone which was allocated to ST105 and ST24, respectively. Three different types of carbapenemases were identified showing the complexity of CRE in Croatia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solar powered dispensary in Tibet

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahmed, S.F.; Rittelmann, P.R.; Kingman, K.

1995-11-01

A solar powered dispensary has been designed in Kastel, Tibet. This area is characterized by cold winters and clear skies. Solar energy systems are designed to provide space heating, water heating and electric power. since sources of auxiliary fuel are scarce, the building has been designed to provide heating by the sun only. Innovative use of daylighting is made to reduce the lighting electricity requirements. The design presented provides a good compromise between performance and the cost of the system.

Business Performance of Health Spa Tourism Providers in Relation to the Structure of Employees in the Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Vrkljan, Sanela; Grazio, Simeon

2017-12-01

Health spa tourism services are provided in special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts, and include controlled use of natural healing factors and physical therapy under medical supervision in order to improve and preserve health. Health tourism is a service industry and therefore labor-intensive industry in which human resources are one of the key factors of business success. The aim of this study was to analyze business performance of special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts in Croatia in relation to the structure of employees, specifically the number of physicians and total medical personnel, as well as the share of physicians and medical personnel in the total number of employees. The assumption was that those who employ more physicians and medical employees are more successful. The empirical research was conducted and the assumption was tested firstly by correlation analysis and afterwards by regression analysis. The total number of employees in the researched health resorts and special hospitals amounted to 2,863, of which the share of physicians specialists accounted for almost 7%, while the share of total medical staff was almost 53%. From the results of our research, it can be concluded that special hospitals for medical rehabilitation and health resorts, which employ more physicians and medical personnel, are achieving better financial business performance. Based on the results obtained, it is possible to provide guidance for further growth and development in the direction of basing the primary offer on medical-health offer, rather than on wellness offer, which is a strong trend in the world. These findings are important for planning the health and tourism policies in Croatia and similar countries.

Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Maternal Characteristics in a Sample of Schoolchildren from a Rural Province of Croatia

PubMed Central

Petković, Giorgie; Barišić, Ingeborg

2013-01-01

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a congenital syndrome caused by maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy and is entirely preventable by abstinence from alcohol drinking during this time. Little is known about the prevalence of FAS and maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy in Western countries. We present the results of FAS/partial fetal alcohol syndrome (PFAS) prevalence study and maternal characteristics in a sample of schoolchildren from a rural province of Croatia. This study involved seven elementary schools with 1,110 enrolled children attending 1st to 4th grade and their mothers. We used an active case ascertainment method with passive parental consent and Clarified IOM criteria. The investigation protocol involved maternal data collection and clinical examination of children. Out of 1,110 mothers, 917 (82.6%) answered the questionnaire. Alcohol exposure during pregnancy was admitted by 11.5%, regular drinking by 4.0% and binge drinking by 1.4% of questioned mothers. Clinical examination involved 824 (74.2%) schoolchildren and disclosed 14 (1.7%) with clinical signs of FAS and 41 (5.0%) of PFAS. The observed FAS prevalence, based on 74.2% participation rate, was 16.9, PFAS 49.7 and combined prevalence was 66.7/1,000 examined schoolchildren. This is the first FAS prevalence study based on active ascertainment among schoolchildren and pregnancy alcohol drinking analysis performed in a rural community of Croatia and Europe. High prevalence of FAS/PFAS and pregnancy alcohol consumption observed in this study revealed that FAS is serious health problem in rural regions as well as a need to develop future studies and preventive measures for pregnancy alcohol drinking and FASD. PMID:23591786

137Cs in soil and fallout around Zagreb (Croatia) at the time of the Fukushima accident.

PubMed

Šoštarić, Marko; Petrinec, Branko; Babić, Dinko

2013-12-01

This paper addresses the noticeable increase of 137Cs activity concentrations in soil and fallout in the area surrounding Zagreb (Croatia) that occurred at the time of the 2011 Fukushima accident. This topic is important for public health as 137Cs is highly toxic due to its long half-life of radioactive decay and chemical similarity to potassium. 137Cs concentrations in fallout were much greater than in soil, but remained present longer in the latter. While being detectable in our measurements, 137Cs did not spread through the food chain in amounts exceeding the maximum allowed level of radioactive food contamination. However, more thorough and consistent measurements need to be done in order to establish the precise activity trends of 137Cs in Zagreb soil and fallout.

Wound infection after median sternotomy during the war in Croatia.

PubMed

Jelić, I; Anić, D; Alfirević, I; Kalinić, S; Ugljen, R; Letica, D; Ante Korda, Z; Vucemilo, I; Bulat, C; Predrijevac, M; Corić, V; Husar, J; Jelic, M; Hulina, D; Depina, I; Dadić, D

1996-12-01

From 1990 to 1994 at Clinical Hospital Center, Zagreb, 1904 median sternotomies were performed for cardiac operations. Patients shared the same intensive care unit (ICU) with the wounded persons, admitted to the hospital from battlefield. Infection developed in 124 patients, an incidence of 6.51%. Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was isolated from 90, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE) from 19, and gram negative bacilli (GNB) from 56 patients, Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 2, and Clostridium pneumoniae in 1 case. Ninety-six patients (5.04%) developed superficial localized infection of subcutaneous tissues and they were treated with frequent dressing changes with antibiotic-soaked gauze in combination with systemic antibiotics. Twenty-eight patients (1.47%) developed mediastinitis and sternal dehiscence. They were treated by operative debridement followed by reclosure of the sternum with continuous antibiotic irrigation. We obtained satisfactory results with our method of closure of sternum which is a modification of Robicsek's technique. Nine of them required further operation. In seven cases we performed muscle flaps and in two omentoplasty. One hundred and twenty patients were discharged in satisfactory condition. The uncontrolled mediastinal sepsis caused death in 4 patients. Higher infection rate after median sternotomy during 1991 and 1992 could be possibly explained with the war circumstances in Croatia, and especially with MRSA strain becoming endemic in surgical ICU.

Professor Eugen Cerkovnikov (1904-1985): the founder of the Chemical and Biochemical Institute of the Rijeka University School of Medicine.

PubMed

Milin, Cedomila

2008-01-01

Professor Eugen Cerkovnikov, PhD (Kamenska, Russia, 1904- Rijeka, Croatia 1985) graduated in chemical technology from the Faculty of Engineering in Zagreb in 1929. His first job was at the School of Medicine in Paris in 1930, and then he moved to Zagreb to the Department of Organic Chemistry of the Faculty of Engineering run by our Nobel Prize winner Vladimir Prelog (1935-1938). There he took his PhD degree with a dissertation on piperidine gamma derivatives. From 1938 to 1947 he was a research associate at an institute established by the pharmaceutical company Kastel (later Pliva). This is when he became a lecturer at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Zagreb and the first director of the Institute of Organic Chemistry, established in 1946/47. In 1948 he became reader, and in 1956 (full) professor. In 1957 he moved to the newly established School of Medicine in Rijeka, and set up the Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He ran the Institute until retirement in 1975. He was the second dean of the Rijeka University School of Medicine and a pioneer of quantum chemistry and medical cybernetics in undergraduate and (post)graduate courses. His scientific work consists of over 200 papers published at home and abroad, 60 professional papers, 20 book reviews, three works of translation, and 27 volumes of lecture notes. In 1958, professor Cerkovnikov established the Croatian Chemical Society and the Rijeka and Istria branches of the nation's Association of Chemists and Chemical Engineers, chairing them until 1974. In addition, he was one of the founding fathers, and the first chair of the Health Culture Studies Association in Rijeka (that preceded today's Croatian Scientific Society for the History of Health Culture), established in 1965.

Organization of the "Marine Colony" for children with tuberculosis in Rijeka (Croatia): entanglement between medicine and politics.

PubMed

Modrcin, Dorotea; Muzur, Amir; Vlainić, Josipa

2012-03-01

Tuberculosis was a major public health concern in the beginning of the 20th century. Since medications were not available at the time, therapy in general was based on health education, healing effects of climate, nutrition and rest. The Marine Colony was founded in 1924 in Rijeka, a city with turbulent political history, by the Antitubercular Consortium which was part of a planned program for the fight against tuberculosis on a national level in the whole of Italy. The Colony in Rijeka, Croatia specialised in care of children with clinical tuberculosis or under greater risk of developing disease. This article gives an overview of the medical treatment provided for children in Colony, as well as pointing out the political-agenda at that period.

Earthquake history of the Republic of Ragusa (today Dubrovnik, Croatia) (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albini, P.; Rovida, A.; Locati, M.

2009-12-01

Among the towns constellating the Dalmatian coast, Ragusa (today Dubrovnik, Croatia), stands out, both because of its location in the middle of the Eastern Adriatic coast and its long-lasting, independent history of a Modern Age town and its small coastal territory. An important intelligence crossroads, squeezed as it was in between powerful and influential neighbours, such as the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice, in its history (1358-1808) the Republic of Ragusa did experience heavily damaging earthquakes. We narrate the story of these earthquakes, which were recorded in the historical documentation of the Republic (today stored at the State Archives of Dubrovnik - Drzavni arhiv u Dubrovniku) as well as in documents from officers of other Mediterranean countries and letters of individuals. Of special note is the 6 April 1667 earthquake, which inflicted a permanent scar on the Republic. The earthquake's direct effects and their consequences caused a serious financial crisis, so critical that it took over 50 years for Ragusa to recover. This large earthquake is reappraised on the basis of newly investigated sources, and effects of the damage within the city walls are detailed. A seismic history of Ragusa is finally proposed, supported by full-text coeval records.

An overview of mosquitoes and emerging arboviral infections in the Zagreb area, Croatia.

PubMed

Klobucar, Ana; Benic, Nikola; Krajcar, Darko; Kosanovic-Licina, Mirjana Lana; Tesic, Vanja; Merdic, Enrih; Vrucina, Ivana; Savic, Vladimir; Barbic, Ljubo; Stevanovic, Vladimir; Pem-Novosel, Iva; Vilibic-Cavlek, Tatjana

2016-12-30

Mosquito control in the Zagreb area has been conducted for many years, whereas the fauna has only been investigated in the last 20 years. So far 30 mosquito species have been detected in the city area. Culex pipiens form molestus is the dominant mosquito species in indoor breeding sites. In forested areas and areas exposed to flooding, the active period is early spring and the dominant species are Ochlerotatus sticticus, Ochlerotatus cantans, Ochlerotatus geniculatus and Aedes vexans. The eudominant mosquito species found in the artificial breeding sites are Culex pipiens and the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. Invasive Ae. albopictus, present in the Zagreb area since 2004, has expanded to a larger area of the city during the last three years. The recent emergence of the human West Nile virus and Usutu virus neuroinvasive disease in Zagreb and its surroundings highlighted the role of mosquitoes as vectors of emerging arboviruses. The paper focuses on mosquito species and arboviral infections detected in humans and animals in the Zagreb area, Croatia.

Distribution of Chlamydia trachomatis serotypes in clinical urogenital samples from north-eastern Croatia.

PubMed

Bošnjak, Zinka; Džijan, Snježana; Pavlinić, Dinko; Perić, Magdalena; Ružman, Nataša; Križan, Ivana Roksandić; Lauc, Gordan; Antolović-Požgain, Arlen; Burazin, Jelena; Vuković, Dubravka

2012-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) urogenital infection and its serotype distribution from clinical samples in north-eastern Croatia. During a 3-year period, 2,379 urogenital samples were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (A group), while 4,846 genital swabs were analyzed by direct fluorescent antibody test (B group). 132 Ct positive specimens were genotyped by omp1 gene sequencing. The prevalence rate of Ct was 3.2 % in A and 1 % in B group. The most prevalent chlamydial genotype was E (44 %), followed by F (33 %), K (11.5 %), G (8 %), J/UW (5.3 %), D-IC (4.4 %), D-B120 (1.8 %), and B/IU, J/IU, Ia/IU (0.9 % each) serotypes. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of omp1 gene were detected in E, K, and G serotypes. Some of these SNPs (C/T at position 272 and G/A at position 813 in E strain; C/T at position 884 in D strain) might represent novel omp1 variants.

Statistical analysis of hail characteristics in the hail-protected western part of Croatia using data from hail suppression stations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Počakal, Damir; Štalec, Janez

In the continental part of Croatia, operational hail suppression has been conducted for more than 30 years. The current protected area is 25,177 km 2 and has about 492 hail suppression stations which are managed with eight weather radar centres. This paper present a statistical analysis of parameters connected with hail occurrence on hail suppression stations in the western part of protected area in 1981-2000 period. This analysis compares data of two periods with different intensity of hail suppression activity and is made as a part of a project for assessment of hail suppression efficiency in Croatia. Because of disruption in hail suppression system during the independence war in Croatia (1991-1995), lack of rockets and other objective circumstances, it is considered that in the 1991-2000 period, hail suppression system could not act properly. Because of that, a comparison of hail suppression data for two periods was made. The first period (1981-1990), which is characterised with full application of hail suppression technology is compared with the second period (1991-2000). The protected area is divided into quadrants (9×9 km), such that every quadrant has at least one hail suppression station and intercomparison is more precise. Discriminant analysis was performed for the yearly values of each quadrant. These values included number of cases with solid precipitation, hail damage, heavy hail damage, number of active hail suppression stations, number of days with solid precipitation, solid precipitation damage, heavy solid precipitation damage and the number and duration of air traffic control bans. The discriminant analysis shows that there is a significant difference between the two periods. Average values of observed periods on isolated discriminant function 1 are for the first period (1981-1990) -0.36 and for the second period +0.23 standard deviation of all observations. The analysis for all eight variables shows statistically substantial differences in the

Geochemical patterns in soils of the karst region, Croatia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prohic, E.; Hausberger, G.; Davis, J.C.

1997-01-01

Soil samples were collected at 420 locations in a 5-km grid pattern in the Istria and Gorski Kotar areas of Croatia, and on the Croatian islands of Cres, Rab and Krk, in order to relate geochemical variation in the soils to underlying differences in geology, bedrock lithology, soil type, environment and natural versus anthropogenic influences. Specific objectives included assessment of possible agricultural and industrial sources of contamination, especially from airborne effluent emitted by a local power plant. The study also tested the adequacy of a fixed-depth soil sampling procedure developed for meager karstic soils. Although 40 geochemical variables were analyzed, only 15 elements and 5 radionuclides are common to all the sample locations. These elements can be divided into three groups: (1) those of mostly anthropogenic origin -Pb, V, Cu and Cr; (2) those of mixed origin - radionuclides and Zn; and (3) those of mostly geogene origin -Ba, Sr, Ti, Al, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Ni and Co. Variation in Pb shows a strong correlation with the pattern of road traffic in Istria. The distributions of Ca, Na and Mg in the flysch basins of southern Istria and Slovenia are clearly distinguishable from the distributions of these elements in the surrounding carbonate terrains, a consequence of differences in bedrock permeability, type of drainage and pH. The spatial pattern of Cs from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident reflects almost exclusively the precipitation in Istria during the days immediately after the explosion. ?? 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

Emergence of colistin resistance in Enterobacter aerogenes from Croatia.

PubMed

Bedenić, Branka; Vranić-Ladavac, Mirna; Venditti, Carolina; Tambić-Andrašević, Arjana; Barišić, Nada; Gužvinec, Marija; Karčić, Natalie; Petrosillo, Nicola; Ladavac, Ranko; di Caro, Antonino

2018-04-01

A colistin-resistant Enterobacter aerogenes [study code 12264] was isolated from the tracheal aspirate of a 71-year-old male patient in the General Hospital [GH] in Pula, Croatia. The patient was previously treated in University Hospital Centre in Rijeka with colistin in order to eradicate Acinetobacter baumannii isolate, susceptible only to colistin and tigecycline. Genes encoding ESBLs [bla TEM , bla SHV , bla CTX-M , bla PER-1 ] were screened by PCR. The strain was shown to possess bla CTX-M-15 and bla TEM-1 genes. To asses genes possibly involved in resistance to colistin the chromosomal enconding mgrB gene and the plasmid-mediated mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes were screened as described previously. Mcr-1 and mcr-2 genes were not detected and mgrB gene presented a wild-type sequence. PCR-based Replicon typing method [PBRT] conducted on an E. aerogenes isolate, showed that the strain carried an IncN plasmid. Adaptive mechanisms such as changes of the bacterial cell outer membrane that cause porin decrease or presence of an efflux pump, due to selection pressure exerted by the therapeutic administration of colistin, could be responsible for the development of colistin resistance in our strain, as recently reported in E. aerogenes from France. Due to effective infection control measures, the colistin-resistant strain did not spread to other patients or hospital wards. This is the first report of an ESBL-producing, colistin-resistant E. aerogenes in clinically relevant samples such as endotracheal aspirate and blood culture, showing the presence of this rare resistance profile among Gram-negative bacteria.

Evaluation of paediatric cardiosurgical model in Croatia by using the Aristotle basic complexity score and the risk adjustment for congenital cardiac surgery-1 method.

PubMed

Dilber, Daniel; Malcic, Ivan

2010-08-01

The Aristotle basic complexity score and the risk adjustment in congenital cardiac surgery-1 method were developed and used to compare outcomes of congenital cardiac surgery. Both methods were used to compare results of procedures performed on our patients in Croatian cardiosurgical centres and results of procedures were taken abroad. The study population consisted of all patients with congenital cardiac disease born to Croatian residents between 1 October, 2002 and 1 October, 2007 undergoing a cardiovascular operation during this period. Of the 556 operations, the Aristotle basic complexity score could be assigned to 553 operations and the risk adjustment in congenital cardiac surgery-1 method to 536 operations. Procedures were performed in two institutions in Croatia and seven institutions abroad. The average complexity for cardiac procedures performed in Croatia was significantly lower. With both systems, along with the increase in complexity, there is also an increase in mortality before discharge and postoperative length of stay. Only after the adjustment for complexity there are marked differences in mortality and occurrence of postoperative complications. Both, the Aristotle basic complexity score and the risk adjustment in congenital cardiac surgery-1 method were predictive of in-hospital mortality as well as prolonged postoperative length to stay, and can be used as a tool in our country to evaluate a cardiosurgical model and recognise potential problems.

Wastewater-based assessment of regional and temporal consumption patterns of illicit drugs and therapeutic opioids in Croatia.

PubMed

Krizman, Ivona; Senta, Ivan; Ahel, Marijan; Terzic, Senka

2016-10-01

A comprehensive study of spatial and temporal consumption patterns of the selected illicit drugs (heroin, cocaine, amphetamine, MDMA, methamphetamine, cannabis) and therapeutic opioids (codeine, methadone) has been performed in six Croatian cities by applying wastewater-based epidemiology. The investigated cities (Bjelovar, Vinkovci, Varazdin, Karlovac, Zadar and Zagreb) varied widely in the population size (27,000-688,000 inhabitants) as well as in the number of registered drug consumers included in compulsory and voluntary medical treatment and rehabilitation programs (30-513 persons/100,000 inhabitants of age 15-64). The most consumed illicit drugs were cannabis (10-70doses/day/1000 inhabitants), heroin (<0.2-10doses/day/1000 inhabitants) and cocaine (0.2-8.7doses/day/1000 inhabitants), while the consumption of amphetamine-type drugs was much lower (<0.01-4.4doses/day/1000 inhabitants). Enhanced consumption of illegal drugs was generally associated with larger urban centers (Zagreb and Zadar) however comparatively high consumption rate of cocaine, MDMA and methadone was determined in some smaller cities as well. The overall average dose number of 3 major illegal stimulants (cocaine, MDMA, amphetamine) was rather similar to the number of corresponding heroin doses, which is in disagreement with a comparatively much higher proportion of heroin users in the total number of registered drug users in Croatia. Furthermore, the illicit drug consumption pattern in the large continental city (Zagreb) was characterized by a significant enhancement of the consumption of all stimulants during the weekend, which could not be confirmed neither for the coastal city of Zadar nor for the remaining small continental cities. On the other hand, the city of Zadar exhibited a significant increase of stimulant drug usage during summer vacation period, as a result of pronounced seasonal changes of the population composition and lifestyle in coastal tourist centers. The obtained results

Health care expenditures in Croatia, 2000-2013: is primary health care in the right position?

PubMed

Brodarić, Zvjezdana; Keglević, Mladenka Vrcić

2014-12-01

The research was undertaken to determine the trends in the amount and the structure of the health care expenditures in Croatia from 2000 to 2013. It is based on routinely collected and publicly available data, The Annual Reports of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund and OECD data. The income of Croatian Health Insurance Fund (CHIF) increased by 66.9%, while total expenditures increased by 62.1%. The fastest growth of expenditure is noticed in expenditures on health care. The hospital and specialist-consultant services have the highest expenditures. Furthermore, the fastest growth is that of other expenses, from 7% of total health care expenditures in 2000, to 26.7% in 2013; which can partly be interpreted as part of hospital care expenses. In the contrast, total expenditures for primary health care decreased, from 22% in 2002, to 13.1% in 2013. The publicly available data are not sufficient enough to drown up any specific conclusions about the underlying reasons for such distribution of the costs.

New trends in human and animal leptospirosis in Croatia, 2009-2014.

PubMed

Habus, Josipa; Persic, Zdenka; Spicic, Silvio; Vince, Silvijo; Stritof, Zrinka; Milas, Zoran; Cvetnic, Zeljko; Perharic, Matko; Turk, Nenad

2017-04-01

Leptospirosis is a geographically widespread and globally underestimated zoonosis that affects humans and variety of animals. To identify trends and possible risk factors, joined medical and veterinary teams investigated epidemiology and epizootiology of leptospirosis in Croatia. Retrospective analysis of data obtained from referent diagnostic laboratories included a total of 1917 human and 123964 animal sera tested in the period from 2009 to 2014. We found high human leptospirosis average incidence rate of 1.53/100000 with clear predominance of male patients older than 40 years (sex ratio M/F:3.2; median age 51±15.1years). Statistical analysis revealed seasonal and annual variations of incidence in humans that were primarily associated with favourable weather conditions (temperature 10-19, 9°C and precipitation above 100mm/m 2 ). Majority of infections in humans were caused by serogroups Sejroe, Australis and Icterohaemorrhagiae. Notable variations in seroprevalence and changing trends in prevailing serogroups were recorded in most of the domestic animals and during the entire period of investigation. All of the observed findings underline leptospirosis as a significant human and veterinary public health threat and emphasize the importance of continuous multidisciplinary surveillance. We also argue that only input from both professions improves our overall knowledge on leptospirosis and leads to better and more efficient prevention and control strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cult of St. Blasius, patron saint of throat sufferers and of otolaryngologists, in Croatia.

PubMed

Skrobonja, Ante; Muzur, Amir; Jurdana, Stanko

2005-03-01

In the introductory part presented is a short hagiography of St. Blasius, and the legend of miraculous healing of a child in whose throat a bone had stuck, threatening to choke the child. Thanks to that legend, St. Blasius has become the traditional patron of the laryngeal diseases, and, since recently, the patron of the otolaryngologists, too. The second part of the paper is dedicated to the cult of St. Blasius, which is present in Croatia since the 10th century until present. Venerated all over the country, St. Blasius has been "elected" the heavenly protector of 10 parish communities, as well as of the city and the dioceses of Dubrovnik. Beside pilgrimage and prayers, among many traditional forms of folk piety, a ritual called "grlicenje" has been preserved-a curative and preventive blessing of the throat with crossed candles on the Saint's Day. In more recent times, the same day has been remembered among Croatian otolaryngologists and the societies of laryngectomized persons, who chose St. Blasius for their patron, too.

Extent of height variability explained by known height-associated genetic variants in an isolated population of the Adriatic coast of Croatia.

PubMed

Zhang, Ge; Karns, Rebekah; Sun, Guangyun; Indugula, Subba Rao; Cheng, Hong; Havas-Augustin, Dubravka; Novokmet, Natalija; Rudan, Dusko; Durakovic, Zijad; Missoni, Sasa; Chakraborty, Ranajit; Rudan, Pavao; Deka, Ranjan

2011-01-01

Human height is a classical example of a polygenic quantitative trait. Recent large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 200 height-associated loci, though these variants explain only 2∼10% of overall variability of normal height. The objective of this study was to investigate the variance explained by these loci in a relatively isolated population of European descent with limited admixture and homogeneous genetic background from the Adriatic coast of Croatia. In a sample of 1304 individuals from the island population of Hvar, Croatia, we performed genome-wide SNP typing and assessed the variance explained by genetic scores constructed from different panels of height-associated SNPs extracted from five published studies. The combined information of the 180 SNPs reported by Lango Allen el al. explained 7.94% of phenotypic variation in our sample. Genetic scores based on 20~50 SNPs reported by the remaining individual GWA studies explained 3~5% of height variance. These percentages of variance explained were within ranges comparable to the original studies and heterogeneity tests did not detect significant differences in effect size estimates between our study and the original reports, if the estimates were obtained from populations of European descent. We have evaluated the portability of height-associated loci and the overall fitting of estimated effect sizes reported in large cohorts to an isolated population. We found proportions of explained height variability were comparable to multiple reference GWAS in cohorts of European descent. These results indicate similar genetic architecture and comparable effect sizes of height loci among populations of European descent. © 2011 Zhang et al.

Chemical composition and genotoxicity assessment of sanitary landfill leachate from Rovinj, Croatia.

PubMed

Gajski, Goran; Oreščanin, Višnja; Garaj-Vrhovac, Vera

2012-04-01

Chemical analysis and an in vitro approach were performed to assess elemental composition and genotoxic effects of the samples of landfill leachate taken from Lokva Vidotto sanitary landfill the official landfill for Rovinj town, Croatia. Two samples of landfill leachate were collected and analyzed in order to evaluate macro, micro and trace elements by atomic absorption spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and colorimetry. Genotoxicity of sanitary landfill leachate was evaluated in human lymphocytes by the use of the micronucleus test and comet assay. Samples were characterized with relatively low concentrations of heavy metals while organic component level exceeded upper permissible limit up to 39 times. Observed genotoxic effects should be connected with high concentrations of ammonia nitrogen, which exceeded permissible limit up to 180 times. Leachate samples of both sanitary landfills increased the frequency of micronuclei, nucleoplasmic bridges and nuclear buds. Increase of DNA damage in human lymphocytes was also detected by virtue of measuring comet assay parameters. All parameters showed statistically significant difference compared to negative control. Increased micronucleus and comet assay parameters indicate that both samples of sanitary landfill leachate are genotoxic and could pose environmental and human health risk if discharged to an aquatic environment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The relationship between sleep habits and academic performance in dental students in Croatia.

PubMed

Valic, M; Pecotic, R; Lusic, L; Peros, K; Pribudic, Z; Dogas, Z

2014-11-01

It is well accepted that sleep and lifestyle habits affect academic success in students. However, sleep patterns and sleep problems amongst dental students have been insufficiently addressed in the literature. The purpose of this study was to evaluate sleep habits of dental students and the relationship between sleep habits and academic performance. A self-administered questionnaire on sleep habits, academic performance and lifestyle was administered. The participants were 447 dental students from Split University Dental Medicine School and Zagreb University Dental Medicine School from the six academic years. The subjects were classified into two groups based on academic success (high-performing vs. low-performing students) for comparison of sleep and lifestyle habits. Amongst the whole group of students, average bedtime and wake time during weekday was significantly earlier compared with weekend. Main findings indicate that students with high academic performance had earlier bedtimes during weekdays and weekends, earlier wake times during weekends and shorter sleep latency compared with low academic performing students. Self-reported academic performance of dental students in Croatia is associated with timing of sleep and wakefulness, rather than with total sleep time duration. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Frequency of tuberculosis at autopsies in a large hospital in Zagreb, Croatia: a 10-year retrospective study

PubMed Central

Pavić, Ivana; Radulović, Petra; Bujas, Tatjana; Perić Balja, Melita; Ostojić, Jelena; Baličević, Drinko

2012-01-01

Aim To assess the frequency and forms of pulmonary tuberculosis at autopsy in a high-traffic hospital in the capital city of a country with a low tuberculosis incidence. Methods We performed a retrospective search of autopsy data from the period 2000 to 2009 at Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia. We also examined patients’ records and histological slides. Results Of 3479 autopsies, we identified 61 tuberculosis cases, corresponding to a frequency of 1.8%. Active tuberculosis was found in 33 cases (54%), 23 of which (70%) were male. Of the 33 active cases, 25 (76%) were clinically unrecognized and 19 (76%) of these were male. Conclusion Clinically undiagnosed tuberculosis accounted for a substantial proportion of active tuberculosis cases diagnosed at autopsy. Autopsy data may be an important complement to epidemiological data on tuberculosis frequency. PMID:22351578

Accreditation of medical laboratories in Croatia--experiences of the Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Hospital "Merkur", Zagreb.

PubMed

Flegar-Mestrić, Zlata; Nazor, Aida; Perkov, Sonja; Surina, Branka; Kardum-Paro, Mirjana Mariana; Siftar, Zoran; Sikirica, Mirjana; Sokolić, Ivica; Ozvald, Ivan; Vidas, Zeljko

2010-03-01

Since 2003 when the international norm for implementation of quality management in medical laboratories (EN ISO 15189, Medical laboratories--Particular requirements for quality and competence) was established and accepted, accreditation has become practical, generally accepted method of quality management and confirmation of technical competence of medical laboratories in the whole world. This norm has been translated into Croatian and accepted by the Croatian Institute for Norms as Croatian norm. Accreditation is carried out on voluntary basis by the Croatian Accreditation Agency that has up to now accredited two clinical medical biochemical laboratories in the Republic of Croatia. Advantages of accredited laboratory lie in its documented management system, constant improvement and training, reliability of test results, establishing users' trust in laboratory services, test results comparability and interlaboratory (international) test results acceptance by adopting the concept of metrological traceability in laboratory medicine.

From relief to development: the long-term effects of 'temporary' accommodation on refugees and displaced persons in the Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Ellis, S; Barakat, S

1996-06-01

The increasing scale of international intervention in conflict is generating new pressures on the humanitarian community. Increased expenditure on emergency relief, static levels of overseas development aid and subsequent lack of funds for development are dictating that agencies design relief projects that positively effect developmental reconstruction. This paper examines the provision of shelter for refugees and displaced persons in the Republic of Croatia and identifies ways in which it has encouraged and discouraged sustainable reconstruction. It argues that to promote lasting reconstruction, programmes must focus on saving livelihoods as well as lives, thus minimising the long-term psychological and physical impacts of aid on refugees, displaced persons and host communities.

Camera Traps on Wildlife Crossing Structures as a Tool in Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Management - Five-Years Monitoring of Wolf Abundance Trends in Croatia

PubMed Central

Križan, Josip; Gužvica, Goran

2016-01-01

The conservation of gray wolf (Canis lupus) and its coexistence with humans presents a challenge and requires continuous monitoring and management efforts. One of the non-invasive methods that produces high-quality wolf monitoring datasets is camera trapping. We present a novel monitoring approach where camera traps are positioned on wildlife crossing structures that channel the animals, thereby increasing trapping success and increasing the cost-efficiency of the method. In this way we have followed abundance trends of five wolf packs whose home ranges are intersected by a motorway which spans throughout the wolf distribution range in Croatia. During the five-year monitoring of six green bridges we have recorded 28 250 camera-events, 132 with wolves. Four viaducts were monitored for two years, recording 4914 camera-events, 185 with wolves. We have detected a negative abundance trend of the monitored Croatian wolf packs since 2011, especially severe in the northern part of the study area. Further, we have pinpointed the legal cull as probable major negative influence on the wolf pack abundance trends (linear regression, r2 > 0.75, P < 0.05). Using the same approach we did not find evidence for a negative impact of wolves on the prey populations, both wild ungulates and livestock. We encourage strict protection of wolf in Croatia until there is more data proving population stability. In conclusion, quantitative methods, such as the one presented here, should be used as much as possible when assessing wolf abundance trends. PMID:27327498

Camera Traps on Wildlife Crossing Structures as a Tool in Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) Management - Five-Years Monitoring of Wolf Abundance Trends in Croatia.

PubMed

Šver, Lidija; Bielen, Ana; Križan, Josip; Gužvica, Goran

2016-01-01

The conservation of gray wolf (Canis lupus) and its coexistence with humans presents a challenge and requires continuous monitoring and management efforts. One of the non-invasive methods that produces high-quality wolf monitoring datasets is camera trapping. We present a novel monitoring approach where camera traps are positioned on wildlife crossing structures that channel the animals, thereby increasing trapping success and increasing the cost-efficiency of the method. In this way we have followed abundance trends of five wolf packs whose home ranges are intersected by a motorway which spans throughout the wolf distribution range in Croatia. During the five-year monitoring of six green bridges we have recorded 28 250 camera-events, 132 with wolves. Four viaducts were monitored for two years, recording 4914 camera-events, 185 with wolves. We have detected a negative abundance trend of the monitored Croatian wolf packs since 2011, especially severe in the northern part of the study area. Further, we have pinpointed the legal cull as probable major negative influence on the wolf pack abundance trends (linear regression, r2 > 0.75, P < 0.05). Using the same approach we did not find evidence for a negative impact of wolves on the prey populations, both wild ungulates and livestock. We encourage strict protection of wolf in Croatia until there is more data proving population stability. In conclusion, quantitative methods, such as the one presented here, should be used as much as possible when assessing wolf abundance trends.

Croatia is a safe tourist destination – study of foreign citizen mortality in Splitsko-dalmatinska and Primorsko-goranska County during the period 2001-2010

PubMed Central

Bečić, Kristijan; Jandrić Bečić, Darija; Čengija, Morana; Ćurić, Goran; Alujević, Antonio; Definis-Gojanović, Marija

2013-01-01

Aim To investigate the mortality rate of foreign citizens in Croatia. Methods Data were collected from the Departments for Forensic Pathology in Split and Rijeka, which are the autopsy centers of the counties with approximately 35% of total foreign visitors, as well as from the Croatian Central Bureau for Statistics for the period 2001-2010. The mortality rate (number of deaths of members of each nationality per 100 000 entrances ratio) and standardized mortality ratio (ratio between the observed and expected number of deaths) were calculated, and χ2 goodness of fit test was used for statistical analyses. Results There were 447 deaths (325 men, 72.7%) of foreign citizens (mortality rate of 0.0015%). A total of 207 deaths (46.3%) were by natural causes, more often among older people, and 240 deaths (53.7%) were injury deaths, more often among younger people, mostly by drowning or traffic-related (22.2% and 18.6% of all deaths, respectively). Most represented were citizens of German, Austrian, Czech, and Italian nationality, with 115 (25.7%), 59 (13.2%), 58 (13.0%), and 52 deaths (11.6%), respectively. Mortality rate by nationality showed no significant difference (P < 0.05). The standardized mortality ratio was lowest in Hungarian and Czech citizens (0.17) and highest in US citizens (0.35). Conclusions Croatia has low foreign citizens’ mortality rate and could be considered a safe tourist destination. PMID:23771761

Mediterranean diet in the southern Croatia - does it still exist?

PubMed

Kolčić, Ivana; Relja, Ajka; Gelemanović, Andrea; Miljković, Ana; Boban, Kristina; Hayward, Caroline; Rudan, Igor; Polašek, Ozren

2016-10-31

To assess the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the population of Dalmatia in southern Croatia. A cross-sectional study was performed within the 10001 Dalmatians cohort, encompassing 2768 participants from Korčula and Vis islands and the City of Split, who were recruited during 2011-2014. Using the data obtained from food frequency questionnaire we calculated the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the characteristics associated with the adherence to the Mediterranean diet, with age, sex, place of residence, education attainment, smoking, and physical activity as covariates. The median MDSS score was 11 out of maximum 24 points (interquartile range 8-13), with the highest score recorded on the island of Vis. Participants reported a dietary pattern that had high compliance with the Mediterranean diet guidelines for consumption of cereals (87% met the criteria), potatoes (73%), olive oil (69%), and fish (61%), moderate for consumption of fruit (54%) and vegetables (31%), and low for consumption of nuts (6%). Overall, only 23% of the participants were classified as being adherent to the Mediterranean diet, with a particularly low percentage among younger participants (12%) compared to the older ones (34%). Men were less likely to show good adherence (odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.42-0.65). This study revealed rather poor compliance with the current recommendations on the Mediterranean diet composition in the population of Dalmatia. Public health intervention is especially needed in younger age groups and in men, who show the greatest departure from traditional Mediterranean diet and lifestyle.

Atmospheric conditions during high ragweed pollen concentrations in Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Prtenjak, Maja Telišman; Srnec, Lidija; Peternel, Renata; Madžarević, Valentina; Hrga, Ivana; Stjepanović, Barbara

2012-11-01

We examined the atmospheric conditions favourable to the occurrence of maximum concentrations of ragweed pollen with an extremely high risk of producing allergy. Over the 2002-2009 period, daily pollen data collected in Zagreb were used to identify two periods of high pollen concentration (> 600 grains/m(3)) for our analysis: period A (3-4 September 2002) and period B (6-7 September 2003). Synoptic conditions in both periods were very similar: Croatia was under the influence of a lower sector high pressure system moving slowly eastward over Eastern Europe. During the 2002-2009 period, this type of weather pattern (on ~ 70% of days), in conjunction with almost non-gradient surface pressure conditions in the area (on ~ 30% of days) characterised days when the daily pollen concentrations were higher than 400 grains/m(3). Numerical experiments using a mesoscale model at fine resolution showed successful multi-day simulations reproducing the local topographic influence on wind flow and in reasonable agreement with available observations. According to the model, the relatively weak synoptic flow (predominantly from the eastern direction) allowed local thermal circulations to develop over Zagreb during both high pollen episodes. Two-hour pollen concentrations and 48-h back-trajectories indicated that regional-range transport of pollen grains from the central Pannonian Plain was the cause of the high pollen concentrations during period A. During period B, the north-westward regional-range transport in Zagreb was supplemented significantly by pronounced horizontal recirculation of pollen grains. This recirculation happened within the diurnal local circulation over the city, causing a late-evening increase in pollen concentration.

Atmospheric conditions during high ragweed pollen concentrations in Zagreb, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prtenjak, Maja Telišman; Srnec, Lidija; Peternel, Renata; Madžarević, Valentina; Hrga, Ivana; Stjepanović, Barbara

2012-11-01

We examined the atmospheric conditions favourable to the occurrence of maximum concentrations of ragweed pollen with an extremely high risk of producing allergy. Over the 2002-2009 period, daily pollen data collected in Zagreb were used to identify two periods of high pollen concentration (> 600 grains/m3) for our analysis: period A (3-4 September 2002) and period B (6-7 September 2003). Synoptic conditions in both periods were very similar: Croatia was under the influence of a lower sector high pressure system moving slowly eastward over Eastern Europe. During the 2002-2009 period, this type of weather pattern (on ~ 70% of days), in conjunction with almost non-gradient surface pressure conditions in the area (on ~ 30% of days) characterised days when the daily pollen concentrations were higher than 400 grains/m3. Numerical experiments using a mesoscale model at fine resolution showed successful multi-day simulations reproducing the local topographic influence on wind flow and in reasonable agreement with available observations. According to the model, the relatively weak synoptic flow (predominantly from the eastern direction) allowed local thermal circulations to develop over Zagreb during both high pollen episodes. Two-hour pollen concentrations and 48-h back-trajectories indicated that regional-range transport of pollen grains from the central Pannonian Plain was the cause of the high pollen concentrations during period A. During period B, the north-westward regional-range transport in Zagreb was supplemented significantly by pronounced horizontal recirculation of pollen grains. This recirculation happened within the diurnal local circulation over the city, causing a late-evening increase in pollen concentration.

Telecom Big Data for Urban Transport Analysis - a Case Study of Split-Dalmatia County in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baučić, M.; Jajac, N.; Bućan, M.

2017-09-01

Today, big data has become widely available and the new technologies are being developed for big data storage architecture and big data analytics. An ongoing challenge is how to incorporate big data into GIS applications supporting the various domains. International Transport Forum explains how the arrival of big data and real-time data, together with new data processing algorithms lead to new insights and operational improvements of transport. Based on the telecom customer data, the Study of Tourist Movement and Traffic in Split-Dalmatia County in Croatia is carried out as a part of the "IPA Adriatic CBC//N.0086/INTERMODAL" project. This paper briefly explains the big data used in the study and the results of the study. Furthermore, this paper investigates the main considerations when using telecom customer big data: data privacy and data quality. The paper concludes with GIS visualisation and proposes the further use of big data used in the study.

[Status and perspectives in modern neurology. Problems of organization of neurologic services worldwide and in Croatia].

PubMed

Barac, Bosko

2002-05-01

Modern neurology has completely changed in its concepts of science and medical discipline regarding the etiologies and the capabilities in the diagnostics, management, rehabilitation and prevention of neurological diseases. Advances in neurological sciences produced a rapid growth in the number of neurologists, new subspecialties and neurological institutions worldwide, opening questions on their possible application due to financial restrictions in many countries. Neurology in Croatia followed the modern tendencies in the world: in line with its humanistic tradition its orientation to the patient early appeared. From this experience developed a care on the optimal organization of neurological services, later on initiated in the Research Group on the Organization and Delivery of Neurological Services, founded in the World Federation of Neurology. The main activities and the Recommendations related to Neurology in Public Health are described, with the proposed levels of organization of neurological services, aiming at the optimal and rational neurological care. Problems of international collaboration on cost-effectiveness in neurology are accentuated.

Using hydrochemical data and modelling to enhance the knowledge of groundwater flow and quality in an alluvial aquifer of Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Marković, Tamara; Brkić, Željka; Larva, Ozren

2013-08-01

The Zagreb alluvial aquifer system is located in the southwest of the Pannonian Basin in the Sava Valley in Croatia. It is composed of Quaternary unconsolidated deposits and is highly utilised, primarily as a water supply for the more than one million inhabitants of the capital city of Croatia. To determine the origin and dynamics of the groundwater and to enhance the knowledge of groundwater flow and the interactions between the groundwater and surface water, extensive hydrogeological and hydrochemical investigations have been completed. The groundwater levels monitored in nested observation wells and the lithological profile indicate that the aquifer is a single hydrogeologic unit, but the geochemical characteristics of the aquifer indicate stratification. The weathering of carbonate and silicate minerals has an important role in groundwater chemistry, especially in the area where old meanders of the Sava River existed. Groundwater quality was observed to be better in the deeper parts of the aquifer than in the shallower parts. Furthermore, deterioration of the groundwater quality was observed in the area under the influence of the landfill. The stable isotopic composition of all sampled waters indicates meteoric origin. NETPATH-WIN was used to calculate the mixing proportions between initial waters (water from the Sava River and groundwater from "regional" flow) in the final water (groundwater sampled from observation wells). According to the results, the mixing proportions of "regional" flow and the river water depend on hydrological conditions, the duration of certain hydrological conditions and the vicinity of the Sava River. Moreover, although the aquifer system behaves as a single hydrogeologic unit from a hydraulic point of view, it still clearly demonstrates geochemical stratification, which could be a decisive factor in future utilisation strategies for the aquifer system. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ambulatory oral surgery: 1-year experience with 11680 patients from Zagreb district, Croatia.

PubMed

Jokić, Dražen; Macan, Darko; Perić, Berislav; Tadić, Marinka; Biočić, Josip; Đanić, Petar; Brajdić, Davor

2013-02-01

To examine the types and frequencies of oral surgery diagnoses and ambulatory oral surgical treatments during one year period at the Department of Oral Surgery, University Hospital Dubrava in Zagreb, Croatia. Sociodemographic and clinical data on 11680 ambulatory patients, treated between January 1 and of December 31, 2011 were retrieved from the hospital database using a specific protocol. The obtained data were subsequently analyzed in order to assess the frequency of diagnoses and differences in sex and age. The most common ambulatory procedure was tooth extraction (37.67%) and the most common procedure in ambulatory operating room was alveolectomy (57.25%). The test of proportions showed that significantly more extractions (P<0.001) and intraoral incisions (P<0.001) were performed among male patients, whereas significantly more alveolectomies and apicoectomies were performed among female patients (P<0.001). A greater prevalence of periodontal disease was found in patients residing in Zagreb than in patients residing in rural areas. The data from this study may be useful for planning of ambulatory oral surgery services, budgeting, and sustaining quality improvement, enhancing oral surgical curricula, training and education of primary health care doctors and oral surgery specialists, and promoting patients' awareness of the importance of oral health.

Prevalence, Knowledge and Attitudes Concerning Dietary Supplements among a Student Population in Croatia.

PubMed

Žeželj, Sandra Pavičić; Tomljanović, Ana; Jovanović, Gordana Kenđel; Krešić, Greta; Peloza, Olga Cvijanović; Dragaš-Zubalj, Nataša; Prokurica, Iva Pavlinić

2018-05-23

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of usage and the knowledge and attitudes towards dietary supplements among medical sciences and nonmedical sciences students from Croatia. The study was conducted based on a questionnaire about dietary supplement usage, knowledge and attitudes. The prevalence of dietary supplement use, among 910 university students was 30.5%. The most-used dietary supplements were vitamins (18.0% in medical sciences students and 9.8% in non-medical sciences students). For all students, the internet (66.1%) was the most common source of information, followed by healthcare professionals (33.2%). The most common reason for taking dietary supplements was to maintain good health (26.4%). Use of the internet rather than health professionals as a trusted information source should be revised among this young population. Supplement intake was significantly associated with body mass index (BMI) ( p = 0.016) and physical activity ( p = 0.050). Students with normal BMI (61.5%) and the most physically active students (37.7%) took significantly more dietary supplements. Results of this study could help medicine faculties to improve their curriculum and support the development of public health messages aimed at wise and safe use of dietary supplements.

Assessment of the trace element distribution in soils in the parks of the city of Zagreb (Croatia).

PubMed

Roje, Vibor; Orešković, Marko; Rončević, Juraj; Bakšić, Darko; Pernar, Nikola; Perković, Ivan

2018-02-07

This paper presents the results of the preliminary testing of the selected trace elements in the soils of several parks in the city of Zagreb, Republic of Croatia. In each park, the samples were taken from several points-at various distances from the roads. The samples were taken at two different depths: 0-5 and 30-45 cm. Composite samples were done for each sampling point. Microwave-assisted wet digestion of the soil samples was performed and the determination by ICP-AES technique was done. Results obtained for Al, As, Ba, Mn, Ti, V, and K are in a good agreement with the results published in the scientific literature so far. The mass fraction values of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn are somewhat higher than the maximum values given in the Croatian Directive on agricultural land protection against pollution. Be, Mo, Sb, Se, and Tl in the samples were present in the concentrations that are lower than their method detection limit values.

Isotope analyses of the lake sediments in the Plitvice Lakes, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horvatinčić, Nada; Sironić, Andreja; Barešić, Jadranka; Bronić, Ines Krajcar; Nikolov, Jovana; Todorović, Nataša; Hansman, Jan; Krmar, Miodrag

2014-10-01

The analyses of radioactive isotopes 14C, 137Cs and 210Pb, and stable isotope 13C were performed in the sediment cores, top 40 cm, taken in 2011 from karst lakes Prošće and Kozjak in the Plitvice Lakes National Park, central Croatia. Frozen sediment cores were cut into 1 cm thick layers and dried. 14C activity in both carbonate and organic fractions was measured using accelerator mass spectrometry technique with graphite synthesis. 137Cs, 210Pb, 214Pb and 214Bi were measured by low level gamma spectrometry method on ORTECHPGe detector with the efficiency of 32%. Distribution of 14C activity from both lakes showed increase of the 14C activity in the top 10-12 cm in both carbonate and organic fractions as a response to thermonuclear bomb-produced 14C in the atmosphere in the sixties of the 20th century. Anthropogenically produced 137Cs was also observed in sediment profiles. Sedimentation rates for both lake sediments were estimated based on the unsupported 210Pb activity. Different 14C activity of the carbonate fraction (63-80 pMC, percent of modern carbon) and organic fraction (82-93 pMC) is the result of geochemical and biological processes of the sediment precipitation in the lake waters. This is also confirmed by the δ 13 C values of both fractions. Carbon isotope composition, a 14 C and δ 13 C, was compared with the lake sediments from the same lakes collected in 1989 and 2003.

Evaluating performance in sweat testing in medical biochemistry laboratories in Croatia.

PubMed

Aralica, Merica; Krleza, Jasna Lenicek

2017-02-15

Sweat test has a diagnostic role in evaluation of cystic fibrosis. Its performance includes sweat stimulation, collection and analysis. All listed may be sources of inconsistencies in everyday practice. The aim of this study was an evaluation of external quality assessment (EQA) of sweat chloride measurement including sweat test performance in medical biochemistry laboratories in Croatia. EQA for sweat chloride measurement was provided by Croatian Centre for Quality Assessment in Laboratory Medicine (CROQALM) in five consecutive exercises to medical biochemistry laboratories (MBL) that offered sweat testing. A questionnaire regarding all phases of testing was mailed to involved MBL (N = 10). Survey results were compared to current guidelines for sweat test performance. Reported results of EQA in 2015 exercises showed coefficients of variation (CV) from 28.9%, 29.0% to 35.3%, respectively. An introduction of uniform sweat chloride measurement protocol resulted in CV of 15.5% and 14.7% reported in following two exercises in 2016. All MBL included in this study replied to the questionnaire. Results reported by MBL indicated: lack of patient information policy (7/10), use of unacceptable electrodes (6/9), misuse of minimum of acceptable sweat weight (6/9), lack of internal quality assessment (5/9) and recommended reference ranges (5/9 and 4/9). Agreements to guidelines were found in approach to unsuitable patients (9/10) and sweat collection (8/9). Presented results indicate major weak points of current practice in sweat test performance in Croatian MBL and stress the need for its standardization on a national level.

Evaluating performance in sweat testing in medical biochemistry laboratories in Croatia

PubMed Central

Aralica, Merica; Krleza, Jasna Lenicek

2017-01-01

Introduction Sweat test has a diagnostic role in evaluation of cystic fibrosis. Its performance includes sweat stimulation, collection and analysis. All listed may be sources of inconsistencies in everyday practice. The aim of this study was an evaluation of external quality assessment (EQA) of sweat chloride measurement including sweat test performance in medical biochemistry laboratories in Croatia. Materials and methods EQA for sweat chloride measurement was provided by Croatian Centre for Quality Assessment in Laboratory Medicine (CROQALM) in five consecutive exercises to medical biochemistry laboratories (MBL) that offered sweat testing. A questionnaire regarding all phases of testing was mailed to involved MBL (N = 10). Survey results were compared to current guidelines for sweat test performance. Results Reported results of EQA in 2015 exercises showed coefficients of variation (CV) from 28.9%, 29.0% to 35.3%, respectively. An introduction of uniform sweat chloride measurement protocol resulted in CV of 15.5% and 14.7% reported in following two exercises in 2016. All MBL included in this study replied to the questionnaire. Results reported by MBL indicated: lack of patient information policy (7/10), use of unacceptable electrodes (6/9), misuse of minimum of acceptable sweat weight (6/9), lack of internal quality assessment (5/9) and recommended reference ranges (5/9 and 4/9). Agreements to guidelines were found in approach to unsuitable patients (9/10) and sweat collection (8/9). Conclusion Presented results indicate major weak points of current practice in sweat test performance in Croatian MBL and stress the need for its standardization on a national level. PMID:28392735

Heavy metals and metalloid content in vegetables and soil collected from the gardens of Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Puntarić, Dinko; Vidosavljević, Domagoj; Gvozdić, Vlatka; Puntarić, Eda; Puntarić, Ida; Mayer, Dijana; Bosnir, Jasna; Lasić, Dario; Jergović, Matijana; Klarić, Ivana; Vidosavljević, Marina; Krivdić, Ivancica

2013-09-01

Aim of this study was to determine concentration of Pb, Cd, As and Hg in green leafy vegetables and soil in the urban area of Zagreb, Croatia and to determine if there is a connection between the contamination of soil and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables and soil samples were taken from the gardens located in the outskirts of the city. Concentrations of Pb, Cd, As and Hg were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry; showing that average concentrations of metals and metalloids in vegetables and in soil, regardless of the location of sampling were below the maximum allowed concentration (MAC). The analysis determined that metal concentrations in only nine vegetable samples (9%) were above maximum allowed values prescribed by national and European legislation (three with higher concentrations of Pb, one with a higher concentration of Cd and five with higher concentrations of Hg). Concentrations of contaminants present in the analysed samples, in general, are lower than the ones published in similar studies. The final distribution and concentration of contaminants in vegetables of Zagreb, besides industry and traffic, is affected by the dominant wind direction.

Fine structure of the absorbed dose rate monitored in Zagreb, Croatia, in the period 1985-2011.

PubMed

Babić, D; Senčar, J; Petrinec, B; Marović, G; Bituh, T; Skoko, B

2013-04-01

We report on the fine structure of the absorbed dose rate D which was measured and recorded on a daily basis at the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health in Zagreb, Croatia, throughout the period 1985-2011. After the Chernobyl accident, D increased steeply by a factor of 3.5, but this is the only prominent feature in the D versus time (t) curve. In the absence of accidental conditions, the D(t) is flat and amounts to 30-35 pGy/s. Despite the apparent plainness of D(t), its Fourier transform reveals several periodic modulations hidden in the noise. Some of the corresponding periods (6 and 12 months) can be related to seasonal atmospheric changes but this is not the case with the other periods identified (9.3, 13.7, 15.7, 20, 31, and 39 months). These are found to agree well with literature data on periodicities in solar activity, which implies that they are most probably linked to variations in the atmospheric production of (7)Be by cosmic rays. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Blind Flight? A New Troglobiotic Orthoclad (Diptera, Chironomidae) from the Lukina Jama - Trojama Cave in Croatia.

PubMed

Andersen, Trond; Baranov, Viktor; Hagenlund, Linn Katrine; Ivković, Marija; Kvifte, Gunnar Mikalsen; Pavlek, Martina

2016-01-01

The genus Troglocladius Andersen, Baranov et Hagenlund, gen. n. is erected based on T. hajdi Andersen, Baranov et Hagenlund, sp. n. collected at 980 m depth in the Lukina jama-Trojama cave system in Croatia. Morphological features such as pale color, strongly reduced eyes and very long legs make it a typical cave animal. Surprisingly, it has also retained large wings and appears to be capable of flight which would make T. hajdi the first flying troglobiont worldwide, disproving previous beliefs that bats are the only animals capable of flying in complete darkness. Morphologically the new species does not readily fit within any described genus, but shares characteristics with genera both in the tribes "Metriocnemini" and "Orthocladiini". Bayesian molecular phylogenetic analysis using the markers COI, 18S rDNAs, 28S rDNA, CADI, and CADIV groups it with the genera Tvetenia, Cardiocladius and Eukiefferiella in the tribe "Metriocnemini". Troglocladius hajdi may be parthenogenetic, as only females were collected. The discovery confirms the position of the Dinaric arch as a highly important hotspot of subterranean biodiversity.

Sex-specific differences of craniofacial traits in Croatia: the impact of environment in a small geographic area.

PubMed

Buretic-Tomljanovic, Alena; Giacometti, Jasminka; Ostojic, Sasa; Kapovic, Miljenko

2007-01-01

Craniometric variation in humans reflects different genetic and environmental influences. Long-term climatic adaptation is less likely to show an impact on size and shape variation in a small local area than at the global level. The aim of this work was to assess the contribution of the particular environmental factors to body height and craniofacial variability in a small geographic area of Croatia. A total of 632 subjects, aged 18-21, participated in the survey. Body height, head length, head breadth, head height, head circumference, cephalic index, morphological face height, face breadth, and facial index were analysed regarding geographic, climatic and dietary conditions in different regions of the country, and correlated with the specific climatic variables (cumulative multiyear sunshine duration, cumulative multiyear average precipitation, multiyear average air temperatures) and calcium concentrations in drinking water. Significant differences between groups classified according to geographic, climatic or dietary affiliation, and the impact of the environmental predictors on the variation in the investigated traits were assessed using multiple forward stepwise regression analyses. Higher body height measures in both sexes were significantly correlated with Mediterranean diet type. Mediterranean diet type also contributed to higher head length and head circumference measures in females. Cephalic index values correlated to geographic regions in both sexes, showing an increase from southern to eastern Croatia. In the same direction, head length significantly decreased in males and head breadth increased in females. Mediterranean climate was associated with higher and narrower faces in females. The analysis of the particular climatic variables did not reveal a significant influence on body height in either sex. Concurrently, climatic features influenced all craniofacial traits in females and only head length and facial index in males. Mediterranean climate

[Is a military hospital needed in the Republic of Croatia?].

PubMed

Sosić, Z; Kovacić, L

1992-01-01

The paper is an attempt to answer the question whether the military hospital is necessary or not in such a small country. Some arguments (and contra-arguments) are listed and discussed. Between the others are: (1) the necessity of developing "war" medical skills and knowledge (cannot be developed during peace-time neither in the military nor civil hospitals, and civilian health services are capable to adapt and to fulfill specific war tasks as it was shown in war in Croatia in 1991), (2) the possibility to develop specific, even peculiar, specialties as hyperbaric or space medicine (these are necessary at the airports, navy bases etc, not in military hospitals), (3) specific health needs of the population of soldiers, officers, and their families (as a rule this population is younger and positively selected i. e. healthier than the general population), (4) security reasons (the data are more accessible from the military service in one place than from the scattered civilian health services), (5) privileges in health care for population of soldiers, officers, and their families due to their particular merits (military forces themselves deny this reason; also, separate military health services is not really the privilege due to bureaucracy, and rather narrow choice of services, (6) separate services could be less expensive and more efficient than the civilian one (experiences from the other countries are completely opposite). The conclusion is that, for such expensive parts of health services, as hospital care (spending between 40% and 70% of the total health expenditure), there is the growing need for rational and planned development within the comprehensive and integral healthcare system. Inside such comprehensive system the military hospital does not look like a rational solution.

Risk management in air protection in the Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Peternel, Renata; Toth, Ivan; Hercog, Predrag

2014-03-01

In the Republic of Croatia, according to the Air Protection Act, air pollution assessment is obligatory on the whole State territory. For individual regions and populated areas in the State a network has been established for permanent air quality monitoring. The State network consists of stations for measuring background pollution, regional and cross-border remote transfer and measurements as part of international government liabilities, then stations for measuring air quality in areas of cultural and natural heritage, and stations for measuring air pollution in towns and industrial zones. The exceeding of alert and information threshold levels of air pollutants are related to emissions from industrial plants, and accidents. Each excess represents a threat to human health in case of short-time exposure. Monitoring of alert and information threshold levels is carried out at stations from the state and local networks for permanent air quality monitoring according to the Air Quality Measurement Program in the State network for permanent monitoring of air quality and air quality measurement programs in local networks for permanent air quality monitoring. The State network for permanent air quality monitoring has a developed automatic system for reporting on alert and information threshold levels, whereas many local networks under the competence of regional and local self-governments still lack any fully installed systems of this type. In case of accidents, prompt action at all responsibility levels is necessary in order to prevent crisis and this requires developed and coordinated competent units of State Administration as well as self-government units. It is also necessary to be continuously active in improving the implementation of legislative regulations in the field of crises related to critical and alert levels of air pollutants, especially at local levels.

Cremated human and animal remains of the Roman period--microscopic method of analysis (Sepkovcica, Croatia).

PubMed

Hincak, Zdravka; Mihelić, Damir; Bugar, Aleksandra

2007-12-01

Human and animal cremated osteological remains from twelve graves of Roman Period from archaeological site Sepkovcica near Velika Gorica (Turopolje region, NW Croatia) were analysed. Beside the content of urns and grave pits, fillings of grave vessels like bowls, pots and amphoras from twentytwo grave samples were included in this study. The preservation of osteological and dental remains of human and animal origin was very poor, majority of fragments hardly reach lengths of 10 mm. Weight of each specimen barely exceeds 100 g per person. Apart from traditional macroscopic methods of analysing cremated remains, microscopic method for determination of age at death was also tested. Fragments of femoral bone diaphysis of eighteen persons whose remains had been found on the site were analysed. Person's age at death was presented in the range of five or ten years, and the long bone fragments of a child (infants) were detected. Taxonomic position for each analysed specimen was determined by microscopic analysis of animal cremated bones. Analysis results confirm validity of microscopic method in determination of age at death for human remains and taxonomic qualification of cremated animal remains from archaeological sites.

Attitudes towards antimicrobial drugs among general population in Croatia, Fyrom, Greece, Hungary, Serbia and Slovenia.

PubMed

Radosević, Nives; Vlahović-Palcevski, Vera; Benko, Ria; Peklar, Jure; Miskulin, Inka; Matuz, Maria; Papaioannidou, Paraskevi; Sabo, Ana; Palcevska-Koceska, Snezana

2009-08-01

A pilot study to assess patients' attitudes towards antimicrobials (ABs) in six European countries (Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Greece, Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia), as a step preceding educational intervention on the importance of patients' compliance with instructions on taking ABs and consequences of their inappropriate use. Patients' knowledge, emotions and behaviour regarding ABs were assessed using a structured questionnaire, constructed by a psychologist and intended for general population in six European countries. Questionnaires were filled out by individuals who visited pharmacies and general practitioners. A total of 838 questionnaires were filled in. Respondents from Slovenia showed the best knowledge about ABs, followed by Croatians. The highest willingness for self-medication reported respondents from FYROM. The most positive emotions about ABs were expressed by respondents in Greece and Hungary, and the most negative in Slovenia. All components of attitudes towards antibiotics were influenced by country and level of education. Behaviour regarding ABs complied with emotions and knowledge in all countries. The results of this study may lay a basis for conducting national public campaigns, as a step forward in education of patients on rational AB use. Copyright 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Larger benthic foraminifera of the Paleogene Promina Beds (Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cosovic, V.; Mrinjek, E.; Drobne, K.

2012-04-01

In order to add more information about complex origin of Promina Beds (traditionally interpreted as Paleogene molasse of Dinarides), two sections (Lišani Ostrovački and Ostrovica, Central Dalmatia, Croatia) have been studied in detail. Sampled carbonate sequences contain predominantly coralline red algae, larger benthic foraminifera and corals. Based on sedimentary textures, nummulitid (Nummulites s.str and Asterigerina sp.) test shapes and the associated skeletal components, altogether three types of the Middle Eocene (Lutetian to Bartonian) facies were recognized. The Ostrovica section is composed of alternating couples of marly limestones and marls, several decimeters thick with great lateral continuity. Two facies which vertically alternate are recognized as Nummulites - Asterigerina facies, where patchily dispersed large, robust and party reworked larger benthic foraminifera constitute 20% and small bioclasts (fomaniniferal fragments and whole tests less than 3 mm in diameters) 10% of rock volume and, Coral - Red algal facies with coral fragments of solitary and colonial taxa up to 1 cm in size constitute 5 - 40%, red algae 15 - 60% and lager benthic foraminifera up to 5% of rock volume. The textural and compositional differences among the facies suggest rhythmic exchanges of conditions that characterize shallower part of the mesophotic zone with abundant nummulithoclasts with deeper mesophotic, lime mud-dominated settings where nummulitids with the flat tests, coralline red algae and scleractinian corals are common. The scleractinian corals (comprising up to 20% of rock volume) encrusted by foraminifera (Acervulina, Haddonia and nubeculariids) or coralline red algae and foraminiferal assemblage made of orthophragminid and nummulitid tests scattered in matrix, are distributed uniformly throughout the studied Lišani Ostrovački section. In the central part of section, wavy to smooth thin (< 1 mm) crusts (laminas) alternating with encrusted corals occur. The

Terrestrial biodiversity analyses in Dalmatia (Croatia): a complementary approach using diversity and rarity.

PubMed

Jelaska, Sven D; Nikolić, Toni; Serić Jelaska, Lucija; Kusan, Vladimir; Peternel, Hrvoje; Guzvica, Goran; Major, Zoran

2010-03-01

Here we present the methodology used for terrestrial biodiversity analysis and site selection in Phase B of the UNDP/GEF COAST project. The analysis was focused on the problem of biodiversity evaluation in four Croatian counties stretching from sea level to the highest mountain in Croatia. Data on habitats, vascular flora, and fauna (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, ground beetles, and underground invertebrates) were collected and analyzed for each of the four counties. Emphasis was given to the richness of endangered species and the rarity of endemic species. Based on the spatial analyses of habitat, fauna, and flora data, four to six areas were selected from each county and ranked according to their biodiversity importance. Overlap between areas important for richness and those important for rarity was highest for data on flora (65.5%) and lowest for data on fauna (16.7%). When different data sets were compared, the lowest overlap was between flora and fauna (17.1%) and largest between fauna and habitats (23.9%). Simultaneous overlap among all three data sets was found in just 6.5% of the overall selected areas. These results suggest that less specific data, with respect to taxa threat status, could better serve as surrogate data in estimating overall biodiversity. In summary, this analysis has demonstrated that Dalmatia is a region with a high overall biodiversity that is important in a broader European context.

Terrestrial Biodiversity Analyses in Dalmatia (Croatia): A Complementary Approach Using Diversity and Rarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jelaska, Sven D.; Nikolić, Toni; Šerić Jelaska, Lucija; Kušan, Vladimir; Peternel, Hrvoje; Gužvica, Goran; Major, Zoran

2010-03-01

Here we present the methodology used for terrestrial biodiversity analysis and site selection in Phase B of the UNDP/GEF COAST project. The analysis was focused on the problem of biodiversity evaluation in four Croatian counties stretching from sea level to the highest mountain in Croatia. Data on habitats, vascular flora, and fauna (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, ground beetles, and underground invertebrates) were collected and analyzed for each of the four counties. Emphasis was given to the richness of endangered species and the rarity of endemic species. Based on the spatial analyses of habitat, fauna, and flora data, four to six areas were selected from each county and ranked according to their biodiversity importance. Overlap between areas important for richness and those important for rarity was highest for data on flora (65.5%) and lowest for data on fauna (16.7%). When different data sets were compared, the lowest overlap was between flora and fauna (17.1%) and largest between fauna and habitats (23.9%). Simultaneous overlap among all three data sets was found in just 6.5% of the overall selected areas. These results suggest that less specific data, with respect to taxa threat status, could better serve as surrogate data in estimating overall biodiversity. In summary, this analysis has demonstrated that Dalmatia is a region with a high overall biodiversity that is important in a broader European context.

The study on air pollution with nickel and vanadium in Croatia by using moss biomonitoring and ICP-AES.

PubMed

Vučković, Ivana; Špirić, Zdravko; Stafilov, Trajče; Kušan, Vladimir; Bačeva, Katerina

2013-10-01

Moss samples were collected from 121 sampling sites all over Croatia during the summer and autumn of 2010. They were totally digested by using microwave digestion system and analysed by using atomic emission spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-AES). Descriptive statistics and maps of distribution were made. The data obtained in this study were compared with those from the study in 2006 and additionally with the data obtained in the similar studies in neighbouring countries and Norway as pristine area. The median value of nickel is 3.16 mg kg(-1) and the content varies from 1.04 to 14.66 mg kg(-1). The content of vanadium ranges between 0.23 and 37.26 mg kg(-1) with the median value of 2.55 mg kg(-1). High contents of these elements are found in the vicinity of Rijeka, Zagreb and Sisak as a result of their emission from oil refinery, thermal power plant and industrial processes.

Lead Concentrations in Raw Cow and Goat Milk Collected in Rural Areas of Croatia from 2010 to 2014.

PubMed

Bilandžić, Nina; Sedak, Marija; Čalopek, Bruno; Luburić, Đurđica Božić; Solomun Kolanović, Božica; Varenina, Ivana; Đokić, Maja; Kmetič, Ivana; Murati, Teuta

2016-05-01

A total of 249 cow and 33 goat milk samples were collected in rural areas of Croatia during the period 2010-2014. Lead concentrations in milk samples were analyzed by graphite furnace-atomic absorption spectroscopy. Mean Pb concentrations in milk ranged from (μg/kg): cow 10.8-12.2; goat 9.33-60.0. The highest Pb level of 131 μg/kg in cow milk was measured during 2014. There were no significant differences in Pb levels between cow and goat milk and also in goat milk among the analysed years. However, significant differences were found in cow milk among years. The highest Pb was determined in 2011 (157 μg/kg in goat milk). The calculated estimated weekly intakes of Pb concentrations for cow and goat milk contribute only 1.37 % and 1.84 % to the provisional tolerable weekly intake. Therefore, the consumption of milk from both species should not pose a consumer health risk.

Cross-sectional Biomonitoring of Metals in Adult Populations in Post-war Eastern Croatia: Differences Between Areas of Moderate and Heavy Combat

PubMed Central

Jergović, Matijana; Miškulin, Maja; Puntarić, Dinko; Gmajnić, Rudika; Milas, Josip; Sipos, Laszlo

2010-01-01

Aim To determine differences in metal and metalloid exposure between residents of areas in eastern Croatia exposed to heavy fighting during the war in Croatia and residents of areas exposed to moderate fighting. Methods Concentrations of aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), barium (Ba), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), uranium (U), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn), reported to be associated with military operations, were determined in hair, serum, and urine samples using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. A total of 127 and 46 participants from areas of heavy and moderate fighting, respectively, were included. Results Compared with participants from areas exposed to moderate fighting, participants from areas exposed to heavy fighting had significantly higher serum concentrations of Al (87.61 vs 42.75 μg/L, P = 0.007), As (5.05 ± 1.79 vs 4.16 ± 1.55 μg/L, P = 0.003), Ba (7.12 vs 6.01 μg/L, P = 0.044), and V (17.98 vs 16.84 μg/L, P = 0.008); significantly higher urine concentrations of As (43.90 vs 11.51 μg/L, P < 0.001) and Cd (0.67 vs 0.50 μg/L, P = 0.031); and significantly higher hair concentrations of Al (12.61 vs 7.33 μg/L, P < 0.001), As (0.32 vs 0.05 μg/L, P < 0.001), Cd (0.03 vs 0.02 μg/L, P = 0.002), Fe (22.58 vs 12.68 μg/L, P = 0.001), Pb (1.04 vs 0.69 μg/L, P = 0.006), and V (0.07 vs 0.03 μg/L, P < 0.001). Conclusion Differences between populations from eastern Croatian areas exposed to heavy and populations exposed to moderate fighting point to the need for extensive monitoring of metal and metalloid exposure, emphasizing the role of biomonitoring through ecologic and preventive activities. PMID:20960595

Mediterranean diet in the southern Croatia – does it still exist?

PubMed Central

Kolčić, Ivana; Relja, Ajka; Gelemanović, Andrea; Miljković, Ana; Boban, Kristina; Hayward, Caroline; Rudan, Igor; Polašek, Ozren

2016-01-01

Aim To assess the adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the population of Dalmatia in southern Croatia. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed within the 10 001 Dalmatians cohort, encompassing 2768 participants from Korčula and Vis islands and the City of Split, who were recruited during 2011-2014. Using the data obtained from food frequency questionnaire we calculated the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the characteristics associated with the adherence to the Mediterranean diet, with age, sex, place of residence, education attainment, smoking, and physical activity as covariates. Results The median MDSS score was 11 out of 24 points (interquartile range 8-13), with the highest score recorded on the island of Vis. Participants reported a dietary pattern that had high compliance with the Mediterranean diet guidelines for consumption of cereals (87% met the criteria), potatoes (73%), olive oil (69%), and fish (61%), moderate for consumption of fruit (54%) and vegetables (31%), and low for consumption of nuts (6%). Overall, only 23% of the participants were classified as being adherent to the Mediterranean diet, with a particularly low percentage among younger participants (12%) compared to the older ones (34%). Men were less likely to show good adherence (odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.42-0.65). Conclusion This study revealed rather poor compliance with the current recommendations on the Mediterranean diet composition in the population of Dalmatia. Public health intervention is especially needed in younger age groups and in men, who show the greatest departure from traditional Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. PMID:27815932

Traditional CVD risk factors and socio-economic deprivation in Roma minority population of Croatia.

PubMed

Zeljko, Hrvojka; Skarić-Jurić, Tatjana; Narancic, Nina Smolej; Salihović, Marijana Pericić; Klarić, Irena Martinović; Barbalić, Maja; Starcević, Boris; Lauc, Lovorka Barać; Janićijević, Branka

2008-09-01

Researches into health inequalities consistently show disadvantages in health status, morbidity and mortality for various ethnic minority groups. Current knowledge about prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) mainly derives from studies carried out in populations of European origin while the evidences involving Roma population are scarce. Roma, an ethnic minority of northern Indian origin, live in many countries throughout the world and are well known for preserved traditions and resistance to assimilation. They are most often marginalized economically, spatially, politically and in terms of culture. In order to assess the health status and health-related lifestyle attributes, a multidisciplinary anthropological and epidemiological community-based study was carried out including a total of 423 members of the Bayash Roma minority population living in two regions of Croatia (144 men and 279 women, aged 18-84 yrs). Hypertension (HT) was found in 24.8% Bayash Roma (21.5% men and 26.5% women) using standard diagnostic criteria (i.e. BP > or = 140/90 mm Hg or taking antihypertensive therapy). The prevalence increases from 5.9% in the age group 18-34 yrs; 35.0% in the age group 35-64 yrs, and 51.4% in the age group 65+ yrs. The prevalence of hypertension in the Bayash Roma is almost half of the magnitude of what is usually reported for the general population of Croatia. It is also lower when compared with other European populations and this finding is not due to comparatively younger average age of the Bayash sample. The significant association of hypertension with age and BMI was confirmed in this study and the importance of non-traditional SES-related CVD risk factors was highlighted. Smoking is a part of traditional Roma life-style and with 70% of smokers almost the entire population is equally exposed to this risk factor in their family environment. Since homogenously distributed, this risk factor did not show to be a significant predictor of hypertension. The

Storm wave deposits in southern Istria (Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biolchi, Sara; Furlani, Stefano; Devoto, Stefano; Scicchitano, Giovanni

2017-04-01

The accumulation of large boulders related to extreme waves are well documented in different areas of the Mediterranean coasts, such as in Turkey, Algeria, Egypt, Greece (Lesbos and Crete islands), France, Spain, Malta, Italy (Sicily and Apulia regions). These deposits have been associated to storm or tsunami events or both, depending on the local history. If compared to the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic Sea is considered a shallow basin, with very low wave energy. In particular the NE Adriatic, where Istria Peninsula (Croatia) is located, geological and geomorphological evidences of extreme wave events have never been described, as well as no tsunamis have been registered. We present the boulder deposits that have been recently found out in southern Istria, at Premantura and Marlera localities and we discuss the mechanisms that could have been responsible of the detachment and movement of these large rocky blocks from the emerged part of the coast and from the sea bottom inland. A multidisciplinary approach was adopted: geological and geomorphological surveyings, UAV and digital photogrammetric analysis, applying of the hydrodynamic equations as well as underwater profiles were carried out between 2012 and 2016. The southern Istrian coasts are composed of Cretaceous bedded limestones, sub-horizontal or gently inclined toward the sea and are exposed to southern winds, Scirocco and Libeccio, with wide fetch. The boulder deposits occur in correspondence of flat promontories or ancient quarry pavements, where the topography, together with the bedding planes and a dense fracture pattern constitute the predisposing factors of the boulder sizing and detachment. Boulder sizes, density, position and elevation have been measured in order to apply the hydrodynamic equations, which provide wave height values that can discriminate a storm from a tsunami origin. Biogenic marine encrustations, sometimes very recent, have been observed on large part of the boulders, attesting

Blind Flight? A New Troglobiotic Orthoclad (Diptera, Chironomidae) from the Lukina Jama – Trojama Cave in Croatia

PubMed Central

Ivković, Marija; Kvifte, Gunnar Mikalsen; Pavlek, Martina

2016-01-01

The genus Troglocladius Andersen, Baranov et Hagenlund, gen. n. is erected based on T. hajdi Andersen, Baranov et Hagenlund, sp. n. collected at 980 m depth in the Lukina jama—Trojama cave system in Croatia. Morphological features such as pale color, strongly reduced eyes and very long legs make it a typical cave animal. Surprisingly, it has also retained large wings and appears to be capable of flight which would make T. hajdi the first flying troglobiont worldwide, disproving previous beliefs that bats are the only animals capable of flying in complete darkness. Morphologically the new species does not readily fit within any described genus, but shares characteristics with genera both in the tribes “Metriocnemini” and “Orthocladiini”. Bayesian molecular phylogenetic analysis using the markers COI, 18S rDNAs, 28S rDNA, CADI, and CADIV groups it with the genera Tvetenia, Cardiocladius and Eukiefferiella in the tribe “Metriocnemini”. Troglocladius hajdi may be parthenogenetic, as only females were collected. The discovery confirms the position of the Dinaric arch as a highly important hotspot of subterranean biodiversity. PMID:27119557

Modeling of policies for reduction of GHG emissions in energy sector using ANN: case study-Croatia (EU).

PubMed

Bolanča, Tomislav; Strahovnik, Tomislav; Ukić, Šime; Stankov, Mirjana Novak; Rogošić, Marko

2017-07-01

This study describes the development of tool for testing different policies for reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in energy sector using artificial neural networks (ANNs). The case study of Croatia was elaborated. Two different energy consumption scenarios were used as a base for calculations and predictions of GHG emissions: the business as usual (BAU) scenario and sustainable scenario. Both of them are based on predicted energy consumption using different growth rates; the growth rates within the second scenario resulted from the implementation of corresponding energy efficiency measures in final energy consumption and increasing share of renewable energy sources. Both ANN architecture and training methodology were optimized to produce network that was able to successfully describe the existing data and to achieve reliable prediction of emissions in a forward time sense. The BAU scenario was found to produce continuously increasing emissions of all GHGs. The sustainable scenario was found to decrease the GHG emission levels of all gases with respect to BAU. The observed decrease was attributed to the group of measures termed the reduction of final energy consumption through energy efficiency measures.

Is public health between East and West? Analysis of wealth, health and mortality in Austria, Central and Eastern European Countries and Croatia relative to the European Union.

PubMed

Hofmarcher, M M

1998-09-01

To provide a conceptual framework for health planning activities in the "middle income" transition countries. Economic, demographic, and disease-related data in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, including Croatia and Austria, were compared to the Europen Union (EU) average. Data were selected from the databases provided by the World Health Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, World Bank, United Nations, and the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development. Life expectancy and mortality were extrapolated until the year 2000 by using an exponential growth model for the WHO time series data, starting in 1994. Death rates due to ischemic heart diseases (18%) and cerebrovascular diseases (13%) were selected to show frequent causes of death. Relative to the EU average, the gross domestic product (GDP) share of health expenditures in transition countries was disproportionate to wealth and premature death. The population in CEE-countries was younger and the share of people aged >65 was predicted to remain about 15% below the EU average and Austria. For Croatia, the share of people aged 65 would be on the increase, similar to the share predicted for Austria (slightly above the EU average). Mortality of selected non-communicable, chronic diseases is predicted to increase and remain relatively high. Mortality rates due to infectious diseases have been declining but remained comparatively on a high level. Coexistence of demographic and epidemiological transition along with high mortality rates due to infectious diseases creates a "double burden". Economic transition has the potential to comprise both the increase in wealth, and life and health expectancy.

Long term fine aerosol analysis by XRF and PIXE techniques in the city of Rijeka, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivošević, Tatjana; Orlić, Ivica; Radović, Iva Bogdanović

2015-11-01

The results of a long term, multi elemental XRF and PIXE analysis of fine aerosol pollution in the city of Rijeka, Croatia, are reported for the first time. The samples were collected during a seven months period (6th Aug 2013-28th Feb 2014) on thin stretched Teflon filters and analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) at the Laboratory for Elemental Micro-Analysis (LEMA), University of Rijeka and by Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) using 1.6 MeV protons at the Laboratory for Ion Beam Interactions (LIBI), Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb. The newly developed micro-XRF system at LEMA provided results for 19 elements in the range from Si to Pb. The PIXE at the LIBI provided information for the same elements as well for the light elements such as Na, Mg and Al. Black carbon was determined with the Laser Integrated Plate Method (LIPM). The results were statistically evaluated by means of the positive matrix factorization (PMF). The seven major pollution sources were identified together with their relative contributions, these are: secondary sulfates, road traffic, smoke, road dust, sea spray, ship emissions and soil dust.

Bone growth, limb proportions and non-specific stress in archaeological populations from Croatia.

PubMed

Pinhasi, R; Timpson, A; Thomas, M; Slaus, M

2014-01-01

The effect of environmental factors and, in particular, non-specific stress on the growth patterns of limbs and other body dimensions of children from past populations is not well understood. This study assesses whether growth of mediaeval and post-mediaeval children aged between 0-11.5 years from Adriatic (coastal) and continental Croatia varies by region and by the prevalence and type of non-specific stress. Dental ages were estimated using the Moorrees, Fanning and Hunt (MFH) scoring method. Growth of long bone diaphyses (femur, tibia, humerus, radius and ulna) was assessed by using a composite Z-score statistic (CZS). Clavicular length was measured as a proxy for upper trunk width, distal metaphyseal width of the femur was measured as a proxy for body mass and upper and lower intra-limb indices were calculated. Differences between sub-sets sampled by (a) region and (b) active vs healed non-specific stress indicators and (c) intra-limb indices were tested by Mann--Whitney U-tests and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA). Adriatic children attained larger dimensions-per-age than continental children. Children with healed stress lesions had larger dimensions-per-age than those with active lesions. No inter-regional difference was found in intra-limb indices. These findings highlight the complexity of growth patterns in past populations and indicate that variation in environmental conditions such as diet and differences in the nature of non-specific stress lesions both exert a significant effect on long bone growth.

Seasonal abundance of horse flies (Diptera: Tabanidae) from two locations in eastern Croatia.

PubMed

Krcmar, Stjepan

2005-12-01

A total of 10,539 tabanid horse flies from 22 species and five genera was collected in the Tikves forest within the Kopacki rit Nature Park in eastern Croatia. Seasonal abundance was analyzed for the six most abundant species. Tabanus maculicornis, Tabanus tergestinus, and Haematopota pluvialis reached their highest peak abundance in the fourth week of June. Atylotus loewianus and Tabanus bromius reached their highest peak of abundance in the first week of August, whereas Tabanus sudeticus reached its maximum abundance in the third week of July. Horse flies also were collected once a week on the pasture at Petrijevci from mid-May to mid-September during 1993. Paired collections were made from a Malaise trap and from a horse by using a sweep net. A total of 2,867 tabanids belonging to 26 species was collected. The number of tabanids collected on horses was much higher than the total captured with Malaise traps. On their natural host (horse), 2.6 times more tabanids were collected than in the traps. Seasonal abundance was analyzed only for the eight most abundant species. Chrysops paralellogrammus, Tabanus autumnalis, Tabanus bromius, Tabanus tergestinus, Haematopota pluvialis, and Haematopota subcylindrica all reached their highest peak of abundance in the second week of July, whereas Tabanus maculicornis reached the maximal peak of abundance in the third week of June. Seasonal meteorological variability that occurs periodically from one year to another has a significant influence on the maximal peaks of tabanid abundance.

Ambulatory oral surgery: 1-year experience with 11 680 patients from Zagreb district, Croatia

PubMed Central

Jokić, Dražen; Macan, Darko; Perić, Berislav; Tadić, Marinka; Biočić, Josip; Đanić, Petar; Brajdić, Davor

2013-01-01

Aim To examine the types and frequencies of oral surgery diagnoses and ambulatory oral surgical treatments during one year period at the Department of Oral Surgery, University Hospital Dubrava in Zagreb, Croatia. Methods Sociodemographic and clinical data on 11 680 ambulatory patients, treated between January 1 and of December 31, 2011 were retrieved from the hospital database using a specific protocol. The obtained data were subsequently analyzed in order to assess the frequency of diagnoses and differences in sex and age. Results The most common ambulatory procedure was tooth extraction (37.67%) and the most common procedure in ambulatory operating room was alveolectomy (57.25%). The test of proportions showed that significantly more extractions (P < 0.001) and intraoral incisions (P < 0.001) were performed among male patients, whereas significantly more alveolectomies and apicoectomies were performed among female patients (P < 0.001). A greater prevalence of periodontal disease was found in patients residing in Zagreb than in patients residing in rural areas. Conclusion The data from this study may be useful for planning of ambulatory oral surgery services, budgeting, and sustaining quality improvement, enhancing oral surgical curricula, training and education of primary health care doctors and oral surgery specialists, and promoting patients’ awareness of the importance of oral health. PMID:23444246

Oral health attitudes and behavior of dental students at the University of Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Badovinac, Ana; Božić, Darko; Vučinac, Ivana; Vešligaj, Jasna; Vražić, Domagoj; Plancak, Darije

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate oral health behavior and attitudes of dental students in years 1 to 6 at the University of Zagreb, Croatia. The Croatian version of the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioral Inventory (HU-DBI) was administered to predoctoral dental students, and collected data were analyzed. A total of 503 students (22.3 ± 2.6 mean age) completed the questionnaire. The response rate was 85.1 percent, and 72.4 percent of the respondents were female. These dental students' answers to eleven out of twenty HU-DBI items differed significantly by academic year. The mean questionnaire score was 6.62 ± 1.54, and the highest value of the HU-DBI score was in the fourth year (7.24 ± 1.54). First-year students were most likely to have a toothbrush with hard bristles and felt they had not brushed well unless done with hard strokes. Students in the sixth year were least worried about visiting a dentist and most frequently put off going to a dentist until having a toothache, indicating that rise of knowledge contributes to higher self-confidence. The mean HU-DBI score for these students showed average value, pointing out the need for a comprehensive oral hygiene and preventive program from the start of dental school.

Analysis of the elective curriculum in undergraduate medical education in Croatia.

PubMed

Koceic, Ana; Mestrovic, Anita; Vrdoljak, Luka; Vukojevic, Katarina; Barac-Latas, Vesna; Drenjancevic-Peric, Ines; Biocina-Lukenda, Dolores; Sapunar, Damir; Puljak, Livia

2010-04-01

Elective courses are a significant part of undergraduate medical education throughout the world, but the value provided by these courses and the reasons for choosing particular elective courses have not been studied extensively. The aim of this study was to investigate medical and dental students' experiences of elective courses in undergraduate medical education in Croatia and to gather students' recommendations for the improvement of elective courses. Medical and dental students studying under the Bologna curriculum were given a questionnaire in which they were asked for their opinions of elective courses and their suggestions as to how they might be improved. Data on elective courses were obtained from medical schools' administrative offices. The survey response rate was 92% (834/903). Medical students gave elective courses an average grade of 3.44 out of 5, whereas dental students gave a lower average of 3.15. Students' suggestions for change included introducing more practical work and recognising international student exchanges and attendance at conferences as elective options. A third of students indicated that teachers should be given additional training in leading elective courses. Analysis of the curriculum showed that elective courses in Croatian medical schools are very heterogeneous in terms of their content and the number of credits and assessment methods they involve, and are very conservative in that only structured courses are offered. Students cannot design their own courses or take more elective courses than represent 10% of their total number of credits. Student opinion should be consulted when medical schools venture into the elective curriculum so that students can feel that they are really benefiting from these subjects. Students would welcome new and personally designed strands. Elective courses are a significant part of medical education and therefore their quality and purpose need to be assessed regularly in order to ensure that they meet

Genetic diversity, population structure and subdivision of local Balkan pig breeds in Austria, Croatia, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and its practical value in conservation programs.

PubMed

Druml, Thomas; Salajpal, Kresimir; Dikic, Maria; Urosevic, Miroslav; Grilz-Seger, Gertrud; Baumung, Roswitha

2012-03-01

At present the Croatian Turopolje pig population comprises about 157 breeding animals. In Austria, 324 Turopolje pigs originating from six Croatian founder animals are registered. Multiple bottlenecks have occurred in this population, one major one rather recently and several more older and moderate ones. In addition, it has been subdivided into three subpopulations, one in Austria and two in Croatia, with restricted gene flow. These specificities explain the delicate situation of this endangered Croatian lard-type pig breed. In order to identify candidate breeding animals or gene pools for future conservation breeding programs, we studied the genetic diversity and population structure of this breed using microsatellite data from 197 individuals belonging to five different breeds. The genetic diversity of the Turopolje pig is dramatically low with observed heterozygosities values ranging from 0.38 to 0.57. Split into three populations since 1994, two genetic clusters could be identified: one highly conserved Croatian gene pool in Turopoljski Lug and the"Posavina" gene pool mainly present in the Austrian population. The second Croatian subpopulation in Lonjsko Polje in the Posavina region shows a constant gene flow from the Turopoljski Lug animals. One practical conclusion is that it is necessary to develop a "Posavina" boar line to preserve the "Posavina" gene pool and constitute a corresponding population in Croatia. Animals of the highly inbred herd in Turopoljski Lug should not be crossed with animals of other populations since they represent a specific phenotype-genotype combination. However to increase the genetic diversity of this herd, a program to optimize its sex ratio should be carried out, as was done in the Austrian population where the level of heterozygosity has remained moderate despite its heavy bottleneck in 1994. © 2012 Druml et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Family factors associated with auto-aggressiveness in adolescents in Croatia.

PubMed

Tripković, Mara; Francisković, Tanja; Grgić, Neda; Ercegović, Nela; Graovac, Mirjana; Zecević, Iva

2013-12-01

The aim of this research is to look into the roles of families' social situation and cohesion in adolescent auto-aggressiveness in Croatia. The research was conducted on a sample of Zagreb high school students which encompassed 701 pupils of both genders aged 14-19. The basic demographic data were obtained using the Structured Demographic and Family Data Questionnaire. Auto-aggressiveness was tested using a section of the Report on Youth Aged 11-18 and the Scale of Auto-destructiveness--SAD, whereas the family cohesion was tested with the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales FACES III. The obtained results show differences according to the gender: girls are more prone to auto-aggressiveness than boys (t = -3.385, df = 565, p = 0.001) and girls more often show symptoms of destructiveness (t = -3.809, df = 637, p < 0.001) and anxiety (t = -6.562, df = 640, p < 0.001), while boys show pronounced aggressiveness (t = 2.655, df = 653, p = 0.008). Significant family factors associated with auto-aggressiveness are parents' marital status (chi2 = 18.039, df = 4, p = 0.001), their financial situation (F(2.548) = 4.604, p = 0.010), alcoholic father (chi2 = 9.270, df = 2, p = 0.010), mentally ill mother (t = 5.264, df = 541, p < 0.001), as well as mentally ill father (t = 4.744, df = 529, p < 0.001), and corporal punishment by mother (F(2.542) = 8.132, p < 0.001) or father (F(2.530) = 5.341, p = 0.005). Adolescents from split families show more auto-aggressiveness. Family cohesion appears to be considerably associated with auto-aggressiveness and the adolescents that see their families as less cohesive have more mental problems (chi2 = 29.98, df = 2, p < 0.001). There is a connection between auto-destructive behavior in adolescents and family factors. Knowledge of family's social situation and cohesion may help understand, prevent and treat auto-aggressiveness in adolescents.

Challenge of goodness: twelve humanitarian proposals based on the experience of 1991-1995 wars in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

PubMed

Lang, S

1998-03-01

Based on the 1991-1995 war experience of peoples of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, I made twelve proposals regarding the following aspects of health, humanitarian work, and human rights: 1. Broadening of the WHO definition of health by including spiritual well-being (absence of hatred) in it, 2. Inclusion of the term genocide into the Index Medicus (MeSH), 3. Establishment of concepts of prevention of hate, 4. Right to a home, 5. Right of civilians to participate in defense and renewal, 6. Right to deliberation from enslavement and right to find out the fate of missing persons, 7. Global hospital, 8. Monitoring of prisoner-of-war camps, 9. Refugee camps, 10. Providing of care for the abandoned - a new category of people suffering in war, 11. Introduction of the Helping Hand concept, 12. Organization of the Red Cross Forum after the cessation of hostilities. The fundamental objective was to establish the legitimacy of honesty in practice, regulative social mechanisms, and science.

Early Intervention Services for Early-Phase Psychosis - Centre for integrative psychiatry in Psychiatric Hospital "Sveti Ivan", Croatia.

PubMed

Matić, Katarina; Gereš, Natko; Gerlach, Josefina; Prskalo-Čule, Diana; Zadravec Vrbanc, Tihana; Lovretić, Vanja; Librenjak, Dina; Vuk Pisk, Sandra; Ivezić, Ena; Šimunović Filipčić, Ivona; Jeleč, Vjekoslav; Filipčić, Igor

2018-06-01

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that early and effective management in the critical early years of schizophrenia can improve long-term outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate time to relapse of the patients with early-phase psychosis treated in the Centre for integrative psychiatry (CIP). We performed a retrospective cohort study on the sample of 373 early-phase psychosis patients admitted to Psychiatric Hospital "Sveti Ivan", Zagreb Croatia: from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2017. The primary outcome was time to relapse. Patients who were admitted to group psychotherapeutic program after the end of acute treatment had 70% lower hazard for relapse (HR=0.30; 95% CI 0.16-0.58). Patients who were included first in the psychotherapeutic program and then treated and controlled in the daily hospital had 74% lower hazard for relapse (HR=0.26; 95% CI 0.10-0.67). In early-phase psychosis, integrative early intervention service has relevant beneficial effects compare to treatment as usual. These results justified the implementation of multimodal early intervention services in treatment of patients with early-phase psychosis.

[Importance of medical treatment in second echelon during war in Croatia, example--war surgical hospital in Garesnica].

PubMed

Gverić, Tugomir; Huljev, Dubravko; Zdilar, Boris; Kolak, Toni; Barisic, Jadranko; Ahmetasovic, Snjezana Gveric; Trajbar, Dubravka; Lojo, Nermin; Sever, Marko

2009-05-01

At beginning of 1991, the increasing necessity of emergency surgical treatment of wounded persons in Croatia led to the formation of mobile surgical teams. However, this system was abandoned due to many problems and echelon health division was formed. One of the war surgical hospitals (second echelon) was the War Surgical Hospital Garesnica. In this study, materials of the Croatian War Veterans Ministry, Ministry of Defense, Garesnica War Surgical Hospital and Garesnica Defense Office archive were used. We analyzed the number and localization of wounds, and describe the organization, work and results of the War Surgical Hospital in Garesnica. During the work of the War Surgical Hospital in Garesnica, 909 surgical examinations were performed, 521 wounded were surgically treated (45% civilians and 55% soldiers), 331 wounded were operated on, 5 lethal outcomes were recorded, 68% of wounds were localized on the extremities, 19% on the thorax and abdomen, and 13% on the head end neck. In this article the organization and work of the War Surgical Hospital in Garesnica is described, which had a major role in providing emergency medical care to people wounded in west Slavonia.

Urban-rural differences in a population-based breast cancer screening program in Croatia

PubMed Central

Stamenić, Valerija; Strnad, Marija

2011-01-01

Aim To investigate urban-rural differences in the distribution of risk factors for breast cancer. Methods We analyzed the data from the first round of the “Mamma” population based-screening program conducted in Croatia between 2007 and 2009 and self-reported questionnaire results for 924 patients with histologically verified breast cancer. Reproductive and anthropometric characteristics, family history of breast cancer, history of breast disease, and prior breast screening history were compared between participants from the city of Zagreb (n = 270) and participants from 13 counties with more than 50% of rural inhabitants (n = 654). Results The screen-detected breast cancer rate was 4.5 per 1000 mammographies in rural counties and 4.6 in the city of Zagreb, while the participation rate was 61% in rural counties and 59% in Zagreb. Women from Zagreb had significantly more characteristics associated with an increased risk of breast cancer (P < 0.001 in all cases): no pregnancies (15% vs 7%), late age of first pregnancy (≥30 years) (10% vs 4%), and the most recent mammogram conducted 2-3 years ago (32% vs 14%). Women from rural counties were more often obese (41% vs 28%) and had early age of first live birth (<20 years) (20% vs 7%, P < 0.001 for both). Conclusion Identification of rural-urban differences in mammography use and their causes at the population level can be useful in designing and implementing interventions targeted at the reduction of inequalities and modifiable risk factors. PMID:21328724

Fluviokarst and classical karst: Examples from the Dinarics (Krk Island, Northern Adriatic, Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benac, Čedomir; Juračić, Mladen; Matičec, Dubravko; Ružić, Igor; Pikelj, Kristina

2013-02-01

In order to contribute to the debate on the role of fluvial erosion in the shaping of karst, two nearby areas with different karstic landscapes were compared. Areas A and B are located relatively close to each other on the southern side of the Krk Island (Adriatic Sea, Croatia). Both areas are composed of similar limestone with a very high CaCO3 content. Area A is a typical doline or polygonal type ("classical") of karst with numerous dolines (up to 57/km2) covered with terra rossa (red soil) and Mediterranean maquis shrubland. Dolines are located in zones which correspond to the strike of the main geological structures. Dry karstic valleys are visible only on gently inclined coastal slopes bordering the karstic plateau. In contrast, area B is typical of a bare karst landscape with a strong (palaeo)fluvial imprint. The dolines are absent, and the bedrock is only sporadically covered with terra rossa. Palaeogene marls have been observed in a few elongated depressions and in the coastal zone of area B. Along steep coastal slopes, valleys (up to 460 m/km2) are cut into the carbonates. The traces of episodic surface flows are visible in some of these valleys, in contrast to the valleys in area A. Remnants of a disrupted ancient fluvial network are clearly visible on the elevated karstic plateau in area B. Differences in the recent morphology are attributed mainly to varying thicknesses of the Palaeogene impermeable marly cover, and the intensity of tectonics in the two areas.

Lower limb entheseal morphology in the Neandertal Krapina population (Croatia, 130,000 BP).

PubMed

Mariotti, Valentina; Belcastro, Maria Giovanna

2011-06-01

Although the Neandertal locomotor system has been shown to differ from Homo sapiens, characteristics of Neandertal entheses, the skeletal attachments for muscles, tendons, ligaments and joint capsules, have never been specifically investigated. Here, we analyse lower limb entheses of the Krapina Neandertal bones (Croatia, 130,000 BP) with the aim of determining how they compare with modern humans, using a standard developed by our research group for describing modern human entheseal variability. The entheses examined are those of the gluteus maximus, iliopsoas and vastus medialis on the femur, the quadriceps tendon on the patella, and soleus on the tibia. For the entheses showing a different morphological pattern from H. sapiens, we discuss the possibility of recognising genetic versus environmental causes. Our results indicate that only the gluteus maximus enthesis (the gluteal tuberosity), falls out of the modern human range of variation. It displays morphological features that could imply histological differences from modern humans, in particular the presence of fibrocartilage. In both H. sapiens and the Krapina Neandertals, the morphological pattern of this enthesis is the same in adult and immature femurs. These results can be interpreted in light of genetic differences between the two hominins. The possibility of functional adaptations to higher levels of mechanical load during life in the Neandertals seems less likely. The particular morphology and large dimensions of the Krapina enthesis, and perhaps its fibrocartilaginous nature, could have been selected for in association with other pelvic and lower limb characteristics, even if genetic drift cannot be ruled out. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

First Aid Management in Emergency Care of Dental Injuries – Knowledge among Teachers in Rijeka, Croatia

PubMed

Bakarčić, Danko; Hrvatin, Sandra; Maroević, Mia; Ivančić Jokić, Nataša

2017-03-01

The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to investigate the knowledge and attitude regarding emergency treatment of dental trauma among elementary school teachers in the city of Rijeka, Croatia. A total of 144 teachers answered a four-part questionnaire which comprised questions regarding demographic data, role and responsibility at the working place, knowledge about dental trauma, and motivation for further education on the topic. Nearly half of the participants (47.2%) reported having seen at least one dental trauma in their professional careers. They chose to contact the child’s parent first (54.1%) and only 11.1% chose to contact a dentist instead. The majority of teachers (81.9%) were not aware of the meaning of the term avulsio dentis. As to treatment of avulsed tooth, 17.3% of teachers knew the appropriate management, while 14% of them would not even touch it. With regard to transport of avulsed tooth or fractured tooth fragments, only 2% responded correctly. The majority of the responders (87.5%) had never been educated about dental trauma, but were willing to be informed through lectures (53.4%), basic life support courses (15.2%) and brochures (9.7%). Planning teachers’ education through advanced training on the topic is suggested to be part of teachers’ lifetime education.

The long-term effects of war experiences on children's depression in the Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Brajsa-Zganec, Andreja

2005-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate whether different levels of depressive symptoms in early adolescent boys and girls could be predicted on the basis of war experiences, perceived available social support (instrumental support, support to self-esteem, belonging and acceptance) and extraversion. The sample consisted of 583 children ages 12 to 15 years; 283 children were displaced from different parts of Croatia for a period of approximately three and a half years. The following instruments were administered: Questionnaire on Children's Stressful and Traumatic War Experiences, Reynolds Adolescent Depression Scale, Junior Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, and Interpersonal Support Evaluation List. Regression analyses showed that more war experiences were related to more depressive symptoms for boys only. The greater extent of perceived available social support for boys (instrumental support, support to self-esteem, belonging and acceptance) related to fewer depressive symptoms. For girls, perceived instrumental support and self-esteem were related to fewer depressive symptoms. Predictors in the boys' sample accounted for 35% of the variance in the results on the depression scale, and 27% in the girls' sample. We conclude that boys suffer more from the long-term effects of war than girls. In situations where children cannot be shielded from stressful events, such as war, a greater level of perceived social support is related to fewer depressive symptoms both for boys and girls in early adolescence.

Regulating Medicines in Croatia: Five-year Experience of Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices

PubMed Central

Tomić, Siniša; Filipović Sučić, Anita; Plazonić, Ana; Truban Žulj, Rajka; Macolić Šarinić, Viola; Čudina, Branka; Ilić Martinac, Adrijana

2010-01-01

Aim To present the activities of the Agency for Medicinal Products and Medical Devices in the first 5 years of its existence and to define its future challenges. Methods Main activities within the scope of the Agency as a regulatory authority were retrospectively analyzed for the period from 2004-2008. Data were collected from the Agency’s database and analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results The number of issued medicine authorizations rose from 240 in 2004 to 580 in 2008. The greatest number of new chemical and biological entities was approved in 2005. The greatest number of regular quality controls (n = 5833) and special quality controls was performed in 2008 (n = 589), while the greatest number of off-shelf quality controls (n = 132) was performed in 2007. The greatest number of medicine labeling irregularities was found in 2007 (n = 19) and of quality irregularities in 2004 (n = 9). The greatest number of adverse reactions was reported in 2008 (n = 1393). The number of registered medical devices rose from 213 in 2004 to 565 in 2008. Conclusion Over its 5 years of existence, the Agency has successfully coped with the constant increase in workload. In the future, as Croatia enters the European Union, the Agency will have to face the challenge of joining the integrated European regulatory framework. PMID:20401952

Survey of T-2/HT-2 toxins in unprocessed cereals, food and feed coming from Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

PubMed

Pleadin, Jelka; Vasilj, Višnja; Kudumija, Nina; Petrović, Danijela; Vilušić, Milica; Škrivanko, Mario

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate into the level of T-2/HT-2 toxins in different unprocessed cereals (n=201), as well as in marketed cereal-based products (n=58), feed components (n=191) and feedstuffs (n=91) coming from Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina. The number of positive samples of unprocessed cereals for food production (>LOD) ranged from 30.4% in barley to 68.8% in oat whereas for feed components ranged from 26.9% in wheat to 86.1% in oat. The maximal values found in unprocessed oat and oat-based feed components were 304.2μg/kg and 521.0μg/kg, respectively. As for final products, the highest T-2/HT-2 concentrations were determined in oat flakes (89.4μg/kg) and calf feed (129.3μg/kg). Despite of the increased T-2/HT-2 concentrations found in some of the samples, the obtained values were unanimously lower than the indicative levels given as recommendations above which further investigations should be necessary performed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors predisposing to early childhood caries (ECC) in children of pre-school age in the city of Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Lulić-Dukić, O; Jurić, H; Dukić, W; Glavina, D

2001-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate factors predisposing to early childhood caries (ECC) in pre-school children in the city of Zagreb, Croatia. The investigation was carried out on the sample of 145 children (77 boys and 68 girls) aged between 2 and 5 years, including clinical examination of dental status and survey on the habits among the parents. The overall prevalence of ECC was 30%: in girls it was 25%, and in boys 48%. The study on the risk factors was designed as a classic case-control study. The mean value of dmfs index among the cases amounted to 8.6, in comparison to 5.2 in the control group (p<0.05). Bottle-feeding did not represent a significant risk, but night consumption of sweet beverages after first 24 months and the lack of introduction of teeth-brushing habit after first 24 months did (p < 0.001 for both predictors). The study revealed the importance of early introduction of teeth-brushing and giving up the nightly consumption of sweet beverages in prevention of ECC.

Multidisciplinary work on barium contamination of the karstic upper Kupa River drainage basin (Croatia and Slovenia); calling for watershed management.

PubMed

Francisković-Bilinski, S; Bilinski, H; Grbac, R; Zunić, J; Necemer, M; Hanzel, D

2007-02-01

The present work was designed as an extension of a previous study of a barium anomaly observed in stream sediments of the Kupa River. In its upper part the Kupa River drains a region underlain by a trans-boundary aquifer. The river is a significant water resource in a region of tourism, sport, and fishing in both Croatia and Slovenia. The contamination source is situated in Homer (Lokve), Croatia, where barite was mined until 10 years ago. The barium processing waste material (<3-mm fraction) was carelessly deposited in gardens, forests, and into a sinkhole, which has an underground link with the Kupica River, a tributary of the Kupa River. Barium waste and stream sediments were analyzed using comparative techniques: X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Mössbauer spectroscopy, and grain size analysis. XRD of the waste material identified the major minerals quartz, barite, and dolomite and the Fe-containing minor minerals muscovite and goethite. Barite was identified as a minor or trace mineral in the Kupica River sediments. XRF analysis of the waste material has shown Ba and Fe to be the predominant elements, Ca and K to be minor elements, and Mn, Zn, Sr, Pb, Co, Cu, As, Zr, Rb, Y, and Mo to be trace elements. Mössbauer spectroscopy performed at room temperature (RT) was used to study iron minerals, particularly to obtain information on the valence status of Fe ions. Grain size analysis of the waste material (<63-microm fraction) has shown that it contains 23.5% clay-size material in comparison with 7-8% clay-size material in stream sediments. It is our aim to combine geochemical and medical methods to investigate the possible impact of waste disposal on human health in Lokve. At this stage of the work, concentrations of Ba and other toxic elements in the water compartment of the Kupica River (a source of drinking water) have not been monitored by Croatian Waters (name of the Croatian water authorities). The necessity of such measurements in future

Health insurance in Croatia: dynamics and politics of balancing revenues and expenditures.

PubMed

Voncina, Luka; Kehler, Jenni; Evetovits, Tamas; Bagat, Mario

2010-04-01

Since 2002, the Croatian social health insurance system has undergone substantial reforms, initiated for the most part with the aim of addressing the perpetual financial deficits of the state health insurance fund. While the reforms focussed heavily on increasing the inflow of private funds into the health care system, underlying inefficiencies contributing significantly to poor financial performance have been largely ignored. Furthermore, contrary to demographic trends and developments in social health insurance schemes in other countries, funding health care became even more dependent on its main collection mechanism-payroll tax-and consequently on the employment ratio and wage level. Little effort has been made to diversify the revenue base or to increase the efficiency of revenue collection. Like other countries, Croatia is facing difficulties in adjusting its 'Bismarck' system to its changing demographic and socioeconomic context. Instead of targetting a comprehensive effort at improving revenue collection and limitating unnecessary expenditure and system inefficiencies, simplified approaches to balance the budget have been implemented at a high price to users and with limited effect. As a result, the Croatian health insurance system now offers a lower level of financial protection, while still facing the problem of spending more than can be collected through the current mix of revenue collection mechanisms. The authors suggest that, in order to meet the sustainability requirement of the health financing system, measures affecting both revenue and expenditure should be considered and implemented. On the revenue collection side, the Croatian government must make further efforts to improve collection from the informally employed to broaden the base of contributing members; equally important is the diversification of revenue sources by increasing transfers from general taxation revenues. On the expenditure side, exploring inefficiencies of the delivery system can

Seroepidemiological Study of Epstein-Barr Virus in Different Population Groups in Croatia.

PubMed

Beader, Nataša; Kolarić, Branko; Slačanac, Domagoj; Tabain, Irena; Vilibić-Čavlek, Tatjana

2018-02-01

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is one of the most common viruses found in humans, causing lifelong infection in up to 95% of the world population. To analyze the seroprevalence of EBV infection in different population groups in Croatia. During a 2 year period (2015-2016), a total of 2022 consecutive serum samples collected from Croatian residents were tested for the presence of EBV-specific viral capsid antigen (VCA) immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies using an enzyme-linked immunoassay. IgM/IgG-positive samples were further tested for IgG avidity. The overall prevalence of EBV IgG antibodies was 91.4%. Females had significantly higher IgG seroprevalence than males (93.1% vs. 89.9%, P = 0.008). According to age, IgG seropositivity increased progressively from 59.6% in children age < 9 years to 98.3% in 30-39 year olds, and remained stable thereafter (P < 0.001). The IgG seroprevalence differed significantly among groups: 68.1% in children/adolescents and 95.9% in adults; multiple sclerosis (100%), hemodialysis patients (97.7%), heart transplant recipients (93.8%), hematological malignancies (91.2%), and Crohn's disease (88.5%), P < 0.001. IgM antibodies were detected in 9% of participants. Using IgG avidity, recent primary EBV infection was documented in 83.8% of IgM-positive subjects < 9 years old, 69.2% age 10-19, 33.3% age 20-29, and 3.6-4.2% > 40. All IgM positive participants > 40 years showed high IgG avidity. Logistic regression showed that age is associated with EBV IgG seropositivity. EBV is widespread in the Croatian population. Older age appears to be the main risk factor for EBV seropositivity.

Concentrations of trace elements in tissues of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and stone marten (Martes foina) from suburban and rural areas in Croatia.

PubMed

Bilandžić, Nina; Dežđek, Danko; Sedak, Marija; Dokić, Maja; Solomun, Božica; Varenina, Ivana; Knežević, Zorka; Slavica, Alen

2010-11-01

Trace elements concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Hg) were determined in the liver, kidney and muscle of 28 red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and 16 stone marten (Martes foina) from suburban and rural habitats from Croatia. Rural and suburban habitats affected Cd and Hg levels in the muscle, liver and kidney of red fox. Significant differences in metal concentrations in the muscle, liver and kidney were detected among species. Suburban stone marten accumulated the highest levels of trace elements (mg/kg w.w.): in muscle 0.019 for Hg; in liver 0.161 for Cd, 36.1 for Cu and 0.349 for Pb; in kidney 1.34 for Cd and 0.318 for Pb. Values observed were higher than those found in suburban red fox and therefore, may represent an important bioindicator for the accumulation of toxic metals in urbanized habitats.

Sanitary conditions in the Austrohungarian war harbour Pola (Pula, Croatia) in 1916-17: foundation of the Hygienic Institute.

PubMed

Alebić-Juretić, Ana

2017-12-01

Since 1850 the town of Pola (today Pula, Croatia) underwent big changes and growth due to its transformation into the principal military port of Austrian-Hungarian Empire. Besides the Admiralty that governed the naval actions, the harbor was supported by different organizations needed for normal functioning of the harbor. One of this organizations was Naval Technical Committee (Marine Technisches Komitee), founded in 1874 with the purpose of solving the technical and technological issues related to the navy. The outbreak of World War I (WWI) posed new challenges for Europe. Thus, on February 29th 1916, the Hygienic Institute was founded in the harbor area and Dr. Karl Cafasso was appointed as the first director. The purpose of the Institute was to provide scientific and professional aid to the Head of the Medical Corps of the Ports' Board (Kriegs-Hafenkommando) in the field of epidemiology, microbiology, social medicine and hygiene, the main fields of public health even today. By the end of the war, the Institute ceased its activity, and similar was founded only in 1938, under Italian rule and has been developed to the present Institute of Public Health.

Activity of fosfomycin against nosocomial multiresistant bacterial pathogens from Croatia: a multicentric study

PubMed Central

Bielen, Luka; Likić, Robert; Erdeljić, Viktorija; Mareković, Ivana; Firis, Nataša; Grgić-Medić, Marijana; Godan, Ana; Tomić, Ivan; Hunjak, Blaženka; Markotić, Alemka; Bejuk, Danijela; Tičić, Vladimira; Balzar, Silvana; Bedenić, Branka

2018-01-01

Aim To determine in vitro susceptibility of multiresistant bacterial isolates to fosfomycin. Methods In this prospective in vitro study (local non-random sample, level of evidence 3), 288 consecutively collected multiresistant bacterial isolates from seven medical centers in Croatia were tested from February 2014 until October 2016 for susceptibility to fosfomycin and other antibiotics according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute methodology. Susceptibility to fosfomycin was determined by agar dilution method, while disc diffusion were performed for in vitro testing of other antibiotics. Polymerase chain reaction and sequencing was performed for the majority of extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) and carbapenem-resistant isolates. Results The majority of 288 multiresistant bacterial isolates (82.6%) were susceptible to fosfomycin. The 236 multiresistant Gram-negative isolates showed excellent susceptibility to fosfomycin. Susceptibility rates were as follows: Escherichia coli ESBL 97%, K. pneumoniae ESBL 80%, Enterobacter species 85.7%, Citrobacter freundii 100%, Proteus mirabilis 93%, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa 60%. Of the 52 multiresistant Gram-positive isolates, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus showed excellent susceptibility to fosfomycin (94.4%) and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus showed low susceptibility to fosfomycin (31%). Polymerase chain reaction analysis of 36/50 ESBL-producing K. pneumoniae isolates showed that majority of isolates had CTX-M-15 beta lactamase (27/36) preceded by ISEcp insertion sequence. All carbapenem-resistant Enterobacter and Citrobacter isolates had blaVIM-1 metallo-beta-lactamase gene. Conclusion With the best in vitro activity among the tested antibiotics, fosfomycin could be an effective treatment option for infections caused by multiresistant Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial strains in the hospital setting. PMID:29740989

Motivation and Career Perceptions of Dental Students at the School of Dental Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Kobale, Mihaela; Klaić, Marija; Bavrka, Gabriela; Vodanović, Marin

2016-09-01

Health care studies are usually considered to be complex, demanding and time consuming. The right motivation toward choosing a career in the health field is of utmost importance for the successful completion of studies. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the factors motivating students at the School of Dental Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia and, also, to examine their career perceptions. Based on specific questions from available literature, a questionnaire was designed and a total of 270 questionnaires were distributed to the first year students during 2013, 2014 and 2015. A total of 206 students responded, for a response rate of 76.3%. 26.9% of students enrolled in dental studies because it was their first career choice; 16.4% of them believed that it is easy to find a regular job in dentistry. 9.9% of students thought that salaries are high in the field of dental medicine. 45.4% of the first year students were interested in a career in private practice after graduation. These results provide interesting clues to motivation and give additional insights into the expectations of students regarding their studies and profession. The obtained data can be used for the further improvements in the quality of dental study curricula and teaching process.

Sedimentological and mineralogical characteristics of the Pleistocene loess/paleosol sections in the Eastern Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galović, Lidija

2016-03-01

In the Eastern Croatia impressive loess-paleosol successions up to 30 m thick are exposed. In the Zmajevac I section three paleosols are intercalated in loess while in the Zmajevac, Erdut and Šarengrad sections there are four paleosols are intercalated in loess. IRSL age estimates of 17.8 ± 1.9 and 217 ± 22 ka. In all investigated sections, alluvial sediments are intercalated in the loess deposits, indicating periods of fluvial activity. Strongly abraded typical aeolian spherical grains characterized by pitted well-rounded surface that was developed during transportation have original crystal surface almost destroyed. Surface of quartz grains preserves micro textures characteristic for all transport medias that it has been exposed to. However, muscovite grain surface enable successful distinguishing if the last transport was by wind or by aquatic media. Characteristic of all horizons with muscovite as a dominant mineral is recent settling of organisms. Beside the Danube, Drava and Sava River flood plains, part of the analyzed sediments also originates from regional Tertiary sediments which are rich in granite (as a muscovite-bearing rock), indicating the local influence. Enrichment of pyroxenes in the Šarengrad section points to the Dinaride Ophiolite Zone as its source of origin eroded by the Sava River southern tributaries. Šarengrad section is the southernmost among the analyzed sections and the southern edge of the Carpathian Basin. Thus, beside the Alpine region, the mineral composition is influenced by minerals from the Dinaride Ophiolite Zone in Bosnia. Warming periods are not represented just by paleosols, but also with laminated alluvial sediments.

Prevalence, Type and Etiology of Dental and Soft Tissue Injuries in Children in Croatia.

PubMed

Škaričić, Josip; Vuletić, Marko; Hrvatin, Sandra; Jeličić, Jesenka; Čuković-Bagić, Ivana; Jurić, Hrvoje

2016-06-01

The prevalence, type and etiology of dental and soft tissue injuries and relationship between the time of arrival and sustaining soft tissue injury were analyzed in this retrospective study conducted at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University Dental Clinic in Zagreb, Croatia, during the 2010-2014 period using documentation on 447 patients (264 male and 183 female) aged 1-16 years with injuries of primary and permanent teeth. The highest prevalence of traumatic dental injury (TDI) was found in the 7-12 age group and maxillary central incisors were most frequently affected (80.9%) in both primary and permanent dentitions. Enamel-dentin fracture without pulp exposure (31.9%) was the most common TDI of dental hard tissue in both dentitions, whereas subluxation (27.3%) was the most common periodontal tissue injury type. The most frequent location, cause and seasonal variation of trauma were at home, falling and spring. Soft tissue injuries were observed in 203 (45.4%) patients. Soft tissue injuries were less likely when fewer teeth were traumatized (p<0.001). Comparison of children with and without soft tissue injuries yielded a statistically significant difference in the time to arrival between primary and permanent teeth (p<0.01). Because soft tissue injuries include bleeding and clinical presentation appears more dramatic, the time elapsed between injury and initial treatment was shorter than in non-bleeding injuries, pointing to the need of education focused on parents and school teachers regarding the importance of immediate therapy for both bleeding and non-bleeding TDIs.

Differentiation of Commercial PDO Wines Produced in Istria (Croatia) According to Variety and Harvest Year Based on HS-SPME-GC/MS Volatile Aroma Compound Profiling.

PubMed

Lukić, Igor; Horvat, Ivana

2017-03-01

To differentiate monovarietal wines made from native and introduced varieties in Istria (Croatia), samples of Malvazija istarska, Chardonnay and Muscat yellow from two harvest years (2013 and 2014) were subjected to headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric analysis (HS-SPME-GC/MS) of volatile aroma compounds. Significant effects of variety and harvest year were determined, but their interaction complicated the differentiation. Particular compounds were consistent as markers of variety in both years: nerol for Malvazija, ethyl cinnamate and a tentatively identified isomer of dimethylbenzaldehyde for Chardonnay, and terpenes for Muscat yellow. Wines from 2013 contained higher concentrations of the majority of important volatiles. A 100% correct differentiation of Malvazija istarska and Chardonnay wines according to both variety and harvest year was achieved by stepwise linear discriminant analysis.

A six decades long follow-up on body size in adolescents from Zagreb, Croatia (1951-2010).

PubMed

Zajc Petranović, Matea; Tomas, Željka; Smolej Narančić, Nina; Škarić-Jurić, Tatjana; Veček, Andrea; Miličić, Jasna

2014-03-01

Most studies analysing the influence of socioeconomic deterioration on body size focus on the impact of food shortages and diseases on the growth in early childhood. To evaluate how socioeconomic conditions influence the growth during the adolescence, we tracked the body size of 15-19 year-olds over the last sixty years covering the socialist period (1951-1990), the war (1991-1995) and the transition to capitalistic economy. This study of Zagreb, Croatia, adolescent population provides information on the secular trend in height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) and examines their relation with Real Gross Domestic Product. From 1951 to 2010 the girls' height approximately increased by 6.2cm and weight by 6.8kg, while the boys' height increased by 12.2cm and weight by 17.3kg. Prior to 1991 mean BMI in girls was higher than in boys, but from 1991 on, the interrelation between the sexes has been opposite, possibly mirroring the cultural trends that started in mid-1970s and reflecting higher sensitivity of boys to the socioeconomic changes. In conclusion, the secular trend in body size over the investigated period reflects the positive economic trends interrupted by the war. The recent increase in BMI corresponds to the country's economic recovery and indicates the "nutrition transition". Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Perception of stroke in Croatia--knowledge of stroke signs and risk factors amongst neurological outpatients.

PubMed

Vuković, V; Mikula, I; Kesić, M J; Bedeković, M R; Morović, S; Lovrencić-Huzjan, A; Demarin, V

2009-09-01

The aim of this hospital-based survey was to determine baseline stroke knowledge in Croatian population attending the outpatient services at the Department of Neurology. A multiple choice questionnaire was designed, divided into three sections: (i) demographic data, (ii) knowledge of stroke risk factors and stroke signs and (iii) actions the patients would undertake if confronted with risk of stroke and information resources regarding health. The analysis included 720 respondents (54.9% women). The respondents most frequently indicated stroke symptoms as following: speech disorder 82%, paresthesiae on one side of the body 71%, weakness of arm or leg 55%, unsteady gait 55%, malaise 53%, monocular loss of vision 44%. The risk factors most frequently identified were hypertension 64%, stress 61%, smoking 59%, elevated lipids 53%, obesity 52%, coagulation disorder 47%, alcoholism 45%, low-physical activity 42%, elderly age 39%, cardiac diseases 38%, weather changes 34%, drugs 33% and diabetes 32%. If confronted with stroke signs 37% of respondents would consult the general practitioner and 31% would call 911 or go to a neurologist. Amongst patients with a risk factor, only diabetics were aware that their risk factor might cause stroke (P < 0.001). Respondents with lowest education had the least knowledge regarding stroke signs (P < 0.01). The results of this study indicate that respondents showed a fair knowledge about stroke signs and risk factors for stroke. The results of our study will help to create and plan programmes for improvement of public health in Croatia.

Film and television in Croatia today: production, new technologies and the relationship with visual anthropology.

PubMed

Svilicić, Niksa; Vidacković, Zlatko

2013-03-01

This paper seeks to explain some of the most important recent production and technological changes that have affected the relationship between television and film, especially in Croatia, from the aspect of the development of visual anthropology. In the production segment, special attention was given to the role of Croatian television stations in the production of movies, "splitting" the movies into mini-series, interrupting movies with commercial breaks, and to television movies turned into feature films. This paper tries to perceive and define the structure of methodical processes of visual anthropology (reactive process). The development of photographic and film technology and the events which led to the rapid development of visual culture also point to the inseparable duality of observing visual anthropology within reactive and proactive processes, which are indirectly closely related to the technical aspects of these processes. Defining the technical aspect of visual anthropology as such "service" necessarily interferes with the author's approach in the domain of the script and direction related procedures during pre-production, on the field and during post-production of the movie. The author's approach is important because in dependence on it, the desired spectrum of information "output", susceptible to subsequent scientific analysis, is achieved. Lastly, another important segment is the "distributive-technological process" because, regardless of the approach to the anthropologically relevant phenomenon which is being dealt with in an audio-visual piece of work, it is essential that the work be presented and viewed adequately.

Contribution of Forensic Anthropology to Identification Process in Croatia: Examples of Victims Recovered in Wells

PubMed Central

Šlaus, Mario; Strinović, Davor; Petrovečki, Vedrana; Vyroubal, Vlasta

2007-01-01

Aim To describe the contribution of forensic anthropology to the recovery, analysis, and identification of victims from the 1991-1995 war in Croatia recovered in wells. Methods From 1996 to the present, human remains of a total of 61 individuals have been recovered from 13 wells. Six wells contained the remains of a single individual, one well contained the remains of 2 individuals, and 6 wells contained the remains 3 or more individuals. The majority of wells, containing 90.2% (55/61) of recovered individuals, were located within a 4 km radius of the Croatian-Serbian border. Results Forensic anthropologists re-individualized 26/61 (42.6%) individuals out of skeletonized and commingled remains, provided basic biological data on sex, age-at-death, and stature in all identifications (n = 37), as well as established positive identification by recognizing unique skeletal features (antemortem fractures and skeletal evidence of antemortem surgical interventions) in 3/37 (8.1%) cases. Trauma analyses carried out by forensic anthropologists contributed to the determination of the cause of death in 38/61 (62.3%) individuals and to the probable cause of death in an additional 18/61 (29.5%) individuals. The most frequent (27/38, 71.0%) type of trauma causing death in individuals recovered from wells was a single gunshot wound. Conclusion Forensic anthropologists, collaborating closely with forensic pathologists, forensic odontologists, forensic radiologists, criminologists, and molecular biologists contributed significantly to trauma analysis and identification of war victims recovered from wells. PMID:17696305

First Report on Rare Unifloral Honey of Endemic Moltkia petraea (Tratt.) Griseb. from Croatia: Detailed Chemical Screening and Antioxidant Capacity.

PubMed

Jerković, Igor; Marijanović, Zvonimir; Zekić, Marina; Tuberoso, Carlo I G

2017-03-01

Rare Moltkia petraea (Tratt.) Griseb. honey from Croatia was first time characterised. The spectrophotometric assays on CIE L*a*b*C ab *h ab ° colour coordinates, total phenol content and antioxidant capacity (FRAP, CUPRAC, DPPH • and ABTS •+ assays) determined higher honey values generally close to dark honeys ranges. Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) on two fibres after GC-FID and GC/MS revealed the major compounds 2-phenylacetaldehyde (12.8%; 15.6%), benzaldehyde (11.1%; 10.0%), octane (9.3%; 7.6%), nonane, propan-2-one, pentan-2-one, pentanal and nonanal (4.9%; 14.5%). Ultrasonic solvent extraction (USE) mainly isolated non-specific higher molecular compounds characteristic of the comb environment. Targeted HLPC-DAD analysis of the honey determined higher concentration of phenylalanine (212.08 mg/kg) and lumichrome (16.25 mg/kg) along with tyrosine and kojic acid. The headspace composition (chemical fingerprint) and high concentration of lumichrome can be considered particular for M. petraea honey. © 2017 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.

Internship workplace preferences of final-year medical students at Zagreb University Medical School, Croatia: all roads lead to Zagreb.

PubMed

Polasek, Ozren; Kolcic, Ivana; Dzakula, Aleksandar; Bagat, Mario

2006-04-01

Human resources management in health often encounters problems related to workforce geographical distribution. The aim of this study was to investigate the internship workplace preferences of final-year medical students and the reasons associated with their choices. A total of 204 out of 240 final-year medical students at Zagreb University Medical School, Croatia, were surveyed a few months before graduation. We collected data on each student's background, workplace preference, academic performance and emigration preferences. Logistic regression was used to analyse the factors underlying internship workplace preference, classified into two categories: Zagreb versus other areas. Only 39 respondents (19.1%) wanted to obtain internships outside Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Gender and age were not significantly associated with internship workplace preference. A single predictor variable significantly contributed to the logistic regression model: students who believed they would not get the desired specialty more often chose Zagreb as a preferred internship workplace (odds ratio 0.32, 95% CI 0.12-0.86). A strong preference for Zagreb as an internship workplace was recorded. Uncertainty about getting the desired specialty was associated with choosing Zagreb as a workplace, possibly due to more extensive and diverse job opportunities.

Compliance With WHO/UNICEF BFHI Standards in Croatia After Implementation of the BFHI.

PubMed

Zakarija-Grković, Irena; Boban, Marija; Janković, Sunčana; Ćuže, Anamarija; Burmaz, Tea

2018-02-01

The primary goal of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is to create conditions in maternity facilities that enable women to initiate and sustain the practice of breastfeeding exclusively. Research aim: This study aimed to determine hospital practices and breastfeeding rates before and after BFHI implementation and assess compliance with UNICEF/World Health Organization (WHO) standards for seven of the BFHI's Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding ( Ten Steps). Mothers of healthy, term infants ( N = 1,115) were recruited from the postnatal ward of the University Hospital of Split, Croatia, between February 2008 and July 2011 and followed for 12 months in a repeated-measures, prospective, longitudinal, three-group, nonequivalent, cohort study. Breastfeeding rates, hospital practices-including seven of the Ten Steps-and maternal sociodemographic data were collected. Parts of all seven Ten Steps that were assessed improved significantly post-BFHI. Step 3 ("antenatal education") showed the least improvement, whereas Step 7 ("rooming-in"; 2.6% pre-BFHI vs. 98.5% post-BFHI) and Step 9 ("no pacifiers/teats"; 21.8% pre-BFHI vs. 99.4% post-BFHI) showed the greatest improvement. Six months after Baby-Friendly designation, only Steps 7 and 9 were in full compliance with UNICEF/WHO standards. In-hospital, exclusive-breastfeeding rates rose markedly ( p < .001), but no change occurred in breastfeeding rates at 3, 6, or 12 months. Full implementation of the BFHI was associated with significant improvement in hospital practices and in-hospital, exclusive-breastfeeding rates, but it did not affect breastfeeding rates postdischarge, emphasizing the vital role of community support. Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative standards declined rapidly post-hospital designation, indicating the need for regular monitoring and reassessment as well as ongoing, effective training for hospital staff.

Prostitutes and criminals: beginnings of eugenics in Croatia in the works of Fran Gundrum from Oriovac (1856-1919).

PubMed

Kuhar, Martin; Fatović-Ferencić, Stella

2012-04-01

Fran Gundrum (1856-1919) was a Croatian physician, encyclopedist, and an advocate of medical enlightenment and healthy lifestyle. In order to identify and analyze Gundrum's ideas about the problems of prostitution and criminality, we studied all of his books, booklets, and articles published between 1905 and 1914. We showed that Gundrum's theories of heredity, morality, and sexual hygiene incorporated many of the important discussions of his time, especially those related to the Darwinian paradigm. Gundrum's project of collecting statistics on prostitutes was the first such study published on the territory of today's Croatia. Although he rejected the notions of born prostitutes and born criminals, defended by Italian criminal anthropologist Cesare Lombroso, he still regarded eugenics as a convenient method of dealing with the ills of society. He believed that criminals were degenerate individuals representing a violent threat to the society and that it was legitimate to use radical means, such as sterilization and deportation, to deal with this problem. Organicistic view of the society prevented him from seeing the individual rights as important as that of the society to protect itself. Nevertheless, this view led to many humanistic ideas, such as the binomial illness/poverty in case of prostitution, which influenced many prominent works of social medicine movement.

Patterns of internet use and mental health of high school students in Istria County Croatia: cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bezinović, Petar; Roviš, Darko; Rončević, Nena; Bilajac, Lovorka

2015-06-01

To examine associations between different forms of internet use and a number of psychological variables related to mental health in adolescents. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on a representative sample of students (N=1539) from all high schools in the region of Istria in Croatia (14-19 years). The associations between four factors of internet use and nine mental health indicators were analyzed using canonical correlation analysis. The four canonical functions suggested a significant association between different types of internet use and specific indicators of mental health (P<0.001). Problematic internet use, more typical among boys, was associated with general aggressive behavior and substance abuse (P<0.001). Experiences of harassment, more typical among girls, were associated with health complaints, symptoms of depression, loneliness, and fear of negative evaluation (P<0.001). Using the internet for communication and entertainment was associated with better relationships with peers (P<0.001), while use of the internet for academic purposes was associated with conscientiousness (P<0.001). The results suggest that different patterns of internet use are significantly associated with specific sets of positive and negative mental health indicators. The data support the assumption that internet use can have both positive and adverse effects on the mental health of youth.

Prostitutes and criminals: beginnings of eugenics in Croatia in the works of Fran Gundrum from Oriovac (1856-1919)

PubMed Central

Kuhar, Martin; Fatović-Ferenčić, Stella

2012-01-01

Fran Gundrum (1856-1919) was a Croatian physician, encyclopedist, and an advocate of medical enlightenment and healthy lifestyle. In order to identify and analyze Gundrum’s ideas about the problems of prostitution and criminality, we studied all of his books, booklets, and articles published between 1905 and 1914. We showed that Gundrum’s theories of heredity, morality, and sexual hygiene incorporated many of the important discussions of his time, especially those related to the Darwinian paradigm. Gundrum’s project of collecting statistics on prostitutes was the first such study published on the territory of today's Croatia. Although he rejected the notions of born prostitutes and born criminals, defended by Italian criminal anthropologist Cesare Lombroso, he still regarded eugenics as a convenient method of dealing with the ills of society. He believed that criminals were degenerate individuals representing a violent threat to the society and that it was legitimate to use radical means, such as sterilization and deportation, to deal with this problem. Organicistic view of the society prevented him from seeing the individual rights as important as that of the society to protect itself. Nevertheless, this view led to many humanistic ideas, such as the binomial illness/poverty in case of prostitution, which influenced many prominent works of social medicine movement. PMID:22522997

Trends in cooling degree-days for five locations in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cvitan, L.

2010-09-01

The cooling degree-days (CDD) and number of cooling days (CD) over the period 1901-2008 are analyzed at five stations that represent different climatic regions in Croatia. The stations under consideration are: Osijek in the southern lowland of Pannonian Plain, Zagreb - Grič at the furthest south-eastern edge of the Julian Alps, Gospić in highland - hinterland of the Dinaric Alps, Crikvenica on the north-eastern Adriatic coast and Hvar on the mid - Adriatic island with the same name. Calculation of CDDs and counting of CDs are performed for the 18° C, 21° C and 23° C temperature thresholds that represent daily mean air temperature. Daily mean temperature (M) is calculated by using daily temperatures measured at 7 a.m. (t7), 2 p.m. (t14) and 9 p.m. (t21), in the following way: M=(t7+t14+2t21)/4. Linear trends over the period 1901-2008 are determined for each month as well as for the whole year (annual trend). Statistical significances of the trends are tested using the non-parametric Mann - Kendal test. For the months with the greatest potential cooling demands - June, July and August, the increasing trend is detected for almost all analyzed values at five locations. Namely, only for the August CD (threshold 18° C) for Hvar area and for the June and August CDDs (threshold 23° C) for Gospić area are detected slightly decreasing trends. Most slightly decreasing trends are discovered for September for both parameters at Osijek, Zagreb and Gospić area. Annual trends in both parameters for all locations are increasing, except the annual Gospić CDD (threshold 23° C) trend that is slightly decreasing. According to the Mann - Kendal test neither of the annual trends in CDD and CD for three temperature thresholds are statistically significant at 0.05 significance level in Gospić and Osijek. On the contrary, all of the mentioned annual trends are significant in Zagreb and Crikvenica, and almost all in Hvar (except trends in CD for the 21° C and 23° C thresholds

Motivation and Career Perceptions of Dental Students at the School of Dental Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia

PubMed Central

Kobale, Mihaela; Klaić, Marija; Bavrka, Gabriela

2016-01-01

Purpose Health care studies are usually considered to be complex, demanding and time consuming. The right motivation toward choosing a career in the health field is of utmost importance for the successful completion of studies. The aim of this study was to gain insight into the factors motivating students at the School of Dental Medicine University of Zagreb, Croatia and, also, to examine their career perceptions. Material and Methods Based on specific questions from available literature, a questionnaire was designed and a total of 270 questionnaires were distributed to the first year students during 2013, 2014 and 2015. Results A total of 206 students responded, for a response rate of 76.3%. 26.9% of students enrolled in dental studies because it was their first career choice; 16.4% of them believed that it is easy to find a regular job in dentistry. 9.9% of students thought that salaries are high in the field of dental medicine. 45.4% of the first year students were interested in a career in private practice after graduation. These results provide interesting clues to motivation and give additional insights into the expectations of students regarding their studies and profession. Conclussion The obtained data can be used for the further improvements in the quality of dental study curricula and teaching process. PMID:27847393

The town of Cabar, Croatia, a high risk area for multiple sclerosis--analytic epidemiology of dietary factors.

PubMed

Perković, Olivio; Jurjević, Ante; Rudez, Josip; Antoncić, Igor; Bralić, Marina; Kapović, Miljenko

2010-04-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is demyelization disease of central nervous system of unidentified causes. Analytic epidemiological research of 19 patients, clinically approved cases of MS and 25 controls, autochthonic inhabitants of town of Cabar, Croatia, the high-risk zone for the disease, was made. The research plan included case-control investigation--the "door to door" questionnaire--about nutrition habits. An odds ratio (OR) was calculated for all the factors which were more frequently found in the patients than in the controls, and vice versa. The variables that were connected with significant risk for MS in the town of Cabar included: alcohol consumption (p = 0.05), animal fats/dried meat products consumption (p = 0.007), nitrate salting (p = 0.03), strong spices (p = 0.007), mixed bread (p = 0.002), oat and oat products consumption (p = 0.0075). No connection was found with regular consumption of vegetables and fruit (p = 0.009), blue fresh fish (p = 0.028), other fresh fish (p = 0.03), freshwater fish (p = 0.002), canned fish (p = 0.004), dormouse meat (p = 0.007), air-dried meat products (p = 0.004) and using the water from water supply (p = 0.011). In the town of Cabar nutritional customs, primarily food rich in animal fats, alcohol-abuse, and oat consumption could have an influence on MS pathogenesis in genetically inclined individuals.

Drug usage by outpatients in Croatia during an 8-year period: Influence of changes in pricing policy.

PubMed

Vitezic, Dinko; Madjarevic, Tomislav; Gantumur, Monja; Buble, Tonci; Vitezic, Miomira; Kovacevic, Miljenko; Mrsic-Pelcic, Jasenka; Sestan, Branko

2012-07-01

The aim of our study was to investigate the changes in drug usage and financial expenditure according to legal changes in Croatia during the period 2001 - 2008, especially considering pricing policy. The data on outpatient drug usage during the studied period was obtained from the Croatian National Health Insurance (CNHI). CNHI maintains a database on drugs prescribed by primary health care physicians and dispensed by pharmacies. The data was calculated and presented in defined daily doses (DDD) per inhabitant per year for antibiotics and in DDD/1,000 inhabitants/day for other drugs. The data is also presented in Euro/DDD and the financial expenditures are presented in Euros. During the investigated period drug usage increased 81.33%, while financial expenditure increased 77.23%. While total DDD/1,000 increased ~ 10% every year, financial expenditure increased 10 - 20% annually until 2006, but since then there have been no significant changes. Pricing policy changes could influence drug financial expenditure considerably in the short-term, but it is also important to apply a combination of measures for drug expenditure control. Numerous interventions from authorities from different countries all over the world, prove that there is still no so called "gold standard" which could restrain growing usage and expenditure of drugs. Clinical pharmacologists and clinical pharmacists should be included in these processes.

Distribution of trace metals in anchialine caves of Adriatic Sea, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuculić, Vlado; Cukrov, Neven; Kwokal, Željko; Mlakar, Marina

2011-11-01

This study presents results of the first comprehensive research on ecotoxic trace metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) in aquatic anchialine ecosystems. Data show the influence of hydrological and geological characteristics on trace metals in highly stratified anchialine water columns. Distribution of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn in two anchialine water bodies, Bjejajka Cave and Lenga Pit in the Mljet National park, Croatia were investigated seasonally from 2006 to 2010. Behaviour and concentrations of dissolved and total trace metals in stratified water columns and metal contents in sediment, carbonate rocks and soil of the anchialine environment were evaluated. Trace metals and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in both anchialine water columns were significantly elevated compared to adjacent seawater. Zn and Cu concentrations were the highest in the Lenga Pit water column and sediment. Elevated concentrations of Zn, Pb and Cu in Bjejajka Cave were mainly terrigenous. Significantly elevated concentrations of cadmium (up to 0.3 μg L -1) were found in the water column of Bjejajka cave, almost two orders of magnitude higher compared to nearby surface seawater. Laboratory analysis revealed that bat guano was the major source of cadmium in Bjejajka Cave. Cadmium levels in Lenga Pit, which lacks accumulations of bat guano, were 20-fold lower. Moreover, low metal amounts in carbonate rocks in both caves, combined with mineral leaching experiments, revealed that carbonates play a minor role as a source of metals in both water columns. We observed two types of vertical distribution pattern of cadmium in the stratified anchialine Bjejajka Cave water column. At lower salinities, non-conservative behaviour was characterized by strong desorption and enrichment of dissolved phase while, at salinities above 20, Cd behaved conservatively and its dissolved concentration decreased. Conservative behaviour of Cu, Pb, Zn and DOC was observed throughout the water column. After heavy rains, Cd

Issues around household pharmaceutical waste disposal through community pharmacies in Croatia.

PubMed

Jonjić, Danijela; Vitale, Ksenija

2014-06-01

Croatian regulations mandate pharmacies to receive unused medicines from households. Pharmacies are considered as producers and holders of pharmaceutical waste and are obliged to finance this service. Model where pharmacies are responsible for financing disposal of unused medicines without reimbursement is not common in Europe. Present service was not tested before implementation. To investigate the elements of the pharmaceutical waste disposal service provided by pharmacies, and to gain insight into the factors that might influence the effectiveness of the service. Setting All pharmacies in the city of Zagreb. Each pharmacy was asked to weigh the collected waste from the public during a period of 30 days, between June 1st and July 10th of 2011, absent from any media advertisement and answer a specifically designed questionnaire that was exploring possible connections between the amount of collected waste, type of pharmacy ownership, discretion while disposing, location of the container, appropriate labeling and to compare the amount of collected waste between neighborhoods. Quantity of collected unused medicines from the public. Of 210 pharmacies, 91 participated completing the questionnaire (43 % response rate). The total amount of collected waste was 505 kg. Pharmacies owned by the city of Zagreb had higher response rate (74 %) than privately owned pharmacies (36 %), and collected significantly higher amount of waste. Anonymity when disposing influenced collected quantity, while labelling and location of the container did not. There were differences in the amount of collected waste between neighborhoods due to the demographic characteristics and number of pharmacies per capita. The effectiveness of the pharmacy service of collecting unused medicines in Croatia shows a number of weaknesses. The amount of collected medicines is below the European average. Functioning of the service seems to be negatively influenced by the type of pharmacy ownership, distribution

Detection of human papillomaviruses type 16, 18 and 33 in bronchial aspirates of lung carcinoma patients by polymerase chain reaction: a study of 84 cases in Croatia.

PubMed

Branica, Bozica Vrabec; Smojver-Jezek, Silvana; Juros, Zrinka; Grgić, Sandra; Srpak, Nives; Mitrecić, Dinko; Gajović, Srećko

2010-03-01

Besides its well-known role in cervical carcinoma, HPV is also suggested to be involved in lung cancer development. A number of authors have been investigating the presence of HPV in histological materials. We used routine bronchial aspirates from 84 patients with lung carcinoma for DNA extraction and then performed polymerase chain reaction for high-risk HPV types 16, 18 and 33. The results were compared to those obtained from buccal and eyelid mucosa. Only three patients were positive for HPV in bronchial aspirates: one for HPV 16 type, one for HPV 18 type, and one for HPV 33. Our data indicated the low prevalence of HPV in patients with lung carcinomas in Croatia, therefore it seems unlikely that HPV contributes to the development of lung carcinomas in this region.

No difference in the intention to engage others in academic transgression among medical students from neighboring countries: a cross-national study on medical students from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Macedonia

PubMed Central

Đogaš, Varja; Donev, Doncho M.; Kukolja-Taradi, Sunčana; Đogaš, Zoran; Ilakovac, Vesna; Novak, Anita; Jerončić, Ana

2016-01-01

Aim To asses if the level of intention to engage others in academic transgressions was comparable among medical students from five schools from neighboring Southern-European countries: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia; and medical students from western EU studying at Split, Croatia. Methods Five medical schools were surveyed in 2011, with ≥87% of the targeted population sampled and a response rate of ≥76%. Students’ intention to engage a family member, friend, colleague, or a stranger in academic transgression was measured using a previously validated the Intention to Engage Others in Academic Transgression (IEOAT) questionnaire and compared with their intention to ask others for a non-academic, material favor. Data on students’ motivation measured by Work Preference Inventory scale, and general data were also collected. Multiple linear regression models of the intention to engage others in a particular behavior were developed. Results The most important determinants of the intention to engage others in academic transgression were psychological factors, such as intention to ask others for a material favor, or students’ motivation (median determinant’s β of 0.18, P ≤ 0.045 for all), whereas social and cultural factors associated with the country of origin were either weak (median β of 0.07, P ≤ 0.031) or not relevant. A significant proportion of students were aware of the ethical violations in academic transgressions (P ≤ 0.004 for all transgressions), but a large proportion of students also perceived academic cheating as a collective effort and were likely to engage people randomly (P ≤ 0.001 for all, but the most severe transgression). This collective effort was more pronounced for academic than non-academic behavior. Conclusion Culture differences among neighboring Southern-European countries were not an important determinant of the intention to engage others in academic cheating. PMID:27586553

No difference in the intention to engage others in academic transgression among medical students from neighboring countries: a cross-national study on medical students from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Macedonia.

PubMed

Đogaš, Varja; Donev, Doncho M; Kukolja-Taradi, Sunčana; Đogaš, Zoran; Ilakovac, Vesna; Novak, Anita; Jerončić, Ana

2016-08-31

To asses if the level of intention to engage others in academic transgressions was comparable among medical students from five schools from neighboring Southern-European countries: Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia; and medical students from western EU studying at Split, Croatia. Five medical schools were surveyed in 2011, with ≥87% of the targeted population sampled and a response rate of ≥76%. Students' intention to engage a family member, friend, colleague, or a stranger in academic transgression was measured using a previously validated the Intention to Engage Others in Academic Transgression (IEOAT) questionnaire and compared with their intention to ask others for a non-academic, material favor. Data on students' motivation measured by Work Preference Inventory scale, and general data were also collected. Multiple linear regression models of the intention to engage others in a particular behavior were developed. The most important determinants of the intention to engage others in academic transgression were psychological factors, such as intention to ask others for a material favor, or students' motivation (median determinant's β of 0.18, P≤0.045 for all), whereas social and cultural factors associated with the country of origin were either weak (median β of 0.07, P≤0.031) or not relevant. A significant proportion of students were aware of the ethical violations in academic transgressions (P≤0.004 for all transgressions), but a large proportion of students also perceived academic cheating as a collective effort and were likely to engage people randomly (P≤0.001 for all, but the most severe transgression). This collective effort was more pronounced for academic than non-academic behavior. Culture differences among neighboring Southern-European countries were not an important determinant of the intention to engage others in academic cheating.

Multi-elemental composition and antioxidant properties of strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) honey from the coastal region of Croatia: Risk-benefit analysis.

PubMed

Tariba Lovaković, Blanka; Lazarus, Maja; Brčić Karačonji, Irena; Jurica, Karlo; Živković Semren, Tanja; Lušić, Dražen; Brajenović, Nataša; Pelaić, Zdenka; Pizent, Alica

2018-01-01

The concentration of 23 major and trace elements, total phenolic content (TPC) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity were determined in nine samples of strawberry tree honey and compared to other types of unifloral honeys. The most abundant elements in strawberry tree honey were potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium, ranging between 1276 and 2367, 95.2-154, 14.4-74.4 and 13.4-64.3mg/kg, respectively. Strawberry tree honey had generally higher TPC (range: 0.314-0.522g GA/kg) and DPPH (1.94-4.45mM TE/kg) compared to other analysed unifloral honeys. A strong positive relationship was found between TPC and DPPH, TPC and concentration of homogentisic acid (HGA), chemical marker of strawberry tree honey, and between DPPH and HGA. Regarding daily intake of essential elements, strawberry tree honey can be considered nutritionally richer than the majority of unifloral honeys available in Croatia, while contribution to tolerable intake set for potentially toxic elements was very low, corresponding to pristine areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Analysis of monthly, winter, and annual temperatures in Zagreb, Croatia, from 1864 to 2010: the 7.7-year cycle and the North Atlantic Oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sen, Asok K.; Ogrin, Darko

2016-02-01

Long instrumental records of meteorological variables such as temperature and precipitation are very useful for studying regional climate in the past, present, and future. They can also be useful for understanding the influence of large-scale atmospheric circulation processes on the regional climate. This paper investigates the monthly, winter, and annual temperature time series obtained from the instrumental records in Zagreb, Croatia, for the period 1864-2010. Using wavelet analysis, the dominant modes of variability in these temperature series are identified, and the time intervals over which these modes may persist are delineated. The results reveal that all three temperature records exhibit low-frequency variability with a dominant periodicity at around 7.7 years. The 7.7-year cycle has also been observed in the temperature data recorded at several other stations in Europe, especially in Northern and Western Europe, and may be linked to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and/or solar/geomagnetic activity.

Internship workplace preferences of final-year medical students at Zagreb University Medical School, Croatia: all roads lead to Zagreb

PubMed Central

Polasek, Ozren; Kolcic, Ivana; Dzakula, Aleksandar; Bagat, Mario

2006-01-01

Background Human resources management in health often encounters problems related to workforce geographical distribution. The aim of this study was to investigate the internship workplace preferences of final-year medical students and the reasons associated with their choices. Method A total of 204 out of 240 final-year medical students at Zagreb University Medical School, Croatia, were surveyed a few months before graduation. We collected data on each student's background, workplace preference, academic performance and emigration preferences. Logistic regression was used to analyse the factors underlying internship workplace preference, classified into two categories: Zagreb versus other areas. Results Only 39 respondents (19.1%) wanted to obtain internships outside Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Gender and age were not significantly associated with internship workplace preference. A single predictor variable significantly contributed to the logistic regression model: students who believed they would not get the desired specialty more often chose Zagreb as a preferred internship workplace (odds ratio 0.32, 95% CI 0.12–0.86). Conclusion A strong preference for Zagreb as an internship workplace was recorded. Uncertainty about getting the desired specialty was associated with choosing Zagreb as a workplace, possibly due to more extensive and diverse job opportunities. PMID:16579857

Factors associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and depression in war-survivors displaced in Croatia

PubMed Central

Letica-Crepulja, Marina; Salcioglu, Ebru; Frančišković, Tanja; Basoglu, Metin

2011-01-01

Aim To examine the role of perceived stressfulness of trauma exposure and economic, social, occupational, educational, and familial adaptation after trauma in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in displaced war survivors. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted between March 2000 and July 2002 with a sample of 173 internally displaced persons or refugees and 167 matched controls in Croatia. Clinical measures included Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. Results Displaced war survivors reported the exposure to a mean ± standard deviation of 13.1 ± 8.3 war stressors, including combat, torture, serious injury, death of close persons, and loss of property. Compared to controls, they reported higher rates of marked to severe impact of war on family (16.2% vs 51.6%), social (7.2% vs 43.5%), economic (12.6% vs 55.4%), occupational (1.8% vs 15.9%), and educational (2.4% vs 8.8%) adaptation. In two logistic regression analyses, the strongest predictor of PTSD and depression was high level of perceived distress during trauma exposure. PTSD but not depression was associated with economic, social, occupational, educational, and familial adaptation after trauma. Conclusion Displaced survivors who experienced multiple war events perceived greater negative impact of war on their life domains compared to individuals who lived in a war setting but had no trauma exposure. The most important determinant of psychological outcomes was perceived stressfulness of war stressors. Although post-trauma adaptation in different life spheres had an impact, its effect was not robust and consistent across disorders. These findings suggest that it would be effective to use a trauma-focused approach in rehabilitation of war survivors. PMID:22180270

The onset of puberty in Cameroon Dwarf goats kept as pets in northwestern Croatia.

PubMed

Đuričić, D; Vince, S; Valpotić, H; Žura Žaja, I; Turk, R; Lojkić, M; Getz, I; Berta, V; Samardžija, M

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine onset of puberty in Cameroon Dwarf goats (CDGs) kept as pets in northwestern Croatia by determining progesterone (PGS) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels in the blood by RIA methods. The first cyclic ovarian activity was estimated according to hormone profiles as determined in CDG in a moderate climate environment. Sixteen female CDG kids were kept in stables with access to pasture which provided space for exercise. The goat kids born in winter (December-January-February), spring (March-April-May), summer (June-July-August) and autumn (September-October-November) were assigned into four groups according to the season of the year of birth (n = 4 in each group). At 75 days of age at the initiation of the study, they weighed between 3.2 and 5.1 kg (4.24 ± 0.53 kg). The onset of ovulatory activity was determined by PGS and IGF-I serum concentrations every 10 days starting from 75 days to 155 days of age. The onset of puberty in CDG kids occurred on average at 141.15 ± 2.66 days of age, but varied depending on the season of birth. All CDG kids born during summer were in heat by 155 days of age. In the other groups (kids born in autumn, winter or spring), one goat in each group was not in heat. Changes in blood serum PGS and IGF-I concentrations during prepubertal and pubertal periods could aid in the evaluation of reproductive status and determination of the onset of puberty in CDG during all seasons of the year in a moderate climate region. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Seroepidemiology of Hepatitis E in Selected Population Groups in Croatia: A Prospective Pilot Study.

PubMed

Vilibic-Cavlek, T; Vilibic, M; Kolaric, B; Jemersic, L; Kucinar, J; Barbic, L; Bagaric, A; Stevanovic, V; Tabain, I; Sviben, M; Jukic, V; Mlinaric-Galinovic, G

2016-09-01

Hepatitis E has become an emerging infection in many European countries. We analysed the prevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in selected population groups in Croatia. Overall HEV IgG seropositivity was 5.6%, while 1.9% participants showed IgM antibodies suggestive of recent infection. No IgM-positive sample was positive for HEV RNA. HEV IgG antibodies were most prevalent in alcohol abusers (8.9%) and war veterans (8.6%), compared with 6.1% among injecting drug users and 2.7% in healthcare professionals. No individual with high-risk sexual behaviour tested HEV seropositive. HEV IgG positivity increased significantly with age from 1.8% to 2.3% in individuals younger than 40 years to 11.3% in individuals older than 50 years (P = 0.023). The mean age of HEV-positive participants was significantly higher than that of HEV-negative participants (50.9 ± 11.8 years versus 41.2 ± 11.8 years, P = 0.008). Seroprevalence rates were significantly higher in residents of suburban and rural areas compared with residents of urban areas (14.5% versus 2.5%, P = 0.003). Additionally, an increasing prevalence of HEV IgG antibodies was observed from 1.8% in participants living in families with two household members to 12.1% in those living with more than four members (P = 0.046). Gender, marital status, educational level, sexual orientation, source of drinking water, history of blood transfusions, surgical procedures, tattooing and travelling were not associated with HEV seroprevalence. Logistic regression showed that living in suburban/rural areas was the main risk factor for HEV seropositivity (OR = 6.67; 95%CI = 1.89-25.0; AOR = 7.14, 95%CI = 1.89-25.0). © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Patterns of internet use and mental health of high school students in Istria County, Croatia: cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Bezinović, Petar; Roviš, Darko; Rončević, Nena; Bilajac, Lovorka

2015-01-01

Aim To examine associations between different forms of internet use and a number of psychological variables related to mental health in adolescents. Methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out on a representative sample of students (N = 1539) from all high schools in the region of Istria in Croatia (14-19 years). The associations between four factors of internet use and nine mental health indicators were analyzed using canonical correlation analysis. Results The four canonical functions suggested a significant association between different types of internet use and specific indicators of mental health (P < 0.001). Problematic internet use, more typical among boys, was associated with general aggressive behavior and substance abuse (P < 0.001). Experiences of harassment, more typical among girls, were associated with health complaints, symptoms of depression, loneliness, and fear of negative evaluation (P < 0.001). Using the internet for communication and entertainment was associated with better relationships with peers (P < 0.001), while use of the internet for academic purposes was associated with conscientiousness (P < 0.001). Conclusion The results suggest that different patterns of internet use are significantly associated with specific sets of positive and negative mental health indicators. The data support the assumption that internet use can have both positive and adverse effects on the mental health of youth. PMID:26088855

Emergence of multidrug-resistant Proteus mirabilis in a long-term care facility in Croatia.

PubMed

Bedenić, Branka; Firis, Nataša; Elveđi-Gašparović, Vesna; Krilanović, Marija; Matanović, Krešimir; Štimac, Iva; Luxner, Josefa; Vraneš, Jasmina; Meštrović, Tomislav; Zarfel, Gernot; Grisold, Andrea

2016-06-01

An increased frequency of Proteus mirabilis isolates resistant to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins was observed recently in a long-term care facility in Zagreb (Godan). The aim of this study was the molecular characterization of resistance mechanisms to new cephalosporins in P. mirabilis isolates from this nursing home. Thirty-eight isolates collected from 2013-2015 showing reduced susceptibility to ceftazidime were investigated. Antibiotic susceptibilities were determined by broth microdilution method. Inhibitor-based tests were performed to detect extended-spectrum (ESBLs) and AmpC β-lactamases. AmpC β-lactamases were characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by sequencing of bla ampC genes. Quinolone resistance determinants (qnr genes) were characterized by PCR. Genotyping of the isolates was performed by repetitive element sequence (rep)-PCR and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Presence of an AmpC β-lactamase was confirmed in all isolates by combined-disk test with phenylboronic acid. All isolates were resistant to amoxicillin alone and combined with clavulanate, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, cefoxitin, and ciprofloxacin; but susceptible to cefepime, imipenem, and meropenem. PCR followed by sequencing using primers targeting bla ampc genes revealed CMY-16 β-lactamase in all but one strain. Bla cmy-16 was carried by a non-conjugative plasmid which did not belong to any known plasmid-based replicon typing (PBRT) group. Rep-PCR identified one large clone consisting of 15 isolates, three pairs or related isolates, one triplet, and four singletons. PFGE confirmed the clonality of the isolates. This is the first report of multidrug resistant P. mirabilis in a nursing home in Croatia. Cephalosporin resistance was due to plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamase CMY-16.

Lead and cadmium in red deer and wild boar from different hunting grounds in Croatia.

PubMed

Bilandzić, Nina; Sedak, Marija; Vratarić, Darija; Perić, Tomislav; Simić, Branimir

2009-07-01

The concentration and relations of Cd and Pb as environmental risk factors were studied by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the liver, kidney and muscle of free ranging wild boar (n=94) and red deer (n=45) from hunting grounds in four counties of north-east Croatia. In all four counties, the levels of Cd found in the kidney of red deer ranged from 2.28 to 5.91 mg/kg, and in wild boar from 3.47 to 21.10 mg/kg. The mean renal concentration of Cd was significantly higher in wild boar than in red deer from all four study areas. The mean hepatic (0.11 to 0.49 mg/kg, respectively) and muscle (0.01 to 0.04 mg/kg, respectively) Cd concentrations were similar in both species. The mean renal Cd concentration in wild boar and red deer exceeded 1 mg/kg in all four counties, ranging from 67.0% to 91.4% and from 45.5% to 69.2%, respectively. Also, the hepatic Cd/renal Cd ratio was lower than 1 in all animals. In all four counties, renal Pb concentration ranged from 0.058 to 3.77 mg/kg in red deer and from 0.056 to 11.60 mg/kg in wild boar. Hepatic Pb concentration was similar in both species (0.061 to 0.202 mg/kg in wild boar and 0.077 to 0.108 mg/kg in red deer). Because of the high Cd level in the organs of wild boar and red deer, further research is needed to identify the source of contamination in order to preserve the health of animals and humans.

Coastal cliff geometry derived from structure-from-motion photogrammetry at Stara Ba\\vska, Krk Island, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ružić, Igor; Marović, Ivan; Benac, Čedomir; Ilić, Suzana

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to examine the capability of structure-from-motion photogrammetry in defining the geometry of cliffs and undercuts in rocks of complex geomorphology. A case site was chosen along pocket beaches near the village of Stara Ba\\vska on the Adriatic Sea island of Krk, Gulf of Kvarner, Croatia, where cliff erosion of 5 m in breccias was identified by comparison of aerial photographs from 1960 and 2004. The 3D point cloud was derived from approx. 800 photos taken on 9 January 2014 by a single camera from various elevations and angles, and processed using the online software ReCap (Autodesk). Data acquisition was found to be quick and the method easy to implement. The difference between the georeferenced 3D cloud points and an RTK-GPS survey was 7 cm, i.e. within the limits of RTK-GPS precision. Quantifying the spatial variation in undercut geometries revealed that the deepest and largest (17 m3) undercut was in the south-eastern sector of the beach. Reconstructing the detailed geomorphology of this 3.8-m-deep undercut convincingly demonstrates the high efficiency of the method. Such assessments of spatiotemporal changes in undercut and overhang volumes can prove useful for evaluations of cliff erosion risk. Coupled with the low cost and relatively simple application, this is evidently an attractive technique for meaningful geotechnical and coastal engineering monitoring in the future on the island of Krk and, for that matter, also on other Adriatic islands and in similar settings worldwide.

A retrospective study on traumatic dental and soft-tissue injuries in preschool children in Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Vuletić, Marko; Škaričić, Josip; Batinjan, Goran; Trampuš, Zdenko; Čuković Bagić, Ivana; Jurić, Hrvoje

2014-02-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze data according to gender, age, cause, number of traumatized teeth, time elapsed before treatment and type of tooth from the records of traumatized children. A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Paediatric Dentistry at the University Dental Clinic in Zagreb, Croatia using the documentation of 128 patients (61 males and 67 females) aged 1 month to 6 years with injuries of primary teeth between February 2009 and January 2013. Trauma was seen in 217 primary teeth, which implies that the number of injured primary teeth was 1.69 per child. The maxillary central incisors were the most frequently affected teeth (81.1%), they were followed by maxillary lateral incisors, while the least affected were mandibular central incisors. Traumatic dental injuries involved periodontal tissue 2.82 times more frequently than hard dental and pulp tissue. The main cause of teeth injury was fall (67.2%) and the majority of injuries occurred at home (51.6%) (p<0.05). Of 128 patients who received treatment 71 (55.5%) also had soft-tissue injuries. The distribution of soft-tissue injuries by gender (35 males, 36 females) was not statistically significant. Comparing children with soft-tissue injuries and those without them, a statistically significant difference was found in the time of arrival (p<0.01). The results of this study showed the need of informing about preventive measures against falls at home and the methods of providing first aid in dental trauma injuries.

A retrospective study on traumatic dental and soft-tissue injuries in preschool children in Zagreb, Croatia

PubMed Central

Vuletić, Marko; Škaričić, Josip; Batinjan, Goran; Trampuš, Zdenko; Bagić, Ivana Čuković; Jurić, Hrvoje

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze data according to gender, age, cause, number of traumatized teeth, time elapsed before treatment and type of tooth from the records of traumatized children. A retrospective study was conducted in the Department of Paediatric Dentistry at the University Dental Clinic in Zagreb. Croatia using the documentation of 128 patients (61 males and 67 females) aged 1 month to 6 years with injuries of primary teeth between February 2009 and January 2013. Trauma was seen in 217 primary teeth, which implies that the number of injured primary teeth was 1.69 per child. The maxillary central incisors were the most frequently affected teeth (81.1%), they were followed by maxillary lateral incisors, while the least affected were mandibular central incisors. Traumatic dental injuries involved periodontal tissue 2.82 times more frequently than hard dental and pulp tissue. The main cause of teeth injury was fall (67.2%) and the majority of injuries occurred at home (51.6%) (p<0.05). Of 128 patients who received treatment 71 (55.5%) also had soft-tissue injuries. The distribution of soft-tissue injuries by gender (35 males, 36 females) was not statistically significant. Comparing children with soft-tissue injuries and those without them, a statistically significant difference was found in the time of arrival (p<0.01). The results of this study showed the need of informing about preventive measures against falls at home and the methods of providing first aid in dental trauma injuries. PMID:24579964

Postal censorship of Bosnian public health institutions during the Second World War: The Independent State of Croatia versus Dr. Stanko Sielski.

PubMed

Papalas, John A; Tahirović, Husref

2016-11-01

This study aims to present evidence of censorship during World War II by the Independent State of Croatia of one of its public health officials, Dr. Stanko Sielski who was a physician trained in epidemiology and public health. During World War II, he directed the Institute for Combating Endemic Syphilis in the Bosnian town Banja Luka. The staff under his direction consisted solely of Jewish physicians. We analyzed two groups of envelopes either sent by or to Dr. Stanko Sielski during the War and found evidence of censorship only in communications with a Jewish physician dated towards the end of the War. Dr. Stanko Sielski would be posthumously recognized for his efforts to shield his Jewish colleagues. The newly available, but still limited data, which we present indicates efforts to censor Dr. Stanko Sielski's postal communications towards the War's end. The censors targeted specifically Dr. Stanko Sielski's correspondences with the Jewish physicians he was protecting. This material highlights the many challenges his public health service experienced during the time of armed conflict. Copyright © 2016 by Academy of Sciences and Arts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Use of human milk in the assessment of toxic metal exposure and essential element status in breastfeeding women and their infants in coastal Croatia.

PubMed

Grzunov Letinić, Judita; Matek Sarić, Marijana; Piasek, Martina; Jurasović, Jasna; Varnai, Veda Marija; Sulimanec Grgec, Antonija; Orct, Tatjana

2016-12-01

Pregnant and lactating women and infants are vulnerable population groups for adverse effects of toxic metals due to their high nutritional needs and the resultant increased gastrointestinal absorption of both, essential and toxic elements. Although breastfeeding is recommended for infants worldwide, as human milk is the best source of nutrients and other required bioactive factors, it is also a pathway of maternal excretion of toxic substances including toxic metals and thus a source of infant exposure. The aim of this research was to assess health risks in breastfeeding women in the coastal area of the Republic of Croatia and their infants (N=107) due to maternal exposure to Cd and Pb via cigarette smoking, and Hg via seafood and dental amalgam fillings, and their interaction with essential elements. Biological markers of exposure were the concentrations of main toxic metals Pb, Cd and Hg in maternal blood and three types of breast milk throughout lactation stages. Biological markers of effects were the levels of essential elements Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn and Se in maternal serum and breast milk. With regard to cigarette smoking as a source of exposure to Cd and Pb, there were effects of smoking on Cd concentration in blood and correlations between the smoking index and Cd concentrations in maternal blood (ρ=0.593; P<0.001) and mature milk (ρ=0.271; P=0.011) and Pb concentration in transitional milk (ρ=0.280; P=0.042). Regarding fish, we found correlations between weekly consumption frequency and total Hg concentrations in maternal blood (ρ=0.292; P=0.003) and mature milk (ρ=0.303; P=0.003). The number of dental amalgam fillings correlated with total Hg concentrations in colostrum (ρ=0.489; P=0.005) and transitional milk (ρ=0.309; P=0.018). As for the essential element status, only Se levels in maternal serum decreased by 10% in persons who continued smoking during pregnancy compared to non-smokers. In conclusion, the levels of main toxic metals Cd, Pb and Hg and

Skeletal and dental indicators of health in the late mediaeval (12-15th century) population from Nin, southern Croatia.

PubMed

Novak, M; Martinčić, O; Strinović, D; Slaus, M

2012-12-01

A comprehensive bioarchaeological study of the late mediaeval (12-15th century) skeletal sample from Nin was carried out in order to test the historically documented hypothesis that during the late mediaeval period Nin sustained a period of rapid development that resulted in it becoming one of the major urban centres on the eastern Adriatic coast. The analysed pathological changes (alveolar bone disease, dental caries, dental enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia, periostitis, tuberculosis, Schmorl's nodes, vertebral osteoarthritis, and bone fractures) indicate a relatively good quality of life for the majority of the population from this late mediaeval site. A low prevalence of dental pathologies suggests an adequate diet while a low frequency of long bone trauma testifies to a relatively peaceful life for the inhabitants of mediaeval Nin. Increased urban development during this period resulted in a worsening of sanitary conditions most likely caused by overcrowding, which is reflected in the presence of tuberculosis and the relatively high frequencies of dental enamel hypoplasia and cribra orbitalia. An additional health concern for the late mediaeval inhabitants of Nin may have been the presence of malaria, as recorded in numerous historical sources. Comparison with other Croatian mediaeval skeletal samples suggests that the inhabitants of late mediaeval Nin experienced somewhat better living conditions than their contemporaries from other parts of Croatia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Composition and source apportionment of fine particulate matter during extended calm periods in the city of Rijeka, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivošević, T.; Orlić, I.; Bogdanović Radović, I.; Čargonja, M.; Stelcer, E.

2017-09-01

In the city of Rijeka, Croatia, an extended, two-year aerosol pollution monitoring campaign was recently completed. During that period, 345 samples of fine fraction of aerosols were collected on stretched Teflon filters. All samples were analyzed by Ion Beam Analysis techniques Proton Induced X-ray Emission and Proton Induced γ-Ray Emission and concentrations of 22 elements were determined. Concentrations of black carbon were determined by Laser Integrated Plate Method. For the Bay of Kvarner, where the city of Rijeka is located, long periods of calm weather are common. As a consequence, during these periods, air pollution is steadily increasing. To pin-point and characterize local, mostly anthropogenic, air pollution sources, only samples collected during the extended calm periods were used in this work. As a cut-off wind speed, speed of 1.5 m/s was used. In that way, out of all 345 samples, only 188 were selected. Those samples were statistically evaluated by means of positive matrix factorization. Results show that from all anthropogenic sources (vehicles, secondary sulphates, smoke, heavy oil combustion, road dust, industry Fe and port activities) only secondary sulphates and heavy oil combustion were significantly higher (40% and 50%, respectively) during calm periods. On the other hand, natural components of aerosol pollution such as soil and sea salts, (typically present in concentrations of 1.4% and 9%, respectively) are practically non-existent for calm weather conditions.

Water quality of medium size watercourse under baseflow conditions: the case study of river Sutla in Croatia.

PubMed

Dragun, Zrinka; Kapetanović, Damir; Raspor, Biserka; Teskeredzić, Emin

2011-06-01

The study on medium size river Sutla in Croatia indicated considerable water contamination at specific sites during the baseflow period, probably associated to low flow-rate (0.73-68.8 m3 s(-1)), and consequently low dilution capacity of this river. Various aspects of contamination were observed: increased conductivity to 1,000 microS cm(-1), decreased dissolved oxygen level to 50%, 4-5 degrees C increased water temperature, increased concentrations of several dissolved trace elements (e.g., maximal values of Li: 45.4 microg l(-1); Rb: 10.4 microg l(-1); Mo: 20.1 microg l(-1); Cd: 0.31 microg l(-1); Sn: 30.2 microg l(-1); Sb: 11.8 microg l(-1); Pb: 1.18 microg l(-1); Ti: 1.03 microg l(-1); Mn: 261.1 microg l(-1); and Fe: 80.5 microg l(-1)) and macro elements (e.g., maximal values of Na: 107.5 mg l(-1); and K: 17.3 mg l(-1)), as well as moderate or even critical fecal (E. coli: 4,888 MPN/100 ml; total coliforms: 45,307 MPN/100 ml; enterococci: 1,303 MPN/100 ml) and organic pollution (heterotrophic bacteria: 94,000 cfu/ml). Although metal concentrations still have not exceeded the limits considered as hazardous for aquatic life or eventually for human health, the observed prominent increases of both metal concentrations and bacterial counts in the river water should be considered as a warning and incentive to protect the small and medium size rivers from the future deterioration, as recommended by EU Water Framework Directive.

Morphology and Density Structure of Post-CME

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-26

Zagreb , Croatia 2 INAF-Arcetri Observatory, Firenze, Italy 3 Faculty of Science, Geophysical Department, Croatia 4 Naval Research Laboratory, Washington...AND ADDRESS(ES) Hvar Observatory,,Faculty of Geodes, Zagreb , Croatia, , 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME

Discovering the 60 years old secret: identification of the World War II mass grave victims from the island of Daksa near Dubrovnik, Croatia

PubMed Central

Borić, Igor; Ljubković, Jelena; Sutlović, Davorka

2011-01-01

Aim To describe the organization, field work, forensic anthropological examination, and DNA analysis conducted to identify the victims from a World War II mass grave found on the Dalmatian island of Daksa near Dubrovnik (Croatia) in 2009. Methods Excavation of the site was performed according to standard archeological procedures. Basic anthropological examination was made to determine the minimum number of victims, sex, age at death, and height. The bones with pathological and traumatic changes were identified. DNA was extracted from powdered bones and relatives’ blood samples. Y-chromosome and autosomal short tandem repeats (STR) were used to establish the relationship of the remains with the putative family members. Results The remains were found to belong to at least 53 distinctive victims. All were male, mostly with gunshot wounds to the head. DNA analysis and cross-matching of the samples with relatives resulted in 14 positive identifications using the Y-chromosomal STRs and 4 positive identifications using the autosomal STRs. Conclusions This study showed that even in cases of more than 50-year-old, highly degraded human remains from mass graves, Y-chromosomal and autosomal STRs analysis can contribute to identification of the victims. PMID:21674828

Croatian Membership in NATO: One of the Crucial Prerequisites for Stabilization of Southeastern Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-03-01

CROATIA – A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW..........................................................15 A. CROATIA UNTIL 1918 ...16 B. CROATIA UNDER SERBIAN DOMINATION 1918 -1991 ......................21 1. World War II...Hungarian Empire, and finally a part of Yugoslavia from 1918 -1991. Despite their lack of independence for a period of almost nine centuries

Prevalence of apical periodontitis and quality of root canal fillings in population of Zagreb, Croatia: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Matijević, Jurica; Čižmeković Dadić, Tina; Prpić Mehičić, Goranka; Anić, Ivica; Šlaj, Mladen; Jukić Krmek, Silvana

2011-01-01

Aim To determine the prevalence of apical periodontitis and assess the quality of endodontic fillings in the population of the city of Zagreb, Croatia. Methods A total of 1462 orthopantomograms from new patients at 6 different dental practices was analyzed during 2006 and 2007. The presence of periapical lesions was determined by using the periapical index score (PAI). The quality of endodontic fillings was assessed according to the filling length and homogeinicity. Data were analyzed using t test and ANOVA with Scheffe post-hoc test. Results There were 75.9% of participants with endodontically treated teeth and 8.5% of all teeth were endodontically treated. Only 34.2% of endodontically treated roots had adequate root canal filling length, while 36.2% of root canal fillings had homogenous appearance. From the total number of teeth with intracanal post, 17.5% had no visible root canal filling. Using PAI 3 as a threshold value for apical periodontitis, periapical lesions were detected in 8.5% of teeth. Adequate quality of root canal fillings was associated with a lower prevalence of periapical lesions. Conclusion We found a large proportion of endodontically treated teeth with apical periodontitis and a correlation between the quality of endodontic filling and the prevalence of periapical lesions. This all suggests that it is necessary to improve the quality of endodontic treatment in order to reduce the incidence and prevalence of apical periodontitis. PMID:22180266

The role of alcohol in road traffic accidents with fatal outcome: 10-year period in Croatia Split-Dalmatia County.

PubMed

Sutlovic, Davorka; Scepanovic, Antonija; Bosnjak, Marinko; Versic-Bratincevic, Maja; Definis-Gojanovic, Marija

2014-01-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between alcohol consumption and fatal road traffic accidents that took place in Split-Dalmatia County (Croatia) during a 10-year period (from August 2001 to August 2011). A retrospective analysis of 474 autopsy reports was performed, with an emphasis on 337 toxicologal findings of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and the mode of participation in traffic (driver, passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist). Relations between the BAC, the weekday on which death occurred, victim's age and gender, and differences according to 3 successive legislation periods within the observed time frame were analyzed. The BAC was measured by gas chromatography with headspace and flame ionization detection. Alcohol was regarded as a contributive death factor if BAC was positive; that is, higher than 0.5 g/kg. BAC was positive in 177 cases. Most often it was the car driver who had a positive BAC. Victims of traffic accidents were mostly male drivers, and those accidents were more often associated with alcohol consumption. Consumption of alcohol produced a significant increase in culpability. The results of our study show that alcohol remains one of the main contributing factors of traffic accidents in Split-Dalmatia County. Unfortunately, legislation changes regarding the allowed BAC did not cause any reduction in casualties among drivers driving under the influence of alcohol (DUIA). Chi-square test of the number of total driver victims and driver victims who were DUIA revealed no significant difference (P = .173).

Crveno jezero - the biggest sinkhole in Dinaric Karst (Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garasic, M.

2012-04-01

fascinating and has been measured on a number of occasions. Valuable and interesting data about the lake depth, as presented by academician Milivoj Petrik in 1955, show that the lake is about 250 meters deep, which discouraged any attempts to dive to the bottom of the lake. During the 5th International Congress of Speleology held in Stuttgart in Germany, Croatian cavers and speleologists have tried to add the Red Lake to the list of deepest pits in the world, as its real depth amounted to 518 meters at the time. However, the response of the documentation committee was that the depth had not been duly documented, that no man has been at such depth etc., although in reality it is a real pit one half of which is filled with water. In late 1970's and early 1980's the speleodiving activities rapidly gathered momentum in all parts of the world and it is in this period that deepest dives were made at the source called Fontaine de Vaucluse. At that time, a special underwater vehicle, the so called "Speleonaut", attained (without crew) the depth of 315 meters. Similar vehicle called Hyball descended down to the depth of 165 meters in Hranicke propasti in Czech Republic. These speleological structures are therefore considered as sufficiently documented and, as such, they have been added to the list of the world's deepest water structures. In 1980's speleodiving has became an increasingly popular cave exploration method in Croatia. Thus, the decision was made to contact the world's best speleodivers and invite them to investigate the Red Lake. In 1981, during their stay in the USA, Dr. Mladen Garašić contacted Mr. Jochan Hassenmayer who was at that time the best speleodiver of the world. However, because of political climate that prevailed in that period, Mr. Hassenmayer finally decided not to come to our country. In an unfortunate turn of events, this diver was later affected with a permanent disability. In the course of 1989 and 1990, Dr. Garašić established contact with Mr. Sheck

76 FR 19788 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Telemanagement Forum

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-08

...Telematics, Inc., Atlanta, GA; Inducta d.o.o., Zagreb, CROATIA; Infinite Infosoft Services Pvt Ltd, Gurgaon, INDIA; ING Bank N.V., Amsterdam, NETHERLANDS; integracija od-do d.o.o., Zagreb, CROATIA; Intraway Corp...; HughesTelematics to HughesTelematics, Inc., Atlanta, GA; Inducta to Inducta d.o.o., Zagreb, CROATIA...

Extension of the International Atomic Energy Agency phantom study in image quantification: results of multicentre evaluation in Croatia.

PubMed

Grošev, Darko; Gregov, Marin; Wolfl, Miroslava Radić; Krstonošić, Branislav; Debeljuh, Dea Dundara

2018-06-07

To make quantitative methods of nuclear medicine more available, four centres in Croatia participated in the national intercomparison study, following the materials and methods used in the previous international study organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The study task was to calculate the activities of four Ba sources (T1/2=10.54 years; Eγ=356 keV) using planar and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or SPECT/CT acquisitions of the sources inside a water-filled cylindrical phantom. The sources were previously calibrated by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. Triple-energy window was utilized for scatter correction. Planar studies were corrected for attenuation correction (AC) using the conjugate-view method. For SPECT/CT studies, data from X-ray computed tomography were used for attenuation correction (CT-AC), whereas for SPECT-only acquisition, the Chang-AC method was applied. Using the lessons learned from the IAEA study, data were acquired according to the harmonized data acquisition protocol, and the acquired images were then processed using centralized data analysis. The accuracy of the activity quantification was evaluated as the ratio R between the calculated activity and the value obtained from National Institute of Standards and Technology. For planar studies, R=1.06±0.08; for SPECT/CT study using CT-AC, R=1.00±0.08; and for Chang-AC, R=0.89±0.12. The results are in accordance with those obtained within the larger IAEA study and confirm that SPECT/CT method is the most appropriate for accurate activity quantification.

Assessing the radiological load on the environment in the middle Danube river basin on the basis of a study of the Kopački Rit Nature Park, Croatia.

PubMed

Petrinec, Branko; Sovilj, Marina Poje; Babić, Dinko; Meštrović, Tomislav; Miklavčić, Igor; Radolić, Vanja; Stanić, Denis; Vuković, Branko; Šoštarić, Marko

2018-06-05

A study of the environmental radioactivity in the Kopački Rit Nature Park, Croatia, is presented. This wildlife reserve is part of the Middle Danube River Basin, and it is exposed to various pollutants due to a number of human activities in the surroundings, where there is a nuclear power plant and also urban centres and areas of intense agricultural production. Results for the activity concentrations of soil and surface water samples do not indicate any elevated radioactivity level, which is confirmed by on-site measurements of ambient dose rate equivalent. An assessment of the radiological load on the local biota, carried out using the ERICA tool, implies an overall low radiological risk even if conservative values of the risk quotient are used. Therefore, human activities do not have a significant effect on the radiological load on the Kopački Rit area. A similar conclusion might be made with regard to numerous similar environments in the Middle Danube River Basin.

10th International Meeting on Cholinesterases

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

NATIVE, PHOSPHYLATED AND AGED HUMAN ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE AND BUTYRYLCHOLINESTERASE Page 9 Zrinka Kovarik ( Zagreb , Croatia): OXIME-ASSISTED...REACTIVATION OF PHOSPHORYLATED BUTYRYLCHOLINESTERASE Goran Šinko ( Zagreb , Croatia): INTERACTIONS OF PYRIDINIUM OXIMES WITH ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE...OF CHOLINESTERASES IN THE BRAIN Ninoslav Mimica ( Zagreb , Croatia): THE CHOLINESTERASE INHIBITORS – CURRENT CLINICAL VIEW AND CROATIAN REALITY

North vs south differences in acute peptic ulcer hemorrhage in Croatia: hospitalization incidence trends, clinical features, and 30-day case fatality

PubMed Central

Ljubičić, Neven; Pavić, Tajana; Budimir, Ivan; Puljiz, Željko; Bišćanin, Alen; Bratanić, Andre; Nikolić, Marko; Hrabar, Davor; Troskot, Branko

2014-01-01

Aim To assess the seven-year trends of hospitalization incidence due to acute peptic ulcer hemorrhage (APUH) and associated risk factors, and examine the differences in these trends between two regions in Croatia. Methods The study collected sociodemographic, clinical, and endoscopic data on 2204 patients with endoscopically confirmed APUH who were admitted to the Clinical Hospital Center “Sestre Milosrdnice,” Zagreb and Clinical Hospital Center Split between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2011. We determined hospitalization incidence rates, 30-day case fatality rate, clinical outcomes, and incidence-associated factors. Results No differences were observed in APUH hospitalization incidence rates between the regions. Age-standardized one-year cumulative APUH hospitalization incidence rate calculated using the European Standard Population was significantly higher in Zagreb than in Split region (43.2/100 000 vs 29.2/100,000). A significantly higher APUH hospitalization incidence rates were observed in the above 65 years age group. Overall 30-day case fatality rate was 4.9%. Conclusion The hospitalization incidence of APUH in two populations did not change over the observational period and it was significantly higher in the Zagreb region. The incidence of acute duodenal ulcer hemorrhage also remained unchanged, whereas the incidence of acute gastric ulcer hemorrhage increased. The results of this study allow us to monitor epidemiological indicators of APUH and compare data with other countries. PMID:25559836

Constitutive Parameters of Metamaterial Structures Used for Invisible Cloak Realization

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

Sipus Dario Bojanjac Marko Bosiljevac Fakultet Elektrotechnike I Racunarstva Unska 3 Zagreb 10000 Croatia EOARD Grant 12-2080...Racunarstva Unska 3 Zagreb 10000 Croatia 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER N/A 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND...University of Zagreb Unska 3 Zagreb , HR-10000, Croatia 13 October 2013 Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution is

E2 allele of the apolipoprotein E gene polymorphism is predictive for obesity status in Roma minority population of Croatia.

PubMed

Zeljko, Hrvojka Marija; Škarić-Jurić, Tatjana; Narančić, Nina Smolej; Tomas, Željka; Barešić, Ana; Salihović, Marijana Peričić; Starčević, Boris; Janićijević, Branka

2011-01-18

The Roma (Gypsies) are a transnational minority, founder population characterized by unique genetic background modeled by culturally determined endogamy. The present study explores whether the widely found cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk effects of ACE I/D, APOE (ε2, ε3, ε4), eNOS-VNTR and LEP G2548A polymorphisms can be replicated in this specific population. The community-based study was carried on 208 adult Bayash Roma living in rural settlements of eastern and northern Croatia. Risk effect of four CVD candidate polymorphisms are related to the most prominent classical CVD risk phenotypes: obesity indicators (body mass index and waist circumference), hypertension and hyperlipidemia (triglycerides, HDL and LDL cholesterol). For all of them the standard risk cut-offs were applied. The extent to which the phenotypic status is related to genotype was assessed by logistic regression analysis. The strongest associations were found for ε2 allele of the APOE as a predictor of waist circumference (OR 3.301; 95%CI 1.254-8.688; p = 0.016) as well as for BMI (OR 3.547; 95%CI 1.471-8.557; p = 0.005). It is notable that ε3 allele of APOE gene turned out to be a protective genetic factor determining low lipid levels. The strength of the relation and the similarity of the results obtained for both tested indicators of obesity provide firm evidence that APOE plays an important role in obesity development in the Roma population.

Using Ellenberg-Pignatti values to estimate habitat preferences of wild food and medicinal plants: an example from northeastern Istria (Croatia).

PubMed

Vitasović Kosić, Ivana; Juračak, Josip; Łuczaj, Łukasz

2017-06-02

The paper presents the first ethnobotanical application of Ellenberg indicator values, which are widely used in European plant ecology. The aim of the study was to find out if Ellenberg values (indicating habitat preferences) differ for wild food and medicinal plants used in north-eastern Istria (Croatia). We used Ellenberg-Pignatti values (the version of Ellenberg values used in this part of Europe). Fifty semi-structured interviews were carried out among local key informants, asking which wild food and medicinal plants they used. The mean number of food and medicinal plants mentioned per interview was 30. Altogether, 121 species were recorded as food or medicine used or previously used in the study area. Thirty-one species are used exclusively as food or everyday drink, 50 species are used exclusively as medicine and 40 species are used for both food and medicine. There were no significant differences between Ellenberg values for food and medicinal plants, apart from the Nitrogen indicator value - the plants used exclusively as food had a significantly higher index than those used in medicine. This probably stems from the fact that plants with soft fleshy shoots are attractive as food and they are more likely to come from nitrogen-rich ruderal habitats. Food plants and medicinal plants are collected from a variety of habitats and no clear difference between the two categories of plants was detected, however further testing of Ellenberg values in ethnobotanical studies could be interesting.

Who would students ask for help in academic cheating? Cross-sectional study of medical students in Croatia.

PubMed

Đogaš, Varja; Jerončić, Ana; Marušić, Matko; Marušić, Ana

2014-12-30

Academic cheating does not happen as an isolated action of an individual but is most often a collaborative practice. As there are few studies that looked at who are collaborators in cheating, we investigated medical students' readiness to engage others in academic dishonest behaviours. In a cross-sectional survey study in Zagreb, Croatia, 592 medical students from the first, 3rd and 6th (final) study year anonymously answered a survey of readiness to ask family, friends, colleagues or strangers for help in 4 different forms of academic cheating or for 2 personal material favours. Stepwise multiple linear regression models (MLR) were used to evaluate potential factors influencing propensity for engaging others in these two types of behaviour. Many students would ask another person for help in academic cheating, from 88.8% to 26.9% depending on a cheating behaviour. Students would most often ask a family member or friend for help in academic cheating. The same "helpers" were identified for non-academic related behaviour - asking for personal material favours. More respondents, however, would include three or four persons for asking help in academic cheating than for routine material favours. Score on material favours survey was the strongest positive predictor of readiness for asking help in academic cheating (stepwise MLR model; beta = 0.308, P < 0.0001) followed by extrinsic motivation (compensation) and male gender, whereas intrinsic motivation, year of study and grade point average were weak negative predictors. Our study indicates that medical students are willing to engage more than one person in either close or distant relationships in academic cheating. In order to develop effective preventive measures to deter cheating at medical academic institutions, factors surrounding students' preference towards academic cheating rather than routine favours should be further investigated.

Spatial variability of total carbon and soil organic carbon in agricultural soils in Baranja region, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogunović, Igor; Trevisani, Sebastiano; Pereira, Paulo; Šeput, Miranda

2017-04-01

Climate change is expected to have an important influence on the crop production in agricultural regions. Soil carbon represents an important soil property that contributes to mitigate the negative influence of climate change on intensive cropped areas. Based on 5063 soil samples sampled from soil top layer (0-30 cm) we studied the spatial distribution of total carbon (TC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) content in various soil types (Anthrosols, Cambisols, Chernozems, Fluvisols, Gleysols, Luvisols) in Baranja region, Croatia. TC concentrations ranged from 2.10 to 66.15 mg/kg (with a mean of 16.31 mg/kg). SOC concentrations ranged from 1.86 to 58.00 mg/kg (with a mean of 13.35 mg/kg). TC and SOC showed moderate heterogeneity with coefficient of variation (CV) of 51.3% and 33.8%, respectively. Average concentrations of soil TC vary in function of soil types in the following decreasing order: Anthrosols (20.9 mg/kg) > Gleysols (19.3 mg/kg) > Fluvisols (15.6 mg/kg) > Chernozems (14.2 mg/kg) > Luvisols (12.6 mg/kg) > Cambisols (11.1 mg/kg), while SOC concentrations follow next order: Gleysols (15.4 mg/kg) > Fluvisols (13.2 mg/kg) = Anthrosols (13.2 mg/kg) > Chernozems (12.6 mg/kg) > Luvisols (11.4 mg/kg) > Cambisols (10.5 mg/kg). Performed geostatistical analysis of TC and SOC; both the experimental variograms as well as the interpolated maps reveal quite different spatial patterns of the two studied soil properties. The analysis of the spatial variability and of the spatial patterns of the produced maps show that SOC is likely influenced by antrophic processes. Spatial variability of SOC indicates soil health deterioration on an important significant portion of the studied area; this suggests the need for future adoption of environmentally friendly soil management in the Baranja region. Regional maps of TC and SOC provide quantitative information for regional planning and environmental monitoring and protection purposes.

Spatial variability of soil available phosphorous and potassium at three different soils located in Pannonian Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogunović, Igor; Pereira, Paulo; Đurđević, Boris

2017-04-01

Information on spatial distribution of soil nutrients in agroecosystems is critical for improving productivity and reducing environmental pressures in intensive farmed soils. In this context, spatial prediction of soil properties should be accurate. In this study we analyse 704 data of soil available phosphorus (AP) and potassium (AK); the data derive from soil samples collected across three arable fields in Baranja region (Croatia) in correspondence of different soil types: Cambisols (169 samples), Chernozems (131 samples) and Gleysoils (404 samples). The samples are collected in a regular sampling grid (distance 225 x 225 m). Several geostatistical techniques (Inverse Distance to a Weight (IDW) with the power of 1, 2 and 3; Radial Basis Functions (RBF) - Inverse Multiquadratic (IMT), Multiquadratic (MTQ), Completely Regularized Spline (CRS), Spline with Tension (SPT) and Thin Plate Spline (TPS); and Local Polynomial (LP) with the power of 1 and 2; two geostatistical techniques -Ordinary Kriging - OK and Simple Kriging - SK) were tested in order to evaluate the most accurate spatial variability maps using criteria of lowest RMSE during cross validation technique. Soil parameters varied considerably throughout the studied fields and their coefficient of variations ranged from 31.4% to 37.7% and from 19.3% to 27.1% for soil AP and AK, respectively. The experimental variograms indicate a moderate spatial dependence for AP and strong spatial dependence for all three locations. The best spatial predictor for AP at Chernozem field was Simple kriging (RMSE=61.711), and for AK inverse multiquadratic (RMSE=44.689). The least accurate technique was Thin plate spline (AP) and Inverse distance to a weight with a power of 1 (AK). Radial basis function models (Spline with Tension for AP at Gleysoil and Cambisol and Completely Regularized Spline for AK at Gleysol) were the best predictors, while Thin Plate Spline models were the least accurate in all three cases. The best

Modelling soil properties in a crop field located in Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogunovic, Igor; Pereira, Paulo; Millan, Mesic; Percin, Aleksandra; Zgorelec, Zeljka

2016-04-01

Development of tillage activities had negative effects on soil quality as destruction of soil horizons, compacting and aggregates destruction, increasing soil erosion and loss of organic matter. For a better management in order to mitigate the effects of intensive soil management in land degradation it is fundamental to map the spatial distribution of soil properties (Brevik et al., 2016). The understanding the distribution of the variables in space is very important for a sustainable management, in order to identify areas that need a potential intervention and decrease the economic losses (Galiati et al., 2016). The objective of this work is study the spatial distribution of some topsoil properties as clay, fine silt, coarse silt, fine sand, coarse sand, penetration resistance, moisture and organic matter in a crop field located in Croatia. A grid with 275x25 (625 m2) was designed and a total of 48 samples were collected. Previous to data modelling, data normality was checked using the Shapiro wilk-test. As in previous cases (Pereira et al., 2015), data did not followed the normal distribution, even after a logarithmic (Log), square-root, and box cox transformation. Thus, for modeling proposes, we used the log transformed data, since was the closest to the normality. In order to identify groups among the variables we applied a principal component analysis (PCA), based on the correlation matrix. On average clay content was 15.47% (±3.23), fine silt 24.24% (±4.08), coarse silt 35.34% (±3.12), fine sand 20.93% (±4.68), coarse sand 4.02% (±1.69), penetration resistance 0.66 MPa (±0.28), organic matter 1.51% (±0.25) and soil moisture 32.04% (±3.27). The results showed that the PCA identified three factors explained at least one of the variables. The first factor had high positive loadings in soil clay, fine silt and organic matter and a high negative loading in fine sand. The second factor had high positive loadings in coarse sand and moisture and a high

Landslide prediction using combined deterministic and probabilistic methods in hilly area of Mt. Medvednica in Zagreb City, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chunxiang; Watanabe, Naoki; Marui, Hideaki

2013-04-01

The hilly slopes of Mt. Medvednica are stretched in the northwestern part of Zagreb City, Croatia, and extend to approximately 180km2. In this area, landslides, e.g. Kostanjek landslide and Črešnjevec landslide, have brought damage to many houses, roads, farmlands, grassland and etc. Therefore, it is necessary to predict the potential landslides and to enhance landslide inventory for hazard mitigation and security management of local society in this area. We combined deterministic method and probabilistic method to assess potential landslides including their locations, size and sliding surfaces. Firstly, this study area is divided into several slope units that have similar topographic and geological characteristics using the hydrology analysis tool in ArcGIS. Then, a GIS-based modified three-dimensional Hovland's method for slope stability analysis system is developed to identify the sliding surface and corresponding three-dimensional safety factor for each slope unit. Each sliding surface is assumed to be the lower part of each ellipsoid. The direction of inclination of the ellipsoid is considered to be the same as the main dip direction of the slope unit. The center point of the ellipsoid is randomly set to the center point of a grid cell in the slope unit. The minimum three-dimensional safety factor and corresponding critical sliding surface are also obtained for each slope unit. Thirdly, since a single value of safety factor is insufficient to evaluate the slope stability of a slope unit, the ratio of the number of calculation cases in which the three-dimensional safety factor values less than 1.0 to the total number of trial calculation is defined as the failure probability of the slope unit. If the failure probability is more than 80%, the slope unit is distinguished as 'unstable' from other slope units and the landslide hazard can be mapped for the whole study area.

76 FR 14275 - Regulations Issued Under the Export Grape and Plum Act; Revision to the Minimum Requirements

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2011-03-16

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-14

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Composition and properties of virgin pistachio oils and their by-products from different cultivars.

PubMed

Ojeda-Amador, Rosa M; Fregapane, Giuseppe; Salvador, María Desamparados

2018-02-01

Pistachios (Pistacia vera) exhibit an interesting nutritional value, due to the high content of oleic acid and minor components with antioxidant and bioactive properties. This work aimed to characterize pistachio virgin oils and their partially defatted residual cakes, obtained from eight cultivars (Aegina, Avdat, Kastel, Kerman, Larnaka, Mateur, Napoletana, and Sirora). Interesting results on phenolics, tocopherols and antioxidant activity were observed, which were greatly affected by variety. Pistachio virgin oils are rich in healthy oleic acid (55-74%), phytosterols (3200-7600mg/kg) and γ-tocopherol (550-720mg/kg). A high content of phenolic compounds (8600-15000mg/kg gallic acid equivalents) and the corresponding antioxidant activities (12-46 and 155-496mmol/kg for DPPH and ORAC) of the residual cakes demonstrate their potential applications as functional ingredients and as rich sources of bioactive compounds. Moreover, virgin pistachio oils possess peculiar and pleasant sensory characteristics, contributing greater added value to the consumers compared to refined vegetable oils. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Virtual Reality Adaptive Stimulation in Stress Resistance Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

Kukolja, Branimir Dropuljić University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Unska 3, 10000 Zagreb , Croatia Ivica Kostović...Miloš Judaš, Marko Radoš, Milan Radoš, Lana Vasung, Branka Bartolić Spajić University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Croatian Institute for Brain...Research, Šalata 12, 10000 Zagreb , Croatia Svjetlana Doričić, Dalibor Mesić Ministry of Defense, Republic of Croatia ABSTRACT Serious mental health

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-13

...'' would be deleted, and the following countries would be added to the remaining list: Bosnia, Croatia..., Europe (defined to mean the following countries: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia...

A comparison of interpolation methods for predicting spatial variability of soil organic matter content in Eastern Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Đurđević, Boris; Jug, Irena; Jug, Danijel; Vukadinović, Vesna; Bogunović, Igor; Brozović, Bojana; Stipešević, Bojan

2017-04-01

Soil organic matter (SOM) plays crucial role in soil health and productivity and represents one of the key functions for determining soil degradation and soil suitability for crop production. Nowadays, continuing decline of organic matter in soils in agroecosystems, due to inappropriate agricultural practice (burning and removal of crop residue, overgrazing, inappropriate tillage, etc.) and environmental conditions (climate change, extreme weather conditions, erosion) leads to devastating soil degradation processes and decreases soil productivity. The main objectives of this research is to compare three different interpolation methods (Inverse Distance Weighting IDW, Ordinary kriging OK and Empirical Bayesian Kriging EBK) and provide best spatial predictor in order to ensure detailed analysis of the agricultural land in Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia. A number of 9,099 soil samples have been compiled from layer 0-30 cm and analyzed in laboratory. The average value of SOM in the study area was 2.66%, while 70.7 % of samples had SOM value below 3% in Osijek-Baranja County. Among the applied methods, the lowest root mean square error was recorded under Empirical Bayesian Kriging method which had most accurately assessed soil organic matter. The main advantage of EBK is that the process of creating a valid kriging model is automated so the manual parameter adjusting is eliminated, and this resulted with reduced uncertainty of EBK model. Conducted interpolation and visualization of data showed that 85.7% of agricultural land in Osijek-Baranja County has SOM content lower than 3%, which may indicate some sort of soil degradation process. By using interpolation methods combined with visualization of data, we can detect problematic areas much easier and with additional analysis, suggest measures to repair degraded soils. This kind of approach to problem solving in agriculture can be applied on various agroecological conditions and can significantly facilitate and

A comparison of interpolation methods on the basis of data obtained from a bathymetric survey of Lake Vrana, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šiljeg, A.; Lozić, S.; Šiljeg, S.

2014-12-01

The bathymetric survey of Lake Vrana included a wide range of activities that were performed in several different stages, in accordance with the standards set by the International Hydrographic Organization. The survey was conducted using an integrated measuring system which consisted of three main parts: a single-beam sonar Hydrostar 4300, GPS devices Ashtech Promark 500 - base, and a Thales Z-Max - rover. A total of 12 851 points were gathered. In order to find continuous surfaces necessary for analysing the morphology of the bed of Lake Vrana, it was necessary to approximate values in certain areas that were not directly measured, by using an appropriate interpolation method. The main aims of this research were as follows: to compare the efficiency of 16 different interpolation methods, to discover the most appropriate interpolators for the development of a raster model, to calculate the surface area and volume of Lake Vrana, and to compare the differences in calculations between separate raster models. The best deterministic method of interpolation was ROF multi-quadratic, and the best geostatistical, ordinary cokriging. The mean quadratic error in both methods measured less than 0.3 m. The quality of the interpolation methods was analysed in 2 phases. The first phase used only points gathered by bathymetric measurement, while the second phase also included points gathered by photogrammetric restitution. The first bathymetric map of Lake Vrana in Croatia was produced, as well as scenarios of minimum and maximum water levels. The calculation also included the percentage of flooded areas and cadastre plots in the case of a 2 m increase in the water level. The research presented new scientific and methodological data related to the bathymetric features, surface area and volume of Lake Vrana.

A comparison of interpolation methods on the basis of data obtained from a bathymetric survey of Lake Vrana, Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šiljeg, A.; Lozić, S.; Šiljeg, S.

2015-08-01

The bathymetric survey of Lake Vrana included a wide range of activities that were performed in several different stages, in accordance with the standards set by the International Hydrographic Organization. The survey was conducted using an integrated measuring system which consisted of three main parts: a single-beam sonar HydroStar 4300 and GPS devices; a Ashtech ProMark 500 base, and a Thales Z-Max® rover. A total of 12 851 points were gathered. In order to find continuous surfaces necessary for analysing the morphology of the bed of Lake Vrana, it was necessary to approximate values in certain areas that were not directly measured, by using an appropriate interpolation method. The main aims of this research were as follows: (a) to compare the efficiency of 14 different interpolation methods and discover the most appropriate interpolators for the development of a raster model; (b) to calculate the surface area and volume of Lake Vrana, and (c) to compare the differences in calculations between separate raster models. The best deterministic method of interpolation was multiquadric RBF (radio basis function), and the best geostatistical method was ordinary cokriging. The root mean square error in both methods measured less than 0.3 m. The quality of the interpolation methods was analysed in two phases. The first phase used only points gathered by bathymetric measurement, while the second phase also included points gathered by photogrammetric restitution. The first bathymetric map of Lake Vrana in Croatia was produced, as well as scenarios of minimum and maximum water levels. The calculation also included the percentage of flooded areas and cadastre plots in the case of a 2 m increase in the water level. The research presented new scientific and methodological data related to the bathymetric features, surface area and volume of Lake Vrana.

Ethics of the profession of public relations--does the public relations affects on journalism in Croatia?

PubMed

Tanta, Ivan; Lesinger, Gordana

2013-09-01

The UK's leading professional body for public relations "Chartered Institute of Public Relations" (CIPR) said that the public relations is about reputation--they are the result of what you do, what you say and what others say about you. Furthermore CIPR says that public relations are discipline whose objectives are safeguarding reputation, establishing understanding and pot pores, and the impact on the thinking and behavior of the public. Although the primary goal of public relations is to preserve and build a reputation, to tell the truth to a customer who has hired experts in this area, it seems that in its own way of development, public relations practitioners have stopped worrying about their reputation and the perception of the discipline within the public they address. All relevant professional bodies for public relations, including the Croatian Association for Public Relation (HUOJ), had set up codes of ethics and high standards according which the members and practitioners should be evaluated. Among other things stays that practitioner of public relations is required to check the reliability and accuracy of the data prior to their distribution and nurture honesty and accountability to the public interest. It seems that right this instruction of code of ethics has been often violated. In a public speech in Croatia, and therefore in the media, exist manipulation, propaganda, and all the techniques of spin, which practitioners of public relations are skillfully using in the daily transfer of information to the users and target groups. The aim of this paper is to determine what is the perception of the profession to the public. As in today's journalism increasingly present plume of public relations, we wish to comment on the part where journalism ends and begins PR and vice versa. In this paper, we analyze and compare codes of ethics ethics associations for public relations, as well as codes of ethics journalists' associations, in order to answer the question

The role of occupational medicine in assessing work limitation: A cross-sectional study on construction workers over a five-year period in Croatia.

PubMed

Božić, Tajana; Meštrović, Tomislav; Profozić, Zora; Profozić, Velimir

2017-01-01

Maintaining adequate working ability of construction workers is of considerable importance for society, as the construction sector is burdened with high prevalence of work-related diseases and health-issues. To determine the number and age of construction workers in Croatia with temporary or permanent work limitation status, as well as to identify the most common health causes of such work limitation. A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed using the data from 2534 construction workers, aged between 18 and 65 years, who underwent standardized routine occupational health examinations between 2011 and 2015. Thorough medical history and medical record reviews, blood and urine analyses, vision parameters and hearing range evaluation, as well as mental health assessment were conducted on every study participant. A total of 210 construction workers (8.29%) received occupational/work limitation status (either temporary or permanent). Four main categories of work limitation were high blood pressure, disorders of the liver and digestive system, hearing loss and amblyopia, comprising 61.69% of all diagnoses. A total of 37.62% of workers with work limitation status had two or more different diagnoses (i.e. co-morbid conditions). Those with work limitation (either temporary or long-term) were significantly older than those fit enough to work (p-value <0.00001). This type of organized screening represents a significant preventative effort in the construction industry, as workers may become more cognizant of the conditions that may affect their work ability.

Geomorphological map as a tool for visualisation of geodiversity - example from Cave Park Grabovaca (Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buzjak, Nenad; Bocic, Neven; Pahernik, Mladen

2014-05-01

Cave Park Grabovaca is located near Perusic in Lika region (central Croatia). It was established in 2006 at the area of 5.95 km2 (protection category: significant landscape). The main task is management and protection of Samograd, Medina and Amidzina caves that were declared as geomorphological monuments, and 6 other caves located close to each other. Owing to the central geographic location in Croatian Dinaric karst area, good traffic connections between central Europe and tourist centres of the Adriatic coast, preserved nature and easy accessible karst features typical for the Dinaric Karst, it has good potential to develop as an research, educational and tourist centre. In 2013. Cave Park management and the Department of Geography (University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science) established a core team that started to develop the project of Geoeducational centre (GEC) with following goals: exploration-evaluation-presentation-education. According to the accepted strategy, the first step in the project process is to enlarge the area and change the protection category. During the consultation process team members take into account protection, environmental, local economy, tourism and local population issues and proposed that protected area should be increased to 52,2 km2. This enlargement provides more efficient protection, greater geodiversity and biodiversity by occupying geotope, biotope, and landscape units typical for the whole Lika karst region. The next step was inventorying, evaluation, analysis and visualisation of geological, geomorphological and speleological phenomena. This 2 year task was made in cooperation between Croatian Geomorphological Society, Department of Geography, Speleological Society Karlovac and Caving Club Samobor. The inventory was made using field-work mapping and geotagged photographs, cave mapping and DEM analysis. It resulted in GIS oriented geodatabase consisting of geomorphological forms, processes and cave inventory. From those data

Results from stable isotope investigations of river waters in Western Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Häusler, H.; Frančišković-Bilinski, S.; Rank, D.; Stadler, P.; Bilinski, H.

2012-04-01

Precipitation (GNIP), revealing an approximate vertical d O-18 gradient of -0,30‰ per 100 m, as reported by Vreča et al. (2006). In addition, this stable isotope data for the GNIP station Zavižan predominantly indicates precipitation from the Adriatic coast, in contrary to the GNIP station Zagreb, the precipitation of which is more influenced by continental air masses. Due to the lack of local precipitation isotope data in the Kupa drainage basin it is not possible to directly analyse the modification of the isotopic signature and its temporal variation in river waters. To sum up, the isotopic composition of river waters in the Kupa Basin is controlled by two factors: the mean altitude of the recharge areas, and differences in the isotope composition of air moisture of more maritime or more continental influence. Along with use for hydrological investigations, the presented isotope data set can serve as a base line of isotope data for assessing future climate impacts within the Kupa Basin, such as temperature changes and change of precipitation distribution. Vreča, P., Bronić, I. K., Horvatinčić, N., Baresić, J. (2006): Isotopic characteristics of precipitation in Slovenia and Croatia: Comparison of continental and marine stations.- Journal of Hydrology, 330, 457-469.

Linking objects in the process of mourning for sons disappeared in war: Croatia 2001.

PubMed

Jurcević, Slavica; Urlić, Ivan

2002-04-01

Mothers use linking object to externalize the complex aspects of their relationship to the loss of their child. We analyzed the linking objects that mothers kept in memory of their sons who disappeared in the 1991-1995 war in Croatia or whose remains were uncovered and identified long time after they had gone missing. The case study of disturbed mourning included 26 mothers of Croatian soldiers from Croatian Osijek-Baranja County who went missing in war or whose remains were recovered and identified long after they had gone missing. The mothers were selected independently by the president of the Association of Families of Missing and Detained Croatian Soldiers and agreed to participate in the study in 2001. They were interviewed in their homes, their testimonies were recorded, and photographs of the linking objects taken. Linking objects were classified according to the Volkan's four-group classification. Out of four Volkan's groups of linking objects, we identified the objects belonging to the first three. Those were 1) objects that had been worn by the deceased (clothes, wrist-watch, ring, or glasses), (6/26); 2) objects that could be viewed in the psychoanalytic sense as an extension of the body of the disappeared or dead person, such as a camera (4/26); and 3) objects with realistic or symbolic resemblance to the deceased, usually a photograph (8/26). None of the examined objects belonged to the fourth Volkan's group (objects at hand when the news of the death came or objects present at the funeral, things that could be considered last-minute objects, ie, related to the moment when the deceased was last seen alive). However, 8/26 objects formed a new hitherto undescribed group. Mothers used such objects to create a memorial shrine to their sons. A photograph of the missing person or person whose remains were identified long after he had gone missing occupied a central place at the shrine, and was surrounded by other symbols of the Catholic iconography (Virgin

Trapped between Tradition and Transition – Anthropological and Epidemiological Cross-sectional Study of Bayash Roma in Croatia

PubMed Central

Škarić-Jurić, Tatjana; Martinović Klarić, Irena; Smolej Narančić, Nina; Drmić, Stipe; Peričić Salihović, Marijana; Barać Lauc, Lovorka; Miličić, Jasna; Barabalić, Maja; Zajc, Matea; Janićijević, Branka

2007-01-01

Aim To assess the key characteristics related to living conditions and health in the Bayash Roma population in Baranja and Međimurje regions of Croatia and identify possible demographic and socio-economic sources of variance in self-reported health and reproductive profile. Methods The study comprised a total of 266 adult Bayash individuals from Baranja and 164 from Međimurje (aged 41.3 ± 15.1 years). Data on ethno-historical and demographic background, self-identity, life and hygiene conditions, education, employment, health insurance, and health (dietary and smoking habits, reproductive characteristics, diagnosed and undiagnosed health problems, use of medications). were obtained through interviews. Bivariate and multivariate methods were used in statistical analyses. Results The reported migratory pattern demonstrated that 88.8% of the examinees were born in the region of residence, which showed that the Bayash population was autochthonous and sedentary one. Financially, the Bayash primarily relayed on social welfare support allowance (84%) and child allowance (47%), while merely 2% were permanently and 23% occasionally employed. The proportion of the Bayash who had never attended school amounted to 33.3% (19.3% men and 60.9% women). The access to public water supply system was available to 52.5% of examinees, whereas only 1.7% had public sewage system, and 23.4% had private septic tanks. The most commonly reported health problems were frequent headaches (20.3%), stomach pain (16.3%), anxiety or insomnia (13.1%), hypertension (9.3%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (8.6%). The logistic regression identified level of education (odds ratio [OR], 0.77; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.63-0.94) and access to health insurance (OR, 4.32; 95% CI, 1.46-12.77) as socio-economic/life-style factors playing a significant role in the occurrence of COPD. Conclusion Our results indicate poor inclusion of the Bayash in the essential social service sectors

Trace and macro elements in the femoral bone as indicators of long-term environmental exposure to toxic metals in European brown bear (Ursus arctos) from Croatia.

PubMed

Lazarus, Maja; Orct, Tatjana; Reljić, Slaven; Sedak, Marija; Bilandžić, Nina; Jurasović, Jasna; Huber, Đuro

2018-05-21

We explored the long-term accumulation of aluminium, strontium, cadmium and lead in the compact and trabecular bone of the femoral epiphysis, metaphysis and diaphysis in 41 brown bears (Ursus arctos) from Croatia. Also, we assessed their influence on macro and trace elements (sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, cobalt, copper, zinc and barium) in bears' bone. There were no sex differences in element levels in general, while age was associated with bone length and levels of all elements, except for cadmium. Elements had different levels depending on the part of the bone sampled. More pronounced differences were observed between the compact and trabecular regions, with higher levels of majority of elements found in compact bone. Moderate to high associations (Spearman coefficient, r S  = 0.59-0.97) were confirmed between calcium and potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, cobalt, zinc, strontium and lead. Lead levels in the bone were below those known to cause adverse health effects, but in 4 of 41 animals they exceeded baseline levels for domestic animals. The femoral bone of the brown bear reflected the accumulative nature of lead and strontium well, as it did the impairment of bone-forming essential element levels associated with these two elements. However, the distribution pattern of elements along the bone was not uniform, so additional care should be taken when choosing on the part of the bone sampled.

The harsh life on the 15th century Croatia-Ottoman empire military border: analyzing and identifying the reasons for the massacre in Cepin.

PubMed

Slaus, Mario; Novak, Mario; Vyroubal, Vlasta; Bedić, Zeljka

2010-03-01

Excavation of the historic period cemetery in Cepin, Croatia revealed the presence of a large number of perimortem injuries distributed among males, females, and subadults. Archaeological and historical data suggest these individuals were victims of a raid carried out by Turkish akinji light cavalry in 1441. Comparisons with the frequencies of perimortem trauma in 12 other, temporally congruent skeletal series from the Balkans (n = 2,123 skeletons) support this assumption. The role of the akinji in the Ottoman army was twofold: to supply war captives, and to terrorize and disperse local populations before the advance of regular troops. This article tests the hypothesis that the purpose of the 1441 raid was the latter. To accomplish this, perimortem trauma in the series were analyzed by sex, age, location, and depth of the injury. A total of 82 perimortem injuries were recorded in 12 males, 7 females, and 3 subadults. The demographic profile of the victims suggests that young adults were specifically targeted in the attack. Significant sex differences are noted in the number, distribution, and pattern of perimortem trauma. Females exhibit significantly more perimortem injuries per individual, and per bone affected, than males. The morphology and pattern of perimortem trauma in females is suggestive of gratuitous violence. Cumulatively, analysis of the osteological data suggest that the objective of the 1441 akinji raid was to spread terror and panic in the Cepin area, either as revenge for recent military setbacks, or as part of a long-term strategy intended to depopulate the area around Osijek.

77 FR 75663 - Notice Pursuant to the National Cooperative Research and Production Act of 1993-Telemanagement Forum

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-21

...; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Zagreb, CROATIA; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences, Zagreb, CROATIA; EPAEON LTD, Nicosia, CYPRUS; UNIVERSITY OF... Costarricense S.A, San Jose, COSTA RICA; University of Zagreb to University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical...

Elements of Teacher Communication Competence: An Examination of Skills and Knowledge to Communicate

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakic-Tomic, Ljubica; Dvorski, Jasmina; Kirinic, Anamarija

2015-01-01

In Croatia, a radical change appeared in education in 1995. The Ministry of Education and Science of Croatia approved and funded the research project entitled "Information and communication competences of educators" that consisted of two parts: theoretical, study of the available literature on the communication competence of teachers in…

Spatial variability of soil carbon, pH, available phosphorous and potassium in organic farm located in Mediterranean Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogunović, Igor; Pereira, Paulo; Šeput, Miranda

2016-04-01

Soil organic carbon (SOC), pH, available phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) are some of the most important factors to soil fertility. These soil parameters are highly variable in space and time, with implications to crop production. The aim of this work is study the spatial variability of SOC, pH, P and K in an organic farm located in river Rasa valley (Croatia). A regular grid (100 x 100 m) was designed and 182 samples were collected on Silty Clay Loam soil. P, K and SOC showed moderate heterogeneity with coefficient of variation (CV) of 21.6%, 32.8% and 51.9%, respectively. Soil pH record low spatial variability with CV of 1.5%. Soil pH, P and SOC did not follow normal distribution. Only after a Box-Cox transformation, data respected the normality requirements. Directional exponential models were the best fitted and used to describe spatial autocorrelation. Soil pH, P and SOC showed strong spatial dependence with nugget to sill ratio with 13.78%, 0.00% and 20.29%, respectively. Only K recorded moderate spatial dependence. Semivariogram ranges indicate that future sampling interval could be 150 - 200 m in order to reduce sampling costs. Fourteen different interpolation models for mapping soil properties were tested. The method with lowest Root Mean Square Error was the most appropriated to map the variable. The results showed that radial basis function models (Spline with Tension and Completely Regularized Spline) for P and K were the best predictors, while Thin Plate Spline and inverse distance weighting models were the least accurate. The best interpolator for pH and SOC was the local polynomial with the power of 1, while the least accurate were Thin Plate Spline. According to soil nutrient maps investigated area record very rich supply with K while P supply was insufficient on largest part of area. Soil pH maps showed mostly neutral reaction while individual parts of alkaline soil indicate the possibility of penetration of seawater and salt accumulation in the

78 FR 70475 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-71; Introduction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-25

... amends the FAR to add Croatia as a new designated country under the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (WTO GPA). Croatia joined the European Union on July 1, 2013, which is a party to the...). This new clause requires the prime contractor, upon receipt of accelerated payments from the Government...

MICROBIAL PROFILE AND ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY PATTERNS OF PATHOGENS CAUSING VENTILATOR- ASSOCIATED PNEUMONIA AT INTENSIVE CARE UNIT, SESTRE MILOSRDNICE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL CENTER, ZAGREB, CROATIA.

PubMed

Turković, Tihana Magdić; Grginić, Ana Gverić; Cucujić, Branka Đuras; Gašpar, Božena; Širanović, Mladen; Perić, Mladen

2015-06-01

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is very common in many intensive care Units, but there are still many uncertainties about VAP, especially about the choice of initial empiric antibiotics. The incidence of specific pathogens with different susceptibility patterns causing VAP varies from hospital to hospital. This is the reason why empiric initial antibiotic treatment for VAP should be based not only on general guidelines (that recommend therapy according to the presence of risk factors for multidrug-resistant bacteria), but also on up-to-date information on local epidemiology. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial profile of pathogens causing VAP and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns. The study was conducted in the 15-bed surgical and neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia. Retrospective data were collected from September 2009 to March 2013. All patients that developed VAP during the study period were eligible for the study. According to study results, the incidence of VAP was 29.4%. The most commonly isolated bacterium was Staphylococcus aureus (21.1%), followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (19.0%) and Acinetobacter species (13.6%). All Staphylococcus aureus isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid. Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed 100% susceptibility to cefepime and very high susceptibility to pip'eracillin-tazobactam (96%), ceftazidime (93%) and ciprofloxacin (89%). Ampicillin-sulbactam was highly effective for Acinetobacter species, showing resistance in only 8% of isolates. In conclusion, according to study data, appropriate empiric antibiotic therapy for patients with VAP without risk factors for multidrug-resistant bacteria is ceftriaxone and for patients with risk factors for multidrug-resistant bacteria ampicillin-sulbactam plus cefepime plus vancomycin or linezolid.

Intercultural Education: Proceedings of the 2nd International Scientific Conference=Obrazovanje za interkulturalizam: Zbornik radova S.2 Medunarodne znanstvene konferencije

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peko, Andelka, Ed.; Sablic, Marija, Ed.; Jindra, Ranka, Ed.

2010-01-01

The democratic changes that occurred in Croatia within last two decades are oriented towards European values and multi-intercultural perspectives. Let us remember that, according to the census from 1991, Croatia was inhabited with people from 27 nations, with Croats being a majority. During the Homeland war, basically a defensive war against the…

Academic profile of students who transferred to Zagreb School of Medicine from other medical schools in Croatia.

PubMed

Dusek, Davorka; Dolovcak, Svjetlana; Kljaković-Gaspić, Marko

2004-02-01

To assess the academic performance of students who transferred to the Zagreb School of Medicine from other three medical schools in Croatia. Academic performance of medical students who moved from Rijeka, Osijek, or Split University Medical Schools to the Zagreb University School of Medicine at the second or third year was compared with academic performance of students enrolled at the Zagreb University School of Medicine. Using the Zagreb Medical School's registry, we made a list of 57 transfer students to Zagreb Medical School in the 1985-1994 period. Control group was formed of students enrolled at the Zagreb School of Medicine in the same period, whose names followed in alphabetical order after the names of transfer students. Students' performance was analyzed according to their grade average before transfer, grade average in the first year after transfer, total grade average after transfer, overall grade average, and duration of studies. We also analyzed the proportion of students in each group who did not pass the admission test at the Zagreb School of Medicine in the year before the enrollment in Zagreb, Osijek, Rijeka, and Split Medical Schools. Nineteen transfer students, transferred between 1985 and 1988, and their controls were excluded from the analysis because of incomplete data. Transfer students had significantly lower grade average before transfer (3.2-/+0.6 vs 3.5-/+0.7, p=0.03, Student t-test), lower grade average in the first year after transfer (3.2-/+0.6 vs 3.5-/+0.7, p=0.03), lower total grade average after transfer (3.6-/+0.5 vs 4.0-/+0.6, p<0.001), and lower overall grade average (3.5-/+0.5 vs 3.9-/+0.6, p<0.001) than control students. Median time to graduate for transfer students was 7 years (range, 5-9) and 6 years (range, 5-9) for control students (p=0.375, Mann-Whitney test). There were significantly more students among transfer students who did not pass the admission test at the Zagreb School of Medicine in the year before the final

Non-tectonic exposure Rates along Bedrock Fault Scarps in an active Mountain Belt of the central Apennines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kastelic, Vanja; Burrato, Pierfrancesco; Carafa, Michele M. C.; Basili, Roberto

2017-04-01

exposure rates are rather due to gravitational and landsliding movements aided by weathering and slope degradation processes. The so far neglected slope degradation and other (sub)surface processes should thus be carefully taken into consideration before attempting to recover fault slip rates using surface gathered data. The results of the present studies have been recently published (Kastelic et al., 2016) and our research is ongoing, implementing the so-far results with newer measurements and other techniques in order to improve our knowledge on the magnitude of the exposure and its causative process(es). Kastelic, V., P. Burrato, M. M. C. Carafa, and R. Basili (2016), Repeated surveys reveal nontectonic exposure of supposedly active normal faults in the central Apennines, Italy, J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf., 121, doi:10.1002/2016JF003953.

Spatial differences in drought vulnerability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perčec Tadić, M.; Cindić, K.; Gajić-Čapka, M.; Zaninović, K.

2012-04-01

Drought causes the highest economic losses among all hydro-meteorological events in Croatia. It is the most frequent hazard, which produces the highest damages in the agricultural sector. The climate assessment in Croatia according to the aridity index (defined as the ratio of precipitation and potential evapotranspiration) shows that the susceptibility to desertification is present in the warm part of the year and it is mostly pronounced in the Adriatic region and the eastern Croatia lowland. The evidence of more frequent extreme drought events in the last decade is apparent. These facts were motivation to study the drought risk assessment in Croatia. One step in this issue is the construction of the vulnerability map. This map is a complex combination of the geomorphologic and climatological inputs (maps) that are presumed to be natural factors which modify the amount of moisture in the soil. In this study, the first version of the vulnerability map is followed by the updated one that additionally includes the soil types and the land use classes. The first input considered is the geomorphologic slope angle calculated from the digital elevation model (DEM). The SRTM DEM of 100 m resolution is used. The steeper slopes are more likely to lose water and to become dryer. The second climatological parameter, the solar irradiation map, gives for the territory of Croatia the maximum irradiation on the coast. The next meteorological parameter that influences the drought vulnerability is precipitation which is in this assessment included through the precipitation variability expressed by the coefficient of variation. Larger precipitation variability is related with the higher drought vulnerability. The preliminary results for Croatia, according to the recommended procedure in the framework of Drought Management Centre for Southeastern Europe (DMCSEE project), show the most sensitive areas to drought in the southern Adriatic coast and eastern continental lowland.

Clinical and Laboratoy Characteristics of Parvovirus B19 Infection During 2013/2014 Outbreak in Zagreb, Croatia

PubMed Central

Ajdukovic, Mia; Pejic, Lucija; Papic, Neven; Vince, Adriana

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Human Parvovirus B19 (HPV-B19) occurs worldwide and causes mild, acute exanthematous disease that occurs in a form of cyclic local epidemics. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical features and complication rates of acute HPV-B19 infection in different age groups. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 718 consecutive patients clinicaly diagnosed with acute HPV-B19 infection who visited outpatient department at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Zagreb, Croatia during 2013–2014 outbreak. In 212 patients (of 298 tested) diagnosis was confirmed by positive IgM antibodies and/or HPV-B19 DNA in peripheral blood. Results Outbreak started in June 2013 and had a peak in April 2014, with highest prevalence in schoolchildren. There were no difference in clinical presentation or laboratory findings between clinicaly and serologicaly diagnosed patients. Biphasic presentation, fever, myalgia, arthralgia, headache and peripheral edema were more frequent in adults, but „slapped cheeks” was found predominantly in children. Complications were more common in adults, most commonly hematological disordes (mild anemia, thrombocytopenia and leukopenia), vasculitis, hepatitis and aseptic meningitis. There were no deaths in our cohort. Children 
(n = 52) Adults 
(n = 160) P-value Age, years 8.8 ± 4.1 39 ± 10.7 Male sex 31 (59.6%) 26 (12.3%) 0.0001 Clinical presentation Biphasic presentation 8 (15.4%) 48 (30.0 %) 0.0460 Fever 26 (50.0%) 110 (68.7%) 0.0194 Rash 51 (98.1%) 127 (79.4%) 0.0008 Myalgia 5 (9.6%) 50 (31.2%) 0.0017 Arthralgia 9 (17.3%) 100 (62.5%) 0.0001 Headache 3 (5.8%) 34 (21.2%) 0.0107 “Slapped cheeks” 29 (55,8%) 24 (15.0%) 0.0001 Peripheral edema 6 (11.5%) 63 (39.4%) 0.0001 Anemia 4 (7.7%) 19 (11.8%) 0.6076 Leukopenia 1 (1.9%) 23 (14.5%) 0.0111 Thrombocytopenia 4 (7.7%) 35 (21.8%) 0.0231 Hepatitis 1 (1.9%) 11 (6.87%) 0.3011 Vasculitis 1 (1.9%) 2 (1.25%) 0.5721 Other 2 (3.8%) 3 (1.9%) 0.5982 Conclusion

New associations of phoretic mites on Pityokteines curvidens (Coleoptera, Curculionidae, Scolytinae)

Treesearch

Milan Pernek; Stefan Wirth; Stacy R. Blomquist; Dimitrios N. Avtzis; John C. Moser

2012-01-01

Abstract: The species composition and abundance of phoretic mites of the bark beetle Pityokteines curvidens caught in pheromone traps were investigated in Croatia. The P. curvidens trapping programs have been in an experimental phase in Croatia since 2004 as a possible monitoring and control system. The trapping program also permits the opportunity to sample phoretic...

From the Traditional to the Modern: The Culture of Kindergartens Communities That Learn (The Croatian Experience)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ljubetic, Maja; Slunjski, Edita

2012-01-01

Even though the tradition of kindergartens in Croatia is a long one, it is only since the last decade that kindergartens in the Republic of Croatia have been regarded as communities that learn. For many years, the function of traditional kindergartens was determined by the philosophy and the beliefs of a totalitarian socialistic social order…

[Epidemiology of viral hepatitis].

PubMed

Kaić, Bernard; Vilibić-Cavlek, Tatjana; Filipović, Sanja Kurecić; Nemeth-Blazić, Tatjana; Pem-Novosel, Iva; Vucina, Vesna Visekruna; Simunović, Aleksandar; Zajec, Martina; Radić, Ivan; Pavlić, Jasmina; Glamocanin, Marica; Gjenero-Margan, Ira

2013-10-01

Understanding the country-specific epidemiology of disease, which may vary greatly among countries, is crucial for identifying the most appropriate preventive and control measures. An overview of the local epidemiology of viral hepatitis in Croatia is given in this paper. The overall prevalence of hepatitis B in Croatia is low (less than 2% HBsAg carriers in the general population). Hepatitis B incidence and prevalence began to decline significantly following the introduction of universal hepatitis B vaccination in 1999. Information on HBsAg seroprevalence is derived from routine testing of certain subpopulations (pregnant women, blood donors) and seroprevalence studies mostly targeted at high-risk populations. Universal childhood vaccination against hepatitis B remains the main preventive measure. We recommend testing for immunity one to two months after the third dose of hepatitis B vaccine for health-care workers. The incidence and prevalence of hepatitis C have also been declining in the general population. The main preventive measures are ensuring safety of blood products, prevention of drug abuse, and harm reduction programs for intravenous drug users. Hepatitis A incidence has declined dramatically since fifty years ago, when thousands of cases were reported annually. In the last five years, an average of twenty cases have been reported per year. The reduction of hepatitis A is a consequence of improved personal and community hygiene and sanitation. Hepatitis D has not been reported in Croatia. The risk of hepatitis D will get to be even smaller as the proportion of population vaccinated against hepatitis B builds up. Hepatitis E is reported only sporadically in Croatia, mostly in persons occupationally in contact with pigs and in travelers to endemic countries. In conclusion, Croatia is a low prevalence country for hepatitides A, B and C. Hepatitis D has not been reported to occur in Croatia and there are only sporadic cases of hepatitis E. Since hepatitis

PREFACE: Sensors and Their Applications XVII

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilas, V.; McConnell, G.; Kyriacou, P.

2013-06-01

This volume records the Proceedings of the seventeenth conference in the biennial Sensors and Their Applications series that took place at Rixos Libertas, Dubrovnik, Croatia from 16-18 September 2013. The conference is organised by the Instrument Science and Technology Group of the Institute of Physics. The conference was the first organised by the Institute of Physics to be held outside of the UK and Ireland, thus continuing the collaborative and adventurous nature of the meeting. The conference proceedings record the continuing health, diversity and activity of the sensors community worldwide, bringing together contributions from academics and industrial researchers to provide excellent networking opportunities. It is interesting to note some continuing themes such as Optical Sensors and Electromagnetic Sensors, as well as trends in Environmental Sensing and Glacial Monitoring that reflect our changing world, and Sensors in Biology and Medicine that have a growing importance with an ageing population. The conference also accounts for research specialisms and unique strengths from the local community in Croatia, including demining and metal detector sensing. We should like to thank all of our colleagues and friends in the sensor community who have supported this event by contributing manuscripts. Our thanks go also to members of the Technical Programme Committee for their support, and in particular for refereeing the submitted manuscripts. We are also pleased to express our thanks to the Conference Department of the Institute of Physics for their invaluable support in organising this event. We are especially grateful to Dawn Stewart for her responsive and day-to-day handling of this conference, as well as Claire Garland for help in planning and managing this international event. We hope that the conference authors, participants and a wider audience will find these proceedings to be of interest and to serve as a useful reference text. V Bilas, G McConnell and P

Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Augmentative rTMS in Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD): A Prospective Cohort Study in Croatia.

PubMed

Filipcic, Igor; Milovac, Zeljko; Sucic, Strahimir; Gajsak, Tomislav; Filipcic, Ivona Simunovic; Ivezic, Ena; Aljinovic, Vjekoslav; Orgulan, Ivana; Penic, Sandra Zecevic; Bajic, Zarko

2017-03-01

An increasing body of research suggest that repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is effective and safe treatment option for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The Psychiatric Hospital "Sveti Ivan" has the first TMS laboratory with rTMS and deep TMS (dTMS) in Croatia. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy, safety and tolerability of augmentative rTMS treatment vs standard treatment in Croatian patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Total of 93 MDD patients were enrolled; 41 of them were treated by augmentative rTMS and 52 were treated by standard (psychopharmacotherapy and psychotherapy) therapy only. We delivered rTMS to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at 120% motor threshold (10 Hz, 4-second train duration), 3000 pulses per session using a figure-eight coil, minimum of 20 sessions during four weeks. Our key outcome was the change in Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D17) result from baseline to 4 th week. Our secondary outcomes were changes in Hamilton Anxiety (HAM-A) and WHOQOL-BREF scales. After four weeks the changes of HAM-D17 and HAM-A results were significantly different between the group of patients treated by augmentative rTMS (48% and 53% decrease, respectively) and the group of patients treated by the standard therapy alone (24% and 30% decrease) (P=0.004, P=0.007). Absolute benefit increase defined as the difference between rates of remission (HAM-D17 ≤7) in rTMS and control group was 33% (P=0.001). Number of patients needed to treat with rTMS in order to achieve remission in one patient was NNT=3. In a group of patients treated with augmentative rTMS 21/41 (51%), and in control group 17/52 (33%) were responders (P=0.071). It seems that augmentative treatment with rTMS is more effective on depression and anxiety symptoms than standard therapy in MDD with equal safety and tolerability. Randomized, controlled studies are required to verify this finding.

How to Enhance Classes by Using PCs, the Internet, and Mobile Phones

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matijevic, Milan

2008-01-01

According to the results of a survey conducted in 2006 in Croatia (N = 2,994), 75% of pupils in primary education have a computer at home. Of this number, 70% are connected to the Internet. All elementary schools in Croatia have special classrooms where information can be accessed on the Internet, but it is planned to equip all classrooms with one…

Active Reconfigurable Metamaterial Unit Cell Based on Non-Foster Elements

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

Krois Ivan Bonic Aleksandar Kiricenko Damir Muha University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Unksa 3 Zagreb ...PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Unksa 3 Zagreb , HR-10000 CROATIA 8...Electrical Engineering and Computing University of Zagreb Unska 3 Zagreb , HR-10000, Croatia 14 October 2013 Distribution A: Approved for

Human-in-the-loop Control of Multi-agent Aerial Systems Under Intermittent Communication

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-08

Bogdan FAKULTET ELEKTROTEHNIKE I RACUNARS UNSKA 3 ZAGREB 10000 CROATIA EOARD GRANT #FA8655-13-1-3055 Report Date: June 2015...ELEKTROTEHNIKE I RACUNARS UNSKA 3 ZAGREB 10000 CROATIA 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER N/A 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME...Laboratory for Robotics and Intelligent Control Systems Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing University of Zagreb PI:Prof.dr.sc. Stjepan Bogdan

Broadband Epsilon-Near-Zero (ENZ) and Mu-Near-Zero (MNZ) Active Metamaterial

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

Krois Ivan Bonic Aleksandar Kiricenko Eduardo Ugarte Munoz University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Department...of Wireless Communications Unska 3 Zagreb , Croatia HR 10 000 EOARD GRANT 10-3030 August 2011 Final Report for 24 August 2010 to 24...ADDRESS(ES) University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Department of Wireless Communications Unska 3 Zagreb , Croatia

Metamaterial-Based Cylinders Used for Invisible Cloak Realization

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

Branimir Ivsic Tin Komljenovic University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing Unska 3 Zagreb , Croatia HR-10000...NUMBER 5e. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing...Unska 3 Zagreb , Croatia HR-10000 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER N/A 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS

The Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team Program as a Model for Assisting the Development of an Effective Afghan National Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-12

care has been taken to ensure the ANA is comprised of soldiers from all of Afghanistan’s major ethnic groups - Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek , Hazara, Turkmen...Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland , Spain, the United Kingdom (UK), and United States have contributed full OMLTs/ETTs...embedded training teams) while Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland , Portugal, Romania, Slovenia

Sensory Perception in the Human Research and Engineering Directorate: Thrust Areas and Recent Research 2011-2014

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

estimation in an open space. In: Glotin, editor. Soundscape semiotics: localisation and categorisation. Rijeka (Croatia): InTech; 2014. Available at...Glotin H, editor. Soundscape semiotics – localisation and categorisation. Rijeka (Croatia): InTech; 2014. Available at: http://www.intechopen.com...books/ soundscape -semiotics-localisation -and-categorisation/auditory-distance-estimation-in-an-open-space. The purpose of the study was to expand our

Antimicrobial susceptibility of clinically isolated anaerobic bacteria in a University Hospital Centre Split, Croatia in 2013.

PubMed

Novak, Anita; Rubic, Zana; Dogas, Varja; Goic-Barisic, Ivana; Radic, Marina; Tonkic, Marija

2015-02-01

Anaerobic bacteria play a significant role in many endogenous polymicrobial infections. Since antimicrobial resistance among anaerobes has increased worldwide, it is useful to provide local susceptibility data to guide empirical therapy. The present study reports recent data on the susceptibility of clinically relevant anaerobes in a University Hospital Centre (UHC) Split, Croatia. A total of 63 Gram-negative and 59 Gram-positive anaerobic clinical isolates from various body sites were consecutively collected from January to December 2013. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using standardized methods and interpreted using EUCAST criteria. Patient's clinical and demographic data were recorded by clinical microbiologist. Among 35 isolates of Bacteroides spp., 97.1% were resistant to penicillin (PCN), 5.7% to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (AMC), 8.6% to piperacillin/tazobactam (TZP), 29.0% to clindamycin (CLI) and 2.9% to metronidazole (MZ). Percentages of susceptible strains to imipenem (IPM), meropenem (MEM) and ertapenem (ETP) were 94.3. Resistance of other Gram-negative bacilli was 76.0% to PCN, 8.0% to AMC, 12.0% to TZP, 28.0% to CLI and 8% to MZ. All other Gram-negative strains were fully susceptible to MEM and ETP, while 96.0% were susceptible to IPM. Clostridium spp. isolates were 100% susceptible to all tested antibiotics except to CLI (two of four tested isolates were resistant). Propionibacterium spp. showed resistance to CLI in 4.3%, while 100% were resistant to MZ. Among other Gram-positive bacilli, 18.2% were resistant to PCN, 9.1% to CLI and 54.5% to MZ, while 81.8% of isolates were susceptible to carbapenems. Gram-positive cocci were 100% susceptible to all tested antimicrobials except to MZ, where 28.6% of resistant strains were recorded. Abdomen was the most common source of isolates (82.5%). The most prevalent types of infection were abscess (22.1%), sepsis (14.8%), appendicitis (13.9%) and peritonitis (6.6%). Twenty four patients (19

Corruption in the Balkans: An Examination of the Ties Between Government and Crime in Several Southeast European Countries

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

Mataković, Transparency in Funding Political Parties: Croatia 2011 ( Zagreb : Transparency International Croatia, 2011), 7, 19; Stevan Dojčinović et al...compulsory measures that could have forced Zagreb to further reduce its corruption have now been removed. Despite many recent steps in the right...authorities discovered the body of Ivana Hodak, the daughter of a recognized prosecutor in Zagreb , in the stairwell outside her apartment building

Who Is Guarding Serbia’s Borders? An Assessment of Serbia’s Progress in Border Security Development and Reform

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

For example, in 2009 the British embassies in Zagreb and Belgrade funded a project to have the International Organization for Migration (IOM) utilize...Embassy Zagreb , UK in Croatia, “UK-backed Croatia-Serbia border police project successfully completed,” (3 May 2010), accessed May 17, 2010, http...cocaine seizure was made and two people arrested at Zagreb airport bound for Serbia. Also in November 2009, Serbian police arrested four people in

(Congressional Interest) Network Information and Space Security Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

Zagreb , Croatia (City of Zagreb funding). Conducted three days of meetings with City/University of Zagreb , Croatia officials to structure terms for a...partnership with UCCS. In the short-term, UCCS will develop and deliver several courses in homeland security and assist the University of Zagreb in... Zagreb in maturing the Center of Excellence and designing, developing and delivering masters and doctoral degrees in homeland security. Hosted a group of

JPRS Report, Supplement, East Europe, Recent Legislation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-08-02

value of the designated land corre- damage shall be determined based on the cadastral net sponds with the average Gold Crown value of the coop- income...Republic of Croatia appoints chiefs Cultural- informational centers of the Republic of of consular representations based on the recommenda- Croatia abroad...Europe Recent Legislation 19980202 134/ rI QUALI•TST•O•ED a REPRODUCED BY U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE SPRINGFIELD

Identification of land degradation evidences in an organic farm using probability maps (Croatia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pereira, Paulo; Bogunovic, Igor; Estebaranz, Ferran

2017-04-01

Land degradation is a biophysical process with important impacts on society, economy and policy. Areas affected by land degradation do not provide services in quality and with capacity to full-field the communities that depends on them (Amaya-Romero et al., 2015; Beyene, 2015; Lanckriet et al., 2015). Agricultural activities are one of the main causes of land degradation (Kraaijvanger and Veldkamp, 2015), especially when they decrease soil organic matter (SOM), a crucial element for soil fertility. In temperate areas, the critical level of SOM concentration in agricultural soils is 3.4%. Below this level there is a potential decrease of soil quality (Loveland and Weeb, 2003). However, no previous work was carried out in other environments, such as the Mediterranean. The spatial distribution of potential degraded land is important to be identified and mapped, in order to identify the areas that need restoration (Brevik et al., 2016; Pereira et al., 2017). The aim of this work is to assess the spatial distribution of areas with evidences of land degradation (SOM bellow 3.4%) using probability maps in an organic farm located in Croatia. In order to find the best method, we compared several probability methods, such as Ordinary Kriging (OK), Simple Kriging (SK), Universal Kriging (UK), Indicator Kriging (IK), Probability Kriging (PK) and Disjunctive Kriging (DK). The study area is located on the Istria peninsula (45°3' N; 14°2' E), with a total area of 182 ha. One hundred eighty-two soil samples (0-30 cm) were collected during July of 2015 and SOM was assessed using wet combustion procedure. The assessment of the best probability method was carried out using leave one out cross validation method. The probability method with the lowest Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) was the most accurate. The results showed that the best method to predict the probability of potential land degradation was SK with an RMSE of 0.635, followed by DK (RMSE=0.636), UK (RMSE=0.660), OK (RMSE

Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in trials for inflammatory bowel disease (PL-10, PLD-116, PL14736, Pliva, Croatia) heals ileoileal anastomosis in the rat.

PubMed

Vuksic, Tihomir; Zoricic, Ivan; Brcic, Luka; Sever, Marko; Klicek, Robert; Radic, Bozo; Cesarec, Vedran; Berkopic, Lidija; Keller, Neike; Blagaic, Alenka Boban; Kokic, Neven; Jelic, Ivan; Geber, Juraj; Anic, Tomislav; Seiwerth, Sven; Sikiric, Predrag

2007-01-01

Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (BPC 157), which has been shown to be safe in clinical trials for inflammatory bowel disease (PL-10, PLD-116, PL14736, Pliva, Croatia), may be able to cure intestinal anastomosis dehiscence. This antiulcer peptide shows no toxicity, is limit test negative, and a lethal dose is not achieved. It is stable in human gastric juice. In comparison with other standard treatments it is more effective for ulcers and various wounds, and can be used without a carrier needed for other peptides, both locally and systemically (i.e., perorally, parenterally). We studied the effectiveness of BPC 157 for ileoileal anastomosis healing in rats. We assessed ileoileal anastomosis dehiscence macroscopically, histologically, and biomechanically (volume [ml] infused through a syringe-perfusion pump system (1 ml/10 s), and pressure [mmHg] to leak induction [catheter connected to a chamber and a monitor, at 10 cm proximal to anastomosis]), at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 14 days. BPC 157 (10 microg, 10 ng, 10 pg/kg i.p. (or saline [5 ml/kg]) was first administered after surgery, while it was last given 24 h before either assessment or sacrifice. Throughout the experiment, both higher doses of BPC 157 were shown to improve all parameters of anastomotic wound healing. The formation of adhesions remained slight, the blood vessels were filled with blood, and a mild intestinal passage obstruction was only temporarily observed. Anastomosis without leakage induces markedly higher volume and pressure values, with a continuous increase toward healthy values. From day 1, edema was markedly attenuated and the number of granulocytes decreased, while from days 4 or 5 necrosis decreased and granulation tissue, reticulin, and collagen formation substantially increased, thus resulting in increased epithelization. This study showed BPC 157 to have a beneficial effect on ileoileal anastomosis healing in the rat.

Alcohol-related road traffic accidents before and after the passing of the Road Traffic Safety Act in Croatia.

PubMed

Missoni, Eduard; Bozić, Boris; Missoni, Ivan

2012-12-01

The aim of this study was to gather enough data in order to formulate theory- and research-based recommendations to policy makers with the intention of decreasing the number of alcohol-related accidents and victims on Croatian roads. The data on the injured traffic participants and the share of participants under the influence of alcohol were collected from the police reports of the Traffic Police Department, Ministry of the Interior, written at the scene of the respective accidents. This documentation was then processed by descriptive epidemiology and analysed through a four-year period, before and after the passing of the New Road Traffic Safety Act in the Republic of Croatia, on 20 August 2004. In the first six months of 2005, after the passing of the Act, there were 3,275 accidents caused by the motorists under the influence of alcohol (12.5% of all the accidents), with 64 persons killed. Only 5 fatalities (8%) were caused by the drivers with measured blood alcohol concentration of up to 0.5 per thousand. As much as 27 fatalities (42%) were caused by the drivers with measured more than 1.5 per thousand, while half of the fatalities, 32 (50%), were caused by drivers with 0.5-1.5 per thousand. In this period, more than 451,000 violations were recorded, whereas in the same period of the previous year, the number of violations was about 519,000. A reduction of the total number of accidents is the result of the new regulation provision, according to which the incidents without human victims do not have to be reported to the police. The number of traffic accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol had increased by some dozen per cents, namely: 2005 - 6,219 persons, 2006- 6,590 persons, noting that in 2006 one less person was killed (123) compared to 2005. In 2005, drivers with alcohol concentration of 0-0.5 per thousand caused 1,096 accidents, with 14 fatalities, whereas in 2006 there were 1,164 accidents with 9 fatalities. A total of 2,314 accidents

Climatic Factors and Epidemiologic Characteristics of Head and Neck Skin Malignancies in Osijek Baranja County, Croatia.

PubMed

Orkić, Želimir; Puntarić, Dinko; Vidosavljević, Domagoj; Puntarić, Ida; Puntarić, Eda; Gvozdić, Vlatka; Mayer, Dijana; Vidosavljević, Marina; Vranješ, Andrijana Muller

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the incidence and epidemiological characteristics of head and/or neck skin malignancies in Osijek-Baranja County, Croatia, and to connect them with relative climatic indicators such as the number and intensity of sunny and cloudy days over a longer period of time. The study included patients from Osijek Baranja County with confirmed pathohistological diagnosis of the head and/or neck malignancies from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2012. The patients were analyzed according to gender, age, residence, occupation, type and location of the neoplasm, and hair and eye colour. The analysis of climatic elements (mean monthly and annual cloudiness values, mean monthly and annual sum values of sunny days) for a period of 50 years (1961-2011) based on the data of the Croatian Meteorological and Hydrological Service for the investigated area was performed. The study included a total of 2,952 patients: 1,487 (50.4%) males and 1,465 (49.6%) females, representing the estimated annual incidence of 104/100,000. The mean age was 72 years. The patients were mostly from rural areas, 1,952 (66.2%); 2,137 (72.4%) worked outdoors: 907 farmers (42.4%) and 889 construction workers (41.6%). Given the type of neoplasm, the most common was a basal cell cancer (BCC) in 2,160 patients (73.2%). Malignant melanoma was found in 93 patients (3.1%). The most common localizations were face (839 cases, 28.7%) and nose (643 cases, 22.0%). Males had a significantly higher number of planocellular malignancies--341 (56.6%) than females--262 (43.4%) (p=0.005). The median age of the patients was 67 years. There were no significant differences in types of malignancies, place of residence, workplace, or occupation (with respect to working outdoors or indoors). It has been shown that the ears and lips are significantly more affected by squamous cell malignancies (p=0.039 and p<0.001) compared to the neck, eye and head with malignant melanoma (p=0.004, p<0

Paramilitaries in the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Effects on the Peace Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-20

reportedly continued his financial shenanigans during the war by defrauding Muslim refugees and extended families living in Europe out of £5.6 million, which... financial assistance to the Bosnian Croatian Army called the Croatian Defense Council (HVO). The Yugoslav Army (VJ), the successor to the JNA after Slovenia...and Croatia seceded, provided equipment and financial support to the Bosnian Serb Army (VRS) as well as to the Krajina Serb Army (SVK) in Croatia

Stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 in trials for inflammatory bowel disease (PL-10, PLD-116, PL 14736, Pliva, Croatia). Full and distended stomach, and vascular response.

PubMed

Sikiric, P; Seiwerth, S; Brcic, L; Blagaic, A B; Zoricic, I; Sever, M; Klicek, R; Radic, B; Keller, N; Sipos, K; Jakir, A; Udovicic, M; Tonkic, A; Kokic, N; Turkovic, B; Mise, S; Anic, T

2006-12-01

Gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 (GEPPPGKPADDAGLV, M.W. 1419, safe in clinical trials for inflammatory bowel disease (PL 10, PLD 116, PLD 14736, Pliva, Croatia)) has a particular cytoprotective/adaptive cytoprotective activity. The cytoprotective/adaptive cytoprotection researches largely neglect that stomach distension could per se jeopardize the mucosal integrity, with constantly stretched mucosa and blood vessels, and sphincters more prone for reflux induction. After absolute alcohol instillation in fully distended rat stomach, gastric, esophageal and duodenal lesions occur. Throughout next 3 min, left gastric artery blood vessels clearly disappear at the serosal site, indicative for loss of vessels both integrity and function. Contrary, constant vessels presentation could predict the beneficial effect of applied agent. After pentadecapeptide BPC 157 instillation into the stomach the vessels presentation remains constant, and lesions of stomach, esophagus, and duodenum are inhibited. Standards (atropine, ranitidine, omeprazole) could only slightly improve the vessels presentation compared to control values, and they have only a partial effect on the lesions. In this review we emphasize BPC 157 unusual stability, and some of its important effects: effectiveness against various lesions in gastrointestinal tract, on nitric oxide (NO)-system, and NO-agents effects, on somatosensory neurons, salivary glands function, recovery of AMP-ADP-ATP system, endothelium protection, effect on endothelin, and on angiogenesis promotion. It also antagonizes other alcohol effects, including acute and chronic intoxication. Given peripherally, it counteracts the consequence of central dopamine system disturbances (receptor blockade), and induces serotonin release in substantia nigra. Therapeutic potential of BPC 157 as a cytoprotective agent is also seen in its capability to heal various wounds. Given directly into the stomach, BPC 157 instantly recovers disturbed lower esophageal

The prevalence and impact of Babesia canis and Theileria sp. in free-ranging grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations in Croatia.

PubMed

Beck, Ana; Huber, Doroteja; Polkinghorne, Adam; Kurilj, Andrea Gudan; Benko, Valerija; Mrljak, Vladimir; Reljić, Slaven; Kusak, Josip; Reil, Irena; Beck, Relja

2017-04-04

Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. are important emerging causes of disease in dogs. Alongside these domesticated hosts, there is increasing recognition that these piroplasms can also be found in a range of wild animals with isolated reports describing the presence of these pathogen in foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and captive grey wolves (Canis lupus). The prevalence and impact of these infections in free-ranging populations of canids are unknown. To gain a better insight into the epidemiology and pathogenesis of piroplasm infections in free-ranging grey wolves, pathological and molecular investigations into captive and free-ranging grey wolves in Croatia were performed. The carcasses of 107 free-ranging wolves and one captive wolf were the subjects of post-mortem investigations and sampling for molecular studies. A blood sample from one live captured wolf for telemetric tracking was also used for molecular analysis. PCR amplification targeting the 18S RNA gene revealed that 21 of 108 free-ranging wolves and one captive animal were positive for Theileria/Babesia DNA. Subsequent sequencing of a fragment of the 18S RNA gene revealed that 7/22 animals were positive for Babesia canis while the other amplified sequence were found to be identical with corresponding 18S rDNA sequences of Theileria capreoli isolated from wild deer (15/22). Haematological and cytological analysis revealed the presence of signet-ring shaped or pear-shaped piroplasms in several animals with the overall parasite burden in all positive animals assessed to be very low. Pathological investigation of the captive animal revealed fatal septicemia as a likely outcome of hemolytic anaemia. There was little or no evidence of hemolytic disease consistent with babesiosis in other animals. Importantly, the presence of B. canis in free-ranging grey wolves has not been described before but has been reported in a single fox and domestic dogs only. That B. canis infections cause disease in dogs but have little impact

Policies and practices in haemostasis testing among laboratories in Croatia: a survey on behalf of a Working Group for Laboratory Coagulation of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

PubMed

Bronić, Ana; Herak, Desiree Coen; Margetić, Sandra; Milić, Marija

2017-02-15

The objective of this survey was to assess current policies and practice in haemostasis testing among both hospital and outpatient laboratories in Republic of Croatia. A questionnaire with seventy questions divided into nine sections was created in May 2015. Participants were asked about their practice related to test request form, sample collection, prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time assays, other individual haemostasis assays, point-of-care testing (POCT), reporting of coagulation tests results and quality assurance of procedures, the personnel and other laboratory resources, as well as on issues related to education and implementation of additional coagulation assays in their laboratory. The survey was administered and data were collected between June and September 2015. A total survey response rate was 104/170 (61.2%). Most respondents were faced with incomplete information on prescribed therapy and diagnosis on the test request or inappropriate samples withdrawn on distant locations, but also do not have protocols for handling samples with high haematocrit values. Reporting of PT-INR and D-dimer results was different between laboratories. Although almost all laboratories developed a critical value reporting system, reporting a value to general practitioners is still a problem. Result on coagulation POCT testing showed that not all devices were supervised by laboratories, which is not in compliance with Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemistry acts. Obtained results highlighted areas that need improvement and different practice patterns in particular field of haemostasis testing among laboratories. A harmonization of the overall process of haemostasis testing at national level should be considered and undertaken.

Analysis of biennial outbreak pattern of respiratory syncytial virus according to subtype (A and B) in the Zagreb region.

PubMed

Mlinaric-Galinovic, Gordana; Tabain, Irena; Kukovec, Tamara; Vojnovic, Gordana; Bozikov, Jadranka; Bogovic-Cepin, Jasna; Ivkovic-Jurekovic, Irena; Knezovic, Ivica; Tesovic, Goran; Welliver, Robert C

2012-06-01

The epidemic pattern of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in Croatia is biennial. In order to determine if the circulation of different RSV subtypes affects the outbreak cycle, the aim of the present study was to analyze the epidemic pattern of RSV in children in Croatia (Zagreb region) over a period of 3 consecutive years. The study group consisted of 696 inpatients, aged 0-5 years, who were hospitalized with acute respiratory tract infections caused by RSV, in Zagreb, in the period 1 January 2006-31 December 2008. The virus was identified in nasopharyngeal secretions using direct immunofluorescence. The virus subtype was determined on real-time polymerase chain reaction. Of 696 RSV infections identified in children, subtype A virus caused 374 infections, and subtype B, 318. Four patients had a dual RSV infection (subtypes A and B). The period of study was characterized by four epidemic waves of RSV infections: the first, smaller, in the spring of 2006; the second, larger, in December 2006/January 2007; the third in spring 2008, followed by a fourth outbreak beginning in November of 2008. The biennial virus cycles were persistent although the predominant RSV subtype in the first two epidemic waves was subtype B, and in the second two it was subtype A. Over a 3 year period of observation, the biennial RSV cycle in Croatia cannot be explained by a difference in the predominant circulating subtype of RSV. Other unknown factors account for the biennial cycle of RSV epidemics in Croatia. © 2011 The Authors. Pediatrics International © 2011 Japan Pediatric Society.

Intergenerational transmission of historical memories and social-distance attitudes in post-war second-generation Croatians.

PubMed

Svob, Connie; Brown, Norman R; Takšić, Vladimir; Katulić, Katarina; Žauhar, Valnea

2016-08-01

Intergenerational transmission of memory is a process by which biographical knowledge contributes to the construction of collective memory (representation of a shared past). We investigated the intergenerational transmission of war-related memories and social-distance attitudes in second-generation post-war Croatians. We compared 2 groups of young adults from (1) Eastern Croatia (extensively affected by the war) and (2) Western Croatia (affected relatively less by the war). Participants were asked to (a) recall the 10 most important events that occurred in one of their parents' lives, (b) estimate the calendar years of each, and (c) provide scale ratings on them. Additionally, (d) all participants completed a modified Bogardus Social Distance scale, as well as an (e) War Events Checklist for their parents' lives. There were several findings. First, approximately two-thirds of Eastern Croatians and one-half of Western Croatians reported war-related events from their parents' lives. Second, war-related memories impacted the second-generation's identity to a greater extent than did non-war-related memories; this effect was significantly greater in Eastern Croatians than in Western Croatians. Third, war-related events displayed markedly different mnemonic characteristics than non-war-related events. Fourth, the temporal distribution of events surrounding the war produced an upheaval bump, suggesting major transitions (e.g., war) contribute to the way collective memory is formed. And, finally, outright social ostracism and aggression toward out-groups were rarely expressed, independent of region. Nonetheless, social-distance scores were notably higher in Eastern Croatia than in Western Croatia.

Policies and practices in haemostasis testing among laboratories in Croatia: a survey on behalf of a Working Group for Laboratory Coagulation of the Croatian Society of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine

PubMed Central

Bronić, Ana; Herak, Desiree Coen; Margetić, Sandra; Milić, Marija

2017-01-01

Introduction The objective of this survey was to assess current policies and practice in haemostasis testing among both hospital and outpatient laboratories in Republic of Croatia. Materials and methods A questionnaire with seventy questions divided into nine sections was created in May 2015. Participants were asked about their practice related to test request form, sample collection, prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time assays, other individual haemostasis assays, point-of-care testing (POCT), reporting of coagulation tests results and quality assurance of procedures, the personnel and other laboratory resources, as well as on issues related to education and implementation of additional coagulation assays in their laboratory. The survey was administered and data were collected between June and September 2015. Results A total survey response rate was 104/170 (61.2%). Most respondents were faced with incomplete information on prescribed therapy and diagnosis on the test request or inappropriate samples withdrawn on distant locations, but also do not have protocols for handling samples with high haematocrit values. Reporting of PT-INR and D-dimer results was different between laboratories. Although almost all laboratories developed a critical value reporting system, reporting a value to general practitioners is still a problem. Result on coagulation POCT testing showed that not all devices were supervised by laboratories, which is not in compliance with Croatian Chamber of Medical Biochemistry acts. Conclusion Obtained results highlighted areas that need improvement and different practice patterns in particular field of haemostasis testing among laboratories. A harmonization of the overall process of haemostasis testing at national level should be considered and undertaken. PMID:28392741

Effectiveness of the UNICEF/WHO 20-hour course in improving health professionals' knowledge, practices, and attitudes to breastfeeding: before/after study of 5 maternity facilities in Croatia.

PubMed

Zakarija-Grkovic, Irena; Burmaz, Tea

2010-10-01

To evaluate knowledge, practices, and attitudes to breastfeeding among Croatian health professionals before and after the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund/World Health Organization (UNICEF/WHO) 20-hour course. Study included 5 of 9 maternity hospitals in southern Croatia, which had completed the UNICEF/WHO 20-hour breastfeeding training course between December 2007 and February 2009. An anonymous questionnaire testing knowledge and practices, and attitudes was distributed to 424 health professionals before training and to 308 health professionals afterwards. Health professionals' attitudes were assessed using the validated Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale. The pre-training response rate was >90%, but only 53% of data were analyzed; the post-training response rate was 69%. Only one-fifth of health professionals prior to training knew that breast preparation in pregnancy was unnecessary, but this increased to 57% after training (P<0.001). The proportion of health professionals who recognized hospital practices that support breastfeeding and signs of poor positioning when breastfeeding nearly doubled after training (P<0.001). The proportion of health professionals correctly recommending immediate "skin-to-skin" contact post-Cesarean section under local anesthesia did not improve significantly, and stratification analyses showed that younger respondents (<36 years) were more likely to support this practice. Although the proportion of health professionals who correctly managed mastitis improved significantly as a result of the training, the proportion of those who after training inappropriately recommended partial or complete cessation of breastfeeding remained high at 47%. The number of staff with positive attitudes toward breastfeeding increased from 65% to 79%, whereas the number of staff with neutral attitudes dropped from 26.6% to 9.9% (P<0.001). Even after training, a substantial proportion of health professionals showed uncertainty in

From orogenic buildup to extensional unroofing: the evolution of the Adria - Europe collisional zone in the Medvednica Mountains of Croatia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beniest, Anouk; van Gelder, Inge; Matenco, Liviu; Willingshofer, Ernst; Gruic, Andrea; Tomljenovic, Bruno

2013-04-01

Quantifying the kinematics of the Miocene extension in the Pannonian Basin is of critical importance for understanding the evolution of Adria-Europe collision in particular in the transitional zone from the Alps (Adria the upper plate) to the Dinarides (Adria the lower plate). Recent studies have demonstrated that large-scale extensional unroofing and core-complex formation affected the Europe-Adria contact in the Dinarides during Miocene times. The relationship between this extensional exhumation of Adriatic units and the roughly coeval Miocene extension affecting the Alpine-derived units during their E-ward extrusion into the intra-Carpathians ALCAPA block and the formation of the Pannonian basin is still unknown. One key area situated in the transitional zone is the Medvednica Mountains of Croatia, an area that benefits from already existing and extensive petrological and structural studies. The area of the Medvednica Mountains has been targeted by the means of a field kinematic analysis complemented by low-temperature thermochronology, metamorphic petrology and sedimentological observations. The results demonstrate that two units, reflecting distinct Adriatic paleogeographical positions, make up the structural geometry of the mountains. The upper unit contains Paleozoic mostly fine clastic sequence metamorphosed in sub-greenschist facies, overlain by a proximal Adriatic facies consisting of Triassic shallow water carbonates. The lower unit is made up by a volcanic sequence overlain by gradual deepening Triassic carbonates metamorphosed in greenschist facies that bears a strong resemblance to the Triassic break-up volcanism and subsequent sedimentation affecting the distal Adriatic units observed elsewhere in the Jadar-Kopaonik unit of the Dinarides. The strong contrast between the Middle-Upper Triassic facies suggests large scale thrusting during Cretaceous nappe stacking. Subsequently, the studied area has been affected by significant extensional deformation

Brain drain: final year medical students' intentions of training abroad.

PubMed

Bojanic, Ana; Bojanic, Katarina; Likic, Robert

2015-06-01

In Croatia, a new European Union (EU) member state since July 2013, there is already a shortage of around 3280 doctors to reach the European average. To investigate the emigration intentions of the current cohort of final year medical students at Zabreb School of Medicine. An electronic questionnaire was used in June 2013 to assess the attitudes of 232 final year medical students towards working conditions abroad and expectations for career opportunities in Croatia following accession to the EU. With an overall response rate of 87%, more than half of the surveyed students (106/202, 53%) intended to travel abroad, either for specialty (52/202, 26%) or subspecialty (54/202, 27%) training. More female students (58/135, 43%) than male students (17/62, 27%) indicated they would not emigrate. Most attractive emigration destinations were: Germany (34/121, 28%), USA (19/121, 16%), the UK (19/121, 16%), Switzerland (16/121, 13%) and Canada (11/121, 9%). The most important goals that respondents aimed to achieve through training abroad were to excel professionally (45/120, 38%), to prosper financially (20/120, 17%) and to acquire new experiences and international exposure (31/120, 26%). Students' motivating factors, goals for and positive beliefs about training abroad, as well as negative expectations regarding career opportunities in Croatia, may point towards actions that could be taken to help make Croatia a country that facilitates medical education and professional career development of young doctors. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

New European commission regulation on variations to the terms of marketing authorization for medicinal products and its impact on Croatian legislation.

PubMed

Martinac, Adrijana Ilić; Tomić, Sinisa; Simicić, Mirna

2010-09-01

Variations introduced to medicinal product documentation must not affect the quality, efficacy, and safety of the product. Croatian Medicinal Products Act and accompanying ordinances are largely aligned with the EU regulations. The EU has now tried to simplify the issue of variations with a new Regulation, creating differences in the definition of and approach to resolving certain types of variations between Croatia and the EU. These differences could hinder the approval procedure for variations in Croatia, particularly for medicines already approved in the EU. Amending the Croatian Ordinance on medicines already authorised in the EU would be one way of maintaining the efficiency of the Croatian regulatory system.

48 CFR 52.222-19 - Child Labor-Cooperation with Authorities and Remedies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany..., Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia...

On the Occasion of the 4th Congress of Infectiologists of Bosnia and Herzegovina with International Participation

PubMed Central

Masic, Izet; Koluder-Cimic, Nada; Ahmetagic, Sead; Baljic, Rusmir

2012-01-01

SUMMARY The 4th Congress of Infectiologists of Bosnia-Herzegovina with international participation was held in Konjic, on 30. May to 02. June 2012. In addition to the prominent infectious disease experts from almost all university centers in B&H, the teachers at medical schools in Bosnia-Herzegovina, infectious disease specialists who work in health institutions in B&H, this Congress was attended by infectious disease experts from Serbia (12 participants), Turkey (3 participants), Croatia (3 participants), Macedonia (3 participants), Germany (2 participants) and Montenegro (2 participants). Topics included: Infections of the skin, soft tissue and bones, Sepsis and endocarditis, Infectious diseases emergencies and pediatric infectology, Emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, Hospital infections, Sexualy transmitted diseases, Infectious diagnostic and therapeutic protocols. Participating invited speakers were following professors: Salih Hosoglu (Turkey), Hakan Leblebicioglu (Turkey), Resat Ozaras (Turkey), Karsten Plötz (Germany), Ilija Kuzman (Croatia), Bruno Baršić (Croatia), Goran Tešović (Croatia). In addition to experts in infectious diseases at this Congress, their works were presented by experts from other medical disciplines, but with infectious character issues (Professors: Sead Ahmetagić, Ismet Gavrankapetanović, Zora Vukobrat-Bijedić, Senija Rašić, Halima Resić, Adnan Kapidžić, Ivo Curić, Jelena Ravlija, Amela Begić, Izet Mašić, Sadeta Hamzić, and others). Some of the papers that were presented at this Congress have been published in extenso, in the Medical Archives and Materia Socio Medica. One part as abstracts (both journals are indexed in over 10 databases), and will be electronically available to the general scientific community in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Europe and worldwide. In this way, the Bosnian infectious disease experts, as a science and profession, will be worthily represented to the colleagues from other countries in the

15 CFR 743.3 - Thermal imaging camera reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... controlled by ECCN 6A003.b.4.b to Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan...

Experiences During the Creation and the First Years of the Croatian Working Group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korin-Hamzic, Bojana

2009-04-01

The Women in Physics Working Group of the Croatian Physical Society was founded in 2003 to monitor the number and status of women physicists in Croatia. While we can be rather satisfied with the overall number of Croatian women in physics, we continuously emphasize their significant underrepresentation in the highest scientific positions, as well as in different decision-making positions. Awareness of these problems has increased since the working group was founded, and we can definitely recognize the improvements that have been achieved. But we are also conscious that some resistance to our efforts is still present because women in Croatia already have equal rights in education and in obtaining positions in academic and research institutions, and there are no gender differences in salaries.

Health-risk behaviour in Croatia.

PubMed

Bécue-Bertaut, Mónica; Kern, Josipa; Hernández-Maldonado, Maria-Luisa; Juresa, Vesna; Vuletic, Silvije

2008-02-01

To identify the health-risk behaviour of various homogeneous clusters of individuals. The study was conducted in 13 of the 20 Croatian counties and in Zagreb, the Croatian capital. In the first stage, general practices were selected in each county. The second-stage sample was created by drawing a random subsample of 10% of the patients registered at each selected general practice. The sample was divided into seven homogenous clusters using statistical methodology, combining multiple factor analysis with a hybrid clustering method. Seven homogeneous clusters were identified, three composed of males and four composed of females, based on statistically significant differences between selected characteristics (P<0.001). Although, in general, self-assessed health declined with age, significant variations were observed within specific age intervals. Higher levels of self-assessed health were associated with higher levels of education and/or socio-economic status. Many individuals, especially females, who self-reported poor health were heavy consumers of sleeping pills. Males and females reported different health-risk behaviours related to lifestyle, diet and use of the healthcare system. Heavy alcohol and tobacco use, unhealthy diet, risky physical activity and non-use of the healthcare system influenced self-assessed health in males. Females were slightly less satisfied with their health than males of the same age and educational level. Even highly educated females who took preventive healthcare tests and ate a healthy diet reported a less satisfactory self-assessed level of health than expected. Sociodemographic characteristics, life style, self-assessed health and use of the healthcare system were used in the identification of seven homogeneous population clusters. A comprehensive analysis of these clusters suggests health-related prevention and intervention efforts geared towards specific populations.

76 FR 36986 - Export Controls for High Performance Computers: Wassenaar Arrangement Agreement Implementation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-24

... regimes and is working on becoming a member of the regimes. Albania and Croatia are parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Chemical Weapons Convention, and the Biological Weapons Convention. In...

Geostatistical interpolation of individual average monthly temperature supported by MODIS MOD11C3 product

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perčec Tadić, M.

2010-09-01

The increased availability of satellite products of high spatial and temporal resolution together with developing user support, encourages the climatologists to use this data in research and practice. Since climatologists are mainly interested in monthly or even annual averages or aggregates, this high temporal resolution and hence, large amount of data, can be challenging for the less experienced users. Even if the attempt is made to aggregate e. g. the 15' (temporal) MODIS LST (land surface temperature) to daily temperature average, the development of the algorithm is not straight forward and should be done by the experts. Recent development of many temporary aggregated products on daily, several days or even monthly scale substantially decrease the amount of satellite data that needs to be processed and rise the possibility for development of various climatological applications. Here the attempt is presented in incorporating the MODIS satellite MOD11C3 product (Wan, 2009), that is monthly CMG (climate modelling 0.05 degree latitude/longitude grids) LST, as predictor in geostatistical interpolation of climatological data in Croatia. While in previous applications, e. g. in Climate Atlas of Croatia (Zaninović et al. 2008), the static predictors as digital elevation model, distance to the sea, latitude and longitude were used for the interpolation of monthly, seasonal and annual 30-years averages (reference climatology), here the monthly MOD11C3 is used to support the interpolation of the individual monthly average in the regression kriging framework. We believe that this can be a valuable show case of incorporating the remote sensed data for climatological application, especially in the areas that are under-sampled by conventional observations. Zaninović K, Gajić-Čapka M, Perčec Tadić M et al (2008) Klimatski atlas Hrvatske / Climate atlas of Croatia 1961-1990, 1971-2000. Meteorological and Hydrological Service of Croatia, Zagreb, pp 200. Wan Z, 2009

Perceptions and attitudes of community pharmacists toward professional ethics and ethical dilemmas in the workplace.

PubMed

Vuković Rodríguez, Jadranka; Juričić, Živka

2018-05-01

Formal training in pharmacy ethics is relatively new in Croatia, and the professional code of ethics is more than 20 years old. Very little is known about how practicing pharmacists implement ethical considerations and relevant professional guidelines in their work. This study aimed to provide the first description of the perceptions and attitudes of Croatian community pharmacists toward ethics in pharmacy practice, how often they face certain ethical dilemmas and how they resolve them. A cross-sectional survey of 252 community pharmacists, including community pharmacists and pre-licensing trainees, was conducted in Zagreb, Croatia. This group accounts for 18% of licensed pharmacists in Croatia. The survey questions included four sections: general sociodemographic information, multiple-choice questions, pre-defined ethical scenarios, and ethical scenarios filled in by respondents. More than half of pharmacists (62.7%) face ethical dilemmas in everyday work. Nearly all (94.4%) are familiar with the current professional code of ethics in Croatia, but only 47.6% think that the code reflects the changes that the pharmacy profession faces today. Most pharmacists (83.3%) solve ethical dilemmas on their own, while nearly the same proportion (75.4%) think that they are not adequately trained to deal with ethical dilemmas. The pre-defined ethical scenarios experienced by the largest proportion of pharmacists are being asked to dispense a drug to someone other than the patient (93.3%), an unnecessary over-the-counter medicine (84.3%), a generic medicine clinically equivalent to the prescribed one (79.4%), or hormonal contraception over the counter (70.4%). The results demonstrate a need to improve formal pharmacy ethics education and training in how to assess ethical issues and make appropriate decisions, which implies the need for stronger collaboration between pharmacists and their professional association. Our results also highlight an urgent need to revise and update the

FORENSIC SCIENCE:: 20 YEARS OF FORENSIC DENTISTRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAGREB, 1994 - 2014.

PubMed

Brkić, Hrvoje

2014-06-01

Data from available literature point to an early beginning of Forensic Dentistry in Croatia relating to a post-mortem examination of a female patient after a dental procedure in the 1930s. Later on, there were several mass casualties due to collisions and airplane crashes and a railway accident at the Zagreb Main Railway Station wherein the identity of the victims was established based on dental features. Foreign experts in forensics helped identify those victims, particularly forensic dentists because this specialty was almost unknown in our region at the time. During the twenty-year period of the development of Forensic Dentistry at the University of Zagreb, the School of Dental Medicine, the city of Zagreb and Croatia have become internationally recognised on the forensic map of the world.

Has anyone seen it? Health care in Croatian elections.

PubMed

Radin, Dagmar; Džakula, Aleksandar

2012-01-01

Over the past decade, public opinion surveys have shown that Croats are deeply dissatisfied with their health care system and asses it to be one of the most important issues. However, health care hardly makes it into any political discourse in Croatia. This study analyzes the results of a public opinion survey conducted before the 2007 parliamentary elections to find out what the public sentiment on health care performance in Croatia is and to analyze the reasons why health care is not addressed by political actors. Evidence suggests that while health care is the most salient issue today, the public often understands it poorly. Thus, in a political environment of competing issues, and given the complexity of tacking health care in the policy arena, politicians strategically avoid discussing the issue.

JPRS Report, East Europe, Reference Aid, Abbreviations in the Yugoslav Press.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-29

Geoloski zavod (Zagreb) GZ Gradjanski zakonik GZ gradjevinska zadruga GZH Graficki zavod Hrvatske (Zagreb) GZP gradjevinsko zadrufno preduzece... GZP gradjevinsko zanatsko preduzece GZS Glavni zadruZni savez Geological Institute Civil Code building cooperative Printing Works of Croatia

The Binomial Distribution in Shooting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chalikias, Miltiadis S.

2009-01-01

The binomial distribution is used to predict the winner of the 49th International Shooting Sport Federation World Championship in double trap shooting held in 2006 in Zagreb, Croatia. The outcome of the competition was definitely unexpected.

Differences in response to heat stress due to production level and breed of dairy cows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gantner, Vesna; Bobic, Tina; Gantner, Ranko; Gregic, Maja; Kuterovac, Kresimir; Novakovic, Jurica; Potocnik, Klemen

2017-09-01

The climatic conditions in Croatia are deteriorating which significantly increases the frequency of heat stress. This creates a need for an adequate dairy farming strategy. The impact of heat stress can be reduced in many ways, but the best long-term solution includes the genetic evaluation and selection for heat stress resistance. In order to create the basis for genetic evaluation, this research determined the variation in daily milk yield (DMY) and somatic cell count (SCC) as well as the differences in resistance to heat stress due to production level (high, low) and breed (Holstein, Simmental) of dairy cattle breed in Croatia. For statistical analysis, 1,070,554 test-day records from 70,135 Holsteins reared on 5679 farms and 1,300,683 test-day records from 86,013 Simmentals reared on 8827 farms in Croatia provided by the Croatian Agricultural Agency were used. The results of this research indicate that the high-producing cows are much more susceptible to heat stress than low-producing especially Holsteins. Also, the results of this research indicate that Simmental breed, in terms of daily milk production and somatic cell count, could be more resistant to heat stress than Holstein. The following research should determine whether Simmentals are genetically more appropriate for the challenges that are in store for the future milk production in this region. Furthermore, could an adequate production level be achieved with Simmentals by maintaining the heat resistance?

Differences in response to heat stress due to production level and breed of dairy cows.

PubMed

Gantner, Vesna; Bobic, Tina; Gantner, Ranko; Gregic, Maja; Kuterovac, Kresimir; Novakovic, Jurica; Potocnik, Klemen

2017-09-01

The climatic conditions in Croatia are deteriorating which significantly increases the frequency of heat stress. This creates a need for an adequate dairy farming strategy. The impact of heat stress can be reduced in many ways, but the best long-term solution includes the genetic evaluation and selection for heat stress resistance. In order to create the basis for genetic evaluation, this research determined the variation in daily milk yield (DMY) and somatic cell count (SCC) as well as the differences in resistance to heat stress due to production level (high, low) and breed (Holstein, Simmental) of dairy cattle breed in Croatia. For statistical analysis, 1,070,554 test-day records from 70,135 Holsteins reared on 5679 farms and 1,300,683 test-day records from 86,013 Simmentals reared on 8827 farms in Croatia provided by the Croatian Agricultural Agency were used. The results of this research indicate that the high-producing cows are much more susceptible to heat stress than low-producing especially Holsteins. Also, the results of this research indicate that Simmental breed, in terms of daily milk production and somatic cell count, could be more resistant to heat stress than Holstein. The following research should determine whether Simmentals are genetically more appropriate for the challenges that are in store for the future milk production in this region. Furthermore, could an adequate production level be achieved with Simmentals by maintaining the heat resistance?

22 CFR 228.03 - Identification of principal geographic code numbers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

..., Belarus, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia...*, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, People's Republic of China, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia*, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden...

First occurrence of Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 (Crustacea: Amphipoda) on off-coast fish farm cages in the Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Gonzalez, V.; Sanchez-Jerez, P.

2014-03-01

The non-indigenous caprellid Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836, native to the western Indian Ocean, was firstly recorded in the Mediterranean Sea in 1994, and all Mediterranean populations discovered to date are related to shoreline areas. A total of ten fish farms were sampled off the coasts of Spain (4), Italy (1), Croatia (2), Greece (1) and Malta (2). This is the first time that C. scaura has been reported from off-coast areas. Reproducing populations have been detected in fouling communities of three tuna farms off the coast of Croatia and Malta, which also signifies the first confirmed record of this species in both countries. The occurrence of successfully established and thriving populations of C. scaura Templeton, 1836 at floating off-coast fish farms underlines the importance of these structures as stepping stones in the species.

Phoretic mites of three bark beetles (Pityokteines spp.) on silver fir

Treesearch

Milan Pernek; Boris Hrasovec; Dinka Matosevic; Ivan Pilas; Thomas Kirisits; John C. Moser

2008-01-01

The species composition and abundance of phoretic mites of the bark beetles Pityokteines curvidens P. spinidens, and P. vorontzowi on Silver fir (Abies alba) were investigated in 2003 at two locations (Trakoscan and Litoric) in Croatia. Stem sections and...

48 CFR 22.1503 - Procedures for acquiring end products on the List of Products Requiring Contractor Certification...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... more (see subpart 25.4); or (4) Armenia, Aruba, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy..., Romania, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, or the United Kingdom...

Genome sequence of the first coleopteran iflavirus isolated from western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Western corn rootworm (WCR), Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, adults were collected from cornfields in the United States (Iowa, Arizona, Pennsylvania), and Europe (Hungary, Croatia, Austria). Total RNA was extracted from ~100 individuals from different locations, and putative viral RNA was isolated f...

Operationalizing the Impossible: The Responsibility to Protect Movement

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-23

colonies. However one question remained; what acts constitute the authority to wage a just punitive war? According to Grotius, natural law dually...of this formerly communist nation immediately resulted in the creation of the nations of Slovenia and Croatia who

Integration through Europeanization: Ukraine’s Policy Towards the European Union

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-08

who have applied to the European Union and have been accepted in principle are: Iceland, Macedonia, Montenegro , Serbia and Turkey. See, European......the one hand, and the Contracting Parties: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro

Diphyllobothriasis in a U.S. Military Aviator.

PubMed

Kasteler, Stephen D

2018-05-01

Diphyllobothriasis is estimated to afflict 10-20 million people worldwide; however, this is the first case reported in a United States military aviator. Among the largest parasites of humans, the "fish tapeworm" grows from 2-15 m in length, can live >20 yr in the intestines, and is contracted through consumption of uncooked, unfrozen freshwater or anadromous fish species. A 32-yr-old male F-22 pilot presented with mild stomach cramping, bloating, nausea, and intermittent loose stools. Symptoms were relieved with bismuth subsalicylate until several days later when the patient, during otherwise normal bowel movements, extracted multiple broken segments of tapeworm. Although physically asymptomatic, he was psychologically disturbed. Based on the large number of ova with characteristic shape, size, color, and operculum, coupled with the flattened body, yellowish coloration, and rectangular proglottids with centrally located "rosette" uteri, he was diagnosed with diphyllobothriasis (likely D. latum or D. nihonkaiense). Successful treatment with a single oral dose of praziquantel (>10 mg · kg-1) was confirmed by negative stool examination over 60 d posttreatment. He likely contracted the parasite from ingesting salmon sushi or sashimi while previously stationed in Japan. Despite only mild physical symptoms, the pilot's psychological distress and distraction from knowing about the meters-long tapeworm was significant. Prompt treatment was paramount to resumption of military operations. Aviators should be educated and encouraged to eat only well-cooked or previously frozen fish, especially when indulging in cultural cuisine.Kasteler SD. Diphyllobothriasis in a U.S. military aviator. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(5):473-477.

[Quality of health care, accreditation, and health technology assessment in Croatia: role of agency for quality and accreditation in health].

PubMed

Mittermayer, Renato; Huić, Mirjana; Mestrović, Josipa

2010-12-01

standards, and providing other services in the field of healthcare quality assurance, improvement, promotion and monitoring, according to the Act. Formal activities of the Agency in the field of HTA actually began in summer 2009. In the field of quality and accreditation, the plan and program of healthcare quality assurance, improvement, promotion and monitoring was finished and published in October 2010; preparation of the healthcare quality standards as well as the accreditation standards is still in process, with the aim to start accreditation process at 10 hospitals in 2011. Education in the field of healthcare quality assurance, improvement and promotion has been established as a continuous process from the beginning. The Agency is member of the International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) and participates in the work of the European Accreditation Network (EAN). In the field of HTA, the Agency has established international collaboration and support, which resulted in its appointment and participation in the European network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) Joint Action Project as a EUnetHTA Partner, as well as its membership in the international society, HTAi. TAIEX project has been approved as a two-day workshop in December 2010. The Croatian HTA Guidelines have been issued with the aim to start the HTA process and reports that should serve as recommendations, as a support to policy-makers at the national level, in particular the Croatian Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and Croatian Institute of Health Insurance, in making evidence-informed decisions on the strategic planning, investment, management and implementation of technologies in health care, on funding (reimbursement) and coverage of health technologies, and at hospital level on the request from hospital directors and policy teams. In conclusion, establishment of all these measures in Croatia is by no means an easy and quick process, however, we do believe that it is feasible

Some new cave diving exploration results from Croatian karst area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garasic, Davor; Garasic, Mladen

2017-04-01

In the recent years, several international cave diving expeditions took place in the Dinaric karst of Croatia. The objectives were conducting a new research of previously known karstic springs and also exploring new ones. The deepest karst cave in Croatia filled with water is Crveno jezero (lake) near Imotski town, with water depth of 281 meters and total cave depth of 528 meters. Volume of water in this cave is about 16 millions m3. Diving expeditions were held in 1997 and 1998.The deepest karst spring in the Dinaric karst of Croatia is Vrelo of Una River (with max discharge about 100 m3/s), where divers measured depth of -248 meters. Explorations were made in 2007 and 2016. Sinac spring in Pla\\vsko Polje has been dived to the depth of -203 meters. Cave diving was done in 1984, 1999, 2003, 2007 - 2016. Furthermore, very popular springs of the river Kupa (-155 m) in Gorski Kotar (explored since1995 till 2015), river Gacka (-105 in depth, 1150m in length) in Lika, explored from 1992 to 2016, river Cetina (-110 m in depth, 1300 m in length), cave diving explored from 2000 to 2016 in the Dalmatinska Zagora, Rumin Veliki spring (- 150 m in depth) in the Sinjska Krajina (explored and dived in 2006 and 2010), than rivers Krnjeza and Krupa in Ravni kotari with diving depths of over 100 meters (in 2004 and 2005) and so on. Along the Adriatic coast in Croatia there are many deep and long submarine springs (vrulje), ie. caves under seawater springs. called - vruljas for example Vrulja Zecica with over 900 meters ine length and Vrulja Modrič with completely flooded cave channels that extend over 2300 meters in length. Cave diving was conducted from 2010 to 2016. Vrulja Dubci is also worth mentioning (dived and explored in 2000), 161 meters deep and so on. Tectonic activity plays a dominant role in the creation and function of these caves. Geological, hydrogeological and lithostratigraphic conditions are also very important in speleogenesis of these caves in Croatian karst

University Students' Attitudes: Croatia versus Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schnurr, Norman V.; Racic, Stanko; Gelo, Tomislav

2011-01-01

We surveyed Croatian and Turkish business school students, from universities emphasizing globalization, to analyze whether consideration for travel to the USA is affected by attitude toward their own country and the USA. The results from comparing and contrasting differences between these countries and differences between males and females in each…

"You must not rely upon the words that very kind and beautiful girls utter, because in that regard, no offence, they all - lie":venereal diseases as a motive of Fran Gundrum's (1856-1919) work on sexual hygiene.

PubMed

Kuhar, Martin; Fatović-Ferenčić, Stella

2013-01-01

Until the works of Fran Gundrum, there was no comprehensive analysis of sexuality in Croatia. In this article, we investigate the background of Gundrum's book Sexual Health Care, the first book on sexual hygiene in Croatia. We analyzed the motivational effect venereal diseases had on writing the book, as well as the metaphoric language he used to conceptualize them. Venereal diseases are presented in his work as a consequence of irresponsible sexual behavior, and are interpreted using the analogy of natural state of English political philosopher Thomas Hobbes. All aspects of his suggestions for suppression of venereal diseases were colored by giving priority to social over individual well-being. Tradition and modernity intermix in his work, shaping him as the pioneer of sexual hygiene on our territory in the times when questions about heredity and survival of the nation started to forcefully shape public health policies.

The Utility of Thyroid Transcription Factor 1 (TTF-1), Napsin A, Excision Repair Cross-Complementing 1 (ERCC1), Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) and the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) Expression in Small Biopsy in Prognosis of Patients with Lung Adenocarcinoma – A Retrograde Single-Center Study from Croatia

PubMed Central

Burazer, Marina Piljić; Mladinov, Suzana; Ćapkun, Vesna; Kuret, Sendi; Durdov, Merica Glavina

2017-01-01

Background The present study was carried out in order to evaluate our institutional experience with small biopsy in diagnosis and molecular testing of lung adenocarcinoma. Few specific and predictive markers have been evaluated and correlated with clinicopathologic characteristics and survival in patients with lung adenocarcinoma who received platinum-based chemotherapy. There have not been such reports from Croatia. Material/Methods A total of 142 cases of lung adenocarcinoma were retrospectively investigated in small biopsies for the immunohistochemical expression of TTF-1, napsin A, ERCC1, ALK, and the EGFR mutation by real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR). Results TTF-1, napsin A, and ERCC1 expression was found in 81%, 78%, and 69% of patients, respectively, and the expressions were not significantly associated with subtype. Expression of ALK was found in 4% and EGFR mutation in 10% of patients. Exon 19 deletions were the most common. Longer survival was significantly associated with TTF-1 positivity (p=0.007) and napsin A positivity (p=0.026). Higher relative risk of death significantly correlated with positive expression of ERCC1 (p=0.041). Conclusions Positive TTF-1 and napsin A expressions in lung adenocarcinoma tissues were useful diagnostic and favorable prognostic parameters. Positive ERCC1 expression was identified as a negative prognostic marker in patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. The percentages of EGFR and ALK mutations corresponded to those in previously published reports for Caucasians. PMID:28128193

Marine conservation and accession: the future for the Croatian Adriatic.

PubMed

Mackelworth, Peter; Holcer, Draško; Jovanović, Jelena; Fortuna, Caterina

2011-04-01

The European Union (EU) is the world's largest trading bloc and the most influential supra-national organisation in the region. The EU has been the goal for many eastern European States, for Croatia accession remains a priority and underpins many of its national policies. However, entry into the EU requires certain commitments and concessions. In October 2003 the Croatian parliament declared an ecological and fisheries protection zone in the Adriatic. Under pressure the zone was suspended, finally entering into force in March 2008 exempting EU States. There are other marine conflicts between Croatia and the EU, particularly the contested maritime border with Slovenia, and the development of the Croatian fishing fleet in opposition to the Common Fisheries Policy. Conversely, attempts to harmonise Croatian Nature Protection with the EU Habitats Directive, facilitated by pre-accession funding, has galvanised conservation policy. Since 2005 two marine protected areas have been declared, significantly increasing the marine ecosystem under protection. Finally, the development of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive is the latest EU attempt to integrate environmental policy in the maritime realm. This will have an effect not only on member States but neighbouring countries. For marine nature protection to be effective in the region the Adriatic Sea needs to be viewed as a mutually important shared and limited resource not a bargaining chip. Negotiations of the EU and Croatia have been watched closely by the other Balkan States and precedents set in this case have the potential to affect EU expansion to the East.

Marine Conservation and Accession: The Future for the Croatian Adriatic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mackelworth, Peter; Holcer, Draško; Jovanović, Jelena; Fortuna, Caterina

2011-04-01

The European Union (EU) is the world's largest trading bloc and the most influential supra-national organisation in the region. The EU has been the goal for many eastern European States, for Croatia accession remains a priority and underpins many of its national policies. However, entry into the EU requires certain commitments and concessions. In October 2003 the Croatian parliament declared an ecological and fisheries protection zone in the Adriatic. Under pressure the zone was suspended, finally entering into force in March 2008 exempting EU States. There are other marine conflicts between Croatia and the EU, particularly the contested maritime border with Slovenia, and the development of the Croatian fishing fleet in opposition to the Common Fisheries Policy. Conversely, attempts to harmonise Croatian Nature Protection with the EU Habitats Directive, facilitated by pre-accession funding, has galvanised conservation policy. Since 2005 two marine protected areas have been declared, significantly increasing the marine ecosystem under protection. Finally, the development of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive is the latest EU attempt to integrate environmental policy in the maritime realm. This will have an effect not only on member States but neighbouring countries. For marine nature protection to be effective in the region the Adriatic Sea needs to be viewed as a mutually important shared and limited resource not a bargaining chip. Negotiations of the EU and Croatia have been watched closely by the other Balkan States and precedents set in this case have the potential to affect EU expansion to the East.

Qualifications at Level 5: Progressing in a Career or to Higher Education. Working Paper No 23

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grm, Slava Pevec; Bjørnåvold, Jens

2014-01-01

This study addresses qualifications at level 5 of the European qualifications framework (EQF) in 15 countries (Belgium (Flanders), the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Ireland, France, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, the United Kingdom (EWNI and Scotland) that had linked their national…

New lure for the larger pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda - attractant/trap design combinations tested in North America and Europe

Treesearch

D. Czokajlo; B. Hrasovec; M. Pernek; J. Hilszczanski; A. Kolk; S. Teale; J. Wickham; P. Kirsch

2003-01-01

An optimized, patented lure for the larger pine shoot beetle, Tomicus piniperda has been developed and tested in the United States, Poland, and Croatia. Seven different beetle attractants were tested: α-pinene, α-pinene oxide, ethanol, nonanal, myrtenal, myrtenol, and trans-verbenol. α-pinene was tested...

Avoiding the Slippery Slope: Conducting Effective Interventions

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

internal memo from NATO headquarters in Zagreb , Croatia discussed these options in detail. Withdraw- ing more than 40,000 troops from an active war zone...Interoffice Memorandum, UN Peace Forces, HQ Zagreb to Special Representative of the Secretary-General, July 17, 1995, Lester Pearson Canadian Peacekeeping

On the Origin of the Solar Moreton Wave of 2006 December 6

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

Flight Center. Huntsville. AL 35812. USA 9 National Solar Observatory. Tucson, AZ 85719, USA 10 Faculty of Geodesy, University of Zagreb , Hvar...Observatory, HR 10000 Zagreb , Croatia 1’ Space Vehicles Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117, US A Received 2010 April 7

Public-Private Dynamics in Higher Education in the Western Balkans: Are Governments Leveling the Playing Field?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klemencic, Manja; Zgaga, Pavel

2014-01-01

The article analyzes the public-private dynamics in the context of eight Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia). This article examines whether and to what extent these governments "level the playing field" between private and…

48 CFR 52.225-5 - Trade Agreements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 2 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Trade Agreements. 52.225-5... Agreements. As prescribed in 25.1101(c)(1), insert the following clause: Trade Agreements (NOV 2013) (a... Agreement country (Armenia, Aruba, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic...

Is anybody doing it? An experimental study of the effect of normative messages on intention to do physical activity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The study explores whether messages about the physical activity levels of the majority (i.e., normative messages) affect young adults' intention to engage in regular physical activity. An experimental survey among 16- to 24-year-olds in Bulgaria, Croatia, and Romania (n=1200) was conducted in March ...

"I Am Tired from All of These Feelings": Narrating Suffering in the Film "Sick"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Božic-Vrbancic, Senka; Kokanovic, Renata; Kupsjak, Jelena

2018-01-01

This article explores "the politics of sentimentality" with specific reference to the documentary film "Sick," which represents the narrative of a young lesbian woman, Ana, who was confined in a psychiatric hospital in Croatia and "treated" for her homosexuality. We consider the ways our most intimate emotional…

Distance Learning: Practice and Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tatkovic, Nevenka; Sehanovic, Jusuf; Ruzic, Maja

2006-01-01

In accordance with the European processes of integrated and homogeneous education, the paper presents the essential viewpoints and questions covering the establishment and development of "distance learning" (DL) in Republic of Croatia. It starts from the advantages of distance learning versus traditional education taking into account…

7 CFR 319.37-5 - Special foreign inspection and certification requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... collected from the wild; and articles solely for food, analytical, or manufacturing purposes) from a country..., China, Colombia, Croatia, Ecuador, Iceland, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mexico... were grown have been sampled by SAG once per growing season at a rate to detect 1 percent contamination...

Employment as a Social Determinant of Health: A Review of Longitudinal Studies Exploring the Relationship between Employment Status and Mental Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hergenrather, Kenneth C.; Zeglin, Robert J.; McGuire-Kuletz, Maureen; Rhodes, Scott D.

2015-01-01

Purpose: To explore employment as a social determinant of health through examining the relationship between employment status and mental health. Method: The authors conducted a systematic review of 48 longitudinal studies conducted in Australia, Canada, Croatia, Germany, Ireland, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, United Kingdom, and United States…

31 CFR 585.525 - Authorization of certain new transactions with respect to the FRY (S&M).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technical cooperation, cultural exchanges), 585.215 (detention of conveyances and cargo), 585.217(a) (entry... the United Nations Protected Areas of Croatia), and the restrictions on certain travel-related transactions (including those for commercial travel) delineated in § 585.512, are hereby authorized on or after...

The Transformative Impact of Blended Mobility Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purg, Peter; Širok, Klemen; Brasil, Daniela

2018-01-01

Several pedagogical assets of the blended-learning courses conducted within the ADRIART.net partnership originate from their novel site-specific approach and intercultural value. Conducted outside school environments across Austria, Croatia, Italy and Slovenia in 2011-2014, over a dozen of these intensive Master's programme workshops mixed…

Analysis of Solar Potential of Roofs Based on Digital Terrain Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorički, M.; Poslončec-Petrić, V.; Frangeš, S.; Bačić, Ž.

2017-09-01

One of the basic goals of the smart city concept is to create a high-quality environment that is long sustainable and economically justifiable. The priority and concrete goal today is to promote and provide sustainable sources of energy (SSE). Croatia is rich with sun energy and as one of the sunniest European countries, it has a huge insufficiently used solar potential at its disposal. The paper describes the procedure of analysing the solar potential of a pilot area Sveti Križ Začretje by means of digital surface model (DSM) and based on the data available in the Meteorological and Hydrological Service of the Republic of Croatia. Although a more detailed analysis would require some additional factors, it is clear that the installation of 19,6m2 of solar panels in each household could cover annual requirements of the household in the analysed area, the locality Sveti Križ Začretje.

Chemical composition of the essential oil of Stachys menthifolia Vis.

PubMed

Ćavar, Sanja; Maksimović, Milka; Vidic, Danijela; Šolić, Marija Edita

2010-02-01

Stachys menthifolia Vis. (Lamiaceae) is an endemic species from the Balkan Peninsula spread throughout Albania, Greece, Montenegro, and Croatia. This article presents the first investigation of the essential oil composition of this species from Croatia. Aerial parts of the plant were collected from three different natural habitats in the region of Biokovo Mountain. The studied populations showed similarity in qualitative, but not in quantitative, composition of their essential oils. Hydrodistilled volatile oil obtained from the plant material of S. menthifolia was subjected to gas chromatographic analysis coupled to mass spectrometry. More than 100 compounds were identified in the three samples, representing 86.8-90.8% of the total oil. The terpene profile of S. menthifolia is characterized by a high content of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (48.4-58.9%) and diterpene hydrocarbons (3.5-25.2%), with 8-alpha-acetoxyelemol (6.9-21.3%), abietatriene (3.5-21.1%), and 4'-methoxyacetophenone (4.5-17.0%) as the main constituents.

Are chlorine-free compounds a solution for health problems caused by ozone-depleting substances?

PubMed

Valić, F; Beritić-Stahuljak, D

1996-01-01

In January 1996, the Government of Croatia and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) signed an agreement on the phasing out of ozone-depleting substances in Croatia, making the problem of identifying adequate substitutes a high priority. In this paper, the main ecologic characteristics of chlorine-containing fully halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and partially halogenated chlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) compared with chlorine-free hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are presented. The data showed HCFCs to be ecologically more acceptable than CFCs, particularly regarding the ozone-depleting potential (ODP), and have therefore been proposed as substitutes for CFCs. However, although having lower ODP, long-term they could still harm the stratospheric ozone layer, and are therefore hardly acceptable. HFCs are promising substitutes which, having no chlorine, have no ODP. Six were toxicologically evaluated; three of them were found flammable. Toxicological characteristics of three nonflammable compounds (HFC 125, HFC 134a and HFC 227ea) are presented. Their toxicity, not yet completely evaluated, appears to be low.

Social Phenomenon of Community on Online Learning: Digital Interaction and Collaborative Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aleksic-Maslac, Karmela; Magzan, Masha; Juric, Visnja

2009-01-01

Digital interaction in e-learning offers great opportunities for education quality improvement in both--the classical teaching combined with e-learning, and distance learning. Zagreb School of Economics & Management (ZSEM) is one of the few higher education institutions in Croatia that systematically uses e-learning in teaching. Systematically…

15 CFR 740.16 - Additional permissive reexports (APR).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... among: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark...,000 elements are to be embedded in civil products. (c) Reexports to a destination to which direct.... 25, 1996. Redesignated at 61 FR 64274, Dec. 4, 1996. Redesignated at 61 FR 68579, Dec. 30, 1996, and...

76 FR 38000 - Removal of Certain Sanctions Regulations Relating to the Former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

... Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) and Bosnian Serb-Controlled Areas of the Republic of Bosnia... for groups attempting to seize territory in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina by force and violence. In... areas of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Sanctions Regulations, 31 CFR part 585 (60 FR 34114...

Dearth of Early Education Experience: A Significant Barrier to Educational and Social Inclusion in the Western Balkans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milovanovic, Suncica Macura; Kokic, Ivana Batarelo; Kristiansen, Selma Džemidžic; Gera, Ibolya; Ikonomi, Estevan; Kafedžic, Lejla; Milic, Tamara; Rexhaj, Xhavit; Spasovski, Ognen; Closs, Alison

2014-01-01

The article summarises the socio-political, cultural, economic and educational background to the Western Balkans region and outlines the wider qualitative research study that provided the data on early and pre-school educational opportunities in the seven countries involved; Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo (under United Nations…

Stocktaking Research on Policies for Education for Democratic Citizenship and Management of Diversity in Southeast Europe. Regional Analysis and Intervention Proposals. Regional Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrison, Cameron; Baumgartl, Bernd

This report is a contribution to the Stocktaking Research Project on national government policies within the field of education for Education for Democratic Citizenship (EDC) and the Management of Diversity (MofD) in the countries of South East Europe (Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia). The…

Current status of transplantation and organ donation in the Balkans--could it be improved through the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN) initiative?

PubMed

Spasovski, Goce; Busic, Mirela; Pipero, Pellumb; Sarajlić, Lada; Popović, Andreja Subotić; Dzhaleva, Theodora; Codreanu, Igor; Ratković, Marina Mugosa; Popescu, Irinel; Lausević, Mirjana; Avsec, Danica; Raley, Lydia; Ekberg, Henrik; Ploeg, Rutger; Delmonico, Francis

2012-04-01

Organ donation and transplantation activity in the majority of Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria) are lagging far behind international averages. Inadequate financial resources, unclear regional data and lack of government infrastructure are some of the issues which should be recognized to draw attention and lead to problem-solving decisions. The Regional Health Development Centre (RHDC) Croatia, a technical body of the South-eastern Europe Health Network (SEEHN), was created in 2011 after Croatia's great success in the field over the last 10 years. The aim of the RHDC is to network the region and provide individualized country support to increase donation and transplantation activity in collaboration with professional societies (European Society of Organ Transplantation, European Transplant Coordinators Organization, The Transplantation Society and International Society of Organ Donation and Procurement). Such an improvement would in turn likely prevent transplant tourism. The regional data from 2010 show large discrepancies in donation and transplantation activities within geographically neighbouring countries. Thus, proposed actions to improve regional donation and transplantation rates include advancing living and deceased donation through regular public education, creating current and accurate waiting lists and increasing the number of educated transplant nephrologists and hospital coordinators. In addition to the effort from the professionals, government support with allocated funds per deceased donation, updated legislation and an established national coordinating body is ultimately recognized as essential for the successful donation and transplantation programmes. By continuous RHDC communication and support asked from the health authorities and motivated professionals from the SEEHN initiative, an increased number of deceased as well as living donor kidney

Inequality, Poverty, and Material Deprivation in New and Old Members of European Union

PubMed Central

Matković, Teo; Šućur, Zoran; Zrinščak, Siniša

2007-01-01

Aim To analyze the main indicators of income inequality, objective and subjective poverty, material deprivation, and the role of public social transfers in the reduction of poverty in 15 old and 10 new member states of the European Union (EU), undergoing post-communist socio-economic transition, as well as in Croatia, a candidate EU country. Method Objective poverty rates, poverty reduction rates, poverty thresholds in purchasing power standards (PPS), total social expenditure, inequality indicators, and risks of poverty according to demographics were calculated using the data from the Eurostat databases (in particular, Household Budget Survey). For Croatia, Central Bureau of Statistics first releases on poverty indicators were used, as well as database of the Ministry of Finance (social expenditure). Subjective poverty rates and non-monetary deprivation index were calculated using the European Quality of Life Survey, which was carried out in 2003 in EU countries and in 2006 in Croatia. Results According to the indicators of income inequality and objective poverty, there was a divide among old EU member states (EU15), with UK, Ireland and South European countries having higher and Continental and Nordic countries lower indicators of inequality and poverty. Among new member states (NMS10), Baltic countries and Poland had the highest and Slovenia and the Czech Republic the lowest indicators of inequality and poverty. In all EU15 countries, except Greece, subjective poverty rates were lower than objective ones, whereas in all NMS10 countries the levels of subjective poverty were much higher than those of objective poverty. With some exceptions, NMS10 countries had low or even decreasing social expenditures. The share of respondents who were deprived of more than 50% of items was 6 times higher in the NMS10 than in the EU15 countries. When standard of living was measured by income inequality, relative poverty rates, poverty reduction rates, total social protection

Inequality, poverty, and material deprivation in new and old members of the European Union.

PubMed

Matković, Teo; Sucur, Zoran; Zrinscak, Sinsa

2007-10-01

To analyze the main indicators of income inequality, objective and subjective poverty, material deprivation, and the role of public social transfers in the reduction of poverty in 15 old and 10 new member states of the European Union (EU), undergoing post-communist socio-economic transition, as well as in Croatia, a candidate EU country. Objective poverty rates, poverty reduction rates, poverty thresholds in purchasing power standards (PPS), total social expenditure, inequality indicators, and risks of poverty according to demographics were calculated using the data from the Eurostat databases, in particular, Household Budget Survey. For Croatia, Central Bureau of Statistics first releases on poverty indicators were used, as well as database of the Ministry of Finance (social expenditure). Subjective poverty rates and non-monetary deprivation index were calculated using the European Quality of Life Survey, which was carried out in 2003 in EU countries and in 2006 in Croatia. According to the indicators of income inequality and objective poverty, there was a divide among old EU member states (EU15), with UK, Ireland and South European countries having higher and Continental and Nordic countries lower indicators of inequality and poverty. Among new member states (NMS10), Baltic countries and Poland had the highest and Slovenia and the Czech Republic the lowest indicators of inequality and poverty. In all EU15 countries, except Greece, subjective poverty rates were lower than objective ones, whereas in all NMS10 countries the levels of subjective poverty were much higher than those of objective poverty. With some exceptions, NMS10 countries had low or even decreasing social expenditures. The share of respondents who were deprived of more than 50% of items was 6 times higher in the NMS10 than in the EU15 countries. When standard of living was measured by income inequality, relative poverty rates, poverty reduction rates, total social protection expenditures, and non

Unemployed People in Search of a Job: Reconsidering the Role of Search Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sverko, Branimir; Galic, Zvonimir; Sersic, Darja Maslic; Galesic, Mirta

2008-01-01

A three-wave longitudinal study of unemployed persons in Croatia was used to examine the antecedents of job-seeking behavior and reemployment. A series of demographic, motivational and job-constraint variables were posited to influence job-seeking behavior, which, in turn, was hypothesized to affect (re)employment. The participants were surveyed…

Analysis of Users' Searches of CD-ROM Databases in the National and University Library in Zagreb.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jokic, Maja

1997-01-01

Investigates the search behavior of CD-ROM database users in Zagreb (Croatia) libraries: one group needed a minimum of technical assistance, and the other was completely independent. Highlights include the use of questionnaires and transaction log analysis and the need for end-user education. The questionnaire and definitions of search process…

The National and University Library in Zagreb: The Goal Is Known--How Can It Be Attained?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miletic-Vejzovic, Laila

1994-01-01

Provides an overview of the state of libraries and their resources in Croatia. Highlights include destruction of libraries resulting from the war; the need for centralization, uniformity, and standards; the role of the National and University Library; processing library materials; and the development of an automated system and network. (Contains…

Early Language Learning: Complexity and Mixed Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Enever, Janet, Ed.; Lindgren, Eva, Ed.

2017-01-01

This is the first collection of research studies to explore the potential for mixed methods to shed light on foreign or second language learning by young learners in instructed contexts. It brings together recent studies undertaken in Cameroon, China, Croatia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania and…

Initiating Teachers' Action Research: Empowering Teachers' Voices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bognar, Branko

2013-01-01

The role of a teacher as an action researcher in Croatia is still insufficiently appreciated and promoted in initial teachers' training, school students learning and in the employed teachers' professional post-qualification development. In this country, teachers are most frequently perceived as mediators or technicians whose task is to prepare and…

The Eudaimonic and Hedonic Components of Happiness: Qualitative and Quantitative Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fave, Antonella Delle; Brdar, Ingrid; Freire, Teresa; Vella-Brodrick, Dianne; Wissing, Marie P.

2011-01-01

This paper illustrates a new project developed by a cross-country team of researchers, with the aim of studying the hedonic and eudaimonic components of happiness through a mixed method approach combining both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Data were collected from 666 participants in Australia, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain,…

Personal Experience and Perception of Abuse in People with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leutar, Zdravka; Vitlov, Josipa; Leutar, Ivan

2014-01-01

This article presents a qualitative study designed to gain insight into personal experience and perception of abuse in people with intellectual disabilities. Ten members of the organization for people with intellectual disabilities in Zadar, Croatia, who have a diagnosis of light or moderate intellectual disability, were included in the research.…

Prevalence of Tobacco Use among Students Aged 13-15 Years in the South-Eastern Europe Health Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stojiljkovic, Djorde; Haralanova, Maria; Nikogosian, Haik; Petrea, Ionela; Chauvin, James; Warren, Charles W.; Jones, Nathan R.; Asma, Samira

2008-01-01

Objective: To examine adolescent tobacco use among members of the South-Eastern Europe (SEE) Health Network using data from the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS). Methods: Nationally representative samples were drawn from students in grades associated with youth aged 13 to 15 in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former…

The Influence of Experience on Pre-Service and Novice Teachers--The Croatian Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Škugor, Alma; Sablic, Marija

2018-01-01

This paper researches students' and teacher trainees' personal experience of student-centred teaching during their education in grades 1-4 of primary school. The questionnaire comprised 45 statements and was completed by 403 primary school teacher trainees and 535 students (future teachers) at Faculties of Teacher Education in Croatia. The…

Teachers for the Future: Teacher Development for Inclusive Education in the Western Balkans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantic, Natasa; Closs, Alison; Ivosevic, Vanja

2011-01-01

Teachers for the Future is a regional report that draws together and analyses research findings from a study commissioned by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in seven countries in the Western Balkan region, namely Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. The overall…

Teachers for the Future: Teacher Development for Inclusive Education in the Western Balkans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantic, Natasa; Closs, Alison; Ivosevic, Vanja

2011-01-01

Teachers for the Future is a regional report that draws together and analyses research findings from a study commissioned by the European Training Foundation (ETF) in seven countries in the Western Balkans region, namely, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia. The overall…

Teacher Competence as a Basis for Teacher Education: Comparing Views of Teachers and Teacher Educators in Five Western Balkan Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pantic, Natasa; Wubbels, Theo; Mainhard, Tim

2011-01-01

Orientation of teacher preparation toward the development of competence has recently been suggested as a worthwhile direction of change in teacher education in the Western Balkan countries. In this study, 2,354 teachers, teacher educators, and student teachers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia responded to a…

Is There Anything Specific about Early School Leaving in Southeast Europe? A Review of Research and Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jugovic, Ivana; Doolan, Karin

2013-01-01

Studies on early school leaving (ESL) from countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia have been missing from the international early school leaving research map. As a contribution to remedying this, the article reviews research papers and strategic documents from these countries, guided by the general…

Automation Is the Answer, but What Is the Question? Progress and Prospects for Central and Eastern European Libraries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgman, Christine L.

1996-01-01

Reports on a survey of 70 research libraries in Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Results show that libraries are rapidly acquiring automated processing systems, CD-ROM databases, and connections to computer networks. Discusses specific data on system implementation and network services by country and by type of…

Military Assistance to Mexico: Use of Special Operations Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-31

91 Donald Sparks, " Jackal Stone 2009; Special Opcmti011s Forces Multinational Training in Croatia", Tt/J of the Spear, USSCOM, Tampa FL, 92 Sparks...Data Analysis from 2001-2009" Justice in Mexico Project, Trans Border Institute, University of San Diego, January 2009. Sparks, Donald " Jackal Stone

JPRS Report, East Europe

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-06

fall silent. In SR Croatia, which I represent as a delegate, there is ferment around a set of fresh ideas aimed at optimalizing the system, at...spreads and yogurts . It makes a wide variety of meat products (head cheese, salami, ham, and 18 different kinds of regional meat products). Also

Teachers' Attitudes toward the Integration of Pupils with Intellectual Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kis-Glavas, Lelia; And Others

This study examined the attitudes of 194 teachers in 17 regular primary schools in the city of Zagreb (Croatia) and the surrounding area about the integration of children with intellectual or other developmental disabilities. In addition to providing demographic data, the teachers completed a 21-item questionnaire with questions that addressed:…

Higher Goals in Mathematics Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kolar-Begovic, Zdenka, Ed.; Kolar-Šuper, Ružica, Ed.; Ðurdevic Babic, Ivana, Ed.

2015-01-01

This monograph offers an overview of the current research work carried out in Croatia and the surrounding countries, and specifically an interesting insight in teaching and learning issues in these countries. The authors discuss the need of the general population for becoming good problem-solvers in society of today, which is characterised by…

Na Putu Od Drazvne Do Samoupravne Skole (On the Road from State to Self-Governing School).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Podgorski, Ivica

1971-01-01

This document is an English-language abstract (approximately 1500 words) of an article by a Croatian discussing certain reforms in educational administration in the Socialist Republic of Croatia. The author starts by discussing education against the background of the new Yugoslav social and economic order. To comply with these trends, he insists…

DefenseLink Feature:

Science.gov Websites

Democracies President George W. Bush shakes hands with President Stjepan Mesic of Croatia during arrival today. Story NATO Members Debate Direction of Alliance President George W. Bush talks with Defense . Story Bush Pushes NATO To Accept Balkan Nations President George W. Bush emphasizes a point as he

Opinions of University Music Teachers on the Musical Competencies Necessary for Primary Education Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Begic, Jasna Šulentic; Begic, Amir; Škojo, Tihana

2017-01-01

This paper describes the research conducted in the Republic of Croatia during the 2012/13 academic year. We have gathered opinions from experts, i.e. teaching methods teachers from seven faculties of teacher education, regarding the music teaching competencies necessary for primary education teachers teaching music in the first several grades of…

Does Higher Education Curriculum Contribute to Prospective Teachers' Attitudes, Self-Efficacy and Motivation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koludrovic, Morana; Ercegovac, Ina Reic

2017-01-01

In Croatia, another comprehensive reform of the education system is being implemented. Although it proposes a number of reforms to the school system, we think that providing better training to future teachers during their studies would further contribute to the quality of education. The initial education of elementary and high school teachers is…

Cross National Study on Pre-Service Elementary and Science Teachers' Opinions on Science Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Šorgo, Andrej; Pipenbaher, Nataša; Šašic, Slavica Šimic; Prokop, Pavol; Kubiatko, Milan; Golob, Nika; Erdogan, Mehmet; Tomažic, Iztok; Bilek, Martin; Fancovicova, Jana; Lamanauskas, Vincentas; Usak, Muhammet

2015-01-01

Cross national study on opinions on science teaching was revealed on a sample of 1799 (596 males, 1203 females) pre-service elementary and science teachers' enrolled in various departments at selected universities in Croatia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Turkey. Three factors explaining 43.4% of variance were extracted from a…

SOS Children's Friendly Community Historical Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukaš, Mirko; Lenard, Ivan

2014-01-01

SOS Children's Village Croatia is categorized as a children's home whose primary goal is taking care of children without an adequate parental care or parents themselves. Moreover, it aims at providing children, regardless of their racial, national or religious affiliation, with affection and love in a safe family environment. In addition, SOS…

Using the Copenhagen Process to Facilitate National Qualification Framework Strategies in South Eastern Europe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mc Bride, Vincent

2005-01-01

This article presents and discusses a perspective on the implications of the Lisbon Process for education and training in a selected group of partner countries of the European Union -- the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro). It presents the reflections of a…

The history of pharmacy studies in Croatia.

PubMed

Kujundzić, N; Inić, S

2014-02-01

The first study of pharmacy on Croatian territory was founded in the early 19th century (1806-1813). Vicencio Dandolo (1758-1819), a pharmacist from Venice who was Napoleon's governor of Dalmatia, established a lyceum in Zadar in 1806. It included education for pharmacists. The Lyceum (later the Central School) was closed in 1811. The founding of the modern University of Zagreb (1874) and its Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (1876) created the conditions for the development of university education for pharmacists. The study of pharmacy was introduced at the University of Zagreb in 1882 through the efforts of the Croatian-Slavonian Pharmaceutical Association and the professors of the Faculty of Philosophy. The study went through a series of reforms. The most significant one came with the introduction of the four-year study of pharmacy and the establishment of the Pharmacy Department of the Faculty of Philosophy (1928). The independent Faculty of Pharmacy (today's Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry) was founded at the University of Zagreb in 1942. Since 1989, it has had two separate studies (Pharmacy and Medical Biochemistry).

Caries prevalence among schoolchildren in Zagreb, Croatia

PubMed Central

Dukić, Walter; Delija, Barbara; Lulić Dukić, Olga

2011-01-01

Aim To investigate the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs in schoolchildren aged 7-14 years from Zagreb. Methods Dental examinations based on the World Health Organization criteria were performed on 1168 children in the period 2009-2010. The teeth were clinically examined with standard dental instruments using visual-tactile method under standard dental light. We recorded the clinical indexes of decayed, missed, and filled teeth (DMFT and dmft; upper-case letters refer to permanent and lower-case letters to primary teeth) and decayed, missed, and filled surfaces (DMFS), as well as the significant caries index (SiC). Results The median DMFT and DMFS of all children were 3 and 4, respectively. The median DMFT and DMFS of 12-year-old children were 4 and 5, respectively. The highest median DMFT score of 7 was found among 14-year-old children. There was a significant difference between age groups (7-10 years and 11-14 years) in DMFT and DMFS. Among 8-year-old children, the median dmft index was the highest (5.5) and SiC index was 7.4. As far as the location of caries on the surface of the first permanent molar is concerned, caries occurred mostly in the central occlusal surface (27.6%). Conclusion Our results showed a high caries prevalence among schoolchildren in Zagreb, indicating a need for an extensive program of primary oral health care. PMID:22180264

Caries prevalence among schoolchildren in Zagreb, Croatia.

PubMed

Dukić, Walter; Delija, Barbara; Lulić Dukić, Olga

2011-12-15

To investigate the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs in schoolchildren aged 7-14 years from Zagreb. Dental examinations based on the World Health Organization criteria were performed on 1168 children in the period 2009-2010. The teeth were clinically examined with standard dental instruments using visual-tactile method under standard dental light. We recorded the clinical indexes of decayed, missed, and filled teeth (DMFT and dmft; upper-case letters refer to permanent and lower-case letters to primary teeth) and decayed, missed, and filled surfaces (DMFS), as well as the significant caries index (SiC). The median DMFT and DMFS of all children were 3 and 4, respectively. The median DMFT and DMFS of 12-year-old children were 4 and 5, respectively. The highest median DMFT score of 7 was found among 14-year-old children. There was a significant difference between age groups (7-10 years and 11-14 years) in DMFT and DMFS. Among 8-year-old children, the median dmft index was the highest (5.5) and SiC index was 7.4. As far as the location of caries on the surface of the first permanent molar is concerned, caries occurred mostly in the central occlusal surface (27.6%). Our results showed a high caries prevalence among schoolchildren in Zagreb, indicating a need for an extensive program of primary oral health care.

What determines fresh fish consumption in Croatia?

PubMed

Tomić, Marina; Matulić, Daniel; Jelić, Margareta

2016-11-01

Although fresh fish is widely available, consumption still remains below the recommended intake levels among the majority of European consumers. The economic crisis affects consumer food behaviour, therefore fresh fish is perceived as healthy but expensive food product. The aim of this study was to determine the factors influencing fresh fish consumption using an expanded Theory of Planned Behaviour (Ajzen, 1991) as a theoretical framework. The survey was conducted on a heterogeneous sample of 1151 Croatian fresh fish consumers. The study investigated the relationship between attitudes, perceived behavioural control, subjective norm, moral obligation, involvement in health, availability, intention and consumption of fresh fish. Structural Equation Modeling by Partial Least Squares was used to analyse the collected data. The results indicated that attitudes are the strongest positive predictor of the intention to consume fresh fish. Other significant predictors of the intention to consume fresh fish were perceived behavioural control, subjective norm, health involvement and moral obligation. The intention to consume fresh fish showed a strong positive correlation with behaviour. This survey provides valuable information for food marketing professionals and for the food industry in general. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Information Literacy in Croatia: An Ideological Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poler Kovacic, Melita; Zgrabljic Rotar, Nada; Erjavec, Karmen

2012-01-01

New information and communication technologies were widely perceived as something that would lead post-socialist European countries towards the technologically developed information society. In this article, a critical perspective is taken in examining information literacy as an ideological form. The deconstruction of ideological practice was…

Mapping of cosmic radiation dose in Croatia.

PubMed

Poje, M; Vuković, B; Radolić, V; Miklavčić, I; Faj, D; Varga Pajtler, M; Planinić, J

2012-01-01

The Earth is continually bombarded by high-energy particles coming from the outer space and the sun. These particles, termed cosmic radiation, interact with nuclei of atmospheric constituents and decrease in intensity with depth in the atmosphere. Measurements of photon and gamma radiation, performed with a Radiameter at 1 m above the ground, indicated dose rates of 50-100 nSv/h. The neutron dose rate was measured with the CR-39 track etch detector calibrated by the CERN-EU high-energy Reference Field (CERF) facility. Correlation between neutron dose rates and altitudes at 36 sites was examined in order to obtain a significant positive correlation coefficient; the resulting linear regression enabled estimation of a neutron dose at particular altitude. The measured neutron dose rate in Osijek (altitude of 89 m, latitude of 45.31° N) was 110 nSv/h. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Mortality rates of circulatory system diseases and malignant neoplasms in Zagreb population younger than sixty-five--call for alarm].

PubMed

Vizintin, Marina Polić; Mrcela, Nada Tomasović; Kovacić, Luka

2012-12-01

The aim of this work was to analyze the public health indicators for circulatory heart diseases and malignant neoplasms in the population younger than 65 in the City of Zagreb, Croatia, and compare them with the European Union (EU) countries. The purpose was to evaluate the situation and propose the public health preventive measures. The study population were Zagreb citizens aged 0-64 according to the 2001 census. Total Zagreb population was 779145, making 17.6% of total Croatian population. Data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics and Dr Andrija Stampar Institute of Public Health were used. The standardized 0-64 mortality rates of the selected diseases 2006-2010 were used in the analysis. In 2010, the standardized mortality rates of all analyzed diseases were significantly higher in Zagreb population aged 0-64 than the EU averages except for cervical cancer. In 2010, the mortality rates in Zagreb population aged 0-64 were as follows: circulatory system diseases 61.22, ischemic heart disease 28.99, cerebrovascular diseases 12.51, malignant neoplasms 94.69, tracheal and lung cancer 24.92, breast cancer 21.08 and cervical cancer 2.05. Standardized mortality rates in Zagreb population aged 0-64 for circulatory system were lower than for Croatia (61.22 vs. 63.25), but higher for malignant neoplasms (94.69 vs. 91.2), except for cervical cancer (2.05 vs. 3.14). High standardized mortality rates for the selected diseases in the City of Zagreb, Croatia, were observed. The rates were higher in Zagreb population compared to EU averages except for cervical cancer. This situation urges revision of the public health strategy and implementation of more intensive preventive and screening measures to reduce the risk factors.

Microsoft in Southeast Europe: A Conversation with Goran Radman

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pendergast, William; Frayne, Colette; Kelley, Patricia

2009-01-01

Goran Radman (GR) joined Microsoft in 1996 and served until Fall 2008 as Microsoft Chairman, Southeast Europe (SEE) and Chairman, East and Central Europe (ECEE). Based in Croatia, where he enjoys sailing the Adriatic coast and islands, he spoke with the authors during 2008 and 2009 about his experience launching Microsoft's commercial presence in…

Teamwork in Relation to Quality of E-Learning: Business Education Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magzan, Masa; Aleksic-Maslac, Karmela; Juric, Visnja

2010-01-01

This paper describes several models of teamwork used in business curricula at Zagreb School of Economics and Management (ZSEM) in Croatia. Since its foundation in 2002, ZSEM has been implementing best academic practices for quality assurance. This is done both in terms of integrating ICT in teaching and learning, as well as applying contemporary…

The Role of Cultural Capital in Higher Education Access and Institutional Choice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Košutic, Iva

2017-01-01

This paper aims to explore social inequalities in school achievement and educational decision-making of the final-year students of secondary schools in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County, Croatia (N = 534). The theoretical framework of the paper was Bourdieu's theory of cultural and social reproduction (1977a). The main objectives were an…

The Influence of Integrative Gestalt Therapy on Acquisition of Daily Life Skills and Habits.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zic, Anamarija; And Others

This study evaluated the effects of Integrative Gestalt Therapy on the intellectual aspects of social competence in 13 children, ages 7 to 11, living in Zagreb, Croatia. These children had intellectual disabilities (IQ 54 to 84) as well as psychological and/or behavior problems. Integrative Gestalt Therapy emphasizes the wholeness of a person's…

Creating Pupils' Internet Magazine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bognar, Branko; Šimic, Vesna

2014-01-01

This article presents an action research, which aimed to improve pupils' literary creativity and enable them to use computers connected to the internet. The study was conducted in a small district village school in Croatia. Creating a pupils' internet magazine appeared to be an excellent way for achieving the educational aims of almost all…

Make Books, Not War: Workshops at a Summer Camp in Bosnia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Darvin, Jacqueline

2009-01-01

This article focuses on a bookmaking project that was conducted with pre-adolescent Serbian and Bosnian girls at a summer camp outside Sarajevo, Bosnia in 2005. During this camp, children from Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia were brought together by the Global Children's Organisation to engage in a variety of activities, including conflict resolution,…

19 CFR 12.104b - State Parties to the Convention.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

..., acceptance, accession or succession, the date of such deposit and the date of entry into force for each State Party: State party Date of deposit Date of entry into force Algeria June 24, 1974 (R) Sept. 24, 1974... entered into force on July 28, 1988. 2. Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and the Republic of Slovenia each...